Nu Metro Kenya Changes to Silverbird Cinemas

Silverbird group just recently acquired Nu Metro Cinemas in Kenya resulting in change of name for all nu metro cinema/media stores in Kenya. Yesterday during Capital FM,S drive time...silverbird cinema's were out to market their new name new look!The Nu Metro stores were mostly housed within Nakumatt stores and hypermart complexes!The Silverbird group operates in Nigeria & Ghana among other African Countries and aims at becoming Africa's largest entertainment conglomerate!The Nu Metro stores are already doning the new logo in recognition of the rescent change of name and ownership!

Silverbird cinemas is a subsidiary of the Silverbird group an international Company which has vast interests in Africa but mainly in Nigeria and includes a radio station Rhythm 93.7/94.7(Nigeria,Silverbird Television, Silverbird Galleria and Silverbird Entertainment (MBGN & Mr Nigeria).I hope theirs will be truly a unique and wholesome Cinema experience in Kenya.Karibuni Silverbird

How To Use Adgitize To Make Money Online !

Making money from blogging is something every blogger at the back of the mind would like to achieve but its not so easy as it seems. Sometime back i didd a post inviting readers/bloggers to join advertise a service that enables bloggers accumulate points that can be converted to cash especially for each article written.

Today i ould like to share excerpts from Adgitize newsletter on how to score points ion their advertising platform:

Many people would like to earn money for their writing. There are many ways to do that on the web with companies like Pay Per Post and similar. But, those companies limit your blogging topics. Did you know that by scoring points with Adgitize that those points are translated each month into an income? A portion of your monthly points are accumulated by the articles you write on your blog.

How to Score Points

How do you score points for the articles you write? It's very easy. Just log in to the Adgitize Member Lounge. Then click on the Manage Blogs menu item below the MastHead. When you land on the Manage Your Blogs page choose the Edit Blog Info button. At the bottom of the Edit page you will see Blog Rss Feed. Copy the path of your RSS Feed into the box and click the Update Blog Button. Then you are done.

Once you have completed that simple task then go back to writing on your blog. You score Adgitize points for one article per day on your blog. These are articles that you write about subjects you find interesting. Adgitize won't tell you what to write on your blog. Adgitize doesn't force you to write about clothing, cola, consumer goods or other non-interesting items. You communicate to your readers the discussion points important to you.

Points Are Converted To Dollars

At the end of each month your article points are totaled with the other points you score from Adgitize. Points for your ad views, page views, advertising and visits to the members of our network. Once all these points are totaled, they are converted into dollars for your consumption.

Adgitize pays monthly to members after they reach a payout of only $10. So, you get the money you earned right away. No waiting for months to earn $100 or more, payouts fast. Your dollars get delivered to you. So, if you haven't already set up your rss feed then do so today so you can begin earning more money. You are already blogging, so you might as well earn something from it.

Isn't just that beautiful!if you are already Aditizing i bet its news that you will sincerely treasure.If you are not....Join Now

Disguise your Caller I.D and Mobile Phone Voice

I have just come accross a website that offers a revolutionary service that enables one to disguize their voice over the phone.The site is : Spoof.Com
In Kenya i bet such a service would most positively used to play pranks or in deviant ways and that worrying.But its interesting to know that with the use of a spoof card you can actually change how your voice sounds over your mobile or other telephones!The list of services spoof .com is endless including customizing your voice mail inbox,nots after a call, call logs etc.


Need business leads?

Its interesting what the world/humans are able to accomplish technology wise!

By the way for Kenyan /International readers.This service is available for anyphone, anywhere, anytime!Kenya included i presume!

Official Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide Link

Many newbie bloggers desire to find genuine and easy to understand Search Engine optimization guides or information but often are faced with myriads of conflicting advice from experts or would be experts out to make a quickbuck from them! Its often frustrating for online newbies to get needed help that they deserve!But help is on the way- reliable help from the official Google Webmaster Blog.Therein one will find free webmaster resources and SEO guides that are bound to help ones blog/website to rank favourably in Googles search engine and page ranking system.From now on Google will continue to avail free SEO tips and will update the guide inorder to adequately inform webmasters on best practice tips.To downlaod the new official Google Search Engine Guide please vist the following Link. Google (Pdf)

Now thats information you can trust and the good thing :its absolutely free!Thanks Googs!For now downloading it is the problem if you have slow internet connection!

Adgitize Your Blog and Make Money

I have just gone through a friends blog Clement Nyirenda and discovered a revolutionary ad serving service thats bound to be bloggers favourite in a huff: Adgitize .The reality is many bloggers don their sites with many ads with the hope of earning money but few actually do make any money at all! Most money minting ad services just end up exploiting bloggers.Its nice to see a hybrid service that will not only earn you money but earn you traffic, exposure and reward you for your posts without necsarrily offending your readers. You only need to continue posting as usual and visit other member sites:simple and rewarding!



Im certain the service will be a hot one for many bloggers to enable them run quality ads and earn money not just credit for clicking other adgitize ads on other blogs(thats a death knell for Entrecard).The Concept behind it is revolutionary as it enables publishers and affiliates generate traffic and in the process earn money for page visits, posts done and serving ads! We are certainly thankful for the Company owner Mr Ken Brown for coming up with such a brilliant idea!I bet thats good news for many of us!Acording to the owners the term adgitize by defeinition was arrived at from a merging of the following two words "Advertising "and " Agitate". Agitate means to give motion to or to move with irregular or violent action. To arouse public feeling. Advertise means to make something known publicly. To announce by notice or broadcast. To arouse a desire for action. Adgitize then is to arouse our customers to action. To get people to take action by writing in their blog, by visiting other blogs and by clicking on ads.



