₦airaland Forum

Oceanic Bank International Plc yesterday said it would seek shareholders' approval for the transfer of 40.17 percent of its holdings to Ecobank Transnational Incorporation (ETI) at its forthcoming Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

Oceanic Bank was among the banks bailed out by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2009. The bank had signed a Transaction Implementation Agreement (TIA) with the Togo-based pan-African banking group, last month, paving the way for the rescued bank to recapitalise.
In a notice to shareholders obtained by Reuters, yesterday, Oceanic also said the proposal would hand over 49.80 per cent of its shares to the state-owned Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), in exchange for the N290 billion ($1,875 billion) rescue package it had received this year.

The scheme giving AMCON, the state-owned "bad bank" set up last year to absorb Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) from the banking sector in exchange for government bonds, a controlling stake was approved by a Federal High Court on Thursday. A court-ordered mandatory meeting to vote on the deal would be held on September 27, the notice said. At the mandatory meeting, the bank will seek to reduce its share capital to N889.31 million, comprising 1.778 billion shares of 50 kobo each, through the cancellation of the entire paid up capital.

Intercontinental Bank, Oceanic Bank, Finbank, Union Bank and Equatorial Trust Bank have signed similar agreements with investors, and are all looking up to their respective shareholders to endorse the deals towards the September 30 deadline that was fixed by the banking sector watchdog. Three of the other erstwhile rescued banks - Afribank Plc, Spring Bank Plc and Bank PHB Plc, were nationalised last month because they did not show the capacity to recapitalise, the regulators said.

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At $32.9 billion as at August 29, 2011, South-African based Economist at Renaissance Capital (RenCap), Yvonne Mhango, has said that the prospect of a strong recovery for Nigeria’s foreign reserves this year looks bleak.

In fact, Mhango argued that at its current level, Nigeria’s foreign reserves seem to have reached its highest level this year, adding that contrary to previous expectations of a steady increase of the reserves on the back of the sharp increase in the oil price in the first quarter of the year and a sustained high price thereafter, it has essentially moved sideways year-to-date.

Nigeria's foreign reserves had climbed to over $60 billion in March 2008 before the onset of the global financial crisis. Nigeria’s apex bank has been using the foreign-currency reserves to keep the Naira within a 3 percent band + or - N150 naira to a dollar at its Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS). The Naira fell to N152.40 to a dollar at the last WDAS session.

The Economist also argued that the Naira has a 40 percent probability of being devalued to N155 to a dollar in 2012 on expectations that oil prices may fall and as the government increases investments in roads and rail, raising imports. Currency Devaluation implies the official reduction in the value of a currency with respect to those goods, services or other monetary units with which that currency can be exchanged.

She explained: "We think there is currently a 40 per cent probability that the Naira will be devalued in 2012 to NGN155/$1. Over the next couple of months, the finance ministry and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will review the oil price, foreign exchange reserves and the recent history of imports, amongst other factors, as they deliberate the exchange rate for the 2012 budget". The weakening global economic outlook implies there is downside risk to the oil price, so we are of the view that foreign reserves are likely to remain flat until year end of 2011 and the scope for a strong recovery in reserves in 2012 is now smaller.

“Data on outflows of forex in first quarter 2011, which includes import payments, suggest that import demand moderated in early 2011, compared with 2010. A strong improvement in forex inflows, largely due to oil sector receipts, allowed for a significant improvement in net forex inflows in 1Q11. The conundrum is that this increase in net forex inflows is not reflected in the official forex reserves, which have essentially moved sideways between year end 2010 and August 2011. This implies that there are additional, unknown pressures on forex reserves, which explains why the naira has only traded in the top half of the N150/$1 (+/-3%) trading band year-to-date.”

According to, Mhango, this new administration’s infrastructure programme implied that demand for imported capital equipment and machinery is likely to rise over the short-to-medium term. “The country’s high import dependence explains why the exchange rate is often the bellwether for Nigeria’s economic health, and why there is a swift pass-through of exchange rate movements to inflation. ‘’About a third of Nigeria’s forex outflows are due to invisibles, which refers to services. These include international payments for services as well as movement of money for which there is no contra transaction, such as transfer payments.

