The president reportedly asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo to resolve the crisis he created.President Goodluck Jonathan lashed out at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing him of being the mastermind of the intractable crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, reliable presidency sources have said.“Obasanjo created the problem, he should go and solve it,” Mr. Jonathan was quoted as saying at a meeting he held with leading members of the Abubakar Baraje’s faction of the party on Sunday night.The reconciliation meeting was called a day after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, seven state governors, and some other party top guns walked out of the party’s national convention in Abuja and then announced the formation of a parallel faction.Sources at the meeting said after the “dissident” governors, led by Kano State Governor, Musa Kwankwaso, tabled their grievances; a livid President Jonathan fumed about how opposition elements within his party were trying to blackmail him to submission.He then suddenly rose from his seat and stormed out of the meeting saying, while going away, that he was no longer in the mood for any reconciliation talk and that Mr. Obasanjo, who created the mess in the party, should be allowed to clear it.“We were shocked when the president walked out of the meeting in anger saying he had grown increasingly frustrated by Mr. Obasanjo’s destabilizing antics,” one of our sources said. “He pointedly accused the former president of being behind the crisis.”Another source said as the president hurried away, the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees ran after him pleading with him to return.He eventually returned.The president’s adviser on political matters, Ahmed Gulak, as well as his senior special assistant on public affairs, Doyin Okupe, did not answer or return calls to their mobile telephones when PREMIUM TIMES sought to get their comments for this story.Mr. Obasanjo could also not be reached.Reports of the president’s comment and behaviour at the closed-door meeting came shortly before a pro-Jonathan group, Media Network for Transformation, circulated a statement in Abuja accusing Mr. Obasanjo of destabilizing the PDP and asking him to call his associates to other.“Apart from being their sponsor, the rebel governors draw their inspiration from him,” Goodluck Ebelo, Coordinator of the group, said in the statement. “Apart from numerous clandestine meetings, President Obasanjo started his public romance with the rebel flank when he became unavoidably absent at this year’s Democracy Day celebration in Abuja, but vigorously participated in the day’s activities in Dutse, Jigawa State. That was followed by the rebel governors’ visit to his Abeokuta home.”Mr. Ebelo was not done. He continued, “Then came last Saturday, and Chief Obasanjo’s mischief literarily flew over the Eagle Square venue of the Special Convention. Unavoidably absent, again, he was to turn up the next day in Church, at the Presidential Villa. Made a few platitudinous remarks on the need for a peaceful resolution of the crisis and thereafter called a meeting. His meeting failed and will continue to fail.“Chief Obasanjo cannot continue to be hands of Esau and the voice of Jacob at the same time. No arbiter, who is the guiding light of the rebels can make peace. Peace, in this matter, will continue to elude President Obasanjo because his activities are the very antithesis of the conditions precedent to peace.“Unfortunately, his eight years in office provides no road map to resolving a political dispute. All that can be gleaned from the debris of his time in power, are abuse of institutions of State in shutting down dissent, hounding political opponents into prison and forcing a party chairman to resign at gun point. Little wonder that such baleful legacy dogs his attempt at making peace.“President Obasanjo has to come out publicly to renounce his ties with seven governors who are trying to impose their will on the remaining twenty nine states and the Federal Capital Territory or acknowledge them and be treated like them. The governors are welcome to contest the PDP primaries, individually or present a candidate. That’s democracy. But for persons, who themselves, stood for elections for their second terms to demand that Mr. President cannot avail himself such amenity is not only rude but feudal.”Our sources said before the president’s brief walkout at the peace meeting, the aggrieved governors had accused Mr. Jonathan of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to hound governors and other party chiefs considered opposed to him.Specifically, the governors, according to our sources, accused the president of having masterminded the recent investigation of Senator Bukola Saraki and conviction of a son of Governor Sule Lamido for under declaring the amount of foreign exchange he was taking abroad.The governors also reportedly asked the president to keep his promise to run for only one term and jettison his 2015 presidential ambition.In response, Mr. Jonathan reportedly denied being behind the investigation of anyone by the EFCC, saying most of the investigations commenced long before he came to power.On the request that he shuts down his presidential ambition, Mr. Jonathan was quoted as saying he would not surrender his right to vote and be voted for.

Merely Forwarded by
Mkposong Jude Chima
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device

Na wetin dey happen for mi country? New ID, New international passport(very soon), New number plate, New driver's licence, New this, new that...but people still remain old. Why dem no introduce new tight laws on corruption? Why we no get new electricity? Why we no get new and good educational system? Why we no get new social amenities for all people in 9ja? Why no new govt policies to taku mismanagement of govt monies? Where dem keep our hard earn pension money of our retired parent, grand parent? Na to introduce new printing of money dey sweet dem to dey talk about cos na 1 easy way to take chop us. Now d new printing of our money is not accountable. Very soon dem go say dem won build new Aso rock cos d one now no meet european standard or d design no b der taste. Na wen all dis papa deceive pikin go stop. Me i no see anytin new, d only tin wey new na d new pattern of corruption wey we dey see everyday. That's just my opinion.

Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists?
By Farouk Chothia
BBC African Service.

Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram - which has caused havoc in Africa's most populous country through a wave of bombings - is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.

Its followers are said to be influenced by the Koranic phrase which says: "Anyone who is not governed by what Allah has revealed is among the transgressors".

Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society.

This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers or receiving a secular education.

Boko Haram regards the Nigerian state as being run by non-believers, even when the country had a Muslim president.

The group's official name is Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad".

But residents in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, where the group had its headquarters, dubbed it Boko Haram.

Loosely translated from the local Hausa language, this means "Western education is forbidden".

Boko originally means fake but came to signify Western education, while haram means forbidden.

Since the Sokoto caliphate, which ruled parts of what is now northern Nigeria, Niger and southern Cameroon, fell under British control in 1903, there has been resistance among the area's Muslims to Western education.

Many Muslim families still refuse to send their children to government-run "Western schools", a problem compounded by the ruling elite which does not see education as a priority.

Audacious
Against this background, the charismatic Muslim cleric, Mohammed Yusuf, formed Boko Haram in Maiduguri in 2002. He set up a religious complex, which included a mosque and an Islamic school.

Many poor Muslim families from across Nigeria, as well as neighbouring countries, enrolled their children at the school.

But Boko Haram was not only interested in education. Its political goal was to create an Islamic state, and the school became a recruiting ground for jihadis to fight the state.

In 2009, Boko Haram carried out a spate of attacks on police stations and other government buildings in Maiduguri.

This led to shoot-outs on Maiduguri's streets. Hundreds of Boko Haram supporters were killed and thousands of residents fled the city.

