December 2009 - skunkworks - Skunkworks Site

Google, Skunkworks and PRIVACY
by James Wachira 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

Hi guys, How come the emails we send on the *skunkworks* list are available on the Google Search? And yet some of us have phone numbers and other contact information availed on this emails. Is this something that can be changed? What if I wanted to remove this info, how can I go about this? -- James W, Nairobi, .ke The Geek shall inherit the earth. - Linus 5:5

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Nokia calling all innovators Competition
by Humphrey Ngoiya 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

all awards went to South Africa http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/410/78/42938.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/41118175@N05/sets/72157622954841140/show/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Its unfortunate that 50/50 calls were awarded to south Africa". Benjamin Ayimba said this after the Kenya Vs Springboks game where south Africa won after a questionable penalty. (No relation to the above results)

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Re: [Skunkworks] Forum rules to take effect at : TRUCE???
by fyodor 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

hahaha! >I guess that makes me individual :-) how do i become corporate? I >stop >posting and aqcuire powers mysteriously?Ive stopped...powers come >to me You have been graciously awarded with 100% Power! Use it wisely and dont waste it by posting to the mailing list. from _the Corporate Power Giver! tyrus

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Techies & the Cache-22
by Cryptographer Cryptanalyst 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

hi, whether you have experience or not, the advice below may help you or those who work under or around you. Q: is experience the SI units for careers? regards, cypt0l0g1st. source: http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbr/hbr-now/2009/08/how-to-get-a-job-witho… ==================> You know the Catch-22: "You can't get a job without experience, and you can't get experience without a job." Young job seekers have always faced this dilemma. In today's shrinking job market, people with years of experience also struggle with it. Whether they face the reality of a layoff, or merely the threat of one, many older workers are trying to reinvent themselves in order to become marketable in a changed economy. *Whether you're launching your career or trying to change its direction, you can get around this Catch-22 with some creativity and humility. * Here's how I did it: I was a clinical psychologist in a community mental health center. It was professionally satisfying and financially unrewarding. I decided it was time to make more money. I would become a business consultant. Imagine my surprise to learn that I could not find a single company eager to hire me. Apparently, they couldn't see that my ability to counsel sexual offenders was a transferable skill! I couldn't get business experience without getting hired. I couldn't get hired without business experience. What to do? At a party, I met Dr. Charles Daily, an organizational psychologist and entrepreneur. Dr. Daily was trying to market a new product to help companies make better hiring decisions. He had a good idea and no money to hire someone to help him realize it. I said to Dr. Daily, "I'll do telemarketing cold calls for your new product. But I insist on being paid. The first payment will be a title appropriate to the job I will be doing - say, 'Business Development Associate.'" The second payment, if I fulfill my end of the deal, will be a good reference and introductions to colleagues who might be able to help me." For the next two months, two days a week, I did my best to help Dr. Daily get traction for his new service. I made hundreds of calls - hating every one of them. I ultimately was able to set up two in-person appointments for Dr. Daily. Neither of those led to new business. But Dr. Daily said my job had been to open doors; it was his job to close deals. I'd performed well and would get paid, in the form of introductions to some business associates. Those introductions, along with a resume that included my new title, eventually led to a job with a talent management-consulting firm. How can you use such a strategy to get out of the no-win loop that circumscribes your professional growth? Look for a company with a great idea and no money to execute it. Then: 1. Be specific about what value you will provide. I wanted experience in the sales and marketing of professional services. I said I would make phone calls and get appointments for Dr. Daily. I didn't say I would generate sales because I didn't think I could do that. 2. Be specific about what value you will receive. For me, appropriate compensation was a title I could add to my resume and introductions and a reference from Dr. Daily. Compensation is about value received for value given - and you're thinking too narrowly if you define value only in monetary terms. 3. Be specific about time frame. I promised to work two days a week for two months. Be sure that your commitment doesn't preclude you from actively continuing a job search - or performing well enough to keep your present job. What? You're too proud to offer your services at no charge? Get over it. If you choose the right opportunity, you'll gain industry or functional experience that has immeasurable value - and will ultimately lead to a real paycheck. *Larry Stybel is co-founder of the global career management firm Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire <http://www.stybelpeabody.com/>. He also is Executive in Residence at the Sawyer School of Business at Suffolk University<http://www.suffolk.edu/business/>. * * * * * *

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What Am I missing - Telkom ADSL?
by Odhiambo Washington 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

A friend of mine is connected to the Internet (yes!) via Telkom ADSL (32/128kbps), but sending out an e-mail is a nightmare! I have tested using Outlook Express/MS Outlook on XP SP3. Machine is clean -- kabisa! No worms. I believe smtp.jambo.co.ke is the preferred SMTP server, and the closest. C:\>ping -n 10 smtp.jambo.co.ke Pinging smtp.jambo.co.ke [212.49.70.14] with 32 bytes of data: Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=251 Reply from 212.49.70.14: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=251 Ping statistics for 212.49.70.14: Packets: Sent = 10, Received = 10, Lost = 0 (0% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 31ms, Maximum = 34ms, Average = 32ms ..yet, sending a 4MB e-mail takes a clean 45+ minutes. Minus any other utilization on the link, is this the expected behaviour of such bandwidth? -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube

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how to untar a specicic sub directory in a tarred directory
by saich 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

Skunks i have a tarred directory in a linux server which is like 300gb and i need to untar a specific sub directory (i can untar the whole dir but i simply dont have the space) in that tar directory..... can any skunkhead out there think of a command that can put me out of my predicament...google has failed me so far and the clock is ticking

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Re: [Skunkworks] Tangaza - New service in town!
by Brian Omwenga 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

