₦airaland Forum

In an effort to guard against contracting the Ebola Virus Disease, a United States-based R&B star, Akon, last Sunday climbed inside an airtight blow-up during a performance in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The singer rolled over the crowd, pushed along by the outstretched hands of 60,000 screaming concert-goers while performing at a concert.

The performance was part of a larger free concert held by charity, ‘Peace One Day,’ to help promote and support the United Nations’ International Day Of Peace.

Akon was, however, accused of going to extreme lengths to avoid catching Ebola during a concert in Africa by crowd-surfing inside a giant plastic bubble.

His action was criticised by a section of the media outlets, describing it as a cynical attempt to shield himself from the deadly virus that is sweeping West Africa rather than just being a creative way of performing closer to his fans.

The Source, on its website, however, said, “The Ebola virus is no joke. And to avoid contracting it from anybody, when Akon left the stage to crowd surf with the people that were attending his concert, he did so in a huge plastic protective bubble.

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, has explained why prospective corps members are being charged N4,000 for online registration.

The DG, in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Friday, explained that the fee is “for the entire package of online registration” and “not just for printing call-up letters.”

“It is not true that corps members are being asked to pay to serve their country, far from it. The NYSC and the government appreciate the enormous sacrifice that corps members have made and continue to make for the unity and the development of this country. The scheme will continue to explore ways to ensure that corps members serve the nation in safety and with ease.

“This latest initiative was conceived in that spirit. Based on feedbacks and requests from past corps members, the initiative was designed to lessen the costs and risks associated with corps members travelling to their schools to pick up call-up letters.

“Paying to process call-up letters online is totally optional. It is not compulsory. NYSC made it optional because of the realisation that not every corps member will need or can afford it.

“As said above, picking up call-up letters from schools have always been and remains the responsibility of prospective corps members. There are associated costs and risks to this, which varies for individuals.

“The N4000 is not just for printing call-up letters. It is for the entire package of online registration, which requires the deployment of IT hardware and software and personnel to orientation camps all over the country.

“It also gives those who subscribe to it the advantage of processing their registration online, saving time during registration at the orientation camps and allowing them to use their thumbprints to identify themselves in case they lose or are dispossessed of their call-up letters.

“In the past, corps members who lose or are dispossessed of their call-up letters had to go through a cumbersome process of swearing affidavits, getting validation from their schools which takes time and may force them to enlist on another batch.”

With online registration, those who are unfortunate to lose their letters can identify themselves with their fingerprints. So the N4000 fee is for the entire process and package of benefits,” he explained.

He explained that the initiative was deisgned “with all sense of fairness and sensitivity” stressing that it is not extortionist as extortion implies the use of open or subtle threat.”


http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/top-stories/item/17122-nysc-dg-explains-n4-000-charges

Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) said on Friday that it had collected more than 20 million signatures endorsing the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 election.

TAN’s Director of Communication and Strategy, Dr. Udenta O Udenta, announced this on Friday during a chat with journalists in Abuja.

Udenta said that the group was committed to the realisation of President Jonathan’s second term ambition, adding that more signatures would be collected from the North West states at the rally today.

He also announced the postponement of the group’s grand finale rally in Abuja which was scheduled to hold on September 30 to a later date.

Udenta, who claimed that the group was being funded by private individuals, insisted that no government funds is linked to the group.

According to him, the group has only borrowed from the practices in the Western world, especially the United States of America, where groups to raise funds for their candidates.

He stated that the group had not broken any electoral law as it was only sensitising Nigerians at home and abroad to the good works done by Jonathan.

He stated that no group had ever done what TAN had done by sensitising Nigerians about the achievements of a president.

He also said that TAN had refrained from attacking or antagonising anybody, adding that the group was happy that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has now endorsed the President.

According to him, TAN is following the footsteps of the different hierarchies of the PDP to endorse Jonathan.

While speaking on the various plans by the group, Udenta said that TAN would soon diversify into waste collection tagged ‘Waste to Wealth’, which he said would ensure that Nigerians are paid for submitting their refuse to a recycling company.

