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23:57
From: assidous
Read This Entry & More At assidous
 In July 2005, millions of people filled stadiums for the Live 8 concerts in support of Africa’s people. It was also for ordinary citizens that African leaders traveled to Scotland to meet the G-8 heads of state that summer. It was for these same people that the Jubilee 2000 campaign for debt relief was carried out by many individuals and organizations all over the world. And in St. Petersberg in July 2006, the G-8 leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the ambitious goals they had set the year before, although they did not go further. Nearly a year and a half on, there are signs of progress toward fulfilling the commitments to Africa’s development made by world leaders and committed campaigners. But it is fair to ask when a sustainable solution to Africa’s dehumanizing poverty will be found, not only by the G8 and the organizers of Live 8, but also by Africa’s leaders and people. Africa is a paradox. It is one of the richest continents on the planet, endowed with oil, precious stones, forests, water, wildlife, soil, land, agricultural products, and millions of women and men. Yet most of Africa’s people remain impoverished. I continue to ask myself, “Why?” One reason is that many Africans lack the knowledge, skills, tools, and the political will to create wealth from their resources. They are unable to add value to raw materials in order to sell processed goods in local and international markets and negotiate better prices and favorable trade rules. Another reason is that ordinary citizens suffer when debts are not cancelled, when financial assistance is not forthcoming, or when trade barriers are raised. I have also seen the need for ordinary Africans to embrace a set of values, like service for the common good, and commitment, persistence, and patience until a goal is realized. We also need Africans who love Africa so much that they want to protect their countries – their land – from environmentally destructive processes. The transformation of grasslands into deserts due to deforestation, encroachment into forests for subsistence farming, overgrazing, and loss of biodiversity and soil threaten the entire continent. Another value Africans must adopt is love and concern for young people. One of the most devastating experiences is to see youth wasting away because they are unemployed, even after they have completed secondary and tertiary education, or because their health has deteriorated. African governments should give priority to investments in technical education and HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support programs. Without skills, people find themselves locked out of productive, rewarding economic activities, leaving them unable to meet their needs for housing, healthcare and nutrition. They get trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and, sometimes, crime. Africa needs to prepare for the opportunities and challenges to come by deliberately working for peace and security. Much of Africa’s poverty is fueled by conflicts. In the course of my work over the past 30 years, I have observed that whether it is at the national or regional level, most conflicts are over resources. Who will control and utilize them? Who will be included or excluded? When resources are scarce, or so degraded that they can no longer sustain livelihoods, or inequitably distributed, conflict invariably ensues. In Africa, we need to manage our resources sustainably, accountably, and responsibly. And we need to share those resources equitably. Otherwise, we will continue to invest in wars and conflicts, or in fighting crime and domestic instability, rather than in promoting development and thereby eliminating poverty. African leaders should govern and serve for the benefit of the people, not themselves. But perhaps the most unrecognized problem in Africa, especially at the grassroots level, is the disempowerment of ordinary people. This is one of the main reasons why so many people are unable to take advantage of the many opportunities available in Africa. Africa’s people must be allowed to gain confidence, dignity, and a sense of self-worth. They must also be empowered with knowledge, skills, and tools to take action. This is why debt relief is so important. It provides governments additional resources to invest in initiatives that can empower their people. Despite the many challenges that remain, there has been much recent progress in Africa. There are indications of good governance in many countries. In many others, civil society continues to grow, supported by national governments, the African Union, and the international community. Many countries are resolving their conflicts and working for peace and stability. We must appreciate and encourage those who are making bold decisions. But much must still be accomplished, by Africans and with Africa’s many friends around the world. As in the Bible story, when Peter and John said to a beggar, “rise up and walk,” Africans are called upon to walk away from ignorance, inertia, apathy, and fatalism. To walk towards economic and political freedom. To walk to an Africa free of poverty. Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate, is a member of Kenya’s Parliament This article has been published with the permission of Project Syndicate. http://www.project-syndicate.org
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20:40
From: Kenya Imagine
Read This Entry & More At Kenya Imagine
Rebecca Wanjiku on Kenyan websites and a need for improvement on being more user-friendly and increasing services. Having a website may be the latest fad for many Kenyan companies, but how many of these websites have relevant information? How many have content that browsers are looking for?
Read more here.
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17:10
From: White African
Read This Entry & More At White African
I can’t imagine what a month it has been for William Kamkwamba. A few years ago he showcased his innate willingness to learn and overcome life’s challenges by teaching himself how to build a windmill from scratch. Using only local materials, he created electricity for his home, in a village that had none.
He was the posterchild for TEDGlobal 2 weeks ago. William represented what so many at the conference understood about African entrepreneurship, creativity and ingenuity. He now sits in a position to further those dreams.
