Dame Patience Jonathan in Paris, Calls for Strict Penalties Against rape

The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has called for stiff penalties, backed by effective laws for perpetrators of s*xual violence against women.

Mrs. Jonathan made this statement in her speech in Paris, France, on December 6, 2013, during the advocacy meeting on s*xual violence against women.
The meeting was hosted by the First Lady of France, Ms. Valerie Trierweiler, on the sideline of the Elysee Summit for Peace and Security in Africa holding in Paris.
Mrs. Jonathan urged the First Ladies from over 50 counties present to use their positions to mobilise support against s*xual violence and other abuses against women.
She said conflict-related s*xual abuse should not be regarded as unavoidable or acceptable consequences of war because of their devastating consequences.
Dame Patience further urged leaders and policy makers to continue to promote girl child education, women empowerment and gender equality as critical steps to stop s*xual violence against women.
The First Lady called on UN member states, especially African leaders, to reassert their commitment to the effective implementation of UN resolutions on women.
She specifically advocated commitment to the implementation of Resolution 1325, which calls for greater protection of women from gender-based violence.
She emphasised the need for strategic collaboration and the inclusion of men in the global response to the problem of r*pe, saying “behind every r*pe, there is a man.”
A film on s*xual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo was screened for the participants, as well as speeches from the eyewitnesses of situations in Libya and the Central African Republic.
The special Representative of the UN Secretary General on s*xual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Zainab Bangura and some of the first ladies in attendance also spoke at the meeting.
They specifically lend a voice to the global call to end s*xual violence against women.
It would be noted that President Goodluck Jonathan is participating in the peace and security summit attended by world leaders also in Paris.

In death, Mandela pulls a joke on world leaders

It was a death not foretold but largely expected, leaving in its trail an outpouring  of uncommon tributes from hitherto  known friends, foes, dissidents, antagonists, protagonists and perhaps loners speaking with one voice. But that is one of the many surprising ironies of life, international diplomacy and gesture.
While these could be regarded as the ironic reality of Nelson Mandela’s demise, it vividly  captures the sheer hypocrisy which global leaders use in achieving political objectives.
However, looked at from whichever prism, the uncommon tributes pouring in from global leaders following the  exit of the former South African President  are uncommon and can only come once in life time.
The development appears to have cast a pall on the acclaimed ideology of these leaders, who, before now, were known to have  largely acted and are acting in breach of the ideals that Mandela lived for and represented.

In fact, the striking aspects of Mandela’s political legacy, which are non-violent revolution and peaceful resistance, reconciliation, selfless leadership, do not seem to matter to some  of these leaders.
That is why the tributes are being dismissed in some quarters as coming from those, who are hardly on the same page with Madiba, particularly on issues that relate to global peace.
And these unusual tributes and dirges speak volumes about the matter:
President Assad of Syria, who is currently fighting a revolt against his rule, said Nelson Mandela’s life was an inspiration to freedom fighters and a lesson to tyrants.
If there was any joke regarding the barrage of condolence messages, it is the one sent by Assad of Syria.   For a ruler who has virtually destroyed his own country because he is waging a war against those he termed terrorists, the joke is on him.   Inspiration and lesson!   May be Assad sent out the wrong condolence message.
US. President Barack Obama
“Mandela no longer belongs to us, he belongs to the ages.
“Madiba transformed South Africa and moved all of us,” Obama said. “His journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that human beings — and countries — can change for the better.
“The  day that he was released from prison gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they’re guided by their hopes and not their fears,” Obama further   said. “I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I can to learn from him.”   Obama’s tribute is understandable.   At least he claims that the man shaped his political career and the American President does not appear to be doing a bad job.
China
A cross-section of  the  Chinese society, from the ruling Communist Party’s leadership cadre to scholars and activists pushing for political change, also mourned the passing of Mandela, triggering debates  and difficult questions. The country’s Vice President, Li Yuanchao, on Friday, went to the South African Embassy in Beijing to mourn the death of the country’s former president.
Li stood in silent tribute in front of a bust of Mandela and signed a book of condolences.
Li said Mandela spent all his life advocating and implementing racial equality and reconciliation. He not only was a hero in the heart of South Africans, but also won global recognition, Li added.
Stressing that Mandela had made great contributions to the establishment and development of friendly cooperation between China and South Africa, Li said his unfortunate death had led Chinese people to lose a close friend.
He expressed deep condolences on behalf of the Chinese government and Chinese people.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said, on Friday, that a Chinese leader will attend the ceremonies arranged by South Africa to mourn the passing of Mandela.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have sent messages of condolence to South African President Jacob Zuma to express their heartfelt sympathies.
But the question on many lips  remain: Does China or its leaders have anything in common with the ideals of Mandela?
England
Queen Elizabeth II said she was “deeply saddened” to learn of Mr Mandela’s death, describing him as one of the towering figures of the 20th century who inspired young and old with his fight for equality.   Meanwhile, she was on the throne while the apartheid regime got endorsements from the Crown for decades.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron: “One of the brightest lights of our world has gone out”
Pope Francis
Pope Francis said Mr Mandela had forged “a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth”.   A good man speaketh!
Russian President Vladimir Putin said: “Mandela, having gone through the most difficult ordeals, was committed to the end of his days to the ideals of humanism and justice.”
Pray, was Putin addressing the Russian people or was he performing a ritual and a hollow, very hollow one at that.   Would it not have been more honourable if Putin had added something like: “And from this day, I, as the Russian leader, would imbibe and act the ideals of the late sage?”
French President Francois Hollande said Mr Mandela’s message would “continue to inspire fighters for freedom and to give confidence to peoples in the defence of just causes and universal rights”.
Ban Ki-moon: “Let us continue each day to be inspired by Nelson Mandela’s lifelong example”?
Germany’s Angela Merkel said Mr Mandela’s “political legacy of non-violence and the condemnation of all forms of racism” would continue to inspire.
Ghana’s President John Mahama told the BBC Mr Mandela was the greatest African who ever lived.
Senegalese President Macky Sall said “Nelson Mandela was undoubtedly the most influential man of the century”, a “role model for Africans and also for humanity”. He said Mr Mandela gave Africans “pride in being black – a dignity in being a black man”.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta praised him for living “an extraordinary life in a very ordinary way. His legacy encrypts the story of humanity now and tomorrow.” For a man whose case at the International Criminal Court is yet to be resolved it is indeed an irony of “extraordinary” proportions that such a statement came from his office.
President Goodluck Jonathan said Mandela was an “inspiration to the oppressed peoples all over the world” and had made “unparalleled personal sacrifices”.
One of Mandela’s sacrifices was leaving the stage when the ovation was loudest before the setting-in of the law of diminishing returns.   Africa needs leaders who would make more of the sacrifices.
Liberia’s President and Nobel peace prize laureate Ellen Johnston Sirleaf told the BBC that Mr Mandela was a constant inspiration and would never be forgotten: “Nelson Mandela lives on as his life will continue to be the guiding light for those who excel, for those who have suffered for freedom and for peace.”   Even for a female politician, the last election that brought her back to power and the way the politics of it went cannot be said to be a “guiding light for those” who want to excel in the once war-ravaged country.
Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff said Mr Mandela would “guide all those who fight for social justice and for peace in the world”.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro compared the death of Mr Mandela to the passing of the late Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez: “Nine months after the departure of our commander, today another giant of the people leaves this world. Madiba you will live forever!” Perish the thought.   On what basis is Maduro comparing Chavez with Mandela?   His election to power was a product of debauchery.
Cuban leader Raul Castro said he was grateful for Mr Mandela’s friendship and steadfast support of the Cuban people.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: “This is as much India’s loss as South Africa’s. He was a true Gandhian. His life and work will remain a source of eternal inspiration for The United Nations Secreatry Genera, Mr. Ban Ki Moon described him as “ a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration”.

