Joshua Bell - JPO's 3rd Season, 6th Week

American violinist, Joshua Bell, is undoubtedly the biggest classical music star to have graced the JPO (at least since I have been going to the JPO). Playing to a full house, it was a masterful performance of
The concert started with a performance by the JPO academy, which seemed to be a medley of pieces. It felt a bit tentative, though it is difficult to judge without knowing much about the piece.

The first JPO piece was the ovurture to Carl Maria von Weber's "Der Freichütz". It was a fun piece, interesting to listen to, enough to want to listen to the whole piece.

The piece before the break was Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream", linked to Shakespeare's play; though not completely aligned. I know the play only at a high level, and the music didn't align completely to the play; do it was difficult to get the story from the music.

Joshua Bell is playing at the JPO tonight and then in Cape Town. If there are tickets left, it is very worthwhile to go.

Movie: The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy has to be the finest superhero movie series to date. Across all the spheres, the beautiful cinematography, the great acting, impressive story writing and dialogue; each movie has been a great movie first, before being a great superhero movie. Like a proper trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, builds upon the earlier stories and characters - not only in the growth of Bruce Wayne/Batman, but also the supporting characters such as Commissioner Gordon and Gotham itself.

The story has a bigger political undertone, especially of Bane's "uprising"; but the ultimate link to why Bane actually targets Gotham is tenuous, at best. It is probably one of the biggest plot holes (next to how Batman gets back to Gotham after his "exile"), especially as Batman has for all intent retired at the beginning of the movie. That aside, the pacing of the story, the characters (especially Bane and Anne Hathaway's Catwoman) and the construct of the "prison" of Gotham City is superb.

I have only two, relatively minor, issues with the film. Firstly, Bane's (and sometimes Batman's) speech was sometimes inaudible - but that could have been to do with the theater (and my hearing). Secondly, the very final scene with the coffee shop - did spoil the overall ending sequence. The entire trilogy has not shrunk away from making bold statements on heroism; the last scene was just unnecessary.

Movie: Sound of My Voice

It is billed as a psychological thriller, though IMO, the movie misses the mark quite a bit. Similar to the book/movie K-Pax in a way, Sound of My Voice revolves around a documentary filmmaker couple who infiltrate a cult around a woman who claims to be from the future. There is no real proof given on why she should be believed, and the movie sort of devolves into a weird exploration of mysticism. There are some other threads that also take place, but they are not really tied together making the plot even more confusing. In the end, it tries to be interesting, but just fails.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

I bought Mohsin Hamid's "A Reluctant Fundamentalist" at the last Exclusive's sale, only because I didn't finish the book while I was "browsing". It is a gripping tale - one of those that you don't want to put down. It is a combination of a great conversational writing style, witty humour and a great plot - of a young Pakistani man, who succeeds in the top echelons of US academia, is highly successful in a competitive financial services but gives it all away as he becomes disillusioned with western politics. It is a highly entertaining read, and at the same time pushes the question on why fundamentalism (of all types) start out in the first place.

Movie: The Amazing Spiderman

Spiderman gets a reboot, and I suppose it is better than making endless sequels. This reboot has some great things going for it - there is a lot more character building for Peter Parker, the progression from geek to superhero is well paced and better reasoned and the cinematography, especially in the action sequences, is stunning. 

But there are also a number of problems - for one, he keeps on revealing his identity to people. The movie's final action sequence shows a TV camera following him at the beginning - and this camera magically disappears, as he takes his mask off? He has his mask off, in front of a whole crew of policemen; while rescuing a child etc. 

The villain, just doesn't work. Yes, the rationale that he wants to make everyone powerful and strong makes sense altruistically, doesn't make sense as an action that the villain will want to achieve. There are hints of an underlying subplot, but this seems to have been left for another movie. 

Overall, it is a good action movie - but the reboot is not in the same level as the Batman reboot.

Movie: Shame

Last year, Michael Fassbender was nominated at almost every major film award for his acting in Shame. The main character, is an intensely private person who is a sex addict, and the impact in both his personal and professional life. It is an interesting exploration, not only of the addiction itself, but also of why he needs to keep it a secret. It is an "arty" film - beautiful cinematography, lots of long silences with no dialogue, and no real conclusion - and exceptional acting from Michael Fassbender. It's not a movie for everyone, but certainly a though provoking one.