“Nigeria’s large oil and gas industry largely explains the country’s substantial payments to service providers. We are of the view that the local content bill will compel operators to source services from local providers and this will help ease the services’ payment burden on forex outflows. ‘’However, the impact of this is likely to only be felt over the medium-to-long term, as presently the skill set for Nigeria’s service provider industry is inadequate, in our opinion,” she added.

What Should Women Wear to Work? Comfort vs. Fashion
You probably have a fairly good idea of what’s appropriate for work and what isn’t. Unfortunately, fashion trends and comfort can blur that line, making finding that perfect work outfit more difficult.

So, how are you supposed to dress in the office? My rule of thumb is to always dress where you’re headed, not where you are or have been. Your appearance reflects your job aspirations, and people within your organization will only picture you in a higher position if you dress like it.

Here are some guidelines to live by when it comes to your professional wardrobe:

Observe co-workers for appropriate outfits
While it’s true that not everyone dresses how she should in the office, you can certainly model your workplace style off someone else’s you admire. Different corporate cultures call for different styles, so get to know your company’s informal dress code through observation.

Invest in classic, yet stylish, basics
A tailored suit, wrap dress, and leather bag never go out of style. Make sure these items are always ready by having them cleaned and pressed after wearing them.

Add color to your basics
Don’t wear a black suit with a plain white blouse. Instead, add in your fashion personality by wearing a color underneath. It will make you appear confident and stylish, yet still professional.

Wear makeup
Women who wear makeup earn more than those who don’t and are more likely to be promoted. You don’t have to go overboard—natural-looking foundation, eye shadow, and mascara might be all you need.

Tailor your pieces for your body type
When a piece of clothing fits right, it makes you look put together and confident. You won’t be pulling at it all day, trying to keep it in the right spot. Length matters too, so don’t wear pants that are too long or too short. Tailor your pieces to the shoes you’ll be wearing with them.

Accessorize
Don’t be afraid to wear jewelry or a nice watch with your professional outfit. Accessories add a polish to your outfit and are an easy way to spice up any outfit.

What Should Women Wear to Work? Comfort vs. Fashion
You probably have a fairly good idea of what’s appropriate for work and what isn’t. Unfortunately, fashion trends and comfort can blur that line, making finding that perfect work outfit more difficult.

So, how are you supposed to dress in the office? My rule of thumb is to always dress where you’re headed, not where you are or have been. Your appearance reflects your job aspirations, and people within your organization will only picture you in a higher position if you dress like it.

Here are some guidelines to live by when it comes to your professional wardrobe:

Observe co-workers for appropriate outfits
While it’s true that not everyone dresses how she should in the office, you can certainly model your workplace style off someone else’s you admire. Different corporate cultures call for different styles, so get to know your company’s informal dress code through observation.

Invest in classic, yet stylish, basics
A tailored suit, wrap dress, and leather bag never go out of style. Make sure these items are always ready by having them cleaned and pressed after wearing them.

Add color to your basics
Don’t wear a black suit with a plain white blouse. Instead, add in your fashion personality by wearing a color underneath. It will make you appear confident and stylish, yet still professional.

Wear makeup
Women who wear makeup earn more than those who don’t and are more likely to be promoted. You don’t have to go overboard—natural-looking foundation, eye shadow, and mascara might be all you need.

Tailor your pieces for your body type
When a piece of clothing fits right, it makes you look put together and confident. You won’t be pulling at it all day, trying to keep it in the right spot. Length matters too, so don’t wear pants that are too long or too short. Tailor your pieces to the shoes you’ll be wearing with them.

Accessorize
Don’t be afraid to wear jewelry or a nice watch with your professional outfit. Accessories add a polish to your outfit and are an easy way to spice up any outfit.

Panic reigned sway yesterday at the Lagos State Secretariat complex, following a tip off that the state might be the next prime target of Boko Haram, after the bombing of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja last week.

It was gathered that the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) had quickly responded to the situation by directing that the security around the state secretariat complex, housing the office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire’s office to be beefed up. It was gathered that the state government, “has moved to beef up security at the state secretariat, as it on Thursday, put a barricade at the entrance and exit gate of the Deputy Governor’s Office.”


