Thursday 31 May 2012

Does a Multi-millionaire's son really need a Scholarship? Let's ask P-Diddy..

Scholarships back in the days used to be merit-based but today, we have needs based scholarships. The Million dollar question is  'Who really needs a Scholarship"? When I still use to strutter my way to elementary school, Scholarship was a big deal. Anyways, Kini big deal is a very big deal now O!. But is it the prestige that comes with earning a scholarship that is the main motivation behind it, or the fact that you could have your tuition half or totally slashed. Well, its a combination of both. Ten years ago, the former superseded the latter reason. It's probably not the same today with Scholarships and grants flying around everywhere (Which is a good thing, don't get me wrong).
Sean 'Diddy' Combs son Justin is set to attend UCLA on a full athletic Scholarship this fall.
So what do you have to say when the son of a Rap Mogul like P-Diddy earns a Scholarship? His father is worth approximately $550 Million, so just how much effect will a $54,000 scholarship have on Justin Combs? (See P-diddy's worth in this here). For Sean 'Diddy' Combs, he is indeed a proud father, and given his rise from grass to riches, this would mean just more than the money to him. He sure would be proud that his son is not in the streets, holding a gun and doing drugs, but channeling his energy towards fulfilling a 'good' dream.

Well, there's rich and there's 'diddy' rich. The man added $45 million to his empire in 2012 alone.
@iamdiddy can afford to throw away $2 million in one night outing at a strip club. So the public outcry is simple 'give the scholarship to someone who really needs it"...Lol. (I don't know for public sha! Anyway, #letsproceed).


(Video:Courtesy CNN)

In an interview with CNN, education contributor Dr. Steve Perry defended Combs' merit-based scholarship, saying he earned it fair and square. At the Upstate New York prep school where Combs recently graduated, he maintained a 3.75 GPA while playing corner-back for the football team. "He's done what he needs to do to be successful and in 'Ameritocracy' we have to accept that no matter who your father is, whether he be rich, poor or absent, that you can in fact be successful on your own merit," Perry said.
 Mr Justin's scholarship one of about 285 full athletic scholarships UCLA awards each year, according to a statement issued Wednesday. Still, some students are barking, calling on the athletic department to reconsider the scholarship altogether. Probably there's another athlete- student on the football team who could make use of it. Well, just like Mr Perry said, "small Diddy' earned his scholarship and I think it would be quite unfair to rip it off him. The Young diddy is even yet to play in a UCLA football game, but he's already on the receiving end of some controversy. He’ll don a blue and gold jersey for the Pac-12 Bruins this fall.

In its response to criticism over the award, UCLA stressed its "robust financial aid program," 30 percent of which it said is funded by tuition and fee revenue:

"Unlike need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships are awarded to students strictly on the basis of their athletic and academic ability — not their financial need. Athletic scholarships, such as those awarded to football or basketball players, do not rely on state funds. Instead, these scholarships are entirely funded through UCLA Athletics ticket sales, corporate partnerships, media contracts and private donations from supporters," the statement said.

 #Gbam, case closed!



Bespoke Loafers Toh Badht!! Overalls NONI....




Penelope Chilver's Bespoke slippers 


Fashion does indeed brings us together, but style sets us apart. Overalls apparel one of the fastest Growing Bespoke footwear Brand in Nigeria and Beyond. Famed footwear designer Penelope Chilvers also has the reputation as one of the most talented footwear designers in the Uk at the moment and they also do offer something similar. But what drives me about the Overalls is the fact that every item used in making these fashion-thundering foot-wears are 'made in Nigeria', Yes o! and the labour too. This is one that only the eyes can explain bera. So why not visit their website www.overallsgroup.com and see for yourself. Overalls is a group of young, educated, talented individuals that came up with the idea of making custom made imperial loafers to suit every individuals taste to the way he or she wants it. Dem Bespoke Loafers toh Badht! 







Wednesday 30 May 2012

The Trial and Conviction of Charles Taylor.....50 years, is justice served?



Charles Taylor..tailoring his way to 50 years in Prison.

Judge Richard Lussick read out the sentence in court, and the long awaited Trial finally saw the setting of the sun. Charles Taylor Liberia's ex-President  has been sentenced to 50 years in jail by a UN-backed war crimes court. Taylor was found guilty of aiding and abetting rebels in Sierra Leone during the 1991-2002 civil war.Taylor, 64, insists he is innocent and his lawyer has said he will appeal against the sentence. The 50-year sentence pronounced today effectively is a life sentence for someone that age -as the rules of the court prohibit expressly the imposition of a life sentence. Mr Taylor, showed no emotion during the hearing. "The accused has been found responsible for aiding and abetting some of the most heinous crimes in human history," Judge Richard Lussick said. For a man who never set foot on the soil of sierra Leone, but yet has a heavy imprint in the history of the West African nation. The crimes - which took place over five years - included cutting off the limbs of their victims and cutting open pregnant women to settle bets over the sex of their unborn children, sheer wickedness!

The fact that he had not expressed remorse or apologised for his part in the conflict also affected the sentence. Taylor's time-line runs thus>

    1989: Launches rebellion in Liberia
    1991: RUF rebellion starts in Sierra Leone
    1997: Elected president after a 1995 peace deal
    1999: Liberia's Lurd rebels start an insurrection to oust Mr Taylor
    June 2003: Arrest warrant issued; two months later he steps down and goes into exile to Nigeria
    March 2006: Arrested after a failed escape bid and sent to Sierra Leone
    June 2007: His trial opens - hosted in The Hague for security reasons
    April 2012: Convicted of aiding and abetting the commission of war crimes



@Tango 12. Let's take a look at what the world's Finest would be Kicking in Ukraine-Poland.






It is tradition that a new football is designed for every UEFA Euros and FIFA World Cup. The 2012 UEFA Euros is no exception and adidas, the official match ball supplier have designed the novel TANGO 12 football.



