Security and Data Breach Concerns With iCloud

A major setback to Apple’s reputation came about this week when hundreds of nude photographs of celebrities were leaked from iCloud and posted on 4chan (an image sharing forum). This news made the bulletin as it involved celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande and the FBI is investigating this matter. The news has been attracting mixed reactions over the social media forums, few blaming the celebrities for taking their compromising pictures and others blaming the poor data security of iCloud, a cloud computing service from Apple Inc. to store pictures, music and data.

Apple set about engineers to detect the cause and patch the gap in its security and denied that its security measures were faulty, as only a few celebrity accounts were targeted. The discovery made in the investigations suggests that the hackers used user names, passwords and mainly information for security questions to unlock their accounts. Unlike other services which lock you out after a few trials with an incorrect password, Apple’s „Find My iPhone“ feature allowed hackers to make unlimited trials with password using „Brute-Force attack“ concept.

What provoked more speculation was the fact that, a day before this leak, a code for Apple’s brute-force technique was uploaded on GitHub, a web hosting site. Apple has however fixed this problem and claims that no breach has occurred in Apple’s „iCloud“ or „Find My iPhone“. To avoid such attacks Apple advices employing a strong password with two-step verification.

It is not confirmed if Apple’s security flaw was the reason for the leak of celebrity photographs. The high profile involvement and the media interest have gone on to create a black mark on Apple. Especially with the official launch of iPhone 6 and its first smart watch due shortly, it makes you wonder if this scandal was actually strategized.

Prevent yourself from Data Thefts

Data on the cloud is usually on higher risks of being stolen. Relating to the current situation it would be advisable not to store extremely private information on cloud, especially without ensuring proper protection of your account. Avoiding common passwords and setting up a two-step verification procedure is the way to go.

Cloud systems make managing your information simpler and easier, but they have drawbacks too. It may be inconvenient to put in extra steps of care but ultimately a little bit of attention goes a long way. It is evident from this incident that, prevention is definitely better than cure.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Priya Ravinder

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Endorsement

If a familiar celebrity or public figure agrees to endorse your product or services then this can be a reliable and profitable way to promote your brand and raise public awareness. Product endorsement is a traditional and highly effective marketing strategy which has the potential to amplify brand awareness and generate notable sales channels overnight – that is, of course, if done correctly.

Product Endorsement – what’s Involved?

Product endorsement can be used as part of your brand management strategy. A lot is involved in an endorsement agreement so it’s always advised to gain the help of a marketing agency that can help you to appropriately endorse your company.

First of all you need to establish what type of celebrity or public figure accurately matches your branding. Who is your primary and secondary target market? What sort of ‚voice‘ does your business possess and who can accurately represent your brand and your business to help promote brand awareness?

The next step is to find a celebrity who is willing to endorse your brand! This can be a difficult and challenging step as there are plenty of celebrities out there who are continually offered endorsement packages.

Product Endorsement – Important Considerations

Aside from the above considerations there are also plenty of legal, commercial and regulatory considerations to bear in mind when it comes to using your ‚brand ambassador‘ to promote your goods or services.

Matters to consider include image rights licensing as well as the use of product endorsement on various advertising platforms including traditional offline marketing platforms along with more contemporary online marketing avenues such as social media. When you draw up a contract between yourself and your chosen public figure, all of these matters will be negotiated and agreed upon.

Advantages of Product Endorsement

With the help of a celebrity or public figure you can:

• Enhance brand awareness within a short period of time

• Shift consumer attitudes about your goods or services

• Add a fresh perspective to your brand

• Improve brand management

• Give your brand a major competitive edge

• Create long-term loyalty towards a brand

• Boost cultural awareness on a global scale by using an internationally recognised celebrity

Product Endorsement: Is it Worth your While?

Despite the advantages, endorsement can be an incredibly challenging (not to mention, expensive) offline or online marketing strategy to successfully execute. It is essential that you find the right celebrity to endorse your products who carries a continually positive reputation: otherwise they could bring a negative influence on the products they are endorsing. Finally, it is also important that the celebrity endorsing your brand maintains their fame in order to maintain the integrity of the endorsed product.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Maria E Chambi

How Michele Smith Became the First Lady of Motorcycles

Michele Smith of the famed American Thunder television series on SPEED Channel and then of Two Wheel Thunder on Discovery HD Theater, is by far the most recognizable female face in the motorcycle world, she is the Celebrity that we all know and love. If you’ve been to a major motorcycle rally just about anywhere in the country, you’ve seen her for sure. She makes public appearances, signs autographs and has fans getting their photo with her everywhere she goes. How did this happen? How did she become such a celebrity in the motorcycle community? Michele has been a dear friend of mine for the past 4 years when we met on production of American Thunder, and I have produced several other videos with Michele as the subject of admiration. I wrote her the other day and asked if I could do a story about her and she gladly accepted and said „Ask away Shannon, anything for you love.“ So I did.

I, as well as many others, want to know how she got to be of that stature of the First Lady of Motorcycles. While I was talking to her, I stated a few times about her being a celebrity and she finally stopped me and said „First of all I don’t think of myself as a „celebrity“, I’m just someone who happened to become a recognized figure in the motorcycle industry.“ So from there, the word „Celebrity“ was out of the conversation. So to begin, I asked her simply „Where did it all start for you and the motorcycle?“ Her reply was this (Michele Smith) „My first step of being part of the motorcycle world was taking the motorcycle safety course in Ca. due to a foreign video that I was working on. They had hired a stunt double to do the riding and when this tiny 90 lb girl showed up I almost fell over! For the close up shots they strapped the bike in the back of a pickup truck and I had to sit on it and pretend I was riding while driving down Hollywood Blvd. I thought the heck with this I’m never going to let this happen again so the next day i signed up for the motorcycle safety course and ordered a brand new 883 Sportster. That’s how I started riding. My first ride was one in Southern Ca. called „The Love Ride“. I had so much fun. Not too long after that I went out for the audition for „American Thunder“ and the rest is history!

