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    7/27/2009

    The Lightning Thief

    Finally, we have a date – 12 Feb 2009. Whether we in South Africa will get to see it then will have to be seen, but at least we have a date to aim for.

    Loved the books, can’t wait to see what they do with them.

    Note: Cross posted from i dream in words.
    Permalink
    6/16/2009

    Merlin

    Merlintitlesequence 
    source

    May I confess a new addiction? When I started watching, I was adamant that I would not like the show, because of all the, you know, inaccuracies. I mean, really, Merlin younger than Arthur? Morganna wearing high-heeled shoes! The injustice of it all.

    But I continued watching, and, towards the end of the season I actually reached the point where I am thinking about the show when I am not watching.

    It probably helps a little that both Arthur and Merlin are kinda dreamy *grin*

    s01e00_01_arthur_1024x768 s01e00_01_merlin_1024x768
    (source)

    Can’t wait for season 2 to start.

    Now, onto Robin Hood, which I believe is just as addictive.

    6/14/2009

    Lego Harry Potter

     

     

    This looks awesome. I love the other Lego games on Xbox, and this one looks like it will be as much fun :)

    Time traveller’s wife: another trailer

     

    ohnotheydidnt: "The Time Traveler's Wife" TRAILER

    Can’t wait :)

     

    WATCH IT HERE

    source: ohnotheydidnt

    It looks like we are only going to see it November/December locally though.

    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink
    5/17/2009

    Another returning pleasure

    When I got all excited after my previous post telling my husband which of our favourite shows were returning, he asked about the one show that has really grabbed him and that was sadly not on the list, Dexter (mostly because there were no Showtime shows on the list).

    From what we could previously see, the future of Dexter was in the balance, but I did a bit of googling last night, and it would seem the scales tipped the right way, because, thank goodness, Dexter is returning.

     


    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink
    5/16/2009

    Fall TV cheat sheet: What's in? What's out?

    List from here. I have highlighted the ones I am really happy about in green, highlighted those I am unhappy about in red and left those I haven’t seen/don’t watch/don’t care about untouched.

    ABC
    The Bachelor: Already renewed.
    Better Off Ted: Officially renewed.
    Brothers & Sisters: Already renewed.
    Castle: Officially renewed.
    Cupid: It's a goner.
    Dancing with the Stars: Already renewed.
    Desperate Housewives: Already renewed.
    Dirty Sexy Money: Officially canceled.
    Eli Stone: Officially canceled.
    Grey's Anatomy: Already renewed.
    In the Motherhood: It's a goner.
    Lost: Already renewed.
    Private Practice: Already renewed.
    Pushing Daisies: Officially canceled.
    Samantha Who?: Could go either way. Prospects brightening.
    Scrubs: Officially renewed.
    Supernanny: Already renewed.
    Surviving Suburbia: A long shot.
    Ugly Betty: Already renewed.
    The Unusuals: A long shot.
    Wife Swap: Already renewed.

    CBS
    The Amazing Race: Already renewed.
    The Big Bang Theory: Already renewed.
    Cold Case: Could go either way.
    Criminal Minds: Sure thing.
    CSI: Sure thing.
    CSI: Miami: Sure thing.
    CSI: NY: Sure thing.
    Eleventh Hour: Now a long shot. Hearing the crew is looking for other work.
    Flashpoint: A long shot. Could continue airing in Canada.
    Gary Unmarried: Could go either way.
    Ghost Whisperer: Officially renewed.
    Harper's Island: It's a goner.
    How I Met Your Mother: Sure thing.
    The Mentalist: Sure thing.
    NCIS: Sure thing.
    New Adventures of Old Christine: Could go either way. ABC poised to pick up if CBS passes.
    Numb3rs: Safe bet.
    Rules of Engagement: Safe bet.
    Survivor: Already renewed.
    Two and a Half Men: Already renewed.
    The Unit: Now hearing it's a goner. Back to being a long shot.
    Without a Trace: Could go either way.
    Worst Week: A long shot.