Now, with the help of TED and an unnamed benefactor, he has started his own blog, is using a TED-borrowed computer and has an email address. Currently, his mentor in Malawi Dr. Hartford Mchazime, is working with TED to find a good school for him to finish up at. Since William has an obvious bent towards mechanics and engineering, they are looking into opportunities to further his education in those areas as well. What a life changing event TEDGlobal was for him!
So, welcome to the African blogger ranks William, you are a very welcome addition. 
For the first 2 days at TEDGlobal few had heard of William. Since I had written about him late last year on AfriGadget, I realized who he was and had a chance to talk with him during one of the evening events. He is a very quiet individual, and seemed a little overwhelmed by the conference. This is a life changing event for him, and from the personality I saw in the time we had together, I would guess that he will leverage it for greater things. He’s one of the guys I hope to be writing about again in the near future, and I think I will be…
 
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17:08
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
Jetzt bin ich schon fast drei Wochen in meiner alten dreiJahresHeimat Frankfurt am Main - und habe natürlich erstmal einen richtigen Stapel kostenloser Zeitschriften und Flyer angesammelt.
Das sind aber auch genau diese Kleinigkeiten, die es bei uns aufm Land in Suderburg nicht gab. Ok, die Unicum mit ihren McKinsey Anzeigen und anderem Erstsemesterblablub und dem einzigen Lichtblick Jamiri gab es schon, aber so für den Rest musste man immer entweder nach H, HB oder HH fahren. Abseits vom langweiligen mainstream gibts auch nen interessantes Radioprogramm via Radio X (O-Kanal halt, so wie in jeder vernünftigen Stadt mittlerweile) und interessante zines wie den/die “diskurs”. Is man ja quasi so als Web 2.0 kid gar nicht mehr gewohnt wg PDFormat, Umweltschutz und und und…
Nach 5 Jahren aufm Land im Landkreis Uelzen finde ich jede Stadt genial.
Meine Arbeitskollegen aus Berlin finden Frankfurt langweilig, und wenn man sich die verwaiste Zeil ab 21 Uhr anschaut, kann das schon verstanden werden. Auf der anderen Seite habe ich aber noch keine Stadt in Dland kennengelernt, in der tagsüber so viel highlife ist und Veranstaltungen ohne Ende gepusht werden, und dann Nachts eine fast schon befremdliche Stille herrscht (gut, ich wohne hier auch grad recht luxuriös in einer etwas ruhigeren Gegend).
Gibt es überhaupt DIE Stadt, in der man so richtig glücklich sein kann?
(außer Nairobi natürlich :-)
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12:55
From: Kenyan Pundit
Read This Entry & More At Kenyan Pundit
I really want to jump into this debate, but my thoughts on TED Global are long overdue and blogging time is short in supply. I’ll try and go through my (hopefully not so fuzzy) thoughts on each session using Ethan’s excellent recap.
Session 1
- It’s here! In October 2005, I was [...]
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12:22
From: RIBA CAPITAL
Read This Entry & More At RIBA CAPITAL
 My Easy Take on Mumias SugarClosed at kes: 26.50 I think this is a rip stock to buy.- Considerable number of investors who got in at Kes: 49.50, who are likely to hold on to avoid booking losses. - Brazil one of the World's top sugar producers among other leading producers are now directing their sugar towards production of ethanol and not consumable sugar thus creating a heavy need for sugar globally as its uses increase faster than production can keep up.- Its likely to win in the COMESA quotas allocation by limiting or maintaining as sufficient %age of importation of sugar.- The proposed removal of industrial sugar levy on imported industri;a sugar will have a minimal effect on Mumias since anyway even currently heavy user such as the Cocacola Company import their sugar since they claim that local sugar does not meet their quality standards.Actually its the 120% tax increment on palstic paper that could affect mumias moire, but this will be sorted out by mumias going back to their traditional paper possibly white and branded and not the ugly brown.- Their impeding production of electricity that will also be supplkied to the national grid is another income generator. All said, I think this is a good entry point for Mumias Sugar Shares.I hold a BUY on the stock.
