The King of Pop will come alive on May 13, as Epic Records announces that it will release ‘Xscape’, an album featuring eight brand new, previously unheard tracks by the late pop king.
The world will hear the new tunes due to the efforts of Epic Records chairman and X Factor judge L.A. Reid, who was granted unlimited access to Jackson’s archives by his estate. In the archives, Reid uncovered what a press release calls “four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals.”
Reid selected eight tracks for the album and then sent them out to be retooled by producers, including recent Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake hitmaker Timbaland, in a process Reid calls “contemporizing.” Reid only chose producers who had “the gravitas, depth and range” to maintain the “essence and integrity” of Jackson’s work.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
Monday, 31 March 2014
Friday, 21 March 2014
5 ways to get promoted faster
If you want to rise through the ranks of an organisation quickly, you need to take a strategic approach. Doing a great job is vital - but just as important is making sure your achievements are visible. We asked the career experts for the top tips that will fast track your promotion.
1. Know thyself
Some people plug away in the same role for years, while others advance through an organisation and land senior roles with seeming ease. The difference isn't "who you know" but "knowing yourself", according to David Shindler, performance coach and author of Learning To Leap.
'Without self awareness of what you can offer, you will struggle to persuade others that you're ready for the next step. Identify what you have going for you that is unique and ask how you can bring that to the company in a way that meets both your needs.'
If this is something you struggle with, David suggests seeking out a mentor in the company or hiring a career coach. 'We all have ideas about ourselves and how we come across but these don't always align with others' perceptions. A new perspective and some well-judged insight could be all that stands between you and success.'
2. Stay ahead of the game
To rise up the ranks quickly, you need to adopt a strategic approach and that means thinking well ahead of the game.
'Think about your career two or threes roles ahead and then identify what you can do to develop in your current position to get there,' suggests David. 'That might mean developing new skills or taking a role outside of the company - career progression is often not a linear process'.
David suggests reaching out to people in the role you want - to see how they got there and what skills and qualities you'll need to succeed in the same position.
'If you can identify the pressures that concern people at a higher level you can use those insights to demonstrate you have the skills, knowledge and attitude to succeed at a similar level.'
3. Make your boss love you
Of course, having a good relationship with your immediate line manager will make it that much easier to get promoted.
'Establish a strong relationship with your boss where you are clear about their expectations of you and they know your expectations of them,' says Peter Fennah, a Chartered Psychologist and accredited executive career coach at careersynergy.com.
It can be a good idea to support your boss - by taking on tasks they find difficult or dislike, for example - but you don't want to become irreplaceable. A manager who leans on you is less likely to back your promotion if it means undermining their own position.
4. Make your achievements visible
If you want to get promoted to the same level as your boss, and even leapfrog them in a few years, you need to appear on the radar of senior management.
David suggests putting yourself forward for projects and being part of initiatives outside of your immediate role, as this will 'get you noticed for your can-do attitude'.
'Managers often focus on their department. If you want to progress, you need to get a good overall view of the business. Spend time getting to know managers and senior people in other departments to understand how the whole company works.'
To ensure your achievements are visible, Peter suggests choosing your projects with care. After all, there's no sense in working hard on a project that only your boss knows about.
'You can build trust fast by delivering value to the business but don't be overly busy - instead seek out the strategic contribution that will make the biggest difference.'
If your manager doesn't give you credit for your work, cc senior managers on emails with important project updates and put your name on every document.
5. Advance your network
Visibility isn't just about being highly regarded in your own company. People who are seen as valued professionals in their industry will find it easier to move up the career ladder.
'Get on the front foot with your personal brand and professional identity. Your network = your net worth,' says David.
'Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and highlights your achievements. Attend industry networking events, join online groups and discussions and submit papers or features to industry-related journals and sites.
'Raise your profile in the industry and headhunters are more likely to notice you - even if you want to stay put, having an offer from elsewhere is a good bit of bargaining power.'
6. Be aware of politics
You can be highly skilled at your job and get results, but if people don't like or trust you, you're unlikely to be promoted.
'Be alert to the politics and alliances already in place and secure a mentor who will champion you in addition to your line manager,' suggests Peter.
David agrees adding: 'It goes back to knowing yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback from others on how you come across. A strong mentor or career coach can help you see what you need to do more, or less of, in order to secure that next promotion.'
Sourced from MSN News.
Thursday, 20 March 2014
Youthful Grandma uses sperm as facial cream
A youthful grandmother, 67, has claimed that sperm facials are her anti-ageing secret – and she’s made a video tutorial of it. Stella Ralfini from London said semen facials hold the key to her eternal youth.
‘It’s worth thousands and thousands, but it’s free,’ she explains in a YouTube video.
‘All you need is a lover but if you don’t have one, you know what to do. All you need to do is, every ten days or two weeks, just both have a good time, make sure he has a good time, and when your beautiful love-making session is over, you are going to scoop this amazing sperm mask up in your fingers, put it on your face, leave it for fifteen minutes and wash it off.’
She goes on: ”I know some of you are thinking “What is she saying?!” but we have to assume that your lover is a healthy clean man and eats wells.
Watch the video here:
British Stella, who describes herself as an author, life coach, couples counsellor and tantric guide, explains that she learned the bizarre anti-ageing trick during her time in India, where she was studying a lovemaking method called Tantra. She said she learned the trick from a woman in her sixties, who still looked youthful.
She said she has been using the sperm cream for 30 years.
Sourced from PM News.
‘It’s worth thousands and thousands, but it’s free,’ she explains in a YouTube video.
Stella Rafini: photo Mail Online
‘All you need is a lover but if you don’t have one, you know what to do. All you need to do is, every ten days or two weeks, just both have a good time, make sure he has a good time, and when your beautiful love-making session is over, you are going to scoop this amazing sperm mask up in your fingers, put it on your face, leave it for fifteen minutes and wash it off.’
She goes on: ”I know some of you are thinking “What is she saying?!” but we have to assume that your lover is a healthy clean man and eats wells.
Watch the video here:
British Stella, who describes herself as an author, life coach, couples counsellor and tantric guide, explains that she learned the bizarre anti-ageing trick during her time in India, where she was studying a lovemaking method called Tantra. She said she learned the trick from a woman in her sixties, who still looked youthful.
She said she has been using the sperm cream for 30 years.
Sourced from PM News.
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Nigerian President Orders Cancellation of Immigration Recruitment
President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday, directed the immediate cancellation of the immigration recruitment exercise that led to the death of more than twenty applicants and scores of others injured.
