Wednesday, July 15, 2009

DANGERS OF SELF MEDICATION

Dangers Of Self Medication!
« on: July 15, 2009, 6:45 PM »

A large number of people, when they fall sick, do not consult the physician. They either consult a chemist and obtain a medicine from his shelf, or may consult a neighbor who may be having some tablets left over from his previous illness, and readily spares them. May be most of the times nothing untoward happens on following such advice, but it can be dangerous.

Proprietary drugs which are sold over-the-counter include pain relievers, cough remedies, antiallergics, laxatives, vitamins, tonics, antacids and many others. Even dangerous drugs like the antibiotics and the hormones can be procured, somehow or the other, without a valid prescription.

Self-medication usually involves common drugs which are freely available. A study carried out in the United States showed that nearly 2 billion dollars per year were spent on such remedies. It is questionable whether the benefits outweigh the potential hazards. They account for poisonings, allergy, habituation, addiction, and other adverse reactions. Above all [b]their use often delays proper treatment of the disease.
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The most misused drugs are the analgesics or pain relievers. In fact, age old, ordinary aspirin is as effective, and even safer than any of the modern analgesics like fenamates, oxicams, or Cox-2 inhibitors like rofecoxib and celecoxib.

Similarly cough remedies, antiallergics, laxatives, vitamins, tonics, and antacids can lead to serious side effects. Even lavish use of vitamins, specially the fat-soluble (A,D,E, &K) can cause problems.

finally is the availability of many irrational drug combinations in the market, which expose the individual to several drugs needlessly, each of which can cause adverse effects. Very few combinations have a legitimate place in modern medicine. Yet irrational combination abound and are being used by some professionals.

Always consult your Physician

A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BLOGGING

A Beginners Guide To Blogging - How To Start A Blog
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It is logical for a beginners guide to blogging to begin with information on how to start a blog. However, first a brief introduction to what a blog actually is. A blog is nothing more than your online diary or journal, in which you can express your feelings, thoughts, and opinions or even advertise your products. There are few rules apart from keeping it clean. For that reason they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and designs, and your blog page is literally yours to anything you want with.

You can include pictures, hyperlinks to your websites, MP3s and videos. Much depends on the type of blog you have and who is the provider, but Wordpress allows more than Blogger or Blogspot, especially if you have downloaded it to your own website. However, it is also more complicated and you might prefer to start off easy and then work your way up as you become more familiar with what you are doing. Many cPanel web hosts offer Wordpress facilities.

The basic components of a blog are:

Title: You can use the title to label your posting.

Category: You can add a category to keep blogs on similar topics together.

Body: This is the main content of the blog.

Trackback: This allows other sites to link back to your blog.

Permalink: This is the URL that goes with every blog that you write.

Comments: This allows readers to make comments on your blog - some good, and some bad.

By means of just one or two templates you can easily create new pages. It's a bit like having a website and copying your home page as a template for all the rest of the pages, only the blog template is blank with spaces for the title, category and all the other aspects of your blog. The blogging websites that you sign up with offer a number of templates and you can choose one and literally start blogging immediately.

Blogging can be more that just your own personal thing, and you can join groups that blog about specific topics, such as football, movies, music, blogging, etc, etc. You can all share your expertise and knowledge and some are literally operating as forums. You can also use your blog to advertise a product, and to drive traffic to your website, while others have no website and use their blog as their sole communications window on the internet.

I could go on all day about what you can do and, sometimes, cannot do with a blog, but the best way is to get started and then find what you are capable of. The best way is to log onto the blog provider of your choice and sign up for a blog. Most newcomers to blogging find it easiest to start blogging from a provider's website, and then graduating to installing blogging software on their own website

This is a bit trickier, but it allows you use all the plugins that allow total personalization of your blog so that it is completely unlike that of anybody else. You cannot use plugins when you run your blog from the provider's site, whether it is Wordpress or any other blog. You cannot beat having your own blog software and being able to design any page that you want.