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11:48
From: You Missed This
Read This Entry & More At You Missed This
archiveMy wife hates politics with a passion and rarely wants to discuss it. Which would sound a little strange to most of you readers out there who know me as the political animal who talks politics here daily. I guess the thing about like poles repelling and opposites attracting in romantic relationships is so true because one of the things I have been blessed with is an amazingly happy marriage. I've now been married for slightly over 20 years. We've had our ups and downs of course (especially in the early years) but today I look back at one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. Now a few minutes ago my wife was doing the unthinkable-discussing politics with me. She had a warning for me (this is a private conversation and you should censor a lot of it if you are going to write about it in that blog of yours.) Still let me share with you a little of what she had to say; The Sunday Nation controversial ODM analysis that computes possible votes with each of the presidential candidates is 1000 per cent accurate because of one obvious fact that nobody wants to discuss. Very few Kikuyus would vote for Raila Odinga no matter how good he is. And Kikuyu influence is strong in the country in virtually all provinces and no candidate can afford to ignore it. To put it in her words; "It would take God for Raila Odinga to be president of Kenya." (Coming from my wife that is a very heavy statement because she is a Kikuyu from Kiambu and she is the sort of person who treasures facts over hearsay. Incidentally she always says journalists-including her husband publish too much hearsay and very little in the way of facts. Anyway, long time readers of this blog will know why most Kikuyus have this unfortunate attitude towards Raila. It really isn't their fault. Many younger Kenyans who were not around then hate it when I say this but IT IS A FACT and I am going to say it yet again. The reason is the years of deliberate anti-Luo propaganda by the Kenyatta administration.) The reason why the United States is such a powerful and successful nation today can be traced back to its' foundation. The nation had a very firm foundation as a Christian nation and there have been many presidents who were born-again Christians (including the current one President George W. Bush). Our country, Kenya needs a serious born again Christian President to steer the nation in the way of God almighty. "Righteousness exalts a nation…" The moral decay and godlessness we see in America today will lead to her downfall. Even American presidents who were not born-again Christians looked to God for strength, answers and solutions to pressing problems. She gives the example of the curse believed to have been instigated by the Native Red Indians of America which caused every president elected in a year ending with zero to die in office right from the 1800s. The long list of presidents who elected in a year ending with zero dying in office includes famous assassinated presidents Abraham Lincoln (elected 1860) and President John F. Kennedy elected in 1960. However the curse was broken during the Reagan administration when he invited well-known servants of God including deliverance ministry and curse experts like Derek Prince into the White House. They advised the president accordingly and the curse was broken and just in time too because Reagan himself was elected in 1980 and shortly after the curse was broken, there was an attempt on his life which he survived only because the curse had been broken. (Check out the facts yourself, there is a search engine box on this page at the top.) In the same way, the current Kenyan president and the next one should seek divine help because many of the problems facing the nation today can only be solved with a lot of help from God. Discover how the exciting new video web conferencing can make your business or web site much more profitable today. Vote for a fellow Kenyan today because when he wins, Kenya wins
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11:44
From: You Missed This
Read This Entry & More At You Missed This
archiveAs I have said so many times the stakes this time round are very high. But to make matters worse, chances are pretty high that the next occupant of State house will be from a party called ODM-Kenya. And this is the reason why all ODM-Kenya supporters should read William Shakespeare's classic political play Julius Caesar. Even those who have read it should re-read it to stay alert to the machinations and serious back-stabbing that has been going on within ODM for a long time now. Let us use this classic play to explain to you exactly what recently happened at ODM that resulted in a highly confidential presidential campaign research document ending up as the front-page splash of the Sunday Nation. The research showed computed votes that each ODM presidential candidate was bound to receive in the event that they won the ODM presidential ticket. Fr hose who missed the story the presidential candidates ranked as follows in order of projected votes; Kalonzo Musyoka - 53.4% (Win for ODM) William Ruto - 50.8% (Win for ODM) Raila Odinga - 50.5% (Win for ODM) Uhuru Kenyatta - 48.6% (Loss for ODM) Musalia Mudavadi - 47.4% (Loss for ODM) Here is the short play to illustrate what happened recently; Cast
(Main characters)
Julius Caesar: Raila Odinga
Mark Anthony: Kalonzo Musyoka
Brutus: Certain prominent Luo leader within ODM
