Saturday, May 28, 2011

Rihanna is third sexiest woman alive!


Rihanna

The ultra sexy black, bold and beautiful singer Rihanna has been rated the third sexiest woman alive by FHM on the list of the selected 100 sexiest women alive in the world. The second on the list is Katy Perry and the number one is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley,


Rosie Huntington Whiteley

The problem with all these fake ratings is the fact that these dumb American magazines totally ignore the beautiful and wonderful women in Africa and Asia where we have the most beautiful and sexiest women on planet earth.

You can check out the so called Top 99 women by Ask Men, the Esquire magazine voted Minka Kelly as the sexiest woman alive, but Ask Men disagreed. Then the gallery of sexiest black women is full of only black American celebrities without anyone chosen from Africa or other continents.


Katy Perry


Minka Kelly

You can also see the sexiest babes on hottest Play Boy Covers. But any list of the most beautiful or sexiest women alive today without including women from Africa and Asia is absolute bollocks.



~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011

• 100. Izabel Goulart
• 99. Lady Gaga
• 98. Andrej Pejic
• 97. Bar Refaeli
• 96. Chelsy Davy
• 95. Gisele Bundchen
• 94. Leona Lewis
• 93. Christine Bleakley
• 92. Malin Akerman
• 91. Zoe Saldana
• 90. Angelina Jolie
• 89. Miley Cyrus
• 88. Olivia Munn
• 87. Genevieve Morton
• 86. Christina Aguilera
• 85. Hannah Tointon
• 84. Ana Beatriz Barros
• 83. Elizabeth Banks
• 82. Christina Hendricks
• 81. Dianna Agron
• 80. Natasha Alam
• 79. Jessica Lowndes
• 78. Jessica Biel
• 77. Charlize Theron
• 76. Eva Longoria
• 75. Doutzen Kroes
• 74. Avril Lavigne
• 73. Christian Serratos
• 72. Billie Piper
• 71. Jennifer Metcalfe
• 70. Kylie Bisutti
• 69. Keira Knightley
• 68. Emma Stone
• 67. Zoe Salmon
• 66. Olga Kurylenko
• 65. January Jones
• 64. Belinda Stewart-Wilson
• 63. Rachel McAdams
• 62. Candice Swanepoel
• 61. Taylor Swift
• 60. Alessandra Ambrosio
• 59. Lindsay Lohan
• 58. Elle Liberachi
• 57. Holly Willoughby
• 56. Dannii Minogue
• 55. Jessie J
• 54. Anne Hathaway
• 53. Amy Childs
• 52. Rachel Bilson
• 51. Kylie Minogue
• 50. Jorgie Porter
• 49. Rachel Stevens
• 48. Kara Tointon
• 47. Lea Michele
• 46. Nadine Coyle
• 45. Beyonce Knowles
• 44. Miranda Kerr
• 43. Shakira
• 42. Karen Gillan
• 41. Una Healy
• 40. Diora Baird
• 39. Kate Middleton
• 38. Eliza Dushku
• 37. Summer Glau
• 36. Sarah Harding
• 35. Gemma Arterton
• 34. Amber Heard
• 33. Eva Mendes
• 32. Scarlett Johansson
• 31. Pixie Lott
• 30. Kaya Scodelario
• 29. Daisy Lowe
• 28. Abbey Clancy
• 27. Audrina Patridge
• 26. Michelle Keegan
• 25. Britney Spears
• 24. Elisabetta Canalis
• 23. Emma Watson
• 22. Frankie Sandford
• 21. Hayden Panettiere
• 20. Vanessa Hudgens
• 19. Natalie Portman
• 18. Emily Atack
• 17. Ashley Greene
• 16. Mila Kunis
• 15. Kim Kardashian
• 14. Adriana Lima
• 13. Kristen Stewart
• 12. Cheryl Cole
• 11. Jessica Alba
• 10. Irina Shayk
• 9. Nicole Scherzinger
• 8. Kelly Brook
• 7. Marisa Miller
• 6. Brooklyn Decker
• 5. Olivia Wilde
• 4. Megan Fox
• 3. Rihanna
• 2. Katy Perry
• 1. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley







Friday, May 27, 2011

Dinapoli To Chevron: Resolve Amazon Lawsuit

FOR RELEASE:
Immediately
May 25, 2011



DiNAPOLI TO CHEVRON: RESOLVE AMAZON LAWSUIT
Standoff on Poor Ecological Record Bad for Business




New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and a coalition of investors today released a letter to oil giant Chevron urging the company to settle its 20-year legal battle with indigenous populations in the Amazon rainforest. The long-running court case alleges that Texaco, which merged with Chevron 10 years ago, destroyed huge tracts of the rainforest by dumping billions of gallons of oil waste products over several decades. Citing the “grave reputational damage” Chevron has suffered due to the lawsuit, DiNapoli and other investors called on the company to promptly negotiate a reasonable settlement to prevent further shareholder damage.

