Nigeria: A Sick Nation with a Sick President

President Umaru Yar'Adua has never been really healthy since he became the head of state of Nigeria.

Nigeria: A Sick Nation with a Sick President


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

A silver spooned young Nigerian al-Qaeda suicide bomber failed in his desperate mission to bomb an American plane from Amsterdam to Detroit and the news made headlines all over the world, but not a word from the President of Nigeria. Why? They said he was ill and recuperating at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, but the hospital cannot be named. His vice president spoke on his behalf, but Nigerians felt disappointed. Then the US quickly added Nigeria on their list of terrorist countries to worsen the critical state of the most populous nation in Africa. They thought the shocking news was bad enough for their ailing President to be jolted to react, but there was no word again.

The condition of the president must be terrible that he could not even speak on the international political embarrassment of Nigeria in a state of emergency. He must be in coma or could he be dead?

Both the educated and uneducated have been commenting and speculating on what has gone from bad to worse with their president and his government. Rumours of his death have been spread on the Internet. But the rumours have been debunked by his press sectary and the office of the President played a BBC Interview of him addressing Nigerians that he would soon be back once his doctors declare him healthy enough to return back to work. But many Nigerians called it a hoax.

This is not the first time that spurious speculations and rumours of his deteriorating health and death have been circulated. An online political rumour website once published a fake report that President Umaru Yar’Adua was dead until the man resurfaced alive and continued his presidential responsibilities with full support of the political contractors in his cabinet, shareholders in the corridors of power and their beneficiaries.

A president that has failed to improve the deplorable living conditions of the majority of Nigerians who are living on less that one dollar per capita income in a country rated as one of the most corrupt and among the poorest in the world. They have little or no confidence in their sick president and corrupt government. But spurious speculations and rumours are the stock-in-trade of tabloids and should not be taken seriously.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

A sick political system has given Nigerians a sick President of Nigeria.

This is the simple diagnosis of the present political crisis and the only cure is not the replacement of the sick President by another sick product of the same sick ruling party, but the total quarantine of the sick political system.

Nigerians do not need any mass rally or whatever hullabaloo over the hide and seek game that the ruling party is playing with the critical state of the President of Nigeria, who was never really elected in the first place, but was appointed by rigging the last Presidential election in 2007.

Corruption is very contagious. Corruption makes people sick and that is why most Nigerians are sick.

Making noise online and offline will not frighten these devils, because they do not care about what makes Nigerians sick. In fact, the sicker Nigerians become, the better, happier and richer they would be. What makes normal humans sick is what makes these abnormal people well. Their government is a government of corrupt people by corrupt people and for corrupt people. If you are not corrupt, you cannot be in their government. Being well fitted in the costume of corruption is the de rigueur of the ruling party of Nigeria. So, it is not only the President of Nigeria that is sick, but the whole political leadership of the country. They are all sick.

It is not an easy task to find incorruptible Nigerians, except those who were born last night. It is an oddity to be honest in Nigeria. So, it is not always wise to join the majority of Nigerians pointing accusing fingers at the corrupt political contractors, corrupt workers in private business and the religious hypocrites, because most of them are not holier than those they are accusing of corruption. A thief is a thief, from the one who stole one naira to the one who stole one billion naira.

You wonder if there is anyone who has not been entangled in the tentacles of corruption in Nigeria through their common extended family system. Therefore, directly or indirectly everyone could be implicated. Nigerians should stop pointing accusing fingers and start making amends from the person gazing at the mirror...

At the national level, the ruling political party should be sacked, because this is the cankerworm of corruption that is destroying Nigeria. And if this cankerworm is not destroyed, it would eat up the whole country.


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Avatar is Triumphant!

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

"Avatar is also an emotional journey of redemption and revolution. It is the story of a wounded former Marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in biodiversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival," and "We're creating an entire world, a complete ecosystem of phantasmagorical plants and creatures, and a native people with a rich culture and language."

~ From 2007 Press Release from the Producers.

The most ambitious director in Hollywood, James Cameron's Avatar has become the second highest grossing box office hit in history after his first groundbreaking box office mega movie, Titanic.

James Cameron’s filmography is enough to justify the fantastic cinematography of his mesmerizing movies and his latest mega movie Avatar adds more aura to his genius. Avatar is more profound than Titanic in concept and depth, because of the messianic mission of the reformation of the earth and the transformation of humankind. So, in vision should not be compared to the historical fiction of the romantic Titanic. Avatar is a universal film on a rescue mission to save the earth.

There is a Jake Sully in everyone with the head in the clouds in romantic escapism as Jake was enraptured in the Na’vi utopian planet of Pandora. But as we know in Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman who cazrried a jar “that, when opened by her, unleashed many terrible things on mankind – ills, toils and sickness – and hope”, and that hope would be the magic of the exotic love of Jake and Neytiri, the hero and heroine of Avatar. And millions of Americans and geeks of 3-D movies are going over the moon for Avatar.

Who wouldn’t love a paraplegic Marine reminding us of a war hero who might have been wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan?

The journey of the romantic fantasy of Avatar did not start when Cameron began the production, but in 1994 when his genius gave him the idea of a fantastic science fiction epic. The characterization looks like something taken from Marvel Comics. Something that Stan Lee would have written.

The first impression of Avatar is the proverbial triumph of good over evil, but analytically Avatar is James Cameron’s unapologetic denunciation and indictment of Western imperialism and endorsement of biodiversity.

