₦airaland Forum

Wow, my life has been changed forever.

Wow, this reminds me of the movie "Hostel" for some reason. Sickness.

Wow, just 25,000? I would've guessed at least 4x that amount.

This is welcomed news to me. The gas and oil industry thus far has failed to uplift Nigeria out of third world status- largely due to mismanagement, poor maintenance, and corruption up top. If the export demand tanks, this will actually require the fat cats to actually think of different strategies to build our economy from the ground up- like most successful economies have done. In my opinion, oil is NOT the ticket out of poverty for Nigeria.

In order for Nigeria to even come close to reaching the 2020 goals, our economy needs to be more open- meaning making it more attractive for investors to invest in the country. The government needs to start nurturing more homegrown Nigerian businesses by having low taxes and also provide some sort of incentives for the graduates to stay home instead of moving away. With this happening, I believe we will start seeing many more entrepreneurs starting up businesses in Nigeria, and also more investors will be attracted to the country- which in turn helps the economy grow tremendously.

F*ck oil, let Angola take over some of our exports- at least they know how to put the earnings to work!

[size=15pt][center]Country Branded 'Unreliable Source of Energy'[/center][/size]

Constance Ikokwu

11 February 2009

Washington, D.C. — As the United States steps up its quest for energy independence, the Brookings Institute has rolled out a blueprint that would enable the new government achieve this objective.

Brookings, an influential Washington, D.C.-based independent research and policy institute, has also warned the US government against oil imports from Nigeria and other countries that, according to its study, remain "politically volatile".

The blueprint entitled "Energy Discovery-Innovation Institutes: A Step Toward America's Energy Sustainabi-lity", lumped Nigeria, Russia and Venezuela together as "unreliable sources of energy".

"Many oil exporting countries are politically volatile including Venezuela, Nigeria and recently Russia," observed the blueprint, which was launched Monday.

"America's economic and national security is threatened by its dependency on oil imports from politically unstable regions of the world," it adds.

Nigeria is believed to supply at least 15 per cent of US oil needs. Almost half of Nigeria's oil exports are to the US.

Conflict in the Niger Delta has, however, threatened the country's production in recent times, giving another big exporter Angola, an opportunity to rival its output.

There have also been discussions in Nigeria about the impact of alternative sources of energy on the country's revenue, mainly based on oil income.

Apart from instability, concern about the environment has prompted a flurry of research on energy sustainability in the US.

The Brookings blueprint noted that although Canada is currently the largest supplier of oil to the US, 45 per cent of the nation's oil needs in June 2008 was from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) nations. Another 18 per cent, it said, was imported from the Persian Gulf.

Explaining the challenges facing the country, it pointed out that nearly 77 per cent of the world's oil reserves is controlled by national oil companies (NOCs), while only 10 per cent is controlled by Western oil companies.

Thus, the country's vulnerability to oil has led it to "costly military engagements in areas such as the Persian Gulf, which continue to pose an immediate threat to the nation's security," said the blueprint.

It further noted that "additional security threats arise from terrorist organizations (supported in part by oil wealth), piracy and underdeveloped security over critical energy infrastructure within the US and abroad."

The study advised the government to act by taking the following steps: encourage price signals by placing a price on greenhouse gas emissions in order to spur innovation into low-carbon and carbon-free energy alternatives.

It said government should subsidise energy research and development (R&) especially particular types of research that are neglected by private firms; focus on transnational research that links scientific and technical R& with commercial development; leverage additional private investment through policy mechanisms such as the R& tax credit or public-private partnerships; improve the clarity and accessibility of information on proven energy technologies.

The blueprint added that current comparisons the federal investment in public health, national defence and space exploration suggests a need to increase that of energy.

"An investment in federal energy R& and order of magnitude greater than current levels, growing to perhaps $20 to $30 billion per year, with most of this flowing to existing research players and programmes (e.g. national laboratories and industry)," it said.

The blueprint was authored by James Duderstadt, Gary Was, Robert McGrath, Mark Muro, Michael Corradini, Linda Katehi, Rick Shangraw and Andrea Sarzynski of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings.