Nigeria's security forces eventually seized the group's headquarters, capturing its fighters and killing Mr Yusuf.

His body was shown on state television and the security forces declared Boko Haram finished.

But its fighters have regrouped under a new leader and in 2010, they attacked a prison in Bauchi state, freeing hundreds of the group's supporters.

Boko Haram's trademark has been the use of gunmen on motorbikes, killing police, politicians and anyone who criticises it, including clerics from other Muslim traditions and a Christian preacher.

The group has also staged several more audacious attacks in different parts of northern Nigeria, showing that it is establishing a presence across the region and fuelling tension between Muslims and Christians.

These include the 2011 Christmas Day bombings on the outskirts of Abuja and in the north-eastern city of Damaturu, a 2010 New Year's Eve attack on a military barracks in Abuja, several explosions around the time of President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration in May 2011, followed by the bombing of the police headquarters and the UN headquarters in Abuja.

In a 15-minute video posted on YouTube, the group's leader Abubakar Shekau defended the group's targeting of Christians, saying this was revenge for previous attacks on Muslims.

He also said his group would not be defeated by the security forces.

The attacks have raised global concern, with a US Congressional report - released in November 2011 - warning that Boko Haram was an "emerging threat" to the US and its interests.

The report said Boko Haram may be forging ties with al-Qaeda-linked groups in Africa, but the group denies this.

Analysts say northern Nigeria has a history of spawning groups similar to Boko Haram.

The threat will disappear only if the Nigerian government manages to reduce the region's chronic poverty and builds an education system which gains the support of local Muslims, the analysts say.

Boko Haram: Timeline of terror[size=8pt][/size]

2002: Founded
2009: Hundreds killed when Maiduguri police stations stormed
2009: Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf captured by army, handed to police, later found dead
Sep 2010: Freed hundreds of prisoners from a Bauchi jail
Dec 2010: Bombed Jos, killing 80 people and blamed for New Year's Eve attack on Abuja barracks
2010-2011: Dozens killed in Maiduguri shootings
May 2011: Bombed several states after president's inauguration
June 2011: Police HQ bombed in Abuja
Aug 2011: UN HQ bombed in Abuja
Nov 2011: Co-ordinated bomb and gun attacks in Yobe and Borno states
Dec 2011: Multiple bomb attacks on Christmas Day kill dozens

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13809501

Doug Engelbart, who has died aged 88, never really made any money from inventing the mouse. Here are 10 others who didn't get to be billionaires.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23179103

1. LEDs
When Nick Holonyak Jr invented the first practically useful LED in 1962 he predicted it would one day replace Edison's lightbulb. Holonyak's colleagues have said he should be given the Nobel Prize but he humbly says: "It's ridiculous to think that somebody owes you something. We're lucky to be alive, when it comes down to it.

2. Post-It Notes
3M sell billions of Post-It Notes each year but its inventors describe themselves as "comfortably off" not wealthy. They were the co-creation of Dr Spencer Silver, who in 1968 developed an adhesive that had a "removability characteristic", and his colleague Art Fry hit on the idea of a bookmark that would stay in place in his hymnbook.

3. AK-47
The Kalashnikov rifle, or AK-47, was invented by Soviet Army soldier Mikhail Kalashnikov while recovering in hospital from injuries sustained in World War II. Kalashnikov claimed his creation was for the benefit of his country.


4. Sapphire stylus
Marie Killick invented a sapphire stylus for a record player but could not license it and despite years of litigation never made any money. In 1958 she won a lawsuit against Pye but went bankrupt the following year.

5. Hovercraft
Sir Christopher Cockerell used a vacuum cleaner and tin cans to test his theories as he developed the hovercraft, which first crossed between Calais and Dover in 1959. Cockerell was knighted but fought for years to get a lump sum from the National Research Development Corporation.


6. Tetris
Russian computer programmer Alexey Pajitnov's game Tetris was developed alongside colleagues at a Russian government-funded research centre in 1985. He only started getting royalties 10 years later when he formed The Tetris Company.

7. The Wind-Up Radio
Inventor Trevor Baylis recently said he can no longer afford to live in his home in Twickenham, London, because despite millions of sales around the globe, the company he went into business with were able to tweak his design and he lost control over the product and profits.

"Most of us don't do it for the money but for the buzz," says Baylis. "I know that at least I've left my mark with the radio, the wind-up torch and other things I've invented."


8. Karaoke machines
Japanese businessman Daisuke Inoue made money from playing drums in a backing band which let bar goers take the mic and have a go at singing. One time when he couldn't make a gig he put the backing music on tape instead and later made 11 Karaoke (empty orchestra) machines which he leased out. He didn't patent his invention and barely made a yen.

9. MP3
The MP3 quickly became the standard for transferring music over the internet. German PhD student Karlheinz Brandenburg started work on the project in the 1980s but because there was no money to distribute the software it was marketed as shareware.


Sir Tim Berners-Lee earned billions, but only in kudos
10. World Wide Web
And finally, no-one would have stumbled across this list save for Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who created the web to help scientists working at the European research lab at Cern. He says the secret of the rapid success of his invention was the fact he made it freely available.

Not all inventors are driven to make money but some want to make a contribution to the "common good", says Dr Tilly Blyth, Keeper of Engineering and Technology at the Science Museum.

"We tend to focus on the commercial development but in fact its often public and government research that has got it to that stage," Dr Blyth says. "If you look at the iPhone you think it's a great invention from Steve Jobs and Apple but look at the vital components like the screen, the chip and the processor and their origins were all in government-funded research."

"A lot of the real cutting-edge research comes from the pure and blue sky thinking done in public research facilities for the good of humanity rather than to make money."

The guy is improving but have not approve him yet.

Nairaland Lawyer a.k.a omonile Lawyer, i thank you very much for all your kind efforts and supports you render to one of our nairaland fellow. Have never been in contact with you before but with all your sincere write-up and follow up i believe you should been given an outstanding award. I would like to meet you in person. With your posts, you have really opened our eyes, brain and mind on land and properties issues in Nigeria. De law, continue to do your good work, and i pray God in his infinite mercy will continue to empower you with more wisdom, knowledge and understanding. De law, continue to help us expose the secrets of omonile and land scammers.

"Better is not good enough, the best is yet to come"

The ex-security chief at Ghana's international airport has been charged in the US with conspiring to smuggle Afghan heroin to New York.

Solomon Adelaquaye was arrested with two Nigerians and a Colombian in May following a joint US-Ghanaian investigation, officials said.

West Africa is a major hub for drugs smuggled from Latin America and Asia to Europe and the US.

The men have not yet commented on the allegations.

