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• February 12, 2009
• 17:25

  Harnessing Personal Movement for Power in Rural Africa

   » ‎ AfriGadget

  Tags:  AfriGadget  

  Dr. Cedrick Ngalande is an inventor. He’s been working on inventing new ways for everyday rural Africans to create enough electricity to power items like mobile phones or other small electrical devices. In the past, he’s been on AfriGadget for his yeast + sugar rotary electricity generator.

  Today he has announced a new project called Green Erg, which harnesses (literally) a person’s movement energy to create electricity.

  

  “This is basically a dynamo which is being driven as a result of friction between the ground and the blocks. The small yellowish blocks (these are covered by rubber in the real commercial product) rotate as you pull it. They are designed to rotate even on bumpy run even roads. We have tested it on moist lawn and have worked. It is very smooth so much that you basically don’t feel any disturbance as
  you move along.

  At normal walking speeds we have gotten more than 2 watts which is more than enough for running cell phones or radios. I envision that people will attach this to themselves and walk with it - or even attach it to an ox-cart, a skating board, bike, etc.”

  

• 14:42

  Between the Rock and Deep Blue Sea

   » ‎ You Missed This
  Kumekucha

  

  

• 12:41

  The Nairobi Stock-Jivers

   » ‎ Kenyanentrepreneur.com

  Tags:  Kenyan PoliticsBusiness  

  Since I can no longer figure out what the heck these journalists at the Kenyan newspapers are saying, I’d like someone here to click on the links below, read them and then come back and explain to us what exactly is happening at the Nairobi stock-jivers exchange. Please make an effort to explain how all of [...]

• 12:04

  Tagged.....

   » ‎ My part of the world.......

  Tags:  Fun  

  Mr Man Bag himself tagged me. So here goes
  
  FOUR THINGS I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT
  
  1. My Health - I'm not a gym buff or a health nut but I do like to take care of myself. So I don't eat junk food, go to the gym 4-5 times a week, drink alcohol once a week or less, don't use sugar, don't cook/eat red meat at home, take vitamin supplements, avoid canned foods, love fresh fruit and try to sleep at least 7 hours daily. But other than that I'm just like the rest of you.
  
  2. Sci-fi/fantasy - I'm a certified nerd, my life just doesn't feel complete if I'm not indulging in any of the two at any given time.
  
  3. News/Information - I love to know what's happening in the world and I love to learn. So it's nothing weird for me to read like 5 plus new sites every morning.
  
  4. Black/African Empowerment - I think that there is so much better and further we can do as a people. So I feel strongly about issues that affect us directly.
  
  FOUR WORDS OR PHRASES THAT I USE A LOT
  
  1. Kumeharibika
  
  2. Hmph - This is not a word per se but I use it when I chat online quite a bit.
  
  3. Conyo - This is a spanish swear word
  
  4. Kubaff - This one never grows old
  
  FOUR THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE
  
  1. Go sky diving - The experience of just being so far up in the sky is life changing to say the least.
  
  2. To Choke Someone Out like in the vid below
  
  
  
  Yes I'm a psycho, so sue me!
  
  3. To take a year off everyday life and just travel the exotic parts of the world - The hum drum of everyday life terrifies me, and I would like to get out and about before I am boxed in with a marriage, mortgage and kids (shivers).
  
  4. To do something that would earn me short term fame - Yes I'd like to enjoy the good life that comes with being famous and recognized just for a short time and then go back to being everyday me before it gets boring or goes to my head.
  
  
  FOUR THINGS THAT I’VE LEARNT FROM THE PAST
  
  1. Hurting People Hurt People - The more baggage and hurt someone is carrying from the past, the more likely the are to bring drama to your life. Call me harsh but I give such people a wide berth esp when it comes to relationships.
  
  2. Common Sense Is Not Common - I look at the things that people do all the time, and this becomes clearer and clearer everyday.
  
  3. If A Woman Asks You If She Is Hot Just Say Yes - Do not give an honest answer or attempt to rationalize the answer. Say Yes and smile, it shall save you alot of trouble.
  