Mogwase

A stone's throw from one of Pilanesberg's gates, and slightly further from Sun City, are probably the only claims to fame for Mogwase. The B & B (Mogwase Guest House) we stayed at was friendly (with a bit of a quirky architecture) and economical - but there isn't much going for the town itself. 

But what was interesting to observe, is the gulf between South Africa's big cities and towns and smaller towns with regards to security. I didn't spot a single electric fence (other than at Pilanesberg), fences were demarcation of property and not prison walls, gates (if present) were welcoming and not foreboding and doors seemed to be kept unlocked. 

Why the difference? I don't know ...

Oppikoppi: Day 3

The last day promised the most exciting line-up, with some of the top musical acts in the country. Although, we had initially wanted to go fairly early in the day, we decided to go slightly later in the afternoon to make the most of the later acts.

The tribute to a legend in the South African music scene, Vusi Mahlasela, was the first act of the day. He performed a number of his hits (I have heard at his other appearances), together with some amazing guest artists, including Karen Zoid and Albert Frost. It was a great sundowner concert, and highly enjoyable.

I have never heard of "Eagles of Death Metal", but they drew a humongous crowd. It was an energetic performance by the Californian band, though it wasn't exactly death metal. It was good music, though not something that I would go out and buy a CD for (or even download).

Karen Zoid started her show with an apology, to the non Afrikaners, that not all Afrikaners think like Dan Roodt and Steve Hofmeyer. The rousing response from the crowd was a validation of the statement and her general position on the "Afrikaner mentality", from the massive, predominantly Afrikaner crowd. Her show was a mixture of her new songs (all in Afrikaans), some old favorites and an amazing cover of Queen's "The Show Must Go On". It was certainly one of the highlights of the festival, and yet again Karen Zoid nailed a great show.

I didn't spend too much time at Jack Parrow - the little I saw didn't really interest me much; mostly due to the style.

The tipping point in te decision to come to Oppikoppi was to see "Seether", and they didn't disappoint. In front of an absolutely packed stage, they started with the high octane "Gasoline", and finished with the equally high energy "Remedy", and a number of hits in between. The whole crowd singing "Broken" with the band playing the accompanying music was amazing, as were the numerous extended instrumental pieces during the songs. The interaction with the crowd, though minimal compared to some of the other bands was minimal, but felt genuine. The performance was special, and was certainly the highlight of the festival.

The last band of the festival, was British metal band, "Bullet for my Valentine". Although I have heard some of their songs before, I didn't really know their music. Nevertheless, the very high energy show was great, featuring some of the biggest mosh pits I have ever seen. In one of the instrumental solos, the lead guitarist started playing "Nkosi Sikelela Africa", and the amazing thing for me, was the gusto in which the largely white Afrikaner audience sang along; something that underlies the earlier comment made by Karen Zoid. We have truly come far!

Sun City

I have always wondered why Sun City was seen as a holiday destination, but despite driving past a number of times, I have never bothered to find out. So yesterday morning, I went to find out ...

There is a definite theme park vibe, from the gaudy decorations, to the architecture. And while I see the attraction of the Valley of the Waves, the rest of the non hotel areas was rather barren in things to actually do.

As a hotel while going to an evening show, or for a game drive at Pilanesberg, it makes sense; but purely as a holiday destination?

Oppikoppi: Day 2

Getting to the farm was far quicker, presumably because most people are already there, as evidenced by the general lack of parking space.

The first act we saw was, Jeremy Loops. The main feature was the use of loops, distortions and replays to combine different musical pieces; sort of a DJ with live instruments. It was a very interesting effect, though can't say that I was absolutely awestruck.

Albert Frost brought his blues and rock combo, in front of a packed house. It was an interesting blend of styles, complemented by a number of guest artists. It is easy to understand his popularity and it was a great way to see in the sunset.

BLK JKS came into the fore a few years ago as the all black rock band. When I saw them previously in Cape Town, I was quite unimpressed. Their sound has definitely evolved, a lot more musical but a lot less lyrical. I love the change, though the anthemic lyrics is what draws the crowd to sing a long, and that was mostly missing. That said, their closing song, evoking memories of apartheid protest actions (and now Cosstu strike rallies) was brilliant in both the blend of music and performance.

I didn't stay too long at the very crowded Valiant Swart performance. Country Western doesn't interest me much when in English, and it didn't become more interesting in Afrikaans.

