Sunday, July 24, 2011

Amy Winehouse: A Bit of a eulogy and prayer


Picture of Amy Winehouse at Wikipedia

Amy Winehouse was found dead in her North London apartment on Saturday, 23 July 2011. Authorities suspect her death was a drug overdose, but nobody knows for sure, yet. Apparently police were alerted by emergency services, but I'm still unsure how emergency services came upon her body in the first place.

Obviously, I never knew the woman, and I was never a particular fan of her music. But I do remember hearing her a few weeks ago talking about how proud she was of herself for staying clean for so long. If it was a drug overdose, then unfortunately, it happens. People relapse, and Winehouse has definitely relapsed her fair share of times.

Nonetheless, lying in bed last night (Saturday 23 July), my mind started to wonder. I don't know if she knew God. Only God and her really know that for sure. If she didn't, then I am certain (as with any non-believer that passes away) that He must be deeply saddened by her passing. I cannot imagine the depth of His pain, but I'd like to try and acknowledge it. There's nothing special about Amy Winehouse as opposed to any other person. It's only that I heard of her specifically.

If she did know God, then I can only assume that her death was God's will. In this case, Heaven is rejoicing as another angel joins their ranks. I cannot imagine the heights of that celebration, but I'd like to acknowledge that, too!

Please keep her and her family and friends in your prayers.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Airport Restaurants Are Supposed to be FAST....

Wimpy!
My wife's brother was in Kroonstad for a few days. He flew to Johannesburg from Cape Town on Thursday (14 July), and hired a car to drive to Kroonstad, for a meeting. We didn't get to see him before he left O.R. Tambo. This morning, he had to fly out at 09:25. This meant he had to go through the boarding gates at 08:55.

So that my wife could see him, we made arrangements to meet at the Wimpy at the airport. We sat down at around 07:30, thinking we'd have plenty of time to have a quick meal and a catch-up. The three of us each had a cup of coffee, breakfast, and a cold drink, and we were there for just over an hour!

I didn't catch the waitress' name, but honestly, this woman has got to be about the slowest server on the face of the earth! We ordered coffees as we sat down, and got them 15 minutes later. We had been done with our coffees for at least another five minutes before she took our breakfast order... Which could have easily taken 20 minutes to arrive! It was just fried eggs, bacon and toast, for Pete's sake! It took another 20 minutes before she arrived to clear our plates, and then easily half an hour to return with our drinks orders. When we had finished our drinks, she was nowhere to be seen, and my wife had to get up and call her loudly to come and bring us our bill.

We left Wimpy at around 08:35.

Surely restaurants situated in airports are used to serving people who want a quick bite to eat before catching their flights? They don't have time to sit and chat.

Well, you'd think so, wouldn't you?

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Google+ First Impressions: Circles

I was invited to Google+ this morning. After playing with it for a little while (not long; I had actual work to do!), I have to say I think I'm going to like it. To me, it really has more in common with Twitter than with Facebook.


If you're interested in Google+, then you've probably already read at least a dozen explanations of how Circles work. Well, I'm going to try and explain it from my perspective.


When you sign in as a new user, Google+ gives you a couple of predefined Circles in which to place people you want to follow (Not "friend" as in Facebook, but "follow" as in Twitter). Let's think of an example:


Let's say I find you on Google+, and click on your profile page. We don't yet have a connection on the website. I see any posts you've made or things that you've shared, and marked as "Public" (As does everyone else on the Internet). I decide to add you to my "Friends" circle. You get an e-mail that I've added you, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's done. You don't have to accept or confirm anything (although I'm sure you could decide to block me, if you so wished).


Now, on my main feed, I will begin to see anything that you've posted or shared and marked as "Public". I will not see anything that you've contributed and marked for any of your circles, because I'm not in any of your circles yet. Furthermore, if you were to browse to my profile page, you would see things that I'm contributed and marked as "Public" or for my "Friends" circle (because you're in that circle on my profile), but not (for example) my "Co-workers" circle. You would not see any content from me on your main feed, because you haven't added me yet.


Let's assume, for a moment, that in response to your e-mail that I've added you, you decide to add me to your "Acquaintances" circle. I get the same e-mail that you did. Now, you will see anything that I share to "Public" or my "Friends" on your main feed. Similarly, I will continue to see anything you've shared as "Public", but now (Because I'm in your "Acquaintances" circle), I will also see anything that you've marked for "Acquaintances" as well.


I think this is a great concept, and I really hope it takes off! I think that the deciding factor though, is going to come when we see how many application developers jump on the bandwagon and start writing client applications for Google+. Almost nobody uses Twitter from the actual Twitter website, and Facebook is quickly following suite.

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Parlotones...

The Parlotones...
  • Only eat KFC
  • ...Except on Meat Free Mondays, when I guess they don't eat anything
  • Support the Carbon Free Initiative
  • ...But only drive Volkswagen, a car not known for being particularly environmentally friendly, and it doesn't have a hybrid model out
  • ...And only watch DStv, despite the Carbon Free Campaign in South Africa being exclusively supported by the SABC, and finally
  • Only use Microsoft software
Is it just me or is this band the most over-sold band in the history of bands? And they're not particularly picky about where their money comes from, either. Does this band actually stand for anything at all?!

Ooh, and look what else I found, while we're about it (I can't show the photo here as the owner has curiously disabled sharing).