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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

5 Tips For Healthy Gums

Abraham - December 31, 2013

Clean, white teeth aren't the only factors of dental health; healthy gums also play an important role in maintaining healthy teeth.

Image Credit: Getty Images

Gums

Unhealthy gums can lead to tooth decay or loss of teeth and therefore, you must take good care of your gums. So, follow these tips to maintain healthy gums.

1) Brushing right

Brushing right is important for healthy gums, but do not brush too hard, simply apply some pressure on your teeth. Opt for a toothbrush that has soft bristles. These soft bristles won't cut or damage your gums. Also, twist your brush at a 45 degree angle so that the bristles won't damage your gums.

2) Massage your gums

Besides brushing, your dental routine should also include an oral massage. Use a tonic oil, preferably eucalyptus or peppermint because they have antiseptic properties and are known to activate blood flow. Take some oil on a clean finger and massage your gums in a circular motion on the inside and outside and then on the upper jaw and lower jaw.3)

3) Exercise your mouth

Try this exercise daily after you massage your teeth. Gently bite down so that your teeth make a clicking sound when they meet. Do this for about 30 to 40 times simultaneously. This exercise stimulates blood flow and keeps your gums healthy.

4) Mouthwash is a must

In addition to brushing and flossing, you must also rinse your mouth with mouthwash regularly. Mouthwash is an antiseptic and will help kill bacteria that cause bad breath and gum disease.5)

5) Reduce your sugar intake

When the sugar you eat combines with the bacteria in your mouth, it leads to plaque. This plaque is known to cause bleeding gums, cavities and tooth decay. Also, remember that sugar and carbonated beverages can dissolve the enamel of your tooth. Therefore, one must cut back on their sugar intake to maintain healthy gums.

Doctors Give No Prognosis for Schumacher

Abraham - December 31, 2013

Doctors offered a grim assessment of Michael Schumacher's head injuries Monday, providing no prognosis for the Formula One driving great after his skiing accident in the French Alps.

Michael Schumacher

Schumacher has been placed in a medically induced coma to relieve pressure on his brain, which suffered bruising and bleeding when the retired seven-time world champion fell and struck a rock Sunday while skiing during a family vacation.

"We cannot predict the future for Michael Schumacher," Dr. Jean-Francois Payen, the doctor in charge of Grenoble University Hospital's intensive care unit, said at a news conference. "He is in a critical state in terms of cerebral resuscitation," said Payen, the chief anesthesiologist treating the 44-year-old German driver. "We are working hour by hour."

Schumacher's wife, Corinna, daughter Gina Maria and son Mick were at his bedside. "The family is not doing very well, obviously. They are shocked," his manager, Sabine Kehm, told reporters.

Schumacher earned universal admiration for his uncommon driving talent, which led to a record 91 race wins. His single-minded dedication to victory sometimes meant he was denied the same affection during his career that he received Monday.

Schumacher "gave the image of someone indestructible, powerful," France's four-time F1 champion Alain Prost said on iTele TV channel. "It's a banal accident compared to what he's done in the past . It's just a dumb thing that ended badly."

Schumacher and his 14-year-old son were skiing Sunday morning in the French Alpine resort of Meribel, where the family has a chalet. He fell and hit the right side of his head on a rock. By wearing a helmet, Schumacher had given himself a chance of survival, Payen said, though the protection was not enough to prevent serious injury.

Gerard Saillant, a trauma surgeon who operated on Schumacher when he broke his leg in a 1999 race crash, was at the hospital as a visitor. He told reporters that Schumacher's age and fitness should work in his favor.

Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, retired from the track for the second time only last year, after a three-season comeback. Still, the hospital's neurology team, which is recognized as among the best in France, was cautious about Schumacher's prospects.

Doctors lowered his body temperature to between 34 and 35 degrees Celsius (93.2 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) as part of the coma, which essentially rests the brain, slowing its metabolism to help reduce inflammation after an injury. The hospital, in a city that is the gateway to the French Alps, sees a large number of skiing accidents every year.

Schumacher has been seriously hurt before. In addition to the broken leg in a crash at the 1999 British Grand Prix, he also suffered neck and spine injuries after a motorcycle accident in 2009 in Spain.

We Killed 56 Terrorists In Borno Over The Weekend – Nigerian Military

Abraham - December 31, 2013

The Nigerian military said yesterday that it launched ground and air operations over the weekend on locations used by terrorists in the Alafa forests, 21 kilometers from Bama, Borno State.

In a statement released Monday by the Director of Defense Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, the military disclosed that at least 56 terrorists lost their lives in an intense exchange of gunfire. The statement added that two soldiers were wounded in the operation which was meant to track fleeing terrorists.

Major Olukolade the military had acted on intelligence which indicated that the terrorists were making renewed efforts to establish a new camp in the forest locations. The land and air operations inflicted heavy casualties on the insurgents who reportedly lost both men and material. According to the statement, “Air and land bombardments are continuing in different locations where terrorists have been reportedly sighted.”

In a separate development, troops of the multi-national Joint Task Force reportedly foiled an attempt by terrorists to carry out an attack on some Nigerian communities. A military source told SaharaReporters that the terrorists were massing up on an island on Lake Chad in order to stage an attack. He said the military’s preemptive strike disrupted the terrorists’ plot. He added that seven of the terrorists died, with troops still in pursuit of their number fleeing in different direction towards Niger and Chad Republics.

The military source said some of the wounded terrorists were seen in a canoe paddling towards Tumbun Telkandam in Chad.

Americans rank Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton as most admired: poll

Abraham - December 31, 2013
Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama

Americans named President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the world's most admired living man and woman in 2013, according to a Gallup poll released on Monday.

Obama topped the annual list for the sixth consecutive year, a typical ranking for a sitting U.S. president, the polling organization said.

But the percentage of those surveyed who choose him as the most admired man fell to 16 percent this year, down from 30 percent in 2012.

The president's job approval rating has dropped during a year marked by a botched healthcare rollout and stalled legislative initiatives at the start of his second term.

Clinton earned the top spot among most admired women for the 12th consecutive year and 18th time overall, more than any other woman in the poll's history.