Main schemer: Prominent ODM personality (not a presidential candidate).Scene one;(Schemers are meeting at a secret location) Main Schemer: We need you to help us out with this plan. You know that if Julius Caesar stands for President we will lose because there will be a split in the party. You also know that he is adamant that he is the only one who deserves the crown. Brutus: I am aware. I will help you, but what do I get in return? Main schemer: Don't worry I promise that you will be taken care of. Brutus: Get serious. Are you trying to do an MOU on me? Main schemer: Okay. There will be some cash compensation. Brutus: Plus a cabinet post. If you renege I will send minutes of this meeting to Kumekucha, should make for some very interesting reading. Main schemer: You have a deal. Who is this Kumekucha guy anyway? Okay I know your contacts with the press are pretty good that is one of the reasons why we chose you. Just remember that it is important that nothing is traced back to us. Brutus: So what is the objective? Main schemer: The whole idea is to use figures. Kenyans now really believe in them after the Steadmann polls. Brutus: You expect these figures to cause Julius Caesar to give up the crown? Main schemer: Are you an amateur in politics or what. In this game things don't happen suddenly. This will just be the beginning of our putting pressure on Caesar to give up the crown for the candidate most likely to deliver victory and power to us. And also the candidate that will be easiest for us to control and manipulate. Caesar is too strong-headed. When the people see that he is a distant Number three and that Mark Anthony is actually much more popular than him, even some of his staunchest supporters will start to have doubts. All we need is for them to have doubts. Our second and third phase of the plan will do the rest. Brutus: Now about that cash… Scene Two:Rome is in shock as Sunday Nation article reveals "research findings" on top presidential candidates and claims; "ODM strategists secretly back Mark Anthony..." Scene Three:(Caesar is on his cell phone with Brutus) Julius Caesar: It is me Agwambo. Brutus: Hello Mr President. Julius Caesar: (Very angry) Don't Mr President Me, you backstabbing Ondieki (Hyena). Brutus: Now what is the problem, Agwambo? Julius Caesar: Have you read today's Sunday Nation? Brutus: What in particular. Julius Caesar: Just answer my question. Brutus: (nervous) I was going to call you. Julius Caesar: Cut the cr** Brutus. I am just shocked beyond words that you would help my enemies. Brutus: What are you talking about? Julius Caesar: I know my enemies well, but I never imagined in all my worst nightmares that… Even you Brutus? Then let Caesar say that he has no friends. Discover how the exciting new video web conferencing can make your business or web site much more profitable today. Vote for a fellow Kenyan today because when he wins, Kenya wins
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11:17
From: assidous
Read This Entry & More At assidous
  In the past few weeks, CMC Motors has launched into the Kenyan market the latest of the Volkswagen Jetta. These are its specs as per their adverts: 1.6 Petrol Engine, 6 Speed Tiptronic Gearbox, Electromechanical Power Steering, Radio/CD, Cruise Controll, ESP,ABS,HBA,EDL, 6 Airbags, CMC has cited it as ....not nearly as expensive as it looks! Truly, the marque looks expensive, but you have to go to the showroom to know it real cost.
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10:12
From: Afromusing
Read This Entry & More At Afromusing
Simon Mwacharo and William Kamkwamba - Renewable Energy Innovators.
Here is the video i did with Simon Mwacharo, the founder of Craftskills, a wind and solar company based in Kenya. This was recorded after his TED talk which you can find a great summary of at LHKB Ethan’s and my post on his talk can be found here.
**I am a total noob on this one, please pardon the frequent uh huh’s vigorous head nodding and leading questions…I said it was a conversation right? Right. I promise that the next video I make will definitely be better; I am getting started on Pixel Corps to get me on the road to better digital media work.(Thanks Alex Lindsay). Ok, without further ado…
Please click here to download the video
Update1: Mr. Mwacharo commented on the post
We are situated in Kibera slums Nairobi and are looking for a chance to give Africa her pride. Funds will come in handy to place us on an industrial scenario where we can produce these turbines at a lower cost and benefit wananchi.
Check out his company here.
Meeting these two gentlemen pictured above at TED was indeed an honour. I am not the only one who was impressed…Nii Simmonds has a post on William Kamkwamba, “I see I make”.
Update 2: Via Hash, William Kamkwamba has a blog, do visit him here.
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9:37
From: Afromusing
Read This Entry & More At Afromusing
In other hot news, Ethan came out swinging on the post ‘Judging a magazine by its cover’, as did Sokari on ‘faking Africa and stories of vanity‘. Bankelele did a quick post on this VF issue june 6th.
I got a hold of 4 copies of Vanity Fair; yes indeed I am collecting all 20.
-Bono and Queen Rania
-Oprah and George Clooney
- Don Cheadle and Iman
-Oprah, Bill and Melinda Gates.
Of these, the only one i can dispense with is the cover of Oprah and George Clooney, sorry George, Don Cheadle and Bono are just waay too hot for me to give up. This aside, i have been reading the criticism of Bono’s work on this issue. I would urge you to go beyond the cover. Some of the content is superb, really it is, i enjoyed it. In the VF issue, I found pictures of people who were at TED Global in Arusha; if this issue had been on newsstands before June 4th when the conference started, it would have been perfect airline reading on the way there. It is still a wonderful read for the rest of the month in my opinion, and I think Bono did a great job on editing it.
Some of the people in the magazine were in TED Global Arusha, and the criticism that Bono should have included Africans on the cover, well, he hadn’t met the Cheetahs before TED Global and the editing of the Vanity fair issue. There is room for improvement as Ethan pointed out, but please allow me to be utterly shallow and point out some of the sections that might get lost in all the Bono bashing going on.
