Kenyans are still in shock over the sudden eviction of Nic Wang’ondu from the Big Brother Amplified house on Sunday.
But it has emerged that if you wanted to vote for Nic from Kenya through the website, it was impossible from Wednesday last week and it was only the voting section that was down.
That may sound petty until you check at how Africa voted. Luclay and Nic both had two votes each. Nic had Kenya and Uganda voting for him while Luclay had South Africa and Botswana.
Danny was the first to go because he only had one vote from his country, Ethiopia thus making him the contestant with the least vote.
For some reason, Big Brother decided to evict two housemates and that put Nic and Luclay on the chopping block but they were tied.
For this reason a tie-breaking process was used and Luclay got 18.06% while Nic, received 12.37% and that saw the South African saved and our boy Nic evicted.
Here’s how the process worked.
Karen: 6 country votes – Nigeria, Angola, Rest of Africa, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia
Kim: 4 country votes – Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi
Luclay: 2 country votes – South Africa, Botswana (18.06%)
Nic: 2 country votes – Kenya, Uganda (12.37%)
Danny: 1 country vote – Ethiopia
Meanwhile, Sharon O and seven others up for eviction
The eviction fever has crossed to the ‘Heads’ and our Sharon has not survived the chopping block as she is up for eviction with Zeus, Lomwe, Millicent, Felicia, Hanni, Vimbai and Wendall.
All housemates from Malawi(Felicia, Lomwe) and Zimbabwe (Wendall, Vimbai) are up for eviction followed by Hanni from Ethiopia, Millicent from Kenya and Botswana’s Zeus all up for eviction.
Zeus and Hanni had three votes while the rest of the nominate housemates had two votes each. Initially the entire heads house was up for eviction apart from Felicia, so Vina who is the HoH went to the chat room and swapped herself with Felicia.
The race is becoming tight by the day and we are yet to see of Sharon can survive this one.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Arguably Kenya’s best bet in the ongoing Big Brother Amplified, Nic Wang’ondu, reflects on the happenings in the house and his eviction. By STEVENS MUENDO.
They ask what’s in a name! Well, do you recall Nicholas ‘Nasty Nick’ Bateman the British media personality and a former contestant on the first series of the British version of Big Brother? He was told to leave the show after 36 days. He was the most popular housemate in the house at the time.
After his departure from the show, Nick enjoyed reasonable media exposure and attended many show-business parties and premieres. He went on to present several TV shows.
Could this be the future of Kenya’s Big Brother Amplified (BBA) representative Nic Wangondu, 26, who was kicked out of the house last Sunday? Coincidentally just like Nick Nasty, the Kenyan boy says he will use the BBA platform to launch his own TV talk show.
Pulse: Do we now call you Nasty Nick?
Nic: I don’t see myself as nasty as much as I said I could be a flirt. I am a cool, collected person as much as I share some few traits with Nasty Nick.
P: Some people believe that you were one of the strongest housemates in this BBA. Are you disappointed that you were evicted this early?
N: I am grateful to all the people who believed in me and I can assure you that I will not let them down. It was a great platform for me to launch my career in media.
P: How is it being in the Big Brother House, is it all about the money?
Nic: It is like playing a game of chess. Frankly, it’s hard for anyone to claim to have a winning strategy. You have a lot going on in the day but when you get to your bed at night, you realise that you are in here to win the money. I thought I knew myself before getting into the House, but once you’re inside you get to know yourself, you get to know how you react to people, react to your own emotions, so the biggest thing was the battle with myself.
P: Did you fall for Zambia’s Kim?
N: Let me put the record straight, I don’t mean to be mean but I was not in love with Kim. It was just a question of getting to know each other better…
P: You said there was something about her eyes and that she looked innocent. You even said she gave you butterflies and left you confused…
N: The thing is Kim, was a special girl. Before she trusts you she puts this wall you can’t go through. But once you break through and earn her trust, you discover how deep she can be. She is a good girl after all.
P: Before you broke her heart, Kim expected a post-BBA relationship with you. Do you think that was the genesis of the bad blood that led to your eviction?
N: I remember her giving me a huge hug and saying all that but I think it was all meant for show. She is the kind of person who creates an emotional environment that earns her empathy from everyone else. That was part of her strategy.
P: Though she nominated you, she was greatly affected by your eviction and has been crying about you all week. Do you care taking your friendship to the next level any time soon?
