myREALM

Late last night - technically earlier today as it was around 1a - I happened to have accessed Apple’s AppStore on my iPad trying to download this app that was brought to my attention that can improve my creativity in bed, in terms of mounting on a female partner. The app, Sex Positions, actually does have good animated illustrations that can help you and your partner enjoy yourselves in bed, on the floor, in the kitchen, just typically anywhere within the confines of your house without jizzing on her “authentic human hair”. 

So anyway a wizard popped up with terms and conditions which I normally don’t care about, I mean really, it’s a f*cking 32-page document that adds no knowledge to your brain. Just warnings and what have you. This one had a new line that says I’m “responsible for any tax obligations in Kenya. Any payment due on iTunes are net or any applicable tax”. In short, Apple is reminding me of my tax obligations while on the hand putting it in my face that they don’t really pay any tax to our government anyway. Yikes. 

I didn’t really think much what that was about, I have agreed to such terms before when trying to access AppStore and even on Amazon, without reading. But when I woke up this morning, I noticed my go-to guy on any loose link that may be of interest to me, already tagged me on a loose link from one of those famous apple fanboys talking about Apple finally hooking us up with iTunes store. Kenya and a shitload of other countries like Uganda, Russia, Bosnia, South Africa, but not Tanzania. Which is weird but not very surprising. I think they are having issues translating that 32-page T&C into Kiswahili. Plus really Apple is selective sometimes. 

This is a big step both for consumers and creatives in these countries that have just ascended to civilization as I believe when music or tv shows is readily available for download at a small fee, piracy will indeed reduce. Why should I pirate music for example when I can preview it on iTunes and buy it if suits my taste? see my logic there? This is a different arrangement from CDs, plus many artists, the good artists, have their tracks priced barely under a dollar. Let’s even say there are artists who still manage to make great compilation CDs, it’ll still come to around $10 as my observation-based research on such matters has shown. You can spend at least $100 annually on music because the good albums are rare to come by.

All music on the iTunes Store comes in iTunes Plus®, Apple’s DRM-free format with high-quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings.

iTunes in the Cloud lets you download your previously purchased iTunes music to all your iOS devices at no additional cost, and new music purchases can be downloaded automatically to all your devices. In addition, music not purchased from the iTunes Store can gain the same benefits by using iTunes Match, a service that stores your entire music library in iCloud® for access at any time, from any iOS device. iTunes Match is available for purchase in the new countries added today.

Consumers in only 4 of the 56 countries, will have the privilege to purchase movies and tv series. The rest of us can wait for next renaissance, maybe when Cook dies or retires or something in between the two, for us to get such privileges. In the meantime, you have a perfect excuse to keep bootlegging movies, tv shows and whatever else Hollywood puts out there before BitTorrent goes commercial. 

I have managed to download Fid Q’s Propaganda album just to test if this shit is real or just another PR stunt to boost Apple’s stock earnings on Wall street.

That’s what we IT guys do when corporations release new products in the market. Unlike paid bloggers who just talk out of there monkey’s and write a whole lot of crap of shit they don’t even understand but end up proclaiming that such and such a product is very innovative, disruptive even or Microsoft need to employ me in their engineering department, I’d blog my way to quality products… It’s nauseating reading tech blogs these days. Just read my tumblr and you good. I test things. LOL 

Nanjira Sambuli is already a household name on the interwebs thanks to her deep involvement with socio-political discourses concerning the future of Kenya. She is a very bold lady and never bashful, a champion of logic and fact-based debates, both online and offline. She is a mathematician duh!

“Walking” marks the beginning of Nanjira’s post-Ma3 solo career as an indie singer, songwriter, and performer. Facing down as one of Kenya’s brightest talents but unlike most of her peers, she exudes maturity, partly thanks to her stint with Ma3 Band, and perhaps a realization that a strong start is key to setting an authoritative agenda both for her fans and critics alike.

The producer, Blackman, keeps the instrumentation at minimum, with claps and slow but steady funky groove. Blackman is a well-established producer having handled production for array of artists both locally and internationally, including but not limited to: singer/activitst Sara Miratu, veteran emcee Juliani, Dan “Chizi” Aceda, Deni Hines, Marvin Winans Jr., Sherwin Gardner just to mention a few. It’s no wonder Nanjira is able lay her expansive vocals over the Neptunes-like instrumental effortlessly under his guidance and mentorship.

