THE FULL TEXT OF GOV FAYOSE'S LETTER TO THE CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING - DO NOT BE ONE OF THOSE WHO MORTGAGED THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA.

Your Excellency,
I write as one of the major stakeholders in the project Nigeria, and a governor of one of the federating units making up Nigeria, to draw your attention to report that the Federal Government of Nigeria is on the verge of obtaining a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China. “This $2 billion loan is part of the N1.84 trillion the Federal Government of Nigeria has proposed to borrow to finance the 2016 budget, which is yet to be signed by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, owing to unending controversies between the Executive and Legislative arms of government.

“According to reports, Nigeria desires to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit. This is projected to hit N3 trillion ($15 billion) due to heavy infrastructure spending at a time when the slump in global oil prices has slashed the country’s export revenues.

“While conceding that all nations, especially developing ones need support to be able to grow because no nation is an island, I am constrained to inform you that if the future of Nigeria must be protected, the country does not need any loan at this time. “The government of China should be mindful of the fact that Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations are totally opposed to increment of the country’s debt burden, which is already being serviced with 25 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget.

“It will interest the government of China to know that some of the projects for which the loan is being sought are not captured in the controversial 2016 budget, which has been sent to the President by the National Assembly for his assent. For instance, the Lagos–Calabar Rail project was not included in the budget proposal the President presented to the National Assembly and it was not included in the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly. “Most importantly, Nigeria is presently servicing debt with about 25 per cent of its annual budget and what will happen to the economy in 2017, when the country will begin to service the additional debt to be incurred this year is better imagined than experienced.

“The Chinese government must also be aware that some western nations approached by the Federal Government for loan diplomatically and cleverly declined. “This must have been informed by the suspicion in the present government’s capacity to salvage the nation’s economy, as well as the sincerity in the fight against corruption. More so that Nigeria’s Foreign Reserve, which is the only guarantee for foreign loan has declined to a very uncomfortable level.

“For instance, the UK Telegraph Newspaper reported today that hundreds of millions of pounds of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists is instead being used to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians. “Therefore, like the foreign aid that is reportedly being mismanaged, whatever loan that is granted to the Federal Government of Nigeria by the Chinese Government may be mismanaged too.

“In my opinion, Nigeria needs the collaboration of the Government of China in the area of technology transfer, rather than granting loan that will be mismanaged under the guise of building infrastructure. “It is also important for the Government of China to note that the Federal Government of Nigeria claimed to have recovered and still recovering trillions of Naira allegedly looted from the treasury.

For instance, over $200 billion is expected to be recovered from Dubai, the United Arab Emirate while N3 trillion was said to have been saved from the Treasury Single Account (TSA). “The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has also said that it will generate not less than N4.5 trillion this year. What then is the rationale behind the $2 billion loan from China? “As a result of the government’s bad economic policies, the middle class has been eliminated, power supply is at its lowest ebb, petrol is not available and by the time fresh loans begin to pile up, 95 per cent of Nigerians will definitely be pauperised. “Particularly, by the autocratic nature of our president, the Federal Government is not prepared to listen to wise counsel, hence the desperation to take unwarranted loans even if the future of Nigeria and its people will be mortgaged.

“It will also interest Your Excellency that our president’s visit to china will be his 28th trip outside Nigeria since he assumed office 10 months ago and this unnecessary foreign trip is estimated to have cause the country $50 million. “I therefore appeal to Your Excellency to assist Nigeria and its people in the area of technology transfer so as to limit importation of goods and services, rather than granting the country unnecessary loan.

“In conclusion, I wish to state that this letter and information became necessary for posterity sake and to put it on record that when the future of Nigeria and its people was going to be mortgaged through loan from the People’s Republic of China, I stood up to be counted in defence of our country.”

Sanders smashes the Israel status quo

By Jeremy Diamond, CNN 

Bernie Sanders is taking a sledgehammer to the political status quo on Israel.Sanders refused to back down Thursday night from his claim that Israel in 2014 used "disproportionate" force to respond to Hamas rocket fire from Gaza while calling for the United States to stop being "one-sided" in the conflict there. In doing so, he upended a long-standing tenet of Americanpolitics: that unflinching support for Israel is non-negotiable.Sanders' unorthodox remarks at CNN's Democratic debate came just days before voters head to the polls in New York, whereSanders is fighting to narrow the significant, but not insurmountable, deficit he faces against former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.The Empire State's 19.79 million residents include the country's largest Jewish population -- some 1.8 million of the country's 6.8 million Jews live there, according to the 2014 American Jewish Year Book -- and one of the most active pro-Israel constituencies.Sanders' nationally televised stance could represent a watershed moment in Democratic politics, as the sole Jewish candidate in the race -- and only one to have lived in Israel -- smashed a taboo thatcould lead others to follow suit.READ: New York fight night for Hillary Clinton and Bernie SandersIndeed, a potential shift in the party's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been brewing, with signs of ferment bubbling to the surface in recent years amid the rancorous relationship between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.CNN political commentator Van Jones, a former Obama political aide, said Thursdaynight that Sanders' focus on Palestinian rights during the debate was"extraordinary.""It's not just that it was interesting politics in New York. It's that I've never seen a Democratic candidate trying to be president -- I haven't seen a Republican, I haven't seen anyone at this level of the game -- say, 'Look, let's have a more balanced approach," Jones said. "That takes a level of courage and a level of integrity. You can disagree with it, you can feel badly about it, you can be proud of it -- but something happened tonight."However, it is far from clear what political costs, if any, Sanders will face from his outspokenness, which also included him stating that "we are going to have to treat the Palestinian people with respect and dignity" and "we are going to have to say that Netanyahu is not right all of the time."Sanders was asked about Israel at the debate after he erroneously told the New York Daily News earlier this month that Israel has killed 10,000 civilians in Gaza -- drawing fire from top Jewish groups including the Anti-Defamation League. Sanders later revised the figure to 10,000 wounded civilians and 1,500 deaths.Clinton, for her part, diligently asserted the traditional pro-Israel views that have helped make her a favorite of Israel advocates and Jewish leaders in New York.At several points the audience at the debate responded enthusiastically to Sanders' comments on Palestinians and often gave Clinton a more lukewarm response. And polling shows that Democratic support for Israel is dropping, particularly when compared to Republicans.A Gallup poll in 2015 found that 60% of Democrats viewed Israel favorably, down from 74% the year before. The poll found 48% of Democrats sympathize more with Israelis than Palestinians, as opposed to 83% of Republicans.Steven Cohen, a Hebrew Union College professor who has studied the evolution of Jewish American views on Israel, said Sanders' views will resonate with the majority of American Jews, who are broadly Democratic and secular, and with young ones in particular."They are pro-Israel but they are anti-settlements. They lack confidence in the sincerity of the Israeli government in pursuing peace," Cohen said. "The Democratic Party is changing. Younger Democrats are still pro-Israel, but they're opposed to many Israeli policies."It's a shift Sanders is clearly conscious of. He not only defended his remarks about the "disproportionate" military response butchallenged Clinton to address the claim directly."You evaded the question," Sanders told Clinton, pushing her to defend Israel's actions. He also took her to task for not addressing the Palestinians' plight at greater length during her recent speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of the country's largest pro-Israel lobbies.Sanders' spokeswoman Symone Sanders said Friday the campaign is "not worried" about any backlash from the candidate's stance."This is the kind of approach we have to take in order to make inroads in the Israeli and Palestinian relationship," she said.Cohen, who endorsed Sanders on Friday, called the Vermont Democrat's focus on Palestinian rights during a presidential debate "historic." But he predicted that the debate would have only a "small effect" on the New York primary -- with voters for whom U.S.-Israel relations is a priority having mostly made up their minds.Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic strategist who said he's known Clinton for more than three decades, agreed that Sanders' views are likely to resonate more with younger voters. Their turnout is crucial for helping Sanders counter the former secretary of state's support from older New York voters, who are a more reliable voting bloc.Regardless of the debate's impact on the primary, Sanders managed to put down a new marker in the ongoing debate over support for Israel in Democratic Party politics."It's a pretty extraordinary moment for Democrats," Sheinkopf said. "It signals without question what other people alreadyknow: that the great love affair between theUnited States and Israel is over and that the U.S. and Israel are entering two different eras. If it's President Bernie Sanders, that will certainly be the truth."Sheinkopf added, "There is no requirement anymore in Democratic politics to have a strict, orthodox pro-Israel position."Still, Jewish leaders who continue to advocate for preserving the status quo of the strong U.S.-Israel relationship insist that support for Israel remains deeply embedded in American politics -- in both parties."I think that overall the American people's support for Israel is not diminished," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.READ: Why is Bernie Sanders in Vatican City not New York City?He conceded, though, that "there is a weakness on the Democratic left" in terms of support for Israel. It's a shift he attributes to "a lot of disinformation and misinformation" on Israel, something Hoenlein said Sanders fed into with his erroneous statement about 10,000 civilian casualties."This, then, becomes embedded in political discourse as a fact really rather than a baseless assertion," Hoenlein said. "That iswhere the young people then get misled."Sanders' position on Israel represents a significant departure from the views top Jewish leaders like Hoenlein are advocating, but the senator also indicated Thursday that he was not making a complete break with the pro-Israel establishment.His campaign suspended its newly hired Jewish outreach coordinator after Facebook posts in which she used expletives to describe Netanyahu, whom she accused of sanctioning "the murder" ofthousands of Palestinians and continuing the "brutal military occupation of millions more."Sanders also took pains at the debate to characterize his views as supportive of Israel and note his own personal ties to theJewish state."As somebody who spent many months of my life when I was a kid in Israel, who has family in Israel, of course Israel has a right not only to defend themselves, but to live inpeace and security without fear of terrorist attack. That is not a debate," Sanders said, before launching into his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza.

