National Power Grid Attacked by Terrorist

“A single monkey caused a nationwide blackout in Kenya after falling on to a crucial piece of equipment.

The monkey fell on a transformer at the Gitaru hydroelectric power station last Tuesday, electricity provider KenGen [Kenya Electricity Generating Company] said in a statement.

The transformer then tripped, resulting in the loss of 180 megawatts of power and triggering a blackout across Kenya.

Power was restored almost four hours later and the monkey survived its adventure, KenGen said.”

— “Kenya nationwide blackout caused by rogue monkey,” BBC News

Many of Kenya’s businesses had already installed backup generators due to previous monkeys.

More:

“Monkey stumbles into hydroelectric power plant and triggers 4-hour blackout across Kenya,” Ben Guarino, Washington Post

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Image (“Monkey Holding High-Tension Lines, after Ohara Koson”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Seats of Government

Kenya’s parliament is in the hot seat for excessive expenses for interior decorating. The legislative chamber’s $11 million re-furb includes new chairs for MPs at $3,000 each. The government maintains the fancy furnishings actually represent civil service savings, since the chairs would have cost $5,000 each if they hadn’t been made in prison workshops.

Kenya’s government says the make-over was needed so Parliament could enter the digital age. Technologists are eager to examine the posterior-controlled computer interface provided by the plushy red chairs.

More:

“Kenyan MPs get new $3,000 seats,” BBC News
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Short Link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-dLO

Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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