PHOTOS: Van Vicker Surprises Jackie Appiah At Her Birthday

Talented and loved Ghanian actor Van Vicker paid a visit to the actress Jackie Appiah, who celebrated her Birthday on December 5.

According to the actor, they went to surprise her. Their surprise really worked.
Check out the photos below.

Business Associate Intern 2014 – Google

Google is not a conventional company, and we don’t intend to become one. True, we share attributes with the world’s most successful organizations – a focus on innovation and smart business practices comes to mind – but even as we continue to grow, we’re committed to retaining a small-company feel.

Job description

Business Associate Internship assignments are typically offered in the following business areas: Sales and Customer Service: Google’s Advertising Sales and Global Customer Service roles find innovative solutions that meet our clients’ changing needs. We identify business challenges, collaboratively shape solutions that drive strategic initiatives and keep clients informed of the ways Google products can enhance their online and offline presence.
Enterprise: As masters of cloud computing, the Enterprise team helps small and large businesses, educational institutions and government agencies discover the wonders of “the cloud” and work smarter through Google Apps. Our technical and sales teams design and implement solutions for these organisations with custom features, security and support – all with Google’s philosophy of innovation and ease of use in mind.
Finance: The name Google came from “googol,” a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. And nobody at Google loves big numbers like the Finance team when providing in depth analysis on all manner of strategic decisions across Google products. From developing forward-thinking analysis to generating management reports to scaling our automated financial processes, the Finance organization is an important partner and advisor to the business.
People Operations: Google’s People Operations roles are focused on redefining “human resources” and preserving Google’s unique culture in the way we attract, hire, develop and reward talented people.
Legal: Google Legal crafts innovative approaches for tackling some of the toughest legal challenges of the information age. Google Legal lets you tackle unanswered legal quandaries and create new precedents. Our innovative services raise challenging questions that demand creative and practical answers. We provide those answers by working at the crossroads of the law and new technology, helping Google build innovative and important products for users around the world. (Please note that Google does accept applications for Legal internships that start in 2015 in some instances.)
Product Quality Operations: The Product Quality Operations (PQO) team protects Google’s users. We define and communicate product policies, and we defend Google’s integrity by fighting spam, fraud and abuse across Google products. The PQO team ensures product quality for the company’s expanding base of advertisers, publishers and users in more than 40 languages. We partner with Engineering to combat fraud and abuse across major products like Search, AdWords, AdSense, Google+, Wallet, and Maps.
Marketing: Google’s Marketing team applies the same level of creative originality to Google’s marketing campaigns that the company has applied to online search and advertising. We support Google’s growth and revenue generating efforts through effective and results-focused marketing campaigns for both business and consumer products.
gTech: The Google Technical Services (gTech) team serves as the primary point of contact for our global Sales, Business Development and Partnerships teams to support our sales organisation across all products. We provide tools so that our sales teams can focus on generating revenue and leverage our strong relationships with Google’s Tech teams to enable our sales organisation to do multi-solution selling, launch and support new products, and help and engage our users.
Localization: The Localization team makes sure that all Google content is translated and localized into more than 40 and in some cases even more than 60 languages. If you are interested in the magic of localization at scale, apply for an internship with the l10n team. We have 3 types of roles available: project management, linguistic and tool development.
Africa Internship Program: The Africa team focuses on accessibility, relevance, and outreach. They want to make it easier for African users to access information on the internet, deliver more relevant content, and build relationships with Africans who are building the internet. Recent efforts in those areas – like Getting African Businesses Online, Gmail SMS, and Google Trader – empower Africans to make better use of technology in their daily lives.
Responsibilities
Minimum qualifications

• Returning to education on a full-time basis upon completing the internship.
• Ability to commit to a minimum of 10 weeks and up to 6 months at Google.
• Currently enrolled in a Bachelors or Masters degree program and maintaining student status throughout the internship. Priority given to students graduating end of 2014 or in 2015.