N: I said I was never in love. I didn’t go to the BBA House to have relationships. I am now focused on my career and the truth is she is nowhere in my plans.
P: Do you think there are genuine relationships in BBA?
N: Not really. Like I said, housemates pretend to be in relationships as part of their strategy to survive.
P: You had issues with Nigeria’s Karen?
N: I had a bit of an issue with Karen in the beginning but then afterwards we got to know each other, settled our differences and that was right. The thing is at first, Karen did not have time to listen to anyone and that was her biggest problem. But right now, she is firm on the game and has been manipulating other girls to get the boys kicked out early. But I think by the end of the day, the whole thing may backfire on her.
P: But you said she would be a likely winner?
N: She is a real fighter and that is why I see her going far. However, the game changes every week and I believe Big Brother will throw in a surprise which might completely change the game. People like Kenya’s Millicent and Namibia’s Bernadina are underestimated but they are really intelligent and smart. They could be the surprise package by the end of the day.
P: You heard about Ernest and Bhoke caught bonking under the sheets. How is it dealing with passionate emotions in BBA?
N: Well, all I know is that Ernest came to me the following morning and told me he had drunk too much and blacked out. I am not sure what happened but when it comes to romance inside the house, it can be tricky. You are locked together in this house where emotions are boxed simply because cameras are on and you can’t do much.
P: What next for Nic?
N: I would want to launch my own TV late night talk show. I have this passion to help empower the youth on issues to do with empowerment and investment. I have already forwarded my proposal to some guys who have taken interest in it.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Obama administration tried to find solace in Friday’s landmark votes on the Libya operation, holding up the fact that the House did not actually de-fund the mission as some semblance of an endorsement.
But the two votes Friday on Libya, coupled with the fierce backlash the president faced from his own party after announcing his Afghanistan withdrawal plan Wednesday, underscore the political trouble President Obama is in when it comes to national security. Though anti-war Democrats and anti-interventionist Republicans have long locked arms against U.S. military campaigns abroad, that bipartisan coalition is swelling — in size and intensity.
A majority of Republicans went on record Friday against funding and authorizing the Libya war, in a reversal of partisan roles. Perhaps more troubling for the president, 36 Democrats voted against funding and 70 Democrats voted against authorizing — the authorization bill failed, in a blow to the president, but so did the de-funding bill.
Many of the Democrats on that roster are vocal anti-war lawmakers. But some have also been prominent allies of the president on other issues. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who voted against authorization, shepherded the massive financial regulatory package through the House last year. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., who also voted against authorization, played a major role in the health care overhaul debate.
In the other chamber, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. — a key Obama ally and top Democrat who served alongside the president when he represented Illinois — is pushing a measure that would put a timetable on Libya. Though Durbin says he supports the mission, his proposal would only authorize use of force through the end of 2011.
And House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, while not crossing the president on Libya, chided the administration on Wednesday over the president’s call to withdraw surge troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer.
“It has been the hope of many in Congress and across the country that the full drawdown of U.S. forces would happen sooner than the president laid out — and we will continue to press for a better outcome,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Other Democrats used less subtle language to criticize the administration.
Rep. Jerrold Nader, D-N.Y., called the president’s Afghanistan plan, under which U.S. forces would be committed until 2014, “simply unconscionable.” He reportedly warned that the president was becoming an “absolute monarch” on war powers.
For now, the backlash does not have any immediate effect on Libya or Afghanistan. It would be extremely rare for Congress to de-fund a military mission, and the Pentagon budget could potentially have enough cushion in it to absorb such a financial shock anyway. The failed resolution on authorization also was non-binding and only took place in one chamber.
“I mean, this was one vote,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Friday when asked whether the military mission in Libya would continue regardless of support in Congress.
But the Senate is poised to take up the Libya authorization debate as early as next week, and Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., just announced plans to propose several amendments restricting the president’s authority.
Ironically, one of the administration’s biggest allies on Libya is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who ran against Obama in 2008 — though McCain has been critical of the way the administration handled the Libya mission with Congress. McCain and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., are pushing the measure to authorize the war.
On the campaign trail, economy-focused Republican candidates are beginning to use national security against the president — though they’ve tiptoed around the nation-rallying operation that resulted in the death of Usama bin Laden.
The message is far from harmonious. After the president’s Afghanistan speech, several candidates hammered the president for withdrawing the troops too quickly.