"Drug trafficking in West Africa has become a plague," said US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

"These [alleged] criminal groups and their facilitators pose a direct threat to the safety and security of innocent Americans," he added.

US agents disguised themselves as drug dealers, holding meetings with the accused over the past year to buy thousands of dollars worth of Afghan heroin to distribute in Manhattan and the Bronx in New York city, according to the charge sheet, which Ghana's Joy FM news site has published after it was filed with a US district court.
'Multiple shipments'

Mr Adelaquaye was at the time managing director of the privately owned Sohin Security Company, which was in charge of security at the Kotoka International Airport in Ghana's capital, Accra.

News of the arrests came barely hours after Ghana's government ordered the airport's management to sever its dealings with the company, reports the BBC's Akwasi Sarpong from Accra.

Mr Adelaquaye is not the first high-profile Ghanaian to be arrested on drug-trafficking charges, he says.

In 2005, an MP, Eric Amoateng, was arrested and is currently serving a jail term in the US for drug trafficking.

Mr Adelaquaye has been charged with Colombian Samuel Antonia Pinedo-Rueda and Nigerians Frank Muodum and Celestine Ofor Orjinweke after an investigation of more than a year by Ghanaian and US anti-drug officers, Ghana's Narcotics Control Board (NCB) said in a statement.

At a meeting on 25 February 2012 at Mr Adelaquaye's office at the airport in Accra, a US agent, named as CS-3, said he had hidden 1kg (2lb 2oz) of heroin in his laptop, the charge sheet alleges.

Mr Adelaquaye then instructed CS-3 to give the computer to an associate of his and after CS-3 passed through the security checkpoint at the airport, it would be returned to him, the charge sheet alleges.

"Also at that meeting, CS-3 gave Adelaquaye $6,000 (£3,900) cash to guarantee the safe passage of the heroin through the airport," it adds.

US agents had also given Mr Orjinweke $28,000 cash at a hotel in Accra on 22 February 2012 for supplying the heroin, and had later sent him a further $4,000 from New York, the charge sheet alleges.

It adds that at a separate meeting in Accra in May 2013, another US agent, posing as a Colombian dealer, discussed with Mr Adelaquaye, Mr Muodum and Mr Orjinweke a plan to supply them with 3,000kg of cocaine, valued at $25,000 per kilogram, in exchange for an amount of heroin of similar value.

"Adelaquaye, Muodum, and Orjinweke told CS-2 [the agent] that they could transport the heroin to the United States by airplane in multiple shipments of 25kg each," the charge sheet alleges.

The Ghanaian and Nigerians were arrested in New York soon thereafter, while Mr Pinedo-Rueda was apprehended in Colombia and is awaiting extradition to the US, the DEA said, in a statement.

In October 2011, The Gambia sentenced eight foreigners to 50 years each in prison for trying to smuggle two tonnes of cocaine from Latin America to Europe.

West Africa has emerged as a busy route for drugs from Latin America to Europe and the US, with cartels taking advantage of the region's poverty and weak border controls.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22780761

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have said their marriage is over.

The couple, who had been married for 30 years, made their divorce public on Russian state television after attending a ballet performance.

"It was a joint decision: we hardly see each other, each of us has our own life", Mr Putin said.

Mrs Putin had rarely been seen in public in recent months, prompting much speculation in Russian media.

She is known to dislike publicity, and told the TV reporter that flying was difficult for her. "Vladimir Vladimirovich is completely drowned in work," she said.

The divorce was "civilised" and the couple would "always remain close", she said.

"I am very grateful to Vladimir... that he still supports me. And the children, he really cares for them and the children feel this," she added.

Mr Putin confirmed on TV that the two were no longer living together.

"We are always going to be very close to each other. I am sure, forever," he said.

Vladimir Putin and Lyudmila Shkrebneva were married in 1983. They have two daughters, Maria and Yekaterina, both in their 20s.

"Our children have grown up; they have their own lives," Mrs Putin added.

She and Mr Putin were last seen together at his inauguration for his third term as president on 7 May 2012.
Remarriage?

Neither clarified whether or not their marriage had been legally dissolved, but Mrs Putin referred to the separation as a "civilised divorce".
Russian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin, left, and his wife Lyudmila arrive at a polling station in Moscow in March 2012 The couple had been seen less frequently in public in recent months

The announcement came after the couple had gone to see the ballet Esmeralda at the Kremlin Palace - they left after the first act.

The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says that Thursday's announcement confirms what had been rumoured for years, that the Putins were having marital problems.

But the news has still come as a shock to many Russians, who are not used to their leaders getting divorced - even though Russia has one of the highest divorce rates in the world, our correspondent adds.

The question already dominating the Russian blogosphere is, "will Russia's president marry again?", he says.

The Putins' marriage had been the subject of speculation before.

In 2008, Mr Putin denied rumours that he had secretly divorced and was planning to marry former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabayeva.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22806866

In an unprecedented move, the United States on Monday posted up to $23 million in rewards to help track down five leaders of militant groups accused of spreading terror in west Africa. The highest reward of $7 million is offered for the Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, who last week called on Islamists in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq to join the bloody fight to create an Islamic state in Nigeria. The US State Department's Rewards for Justice program also targeted Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), offering its first ever bounties for wanted militants in west Africa. Up to $5 million was posted for Al-Qaeda veteran Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the one-eyed Islamist behind the devastating attack on an Algerian gas plant in January in which 37 foreigners, including three Americans, were killed.


A further $5 million was offered for top AQIM leader Yahya Abou Al-Hammam, reportedly involved in the 2010 murder of an elderly French hostage in Niger. Malik Abou Abdelkarim, a senior fighter with AQIM, and Oumar Ould Hamaha, the spokesman for Mali's Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), were also targeted by the rewards program, which will give up to $3 million each for information leading to their arrests. "AQIM has been increasingly active in north and west Africa. They're one of the pre-eminent kidnap for ransom groups in the terrorist world right now," a senior State Department official told AFP, asking not to be named. "They cause us a great deal of concern.

Anything that we can do naturally to cut down on the capabilities of AQIM, anything that we can do to get information on these people so that we can get them in front of a court... That is our goal." The United States has been increasingly worried about the spread of Islamist groups in Mali and across the vast and lawless Sahel since a military coup ousted the government in Bamako. Former colonial power France has led a military offensive since January against the militants in Mali's northern desert, as the west African nation prepares for presidential elections on July 28. There are fears however that the spread of militant groups risks destabilizing the entire west African region. Belmokhtar, who was a senior commander for AQIM, broke away from the group last year to set up his own group dubbed the "Signatories in Blood."