“It’s time for Chevron to face reality,” said DiNapoli, trustee of the $140.6 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund), which owns 7.5 million Chevron shares worth an estimated $780 million. “The effects of this horrific, uncontrolled pollution of the Amazon rainforest are still being felt today. Investors don’t derive any benefit from this never-ending courtroom drama.

“The entire case is looming like a hammer over shareholders’ heads. Chevron should start fresh with a new approach that embraces environmental responsibility and risk management as part of its corporate culture. More legal proceedings will only delay the inevitable.”

For nearly 25 years, beginning in 1964, Texaco and its joint venture partner Petroecuador dumped nearly 16 billion gallons of oil waste products into the Amazon rainforest. The two companies also spilled nearly 17 million gallons of oil from their trans-Ecuadorian pipeline operation between 1971 and 1991 —50 percent more oil than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez crash.

In a letter sent in November 2008, DiNapoli called on Chevron’s board of directors to come to an equitable settlement in order to avoid substantial penalties in an Ecuadorian court. Chevron refused to negotiate, and in February, 2011 the Ecuadorian Provincial Court awarded plaintiffs nearly $18 billion in compensatory and punitive damages. The Ecuadorian court judgment is the second-largest of its kind, topped only by BP’s $20 billion fund established to settle claims stemming from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. DiNapoli is co-lead plaintiff in an ongoing class action lawsuit filed against BP last year.

In an effort to improve Chevron’s environmental policies, DiNapoli has co-sponsored a proposal calling for the appointment an independent board director with a high level of environmental expertise. Shareholders are expected to vote on the resolution at Chevron’s annual meeting today (May 25).

Follow us on Twitter: @NYSComptroller


CONTACT: Olayinka Fadahunsi, OFadahunsi@osc.state.ny.us
(212) 681-4840


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Windows Phone 7



24 May 2011 15:00 Africa/Lagos


Microsoft Previews Next Release of Windows Phone
"Mango" to deliver smarter and easier communications, apps and Internet experiences and bring Windows Phone to more customers around the world.

PR Newswire

REDMOND, Wash., May 24, 2011

REDMOND, Wash., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. today previewed the next major release of Windows Phone, code-named "Mango," through a series of media events around the world. "Mango" will deliver more than 500 new features to push the boundaries of the smartphone experience around communications, apps and the Internet. The "Mango" release will be available for free to Windows Phone 7 customers and is scheduled to ship on new phones beginning this fall. More details on device update timing will be provided closer to availability. Windows Phone will also add support for additional languages, expand access to apps by launching Windows Phone Marketplace in new countries, and partner with new OEMs to enable expansion to new markets.*

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

"Seven months ago we started our mission to make smartphones smarter and easier for people to do more," said Andy Lees, president of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft. "With 'Mango,' Windows Phone takes a major step forward in redefining how people communicate and use apps and the Internet, giving you better results with less effort."

Communications: Easier to Connect and Share

The smartphone experience can be complicated by a sea of disconnected apps and accounts as people attempt to keep pace with all the ways they communicate — from calls, texts, email and instant messages (IM) to status updates, Tweets, check-ins, photo posting and tagging. To help people stay on top of that growing complexity, the "Mango" release organizes information around the person or group people want to interact with, not the app they have to use.

* Threads. Switch between text, Facebook chat and Windows Live Messenger within the same conversation.
* Groups. Group contacts into personalized Live Tiles to see the latest status updates right from the Start Screen and quickly send a text, email or IM to the whole group.
* Deeper social network integration. Twitter and LinkedIn feeds are now integrated into contact cards, and "Mango" includes built-in Facebook check-ins and new face detection software that makes it easier to quickly tag photos and post to the Web.
* Linked inbox. See multiple email accounts in one linked inbox. Conversations are organized to make it easy to stay on top of the latest mail.
* Hands-free messaging. Built-in voice-to-text and text-to-voice support enables hands-free texting or chatting.


A Smarter Approach to Apps

Windows Phone will challenge the way people think about apps. Today their usefulness is measured by what can be done within the app, but Microsoft sees the promise of apps in how they can be integrated directly into the core experiences of the phone. In addition to making it easy to get timely notifications and updates from apps right from the Start Screen, the "Mango" release also will surface apps as part of search results and within Windows Phone Hubs. As a result, a useful app is more likely to be right there when needed.

* App Connect. By connecting apps to search results and deepening their integration with Windows Phone Hubs, including Music and Video and Pictures, "Mango" allows apps to be surfaced when and where they make sense.
* Improved Live Tiles. Get real-time information from apps without having to open them. Live Tiles can be more dynamic and hold more information.
* Multitasking. Quickly switch between apps in use and allow apps to run in the background, helping to preserve battery life and performance.


Taking the Internet Beyond the Browser

In addition to including Internet Explorer, the "Mango release will connect the power of the Web to the unique capabilities of Windows Phones, such as location awareness, camera and access to apps, to present a way of viewing the Web that is more localized, actionable and relevant.