Hope you will find this information quite useful(especially if you are an African blogger) and Sign Up

I Cry For Zimbabwe(Cholera Epidemic)

It's no longer about this man: (must be one of is best photos)


and for clarity of thought i do repeat its no longer about the man "Robert Mugabe " whose educational background is quite impressive (according to wikipedia : He studied at University of Oxford in 1952, Salisbury (1953), Gwelo (1954), and Tanzania (1955–1957). Originally graduating with a Bachelor of ArtsUniversity of Fort Hare in 1951, Mugabe subsequently earned six further degrees through distance learning including a Bachelor of Administration and Bachelor of Education from the University of South Africa and a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Science, and Master of Laws, all from the University of London External Programme.^[23] The two Law degrees were taken whilst he was in prison, during the time that the Master of Science degree was taken during his premiership of Zimbabwe.^[24] After graduating, Mugabe lectured at Chalimbana Teacher Training College, in Zambia from 1955–1958, thereafter he taught at Apowa Secondary School at Takoradi, in the Western RegionGhana (1958 – 1960) where he met Sarah Francesca (Sally) Hayfron, who later became his first wife. During his stay in Ghana, he was influenced and inspired by Ghana's then-Prime Minister, Kwame Nkrumah. In addition, Mugabe and some of his Zimbabwe African National Union party cadres received instruction at the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute, then at Winneba in southern Ghana.)

It can no longer be about him but about people dying devoid of food, sanitation, human dignity , hope and the list continues!The latest UN statistics show that 589 Zimbabweans died of cholera in the past few weeks and that 13,960 have been infected, but nobody believes these figures as more continue to die.Unicef is delivering 360,000 litres of clean water to Harare each day, distributing 80,000 buckets and jerry cans and 200,000 bars of soap, and has imported enough water purification tablets to last 3.5 million people four months but this help is not enough, atleast "the Government" of the few wealthy does not need it.They continue to fight their enemies real or perceived with war/traitor chants and tough talk whilst inflation levels reach unmentionable proportions but for how long? (few know the answers)

The African Union has distanced itself from the use of force to evict this man from office and for good cause as Zimbabwean soldiers alongside innocent civillians will die defending a lost cause and failed leadership.War does not distinguish and often as was proved in Kenya's post election violence more women and children will die , suffer, be raped , humiliated , tormented abused etc.But again something needs to be done to alleviate the human suffering!As Africa stands by its own -some action is needed not just talk atleast for now top officials of ZANU PF still lounge in luxury as they blame massive poverty ,death and mayhem on the imperialist. But for the record its no longer about that well educated man!Its no longer about them...its about respect for and the right to life,liberty,descent living and human dignity.

Really Nice & Popular Screensavers

These screensavers have just made my day, they are so nice im moved to change my desktop view and you should too.......Im havig a cold/flu and as usual i get bored easily but the sight of theses really nice screensavers caught my attention.From the Lion ess lazing on top of a tree, the hippo snouts and the frog on top of watch i must say im jazzed and due to a writers block im just sharing the screensavers with you for this week!




What an African/ Jungle feel! Love it totally!

World Aid's Day 2008(Ribbon)

Today 1st December, 2008 is world Aids day, while i may not put a comprehensive post i thought it proper to display a red ribbon on this post as my contribution and express my solidarity with persons living with HIV, Caregivers and NGO'S involved in positive activities around the Disease.I would like to laud the progress that Kenya has realised in managing this epidemic though i still abhor the stigma that most Kenyans still associate with those having the scourge! Its sad that most people associate people living with HIV Virus with loose morals or having got what they deserved while often that may not be the case! Employers still continue to sack employees whom they suspect to have aids often on flimsy excuses! The discrimination that Aids patients suffer from their own is reminescent of how lepers were treated by the pharisees in ancient Israel-with so much disdain!

Theres definately much which needs to be done to educate most in our society to be able to respect and protect persons living with Aids. Much or work especially needs to be done in ensuring that persons afflicted with the virus receive adequate healthcare and affordable treatment.I regard HIV in the same manner as Tuberculosis-it is treatable and one can live a normal healthy life.I therefore say NO TO STIGMA and YES TO LIFE and in tandem with the theme of world Aids day 2008( LEAD , EMPOWER & DELIVER) hereby display my ribbon and support for persons living with Aids!

Mumbai Under Terror Attack(Breaking News)

I am just going over CNN live pictures over the terrorist mayhem that has been unleashed on Indian trade hub Mumbai by islamic terrorist extremists and its quite shocking .More than 100 people are feared dead in attack currently being blamed on the group Deccan Mujahedeen.

Gunmen in small groups armed with Grenades and automatic rifles have unleashed terror on ten popular tourist sites including the epic and magnificent hotel Taj Mahal , hotel oberoi, train stations etc

The terrorists opened fire at nearly half a dozen places in south Mumbai at around 10pm on Wednesday, and soon took hundreds, including foreigners and businessmen, hostage. Gunmen opened fire from AK-47 rifles at the city’s busiest railway terminal, CST, killing nearly 20 people.

Fear swept through the city, as frequent gunfire was heard from public places. Explosive-laden vehicles, including a taxi near the international airport, blew up. The authorities decided to call in the army early this morning and sought additional commandos from Delhi.

Terrorists took hundreds hostage in the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels in south Mumbai, minutes after they had fired with their AK-47 rifles. They threw hand-grenades at the Oberoi hotel, setting two floors aflame.As we speak Police are still evacuating the building with sniffer dogs, sharpshooters etc engaged in the activity.Its scary!

What a sad affair for the world and a lesson to the security intelligence apparatus all over the world. I hope Kenya's anti terrorism outfit take a lesson that terrorists are morphing in their tactics and now are adopting a widespread sporadic shooting of civilians in public places most likely visited by tourists.This kind of tactic stretches the response team and can very easily overwhelm! CNN reported that Indian Police in Mumbai were overwhelmed by the well co-ordinated attacks and have had to call in the military. The question for Kenya's internal security apparatus is how long can it take for the Kenyan Military to be up and operationally responsive to such an attack and whether there is a strategic well co-ordinated response plan by the relevant departments including the health services, fire brigade, bomb squad, ambulance service etc seeing that islamic extremists groups from Somalia recently threatened the Republic.....The Threat is real! No one is safe the question is how do you respond when it begins?

For those Kenyans having relatives in Mumbai and eager to know their well being there are a number of new media bloggers responding to the crisis as seen at :http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/11/26/live-blog-mumbai-residents-online-community-react-to-terror-attacks.aspx where information is being shared.USHAHIDI can just be deployed there to crowd source information from first account witnesses. A sad day indeed for the World and something to learn from!