    FOX
    24: Already renewed.
    American Dad: Already renewed.
    American Idol: Already renewed.
    Bones: Sure thing.
    Dollhouse: Officially renewed for 13 episodes.
    Family Guy: Already renewed.
    Fringe: Officially renewed.
    House: Sure thing.
    King of the Hill: Officially canceled. <--AWWW
    Kitchen Nightmares: Already renewed.
    Lie to Me: Officially renewed for 13 episodes.
    Prison Break: Officially canceled.
    The Simpsons: Already renewed.
    Sit Down, Shut Up: It's a goner.
    Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: A long shot.
    'Til Death: Already renewed (unfortunately).

    NBC
    30 Rock: Already renewed.
    The Biggest Loser: Already renewed.
    Celebrity Apprentice: Already renewed.
    Chuck: Now a safe bet. (Yay!)
    Friday Night Lights: Already renewed.
    Heroes: Sure thing. Now officially renewed.
    Kath & Kim: It's a goner.
    Kings: It's a goner.
    Knight Rider: It's a goner.
    Law & Order: Safe bet. I hear they're already working on next season's episodes.
    Law & Order: CI: Could go either way.
    Law & Order: SVU: Already renewed.
    Life: A long shot. Now hearing it's a goner. Now officially canceled.
    Lipstick Jungle: Officially canceled.
    Medium: Safe bet. Reportedly renewed for 13-16 episodes.
    My Name is Earl: Could go either way. Fox may rescue it if NBC passes.
    The Office: Already renewed.
    Parks and Recreation: Officially renewed.
    Southland: Officially renewed for 13 episodes.

    The CW
    90210: Already renewed.
    America's Next Top Model: Already renewed.
    Everybody Hates Chris: It's a goner.
    The Game: It's a long shot.
    Gossip Girl: Already renewed.
    One Tree Hill: Already renewed.
    Privileged: Prospects brightening.
    Reaper: It's a goner.
    Smallville: Already renewed.
    Supernatural: Already renewed.

    I have been holding my breath for weeks now about Chuck, and I am so glad to see things are looking up for this show. Also very very glad Big Bang Theory has been picked up for at least another two seasons – I am completely addicted to these geeks.

    Why am I disappointed that Smallville has been renewed? Well, let’s see. We are going onto season 9 now of a show that started off really awesome and then morphed into a badly written soap. I cannot believe this drivel is being continued while good shows keep getting the axe.


    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink

    Spockness

    Your results:
    You are Spock
    Spock
    80%
    An Expendable Character (Redshirt)
    75%
    Data
    71%
    Jean-Luc Picard
    70%
    Worf
    65%
    Deanna Troi
    65%
    Beverly Crusher
    55%
    Will Riker
    55%
    James T. Kirk (Captain)
    50%
    Mr. Sulu
    50%
    Geordi LaForge
    50%
    Leonard McCoy (Bones)
    45%
    Mr. Scott
    35%
    Uhura
    35%
    Chekov
    30%
    You are skilled in knowledge and logic.
    You believe that the needs of the many
    outweigh the needs of the few.
    Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Quiz
    5/2/2009

    Darth Vader Toaster | GeekAlerts

    I wants one!!!!

    Darth Vader Toaster

    Star Wars Darth Vader Toaster

    When sipping your morning coffee from Darth Vaders helmet, you can now also brand your toast with a silhouette of the Dark Lord of the Sith, using this Star Wars toaster.

    This black, ominous kitchen appliance easily leaves the mark of Vader’s helmet in every yummy piece of toast. Slather some Bantha butter on top, or make two pieces for an extra-Sithy BLT. Force power not required to operate toaster.

    The Darth Vader Toaster is estimated to arrive in January 2009 and the product can now be pre-ordered for $54.99 from the official Star Wars webshop.

