Der Anschlag

tl;dr: Auch Terroristen nutzen Twitter. // A bridge-blogging attempt in German re: the Westgate terror attack. Na kadhalika.

Stellt Euch vor, Ihr seid gerade beim Shoppen im beliebten Einkaufszentrum, als eine Horde bewaffneter Fanatiker auf den Parkplatz des Einkaufszentrums rast, die Parkplatzwächter erschießt, wahllos auf Passanten zielt und dann mit Handgranaten bewaffnet das EKZ stürmt. Wie würdet Ihr reagieren?


Continue reading “Der Anschlag”

You eat when you are hungry #kedebate13 #debate254

Having followed the first-ever presidential debate on Kenyan tv online like almost every other Kenyan out there, I have to admit that I am still surprised at how well this was organized. I couldn’t follow the live stream up to the end as I had to attend the local web monday event here in Frankfurt (irritating my Twitter followers with the #wmfra hashtag like every other 2nd first monday in a month – pole sana!), but I would still like to point out two technical details that I like:

1.  the use of sign language

Presidential candidates face off in live debate   YouTube

The simultaneous translation into sign language is a really great step forward. Many mentioned on Twitter how much they appreciate this special service. In Germany, we are not that advanced yet. Only some selected news are being translated this way. In fact, it should be included on every important tv programme, all over the world. Sub titles are also ok.

I have indicated the translater window with an arrow – because some of you may mistake Mohammed Abduba “Mwalimu” Diba Dida’s preaching teaching style for – what? – yes, for the mentioned sign language.

Btw, I am sure there is a whole book to be written on rhetorics by African preachers, headmasters and politicians. Especially this “what?” (e.g. “..and we need this…the what? yessss, the thermometer to measure temperature.”) requires special mention in the literature universe. What’s the name of this style?

Dida, my man. Srsly. Even though Peter Kenneth mentioned water and sanitation in his introductory speech which is a big plus in my books.

2. social media sentiment tracker

Kenya Elections  Elections 2013   Elections Coverage

The social media sentiment tracker on the website of The Daily Nation. A friend at Webmontag Frankfurt approached me while I was checking my timeline for #KEdebate13 and #debate254 hashtags and asked about the news from Kenya. Told him that there are more tweeps in Kenya than in Germany. Many people in Germany don’t know that Twitter has a totally different value in other societies around the world. Ah well, the ignorants.

As a result of that and obviously under the influence of the US media, it still (!) surprises me how much social media feedback is used as an indicator for the performance of the candidates. To my mind, this is just another development where old Europe has to take a closer look at Kenya.

Kahenya, we seriously need to rethink this Pirate Party Kenya idea. Kenyans love to be entertained!

BarCamp Darmstadt 2010 & Co.

Ich bin grad zurück vom BarCamp Darmstadt 2010, bei dem sich nicht nur IT Fritzen, und auch nicht nur Interessierte aus dem Rhein-Main Gebiet haben blicken lassen.

Wenn jemand eine so lange Anfahrt aus dem Saarland in Kauf nimmt um sich mit Leuten auszutauschen, die er/sie vielleicht sonst nur “von Twitter” her kennt, durch die eine oder andere Session inspiriert wird oder einfach nur schaut was beim BarCamp los ist, dann spricht das wohl schon für die Qualität der sehr guten Organisation und vielleicht auch der Teilnehmer.

In fast jedem Fall empfand ich diese 2 Tage (von 08:00 bis 18:00 Uhr) in einem Gebäude der Deutschen Telekom in Darmstadt als gelungen – entsprachen sie doch genau meinen Vorstellungen vom BarCamp, wo es übrigens jedem Teilnehmer überlassen wird, durch einen eigenen Beitrag eine sog. Session zu gestalten und die Diskussion/Austausch zu einem Thema zu fördern. Außerdem verwahrlost man als selbstständiger “was-mit-IT/Web/Medien”-Worker leicht, so dass dieser zwanglose Austausch bei den Stammtischen, Webmontagen, Ignite-Abenden, TEDx[Stadtname] und jetzt diesem BarCamp eine wirklich angenehme Alternative darstellt. Ein BarCamp empfinde ich dabei im besten Fall immer als eine Art Weiterbildung – auch wenn man meint, vieles zu kennen, gibt es doch immer wieder neue Kontakte.