The track doesn’t need much exposition. The narrative is that of a pragmatist in search of self-actualization. Sometimes faux-resilience can be detrimental to your sanity, it’s better to create a distance from the source or cause of discomfort – could be an unhealthy relationship or otherwise – to recollect yourself. I do that a lot actually. LOL

The track will to appear on an EP slated to drop in 2013. The radio guys may not find this airplay-worthy but purists like me – of course – will enjoy this beautiful composition. Congratulations to Nanjira for your debut and I wish you every success in your musical endeavors. 

Stream the track below and leave your comments

I grew up a lone child and since I lost my mum when I was seven, it was just me and my dad until my teenage years when I was sent to boarding school. Living with my dad, I was exposed to a lot of life experiences either through practical participation or historical narratives. My dad reads a lot. I mean A LOT. And he’s not much of an outgoing person unless it’s a church-related function, which he had a lot to attend because he was and still is a catechism facilitator. So when he wasn’t involved in any of those church functions, he’d just stay in the house reading, listening to music, and when he’d get bored with all that, I was the only human being around he would have conversations with. We’d talk about virtually everything, from religion and specifically why I didn’t like church and church-like stories like why I shouldn’t eat white meat, women, and our clan back in the village, my education, and sports – he was a very good hockey player back in his school days and lots and lots of history. That is how I spent most of my weekends. Week days were play days for me.

That is how I gained interest in politics, reading and discussing politics. I’ve always been a politically conscious cat. At some point after high school I had a “chronic” addiction to pornography (body politics indeed), not really the fucking or the Clinton-Lewisnky-head-encounter-like actions but the message boards and forums that we enjoyed for subscribing to premium services of such like websites. I had my homeboy who was working at the time and he was already hooked into this plastic monetary system or credit cards if you will. I’d give him equivalent of $5 in Kenya shillings and he’d use his credit card to renew my subscriptions. I wasn’t working then but somehow I had some little money with me. Not pocket money from my dad, he’s the last person to want to give you pocket money just for being at home chilling, doing nothing or chasing after your female peers after graduating high school.  My homeboy on the other hand was an engineer at this telco company and I’d expect him to turn down my little money and just renew my subscriptions on his own bill but nada. Not to sound stereotypical, but his mum is from Kinangop. I’ve been there once.

What these message boards and porn forums accorded idle souls like me and the rest of those white kids from Eastern Europe I interacted with, was a false sense of deep understanding of life. But it heightened my curiosity nonetheless. We’d discuss anything and everything known to mankind but all put into sexual context. It was a porn forum, need I say more? This one time, after watching a lesbian porn (Which I must say was worth my time) the discussion headed straight to Sodom and Gomorra. It was a discussion on Homosexuality and Modernity and stupid shit like that. I was 19 and the closest I’d come to that subject was in High School. First in C.R.E where we actually talked about Sodom and Gomorra and second, this one dude who was our class secretary and we hated him so much, sometimes we absconded cleaning our classroom (by we, I mean a few idiots I had massive influence over their mannerism) just so he could snitch on us and we’d have a perfect reason to keep wishing death on him.  

To be clear, my crew did not start the homo rumors but it suited our cause so either way we saw no reason not to fuel the rumors. This is how the rumor started. This new guy who was very girly and people who knew him claimed he was expelled from a very prestigious school for raping a fellow student. The rape part kind of freaked me out but I was safe, I didn’t share anything with the dude – class or dormitory - not because I was a homophobe but nothing fun in getting raped in the ass. I doubt you can rape someone at the dining hall, maybe at night but I was never around the dining hall at night, not even when there was a movie showing. So this new girly guy and our class secretary became really tight friends, I can’t tell whether it was by seduction or by virtue of them sharing a dormitory and residing in the same compartment in that dormitory. It didn’t matter, me and my crew bought into the homo rumors like relief food. Thank god the rumors never reached the administration so these two supposedly gay dudes were never expelled, which you know would’ve been good for me anyway because of that secretary but on the other hand nothing can excuse ruining someone’s education. You can imagine the ridicule they were subjected to. Come to think of it, if they were like really gay, they would’ve committed suicide right? Or maybe Gay Africans aren’t as fragile as the ones I read about on HuffPost.