New earthquake rocks city in Japan

New earthquake rocks city in Japan

Damage has again been severe, as Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports

A more powerful earthquake has rocked the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto in the middle of the night, a day after an earlier tremor killed nine people.

The magnitude-7.3 quake hit at a depth of 10km (six miles) at 01:25 on Saturday (15:25 GMT on Friday). Three people were killed, public broadcaster NHK says.

It says a village has been evacuated after a dam collapsed.

A tsunami warning was issued, and lifted some 50 minutes later.

Japan is regularly hit by earthquakes but stringent building codes mean that they rarely cause significant damage.

This new earthquake in the Kyushu region was much bigger and hit a wider area than the one that struck Kumamoto on Thursday night, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo.

In the darkness it is hard to assess how bad the damage has been, our correspondent says.

But in one town near the coast, the city hall has been so badly damaged there are fears it could collapse. A hospital is being evacuated because it is no longer safe.

TV pictures have shown a whole neighbourhood ablaze.

Thousands of people have fled on to the streets and into parks - where they are huddled under blankets looking dazed and afraid, our correspondent says.

But there are numerous reports of people trapped inside buildings, including at least 60 inside an old people's home.

home.

The scale of the damage will only become known in the daytime

Evacuated residents waited in a park in Kumamoto City

Bitter experience has shown the Japanese where to seek shelter when a warning is issued

Television pictures showed thousands of people filling streets and parks, looking dazed.

NHK had warned of sea waves of up to 1m (3ft).

Japan's nuclear authority said the Sendai nuclear plant was not damaged.

The quake was originally assessed as magnitude 7.1 but revised upwards to 7.3 later.

Gavin Hayes, a research geophysicist with the US Geological Survey (USGS) in Colorado, told the BBC that the latest earthquake would hamper the earlier rescue operation that was already under way.

He said more damage could be expected as the earthquake had been shallower and the fault-line had been much longer.

"The ground surface would have moved in the region of 4-5m (yards). So, you are talking very intense shaking over quite a large area. And that's why we'll probably see a significant impact from this event."

The  Associated Press news agency said guests at the Ark Hotel near the Kumamoto Castle, which was damaged, woke up and gathered in the lobby for safety.

There are no reports of casualties, but some damage has been caused by the latest earthquake

These hotel guests gathered in the lobby after the earthquake struck

Kumamoto Castle is said to have suffered more damage in the new tremor

Thursday's magnitude-6.2 quake caused shaking at some places as intense as the huge earthquake that hit the country in 2011, Japan's seismology office said.

That quake sparked a huge tsunami and nuclear meltdown at a power plant in Fukushima.

Most of those who died in Thursday's quake were in the town of Mashiki where an apartment building collapsed and many houses were damaged.

More than 1,000 people were injured.

Some 40,000 people had initially fled their homes, with many of those closest to the epicentre spending the night outside, as more than 130 aftershocks had hit the area.

Putin apologises for Panama Papers error

Vladimir Putin said he was misinformed by aides about the newspaper's ownership

Vladimir Putin has apologised for erroneously claiming that German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung was owned by the US bank Goldman Sachs.

The Russian president made the remark in a televised phone-in on Thursday.

It concerned who was responsible for the publication of the so-called Panama Papers, which were leaked to Sueddeutsche Zeitung and revealed massive international tax evasion.

In an apology issued by the Kremlin, Mr Putin said he was misinformed by aides.

"It is more the error of those who prepared the briefing documents, my error," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters.

"There was information there that had not been checked and rechecked again and we gave it to the president. We have apologised [to the bank] and we will also apologise to the publication."

The Panama Papers, which contained the names of people allegedly involved in tax evasion schemes, revealed a number of offshore companies owned by close associates of Mr Putin.

Mr Putin has denied "any element of corruption" over the schemes, saying his opponents are trying to destabilise Russia.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung shared the documents with a large group of newspapers and publishers, including the BBC.

BBC © 2016

TRIBUTE TO THE WOMAN- MY WIFE DOES NOT WORK!!!

Conversation between a Husband (H) and a Psychologist (P):

P: What do u do 4 a living Mr. Bandy?
H: I work as an Accountant in a Bank.

P: Ur Wife ?
H: She doesn't work, She's only a housewife.

P: Who makes breakfast 4 ur family in the morning?
H: My Wife, because she doesn't work.

P: At what time does ur wife wake up 4 making breakfast?
H: She wakes up @ around 5am because she cleans the house first b4 making breakfast.

P: How do ur kids go 2 school?
H: My wife takes them 2 school, because she doesn't work.

P: After taking ur kids 2 school, what does she do?
H: She goes 2 the market, then goes back home 4 cooking and laundry. u know she doesn't work.

P: In the evening, after u go back home from office, what do u do?
H: Takes a rest because i'm tired due 2 all day's work.

P: What does ur wife do then?
H: She prepares meals, serving our kids, preparing meals 4 me and cleaning the dishes, cleaning the house then taking kids bed.

