Inventor of AK-47 rifle Mikhail Kalashnikov dies at 94

CREDIT: http://on.rt.com/5uw0bo

The inventor of the iconic AK-47 assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has died at the age of 94. His ingenuity earned him widespread admiration, but his legacy became more controversial when his weapons were used in some of the world’s bloodiest conflicts.

"Mikhail Kalashnikov's entire life is a shining example of dedication to serving your country," said a statement from Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "deep condolences" over the death of the engineer.

Kalashnikov who continued working well into his nineties, had been suffering from heart and intestinal problems, and on November 17 was admitted into intensive care in Izhevsk in central Russia - where the plant that produces the eponymous rifles is located. The official cause of death will be revealed following a mandatory autopsy.

A public funeral will be organized by the regional administration, in consultation with surviving relatives, though no date has been named so far.

Patriot, genius, villain?

For most of his life, Kalashnikov, who was famous for his frugal lifestyle, was feted as a straightforward hero.

The self-taught peasant turned tank mechanic who never finished high school, but achieved a remarkable and lasting feat of engineering while still in his twenties.

He was forever asked if he regretted engineering the weapon that probably killed more than any other in the last fifty years.

"I invented it for the protection of the Motherland. I have no regrets and bear no responsibility for how politicians have used it," he told them.

Senior Sergeant Mikhail Kalashnikov as he designed his AK-47 assault rifle. (RIA Novosti)

On a few occasions, when in a more reflective mood, the usually forceful Kalashnikov wondered what might have been.

"I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by terrorists," he said once.

"I would prefer to have invented a machine that people could use and that would help farmers with their work – for example a lawnmower."

Indeed, at his museum in Izhevsk, where he spent most of his life working at the factory that was eventually named after him, there is an ingenious mechanical lawnmower Kalashnikov invented to more easily take care of the lawn at his country house.

It’s not what he will be remembered for.

Considering his age and circumstances, it was hardly surprising that Kalashnikov felt he could best serve his country by creating weapons.

Born in 1919, Mikhail was the seventeenth child of well-off peasants. When he was eleven, during Joseph Stalin’s collectivization campaign his parents had their land confiscated, and the whole family was exiled to Siberia (a fact rarely mentioned in fawning Soviet-era biographies).

As the country began to mobilize ahead of a war that seemed inevitable, but was as yet undeclared, Kalashnikov chose to go into a tank brigade.

His aptitude for engineering was immediately apparent.

He was allowed to create several modifications – a tank shot counter, a running time meter – that were to be adopted for the whole Red Army, and made him famous. He was destined to go on an engineering course, when Operation Barbarossa intervened.

Mikhail Kalashnikov.(Reuters)

Kalashnikov’s own career as a tank commander was cut short in the first few months of the conflict on the Eastern Front, when an explosive shell ripped open his shoulder.

Kalashnikov says the germ of the idea came to him as he recuperated in hospital.

But the invention of the AK-47 was not a Eureka moment, but a trial-and-error process of modifications and improvements undertaken by a team over six years.

While for propaganda purposes Kalashnikov’s invention was presented as a radically new development, it was based on several principles that had already been seen in British, Russian and Italian weapons to which the inventor had easy access as he drew up his blueprints.

AK-47 

Weight: 3.47 kg 

Length: 880 mm 

Cyclic rate of fire: 600 rounds per minute 

Price: Between $15 in some post-war African states and up to $1,000 at height of regional conflicts. Official prices somewhere in the middle. 

Total quantity produced: approximately 100 million.

Its main precursor was the German StG 44, the first truly effective automatic weapon of World War II.

But at the same time, Kalashnikov’s masterstroke was to combine the mechanisms of previous weapons to create something with a completely new function.

AK-47 is not a weapon designed for accuracy tests at the firing range. It is a weapon for firefights at close quarters, in harsh Russian conditions.

It can be assembled by a person with no military training, is fired by simply pointing at a target, and it can be easily looked after without a cleaning kit. It does not jam by itself (due to the generous allowances between moving parts, which also explain its mediocre accuracy at range) and it does not stop functioning in any weather conditions.

The AK-47 fulfilled its design brief to perfection, even though there is no way Kalashnikov could have known who it would be used by in the end. More than 60 years after its invention, it remains the world's most ubiquitous weapon.