    Darth Vader Toaster | GeekAlerts

    5/1/2009

    SCOM 2007: Quick and dirty agent health check script

    We used a script in our MOM environment to notify us on an hourly basis of agents that have not reported in x amount of time. I modified this script this week for SCOM.

    The script retrieves the agents from the database that are marked as not available by SCOM, and then pings each of them. The ping status is included in the email.

    Option Explicit
    
    Const strMOMSQLServer = ""
    Const strMOMAdminEmail = ""
    Const StrFromEmail = ""
    Const strMailServer = ""
    Const strMailUser = ""
    Const strMailPass = ""
    Const strCustomer = ""
    
    Dim objMsg
    Dim objConf
    Dim objFlds
    Dim dataconn
    Dim rs
    Dim strBody
    Dim n
    Dim strPingStatus
    Dim objWMIService
    Dim colPings
    Dim objPing
    Dim strAgent
    Dim strIPAddress
    Dim colAttrib
    Dim colGroups
    
    set objMsg = CreateObject("CDO.Message") 
    set objConf = CreateObject("CDO.Configuration")
    
    Set objFlds = objConf.Fields
    With objFlds
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing") = 2
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver") = strMailServer
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpauthenticate") = 2
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusername") = strMailUser
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendpassword") = strMailPass
      .Update
    End With
    
    Set dataconn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection") 
    dataconn.Open "Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=" & strMOMSQLServer & ";Database=OperationsManager;Trusted_Connection=yes;"
    
    Set rs = dataconn.execute("SELECT BaseManagedEntity.Path, MT_Computer.NetworkName, MT_Computer.IPAddress, BaseManagedEntity.IsManaged," & _
                              "ManagedEntityAvailabilityView.IsAvailable, ManagedEntityAvailabilityView.AvailabilityLastModified " & _
                              "FROM BaseManagedEntity INNER JOIN MT_Computer ON BaseManagedEntity.BaseManagedEntityId = MT_Computer.BaseManagedEntityId " & _
                              "INNER JOIN ManagedEntityAvailabilityView ON BaseManagedEntity.BaseManagedEntityId = ManagedEntityAvailabilityView.BaseManagedEntityId " & _
                              "WHERE (BaseManagedEntity.IsManaged = 1) and (IsAvailable = 0) and (IPAddress is not null) " & _
                              "order by AvailabilityLastModified asc")
    
    
    strBody = "<p>The following agents have not reported in the past hour:</p>"& VbCrLf 
    strBody = strBody & "<table border=""3"" bordercolor=""2A8588""><Caption><b><u>Daily Agent Health Check</b></u></Caption><tr><td><b>Server Name</b></td><td><b>Last contact</b></td><td><b>Ping Status</b></td></tr>"& VbCrLf
    
    n = 0
    
    do while Not rs.eof
    
    strAgent = rs("NetworkName")
    strIPAddress = rs("IPAddress")
    PingStatus(strAgent)
    
    strBody = strBody & "<tr><td>" & strAgent & vbTab & "</td><td>" &
    rs("AvailabilityLastModified") & vbTab & "</td><td>" & strPingStatus & vbTab & "</td></tr>" & VbCrLf
    
    n = n + 1
    rs.movenext
    Loop
    
    strBody = strBody & "<tr><td colspan=3 align=right><b>Total: "& n &"</b></td></tr></table>"
    
    
    With objMsg
      Set .Configuration = objConf
      .To = strMOMAdminEmail
      .From = StrFromEmail
      .Subject = strCustomer & " - Server Health check - " & Date()
      .HTMLBody = strBody
      .Fields.update
      .Send
    End With
    
    set dataconn = Nothing
    set objConf = Nothing
    set objMsg = Nothing
    
    Function PingStatus(strAgent)
    
    Set objWMIService = Nothing
    Set colPings = Nothing
    Set objPing = Nothing
    strPingStatus = "Unreachable"
    
    Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
            & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")
    Set colPings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
            ("SELECT * FROM Win32_PingStatus WHERE Address = '" & strIPAddress & "'")
    
        For Each objPing in colPings
            Select Case objPing.StatusCode
    
            Case 0
                            strPingStatus = "Replied"
                            Exit For
    
                    Case Else
                            strPingStatus = "<font color=""red"">Unreachable</a>"
            End Select
    
        Next
    
    Set objWMIService = Nothing
    Set colPings = Nothing
    Set objPing = Nothing
    
    End Function

    Update the following:

    Const strMOMSQLServer = ""  - Name or IP address of your SCOM DB server
    Const strMOMAdminEmail = ""  - Email address(es) of recipients, separated by a semi-colon
    Const StrFromEmail = ""  - From email address
    Const strMailServer = ""  - Mail server address
    Const strMailUser = ""  - If required, username for sending mail
    Const strMailPass = ""  - password for mail user
    Const strCustomer = ""  - the name of the customer/branch. This is used in the subject line of the mail. If you only look after one customer, or don’t need any distinction, you may remove this from the .Subject field in the script.

    And, as always, no real commenting, so feel free to leave a comment should something not make sense. And if you have a better solution, please let me know!


    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink

    SCOM 2007 - Quick and dirty disk space script

    I wrote this script recently to extract the percentage free disk space on all servers in a SCOM environment, and email it.
    set dataconn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
    dataconn.Open "Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=<SCOM Server>;Database=OperationsManagerDW;Trusted_Connection=yes;"
    
    set objMsg = CreateObject("CDO.Message")
    set objConf = CreateObject("CDO.Configuration")
    
    Set objFlds = objConf.Fields
    With objFlds
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing") = 2
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver") = "<mail server>"
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpauthenticate") = 2
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusername") = "<mail user>"
      .Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendpassword") = "<mail pass>"
      .Update
    End With
    
    set rs = dataconn.execute("SELECT TOP (100) PERCENT Perf.vPerfDaily.DateTime, vManagedEntity.Path, dbo.vPerformanceRule.CounterName, " & _
                          "vPerformanceRuleInstance.InstanceName, Perf.vPerfDaily.MaxValue " & _
                          "FROM  Perf.vPerfDaily INNER JOIN vManagedEntity ON Perf.vPerfDaily.ManagedEntityRowId = vManagedEntity.ManagedEntityRowId INNER JOIN " & _
                          "vPerformanceRuleInstance ON Perf.vPerfDaily.PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId = vPerformanceRuleInstance.PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId INNER JOIN " & _
                          "vPerformanceRule ON vPerformanceRuleInstance.RuleRowId = vPerformanceRule.RuleRowId WHERE (NOT (dbo.vManagedEntity.Path = N'nul')) " & _
                          "AND (Perf.vPerfDaily.DateTime = (SELECT MAX(DateTime) AS Expr1 FROM Perf.vPerfDaily AS vPerfDaily_1)) " & _
                          "AND (vPerformanceRule.ObjectName LIKE N'%logical%') AND (vPerformanceRule.CounterName LIKE N'% Free Space') " & _
                          "ORDER BY vManagedEntity.Path")
    if rs.eof then
    
    else
    
    strBody = "<p><font face=""Arial"" size=""1"">Percentage free space in environment.</font></p>"& vbCRLF
    strBody = strBody & "<table cellpadding=""1"" cellspacing=""0"" border=""0"" bordercolor=""#C0C0C0"">" & vbCRLF
    
    do while not rs.eof
    
    if not rs("path") = strComputer then
    strComputer = rs("path")
    
    strBody = strBody & "<tr><td colspan=""3"" bgcolor=""#C0C0C0""><font face=""Arial"" size=""1""><b>" & strComputer &"</b></font></td></tr>" & vbCRLF
    
    end if
    
    strDrive = rs("instancename")
    intValue = CInt(rs("maxvalue"))
    