***Whom do u think works more from the story above???

The daily routines of ur wives commence from early morning 2 late night and u called that DOESN'T WORK?

Yes, being housewives do not need certificate of Study, even high position, but their role/part is very important!

Appreciate ur wives because their sacrifices are uncountable, this should be a reminder and reflection 4 all of us 2 understand and appreciate each others roles.

***All about a woman***
When she is quiet, millions of things are running in her mind.

When she stares @ u, she is wondering why she loves u so much in spite of being taken 4 granted.

When she says I will stand by u, she will stand by u like a rock.

Never hurt her or take her wrong 4 granted.

A very heart touching message by a
woman.

Someone asked her, Are u a working woman or a housewife?
She replied:
Yes, I am a full-time
working housewife.

I work 24 hours a day.
I'm a Mum.
I'm a Wife.
I'm a Daughter.
I'm a Daughter-in-law.
I'm an Alarm clock.
I'm a Cook.
I'm a Maid.
I'm a Teacher.
I'm a Waiter.
I'm a Nanny.
I'm a Nurse.
I'm a Handyman.
I'm a Security officer.
I'm a Counsellor.
I'm a Comforter.
I don't get holidays.
I don't get sick leave.
I don't get day off.
I work through day and night.
I'm on call all hours and get paid with a
sentence.

***What Do u Do All Day??

***Dedicated 2 all women***

Woman has the most unique character like salt, her presence is never remembered but her absence makes all the things tasteless.

Pass it 2 all the lovely ladies...
Ur Mother.
Ur Wife.
Ur Girlfriend
Ur secret and Open Lover
Ur daughter.
Ur sister N Ur friend.

Forward 2 every woman 2 make her smile and 2 every man 2 make him realize a woman's worth.
Source : from my WhatsApp page

Impeachment debate begins in Brazil

Brazil's lower house of parliament has begun a debate ahead of a vote on Sunday on the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.

Opposition MPs began the session chanting "Long Live Democracy".

Brazil's Supreme Court has rejected a government injunction against the vote.

Ms Rousseff is accused of manipulating government accounts ahead of her re-election in 2014. She denies the charges and accuses opponents of plotting a "coup".

She has vowed to fight to "the last minute" despite the desertion of three allied parties ahead of Sunday's vote, which begins at about 14:00 (17:00 GMT).

Brazilian media predict a close vote, with two polls putting the number of those in favour of impeachment at 342 - the crucial two-thirds needed to send the motion to the upper house, the Senate.

If the Senate endorses the move, Ms Rousseff will be suspended for up to 180 days whilst an impeachment trial is held.

• Could Rousseff be impeached?

• Where did it all go wrong for Rousseff?

• A critical month ahead

• What has gone wrong in Brazil?

• Rousseff faces a perfect storm

The Supreme Court made its decision in an extraordinary session.

The injunction to suspend the vote was filed by Attorney General Jose Eduardo Cardozo who alleged procedural infringements which had violated the president's right to a defence.

Seven of 10 justices voted to reject the motion even before the Supreme Court session had finished.

The president's supporters say the issue is not valid grounds for impeachment.

On Tuesday, Ms Rousseff seemed to suggest that her Vice-President, Michel Temer, was one of the ringleaders of a "coup" attempt against her.

She said a widely distributed audio message of Mr Temer appearing to accept replacing her as president was evidence of the conspiracy. However, she did not identify him by name.

Brazil is "living in strange times", she said, "times of a coup, of farce and betrayal".

While President Rousseff's opponents say the impeachment is supported by most Brazilians, the president's supporters have labelled it a flagrant power grab by her political enemies.

If the president and Mr Temer were both suspended from office, the next in line to assume the presidency would be lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha.

However, he is facing money-laundering and other charges.

President Rousseff accuses her opponents of planning a coup

What happens next?

Lower house vote: An impeachment vote is expected in the lower house on Sunday. A two-thirds majority is required for it to go forward to the Senate.

Senate vote on trial: If Ms Rousseff case is sent to the Senate, a simple majority is enough to suspend her for up to 180 days while she is put on trial. Vice-President Michel Temer would step in during this period.

Impeachment vote: For Ms Rousseff to be removed from office permanently, two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote in favour. Mr Temer would remain president for an interim period should this happen.

Earthquake topples houses in Japan

Government officials say they are assessing the damage from the quake

An earthquake has struck southern Japan, bringing down several houses, a top government spokesman says.

No tsunami warning was issued after the quake, measured at a preliminary magnitude of 6.4.

The earthquake struck at 21:26 (1226 GMT) east of Kumamoto city, on the island of Kyushu, the Japan Meteorological Agency says.

The Sendai and Genkai nuclear plants on Kyushu are reported to be operating as normal.

No casualties have yet been confirmed though police in Kumamoto prefecture say people may be trapped in collapsed houses.

The quake struck at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) and was followed 40 minutes later by an aftershock measuring 5.7.

Chibok Girls: Missing, But Not Forgotten...

It is exactly two years today, since the over 200 Chibok girls were abducted from their school dormitory by the Boko Haram insurgent group, attracting global outrage and concerted efforts to free and reunite them with their families.
Despite the efforts of the National government under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan and the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari, the girls are yet to be found.
Zxntct.blogspot.com, (Mr) join their families, the Nation and intend the whole world to remember the missing Chibok girls and to re-emphasize that they might be missing but surely are not forgotten. God be with you!

Nigerians abroad remitted $21bn in 2015 –W’Bank

April 14, 2016


Akinpelu Dada

Nigerians in the Diaspora sent home $21bn in 2015, a slight improvement from the $20.83bn remitted a year earlier.

The figure was given by the World Bank in the latest edition of its ‘Migration and Development Brief’, which was released on Wednesday.




According to the bank, remittances to developing countries grew only marginally in 2015, as weak oil prices and other factors strained the earnings of international migrants and their ability to send money home to their families.

Officially recorded remittances to developing countries amounted to $431.6bn in 2015, an increase of 0.4 per cent over the $430bn in 2014.

The bank added that the growth pace in 2015 was the slowest since the global financial crisis, as the global remittances, which include those to high-income countries, contracted by 1.7 per cent to $581.6bn last year, from $592bn in 2014.

The bank stated, “The slowing in remittances growth, which began in 2012, was exacerbated last year by low oil prices, which are taking a toll on many oil-exporting remittance-source countries, such as Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

“As a result, many remittance-receiving countries, including India, the world’s largest remittance recipient, and Egypt saw remittances contract in 2015, as flows from the GCC countries slowed considerably. Remittances contracted by 20 per cent to countries in the Europe and Central Asia region, with the heaviest impacts on Tajikistan and Ukraine, as a struggling Russian economy, and depreciation of the Russian ruble against the dollar contributed to the decline in remittances to the region.”

According to the report, India retained its top spot in 2015, attracting about $69bn in remittances, down from $70bn in 2014. Other large recipients in 2015 were China, with $64bn; the Philippines, $28bn; Mexico, $25bn; and Nigeria, $21bn.

“Remittances are an important and fairly stable source of income for millions of families and of foreign exchange to many developing countries. However, if remittances continue to slow, and dramatically as in the case of Central Asian countries, poor families in many parts of the world would face serious challenges, including nutrition, access to health care and education,” the Director of the World Bank’s Global Indicators Group, Augusto Lopez-Claros, said.

