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Rosh Hashanah DAY !

Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה‎, literally "head of the year," Israeli: Hebrew pronunciation: [ˈʁoʃ haʃaˈna], Ashkenazic: ˈɾoʃ haʃːɔˈnɔh, Yiddish:[ˈrɔʃəˈʃɔnə]) is a Jewish holiday commonly referred to as the "Jewish New Year." It is observed on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.[1] It is ordained in the Torah as "Zicaron Terua" ("a memorial with the blowing of horns"), in Leviticus 23:24. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim ("Days of Awe"), or Asseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance) which are days specifically set aside to focus on repentance that conclude with the holiday of Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar (one of four "new year" observances that define various legal "years" for different purposes as explained in the Mishnah and Talmud). It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts. The Mishnah also sets this day aside as the new year for calculating calendar years and sabbatical (shmita) and jubilee (yovel) years. Jews believe Rosh Hashanah represents either analogically or literally the creation of the World, or Universe. However, according to one view in the Talmud, that of R. Eleazar, Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of man, which entails that five days earlier, the 25 of Elul, was the first day of creation of the Universe.[2]

The Mishnah, the core text of Judaism's oral Torah, contains the first known reference to Rosh Hashanah as the "day of judgment." In the Talmud tractate on Rosh Hashanah it states that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed "to live." The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are "blotted out of the book of the living."[3]



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah



For secular Jews


It would happen each fall around the Jewish new year. At the very time when renewal was in the autumn air, Arnold Barnett, an engineer from Moorestown, would go into a mild funk. His wife eventually figured it out: He was less than enamored with high holiday synagogue services.


"He simply wasn't engaged by what went on inside our Reform synagogue, or with the traditional approach to Judaism," said Ellen, 70. "I knew he was struggling. So sometimes, I would just go to services alone."


Then last year, the Barnetts saw a small notice in a local Jewish newspaper about a recently formed group in South Jersey. "We went to a meeting that was focused on Jewish history," Arnold, 71, recalls, "and that was something I could relate to. It was much more appealing."


And so the Barnetts will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, which begins Wednesday at sundown, by meeting Sunday with like-minded members of South Jersey Secular Jews - a group of people who may or may not believe in God, but do believe in caring about the world and one another, respecting and understanding Jewish history, and celebrating a culture that has meaning and emotional pull.


"The most important aspect of secularism is the survival and continuity of the Jewish people," said Paul Shane, a native New Yorker now living in Philadelphia and married to the daughter of Holocaust survivors.


Shane, 75, a member of the more established Philadelphia Secular Jewish Organization, believes humans are responsible for what happens on Earth. The here and now is central, and actions speak louder than words.


That philosophy resembles traditional Judaism. But secular Jews and traditional Jews part company when it comes to accepting religious dogma.


If you're secular, God is optional. (Traditional Judaism has "God at its heart. That's not an option," said Rabbi Ethan Franzel of Main Line Reform Temple Beth Elohim in Wynnewood.) Also, life-cycle events are handled individually - for instance, there are no set burial or wedding traditions in secular Judaism.


Of course secularism, in which one adheres to cultural norms rather than religious ones, is hardly new. During the Renaissance, from 1450 to 1600, and the Enlightenment in the 18th century, many Jews shed the God-oriented elements of their Jewishness, according to Shane, a professor of social policy at Rutgers University in Newark. That shedding also continued in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.


What's different today is that a growing number of secular Jews are finding one another, forming groups, and practicing the social responsibility Judaism requires - minus the synagogue.


Rifke Feinstein, executive director of the national Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations, says there are approximately 2,000 affiliated secular Jews in the United States. But because seculars typically are unaffiliated, and therefore uncounted, estimates for the entire American secular population range from 8,000 to 40,000.


In the Philadelphia area, there are six such organizations for secular Jews - including the five-year-old South Jersey Secular Jews - all under the local umbrella cooperative venture called Kehilla for Secular Jews.


For many people, discovering that such an organization exists has been a relief.


" 'I thought I was the only one!' is what people often express when they discover that they are not alone in their secular relationship to their Jewishness," said Larry Angert, 59, a member of 11-year-old Shir Shalom: A Havurah for Secular Jews. "The Jewish tent is big, and there's room for all of us in it."


Some local secular groups, like Philadelphia's Sholom Aleichem Club, which started in 1954, and Philadelphia Workmen's Circle, founded nationally in 1900 to aid Jewish immigrant workers and to promote Yiddish, have graying memberships. Bob Kleiner, 85, of Elkins Park, a retired sociology professor at Temple University, and his wife, Frances, a teacher of Yiddish, both long active in the secular movement, lament that younger people are not actively involved in these historic groups.