CREDIT

IDEAS CAN COME FOR ANYWHERE

I was doing an interview recently when, not for the first or last time, I was momentarily stumped by a question. There is an expectation for interviewees to have an instant answer to whatever they are asked, but often this simply isn't the case.

You need a moment to think when questioned on a new topic, and during this interlude bright ideas can sometimes arrive. Interviews are a good time to question your beliefs and think about what you really believe in; it's a bit like sitting on a psychiatrist's couch. 

The same goes if you are having a good chat with a friend, as opposed to an interview. By challenging each other in conversation, you can get to the root of issues and develop new plans.

A journalist once asked me in an interview if I'd ever thought of going into the rail business. I replied that it could be a good idea. The next thing I knew there was a headline in the Sunday Telegraph saying: “Branson to go into trains.” So at that point I needed to go and build a team! Virgin Trains has now been running for 16 years and counting.

Where do good ideas usually strike you?

Richard Branson

Founder at Virgin Group

Your Most Important Career Question - And How To Answer It

Are you in the right job? Is your career going the right way? Occasionally, we should pause, and ask ourselves some fundamental questions. I believe there is no career question that is more fundamental than this one:

Are you happy to go to work?

It might seem obvious, or even trivial, but I would argue that we don’t ask this question often enough. I can honestly say that I have always enjoyed work - of course, there are days and sometimes weeks when I didn’t, but for most parts I was (and still am) very happy to go to work. Whenever I started to feel less happy at work, I simply looked for a new job that would make me happier. A few years ago, my wife did the same. She felt less happy in her marketing career and within a week started her training to become a teacher – a job she absolutely loves.

We spend too much time and effort at work not to be happy. If we don’t enjoy work, it reduces our overall quality of life and makes us less effective at our job.

Of course, what we consider work and what makes us happy is different for everyone. However, when it comes to happiness at work - like with most things in life - the secret lies in achieving a balance between different things.

Here are my top 6 job attributes that will make us happy to go to work:

Sense of Purpose.
Do you feel that your job has a purpose you believe in? We all want to be part of something bigger and, if we believe the job we are doing helps to achieve a higher goal, then we will be happier and more engaged.

Recognition and Reward.
 Do you feel appreciated at work? The obvious way to reward people is to pay them. However, money is not enough, we need to feel appreciated and recognized and here, a simple ‘thank you’ goes such a long way.

Learning. As human beings, we love learning and developing new skills. Do you have the opportunity to learn something new in your job? Do you get a chance to develop?

Sense of Achievement. We all love the sense that we have achieved something. Do you see the fruits of your labor at work? Do you feel that you are productive and good at your job? Feeling a sense of achievement helps to boost our confidence and self-esteem.

Autonomy and Control. Do you feel that you are working autonomously and that you are in control of what you are doing? Or, do you constantly feel at the mercy of someone else’s decisions? Autonomy and control allow you to bring your creativity and problem solving skills to the table.

Friendship and Companionship. Do you feel a sense of belonging at work, where you work with people you like and get on with? Is there a good atmosphere where people trust each other and friendships flourish?
Try to score each of these (where 0=not there; 1=to some extent there; 2=very much there). This way you can find gaps you could possibly do something about. If not, look for a new job in which you get a higher score. And remember, a high score for money won’t make up for a low score in most other things!

When you are too happy at work

Here is a little warning: Some people love their work so much that they become workaholics. Often because work gives them a sense of purpose; they feel rewarded and recognized; they learn so much; they get constant sense of achievement, feel in control and have a strong sense of belonging. Always remember that you can be happy at work but miserable in life – especially if you are missing or neglecting essential things, like love, health, family, friendship, etc.



Courtesy: Bernard Marr
Best-Selling Author and Enterprise Performance Expert

The 2 Words That Will Change Your Life Forever...

Every now and then, and usually not very often, are some words spoken that deeply resonate with you. They make you stop and reflect. The words and their meaning will stay with you for a long time. They might even inspire or motivate you to do something different or to change direction. These words can come from quotes of famous people or can be words spoken by a friend, your parents, your child or any stranger.

For me, this person was my school teacher who we nicknamed LuLu. It was not a very happy time in my life, I just lost my dad in a car accident and my school performance was suffering. I was sad, probably angry at the world around me and as a consequence a little rebellious. One of the few teachers who got me at that point in my life was LuLu. I remember a chat with her on a day when I felt particularly down and rebellious. She said to me "I have two words that will change your life forever". This made me curious and I listened very attentively to what she had to say. She said "The two words are very powerful, they are: Carpe Diem". I said "What do they mean?" Then she explained "They are in Latin and are translated as Seize the Day".