Branded "the Uncatchable," Belmokhtar also personally supervised the operational plans for the twin car bombings in Niger that killed at least 20 people late last month, according to a spokesman for his group. Monday's rewards acknowledged the growing links between AQIM and Nigeria's Boko Haram, which is under pressure from a military offensive. "They've had a relationship for some time. They send people back and forth for training, they've done the provision of arms back and forth," the State Department official said."The links are... not quite as solid as some of the other terrorist organizations," he said. "Nonetheless, it's a dangerous link and it's something that we feel we should try and stop.

" Shekau, in a video obtained by AFP last week, claimed his forces had made significant gains against the Nigerian army while sustaining little damage since the start of the military offensive on May 15. "Under his leadership, Boko Haram's capability has certainly grown," the State Department official told AFP. He highlighted how the group set off "their first improvised explosive device in early June 2011. By August (2011) they used a car bomb against the United Nations facility," an attack which killed 25 people."When we see someone like this who... is actually leading to an increase in the capability of an organization, that's something that we would naturally try to see if we can do something to impede," he added.


Shekau's whereabouts could not be determined in the video, in which he is shown seated and dressed in camouflage and a turban, with an AK-47 at his side. His comments contradict statements from the military, which has claimed major successes during the offensive, including the destruction of Boko Haram camps and dozens of arrests. Shekau was placed on a US blacklist last year, but Boko Haram has yet to be designated a foreign terrorist organization -- an absence which has raised eyebrows among regional experts.

http://universalreporters247..fi/2013/06/breaking-us-places-23m-reward-for-boko.html?spref=fb

Area-Fada:
I second Ishow:

Has anyone done business with Omalen LTD before and can you vouch for their genuiness?

@Omalen LTD, can you show us photos of the plots here? We need to know if it's a virgin bush etc and plan accordingly.

Also can you scan copies of available land titles here for our prousal like Tonyflez & NL laywer do it?

Pls send it to my mail at imela2001@yahoo.com Thank you.

Pls, can you upload pictures of the apartment and near by areas to see how conducive and clean is the place cos am in need of one. Pls, can u also post the apartment dimensions?

Love is a strong feeling of affection or attraction to somebody accompanied by a sense of liking, desire, and longing. With such an abstract experience such as love, people are wondering if there’s a difference between “being in love” and “loving” someone. The answer is, in fact, there are many differences between the two. However, most of them are subjective.

“Being in love” is like a slightly altered state. In such a condition, your focus shifts from yourself to the person you fell in love with. It will be as if you cannot live a day without that person. You eagerly want or need them to become part of your life. As such, you already start looking ahead to a future you’d want to share with him or her.

Moreover, “being in love” means that you are already looking at what you can do together with your partner because you have become lovestruck. Although some would say that the initial stage of being in love is mostly infatuation, some will still argue that it is a state wherein you’re being smitten, taken with, and besotted. To say that “being in love” is not “infatuation” requires that you base your love for someone on the grounds of: compassion, compromise, respect, and dependability. Nonetheless, either in good or in bad times, “being in love” means sharing both times together.

On the other hand, “loving” is more concerned about the things or steps you do. One of the most common things done when loving someone is encouraging that person to do the best things and choose the best choices because you only want what’s best for him or her. As a matter of fact, when you are in the stage of loving, you actually want to do anything for their sake. It’s as if you’re trying to please them genuinely because you don’t want to become a disappointment for them.

Another thing that separates “being in love” and “loving” is that the former usually happens first then the other. You will not continue loving someone if you’re actually not “in love” or not in the state of “being in love.” As such, being in love is naturally the first part of the relationship. In the long run, most especially while being married, loving is more of the ethical, moral, conjugal, and eternal responsibility that you do to make that marriage successful. You cannot live with your partner by just “being in love.” You should both practice “loving” each other for the relationship to grow each day.

I will be there life. Just made a confirmation call to one of Sterling homes staff. Good conversation.

Spyder880, pls check your gmail and send me ur reply. Thanks

Thank you very much to all contributors and followers of this topic. Pls, may i know who are the committees? what is there roles? Spyder880,brabus, fhemmmy and others, thank you very much for all ur great ideas and feedback. As we embark on this project, do we have plan B, as in terms of payment, collateral, and the rest of it? Am very such most of us on dis project r not from Enugu and we wish to have a house there, what do we do to be secure concerning the house(s)?

Brabus, thank you for acquiring the hectares of land for that amount. How are the building going to be built, is it 2br, 3br,4br or self contain? I wish we get a full package of the whole projects after conclusion. Thanks

Economy
2013 budget: FG releases N400bn for capital projects - The Federal Government has begun the implementation of the 2013 budget with the release of N400bn for the execution of capital projects in the first quarter of the year. Read More Source: Punch
Operators to access Cassava Bread Fund from April - The Federal Government has said stakeholders will begin to access the newly established Cassava Bread Fund from April. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said this in a keynote address he delivered at the National Stakeholders’ Forum on Cassava Bread organised by the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology in Abuja on Thursday. Source: Punch

FG approves $1bn bond for electricity bulk trader - The Federal Government has approved a $1bn bond for the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader to purchase electricity from the power generating companies. Source: Punch

FG adopts cooperative approach for MSME development - An all-inclusive strategy to make investment in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises attractive to youths in order to reduce unemployment was kick-started in Abuja last Monday.Source: Punch

‘Increase in food prices’ll jack up inflation’ - As the National Bureau of Statistics prepare to announce the February inflation rate, financial analysts have said that increase in some food items and household materials will jerk up the inflation rate.Source: Punch

FAAC Withdraws N173bn from ECA to Shore-up Shortfall - FG, states, LGs share N888bn Finance ministry releases N400bn Capex for first quarter. James Emejo Thursday withdrew the sum of N173.595 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to augment revenue shortfall for February.This came as the Federal Government yesterday released N400 billion first quarter allocation for capital expenditure in the 2013 budget.Source: Thisday

Policy/ Regulations
NAICOM, NFIU to combat money laundering - The Assistant Director, (Inspectorate), National Insurance Commission, Dr. Sam Onyeka, has said the Organisation is partnering with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to ensure full compliance with anti-money laundering laws in the insurance sector.Source: Punch

CBN plans N5bn capital base for mortgage firm - The Central Bank of Nigeria is planning to peg the minimum capital base of a mortgage re-financing company at N5bn. A circular issued by the CBN on Thursday stated that the bank had approved the regulatory and supervisory framework for the operations of a MRC as an exposure draft.Source: Punch