“Instead of providing the American people with clarity, President Obama proposes an abrupt withdrawal of our troops that could potentially compromise the legitimate gains we have made in Afghanistan,” candidate Herman Cain said.
But others said he wasn’t moving quickly enough.
“Now it is time we move to a focused counter-terror effort which requires significantly fewer boots on the ground than the president discussed,” said former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, the newest candidate to the race.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the apparent GOP frontrunner, appeared to fall on both sides of the debate, calling on the president to bring troops home as soon as possible but urging him not to set an “arbitrary timetable.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Darin Strauss was 18, a month from graduating high school, when he climbed into his father’s Oldsmobile and picked up some friends to play miniature golf. He drove in the left lane of a four-lane thoroughfare in Long Island, New York, shooting the breeze, enjoying the watercolored scenery, not a care in the world. Up ahead, on his right, two girls pedaled bicycles on the shoulder.
Suddenly, one of the girls swerved left across the road. Strauss, with no time to react, hit her at 40 miles per hour. The girl — Celine Zilke, a student at Strauss’ high school — died.
Strauss was exonerated by the legal system. His friends, for the most part, were supportive. But he privately carried around the memory of Celine Zilke’s death for decades. After a poor experience with a therapist, who seemed as determined to impress Strauss with his sports car as help him past the guilt, Strauss went off to college and essentially buried the incident except to a few intimates.
“They said I wasn’t to blame,” Strauss recalls in an interview at an Atlanta coffee shop.
But he could never let go. The words of Zilke’s mother — “You’re living for two” — echoed in his brain. He became a well-reviewed, best-selling novelist. His books include “Chang and Eng” and “The Real McCoy.” He married and had children. But it wasn’t until he entered his late 30s that he decided to revisit the car accident and its effect on his life. His memoir, “Half a Life,” won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award and was recently released in paperback.
Though Strauss, now 40, said he was sometimes challenged to dredge up details, the emotional power of the accident never left. “(The incident) was branded into my brain,” he says. And letting go, he adds, hasn’t come easily, either. “For a long time, I was in denial. Everyone told me I’m fine, so I must be fine.”
Life is an adventure in forgiveness, the writer Norman Cousins once said, but few things come so hard as forgiving oneself.
Yes, there are websites, such as PostSecret.com and SecretRegrets.com, that allow people to expose their pain anonymously. The radio show “This American Life,” on which Strauss first told his tale, did a whole show on blameless guilt. And there are therapists and clergy by the score ready to lend a willing ear.
But it’s not like the clouds suddenly lift after someone like Robin Williams’ “Good Will Hunting” shrink utters “It’s not your fault” a half-dozen times.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Vicki Larson and I have been having a fairly heated conversation about what ugly has to do, or not do, with a man being marrying material. Her Huffington Post column got huge attention for claiming that women should choose ugly husbands, lest they be subject to the Weiner/Tiger/Arnold syndrome–appealing and powerful men who crash and burn.
I am not sure we will ever agree completely, but in my direct conversations with Vicki I get the sense that we actually agree, perhaps more than we disagree. Vicki and I thought it might be informative to engage in a spirited question and answer about her original piece and my sense of what manhood really is all about.
Tom: Vicki, everywhere I look, there are articles that attempt to summarize manhood (ironically most often written by women). Don’t you think making sweeping stereotype-driven judgments about men is the same thing as making those judgments about women, or blacks or gays?
Vicki: You’re surprised? Women love analyzing men! Sweeping stereotypes are horrible — I hate being seen as a high-maintenance gold-digger living off my ex’s hard-earned money just because I’m a divorced blonde. Intelligent people understand that the world doesn’t work in absolutes — “never” and “always.”
What saddens me reading the comments here and elsewhere is that we still focus on how “bad” the other sex is. The studies I cite are old, they’ve been written about many times before, but because of social media, many people knee-jerk react and spread it faster, farther and wider than before. So much for thoughtful commentary.
Tom: I heard an interesting interview with Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper on “Mad Men,” in which he talked about how difficult it is for him to be objectified. He was serious about it and appeared to be an honest and sweet man despite his good looks. Should we be feeling sorry for him?
Vicki: We all want to feel attractive, not objectified. Still, Hamm chose a career that feeds off of good looks and he’s being paid well and has many opportunities because of it. But it’s great he’s talking about it because women don’t know how men feel about being lust objects. Most women, however, do; even women who aren’t “beautiful” are drooled over because they might have great breasts or a butt. We need to be empathetic to how the other sex experiences things; Louanne Brizendine’s books on male and female brains are great.
