GUARANTY SUCCESS

Small Businesses and Social Media: Is Facebook Right for Your Brand?

2012-02-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

1 Feb 2012 21:44 Africa/Lagos

Small Businesses and Social Media: Is Facebook Right for Your Brand?

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Social media has been a boon to many small business owners, however, anyone who has managed social media presences for businesses knows that the time commitment can be significant. Busy small business owners don't have time to waste, so determining whether or not a social network makes sense for the business – and taking a realistic look at what the maintenance of the social presence requires are important considerations for small business owners.

This week on Beyond PR, PR Newswire's vice president of social media, Sarah Skerik, tells the story of helping a friend with a niche business decide whether or not Facebook is a viable channel for her brand. The two part series discusses evaluating whether or not Facebook is right for a small business, outlines how Facebook works and sketches a basic plan for building a fan following and delivering business results.

Part 1: Is Facebook Right for Your Small Business?
http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/01/31/is-facebook-right-for-your-small-business/

Part 2: Developing a Facebook Plan for a Busy Small Business Owner
(http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/02/01/developing-a-facebook-plan-for-a-busy-small-business-owner/)

The Beyond PR blog highlights communications tactics and trends in public relations, investor relations, social media, SEO and content marketing.

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — from rich media to online video to multimedia — and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO )

Media Contacts:
Rachel Meranus
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6776
Rachel.Meranus@prnewswire.com

Meryl Serouya
Marketing and Communications Associate
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6009
Meryl.Serouya@prnewswire.com

SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC

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

Top Topics

Pennsylvania Governor Corbett Opens Groundhog Day Festivities, Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter Weather

January U.S. Retail Sales

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Quarterly Earnings Reports

Super Bowl

Valentine's Day

Banana Republic to Debut Mad Men Spring 2012 Collection

Top 100 VCs for 2012

2012-01-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

Top Firms for Early Stage Companies
No. Deals in 2007*	VC	Location

19	Maryland Technology Development Corporation	Columbia, MD
16	Draper Fisher Jurvetson	Menlo Park, CA
15	Ben Franklin Technology Partners Southeastern PA	Philadelphia, PA
15	Innovation Works, Inc.	Pittsburgh, PA
14	New Enterprise Associates	Baltimore, MD
13	Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern PA	Bethlehem, PA
13	First Round Capital	West Conshohocken, PA
12	Mohr Davidow Ventures	Menlo Park, CA
11	Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers	Menlo Park, CA
10	Domain Associates LLC	Princeton, NJ
10	General Catalyst Partners	Cambridge, MA
10	Intel Capital	Santa Clara, CA
10	Village Ventures	Williamstown, MA
9	InterWest Partners	Menlo Park, CA
9	Labrador Ventures	Palo Alto, CA
9	Polaris Venture Partners	Waltham, MA
9	SV Life Sciences Advisers	Boston, MA
9	vSpring Capital	Salt Lake City, UT
8	Connecticut Innovations, Inc.	Rocky Hill, CT
8	HealthCare Ventures LLC	Cambridge, MA
8	Illinois Ventures LLC	Chicago, IL
8	North Bridge Venture Partners	Waltham, MA
8	Prism Venture Partners	Westwood, MA
8	Sigma Partners	Menlo Park, CA
8	True Ventures	Palo Alto, CA
7	ARCH Venture Partners	Chicago, IL
7	Atlas Venture, Ltd.	Waltham, MA
7	DCM Doll Capital Management	Menlo Park, CA
7	Khosla Ventures	Menlo Park, CA
7	Matrix Partners	Waltham, MA

7	New Leaf Venture Partners, LLC	New York, NY
7	OVP Venture Partners	Kirkland, WA
7	Pequot Capital Management, Inc.	Westport, CT
7	VantagePoint Venture Partners	San Bruno, CA
6	Accel Partners	Palo Alto, CA
6	Azure Capital Partners	San Francisco, CA
6	Band of Angels	Menlo Park, CA
6	CMEA Ventures	San Francisco, CA
6	Foundation Capital	Menlo Park, CA
6	Highland Capital Partners LLC	Lexington, MA
6	IDG Ventures Boston	Boston, MA
6	Lightspeed Venture Partners	Menlo Park, CA
6	Madrona Venture Group	Seattle, WA
6	Mission Ventures	San Diego, CA
6	Shasta Ventures Management LLC	Menlo Park, CA
6	Trident Capital	Palo Alto, CA
6	Union Square Ventures	New York, NY
5	5AM Ventures	Menlo Park, CA
5	Advantage Capital Partners	New Orleans, LA
5	Artiman Ventures	Palo Alto, CA
5	Bay Partners	Menlo Park, CA
5	Benchmark Capital	Menlo Park, CA
5	Canaan Partners	Westport, CT
5	DFJ Frontier	Santa Barbara, CA
5	Greylock Partners	Waltham, MA
5	Ignition Partners	Bellevue, WA
5	JumpStart, Inc.	Cleveland, OH
5	Menlo Ventures	Menlo Park, CA
5	Morgenthaler Ventures	Menlo Park, CA
5	New Jersey Economic Development Authority	Trenton, NJ

* First sequence financing in startup/seed or early-stage companies.
Note: Due to ties, there are 144 firms in our listing.

Click here for the rest

IBM Study Reveals Challenges Midmarket CMOs Face to Sustain Brand Loyalty

2011-11-16T06:21:00.000-08:00

The proliferation of social media and mobile devices is creating a new breed of consumers who are digitally savvy and able to quickly compare and evaluate which products and services they want to buy. Everyday consumers are creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data with 90 percent of the world's data created in the last two years alone. Savvy marketers are gaining insight from social media and incorporating it into their strategies. The key is predicting what consumers will want and then adapting marketing strategies to give them the right product when, where, and at what price they want it. The global IBM study of Midmarket CMOs revealed that building and sustaining brand loyalty is the top concern for today's midmarket CMOs, yet 72 percent do not feel sufficiently prepared to effectively build this loyalty. (PRNewsFoto/IBM)

16 Nov 2011 12:00 Africa/Lagos

IBM Study Reveals Challenges Midmarket CMOs Face to Sustain Brand Loyalty with Today's Social Consumer

Retailers Lee Jeans and wehkamp.nl Team with IBM to Engage the Individual Consumer through Social Channels

PR Newswire

ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2011

ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new global IBM (NYSE: IBM) study of Midmarket Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) revealed that building and sustaining brand loyalty is the top concern for today's midmarket CMOs, yet 72 percent do not feel sufficiently prepared to effectively build this loyalty. Additionally, 70 percent of midmarket CMOs are concerned about data explosion, as they are tasked with making sense of highly complex information generated constantly from a variety of sources such as consumer blogs, tweets, mobile texts and videos.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111116/NY07839 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

Today's CMOs need to be prepared to deal with an empowered consumer who is impacting brands instantly on Twitter, Facebook and other social channels. 61 percent of midmarket CMOs are struggling with how to manage the impact of social media will have on their marketing function. Many CMOs today are focused primarily on understanding market segments versus understanding the individual consumer in order to shape marketing strategies. Fewer than 50 percent of midmarket CMOs are taking the time to understand and evaluate the impact of consumer generated reviews, blogs and third party rankings on their brands.

The proliferation of social media and mobile devices is creating a new breed of consumers who are digitally savvy and able to quickly compare and evaluate which products and services they want to buy. Mobile commerce is expected to reach $31 billion by 2016, yet 62 percent of midmarket CMOs report being underprepared to deal with the proliferation of channels and devices. This increase in the mobile shopping trend further increases marketing challenges, complicates data collection and analysis, and threatens both customer service and customer retention.

Like their peers in larger organizations, midmarket CMOs are also being held more financially accountable to their organizations to produce business outcomes at a faster pace. The study also revealed that while midmarket CMOs believe ROI on marketing dollars spent will be the most important measuring stick for determining success of their business by 2015, the study noted 72 percent of CMOs are underprepared to manage the plummeting level of brand loyalty.

Aside from current economic conditions, there's an even bigger factor impacting brand loyalty. Innovations in technology and the spread of social networking have provided buyers with new tools for discovering, comparing, evaluating, choosing and experiencing brands. With the growth of social networks and a need for transparency, trust and personal exchanges between the consumer and the marketplace are now forming the cornerstone of small and midsize marketing efforts.

Everyday consumers are creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data with 90 percent of the world's data created in the last two years alone. Savvy marketers are gaining insight from social media and incorporating it into their strategies. The key is predicting what consumers will want and then adapting marketing strategies to give them the right product when, where, and at what price they want it.

Today, retailers are embracing technologies such as analytics to make sense of massive amounts of data consumers are generating every single second to effectively target the individual consumer and enhance the shopping experience.

Lee Jeans Teams with IBM to Understand the Individual Consumer

Lee Jeans, one of the most recognizable apparel brands in the world faced the challenge of capturing and analyzing the huge volume of information being generated by a variety of sources before any merchandising decisions could be made on its website, Lee.com. By adopting analytics technology, Lee employees now have the capability to quickly make informed decisions that will improve the consumer's shopping experience.

Now, all the information that merchandisers need such as how well items sell, what is currently in stock and what consumers are saying through social media channels is organized into simple visuals that are shown over product thumbnail images on the Lee website. With this visual layout that mirrors Lee.com, the merchandisers can easily move products around based on popularity and availability. Merchandisers are able to see which products are being viewed most often and most importantly, which ones are being purchased most often. This ultimately allows the Lee team to display the site in a way that provides the best shopping experience for consumers.

Lee is now also able to obtain all product view data, online sales, abandonment rates and conversion rates to give Lee merchandisers a quick snapshot of product performance. Lee is also capturing consumer sentiment data generated from social media channels such as Facebook and brand rating website Bazaarvoice. Facebook 'Likes' and Bazaarvoice ratings are also included in the tool at the product level and these insights are used to help with marketing and merchandising decisions. Using social media and analytics Lee can now make faster and more informed merchandising decisions targeted at its customers with a simple click of the mouse.

Analytics Helps European Retailer, wehkamp.nl Shift Casual Online Browsers to Committed Shoppers

With more consumers shopping online from their smartphones, the average buyer has grown savvier with purchases, performing extensive research beforehand and always hunting for better deals. As a result, online bargain hunters frequently add various products to their shopping cart, only to abandon these shopping sessions. If online retailers cannot recapture a potential customer's interest and draw the shopper back to that previous shopping session, sales are likely to go to a competitor, even if the price is no different.

wehkamp.nl, retailer based in the Netherlands, sells brand-name clothing along with home appliances, beauty products, furniture and computer equipment. The home shopping retailer receives more than a million unique visitors to its website, many of these visitors continuing on to other online retailers after browsing wehkamp.nl's wares.

As the holiday season begins, wehkamp.nl recognized the immense value that could be tapped by recapturing the interest and sales of these online browsers. wehkamp.nl is using IBM analytics technology to track a consumer's browsing and purchasing history to create a unique customer experience with display ads, personalized emails and on-site product recommendations, capturing the interest and dollars of online shoppers.

For example, if a shopper had viewed several skirts during an earlier visit, the company can regain the shopper's interest by tailoring the message specifically to the holiday or occasion and choosing specific delivery methods and timing. To date, wehkamp.nl has driven increased sales and customer loyalty across its various product lines by better capturing the attention of potential customers, even those who have left its website with a 271 percent increase in sales.

"Social media now offers a clear opportunity for companies of all sizes to sit at the same table and engage directly with the consumer. This has changed the way brand loyalty is acquired and earned," said Andy Monshaw, general manager of IBM Midmarket Business. "With the explosion of social media, businesses are gaining the opportunity to understand and target the consumer better, that is opening up new avenues for small and midsize businesses to realize the potential of this new information and communication technologies, but face the daunting task of intercepting and interpreting vast quantities of data to find -- meaningful insights."