    If intValue < 10 Then
        strValue = "<font face=""Arial"" size=""1"" color=""red""><b>" & intValue &"%</b></font>"
    Else
        strValue = "<font face=""Arial"" size=""1"" color=""black""><b>" & intValue &"%</b></font>"
    End if
    
    strBody = strBody & "<tr><td valign=""top""></td><td valign=""top""><font face=""Arial"" size=""1"">" & StrDrive & "</font></td>" & vbCRLF
    strBody = strBody & "<td valign=""top"">"& strValue &"</td>" & vbCRLF
    
    rs.movenext
    Loop
    strBody = strBody & "</table>"
    
    With objMsg
      Set .Configuration = objConf
      .To = "<email addresses, comma seperated>"
      .From = "<from address>"
      .Subject = "Daily Report - Disk space - " & Date()
      .HTMLBody = strBody
      .Fields.update
      .Send
    End With
    
    end if
    dataconn.close

    Update the fields between the <> and save as a .vbs file. Not a very elegant solution, but far quicker than having to configure the disk space report in SCOM reporting. And, as always, I suck at commenting, so feel free to leave a comment if you get stuck.

    SQL query was refined using a bored colleague at work with some time to bash through the DB and the following sources:

    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink
    4/10/2009

    3 Apps I cannot live without

    Jayo Mobile Extender
    Website: http://www.jeyo.com/
    Cost: $19.95 (free trial available from website)

    Jayo is a plug-in for Outlook that allows you to connect your mobile phone to Outlook and download all your text messages to a PST file. It is compatible with most mobile phones, regardless of whether it uses Symbian or Windows Mobile as its platform. You can configure Jayo to completely delete all text messages from your phone on send and receive, including your sent items, and, since it stores it in a PST file, it is easy to then sort your messages as you wish. And, as I receive around 200 text messages on a daily basis (work), I simply cannot live without it.

    Tweetdeck
    Website: http://www.tweetdeck.com/ 
    Cost: Free

    I have tried a couple of Twitter clients, but this one is by far my favourite. It gives you the ability to view a variety of streams at the same time, filter in place, find friends, see your directs and replies and so much more. It is lightweight and cross-platform compatible, and, according to the website, you can also use it to follow your facebook friends (still looking for this feature). I don’t tweet much, but love watching the streams on a regular basis. And, while you’re at it, follow me on Twitter.

    GOM Media Player
    Website: http://www.gomlab.com/eng/
    Cost: Free

    Free, lightweight media player that just plays anything and everything, without needing to worry about codecs. And, when you point it at a directory with logically named files, there is no need to create a playlist, as GOM will just automatically jump to the next file, making it so much easier to watch your favourite TV shows. It is also a fantastic DVD player. And one of my favourite features: the ability to fit the media to full screen without changing the aspect ratio.
    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink

    4/7/2009

    Zuma walks free

    “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

    ~ Martin Luther King, Jr

    “The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty.”

    ~ Abraham Lincoln

    The NPA have dropped all charges (all 700-odd of them) against Jacob Zuma, not because he was found to be innocent, but because of an abuse of process by Leonard McCarthy. Full statement here.

    I must emphasise that this does not mean that Jacob Zuma is innocent.

    What this does mean that we will have a criminal for a president after the 22 April elections – only 15 days from now. This is a sad day for liberty, justice and democracy.

    From the DA website:

    The decision to withdraw the charges does not appear to be rationally connected to the information before the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).  All indications are that the NDPP has not taken a decision based in law, but that it has buckled to political pressure. Two weeks before the election, it now portrays Jacob Zuma as a wronged victim in a show trial.

