7 Simple Numbers That Will Grow Your Business

One of my main business mantras is "Know Your
Numbers," and because numbers are the
language of business, it is numbers that will
ultimately determine your success.
Business is literally a numbers game, but what
numbers should you know?
Here are seven metrics that will give you
predictive results you can measure and manage
for more sales and bigger profits:

1) The lifetime value of each customer. While
there are more complicated formulas to
determine this value, this simple version will give
you a start:
If your average customer spends $20 per
purchase, buys three times a year and stays with
your business for five years, the customer's
lifetime value to your business is $300.
$20 x 3 sales = $60
$60 x 5 years = $300
Now you have a working understanding of the
worth of each customer and the types of
resources you need to acquire and retain them.

2) How much it costs to acquire a new
customer. I call this your Cost Per Acquisition, or
CPA, and it can help determine how much you
spend on any marketing or ad campaign.
Let's say you've placed an ad in your local paper
for $200. You get 20 responses and 10 sales. The
acquisition cost for each customer is $20 ($200/
10 = $20).
If your offer results in at least $20 in profits on
every sale, you've run a successful campaign. But
if your CPA is $20 and you have little or no profit,
or are acquiring customers at a loss, it's time to
re-evaluate your marketing.

3) Conversion rates. Let's say you hand out
flyers to people on the street. The campaign
generates 1000 leads over a two-week period,
and 100 of those leads buy. Your conversion rate
is 10 percent (1000 leads / 100 new customers =
10 percent conversion rate).
Too low? Nowhere to go but up. Tweak flaws in
your sales process, increase customer service,
narrow your target or create a better offer.
Knowing where you are is half the battle in
getting to where you need to be.
Related: The 5 Rules for Silicon Valley
Businesses That Can Work Anywhere

4) Your average dollar sale. The value of each
sale is important if you are looking to generate
repeat business or up-sell -- in other words, the
"Would you like fries with that?" strategy.
Simple "add-ons" can add-up quickly. For
example, a deli offering premium sides and
bottled drinks increased average sale from $5.42
to $13.11 with a simple "up sell" script that
increased overall revenue 144 percent within a
few weeks' time.

5) Response rates. Conventional direct mail
response rates will vary from 1 percent --
generated by using lists from a list broker -- to up
to 5 percent -- generated by using what I call a
"warm" list of current or past customers.
Online email response rates are generally
around .1 percent. That means, to get 50
responses to a conventional direct mailing, you'll
need to mail to a minimum of 5000 names with a
great offer.
To get 50 responses from an email campaign,
you'll need at least 50,000 names, knowing not
every response will end in a sale.

6) Lead-to-sale-ratio. If you're in a business-to-
business, professional services category or have a
long-term sales cycle, your lead-to-sale ratio will
give you an idea of the audience you'll need to
target to actually close a sale.
Say your startup insurance business needs 10
prospects to generate five meetings to produce
one client. To get 1000 clients, you'll need to
prospect 10,000 people.
If your conversion rate is 20 percent, you can add
value, guarantees or other ways of reducing real
or perceived risks to increase your conversion
rates to a 5:2 or 5:3 ratio.
Related: Lessons From a Diplomat on How to Build
Business Relationships

7) Touches to sale. How many contacts or
touches does your prospect need before they
buy? The general rule of thumb in sales is that:
Two percent of sales are made on the first
contact/touch
Three percent of sales are made on the second
contact
Five percent of sales are made on the third
contact
10 percent of sales are made on the fourth
contact
80 percent of sales are made on the fifth
contact
It's generally accepted that on average, you need
at least four to seven touches for a sale. So when
should you stop touching? When you're asked --
otherwise, you never know when the timing is
finally right for a sale.
Knowing your numbers and what numbers to
know in the first place greatly empowers your
decision making, and helps you better predict
how your business will fare.
If you do your numbers and discover you need a
10,000 person database to get 1000 customers,
your marketing plan is pretty simple: Get a list
and an offer, then track and convert your results.

In The News: Funke Akindele’s estranged husband reveals he was building her a house

According to a report from Encomium
Magazine, Funke Akindele's estranged
husband, Kehinde Oloyede Almaroof disclosed
in a chat that he was building a house for his
wife before she ended the marriage. He
explained it was a storey building
(uncompleted) located off Adeniji Jones in
Ikeja
Mr Oloyede continued:

"They wrote that I am a tout, from what
you are seeing here now, do I look like a
tout or garage boy? They also said I'm a
drop out, from the way you and I have
been speaking, do I speak like someone
who did not go to school? I have decided to
follow the advice of those who said I should
not join issues with her and her supporters.
I am not a celebrity. I am an estate
developer. She is the star that has her
career to protect and I don't want to be the
one to spoil her career.

HPV-one of the most common sexually transmitted disease(18+)

This week, we're taking a more in-depth look at
one of the most common sexually transmitted
diseases in the world: HPV. It's thought that more
than 80% of sexually active people have had it,
and that most people will get it at some point in
their sexual lives! But what exactly is HPV, why is it so common, and
why do so few people know about it and take steps to prevent it? We'll
tell you!

What is it?
The full name of HPV is Human Papillomavirus.
HPV is also the name given to any kind any kind
of wart and only a minority of types are sexually
transmitted. HPV itself is not always sexually
transmitted, although it can be passed on via sex.
It is passed on through unprotected genital
contact, usually through vaginal or anal sex. It
can be passed on through oral sex as well. Like all STD's, people who
have it sometimes don't know they are infected and can pass on the HPV
virus without knowing they're doing it. HPV can affect any of the
mucous membranes in the body: the lining of the mouth and throat, the
vulva, the
vagina, the cervix, the skin of the penis and in
and around the anus. When it infects the skin, it
can lead to small warty growths.
There are over 100 types of HPV that have been
identified, and about 40 of them affect the genital
area. Of these types of HPV that can cause genital
warts – about half are not thought to lead directly
to an increased risk of cancer, these are called
'low risk'. However, about half of these HPV types are thought to be
much more likely to cause
cancer – these are called 'high risk'. Though not
all women who get "high risk" genital HpV will go on to develop
cervical cancer as a direct
consequence, about 99.7% of cervical cancer
cases are caused by HPV and many of these
result from HPV that was contracted when the
woman was in her teens or 20's.

