Thursday, May 24, 2012

Why I Will Not die A Conformist



Many people in the world tend to flow with the wind. Many people are afraid to be different, to go against the grain, so to say. That is why we have become a society of hypocrites, people who seem to lean on one side, but when a vote is taken, the results don’t tally with the general view.

Take Kenyan politics for instance, we all claim that we are rid of tribal leanings, that tribe is not a consideration when we vote, that we vote on merit and based on a candidates manifesto. But the politicians know us better and when they campaign, they appeal to our tribal instincts; they play to our fear of domination by other tribes and successfully corner the voter.

Another good example of how hypocritical we are as a society is to be found in the religious sphere. We confess to being deeply religious, but a close examination of the society shows a very immoral, sick and crude people. Watching TV or reading the press, one is exposed to a people deeply troubled, entangled in immorality, cults, witchcraft and everything else that is anti-religion. How would you explain the domestic violence that seems to almost have a sanction? How do you explain widespread practice of FGM? What about the greed that is consistently exposed to have invaded our religious institutions? Many countries that do not profess religion above everything else have a better human rights record than we ever will dream of.

Deep inside my heart, I have always been able to see through all the lies that my society lines up in its feeble attempt to defend itself, and that keeps me striving to avoid falling into the same quagmire. Every day, I try to weigh all the decisions I make and ensure that what I do is based on whether it is right and proper and not motivated by any other factors. I don’t want to die a conformist who knows he made decisions to please the gallery but not his conscience. I don’t want to die a thousand deaths on the inside because I didn’t have the courage to say what I felt deep in my heart.

I don’t want to die a conformist. 

Monday, May 14, 2012

Maybe We Are Human After All


       
Kenya’s top award winning investigative reporter Mohammed Ali of the Jicho Pevu fame was today charged with theft of a mobile phone worth Sh100, 000. He appeared in court charged with the theft of a mobile telephone.  
Only last week a debt collector accused lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi of forgery and claimed that he was not qualified to practice as an advocate.  Mr Bryan Yongo claims Abdullahi does not have a Certificate of Completion of Pupilage as required under the Advocates Act. The lawyer is best known for his recent ferocious scrutiny of judges past rulings and qualifications during the vetting exercise as a representative of LSK in the Judiciary Service Commission.
Only yesterday, Scott Thompson the CEO at Yahoo-US was replaced after the emergence of allegations about a fake computer science degree for the past week.
Remember Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a former IMF chief and potential French President in 2012 who was accused in a criminal case relating to allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape made by a hotel maid, Nafissatou Diallo.
It is easy to blame these men who have excelled in their various specializations for the disgraceful falls and having an Achilles’ Heel , after all they have been at the forefront fighting the good fight and our perception of them was of men beyond reproach.
Is our perception to blame? Do we set high expectations for ourselves through their actions at the best of times? 
Why do we get surprised and wonder where the chink in the armour came from? 

How Long Does It Take To Decompose?

We all know the dangers of disposing waste that is not bio-degradable, but we rarely know how long it takes for the waste to be one with earth. This will shock you......


  • Paper Towel - 2-4 weeks 
  • Banana Peel - 3-4 weeks 
  • Paper Bag - 1 month 
  • Newspaper - 1.5 months 
  • Apple Core - 2 months 
  • Cardboard - 2 months 
  • Cotton Glove - 3 months 
  • Orange peels - 6 months 
  • Plywood - 1-3 years 
  • Wool Sock - 1-5 years 
  • Milk Cartons - 5 years 
  • Cigarette Butts - 10-12 years 
  • Leather shoes - 25-40 years 
  • Tinned Steel Can - 50 years 
  • Foamed Plastic Cups - 50 years 
  • Rubber-Boot Sole - 50-80 years 
  • Plastic containers - 50-80 years 
  • Aluminum Can - 200-500 years 
  • Plastic Bottles - 450 years 
  • Disposable Diapers - 550 years 
  • Monofilament Fishing Line - 600 years 
  • Plastic Bags - 200-1000 years 
Think again before you bury some of the waste in the ground. Think about the 4Rs-  Reduce, Re-use, Recycle and Recover.