She explained to me that the two words originate from a poem by Horace (65 BC-8 BC) and that they were used in a Babylonian Epic in which Siduri spoke them to urge Gilgamesh to forge his mourning and embrace life. Carpe Diem are two simple words with so much meaning to me. They mean embrace life, grab the opportunities and make the most of the present moment. These two words helped me immensely at that point in my life and I have never forgotten them. Even today I find myself remembering them and they always have a positive effect on me.

Instead of pondering the past or worrying about the future, you should live in the here and now. We can waste so much time reflecting on the past, the things that happened, why they happened to us, what we did wrong. We can also waste so much time dreaming about a brighter future, about the things we would like to do or become one day. For me, Carpe Diem reminds me that yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not yet here, and today is your only chance to make a difference. If you make the most of today then you will live your life to the fullest.

We should see each day as a present and an opportunity. Every minute is valuable because you can use it to enjoy life, to get something started or to get something completed. The present moment is the only time in history that you can use to do good and to change the world for the better – no matter how big or small.

Each new day is a privilege. When my dad left that morning before the accident he though he would see me again, he thought he would have many decades left to say the things he needed to say and do the things he still wanted to do. The thing is, we just don’t know what tomorrow brings. Therefore we have to seize each day to do the things we want to do and say the things we believe are important.

The time we take up being unhappy, the time we use up worrying about the future or pondering the past is wasted. It is a wasted opportunity and a wasted privilege. Time wasted with unhappy and negative thoughts is time you will never ever get back.

For me, Carpe Diem tells us to free ourselves from the worries, the anger and the negativity that is holding us back sometimes. It reminds us that it doesn’t matter where you came from, what you went through in the past; the only thing that matters is where you are going and that your future destination starts with the steps you take today. Today is your only chance to make a difference and live. Always remember that is in this moment, and only this moment, when you can be happy, you can say and do something, you can love, you can feel, you can enjoy and you can learn. Therefore Carpe Diem!

After my memorable conversation with my teacher that day I decided to take the long way home. In walked along the beach and tried to take in the World with all my senses so that I could smell the fresh sea air, see all the colors of the sea and the sky, taste the salt on my tongue, hear the cries of the sea gulls, and feel the wind in my face. From that moment onwards I felt awake and inspired to grab all the opportunities that would come my way every day.

Carpe Diem were the two words that changed my life forever. I wouldn't expect that they have the same effect on you but I do hope they have been a little bit inspiring?



Bernard Marr
Best-Selling Author and Enterprise Performance Expert

INNOSON - THE FIRST MADE IN NIGERIA CARS,BUSES ,TRUCKS

Courtesy: Federal Ministry of Information

The youngest among six children, Chief (Dr) Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma (OFR), was born into the family of Mr & Mrs Chukwuma Mojekwu of Uru-Umudim, Nnewi, in Anambra State, without the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. But, what he lacked in affluent parental background, he made up for with intelligence, hard-work, discipline and business acumen - qualities that have continued to interplay remarkably in his many ventures.

In February 2007, Chukwuma embarked on what some analysts perceived then as a mission impossible, when it incorporated INNOSON Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM), to produce sundry commercial automobiles, utility vehicles and passenger cars, in collaboration with a consortium of Chinese auto manufacturers.

With the public display of some of the vehicles at the 2nd Nnewi International Auto Trade Fair held at the Beverly Hills Hotels (Gabros Sports Complex) in the last quarter of 2009, IVM did not only silence the critics, but made a bold statement about its readiness to achieve the avowed mission of being the first (indigenous) auto maker to produce truly Nigerian vehicles that are affordable and reliable.

IVM is today a success story which has attracted effusive commendations and awards from various quarters, including the nation's seat of power. While opening the plant on October 15, 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan not only hailed Chukwuma for the courage of venturing into an industry many ran away from, but also assured him of government's patronage from the government.

Business Strategy

Agwuna Samuel Sopuluchukwu:

My advice is that if you want to learn about business strategy, read about the military. Read about wars, for that's relative to life and business. 

