Forest Djinn

Timely TIMS to tame Transport sector

2010-11-17T10:10:00.002+03:00

Brilliant in its simplicity IF it can be implemented.

This removes the need for double data entry - e.g. an individual log book application can derive already existing details from registrar of persons or companies OR Police can quickly (using a mobile device and some SMS or USSD queries) get owner information for violators from a dual query to KRA and registrar of persons OR Courts can quickly determine repeat offenders by accessing AKI data combined with police records.

Find the full presentation here

Green IT...beer...and telcos

2009-07-21T12:36:00.000+03:00

A story in today's (July 21st 2009) Business Daily indicates that an NGO involved in recycling, collects 4.5 tonnes of (rinsed off) beer labels from East African Breweries...EVERYDAY! 4.5 tonnes! Lets look at the numbers, off the back of a cigarette pack...assume only 30-35% of the population is of drinking age, and that one half of that population does consume alcohol...further that , of that portion, only one half consume beer either daily or occassionally (with the rest doing hock, spirits, wines, traditional brews, etc). Still....4.5 tonnes of labels per day?

Lets move to mobile companies and prepaid cards. Prepaid cards possibly weigh more than beer labels (owing to thickness/lamination, etc) and there are definitely more mobile subscribers than there are drinkers. Kenya has abt 18 million mobile subscribers, of which at least 90% are prepaid - assume only half of the prepaid users purchase a low denomination scratch card (that weight more than or the same as a beer label) every other day....how much more paper is littering the streets and can it not also be recycled?

Michael Jackson - Man in the Arena

2009-07-07T18:00:00.000+03:00

As we try to discover what it is we really felt about Michael Jackson, more so given what characterised his life in the last decade, lets remember what Theodore Roosevelt once said many years ago in speech entitled "Man in the Arena"...

"It's not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat"

Its still academic whether MJ did indeed take part in the horrendous things that he was accused of doing or if, and I strongly suspect this, there were just too many clever gold diggers around him. Since he openly lived his life as a child and surrounded himself with children - child molestation was a strong case his accusers could make given his "Peter Pan-ism". At his more recent trial, Larry King, who had spoken to one of the lawyers representing one of Jackson's accusers, became privy to some information that would have rubbished that case, but was not allowed to testify in Michael's defence. So the jury really is still out on that.

That he had many plastic surgeries really is a non-issue - a personal issue and had to do with bad choices which we all make sometimes. It never diminished or dulled his abilities. Indeed, it will be a really long time until we see another icon like Michael Jackson - even Barack Obama cannot ever hope to enjoy the same level of worldwide appeal spanning nearly 40 years that Jackson did.

MJ must have died a troubled and broken man - inundated with debt, grappling with failing health, judged harshly by some sections of society, branded as a child molester and still believing he could rebound. That is even more tragic than his death which has at least offered him release from that anguish.

Annexing and Dividing Somalia ....another look

2008-10-09T18:25:00.002+03:00

I earlier mentioned a recent article in which the writer offered up a novel solution to Somalia (and piracy). Several ripostes have since been published - one by an individual who I have always thought is really very brilliant - and regret he is not in government. I speak of Billow Kerrow - this is his rejoinder.

There is also a response from a writer based in Asmara - whose response is more war like (understandably under the circumstances since its his country at stake). .

Mayor Majiwa...what happened?

2008-10-09T17:08:00.004+03:00

I watched a report on TV a while back, about the Nairobi Mayor, Geoffrey Majiwa, raiding various business premises and getting into all manner of alteractions with security guards and directors - apparently the businesses were flaunting all manner of city laws and labour laws. I was impressed - here was a man fighting for workers rights (while the Ministry of Labour concerns itself with other issues like who is at the helm of NSSF and while COTU...well...nuff said. What has COTU done after workers have been burnt to death because they have been locked up overnight in factories?)

Anyway, this was a good thing but somehow the whole issue has died down. It would have been laughable if the Minister of Labour came out to defend his turf! So today, October 9th 2008, there are still thousands of workers in Kenya, drawing minimum wages, working under inhumane conditions (no gloves, no medicare, no helmets, transported like bricks, etc) who are driving the factories and construction companies - said industries now being given an attentive ear because of their complaints about power tariffs. Is that not ridiculous?