He said that the ‘Waste to Wealth’ programme would provide over one million jobs in the next four years.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/17138-2015-we-ve-collected-20-million-signatures-for-jonathan-tan

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS has identified Cross River and 11 other states as well as the Federal Capital Territory as HIV endemic states in the country.

Director-General of NACA, Prof. John Idoko, said this in Ikom, Cross River, at the opening of a four-day free HIV and health integrated programme.

He listed the other states to include Lagos, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Plateau, Benue, Sokoto, Edo, Rivers and Kano.

The health integrated programme was organised by NACA, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals.

Idoko, who was represented by the Acting Director, Programme Coordination Department, NACA, Dr Priscilla Ibekwe, said the event would provide the opportunity for the people to know their HIV status.

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma has widened a quarantine to include another one million people in an attempt to curb the spread of Ebola.

The northern districts of Port Loko and Bombali, and Moyamba in the south, will in effect be sealed off immediately.

Nearly 600 people have died of the virus in Sierra Leone where two eastern districts are already blockaded.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has said the world needs to act faster to halt the West Africa Ebola outbreak.

“There is still a significant gap between where we are and where we need to be,” Mr. Obama told a high-level United Nations meeting on Ebola.

http://www.punchng.com/news/sierra-leone-widens-ebola-quarantine-2

At least, six ministers may quit President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet in October as preparations for the 2015 general elections peak.

The affected ministers are expected to resign their appointments in order to pursue their governorship ambitions on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

As of press time, the ministers who have governorship ambitions in their respective states include Senator Bala Muhammed (Federal Capital Territory), Mr. Labaran Maku (Information), Chief Emeka Wogu (Labour), Mr. Nyesom Wike (State, Education), Dr. Samuel Ortom (State, Trade, Industry and Investment) and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Defence).

While Muhammed seeks to take over from Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State; Maku intends to replace Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nassarawa State and therefore win the state currently being ruled by the All Progressives Congress to the PDP while Wogu nurses the ambition of succeeding Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State.

Wike is interested in taking over Rivers State from Governor Rotimi Amaechi; Ortom has his eyes on the seat to be vacated by Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State while Obanikoro also plans to take over Lagos State from Governor Babatunde Fashola and the APC.

The President’s Special Adviser on Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye, is also nursing the ambition of becoming the Delta State Governor after Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Their imminent resignation is expected to lead to a major shakeup in the Federal Executive Council.

A Presidency source said the ministers’ exit would lead to the constitution of “election cabinet” by the President.

“Their resignation will come very soon. You know the President will have to fill the vacancies that will be created before the general elections in February 2015. You also know that the Senate must approve nominees.

“It is therefore important that the list be forwarded to the senators before everybody will be engrossed in election matters in their various constituencies,” the source said.

http://www.punchng.com/news/six-ministers-to-quit-jonathans-cabinet/

THE Borno State government, on Wednesday, granted scholarship and relocated 36 schoolgirls, who escaped abduction in Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State, when Boko Haram insurgents attacked the school and abducted over 200 girls on April 14.

The 36 schoolgirls, who have been admitted into international schools in Abuja, Kaduna and Plateau states, were part of 57 female students, who either escaped abduction or ran from captivity after the attack. Fifty one of the girls were meant for admission after six secured a scholarship to study at an international school in Yola, Adamawa State.

The state government is spending a minimum of N1.4 million annual fees on each of the schoolgirls in their new schools, besides other costs for welfare. Governor Kashim Shettima pleaded not to disclose the names of the schools, in order to shield them from public distraction and to safeguard the security of the girls and the new schools.

The governor spoke at a brief farewell held for the girls at the Government House in Maiduguri, on Wednesday.

Governor Shettima said he opted to spread the girls in different schools, so as not to make unnecessary visits that would continue to make them subject of public focus given the global attention on them.

Shettima said the decision to relocate the schoolgirls was reached after psychosocial experts, psychologists, medical doctors, interfaith religious experts, women from civil society organisations and other trauma managers, who conducted trauma management sessions for the schoolgirls at the Government House in Maiduguri some months back and certified the girls set for continued education.

