The Implausability of Secrecy

Law professor Mark Fenster has an interesting article on the nature of secrecy, where he argues that the concept of secrecy (in Government) is not binary - and in fact, in most cases, secrecy is almost impossible to maintain (regardless of the legal frameworks). Using a diverse set of American examples; the article shows how endeavors to maintain secrecy is often self defeating - either through the pure weight of the volume of people who know the information and through disjointed laws and regulations that allow for part of secret information to "leak" out.

Although based on American examples and law, there are interesting parallels to South African government's own attempts at maintaining secrecy - be it the arms deal, or Nkandla or many other examples. Based on the article, the real danger of the Information Bill, is not that ministers can seemingly make anything secret - but rather, by its very nature, that information will leak out, and the enforcement of this law is almost impossible.

Encore! JPO's 1st 2013 Season 3rd Concert

As Alexander Lubyantsev sat down on the piano last night, for Chopin's 1^st Piano Concerto, he already seemed to be in some sort of a trance. As the orchestra played its rather long intro, Lubyantsev sat seemingly staring at the top of the piano, with an occasional glance at conductor Robert Maxym. And when his turn did come - it seemed to be amazingly coordinated, with a tremendous amount of focus on the part of Lubyantsev. It was a mesmerising performance of an artist who seemed to be completely consumed by the piece he was playing - he didn't look once at the crowd; just at the conductor for his cue, and the piano (whether he was playing or not) - and finished to a rapturous applause. His first encore was his own composition (called Raindance), followed another encore of Chopin's Etude no 24. And he came back for a third encore (because "the audience was doing so much hard work" [in clapping]), of a piece he "thought the audience would know, but he wasn't sure if he knew" - all to great applause.

Earlier in the evening, the orchestra started with Beethoven's Prometheus Overture, which ensuring a lively start to the concert. Beethoven's 8^th Symphony was played in the first half to cater for the long concerto, and I am surprised that I don't listen to it more often.

The JPO plays tonight (same concert details) and Alexander Lubyantsev is back next week for an all Russian billing playing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3.

Movie: The Sessions

Based on the essay, "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate", written by poet and journalist, Mark O'Brien, The Sessions is one of the best movies about disability that I have seen. Mark O'Brien (played by John Hawkes) contracted polio when he was young, and effectively lived in an iron lung for the rest of his life. 

Initially the story focuses on his own helplessness - first his dependency on his caregivers; to his relative exclusion from society and societal norms - which sets the movie up wonderfully in terms of the challenges of the disabled. The movie however is principally about the sessions with his sex surrogate - and the performances by both Helen Hunt (as the surrogate) and John Hawkes is magical. It conveys the awkwardness, the hope and the joy brilliantly, and conveys the humanity that Mark O'Brien clearly wanted to acknowledged. It is a touching story, with amazing performances.

Dosa Hut

I have never been to Fordsburg at night. Fordsburg is almost "little India" - with shops open in the evenings, neon lights and lots of different, authentic, Indian restaurants. It has a very nice vibe - although parking is admittedly quite difficult. Dosa Hut is located at 48 Central Road and focuses on South Indian cuisine. The decor is not much to speak of, and the service is somewhat slow - but the food is delicious and cheap. It is certainly not upmarket - but it does come across as more authentic.

JPO's 1st 2013 Season 2nd Concert

There seemed to be a few more people in the concert last night; but there were still a lot of seats left empty. They missed a concert filled with really jovial pieces. I have heard Mendelssohn's The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) on the radio before, but didn't really know the name. It's a short, fun piece - although it didn't really match the advertised transportation to a scenic Scottish island.

Serbian born, Johannesburg resident, Serge Cuca, played Bruch's popular Violin Concerto No.1. Serge Cuca did not have a strong stage personality when compared to some of the other violinists that have graced the JPO stage in the past; but it was still a masterful performance, deserving of the enthusiastic applause. Continuing the Beethoven theme of the season, the last piece was his 4^th Symphony.

The next two weeks feature Russian pianist Alexander Lubyantsev, with some great pieces. Looking forward to it!

Movie: Zero Dark Thirty

There are movies that are long and fail to hold your attention. But Zero Dark Thirty is not really that long (just over 2 and half hours) - it feels much longer; but still holds your attention throughout. It is an uncomfortable movie to watch; especially the much talked about torture scenes. But there is an element of relentless pursuit - and only towards the end do you realise that this movie covered events spanning a decade. 

It is a movie; not meant to be a documentary - but in many ways, this will be seen as a historical re-enactment. It is in that, the torture scenes become poignant - since there is a catch-22. To state that torture evidence was not useful, further extends the view that torture is barbaric and has no place in modern civilisation. To state that torture evidence was useful, and the result justifies the means; questions the very existence of treaties such as the Geneva convention - and any position of moral superiority. Ultimately the movie chooses the later - and like it or not - most people in the US seems to identify with the results more than the means. 

It is a superbly acted and directed movie. The questions about torture has affected the movie's reap of rewards - but I do think it at least poses the right questions.