A police source said visitors and workers at the Lagos State Secretariat Alausa “are barred from entering or exiting through the gates, allowing entrance for only the deputy governor and her staff.” The state Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Mr. Tunde Shobulo, was on ground at the secretariat to monitor the enforcement of the new restriction order when workers resumed from a two-day Eid-el-Fitri holiday.

A police officer attached to the Commander of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS), who did not want his name mentioned, said the restriction order was from the Office of the Governor. But another police said the order may “not be unconnected with the wave of bombing by the radical Boko Haram sect across the country”. Security has also been beefed up in and around the secretariat, which has different cases of armed robbery in the recent time.

After compliance was enforced, Shobulo and RRS Commander, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, a Chief Superintendent, drove through the main gate of the state secretariat complex, even though Odumosu’s office is about five metres away from the barred gate. On Monday too, the entrance gate to the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, situated inside the secretariat was shut out from vehicles owners, staff and visitors. Security officers on duty turned blind eye to pleas from the state public servants to allow them entrance and said he was acting on instruction, which he said, was prompted by the wave of recent bomb attacks in the country.

The man who supplied materials for the making of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, to members of the Boko Haram has been arrested by the State Security Service, SSS just as it emerged that the sect had sent 270 of its members to Yemen and Sudan for training on terrorism according to security sources trailing activities of the group.

The break through in the arrest of the supplier of IEDs came as a result of confessional statements obtained from the arrested members of the sect, Babagana Ismail Kwaljima a.k.a Abu Summaya; and Babagana Mali a.k.a Bulama. In addition, Kwaljima and Mali have also told the authorities that they had taken part in some bombing ventures in some parts of the country.

Both men confessed to having taken part in bombings in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital and Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Information made available to newsmen in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, yesterday, suggested that part of the reasons the bomber chose the UN House “may not be unconnected with earlier intelligence about the bombings which were planned for the city but which the authorities got wind of”. Adequate arrangements put in place

In fact, according to a security chief, “there had been adequate arrangements put in place once we learnt of the plans of the sect members. That was why places like the Federal Secretariat, the National Assembly Complex, the headquarters of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Complex, and even some embassies were fully secured”. Information made available also indicated that the choice of the UN House by the sect may have been a last minute option “with the intention of inflicting maximum hurt and generating optimum though negative attention”.

Already, the arrested supplier is making useful information to his interrogators. Meanwhile, on the issue of a seeming shoddiness in the handling of the intelligence about the intended bombing in Abuja, another security source informed that “the nature of the intelligence we got was not target-specific and, therefore, what happened was a situation where we prioritized the areas of coverage”.

However, the UN House missed the radar of the intelligence and security communities. “Knowing the pattern of the activities of the group we moved to save-guard some strategic locations in the capital city”,

World's oldest marathon runner, 100, reveals secrets of his success
He's the world's oldest marathon runner - and at the grand old age of 100, Fauja Singh is certainly showing no signs of slowing down.

The quick-footed centenarian, who has completed seven marathons since turning 89, has become the first person to sign up to the 2012 Edinburgh race. And he has revealed the key to conquering his daily 10-mile training regime is eating plenty of ginger curry and drinking copious amounts of tea.


'I am not a learned person in any shape or form. To me, the secret is being happy, doing charity work, staying healthy and being positive,' he said. 'If someone says I must stop running I ignore them - invariably they're younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free. 'If there's something you can't change then why worry about it? Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.'

Despite being born on April 1, 1911, Mr Singh insisted his age is no April Fool's joke. He is indeed 100 years old and still as fit as a fiddle. He said he developed his love for running whilst working as a farmer in the Punjab. But it was not until he moved to the UK, half a century later, that he took up the sport seriously.
With the help of his coach, Harminder Singh, he started challenging other pensioners to races and has now run five marathons in London, one in Toronto and one in New York.

Mr Singh, a Sikh, holds the world record for the men's over-90 category after completing the 2003 Toronto marathon in five hours and 40 minutes. He now hopes to take part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2012, 26.2-mile race, as part of four-man relay team with an average age of 86.

World's oldest marathon runner, 100, reveals secrets of his success
He's the world's oldest marathon runner - and at the grand old age of 100, Fauja Singh is certainly showing no signs of slowing down.