Do I have it?
The vast majority of people have several types of
HPV in their body. This is an incredibly common
virus which we have nearly all come into contact
with at some time. However, many of us will
never have seen symptoms of this virus in the
genital area. Visible signs of HPV are sometimes
noticeable. You can identify a case of HPV by
looking out for warts around the penis, anus or
vaginal areas, but remember that symptoms of
warts in the rectum, inside the vagina or in the
urethra of the penis may be present, but not
easily visible . Any rough, raised bumps on the
genital areas should be checked out at your
nearest clinic to be diagnosed and treated.
Genital warts should never be treated with an
over the counter medication designed for warts
found on the hands or body. Once a doctor has
examined you and diagnosed warts, they will
advise on and prescribe treatment. Sometimes it
will be possible to use this at home. Treatment
can include a lotion or cream applied directly to
the skin or affected area, or may require a
treatment with other approaches, such as lasers,
electricity or the use of acids or dry ice. The type
of treatment depends on the size, nature and
location of the warts. Treatment of genital warts
just removes the unsightly symptoms, the virus
remains in the body for life, with the ability to re-
activate if the immune system is compromised or
low for any reason.

The link between cervical cancer and HPV
Although there is clearly a link between some
types of genital HPV and the later development of
cervical and anal cancer it is not inevitable that
having HPV in your body will lead to cancer. There are many other
environmental and lifestyle
factors involved. For women, attending for your
cervical (Pap) smear regularly and at least every 3
years is one of the best things you can do to pick
up any abnormalities that may develop early and
be able to access treatments. According to the
National Cancer Institute, up to 80% of cervical
and anal cancers are caused by the HPV virus.
"Cervical cancer" describes cancerous cells that
develop in the cervix and vagina of women, and
can ultimately lead to symptoms like heavy
bleeding, pain in the vagina and drastic weight
loss, though, worryingly, by this stage, the cancer
will already have been developing for many
months or years. If you are a smoker, have a
weak immune system, have had many children,
or have used an oral contraceptive for a long
time, you are more likely to develop cervical
cancer after having had HPV. You are also more
likely to contract HPV that may develop into
cancer if you have had many sexual partners.
According to the American Cancer Society,
everyone who develops cervical cancer would
have had one or more strains of HPV at some time in their life.

How can I prevent It?
There is currently no medical way to treat and
eradicate the HPV itself. However, genital warts
and lesions resulting from HPV can be treated
even though symptoms may take some time to
go away completely. Having safe, protected sex
from your first sexual encounter is the best way
to prevent contracting the HPV virus. Use
condoms correctly and every time you have sex
and to barrier all contact between mucous
membranes.
It is now possible for mothers to protect their
daughters from acquiring this destructive and
common virus as new generations of girls, who
have not yet come into contact with the virus, are
lucky enough to be able to have a vaccine that
will offer a high level of protection against both
the HPV and cervical cancer. If you are in your
teens or early 20's, it may be possible for you to
get vaccinated against HPV at your nearest clinic.
Currently, the South African government offers
free vaccinations to girl children 10 years and
younger – if you have a daughter, get her
vaccinated at a young age to minimise the
chance of her contracting cervical cancer in
future. Obviously, she may not be going to have
sex for many years to come, but there is no
better way to protect her against this often
invisible and damaging virus.
If you notice the symptoms of HPV appearing,
don't delay going to the clinic ASAP to get treated
– many people get infected with the virus, and
you shouldn't be ashamed or feel 'dirty' about
needing treatment. If you're a smoker, you can
increase your chances of developing cervical
cancer if you already have HPV. If you've been
diagnosed, stop or minimise your smoking habit.
Don't attempt to treat yourself at home or hope
that it will simply go away – get professional help!

HPV and Pregnancy
Changes to the immune system during
pregnancy mean that this can be a time when
HPV already in the mother's body but symptom -
free till now, flares up. Women with existing
genital warts sometimes find that these grow or
spread rapidly in pregnancy. They are also more
difficult to treat at this time and doctors will
normally choose to postpone treatment until after
the baby has been born, partly due to increased
miscarriage risk. However, if they get so big that
they may block the vagina or cause other
problems with delivery, the decision to treat to
remove or reduce them significantly may need to
be taken. There is a very low risk of the baby
picking up the virus during childbirth and even if
babies pick it up, their immune systems usually
clear it from the body.

Audition For Models

 

 

Audition for Lagos Fashion Meniac 2013
The heat is up & if your a model this is your opportunity to grace my runway & let the world see you.

 

Requirements:
Male: should be 6ft tall & above
Female: from 5ft 10inches tall & above
Aspiring participants should come with a 5x7 full pics and a passport photograph.
Date: 3rd of August 2013
Venue: Midas Xquisite, Tinuade Street, Opposite First Bank Bus stop, Off Allen Avenue Ikeja
Time: 10am

 

See you models & good luck
Event holds on the 25th of August at
"Our Place Event Centre"
Toyin Street, Ikeja.
For more info please visit our website on www.royhills.org or follow us @RoyhillsFasHuz or contact Givens on 08037984961

Movie Audition

 

 

ZEL INITI8TIVE FILMS PROD. invites you for a movie audition
Date SATURDAY,3rd august 2013
venue 26 kasali aremu street off abiok str.jankara bus stop ijaye ojokoro
time 9am

NB.. punctuality is an added advantage
For more info call 08032136413,08090528419

Movie Audition

 

Humjo Films Production, the maker of Festac Babes, Bold Five Babes, because of money, hotter than sex, Unclad Wire and so on will be holding a final movie casting on Wednesday next week being d 31st of July 2013 at Spinaker Hotel Igboelerin road okomaiko lagos state. Come and prove your worth by grabbing a role for yourself. For further enquiry. Call Fortune on +2348064885386.