Bloggers Branding South Africa

The Kenyan blogging community is vibrant with its A-List bloggers such as White African and Kenyan Pundit,David Kobia, Eric Wesonga etc receiving international recognition and accolades! But the question remains whether with strategic partnerships with both Government, civil society and corporate companies they can be of more positive influence in Kenya's development ,branding and the realisation of economic growth as envisioned in Kenya's economic vision 2030 programme.

I believe that some of the industry players i.e. tourism sector could borrow a leaf from the immense sphere of influence that south african bloggers are generating especially in marketing and branding of South Africa as a tourism destination. Last week i came accross this intitiative featured in South Africa's Mail & Guardian Online where by top notch USA bloggers had been invited by the International Marketing Council of SA (IMC) alongside South African bloggers with intent to generate some highly entertaining and informative web content – words, pictures, audio and video - about the South Africa.Among the bloggers invited were :

• Renee Blodgett and Ray Lewis - of down the avenue Blog
  
• Zadi Diaz - ZadiDiaz.com
• Mona Gable - The Huffington Post
• John Gartner - Matter Network
• Chris Morrison - VentureBeat
• David Sasaki - Global Voices Online
• Eliane Fioret - Ubergizmo
• Graeme Wood - The American Scene, The Smart Set, TheAtlantic.com

According to the article " The IMC is in the business of promoting South Africa as a destination for investment and travel and as a source of innovation and high quality goods and services. It calls itself the custodian of Brand South Africa, but not, mind, the owner. Today, the owner of any brand is the consumer. Thanks to the internet and the blogosphere the consumer now wields more power than ever before in history".What a positive viewpoint and step in the right direction!

It is indeed beyond doubt that the internet especially blogging and social media is becoming an increasing force in the shapping and influencing of how people decide to spend their time and money!Therefore it is only prudent that the Kenyan corporate scene starts taking advantageof this medium by using succesful webprenneurs especially bloggers who have already carved a niche in the online market. To demonstrate this consider the following in a day my blog gets 60 to 70 new viewers most of whom happen to be foreigners and since i started monitoring my traffic with the geoblog this blog has received more than 23,000 site visits ; of these only 6,000 are Kenyans.As it is this blog is then a powerful advertisement medium as exhibited in the figures .Due to this the site was included in the crazy about Kenya website (recently featured in the BBC) linkroll as a news portal of some of the interesting news about our Country!

On the otherhand i would like to challenge my bloggers to vere off from covering politics(dissapointing realm) and stress on positive attributes of Kenya, Sights to see, places to visit...the big five animals of Africa,products and innovation, human resource etc.Posts that will both add value to themselves and their site visitors.Indeed from the foregoing i challenge among others the Kenya Tourism Board to take the cue!

Pamela Jelimo-Kenya's New Wonder Gal !

Born on December 5, 1989 in Kapsabet Kenya's new 800 metres Beijing olympic Gold medalist Pamela Jelimo is destined for greater heights as she is poised to be crowned the 2008 IAAF Woman athlete for the year tommorow in Monaco at the World Athletes Gala.

Jelimo has become overly famous more so for her use of interjectory words "perhaps, actually, maybe i can say....Jelimo(Dubbed Kapsabet Express !) has fast become one of Kenya's favourite and perhaps(SIC)most entertaining athlete!

Her feat of victorious wins in the 800 meters race especially after bagging the coveted US $1 Million Golden League jackpot at only 18 years of age this year just make her the favourite athlete to watch for the IAAF Awards tomorrow nite!Among the finalists of the 2008 world athletes of the year include:

Men :1.Kenenisa Bekele ETHIOPIA 2.Usain Bolt JAMAICA 3. Dayron Robles CUBA
Women :1.Tirunesh Dibaba ETHIOPIA 2.Yelena Isinbayeva RUSSIA 3.Pamela Jelimo KENYA

Here at Nairobian we wish her all the best in her astounding career and accomplishments!

UPDATE: Jamaican Usain Bolt and Russian Yelena Isinbayeva emerged the victors yesterday night after being Male & Female Athletes of the Year! Pamela Jelimo won the Revelation of the Year Award..!

Sex Craze Hits The Nation !

It is often said sex sells but little is said of how sex kills....perhaps this attitude may just be behind the sex craze that is apparently beginning to manifest itself outrightly within the republic!

Note the following interesting items that have just hit our media portals of late!

• Today morning one of the news items on alocal radio station was that a study conducted in a Kenyan Church revealed that 1 out of 10 married Kenyan men are having an extra marital affair...now thats not a figure you would expect to get in a church but again factors as to the size of the church come into play.
• The Standard today reports that annually around 1,000 Kenyan women are trafficked to Germany for sex trade ,ponography and other illicit acts.CRADLE Kenya a Human Right 's(youths at Kenyan party) NGO reports that child abuse/Defilement cases of youths aged between 10-14 years has increased in middle class neighbourhoods such as South C, Buru Buru, Kilimani, Utalii, Ridgeways,Westlands etc
• Wednesdays Morning Maina Kageni's talk Show on Classic 105.2 Fm featured an advert on one of the local dailies classifieds about a prostitution den in Komarock /umoja where one can get to witness one, two, three or even five Lesbian girls having sex at the price of Kshs 5,000(about 70 US Dollars) per hour.And what was shocking was that this live sex act shows were prevalent in almost all the middle class neighbourhoods within Nairobi.Most of the participants being young teenagers.
• Both prominent Local Dailies Nation and Standard Newspapers had to pull out the personals and beauty classified sections afer the same featured brazen adverts for escort services, massage parlours, prostitution(gay,lesbian,bi sexual services) ,local ponographic adult DVDs, Kenyan Swingers website links ,Sex enhancement products etc.
• But what show s the extent of moral degradation and corruption that has been embraced as normal is the fact that posters don the city centre advertising local adult DVD's (to make it more raunchy they describe them as featuring Lughya, Kamba ,Kalenjin, Taita Girls) available for home delivery complete with phone number at almost every corner on Kimathi Street, Moi Avenue , etc.Church Kesha's with savvy gospel music have in some instances been the precipice for orgies(happened with the Israelites when they adopted Caananite festivals and danced under the large trees and before the disgusting images of baal of peor that featured the male and female sexual organs,They even had an official temple prostitute remember-there is no new trick that Satan uses, just same old, same old !)

