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Is Africa science-deficient?
masukuma
#71 Posted : Tuesday, February 04, 2014 10:34:01 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,823
Location: Nairobi
murchr wrote:
masukuma wrote:
i am currently writing some software (hopefully it will be of commercial gain for me) but I am using a computer i did not build (built by some chinese fellow for some american company). I am using a proprietary OS that was written by some indians for some american company, I am using a stack of open source software packaged by some american companies. does it make my solution less of a solution to the problem I am trying to solve? the only difference between me and a fellow trying to solve a different problem in the US is that he/she may be coding on a full stomach (by virtue of the funding).


Masukuma, when India launched a rocket, you were the first to complain that India has poor citizens and the launch was un necessary. What was your argument?

no that was mukiri! i was proLaunch (a group of scientists seated somewhere trying to solve a problem is a good thing). @rollout - you are right, it does help to have a network and a working system (part of coding with a full stomach) but that does not mean that in order for me to have stuff working here i have to wait until the day we replicate whatever is in the Us.
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
murchr
#72 Posted : Tuesday, February 04, 2014 11:02:08 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 2/26/2012
Posts: 15,980
masukuma wrote:
murchr wrote:
masukuma wrote:
i am currently writing some software (hopefully it will be of commercial gain for me) but I am using a computer i did not build (built by some chinese fellow for some american company). I am using a proprietary OS that was written by some indians for some american company, I am using a stack of open source software packaged by some american companies. does it make my solution less of a solution to the problem I am trying to solve? the only difference between me and a fellow trying to solve a different problem in the US is that he/she may be coding on a full stomach (by virtue of the funding).


Masukuma, when India launched a rocket, you were the first to complain that India has poor citizens and the launch was un necessary. What was your argument?

no that was mukiri! i was proLaunch (a group of scientists seated somewhere trying to solve a problem is a good thing). @rollout - you are right, it does help to have a network and a working system (part of coding with a full stomach) but that does not mean that in order for me to have stuff working here i have to wait until the day we replicate whatever is in the Us.


Ok..now i remember
"There are only two emotions in the market, hope & fear. The problem is you hope when you should fear & fear when you should hope: - Jesse Livermore
.
masukuma
#73 Posted : Tuesday, February 04, 2014 11:06:16 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,823
Location: Nairobi
there are many problems that face humanity ION, it should not be a race to solve these problems so that we can brag but rather make real and meaningful changes to the human race. we don't have to compete with the US or China in order to feel more human or worthy - you are human, you are worthy. Kindly fix the problem around you that bites you everyday using whatever science and engineering is availed to you. Mr. Educated if I could paraphrase Wangari Maathai - education, if it means anything, should not take people away from the land...for educated people are in a position to understand what is being lost.
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
Rollout
#74 Posted : Tuesday, February 04, 2014 11:43:09 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 759
masukuma wrote:
there are many problems that face humanity ION, it should not be a race to solve these problems so that we can brag but rather make real and meaningful changes to the human race. we don't have to compete with the US or China in order to feel more human or worthy - you are human, you are worthy. Kindly fix the problem around you that bites you everyday using whatever science and engineering is availed to you. Mr. Educated if I could paraphrase Wangari Maathai - education, if it means anything, should not take people away from the land...for educated people are in a position to understand what is being lost.


I think you've answered the question, we cannot compete with US and other countries's scientists not because African scientists are not good enough but because, unlike them, our government is not supporting and growing our science.

Everyone can relate to how a local primary school can dictate whether you'll forever be poor or you'll be something, same with our government can dictate whether innovation can me achieve or not. You can come up with amazing idea but unless someone can step in and help it's almost impossible to get it out there.
murchr
#75 Posted : Tuesday, February 04, 2014 11:54:30 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 2/26/2012
Posts: 15,980
Rollout the govt cannot support education alone, that only happens in Norway as far as I know. Even in the US, historically institutions and individuals have funded and continue to fund research to build capacity eg Carnegie
"There are only two emotions in the market, hope & fear. The problem is you hope when you should fear & fear when you should hope: - Jesse Livermore
.
masukuma
#76 Posted : Wednesday, February 05, 2014 12:39:51 AM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,823
Location: Nairobi
Rollout wrote:
masukuma wrote:
there are many problems that face humanity ION, it should not be a race to solve these problems so that we can brag but rather make real and meaningful changes to the human race. we don't have to compete with the US or China in order to feel more human or worthy - you are human, you are worthy. Kindly fix the problem around you that bites you everyday using whatever science and engineering is availed to you. Mr. Educated if I could paraphrase Wangari Maathai - education, if it means anything, should not take people away from the land...for educated people are in a position to understand what is being lost.


