The rivalry between Nigeria`s richest duo, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola has taken a turn for the worse with pressure mounting on Dangote to resign his post as vice chairman of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) over perceived conflict of interests in the unfolding financial saga that has seen the SEC suspend and fined Nova Finances Securities owned by Eugene Anenih, a Dangote proxy.
The SEC suspended Nova Finance Securities last Thursday March 26, 2009 after investigations uncovered unethical practices. The SEC investigation, Huhuonline learnt, triggered off another investigation into Afribank Registrars; accused of aiding and abetting the unethical practices by Nova Finance Securities. Sources within Afribank Registrars - who are registrar to AP plc - told Huhuonline that the SEC'S complaint rests on the failure of Afribank Registrars' internal control mechanism to detect or prevent the dubious transactions by Nova Finance Securities and that its records were falsified to cover up the illegal transactions.
Aliko Dangote
The suspension and fine of Nova Finances & Securities may not be evidence of the guilt of Afribank Registrars but it provides the clearest evidence of the complicity of the group of Dangote consortium partners in masterminding the fraud. After several months of denial, the suspension of Nova Finances is a very sad illustration of the way business is done in Nigeria and the mindless audacity of some people in authority like Dangote who remains vice-president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. (NSE) As pressure continues to mount, the race to succeed the embattled Dangote by those who believe-or perhaps know-that he be will axed, should he fail to resign, may have begun in earnest. And a few names have been touted. But, curiously, Dangote is yet to sever all his ties to Nova.
CSCS document made available to Huhuonline revealed that during the period under review, Dangote and Nova with the assistance of Afribank Registrars fraudulently swapped a total volume of five hundred thousand units of irredeemable non-cumulative convertible preference shares in ten different transactions, which were admitted to the daily official lost of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The ensuing panic and loss of share value created a scary scenario for AP investors. The resultant effect was shareholders lost of confidence in AP shares, leading to a massive exodus of existing shareholders, who hurriedly offloaded their AP shares and precipitating a sharp decline in its price. Some of the former AP investors, who spoke to Huhuonline, said “they just wanted to get out of the investment, and had no regard for the price at which they sold”.
Despite the fine and suspension of Nova Finance Securities, and the SEC’s threat to sanction operators caught on unethical practices especially, on insider and cross-share trading, it appears the warning is not being taken seriously as practitioners are engaged in premium price war in an attempt to edge out competitors. “Nova and Aliko were just crossing shares between themselves, there were no money exchanged; rather they were even loosing money by paying commissions for the swaps”, the chief executive of an investment firm told Huhuonline, adding: “the practice of cross-share trading is a common tactic within the industry. The SEC should not merely issue threats and small fines; it has the facts and profiles of all operators to ban or impose huge sanctions on those companies that are involved in these unorthodox practices but it has failed to do so.”
The growing calls for his resignation from the NSE came hard on the heels of another unsavory development in the unfolding saga. The latest salvo involves a text message, currently making the rounds, and said to have been originated by Otedola. The text message, featuring the names of some married women who had allegedly engaged in extra-marital affairs with Dangote, was described by one source as Dangote’s “black box”. It contains information whose potential impact might cause considerable embarrassment to Dangote and some of his political allies, a source told Huhuonline. Dangote’s proxies have accused Otedola of employing blackmail and other crude underhand tactics to punch below the belt. But Otedola’s supporters have denied any involvement.
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If your heart did not break now and then, how would, you know it"s there? Hearts break, then mend and beak and mend again in a circle without beginning, without end. As surely as dawn sows the twilight sows to mourn. Only the gods can alter fate, even in reunion, there"s parting, so harm is there in dreaming if it eases pain? what good is reality if it blots out hope? can a man"s mind be washed?