The Country seems to be pre-occupied with sex and its trade at almost all levels of society,the music, the entertainment, the adverts,the tv shows, local mini -series you name it one would think that we have just discovered sex!Nude bars/table top strippers are now not a preserve of the West but right at the heart of the City Centre as entertainment joints(I.E Liddos and Apple Bees etc).And they have the audacity of advertising on local media despite stringent criminal and prohibitive legislation such as the Penal Code!What is perhaps disheartening is the fact that the many school going teenage girls and boys are being recruited into this vice when they can hardly make an informed decision.Further is the fact that due to unemployment, rampant and high competition for the limited university employment...wanton sex and drug abuse has become the pasttime for many youths.

Like Bernie Mac would say:KENYA ! RIGHT THERE YOU ARE SITTING ON A PROBLEM!the challenge now falls primarily on parents, the religious leaders,Society, the Government etc in that peking order!
CallingAmerica.com Free USA Calls !

Afrodizzia TV Launches Online Website

Afrodizzia the local weekly African music tv show have expanded their global presence by going online.Th Afrodizzia website is up and running and the layout is quite impressive with a feature that will allow local upcoming talent to upload music videos and thereby get global exposure.

The weekly music round up show often features great African music maestros and musicians from the continent. This move is readily welcome and will prove an added gusto to the African music fraternity. The website features an online social community,interactive forums, latest African entertainment news updates, music videos,artist interviews....and more! Im happy to create the buzz for them for their show is definately mind blowing! Kudos Afrodizzia for premere-ring exquisite African Music talent and Diversity!


Log on at http://www.afrodizzia.tv to experience great African Music!


a product of SoundAfrica ... East Africa's leading recording, music distribution and artiste management company.

Iconic Singer Miriam Makeba Is Dead !

I have just come across quite some saddening news that the iconic South African Singer Miriam Makeba died yesterday night in Italy after a concert for Roberto Saviano, a writer threatened with death by the Mafia. The BBC link is here ....(Click).South African singer Miriam Makeba has died aged 76 after being taken ill near the southern Italian town of Caserta following a concert
SMiriam Makeba was the first black African woman to receive a Grammy Award which she shared with folk singer Harry Belafonte in 1965.I really loved her powerful voice and good songs such as Patapata...She was a great African voice with a great heart and concern and will be surely missed !

An Inspiring Moment -Obama Wins USA Elections

AN INSPIRING MOMENT !

The Government of Kenya has just declared tomorrow a public holiday immediately after the Republican Nominee John MC Cain conceded the election and Barrack Obama was declared President Elect according to a CNN Presidential elections result tally.It was a landslide victry for the Obama"and Joe Bidden Ticket with oBama garnering 338 to Mc Cains 155 electoral votes.

Kenyans immediately erupted to celebrations with some newscasters and radio talk show hosts popping champagne bottles!Obama's victory speech delivered in Chicago Illinois was truly inspiring as he reached out to Americans who may not have voted for him and reminded them of the challenges that first were and that lay ahead...truly inspiring !The moving victory speech left Jesse Jackson crying...histry has been made!

Africa & Obama- Frenzy Grips Africa!

From Capetown in South Africa to Cairo in Egypt....Obama is the most frequented name in Africa as America goes to decide in less than 24 hours.For many an Obama Presidency seems to be an emancipation for Africa .In Kenya the frenzy is now at an all time peak.A commissioned poll indicates that 94 % of the Kenyan populace endorse Barack Obama over Mc Cain! Bill boards are being set up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Kisumu and Kogelo-Senators Obama's ancestral home.Workers are taking leave from work in order to monitor the elections tomorrow with al Jazeera news network vowing to update the African audience on the American Presidential results 12 hours non stop from the USA.Local media stations sent their journalists on the campaign trail and they will be updating their viewers on the early poll results as they trickle in!


There is definately a flurry of Activity in Kenya.Foreign Journalists are arriving in droves in Nairobi to capture that moment when (with all likelihood) Senator Obama is declared the President of the United States of America.In South Arica posters and banners are being put up stating"GOBAMA".In Uganda a road has been named Senator Barack Obama Road,Africans are doning t-shirts with emblems and photos of Obama, from TV Shows to Radio Talk Shows,Daily Newspapers Africa is Obaminicland for the moment full of Obama mania!

In the African Blogophere and on the internet Obama is the most popular search keyword.The times,All Africa.com, Africanews, Mail & Guardian online (South Africa) feature articles on Africa's expectation of an Obama Presidency.From Andy in Malawi, For the Love of Money Blog,Asad's blog ,Kenya's popular blog Kumekucha ec...posts are being churned by the minute on this great person.Its all Obama over the place!

What great hope is being put on a fellow human being.Unfulfilled expectations will result in equally great loss but thats a risk that one too many are willing to take yet again and again.Will there really be Change that one can believe in? Time will tell!

Terror Alert-Somali Insurgents & Mandera Military Incursions!

Todays Nairobi Star features a headline indicating that Somali insurgents are planning a terror attack in Kenya and that consequently the security forces have been put on high vigilance.Such calls remind us that our Country is not safe and reminds many Kenyans of the many turmoils ,heartache,Death and loss the Country has experienced since the August 7th terrorist attack on the American Embassy in Nairobi in the year 1998.Fear is slowly gripping back to the County and for a certainty our security forces are ill equipped and adequately apprised to cope with these kinds of human caused disasters.Peace continues to be elusive.For the most part our security machinery is reactive(often coming after the fact) than preventive! I stand to be corrected.