Cables matter ...

My Samsung T240 LCD monitor died a couple of weeks ago - not sure why; but it just did. They just don't seem to make it like they used to - my 10 year old Gigabyte LCD still works fine! South Africa doesn't have a lot of choices on LCD monitors - especially in the high resolution space. After all, I saw large 27" monitors with just a 1920x108 resolution. 

After going through a number of manufacturer websites, I established that only Dell seemed to sell high resolution (ie bigger than 1920x1080) monitors; but their 24" models in South Africa are 3 years old, but their 27" monitors are LED and a bit pricey. I eventually decided on the 27" U2713HM, which only took a day to arrive instead of the advertised 2 - 3 weeks!

Connecting up the monitor with my old Samsung DVI-D cable however, I did not get the full resolution - any resolution over 1920x1080 was just snowed out - very disconcerting after spending so much for a high resolution monitor. It was not the graphics card, as the VGA cable could output a higher resolution (though not the maximum); and the graphics card advertised full resolution. So I changed over to the identical looking Dell cable, and it worked - crystal clear picture at the highest resolution of 2560x1440! 

I had always been suspicious of the claims that some cables - especially AV cables - are better than others. It seems that, at least for DVI-D cables, there is something different!

JPO's 1st 2013 Season 1st Concert

The JPO is still under business rescue proceedings, and the documents released do not paint a rosy picture. That said, the JPO has managed to put together a smaller symphony season, with a smaller orchestra through the sponsorship of Anglo-American and Hollard. The Anglo-American sponsorship will not be sustained, and this, coupled with its big debt burden, puts further strain on the future of the orchestra itself. 

This concert season has a lot of Beethoven, in support of the orchestra's Beethoven 9 Symphonies CD collection. The concert started off with Mozart's Cosi fan tutte Overture, which was quite an energetic start to proceedings. UCT Professor, Francois du Toit, was the soloist performing Piano Concerto No.3, whose 3^rd and last movement is quite popular. Personally, I liked the first movement more while the second movement is quite somber. Beethoven's  Symphony No.6(Pastorale) rounded off the evening; and was played expertly by the orchestra.

The JPO is a great orchestra, but ultimately orchestral music is an expensive endeavor to stage. Ultimately, for the JPO to survive, it needs a near full house, every week. I am not sure the JPO itself has explored what that means - from different times, to different music, to different venues. It's one of the fundamentals of business that having a great product is not enough - there needs to be a willing market to consume the product. Sadly, at this point in time, the JPO has a good product; but I am not sure there is a market.

Movie: Silver Linings Playbook

I am not a fan of "Romantic Comedies" - don't like the predictable story, find them mostly annoying and usually don't like the slapstick humour either. Luckily M doesn't like them much either - so much so, that I had to suggest that we watch Silver Linings Playbook (largely because of the high number of Oscar and other award nominations).

The movie retained the predictable storyline; but did find the acting to be superb - and thoroughly deserving of the award nominations (and the wins in this case). That said, I am not sure why it also garners praise for "best movie" when compared to the other movies nominated (which I have seen). While the acting is great; I didn't find that it had a lot going for it TBH. It wasn't a movie that was highly entertaining (e.g. Django Unchained) or impressive visually (e.g. Life of Pi) and unlike Beasts of the Southern Wild, it didn't make me go "wow". It's not really a movie that I would want to watch again.

Mies Julie

Based on a Swedish classic, Mies Julie explores the very topical discussion point on land reform, land ownership and farming. Set on 27 April 2012 (Freedom Day, 18 years after the first democratic elections in South Africa); it explores the complexities of rural life in the new South Africa. As per the very recent farm worker protests; while everyone is supposed to be "free" - it is very clear that political freedom has not really translated to other freedoms. 

And the lack of freedom is not only economic - but also the chains of history that has tied down a way of life; the baas-worker relationship that has tied down the haves and the not-haves; and the freedom to love constrained by racial and social pressures.

It starts of slowly; but it becomes a raw; highly charged emotional performance with an amazing dissection of the state of freedom in the new South Africa. And ultimately, the ending has its own message - that perhaps there is no amicable solution that everyone can live with. That, in itself is a worrying conclusion. And if no one tackles the storm head on - the protests of farm workers is only the begining of a much wider problem.

Mies Julie is on at the Market Theatre until 24 February 2013.

Movie: Flight

Within the first minute of the movie, Denzel Washington's character of Captain Whip Whitaker, drinks some beer, smokes a cigarette and snorts a line of cocaine - and he hasn't even got out of bed yet. 

In one sense, this is a movie about addiction, the lies addicts tell themselves, and the very hard and difficult road to beating addiction. But it is also a movie that asks a fundamentally difficult question - if an addict is fully functional in being able to deliver what they need to deliver (and in the case of the movie, actually do something that almost everybody else cannot do) - should they be stigmatised as addicts? 

Denzel Washington delivers a brilliant performance; and well supported by a wide range of great performances. Although the pace is a bit slow in the middle, it is a great story, and very worthwhile watching.