That explains the beginning of her passion for motorcycles, but I wanted to know more. This is the woman, that is in „The Know“ of the motorcycle world, where it has been for the past 10 years and where it is going in the next few. This is a brain that I just had to pick, now if I could just through those beautiful golden locks of hair streaming down like a waterfall of pure gold… ~~ Oops, sorry, end dream sequence, I’ll just ask her. Michele, how have things changed over the past 10 years, more appropriately, in the past few years? (Michele Smith) „. I think what has changed since I have been a part of the motorcycle culture is the fact that there are a lot more woman out there riding today than 10 years ago. When women see other women riding they think „gee, if she can do it so can I“. Women are no longer satisfied sitting on the back of a mans bike. Look at me I went from posing next to these bikes in my early years of modeling to actually riding a motorcycle, something I thought I would never be capable of doing until that 90 lb girl showed up on the video shoot. I wish I could find her just so I could say thank you! It’s funny I guess my style has changed a lot from the early days before I got into the motorcycle business. I was going through my closet the other day and looking at some of the designer pieces of clothing ( now vintage like me ) that I managed to hang on to and thought now what would I look like riding a bike in a Chanel suit! Yes I did dress very different back then but I also spent a lot of time overseas and it was an entirely different lifestyle. I’m much more comfortable these days in a pair of ripped jeans and boots!“

Now one thing I would like to mention here is Michele is also quite the advocate for female riders to get on the bike on the front seat and grab the bars and take themselves on the adventure. I have seen and met many women that have said that they never would have gotten on the front of a bike had they not seen Michele out riding in Daytona or Sturgis or on television at some point, she is their Heroine. Michele is obviously not the first woman to through a leg over some American Iron, look at Margret Wilson, who has logged over half a million miles on a motorcycle and is a Golden Life member of the Motor Maids, Inc. But what Michele has achieved is this, she has brought it to the Main Stream, she used her talent and beauty to change the hearts and minds of people all over the world when it came to the riding position of the woman on a motorcycle.

Moving on, I wanted to know where Michele thought she would be had she joined the Motorcycle Industry.

(Michele Smith) „Let’s see where would I be if i wasn’t in the motorcycle industry? That’s a tough one. I started out in the entertainment industry and that’s pretty much all I know except for designing lingerie (www.jeweledgs.com). For a while I was so busy with the lingerie line, that at one time I actually thought about leaving the TV show. Thank god i stayed!“ Michele is the designer of the Jeweled G’s G-string line that beautifies the backside of the female figure. Michele has also designed the „No Needles Tattoos“ T-shirts that make your arms look as if you have these awesome tattoos on your arms. You can find these on her website.

Now you hear all these stories of famous people having problems with Stalkers or Weirdoes after them or the paparazzi just making life miserable, but Michele feels perfectly safe in the motorcycle community. She said, „I have met a few weirdoes in my day but that is to be expected, but nobody has ever stalked me or done anything to really cause any alarm. I feel very safe amongst the motorcycle community, there are just so many personal body guards around that have gotten hugs while Having the Most Fun Ever.“

Now that we’ve learned how you became the Most Famous Woman on a Motorcycle, What are you doing now? (Michele Smith) „I’m still doing personal appearances. Rhode Island was the first stop of the New Year. I will be doing appearances mostly in the East/Northeast as that seems to be the market for a lot of the events that I book. Even in the winter months there are a lot of indoor events. Keep in mind most people can’t get out and ride in the snow covered areas so the indoor events gives them a chance to see what’s new on the market. American Thunder went off the air at the end of 2009. In 2010 I did a new show for Discovery HD Theater. We did about 10 episodes and now that’s gone too! We really need another good informational motorcycle show. I have a following of viewers who would love to see something new, they all miss American Thunder and Two Wheel Tuesdays. The problem is Reality TV took over and it seems like every show out there is reality based now.“

Back to the brain picking.. Ooohhh, silky.~ Sorry, got lost in the golden flow again.. I’ve personally seen a lot of changes in the motorcycle world over the past few years, and I was sure that Michele would have an opinion on the subject as well so I said this. Michele, Tell me where you see the motorcycle world going in the next 5 years from the rides to the enthusiasts and how they ride. (Michele Smith) „Over the last few years I really have seen the industry take a dive. A lot of builders and vendors closed up shop and moved on. But I do see a positive change coming and things are slowly picking up again. There will always be motorcycle enthusiasts and as long as you have people who love to ride, you will also have people who will buy bikes, parts and accessories. They may not be spending big bucks on a custom anymore but the desire to own a motorcycle for some is still there. I meet motorcycle enthusiasts at events all the time that tell me they have not one but two or more bikes in the garage. And now they are just taking good care of them and putting little extras on them to still make it their own.