CBN Moves to Establish Mortgage Refinance Company - As part of efforts to enhance liquidity in the mortgage subsector as well as increase the availability of mortgage credit in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Thursday made public its draft framework on the proposed Mortgage Refinance Company (MRC).Source: Thisday

Money Markets
FAAC shares N886bn among three tiers of govt - The Federation Account Allocation Committee on Thursday shared N886.4bn among the three tiers of government for the month of February. The February allocation represents an increase of N310.94bn or 54.03 per cent over the N575.46bn shared by the committee to the three tiers of government for the month of January.Source: Punch

Naira weakens against dollar despite CBN’s intervention of $180m - Despite efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stabilise the foreign exchange, the nation’s currency, the naira, yesterday, weakened the third day against the US dollar, losing 39 kobo at inter-bank market.Source: Businessday

Capital market
African Stocks record sterling returns among top global exchanges - Who would have believed if you were told that the Kenyan stock exchange has the highest return in the world in the year to date; and that the Nigerian ASI will be the bourse with the third highest return to date?Source: Proshare

Equity Market succumbs to speculative pressure; halts five-day rally - The equities market closed today on a negative note as the NSE ASI depreciated by -0.45% to close at 33,207.02 points, compared with the appreciation of +0.02% recorded yesterday. Its Year-to-Date (YTD) return currently stands at 18.26%.Source: Proshare

Vibrant Capital Market essential to the growth of the economy- Mr Victor Oghienmonyi - The Nigerian Media have been urged to carry out more Investigations and Analysis on Companies and their dividends pay out, as a way of releasing vital information that will assess their performance in the Capital Market.Source: Proshare

Investors News Beat
UPDC veers into retail, builds Festival Mall - UAC Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc, the property development subsidiary of UAC Nigeria (UACN), has veered into the retail segment of the property market. The company, which is a market leader in residential real estate development, is poised to develop Lagos third mall to be called Festival Mall.Source: Businessday

Portland Paints opens computerised factory - Portland Paints and Products Nigeria Plc has opened a computerised paint factory in Awka, Anambra State.The computerised machine delivers outstanding paint finishes, wide range of colours with over 15,000 options, colour choice mixed in two minutes and high coverage capacity, the firm said in a statement on Wednesday.Source: Punch

Wema Bank to raise N35bn in April - Wema Bank Plc has said it will raise N35bn from its investors before the end of April 2013.Source: Punch

International Breweries inaugurates multi-million naira plant - International Breweries Plc has inaugurated a 26, 000-bottle per hour plant in its Ilesa, Osun State factory.Source: Punch

Nestle Plc down from record high by -14.17% - Big fish in shallow water - Recently, Nestle Plc hit its 12-year high to close at N981.00kobo precisely on 20th of February 2013, riding on strong investors' loyalty. Today, it is trading below its 52weeks high by approx.Source: Proshare

Transcorp regains uptrend on big volume, after fall from above 3-years high - A quick look at the ten top volumes of stocks traded so far in 2013 reveals that the banking sub-sector (financial services) dominated the chart with nine (9) stocks while Transcorp from the Conglomerates sector came second on the chart, the odd one out of the group.Source: Proshare

Global Markets
U.S. Senate: JPMorgan ignored risks, fought regulators - PMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) ignored risks, misled investors, fought with regulators and tried to work around rules as it dealt with mushrooming losses in a derivatives portfolio, a Senate report alleged in a damning review of the largest U.S. bank's management.Source: Reuters

China picks Li Keqiang as new premier - China's legislature elected Li Keqiang as premier on Friday, installing an English-speaking bureaucrat as the man in charge of the economy, the world's second-largest, and its aim of reviving growth through consumer-led expansion.Source: Reuters

Asian Stocks Advance on U.S. Jobless Claims, BOJ Governor - Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index poised to advance for a fourth week, after U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly dropped and as Japan’s upper house confirmed Haruhiko Kuroda as central bank governor.Source: Bloomberg

Goldman’s O’Neill Says S&P 500 Beyond 1,600 Needs Growth - U.S. economic growth will have to accelerate to “ridiculously strong levels” to justify any advance for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) above 1,600, said Jim O’Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management.Source: Bloomberg

Mergers & Acquisitions
Proshare Analysts reveal core driving factors & explanations for recent mergers - The detailed reasons and motive behind most merger deals, for most are shareholders or/and the retail investing publics may not be well known, as the market ramps up its drive to improve its information flows and exchanges.Source: Proshare.

By http://proshareng.com/index.php

Export1, pls what is ur fone numbers? I need ur help cos i don't want my oga at the top to know.

Nice one there spyder. We could go as far as possible if only we mean business, but let us also look at the professionals we want to involve, who are they, i mean experience, trust and what kind of advice can they offer. Do we have a work plan concerning the projects or is it push and start pattern? Remember, "too many cooks spoil the broth" or "many hands make light work".

Important things to remember when making an offer for a real estate investment property.

People who are already decided to buy a house try to secure a pre-approved loan to finance their chosen property. Once they get this, they proceed with the task of house hunting. Looking for the best real estate investment property can be very challenging for most people; however, this process can be extremely fun and exciting as well. After all the searching, an offer should be made for your chosen property.The offer made by the prospective buyer marks the first step in a real estate transaction. This negotiation stage usually comprise of the buyer’s offer as to how much he is willing to purchase the property, his financing terms, and property inspection contingency.

Purchase Price

There is no standard pricing to follow when it comes to investment properties. Value of houses and real estate properties vary depending on location and other relevant factors. Offer for purchase price of the best real estate investment you’ve found should be carefully weighed and thought of. To make a good price offer, keep in mind that it has to be realistic. This means you have considered the value of other houses in the vicinity and make an offer based on the current value of nearby properties. At the same time, you need to be aware of the current market trends and local conditions affecting real estate transactions.

If there is a high demand for investment properties in the area that you’ve chosen, you need to make an offer that’s competitive; this is because a lot of other buyers are possibly bidding for the same property. If you want the property badly enough, then you need to bid wisely so you can be in the forefront of the bidding war. If, however, there is very low demand for properties in the said area, bid accordingly, leaving a lot of room for future negotiations.

Financing Terms

When you’ve found the best real estate investment property, you have to specifically indicate your serious intention to acquire the property. By mentioning to the seller that you have a pre-approved loan, you are giving yourself due advantage over other interested buyers who don’t have a pre-approved loan. If your payment for the house you want to buy is dependent on the sale of your own property, you want to clearly indicate this as well. This is just fair for the property owner especially if you will keep them waiting for a certain time until you’re able to sell your own house. If this is the case, you might want to enter into an agreement that you are willing to have a particular time frame to pursue your offer. Setting a deadline will be most fair to the owner of the property that you are eyeing.