Preferred qualifications

• Previous internship experience in Sales, Advertising, Consulting, Analysis, Customer Service, Marketing, Finance or related fields.

Area
Are you looking for a challenge? Google now offers internship opportunities throughout the year. These range from non-technical functions to roles where some technical knowledge could be advantageous. If you are studying Psychology or Art History, don’t let an arts degree keep you from applying to Google. We have internships in many fields that could be right for you, located in various locations and multiple languages.
Being an intern at Google means you will be fully integrated member of our business team. You will receive ongoing training, and will have a mentor assigned to you with whom you’ll work closely to identify project goals and professional development opportunities. In addition, you will participate in a structured program of educational and social activities to ensure you have a productive experience at Google that helps you grow your personal and professional skills. Internships are available in a wide array of fields, all of which are listed above.

Jonathan surrounded by hostage-takers

At 75, he feels fulfilled having contributed immensely to the nation’s socio-economic and political development. Between 1979-1983 Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun was the Secretary to Lagos State Government during the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande
However, before his foray into politics, he worked for over 20 years at the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where he rose to become a Deputy Director before he voluntarily retired on September 30, 1979. At a point, during his civil service years, he went into unionism and later became the President of the CBN workers union.
BY ‘TUNDE THOMAS
A fellow of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria,CIBN,  Basorun also served as Commissioner for Education in Lagos State.  He was also a member of Lagos State Delegation to the National Political Reform Conference organized by Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration is 2005.
In this interview, he speaks at length about the state of the nation, his civil service years, leadership and a host of others. Excerpt:
As a retired civil servant having worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for over 20 years before you ventured into politics, how would you describe your civil service years?
It was a wonderful experience. I served the Central Bank of Nigeria in various capacities before I rose to become a Deputy Director in charge of Domestic Operations Department.
I joined the apex bank as one of the foundation staff on January 5, 1959 as a clerk. I served the bank in various capacities.  I was posted to several states including Kano, Plateau, Borno and Enugu states. I was in Enugu during the civil war.
At a point, I became the president of CBN workers union, this was between 1970 and 1972. I even led workers on strike on two different occasions. I’m now a pensioner of the bank. I had a wonderful experience working with the bank.  My experience there was full of challenges. I joined the bank as a clerical officer but later rose through the ranks to become a deputy director.
After disengaging from the bank, you went into politics, what informed your decision to go into politics?
I have always been involved in issues relating to promotion of people’s welfare. I believe in serving others especially where issues involved have to do with people’s welfare. This passion to fight for others led to my involvement with the labour union at CBN. I thank God that when that decision was taken to go into politics, it was not a wrong one.  It always gives me joy whenever I remember what our government under the able leadership of Alhaji Lateef Jakande was able to achieve in Lagos State. The landmarks are still there several decades after we left office.
How was Jakande’s administration able to record such spectacular achievements especially in education and housing sectors?
When you have a leader that is focused he will be able to provide dynamic leadership. With able lieutenants that shared the same vision with him, Jakande was able to transform Lagos during his period as the state’s     Chief Executive officer. The administration was not reckless with public funds. Every form of frivolity under the guise of allowances was discouraged.  We were able to block leakages in the system and the accruing funds; the administration was able to embark on construction of schools and housing estates. We were able to run free and qualitative education programme. Unlike nowadays, when most public officials are self serving, and are only interested in personal aggrandizement, we were interested in serving the people.  There was no chance for acquisition of ill-gotten wealth.  You dared not even try it; to tamper with public funds during Jakande’s era was tantamount to playing with fire. The governor was highly disciplined. Jakande would not keep a file beyond 24 hours. So there was no delay in government business. It was the Jakande administration that first reached the N1 billion mark in terms of budget in Nigeria.
To show you the extent to which Jakande and members of his administration were transparent, he was not indicted by various tribunals set up by the Buhari/Idiagbon military regime that toppled Shagari’s government  on December, 31st 1983.
Transparency was the watchword of Jakande’s government and he had zero-tolerance for corruption.  There is a lot of difference between politics of that era and now.  The issue of corruption has become a serious matter today.  Transparency is being thrown to the dogs, and this is one of the major problems that is affecting our progress as a nation
At 53, a lot of people have expressed the view that this is not the Nigeria of the dream of the nation’s founding fathers, do you agree with this submission?
I quite agree. Those who say so are not far from the truth. At independence in 1960, the dream of the founding fathers including Late Pa Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, and Sir Ahmadu Bello was that of seeing Nigeria gradually transforming into a great nation, a global economic power. But here we are today, can we say we have achieved the lofty ideals of the founding fathers?  No. The emerging leaders after the founding fathers have failed us.  It is not yet Uhuru. With our oil and gas wealth, what have we been able to achieve? While a minority few are living in opulence, majority of Nigerians are wallowing in abject poverty.  We need a government that is people-oriented.  A welfarist government like the type that late Chief Obafemi Awolowo ran when he was the premier of the defunct Western region. Awolowo is a household name today because of the way he was able to transform the region.  He was able to achieve a lot for the Western region.
On the issue of corruption, how best can we tackle it?
One of the best approaches to tackle it is that leaders must be ready to lead by example. The moment your aides realize that you won’t condone corruption they wouldn’t dip their hands into public treasury.  Again as a transparent leader, you must be ready to sanction any of your aides that get enmeshed in corruption.  But a situation where you have looters roaming the streets free, you are encouraging others to join the bandwagon.  Nobody should be seen to be above the law. But in Nigeria today, impunity reigns, and this is why corruption is festering
To make matters worse, it seems as if the anti-corruption agencies, both the EFCC, and ICPC, are only being used to witch-hunt political opponents. What do I mean by this, the moment you are in the good books of those in authority, you are shielded, but the moment you are out of favour with the powers- that-be, the EFCC is unleashed on you. This is not how to fight corruption.
What is your assessment of leadership in Nigeria?
As far as I’m concerned, Jonathan is not in charge. This administration claims that it is pursuing a transformation agenda but I don’t know what is being transformed. The president is surrounded by advisers who seem to have taken him hostage.  It seems these people are the ones running the show.  It is like a cabal hijacking the government. Jonathan should take charge.  It is him that Nigerians voted for and the expectation is that he should deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
But so far, I have not seen anything encouraging about this government. Jonathan should wake up.  Poverty is all over the place.  There is growing insecurity in the land.  Boko Haram insurgency is daily taking its toll on innocent Nigerians. Millions of youths are unemployed.  Power supply is still epileptic; oil theft is on the increase. There are many challenges that required urgent intervention.  Leadership is not a tea party and this is why I believe that intending political leaders should be well groomed in leadership training.
What do you think is the way out of the quagmire for Nigeria?
Dedicated and focused leadership, Again, I think the present federalism as we are practising its is seriously flawed. Too much power is concentrated at the centre.  There is a need for devolution of power.  The central government is too powerful. This is not the way federalism is being practised in the United States from where we copied the model
Nothing stops us from having state police. The federal constitution allows it.  Look at the way the Federal Government has been using the Nigeria police to deal with the opposition. Look at what has been happening in Rivers State where an elected state governor is being intimidated by the police.
This is not the way it is supposed to be. Under a true federal arrangement, states are not to be subordinate to the federal government, states are components units, and have constitutional backing to enjoy some powers and authority.
As a pensioner, what is your reaction to increasing reported cases of pensioners’ funds being stolen?
It is a sad development. It is not the best way to treat these people that had diligently served their fatherland in various capacities for many decades. After retiring, their hope is to collect this stipend called pension to sustain themselvess.  But now you wake up daily reading reports of millions and billions of naira belonging to pensioners being stolen by some officials.
Looters of pensioners’ funds should not be allowed to go scot-free. They should not be treated with kid gloves. How do you explain to the whole world the fine of a mere N720,000 imposed recently on a senior government official who pleaded guilty to stealing over N33 billion police pension fund?  People caught stealing public funds, especially pensioners’ money should not be spared. The full weight of the law should be brought upon them.
A labourer, as the saying goes, deserves his wages. Some of these anomalies bedeviling our society are as a result of the rot that has pervaded our system. We need to clean the Augean stable. Nigeria is in search of redemptive leaders.
Like I said earlier, to become a great nation capable of fulfilling her destiny we need selfless and visionary leaders. We need leaders that are ready to make sacrifices.  We need leaders that view public office as an avenue to serve rather than a platform to loot.  We need people-oriented government; government that is driven by the urge to serve but not to loot the treasury.  We need leaders that are patriotic.