It would seem by what you see or are not seeing on television that the Michele Smith tour is coming to an end, but I know Michele pretty well, if there is any person out there that can take a lemon and make it into lemonade, she is the one. The motorcycle industry has been boosted in so many ways by Michele Smith and many people, including manufacturers owe it to her for getting the word out about their products, events or even just giving them the confidence to jump on a bike for the first time. She is a celebrity to us even if she doesn’t see it that way, we look up to her, we admire her and of course, we cannot keep our eyes off of the Twins. So Michele, thank you for taking the time to enlighten our readers with your story, it’s one we all wanted to know about and we certainly hope to see much more of you in the future, maybe something like your job in July/August of 1991 for those that are true Michele Smith fans. Until next time, I’ll see you on the road.

More information about Michele Smith including booking information can be found on her website, www.michelesmith.tv

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Shannon Appleby

When Celebrities Choose an Engagement Ring

Diamonds are definitely going to last forever, whether the couples last or don’t. The world has seen innumerable high-profile engagements and marriages. Some of them last, some don’t. But that doesn’t take away the beauty of the diamond etched in our mind. So today, we are going to talk about some of the most famous diamond engagement rings we have ever seen. Let’s start the journey.

1. The Blue Sapphire Diamond Halo- Princess Diana and Kate Middleton

When the Prince of Wales proposed to Lady Diana 1981, he made sure he presented something as royal as the family, and as beautiful as the lady herself. So went for a beautiful ring bedazzled with a halo of solitaire diamonds around a stunning oval-shaped blue sapphire. The band was made of shiny white gold. It turned out the ring was chosen by Princess Diana herself! The ring wasn’t custom made, so it did raise a few eyebrows then. But then again, you can’t question her choice; the ring is as beautiful as the woman who chose it.

29 years down the line, Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with the same ring in 2010. When we think of timeless beauty, this is the ring that comes to our mind.

2. Emerald and Diamond Ring: Jacqueline Kennedy

The 35th President of The United States proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier for marriage on June 24th, 1953. Known for his style statement, he made sure the First Lady-To-Be got something that takes the spotlight. So John decided to go for an open halo setting engagement ring boasting of 2.84 carat emerald and a 2.88 carat diamond. The ring was designed by Van Cleef & Arpels.

3. The Big Emerald Cut Diamond: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor got married eight times. And of-course, she received a total of eight rings! Among all of them, it has to be the one she received from her third marriage. The ring is truly worthy of being the talk of the town. Famous producer Mike Todd proposed to Elizabeth Taylor with a massive 29.4 carat emerald cut diamond. The size of the rock being so massive, it was correctly nicknamed „ice skating rink“ by the wearer.

4. Baguette Eternity Band: Marilyn Monroe

The platinum eternity band Monroe got from the Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio was adorned with 35 baguette cut diamonds. It wasn’t an engagement ring though; it was a wedding band, as she received it on January 14, 1954, the day she got married to DiMaggio.

The simplistic design and elegant diamond setting makes the ring an eternal beauty. Their wedding, and Monroe’s tragic life are a different story altogether.

5. Emerald Cut Diamonds: Angelina Jolie

When Mr. and Mrs. Smith, affectionately called Brangelina tied the nuptial knots, Brad Pitt made sure the love of his life adorns a ring as beautiful as she is. So he asked the famous designer Robert Procop to design a ring that suits the personality of this strong lady. He waited for a year and the result was worth the wait.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Roxy ML

Trendy Hairstyles To Perk Up The Look Of Afro American Women

Are you trying to have some ideas to make new styling with your short hair? Never worry even if you have black complexion. If you are fully fed up with a usual long hair and do not have time to manage it, then it is better to try out short hair fashion. With attractive, elegant curls, you can get the glamorous look just like a celebrity.

Super Short Straight Short Haircut

The super short hairstyle is super stylish, just as a celebrity. In this style, you can get jet black locks, which will be cut short, at your jaw line. It will emphasize the amazing features on your face.

Peacock Priss

With this hairstyle, keep yourself sassy while remaining elegant and fashionable. It is most suitable to those who have oval or round face. This haircut has little or no curling. This hairstyle may easily be applied when you make a plan to go to a nightclub.

Inverted Curls

You will surely love the beautiful tight curls of this hairstyle. It will give you lots of sass and volume. Forget your straight haircut. Remember that sometimes it is better to rock the natural appearance. To keep this fashion more intact, apply a rectangular head tie. If you need extra support, then make use of any bonnet over your head tie.

Short Mohawk Hairstyles

These haircuts are bold looking styles, and there are several variations of these hair fashions. A simple Mohawk hairstyle may be quite easy to care and manage. But, when you wish to enhance some bangs or spears, you will need to spend a few minutes to wet your hair to style it.

Side Copper Swept Edge

The swept fringe fashion is also very popular. The tapered borders and bangs of this style make it a preferable option to those who wish to have a chic and simple look. To have this style, use a curling iron to a little curl side and rear part of head. Sweep your hair to a favorable side for long-lasting fringe effect. You can also utilize a serum to give finishing touches. Relaxed hair is perfect for obtaining this straight hair fashion. This mode is suited for gorgeous round shaped faces.

Medium Voluminous Curls

Often, you wish to be a center of everyone’s attention. However, that may seem to be hard to attain in this world of million people. Thus, how can you be prominent, while still appearing marvelous? Try with medium voluminous curls of your hair. The curls will look funky and quirky. Find an eye-catching hairstyle with the hipness that you have ever dreamt of.