The feline blue-skinned species of humanoids called Na’vi could be the personification of the primitive native tribes of the world whose continents were colonized by imperialist kingdoms of the West. The apparent echoes of imperialism and biodiversity have resonated at every screening of the film all over the world and propelled the epic fantasy to record breaking success as the fastest film to make $1 billion in box office receipts after it was released theatrically worldwide from December 16–18.

The sci-fi epic is Sam Worthington’s wildest dream wish coming true as Oprah Winfrey would have loved to call it and Zoë Saldana was fine as Neytiri, the female Na’vi. But the best acting in Avatar was done by Stephen Lang whose role as Col. Miles Quaritch is unforgettable.

The credit for the success of Avatar should go to the director and the multiple Academy Award winning special visual effects company Weta Digital for the awesome digital visual effects that took the movie to greater heights in cinematography. Weta Digital is famous for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy..

The New York Times reported that President Barack Obama and his family saw Avatar in IMAX 3-D and this is the best format to see the film.

According to Avatar Movie Zone, watch out for the sequels, because Cameron said, "I have a trilogy-scaled arc of story right now, but I haven't really put any serious work into writing a script." So, James Cameron's fantasy still continues.

..................

Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report is also a TV/Film producer and prolific writer for local and international publications on movies and music and other subjects. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

About Avatar:

AVATAR takes us to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save the alien world he has learned to call home. James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director of “Titanic,” first conceived the film 15 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not exist yet. Now, after four years of production, AVATAR, a live action film with a new generation of special effects, delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story.

More Details

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore
Director: James Cameron
Genres: Sci-Fi Action, Science Fiction
Avatar Features and Exclusives

Watch our exclusive interviews with the cast!
Director James Cameron and Sam Worthington talk about what it was like on the set of 'Avatar!'Watch Exclusive Cast Interviews!

Enter to win an 'Avatar' poster, T-shirt and more!
Grand prize of an 'Avatar: An IMAX 3D Experince' poster, T-shirt, 2 books and a Mattel toy!Enter Here
See Avatar in IMAX 3D or Digital 3D!
Check out our 'Movie Aliens: From E.T. to Avatar' photo gallery!
Watch our exclusive interview with Sigourney Weaver!

Avatar Trailers and Clips
Avatar: Trailer 2
Trailer: Avatar - Trailer (3:37)
Interview: Exclusive: Avatar - London Premiere (2:16)

More Videos:
Interview: Exclusive: Avatar - Cast Interviews
Scene: Avatar - James Cameron's Vision Featurette
Interview: Exclusive: James Cameron interview at Comic-Con '09
Interview: Exclusive: Sigourney Weaver interview at Comic-Con '09
Interview: Exclusive: Stephen Lang interview at Comic-Con '09

All-time worldwide box office

# Film title

1. Titanic (1997)
2. Avatar (2009)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
5. The Dark Knight (2008)
6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Source: boxofficemojo.com

All-time box office -

# Film title

1. Gone With the Wind, 1939
2. Star Wars, 1977
3. The Sound of Music, 1965
4. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, 1982
5. The Ten Commandments, 1956
6. Titanic, 1997
7. Jaws, 1975
8. Doctor Zhivago,
9. The Exorcist, 1973
10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937

Source: boxofficemojo.com

Avatar Pirated in Nigeria!

Avatar Pirated in Nigeria!

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

I was busy in our office going over my review of James Cameron’s billion dollars grossing sci-fi epic Avatar when a young friend came in to ask after the Publisher of Supple magazine.
He saw my review on the homepage of Supple magazine online edition and smirked.
“Have you seen Avatar?” I asked.
‘Yeah. In fact, my family is watching it right now at home,” he replied me.
I opened my mouth in disbelief.
“The DVD?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he replied.
‘Where did you get it?” I asked.
“I bought it from a street vendor for N150 (about 99 cents),” he replied.
“Must be pirated,” I said.
‘Of course,” he concurred.
I sighed in disappointment.
Avatar is already being pirated on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria. And I bet that both the famous director and 20th Century Fox do not know this!


...............

Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima is the author of Avatar is Triumphant!.



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President Barack Obama Reviews US Security After Failed Christmas Terrorist Attack

President Barack Obama

Release of the Security Review Conducted After the Failed Christmas Terrorist Attack

Posted by Jesse Lee on January 07, 2010 at 04:36 PM EST

The review of our security and intelligence systems following the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day has been completed. The President spoke two days ago about "the urgency of getting this right," and the identification of failures in this review, along with the immediate ordering of reforms and corrective steps both today and in the days since this incident, are a recognition of that urgency. This review is also a recognition that while there is no place for partisanship and the old Washington blame game in dealing with Al Qaeda and the threat they represent, keeping American safe depends on honest and direct accountability.

Read the summary of the security review (pdf).
Read the President's Directive on corrective actions (pdf).

UPDATE:
Read the President's remarks.

Pelosi Statement on the President's Review of Intelligence and Aviation Security



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Advert: All-electric Volvo C30 Project Presented for the First Time

All-electric Volvo C30 project presented for the first time

It looks like a regular Volvo C30 and it features the very same safety, comfort and space as the standard car. The difference is that it is powered solely by electricity, entirely without exhaust emissions, and has a range of up to 150 kilometres.