Ich habe auch so eine (sehr gut besuchte – thx!) Session gestaltet heute morgen, direkt als Erster um 10:00 Uhr, zum Thema Afrigadget & Softwareprojekte / Startups in (Ost-)Afrika. Das war eigentlich gar nicht geplant, aber Wolfgang Weicht vom Kombinat für asiatische Schwarmintelligenzforschung sowie Jan Eggers vom HR hatten mich dann dazu gebracht, dass ich in der Nacht auf Sonntag vor allem vorm PC saß und diese 93 slides zurechtgebastelt habe, die einen Einblick zur Arbeit bei/für AfriGadget & Co bieten sollen:


(Update: die originale Präsentation wurde gelöscht, daher diese hier, die ich beim AfricaGathering in London gehalten hatte)

Eine ähnliche Präsentation hatte ich vor 8 Monaten schon einmal vor einer kleinen Gruppe bei der Socialbar Frankfurt gehalten – seinerzeit aber ohne diese eigentlich wichtigen Ergänzungen zum Thema Ushahidi/Crowdmap und iHub Kenia. Unser Gruppenblog Afrigadget.com ist sicherlich ein nettes Technikblog mit sozio-kulturellen Beobachtungen im afrikanischen low-tech Kontext, die wirkliche Innovation in 2010 in Ostafrika stellt für mich aber das iHub Kenia dar, das eine Fülle von neuen High-Tech Möglichkeiten bietet, und noch viel mehr – wie der bekannte GlobalVoices/Geekcorps Blogger Ethan Zuckerman jetzt auch nochmal feststellen konnte (und, wie er schreibt, am liebsten dort bleiben würde).

Über den Nutzen eines Open Source Crowdsourced Mapping Tools wie Ushahidi im Bereich der Nothilfe mag man sicherlich geteilter Meinung sein, aber mir ging es jetzt vor allem darum, dass ein technisch auf Weltniveau mitschwimmendes, aus einem Entwicklungsland wie Kenia stammendes Tool auch in Deutschland für ein interessantes Projekt eingesetzt werden sollte. Der Alex Boerger, Designer/Kommunikations/Mediendingens, kam dann auch gleich mit einem interessanten Projektvorschlag rüber: Ushahidi nutzen, um den Leerstand von Büroräumen in Mainz zu tracken. Die Idee finde ich super! Ganz abgesehen davon, dass der Alex auch ganz andere coole Ideen hat, freue ich mich natürlich sehr über diese Wahrnehmung des Ushahidi Potentials. Etwas gut zu finden und es dann auch einzusetzen sind zwei komplett verschiedene Dinge.

Sehen kann man das auch bei unserem Feierabendprojekt “Frankfurt-Gestalten.de” (FG), für das wir massiv Postkarten ausgelegt und den Vertretern von Namics und TripleSense für die direkte Ansprache wohl eher Unannehmlichkeiten bereitet hatten (man möge mir dies verzeihen). FG basiert auf dem Content Management System Drupal, das zwar eigentlich total genial ist und eine wunderbare Flexibilität bietet, aber auch seine Tücken hat. In einem Land wie Deutschland, in dem die Profis gerne auf Typo3 als “bestes CMS” verweisen, fühlt sich die gemeinsame Einarbeitung in Drupal auch irgendwie gut an. Im Ausland ist Drupal bekannt und beliebt, nur in Deutschland….

Und dann auch noch bei einer Diskussionsplattform zur Lokalpolitik, wobei diese beiden Begriffe hier eigentlich nicht wirklich zutreffen – auch nicht der Begriff “Internetforum” (wie die FNP schrieb) – und auch bei mir eher Erinnerungen an Begriffe wie “Diskussionsbedarf” aus Asta-Zeiten hervorrufen. Das alles soll FG eigentlich nicht sein, sondern in erster Linie eine Übersichtsseite zu den Aktivitäten der Lokalpolitik nach Stadtteilen geordnet, und virtuelle Anlaufstelle für die Probleme der Bürger mit der Möglichkeit, eine eigene Initiative zu starten (ohne den ganzen Quatsch, den man mit einer Iniative sonst vielleicht verbinden würde – wer will sich heutzutage schon öffentlich engagieren, wenn er dafür nach Stuttgart oder Gorleben fahren muss?). Nein, FG ist für uns auch Neuland, dass es in dieser Form erstaunlicherweise bundesweit noch nicht gegeben hat. Insofern lassen wir uns gerne überraschen und freuen und auch über die zugesagte Mitarbeit einiger heller Köpfe im Rhein-Main Gebiet, so dass sich Frankfurt-Gestalten eigentlich nur nach vorne entwickeln kann.