I choose to see this as an opportunity (thanks to TED bringing people together) for cover ideas like Erik Osiakwan and Bono as Ethan proposed. I would add that Andrew Dosunmu should do the photography since Annie Leibovitz had this issue how about Andrew doing a spread for Vanity fair? - Hey, do comment with which pairings would be neat. Ory Okolloh and Obama would be just wonderful wouldn’t it! She can whisper ‘Mzalendo‘ into Obama’s ear like Iman appears to Don Cheadle. (Eric Mwangi with Mrs Obama to make things even  )
Ok, back to the VF issue… I will use some pics from TED Global to illustrate that Bono did include notable Africans in the VF issue.
Update: Everyone, please start on page 84
Binyavanga Wainaina has an awesome piece on ‘Generation Kenya’. (Could VF hurry up and make a link available online? please?) I am tempted to pluck the last line out of the piece, but that wouldnt be good, as you need to read the whole article, every single word of it.
Photo by Mweshi
Girls, start with page 184 for a spread of the gorgeous, sexy, African filmmakers including Newton Aduaka.
Photo by Andrew Heavens
Page 124, Uzodinma Iweala Acclaimed author of ‘Beasts of No Nation’
Photo by Jen Brea
Page 180, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Photo by Andrew Heavens
Rokia Traore is mentioned on page 174 by Youssou Ndour whose playlist you can check out here.
Picture by Soyapi
Other pages you could jump to…
Page 187, Picture of John Githongo and text by Parsalelo Kantai. (I have to inject the classic Kenyan tongue twister here. Kantai is pronounced phonetically like ‘can tie’. So - If Kantai can tie and untie a tie why cant I tie and untie a tie like Kantai can tie and untie a tie?! Try it!)
page 194 for the very photogenic networkers of the Africa Channel.
Guys, quickly turn to page 149 for a seductive photo of Terry Pheto the actress from Tsotsi.
Page 152 for comic relief from Chris Rock in the form of a diary from his last trip in Africa, asking Nelson Mandela whether he saw Richard Pryor when he was in Jail.
At the very least, this ought to be interesting, and serve as an alternative ‘table of contents’ to the notorious July VF Issue.
Caveat: The fact that Bono gave me a hug when in Arusha during the DATA tour of Kaloleni Primary School has absolutely nothing to do with this post. Nada, Zilch… the fact that he kissed me on my forehead does, just a wee bit.
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9:12
From: For Love and Money
Read This Entry & More At For Love and Money
 In 2005 the US Department of Commerce reported that the savings rate in the US had turned negative for the first time since the Great Depression. Since then, the national savings rate has remained in the negative with Americans spending more than their disposable income despite rising wages and low unemployment rates. At the same time, the number of people filing for bankruptcy seems to be on the rise in addition to the number of homes being foreclosed as the price of debt continues to rise because of the increase in interest rates. Unlike the Baby Boomers, today's generation seems to have thrown caution to the wind when it comes to saving money. Faced with ever improving technological advancements that keep churning out the latest consumer products, lower lending standards and the need to enjoy life as portrayed through the mass media, its no wonder that the savings rate is steadily declining. Gone are the days when people used to diligently save and instead it looks probable that future generations will inherit debt instead of wealth as it has been in the past. With financial advisers recommending that we put away not less than three to six months income for savings, there could never be a better time to save money than now. Not only are interest rates paid on deposits on the rise, but there is also greater access for higher paying money market accounts and certificates of deposits than their were a couple of years back.  On the other hand, the slowing economy provides a great opportunity in the near term for people with savings. The way the US economy works, is that it goes through a cycle as the economy continues to grow. Starting with a peak, the economy goes into a slowdown followed by an expansion leading to another peak. Because of this, it is possible to time the market when it comes to making investment decisions. However, in the case of making long term investment decisions like in real estate, it matters less at which point the investment is made except if it is during a real estate bubble. With equities and an ever changing business environment, the greatest pay-offs are made in the case of people who invest in the stock markets prior to a business expansion cycle. Just ask anyone who invested after the tech bubble in 2001 and especially so if they invested in growing companies. Unfortunately, the same can not be said of people who entered the market at the height of the tech bubble. History has time and again shown us that the only thing that we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history. And now with forecasts of an economic slowdown and the booming stock market, you get a repeat of history. For anyone not wanting to be left out in the current economic boom, this is a risky time to invest new money into financial markets. Instead, that money can be patiently saved for a later date and invested prior to another economic expansion after which it can grow. With up to 6% interest rates being offered, there is no reason for anyone intent on becoming rich not to increase their savings in preparation for the next investments boom.
