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19:52
From: Rants, Raves & Reviews
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So what does all this mean? Is NBK out of the woods? The net interest income has significantly dropped in 2H 2007. As Marambii opined earlier during the AGM that the GOK was being charged interest at 15% which was a great rate by all means! But will now receive a lower rate. This will be a drag on earnings. The largest gain is from the reduction of Loan Loss Provisions... Hmmm... what it means is that NBK with the "assent" of the CBK did not fully provide for these dud loans! NBK claims it has enough securities to cover the "open" bad loans i.e. loans not provided for thus they do not see that as a problem. Of course, in Kenya, it means a lengthy court process to get much out of defaulters. Nevertheless, NBK can start growing by pursuing new lending. The challenge will be how to deploy the Billions that the GOK will repay NBK. Who to lend to? At what rate? At what risk level? The GOK & NSSF hold preference shares & I expect they will demand Preferred dividend payments if NBK pays Ordinary dividends. The options to mitigate this are: - Negotiate a conversion from Preferred Shares to Ordinary Shares which would dilute the current shareholders' stake.
- Pay off the GOK by exchanging the T-Bonds for the Preference shares but this will result in reduced income.
Well, it has been a long, hard road for NBK. I think the shares are over-valued but there is potential for strong profit growth with the reduction in Loan Loss Provisions. If the Balance Sheet is restructured there is a possibility of a takeover. Stanbic remains a suitor but 2 years down the line since CFC-Stanbic caters to the middle market but does not give Stanbic the heft it wants across all sectors of the economy. NBK's reach among the masses is probably #3 behind Equity & KCB. There is a distinct possibility of a Nigerian bank taking a stake in NBK as they expand across Africa.
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19:46
From: Rants, Raves & Reviews
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I am impressed with the listed "smaller" banks outside of BBK SCBK & KCB who provide much more information to their shareholders on a timely basis!!!
NBK & Equity have well designed websites that provide up-to-date information for investors. That is a contrast to Barclays & StanChart.
Anyway to NBK's release of their 1H 2007 results... which were released on 19 July 2007... this is amazing... when most other banks will release their results after at least 30 days. If not for the statutory requirement for them to release results in 60 days, they would do so even later!
Equity & NBK have been pushing technology & this appeals to the masses since it lowers the costs of transactions.
Keep it up!
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16:22
From: Afromusing
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Well, i am paraphrasing Jim Forster’s line which in its entirety reads, “If you don’t like the network you have, go out and make your own“. This was one of my favorite quotables at TEDGlobal in Arusha.
Jim Forster is the distinguished engineer at Cisco, the veritable maker of routers and switches that form the backbone of the internet, amongst other products and services. He is also one of the contributors to the invaluable free resource “Wireless Networking in the Developing World” - An in depth guide to planning and building low cost telecom infrastructure.
In his 3 minute presentation at TEDGlobal he talked about the current state of telecom, likening it to a railroad system where everyone is a customer but it doesn’t reach all the areas ‘last mile’ as it were. The model that we should be considering is one that is composed of many private networks, similar to the model of the internet, or a ‘network of networks’. We need to encourage our governments to support the idea of many networks that are run either privately or as businesses providing network access to others. Please click on the graphic below to download the presentation that he has made available.
There is also more information available on the site Network The World.
While on the topic of wireless networks, Riyaz of skunkworks pointed me to Meraki’s june announcement of the first solar powered outdoor wifi access kit.
Priced at just $99, Meraki Outdoor can send a signal up to 700 feet. Paired with Meraki’s existing indoor $49 Mini, the Meraki Outdoor repeater can power access for dozens of households sharing one high speed connection. Meraki Outdoor can be easily installed on a wall or even a pole outside the house. It marks another step forward in Meraki’s efforts to change the economics of Wi-Fi access, driving the cost per household of high speed connections to $1 to $2 a month.
Adding the Meraki Solar accessory kit will allow the repeater to broadcast a signal without being connected to any electrical source, making it an ideal solution for any community, even emerging markets where electricity is scant or unreliable.