PHOTOS: Meet the Most Beautiful Igbo Girl 2013

Meet Ginikachukwu Linda Ewuziem – the Adaniindigo (the Most Beautiful Igbo Girl 2013).

The pageant, at which Ginika has beaten 18 other beauties, took place in Port Harcourt on December 1, 2013, Sunday.
Ginika is a Computer Science student from the Federal University of Science and Technology (FUTO). She originates from Adazienu in Aniocha local government area of Anambra State.
See the photos of Igbo beauty queen below:
Our congratulations to her!..

Electricity Supply To Benin Airport Disconnected Over Unpaid Bills

Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, has disconnected electricity supply to Benin Airport over unpaid accumulated bills.
The power supply to the airport was disconnected last week.
Passengers were seen sweating profusely at the arrival and departure halls of the airport yesterday, with several passengers having to fan themselves with newspapers as all air conditioners in the halls and adjourning offices were switched off as the electricity generating plants could not power them.
A staff of the airport who spoke on condition of anonymity told journalists that power supply to the airport was cut over a week ago by the electricity distribution company, despite the fact that about N2 million was being paid monthly to the power company.
“The management pays between N1.8 million and N2 million every month, yet they came to disconnect us last week. We have been running on generators and they are not powerful enough to carry the air conditioners.”
Public Relations Officer of Benin Electricity Company, Mr. Curtis Nwiadei, when contacted, confirmed that power supply to the airport was disconnected over unpaid bill of N4.3 million, adding, “that is why they were disconnected.”
The disconnection was not the first time the airport had been accused of non-payment of dues/bills. A few months ago, Edo State Board of Internal Revenue Board sealed off the office of the airport manager over unpaid taxes deducted from workers’ salaries for several years without remittances to the state government.