1978 Tango

JA'bulani..Official Match ball of FIFA 2010 WC in SA.














Tango 12..Official Ball for Euro 2012












TANGO 12
Let's take a good look @ Tango12. It kinda follows the same styling as the pattern on the tango ball. Tango Durlast by Adidas was the official match ball of the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. It introduced a new design which would be used for the next twenty years: Twenty identical panels with 'triads' created the impression of 12 circles. The Adidas Tango Durlast was made of genuine leather and boasted the shiny waterproofing Durlast coating.The ball has been remade for use in the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship under the name Adidas Tango 12. Tango 12 was officially presented on 2 December 2011, during the group draw for the final tournament in Kiev.Ukrainian Olympic legend Serhiy Bubka gave the ball its first public showing at the Palace of Arts, the familiar design evoking memories of tournaments of yesteryear – the Tango River Plate (1980), Tango Mundial (1984) and Tango Europa (1988) having been used at previous UEFA European Championships. Tango 12 features a modern interpretation of the design including a colored outline inspired by the flags of the two host nations – Poland and Ukraine. Tango 12 is the fourth incarnation of the Tango ball. It is the 11th official Adidas Euro ball. Tango 12 uses heavily modified construction design used by the criticized Adidas Jabulani (thirty-two 2D panels instead of eight 3D panels). The ball is reportedly designed to be easier to dribble and control than its predecessor the Adidas Jabulani, used during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The texture is similar to what you see on the CL ball. No stitching at all, looks like its all fused and thermally bonded. Panels are fairly similar to the Jabulani.
With 100’s of hours spent on wind tunnel testing, robot kicking trials and player testing, the design, dimensions and distribution of the surface textures (seams and micro texture) have been extensively measured and optimised. This ensures the ball produces a favourable performance, in terms of dynamic and aerodynamic characteristics. It also meets all FIFA denomination programme regulations and undergone rigorous durability tests.The ball will be deployed for the first time in a competitive international when co-hosts Poland get the tournament under way in Warsaw on Friday 8 June.

For Sure, Emotions, passions, rivalries and glory will all spark. Ukraine and Poland, Let's tango!

ITS OFFICIAL************THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD! (Still on the Mara)

Talk about using Fire to quench fire. Just because Iron sharpeneth Iron does not mean Fire quencheth Fire. Going Nude to fight prostitution? #Madness.
Femen Group has pledged a campaign of stunts targeting the Upcoming Euros.


The aim is great, the idea is lovely, but its implementation is whack.  A topless protester from the infamous Femen women's rights group slightly damaged UEFA's famous Henri Delaunay Trophy as it went on public show in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Reason: "Femen believes the soccer tournament will encourage sex tourism."Femen has argued that the tournament will strengthen the foothold that prostitution has on Ukrainian economy and society and boost its sex-tourism trade. Every sane human is against prostitution especially in World events such as the coming Euros, but going bare in order to preach the message is sure not the best approach. Ukraine does not want its cultural values to be tainted by the estimated 1 million visitors that may be coming into its territory, hence the fight to safeguard its morals and values. Watch video of the Preparation and incident here.



Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych....Sure has more work ahead of Euro Kick-Off.
And then the issue of racism and violence. The scene is bad enough that the families of English stars Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not even attend the tournament. It is serious enough that former England captain Sol Campbell, interviewed in the BBC documentary, is encouraging English fans to stay home instead of travelling to Eastern Europe to support the team. Just Incase you missed the video in my last post, You can watch it here.

Campbell’s words, in particular, are what draw the ire of defensive tournament organizers who are pretending there isn't much of an issue with Racism. Furthermore, Polish organizers invite Campbell to visit the country and “Get to know us as we really are.” Then Ukraine’s Euro 2012 organizing committee chief Markiyan Lubyivskyi “fail(s) to see what the point of these comments really is.” Then he’s quoted calling for the media to impose a crackdown on its own coverage.Having lived in Vancouver, an Olympic city, I know it can be annoying to be criticized from abroad when you don’t feel like the international media are getting all the facts. But this reporter spent a whole month in Poland and Ukraine, watching and documenting football fans displaying some outlandish behaviour at football matches. The officials in this case have done a laughably poor job of managing issues that will only exacerbate the brewing PR disaster that the tournament threatens to become.The tournament threatens to cap off what has been an infamous year for racism in football. John Terry would be playing in the Euros knowing that he would face Trial on return, the racial abuse of Patrice Evra by Luis Suarez, a fine against the Porto club after fans did monkey chants at Mario "attention-seeker" Balotelli, and now the possibility of blacks and Jews facing the wrath of fascistic supporters’ bases in Poland and Ukraine.

Organizers better have a plan for dealing with racism and violence. Because their words indicate they don’t plan to do a damn thing about it. And change their fight from just a slogan to an actual combat agains the menace.Just a reminder, Russia would be hosting the World cup in 2018...ehmmm, I didnt say anything.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Should I buy Tickets for Poland and Ukraine 2012...Well, After this, I'd have to think a bit deeper.



Let's have a Racism-Free Euro 2012...

There's Racism almost everywhere no doubt, but as the European Football tournament being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine draws closer, UEFA needs to take a closer look at this menace. If what happened some few hours ago in Kharkiv is anything to go by, Michel Platini and Co have more work to do than just ensure that all stadia are in perfect condition. As we all know, there's more to hosting a tournament than building infrastructures and making provisions for other necessities. The socio-cultural aspect of any event is what truly leaves an impression in the lives of the attendees. 
The 2 Unknown Malayalis who faced Racial Violence In Ukraine.

The fight against Racism is one that started a long time ago and I believe it will still go on despite the recent uprisings against it. To stop Racism, You would need to "bleach" a black man white and vice versa.I have a lot of friends in the Ukraine, but.........And with recent reports on how the Authorities in Ukraine do react to racism cases, it'll be wiser to 'stay home, put on the electric box and watch".
Read and watch more on this here....
But whatever it is, do not boycott the Euros ooo..Abeg.