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PST KICKS AGAINST EL-RUFAI 'S ANTI - RELIGIOUS BILL

Religious bill: Churches move against Gov El-Rufai READ: https://www.naij.com/773076-religious-bill-one-thousand-churches-move-gov-el-rufai.html

NFF APPOINTS AMUNEKE AS COACH FOR UNDER 20

The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed former u-17 team coach Emmanuel Amuneke as the new Flying Eagles coach after his heroics helped the under-17 Nigeria team to success in last year's FIFA U-17 tournament in Chile.The news of his appointment was confirmed by the football body who passed a communique after it's executive board meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. Amuneke, who was named African Footballer of the Year in 1994 will be assisted by Kabiru Baleria and Emeka Amadi as assistant coach and goalkeeper trainer respectively.

Cacaoweb.com cacao powder making

About the cacao treeFermentation of cacaoDrying and roastingCocoa ballsManufacturing cocoaManufacturing chocolateTypes of chocolateGourmet chocolateNutrition factsBaking with chocolateBuy chocolateCacao producing countries

Manufacturing Chocolate

After roasting and winnowing (removing the outer shell from the cacao beans) they are ground making cocoa liquor, see the left side of the picture.

Pressure is employed to a part of the cocoa liquor (slightly heated to be in a liquid form) to obtain cocoa butter (fat), see the right side of the picture. Cocoa liquor and sugar are mixed and ground down smaller and smaller for a long time. More cocoa butter is added in addition to emulsifier and flavoring agents, especially vanilla. During the continued grinding the mixture becomes smooth. The next step in the process is called conching: mixing, heating, agitating and aerating for 24 hours to obtain the final velvet-like texture and less bitter flavor.

Before moulding the chocolate into bars or squares it must be tempered. Tempering is done by mixing the melted chocolate at a controlled temperature until the right form of tiny chocolate crystals are formed. This gives the chocolate the right appearance and texture. Then the chocolate is molded and cooled rapidly.

For more information about the process of manufacturing chocolate at a small chocolate factory, see the process description by Grenada Chocolate Company.

Cacao roaster at Theo Chocolate Company, Seattle WA.Grinding cacao beans at Theo Chocolate Company, Seattle WA.Grinding cacao beans at Grenada Chocolate Company, Grenada, West Indies.Making cacao butter at Grenada Choco