Fifteen percent of Americans surveyed gave the former first lady and U.S. senator the highest ranking, down from 21 percent who named her as the most admired woman last year, the poll showed.

Gallup said its data came from a poll of 1,031 adults between December 5 and 8, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Other men named to the list included former U.S. presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; Pope Francis and the Reverend Billy Graham; actor and director Clint Eastwood; Microsoft Corp co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates; U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and former Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.

The women who finished behind Hillary Clinton included talk show host Oprah Winfrey, first lady Michelle Obama, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and actress Angelina Jolie.

Also on the list were Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban for demanding education for girls; German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Think you know how to party this New Year’s Eve? Think again

Abraham - December 30, 2013

Throw confetti! Drop balloons! Give someone a snog! What better way to welcome the new year than with a party, some good food or a burning boat?

And of course, few parties are as lavish, ridiculous or exhilarating as a New Year's Eve party.

Whether it's the champagne, the fancy dress, the delicious food, the spectacular location, amazing decorations, or the elusive promise of a kiss at the end of the night, New Year's Eve is the pinnacle of the year's social events calendar.

That's why this year we asked you to share your most memorable NYE party shots from around the world. Think you've partied harder?

27-year-old <a href='http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1065807'>Jeffrey Liu</a> attended a New Year's reunion of bloggers for the online journal "Xanga" in 2011. "We all came from all parts of the country - California, Texas, New York, Canada, Massachusetts and Maryland," she said.

27-year-old Jeffrey Liu attended a New Year's reunion of bloggers for the online journal "Xanga" in 2011. "We all came from all parts of the country - California, Texas, New York, Canada, Massachusetts and Maryland," she said.

Freelance photographer <a href='http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherlock77/' target='_blank'>James Tworow </a>enjoys taking photographs of public events, and took this photo of friends getting ready for a group shot -- and a cheeky kiss -- in the Olympic Plaza in Calgary, Canada.

Freelance photographer James Tworow enjoys taking photographs of public events, and took this photo of friends getting ready for a group shot -- and a cheeky kiss -- in the Olympic Plaza in Calgary, Canada

<a href='http://www.chabotspace.org/index.htm' target='_blank'>The Chabot Space and Science Center</a> in Oakland, California, hosts an annual New Year's Eve Balloon Drop. "It's an exciting atmosphere as all of the children are eager to pop the balloons and the parents elbow for camera positions," <a href='http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1065632'>Chris Hovey</a>, who attended the event last year, says. "When the balloons come down it's bedlam."

The Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, California, hosts an annual New Year's Eve Balloon Drop. "It's an exciting atmosphere as all of the children are eager to pop the balloons and the parents elbow for camera positions," Chris Hovey, who attended the event last year, says. "When the balloons come down it's bedlam."

Sarah Akinaka saw in 2013 with a big seafood fest consisting of fresh lobster and prawns. She was celebrating in her home in Honululu, Hawaii. "It was the kind of weather that many people in Hawaii say, 'Lucky we live in Hawaii', especially when so many of our friends and family on the mainland are bundled up in parkas and watching the snow fall."

Sarah Akinaka saw in 2013 with a big seafood fest consisting of fresh lobster and prawns. She was celebrating in her home in Honululu, Hawaii. "It was the kind of weather that many people in Hawaii say, 'Lucky we live in Hawaii', especially when so many of our friends and family on the mainland are bundled up in parkas and watching the snow fall."

In iReporter <a href='http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1067467'>Flood Gondekowa's</a> family, New Year's Eve means the announcement of the parent of the year. She says her 11-year-old son Joey came up with the parenting contest in 2008. Every month, he and his younger sister determine who got the most points. Gondekowa thinks she wins every year because the kids are worried about hurting her feelings, "even though Daddy does all the driving."

In iReporter Flood Gondekowa'sfamily, New Year's Eve means the announcement of the parent of the year. She says her 11-year-old son Joey came up with the parenting contest in 2008. Every month, he and his younger sister determine who got the most points. Gondekowa thinks she wins every year because the kids are worried about hurting her feelings, "even though Daddy does all the driving."

Photographer <a href='http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1067714'>Celine Kim</a> was having a great time with her friends on New Year's Eve in 2009, when she took this photo. "Most of my friends just graduated school, we felt young and free," she said. This year, she says, will be a little bit different. "It will be relatively quiet, our baby will be tucked in bed and I will be very happy if I can spend some quality time with my husband."

Photographer Celine Kim was having a great time with her friends on New Year's Eve in 2009, when she took this photo. "Most of my friends just graduated school, we felt young and free," she said. This year, she says, will be a little bit different. "It will be relatively quiet, our baby will be tucked in bed and I will be very happy if I can spend some quality time with my husband."

iReporter <a href='http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1068159'>Niena</a> welcomed 2013 with her family in Cebu City, Philippines. "What was special about it was it was my last night with them because my flight back to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was on the next day."

iReporter Niena welcomed 2013 with her family in Cebu City, Philippines. "What was special about it was it was my last night with them because my flight back to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was on the next day."

Boko Haram Kills 12 Borno Villagers

Abraham - December 30, 2013

Boko Haram sect between Saturday and Sunday killed 12 villagers in two villages of Borno State and escaped without any resistance, several other villagers sustained serious injuries by the Boko Haram fighters.

A Christian pastor on mission work in the villages and another military source in the 7th Division of Nigerian Army, Maiduguri told SaharaReporters in separate telephone interviews.

The sources who don’t want to be mentioned, said, the attacks occurred in Tashan-Alade on Saturday during a wedding ceremony and also on Sunday.

The attackers stormed the villages on motorcycles and left over 20 persons with serious gun wounds, some of whom are being treated in Maiduguri and Michika in Adamawa state.

SaharaReporters could not reach, Col. Mohammed Dole, spokesman of the 7th Division of Nigerian Army in Maiduguri.

Nobel Laureate Soyinka’s Daughter Dies

Abraham - December 30, 2013

Iyetade Soyinka, a daughter of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, has died. Ms. Soyinka, who was born June 6, 1965, died at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital where she was being treated for an undisclosed ailment.

