₦airaland Forum

At the end of whole these brouhaha and macabre dance by both the Presidency and NASS, what happens next? Because the only people bearing the brunt are the same poor masses. How long are they going to keep on up with all these their shenanigans? Stop all this blame games. Okay, it was an oversight. Let's overlook it for the greater good of all and do the needful. Forgive the oversight and stop the blame trading. Let peace reign in Naija!

Congratulations!

That's my Presido! No time!!

You're probably a pretty intelligent person. But you could very well be acting in ways that make you look like a complete idiot.

To help you create the best impression possible among coworkers and clients, we rounded up nine common behaviors that outside observers may associate with low intelligence.

Chances are you've been guilty of at least one, without knowing that it could be hurting your reputation.




https://www.yahoo.com/news/9-everyday-behaviors-look-dumber-153500514.html

Natalie Cole, the daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, who carved out her own success with R&B hits like "Our Love" and "This Will Be" before triumphantly intertwining their legacies to make his "Unforgettable" their signature hit through technological wizardry, has died. She was 65.

While Cole was a Grammy winner in her own right, she had her greatest success in 1991 when she re-recorded her father's classic hits - with him on the track - for the album "Unforgettable ... With Love." It became a multiplatinum smash and garnered her multiple Grammy Awards, including album of the year.

Cole died Thursday evening at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles due to complications from ongoing health issues, her family said in a statement.

"Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived ... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever," read the statement from her son Robert Yancy and sisters Timolin and Casey Cole.

"I had to hold back the tears. I know how hard she fought," said Aretha Franklin in a statement. "She fought for so long. She was one of the greatest singers of our time."

Other celebrities honored Cole on social media. In a tweet, actress Marlee Matlin called Cole a lovely songbird and a great actress, writing "she is now singing in heaven." Patti LaBelle tweeted, "She will be truly missed but her light will shine forever!"

Natalie Cole had battled drug problems and hepatitis that forced her to undergo a kidney transplant in May 2009. Cole's older sister, Carol "Cookie" Cole, died the day she received the transplant. Their brother, Nat Kelly Cole, died in 1995.

Natalie Cole was inspired by her dad at an early age and auditioned to sing with him when she was just 11 years old. She was 15 when he died of lung cancer, in 1965.

She began as an R&B singer but later gravitated toward the smooth pop and jazz standards that her father loved.

Cole's greatest success came with her 1991 album, "Unforgettable ... With Love," which paid tribute to her father with reworked versions of some of his best-known songs, including "That Sunday That Summer," ''Too Young" and "Mona Lisa."

Her voice was spliced with her dad's in the title cut, offering a delicate duet a quarter-century after his death.

The album sold some 14 million copies and won six Grammys, including album of the year as well record and song of the year for the title track duet.

Cole received chemotherapy to treat the hepatitis and "within four months, I had kidney failure," she told CNN's Larry King in 2009. She needed dialysis three times a week until she received a donor kidney on May 18, 2009. The organ procurement agency One Legacy facilitated the donation from a family that had requested that their donor's organ go to Cole if it was a match.

Cole toured through much of her illness, often receiving dialysis at hospitals around the globe.

"I think that I am a walking testimony to you can have scars," she told People magazine. "You can go through turbulent times and still have victory in your life."


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBIT_NATALIE_COLE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-01-01-12-04-33

If i hear am. Person wey use hand buy snake wan return am?

At the hospital, the most used word was probably cash considering the manner
"payment for doctoral services before any treatment" was repeated. Fidelity's
insurance partner guaranteed the hospital they would pay; that the paperwork
for disbursement took a little time and the hospital still refused, stating they
needed an initial deposit for N2,000,000. All this was happening while Arinze was
left unattended and gradually slipping away from life into the after life.

Arinze's family deposited what cash they could and the hospital chose to do the minimal.
"Please take him to the intensive unit and treat him," the family pleaded and begged.
The hospital staff kept dragging their feet waiting for the balance on the mandated
N2,000,000 deposit, from the insurance company. For 2 days, Arinze was given minimal care
and unfortunately fell into a coma. The N2,000,000 deposit finally came but Arinze could no
longer be saved; it was found out that while the hospital staff dragged their feet,
he had head trauma; bleeding; clotting.

This is the reality of our present day Nigeria.

While Nigerians blame other tribes different from theirs as the boogeyman that causes our
national misfortune, our general societal attitude continues to kill us all.

Uzezi Mokedi
Founder, African Renaissance Movement
Economist, philosopher, humanist and rationalist;
A strong believer and advocate of Productive National Socialism; Merit over titles.

I saw this post on a facebook, written by a great friend and think we all can learn a thing or two:

A true story: The killing of a Nigerian by the Nigerian society.

Arinze was once a worker at Arik who later moved on to Fidelity bank.
At about 6:30am, on his way to the bus stop to bus pool with fidelity's staff bus,
he was struck by a "Danfo" bus taking "one way." The bus driver, whose bus was filled
to capacity with other Nigerians, fled the scene of the crime and till date, no one in
that bus, at the time of this incident, has ever come forward with information regards
the bus or bus driver.