 

NB-I will have to warn u that most of the movies they've produced involve some level of intimate activities. Just so u know so that u are not surprised.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Charity Uzoechina, Daughter Of Redeem Pastor Raymond Uzoechina Converts To Islam

The conversion to Islam of 25-year-old Charity Uzoechina, daughter of Pastor Raymond Uzoechina of Redeem Christian Church of God, Kwankwashe, Suleja, continues to generate controversy.

Her father accused the Estu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubukar, of hypnotizing his daughter, who has since changed her name to A’isha, to embrace Islam. A’isha, who hails from Asaba, Delta State, came to Abuja at the age of 10 when her father relocated from Lagos.

 

After her secondary school education at Army Day Secondary School Asokoro, Abuja she got admission into Federal Polytechnic, Bida to read Public Administration. She, however, withdrew from the course in her first year. She embraced Islam on February 15, 2013. A’isha said since her family relocated to Suleja, Niger State, she has been in the midst of Muslims, which accorded her the opportunity to have several Muslims friends and learnt a lot about Islam.

 

The travails of A’isha began when she ran to the Estu Nupe’s palace in Bida on March 1, this year to seek protection against any aggression she may face should her family know about her conversion to Islam. This led to a controversy that is still ongoing, with her father accusing the traditional ruler of kidnapping his daughter. Along the line, several meetings were organized between A’isha and her father Pastor Uzoechina and his daughter at the instance of the Estu Nupe, who also involved some members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

 

But despite that, A’isha refused to follow her father, alleging that he has threatened to deal with her by taking her away to a place that she will not be able to practice her new religion. A’isha has taken the matter to a Shariah court in Bida and the court is expected to rule on August 1, 2013 whether or not the 25-year-old should be released to her parents or not. She speaks exclusively to Weekly Trust.

 

Excerpts: Weekly Trust: What is your name?

 

Aisha Uzoechina: I was formerly known as Charity Uzoechina and now A’isha Uzoechina. Why the change of name? I changed my name because I have accepted Islam.

 

What brought you to Bida?

I came to Bida in 2012 to read Public Administration at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida.

 

Are you still a student of Federal Polytechnic Bida?

No, I am not. I have withdrawn from the school.

 

Did you go back home?

No, I did not go home. At the beginning I was planning to go back home, because I wanted to tell my father that I have converted to Islam. When I converted, I was afraid to tell my parents, because of the way my father would behave. I know he will not take it lightly with me. So, for that I refused to go back home.

 

Did anybody force or enticed you to join Islam?

I joined Islam on my own. Nobody enticed me with anything to join Islam. What informed your decision to join Islam? I converted to Islam because I love the character of Muslims, particularly the way they behave. You know Muslims believe in God. I have Muslim friends and I watch what they do, that enticed me to join Islam. I used to read Qur’an when I was a Christian. I always join them to read Qur’an and through that I found out that it is the same one God they worship. So I embraced Islam.

 

How did your father come to know about your change of faith?

When I ran to the palace, I told you, it was very difficult before I could see the Emir. When I saw him, the emir refused to accept me, because my father did not know about it. He, therefore, collected my father’s number from me and called him. The following day my father came and said he wanted to see me. When we met we talked one on one.

 

What did you tell him?

Well the emir told him that I have converted to Islam. When my father talked to me, he said let’s go home, but I refused. I told him that I will not change my faith, because I have already accepted Islam and this is where I want to stay. He, therefore, threatened me so much so that I became scared of him.

 

What did he do to you amounting to a threat?

In the first place you know, I put on Hijab (veil), he said I should remove the Hijab. He was angry and used some harsh words on me, directing that I should remove the Hijab, but I refused. He threatened to take me to a village where nobody will set his eyes on me. So I became scared of him, therefore I refused to follow him. That is it.

 

Did the emir intervene?

The emir gave him one week to come back, but he came back even before it reached one week. He said he must take me home. He will not take me to our house, but he’ll take me to somewhere that nobody will set his eyes on me. I quickly ran back to the emir and to the Shari’a Court for protection. I don’t want to go back to my father, because he is threatening me.

 

How did you come to know about the Shari’a Court?

I found out from people. I went to them on my own to formally lodge my complaint.

 

Why Shari’a Court?

They have to protect me. You know when you take a case to court over life threatening issue, the court must protect you. That is it.

 

Did your father come back after you refused to follow him?

He came back. He kept on coming back. The other time he even threatened to bring some people to kidnap me.

 

Is it true that at a time your father came with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) officials to you?

Yes.

 

Is it true that you also went to the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI)?

Yes.

 

Why did you go to JNI?

I told you and I’ll still repeat it, though I don’t want to repeat my words again. I want them to intervene on my behalf, the threat is too much. Now I can’t go anywhere, I cannot even continue with my schooling. I cannot do anything because of the way he has been threatening me. He is still bringing people up till now to keep watch on me.

 

How do you know that your father has assigned people to keep watch on you?

There was a time that I wanted to go out, information came to me that my father was around and I had to stay back since I don’t want him to take me away. I know that if I gout anytime,I he’ll pick me up.

 

How did you come to know about JNI?

I have been reading about them. That is why I went to them.

 

How did you present your case to JNI?