My dear, life is a non violent warfare, with challenges we should win. Out of 6 billion people alive all sharing history in the same time and space, we are all in a constant battle, we are all competiting for relevance. To win this war, profitably, understand strategy!

Master the Arts of War by Sun Tzu, The Mafia Manager by V, The Prince by Makavelli, the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Read about Von Clausewitz, The Zulu warriors, Cleopatra, the fall of the Benin Kingdom, Cortez, Julius Caesar, Moses, Napoleon Bonaparte.

I remember back then, in one of our advanced classes on strategy and strategic management, I was lucky to have been taught by a Nigerian military general. And he'd say, "business is like war. And in war, when the enemy advances, retreat. When the enemy camps, harass. When the enemy tires, attack. When the enemy retreats pursue".

Business is like war, the enemy is the competitor and the battlefield is the market. And to win over the war of your relationship, life and even business, you need to be proactive and take the risk.

Business Strategy

Agwuna Samuel Sopuluchukwu:

My advice is that if you want to learn about business strategy, read about the military. Read about wars, for that's relative to life and business. 

My dear, life is a non violent warfare, with challenges we should win. Out of 6 billion people alive all sharing history in the same time and space, we are all in a constant battle, we are all competiting for relevance. To win this war, profitably, understand strategy!

Master the Arts of War by Sun Tzu, The Mafia Manager by V, The Prince by Makavelli, the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Read about Von Clausewitz, The Zulu warriors, Cleopatra, the fall of the Benin Kingdom, Cortez, Julius Caesar, Moses, Napoleon Bonaparte.

I remember back then, in one of our advanced classes on strategy and strategic management, I was lucky to have been taught by a Nigerian military general. And he'd say, "business is like war. And in war, when the enemy advances, retreat. When the enemy camps, harass. When the enemy tires, attack. When the enemy retreats pursue".

Business is like war, the enemy is the competitor and the battlefield is the market. And to win over the war of your relationship, life and even business, you need to be proactive and take the risk.

Top 10 Richest Women in Africa

10. Elisabeth Bradley, Net Worth $32 Million

Elisabeth 1961, Albert Wessels, Eslisabeth’s father, made history by being the first person to bring the Toyota brand to South Africa. Her massive wealth comes from assets and investments. She was the chairperson of Wesco Investments and is currently the vice-chairperson of Toyota South Africa.



9. Sharon Wapnick, Net Worth $43.1 Million


Following her father’s footsteps, the founder of Premium Properties and Octodec Investments, Sharon Wapnick has managed to accumulate immense wealth. She’s the largest shareholder in the two companies that her father founded and TWB Attorneys’ partner as well. The South African Millionaire has numerous investments in real estate.

8. Bridget Radebe, Net Worth $100 Million



Bridget Radebe founded the company Mmakau Mining which has been very successful with its operations that include coal, chrome, gold, uranium and platinum. Her husband, Jeff Radebe, is the Justice Minister in South Africa. She started as a mine worker.

7. Irene Charnley, Net Worth $150 Million



This South African woman has worked for numerous companies as an Executive Director including MTN and FirstRand Bank. She played a vital role in MTN’s success and expansion in the African region. She is currently the CEO of Smile Telcoms, Mauritius.

6. Wendy Ackerman, Net Worth $190.2 Million


Wendy Ackerman is a director at Pick N Pay, which is one of the largest grocery chain stores in Africa. The South African company has other outlets in Australia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria and Zambia. The Ackerman Family is quite powerful in South Africa.

5. Wendy Appelbaum, Net Worth $259.3 Million

After the death of her billionaire father, Wendy Appelbaum inherited a fortune by becoming a director at Liberty Investors. She was able to increase her net worth by selling her shares and then diversifying investments. One of her investments is the renowned South African wine brand DeMorgenzon.

4. Ngina Kenyatta, Net Worth $500 Million

Jommo Kenyatta’s family is among the richest in Africa. Ngina Kenyatta has managed to safeguard and multiply her late husband’s investments. The Kenyatta Empire includes: Real estate, hospitality, education, manufacturing, farming and banking. She also holds majority shares in several companies like Commercial Bank of Africa, Heritage and Brookside Dairies.

3. Hajia Bola Shagaya, Net Worth $600 Million

This Nigerian businesswoman has diversified her investments across industries like real estate, banking, photography, communications and the oil sector. Her portfolio consists of several other countries apart from her birth place. She’s very powerful and has close ties with Nigeria’s political figures and military.