The quick-footed centenarian, who has completed seven marathons since turning 89, has become the first person to sign up to the 2012 Edinburgh race. And he has revealed the key to conquering his daily 10-mile training regime is eating plenty of ginger curry and drinking copious amounts of tea.


'I am not a learned person in any shape or form. To me, the secret is being happy, doing charity work, staying healthy and being positive,' he said. 'If someone says I must stop running I ignore them - invariably they're younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free. 'If there's something you can't change then why worry about it? Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.'

Despite being born on April 1, 1911, Mr Singh insisted his age is no April Fool's joke. He is indeed 100 years old and still as fit as a fiddle. He said he developed his love for running whilst working as a farmer in the Punjab. But it was not until he moved to the UK, half a century later, that he took up the sport seriously.
With the help of his coach, Harminder Singh, he started challenging other pensioners to races and has now run five marathons in London, one in Toronto and one in New York.

Mr Singh, a Sikh, holds the world record for the men's over-90 category after completing the 2003 Toronto marathon in five hours and 40 minutes. He now hopes to take part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2012, 26.2-mile race, as part of four-man relay team with an average age of 86.

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wow!

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cool

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^^ lol

Mel B's fetus made it VERY clear -- he or she is READY to leave the womb , because the Spice Girl arrived to an L.A. hospital this morning looking like she's ready to pop!!! Flanked by her hubby, Stephen Belafonte and a bodyguard , Mel arrived to the hospital before the sun came up.

The 36-year-old -- who's about to give birth to her 3rd child -- went on the radio yesterday and declared, "It's coming out this week, one way or another it's coming out this week."

Fugitive Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi vowed again Thursday not to surrender, in a message broadcast on the 42nd anniversary of the coup which brought him to power.

In the message put out by the pro-Gaddafi Syria-based Arabic-language Arrai Oruba satellite television, the fallen strongman said he was prepared for “a long battle” even if Libya burns. He urged his supporters to keep up their resistance to the insurgency that has conquered most of the country and forced him into hiding, as a major conference opened in Paris on aiding the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) to set up a new administration.

“Even if you cannot hear my voice, continue the resistance,” Gaddafi said. “We will not surrender. We are not women and we are going to keep on fighting.” “If they want a long battle, let it be long. If Libya burns, who can govern it? So let it burn,” he added in the message sent from an unknown location. Gaddafi claimed there were splits between NATO, “the alliance of aggression” whose warplanes have paved the way for the insurgents’ advance, and the rebels, “its agents.”

His message followed similar defiant words from his son Seif al-Islam on Wednesday night, who said he, his father and “the whole family” were still in Tripoli, which fell to the rebels on August 20 after days of fierce fighting. But rebel sources said unconfirmed reports put the Gaddafis in the loyalist-held town of Bani Walid, southeast of the capital. “We have reports that Muammer Gaddafi has been in Bani Walid for the past two days, but these reports are not totally confirmed,” NTC vice chairman Abdel Hafiz Ghoga told AFP.
He said clashes were still going on between rebel and pro-Gaddafi forces near the town.
“The revolutionary fighters are making progress and we are hoping for an end to the conflict soon,” he said.

A rebel commander, Abdel Raziq, said in Tarhuna, between Tripoli and Bani Walid he believed Seif al-Islam and another son, Mutassim, were in the latter town. “About 80 percent of the people in Bani Walid are with the rebels and only 20 percent are with Gaddafi,” he said. “We expect them to surrender, but if they don’t we will attack from three fronts,” he added without giving other details. Gaddafi, however, boasted that his last bastions were impregnable.

“Who can overcome Bani Walid, Sirte or Tarhuna? These towns are home to armed tribes and nobody can govern Libya without their consent,” he said in his fourth audio message since rebels entered Tripoli on August 20, seemingly unaware that insurgents were already in Tarhuna. “At the end of the day, we will win the battle, the colonisers will go back to their countries and the agents will be finished with,” Gaddafi said.

The insurgents had earlier said they believed Kadhafi was hiding in his coastal hometown of Sirte, but another rebel commander said on Thursday they no longer thought that. Seif al-Islam also vowed that the loyalists would fight to the death, in a separate audio message broadcast by Arrai. But at the same time another son, Saadi Gaddafi, told the Al-Arabiya television channel he was ready to give himself up “If my surrender stops the spilling of blood.”

