Monday 30 September 2013
Happy 53rd Independence Day Nigeria!
Apple overtakes Cocacola as world's number 1 most valuable brand
For thirteen years, Cocacola was the world's number one most valuable brand...but not anymore. In 2013, two brands took over - Apple and Google, leaving Cocacola at number three.
From New York Times
Apple is the new most valuable brand in the world, according to a closely followed annual report. The report, to be released next Monday, is from Interbrand, a corporate identity and brand consulting company owned by the Omnicom Group that has been compiling what it calls the Best Global Brands report since 2000. The previous No. 1 brand, Coca-Cola, fell to No. 3.
Not only has Apple replaced Coca-Cola as first among the 100 most valuable brands based on criteria that include financial performance, this is the first time that the soft drink known for slogans like “It’s the real thing” has not been No. 1.
Apple’s arrival in the top spot was perhaps “a matter of time,” Jez Frampton, global chief executive at Interbrand, said in a recent interview. Apple was No. 2 last year, climbing from No. 8 in the 2011 report.
“What is it they say, ‘Long live the king’?” Mr. Frampton asked. “This year, the king is Apple.”
The 2013 report begins: “Every so often, a company changes our lives, not just with its products, but with its ethos. This is why, following Coca-Cola’s 13-year run at the top of Best Global Brands, Interbrand has a new No. 1 — Apple.”
The report estimates the value of the Apple brand at $98.3 billion, up 28 percent from the 2012 report. The value of the Coca-Cola brand also rose, by 2 percent to $79.2 billion, but that was not sufficient to give Coca-Cola a 14th year as Interbrand’s most valuable brand.
Although “Coca-Cola is an efficient, outstanding brand marketer, no doubt about it,” Mr. Frampton said, Apple and other leading technology brands have become “very much the poster child of the marketing community.”
That is underscored by the brand in second place in the new report: Google, which rose from fourth place last year. In fact, of the top 10 Best Global Brands for 2013, five are in technology: Apple; Google; Microsoft, No. 5, unchanged from last year; Samsung, 8, compared with 9 last year; and Intel, 9, compared with 8 last year.
Samsung’s ascent followed the company’s adoption of a new brand strategy called the Brand Ideal, which includes “a greater focus on social purpose,” Sue Shim, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Samsung, said by e-mail. That reflected research indicating American consumers would switch brands to “one that was associated with improving people’s lives,” she added.
I.B.M. — No. 4 in 2013, down a notch from 2012 — is ranked as a business services brand. Otherwise, technology would account for six of the top 10.
“Brands like Apple and Google and Samsung are changing our behavior: how we buy, how we communicate with each other, even whether we speak with each other,” Mr. Frampton said. “They have literally changed the way we live our lives.”
Among other transformative technology brands that performed well in the new report was Facebook, which climbed to 52 from 69 last year, its first year on the list.
However, not all technology brands fared well. BlackBerry, which tumbled last year to 93 from 56 in 2011, has disappeared from the list. And Nokia, which dropped to 19 from 14 in 2011, finished this year in 57th place — “the biggest faller” among the 100, Mr. Frampton said.
Among nontechnology brands, a notable addition to the list was Chevrolet, at 89, the first General Motors brand to rank among the Best Global Brands.
“It feels good to hit the list for the first time,” Alan Batey, global head of Chevrolet at G.M., said in a telephone interview. “It’s a great first step, but we’ve got a long way to go. There are a lot of big brands in front of us.”
The milestone reflects how General Motors has been “making a conscious effort to globalize Chevrolet,” Mr. Batey said, selling the brand in 140 countries in ads that play up attributes like “value for money and designs that move hearts and minds.”
Commonwealth, the creative agency for Chevrolet, “played a key role” in helping the brand make the list, he added. Commonwealth is part of the McCann Worldgroup division of the Interpublic Group of Companies.
Last year, when Coca-Cola finished atop the Best Global Brands list for the 13th consecutive time, an executive at the Coca-Cola Company acknowledged the streak but noted that “nothing lasts forever.”
A year later, the executive, Joseph V. Tripodi, executive vice president and chief marketing and commercial leadership officer, had this reaction: “Of course, we would like to remain on top of the list forever. That said, we are honored to continue to be included among such an esteemed group of global brands, and we congratulate Apple and Google, both valued partners of ours.”
“We’ve seen the value of technology brands rise as they create new ways for people to stay connected virtually,” Mr. Tripodi said by e-mail. “We understand this, as the lasting power of our brand is built on the social moment of sharing a Coca-Cola with friends and family.”