(Awaiting Ukraine's Response to this Incident).

Jumio Vs Facebook...Saverin compares initial growth of both.

Jumio Introduces Netswipe. Turn your Webcam into a credit card reader.
“It’s actually grown a lot faster than I’ve seen in Facebook at the beginning.”This are the very words of Facebook Co-founder Eduardo Saverin speaking at the CHINICT technology conference in BeijingOn May 25th, 2012.
The Facebook Inc.  (FB) co-founder  said mobile-payment company Jumio Inc., one of his start-up investments, is growing even faster than the social network did at the beginning.Whether this is a snub at Zuckerberg, I don't know. But sha, Jumio is running at a great speed. The Mountain View, California-based company is on course for $100 million in annual sales and is “highly profitable.

Jumio..Transforming Online payments.
 If there's one thing Mr Saverin's record can prove, it is that the Brazilian Born billionaire can see a blooming investment right from its onset. Little wonder Jumio is gradually becoming a force to record with when it comes to mobile payments.   Mr Saverin used his life savings of $30,000 to fund Mark Zuckerberg’s plan for the social network and has since invested in startups including Anideo, a developer of mobile applications, and ShopSavvy Inc., a price-comparison service. an interesting feature of Jumio, is that its  software turns any web cam or handset into a credit-card reader. This is sure a huge transformation in the mobile payment market.

 
With a net worth of about $2.8 billion, Mr Saverin is sure one of the youngest world billionaires.

Monday 28 May 2012

That's True..Ahh Truely true..The rainmaker makes my Morning!

We know him, the rain maker. I just love his new tag of life--Jesus Involved. Woke up this morning displaying some 'civilized madness". Replay button to be replaced soon. Join me if you can--Ahh truly true.

Sunday 27 May 2012

I'll Chose My pussy over you....Get on with That.

Hahaha..Baba God sef go dey follow laff dis one. Craziness is the new trending word and boy, its sure trending big time. Afterall, its YOLO right? Drake has done a big damage to the world. Dude that Motto was cool, but it sure making greater percentage of the world go crazy. Please people, the young musician didnt mean it that way. (Maybe he did, who knows.)

Ok, some say " **** Y.O.L.O its F.I.S.H now a days!!! **** it shit happens :) I have some top secret info, Some YOLO police going around these days....ask the FBI. (True tok!)
Some chick's Facebook status: YOLO - you only live once. (*posts some nude picture*) Your comment to the status: YOLO - you obviously lack originality.
i THINK THE ONLY WAY ID LIKE TO FULFILL MY YOLO CRAZE IS TO EAT AT YOLO RESTAURANT. *packing bags and heading to Miami*. Ouch, I actually left the main story i wanted to share. eemmmm...as I was saying Baba God go dey follow laff dis one. How does a woman choose her pussys(iv told ya, renew ya mind) over her husband. Check out this story. 


I'll chose my cats over my husband - Wife tells divorce court.

An Israeli man says he wants to divorce his wife because she refuses to part with her 550 cats.

The man, whose name was not reported, petitioned the Rabbinical Court in Beersheba for divorce from his cat-loving wife this past week, The Times of Israel, Jerusalem, reported Sunday.

He told the court he was unable to sleep in the couple's bedroom because his wife's hundreds of cats were constantly sleeping on the bed.

The man said the cats also blocked his access to the bathroom and did not allow him to cook in the kitchen, the Hebrew daily Maariv reported Wednesday. When he sat down at the table to eat, the cats would jump up and steal his food, he said in his divorce request.

The couple tried to reconcile as ordered by the rabbinical court; however, the wife was unable to part with her pets and instead decided to part with her husband. (Source: Ascology.com)

This happened in God's own nation (*in akwa ibom accent* forket dat ting wey US dey like to tok say dem b God's own nation..na lie. na israel e be).

*Till Pussies do us part*

Wait O, how does YOLO concern this story now? smh. Anyway sha, its a hybrid post.
(you brought yaself here, so read O Jaree!)


Friday 25 May 2012

Meet Bo 'Obama". The First Dog of America..





Fighting Instead of Making Laws..The Nigerian Drama Unfolds In Ukraine


 A violent scuffle erupted in Ukraine's parliament Thursday evening over a bill that would allow the use of the Russian language in courts, hospitals and other institutions in the Russian-speaking regions of the country.
The fight broke out between members of the pro-Western opposition who want to take Ukraine out of Russia's shadow and lawmakers from President Viktor Yanukovych's party, which bases its support in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east.
At least one legislator, opposition lawmaker Mykola Petruk, suffered an apparent blow to the head and was taken to the hospital with blood streaming down his face.
Lawmakers have frequently scuffled in the Ukrainian parliament. A fierce fight in December 2010, which sent at least six lawmakers to the hospital, started when members of Yanukovych's party threw chairs and punched opposition lawmakers who had been blocking legislative work all day.
During a fight in April 2010, the parliament speaker hid behind an umbrella as opposition lawmakers threw eggs and smoke bombs to protest a naval pact with Russia.
Ukraine is deeply divided into the Russian-speaking east and south, which favors close ties with Moscow, and the Ukrainian-speaking west, which wants Ukraine to join the Western club.
The opposition demanded an investigation into Thursday's scuffle.

Source: CBS news

Something Fishy is going on in football..@FIFA, UEFA and Co, its becoming glaringly clear. Watch it!!