Brookings described the Metropolitan Policy Programme as an arm that provides decision makers with cutting edge research and policy ideas for improving the health and prosperity of cities and metropolitan areas including their component cities, suburbs and rural areas.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200902110003.html

Well, I have a saying which is "you have to know when to turn it on and off". I use slang often, but mostly in a social environment, or when I'm amongst those who use it also.

When I'm in a professional environment (eg. school, work), I have myself trained not to use any slang.

@ this whole thread

https://smilies.vidahost.com/otn/realhappy/xxrotflmao.gif

Incompetent police at their finest.

I feel so bad for the man who had to endure that brutality, do they even notice the guy is disabled?

Btw, don't you mean Tshwane University?

Well if true love is involved, then yes, it will last.

I agree with the OP, broke ho's is a no-no.

[flash=425,344]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wobM4V9vb8c&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

Chinese food is pretty good too.

I'm not surprised.

Yuck. Smoking is pretty disgusting. I used to smoke weed (that's it, never cigarettes), but I quit, and now I consume using a vaporizer.

https://www.bestvaporizers.com/images/herborizer_sphere_vaporizer.jpg

No smoke whatsoever, just vapor.

lol, look at the South African trying to pull the divide and conquer card.

This thread is dead. . .

So, what's your favorite world cuisine then?

Bravo!

Great thread epi, your food looks excellent (and I'm 100% it tastes even better).

Thanks for the showcase, I'll be sure to keep this thread in my favorites.

For me, I absolutely love Mexican cuisine. I almost cannot describe in words how good many dishes found in Mexican cuisine are. . .amongst my favorites are Tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas, Taquitos, and Quesadillas.

Tacos:
https://www.stansholik.com/photos/food/tacos_avo.jpg

Burrito (Wet Version):
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Diana%27s_wet_burrito.jpg/800px-Diana%27s_wet_burrito.jpg

Enchiladas:
https://www.savorypalate.com/Ezine/EZINE%20IMAGES/Enchiladas%20Medium%20Web%20view.jpg

Taquito:
https://www.eatfunfoods.net/images/taquitos_z31q.jpg

Quesadilla:
https://www.elguapocantina.com/quesadilla.jpg

In a distant second would come Italian cuisine. Some dishes I like that are Italian are Pizza, Lasagna, Spaghetti, and Ravioli.

Chicken all the way- the absolute best. Fish is a distant second.

I find Beef to be disgusting (I don't eat it).

seyibrown:
The race relations act 1976 is there to protect you. Discrimination still happens though despite the act. If you feel you have been discriminated against, and don't mind going through all the time and paperwork involved, all you need to do is take it up with the party/parties involved. It is not all about monetary compensation, its also about trying to get those discriminating to stop doing it!

When I first came to the UK, there was situations that I had to let go, but I tell, if anything like that happens now, I will see it to the very end.

Thanks you for mentioning this my sister.

Far too many Nigerians overlook these laws put into place that protect people from discriminatory practices in the workplace.

Never let others take advantage of you, fight for your rights. Y

Welcome to Nairaland onyekab.

Wow, it sure doesn't take long for certain people to take constructive criticism personally. . .

[img]http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476640,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476582,00.jpg[/img]

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[img]http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476585,00.jpg[/img]

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/fire1_gallery__597x400.jpg

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/fire3_gallery__600x384.jpg

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/fire6_gallery__600x387.jpg

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/mbn_fire3_gallery__306x400.jpg

[img]http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/08/majfamily_gallery__600x397,0.jpg[/img]

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/mbn_fire4_gallery__588x400.jpg

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/mbn_fire7_gallery__600x364.jpg

https://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/08/majhouseburns_gallery__600x396.jpg

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476969,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476968,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476853,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476854,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476851,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476852,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476849,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476856,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476846,00.jpg[/img]

[B]The fire was so hot that it melted car rims.[/B]
[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476816,00.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476817,00.jpg[/img]

Here are some images I've collected from numerous websites:

This is actually a Boeing 737 Plane
[img]http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476268,00.jpg[/img]

https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234011126717/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234014452214/Australia-wildfires-002.jpg

https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234011925250/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

[img]http://l.yimg.com/ea/img/-/090208/0702_firie_a_305_14os6ch.jpg?x=250&sig=3Y8tuqyvAfHeK6CnrvSqQw--[/img]

https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234014537907/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234014605738/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

People are wicked!