Tom: Do you really believe the studies you cite that men with higher testosterone, presumably the most macho guys around, are not to be trusted?
Vicki: I didn’t write that. Studies indicate men with higher testosterone levels have a tendency to lie and cheat more than men with lower levels. They’re also incredibly exciting. That doesn’t mean all of them will lie and cheat, and any woman who decides to marry a guy or not based on that alone is foolish. Of course, people get married for lots of foolish reasons.
Tom: In the course of my work with “The Good Men Project,” I’ve spoken to thousands of men about what it means to be good–from inmates to celebrities–and one of the things I have come to is that goodness is a self-defined concept. For one man it might be taking care of his autistic child and for another it’s risking his life to take pictures of the truth of the war in Iraq. How do you define “good” as it relates to manhood?
Vicki: Not to diss the name of your project, which as the mom of two young men and a woman who loves men I’m a fan of, but good is a meaningless word. Mildred Baena called Arnold Schwarzenegger a good man. Good to her, perhaps, but not to his family. And, you aren’t good because you’re taking care of your autistic child; that’s what you signed up for when you became a parent.
Good isn’t a male or female thing. So I’d rather define what it is to be human — kind; loving; compassionate; empathetic; self-aware; honest; respects him/herself and others; generous of spirit; realizes he/she is part of a much bigger picture; takes responsibility for his/her actions, and has a moral compass. That’s so incredibly sexy it’s beyond “good.” Bonus points if it comes with a great face and bod.
Tom: In picking a spouse, we grapple with different levels of attraction. There’s the animalistic, “Wow that person is hot,” kind. The, “I am just in awe of that person.” And finally, “I can’t imagine walking this planet without that person in my life,” kind. When you advised women to go ugly what were you really saying about attraction?
Vicki: I was tongue-in-cheek about going ugly! I am not telling women — or men — to settle for anyone less than the person who rocks their world. But we need to reexamine what attractive means.
Anthony Weiner was once named a Cosmo eligible bachelor. Yet clearly from the comments here, few found him handsome and many called him ugly. I don’t think he’s ugly but he’s not hot enough to send me nude pics of himself! So, what makes him an eligible bachelor if it’s not his looks? Many commentors said he only attracted models and women because of his power and status. Well, if that’s what we consider attractive, if that’s what Cosmo’s selling to women as good hubby material, no wonder men call us gold-diggers. Plus, since those guys are the high testosterone guys, we’re right back to the beginning.
I’d hope he was an eligible bachelor because of the whole package; he’s a smart (until he proved himself incredibly dumb), fit, passionate, funny man with a (once) promising future. If you’re just going for the pretty and other things that don’t really matter in a fulfilling relationship — and I include power, status and money among those — you’re not looking at the right things. When considering someone “attractive,” we should include character, too.
Tom: In a world filled with porn and superficial images of female beauty what do you tell your sons, 17 and 20, about what to look for in a woman?
Vicki: You think I can tell my sons anything? Girls are an off-limits topic. I have been delightfully pleased at the girls they consider attractive, real girls with real bodies, no makeup, sweet and smart.
I hope I’ve modeled for them what to look for by my priorities — family and friends over material things and status — and how I respect my body; I’d never inject poison or plastic into or overload it with crappy food.
Tom: Do you think that we are guilty of spending too much time on celebrity men behaving badly or it is important to nail these guys in order to make sure women see what is not acceptable?
Vicki: We spend too much time on celebrities, period, and increasingly it’s becoming “news.” We don’t want to just nail the guys; we seem to enjoy any celebrity falling. There have been plenty of women who fall, but women tend to self-destruct. It seems more high-profile men often behave badly with women, and that, unfortunately, reflects poorly for men in general for some women. It’s those stereotypes again. But I sure hope we aren’t looking to celebrities for guidance. Who cares what they do? Politicians, however, must be held accountable.
Tom: Do you really think marriage works better when the wife is hotter than the husband?
Vicki: It’s obvious it doesn’t since mine ended in divorce! Okay, I’m joking. I think guys would love to have a hot wife. But there’s no one formula that leads to a happy marriage. A marriage works best when the couple is committed to each other, similar in the ways that matter, and forgiving and accepting in the ways in which they differ. Having a hot husband or wife does not create that.