I wrote to them seeking for their intervention, because I do not know how to go about convincing my father. I also learnt that the emir wanted to hand me over to my father, because the burden of my case is becoming too much for him to bear.

 

If your father should promise to allow you to practice your new faith, will you go with him? I’ll not. In a family that you are the only Muslim, how can you practice in that house?

You know when he (my father) came along with my mother the other time, his actions and the harsh words he used, even if I go back home, my life will not be secured in his hand. That is why I said I’ll not go.

 

Did you start learning anything about Islam?

Yes, I started learning how to perform ablution. I have learnt how to recite Surah Al-Fatihah, I am now in my second surah.

 

Do you pray five times a day?

Yes I do. I am even fasting now. I have been fasting since the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

 

What is your massage to people wanting to join Islam?

I have only one massage. Islam is good. Muslims are truthful, everything they say, they believe in God and they carry people along. Once a person converted to Islam, he’ll be carried along until he is strong to stand on his own.

What is your appeal to your parent?

I am appealing to my parents not to be angry with me. My conversion to Islam will not separate us. I still love them, even though I am here. They can come and visit me and I can also visit them. They shouldn’t think my new faith will take away the love I have for them. It will not. I am very sorry

2Face And Annie Idibia's 4 Year Old Daughter Makes Nollywood Debut

 

 

4 year old Isabella Idibia has followed her mother's footsteps. She made her acting debut this week in the movie 'Unconditional' produced by Uche Jombo. Right pic: Isabella on set this past Wednesday.

Mourinho: Wenger 'a nice guy'

 

 

Jose Mourinho has revealed a series of chance meetings with Arsene Wenger led the opposition managers to striking up an unlikely friendship.

 

The pair had endured a difficult relationship during Mourinho's initial spell in charge of Chelsea, with the Portuguese having called the Arsenal boss "a voyeur" for constantly commenting on his rivals' affairs.

 

However, while Mourinho was in charge of Inter Milan and Real Madrid, he found himself running into the Frenchman at various footballing tournaments, and the new Blues boss, who picks up at Stamford Bridge where he left off in 2007, says they have since developed a mutual respect for one another.

 

"I started meeting him in UEFA, at the Euros (European Championships), the World Cup, we had dinner and so on," Mourinho said.

 

"And when you are not in the same league and when you are not playing against each other, it is easier to know people, it is easier to go deeper. It is easy to speak about football, he's a very nice guy.

 

"I respect him a lot and I will show my respect always. (In) football sometimes even if you are friends and respect each other, you say something the other doesn't like and you react.

 

"But at the end of the day I respect him a lot and I have the feeling that he is the same in relation to me. I wouldn't bet on one single problem between us."-sports

Tired of Life: Man cuts throat in protest of UK’s controversial bedroom tax

A man cut his throat with a knife in a benefits advice office in a protest about the controversial bedroom tax.

The middle-aged man said he was ‘sick of all this s___’ then dragged a blade through skin from his ear down to his throat on each side of his neck.

The wounds left him and the floor of the Runcorn office spattered with blood, a witness said.

The bedroom tax was widely protested across the country – and was apparently too much for one man who slit his throat in protest about it

The gory outburst happened at about 2pm on Monday, at Halton Direct Link in Halton Lea shopping centre.

Staff hit an emergency alarm during the incident.

The witness, who was waiting in line to see an adviser, said no other residents reacted to the outburst but that staff seemed ‘a little bit shocked’.

He said: ‘From what I could see, the bloke had gone to see an adviser.

Chancellor George Osborne’s bedroom tax prompted the dramatic outburst

‘He was upset about the bedroom tax and wasn’t getting through and he started to cut his throat on both sides and threw the knife on the floor and he had blood coming from his neck.

‘There was a lot of blood but it hadn’t come out of his artery, he wasn’t gushing out blood.

‘He went through the side of his neck from his ear to the front.

Everyone was just sat about waiting to go and see the adviser. I was in the queue. Nobody did nothing.’

A Halton Council spokesman said: ‘We are aware of this incident.

‘The person concerned is receiving appropriate support and we are supporting our staff who witnessed the incident.’

Cheshire police officers have spoken to the man, who suffered ‘minor injuries’, about his well-being.

No criminal offences were reported.

In April the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ was introduced, which will see social housing tenants with spare rooms docked an average of £14 a week in benefits.

Around 660,000 people are set to lose some of their housing benefit from the change, which is expected to save the Government £465million a year.

The charge is aimed at reducing over-crowding in social housing and directing benefits towards those who are most in need.

But Labour attacked the move, with shadow chancellor Ed Balls denouncing it as ‘possibly the worst, most cack-handed and massively unfair piece of policy-making I’ve ever seen’.

D’banj and 2face Working On a Collabo?

 

 

Unarguably the biggest music acts in Nigeria, D’banj and 2face have flourished in their different styles and genre of music.

 

The two have always reportedly kept in touch, as D’banj was even spotted a couple of months ago paying a visit to 2face and taking photos with his little daughter, Isabelle.

 

Kayswitch shared this photo of both stars as they seemed busy checking some things on a laptop.

 

Are working on some dope song that would rock the charts? Keeping our fingers crossed.

Zimmermanic: Man shoots 14-year-old unarmed teenage boy on the head in New Orleans

 

A 14-year old black teenager was shot on the head around 2:00AM, on Friday, July 26, 2013 by Merritt Landry, a 33-year-old “white caucasian” who said he thought the teen was a burglar. The shooting took place at Merritt’s home in Marigny, New Orleans.

Louisiana’s Castle statutes — which carry subtle differences from the now-notorious Stand Your Ground laws — allow the state’s residents to use force, “deadly or otherwise, to protect oneself on his or her property.”

Despite invoking the law, Landry was charged with second-degree murder.