* Internet Explorer 9. A browser based on the powerful Internet Explorer 9 and including support for HTML5 and full hardware acceleration.
* Local Scout. Provides hyper local search results and recommends nearby restaurants, shopping and activities in an easy-to-use guide.
* Bing on Windows Phone. More ways to search the Web, including Bing Vision, Music Search and Voice so it's easy to discover and decide.
* Quick Cards. When searching for a product, movie, event or place, see a quick summary of relevant information, including related apps.


Strengthening the Ecosystem

The Windows Phone ecosystem has grown steadily since Windows Phone 7 first launched in October, with more than 17,000 apps currently available on Windows Phone Marketplace and Windows Phone handsets available from a range of partners worldwide, and Microsoft's recently announced partnership with Nokia. "Mango" will further expand and strengthen the Windows Phone ecosystem through new partnerships with Acer Inc., Fujitsu Ltd. and ZTE Corp., which today announced plans to deliver new Windows Phone devices in markets around the world. Furthermore, Microsoft announced it will support additional languages, including Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish, and will greatly expand the list of countries where consumers have access to apps via Windows Phone Marketplace. As well, a beta release of the free Windows Phone Developer tools, which will be used to create the next generation of "Mango" apps and games, will be posted for public download to Microsoft's website within 24 hours of today's events. More information about what "Mango" means for developers, the tools and a link to the public download page is available at http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/archive/2011/05/24/developer-news-beta-mango-tools-available-today.aspx .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Some information relates to pre-released product that may be substantially modified before it's commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.

*Data plan required; carrier fees apply. Apps from Marketplace. Features and services vary by area, phone, carrier and service plan.

.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx

CONTACT: Rapid Response Team of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1-503-443-7070, rrt@waggeneredstrom.com

Web Site: http://www.microsoft.com



Monday, May 23, 2011

Justin Bieber and Eminem top 2011 Billboard Music Awards





Justin Bieber and his girlfriend Selena Gomez looked ravishing in a little black cut out dress

The glitz and razzmatazz of the 64th Cannes Film Festival took all my attention away from the 2011 Billboard Music Awards with Justin Bieber smooching his darling Selena Gomez in full glare of all the lights and excited audience. Well since she removed her Purity Ring last year your guess is as good as mine on her virginity. Her lover boy Bieber dazzled her with six awards he won last night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He won the Digital Artist of the Year, Fan Favourite of the Year, Top Social Artist, Top Streaming Artist, Top Pop Album and Top Pop Album.

Eminem also won six awards for the Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Albums, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Song and Top Rap Album.


Fergie

Katy Perry, Rihanna and Shakira won two gongs each and the Pop Diva Beyonce Knowles was given a Millennium Award to honour her for her career achievements so far.

46 award categories are based on Billboard data, which measures radio airplay, streaming data, social media consumption and tour grosses tracked by Billboard Boxscore.


Beyonce

The full list of winners of the 2011 Billboard Awards

Top Artist of the Year: Eminem

Top Hot 100 Song: Taio Cruz - Dynamite

Top Billboard 200 Album: Eminem - Recovery

Top New Artist: Justin Bieber

Top Touring Artist: U2

Top Duo/group: The Black Eyed Peas

Top Country Album: Taylor Swift - Speak Now

Top Rap Album: Eminem - Recovery

Top Rock Album: Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

Top Social Artist: Justin Bieber

Top Digital Song: Taio Cruz - Dynamite

Top Radio Song: Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

Top Streaming Song (Audio): Nelly - Just A Dream

Top Streaming Song (Video): Justin Bieber feat. Ludacris - Baby

Top Billboard 200 Artist: Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist: Katy Perry

Top Digital Songs Artist: Katy Perry

Top Radio Songs Artist: Rihanna

Top Streaming Artist: Justin Bieber

Top Digital Media Artist: Justin Bieber

Top Male Artist: Eminem

Top Female Artist: Rihanna

Top Rap Artist: Eminem

Top Pop Artist: Lady Gaga

Top R&B Artist: Usher
Billboard Music Awards 2011

Top Rock Artist: Train

Top Alternative Artist: Mumford & Sons

Top Country Artist: Taylor Swift

Top Latin Artist: Shakira

Top Dance Artist: Lady Gaga

Top Christian Artist: Chris Tomlin

Top Pop Song: Taio Cruz - Dynamite

Top R&B Song: Usher feat Will.I.Am - OMG

Top Rap Song: Eminem feat Rihanna - I Love The Way You Lie

Top Country Song: Lady Antebellum - Need You Now

Top Rock Song: Train - Hey Soul Sister

Top Alternative Song: Neon Trees - Animal

Top Latin Song: Shakira - Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)

Top Dance Song: Edward Maya &Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love

Top Christian Song: Chris Tomlin - Our God

Top Pop Album: Justin Bieber - My World 2.0

Best R&B Album: Usher - Raymond V Raymond

Top Alternative Album: Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

Top Latin Album: Enrique Iglesias - Euphoria

Top Dance/Electronic Album: Lady Gaga - The Fame

Top Christian Album: Skillet - Awake

Viral Innovator of the Year: Cee Lo Green

Icon Award: Neil Diamond

Millennium Artist Award: Beyonce



The Tree of Life wins Palme d'Or at 2011 Cannes


Jury President Robert de Niro (L) shakes hands with producer Bill Pohlad (R) who receives the Palme d'Or award for the film ''The Tree of Life'', by director Terrence Malick, as they pose with Camera d'Or award winner director Pablo Giorgelli (2nd L) during the closing ceremony of the 64th Cannes Film Festival, May 22, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Eric Gaillard.

