Professor Amos Sawyer arrives Abuja to lead ECOWAS observers to Nigeria's presidential election

Professor Amos Claudius Sawyer


April 14, 2011 11:22 ET

Professor Amos Sawyer arrives Abuja to lead ECOWAS observers to Nigeria's presidential election


ABUJA, April 14, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The former President of the Interim Government of Liberia and Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Nigeria's 16th April 2011 presidential polls, Professor Amos Sawyer, has arrived Abuja, the Nigerian capital, to lead 300 regional observers who are being deployed to the six geo-political zones of the country to observe the election.

Members of the Mission include ECOWAS Ambassadors, representatives of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, representatives of civil society organizations, the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice, electoral experts as well as representatives of electoral commissions from the 15 Member States.

Professor Sawyer who will be joined on Election Day by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, was part of the ECOWAS Observer Mission to the 2008 general elections in Ghana. He led the organization's pre-election fact-finding mission to Ghana in October 2008.

Under its Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, ECOWAS is required to dispatch fact-finding and observer missions to Member States conducting presidential elections as part of its determination to ensure democratic convergence across West Africa.

These missions also enable ECOWAS to determine appropriate assistance to be rendered to such States in order to ensure the conduct of free, transparent and credible elections in the region.


Source: Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)

President Goodluck Jonathan's Campaign Group Bribing Nigerian Voters

President Goodluck Jonathan and his running mate Vice President Namadi Sambo

A campaign group canvassing for voters to support President Goodluck Jonathan offered bribe via text message to the Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report to vote for their presidential candidate and ask others to vote for him. But he rejected their bribe.

Many people are being offered different forms of bribe in cash and kind to vote for Mr. Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election on Saturday April 16, 2011.

Some were offered recharge cards of N500 to N1, 500 to vote for him.

The corrupt and desperate ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) is using political bribery to compel Nigerian voters to vote for their presidential candidate.

The corrupt PDP has billions of dollars to use to bribe millions of voters to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and political bribery is a criminal offense and an electoral malpractice that is another form of rigging an election.

The Sahara Reporters exposed the political bribes given to Nigerian journalists by the office of President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.

We am against all forms of corrupt practices and since President Goodluck Jonathan and his ruling party are corrupt, we will never support him and will do our best to fight against corruption at all levels and save our beloved nation Nigeria from corrupt leaders who have been destroying our nation.

DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY CORRUPT POLITICIAN OR ANY CORRUPT PARTY!

Hiring Managers love Thank-You Note after Job Interviews

More Than One-in-Five Hiring Managers Say They Are Less Likely to Hire a Candidate Who Didn't Send a Thank-You Note, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

-- Hiring managers share what catches their eye on a resume--

CHICAGO, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Job seekers who are not following proper etiquette are hurting their chances of landing a job, even if they may be a good fit for the position. More than one-in-five (22 percent) hiring managers say they are less likely to hire a candidate if they don't send a thank-you note after an interview, according to new data released by CareerBuilder. Of those who would dismiss a candidate for the faux pas, 86 percent say it shows a lack of follow-through and an additional 56 percent say it sends the message that they aren't really serious about the opportunity. This national survey was conducted among more than 2,800 U.S. employers between February 21 and March 10, 2011.

View the infographic here: http://bit.ly/g9I4U2

What's best, regular mail or email? The majority (89 percent) of hiring managers say it is okay to send a thank-you note in the form of an email, with half saying it is actually the way they prefer to receive them. When it comes to industries, the bulk of IT hiring managers say they prefer to receive email thank-you notes more than any other industry surveyed, while the majority of those in the financial services say it's not preferred, but still okay.

"While the job market has begun to move in the right direction, competition continues to remain high for open positions and job seekers need to stay on their toes," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "Employers not only expect thank-you notes, but cover letters as well. Approximately one-third of hiring managers say a lack of cover letter will likely result in them not considering a candidate for their open position."

Once they have read a candidate's cover letter, seven-in-ten hiring managers say they prefer to see a career summary at the top of a resume instead of an objective and, more than half (57 percent) think a resume should be two pages long. When asked what catches their eye the most on a resume, hiring managers said:

Bulleted list of accomplishments (51 percent)
Career summary at the top (40 percent)
Relevant key words (39 percent)
Resume that is customized to the open position (36 percent)

"One-in-five hiring managers say they spend 30 seconds or less looking at a resume, so all your communications need to be professional and to the point," added Haefner. Other job search correspondence tips include:

Cover Letter

Your cover letter is your golden opportunity to make a strong first impression that will entice employers to want to know you better. Make sure it paints a more thorough picture of your educational and work-related background; the cover letter is where you can bring your specific experiences to life.