So this homosexuality and modernity discussion went on for a couple of hours, some of these white kids - from Eastern Europe - brought their gay family members, relatives and friends out of the closet, like they do on Tyra Banks’ Show. Only that this was a porn forum and the discussion wasn’t sponsored by Gay Kenya Trust either. Maybe they did via Google Adwords to promote those gay links on my favorite porn sites back then, just that I never got a check, of course it’s google money. Plus I doubt Gay Kenya Trust would ever want anyone like on their payroll. I’m not progressive enough within the political realm of deviant sexualities. I wish those porn forums became mainstream like facebook, I swear we’d have a generation of intelligent kids. Those white kids exposed me to a lot of western political shit and I read a lot about them when I wasn’t feeling like watching porn or I didn’t have internet.

2007 was a special year for me, politically. It was time to put all the political junk I had accrued over the years, including the porn forums where I first learnt the power of community service. I was 20 and had registered as a voter and I was looking forward to getting to the ballot booth and exercising my democratic right – like I had been taught in school. I followed political blitz on tv and on radio, had endless arguments with my peers who were equally excited. I was the “intelligent” one and that helped me moderate those silly debates we had in the village (I had moved back to the village to live with my granny). My granny had a tv, it was the only tv in a 5km radius, I automatically became a political pundit in the village just because I had access to information and people trusted me somehow. We would walk around urging people to go register as voters. Even though we favored different politicians for the parliamentary seat, we found a unifying factor in the need to make Agwambo the next president of the republic. Politics in my village was kind of a reserve for men but this time round, I was making sure more women registered as voters. I was that dude. A couple of folks hated me because they thought I was getting paid and I wasn’t sharing. I kind of enjoyed that drama. One thing for sure, the community service lessons the white kids from Eastern Europe had taught me on the porn message boards were coming in handy (no fapping)

Then the ODM nominations happened. As a registered ODM member back then, I wanted nothing to do with the MP we had at the time, Philip Okundi – Immediate former CCK chairman and I think he’s got some position within the ODM hierarchy. My preferred candidate was Martin Ogindo, who eventually won and went ahead to clinch the parliamentary seat. The process was flawed and it mirrored the Kivuitu lead process at K.I.C.C. that precipitated the mess that was P.E.V. But we put up a fight till justice was served. 

What really happened was Philip Okundi after a heavy defeat everywhere in the constituency including within his own clan, was awarded the nomination certificate. Those in the know speculated that it was a money politics and that Philip Okundi was popular within the ODM ranks than Martin Ogindo (Like I was supposed to give a fuck about that). True Martin Ogindo wasn’t as wealthy as Okundi was and still is but we needed a new blood, we were done with the status quo which Okundi and another former MP, Chem Ochuodho represented.  Plus Martin Ogindo is my neighbor so really what choice did I have?

 I gathered a couple of dudes in the village, played with their emotions a little bit with the fact that our clan had been alienated and it was our time to show the rest how to really do it. We are close and we can’t afford to have Okundi for another 4 years of doing nothing for us.  I’m a little guilty for playing the clan-card but whatever, I was young and I was dealing with ignorant folk way older than me who were very apathetic. In fact they only cared about Agwambo being the president, nothing else mattered to them. The clan-card worked like a charm. We hit the streets. I made a few phone calls here and there and I was informed Homabay town was already on fire. Just what I needed to bring my inner Jack Bauer out. I lied to these dudes again that Homabay folks are already causing havoc thanks to us. Nobody asked me shit, so I kept it moving with lies. The cops were alerted and Rodi Kopany came to a halt. Yes we took over every corner and playing cat and mouse games with the cops. Thank god no live bullets were fired like they did in Homabay. I know a dude who got shot.

