Deshanta's World - a playing field for words in motion

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African Undersea Cables at Many Possibilities [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:47:57 PDT

JSE/Liberty Life Investment Challenge on Facebook [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:49:44 PDT

I was the content lead for the JSE account. The social media strategy encompassed this here FB page and an interactive Contact on MXit.

Social Media Release website [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:47:44 PDT

I'm the product owner of Social Media Realease at Cerebra. This means that I oversee the development of our SMR product and any implementation that is done on this website.

Cape Union Mart spreads the warmth this winter [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:21:43 PDT

Cape Union Mart has implemented a “Spread the Warmth” campaign whereby the public is invited to donate old jackets which will then be distributed to the needy. Those participating in the campaign will also receive a 10% discount on any purchase of a new K-Way jacket or fleece top.

Google lets people tweak name searches [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:49:24 PDT

Google is giving people influence over what information turns up during online searches on their names.

Electric cars to hit SA in 2010 [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:58:40 PDT

A pilot fleet of electric cars are due to hit South Africa's roads by 2010, the company which builds them said

Free-zines bring Internet spirit to print [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:44:13 PST

Free-zines neatly bridge the gap between the Internet generation's expectation of free, quality information while still harnessing the reading and advertising benefits of a well-produced print publication.

Cellular clean-up [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:41:45 PST

The world has 4bn cellphone users, according to the latest industry figures. That could mean that thousands of tons of electronic gadgets, many of them containing toxic chemicals, will end up in landfills within a few years.

Governing Fb services in an open and transparent way [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:40:50 PST

Facebook is announcing a new approach that allows users to have a role in determining the policies that govern the site. For more information and links to the groups containing our new draft policies, check out the Facebook Blog.

Switch off the lights to save Earth [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:42:13 PST

Be part of Earth Hour as a way to help combat the devastating effects of climate change. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is asking Joburg residents to switch off their lights for one hour on Saturday, 28 March from 8.30pm.

Slap a CEO online [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:32:15 PST

Players of the game, created by AddictingGames.com, are given one trillion play dollars with which to "rescue the US economy before total economic meltdown strikes".

Dealing With Social Media Conflict [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:59:34 PST

How you handle a differing opinion will speak volumes about you and can either enhance (or undermine) your personal credibility.

Why Big Brands Struggle With Social Media [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:58:33 PST

We still operate in a system defined by the old media world and consequently big brand involvement is still in the main tentative and sporadic. From my experience of trying to get big brands to embrace the social revolution, there are a number of reasons why they have yet to embrace the real opportunities that involvement can deliver

Top 8 Web 2.0 Security Threats [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:56:52 PST

The Secure Enterprise 2.0 Forum has just released their 2009 industry report and the topic is the top Web 2.0 security threats. Designed to serve as a guideline for assessing the risk involved with using Web 2.0 tools in the workplace, the document is intended to read by anyone considering the introduction of Web 2.0 technology into their workplace.

Simply Green - eco friendly information to save our environment [del.icio.us]

deshanta — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:02:11 PST

Simply Green is an environmentally friendly source of information on going green, natural products, organic products, eco friendly products (including recycled products), green building, alternative energy, and other information to help you to understand the new world of the green office, green home and green car that will serve to save the environment.

Bringing India home

Deshanta — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:05:29 +0000

I watched a filmic adaption of a popular novel that was candid yet so beautifully portrayed that it made the idea of India real to me for the first time in a long while... You see, I'm not what you would call a typical "Indian" - I do not like spicy curries, don't wear saris and I have never enjoyed Bollywood movies. That is not to say I'm not akin to celebrating my cultural and religious upbringing; I'm just not that into those particular facets of so-called "Indian tradition". I do, however, love a good Indian story, and it seems, in particular, tales that emerge from the the political unrest surrounding India's independence, make for the best stories in my books.

The rich tapestry of trials and tribulations lace Hollywood's latest offering, "Slumdog Millionaire" but the beauty of this movie shines through in the cinematography, direction and eloquent story-telling. The film was turned into a screenplay from Vikas Swarup's legendary novel, "Q&A", which tells the tale of a 'young, penniless waiter in Mumbai who becomes the biggest winner on a quiz show' in history. "Slumdog Millionaire is one of the best screen adaptations of a book I've seen and the enjoyed the splendour of the filmic techniques used to shoot the movie in a way that makes it come to life, and allows one to truly relate to the characters whilst watching the drama unfold.

Vikas Swarup's debut novel "Q & A", is a one of the many novels by India's post-colonial writers that looks at the realities of the Indian situation amidst the dire poverty, political uprisings and western influence. Swarup is presently posted in Pretoria as India's Deputy High Commissioner to South Africa. I read an interview in the Sunday papers regarding his newest novel where he mentions his fascination with capturing the mood of India before and after it's independence was declared. He goes to give his opinion of the similarities that one can find between India and South Africa, based on his time spent living amongst Mzansi's people.

Whilst watching "Slumdog Millionaire", which btw. has received multiple Oscar nominations, I too noticed the analogous spirit of the people being portrayed and realized that as a nation, we're not far different to other countries who are also striving for a better life. The plot around the game show kind of also reminded me of what prime TV time is like in South Africa when there's a series that really catches our attention - a bit like what "Idols" or "The Amazing Race" is set to do in the coming months.

There are some fantastic movies worth paying attention to this Oscar season so be sure to watch and discuss them as you see fit.

Later.

Dare to be inspired!

Deshanta — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:44:48 +0000

A fellow blogger and friend of mine wrote a post recently that got me thinking about US President Barack Obama's inaugural speech and our own political situation in South Africa.

Though I don't agree with Suzy's line of questioning in her post, I want to pose a slightly different take on the subject matter...What can our SA leaders perhaps learn from President Obama?

Of course that answer is easy when you look at things from a different perspective. I'm not expecting Obama to do anything that we, as South Africans need to learn to correct for ourselves in our country.

Image via Wikipedia

I think that what Barack Obama does represent is a glimmer of hope for all people, no matter what their colour or creed, to aspire for more and account for our actions. He offers us a sense of hope like Madiba did at the end of Apartheid.

I think looking forward to the upcomig elections, most South Africans could only dream of our politicians standing up with integrity and openess like Hillary Clinton or Obama did during their campaign trails.

Another point to consider is the fact that due to our heavily focused goal to produce a First World State, those currently in the developing Third World nations, like South Africa for example, look to the West for guidance, and once again 'hope'. The US might not have it good right now, but there's nothing stopping a person from wanting to aspire to have a properly working democracy where our leaders are held to account for the decisions they make regarding the state, its people and our economy.