Tom: Do you think Weiner’s wife Huma Abedin will, as you suggest, dump Weiner while there is still time so she can use her beauty to snag another man–only this time “go ugly”?
Vicki: I did not suggest Abedin dump Weiner, and I was, again, tongue-in-cheek about splitting before the baby will have memories of the divorce. It’s an option. But she’s about to be a mom, and deciding to divorce when you have kids is tough as it should be given how divorce impacts kids. Ask any 40-something woman what it’s like to find love and you’ll hear that it’s harder than when she was in her 20s or 30s, even if she’s beautiful, smart and accomplished.
Tom: We talk a lot about defining moments as men. It could be the loss of a child or a job, the slow erosion of addiction, or a divorce. But that moment when you look in the mirror and have no idea who is looking back. When for the first time you have to get radically honest with yourself about something excruciatingly hard. And that goodness often comes from devastating failure rather than success. Do you think it’s possible Weiner will end up a better man?
Vicki: I’d love to believe that we could get that self-awareness, have that epiphany, without hitting bottom. But hitting bottom and being “radically honest” don’t automatically give us that epiphany — we need ways to think and act differently, and we need support. Will Weiner become a better man? I hope so, for his child’s sake. And if he’s lucky, Abedin will be right there by his side.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A woman has reportedly died from the shock of coming to life at her own funeral.
Fagilyu Mukhametzyanov, 49, was wrongly declared dead by doctors, but she actually died after hearing people pray for her soul in Kazan, Russia, according to the Daily Mail.
She was taken back to a hospital where she was declared dead, this time for good.
“Her eyes fluttered and we immediately rushed her back to the hospital but she only lived for another 12 minutes,” her husband, Fagili Mukhametzyanov, said, according to the Daily News.
Mukhametzyanov said he plans to sue the hospital, which says it is conducting an investigation of the incident.
Her final cause of death was heart failure, according to reports. Her “first death” was also heart-related, a suspected heart attack.
This isn’t the first time a funeral has taken an unexpected twist. In recent years, a man showed up alive for his own funeral in Brazil and a premature baby declared dead woke up before his own funeral before dying shortly after in Paraguay.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Michael Jackson spent the last months of his life frightened and on edge, convinced that he would be killed by people wanting to get access to his valuable music catalog, according to his sister, La Toya Jackson.
Jackson makes the claims in her new book, “Starting Over,” which also chronicles her own troubles, including an abusive marriage to her late ex-manager/husband, Jack Gordon.
Jackson says that she and her brother went through similar experiences of being controlled and manipulated by shadowy figures that cut them off from their family.
“The difference is, I was eventually able to get away and start over; Michael can’t start over,” she said.
Saturday will mark the two-year anniversary of the King of Pop’s death at age 50. Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of giving him an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. He has pleaded not guilty; the trial is set for September.
However, Jackson’s sister called Murray “the fall guy.” She said there were other people who needed to be investigated and described Jackson’s death as part of a wide conspiracy. Jackson was the co-owner of the lucrative Sony/ATV catalog, the copyright holder of the Beatles’ and other artists’ songs, and his older sister contends he was murdered for control of it.
“This is definitely something that was premeditated, that they had planned to do, and they planned to take my brother out, and my brother knew it, and that’s why my brother told me repeatedly, repeatedly and repeatedly, that this was going to happen to him,” she said in an interview Wednesday. “He explained to me, `It’s because of my catalog.”‘
Jackson had harsh words for John Branca, the co-executor of Jackson’s estate, accusing him of being more interested in his own interests than those of the beneficiaries of the estate – Jackson’s mother, his three children and charitable causes.
“They care about what they can do and what they can get their hands on, and no one in the family has anything to do with the estate,” she said. “At this point, blatantly said, John Branca right now is Michael Jackson.”
In response to Jackson’s statements, the estate issued this statement: “After numerous hearings and after reviewing evidence contained in countless filings and exhibits, three California courts have decided John Branca and John McClain are the rightful and lawful executors of Michael Jackson’s Estate just as Michael specified in his will.
“Mr. Branca and Mr. McClain have turned the estate around financially for the benefit of Michael’s children and mother, protected the intellectual property and music catalog assets Michael accumulated during his lifetime as well as carried out their mandate to shelter and preserve funds for his children until they reach certain ages as adults. Their performance as the executors of Michael’s estate is a matter of extensive public record and speaks for itself.”