Owk, Chelsea Win on Penalties and all of a sudden FIFA wants to scrap penalties. I have always suspected some sort of foul-play with FIFA and UEFA. First and foremost, I am so sure that both "footballing bodies" were quite disappointed that neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid made it to the final of club football's most elite competition (Of course, I don't need to emphasize how much this cost them, most especially in monetary terms). Okay, that means they had to settle for Bayern, and when 'The God of football" saw that these Chelsea guys have worked their ass off to get to yet another final in 4 years, in his infinite mercies, He granted Drogba & Co the opportunity to drink from the HOLY GRAIL OF European Football. All of a sudden, Franz Beckenbauer does not like football games being decided on Penalty shoot-outs. Lo and Behold, Sepp Blatter too. If Bayern had won, we would probably be reading another story captioned "Shoot-outs, the beauty of football", #Dassorai. I won't say anything yet till the FIFA Gala. Lemme see who wins World Player this time around. Something fishy is going on. I hope others can be wise enough to see it now. Read more on this madness  here, hia and there. #issokay.

Thursday 24 May 2012

With Pain resulting from Kidney issues, He sang to Glory. Meet America's newest Idol, Phillip Phillips.



America's Newest Idol, Phillip Phillips.
He sang through pain to glory. America's latest Idol Phillip Phillips has a story many would love to hear. But that would be after his kidneys have been operated upon. Phillips, 21, a pawn shop worker from Leesburg, Ga., looked stunned when host Ryan Seacrest announced his name, then speechlessly accepted a hug from Sanchez and congratulations from his fellow finalists. They had indeed come a long way, but for Phillip, Sure the road was a bit longer than usual. He is the fifth male "Idol" winner in a row. His victory extended the "American Idol" winning streak for men to five consecutive seasons. The last female to win, and the last non-white, was Jordin Sparks in 2007. He joins the growing trend of WGWGs — white guys with guitars, who have been crowned America's best in the past 5 seasons.

Phillips has been weathering some significant pain due to issues with his kidneys. Phillip Phillips will return home to Georgia after completing publicity duties. The 21-year old was advised surgery in March after experiencing severe abdominal pain. He may likely miss one or two dates at the start of the American Idol tour this summer.

Facebook Vs the Great wall of China; Penetration could see Mark Zuckerberg overtake Slim Helu.


More than 900 million users, 300 million photos uploaded everyday, available in more than 70 languages and a valuation of close to $100bn (£60bn), Facebook surely isn't new to staggering figures. Just last week, it pocketed $16 Billion in one of the largest IPO debut for an internet company. Mark seems to have conquered the world, but just one place remains. With a population of over 1.3 billion, The PR of China's sole usage of Facebook could rake in more billions for Zuckerberg than the current user figures. Well, we know Zuckerberg aint after the money (says who?) but Facebook Inc cannot continue to ignore the impact that Chinese infiltration would have on it as a brand. And to think that facebook has no users in China? Quite suprising, but #dassorai!
Facebook has an uphill task of melting down the great wall especially as it will be looking to expand to justify its valuation and China has some 500 million internet users. Analysts say the longer Facebook takes to enter China, the harder it will become for the firm to crack the market. With more than 500 million internet users China is seen as key to Facebook's future growth. If the Chinese market is invaded, I solidly do think Facebook would be able to keep up with its IPO evaluation.And to do that, Mark, Sandberg and Co would need to go back to the drawing board to map out new strategies. It wold be a great mistake to think that just because they are Facebook, they'll just be able to break into the Chinese Market. No way!
China is in a world of its own. The Chinese already have a thriving and fast-growing social networking market and the sector is controlled solely by domestic players. Yes, Homegrown. The so-called Great Firewall of China means Facebook cannot be accessed from within the country. Local players such as Renren and Sina Weibo have been given a head start in the market, given the suprising absence of Facebook (and Twiturrr!). Renren which is often labelled "China's Facebook" has 154 million users while Sina Weibo, a local equivalent of Twitter, has 300 million, more than twice as many as Twitter. Can you imagine that? While Facebook and Twitter are celebrating success stories on their expansion, I don't think they are truly global if 1/3rd of the World's 6 billion population is yet to be covered.That means a big part of Zuckie's dream to 'connect the world" is still missing, and evidently so. Definitely, with the current emotional attachment that Chinese internet users have for their own locally made portals, Facebook and Twitter would have a real tough task, especially with the issue of censorship.
"It is highly unlikely that China will unblock Facebook anytime soon, given that the country is going through a leadership change and some politically sensitive times”
says Duncan Clark of BDA. Social networking sites played a key role in recent political upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa, and given the political state at China and how it wants to guard its interest, the door to Facebook now seems to be shut more tighter than ever.
Currently, some internet users get to break China's firewall by using virtual private networks. However, their numbers are quite negligible. The vast majority access social networking through the Chinese system and that means the companies and administrators need to censor the information that is uploaded.(I personally do think this is such a great idea, especially now that we are trying to "curb some excesses" on social media sites). They are required by the authorities to block or remove any material that may be considered "sensitive". If Facebook wants China to allow access to its website, it will have to abide by these censorship rules. Facebook is sure wary of this, given the current trend on social media. But I strongly think Facebook should compromise at least, if they are to keep up with its huge 'IPO expectations". But the problem will be with the Users outside China. How would they react to the fact that their beloved Facebook would compromise just to enter the Chinese markets. Sure if this compromise was  to happen, there would be some stain to  Facebook's image, but nothing explosive ever begins easy. Or Is there any other way round this for Mark and Co. I strongly believe so.
China is big enough to have its own brand of Facebook. So why doesn't Mark and Co give China its own 'version of Facebook'? China is so big that it justifies having something different, something Chinese enough to match its rules. Just like the popular Chinese restaurants which span the globe, China can have it own social networking food cooked the way She wants it.
So what if Facebook can't conquer China? Then it has to turn over to improving its mobile offering, and probably stick out a leg into telecommunications by launching its own mobile devices and tablets. Facebook has to in one way or the other keep up to its Post-IPO era, and to do that, it has to be a little bit just "more than a social network". It has to create an indispensable nature, just like Google. Nobody searches for anything on web without using Google. Facebook should strive to reach that level of 'indispensability". The company has already listed the sector as a risk to its future growth saying that it does "not currently directly generate meaningful revenue" from its mobile products--a key reason for the Post-IPO lawsuits.  With more and more people accessing the site through smart phones, it is an area of concern. And even if Facebook were to conquer China, they would still have need to Upgrade their revenues via mobile, cos obviously the "world is now pocketed", even in China.
Some quarters maintain that Facebook may find it easier to increase its revenues from mobile subscribers, than to enter and be successful in the Chinese market. They say that a substantial jump in mobile revenue will also help it offset any lost opportunities in China.(Personally, I do not think so)
However, while Facebook may be able to financially make up for its lack of presence in China, its vision may remain unrealized. Mark Zuckerberg wants to connect the world - that is his vision - if Facebook hasn't got China, he hasn't connected the world. So it now comes down to making a choice---Keep the vision OR make more revenues. Well, before May 18 2012, Zuckerberg could have gone with the former. He may still control a large chunk of the incorporation but Facebook is now 'a public network/company". Mr Zuckerberg, your investors aint no more interested in just "your vision", but how much their FB shares can yield them dividends also. So I say,
"Improve the mobile platform and look on how to enter China. It's possible to kill 2 birds with one stone, especially if both birds are close to each other. Just use a big stone"