Gothenburg, SE (January 7, 2010) /PRNewswire/ — Volvo Cars' ambitious electrification strategy has quickly produced concrete results. In addition to the market introduction of a plug-in hybrid in 2012, work is currently under way on evaluating the viability of an entirely electric-powered car known as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle).

In 2009, a small number of prototype versions of the C30 BEV have been built and tested internally by Volvo. In addition to focusing on performance and safety, much of the focus is on integration of the electric propulsion system with the rest of the car.

"The Volvo C30 is the first model we will try out with electric power. This car's excellent properties in city traffic and its relatively low weight make it particularly suitable, since electric cars are primarily expected to be used in and around cities and for daily commuting," says Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

Technical solution

Electricity is highly suitable as a fuel for passenger cars. It is the superior energy efficiency of the electric motor compared with the combustion engine which suggests that electric cars will become increasingly common in the future as fuel prices rise and demands for low CO2 emissions become ever more stringent.
The Volvo C30 BEV is powered with a Lithium-Ion battery that is charged via a regular power socket found in most homes.

Recharging an entirely depleted battery via the regular household power supply system (230V, 16A) will take about eight hours. If the car is charged with renewable electricity this means that emissions – all the way from electricity production to its use out on the road – will in principle be non-existent.

The electric motor is housed under the bonnet, just like the engine in a conventional car. One of the priorities within the BEV project is to find the optimal placing of the battery. Most likely the best places are the prop shaft tunnel and the place where the fuel tank normally is located. These locations are within the car's optimised crumple zone in the most common collision scenarios. Since the car runs solely on electricity, it requires a larger battery with higher capacity (24 kWh) than in the case of the plug-in hybrid (12 kWh).
Battery capacity

The C30 BEV is limited to a top speed of about 130 kilometres an hour, which will be more than sufficient for most users of this type of car. Acceleration from 0 to 100 kilometres an hour will take less than 11 seconds. The car will have a range of up to 150 kilometres. This range is longer and far better than the distance 90 percent of all Europe's motorists drive per day.

The same safety standards as always

Volvo Cars imposes the very same high safety standards on all its products irrespective of the type of fuel or power source used. Volvo's safety dedication is always focused on the human being and is based on solid knowhow of real-life traffic situations. What is more, comprehensive in-house tests are carried out both virtually and in Volvo's highly advanced crash-test laboratory. If Volvo chooses to introduce an entirely new type of electric car on the market, it will be just as safe as any other car bearing the Volvo badge.

Volvo has theoretically identified all the electrification-related safety scenarios in the stages before, during and after a collision. After careful study of these scenarios, the company's engineers will create solutions for handling each and every situation identified, guaranteeing that any future electric cars fully match Volvo's renowned safety standards in every respect.

Market potential

Volvo Cars' main electrification track over the coming decades is plug-in hybrids. This applies in particular to the company's larger car models. The combination of electric motor and combustion engine is the solution that probably has the greatest potential from both the technical and commercial viewpoints. Plug-in hybrids offer long range, good environmental performance and at the same time limited dependence on expensive battery technology.

There are several factors that determine how successful dedicated electric cars will be in the future:
"The consumer must feel that this type of car is attractive both to drive and own. In order to ensure this, we feel that electric cars will have to be as comfortable and safe and offer similar levels of performance as cars with other power sources. The learning from the C30 BEV project will help us to fulfil all these criteria and showcase Volvo's determination to drive developments in the field of electrification," says Paul Gustavsson, Director of Electrification Strategy at Volvo Cars.

Descriptions and facts in this press material relate to Volvo Cars' international car range. Described features might be optional. Vehicle specifications may vary from one country to another and may be altered without prior notification.

Registered Office
Göteborg, Sweden
Registration No.
556074 -3089

Press Contact:
PVH50, 50200
SE-405 31 Göteborg
Sweden
Phone: +46 31 59 65 25
Fax: +46 31 54 40 64
http://www.media.volvocars.com
James Hope
Phone: +1 949 242 6654

$75 Billion of Oil and Gas Deals Announced Fourth Quarter 2009

6 Jan 2010 22:24 Africa/Lagos


$75 Billion of Oil and Gas Deals Announced Fourth Quarter 2009

PLS, Inc. reports tenfold increase in United States deal values propels global increase

HOUSTON, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- PLS, Inc. ("PLS") and international partner Derrick Petroleum Services ("Derrick") report that Global M&A activity for the 4th Quarter 2009 totaled nearly $75 billion in 172 separate deals, up from $21 billion in 112 deals in 3rd Quarter 2009. According to Brian Lidsky, Managing Director, Research, at PLS, "ExxonMobil's blockbuster $41 billion all-stock bid to buy U.S. unconventional resource leader XTO Energy took the market by surprise and marked a significant shift for the major back to North America onshore natural gas. The deal vaults ExxonMobil to the largest producer in the United States and gave the market and producers a large dose of confidence. U.S. gas prices have been in a slump for over a year. Shortly after the Exxon deal, French company, Total, struck a $2.25 billion JV with Chesapeake in the Barnett shale of Texas."


(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100106/DA33469LOGO)


Continuing the momentum in E&P transactions which began in August 2009 with oil prices stabilizing in the $75 range, the 4th Quarter 2009 witnessed ten deals struck globally topping the $1 billion threshold; eight for oil, two for gas. Of the ten deals, four were in the U.S., one in Canada, three in Africa and two in Asia.