Jackson’s three children – Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket – are being cared for by Jackson’s mother, Katherine. Unlike when they were in their father’s care, they no longer shield their faces with masks and have entered private school: “They are adjusting very well,” Jackson said.
Jackson, who has appeared on “Celebrity Apprentice” and “Dancing With the Stars” since her brother’s death, was once estranged from her brother and the rest of her family. She even went so far as to support charges that Jackson was a child molester when he was first accused of the crime in 1993 (he was not charged in that case and was acquitted of similar charges in 2005).
But she said she was then under the control of her ex-husband, who forced her to say negative things about her brother. She said Gordon beat her on a regular basis and threatened the lives of her family; she eventually broke away from him with the intervention of her brother Randy, according to the book.
Jackson, who now calls Michael “godlike,” said the day she spoke out against her brother was the worst day of her life. However, she said Jackson forgave her.
“He said, `La Toya … I know your heart, and I know you would never do anything like that, and I know he forced you and made you to do that,” she said. “He says, `I love you, and I will always love you.”‘
Jackson said she’s gratified that Jackson’s once tarnished image has been rehabilitated after his death.
“I think it’s wonderful that people remember him in a wonderful light,” she said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
As the second anniversary of Michael Jackson‘s death approaches, we catch another brief glimpse into one of the more peculiar aspects of the pop singer’s life — his instance on “masking” his three children.
As MSN UK reports, La Toya Jackson has revealed that her mother, Katherine Jackson, currently the guardian of Michael’s children, has refused to let the kids wear masks.
“Michael put masks on them to protect them and to keep them safe from anyone who wanted to hurt him,” La Toya recently said in an interview with the Daily Beast. “He’s gone now. The first thing my mother did was say to them, ‘Today we’re unmasking you. Today the masks come off.'”
Michael’s three children, Prince, Paris and Prince Michael II, (aka “Blanket”), are reportedly doing much better under the care of their grandmother.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
President Barack Obama is likely to be defeated in 2012. The reason is that he faces four serious threats. The economy is very weak and unlikely to experience a robust recovery by Election Day. Key voter groups have soured on him. He’s defending unpopular policies. And he’s made bad strategic decisions.
Let’s start with the economy. Unemployment is at 9.1%, with almost 14 million Americans out of work. Nearly half the jobless have been without work for more than six months. Mr. Obama promised much better, declaring that his February 2009 stimulus would cause unemployment to peak at 8% by the end of summer 2009 and drop to roughly 6.8% today.
After boasting in June 2010 that “Our economy . . . is now growing at a good clip,” he laughingly admitted last week, “Shovel-ready was not as shovel-ready as we expected.” The humor will be lost on most. In Wednesday’s Bloomberg poll, Americans believe they are worse off than when Mr. Obama took office by a 44% to 34% margin.
The last president re-elected with unemployment over 7.2% was FDR in 1936. Ronald Reagan overcame 7.2% unemployment because the rate was dropping dramatically (it had been over 10%) as the economy grew very rapidly in 1983 and 1984. Today, in contrast, the Federal Reserve says growth will be less than 3% this year and less than 3.8% next year, with unemployment between 7.8% and 8.2% by Election Day.
Mr. Obama also has problems with his base. For example, Jewish voters are upset with his policy toward Israel, and left-wing bloggers at last week’s NetRoots conference were angry over Mr. Obama’s failure to deliver a leftist utopia. Weak Jewish support could significantly narrow Mr. Obama’s margin in states like Florida, while a disappointed left could deprive him of the volunteers so critical to his success in 2008.
Mr. Obama’s standing has declined among other, larger groups. Gallup reported his job approval rating Tuesday at 45%, down from 67% at his inaugural. Among the groups showing a larger-than-average decline since 2009 are whites (down 25 points); older voters (down 24); independents and college graduates (both down 23), those with a high-school education or less, men, and Southerners (all down 22); women (down 21 points); married couples and those making $2,000-$4,000 a month (down 20). This all points to severe trouble in suburbs and midsized cities in states likes Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Nevada.
There’s more. Approval among younger voters has dropped 22 points, and it’s dropped 20 points among Latinos. Even African-American voters are less excited about Mr. Obama than they wereâ€â€and than he needs them to be. For example, if their share of the turnout drops just one point in North Carolina, Mr. Obama’s 2008 winning margin there is wiped out two and a half times over.