Meet the Man Who Artistically Carves Entire Caves by Hand with a Pickaxe

Sculptor Ra Paulette has a phenomenal hobby – he digs caves in New Mexico’s sandstone cliffs. Not plain, rocky, boring ones. Ra’s caves are smooth, artistic, and breathtakingly beautiful, and he creates them with his bare hands. His only tools – a pickaxe and a wheelbarrow.
67-year-old Ra came into his unusual profession after years of being a drifter. He was a college dropout, was discharged from the U.S. Navy and hitchhiked his way across America. He worked on a series of odd jobs – postal employee, security guard, janitor, and even farmer and one point.
Ra learnt the art of digging in the summer of 1985, when he worked in Dixon as an excavator. He would dig outhouses and build wells, giving him a longing to do something artistic with his hands. One thing led to another and soon, he was digging caves.
He sculpted his first cave, the ‘Heart Chamber’ in 1987. It was made on public land in Arroyo Seco and soon became a public shrine of sorts. In fact, it became so crowded with visitors that Ra had to fill it in after a few years. “There were so many people going to it and it was detrimental to the area, and there were safety issues,” he said.
After that first one, Ra was commissioned to create caves by art-lovers, but he ran into several creative differences because of his approach towards the work. He doesn’t like taking instructions or following a brief. Instead, he waits for inspiration to hit him.
“The project kind of reveals itself,” he says. “I have a starting point in my mind, and then what’s being offered reveals itself as the project is underway.” His sole mission with the caves is to create ‘transformational spaces’. With that kind of attitude, client deadlines obviously went out the window.
But Ra has finally gotten rid of clients. He is currently working for himself on a 10-year project that he calls his magnum opus. It’s been three years so far and he promises that it will be an astounding feature. “It’s very exciting. It’s a culmination,” he says. “Actually, the process is what I get out of it, but I have a lot of ideas and plans, how this could be a societal tool, how this could be used as an instrument of connecting people to the earth and also to their own inner sense of who they are. I’m creating a venue, a very unique venue.”
Ra seems to effortlessly handle the sheer amount of physical activity involved in digging caves. I think he’s either completely obsessed with sculpting, or he’s got some amazing genes. But he does have a few tricks up his sleeve to make his work less tedious. Most of these involve being ‘rigorously practical’. “I try to avoid wheelbarrowing uphill,” he says. “So in most of them the floor level is higher than the outside entrance.”
Ra works in solitude, except for the company of his pet dog. He did try to hire a few assistants, but he says they couldn’t ‘get’ his cave digging process. “I’ve tried to tell young guys that they can do this, but it doesn’t register. Personally, I don’t see how these young guys could have followed instructions as vague as “follow your nose” or “find the floor.” Finding the floor in a mountain? What does that even mean?
The ‘Ra Caves’ – as many like to call the 14 structures Ra created in 25 years – were featured in an award winning documentary called Cavedigger. The independent film was made by Jeffery Karoff and is shortlisted for next year’s Oscar Award nominations. Karoff had been studying Ra’s work for 10 years before he began filming in 2010. “Paulette’s spectacular, Gaudi-like caves are easily on par with the most well-known land artists. Yet only a small circle in Northern New Mexico is aware of his work,” Karoff blogged.

N50bn Lost To Fire Disaster Annually In Nigeria – Minister

The Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, says the country loses an estimated N50 billion worth of properties annually to fire disasters.

He said this on Thursday at the 5th National Council on Fire held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to Moro, the country may suffer more losses considering the unfolding climate change.
“As I am speaking to you now, we are losing an average of 50 billion Naira worth of properties annually and so many lives are lost every year.
“Fire disaster is not regular occurrence.
“People hardly take proper notice of what happens but when fire disasters occur, especially against the impending climate change, it would cost this nation very seriously in losses to its commonwealth”.
Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the event , the minister said  the ministry had presented the National Fire Service Code to the Federal Executive Council.
This, according to him, is important to President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.
He said that the next move was to get the code through to the local and state governments by presenting the Fire Safety Code to the National Economic Council.
Moro said that by so doing, it is hoped that everybody will embrace the imperatives of the code.
The minister said that the conference was aimed at creating a network among major stakeholders of the fire service.
He said doing so would create a necessary synergy required for the implementation of common national code for the fire service. (NAN)

Nelson Mandela’s Notable Quotes: Wisdom From Madiba

Nelson Mandela, former South African president has died at the age of 95.
The widely respected leader inspired countless individuals with his life and the words he said.
Here are some of the words of the Nobel Peace Prize winner fondly called Madiba the world will never forget:
1. “Difficulties break some men but make
others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul
of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed
with the hope that he will rise even in the
end.”
2. “It always seems impossible until it’s
done.”
3. “If I had my time over I would do the same
again. So would any man who dares call
himself a man.”
4. “I like friends who have independent minds
because they tend to make you see problems
from all angles.”
5. “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all
for the freedom of their people.”
6. “A fundamental concern for others in our
individual and community lives would go a
long way in making the world the better place
we so passionately dreamt of.”
7. “Everyone can rise above their
circumstances and achieve success if they
are dedicated to and passionate about what
they do.”
8. “Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world.”
9. “I learned that courage was not the
absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The
brave man is not he who does not feel afraid,
but he who conquers that fear.”
10. “For to be free is not merely to cast off
one’s chains, but to live in a way that
respects and enhances the freedom of
others.”
11. “Resentment is like drinking poison and
then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
12. “Lead from the back — and let others
believe they are in front.”
13. “Do not judge me by my successes, judge
me by how many times I fell down and got
back up again.”
14.”I hate race discrimination most intensely
and in all its manifestations. I have fought it
all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so
until the end of my days.”
15. “A good head and a good heart are
always a formidable combination.”
16. “If you talk to a man in a language
he understands, that goes to his
head. If you talk to him in his
language, that goes to his heart”.
17. “If you want to make peace with your
enemy, you have to work with your
enemy. Then he becomes your
partner.”
18. “There is no passion to be found
playing small – in settling for a life
that is less than the one you are
capable of living.”
19. “After climbing a great hill, one only
finds that there are many more hills
to climb.”
20. “There is no easy walk to freedom
anywhere, and many of us will have
to pass through the valley of the
shadow of death again and again
before we reach the mountaintop of
our desires.”
21. “There can be no keener revelation of
a society’s soul than the way in
which it treats its children.”
22. “In my country we go to prison first
and then become President.”
23. “We must use time wisely and
forever realize that the time is
always ripe to do right.”
24. I detest racialism, because I regard
it as a barbaric thing, whether it
comes from a black man or a white
man.
25. “A good leader can engage in a
debate frankly and thoroughly,
knowing that at the end he and the
other side must be closer, and thus
emerge stronger. You don’t have
that idea when you are arrogant,
superficial, and uninformed.”
26. “Money won’t create success, the
freedom to make it will.”
27. “There is nothing like returning to a
place that remains unchanged to
find the ways in which you yourself
have altered.”
28. “Does anybody really think that they
didn’t get what they had because
they didn’t have the talent or the
strength or the endurance or the
commitment?
29. “I dream of an Africa which is in
peace with itself.”
30. “Let freedom reign. The sun never
set on so glorious a human
achievement.”
31. “If there are dreams about a beautiful
South Africa, there are also roads
that lead to their goal. Two of these
roads could be named Goodness
and Forgiveness.”