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If you thought that Microsoft learned all its lessons with Vista, you'll soon be disappointed. Despite the fact that the Windows 7 beta is getting mostly positive reviews, revelations that Microsoft plans to release six different flavors of Windows 7 left many in the tech world stupefied and wondering why.Microsoft confirmed the multiversion release of Windows 7 to various sources including Gizomodo and Paul Thurrott of Windows Supersite. However, Microsoft has not released any official statement to the public regarding this decision.Many have been critical of Microsoft's decision to release multiple versions of Windows Vista. The move created consumer confusion as to what version might be best to buy. It also created compatibility issues with both software and hardware when people wanted to upgrade from XP to Vista. Lastly, many saw the strategy of multiversions of Vista as a self-serving way for Microsoft to charge vastly different prices for different versions of Vista with little benefit to end users.We don't know about pricing or availability (although some speculate Windows 7 will be available early next year), but here is a breakdown of what we do know and the differences between the versions of Windows 7.First off, all users of XP and Vista will be able to upgrade their OS license to Windows 7. The catch is the upgrades will have to be a clean installation of Windows 7, meaning you'll have to reinstall programs and back up and replace data.Windows 7 Starter EditionThe Starter Edition (SE) is mainly aimed at emerging market and netbook users. With SE, customers will be able to run only three applications at the same time but will benefit from user interface (UI) improvements such as the new taskbar and JumpLists. Also, users will be able to join a Home Group (to share media files over a local network).Windows 7 Home BasicThe Home Basic Edition (HB) is basically the equivalent of Vista's Media Center edition and will allow the use of unlimited applications at the same time, while bringing further UI enhancements such as live thumbnail previews and 'enhanced visual experience.' Additionally, HB enables advanced networking support like Internet connection sharing (including over wireless) and provides the Mobility Center (power management for laptops).Windows 7 Home PremiumThe Home Premium (HP) version will bring all the visual goodies of Windows 7 like the Aero Glass UI and the advanced window navigation. Besides touchscreen implementations (handwriting recognition, multitouch), the Home Premium edition also brings improved media format support and enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming.Windows 7 ProfessionalThe Professional edition of Windows 7 brings along more security and networking features like the Encrypting File System, advanced network backup and joining managed networks with Domain Join. Also, the Pro version supports location-aware printing.Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 UltimateWhether you're a home user or a business, the Enterprise and Ultimate editions (probably differentiated by price in the end) will bring a similar set of advanced features like bitLocker data protection for internal and external drives, DirectAccess for corporate networking based on Windows Server 2008 R2, and will lock unauthorized software from running with AppLocker.My guess is that Microsoft will market aggressively the Home Premium and Professional editions for home users while netbook users should aim for the Starter version. Microsoft also recommends business users to use either the Professional or the Enterprise edition.Source: PC World
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Anyone interested in downloading windows 7 Build 7068 can try these links. This is for testing purpose only.Windows 7 Ultimate Build 7068 64-bit x64 DVD ISOFile Name: 7068.0.090321-1322_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRC1CULXFRER_EN_DVD.isoSize: 3.23 GBTorrent: 7068.0.090321-1322_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRC1CULXFRER_EN_DVD.iso.torrent (mininova mirror)for 32bit users here:Torrent: 7068.0.090321-1322_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRC1CULXFRER_EN_DVD.iso.torrent (mininova mirror)Use the torrent files above to download the untouched, unmodified and unchanged DVD ISO of Windows 7 Build 7068 Ultimate, retail edition, which can then be burnt onto a physical DVD disc, mount on virtual CD/DVD-ROM drive or virtual machine in order to start the installation. For user who prefer to be able to install any edition of Windows 7, such as Home Premium or Professional, an all SKU versions of 32-bit Windows 7 Build 7068 DVD ISO image is also available.Windows 7 AllSKU Build 7068 32-bit x86 DVD ISOFile Name: 7068.0.090321-1322_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_AllSKU-GRC1CULFRE_EN_DVD.isoSize: 2.54 GBTorrent: 7068.0.090321-1322_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_AllSKU-GRC1CPRFRER_EN_DVD.iso.torrent (mininova mirror | ThePirateBay mirror)Have fun
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Some times we wonder about the meaning of life. Those things we see as good pass away swiftly like a shadow and those things we disdain remain with us. Those things we don't want to do are the very things we see ourselves doing. Why is life filled with these interface, creating a fusion that may necessitate the assertion of the futility of life?I, however believe that good things in our eyes comes to an end to show the transitory nature of this earthly life we live and a further exposition of its imperfections which supposedly implies a perfect life to come. What we call good are only pointers to an eternal good yet to be revealed or yet to be better understood by the human mind in its entirety. Because, if they are purely good or good in themselves, then, they will not fade away or die. But, I think the supposed good things of life are pointers to an eternal good.This enables us look forward to a kind of perfect life. Life some times may not be good, but we can fill it with special moments and loving memories.
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Bloggers to Make History at G20 Summit
So it looks like this citizen journalism thing might be around for a while. Read on:
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A coalition of NGOs - the G20Voice – and the UK government are breaking with convention and, for the first time, allow 50 bloggers to report live and direct from the G20 summit, on 2 April 2009 in London.
This unprecedented event, backed by the Government, gives the bloggers and their audience the chance to engage with and influence world leaders on issues including development, climate change and women's rights. The bloggers were nominated by the public, with more than 700 nominations received in 12 days.