Algeria allowed one of Gaddafi’s wives, two of his sons and some of his grandchildren to cross the border on Saturday and seek sanctuary, angering the NTC. But Algeria’s Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said on Thursday there was no question of granting Gaddafi himself asylum. Officials in the rebel base of Benghazi said on Thursday a deadline for forces loyal to Kadhafi to surrender had been extended by a week to September 10, but others in Tripoli denied it. However Jalal al-Digheily, defence minister in the NTC, said at Nofilia, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Sirte, “There will be no attack on Sirte just now. We continue to negotiate to enter the city peacefully.”

Rebel forces west of the town said they had been ordered to pull back from Abu Grain, 80 kilometres from Sirte, to Al-Sadaada, 160 kilometres away.

Wildfires again rage through Texas and Oklahoma - Reuters

Wildfires raged through Texas and Oklahoma again on Wednesday, threatening homes and buildings and charring thousands of acres of parched, dry land.

The Texas Forest Service has declared this to be the worst fire season in the state's history. Forest service officials, along with firefighters in communities across the state have responded to 20,155 fires that have burned a record 3.5 million acres since last November 15. Six of the 10 largest wildfires recorded in Texas occurred in April and 20 of the 40 largest were recorded this year, according to the forest service. Fires this year have destroyed 3,000 structures, including 679 homes.

The danger is not over as new fires continued to break out due to hot, dry weather and extreme drought that persists throughout most of the state. In North Texas, firefighters were still trying to control a massive fire that erupted in a lakefront community west of Fort Worth on Tuesday. Central Oklahoma remained under a red flag fire warning on Wednesday, the day after a wildfire destroyed 33 homes in northeast Oklahoma City.
Evacuations at Possum Kingdom Lake, about 75 miles west of Fort Worth, resumed Wednesday afternoon when the wind picked up and fanned the flames that firefighters had some success in containing overnight.

"As soon as the wind picked up, the fires started spreading quickly again," said John Nichols, a spokesman for the Texas Forest Service. The fire destroyed at least 39 homes and buildings and burned more than 6,200 acres by Wednesday evening. Property owners in several neighborhoods around the lake were evacuated by boat to a hotel on another area on Tuesday because roads were cutoff by the flames. But as the fire again quickly spread on Wednesday, those evacuees were again forced to flee, along with others from neighborhoods that were unaffected on Tuesday. "Fortunately we were able to move our car yesterday before it got too bad," said resident Laura Kirklen. "We heard a local church was sending a bus for some of those who had no other way out."

Firefighters were battling the fast-moving fire from the ground and air. Heavy air tankers, single-engine aircraft and helicopters were dumping water on the fires. Possum Kingdom Lake was the sight of the state's fifth largest recorded wildfire in April, when more than 160 homes were destroyed and over 126,000 acres were burned during two weeks. "This is very unusual to have been hit twice like this in one year," said Steve Anderson, owner of a real estate company at Possum Kingdom, which is keeping residents up-to-date on the fire through social media. "We've had some small grass fires in the past few years, but nothing major."

Weather conditions were also to blame for 17 smaller fires that started in other parts of the state on Wednesday, including a fire near Lake Bridgeport, about 50 miles northwest of Fort Worth, which burned about 100 acres. "The ground is so dry because of the drought that one welding spark or a cigarette tossed could easily ignite a fire," said Jesse Moore, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. "The high temperatures, low humidity and wind gusts quickly cause fire to spread." Similar weather conditions, with highs approaching 105, are again forecast for Thursday, he said.

In Oklahoma, the fire, fueled by dry vegetation and fanned by southerly winds, burned a 12-square-mile area and also destroyed a church, 21 barns and other outbuildings and 45 vehicles. The fire smoldered most of the day Wednesday but flared up again in the late afternoon, just as another fire broke out on the southeast side of the city near Tinker Air Force Base. The fire near the base forced a portion of Interstate 40 to be closed to traffic due to smoke. Other fires broke out around the state, including one near Lawton that forced the closure of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike due to heavy smoke, while other wildfires burned hundreds of acres near Tecumseh, Crowder and Seminole, the Oklahoma Forestry Services said Wednesday.