And can some PLEASE update (or delete) this City Council website?

Where's the friggin "Mass Action" when we need it?

2008-10-09T16:49:00.004+03:00

I address this to Anyang Nyongo, Raila Odinga and all those from whose lips the phrase "mass action" spewed forth in the early part of 2008. When the election was it doubt,, you screamed mass action. You held fistfuls of media microphones and uttered these words at every every point and turn.

Now, Kenyan's ARE suffering - Kenyans to whom you as ODM touted Social Democracy. Fuel still stands above Kshs 100 per litre when really , after factoring in the decline of the shilling, it should be around Kshs 88-92. Food prices have doubled or even trebled. Transport costs, electricity costs, etc. Why are you not calling for MASS ACTION now?

Was mass action meant to help YOU politicians draw fat salaries (and not pay taxes). To help you buy big cars to drive on roads built by tax payers? Tell us, please be frank. Even die hard PNU and ODM-K supporters would join in your mass action now - if you called for it. We'd boycott even the unbranded fuel stations - we'd blockade caltex, shell, kenol, kobil, etc.

Unless of course your definition (and purpose) is :
MASS ACTION - when hundreds or thousands of uneducated, ignorant, poor, down trodden people, take risks, bullets and tear gas....for politicians seeking power.

Google's Mail Goggles

2008-10-07T15:37:00.004+03:00

Another great google idea - to keep people from sending messages late in the night (when they are most likely intoxicated). Google Mail Goggles makes you perform some tasks to ascertain your sobriety - if you pass the test, you may press "send".

Some details here

{o)

A novel solution to the problem of Somalia & piracy

2008-10-07T13:31:00.006+03:00

I expected, in this article, to read the usual ignorant rambling on Somalia and yet another impracticable solution that makes everyone happy and looks good on paper. But alas, that is not always possible.

The writer proposes that both Kenya and Ethiopia annex Somalia and divide it in two halves.

I must admit I have always favoured dictatorship and force - but ONLY in an environment where it serves the GREATEST good. Yes, the horn region is suffering on account of Somalia. International trade and relief work are also affected. But is this the way to go?

Read the article here

Calling God...mteja hapatikani - what women, asses and black dogs have in common.

2008-10-07T11:45:00.005+03:00

I do not mean to cause our Muslim brothers any offence - but according to this link, its says that when a Muslim is at prayer, if a woman, ass (donkey?) or black dog crosses his path - and comes between him and the Qaba, his prayers are "annulled" and that he needs to start over again. Is this true? is it done?

Also, I have heard that black dogs are perceived as the embodiment of the devil...and that they should be killed - fact or fiction?

Picture here is Shadow (female, mongrel, abt 4 yrs old, very lazy dog).

Visit KICC's helipad for Kshs 150

2008-10-07T08:37:00.006+03:00

You can now access the KICC helipad for Kshs 150 but need to wait for the next group to come down. Its always under lock and key - I gather they do not want depressed and suicidal citizens creating uglificious stains at the ground level :-)

According to the guide, plans are underway to restore the revolving restaurant on the 28th (I think?) floor. I gather there are as many Kenyans who know about its existence as they know about the existence of 5.125 inch floppy discs :-D

Go, have a look. I went on a cloudy day so visibility was really poor (as you can probably tell from the pic). But now we're in somewhat sunny weather, its a good time as any to venture up there - it sure beats treading down an already beaten path.

PS: I forgot one thing. It is also intended that KICC acquire a helicopter for hire as a shuttle between KICC's roof top and both Wilson Airport and JKIA. Quite a neat idea I think.

President Kibaki...too little too late

2008-10-07T08:22:00.003+03:00

I feel that I wasted a good vote. But after what happened, who does not. I had hoped President Kibaki would wield a big stick and take to task the oil companies as well. Its not enough to ask for a review of electricity tariffs - that helps the manufacturers carry on and make margins, processing already costly raw materials thanks to high transport (high fuel costs). To that slum dweller, who can get by with a kerosene lamp/jiko, lower power tariffs mean nothing. He still has to buy jogoo for more than two times what it cost eight months ago (meanwhile earning the same salary). He also has to pay higher fare. No Mr President, you are not dealing with the problem. I'm no economist but it could be done differently to help the working man and woman to keep the wolf from the door.