The death was disclosed in a statement signed by Jahman Anikulapo, an aide to Mr. Soyinka, one of the world’s foremost dramatists and winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in literature. The statement noted that the late Iyetade Soyinka was a student at the Staff School and Queens School, Ibadan before she studied Medicine at the University of Ibadan.

Mr. Anikulapo’s statement described the deceased as “affable, intelligent and sometimes capricious,” adding that she “struggled with her health in recent years.” Despite her health woes, the late Iyetade Soyinka “greeted every day with a smile and doted on her two children.”

The statement, which was issued on behalf of the deceased’s family, revealed that Ms. Soyinka “took ill quite suddenly and passed away while being treated at UCH, Ibadan.

“Iyetade leaves behind two children, both parents, numerous siblings, nieces and nephews.”

No funeral arrangements were announced in the statement.

Love of speed and risk haunts great Schumacher

Abraham - December 30, 2013

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher may have retired in 2012 after a glittering career but his love for speed and danger has now led to a serious head injury while skiing in France.

The 44-year-old German suffered a blow to the head after hitting a rock at the upmarket Alps resort of Meribel, and although initial reports suggested his injuries were not life-threatening, he was later described by the hospital treating him in Grenoble as being in a critical condition.

The Meribel resort director, Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte, said Schumacher was skiing off-piste late Sunday morning with companions when he fell and struck his head.

After years of racing in the high risk world of Formula One and winning a record seven world titles, his accident suggests that perhaps retirement has not dulled his relish of dangerous pursuits.

As an F1 racer, Schumacher was known for his daring overtaking manoeuvres, his at-times almost reckless abandon in the pursuit of victory and his mastery of the tricky conditions presented by rain.

When he won his first world title in 1994 with Benetton, he did so in controversial fashion, crashing into his title rival Damon Hill at the final race after he had already scuppered his own hopes by going off the track when pushing hard despite leading comfortably.

It was indicative of Schumacher's win-at-all-costs attitude and his willingness to take huge risks in order to do so.

He almost provoked a similar crash in the final race of the 1997 season when battling Jacques Villeneuve for the title, an incident for which he was retrospectively disqualified from the whole season.

His career was also punctuated by accusations of dangerous driving following incidents such as a near collision with former teammate Rubens Barrichello in 2010, which the Brazilian later described as "the most dangerous thing" he had been through.

But even such mishaps didn't slow Schumacher down or quench his thirst for success as he went on to win five successive titles with Ferrari from 2000-2004. He retired at the end of the 2006 season before making a damp squib of a comeback in 2010 with Mercedes.

But during his retirement he survived a horror accident that knocked him out when racing a motorbike in Spain.

That time he was released from hospital after just five hours. Even so he is the sport's most decorated champion with a record 91 GP wins, while he is one of only two men to reach 300 races.

In 2000 he also sealed Ferrari's first championship in 21 years with victory in the penultimate race of the season in Japan.

Schumacher's duels in his hey-day with Hill, Villeneuve and Mika Hakkinen, fired by an unquenchable competitive spirit, have gone down in Formula One folklore.

Schumacher was born in January 1969 near Cologne, Germany, the son of a bricklayer who also ran the local go-kart track, where his mother worked in the canteen. His younger brother, Ralf also became a successful Formula One driver. By 1987, Schumacher was the German and European go-kart champion and had left school to work as an apprentice mechanic, although he was soon racing professionally.

In 1990 he won the German F3 championship and was hired by Mercedes to drive sports cars. Just a year later he burst onto the Formula One scene, qualifying seventh for Jordan in his debut race at Belgium.

The young German was immediately snapped up by Benetton, where he won his first Formula One race in 1992, again at Belgium's tough Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Schumacher won 18 races over the next four seasons with Benetton, claiming back-to-back world titles in 1994 and 1995.

In 2002 Schumacher won 11 times and finished on the podium in all 17 races. In 2003, he broke Juan Manuel Fangio's record by claiming his sixth world title and in 2004 he won 13 races, his greatest season.

But his greatest ever battle may just be commencing as the father of two finds himself battling to recover from a serious accident.

S'pore mum shares dramatic account of how she gave birth in the toilet

Abraham - December 30, 2013

My husband had just stepped out of the house. I needed him to pick up his mum-quickly-so she could watch over our two children while we rushed to the hospital.

Earlier, while reading bedtime stories to the kids, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I ignored it and continued to tuck them in.

After all, the intervals of the cramps weren't consistent, so I didn't think anything more of it.

I was into my 37th week of pregnancy - and, yes, Baby no. 3 was due anytime. But I'm an experienced mum, so I knew what labour pains were like.

I carried on with housework and even went in the computer. But the contractions got worse and more frequent, even after I rested in bed.

Then I felt a strong urge to pass motion. But when I sat on the toilet, I realised that something wasn't right. The continued urge to push despite the lack of results triggered warning bells.

I had two normal deliveries without epidural and could clearly remember the feeling of having to push a baby out. I suspected that it was going to happen soon, and that prompted me to squat to reach below. True enough, I felt something hairy and knew at once that it was the baby's head.

I screamed for my husband - but he had already left.

Baby's out

The urge to push was already quite intense, and I instinctively got on all fours.

It felt like only a few seconds had passed from the time I felt his head… and baby was out.

In fact, he slipped out and landed on the floor. I didn't manage to catch him because things were developing so quickly.

Thankfully, he wasn't hurt, probably because the water bag was protecting him.

There was blood all around the toilet but my attention was on the Baby. He looked purplish and lay on the cold floor quietly.

I panicked. Why wasn't he crying? Then I realised the umbilical cord was coiled around his neck - twice. I quickly untangled him.

Right away, he wailed and became pinkish. I felt such a wave of calm and relief.

Holding him close, with the umbilical cord and placenta still on me, I hobbled over to the bedroom to call my husband. He was in shock.

Surprisingly, I remained composed throughout. I guess I had no time to panic because there was so much going on at once.

I quickly grabbed a towel to swaddle my little one and kept him warm While waiting for my hubby and the ambulance to arrive, I tried to breastfeed Baby.

He suckled, although he didn't latch on well. All the time, the other two children were sound asleep in their room. It felt like there was just him and me. It was such a peaceful, surreal moment.