Nigeria Ranked 10th In Human Rights Abuse

Nigeria has been ranked as the world’s 10th worst human rights offender, according to a global rights watch.
In its 2014 Human Rights Risk Atlas, Maplecroft revealed that in the past six years, the number of countries with an “extreme risk” of human rights offences has risen dramatically. And Nigeria is 10 on that list. In fact the country falls within those classified as extreme.
On the economy and environment, the report said, “the economies of Myanmar (8th), Nigeria (10th), Ethiopia (28th), and Indonesia (30th), present a particularly high risk to business.
“In such economies, a high rate of deforestation, coupled with the unchecked conduct of security forces and a climate of impunity for human rights violations has led to a high risk of ‘land grabs’ at the expense of indigenous peoples rights, property rights and minority rights.”
Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa also made the list of the top 10 worst offenders, primarily for ongoing ethnic conflicts and s*xual violence. [Vanguard]

2014: We Won’t Condone A Replay Of Anambra Episode In Ekiti – APC

The acting Vice-Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Chief Dele Falusi, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to make a mess of the 2014 governorship election in the state the same way it did in Anambra, because the people will not take it lightly.

Falusi, who urged the people of the state to be vigilant ahead of the 2014 governorship election in the state, said the state would not condone electoral malpractice from anybody.
The APC chieftain, who was speaking with reporters at his country home in Itaji-Ekiti area of the state, expressed dismay that INEC had failed to learn from its past mistakes, thereby making it difficult for Nigerians to have faith in it.
He argued that with what happened in Anambra State recently, the fears and concerns expressed by Nigerians over INEC’s readiness to conduct free, fair and credible election in future polls have been heightened.
“Let me say clearly that INEC had failed the electorate and it is an insult to the generality of the people of Nigeria.
“We are talking about election in one state and we are having all these mess. It is like some people don’t have shame any longer.
“What if it is going to conduct election for the whole nation? INEC had failed”, he said.
According to Falusi, the electoral umpire might want to repeat the sad episode in Ekiti State but warned it to have a rethink.
In his words, “We have seen the signal in the state that we might be the next target but we will reject it. Ekiti will cry out to the whole world to hear us.
“We are getting prepared here and we won’t take it lightly with INEC”, he warned.

Court Grants Ex-Bayelsa Gov, Sylva 28-Days Leave To Seek Medical Treatment Abroad

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted leave to the embattled erstwhile governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, to travel abroad for medical check-up.

The presiding judge, Justice Adamu Bello in a ruling yesterday, granted the ex-governor, who is currently standing trial before him on a 6-count criminal charge bothering on alleged theft of N6.5billion from the Bayelsa state treasury, 28-days to visit his Doctor in South Africa, with a warning that he must return on or before January 15, 2014, to face a fresh charge that was brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The court also directed Sylva to produce a surety that would sign an undertaking to stand trial in his stead, should he fail to return to Nigeria to answer to the amended 42-count charge preferred against him before Justice R.A Mohammed of the same high court.
According to the new charge sheet, the former governor and six others are accused of pilfering the sum of N19.2billion from the public till.
Before ordering the release of the international passport of the ex-governor, Justice Bello dismissed an objection that was raised by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacob, SAN, saying he was minded to exercise his discretion in favour of the accused, based on prevailing circumstances.
He said: “On June 20, 2012, the accused person applied for leave to travel abroad but it was not granted due to prevailing circumstances.
“Similar application made by the accused person on May15, 2013 but filed on the 16th was refused by this court due to prevailing circumstance.
“It is against this backdrop that I have decided to give the application attention thereby granting the accused necessary leave to travel to South Africa on medical grounds”.
The judge noted that since Sylva will be docked by the EFCC with regards to the fresh charge against him on January 23, he would have completed his medical check-up and returned to the country before then.
“This means that there is ample time for the accused person to embark on a medical trip to South Africa. The atmosphere is conducive and the court, hereby make an order that he should be allowed to travel for 28 days running from December 7, 2013”

Igbo Leaders Meet, Strategise For National Confab

A cross section of Igbo leaders in the South East geo-political zone met in Enugu on Thursday to build a consensus in preparation for the proposed national dialogue.

Speaking during the Igbo Political Summit organised by the South East Peoples Development Association, the National Chairman of the association, Sam Egwu, said it was to harmonise a common and strong voice at the confab.
Mr. Egwu, a former governor of Ebonyi State, said the summit would also draw a road map for the 2015 general elections.
“We want to come together so that we can have a common voice on issues concerning our zone at the forthcoming national conference.
“We do not want a situation where the zone will have divided opinions.
“Other zones are working tirelessly over this issue so, we want to harmonise the position of the South East,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Gary Igariwe, lamented the lack of cooperation among some Igbo leaders over the conference.
He pledged to work with other stakeholders from the zone to represent the interest of the people.
A frontline politician, Mbazurike Amechi, urged the people of the zone to harmonise their views in fairness, equity and justice.
In a speech, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, the wife of late Nigerian President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, appealed to the stakeholders to represent the interest of women during the conference.
“We must involve women in all the things we are doing especially in the forthcoming conference,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that issues that were discussed at the summit included state creation, citizenship and state police.
Some of the dignitaries at the summit included former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okwesilieze Nwodo, the National Chairman of the United Peoples Party (UPP) Chekwas Okorie, and former Deputy Governor of Anambra, Virgy Etiaba.
(NAN)