However, although this sounds great to be able to do, on the whole you are likely best to start blogging from the blog hosting site, and then graduate to your own website once you are comfortable with blogging. You will have enough to take in and learn when you upload to your own web space without having to worry about how blogging works.

Blogging is fantastic fun, and it can also be very profitable. However, there are specific techniques involved in making money using blogs, and it is very easy to get your fingers burnt if you are unaware of the pitfalls and the right way to do it. Nevertheless, blogging can be very rewarding, both personally and financially, so best of luck, and get blogging now. Don't leave it a minute longer because you might have a lot to learn yet.

Once you have learned how to start a blog, then you can think of running your own from your own website.

Google announces Google Chrome OS

Google Announces Own OS (Google Chrome OS)
« on: July 10, 2009, 01:39 PM »

Ouch. Just as Microsoft was poised to continue its netbook dominance with Windows 7, Google on Wednesday announced an OS of its own, Google Chrome OS, which will run on both x86 and ARM systems.

The emphasis of the OS is the same as what netbooks were originally designed for: light, Web-based computing. Obviously, Windows XP wasn't designed for such a scenario, but its relative light weight, low cost, and familiarity have made it a big hit with netbook buyers.

Google's new open-source OS will almost certainly beat XP and Windows 7 on cost, and will be lighter weight, but there's no telling how it will be to actually use. The relative dearth of Linux on netbooks also shows that people tend to prefer a more Windows-like environment. Google's blog entry about the OS says:

"The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the Web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work."

According to Google, the Chrome OS runs "within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel," and will eventually run on everything from netbooks to full desktop PCs. That's the key differentiator between the full-blown Chrome OS and Google's Android, which will start appearing in netbooks in the next few months (Google says there will be areas of overlap for the two operating systems, netbooks being the main one).

From a developer standpoint, the Chrome OS is good news, because there's basically no new platform to write for—any browser-based app will work with Chrome, just as it will in any browser on any OS.

It remains to be seen how the Chrome OS will affect companies like DeviceVM, which provides a quick-boot Linux-based environment that can be quickly loaded before Windows. DeviceVM, and rival Phoenix Technologies, provide access to the Web and multiple apps in seconds, far less time than Windows needs to load.

"The announcement of the Google OS further validates Splashtop's value proposition to consumers who are demanding instant-on, easy to use, secure computing," said Mark Lee, co-founder and chief executive of DeviceVM, in a statement provided to PCMag.com. "The market has been moving towards an instant-on model for several years now, and DeviceVM has already seen tremendous success in the space, with tens of millions of consumers already using Splashtop today, and 8 of the top 10 PC OEMs shipping Splashtop on devices this year.


Google says it is already talking with "multiple OEMs," and that we can expect Chrome netbooks to hit store shelves in the second half of 2010—yup, you've got a year to wait. Will you have Windows 7 on your netbook by then?

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Universities In Nigeria, various portals, when It was founded and current VC

Here are Nigerian University Websites, Vice Chancellor Name and Year Founded For Your Uses

FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
VC: Prof. G. A. Babaji
http://www.atbu.edu.ng
Year Founded: 1988

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
VC: Prof. Shehu U. Abdullahi
http://www.abu.edu.ng
1962

Bayero University, Kano
VC: Prof. Attahiru M. Jega
www.buk.edu.ng
www.buk.edu.org
www.buk.edu.net
1975

Fed. Univ. of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
VC: Prof. Babatunde Alabi
2007

Federal University of Technology Yola.
VC: Prof. Abdullahi Y. Ribadu
http://www.futy.edu.ng
1988

Federal University of Technology, Akure
VC: Prof. Adebisi M. Balogun
http://www.futa.edu.ng
1981

Federal University of Technology, Minna.
VC:Prof. Muhammed S. Audu
http://www.futminna.edu.ng
1982