I didn't feel tired, maybe because the whole process was so short. Neither did I feel as much pain as in the previous two deliveries.

Student was too truthful during exam

Abraham - December 30, 2013

How truthful would you be during a exam?

According to a post on Reddit.com, a student told his biology teacher during an exam that he had no interest in the subject via his answer.

The question had asked students to "Explain how an nitrogen atom in the upper atmosphere can become useful to archaeologist to determine the age of a bone."

To which the student rather truthfully replied that he had neither paid attention to the topic in class nor had he gone through the chapter at home.

However, the student did consider the teacher, known as Mr J to be a friend; and needed his advice on how to start a conversation with his crush.

Mr J wisely told him that he would impress the girl by talking about how atmospheric nitrogen can be used to age artefacts.

10 ways to stop yourself from spending money

Abraham - December 30, 2013

We've all succumbed to the temptation to spend. But when you do it repeatedly, it can become a problem. "Excessive or impulsive spending is like a bad habit," says BJ Tan, senior debt consultant from Debt Reform, a local debt management company.

"You need to break the cycle slowly to successfully control it," he says.

Here are some strategies to help you.

Have a No-spending Day

Schedule a day or two each week when you spend on nothing but daily necessities, such as meals and transport, or items that you've already budgeted for.

Find your hourly rate

Take your monthly salary and divide it by the number of hours you work in a month - including overtime - to get your hourly rate, BJ says: "Knowing you'll need to work a certain number of hours to fund a purchase may make you think twice about buying it."

Scheduling Post-shopping Appointments

Settling a time limit on your shopping helps you to control your spending. "If you know that you're an impulsive shopper , give yourself as little leeway as possible," BJ advices.

Don't shop with just anyone

Whom you shop with influences your shopping habits, say BJ. "Shop with someone who's a rational spender-who is likely to help you to watch your money and make sure you don't part with it too readily." He adds that your shopping partner should not encourage you to buy everything you try on, unless it's within your budget.

Ask: "Do you really need it?"

"We can always find reason for 'needing' something. But before you hand over your money, stop and ask : 'if you need it badly, how have I gone for so long without it?' It's a simple question to put your spending into perspective, explains BJ.

Shop like a man

Men are efficient shoppers- they take only what they need and spend less time in shops, reducing their chances of going home with an impulse buy. To help you shop like a man, make a shopping list and keep to it. " Don't go browsing for something you think you might need," advices BJ

Beware The Checkout counter

Those sweets and treats beside the counters? They can add up, warns BJ. Before long, you could find yourself forking out an additional $5 to $10 for these goodies. "Most people pick things up at the checkout counter whole they're waiting idly for their turn to pay. Do something to occupy your waiting time- read a book , catch up with a friend over a phone , or play games on your smartphones," he advices.

Control your mummy guilt

You know the drill - you're feeling guilty about not spending enough time with your kids, so next time you're out, you 'make-out' for it by buying them clothes, toys and treats. BJ says you should think of your guilt-spending in this way: "the money you spend now is the reserve for your children's future needs, which will become greater as they get older. You don't want to be in a situation where you can't afford to let them further their studies because you spent too much on them when they were younger."

Remember: Group-buying Deals Add Up

Group-buying websites send out daily updates on current and upcoming deals, tempting you to buy things you don't need, just because of the fabulous offers, says BJ. He adds : "It's like having a sale all the time - it helps you save money but it also make you want to buy something you don't need, just to take advantage of the savings."

Be patient

You really, really want that new tech gadget? Chances are, you can buy it for less if you hold out a little longer- and you can save towards its cost in the meantime, BJ shares his own experience: "My first television set many years ago was a 42 - inch plasma that was retailing at almost $15,000. I had only set a aside a budget of $1,000, so I waited almost two years until the price fell within that region before I finally bought it."

These billionaires made the most money in 2013

Abraham - December 30, 2013

Even though Warren Buffett made the most gains in 2013, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates still holds the title of the wealthiest billionaire in the world. Find out who earned the most money in 2013.
Even though Warren Buffett made the most gains in 2013, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates still holds the title of the wealthiest billionaire in the world. Find out who earned the most money in 2013.

10. Carl Icahn - USA - Gain in 2013: US$7.2 billion (S$9.1 billion)
10. Carl Icahn - USA - Gain in 2013: US$7.2 billion (S$9.1 billion)

77-year-old self-made billionaire Carl Icahn has an estimated net worth of US$22.1 billion in Dec 2013, an increase of US$14.9 billion in Jan 2013, according to Wealth-X.

He has investments in Netflix and Herbalife, and after announcing that he has a stake in Apple this August, the company's shares went up by 9 per cent, reported Forbes.

 9. Lui Chee Woo - Hong Kong, China - Gain in 2013: US$8.3 billion (S$10.5 billion)
9. Lui Chee Woo - Hong Kong, China - Gain in 2013: US$8.3 billion (S$10.5 billion)

88-year-old Lui Chee Woo is owner of Galaxy Entertainment Group and fifth richest man in Hong Kong, reported Forbes. The tycoon also has investments in hotels and property development.

According to Forbes, the billionaire first started in 1950s, buying and reselling construction equipment from Japan to Southeast Asia.

His eldest son, Francis Lui, manages the gambling businesses in the family's conglomerate.

8. Larry Page - USA - Gain in 2013: US$9.3 billion (S$11.8 billion)
8. Larry Page - USA - Gain in 2013: US$9.3 billion (S$11.8 billion)

Google co-founder Larry Page runs the company together with his partner, Sergey Brin (right). Above: The duo in their younger days
Google co-founder Larry Page runs the company together with his partner, Sergey Brin (right). Above: The duo in their younger days

Page manages the search engine side of the business while Brin focuses on the futuristic Google X division which researches on Google Glass and driverless cars, said Forbes.

In 2013, Page's net worth went up from US$20.6 billion to US$29.9 billion by Dec 2013.

Former Google employee Douglas Edwards revealed that even though the founders were bad at coding and the pair had little to do with the coding that powered the search engine.

The duo did have a sense of humour. Edwards also said that when their code broke, users would see funny error messages like, "Whoa, horsey!"