Contingencies

Lastly, the third element of a good offer is to include a contingency clause that will allow you to finalize your offer only after you’ve gained reasonable satisfaction in inspecting the property. Third party inspection reports are basically for your protection as buyer of the property. This will avoid having to spend a fortune in repairing certain faulty parts of the house which may be discovered only after the final negotiation or, worst, after you’ve paid for the property. Inspection reports will serve as your basis to demand performance of certain conditions during the negotiation process.

While these three are the basic elements of a good real estate offer, there are still other things that you can include to acquire your best real estate investment property. Closing costs, for example can be shouldered by the seller if you wish to include this as part of your concessions. If you are among those people who don’t have a pre-approved loan, disclose to the seller that you want a financing contingency. This contingency is when your purchase is dependent upon the approval of a mortgage. You should also indicate the realistic term and rate of the mortgage.

When making your purchase offer, don’t forget to indicate a deadline when you expect to receive a response from the seller. A three-day allowance would be reasonable enough. And lastly, make sure that everything is in black and white. Put everything in writing so that both parties will honor their commitments and agreements.

Spyder880, please, take your time and do more research and i pray GOD almighty will guild you and give you more wisdom on the projects ahead.

Summary:

# Johnnie Walker Red Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label are standard blends of the Johnnie Walker Scotch whiskey.
# The Johnnie Walker brand is one of the most widely distributed Scotch whiskey all around the world.
# The Johnnie Walker Red Label has a stronger alcohol sting than the Johnnie Walker Black Label.
# The Johnnie Walker Red Label is clear amber in color while the Johnnie Walker Black Label is deep amber in color.
# The Johnnie Walker Red Label has a peppery flavor providing more heat while the Johnnie Walker Black Label tastes like cinnamon and gives only a mild heat.

Johnnie Walker Red Label vs Black Label

From the land of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, a delightful brand of Scotch whiskey was born through the efforts of Diageo, and that is Johnnie Walker. Johnnie Walker is one famous Scotch whiskey. Annually, Diageo sells over 130 million bottles. Since many love Johnnie Walker so much, it is considered the most widely distributed brand of Scotch whiskey globally. Among the standard blends of Johnnie Walker are the Red Label and the Black Label.

The main differences between the Johnnie Walker Red Label and Black Label are its blend. The Johnnie Walker Red Label is an 80 proof blend of 35 grain and malt whiskeys, while the Johnnie Walker Black Label is an 80 proof blend of 12-year-old 40 whiskeys.

The Johnnie Walker Red Label is said to be the world’s favorite whiskey. Among all the standard blends of Johnnie Walker, the Red Label remains at the top. Who would not like the refreshing taste of the Red Label? It is a good mix for other drinks. In fact, Winston Churchill and former U.S. Vice-president Dick Cheney loved the Red Label. Winston Churchill loved mixing the Johnnie Walker Red Label in his soda.

The Johnnie Walker Red Label is clear amber in color. When you give it a swirl, thin and fast-moving streaks can form inside your wine glass. The taste of this infamous Scotch whiskey is sweet and has a subtle smokiness due to its peppery spiciness. After drinking it, you will notice plenty of heat. Its aroma is like a rum raisin. The heavy alcohol content can be felt in your nose. Though the Red Label is somewhat peppery, many still enjoy drinking this Scotch whiskey. To lessen the peppery taste, you can add a little water or ice to it.

On the other hand, the Johnnie Walker Black Label is considered to be the ultimate Scotch deluxe whiskey. Its color is deep amber. When you give it a twirl, there are thick and slow streaks formed inside your wine glass. Its taste is very smooth with cinnamon flavors. It is also sweet because of the caramel and brown sugar mix. Unlike the Red Label, the Black Label is milder to drink. You may not need to add any water because of its minimal alcohol sting. But if you add water, you will notice that the Black Label tastes floral. Others find it more interesting to drink if you add water since it improves the taste.

Its aroma smells like vanilla and maple syrup with very a subtle smokiness. Its smell is light and inoffensive according to some reviews about the Black Label. Drinking the Johnnie Walker Black Label is well balanced and smooth. Unlike the Red Label, the Black Label does not provide you plenty of heat.

Though there are some negative reviews about the Johnnie Walker Red Label and Black Label, many still love it. This is evidenced by the million dollar sales Johnnie Walker makes each year.

Just back from work and the weather here is SO COLD....the temperature here is -20 degree ....can't wait to see summer

ATMs are a great convenience, but they can compromise your safety. A robber looking for easy prey only has to stake out an ATM in a low-traffic, dimly lit area and bide his time.

There is no central repository for statistics on ATM crime, but reports of ATM robberies frequently can be found in just about any local newspaper.

Cash machines at banks are probably the safest bet, but that doesn't mean you have to steer clear of the ones at malls, airports and sports venues. You can avoid becoming a victim by using some good old common sense and by planning ahead for ATM withdrawals.

The Electronic Funds Transfer Association and the Los Angeles Police Department have provided some great tips for making sure your visit to the ATM is uneventful.

[b]ATM safety tips

1. Always pay close attention to the ATM and your surroundings. Don't select an ATM at the corner of a building -- corners create a blind spot. Use an ATM located near the center of a building. Do your automated banking in a public, well-lighted location that is free of shrubbery and decorative partitions or dividers.

2. Maintain an awareness of your surroundings throughout the entire transaction. Be wary of people trying to help you with ATM transactions. Be aware of anyone sitting in a parked car nearby. When leaving an ATM make sure you are not being followed. If you are, drive immediately to a police or fire station, or to a crowded, well-lighted location or business.

3. Do not use an ATM that appears unusual looking or offers options with which you are not familiar or comfortable.

4. Do not allow people to look over your shoulder as you enter your PIN. Memorize your PIN; never write it on the back of your card. Do not re-enter your PIN if the ATM eats your card -- contact a bank official.

5. Do not wear expensive jewelry or take other valuables to the ATM. This is an added incentive to the assailant.

6.Never count cash at the machine or in public. Wait until you are in your car or another secure place.

7. When using a drive-up ATM, keep your engine running, your doors locked and leave enough room to maneuver between your car and the one ahead of you in the drive-up line.

8. Maintain a supply of deposit envelopes at home or in your car. Prepare all transaction paperwork prior to your arrival at the ATM. This will minimize the amount of time spent at the machine.

9. Closely monitor your bank statements, as well as your balances, and immediately report any problems to your bank.

10.If you are involved in a confrontation with an assailant who demands your money, COMPLY.

Source: The Electronic Funds Transfer Association.