  4. Sex Just Isn't Worth The Trouble It Brings - Through my general observations and personal experiences, sex just brings too much drama to the table. Whether you are in a relationship or not, it just brings too many issues, abstinence is just so much more appealing.
  
  There, I'm done!
  
  
  I also came across this interesting meme that I decided to fill in. One word answers only!
  
  1. Where is your cell phone? Desk
  
  2. Your significant other? None
  
  3. Your hair? long
  
  4. Your mother? busy
  
  5. Your father? deceased
  
  6. Your favorite? fruit
  
  7. Your dream last night? forgot
  
  8. Your favorite drink? juice
  
  9. Your dream/goal? Peace
  
  10. What room you are in? Office
  
  11. Your hobby? Internet
  
  12. Your fear? Failure
  
  13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? successful
  
  14. Where were you last night? Home
  
  15. Something that you are not? Patient
  
  16. Muffins? Nah
  
  17. Wish list item? Money
  
  18. Where you grew up? Nairobi
  
  19. Last thing you did? Eat
  
  20. What are you wearing? Skechers
  
  21. Your TV? Dusty
  
  22. Your pets? Imaginery
  
  23. Friends? Few
  
  24. Your life? Complicated
  
  25. Your mood? Mellow
  
  26. Missing someone? Nah
  
  27. Car? Dirty
  
  28. Something you're not wearing? Vest
  
  29. Your favorite store? Publix
  
  30. Your favorite color? black
  
  33. When is the last time you laughed? Morning
  
  34. Last time you cried? Eons
  
  35. Who will resend this? Hmmmmmm
  
  36. One place that I go to over and over? Bathroom
  
  37. One person who texts me regularly? Pal
  
  38. My favorite place to eat? Couch
  
  39. My favorite food? Cantonese
  
  
  I'm sharing them both with Gish, Sunnykay and Bomseh. Regular blogging shall resume soon!
  

