mmegi

The genesis of a smile

His thoughtless neurons were abruptly brought to full awareness by the hallway's brilliant light.

Additionally, the neurotransmitter gates controlling his facial nerve increased their activity as he travelled along this illuminated, nameless street.

The 43 junior myo lieutenants were ordered into movement when the Zygomaticus major was propelled into action.

The only thing the onlookers could make out was the beginnings of a smile. He grinned and said: "Hi Jane," to the young woman who was waiting at the elevator door. She returned the welcome with her own.

After a busy week at school, his neighbour Jane and her roommate, whose name eluded him, were probably eager to enjoy the weekend. It was Friday night. He reached for his car keys as the elevator door opened and cast them into the flow of the night.

The adrenaline surged in him as a million thoughts fought for his attention. His deliberate controlled stride belied his confidence.

Black skinny Edwin jeans with a black Polo sweater blended into the cover of the night.

The sleek lines of his black sports car again propelled the Zygomaticus major into action. As the car's powerful engine flexed its muscles on starting, he chose his music. Life always needs a soundtrack and tonight it was essential.

He felt at ease and confident when the opening notes of New Order's True Faith exploded into the darkness. He accelerated the growling obsidian machine and blended with the kinetic activity of the waiting night.

His finger began to tap in time with the mesmerising beat of New Order's masterpiece. The power of music to influence emotions was astounding. His self-assurance reached the waiting sky.

His given instructions were to merge into Wonderland Avenue as he travelled along Oxford Street. He skilfully manoeuvred the gridlock and was now awaiting the third left turn into Gainsborough Road.

Did she say third traffic light, or was it the third left? As he turned he realised this was Sarnia Road. He had to make a U turn as quickly as possible but the Friday night traffic was excessive.

He finally made a turn and pulled into a waiting driveway to turn the car around. A quick glance at his watch indicated he was now late for his engagement. He finally found the correct street and made his way to the given address at Ranchwood Crescent.

As he absorbed the ambience of the mystical night, he pondered if this first impression of being 10 minutes late would cost him? He had long admired her and today was their first date after she gave him her phone number.

As a slight anxiety crept into his psyche, he strode to ring the doorbell. Only time would tell. What a shame, it wasn't February 8, 2005. When Google Maps debuted at that time, everything would have been fine.

If Ranchwood Crescent had been entered into the search bar, precise directions would have taken him there in no time at all. However, is Google Maps flawless? Its drawbacks include the need for Internet access, the fact that not all regions of the world are represented and the inadequate representation of less developed nations on the map. What3words, a startup in London, seeks to revolutionise all of that.

Former live music promoter and CEO, Chris Sheldrick asserts that conventional addresses don't always work. When attempting to drop off equipment at music venues or advising a band where to go, he became irritated by bad addressing.

Addresses were either non-existent, inaccurate or difficult to explain. He subsequently began using GPS coordinates, but discovered that it was impossible to interact with or recall them. The company's solution is to divide the earth into 57 trillion squares and assign each one a unique, three-word address that, according to What3words, can be used to locate just about every location on the planet, including residences in an Indonesian slum, a refugee camp in Angola and a Tokyo alleyway.

Consider a situation in which you wish to meet a friend at the mall but there are numerous entrances and no simple way to let them know where you are. With the help of the What3words mapping software, you may draw the exact location of a building's door and tap a virtual square to generate a random phrase that is associated with that spot, such as "chocolate.royal.signature," which is a real phrase associated with that specific location. The app then lets you open up the address in another mapping provider, such as Google Maps or Apple Maps, which can direct you there.

One of the company's greatest success stories has been in Mongolia. What3words has become an official addressing system there, said Giles Jones, the company's chief marketing officer. The company's three-word phrases are now used by the Mongolian postal services, its banks, taxis, Air bnb owners and even Pizza Hut. In addition, the app is useful for people who don't know their location.

Police in Northern England rescued a kidnapping victim by asking her to download the app and providing the three word location that identified the building she was in, where help was then sent. The app certainly looks to be a winner and aims to be the global standard in five years. I have been lucky enough to locate a glorious place to watch the sunset. Please join me at "fat.lady.sings."

Editor's Comment
Botswana at a critical juncture

While the political shift brings hope for change, it also places immense pressure on the new administration to deliver on its election promises in the face of serious economic challenges.On another level, newly appointed Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe’s grim assessment of the country’s finances adds urgency to the moment. The budget deficit, expected to be P8.7 billion, is now anticipated to be even higher due to underperforming diamond...

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