NIGERIA, Abuja : Job-seekers applying for work at the Nigerian immigration department scramble as their exam papers fly in the air, on the pitch of Abuja National Stadium, on March 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO
The presidential directive was given at today’s Federal Executive Council meeting where the president further directed that all those who lost their loved ones would have automatic slot for three applicants, one of whom must be a woman.Those who sustained injuries will also be automatically employed.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
NIGERIA, Abuja : Job-seekers applying for work at the Nigerian immigration department scramble as their exam papers fly in the air, on the pitch of Abuja National Stadium, on March 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO
The presidential directive was given at today’s Federal Executive Council meeting where the president further directed that all those who lost their loved ones would have automatic slot for three applicants, one of whom must be a woman.Those who sustained injuries will also be automatically employed.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
Sunday, 16 March 2014
La Liga: Messi breaks another record, as Barca win 7-0
MADRID – Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to become Barcelona’s all-time record goalscorer as they cut the gap on La Liga leaders Real Madrid to four points ahead of their meeting next weekend with a 7-0 thrashing of Osasuna.
After a slow start, the hosts were sparked into life by Messi’s opening goal as he flicked home at the near post from Alexis Sanchez’s cross.
Sanchez was next on the scoresheet as he finished off a similar move involving Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba before Iniesta’s wonderful strike from 25 yards made it 3-0.
Messi then broke another record by registering his 370th Barca goal to overtake Paulinho Alcantara as the club’s record marksman before rounding off his hat-trick in between further strikes from Cristian Tello and Pedro Rodriguez.
Barca boss Gerardo Martino had left Cesc Fabregas and Neymar on the bench after their exertions in the 2-1 win over Manchester City in midweek with Sanchez and Pedro recalled to the starting line-up.
Amazingly, the Catalans had to withstand a bright opening from Osasuna as Victor Valdes produced a great save to deny Emiliano Armenteros and Oriol Riera was rightly flagged offside as he put the rebound into the net.
However, Barca opened the scoring 10 minutes later when Sanchez was fed by Xavi and Messi got across his man to delicately touch home the Chilean’s low cross.
Sanchez should have doubled his side’s advantage two minutes later when he chipped over with just Andres Fernandez to beat, but the former Udinese man made amends when he side-footed home after a lovely one-two between Alba and Iniesta opened up the Osasuna defence.
Iniesta then made it 3-0 with just his second goal of the season 11 minutes before half-time with a sweetly struck left-footed effort that flew into the top corner.
Fernandez was forced into fine saves from Dani Alves and Xavi to ensure Barca didn’t go in even further ahead at the break.
Osasuna should have got themselves back in the game early in the second-half as Riera and Roberto Torres failed to hit the target when presented with clear sights of goal.
They were soon further behind, though, as Messi slammed home Iniesta’s cut-back just after the hour mark to surpass Alcantara’s 369 goals in 357 games between 1912 and 1927.
Substitute Tello got his side’s fifth goal with virtually his first touch as he whipped the ball into the far corner from just outside the area.
Messi fittingly sealed his hat-trick as he received Dani Alves’ pass before easily side-footing in from close range for his 31st goal of the season.
And Messi then teed up Pedro to make it 7-0 in stoppage time with a neat low finish past Fernandez.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
After a slow start, the hosts were sparked into life by Messi’s opening goal as he flicked home at the near post from Alexis Sanchez’s cross.
Sanchez was next on the scoresheet as he finished off a similar move involving Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba before Iniesta’s wonderful strike from 25 yards made it 3-0.
Messi then broke another record by registering his 370th Barca goal to overtake Paulinho Alcantara as the club’s record marksman before rounding off his hat-trick in between further strikes from Cristian Tello and Pedro Rodriguez.
Barca boss Gerardo Martino had left Cesc Fabregas and Neymar on the bench after their exertions in the 2-1 win over Manchester City in midweek with Sanchez and Pedro recalled to the starting line-up.
Amazingly, the Catalans had to withstand a bright opening from Osasuna as Victor Valdes produced a great save to deny Emiliano Armenteros and Oriol Riera was rightly flagged offside as he put the rebound into the net.
However, Barca opened the scoring 10 minutes later when Sanchez was fed by Xavi and Messi got across his man to delicately touch home the Chilean’s low cross.
Sanchez should have doubled his side’s advantage two minutes later when he chipped over with just Andres Fernandez to beat, but the former Udinese man made amends when he side-footed home after a lovely one-two between Alba and Iniesta opened up the Osasuna defence.
Iniesta then made it 3-0 with just his second goal of the season 11 minutes before half-time with a sweetly struck left-footed effort that flew into the top corner.
Fernandez was forced into fine saves from Dani Alves and Xavi to ensure Barca didn’t go in even further ahead at the break.
Osasuna should have got themselves back in the game early in the second-half as Riera and Roberto Torres failed to hit the target when presented with clear sights of goal.
They were soon further behind, though, as Messi slammed home Iniesta’s cut-back just after the hour mark to surpass Alcantara’s 369 goals in 357 games between 1912 and 1927.
Substitute Tello got his side’s fifth goal with virtually his first touch as he whipped the ball into the far corner from just outside the area.
Messi fittingly sealed his hat-trick as he received Dani Alves’ pass before easily side-footing in from close range for his 31st goal of the season.
And Messi then teed up Pedro to make it 7-0 in stoppage time with a neat low finish past Fernandez.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
Beckingham Palace sells for £11.3m
![Beckingham Palace]({"default":"http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/fd/9974695a5ae28fc138851b3215beb/_h353_w628_m6_ofalse_lfalse.jpg"} "Rex")
David and Victoria Beckham's Hertfordshire mansion and estate, dubbed Beckingham Palace, has been sold for a reported £11.3 million to one of the UK's most successful tycoons.
Insurance entrepreneur Neil Utley, 52, and his wife Narmali, 46, agreed a cash deal for the seven-bedroom home and surrounding 17-acre estate, according to the Sunday People.
It ends an ultimately profitable four-year search for a buyer for the Beckhams, who bought the former council-owned children's home for £2.5 million after their wedding in 1999.
Sourced from MSN News.
It ends an ultimately profitable four-year search for a buyer for the Beckhams, who bought the former council-owned children's home for £2.5 million after their wedding in 1999.
Sourced from MSN News.
Glo unveils 'borrow me credit'
Nigeria’s indigenous telecommunication giant, Globacom, has introduced ‘Borrow Me Credit’, a unique product that enables prepaid subscribers to receive airtime on an advance basis when they run out of airtime during emergency calls. Borrow Me Credit also allows customer borrow airtime when vendors are not accessible.
Available to prepaid subscribers, customers are required to send a request to a specified USSD code and the needed airtime of different denominations will be delivered. The denominations available for now are N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1000.
Adeniyi Olukoya, Globacom’s Marketing Co-ordinator, said that is was another way the telecom outfit had chosen to reward its loyal subscribers as well as an evidence of Glo’s commitment to ensuring that its customers are totally unlimited as they pursue their dreams. “Within minutes of requesting for the service, subscribers will receive the airtime requested and get confirmation through a text message. The credited money is taken back from the Glo prepaid subscriber when he recharges his account next time,” he said.