Federal University of Technology, Owerri
VC: Prof. C. O.E. Onwuliri
http://www.futongr.com
1980

Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike
VC: Prof. Ikenna Onyido
http://www.mouaportal.com,
http://mouau.edu.ng
1992

National Open University of Nigeria, Lagos.
VC: Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede
http://www.nou.edu.ng
2002

Nigerian Defence Academy,Kaduna
VC: Prof. Aliyu Abdullahi
www.nigeriandefenceacademy.edu.ng
1985

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
VC: Prof. Boniface C. Egboka (Ag.)
http://www.unizik.edu.ng
1992

Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile-Ife
VC: Prof. M. Oladimeji Faborode
http://www.oauife.edu.ng
1962

University of Abuja, Gwagwalada
VC: Prof. Nuhu O. Yaqub
http://www.uniabuja.edu.ng
1988

University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
VC: Prof. Oluwafemi O. Balogun
http://www.unaab.edu.ng
1988

University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
VC: Prof. D.V. Uza
http://uam.mycportal.com
1988

University of Benin
VC: Prof. E. A. C. Nwanze.
http://www.uniben.edu.ng
1970

University of Calabar
VC: Prof. Bassey O. Asuquo
http://www.unical.edu.ng
1975

University of Ibadan
VC: Prof. O. A. Bamiro
http://www.ui.edu.ng
1948

University of Ilorin
VC: Prof. Is'haq Oloyede
http://www.unilorin.edu.ng
1975

University of Jos
VC: Prof. S. G. Tyoden
http://www.unijos.edu.ng
1975

University of Lagos
VC: Prof. Tolu Odugbemi
http://www.unilag.edu.ng
1962

University of Maiduguri
VC: Prof. M. M. Daura
http://www.unimaidportal.net
http://www.unimaid.edu.ng
http://www.unimaid.org
1975

University of Nigeria, Nsukka
VC: Prof. C. O. Nebo
http://www.unn.edu.ng
1960

University of Port-Harcourt
VC: Prof. Don M. Baridam
http://www.uniport.edu.ng
1975

University of Uyo
VC: Prof. A. I. Essien
http://www.uniuyo.edu.ng
1991

Usuman Danfodiyo University
VC: Prof. T. M. Bande
http://www.udusok.edu.ng
1975

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

Abti-American University, Yola
VC: Prsdt: Dr. C. Michael Smith
http://www.abti-american.edu.ng
2003

Achievers University, Owo
VC: Prof. J.A Odebiyi
http://www.achievers.edu.ng
http://www.achieversuniversity.org
2007

African University of Science & Technology, Abuja
VC: Prsdt: Dr. Karl Voltaire
http://www.aust.edu.ng
http://aust-abuja.org
2007

Ajayi Crowther University, Ibadan
VC: Prof. Olajire Olaniran
www.acu.edu.ng
2005

Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin
VC: Prof. 'Deremi Abubakre
http://www.alhikmahversity.org
2005

Babcock University,Ilishan-Remo
VC: Prof. Kayode J. Makinde
http://www.babcockuni.edu.ng
1999

Bells University of Technology, Otta
VC: Prof. A. I. Adeyemi
http://www.bellsuniversity.org
2005

Benson Idahosa University,Benin City
VC: Prof. Gideon E. D. Omuta
http://www.idahosauniversity.com
2002

Bingham University, New Karu
VC: Prof. F. I. Anjorin
http://www.binghamuniv.net
2005

Bowen University, Iwo
VC:: Prof. T. Olagbemiro
http://www.bowenuniversity-edu.org
2001

Caleb University, Lagos
VC: Prof. Timothy O. Tayo
http://www.calebuniversity.edu.ng
http://www.calebuniversitylagos.com
2007

Caritas University, Enugu
VC: Prof. Romanus O. Unegbu
2005

CETEP City University, Ibadan
VC: Prof. Akin Aju
http://www.cetepuniversity.com
2005