• 10:07

  Cabinet Tales V

   » ‎ tHiNkEr'S rOoM

  Tags:  Best of M  

  Kibaki: “Hizo mawezere wezere wezere wezere ….”
  Karua: I beg your pardon?!
  Kibaki: Bloody bure! I was just singing to myself
  Mwakwere: Are you from Coast?
  Marende: Order! Order! Any member can sing if he is feeling sufficiently philanthropic!
  Kalonzo: It’s like I was telling my constituents the other day. A country is like an eighteen wheeled lorry painted green with “Rough Riders: Ride Or Die” painted on the rear windscreen with a colobus monkey, a banana and a rabbi in the front seat  …
  Charity: And?
  Kalonzo: I forget at this point the point I was trying to make. But it was very important!
  Mutula: Not as important as my proposal. I propose all roads be expanded as follows: One lane for the president, one for the prime minister, one for cabinet members, one for the police and fire brigade, one for left handed people, one for right handed people, one for people under 6 feet, one for people over six feet, one for people who watch Tyra and one for people who watch Oprah. I also propose that all roundabouts be expanded with smaller roundabouts being put inside the larger roundabouts.
  Nyongo: (Sarcastically) Indeed.
  Kimunya: If I may speak…
  Ntimama: Quick! Someone please check that the chambers have not been sold to the Libyans!
  Mwakwere: Are Libyans from Coast?
  Bifwoli: Are we been served tea in this meeting?
  Ruto: You and food!
  Bifwoli: (Indignantly) Me? ME?! Look at you! You are covered by a very thin film of a powdery substance ….
  Ruto: It is NOT maize flour! Besides, is it a crime to wallow, roll and swim in maize?
  Bifwoli: Well ….
  Kiraitu: Pff! Krrkmmzz. Grrggnnn
  Bishop: Glowreh! Someone please help that Son of God from choking. Glowreh!
  Karua: He’s not choking. He’s laughing
  Nkaiserry: Is it just me or does someone here smell powerfully of diesel?
  Kiraitu: Can you ngo srow on this matter. I don’t have anything to do with the fuel shortage
  Sambili: Can we focus my friends. We have a crisis in Kenyan football.
  Raila: You know, football is like a game of football.
  Magara: Hear hear!
  Poghisho: Focus everyone. Can we discuss the Hague?
  Mwakwere: Bless you
  Poghisho: But I’ve not sneezed
  Mwakwere: Sorry. Go on
  Pohgnisho: Should we support the Hague…
  Mwakwere: Bless you! Is there a flu epidemic in the house?
  (Ngilu whispers in his ear)
  Mwakwere: Oh! The Hague! I get you, I get you. Is it in Coast?
  Mungatana: Let us discuss critical issues affecting the country. Did you know that GTV folded last week and I had paid for 3 months in advance!
  Raila: Who is Mungatana???
  Ngilu: Can Saitoti have a written statement delivered to our offices by tomorrow on this matter?
  Saitoti: There come a time! There come a time!
  Nyongo: Tell it to the birds
  Saitoti: Garment takes it very seriously…
  Bishop: Government you mean
  Saitoti:That’s what I said. Garment.
  Mwiria: Can the Minister for Tourism explain why it cost the treasury 20 million for the President to go to the Mara? Outrageous!
  Balala: The Honourable member is speaking from a position of disinformation. The president did not actually go to the Mara. We flew all the Rhinoceroses (or Rhinoceri if you prefer), Hippos (or hippi), Lions (or Lioni), buffalos (or buffali), Elephants (or Elephanti), impala (or impali), camels (cameli) and assorted birds TO the president. Mohammed and the mountain of you get me.  Flights cost money, especially since some of us are storing fuel in a manner likely to suggest resale at a future date for an exaggerated markup. The flights are catered and you know how camels drink!
  Ruto: Exactly. In fact maize was served on that flight!
  Balala: (Modestly) My ministry was also able to move a river and a small lake
  Mwakwere: If I may ask a question…
  Nyongo: (Irritably) Are you going to ask if Balala is from coast?
  Mwakwere: No
  Nyongo: Good
  Mwakwere: Are hippos from coast?
  Kiunjuri: If we might turn our attentions to the tisha strike.
  Beth: The what?
  Kiunjuri: The tisha strike.
  Beth: What is that?
  Kiunjuri: My esteemed colleague seems to be wallowing in a fetid morass or ignorance if she is unaware that those of the noble profession entrusted with imparting knowledge to our youngsters have downed their tools in a sustained campaign for improved remuneration. There is a tisha strike.
  Wetangula: You people missed history being made! When i was in America ….
  Bifwoli: Uuuuuuwi! Uuuuuuwi! Wetangula is a tiktater! Wetangula is a titkater!
  Marende: Order! Order! If Wetangula is feeling sufficiently philanthropic to go to America
  Mwiria: And watch the inauguration from the top of a tree ….
  Wetangula: That is neither here nor there. The fact is I watched it live.
  Magara:We need to investigate if the Obama inauguration was in fact live!
  Namwamba: Lucy Kibaki is the director of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. And Enron. And BCCI. In fact it’s no coincidence if you take the fourth letter of Hitler and add U, C and Y. Try it! Shocking stuff! A scandal!
  Kibaki: Bloody bure! I’m making some changes. From now on you call me either Mr President or The Emilio. In two weeks one of you will be fired.
  Bifwoli: Where’s our usual cup of tea?
  Ruto: I have made arrangements with … er … a catering company that will be providing us with maize porridge until the next election.
  Uhuru: My colleagues, the economic crunch is getting biting. Nowadays I am forced to share the same car as my driver! Outrageous!
  Kalonzo: Given that Button Moon is about to come on in the next half hour I beg of us to close this meeting and our allowances to be paid.

  © M for tHiNkEr'S rOoM, 2009. | Permalink | 30 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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• 10:06

  Uwezo

   » ‎ Kenya Imagine

  In Kenya, there is no room for the innocent.

  
  Muthoni Garland discovers why.

• 9:21

  Twestival, or why Twitter is the better alternative

   » ‎ Kikuyumoja's realm

  Tags:  FFM  

  Today is Twestival day and I am also attending the local gathering of Twitter users - which also happens to take place in my favourite pub here in Frankfurt (aptly named “the place to be“).

  Twestival is a world-wide, almost simultaneous event (live streaming) and attendees are encouraged to donate some money to Charity Water, an NGO active in Ethiopia.