On the other hand as this cloud of gloom faces us especially considering that a suspect was apprehended yesterday ferrying over 600 bomb detonators from Eastleigh on a bus bound for Wajir-there is definately cause for alarm(Ogopa Eastleigh).
But what makes it worse is the fact that we have a military regime ,officers and personnel who still employ stone age tactics to respond to modern day crime! Its like that jua kali mechanic who has different sizes of nyundo's(hammers) and even when your car has an overflow insists on pounding the engine in order for the car to start! When defeated the mechanic always implores a bigger hammer trying to pound away the problem until he has no further strength.
My former lecturer and kinsfolk Professor P.L.O Lumumba would state"you do not respond to a mosquito bite with the pound of a hammer".Unfortunately our military commanders believe in brute force and are out there in Mandera maiming, injuring,brutally abusing men ,raping women and children under the guise of dealing with the long outstanding problem of inter clan(Murule and Garre clans) cattle rustling in North Eastern Province of Kenya.Shame on them we are now in the 21st Century! The Human Rights abuses being carried out in Mandera & Garrisa as we speak is chilling and appalling!

I believe there is need for more brain than brawn at the Department of Defence (DOD)of the Kenyan Military .Even the USA with all its military might and nuclear weapons learnt that for them to be effective and minimise losses in Iraq there was need for them to work along with the Indigenous communities alongside with the Community of Likeminded States.For our military the approach is beat everything in sight including farm and wild animals.I believe that is a cowards move. Useless fellas....the North Eastern problem is not the same as that of the Sabaot Land Defence force or Mungiki Menace.The personalities and phsyches involved are different.The present action by the military will cause more insecurity than security after all no Govermnent that fights its own Citizens has ever succeded.The students who have seen their teachers, chiefs,Imams being clobbered are now fertile minds for Al qaeda and other fanatical groups to recruit just from accross the borders and just like a snake they are bound to retreat into a hole and strike back with precision and venomous attack in due time.... Major General Kianga please tell your boys & girls to think, think and think some more!Create allies not enemies. Intelligence is not a weakness it is a strength and as long as all humans continue to bleed and die...your officers are no safer or better! Peace always prevails over war, friendship over enmity and measured responses over fanatism !

By the way how come the Human Right organizations,Newsprint, Politicians and other Kenyans are mum over the abuses happening to Kenyan Citizens by the military...are they not also humans or perhaps they are second class Citizens only to be remembered come elections?

Obama,Mc Cain,Bush-Do the Pictures Tell It All !

Exciting times are ahead as America goes to the polls Next week November 4 on Tuesday all eyes will be glued on the official election results sites to get the latest updates on the 2008 American Presidential Elections and who garners the most of the Electoral College votes especially in the swing States!Politically i always stay neutral and i am not endorsing either of the candidates ,as it is nothing much ever changes...however somebody sent me an interesting e -mail with the following photos and an interesting caption "Babies faces tell it all" Is it true?....your comments .(Oh and i'd love to see Sarah Palin's photos with kids)

Top African Female Bloggers 2008

Afrigator has just put up a list on the top 45 African Female bloggers based on their site monitoring algorithm and the list is as follows :

1.So Close
South Africa Rank: 9
Overall Rank: 10
Blog

2.Urban Sprout
South Africa Rank: 10
Overall Rank: 11
Blog

3.Black Looks
Nigeria Rank: 1
Overall Rank: 14
Blog

4.Kenyan Pundit
Kenya Rank: 2
Overall Rank: 17
Blog

5.Cape Town Daily Photo
South Africa Rank: 19
Overall Rank: 23
Blog

6.Angel’s mind
South Africa Rank: 27
Overall Rank: 34
Blog

7.Ladybrille
South Africa Rank: 30
Overall Rank: 38
Blog

8.Cooksister
South Africa Rank: 31
Overall Rank: 40
Blog

9.Bosom Buddies
South Africa Rank: 39
Overall Rank: 48
Blog

10.Scarlett Lion
Uganda Rank: 1
Overall Rank: 57
Blog

11.Hottest Gossip
South Africa Rank: 48
Overall Rank: 60
Blog

12.Mother City Living
South Africa Rank: 51
Overall Rank: 65
Blog

13.JustB[Coz]
South Africa Rank: 54
Overall Rank: 71
Blog

14.Melissa Attree
South Africa Rank: 60
Overall Rank: 78
Blog

15.Entertainment Blog
South Africa Rank: 63
Overall Rank: 85
Blog

16.Sugar. Spice. And all things nice!
General Rank: 3
Overall Rank: 96
Blog

17.Jackfruity
Uganda Rank: 3
Overall Rank: 98
Blog

18.Africa Expat Wives Club
Kenya Rank: 8
Overall Rank: 108
Blog

19.Anja Merret
South Africa Rank: 74
Overall Rank: 109
Blog

20.Glad to be a Girl
South Africa Rank: 78
Overall Rank: 114
Blog

21.Insight
South Africa Rank: 81
Overall Rank: 117
Blog

22.Inside Candy
South Africa Rank: 82
Overall Rank: 118
Blog

23.FeistyFemale
South Africa Rank: 87
Overall Rank: 124
Blog

24.Through My Own Eyes
South Africa Rank: 88
Overall Rank: 125
Blog

25.Szavanna_blog
South Africa Rank: 94
Overall Rank: 132
Blog

26.Ore’s Notes
Nigeria Rank: 7
Overall Rank: 153
Blog

27.
Tania
South Africa Rank: 106
Overall Rank: 155
Blog

28.Onder die maan en sterre
South Africa Rank: 115
Overall Rank: 165
Blog

29.The Vegan Diet
South Africa Rank: 120
Overall Rank: 174
Blog

30.What An African Woman Thinks
General Rank: 7
Overall Rank: 181
Blog

31.The Adventures of Miss M
South Africa Rank: 153
Overall Rank: 223
Blog

32.Photography by Jeanette
South Africa Rank: 154
Overall Rank: 224
Blog

33.Libby
South Africa Rank: 160
Overall Rank: 234
Blog

34.Vampira’s Life
South Africa Rank: 163
Overall Rank: 239
Blog

35.Michelle Clarke
South Africa Rank: 183
Overall Rank: 269
Blog

36.An Ordinary Life
South Africa Rank: 189
Overall Rank: 278
Blog

37.Hunter of Genius
South Africa Rank: 191
Overall Rank: 281
Blog


38.Deshanta’s World
South Africa Rank: 200
Overall Rank: 292
Blog

39.Helen Zille
South Africa Rank: 202
Overall Rank: 294
Blog

40.Afromusing
Kenya Rank: 21
Overall Rank: 307
Blog

41.Memories, Sentiments, Rants and Raves
Kenya Rank: 22
Overall Rank: 314
Blog

42.Wandering the World
Eqypt Rank: 15
Overall Rank: 323
Blog

43.Mama Etiopia
Ethiopia Rank: 2
Overall Rank: 338
Blog

44.Victoire
South Africa Rank: 238
Overall Rank: 355
Blog

45.My Whorl
South Africa Rank: 239
Overall Rank: 357
Blog


This kind of ranking is important as it will spur African bloggers to better their content and webpage layout in order to meet such lists.From this point i would like to congratulate Kenyan Pundit, African Expat Wives Club, Afromusing and Memories,Sentiments,Rant & Raves for doing Kenya proud!

