₦airaland Forum

How would you answer the questions asked?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYPB6c1TmTQ

Which one is more expensive? Aren’t you thinking of buying the car for the girl? lol

GEJ is not God and he never claimed to be but he’s the President of Nigeria!

If a company is not doing well, you blame the CEO. That does not necessarily mean that the CEO was directly responsible for what went wrong but it means that whatever happened happened during his watch!

Who got blamed for the recession/unemployment that happened in America? Bush and Obama! Bush for causing it and Obama for not doing enough for getting us out of it. Was Bush personally responsible? Nope. It started with the credit default swaps on Wall Street. Can Obama personally put America to work? Nope, private companies do that!

The person in charge takes the blame or credit for anything that happens during their watch. Can a president control everything that happens? Nope but they sure as hell can try their best to either control or mitigate it. Even if another attack were to happen in the US today, nobody would blame the President for not doing enough!

Due to that single attack on 9/11, the US has spent over $4 trillion and counting fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, you can’t even go through any international airport around the world without getting screened by x-ray machines.

I actually see this Boko Haram menace as an opportunity to upgrade our security apparatus and create new industries. The war on terror was a great way for America to invest in new technologies and companies.

Someone asked what GEJ could be doing differently –
1. Bring our security apparatus into the 21st century! I’m not just talking about tanks and planes. We need to seriously upgrade our intelligence services to rival the likes of Pakistani ISI or the Israeli Mosad. I chose both countries because we probably have comparable GDPs.

2. His public utterances should inspire confidence that he’s on top of what’s going on even if he has no control! People in dire situation respond to hope, which is why religion is extremely popular in Nigeria. People that have been suffering for over many decades will keep telling you that “e go better one day”! That’s hope and it affects their outlook in life. What do you think people will do if they know that their situation will only get worse and will lead to their death?

3. Arrest and charge anybody that aids BH to court; preferably, the military court if the constitution allows for it.

4. Bring in foreign professionals for the time being to get things under control (probably done already – might be related to the June dealine).

5. Seek permission to pursue BH across Nigerian boarders into neighboring countries if need be.

6. Lastly, talk tough and be resolute!

I think there is a need for another forum that deals with "general" topics. I say that because events like the bomb blasts or the Boko Haram menace are not political issues. The mere fact that they are posted in the political section detracts from the discussion and makes it seem like it is a PDP (GEJ) vs. non-supporters (CAN, CPC etc) issue.

I would like to believe that there are some of us that will like to discuss issues without partisan bias.

It is sad to see that the warnings came true!

tsmith: Am i the only lady here?

Anyways, cars I have bought n owned; (PS im no good with years but I can help with reg)

Nigeria
red Nissan bluebird 2.00, served me well, we clocked man a miles together
UK
BMW 5 series (H reg i think) - sold it within 2 months, as it was just too big, especially for one just driving on narrow UK roads
Renault Laguna (m reg) - worth its every penny
Renault scenic (54 reg)- Famly SUV
Peugeot 308 convertible (12 reg)- Just barely 6 weeks old but worth the 6 months wait, I have the roof down at every ray of sunshine (see pix)
My husband drives a Honda Accord (59) - aiight drive, Im not as thrilled as he is.

I've always wanted a drop top but too chicken to buy one! Enjoy!

Ayo79: Vauxhall Astra 1999
Hyundai Coupe 2001
Audi A4 Sport line - 2006
Mercedez benz E-Class AMG - 2011 - pic below.

E63 or just appearance package? MB really stepped up the W212 offering way better value than the W211, at least in the US. It is almost $5k cheaper than its predecessor!

I wholly disagree with the President that he cannot be a king or maximum ruler! Also, the President wasn’t elected by the Party but nominated by the Party! The people of Nigeria elected the President.

The President, as a leader of his party, should be able to dictate the direction of his party, and whether he likes it or not his policies will reflect positively or negatively on his party come election day.

Lastly, the President and his policies should come before any party. If his party is forward thinking and the President has Nigeria at heart, his policies should be very much inline with that of his party’s.

The President needs to seriously consider firing his speechwriter if he has one and if he does not, he needs to hire one immediately! No one is above “misspeaking”, which is why VIPs have speechwriters or vetters to correct for things that could be misinterpreted!