In the quarter (see Table 1), the U.S. led all countries in activity with $53.4 billion, followed by Canada ($7.2B), Ghana ($4.0B), Kazakhstan ($2.1B), Turkmenistan ($1.9B), Uganda ($1.5B), and Angola ($1.3B).


In Ghana, media reported ExxonMobil making a $4 billion bid for Kosmos Energy's stake in the offshore Jubilee field. Observers report the deal remains in limbo as the Ghana National Petroleum Company is reportedly in talks with the Chinese. The deal is indicative of the changing nature of the international oil industry.

More details

Top CIA, U.S. Secret Service, Counterterrorism and Airport Security Specialists Available for Interviews; Clare Lopez - Former CIA Officer, 30 Years E

5 Jan 2010 16:05 Africa/Lagos


Top CIA, U.S. Secret Service, Counterterrorism and Airport Security Specialists Available for Interviews; Clare Lopez - Former CIA Officer, 30 Years Experience

NEW YORK, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Clare Lopez is a strategic policy and intelligence expert with a focus on Middle East, homeland security, national defense, and counterterrorism issues. Lopez began her career as an operations officer with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), serving domestically and abroad for 20 years in a variety of assignments, acquiring extensive expertise in counterintelligence, counternarcotics, and counterproliferation issues with a career regional focus on the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. She has served in or visited over two dozen nations worldwide, speaks several languages, including Spanish, Bulgarian, French, German, and Russian.


Now a private consultant, Lopez is a Professor at the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies. Formerly, she was Executive Director of the Iran Policy Committee, a Washington, DC think tank, from 2005-2006. She has served as a Senior Scientific Researcher at the Battelle Memorial Institute; a Senior Intelligence Analyst, Subject Matter Expert; and previously produced Technical Threat Assessments for U.S. Embassies at the Department of State.


Lopez is featured in the 2009 film, The Third Jihad.

Shabtai Shoval - Former Special Advisor for Counterterrorism to Netanyahu


Shabtai Shoval has a unique background in counterterrorism strategies and held the position of Special Advisor for Counterterrorism to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during his first term. He is founder and CEO of Suspect Detection Systems, a leading developer of counter terror and crime prevention technology.


Shoval has more then 15 years of senior management experience in the High-Tech and telecom industries. His professional background includes the position of CEO of Comverse TVGate Division, Vice President of Telrad Holding - the investment arm of KOOR INDUSTRIES, president of the Israeli Cable TV Association, founder of ISDNet, serving on the boards of numerous companies including Exalink, Algorithmic Research Ltd, MED 1, CATV companies and others.


Kevin Schatzle - Airport, Corporate Security Expert, former FBI, NYPD, Secret Service


Kevin Schatzle, Ed.D, has held positions as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Security Officer and Executive Director/Global Head of Security for major international corporations. He has experience in global corporate security management for major international companies in locations such as Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.


Schatzle has over 12 years of combined law enforcement experience in the FBI, NYPD and U.S. Secret Service. While in the Secret Service, he served as Supervisor for the NY Field Office Fugitive Apprehension Squad, and was trained and certified by the Secret Service as a Polygraph specialist and expert in advanced interview/interrogation techniques.


Schatzle holds a doctor of education degree from Seton Hall. He is a guest lecturer on corporate security at NYU, and is a professor for the doctoral program at Henley-Putnam University. He is currently an advisory board member for Suspect Detection Systems.


CONTACT: MARIA SLIWA, M. SLIWA PUBLIC RELATIONS, 973-272-2861, media@msliwa.com


Source: The Third Jihad; Suspect Detection Systems

CONTACT: Maria Sliwa, M. Sliwa Public Relations, +1-973-272-2861,
media@msliwa.com


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

CAIR: TSA Tells Muslim Traveler Hijab Now Triggers Security Checks

6 Jan 2010 22:06 Africa/Lagos

CAIR: TSA Tells Muslim Traveler Hijab Now Triggers Security Checks

Muslim civil rights group seeks confirmation of 'troubling' new policy

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify whether Islamic head scarves, or hijab, will now automatically trigger additional security measures for Muslim travelers.


CAIR made that request after a Muslim woman traveler taking a flight Tuesday from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX) reported that TSA personnel first requested that she take off her hijab, then put her through a "humiliating" public full-body pat-down search when she refused. After the pat-down, the Muslim traveler's luggage, coat, shoes, laptop, and cell phone were searched and tested for bomb-making chemicals.


When the traveler, a resident of Maryland, questioned TSA staff about the way she was being treated, she was allegedly told that a new policy went into effect that morning mandating that "anyone wearing a head scarf must go through this type of search."


In a letter to TSA Acting Administrator Gale D. Rossides, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote in part:


"First, I would like to commend you on your efforts to maintain the safety of the travelling public. I would also like to offer the American Muslim community's cooperation and support in preserving that safety and security...


"If this troubling new policy is indeed in effect, it represents religious profiling in its most egregious form. We respectfully request that you clarify whether Islamic head scarves will now trigger automatic secondary screening for Muslim travelers. If so, does this new policy apply to all those who wear religious head coverings, such as Sikh men, Catholic nuns and orthodox Jewish women, or will it apply exclusively to Muslim travelers? If the issue is concealment of potentially dangerous items, the clothing worn by travelers of all faiths, such as skirts, loose pants and sweatshirts, has more areas to hide items than hijab."