The skunkworks crew and other wireless networking experts, you are very welcome to comment on whether you see any private networks being set up in Nairobi or other parts of Africa that utilize the ideas alluded to above. Meanwhile…no whining!
Image from the internet superstar - Hugh Mcleod.
**Tangential Digression - Weird Cell behavior on the border.
On crossing the border from Tanzania into Kenya and vice versa, i got the following text message on my safaricom line…from Celtel. It stated “Welcome to Kenya & thank you for choosing Celtel.International access code is 000 or +.The tourist help line is +254733617499.Celtel. Making life better.”. Worrisome to say the least. Is celtel just broadcasting a signal to all and sundry? How did they get the safaricom number? What expectation of privacy should safaricom customers have? I later found out that everyone gets that sms whether they are on a celtel line or safaricom. I mentioned it to Mr. Forster and he pointed out that some networks do play nice and share infrastructure even base stations. Its quite curious…Do chime in if you’ve experienced something similar, even weirder, or if you can shed light on how and why this occurs. Does the same thing happen on crossing into Uganda?
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15:49
From: Black Looks
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I’ve just given a very successful presentation to faculty and students on Negritude, and now I must make myself look “presentable” and head off to a celebratory “banquet.” Academia can be very performative at times.
But before I dash off, here is an article that caught my eye.
Congolese President Joseph Kabila says he is disappointed Switzerland [...]
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13:33
From: You Missed This
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archiveHere's a quick quiz for you. Which is the party to beat in 2007? My good friend Phil will say that the answer is obvious. It is ODM-Kenya. Wrong! There are those who see Narc-Kenya as the party to beat. What with all the resources of the provincial administration that reaches every little tiny village in the republic fully behind it. Surely this is the political party that will easily grab the vast majority of seats in parliament. Wrong! Both political parties are missing a vital ingredient for winning at anything and not just elections. Unity and in this case, party unity. The party to beat in 2007, it is now clearly emerging, will be... Read more
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13:32
From: You Missed This
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archive"…I am probably your most serious challenger for the presidency." In welcoming President Kibaki to his Mwingi North constituency this week, area MP Kalonzo Musyoka said those words in his brief speech delivered in his usual style of speaking in Swahili polluted with big English words which one wonders whether the majority of the simple village people that make a huge percentage of his constituents ever understand. In fact the quoted part was fully delivered in English. Now let us reverse roles here a little... Read more
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13:29
From: You Missed This
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archiveGuest post By RitchieOf late, there have been cases of teachers accused of inflicting untold suffering and injuries on students and pupils. Instrument of torture? The good old cane. One is left wondering what the intention of the teacher was prior to the 'accident'. Did the teacher intend to correct a misdoing (by use of corporal punishment) or to maim the student to show that he/she is in control of the class. These thoughts are doing their rounds in my head. I remember when I was in school in the eighties, the cane was the trademark of any 'proper' school. In other words, cane and school were twin brothers. When I was in Standard Four, for instance, my Mathematics teacher used to 'burst' into class, a nyahunyo (Maasai whip made from car tyres)... Read more
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13:26
From: You Missed This
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Article directoryBy Faith McCoy Some folks are not aware of the fact that there are free online resume writing services that make a big difference in helping you secure that all important position that you have been desiring. What is a resume and what difference does it make for anybody seeking a job? A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) in other parts of the world usually makes all the difference between landing and losing a job. That is how important it is. This is the tool that sells you to prospective employers. It is therefore hardly surprising that resume writing services are so popular these days. The big secret you need to know about resume writing is that if you can manage to show how you will solve the problems the employer wants to solve by filling the position, then it matters little how high the competition for the position is, it will go to you. And yet accomplishing this feat is not as difficult as it may seem at first. One way to accomplish it is to hire the services of a skilled professional resume writer. Still there is nothing that can stop you being your own highly skilled professional resume writer. All you need to understand are a few basics. Start by carefully reading the job description for the vacant position several times and making the effort to understand it. The most common mistake people make is to read the job title and make all their conclusions. Remember that companies are different and usually have different priorities and different systems in place. Besides there are many times when positions are created specifically to deal with certain emerging problems in an organization and what they do is scurry around for the job title that comes closest to describing the position. When you are aware of all these facts, you will definitely have a head start over many others. The truth of the matter is that to secure most desirable jobs and positions these days, you will have just have to find a way of doing some research. Naturally you will need to be very careful about this because some organizations disqualify candidates who call in seeking further information. So what this means is that you have to use any inside information you get very wisely so that it does not look like you have the information in the first place. But let me emphasize from experience that any trouble you take to do research will more often than not pay dividends for you many times over. It will help get your resume fished out of the heap and carefully kept aside. It will help you land the job interview and ultimately, if you play your cards right, will help you secure that highly desirable but extremely competitive position. And after you have gathered all the information you need, this wonderful free online resume writing service will help you organize an impressive job-winning professional resume.