He explained that the airtime will perform function which includes making outgoing calls, sending SMS as well as uploading and downloading data on the internet. “Globacom recognised that, sometimes, there are situations when customers run out of account balance, either late at night or while travelling and they have to look for where to buy recharge cards to top up their accounts. This product will save them from unnecessary stress and make it easy to get airtime for such emergencies”, he said.
He added that: “To receive airtime credit, subscribers only need to dial *321# and follow the instructions.”
Sourced from PM News.
Available to prepaid subscribers, customers are required to send a request to a specified USSD code and the needed airtime of different denominations will be delivered. The denominations available for now are N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1000.
Adeniyi Olukoya, Globacom’s Marketing Co-ordinator, said that is was another way the telecom outfit had chosen to reward its loyal subscribers as well as an evidence of Glo’s commitment to ensuring that its customers are totally unlimited as they pursue their dreams. “Within minutes of requesting for the service, subscribers will receive the airtime requested and get confirmation through a text message. The credited money is taken back from the Glo prepaid subscriber when he recharges his account next time,” he said.
He explained that the airtime will perform function which includes making outgoing calls, sending SMS as well as uploading and downloading data on the internet. “Globacom recognised that, sometimes, there are situations when customers run out of account balance, either late at night or while travelling and they have to look for where to buy recharge cards to top up their accounts. This product will save them from unnecessary stress and make it easy to get airtime for such emergencies”, he said.
He added that: “To receive airtime credit, subscribers only need to dial *321# and follow the instructions.”
Sourced from PM News.
Friday, 14 March 2014
‘Raped’ teenager dies after setting self on fire
A Pakistani teenager died Friday after setting herself on fire after a court dropped charges against four men accused of raping her, police said.The incident occurred in Muzaffargarh district of Punjab province, where the horrific 2002 gang rape of Mukhtar Mai, an illiterate women, made headlines around the world.Amina Bibi, aged 18 according to police, doused herself with petrol and set herself alight on Thursday in front of a police station in the village of Beet Meer Hazar.Pakistani news channels aired horrifying footage showing the self-immolation and desperate attempts by onlookers to put the flames out.She was taken to a nearby government-run hospital where the doctors tried to save her but succumbed to her injuries early on Friday, police said.She was allegedly assaulted by four men, including a family member, in early January and reported the incident to police.But a local court in Muzaffargarh dropped the case on Thursday following a police report which said she had not been raped, prompting Bibi to take the desperate measure.“Nadir, the main accused in the case was a relative of the victim and they had a family dispute,” senior local police official Chaudhry Asghar Ali told AFP.
“The case was investigated twice and investigators discovered that the victim had not been raped.”Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday demanded an explanation for the incident, ordering the provincial police chief and district police chief to appear in the court in person.The court ordered police to file a written report explaining how the case was investigated and why the accused men were cleared.The Punjab police chief’s spokeswoman said an investigation team had been sent to the area to investigate.“We have sent an enquiry team to the area and have suspended the police officials who were investigating the case”, Nabeela Ghazanfar, spokeswomen of the Punjab police chief told AFP.The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded the government take steps to ensure rapists are brought to justice.“Her sacrifice has exposed the ordeals that rape victims in the country face when they try to bring their tormentors to justice,” the group said.
“It is common knowledge that only the courageous rape victims in Pakistan take the matter to the police or court.”Physical and sexual violence against women are widespread in Pakistan, a deeply conservative, patriarchal Muslim country.One of Pakistan’s most infamous sex crimes against women, Mukhtar Mai’s 2002 rape and survival transformed her into an international rights icon.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
“The case was investigated twice and investigators discovered that the victim had not been raped.”Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday demanded an explanation for the incident, ordering the provincial police chief and district police chief to appear in the court in person.The court ordered police to file a written report explaining how the case was investigated and why the accused men were cleared.The Punjab police chief’s spokeswoman said an investigation team had been sent to the area to investigate.“We have sent an enquiry team to the area and have suspended the police officials who were investigating the case”, Nabeela Ghazanfar, spokeswomen of the Punjab police chief told AFP.The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded the government take steps to ensure rapists are brought to justice.“Her sacrifice has exposed the ordeals that rape victims in the country face when they try to bring their tormentors to justice,” the group said.
“It is common knowledge that only the courageous rape victims in Pakistan take the matter to the police or court.”Physical and sexual violence against women are widespread in Pakistan, a deeply conservative, patriarchal Muslim country.One of Pakistan’s most infamous sex crimes against women, Mukhtar Mai’s 2002 rape and survival transformed her into an international rights icon.
Sourced from Vanguard News.
38-year-old caught with 18 human skulls in Nigeria
The Ogun State Police Command, Nigeria, yesterday, said it had nabbed a 38-year-old man, Adelani Ayomide, with a bag containing 18 human skulls.The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, said the suspected ritualist was arrested at 6:48am, yesterday, on Ado-Odo, Owode Road by policemen attached to a division in Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area of the state.Adejobi said:
“Policemen attached to Ado-Odo Division, while on a stop-and-search exercise along Ado-Odo Owode Road sighted a pedestrian, Adelani Ayomide, 38, of Ilaro, Ogun State with a bag containing 18 human heads.“The suspect will be transferred to the state department of investigation, Eleweran Abeokuta, for discrete investigation.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye has assured of a thorough investigation and that he will make sure the suspect faces the full wrath of the law and assist in getting other suspects in connection with the crime.”
Sourced from Vanguard News.
Missing Plane Sent Signals to Satellite for Hours
A Malaysia Airlines plane sent signals to a satellite for four hours after the aircraft went missing, an indication that it was still flying for hundreds of miles or more, a U.S. official briefed on the search said Thursday.
"MH370 went completely silent over the open ocean," said Malaysia's acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. "This is a crisis situation. It is a very complex operation, and it is not obviously easy. We are devoting all our energies to the task at hand."
The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the situation by name, said the Boeing 777-200 wasn't transmitting data to the satellite, but was instead sending out a signal to establish contact.
Boeing offers a satellite service that can receive a stream of data during flight on how the aircraft is functioning and relay the information to the plane's home base. The idea is to provide information before the plane lands on whether maintenance work or repairs are needed.
Malaysia Airlines didn't subscribe to that service, but the plane still had the capability to connect with the satellite and was automatically sending pings, the official said.
"It's like when your cellphone is off but it still sends out a little 'I'm here' message to the cellphone network," the official said. "That's how sometimes they can triangulate your position even though you're not calling because the phone every so often sends out a little bleep. That's sort of what this thing was doing."
The plane had enough fuel to fly about four more hours, the U.S. official said.
Boeing did not comment.
Messages involving a different, more rudimentary data service also were received from the airliner for a short time after the plane's transponder — a device used to identify the plane to radar — went silent, the official said.
If the plane had disintegrated during flight or had suffered some other catastrophic failure, all signals — the pings to the satellite, the data messages and the transponder — would be expected to stop at the same time.
