Sunday, July 29, 2007

Memory: celebrating the end of high school

  • I graduated from Milnerton High School in 1986, and had a quite satisfying celebration thereof at the beach. I first bought a 12-pack of beer then boarded the Melkbosstrand bus up the coast. The beer of choice at that time would probably have been either Castle or Carling. Anyway, I got off at a stop somewhere along the coast road, then walked until I was alone on the beach, something easier to do in those days.
    It was a hot afternoon, and the beer very enjoyable. I kept it cold by burying it in the sand, just a little ways into the water. I then proceeded to relax, contemplate my life, and drink beer. Doesn't get much better.
    At about my fourth beer, a dog approached me. I petted it a little, but it wasn't interested in scratches behind the ear. It seemed to want to tell me something. Actually, it was kind of like a stereotypical "dog wants me to follow him" scene in a movie. The dog would come close to me, bump me with his head or suchlike, then trot off down the beach and look back at me expectantly, as if to say, "come on, come on!"
    It must have been a little frustrating for the dog, as I did not in fact follow it. Perhaps someone had fallen down a well, perhaps he was a spirit guide. I dunno. I proceeded to carry on drinking beer, and started discussing philosophy with the dog. And telling him my thoughts. He became my confident.
    When the dog realized that I was not going to follow him, he wandered off, presumably to find someone more receptive.
    And shortly thereafter I lost my beer. I had not marked the spot in which I had buried it well enough, and very little distinguishes one piece of beach sand from another. Soon the beach was full of holes as I tried to find the remaining cold cans. But to no avail.
    So I got the bus back home. I got quite a sunburn, but it was a good time.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

  • It's a little unfortunate, but some of the best South African musicians have not received broad appeal outside of that country. Of course one is always nostalgic for the music of one's youth, but in my opinion the South African music scene in the 80s was a match for anywhere in the world. Some of the bands of the period worth remembering include Psycho Reptiles, Falling Mirror, No Friends of Harry, V.O.D. (the original punk Radley Clack lineup), Dog Detachment.
    But of course there is also some damn exciting music happening in South Africa right now. Perhaps this internet age will allow South African musicians to get the exposure that they deserve, without the help of the big US record companies. My favourite of the lot, Fokofpolisiekar, may be hampered by the fact that they sing in Afrikaans, a language not widely spoken outside of South Africa. On the other hand, punk has universal appeal, so perhaps they can still break through.
    Thank god for youtube. Here is a couple of good 'uns.
    Kalahari Surfers, which really consists of Warwick Sony and whoever he is working with at the time, has been around for donkey's years but is still producing excellent material. Here is a youtube clip of Gangsta, courtesy of African Dope Records.

    And here is the brilliant Rastaman Teba, also courtesy African Dope:

Monday, July 16, 2007

Fokofpoliekar photographic exhibit and Bilbo video

Sunday, July 15, 2007

foodways and BBS

  • Foodways: communal beer drinking in Uganda.
    The BBC has an article on how a new practice of 'one man one straw' is keeping alive the practice of many people sharing a common pot of ajono (millet beer.)
    ..ajono drinkers now buy their own epi (drinking straw), which they can decorate or label, or hire ones that are sterilised with hot water after use. The straws are made from the dried stems of a common creeper found growing in trees and bushes in the area. Judging from the increased number of the brewers, their policy has reaped rewards.
  • I cannot recommend Jason Scott's lyrical BBS Documentary highly enough, and will have more to say about it in future blog entries. For the moment, suffice it to say that this history of the BBS phenomenon is fascinating, and I was sad when I came to the end of the last episode.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

The golf articles is monoplied


The golf articles is monoplied
Originally uploaded by Alhazred

For all your monoplied golf articles needs.
This is an older photo, from my short stay in Shanghai.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Flickr photos: Oregon coast in winter

Here are a few photos from a trip to the Oregon coast that we made last winter. From an el cheapo disposable camera.

Nehalem Bay SP winter3 Ladies of Virtue Hwy101 roadside cross in snow3 Nehalem Bay SP winter4