A single spent cartridge case was recovered at the scene, indicating that a semi-automatic weapon was used and suggesting that a single shot was fired.As of this writing the victim is reported to remain alive, in critical condition at a local hospital.

 

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that Coulter remains in critical condition. Family members told the paper that while he can slightly move the right side of his body, he would have severe brain damage if he survives.

 

The teen had a few burglary charges against him, though his family told the paper that none of those had ever been armed robberies.

 

The paper spoke to other neighbors, who said they saw Coulter biking around the neighborhood earlier Friday evening. “I thought about calling the cops, but the last thing I want to do is racially profile a little kid who’s just biking,” the neighbor told the Times-Picayune.

 

According to the arrest warrant, Landry shot the teen once in the head. The buildings inspector for the Historic District Landmarks Commission was booked on second degree murder charges.

 

Merritt Landry, 33, fired one shot at a teen when he saw him in his front yard on Mandeville Street in the Marigny around 2 a.m., according to the NOPD.

 

He is married with one daughter and a second child on the way.

 

Police sources later told the Times-Picayune that Coulter posed no threat to Landry or his family.

 

Landry’s attorneys said in a statement that they are convinced in his innocence. “We are sure — as facts come to light — it’ll become clear that Mr. Landry will be fully exonerated of any wrongdoing,” they said in part.

The case holds an uncanny similarity to last month’s sensational George Zimmerman murder trial, where the former Sanford, Fla. neighborhood watch captain was acquitted of murdering unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

source:360nobs

Michael Jackson’s Brother, Jermaine Appreciates P-Square On The Tribute Song ‘Personally’

 

 

P-Sqaure’s ‘Personally’ video has caught the attention of Jermaine Jackson (Michael Jackson’s brother) who has sent his regards and appreciation to the group via a video response.

 

Jermaine in his response said the duo were absolutely sensation and he looked forward to meeting them.

 

Jermaine was completely taken by the video below.

BasketMouth gifts wife a Honda Crosstour

 

 

 

It pays to be a comedian in Nigeria. Basketmouth has money in Nigeria from stand-up comedy to endorsements with Glo. A few days ago he bought a Honda Crosstour for his wife, Elsie as her birthday gift. Elsie Uzoma Okpocha was a year older on July 14th.

 

Brad Pitt buys Angelina a private jet

 

Brad Pitt has splashed out on a private jet for Angelina Jolie to make sure the couple see each other while he is shooting World War II movie 'Fury' in London.

 

Brad Pitt has bought a private jet for Angelina Jolie.

 

The 'Killing Them Softly' actor has splashed out on the aircraft for his fiancee - who has held a pilot's licence since 2004 - to enable the couple to see each other more as he is currently shooting World War II movie 'Fury' in London, while the brunette beauty is directing war film 'Unbroken' in Hawaii.

 

A source told heat magazine: ''Brad wanted to gift Angelina with a jet for trips between the set of 'Fury' in London and her set of 'Unbroken'.

 

''He told her that she can choose the plane and he will pay, that way, they can fly back and forth to see each other, and Angelina's always wanted to fly a jet across the ocean anyway.''

 

The 38-year-old actress - who raises six children, Maddox, 11, Pax, eight, Zahara, seven, Shiloh, six, and four-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, with Brad - was inspired by the couple's eldest son to take up flying because she wanted him to think of her as a superhero.

 

She previously said: ''Every time Mad sees a plane, he's amazed. ''If I could actually fly a plane ... I'll be like Superman to him.''

Michael Jackson’s Doctor Conrad Murray to leave jail in October

 

Dr. Conrad Murray will leave prison in October, less than halfway through her four-year sentence for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.

 

Dr. Conrad Murray will be released from prison on October 28.

 

The disgraced doctor has been granted early release and will leave Los Angeles County Jail in three months time, having served less than half of his four-year sentence for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.

 

Murray - who administered the fatal dose of anaesthetic Propofol which killed the King of Pop in June 2009 - was convicted in November 2011 and has spent his sentence in solitary confinement, but with access to a TV and mobile phone.

 

He has been granted early release for his good conduct behind bars and to ease the burden on the prison system.

 

A source said: ''He has been a model inmate and the authorities have granted him an early release due to that good behaviour and the overcrowded California jail system.''

 

However, the decision to release Murray has infuriated the 'Thriller' star's family, including his children Prince, 16, Paris, 15, and 11-year-old Blanket.

 

Michael's mother Katherine said: ''It is not right I will never be able to see my son again, while his mother can see him.''

 

A source added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: ''Murray is the killer of Michael in their eyes. He cost them their son and father.

 

''For him to get out in two years is an insult. They still feel he should have been tried for murder.''

Prince Harry to host party for George

 

Britain's Prince Harry is to throw a party in honour of his new nephew Prince George.

 

Britain's Prince Harry is to throw a party in honour of Prince George.

 

The 28-year-old fun-loving royal is smitten with his new nephew and has the blessing of the tot's parents, his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Duchess Catherine - who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage - to host a lavish bash to celebrate his arrival.

 

A source told The Sun newspaper: ''Harry is all over this.

 

''He has had calls made already and William has agreed to it. Kate is fine -- it's tradition.

 

''He's ecstatic to be an uncle and so proud.''

 

Harry met George for the first time on Wednesday (24.07.13), two days after he was born, and has vowed to ensure his nephew has ''fun'' when they are together.

 

When asked earlier this week what his mission was as an uncle, he said: ''To make sure he has a good upbringing, and keep him out of harm's way and to make sure he has fun.

 

''The rest I'll leave to the parents.''

 

William and Catherine welcomed their son, whose full name is Prince George Alexander Louis, into the world at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, at 16:24pm on Monday (22.07.13) and left the following day.