2. Folorunso Alakija, Net Worth $600 Million

Folorunso owns FAMFA Oil Company located in Nigeria. She is also a fashion designer and her company, Supreme Stitches, which was launched in 1985, made her a fashion icon in Nigeria. She studied in the UK. In the late 70s, she became a secretary of the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria.

1. Isabel Dos Santos, Net Worth $1 Billion

This remarkable Angolan woman has invested heavily in diamonds and oil. She is actually president Jose Eduardo dos Santos’ daughter and is among the directors of a number of high profile companies. Her investments are diversified and spread-out in Portugal and Angola. The source of her immense wealth is still unclear. She made history by becoming the first woman billionaire in Africa.


Culled from:
http://www.therichest.com

See How To Save Yourself From the Killer KIDNEY Disease by: jaychoc

 Diseased kidneys                                       Healthy kidneys

These days, it has virtually become the tradition while watching prime time TV shows to have programmes interrupted for a few minutes, not for product advertisement but for funds solicitation.

Nigerians are now familiar with gaunt figures lying critically sick on the bed and plugged to dialysis machine begging for donations from government and kind-hearted members of public.

The solicited funds usually run into millions of naira to:

Cover the cost of temporary dialysis in Nigeria and subsequent organ transplantation overseas. The latest of such is the music producer, OJB Jezreel, who says he needs about N16m to treat his kidney disease.

Physicians say when it comes to size, the kidneys are small. However, as Kidney Specialist, Dr. Mumeen Amisu opines, “The kidneys may be small, but they perform many vital functions that help maintain your overall health, including filtering waste and excess fluids from your blood.”

These organs maintain the balance of salt and minerals in the blood, and also help regulate blood pressure.

The online portal, webmd.com, warns that when the kidneys are damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in the body, causing swelling of the ankles, nausea, vomiting, weakness, poor sleep, shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion, difficulty concentrating, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, abnormally low urine levels, low blood flow to the kidneys and kidney cell death.

“If left untreated, diseased kidneys may eventually stop functioning completely. Loss of kidney function is a serious — and potentially fatal — condition,” doctors say.

Experts warn that serious kidney disease may lead to complete kidney failure and the need for dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant when about 90 per cent of the kidney function has been lost. “Once you get a transplant, though, you will have to be on medications for life,” experts aver.

Though effective treatments are available for many kidney diseases, physicians contend that kidney disease can often be prevented.

Amisu says apart from genetic or congenital causes — which are beyond the control of anybody — two avoidable leading diseases that can lead to kidney disease are hypertension and diabetes.

On how diabetes affects kidney health, family doctor, Olu George, notes that when someone has diabetes, there can be excess glucose in the blood. “When glucose levels are elevated for a long time, it can cause damage in the tiny blood vessels of the kidneys. Once this happens, the organs won’t be able to filter out toxins effectively as they should,” George explains.

Both Amisu and George say blood pressure is influenced by the kidneys and that how healthy your kidneys are can affect your blood pressure, and vice versa.

George explains in-depth, “Hypertension causes artery damage, and the kidneys are packed with arteries. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause arteries around the kidneys to narrow, weaken or harden. When this happens, the damaged arteries will not be able to deliver enough blood to the kidney tissue.”

Experts say damaged kidney arteries will neither filter blood well, nor regulate the fluid, hormones, acids and salts in the body.

Consequently, George says, “damaged kidneys will fail to regulate blood pressure. That is why we always advise people to manage their blood pressure, because it is an important way to prolong the health of the kidneys.”

Amisu says kidney damage and uncontrolled hypertension each contribute to a negative spiral because, as more arteries become blocked and stop functioning, the kidneys eventually fail.

Those who use drugs indiscriminately should also receive instruction about the possible repercussions on kidney health. Experts warn that those who abuse drugs or alcohol are essentially going out of their way to poison their own bodies.

This concerns the overuse of some over-the-counter pain killers and using abusive drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, etc.

“In the process, they are placing an enormous burden on the kidneys. This is because the kidneys act as filters; and, like the oil filter in a vehicle, the filter provided by the kidneys, though powerful, has limits to how much it can take in terms of impurities,” Amisu says.

Kidneys can be injured when an individual has an accident that results in blood loss, physicians say.

