Networked Blogs

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

HOW YOU CAN MANAGE AND SHARE YOUR PHOTOS WITH FRIENDS

HOW YOU CAN MANAGE AND SHARE YOUR PHOTOS WITH FRIENDS

Thursday, February 24, 2011

TECHNOLOGY IN EVERYDAY LIFE!

This year i plan to continue to write useful articles that will make this blog more useful to the visitors. I plan to do more writing centering on issues of Libraries and Information services and how technology is changing the face of Library services not only in the developed nations but also in developing and emerging economies.

Internet and mobile telephony's continued rise in development and affordability is tilting the scales in service delivery, in enhancing life long learning and in doing business generally.

Markets have been widened that previously were closed and trading has become a global issue due to the interconnectivity of the world into a global village. Information on anything is available 24/7 and with a click of the button you can diagnose and prescribe drugs for malaria, you can get markets for goods in America, can book flights and hotels when planning holidays abroad and talking to your loved ones miles away is now possible with technology. All these are happening at rates which have become very reasonable and hence affordable to many.

In Tanzania and many parts of East Africa mobile affordability has been achieved and interconnectivity has penetrated the very remote villages of this region. It is not unusual to see an old man/woman fumbling in his pocket to remove a mobile phone to receive a call for a relative or friend. Manufacturers of mobile phones have come up with phones that can be powered by solar so users do not have to rely on electricity to have the phones on. Recharge voucher values have since dipped to the tail ends of the denominations and this has enhanced calling and texting by majority of the populace.

It is due to the above changes that now even service providers like Libraries and other institutions such as schools, tertiary institutions and Universities must change their approach to service delivery. There must be change of tact in doing business and it demands that technology and the tools it has created becomes part of the solution to the new order.

The new dawn is finally here and for us to remain relevant there is need to re-think, re-evaluate and re-strategize ourselves to fit in this new way of life.

Lets move together to uncover the beauty of this techno inspired journey.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Diary of a village boy!

Paying of bride prize also known as Dowry.

A home where girls are born is bound to have the above ceremony at one time in its life. This however is not always guaranteed as some men have been known to take other men’s daughters’ and dillydally in paying the bridal prize. Such men have lost heavily incase the wife dies as all the children will revert back to the clan of the girl.

When the dowry was announced it was a big honour to the home and the head of the family which was of course the father of the girl would call his brothers and fellow village mates to come and witness and participate in the negotiation of the bride prize. Bride prize paid in Luoland is usually negotiated and a lot of tempers was in most cases expected to flare unless the offer was too good to warrant that. This was not a bad thing really but was a symbolic gesture to show the love parents and clan mates had for their daughter.

Usually the negotiations were carried out in the girls’ mothers’ house and there was a way in which the different groups sat during the ceremony. The visitors who comprised of the relatives of the groom and the groom himself sat on the right side of the house while the owners of the bride sat on the opposite side facing each other. Women usually sat on the floor with their legs covered in lesos/khangas. In most cases they (women) were mere observers to the negotiation and would rarely participate if only to corroborate a fact etc.

Growing up in the village ensured that at a tender age I would be a regular attendee to these activities even if just as an observer. Usually when I was still in my early teens, my main role would be to receive the visitors who in many cases came with walking live animals (Chiayo). These I would receive and tether under trees within the homestead and if there were bicycles which was the main mode of transport, these would be taken and kept safely and I would then lead the visitors to the house…..my duty partially will be done.

You would be lost for words how honorable these people would be greeted by the hosts. I have never known why Luo people valued their in-laws so much that you needed a whole village to come and help you entertain them. Other communities I think dowry payment is a family business period. Maybe the Luo is a pride ridden tribe and maybe, just maybe the reason a clan had to participate.

When an in-law come visiting every child in the village would be happy because it is the day to sample all sorts of niceties in terms of food. They say that all the food cooked for the in-laws is accounted for and should the marriage (keny) break-up then all this will be deducted from the final accounting to be returned. That’s why my brother George tells me that my late grandfather was disappointed by him when they went to pay dowry for my uncle’s wife because he didn’t eat well and he had been taken out of school just to go do that!

I attended many dowry ceremonies not only of my aunts but also in other homes within the village. We as the young boys of the village were to form the group of brothers to the lady and we would always demand a share of the bride prize for the men otherwise known as “pesa yawuoyi” this was specific to the men and would be shared equally amongst all present irrespective of age. It was given to the men because it was assumed that it was these men/boys who had shielded the girl from bad behaviour hence the husband was able to get her in better stead. Other groups also got their share depending on the roles they had played in the development of the girl, these included the grandma’s, grand pa’s, aunties, uncles and cooks for the day in appreciation of the food.

One funny thing with Luos is that “Oche” the in-laws do not eat with the fathers and older relatives of the girl but could eat with the Boys…the girls’ brothers. I always loved this part coz the best parts of chicken and all the other delicacies were served to the visitors before the other villagers could eat. Sitting there on the high table was one such pleasure I still remember with love and admiration for the people who decided that boys could eat with visitors. Although sometimes waiting for the moment took so long, the final execution was worth the many sessions of yawns we had to undergo.

During the dowry negotiations as I said earlier, tension always arose and in most cases whenever a deadlock was imminent the visitors would seek leave and go out of the house to strategize. One will know the going is rough inside by the number of times the visitors would go for consultations and sometimes the weary faces they would wear on such sojourns. The good thing is that a solution was always reached…atleast in the cases where I have been a witness.