Back to Arinze laying on the coal tar road, at a very busy and
major bus stop, aware but hardly able to move. A shocking thing to note that many
Nigerians walked past him, drove past him, stared at him and even stole from him while
he lay helpless. Let me repeat "stole from him while he lay helpless."

The amazing continuation of Arinze's terrible nightmare is just about to get worse beyond
comprehension. A stroke a luck though occurred for Arinze when all seemed hopeless and lost;
Arinze with inhuman willpower was able to seize one leg of a passerby and plead with him to
help save his life; all Arinze wanted was for this man to call his family.

"My phone is in my pocket," Arinze told the man. The man went through the pockets and
then it became clear to both that as Arinze laid helpless; going in and out of consciousness,
someone or "someones" had stolen his phone, wallet and bag. Fortunately for Arinze he could
recollect a number; his sister's. This good Samaritan was patient enough to see his assistance
all the way through and dialed the number given to him by Arinze, which turned out to be the
right one and thus Arinze's family were able to get there swiftly and rush him to the hospital.

Arinze's nightmare is just about to turn deadly...

1Dray:
When you went to Mecca to stone Satan and open you eyes in the other side to be meet Satan, then you realise you were scammed by a supposedly 'religion of peace'.

Jesus is the only way and the Prince of Peace... Don't say I didn't tell you.

[quote][/quote]There have been reports that the closure of two essential gate, reportedly at the instance of the Saudi Royal family who were receiving some visitors, was a major cause of the stampede, a fact Mr. Shittu elaborates.

“If the gates of those tents from both sides of the road had opened, the death toll would have been very minimal,” he said. “But the Arabs closed the gates and continued to hit the hands of any pilgrim with a metal as they attempted to scale their fences to get free air.”
The Lebanese daily further said that Salman and his entourage swiftly abandoned the scene, adding that the Saudi authorities seek to hush up the entire story and impose a media blackout on Salman’s presence in the area.
However, officials in Saudi Arabia have denied the report, calling it "incorrect." The Saudi health minister has blamed the pilgrims for the tragedy. "If the pilgrims had followed instructions, this type of accident could have been avoided," Khaled al-Falih said.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's head of the central hajj commitee, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, has blamed the crush outside the holy city of Mecca that killed at least 717 people and injured 850 more on "some pilgrims with African nationalities", according to Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV.

"... believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." - Jesus (John 4:21-24)

impactz:
It's a JAVA Problem
what's your latest JAVA UPDATE?
SOLUTION:
Use Java version 7. that should fix
Or install in another system... Verify is the JAVA you updated to is compatible with your OS on java website

Thanks bro! I will uninstall the current version and install the Java version 7. I hope this will help! Though on the NYSC, they had this message: "Only Java 1.6 and 1.8 are fully supported. Ensure you install Java 1.8 (update 60 minimum) if you have issues with Java 1.8."

I urgently need your help! 've been trying to register my little sister for this NYSC Registration; I had to order for a digitalPersona from Jumia since no business centre around were offering the service. After installation into my system XP SP2 we encountered problem after capturing the fingerprints. It kept bringing up an error message: "Liveconnect call for Applet ID 1 is not allowed in this JVM instance", when we clicked on the 'proceed button'. I have updated JAVA in the system to latest version. Is there something I did not do right? Please I need your urgent help. What can I do to get this thing to work? Thanks.

Emenandez4lyf:
Rape Rape Rape Rape Rape Rape , what is this zological republic turning into, even the so called paedophile. Rape cases since 1900.

I don't think it was a case of rape per se, because from the story it was clear that the girl had been going out with the "Pastor" for a while now, which made the mother suspicious and alerted the authorities. In any case, the man needs to be to punished. May be the capital punishment will put an end to these rampant cases of men of over 50 having sex with girls of non-consensual age, including in most terrible cases, their own daughters. It's a shame!

Chilling photo captures Philippines politician's killer moments before he is shot dead

A politician in the Philippines who was shot dead while taking a photograph of his family on New Year's Day captured his killer on camera just seconds before the assassin fired the fatal shots.

Reynaldo Dagsa, a 35-year-old district councilor in the metro area of Manila, was taking a photograph of his wife, daughter and mother-in-law outside of his home at the exact moment his killer stepped from behind a nearby car and took aim.

In the photograph, the man is shown standing behind Dagsa's smiling daughter, wearing a black baseball cap backward -- and a cold gaze – as he points his pistol directly at the camera.

The barrel of the pistol is illuminated by the camera's flash.

Just seconds later, Dagsa was shot in the right forearm and the chest. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

After discovering the terrifying coincidence, Dagsa's family gave the camera to police, who used the photo to find the gunman and his lookout, who was also caught in the photograph.

The two men were arrested in separate raids in Manila on Monday, according to The Associated Press.

Caloocan city police Chief Jude Santos said the suspect was a car thief who was out on bail and likely sought revenge because Dagsa had ordered his arrest last year.