George explains that, in various ways, “sudden reduction of blood flow to the kidneys, damage to the organs as a result of septic shock during a severe infection, or obstruction of urine flow can all injure kidney health.”

Experts also say that acute kidney injury can result from pregnancy complications, such as seizures (eclampsia) and pre-eclampsia (characterised by high blood pressure and significant amounts of protein in the urine).

Another pregnancy complications that can lead to kidney injury is the HELLP Syndrome — a life-threatening liver disorder characterised by destruction of red blood cells (Hemolysis), Elevated Liver enzymes (indicating liver damage), and Low Platelet count. Low platelet count reduces the ability of the blood to clot whenever there’s an injury.

And if you are a marathon runner or an athlete who don’t drink enough fluids while competing in long-distance endurance events, you risk acute renal (kidney) failure that may result from a sudden breakdown of muscle tissue. “This muscle breakdown releases a chemical called myoglobin that can damage the kidneys,” George says.

And women need to hear this: Multiple urinary tract infections can also damage the kidneys! Pregnant and menopausal women are very susceptible to UTI, physicians warn. They advise that to prevent it, women should drink lots of water every day, and urinate often instead of holding it. They are also advised to urinate right after having sex.

“How do we prevent kidney disease?” you may ask. Simple: by eating well.

A study by a group of scientists, led by Dr. Alex Chang of Johns Hopkins University, USA, reveals that people with normal kidneys who eat bad quality diet high in processed and red meats, sodium (salt), and sugar-sweetened beverages, and low in fruit, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and low-fat dairy are more likely to develop kidney disease.

In the study, published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease, Chang says: “Unlike family history of kidney disease, diet, smoking, and obesity are modifiable lifestyle factors that we can all control. By eating well, quitting smoking, and maintaining a normal weight, people can protect their kidneys and prevent future damage.”

A word, they say, is enough for the wise.

Credit:  Solaade Ayo-Aderele

To Be Born Poor Doesn't Mean You'll Always Be Poor

Long after he had established himself as one of America’s leading businessmen, as well as history’s greatest steelmaker, Andrew Carnegie reflected that “We all live in the richest and freest country in the world, where no man is limited except by his own mental attitude and his own desires.”

At the time—a decade or so before the First World War—Carnegie’s attitude was nearly universal. In America, anyone could carve out a better life for himself if he worked hard. Today, Carnegie’s attitude is considered almost quaint.

Opportunity? Why, opportunity is a rare thing, and those Americans not lucky enough to be born with it should be given it at other people’s expense. Whether it’s an education, a job, a house, or a grant, opportunity is seen as something that others have to provide you with. If you don’t succeed, it’s not because you failed to capitalize on plentiful opportunities. It’s because you just weren’t one of the fortunate few.

Carnegie would have bristled. “My men began in exactly the same station in life which I occupied a few years ago,” Carnegie once observed. “They have had the same privileges for personal advancement that I had.”

It’s hard to imagine anyone beginning in a lower station. Carnegie had arrived in America, a twelve-year-old Scottish immigrant. With barely a penny to his family’s name, and with only five years of formal education behind him (“Lack of schooling is no valid excuse for failure; neither is an exhaustive schooling a guarantee of success,” he would later say), young Andrew went to work at a textile mill, twelve hours a day, for $1.20 a week.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. The job gave Carnegie the opportunity to learn and to demonstrate his dedication to hard work. Very quickly he moved on and up: less than a year later he had secured a position at O’Reilly’s Telegraph Company, starting at more than twice what he had earned at the mill.

It was there that Carnegie’s rise began in earnest—not through some “lucky break” but through the habit Carnegie would later refer to as “going the extra mile.” Carnegie, still working incredibly long days, began going to work early in order to learn how to send and receive telegraph messages. He worked so hard at it that he could eventually take telegraph messages by ear rather than by transcribing the Morse code—a feat only two other people in America could perform.

That ability helped him gain the notice of Thomas A. Scott, a superintendent for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Scott hired the young man, still a teenager, to be his secretary and telegrapher at $35 a month—a tidy sum at the time and a far cry from $1.20 a week.

Carnegie soon became indispensable to Scott. The real turning point came not too long after he was hired. Carnegie was in the office alone one day when news came of a wreck on the Eastern Division. Rail traffic started backing up; instead of shrugging his shoulders and saying “not my job, not my problem,” Carnegie chose to take action. “Mr. Scott was not to be found,” he would later write. “Finally, I could not resist the temptation to plunge in, take the responsibility, give ‘train orders’ and set matters going.”