One part of the hunt is in the South China Sea, where the aircraft was seen on civilian radar flying northeast before vanishing without any indication of technical problems. A similar-sized search is also being conducted in the Strait of Malacca because of military radar sightings that might indicate the plane turned in that direction after its last contact, passing over the Malay Peninsula.
The total search area being covered is about 35,800 square miles (92,600 square kilometers) — about the size of Portugal.
Asked if it were possible that the plane kept flying for several hours, Hishammuddin said: "Of course. We can't rule anything out. This is why we have extended the search. We are expanding our search into the Andaman Sea." The sea is northwest of the Malay Peninsula.
He said Malaysia was asking for radar data from India and other neighboring countries to see if they can trace it flying northwest. India says its navy, air force and coast guard will search for the plane in the south Andaman Sea.
"Because of new information, we may be part of an effort to open a new search area in the Indian Ocean," White House spokesman Jay Carney said earlier Thursday, declining to offer additional details about that information or the new area.
The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet said it is moving one of its ships, the USS Kidd, into the Strait of Malacca, west of Malaysia.
In the latest disappointment, search planes failed to find any debris from the plane after they were sent Thursday to an area of the South China Sea off the southern tip of Vietnam, where satellite images published on a Chinese government website reportedly showed three suspected floating objects.
"There is nothing. We went there. There is nothing," Hishammuddin said.
More than two-thirds of those on Flight MH370 were from China, which has shown impatience with the absence of any results. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday in Beijing he would like to see better coordination among countries in the search.
The passengers' "families and friends are burning with anxiety. The Chinese government and Chinese people are all deeply concerned about their safety," he said at the close of the annual session of the country's legislature. "As long as there is a glimmer of hope, we will not stop searching for the plane."
He said China had eight ships and 10 satellites searching for the plane.
Malaysia has been criticized for its handling of the search, in part because it took several days to fully explain why it couldn't say whether the plane had turned back. Officials say they are not hiding anything and are searching areas where the plane is most likely to be, while trying to establish its actual location.
Besides the Chinese satellite photos and the so-far fruitless search based on the possible sighting on military radar, there have been other developments in the aviation mystery that have failed to lead to finding the plane or the cause of its disappearance:
— Oil slicks seen Saturday were found to have nothing to do with the jetliner.
— A yellow object spotted by a search plane turned out to be ordinary sea trash.
— Officials initially said four or five passengers checked in for the flight but did not board, fueling speculation about terrorism. Officials later said some people with reservations never checked in and were simply replaced by standby passengers, and no baggage was removed.
Experts say that if the plane crashed into the ocean, some debris should be floating even if most of the jet is submerged. Past experience shows that finding the wreckage can take weeks or even longer, especially if the location of the plane is in doubt.
Sourced from Yahoo News.
Six days after the plane with 239 people aboard disappeared, Malaysian authorities expanded their search westward toward India, saying the aircraft may have flown for several hours after its last contact with the ground shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing.
A string of previous clues about Flight MH370 have led nowhere.
The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the situation by name, said the Boeing 777-200 wasn't transmitting data to the satellite, but was instead sending out a signal to establish contact.
Boeing offers a satellite service that can receive a stream of data during flight on how the aircraft is functioning and relay the information to the plane's home base. The idea is to provide information before the plane lands on whether maintenance work or repairs are needed.
Malaysia Airlines didn't subscribe to that service, but the plane still had the capability to connect with the satellite and was automatically sending pings, the official said.
"It's like when your cellphone is off but it still sends out a little 'I'm here' message to the cellphone network," the official said. "That's how sometimes they can triangulate your position even though you're not calling because the phone every so often sends out a little bleep. That's sort of what this thing was doing."
The plane had enough fuel to fly about four more hours, the U.S. official said.
Boeing did not comment.
Messages involving a different, more rudimentary data service also were received from the airliner for a short time after the plane's transponder — a device used to identify the plane to radar — went silent, the official said.
If the plane had disintegrated during flight or had suffered some other catastrophic failure, all signals — the pings to the satellite, the data messages and the transponder — would be expected to stop at the same time.
One part of the hunt is in the South China Sea, where the aircraft was seen on civilian radar flying northeast before vanishing without any indication of technical problems. A similar-sized search is also being conducted in the Strait of Malacca because of military radar sightings that might indicate the plane turned in that direction after its last contact, passing over the Malay Peninsula.
The total search area being covered is about 35,800 square miles (92,600 square kilometers) — about the size of Portugal.
Asked if it were possible that the plane kept flying for several hours, Hishammuddin said: "Of course. We can't rule anything out. This is why we have extended the search. We are expanding our search into the Andaman Sea." The sea is northwest of the Malay Peninsula.
He said Malaysia was asking for radar data from India and other neighboring countries to see if they can trace it flying northwest. India says its navy, air force and coast guard will search for the plane in the south Andaman Sea.
"Because of new information, we may be part of an effort to open a new search area in the Indian Ocean," White House spokesman Jay Carney said earlier Thursday, declining to offer additional details about that information or the new area.
The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet said it is moving one of its ships, the USS Kidd, into the Strait of Malacca, west of Malaysia.
In the latest disappointment, search planes failed to find any debris from the plane after they were sent Thursday to an area of the South China Sea off the southern tip of Vietnam, where satellite images published on a Chinese government website reportedly showed three suspected floating objects.
"There is nothing. We went there. There is nothing," Hishammuddin said.
More than two-thirds of those on Flight MH370 were from China, which has shown impatience with the absence of any results. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday in Beijing he would like to see better coordination among countries in the search.
The passengers' "families and friends are burning with anxiety. The Chinese government and Chinese people are all deeply concerned about their safety," he said at the close of the annual session of the country's legislature. "As long as there is a glimmer of hope, we will not stop searching for the plane."
He said China had eight ships and 10 satellites searching for the plane.
Malaysia has been criticized for its handling of the search, in part because it took several days to fully explain why it couldn't say whether the plane had turned back. Officials say they are not hiding anything and are searching areas where the plane is most likely to be, while trying to establish its actual location.
Besides the Chinese satellite photos and the so-far fruitless search based on the possible sighting on military radar, there have been other developments in the aviation mystery that have failed to lead to finding the plane or the cause of its disappearance:
— Oil slicks seen Saturday were found to have nothing to do with the jetliner.
— A yellow object spotted by a search plane turned out to be ordinary sea trash.
— Officials initially said four or five passengers checked in for the flight but did not board, fueling speculation about terrorism. Officials later said some people with reservations never checked in and were simply replaced by standby passengers, and no baggage was removed.
— Officials said two men, later identified as Iranians, boarded the plane with stolen passports. It was later reported that they were unlikely to be linked to terrorist groups.
Investigators have not ruled out any possible cause for the plane's disappearance.
Experts say one possibility that could explain why the transponders were not working is that the pilot, or a passenger, likely one with some technical knowledge, switched off the transponders in the hope of flying undetected.
Sourced from Yahoo News.