Resume

Always assume your resume will be scanned by a computer. Companies both large and small are using keyword-search software in their hiring processes these days, so it's important to make sure you always send out a search-ready resume.

Prove it! Don't just explain what you did at your last job, but how you did it and what impact it had on the company's bottom line. The more quantifiable results you can highlight, the better.

Thank-you note

Repeat, repeat, repeat. While a lot of what you include in your thank-you note may seem repetitive, restate your enthusiasm about the job and your qualifications for the position. Include any interesting topic that may have come up during the interview.

Cover all your bases. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, send a thank-you note to each person.

Survey Methodology

These surveys were conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,878 U.S. hiring managers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between February 21 and March 10, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions) and among 2,482 U.S. employers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between November 15 and December 2, 2010 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With pure probability samples of 2,878 and 2,482 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.83 and +/-1.97 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company, and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI). CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
CareerBuilder
Michael Erwin
773-527-3637
michael.erwin@careerbuilder.com
http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR

SOURCE CareerBuilder


Web Site: http://www.careerbuilder.com

Applying Social Media From All Angles - Part One: Advertising and PR

Applying Social Media From All Angles - Part One: Advertising and PR

Being 'social' is considered by many as a key attribute of modern operations for a broad spectrum of businesses. Even more believe it's the single most important driver of change in the marketing communications industry, but tangible examples of these are considerably rarer than social media theorists.

The IPA in association with PR Newswire are proud to present the first in a series of events that will explore how social media and related techniques are actually being applied today. The clear boundaries between advertising, marketing communications and PR are dissolving in a world of mainstream social media usage.

In Part One of 'Applying Social Media From All Angles' on May 5th, it will be the turn of companies operating in this space to showcase and discuss their work.

The IPA will shortly be launching a Public Relationships Group. More on this at the event.
Speakers include

Nicola Mendelsohn – IPA, Karmarama
Chris Reed – Brew Digital
Paul Graham – Anomaly
Nick Jones – I Spy Marketing
Nigel Gwilliam – IPA
Where and when
IPA
44 Belgrave Square
London
SW1X 8QS

5th May, 15:30pm – 17:30pm. Please arrive for 15:00pm to register.

The event is exclusive to IPA members and PR Newswire clients.
Limited Spaces Available - Register Now

Top Topics

Tax Season

U.S. Jail Population Continues to Decline

30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Moves Up to 4.91 Percent

Victims of Libyan Terrorism Praise Anti-Gaddafi Leaders for Pledging to Cooperate and Expose Dictator's Culpability in Terrorism and Crimes Against Humanity

More Than One-in-Five Hiring Managers Say They Are Less Likely to Hire a Candidate Who Didn't Send a Thank-You Note, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

NJPAC Announces New President and CEO

Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Inch Lower

Earthquake in Japan

Art, People and Freedom: Artocracy in Tunisia

Art, People and Freedom: Artocracy in Tunisia

The First Community Action from JR’s InsideOut Project is Unveiled

Paris, France (April 14, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — In early March, the artist and TED Prize winner JR announced his wish to turn the world “Inside Out.” Through his InsideOut Project, JR invited people around the globe to share a photo portrait – along with a statement about what they stand for – and paste thepictures in their communities. A group of photographers and organizers in Tunisia were the first to participate in an InsideOut community project, which they named Artocracy.




Through Artocracy, six Tunisian photographers – joined by JR and his team – traveled the country in late March to take pictures and display images of more than 100 Tunisians who represent the nation’s incredible diversity: men and women of every age, profession, cultural background, and geographic location.

“For the first large street exhibition in a new Arab democracy, the pasting promised to be surprising and the confrontation with art not always simple,” said JR. “There is nothing better to understand the weight of traditions, and the willingness to change them, than to post big portraits in the symbolic places of the revolution.”



Artocracy in Tunisia is an art project initiated by Slim Zeghal and Marco Berrebi, created with a group of Tunisian photographers that include Sophia Baraket, Rania Dourai, Wissal Dargueche, Aziz Tnani, Hichem Drissand Héla Ammar.

