It is very strange and suspicious why residents of Mombasa do not get water for days on end, but, the water kiosks, do.
I have always written, talked to various 'water officials' and generally tried to object to these kiosks for years. In an urban setting they are quite ridiculous and hence my repeated likening to Mombasa being treated like a village by our government in more ways than one. This is just one of them.
How come one does not find water kiosks dotting all over Nairobi or any other major town up-country? Why only at the coast? It smacks of backwardness.
One of the reasons I've brought this kiosk topic up after quite a while is not because all is well in this town (I refuse to call it a 'city' since it has none of the amenities a city should have and water is one of them), but, because, I'm really FED UP writing and talking about this issue and had begun to sound like a stuck record! And not one person in the water sector or even at World Bank could be bothered about making any visible improvements.
All that launching of Citizen's report cards, etc., was just a big window dressing set up to hoodwink the public. Nothing more has been heard about it..... or has it?!
Anyway, back to the water kiosks where they get water but, we don't. Why, again? What's their secret that they do? Have some palms been greased, somewhere? Or is politics involved even in this like every service provision in this country?
There is a water kiosk right outside our estate (Umoja), and while we hardly get any fresh water, this kiosk, does!!!! WHY?
Please, somebody out there, answer....
Most of the postings are to do with what an average Kenyan citizen has to deal with, in the country, to survive. They go through and are treated with a lot of injustice, where very few in 'officialdom', will take notice of their problems or even do anything about them. Hence, this blog and the belief in, 'One learned man is harder on the devil than a thousand ignorant worshipers' - Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Indonesian Judge sentences Grandmother to 2 1/2 years in jail for stealing Casava, and … | The Muslim Times: A Blog to Foster Universal Brotherhood
Indonesian Judge sentences Grandmother to 2 1/2 years in jail for stealing Casava, and … | The Muslim Times: A Blog to Foster Universal Brotherhood:
'via Blog this'
Would a judge in our country do such a thing?
'via Blog this'
Would a judge in our country do such a thing?
Of roads, bumps, accidents & traffic jams...
Reading the latest Weekend Star, I could not help noticing that there are many accidents that have been reported and everytime the 'will' of the people (mostly pedestrians), is that the authorities should put up bumps there.
Now, this is a very impractical solution to the problem and highly myopic, too.
This is why.....
1. We have so many bumps all over the country, but, it has had scant effect on the number of accidents.
2. These bumps are usually put up with no authorization and probably that is the reason they are of varied shapes and sizes. There is no uniformity to them.
3. There is no logic in putting up bumps on roads that are not maintained consistently. Because, their condition does not cause speeding. Whether we like it or not - we cannot....., even in an emergency!
4. These in turn damage vehicles which can result in accidents.
5. Non-vehicular traffic, i.e. pedestrians, mkokotenis, etc., are extremely careless and some have absolutely no idea on how to use urban roads. These, seem to have the idea that they can behave/walk anywhere and anyhow since they will NEVER (at least NOT in this country), be prosecuted for not abiding by the highway code. It will ALWAYS be the vehicle's fault - they believe (and so do the cops). These people, do not even bother to look right or left before setting their foot on the road. Then, some of them are listening to music, etc., and even if one was to hoot at them to warn them they are totally unaware. The same applies to people, both drivers and pedestrians, who are talking on mobile phones.
6. When building roads, do the authorities take into account the many causes of 'road rage'? They should.
7. Motorists have many things to deal with on our roads. Some of them have been mentioned above. When, they have to deal with rising fuel prices, horrible roads, insane and unlawful use of roads by other traffic, it leads to road rage.
8. Learner drivers should NOT be allowed any and everywhere since they are partly the causes of traffic jams. We have too many of them all over. Also, all these driving schools - are they really legitimate and up to standard? Which body regularizes them? This could also be the reason for having substandard drivers on the roads who are totally irresponsible.
9. Tuk tuk and boda boda drivers. Who trains them? This also, of course, includes the matatu drivers, too. In Mombasa and other small towns, roads are completely taken over by these goons and they can be very uncivilized and uncouth.
10. By putting off from building new conduit roads (and wide ones with proper drainage), the government is causing traffic jams. We need new roads very urgently all over, particularly, Coast Province. New access routes in and out of Mombasa Island. For now we have only three.
The ferry to go to the South Coast. The Nyali bridge to get to North Coast which is chock-a-block with traffic at peak times and so is the Makupa Causeway to go west, i.e. get to our International Airport and further inland.
Should any major event occur on any of these routes to block them, people would get seriously stranded not to mention people missing local and International flights!