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12:46
From: My Africa Today
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The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its interest for acquisition of nuclear technology, saying its aspiration to develop nuclear technology capability may be realised within the next 10 years. Presenting Nigeria’s case at the 50th regular session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at the weekend, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Prof. Anthony Olusegun Adegbulugbe, quoted President Olusegun Obasanjo as expressing optimism that Nigeria would be able to generate electricity from her own nuclear power plants in about a decade from now.  The special adviser said although the country was fully committed to the spirit and letter of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, it would, however, strive to build nuclear plants and to derive maximum benefits from its application for power generation.
“The Federal Government hereby reiterates her commitment to utilizing nuclear science to solve some of her developmental problems”, he said. According to him, the recent establishment of the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) to coordinate activities leading to the development nuclear technology capacity is a reaffirmation of the country’s determination to deploy the facility for purely peaceful applications. He said the President while inaugurating the Board of the NAEC, had charged the body to develop and implement a proactive energy programme, which would lead to the generation of electricity from nuclear power reactor within the next 10 -12 years. While assuring the international community of the country’s readiness to abide by safety standards, the presidential adviser said Nigeria had “set in motion the process to fast-track the development and deployment of nuclear power plants for electricity generation in the country” To give vent to the country’s quest for nuclear technology capability, he said the President last July charged the board of the NAEC to take on the primary responsibility for the formulation and implementation of the country’s nuclear energy programme. Adegbulugbe said the country had embarked on a number of preparatory activities that was necessary to launch it into the nuclear age, among which were the strengthening of nuclear regulatory framework and cooperating with the IAEA in observance of international treaties on nuclear non-proliferation.Relevant Links He solicited the continued support of IAEA in fostering regional cooperation towards effective utilization of some of the nuclear technology projects, which included the Gama Irradiation Plant, (a multi-purpose facility for industrial and research applications located in Abuja) and a miniature neutron source reactor in Zaria. The presidential adviser said Nigeria had benefited immensely from the agency’s support to the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Training and Development (AFRA) related to nuclear science and technology in education and training. He said the country is currently engaged in the mobilization and information programme aimed at enlightening the public on the benefits of the peaceful use of nuclear energy in electricity generation, agriculture, and health care delivery and pest control. Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone!
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12:36
From: Bizmambo
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1. Ask a question
Does she or doesn't she?
- Clairol
2. Show your unique commitment
We try harder.
- Avis
3. Explain product superiority
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
- Timex
4. Evoke a benefit in a fresh way
Let your fingers do the walking.
- Yellow Pages
5. Use an emotive call to action
Reach out and touch someone.
- AT&T
6. Use an evocative call to action
Put a tiger in your tank.
- Esso
7. Use an imperative call to action
Just do it.
- Nike
8. Use a one- word call to action
Think.
- IBM
9. Use a cheeky call to action
Let us tan your hide.
- Crisby Frisian Fur Co.
10. Revisit a familiar call to action
Reach out and bust someone.
- Crime Stoppers
11. Link a product feature with an abstract need
A diamond is forever.
- DeBeers
12. Link a feature with your address
We corner the market.