[/b]

Please, watch this video and see how brutal and wicked African police are.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21615593

South Africa's police watchdog is investigating the death of a Mozambican taxi driver who was allegedly handcuffed to the back of a police van and dragged through the streets.

Video footage taken by a bystander of the incident, near Johannesburg, has been shown in the local media.

President Jacob Zuma condemned the death, describing the footage as "horrific" and "disturbing".

Rights groups often accuse South African police of brutality.

Local media reported that police initially assaulted the 27-year-old driver, accusing him of parking his vehicle incorrectly in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg.

The video shows a large crowd gathering, as uniformed policemen tie him to a van, dragging him as they drive away.

'Police vigilantes'

He was later taken into custody, where he died, local media report.

The fact that the crowd watched and did nothing to help, some even cheering, is a sad indictment of the state of our society”

Kate Lorimer Oposition MP

"We are investigating an incident involving the death of a man, allegedly at the hands of the police. We are shocked by the footage which has been released," Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesman Moses Dlamini was quoted by AFP news agency as saying.

"The circumstances surrounding his death are still allegations... Let's find out what really happened."

In a statement, President Zuma said: "Members of the South African police service are required to operate within the confines of the law in executing their duties.

"The visuals of the incident are horrific, disturbing and unacceptable. No human being should be treated in that manner."

The opposition Democratic Alliance party (DA) called for the officers involved to be suspended and for a thorough investigation to be carried out.

"The fact that it was police who were the vigilantes in this case shows that we cannot trust the [South African Police Service] to uphold the law," said provincial parliamentarian Kate Lorimer, AFP reports.

"The fact that the crowd watched and did nothing to help, some even cheering, is a sad indictment of the state of our society."

Rights group Amnesty International said there was an "increasingly disturbing pattern" of police brutality in South Africa.

The IPID had received 720 cases for investigation, including suspicious deaths in police custody, from April 2011 to March 2012, said Amnesty's southern Africa director Noel Kututwa, AFP reports.

South Africa's police commissioner Riah Phiyega condemned the incident.

"The matter is viewed by the National Commissioner in a very serious light and it is strongly condemned," she said in a statement.

The police department did not confirm if the officers involved in the incident had been suspended, AFP reports. Mr Dlamini said the IPID did not have the power to suspend the officers.

"We can only investigate and recommend suspension, we have no power to say that they should be removed from their jobs," he was quoted as saying.

There was outrage last August when police shot dead 34 striking miners at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa's North West province.

A judge-led inquiry appointed by President Jacob Zuma is investigating the shooting.

My son is 15 years and asked me how would he know if he as attain adulthood. What age, height or position. Please, Nairalanders could you help me out with the question...."The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise." - Alden Nowlan

[b]CASHEW - The tree is small and evergreen, growing to 10-12m (~32 ft) tall, with a short, often irregularly shaped trunk. The leaves are spirally arranged, leathery textured, elliptic to obovate, 4 to 22 cm long and 2 to 15 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The flowers are produced in a panicle or corymb up to 26 cm long, each flower small, pale green at first then turning reddish, with five slender, acute petals 7 to 15 mm long. The largest cashew tree in the world covers an area of about 7,500 square metres (81,000 sq ft).

The fruit of the cashew tree is an accessory fruit (sometimes called a pseudocarp or false fruit). What appears to be the fruit is an oval or pear-shaped structure, a hypocarpium, that develops from the pedicel and the receptacle of the cashew flower.[3] Called the cashew apple, better known in Central America as "marañón", it ripens into a yellow and/or red structure about 5–11 cm long. It is edible, and has a strong "sweet" smell and a sweet taste. The pulp of the cashew apple is very juicy, but the skin is fragile, making it unsuitable for transport. In Latin America, a fruit drink is made from the cashew apple pulp which has a very refreshing taste and tropical flavor that can be described as having notes of mango, raw green pepper, and just a little hint of grapefruit-like citrus.

File:Twin Cashews From Kollam Kerala.jpg



Production
Top Ten Cashew Nuts (with shell) Producers in 2010
Country Production(metric tons) Yield(MT/hectares)
Nigeria 650,000 1.97
India 613,000 0.66
Côte d'Ivoire 380,000 0.44
Vietnam 289,842 0.85
Indonesia 145,082 0.25
Philippines 134,681 4.79
Brazil 104,342 0.14
Guinea-Bissau 91,100 0.38
Tanzania 80,000 1.0
Benin 69,700 0.29
World Total 2,757,598 0.58
Source: Food & Agriculture Organization

Nigeria was the world's largest producer of cashew nuts with shell in 2010. Cashew nut production trends have varied over the decades. African countries used to be the major producers before 1980s, India became the largest producer in 1990s, followed by Vietnam which became the largest producer in mid 2000s. Since 2008, Nigeria has become the largest producer.[2] Cashew nuts are produced in tropical countries because the tree is very frost sensitive; they have been adapted to various climatic regions around the world between the 25 north and south latitudes.[6][7]

Peru reported the world's highest production yields for cashew nuts in 2010, at 5.27 metric tons per hectare, nearly nine times the world average yield per hectare.[2] The traditional cashew tree is tall (up to 14 meters) and takes 3 years from planting before it starts production, and 8 years before economic harvests can begin. More recent breeds such as the dwarf cashew tree is up to 6 meters tall, starts producing after the 1st year, with economic yields after 3 years. The cashew nut yields for the traditional tree are about 0.25 metric tons per hectare, in contrast to over 1 ton per hectare for the dwarf variety. Grafting and other modern tree management technologies are used to further improve and sustain cashew nut yields in commercial orchards.[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashew[/b]

Nigerians are too impatient –Keshi •Eagles grab $15,000 each
February 4, 2013 by Olufemi Atoyebi, South Africa.

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi basking in the euphoria of a big victory over Africa Nations Cup favourites, Cote d’Ivoire has blasted Nigerians. Keshi who said that his team did not enjoy the needed support before the Eagles game against Elephants on Sunday carpeted the fans for their lack of patience.

Against all odds and bookmakers rating, Nigeria reached the semi-finals of the Nations Cup after beating the Ivorians 2-1 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg.

Keshi said, “I thank the players, Nigerians and all those who criticised the team. They all contributed to the victory we had today. The big challenge we have is that Nigerians do not believe in the home-based players but I do. I believe if they are given the opportunity they’ll play much better. The problem is that in Nigeria, where I come from, we’re not patient with the home-based players.”

In Sunday’s match, Nigeria scored first through a thunderous free-kick from Emmanuel Emenike but the Ivorians equalised early in the second half and seized control of possession before Warri Wolves’ Sunday Mba scored the winner. Keshi said he had no doubt that Nigeria would win even after the Eagles conceded the equaliser while avoiding singling out any individual player as hero of the game.