Have a look at this post that Gino Cosme put up on his blog regarding Amnesty International's "100 Days" campaign; calling to action President Obama to really use his first 100 days in the Oval office to fight 'terror'. Do you think lobby groups or NGOs in South Africa could extract the same kind of understanding from SA's future president, regarding key issues facing our country? I'm not sure about this.

Then there's also Obama's great use of social media throughout his campaign and into his presidency. I've seen Cope, the DA and the ANC on Facebook but haven't been compelled to check out their manifestoes because of this. Guess that's because I can see a front from a mile away and our political parties are putting up just that on the Net. I will rue the day when our politicians realise that the citizens of South Africa cannot be duped so easily and that we actually want some real engagement instead of the facade that is set forth before our eyes.

With the election date being announced next week, one can only hope that our leaders and the wannabe future presidents of South Africa will open their eyes and seize the opportunity to engage and interact with the 'real' people online and not just push their messages to the faceless masses as they've done in the past.

Then again, we can only 'hope', can't we?

Getting back in the game...

Deshanta — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:07:42 +0000

Dear Reader,

Apologies for the lack of activity on my blog in recent months. I took a long time-out from blogging due to my lack of faith in the process to be honest and some personal reasons too.

During my time away I turned to writing offline and getting back in touch with other pursuits like that make me happy, like reading and research. I've gained fresh, new perspectives on why and what I aim to blog. Of course finding the meaning in why I would like to continue blogging for me, personally, has allowed me to take a different approach to "Deshanta's World".

I started this blog 20 months ago with the idea that it would be a means to help educate, inform and entertain you as well as myself in the quest for growth and knowledge about social media, life in South Africa and the media landscape in general.

I'm not a typical 'blogger cum geek' type of person - if a subject strikes me as interesting or something stirs my proverbial 'pot', I flow with it in the hope that YOU, the reader will enjoy my work. Perhaps even get involved by leaving a comment and start a discussion or two?

So it's with this in mind that I've decided to try a new approach to blogging this year. I'm all about good conversations that inspire and drive people to speak out so I'm going to make choices towards properly engaging you as opposed to just giving a good piece to read.

To this end, check out my next post. I'd love to know what you thoughts are on the subject :)

Yours sincerely,

Deshanta

Kid and Teen Republic Conference: Kick off

Deshanta — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:50:13 +0000

Got here bright and early and the mutterings around tea have all been positive after a jam packed first of the Kid and Teen Republic Conference. There were some really good talks yesterday regarding the tweens and kids market and today we're gearing up to hear some thought provoking material around teenagers in SA and how they deal with marketing material.

First up is the editor of Seventeen Magazine and it's sure to be an interesting preso because it's all around teen trends and the latest results that the magazine has released regarding teen use of technology and the 'buying influence they have over products.

Kid and Teen Republic Conference 2008

Deshanta — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:08:27 +0000

I'll be attending the second day of a conference which is aimed at an audience that wants to successfully market their brand to teens and do it responsibly. The Kid and Teen Republic Conference caught my eye whilst browsing the Web a few weeks back and considering I help market youth oriented brands like Converse, Samsung and Toyota - it seems a valuable one to attend for this reason alone.

One thing to also take into consideration is the amount of clout and influence teens, tweens and kids today have over their parents who inherently have the buying power. It's no wonder that mass media and advertising have shifted their way of thinking in coming up with clever campaigns that market to the youth in unique ways.

Of course there's bigger and better opportunities than mainstream marketing which lies on and off the Web, and which seeks not only to promote but allows the youth to engage with products and services.

The Converse Century and Samsung Mobile blogs bear testament to this enriching formula of social media platforms as its allowed youth who are interested in and who are the true brand custodians to get involved and participate in the building of a brand's identity on the Internet. True brand mavens can unleash a brand's full potential by using platforms such as blogs, Mxit and even Facebook pages to really get involved and express their passion and insight into a brand.

But I'm sure these media are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exploring just what is it exactly that teens are into, and that's why I'm popping over to the Balalaika Protea Hotel for this conference tomorrow. I hope its going to be a compelling day filled with insight and enlightenment :-)

'To share or not': Youchuse

Deshanta — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:45:08 +0000

I watched a really fascinating and thought provoking documentary tonight entitled, "Youchuse". The video focused on the "digital divide" between developing nations to those in the First World. While it's not simply a case of the 'haves' versus the 'have nots, the film seeks to explore the subject matter from a user standpoint, and by doing so, opens the floor to all producers of information in the age of digital technology.

It's an extremely interesting documentary that I recommend you share with others because by its very nature, the video seeks to highlight one's understanding of the motto, 'sharing is caring'...Not only does it raise awareness on topics such as, digital IP and the notion of 'share economies', it is also an eye opener of what it means to belong to a global village that enjoys knowledge sharing i.e. the Internet 2.0 phenomenon. Like the movie, "Be Kind and Rewind", the heart of this doccie is at the root of our industry and is meant to be shared and reflected upon.

On speaking to the directors during the QnA session which was held after the screening, I got to unpack others views of the ICT industry and how open source standards are moving to the fore in South Africa. Anita Khanna and Rehad Desai, the directors of "Youchuse" spoke openly about their preparation of the documentary and why they want it to belong in the public domain. Their belief is that no-one stands more to gain from the debates and the ensuing discussions after watching this film than a public of information sharers and creators whose public works are constantly on display on the carte blanche canvas called the World Wide Web.

I think this piece of media can be used to propagate further thinking on the topics covered in the film as well as others of importance too. So please feel free to post your insights and learnings right here if you too checked it out. For those who haven't here's a sneak peek of the trailer that you'll find on Youtube.

Brand Ambassadors: The e-True story

Deshanta — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:08:10 +0000

I like the fact that the Net has taken the concept of branding and brand ambassadors to a whole new level. I'd like to elaborate on my statement a little so bear with me.

Take Apple's Steve Jobs or Microsoft's Bill Gates for examples, no one would care for who they were if they didn't run these two multi-billion dollar brands. They could be considered icons synonymous with the brands just as much the little apple logo or that funny box thing of Microsoft's.

One level from mainstream brand ambassadors, are the brand mavens who are the type of people who'd swear blind loyalty to a product that it would be hard not to be affected by their excited and infectious nature. Our tech guys at the office are true Mac mavens and you'd never catch them saying anything negative towards the products even though both their fairly new machines have had to go in for repairs in recent months. They are the die hard fans who love a product to its core - much like steadfast Coke drinkers ;-)

Then a tier below the mavens are the ordinary people who marketers are now targeting. It is because marketers are realising the power that people like you and I have over others in our inner circles. That's why social media marketing has become so effective - think HelloPeter.com and you've got the key to brand spin right there - people choose their products based on good reviews and reccommendations.

The key is that ordinary people too can be groomed into brand mavens and in this regard, we enter the brand ambassadors amongst us.