For more information on the CMO Study: http://www.ibm.com/cmommstudy2011/
To register for the Smarter Commerce webcast on Nov. 17 at 10am ET: http://bit.ly/rAg0vX

For more information on IBM Midmarket Business: http://bit.ly/joxxPq
Facebook Page: IBM for Midsize Businesses: http://on.fb.me/sHgobr
Follow us on Twitter at: #MidmarketIBM
To hear how IBM is working with midmarket clients: http://bit.ly/rIjE5A

Contact:
Lizette Kodama
IBM Media Relations
646-675-0750
lkodama@us.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

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

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Casualty Insurance Market Shows Signs of Stress

PwC's Top Health Industry Issues in 2012 Says Health Organizations Will Act Despite Political and Economic Uncertainty

Kelley Blue Book Announces Winners of 2012 Best Resale Value Awards

Survey Reveals Americans Consider Gifts that Offer an Experience Such as Musical Instruments a Top Pick this Holiday Season

CEOs and Other Senior Leaders Reveal What they Wear, Drive, Eat, Drink and More In New CareerBuilder Survey on Emulating the Big Cheese

Toys Safer This Holiday Season Due to Stronger Safety Rules

Thanksgiving 2011

Penn State Scandal

Foreign Students Contributed More than $20 Billion to U.S. Economy in 2010

2011-11-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

There are more foreign students coming to study in America and spending billions of dollars yearly. Photo Credit: ASPA National Weblog.

14 Nov 2011 18:23 Africa/Lagos

Foreign Students Contributed More than $20 Billion to U.S. Economy Last Year

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2011

New state-by-state foreign student and study abroad data now available from NAFSA

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Foreign students and their families spent more than $20 billion in the United States during the 2010 – 2011 academic year, according to a new NAFSA report released today. California, New York, and Texas welcomed the largest numbers of foreign students, and those states and others across the country each saw a substantial benefit from spending by these students and their families on living expenses, tuition, and fees.

* See NAFSA's new foreign-student spending data by state, congressional district, and top receiving institutions of higher education (www.nafsa.org/eis).
* View results of a snapshot survey of foreign-student enrollments conducted by NAFSA and seven other higher-education and international-education organizations.
* This week, the NAFSA blog will feature special dispatches from across the United States about the many ways foreign students contribute to local communities.

Study Abroad Numbers Released

The numbers of American students studying abroad recovered during the 2009 – 2010 academic year from a slight decline during the previous year, to 270,604, according to figures released today by the Institute of International Education. Less than 2 percent of American college students study abroad.

* NAFSA's new report breaks down the percentage of each state's college students who studied abroad in 2009 – 2010, allowing institutions and states to gauge how they compare with the national average.
* NAFSA's new study abroad demographics chart offers further data on participation trends.

Student Diplomat Video Competition Enters Public Voting Phase

NAFSA and STA Travel, a NAFSA Global Partner, are inviting the public to help decide the winner of this year's Student Diplomat Video Contest. Short videos from the five finalists will be available for viewing starting Tuesday, November 15, on NAFSA's advocacy Web site at www.connectingourworld.org/studentdiplomat. The challenge to contestants was to tell a compelling story, in less than 3 minutes, about how they became "student diplomats" while studying abroad, by making a difference in the lives of others, connecting in a meaningful way with people and cultures in other countries, and building long-lasting friendships and mutual understanding. The winner will be announced in early December.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit professional association dedicated to international education. Learn more about our work at http://www.nafsa.org/ and www.connectingourworld.org.

SOURCE NAFSA: Association of International Educators

CONTACT: CONTACT: Ursula Oaks, +1-202-495-2553

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

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Quarterly Earnings Reports

Holiday Shopping

Thanksgiving 2011

Penn State Scandal

Department of Justice to Release Report on Arrest-related Deaths, 2003-2009 - Statistical Tables

Paid Sick Days Would Save $1 Billion In Health Costs

Thomson Reuters Announces Top U.S. Hospitals for Heart Care

JetBlue Finds That More Than Half of Americans(1) Leave an Average of 11 Vacation Days on the Table Each Year

Top 10 Universities in the World

2011-10-20T04:09:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Universities in the World

1. University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)
2. Harvard University (United States)
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States)
4. Yale University (United States)
5. University of Oxford (United Kingdom)
6. Imperial College London (United Kingdom)
7. UCL (University College London) (United Kingdom)
8. University of Chicago (United States)
9. University of Pennsylvania (United States)
10. Columbia University (United States)

World's Best Universities Rankings 2011

* For the full list of rankings, visit www.usnews.com/worldsbest

Featured

U.S. News Releases World Universities Rankings

See how U.S. colleges stack up against global competitors in the 2011 rankings.

Top 10 World’s Best Universities in Photos

See images of the schools among the top 10 in the world.

Subject Rankings

Natural Sciences »

Chemistry, Earth & Marine Sciences, Environmental

Julian Barnes Wins £50,000 Man Booker Prize for 2011

2011-10-20T04:03:00.000-07:00

Julian Barnes on Tuesday night.

London based writer Julian Barnes, 65, has won the £50,000 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for his novel The Sense of an Ending. The announcement was made the evening of Tuesday 18 October, 2011.

The Sense of an Ending went straight into the bestseller list on publication by Jonathan Cape. The novel is the eighth Man Booker Prize winner to be published by Jonathan Cape, a Random House imprint.

Barnes has been shortlisted on three occasions without him winning the prize and said "as much relieved as delighted to be receiving the prize." He was previously shortlisted in 1984, 1998, and again in 2005.

He is the author of ten previous novels with translations in over 30 languages so far. Barnes is the only writer to have won both the Prix Médicis (for Flaubert's Parrot) and the Prix Femina (for Talking it Over) in France. His other important awards include the Austrian State Prize for European Literature and the David Cohen Prize.

Amazon's description of The Sense of an Ending.

This intense new novel follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony Webster thought he’d left all this behind as he built a life for himself, and by now his marriage and family and career have fallen into an amicable divorce and retirement. But he is then presented with a mysterious legacy that obliges him to reconsider a variety of things he thought he’d understood all along, and to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication, The Sense of an Ending is a brilliant new chapter in Julian Barnes’s oeuvre.

Congratulations to Julian Barnes. But why should any serious writer be really bothered about winning any prize to validate one's genius?

A true writer is not writing for any prize, but for the love of the Art and for the benefit of humanity which is the greatest legacy.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

Click on the following titles to order any of the best selling books by Julian Barnes.


	The Sense of an Ending
	Flaubert's Parrot

	Nothing to Be Frightened Of (Vintage)
	Arthur & George
	Pulse: Stories

	Arthur and George
	The Lemon Table
	A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
20 Oct 2011
06:34	UN Secretary-General, at Security Council meeting on issue of piracy in Gulf of Guinea, announces imminent deployment of assessment mission to region
19 Oct 2011
14:55	U.S. Ex-Im Bank, Nigerian Ministry of Power Sign Agreement for up to $1.5 Billion to Increase Power Output in Nigeria
13:00	Brightstar Extends Global Reach with HTC Agreement in Africa
08:00	Brightstar Extends Global Reach with HTC Agreement in Africa
06:51	African Parliaments Endorse Resolution on Increased Budgetary Support to Maternal, Newborn and Child Health / Parliamentarians inject fresh momentum towards implementation of programs on maternal and child health
18 Oct 2011
22:49	Orkin Establishes First Franchises in Africa
21:22	Local Mobile Guide Company Adds 150th Community
15:19	Le Nigeria et la Suisse organisent ensemble une conférence sur la migration
15:00	World Cocoa Foundation, USAID and IDH Launch the African Cocoa Initiative

Nigerian Students in Ghana Spend N155 Billion As Tuition Annually

2011-10-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

Nigerian Students in Ghana spend twice more than what the Nigerian Government spends on Federal Universities annually.

There are 71, 000 Nigerian students in Ghana who pay not less than N155 billion as tuition annually, which is twice more than the annual budget of N121 billion for the entire federal universities in Nigeria.

Each Nigerian student in Ghanaian universities paid not less than $5, 000 per year to get quality university education in Ghana.

For more details, see the Nigerian Tribune, Thursday, 30 June 2011.

Ashoka 2020: The 20 Challenges of the 21st Century

2011-10-08T04:13:00.001-07:00

Ashoka – the world’s largest community of social entrepreneurs – has identified 20 key challenges in today’s world that require outstanding entrepreneurs to tackle them. We have supported thousands of groundbreaking social innovators over the last 30 years, and we are now looking for 20 entrepreneurs (business or social) to engineer the big systems change by taking the key patterns to scale, adding what’s missing, and cracking new strategies. If you are an entrepreneur hungry to put your skills to work, think of Ashoka as your platform to drive high impact change.

Join the challenge for Nigeria on http://2020.ashoka.org/

EssayExcellence® Rolls Out Admissions Essay Writing Guidance

2011-08-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

founder, Lynda Spiegel, B.A., Philosophy, University of Rochester, M.A., English, Queens

EssayExcellence® Rolls Out Admissions Essay Writing Guidance

High School and college seniors get help in Admissions Process

NEW YORK, August 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — EssayExcellence (essayexcellence.net) has introduced a new service that helps high school and college seniors differentiate themselves from other applicants in their admissions essays. Aspiring students can upload the essay topics on the admission application along with their self-written response in draft form and receive expert help from one of the company’s tutors, all of whom have earned graduate degrees. Turn-around time is minimal; a typical short essay will be ready for submission within an hour, while longer essays take up to 6 hours.

“High school guidance counselors have been providing this service for the past twenty years,” said EssayExcellence founder, Lynda Spiegel. “While their advice about where to apply and what colleges are looking for is sound, writing is not their core competency. Our professional tutors help students showcase their unique talents and aspirations in a way that overworked guidance counselors can’t.”

“Having read A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink, we were impressed with his research on developing right-brain skills in order to succeed,” Spiegel noted. “EssayExcellence helps its students approach the admission essay as a way to demonstrate their right brain skills, such as empathy, creativity and spirituality, while allowing the standardized testing to demonstrate their left-brain skills.”

EssayExcellence was founded in 2007 as an online tutor for students struggling with the demands of academic writing. The site features a simple user interface and uncomplicated pricing structure. Its founder, Lynda Spiegel, B.A., Philosophy, University of Rochester, M.A., English, Queens College/CUNY, has published numerous study guides and test preparation books, and is currently writing about the effects of social media on global politics.

NEW REPORT, Students, Technology, College, Work Life

2011-07-15T04:57:00.000-07:00

14 Jul 2011 19:07 Africa/Lagos

NEW REPORT: 43% of Students Feel Unprepared to Use Technology in College and Work Life

PR Newswire

QUINCY, Mass., July 14, 2011

Research states technology can support student-centered learning if part of larger, integrated plan

QUINCY, Mass., July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to prepare all of New England's learners with the skills and knowledge they need for full participation in postsecondary education, work and life, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NMEF) promotes the integration of student-centered learning at the high school level across New England.

As part of this work, NMEF has released a new report, Integrating Technology with Student-Centered Learning. The report was prepared by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) for NMEF's Research and Development Initiative and examines current literature in order to better understand how technology might be used to personalize learning for students. The report examines the integration of computer- and web-based tools, applications, and games, as well as video and technology associated with mechanical and electrical engineering.

According to the report, which was prepared by EDC's Babette Moeller and Tim Reitzes , 43 percent of high school students feel unprepared to use technology as they look ahead to college and work; only 8 percent of teachers fully integrate technology in the classroom; and many teachers lack confidence in their own technology-related skills.

"Teachers and students often utilize technology and social networking in their everyday lives," said Beth M. Miller, Ph.D., Director of Research and Evaluation for NMEF. "However, in the past, technology has not always improved achievement. As this report makes clear, we are truly at a crossroads in the potential for technology to enhance student-centered teaching and learning."

The report points to evidence that technology has the potential to help expand education beyond traditional boundaries and support key practices of student-centered learning.

According to the report, technology holds the potential to:

* Help diagnose and address individual needs. Technology can help establish a clear baseline from which teachers can then serve as coaches and advisors, steering students to the right mix of resources and projects that meet specific academic requirements.
* Equip students with skills essential for work and life in a 21st century global society. Technology can enhance the knowledge and skills valued by employers and not typically measured in achievement tests, including: problem solving; creativity; collaboration; data management and communication.
* Provide an active experience for students. Technology can equip students to independently organize their learning process. At the same time, technology transfers some responsibility for learning to students. Through online learning and digital games, students have the ability to direct their own progress.

