Mashada Blogs » September 29, 2008

Rants, Raves & Reviews: Just kill the pirates!

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:33:00 -0400

Why aren't the world's navies simply blowing up the pirates' ships/boats...?

Just send a few planes to bomb the somali ports... and blow up any boat that looks remotely like a pirate ship...

For Love and Money: In Support Of Barack Obama

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:49:00 -0400

In Support Of Barack Obama

White African: Afridex: an Index of African Tech Startups

HASH — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:36:04 -0400

Jon Gosier and Paul Engulu of Appfrica has just launched Afridex, an index of African tech startups. Anyone can submit their website or mobile application and be added to the index. What an excellent idea, and really well executed as well!

It’s still brand new, but I think it has a lot of potential - we should see a lot of mobile and web companies adding themselves to the index pretty quickly. As it grows, it becomes more valuable as a resource, thus feeding itself ad infinitum.

Why is it useful?

Persistent Search queries a search engine in combination with select keywords to track mentions of your company around the web as they occur. When any new information about a group appears online it appears here.
Blogstream syndicates the ten most recent posts from a company blog. People can also use to follow company blogs by subscribing to the RSS feed.
Comments allows consumer feedback and comments about a group or organization. Get instant feedback from your customers, crowd source a product review, or offer public customer service.
Brand Watch is a feature that allows users to monitor mentions of a company across various social networks, blogs and websites. Like persistent search, Brand Watch scans all the popular web portals in africa and abroad for mentions of a company name.
Embed allows users to export standards compliant code that will allow them to embed information related to a company in their profile. This allows data from the Afridex to be portable. This information can be used as a quick citation tool for blogs, news articles, email and reports.

If you click on any company’s name, you will be taken to the detail page on them. On that page you will find a bunch of publicly available information, including everything from contact information to blog and Twitter posts. It’s really quite impressive.

In the lower-right corner you’ll notice the “embed” code that will allow you to add a widget to the sidebar of any website with basic information about that company. The one for Node Six looks like this:

#afridex { font-family:helvetica; font-size:1em; border:1px solid #ccc; padding:5px 5px 5px 5px; margin:5px 5px 5px 5px: color:#333; line-height:1.1em; display:block; width:350px; } #afridex img { border:3px solid #333; } #afridex h1 { font-size:1.35em; font-weight:strong; } #afridex a { color:#71000; } #afridex a:active { color:#71000; text-decoration:underline; } #afridex p { text-align:justify; font-size:75%; }

NodeSix

^[Map]
URL - [www.nodesix.com]
Email - sales@nodesix.com

Node Six began life as a division of Elemental Edge, a leading multi-media and visual communications solutions provider in Kampala, Uganda.

Information Provided by the Afridex

Summary

The only problem that I’ve found so far is that I can’t find a way to either “get listed” (it’s currently a dead link), or create a login so that I can submit a couple companies. I’m sure this is because it’s so brand new, and I’m sure Jon or Paul will leave a note here when that works.

I’m not surprised that this excellent idea came from Jon Gossier, I’m starting to expect this type of top-class work from him. I’m sure we’re going to see even more of this in the future. Brilliant.

Want to help out with this cool project? Get involved on the Afridex wiki

For Love and Money: On This Day

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:32:00 -0400

On This Day

For Love and Money: Dow Pow!

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:54:00 -0400

Dow Pow!

Kenyan Pundit: New way to invest in Africa

Ory Okolloh — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:04:52 -0400

MyC4.com is a web-based platform that allows you to look up a list of African entrepreneurs who need funding for their projects and to offer them loans. You bid a certain interest rate, which is accepted as long as it is below the maximum the entrepreneur is willing to accept and as long as [...]