Still a man's world. Thought Jessica coulda Broken the Male Dominance. American Idol Winner is.......

Phillip Phillips..American Idol Winner
16-year-old Filipino-Mexican-American, Jessica Sanchez coulda been the first woman in Five years to break the idol male dominance, but it was not to be so. Arguably the technically best vocalist of Season 11,she could not break the female 'curse' as Phillip Phillips was crowned the 11th American idol. It's hardly the most surprising finale result in "Idol" history--since many pundits had him penned  down as the winner. Read more here.

Barca may be losing just more than Guardiola......

Barca's Away Kit.
Barcelona might have lost Pep Guardiola, the champions league, and the league. But also seems they could be losing more than that. What is this?

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Was FB IPO Overhyped----Lawsuits seem to be flying in from Investors.

Zuckerberg, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.....

What could have gone Wrong?













OK, Its Just four days into the "public Facebook" era and already, tantrums are being thrown from and at different quarters.  Mark Zuckerberg Billions may have increased Post IPO, but he may soon be shedding some of that cash if the lawsuits filed against Facebook and some of its major Underwriters are anything to go by. We know he is no stranger to lawsuits given the Saverin and Winklevoss cases. The lawsuit claimed that the defendants, including Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co, concealed "a severe and pronounced reduction" in revenue growth forecasts resulting from greater use of Facebook's app or website through mobile devices.  

(But didnt they know that Facebook mobile platforms generates little or nothing in terms of revenue>....smh). It also accused Facebook of telling its bank underwriters to "materially lower" their forecasts for the company. The lawsuit said the underwriters disclosed the lowered forecasts to "preferred" investors only, instead of all investors. However, Facebook were quick to release a statement. Andrew Noyes, a Facebook spokesman, said: "We believe the lawsuit is without merit and will defend ourselves vigorously." Morgan Stanley however had no comment. It said on Tuesday that Facebook IPO procedures complied with all applicable regulations and were the same as in any initial offering.
 The Nasdaq exchange has admitted flaws with the IPO on May 18.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. It asks for compensatory damages and other remedies. For more on this and other related issues read full story Here, here and Hia*.

"iKnight" Jonathan Ive---The brain behind the "i" initiated into Knighthood.


Sir Johnson Ive, Apple's senior Vice President of Industrial design poses with his knight commander medal at Buckingham palace, London, May 23 2012.
Knighthood recently received an iKnight into the Kingdom when Jonathan Ive was honoured as a Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire (KBE) in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The "electronic Briton' was given this honour by Princess Anne. Ive, who is now entitled to call himself "Sir", told The Daily Telegraph in a rare interview that the knighthood was "incredibly humbling".
Sir Johnson Ive(as he would be called from now)  is Apple's senior vice president of industrial design, and the Briton credited with designing some of Apple's most revolutionary products -- the iPod, iPhone, iPad and iMac computer. He is the one of the big brains behind the "iworld" that we now enjoy.
The products Ive designed not only transformed Apple's fortunes but also rocked the music and entertainment industries. He has been described as the most influential Briton living in the US.
According to Si Johnson, his most important work is yet to be played out on the world stage.
"What we're working on now feels like the most important and the best work we've done... which of course I can't tell you about," he said in the Telegraph interview. So Apple users should expect probably another Technological dynamite to hit them soon. At least we know for sure that when Apple hypes, it doesn't turn out like #FB IPO.
Ive, aged 45, was born in London but now lives in San Francisco.

Monday 21 May 2012

Chelseafc Part 2: The story of Determination, Perseverance, Team-spirit and Hardwork

CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE. 
Issokay, Dassorai! There's been countless talks on how Bayern Machine threw away the Champions League in their own Dormot. But I still maintain my stand, it was meant to be Chelsea. For a team that could single-highhandedly defy Barcelona's best footballing strategies both home and away to reach the final, such a team has something about it. Take nothing away from Bayern Machines, they were absolutely great with the football they played. No doubt, they would rue some missed chances with the likes of goal-machine Gomez, Arjen and Bastian feeling they could have done bera. But football has evolved as a game and to win it, you have to see it. The most beautiful teams are not built on footballing artistry but BELIEVE. I still say till today, that Pep Guardiola saw that BELIEVE fading away and knew it was time to call it quits (#sharpguy). Wise men know when the rain is coming. For those of us who didnt follow the match in its entirety, the Bavarians had a lion-share of possession, attempts at goal and clear cut chances. Gomez for one could have buried the ball at the back of the net on no lesser than 2 occasions in the first 45 minutes. Thomas Muller scored with less than 10 minutes to go. The German side allowed Chelsea to equalize with just two minutes left in regulation time, then missed one penalty kick in extra time(Baba Arjen) and two more in a dramatic shootout to see the trophy of soccer's premier club tournament slip agonizingly from its grasp in front of its own fans. With a victory, Bayern Machines could have become the first team to win the tournament in its own Dormot since the inception of the Champions League 20 years ago.
The road to Munich definitely was not an easy ride. Many pundits might argue that Chelsea's season was revitalized by the appointment of Di Matteo as Interim coach to take  over from AVB. Sure, that was when the transformation began, but this work started nine-years ago. Chelsea has always been criticised for their laid-back, pack-bus defensive style of play but that same style knocked out the former champions and enabled them stun the Bavarians at the Allianz Arena. Playing Bayern Munich in Munich was always going to be a daunting challenge and the situation turned almost impossible when Bayern finally netted the match's first goal with a  bouncing header from Thomas Muller just seven minutes from time after missing a series of chances despite Chelsea's defensive failings. Down 1-0 in the 83rd minute in a hostile stadium and with little offensive bite to speak of, Chelsea didn't wilt. Instead, it once again showed the resolve that led it past Benfica, Napoli and Barcelona in the previous rounds, came out of its defensive bunker and attacked with the necessary desperation. The result came in the 88th minute, off its first corner kick of the match (Bayern ended up with 20), Didier Drogba riffled a bullet of a header into the top of the net for a shock equalizer. Chelsea had stolen the momentum and certainly the match. All seemed to be lost again when Drogba brought down Ribery in the 18-yard box, but then the man who has always proven more than reliable when called upon, Petr Cech, saved the resulting penalty from Arjen Robben.

Many quarters dismiss Chelsea's victory, regarding it as mere Luck. For what I know, luck alone is not enough to guide you past Napoli, Benfica and BARCELONA. It has to be something more than luck. Determination, perseverance, team-work and a spirit that always yearns for success was all I saw in the blue-coated men. Frank Lampard speaks "I hate to say that before because you look a fool when it doesn’t happen. We’ve had enough bad luck in this competition over the years that people can’t just point at luck this year. We’ve suffered. “We’ve come to their home stadium [Bayern], we’ve defended for our lives. “People threw their bodies in the way of the ball and I think even the penalties when we normally think that’s ‘game over’ but we managed to do it.”

And then we take a look at the 3 who ensured that Chelsea's night in Munich ended with Champagne celebrations and a smile on Roman's face. Abramovich had flown 50 friends and family members to Munich to join him in a VIP suite for the game, and the group celebrated wildly with champagne and hugs.
Do I have a Contract? Abramovich and Drogba Celebrate Chelsea's Triumph in Munich.
1) Didier Drogba: Only few would doubt his legendary status. Such a dangerman he is, that it only takes one moment for him to turn around the destiny of a football match. With memories of 2008 defeat looming and 7 minutes to go, Didier took upon his shoulders the cross of thousands of Chelsea supporters when he pummeled in that header with 120-seconds remaining. Hero almost turned Villian when he brought  down Franck Ribery in the box, but his last kick of the season ensured that the Blue-half of London will have to spend the night drenched in Champagne.
Drogba has been on borrowed time ever since Chelsea splashed out $79.5 million on F9T 16 months ago and is now a free agent after reaching the end of his contract. He has been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League to join former team-mate Nicholas Anelka, where he could earn around $15 million per season, perhaps more now after such performance in Munich.
But if Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has any sense, he will do whatever it takes to retain Drogba for another year, at the very least. The big man from the Ivory Coast might be 34, but Chelsea could not have certainly done this without him. "This is what we have been doing for years – showing this kind of spirit," Drogba said. "I have been here for eight years and when you are a Chelsea player you never give up until the end. We try to give that mentality to the young players. This is amazing." Drogba's inexhaustible work-rate in the semifinal helped Chelsea beat Barcelona, and his thunderous header with two minutes left in normal time rescued the London club in Munich.

 
Cech: Ready for Anything
2) Petr Cech; Just how many times has he kept Chelsea's defensive errors in "check". Arguably one of the world's best hands in a glove, the 30-year old Czech republic international was the reason why Chelsea lifted up that trophy in Munich. Drogba might have scored the descisive goals, but it was Cech who made sure those goals counted. First making a series of saves in normal time, and then keeping out Robben"s spot kick in extra-time and then denying Ivica Olic in the penalty shoot-out. If Manuel Nuer was good, Cech was better. speaking on the shootout Cech said "I don't know what to say,". "I am so proud of everybody. I went the right way five times. I just kept believing!"Many would argue that his skills have waned in recent seasons, but I for one do not agree. Just like Buffon, Casillas and other World-class goalies, when you have a great team in front of you more especially a solid defence, then your performances would always be at the top end. This performance might have earned Cech more time at Chelsea, as the club was previously planning to launch a major attempt to sign Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul from Newcastle as his soon to be replacement. However, game-changing displays in Champions League finals tend to buy an extra bit of loyalty and definitely a year on the contracts again at least.

Cool, Calm and Collected...Di Matteo looks into the future
3) Roberto Di Matteo: Roberto Di Matteo was the head coach who set the tone for it all, turning around a season that looked doomed to disaster and failures following a dismal run of form that led to the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.  Di Matteo, who has given Abramovich the chalice that he always dreamed of, may or may not be around at the start of next season. Di Matteo took the job of Chelsea's assistant coach after being fired from West Brom less than two years ago, and recently took over the main job on a temporary basis. Today, the Italian stands as one of the hottest young coaches in Europe. Abramovich, we all know might be bountiful in cash, but not in mercy especially to his coaches. If he feels there is a better option available, he does not hesitate to do away with the current in order to bring in the other. Victory has assured Di Matteo a place on Abramovich's short list of potential permanent managers, but nothing more. Those close to the Oil tycoon know very well that he may smile with you on one night and then sack you on another.