The governor said while it was a hard decision to send the 36 girls back to school when their colleagues were still in captivity, the government had not given up on the girls still held, just as he said no sane parent would rule out a child in captivity.

Shettima called on the schoolgirls to be of good behaviour, obey the rules of their new schools, put their bitter experience behind them and focus on their studies so as to achieve their dreams in life.

The governor announced that any of the schoolgirls that obtains a minimum of five credits will be awarded automatic scholarship throughout her university education.

Governor Shettima appealed to members of the media not to bring to the public the new schools the girls would be relocated to, even if the media get to find out through investigations.

Borno State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Titus Pona, who is an elder in Chibok community, was full of praises to Governor Shettima for fulfilling his pledge of relocating the freed schoolgirls to international schools.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/top-stories/item/16957-borno-sends-36-chibok-girls-to-international-schools

Without a doubt, the recent political development in Rivers State has changed political calculations in the state ahead of the 2015 governorship election.

While the controversy over who becomes Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s successor is still raging, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party threw its members off balance with an announcement that it was jettisoning its age-long convention of zoning.

Before this announcement, there was a political understanding which favoured the rotation of the office of the governor between the upland and riverine areas in the state.

The Ogoni people, who belong to the riverine areas as well as their upland counterparts, did not spare any opportunity to tell the world that it was their turn to produce the next governor.

However, the state Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Felix Obuah, dismissed these agitations when he declared that eligible members of the party, irrespective of ethnic nationality or senatorial district, were free to seek the party’s nomination to contest the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Obuah, who read from a communiqué issued after the state PDP executive meeting, explained that the decision to allow all the senatorial districts and ethnic nationalities to contest the 2015 governorship election was to avoid the imposition of any candidate on the people. He pointed out that the party’s decision will also make it possible for the best governorship candidate to emerge.

He expressed confidence that the state PDP had the capacity to manage the number of aspirants this decision would throw up.

Obuah said, “The state chapter of the party has not and shall not zone the governorship ticket of the party to any ethnic nationality, senatorial district or local government area. Consequently, all constitutionally qualified members of the party are free to vie for the party’s ticket to allow for the best candidate to emerge.

“We are saying we will allow everybody, no matter their sex; no matter their culture. This is because we want to present the best for Rivers State. No matter how many they (governorship aspirants) are, we are capable of screening them and the best candidate will be presented to stand for election.”

Not everyone appears satisfied with the party chairman’s reasoning. A group of party supporters under the aegis of the Rivers PDP Third Force Movement described the decision as the highest form of bias.

The group said the chairman’s announcement was at variance with the zoning principle which was part and parcel of the party’s tradition since 1999. This, members of the group argue, must be strictly adhered to. Secretary-General of the socio-political group, Mr. Oprite Amachree, warned that the party stood the risk of losing the 2015 elections if the decision was not reversed.


http://www.punchng.com/politics/battle-for-amaechis-seat-unsettles-rivers-pdp/

The apex body of Muslims in the North, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, on Monday in Kaduna asked the nation’s anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to probe the controversial $9.3m impounded by the South African authorities.

The said $9.3m was smuggled into Johannesburg, South Africa, by two Nigerians and an Israeli in a private jet the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has a stake in.

The money was said to be meant for the procurement of arms for intelligence agencies in Nigeria.

The money, valued about R102m, was frozen by the South African authorities. Ever since, controversies had continued to trail the smuggled money, with fingers allegedly pointing at the CAN president.

But the JNI, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu-Abubakar, queried the circumstances surrounding the $9.3m allegedly meant for the procurement of arms for the government, asking relevant bodies to probe the deal.

The religious body noted that it was imperative for the government or its agents to clear the air on the smuggled money, rather than allowing unguarded utterances to take pre-eminence in the ongoing controversies surrounding the deal.

JNI said, “Our senators at the upper chamber and representatives members at the lower chamber must rise to the occasion for special discussion on the matter as urgent public interest revolves round it, as it relates to threat to national security.

“EFCC must wholly play its role in this direction by prosecuting those involved to adequately face the wrath of the law. It doesn’t matter whose ox is gored.