Josie Field's performance at the "Small Stage" was packed, with almost no space to move. She played a number of her folk rock numbers, and it was a pity that this was on such a small stage.

A fairly recent band, Aking has a sizable following in South Africa, as evidenced by the massive crowd. The anthemic numbers however really require the listener to know them; I found it mostly mumbled and unclear - but the crowd around me seemed to be having a ball!

For me, French ska band, Babylon Circus had the best performance of the day. Similar to The Rudimentals in some respects, Babylon Circus combined a number of musical styles and influences into a raucous party. Despite singing mostly in French, they had the whole crowd dancing and even singing along. They had magnificent stage presence, with interesting stage antics (though not as extreme as Knorkator) and wonderful interaction with the crowd.

The wonderfully named, Desmond and the Tutus, were the last band we saw last night. The music was great, as were the lyrics; but the slurry/stoned singing style (or perhaps actual effect) wasn't too endearing. Like Aking, it felt as if one needs to know the songs to actually enjoy their performance.

Oppikoppi: Day 1

Just a few km outside Northam (about 120km north of Rustenburg), Oppikoppi has become an institution in the South African music scene. Modeled after Glastonbury, Oppikoppi is a multi day, multi stage, multi genre (and South Africa's largest) music festival.

I was first interested in attending, about 10 years ago but being a student with limited resources in Cape Town didn't help. Every year since, I have wanted to come; but never got round to it. This year, it was a bit of a last minute decision, but I decide to take leave and just attend.

M & I are not camping, but rather staying at a B&B in a small town about 40 km away. We arrived last night, but decided to only come through in the late afternoon, and ended up leaving a bit earlier than planned. While, I was aware of the size, but did not expect such a long traffic jam while entering. That said, it is very well organised, though it could do with some sign posting and day visitor's parking is lacking.

Southern Gypsey Queen played pop rock, with a constant revolving door of guest artists, be it musicians from other bands or singers. It was a good collection of songs, though I admit to not knowing any.

The Muffinz, played a combination of reggae/jazz though they didn't seem to have any real lyrics in their songs. Their music was however quote brilliant.

We didn't catch too much of Flash Republic, but they were clearly very popular given the packed stage area. I wasn't sure what to expect, but a live band performing electro dance music wasn't it.

Tidal Waves are promoted as the "hardest working reggae band in the country" in the Oppikoppi program. Their songs were a lot more socially aware, though their little speeches in between probably missed the crowd. Singing in a number of languages (Afrikaans in a Jamaican accent is weird), it was certainly an interesting performance.

Knorkator, was definitely the highlight of the evening. Taking place in one of the smaller stages made the experience more intimate, but a larger venue was probably warranted. A German band, which predominantly sings in German brings its own dynamics; but they amplified this with some brilliant performance art - from their costumes (a man dressed in monk robes, and the lead singer first in a green gimp suit followed by a woman's swimming costume worn in reverse), to the translations, to the crowd interactions - was stunning, and i was glad to be there. The amazing range of the lead singer with an eclectic choice of music (from heavy metal to pop rock to dance) made it the best performance so far. Unfortunately, despite the crowd asking for more, there was no encore :(

Pilanesberg

In my past visit to Pilanesberg, it has usually been in the morning (leaving at an ungodly hour from Jo'burg), so I wasn't expecting to see much on a drive much later in the day. Due to fires, and it being winter, the height of the grass was lower, and it did help, but no predators were spotted.

Nelson Mandela Capture Monument

50 years ago, Nelson Mandela was captured by the police, about 8km from Howick. It was a significant event; as he would be convicted of treason at the Rivonia trial and the rest is well known.

Yesterday, a monument was unveiled at the spot, with a museum to follow. It is a stunning monument, especially in the still rural environment. It is well worth the detour (about 2km from the freeway); and there is currently no entrance fee; even for parking!

Howick Falls

About 20km outside Pietermaritzburg, it is quite a spectacular sight in a small town. Remarkably, it is not commercialized beyond the obligatory curios and restaurant.

Physical Access Control

South Africans are very aware of their physical security; and given the high levels of crime it is understandable. Beyond the various mushrooms of security estates, corporate parks and gated communities - the differences in physical access controls have fascinated me for some time.

Most places in South Africa has the sign-in book - where the visitor signs some sort of indemnity and declare the possession of laptops etc. Some corporates also feature x-ray machines and metal detectors, but they are in the minority. For companies that have visitor's slips though; what I always find amusing is that the security guards never check the signature from the host - not that I expect them to, it is after all not that easy to verify signatures.