Dagsa's wife and daughter told local reporters that the family was headed out into the city to join the boisterous crowds celebrating the New Year.

The shots, the family said, were masked by the popping of nearby firecrackers. They only knew something was wrong when he fell to the ground after being hit.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/chilling-photo-captures-philippines-politician-killer-moments-shot-dead-article-1.147782

My Wife Lied About Her Age

Four years ago at 35, I married my wife, who I thought was 35. We both wanted children, but unfortunately, she had miscarriage in the second year and stillbirth in the third year. We began consulting a fertility specialist.

After she started asking questions, my wife admitted she is actually eight years older than she had led me to believe. She's 47 years old! She's cried and cried, begging for my forgiveness.

She's gone to try fertility treatments to get pregnant, but I don't want her to continue that for health reasons. I have forgiven her but as an African man; I'm NOT willing to consider the adoption option. She says, of course, that she feared I would walk away if I knew the truth, but she must have known it would come out sometime, somehow. I think I still love her, she is really a wife material, respectful, lovable and very industrious lady but I feel so betrayed! Letting a husband believe you're years younger than you are with all the implications for child-bearing, is a grotesque deception. Sometimes, I'm always wondering if some things she says are the truth. Moreover, after all the wahala and years in-between, her beauty has really waned. She now looks old! We have become butts of joke from neighbours and even strangers when they see us walking together. I look way younger than she is.

I think of getting another wife, but that has not been my person. I think of divorce, but where do I start? Have I wasted 4 years of my life just like that? We still have faith that miracles do happen. Our pastor has asked me to forgive her and move on, that my ability to forgive her will make her more loyal and obedient to me. She is a naturally good person, but for this act of deception.

Maybe if my wife had been honest with me from the beginning, knowing her age I would have adjusted my planning and expectations for children. But she lied. Should I prove her right in her assumption that when I found out the truth, I would walk away? Any thoughts on helping us get through this? I have given all my resources to make this marriage work.

I need matured and sincere advice please!

How does it work? with gas? How is it connected to the gen and how safe is it? Considering the link of fire (from generator exhaust) with gas? Anyway, if these simple questions are taken care of, it will be viable alternative to fuel consumption if this option is actually cheaper.

The robbers who broke into my sister's shop and stole everything in it have been caught by the police and some of my sister's goods have been recovered from their houses and car.

"I appreciate you all for your prayers and words of encouragement; truly glad to have you all as friends. Many shame to 'bad belle' people. Na my God win". With these words, she sends out her heartfelt appreciation to all who stood by her in her very trying moments.

Thanks to God and my fellow Nairalanders for your love, advice and encouragement. May good God continue to defeat all our enemies for us! Shame to bad belle people! Na God-win!

For a young girl who just graduated last year and had to raise money from family members, plus savings to open this shop in February this year at Sapele, Delta state, it is very painful to see what the wicked and callous robbers did to her "little beginning" as only her shop was robbed.

I pray that the thieves nor go see dis December if dem nor confess.
God must expose them before the beginning of the 'ember months. Amin

Why Buhari wants Islamic books included in Federal schools’ curriculum

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Federal Ministry of Education to include two Islamic Studies books written by the late Justice Muhammad Bashir Sambo in the secondary school curriculum for all Federal Government Colleges.
Buhari

Buhari

The president, gave the directive, weekend, in Kaduna while launching the reviewed editions of the books which were first published in 1974.

Represented by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, the President noted that such books had become essential in the face of declining moral and religious values in the country.

The Islamic Studies for Secondary Schools, co-sponsored by the Bashir Sambo Centre for Islamic Da’awah and Jaiz Charity and Development Foundation in memory of late Justice Bashir Sambo, former Judge of Sharia Court of Appeal and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, were reviewed by Mallam Mukhtar Lere to conform with the current 6-3-3-4 educational system in the country.

Buhari thanked the co-authors for updating and structuring the books to match the new secondary school curriculum. He urged the Ministry of Education to look at the books with a view to adopting them in all government colleges.

The chairman, Board of Trustees of Jaiz Charity and Development Foundation, Alhaji Umar A. Mutallab, said the Bashir Sambo Centre for Islamic Da’awah was established by disciples and associates of late Justice Sambo in order to immortalise and inspire the legacy of the late sage.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-buhari-wants-islamic-books-included-in-federal-schools-curriculum/#sthash.y94JWV29.dpuf

Is it a bird? No - it’s a cloud! Incredible shape emerges in stormy skies


Clouds can throw up all sorts of familiar shapes but this bird-shaped thundercloud looks exactly like the real thing.

The spectacular image of the huge bird outline dominating the sky was captured by photographer Todd Connaghan in Alberta, Canada, last week.

Unbelievably, Todd managed to capture the images of the moody-looking sky on his iPhone.

He revealed: “Both the images were shot using the camera I had on me at the time, which was an iPhone 5c.

“If I had gone to grab my camera gear, I would have missed this spectacular sight.”

The cloud kept its bird shape for about five minutes as the storm quickly built up.