“All relevant government agencies must also discharge their responsibilities without fear or favour, showing the world that our country is serious.

“For its internal and external integrity, government must stay off dabbling into issues which the Nigerian Law had properly addressed. We have been saying that certain elements are now fond of breaking the law with impunity, feeling super and above the law.”

The body noted further that it smell the rat in the way and manner in which the Federal Government attempted to cover-up the entire failed deal, adding that there was more to the explanation given by the government on the matter.

They queried, “The following posers are instructive: Is government short of official agents which necessitates assigning non official ones? Why was any of the planes in the Presidential fleet of jets not used?

“With the current trend of cashless financial transaction why is such a huge amount carried in cash? Isn’t arms deals executed via third party?

“Where is the Ministry of Defense and the office of the National Security Adviser? Was due process followed through relevant government agencies? Are bilateral matters dealt with in that way?”

The JNI while appealing that justice be done by all concerned in order to serve as a deterrent to those who feel they are above the law, insisted that the government should release the real fact on the issue

The body added, “We at the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) are in disbelief over the recent news at both national and international media of impounding of a private jet in South Africa, laden with $9.3m in cash, purportedly to buy arms in that country.

“What is more shocking is the said government’s full knowledge of it, despite its illegality and the attempt to intervene in such a scandalous matter which attracts the full weight of the law to address. There is more to the explanation given by the government on the matter.

“Therefore government should tell Nigerians the real fact on the issue. We hope the matter will not be wheedled with. However, we note with dismay the unguarded utterances of some leaders that they will call on their followers to defend themselves. Also we note the uncourteous speeches attacking other leaders, which leave much to be desired and overheat the polity.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/9-3m-deal-northern-muslims-accuse-fg-of-cover-up/

The Central Bank of Nigeria says it has approved an industry-wide incentive scheme and awareness campaign on electronic payment channels for stakeholders and users.

As a result, the CBN is collaborating with Deposit Money Banks through the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc to work out a system that will make banks to pay customers, merchants and salespersons for using electronic payment channels.

Some analysts see this as a gradual paradigm shift from the CBN’s punitive approach in driving the cashless policy to an incentive-based one.

The Electronic Payments Incentives Scheme will make bank customers, merchants and salespersons receive cash and gift rewards for using electronic payment channels.

The scheme will commence in batches, starting from November 1, 2014.

The central bank said the move was in furtherance of the drive for pervasive usage of e-payment channels in the country.

It said in a circular posted on its website that the scheme would appreciate and reward usage across all channels with emphasis on channels of e-payment that promote financial inclusion.

The circular, signed by the Director of Banking and Payment System, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, read in part, “The scheme has identified and will reward consumers, merchants and sales persons. The incentive is designed as a ‘white-label’ campaign in which all stakeholders are required to partner.”

According to the circular, the scheme will lead to a point-based reward system for consumers in which Automated Teller Machine cardholders will be rewarded based on point grossed through frequency of card usage.

The central bank said NIBSS would implement the programme in conjunction with other service providers.

It noted that the scheme would also involve cash refund to customers; a system that was already being implemented by all the banks.

It added, “Merchants may leverage on the incentive scheme to offer promotional gift items to their customers based on the usage of e-payments for transactions. Salespersons will be encouraged to support e-payments by having them enrolled on the tipping point schemes, through which they will earn points accrued over a period. Such points may be redeemed by salespersons through various gift items or cash.”

The CBN director further noted that the EPIS would lead to reduction in merchant service charge from the current 1.25 per cent (N2,000) to 0.75 per cent (N1,200).

According to Fatokun, it will also lead to exemption from Commission on Turnover charges such that the free COT will be accelerated ahead of the dates in the ‘Guide to Bank Charges’ for merchants.

He said the NIBSS would collaborate with the DMBs for the implementation of Point of Sales functionalities that would permit merchants to offer cash-out services to their customers.

Meanwhile, beginning from March 1, 2015, Deposit Money Banks in the country will start barring customers without biometric registration numbers from carrying our certain transactions, the CBN has said in a new circular posted on its website

The circular stated that the scheme was part of efforts to develop a safe, reliable and efficient payment system in the country.