The team of photographers and pasters spent the first day in La Goulette and the second in Tunis, where the pictures were taken down. The group then moved on to Sidi Bouzid, an isolated region where the revolution began, to work with those who helped start the revolution.

From there the team traveled to Sfax, Sidi Bouzid, and Le Kram where they met with men and women to discuss the InsideOut Project, raise objections, and eventually paste photos and share the concept with neighbors.

“This project gave hope that Tunisia will become a country as open to art as Spain after Franco or Berlin after the wall was taken down,” said JR.
About the InsideOut Project

JR’s TED Prize wish was the InsideOut Project. Using black and white photographic portraits, people can reveal personal – and perhaps untold – stories, beliefs, and convictions. By visiting www.insideoutproject.net, individuals can take a photo portrait of someone whose story they want to tell, including themselves.

After uploading the picture, along with a supporting personal statement (which can be submitted in any language), users will be mailed a poster of their portrait and asked to paste it in their local community – whether as a solitary image in an office window, among other portraits on the wall of an abandoned building, or in a full stadium. The team behind the InsideOutProject also helps connect participants who want to organize community pastings, which will be documented, archived and viewable virtually. Artocracy was the first community organized InsideOut project.

Learn more about JR and the TED Prize here: www.tedprize.org and www.jr-art.net
###

Media Contact:
MARGARET SULLIVAN
GROUP SJR
646.833.0205
msullivan@groupsjr.com

Rihanna tops nominations for 2011 Billboard Music Awards

14 Apr 2011 03:59 Africa/Lagos

Ultra sexy hip-hop and R&B singer Rihanna leads the nominees for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards with nominations in 18 award categories. The following is the complete news report.


Billboard Announces Finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards

Rihanna Takes the Lead As a Contender in 18 Award Categories

PR Newswire

LAS VEGAS, April 13, 2011




LAS VEGAS, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Billboard released the finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards today at a press conference in Las Vegas. The winners will be announced at the Billboard Music Awards show airing on ABC on Sunday, May 22nd at 8-11 PM ET/PT. The awards show will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in partnership with Chevrolet, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). This is the first year that ABC will broadcast the event.



Rihanna takes the lead as a finalist in 18 award categories including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top 100 Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Digital Media Artist, Top Social Artist and Top Streaming Artist. Her collaboration with Eminem places "Love the Way You Lie" as a contender in six song categories. Eminem is a finalist in 16 award categories including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Social Artist, Top Streaming Artist Top Digital Media Artist and Top Rap Artist.



Lady Gaga follows with 12 categories including three albums all competing for the award of Top Dance/Electronic Album: "The Fame," "The Fame Monster" and "The Remix." "The Fame" is also a finalist for Top Pop Album.

Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber are fan favorites, each earning 11 categories and competing for Top New Artist and Top Male Artist. Other Top New Artist contenders are Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj and Taio Cruz, whose song "Dynamite" is up for five awards including Top Hot 100 Song, Top Digital Song, Top Radio Song, Top Streaming Song (Audio) and Top Pop Song.

The Billboard Music Awards take a holistic look at artist performance based on key fan interactions with music—finalists and winners are determined by chart performance and social and streaming activity as chronicled in Billboard magazine and on Billboard.com during the eligibility period of February 28, 2010 through March 1, 2011. The forty-six award categories are based on measures provided by our data partners including sales data shared by Nielsen SoundScan, radio airplay monitored by Nielsen BDS, streaming data measured by Tubemogul and Nielsen BDS, social media consumption gauged by Next Big Sound and tour grosses tracked by Billboard Boxscore.

Today, Billboard launches a microsite for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards at www.Billboard.com/BBMA. Music fans can also follow news about the show and related events on Twitter at www.twitter.com/billboarddotcom or Facebook at www.facebook.com/billboard. To request media credentials please fill out the form available at www.Billboard.com/BBMA and email to billboard@brandlinkcommunications.com. To download images and video from today's press conference visit www.abcmedianet.com.

The 2011 Billboard Music Awards is co-executed produced by Richard Beckman, CEO of Prometheus Global Media, which owns Billboard, and Don Mischer of Don Mischer Productions.

The finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards are:

ARTIST AWARDS:

Top Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist:
Justin Bieber
Taio Cruz
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Nicki Minaj

Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
Eminem
Bruno Mars
Usher

Top Female Artist:
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Bon Jovi
Lady Antebellum
Linkin Park
U2

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Justin Bieber
Susan Boyle
Eminem
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist:
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Usher

Top Digital Songs Artist:
Eminem
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Drake
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna
Usher

Top Touring Artist:
Bon Jovi
Michael Buble
Lady Gaga
U2
Roger Waters

Top Social Artist:
Akon
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna

Top Streaming Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Shakira

Top Digital Media Artist:
Akon
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna

Top Pop Artist:
Justin Bieber
The Black Eyed Peas
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Katy Perry

Top R&B Artist:
Alicia Keys
Monica
Rihanna
Trey Songz
Usher

Top Rap Artist:
Drake
Eminem
Lil Wayne
Ludacris
Nicki Minaj

Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band

Top Rock Artist:
Kings of Leon
Linkin Park
Mumford & Sons
Muse
Train

Top Alternative Artist:
The Black Keys
Kings of Leon
Linkin Park
Mumford & Sons
Muse

Top Latin Artist:
Enrique Iglesias
Pitbull
Prince Royce
Shakira
Wisin & Yandel

Top Dance Artist:
The Black Eyed Peas
David Guetta
Lady Gaga
LaRoux
Rihanna

Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Skillet
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin

ALBUMS AWARDS

Top Billboard 200 Album:
Justin Bieber -- "My World 2.0"
Susan Boyle -- "The Gift"
Eminem -- "Recovery"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Taylor Swift -- "Speak Now"

Top Pop Album:
Justin Bieber -- "My World 2.0"
Black Eyed Peas -- "The E.N.D."
Ke$ha -- "Animal"
Lady Gaga -- "The Fame"
Katy Perry -- "Teenage Dream"

Top R&B Album:
Monica -- "Still Standing"
Rihanna -- "Loud"
Sade -- "Stronger Than Love"
Trey Songz -- "Passion, Pain & Pleasure"
Usher -- "Raymond v. Raymond"

Top Rap Album:
Drake -- "Thank Me Later"
Eminem -- "Recovery"
Nicki Minaj -- "Pink Friday"
Lil Wayne -- "I Am Not A Human Being"
Kanye West -- "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean -- "My Kinda Party"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Sugarland -- "The Incredible Machine"
Taylor Swift -- "Speak Now"
Zac Brown Band -- "The Foundation"

Top Rock Album:
The Black Keys -- "Brothers"
Jack Johnson -- "To The Sea"
Kid Rock -- "Born Free"
Linkin Park -- "A Thousand Suns"
Mumford & Sons -- "Sigh No More"

Top Alternative Album:
The Black Keys -- "Brothers"
Jack Johnson -- "To The Sea"
Kings of Leon -- "Come Around Midnight"
Linkin Park -- "A Thousand Suns"
Mumford & Sons -- "Sigh No More"

Top Latin Album:
Marc Anthony -- "Iconos"
Camila -- "Dejarte De Amar"
Enrique Iglesias -- "Euphoria"
Prince Royce -- "Prince Royce"
Shakira -- "Sale El Sol"

Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Daft Punk -- "Tron Legacy (Soundtrack)"
Lady Gaga -- "The Fame"
Lady Gaga -- "The Fame Monster"
Lady Gaga -- "The Remix"
Owl City -- "Ocean Eyes"

Top Christian Album:
MercyMe -- "The Generous Mr. Lovewell"
Skillet -- "Awake"
tobyMac -- "Tonight"
Chris Tomlin -- "And If Our God is For Us"
Various Artists -- "WOW Hits 2011"

SONG AWARDS

Top Hot 100 Song:
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "California Gurls"
Usher Feat. will.i.am -- "OMG"

Top Digital Song:
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams -- "Airplanes"
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "California Gurls"

Top Radio Song:
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Usher Featuring Pitbull -- "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love"
Usher Feat. will.i.am -- "OMG"

Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Nelly -- "Just A Dream"

Top Streaming Song (Video):
Justin Bieber Feat. Ludacris -- "Baby"
Eminem -- "Not Afraid"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Lady Gaga -- "Bad Romance"
Shakira Feat. Freshleyground -- "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)"

Top Pop Song:
Taio Cruz -- "Dynamite"
Bruno Mars -- "Just The Way You Are"
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg -- "California Gurls"
Katy Perry -- "Firework"
Katy Perry -- "Teenage Dream"

