Category: Features

(Photo courtesy of Royal Museums Greenwich)

By Caren Chelangat

The moon began with an explosive collision, it was made when a rocked smashed on earth.

It is 4.5 billion years old. The moon can be delivered from the word ‘mona’which shares terms with the Latin word  ‘Metri’ which means to measure .

It is called the moon because it is used to measure months. The moon gets it light from the sun and that is why it appears brighter.

Humans cannot live in the moon since it has no atmosphere and there is no air for us to breathe in .

It is a myth that the moon affects your mood since there has been no evidence of any effect of the moon on human behavior.

If the moon is destroyed , there will be a much darker night sky which will be an advantage to astrologers and the sky will be comparatively brighter.

The moon rotates at its orbital motion , a special case called synchronous rotation hence does not rotate.

Without the moon , there would have been no life in earth, four billion years ago when life began ,the moon orbited closer to us than it was causing massive tides to ebb and flow every few hours . These tides cause dramatic fluctuations which could have driven the evolution of early DNA like binomolecules according to Richard Lathe .

The moon seems mysterious and it always come in different phases each and every night and that is beautiful since it seems like it is trying to reach out to the universe that different is key and not that bad after all, through whatever phase it keeps glowing and that is beautiful.

(Photo courtesy of The SlideTeam Blog)

By Caren Chelangat

Our world is changing through technology and the years to come ,like the new advancement that has come up in our generation, it is okay to say that our children will do jobs that do not exist yet .And for those who are already employed ; many will evolve, many will be obsolete and new jobs will emerge .So when we think about essential skills required for workplaces we are also to look at the job that are yet to come as well.

We all need to be comfortable with working with digital tools since in this brave new digital world, essential skills are important as well as the soft skills  , which are things that machines can’t do generally.
Digital literacy are the digital skills that are required to learn , work and navigate everyday life in our digital world .This involves using devices,  applications, collaborating via digital tools and handling data in an appropriate way , in today’s world those skills are required to be employed at any given organization.

Organizations of all kinds will want to employ data- literate individuals.  Business wise, data literacy means being able to access appropriate data, work with data confidently and keeping it up to date .For one to be able to work , one should be able to handle data in the modern way .

In this era of fake news , social media bubbles out information .One of the most vital soft skill required in our today is critical thinking which is the ability to think objectively through analysing issues and situations based on facts rather than personal opinion. To succeed here , one should work with facts to learn the correct and required information needed.

Not forgetting the technical skills which are the hard skills .An example is accounting, an accountant requires accountancy skills , teachers , nurses , plumber , software developers  are other examples of occupations that require technical skills. Whatever the technical skills required in your field , invest in keeping those skills to date.

The world of today requires us to think and act faster than never . It is so fast-paced now and we have much more information than ever before making us prone to information overload which complicates our ability to make good decisions. That is why it is important to invest in our decision making skills. To make it in this planet all the are some of the few essential skills we require and many more that exist . We should ensure we have most of all these skills if not all of them.

(Photo courtesy of The Butler)

By Caren Chelangat

The Butler is an American film of 2013 , it was directed by  Daniel Lee. The movie came out in 2013, August of the 16 th.The main roles are played by Oprah Winfrey and  Forest Whitaker. The basis of the film is an article ,Butler well served by this election, from the Washington post which describes a Butler by the name  Eugene Allen.

Eugene Allen served in the white house under eight presidents .The film director, Lee Daniel’ s wraps up his work in two lives, the cuisine and traditions among the staff and the other taking place among the street that portrays how the black people were gradually trying to establish themselves in the American society.

In 2009, an elderly Cecil Gaines recounts his life story while waiting at the White House to meet the newly inaugurated president. In 1926, at the age of seven, Gaines is raised on a cotton plantation in Macon, Georgia. When the farm’s owner rapes Cecil’s mother, Cecil’s father confronts him and is killed. Cecil is taken in by the estate’s caretaker, who trains Cecil as a house servant. In 1937, at age eighteen, Cecil leaves the plantation. Desperately hungry, he breaks into a hotel pastry shop. The elderly master servant, Maynard, takes pity on Cecil and gives him a job. Cecil learns advanced serving and interpersonal skills from Maynard, who later recommends Cecil for a position in a Washington, D.C. hotel. While working there, Cecil meets and marries Gloria, and the couple has two sons: Louis and Charlie

. In 1957, Cecil is hired by the White House during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. White House martyr d’hotel Freddie Fallows introduces Cecil to head butler Carter Wilson and co-worker James Holloway. Cecil witnesses Eisenhower’s reluctance to use troops to enforce school desegregation, then his resolve to uphold the law by racially integrating Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.

In this movie , there is one big amount of documentary chronicles which once again show the protagonist is not limited to the director and tends to deliver a message through the film to the society during that period when racism was openly done to the blacks during the period when cases of racism were extremely high and done in America.