But the formation of new groups, such as South Jersey Secular Jews, is evidence the movement still has traction.


Credit Naomi Scher, 64, of Cherry Hill, whose children attended the Jewish Children's Folkshul, another Kehilla group, which is a parent-run cooperative held at Springside School in Philadelphia. About 100 children receive their Jewish education, not in a traditional Hebrew school but in classes that nourish social justice and individual responsibility. Bar and bat mitzvah aspirants undertake personally meaningful projects that they ultimately share with the entire Folkshul community.


Although Scher formed relationships with parents of her children's classmates, commuting to Philadelphia became burdensome once her children graduated, and in 2005, the retired social worker decided to start a secular group closer to home.


What began as a gathering of eight to 10 people now regularly attracts 30, meeting monthly with speakers who address social and political concerns, Scher said.


Deborah Chaiken, 74, of Palmyra is delighted to have a group close to home. "In the formal Jewish community, I felt that I didn't really have a voice. Here, I know that I do."


Dues are $25 a year, and participants are asked to bring food for potluck dinners. Meetings are held on the second Sunday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill..


South Jersey Secular Jews members Cary and Bilha Hillebrand of Cherry Hill call the group a welcome addition to the local landscape. For Bilha, 54, the philosophy of the group is more in keeping with that of her native Israel, where the majority of the population leads a more secular lifestyle.


"We are not in any way antireligious," says Cary, 60. "We hold the belief that we are responsible for what happens to ourselves and to the world. And to us, that's the essence of what religion is, and should be."






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Are Nigerians not allowed to have gmail any more ?

Addressing one of the ongoing concerns about cloud computing services, Google on Wednesday introduced a new security feature for its Gmail users that provides notification of unusual account activity.
Since July 2008, Gmail has included a "Last account activity" link below users' inboxes that provides information about when the account was last accessed and the IP address used. But the placement of the link makes it useful mainly to people seeking to confirm an existing suspicion.

"The idea behind the feature is that we already give users an idea about the activity on their account, but we wanted to provide more information," Cathcart said. "We look the login history for an account, specific to each user, and look for changes in that history based on a number of different algorithms."

As an example, Cathcart suggests, a Gmail user in the U.S. whose account was accessed from Nigeria would be shown a notification saying, "Warning: We believe your account was last accessed from Nigeria."

This wouldn't necessarily happen, however, if the user regularly traveled to Nigeria and logged into Gmail from there.

"When we think something bad is going on, we're going to make it very, very prominent," said Cathcart.

It will then be up to the user to visit the recent account activity details page to determine whether further action, like a password change, might be required.

In a blog post, Google engineering director Pavni Diwanji explains that Google does not have the capability to identify the specific location of login attempts. However, it may be possible to link the IP address of the suspicious activity with a specific location or individual.
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Oceanic Bank Plc has frozen Aero Contractors’ account with it over an estimated debt of $200m (about N30bn), an authoritative source at the airline told our correspondent on Monday.

According to the source, a six-month old controversy over the status of the alleged debt led to the freezing of the airline’s account by the bank on Friday.

However, a spokesman for Oceanic, Ms. Nonye Ugwujide, said in a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Friday that she had not been briefed and, therefore, could not comment on the development.

But, Aero, which confirmed the development in a statement on Monday, said it might soon stop operations because of the unilateral action by Oceanic on Friday.

The airline said the decision by Oceanic had stopped it from paying its suppliers.

The airline said it had approached the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze; National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen. (rtd) Aliyu Muhammed; and the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, to intervene.

The statement by Aero’s Managing Director, Mr. Shaf Syed, which was obtained through email, read in part, “Aero has been locked in discussions with its bankers for some months now and it has now reached a point where it is difficult for Aero to operate on these terms.

“The dilemma centres on the allocation of historical debt. The management teams at Oceanic Bank and Aero have been in constant dialogue about this matter for the previous six months; however, they have been unable to agree on a resolution that will allow Aero to continue trading as a going concern. ..

“Regrettably, Oceanic took unilateral decisions on the morning of Friday April 23, 2010, which have effectively prevented Aero from paying her suppliers and lessors (including the Canadian Helicopter Company).

“Aero has approached the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze; the National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen. (rtd) Aliyu Mohammed; and the Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, in the belief that they will intervene as an arbitrating party between Aero and Oceanic.

“Aero, for its part, needs to complete the full cycle of turn-around that was started last year. The company has new management with a new vision, and is in the process of bearing the fruits of financial success.”