 

The Duke, Duchess and Prince of Cambridge left Kensington Palace on Wednesday morning and are now staying at the home of Catherine's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, in Bucklebury, Berkshire, South East England.

10 Businesses You Can Start From Your Smartphone

You're out of work. The job listings are thin. You have no money to start your own business. Maybe you don't even have a computer to assist in conducting a proper job search.

Rest easy, we're here to help. We've scoured the earth for ten solid business ideas--endeavors that you can mostly start up with little more than a smartphone and a Gmail address, and that you could get under way tomorrow if you absolutely had to.

Sure, a computer--or at least a netbook--would help with just about any of these suggestions, but for most of your day-to-day activities in these ten enterprises, you won't need anything more than your phone and a big dose of old-fashioned gumption. Now get out there--the economy is waiting!

1. Car Service
   Provided you have a car with a spacious back seat--and you're good at keeping it clean and tidy--you can start a car service without much effort, particularly if you live in a smaller town without major taxi regulations. The biggest hurdle is getting the appropriate driver's license for your state and/or city (check with your state's DMV for details). Once that's out of the way, you can put up a simple website and offer a phone number for customers to schedule pickups. Your phone can double as a calendar and address book to keep track of appointments, and it can work as a GPS device to ensure you're going the right way. Check out UberCab, which lets passengers book travel on private cars directly from their iPhone.
2. Travel/Tour Guide
   What better way to turn a lifetime of living in the same town into pocket money than to become a tour guide around said town? Get the word out by building a website and offering commentary on Yelp to promote yourself as a local expert. Services such as Genbook can help you manage appointments and scheduling, and any Android phone can download a multi-waypoint map from Google Maps to help you plan your tour route. During your downtime, write a tour guidebook and sell it as a print-on-demand book as well as an e-book and smartphone app.

Writer
It may be foolhardy to attempt to start a career as a writer without a computer--and we don't exactly advise it--but it has been done before. Blogging is a good place to start: A variety of iPhone apps exist for the major blog platforms (including WordPress and Tumblr) to expedite mobile posts, and many other platforms (such as TypePad) have mobile services built right in. But there's no need to stop at blogging. In Japan it's becoming popular to write and distribute entire novels via cell phone, specifically text message--in 2007, five of the top ten bestselling novels in Japan were "cellphone novels" written specifically for the medium. Are we ready for such a thing on our shores? Only one way to find out.

1. Videographer
   In the old days, a documentarian, filmmaker, or other video-production professional used to have to fill a van with equipment and haul it from location to location--along with a sizable crew--in order to get a day's worth of shots. Now that pocket video cameras have reached HD quality, it's possible to forgo all of that. If you're brave, you can even shoot with a high-end cell phone, and handsets such as the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Instinct line include basic video-editing features right in the phone. If you're shooting custom video for clients, you can distribute footage directly to them while you're still on location, or upload it to YouTube with little more than a click and a swipe.
2. Mystery Shopper
   One perennially popular scam of the spam world--'Mystery shoppers wanted in your area!'--is actually a legit business for many people, and can bring in real money with a minimum of up-front effort. The important part is doing it right. E-mail come-ons are not the way to start a genuine business. Rather, do your research into legitimate mystery-shopping clearinghouses such as Corporate Research International (where mystery shoppers are called "auditors"), which handles major clients ranging from Chili's to Sears. Don't expect to make a ton of cash--busy shoppers often earn five figures annually in cash and schwag--but if you have lots of time to kill and enjoy shopping, it's worth a look.
3. Auction Maven
   eBay may have been the hottest tech company of the last millennium--traffic has been eroding for years now--but it's still big enough to merit the 21st spot among the most trafficked websites in the world, per Alexa. Business opportunities in the auction field remain as varied as the items for sale on the site. Troll garage sales and storage-center forfeiture sales for buried treasure, and then relist the items at auction. Make your own quilts and offer them up on eBay (or, better yet, on Etsy). Or set up shop helping people who would otherwise be putting their unwanted merchandise out on the street make a few bucks by selling it online. eBay's mobile app for iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry makes managing storefronts easy from anywhere.
4. Life Coach
   Ah, the beauty of the life coach: You need no real credentials, no degree, and no special business license to give people your opinion on how they should run their lives. Throw together a website touting your expertise--in the life-coach world, the more outrageous the design, the better--get some testimonials from people friendly to your cause, and write up a few stories that show off how wise and intelligent you are (something like "Seven steps to a more serene id"). Once the clients come calling, you can book appointments for in-person meetings or, better yet, telephone calls. Charge premium rates or monthly retainers for folks who'd like 24/7 attention. You're on your own, however, when it comes to actually dealing with all these crazies.
5. Virtual Assistant
   Who doesn't need a little helping hand from time to time? Virtual assistants let people with too much on their plate outsource the most menial tasks to a peon. That's you! Exactly what you do is up to you and your client, but the most successful virtual assistants are the ones who will do just about anything that falls even remotely within the letter of the law. Realistically you'll be buying event tickets, researching vacations, fetching dry cleaning, and even dogsitting from time to time, but requests can run the gamut from the mundane to the extravagant. Be clear about your fee structure--most assistants bill hourly plus expenses, or offer prepackaged monthly deals for a set number of tasks--and promote the heck out of yourself. Entrepreneur magazine has several ideas along these lines to get you going.
6. Tech Support
   Are you the one everyone calls when their computer goes south? Why not get paid for it by fixing the computers and answering the technical questions of helpless strangers? A good web page touting your services is critical here. Use keywords and make sure you're specific about the local boundaries of any on-site service. Most people looking for help will Google "city name tech support" or something along those lines, so use your best SEO-fu to design a page that beginners will understand and search engines will love--remember, these are frustrated people who can't figure out why the fonts are so small on their new monitor, so simple and clear language is key. Craigslist is a popular spot for advertising your wares when business is slow, but be sure to elevate your postings above the riff-raff.
7. 'Personal' Phone Service Operator
   When all else fails, you can always talk to people on the phone. This doesn't take a lot of skill or much in the way of setup beyond getting a 900 number or 800 number (plus a mechanism to accept credit card payments). Want to give out recipe advice, sports-betting picks, or psychic readings? Whatever floats your boat, chances are good that someone out there is willing to pay to listen to you say it. Of course, a lot of these services tend toward more "mature" offerings, but we here at PCWorld would never, ever judge you for that.