- Irving Rivers Ltd.
13. Combine a feature and a benefit in the same phrase
Make yourself at home.
- IKEA
14. Declare a superlative feature
The world's #1 selling financial software.
- Quicken
15. Make a compelling promise
The world on time.
- Federal Express
16. Be whimsical
It's the real thing.
- Coca- Cola
17. Say it staccato
Soothes. Cleanses. Refreshes.
- Murine Co. (eyedrops)
18. Use a two- fold delivery with a twist
Common sense. Uncommon results.
- David Ingram and Associates
19. Address a specific need
For women whose eyes are older than they are.
- Robert Powers (skin cream)
20. Be abstract but client- centred
After all, it is your information.
- Authentex Software
21. Describe your product in a novel way
Liquid jewelry.
- Lorr Laboratories (nail polish)
22. Link company name to product benefit
Never forgets.
- Elephant Memory Systems
23. Suggest the cost of not using your product
Because so much is riding on your tires.
- Michelin
24. Be grotesque to make a point
Wears like a pig's nose.
- W. M. Finck & Co. (men's overalls)
25. Turn a current business maxim on its ear
Think small.
- Volkswagen
26. Link a well- known phrase with your product benefit
Understanding comes with Time.
- Time magazine
27. Brag about yourself
We take the world's greatest pictures.
- Nikon
28. Brag about your product and your client
You and Betty Crocker can bake someone happy.
- Betty Crocker
29. Take a breath and say it all
Finest anti- knock non- premium gasoline ever offered at no extra cost.
- Union Oil Co.
30. Describe your service and its #1 benefit in two words
Advertising pays.
- Industry maxim
31. Personify your product
Laughs at time.
- Du Pont (paint)
32. Distill your business into one phrase
The Document Company.
- Xerox Corp.
33. Tie your slogan to your logo
Get a piece of the Rock.
- Prudential Insurance Co.
34. Dare to be different
Dare to diff.
- LOEB Cola
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10:08
From: Kenya Imagine
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Kimani S. Njoroge on the rise of Mungiki. These groups expand quickly due to high demand for their services. Unfortunately, individual expansion and success attracts the attention of competitors attracted by the same vaccums and aware of the returns avaialble. Read more here.
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10:02
From: Kenya Imagine
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Collins Mbalo on the recent earthquakes in Nairobi. Based on this report it is rumored that the U.S embassy has advised its citizenry in case of a disaster to report to its local embassy for evacuation. Perhaps this is the cause of change of stance from the government's total denial of an earthquake in the offing, to the recent publication of a statement declaring the impossibility of certainty in earhtquake predicition, and then to the latest one publishing evacuation procedures to be employed in the case of a disaster. Whatever happens, it is sad that even in the 21st Century, we are not prepared for natural disasters of great magnitude. We lack the capacity to manage these events, but even worse we do not really care what happens. That is definitely a wake up call for us. Read more here.