 7. Sergey Brin - USA - Gain in 2013: US$9.3 billion (S$11.8 billion)
7. Sergey Brin - USA - Gain in 2013: US$9.3 billion (S$11.8 billion)

Though Google co-founder Sergey Brin tied with his partner Larry Page in financial gains in 2013, Brin's net worth is slightly higher at US$30 billion, said Wealth-X. Above: Brin walking alongside Wendi Deng

Other than making headlines with Google Glass, Brin was also in the news for allegedly having an affair with the marketing manager of his latest product, Amanda Rosenberg, 27, in August, said Daily Mail.

6. Masayoshi Son - Japan - Gain in 2013: US$10.3 billion (S$13 billion)
6. Masayoshi Son - Japan - Gain in 2013: US$10.3 billion (S$13 billion)

Masayohi Son is the owner of internet venture SoftBank and listed as Japan's third richest person by Forbes. His net worth has double from US$8.8 billion in Jan 2013 to US$19.1 billion in Dec 2013.

According to Business Insider, Son is of Korean descent and moved to Japan when he was a kid. His schoolmates would throw rocks at him, and the family eventually took on a Japanese sounding name.

Son went to study in the United States after following the advice of McDonald's Japan founder Den Fujita, said Business Insider.

 Arstechnica said he made his first million with arcade games. His father was also in the arcade games business, dealing with pachinko machines.
Arstechnica said he made his first million with arcade games. His father was also in the arcade games business, dealing with pachinko machines.

In 2004, he suffered his biggest set back when he lost US$40 billion in the dot com bust. Business Insider said it was the biggest loss for an individual.

Son was also good friends with late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. With that friendship, Son was able to become to first distributor of iPhones in Japan, said Business Insider.

According to Bloomberg, Son has his own golf range which can simulate weather, grass conditions and seasonal aromas. Bill Gates once visited the golf range and remarked, "Wow!"

5. Mark Zuckerberg - USA - Gain in 2013: US$10.5 billion (S$13.3 billion)
5. Mark Zuckerberg - USA - Gain in 2013: US$10.5 billion (S$13.3 billion)

The youngest in the list, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, 29, increased his net worth from US$14.2 billion to US$24.7 billion in 2013.

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla, have donated 18 million Facebook shares worth around US$500 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which supports education and health programmes, said Business Insider.

Even though he is usually seen in his default grey shirt, Zuckerberg revealed that he wore a tie everyday in 2009 to show that Facebook was a serious business, said CNN.

According to IBNLive, Mark Zuckerberg has around 50 patents under his name. The first was issued in 2004 for his technology Synapse Media Player. A programme that uses artificial intelligence to analyse and recommend music based on their habits.

CNN said he is a vegetarian even though he listed burger joints McDonald's and In-and-Out Burger as his 'Likes' on Facebook.

Even though his net worth stands at US$24.7 billion, he only bought his wife, Priscilla (above),a ruby wedding ring worth around US$25,000.

4. Jeff Bezos - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.3 billion (S$14.3 billion)
4. Jeff Bezos - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.3 billion (S$14.3 billion)

 Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' net worth increased from US$23.1 billion to US$34.4 billion in 2013.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' net worth increased from US$23.1 billion to US$34.4 billion in 2013.

While the Sergey Brin is developing Google Glass, Jeff Bezos is working on drones which can deliver small packages to a destination in less than 30 minutes, said Business Insider.

The octocopters are part of a programme called 'Amazon Prime Air'. However, he has to check with the Federal Aviation Administration to make sure the drone is legally able to fly.
The octocopters are part of a programme called 'Amazon Prime Air'. However, he has to check with the Federal Aviation Administration to make sure the drone is legally able to fly.

According to the book, "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon", it was revealed that when he was a toddler, 3-year-old Bezos tried to dismantle his crib with a screwdriver.

Bezos takes customer service seriously, said the book, and would even let customers e-mail him directly. After seeing the e-mails, he would then forward it to the relevant department.

A long-time space geek, he owns Blue Origin, his private rocket ship company.

3. Sheldon Adelson - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.4 billion (S$14.4 billion)
3. Sheldon Adelson - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.4 billion (S$14.4 billion)

80-year-old gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson's net worth went up to US$35.3 billion in 2013. The Las Vegas Corporation chief has casinos from Macau to Singapore.

In 2012, he was listed by The Week as the bigger donor. His favourite game at the casino is Blackjack, but he does not play much.

According to The Week, he met his second and current wife on a blind date in 1989. On their honeymoon, he got the idea for The Venetian, a casino and hotel project.

Even though he is based in Las Vegas, The Week said that his fortune comes mostly from the casinos in Macau and its high-rollers in the special VIP rooms.

He believes that technology is good for the business, The Week said that the tycoon doesn't use computers, text or e-mail.

2. Bill Gates - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.5 billion (S$14.6 billion)
2. Bill Gates - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.5 billion (S$14.6 billion)

World's wealthiest man Bill Gates raked in US$11.5 billion in 2013, bringing his net worth to US$72.6 billion.

Through a foundation set up together with his wife, Melinda Gates, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is setting out to improve human sanitation. They are trying to find ways to turn human waste into something useful, said Business Insider.

With the foundation's help, the scientists at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory have developed a technology that can convert human urine into electricity that can be used to power a smartphone, reported Business Insider.

According to Factslides, Bill Gates wanted to be a missionary by the age of 30, but he become a billionaire at 31 years old.

Various reports said that his score for his leaving school examinations, SAT, was almost a perfect score. He got 1590 out of 1600.
Various reports said that his score for his leaving school examinations, SAT, was almost a perfect score. He got 1590 out of 1600.

Bill Gates married his long-time girl friend Melinda French in Hawaii on Jan 1st, 1994.They have three children.
Bill Gates married his long-time girl friend Melinda French in Hawaii on Jan 1st, 1994.They have three children.

According to Policymic, if Bill Gates was a country, it would be the 37th most richest country in the world.

He and his wife doesn't believe in giving their fortune to their kids. He was quoted saying, "I don’t think that amount of money would be good for them. They have to find their own way."
He and his wife doesn't believe in giving their fortune to their kids. He was quoted saying, "I don’t think that amount of money would be good for them. They have to find their own way."