Hi people, There's a new service we wish to try out called Tangaza, and we would like you guys to poke at it. Tangaza is an audio based social networking project of the Nokia Research Center currently in its beta phase. With Tangaza you can create networks/channels/groups such as friends, family or workmates. You can then announce to your friends, family or workmates what you have been up to this week, the pub you may be visiting this weekend or what time a conference presentation will begin. The system allows you to setup up to 9 different groups that you can tangaza to. Once a tangaza is sent out to a group, notification is sent to the members of the group via flashing. You can then flash back the system and it will call you. Simply follow the instructions after that... We would appreciate it if you could try out the service and tell us what you think, especially about its usefulness... and/or usability. To get going - Flash 0711-027-777 (The system will call you back with instructions...) - or send sms to 0714-054-879 (This text number is used for setting up the groups and running the following commands...) Commands: [1] To create a group send the following text to 0714-054-879 * * *create [grp] [slot]* Example: Create grp foobar 2 [2] To delete a group send the following text to 0714-054-879 * * *delete [grp]* Example: delete foobar [3] Once you have a created a group you can invite members to the group/network/channel by sending the following text to 0714-054-879 *invite [grp] [user1] [user2]* Example: Invite foobar 0722XXXXX 0729XXXXXX [4] If you have been invited to a group, send the following text to join the group *join [grp] [slot]* Example: Join foobar 3 (if you wish to tangaza out to foobar, it has been assigned the key 3 on your phone) [5] Other commands quiet group/slot listen group/slot newadmin grp user1 user2 deladmin grp user user2 rmuser grp user1 user2 All this info can be found by sending help, admin or more to 0714-054-879. Sending a blank text to that number will notify you about your networks and the status of your tangazos We are working on other similar projects to be deployed soon so stay tuned. If anything doesn't make sense do let us know. - Billy, Jonathan & Brian

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Zain Kenya introducing two data packages
by aki 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

In a statement on Monday, managing director Rene Meza said the arrival of the fibre optic cable in Kenya has elicited sharp increase in awareness of data opportunities. “Zain Kenya has recognised this demand and is offering Kenyans a wide variety of flexible mobile data products to choose from” he said. In the package, subscribers can download up to 500MB for Sh1,250 and Sh1,750 for a one GB download ( BD )

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Re: [Skunkworks] Tangaza - New service in town!
by fyodor 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

Hi guys Speaking of which have you guys tried this new service from Safaricom called semeni? To get a feel of it just dial *184# or visit the website www.semeni.co.ke and off you go. -tyrus >Just curious, >Is it open to all networks or just Safaricom only? > >2009/12/7 Brian Omwenga <brianomwenga(a)gmail.com> > >> Hi people, >> There's a new service we wish to try out called Tangaza, and we >would like >> you guys to poke at it. >> >> Tangaza is an audio based social networking project of the Nokia >Research >> Center currently in its beta phase. With Tangaza you can create >> networks/channels/groups such as friends, family or workmates. >You can then >> announce to your friends, family or workmates what you have been >up to this >> week, the pub you may be visiting this weekend or what time a >conference >> presentation will begin. The system allows you to setup up to 9 >different >> groups that you can tangaza to. Once a tangaza is sent out to a >group, >> notification is sent to the members of the group via flashing. >You can then >> flash back the system and it will call you. Simply follow the >instructions >> after that... >> >> We would appreciate it if you could try out the service and tell >us what >> you think, especially about its usefulness... and/or usability. >> >> To get going >> - Flash 0711-027-777 (The system will call you back with >instructions...) >> - or send sms to 0714-054-879 (This text number is used for >setting up the >> groups and running the following commands...) >> >> Commands: >> [1] To create a group send the following text to 0714-054-879 >> * >> * >> *create [grp] [slot]* >> Example: Create grp foobar 2 >> >> [2] To delete a group send the following text to 0714-054-879 >> * >> * >> *delete [grp]* >> Example: delete foobar >> >> [3] Once you have a created a group you can invite members to >the >> group/network/channel by sending the following text to 0714-054- >879 >> >> *invite [grp] [user1] [user2]* >> Example: Invite foobar 0722XXXXX 0729XXXXXX >> >> [4] If you have been invited to a group, send the following text >to join >> the group >> >> *join [grp] [slot]* >> Example: Join foobar 3 >> (if you wish to tangaza out to foobar, it has been assigned the >key 3 on >> your phone) >> >> [5] Other commands >> quiet group/slot >> listen group/slot >> newadmin grp user1 user2 >> deladmin grp user user2 >> rmuser grp user1 user2 >> >> All this info can be found by sending help, admin or more to >0714-054-879. >> Sending a blank text to that number will notify you about your >networks and >> the status of your tangazos >> >> We are working on other similar projects to be deployed soon so >stay tuned. >> If anything doesn't make sense do let us know. >> >> - Billy, Jonathan & Brian >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Skunkworks mailing list >> Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> ------------ >> Skunkworks Rules >> http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 >> ------------ >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> Other lists >> ------------- >> Announce: >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks- >announce >> Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi- >bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >> > > > >-- >Solomon Mb?r? Kamau >P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi >Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041 > >Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze >all the >same way to the side of a hill! > >AND > >It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous >generosity! > > >http://dawn-in-kenya.blogspot.com >http://smiley2.wordpress.com >http://mburu.sikika.co.ke >

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Paypal and Kenyan Cards
by Kevin Ouma 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

Hi all I just saw a tweet from whiteafrican ( whom I presume is on this forum) who has just confirmed via personal test that Paypal is now supporting ALL Visa Electron Debit cards issued in Kenya. Is that the case. I want to run some tests with my DTB card to buy a digital download and see if it works. Kevin

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