I think the OP is wrong in his comparison of Nigerian gang members in Britain and the US. The US is simply too big and diversely populated to be directly compared with Britain. Also, the population of Nigerians in Britain is probably greater than that of Nigerians in the US. When you have fewer Nigerians in a place greater than 43 times the size of Britain, it is only natural that they won’t make the News as much as their British counterparts.

I can only laugh about the Affirmative Action comment stated on the first page! Government employers or companies that deal directly with the government (govt contractors) are only required to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. That is, you cannot discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, or national origin.

It is not a quota based system. It simply means that you’re giving minorities (females, African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians) the same opportunity to get a job as you’re giving whites. If at the end of the day, a white applicant is the most qualified, then that’s who gets hired even if it means that all your employees are white.

Also, equal opportunity employment does not apply to private companies unless that company can be considered a State actor.

With regards to the racism theme in some of the posts, I’m not naïve enough to say that racism does not exist because humans will always find a way to distinguish one from another. All you have to do to find racism/tribalism is to take a look at Nairaland/Nigeria.

However, there are some people that expect the world to be handed to them on a platter of gold and are quick to blame racism if things don’t go their way, and there are others that kick another door open when one gets shut in their face! Na which one you be?

We can also leverage on the treasure trove of patents already filed to understand the needed details to build a particular product. I'm not advocating stealing but even if a Nigerian company were to steal/infringe on an issued patent, I doubt the patent owners will sue you unless you become a very big fish that threatens their existence.

kunlekunle: creativity and invention should be problem solving based.
we need to engage in solving internal/ domestic problems first that
will alleviate our creativity and increase the IP law

Not really sure I understand what you're saying. Internal/domestic problems are not mutually exclusive to IP laws.

AjanleKoko: Actually you don talk am finish.
Look at China, stealing with reckless abandon, and making progress.
The real catalyst for growth that we need in Nigeria is government investment in infrastructure and innovation hubs.
Let government put money in Aba, Computer Village, and whoever is making anything. In fact, encourage people to make things. IP can come later later, maybe our children's generation. For now let's make things.

China actually enforces their IP laws when they want! Local company vs. local company, they will enforce the laws but local company vs. foreign companies, good luck!

There are ways of acquiring IP without inhibiting our growth. Partner with the company that has the IP, which is what a lot of China manufacturers do when they can’t steal it outright. The government can make it happen by (1) stop importation of the product in question and (2) requiring foreign companies that manufacture the products to partner with local companies. A lot of countries do this especially the Arabs.

South Africa has a functioning IP law that’s enforced. My firm actually represented a South African company that’s trying to sue a couple of American manufacturers for patent infringement. One of them settled and licensed the patent and the other one tried to evade service.

yamakuza: ^ Yes oh! By the time EVERYONE is making things, and the need for differentiation arises, then we might want to consider IP Laws.

For now, i believe such a law will kill/hinder the little "creativity" we have.

Are you sure? How about Nollywood? Copyright and Trademark laws fall under IP law. Do you think Nollywood producers would not want to stamp out piracy to increase their ROI? People will naturally flock to any industry with crazy ROI, which in turns increase investment resulting in better products.

I was out of commission for a few days but I'm back!

While the post below is a lovely attempt to distinguish innovation from invention, it falls short because of the way invention is legally defined. For you to have an invention, your solution has to be novel (innovative), described in enough detail and non-obvious. In other words, you cannot have an invention without innovation. They don't mean the same thing because "invention" is a loaded term that is legally defined - a lot more than just innovation.

The pure water and Okada examples you gave would be an invention if they are non-obvious and falls within what is statutorily patentable. It is not hard coming up with a solution that's novel but a lot harder to overcome non-obviousness by one skilled in that art.

For example, you could try to patent a soccer ball with a microchip in it that allows you to precisely tell where the ball is on the field. However, it would probably be deemed obvious because soccer ball is known and embedding chip in an Ice Hockey puck is known. When you add the two together, you will have what you’re trying to patent.

