3D PRINTING -REAL REVOLUTIONIST IN CONSRUCTION INDUSRTY

 

Some few months ago I had an appointment with Moi University Radio station (MU FM) to discuss 3D printing. Even though I had some commitment and failed to attend the interview, the 3D PRINTING IDEA (an idea that is still new to many) drew my interest. The result of my curiosity proved terrific and eye opening to where the world is HEADING, in all dimensions of life.

3D printing, or rather Additive manufacturing, the very idea of one Chuck Hull was founded in 1984. And ever since, the world’s technologies that is aligned to presentation and visualization have been changed a great deal. The technology has been used in offices and homes for creating models, and recently, the Construction industry.

The idea of printing 10 housing units within 24 hours leaves one wondering how this is even possible.

This fete is no longer a dream.

Thanks to WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co., that used a massive 490-foot-long, 33-foot-wide, and 20-foot-deep 3D printer to print cheap concrete.
The various structural components can be fabricated either on site or off-site then joined together with the highest level of accuracy. Currently Winsun’s approach is the most efficient. Time will tell if it will stand the test.

The question then becomes. Can we scale down a building, and model it with a material/ material whose engineering properties are similar to those of the building to be erected? And if so, subject it to simulated forces and characteristic loads that are to be expected in that given environment?

For example, in a wind tunnel test, simulated earthquake loads, and if necessary internal loads? If the building then meets its structural integrity, then it can simply be called a structural analysis and design by experimental verification method.

Or something of that sort.

That’s my thought.

3D printing in construction has been tested, and proven an economic and time efficient method of construction, and should be adopted in engineering faculties in Africa and the world over to prepare future engineers for this technology in industry.

This is just a shift from classical methods of construction into the modern futuristic era, where time, structural integrity and cost are becoming a must have for every construction project.

HIV/AIDS – The Red Elephant

Love, trust, sex, deceit ,Stigma. Now, what could those have in common? That’s the question you are probably asking yourself. Well, I like to think that those words are the building block of HIV/AIDS. Those words sum HIV/AIDS so well. That ‘deadly’ virus is my topic of choice today.

 

HIV/AIDS, what comes to your mind when you read those words? For some it’s just: a sexually transmitted disease, a secret, a tragedy, death. We all have different feelings about it. But what we can’t all deny is that it is associated with some kind of Stigma. I recently learned that few people know about the disease. Try asking your friends about the disease. Trust me you will be surprised with the answers. In our education system we have mandatory classes on it. But still few people are fully informed but it.

 

In simple terms, HIV virus attacks the defense system of the body making it weak. A weak body is prone to diseases. Luckily HIV virus can be managed. A HIV positive patient can live for a very long time. Good diet and regular exercise, is good for everyone irrespective of HIV status. HIV patients need to take life long drugs that reduce the viral load. The viral load can be very low that it’s almost undetectable. This can be achieved by being informed and concerned about one’s own health. Meaning choosing wisely health wise . Health is wealth.

 

HIV virus can be transmitted through a healthy blood coming in contact with an infected one. HIV takes time to show any visible symptoms. Meaning it can be detected in good time only through a blood test. Regular blood test is very beneficial to everyone. Fear of knowing prevents a lot of people from taking a HIV blood test. In order for the virus to be managed at a very low level, treatment should be started early.

 

HIV is a disease that can affect anyone. No one is immune unfortunately. Many people are afraid of Stigma or people’s reactions, so these people rarely disclose there HIV status. Some people don’t go for testing and end up infecting other people due to ignorance. The youth today are so bent on seeking validation from the opposite sex, that they rarely make smart choices. Unprotected sex is very rampant among the youth especially in our campuses. Many people want that ‘added pleasure’ that they forget about the risks involved. Men feel they I’ve nothing to lose, young ladies only fear getting pregnant (the harsh reality) so they throw caution to the wind.

 

HIV/AIDS is a manageable disease but still prevention is better than cure. Before we start engaging in unprotected sex think of the possible consequences. A couple of minutes pleasure is not worth the risk. It’s our responsibility to take care of ourselves.

 

HIV positive people are just normal people. HIV virus does not change a person. It’s time we stop seeing HIV positive patients as wounded people and maybe they will stop acting like they are. HIV positive people can marry, have children and live a fulfilling life with any partner irrespective of status. Gone are the days when HIV positive people were avoided like leapers. HIV/AIDS is a ‘scary’ disease but it’s not as terrible as most people perceive it to be. Social Stigma is something that should be fought with all resources.

 

My advice to fellow students, you might have been lucky this time. But next time you might not get so lucky. Before we start gossiping about our HIV positive fellow students, we should stop and think. For all we know that could easily be us. We should love and care for one another. Remember responsibility starts with you.