Covenant University Ota
VC: Prof.Aize O. Obayan
www.covenantuniversity.com
2002

Redeemer's University, Mowe
VC: Prof. Oyewale Tomori
http://www.run.edu.ng
2005

Renaissance University, Enugu
VC: Prof. Ethel-Doris N. Umeh
www.rnu.edu.ng
2005

Salem University, Lokoja
Prof. Paul Omaji
VC: www.salemuniversity.org
2007

Tansian University,Umunya
Prof. Angulu Onwuejeogwu
VC: http://www.tansian-edu.com
2007

University of Mkar, Mkar
VC: Prof. Nancy Agbe
www.unimkar.edu.ng
2005

Veritas University
VC: Prof. (Fr.) Justin S. Ukpong
www.veritas.edu.ng
2007

Wesley Univ. of Science & Tech.,Ondo
VC: Prof. 'Tade Badejo
www.wusto.com, www.wesleyuniversity.org
2007

Western Delta University, Oghara
VC: Prof. P.G Hugbo
www.wduniversity.org
2007

Wukari Jubilee University,
VC: Prof. Godwin Akpa
www.wukarijubileeuniversity.org
2005

Crawford University Igbesa
VC: Prof. M. I. Ige
www.crawforduniversity.edu.ng
2005

Crescent University,
VC: Prof. B. A. Ola-Adams (Ag.)
http://www.crescentuniversityng.com
2005

Fountain Unveristy,Oshogbo
VC: Prof. H.O. B. Oloyede
http://fountainuniversity.org
http://portal.fountainuniversity.org
2007

Igbinedion University Okada
VC: Prof. (Rev.) Eghosa E. Osaghae
http://www.iuokada.edu.ng
1999

Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji
VC: Prof. C. O. Oshun
http://www.jabung.org
2006

Katsina University, Katsina
VC: Dr. Umar Muhammad Labdo (Ag.)
http://katsinauniversityportal.net
2005

Lead City University, Ibadan
VC:Prof. J. B. Aladekomo
http://www.lcu.edu.ng
2005

Madonna University, Okija
VC: Prof. L. C. Unukwube
www.madonnauniversityportal.com
1999

Novena University, Ogume
VC: Prof. E. O. Adedeji
2005

Obong University, Obong Ntak
VC: Prof. Enefiok S. Udo
www.obonguniversity.net
2007