  Somehow in a Prof. George Ayittey-way and having previously gained some experience on NGOs, the water business and having a different perspective (of an African/European intellectual) on it, I do of course feel a bit discomforted with such mass-donation events that a) promote water as a sexy (and innocent) cause and b) provide absolution to some Westeners who “want to do good”. Sorry, but sustainable approaches just don’t work that way. I would rather prefer institutional changes than the drilling of wells for areas on which we do not even have groundwater maps. But maybe that’s just me and my scepticism.

  On the other hand, I somehow adore how they are making use of social media tools to mobilize the masses. Maybe this is what it takes to reach the masses. And this is also very cool:

  
  “Tweet some facts” via Twitter.

  I think we should also use this for ecological sanitation projects. Using social media to mobilize the masses. Kudos to CharityWater for this really smart approach!

  —

  One of the reaons for the success of Twitter and other micro-blogging services, I think, is also the lack of alternatives.

  Yes. Even in 2009, there’s still no decent mobile blogging client except for Twitter & Co.

  What I am looking for is an application designed for a smartphone that enables me to quickly post an update to my website, with annotated images, maybe also video content and the ability to edit all of this as well as moderate comments. All of the previously mentioned apps for Symbian S60 phones and plugins for WordPress.org installations just don’t do the job for me. And I don’t know about this on the iPhone. Is it any better? Would be a reason to switch phones.

  So, even though Twitter is just a micro-blogging service with a limitation to 140 characters / message, it helps to serve the basic idea behind blogging: connecting people through conversations. And besides, with this character limit it is also compatible with another popular service: SMS.

  —

  I really like the idea of combining social media tools with the sector I am active in: sustainable sanitation.  Maybe that’s just the way forward for me.

  

• 8:59

  Nigerian underground poetry series

   » ‎ Black Looks
  Underground poetry series Infocentrix Concept Publishing, ICP is set out to give voice to poets to participate in National discussion. The dearth of poetry in the discussion of issues that are affecting the us as a people, has not only denial poetry literary community the right to express itself in flowing flowery words but also limits [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Nigerian underground poetry series", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2009/02/nigerian_underground_poetry_series.html" });

• 8:02

  Mshairi’s week of love: 6

   » ‎ Mshairi

  Tags:  All  

  Lessons I have learned to welcome love with symbolic sacrifice and offerings of gratitude to honour love’s vagaries in the bleak solitude of night and to rejoice at love’s triumph in the tranquillity of daybreak most of all I have learned to cherish the wrench of the unseen silken thread that links your heart to mine

• 5:09

  Kenyan MP’s Version of the National Anthem

   » ‎ Kenyan Pundit

  Tags:  Uncategorized  

  Author Unknown
  

  Politicians of all persuasions
  Strip this our land and nation.
  Fortunes motivate us and keep us.
  May we steal with impunity
  Dodge taxes in unity;
  Plenty be sourced within our dockets.

  Let all politicians arise
  With scams both wily and foolproof.
  Eating be our earnest endeavour,
  And our cake-stand of Kenya,
  Heritage of plunder,
  May we fight forever to perpetuate.

  Let parties with one accord,
  In common greed united,
  Bankrupt our nation together.
  May the agony of Kenya,
  The fruit of our behaviour,
  Remain hidden from our 2012 voters

• 4:31

  The Revolution in Middle Age

   » ‎ Kenya Imagine

  Tags:  Kenya  

  Will there be a revolution? While the scars of tribalism and the post-election violence persist, it is doubtful that there could ever be a collective repudiation of the current state of affairs.

  
  Stephanie mulls over the Iranian revolution, and draws some lessons for Kenya.
  

• 3:30

  Quick Links

   » ‎ Black Looks
  ***Haiti Action reports on a Bill presented by Congresswoman Barbara Lee to investigate the role of the Bush Administration’s role in the 2004 Coup d’État of Haiti. “We do not teach people to overthrow our US government, and the Bush Administration must not participate in the overthrow of other democratically-elected governments. The United States must [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Quick Links", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2009/02/quick_links-19.html" });

• 2:15

  Which Way For Confused Kenyans; Hague Or Local Tribunal?