“It wasn’t about individual game; we just wanted to win the game. It wasn’t just Sunday Mba who was the hero; everyone in the team was a hero. Mba scored the golden goal, and I’m just so happy. Maybe I have to give him a kiss if I see him,” Keshi said.

“What is important is that we are progressing everyday and I hope that we will keep growing that way. Nobody gave us a chance to beat the Ivorians because of their quality but we have done it today.”

While assessing the opponents, Keshi noted that although Nigeria won the match, it was a difficult game for the Eagles.

“We are not ready to go home and that’s what has happened. We wrestled against great players like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure and it’s good to end such contest with victory,” he said.

The Eagles should laugh to the bank with the victory over the Ivorians. The players were promised $15,000 each if they secured a semi-final ticket over their fellow West Africans. The amount does not include the $100,000 donated to the team by Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the pledge made by billionaire businessman Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Nigeria’s semi-final match is on Wednesday. The third place match for losers will hold on Saturday while the final match of the competition is billed for Sunday in Johannesburg.

http://www.punchng.com/news/nigerians-are-too-impatient-keshi-%E2%80%A2eagles-grab-15000-each/

A lot..!! Words fail to describe what all they have done. And I am proud sharing all those memorable childhood days and memories here..!!

They were more of friends than parents.
Till this day, I am Eighteen now, I was raised with a security that I can share anything and everything with my father..!! This gives you a platform to discuss and deliberate things without any illogical bias. You get to speak about your mistakes, success and future plans with the person whom you can trust the best on this earth and the person who know you best.
I was inculcated the habit of reading books, due to which I stand where I am. I proudly say, early in my childhood, my mother took me to bookstalls more often than she went out for groceries.
The ability to think for myself, rational and logical. I was never forced upon to follow a particular religion or a particular tradition. They never infringed their beliefs on me.
My decision making was respected and infact my parents always propelled me to take my own decisions and taught to bear the consequences without blaming someone else. My decisions were supported as long as they were rational and logical.
My parents always encouraged me to go all out and play and explore. Luckily, we are the last generation that learn to play in streets. Unfortunately, that trend has lost it's way in the 21st Century where children were busy in playing video games and watching Cartoons.
Spent time with me, though my father has to attend his busy schedules.
And, perhaps the best decision was to not have a Television in my house. And, even today, my house doesn't have one. This is one of the reason why I was raised up in ideas and ideology and books rather than films, cartoons and serials. While, it is true that you may lose out something, if you don't have the television, they guaranteed that I don't miss my morning Newspaper and Sunday Magazines to patch up for the lost connectivity with the world.
We are a middle class family, and I could not understand the push and pulls at my early age. So, I would always regret for not having a car or something along that lines. But, it was on my 12th Birthday that I somehow ended up reading the diary of my Mother. I was too disturbed to understand how difficult it is to run a house. It was only then I came into terms with the 'proud' reality. Share your experiences as well. How your parents raised you?

Japan's new government is barely a month old, and already one of its most senior members has insulted tens of millions of voters by suggesting that the elderly are an unnecessary drain on the country's finances.

Taro Aso, the finance minister, said on Monday that the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to relieve pressure on the state to pay for their medical care.

"Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die. I would wake up feeling increasingly bad knowing that [treatment] was all being paid for by the government," he said during a meeting of the national council on social security reforms. "The problem won't be solved unless you let them hurry up and die."

Aso's comments are likely to cause offence in Japan, where almost a quarter of the 128 million population is aged over 60. The proportion is forecast to rise to 40% over the next 50 years.

The remarks are also an unwelcome distraction for the new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, whose first period as Japan's leader ended with his resignation after just a year, in 2007, partly due to a string of gaffes by members of his cabinet.

Rising welfare costs, particularly for the elderly, were behind a decision last year to double consumption [sales] tax to 10% over the next three years, a move Aso's Liberal Democratic party supported.

The 72-year-old, who doubles as deputy prime minister, said he would refuse end-of-life care. "I don't need that kind of care," he said in comments quoted by local media, adding that he had written a note instructing his family to deny him life-prolonging medical treatment.

To compound the insult, he referred to elderly patients who are no longer able to feed themselves as "tube people". The health and welfare ministry, he added, was "well aware that it costs several tens of millions of yen" a month to treat a single patient in the final stages of life.

Cost aside, caring for the elderly is a major challenge for Japan's stretched social services. According to a report this week, the number of households receiving welfare, which include family members aged 65 or over, stood at more than 678,000, or about 40% of the total. The country is also tackling a rise in the number of people who die alone, most of whom are elderly. In 2010, 4.6 million elderly people lived alone, and the number who died at home soared 61% between 2003 and 2010, from 1,364 to 2,194, according to the bureau of social welfare and public health in Tokyo.

The government is planning to reduce welfare expenditure in its next budget, due to go into force this April, with details of the cuts expected within days.

Aso, who has a propensity for verbal blunders, later attempted to clarify his comments. He acknowledged his language had been "inappropriate" in a public forum and insisted he was talking only about his personal preference.

"I said what I personally believe, not what the end-of-life medical care system should be," he told reporters. "It is important that you be able spend the final days of your life peacefully."

It is not the first time Aso, one of Japan's wealthiest politicians, has questioned the state's duty towards its large elderly population. In 2008, while serving as prime minister, he described "doddering" pensioners as tax burdens who should take better care of their health.

"I see people aged 67 or 68 at class reunions who dodder around and are constantly going to the doctor," he said at a meeting of economists. "Why should I have to pay for people who just eat and drink and make no effort? I walk every day and do other things, but I'm paying more in taxes."

He had already angered the country's doctors by telling them they lacked common sense, made a joke about Alzheimer's patients, and pronounced "penniless young men" unfit for marriage.

In 2001, he said he wanted Japan to become the kind of successful country in which "the richest Jews would want to live".

He once likened an opposition party to the Nazis, praised Japan's colonial rule in Taiwan and, as foreign minister, told US diplomats they would never be trusted in Middle East peace negotiations because they have "blue eyes and blond hair".

While figures released on Monday showed a record 2.14 million Japanese were receiving welfare in October 2012, Aso has led a life of privilege few of his compatriots could hope to match.

He is the grandson of Shigeru Yoshida, an influential postwar prime minister, and is married to the daughter of another former premier.

While campaigning for the premiership in 2008, Aso refused to acknowledge the use of hundreds of allied prisoners of war by his family's coal mining business during the second world war. He served as president of the firm's successor, Aso Cement, from 1973-79.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/22/elderly-hurry-up-die-japanese