And FINALLY, all road users should be conversant with the highway code and apply it everyday.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
New metamaterial design may usher new generation of solar cells | The Muslim Times: A Blog to Foster Universal Brotherhood
http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2012/03/science-and-technology/new-metamaterial-design-may-usher-new-generation-of-solar-cells
'Evening!
Considering that we continue to have an untold number of outages of an unexplained nature, the above link should help our Kenya 'Power' to give us a better service than the present shoddy and unaccountable one?
At this rate, I can't imagine us being a developed nation even by 2030! Because, Kenya Power CANNOT seem to be able to think outside the box.... We do need power to develop since we cannot do it in darkness (of various kinds...), and that too of the present unpredictable kind. With their very tired excuse of 'broken wires'.
What kind of material do they use? And what kind of work do they do, too?
'Evening!
Considering that we continue to have an untold number of outages of an unexplained nature, the above link should help our Kenya 'Power' to give us a better service than the present shoddy and unaccountable one?
At this rate, I can't imagine us being a developed nation even by 2030! Because, Kenya Power CANNOT seem to be able to think outside the box.... We do need power to develop since we cannot do it in darkness (of various kinds...), and that too of the present unpredictable kind. With their very tired excuse of 'broken wires'.
What kind of material do they use? And what kind of work do they do, too?
SIXTY USES OF BAKING SODA
These are excellent and inexpensive suggestions. Lovely!
Raziya
Raziya
SODA
SIXTY USES OF BAKING SODA
Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways:
1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.
2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.
3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won't damage anything it touches.
4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease - stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile,
then rinse.
16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot.
Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of
the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.
33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.
34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge - sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
40. Add 1/2 cups or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby's bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such
as measles and chicken pox.
44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
57. Add to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game.
58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
While I am out of town, I found out that my friend's father, with whom I've left my duplicate post box key, still could not open my box nearly a month after I had paid my rent because it was sealed, yesterday.
The box was sealed last month on the 21st of November 2011 just because I forgot to pay my box rental within the 21 days. I was late by just a day in making this hefty payment at which point I rang up two senior 'officials' of Mombasa's POSTA to make certain that my box was unsealed, but it seems that while our POSTA, like every other so-called 'service' provider is very lax (this is a mild word), in providing their services, they are super efficient when it comes to cutting off these questionable services.
On the dot of 21 days, my box was sealed! But, even after making immediate payment AND informing 2 of its very senior 'officials' of this, they had not bothered to unseal my box till I followed this up with POSTA from half way across the country by making countless calls for them to take action, yesterday.
During my last call, I was informed of the fact that POSTA was supposed to be on strike, did I not know? But, since I had made the payment a whole month before this questionable strike, it was interesting to observe to my POSTA official that the box should have been unsealed immediately that payment was received by them. Instead, they did not.
And the interesting thing about all this is that it is just my friend's father's word against POSTA's. I would prefer to believe my friend's father since I know from previous bitter experiences that our POSTA works (if it ever does), anything but efficiently.
These people have gone of strike - but the kind of services they offer (at least in Mombasa), leaves a lot to be desired. Since the beginning of the year they have lost 3 very important letters of mine from my family in the USA. Then, since people who send you registered mail don't necessarily inform you about this, our POSTA nearly misplaced one of my registered mail, also. All because, somebody out in Nairobi 'forgot' to key in the registered mail number which resulted in nobody being able to follow it on the Internet including Mombasa's POSTA! The only information they had was that it had left it's original port at a particular date. After that nothing could be traced of it.
Mercifully, it was finally found at Mombasa's POSTA nearly a week after it had actually arrived! How does such an organization really justify it's current strike? And how dare they, considering they are as inefficient as the rest of this country's so-called 'service' providers? By increasing their pay, I personally don't think they will change their work ethic.
The only thing they are interested in is MONEY! This country literally worships it. They have no humanity in them - not a jot!
The box was sealed last month on the 21st of November 2011 just because I forgot to pay my box rental within the 21 days. I was late by just a day in making this hefty payment at which point I rang up two senior 'officials' of Mombasa's POSTA to make certain that my box was unsealed, but it seems that while our POSTA, like every other so-called 'service' provider is very lax (this is a mild word), in providing their services, they are super efficient when it comes to cutting off these questionable services.
On the dot of 21 days, my box was sealed! But, even after making immediate payment AND informing 2 of its very senior 'officials' of this, they had not bothered to unseal my box till I followed this up with POSTA from half way across the country by making countless calls for them to take action, yesterday.
During my last call, I was informed of the fact that POSTA was supposed to be on strike, did I not know? But, since I had made the payment a whole month before this questionable strike, it was interesting to observe to my POSTA official that the box should have been unsealed immediately that payment was received by them. Instead, they did not.