Buzz Lightyear: my new puppy

Deshanta — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:00:37 +0000

So everyone keeps asking me what's been keeping me so busy of late so I thought I'd share in my joy for the moment. Two weekends ago, my Mom came home after a weekend away in Wakkerstroom with a little puppy who was graciously given to her by a family she met picnicking at the place my family had stayed at.

Well anyways to make a long story more interesting - a new Jack Russel puppy has entered the pen so to speak and he has been dubbed Buzz Lightyear.

Surprisingly he's learnt to be paper-trained quite fast and loves string which makes me think he could be a sly cat, but overall, he has the inquisitive nature of a terrier breed and definitely is a tenacious thang.

He is a clever little fella and packs quite a bite so shoes beware! I thought I'd share in my excitement because if there's anything that makes me happy is the play time with my dogs. Now all four of us dart around the yard, playing catch or just enjoying the Winter sun with a mini garden picnic.

Time flies and then you're 25...

Deshanta — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:33:42 +0000

I can't believe how fast the first half of this year has flown past. I always use my birthday as a measure or halfway point to check my goals and must say that I'm happy with having at least stuck to most of the goals I've set for myself this year.

Though I may not be going to gym regularly right now, I am proud that I broke the cycle of laziness and have become active - whether it's playing sport on my Wii, running with my new puppy in the garden or going for a solid training session to gym - it's a great improvement from doing absolutely nothing for so many years of my life.

I've also managed to finish a book in a two months, which is better than leaving half read one's all over the place, and even out some of what I've learnt into action from said book.

I'm also trying to be more energy conscious and try to do my bit for the environment by going organic with some beauty products that I'm using and I also have not opted for turning on my oil heater yet. I try to dress up as warmly as possible so there's little need for anything else except a nice thick blanket when I'm at home.

I'm also using my indoors time to really get to grips with the mounds of media that's available to me - from series, great documentary festivals and movies - I'm really trying to catch up on my fav media. I've just finished with Army Wives and want to watch movies that I've been wantng to see for ages now - Half Nelson, the Kite Runner and Knocked Up are on the list for the immediate moment.

Otherwise I love winter because it signals a time for some personal introspection as June 26th is my birthday, and so I take time out to appreciate how much I've grown up thus far, and to a certain extent how much I'm still a child of life - willing and able to learn. Of course it also means a grand time to really focus on what I want and making myself happy, and I love haninging out with friends and family ;-)

"Be Kind Rewind" - a lesson in social media

Deshanta — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:52:53 +0000

I've just been to the funniest art nouveau film I've watched in a long time. What made my movie-going experience that much better is that I received a valuable lesson on social media, which my simple night out with friends, a remarkable one.

Apart from getting to see friends I hadn't seen in a while, I watched "Be Kind Rewind", a comedy starring infamous funny man, Jack Black, Danny Glover and the muso, Mos Def. The cast, for me, stirred up a realistic portrayal of what I think people on the street see as communal interaction, but what we, in the web 2.0 space call "social media".

Unbeknownst to the crowd that had gathered to watch a film about a community's need to hang onto their recollections of the past lived in their small, interknit community, the movie also raised important themes about film as a genre and how it can be told and relived through the viewer's eyes, and sometimes even beyond the medium itself. In this movie's case, the technology behind VHS and its modern counterpart DVD is brought to light by the acts of 'sweding'.

I'll leave the quandry of what the movie echoes for the film industry and what makes a film just that to the learned critics out there. What I want to explore is the film's powerful presentation of user generated content and how social media comes into play by affording ordinary people the chance at creating their own 'movies' in this case.

Of course in the age of computers and lightning-speed broadband, anyone can just about claim their part in a leading role on Youtube and other tools being used like, blogs and podcasts. All with the purpose of giving ordinary citizens the chance to stand up and be heard.

It has to be noted though that as much as "Be Kind Rewind" lends itself to the exploration of what social media is all about, it also in essence is the up turn of just that due to the fact that the actual movie is the mainstream medium used to mass market a message to the public - one could say almost the antithesis of what 'social media' stands for.

However the marketing is well thought out and incorporates social media into its package. Go have a look at the "Be Kind Rewind" movie website, Wikipedia page and even a swinging 'sweded' Youtube channel. If you have 2 hours to be entertained and would like to walk away utterly amused, take some time to check out the movie and share your thoughts here with me.

If I was a book - I'd be a...

Deshanta — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:42:24 +0000

Following Clary's lead on this one:

You're Anne of Green Gables!

by L.M. Montgomery

Bright, chipper, vivid, but with the emotional fortitude of cottagecheese, you make quite an impression on everyone you meet. You're impulsive, rash,honest, and probably don't have a great relationship with your parents. People hurtyour feelings constantly, but your brazen honestly doesn't exactly treat others withkid gloves. Ultimately, though, you win the hearts and minds of everyone that matters.You spell your name with an E and you want everyone to know about it.
Take the Book Quizat the Blue Pyramid.

Xenophobia : Depravity waiting to happen

Deshanta — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:06:11 +0000

Nelson's post pretty much echoes the thoughts of many a literate and educated Black South African, myself included. Violence and torture seem to be so deeply ingrained in the South African mindset that the only way that our society wants to operate is a 'kill or be killed' motivation.

It really is absurd to think that by beating, raping and killing all the foreigners we have in our townships that this will make them disappear from SA - what kind of logic could this be rendering?

The most absurd of all is that SA is made up of such a vast number of diaspora that the country unto itself is "foreign", by nature of the fact that our so-called "Rainbow Nation" is so diverse. So what's next do all people living in South Africa by virtue of being given a geographical title like, "Asian" for example in their South African Identification documents, just walk out of a country just because we're deemed foreign?

There's nothing native about South Africa except the mindset of its people and that's such a shame because we want to progress and we want all the great things that go along with living in a "First World" country, but resort to barbarianism to solve real-world problems.

Our Minister of Public Enterprises is now using the recent xenophobic attacks as an excuse to send more energy to our neighbouring countries, concluding that it is the "mere mindset" of the South African people that deems the business exchange of electricity for money, 'xenophobic' in focus. First of all I don't think Mr. Erwin should be making light of the mindset of our 'dear' people considering the torture and vicious acts of violence they are currently perpetrating against the foreigners and immigrants in SA. W e don't need government to add more fuel to an unwarranted fire.

Another factor that needs to be considered is how the rest of the African continent reacts to us, seeing as we're no longer a "brother in arms" if the television coverage of our nation's behaviour is anything to go by.

How do we, as a supposed host nation for the Soccer World Cup in 2010 and the looming African Cup of Nations in 2009, seek to "host" other African or any other nation if this is what we seek to do to the ordinary people who are for political or any other reason currently being displaced from their own country of birth, and ours too?