 

Till next time,

 

Vera

Smartphones – The Showdown

It’s almost the middle of the year, and yes technology is moving fast. Before you even know it a brand new phone pops in the market, well in Kenya it might take some several weeks or months before you actually realize a new phone is in the Kenyan market, never mind though. You might be having your Android 2.3.6 phone and with the usual nature of human beings being unsatisfied, you could be wondering which mobile phone should I buy? Worry not mate, TechToday got your back. Reviewing gadgets being part of our core service to you (the corporate vibe taking toll on me).I will give my opinion on the best mobile phones so far in 2016 with just a summary of why I included that model.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is so close to being the best smartphone in the world right now. It boasts the brilliant dual curved display, with the screen bending around on both sides so it looks like no other phone ever made (apart from the S6 Edge last year). Yep, this futuristic smartphone is a looker, and it’ll have your friends begging for a chance to play with it.That combined with industry leading power, an amazing display, decent battery life, an excellent camera which would make the most selfie cynic ecstatic and amazing performance make it not only the best-looking smartphone, but one of the top two smartphones in the universe

iPhone 6S Plus: Here we have the iPhone 6S Plus – probably the best-looking phablet around. Some feel its sheer size does make it tricky to hold, but there’s no denying Apple’s beautiful 5.5 incher is a winner. If you’re an iPhone user(people like me :-D) and you fancy picking up a much bigger phone, this could be for you.But beware – it’s quite expensive! If the price doesn’t suit, the obvious alternatives are the standard iPhone 6S or something running Android.

Samsung Galaxy S7: We can’t tell you how close it is between the Galaxy S7, iPhone 6S Plus and S7 Edge for the title of ‘best smartphone in the world.’ All three are beautiful but the curved screen just won out for us. But this is still great.Whether it’s the improved camera, the metal-and-glass chassis, the oodles of power involved (from Samsung’s own octa-core Exynos chipset) or just the fact that the TouchWiz software it runs on top of Android looks less childish these days, Samsung’s got a lot right here and this is a brilliant phone.

LG G4: This phone is aimed at the fashion conscious, and while it doesn’t look as special as the Galaxy S6 Edge, it does have a kick-ass unique feature. This phone, you see, has a leather-clad rear. If leather really isn’t your thing then LG also offers three plastic back colour options; gold, grey and white – which feel decidedly cheap in the hand so leather is the way to go with this one.With leading specs, an excellent screen and the latest version of Android, this is definitely LG’s best smartphone ever and comes highly recommended.

Sony Z5 Premium: Sony has just made the world’s first ever 4K smartphone, but we’re not exactly sure if it’s necessary yet. It’s a huge 5.5-inch screen with a huge 806 pixels-per-inch as well so is perfect for any phablet lovers out there.There’s a new fingerprint sensor running along the side of the phone that works perfectly and then there’s a great 23MP camera on the back of the phone. It’s wataerprooftoo 😛

Huawei Mate 8: If your budget can’t quite stretch to a snazzy California or South Korean-designed smartphone, you may wish to consider a Chinese brand instead. The Huawei Mate 8 is the best smartphone to hail from the People’s Republic. It has a great 6-inch display, and brilliant battery life thanks to the large 4,000 mAh unit. So if you’re a constant power bank user, you might consider getting this phone.

HTC One M9: The HTC One M9 is a phone that takes the design heritage, DNA and all the other good bits of last year’s One M8 and, well, does them again. It’s again shown the rest of the competition how to make a premium smartphone, and its camera and performance is right up there too.

Motorola Moto X Force: Always dropping your phone? The Force is for you. The Moto X Force is a refreshing phone – rather than trying to be elegant and premium – it’s durable and will survive a beating. That’s mainly down to the screen, which features a thick, toughened outer layer which won’t break – not matter how hard you try. The casing is also pretty rugged, our favourite finish being the ‘Ballistic Nylon’ back. The specs are pretty powerful, and the battery life is also impressive.

With that said and done, it’s time to consult with your wallet, your bank account, your M-Pesa or even your mattress and see what you can do about these phones. Don’t be left behind as the Force Awakens 😉

Roba

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Came Lectures, then Love

Campus relationships. It’s been there and it will always be there. Some end in marriages. Others don’t get so lucky, the ending is terrible others even tragic. We’ve heard stories of people being killed or committing suicide due to campus romance gone wrong. We’ve consoled heartbroken friends. Most are often left wondering what went wrong. Am no love guru or relationship expert,I just look at things from a hind sight. So buckle up this might be a long read that might leave you thinking.

 

True love, does it even exist more so in our campuses? Personally I think it does. I know you might be rolling your eyes thinking how wrong I am. True love with so many “FISIs” and gold diggers? Yeah right,I sound ridiculous. If only we can learn to love confidently, honestly, without fear, power plays or mind games that often undermine true love.

 

The energy we give to the world, reflects on our relationships. Our relationships reflect who we are, it is a mirror of the good and bad in us. That’s why we hear someone say’you bring out the best/worst in me’. It’s not your partner it’s you. Very good and promising relationships in campuses often end due to very minor issues like lack of commitment, miscommunication, mind games, power plays just to mention but a few.

 

The bitter truth is there is no ‘prince charming’ or missing rib. You make any relationship what you want it to be. Quit telling yourself there is still time. You might be too young for marriage but then you are definitely too old to be playing mind games. One day you might wake up and realize you lost someone valuable due to pointless mind games. Funny thing about mind game players is that they are never happy in relationships because the person they are in a relationship with , is in love with someone else- The person they are pretending to be.

 

Most students waste a lot of their time in relationships they know are not heading any where. Some people are just too toxic together. Mainstream media has put a different label to relationships. Where ‘girls’think being clingy or needy is proof of love . Being clingy or needy just makes us emotionally unattractive. ‘Boys’ think withholding affection makes the lady love them more. Withholding affection can send the wrong message and put unnecessary strain on the relationship. Our generation is so f****d up, if you ask me.

 

Emotional maturity is the most important thing in any relationship, it doesn’t come with age unfortunately. Many of us in relationships because of what we can get from the relationship. Loving someone is not texting them the right amount of time or writing the best words.It’s acting from a place of love, it’s putting their best interest first.

Vera