Wednesday, 12 March 2014
This Photographer Just Made $15K In One Day On Instagram
Daniel Arnold had $90.03 in his bank account on Thursday when he had a clever idea: Why not sell some photos on Instagram?
Arnold, a Brooklyn-based photographer, enjoys a bit of fame on the network: He was lauded by Gawker as “the best photographer on Instagram” two years ago, after getting his account suspended for posting a photo of topless sunbathers at the beach. He’s since returned with a new account and now has 22,000 followers and more than 1,300 photos in his stream.
In addition to his photography, Arnold has written for MTV MTV and The Fader. Right now, he says via Gchat, “I am between classifications, and until yesterday wasn’t really making money doing anything. Been looking for photo work but in its absence i spend most days walking around the city taking photos (iphone and 35mm) for up to 8hrs a day.” His mode is what you might call humanist urban voyeurism: street scenes, faces on the subway, people having un-self-conscious moments. Stuff like this:
But walking the streets with an iPhone doesn’t pay the bills. On the eve of his 34th birthday, Arnold didn’t have a clue how he was going to make rent for the following month, so, at midnight, he posted this message on Instagram:
Because he has so many photos, no single image has emerged as the overwhelming favorite, he says. A number of people have ordered this one of a pantsless subway Santa Claus, and this one of an affluent-looking gentleman getting a shoeshine on Ash Wednesday is popular too. One man asked for a print of the topless photo that got Arnold’s original Instagram account banned. He’s French, naturally.
Originally, the sale was only supposed to last for 24 hours. Arnold, who’s still working through a massive backlog of orders, says he hasn’t decided what to do about that restriction, but it sounds like he won’t turn them down. After all, “I’ve been eating toast three meals a day all February.”
Culled from Forbes.
Arnold, a Brooklyn-based photographer, enjoys a bit of fame on the network: He was lauded by Gawker as “the best photographer on Instagram” two years ago, after getting his account suspended for posting a photo of topless sunbathers at the beach. He’s since returned with a new account and now has 22,000 followers and more than 1,300 photos in his stream.
In addition to his photography, Arnold has written for MTV MTV and The Fader. Right now, he says via Gchat, “I am between classifications, and until yesterday wasn’t really making money doing anything. Been looking for photo work but in its absence i spend most days walking around the city taking photos (iphone and 35mm) for up to 8hrs a day.” His mode is what you might call humanist urban voyeurism: street scenes, faces on the subway, people having un-self-conscious moments. Stuff like this:
But walking the streets with an iPhone doesn’t pay the bills. On the eve of his 34th birthday, Arnold didn’t have a clue how he was going to make rent for the following month, so, at midnight, he posted this message on Instagram:
The response overwhelmed him. Orders poured in. A day later, he’d received nearly $15,000 worth of requests, and collected some $5,000. One buyer offered him $1,000 up front for prints of any photo that had received more than 1,000 likes; Arnold still hasn’t tallied how many that is.Hello, I just turned 34 this second. For one day only I am selling 4×6 prints of whatever you want from my Instagram archive for $150 each. I swear I will never sell anything this cheap again. If you’re interested, send a screenshot of the photo(s) of your choice to arnoldaniel@gmail.com (one d) and I will send a paypal invoice, followed by a signed print. Easy peasy. Happy my birthday. I love you
Because he has so many photos, no single image has emerged as the overwhelming favorite, he says. A number of people have ordered this one of a pantsless subway Santa Claus, and this one of an affluent-looking gentleman getting a shoeshine on Ash Wednesday is popular too. One man asked for a print of the topless photo that got Arnold’s original Instagram account banned. He’s French, naturally.
Originally, the sale was only supposed to last for 24 hours. Arnold, who’s still working through a massive backlog of orders, says he hasn’t decided what to do about that restriction, but it sounds like he won’t turn them down. After all, “I’ve been eating toast three meals a day all February.”
Culled from Forbes.
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell back on x-factor
It's the news we all expected to hear: Cheryl Cole will return to X Factor. The signing was announced by Simon Cowell with a message posted online which said: "It's official. Cheryl is back. Most importantly she is a brilliant judge of talent."
According to The Mirror, the former Girls Aloud singer has signed on for £1.5 million; she originally left the UK series for the US version, but her American dream didn't last long.
Dramatically dropped as a judge on X Factor USA in 2011, it is thought her relative unknown status in the US and thick Geordie accent proved the real barrier to possible success in America. US network Fox, which aired X Factor USA, wanted a bigger name from the start, but Simon Cowell insisted on Cheryl Cole.
However, US television critics and audiences warmed to her. Her popularity has barely diminished among X Factor fans - little wonder the departure of various panellists was always followed by reports of Cheryl Cole's possible return. And now it has happened.
It is hoped the combination of Simon and Cheryl will stem the exodus of viewers. The duo's last series in 2010 had an audience of 17.2 million watching Matt Cardle crowned winner, but that figure dropped by 7.5 million for the climax of the 2013 series won by Sam Bailey.
At a press conference to mark the official announcement, Cheryl said: "I'm very happy and excited to be returning to The X Factor. I'm inspired and ready to find new talent and potential pop stars. It's going to be a fun series." Simon added: "I am so happy that Cheryl has agreed to join The X Factor again."
Cheryl mentored two acts to the X Factor crown during her first stint on the show and was also renowned for the tears she often shed during the X Factor process. In addition to becoming a fashion icon, she also performed on the series.
Culled from MSN News.
Friday, 7 March 2014
Man sets new world record for typing with his NOSE
AN Indian man has set a new speed typing world record - using his nose. Khursheed Hussain correctly typed a sentence using his conk in an astonishing 47.44 seconds. The 103-character sentence read: "Guinness World Records has challenged me to type this sentence using my nose in the fastest time." The 23-year-old says he spent six hours a day practicing in the run up to the attempt, held in Hyderabad, India, last week. His latest attempt - 6.56 seconds faster than his first, carried out in 2013 - smashed the previous official world record of a measly 1 minute, 33 seconds, set in 2008 in Dubai by another Indian man.
Culled from
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Yahoo stops Facebook, Google sign-in credentials
Yahoo on Wednesday confirmed that it will stop letting people sign into its online services using credentials from rival Internet titans Facebook or Google.The shift began with the Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick’Em arena and will gradually expand to all of the company’s online services and products, including photo-sharing website Flickr.
“We are moving towards requiring all users to access our service with a Yahoo username over time,” the faded Internet search star said.“Eventually, the sign in buttons for Facebook and Google will be removed from all Yahoo properties.”Yahoo portrayed the move as enabling the California-based firm to provide more personalized services and content to visitors, but it was also seen as part of a strategy to better target money-making ads.Yahoo is bucking a trend of websites accepting Facebook or Google usernames and passwords to allow single online identities follow people about the Internet.
Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer has overhauled the company’s offerings and launched digital magazines as part of an effort to revitalize the aging Internet pioneer and to be at the center of daily online habits.She has made a priority of following people onto mobile devices, focusing on tailoring content to individual tastes while Microsoft search engine Bing does the heavy-lifting behind the scenes, crawling and indexing online content for Yahoo under the terms of a deal struck several years ago.