Top R&B Song:
Alicia Keys -- "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)"
Rihanna Featuring Drake -- "What's My Name"
Trey Songz Feat. Nicki Minaj -- "Bottoms Up"
Usher Feat. will.i.am -- "OMG"
Usher -- "There Goes My Baby"

Top Rap Song:
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams -- "Airplanes"
B.o.B Feat. Bruno Mars -- "Nothin' On You"
Eminem Feat. Rihanna -- "Love The Way You Lie"
Far*East Movement Feat. Dev & The Cataracs -- "Like A G6"
Nelly -- "Just A Dream"

Top Country Song:
The Band Perry -- "If I Die Young"
Lady Antebellum -- "Need You Now"
Miranda Lambert -- "The House That Built Me"
Sugarland -- "Stuck Like Glue"
Taylor Swift -- "Mine"

Top Rock Song:
The Dirty Heads Featuring Rome -- "Lay Me Down"
Florence + The Machine -- "Dog Days Are Over"
Mumford & Sons -- "Little Lion Man"
Neon Trees -- "Animal"
Train -- "Hey, Soul Sister"

Top Alternative Song:
Florence + The Machine -- "Dog Days Are Over"
Linkin Park -- "Waiting On The End"
Mumford & Sons -- "The Cave"
Mumford & Sons -- "Little Lion Man"
Neon Trees -- "Animal"

Top Latin Song:
Enrique Iglesias Featuring Juan Luis Guerra "Cuando Me Enamoro"
Pitbull -- "Bon Bon"
Shakira -- "Gypsy"
Shakira Feat. El Cata -- "Loca"
Shakira Feat. Freshleyground -- "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)"

Top Dance Song:
Lady Gaga -- "Bad Romance"
Lady Gaga Feat. Beyonce -- "Telephone"
La Roux -- "Bulletproof"
Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina -- "Stereo Love"
Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup -- "We Speak No Americano"

Top Christian Song:
Kris Allen -- "Live Like We're Dying"
MercyMe -- "All Of Creation"
Sanctus Real -- "Lead Me"
tobyMac -- "Get Back Up"
Chris Tomlin -- "Our God"

Additionally, Billboard editors identified three bands from six regions of the U.S. based on a variety of factors, including Heat Score, a formula that measures online fan engagement and drives Billboard's Uncharted chart of emerging artists. Through a contest called "Cruze-ing To Vegas" sponsored by Chevrolet, consumers cast over 217,000 votes, narrowing the competition down to one band from each region. These final six group favorites will each receive the keys to a Chevrolet Cruze for a road trip that will take them from their home base to Las Vegas.

A camera crew will follow each of the bands and will document their journey as they play gigs along the way, rock out to the Cruze's standard XM radio, and engage with fans online and in person. The six bands will communicate with their fans while on the road through blogging, tweeting and by creating and sharing playlists, building a viral audience and improving their social Heat Score, one of the many goals as they set their sights on Las Vegas. All six of the bands will arrive at Fremont Street in Las Vegas on May 18th to compete in the ultimate battle of the bands. The winning band will then be honored as the "Dreamseeker Artist of the Year" at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

The six finalists for Dreamseeker Artist of the Year are:

From the Northwest, Hotels (Seattle, WA)
From the West, AJ Rafael (Moreno Valley, CA)
From the Southwest, Otenki (Houston, TX)
From the Midwest, Lightning Love (Detroit, MI)
From the Southeast, Side by Side (Charlotte, NC)
From the Northeast, Gentlemen Hall (Boston, MA)

About Billboard

Now in its 117th year, Billboard is the world's premier music brand consisting of Billboard magazine, Billboard Events, Billboard Bulletin, Billboard.biz and Billboard.com—the online destination of choice for millions of music fans. The Billboard brand is built on its exclusive charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest news, issues and trends across all genres of music. Most recently, Billboard launched the new Uncharted ranking of undiscovered artists, tracking their rising popularity across the Internet. Billboard reaches tens of millions of consumers daily through many strategic relationships with major companies including Reuters, SanDisk, Telemundo, Microsoft Zune, Napster, GTech, Motorola, AT&T, Sony Music Entertainment and Amazon. These relationships leverage Billboard's brand recognition, proprietary chart data and information resources to develop products, live events and print, television, radio, digital and mobile platforms. Billboard produces conferences year-round with programming to address music's role in media and entertainment, including music showcases and awards shows to spotlight talent. In addition to North America, Billboard operates businesses in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Billboard is owned by Prometheus Global Media, a diversified company with leading assets in the media and entertainment arenas, including: Music (Billboard and its related conferences and events, including The Billboard Latin Music Awards), Entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, ShowEast, Cineasia, and CineEurope); and Advertising & Marketing (Adweek, Adweek Conferences and The CLIO Awards).

