Imagining the Google Future

If you have the time, take a look at this article - its written by some top technology journalists and strategists, and takes a look at four scenario's of where Google may be heading. Scenario 2 seems most likely to me. It talks about the possibly of Google becoming "the" internet. Given the technology, the speed at which web pages are stored and indexed, and their current bank of servers (some 150,000 machines), the scenario paints a picture of people going directly to Google, their a Google browser, and retrieving their information, rather than simply using Google as the search engine - making it more efficient to use that the internet that we know today. Some of the other scenarios seem a little more creative, but they are all equally interesting.

A local literary treat

Every once in a while, you come across a really special book, and on our weekend away last week, that's exactly what happened. When we arrived, there was a "gift" basket in the room, filled with some body shop creams, soaps and a book.

The book is a collection of short stories put together by Max du Preez, a South African journalist, and although I have not finished the book yet ( I've read about 6 stories so far), I know that this is a special book - partly because it is written as a story as opposed to some history textbook, and partly because it is local and you can easily identify with what the author is explaining. Really fascinating stories so far...from the first South African to travel to London, to the relationships between the Dutch who settled at the Cape and their slaves.

The title of the book is "Of warriors, lovers and prophets: Unusual stories from South Africa's Past".

A weekend in the countryside

When I mentioned last week that we were going for a company weekend away, I had no idea that it would involve absolutely no work at all. Yup, no meetings, no planning, no laptops, no conference - nothing.

We spent the weekend at a place called Kloppenheim, which is somewhere between Dullstroom and Belfast, and about 250km outside of Jhb. Arriving at around 5:30pm on Friday afternoon, and having checked into a magnificent room, overlooking a trout dam, we didn't quite know what the weekend held in store. That was quickly changed, when at dinner that evening, the big cheese at the company I work for announced that this was a weekend of "relaxation" for all the hard work put in over the past year. Yup, that's exactly what I wanted to hear.

I took my bike with, so got up early on Saturday morning (around 4:45am early), and went off with Andre and Anton on a 30km off road trail. The rest of the day was spent fly fishing (in the trout dam pictured above), eating, reading, sleeping and picnicing. This morning, K and I were both treated to a facial - something that I have never done before, and given my experience today, will probably not do again. I can handle aromatherapy and back massage's, but oily face, mouth and nose...not for me.

The place is definitely recommended - probably best to go during winter, as that particular part of the country gets really cold. All the rooms are equipped with lots of duvets, underfloor heating and a fireplace - so it could get nice a cosy during the cold winter evenings.

I guess I complain about work quite a bit - this weekend seems to have made it all worth it (well, some of it at least :-)