Thinking about appropriate technology

2008-10-06T12:45:00.003+03:00

Sometimes in developing countries, efforts by donors/partners/NGOs from developed countries are laid to waste since they are not suitable or sustainable.

This article stems from discussions on open source but talks about peanut shelling in developing countries and the ways sought to introduce a labour saving device to save millions from spending too much time "going nuts". What I especially like about this article is this part:

"Appropriate technology, Rosenblith says, is “starting from nothing or starting with what people have and basically reaching them where they are, rather than telling them what they need to do.”

“A lot of international development work occurs from four-star hotels in the capital cities of the countries that economists are working in,” Rosenblith says. “They need to step out of their four-star hotels, go into the villages, and ask simpler questions.”

Broadband wars II (broadband woes also)

2008-10-06T11:09:00.003+03:00

It would seem that in their haste to go to market, new entrants in the Kenyan broadband arena are going at it half cocked. Despite what appears to be good offerings and great prices Orange Broadband and Wananchi's Zuku have the following charactersistics:
1 - Sales people appear not to have intimate product knowledge;
2 - Poor pre sales - this may mean a protracted sales cycle which may make potential clients exasperated and decide to stick to "the devil they know", whoever that is;
3 - These Boradband services appear to be at a pilot or experimental stage. Now would not be a good time to change providers.
4 - Poor pre sales = (terrible after sales + bad technical support).

Broadband wars imminent...

2008-09-30T08:46:00.004+03:00

Wananchi Telecom (zuku) - Kshs 15,000 for 1MB. One third the cost of Access Kenya Broadband Max (kshs 46,000 for 64/128!!!!). www.zuku.co.ke

Jelimo sized up...

2008-09-19T12:42:00.004+03:00

Pamela Jelimo made about Kshs 70 million in less than a month. Kenya MPs will only make 48 million in one term. Aside from the 22 million shilling difference, the other key difference is that Pamela DESERVES every penny. I'm certain she will put it to good use for her people and Kenyans at large - the same cannot be said for most MPs.

You go girl! We're proud to be Kenyan because of you!

Cloud Computing Coming...

2008-09-16T16:10:00.005+03:00

Google 16:07 "Use Chrome and an ye shall receive good results. Sign up to gmail and ye shall receive unlimited storage and stay in touch. Harken brethren, ye shall distance thyselves from proprietary productivity suites - lay down thine document burden and let

Google Docs take care of it. Blog and ye shall be read."

Longest Spreadsheet?

2008-09-16T12:46:00.003+03:00

Can anyone beat this? I'm working on a spreadsheet that is 41.2 metres long (almost the length of an Olympic size pool).

My math: View screen at 100% (actual?) - each row is abt half a centimetre. Total rows 8255 (these are mainly formulae and values derived from even more formulae). 8255/2/100cm= 41.2 metres! File size? 4.7Mb. That just covers the length - the width I cannot really determine since column widths vary (but extend to BF). Feel free to calculate the width :-)

Caveat Emptor - HP 530 laptop ....

2008-09-16T09:38:00.002+03:00

Not meaning to bad mouth HP but it would appear that the HP 530 low cost laptop introduced into Kenya has issues to do with memory (RAM) and their hard disks. I have a friend who acquired one in July and since then it's hard disk and memory have been replaced. I accompanied him to pick the laptop up after the second visit and during the short while we were at the reseller's reception, at least two other buyers came in with similar problems.

The machine has since been taken back a THIRD time to have the memory replaced and according to the local HP support provider, there have been memory and hard disk issues with the 530. Some resellers, perhaps from the grey channel, may be fitting non-genuine memory.

Kenya...now Zimbabwe - setting a dangerous precedent for democracy........

2008-09-16T08:35:00.002+03:00

Power sharing. When you think about it, that is all it is. Its not about democracy, neither about the promises made to the electorate. Its simply sharing power. Nothing more. A mockery has been made of democracy, nay, its been shot in the chest and lies bleeding.

It matters not whether ZANU-PF or MDC won. Zimbabweans have still lost. Africa is also going to lose. Very soon there will be another election which will have the following features:

1 - Prior to election, allegations of plans to rig it - whether it is the case or not;

2 - Sensationalisation of acts of violence - labelling them "intimidation" of supporters;

3 - Disruption of the actual process - the lend credence to rigging and to mar the actual outcome.