It eventually evaporated - but not before scaring the entire mouse population in Canada.


https://ca.news.yahoo.com/bird-no-cloud-incredible-shape-093753663.html

IYADARA:
I tot he met an empty Treasury

He met a virtually empty Treasury! Not absolutely empty... Nigeria is an ongoing business. Money comes in daily from OIL etal!

vikel2104:
Staying in a neighbourhood gives you the chance to meet different types of people and learning to deal with them.
You will definitely find your neighbour among the list below.

1. Parentless kids.
There is always sound of yelling kids from their house. Their parents are never at home. They are basically noise makers.

2. The Over-friendly Neighbour
They make your business, their business. You like it or not. These are typically the neighbours who will literally stay in your house and wouldn’t even mind helping you out with your daily chores. They don’t know where to draw the line and end up being over friendly. More often than not they cross the line. These neighbours want to know everything about you, your family, how much money you earn every month, where you make all your investments and your spending patterns. They want to know it all without even once thinking that these are personal and you are not comfortable sharing them.

3. The Really Mysterious Neighbour There’s is never any noise coming from his apartment. However, the only dialogue you ever had with this type of neighbour probably consists of “Hello!” and “Nice weather today, huh?” You’ve probably noticed that the really mysterious neighbour comes back home either late at night or early in the morning. And he doesn’t appear to be drunk which makes things even weirder. You have no idea where he goes, what he does and whether you should be worried that he might be a criminal or not. You better stick to just ‘hello’ when talking to this neighbour and never ask him anything because you know what happened to the curious cat, right? It became a victim of its really mysterious neighbour.

4. The fighting couple.
These neighbours fight with their spouse in the open and keep throwing offensive words at each other. They just disturb the peace of the neighbourhood.

5. The Copy Cats – The Me Too Neighbours
If you are noticing a pattern of your neighbours having the same things you possess from quite some time now, then you can rule out the option of it being a sheer co-incidence – it’s called copying. These are the type of neighbours who have no clue about what they want to buy and would just end up buying/doing the same set of things that you do, just to fit in. They would scan everything in your home if invited for a chat and there you go a replica of it would be in theirs too.

6.The Constant Borrowers
It’s a pleasant Saturday morning and you hear somebody knocking at your door. Surprise! The same neighbour who keeps asking you for something or the other is here again asking you for a cup of sugar. These are the neighbours who make complete utilization of the word “HELP” and would constantly keep borrowing things from you. If you have these type of neighbours consider adding a separate list in your monthly budget called “Neighbours list”!

7. Alcoholic neighbour.
Someone is knocking at your door and picking your lock at 1am in the morning? Oh, wait, it’s just your alcoholic neigbhour who is once again at the wrong door. Someone puked on your doorstep? Who was it this time – the alcoholic guy next door.

8.The Party Freak.
These are most likely young people who love to go out for parties and always invite their friends over for a party in their house. The sound of loud music and loud voices is the proof that they are at it again.

9. The Problem Creators
These neighbours are just too finicky about everything you do from moving a chair at your home to having a social event at your home-every single thing of your action bothers them and are waiting to gun you down! They are the ones who are unhappy about everything about their neighbourhood and would constantly keep bickering.

10. The Passive neighbor.
This one is just there. He doesn’t make noise nor look for trouble. He doesn’t seem to have any problem with anyone and just takes life as it comes. He just a jolly good fellow.

Can you see your neighbor in the list?

Fortunately or Unfortunately, No! Maybe you should have added: the Gossipy neighbors; they congregate at corner of the compound to discuss the issues of others: 'Did you see what Mr. Haruna wore out today'; 'Eh did u see the man that visited Amaka yesterday?' 'Ade's wife did not go out with him today? Ha ha what happen?' They spend hours discussing anything but their own pathetic wasted lives.

In a desperate appeal punctuated with a backflip, stranded Grammy-winning hip-hop star Chris Brown got down on his knees Friday begging to be allowed to leave the Philippines and resume his world tour.

The 26-year-old American has been stuck in the Southeast Asian nation for two days after a politically influential sect filed a fraud complaint, saying it is owed a million-dollar-plus refund after he skipped a concert last year.

"Please, please, let us leave, please," Brown said in a video posted on his official Instagram account, showing him on his knees inside what appeared to be his hotel room. The post was later taken down.

He ended the plea with his signature backflip.

He also appeared to send a thinly veiled distress signal to US President Barack Obama as he captioned the post: "OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!"

In two subsequent Twitter posts Brown said: "This is a very serious situation and someone needs to be held accountable for mixing my name up in all this. I've done nothing wrong!!!"

He added: "I have nothing to do with anything going on right now. I came back to Manila to do a make-up show for New Years. I did the show three days ago."

Brown performed to a packed crowd at a Manila arena on Tuesday.

But he failed to show up on December 31 last year for a concert sponsored by the Christian group Iglesia ni Cristo at its mammoth 55,000-seater indoor stadium on Manila's outskirts.

He has reportedly said he lost his passport at the time so he could not travel.

-- World tour in peril --

The justice department barred him from leaving Wednesday unless he produces a government document certifying he has no legal obligations in the country.