AjanleKoko: This reminds me of a discussion I had with some friends a few days back. Essentially, we were trying to figure out the difference between innovation and invention. Sometimes we mix up both terms, i.e. people tend to assume that they mean the same thing. They don't.

While invention refers to creating something new, innovation is all about solving problems with new methods, sometimes, using tools and techniques that are already available. In most cases, our problems in Nigeria are very basic, even man-made at times. Before we can talk about invention, intellectual property, and patents, we need to start to innovate, i.e. solve problems that have been caused by corruption and misgovernance, or just plain lack of opportunity.

One thing is clear, Nigerians are innovative. Some people created 'pure water' to solve the problem of producing drinkable water on the go, Okadas rose to become a viable alternative for road transport in the face of poor road infrastructure. However, these 'innovations' need some level of intellectual input. I remember someone asking why Nigerian engineers haven't been able to improve on the local 'grinding machine'. When you think about it, I have to ask myself why not?

There is a public policy argument to be made for the FG limiting the use of contract workers because employers use contract workers as a way of bypassing employment laws. Contractors are cheaper. However, there are also actual business needs for using a contract worker.

In the US, you cannot just call someone an Independent Contractor, as opposed to an employee, unless certain conditions are met.

Five-factor test concerning appropriate characterization of employee, independent contractor
1. The right to control the means and manner of performance – an employer cannot control when a contractor comes to work or how the work is performed.

2. The mode of payment – you cannot just pay them like a regular employee.

3. The furnishing of tools and materials – most contractors usually provide their own tools.

4. Control over the premises where the work was done – the more control an employer has over an employee, the more likely it will be determined that they have an employer-employee relationship

5. The right of discharge

@ daz_york

If you want to debate, I have no problem debating you but you will need to back up some of your claims or at the very least, make some rational arguments behind what you cannot substantiate. I won’t waste my time with you if you’re just delusional.

Also, before responding, understand that I really do not care what your thoughts are about the US because what you say or do is irrelevant me. What you eat will not make me poop.

[quote author=daz_york]The problem with folks like you is that you have made up your mind as to the state of the world:

America/Europe/White man's countries = Good
Everyone else = Inferior or terrorist.[/quote]The problem with folks like me is that folks like you think that they can read minds and know what folks like me are thinking!

The fact of the matter is that unless you have no knowledge of how the West operates toward Africa, you should know that they [b]DO [b] have an interest in destablising Nigeria, regardless of whether or not future oil contracts have been signed. First of all, the increasing presence of China as a trading partner with Nigeria and Africa as a whole constitutes a strategic threat to American interests.

China is a growing economy that needs energy for future growth. The US is an economy that is already matured and one with secured energy requirements. Does the fact that China is buying every energy source that they can get their hands on in Africa piques America’s interest? Not really because they have to get their energy from someplace that is not already serving the needs of other western countries.

Trading agreements with America can be cancelled and given to China instead.

Sure and I can also run into the market naked but that doesn’t mean that I’ll do it.

As a strategic African power and Africa's 2nd largest economy, if this were to happen, many more African countries would follow Nigeria's lead.

Conjecture.

Already China is the world's 2nd largest economy. A strong Nigerian government and a strong Nigerian economy will have the strategic influence and might to reject this American economic hegemony and bolster trading links with China and with other African nations which will spell the end for America's resource-hungry economy which is extremely dependent on cheap imports and consumer goods, particularly cheap gasoline.

This makes no sense whatsoever! You seem to be conflating issues and sound bites you heard from somewhere!

What influence can Nigeria have that she doesn’t already have?

Trading links with China? US imported about $399 billion worth of goods and services from China last year. Which African nation or group of nations has the apatite and money to consume that much? How much is the African economy?

https://www.uschina.org/statistics/tradetable.html

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


Oil? How much oil does US consume from Africa? 21%.

Canada 18.2%
Mexico 11.4%
Saudi Arabia 11%
Venezuela 10.1%
Nigeria 8.4%
http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/research/crude-oil/where-the-us-gets-its-oil-from/

America and the West are DESPERATE for African resources to prop up their collapsing system of debt-driven consumption because they are reaching their limits in terms of resource exploitation elsewhere and in their huge pile of debt. Only cheap and plentiful resources can keep their economic systems going, and the only place on earth with that level of natural endowment which is unable to properly defend itself against the economic imperialism is AFRICA.