And the interesting thing about all this is that it is just my friend's father's word against POSTA's. I would prefer to believe my friend's father since I know from previous bitter experiences that our POSTA works (if it ever does), anything but efficiently.
These people have gone of strike - but the kind of services they offer (at least in Mombasa), leaves a lot to be desired. Since the beginning of the year they have lost 3 very important letters of mine from my family in the USA. Then, since people who send you registered mail don't necessarily inform you about this, our POSTA nearly misplaced one of my registered mail, also. All because, somebody out in Nairobi 'forgot' to key in the registered mail number which resulted in nobody being able to follow it on the Internet including Mombasa's POSTA! The only information they had was that it had left it's original port at a particular date. After that nothing could be traced of it.
Mercifully, it was finally found at Mombasa's POSTA nearly a week after it had actually arrived! How does such an organization really justify it's current strike? And how dare they, considering they are as inefficient as the rest of this country's so-called 'service' providers? By increasing their pay, I personally don't think they will change their work ethic.
The only thing they are interested in is MONEY! This country literally worships it. They have no humanity in them - not a jot!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The flooring at Nakumatt Nyali Mall
I, and several others have noticed that the new floor tiling that is being done at the above mall/s, while quite attractive, are very impractical for walking on by the general public. This is especially so of the very shiny border tiles which are highly slippery when wet or sandy.
The sandy bit we've discovered yesterday, when some of the tiles were still not put in place and there was sand around them. Several members of the public slipped and nearly lost their balance, but, thankfully, did not fall. We would like to know who would take responsibility of such an eventuality when somebody slips and falls and gets injured? Would the company doing this work accept responsibility?
I ask this because, after I had slipped and nearly fell (I'm also disabled), I asked various senior staff at Nakumatt about whom to contact and they gave me Mr. Talasam Mohamed's business card whom I rang immediately giving my name and telling him what had happened. His response was quite unbelievable.
He claimed that the public would just have to be careful when walking on those tiles as his company cannot 'undo' the tiling and make it fit for walking by all people - young, old, fit and unfit. This, I find is a very insensitive response to a very legitimate complaint.
Then, there is the general observation of our various building constructions whose plans are passed by our Town Planning Dept. at our Council. Do ANY of these people give a moment's thought to the disabled people's plight and how the various members of the public with varying degrees of disabilities, are going to deal with the buildings whose plans they so thoughtlessly pass?
In the same way, this company which is doing the flooring of these malls, I don't think gave even a moment's thought to the fact that these tiles are quite impractical to walk on when wet, etc. And since they insist on carrying on with their work as is, I would like to know, if they will also bear the consequences of a person getting injured as a result? In other places of the world they have to or they would be sued.
When, I mentioned this to Mr. Talasam Mohamed, it did not bother him in the least and so, I told him that I would write this letter/email and send him a copy of it, too, to which he whole-heartedly agreed. I hope and pray that he will pass it on to the others in his company who are, I believe, more mature and responsible about these issues.
The sandy bit we've discovered yesterday, when some of the tiles were still not put in place and there was sand around them. Several members of the public slipped and nearly lost their balance, but, thankfully, did not fall. We would like to know who would take responsibility of such an eventuality when somebody slips and falls and gets injured? Would the company doing this work accept responsibility?
I ask this because, after I had slipped and nearly fell (I'm also disabled), I asked various senior staff at Nakumatt about whom to contact and they gave me Mr. Talasam Mohamed's business card whom I rang immediately giving my name and telling him what had happened. His response was quite unbelievable.
He claimed that the public would just have to be careful when walking on those tiles as his company cannot 'undo' the tiling and make it fit for walking by all people - young, old, fit and unfit. This, I find is a very insensitive response to a very legitimate complaint.
Then, there is the general observation of our various building constructions whose plans are passed by our Town Planning Dept. at our Council. Do ANY of these people give a moment's thought to the disabled people's plight and how the various members of the public with varying degrees of disabilities, are going to deal with the buildings whose plans they so thoughtlessly pass?
In the same way, this company which is doing the flooring of these malls, I don't think gave even a moment's thought to the fact that these tiles are quite impractical to walk on when wet, etc. And since they insist on carrying on with their work as is, I would like to know, if they will also bear the consequences of a person getting injured as a result? In other places of the world they have to or they would be sued.
When, I mentioned this to Mr. Talasam Mohamed, it did not bother him in the least and so, I told him that I would write this letter/email and send him a copy of it, too, to which he whole-heartedly agreed. I hope and pray that he will pass it on to the others in his company who are, I believe, more mature and responsible about these issues.