Brown and his promoter were paid more than $1 million by a production outfit identified with the Iglesia to perform at the sect's Philippine Arena, according to the Iglesia complaint.

The outfit demanded a refund, but both Brown and his promoter refused to pay, it alleged.

The sect is a minority in the Philippines -- where 80 percent of its 100 million people are Catholics -- but wields considerable political clout.

It has between two and three million members according to media and votes as a bloc during elections.

"He has to coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration because (it) has the authority to either grant or deny the emigration clearance certificate," Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters Friday.

Immigration spokeswoman Elaine Tan told AFP Friday that Brown had not yet applied for such a document.

Brown's spokeswoman and promoter were not available for comment Friday.

Brown's Twitter posts were re-tweeted close to 2,000 times just minutes after the hip hop star uploaded them.

He has more than 14 million followers on the micro-blogging site, and 12 million on the photo-sharing platform Instagram.

A playful, bewildered Brown posted a foul-mouthed rant on his Instagram on Thursday as he break-danced apparently to make light of his predicament.

But his tone was more serious on Friday as the upcoming stops of his world tour drew nearer.

Brown is scheduled to perform in Israel and Cyprus next week before returning to the US for more concert dates, according to his website.

Asked about Brown's case, US embassy spokesman Kurt Hoyer told AFP on Friday: "The embassy assists its citizens who are in need."

The Brown saga was the latest case of Western entertainers riling Filipino groups and politicians.

The Beatles were stripped of police escorts at the end of their 1966 Manila tour after they snubbed a party invite from the then Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos' flamboyant wife Imelda Marcos.

The Fab Four were forced to run a gauntlet of angry fans as they boarded their plane.

Michael Jackson was forced to move his concert venue in 1996 after the mayor of Manila refused to host his show due to child molestation charges against the US star.

In 2012, flamboyant American pop star Lady Gaga's show was closely monitored by state censors for blasphemous imagery.

Last March, two members of British boyband One Direction who were known to have smoked marijuana each paid a safety bond before they could perform.

http://news.yahoo.com/chris-brown-begs-philippines-allow-him-leave-053032504.html

Lessons Buhari can learn from Obama about managing a tough economy

(CNN)It is atypical for an American president to invite a nascent African head of state to the White House, especially less than one month after the latter's inauguration.

To some observers, therefore, U.S. President Barack Obama's invitation of his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari, for a White House parley scheduled for July 20 would seem to be an aberration and a surprise. But an analysis of both leaders' circumstances suggests that such a meeting is a no-brainer.

Economic and war legacies

Buhari and Obama were elected during a period of economic turmoil and distress. When Obama was elected in 2008 the US economy was in dire straits and reminiscent of contemporary Nigerian economy. With unemployment rate hovering around 10%, the U.S. economy was losing 800,000 jobs monthly. Budget deficits were spiraling, pushing the country's debt stock to unsustainable levels.

Like Buhari, Obama not only met an empty treasury but was also saddled with a whopping debt burden of about US$10 trillion -- or 72% of GDP.

Both presidents also inherited expensive and drawn-out wars which they pledged to end. Ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq was a major mantra in Obama's election campaigns in 2008. In Buhari's campaign a major platform was the promise to end the scourge of Boko Haram.

Just as Nigerians clamored for change during the last elections, Americans desperately wanted change in 2008. When people clamor for change, they're taking a big risk.

But, looking back, many Americans would say that the risk they took in 2008 was well-calculated. The U.S. economy has rebounded. Unemployment has fallen from 10% in 2009 to the current level of about 5%. The U.S. budget deficit is now less than half of what it was when Obama first took office.

Obama has also significantly reduced the presence of American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. In a sense, he has virtually fulfilled all his election promises well ahead of the end of his presidential tenure.

Stimulus versus austerity

Given the striking similarities in both leaders' circumstances, Buhari would do well to borrow Obama's economic "magic wand." If he does, he'll be surprised to learn that Obama turned the U.S. economy around not through austerity measures, but by spending more..

A few days after his election, Obama appointed Harvard economist and former Treasury secretary Larry Summers as his chief economic adviser. At the same time he announced his intention to launch an economic stimulus program at a scale never seen before in the country.

Obama justified the stimulus program by referring to the severity of the economic challenges he inherited. Despite push-backs from Republicans in Congress, he managed to implement a stimulus program worth almost US$1 trillion. His strategy was predicated on the premise that the way to resuscitate the economy is not through belt-tightening, but via expansionary fiscal and monetary policies.

Obama's stimulus strategy focused on "shovel-ready" projects that created jobs almost instantaneously, as well as on programs that delivered immediate cash to Americans. The projects and programs include infrastructure, education, health, renewable energy, tax incentives, unemployment benefits and other social welfare provisions.

Shortly after Obama's inauguration, Americans began to receive stimulus cheques in their mailboxes or get temporary tax relief. As an unapologetic proponent of "Middle Class Economics" -- the notion that a virile middle class is a sine qua non for a robust economy -- much of Obama's stimulus money went to middle-class Americans.