Do you think you’re talking to your primary school teacher? Which resources are you talking about? Name the resources. I’m dying to see your list!

And Nigeria is the most strategically important nation in Africa. So obviously there exists a strong interest in dismantling Nigeria as an economic and political entity so that Africa as a whole cannot rise beyond its current designation as a primary production zone.

Of course you probably didn't bother reading this, as your mind has been programmed to think of these solid economic and historical facts as 'propaganda'. When the soldiers are breaking your door in, just remember how passionately you defended the virtue of that incorruptible bastion of virtue, the CIA.

Good day to you.

You wanted my response and now you have it! But be rest assured that I won’t waste my time responding again if you can’t back up your claims or make some rational arguments.

[quote author=daz_york]Some posters on here are either foreign agent provocateurs or just plain stupid. How on earth is the destablisation and disintegration of your country supposed to end up being a good thing?? Are you mentally retarded or just high on dope?! When America succeeds in trashing Nigeria into tiny feudal bits for the sake of Niger Deltan petroleum, do you honestly think that your life will be any better for it, or even the same as it is now?? Why are people so stupid that they actually [/b]desire[b] the downfall of their country just because a few people are mismanaging its resources? You think the people in Iraq, Libya and Cote d'Ivoire are enjoying their lives now that foreign intervention has successfully ruined their countries?
Have you ever thought about the inherent foolishness in cutting off your nose to spite your face? So you want this CIA-funded terrorist outfit to destroy Nigeria, and then what?? Will you then have electricity? Running water? Good government? A just legal system? Fair distribution of resources?
Let me tell you what will happen if Nigeria [/b]does[b] break up into weaker pieces. First of all, you will see foreign troops at your doorstep, playing with the lives of you and your children the way they do in Iraq and Afghanistan. You will look at one oyinbo soldier the wrong way and he will lace you with M6 rifle bullets. Then the news will call you an "insurgent" or a "rebel". Your children will go outside to play and they will be killed and maimed by grenades and landmines. Your mothers and sisters will be raped and the invaders will make you watch before killing you. And no international news outlet will cover it. [/b]IF YOU THINK YOUR LIFE AS A NIGERIAN IS NOT WORTH MUCH NOW, JUST YOU WAIT UNTIL THE YANKS HAVE THEIR WAY WITH OUR COUNTRY. JUST YOU WAIT.[b]

The politicians and kleptocrats who you hate so much will not suffer the consequences of a broken Nigeria the way you will. Trust me, I know this because I grew up in that circle. My dad, while not himself one of them, makes his living from their high-end property transactions and believe me, these guys have the sort of money which would make Sir Alan Sugar look like an average businessman. Do you really think that if/when the CIA succeeds in cracking Nigeria into unstable blocs like in Libya, these guys will suffer any hardship? Hell no, they all have at least 3 different passports and enough money to bribe God.
It is YOU who will suffer the indignity of being a stateless citizen if you are abroad, or an inhabitant of an occupied territory under US martial law like in Iraq. You think Nigeria has a bad image now, and foreigners look down on your Green passport, but believe me when your passport is held in the same rank with a Somalian or Iraqi passport then you will look back on these days as good times.

[/b]Instead of always being aggressively negative with relation to all things Nigerian, some of us need to realise that Nigeria is all we have - we're just foreigners and n.iggers elsewhere - and put forward solutions and recommendations to make things better within the current constraints. They say be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. Go ask any Libyan today who wanted rid of Gadaffi whether he/she likes the current situation as compared to 2010. A word is enough for the wise.[b][/quote]How do you know Boko Haram is CIA funded? Why would CIA want to destabilize Nigeria?

If you say because of oil, then how do you reconcile the fact that the US already secured future contracts to most of the oil Nigeria produces? Is the contract being threatened? Is Nigeria threatening to sell the oil to someone else?

If CIA funds BH, why are they not funding MEND or are they?

ping pong: So Mr James Bond its that easy.