The organisations behind G20Voice are OxfamGB, Comic Relief, Save the Children, ONE and Blue State Digital. G20Voice is a collaborative effort demonstrating the breadth of commitment to ending world poverty and inequality.
The 50 include a broad range of influential, knowledgeable and popular bloggers from the G20 countries and the developing world. These include:
* Sokari Ekine – a pioneering Nigerian blogger
* Jotman – an undercover blogger exposing injustice in Thailand and Burma
* Daudi Were – a leading organiser of African bloggers
* Dr Kumi Naidoo – head of GCAP and contributor to Huffington Post
* Cheryl Conte from Jack and Jill Politics - representing the US
"Black bourgeoisie"
* Enda Surya Nasution – the father of Indonesian blogging
* Rowan Davies – representing the 200,000 members of Mumsnet
* Rui Chenggang – China's leading economics broadcaster and blogger with 13,000,000 viewers every evening on CCTV
* Richard Murphy – the leading expert on Tax Havens
They will be joined by thousands of bloggers online at
www.g20voice.org with audio and video livestreaming, and also via Skype broadcasts from inside the summit.
There is a full programme of events for the 50 invited bloggers. The event begins on 1 April with the official launch, including a series of briefings and round table discussions. On the day of the summit bloggers will have access to briefings from senior figures and world leaders. Members of the delegations have been invited to speak with the bloggers to discuss the developments in the main summit chamber.
Journalists are invited to come to the blogging tent to meet and talk with bloggers throughout the day.
Karina Brisby, G20Voice project founder and Digital Campaigns Manager, Oxfam GB said: "The G20Voice project was inspired by the articulate, engaging and often outraged posts, tweets, podcasts and videocasts from bloggers all over the world about the current economic crisis and how that affects the issues they are passionate about such as poverty and climate change.
"We are seeing a huge increase in the number of people around the world using digital tools to inform themselves and then contribute to debates about the issues that affect their lives. G20Voice recognises the importance of bloggers and gives them a unique opportunity to report back to their audiences direct from the G20 Summit itself."
Adrian Lovett, Director of Campaigns at Save the Children said: "G20Voice will tear back the curtain as leaders draw up their blueprint for global recovery. Thanks to G20Voice at this summit the world will be watching. Bloggers will witness the summit from the inside - and the world will know whether leaders are building a future fit for the world's children, or one that rewards only the rich. Gordon Brown has set the bar for the London G20 summit next month by promising that the UK will meet its aid commitments despite the economic downturn. He must ensure other G20 countries do the same. If action to prevent children dying isn't taken now we could see this financial crisis claim the lives of a generation of children."
Oliver Buston, Europe Director of the Africa campaign group ONE said: "At ONE we’ve always been focused on empowering individuals to raise their voices against extreme poverty. This group of citizen-journalists includes some of the most articulate voices on this issue, and it’s exciting to be a part of bringing them to this international stage. The world’s poorest people are being hit hardest by a global crisis not of their making – the bloggers will have a chance to ask tough questions of world leaders, and demand solutions that will benefit everyone, not just the wealthy few."
How to Find G20Voice Online:
Web: www.g20voice.org; Twitter: @G20Voice; Flickr: www.flickr.com/g20voice; Youtube: www.youtube.com/G20voice; Moblog: moblog.net/voice
FYI:
The G-20 (more formally, the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies: 19 of the world's largest national economies, plus the European Union (EU).
The G-20 is a forum for cooperation and consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. It studies, reviews, and promotes discussion among key industrial and emerging market countries of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, and seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on March 26, 2009 at 10:00pm
Like the lava of an active volcano, the on-going personal feud between Nigeria`s richest duo, Ahaji Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola has taken a dangerous turn with no visible end in sight. The schism between the two men assumed melodramatic proportions on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, when Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote group of companies, led a team of armed police men to forcefully take over a TOTAL petrol station in Lagos, owned by Femi Otedola. The reasons for the action was not immediately discernible but keen observers claim it might not be unconnected to major differences within the Blue Star Oil Services Limited; a consortium floated by Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola under whose name they bought the Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries, in circumstances described as shady.
No one knows how messy it will get between the two men, listed by Forbes magazine as amongst the world’s richest people, but Huhuonline.com learnt that Dangote’s seizure of the petrol station was in violation of a court injunction, highlighting prospects that the bad blood might eventually degenerate and precipitate an unfortunate legal fracas.