“Creating these simple moments and delivering on our brand promise each and every day remains our focus,” he added, “as we continue to grow the value of brand Coca-Cola for decades to come.”
If it is consolation, Coca-Cola remains far ahead of Apple and Google in likes on Facebook fan pages. Coca-Cola has 73.2 million, compared with 9.8 million for Apple and 15.1 million for Google.
AMAZING VIDEO: DOCTORS PRAY AND GOD RAISED A DEAD MAN
WICKED WORLD: MAN THROWS HIS WIFE AND 4 MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER INTO RIVER BECAUSE....
INFIDELITY: Husband Throws His Wife, 4-Month-Old Daughter Into River
The man committed the crime in a drunken state after a quarrel with his wife. The woman had been ostracised by her family and in-laws on suspicion of infidelity.
The woman’s husband works in a private company in Delhi and she had earlier gone to the city to look for him, but was unable to locate her his house and wandered around in the capital for four days. This led him to suspect her.
Police said the accused, Rajeev Jha, 27, tried to murder her wife and baby on the instigation of his parents and in-laws. They were married for seven years.
Jha, a resident of Bhind’s Lapwaha village under Lahar police station was arrested from his home early on Sunday. He has been charged with attempt to murder.
Local divers are scouring the Sindh river for his infant daughter.
Gov. Fashola Finally Unveils The Tallest Hotel In West Africa
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, unveiled the N30 billion tallest hotel in West Africa, the Intercontinental Lagos.
The hotel located at Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, is a 23-storey building with 358 rooms, 37 suites and a presidential suite.
The Intercontinental Lagos, a subsidiary of the Intercontinental Hotel Group, IHG, is owned by the Milan Group.
Fashola said the new hotel showed that the economy of the country was witnessing growth daily but without corresponding employment.
According to him, “The new sector is the tourism sector. This is the only virgin sector in the country, and it will help address the challenges of unemployment in the country.”
The governor noted that the new hotel had helped to create new 650 direct jobs in the state, adding that with the construction of more hotels and hospitality outfits, more direct jobs would be created as well as numerous indirect jobs.
Chairman, Milan Group, Ramesh Valechha said the hotel will change the landscape of Lagos and boost the hospitality industry in the state.
He noted that the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, for the project was signed on March 31, 2004 while it took two years to complete the design work before the conceptualisation of the project began.
He revealed that the Lagos State Government, Skye Bank and Wema Bank were supportive of the project.
According to Valechha, building of the hotel cost over N30 billion, while 650 jobs were created for Nigerians.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu 1; ex-governor of CBN, Joseph Sanusi, and other dignitaries.
Friday 27 September 2013
Obasanjo Spotted with a Hot Nollywood Babe in New York
She was spotted with ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo in New York.
She was recently in New York, USA, at the United Nations General Assembly meeting, which President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan attended.
Obasanjo was also in attendance and the actress hooked up with him for a snapshot. She is obviously excited to hangout with one of Nigeria’s most powerful politicians.
PHOTOS: MESSI IN COURT FOR TAX FRAUD. MAY FACE JAIL TERM IF.....
The Barcelona attacker appeared before a judge on Friday and his lawyer Cristobal Martell insists they have cooperated fully with Spanish authorities
Lionel Messi's lawyer insists the Barcelona star has provided "clear" evidence of his innocence, amid accusations of tax evasion.
The Argentina international began court hearings on Friday, to answer allegations over unpaid tax on money from his image rights.
Messi has allegedly used countries outside of Spain - Belize and Uruguay - to sell his image rights, circumventing Spanish tax laws.
His father, Jorge, who made a payment of €5 million to the tax authorities in August, has also been implicated in the case and he too appeared in a separate hearing to his son.
Both men have strenuously denied the charges that date back to 2007 and 2009, which were originally levied against the pair by the Economic Crimes Prosecutor Barcelona in June.
And the pair's legal representative, Cristobal Martell, said Friday's proceedings are an opportunity for the Messi family to cooperate with Spanish authorities in an attempt to clear their name.
"To start a procedure like this we are following just one instruction: to cooperate with the administration to explain my client's actions and provide them with financial information," Martell commented.
"The instruction from the Messi family has been to be transparent, clear and cooperative.
"In terms of transparency, the hearings began today and we have provided evidence to show a complete unwillingness [by my client] to commit fraud, a strong effort to be transparent for the tax office and a desire to avoid entering into any kind of bitter fight with the State about these matters."