The film was theatrically released by the Weisten Company, on August 16, 2013, to mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising the cast but criticizing the historical accuracy, particularly the portrayal of President Reagan. The film grossed over $176 million worldwide against a budget of $30 million.

(Photo courtesy of freepik)

By Caren Chelagat

Birds are an important part of an ecosystem. We need birds far more than they need us .There is such a vast variety of birds, of many different sizes, that perform important roles within even just one ecosystem.

Smaller birds may eat seeds and nuts, dropping many of these to the forest floor where creatures below can access these nutrients. Some birds control insect populations and prevent them from overwhelming plants and trees.

Birds help to balance the food chain by eating fast-reproducing rodents and insects. This ensures populations are managed and do not grow to unsustainable levels, which can devastate ecosystems.

Birds are unique in the animal world and incredibly intelligent. Ravens can mimic sounds, African Grey Parrots can learn hundreds of words, and Blue Jays have been shown to use tools.

Trees use fungi within their roots, where an intricate network forms. It is believed that trees rely on fungi networks to communicate with one another, share resources like food and water, and send distress signals if there is an insect attack.
Birds are completing an important service by spreading fungi, as this ensures trees have a healthy and diverse supply for this symbiotic relationship.

Humans  harvest bird droppings to be used as fertilizers. These dropping have high content of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, which are nutrients that are essential for plant growth.
Feathers are used all over the world to stuff pillows, mattresses, sleeping bags, coats and quilting .The most preferred are from the geese family which is the most soft of all birds.

Nectar- feeding birds are important pollinators since they move the pollen from flower to flower to help fertilize the sex cells and create new plants .An example are hummingbirds , the sunbird and honey-eaters.
Birds are food ; chicken , turkey and ducks are used for production of meat and eggs which was introduced due to the development of poultry.

As part of nature we should protect the birds and provide a good environment for them at our homes like water outside , nuts and seeds as well to give them food , they are part of creation and we are supposed to take care of creation like God commanded.

[Photo courtesy of Freepik]

By Caren Chelagat

Music came from a Greek word, [Mousike], which means art of the Muses. No one invented music, sounds they heard from different animals might have led humans to make music, years ago when humans used different noises to express fears and joys. Listening to music; can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.

Music may have a healing capacity during stressful weak situations since when we get to listen to music, we get to release dopamine ,which makes us feel good. Music is a vital aspect of culture. It has the ability to invoke age-old traditions or to incite people to social change. Music’s ability to connect individuals to social and cultural experience is one of its most important characteristics.

Music is extremely beneficial to society.  It helps bring people together and has the unique ability to represent a culture as a whole. It can also be used as a way to relax.  Everyone gets stressed or anxious from time to time, even if it’s not about school or work pressures. Some individuals use music as a way to calm themselves down when they’re feeling this way. A lot of people listen to their favorite songs when they’re in bed or taking a shower, as it can help them relax.

Music is a form of art and artists express themselves through music, music has been used as a way to express oneself throughout history. Music can be a great outlet for people to express themselves. Some songs are extremely personal and allow the singer or a songwriter to get out feelings and thoughts that don’t have a simple way of being put into words.

Aside from its function of bringing people together, music is also used for entertainment and art purposes by some cultures. For example, a lot of modern music is composed in a very creative way and has some degree of artistic value like in the world today where we have a number of artists who perform different genres of music that we get to choose which genre to listen to.

Songs can hold so much importance to people, they are often used as a way to commemorate moments in time. Whether it’s at a wedding, funeral or any other special occasion, music is always present and can help make the moments more memorable. Many people believe that music is a universal language. This means that, regardless of what country someone is from, they will be able to understand and enjoy a song without knowing the lyrics. Since music doesn’t rely on words, it has the ability to connect two different culture which no other form of communication can, since people listen to the beats and melodies of the song.

Life would be very quiet without music, our life without melodies and harmonies would be very empty. Music has the ability to convey all types of emotions and we are glad that music is there for us during our trying times and stress.

(Photo courtesy of disney.com)

By Nkatha Wainaina
{nkathawainaina@gmail.com}

Disney played an integral part in setting standards for animations for decades, and in a few years, a whole century. It has risen to unbelievable heights, owning half of Hollywood ( I’m not joking, Google the companies Disney owns). With all its might and prowess, Disney can’t seem to get a live-action remake right!

A few weeks ago, a teaser for The Little Mermaid live-action movie was released. And it was a hit! Before I go on, you might be wondering what a live-action movie is. This is action in films involving real people or animals, as contrasted with animation or computer generated effects. And Disney has been on a roll making such movies, especially if the animation did really well.

I can bet that barely a handful of serious Disney fans and self-proclaimed critics have watched the original movies. To make this observation as accurate and original as possible for you my dear reader, I have been taking a walk down memory lane, watching the original Disney movies from all the way back to the early 1900’s when Walt Disney was writing the stories himself! If you have a moment, you might want to check out those movies. The kind of production they were doing, with the kind of technology that was in existence then, mind blowing and you kind of understand why they have a monopoly in the industry today.