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10:02
From: For Love and Money
Read This Entry & More At For Love and Money
“Karibuni, mabibi na mabwana, katika uwanja wa ndege wa kimataifa wa Moi mjini Mombasa.” Beamed the air-stewardess’ voice over the PA system after the plane touched down at Moi International airport in Mombasa. A few minutes before this as the Kenya Airways plane descended into the airport, I couldn’t help but wonder why the airport is surrounded with grass thatched mud houses yet we were landing in a city that is located in the hotbed of Kenya’s tourism and is the gateway to commerce in Kenya. The Americans or Israelis may think that this is a major security lapse but I viewed these as a social time bomb that needs to be addressed.  As we drove from the airport through Makupa, Ganjoni, Likoni and onto Kwale District it was apparently clear that the once beautiful town of Mombasa was an eyesore. While the taxi driver thought otherwise, I could see that Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya, had become one of the biggest ghetto in Kenya. The government aware of the situation, had barricaded the roads with iron sheets during the just concluded World Marathon Championships held in Mombasa to hide these glaring levels of poverty from the views of the television camera’s leading from the airport. Everywhere I looked, the houses were in a bad state, the streets were littered with rubbish and a lot of people were walking around carrying large jerry cans pre-occupied with finding water for domestic use. The same could be said about every tourist destination in Kenya. Surrounding the rich heritage of Kenya’s tourism jewels are communities living in abject poverty. The Masai’s who live around the vast wilderness of the world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve and the expansive Amboseli National Park still live in mud hut manyattas with limited or no access to basic facilities like clean water, sanitation, proper housing, electricity or even decent education or health-care facilities. The roads leading to the tourist destinations are also in a bad state of disrepair and any attempt to visit these places without a sturdy SUV or van will only result in damaging of one’s vehicle.  A quick survey of the major tourist hotels in Kenya reveals that, just like the Patel’s in America, most of these properties are owned by Asians (or Indians to be specific). Some of the hotels are in the hands of westerners while less than a fistful of major tourist hotels are owned by indigenous Kenyans like Kenneth Matiba, Njenga Karume and a few others who served in the Kenyatta administration. And even for the hotels that are publicly owned, only a small minority of Kenyans are shareholders in these companies. Basically, very little of the dollar inflows that come in from accommodating tourists ends up in the pockets of the locals. While these tourist destinations indirectly and directly employ thousands of Kenyans, you can be certain that the majority of these employees do not constitute the middle class of the Kenyan society. This leaves me to wonder, just how much does the tourism industry in Kenya benefit the nation? We hear all the time about tourism being a major employer and earner of foreign exchange yet on the ground one is faced with a different scenario. With Kenya set to attract more than one million foreign tourists this year, the gains from tourism do not seem to be reaching the majority of people who should be benefiting from this boom. The much touted 6% economic growth doesn’t seem to be helping these people in the face of double digit inflation levels consigning them to a life of poverty. Further reading - Can tourism offer pro-poor pathways to prosperity? (pdf)
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9:31
From: Cock And Bull
Read This Entry & More At Cock And Bull
When I decided to check if the information in the Doug Copp’s article on the “Triangle of Life” has been vouched by anyone else, I came across a rejoinder by Rocky Lopes, PhD, a Manager in Community Disaster Education at American Red Cross National Headquarters. According to Rocky, hiding under a desk or under a bed (referred to as “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”) during an earthquake does save lives based on the design of the building under consideration. Rocky writes “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is CORRECT, accurate, and APPROPRIATE for use in the United States for Earthquake safety. Mr. Copp’s assertions in his message that everyone is always crushed if they get under something is incorrect.
According to Rocky Lopes, Doug Copp based his findings on the results from buildings damaged an earthquake in Turkey. Being that the building construction standards, techniques, engineering principles, and construction materials are quite different in Turkey as compared to the United States, one survival technique might save lives in one country and fail to save lives in another.
From these two articles, it is clear no one survival guide is foolproof in every county. It is therefore prudent for every individual to assess the types of buildings (based on construction standards, techniques, engineering principles, and construction materials) in the country he or she resides in, and make a decision on which survival guide is adequate.
As Rocky Lopes concludes: The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate. What we are saying is that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” is NOT wrong - in the United States. The American Red Cross, being a U.S. - based organization, does not extend its recommendations to apply in other countries. What works here may not work elsewhere, so there is no dispute that the “void identification method” or the “Triangle of Life” may indeed be the best thing to teach in other countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great.
Here is the full article from Rocky Lopes:
American Red Cross response to “Triangle of Life” by Doug Copp
Sent from:
Rocky Lopes, PhD
Manager, Community Disaster Education
American Red Cross National Headquarters
Recently it has been brought to my attention that an email from Doug Copp, titled “Triangle of Life,” is making its rounds again on the Internet. “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is CORRECT, accurate, and APPROPRIATE for use in the United States for Earthquake safety. Mr. Copp’s assertions in his message that everyone is always crushed if they get under something is incorrect.