World abolishing death penalty, despite hiccups

 

 

ROME, Latium - The number of death penalties carried out worldwide dropped last year according to an annual report released Friday by an Italian non-governmental organisation.

 

The global number dropped from 5,004 in 2011 to 3,967 in 2012, while the number of countries that abolished capital punishment rose from 155 to 158 over the same period, the Italian NGO Hands off Cain said.

 

"The significant decrease in death penalties is to a great extent thanks to China, where they dropped from 4,000 to 3,000 in just a year," Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said at a press conference to present the report.

 

In China, the number of death penalties has dropped 10 per cent each year since 2007, when a new law meant death sentences had to go before the Supreme Court.

 

Despite the significant decrease, China remains the first country on the Hands off Cain blacklist, followed by Iran, which carried out 580 executions in 2012, and Iraq, where the number of death penalties almost doubled over the last year to 129.

 

Although 33 of the 40 countries that still have the death penalty are ruled by despots, some "liberal democracies" returned to capital punishment in 2012, the report said.

 

"While China seems to be progressively improving, some liberal democracies seem to be going the opposite way," said Sergio d'Elia, Hands off Cain secretary.

 

In 2011, of the "liberal democracies", just the United States and Taiwan carried out executions, while in 2012 Japan, Botswana and India began using capital punishment again after many years in which the practice was suspended.

 

This year, Indonesia joined them, carrying out its first death penalty for five years.

 

"Countries that are going backwards instead of going forwards are what worries us the most," Bonino said.

 

In the United States, abolitionists appear to be gaining ground: "In the last six years an American state has switched over to the right side every year," the NGO's president Marco Pannella said.

 

Bonino said she was disappointed that "we cannot call Europe a death penalty-free continent because of Belarus, where three executions took place in 2012".

Fitness trainer reveals the shocking truth about before and after photos

 

 

We have all read about amazing weight loss stories and marvelled at the weight loss pictures. But can they always be trusted to tell the truth?

 

A personal trainer has stepped forward to reveal just how deceiving these transformation photos can be.

 

In an article on Huffington Post, Andrew Dixon, a certified trainer of 11 years, said that these supposed before and after pictures are "transformations that are manipulated with Photoshop, professional lighting, postures to degrade or enhance their look, pro tans, sucking in or pushing out a bloated belly or flexing muscles vs not flexing to obtain an optimal look."

 

To illustrate his point, he provided before and after shots of him looking fat and bloated in one, and toned, tanned and sporting a six-pack in another. And contrary to what a viewer might think, the transformation was completed in just an hour.

 

Explaining the above shot, he said he had been feeling particularly bloated one day, around six months ago.  After asking his girlfriend to take a photograph of him as a 'before' shot, he then shaved his head, face and chest.

 

Dixon then prepared for the 'after' shot by doing a few push ups and chin ups, as well as adjusting the room's lighting.

 

He then sucked in and tightened his abs before taking the 'after' shot.

 

Both pictures were taken about an hour apart.

 

A few weeks later, he attempted a photo series of another 'transformation', which took under an hour to produce. In it, he did a stage by stage transformation to show viewers how the effects are achieved.

Woman force-feeds herself 5,000 calories a day to be 'sexy'

 

Women go to great lengths to lose weight. A high calorie-diet is immediately followed by a visit to gym.

 

But for Ms Tammy Jung, 23, it is just the opposite. She wants to gain as much weight as possible.She was once a happy-go-lucky teenager with a love for the outdoors, but in a bizarre reversal of a crash diet, she began to stay home and just eat.She consumes buckets of fried chicken, boxes of doughnuts and whole blocks of cheese apart from ice cream and milkshakes, the Daily Mail reported.

 

Why is she in a tearing hurry to become obese?The aspiring Los Angeles fetish model wants to become an Internet sex symbol for men who like large women.

 

She is selling memberships to her adult website, where she shows off her ample frame in teeny bikinis.Sometimes, her boyfriend, Mr Johan Ubermen, 28, helps her out by pouring milkshake down her throat using a funnel, US news website Huffington Post reported.

 

She says the funnel forces her to drink the shake even when she is full after a day of eating.Miss Jung averages about 5,000 calories a day.She now weighs about 104kg and her target is to get to 190kg, the report said.Her frightening diet has seen her weight soar by over 22kg every six months.But doctors have warned that her race to become so fat will have major consequences.

Sex Bloggers Plead For Mercy After Receiving Death Threat

 

Kuala Lumpur - Sporting a new crew cut, red T-shirt and a smirk on his face, Alvin Tan Jye Yee said his past week in jail was "not bad".

 

But it may well have been a front for the media who mobbed him and Vivian Lee May Ling after they were released on bail at the Jalan Duta Court Complex yesterday.

 

The sex bloggers may now have to worry for their safety. Many had threatened the pair, including a group on Facebook, which released their personal details like addresses, IC numbers and relatives' details.

 

A picture of the couple with the caption "KILL - If you hurt or kill this scum in front of me I will make like I didn't see" was also circulated on Facebook.

 

The barrage led the pair - known as Alvivi - to tweet from their now-deactivated Twitter account pleading for it to stop.

 

"Mercy please," they tweeted.