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8:11
From: Walk of Kings:
Read This Entry & More At Walk of Kings:
Yesterday I was talking with a Very good friend of mine (that’s code the woman I am interested in but I am stuck in a traffic jam of circumstances)how I seem to be suffering from bloggers block. A few months ago I was doing almost two posts a day .Though I would like to post more post , I find it difficult to even do two post a week ,anyway today I got positive feed back from a fellow blogger and friend about a post I had not really thought much about .I guess its not a matter of quantity but quality that matters . A.O.B -this morning I was listening to the writer of a famous Christian relationship book ‘ the 5 love languages and I thought I should share with you the link. Though it’s a little girly as the governator - Arnold Schwarzenegger would say.............. knowledge is empowering and a few tips from the site will probably help you get out of that traffic jam lol(i am hoping it will point me in the right direction) -Don’t let all that pink on the site scare you ! I ill write to Dr Chapman to introduce some blues and other manly colors to that site .Think content and getting you out of your jam!
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8:08
From: bankelele
Read This Entry & More At bankelele
The ban on plastic paper announced in last Thursday’s budget has temporarily been reversed. It was an amorphous declaration covering all manner of plastics (consumer, industrial) that was likely to lead to unintended increase in the price of many items. Safaricom - Has lowered rates for phone calls and SMS from today. Mobile companies have become increasingly competitive with Celtel and Telkom Wireless - who have deployed VoIP and roaming features - nipping at the edges of Safaricom’s base. Are free weekends from Celtel the next offering? - Safaricom has opted to recycle numbers now that they were running out of lines(prefix 0720-0729. Unused phone lines (not used/topped up) for 4 month can now be reclaimed by the company and be resold (previously they expired after 1 year) - I’ve noticed on my recent travels in South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania – that all Vodfone affiliated networks have a cool feature that lets you know where you are (location). It was tested once in Kenya last year but the flip side to this is that it reminds paranoid people that the phone companies (and other interested authorities) know if you are at Ngurdoto mountain lodge, Johannesburg airport or the Speke hotel and that they can find you and perhaps not wanting to spook some subscribers have not activated the feature in Kenya. [Read how it affected a lion’s phone choice and more on big brother from Uganda and South Africa] - 30% of Safaricom up for an IPO this fiscal year. Sports TV: G TV are expected to have 80% of premiership games this year. Is that reason enough for DSTV to panic? (am not a subscriber). There’s also Oxygen (cable) TV (costs Kshs 999 per month), and free TV (Nation (with La Liga), Citizen (rename them ChelseaTV), KBC, KTN and other channels with various sports offerings. The big attraction of DSTV is sports, but also the other channels like Movies, MNET and Discovery. DSTV now assures that they will still have games of the big four (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool Man U – listed alphabeticaly, not by rank)- two every Saturday, two every Sunday, and one on Monday night. So what is 80% worth if it features teams like Blackburn, Man City, Sunderland and Wigan at a cost of about Kshs 2,200 per month?
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6:26
From: Me, Life & Everything
Read This Entry & More At Me, Life & Everything
time: 1424hrs
length: long
mood: hilarized [jade 06]
stars: plenty
at: work
level: nine
track: is it any wonder? - keane, under the iron sea.
The story so far…
Now, during the feast of the chicken the cameras were brought out again since the scenery was rather flowery and click click the cameras went, snapping anything in sight. “A man could get [...]
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5:45
From: Bizmambo
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Building a great website is not enough; visitors must be able to find it. Successful sites build links, optimize their sites for the search engines, build partnerships online and use all other means available to extend their reach. These sites generate more traffic, leads, sales and create greater exposure. While there are literally dozens of options for getting in front of your ideal visitors, here are some key web marketing techniques to promote and drive traffic to your site. In some cases you will be pulling traffic in from search engines and ads; in some cases you are pushing your site out to new audiences.  SEO (search engine optimization) Optimizing your site for the search engines is the key to grabbing the lion's share of visitors from the natural search traffic. Search engines use many factors when deciding where a site ranks. Still, the best first step to any successful SEO campaign is to identify the search terms / phrases that you wish your site pages to be found in the search engines. Once you have a well researched list of keywords and an SEO plan worked out, start the optimization process by applying them to the following site elements: Write compelling Title tags for each page. Place the most important keywords within META tags (description, keywords tags). Develop keyword-rich Alt attributes for images. Define page headings that include important keywords. Create keyword-rich anchor text for links. Optimize page copy. Clean up HTML coding errors. PPC (pay per click) PPC refers to a site's paid listings in the sponsored results of the search engines. Pay per click advertising works by charging you each time someone clicks on your listing. When a user searches for a particular keyword, site ads are displayed according to how much they bid on that particular word or phrase. The beauty of PPC advertising is that you only pay when someone clicks through to your site. PPC campaigns can be set up and begin generating traffic in less than 24 hours, but can be complicated, competitive and require constant monitoring. Competition for position and keywords drives click prices up. PPC is not for every business, it is up to you to determine how PPC fits into your overall marketing campaign and combine it with SEO or other online marketing techniques to drive targeted traffic to your site. Directory Listings There are thousands of online business directories where you can submit your site. Backlinks from directories are very important, helping drive traffic to the site and helping to improve a site's status in the search engines. Directories fall under two cateogories: general directories which provide general authoritative information about sites, and topic specific directories that target specific interests and industries. Find the most appropriate directories that relate your industry and get listed. Email Marketing Email can be a very cost effective tool for promoting your business. Because the nature of email marketing is immediate, a message can be tracked within hours of a campaign being launched. A monthly newsletter, weekly product or promotional update to your clients or prospective customers will generate return traffic, as well as enhance the relationship between you and your visitors. Additional Traffic – building techniques: Write and submit authoritative articles about your products or services. Research content related sites to place ads on that will bring your site additional traffic. Begin a business blog that positions your business as the expert in your industry. Advertise your site in free and paid classified sites. Include your site's URL on all online and offline business materials. Join online forums that are related to your industry. Create a custom advergame highlighting your brand or product. By using the techniques and methods outlined here you can get the ball rolling and begin experiencing growth online. Which option you choose depends on your own marketing goals.