Photos: Angry Arik Air passengers block Abuja airport runway
The passengers, who disembarked from an Arik Air flight, blocked the Abuja runway because the flight they took from Abuja to Calabar was not allowed to land in Calabar around 5.30pm for safety reasons - the runway lightening was poor, forcing the pilot to return the passengers to Abuja.
The passengers now felt the best way to express their anger was to prevent other planes from taking off or landing at the Abuja airport. Continue...
He said,
“The flight was delayed because there was Very Important Personality movement and there was also some weather issues, it is not the fault of the airline that the plane could not land there. We are amazed that despite the security at the Abuja airport, passengers were still able to hijack the aircraft and hold other planes to ransom, that should not be the case.”
Oprah Winfrey says she'll leave this earth as a 'never married' woman
When asked if she would leave earth as a “never-married” woman, Oprah made her feelings very clear. “Yes,” she told Access Hollywood. “Yeah, I think that’s my final answer.”
Iwuanyawu's kids were not in support of his marriage' - family source
"Nwadiuto Iheakanwa couldn't have granted that interview because she was sick in a foreign hospital and therefore did not grant any interview and she wasn't even at the wedding. We also know that Iwuanyawu's children did not support their father marrying a girl young enough to be his granddaughter. His first grandchild is 19 years old and this lady is not even up to 26 like is being reported in the media. Iwuanyanwu would threaten fire and brimstone to anyone who dares his choice. Truly all is not well in the family"
Wednesday 25 September 2013
Nicki Minaj flashes boobs in cropped unbuttoned jacket with no bra
Mourinho 'raged and cried' at Moyes getting United job
Jose Mourinho raged and screamed after being overlooked for the vacant manager's job at Manchester United, according to a new warts-and-all biography of the Portuguese manager.
Spanish journalist Diego Torres's book "Preparense Para Perder" - or "Prepare to Lose" in English - paints a portrait of Mourinho's time as Real Madrid manager.
And the book claims that the moment Mourinho discovered he found out he would not be moving from the Bernabeu to Old Trafford, "were the most miserable hours of Mourinho in his time as manager of Real Madrid.""When he learnt he (Sir Alex Ferguson) had chosen Moyes, Mou was incredulous. He screamed: 'But he’s won nothing!'," the book writes, showing Mourinho's shocking ignorance of the history of Division Two over the past dozen or so years.
Torres - who has long been one of the Portuguese's outspoken critics - goes on to claim that Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes had led him to believe that Ferguson would step aside and then help pave the way for the Real Madrid manager move to the Red Devils.
"Mourinho, fed by his devoted agent, believed that Ferguson, as well as an ally, was his friend and Godfather," the book claims.
"He was convinced that they enjoyed a friendship of genuine trust. He thought that his fabulous collection of titles, two European Cups, seven League Cups and four in four different countries, constituted an endorsement no other candidate had."
All those beliefs proved to be false, however, and the current Chelsea boss was apparently in tears as he struggled to come to terms with losing out on the job:
"They were the most miserable hours of Mourinho in his time as manager of Real Madrid. Between dozing and waking he had a mobile glued to his head, seeking clarification during the night of the 7th and the morning of May 8."
The claim flies in the face of Mourinho's warm tribute to Ferguson earlier this summer, in which he claimed that the septuagenarian had phoned him personally a few months before his retirement to let him know that he was off.
The book, which is being serialised in Spanish newspaper El Pais, claims that this was merely Mourinho's attempt to save face by suggesting that he knew exactly what was going on in Manchester.
"What most disturbed Mourinho was the conclusion that in public he would look a fool," Torres continues .
"He felt cheated by Ferguson and feared someone might stop taking him seriously.
"For years, the propaganda machine had reported the idea of a friendship that is now revealed as a fantasy image.
"Mourinho's advisers told him to say that he already knew everything because Ferguson had called to inform him."
“She gave me everything” – Kanye West opens up about his love for Kim Kardashian
“She gave me everything” – Kanye West opens up about his love for Kim Kardashian
Kanye West isn’t afraid to publically profess his love for girlfriend Kim Kardashian.
During his interview with BBC Radio 1 personality Zane Lowe, he opened up about his relationship with Kim, and he couldn’t help but gush over the 32-year-old beauty, with whom he welcomed his first child, daughter North West, in June.
During his interview with BBC Radio 1 personality Zane Lowe, he opened up about his relationship with Kim, and he couldn’t help but gush over the 32-year-old beauty, with whom he welcomed his first child, daughter North West, in June.