 

Yesterday, Tan, 25, seemed to be his usual confident self while Lee, 24, maintained a stony silence as she tried to shield her face from photographers. Lee, clad in a pink T-shirt and wearing spectacles, tried to keep her back to the media at all times. Tan, however, turned around to face newsmen, smirking as he took a swig of water.

 

He had spent eight days at Sungai Buloh prison, while she had been held at Kajang Prison since last Thursday.

 

The controversial sex bloggers arrived handcuffed at about 10am, accompanied by two policemen and counsel Chong Joo Tian and Wong Kee Them.

 

After their handcuffs were removed, they were ushered to the counter so they could sign their bail bonds. After signing the papers, they were swiftly escorted out by Chong, who saw them off in two cars before heading back inside.

 

"They're quite happy to be out of prison. They need time to rest, and we'll take it from there," he told reporters.

 

Chong said that if any threats were made against the pair, they would "lodge a police report and seek police protection".

 

"But this is premature," he added.

 

High Court judge Justice Mohd Azman Husin had on Thursday granted bail of RM10,000 on each of the charges in two sureties after considering the judicial review application filed against the Sessions Court judge Murtazadi Amran's ruling.

 

The pair had been jointly charged on July 18 under Subsection 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 (Act 620), Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act and Section 298A(1) of the Penal Code.

 

They were accused of displaying pornographic images on their blog alviviswingers.tumblr.com, uploading content that could stir hostility between those with different beliefs and publishing a seditious photograph.

Photo:Mad Rush for Airplane at Benin Airport

 

Passengers at the Benin airport in Edo state yesterday waiting to rush into the Arik Air jet that landed. The passenger couldn’t wait for arriving passengers to fully disembark before jumping on the aircraft. Arik air canceled several flights yesterday in Nigeria leading passengers to scramble few available seats on their plane.

 

 

Source:Informationnigeria

Wizkid Spending memorable time With His Niece And Nephew

 

 

As usual,Wizkid’s always keeping it real and close to his family.Picture above is wizkid in london with his niece and nephew.Below is what he posted

 

Photos:Daughter Of Former Eagles Striker Isabelle Aghahowa Makes Nollywood Debut

 

 

Daughter of former Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa, Isabelle Aghahowa has made her acting debut in Nollywood.

 

The 11-year old stars in Uche Jombo’s new movie ‘Unconditional’, which tells the tale of identical twins separated at birth and given to two different mothers, played by Dakore Eguson and Uche Jumbo.

View pictures below.

 

Tunisia opposition figure shot dead: officials

 

Opposition figure and MP Mohamed Brahmi was shot dead by unknown gunmen outside his home near the Tunisian capital on Thursday, state media announced.

 

"Mohamed Brahmi, general coordinator of the Popular Movement and member of the National Constituent Assembly, was shot dead outside his home in Ariana," state television and the official TAP news agency reported.

 

"He was riddled with bullets in front of his wife and children," Mohsen Nabti, a fellow member of the small leftist movement, said in a tearful account on Tunisian radio.

 

Watanya television said Brahmi was struck by a hail of 11 bullets fired from point-blank range.

 

The February 6 assassination of Chokri Belaid, another opposition figure, in front of his home sparked a political crisis in Tunisia.

#RoyalBaby Visit: Photos of Prince Charles Visiting His First GrandChild

 

As the world continues to celebrate and congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their first child and the future heir to the throne, Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, were spotted leaving St. Mary’s Hospital after visiting the happy couple and the new baby.

 

Although to the rest of the world this baby is a future monarch but to Prince Charles this is his first grandchild.  He was reported as saying the baby was “marvellous” while Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton said the baby is “absolutely beautiful” after visiting the couple and the new arrival with her husband Michael Middleton.

 

Enjoy pictures of the view outside the hospital – the crowd(tourists, press, officials and well wishers), the arrival of Prince Charles and wife, Camila and the very first glimpse of the Royal Baby, Prince of Cambridge and his parents.

 

Text by Mariam Ajibola |Images by Michael Tubes

 

Royal Baby: First glimpse

You can view the first photos of the #RoyalBabyBoy HERE and the Royal announcement HERE.

 

Just a random picture in the crowd

Photo:Sexy Toolz, IK, Toke and Yvonne Vixen On CompleteFashion Magazine

 

COMPLETE FASHION MAGAZINE is out with the July edition!

This month’s cover features #BigBrotherAfrica’s top host, IK Osakioduwa and X Factor’s Tolu’Toolz’ Oniru.

In this month edition of the magazine, beautiful and popular Toolz talks about her career and how she landed her role on Nigeria’s X-Factor. Might we add that this is the one of the best images of Toolz sonce her weight loss as well. The purple lace dress she wears looks divine on her.

 

The absolutely savvy IK Osakioduwa who is a positive force in the industry also spills on career, fashion choices and family. Loving the bold choice of suit he is styled in for the cover.

 

The ever boisterous Yvonne Ekwere also known as Vonne Vixen is also featured on the sixteen paged insert – bikini bod alert!. This sets the vibe to eye-catching beach wear for spring/summer 2013. It’s all about Sand, Sea and Sun!

 

Not to be missed is Toke Makinwa the OAP on Rhythm FM, who takes us upclose and personal.

 

Complete Fashion magazine is out on newsstands and available with your nearest vendor now. Pick up a copy for more fabulous fashion stories.

 

CREDITS FOR TOOLZ SHOOT
Makeup by Onyinye for Zaron
Styled by Ifeoma Odogwu
Photography by Moussa Moussa

 

CREDITS FOR IK’S SHOOT
Styled by Mai Atafo
Photography by Moussa Moussa

CREDITS FOR INSERT featuring Yvonne Vixen Ekwere
Styled by the Complete Fashion Team
Make-up by Onyinye for Zaron