Pan African University, Lagos
VC: Prof. Albert Alos
http://www.pau.edu.ng
2002

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Zain Gets New Owners

Europe’s largest entertainment group, Vivendi of France, has reportedly won the race for Zain Africa with a reported bid of $12 billion, according to a Kenyan daily.
The Daily Monitor reports that “although officials at both companies and their transaction handlers declined to confirm the deal, sources familiar with the transaction said it had been recently completed, clearing the way for a new owner for the local operation”.
BusinessDay had exclusively reported on Friday, June 12, this year, that Vivendi was engaged in talks with the Zain Group to buy its Africa operations which span 16 countries, including Nigeria, and that the asking price was $12 billion.
Zain operates in 22 countries with over 15,000 employees providing a range of mobile, voice and data services to over 63.5 million active individuals and business customers by end-year 2008.
Its area of operations include the six countries in the Middle East: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon (as MTC touch), and in 16 countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. It has 40 million subscribers on the African continent, with the Nigeria network, which has 15 million subscribers, contributing the most.
But its African operations contributed only 10 percent of profit, last year, though with 65 percent of its customers. The company in Nigeria recently trimmed its workforce significantly, apparently in preparation for the sale.
Media experts expect a change of name, which they said will necessitate a re-branding exercise, which for the Nigerian network alone could cost as much as N1 billion. If this happens, they said, the company will become an international reference point in corporate re-branding.
Zain Nigeria has in the past seven years been owned by different operators and had changed names severally.
It had transformed from Econet Wireless Nigeria to Vodacom, then to V-mobile, again to Celtel and to its current name, Zain.
Experts said that in the course of such a re-branding exercise, a company would have to pull down all its visual communications including ID cards, letterheads, internet website, out door advertising, colour scheme shops, recharge cards and more.
According to Akin Adeoya, managing director/CEO of Marketing Mix, a media and branding communication firm based in Lagos, “If they are going to have a re-branding which will encompass a change of name, it will be a case study internationally. One would not have thought it would have survived so many changes… almost on a yearly basis.
“It will go to prove that if the business proposition works, the branding challenge will also work. The brand already represents a multiplicity of contrasting images to the customer. Some people still call it Econet, some call it Celtel.
“The brand is challenged. There is need for some level of stability. My own advice, if possible will be for the owners to retain the brand name, rather than change it immediately”.
Charles Otudor, managing director of Adstrat Consult, a brand and marketing consulting company, noted that “the constant change in corporate identity of Zain creates top-of-the-mind brand identity crisis and distortion. It is critical for brands to retain consistency in feel, look, and language. Also of critical importance is the brand behaviour.
“Most consumers purchase or invest in brands based on the perceived brand promise. Consistency remains a key component of that purchase and it is mostly a result of trust. That trust can only be achieved via consistency. Besides the perception issue, there is also the economic cost of the new brand implementation. Most brand identity implementations always cost a premium.”
“Coming on the heels of the global financial meltdown, when most organisations are scaling down costs, this identity change is worrisome, but I guess the board has a reason”, he said.
Perhaps, Zain Nigeria’s ability to hold on to its subscribers through the identity changes has not been by happenstance. A source noted that “Zain, since it started eight years ago as Econet Wireless has managed to engage its publics positively and win their loyalty even through a handful of re-branding exercises.
“It has maintained admirable quality of service over the years and during the inception of GSM services in Nigeria, Zain, then Econet, had the lowest denomination of airtime recharge cards and this endeared it to its publics who could recharge their phones for a token. Also, the company has proved itself to be a socially responsible and responsive corporate citizen.”
Continuing, the source said, “It is further said that through its re-branding exercises, Zain has challenged and enriched the media and branding sector in the country and created media crisis and branding experts of its own.”

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Imsu post- ume date

The post ume examination which was scheduled to hold on the 9th and 10th of this month has been postponed indefinitely. I'ld keep you posted on further developments.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

WHEN YOU DRINK A COKE

Have you ever wondered why Coke comes with a smile? It’s because it gets you high. They took the cocaine out almost a hundred years ago. You know why? It was redundant.

* In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.
* 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There’s plenty of that at this particular moment)
* 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dialate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.
* 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
* >60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.
* >60 Minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.
* >60 minutes: As the rave inside of you dies down you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like even having the ability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.

This will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. (As little as two if you’re a smoker.) But, hey, have another Coke, it’ll make you feel better.

*FYI: The Coke itself is not the enemy, here. It’s the dynamic combo of massive sugar doses combined with caffeine and phosphoric acid. Things which are found in almost all soda.

18 Tricks to teach your body

Soothe a burn, cure a toothache, clear a stuffed nose...
by Kate Dailey

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear.

When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you're more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This spasm relieves the tickle."

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" video.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Fight fire without water!

Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? "Sleep on your left side," says Anthony A. Star-poli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. When you're on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity's in your favor.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natural method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance-the cupula-floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. "As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises," says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you're like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed-if you don't mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums-just behind that small dent below your nose-and press against it, hard. "Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose," says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. "Pressing here helps stop them."

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical-services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It'll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. "It's usually caused by near-point stress." In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles-like the eyes-into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don't let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

16. Impress your friends!

Next time you're at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He'll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that's a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will fold like a house of cards. By misaligning his hips, you've offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body's ability to resist.

17. Breathe underwater!

If you're dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first-essentially, hyperventilate. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin' ain't right. "When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity," says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology at Auburn University. "This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen." It'll buy you up to 10 seconds.