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About The LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With approximately 149,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 10.5 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.VisitLasVegas.com.

About the MGM Grand Garden Arena

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, 'N Sync, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game which features the Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche.

About Don Mischer Productions

Don Mischer is an internationally acclaimed producer and director of television and live events. He has been honored with fifteen Emmy Awards, a record ten Directors Guild of America Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, two NAACP Image Awards, a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting and more. Don Mischer Productions credits range from We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial and the 100th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall; to the Super Bowl Halftime Shows (Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen), and the Opening Ceremonies of both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games to name a few.

SOURCE Billboard

CONTACT: ABC Media Relations: Edwin Escobar +1-818-460-7758, Edwin.Escobar@abc.com; or Nicole Marostica, +1-818-460-6783, Nicole.Marostica@abc.com; or Prometheus Global Media for Billboard: Elissa Lumley, +1-212-493-4048, Elissa.Lumley@prometheusgm.com

Web Site: http://www.billboard.com

Mobile Website Optimization for Marketing Webinar

14 Apr 2011 12:00 Africa/Lagos

Systems Alliance to Host Webinar on Mobile Website Optimization for Marketing, Communication and Web Professionals on April 28, 2011

One-Hour Session Will Provide Guidance for Eliminating the Challenge of Managing Multiple Online Experiences by Developing Mobile-Friendly Desktop Websites

PR Newswire

HUNT VALLEY, Md., April 14, 2011

HUNT VALLEY, Md., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Systems Alliance Inc., a software development firm and systems integrator providing high-value Web, IT and business consulting services, today announced it will host a Webinar for marketing, communication and Web professionals, entitled, "One Web for All – Optimizing Your Desktop Site for Mobile Visitors," from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET on April 28, 2011.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110303/PH58350LOGO )

This complimentary webinar, led by Systems Alliance consultants Mark Dabrowski and Jasmine Tobias will provide insights and guidance for optimizing Web content for delivery on mobile devices and desktop browsers. Recognizing the growing demand for mobile-friendly content and inherent challenge of managing multiple online experiences, the Webinar will cover:

* Dos and Don'ts of legacy mobile development
* The operational and cost benefits of optimizing your desktop site for mobile visitors
* Design considerations for mobile visitors
* Evolving development issues: CSS, HTML 5, etc.
* Auto-detection and template swapping


Expert Presenters

The mobile Web optimization webinar will be led by members of the Systems Alliance Web Effectiveness consulting team:

* Mark Dabrowski , Vice President, Web Effectiveness Consulting – Mark oversees a team of award-winning designers, developers and project managers who assess, build and transform Web properties for Systems Alliance clients.
* Jasmine Tobias , CUA, Senior Web Consultant – Jasmine is a certified usability analyst by Human Factors International who has over 12 years of experience in Web communications, design, development, and implementation.


Webinar Details

* One Web for All – Optimizing Your Desktop Site for Mobile Visitors
* 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET
* Thursday, April 28, 2011
* Register now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/547705889
* Check for webinar updates and follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #SAImobileweb


About Systems Alliance

Systems Alliance, Inc., founded in 1993, is a Maryland-based company that provides business and technology consulting services to leading corporate and public sector clients including American Public University, Baltimore County Government, Conde Nast, Johns Hopkins Institutions, Modell's Sporting Goods and Random House. Systems Alliance has local offices in Georgia and Tennessee. To learn more, visit: http://www.systemsalliance.com.

Contact:
David Schreiber
(410) 343-7731
news@systemsalliance.com

SOURCE Systems Alliance Inc.

Web Site: http://www.systemsalliance.com

Gray-Market Handsets Continue to Plague AME Mobile Markets, Pyramid Finds

• Gray-market handsets are cell phones manufactured in China that are not recognized or licensed by government regulators. Makers of these products generally do not pay China’s value-added taxes and, therefore, profit illegally from their participation in the market.

• China’s gray-market cell phone shipments will amount to 255 million units in 2011, up 11.8 percent from 228 million in 2010. This compares to a rise of 43.6 percent in 2009.