   » ‎ You Missed This
  It was fairly easy for some nasty Kenyans to fuel the horrors of the post election violence in Januray 2008 by inciting angry Kenyans and by paying for the chaos to happen. Sadly it is proving to be extremely complex to get justice for the dead, raped, maimed and traumatized folks who through no fault of their own will carry terrible scars for the rest of their lives.
  
  My heart goes out to all those Kenyans in agony over this frustrating turn of events.
  
  For those of us who wait for the foreign ambassadors and heads of mission to speak first before we form an opinion on anything, it has been particularly difficult and confusing time as most locally based envoys seem to favour a local tribunal over taking the cases to the Hague.
  
  Then there has been all the technical issues of entrenching bills in the constitution and votes in parliament that cannot be taken due to lack of quorum.
  
  Well, I love to simplify complex stuff and so let us cut to the chase of this matter in a few brief sentences.
  
  It is true that if all the cases to try post election perpetrators ended up at the Hague it would take ages. Decades actually. Conservative estimates put it at 15 years but most likely it could easily go over 20 years for many of the major suspects to be tried and hopefully convicted.
  
  It is true that a local tribunal would take a much shorter time. However knowing the Kenyan judicial system it is NOT unrealistic to estimate that a suspect with the right crafty “well connected” lawyers can keep the thing in court for over 15 years (ask Brother Paul Pattni of Goldenberg fame for tips on this).
  
  My view is that a local tribunal would be a big waste of time and taxpayers money. We just need to look at what has happened in the past in this country even in big criminal cases to pass the accurate verdict that justice in Kenya is extremely selective and notorious for being "bent" to favour the rich and powerful over the poor ordinary folk. Those foreign envoys and civil society guys pushing for a local tribunal are in dreamland. Kenya bado mapabano.
  
  So what would be the solution?
  
  Glad you asked.
  
  The way forward would be for us to go to the Hague for now. Even if it takes 100 years. At least victims have a fighting chance that their unborn ancestors will be around to one day reap the satisfaction of finally receiveing justice.
  
  Of great urgency are fresh elections?
  
  What do fresh elections have to do with the post election justice issue?
  
  Well it is very simple. What we have in Kenya now is a case where some suspected violent robbers and key suspects are acting as consultants in the manner in which they will be tried and making all the rules and laws that will control their trials. So what do you expect?
  
  -------------------------00000000000
  Kumekucha titbits: Laptops get dropped all the time. Did you know that this can easily cause your hard drive to crash with vital data and information trapped inside? Hard disk recovery in Kenya exists and could be your only option if such an eventuality emerged.
  ============================
  
  Is it surprising that one of the popular clauses on both sides of the house currently that is being pushed for is the ridiculous idea of having suspects continue to serve in public offices until proven guilty. The suspects of course already know that it will take decades for their cases to be determined and are looking at maybe two terms as a cabinet minister as the case continues. Incidentally this is another reason why some of the same suspects are pushing for the cases to go to the Hague where they will obviously take longer.
  
  So we need an election to rid us of as many of these nasty characters as possible. While it is true that many of the undesirables will still find their way back to parliament, the truth is that there is enough evidence on the ground to suggest that a vast majority of them would shockingly be sent home if an election were held today. Hopefully the next government will be in a much better position to seek swifter justice for post election victims.
  
  The second reason is that Kenyans are keen to halt the current massive stealing going on with the grand coalition government. Not only that. The expenses to "keep this monstrr fed” are crippling the country’s economy and well-being. So it is very urgent that the grand coalition government goes ASAP. Hopefully the ridiculous project of building the Prime Minister an office whose cost will ultimately touch the one billion shilling mark can be halted.
  
  So despite all the many obstacles that stand in the way, a general election is a very urgent issue in Kenya just now.
  
  P.S. A blogger gave us an amazing insight yesterday about how virtually every single presidential election we have had in Kenya since the advent of multi-partyism has forced the Kenyan people into a protest vote. It is very important that this time round we avoid this situation and the way to do it is to seek possible candidates early.Kumekucha