Back to The Little Mermaid, it blew up the internet for one reason only. Ariel, the mermaid the movie is based on, is being played by Halle Bailey. Halle is an African American actress and singer. ‘Black Twitter’, (black users on twitter) could not contain their excitement. Regular Twitter ( white people) could also not suppress their dismay at Disney for casting a woman of colour for the role. And a war begun. Why am I telling you all this? I think The Little Mermaid live-action remake will be a bigger success than the other remakes because of only one reason, the black community will come out in numbers to support their own, and white people will show up to prove it was a bad idea casting a black woman.

Looking at Disney’s track record for their remakes, is quite telling. The Lion King released in 2019 for one, is among the lowest ranked of the nineteen remakes even though it grossed 1.9 billion dollars in box offices. I wasn’t very invested in The Lion King. Apparently it was the biggest thing in the ‘90s next to Destiny’s Child and Tupac. Those who watched it then were mad at the live action remake. “They didn’t do the movie justice “, said one disappointed fan. Mulan also received negative reviews and people said ‘it lost the point of the original movie’. Cinderella has had countless remakes only two doing exceedingly well. I enjoyed The Beauty and the Beast, but people still had a problem with it. The list goes on and on from Aladdin, to the most recent Pinocchio, which was devastatingly bad. The only one which was spared from ridicule is The Jungle Book, which ranked highest at 94% according to Rotten Tomatoes with little negative reviews. What are the odds that the Disney live-action remake writers have figured out where they are going wrong and changed it in The Little Mermaid? And that is why Disney should be stopped.

As much as people complain, we still go ahead and watch the remakes. Perhaps that’s what is keeping them going or the insane amounts of money they make. Who can tell for sure. This, however, is just a theory. The Little Mermaid might shock us.

(Photo courtesy of Good Housekeeping)

By Caren Chelagat

The history of videogames began in the 1950s as computer scientists began designing simple games and simulators as minicomputers . Videogames are also known as computer games , they are electronic games in which players control images on a screen.

Playing videogames is used as a form of entertainment and is an effective way to keep a person occupied. In todays world, videogames have become so common . There are videogames that can keep you healthy with enough exercise , an example is active video games while there are some that just make you lazy and want to sit all day long ; that is how addicting computers are nowadays with improved technology that makes everything interesting.

The positive effects of videogames are numerous from better memory to improved mood and social skills . When it comes to memory , video games require some serious strategy and concentration. With 3D graphics and the immersive audio, videogames are extremely rich in stimuli since navigating the virtual world of video games is similar to the real world .When you must juggle multiple tasks and goals while navigating a virtual space, you are exercising your hippocampus , which is the part of the brain , that is responsible for converting short-term memory to long-term memory which also aids in directions in case you get lost .

Videogames can also be a great way to relax and unwind. Short and simple games like Angry birds are known to make you happier while videogames that are complex and deeply immersive can also be therapeutic . When a person is fully absorbed into the games , one has no time to think about the hassles and tassels of life since video games is a perfect way to give your brain break from the anxiety and stress of everyday life.

Most genre of video games involve problem-solving , whether it is figuring out a puzzle or finding a swift escape route . These problems involve memorization and analysis and some a little creativity is needed to figure it all out. Some games have some instructions that are needed to move on to the next level and this always has a couple of errors , this patience teaches us to be more persistence and resilient in life.

Fast video games like NFS , Need for Speed or Call of Duty requires you to make decisions quickly . Such games improve our ability to make decisions in life Gamers who love action games could make more quickly decisions than non-gamers or those who play slow -paced games . Faster decision making is beneficial in everyday life as you can accomplish more when you make trivial decisions quickly.

With the emergence of many fitness videogames , it is easy to get a workout while playing an exciting video game. Games like Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution requires the player to get up and get active . These video games are good for your health and can be a great way to break a sweat without necessarily going to the gym.

Moderate video game play can improve social skills and reduce anxiety . When players are able to take on fictional personas in the virtual world , they are free to experiment with social interactions , which then teaches them what good social behaviuor is.

When you are playing videogames , your brain is growing and working , as you try to figure out how a puzzle or a mission goes, you are learning. Continued learning and stimulating your brain is essential to keeping it healthy as you age. As your brain ages , your memory , focus and ability to multitask all begin to decline . While young people are able to juggle several mental demands at once , older people may find it difficult to stay focused even on a single task However, they are many ways to keep your brain young such as ; doing puzzles ,eating healthy, exercising and even playing videogames .

From better memory to better navigation , playing the video games you already love is great for your brain . Now , the next time someone tells you to stop playing videogames so much , you have an arsenal of evidence to support you love for gaming.