Tienie Pritchard Museum

The Orient hotel is full of sculptures from celebrated South African sculptor, Tienie Pritchard, including a full blown museum dedicated to his works. I didn't know of his works, although I have seen his "George Harrison" or "The Miner" statue many times outside Eastgate Mall. The museum gives a run down of his many works, with photos and details of works that are not on display. There are some stunning pieces and it's well worth a visit.

Dullstroom

Dullstroom is well known as fly fishing destination and it is a great destination for a relaxing weekend in general. The village itself is quite small with a few shops; and it can also be a great base to explore this part of Mpumalanga. We stayed in a self catering farm chalet (Dullstroom Cottages), a few km out of town; and that was really part of the charm. I don't think it's a place that merits a return visit if you are not into fishing; but definitely works for a few days away.

Art of Food

Having "gourmet" as part of your name usually implies trying very hard to be posh, but not quite getting there. Art of Food in Dullstroom lives up to this stereotype- it's more Tashas than Test Kitchen. The food is very good, and very well priced; but portions are quite large and so is not very conducive to a multi course meal. Of the three dinners we had in Dullstroom, this was the best - so if you are staying over in Dullstroom- make a reservation.

Pilgrims Rest

Pilgrims Rest lies on a spectacular twisting mountain road between Graskop and Lydenburg - and it's a great drive despite the potholes and slow trucks. Sadly, the town itself is a bit of a let down. Not all old houses and buildings need to be maintained - and this is one such case. There are the requisite curio stalls, some restaurants and pubs, and a great pottery and glassware shop. Maybe, I just don't find the era interesting, Pilgrums Rest is a nice curiosity; but it's nothing special.

Curio D'Afrique

Graskop is a strange location to have a shop specializing in African Art - not just the curios that every tourist attraction hosts; but really impressive sculptures from across the continent. But there is a steady stream of visitors that go to God's Window and surrounds, so there is a market.

The quality and range of items is amazing - masks, fertility artifacts, statues, bead work, sculptures - it's worth visiting just to see the great range of artwork. And the prices are very reasonable - in fact for some items it may be cheaper to drive to Graskop, stay the night and buy the artworks than buy equivalent works in Johannesburg.

The Pinnacle

It is less well known than God's Window, The Pinnacle has had some development since my last visit with a central curio stall, better parking facilities and more fences by the cliffs. The pinnacle rock is the highlight, but there is also the top of the waterfall nearby.

God's Window

The view of Blyde Canyon from the cliffs at God's Window is breathtaking, especially on a clear day. It has been 5 years since the last time, and remains an impressive sight on a return visit.

Basic Income

One platform that I really liked (and perhaps the only one) from the EFF in the last elections, was their proposal for the Mandatory Basic Income. For some reason, I have seen two very interesting articles on the same issue in the past two weeks - the first discussion was on the Freakonomics podcast, while the second was an article on Vox.com on an experiment in Kenya.

The concept is simple - give every citizen of a country a guaranteed base income. Some models have the income go down as the citizen gets paid by other sources (employment, investment); while others have such income as supplementary to the guaranteed income. In most models, there is no other state support (such as unemployment insurance). South Africa already has something that can be used as a base - the child support grants and other similar social grants; but the amounts are minuscule and sometimes may incentivise the wrong things.

In my mind, basic income should be a foundational platform. In South Africa's Bill of Rights (Chapter 2 of the Constitution), as well as the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights envisage that all persons have the right to shelter, food, water, health care and education - and this is an area that most countries fail. The basic income, as expanded upon by the Freakonomics podcast manages to be the rare initiative that makes sense both as a libertarian and a liberal - it manages to address freedom of choice and meet the social need.

If the basic needs are met - it frees up capacity for individuals to pursue their ambitions - be the best artist they can be without wondering how to put food on the table; or train to be the best sportsperson as you don't need to worry about how to put in 8 hours a day at work and 6 hours a day in training; or start the business you want without fear of living on the streets; or send your children to school because you don't have to rely on them to get work.