The saga of the burnt transformer
I have just found out from some of my neighbours whose houses are near this transformer that we, in this estate (Umoja), are going to be 'powerless' comes tomorrow morning at 8.30 am.
Now, this story has its beginnings sometime last week when we had one of our frequent and highly irritating and frustrating power outages early in the morning at around 7.00 am. Of course, Kenya Power (Weakness), hardly EVER answers their emergency lines and so it takes quite a while to rouse somebody in authority to deal with the latest outage. It took me at least 15 minutes to get such a person to take action.
Then, there's the matter of their emergency offices being all the way across town in Mbaraki from where their trucks and men have to come which includes crossing the one and only access to the North Coast, Nyali Bridge. At that time of the morning there are traffic snarl-ups there and so, this so-called emergency crew would take at least the better part of an hour to make it's way across this bridge and to any area in the North Mainland.
Well, on that day, there was supposed to be a problem around Nakumatt Cinemax and the 'official' working on it called me around mid-morning to ask if I had got my power back to which I replied, 'No!' He was very surprised with this answer as they had restored power and could not understand why we in this estate were still 'powerless'.
So, he decided to investigate and finally found that the transformer in the estate had just blown (my neighbours tell me that there was a big bang!), and there had even been flames. Of course, this meant that while the rest of the area had power, we were going to be without and this 'official' would not commit himself as to when it would be restored. The only thing he could tell me was that the matter was no longer in his jurisdiction and that he had informed his boss about it and it would be taken care of.
Well, I saw one of their cars coming in not long after and people working on the offending transformer. But, they left around lunch time and I never saw them working on the thing after, though, I found out today that they came back later in the afternoon and did something more and we got our power back, thankfully, after 4.00 pm.
Now, to come back to tomorrow. If we had a whole day's outage last week thanks to the burnt transformer and we believed that the work was done, why is it that without notice to us, the residents, is Kenya Power going to make us suffer (in this extreme heat), another 'powerless' day? What is it that they did last week? Or didn't do, for that matter?
And come to think of it, why did the transformer blow just as the power was being restored around Nakumatt Cinemax? Was it due to a power surge? Can somebody qualified enough out there investigate this, please? Why is Kenya Power making us suffer from these constant outages which result in a lot of damage? This outage has also not been advertized, yet it is going to (according to them), take 8 long hours of outage, i.e. we are supposed to get back our power at 5.00 pm and there is a big IF to this statement.
Can somebody at Kenya Power please, answer the above questions?
Now, this story has its beginnings sometime last week when we had one of our frequent and highly irritating and frustrating power outages early in the morning at around 7.00 am. Of course, Kenya Power (Weakness), hardly EVER answers their emergency lines and so it takes quite a while to rouse somebody in authority to deal with the latest outage. It took me at least 15 minutes to get such a person to take action.
Then, there's the matter of their emergency offices being all the way across town in Mbaraki from where their trucks and men have to come which includes crossing the one and only access to the North Coast, Nyali Bridge. At that time of the morning there are traffic snarl-ups there and so, this so-called emergency crew would take at least the better part of an hour to make it's way across this bridge and to any area in the North Mainland.
Well, on that day, there was supposed to be a problem around Nakumatt Cinemax and the 'official' working on it called me around mid-morning to ask if I had got my power back to which I replied, 'No!' He was very surprised with this answer as they had restored power and could not understand why we in this estate were still 'powerless'.
So, he decided to investigate and finally found that the transformer in the estate had just blown (my neighbours tell me that there was a big bang!), and there had even been flames. Of course, this meant that while the rest of the area had power, we were going to be without and this 'official' would not commit himself as to when it would be restored. The only thing he could tell me was that the matter was no longer in his jurisdiction and that he had informed his boss about it and it would be taken care of.
Well, I saw one of their cars coming in not long after and people working on the offending transformer. But, they left around lunch time and I never saw them working on the thing after, though, I found out today that they came back later in the afternoon and did something more and we got our power back, thankfully, after 4.00 pm.
Now, to come back to tomorrow. If we had a whole day's outage last week thanks to the burnt transformer and we believed that the work was done, why is it that without notice to us, the residents, is Kenya Power going to make us suffer (in this extreme heat), another 'powerless' day? What is it that they did last week? Or didn't do, for that matter?
And come to think of it, why did the transformer blow just as the power was being restored around Nakumatt Cinemax? Was it due to a power surge? Can somebody qualified enough out there investigate this, please? Why is Kenya Power making us suffer from these constant outages which result in a lot of damage? This outage has also not been advertized, yet it is going to (according to them), take 8 long hours of outage, i.e. we are supposed to get back our power at 5.00 pm and there is a big IF to this statement.
Can somebody at Kenya Power please, answer the above questions?
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