Aliko Dangote & Femi Otedola
The lingering animosity between the two billionaires came to the public glare last week, when Femi Otedola took full page advertorials in some national dailies accusing Aliko Dangote and one of his subsidiaries, Nova Finance and Securities of unethical practices, which he said caused the share price of his AP Plc holdings to plummet in the Nigerian capital market. At its peak, Huhuonline.com learnt that Otedola’s AP shares sold for N239, but has plummeted to below N60; a development he blames on Dangote.
The Otedola advertorials read: “Our investigations have revealed that Messrs Nova Finance and Securities Limited, acting under the instruction of, and with the active support and connivance of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, has been primarily responsible for the steep decline in the value of the shares of AP Plc on the floor of the NSE. “Indeed, our investigations revealed that in the last eight weeks, there had been premeditated and orchestrated ‘crossing’ of AP Plc shares among other entities owned and controlled by either Alhaji Aliko Dangote or Nova Finance and Securities Limited.”
Otedola was said to have voiced his resolve and determination to use all machinery and available avenues to pay back Dangote in his own coin. Peeved and embarrassed by Otedola’s public accusations which he interpreted to mean a personal affront, Huhuonline.com was told by sources who elected anonymity, that Dangote too has vowed that he will do everything within his power to instigate frustrations for and make Otedola’s financial misfortunes worse.
There seems to be unanimity of opinion that price fixing and insider trading has been the stock in trade in the Nigerian capital market. Keen observers therefore see Otedola’s accusations as purely a case of the kettle calling the pot black. It is worth recalling that in February 2008, the Security and Exchange Commission accused Femi Otedola and AP Plc of price manipulation, but took no action against him.
The seeds for the rupture of the once cozy relationship between the two men were said to have been planted during the former administration through a series of orchestrated transactions with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo acting as canon fodder. Sources close to the former president told Huhuonline.com that Dangote felt irritated and short changed by OBJ’s tacit support that enabled Otedola to covertly acquire major shares in Dangote’s cement conglomerate using proxies. The alleged manipulation by Dangote and Nova Finance and Securities and the resulting financial woes of AP Plc was a means of nailing Otedola to the cross; encroaching into his territory, in preparation for a hostile corporate take over.
Huhuonline.com investigations revealed that the cat-and-mouse relationship between Aliko Dangote and ex-president Obasanjo hit a snag when the Bureau of Public Enterprise led by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (presently a Mason Fellow at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government) sold the Benue Cement Company to the Dangote Group. The former president was so angry that he was not inform and reportedly ordered the privatization agency to cancel the deal. However, relations between Dangote and OBJ warmed up when then vice-president and principal financier, Atiku Abubakar refused to bankroll OBJ’s re-election campaign. Dangote is said to have come to Obasanjo`s rescue with a two billion naira cash donation that helped guaranteed the president’s re-election. And Dangote believes that between him and Otedola, OBJ who acted as “Godfather” to the two men gave him the short end of the stick. That was then. With OBJ no longer in power, the chicken has come home to roost, resulting in a free for all melee, as both men and their proxies are seriously engaged in undoing each other.
As Huhuonline.com reported, in 2007, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola floated a consortium, called Blue Star oil Services Limited, with which they bought the Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries, under shady circumstances. In a consortium, each participant retains its separate legal status and the consortium's control over each participant is generally limited to activities involving the joint endeavor. A consortium is formed by contract, which delineates the rights and obligations of each member. However, the official Blue Star Oil Services tender to purchase the refineries; signed by Aliko Dangote lists only Aliko Dangote and Sanni Dangote of Dangote Group as directors. Femi Otedola or Zenon Oil was not listed. Nevertheless, Nigerians were told by the Bureau of Public Enterprise that Blue Star Oil Services was a consortium of Dangote Groups and Zenon Oil. The KRPC sale, which poses more questions, than answers, has since been annulled, thanks to the citizens of Nigeria.
Last year, after Huhuonline.com broke the story on Aliko Dangote shady deals in the Bureau of Public Enterprises, one Jonathan Ango, ostensibly an Aliko Dangote proxy wrote to us: “Don’t know what your stake is in the Dangote saga. I also do not know Dangote apart from what I hear and read in the media. What I know is we cannot pretend to be a capitalist democracy, if the government must continue to run commercial ventures. I do not see anything wrong in Dangote having his candidate in the BPE or his buying up the refineries, if he can pay for it and it runs efficiently on a profit basis and he dutifully pays his taxes. At least, he will guarantee employment and hence boost the Nigerian economy. At least he has proven himself in the sugar and cement companies he has bought over. Or would you rather have the refineries run by incompetent bureaucrats and civil servants causing a drain pipe in the economy? Capitalism the world over has its short comings, but it is far better than socialism (state controlled business), that is why it collapsed in the countries that practiced it. Except if you have a personal grudge against Dangote as a person. What of Otedola buying up AP”?
