Vantsoft: Smart Solutions to Nairobi's Traffic Menace

Vantsoft: Smart Solutions to Nairobi's Traffic Menace: It’s been quite a while since I wrote last. The blog had gathered some dust here and a couple cobwebs there, but I have since cleaned...

Android over windows OS? well..Your choice

 so last month I happened to get caught up in the tag of war currently brewing between the major mobile OS developers in the technological world. Instead of getting into the boring trifles of my predicament by beating around the bush, heres what actually happened.

I happened to meet my 'murio' in town for our usual Friday chitty chat over a glass of my favorite drink. As usual the 'kalocal' was filled with some intoxicated fellas eager to take advantage of the long weekend well associated with the marking of Kenya's 51^st Madaraka celebrations which well colluded with their paydays! Drinks were free flowing from all quarters and in no time, you could easily note the enduring excitement that got incremental with every visit from the barmaids. Some teens even got up to their feet to shake a leg with their skimpily dressed hotties to the bumping beats of Konshen's hit 'bumper' as the dj carried them away. Anyway I don't know how fast it happened but in no time, I was equally intoxicated if my change of tone and excitement was anything to go by. I really cant tell how I got home, but luckily I found myself in bed the next morning; unhurt! However, to my complete dismay, my phone was nowhere to be seen. After entirely and exhaustively ransacking the whole house, I ended up admitting to having lost my phone under some unclear circumstances.

To say the least, am sure this is a common phenomenon most Kenyan men face during their nights our or rather during their friday drinking binges only to find themselves without their valuable gadgets the following morning. Back to my story, I urgently faced with the dire need to make some phone calls with the sole question “kwani jana kuliendaje?” I needed to purchase a new handset-ASAP.

To save myself the trouble of the obvious bargain 'kelele' associated with most street phone vendors of Nairobi, I headed straight to Safaricom shop as thats where I was sure to get the best deal deal in terms of cost and quality. Well, at least thats what comforted me. My visit there turned to be my biggest nightmare as it soon occurred to me I even had not decided on the type of handset I really wanted. I was simply spoilt of choice as I stood along the displays wondering what I really wanted. To get this straight, am not an impulse buyer so its not like I expected to just walk into the shop, pick the nearest handset, pay for it and then walk out a happy fella. thats not something unheard of either, as some years back, one could easily walk to the phone vendors of Nairobi, purchase the currently trending touchscreen ( remember the introduction Google idios smart phones?) and walk out a very contented customer.

For my case, the choice had to be made between the numerous android based handsets and those using the windows OS. I simply had no idea of the existing differences between all these terminologies so I guess you understand my predicament. To cut my story short, I ended up purchasing the galaxy franchise; not because it was the best alternative at the time...but because I felt thats what I needed!   

Want to know how I ended up making this distinct decision in a spur of a minute to come up with the final decision? Read the part 2 of my amazing tragedy where I will bring to light the different mobile operating systems currently engaged in a war of superiority to capture the ever changing Kenyan market, in layman's terms!

LOOSING THE FIGHT? CONDOM USE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Sub Saharan Africa  is the region with the world's highest rates of HIV infections and other sexually transmitted infections also known as STIs. However, the irony of it all is that condom use among people here is rare according to numerous scholarly research based in the area. Governments spend millions of dollars every year in the fight against the disease. However, decades later after discovery of the first case of the infection there hasn’t been success in containing the overall spread. HIV/AIDS still remains a major cause of death among the population.
The big question right now among the numerous governments and organizations is, are we losing the war against HIV/AIDS? Are the mitigation measures in place effective in combating the scourge?
In a report  published by UNaids in September last year, the organization expressed concerns over the few  usage of condoms by people in several African countries, notably those in the sub-Saharan region, yet there's evidence of rise in number of people having multiple sex partners.
The report, clearly states that while there is substantial indicators of good progress made on meeting the 2015 target in terms of halving transmission of the virus, ending of child infections and ensuring availability of medicine, not much has been achieved towards reducing infections among drug users.
It also noted a 34% decrease in the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa, recorded between the year 2001 and 2012, but was disappointed with the region still accounting for 70%  of the estimated 2.3 million new infections globally. This makes many pose the question over condom use. what influences people to use condoms as a preventive measure?
It's hard to pinpoint the overall factors that influence the use of both the female and the male condoms in the population. However, it's evident that condom use in sub-Saharan Africa  involves some complex social and interpersonal dynamics, coupled with structural and cultural conditions exerting some influence through framing social cognitions and setting boundaries on autonomy that make the apparently irrational choice of eschewing condoms a rational decision.
Factors of consideration include the influences of poverty, relationship with parents, peers and also those with partners. Its seemingly sad that at that this age and time, there are people who still can't afford the price of a condom pack! In Kenya, Isiolo district made headlines  some months ago over residents resulting to recycling of condoms by hanging them outside to dry!
Surprised? well, don't be. That's not all. Other generally accepted factors include: limited, insufficient or even total absence of information especially among the rural people and among homosexuals, gender norms set out by the society, beliefs and attitudes about HIV and the dynamics of gendered power (the women empowerment thing).
The influence of all these factors have coincidentally been proven to work against condom use among a very large proportion of the population.  This has further been worsened by the position of the church, especially the catholic church concerning the issue of condom use in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS. The catholic church is inevitably the largest private provider of healthcare to HIV patients in the world. in the year 2010, the then head of the church, pope Benedict characterized  and described the use of condom as being "unreal" and "it not being a moral solution" to the spread of HIV/AIDS, but potentially "a first step" in the direction of moralization and responsibility when used with the" intention of reducing the risk of infection".
This controversial position of the catholic church has greatly brought out issues over its collaboration with other aid organizations including USAID in the provision of AIDS care and education. However, on the positive side, research results this year are showing  a positive trend in condom use among single women in several African countries; and increase in acceptance and usage of condoms among university students  and resistance to succumbing to the dominant gender-power dynamics. Right now, student hostels have condom dispensers permanently installed  to boost usage among peers.
The war isn't over yet brother, brace on!