Funding basic income is obviously a problem. For the tax payer - it's easy - it's a tax break. But the approach may spur innovation and small business; so it's not necessarily a tax hole. And off course, how much is basic income? A basic income of R4500 (which I think was the EFF value) per person in South Africa equates to roughly 225 billion Rands, a month - a fifth of South Africa's annual budget! One can take the approach of - basic income but nothing other than basic infrastructure (roads, airports etc); or adjust the income parameters to have different values for children than adults. 

As the Freakonomics podcast highlights, there is potentially a very big looming robotics and automation revolution - one that might further reduce job security; and further entrench the gig economy. In such a scenario, basic income may not be a luxury - it may become a necessity. It is something that needs further investigation.

Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra - Music from the Silverscreen

Two of the points I made about the JPO were that it needs to perform on more suitable days (like the weekend) and that it needs to perform more accessible pieces to attract new audiences. The Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra, based in Pretoria seems to have addressed both of these points - they perform on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, and while their programme for the season is varied - it certainly features some very accessible pieces; such as the performance this past weekend.

The programme featured a variety of orchestral (and some choral) pieces from a variety of movies - Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Crimson Tide, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Prince of Egypt and most of the Star Wars Symphony and finishing off with a wonderful Clarinet (or was it an Oboe?) piece from the little known "Made in Heaven". It was also a nice touch to include projection of movie excerpts during the performance - although the excerpts were not directly aligned to the music itself.

The choral performance was unfortunately weak - the voices just didn't project well enough (and it was particularly noticeable with the theme song from Prince of Egypt). Other than that, it was a wonderful concept and a great performance. 

The orchestra does not perform too many times; but they are certainly worthwhile to keep track off and support.

Tesla will be here ... someday

Friday, and for that matter, the weekend was dominated (rightly) by political news. So, it slipped past most media notice that Elon Musk will bring finally bring his Tesla to the country of his birth. As noted by Musk himself, the Tesla 3 is the culmination of a very long strategy on how to make mass scale electric cars a reality - and in a country blessed with sunshine, it's about time.

I was considering getting a new car this year - and I did go to have a look at the i3. But despite many promises by BMW, I am yet to actually get a test drive (and they have stopped keeping me up to date every Friday with excuses). But the i3 (and the Nissan Leaf) are rather poor cousins when compared to the Tesla - especially in terms of range. Whereas the i3's extended range is about 200Km, the Tesla's starting range will be about 340Km. The Model S' extended range is already in the region of 430Km, which is plenty for most use cases in South Africa.

But the key to Tesla is the whole package that it brings together - not only the car, but also the charging network. In every country it operates in so far, it has built out the charging network, so I expect that it will be the same in South Africa. 

I did some calculations with the Nissan Leaf, and also with the i3 and now with Tesla. Even with escalating electricity prices in South Africa, the cost per Km is less than a 3rd of a petrol vehicle. Yes, the initial investment is significantly more; but I think the numbers will work out over the long term (assuming warranty and service levels are the same as Model S and X). 

But it will be a long wait - the Model 3 is only scheduled for delivery in the US at the end of 2017, and I expect SA to be the last of the Left Hand Drive markets to be available; so nothing before end of 2018 at the earliest in my view; probably mid-2019 realistically. 

I think I can stretch my current car until then - and it allows me to save up :)

Movie Lies

Information is Beautiful has a wonderful set of infographics detailing the accuracy of movies to real life - on a scene by scene basis. I have only looked at a few - but it is quite fascinating how some of the movies diverge and how, sometimes, the over the top scenes are not lies (in Wolf of Wall Street off course :))

The Box Comedy

I have heard a lot of the American stand-up comedy scene and process - comedy clubs that host a number of comedians in one night; all having a few minutes on stage. The established stars come to hone their jokes for the big shows (the ones that are for 60 - 90 minutes), while others come to try establish themselves. It's meant to be experimental; edgy and a whole lot of variety.