New Music:Ivie Okujaye- Make A Move

Nollywood Actress, Ivie Okujaye Releases Single, ‘Make A Move’.Last week, Nollywood actress, Ivie Okujaye started a campaign on social media she called, Make a Move. According to her, Make a Move is a project and a big one at that considering the calibre of people involved in the project.
2face Idibia, singer, Omawunmi, Majid Mitchel, and Beverly Naya are some of the major celebrities that feature in the project. Is it a movie or musical, Ivie prefers to keep that under wrap until Friday, Dec 20, 2013.
‘Let’s enjoy this new single at the moment. I will be revealing more details regarding the whole Make a Move campaign but one thing I can confirm though is, this is a huge project’.

People Advised To Stay At Home As Storm Kills One In Scotland

A storm lashed Scotland and other parts of Britain with gusts of up to 142 mp/h (228 km/h), killing one person and causing the cancellation of all trains and some planes.
More than 25,000 homes were left without power in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Forecasters warned that the storm could produce the worst tidal surge in decades along the low-lying coast of eastern England later in the day.
The British government was reportedly to convene its emergency committee to discuss its response to the storm.
All rail services in Scotland were cancelled because of debris on the lines and damage to equipment, operator Network Rail said.
“We cannot continue to run trains with the levels of wind we are seeing,” spokesman Nick King said.
Some flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports were also being cancelled because of the weather conditions.
Police advised drivers in most of Scotland to avoid travelling.
A lorry driver was killed when his vehicle toppled onto a number of cars in West Lothian, a county near Edinburgh, police said.
At least two other people were injured by falling trees.
Britain’s Meteorological Office said it had recorded a gust of 142 mp/h (228 kilometres per hour) in the mountains of Inverness-shire, Scotland, while there were widespread winds of between 60 and 80 mph in populated areas.
Scottish Power said 20,000 homes are without electricity in central and southern Scotland. In Northern Ireland 6,500 homes were left without power. [AFP]

5 Weirdest Creatures Ever Found 5 Weirdest Creatures Ever Found

5 Weirdest Creatures Ever Found

Weird creatures tend to show their faces on the planet Earth. Thanks to the Internet we are able to see a lot of freaky unexplainable photos of creatures we are tempted to call monsters. These are, as we see them, top 5 weirdest creatures ever found on the face of the Earth.

Piglet With Monkey’s Face

The animal has a simian jaw, bulging forehead, small snout and eyes that are so close together that they appear almost attached. Its front legs are much shorter than its back legs, causing it top hop rather than walk on all fours like a normal piglet. The animal was one of five piglets recently born to a sow owned by a family in Fengzhang village, Xiping township.

“It’s hideous. No one will be willing to buy it, and it scares the family to even look at it,” owner Feng Changlin told the Oriental Today newspaper.

But the monkey-piglet has become something of a local tourist attraction, with people coming from across the area to photograph its remarkable features.  And not everyone in the family is disgusted by its appearance.

“Our son likes to play with it, and he stopped us from getting rid of it. He even feeds it milk,” said Mr Feng’s wife.

The piglet’s rare condition is thought to be caused by a form of holoprosencephaly, a brain development disorder that can cause cyclopia, the failure of eyes to properly separate.

Source: 1

Seven legged baby goat in China

A goat with seven legs has been born recently in Jiaoliuhe township, Taonan, Jilin Province in China. The owner of the goat, a woman surnamed Song, explained that it was a difficult birth but the goat is standing on four of it’s legs and is feeding.

“It was very difficult for the goat to deliver the kid, so I used my hand to pull out. It scared me!” the owner said.

“It is the first time I’ve seen anything like this in 13 years.”

Animal experts, a local biologist Li Chunsheng have said the chances of long term survival are slim.

Source: 1

Monster Washed Ashore in Montauk

This is an actual monster, some sort of rodent-like creature with a dinosaur beak. A tipster says that there is “a government animal testing facility very close by in Long Island,”  but unless the government is trying to design horrible Montauk monsters that will eat IEDs and fart fire at bad Iraqis, we’re not sure why they would create such an unthinkable beast. What is the true  identity of this creature?

Source: 1

Hell Fish found on the Beach

Source: 1

Weird unknown creature found in a trench in Russia

This weird creature was found in an abandoned foundation pit in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Looks like a stingray but not. What is that creature actually?