Oklahoma has been under a state of emergency since July 20 because of the extreme drought conditions and high fire danger. Some radio stations have begun broadcasting a public service announcement taped by Governor Mary Fallin that reminded Oklahomans that discarded cigarettes and parking on dried grass often spark wildfires.

Source: Reuters

D.A.V.E:
wtf.dis aint a forking joke now

literally not a joke, but still a joke. lol!

werepeLeri:
Why dont you simply become a British citizen?

lol

mama-gee:
Why is it taking them forever to bury a dead man

lol!
-setting up burial committee
-soliciting for funds from governments and bodies (which some people will embezzle)
-etc

Rather than working the traditional 9-to-5 job, more workers are turning to so-called portfolio careers, or cobbling together an income from various part-time or freelance-based jobs. Some make the transition because they're looking for more fulfillment or meaning in their work, while others diversify as a means of creating a safety net in a volatile economy.

But what do you call yourself when you work several jobs, especially when they're in different fields? Marci Alboher, author of the book One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success, calls this group "slashers," because members hold one job/another job/another job. "The slash, to me, really capture[s],  people being very proud to have a multifaceted work identity," she says.

While some people take on portfolio careers because they prefer the lifestyle, others fall back onto slashing when they're laid off, which is one reason it boomed during the recession. That's what happened to Lisa Rowan, 25, who lives in Washington, D.C. When she was laid off from her job at an online journalism startup, she saw it as an opportunity to pursue vintage selling, which she'd blogged about for two years.

If you're looking to replace your full-time job with a variety of income streams, here are some tips for juggling successfully:

Think about how you'll respond when someone asks what you do. 
Will you say you're self-employed? It's a good idea to answer this question differently depending on who asks. If you have one foot in that person's world, emphasize the skill they care about, because the connection could bring you business later. "So much of how we do in our careers has to do with how the world perceives us. You really have to be a bit of a brand manager for yourself."

Consider finding a steady part-time engagement you can depend on.
This is especially important in the beginning, and it's how many slashers get their start. Having money you can count on goes a long way toward helping you feel comfortable without a full-time paycheck. Rowan, the vintage seller/social media strategist/blogger/secretary, spends 20 hours a week editing Web content for one company. "It's that steady job," she says, "but I'm not there all the time."

Save for a rainy day.
Having a financial cushion becomes more important when you depend on work that ebbs and flows. "You're going to have lean and mean times," says Munar, the writer/marketer, "and you're going to have to plan for that." Savings will also help you be more selective about which projects you accept, because you won't be desperate for the money.

Set aside time for yourself.
When you're not on a 9-to-5 schedule, it's easy to forget to take time off. Vicki Salemi, a journalist/recruiter/ public speaker/author/career coach, recommends putting aside blocks of time for social events and exercise, when you don't think about work. "I love what I do, so it doesn't feel like work," the New York City resident says. "Sometimes it's hard to shut off." Personal interaction will also benefit your career, she adds, because social events can lead to new connections and spark new ideas.

Pick one or two focus points.
Even if you're juggling a handful of interests, you'll inevitably put more effort into one or two—and that's OK, Alboher says. "There's a common misconception that people that have these slash careers, that they just go out full-tilt and do all of this at once," she says. "But you plant seeds for different parts of your career at different stages of your life. When you have opportunities [to boost certain aspects], you should seize those moments."

Allow your slashes to morph.
Sometimes one slash will become more of a money-maker than you expected, and others will fall to the wayside. Saya Hillman of Mac 'n Cheese Productions started shooting and editing videos for non-profits when she was let go from her job seven years ago, but now her business has diversified. In addition to teaching digital media in schools, the 32-year-old hosts events, often at her home, to help clients expand their professional, personal, and romantic networks. "I didn't mean for this to become a business," says Hillman, who lives in Chicago.

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2011/08/19/how-to-create-a-career-without-a-full-time-job?PageNr=2

Lost but Found! Nigerian AirForce Plane lost midair but rescued by British Jet Fighters

Nigerian AirForce Hercules C-130 transport aircraft which was on routine maintenance trip to the United Kingdom reportedly lost radio communication of France midair last Saturday according to an online report. Two British Royal Airforce jet fighters were then called in to escort the aircraft to its destination.