makezine_instructables

Gefreut habe ich mich auch sehr über dieses Make: “The Best of instructables, Vol. 1” Buch aus dem Hause O’Reilly – einer Spende zu den regelmäßig stattfindenden Webmontagen, die ich als Gegenleistung für einen kleinen Tweet erhalten hatte (und dafür schäme, aber die Neugierde beim Bücherangebot war zu groß). Ich bin nämlich ein leidenschaftlicher Bastler, habe mir in der Vergangenheit auch schon das Makezine gekauft und lese die O’Reilly Bücher idR auch online bei PaperC – der Plattform für Fachbücher. Lohnt sich. Heißen Dank!

Bedanken möchte ich mich auch bei den Sponsoren und dem Orga-Team für das super organisierte BarCamp – vom Ticket, über die Verpflegung hin zu den T-Shirts war da wirklich alles dabei. Einzig das sehr wackelige & umständliche WLAN im Gebäude der Deutschen Telekom fand ich etwas seltsam und Netzempfang der anderen Wettbewerber war dort auch fast unmöglich innerhalb des Gebäudes. Später funktionierte dann der Fonic Stick, war dann aber nur noch für Twitter von Bedeutung. Fürs nächste BarCamp wünsche ich mir daher entweder ein besseres WLAN, oder gute Empfangsmöglichkeiten bei den Mobilfunkanbietern. Das klingt jetzt vielleicht etwas kleinkarriert, aber mittlerweile laufen bei solchen Veranstaltungen nicht nur der back channel über Twitter, eine gute Netzabdeckung ist daher schon recht wichtig.

#youknowyourKenyan

twitterkenyaA Twitter meme, started by Alen Wekesa (@iAlen), a Kenyan resident in Tanzania, on how to know you’RE Kenyan.

In chronolocigal order, just because some of them are so true. Incomplete, mixed-up list as of 08. September, lunch time, RTs (re-tweets) not included. Enjoy + pls feel to add some more, either via a comment or via Twitter.