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5:36
From: My Africa Today
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On the ninth floor of the Dangote Group headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria's most successful businessman has a panoramic view of the sprawling urban mass, which makes up Nigeria's commercial capital. His visitor, Mr Otedola has made a fortune from trading fuel and petroleum products in Nigeria, but Mr Dangote is in another league.  His business empire spans the economy. He dominates the markets for sugar, cement, rice, pasta, textiles and salt, and he is big in transport, oil and gas. "I think I have to be rated by Forbes magazine first before I can be [called] the richest man in Africa," says Mr Dangote modestly. "But, you know, I'm comfortable." New investments Mr Dangote has come along way from his early days of trading  commodities in his home town of Kano in the north. We have had a generational change in business and this is now going to happen in government Aliko Dangote, Dangote Group He recently turned 50 and has listed two of his 13 companies on the Nigerian stock market. His stake in those two alone is worth more than $4bn (£2bn). In politics, as in business, he is also a powerful player. He is not ashamed to be financially supporting President Olusegun Obasanjo's ruling People's Democratic Party and he is confident that its candidate Umaru Musa Yar'Adua will become Nigeria's next president. "I am close to people in government because I am one of the big businessmen in Nigeria," he explains. "If we don't have the right people there then [all the] money I have is useless. If the country turns into another Zimbabwe, for example, then I will become a poor person." For now, Mr Dangote is confident about the future and he lists some of the $9bn of investments in Nigeria he is currently planning, including the world's biggest sugar refinery, a 300,000 barrels a day oil refinery and a massive 5,000 megawatt power project. Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone!
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4:26
From: assidous
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This landed in my inbox from a friend of mine. I think it may make someone's day.
One morning the husband returns after several hours of
fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not
familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the
boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors,
and reads her book.
Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up
alongside the woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am.
What are you doing?"
"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, "Isn't thats
obvious?")
"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.
"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm
reading."
"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know
you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you
in and write you up."
"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual
assault," says the woman.
"But I haven't even touched you," says the game
warden.
"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all
I know you could start at any moment."
"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.
MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely
she can also think.
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3:01
From: My Africa Today
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THERE is hardly anyone born in Nigeria or sub-Saharan Africa who has not had an encounter with malaria at least once in their lifetime. Indeed, besides HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, malaria is now said to be one of the topmost killer diseases across the globe. Worst hit by the disease are African countries, where it ravages communities, thus enforcing multiplication of efforts by governments at different levels to save their countries' populations. Each African country has designed its own malaria control and roll back programmes for implementation with global partners.  No fewer than half a billion cases of malaria occur each year say scientists, who have warned that the World Health Organization's estimates are off by nearly 50 per cent. Figures compiled by a team of tropical medicine specialists add up to 515 million clinical attacks of the deadliest form of malaria worldwide The disease, which accounts for over 90 per cent of deaths in Africa, remains a heavy burden in the continent with devastating effects on her socio-economic welfare. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) weekly epidemiological records, the burden of malaria is weighing too heavily on the continent, especially within the poor. Latest statistics hold that malaria kills between one to two million children each year in sub-Saharan Africa, while some 15 to 40 per cent of children with cerebral malaria, as well as malaria associated acidosis and anaemia die, half of the deaths occurring within 12 hours after arrival at the hospital. Malaria is a parasitic infection transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The resulting disease in humans can be devastating. After spreading rapidly through the blood stream to the liver, the parasite emerges again into the blood stream, finally to settle in the red blood cells, where it multiplies and emerges in bursts of new organisms. These parasites, because of their large numbers, can cause particular damage to the nervous system, liver, and kidney. In young children and adults who have not recently been infected - and therefore have not developed natural immunity - this cycle can result in death within hours from cerebral malaria. Others also die at a later stage in the infection from overwhelming anaemia or liver and kidney failure. Untreated, up to 20 per cent of persons infected with falciparum malaria die. Four species of malaria infect humans, though only two, falciparum and vivax cause the vast majority of clinical cases and nearly all of the