Simplified explanation on the concept of Blockchain

Einstein said if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it that well!

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Blockchain explained in five levels

I love the way Bettina uses real people with different levels of knowledge level to explain Blockchain.

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In my bid to collect resources that educate on Blockchain technology and the whole area of cryptocurrencies, I found this video very educative.

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If heroes were these I'd rather have none

The word hero has lost meaning.

In Kenya at least.

A hero, even without looking it up in a dictionary, means someone who denies self comfort even puts self in danger for the sake of others.

It includes those who have vision of a better life and who, knowing that the majority don't yet see it, go ahead with a tiny army to secure that better life.

They include liberators, independence warriors and economic liberators.

They don't include shameless land-grabbers, economic saboteurs, tribal puritanists and godfathers and godmothers of sleaze and social misfits who purchase goodwill using drug money.

They don't include drug dealers and sex pests. No.

Those liberators who end up sponsoring torture and persecution must be demoted from the hallowed pedestals of heroism. Those unflinching grabbers of public toilets and stadia must be depreciated.

They're nobody's role models.

That is why it's a vain effort to look for heroes in politics.

I'll reserve that honour to my ageing mother, Chemoso chebo Koisamoo.

She put herself in danger, decided to brew chang'aa despite the ridicule and single-handedly led the family after the death of my father two weeks to my KCPE.

As a family we look back at her selflessness and brave choices despite being illiterate and we celebrate her.

That's my heroine.

A woman who didn't grab anybody's land, steal from public coffers, misrappropriated Sacco cash, nor connive to shed anybody's blood.

A woman who, with bare hands chose education for us and put herself in danger from KANU youth wingers and insensitive provincial administrators to educate us.

Someone who fought squalor using nothing more than sheer determination. That is heroism. For to beat poverty and deprivation requires skill, stealth, persistence and perseverance. She has a steel heart, that woman.

This goes to the many other strugglers out there who combat poverty without fear, and make it. Those are heroes, people who fight the humongous monster called poverty without stealing.

My heart is too expensive a piece of "real estate" to waste on glorifying petty thieves, drug barons, mercenaries and others as heroes. I'd rather keep that portion unoccupied than defile it.

May be we should start another word like shero or gero for excellent thieves who deserve praise and recognition. Leave hero for what it is. Heroes need not ride hero limousines or fly in choppers purchased using questionable money.

They can be ordinary mguu tupus who are doing their thing and living life with honour. No pomp. No drama.

Mother gave us education as a potent weapon against poverty.

Iwe keny chebo Surtan.

Iwaalkeei Nondiindoni Kot ingwaal

In Praise of the Nandi gaa Kaburwo.
Ano anee Cheptabach ak Miso
Sineet nebo Mugeenge

Muren nebo Nandi. A Nandi warrior clad in military gear

Kiboo Kapkeben gaa
Kain bo arap Marigi

Kimenye Kigirgei Chesombe
Asi itopen Soiin lakwap boiyoo
Samitui Chelemei

Kiboo rekto bei, kotook tuk

Nandiekab kibosei
Chekibasei Kibuunet ak Mariich
Koboschi koiba Masaamba

Asi ko sich Chumeek che keweel kou Maleel

Kipsalbei che kii sal Chemuruk ak Kundoos

Asi ko sich Kipkoimet chebo tech teget eng' Keteng'

Kiboo Kaplelach chebo Tumoge
Kip raany tuga ko toorus

Kaplelach chemii chego moo, chebo kon'geeta

Mwokto ma eng Kiptuui kot kou buun.

Kiboo Kendi Booi chebo arap Cheriige

Che kii itaguur eng Koiloot ak Cheboror

Kap kosaas, Cheululutab arap Chemalan

Ak bulbulen eng Lolkireny

Si ko loong' ko ba Nyangusei, arap Chemurmet

Kiboo Nyanyi gogo ak Tabusuyee
Ibatu ng'oo keny

Kiboo kap koo kirgiir tich,
Komach sugutek eng Keben
Kor bo arap Indalut ak Cheptum

Kiboo Saweyekab ma rar ma nebo Kipsobooi

Ta bet kii kweny maat ako beet.