Obama's Vision For High-Speed Rail Is In Danger Of Stalling Out

WASHINGTON -- In an auditorium inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on a mid-April day in 2009, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled an ambitious plan to revamp America's rail infrastructure.
Public funds would be used to develop a system of high-speed passenger rail lines in 10 regions throughout the country, fundamentally revamping the way Americans conceive of travel.
"What we need, then, is a smart transportation system equal to the needs of the 21st century," said the president, "a system that reduces travel times and increases mobility, a system that reduces congestion and boosts productivity, a system that reduces destructive emissions and creates jobs."
More than four-and-a-half years later, even the biggest boosters of the president's vision for high-speed rail admit that it hasn't turned out as planned. Political pushback combined with the absence of a steady revenue stream has allowed for only modest gains.
Moreover, for every two steps forward it seems there is one step back. In late November, a judge for the Sacramento Superior Court blocked the state of California from accessing $8.6 billion in bonds for a bullet train project. The most promising high-speed-rail project in the country suddenly had the potential to turn, in the words of Joe Nation, a public finance professor at Stanford University, "into a real nightmare."
In response to the judge's ruling, the Department of Transportation is reconsidering what exactly it plans to do with the $3.3 billion in money it awarded to California to build a high-speed rail system. Under the terms of the agreement, it can take the money back and even force the state to repay the funds it has already spent. A DOT spokesperson told The Huffington Post that the agency is still reviewing the judge's decision, adding that the Federal Rail Administration remains "committed to continuing to work with the California High-Speed Rail Authority and to supporting the president’s vision for high-speed and intercity passenger rail nationwide."
LaHood, who left the Obama administration after the president's reelection, says he still believes that California's high-speed rail system will be built. But in an interview with The Huffington Post, even he, a congenial and optimistic advocate for infrastructure reform, acknowledged that achieving the vision that the president put forth on that April day would be tough given the current political climate.
"We were talking a couple years ago about the president’s vision for connecting 80 percent of the country in 25 years," LaHood said. "I think that is still a goal for President Obama, for the Department of Transportation, and frankly, for a lot of governors around the country."
"I think it can be done over the next 25 years ... [but] I’m not that optimistic about the House," he added. "I think the Senate is different, but at this point, I don’t think the House has a vision for passenger rail and that’s a problem."
When LaHood talks about a lack of vision in the House of Representatives, what he really means is an unwillingness to spend money. A shortage of funding, after all, is the main problem facing high-speed rail. When the president spoke in 2009, Congress had just allocated $8 billion to the initiative as part of the stimulus package. At the time, advocates argued that much more than even that historic investment was necessary. They were right, but with an important caveat.
Instead of a one-time down payment, what the administration needed was a guaranteed funding stream. The Interstate Highway System, started in 1956 and completed in 1992, was funded by an ongoing federal fuel tax, but Obama's high-speed rail plan depended on sympathetic lawmakers to keep writing checks.
They only wrote one more. Another $2.5 billion for high-speed rail and intercity passenger rail projects was included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010. But as the Congressional Research Service noted, "Since then, no additional funding has been appropriated for this program." In fact, in the next such appropriations act, $400 million was rescinded from unobligated balances.
"The window opened by the president was partially shut by lawmakers in Congress," said Ed Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO's Transportation Trades Department. "The program is now at risk because we don't have adequate resources to meet the passenger rail challenge of the country."
Even before the first $8 billion allotment was spent, high-speed rail faced hurdles. Whether out of genuine concern over cost overlays or for the sake of political expediency, Republican governors across the country rejected federal funds for their states, the most notable example being Rick Scott of Florida. Within a year of Obama laying out a goal to connect 80 percent of the country by high-speed rail, it began to seem as if a patchwork system would be the best result he could get.
The subsequent investments were far from drops in the bucket. According to the Transportation Department, improvements to the existing Chicago to Detroit and Chicago to St. Louis lines have allowed trains to reach speeds of 100 miles per hour. By 2015, trips taken along those routes will be a full hour shorter. In the Pacific Northwest, meanwhile, 21 projects are being pursued that will result in a 50 percent increase in service between Seattle and Portland. And thanks to improvements in North Carolina, service on the Charlotte to Raleigh line will ultimately double.
As for rail infrastructure in general, the Obama administration has put $20 billion into funding projects across the country; 6,000 miles of rail corridor have been constructed or improved, as have 40 stations.
The problem is, much more is needed just to keep up with natural decay.
"It’s a 50-to-100-year-old system, and except for the freight rails -– the class one freight rails have put money back into their systems and kept them up –- transit and passenger rail is way down on the list in terms of really keeping up with the needs of modern-day infrastructure," LaHood said. "You look at the cars that are being used by even Amtrak today ... some haven’t been replaced in two or three decades. The infrastructure, the track, they do the best they can, but we know that many of these transit systems are decades old and aging and in terrible need of repair."
In its annual report card, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the United States' rail infrastructure a grade of C+. It was actually a higher grade than the D+ given to the nation's overall infrastructure, due largely to the fact that private investors have poured more than $75 billion into improving freight and passenger rail since 2009.
Going forward, those private-public partnerships will be integral to ensuring that rail infrastructure continues to be modernized in the decades ahead, LaHood acknowledged. But at this juncture, the private funds seem more likely to be there than the public ones. Over the past few years, Obama has repeatedly pushed for $50 billion investment in infrastructure projects across the board. Congress has rebuffed him each time.
Even the full $50 billion wouldn't be enough to meet the country's needs. The American Society of Civil Engineers has estimated that a $3.6 trillion investment in American infrastructure is necessary by 2020. With respect to rail alone, the cost could be "a couple billion" of dollars to repair the current system and "hundreds of billions" of dollars to build a "rail system to the point were we can brag about having high-speed rail throughout the country," according to Pete Sklannik, vice-chairman of the ASCE's Transportation and Development Institute.
It's cheaper to improve existing lines than to build new ones. But the trade-off is that faster trains can't run on older tracks. And with countries like Japan already investing in the newest form of rail technology –- magnetic levitation, which LaHood called "way too expensive" for the U.S. –- the nation is very much set to be left in the proverbial dust.
"It is going to take some really innovative thinking to make the investment attractive to the non-users and non-believers," Sklannik said. "And the other part is the government is really going to have to step up and treat this like they treated the interstate program or the space program and understand that this is an investment in our future."
"It has to be made attractive and it has to be made convincing," he added. "We're not there yet."

Rapper Jesse Jagz Rocks New Hairstyle (PHOTOS)

Former Chocolate city label artiste, Jesse Jagz has dumped his low cut for full braids and he is so excited about the hair.
He took to his instagram page a while ago to share photos of the new hairstyle
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Man Wearing Lady’s Thong! Is This The New Fashion Trend For Men (Photo)

Looking at this picture makes me lol. I think this dude probably lost a bet and was forced into wearing a woman’s thong or he got dressed up in the dark…..or maybe he ran out of clean undies and grabbed his girlfriends’…..i don’t know…i’m just thinking 360º lol