Thus, get ready to try these hairstyles, which are intended for black women. It does not matter what your facial features are; you can get the desired look by following the tips that are related to every haircut.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Mousumi Gharami

10 Vegan Celebrities and Why They Became Vegan

The vegan diet comes to the forefront of society with many vegan celebrities. Several reasons support their diet changes, such as choosing to not support animal cruelty. Another reason is because of their health and looks, a big issue for celebrities who are in television and movies.

  1. Ellen DeGeneres – both Ellen DeGeneres and her spouse, Portia de Rossi, are vegans because of their love for animals. Once they saw a documentary on caged animals, Ellen DeGeneres said it was an easy decision for them to quit eating meat and dairy products.
  2. Mike Tyson – Mike Tyson has recently gone to the vegan diet, slimming down in the process, while also spending hours in the gym to build up his strength. His reasoning was to remove „drama“ from his life and become a better person through the vegan diet’s benefits.
  3. Demi Moore – for anyone who knows Demi Moore it should come as no surprise she is a vegan. What is a surprise is the fact she is one of the celebrities who is now part of the new raw vegan food movement that is entering mainstream America.
  4. Robin Williams – another popular celebrity who is part of the new raw vegan food movement is Robin Williams. Recently having heart surgery, going vegan is part of trying to avoid further heart attacks and staying healthy.
  5. Alicia Silverstone – Alicia has been quoted as saying „Going vegan is the single best thing I’ve done in my life. I am so much happier and more confident. I made a decision based on my moral beliefs.“
  6. Sandra Oh – one of the top doctors on Grey’s Anatomy, Sandra Oh is also a vegan and has promoted this diet with her co-stars by taking them out to a 100% cruelty free lunch at the „True Vegan“ in Hollywood. She feels it is a lifestyle, not a dietary choice.
  7. Woody Harrelson – when Woody Harrelson went on his vegan diet, he saw an increase in energy and in a healthy glow to his skin. His diet included raw beans, nuts, and vegetables. When he was a teenager, he had terrible skin problems and gave up dairy products at the suggestion of a friend. From then on his health and skin improved.
  8. Joaquin Phoenix – a vegan actor who played Johnny Cash in „Walking the Line,“ His sister Summer is married to Casey Affleck (Ben’s younger brother) who is also vegan and is planning on opening a vegan restaurant in L.A.
  9. KD Lang – a famous singer, KD Lang, was treated violently with bomb threats and burning pictures of her on her mother’s lawn when she went on a meat free diet. „Who would have thought people who slaughter cattle with their bare hands could be violent?“
  10. Tobey Maguire – Tobey has been meat free since 1992. When he had to bulk up for his role in Spiderman, he got his protein by eating lots of tofu.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Hugo Essog

Riding on the Crests of the Success of Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe’s International Celebrity

Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart when first published by William Heinemann in 1958 was received well by the British press with positive reviews from critic Walter Allen and novelist Angus Wilson. Three days after publication, the Times Literary Supplement wrote that the book „genuinely succeeds in presenting tribal life from the inside“. The Observer called it „an excellent novel“, and the literary magazine Time and Tide said that „Mr. Achebe’s style is a model for aspirants“.

Initial reception in Nigeria was mixed. Hill’s attempts to promote the book in West Africa, was met with skepticism and ridicule. The faculty at the University of Ibadan was amused at the thought of a worthwhile novel being written by an alumnus. Others were more supportive. A review in the magazine Black Orpheus said: „The book as a whole creates for the reader such a vivid picture of Ibo life that the plot and characters are little more than symbols representing a way of life lost irrevocably within living memory.“

An instant event in Nigeria but reviewed mildly in the United States when first published (the initial New York Times review ran less than 500 words)

No book by an African has been so deeply discussed or so widely influential.“ There were books by Africans before `Things Fall Apart,‘ but this is the one everyone goes back to,“ says Kwame Anthony Appiah, a leading African scholar who wrote the introduction to the Everyman’s Library edition of „Things Fall Apart.“

Things Fall Apart has become one of the most important books in African literature. Its publication is often cited as the birth of modern African literature, and since its publication the book has sold over 12 million copies in 50 countries. It has been translated into over 50 languages making its author the most translated African author of all time. It has appeared on numerous lists of the 100 greatest novels of all time, including ones published in Norway (Norwegian Book Club), England (Guardian and Observer), America (Radcliffe Publishing Course list of top 100 novels of the 20th century; Time Magazine) and Africa (Africa’s Best Books of the 20th Century). It remains required reading in schools and universities around the world and is one of the most widely read and influential books ever written. It has generated a wealth of literary criticism grappling with Achebe’s unsentimental representations of tradition, religion, manhood, and the colonial experience. Its immediate success secured Achebe’s position both in Nigeria and in the West as a pre-eminent voice among Africans writing in English.

The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote that for Americans it is „the quintessential novel about Africa.“ In fact, it is the foundation of tens of thousands of college students‘ introduction to the continent, and forms many of our ideas of the place even today.

In 1992 Achebe became the only living author represented in the prestigious Everyman’s Library collection published by Alfred A. Knopf. His 60th birthday was celebrated at the University of Nigeria by „an international Who’s Who in African Literature“. One observer noted: „Nothing like it had ever happened before in African literature anywhere on the continent.“ The work which like Shakespearean plays lends itself to multiple layers of interpretation which are revealed with every new reading is now anthologized in the Norton Anthology of English Literature.

Many writers of succeeding generations credit this work as having paved the way for their efforts. One of the most celebrated young Nigerian writers, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, says that she read Things Fall Apart when she was around 8 and has periodically reread it. „I find that I liked the same things each time — the familiarity with it. I hadn’t realized that people like me could be in a book,“ she explains.