The report provides portraits of student-centered models where technology has been successfully integrated, such as High Tech High, a network of K-12 charter schools in the San Diego area that utilize technology to document and assess student learning through digital portfolios; and Quest to Learn, a New York public school that uses a video game-based curriculum.

The report also mentions that technology can:

* Provide an invaluable way to deliver more student- centered/personalized learning in a cost-effective way.
* Enhance academic achievement, civic engagement, acquisition of leadership skills, and personal/social development.

"Our review of the research found evidence that technology alone will not enhance learning nor will it change traditional learning environments into more relevant, innovative ones," said EDC's Babette Moeller, co-author of the report. "But we did find that technology can be used effectively to personalize the learning experience when it is part of a larger student-centered learning plan and when teachers are involved in helping them make the most of it."

The report also points out that there has been relatively little research studying the effects of similar technology across different subgroups. The authors point out that such research would be necessary before specific technology could be recommended to close academic achievement gaps between populations.

Download Integr a ting Technology with Student-Centered Learning .

About the Nellie Mae Education Foundation
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is the largest charitable organization in New England that focuses exclusively on education. The Foundation supports the promotion and integration of student-centered approaches to learning at the middle and high school levels across New England. To elevate student-centered approaches, the Foundation utilizes a three-part strategy that focuses on: developing and enhancing models of practice; reshaping education policies; and increasing public understanding and demand for high quality educational experiences. The Foundation's new initiative areas are: District Level Systems Change; State Level Systems Change; Research and Development; and Public Understanding. Since 1998, the Foundation has distributed over $123 million in grants. For more information, visit www.nmefdn.org.

About Education Development Center, Inc.
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), is a global nonprofit organization that addresses some of the world's most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic development. EDC manages 350 projects in 35 countries. Visit www.edc.org.

Contact: Nick Lorenzen
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
781-348-4239, nlorenzen@nmefdn.org

SOURCE Nellie Mae Education Foundation

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

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U2 360 Tour Ends July 30th, 2011: World's Most Iconic Stages to Go on Sale

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NEW REPORT: 43% of Students Feel Unprepared to Use Technology in College and Work Life

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Don't Let This Happen to You at Job Interviews

2011-07-14T08:53:00.001-07:00

Don't Let This Happen to You: Robert Half Reveals Real-Life Examples of Interviews Gone Awry; Launches New Video Series

Brett Good,Sr. District President at Robert Half International, Inc.

MENLO PARK, CA (July 14, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — There are many ways to stand out in a job interview, but bringing an exotic bird instead of a briefcase to the meeting probably isn’t the best option. Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm, frequently conducts surveys of hiring managers and workers, asking them to recount the biggest interview blunders they’ve witnessed or heard of. The following examples represent the most memorable mistakes collected from these polls over the years:

* “A job applicant came in for an interview with a cockatoo on his shoulder.”
* “The candidate sent his sister to interview in his place.”
* “One candidate sang all of her responses to interview questions.”
* “When asked by the hiring manager if he had any questions for him, the candidate replied by telling a knock-knock joke.”
* “One candidate handcuffed himself to the desk during the interview.”

The surveys were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. They include responses from senior executives, human resources managers, and employed professionals in the United States and Canada who were interviewed over the years, starting in 2002.

Although these blunders are extreme, even small mistakes during the job interview can cause professionals to miss out on opportunities. To help applicants put their best foot forward, Robert Half recently launched a series of light-hearted videos depicting interviews that have gone awry. The videos, along with tips for avoiding common blunders, can be found at www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you.

“For most job candidates, an interview mistake is subtle -- for example, they may appear unenthusiastic or too nervous to let their personalities shine through,” explained Brett Good, a senior district president for Robert Half. “Job seekers should remember hiring managers aren’t just assessing their qualifications but also looking for signs of outstanding people skills and good judgment.”

People skills -- or lack thereof -- got the following job seekers into trouble:

* “When asked by the hiring manager why she was leaving her current job, the applicant said, ‘My manager is a jerk. All managers are jerks.’”
* “I interviewed someone who had a jawbreaker in her mouth during the entire interview.”

Putting the cart before the horse by issuing demands about salary, benefits or perks is an unwise move. These applicants should have focused on the employer’s needs:

* “One individual said we had nice benefits, which was good because he was going to need to take a lot of leave in the next year.”
* “The applicant told me he really was not interested in the position, but he liked that we allowed for a lot of time off.”

Hiring managers appreciate authenticity, but common sense should prevail. These job hopefuls were a bit too candid:

* “An individual applied for a customer service job, and when asked what he might not like about the job, he said, ‘dealing with people.’”
* “One prospect told me all of the reasons he shouldn’t be hired.”
* “The candidate said she would really prefer a job offer from our competitor.”

If nothing else, employers expect interviewees to dress professionally. While the right attire alone won’t seal the deal, the wrong outfit can sink your chances. Here are a few examples of what not to wear:

* “An applicant wore the uniform from his former employer.”
* “The candidate arrived in a cat suit.”
* “A person came to the interview in pajamas with slippers.”

Finally, exhibiting dishonesty is the ultimate interview error:

* “After being complimented on his choice of college and the GPA he achieved, the candidate replied, ‘I’m glad that got your attention. I didn’t really go there.’”

Robert Half offers advice on avoiding four common interview mistakes:

1. Going on and on and on -- While you certainly don’t want to give a series of one-word responses, be careful not to ramble. Be thorough, yet succinct. Don’t over-answer or attempt to fill dead air between questions.
2. Poor ‘posturing’ -- It’s not just what you say but how you say it. Slouching, constantly shifting in your chair, crossing your arms or wearing a tense expression can signal nervousness or disinterest.
3. Ranting and raving -- It’s important to be tactful and diplomatic. Criticizing former employers only makes you look bad. Even a mildly sarcastic quip can raise red flags. When in doubt, take the high road.
4. Throwing in the towel -- Don’t act dejected if you feel the interview is going poorly. If you fumble a response, maintain your composure and move on. Showing that you can swiftly recover after a setback might actually work in your favor.

About Robert Half International

Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm, with more than 350 offices worldwide. The company’s professional staffing divisions include Accountemps®, Robert Half® Finance & Accounting and Robert Half® Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and senior-level project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam®, for highly skilled office and administrative support professionals; Robert Half® Technology, for project and full-time technology professionals; Robert Half® Legal, for project and full-time staffing of lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel; and The Creative Group®, for interactive, design and marketing professionals. For more information about the specialized staffing and recruitment divisions of Robert Half, visit roberthalf.com and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf.

National media contact:
Julie Sims
650-234-6104
julie.sims@rhi.com

Nigerian Mobile Commerce Innovator among 2011 TEDGlobal Fellows

2011-06-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

Femi Akinde
Femi Akinde

Femi Akinde, the Nigerian Mobile commerce innovator and Founder of SlimTrader is among the 20 Members of 2011 TEDGlobal Fellows. The Seattle based Nigerian is the genius behind SlimTrader’s Mobiashara the first platform in Africa allowing consumers to shop for goods and services via their mobile phones through text.

Mr. Akinde has worked in a variety of high-level capacities at some of the most respected telecommunications and software firms in the world, including Gateway Communications, AT&T (Consultant), T-Mobile, and Microsoft. Over his telecommunications career, he has been a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for T-Mobile's mobile data platforms and wireless portals. He switched careers post MBA by joining Microsoft as a Senior Finance Manager on the TV, Video & Music Finance team. He resigned from Microsoft to start SlimTrader. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS in Electrical Engineering.

You can see the details of the other 2011 TEDGlobal Fellows in the following news release.

TED Names 2011 TEDGlobal Fellows
Mobile Commerce Innovator from Africa and Mental Health Activist from Bulgaria Among 20 Members of 2011 TEDGlobal Fellows Class
TED to begin accepting applications for next class of TED Fellows on June 13

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, June 7, 2011

NEW YORK, June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, announces today 20 new members of 2011's TEDGlobal Fellows class. Founded in 2009, the TED Fellows program handpicks world-changing innovators from around the globe, and brings them to the TED stage -- literally and figuratively -- to raise international awareness of their remarkable work.

"I couldn't be more excited about our latest class of exceptionally talented women and men, mavericks from all over the world who embody the fellowship's commitment to diverse pursuits and geographies," said Tom Rielly, the founder and director of the TED Fellows program. "And we know the program works. After the first two and a half years, we are thrilled to witness the Fellows' post-conference transformation and accomplishment."

This year's Fellows hail from Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, China, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Nigeria, Poland, Rwanda, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, the UK and the US. The group includes the founder of SlimTrader, the first platform in Africa allowing consumers to shop for goods and services with their mobile devices; an investigative journalist working to expose the inhumane treatment of children and adults with disabilities and mental illness in the Balkans; and a Jordanian social media entrepreneur who is creating comics, animation, and games for the Middle East. See full list of the 2011 TEDGlobal Fellows below. For complete program information, please visit: http://www.ted.com/fellows.

All TED Fellows participate as full members of 2011's annual TEDGlobal Conference in its new home in Edinburgh, Scotland, as well as a three-day pre-conference event where they collaborate with their peers, learn new skills and deliver their own TEDTalks. The Fellows will continue to actively participate in the TED community throughout the year, telling their ongoing stories on the TED Fellows blog, contributing to TEDx events, receiving 1:1 professional coaching being featured in the online Fellows directory and participating in a private TED social network.

On June 13, TED will begin accepting submissions for the next round of TED Fellows here. The Fellows program seeks individuals of age 21-50 (though anyone over age 18 is eligible) who demonstrate remarkable achievement in their field of endeavor. The program focuses on candidates from six regions: Asia/Pacific, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, though candidates from all regions are welcome.

The TED Fellows program is made possible by the visionary support of the Bezos family, the Harnisch Foundation, the Dhanam Foundation, the Kitchen Table Foundation and the Case Foundation among other donors.

Connect with TED Fellows at fellows [AT] ted [DOT] com, Twitter: @tedfellow, Facebook: facebook.com/TEDFellow, YouTube: youtube.com/tedfellowstalks, and ted.com/tedfellows.

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Long Beach, California, along with the TEDActive simulcast in Palm Springs; TEDGlobal is held each summer in Edinburgh, Scotland.

TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TEDTalks are posted daily, and the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to host local, self-organized events around the world, and the TEDFellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TED.

TEDGlobal 2011, "The Stuff of Life," will be held July 11-15, 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. TED2012, "Full Spectrum," will be held February 27 - March 2, 2012, in Long Beach, CA.

TEDGlobal 2011 Fellows:

Manuel Aguilar (Guatemala) - Energy entrepreneur
Founder of Quetsol, an organization meeting the energy needs of the Guatemalan people with appropriate tech solutions.

Femi Akinde (Nigeria | US) - Mobile commerce innovator
Founder of SlimTrader, the first platform in Africa allowing consumers to shop for goods and services via their mobile phones through text.

Suleiman Bakhit (Jordan) - Comic creator + social media entrepreneur
Jordanian social media entrepreneur creating comics, animation, and games for the Middle East.

Yana Buhrer Tavanier (Bulgaria) - Mental health activist
Investigative journalist working to expose the inhumane treatment of children and adults with disabilities and mental illness in the Balkans.

Monika Bulaj (Poland | Italy) - Photo documentarian
Photographer + documentarian telling the stories of people and places in conflict.

Bilge M. Demirkoz (Turkey | Switzerland) - Particle physicist + educator
Particle physicist + educator currently working at CERN on the ATLAS experiment, looking for new physics.

Julie Freeman (UK) - Tech artist
UK based artist combining science, technology, and natural systems, in order to create work that "translates" nature.

Jose Gomez-Marquez (Honduras | US) Medical device designer
Director of the IIH (Innovations in International Health) Lab at MIT, inventing and deploying medical technology for global health.

Lars Jan (US) - Transmedia director
US based media artist and founder of Early Morning Opera, a multidisciplinary art lab creating works about "America right now."

Somi (Rwanda | Uganda | US) - Singer + cultural activist
East African soul-jazz vocalist + songwriter and founder of New Africa Live.