Awad noted that previous TSA policy placed hijab in the category of "bulky clothing" that would not automatically lead to additional screening. Under previous policy, even if that screening were to take place, it would be carried out in a "private screening location."


SEE: TSA Adjusts Security Procedures for Bulky Clothing
http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/sop_adjustments.shtm



On Monday, CAIR said new TSA guidelines, under which anyone traveling from or through 13 Muslim-majority nations will be required to go through enhanced screening techniques before boarding flights, amount to religious and ethnic profiling.


In a commentary distributed by CAIR challenging calls for profiling, Awad suggested security-enhancing alternatives to ineffective religious profiling: "First look at behavior, not at faith or skin color. Then spend what it takes to obtain more bomb-sniffing dogs, to install more sophisticated bomb-detection equipment and to train security personnel in identifying the behavior of real terror suspects."


SEE: Airport Profiling Hands a Victory to Terrorists
http://tinyurl.com/profilingoped



The director of CAIR's Michigan chapter published a commentary today in the Detroit News in which he wrote: "If we target people simply because of ethnicity or religion, it will not make us safer. And if we compromise our principles, we are fighting against the spirit of the Constitution itself. Either way, our enemies would win, and we all would be the losers."


SEE: Religious Profiling Won't Help Anti-Terror Security
http://tinyurl.com/cairmioped



A CAIR Spokesperson also debated airport profiling last night on Fox's "O'Reilly Factor."


SEE: Video: Bill O'Reilly vs. CAIR Spokesman on Profiling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i4npj7fbdY



CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.


CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com


Source: Council on American-Islamic Relations

CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR National Communications Director,
+1-202-488-8787, +1-202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; or Amina Rubin, CAIR
Communications Coordinator, +1-202-488-8787, +1-202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com


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

Northwest Flight 253
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Would You Dump Your Apple’s iPhone for Google’s Nexus One?

Would You Dump Your Apple’s iPhone for Google’s Nexus One?


The arrival of the much talked about and much awaited Google's Nexus One Android smartphone is definitely the best Happy New Year present to millions of people all over the world who have been praying for Google to launch a smartphone that would be as good or even better than the overhyped and overpriced Apple’s iPhone seen as a status symbol in Nigeria.



Industry experts have said that the competition over the billion dollar market for smartphones has higher stakes in the mobile advertising market where more billions of consumers would be found as advancement in mobile technologies is attracting more consumers online than those offline.

Google’s Nexus One is not only meant to increase the demand for Google's Android which presently commands only 5% of the market, far behind the 29% market share of Apple's iPhone, and the overall 44% of RIM’s Blackberry devices, but to challenge other smartphones in price and service. Google is going to crash the price of smartphones and trash their makers in competition.

HTC built the hardware of Nexux One which has a light sensor, GPS, and accelerometer, and other unique features. But there is no HTC logo on the phone that is running on T-Mobile with a Wifi.



Powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm QSD 8250 processor, the Nexus One, which runs the Android 2.1 (Éclair) OS, sports a 3.7” WVGA (800 x 480) widescreen AMOLED touchscreen display (which, alas, does not support mulittouch), a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash offering 2x digital zoom with geotagging functionality courtesy of the Nexus One’s integrated AGPS capabilities, an accelerometer, digital compass, 512MB Flash and 512MB RAM – with the latter being expandable thanks to an in-built microSD card slot (up to 32GB – a 4GB card being bundled). You can also factor in Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and WiFi b/g/n wireless connectivity. There’s also animated wallpapers, of course, which respond to user taps and the full level of integration with Google apps that you’d expect including Google Earth whilst will allow users to navigate to well known landmarks via voice command.
In terms of dimensions, the Google Nexus One measures in at 119mm (H) x 59.8mm (W) x 11.5mm (D) whilst weighing in at 130 grams inclusive of battery whilst, as far as battery life is concerned you’re looking at up to 7hrs (3G) or 10hrs (2G) talktime, up to 250hrs (3G) or 290hrs (2G) standby.

As the news of Goggle’s Nexus One broke, Apple’s boss Steve Jobs boasted that competitors have a long way to go in chasing after Apple, because of the awesome acceptance of their iPhone.
“Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months — this is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. We see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon,” Steve Jobs said.

The edge would go to Google in being smarter in the GPS navigation.
People pay from $100 to $400 for GPS applications on the iPhone, but Google is giving them away gratis on the Nexus One.

"As new phones come to market through this channel, consumers will benefit from the ability to match a phone of their choice with the service plan that best meets their needs," Google said in a press release on Nexus One.



See Nexus One vs Droid vs iPhone [Comparison Chart].

Now my question is, would you dump your Apple's iPhone for Google's Nexus One?



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6 Jan 2010
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19-Year-Old YouTube Vlogger Receives Over One Million Views and Wins $100,000 in Lashes to Riches Giveaway

5 Jan 2010 13:00 Africa/Lagos

19-Year-Old YouTube Vlogger Receives Over One Million Views and Wins $100,000 in Lashes to Riches Giveaway

DALLAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Tessa Violet, a 19-year-old model, artist, and popular YouTube "vlogger", wins $100,000 in the Lashes to Riches Giveaway. Beauty Biosciences, a Dallas-based beauty company, recently launched Lash Allure MD, a lash and brow enhancing serum, and in celebration of the new launch held the Giveaway. Lash Allure MD kicked off the Giveaway in November using Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube and asked entrants to post a video on YouTube answering the question: WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH $100,000? The winner was chosen by public vote, which ended December 21, 2009.