Recently, the American Red Cross became aware of a challenge to the earthquake safety advice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.” This is according to information from Mr. Doug Copp, the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of American Rescue Team International (a private company not affiliated with the U.S. Government or other agency.) He says that going underneath objects during an earthquake [as in children being told to get under their desks at school] is very dangerous, and fatal should the building collapse in a strong earthquake. He also states that “everyone who gets under a doorway when a building collapses is killed.” He further states that “if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, to roll out of bed next to it,” and he also says that “If an earthquake happens while you are watching television and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.” These recommendations are inaccurate for application in the United States and inconsistent with information developed through earthquake research. Mr. Copp based his statements on observations of damage to buildings after an earthquake in Turkey. It is like “apples and oranges” to compare building construction standards, techniques, engineering principles, and construction materials between Turkey and the United States.
We at the American Red Cross have studied the research on the topic of earthquake safety for many years. We have benefited from extensive research done by the California Office of Emergency Services, California Seismic Safety Commission, professional and academic research organizations, and emergency management agencies, who have also studied the recommendation to “drop, cover, and hold on!” during the shaking of an earthquake. Personally, I have also benefited from those who preceded me in doing earthquake education in California since the Field Act was passed in 1933.
What the claims made by Mr. Copp of ARTI, Inc., does not seem to distinguish is that the recommendation to “drop, cover, and hold on!” is a U.S.-based recommendation based on U.S. Building Codes and construction standards. Much research in the United States has confirmed that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” has saved lives in the United States. Engineering researchers have demonstrated that very few buildings collapse or “pancake” in the U.S. as they might do in other countries. Using a web site to show one picture of one U.S. building that had a partial collapse after a major quake in an area with thousands of buildings that did not collapse during the same quake is inappropriate and misleading.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects data on injuries and deaths from all reportable causes in the U.S., as well as data from three University-based studies performed after the Loma Prieta (September, 1989) and Northridge (January, 1994) earthquakes in California, the following data are indicated: Loma Prieta: 63 deaths, approximately 3,700 people were injured. Most injuries happened as a result of the collapse of the Cypress Street section of I-880 in Oakland. Northridge: 57 deaths, 1,500 serious injuries. Most injuries were from falls caused by people trying to get out of their homes, or serious cuts and broken bones when people ran, barefooted, over broken glass (the earthquake happened in the early morning on a federal holiday when many people were still in bed.) There were millions of people in each of these earthquake-affected areas, and of those millions, many of them reported to have “dropped, covered, and held on” during the shaking of the earthquake.
We contend that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” indeed SAVED lives, not killed people. Because the research continues to demonstrate that, in the U.S., “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” works, the American Red Cross remains behind that recommendation. It is the simplest, reliable, and easiest method to teach people, including children.
The American Red Cross has not recommended use of a doorway for earthquake protection for more than a decade. The problem is that many doorways are not built into the structural integrity of a building, and may not offer protection. Also, simply put, doorways are not suitable for more than one person at a time.
The Red Cross, remaining consistent with the information published in “Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages,” (visit [www.disastereducation.org]) states that if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, remain there. Rolling out of bed may lead to being injured by debris on the floor next to the bed. If you have done a good job of earthquake mitigation (that is, removing pictures or mirrors that could fall on a bed; anchoring tall bedroom furniture to wall studs, and the like), then you are safer to stay in bed rather than roll out of it during the shaking of an earthquake.
Also, the Red Cross strongly advises not try to move (that is, escape) during the shaking of an earthquake. The more and the longer distance that someone tries to move, the more likely they are to become injured by falling or flying debris, or by tripping, falling, or getting cut by damaged floors, walls, and items in the path of escape. Identifying potential “void areas” and planning on using them for earthquake protection is more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake engineering principles. The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate. What we are saying is that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” is NOT wrong — in the United States. The American Red Cross, being a U.S.-based organization, does not extend its recommendations to apply in other countries. What works here may not work elsewhere, so there is no dispute that the “void identification method” or the “Triangle of Life” may indeed be the best thing to teach in other countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great.