My experiences of this set-up has so far been quite disappointing. My one experience in New York was disappointing (that was more due to my poor choice of venue I think); and venues in South Africa (such as Parker's) tend to cater towards more established comedians on most evenings. I have been meaning to go to The Box Comedy show, at the PopArt Theatre in Maboneng, for a while now - but it's Sunday evening shows are impractical towards waking up early for Monday morning. Last night was my first experience - and the first for most in the absolutely packed room - and the format is much closer to the American stand-up comedy scene than I expected.

The line up was mixed - young comedians just starting out (the youngest, Panch Gasela was 16); to the established star in Kagiso Lediga; together with a one joke cameo by Loyiso Gola; and a longer, unscheduled set by SA Got Talent host Tats Nkonzo; and a superb host in Mpho Popps. The jokes were varied - and yes, some fell flat - and some of it was definitely experimental. 

Overall, it was great - one of the best comedy shows I have attended actually; and the best R50 I have spent in a long time. The Sunday evening shows may be impractical for every weekend, but perhaps next time I have a late Monday start, it would be a great way to spend Sunday evening.

Movie: The Big Short

The Big Short is somewhat like a re-enactment movie from the History Channel - with a bit less voice over, way better acting and arguably far more informative. Charting the path of three groups of investors who went against the established understanding of the US housing market - it is probably the most easily communicated story on the 2007 financial crisis. 

The negativity and the derision received by the three groups is in itself enlightening - how people in general do not like to hear contrarian positions; and how difficult it is to motivate contrarian positions. In addition, the story makes a very pointed link that the financial crisis was not just as a result of people who did not pay careful attention - but rather, that the position was a direct result of fraud and abuse of insider knowledge. 

And most worryingly, because the underlying cause of the 2007 meltdown was not really addressed - it is likely to occur again.

Movie: Spotlight

It is somewhat ironic that a new media organisation, First Look Media, financed the Oscar winning movie about investigative journalism in the old media world. With The Intercept, First Look does have some of the characteristics of investigative journalism; but that is more due to the seed of its formation with Snowden's leaks. 

What Spotlight shows, above all else, is how difficult investigative journalism really is - not only the amazingly long time it takes to really understand a story, identify sources, the emotional toll on the reporters and above all else - get the story right. It is the complete opposite of most modern media - publishing before verifying, publishing without getting the complete story or even understanding whether there is a story. 

And in some ways, Spotlight asks the really difficult question - would a similar investigation be even possible by today's media - or is this really the homage to a lost profession? At the end of the movie, Stanley Tucci's character says - "keep doing what you do" - but are there really that many investigative reporters left in the world?

History of Philosophy (Without any Gaps)

In late 2014, I came across a book covering classical philosophy - but what drew my attention more was the mention that the book was the result of a series of podcasts on philosophy by Professor Peter Adamson. While I considered buying the book, and even took down the name of the podcast - I didn't really pay attention - as I was not really into podcasts.

Then in January 2015, I discovered Serial - season 1 was winding down; and I was hooked - both on Serial and podcasts in general. Podcasts have become my defacto travel companion; and the History of Philosophy Without any Gaps series is the only one (apart from Serial) that I really started from the beginning. And after 260+ episodes; I have finally drawn level with the most current episode (now also covering History of Philosophy in India).

Prof. Adamson takes a broad perspective on Philosophy (sometimes, it can be argued that it's too broad) - covering not only the staples such as logic and argument; but also topics such as theology. But the beauty of this approach is - that it becomes more than just a recitation of philosophy. The podcast becomes an exploration of the intellectual development of human ideas - of how human thought has changed over time; and how ideas have built upon various interconnected and often surprising threads. And through all of this, there is the overall economic, political and religious history that overlay these developments. 

While there is philosophical jargon (which I don't understand, or to be honest care for); and some interviews and guests get too enthusiastic about their specialisations; the endeavour itself is a massive undertaking. The style of presentation is also worth commending, despite some cheesy puns and a proliferation of giraffes and Buster Keaton; Prof. Adamson makes the topic of the week interesting and engaging.