  • @zionafrika #youknowyourKenyan when you arrest all youngest with dread locks for the clam that they are mungiki member
  • @jke #youknowyourKenyan When a conversation with another Kenyan goes like this: “Ah, so you’re from Kenya? Where from?”
  • @jke #youknowyourKenyan in the diaspora when your folks in Nbo only call you to ask for kitu kidogo or for that *urgent* Paypal transaction
  • @Udisco #youknowyourkenyan when you call every City/Town Council “Kanjo”…
  • @jamesmurua #youknowyourkenyan When your roadside maindi dealer doesn’t have pili pili and you raise a hissy fit.
  • @bytebandit #youknowyourKenyan when you meet a childhood playmate who had one of those nicknames e.g. toi, boi, mdogo etc
  • @mkaigwa #youknowyourkenyan when you call your daughter “Mum” and your son “Daddy” #buthowwouldiknowidonthavekids?
  • @majiwater #youknowyourkenyan when customer serivce agents always have an excuse and blatantly deny responsibility for not delivering service.
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when All children have annoying nicknames. (bebi, toi, boi, kadogo, nyako, dadie, toto, kanono, twig)
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when u don’t have genuine containers or utensils, you only use margarine, ice-cream Blue band, Kasuku, Kimbo
  • @africafeed #youknowyourkenyan If @coldtusker and @Kahenya accuse you of corruption.
  • @majiwater #youknowyourkenyan when ‘no’ or ‘I dont know’ dont exist in your vocab. You always have an idea or always an expert.
  • @majiwater #youknowyourkenyan when recycled and repackaged ‘visions’ and ‘dev plans’ since independence still give you hope of a brighter future
  • @mountainous @youknowyourkenyan when you belive that voting for the same clowns every year because they have defected to a new party will change anything
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you blame TV for corrupting the morals of Todays Children yet you let them watch what they want.
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you laugh at how bad things have gotten here… sad sad sad
  • @Kizee_Brian #youknowyouarekenyan if traffic lights are just a suggestion and you do what you want anyway #youknowyourkenyan
  • @tchenya @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when youTotally agree with the wrong grammar #wearekenyan off course
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when your politicians say “dont worry El nino will solve the drought problem” – praying 4 one disaster to solve another!
  • @Mkaigwa #youknowyourkenyan When you don’t remove the plastic cover from your remote, your car seats or your new mobile phone!!!
  • @mkaigwa #youknowyourkenyan When you don’t remove the plastic cover from your remote, your car seats or your new mobile phone!!!
  • @mkaigwa @paulakahumbu Hilarious! What about the fellas and ladies on Facebook using pictures of celebs (and having no other pics) #youknowyourkenyan
  • @mkaigwa #youknowyourkenyan when you want to say what another Kenyan wanted to say first @Tchenya I was just about to tweet that. #iknowImkenyan
  • @mountainous #Youknowyourkenyan when the only time you visited the game park was during a school trip (Sad!)
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you miss every deadline – Africa time is… ouch!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you use a cute chick avatar on twitter and you’re a guy! Cheap stunt to get followers!
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when your follow #youknowyourkenyan instead of #youknowyouarekenyan
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when your radio station reads news from your daily newspaper and you still have to listen to news.
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan if you are still waiting for the ‘Serikali’ to ‘give’ you a job! <== Kwani its an entitlement, look for it.
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you complain about everything, power, roads, water, school, food, etc and do nothing!
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when you read #youknowyourkenyan tweets to understand who you really are
  • @jke #youknowyourKenyan when you are still waiting for Nyayo Car.
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you insist on negotiating every purchase!
  • @inteligensia #youknowyourkenyan when you write tweets long enough that they continue next line (via @TChenya)
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when you use twitter instead of woofer.com
  • @tchenya #youknowyourkenyan when you write tweets long enough that they continue next line
  • @mountainous @youknowyourKenyan when you ask for a WARM BEER! This has been pointed out so many times by foreigners.
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan because nobody has a landline anymore
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when your power is off 3 days a week and they double your bill , and you don’t say anything.
  • @careyeaton #youknowyourkenyan when you don’t question the publication of prices of sacks of vegetables in the newspaper.
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when power company bills u wrongly by 20,000 & says pay & we’ll resolve the problem – or we’ll disconnect u immediately
  • @careyeaton #youknowyourkenyan when you tell foreigners that ugali is cuisine.
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you must have a #HARAMBEE for everything! Amen!
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you must have a #HARAMBEE for everything!
  • @Akarumba #youknowyourkenyan when your MP says ‘I dont earn a 6 figure salary, I only make 800,000!! – Unbelievable!
  • @careyeaton #youknowyourkenyan when the only thing you know what to do when you drive up to a gate is hoot
  • @inteligensia #youknowyourkenyan When you tell ignorant peeps that r runners keep fit by running to school, running from lions (via @paulakahumbu)
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you groove to gospel tracks at the disco
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you have worn a pair of safari boots
  • @Akarumba #youknowyourkenyan when your MP says ‘I dont earn a 6 figure salary, I only make 800,000!!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when a hole in your ear works like a “KWS smart card” – know what I mean? Free park entry 4 life!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you actually take that 500/- before entering the poll booth…and then vote for the idiot!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you proudly wear shorts, long socks safari boots and say “I’m from Keeeeenya”
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan When you tell ignorant peeps that r runners keep fit by running to school, running from lions – I do it all the time :)
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan coz billions r made by foreigners fm biopropsecting and none of it comes home – stonewash story