Meanwhile, Facebook last year unseated Yahoo as the second-place digital ad seller in the United States, according to industry tracker eMarketer.Google remained the top digital ad seller with just shy of 40 percent of the US market, eMarketer reported.
Culled from Vanguard News.
“We are moving towards requiring all users to access our service with a Yahoo username over time,” the faded Internet search star said.“Eventually, the sign in buttons for Facebook and Google will be removed from all Yahoo properties.”Yahoo portrayed the move as enabling the California-based firm to provide more personalized services and content to visitors, but it was also seen as part of a strategy to better target money-making ads.Yahoo is bucking a trend of websites accepting Facebook or Google usernames and passwords to allow single online identities follow people about the Internet.
Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer has overhauled the company’s offerings and launched digital magazines as part of an effort to revitalize the aging Internet pioneer and to be at the center of daily online habits.She has made a priority of following people onto mobile devices, focusing on tailoring content to individual tastes while Microsoft search engine Bing does the heavy-lifting behind the scenes, crawling and indexing online content for Yahoo under the terms of a deal struck several years ago.
Meanwhile, Facebook last year unseated Yahoo as the second-place digital ad seller in the United States, according to industry tracker eMarketer.Google remained the top digital ad seller with just shy of 40 percent of the US market, eMarketer reported.
Culled from Vanguard News.
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Nigeria: National Conference: FG names ex-CJN, kutigi, chairman
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi, as the chairman of the National Conference.
A statement on Monday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, named a former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, as the vice-chairman and the wife of the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, Dr. Valerie Azinge, as Secretary.
The appointees are to resume duty tomorrow in Abuja.
The Federal Government had in releasing the modalities for nominations for the proposed National Conference, said the conference was expected to hold in the Federal Capital Territory. It is expected to last three months.
According to Anyim, 492 nominees will participate in the conference, which is to be held in the Federal Capital Territory. He stated that where consensus was not achievable, “it shall be by 75 per cent majority.”
Anyim said that after the three-month deliberations, the conference itself would advise the government on the legal framework, procedures and options for integrating its decisions and outcomes into the 1999 Constitution.
The SGF had stated that the conference would discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation.
He had quoted the President as saying, “You will also recall that the President further stressed that, “sitting down to talk is one right step in calming down tensions and channeling our grievances, misgivings and suggestions into more positive use for the good of our country.
“The President stated as well that in any case, Nigerians are already talking about their national challenges through the print and electronic media.”
He observed that, “the only gap is that while these talks are sometimes weighty, they often lack direction.”
Modalities for the conference as outlined by the SGF include 37 elder statesmen; one per state and the FCT, to be nominated by the President.
The list also includes retired military and security personnel from each of the armed forces, the Police, the State Security Service and the Nigeria Intelligence Agency .
Others are traditional rulers (two per zone and one for the FCT), retired civil servants; one from each of the geopolitical zones and the FCT, representatives of labour (the NLC and the TUC) whose nominations should reflect geopolitical and gender balance; and Organised Private Sector with two nominations from NECA, MAN, NACCIMA and NESG.
The conference would also feature Nigeria Youth Organisations with one nomination each from the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NANS and others.
Culled from Punch News.
Culled from Punch News.
Forbes names Dangote 23rd richest in the world
Foremost Nigerian industrialist, Aliko Dangote, on Monday made history by becoming the first black man to break into the rank of top 25 richest people in the world. His wealth jumped to $25bn from $16.1bn in 2013, according to Forbes magazine’s list of the richest people on earth.
Dangote, who was number 43 in the top 100 world billionaire list last year, moved up 20 spots to retain his position as the richest person in Africa and also number 23rd in the world.
The Chairman, Globacom, Chief Mike Adenuga, was the next Nigerian on the list with a wealth of $4.6bn to maintain the 325th position in the world.
The Executive Vice Chairman, Famfa Oil Limited and fashion icon, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, retained her position as the world’s richest black woman and the 687th in the world with a fortune of $2.5bn; while the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, BUA Group of Companies, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, was ranked 1372th in the world with $1.2bn.
The former Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates, is back on top after a four-year hiatus, reclaiming the title of the world’s richest person from telecoms mogul, Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, who ranked number one for the past four years. Gates, whose fortune rose by $9bn in the past year, has held the top spot for 15 of the past 20 years.
Spanish clothing retailer, Amancio Ortega, best known for the Zara fashion chain, retains the No. 3 spot for the second year in a row, extending his lead over Warren Buffett, who is again in the fourth position.
The year’s biggest dollar gainer was the Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, whose fortune jumped by $15.2bn to $28.5bn, as shares of his social network soared.
Technology, and more specifically Facebook, helped to propel numerous fortunes lately.
The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, joins the ranks for the first time, as does the Facebook’s long-time vice-president, Jeff Rothschild.
Also, thanks to a $19bn deal (including restricted stock) with Facebook; WhatsApp founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, join the ranks of Silicon Valley’s wealthiest for the first time.
They are four of 26 newcomers whose fortunes come from technology; 10 of whom are American, including Dropbox CEO, Drew Houston, and Workday cofounder, Aneel Bhusri.
The United States once again leads the world with 492 billionaires as a result of the technology boom and strong stock market, followed by China with 152 and Russia with 111. But wealth is spreading to new places.
For the first time in the history of the Forbes rating, billionaires were found in Algeria with Issad Rebrab, who is into food business with $3.2bn worth of fortune; Rostam Azizi from Tanzania with $1bn; and Sudhir Ruparelia from Uganda with $1.1bn.
Culled from Punch News.
Culled from Punch News.
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Kanu Undergoes Heart Surgery Again!
Nigerian football legend and founder of Kanu Heart Foundation, KHF, Nwankwo Kanu(OON, MON, UNICEF Ambassador) at the weekend underwent a corrective heart surgery at the Cleveland Hospital , Ohio, USA.
The surgery was carried out during one of his normal yearly routine medical checks at
the hospital following the 1997 heart surgery at the same hospital.
Co-ordinator jof the Kanu Heart Foundation, Pastor Onyebuchi Abia confirmed the success of the surgery adding that the former Super Eagles captain has since left the intensive care unit, ICU, of the hospital and is recuperating in the hosptal.
“He’ll be back home in a few days time’’, Abia said in a statement.
‘’I spoke with him Sunday afternoon and he confirmed he’s in a stable condition.
Even from his hospital bed, he expressed profound gratitude to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the award bestowed on him during the Centenary Award Ceremony in Abuja.
‘’He also hailed the transformation agenda of the present administration in showing commitment to sports adding that he was humbled by the award and promised to continue his football ambassadorial work for the benefit of the country’’, Abia quoted him as saying.
The former Arsenal forward assured his teeming fans and supporters of his quick recovery.