Countless others from Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, who once called „Things Fall Apart,“ a „major education“ for me, to Ha Jin, a Chinese-American novelist have cited Achebe’s remarkable feat. Achebe himself recalls some letters he received about a decade ago from students at a women’s college in South Korea:

„It surprised me also in the sense I realized that people in different places would be reading it from totally different positions, positions I didn’t think they knew about,“ he says.

„They (the students) said to me, many of them, that this was like their story. And I said to myself, `Korea? I don’t know Korea. And I don’t know what their story is.‘ They explained that they were also colonized, by the Japanese. That simple fact of colonization was enough to make someone so far away come to terms quickly with this story.

Achebe subsequently wrote several novels spanning more than a century of African history. Although most of them deal with specifically Nigeria, they are also emblematic of the „metaphysical landscape“ of Africa, a view of the world and of the whole cosmos perceived from a particular position. Achebe, who is 78, has written five novels, including Arrow of God (1964) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987), five books of nonfiction, and several collections of short stories and poems.

Though Achebe encourages writers from the Third World to stay where they are and write about their own countries, as a way to help achieve balance in storytelling, yet he himself has lived in the United States for the past ten years — a reluctant exile.

Things Fall Apart is being celebrated, according to organisers of events to mark 50 years since its first publication, because of several distinctions it has earned including the following:

o It is the very first authentic African story told in the authentic original African style.

o It answered some critical socio-anthropological questions asked by previous non African writers

o It opened the grand door for writing about Africa by Africans which has led to what is today, African literature and is leading the way about thirty years after the book was written, for Achebe’s country man, Wole Soyinka to have won the Nobel Prize followed by other Africans.

o The book has been translated into over 50 languages

o It has over 12 million copies in print.

o The book has over 50 Awards to its credit and it is still counting.

o Primarily for the success of this book, the author has been counted as one of the hundred most intelligent men of the last century.

o The book clearly represents excellence in quality writing as much as the undying power of the value of a creative work. It also speaks the power of hard work and its accompanying premium, success.

At the age of 78, Chinua Achebe is living in grace and in exile, housed in a cottage built just for him on the campus of Bard College. Achebe arrived at Bard in 1990, not long after an auto accident in Nigeria left him paralyzed from the waist down.

On March 22, 1990 Achebe was riding in a car to Lagos when an axle suddenly collapsed and the car flipped. His son and the driver suffered minor injuries, but the weight of the vehicle fell on Achebe severely damaging his spine. He was flown to a Hospital in Buckinghamshire England, and treated. In July doctors announced that although he was recuperating well, he was paralyzed from the waist down and would require the use of a wheelchair for the rest of his life. While recuperating in this hospital, he received a call from Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College, offering him a teaching job and a house built for his needs. Achebe thought he would be at Bard, a small school in a quiet corner of the Hudson River Valley, for only a year or two, but the worsening political situation in Nigeria especially during the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha, from 1993 to 1998, with much of Nigeria’s wealth going into the pocket of its leader, and public infrastructure like hospitals and roads, withering led him to extend his stay. Achebe concern for the state of his country is seen in his refusal to accept one of Nigeria’s highest honors – Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) . He is however waiting for healthy and hopeful signals for him to return.

Soon after his discharge from hospital, Achebe became the Charles P. Stevenson Professor of Languages and Literature at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York; a position he has held for over fifteen years. As a longtime professor of languages and literature, he speaks warmly of the students who seem to know his work well, but Achebe has not completed a novel in more than 20 years, for he has no desire to set any fiction in the U.S., saying it would not be „the most important thing for me to do, because there are so many people doing it.“ While he is currently working on two or three projects, nothing is close to completion and he acknowledges that „a novel is certainly overdue.“ In October 2005, the Financial Times reported that he was planning to write a novella for the Canongate Myth Series, a series of short novels in which ancient myths from myriad cultures are reimagined and rewritten by contemporary authors. Achebe’s novella has not yet been scheduled for publication.

A perennial candidate for the Nobel Prize Achebe won last year In June, 2007, the Man Booker International Prize for lifetime achievement in fiction. Achebe, often referred to as the father of African literature, has received numerous awards, including the Commonwealth Poetry Prize; the New Statesman Jock Campbell Prize; the Margaret Wrong Prize; the Nigerian National Trophy in 1961; and the Nigerian National Merit Award, Nigeria’s highest recognition of intellectual achievement, in 1979. Achebe is an Honorary Fellow of the Modem Language Association of America (1975); a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature of London (1981); and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1982). He has been awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. Recently, in November last year, he received the prestigious National Medal of Honor for literature from America’s National Arts Club.

Professor Achebe is also the recipient of forty honorary degrees from universities in England, Scotland, Canada, South Africa, Nigeria and the United States, including Dartmouth (1972), Harvard (1996), Brown (1998), Southampton, Guelph (Canada), Cape Town (2002) and the University of Ife (Nigeria). In 1982 when he was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Kent, Professor Robert Gibson said at the ceremony that the Nigerian author „is now revered as Master by the younger generation of African writers and it is to him they regularly turn for counsel and inspiration.“ His impact resonates strongly in literary circles. Novelist Margaret Atwood called him „a magical writer – one of the greatest of the twentieth century“. Maya Angelou lauded Things Fall Apart as a book wherein „all readers meet their brothers, sisters, parents and friends and themselves along Nigerian roads“. Nelson Mandela, recalling his time as a political prisoner, once referred to Achebe as a writer „in whose company the prison walls fell down.“