    And from the ID website:

    ‘There are absolutely no legal reasons for the decision,’ says De Lille
    ID President Patricia de Lille says she is ‘very, very angry that the NPA has not provided any substantive legal reasons for withdrawing the fraud, corruption, racketeering and tax evasion charges against ANC President Jacob Zuma.
    ‘The first casualty of this decision today is the principle that we are all equal before the law.
    ‘The NPA has got absolutely no right to drop the charges against Jacob Zuma before they have been tested in an open court of law,’ Ms De Lille says.
    ‘The fact that the tapes are legitimate is completely irrelevant to the Zuma case. The NPA must charge Bulelani Ngcuka, Leonard McCarthy and anyone else on the tapes for interfering in the independence of the NPA.
    The ID Leader, the 1st of over 200 prospective witnesses in the Zuma case, says ‘the case against Zuma should have gone on uninterrupted.
    ‘The fact that these allegations of interference will be tested by the courts, but the Zuma case will not, means that the leadership of the NPA has replaced their loyalty to Thabo Mbeki with a new loyalty to Jacob Zuma.
    ‘The ANC has betrayed the visions, values and ideals of our Constitutional democracy and of the struggle we fought against Apartheid,’ De Lille says.
    ‘Ten years of hard work by whistleblowers, the media and the prosecuting team, all of whom were guided by the principle of equality before the law, have gone down the drain.
    ‘It is wrong that the ANC has been allowed by the NPA, which should be independent, to dictate to it what is in the best interests of our democracy,’ De Lille says.
    ‘This is an extremely sad day for me and for our country. We can only hope and pray that our people will eventually realize that the ANC leadership is motivated by self-interest, greed and dishonesty.
    ‘I am deeply concerned for our future for as long as these ANC crooks are in control of our country,’ says De Lille

    From the COPE website:

    The Congress of the People wishes to register its disappointment at the political decision of the NPA to drop the corruption, fraud and racketeering charges against the president of the ANC. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the manner in which this matter was handled.
    The NPA’s decision to drop the charges against Jacob Zuma does not safeguard justice, due process or equality before the law. Instead, it guarantees that the president of the African National Congress, and the party’s presidential candidate, will forever be branded a criminal suspect in the eyes of much of the nation and the world. This decision is a blow to our democracy that will be felt for years to come. The NPA in this act, has undermined the Constitution and itself as an entity.

    Is this the end of the Mandela beacon of hope? We can only hope and pray that the rest of the people in this beautiful country of ours will wake up before the elections and make the right decision to not put a criminal in power. Or at least to ensure the ANC does not have a 2/3 majority. But, after this decision, it looks like the road we find ourselves on was built by Robert Mugabe rather than Nelson Mandela.

    “For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

    ~ Nelson Mandela


    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink

    4/4/2009

    WLW: xPollinate Part 2

    As per my previous post, I am testing out xPollinate for Windows Live Writer.

    To use the plug-in, you need to compose your blogpost in WLW and publish it to your first blog. Then, you click the xPollinate link in your plug-ins bar.

     

     

    Configure the blog(s) you want to post to, select if you want a header or footer stating that it was cross posted from the original blog, and click OK.

    Your content will now be posted to all selected blogs.

    Note: The other blogs will not automatically open after posting like it normally does with WLW, but I have checked and posting appears to be instantaneous.

    Hint: If you select a header or footer, be sure to leave space for them in your post. Add an extra space above or below your entry, just to be sure.

    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink

    WLW: xPollinate

    I am trying out a couple of new plugins for Windows Live Writer. Today’s plug-in is xPollinate

    Version 1.0.0.1 includes the following features:
    * Cross post to multiple blogs at the same time
    * Choose blogs to post to at cross post time
    * Set plugin defaults through the options dialog, and override at posting time.
    * Ability to turn comments and trackbacks (pings) on/off at the cross posted blog
    * Add header or footer html to each cross posted entry
    * Cross post to Ping.FM
    ** Supports triggers and services
    ** Post using blog, microblog, or status methods, simultaneously or individually

    I am hoping it would help me cross post between Electric Bunnies and Sensory Overload, since the email posting doesn’t seem to work.