Sunday evening, American director Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life won the prestigious Palme d’Or of the 64th Cannes Film Festival.

Provocative Danish director Lars Von Trier who was banned from the Cannes for his controversial comments that portrayed him as an apologist of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi proved that he could not be ignored as his apocalyptic film "Melancholia" got the Best Actress award for American actress Kirsten Dunst.


CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 22: Actress Kirsten Dunst accepts her award for Best Actress at the Closing Ceremony at the Palais des Festivals during the 64th Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2011 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)


"What a week! My thanks to the Jury, this is a real honour. I'm grateful to the Festival for keeping the film in Competition. And I'm grateful to Lars Von Trier for letting me play the role with such freedom.," said the excited Kirsten Dunst who is famous for her romantic role of Mary Jane Watson the girlfriend and later wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man in the Spider-Man trilogy.



The Films of Terrence Malick (MOMI, May 13-15) from Matt Zoller Seitz on Vimeo.



This is Malick’s fifth feature, starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain. The film story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

SYNOPSIS
The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950's. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

Thetreeoflifeposter

FEATURE FILMS



SHORT FILMS



• Prize of Un Certain Regard Ex-aequo
ARIRANG directed by KIM Ki-Duk

• HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (STOPPED ON TRACK) directed by Andreas DRESEN

• Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize
ELENA directed by Andrey ZVYAGINTSEV

• Directing Prize of Un Certain Regard
BÉ OMID É DIDAR directed by Mohammad RASOULOF

CINEFONDATION :

• 1st Prize Cinéfondation
DER BRIEF (THE LETTER) directed by Doroteya DROUMEVA

• 2nd Prize - Cinéfondation
DRARI directed by Kamal LAZRAQ

• 3rd Prize Cinéfondation
YA-GAN-BI-HANG (FLY BY NIGHT) directed by SON Tae-gyum

The Jury
Robert De Niro
President of the Jury

Olivier ASSAYAS
Director

Martina GUSMAN

Mahamat-Saleh HAROUN
Director

Jude LAW

Nansun SHI

Uma THURMAN
Actress

Johnnie TO
Director

Linn ULLMANN


~ Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima



Saturday, May 21, 2011

Human Rights Groups Condemn Recent Attacks in Darfur

Human Rights Groups Condemn Recent Attacks and Humanitarian Aid Restrictions in Darfur


Washington, D.C. – Sudan Now, a group of human rights and anti-genocide organizations, today called on the Obama Administration to condemn the Government of Sudan for conducting air strikes against civilians in Darfur and preventing humanitarian assistance from accessing the affected sites. The administration should demand that access for humanitarian groups and peacekeepers be restored immediately, the Sudan coalition said.

The air attacks were the second in three days conducted by the Government of Sudan and were followed by the denial of access for humanitarian groups and peacekeepers for nearly all of South Darfur, including two of the largest displacement camps in the world.

“The U.S. government has offered a roadmap to normalization of relations with Khartoum, with the hope that these incentives could lead to a peaceful transition to independence of South Sudan as well as progress toward peace in Darfur. The latest egregious acts of bombing civilians and denying UN access should give immediate pause to offers of normalization. President Obama should make it clear to the Sudanese government that while the United States is willing to offer a way forward, there are certain acts that are unacceptable under any circumstances.” stated Mark Hanis, President and Co-Founder of Genocide Intervention Network / Save Darfur Coalition.

“Restrictions on humanitarian access are immoral and totally unacceptable,” said Ruth Messinger, President of American Jewish World Service. “The path towards peace is undermined when violence continues to be perpetrated and vital supplies and service are not permitted to reach those who rely on them for survival. I expect the United States Government and the international community to stand firm and send a strong message that these behaviors must end.”

“Although we repeatedly hear about how the Sudanese government is increasing access for peacekeepers and humanitarians in Darfur, invariably they revert to bombing civilians and cutting off access to aid,” said Enough Executive Director John Bradshaw. “Unless the international community imposes a clear cost for this egregious behavior, it will keep recurring.”

####

Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to Sudan’s people. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, American Jewish World Service, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

20 May 2011

20:37



14:31 UN Secretary-General Appoints Margaret Vogt of Nigeria as his Special Representative to the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office


19 May 2011



18 May 2011



17 May 2011




16 May 2011




The Muslim Woman Who Saw Jesus!