Buhari should resist belt-tightening

Though Buhari has yet to formally unveil his economic blueprint, he should resist the temptation of embarking on belt-tightening as an end in itself. His administration appears to be drumming-up the need to reduce the cost of governance. While this is an unassailable proposition, he should be circumspect about what he intends to cut.

In the process of cutting costs care should be taken not to jettison investments and projects needed to enhance the country's productive capacity. Buhari should consider increasing spending in sectors, projects and programs that boost the economy, generate employment and promote inclusive growth. These sectors include infrastructure, labor-intensive manufacturing, agro-processing, health and education.

Nigeria is arguably a country where a massive economic stimulus programme is urgently needed. It has a large stock of human and natural resources that are grossly underutilized. The informal sector is bloated, with millions of underemployed youths. Most of Nigeria's graduates are unemployed or engaged in menial jobs.

Meanwhile, there is a huge infrastructural deficit that can be partly filled through public works projects executed with direct labor. These projects would provide temporary employment to unskilled workers, enabling them to gain experience needed for permanent jobs.

Domestic borrowing can fund stimulus in Nigeria

Buhari has the pedigree to shepherd a massive stimulus program. He's known to abhor profligacy, which means that stimulus money will be spent prudently. He detests graft and corruption, which implies that stimulus funds won't disappear.

This depends on whether Buhari will be able to prevent those around him from corruptly enriching themselves -- something his predecessor failed to do. Like Obama, he cares deeply for the downtrodden, which suggests he'll focus stimulus spending on job creation and economic empowerment.

Some may wonder how the Buhari administration could possibly finance stimulus spending. After all, he has inherited an empty treasury and faces dwindling oil revenues and a volatile global oil market.

But Nigeria could follow the example of Asian countries that financed their stimulus programs through domestic borrowing (mainly by issuing government bonds). Borrowing money domestically in one's own currency is not nearly as problematic as external borrowing.

Financing stimulus spending via domestic borrowing comes with a price. It may crowd-out domestic private investment by raising interest rates. But this would be temporary. The increase in aggregate demand generated by stimulus spending would subsequently crowd-in investment in the production of goods and services. This ultimately will generate employment opportunities.

One of the usual concerns about stimulus spending is the risk of inflation. But unemployment, economic disempowerment and youth restiveness are bigger threats to stability than inflation in the short to medium term.

Also, given the huge slack resources in Nigeria, it is doubtful that stimulus spending would precipitate hyperinflation in the short to medium term. In any case, the Central Bank of Nigeria has the necessary monetary instruments for reigning in inflation should it become a challenge.

Obama stuck to his convictions

One other lesson Buhari should learn from Obama is that it is better for a leader to stick with his or her convictions rather than let opinion polls or emotional sentiments drive their economic policies.

Some pundits were dismissive and derisive of Obama's stimulus strategy when it was launched. The rest, as they say, is history.

Obama stuck with his stimulus strategy and eventually prevailed. At a recent rally in Minnesota organized to showcase the good news about the U.S. economy, Obama proudly proclaimed that "Middle Class Economics does work!"

It remains to be seen how history will judge the Buhari presidency, and whether he will be the quintessential Obama.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/20/opinions/onyeiwu-buhari-obama-conversation/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fedition_world+%28RSS%3A+CNNi+-+World%29

Talk about embarrassing!

Brandy took a recent ride on a New York City subway train where she decided to generously offer a free performance for her fellow riders. What Brandy didn't take into account is that the last thing any New Yorker wants is to have their commute interrupted by yet another busker.

After belting out a ballad, the somewhat incognito singer looked to the other passengers for feedback. Instead, she got nothing but crickets and awkward attempts at people trying to avoid eye contact.

"What ya'll thought of that? Ya'll thought that was cool?" Brandy asked. "Hello? Nobody heard me singing? Nobody cares?"

One rider did offer Brandy a few words of encouragement -- along with some tough love. "We've seen this a million times. You've got to do something different," he explained to the Grammy winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c_UKKnxMa2k

https://www.yahoo.com/tv/s/awkward-brandy-sings-her-heart-subway-completely-ignored-131330337.html

Man claims Bible causes him "emotional duress" because he's gay...

A gay man has filed a $70 million lawsuit against two Bible publishers, claiming their translations of the Bible calling homosexuality a sin caused him “emotional distress.”

The man, Bradley LaShawn Fowler, claims the publishers, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, have manipulated scripture with the use of the term “homosexuals” in certain revised editions of the Bible.

“Fowler alleges that the term homosexual was deleted in later versions by Zondervan but in their 1982 and 1987 translations the publisher uses the term in First Corinthians 6:9 incorrectly,” Liberty Voice reported. “The older King James Version, from which his family pastor preaches, has caused him to be cast away by his family for its use of the word homosexual.”

“As a result of suffering 20 years of mental instability and emotional duress, Fowler is suing $60 million from Zondervan and $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing.”

Zondervan’s spokesperson, Tara Powers, dismissed his claims.