With the SEC now wading into the crisis, the question now begging for an answer is: are we actually at the beginning of the end, as Wilson Churchill, one time British Prime Minister once asked - or the end of the beginning? It’s a wait and see game which only time will tell.
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LOS ANGELES — Bruce Willis, 54, and his new wife, Emma Heming, 30, didn't meet through friends, as his pals have insisted in fact, the superstar actor hand-picked her as a perfect stranger.
An impeccable source tells the New York Post's Page Six gossip column: "During the casting of 'Perfect Stranger' [the suspense movie Willis made with Halle Berry two years ago], Bruce was very involved with the casting. In fact, you could say he was extremely involved no matter how minor the role."
At Willis' request, calls were placed to modeling agencies to fill the roles of extras and minor speaking parts.
Our casting source said, "He personally went through head shots and when the girls were called in to 'read,' he was there in the meeting. It was odd for the star of a movie to do so, but at the time he was single and I guess he needed a date."
The casting sessions/blind dates went well enough. "He started dating [model] Tamara Feldman, with whom he coincidentally enough had a sex scene," our insider said.
Then, Heming was selected for a small speaking part. Willis "started dating both Tamara and Emma but obviously, Emma eventually won out," the source said.
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Two Nigerian Men indicted in marriage fraud in Houston
A federal grand jury indicted Ibraheem Adegoke Buraimoh, a citizen of Nig.eria, and Ibraheem Adeneye, a naturalized U.S. citizen and Houston resident, Tuesday for conspiring to commit marriage fraud, according to a U.S. Attorney?s Office release..The prosecution of these two men began with the filing of a criminal complaint that alleged that agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement began an investigation earlier this year into the possibility that an alien was attempting to arrange a fraudulent marriage with an American citizen in order to obtain a favorable change of immigration status from Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Adeneye, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Nigeri.a, allegedly acted as a broker to arrange a fraudulent marriage between Buraimoh and an undercover ICE agent posing as a U.S. citizen willing to enter into the fraudulent marriage with Buraimoh. In January, meetings were held with and phone calls were made by the agent with Adeneye and Buraimoh, during which the arrangement of the fraudulent marriage allegedly was discussed, including a total of $3,500 to be paid in installments to the agent (?wife?) for her role in the conspiracy and to Adeneye for arranging the marriage. In addition, the process for obtaining a change in immigration status as a result of the ?marriage? allegedly was discussed.
On Feb. 2, according to the complaint, after ICE took steps to notify the Harris County Clerk?s Office of the impending fraudulent marriage, the agent and Buraimoh were married in a state court in downtown Houston by a judge. Thereafter, Buraimoh allegedly made a partial payment to the agent for going through with the marriage. Both men were arrested Feb. 17.
If convicted of conspiring to commit marriage fraud, Adeneye and Buraimoh face a maximum of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Buraimoh has been ordered held in federal custody without bond pending trial. Adeneye has been ordered released on bond.
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This is GOOD...I expect it back too if you think I am worth a friend! I especially like the last sentence!!!!!!
A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest. A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself
and doesn't feel even the least bit weird shutting your 'beer/Pepsi drawer' with her foot!
A simple friend has never seen you cry. A real friend shoulder is soggy from your tears..
A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first names. A real friend has their phone numbers in his address book.
i
A simple friend brings a bottle of wine to your party. A real friend comes early to help you cook and stays late to help you clean.
A simple friend hates it when you call after they've gone to bed. A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.
A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems. A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.
i
A simple friend wonders about your romantic history. A real friend could blackmail you with it!
A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument. A real friend calls you after you had a fight.
A simple friend expects you to always be there for them. A real friend expects to always be there for you!
A simple friend reads this e-mail and deletes it. A real friend passes it on and sends it back to you!
Pass this on to anyone you care about......if you get it back you have no beginning, no end.
It keeps us together, like our Circle of Friends. Today I pass this on to you. Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you..
INSTANTLY WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER, YOU'RE REQUESTED TO SEND IT TO AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO SENT IT TO YOU.