The Muslim Woman Who Saw Jesus!

Millions of people are still perishing in ignorance of the Truth of Jesus Christ, because of their unbelief and being misled by false doctrine and false religion. That is why I have to remind them of the awesome testimony of Gulshan Esther, a Muslim girl, imprisoned by her religion and severe disability, but was healed and set free by Jesus Christ HIMSELF!



You should also read the book of her unforgettable testimony The Torn Veil: The Best-Selling Story of Gulshan Esther



A true story of freedom and miraculous healing as a Muslim girl finds faith in Christ

When Gulshan Esther, a devout Muslim girl, was six months old, typhoid left her a cripple. Her loving father took her from Pakistan to England to find a cure, but the only hope the British specialist could offer was prayer. Gulshan and her father made pilgrimage to Mecca and begged Allah for healing, but it was not until her father’s untimely death that Gulshan began to receive an answer. In her grief she wanted to die, but as she called out to God, for the first time in her life she sensed she was being heard. She heard a low, gentle voice say, "I won’t let you die. I will keep you aliveÖI am Jesus, son of Mary."

As Gulshan began reading the Quran, her interest in Jesus grew, until one amazing night he appeared to her in her bedroom in a blaze of light. He restored her crippled arm and leg and taught her The Lord’s Prayer. He told her to go to his people—now her people—and tell them what he had done. Since that time, and to this day, she has been a joyous, obedient disciple of Christ. The Torn Veil is an amazing story of faith and determination.

This moving autobiography was first published in 1984 and has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide.

Click on the Amazon image of the book cover below to order for this book of the extraordinary testimony of this Muslim woman who saw Jesus our Lord!



Friday, May 20, 2011

Barack Obama is also Irish and the Irish love him



As Queen Elizabeth 2 ends her own first visit to Ireland, President Barack Obama begins his own.


President Barack Obama

He will be one of eight hundred thousand Americans expected to travel to Ireland this year, but his is perhaps the most historic one, because he is actually going back to his ancestral roots. Yes, Barack Obama is also Irish. Most people know him as a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, whose mother Ann Dunham Stanley came from Wichita, Kansas of mostly English descent with the roots of her family tree going as far back as Germany, Wales and of course Ireland where Obama will be welcomed with open arms in Moneygall, County Offaly the birthpace of his great-great-great grandfather Falmouth Kearney (who emigrated to the US in 1850, because of the potato famine). Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, was a descendant of one of Kearney's daughters, Mary Ann Kearney, and Jacob William Dunham. So, the Irish can also claim him and how amusing that would be to his kith and kin from his black African father Barack Obama, Sr., a Luo from Nyang'oma Kogelo, Nyanza Province, Kenya.

Obama's 24-hour visit to Ireland begins on Monday and will receive the warmest of Irish hospitality when he visits the Emerald Isle where hundreds of thousands of well wishers will line the streets to his ancestral village of Monegall in Co, Offaly where preparations to host him are already in full swing.

“We have huge connections with America and we look forward to deepening those in years to come and giving a warm Irish welcome to all the Americans that come here. There are 40 million people of Irish decent in America and we think they are going to be thrilled that President Obama is coming here and the genealogical connection is an indelible one and we are delighted that president Obama is coming here to discover his roots with us in Ireland,” said Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland.

“Well, we traced back nine generations from the president, so we took Megan Smolenyak’s work and we took it back another four generations again, tracing it back to the late 1600s and that’s a real achievement in Irish Genealogy because so many of the records have been destroyed over the previous 300 years. The thing to remember as well, is that the president’s family, they weren’t rich, they weren’t anglo Irish, they were simply a regular family and to be able to trace them back was really quite something,” enthused Fiona Fitzsimons, Genealogist, Eneclann.

“We hope he will come and visit the school house behind me where his ancestors were educated. The ancestral home still stands in the village, that’s another important site, also Templeharry church. So there are three important sites within the area for anyone to come and visit, and of course it wouldn’t be a presidential visit to Ireland without a traditional stop off in the local pub for a pint of Guinness,” said Henry Healy, one of the 28 living Irish relatives of President Obama.
'The place is buzzing,' Majella Hayes, co-owner of Ollie Hayes bar in Moneygall, told the German Press Agency dpa.
'The atmosphere is electric. The bar is full of visitors and locals alike. There's nowhere to park your car in the village. There are hundreds of extra people around,' said Hayes, in whose bar President Obama is expected to sample a pint of Guinness on Monday afternoon. But a source at the White House doubts whether the president will drink it.

'There is a lot of work going on too with telephone lines and the likes being put in. This is not a tourist town, so we're not used to anything like this,' she added.

During his stay President Obama will also visit the capital city of Dublin where a huge celebration rally is planned according to Tourism Ireland.



Photo: The residents of Moneygall is in the grip of Obamania, because later this month Obama will be making a presidential pilgrimage here to discover his Irish roots. Photo: KIM HAUGHTON.