Tessa began posting videos on YouTube using her vlogger name, Meekakitty, to meet new friends when she moved to New York City a year and a half ago. Sitting in her room in front of a video camera, Meekakitty turned her internet passion into a popular weekly vlogger site with over 7 million video views. "She's a quirky, sassy, intelligent young woman who put her obsession to work," says Leesa Smith, EVP of Beauty Biosciences.


Wearing huge dark rimmed glasses and sporting a simple ponytail for special effects, Meekakitty in her signature style of combining wit, imagination, and self -reflective thought shared with her audience her plans for spending $100,000: take her mother to Prague as a thank you for supporting her YouTube obsession, buy a jetpack and the country Switzerland, build a life-size replica of the fictional Harry Potter castle, and have unlimited burritos for life. She also promised her voters that, if she won, she would do a 24-hour blog TV show.


The Lashes to Riches $100,000 Giveaway officially ended 12/21/09 and the check will be awarded in January.


Tessa's winning video


Source: Beauty Biosciences

CONTACT: Gigi Howard, Public Relations Director of Beauty Biosciences,
+1-214-691-7600, cell, +1-917-297-2132, ghoward@beautybiosciences.com

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to Visit Nigeria and other African Countries

5 Jan 2010 13:15 Africa/Lagos

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to Visit Five African Countries and Saudi Arabia


BEIJING, January 5, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu announces at the regular press conference: :


At the invitation of Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula of the Republic of Kenya, Minister Ojo Maduekwe of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Minister Zainab Hawa Bangura of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Minister Mourad Medelci of Foreign Affairs of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco, Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi of the People's Republic of China will pay official visits to the six countries from January 5 to 14, 2010. He will also visit the Republic of Maldives.


Source: China - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Nigeria President Yar'Adua 'Should Be Declared Missing'

Nigeria President Yar'Adua 'should be declared missing'
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'Video Game Bible' Returns - Guinness World Records(R) 2010 Gamer's Edition

"Video Game Bible" returns - Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2010 available from January 4th 2010 in U.S. and January 21st in UK. (PRNewsFoto/Guinness World Records) NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES

4 Jan 2010 12:00 Africa/Lagos

'Video Game Bible' Returns - Guinness World Records(R) 2010 Gamer's Edition

"Halo" Selected First of Top 50 Games of All Time by Readers of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition

NEW YORK, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The globally-recognized authority on record breaking achievements Guinness World Records, today announced the availability of the best resource for video game records, facts, trivia and new developments, with the Guinness World Records 2010 Gamer's Edition. Gamer's Edition 2010 will be sold and distributed globally by BradyGames providing a larger breadth of distribution to both traditional book retailers and specialist gaming stores from January 4th for $14.99 in the U.S. and 21st of January for 15.00 pounds Sterling in the UK.


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100104/NY31409 )


The third book in the series Gamer's Edition 2010 provides a comprehensive guide to record-breaking video games on all consoles and features the Most Popular Video Game Series of All Time as voted by 13,000 visitors to the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition website. Gamer's Edition 2010 describes the attributes that likely influenced gamers to select Bungie's first person shooter Halo over second placed Legend of Zelda as "great video game design: an iconic character, excellent level design, perfect controls and unparalleled multiplayer options." Modern video game series Call of Duty and Guitar Hero also appear on the list ahead of many classics including Super Mario Brothers and World of Warcraft.


Described by critics as the "Video Game Bible," Gamer's Edition 2010 features interviews with key figures in the industry (including Shigero Miyamoto, creator of Donkey Kong and Nintendo Wii) and a broad range of content from classic arcade games to new developments in technology that will shape the future of gaming. Unique to this year's book are spreads on many of the best selling games of 2009 including Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, The Beatles: Rock Band, Assassin's Creed II, Halo 3 ODST, New Super Mario Bros. and Madden NFL 10. Popular features in every edition include the Twin Galaxies high scores charts that allows gamers to see how they compare with the best in the gaming world and a guide on How to become a Guinness World Record-Breaker.


Compiled and edited by the renowned Guinness World Records editorial team, 2010 Gamer's Edition features more than 600 updated video game world records. New Guinness World Record highlights include the Best Selling Video Game Series of All Time (Super Mario Bros series sold more than 201 million copies across all genres); The Highest Grossing Video Arcade of All Time (NBA Jam which earned over $1 billion in its first year of release) and the Longest Time Spent Playing an MMORPG (Sara Lhadi spent 16,799 hours playing Runescape between November 2004 and October 2009 - this averages out at 9 hours 20 minutes of play every day!)


The book's new layout and design presents the book's contents more clearly so the vast amount of information is even easier to enjoy. Departing from the game-by-game structure of the last two books, the new approach covers the world of gaming by genre and sub-genre, enabling the book editors to pick only the strongest and most relevant records in each topic area.


Guinness World Records Gaming Editor, Gaz Deaves, says: "With huge game releases, big announcements and long-standing records broken, this year has been great for gaming. The Gamer's Edition 2010 is all about what's great in videogames right now, and gamers of all ages and abilities will find something amazing in the new book, from the casual to the ultra-hardcore."