The CBN, in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, had in February inaugurated the biometric registration exercise.

It said the exercise would lead to the issuance of Bank Verification Number to every customer. The BVN is a unique identity that will help to mitigate frauds, money laundering and other illegal acts.

In the circular, which was signed by Fatokun, the central bank said all bank customers should have had the BVN by July 2015.

The circular read, “The CBN has observed the progress made so far in the implementation of the BVN project. In order to increase the tempo of the enrolment by the DMB customers in the BVN and to start the enormous benefits of the project, it is imperative to stipulate milestones for the implementation.

“All stakeholders are hereby advised to note and implement the following; that by March 2015, transactions valued at N100m and above should only be allowed for customers with the BVN; (this includes, but not limited to money transfers, loans, contingencies etc.); that by June, all bank customers should have the BVN. Any bank customer without the BVN will be deemed to have inadequate Know Your Customer.”


http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/banks-to-pay-customers-for-using-e-payment-channels/

The Peoples Democratic Party has said with the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan by the party’s National Executive Committee, the party will not hold the presidential primary scheduled for December 6. It said with the adoption, the President had become the sole candidate for the presidential election.

With the development, It said the party would only ratify Jonathan’s candidature on December 6.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, who disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday said the convention would ratify the decision taken at NEC.

NEC had on Thursday pronounced the President as the sole candidate of the party for the election.

Metuh said, “There is difference between convention and primary. What we are going to have on December 6 at the convention is to ratify the decision taken at NEC.

“There will be no primary again because we already have a candidate and what we will do is that delegates will just ratify him.”

With this arrangement, only President Jonathan is expected to pay the sum of N22m, which the party has fixed as nomination fee for its presidential aspirants.

Governorship aspirants are to pay N11million while senators are to pay N4m, Reps, N2 million and State House of Assembly aspirants, N1m.

The NEC, while approving this as part of its guidelines for the 2014 general elections, added that the presidential primary shall be by special convention using the modified open secret ballot system otherwise known as open secret.

Meanwhile, the PDP has said the silence by all organs of the party on Vice-President Namadi Sambo is an indication that he remains Jonathan’s running mate.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, who spoke with our correspondent, said there was nothing to fear on the issue.

He said, “You know the issue of endorsement started with the National Caucus and the PDP Governors’ Forum before the BoT and NEC.

“In all these, the issue of running mate was not discussed because it is a joint ticket.”

“So, since there was silence on this matter, it means that has been admitted because it is a joint ticket.

SUNDAY PUNCH investigation showed that Sambo’s determination and intense lobby, using the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, ensured the retention of his post.

Sambo, who was described as a loyal deputy by many members of the National Executive Committee of the party at their meeting in Abuja on Thursday, did not go to rest as those allegedly interested in his position were also lobbying to take his position in 2015.

Among the names of those constantly mentioned as being interested in the position were governors Isa Yuguda(Bauchi) and Ibrahim Shema(Kastina).

Both of them had denied having such ambition, saying the vice-president remained their brother and they would not do anything to jeopardise his interest.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/pdp-cancels-presidential-primary

The Life Changers Group (TLCG) is a Non Governmental Organization, it was started by a lady Clem Turner whose aim was to help the poor and homeless 13 years ago. But later she ran out of fund and she met a group of individuals who came up with a plan of how they could raise fund for the organization so as to continue the charity work and at the same time help put in a board breaking generic plan so that individuals around the world who join the organization can earn from it as well,. Thus TLCG online came about.

TLCG is a multi-billion dollar project- with the aim of empowering people, helping the needy, giving financial empowerment to people globally.

It has been in the making since 2008. It came to NIGERIA late 2012 and over 10,000 Nigerian has been empowered and benefited and also earning a regular income already.

For more information please check http://tlcginfo.com

TLC is a revolutionary concept. It is the first ever online generic board breaking system that empowers people, gives financial support, business loan (no collateral, no interest), hire purchase opportunity and income opportunity.