Photo: Dorma Lee Reese poses for a picture at her home in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Reese, 83, a retired EEG technologist, learned about a year ago that she is a third cousin to President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson.)

According to Monsters & Critics, souvenir shops are springing up along with an Obama café, residents painting their houses, with one even painting the front of his house in the colours of the US flag. US flags are on display and tourists can buy t-shirts proclaiming 'Is feidir linn,' which means 'Yes, we can,' in Irish and 'What's the crack, Barack?'. There's also high-fibre, low-fat Obama bread on sale in the grocery shop.

Villagers have also been treated to repeated visits from men in dark glasses, making preparations for the stringent security arrangements and a man was quizzed for making death threats.

US president is also scheduled to address a crowd of villagers and visitors and meet the Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Monday morning and later attend a concert in the evening before making a speech at central Dublin's College Green, where former US President Bill Clinton addressed a crowd of tens of thousands in 1995.

About 12 per cent of Americans claim Irish ancestry, and Ireland has welcomed several US presidents to their ancestral homes since the visit of John F Kennedy in 1963.

Monsters & Critics reported that some cynics pointed out that Obama is only 1/32 Irish. But in Moneygall at least, in the words of a song in his honour, 'There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama.'

Barack Obama Is í an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeilge grá dó sin.


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima


"Mr. Pink" A Hot Film For Global Universal



May 19, 2011 11:42 ET


"Mr. Pink" A Hot Film For Global Universal

LOS ANGELES, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB/BB: GBHL) announced today that its US Production subsidiary, Global Universal Entertainment, Inc. has optioned the motion picture and television rights to the recently published book, "Mr. Pink".

"Mr. Pink is one hot property,"stated Daniel Sherkow, COO of Global Universal Entertainment. "Mr. Pink" is the true story of four well off college students who pulled off one of the largest heists in the art world. The valuable art books are worth over twelve million dollars!"

Former Paramount Executive Sherkow continued, "The 'Mr. Pink' project is an exciting and compelling true story, which is featured on Google under The Transy Book Heist , and more info is at: http://www.whoismrpink.com/. It is timely, teen driven, yet bears a strong moral lesson."

Veteran writer and film producer Jackie Giroux has adapted the screenplay from Blake Allen and Allen Brothers Publishing. Giroux will produce the picture, along with Blake Allen, Sydney Allen, and Mike Markwell, as Executive Producers. "I read the book in one sitting," exclaimed Giroux. "It is very similar to Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. If these four very different personalities had not met in college, the ingenious heist idea would have never come to fruition. They fed upon each other's talents. This will be the fascination for a great Hollywood cast, and a hit film!"

Global Universal expects to shoot a portion of the picture in Kentucky and has begun evaluating locations within that State. In addition, Global Universal is also in conversations with distributors as it explores various distribution options.

Gary Rasmussen, CEO of Global Universal, stated that "the 'Mr. Pink' project has the potential to add significant value to the company due to its potential 'box office appeal' and our ability to produce the picture at a comparatively reasonable cost." Mr. Rasmussen continued, "As an additional revenue stream, Global Universal will share in the proceeds of the book in addition to its participation in the motion picture".

About Global Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (OTC: GBHL) is a publicly-held entertainment company. The Company's goal is to build a worldwide entertainment organization with a multitude of domestic and foreign production affiliates. GBHL, operating through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Global Universal Film Group, Inc., Global Universal Entertainment, Inc., and its partially-owned Canadian subsidiary Global Universal Pictures, is in the process of developing and producing a slate of motion pictures in Canada and the U.S., employing recognizable-named talent, for worldwide release. GBHL is focused on the financing and marketing of these feature-length films. GBHL, through another wholly owned subsidiary, You've Got The Part, Inc. (www.youvegotthepart.com), will attempt to capitalize on the current popularity of Hollywood and reality based programming by casting small roles online that anyone with a digital camera can apply for.

Safe Harbor: Pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21B of the Exchange Act of 1934, any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals and assumptions of future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Forward-looking statements in this release may be identified through the use of words such as "expects," "will," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes," or statements indicating certain actions such as "may," "could," or "might" occur. Such statements reflect the current views of GBHL and its affiliated companies with respect to future events and are subject to certain assumptions, including those described in this release. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development and market acceptance and commercial appeal of its feature-length films, its film production services, competitive market conditions in the motion picture industry (both in the US and foreign markets), successful sale of the rights to film content produced, the ability to secure additional sources of financing, the ability to reduce operating expenses and other factors. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties. Neither Global Entertainment Holdings, nor its affiliated or subsidiary entities undertakes any responsibility to update the "forward-looking" statements contained in this news release.

For more information, please visit us at: WWW.GLOBAL-GBHL.COM , or contact the Company by email at: contact@globaluniversal.com or 818-527-5251.

SOURCE Global Entertainment Holdings, Inc.


Web Site: http://www.whoismrpink.com



Cannes, please revoke the ban on Lars von Trier




Cannes boots von Trier for Hitler comments

Cannes festival reacts to Danish director's strange remarks about Nazis by declaring him 'persona non grata.'