I think you've answered the question, we cannot compete with US and other countries's scientists not because African scientists are not good enough but because, unlike them, our government is not supporting and growing our science.

Everyone can relate to how a local primary school can dictate whether you'll forever be poor or you'll be something, same with our government can dictate whether innovation can me achieve or not. You can come up with amazing idea but unless someone can step in and help it's almost impossible to get it out there.

my argument is - the road others have trodden to success may not be the only road to that place! we are human beings! we understand and adapt to our environment. others may have done it by using government assistance IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT GAVA IS THE ONLY WAY!
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
a4architect.com
#77 Posted : Wednesday, February 05, 2014 9:25:21 AM
Rank: Veteran

Joined: 1/4/2010
Posts: 1,668
Location: nairobi
History shows us that 4000 years ago, Africans were the most developed. They managed to build pyramids 3000 years ago. The pharaos were all back and their DNA shows they originated from sub saharan Africa.

http://forums.civfanatic...showthread.php?t=492254


4000 years later, most African countries will have technical difficulties redoing the same pyramid project. Issues to do with workmanship, funding, technology for raising the stones etc will come up.

1000 years ago, most of africa was mining and producing metals, iron, bronze, copper and gold.

1000 years later, Kenya has to import basic steel from india or China for the SGR project.

In General, african technology has continued on a slow decline.
The reasons given to this decline, which started from 1500 AD to currently, is that the Europeans, Americans and Arabs embarked on slave trade in Africa.
This trade removed the innovative and leadership quality endowed gene pool of people from Africa.
Africa was dispossessed of leaders hence poor political climate which has led to poor economic climate.
Proffessor Nathan Hunn of Harvard explains this here

http://www.voxeu.org/art...frican-underdevelopment


http://www.inmotionaame....&topic=9&bhcp=1


Around 1000 to 1500 AD, just before slave trade, African cities were a beehive of international trade activity. We had the Great Zimbabwe in the south

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Zimbabwe

Ingombe ilede copper industry in central africa/Zambia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingombe_Ilede

In Kenya we had Lamu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamu

People from the Kenyan hinterland followed tana rivers till Lamu for trade.

In tanzania there was Kilwa kisimani city

http://archaeology.about...od/tanzania/a/kilwa.htm


In somalia there was Kismayo and Mogadishu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kismayo

As Iron Sharpens Iron, So one Man Sharpens Another.
murchr
#78 Posted : Saturday, April 19, 2014 6:03:45 AM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 2/26/2012
Posts: 15,980
Ndemo's article is superb. Digital beggars A must read

Quote:
I am aware that University of Nairobi and Egerton University have added value to several agricultural products, but they have never commercialized any of their products. Egerton’s yogurt has never gone beyond kiosks in Nakuru. A breakfast cereal product developed by University of Nairobi’s Upper Kabete Campus has never left the lab 20 years later as we spend billions of shillings importing breakfast cereal from Europe or the US. We export bananas and berries to be dried in Europe and made into cereal for us to import.


http://www.nation.co.ke/...8/-/qpsxy7/-/index.html

@Arch... isn't it just sad that all that is history. Lets talk about today.
"There are only two emotions in the market, hope & fear. The problem is you hope when you should fear & fear when you should hope: - Jesse Livermore
.
murchr
#79 Posted : Thursday, June 05, 2014 6:18:58 AM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 2/26/2012
Posts: 15,980
South Africa's ranking as worst in the world for its maths and science education is "a state of emergency", the opposition has said.

The Democratic Alliance called for a full skills audit of all maths, science and technology teachers.

For the overall quality of education, South Africa came 146th in the WEF ranking.

While not all countries were surveyed, South Africa was ranked below Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

More here

Report
"There are only two emotions in the market, hope & fear. The problem is you hope when you should fear & fear when you should hope: - Jesse Livermore
.
masukuma
#80 Posted : Thursday, June 05, 2014 6:45:06 AM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,823
Location: Nairobi
we really don't have a choice - forget leadership forget all sorts of excuses. our generation has the best opportunity of all generations of africans that have ever appeared on the planet. information is readily available all we need to do is THINK!! my favourite saying this year is
Quote:
Technology does not solve problems, Thinking solves problems

let's not outsource our thoughts? let's think critically about our problems and using the technology at hand lift the quality of life of our people.
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
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