TLC is a multi-billion dollar project- with the aim of empowering people, helping the needy, giving financial empowerment to people globally.

It has been in the making since 2008. It came to NIGERIA late 2012 and over 10,000 Nigerian has been empowered and benefited and also earning a regular income already.

Read more here => http://tlcginfo.com

Nigerian troops in Maiduguri say they captured a top commander of Boko Haram during a raid on the home of a high-level national politician.

Lt. Col Sagir Musa, spokesman for the Joint Task Force (JTF) said in a terse statement sent to media this evening, that Shuaibu Mohammed Bama had been picked up and is in custody. However he declined to name the national politician.

Islamist sect Boko Haram has its strongest base in Maiduguri.

The official statement said: “The JTF have been successful in their ongoing anti-terror operations. A high-profile Boko Haram commander, one Shuaibu Mohammed Bama, who has been on the list of wanted terrorists, was arrested by task force troops in a serving politician’s house. He is in the custody of the JTF and assisting in the investigation and has since made startling revelations.”

Although Sagir did not state the relationship between the captured commander and late Habibu Bama, who was killed in Damaturu, and the name of the serving Nigerian lawmaker, sources said the suspect was arrested in a high brow area in Maiduguri axis of Borno State.

Another source said that crack security team have been trailing Bama, from Kano to Kaduna and finally Maiduguri where he was barbed on Thursday in Cordon and Search Operation style, that have armed to teeth combat soldiers who were well position to repel any counter from the Boko Haram’s sect.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/boko-haram-commander-captured-top-national-politician%E2%80%99s-home

Men are often made to look like they are the unromantic ones in most relationships and less romantic than women in general. At first glance, a good majority will unflinchingly say that women are the more romantic. However when it comes to the truly deep and important definition of romance, the opposite is often the case.

First point of consideration is that when it comes to falling in love, even at first sight, men are at the top of the ladder. Men generally fall in love faster than women and by the fourth date, statistics show that about 20 per cent of men would have fallen in love with a partner they are interested in.

On the contrary, 43 per cent of women still were not sure if they were in love by even the twentieth date compared to about 30 percent of men. Unlike men when entering into relationships, women are the more cautious about getting committed.

On the ideals of love, men are definitely more idealistic about the concept of love than a lot of women. According to a study in the book "The Incidence of Romanticism During Courtship" by C. W. Hobart, men were found to have more of an idealistic than practical view of love. Men are apt to believe that as long as there is true love between two people, they should be about just ok together.

When it comes to the issue of breakups, a study of 231 Boston couples by a group of Harvard University scientists found out that women were often the ones who suggested the separation.

And as if that was not enough, the poor guys are still the ones who suffer more after a breakup happens. Men showed far more depression, felt lonelier and less free after the breakup. They were often in a state of disbelief and felt that they could have salvaged the relationship if they had done this or that, all in self-guilt over the failure of the relationship.

Men generally find it more difficult accepting that a relationship is over and that they were no longer loved and that their spouse was actually out of their life.

To think of it, women even love their best friends more than their lovers. From a study on "The Nature of Love" by Yale University researchers, it was discovered that men love their lovers more when compared to others in their life. They liked and loved their lovers far more than their best friends.

Women were instead found to love their lovers and best friend almost equally with many of them liking their best friend more than their lovers.

For most women their wedding day is the most important day of their life. Every woman wants to look their best on this day. So a sudden acne breakout at the morning of the wedding is the worst thing any woman can think of. And while acne is unpredictable and there's no way to guarantee clear skin, there are many things you can do to avoid breakouts.

No sudden changes, please

Acne treatment comes down to three things: consistency, consistency and consistency. Perhaps the worst mistake you can do is to panic and change your skin care routine a few days before your wedding day.

There's no way to predict how your skin reacts to change in skin care routine, but in most cases only bad things come out of this. The skin needs time to adapt to new skin care routine, and usually this means temporary increase in breakouts.

Give it enough time

Unfortunately acne treatments rarely work quickly. They often need 3 to 6 weeks to take effect. You simply can't expect to start a new treatment 3 days before the big day and expect it to clear your skin. For best results you should start 1 to 2 months before your wedding day.