bankelele: Bad News Bears

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:42:00 -0400

Bad News Bears

bankelele: $10 hotel room

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:54:00 -0400

$10 hotel room

Startups in Kenya: ...I can't complain

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 03:52:00 -0400

Back in 2001 when I was still in college, had one pair of overworn jeans and was hustling this Nairobi for web design jobs I had the good fortune to be introduced to a senior executive of a leading Kenyan company who is now its very powerful CEO. Needless to say, I was intimidated, and not just because of 'Bob' my erstwhile pair of trousers (which with its worn denim looked more of an attempt at covering my nudity rather than a rebelious 'geek culture' fashion statement); but because I didn't have a clue what I'd say and this executive was widely travelled and widely knowledgeable.
Fortunately I realised that I really had nothing to lose and with that confidence I pitched my services as I walked with him (and his entourage of assistants) from his office to the basement car park. It wasn't easy; we met three different people (colleagues and building-mates) along the way each of whom wanted to 'seek his counsel' or just make pleasantaries. This meant that my pitch was broken more than once and I had to fight to keep on message. I guess I can't blame those individuals though, I think they were just pandering as they might have known he was next in line for appointment as the CEO. One comment from one of those fellows however has remained with me since that time. It went something like this:
PANDERER: Hi Mr. Soon-to-be-CEO, how is business?
MR. SOON-TO-BE-CEO. Well, you know... I can't complain.
Now lets put it in perspective, this was the year 2001. All everybody was doing was complaining.No jobs. No business. Bad politics. Thuggery. Poor infrastructure. It was also tough for me, I was just coming of age and had a desire to take off like a rocket, but business was really hard to come by. I used to be so broke, that I actually became anemic from a daily diet of chips (which was the most affordable meal).
With this mindset, I was amazed that there were people who 'can't complain'. Such was the significance of this short reply to the question "how is business?" that I decided it would become my own mantra. I started using it, every time impressed by its effectiveness. It sounded modest without sounding complacent, it deftly sidestepped without coming off as rude, it could be used both when doing well and when doing badly. I employed it every time I was faced with that question, and was always pleased with the effect which resulted.
Today that response is as relevant as it was in 2001. Times are tough right now, food is up, electricity, fuel, rent. People are hurting, businesses are hurting, employees are hurting, the unemployed are hurting. The glaring disparities that are resultant from capitalism can hide no longer. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. People are getting fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, having their electricity disconnected, leaving their cars at home, getting their property auctioned off. If we were to come up with a list of things we'd find that right now in Kenya (and probably in other places) there is plenty to complain about.
But should we complain? Should we complain if we know that as bad as things are, they could be much much worse? Should we complain when we know that at the end of the day, we still have the rejuvenating beauty of tomorrow? Well, I'll choose not to complain. So if you meet me today, and ask how business is, you know what I'm gonna say "I can't complain." Have a non-complaining day won't you?
Incidentally Mr. Soon-To-Be CEO did give me a contract to develop his website, and that allowed me to finally rest Bob in peace.

Kenyanpoet: Where should cultural events draw the line for sponsors?

N.W — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 03:27:00 -0400

This is the question I was left asking myself after attending the Fahari Yetu Festival at Safari Park Hotel on Saturday 27th,2008.

The event which is posed to be an annual showcase of music, dance and drama will not only feature Kenyan culture but music and culture from other countries in Africa and as well the world.

The hosts were The Boys Choir of Kenya – a group of young students formerly known as Aquinas Boys’ Choir who burst into the limelight in 1999 at a concert to commemorate the 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Kenya. From then on, they have gone on numerous tours performing in such places as Kansas, Chicago, Quebec, North America and other major cities.

I was not surprised to learn that they are more renowned internationally than locally (read – our lack of appreciation of our own until the world discovers them).

I was however perturbed when after the MC announced the Boys Choir as the first act, they emerged adorned in corporate branded, green and white t-shirts and white Kikoy shukas.

It was a total disregard for the traditional music that they proceeded to sing.

This was despite the fact that in performance of traditional songs, it is an unwritten rule to adorn the regalia that the particular community wore (in this case the Mijikenda and Teso of the Coastal Province). And not just any garments that the community wore daily, specific attire worn for that specific dance. This not only emphasized the meaning of the song, but also went on to distinguish, say a circumcision song sung by Men to a harvest song sung by women.

I have absolutely no problem with a corporate/org sponsoring a cultural event. But to change items of cultural significance to their own benefit not only robs the audience of a fulfilling experience of how say, the Kikuyu dressed when singing their Mwomboko, or the Luo while playing the Nyatiti, or Kisii with the Obokano, but also leaves the musicians feeling like the dance has no cultural meaning anymore and has became a mere marketing tool.

It is quite alright in other disciplines, especially in sports as it is more of a recreational activity meant to create entertainment, I however feel that in a country where the youth are quickly loosing the value of our culture, languages and traditions to western influences, then events of Cultural significance should not be crowded by over commercialization of these sacred traditions. More photos here

Am I being a Purist? What are your thoughts on this?