18. Read minds!

Your own! "If you're giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep," says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory.

SHOWDOWN : MASSOB LAUNCHES TRAVEL PASSPORT

THE Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has officially launched its international passport. The launch was done on Tuesday at Okwe in Onuimo, Imo State. Speaking at the launching ceremony at Okwe, the leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, said that they could use the passport to travel to any part of the world, including Abuja and Lagos.

According to him, if any member of MASSOB was killed for possessing the passport, members of the movement would fight for his cause. He told his members, who came from all over the country to witness the launch, that it was better for them to die where people would fight their cause than to die in a country like Nigeria, where nobody would fight for their interests.

Chief Uwazuruike also told his members, who besieged the venue of the launching that he would be leading a powerful delegation to Ghana, where they were expected to meet President Barrack Obama.

Answering questions from reporters, he said the Niger Delta militants should not have accepted amnesty since they had not been found guilty of any offence.

Uwazuruike urged the militants to go ahead and blow up more oil pipelines in order to get what lawfully belonged to them. He said MASSOB members would register their presence in Enugu at the burial of Chief Christian Onoh, former governor of old Anambra State.
For more details of this news CLICK HERE.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Yahoo Scams

10 OF THE BIGGEST SCAMS
Over the years, scammers and fraudsters have come up with more and more inventive ways to swindle us out of our hard-earned cash.

And unfortunately, when times get tough, more of us become susceptible to these cunning schemes.

So I've decided it's time to give you the run-down on ten of the worst scams to watch out for so that you can avoid being ripped off!

1) Phishing emails

The trap: Emails which appear to have been sent from your bank and ask you to reset or confirm your security details by clicking on a link.

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The reality: More often than not, these links take you to a fake website with the aim of getting hold of your personal or financial details to defraud you. So whatever you do, don't click on these links and delete the email immediately.

For more advice, visit the Bank Safe Online website.

2) Bogus holiday clubs

The trap: You're approached by a scratchcard tout or receive a phone call telling you you've won a 'free' holiday. All you need to do is to attend a presentation to collect your prize.

The reality: At the presentation, you'll be persuaded to sign up to an exclusive club and pay a fee for the privilege. But you'll probably find you've bought little more than access to an internet booking service offering the same service you could find in your local travel agent. Read Hidden holiday costs for more advice.

3) Emails from 'friends in need'

The trap: You receive an email from a friend claiming he has lost his wallet and passport abroad and desperately needs money to pay for his hotel bill and his flight home.

Often your friend will tell you all phone lines have been disconnected and the only method of contact available is email. He'll then ask you to wire over some money to help him out, making out this will be repaid upon his return.

The reality: The email is not from your friend, but from a scammer who will happily run off with your hard-earned cash and perhaps even ask for more.

4) Lotteries

The trap: You receive a letter or email to say you've won a large sum of money in a lottery. Hurrah! But when you phone up to claim, you'll be told you need to pay a fee to collect your winnings.

The reality: Hand over the fee and you'll never see your money again - or your prize. It is illegal for a real lottery to charge any sort of fee so if you're told you need to pay, steer clear. And remember - if you haven't bought a ticket, how can you have won a prize?

5) Weight loss aids

The trap: Advertisements promising you'll be able to lose weight with minimal effort thanks to the wonders of a revolutionary pill, patch or cream.

The reality: Usually there's no scientific evidence to back up these claims, and you'll end up spending money on a bogus drug that will make absolutely no difference to your weight.

6) Advance fee fraud (the Nigerian or 419 scam)

The trap: You receive an email or letter from what appears to be businessmen or officials from Nigeria or another African country offering to transfer large sums of money into your bank account to get it out of the country. You're told you can keep a large chunk of this cash, but need to pay a fee to cover the transaction costs and legal fees.