Christine Lee (US | China) - Bio-archeologist
American bio-archeologist working to uncover and better understand Mongolia's and China's ancient civilizations.

Jae Rhim Lee (US) - Scientific artist
Founder of the Infinity Burial Project, a project developing a unique strain of mushroom that decomposes and remediates toxins in human tissue.

Jon Lowenstein (US) - Documentary Photographer
Photographer specializing in long-term, in-depth projects around power, poverty, and violence -- also working to create a foundation committed to social justice through visual communication.

Sonaar Luthra (US) - Water testing innovator
Creator of Water Canary, a water-testing device that collects real-time water quality data from the field.

Nathalie Miebach (US) - Weather artist
Boston based artist using weather data to create sculptures and music.

Serge Mouangue (Cameroon | Japan) - Cross cultural designer
Tokyo based Cameroonian cross cultural artist + designer -- bringing both African and Japanese techniques into his work.

Alex Odira Odundo (Kenya) - Agricultural machinist
Kenyan inventor of the Sisal Decorticator, a device turning sisal plant into fibre, and the Sisal Twinner, a device turning sisal fibre into rope.

Genevieve von Petzinger (Canada) - Cave art researcher
Canadian doctoral student studying ancient geometric signs from the Ice Age.

Lucianne Walkowicz (US) - Stellar astronomer
Postdoctoral Fellow studying the effects of stellar activity on exoplanets with the Kepler Mission.

Jodie Wu (US | Tanzania) - Appropriate technologist
Founder of Global Cycle Solutions, an organization developing and selling appropriate tech in the form of bicycle add-ons.

Contact: Ben Kellogg, Group SJR, bkellogg@groupsjr.com, (917) 816-0831

SOURCE TED Conferences

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

New Windows Phone is here

2011-05-25T04:40:00.000-07:00

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

iDirect is hiring!

2011-05-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

iDirect is hiring.

rect values the creative, entrepreneurial spirit in every employee - and when that's combined with the inspiration that comes from being part of a team of smart, dedicated people, the sky's the limit. Each employee has a stake in the success of iDirect.

iDirect offers an excellent compensation package that includes a competitive salary, a 401(k) plan with employer match, quarterly bonus opportunities, comprehensive medical insurance and tuition reimbursement.

If you're ready to be an integral part of a fast-paced, dynamic organization where teamwork and individual contributions are recognized and rewarded, please apply online here http://idirect.submit4jobs.com/ .

We're advancing a connected world

IP satellite technology maximizes the potential of networks everywhere, delivering fast, non-stop connectivity that people and organizations depend on.

iDirect brings innovation, integration and intelligence to satellite-based IP communications. We take global IP networks anywhere, enabling people to better connect and collaborate. Access information. Track assets. Improve productivity. Build economies. Accelerate commerce. Expand exploration.

Today, iDirect's advanced technology is revolutionizing satellite communications throughout the world, trusted by business and government alike to support the most critical IP applications.

Right now, in countless ways that reach people and organizations all around the globe, iDirect is advancing a connected world.

A great place to work

If you're looking for an opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in a fast-paced environment that rewards teamwork and individual contribution, your opportunity is waiting at iDirect.

Free Online MBA Apps

2011-05-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Via: Online MBA

Book of the Month: A Love Rekindled

2011-05-02T07:27:00.001-07:00

Myne Whitman is the most hardworking Nigerian romance novelist. She is also the most active online. Her second romance novel A Love Rekindled is our Book of the Month. You will enjoy it.

Ten years ago, Efe Sagay dreams of winning the United States Visa Lottery, until she meets Kevwe Mukoro in University. Kevwe is happy to remain in Nigeria; only he wants Efe by his side. Over time, Efe finds true love with Kevwe, and promises to marry him. Their dreams unravel when Efe wins an American Visa, and fresh violence erupts between their warring ethnic groups. Now, Efe is back in Nigeria, and she knows it’s a matter of time before Kevwe returns to her life. They finally meet again, but renewed desire is no match for bitter memories of heartbreak. Efe wants the traumatic events of the past resolved before she gives in to rekindled love.

A Love Rekindled is the second romance novel of Myne Whitman, a Nigerian author based in the US.

Myne Whitman is my pen name. I was born and raised in Enugu, Nigeria, where I spent most of my time, studying, reading and daydreaming or climbing trees and playing with the boys. I have a Master's degree in Public Health Research but have chosen my childhood dream of spinning stories. After a few years in Edinburgh, Scotland, I now live with my husband in Seattle, USA. I write and blog full-time, and also volunteer as an ESL tutor for a local charity. I critique with the Seattle Eastside Writers Meet-up and I'm also a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.

The Pacific Northwest of America is a great place but during the drizzling winter rains, I dream of long, hot, Nigerian days and the red palm oil of Banga Soup. A self-confessed adrenaline junkie, I love theme park rides and my wildest ride yet would be the Simpsons at Universal studios, Hollywood. Or maybe it was that reverse bungee jump I did in Scotland, hmm...lol.

In addition to writing popular fiction to get people reading, I am passionate about using the internet and social media to promote the book industry and literacy levels in Nigeria. To this end, I facilitated a session, "Social Media and the Book Publishing Industry", for the Publisher's Forum at the 2010 Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. I also founded and work as the publisher and managing editor of NaijaStories.com, a critique website for aspiring Nigerian writers.

Click here to buy Myne Whitman's novels

Hiring Managers love Thank-You Note after Job Interviews

2011-04-15T01:47:00.001-07:00

More Than One-in-Five Hiring Managers Say They Are Less Likely to Hire a Candidate Who Didn't Send a Thank-You Note, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

-- Hiring managers share what catches their eye on a resume--

CHICAGO, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Job seekers who are not following proper etiquette are hurting their chances of landing a job, even if they may be a good fit for the position. More than one-in-five (22 percent) hiring managers say they are less likely to hire a candidate if they don't send a thank-you note after an interview, according to new data released by CareerBuilder. Of those who would dismiss a candidate for the faux pas, 86 percent say it shows a lack of follow-through and an additional 56 percent say it sends the message that they aren't really serious about the opportunity. This national survey was conducted among more than 2,800 U.S. employers between February 21 and March 10, 2011.

View the infographic here: http://bit.ly/g9I4U2

What's best, regular mail or email? The majority (89 percent) of hiring managers say it is okay to send a thank-you note in the form of an email, with half saying it is actually the way they prefer to receive them. When it comes to industries, the bulk of IT hiring managers say they prefer to receive email thank-you notes more than any other industry surveyed, while the majority of those in the financial services say it's not preferred, but still okay.

"While the job market has begun to move in the right direction, competition continues to remain high for open positions and job seekers need to stay on their toes," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "Employers not only expect thank-you notes, but cover letters as well. Approximately one-third of hiring managers say a lack of cover letter will likely result in them not considering a candidate for their open position."

Once they have read a candidate's cover letter, seven-in-ten hiring managers say they prefer to see a career summary at the top of a resume instead of an objective and, more than half (57 percent) think a resume should be two pages long. When asked what catches their eye the most on a resume, hiring managers said:

Bulleted list of accomplishments (51 percent)
Career summary at the top (40 percent)
Relevant key words (39 percent)
Resume that is customized to the open position (36 percent)

"One-in-five hiring managers say they spend 30 seconds or less looking at a resume, so all your communications need to be professional and to the point," added Haefner. Other job search correspondence tips include:

Cover Letter

Your cover letter is your golden opportunity to make a strong first impression that will entice employers to want to know you better. Make sure it paints a more thorough picture of your educational and work-related background; the cover letter is where you can bring your specific experiences to life.

Resume

Always assume your resume will be scanned by a computer. Companies both large and small are using keyword-search software in their hiring processes these days, so it's important to make sure you always send out a search-ready resume.

Prove it! Don't just explain what you did at your last job, but how you did it and what impact it had on the company's bottom line. The more quantifiable results you can highlight, the better.

Thank-you note

Repeat, repeat, repeat. While a lot of what you include in your thank-you note may seem repetitive, restate your enthusiasm about the job and your qualifications for the position. Include any interesting topic that may have come up during the interview.

Cover all your bases. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, send a thank-you note to each person.

Survey Methodology

These surveys were conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,878 U.S. hiring managers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between February 21 and March 10, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions) and among 2,482 U.S. employers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between November 15 and December 2, 2010 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With pure probability samples of 2,878 and 2,482 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.83 and +/-1.97 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company, and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI). CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
CareerBuilder
Michael Erwin
773-527-3637
michael.erwin@careerbuilder.com
http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR

SOURCE CareerBuilder

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

15 Most Off-Beat College Scholarships for 2011-2012

2011-04-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

15 Most Off-Beat College Scholarships for 2011-2012

How Speaking "Klingon," Duck Calling and Helping Santa Can Subsidize a College Education

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, April 11, 2011

NEW YORK, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Predicting the future, baking an apple pie, knitting wool garments, sporting a milk mustache while performing community service and singing The National Anthem with sincerity are just some of the ways in which college-bound students are funding their education in 2011 according to Aristotle Circle, the leading expert network of college admissions counselors and financial aid advisors who researched the top 15 most unusual college scholarship opportunities for the 2011-2012 academic year. Helping Santa find the perfect Christmas tree brings $10,000, while sleeping in a loft bed can collect $500.

The Klingon Language Institute $500 KOR Scholarship (language study);
National Marbles Tournament $5,000 Scholarship;
Chick & Sophie Major's Duck Calling $1,500 Scholarship;
The "Duct Tape" Stuck-On-Prom Scholarship ($6,000 per couple);
Why Milk's "SAMMY" $7,500 Scholarship (Scholar-Athlete-Milk-Mustache);
Dr. Seuss' 'Oh the Places You Will Go' $5,000 Scholarship;
Patrick Kerr $5,000 Skateboard Scholarship;
Culinary Institute of America $25,000 Best Apple Pie Recipe Scholarship;
Parapsychology Foundation's Scholarship (studying paranormal activity);
The Sheep Association's "Make It With Wool" $2,000 Scholarship;
Mycological Society of America $500 Scholarship (study mold/spores/fungus);
Coven of Sacred Waters $500 Scholarship (amounts vary for Pagan/Wiccas only);
NCTA's Help Santa Find The Perfect Christmas Tree $10,000 Scholarship;
American Association of Candy Technologists $10,000 Scholarship
Icy Frost Bridge Scholarship (for females who sing The National Anthem with sincerity!)

Aristotle Circle expert Rod Bugarin, former admissions and financial aid director, Columbia University, explains: "With college costs at an all-time high and family financial resources stretched to the breaking point, Aristotle Circle has experts to help students find the right college, while advising them on how to be competitive for merit and need-based scholarships."

About Aristotle Circle:

Aristotle Circle connects parents to experts with current insight and inside knowledge of admissions from pre-K to graduate school. Aristotle Circle's network of more than 250 elite experts currently serves over 1000 clients in 30 states and 15 countries and includes top admissions professionals, guidance counselors, school administrators, financial aid advisors, and child development experts in their fields. Aristotle Circle's goal is to take the stress out of the process. www.aristotlecircle.com

Contact:

Renee Young / Renee Young PR

914.523.5320

reneeiyoung@aol.com

SOURCE Aristotle Circle

Five Steps toward Financial Wellness

2011-04-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

Five Steps toward Financial Wellness

Money Management International Offers Actionable Tips for Improving Finances

Houston, March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — April is National Financial Literacy Month, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Between rapidly increasing prices in gas and food along with sluggish economic growth, consumers are feeling more pinched each week. In fact, according to a recent survey by Career Builder, 77 percent of American consumers are living paycheck to paycheck.

Financial Literacy Month offers the perfect opportunity for individuals and families to change their financial situation by learning about important financial matters like creating and managing a budget, paying down debt while saving for emergencies, and creating achievable financial goals. Here at Money Management International (MMI), we care about your financial future. We are committed to bringing you the financial education you need to reach your financial goals.