  • @RookieKE #youknowyourkenyan when your mother’s sitting room has all your graduation potraits,and she wants more.
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you pay a processing fee then fly to Nigeria to collect your “winnings” in an online lotto scam – WTF?
  • @inteligensia #youknowyourkenyan because our politiians s think ‘blog’ is a rude word (via @paulakahumbu)
  • @VIKKISECRETROXS #youknowyourkenyan when you’re disapointed at the “chai” lattes at Starbucks and you wanna go home everytime you think of REAL tea
  • @VIKKISECRETROXS #youknowyourkenyan when Obama being president is a reason to drink
  • @MosesKoinange #youknowyourkenyan when you drink on the beach and feel NOTHING hahahaa
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you can’t work without a steaming cup of tea at your side
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan because our politiians s think ‘blog’ is a rude word
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when u shake ur fists at pedestrians as ur matatu overtakes traffic by hurtling down pedestrian paths on major highways
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when you put 5 teaspoons of sugar in each of your ten cups of tea – then wonder why u got diabetes
  • @mountainous #youknowyourKenyan when you start reading the newspaper with sports, then stars, then cartoons………
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourkenyan when the boss of your online company talks about the ‘interweb’ in a fund raising meeting – ouch!
  • @davdalx #youknowyourkenyan when you say your instead of you’re, but still follow the trend
  • @bytebandit #youknowyourKenyan when you say “imbox” while referring to “inbox”
  • @gishungwa #youknowyourKenyan if you bargain everything including bus fare
  • @bytebandit #youknowyourKenyan when you see a commuter taxi aka mathree conductor hanging precariously on the door.
  • @mountainous #youknowyourKenyan when you have peculiar calling habits eg jamming the network promptly at 5PM every Friday
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you get used to washing in a bucket
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when the presidential escort rounds roundabout wrong way crashes into matatu beats up driver 4 risking presidents life
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you realize your convent school classmates are involved in corruption scandals – gr8 education!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when peeps greet you with their twitter names in public – “Hi I’m miss Wretched” @misswretched gr8!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when most of ur tweeps greet u in the morning n ask if you slept well :-)
  • @natekev #youknowyourKenyan when international artistes fail to show up in ur country days to their concert
  • @dnyaga #youknowyourKenyan when you speak #swanglish (Me i kulad, i somad, … , then i lalaad!) (via @mtotowajirani @kenyanpundit @intelligensia)
  • @bytebandit #youknowyourKenyan if you get an adrenalin rush and dance like whoa!! when the DJ hits a gospel track in the club.
  • @bytebandit #youknowyourKenyan when someone says “crips” instead of “crisps”
  • @Wyndago #youknowyourkenyan when you utter half a word in the middle of a sentence just to complete it ‘..then he ca..? He came’
  • @inteligensia:#youknowyourKenyan when you speak #swanglish (Me i kulad, i somad, i twittered, then i lalaad!) (via @mtotowajirani)
  • @kairitu #youknowyourkenyan when some random mamaz show up at your house and tell the mboch “tumetumwa na mwenye nyumba tuchukue gas,fridge….etc”
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you sin all week long and expect that going to Church, listening to Christian music on Sunday will erase it all
  • @gitts #youknowyourkenyan when you buy a Toyota yet you wanted a Subaru
  • @gitts #youknowyourkenyan when the car in front of you is a Toyota
  • @kairitu #youknowyourkenyan when you cant wait for mayoral elections to happen coz most definately cityhall watauana
  • @AkelLove #youknowyourkenyan when you’ll take anything that’s free.
  • @AkelLove #youknowyourkenyan when your president is senile.
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when you pronounce heart, hat, hurt and hut the same way
  • @kairitu #youknowyourkenyan when the goverment announces an emergency vaccination then the parents go like “they want to make our kids sterile”
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when you have a VHS tape of Sarafina in your digs
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when you are surprised that the road doesn’t have any potholes
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when telling a story you say half aword and wait for it to be completed
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when you have a dog called simba and mbwa kali sign on your gate
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when you pronounce Milo me-lo instead of my-lo
  • @gitts #youknowyourKenyan when every time you alight from public transport you have to check your pockets
  • @inteligensia #youknowyourKenyan when your neighbours kids are called ocampo, obama and bolt! (via @mtotowajirani)
  • @magaribina Si #youknowyourKenyan when you somehow manage to turn every third sentence into a question, yeah ?
  • @magaribina #youknowyourKenyan if you measure distance by shillings ( si mbali – ni thirty bob tu)
  • @MosesKoinange #youknowyourKenyan when someone shows up 2 hours late and says ‘don’t worry, it’s African time” (time to kill them!)
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when the whole village (including the chief) come for your graduation ceremony and insist on decorating you with Tinsel!
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when christmas lunch or any party isn’t complete without Chapatis
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you expect “Serikali” to do everything for you, feed, educate, cloth, employ, treat. Heck even pay your Dowry!
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan whenever you asked by a TV reporter about any calamity/problem you respond starting with “Serikali inapaswa kusaidia…..
  • @wilfylou #youknowyourkenyan when you say excusssss instead of excuse me.
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you ask for a salary advance the week after payday!
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when your ultimate concept of going out is Nyamachoma in a dingy joint while grooving to Mugithi/Benga/lingala
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you think only people from Central love money, We ALL love money!!!!!
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you actually believe HIV/AIDS only infects unmarried/loose/poor/uneducated people
  • @mountainous #youknowyourkenyan when you insist on staying on the more expensive, unreliable, congested cellphone network