    Note: Cross posted from electric bunnies.
    Permalink

    Colin Hay - Overkill

     

    I can't get to sleep
    I think about the implications
    Of diving in too deep
    And possibly the complications
    Especially at night
    I worry over situations
    I know we'll be alright
    Perhaps it's just imagination
    Day after day it reappears
    Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
    Ghosts appear and fade away
    Alone between the sheets
    Only brings exasperation
    It's time to walk the streets
    Smell the desperation
    At least there's pretty lights
    And though there's little variation
    It nullifies the night from overkill
    Day after day it reappears
    Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
    Ghosts appear and fade away
    Come back another day
    I can't get to sleep
    I think about the implications
    Of diving in too deep
    And possibly the complications
    Especially at night
    I worry over situations that
    I know will be alright
    It's just overkill
    Day after day it reappears
    Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
    Ghosts appear and fade away
    Ghosts appear and fade away
    Ghosts appear and fade away

    found here

    3/21/2009

    One month to go

    Today is exactly one month before the 2009 South African general elections – a date that is perceived by many in the country to be pivotal for our future. It is the day that will determine the direction our country is to move in almost more than the 1994 elections did.

    It is interesting to note how, this time round, the political parties are utilising the internet and especially social media sites.

    I have been reading the DA’s blog for quite some time, and follow Helen Zille on Twitter. The DA also have a supporter’s website and, I believe, a Facebook group.

    I once added Patricia de Lille’s blog to my reader, but as she only made one post in six or so months, I realised she was obviously far too busy with something else to, you know, say anything – or maybe she just hates blogs and social media in general. At least her party, the Independent Democrats, do have a fairly decent website where they even offer a free ringtone for your phone.

    COPE’s website is quite nice, attractive and easy to read. It also provides links to their YouTube channel, as well as their Flicker stream and Facebook group.

    This morning, I discovered the ANC’s YouTube channel. The ANC also has a semi-ok official website, as well as the MyANC website for supporters. According to the MyANC website, where you can also find the ANC’s blog, there is a Facebook group and a twitter stream too, but I have not quite yet found the links.

    The ANC also seems to have hired a couple of web jockeys to comment on forums and blogs with pro-ANC propaganda. This is especially true over at Thought Leader, where they manage to slip in some pro-ANC, pro-Zuma comment on non-political blogs. And I suspect one of their other jobs would be to maintain the Wikipedia page, because it is terribly biased and in keeping with the rest of the propaganda spread.

    One also simply has to look at the online supporters banner over at SAelections:

    image

    According to this, the breakdown of online supporters is as follows:

    • ANC: 22665
    • COPE: 8820
    • DA: 5209
    • ACDP: 1043
    • Freedom Front: 853

    SAElections is also on Twitter.

    12/26/2008

    Muzak

    NIcked from ExMi

    Instructions: Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING.

    How does the world see you?
    Airship Pirate by Abney Park

    Will I have a happy life?
    Shepard's Flute by Burundi

    What do my friends really think of me?
    Kang Mando by Ujang Suryana (Indonesia)

    What do people secretly think of me?
    Basso Profundo by DeVotchKa

    How can I be happy?
    Hot N Cold by Katy Perry

    What should I do with my life?
    The Stars of Track and Field by Belle & Sebastian

    Will I ever have children?
    Esa Noche by Cafe Tacuba

    What is some good advice for me?
    Apokalyps meg by Kaizers Orchestra

    How will I be remembered?
    Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

    What is my signature dancing song?
    Rock.Paper.Scissors by The Parlotones

    What do I think my current theme song is?
    Breathe by Thea Gilmore

    What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
    Gerizler Basi by Okan Murat Öztürk (Turkey)

    What song will play at my funeral?
    Tell That Girl to Shut Up by Transvision Vamp

    What type of men/women do you like?
    Lost And Found by Adrienne Pierce

    What is my day going to be like?
    I Know I Know I Know by Tegan And Sara

     

    Hmmmm… the playlist gods are a little off today, it would seem. Although… some of the songs are rather appropriate.