I'm not sure our nation has learnt anything in the past 14 years and neither have they realised what truly happened during Apartheid and how it should never ever happen again to anyone!

Here's a lesson in the mechanics of Apartheid that we need to face up to and deal with - Depravity! Black people were told and brainwashed to believe that they were no less than the dirt on a white man's shoe. They were deprived of being seen as people with the kind of rights that all people in South Africa are given and can act on today. What that means is that instead of empowering ourselves to wipe clean the slate of nonsense that democracy has proved was ill knowledge, instead we've chosen to take on the role of the oppressor and in turn oppress others.

Once again can you see the scenario forming in every facet of South African life? It hurts when you see the truth but it's what you choose to do with it from hereon that will make the difference...

I hope many of you will stand up and march come Saturday, 24 May 2008 at 9am! There will be a march to support immigrants and protest xenophobia.This event is planned to start at Pieter Roos Park, cnr Empire and Queen, Parktown - north of Constitution Hill.

"Xheer Fear of Xenophobia"

Deshanta — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:00:00 +0000

My friend. Nelson Taimo wrote a rather thought provoking post on Facebook that I thought best to share with you.

"I can believe the things this world brings can't believe that people that have been oppressed all their lives can turn around and do the same to others even though some of the countries these people are from helped to liberate these same people from the Chains of Apartheid.

I blame ignorance some ignorant people can't stand to see other prevail despite not understanding what the person might have had to endure to get to where he is. This is why Black people as a race will never become the master but always be the slave because of this.And if someone from another country happens to become employed is it really the end of the world NO because end of the day he is striving in an economy which is not his making the local government even richer.

Do these people even know how difficult it is to get a job as a foreigner....? But again I blame ignorant Black people that can't see past their own selfish ways today to look for a Tomorrow for all. Xenophobia is a disease it's a poison which Inhibits people to see beyond a nationality, Not a Colour, Not a Gender but merely a place of Birth.

It's sad because people are being taken advantage of not just Foreign Nationals but also Nationals who are having their homes ravaged because some people use Xenophobia as an excuse to Rape, Steal and Pillage from hard working individuals who have never wronged anyone.

If ever we as a people want to make Africa the pinnacle of this world we need to stop acting as slaves and become masters and support initiatives Like the AU and NEPAD. I don't need a visa to go to Brazil but I need to wait 4 weeks to visit a neighbouring country.... It doesn't make sense in my mind could it possibly make sense in yours.

When South Africa was in turmoil during apartheid times and the western world had turned a blind eye to the apartheid regime ruling this nation the ANC’s freedom fighters would hide in the neighboring countries like Mozambique and other places such as Zambia while they devised strategies to help them over throw the Oppressor. Now the seeds of these same people look at the foreign nationals like a plague… They complain about jobs which are being taken but would this nation be so great had the ruling party not had assistance from other countries that had democracy way before 1994.

Everybody has the right to question something which they feel is not right. If you are anti – apartheid then you march if you are anti – racism then you march, If you are pro human rights then you march, You want better working conditions so you march. But you don’t like foreigners taking your jobs in a country that has a skills shortage SO YOU KILL."

Thank you Nelson for allowing me to share to your point of view with others as this is a very important subject considering the recent spate of violence against foreigners and immigrants in South Africa.

Having a Wiily, Wiily great time

Deshanta — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:43:24 +0000

I've been feeling a little tied down with work and my list of resolutions that I set up at the start of the year that I haven't had much time to think about being sociable, (apart from the convo's that I have online of course), or having fun in the simplistic sense.

As winter draws near, instead of going into hibernation, I've decided that I want to stay active and have some good ol' clean fun before I hit 25 and realise, that what most of my friends keep telling me, is actually true...Is life really a downhill rollercoaster when you turn 25 or older?

I've never believed that crap and I'm not about to start really, but I have to admit that what I've had to start questioning and the decisions for my life that I've had to consider seriously in the last two years, have led me to believe that there really is a step in life where you realise that instead of learning to grow, you actually have to make the change and grow up!

Well alas, I'm not completely about to let my youth go, and seeing as we have men amongst us who live well into their 40's as bachelors and have a keen sense of which superhero they are and which rockstar they'd most like to emulate - why not open the door to childish exploration for all the women in the house who've been dying to unleash their inner gamer out!

To that end, I went ahead and treated myself to a Nintendo Wii over the weekend. On the onset my practical self cried in pain at the purchase due to the rising cost of living and blah, blah, blah. But I could not stop listening to the little song my inner child was singing in order to be set free. I must admit I think I might have set off a gaming demon because since Saturday, all I can think about is playing with my new friend, Hiro. Yes, I named my Wii after Hiro, the teleporter from the Heroes TV series ;-)

I'm so psyched at my purchase and have been unleashing my Guitar Hero 3 skills, much to my Mom's dismay (secretly I know she wants to play behind all the frontin' she's putting up). Being a competitive type, I of course am a big Wii Sports fan too. My firm favourites at this stage is tennis and boxing - not sure what it is about hitting things, but I like those games a lot!

Anyways here's some pics of my new toy gadget, Hiro, and the pics I took of my Wii version of GH3.

My Converse Shopping Spree

Deshanta — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:34:12 +0000

Please note: This mad buying power took place prior to yet another rate hike, and therefore it makes the trip all the more worthwhile. Muhahahahaha!

Okay. so now that I've gotten the madness and excitement out of the way, it's time to show off the spoils of my bounty. I finally have bought two pairs of Converse shoes that fit likes dreams.

I was partly inspired to buy more Converse due to the fact that Cerebra is heading up the Converse blog as part of a collaboration with Youth Dynamix, but I'm also an avid Converse enthusiast so naturally I just wanted more of my favourite brand of shoe. By the way, Converse has just launched an awesome design competition that let's you, the consumer, decide the look and feel of the next Converse shoe. Check out the "Trace Your Lace" competition which has started on the Converse blog this week.

Merv got me hooked on Converse and even though I wasn't one of the early adopters, being a Skecthers gal in my childhood, I love Converse because of the comfort and versatile wear of the sneaker. I really adore the fact that I can dress my new pair of all-black All Stars or Chucks as they're also commonly known, up or down.

I've already worn them to larnie events and they're prime candidates in my wardrobe for work. Of course I didn't enjoy the fact that I remind people of the ol' policemen in the Apartheid era who used to chase black people home during curfew in their black laced up boots. What a terrify and horrible image to be left with (sorry Billie). I have to admit that I'm glad to be turning up that stereotypical image of an all black shoe because of course it's how you wear your shoes that makes statements about who you are and where you come from...