Copyright (c) CBC 2011


Lars von Trier

Cannes, please revoke the ban on Lars von Trier

The controversial Danish film director and screenwriter Lars von Trier is well known for his provocative art films such as the horrifying Gothic and pornographic Antichrist that also shocked audiences at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in 2009. Therefore, when it was reported that he has rattled the organizers of the festival at the Wednesday press parley before the premiere of his apocalyptic science fiction film Melancholia at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, I was not surprised, because it is his signature for grabbing headlines. The organizers should have ignored his “I’M A NAZI” joke and claiming to understand Adolf Hitler. He has done it again and got the whole paparazzi going gaga over his unsavoury act. And then apologized after getting the attention for his his new film. Lars von Trier's shocking allusion to Adolf Hitler is another deliberate kind of deus ex machina and it has attracted the attention of the global village.

"I am not anti-Semitic or racially prejudiced in any way, nor am I a Nazi," Lars von Trier said.
"I really wanted to be a Jew, and then I found out that I was really a Nazi, because, you know, my family was German," von Trier said. "Which also gave me some pleasure."

"What can I say? I understand Hitler, but I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely. But I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end," von Trier said. "He's not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him, and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I'm not for the Second World War, and I'm not against Jews."

Declaring him "persona non grata" and banning him from future Cannes is UNFAIR and HYPOCRITICAL!

Hello Festival de Cannes! What happened to Freedom of Expression or Free Speech which is clearly defined and stated in Articles 18 and 19 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter

Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Please, the Cannes Film Festival should revoke the ban on this extraordinary radical Danish filmmaker and screenwriter, because it is reactionary and retrogressive in the further development of film-making as an art and a democratic vehicle for intellectual freedom.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima


Thursday, May 19, 2011

Half of Americans Unlikely to Vote to Re-Elect Barack Obama


President Barack Obama's killing of Osama bin Laden is not enough to re-elect him

19 May 2011 16:19 Africa/Lagos


President Obama's Job Rating Unchanged Since Early May, but Half of Americans Unlikely to Vote to Re-Elect Him

Employment/Jobs and the Economy still most important issues for government to address

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, May 19, 2011

NEW YORK, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While President Obama's job ratings may not have changed much from the gain they saw after the death of Osama Bin Laden, there are some shifts the White House probably should worry about as they pertain to his re-election numbers. Currently, 45% of Americans give the President positive ratings for the overall job he is doing while 55% give him negative ratings. Earlier this month, right after the death of the terrorist leader, 46% gave President Obama positive ratings and 54% gave him negative marks.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO)

There are two groups that give President Obama higher ratings. Among regions, 54% of Westerners give him positive marks compared to 40% of Southerners, 42% of Easterners and 44% of those in the Midwest. Almost two-thirds of those with a post graduate degree (64%) give the President positive ratings as do 49% of college graduates and half of those with some college education (50%) while just one third of those with a high school diploma or less (34%) give President Obama positive ratings.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,184 adults surveyed online between May 9 and 16, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

Congress, which did not get much of a post-Osama killing bump, also hasn't seen their ratings change much in the past two weeks. Earlier in the month, 13% of Americans gave them positive ratings while 87% gave them negative ones. Now, 12% of U.S. adults give them positive marks while 88% of U.S. adults give Congress negative ratings for their overall job.

Also slipping downward slightly is the direction of the country. Just under two in five Americans (38%) say the country is going in the right direction, down one point from earlier this month. Slightly over three in five say the country is going off on the wrong track (62%), up one point from early May. One reason for this overall sense of dissatisfaction is still the economy. One-third of Americans (33%) say that employment/jobs are one of the two most important issues for the government to address, unchanged from January. One in three U.S. adults (29%) says the most important issue is the economy overall, up from 24% who said this in January. Rounding out the top five most important issues to be addressed is healthcare (18%), the budget deficit/national debt (17%) and gas and oil prices (12% up from 1% who said this in January).

It is this worry and concern over the economy that may be driving the numbers the White House is starting to care most about – likelihood of the American public to vote for President Obama again next November. Half of Americans (49%) say they are unlikely to vote for Barack Obama if the election for president were held today, up from 47% who said this in early May. Just over two in five Americans (43%) say they are likely to vote for him, down from 46% who said so earlier this month. Even more concerning for the re-election committee is that one in five Democrats (20%) say they are not likely to vote for the President while 7% at not at all sure.

So What?

The death of Osama Bin Laden brought the country together, but the question was always how long would that cohesion last. So far, the overall job ratings for the President are holding steady, but at this point in the election cycle President Obama and his advisors are not just thinking about the current job he has, but of extending it for another four years. Come next November, voters will be asking themselves if they are better off than they were in 2009. If the answer isn't yes, there could be issues for the re-election chances of President Obama.