“Since Zondervan does not translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations we publish, we are not in a position to comment on the merits of how a word should or should not be translated,” she said. “We rely on the scholarly judgment of the highly respected and credible translation committees behind each translation and never alter the text of the translations we are licensed to publish.”

“We only publish credible translations produced by credible biblical scholars.”

Other gay activists simply wrote their own gay-friendly “Bible” called the “Queen James Version.”

“The Queen James Bible resolves any homophobic interpretations of the Bible,” a website promoting the book states. “We wanted to make a book filled with the word of God that nobody could use to incorrectly condemn God’s LGBT children, and we succeeded.”

- http://www.infowars.com/gay-man-sues-bible-publishers-over-homosexuality-is-a-sin-verses/

Video footage out of Paris, France shows a Muslim man screaming at diners to stop eating food “because it’s Ramadan,” before he starts overturning tables.

The individual in the clip is seen pacing around near a restaurant with a hockey stick. He then seizes control of a microphone being used by a musician to lecture people in the cafe and passers-by.

“People can’t eat because it’s the ramadan!,” the man shouts in French before screaming and then overturning tables and smashing glasses. He then proceeds to wave the stick at and physically confront diners.

Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is recognized by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting and stricter religious observance to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad.

Muslims are required to refrain from eating between dawn and sunset during this time, a practice that the individual in the video clearly believes should be forced on everyone else whether they are Muslim or not.

“It’s simple: in Muslim countries, non-Muslims must conform their behavior to suit Muslim sensibilities. In non-Muslim countries, non-Muslims must conform their behavior to suit Muslim sensibilities,” writes Robert Spencer.

The fact that France is a hotbed for radical Islam is becoming painfully clear. Following the Charlie Hebdo massacre in January, a man was beheaded near Lyon last month in an ISIS-inspired attack.

A Newsweek poll taken last August found that a staggering 16 per cent of French citizens have a positive view of ISIS. The numbers are even more disconcerting when it comes to youths between the ages of 18-24, of which 27 per cent sympathize with ISIS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=p0n0A0uovtw

http://www.infowars.com/paris-muslim-overturns-tables-angrily-lectures-people-for-eating-during-ramadan/

Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/executive-stalemate-nigeria-s-new-regime-grounded-confusion

Dannyabu:
Nigeria’s new regime grounded in confusion

Unable to choose his working team, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has been struggling to kick-off a regime he bragged so much about. The All Progressives Congress APC, it may be recalled, ran an electioneering race projecting their candidate, now the president, as a fiscally astute conservative who would curb corruption and appropriately manage the country’s economic and financial resources. The masses at this time are getting something entirely different.

While Buhari, a former dictator backflips with official duties in a representative system unfamiliar to his individual aptitude, his camp has been busy showcasing him with falsehood and deceptive fairy tales. To substitute for total lack of answers for his regime catastrophe, the APC social media warriors have been feeding disappointed masses with some worthless cock-and-bull tales of what is now termed the ‘Buhari Wonders.”

The first fake story to justify Buhari’s humility, and considerateness to money matters came during the government transition period, when the APC claimed that predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan presented a billion naira budget for delegates’ lunch, but Buhari the “good money-manager” declined any expenses, saying that his transition team would bring their own lunch. Meanwhile this president was in London at the time on a controversial mission not properly communicated to his constituents.

A similar story yet made it to the network from the Buhari’s camp on how during the South Africa’s trip, Buhari paid the hotel bills for his staff, and asked the rest of the entourage to pay their own bills. This was a president yet to name a single staff till date. The propaganda continued with another rumor that hundreds of politicians, including the Petroleum Minister, Alison-Madueke had returned billions of Dollars stolen from the government – because they were afraid of Buhari the “respected honest money-keeper” and disciplinarian.

It is despicable that at this crucial time in the regime, the APC social media ensemble, running out of Buhari praise-worship songs are busy telling self-indulgent stories including comparing Buhari and Jonathan’s cars, use of presidential jets, Buhari’s choice of transportation, and ostensibly his suya flavor. But how long would they continue to feed the masses with these tommyrots.

As I write, the Buhari’s camp in the social media are still tagging around senseless stories about Buhari opting to fly in the economy class over first class; or choosing Okada over official convoy; or proposing to be eating on the floor instead of an official dining table; or heading to Alhaji Suya "bukateria" for his inauguration dinner rather than the traditional Aso-Rock in-house executive banquet.

Major questions remain – when would Nigerians start getting substantial information about the running of the government? Where are the ‘missing girls’? When is this ‘change’ going to start? Where is the unemployment salaries? Where are Buhari’s ministers? Who has been making all decisions so far? Is this still a democracy?

Indeed, Buhari and those who bejeweled him into his current executive predicament have been facing a more complicated political landscape. Even as Buhari announced as a terror-defense strategy, a relocation of the country’s armory to Borno State, Nigeria has remained under a terrorist attacks. In fact, last Monday's suicide bombing at a crowded fish market occurred in the northeastern city of Maiduguri – the same region where the regime relocated its arsenal.