Wearing Converse is a very powerful symbol of how one is socialised and I'm glad to exist amongst both punk rockers and ghetto youth who all adorn Converse sneakers in South Africa. It is a strong youth focused brand that surpasses barriers and offers people the opportunity to be part of a bigger picture - one filled with hope and one that likes our new democracy and the change it's brought for all South Africans.

So enough of the talk, let me show you how I walk the walk, check out these pics of my new Converse pairs below.

YWorld: a site for competing eyes

Deshanta — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:34:41 +0000

I'm not sure whether Yfm is trying to play at the co-opetition game or whether it's just an oversight on their advertising department's part to not have noticed the Google Adsense advertisements that have been running on their new website for more than three weeks now...

I hear the term 'co-opetition' when Mike mentioned it a year ago when referring to a particular project we were carrying out with a fellow competitor of Cerebra's so in other words instead of going head to head for the business, we decided to work hand in hand with our competitor.

Back to the matter at hand though, is this what Yfm seeks to achieve by advertising 94.7 Highveld Stereo and 5fm on their YWorld website?

I think it's actually their own misguided stupidity when it comes to understanding the online media environment that has led to such an error in judgement - one of many that I've been privy too of late.

Just a week or two ago, a member of their ad/sales team was fired for taking part in a competition at a competing radio station - one of the same stations actually being advertised on their Y World website. Ironic huh?

Well clearly their advertising policy needs a re-look urgently as their sales and RAMS figures plummet further into the ground. Once-more the group of people in charge of overseeing their new supposedly jacked up website, need to be schooled in Google products and the correct use of them ;-)

For a site that is aiming to be part of the Web 2.0 trend, they sure do lack arms i.e. the extensions that make social media viable. I mean for starters, there is only one blog run by the breakfast show and the site looks like a jumble sale. Off course RSS has not even occurred to them yet and well seeing as the use of social media networking tools has not yet set in - those are missing too. Ag, shame - better luck next time guys!

Perhaps it wasn't just a shape-up of the programming line-up that was needed, but perhaps a more thought out attempt of how to properly run a successful media entity.

What's you blog addiction?

Deshanta — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:57:30 +0000

This post is dedicated to all those who care to know what Britters is getting up to and perhaps if Brangelina will ever walk down that aisle any time soon. The infamous PerezHilton is the most popular celebrity gossip blog and it's even turned it owner into a celeb of sorts.

Nominated for numerous blog awards, PerezHitlon makes my list of addictive blog to check out as well as Bossip.com - a site a colleague at work referred me to.
If it's daily entertainment news you're looking for, you're sure to find plenty of it and off course the discussions are sure to tantalise one's taste buds so check it our if you dare.

If you are more than just a voyeur then you need to go have a look at PostSecret (http://postsecret.blogspot.com/). If on your second scan through the first 4 or 5 'secrets revealed', you don't get hooked then I don't know what you actually do on the Net - LOL!

PostSecret is the best way to get something, you don't want anyone to know but can't stand the thought of keeping it to yourself, off your chest.

It's almost like a confessions/post-it blog and YOU are the audience as well as the author because everyone has access to post their Secrets.
Fun, huh? Now go on, I know you're dying to go check out more and do a little postin' yourself ;-)

However if you're not at all into the above type of blog addiction, please tell me what are you addicted to on the Net? Hopefully something more interesting than porn, I hope ;-P

Second Quarter 2008: What's in store for me?

Deshanta — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:30:43 +0000

I thought it best to have a look at my progress in keeping at those New Year's resolutions I set for myself at the beginning of this year. Seeing as we've moved quite fast into the second quarter of 2008 already, it's best to reflect on the past 3 months and reassess what can be done to make life more enjoyable going forward.

I managed to achieve better eating habits and going to gym is now now something I look forward to every week. It's amazing what a difference these changes have made to my appearance as well as my state of mind.

I thought it would be easy sticking to goal number two, but as time and loadshedding progresses, focusing on having more me time is harder and harder to achieve. I've realized how hard the balance is to achieve. Work at Cerebra has picked up pace and we're currently looking to hire more people and we have moved offices to accommodate for this rapid expansion in growth. It's amazing to be part of such a dynamic environment but like with all good things, there is a slight downside in that I've had to provision more time to focus on my career and of course that meant less time for myself and doing the things I like doing.

Going forward I plan to focus my efforts on cutting down bad habits that I have developed in order to better allow myself to have a life after work is over. It's important to seek balance in order to maintain one's all-roundedness. Loadshedding can lead to aiding these goals, but it can also lead to the detriment of these goals. After having a rather interesting conversation regarding SA's current power outages with Merv and his parents, I've realised that it's not good enough to sit back and watch the world change before your eyes, one has to really dig in and find ways to still be happy amongst the chaos created by our country's energy crisis. We all need to look into a change in attitude as well as adapt to our power-less environment.

I've decided to start going to bed earlier considering loadshedding happens in my area from 6-10pm on a Mon, Wed and Friday night. I've had to juggle times for gym to fit into Eskom's and Merv's new working schedules. So all in all I'm on track and am making the 2nd quarter of 2008 work for me.

I'm glad Winter is coming soon because it's time to whip out all those great books I've been meaning to read and allow myself to just be immersed in the wonderful world of reading. Bookclubs by their very nature are great but you need to be religious at them and I would like to give them a try again, but that first round didn't go so well as perhaps I need to get a little older and hope for the best on that one ;-) I've decided to also not burn myself out by having too many things on the go, and it is for this precise reason that dance classes are going to happen later this year.

It seems picking this time of year to consider house buying might not have been the most ideal with the recent repo rate increase. No one really wants to consider giving banks the upper hand on a bond that will be governed by a 15% compounded interest rate. I guess Merv and I will have to rethink this strategy fast as it doesn't seem that Tito Mboweni is going to budge in reducing the consumer crisis that is evident amongst South African citizens at the moment. All I can say on this front is just be aware of the rising costs of living in SA and earn more than you're spending because ain't nothing else going to help us get by than by being wiser than we have been with out money.

Green, greener, greeenest?

Deshanta — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:00:47 +0000

Merv and I are considering buying a house together and considering the circumstance around power outages and the energy crisis South Africa and the world over faces at the moment, it's not a bad idea to start investigating how you could propel your bit to the next level.

I read an interesting feature article on "Going Green" in Femina magazine (December 2007). It outlines various ways that homeowners and new parents can start looking after the planet and more importantly, their immediate environment by becoming more energy efficient and changing their behaviours to incorporate an environmentally friendly way of living.

Mike's already outlined a few ways that one can consider in getting a little 'greener' behind the ears and Gino has also started on his blog. Now here's a few more reasons to pique your interest into action:

Getting clued up

To avoid becoming a passing fad, you have to really want to make a permanent change in your life and stick to it. In order to equip yourself with the facts you have to get reading and educate yourself as to what the issues are and how they can be resolved in the easiest way possible.