Click here for all the details

Top Headlines



Monday, May 16, 2011

Judicial Watch demands proof of the death of Osama bin Laden



Judicial Watch Announces Freedom of Information Act Lawsuit Seeking bin Laden Photos and Videos

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2011

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DOD) seeking "all photographs and/or video recordings of Osama (Usama) bin Laden taken during and/or after the U.S. military operation in Pakistan on or about May 1, 2011" (Judicial Watch v. DOD (No. 1:11-cv-00890) (JEB)).

Judicial Watch filed a FOIA request with the DOD on May 3.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, the DOD has 20 business days legally to respond. Rather than follow the law, the DOD has stated:

At this time, we are unable to make a release determination on your request within the 20-day statutory time period.

Judicial Watch filed an identical FOIA request with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on May 4. The CIA has yet to acknowledge or respond to the request.

"The American people have a right to know, by law, basic information about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Incredibly, the Obama administration told us that it has no plans to comply with the Freedom of Information law, so we must now go to court. President Obama's not wanting to 'spike the football' is not a lawful basis for withholding government documents. This historic lawsuit should remind the Obama administration that it is not above the law," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

Visit www.judicialwatch.org to view Judicial Watch's Freedom of Information requests.

Founded in 1994, Judicial Watch Inc. is a constitutionally conservative, nonpartisan educational foundation that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. JW is perhaps the most active FOIA request or and litigator operating today.

SOURCE Judicial Watch

CONTACT: Jill S. Farrell, Director of Public Affairs, Judicial Watch Inc., +1-202-646-5188

Web Site: http://www.judicialwatch.org


Related Report:

Dead or Alive? Osama bin Laden: A Marketing Tool for US-NATO Military Operations by Elizabeth Woodworth



Saturday, May 14, 2011

“NEWS REPUBLIC” Goes Multi-Platform



The World’s Top Rated News App “NEWS REPUBLIC” Goes Multi-Platform

Mobiles Republic is on course to exceed all its previous download records in the coming months and expects ‘News Republic’ to become the news application of choice for millions of new users around the world.

London 13th May 2011 /PRNewswire/ — First there was ‘Appy’ the acclaimed award winning service developed for feature phones that achieved an incredible 1 million downloads that was generating the buzz. Today it's ‘News Republic’ the natural successor designed for smartphones with its ground breaking TagNav© news tracking and navigation system, making the headlines, literally.

In little more than 4 months News Republic has attracted over 400,000 new iPhone and Android users with its English, French and Italian editions and this week saw the launch of a Spanish edition with a German language version to follow shortly. In March alone over 15 million news articles including breaking news headlines, in-depth features plus live updates on many popular subjects including Sport, Business, Technology, Celebrity, Entertainment and Hollywood Gossip were viewed on the app.

This hugely popular News Application is now launching on multiple new platforms including Blackberry, Symbian, Bada, Windows Phone 7 and webOS as well as Android Honeycomb tablets. The much awaited iPad version is due in a matter of weeks.

The success of News Republic is based on the company’s proprietary TagNav© system whereby the user can easily search and organise news stories and related news articles that are of specific interest to them. The app is designed to enable users to closely follow their favourite subjects, people or places and be the first to know when a new story breaks. The simple and fluent interface allows users to search, discover and share vital news stories using email, Twitter or Facebook.

Users create their very own unique and personalised news channels generated from thousands of breaking news stories from over 50 leading news agencies, major brands and local media sources around the world including AFP, AP, Reuters and PR Newswire and multiple specialist media brands including ITN, Adfero, Techradar, eWeek, breaking Celebrity news from WENN plus many more.

The app has secured licensing agreements with all the content providers so users get the full stories, pictures and videos within the app itself. In addition, news stories can be referenced to external resources including Wikipedia, YouTube and Google and with over 120,000 topics covered, users have the option to search and find out even more information or related news and articles across the entire web instantly.

NEWS REPUBLIC, the Top Rated News app is FREE and available worldwide on iTunes Store, Android Market, Blackberry Appworld, Samsung Apps and Ovi Store in the News Sections.

Watch the Video Demonstrations & Tutorials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0d1TDhwOJs.

Find News on News Republic:

* Internet: http://www.news-republic.com
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/NewsRepublic

About Mobiles Republic:
Founded in 2008, Mobiles Republic quickly established a reputation for innovation and excellence in developing successful apps for the Smartphone market as well as award winning apps for feature phones including the prestigious Sony Ericsson Content Award. Mobiles Republic has developed TAGNAV™, a semantic search and semantic targeting solution that powers its NEWS REPUBLIC™ application. The company has expanded rapidly and has established strong relationships with leading publishers, global media brands and handset manufacturers as well as extensive partnerships mobile network operators. Mobiles Republic applications are preloaded on Samsung Mobile, LG and Sony Ericsson handsets in several regions.

A full Electronic Press Kit is available at http://www.news-republic.com.

High Resolution corporate logos, screen shots, and corporate information available upon request.

Press Contact: UK
Louis Kingston
Northern European Regional Director
Louis.kingston@mobilesrepublic.com