Syed added, “Despite the difficult situation that Aero finds itself in today, I am sure the strategic importance of Aero Contractors to the national economy will be appreciated and good sense will prevail all around.

“We have every confidence that Aero will be able to set itself on a good platform and we look forward to a bright future, serving a third of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and 1.5 million passengers each year.”

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Obama used Facebook and Online media to promote His presidential campaign and it worked .Goodluck Jonathan has decided to go the same winning way and win the youths .
• Charges Nigerian youths

JOIN GROUP HERE !

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, tacitly revealed his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election, saying he would set up a Facebook account for the poll.
The proposed account, he said, is “part of my contribution to the (election) debate” and that it would focus primarily on the exchange of ideas..

Facebook is a popular social network interactive site with millions of subscribers globally.

Jonathan, who spoke at the 26th Convocation of the University of Port Harcourt, on the second day of his visit to Rivers State, also harped on the urgent need for national transformation and harnessing of the unchallengeable power and good in the Nigerian youth. He urged Nigerians to register as soon as the voter registration exercise commences and be ready vote.

“Once we can successfully prevent a few people from determining the outcome of elections, all elected leaders immediately come into the service of the general good. There will neither be accountability nor development when political leaders owe their privilege of power to the narrow interests of the few. I believe every major challenge that we face as a country can be confronted by the power of the vote,” he said..

Stressing that “our political process is a work in progress,” Jonathan appealed to Nigerians, particularly the youths, to come back into the process, adding that the stakes were too high “for us to abandon our right to re-order the present and determine the future.”

The President, whose address dwelt mainly on the nation’s youths, paid glowing tribute to the undying spirit of the Nigerian as represented in the youths.

“There is an unchallengeable power of good in the Nigerian youth and we must recognize and harness it with a view to deploying its potential. With 70 per cent of our population below the age of 35, we are a strong and sturdy community, determined to defend our collective interest. Challenging times need to be challenged by the overwhelming strength of vision.

“It is in this regard that as I settle down to the duties of office, I will be depending on the ideas, energy and co-operation of all Nigerians to bring our dream to reality. There can never be a better time for national transformation than now,” Jonathan said. He commended the Vice Chancellor, Prof Don Baridam, whose tenure expires in July, for his uncommon achievements.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor said the Federal Government has approved the establishment of the Centre for Energy Studies in the university, adding that when functional, the centre would facilitate studies in nuclear energy and related disciplines..

Baridam, who recalled the assassination of two staff of the institution, including its Chief Security Officer, Mr Amadi Wali, observed that such violent killings and threats have become commonplace in the nation’s university system and urged the government to tackle insecurity in universities and the larger society.

Highpoint of the convocation was the award of certificates, first degrees and post-graduate degrees to 5,922 graduates and the award of honorary doctorate degrees to some eminent Nigerians, which included a former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais; Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi

Okonjo-Iweala, who was represented by her father; a former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Sylvanus Cookey, Prof Aniezionwu Okoro, and Mr Donald Duke, former Cross River State Governor.