Hartford House

Hartford House has a rich history - from South Africa's colonial past to a world renowned horse farm; and now one of South Africa's top restaurants. After the Berg, we decided to stay a night at the boutique hotel and enjoy the food.

The grounds are amazing. Despite the fact that it is a working farm, it feels like a destination for relaxation. It is very luxurious, but it didn't necessarily feel like it was over the top; in your face poshness.

The highlight was definitely the food. Dinner was 5 courses - filling, but I did not have the really stuffed feeling that one would expect. Breakfast was included as part of the hotel stay, and was just as impressive in a three course setting. I have had my share of hotel breakfasts - from the lowly backpackers to 5 star exclusive hotels; and Hartford House's breakfast puts them all to shame.

M's vegetarian requirements were well catered for, and both plates kept to a common theme; with substitutions working perfectly. As the meal progressed, each course seemed to be better than the previous one; but my favorite was the second course.

Course 1: Smoked Salmon-Nori Terrine with Horseradish Creme, Quail Eggs, Cherry Tomatoes, Micro Herbs, Herbed Croutons and Caper Berries

M's: Camembert Salad

Course 2: Garden Pea Soup with Kamberg Ham Ice Cream, Oven Dried Prosciutto chips and Pea Shoots

M's: The same without the meat elements

Course 3: Pink Peppercorn seared Wildebeest Loin Salad with Fresh Beetroot, Parmesan Spoon, Candied Walnuts, Chicken liver Parfait and black lava salt

M's: Same with shiitake mushroom substitution

Course 4: Shiitake crusted Beef filet, with caramelised red onions, Pomme Amandines and Exotic mushrooms

M's: Lentil Bobotie with similar elements

Course 5: Cream Cheese Fruit Cake Mince Pies, with Cherries, Gorgonzola, Parmesan Ice Cream and Licorice

Kamberg Valley

About 15 Km from Mooi River, Kamberg Valley is one of the most scenic drives I have driven in South Africa. About 80 Km of twisting mountain roads surrounded by green rolling hills and the Drakensberg in view; it was lots of fun to drive; despite the potholes and then the rain. If you have an hour to spare, and driving on the N3 - take the detour. It's lots of fun.

Dragon's Cave Farmstall

About halfway between Bergville and Winterton on the R74, there is a strangely decorated farmstall called "The Dragon's Cave". There didn't seem to be much in the way of local produce (the jams and honey seemed to be known brands); but there is a collection of dragon statues/decorations. The food menu is small, but the freshly made vetkoek is well worth the stop.

San Rock Art Paintings

One of the factors contributing to the Drakensberg parks being listed as a World Heritage Site is the numerous San rock art paintings. In the RNNP there are approximately 30 such sites, but only one is easily accessible. Due to vandalism etc. it is available only via a paid guided tour. The guides are from the surrounding community, and they are quite knowledgeable.

Mathiba of Amazizi

There is a sign just outside the Royal Natal National Park, "Canibals", which I thought was a bar or something. It turned out to be a lot darker - the nearest village is called Amazizi or "The Cannibals"; named after a group of people who resorted to cannibalism in the time of Shaka. The story itself was unclear - were they fleeing Shaka's army or whether they themselves were part of Shaka's army.

Out guide for the San paintings was Mathiba, a young man from the village. He was a talkative guide talking about a number of things - from his parents (mother from Lesotho, father from the village), his love of horses, his job as a groom in Johannesburg, and his many ideas on rural improvements - most notably starting a library.

I wish him all the best, and if you come this way, bring some books to drop off.

Edit: Some additional text on the cannibal story - http://www.cavern.co.za/the-legend-of-cannibal-cavern/

Olivershoek Pass

It's a more scenic and toll free alternative to the N3; but the road is very bad on the Harismith side. Great views though.

Cruel Weather Gods

We are leaving Royal Natal this morning, and it is sunny and quite clear ... There is still some cloud on the mountain peaks, but I reckon the falls would have been visible.

Tugela Gorge Hike #3

This is the third time I have walked along the Tugela Gorge hike path, and I didn't finish any of them. The first time, P and I just wanted to learn of the logistics; we had no water or even hiking shoes; but did about 2 km of the route. The second time, Dave and I went almost to the end; but the mist had come in, so it didn't make sense to go further as the falls would be invisible.

This time, it had been raining the whole night, and part of the morning. While the clouds had partially lifted, the Amphitheatre was still shrouded. But the afternoon was dry, so we decides to walk for about an hour and then turn back.

The pace wasn't too bad, we covered just over 3 Km of the route. And despite the cloud cover, the scenery was still beautiful.

But still, I must come back to go to the bottom of the falls, an perhaps also to the top; both of which require clear skies.

Thendele

Nestled in the lower Drakensberg mountains, Thendele offers some cosy self catering chalets for overnight visitors to the Royal Natal National Park. It's a deceptively steep drive up, but the views are gorgeous, especially when the skies are clear (which was unfortunately not the case for most of our stay).