Full text of Buhari’s speech at 2016 budget presentation Op-Ed Editor

December 22, 2015 2016 budget speech delivered by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to a joint session of the National Assembly. I am honoured and privileged to present the 2016 Budget proposal. This is my first address before this joint session of the National Assembly. I have come here today, not only to address members of the National Assembly, but also to speak directly to the men and women who placed us here. I know the state of our economy is a source of concern for many. This has been further worsened by the unbridled corruption and security challenges we have faced in the last few years. From those who have lost their jobs, to those young people who have never had a job, to the people in the North East whose families and businesses were destroyed by insurgents, this has been a difficult period in our nation’s history, lessons that we must not forget or ignore, as we plan for the future. By June 2014, oil prices averaged $112 per barrel. But as at today, the price is under $39 per barrel. This huge decline is having a painful effect on our economy. Consumption has declined at all levels. In both the private and public sectors, employers have struggled to meet their salary and other employee related obligations. The small business owners and traders have been particularly hard hit by this state of affairs. Fellow Nigerians, the confidence of many might be shaken. However, I stand before you today promising that we will secure our country, rebuild our economy, and make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger than it has ever been. The answers to our problems are not beyond us. They exist on our farmlands; our corporations; in the universities in the hearts and minds of our entrepreneurs; through the gallantry of our Armed Forces; and the resolute spirit of Nigerians, especially the youth, who have refused to give up despite all the obstacles confronting them. This Budget proposal, the first by our Government, seeks to stimulate the economy, making it more competitive by focusing on infrastructural development; delivering inclusive growth; and prioritizing the welfare of Nigerians. We believe that this budget, while helping industry, commerce and investment to pick up, will as a matter of urgency, address the immediate problems of youth unemployment and the terrible living conditions of the extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians. In the medium to longer term, we remain committed to economic diversification through import substitution and export promotion. This will build resilience in our economy. It will guarantee that the problems we have today, will not confront our children and their children. This shall be our legacy for generations to come. 2015: A Year of Global and Domestic Challenges Today, it is widely acknowledged that the global economy has slowed down. This is particularly the case with emerging markets such as Nigeria. However, despite the weak emerging market growth rates, our domestic security challenges, declining oil prices, and the attendant difficulties in providing foreign exchange to meet market demands, the Nigerian economy grew by 2.84% in the third quarter of 2015. We have, and will continue to implement strategies that will maintain macroeconomic stability and manage the oil price shocks we are experiencing. Upon the inauguration of this administration on 29th May 2015, we engaged key stakeholders from various sectors of our economy and interfaced with the heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in order to understand the true state of our nation. What we found prompted us to take certain strategic decisions. On the economy, we injected new leadership at the helm of our revenue generating agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). We implemented the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which, so far, has provided greater visibility of Government revenues and cash flows. We intervened to support States to navigate their fiscal challenges by restructuring their commercial bank loans and by providing facilities to enable them to pay salary arrears. We have demonstrated a strong will to fight corruption. I am sure you will agree that the sheer scale of corruption and impunity of the past explains in part, the economic challenges we now face. On these initiatives, and the many more to come, we shall not be deterred. We will pursue the recovery of everything that belongs to the people of Nigeria. No matter where it is hidden. No matter how long it will take. 2015 Budget Performance Distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly, I now present a review of the 2015 Budget. That Budget was based on a benchmark oil price of $53 per barrel, oil production of 2.28 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N190 to the US$. The projected revenue was N3.45 trillion, with an outlay of N4.49 trillion, implying a deficit of N1.04 trillion. Due largely to under-provisioning by the previous administration for fuel subsidy and the costs required to support the military operations in the North East, the Government had to obtain National Assembly’s approval for a supplementary budget of N575.5 billion. I take this opportunity to thank all members of the National Assembly for the prompt passage of that Bill. 2016: Budget Assumptions After reviewing the trends in the global oil industry, we have set a benchmark price of $38 per barrel and a production estimate of 2.2 million barrels per day for 2016. We have focused on non-oil revenues by broadening our tax base and improving the effectiveness of our revenue collecting agencies. Also, with the full implementation of the Treasury Single Account, we expect significant improvements in the collection and remittance of independent revenues. To further support the drive for increased remittances, we will ensure that all MDAs present their budgets in advance, and remit their operating surpluses as required by section 22 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. We are determined to ensure that our resources are managed prudently and utilized solely for the public good. To set the proper tone, one of our early decisions was the adoption of a zero based budgeting approach, which ensures that resources are aligned with Government’s priorities and allocated efficiently. This budgeting method, a clear departure from previous budgeting activities, will optimize the impact of public expenditure. In addition to the proper linkage of budgeting to strategic planning, we are enhancing the utilization of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (GIFMIS) to improve financial management. The recently established Efficiency Unit is working across MDAs to identify and eliminate wasteful spending, duplication and other inefficiencies. We engaged costing experts to scrutinize the 2016 budget proposals. They have already identified certain cost areas that can be centralized for economies to be made. We have directed the extension of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to all MDAs to reap its full benefits. We will also strengthen the controls over our personnel and pension costs with the imminent introduction of the Continuous Audit Process (CAP). These initiatives will ensure personnel costs are reduced. Our commitment to a lean and cost effective government remains a priority, and the initiatives we are introducing will signal a fundamental change in how Government spends public revenue. 2016: Laying the Foundation for Sustainable Growth The 2016 budget, as outlined, is designed to ensure that we revive our economy, deliver inclusive growth to Nigerians and create a significant number of jobs. We aim to ensure macroeconomic stability by achieving a real GDP growth rate of 4.37% and managing inflation. To achieve this, we will ensure the aligning of fiscal, monetary, trade and industrial policies. As we focus on inclusive growth, we are conscious of the current rate of unemployment and underemployment. This is a challenge we are determined to meet; and this budget is the platform for putting more Nigerians to work. I can assure you that this administration will have a job creation focus in every aspect of the execution of this budget. Nigeria’s job creation drive will be private sector led. We will encourage this by a reduction in tax rates for smaller businesses as well as subsidized funding for priority sectors such as agriculture and solid minerals. As an emergency measure, to address the chronic shortage of teachers in public schools across the country, we also will partner with State and Local Governments to recruit, train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders. These graduate teachers will be deployed to primary schools, thereby, enhancing the provision of basic education especially in our rural areas. We also intend to partner with State and Local Governments to provide financial training and loans to market women, traders and artisans, through their cooperative societies. We believe that this segment of our society is not only critical to our plan for growing small businesses, but it is also an important platform to create jobs and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs. Furthermore, through the office of the Vice President, we are working with various development partners to design an implementable and transparent conditional cash transfer program for the poorest and most vulnerable. This program will be implemented in phases. Already, the compilation of registers of the poorest persons is ongoing. In the coming weeks, we will present the full programme, which will include our home-grown public primary school feeding and free education for science, technology and education students in our tertiary institutions. Indeed, this will mark a historic milestone for us as a nation. The 2016 Budget Distinguished members of the National Assembly, I now present, the 2016 Budget proposals of the Federal Government. Based on the assumptions I presented earlier, we have proposed a budget of N6.08 trillion with a revenue projection of N3.86 trillion resulting in a deficit of N2.22 trillion. The deficit, which is equivalent to 2.16% of Nigeria’s GDP, will take our overall debt profile to 14% of our GDP. This remains well within acceptable fiscal limits. Our deficit will be financed by a combination of domestic borrowing of N984 billion, and foreign borrowing of N900 billion totaling N1.84 trillion. Over the medium term, we expect to increase revenues and reduce overheads, to bring the fiscal deficit down to 1.3% of GDP by 2018. In 2016, oil related revenues are expected to contribute N820 billion. Non-oil revenues, comprising Company Income Tax (CIT), Value Added Tax (VAT), Customs and Excise duties, and Federation Account levies, will contribute N1.45 trillion. Finally, by enforcing strict compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and public expenditure reforms in all MDAs, we have projected up to N1.51 trillion from independent revenues. Although we are working to diversify our economy, we will not lose sight of the need to restructure the oil and gas sector which has been marred by corruption and plagued with inefficiencies. Accordingly, I have directed the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to adjust its pricing template to reflect competitive and market driven components. We believe this can lower input costs and attain efficiency savings that will enable PPPRA to keep the selling price for all marketers of petrol at N87 per liter for now. The current fuel scarcity with long queues at petrol stations all over the country causing social dislocation is very unfortunate. Government profoundly apologizes to Nigerians for this prolonged hardship and misery. It is as a result of market speculators and resistance to change by some stakeholders. Government is working very hard to end these shortages and bring fuel to the pumps all over the country. I have also directed the NNPC to explore alternate funding models that will enable us to honour our obligations in Joint Ventures (JVs) and deep offshore fields. We are confident that these measures can be achieved and will lower the burden that the traditional cash calls have imposed on our budget and cash flows as well as contribute towards shoring up our national reserves. To deliver our development objectives, we have increased the capital expenditure portion of the budget from N557 billion in the 2015 budget to N1.8 trillion, in the 2016 budget. Distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly, for the first time in many years, capital expenditure will represent 30% of our total budget. In future years we intend to raise the percentage allocation for capital expenditure. This is a fulfillment of our promise to align expenditure to our long-term objectives, and a sign of government’s commitment to sustainable development. This increased capital expenditure commits significant resources to critical sectors such as Works, Power and Housing – N433.4 billion; Transport – N202.0 billion; Special Intervention Programs – N200.0 billion; Defence – N134.6 billion; and Interior – N53.1 billion. These investments in infrastructure and security are meant to support our reforms in the Agriculture, Solid Minerals and other core job creating sectors of our economy. We will invest to safeguard lives and property. We will invest in equipping our farmers with the right tools, technology and techniques. We will invest in empowering and enabling our miners to operate in a safe, secure and humane environment. We will invest in training our youths, through the revival of our technical and vocational institutions, to ensure they are competent enough to seize the opportunities that will arise from this economic revival. Indeed, the future looks bright. And I ask that we all work together to make this vision a reality. The 223% year on year growth in capital expenditure demonstrates our desire to make Nigeria more competitive, and start the journey to deliver sustainable development in our country. In fulfillment of our promise to run a lean government, we have proposed a 9% reduction in non-debt recurrent expenditure, from N2.59 trillion in the 2015 Budget to N2.35 trillion in 2016. Furthermore, we have budgeted N300 billion for Special Intervention Programs, which takes the total amount for non-debt recurrent expenditure to N2.65 trillion. As I mentioned earlier, the Efficiency Unit set up by this Administration together with effective implementation of GIFMIS and IPPIS will drive a reduction of overheads by at least 7%, personnel costs by 8% and other service wide votes by 19%. Distinguished and honourable members, this budget will be executed to provide optimum value by ensuring every naira spent by this Government, counts. We will devote a significant portion of our recurrent expenditure to institutions that provide critical government services. We will spend N369.6 billion in Education; N294.5 billion in Defence; N221.7 billion in Health and N145.3 billion in the Ministry of Interior. This will ensure our teachers, armed forces personnel, doctors, nurses, police men, fire fighters, prison service officers and many more critical service providers are paid competitively and on time. Distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly, our 2016 borrowings will be principally directed to fund our capital projects. Furthermore, the sum of N113 billion will be set aside for a Sinking Fund towards the retirement of maturing loans; while N1.36 trillion has been provided for foreign and domestic debt service. This calls for prudent management on our part, both of the debt portfolio and the deployment of our hard earned foreign exchange earnings. I am aware of the problems many Nigerians currently have in accessing foreign exchange for their various purposes – from our traders and business operators who rely on imported inputs; to manufacturers needing to import sophisticated equipment and spare parts; to our airlines operators who need foreign exchange to meet their international regulatory obligations; to the financial services sector and capital markets who are key actors in the global arena. These are clearly due to the current inadequacies in the supply of foreign exchange to Nigerians who need it. I am however assured by the Governor of Central Bank that the Bank is currently fine-tuning its foreign exchange management to introduce some flexibility and encourage additional inflow of foreign currency to help ease the pressure. We are carefully assessing our exchange rate regime keeping in mind our willingness to attract foreign investors but at the same time, managing and controlling inflation to level that will not harm the average Nigerians. Nigeria is open for business. But the interest of all Nigerians must be protected. Indeed, tough decisions will have to be made. But this does not necessarily mean increasing the level of pain already being experienced by most Nigerians. So to the investors, business owners and industrialists, we are aware of your pains. To the farmers, traders and entrepreneurs, we also hear you. The status quo cannot continue. The rent seeking will stop. The artificial current demand will end. Our monetary, fiscal and social development policies are aligned. Conclusion Mr. Senate President, Mr. Speaker, distinguished members of the National Assembly, in spite of the global economic uncertainties; we must remain steadfast in our commitment to steer this country back to greatness. The Nigerian economy needs to move away from dependency on oil. Our growth must be inclusive. Nigerians must be part of the growth story. As a Government, we shall deliver security, jobs and infrastructure. This is the right of all Nigerians. I know many people will say “I have heard this before”. Indeed, trust in Government, due to the abuse and negligence of the past, is at an all-time low. This means we must go back to basics. Our actions will speak for us. My team of dedicated, committed and patriotic Nigerians is well aware of the task ahead and I can assure you that we are taking on the challenge. We will not betray the trust reposed in us. We will welcome and be responsive to your feedback and criticisms. We are here to serve. And indeed, Nigerians will get the service they have longed for and which they rightly deserve. We as a Government cannot do it alone. We will require the support of all civil servants, the organized labour, industry groups, the press and of course, our religious and traditional institutions. This is a call for all of us to stand and serve our country. This Budget represents a major step in delivering a new opportunity for Nigeria. It demonstrates our confident optimism that despite the challenging times, we have the will, resourcefulness and commitment to deliver prosperity to our people. And by the Grace of Almighty God and the sheer will and determination of the Nigerian people, we will come out stronger and more united than ever. Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Previous article ‘We’re ready to move swiftly and speedily’ | Read Saraki’s full speech at 2016 budget presentation Next article ‘Buhari, Saraki, Osinbajo, Dogara’ | Photos from 2016 budget presentation (PHOTOS) RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Aero Contractors fined millions for allowing passengers disembark with ladder THE YNAIJA TRACKLIST: Cameroon soldiers kill 70 in Borno | Buratai quizzed over Shiites’ killings | Is this why people support Trump? | More... Opinion: 5 reasons a Biafra referendum must occur by March 31, 2016 Omilola Oshikoya: Be bold, take risks and embrace challenges (30 Days of Gratitude) We have evidence that Bayelsa governor beat up Southern Ijaw chairman – APC Criminal charges filed against Tompolo after shunning EFCC invitation Login Follow the discussion Comments There are no comments posted yet. Be the first one! 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Malala and Muzoon reunite to proclaim benefits of education