Yes. Even easier than you can ever imagine. It is true even when you speak slang in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or any other street language because whatever you're saying is being decoded/transcribed by someone that speaks the same language. That's a heads up to all you people that think you're smart!

One of the ways used to predict future events-

Chatter is a signals intelligence term, referring to the volume (quantity) of intercepted communications. Intelligence officials, not having better metrics, monitor the volume of communication, to or from suspected parties such as terrorists or spies, to determine whether there is cause for alarm. They refer to the electronic communication as "chatter".[1]

Monitoring chatter is an example of traffic analysis, a sub-field of signals intelligence.[2] Intelligence specialists hope to learn significant information by methodically monitoring when and with whom suspects communicate. Even if they cannot decrypt what suspects are saying to one another, a change of traffic may raise alarm, since a large increase may indicate increased preparation for action, while a sudden decrease may indicate the end of planning and the imminence of action. These considerations do not apply when the targets of analysis follow the military practice of maintaining a steady flow of encrypted communications whether they are needed or not.[3]
Some events, including the capture of the "Algerian Six", were triggered largely by an increase in "chatter".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatter_(signals_intelligence)

bittyend: How do these people always have intelligence of things like this - if they are not the ones behind Boko Haram?? Boko Haram isn't a sophisticated terrorist group, and they're face, yet US always know about their attacks before hand.. Something is fishy here..

Simple. Listen to their communications! If I listen to your phone calls, read your emails and read your posts/comments on the internet (facebook, nairaland, twitter etc) I will know what you're up to.

There’s no doubt that there is a myriad of problems facing Nigeria but most of them are not directly related to creating employment. A simplistic way of looking at it is that regardless of what the government is doing we will continue to consume certain things and those things need to get manufactured, farmed, collated and/or sold. If this premise is true, then employment is mostly indirectly linked to the government especially when there are enabling laws already in place.

The article quoted below shows an extreme example of what can be gained by strong intellectual property laws that gets enforced. Could intellectual property enforcement be what’s needed to unlock Nigeria’s potential?

Currently, there are industries that will immediately see the benefits of stronger IP protection, which will mean a better ROI that could be ploughed back into that industry to create more innovations/jobs. If I have a goose that lays golden eggs, you better believe that I will do everything in my power to ensure that the goose continues to lay eggs for as long as possible!

Industries that will see immediate benefits include:
1. Nollywood
2. Music industry
3. Manufacturers in Aba
4. Pharmaceutical companies etc

Industries that will immediately spring up include:
1. Computer peripherals manufacturers
2. Furniture manufacturers
3. Tools manufacturers
4. Tech companies
5. Patent attorneys etc

Essentially, our economy will compete with South Africa’s economy in terms of advancement in industries. The demand is already there, 162 million people strong!

What are your thoughts?

US Commerce Department Releases New Report Showing Intellectual Property-Intensive Industries Contribute $5 Trillion, 40 Million Jobs to US Economy

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department today released a comprehensive report, entitled “Intellectual Property and the U.S. Economy: Industries in Focus,” which finds that intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries support at least 40 million jobs and contribute more than $5 trillion dollars to, or 34.8 percent of, U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

“This first of its kind report shows that IP- intensive industries have a direct and significant impact on our nation’s economy and the creation of American jobs,” said Commerce Secretary John Bryson. “When Americans know that their ideas will be protected, they have greater incentive to pursue advances and technologies that help keep us competitive, and our businesses have the confidence they need to hire more workers. That is why this Administration’s efforts to protect intellectual property, and modernize the patent and trademark system are so crucial to a 21st century economy that is built to last.”

While IP is used in virtually every segment of the U.S. economy, the report identifies the 75 industries that use patent, copyright, or trademark protections most extensively. These “IP-intensive industries” are the source – directly or indirectly – of 40 million jobs. That’s more than a quarter of all the jobs in this country. Some of the most IP-intensive industries include: Computer and peripheral equipment, audio and video equipment manufacturing, newspaper and book publishers, Pharmaceutical and medicines, Semiconductor and other electronic components, and the Medical equipment space.