This is in effect an attempt at a singular compendium of how human intellectual thought has progressed - and there is a very long way to go. As covered in the podcast series; Philosophers have always valued commentators and their contributions to preserving philosophy. Prof. Adamson has probably already become the supreme commentator when it comes to how many he has commented upon; and what he has set out to perform. I hope that it continues till we get to Prof. Adamson commenting on his own achievements when the series catches up.

Xiaomi RedMi 2 - The Really Long Usage Review

I bought my Xiaomi RedMi 2 exactly a year ago in Hong Kong. I had originally wanted the Mi4 (which had just launched) but getting a guaranteed genuine Xiaomi phone was surprisingly difficult. This is because one of the networks has (had?) a monopoly, and the Mi4 specifically was only sold through the Xiaomi outlet at the time. Even in that store, there was a daily limit of sales for non-contract phones - making the whole purchasing experience rather surreal. The RedMi 2 was more widely available, cheaper (which allowed me to also balance out my iPhone purchase) and less hassle to get.

It's my first proper Android phone, and I was immediately more receptive of using it in comparison to other Android phone I had tried - especially various Samsungs. This is mostly due to the MiUI Android fork used by Xiaomi. The interface is sleek, and very iOS like. That said, there are still a lot of small interface issues that I just haven't managed to figure out - like can I get rid of the Google search bar on the main screen or at least reduce the estate. 

My other major gripe relates to the level of Google integration- my contacts are annoyingly integrated so searching for a name to call brings up email addresses and I keep getting notification updates on gmail when I have read emails on my iPhone (or desktop). The contacts part can be suppressed but doesn't seem to be permanent - every time I update or some other random even seems to switch it back to integrated mode.

I use the phone as my work phone, so I have had really good usage. Most of my blog posts in Hong Kong were done on the phone, and the photos were superb. I haven't had issues with memory limitations, but then I do use a limited set of apps, and clear my memory often of unused apps. I have had some occasional issue with volume (both microphone and speaker) but it seems to be difficult to work putt a pattern.

Overall, I am very happy - although I would probably just get another iPhone as a work phone in the future. Xiaomi just launched phones in South Africa, and it is definitely a good alternative to other Android phones. If I were to get another Android phone, it would definitely be a Xiaomi.

Buskaid at Johannesburg International Mozart Festival 2016

Sometimes, Rosemary Nalden brings her teacher persona into the concert hall; which can lead to the detriment of the experience. Yesterday was such an occasion, leading to, in my opinion, a more subdued audience. While welcoming the audience yesterday afternoon, a young boy spoke a bit loudly - leading Rosemary to first comment that the concert is not for "under 6", before ejecting parent and child. 

There was a murmur from the crowd (the lady next to me commented, "She is very bossy, eh?" while another later commented on "how strict" she was) and Rosemary did explain that external noise was distracting during the performance. It was therefore quite amusing that a loud thunderstorm decided to intrude during the later part of the performance leading Rosemary to comment that she couldn't control the heavens unfortunately.

Personally, I think this attitude is one that detracts people from attending classical concerts, as it comes across as snobby and aloof. After all, if children are not attending concerts (given that this concert was at a school too!) at a young age, how can we expect them to develop a following later in life? The atmosphere of concerts has also changed - modern day classical concerts compete with pop, rock, jazz and even musicals - all of which encourages healthy audience feedback. Given that the concerts I have attended in Soweto tend to be quite boisterous affairs - perhaps the Buskaid should encourage similar attitudes for all audiences.

The distraction aside - this year's programme was the most enjoyable since I have attended Buskaid's concerts. It had the usual amazing diversity in composers and style and really showcased the talents of the young musicians.

The concert opened with Rameau's Overture to the opera Zaïs. While it is traditional for the Buskaid to always play Rameau, I think this was the first piece that I really enjoyed. It was lively (aided by guest musicians playing woodwinds and the Harp) and felt more engaging than the usual pieces performed by the Buskaid.