The aircraft left Aminu Kano International Airport enroute to Cambridge in the UK. The loss of radio communication meant its mission and coordinates could not be ascertained. According to UK RAF officials, two airforce jets were immediately scrambled to intercept and escort the aircraft first from France jet fighters and then two RAF jet fighters took over as soon as the aircraft entered the UK airspace and escorted it to the Cambridge airport on Saturday.

The aircraft landed without incident but the crew were briefly screened by the police before maintenance paperwork were concluded by Marshall Aerospace company which will handle the scheduled maintenance expected to last four months.

*Wahala dey*

Lost but Found! Nigerian AirForce Plane lost midair but rescued by British Jet Fighters

Nigerian AirForce Hercules C-130 transport aircraft which was on routine maintenance trip to the United Kingdom reportedly lost radio communication of France midair last Saturday according to an online report. Two British Royal Airforce jet fighters were then called in to escort the aircraft to its destination.

The aircraft left Aminu Kano International Airport enroute to Cambridge in the UK. The loss of radio communication meant its mission and coordinates could not be ascertained. According to UK RAF officials, two airforce jets were immediately scrambled to intercept and escort the aircraft first from France jet fighters and then two RAF jet fighters took over as soon as the aircraft entered the UK airspace and escorted it to the Cambridge airport on Saturday.

The aircraft landed without incident but the crew were briefly screened by the police before maintenance paperwork were concluded by Marshall Aerospace company which will handle the scheduled maintenance expected to last four months.

*Wahala dey*

They came in their droves, all hoping to catch a glimpse of what is considered to be one of Mother Nature's more unusual spectacles. However, these spectators unwittingly became part of the show when a huge tidal bore burst through a dam and spilled over the riverbank, sweeping scores of tourists off their feet.

One moment these bystanders stood transfixed at the banks of the Qiantang River in Haining, in east China's Zhejiang province, waiting to witness the natural phenomenon. The next they were running for their lives as a huge wave came crashing towards them,  engulfing the crowds while others looked on helplessly. While there were no fatalities, more than 20 people were injured after the wave swept through the throng, and some had to be be carried to receive medical attention.

more pictures as you read on

Viewing the tidal bore has become an annual tradition for residents nearby, attracting hundreds of visitors each year. The astonishing natural phenomenon, which is an abrupt uprising of river water, happens when the moon's gravity influence tides from the sea, moving them upstream, resulting in the mesmerising bore. Despite the authorities warning onlookers to stand back from the river bank, many fail to heed the advice and end up trying to out-run the wave when it heads towards them.
Bores only occur in a few locations throughout the world, usually in areas with a large tidal range and where incoming tides are funnelled into a shallow, narrowing lake or river. China's Qiantang River boasts the largest bore, up nine metres - or 30 feet high - and travelling up to 25mph.

Development of ICT will contribute to GDP Growth - Minister of Communication Technology

The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson has disclosed that the ministry would co-ordinate, facilitate and drive the development of the ICT industry to Increase its contribution to GDP Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product GDP in a way that will catapult the Nigerian economy to greater heights.

Johnson told newsmen in Lagos that though Nigeria has had tremendous success in the telecoms industry due to the liberalisation of the sector, the ICT accounted for only 3.5 per cent of GDP, compared with 10 per cent for South Africa. She stressed that the country could be transformed into a major ICT hub where knowledge, technology and innovation are used as tools to drive wealth creation.

She reiterated that ICT could be deployed to drive not only wealth creation, but also to empower citizens of the country and deployed to provide security, promote efficiency and national competitiveness for sustainable socio-economic development. She said that though the country had had tremendous success in the telecoms sector as a result of the liberalization of the sector, making it one of the fastest growing telecoms markets in the world as well as the largest mobile subscriber base in Sub-Saharan Africa, its IT sector had not recorded the same success.

Unfolding the mandate of the Ministry, Johnson said the mandate of the ministry was geared towards facilitating universal, ubiquitous and cost effective access to communications infrastructure that included a national fibre optic backbone. She said the ministry would promote the utilization of ICT in all spheres of life to optimize the communications infrastructure – digital content, domestic and software applications. She also added that the delivery of private and public services in e-business and e-government and the deployment of ICT to drive transparency in governance to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of public service delivery was a mandate the ministry would execute.