Nigeria’s Top 5 Richest Pastors and How Much They Are Worth
These days, millions of souls, desperate for financial breakthroughs, miracles and healing, all rush to the church for redemption.
God is good, especially if you’re a Nigerian pastor with some business savvy.
And while the bible expressly states that salvation is free, at times it comes with a cost: offerings, tithes, gifts to spiritual leaders, and a directive to buy literature and other products created by men of God.
Pastors are no longer solely interested in getting people to Heaven; they’ve devised intelligent ways to make good money while reaching out to souls.
Take Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, for example. He is the founder and lead pastor of the Christ Embassy, a thriving congregation with branches in Nigeria, South Africa, London, Canada and the United States.
His publishing company, Loveworld Publications, publishes ‘Rhapsody of Realities,’ a monthly devotional he co-authors with his wife.
It sells over 2 million copies every month at $1 apiece. He also owns television stations, newspapers, magazines, a hotel, a fast-food chain, and more.
Many other Nigerian pastors are similarly building multi-million dollar empires from their churches.
Today, pastors fly around in private jets, drive fancy cars like Daimlers, Porsches and BMWs, don Rolexes and Patek Phillipes, and own breathtaking mansions all over the world.
After the blog post I wrote in May about Nigerian pastors owning private jets, I was bombarded with emails from readers requesting to know the richest pastors in Nigeria.
So I set out to investigate the assets of some of Nigeria’s most prominent pastors, and I came up with conservative estimates of their fortunes.
I contacted representatives for all of the pastors and all except Matthew Ashimolowo’s representative confirmed ownership of the assets I list. Representatives for Pastor Ashimolowo did not respond to my emails.
Bishop David Oyedepo
Affiliation: Living Faith World Outreach Ministry, aka Winners Chapel
Estimated net worth: $190 million
David Oyedepo is Nigeria’s wealthiest preacher. Ever since he founded the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry in 1981, it has grown to become one of Africa’s largest congregations.
The Faith Tabernacle, where he hosts three services every Sunday, is Africa’s largest worship center, with a seating capacity of 50,000.
Oyedepo owns four private jets and homes in London and the United States.
He also owns Dominion Publishing House, a thriving publishing company that publishes all his books (which are often centered on prosperity).
He founded and owns Covenant University, one of Nigeria’s leading tertiary institutions, and Faith Academy, an elite high school.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
Church: Believers’ Loveworld Ministries, a.k.a Christ Embassy
Estimated net worth: $100 million – $120 million
Last year, the charismatic preacher was at the center of a $35 million money laundering case in which he was accused of siphoning funds from his church to foreign banks.
Pastor Chris pleaded no wrongdoing and the case was eventually dismissed.
His church, Christ Embassy, boasts more than 40,000 members, several of whom are successful business executives and politicians.
Oyakhilome’s diversified interests include newspapers, magazines, a local television station, a record label, satellite TV, hotels and extensive real estate.
His Loveworld TV Network is the first Christian network to broadcast from Africa to the rest of the world on a 24 hour basis.
Prophet Temitope Joshua
Estimated net worth: $60 million – $80 million
Nigeria’s most controversial clergyman is also one of its richest and most philanthropic.
T.B Joshua heads the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), a congregation he founded in 1987, which accommodates over 15,000 worshippers on Sundays.
The Pastor has remained controversial for several years for his inexplicable powers to heal all sorts of difficult to cure diseases, including HIV/AIDS, cancer and paralysis.
For miracle-craving worshippers, it’s the perfect seduction. The church currently has branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Greece.
In the past three years, he has given over $20 million to causes in education, healthcare and rehabilitation programs for former Niger Delta militants.
He owns Emmanuel TV, a Christian television network, and was close friends with late Ghanaian President Atta Mills.
Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo
Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC)
Estimated net worth: $25 million – $50 million
In 1992, Foursquare Gospel Church, a Nigerian church, sent Ashimolowo to open a satellite branch in London. But Pastor Matthew had other ideas and decided to set up his own church instead.
Today, his Kingsway International Christian Center is reportedly the largest Pentecostal church in the United Kingdom.
In 2009, the church posted profits of close to $10 million and assets worth $40 million.
Ashimolowo earns an annual salary of $200,000, but his real wealth comes from varied business interests including his media company, Matthew Ashimolowo media, which churns out Christian literature and documentaries.