In June 2007, when Achebe was awarded the Man Booker International Prize the judging panel included US critic Elaine Showalter, who said he „illuminated the path for writers around the world seeking new words and forms for new realities and societies“; and South African writer Nadine Gordimer, who said Achebe has achieved „what one of his characters brilliantly defines as the writer’s purpose: ‚a new-found utterance‘ for the capture of life’s complexity“.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Arthur Smith

Nigerian Celebrities and Brand Promotion

Various Blue Chip companies in Nigeria, operating in diverse spheres such as Manufacturing, Telecoms, Banking, Consumer services are springing up with fresh concepts that would put them ahead of their rivals. The post Independent epoch (1960 till date) has witnessed the continuous influx of companies both local and International into the marketing arena, eager to compete in the Nigerian open market Championship. An annual event held to determine which companies products/services thrived the most in the Nigerian Market. Their performances were rated by the profits posted during the Companies Annual General Meetings. A few who started the race at its inception are still in contention for the golden prize, while their counterparts have fallen along the way side.

The competition to dominate the Nigerian market has grown tougher with each passing year, and companies have deployed various marketing strategies „in and out of the box“ in a bid to steal the market. For example the regular use of promos by companies luring customers to purchase their products and ultimately wining whooping monetary rewards and an array of consolation prizes, game shows/lottery, where juicy monetary packages are up for grabs by customers who participate and obey stipulated instructions have become rampant. These ‚over flogged marketing strategies‘, have propelled a few to look towards the direction of the celebrities (especially those in the Entertainment circuit) to invoke a Sales- Reload needed to thrust them far ahead of their competitors.

In the eyes of the public, celebrities are seen as a rare unique breed of Homosapiens who move about with an aura of greatness, and possess the golden touch capable of transforming the ordinary into extra-ordinary within a splitting second in their respective chosen career. They possess the power to keep ones eyes riveted on them, igniting the star struck syndrome on their fans. They easily stir up excitement in the crowd with some cringing their necks much to the nerves discomfort, in a bid to catch a glimpse of them. This phenomenon is best described during live concerts performed by popular artistes when the crowd goes into a frenzy, with the babes of course screaming their names(if they are guys) and shouting „I Love You X“, amazingly shedding tears, and sometimes passing out or nearly passing out at the slightest physical contact with the stars or otherwise.

The posters of these great men and women who wield the financial wands in their hands are kissed and talked to by their fans who have them hung in a corner of their rooms, and dream endlessly about how good they could have been together, profess their undying love for them, adoring, idolizing them, thereby provoking the good Lord to jealousy. Celebrities by reason of their popularity naturally possess the power to influence consumers to swap loyalty to the endorsed brands, and make such adverts to linger continually in their memory data banks. On a wider pedestal, celebrities such as James Earl Jones endorsed „CNN“, Catherine Zeta- Jones „Elizabeth Arden“, and Pepsi has continually made use of International top rated footballers and artistes to promote its brand.

In Nigeria, the concept of using celebrities to promote various brands was at its lowest ebb prior to 2007. Advertising companies on the pay roll of rival companies delightfully used „Unknown faces“ to try and lure potential customers into purchasing the products being projected or to maintain customers loyalty or initiate a cross carpeting to the use of the displayed products, through the Electronic media(dominantly TV).

4 REASONS WHY CELEBRITIES WERE HARDLY USED TO PROMOTE BRANDS BACK IN THE DAYS

1. IGNORANCE: Most Advertising practitioners were not conversant with the concept of using celebrities to promote the brands. They were hired to simply advertise, showcase the products of their clients to viewers, which they did. They were not deeply involved in any marketing strategy to out do brands from rival companies.

2. INDIFFERENCE: A few were rather indifferent, adopted a lackadaisical approach to the concept, since they believed that the use of celebrities had no effect on the quality output of the adverts produced, so why bother using them?

3. UNWILLINGNESS TO SPEND: Most Clients were unwilling to pay the fees required to engage the services of the celebrities to promote the brands in the advert (which was not as expensive when compared with what obtains today). Only a few consented to the soliciting and eventual use of celebrities such as the now defunct Universal Trust Bank (UTB advert: Chief Zebrudaya and Jegede of the New masquerade TV series fame), Visine eye drops (Regina Askia), Morning fresh (Bimbo Oloyede), Panadol ( Ovuleria, Akpena in the TV series of the New masquerade), New Elephant Blue detergent (Chief Zebrudaya, Samanja)

4. LOW COMPETITON: A handful of companies with rivals producing brands in the same sector existed. In the 80’s we basically had two known rival brands of products drawn from different spheres for eg Detergents „Omo and Elephant Blue“, Soaps „Lux and „Cussons Imperial leather“, Soft drinks „Coke and Pepsi“, Cars „Peugeot and Volkswagen“. On the other hand a few companies produced brands that went unchallenged such as Okin biscuits, Peak Milk, Maltina, Robb, Thermocool fridge/freezers.

The game has now changed with Companies eagerly parting with cash to ensure that celebrities are effectively used to promote their brands via the electronic media (still dominantly TV) based on its large viewership base, and in some cases the Print media is also used.