Of course the western media, thirsty to report on another dictator/failed state will blindly pay heed to these allegations and sensationalise them further.

Falling crude prices....but pump prices in kenya stay the same!

2008-09-16T08:14:00.003+03:00

Crude oil prices went just below the $100 mark yesterday after reaching an all time high of around US$ 145 per barrel (in July). HOWEVER, pump prices in Kenya remain the same. We should be looking at prices of around Kshs 85-87 around now. Pump prices stood at Kshs 83 in early December 2007 when crude was still below US$ 100 per barrel.

What is the Ministry of Energy doing? What can PIEA say about it? Is this still January - March stock?

Driving School with a difference...

2008-09-15T18:07:00.003+03:00

This is about Rocky Driving School - specifically their Westlands branch. I recently took someone to enroll for driving lessons - Class BCE. Lets start with the epilogue so you may understand that I am not merely kvetching here.

Epilogue - Wednesday September 10 2008 at around 1730 hrs - the day before the test, I decided to go over a few final issues with the person who went for the BCE lessons. I wanted to check a few things - getting the car moving, steering control, pedal control (clutch, brake, gas), etc. No need to go into detail. Said person stalled the car THRICE,could not control the car and was hard pressed to engage the reverse gear - and I'm not talking about a VW golf, or BMW or Merc whose reverse is not in the "usual" place - neither are we talking about a mini :-) I had grave concerns (pun intended) - still, he felt up to the test and muttered something about using a lorry for the test, which is supposedly easier. Next day he got a Certificate of Competency! Hmmmm.

Rocky Driving School have a fairly decent brochure outlining the different driving courses and fees and, they indicate among other things:

1 - Fees include the cost of the exam, the provisional driving licence, mechanical, theory and practicals. In short the brochure implies ALL costs are covered.

2 - The fee for 15 practical lessons and unlimited theory lessons is Kshs 9,950.

What they do not tell you is:

1 - You will not get your provisional licence UNTIL the day of the test (in this case it was nearly 6 weeks later!)

2 - The 15 practical lessons are made up thus: Five, one-hour lessons in a saloon car and Ten...drum roll.....HALF hour lessons in a truck/lorry.

3 - After a few days, the instructor will palm off onto you a well worn copy of the highway code/road signs.

4 - After a few more days, the instructor will start hinting at tips/money. If you do not humour him, he will do you a great disservice. You will never do the full one hour (or half). You will never have FULL control of the vehicle (and therefore not know if you are making mistakes) and he will be deliberately delinquent. Around this time they will also tell you that its a good idea to grease the collective palm of the traffic department in order to pass the test.

5 - Just before the test, they will subject the pupil to a "mock exam" for which Kshs 250 is needed.This is supposedly a new requirement...something they could have included in the fees.. It is a four page test paper on which THEY write the answers (incidentally one of the questions asks of the student Q "When should you hoot once" A. To warn Q3 When should you hoot repeatedly A. To ABUSE someone!!! WTF?) Anyhow, THEY give all the answers such that it simply amounts to a revision paper (full of horrendous spelling errors and answers to which the traffic act makes no provision).

Next time I'll be thinking AA...or even Glen Edmunds Advanced Driving School. Rocky is theory intensive -however its of little use being able to scream out the correct roadsign (Fuck! Its a Raailwaaay Croooosiiiiing!!!) when your competence behind the wheel is seriously in doubt.

If looks could kill....

2008-09-15T17:54:00.004+03:00

...it's probably nothing new to many, especially errant motorists. Even those who have a slight lapse in judgment.

THE DEADLY STARE: Have you ever made a move and noticed a car coming out of the blind spot? Well it's not really the car or the prolonged and rude hooting, but that "lethal look" you get as the infuriated driver passes by, seemingly wanting to visually admonish you (or perhaps stare you to death). What nugacity I tell you!

THE MOVE (aka THE IDIOTIC MOVE) Still on the road (and we'll we here for a while, grab a soda...) aside from that "look" is this really infuriating habit by some drivers when you either deliberately or inadvertently "cut" into their lane - they'll do anything and everything possible just to regain their position in front of you and if they do, sometimes they also slow down to make you pay for the deceleration you caused them ("Take that, you Sunday driver!") WTF?