Also honoured was the Oba Akran of Badagry, Dr De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, who is the new Chancellor of the univeristy.
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It has been revealed how Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins, extranvagantly squandered about N3.1 trillions while a player of Newcastle.MartinsadvertisementHis former management company, NVA Management Limited who has dragged the player to court over breach of contarct, told the jury how the player’s account almost went red because of his lifestyle.Obafemi Martins was paid £75,000, but allegedly squandered the earnings on an extravagant lifestyleA former Premiership footballer routinely blew his £75,000 a week wages in a matter of days and was constantly overdrawn, a court was told yesterday.Obafemi, ex-Newcastle striker 25, was paid the handsome salary after he joined the club for a £10million fee in August 2006.But despite his extraordinary earnings, his former management team yesterday claimed they repeatedly bailed him out after his bank account continually slipped into the red.The High Court heard that the Nigerian international player would withdraw £40,000 in cash from his bank account at the end of the week.But that would only last him two days, the court heard, as he topped up with a further £25,000 on the Monday morning.He was always overdrawn and repeatedly relied upon NVA Management Limited to ‘manage his life’, the High Court was told.Martins, who owned several fast cars including a top of the range Porsche 4X4, spent the money funding an extravagant lifestyle of luxurious penthouse homes and fine dining.He is now being sued by his former management company which claims that he still owes them 300,000 for sorting out his finances.He told the court that Martins would withdraw £40,000 for the weekend, followed by another £25,000 on the Monday.‘Despite earning these vast sums of money he was constantly overdrawn,’ added Mr Tennink.He said the firm, which looks after the affairs of several footballers, film and music stars, said that Martins had agreed to pay them for simply managing his life.It was under their stewardship that Martins agreed a £2million image rights deal ‘simply for being Mr Martins’.It’s claimed Martins was constantly overdrawn despite earning £75,000-a-weekHe also had lucrative sponsorship deals with various companies including Pepsi and Nike but had not been paid.When the company stepped in to run his affairs they sorted the unpaid contracts, bringing in thousands of pounds.They also organised visas when he travelled to Italy, where he once played for Inter Milan, and sorted out his passport, his mortgage and property valuations.They even arranged critical illness cover and were constantly running up and down the motorway from their London offices to Newcastle in a bid to do all that he required.‘But surely these were things a secretary could do?’ asked Judge Richard Seymour QC, referring to the size of fees charged.‘It was a Jeeves-type of role that they performed.’Mr Tennink protested that managing every aspect of his life was just part of what they did, and asked the judge to bear in mind the sort of figures these players earned.He said Martins had come to them in July 2007 and had agreed a fee of around £300,000 plus 20 per cent of any sponsorship monies they managed to acquire on his behalf.“He asked for these services to be carried out,” Mr Tennink told the court.Before they managed his affairs, Martins had not been paid a penny for his image rights for the use of his name on Newcastle shirts and mugs and had received nothing from his sponsorship deals.He could not even find the contracts he had originally signed, Mr Tennink added.Martins paid the company £67,500 in January last year and another £25,000 in April last year.But the question for the court to decide, said Mr Tennink, was whether there was a ‘binding obligation’ for him to pay the outstanding bill of over £300,000.After Newcastle were relegated from the Premiership last summer Martins was sold for £9million to German Bundesliga Champions Wolfsburg.Martins, who once owned a penthouse apartment overlooking Newcastle’s exclusive Quayside, is fighting the claim.The hearing is scheduled to last for three days.
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He should get an Airbus to help Aviation in naija !adv.ertisem.ent click for NollyWood videos on utube4naija AndyUba Airways ! Though Andy Uba has no bank account in his name, huhuonline.com can disclose that the former special assistant (domestic affair) to President Obasanjo just took delivery of a N49 billion private jet. To conceal the entire transaction from law enforcement and media huhuonline learnt that Andy Uba instructed that the jet be delivered to his bossom friend Sayoe Dantata. Andy Uba for eight years was the go to guy, he reigned supreme in Aso villa as the un elected defacto vice-president under President Olusegun Obasanjo, he determined who, where and when people could see the former president. His influence was monumental, thus revered. Many cabinet ministers had to submit their official memo for him to peruse prior to submitting to President Obasanjo for approval. adv.ertisem.ent click for NollyWood videos on utube4naija Andy Uba, hired as personal assistance domestic, with job description such as ensure that tuition fees of Obasanjo many children are paid as at when due, also doubled as President Obasanjo`s official pimp, as he was noted for driving his government assigned pimpmobile to the homes and offices of female minister to chauffeur them . Recall that Farida Waziri led Economic and Financial Crime Commission commenced what has been viewed largely as a clampdown on politicians believed to have close ties with ex-president Obasanjo. This huhuonline .com learnt is Andy Uba `s worst nightmare. Sources close to him told our correspondent that trepidation has become his stock in trade, alleged to be one of the richest men in Nigeria; Andy Uba has no bank account to his name in Nigeria. Andy Uba huhuonline 9jabooks media partner learnt is now Persona non grata (PNG) with President Yar`dua, our impeccable sources within the villa told that since the election tribunal bribery saga, which was widely reported in the media, President Umaru Yar`dua has refused to have an audience with the embattled governor in waiting. we gathered that the bribe money which was leaked to the media, was a major source of embarrassment for President Yar`dua, and it appears he is taking it personal, which is a complete departure from his mantra ?I don?t see what people do to me but what they do for me? . Andy Uba sources within the presidency disclosed provided the funds. But conception theorist has it that the funds actually came from Forbes list billionaire Aliko Dangote, who is not a favorite of the Yar`dua administration. Aliko Dangote a monopolist by nature, abhor competition, under President Obasanjo, his fortune ascended, notable was Dan sugar. But since the advent of the Yar`dua administration, Dangote group has lost its monopoly, particularly in cement and sugar. Thus provision of funds for bribery and subsequent leak to the media was a calculated attempt to mortify Umaru Yar`dua led government, however, his friend Andy Uba took the fall for fear of the after effect of reprisal. Recall Andy Uba does business by proxies. Andy Uba Emergence in the power game But for Atiku`s greed, Andy Uba probably would have remained just a pimp for Obasanjo. To be continued adv.ertisem.ent click for NollyWood videos on utube4naija
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