To celebrate the US release of the book, New York City will play host to Guinness World Record holder for the youngest professional gamer, Lil' Poison (11- year - old Victor De Leon), as he embarks on a two-day media tour and challenges other gaming gurus to 1-on-1 games during the week of January 18th.


About Guinness World Records


Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages and is one of the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually publishes the Gamer's Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world of computer gaming and high score record achievements. The Guinness World Records website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11 million visitors a year. Guinness World Records is part of the Jim Pattison Group, one of Canada's largest privately owned companies which is a conglomerate of interests, including advertising, broadcasting, grocery stores and automotive retailing.


About BradyGames:


Headquartered in Indianapolis, BradyGames develops high quality video game strategy guides. The company also produces high-end exclusive Signature Series and Limited Edition guides for leading PC and video game titles. The ultimate online source for video game strategy, BradyGames.com, features BradyGames news, strategy guide updates, video strategy, Strategy E-Guides, walkthroughs and more. BradyGames is an imprint of Dorling Kindersley (DK) within the Penguin division of Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) .


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100104/NY31409
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Guinness World Records

CONTACT: Guinness World Records US: Philip Robertson, +1-718-513-7268,
Philip.Robertson@guinnessworldrecords.com or Jamie Panas, +1-718-513-7263,
Jamie.Panas@guinnessworldrecords.com; UK: Damian Field,
press@guinnessworldrecords.com; BradyGames: Autumne Bruce, +1-317-428-3293,
Autumne.Bruce@bradygames.com


Web Site: Guinness World Records




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Survey shows Americans want to improve health but easily find excuses

Survey shows Americans want to improve health but easily find excuses

American Heart Association introduces free social media application to help keep commitment

DALLAS (January 4, 2010)/PRNewswire/ — Although 58 percent of American adults have resolved to make improvements in their health this year, more than half say they often find reasons not to exercise, according to an American Heart Association survey. Excuses range from too much stress at work to having nothing to wear to simple procrastination.

The American Heart Association's Start! initiative is introducing the Start! Daily Walking Guide, a FREE social media application that can get more Americans active and help them keep their health and physical activity resolutions. Nearly half of all Americans use online tools to track their health.

"The Start! Daily Walking Guide is the ideal tool to keep us committed to our New Year's resolutions," said Clyde Yancy, M.D., president of the American Heart Association. "We spend 164 more hours per year at work than we did 20 years ago, and for many Americans that means lots of time on computers. This application allows you to keep track of your physical activity, see progress, find accountability and get great encouragement."

The Start! Daily Walking Guide can be downloaded and embedded into a variety of sites including Facebook, Windows Live and iGoogle. Users get started with a quiz that generates 12 weeks worth of customized walking plans, a private journal section that lets users record their walks and reference archived exercises, and keep motivated with daily inspirational messages and heart-health tips.

Members can also chat with virtual "sole-mates" via the Start! Connections function. A previous Start! study revealed that American adults are 76 percent more likely to take a walk if another person is counting on them.

Heart disease and stroke are America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, despite being largely preventable though a healthy lifestyle. Cardiovascular disease claims nearly 865,000 lives a year and physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Physically active people reduce their cardiovascular disease risk by 30 percent. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, like brisk walking, each week. Download the Start! Daily Walking Guide at www.startwalkingnow.org.

To view the complete survey report visit www.startwalkingnow.org.

Also available on www.startwalkingnow.org:

Customized walking programs for beginner, intermediate and advanced walkers;
Online tracking tools to document calories consumed, steps taken and walking routes;
Sole-mates social networking capabilities to find and support like-minded walkers;
A grocery list builder and archives of heart-healthy recipes;
Downloadable seasonal walking guides with tips to maintain a routine regardless of the weather; and
Start! walking videos, produced in collaboration with ExerciseTV, making an at-home workout easier with tips and motivation.
###

About the American Heart Association
Founded in 1924, we're the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. To help prevent, treat and defeat these diseases — America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers — we fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.



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New York Tourism International Film Festival 'Hippocrates Award'

4 Jan 2010 05:36 Africa/Lagos

New York Tourism International Film Festival 'Hippocrates Award'

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Health Tourism International Chamber of Commerce (HTICC) join the International Community for the purpose of "Save the planet," knowing that tourism is an important way to reach this goal; HTICC launches the New York International Tourism Film Festival "Hippocrates Award" to celebrate on December 15-19, 2010 in New York City.


(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100103/DC31544LOGO )


HIPPOCRATES Festival will present the best films promoting tourism, from many countries of the world. The Festival will display films in several categories: Destinations; Cultural Tourism; Oenology Tourism; Rural Tourism; Adventure, Expeditions and Travel; Golf Tourism; Religious Tourism; Eco-Tourism and Nature-based Tourism; Health Tourism, Thermal and SPA; Gastronomy; Hotels; and Sport Tourism. The best film will be awarded the Grand Prize - Hippocrates. It will also be awarded to the best films in each category. Since the main goal is to promote the creativity in tourism, the festival also bet on other events complementary to the films exhibition, such as workshops, symposiums, photography exhibitions, health Tourism convention.


The New York International Tourism Film Festival Event is dedicated to leveraging the power of film and multi-media to educate, empower and inspire appreciation & protection of our nature and the life within.