On poor quality of service, Johnson said that poor service quality was an issue and promised to resolve poor service quality in the country by working with all relevant government agencies to address the problem. She said that Nigeria required about 60,000 thousand base stations to have effective coverage of the whole country. ‘’ Poor service is an issue and we need more than 60,000 thousand base stations in Nigeria. The United Kingdom with its land size of 250,000 kilometers has 70,000 base stations. Here in Nigeria, we are talking about 1 million square kilometres with less than 20,000 base stations. That clearly affects service quality’’. She stressed.

Johnson also unveiled policies, programmes and plans that would be implemented by the ministry. These, she added, would provide a launch pad for Nigeria to leap-frog from a resource- dependent to a knowledge-based economy. She emphasised that the new ministry would work very closely with the private sector in Nigeria, international partners and other supporting governments through its implementing agencies.

The implementing Agencies are the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone and the Nigerian Postal service (NIPOST).

They came in their droves, all hoping to catch a glimpse of what is considered to be one of Mother Nature's more unusual spectacles. However, these spectators unwittingly became part of the show when a huge tidal bore burst through a dam and spilled over the riverbank, sweeping scores of tourists off their feet.

One moment these bystanders stood transfixed at the banks of the Qiantang River in Haining, in east China's Zhejiang province, waiting to witness the natural phenomenon. The next they were running for their lives as a huge wave came crashing towards them,  engulfing the crowds while others looked on helplessly. While there were no fatalities, more than 20 people were injured after the wave swept through the throng, and some had to be be carried to receive medical attention.

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Viewing the tidal bore has become an annual tradition for residents nearby, attracting hundreds of visitors each year. The astonishing natural phenomenon, which is an abrupt uprising of river water, happens when the moon's gravity influence tides from the sea, moving them upstream, resulting in the mesmerising bore. Despite the authorities warning onlookers to stand back from the river bank, many fail to heed the advice and end up trying to out-run the wave when it heads towards them.
Bores only occur in a few locations throughout the world, usually in areas with a large tidal range and where incoming tides are funnelled into a shallow, narrowing lake or river. China's Qiantang River boasts the largest bore, up nine metres - or 30 feet high - and travelling up to 25mph.

Space-age sickbay that diagnoses disease from sight, smell and 'feel' without need for tests

A sickbay that uses space-age technology to diagnose diseases ranging from stomach bugs to cancer has been unveiled at a British hospital. The first of its kind, it contains a bewildering array of equipment, including probes designed for missions to Mars. The gadgets in the million-pound unit can detect illness without the need for painful and invasive tests. They combine information about the sight, smell and ‘feel’ of a disease to produce a diagnosis.

The unit is described as the first step towards the tricorder scanners that Star Trek’s Dr McCoy waved in front of patients’ bodies to diagnose and treat illness in the crew of the Starship Enterprise. Professor Mark Sims, the Leicester University space scientist who led the project alongside Tim Coats, a professor of emergency medicine, said: ‘In the old days, it used to be said that a consultant could walk down a hospital ward and smell various diseases, as well as telling a patient’s health by looking at them and feeling their pulse.

‘What we are doing is a high-tech version of that to help doctors diagnose the disease. We are replacing doctors’ eyes with state-of-the-art imaging systems, replacing the nose with breath analysis, and the “feel of the pulse” with monitoring of blood flow using ultrasound technology and measurement of blood oxygen levels.’

The diagnostics development unit is part of Leicester Royal Infirmary’s A&E department. One group of instruments, the ‘eyes’, uses thermal imaging technology developed by the university’s space scientists to search for life on Mars to hunt for signs of disease via the surface of the human body. For instance, it should be possible to get information about blood chemistry that points to liver or kidney problems without even taking a blood sample.

While some of the equipment is routinely used in hospitals around the country, other pieces were custom-built for the sickbay, making it the only one of its type in the world. The unit will initially be used to check out patients thought to be suffering from heart failure, pneumonia and serious, body-wide infections – but the instruments have dozens of possible uses.