The following five steps will help you on the path toward financial wellness:

1. Make a commitment – Changing your relationship with money is not an easy task; it takes hard work and a strong commitment. Visit FinancialLiteracyMonth.com and take the pledge to start on the path toward financial security.
2. Assess your financial situation – A simple quiz can help you understand your current financial position. Knowing where you are today will help you determine the best path toward meeting your financial goals.
3. Get organized – Getting your financial house organized is a great way to begin on a clear path toward financial wellness.
4. Set priorities – Understanding the difference between needs and wants will help you establish financial priorities and set realistic goals.
5. Live on a budget – Spending less than you earn is easier said than done, but a solid budget is the most important element of any successful financial plan.

“Changing your financial habits and your relationship with money can be hard work, but the payoff is priceless,” said Kim McGrigg, community and media relations manager for MMI. “The important thing to remember while on your journey to financial freedom is to stay flexible. Revisit your financial plan often and make changes as needed.”

X X X
About Money Management International

Money Management International (MMI) is a nonprofit, full-service credit-counseling agency, providing confidential financial guidance, financial education, counseling and debt management assistance to consumers since 1958. MMI helps consumers trim their expenses, develop a spending plan and repay debts. Counseling is available by appointment in branch offices and 24/7 by telephone and Internet. Services are available in English or Spanish. To learn more, call 800.432.7310 or visit www.MoneyManagement.org.

Let’s keep in touch!

Visit us on the Web at MoneyManagement.org

Become a fan of MMI on Facebook

Follow MMI on Twitter

Media Contact:
Tanisha Warner
Media Relations
713.394.3202
Tanisha.Warner@MoneyManagement.org

7 out of 10 Teachers Think the Internet Could Help Improve Communication With Parents

2011-03-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

29 Mar 2011 08:00 Africa/Lagos

7 out of 10 Teachers Think the Internet Could Help Improve Communication With Parents

BERGEN, Germany, March 29, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- 71% of teachers feel that a secure internet 'parent portal',where parents could see details about their child's schooling, would improve school-to-parent communication,according to a survey of 5805 teachers released today by leading educational ICT provider itslearning (http://www.itslearning.eu).

In the survey of teachers in France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US, 75% of teachers also rated parental engagement as either 'important' or 'very important' for the success of a child's education. However, 44% said they didn't have the time or means to communicate with parents as much as they would like.

"Teachers agree that involving parents is critical,but they aren't able to communicate with parents effectively," says Morten Fahlvik,Research Manager at itslearning. "Most teachers speak to parentsat least once a semester. But communication has to occur more often to be really effective. The internet could be the answer - as long as the tool is correctly designed."

How do teachers currently communicate with parents? According to the survey, 46% of teachers email each of their students' parents at least once a month; 37% use texts/SMSs and 24% still send letters.

"Many teachers use a mix of technologies to communicate with parents, but none of them are specifically designed for the task," says Fahlvik. "Teachers want a tool that will improve the flow of information and reduce their workload."

To meet this need, itslearning launched a parent portal last year. As part of the company's cloud-based learning platform, much of the information on the portal - such as grades and attendance - is updated automatically to save teachers time. Teachers can also add specific information about individual students as required.

"The teachers have been extremely positive," says Fahlvik. "We're now surveying the parents to discover how they feel about the portal."

For more information, please visit http://www.itslearning.eu/parentsurvey2011

Visit http://www.itslearning.eu/press to find your local itslearning press contact.

About itslearning

itslearning is a learning platform provider dedicated solely to the education sector. Its learning platform is used by millions of educators, students, admin staff and parents around the world - and can be found at all levels of education, from primary schools to universities. The company is headquartered in Bergen, Norway, and has offices in London, Birmingham, Berlin, Paris, Mulhouse, Malmo and Boston.

Contact information:

Kristine Lango
Marketing and Communications Manager
Email: kristine.lango@itslearning.com
Tel: +47-9828-3778

Source: it's learning AS

Contact information: Kristine Lango, Marketing and Communications Manager, Email: kristine.lango@itslearning.com, Tel: +47-9828-3778

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Princeton Review's 2011 "College Hopes & Worries Survey"

2011-03-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

24 Mar 2011 05:01 Africa/Lagos

Princeton Review's 2011 "College Hopes & Worries Survey" Reports on 12,000 Students' & Parents' "Dream Schools" & Application Experiences

69% Report High Levels of Stress
72% Say Economy Affecting Their Choices
86% Say Financial Aid "Very Necessary"
Stanford #1 "Dream School" Among Students, Harvard #1 Among Parents

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, March 24, 2011

NEW YORK, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Some call it "the other March madness." It's nail-biting season now through April as college acceptance / rejection and financial aid letters land in family mailboxes.

According to The Princeton Review's annual "College Hopes & Worries Survey" of college applicants and parents of applicants, stress levels are high and college costs remain a major concern this year: 86% of respondents say financial aid will be "very necessary" and 72% report the state of the economy has affected their college choices.

However, the "dream school" students most wish they could attend is Stanford while parents most wish their kids were heading to Harvard.

The Princeton Review, one of the nation's best known education services companies, has conducted its "College Hopes & Worries Survey" since 2003. This year's findings are based on surveys completed by 12,185 respondents: 8,219 college applicants and 3,966 parents of applicants from all 50 states and DC. The 15-question survey ran in The Princeton Review book, Best 373 Colleges: 2011 Edition (Random House) and on www.PrincetonReview.com from late January to early March.

Top 10 "Dream Colleges"

For the survey's only fill-in-the-blank question, "What 'dream college' do you wish you or your child could attend if acceptance or cost weren't issues?" respondents wrote in the names of more than 545 institutions.

The schools most named by students as their "dream colleges" were:

1) Stanford

2) Harvard

3) New York University

4) Princeton

5) Massachusetts Institute of Technology

6) Yale

7) University of California-Los Angeles

8) University of Pennsylvania

9) University of Southern California

10) University of California-Berkeley.

The schools most named by parents as their "dream colleges" were:

1) Harvard

2) Stanford

3) Princeton

4) Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5) Yale

6) Duke

7) Brown

8) New York University

9) University of Notre Dame

10) Northwestern.

Other Findings: Responses to Survey Questions With Multiple-Choice Answers

Among respondents overall, when asked about:

* College application stress :
69% selected answer choices reporting their stress levels as "high" or "very high" (up 13% from 2003, the first year of the survey).

* Most looked-at statistic when researching a college:
38% (the plurality) chose "average SAT score range of admitted freshmen" while 24% chose "percent of applicants accepted," 21% chose "percent of students receiving financial aid," and 17% chose "graduation rate."

* Biggest worry:
37% (the plurality) chose "will get into first-choice college, but won't have sufficient funds/financial aid to attend."

* Estimate of cost for their college education:
66% of students – yet 82% of parents – chose "more than $75,000."

* Main benefit of college degree:
42% (the plurality) chose "a potentially better job and income."

* Distance from home their "ideal" college would be:
50% of parents chose "0 to 250 miles," while 66% of students selected choices in ranges over 250 miles.

The Princeton Review asked respondents for advice for next year's applicants. The most repeated tip from students and parents: "Start early." One mother added, "Start the whole process a year earlier than you think." One student wrote: "Put your best into your application. Most of the time you underestimate your abilities and worry. The worst experience is the waiting period."

A survey report showing all questions, answer choices, and findings (including percentages of student and parent responses), plus a sampler of students' and parents' advice is at www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.aspx

About The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review (Nasdaq: REVU) has been a pioneer and leader in helping students achieve their higher education goals for more than 28 years through college and graduate school test preparation and private tutoring. With more than 165 print and digital publications and a free website, www.PrincetonReview.com, the Company provides students and their parents with the resources to research, apply to, prepare for and learn how to pay for higher education. The Princeton Review partners with schools and guidance counselors throughout the U.S. to assist in college readiness, test preparation and career planning services, helping more students pursue postsecondary education. The Company also owns and operates Penn Foster Education Group, a global leader in online education. Penn Foster provides career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education and select trades through the Penn Foster High School and Penn Foster Career School (www.pennfoster.edu). The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University and not a magazine.

SOURCE The Princeton Review

CONTACT: Jeanne Krier, Princeton Review, +1-212-539-1350, jeanne@jeannekrier.com

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

New book to help today’s students and young managers become the leaders of the 21st Century

2011-03-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Bestselling author Annie McKee releases new book to help today’s students and young managers become the leaders of the 21st Century

Bestselling author Annie McKee

Philadelphia, PA. March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The world has changed. In Management: A Focus on Leaders (Prentice Hall, 2011), New York Times bestselling business book author, Annie McKee, broadens her reach from business leaders to include students and young managers—combining the best of the old with the best of the new. This book prepares today’s students and young managers to become the leaders of the future.

Hundreds of thousands of graduate and undergraduate students take a Principles of Management course each year. Most textbooks used in these courses today were originally written decades ago—many of which still include research and models that aren’t relevant to today’s organizations. McKee’s Management: A Focus on Leaders gives faculty the book they have been asking for to address today’s challenges. The book provides practical, relevant content and a readable style that engages students and young managers meaningfully in what it takes to lead in the 21st Century. McKee has reset the dial for students.

“At a time when leadership has become almost indefinable, McKee has given it new depth and clarity. This is a management book carefully crafted to raise the bar—and it does.”—Jim Lopresti, faculty, University of Colorado
Tradition Meets NOW–Essential, Current Topics

Grounded in the best research of the past and latest research in neuropsychology, organizational theory, and management, Management: A Focus on Leaders moves away from looking at management as silos: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. It presents an integrated model with leadership at the center. In order to better reflect the environment in which students will soon find themselves, this text has incorporated key and current management topics throughout the book and includes immense online resources, including:

* Emotional and social intelligence
* Ethics and the responsible use of power
* Social, technological, and organizational change
* Fostering innovation at all levels in organizations
* Sustainable organizations and communities
* The power of human diversity
* Managing in a global environment
* How to inspire and motivate people
* Adaptability and resilience
* Self-awareness and self management
* Leadership at all levels: today everyone needs to lead
* Creating high performance cultures

“The pace and scope of change in our organizations and our economic and social systems is unprecedented,” says McKee. “Many people believe, and I am one of them, that many of the crises our globe is facing today are the result of a failure of leadership at many levels and in all sectors. Today’s students will be cleaning up our messes, and I see this as a once-in-a-lifetime wake-up call and opportunity for educators everywhere to prepare students for the very complex world that awaits them.”

In The Wall Street Journal, Business Week and New York Times bestseller, Primal Leadership, Annie and her co-authors (Daniel Goleman and Richard Boyatzis) unveiled new scientific evidence demonstrating that a leader’s emotional intelligence and mood have an enormous impact on group performance and an organization’s bottom line. With the publication of her new textbook, Annie has become the scholar-practitioner-mentor for a new generation of managers and leaders across sectors.

As a founder of the global leadership firm, Teleos Leadership Institute, Annie is a leader in her own right, named by Business Week as one of the Top Leaders of the Year, calling her “The high priestess of executive coaching,” for her work advising executives around the globe.
About Annie McKee

McKee is best-known as the co-author of the Harvard Business Press trilogy, including bestseller, Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence (2002) with Daniel Goleman and Richard Boyatzis; Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope and Compassion (2005); and Becoming a Resonant Leader (2008).

McKee has worked closely with senior teams at international firms such as UniCreditGroup, Thomson-Reuters, BP, HSBC, United Nations Development Program, Vodafone, SAP, and Creative Commons. McKee serves on the Board of Directors for the Leader to Leader Institute and is Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and has lectured at The Wharton School. Her work has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, BusinessWeek, Leader to Leader, and Psychology Today.

As a prominent thought leader, Annie speaks to global audiences about leadership, most recently at the World Bank, the United Nations, Google, The Omega Institute, and IBM.

Annie currently leads the Teleos Leadership Institute with co-founder Frances Johnston and a powerful team of senior advisors and consultants.
About Teleos Leadership Institute

Teleos Leadership Institute is a global consulting firm founded in 2002 by leadership experts Dr. Annie McKee and Dr. Frances Johnston. Teleos partners with CEOs, senior teams, Boards of Directors, government agencies and NGOs to move the leaders who move the world.