December 23, 2015 3:36 AM The girls were reunited in Newcastle, as Lyse Doucet reports By Lyse Doucet Chief international correspondent "Are two Malalas better than one?" I ask, only partly in jest, of two smiling teenagers sitting on a purple sofa in a gleaming public library in northern England. It elicits some quiet giggles. "Or two Muzoons," 18-year-old Malala Yousafzai immediately chimes in. Muzoon Almellehan, 17, hands clasped demurely in her lap, smiles shyly at the world's most famous campaigner for girls' education who is fast becoming the best of friends. On a cold rainy day, their two families are reunited in a glass fronted room in Newcastle City Library which offers sweeping views of Muzoon's new home in Britain. Her Syrian family is among the first to come to the UK from refugee camps on Syria's borders. A deep friendship is developing between the two education campaigners When the Pakistani teenager who survived a Taliban assassination attempt travelled to Syria's border with Jordan nearly two years ago to meet refugees fleeing the war, she heard about a girl they called "the Malala of Syria". Young Muzoon was going from tent to trailer in the camp, urging nervous parents to educate their daughters instead of marrying them off. Their teenage lives were changed forever by two very different conflicts. Now they are both schoolgirls in Britain whose lives are changing again. "We want a Malala-Muzoon army to inspire young girls to stand up for their rights," Malala declares as Muzoon nods firmly in agreement. "We always wanted to work together and now we can." Their next project for Syrian girls' education will be launched in early February during a major aid conference in London. As their two daughters chatted, Ziauddin Yousafzai (right) and Rakan Almellehan were deep in discussion with the help of an Arabic translator The mother of the two campaigners, Eman Almellehan (left) and Torpekai Yousafzai (right) also met in Newcastle Malala is already an accomplished activist with a fund in her name that's growing in scale and ambition. I saw her mark her entry into adulthood in July with an unusual 18th birthday celebration - she cut her cake, in the shape of a school, as she opened her first school for Syrian girls. But the young campaigner - already a Nobel laureate - is generous in her praise for her Syrian friend who is a little bit younger and a lot less experienced in the ways of the aid world. "I was with some schoolgirls in the refugee camp in Jordan and one girl said to me: 'It was wonderful meeting you, but it's not you, it's Muzoon who inspired me to get an education,'" Malala recounts. Malala Yousafzai has championed education for girls in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world She also remembers the "horrible situation in camps without electricity where it gets really hot in summer and really cold in winter". "When you start something, it's always difficult," reflects Muzoon as she ponders her new life in a very different culture. Her fluency in English has improved considerably in recent years. Mastering it is now one of her goals so she "can talk to Malala about everything" and pursue her dream to become a journalist. Both girls grew up in conservative Muslim families with fathers who were teachers who instilled in them a love of education. Malala Yousafzai (seen here visiting the Obamas in the US) is already an accomplished activist with a fund in her name that is growing in scale and ambition As their two daughters chatted, Ziauddin Yousafzai and Rakan were deep in discussion with the help of an Arabic translator. Their mothers Toor Pekai and Eman also found ways to overcome a language barrier. The plight of Syria's refugees is clearly on Malala's mind in the midst of the massive movement of people making the perilous journey to reach safety in Europe. "We say we can't solve this problem because the number of refugees is so huge," she says, citing a figure of four million. "I actually took out a calculator," she admits with a smile. "I said this is how many refugees there are, and if each country takes about 50,000 or even 25,000 we can solve this." I point out that countries like Britain, which has promised to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years, says they cannot afford to take more. "I'm not really sure where Britain's economy stands but one thing I am sure of is we can at least help people," she insists. "It's a developed country and we need courage and strength to accept that it's our duty to help people." One of Muzoon's biggest concerns is the issue of child brides. Aid agencies say marriages involving teenage refugee girls are increasing at an alarming rate and now make up about a third of marriages in the camps. "Because of their customs and education, many parents think that by marrying their daughter they will give her a good future," Muzoon explains. "They're stopping their education because they don't realise the best way to protect their daughters is to educate them." There is no denying their sense of purpose and, despite their young age, they do make good sense. "If we are hoping to rebuild Syria one day, that won't happen if two million refugee children are totally deprived of education." Malala explains. There is another initiative on their minds too. Muzoon Almellehan argues the best way for mothers to protect their daughters is to educate them "We are hoping to launch a campaign next year that will mark 2016 as the year we hope war will end and peace will be restored," she says. "We must be positive and hopeful that my country will be without war," adds Muzoon. Ending Syria's punishing war next year will test the will of the world's most powerful leaders and most experienced diplomats. But, in the meantime, two campaigners for girls' education have more than enough of their own work to do, including their own homework. "What courses are you taking this year?" Malala asks Muzoon when the two schoolgirls retreat to a quiet corner of the library. It's the beginning of their new conversation. Some of it will be heard around the world. BBC © 2015