It was no easy decision. Although Carnegie had watched Scott deal with similar problems in the past, lives and property were at stake. “I knew it was dismissal, disgrace, perhaps criminal punishment for me if I erred. On the other hand, I could bring in the wearied freight-train men who had lain out all night. I could set everything in motion. I knew I could.” And he did, forging Scott’s signature and issuing orders until rail traffic was back to normal.

Thanks to Carnegie’s determination and hard-won abilities, Scott started opening doors for the young man and teaching him the skills he would need to succeed in business. Later, he would help Carnegie make his first investment, launching Andrew’s career as a capitalist in earnest. By 1860, at the age of 25, Carnegie was making almost $50,000—more than enough to count himself as wealthy.

“Opportunity” means a set of circumstances in which a course of successful action is possible. Opportunity is abundant. What’s scarce is the willingness to take advantage of it. To the extent a country is free, a person with no money, no education, no connections can rise as far as his ability and ambition will take him. But developing ability and ambition is a challenging, uncomfortable, even scary process. Relatively few people in any era choose to do it, and as a result, few capitalize on life’s unlimited opportunities.

In Carnegie’s words, a “man may be born in poverty, but he does not have to go through life in poverty. He may be illiterate but he does not have to remain so. But . . . no amount of opportunity will benefit the man who neglects or refuses to take possession of his own mind power and use it for his own personal advancement.”

That was what led Carnegie to success: the constant use of his mind in pursuit of a better life. Whether he was learning a new skill, taking decisive action in an emergency, or forging the most innovative and efficient steelmaking company in the world, the commitment to following the judgment of his reasoning mind was the only opportunity he needed.

That—the willingness to think—is something no one else can give you.

Culled from: http://www.forbes.com/

To Be Born Poor Doesn't Mean You'll Always Be Poor

Long after he had established himself as one of America’s leading businessmen, as well as history’s greatest steelmaker, Andrew Carnegie reflected that “We all live in the richest and freest country in the world, where no man is limited except by his own mental attitude and his own desires.”

At the time—a decade or so before the First World War—Carnegie’s attitude was nearly universal. In America, anyone could carve out a better life for himself if he worked hard. Today, Carnegie’s attitude is considered almost quaint.

Opportunity? Why, opportunity is a rare thing, and those Americans not lucky enough to be born with it should be given it at other people’s expense. Whether it’s an education, a job, a house, or a grant, opportunity is seen as something that others have to provide you with. If you don’t succeed, it’s not because you failed to capitalize on plentiful opportunities. It’s because you just weren’t one of the fortunate few.

Carnegie would have bristled. “My men began in exactly the same station in life which I occupied a few years ago,” Carnegie once observed. “They have had the same privileges for personal advancement that I had.”

It’s hard to imagine anyone beginning in a lower station. Carnegie had arrived in America, a twelve-year-old Scottish immigrant. With barely a penny to his family’s name, and with only five years of formal education behind him (“Lack of schooling is no valid excuse for failure; neither is an exhaustive schooling a guarantee of success,” he would later say), young Andrew went to work at a textile mill, twelve hours a day, for $1.20 a week.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. The job gave Carnegie the opportunity to learn and to demonstrate his dedication to hard work. Very quickly he moved on and up: less than a year later he had secured a position at O’Reilly’s Telegraph Company, starting at more than twice what he had earned at the mill.

It was there that Carnegie’s rise began in earnest—not through some “lucky break” but through the habit Carnegie would later refer to as “going the extra mile.” Carnegie, still working incredibly long days, began going to work early in order to learn how to send and receive telegraph messages. He worked so hard at it that he could eventually take telegraph messages by ear rather than by transcribing the Morse code—a feat only two other people in America could perform.

That ability helped him gain the notice of Thomas A. Scott, a superintendent for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Scott hired the young man, still a teenager, to be his secretary and telegrapher at $35 a month—a tidy sum at the time and a far cry from $1.20 a week.