Let us be clear then – that a president chose a wheelbarrow as an official car does not make him morally decent and fiscally astute; it only exposes his ignorance to issues of fiscal policies. Buhari, and indeed his Yahoo drum-beaters should explain their frameworks and preparedness to fiscal reformation. They should tell Nigerians how the regime can sustain in the long run, the existing spending, policies, and tax - without jeopardizing Nigeria’s creditworthiness, obligations or projected expenses.

Without Ministers; not a single known adviser, and without any working team besides obsequious cohorts who worship him, President Buhari is already abusing his official duties, making contradictory policy comments, dictating unmanageable strategy undertakings, and flip-flopping with dire issues of national significance.

As a matter of urgency, the masses are waiting for their new president to at least acquaint them with his plans to proceed. They want to hear about the machinery to translate electoral promises into action, not about limousines, and jets. In a government structure where the President cannot communicate, cannot relate, and worse, cannot corroborate his own policies, there is every reason to worry. It is torturing that under the current regime, citizens have to rely on repentant party bloggers to know the fate of their current economic woes.

Nigeria’s new regime grounded in confusion

Unable to choose his working team, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has been struggling to kick-off a regime he bragged so much about. The All Progressives Congress APC, it may be recalled, ran an electioneering race projecting their candidate, now the president, as a fiscally astute conservative who would curb corruption and appropriately manage the country’s economic and financial resources. The masses at this time are getting something entirely different.

While Buhari, a former dictator backflips with official duties in a representative system unfamiliar to his individual aptitude, his camp has been busy showcasing him with falsehood and deceptive fairy tales. To substitute for total lack of answers for his regime catastrophe, the APC social media warriors have been feeding disappointed masses with some worthless cock-and-bull tales of what is now termed the ‘Buhari Wonders.”

The first fake story to justify Buhari’s humility, and considerateness to money matters came during the government transition period, when the APC claimed that predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan presented a billion naira budget for delegates’ lunch, but Buhari the “good money-manager” declined any expenses, saying that his transition team would bring their own lunch. Meanwhile this president was in London at the time on a controversial mission not properly communicated to his constituents.

A similar story yet made it to the network from the Buhari’s camp on how during the South Africa’s trip, Buhari paid the hotel bills for his staff, and asked the rest of the entourage to pay their own bills. This was a president yet to name a single staff till date. The propaganda continued with another rumor that hundreds of politicians, including the Petroleum Minister, Alison-Madueke had returned billions of Dollars stolen from the government – because they were afraid of Buhari the “respected honest money-keeper” and disciplinarian.

It is despicable that at this crucial time in the regime, the APC social media ensemble, running out of Buhari praise-worship songs are busy telling self-indulgent stories including comparing Buhari and Jonathan’s cars, use of presidential jets, Buhari’s choice of transportation, and ostensibly his suya flavor. But how long would they continue to feed the masses with these tommyrots.

As I write, the Buhari’s camp in the social media are still tagging around senseless stories about Buhari opting to fly in the economy class over first class; or choosing Okada over official convoy; or proposing to be eating on the floor instead of an official dining table; or heading to Alhaji Suya "bukateria" for his inauguration dinner rather than the traditional Aso-Rock in-house executive banquet.

Major questions remain – when would Nigerians start getting substantial information about the running of the government? Where are the ‘missing girls’? When is this ‘change’ going to start? Where is the unemployment salaries? Where are Buhari’s ministers? Who has been making all decisions so far? Is this still a democracy?

Indeed, Buhari and those who bejeweled him into his current executive predicament have been facing a more complicated political landscape. Even as Buhari announced as a terror-defense strategy, a relocation of the country’s armory to Borno State, Nigeria has remained under a terrorist attacks. In fact, last Monday's suicide bombing at a crowded fish market occurred in the northeastern city of Maiduguri – the same region where the regime relocated its arsenal.

Let us be clear then – that a president chose a wheelbarrow as an official car does not make him morally decent and fiscally astute; it only exposes his ignorance to issues of fiscal policies. Buhari, and indeed his Yahoo drum-beaters should explain their frameworks and preparedness to fiscal reformation. They should tell Nigerians how the regime can sustain in the long run, the existing spending, policies, and tax - without jeopardizing Nigeria’s creditworthiness, obligations or projected expenses.

Without Ministers; not a single known adviser, and without any working team besides obsequious cohorts who worship him, President Buhari is already abusing his official duties, making contradictory policy comments, dictating unmanageable strategy undertakings, and flip-flopping with dire issues of national significance.

As a matter of urgency, the masses are waiting for their new president to at least acquaint them with his plans to proceed. They want to hear about the machinery to translate electoral promises into action, not about limousines, and jets. In a government structure where the President cannot communicate, cannot relate, and worse, cannot corroborate his own policies, there is every reason to worry. It is torturing that under the current regime, citizens have to rely on repentant party bloggers to know the fate of their current economic woes.

It's a no-brainer. What is the purpose of your used recharge card to a criminal? All they want is get the loot and boot.

Fatdon:
http://oscarmini.com/tips/why-you-should-destroy-your-recharge-cards-after-loading