THE LOOK (aka "Dude, your jalopy does not belong here": Brace yourself if you own a new or "new ex-Japan" car, it might be YOU I am describing. The Look. We're sitting all merry with the windows rolled down, in a well maintain car of French descent - said car could remodel your Jap or Korean 4x4 runner, Crawler, Ark, Hiace, SUV, CRV, etc at only 30kph. You sit there with your windows rolled up, sneering at the older cars and visibly exuding that "I have arrived" mien. Dude, we been driving longer than you have been driving your ex-whatever automobile.

BTW, did Toyota go mad? Why all the new flavours and models? I recall two score and five years ago we, including those of the fairer sex, could identify all vehicle models. Even in the good ol' Safari Rally we knew ALL the makes and models of the cars, their numbers, their driver's names AND their co-driver's names!

Green Cards & Spam

2008-09-15T14:40:00.003+03:00

No Uncle Sam, I do not want Green Cards and Spam,

I want not a mortgage or credit

Neither do I want to lengthen IT or lengthen the time I use it,

Whether with a fox or to go the whole hog

I do not want to make her squeal like a mouse

Neither to bring down the house;

I do not want your green cards and spam, Uncle Sam I am.

Spampionship league

2008-09-15T14:36:00.001+03:00

Yahoo Mail 103 vs 0 Gmail

Hooray! No Spam! Go Google!

return to morals - the world IS getting better....

2008-09-15T12:00:00.000+03:00

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/470904/-/tksihi/-/index.html

South African Farmer's Computer Dictionary

2008-09-09T12:13:00.000+03:00

http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=4689584676&topic=4335

Embargoed list of election violence perps...

2008-09-09T10:16:00.000+03:00

http://www.scribd.com/doc/5284096/Schedule-of-Alleged-Perpetrators-of-Kenyan-PostElection-Violence

Google Chrome

2008-09-09T08:44:00.003+03:00

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/03/technology/03browser.php

I can't wait to see how things shape up now that Google has peeled off the gloves. Its going to be a long and winding road that Microsoft will travel in the next 3-5 years. Its unlikely MS will release any more versions of Windows or Office.

Go Google!

Adventure in Kampala

2008-09-09T08:15:00.003+03:00

While in Uganda, me and one other person decided to go out - we went to a locale and rang a few Bells...which somehow convinced me that I could recall the way to Club Silk. So off we go - pretty blazed - say six bells had rang for each of us.

Then in the industrial area, I somehow miss a turning (somehow? Nigger, please, you were wasted!). Next thing we park somewhere to ask for directions. This is the part where the effects of six beers were cancelled out.

A phalanx of armed guys come out, flood lights are turned on and we are surrounded. It was a US Embassy facility - did not ask too many questions as to what exactly. Anyway, with the car being Kenya registered and the driver looking of "middle eastern" persuasion, we had some questions to answer and many documents to produce (lamost produced fuel receipts to show we just came in and have not been around planning a bombing). That killed the whole night.

We got directions from them eventually and ended up at Silk Royale (the upstairs one for people who don't like the smell of sweaty, gyrating bodies closely packed together, dancing to less "civil" music. Half a beer later we lost interest and left. The next night more than made up for it....

Love and the gentle heart

2008-09-09T08:06:00.000+03:00

by Dante Alighieri

Love and the gentle heart are one thing,
just as the poet says in his verse,
each from the other one as well divorced
as reason from the mind’s reasoning.

Nature craves love, and then creates love king,
and makes the heart a palace where he’ll stay,
perhaps a shorter or a longer day,
breathing quietly, gently slumbering.

Then beauty in a virtuous woman’s face
makes the eyes yearn, and strikes the heart,
so that the eyes’ desire’s reborn again,
and often, rooting there with longing, stays,

Till love, at last, out of its dreaming starts.
Woman’s moved likewise by a virtuous man.

The Man in the Arena

2008-09-09T08:05:00.001+03:00

From a speech by Theodore Roosevelt

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

2008-09-09T08:04:00.001+03:00

BY DYLAN THOMAS

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.