There are a multitude of great local resources, Biophile magazine is one of these. The magazine comes out bi-monthly and deals with the future of our planet and species. Online sites like Urbansprout and Greenspace are useful resources if you're looking to cover every facet of one's existence or just need to get a clue on where to start.

Eco tots

If you are considering starting a family or are a parent already, it's a good idea to start investing in environmentally friendly toys and other goodies. Wood and other natural elements make for great educational additions to a child's toy-chest so consider all your options before going ahead and stocking up that nursery. Cewt is a company that makes wooden toys for educational purposes and then there's Habitot, a company that can help you source the best in eco-friendly children's ranges so take a look before your baby's shower and make your list. There are even books out that teach kids more about the environment so start Googling and get the family in on the new movement you're about to embark on.

Soaking it up

And as if saving the planet isn't enough of an incentive, how about trying to save yourself for starters. Have a look at Faithful-to-nature, a website dedicated to being a 'toxic free zone'. They offer a great range of skincare and body products that are organic and teach you more about "what it is that you are allowing into your body, your home and our earth". I found this website by chance and think what they have to offer is a fabulous idea in itself for gift ideas and the fact that you're contributing to a more positive spin on the environment is a plus.

Green in action

Lastly, would it not be ideal if our kinetic energy could be converted into energy that could power things up? Well I know Sir Richard Branson is investigating this idea as part of a means to improve the offering of his Virgin Active gyms around the world. You could lower your own Carbon footprint by reducing your Carbon Dioxide emissions for example, by cycling your way around, and there are two great offerings currently in the market, one from eZeebike and the other is investing in a VukaScooter. Hybrid cars are no longer being considered the alternative anymore due to the impending fuel crisis that has seen global petrol prices increase by almost 60% in the last annum. Currently on this front you're looking at the Toyota Prius as it's the only hybrid car offered in the SA market today and has proven to be quite popular both locally and abroad.

Eskom and government have been in talks about dealing out penalities for those who waste electricity and so if you're only allowed to use 600 watts of power a month then it would be a good idea to investigate how much your household is using currently. Gogreen.co.za might be able to help you in this arena so check them out as soon as you can. I read recently that a good alternative to loud and stinky generators are power inverters that can be built at a fraction of the cost to solar power products and generators too.

Carte Blanche also covered a great recycle system that can be used in your home to cut down on the amount of refuse thrown away on a weekly and even daily basis. Worm farms are a great idea and I've been wanting to try this out since i saw that Mount Nelson insert on CB. Mike put me onto Wizzard Worms, a site that gives you all the info you need to start your on own earthworm factory so get them sorting and you could have a very plush garden that your neighbours will be envious of in no time.

Remember change your actions, save the world! Kind of like that television series, Heroes huh?

Create your very own mobile widgets

Deshanta — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:53:41 +0000

WidSets makes the availability of your web content easier to access, create and share. Nokia has made access to the WidSets mobile client easier with the application being pre-installed in upcoming S40 devices. One's email accounts are also more accessible on your mobile device via the new fully loaded push email widget with standard POP and IMAP technology.

You can create a personalized dashboard with WidSets, the enhanced mobile client. Users can use Widsets to move widgets around and search for widgets with ease. Take your creativity further with the new Mobile Studio where just about anyone can master the art of creating widgets to access their favourite newsfeeds. Users can even share their widget creations with friends, and Widsets allows you to bookmark and comment on interesting widgets to share for later use.

“The motivation behind these WidSets enhancements is for people to create and share their favorite internet content on their mobile devices as easily as possible,” said Jarmo Jokinen, director of WidSets, Nokia. “Today, 85 per cent of our our 4,000 plus widgets are user-generated. The more people make and share their own widgets, the more personal and connected their internet becomes.”

You can visit widsets.mobi via your mobile and download the service, read the FAQs and access bookmarks. To read more on WidSets, go to www.widsets.com.

First Published by Nokia Bulletin Board

Response from VW after poor service

Deshanta — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:31:29 +0000

I wrote a post a few weeks ago about the service I received at VW Barons Woodmead. Their Service Manager and the VW Head offices have since contacted me with sincere apologies and a have told me of the course of action they will proceed in taking to rectify the matter. I commend their openess and applaud their courage in dealing with the matter.

Here is the email I got from their Service Department at the dealership:

Dear Ms Naidoo

We wish to apologise for an oversight regarding an incident that took place pertaining to the sump of your vehicle.

Please rest assured that the matter will be taken to task to avoid future occurrences.

We regret the inconvenience caused and thank you for bringing the matter to our attention.

Yours Faithfully

Manager: Giuseppe Cagna

RJ Benjamin on his new album

Deshanta — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:30:00 +0000

RJ Benjamin is one of the many SA artists who are keen to explore the social media space, and in so doing, he has taken to claiming his own blog on MySpace.
I got the opportunity to interview SA's leading neo soul artist on his latest offering to the music world called, "Swimming in the soul of music".

Why the title, "Swimming in the soul of music"?

I came up with the title 2 years ago. It came when I found I had lost my way a little in my life & when that happens to me I tend to go back to my musical roots, that being soul music. I literally drowned myself in it & from that came the name, from the name came the music & a whole album!

How different is the new album to your first one, "who I am"?

One of the concepts of this new album for me was to create definition. To show where I am as a music producer, composer & arranger. "who I am" was very much me giving everything I had in every song. With "Swimming in the soul of music" I didnt feel the need to do that & in fact made it easier to create. I very much wanted to make sure that each sound & part had its place that when a listener heard it they could clearly hear each part.

You've been using MySpace quite a bit to promo your new album, how do you see social media as helping artists achieve this?

I think Social media is a blessing to underground artists such as myself. I can connect with my fans on a personal basis which one could never do 10 years ago. It gives me the chance to talk to my market far more directly than any other medium could!

What kind of response have you had to your MySpace page - does a lot of the attention to it come from SA or is it globally spread out?

My Myspace page, ahem: rjbenjaminofficial has been a great platform for more international attention. I get many messages from other countries looking for deals or putting tracks on compilation albums.

I actually contacted you via Facebook, another great social networking site. What do you think of sites like this in terms of being an artist and promoting sales of you album?

I love Facebook. Initially I was guilty of being an FB addict. I use it now strictly for promoting my work as an artist. I find FB lets me communicate very easily with local fans. My Group fan page grows all the time & Facebook has made it very easy to keep people informed of gigs, events, interviews & other achievements I may gain. I think people like to see that you are keeping busy & updating your pages, blogs etc. If you do that, you can only be helping your status as an artist!