Hippocrates operates on the guiding principal that our nature connects us all and never has it been more urgent to promote, honor & share films that engage people to become better stewards of our nature.


Film submissions are invited for our global awards competition.


Filmmakers, Researchers, Broadcasters, Conservation Organizations, Students and Amateurs with a passion for nature are invited to submit entries.


For the first time, the Festival is putting a call out to artists for its annual poster artwork. Artists and designers are encouraged to submit work for the Film Festival Poster Competition by April 30, 2010. Our younger and children can participate in The 2010 Health Tourism International Chamber of Commerce Children Environmental Poster Competition. All grade/primary/secondary school students are invited to participate The competition seeks to promote and stimulate environmental awareness among students and effectively educate younger generations on the importance of environmental protection.


A beauty pageant event MISS NATURE International to complement 2010 Hippocrates Award; the event is to have its candidates and winners actively promote and get involved in the preservation of the environment and the protection of Mother Nature.


Apart from a strong emphasis on environmental protection programs, MISS NATURE also aims to showcase and promote various tourist destinations. The winner of MISS NATURE will serve as the Ambassador to environmental protection campaigns worldwide.


www.hippocratesaward.com


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100103/DC31544LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN4
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Health Tourism International Chamber of Commerce

CONTACT: Garis Silega of Health Tourism International Chamber of
Commerce, +1-862-368-9806, drsilega@aol.com


Web Site: Hippocrates Award

The Christmas Day Terrorist Attack and Our Endless Fears

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima



The Northwest Flight 253 plane.

The shocking news of the botched Christmas Day terrorist attack by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam as it was about to land at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport left millions of Americans and others in the US gasping for breath as they were enjoying their turkey and basking in the joy of the passage of the Health Reform Bill by the Senate.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.

The terrorist attack has raised so much dust on the shortcomings of U.S. intelligence since investigations have shown that the al-Qaeda in Yemen recruited Abdulmutallab months ago. Also, his father Alhaji Umaru Mutallab warned the local security agencies and the US Consulate in Nigeria that his son had been radicalized by Islamists.

The underwear bomb.

Abdumutallab warned his family not to communicate with him again and stopped them from contacting him by changing his telephone numbers. The U.S. Consulate in Nigeria did not really ignore his warnings. In fact, counter-terror officials were alerted in November and intelligence databases revealed that Abdulmutallab was on the watch list of the CIA. And he still got a US visa?

The Nigerian security agencies may have excuses for failing to respond to the security alerts, but what excuses would the US intelligence give for failing to investigate the security alerts and failing to go ahead to find out the whereabouts of Abdulmutallab to monitor his activities in the UK which has become recruiting grounds for agents of the al-Qaeda.

The CIA and Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA)were warned by the Abdulutallab's father.

Investigations have shown that Anwar al-Awlaki, a regional commander of the al-Qaeda in Yemen contacted the Nigerian terrorist who was a student of Engineering at the University College London. Al-Awlaki is a civil engineer.

Presently the security agencies in Nigeria, the Netherlands, Yemen and the US seem confused and embarrassed by their failures, but are still pointing accusing fingers at each other in counter-accusations of how the young terrorist escaped from their radar during the Christmas holidays and nearly detonated a bomb that would have blown up the Delta/Northwest Airline Flight 253 Airbus 330-300 aircraft with 300 onboard and what a catastrophe that would have been on Christmas Day!

The report of the New York Times on the 9/11 Commission has shown the lack of accountability in the management of the important security reports noted after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Millions of Nigerians and Muslims resident in the US are ill at ease, because of their fears of racial and religious profiling at airports and other places as homeland security and other counter terror agencies begin to implement more comprehensive security measures.
"Racial and religious profiling are in fact counterproductive and can lead to a climate of insecurity and fear," the CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper has said in response to the incidents of Middle Eastern' passengers removed from a plane in Phoenix and the removal a Nigerian passenger from a flight after he became ill and spent what others considered too much time in the aircraft's bathroom in Michigan.

President Barack Obama has acknowledged the shortcomings in the US security systems and we hope the leakages would be blocked securely to prevent another dangerous attempt by any terrorist on any US target in the future. We would all be safer if the threats of terrorism could be checked and prevented than wrestling with them aboard our planes or airports.

Statement From the Association of Flight Attendants Concerning Crew of Northwest Flight 253

Happy New Year 2010!


31 Dec 2009 16:43 Africa/Lagos

Statement From the Association of Flight Attendants Concerning Crew of Northwest Flight 253

The flight attendants of Northwest flight 253, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), wish to offer their sincere thanks and appreciation for the support, praise and well wishes they have received from the public and federal officials, including the President, since the events on Christmas Day.


The entire crew recognizes the media's interest in speaking with them as soon as possible. However, as the FBI and additional federal investigations are ongoing, they are legally prohibited from speaking to the public. During this time, they ask that the media respect their desire and need for privacy. The crew of flight 253 will refrain from participating in interviews until further notice.


After being officially released from the investigations, some of them might be willing to share their experiences. If you are interested in interviewing the flight attendants, please direct media requests to Corey Caldwell at ccaldwell@afanet.org.


For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 50,000 flight attendants at 22 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world's largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org.


CONTACT: Corey Caldwell of Association of Flight Attendants, +1-202-434-0586


/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Dec. 31/


Source: Association of Flight Attendants

Web Site: http://www.afanet.org/


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