  • @egm_photo #youknowyourKenyan if you complain about the dirty condition of the streets/roads, yet you toss stuff out of your car window free style!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you send a hot chick credit and she flashes you back to just say thanks!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you can’t get your grammar right even in the hash-tag @paulakahumba
  • @mountainous #youknowyourKenyan when you stop the matatu infront of your gate then spend all day bitching about how Matatu are causing jam
  • @mountainous #youknowyourKenyan when you wait till the last minute to do your back to school/christmas/household shopping
  • @mountainous #youknowyourKenyan when you flash someone and when he @ she calls back you only say you wanted to say Hi!!!!
  • @mountainous #youknowyourKenyan when you call someone just to ask ‘uko wap?’
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when someone insists there only one First family and Wambui et al know otherwise…..
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you call State House and the person on the other end goes, “You want a srap?” lol
  • @bnalyanya #youknowyourKenyan when you can’t get your grammar right even in the hash-tag
  • @iAlen #youknowyourkenyan when on Sunday Kibaki didnt go to kabarak for sunday service!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourkenyan in Tanzania having a Tusker and its just tastes like crap!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourkenyan when your in Tanzania and wabongo are speaking in Swa!
  • @Shiko_Msa @iAlen @paulakahumbu @crystalsimeoni when peeps queue at express counter with trolleyfulls #supermarkets #youknowyourkenyan. @toneendungu
  • @iAlen @Shiko_Msa @crystalsimeoni @Mwirigi #youknowyourKenyan when there’s no news on the news (its the same old same old) haha
  • @iAlen @Shiko_Msa @paulakahumbu @crystalsimeoni RT #youknowyourKenyan when goodbye’s end in “nice time”…uh…yeah you too…
  • @Mwirigi #youknowyourKenyan when there’s no news on the news (its the same old same old)
  • @crystalsimeoni #youknowyourKenyan when goodbye’s end in “nice time”…uh…yeah you too…
  • @iAlen @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you say “Hello” and he answers “fine” …what the hell do you say next? hahahahahahahahaha
  • @iAlen @kainvestor@Shiko_Msa @paulakahumbu RT #youknowyourKenyan when someone calls you and says “who am I speaking to?” hahaha
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you get back from holiday and your manager says “your back from China?”
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you’re next door neighbour is a Mungiki adherant and you cant report it to the authorities
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when someone calls you and says “who am I speaking to?”
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you start negotiating for you wallet from the pickpocket on a mathree
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when being able to say “I’ve never given a bribe” is something worth getting a prize for
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you steal from public coffers and get reappointed Minister
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you say “Hello” and he answers “fine” …what the hell do you say next?
  • @iAlen @queenkenya562 @MosesKoinange @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you call a parastatal and the receptionist goes, “kunatia?”
  • @paulakahumbu @Shiko_Msa nice one …and #youknowyourKenyan when she says “Imagine” in response to every statement
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you call a parastatal and the receptionist goes, “kunatia?”
  • @Shiko_Msa @paulakahumbu when the word ‘otherwise’ is a greeting #youknowyourkenyan?
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when police refuse your offer of pie in a bag in response to “can u give us something for lunch” – I did that :) ha ha
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when police get into ur car 2 get 2 next police check then offer u KSh 200 for fuel – 4 hours later!
  • @paulakahumbu @ialen #youknowyourKenyan when the radio DJ tells a crying woman who called in to stay with her brutal husband for the sake of the kids :(
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when the breakdown service truck is being towed – I saw that today!
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when the traffic police are push starting their car
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when u turn on radio and they r playing Roger Whittaker – we must b the only people on the planet who listen to that crap
  • @iAlen @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you get “leave a message” when you dial 911 lolest @moseskoinange @ialen @kainvestor
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when they give you anti malaria pills for a headache
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you get “number out of service” when you dial 911 or KWS hotline for that matter
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you get “leave a message” when you dial 911
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when you tell the guy who jumped the q to go back to the end and he says “do you know who I am?”
  • @paulakahumbu @moseskoinange @ialen @kainvestor #youknowyourKenyan when ur warned “uta lala ndani” for worn tyres
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when Michuki rattles at you and you cant do anything about it!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when half of the MP’s in the house have past criminal convictions! ouch!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when 17 screaming cars 42 bikes with flashing lights pull traffic off road 2 let Rais attend to a golf lunch on a Monday
  • @wayneryner #youknowyourKenyan when you rape, steal n kill and expect your kids to love n respect you
  • @paulakahumbu #youknowyourKenyan when 17 screaming cars 42 bikes with flashing lights pull traffic off road 2 let Rais attend to a golf lunch on a Monday
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when F 2 is beckoning at midnight
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when your listening to Genge!
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when Kenyans dont know about twitter Trending Topics and cant contribute…..hah
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when karaos on night patrol arrest you and ask for your grandfathers ID….
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when Museveni attacks Migingo and Kibaki is comfortably sleeping and doing nothing about it
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when the First Lady goes srapping journalists at mid night….i wirr srapp you
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you are enjoying succulent nyama choma at Dagoretti Corner or Olepolos….yummy
  • @iAlen #youknowyourKenyan when you hear your President saying Kubaff in public…lol