The Pursuit of Happyness

The long weekend (Including Kenyatta day on 20 October) gave me an opportunity to catch up on movies that i hardly get time to see.I must say of all Will Smith's movies none has captured my attention and emotions such as Will Smith's 2006 movie entitled "The Pursuit of Happyness"(I haven't misspelled the title!).
The movie is inspired by the life story of Chris Gardner(Gardner Rich & Co.Stock Brokers)...a real person and self made millionaire,entrepreneur,motivational speaker and Philanthropist who struggled against all odds to set up his own brokerage firm.(Chris Gardner)


His life mirrors that of many of us in third world countries who face uneven odds against them and have to tirelessly work out sometimes taking up jobs that are not worth our education or potential just to make ends meet!

My heart goes out to the more than 300,000 secondary students who are beginning their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education(KCSE) and of whom only 10,000 will manage to secure places in the public universities .A majority of those who will attend universities will end up doing courses that they did not choose or have no interest in pursuing! A first degree in Kenya in many instances is much more like an identity card serves no purpose except as a basic requirement for consideration of a job vacancy.Many banks hire graduate as clerks or interns notwithstanding the course they have done and often on minimum salary!

In the movie Chris Gardner(played by Will Smith) is inherently a smart guy but ends up being thrown off his house alongside his son Christopher Jnr(played by will Smiths son Jaden Smith....quite an impressive actor!) because of non failure of paying rent thereby becoming homeless but not hopeless.Chris Garner was forced to secure daily shelter at Glide Memorial United Methodist Church Shelter while attending a non paid internship.His big break comes when he is recruited for a non paid internship at Dean Witter Reynolds, a stock brokerage firm where his impressive performance, determination and sale skills earns him his first well paying job!He arrived at the office early and stayed late each day, persistently making calls to prospective clients with his goal being 200 calls/day,he avoided taking office coffee thus spent less time going to the Gents. His perseverance paid off when, in 1982, Gardner passed his licensing exam on the first try and came into the full employ of the firm. What a movie !

The things that some of us have to do in pursuit of happiness are just enthralling.Reminds me of my dad who left his village on the shores of lake Victoria with the knowledge that he was coming to look for work and the only person he knew in Nairobi was a distant cousin.His first night he had to spend outside in the cold and woke up early the next day to go to the labour bureau. Against all odds he got work as Government clerk and worked his way up until he was a Chief Executive Officer at the Kenyan Treasury .His desire to excel saw him attending a number of courses at Harvard and i find that to be quite impressive.At my age he had much more than i have and i am moved to reflect on what i can do to be more than i am ! 'In pursuit of happiness 'im sure most of us have gone through a lot to be where we are and the stories may just be so touching and interesting.....determination and zeal are worthy qualities along that road!

What the Readers of this Blog Are Saying !

Today i am letting some of the readers of this blog air their viewpoint on this blog as a sign of appreciation for my loyal readers readership....have a nice weekend!

Our Reviews "you provided some great information, your site was very clean and straight forward, i like the topics and how they were organized, very good job...." Jenn yourwizkid.com "I like your blog and your writing. I'm not sure I understand that top graphic, which makes it look like you are an art site or writing a travel blog to Europe. Think about a graphic of someplace in Nairobi, or of yourself, or anything that speaks more to your subject. " Wil spotcoolstuff.com "A really great blog, enjoyed reading through it and the posts on Brittish banks and Large Hadron Collider Beam Controversy were great. Added to favs so I can watch your blog and keep up to date with the bloggers from African nations. well done and good luck." kenny kennymcbride.blogspot.com/ "Truly a Nairobian's Perspective! Interesting indeed. Keep it up!" Allahn Joyce insearch4you.blogspot.com "I love the simplicity of your site. The layout is really relaxing. One of the best I've seen. You have a nice picture at the top that captures readers' attention. How did you get those little tabs at the top? It's very cute!" Baby Loves Pink babylovespink.etsy.com "Thanks. Loved your blog, loved what you are saying about paypal. Your content is good, site navigation is easy and responsive and you fit the category. Keep up the great work, I hope you get paypal soon." Nick nickgrimshawe.ws/adlandpro.html "Hey your blog is pretty good and nice... Keep it up and have a nice time.. visit my blog too...www.monterines.blogspot.com" Nandakumar monterines.blogspot.com "thank you for all this information that you have put together. I have two friends from this part of the world and i have passed your link on to them...i learned some things today...very kewl." Diane blognetawards.com Get your own reviews, free traffic at

Google Labs-SMS Channel(India)

Google has launched another incredible service in India that is sure to become useful and catch up like wildfire to the rest of the World :the Google labs India SMS channel that enables one to get updates via 'sms' .It seems the information age is rapidly developing and expanding.The digital divide is being narrowed-having information s the in thing and barriers are being removed!

Data on the Go!

For quite sometime actually since the advent of the internet the computer has been seen as the primary tool for transfer and conveyance of information or data. But the nature of a computer makes it hardly economical to move around with in order to access information.While for a certainty laptops and PDA's have made it easier to access information/data on the go...nothing beats the mobile phone which must be embraced as the gadget and platform for technological advancement for the future!

The Google SMS channel is such a leap in the right direction.While the service has been conceptualized and currently is only available in India .It is only a matter of time before a roll out is adopted to the rest of the world!