1. Warren Buffett - USA - Gain in 2013: US$12.7 billion (S$16 billion)
1. Warren Buffett - USA - Gain in 2013: US$12.7 billion (S$16 billion)

Investment tycoon Warren Buffett made the most money in 2013, bringing his net worth from US$46.4 billion to US$59.1 billion in Dec 2013.

In June 2006, Nasdaq said Buffett announced his plan to give away 85 per cent of his wealth to charity. He said he always had the intention to "do good" rather than keep the fortune within his own family.

Buffett's first wife died from oral cancer. Before her death, she gave one of Buffett's love interest permission to date him. After her death, Buffett reportedly regretted leaving her when she was ill, said Nasdaq.

Ted Weschler, managing partner at hedge fund Peninsula Capital Advisors, once paid US$5.25 million to have lunch with Buffett. The lunch date paid off when Weschler was invited to join Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, in 2011, said Nasdaq.

Buffett has an obsession with the game of Bridge and plays it online least four times a week, said Nasdaq.

He reportedly disowned his adopted granddaughter Nicole after she appeared on a show called 'The One Percent'. Her "perceived sense of entitlement and self-appointed role as family spokesperson", said Nasdaq, upset the billionaire tycoon.

PSY SECURES NEW YOUTUBE WORLD RECORD WITH "GENTLEMAN"

Abraham - December 30, 2013

Proving that "Gangnam Style" was far from a one-hit-wonder, South Korean sensation PSY has secured another GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title with his follow-up single, "Gentleman", which is the Most viewed video online in 24 hours.

The new music video received 38,409,306 views on YouTube within it's first 24 hours on April 14th 2013, and at time time of writing 11 days later, has been seen more than 222,867,915 times.

the video link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ASO_zypdnsQ#t=0

PSY's previous music video, "Gangnam Style", earned him multiple GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS titles, including Most viewed video online, Most "liked" video online, and First video to receive one billion views. The video has now been viewed more than 1,500,000,000 times.

PSY_article.jpg

The success of "Gentleman" is more immediate than that of it's predecessor, though - reaching 100 million views in barely four days, compared to the almost two months it took "Gangnam Style" to cross the same threshold:

Psy-Gentleman-YouTube-stats-cropped.jpg

Sunday, December 29, 2013

The Myth of Working Hard vs. Working Smart

Abraham - December 29, 2013

The Myth of Working Hard vs. Working Smart

Mike Rowe, host of the popular Discovery Channel series Dirty Jobs, recently highlighted the dichotomy of how we portray work in America -- in one corner, the romantic, blue-collar ideal of "working harder," and in the other, the urban, Blackberry-toting notion of "working smarter."

And while Rowe's comments were meant to illustrate the contrast between our perception of blue collar vs. white collar jobs, I couldn't help but think about the plethora of listicles I've read about working smarter, not harder. They all start by discussing the misconception that putting in long hours will lead to success, and then move on to how to cut down your hours and increase productivity by reprioritizing and taking "me time."

The problem with the working hard vs. working smart dichotomy is that all too often we frame the choice as one in which we can only choose "hard" or "smart." The question we should be asking is, why aren't we doing both?

Our culture's reverence of hard work hearkens back to the ideals of America's first settlers, who possessed a tireless work ethic and self-denying humility. This core mentality persisted for over three centuries of American history, as we built outward from an agrarian society and became the world's industrial leader. But in our transition to a service economy -- and particularly during the digital revolution of the past quarter-century -- we began to see the primacy of hard work as a relic of the analog, industrial past and started teaching our children to work smarter, not harder.

Growing up on the doctrine of "smarter, not harder" has had its advantages for many in younger generations. By trusting technology and prioritizing time-efficiency, we've become adept at multitasking and capable of creative, entrepreneurial thinking. From our youth, we've been trained to never be satisfied with the conventional ways of doing things and to keep looking for that better mousetrap.

Working smart may be essential, but it's only half of the equation. No successful entrepreneur or executive will tell you that it's a substitute for applying maximum effort during every waking hour of the day. To reach the top of your field, you need to not only take advantage of technology and work efficiently, but also be the first one in the office and the last one still plugging away into the wee hours of the morning when your competition is asleep. Smarter work affords us more time, but that saved time doesn't mean anything unless we put it to optimal use.

Top CEOs have reported an average wakeup time of 6:15 a.m., with many rising before 5, and most worked at least two hours at home after dinner. In some cases, they regularly turned in 18-hour workdays. Many of these industry leaders credit their success to working while others aren't.

Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of reddit, credits coffee for his ability to burn the candle at both ends in his recently released book, Without Their Permission.

As startup entrepreneur Seth Priebatsch of SCVNGR put it, "I get almost as much done outside normal office hours as during them. I'll interview people on Saturdays, late at night, early in the morning... During startup, I think you have the choice of being productive or having a social life, and I've chosen being productive."

If we want to be successful, we shouldn't be content to simply work smarter. The most successful people work smart, but they also work exceptionally hard. They maintain the same level of persistence and drive while learning ways to do things more efficiently. We don't all have to aspire to be CEOs, but for those of us that do, finding more effective ways to do things is only half the battle.

Hard work and smart work alone are not sufficient for business success -- ingenuity, vision, risk calculation, and luck, among others, all play roles -- but both are essential, and it's time to stop treating them as if they were mutually exclusive. Young professionals and budding entrepreneurs must work smarter, harder, longer and better -- because their competition already is.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

2 CHAINZ FACING JAIL TIME

Abraham - December 28, 2013

2 Chainz Facing Jail Time

All Hip-Hop shares that the "No Lie" rapper was officially charged with a misdemeanor for obstructing of justice, stemming from his run-in with police in Oklahoma this summer.
Chainz took to Twitter to share his dismay. "So the fact that OKC is charging me with obstruction months after pulling my bus over And finding nothing lets me know the devil is busy," he tweeted on Christmas Eve.


Back in August, Chainz was pulled over in his tour bus during the 'America's Most Wanted' tour. A representative from the Oklahoma Police Department told MTV News that the rapper's bus was pulled over and the driver was arrested after cops suspected that there was drug use onboard. The rapper and his entourage locked the bus door and refused to let police in without a search warrant, maintaining their innocence.