I FEAR...

"I fear for our lost generation.Everything around me is turning into something completely new,things ad never thought would exist!Lollipops turn into cigarettes. The innocent ones turn into sluts. Homework goes in the trash. Mobile phones are being used in class. Detention becomes suspension. Soda becomes vodka. Bikes become cars. Kisses turn into sex. Remember when getting high meant swinging on the playground? When protection meant wearing a helmet? When the worst things you could get from boys were cooties? Dad’s shoulders were the highest place on earth and mum was your hero? Your worst enemies were your siblings. Race issues were about who ran the fastest. War was only a card game. And the only drug you knew was cough medicine. When wearing a skirt didn’t make you a slut. The most pain you felt was when you skinned your knees, and goodbyes only meant until tomorrow? And we couldn’t wait to grow up?".wot changed all this??
still, i fear!!!1

Must I Choose?

I am torn, conflicted
between one who is beside me
and one that should be,
I cannot decide.

She is my anchor,
speaks the words that comfort my heart.
The other teases me, a fun loving heart
they both make a perfect woman.

But I must decide.
Must I choose?
She bats her eyes and I die,
the other winks and my knees give way.

   
Must I choose?
She makes my heart faint with longing,
The other cherishes me beyond what I can imagine,
they both fill my heart with joy.

If I part with her, I will die.
If the other leaves me, my soul will be robbed of light.
Must I decide?
They both are the perfect woman.

this life i live...

My life has become a brittle bouquet
Of dead red roses in rapid decay
And all that I thought one day I could be
Is now but a part of lost history.

I look to the East and yearn for the West,
Confusion conceals the best of my quest.
Lost to the ages and rages of time,
Dreams of destruction destroy my sublime.

Life's haunting refrain just leaves me with pain,
I see only loss while looking for gain.
Shattered and battered from reckless crusades,
While searching for truth but truth always fades.

Bitter and broken my life out of hand,
Darkness descending as I make a stand.
I once was an eagle, flying up high,
But I lost my wings and then lost the sky.

Born with great gifts to both give and receive,
And when I was young, my youth did believe,
But then I became a pawn in the game
Of pleasure and pain, both buried in shame.

Disease of the mind I carried at birth,
A bipolar life would measure my worth.
Paternal genetics, a father's first gift;
Our two brains afflicted predicted the rift.

A childhood erratic emphatic with fears
Where highs and lows would flow with salted tears.
All chance of normal family stripped bare;
No blood on blood can love or dare to share.

Illusion with confusion then to war
As wasted-worn tore through my inner core.
With hope I leave those years of fear behind
For now the time has come to heal the mind

So it can make each day forever free,
Immersed in verse with life's sweet poetry;
This man who loves his sacred family
Is part of the bark that beautifies the tree.

poverty..

A rich Dad took his son to a village to show him “Poverty”

After the trip he asked his son about poverty.

Son replied:
We have one dog, they have many.....
We have a small pool, they have a Long River....
We have light, they have stars....
We have small piece of land, they have large field....
We have food; they grow food for themselves and for others

Dad was speechless....

Then boy said:
Thanks Dad for showing how poor we are....
__________________________

______
Life is all about
How we see and accept things....!

 

                                                              ________ Author Unknown