SMS Channels

Users of the service in India are allowed (by default)to receive upto 10 update SMS per given day and can actually customize the service as to when they should receive the message!The service has a potential of also hosting paid advertisements which in future may be delivered with the SMS.I'm sure not so many consumers will be pleased by such a venture but again costs for the service must be borne by someone and advertisement on the go may just be it!

Customized Channels

A feature of the Google SMS channel that perhaps impresses me is that users can create their own customized channels and update their subscribers on specific topics such as jokes, financial information, breaking news, job opportunities, search engine optimization,blog updates... etc. And that this information will be readily available to subscribers without necessarily having access to the internet or a deesktop/laptop computers!The potential for Google sms is mind boggling.Im sure Lary Page and Sergey Brin will capitalize on this new bandwagon as at presen worldwide we have more cellphone users and woners than we have persons with access to the traditional desktop/laptop computers.

At present, Google allows publishers to create individual channels and publish content that other users can subscribe to after registering with valid mobile numbers.The service also supports RSS feeds . Google expects non-governmental organizations (NGOs), corporates , schools among others take advantage of this service by creating user groups that can be updated via SMS for communication and regular updates.

The catch

While the service is something to be embraced users will need to be wary of getting unwanted spam messages.Yap there is always a downturn in every technology!


On a light touch, the ingenious local project Ushahidi graced a local newspaper(Tuesday's 24 October 2008 Daily Nation) 10 months after the fact way much later after the website has become prominent and featured on leading international news sites ! how ironical


Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific

Contribute to Blog Action Day-Eradicate Poverty

Today is 15 October, 2008 and blog action day is here with us...I am prompted to think of an effective way to contribute to the wellbeing of others especially the less fortunate.My contribution shall not only be verbal or written(i.e via a post) but as the name suggests it will be actual.

Well since i came to know of this call to bloggers to participate in blog action i was prompted to think of what contribution can i make and what will i write about.My mind was so engrossed but i realized that each one of us can do more to alleviate the suffering of the next person round the corner.One effective way is to rid your house of "clutter "or other items that we can so verily do without so i donated my baby's crib to a charity. I also did away with some clothes that i rarely wear and for blog action day i will be donating away a pram! I know that it may not be a basic need for someone right now..but it can be sold and the money may prove pretty useful.

Sometimes for us to be effective we may just be required to touch the lives of the next person or our immediate neighbour.While donating to a reputable charity may be ideal but reality is that in Africa poverty is all around us! We all have an immediate role to play in ensuring that those who are worse off live better lives and what it takes is sacrifice:So if you are an African blogger conscientiously sacrifice something to improve the livelihoods of those near you...and there are innumerable ways to do so..from donating your time, money, resource, clutter attention to this worthy cause.Get rid of your clutter and take your stand against poverty!

Kelele-African Bloggers Conference Website

Its nice to see some of the ingenious Kenyan bloggers and web aps developers organize for an Annual African Bloggers Conference that will basically be owned and run by African bloggers.The first African bloggers conference as can be seen from the banner will be held next year August 13 to 16, 2009.Kelele is an initiative being spearheaded by Kenyans(among other African bloggers and Citizen Journalists) but poised to have a wider African appeal as the conference will be hosted by different African cities on an annual basis.

The idea is noble but when it comes to sponsorship .....there is often a big let down from indeginous African Companies.From practice i have witnessed that mainly foreign companies host or sponsor this events with little input from the locals.I hope this time..it will be different! The corpoartes need to embrance the power of the internet as a powerful medium for communicating vital information.

The Kelele website is live and running at http://www.kelele.org .The concept behind Kelele is captured by the following words at the website:

Kelele is the Kiswahili word for noise. We are organising a gathering of African bloggers in the tradition of historical African societies where everyone has a voice. With too many voices marginalised or simply ignored in Africa society today for a variety of reasons we believe that the internet in general and grassroots media tools such as blogs in particular represent the most powerful way in which to give Africans back their voice. We are gathering to make a powerful, positive, inspirational noise that will be heard across the continent and beyond. KELELE!

May this noble idea reach ultimate fruitition...thanks to the Kelele team.

British Banks Stock Crises: Jitters World Stock Markets

Watching CNBC yesterday i was just amazed at how fragile the world economy is as i witnessed the effects of the British Banks Stock crises and its rippling effect to other world stock markets.Yesterday morning British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Lord Chancellor Alastair Darling announced a $ 88 billion bail out plan to marshal the credit crises that was affecting the British banking sector.

I am not an expert on these things i would rather leave that to my friend Bankelele but what amazed me is how the other world stock markets were being immediately affected due to the financial crunch, for example:

• The Tokyo Stock exchange closed at 9.38 % down
• Russia,Indonesia,Ukraine suspended trading on its stock exchange
  
• European markets suffered losses of up to eight per cent, including a 5.18 per cent fall on the FTSE, followed quickly by falls on the New York Stock Exchange.
• In London, the FTSE 100 shed 5.18 per cent to finish at 4,366 while in Paris the CAC 40 fell 6.39 per cent and Frankfurt DAX was down 5.88 per cent. There were declines of 5.51 per cent on the Swiss Market Index, 5.20 per cent in Madrid, 5.71 per cent in Milan, 7.36 per cent in Brussels and 7.68 per cent in Amsterdam.

The State bailout plan is similar to the $700 billion fund to purchase defunct mortgage assets from troubled financial institutions proposed by the U.S. Treasury secretary, Henry Paulson Jr.The American Government had to recently step in and nationalize companies like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and American International Group(AIG), which were on the verge of collapse.

I wonder what the effect is for the Nairobi Stock Exchange....but im sure its not good especially for Companies such as Barclay's Bank of Kenya.Oops just seen Mr. Chris Mwebesa 's Nairobi NSE CEO' s statement indicating that trading at the NSE' s floors was suspended yesterday after the market almost lost 5% of its value.

Crazy About Kenya Website; Press Release

I am just so happy to extend this favor to a friend of mine Siobhan Mcgeady for her passionate endeavors to promote the local tourism scene alongside with her team.This a re-print of Crazy About Kenya Press release( 7 October, 2008)...A UK based tourism promotion initiative (between site.