You have collaborated with a few upcoming artists on "Swimming in the soul of Music". Tell us a little bit about the featured artists and why you chose to work with them?

Ok, let me start off with Zubz. He featured on my hit single, Shut up, written with Danny K. I have always wanted to work with Zubz. He's an extremely intelligent lyricist & for the topic of the song, he hit it on the nail. His flow was unbelievable. For muso's, the track is not a straight hip-hop groove, more of a blues shuffle & Zubz flowed like it was something he rapped to everyday!

Nothende is one of my favourite Soul sisters & we wrote the track "dont wanna" together many years ago. It was inevitable that when I released I would put it on & she was the only choice to duet it with me!

Dan Patlansky is a fellow Jewish boy playing very un-typically Jewish music. I rate him as the best Blues guitarist in SA & I knew for the track "I dont love you" he was the best person for the job. He made that guitar cry!!

HHP & I colab on a track called "Overloaded". It's not my usual soul thing & similarly not his usual thing either. He came up with a HHP style ragga. I couldnt believe he could do that. Jabba is such a versatile musician. No wonder he's blowing up in SA like he is!

Slikour was very kind to let me put "Dreamer" on my album as a bonus track. I feel it's the most beautiful track I've ever featured on & Slikour's lyrics are perfection. For me this track will go down as one the best Hip-hop anthems ever to be produced in SA!

Where can RJ Benjamin fans catch you next?

Up-coming performances include, performing as Zola's band at the CPT jazz festival, performing a menage a trous show with Ishmaek & Malik in CPT the following day & I will be performing atthe Blues room on the 5th of April.

Your album when first launched was a tad hard to get hold of, how do you plan to get it out there and noticed by the masses?

Well, finally Musica has agreed to take stock. The struggle has been that CD's just arent selling & stores are becoming more & more reluctant to take stock. When mainstream artists are not selling, how do they justify stocking my album?? Please go buy your copy available at all Musica's. I'd like to prove to them & other retailer that niche artists can sell & outsell their commercial counterparts!

Have you considered the sale of your new album via your MySpace page? Do you think it could work?

I havent but thank you for bringing that up, that may be a great Idea. I will most probably sell via my website which will be up & running in the next 2 weeks.

Lastly, who is your aimed at in the SA market and which listeners do you consider on the fringe of this market? What's your favourite song off the album?

Lovers of old school soul. people who like stories & still see music as an artform.
My fav song on my album: I love em all!! ....maybe Dreamer even though it's not my song, what a song!

Youtube's Video Awards and the Right to vote

Deshanta — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:29:48 +0000

Ahead of commemorations for the South African public holiday on 21 March 2008 known as Human Rights Day, I thought it best to bring to your attention the basic human right of voting.

Under Apartheid rule, non-white people were not afforded the right to vote or have a say in anything that involved the rule of South Africa. That of course all changed in 1994 when we all, blacks and whites together, flocked to the polls to vote in a newly elected democratic government.

Now in the age of the Internet, people are allowed to exercise their basic human right to vote all the time! With so much choice and variety, users are constantly making choices and really owning the decision-making process.

It is with this ability to vote and make up one's own mind that I urge you to check out the Youtube 2007 Video Awards! Go exercise your basic human right to vote by having your say in who should be the top of the pops on Youtube. Voting will close on 19 March 2008.

South African Music Awards heats up

Deshanta — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 10:26:30 +0000

The nominations are out for the 14th Annual South African Music Awards! Some of the finest artists are up for nominations and that means there's great music on the cards for you to check out if you're not familiar with South African music.

The SAMAs are looked forward to every year because they bring to light some of the fantastic and diverse musical talent SA has to offer. This year some of my favourite artists have been nominated in various categories and I thought I'd give you a quick overview of who they are and their particular music style to check out.

- Hip Hop Pantsula - Acceptance Speech
HHP, as he is commonly known is a great hip hop artist with a lot of flava. He also is one of SA's coolest celebrities and likes having fun like the time when he took part in Strictly Come Dancing, the SA version of course ;-)

- Jimmy Dludlu - Portrait
I'm a Dludlu fan because this guy is a great jazz guitarist and his melodies are to die for. one of my favourite albums of his is the debut album album, "Echoes from the past".

- Karen Zoid - Postmodern World
While at varsity I DJed at the local sampus radio station and it was there that I was introduced to to Karen Zoid. Her track, "Afrikaners is plesierig" will always be a memorable one for me.

- Zonke - Life, love N Music
Zonke is another familiar artist to the music scene and she has been burning up the playlists on popular radio stations like Yfm and Metro fm with her latest project called "Life, love 'n Music". I've recently watched a music video of a collaborative she's done with Thandiswa Mazwai and dug it so much that I want her album now! It's on my music list of albums to buy this year!

- Freshly Ground - Macheri
I love this Cape Town based group. they're fresh and fun and do not fail to impress the avid pop listener with their catchy tunes, two (Pot Belly and DooBeDoo) of which have been made into popular signature tunes for television adverts in SA.

- Seether - Findiing Beauty in Negative Spaces
Previously called "Saron Gas", this classic hard rock band moved to the States to pursue bigger and better music deals but they still are one of SA's faviourite rock bands. They popular it of the new album called "Fake it" is quite a catchy theme if you're wanting to just rock out hard ;-)

- Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Ilembe
Ah, this group is just legendary in their own right and considering Ladysmith Black Mambazo own a few of their very own hard earned Grammy awards, there's no reason why this year, their new album is not in the running for a SAMA! Well done LBM!

Other great artists who I've recently gotten into are: Louise Carver, Loyiso, Prokid, The Parlotones, Lira, Mccoy Mrubata, DJ Cleo and Brickz!

If you'd like to give some of these artists a listen, why not try out Last.fm, it's a great site that allows music listening and sharing on the platform for its members.

How can service be an "Oversight"?

Deshanta — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:51:09 +0000

Four years ago I bought my car from the Barons Woodmead VW dealership and two weeks ago I decided to use them to get my second major service done.

The reception at the dealership was good and I was assured that the points that I brought to the attention of the Service staff, namely Sean Govender, would be fully checked out and he would give me a call during the day to give me an update as to the progress of my car through its service, as is custom with these kinds of dealings.

I collected my car at 5:15pm on the 28th Feb 2008, Thursday, thinking everything with car was sorted and that the +/-R1,300 I handed over would more than compensate the dealership for the service they carried out. But No!

I got home to find that the inside of my boot was damp which I shrugged off because at leas i had a clean car to drive home in even though my laptop bag got dampened by whatever liquid that wet the boot in the first place.

On Monday, 3 March 2008, I noticed an oil stain in my garage at home and thought that it could have been excess oil that had leaked out after the service and did not pay it much attention until Thursday, 6 March 2008. The small oil spot had grown considerably bigger in the garage as well as there were similar stains now in the parking lot at work where I had parked my car.