Iraqi forces advance on IS-held Ramadi

December 23, 2015 2:45 AM
Iraqi ambassador to US: Ramadi liberation 'just a few days away' The battle to drive so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters out of the centre of Ramadi is entering its second day as Iraqi special forces fight the militants street by street. Officials are optimistic that the city will be recaptured by the weekend. But a spokesman for the US-led coalition has been more cautious, saying a tough fight is in prospect. Iraqi forces are heading towards the main government complex, and have come up against snipers and suicide bombers. Ramadi fell to IS in May in an embarrassing defeat for the Iraqi army. The Iraqi army advanced as black smoke from US airstrikes rose above Ramadi US-led coalition spokesman Col Steve Warren estimates that there are up to 350 IS fighters still in Ramadi in addition to possibly tens of thousands of civilians. There have been reports that IS has been rounding people up, possibly to use as human shields. How tactical change boosted offensive BBC Middle East editor Sebastian Usher says that the offensive in Ramadi appears to be a more effective Iraqi military operation, helped by months of US training. Notable by their absence, our correspondent says, are powerful Shia militias, who helped recapture Tikrit earlier this year.

Their presence would be too incendiary in the Sunni heartland of Ramadi and the surrounding province of Anbar, he adds.

Security sources told the BBC troops and allied tribesmen, backed by US-led air strikes, had already retaken two districts, and entered two others.

Last month, government forces completed their encirclement of the predominantly Sunni Arab city, about 90km (55 miles) west of Baghdad, cutting off militants inside the centre from strongholds elsewhere in Anbar province and in neighbouring Syria.

Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service spokesman Sabah al-Numani said its troops, supported by soldiers, police and Sunni tribesmen, began the assault on central Ramadi at dawn on Tuesday.

The US says there are thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of civilians inside Ramadi

Sources in the Iraqi military's Anbar Operations Command told the BBC that engineers had built temporary bridges over the River Euphrates, which flows along the north and west of the city centre.

This had enabled troops to enter directly the al-Haouz district, south-west of the government complex.

By Tuesday afternoon, government forces had retaken the al-Thubat and al-Aramil districts, and entered nearby al-Malaab and Bakir, the sources said.

The Iraqi defence ministry said the jihadists had prevented civilians leaving Ramadi since leaflets warning of an assault were dropped over the city last month.

Sources inside Ramadi told the BBC IS had carried out a campaign of raids and mass arrests of residents in districts still under its control, in an attempt to prevent an uprising in support of the government offensive.

IS has lost control of several key towns in Iraq to government and Kurdish forces since overrunning large swathes of the country's west and north in June 2014 and proclaiming the creation of a "caliphate" that also extended into neighbouring Syria.

On Monday, analysis by IHS Jane's suggested that IS had lost 14% of its overall territory in Iraq and Syria, about 12,800 sq km (4,940 sq miles), over the past year.

Despite this, the group has been able to capture new territory of strategic value over the same period, including Ramadi and Palmyra in Syria's Homs province. It also still controls the Iraqi cities of Falluja, east of Ramadi, and Mosul, in the north.

What is Islamic State?

A notoriously violent Islamist group which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq. It has declared its territory a caliphate - a state governed in accordance with Islamic law - under its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

What does it want?

IS demands allegiance from all Muslims, rejects national borders and seeks to expand its territory. It adheres to its own extreme interpretation of Sunni Islam and regards non-believers as deserving of death.

How strong is IS?

IS projects a powerful image, partly through propaganda and sheer brutality, and is the world's richest insurgent group. It has about 30,000 fighters but is facing daily bombing by a US-led multinational coalition which has vowed to destroy it.

How to make your 'dead' batteries last eight times longer

When you throw out your disposable AAs because your remote stopped working, they actually still had about 80% of their power remaining.A new $2.50 battery sleeve called the Batteriser, coming to Amazonthis fall, promises to extend the life of your batteries up to eight times longer by drawing out theirremaining power -- which you were about to throw in the garbage. The tiny, 0.1 millimeter-thick stainless steel Batteriser sleeve features an incredibly small circuit board, built to tap into the battery's remaining energy.AA batteries start off with 1.5 volts of energy, but the voltage goes down as the batteries are used up. Once the batteries dip below 1.35 volts, they appear to be dead, even though they still have a lot of juice left.It's akin to a tube of toothpaste, according to Batteriser founder Bob Roohparvar, who is a computer science professor at California State University."If you just squeeze from the top,you're only going to get so much out of the tube," Roohparvar said.For example, a typical AA battery will stop working after 240 minutes of use powering a remote control, 95 minutes powering portable speakers, or just 38 minutes powering an RC toy. Roohparvar claims that the Batteriser can get 1,185 minutes out of a remote (5 times more energy), 570 minutes out of portable speakers (6x) or 355 minutes out of an RC toy (9x).Batteriser can continue to delivera 1.5 volt charge from batteries that have actually discharged down to 0.6 volts.Roohparvar says he hopes to shake up the $14 billion disposable battery market. Thereare 5.4 billion battery-operated devices in the wild, and 15 billiondisposable batteries are bought every year around the world. A typical U.S. home has 28 battery-operated devices inside.The Batteriser will come in AA, AAA, C and D-cell varieties and sell for less than $10 for a pack of four. At that price, Roohparvar, the technology"pays for itself" after just one purchase -- a typical AA battery costs $2.50, and the Batteriser makes one battery last as long aseight.He said it's a cheaper solution than rechargeable batteries. And those rechargeable batteries are typically made of lithium, which isn't compatible with many battery-powered products."The Batteriser is giving you lithium performance at alkaline price," Roohparvar said.After an Indiegogo campaign in July for early-adopters, Roohparvar says the Batteriser will begin selling on Amazon in the fall. He also said that he has been talking to executives at Wal-Mart about selling the battery sleeves in the future.Though Roohparvar says that his patents would prevent the battery manufacturers from simply adding the Batteriser technology into their batteries, he said he would be open to licensing the technology down the road. He also said that Batteriser could one day partner with a Duracell or an Energizer and sell the batteries and Batterisers as a single package

How to make your 'dead' batteries last eight times longer

When you throw out your disposable AAs because your remote stopped working, they actually still had about 80% of their power remaining.A new $2.50 battery sleeve called the Batteriser, coming to Amazonthis fall, promises to extend the life of your batteries up to eight times longer by drawing out theirremaining power -- which you were about to throw in the garbage. The tiny, 0.1 millimeter-thick stainless steel Batteriser sleeve features an incredibly small circuit board, built to tap into the battery's remaining energy.AA batteries start off with 1.5 volts of energy, but the voltage goes down as the batteries are used up. Once the batteries dip below 1.35 volts, they appear to be dead, even though they still have a lot of juice left.It's akin to a tube of toothpaste, according to Batteriser founder Bob Roohparvar, who is a computer science professor at California State University."If you just squeeze from the top,you're only going to get so much out of the tube," Roohparvar said.For example, a typical AA battery will stop working after 240 minutes of use powering a remote control, 95 minutes powering portable speakers, or just 38 minutes powering an RC toy. Roohparvar claims that the Batteriser can get 1,185 minutes out of a remote (5 times more energy), 570 minutes out of portable speakers (6x) or 355 minutes out of an RC toy (9x).Batteriser can continue to delivera 1.5 volt charge from batteries that have actually discharged down to 0.6 volts.Roohparvar says he hopes to shake up the $14 billion disposable battery market. Thereare 5.4 billion battery-operated devices in the wild, and 15 billiondisposable batteries are bought every year around the world. A typical U.S. home has 28 battery-operated devices inside.The Batteriser will come in AA, AAA, C and D-cell varieties and sell for less than $10 for a pack of four. At that price, Roohparvar, the technology"pays for itself" after just one purchase -- a typical AA battery costs $2.50, and the Batteriser makes one battery last as long aseight.He said it's a cheaper solution than rechargeable batteries. And those rechargeable batteries are typically made of lithium, which isn't compatible with many battery-powered products."The Batteriser is giving you lithium performance at alkaline price," Roohparvar said.After an Indiegogo campaign in July for early-adopters, Roohparvar says the Batteriser will begin selling on Amazon in the fall. He also said that he has been talking to executives at Wal-Mart about selling the battery sleeves in the future.Though Roohparvar says that his patents would prevent the battery manufacturers from simply adding the Batteriser technology into their batteries, he said he would be open to licensing the technology down the road. He also said that Batteriser could one day partner with a Duracell or an Energizer and sell the batteries and Batterisers as a single package