LIST OF NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES USED IN BRAND PROMOTION:

1.Omo detergent (Adesuwa Oyenokwe – TV presenter )

2.Chivita ( Jide Kosoko- Nollywood actor)

3.Chi Exotic (Sunny Neji – Artiste)

4.Peak Milk ( kanu Nwankwo- International footballer)

5.Hollandia Milk( Ali Baba- comedian, Julius Agwu- comedian, Omotola Jalade Ekehinde- Nollywood actress, Bukky wright- Nollywood / TV actress)

6.Lux (Genevive Nnaji- Nollywood actress)

7.Amstel Malta (Dakore Egbuson- Nollywood actress)

8.Onga (Kate Henshaw- Nuttal- Nollywood /TV actress)

9.Robb( Julius Agahuwa- International Footballer)

10.Harpic ( Nkem Owoh- Nollywood actor, Bukky Wright- Nollywood/TV actress, Joke Silva- Nollywood / TV actress )

11.La Casera (Ikponwonsa Osakhiodua- Radio presenter)

12.Power Fist (D’Banj- Artiste)

13.Ok Sweets ( Osita Iheme, Chinedu Ikedieze, both Nollywood actors)

14.Mimi Noodles ( Bukky Ajayi – Nollywood/TV actress)

15.Guinness (Tu Face Idibia- Artiste)

16.Zain (Bryan Okwara- Mr Nigeria)

17.Yoyo Bitters ( Jide Kosoko- Nollywood actor)

18.Damatol (Desmond Elliot- Nollywood actor)

19.Lagos State Government on the payment of Tax ( Kate Henshaw- Nuttal, Bimbo Akintola, Funke Akindele, (all Nollywood/TV actresses, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God)

20.Malta Guinness (Basket Mouth- comedian)

21.Etisalat ( Banky W- Artiste)

22.Glo (RMD, Joseph Yobo, John Utaka, D’Banj, Ego, Madam Kofo, Sunny Neji, Funke Akindele, Basket Mouth, Ramsey Nouah jnr , Monalisa Chinda- Richards, Ini Edo and many more

It is a fact that some customers aware of the mouth watering take home pay tucked safely in the kitty of the celebrities, are not moved by the adverts believing that more often times than not the celebrities do not use those products at all, opting rather to use products from rival companies or those made by companies in other countries that are yet to be established here. Regardless of the hype made these days about their presence in the adverts, having them endorse the products does not automatically bestow a „snail proof seal“ on the sale of the products. For one, it is germane that the celebrity being used must ideally fit the brand that is being projected, other wise known as the „product match“. Therefore factors such as physical appearance, charisma, credibility, acceptability, attraction sparks between the celebrity and the target consumers, are fundamental and cannot be waived aside, in order to generate not only the customers interest in the product but also to take practical steps in purchasing it.

For example the use of Nkem Owoh (male) in the Harpic advert was a mismatch. As a norm in Nigeria, men do not clean toilets at home, since it is regarded as part of the domestic duties of a woman. Hence the target audience to promote any toilet cleaning products are „women“. The use of the celebrity was hinged on outstanding success recorded as a Nollywood star, hence they felt his popularity would effectively promote the brand and tremendously boost sales. They must have realized that using him was a wrong move as women considered it as a mere advertorial propaganda to make them buy the product. His stepping aside brought on board the remarkable Bukky Wright, though following her predecessor’s formulaic advert. Women easily warmed up to her, and the stereotyped message became realistic, casting out earlier doubts as to the product’s effectiveness which had lingered on in their minds prior to the celebrity swap. Joke Silva has also taken over the brand promotion reins from he,r regrettably with the monotonous advert. Imagine using a man for a diapers advert, or one aimed at promoting a range of baby or cosmetic products! No matter how good looking the man is, no matter how humorous the advert turns out to be, at best it would translate into a well packaged splitting seconds side show applauded by the women folk.

The impact Akin ( Chinedu Ikedezie) and Pawpaw (Osita Iheme) made in promoting „OK Sweets“ would not have been the same if an „adult looking“ celebrity had taken a shot at it. Children regard the duo as „Children stars“ to whom they can relate with, though naive about their real ages, or their inability to comprehend that they are „little men“ with child like facial and physical features who have lit up the lives of Hollywood fans. Children have gladly embraced the products prompting their parents to purchase the treasured sweets.

„Etisalat“, a Telecoms company that made its debut into the highly competitive Nigerian Telecoms market in 2008 was faced with the reality of battling with the three major players „MTN“, “ ZAIN“ and „GLO“, though not under rating the existence of others who could give them a run for their money such as Starcomms, Multi Links, Visa Phone, Reltel , Intercellular. They had hitherto resorted to marketing aggressively, with various adverts spearheaded by unpopular faces promoting their brand via the electronic and print media. A break could have been termed to have been achieved when „Banky W“, the sensational R n B artiste with the hit track „Ebutte- Metta“ which made waves in the music front was used to promote the brand. His smooth velvety voice and the closing lyrics „080,0809ja for life“ did the trick. Nigerians took a great liking to the song and in different quarters, children and adults were heard reeling out the „0809ja for life song“, soaring the Etisalat brand to higher heights.

Celebrities can be used to introduce a new brand, break the cycle of sales stagnancy that had hitherto held the product bound, and dispel nose diving sales rumors being peddled by rivals. The use of celebrities sometimes has a devastating effect on sales where the celebrity endorses one brand and is seen using the competitor’s, or suffers a major set back in his/her profession. Whether the sole aim of using Nigerian celebrities in adverts to promote the companies brands, with a view to achieving the prior set projected sales profit and even surpassing same has been attained, lies coded on the mysterious sales card which the companies have held securely in their hands abiding doggedly by the principle of „for our eyes only“.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Augusta Okon

How Celebrities Look Stunning 24/7

Introduction

You must have wondered as to how the celebs maintain their perfect looks when in the public eye so much. Well, this article will help you find out how… There is a big secret behind their consistent beauty but before we get to that let’s remove a doubt:

The money is not the main reason (but it does help!)