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9:29
From: Cock And Bull
Read This Entry & More At Cock And Bull
I have to admit that before reading the article below, I would have sworn that hiding under a table or under a bed is the safest way to survive an earthquake while inside a building. Apparently not! The document was forwarded in an email by a friend, and I suppose you might learn a few things from it too.
EXTRACT FROM DOUG COPP’S ARTICLE ON THE “TRIANGLE OF LIFE”
My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American
Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world’s most experienced rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an earthquake.
The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the
1985 earthquake. Every child was under their desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene, unnecessary and I wondered why the children were not in the aisles. I didn’t at the time know that the children were told to hide under something.
Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside, crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what I call the “triangle of life”. The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the “triangles” you see formed. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building. They are everywhere.
TEN TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY
1) Almost everyone who simply “ducks and covers” WHEN BUILDINGS COLLAPSE are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.
2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.
3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.
4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.
5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.
6) Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the doorjamb falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!
7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different “moment of frequency” (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn’t collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.
8) Get near the outer walls of buildings or outside of them if possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.
9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.
10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.
Spread the word and save someone’s life…
By Doug Copp,
American Rescue Team
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8:27
From: Black Looks
Read This Entry & More At Black Looks
South Africa has just released it’s latest crime statistics. Tim Trengove Jones writes that many “anti-constitutionalists” are calling for the return of hanging as the number of violent crimes are on the increase. But for this group of people, violent crime does not include hate speech - verbal abuse [...]
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8:14
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
I was pleasantly surprised today when I stumbled across Zacharia Mbutha’s paintings on the second floor of the GTZ HQ building in Eschborn (here’s why, in German):
Zacharia is a painter from Kenya, and while I am bit confused on the often-used definition of the term “contemporary” (where does it start, and where does it end? - afaik, ZM stopped painting some years ago?), being surrounded by good paintings is just a very pleasant joy.
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6:32
From: bankelele
Read This Entry & More At bankelele
A to ZzApplause: A clap and sympathy hug to the Kenya Re advisors, just as I am typing this at 3 a.m.; they also had to burn the midnight oil to update the prospectus and keep everything current. Still there are a few typos there and errors there Auditors? : prospectus has statement from pricewaterhousecoopers, but not KPMG who are the Kenya Re auditors. And their statement was signed on May 28 (so was their audit/investigation reason for the delay) Directors : or lack thereof. There’s no mention of the former managing director and finance director (how can former directors have 2.5X the loans that current directors have?). Instead there are mentions that no current directors had no unusual dealings with the companyDividend: Kenya Re has been paying 1 shilling per share previously, but they project just Kshs. 0.25 for 2007 (out of an EPS of 0.89) Earthquake: yesterday and evacuation of high rise buildings gave me a chance to stroll down and get a copy of the prospectus Employees: are only 115, but they get a raw deal and have to buy a minimum of 2,000 shares like everyone else. Plus they were almost retrenched. Fluff to ZZZZ: insurance is a boring (through lucrative) business. And a good chunk of the prospectus is taken up by narrative on the insurance sector, reinsurance sector, and how Kenya Re is supposed to make money. Association of Kenya Insures should get paid for how much of their content (a 2005 report) is used in the prospectus Investments: Kshs. 3.3 billion in property, 615m in mortgages (doubled from 2005), 2.2 b in quoted shares (1/3 is KCB, ¼ is BAT, 1/5 is Barclays), 2.1 b in government securities JKIA: Kenya Re has land along the passenger terminal road at the airport where it plans/hopes to put up a hotel for transit passengers. Kenya National Assurance: an attempt to roll it (KNAC 2001) appears to be largely responsible for increase of the IPO cost by over 100 million to a budgeted Kshs. 289 million shillings. (Kengen budgeted 400m to raise 7.8 billion). Increased advertising costs (over many months) was offset by reduced printing costs Mortgages: Kenya Re does not come to mind when you think of mortgage companies, but they do offer finance to home buyers esp. of their residential properties like Villa Franca and South C houses. Projections: or lack thereof. I remember the Equity listing prospectus had several calculation methods to come up with the value their shares. This one is scant, but maybe they were thrown out of whack. The fact that the prospectus pegs the US$ at 73 shillings shows how many months ago it may have been synthesized. A Qualified institutional investor: is financial institution or investment funds (expected to buy 100,000 shares minimum). So is this, like a US IPO, where an investment bank can parcel out shares to preferred select clients? Real estate: a big investment of Kenya Re and almost half the portfolio. But not how upper hill properties are worth much less than before owing to increased availability A Share certificate: is still an option for IPO investors here - some people still don't believe in CDS or trade their shares (buy and hold for dividends and AGM) Valuation: see projectionsVerdict: Kenya Re is Parastatal that lucky to be where it is today (it was almost sold a mere Kshs 400m song in 2002). It still operates under the notorious state corporations act and is not immune from politics and politicians, and was subject to machinations by former directors that seem to have delayed IPO. Still it’s a good Buy, but after the IPO, and when it lists on August 28.