Teleos’ work is grounded in decades of research and experience in leadership development, neuropsychology, emotional and social intelligence, organizational development, group dynamics, Gestalt, and change management. Teleos has a proven track record of designing and delivering a wide range of highly-customized services to create the leadership cultures required for sustained success.

Media Contact:
Suzanne Rotondo
Executive Director
Teleos
267-620-9986
srotondo@teleosleaders.com http://www.teleosleaders.com

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Diaspora Vice Chancellors

2011-02-24T01:45:00.000-08:00

President Jonathan, the New Style of Academic Leadership by Aluko, Okogbaa and Farouk needs Bold, Full and Open Autonomy to control change.

Sir, the soon to come Academic Leadership approach to the new federal universities will enormously gain from an Executive order-type autonomy in order for it to fully evidence excellent practices, sustained outcomes and well defined changes in university educational system in Nigeria.

Sir, as an academic yourself, you have seen firsthand the lamentable nature of Nigerian higher institutions in spite of millions of money that have been poured into the system.

Sir, you will agree that in the last fifteen years the existing academic leadership in many of these higher institutions have had very little impact on the overall health of our universities, and this is partly because of some members of the leadership being all about self-interest rather focusing on matters of national interest.

Mr. President, as you rightly know, every great development started as an idea, as such to adequately tackle the many human and capital challenges the country currently face, you have looked beyond the old ways of ‘doing things’ in Nigeria. A great move indeed!

Sir, you have done this by taking a very bold and unpopular step which in the words of Mohammed farouk, the new Vice Chancellor of the federal University in Kashere, Gombe, include bringing in those who “will apply their knowledge, skills, expertise, and experiences” to better the nation.

Sir, I can assure you that compared to what exist currently, Bolaji Aluko of Howard University in Washington Dc; O. Geoffrey Okogbaa of the University of South Florida, and Mohammed K. Farouk of the Florida International University will come in with a collective culture in academic leadership and embark on your vision in a way that is marked with aggressive drive and a spirit of mobilization.

But the question Sir, is under what platform and mantle of leadership will they do their respective work? Because for them to bring in meaningful, fundamental and important progressive changes to higher education, they must be protected against the expectations and attitudes of the outmoded mindset that are pervasive within the Nigerian University education system.

There is no attempt here to disparage the work of the officials of the National Universities Commission as they try to function within the present institutional environment that surrounds them in a taxing society like Nigeria.

Mr. President, if you want these new appointees to turn around higher institutional learning in our society; beginning with the ones they will be leading, the long standing academic machinery will need to be ready for fresh, state of the art and cutting-edge approach to university management.Sir, you will agree with me that there could be both overt and covert resistance from the systems currently in place, and this is expected being the way life is.

Sir, I can assure you these Diaspora appointees will strategically, stubbornly, drastically and professionally push against unstable academic environments, unhealthy facilities, and non-functional library system. But again they will need your direct help!

Sir, through a special executive order your new appointees will have more freedom to erect and implement the type of higher learning in your shared vision with them.

The special autonomy which could come in form of writing and full understanding by all stakeholders will in no way diminish the powers, and functions already being exercised by those in charge of academic systems.

It is important that many of us in academic and administrative leadership in the Diaspora salute the Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie who has continuously worked to raise the academic standards of universities in spite of the societal challenges in Nigeria. Many of us applaud him for his ongoing collaborative and cooperative spirit with the new VCs as they embark on their respective works.

With a greater level of independence, the new VCs will have the chance and control to assist in erecting new machinery in academic leadership that is at par with the 21st century educational system.

If given a special protection from how things are done currently, it is very likely that the learning and teaching environment in their respective pioneering institutions will by every reasonable way shut out and shut down many Nigerian university education problems.

These new appointees will set a far reaching criteria that will steadily enhance faculty/staff quality and development in various areas not limited to mandated completion of trainings in the areas of Sexual Harassment prevention, employment discrimination prevention and student education privacy.

The new Diasporan VCs, using their experiences and highly integrated perspectives will amplify an environment for collaboration with faculty and staff, thereby reducing any room for outdated equipment/laboratories and the almost lifeless infrastructures that currently exist.

They will fully ensure that quality delivery systems and benchmarks for teaching and working are current throughout in their respective universities as that is the only way to enhance a stable learning environment.

They will respectively exert efforts and time on showcasing the new federal universities by providing leadership and a well-defined path to corporate funding, applied research, laboratory development, equitable equipment, modern libraries, and they will promote learner-centered education.

They will aggressively create learning and teaching environments and see to the faculty/staff welfare, and they will create institutional environment that could be unattractive to the never-ending strikes, and the problems of cultism.

They will provide leadership in regards to making sure that each of the new universities has active and workable websites. They will bring in cutting-edge research that focus on solving our local and other home-grown problems.

They will attract lectures of international standards and proactively provide competent instructional technologies, thereby helping to achieve online, blended, and hybrid education which will connect well with face-to-face instructions.

They will aggressively provide leadership in the area of quality assurance in regards to institutional effectiveness, and work aggressively to efficiently and strategically stabilize electrical Power in their respective universities.

They will ensure quality production and establishment of journals, publications and lectures in their respective universities to enhance applied and scientific research.

They will provide strategic ways to protect administrators, faculty and staff from governmental abuse as it relates to the long standing manner of grossly dismissing and firing lecturers, staff, or even Vice-chancellors without any mark of courtesy and due process.

They will provide university environments and facilities which are attractive to international students, and see that an environment exists for functional basic medical and mental health care services.

They will help provide stress and physical examinations and recreational facilities within the new universities as well as provide student activity centers that meet international standards.

They will make sure that university websites are current and updated in order to allow for quick access to our current global economy.
They will be able to easily collaborate with the continental African universities and other institutions in order to build new cultures within our public institutions and private economies.

They will institute functional and quality leadership programs for public, government and corporate officials, thereby shrinking the urge for officials to travel to ‘Oyibo’ lands or European-American lands for ‘course’.

They should be allowed to create security or police type systems in order to fully respond to safety issues as they relate to the problems of strikes, kidnapping and cultism.

They will use their Diaspora experiences to secure external grants which could provide stipends for faculty to develop indigenous research and these monies could help to facilitate faculty collaborations with students for scholarly and applied projects.

They will help attract highly successful but settled diasporan Nigerians who are likely to appear at home and contribute to lectures, journals, books, and indigenous based studies which are akin to the needs of our systems and people.

They will create openings for Nigerian graduates to alternative vocations which could push them towards private corporations, thereby reducing the dependency on white-collar or government office jobs.

In the same vein they will work on harnessing business and entrepreneurial opportunities for their respective graduates.
They will provide leadership that will help create social networks through digital communication for our students thereby providing affordable access to our cyber world.

Mr. President, I would like to believe that your objective is to shape the educational history and culture in Nigeria, but the right person in the right place at the right time is all that is needed to bring in best practices across our higher institutions.

Please be assured that many of us in the Diaspora are fully confident that each of your new appointees will usher in the type of academic leadership and management style our society greatly deserves at this time. Goodluck to you Sir!

~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., DABPS; FACFE; is a Licensed Clinical/Forensic Psychologist; Diplomate of American Board of Psychological Specialties; Fellow of American College of Forensic Examiners (For Psy); Former Interim Associate Dean and an Assistant Professor of Psychology, Broward College - North Campus, Florida. joshodi@broward.edu

Hot Topic on Education: We don’t need new varsities – Reps

New Global Texting Champions Crowned At 2011 LG Mobile World Cup in New York City

2011-01-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

Team Panama Wins USD $100,000 and Claims the Title of Fastest, Most Accurate Texters in the World

SAN DIEGO, January 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — LG Mobile Phones crowned the winner of the second annual LG Mobile World Cup today, naming the sister duo, Cristina Sales Ancines, age 20, and Jennifer Sales Ancines, age 15, from Panama as the “World’s Fastest Texters.” Defeating competitors from 16 countries to take home the title of LG Mobile World Cup Champions, the pair completed rigorous texting challenges and games to take home $100,000 in prize money and bragging rights that will last a lifetime.

Demonstrating their skills using the LG BL20 and the LG GT350, Cristina and Jennifer texted their way into World Cup glory by winning the final round of game play. Contestants from South Korea placed second and took home $20,000, while team Brazil placed third and won $10,000.

“We are so excited to have won this world title,” said Cristina. “Participating in this competition and getting to meet so many people from around the world has been a great learning experience and has led to many new friendships,” added Jennifer

In addition to the main competition, players also competed for the opportunity to break the Guinness World Records® achievement for the fastest texting on a QWERTY mobile phone device. Player, Cheong Kit Au from Australia, broke the current Guinness World Records® record for the fastest texting on a QWERTY mobile phone with a 264-character text he typed in just 1 minute and 17 seconds.

The 2011 LG Mobile World Cup took place on Jan. 26 in New York City at the historic Gotham Hall. During the competition, players competed in various texting missions, including wall of dark, monster guide, legendary trillion, touch-phone game (TBD), monster’s swamp and racing relay. In each mission, contestants were tasked with the challenge of typing in phrases on their LG mobile devices exactly as they appeared on nearby LG plasma screens with no mistakes or abbreviations, all while trying to out-text than their opponents.

Finalists selection for the LG Mobile World Cup began with a series of national texting contests across 16 countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Korea, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand and the U.S. After several months, 26 contestants were chosen to compete in the hopes of becoming the word’s fastest texter.

# # #
About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 80,000 people working in over 115 operations around the world. With 2009 global sales of 55.5 trillion Korean won (USD 43.4 billion), LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning and Energy Solution. LG is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, audio and video products, mobile handsets, air conditioners and washing machines. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both a Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula 1™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.
About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company

The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a leading global mobile communications and information company. With its cutting-edge technology and innovative design capabilities, LG creates handsets that provide an optimized mobile experience to customers around the world. LG is pursuing convergence technology and mobile computing products, while continuing its leadership role in mobile communication with stylish designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit www.lgmobilephones.com.

Media Contacts:
Demetra Kavadeles
LG MobileComm U.S.A., Inc.
(707) 328-5307
Demetra.Kavadeles@lge.com
Jackie Cox
LG-One
(914) 729-4235
Jacqueline.Cox@lg-one.com

Google Launch Nexus S:

2011-01-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

If you think Google Nexus One is something special, then the new Google Nexus S is extra special. The following news report is a complete audio-visual review of Nexus S. Enjoy it and see why this new cute and sleek smart phone is going to be a "I must own one" collectors item in 2011. But I believe the best is still yet to come in the smart phone revolution.

24 Jan 2011 13:14 Africa/Lagos

Google Launch The New Nexus

PR Newswire

LONDON, Jan. 24, 2011

LONDON, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The new Nexus S is the second Smartphone offering from Google who are keen to show they are serious about having a presence in the mobile phone market.

The device which is also being referred to as Nexus 2, is fast, fluid and sporting the latest technology from the new Android 2.3 gingerbread operating.

The screen is a bright, crisp and clear 4" AMOLED screen which ensures up to one and a half times more luminance than LCD displays traditionally found on many Smartphone.

The device also has new Touchscreen sensors making the multitouch keyboard experience much better than its predecessor and Anti-fingerprint display coating.

A 1GHz Hummingbird processor ensures easy multi tasking, web browsing and gaming experience via a dedicated graphics processor.

A dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) makes playing video games, viewing images and watching videos a much better flow and richer experience.

The internal 16GB memory has enough capacity to store all but the most demanding uses for music, photos, videos and games. There is no expansion card slot for a memory card.

The Nexus S also comes with future technology advances including the latest NFC wireless payment technology. The technology allows you to read information from smart tags or objects that have NFC chips. This is a major innovation as it brings payment technology to pay for goods and services simply by swiping similar to the one touch swipe and go Barclaycard.

Gingerbread supports internet calling with its inbuilt SIP stack you can easily access VOIP from contacts, dialer or the quick contacts tab.

Other features include turn by turn navigation, 3D landmarks and Streetview from the latest Google and a 5 mega pixel back and front facing lens with LED flash.

The look and feel is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S with a curved ergonomically designed AMOLED display which is the first contour glass display on a Smartphone.