deaths and serious incidence of the disease. The disease is particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, and is common throughout tropical regions of China, India, Southeast Asia, and South and Central America. Almost all of the serious morbidity caused by falciparum malaria occurs in children under the age of 10, and the impact is especially severe in those under the age of five. Protecting these children from malaria therefore, is a major goal of current malaria vaccine development efforts. Malaria has a complex life cycle. Infected female mosquitoes inject malaria sporozoites, or parasitic cells that infect new hosts, when they bite, and they are carried to the liver where they rapidly infect liver cells. Without causing symptoms, these sporozoites undergo a radical change and multiply furiously over the next four to five days. Tens of thousands of asexual stage merozoites, or daughter cells of the parasite, are released from each infected liver cell, each of which rapidly target and invade a red blood cell. Every few days, the merozoites multiply ten-fold and burst out to infect other red blood cells. This cyclic and massive increase in parasite burden gives rise to the clinical disease we recognize as malaria. In the absence of immunity or drug treatment, death can occur within hours of noticeable symptoms. If death does not occur and infection continues, some of the parasites further differentiate into a form that is infectious for mosquitoes, thus permitting the life cycle to continue. Strategies for developing malaria vaccines have been targeted at specific points in the parasite life cycle during which the organism appears particularly susceptible to the host's immune system Children of less than five and pregnant women are population groups at highest risk for malaria morbidity and mortality. It is recorded that over 90 per cent of all malaria deaths in Africa occur in young children. Most often, they experience their first malaria infections during the first one or two years after birth, in forms of cerebral malaria, anaemia, diarrhoea, respiratory infections and other delicate diseases. An estimated two per cent of children who recover from cerebral malaria infections suffer from learning impairment, disabilities, epilepsy and spasticity, according to WHO's Africa malaria report, 2003. Much of the morbidity and mortality associated with malaria is caused by the rupture of iRBCs (infected red blood cells) during the stages of reproduction of the parasite by cell division. Intense fever, occurring in 24-72 hour intervals, is accompanied by nausea, headaches, and muscular pain among other symptoms. The characteristic fever spike has been correlated with incremental rises in blood levels of cytokines or immune system proteins - associated with the release of parasite proteins during the rupture of red blood cells. Furthermore, a variety of potentially fatal symptoms, including liver failure, renal failure, and cerebral disease are associated with untreated P. falciparum The immune system is the human body's natural defence apparatus for all infections including those of the malaria parasites. However, the immune response to malaria is not well understood. The presence of blood serum antibodies - the immune system's foot soldiers in the form of proteins - in individuals living in regions where malaria is endemic indicates that the immune system mounts a blood fluid response against the parasite. This immunity is parasite strain-specific and can be lost if the individual migrates to a region where malaria is not endemic. Furthermore, the efficacy of the humoral or blood fluid response is limited by the intracellular behaviour of the parasite as well as its ability to alter its surface molecules through various stages of maturity Since ninety percent of all malaria cases are in sub-Saharan Africa, preventing infection is especially important because resistance to anti-malarial drugs is a growing problem. This means that immunisation must come into the frame of medical assault on malaria. However the vast majority of vaccine candidates fail during development, making vaccine development an expensive and financially risky endeavour. Nonetheless the need for a malaria vaccine is urgent, but unfortunately traditional market forces are not strong enough to prompt substantial investment in vaccines that protect against a disease that primarily affects people in developing countries. To be continued. Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone!
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0:25
From: assidous
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I came across this article (KENYA GOING UP OR DOWN?) on Kenya from the Economist magazine online edition. I think it has some truth to it as well as some outright lies. I will just try to make a copy and paste excerpt of the article and below it the link to the article. Here we go: .........Swathes of what should be one of the best tourist roads in the country, leading to the Masai Mara reserve, one of Africa's finest game-viewing sites, are barely better than a rock-strewn, muddily rutted farm track—that was once smooth tarmac. The government says it intends to spend $1 billion this year on improvements; at present, the road system is a bad joke. Scambags galore Why the mess? The answer is misguided economic policies, mismanagement, poor maintenance, sloppiness, tribalism and corruption. This litany of failings is almost entirely the fault of Kenyans themselves: the politicians they have allowed to rule over them and rip them off; the civil servants and road builders (some of them foreign) who have skimmed off contracts or simply not bothered to do the job; and the dishonesty, venality and fatalism that have gripped society at large. Corruption took hold of Kenya almost immediately after independence,........... http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9304146&CFID=5813077&CFTOKEN=32862030
Read the complete article at
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