Know of any other reasons that fit into this meme? Go ahead and comment or participate by adding a “#youknowyourKenyan” to your Tweet!

(Twitter logo based on the wonderful work of Gopal – thx!)

Kweli Sukari ya Tana ni Tamu?

In reference to this story on the ongoing Tana River delta issue in Kenya (shared by Afromusing on FB earlier today), let me pls also forward you to this website & this excellent series of video clips on this pressing issue. The following video clip is part no. 3 out of 14 where Paul Matiku (Director of Nature Kenya) tells us something about the consequences of the proposed plantations in the Tana Delta:

Is Tana’s Sugar Really Sweet? – part 3 (Video by Adrian Seymour on Vimeo).

“Kweli Sukari ya Tana ni Tamu?” – Is Tana’s Sugar Really Sweet? – I guess we already know the answer to this rhetorical question…

Flying Toilet 2.0

The Peepoo bag – an upgrade to the flying toilet issue:

The Peepoo bag is a biodegradable bioplastic bag “that sanitise the human excreta shortly after the defecation, preventing the faeces from contaminating the immediate as well as the larger environment”. It’s clearly aimed at current users of flying toilets (~ defecate in a bag during the night or at dawn and throw it away), which is why Peepoople are currently testing it in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya.

2008 is almost closing and with all that terror and stupidity we’ve seen in the world, I’ve? asked myself about the impact of the International Year of Sanitation which was set up by the UNSGAB for 2008 and whether it actually changed anything to the better.

What about you? Have you thought about or improved your sanitary facilities? Do you have a proper toilet at home and at work? Yes?

Am asking because my (former) colleagues at work actually tested these bags and – not being used to the Flying Toilet system – came up with a list of pros and cons regarding this “technology”:

pro

  • good for temporary / emergency situations
  • may be used at home at night
  • allows for a sanitization within a short time and prevents odours
  • polyethylene (PE) bag decomposes into carbon and hydrogen compounds after about ~ 80 days
  • relatively low cost

cons

  • no permanent nor sustainable solution
  • plastic bag may be too thin + too small
  • ammonia gas may leak from torn bags & will become an immediate public health problem
  • bag system is patented => how do you prevent fake (= non biodegradable) bags?

Turns out I am the only person in the office who thinks this may be an improvement to the people in Kibera.

What do YOU think? Will this be an interesting alternative for over-populated areas such as Kibera?

[UPDATE]: There’s a follow-up to this post on Saniblog.

mhubirigadget

Something tells me that this gadgetimoja will become very popular in some parts of Kenya….

[via]

AOB: my first post from Ubuntu! Earlier this week, a colleague of mine asked me which firewall software he should use next to his Avira antivirus scanner on WinXP. I told him to try Ubuntu instead if all he does is surfing the web + some office tasks. Why? Because it may just be what he needs.
As for me, I’ve switched from Kubuntu (KDE 3.x + 4.x) back to Ubuntu (Gnome) earlier this week as I realized that Ubuntu is what I need on my laptop here. A perfect alternative to WinXP. The only thing I dislike about Ubuntu & Co so far is that it really only makes sense if you have an internet connection that provides enough bandwidth for updates (I am still to figure out how to download updates to an offline repository). Slowly switching from WinXP to Ubuntu apparently also includes the realization that a limited availability of programms (see also Apple Mac) isn’t necessarily that bad. Hey, it even connects to my phone! And printer installation….wooohaaa! 25 minutes / 800 MB software package to install an AIO HP OfficeJet 7210 printer within WinXP, but less than one minute within Ubuntu. Sure, this will only cover the driver, but then – even the driver package alone is ~70MB on WinXP.