“Strong intellectual property protections encourage our businesses to pursue the next great idea, which is vital to maintaining America’s competitive edge and driving our overall prosperity,” said Deputy Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank. “The report released today shows that wages for jobs in IP-intensive industries are higher than average and continue to increase, meaning that these jobs aren’t just important for businesses and entrepreneurs – they are important for working families. The IP protections we put in place today are helping support economic security for America’s middle class now and in the years to come.”

The report has several important findings, including:
• IP-intensive industries contributed $5.06 trillion to the U.S. economy or 34.8 percent of GDP in 2010.
• 40 million jobs, or 27.7 percent of all jobs, were directly or indirectly attributable to the most IP-intensive industries in 2010.
• Between 2010 and 2011, the economic recovery led to a 1.6 percent increase in direct employment in IP-intensive industries, faster than the 1.0 percent growth in non-IP-intensive industries.
• Merchandise exports of IP-intensive industries totaled $775 billion in 2010, accounting for 60.7 percent of total U.S. merchandise exports.

“Every job in some way, produces, supplies, consumes, or relies on innovation, creativity, and commercial distinctiveness,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director David Kappos. “America needs to continue investing in a high quality and appropriately balanced intellectual property system that will promote innovative, open, and competitive markets while helping to ensure that the U.S. private sector remains America’s innovation engine.”

The report is a joint product of the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Secretary Bryson was joined today by Deputy Secretary Rebecca Blank, Under Secretary for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director David Kappos, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue, and American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) President Richard Trumka at a White House event, to unveil the report.

The Department of Commerce and USPTO are unleashing new innovations and new industries by advancing a robust framework of intellectual property protections for a global economy. The USPTO has already implemented eight provisions of the recently passed America Invents Act, which are enhancing the speed and quality of patent processing, connecting businesses with the tools they need to develop their technologies, and speeding up patent applications. Since President Obama took office, the backlog has been reduced by nearly 15%, from about 750,000 to just under 641,000 today. That reduction has come despite the acceleration of American ingenuity, and patent filings in the U.S. grew 5% in FY 2011. By re-engineering the IP system from the ground up, the USPTO is creating a 21st century innovation architecture that’s built to last and will help America remain a global leader going forward.

Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are the principal means for establishing ownership rights to inventions and ideas, and provide a legal foundation by which intangible ideas and creations generate tangible benefits to businesses and employees. IP protection affects commerce throughout the economy, including by: providing incentives to invent and create; protecting innovators from unauthorized copying; facilitating vertical specialization in technology markets; creating a platform for financial investments in innovation; supporting startup liquidity and growth through mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs; making licensing-based technology business models possible; and, enabling a more efficient market for technology transfer and trading in technology and ideas.

You can't change your past but can determine your future. There's nothing you can do about the pregnancy but you most certainly can determine the living arrangements afterwards! Your husband should go get an apartment for the wife-to-be if he cares about you or your feelings. PERIOD.

Some people are just heartless!

emmatok: Yea its India.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIXnzO_FBmw

Why is there still doubt? Can't you see the video? The photo is real but the location is not Nigeria but India.

eleven: OP is right. Financial Independence is not the same thing as self employment.

However the case he presented is not necessary so.

Some employees also faces down time like their self employed counterpart.

If an employee is prudent and can save over time, he will have money but not necessarily financial independence because the moment he quits his job and stop earning, his savings start depleting.

Attempting to do business without the necessary experience and skills might leave him buying experience with his hard earned savings.

Unlike the self employed who is continually looking for opportunities to multiply his income and profits.

A times, he might be lucky, a times he might not be but can always pick himself again.

It looks easier for the self employed to attain financial independence faster than an employee.

Just this morning, my friend told me of a one GM of a multinational coy who called him while we were together pleading for 10k to take care of himself.

According to him while the man was in service, he was so big that you would think he will never be broke again but today he is looking for just 10k to help himself.

Same scenario can happen to both the self employed and the employee, the difference is that the self employed stands a better chance of recovering faster than the employee. I might be wrong though.

This is really an artifact of the Nigerian culture and environment! There are no systems in place that allows one to truly save up for retirement. Also, everyone seems to think that they are a businessman or businesswoman and use their pension to set up a business after retiring only to lose it all!