I got someone to just have a look at my oil levels and that's when I realized that my car was leaking the new oil that had been filled into it as is standard during a major service, however, the sump plug of my car was mistakenly not tightened well enough, causing the the car to leak oil.

When I took the car back to the dealership on Friday, 7 March 2008, I waited over ten minutes in the Waiting room without a greeting or word of acknowledgment from a single person of the Service Reception team. Sean Govender, the person in charge of booking my car in didn't even bother to tell me how long the problem was going to take to be looked at or anything like that.

After 15 minutes, my car was brought to the front of the dealership and Sean only then brought me my keys and apologizing for what he deemed an "oversight during the service".

I fail to understand how such an important part of a "service" like making sure you have tightened up every last bolt you touch during a car service can be an "oversight" during a major inspection of a car?

Surely dealerships do a quality assessment of the service before the car leaves the servicing garage?

It is unacceptable that even at this stage in the customer service chain that dealerships can get away with blue murder! I have sent this post to the VW headquarters, Sean Govender; himself and put it up on HelloPeter because clearly Carte Blanche covering these kinds of "oversights" at car garages and dealerships a fews years ago wasn't enough to get a proper quality standards assessment done on these types of services in south Africa.

I'm appalled that this is still going on and that it's almost akin to the analogy of a doctor forgetting a swab in a patient during surgery thereby fatally increasing the chance of infection let alone further complications, and for the patient to only get told, "Sorry, it was an oversight"? There is something very wrong with this picture and the fact that these situations impact negatively on people's lives does not seem to concern the service staff, the same staff that are supposed to be in the customer service chain of command.

I guess Barons Woodmead would have taken me a whole lot more seriously if my car had packed up after me driving it around without any knowledge of the oil leak, but then perhaps they would have blamed the incident on my 'negligent driving' as opposed to owning up to their stuff up during the service they carried out on my car.

This is not the first complaint that has been raised with this particular car dealership. Merv has had a horrible ordeal with them too, but I'll leave him to explain more for himself because his experience can be summed up as ultimately shocking and disgraceful customer service.

SA Music Awards 2008

Deshanta — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:01:11 +0000

Tonight the South African Music Awards (SAMA) nominations are announced so be sure to look for the list of nominees tomorrow. I'll bookmark them when I come across it.

The Next Face of Samsung Mobile

Deshanta — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:55:01 +0000

This is so exciting! I'm in a crowd of the most gorgeous people in South Africa and we've just heard that Samsung mobile is looking for the next female and male Icone Modeles! These two lucky people will stand a chance of being the next face of Samsung Mobile!

They will be part of the 2008 above the line and below the line ad campaigns, which basically means they'll have their faces blasted on every billboard, poster and magazine cover in SA! Models will win themselves a $75k international modeling contract with Next modeling agency!

These two models will become the most sought after South African models abroad and get to don the most exclusive made-to-fit range of South African couture, which these models will showcase at SA's main Fashion Week in August 2008!

How awesome is that? Now to give you a little taste of this exclusive event check out the video and I just have to boast about who I bumped into - SA's hottest music star, Loyiso and ooh, I think Vanessa Carreira has just arrived. Toodles, have to go mingle ;-)

Blogging live and exclusive from...

Deshanta — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:00:52 +0000

Samsung Mobile have invited me to the launch party for SA Fashion Week which is sponsored by Sanlam. I'm quite excited to be attending as a blogger as these kinda' events are usually reserved for mainstream media and there's supposed to be a secret launch-within-a-launch to look out for at the event.

I guess with my journo/blogger reputation I get access to the best of both worlds so it's going to be a great evening and I'm looking forward to seeing what Samsung Mobile has up their sleeves.

Tomorrow sees the official launch of Sanlam SA Fashion Week and this year is sure to bring the house down with the latest couture to hit SA's runways as well as exclusive peak into this season's hottest colours. Ooh, can't wait! The Sanlam SA Fashion Week Autumn/Winter Designer Collections, was introduced in March 2007 for the first time and this event is run over the next two days (14 and 15 March 2008) at Museum Africa in Newtown. This is due to the fact that our winter season is not that long and the designers therefore "focus on producing capsule collections with strong, signature pieces", according to the SA Fashion Week website.

I'm going to be blogging live from the launch party tonight so keep your eyes peeled to the Samsung blog. I'll put up a synopsis of the evening and what went down tomorrow so look out for it.

Now to go try on the four different outfits I've got sprawled on my bed - decisions, decisions ;-)

Encyclopaedia Britannica on wheels

Deshanta — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:57:22 +0000

I'm sure most of you can recall those cold-calling salesman who used to visit your home back in the day to sell you a whole volume of the latest edition in the Encyclopaedia Britannica or even Webster's Encyclopedic editions.

Thank God, the naughties have brought new ways of acquiring knowledge and freely available information that can be accessed by just about anyone with an Internet connection.

Wikipedia is by far the most extensive people's encyclopaedia. It is the only site that is being authored by millions of people at any given time and offers up a wealth of information on anything and everything under the sun, and in a multitude of languages as well.

It's a great resource for those looking for a squizz at what something is or means without the tiresome effort of coming up with the right search phrases to do a Google search. Although mind you, Google and other search engines have found Wikipedia listings so useful that they've even found value in listing the entries for relevant search queries higher up in their search engine results.

Wiki, as it is fondly known, has a bunch of editors behind the scenes that moderate and help facilitate the authoring on the site so that it doesn't become an 'everyone and their dog naming party'. While this may be a great way of avoiding free advertorials and link spam, some have argued that the authors can sometimes have a biased outlook on subject matter and for the sake of being 'right', they negate some info, essentially filtering out of the public domain on Wiki.

Considering Wikipedia is created by the people for the people, it does come with its own human inaccuracies so be sure to use it as a useful resource, but don't let it be the be-all and end-all of your research. It's great for a first start though ;-)

Hanging by a pylon

Deshanta — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:15:59 +0000

A friend of mine sent me these sketches which no doubt grew out of the very frustration that is making a lot of people, including my dear friend, consider leaving South Africa. Eskom's growing electricity woes have gotten everybody up in arms one way or the other and the fact that President Thabo Mbeki isn't putting blame on himself and our government is a little more than despicable. Nevertheless, it's the weekend and i thought you could do with a laugh, however muted it might be.

Here's to paying for the electricity that our neighbouring countries received during the month of January while we were all left in the dark. Hooray for great business decisions, uhuh? And thanks goes to our government who can't stop finding ways of squeezing every darned penny out of our lifeless hands. Let's all wait for another dull political round of "pin-the-donkey", shall we?