GO CRAZY ABOUT KENYA WITH ACACIA ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS - THE NEW ONLINE PORTAL FOR AFRICA'S WILDLIFE CAPITAL

Acacia Adventure Holidays and the Kenya Tourist Board have joined forces to create the new Crazy About Kenya website (http://www.crazyaboutkenya.com) – an online portal that proves there’s more to Africa’s wildlife capital than the Mara.

An ethically charged initiative, Crazy About Kenya features a collective of over 20 indigenous artists and musicians, including world renowned singer/songwriter Eric Wainaina; the talented crew coming together to give would be adventurers an insider perspective on the destination.

A site with a positive vibe, surfers can get to grips with Kenya’s animal kingdom, immerse themselves in the hip and happening culture of Nairobi, chill to the latest tracks from Africa’s wildlife capital, and feast their eyes on some fascinating Kenyan art - in just one click. From virtual inspiration to real life experiences the website also comes packed with destination highlights and new adventure itineraries from Acacia Adventure Holidays, to satisfy the cravings of even the most avid Kenya fan.

Full of exclusive content, Crazy About Kenya will feature regular news updates on album launches from the project’s Kenyan partners and new artists; details on upcoming events and ethical projects in Nairobi; the latest travel deals from the tour operator and a dedicated newsletter entitled the "Whispering Grass of the Maasai Plains". Visitors to the website can also enter Acacia Adventure Holidays “Answer the call of the wild” competition for a chance to win one of ten Rough Guides to Kenya (www.roughguides.com).

A truly responsible guide, armchair adventurers can show their support for ghetto based initiatives and the projects talented partners by uploading the new Crazy About Kenya logo onto their travel blogs, websites, or social networking pages (http://www.crazyaboutkenya.com/downloads.php). Alternatively, they can chat to the artists and musicians online as many of them are featured on Facebook and MySpace.

For those of us who are simply Crazy About Kenya this is one URL that captures the diversity of Africa’s wildlife capital and for travellers who are planning on catching up with the annual migration in 2009 – there will be no need to wait, as Acacia Adventure Holidays even has a Maasai Mara e-safari game due to launch on the site on 31 October.

Angie Sloan, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for Kenya Tourist Board, comments: " The Kenya Tourist Board is delighted to be working with Acacia Adventure Holidays as part of our autumn campaign, to promote not only the wildlife but culture of Kenya. Acacia Adventure Holidays is a well established expert in selling holidays to Kenya with a wide range of product for visitors to experience Kenya's vast array of charms - from the Indian Ocean beaches to the thrilling experience of a safari."

Acacia Adventure Holidays offers overland tours taking in the world renowned Maasai Mara from £595pp + local payment from £208pp (13-day itinerary). A great time to book, the tour operator is currently running its Winter Sun Specials promotion and discounting all overland departures up to 01 July 2009 by 25%. Bookings should be made by 15 November.

The above price includes tour highlights as listed in the brochure, transport, roads tolls and taxes, camping accommodation and cooking equipment, most meals and services of tour leader and driver (no single supplement). Excludes return international flight, visas, departure taxes, and transfers. Contact Acacia Adventure Holidays direct to take advantage of the discount on 020 7706 4700, email info@acacia-africa.com or visit www.acacia-africa.com for further information. ATOL No. 6499 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED.

-ends-

For further information please contact Siobhan at tion London on 020 8180 1585 (VoIP) or 020 8180 1614 or email siobhan@tionlondon.co.uk.

Editors' notes:
Crazy About Kenya is also available on Facebook on the following pages: Acacia Adventure Holidays and Crazy About Kenya. The project will appear on MySpace on 15 October.

For further information on the Kenya Tourist Board please telephone Tel: +44 (0) 20 7367 0931, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7407 3810, email Kenya@hillsbalfoursynergy.

com, visit www.magicalkenya.com or contact the Kenya Tourist Board at 3rd Flr. Colechurch House,1 London Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SX.

Kenya is your ideal destination for a holiday retreat!

Nokia Kenya- Research Centre's !

Nokia cellphones are just ideal!!!I have been an ardent fan of Nokia phones ever since i owned a mobile phone.If you are like me you probably cherish the 3310(most Kenyans first phone apart from Alcatel...remember those phones?) which were readily famed in the Kenya in the late 1990's.I owned one until thieves decided to raid our house in Ongata Rongai and we had to throw our phones over the window to stave them off.So the news that Nokia was opening Research and Development(R&D)offices in Kenya was great news!

The R& D offices will aid Nokia company to design products and services that are relevant and tailor made for the local users.According to a KBC interview of Jussi Impio "As of April 1, 2007, Nokia had R&D centers in 11 countries and employed 14,500 people in research and development, representing approximately 32% of Nokia's total workforce. The R& D centres expenses totaled EUR 3,9 billion in 2006, representing 9,5% of Nokia's net sales. It is apparently seen that Nokia invests a substantial portion of its resources in research and development activities within its principal business groups; Mobile Phones, Multimedia and Enterprise Solutions, Technology Platforms, and in the Nokia Research Center (NRC).Certainly consumers appreciate receiving such attention and care.



Nokia Pilots:
To buttress this position Nokia has only recently launched its online Nokia Pilots recruitment initiative to enable it gather vital information from its consumers.the Nokia pilots programe enables individuals to have a unique opportunity to get involved in Nokia's creative processes.Nokia Pilots Subcribers also get the rare opportunity to sneak peek the latest trends and a chance to see get some of their feedback and suggestions implemented.In yesterdays news(see YouTube Video)Nokia Kenya launched an initiative to help Kenyan Musicians tap into their potential and identify development opportunities using mobile technology.

We now look foward to the positive contributions that Kenyan R&D centres and Nokia Pilots will bring to Africa where mobile telecommunication is rapidly bridging the development divide!

NB: if you are interested in purchasing the latest mobile phones within Kenyan/East African region including the Nokia E71 see the following links: http://mea.nokia.com/english , OR Kenya's first online shopping mall at http://ke.gadgetsguru.com/index.aspx