THE CUTTING EDGE – Daily Nation

PLAGUE: Reaching way back in ancient history, Tom Mwiraria notes that just like Covid-19, the 1630 Great Plague of Lombardy arrived in what was then the richest and most densely populated region of Italy, from abroad. Then, just as is happening today, social-distancing measures were introduced, though fear was the greatest motivator in overcoming the plague. Then, “bakers sold bread to customers through an elaborate system of pincers to avoid contact, and coins were sterilised in a solution of vinegar and water”. He poses: “Isn’t it time sellers and buyers started sterilising coins and taking other measures learnt from that great plague?” His contact is [email protected]

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TECH WORLD: In the wake of the deadly epidemic, the tech world is increasingly taking over with its wider usage and other applications, including having the students on holiday go online for lectures, notes Alnashir Walji. He is, however, alarmed that at this rate, robots could take over all the jobs, as technology replaces the human workforce, leading to more redundancies. According to Alnashir, the time has come to seriously discuss the pros and cons of this new tech world, as, thanks to the spread of Covid-19, people are being asked to stay at home and high-tech solutions and more artificial intelligence are preferred in all facets of life. His contact is [email protected]

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MEETINGS: For Margaret Anunda, of concern is the misuse of technology in these trying times. She is particularly appalled at what she describes as the abuse of virtual meeting platforms. Says she: “The use of social apps, such as Zoom, to conduct official meetings is convenient and works very well.” However, she is unhappy that some people are using the apps for unnecessary meetings. “These meetings are set for the evenings and weekends. It is good to respect family time by conducting virtual meetings, but only when it is necessary. Just like fire, these digital apps can be a good or bad master depending on the use.” Her contact is [email protected]

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NO SIGNAL: On top of the bad weather, with heavy rain and floods that Kenyans have been experiencing, Nakuru resident Henry Lisege is unhappy with MultiChoice pay TV service DStv. Says he: “DStv is short-changing us. We cannot watch DStv channels on TV due to bad weather but the signal is good on the DStv app. Technicians fix this bad weather signal at Sh1,000 every time they are called. Why don’t they use the same technology on the app to ensure the signal is available regardless of the weather? Alternatively, they should restructure their pay system into bundles so that we do not have to pay for what we are not watching during the bad-weather disruptions.” His contact is [email protected]

Have a reliable day, won’t you!