Many people believe that their luxurious lifestyle and their purchasing power have a lot to do with their beauty. However, you can be rest assured that it plays a minute part with their appearance. It certainly affects their appearance in parties and other main events, where they look amazingly beautiful, as they can afford makeup artists. Their money still does not help them in maintaining a perfect look all day. You can take a look at the usual pictures of some of the celebrities and you will notice that they look great in every one of them.

One cannot overlook their gym routines, exercise and nutrition while considering the reasons behind their exceptional looks. They play a role in their appearance too but you can perform these tasks with ease as well. Actually, there is a big secret among the well-known people, which they keep to themselves and utilize to maintain the perfect appearance.

Their fool-proof secret

The secret behind their beauty is (semi) permanent makeup. You can find service providers of permanent makeup London based with ease online. Permanent makeup ensures they do not have to sit in front of their mirror every day for hours. As the name suggests, permanent makeup remains on you irrespective of the conditions you go through. This means, washing your face will have no effect on your makeup. You will always look great with this technique.

There are many service providers of semi permanent makeup London or microblading London based. Therefore, you will have no problem in finding a good service provider in this field. This simple treatment ensures that you always look amazing without much effort. Gloss and Go as they say!

You will not have to interrupt your busy schedule or go through any additional pain just for the sake of applying makeup. Permanent makeup removes the hassle of applying makeup every morning and removing it every evening. This certainly applies to eyeliner, lips and eyebrows. Of course you may still want to apply powder, foucntaion of highlighter, but you will cut the time down dramatically and not faff around trying to get your makeup perfect. This is a great advantage which will help you save a lot of time. You will not have to worry about ruining your appearance by exercising or washing your face – or crying!

You can have it too

It does not take much to get permanent makeup. As stated earlier, you can find good service providers of microblading Harley Street easily online, or by word of mouth -you will be surprised how many people have already had it done and you wouldn’t even know unless they told you! You can search for one online by Googling „Microblading near me“. It is one of the best ways to find experts because currently, nearly every one of them is available online and you should be able to find reviews and make a sensible choice on who you use.

Conclusion

By having a treatment of permanent makeup, you can certainly match the beauty of the celebs. Plus, by following a healthy lifestyle, you will be able to ensure that you always look stunning.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Suki Su

Why Few Celebrities Get Into Prostitution, Suicides?

Few celebrities of all genres choose the ultimate path of prostitution, while few others choose the path of suicide. There is no specific need to quote examples in this regard. History divulges many incidents. Many people may wonder why people who created a repo for self should get into such mucky things. Yes, it’s rather a well-founded question indeed!

Celebrities – mostly from the fashion world and film fraternity reach to the zenith within a very less span of time, whereas it takes long battled years which is close to one’s lifetime in the case of other professions. Achieving success may sometimes happen overnight, but retention and maintenance of the same tempo becomes a tedious job for the celebrities. Also, the celebrities in general uphold a touchstone life after achieving their initial success. Such standards include a very lavish life. In case of continuous success, there won’t be any problems. Nevertheless, the problems arise only when a celebrity experiences failures after an initial success. For sometime – it won’t be difficult to manage the situation. But, the problems begin only when the cushioned up riches exhaust. The actual diversion of the path begins here. There may be different directions that could be followed. But, mostly only two paths are chosen by the screen idols: the path of flesh trade & the path of suicide. Beyond doubt, both are the paths of immorality, which even after a realisation, the celebrities opt to choose for obvious reasons.

Most of the women celebrities facing destitution opt to get into flesh trades for it pave an easier way for earning money. But, for male celebrities it is not a fitting option. So, they choose to manage the situation for some time by borrowing money from the sources close to them. In either case, they develop some sort of mental fear and insecurity that ultimately leads them to think repeatedly about the aftermath. The thoughts of suicide then sowed in the minds of the celebrities facing the destitution.

Suicide is a tragic event with strong emotional repercussions for its survivors and for the families of its victims. According to an estimate, more than 36,000 people in the U.S. alone kill themselves every year. Statistics also reveal the fact that men seem to be especially at risk, and have nearly four times the suicide rate as women for sundry reasons specific to men themselves.

Loss, depression, anxiety disorders, medical conditions, drug and alcohol dependency, financial, legal or scholastic problems, and other life difficulties can all create weighty emotional distress. They also get in the way with individuals‘ ability to solve problems.

Suicidal thoughts, also known as suicidal ideation are thoughts about how to kill oneself, which can range from a detailed plan to a fleeting consideration and does not include the final act of killing oneself. The majority of people who experience suicidal ideation do not carry it through. Some may, however, make suicide attempts. Some suicidal ideations can be deliberately planned to fail or be discovered, while others might be carefully planned to succeed. Suicide is definitely not an ultimate solution.

In this world, each and every problem has a solution. There is a need to address this issue at an appropriate level. Because – as it is said in Hindi, „Jaan Hai to Jahaan Hai“. Dignity of any celebrity lies within the way they conduct self. Why should a person choose only two wretched paths, while neglecting other options? It is better to dwell a simpler and happier life than choosing wrong paths and there by landing up in troubles for self and other concerned people. Is it not a point to ponder?

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg



Source by Dr Suman K Kasturi

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