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Dear Friend,I read something inspiring a couple of days ago. It wasn't as if up until then, I didn't have my perception about how to go through life or that I wasn't aware of the energy that emanated from me. When I started reading it, I thought to myself "Oh please, what else is new?" As I dug deeper into the article I realised that anyone can take a cue from this... regardless of your status or state of mind as at present. I will share the link to this article in a moment, but before I do, I want to dwell something that will provoke you to reflect.It is a simple and pretty straightforward question. So here goes... " What is your attitude like?" Another way of putting it, is to ask "What are you thoughts and feelings about?" You'll realise, after you take a moment to answer the question that you can actually expound on this. As you ponder deeper in your soul search, the answer becomes vaguely familiar with what you might have thought your answer would have been. A simpe assessment structure would be to ask where are your thoughts leading you to? Are they positive, are they constructive... is there hope? Does it make you feel confident about embracing your future or does it just spell choas, uncertainty... or ultimatey doom and gloom?Many times, we are oblivious of the "Law of Attraction". Believe it or not the universe is constantly throwing energies around us (whether good or bad), they work in a constant mix to bring balance and harmony to the world around us. What we don't know, is that we have the power to define what the law of attraction brings our way. People tend to subscribe to different belief systems. I bet even some of you reading this now may be thinking "hmm... metaphysics", "astrology" or outright "heresy". Let me assure you now, I am a believer of the word of God and even He teaches us about attitude in different forms... one of which is on "Vision" (Prov 29:18).Charles Swindoll wrote: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill". It will make or break a company, a church... Juan Slater talks more about the power of attitude in his blog. You can read the rest of it here http://adjix.com/ptnvPunch line is, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain manner. We cannot change the inevitable, but we can influence how it comes. And the way to do it, is to regulate the one thing we have... our attitude. I'll leave at this for today. I hope you get the full benefit of this article. Have a great week (what's left of it) and I'll be back again by the weekend.Yours in success.Maveric-KMaverick Money Makershttp://www.9jabook.com/group/mmmFollow me on Twitter@http://twitter.com/kassimlive
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Dear Child,I am writing this slow because I know that you can't read fast.We don't live where we did when you left home.Your dad read in the paper that most accidents happen within 20 miles from your home so we moved.I won't be able to send you the address, as the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they left so that they wouldn't have to change their address.This place is real nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure if it works too well though.Last week I put a load in, pulled the chain, and haven't seen them since.The weather isn't too bad here., it only rained twice last week, The first time it rained for three days and the second time for four days. The coat you wanted me to send you, your Uncle Steve said it would be a little too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets. We got another bill from the funeral home.They said if we don't make the last payment on Grandma's grave, up she comes. John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were worried because it took him two hours to get me and Shelby out.Your sister had a baby this morning but I haven't found out what it is yet, so I don't know if you're an aunt or an uncle. If the baby is a girl, your sister is going to name it after me, she's going to call it Mom.Uncle Pete fell in a whiskey vat last week. Some man tried to pull him out but he fought them off and drowned. We had him cremated and he burned for three days.Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up truck. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. Your two friends were in the back. They drowned because they couldn't get the tailgate down.There isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened.PS, I was going to send you some money but the envelope was already sealed.
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Regis: "Barbara, you've done very well so far - $500,000 and one lifeline left -- phone a friend.The next question will give you the top prize of One Million dollars if you get it right ... but if you get it wrong you will drop back to $32,000 -- are you ready?"Barbara: "Sure, I'll have a go!"Regis: "Which of the following birds does not build it's own nest?Is it........A-RobinB-SparrowC-CuckooD-ThrushRemember Barbara its worth 1 Million dollars.""I think I know who it..but I'm not 100%...No, I haven't got a clue. I'd like to phone a friend Regis, just to be sure.Regis: "Yes, who, Barbara, do you want to phone?Barbara: "I'll phone my friend Maggie back home in Birmingham."(ringing)Maggie (also a blonde): "Hello..."Regis: "Hello Maggie, its Regis here from Who Wants to be a Millionaire-I have Barbara here and she is doing really well on $500,000, but needs your help to be a Million.The next voice you hear will be Barbara's and she'll read you the question.There are 4 possible answers and 1 correct answer and you have 30 seconds to answer -- fire away Barbara."Barbara: "Maggie, which of the following birds does not build it's own nest? Is it:A-RobinB-SparrowC-CuckooD-Thrush"Maggie: "Oh Gees, Barbara that's simple.....It's a Cuckoo."Barbara: "You think?"Maggie: "I'm sure."Barbara: " Thanks Maggie." (hangs up)Regis: "Well, do you want to stick on $500,000 or play on for the Million, Barbara?"Barbara: "I want to play, I'll go with C-Cuckoo"Regis: "Is that your final answer?"Barbara: "It is."Regis: "Are you confident?"Barbara: "Yes fairly, Maggie's a sound bet."Regis: "Barbara.....you had $500,000 and you said C-Cuckoo ...you're right! - You have just won ONE MILLION DOLLARS.Here is your check. You have been a great contestant and a real gambler. Audience please put your hands together for Barbara."(clapping)That night Barbara calls round to Maggie and brings her down to a local bar for a celebration drink and, as they are sipping their Champagne, Barbara turns to Maggie and asks "Tell me Maggie, How in God's name did you know that it was the Cuckoo that does not build its own nest?Maggie: "Listen Barbara, everybody knows that a Cuckoo lives in a clock."