Focus on prevention

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or so the saying goes. This is especially true for acne treatment.

Resent research has shown that acne is at least partially caused by problems in the skin itself - rather than bacteria. For example lack of vitamin E and antioxidants in the skin leaves it vulnerable to UV rays, pollution and other forms of oxidative damage. This has been shown to trigger the acne formation process. Furthermore the skin's barrier function is compromised; making it easier for bacteria to colonize the skin pores.

Focusing on supporting the overall health of the skin can bring better results than simply slaying bacteria and exfoliating the skin. At the very least these preventive measures should be part of your overall skin care routine.

Vitamin E is the main antioxidant on the skin. Studies have shown that acne prone skin has less vitamin E than healthy skin. Hence it's important that you regularly feed your skin some vitamin E. A simple way is to get a cleanser or moisturizer with added vitamin E. Vitamin E supplementation also works, as its secreted to the skin via sebum.

The Oil Cleansing Method is another great preventive acne treatment method. The oils used can moisturize the skin and repair the skin barrier function.

Acne home remedies are also great options; such as making a mask out of yogurt and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Do what you can and then don't stress about it

Unfortunately there's only so much you can do for your skin. Some people are genetically more prone to getting acne and there's little they can do about it. Keeping this in mind, do what you can for your skin and then forget about it.

Your wedding day is about your love with your partner - not about your skin. So don't let your skin, even if it's less than perfect, to ruin this beautiful day.

When you stare at yourself in the mirror, how does your skin complexion appeared to you? Does your skin tone need a little maintenance, or maybe you have acne blemishes from the past rearing their ugly head again. The good news is there are ways to remove acne scars and improve your skins complexion the same time.

Scars left behind from bad acne, especially on your face, are a terrible thing to have to live with. Fortunately, people are successfully removing acne scars every single day of the week. There are a variety of spa treatments, cosmetic procedures, high-tech lasers, or even simple creams that can help anyone remove the damaging scarring the acne has left behind. You simply need to choose the best method that is going to fit your personal lifestyle and budget.

Laser Treatments For Removing Acne Scars
Of all the methods for removing acne scars, laser treatments are one of the most popular. This treatment is particularly popular with people that have facial scars from acne which have been with them for years. This type of scar removal treatment is usually done by licensed dermatologist. Your dermatologist will usually call you when for an initial assessment of your skin condition. After this is done, she will clearly lay out the options you have for removing acne scars. Although this type of treatment is extremely effective, it can also be rather expensive so it is a good idea to get a quote before you begin any laser treatment.

Mederma For All Your Scars
Another very popular treatment for scars caused by acne is a product called Mederma. This is a relatively inexpensive scar removal solution that can be found at most drugstores. It is usually sold as a topical gel that needs to be applied directly on the scarred skin up to three times each day. Mederma not only works for acne scars, but it will work for any type of scarring that you have on your skin. However, don't expect this to be a miracle cream. It will make the scar less noticeable, but it will not completely remove medium or severe scarring.

Microderm Abrasion To Remove Acne Scars
The final treatment you may want to consider is called Microderm Abrasion. This is generally used for people that have facial scars form bad acne. This type of scar removal treatment can be performed at your local spot or by or licensed dermatologist. It's a fairly simple treatment and much less expensive than laser treatments. The person performing this will move a high tech device over your skin that very quickly exfoliates the surface of your skin with tiny sand like particles. These particles cause the epidermal layer of your skin to exfoliate and allow the fresh skin underneath to form.As you can see, learning how to remove acne scars and improve your skin at the same time is something anyone can accomplish. Just follow the suggestions above and you can't go wrong.

I'm a person that feels I got cheated when it came to genetic endowments. I'm flat footed, short, I put on weight easily, worst of all - I've had to struggle with pimples and acne off and on through my entire life.

All the other imperfections I can deal with, but when those ugly pimples and acne flair up, it's so hard to ignore. Those red, irritated bumps stare back at me each morning in the mirror and the truth of the matter is, if I can see them so can everyone else.