The Nexus S WIFI hotspots can act as a 3g connection router for portable WIFI device for up to six portable devices such as notebooks, tablet PCs and once connected these devices will have access to internet with no added carrier fees.

The 1500mAh battery gives impressive running time easily allowing you to talk for over 20 hours.

The Google Nexus S is currently available to order on O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone from 30.64 pounds/month, and on Pay As You Go for 429.99 pounds from carphone warehouse and its subsidiaries like mobiles.co.uk.

SOURCE Mobiles.co.uk

CONTACT: Mobiles.co.uk, 0752 574 3715, http://www.mobiles.co.uk

Web Site: http://www.mobiles.co.uk

Apply for $125,000 in Scholarships from The LAGRANT Foundation

2011-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

21 Jan 2011 19:47 Africa/Lagos

Apply for $125,000 in Scholarships from The LAGRANT Foundation

Twenty Scholarships Will Be Awarded to Ethnic Minority Students Majoring in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

PR Newswire

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) is now accepting scholarships applications for the 2011/2012 academic year. Applications must be submitted to TLF by Monday, February 28, 2011 for consideration.

Twenty outstanding students will be awarded college scholarships: fifteen undergraduate students will receive awards of $5,000 each; and five graduate students will receive awards of $10,000 each.

In addition, all students will receive a trip to New York City to celebrate TLF's 13th Anniversary Scholarship Recognition Reception and Awards Program on May 23, 2011. Recipients will participate in a day-long career development workshop and have the opportunity to meet with industry professionals. All travel expenses for the scholarship recipients will be paid for by TLF.

To apply, students must be of African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino or Native American descent pursuing degrees in advertising, marketing and public relations at an accredited college or university. Undergraduate students must have at least a 2.75 GPA and graduate students must have at least a 3.2 GPA. All recipients must be available to attend all TLF scholarship events and make a commitment to maintain contact with TLF for assistance with professional development.

The lack of ethnic minorities working in advertising, marketing and public relations is shocking and TLF works to close this gap in the industry by providing scholarships and helping students gain the knowledge and tools they need to be successful. Most importantly, TLF also helps students break into the field with internships: "At the end of the day what's important to me is to get minorities placed," says Kim Hunter, the Founder/Chairman of TLF. This directly helps the scarcity problem of minorities in the field.

TLF was established in 1998 by Mr. Kim L. Hunter, whose vision is to see more ethnic representation within the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations. Since its inception, The LAGRANT Foundation has awarded close to $1 million and more than 180 scholarships to ethnic minority students nationwide.

Thanks to its committed board of directors and donors, TLF continues to strive toward achieving its mission of increasing ethnic minorities in advertising, marketing and public relations.

Donors who have contributed $5,000 or more in cash are:

Alcoa Foundation, Alloy, American Express, Amgen, APCO Worldwide, Avery Dennison, Bank of America, Burson-Marsteller, Castells & Asociados, Cohn & Wolfe, Council of Public Relations Firms, CNN, Draftfcb, Edison International, Fleishman-Hillard, GolinHarris, Guardian, Heyman Associates, Hill & Knowlton, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Ketchum, Macy's Foundation, NORDSTROM, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyco Electronics, Verizon, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, Waste Management, Weber Shandwick Worldwide. American Airlines is the official airline of TLF, providing air transportation for scholarship winners.

Scholarship applications may be obtained through TLF's website at www.lagrantfoundation.org or by calling Programs Manager Ericka Avila at 323.469.8680, ext. 233 or erickaavila@lagrant.com.

About The LAGRANT Foundation

The LAGRANT Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations by providing scholarships, career development workshops, internships, professional development and mentors to African American, Asian Pacific American, Native American/Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students. For more information, please visit www.lagrantfoundation.org.

Contact:

Katie Alvarez

323.469.8680, ext. 240

katiealvarez@lagrant.com

Ericka Avila

323.469.8680, ext. 223

erickaavila@lagrant.com

SOURCE The LAGRANT Foundation

CONTACT: Katie Alvarez, +1-323-469-8680, ext. 240, katiealvarez@lagrant.com, or Ericka Avila, +1-323-469-8680, ext. 223, erickaavila@lagrant.com, both of The LAGRANT Foundation

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

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time 21 Jan 2011

19:47 Apply for $125,000 in Scholarships from The LAGRANT Foundation

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Nokia Supports Social Innovation Camp Nigeria

2011-01-19T03:52:00.000-08:00

Nokia Supports Social Innovation Camp Nigeria

In line with its established reputation for Innovation, Nokia is partnering with a social enterprise venture, Co-Creation Hub to provide a platform for young Nigerians to come up with business ideas that also address some of Nigeria’s social issues. Co-Creation Hub had sought entries from Nigerians on how they can use mobile technology to set up businesses that address issues like the quality of Education, Health, combating corruption, and deepening democracy. The entries were pruned to 6 out of which three winners have emerge after a 48-hour camping at the Pan-Africa University, Lagos. Nokia along with other organizations like TBWA/Concepts will allow the winners use their platforms to transform the ideas into thriving businesses.

Segun Fodeke, a software developer won the first prize with her idea on how mobile devices can be used to track the performance of elected government officials against the promises they make when seeking elections. The second position was won by Olusegun V. Sangowawa for her idea on using mobile technology to improve people’s access to health information. Tosin Agboola’s entry emerged third position. The idea seeks to use mobile phones are platforms to alert Nigerians about wanted criminals rather the current use of newspapers, whose reach is quite limited due to poor literacy level and poverty.

Nokia is particularly availing any of the winners who develops a mobile application, an opportunity to upload such on Ovi Store. Ovi store is Nokia’s proprietary platform from which millions of Nokia faithfuls can download applications, games, maps and music. Globally, there are at least 3 million downloads on Ovi store everyday. Nokia’s Head of Marketing for West Africa, Reuben Onwubiko said the Ovi Store platform provides the winners a life-time opportunity to make money from the revenue from downloads all over the world. He said the onus is therefore on those who have entered for the competition to ensure that they come up with solutions that would be acceptable even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

Founded in 2008 in the UK, Social Innovation camp runs as process/event to create innovative applications of the web and mobile technology to solve social problems. Social innovation camps have been run London, Edinburgh, Slovakia, Australia, South Korea, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Czech Republic. The Nigerian initiative is the first of its kind on the African continent.

For Enquiries, Contact:

Osagie Ogunbor
Head of Communications
Nokia West Africa
+234-706-418-6685

About Nokia
At Nokia, we are committed to connecting people. We combine advanced technology with personalized services that enable people to stay close to what matters to them. Every day, more than 1.2 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia device – from mobile phones to advanced smartphones and high-performance mobile computers. Today, Nokia is integrating its devices with innovative services through Ovi (www.ovi.com), including music, maps, apps, email and more. Nokia's NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, while Nokia Siemens Networks provides equipment, services and solutions for communications networks globally.

Have you tried the Nokia Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria?

2011-01-17T04:37:00.001-08:00

I started using the Ovi Life Tools since last Saturday, to see how useful they are and found them engaging for having the latest updates of facts on Health, Education, Agriculture and Entertainment for my news and information blogs.

The Ovi Life Tools were launched in Nigeria last November, 2010, after the successful introductions in India, Indonesia and China.

Ovi Life Tools is a first step toward extending the advantages of today’s digital economy to the whole world at cheaper rates so that everyone can afford the service.

The service has been of immense benefit to over 7 million users so far. Farmers in rural areas in Asia use the tool for agriculture to get vital information on the weather and crops.

Presently the Nokia Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria will be offered on the Nokia 2690 and on the Nokia C1-01 through Zain/Airtel and Glo Mobile, at the affordable prices of N250 for the agriculture service and N200 per month for all other subscriptions and will soon be on MTN.

The service will be available countrywide in Nigeria in three languages – English, Hausa and Pidgin English.

Once activated the service on their phones, it will be free of charge for one service for the next one month. Note that there are 4 services: Agriculture, Healthcare, Entertainment, and Education. The 1 month free service is for only one of these services of their choice. If they choose to activate the 4 services, they will be charged for 3 while the 4 th will be free.

The healthcare service include information and advice on mother & childcare, health, fitness and diseases. Users can tailor the service to their needs by entering their sex, age and other relevant details. The agriculture service allows subscribers to specify the crops or commodities they’re interested in, their location and the preferred language for messages. English learning can be provided in Easy, Medium and Difficult levels, according to the user’s proficiency. The entertainment services includes local and international football information (personalised around the subscriber’s favourite team), music, entertainment news and jokes.

Go try the Ovi Life Tools and Enjoy 24/7.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OVI LIFE TOOLS IN NIGERIA

Q: What is Nokia’s Ovi Life tools?

A: Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools is a suite of personally relevant information services providing regular localized information related to Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and Entertainment. The service is designed to work without the need for any GPRS plans or settings, as the updates are delivered via SMS to the OLT inbox in a graphically rich easy to read format in the user’s local language.

Q: Are all of these services/areas be available in Nigeria?

A: Yes, the Ovi Life Tools offering in Nigeria will consist of the Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and Entertainment services.

Q: What do these services actually offer?

A: The services offer the following to users:

Healthcare Services: (total of 7 subscription services)
• Mother & Child
o Subscription service #1: Pregnancy advice – This service keeps the user informed on what to expect from pregnancy and parenthood along with the nutritional and developmental needs of oneself during the entire course of pregnancy. Information delivered to the user is specific to the week of pregnancy and geography determined by the expected date of delivery and the location (6 geographical zones in Nigeria) provided by the user.
o Subscription service #2: Child care advice – The service provides information on the nutritional, hygiene, immunization, and developmental needs of the child linked to the important milestones related to child growth up to 5 years of age. Health tips are relevant to the age of the child determined by the Date of Birth input by the parent.
• Health and Fitness
o Subscription service #3: Women’s Health – The user will receive gender, region and age specific health tips on nutrition, hygiene, fitness and well being to help the user stay fit. Daily content delivered in local language specific to the age of the user.
o Subscription service #4: Men’s Health - The user will receive gender, region and age specific health tips on nutrition, hygiene, fitness and well being to help the user stay fit. Daily content delivered in local language specific to the age of the user.
• Disease Information
• Daily health tips to user based on the important disease conditions prevalent in the geography. Information will help user in prevention, prolonging onset and living better with the condition. Health tips related to medical, co-morbidities, lifestyle, fitness and safety based on the condition chosen by the user. In keeping with the healthcare industry practices, the tips are preventive in nature and not diagnostic or prescriptive advice is offered.

Agriculture Services:

• The Agri service covers the 25 major crops/commodities at launch. More will be progressively added. Market Prices for 111 marketplaces in Nigeria, with 3 market places for each state in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
• There is one agriculture subscription service which packages the news & tips, weather and market prices. The user makes the selection of the 3 crops/commodities that she wishes to be informed regularly about. This hyper local service is personalized to those 3 crops for user’s region.
1. News & Tips: The user will receive daily crop tips based on the choice of crop/commodity and agriculture news that is relevant to the location of the user. The crop tips are hyper localized advice based on crop life cycle & agro climatic aspects prevalent in the user’s location. Tips also will contain best practices & techniques around increasing the yield of the crop/commodity.
• Market Prices: The user will receive market prices twice a week for a choice of 3 crops/commodities from 3 nearby & relevant markets for the crop/commodity.
• Weather: The user will receive weather forecast for the day specific to the location. The weather information will include general outlook around Temperature, Rainfall, Humidity & Wind.

Education Services:

• Learn English – This service allows users to learn Conversational English with the help of their local language via daily messages. The service comes with a choice of three levels - Easy, Medium & Difficult allowing the users choice of learning levels. The service also allows choice of languages – English, English with Hausa and English with Pidgin. The learning outcomes of the Easy level are 70% common conversational words and 30% common phrases using simple sentences; the learning outcomes of Medium level are 30% intermediate vocabulary, 40% common phrases and 30% on constructs like verbs, tenses etc.. using simple sentences, while the Difficult level focuses on 50% on advanced vocabulary and 50% on constructs like verbs, tenses etc.. using intermediate sentences. Each of the three levels – Easy, Medium, Difficult are separate subscription services to enable the users to choose the service based on their current knowledge.
• General Knowledge - This service allows users to keep themselves updated with general knowledge, important information and vital facts about their state, country and the world via daily messages. This service focuses 60% on region or state level, 30% on national level and 10% international information.
• Exam Results – This service allows users to get their exam results for WAEC by providing their registration number.