Nwankwo Kanu
The surgery was carried out during one of his normal yearly routine medical checks at
the hospital following the 1997 heart surgery at the same hospital.
Co-ordinator jof the Kanu Heart Foundation, Pastor Onyebuchi Abia confirmed the success of the surgery adding that the former Super Eagles captain has since left the intensive care unit, ICU, of the hospital and is recuperating in the hosptal.
“He’ll be back home in a few days time’’, Abia said in a statement.
‘’I spoke with him Sunday afternoon and he confirmed he’s in a stable condition.
Even from his hospital bed, he expressed profound gratitude to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the award bestowed on him during the Centenary Award Ceremony in Abuja.
‘’He also hailed the transformation agenda of the present administration in showing commitment to sports adding that he was humbled by the award and promised to continue his football ambassadorial work for the benefit of the country’’, Abia quoted him as saying.
The former Arsenal forward assured his teeming fans and supporters of his quick recovery.
Nigeria: Anglican Church subjects members to oath denouncing homosexuality
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has introduced a clause in its constitution subjecting members, who intend to hold positions in church, to take an oath of allegiance to God denouncing homosexuality.The public denunciation took place in Abuja on Sunday at St. Matthews, Maitama, during the swearing-in of new members of the Parish Church Council (PCC).The Vicar of the church, Ven. Ben Idume, who administered the oath to members of the PCC, said the church recognised that those with such sexual orientation needed help and counselling.“But they would not be allowed to hold any position in church,’’ he said.The legislation is significant because it applies to members of the laity, clergy and house of bishops of the church.It also banned bisexuals from holding any church office.
The text of the vow reads: “I declare before God and his Church that I have never been a homosexual /bisexual or (have repented from being homosexual/bisexual) and I vow that I will not indulge in the practise of homosexuality/bisexuality.“If after this oath I am involved, found to be, or profess to be a homosexual/bisexual against the teachings of the Holy Scriptures as contained in the Bible.“I bring upon myself the full wrath of God and subject myself willingly to canonical discipline as enshrined in the constitution of the Church of Nigeria, so help me God.’’
One of the oath-takers, Mr Lucky Erhaikhuemen, 43, the Vicar’s warden of the church, said two decades ago the oath would have been of no significance in the Church of Nigeria.“But with what is happening in Western countries and the churches there, there is a lot a pressure on church leaders and members here to compromise the teachings of the church.
“The oath is a guide and warning that those in leadership positions in the church must uphold scriptural teachings and point to the godly part to the younger generations,’’ he said.
In January, President Goodluck Jonathan signed a law banning same-sex marriages and shows of same-sex public affection.The law introduced a 14-year prison sentence for people who are convicted of entering into a same-sex marriage or civil union.Under the law it is also an offence to administer witness or help at a same-sex marriage ceremony.The law also forbids people from running gay clubs, societies, processions or meetings in Nigeria and the punishment for such acts is 10 years in prison.The law states that marriages or civil unions from outside the country will be void inside the country. (NAN).
Culled from Vanguard News.
The text of the vow reads: “I declare before God and his Church that I have never been a homosexual /bisexual or (have repented from being homosexual/bisexual) and I vow that I will not indulge in the practise of homosexuality/bisexuality.“If after this oath I am involved, found to be, or profess to be a homosexual/bisexual against the teachings of the Holy Scriptures as contained in the Bible.“I bring upon myself the full wrath of God and subject myself willingly to canonical discipline as enshrined in the constitution of the Church of Nigeria, so help me God.’’
One of the oath-takers, Mr Lucky Erhaikhuemen, 43, the Vicar’s warden of the church, said two decades ago the oath would have been of no significance in the Church of Nigeria.“But with what is happening in Western countries and the churches there, there is a lot a pressure on church leaders and members here to compromise the teachings of the church.
“The oath is a guide and warning that those in leadership positions in the church must uphold scriptural teachings and point to the godly part to the younger generations,’’ he said.
In January, President Goodluck Jonathan signed a law banning same-sex marriages and shows of same-sex public affection.The law introduced a 14-year prison sentence for people who are convicted of entering into a same-sex marriage or civil union.Under the law it is also an offence to administer witness or help at a same-sex marriage ceremony.The law also forbids people from running gay clubs, societies, processions or meetings in Nigeria and the punishment for such acts is 10 years in prison.The law states that marriages or civil unions from outside the country will be void inside the country. (NAN).
Culled from Vanguard News.
Why ladies prefer to remain single
There have been different questions and opinion polls on why some ladies prefer to remain single. People have different opinions and reasons why they will love to be single than to be in ‘bondage’
Find below some of the reasons:
1. You get to design your living space exactly as you want it, and appreciate the serenity and freedom that comes with no one encroaching on your little bubble.
2. You get to make a list of all the things you want to do and move through them one by one without ever having to stop and ask another person if they are okay with doing it.
3. You learn what it means to define yourself as an individual, and not even tangentially as part of a unit.
4. For many things — from sleeping through the night, to feeling good about yourself, to trying new activities — you learn to rely on yourself, and to be your own support system when you need it.
5. You can go home to your family, or take a trip somewhere new, for a period of time if you need to, and not have to worry about anyone else’s life being affected by your distance. You don’t have to maintain any relationship while you are away.
6. You don’t have to take anyone’s opinion into consideration when planning a vacation.
7. Every day you live holds the potential of starting an entirely new love story — whether with a partner or a city or a book — and you never know when or where yours is going to start.
8. You can dedicate nearly all your social time to developing and enriching the friendships which sometimes fall by the wayside when you are consumed with a new relationship.
9. You can figure out the things which are important to accomplish by yourself, and work on achieving higher and higher goals on your own.
10. You can throw yourself fully into your work — even to the point that you’re not seeing your friends as frequently as you’d like to — and don’t have to worry about it coming at the cost of your relationship.
11. You don’t have to feel guilty about being the most important thing in your life.
12. In the absence of someone else’s opinion or touch or reinforcement, you can decide exactly how you feel about your own body and how you would like to improve or change it, if you’re not happy.
13. You can engage in long moments of self-care, and not have to explain to anyone why you’re upset or why you need to be by yourself for a while.
14. No one is going to take your solitude personally.
15. You get to spend extended periods of time wandering around, reading, people-watching, drinking tea, and listening to the kinds of things you think about when no one is telling you what they want to do next.
16. You can decide the things that you love about being single — the parts of you that you absolutely don’t want to disappear when you get into a relationship — and learn to set boundaries around them. You can refuse relationships that encroach on your personal time or ability to make your own choices.
17. Because of all the time you are able to spend working on your platonic or familial relationships, you realize how essential and affirming all of these different connections can be, and how much you need to care for them when you’re back into a relationship again.
18. You can take as much time as you need to lick your wounds from previous hurts or disappointments.
19. All of your energy can go towards taking care of and improving yourself, from working hard on a project to learning a new language to redoing your entire apartment, and you don’t have to reserve a designated amount of time to taking care of someone else.