Carnegie soon became indispensable to Scott. The real turning point came not too long after he was hired. Carnegie was in the office alone one day when news came of a wreck on the Eastern Division. Rail traffic started backing up; instead of shrugging his shoulders and saying “not my job, not my problem,” Carnegie chose to take action. “Mr. Scott was not to be found,” he would later write. “Finally, I could not resist the temptation to plunge in, take the responsibility, give ‘train orders’ and set matters going.”

It was no easy decision. Although Carnegie had watched Scott deal with similar problems in the past, lives and property were at stake. “I knew it was dismissal, disgrace, perhaps criminal punishment for me if I erred. On the other hand, I could bring in the wearied freight-train men who had lain out all night. I could set everything in motion. I knew I could.” And he did, forging Scott’s signature and issuing orders until rail traffic was back to normal.

Thanks to Carnegie’s determination and hard-won abilities, Scott started opening doors for the young man and teaching him the skills he would need to succeed in business. Later, he would help Carnegie make his first investment, launching Andrew’s career as a capitalist in earnest. By 1860, at the age of 25, Carnegie was making almost $50,000—more than enough to count himself as wealthy.

“Opportunity” means a set of circumstances in which a course of successful action is possible. Opportunity is abundant. What’s scarce is the willingness to take advantage of it. To the extent a country is free, a person with no money, no education, no connections can rise as far as his ability and ambition will take him. But developing ability and ambition is a challenging, uncomfortable, even scary process. Relatively few people in any era choose to do it, and as a result, few capitalize on life’s unlimited opportunities.

In Carnegie’s words, a “man may be born in poverty, but he does not have to go through life in poverty. He may be illiterate but he does not have to remain so. But . . . no amount of opportunity will benefit the man who neglects or refuses to take possession of his own mind power and use it for his own personal advancement.”

That was what led Carnegie to success: the constant use of his mind in pursuit of a better life. Whether he was learning a new skill, taking decisive action in an emergency, or forging the most innovative and efficient steelmaking company in the world, the commitment to following the judgment of his reasoning mind was the only opportunity he needed.

That—the willingness to think—is something no one else can give you.

Culled from: http://www.forbes.com/

LATEST CANCER INFORMATION from Johns Hopkins

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY …


1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.


11. An effective way to battle cancer is to STARVE the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiple.

What cancer cells feed on:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Note: Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.


b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells will starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes t o nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water--best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines will become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.

Anger, unforgiving and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

GUIDE TO A BETTER LIFE

This is amazing!!! Randy Pausch 47 yrs old, a computer science lecturer from Mellon University,
died of pancreatic cancer in 2008, but wrote a book ‘The last lecture” before then,
one of the bestsellers in 2007. What a legacy to leave behind!!!
In a letter to his wife Jai and his children, Dylan, Logan , and Chloe,
he wrote this beautiful "guide to a better life" for his wife and children to follow.
May you be blessed by his insight. 

POINTERS ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE 

Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control.
Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don't over do; keep your limits.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does.
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past.
That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. 
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except YOU!!! 
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class
but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 
Community: 
15. Call your family often.
16. Each day give something good to others.
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
20. What other people think of you is none of your business.
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch. 
Life: 
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything.
24. Do the right things.
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
27. The best is yet to come.
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy. 
While you practice all of the above, share this knowledge with the people you love, people you school with,
people you play with, people you work with and people you live with.
Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you. 

HE MAN OF ALL GENERATION.

10 Powerful Phrases of Wisdom From Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi was a man that left man powerful messages to humanity before his time here was complete. Here is a list of 10 powerful phrases of wisdom he left to us all. One thing I wanted to add to this to help make it very practical is that for each one, try to see how it may relate to a certain instance or aspect of your life so you can truly begin incorporating this into your life. It is great to know quotes and phrases like these, but putting them into action is a big step to begin taking. Be sure to reflect on each one and see how you can make them a part of your life. Of course, share this list with others so they can do the same

1. Be the change you wish to see in the world

2. What you think, you become

3. Where there is love, there is life

4. Learn as if you’ll live forever

5. Your health is your true wealth

6. Have a sense of humor

7. Your life is your message

8. Action expresses priorities

9. Our greatness is being able to remake ourselves

10. Find yourself in the service of others

Some powerful words Gandhi left for us in his time. The important thing to remember is the very first phrase on here “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” If we are to truly make change here it is not about simply knowing or memorizing these phrases, we must truly live them and add them into our lives. Otherwise they are just words. - Knowledge of Today.



Culled from:
www.hopefornigeriaonline.com