Three hours later, Royal Media Services owned, Radio Ramogi – which was the only FM station broadcasting in Dholuo then – announced that Martin Ogindo had been awarded the certificate. A 4-story build rumored to be owned by Philip Okundi in Homabay town had been set ablaze then; still I gave little to no fucks about it. Justice had been served.  For me, Martin Okindo represented freshness and we hoped he’d do something worth talking about.  I knew it wasn’t going to be easy because of bureaucracy, but I still hoped my vote was going to bring something new to my village – first – and the constituency at large. I hoped to see equitable distribution of CDF and bursary funds. Was I unrealistic with my expectations? I don’t think so. Those are some of the promises Martin Ogindo made before nominations. I was naïve and I got caught up in the frenzy for trying out a new thing that I took his lies seriously.

I know as young people, we are always guilt-tripped into believing that your single vote will amount to something. And that the vote is your power to demand for a better polity. But history doesn’t always support that theory. I mean politics will always present us with false choices. Like I described up there, I had a choice to choose between status quo and an undercover lair that had a great reputation in the civil service but has proved to be nothing but status quo.  Guess what, he’s done nothing worth documenting back in my village. He made promises that would have transformed the constituency if he had followed up on them.  I’m sure it’s not just me or my constituency that has experienced no transformation after voting in a new guy. I remember after elections how the political punditry was full of praise for us (voters) for voting out some politicians and bring in new ones and some were quite youthful. I can only imagine how good the new and youthful members of parliament have been of service to the nation. Isn’t that the same vibe being used again now? That you have the power to vote them out and bring in new ones?

How do we as young people reconcile this history with today’s legitimate disillusionment? Does the current political arrangement really allow our voice through the voting process to triumph over the disgust thrown to us by the political class? The constitution had a provision of re-calling incompetent member of parliaments, how long did it take before it could be amended? And what did the voters with power to take charge of their destiny do about it? I know I tweeted about it, but that was just about it. DUH! I know we young guys will continue to vote. To vote because it’s what is expected of us as citizens, and as our democratic duty sanctioned by the constitution. We want to positively influence the governance of this country, using the vote. It’s all good. I’m just not inspired enough to participate. Heck last time I did, a shitload of Kenyans died and some got displaced.  I’ll give it a pass. I’ve been there done that, got nothing. Will it make me less of a Kenyan? I’d wish to give the least fuck possible about it. For those feeling inspired to vote next year, go register and please make the right decision – with me in mind, of course.

Isn’t it time for a revolution? The revolution starts with you and your thoughts. Like Boniface Mwangi and his visual arts movement, but not as angry as him though. DAMN!! Nothing actually revolutionary about voting, you don’t even own the process anyway, how can it be revolutionary?  

Peace! 

Technology has brought countless opportunities to mankind to do good or bad depending personal drive or nature. Technological tools, especially the internet has made us break the geographical barriers and be as close to one another than we could ever imagine. Just by a click of a mouse or touch of a trackpad, I can start a conversation with strangers, send greetings to friends and family, make friends with strangers, conduct business, and virtually anything I want to do.

It’s with such opportunities that a local poultry farmer, Mama Lucy Kamptoni, from the Tanzanian city of Arusha decided to embrace technology to engage the world for social good. In collaboration with a U.S non-profit group, Epic Thanks, they saw the Thanksgiving Holiday, celebrated in the US as an opportunity to encourage twitter users to give back. 

In 2008, two days before Thanksgiving Holiday. Epic Thanks started an online initiative called TweetGiving as a 48-hour celebration of gratitude and giving, and raised over $10,000. Epic Thanks invested the funds to build a classroom at school founded by Mama Lucy Kamptoni, who used her investments to build a school that now serves over 300 children in the area. 

The school recently installed with internet connectivity, pupils at Shepherd Junior School - now dubbed TwitterKids of Tanzania - are now able to tweet their gratitude to the twitter community that donated to improve their school 4 years ago, documenting the activities they’ve undertaken to change their community, hobbies and dreams through tweets, like shown in this video.

With $10,000 grant recently received from IdeaBlog, an initiative run by Advanta - one of the biggest Credit Card Companies in the US, Epic Thanks intent to expand their partnership with Shepherd Junior School by implementing a technology lab the complement the classroom they had built previously.

This year’s TweetGiving is scheduled for November 24th to 26th. Check their Join Us page to be part of the initiative.