20. The fear that we all live with — the fear of being alone, and that somehow denoting failure — begin to ebb as you realize that being alone can be just wonderful
Find below some of the reasons:
1. You get to design your living space exactly as you want it, and appreciate the serenity and freedom that comes with no one encroaching on your little bubble.
2. You get to make a list of all the things you want to do and move through them one by one without ever having to stop and ask another person if they are okay with doing it.
3. You learn what it means to define yourself as an individual, and not even tangentially as part of a unit.
4. For many things — from sleeping through the night, to feeling good about yourself, to trying new activities — you learn to rely on yourself, and to be your own support system when you need it.
5. You can go home to your family, or take a trip somewhere new, for a period of time if you need to, and not have to worry about anyone else’s life being affected by your distance. You don’t have to maintain any relationship while you are away.
6. You don’t have to take anyone’s opinion into consideration when planning a vacation.
7. Every day you live holds the potential of starting an entirely new love story — whether with a partner or a city or a book — and you never know when or where yours is going to start.
8. You can dedicate nearly all your social time to developing and enriching the friendships which sometimes fall by the wayside when you are consumed with a new relationship.
9. You can figure out the things which are important to accomplish by yourself, and work on achieving higher and higher goals on your own.
10. You can throw yourself fully into your work — even to the point that you’re not seeing your friends as frequently as you’d like to — and don’t have to worry about it coming at the cost of your relationship.
11. You don’t have to feel guilty about being the most important thing in your life.
12. In the absence of someone else’s opinion or touch or reinforcement, you can decide exactly how you feel about your own body and how you would like to improve or change it, if you’re not happy.
13. You can engage in long moments of self-care, and not have to explain to anyone why you’re upset or why you need to be by yourself for a while.
14. No one is going to take your solitude personally.
15. You get to spend extended periods of time wandering around, reading, people-watching, drinking tea, and listening to the kinds of things you think about when no one is telling you what they want to do next.
16. You can decide the things that you love about being single — the parts of you that you absolutely don’t want to disappear when you get into a relationship — and learn to set boundaries around them. You can refuse relationships that encroach on your personal time or ability to make your own choices.
17. Because of all the time you are able to spend working on your platonic or familial relationships, you realize how essential and affirming all of these different connections can be, and how much you need to care for them when you’re back into a relationship again.
18. You can take as much time as you need to lick your wounds from previous hurts or disappointments.
19. All of your energy can go towards taking care of and improving yourself, from working hard on a project to learning a new language to redoing your entire apartment, and you don’t have to reserve a designated amount of time to taking care of someone else.
20. The fear that we all live with — the fear of being alone, and that somehow denoting failure — begin to ebb as you realize that being alone can be just wonderful
Nigeria: Boko Haram Bombs Maiduguri: Over 100 feared dead
It was another tragic day in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, yesterday, after twin explosions reportedly killed about 100 people, some of them football fans.The first explosion was said to have killed dozens of the fans in a ‘viewing centre’ when suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were detonated at about 6pm.
The second explosion, it was learnt, went off as rescuers rushed to the scene, killing many more.In another location, Dugolong village, in Askira Uba local government area of the state, about 20 persons were allegedly killed.It was not clear if the incident was a terror attack or resulted from airstrikes as an airforce fighter jet was said to have been spotted around the scene at the time of attack.Meanwhile, a female student of the state college of education, Waka, in Biu LGA was said to have been slaughtered by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Friday.
In the Maiduguri attack, fans, according to an eye witness, were watching football in a ‘viewing centre’ when the explosion occurred.“The explosion apparently left about 70 dead,” the eye witness said.The blast was said to have attracted many people nearby including wedding guests who launched a rescue operation.“Moments after the rescue operation got underway, another explosion went off, killing many more and wounding several others.”File: Scene of the bomb blast at the post office area of Maiduguri in Borno StateThe eye witness believed the second explosion was detonated from two pick up vans disguised as selling firewood.
“As I am talking to you now, we have counted over 70 corpses. Even then, some have been taken to hospital, dead or injured. We probably have at least 100 dead,” he added.In the Dugolong attack, report said insurgents laid an ambush which killed over 20 people, while another version said the deaths resulted from airstrikes launched by government forces.
The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Lawal Tanko, confirmed the incident but could not give casuality figures. But a security source, confirmed the incidents thus: “Yes, there were twin explosions in Maiduguri metropolis on Saturday evening. There was also an attack in Dugolong on Friday. Although we are yet to ascertain those behind the Dugolong incident, preliminary investigation revealed that the attack took place when a fighter jet was firing at suspected insurgents killing over 20 of them”.At press time, a fighter jet was seen hovering over Maiduguri while most residents could not wait for the 9pm curfew imposed on the Borno capital before rushing back home leaving almost all the streets deserted.Yesterday’s bombings came in the wake of the insurgency attack on a school in Yobe State last week which killed about 59 students; and another raid in Adamawa State with over two dozens deaths.
Culled from Vanguard News.
The second explosion, it was learnt, went off as rescuers rushed to the scene, killing many more.In another location, Dugolong village, in Askira Uba local government area of the state, about 20 persons were allegedly killed.It was not clear if the incident was a terror attack or resulted from airstrikes as an airforce fighter jet was said to have been spotted around the scene at the time of attack.Meanwhile, a female student of the state college of education, Waka, in Biu LGA was said to have been slaughtered by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Friday.
In the Maiduguri attack, fans, according to an eye witness, were watching football in a ‘viewing centre’ when the explosion occurred.“The explosion apparently left about 70 dead,” the eye witness said.The blast was said to have attracted many people nearby including wedding guests who launched a rescue operation.“Moments after the rescue operation got underway, another explosion went off, killing many more and wounding several others.”File: Scene of the bomb blast at the post office area of Maiduguri in Borno StateThe eye witness believed the second explosion was detonated from two pick up vans disguised as selling firewood.
“As I am talking to you now, we have counted over 70 corpses. Even then, some have been taken to hospital, dead or injured. We probably have at least 100 dead,” he added.In the Dugolong attack, report said insurgents laid an ambush which killed over 20 people, while another version said the deaths resulted from airstrikes launched by government forces.
The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Lawal Tanko, confirmed the incident but could not give casuality figures. But a security source, confirmed the incidents thus: “Yes, there were twin explosions in Maiduguri metropolis on Saturday evening. There was also an attack in Dugolong on Friday. Although we are yet to ascertain those behind the Dugolong incident, preliminary investigation revealed that the attack took place when a fighter jet was firing at suspected insurgents killing over 20 of them”.At press time, a fighter jet was seen hovering over Maiduguri while most residents could not wait for the 9pm curfew imposed on the Borno capital before rushing back home leaving almost all the streets deserted.Yesterday’s bombings came in the wake of the insurgency attack on a school in Yobe State last week which killed about 59 students; and another raid in Adamawa State with over two dozens deaths.
Culled from Vanguard News.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)