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Ekiti Re-Run Elections Saga: “Rig and Roast”
With the Verdict of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin on Tuesday, 17 February, 2009 the mandate given to Engineer Segun Adebayo Oni as governor of Ekiti State (by INEC) after elections of 14 April 2007 was nullified by a unanimous decision of the court.
To the removed governor and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the judgment was a rude shock more so as the verdict of the lower electoral tribunal had ( in a unanimous decision) in December 2008 declared Segun Oni as duly elected. To the Action Congress (AC) and its governorship candidate, Dr.
Kayode Fayemi who was petitioner/appellant in the legal battle that lasted more than twenty months, the verdict was a welcome development and a thumb-up for the rule of law. Huhuonline.com checks reveals that to the ordinary citizen of Ekiti State , the verdict was a call for apprehension because of the pervasive air of uncertainty that surrounds the re-run election in some 64 wards spread across ten out of sixteen local governments in the state. The perceived apprehension is not misplaced after all in view of certain developments in the state since the April 2007 elections. Our investigation revealed that the two parties contending for supremacy exhibit almost equal strength in all the political manoeuvrability displayed so far. The 26-member house of assembly consist 13 PDP and 13 Ac legislators.
The level of strength accounts for lots of tension within the house and between the house and the executive arm of government. Most decisions of the executive arm of government, for example the appointment of commissioners, had been carried out in a controversial manner. The appointment of the commissioners was presented by the former Governor Segun Oni to the old house assembly before the current house was inaugurated. Another controversial issue is the appointment of State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) which is still an issue before an Ado-Ekiti High Court following a suit file by the AC in which the ruling party was alleged to have violated due process. The local government election that was conducted in December 2008 by the contested SIEC was boycotted by the AC. These are a few instances of the index of tension in governance in Ekiti State .
Following the verdict of the Court of Appeal, the Speaker of the house (a PDP legislator) Rt. Honorable Olatunji Odeyemi was sworn-in as Acting Governor, while the Deputy Speaker- Hon. Saliu Adeoti (AC) became the Acting Speaker. The tension between the House and the Executive arm of government seem to have increased since. While the house wanted all political appointees of Engineer Segun Oni to be relieved of their position, the PDP has resisted and the acting governor has merely suspended Segun Oni`s commissioners while other political appointees are still in place with government machineries at their disposal as a possible threat to level playing ground in the re-run election.
The two parties (PDP & AC) appear desperate to have a hold on government machinery through the re-run elections. Electioneering campaigns so far have been marred with violence leading to death of at least one person (at Oye local government) and destruction of property and injuries to many people at Oye and Ise-Orun local governments. There are various postals around town with horrific captions like rig and roast. The position of the police command of Ekiti State does not appear neutral as there are numerous complaints of complicity between the police and the PDP.
To worsen the charged atmosphere is the crisis between a faction of PDP led by a former governor of the state
Mr. Ayo Fayose and the main-stream of the PDP led by Segun Oni. Attempts to reconcile the two factions by Abuja have failed. Fayose has come out openly canvassing for the populace that Segun Oni does not return to the State House in Ado-Ekiti. And whatever anybody feels, Fayose is an ardent grass-rooter with a large following: in any event whether peaceful or otherwise, Fayose would be a factor to contend with.
As the re-run election draws near, it would require an objective steps on the part of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, community leaders (such as traditional rulers) to avert a catastrophe that could lead to another state of emergency in Ekiti. This is obvious in view of the desperation of PDP and AC and their almost equal strength. While PDP is basking in euphoria of being in control of Federal Government and implicit control of INEC and the security apparatus; AC relies heavily on the populace and the fact that it had the higher votes in the remaining legitimate votes in the disputed elections of 2007 as contained in the verdict of the Court of Appeal.