Kiboo Kong'eeluk
Che ingebaree tuga bun komi tai

Kiboo Kabiyet tuui suswoo,
Ak Chepterwai ng'waan koriis ako tioony muren

Ne kireker tulwop Kamoobir eng Sarura
Ak ko abuch long'eet koro Sooi

Kiboo Chebarbar sumbarar
Ak Kin'gwaal ne kii ng'waal Baraton ak Amai

Kiboo Chepterit Muraaria ak Kapkobiis

Kii bo Tindireet Chebuusia
Ne muguul ket mambuli
Ne ngo liel kee kool bai
Metrological station nebo Nandi

Kiboo Ndalat ak Kaigaat
Tabsagoi, kap lany lugeet tulwet ak koyaanda

Kiboo Sereem chemugon
Ole amei tuga sasuurek

Tabet nyalil wee arap Bar Sombeto

Kiboo Chesaabit ak Meego

Ki boo Nandi gaa ki buul keny
Ole ingo luul ket koitei simamik Kipsigiis
Ne kii ibesio Kipchoria
Eng Tindiretnyoo ne ngoo liel kee kool bai

Kiboo Nandi iman,
Nandi chebo butwoo
Chebo tebee koi

In preparing for Interviews I always want to BE ME, be authentic

Being Me. Authentic, uniquely me and avoiding the faked image.

Four years today, I was taking the second interview for my what was to be an exciting time at Mars Petcare. The picture on the left was taken shortly after I was hired, in Dec 2014.

In preparation, I had watched a lot of videos on "how to prepare for your job interview" and I also read a lot of content on interview prep and how to answer questions in a way that gets you hired. I watched a lot of useful videos on "Preparation for an Assessment Centre" etc. All very useful. I watched videos on how to prepare for an interview in a German company since I was going to take my interview in Germany.

I saw all the tips on dress code (avoid white shirts, black suits and red ties unless you are interviewing for a "power" position, I was advised). I bought two or three pairs of shoes. A lot of prep on dress. Finally I settled on All Blue. My lovely colour.

I watched videos on Table Manners and how to use cutlery. I mean, I was going to have dinner with my VP and I needed to eat like a future manager!

After reading all that, I made a decision.

I wanted to BE ME. To present myself in MY WAY and not be a copycat. Yet I had to ensure that I stayed on message to answer the questions like "who are you" and "what do you bring to this role".

This is what a lot of people face each day. As a teacher and someone with a "Sunshine Profile", I would die of boredom if I were put through interviews where people have to present themselves in the self same style.

I love variety. And that means I look out for authenticity, no two people are similar. So I am afraid that I am a proponent of being self, unique.

I always see people get coached on business case preparation. How to use PESTLE (do you know this) and sticking to a SWOT analysis. But I always wonder: If ALL of us did that, what brings out the difference in us? Is it then down to the quality of the coach? If you are over coached (if there is something like that), when do you bring out the unique you?

So, in my case, I always go for the Cheison way. The BE ME way.

When I am asked to "introduce yourself", I go for an infographic (below is my "frozen" infographic that has become a useful way for me to answer the question above.

Try do an infographic for yourself and in powerpoint animate it. That is very powerful, and I found it worked in more than interviews that I have had at work. Images tell what you can't tell in 1000 words.

Best of luck in BEING YOU!

An Infographic to answer the interview question "About Me"

  

Success, whatever it is, is NOT the absence of failure.

Failure+success=SUCCESS 

I've conditioned my mind to take the word "fail" differently. 

In my academic and social life, I've tried many things and failed. 

Miserably in others. 

But I learnt over time that I was never a failure just because I failed to get that first job I applied to. 

I applied for postgraduate studies. 

Got admitted in some. 

But I couldn't raise the fees. 

I applied for that scholarship to finance it. 

I couldn't get it. 

I failed. 

 After university, I applied for a dozen of jobs. 

Failed. 

After my MSc I applied to be a lecturer in my former university. 

 Failed. 

After my postdoc I applied for several jobs. 

Failed. 

If I had kept a catalogue of failures, they'd overwhelm me. 

From an early age I learnt something crucial. 

Resilience. 

 That undying spirit that tells you that missing it this time is not the end of everything. 

And then I picked an important learning. 

Never fail, then fail to LEARN from failure! 

In other words, failure is an incredible tutor. 

Failure is a powerful mentor. 

Only catch. 

Learn from its wisdom. 

Pick lessons from every missed opportunity. 

Learn something from that which you did not get. 

Learn how not to fail from failure itself. 

So, whereas I fail many times I've programmed myself to not fail to capture the key learnings each time.