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2:06
From: Cock And Bull
Read This Entry & More At Cock And Bull
It is now 5.30am, and there was another very slight tremor jarring things around the house and I wonder how the situation in town will be today. Yesterday morning, someone played a prank by sending a cell phone SMS to a few people claiming that a major earthquake would hit the city within the early part of the day. Within a short time the message had circulated everywhere in town bringing instantaneous results. Several tall buildings were evacuated, and the government had a tough time convincing people that it was just a rumor. But as one news reporter interestingly noted on the evening news, the government had the toughest time persuading its own employees, for almost all the buildings where people evacuated house the various government agencies.
The TV news footage showed throngs of people walking from tall buildings, gathering at the parking lots just outside the buildings and staring up the buildings to see if they would detect any movement. A case was reported where people in a residential area spent the night out of their houses after feeling the earth tremors at about 3am. Meanwhile, the government insisted once again that there is no apparent danger since the aftershocks being experienced are coming from some volcanic activities at a mountain far away from Nairobi. To calm down raw nerves, the government Public Relations office roused slumbering university professors from the Geology Department and presented them before the cameras even before they had a chance to properly comb their loooong gray academic beards. This however did not stop the heroes for the day from doing excellent presentations, with flipcharts, felt pen markers, and overhead projectors during the press conference. And then at some point in the much watched news programme, a spokesman for the association of Architects un-rang the government’s bell by claiming that with a slightly stronger earthquake, 90% of all the buildings in Nairobi are likely to collapse due to inadequate structural design.
One employee from the Ministry of Education must have had the idea of an impromptu holiday while being interviewed on TV as she evacuated herself from the relatively short Jogoo House. She said, “It looks like it is unsafe to work in town any more! So, I will just go back home and stay in my house!” And as she said that, a man with a megaphone could be heard imploring people to go back to their offices and work.
It is disheartening to see genuine worry in the faces of many people who seem thoroughly shaken by the unexpected instability in their worlds. However it is also easy to notice that for others, the adrenalin that the unexpected brouhaha has caused in the last few days is a welcome break from daily drudgery. You can bet that quite a number of Bibles have received a good dusting as their owners attempt to get reacquainted with God after a long while. All this panic is contagious and it is interesting to see how various people are reacting; some not quite in the way one would expect. It reminds me of the yet to be verified story of a pretty young lady who paid a visit to the doctor after having suffered considerably in silence:
In confidence she told him, “Doctor, I have a very embarrassing problem.” Setting his spectacles firmly on the bridge of his nose, the doctor asked, “What is the problem?” and the distressed lady replied, “My breasts seem to always want to point to the sky!” After scribbling down a few notes on his writing pad, the doctor said with professional interest, “Can you show me how that happens?” With that, the girl stood up from her chair and unbuttoned her blouse, revealing perfectly normal breasts. However, within a short time, the breasts quickly lifted on their own volition and the nipples pointed to the sky. Looking puzzled, the doctor stood up and said to the young lady, “Madam, I cannot tell you what your medical problem is, but I can assure you that the condition is highly contagious!” He said as he pointed at his massive erection.
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