The reality: These emails/letters are from conmen who will simply disappear with any money you give them. What's more, because you'll have to hand over your personal and bank details, you can expect these crooks to empty your bank account while they're at it.

7) Work at home schemes

The trap: You see an advert in the newspaper or on a lamppost offering you a significant income for minimal work - such as envelope stuffing or craft assembly work.

The reality: What you won't be told is that you might have to pay up front for supplies to carry out the job or to cover hidden costs. You may also find your 'employer' refuses to pay you, claiming your work isn't up the right standards, or that you only get commission for signing up more people.

Cool Car matching

The trap: After placing an advertisement for your car in the newspaper or online, you receive a call from someone promising to match you with a buyer. You're then asked to pay a fee for the match - often around £80-£99.

The reality: The call was from a fraudster, there's no buyer and you can kiss goodbye to your cash.

9) Mobile phone insurance

The trap: Not long after buying a new mobile phone, you receive a call from the shop you bought it from, and are offered a fantastic insurance deal.

The reality: After handing over your bank details you discover your mobile phone isn't insured after all and the person on the phone wasn't who he said he was. By which point, your bank account is looking decidedly less healthy.

10) Pyramid schemes

The trap: You pay a fee to join a scheme but are offered the opportunity to make bags full of money fast by simply recruiting other people into the scheme.

The reality: These schemes are illegal and although the people at the top of the 'pyramid' might make money, it won't be much. And as soon as the pyramid stops growing, there's no money to be made.

Finally,

There are many more rip-offs and swindles out there, but unfortunately I don't have room to list them all. But hopefully the above ten give you some idea of what to look out for.

For further tips and advice, you can read this guide from Consumer Direct. And if you come across any scams, you can report them via the Consumer Direct website.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

OBJ starrs In Hollywood Movie





Hehe........... Don't mind me. I was just kidding. peace !

Study Tips

For most of us, the rain semester is just starting. Workloads are generally lighter at the beginning of the semester, so you may be thinking that you don’t need to worry about developing productive study habits right now. But developing good habits now, before the work piles up and the pressure mounts, means that when schoolwork picks up and midterms loom, you’ll already have productive processes in place for handling all of that work, and things should go much easier for you. So whether you’re a freshman this year, or you’re already partway through your highschool or college career, now is a great time to develop some new, good study habits. There are a ton of sites and blogs devoted to student productivity out there (GearFire included!), these tips are just a sampling of what I’ve found that works for me.

Start assignments right away
When your professor assigns an 8-page paper, due in 3 weeks, what do you do? Chances are, you tend to wait at least a few days before you get started on it. Try starting all papers and projects within 2 days of them being assigned. You don’t have to devote a lot of time to this first effort; do 15 minutes of research, draft your first paragraph, or start developing an outline or a mindmap. I find that just getting started on some little part of an assignment makes it much easier to start the bulk of the work on it when I have time.

Develop a system for handling paper
College, especially, typically involves a lot of paper—handouts, syllabi, assignments, notes. There are myriad ways to organize it all; if you’ve got a scanner, you might consider scanning everything into your computer and organizing it digitally. Many people are also fans of having an In box and an Out box, some people use a lot of folders or folios, it’s really up to you. The important thing is to figure out what works for you early on, and then do your best to stick with that system.

Get into an exercise routine
You’ve most likely heard it all before—exercise is good for your body and good for your brain, and it’s something that’s often neglected by busy students. Try to find an exercise routine that you think you’ll be able to stick to through the semester, and make it a habit to get it done. Your body and brain will thank you!

Make time for fun
Make sure you make some time for fun stuff your first few weeks; explore your campus and the area surrounding it, hang out with your friends, play video games, whatever! As important as it is to be productive and put schoolwork first, it’s also important to make time for relaxing and taking breaks from the grind.

I hope you all have a productive, enjoyable semester!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Check your Visa lottery results ( DV 2010 )

For all of us that put in for this year's US visa lottery check your result here. Guudluck.