13 Apr 2011 18:00 Africa/Lagos


Gray-Market Handsets Continue to Plague AME Mobile Markets, Pyramid Finds

PR Newswire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 13, 2011

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of gray market handsets sold across AME will remain steady through 2015, however the sharp increase in legitimate handset sales during that period will reduce the percentage of gray market handset units sold in AME to 13 percent, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com).

Squashing Gray Markets for Mobile Handsets describes the reasons behind the emergence of gray markets in the African handset markets and addresses some initiatives by handset manufacturers, network operators and government agencies to counteract these trends. It observes that concerted efforts are necessary if gray markets are to be challenged and provides examples from Turkey, Nigeria and South Africa to illustrate the arguments in more detail.

Download an excerpt of this report here: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=5&sc=PRN041311_INSAME3.3

Purchase the report here: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/ins_ame_110407.htm?sc=PRN041311_INSAME3.3

"Pyramid believes that shrinking gray markets in Africa depends on manufacturers and operators providing the right incentives for end users to buy authentic handsets, rather than solely branding gray markets as illegitimate," says Kerem Arsal, Analyst at Pyramid. "This requires handset manufacturers to work with network operators to develop affordable handsets, while government agencies should implement policies to encourage the sale and domestic distribution of legitimate handsets," he indicates.

Many African end users can afford only the cheapest of handsets. "Even in cases where income is not an immediate obstacle, limited mobile network capabilities in most markets suggest that phones that are rich in features are not urgently needed," says Arsal. "In response to the gray market handsets, handset manufacturers are aiming for clever combinations to appeal to end users by providing affordable and simple phones, while staying more in touch with the usage realities of the African markets when coming up with relevant features," he adds.

"In African markets where mobile operators have a degree of subscriber loyalty, they should be employed as the primary channel for handset distribution," Arsal says. "Where mobile operators achieve some degree of loyalty, then handset manufacturers are better off using network operators' channels at the expense of sharing some revenue," he notes. "In fact, any loss of revenue due to selling indirectly can easily be counteracted by the scale and certainty provided by powerful mobile operators, as well as by recovering the loss of market share to gray markets," Arsal adds.

Squashing Gray Markets for Mobile Handsets is part of Pyramid Research's Telecom Insider Report Series and is priced at $595. Download the excerpt here: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=5&sc=PRN041311_INSAME3.3. It can be purchased online here (http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/ins_ame_110407.htm?sc=PRN041311_INSAME3.3 ) or by emailing us at info@pyr.com.

Contact: Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker@pyr.com

SOURCE Pyramid Research

Web Site: http://www.pyramidresearch.com

My Case is against the corrupt ruling party in Nigeria

Three great things make a great leader. DIGNITY. INTEGRITY and PROBITY. And Mr. Goodluck E.A. Jonathan, the incumbent President of Nigeria has been found wanting in these three great things.


In a civilized nation, GEAJ and other corrupt leaders of the ruling party would have been prosecuted for electoral malpractices as the courts have indicted them for such crimes as rigging the elections in 2003 and 2007. But in an uncivilized banana republic like the present Nigeria, they are the heroes of the people and they are front runners for the highest public office. This is the tragedy of most underdeveloped nations where corrupt rulers can hoodwink the people and manipulate the electorate to win election by all means and at all costs with impunity. And they soon turn the masses at their mercy into their political zombies. This is your tragedy and not mine. You are just pathetic characters in the drama of life and interesting subjects for my books.

Majority of Nigerians are intellectual illiterates and even prefer to remain morally bankrupt and ARE AFRAID OF CHANGE.

Just be prepared to face the grave consequences of your erroneous choices. And do not come back here to whine about corruption and unfulfilled promises of your political rulers, because you chose them and sold your conscience to them. We reap what we sow?

How many of their children are in public schools?

How many of them depend on public health services?

How many of them use their privileged children as their political thugs?

How many of them live on less than $5 a day?

LOGICAL INTUITION is even enough for any human with brains to know what is GOOD and what is BAD, except he or she is a DUMB backside.


He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.


I rest my case.

Abuja Girls Hangouts

Abuja Girls Hangouts are on Gimbiya street, Area 11, Wuse 2 and the following:

Safari Night Club
Lobby Bar at the Hilton Hotel
Elephant Bar and Dazzle Night Club at Sheraton Hotel
Eden V.I.P. night club in Asokoro District,
The Point
Excellency Resort
Ignorbiz in Kubwa
Dreams in Mararaba.
Dome, Area 11