One God: Two Destinies

Wednesday 19, November 2014TEXT: 2 KINGS 18:1-12Key Verse: “And at the end ofthree years they took it: evenin the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken” (2 Kings 18:10).The story was told of two young boys who grew up in alocal church. Their Sunday school teacher had special interest in the lads because they were intelligent stars with promising future leadership traits. Years later,one of them had become an outstanding reformer and anactive defender of the Christian faith while the other degenerated into a deadly and criminal advocacy of falsehood. Equalopportunities and privileges in life do not necessarily produce equal results!Today’s text examines the contrast between two kings who ruled in Israel and Judah about the same time. Their relationship with God, which was the reflection of their heart condition, lifestyle, actions and attitude,positioned them differently before God and history.Hosea the son of Elah, who reigned in Israel deviated from all godly precepts and transgressed in things of God to his own peril. His reign terminated the northern kingdom of Israel that had existed for over twohundred years, which eventually disappeared from history as the “ten lost tribes” commonly known as the Samaritans. Hezekiah, onthe other hand, feared God, and worked in His ways. Though his father was ungodly, Hezekiah did that which was right, according toall that David his forefather did. He was with God and God was with him.It is wisdom to pitch one’s tent beside God on the path of righteousness, because righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. Hosea, meaning salvation in Hebrewtongue, could neither obtain salvation for himself nor be an agent of salvation for his nation. Hezekiah, which means, strength of God, drew divine strength from God’s righteousness to do exploits. Godly names with special privileges in life that is void of purity and personalrelationship with God and Christ will end up in shame and regret.

Australia finds 2 potential bits of missing Malaysian plane wreckage - Thursday, March 20, 2014

Two pieces of wreckage that are possibly from the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 - one estimated to be 78ft in size - have been found to the west of Australia, it was announced yesterday. The debris was spotted on satellite imagery and a total of four aircraft have been sent to investigate the sighting, some 1553 miles off the coast of Perth.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the potential breakthrough to Parliament in Canberra Thursday, but warned the wreckage may not be from the missing flight. Continue...


John Young of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said at an afternoon press conference that one aircraft was already on scene searching the area, and three others were due to meet it into Thursday evening. A merchant ship dispatched in the search operation was also due to arrive around 6p.m. Canberra time.

The imagery, which was progressively captured by satellites passing over the area, has not yet been released to the media. Commercial satellites have been tasked with collecting higher resolution images of the floating objects.

Mr Young said visibility was poor in the area, hampering both air and satellite efforts and he estimated the water in the location where the debris was spotted to be several thousand feet deep.
'I must emphasize that these objects may be very difficult to locate,' he told report

British grandmother claims semen is the best anti-aging product

A UK grandmother, Stella Ralfini, (pictured above) says her wrinkle-free face is all thanks to a semen therapy which she does on her face by applying semen from her lover after sexual intercourse.
Stella, 67, said she learnt the bizarre anti-aging method while in India studying a unique sexual therapy called Tantra. According to her, all you need is a lover with healthy sperm residue..

"All you need is a lover but if you don't have one you know what to do. All you need to do is just ten days or two weeks, you both should have a nice time and make sure he has a great time, and when your beautiful love making session is over, you are going to scoop this amazing sperm mask in your finger, apply it all over your face, leave it for fifteen minutes and then wash off. I know some of you are thinking "What is she saying?!" but we have to assume that your lover is a healthy clean man and eats wells.

Lol. Now which man put grandma Stella up to this? Funnily, she's not the only one who believes in this therapy. Actress Heather Locklear, 51, in a recent interview told a reporter that the secret to her youthful look was as a result of semen on face therapy. Continue...


UK Mirror reports that research has however proven Stella and Heather right in the usefulness of semen as an anti-aging substance. Research shows that the Human semen is rich in anti-oxidant, proteolytic proteins that helps to diminish aging lines on faces and helps to destroy dead layers on skin, revealing a more fresher skin layer.
The researcher must be a man. Not putting no gaddem semen on my face! Lol.
Posted by Linda Ikeji at 8:25 AM

It Is Harder to Quit Alcohol Than to Quit Smoking - Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell looking smashing in a black cutout swimsuit on the cover of the April issue of Shape magazine. In the issue, Naomi opens up about how quitting smoking has been harder than she thought it would be.

"People told me that cigarettes are harder to quit than alcohol. I didn’t believe it, but you know what? It is harder. I'm not someone who wants to light up inside people's homes, including my own, and I don't want to stand outside on street corners anymore. It's still a struggle. In fact, just talking about it makes me crave one, so let's stop, please! But I am really trying." the world-famous supermodel said of her desire to quit.

Direct marketing lessons from a kilishi seller Posted on March 18, 2014

You know what kilishi is right?

That peppered dry meat sold usually in the Northern part of Nigeria. They are so popular Tuface even mentioned it in the song he was featured in by P-Square. He said something like…

“Everytime I go Abuja I dey buy you kilishi…

Click here to watch it on Youtube

By the way, I’m a huge Tuface fan. Along with PSquare and D’banj I believe they are the three biggest acts we have in this country.

Please note I said biggest. Don’t bring any argument about someone wey sabi sing pass. Biggest does not mean the best singer.

Back to the matter at hand.

Segun “The Pundit” Agbede went to Kano at the weekend to cover the premier league game involving Kano Pillars for Super Sport and he was gracious enough to bring us some kilishi in the office.

As a marketer through and through, some things struck me about the package. The kilishi seller must know one or two things about direct marketing.

1. It was well packaged. Most people in “ordinary” businesses do not think about image. They think because they are mechanics, moi moi seller, fried yam seller etc that they must look rugged and unkept. If you want to attract the type of customers that will pay you good money without stress, you have to look the part.

2. Dan Kennedy tells us all the time to always make an offer in our marketing materials. Your name and slogan is not enough. You must make an offer. An offer people will like to respond to. Take a look at the package. It says “Taste before you buy”.

3. I wrote not too long ago that one of the best ways to increase sales is to offer a money back guarantee. That is what the kilishi seller did. He gave a two month guarantee that the kilishi will remain intact all through. That will put your mind at rest if you were not going to consume the kilishi immediately.

So what do you think? How can you apply these principles to your own business?