Later 2 Chainz explained on "RapFix Live" that he was sick of being a target. "I don't do anything illegal," he said. "You're not gonna find a kilo on my bus. You're not gonna find an unregistered reason. I went to work all last year. I paid taxes. I did everything I was supposed to do. So maybe people need to start aiming at some criminals. For me, I'm cold turkey on all criminal activities. I don't wanna do anything criminal. It's just about wasting your time, my time and taxpayers' money."

Still out there and growing -- al Qaeda on the rebound, experts say-CNNNEWS

Abraham - December 28, 2013

Watch this video

Two years after the end of the Iraq war, the U.S. State Department confirmed this week that it is providing the fragile country with sophisticated weapons and drones. Iraq needs help fighting against a growing and serious threat -- al Qaeda.

For those who don't avidly follow the complicated machinations of the globe's top terror group, this could be confusing.

Hasn't the line for years from the U.S. government and its allies been that al Qaeda is on the run, that its fiercest fighting ability has been weakened by U.S. strikes?

That truth is far more complex, of course. The terror group's manpower has increased in recent years, it has gained control of more territory in North Africa and the Middle East and is taking a different approach to death, according to top lawmakers privy to high-level intelligence and experts who have observed al Qaeda's activities since September 11.

A stake in Yemen

While al Qaeda suffered significant setbacks after Navy SEALs shot and killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011, and drone strikes have taken out top terrorists along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the terror group and its close allies have rebounded in Yemen, the Sinai region of Egypt, Libya, Iraq, and parts of east and west Africa, among other places.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, headquartered in Yemen, is particularly concerning.

CNN has learned of recent intercepts of messages among senior al Qaeda operatives in Yemen, but the messages don't name specific targets. One source told CNN that the chatter suggested "active plotting."

"There are multiple indications that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is plotting attacks both within Yemen, against U.S. and Western structures and overseas," said Seth Jones, an analyst at Rand Corp. The Yemeni group is already notorious for sending an operative on board a flight into the United States on Christmas day in 2009 with explosives in his underwear.

Al Qaeda in Yemen "are still capable of conducting attacks" and particularly adept at "taking down aircraft," Jones said.

The U.S. has been fighting back, but not every strike has been successful. This month a drone failed to kill an al Qaeda planner believed to be behind a plot to attack the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa. Instead, the drone hit a wedding party, Yemeni officials said.

A powder keg in Syria

Al Qaeda-linked militants have established a formidable foothold in the complicated civil war in Syria.

There are up to 11,000 foreign fighters from 74 nations in the conflict that has raged since April 2011, according to the December report from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalism (ICSR).

The majority have traveled from other Arab countries, creating a significant risk of blowback when these fighters return home.

"The concern is that the al Qaeda networks of the future are being created in this jihadist melting pot," said Paul Cruickshank, a CNN terrorism analyst who has specialized for years in studying al Qaeda.

An increasing number of them are from Europe -- approaching two thousand, according to the ICSR, an unprecedented number, according to experts.

The United States and its allies fear that those fighters will be able to more easily launch attacks in their homelands or against Western targets, said Cruickshank.

"Syria is now the fuel for the jihadist movement and some of the most experienced operatives from Pakistan and Iraq have relocated there," he said. "Syria has helped al Qaeda rebuild its operations in the Arab world, which has always been its intention anyway."

Cruickshank saiid it's especially scary to consider that al Qaeda members in Syria could receive training in the terror group's traditionally sophisticated bomb-making and detonating courses.

Consider that the Boston Marathon bombing utilized what are considered low-grade explosives, he said. Al Qaeda generally sets the bar higher for destruction on par with the London attacks in the summer of 2005.

"It's possible that new recruits could get training like what we saw al Qaeda in Pakistan giving -- showing people how to make high-explosive bombs made of chemicals bought at beauty or home goods stores and detonate them." Cruickshank said. "All they would need to do is return to Europe, buy what they need to and carry out an attack."

Flashpoint partners, a U.S outfit that tracks jihadist websites, provided the terror analyst with an al Qaeda video that emerged on Christmas day. It features the Boston bombing and also the slaying of a London soldier in May of this year.

The Christmas Day-published video is an updated English language version of al Qaeda's central video "You are Only Responsible for Yourself" which was first issued in June 2011. That video featured senior al Qaeda leaders including Ayman al Zawahiri and American-born al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn.

It calls for al Qaeda sympathizers to take things into their own hands and launch attacks in the West.

Both attacks are called models for the future.

An elusive peace in Iraq

Syria borders Iraq. Though the causes of violence in Iraq are many-fold, al Qaeda's presence there, aided by Syria's weakened state, is being felt among the fragile nation's law enforcement and civilian population. Between January and November 2013, more than 7,000 Iraqi civilians were killed, including 952 Iraqi Security Forces,according to the United Nations.

April 2013 was Iraq's deadliest month in five years.

Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Sunni Arabs have been politically marginalized and Shiites, who represent a majority of Iraqis, have emerged with more power. That has led to sectarian violence -- constant bombings and various smaller attacks. Al Qaeda is targeting Shiites in an attempt to plunge the country into another civil war and hopes to carve out a larger zone of territory under their control on either side of the Syria-Iraq border, Cruickshank says.

Smaller bursts of violence are the hallmark of al Qaeda's new approach to terrorism, according to the chairs of the Senate and House intelligence committees who appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" in early December.

CNN's Candy Crowley asked House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers if he thought Americans were safer in 2013 than they were a few years ago.

He insisted they're not, and that U.S. intelligence and security officials are having a tougher time than ever before trying to stop so many smaller-scale plots.

But does that translate into a threat specifically in the U.S.? To Rogers, it does.

"All of them have at least some aspiration to commit an act of violence in the United States or against Western targets all around the world," he said.

However, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen said earlier this month that the data on al Qaeda-linked or influenced militants indicted in the United States suggests that the threat of terrorism has actually markedly declined over the past couple of years.