Dowry negotiation is a skill that most people develop over time and there are people who are known not to miss such occasions; they are so skilled in twists and turns of the game that they always get a way with their terms. My uncle James Odinga though very short tempered and no nonsense man is such a darling when it comes to appeasing the in-laws egos when he accompanies you for the negotiations. I remember his articulate speech on the floor of my father in-law’s house that finally enabled our hosts to accept whatever little we had carried on our trip. He so passionately promised my in-laws that we (the groom’s family) will take “good care of your daughter” and that he would ensure that it happened. Before long the battle was won.

It is not always that you win battles with your future in-laws…sometimes the tension get so thick a knife would slice through it….but with in-laws our elders taught us you must be patient and restraint otherwise you will loose both your temper and a potential wife.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Cancer Updates from John Hopkins University

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not
reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies.. These could be due to genetic, environmental,food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies,changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6.. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow,gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage,like liver,kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns,scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size.. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from Chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with Cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to no urish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic,avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6,Flor-ssence,Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc..) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted,
or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Information can help save life....please share with family and friends.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

IRON HAND NEEDED TO STEER PROJECTS TO ACTION


I have followed the debates in our local Newspapers in the recent past especially those debates touching on Performance contracts, Mau Forest evictions, school unrests etc with mixed feelings of sorrow and disdain for our beloved country Kenya.

I am saying with mixed sorrow because the way our leaders, especially the elected ones whether as MP’s or those elected to represent various professional Associations or Unions are behaving, portray a sad scene and narrows our focus on handling national issues with the openness of mind and grasp of facts as they are stated.

Take the issue of Mau Forest for example; it is common knowledge to all Kenyans that this is the largest water tower in Eastern Africa and several rivers feeding Lake Victoria originate from here. Any interference with this catchment means putting millions of people, wildlife and Marine lives into a state of jeopardy. Egypt relies solely on the river Nile as its source of drinking and irrigation water. If the lake is not able to sustain itself through the Feeder Rivers that originate from Mau and other catchment areas, it naturally means that the other dependants of the lake through the rivers such as Nile will suffer.

It is not too late to reverse the damage already done to the Mau forest by the past government; the current government seems ready to take the bull by its horns once and for all. It has shown that it is possible to salvage the damage done and restore the forest back to its feet and is even willing to take the onus of settling all the illegal squatters currently living in land hived off the forest. A good gesture indeed that should be appreciated by all.

I do not see a better way a government can serve its purpose other than marshal all in its wake and fight the challenges of global warming by replenishing a dying international heritage. Despite all these, there are people who for pure selfish reasons have by design refused to believe that this issue, hot as it is, is worth undertaking because it is going to interfere with their constituents… (read here the people who got me the job as an MP etc). What else would you say of a university educated legislator, well informed and savvy about environmental issues but refuses to engage in serious discourse and simply grumbles about an issue as serious as global warming?

The other lot are those who think that performance contracts are supposed to send employees home when they don’t perform to expectations. Whose idea is this if I may ask and who tells you that if you don’t meet your targets then you are fired? There are always genuine reasons that can make a person not to meet the targets and these could be both internal and external factors. A good example is the post election political upheavals that faced the country; it means that for a good part of the first quarter of year 2008 most targets could not be met due to a lot of insecurity and displacements etc. Some internal reasons could be funding problems or lack of necessary resources to undertake the tasks earmarked in the contract.
There is no better way for an institution or a person to show what they have been doing over a period unless they state what it is they want to do over the same period and work towards achieving that. In other words set targets for your work. World trends are catching up with us and if we truly want to achieve our blueprint of growth and development as envisioned in the 2030 document then this is the stage to start from. Whether you are a teacher, doctor, driver or judge of the High Court, the times have caught up with us, we just can’t hide under any other guise. Sign contracts now.

Now it is the talk on where the perpetrators of the post election violence that rocked the country should be tried. Groups have emerged supporting either the Hague option, Local tribunal as suggested by Waki and even the Truth and Reconciliation modelled alongside the S.African version. The people of Kenya who have suffered most in all these are now held captive by Selfish leaders who do little but defend their own interests. The leadership of our country currently steered by a duo in the form of Kibaki and Riala are themselves torn apart between party loyalty and duty to nation. It is quite sad that the cabinet which is meant to be a collective think tank and highest decision maker has openly defied the principals on almost all matters that in the past and currently need consensus to enable the nation move forward. Then there is the parliament, made up of hyena in the name of Hon members. These are the worst lot...more like Assasins for hire, they are bought left and right both within and without the precints of the August house...they will do duty to the highest bidder.

But all these objections to whatever the government wants to do can be achieved if an element of iron hand is employed to steer the projects on the tracks, push them several kilometers of the rail and then once momentum is picked let to roll down easily. Kenyans will always hide in democratic rights but we must realize that too much democracy breeds democrazy people. People must be cajoled and threatened and sometimes made to do things they don’t like as long as the results anticipated will help save the country or mankind.

Take a family comprised of father, mother and children, the children always want their way in all things and if given a chance would neither undertake any chores nor even attend school. All of us were forced to wake up in cold weather, sometimes in rain, bathe with cold water and trek several kilometers to school. I know if I were given a choice I would say to hell with school and stay at home. But our parents were firm in the knowledge that this was going to shape our futures and more importantly put food on our tables and make us better people. Many a times we were flogged and then frog-marched to school and handed over to teachers for further discipline. If our top leaders listen to these opposing voices and give them a chance to operate; we will forever remain hungry and worthless.

Together we should stand up in solidarity and develop our country through painful and hard decisions so that our children and grand children will rejoice in the knowledge that we sacrificed a little and used steely measures to make them comfortable. Above all we shall have done a commendable duty before God and mankind! Does the saying “nothing comes easy” come to mind?