Nothing makes me more self-conscious than acne. Though I know my personal hygiene is clean, pimples make me feel dirty.

I've been told by "experts" for years that it's all in my genetic make-up and that it's something I need to deal with, plain and simple. Then there's the well meaning friends (with beautiful complexions) who love to slap down advice like Judge Judy's mallet: "stop stressing", "get more sleep", or my all time favorite "get rid of the chocolate".

In high school, where my battle with acne problems first raised its ugly pimpled head, I tried the standard soaps and over the counter creams. It did keep the acne at bay, but it required constant vigilance.

As I got into my 20's I looked into more organic, home made remedies.

My favorite home acne treatment was the plain yogurt and oatmeal paste acne facial. This was actually a good way to treat acne and was surprisingly very effective. If you want to try it all you need to do is mix equal parts of yogurt and old fashioned cooked oatmeal to make a paste. Spread on your face like you would a facial treatment.

Leave paste on for 1 hour then gently wash off. Do this every other day and within a week you should see a clearer pimple free complexion and softer skin over all.

But one thing I noticed over the years, when these acne flare ups would occur, though the treatments worked, they only worked for a season. Acne would always come back - sooner or later.

I started asking - is there a way to cure acne once and for all?

If that is a question that has entered your mind, the answer is Yes - there is a way to cure acne and pimples so they will never come back. It all starts by understanding that acne is not the problem it is simply a symptom for something not quite right with your body.

Though there are DNA factors that come into play, it's not so much about levels of oil secretions affecting your skin, but more about diet and lifestyle. I found that once I made some basic life habit changes, my acne became a thing of the past.

For most acne sufferers, there is a choice. Stick with the topical treatments by way of cleansers, toners, creams and lotions which all work to some degree or another. Or you can grab the "bull by the horn" and start treating acne holistically - from the inside out.

You miss so much if you look at life through the
half-empty glass. Taking the negative slant on life
leads to a life of negative thinking that never sees
the good things that life has to offer.

Take a moment and write down all the things that are
wrong with your life. Then, on a different piece of
paper, write down all of the blessings you have. For a
negative person, this can be hard. Did you wake up in
a warm bed this morning? Was your bed warm? Was there
someone on the other side of the bed? Did you have
breakfast? Did you go to a job? In a car? Did you have
clean, decent clothes to put on?

Each any every one of these things are blessings and
are a positive part of your life. It can be so easy to
think about the negative things: I don’t get paid
enough, my car is old, and the cereal wasn’t fresh -
come on! Half the world would love to have the things
you took for granted just this morning!

What do you ever get out of life by looking at the
negative aspects of your life? Are you a complainer?
Are you a complainer because of your circumstances or
do your circumstances make you complain? How much
worse could things be? When you really think about
your life, aren’t you truly blessed compared to others
around the planet?

Try thinking positively as a way of finding happiness
and satisfaction in your life. Complaining does
nothing except make others around you feel bad, and if
that’s your intention, you need to re-think your
relationship.

The wedding ring is the ultimate symbol of the couple’s
union and their vow of being faithful to each other. It is
worn on the couple’s left ring finger because of an ancient
belief that it had a vein that led directly to the heart.

One of the first steps that a couple takes before their
wedding is buying a wedding ring for each of them. This is
an important step because they are choosing something that
will symbolize their union throughout the rest of their
lives.

Here are some tips on buying a wedding ring for couples who
are looking for one.

1. Unlike engagement rings, wedding rings do not need to
look fancy. Most wedding rings are simple bands with very
little design on the surface. Besides, grooms have already
broken the bank in buying the engagement ring, so he might
as well find rings that will fit not only his and his
future bride’s fingers, but also his now depleted budget.

2. Couples usually choose to engrave their names or a
simple statement inside their wedding bands. While most
jewelers offer this service for free or include this
already in the bill, the couple should check out first if
this is the case in their jewelery shop of choice.

3. The couple should also be aware of the average prices of
different precious metals so they can choose what will fit
their budget. This is to prevent couples from adjusting
their budget to the price rather than the other way around.