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I'm so old they've cancelled my blood type.Bob HopeAs you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two...Sir Norman WisdomYes, time flies. And where did it leave you? Old too soon...smart too late.Mike TysonYou know you're getting fat when you can pinch an inch on your forehead.John MendozaAs we grow older, our bodies get shorter and our anecdotes longer.Robert QuillenPeople say that age is just a state of mind. I say it's more about the state of your body.Geoffrey Parfitt
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The bride tells her husband, "Honey, you know I'm a virgin and I don't knowanything about sex. Can you explain it to me first?""OK, Sweetheart. Putting it simply, we will call your private place 'theprison' and call my private thing 'the prisoner'. So what we do is: put theprisoner in the prison.And then they made love for the first time.Afterwards, the guy is lying face up on the bed, smiling with satisfaction.Nudging him, his bride giggles, "Honey the prisoner seems to have escaped."Turning on his side, he smiles. "Then we will have to re-imprison him."After the second time they spent, the guy reaches for his cigarettes butthe girl, thoroughly enjoying the new experience of making love, gives hima suggestive smile, "Honey, the prisoner is out again!"The man rises to the occasion, but with the unsteady legs of a recentlyborn foal.Afterwards, he lays back on the bed, totally exhausted.She nudges him and says, "Honey, the prisoner escaped again."Limply turning his head, He YELLS at her, "Hey, its not a life sentence,OKAY!
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CEO fixes unbroken social network
Here’s your scenario: You’re the CEO of an immensely popular social network with 175 million registered users, or just shy of the population of Brazil. Your users are passionate and tend to protest over the slightest changes. Just recently they got really mad about a terms of service change—so mad it was on the evening news and you had to change them back.
Despite those numbers, despite rabid user loyalty, you’re losing money, so much money you got delisted from Forbes’ Masters of the Universe Billionaires list. At the same time another social network, much smaller than yours with less functionality and more questionable future, is gaining a lot of buzz and membership.
What do you do?
Do you:
Old Facebook Now A. Don’t fix something that’s not broken. And by not broken, it means that meteoric growth over the past year led your site to trounce MySpace and every sensitive person on the site is relatively happy in their social networking habitat.
B. Ignore that a growing number of people seem to like an incomprehensible platform much like a feature you already offer. Remember that you have 175 million and growing members, and that Twitter does not, and show that you have plenty of confidence in your product. After all Google didn’t just become a portal because some people didn’t get the spare interface.
C. A and B, and focus on Job 1, which is figure out a way to monetize so that you can rejoin the Masters of the Universe at Davos next year.
D. None of the above. Instead, hold a press conference. Announce you’re making the website more democratic if that’s what everybody wants and call for a vote. While everybody’s busy voting on that, change everything.
If you picked D, congratulations, you’re thinking like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
At the end of last month, Zuckerberg laid down what resembled the Magna Carta for Facebook, noting that future changes would be made via a more democratic process in “virtual town halls.” Voting on that set of new principles and user rights and responsibilities would be in effect until March 29, and only required 52 million votes to ensure they took effect. Over that month, said Zuckerberg, Facebook would be making “hundreds of changes.”
Presumably before anybody could stop him. Maybe we’re seeing the grooming of a future politician.
On March 13, Facebook radically redesigned the site to make it more Twitter-esque and less traditionally Facebook-y.
How did the Facebook masses respond? Hard to gauge really.
Yesterday, an update on the Facebook blog about the new Town Hall voting on the new governance plan was met with a barrage of comments about how much they hated new Facebook and wanted the old one back. But comment threads get ugly sometimes, right? You can't let a minority of protestors beat you back. Just how many protestors are there, anyway?
The number against the changes are even harder to gauge because there are too many separate factions of new Facebook haters. A couple of groups appear to have around 400,000 members, one has 2.7 million, another around 50,000, and several others just have hundreds. We’ll round up and call it a cool 4 million, well shy of the 30 percent of Facebook needed to vote down changes under the new governance that has yet to take effect.
Groups rallying to keep or save the new Facebook exist as well. One of them even has 76 members.
Chris William at the HuffingtonPost does a pretty good job of summing up what appear to be the most unpopular changes. They include:
--No more automatically updating “live feed” with updates on everything. One critic called the live feed a “TV alternative.”
--Data is fully integrated into the new status updates. Users used to be able to separate out by category: wall posts, status updates, links, photos, etc.
--The feed no longer tells you when friends add new friends. This was a popular way of expanding one’s own friends list.
--Now users get updated with every photo posted in a separate post. 30 new pictures posted. 30 new posts in the feed.
--Gone is the ability to just see less of an individual’s posts. Now it’s all posts or no posts from a person.
The complaints go on for a while at different sources. The least that can be said is there are a lot of people out there wondering why unbroken Facebook needed to be fixed, and why anyone with a user base so change-averse to begin with would think hundreds of changes over a short period of time—no testing, no asking—would go over well.
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