Microsoft's SA head offices have a system where the record the driver's license (and verify the identity). However, when I enquired with Dr Kganyago (Microsoft SA's Chief Security Advisor), who was quite proud of the solution, on the retention period of the collected data and the implications of the solution for personal privacy, he politely sidestepped the question. It is however a neat solution, and at least does authentication properly through the verification.

At another corporate, visitors are only asked to declare laptops and equipment if it is the same make as their corporate standard. I think that is a nice, more efficient implementation - but then they didn't really check anything on my way out, other than reclaim my visitor's badge - so the effectiveness is quite questionable.

On the residential front, CCTVs and intercoms are more or less the standard. There are a few places with biometric systems, which are just difficult to manage; especially with regards to deletion of entries. Then there are gated communities, where there is a security guard and a boom - and not much is required to pass the boom. Those are probably the most ineffective - though the mere presence of security guards has probably reduced the level of crime.

Overall, South Africa spends a lot on physical security - as evidenced in a recent report on the SA business environment. I still maintain that some of the approaches; such as high walls are actually in detriment to overall security. What is also interesting, is that, some other countries/places with comparatively high levels of crime haven't gone to this extreme (I am thinking, for example of Brazil, where crime levels are high, and yes there are security guards, but hardly any electric fencing etc) and also the opposite; such as India where crime levels are comparatively low but people tend to put burglar bars everywhere. Perhaps it is a subject worthy of further research ...

The Man behind the SKA Bid

A few weeks ago, South Africa won the majority of the bid to host the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Radio Telescope; after a process that took close to a decade to complete. The Mail & Guardian has a brilliant profile of Dr Bernie Fanaroff; the lead in the bid project. Like many prominent persons in government posts, he has a very interesting profile - a mixture of struggle credentials and true achievements.

Movie: The Avengers

I finally got round to seeing the culmination of the Marvel universe movies; and in 2D too (yes, I much prefer 2D)!

As to be expected from superhero movies, reality needs to be left at the door. And so is logical reasoning, even taking account of the assumptions made in the movie seem to be thrown out.

That said, The Avengers script is a lot less nonsensical, and does manage to tie the various other superhero movies together quite nicely. The first two thirds is fairly mundane; but as the main battle begins, so does the very impressive action sequences and very slick story telling. It didn't really need the mundane bits to help it stick; so hopefully future renditions just skip that lot.

Global Peace Index

The Economist has a short article on the "Global Peace Index". Surveyed across 150+ countries, it tallies up a number of factors including murder rates, assault, war etc. South Africa, as it can be expected with our high crime rates does not score as very peaceful - but it doesn't mean that we are less peaceful than other developing countries; with our rating category being the same as countries like India, Mexico, Kenya and Thailand. It is equally interesting to see what countries are considered to be peaceful - with most of Europe and Canada scoring particularly well.

The full range of factors can be viewed on this interactive site.

iOS Security

iOS's sandbox approach, and the tight control over the access to the sandbox has meant that iOS has experienced lower number of exploits when compared to other mobile operating systems. But the security design of iOS is far more interesting than just the sandbox and the AppStore. A detailed document on iOS security provides interesting reading on how different data types are handled, including some nifty key management techniques. This is not to say that there are no vulnerabilities in the design; or that the security solution adopted is perfect - but it is good to see how much thought has been put in the design. 

 Another interesting byproduct of the Apple approach of managing the entire ecosystem, is how well the security design covers the end-to-end system - from the hardware, to the OS, to the application sandboxing to the app-store. One can achieve the same with Android, but I believe that it will take a lot more customisation of Android to achieve that - similar to what Amazon has done with the Kindle Fire.

Stuxnet and Cyberwar

The NYTimes has an incredibly detailed analysis of the development of Stuxnet and the cyberwar by the US and Israel against Iran. From the very early analysis of Stuxnet, it was always suspected that a nation-state was behind Stuxnet - but other analysis did not propose such a full scale operation. With the recent revelation of "Flame", it seems that the cyberwar has been escalated a few notches.

It is interesting that cyberwar, (the ones that are known at least) so far has been largely deployed by larger countries against smaller rivals - rivals that would most likely loose a physical war. There was the Russian attacks against Estonia and Georgia and now this. Stuxnet and Flame however are far more impressive technically - while the other two were mostly DDOS attacks.