Entertainment Services:
• Football: This service allows users to keep themselves updated on the latest happenings around their favorite football club. The daily updates will be around news, match dates, transfers, gossip etc. around the club and the players. On match days, the users will receive 8 updates during the match time spaced from start to end of the match covering key items like goals, score updates, penalties and final result. The users have a choice of 12 football clubs, national and international.
• Music: This service allows the user access to a variety of music services like MonoTones, TrueTones, PolyTones categorized into Naija Top 10, World Top 10, HipHop, Oldies, Gospel etc.
• News: This service allows the user to keep up-to-date with the latest International, National and Sports news.
• Horoscope: This service allows user to access daily predictions based on Sun Signs of choice.
• Jokes: This service allows user access to a daily dose of humor in the form of jokes.
• Entertainment Gist: This service allows user to keep up-to-date on the gossip around the entertainment industry and popular personalities.

Q. Why do you say Ovi Life Tools is personalized and hyper local?

A: The learning and information services in Ovi Life Tools are specific to user profile and choices making them personalized and hyper local. Various services allow relevant personalization by users, for example:
• The agriculture services allow the user to specify the crop/commodity of choice, location and language of messages.
• In healthcare services the user is allowed to input details like Gender, Date of Birth and relevant details (expected date of delivery or last menstrual period) to personalize the service content to exactly match the profile of the user. The user also has the choice of language of content for all services and location for pregnancy, men’s & women’s health.
• In education services, for Learn English the user can choose the level of difficulty of learning English by subscribing to Easy, Medium and Difficult levels based on their current proficiency in the language. Furthermore, the user can choose to learn English with via English or English + Hausa or English + Pidgin.
• In entertainment services, for Football the user has a choice of 12 popular football clubs to choose from and similar choice are available in other entertainment services too like Sun Signs in Horoscope, wide range of options in Music, etc...

Q: Which Operators will support Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria?

A: We will support all operators to ensure the benefits of the service are available to all mobile users in Nigeria. To start with, Zain/Airtel and Glo Mobile are live. We are in discussions with other operators and will endeavor to work with them to get the benefits of Life Tools to a larger base of mobile users in Nigeria.

Q. In which languages is this service be available?

A: The service content will be available English, Hausa and Pidgin English. .

Q. Is Ovi Life Tools be available to the whole of Nigeria?

A: Yes, Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools is available nationwide in Nigeria.

Q: Is this available on all Nokia devices in Nigeria ?

A: The Nokia Ovi Life Tools service in Nigeria is available on select Nokia devices. It will initially be pre-installed on the Nokia 2690 and the Nokia C1-01. The service will be available on additional Series 40 & Series 30 devices in 2011.

Q: When did you start working on this project in Nigeria?

A: We have been working on this project since the second half of 2009.

Q: Why do you think this service will be popular in Nigeria?

A: OLT addresses the basic needs of people. Aside from this, the service aims to improve people’s livelihood. It will also provide information which will help people make informed decisions that will improve their lives.

Q: What type of support have you had from the Government in Nigeria?

A: Courtesy visits were made to the management team of Nigeria’s telecom industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as well to the Minister of Information (which is the supervisory ministry of NCC), Prof. Dora Akunyili, in September 2010, during which they were briefed on the OLT service. They are very excited about the service and we will work together to take the partnership further.

Q: What are Nokia’s expectations for take up of the service in Nigeria and by when?

A: Based on our experience in other markets, we are confident that Nigeria consumers will find this service attractive and affordable. We will start off slowly with only a few devices linked to the service and add more next year. We will take continuous feedback from the market and constantly improve the service.

Q: Aren't these low-end phones on which OLT is being offered no longer meeting demand - even in rural areas - for multimedia touch devices at affordable prices?

A: It is important that we deliver the total solutions at an affordable price, so we are starting with some of the well known and affordable devices. We will add a larger range of devices in the future giving consumers even more choices.

FACTS ON SMS

Despite the flexibility of email and the ever-so-fashionable Twitter, SMS (text) messages remain the most popular messaging choice of mobile phone users around the world. Here are five textual facts:

The first text message was sent on December 3, 1992 using the UK’s Vodafone network. It read ‘Merry Christmas’.

Six per cent of texts are never read by their recipients.

Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology found that texting was addictive as smoking, with around a fifth of people suffering increased heart rate and anxiety levels when deprived of their phones.

Around 2.5 trillion text messages were sent worldwide in 2008 – a 20 percent increase from 2007.

The phrase used in Guinness World Record speed texting attempts is “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.” Time to beat? 41.4 seconds.

Video: Forbes lists Children International a top charity

2011-01-17T04:37:00.000-08:00

PanAfrican Capital Plc appoints new Directors

2011-01-15T02:20:00.000-08:00

PanAfrican Capital Plc appoints new Directors

PanAfrican Capital Plc, one of the emerging players in Investment Banking, in the nation’s Capital Market held its last Annual General Meeting on December 3, 2010 and ratified the appointment of three (3) Directors on its Board. They are Professor Peter Nwangwu, Mr. Lanre Odunlami, and Mr. Chuks Ekpunobi:

Professor Peter Nwangwu

A healthcare scientist with very strong inter-disciplinary academic and research preparation. He has significant research experience in both academia and industry; also has to his credit, history of productive and relevant research experience in both clinical research and basic laboratory research.

Professor Nwangwu has over 30 years of professional experience and 25 years of Senior Management experience which includes Director of Clinical Research at the University; Clinical Research Monitor at a multi-billion dollar, multi-national drug company, and President and CEO of companies in a variety of industrial sectors, including President and CEO of a drug manufacturing firm.

A warm-blooded Entrepreneur adept with new venture creation, and managing multiple tasks simultaneously, comfortably. He is endowed with excellent skill in strategic planning, complex contract negotiations with government agencies and industry. Passionate and an intense advocate of economic development activities.

Mr. Lanre Odunlami

A Chartered Accountant with vast experience in Accounting, Internal Controls, Strategy, Financial Reporting/Analysis and Performance Management. He is a First Class Accounting Graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile - Ife. He was a pioneer member of the Financial Control Department of Standard Trust Bank (now UBA Plc).

He was, at various times, Senior Financial Officer; Head, Financial Control, Group Head, Strategy and Brand Development in Guardian Express Bank Plc and Head, Performance Management, Bank PHB. He has attended a number of technical and management courses including Executive Management courses at the Wits Business School, Johannesburg, South Africa and a Balanced Scorecard Certification Master Class in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Odunlami is presently the Chief Financial Officer of Spring Bank Plc and a Nominee of the Bank.

Mr. Chuks Ekpunobi

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Master Degree holder in Banking & Finance, University of Port Harcourt. He has vast experience that cuts across Accounting, Audit, Banking & Leasing. He was at various times Head, Internal Controls, Head of Inspection & Head, Financial Control of Institutions such as Ivory Merchant Bank, Metropolitan Bank & Fortune International Bank Limited. He also had varied experience in Leasing in Acquila Capital Limited where he worked as Assistant Vice-President. Ekpunobi is Chief Inspector of Spring Bank Plc and a Nominee of the Bank.

Unprecedented Changes in Consumer Behavior Lie Ahead, Says Deloitte Report

2011-01-11T02:03:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: SW Learning

11 Jan 2011 07:00 Africa/Lagos

Unprecedented Changes in Consumer Behavior Lie Ahead, Says Deloitte Report

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2011

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

What: Consumer 2020: Reading the signs

Who:
Dr. Ira Kalish, Director of Consumer Business for Deloitte Research, part of Deloitte Services LP in the U.S.

Alison Paul, Vice Chairman and Retail Sector leader, Deloitte LLP

Lawrence Hutter, Global Head of Consumer Business, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited

When: Available immediately

Details:

The convergence of economic, demographic, and technological forces will bring about unprecedented changes in consumer behavior, according to a new report from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL), Consumer 2020: Reading the signs. The report, which was presented at the National Retail Federation in New York on Monday, draws together insights into economic and demographic trends, considerations of finite resources and sustainability, and the increasingly dramatic impact of technology on our daily lives. The report also includes predictions about how consumer attitudes and patterns of consumption will change over the next decade.

To read a complete version of this media alert or download a copy of the report, go to www.deloitte.com/consumerbusiness

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.

Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and deep local expertise to help clients succeed wherever they operate. Deloitte's approximately 170,000 professionals are committed to becoming the standard of excellence.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Ira Kalish

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=98957

SOURCE Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited

CONTACT: James Igoe, PR Manager, Deloitte U.K. (Deloitte LLP), +44 20 7303 8247, Cell: +44 7971 783533; or Christine Selph, Public Relations, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, +1-212-492-4517, Cell: +1-347-429-2891

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

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Verizon Small Business Center Presents Free Webinar on Jan. 12: 'Insanely Useful Ways to Use Twitter to Generate Leads'

2011-01-10T06:22:00.000-08:00

10 Jan 2011 15:04 Africa/Lagos

Verizon Small Business Center Presents Free Webinar on Jan. 12: 'Insanely Useful Ways to Use Twitter to Generate Leads'

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Verizon Small Business Center kicks off the new year with its free webinar series by bringing back award-winning social media publisher John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing. Jantsch will discuss how businesses can utilize Twitter to mine for new business and also provide tips to do advanced searches on Twitter to narrowly target leads.

During the live webinar, Jantsch will explain how leads can be found by searching for occupation, bio, location and industry. Additionally, Jantsch will offer tips to "eavesdrop" on the competition. This is a must-attend webinar for any business that is looking for new business online. Toward the end of the webinar, Jantsch will host an open question-and-answer session.

The free webinar will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. Follow @VZSmallBiz for live tweets of key tips provided by Jantsch or search in Twitter for #vzsmb.

The free webinar series presented by the Verizon Small Business Center keeps small businesses informed and engaged to help them gain a competitive edge.

WHEN:	Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 1 p.m. ET/ 12 p.m. CT /10 a.m. PT

WHERE:	Verizon Small Business Center
	Please register at least one hour before the start of the free webinar to receive an "evite" and call-in information.
	Click here or visit http://bit.ly/fiRIa7 .

WHO:	John Jantsch , author of "Duct Tape Marketing – The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide ," digital technology coach and nationally recognized small-business marketing expert.
	( www.twitter.com/ducttape )

	Ellen Yu, moderator/host, Verizon ( www.twitter.com/VZSmallBiz )

SOURCE Verizon

CONTACT: Ellen Yu, Verizon, +1-908-559-2818 or ellen.yu@verizon.com

Nokia C3 for Bloggers

2011-01-05T10:20:00.001-08:00

The world's leading mobile phone company Nokia has given phones to some Nigerian bloggers, including Orikinla whose first New Year gift is a Nokia C3 for blogging on the go. Thanks to Mr. Osagie Ogunbor, Head of Communications, Nokia West Africa.

The Nokia C3 is a cute smart phone with special apps. Click here to see the full specifications and click here to see the photo gallery.

It an unforgettable historical fact that the billionth Nokia phone, a Nokia 1100 was sold in Nigeria in 2005. I wonder how the owner of that special Nokia phone felt at that particular moment.

There is a special Nokia for blogging on WordPress from Ovi store and you can also post photos on Blogger through Nokia LifeBlog.

Luca Filighedd has shown how to do it on his blog. You can join Forum Nokia to learn more.

Jobs as a lagging indicator of economic recovery

2011-01-01T09:27:00.000-08:00

Summary:

PNC Chief Economist Stuart Hoffman, Ph.D., provides expert insight on the latest unemployment data and the implications for both economic recovery and holiday sales. Despite a disappointing November Jobs Report, Hoffman reinforces his forecast of a sustained "half-speed" economic expansion versus a "double dip" recession through original videotape made available by PNC.

Temp jobs biggest disappoinment; Eds/Meds biggest gain

2011-01-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

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