According to U.S. Small Business Administration, over 50% of businesses are going to fail in the first 5 years. These are the top reasons why businesses fail:

1. Lack of experience
2. Insufficient capital (money)
3. Poor location
4. Poor inventory management
5. Over-investment in fixed assets
6. Poor credit arrangements
7. Personal use of business funds
8. Unexpected growth
9. Competition
10. Low sales

Since the number one reason why businesses fail is due to lack of experience, the solution is for anyone nearing retirement age to start his or her business before retiring just to make sure the business can get off the ground. And if it fails, you better sit your butt down at work to recoup your losses so that you can try again! At least, you will have an income.

With regards to the OP, not necessarily. (My lawyerly wavering answer)

Expected as much! Expecting her to win is akin to wanting an American to head the African Development Bank.

egift: This is Nigeria: The man filling the suit may even be working for Jonathan. Maybe on technical jargon, the man can loose the case and Jonathan will go celebrating that the court has cleared him to run in 2015.

This means that the SAME issue can no longer be re-litigated in the future if adjudicated on merits!

However, I'm not even sure that the issue can be decided on merits because it is probably premature since GEJ did not indicate that he was running for a second term. Courts do not entertain hypothetical questions, at least in the US.

Discotic liquid crystals - have similar potential to the conducting polymers for their use in photovoltaic cells, they have the same technical challenges of low conductivity and sensitivity to UV damage as the polymer designs.

Trying to understand the structural significance of differently layers of a nano-structure solar cell (too Chemistry-related for me!).

PhysicsQED: ?

I'm not getting this. How did you deduce that he was in the army reserve?

He does seem to be a career army officer unless I'm missing something. Anyway, like you said, I hope he gets a good lawyer that can get this 10 years nonsense overturned quickly.

Paragraph 7 of the linked article you posted - "member of the active Guard and reserve."

PhysicsQED: He's not an arms trafficker. He's actually of (Benin) royal descent and is a career army officer in the U.S.

Ironically enough, he had initially wanted to join the Nigerian army:

http://www.stripes.com/news/captain-gives-troops-iraqis-the-royal-treatment-1.34116

He's more or less a good guy in a bad situation.

Actually, he's not a "career" army officer because he's in the army reserve. In the reserves, you only serve part-time as opposed to active-duty soldiers who serve full-time. Either way, he does seem to be an outstanding soldier that merely broke the law.

From what I've read about soldiers during war time, they do feel naked walking around without a gun when on leave away from the battle field! That’s why most war veterans usually own assault riffles in the US and also walk around "packing".

If I were his attorney, I will be seeking to prove that battle field paranoia of "unseen" enemies or PTSD if you like made him fearful of being a victim in Nigeria. Sure he broke the law, but he had mitigating circumstances to do so and as such, should be left off with time served!

I hope he has a good lawyer because I think that he can easily get off!

Kenyy: This would have been the case if the person in question was to be a White American US ARMY MAJOR-the man in question is a Bini man from Edo State, South South, Nigeria.

The issue of color has zero bearing on what might or might not be done! If he was on assignment (covert or not), the embassy will be actively seeking his release. Period. If he is a VIP, then there might be political pressure to get him freed. Being a major does not make you VIP unless you have influential friends.

What some of you fail to realize is that the guy might have been trafficking arms illegally! When you're on leave from the military and off military barracks, you're just like any other US citizen and as such, will only be afforded the same diplomatic access to the US embassy that every US citizen gets.

Eltonluigi: Another failed spy mission by the CIA, the US goverment won't claim any responsibity.

Guy, you no try at all!!!

If the guy was a CIA operative or on any US sanctioned mission, he would NOT be abandoned especially since Nigeria is not hostile towards the US. Actually, he would have been released and claimed to have diplomatic immunity.

Even in countries like Pakistan and Iran that are hostile towards the US, the US government still pressured the governments or their friends to release the Americans arrested.

In Iran, a couple of American “hikers” were just released for "straying" in Iranian boarders. In Pakistan, a US “contractor” chased and killed two would-be robbers in broad daylight during their getaway and the guy is now in the US. No one could really explain who the guy was or what he was doing in Pakistan!