Ashimolowo’s representatives did not respond to a request confirming his net worth and ownership of all these assets.
Chris Okotie
Church: Household of God Church
Net worth: $15 million -$25 million
Pastor Okotie made his first success as a popular pop musician in the 80s. He found the light, embraced the bible and set up the Household of God Church, one of Nigeria’s most flamboyant congregations.
His 5,000 member church consists predominantly of Nollywood celebrities, musicians, and society people.
He contested and lost Nigerian presidential elections for the third time this year under the Fresh Party, a political party he founded and funds.
An automobile lover, he owns a Mercedes S600, Hummer and Porsche among several others.
Surprising Health Benefits Of Drinking Beer ---
Do you know that drinking beer ,cider and wine is a healthy habit if you drink responsibly?
Below are some of the health benefits of drinking beer.
1. Stronger Bones
Beer contains high levels of silicon, which is linked to bone health. In a 2009 study at Tufts University and other centers, older men and women who swigged one or two drinks daily had higher bone density, with the greatest benefits found in those who favored beer or wine. However, downing more than two drinks was linked to increased risk for fractures.
For the best bone-building benefits, reach for pale ale, since a 2010 study of 100 types of beer from around the word identified these brews as richest in silicon, while light lagers and non-alcoholic beers contained the least.
2. A Stronger Heart
A 2011 analysis of 16 earlier studies involving more than 200,000 people, conducted by researchers at Italy’s Fondazion di Ricerca e Cura, found a 31 percent reduced risk of heart disease in those who quaffed about a pint of beer daily, while risk surged in those who guzzled higher amounts of alcohol, whether beer, wine, or spirits.
More than 100 studies also show that moderate drinking trims risk of heart attacks and dying from cardiovascular disease by 25 to 40 percent, Harvard reports. A beer or two a day can help raise levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol that helps keep arteries from getting clogged.
3. Healthier Kidneys
A study in Finland singled out beer among other alcoholic drinks, finding that each bottle of beer men drank daily lowered their risk of developing kidney stones by 40 percent. One theory is that beer’s high water content helped keep kidneys working, since dehydration increases kidney stone risk.
It’s also possible that the hops in beer help curb leeching of calcium from bones; that “lost” calcium also could end up in the kidneys as stones.
4. Boosting Brain Health
A beer a day may help keep Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia at bay, researchers say.
A 2005 study tracking the health of 11,000 older women showed that moderate drinkers (those who consumed about one drink a day) lowered their risk of mental decline by as much as 20 percent, compared to non-drinkers. In addition, older women who downed a drink a day scored as about 18 months “younger,” on average, on tests of mental skills than the non-drinkers.
5. Reduced Cancer Risk
A Portuguese study found that marinating steak in beer eliminates almost 70 percent of the carcinogens, called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) produced when the meat is pan-fried. Researchers theorize that beer’s sugars help block HCAs from forming.
Scientists also have found that beer and wine contain about the same levels of antioxidants, but the antioxidants are different because the flavonoids found in hops and grapes are different.
6. Boosting Vitamin Levels
A Dutch study, performed at the TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute, found that beer-drinking participants had 30 percent higher levels of vitamin B6 levels in their blood than their non-drinking counterparts, and twice as much as wine drinkers. Beer also contains vitamin B12 and folic acid.
7. Guarding Against Stroke
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that moderate amounts of alcohol, including beer, help prevent blood clots that block blood flow to the heart, neck and brain—the clots that cause ischemic stroke, the most common type.
8. Reduced Risk for Diabetes
Drink up: A 2011 Harvard study of about 38,000 middle-aged men found that when those who only drank occasionally raised their alcohol intake to one to two beers or other drinks daily, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes dropped by 25 percent. The researchers found no benefit to quaffing more than two drinks. The researchers found that alcohol increases insulin sensitivity, thus helping protect against diabetes.
9. Lower Blood Pressure
Wine is fine for your heart, but beer may be even better: A Harvard study of 70,000 women ages 25 to 40 found that moderate beer drinkers were less likely to develop high blood pressure—a major risk factor for heart attack—than women who sipped wine or spirits.
10. Longer Life
In a 2005 review of 50 studies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that moderate drinkers live longer. The USDA also estimates that moderate drinking prevents about 26,000 deaths a year, due to lower rates of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
These benefits appear to apply in other countries as well, with an earlier study reporting that, “if European beer drinkers stopped imbibing, there would be a decrease in life expectancy of two years—and much unhappiness.”
GUYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Do You like beer?
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