At least for the moment, "these al Qaeda groups in Syria and Iraq are completely focused on overthrowing the Assad regime (in Syria) or attacking what they regard as the Shia-dominated government of Iraq. And, at least so far, these groups have shown no ability to attack in Europe, let alone in the United States," he said in a column published on CNN.com.

Bergen: Are we hyping the terror risk?

The new Al Qaeda

What motivates al Qaeda's newest members?

Sen. Dianne Feinstein told Crowley she thought there is still a pervasive belief among extremists that a caliphate -- an Islamic state governed strictly by Sharia, or Islamic, law -- is possible and should be fought for.

"I think there is a real displaced aggression in this very fundamentalist, jihadist, Islamic community," she said. "And that is that the west is responsible for everything that goes wrong...I see more groups, more fundamentalists, more jihadists more determined to kill to get to where they want to get."

Cruickshank points to the disappointment many young men felt over what they perceive as a failed Arab Spring revolution.

(Al Qaeda is still mostly comprised of younger men, though women are taking backseat support roles, he added.)

In 2011, tens of thousands of protesters staged a revolution in Egypt that unseated longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak. Mohamed Morsy, then a Muslim Brotherhood leader, was elected president in the country's first democratic election in 2012. He was deposed by the military last summer.

This week Egypt's military-backed government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group. On Thursday, dozens of members of the Islamist party were arrested and their property seized, authorities said.

"The great hope of the Arab Spring was that it would liberate the political system. But instead it resulted in increased repression against Islamists," Cruickshank said. "For a lot of young men going into Syria, in some respect, it's a reaction to that feeling."

"They see the Egyptian and Syrian government as tarred with the same brush. They see those governments as blocking the true flourishing of Islam."

‘Games Of Thrones’ & ‘Breaking Bad’ Top List Of Most Pirated Series In 2013

Abraham - December 28, 2013

‘Games Of Thrones’ & ‘Breaking Bad’ Top List Of Most Pirated Series In 2013

For the second year in a row, HBO’s Game Of Thrones has been named as the most pirated series of the year.

Torrentfreak put together the list of the top 10 pirated series which has been inserted below.

1. “Game of Thrones” (5.9 million)

2. “Breaking Bad” (4.2 million)

3. “The Walking Dead” (3.6 million)

4. “The Big Bang Theory” (3.4 million)

5. “Dexter” (3.1 million)

6. “How I Met Your Mother” (3 million)

7. “Suits” (2.6 million)

8. “Homeland” (2.4 million)

9. “Vikings” (2.3 million)

10. “Arrow” (2.2 million)

UNN Alumni Petition Jonathan over Pro-chancellor’s Removal

Abraham - December 28, 2013

UNN Alumni Petition Jonathan over Pro-chancellor’s Removal

The University of Nigeria Alumni Association, UNAA, has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, over the  shocking suspension of  the Chairman of the Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Emeka Enejere, from office, asking him to institute a full scale investigation into the activities of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo.

The association, in the petition signed by the National President, Mr. Andrew Oru, also appealed to President Jonathan to order the immediate reinstatement of Dr. Enejere as Pro-Chancellor of the university.
The national President recalled a plethora of cases where the vice chancellor awarded contracts for projects in the university without recourse to due process.

He said most of the contracts awarded by the VC had yet to be completed, despite the fact that almost one hundred percent payment had been made to the contractors.
In one instance, he stated that though N46.703 million had been paid for construction of the proposed Umunkara Street (University Secondary School Road, Nsukka, out of the N49.161 million for the project, the job was yet to be completed six months after it was to have been delivered in four weeks.

He accused the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, of replacing the Pro-Chancellor with his own lawyer in Rivers State, Mr. Emmanuel Akara, SAN.

Mr. Andrew Oru alleged that the Pro-Chancellor’s problem arose out of the report submitted to the Supervising Minister of Education by the university’s Governing Council which indicted the Vice Chancellor of monumental corruption and profligacy.

The petition, dated December 20, 2013, read:

“Your Excellency, as you can easily discern from the above initial narration, the action of a purported suspension of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, without reason and on no available legal authority  by the Supervising Minister, runs completely at variance with the avowed adherence to your government’s due process regime and laudable transformation agenda.

Wike and his lawyer
“Further shock, the same Minister on December 19, 2013, announced the appointment of one Emmanuel Akara, SAN, who is his own lawyer in Rivers State to replace the Pro-Chancellor.

“We, as responsible major stakeholders and apostles of zero tolerance for corruption in whatever form, are unable to keep to the sidelines and watch the decimation of our dreams as epitomised in the great institution which we have lived to cherish and protect.
“In the light of the above and all other collateral circumstances, we here-in below examine this volatile situation with all sense of responsibility in the context of all extant rules, laws, norms of civility and respect for the visitor.

“Without mincing words, it has practically been a war situation for the number of years that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo, has been in charge of the university’s affairs.  However, with vast resources at his disposal and his readiness to act with brute force of the military style, his challenges, be they academic staff unions or students or even the previous Governing Council, were simply not his match.

“He simply plundered and roared and every lip remained awed and sealed.  It was simply a culture of impunity and naked megalomania and profligacy.  Nemesis, however, came calling sometime in April 2013 when Your Excellency, as visitor, and a bona-fide indigene of the academic environment, in apparent pursuit of your famous trnsformation agenda, appointed a well-groomed fresh Governing Council under the captainship of Dr. Emeka Enejere as Pro-Chancellor.

“This appointment, like all other appointments to different offices within the universities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in particular, in your capacity as the visitor.

Call for Enejere’s reinstatement

“In the circumstances, we, hereby, respectfully call for the reinstatement of Dr. Emeka Enejere as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Nigeria, even though we are aware, from enquiries, that he has not even been officially informed of his purported removal as required by law.

“Further, we, hereby, use this medium to invite your intervention to cause the relevant security agencies to institute a full blown investigation into this dark stain placed on your administration’s posturing of good governance and probity.

Want VC Okolo suspended

“Finally sir, we respectfully call for the immediate suspension from office of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo, to pave way for an undiluted and unhindered investigation of the contents of the ‘offensive’ report of the Governing Council submitted to the Supervising Minister of Education by the purportedly removed Pro-Chancellor.”

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

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