Jules Massenet's Meditation from Thaïs, featuring Kabelo Monnathebe, fast-forwarded the era of music by a few centuries, and was a stark change in pace to the Rameau. However, it did go very well with the next piece - Reverie; performed by the modern composer Angela Morley. The composer's life story is in itself interesting, and it is a haunting piece on her conflict being a woman in a man's body before her sex change operation. The solo performance by Mzwandile Twala was amazing - and was also a stark reminder on the youth of the performers - I first saw Mzwandile in the first Buskaid I attended, and he was barely bigger than his violin. Yesterday, as he commanded the stage in his performance - he towered above almost everyone on the stage! The last performance of the first half was the full performance of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 3. It's a popular piece that is played often - but I don't think I have ever heard the full piece live.

The second half started with Mozart's Overture to Il Seraglio, to keep to the theme of this year's festival of all things Turkish, followed by Sibelius' Impromptu for String Orchestra. The final piece before the kwela and gospel performances; was an amazing arrangement of Bruch's Kol Nidrei featuring two of the senior performers of the Buskaid - Tisetso Mashini on Viola and Gilbert Tsoke on Cello. It is an amazing musical score - and the hand off between Tisetso and Gilbert was seamless. It was a showcase of proficiency - and a perfect piece to finish the formal concert.

Movie: The Hateful Eight

The 8^th movie by Quentin Tarantino (I assume he considers Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2 to be one movie) does not reach the heights of his 6^th and 7^th movies - but I didn't expect it too. And while the movie itself does share a common thread in the last few of his movies - revenge and retribution - it is more of a whodunit, than a revenge movie.

Sadly, the movie does not project in the touted Panavision 70 projection; but the snowscapes and the initial chapters are stunning. As can be expected from a Tarantino movie, there is tremendous dialogue - with some great acting performances - especially Jennifer Jason Leigh and Samuel L. Jackson. The story is compelling; and achieves what every good movie should - complete escapism - and the 3 hours go by without much notice. 

Movie: The Revenant

Mauled by a bear, shot at (by guns and arrows), riding off a cliff and submerging in a frigid river - nothing seems to be able to kill Hugh Glass. In a set of experiences that would probably have killed most of Marvel's super heroes, it seems that a mortal man did manage to actually survive. 

Much has been written about The Revenant and the movie does deliver on its hype. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance as the survivalist Hugh Glass is amazing; the scenery is jaw dropping (it is difficult to imagine that such wilderness still exists on earth); and while the story is embellished (if compared to Wikipedia's version) - it remains an epic story of survival against all odds. 

Amongst the controversies of this year's Oscar nominations, at least it can be said that this performance and the movie itself are worthy nominees.

Thrifty Car Rental - No Frills Danger

Thrifty Car Rental is quite well known for promising no-frills, highly competitive car rentals. And it was exactly what it looked like when I booked online for last December - they had a number of well designed options, which led to a very competitive rate. 

The veneer started to come off at collection. Despite a confirmed, partially prepaid, reservation - the reservation was nowhere to be found on their systems. After about 15 minutes to fiddling, the agent proceeded to create a new booking; highlighted the same charges as per my booking on the printout, took the remainder of the hiring fee noted in my reservation document (plus the deposit off course); and we were on our way.

The trouble began after the return of the car; when I noticed a hefty charge deducted from my card. Upon enquiry, it seems that the new reservation was actually on a higher day rate than what I had actually booked. I looked closer on the printout, and it was true; although it was not highlighted. Suddenly, the well priced, competitive car rental turned out to be quite an expensive rental - one that didn't come with air miles that the "high frills" competitors provided, now at a lower cost. 

Given that I had signed the rental - I have no real recourse. When I mentioned my experience, at least 2 others mentioned similar experiences with Thrifty. Perhaps it is their business model - who knows. I have learnt my lesson with no frills competitors, it is easier to just stick to the high frills car rental agencies. I know what I will get, and in either case, I have always have consistent service and never had billing errors in the past.