Whether this trio return back next season or not, one thing is certain; they have etched their names in Chelsea's folklore for eternity. On the night where all odds were against them, the blues overcame all adversity to bring the title to Stamford bridge. Chelsea's Victory does convey a most important life message------Even when all the odds are against you, keep holding on. The last kick might just put you atop, but to ensure that it does, keep making the saves.

Perseverance, Team-Spirit, Courage and Hardknocks: The Story Of Chelseafc (Part 1)

Watching the full 120-minutes of drama at the Allianz Arena in Munich, I couldn't help but shed tears on seeing Drogba and Co as they lifted aloft the 'Holy grail of European football". It was their first and definitely will be their best triumph in their long history of existence. Lampard is coming to the end of an illustrious career, same as Drogba and some other Old stalwarts. Roman ABramovich had waited nine good years for this trophy. He so coveted it like it would add to his billions. Sure it will. Chelsea are the "Campeones de Europa". Plantini would have expected an El-Classico final, as that would have certainly yielded UEFA more profits from ticket sales, but the events at the Bavaria were not short of expectations. Like I told my Friends, the game was going as planned. Chelsea being reserved and employing the same method they used against the graduates from La Masia, Bayern attacking like Wolves with Robben and Ribery running down the flanks. All things being equal, Saturday May 19th at the Allianz Arena, football was given a new leaf. Di Matteo and Co had proven to the world that you don't necessarily need to Tiki Taka to win trophies.
Money well spent? Abracadabra's dream come true.

My friends who know me quiet well, know for sure that all my life, I have never been a supporter of Chelseafc given the fact that they came in and launched an era of "monetized football" courtesy of Russian billions. Well, like Gary Neville rightly said, "they are a 2-season wonder" and so they proved to be in the Premier League before my beloveth Man utd dethroned the 'money dribblers". Abramovich saw that Money could deliver trophies but it couldn't build a crop of consistent winners. Some tumultuous times came in, beginning with the sack of the very 'special one". On Jose's next assignment, he guided the Nerazurris to the Champions league trophy. One is left to wonder if Abramovich had given Jose a little more time, probably the blue-half of London would not have waited this long to celebrate a title that cost Abramovich an estimated $2.8 billion in Investments. For sure,
success did not come cheap. The 45-year-old had to spend astonishing sums on player transfers, wages and improvements to the club infrastructure in the pursuit of European glory. The Russian Oil tycoon took over a club that was struggling financially and immediately turned it into a European power. Under his watch, the club has bought 66 world-class players at a staggering cost.
The transfer fees for those players, according to a  sports finance expert for a daily newspaper, tallies up at $1.02 billion, more than any other club in the world during that same eight-season stretch.
Player salaries have been even more expensive, according to the same expert, with the overall wage bill totaling $1.8 billion – another record-setting figure that helped spiral soccer into a new era of hyper-spending. Eight managers also came and went in the space of eight years, most of them fired precisely for failing to win the all-important Champions League. English Premier League titles and FA Cup wins were OK, but what really mattered to the Russian Oil tycoon was flexing his muscles in European competition. High-profile managers had graced the dressing room at Stamford Bridge, but it was the least expected of them all who delivered the trophy----and on an Interim Contract too. When Roberto Di Matteo was fired as manager of West Bromich Albion on Feb. 5th 2011, little did he know that his misfortune was a stepping stone to one of football's greatest stories. Di Matteo, who was brought in as interim manager following the axing of Andre Villas-Boas, earns only a fraction of his predecessor's salary and, even after this triumph, is not guaranteed to get the job on a full-time basis. (Well, Let's see how it goes) With his primary goal now realized, will Abramovich chase more European silverware or scale back his vast spending? Will Di Matteo still have a job? The footballing world awaits to see how events unfold at the boardroom.

Lampard Lifts The UEFA Champions League Trophy
Abramovich's eight-year spending spree finally reaped its ultimate reward, and Chelsea became European champion for the first time in its history.

Saturday 19 May 2012

Mark Zuckerberg Ties Knot with Long-time sweetheart.

Congratulations to Our very own Mark Zuckerberg.  Mark wedded his long-time sweetheart Priscilla Chan today, 19th May 2012. What a week it has been for the young billionaire. Congrats Mark and Priscilla.

Mr Branson, OUT4marriage, Boko Haram and the Nigerian situation.

Richard Branson has always been one of my most favorite entrepreneurs. A dropout at 16, he founded a mail-order record retailer, which became the Virgin Records stores and music label. Today, his empire includes 200 companies - airlines, music festivals, mobile phones - in 30 countries. His estimated net worth: $6.8 billion. Mr Richard, I do admire your entrepreneurial skills which has definitely placed you on the  world map and the lips of thousands of people. But for the first time, I may not share your views this time around.
I do not believe in discriminating against gay people, but I sure do know well that its very advisable to keep them at some distance (Aint that still discrimination? smh). Well, however being gay is very much contrary to the 'natural/normal". Mr Branson is a product of a union between a male and a female, so why on earth would you advocate for people of the same sexes to be joined together? I see that Mr Branson as being "wicked". Looking at Mr Branson's Biography on the site biography.com I picked out the following lines:

1) Born Richard Charles Nicholas Branson on July 18, 1950 in Surrey, England. His father, Edward James Branson, worked as a barrister. His mother, Eve Branson, was employed as a flight attendant. (Note, hisparents sexes, male and female)
2) Branson is married to his second wife, Joan Templeman, with whom he has two children: Holly and Sam. He currently lives in London. (Mr Branson is married to a woman, Joan Templeman and has 2 kids with the same Joan Templeman. The article didnt say he was married to his "partner", instead it specified the word "wife".
Mr Branson says and I quote 'gettting married myself and giving my daughter Holly away at a wedding last year, are amongst the proudest days in my life. Everybody should be able to experince those moments if they wish to do so, regardless of their sexuality. At Virgin, we treat everbody the same,  whether they are straight or whether they are gay".Owk Mr Branson, #issorai. I just have a few points to highlight.
First and foremost, you talked about your getting married and giving Holly your daughter away in marriage as being amongst the proudest days in your life. Well Mr Branson, I put it to you that you were proud because you did what was normal, the very natural, the way it was meant to be. You married a woman and you gave your daughter away to a man. That is why you were proud and happy. That is why you can still hold up your head high as a proud father.
Secondly Mr Branson, Virgin treats everybody the same because "its a company" for crying out loud. If you do not treat everybody the same, we both know the implication it would have on your company's image, your profits and your personal image. Please, spare some of us the antics. Obama never supported gay marriage until the elections drew closer. So we all know what it involves.

Mr Branson, I'm very much aware of your investments in Nigeria and what it is doing for the economy of this great African nation. But Mr Branson, its because of statements like this on your blog that's making Boko Haram hunt down more innocent lives. Knowing fully well the meaning of Boko Haram (which means "western education is forbidden'), comments like the one on your blog (dated Dec 5, 2011) are one of the reasons why our own Nigerian brothers are taking away innocent lives. Western education was suppose to refine a human and make a person more productive, not completely erase a person's morals, sense of judgement and above all total disregard for the Creator.
The Boko Haram group see western education as a threat because of the various "havocs" its causing. We are all witnesses to the degree of moral decadence in our society today. The initial idea of education I suppose was to refine a man into one who had moral values, responsibilities and productivity. Its clearly doing the opposite.
Notwithstanding, there is no justification whatsoever to take human lives and as always, I condemn the actions of the Boko Haram group. I personally think it would be wise to quell rather than fuel more violence, given the situation in Nigeria at the moment. As at last year, the prohibition of same sex marriage passed unopposed through the Nigerian senate floor. A move I highly commend them  for. I can only but imagine what would have happened If Same-sex marriage was legalised in Nigeria. Probably, more lives would have been lost.

Mr Branson, I may fly Virgin, but I am not #Out4marriage like that. Anyway, #issokay. By the way, send me some billions though, I'm starting a new airline company "Ashawo Atlantic".

(Viewer discretion is advised).


Will Smith Slaps reporter....A punch was almost on the Line

Okay, Will Smith slapped a Ukrainian reporter who tried to show too much Love. (But oga how u go dey kiss man na, y? anyway, Issorai). At the Moscow premiere of Men in Black 3, a reporter showed the actor a little TOO MUCH love and tried to kiss him on the lips! In a split second of anger, Willy unleashed an "anti-gayic" slap on the poor reporter's face. Lesson learned I suppose. Next time Mr reporter, check if the person is Male or female. If female, issorai, but if male, check whether he is gay or not. If gay, issorai, if not, pls don't try that nonsense again o. Lol.
Some quarters already condemning Willie's action, but I tell you, if you are a real man and some dude comes kissing up on you like that, You would "mash-up" the dude's face. true tok!" Joker's lucky I didn't sucker punch him!" hahaha, Oga Willie. Abeg, ill inbox you my number, so we can both have a cup of tea. You did "straightly well".

Watch video below.

Friday 18 May 2012

Zuckerberg Rings Bell; Facebook Inc starts trading.









Its no doubt that since my personal person, Mark "Moneyberg" rang that Nasdaq bell from Facebook's Manlo park, the destiny and future of the social network was certainly projected into a higher realm. Now its the issue of sustainability as for the first time in the company's 8-year history, it will be subject to the mercy of a power outside its control---the stock Market. Facebook Inc began trading at 11am  ET after a record setting IPO. Watch the bell-ringing that defined Facebook's future Here.

Eduardo Saverin May Never Set foot on US soil ever again.

Eduardo Saverin might have definitely Bitten more than he can chew when he decided to denounce the citizenship of the country where he raked in his billions. Watch Video Here. Do you agree with Senator Chuck Schumer?

Whether you Buying Cos of Emotion or Purely for Business, Facebook Inc may be churning out the next set of world Millionaires.



Its just few hours before the social network king Facebook Inc. goes officially public and indeed become the PUBLIC network. Its Friday, May 18th and MarK "Moneyberg" is on the verge of launching the new face of Facebook into the stock Markets and for the first time, open the company to the wide view of the public's and government eyes.The stock is scheduled to start trading tomorrow on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol FB.
Now take a good look at this: Facebook IPO Makes Zuckerberg Richer Than Google Founders. Sure Sergey Brin and Larry page would not like this. Facebook Inc. raised $16 billion in the biggest initial public offering by a technology company in history, pricing the shares at the top end of an increased range. The social network sold 421.2 million shares at $38 each, according to an Official statement. That values Facebook at $104.2 billion, making it the largest company to go public in the U.S. by market capitalization, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and Dealogic.
Facebook, led by 28-year-old young Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, this week expanded the IPO to meet demand, allowing investors Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Accel Partners to reap more gains.The offering marks the culmination of Facebook’s evolution in less than a decade from a Harvard University dorm-room play-project into a social network averaging more than 900 million users daily. Everyone does indeed want a piece of Facebook. And watch out, the IPO is creating millionaires and Billionaires overnight.At $16 billion, Facebook’s debut surpasses that of General Motors Co., making it the second-largest in U.S. history, excluding so-called over-allotments, which let underwriters buy more shares at a later date, data compiled by Bloomberg show.


So how do we see the future of Facebook Inc? Zuckerberg has maintained that the "social aspect of the network is of more importance than the business it brings". Coming from one of the World's youngest CEO, a man driven with passion, time will tell if he's just playing I Gentle or  he really does mean it. The stock market will soon be showing that.