While many voters still personally like Mr. Obama, they deeply oppose his policies, and he tends to be weakest on issues voters consider most important. In the June 13 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 56% disapprove of Mr. Obama’s handling of the economy. Fifty-nine percent in the Economist/YouGov poll of June 14 disapprove of how he’s dealt with the deficit.
And his health-care reform still holds its unique place as the only major piece of social legislation that became less popular after it was passed. According to yesterday’s Pollster.com average of recent surveys, 38% approve of ObamaCare, while its survey average when the bill was passed in March 2010 showed that 41% approved.
Finally, Mr. Obama has made a strategic blunder. While he needs to raise money and organize, he decided to be a candidate this year rather than president. He has thus unnecessarily abandoned one of incumbency’s great strengths, which is the opportunity to govern and distance himself from partisan politics until next spring. Instead, Team Obama has attacked potential GOP opponents and slandered Republican proposals with abandon. This is not what the public is looking for from the former apostle of hope and change.
In politics, 17 months can constitute several geological ages. Political fortunes can wax and wane. And weak incumbents can defeat even weaker challengers.
At the same time, objective circumstances like an anemic economy and bad decisions not only matter; they become very nearly dispositive. Mr. Obama is now at the mercy of policies and events he has set in motion. He can’t escape accountability, especially on the economy. He’s not done yet, but it will be tough to recover. More in a future column.
Mr. Rove is the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush
About Karl Rove
Karl Rove served as Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush from 2000–2007 and Deputy Chief of Staff from 2004–2007. At the White House he oversaw the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison, and Intergovernmental Affairs and was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, coordinating the White House policy-making process.
Before Karl became known as “The Architect” of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns, he was president of Karl Rove + Company, an Austin-based public affairs firm that worked for Republican candidates, nonpartisan causes, and nonprofit groups. His clients included over 75 Republican U.S. Senate, Congressional and gubernatorial candidates in 24 states, as well as the Moderate Party of Sweden.
Karl writes a weekly op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, is a Newsweek columnist and is the author of the book “Courage and Consequence” (Threshold Editions).
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Eish, as far as BBA goes, Sundays are starting to become very emotional days sowaar.
The latest victim to close their chapter in the eventful ever-busy book of Big Brother are Danny and Nic, who had to pack up and leave following Sunday’s eviction show. The Namibian yesterday spoke to the reserved, self-employed Danny who hails all the way from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 34-year-old clothing store owner says he enjoyed his time in the house and hopes he’ll be able to cash in on the exposure he got during his time in the game.
You are out, minus the money. How do you feel about that?
I tried my best. The decision has been made by Africa and I believe I got enough exposure. I’ve been in the house for seven weeks and I’m looking forward to capitalising on that.
What has been the highlight of the Amplified experience?
Just being me and being involved in everything. I guess also being part of the tasks and competitions in the house. I can say I tried to show how competitive I am.
When they nominated you, quite a few of the housemates described you as being lazy in the house? What do you have to say about that?
That’s totally wrong, I’m not a lazy person. I mean you could see I was competing in everything and doing my best at all times. It’s hard to call someone lazy. In that house when the mood and tension is high, we turn to each other and back stab each other. I guess that’s why people would call me lazy.
Loads of women around Africa think you are perfect husband material. Have you ever been married, how do you feel about marriage and what qualities do you look for in a woman?
Wow, I would like to thank all the women in Africa for having such an opinion about me. I’ve never been married and I look forward to getting to that in future. Commitment is not something I’m scared of.
Do you think it’s strange that as one of the most conservative guys in the house, you hooked up with one of the most controversial women – Lotus! Do you think opposites attract?
Maybe, yeah. I just like women who are free spirited, liberated and not afraid to speak their minds and Lotus was that type of person. I guess that made it easier for us to click.
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When you were Head of House, you saved Luclay from possible eviction despite him being responsible for your friend Lotus being disqualified. A lot of people were shocked. What are your views?
What happened between Luclay and Lotus is between the two of them. I have different relationships with both of them. I mean I was close with both of them before the incident. I didn’t want to take sides, and that fact was what influenced my decision when it came to saving Luclay.
What do you think of Luclay constantly throwing tantrums in the house?
Well, that’s Luclay – everyone has his or her own way of expressing themselves. If that’s how Luclay wants to play the game, I can’t judge him. I appreciate him as a friend and it’s up to Africa to decide whether they like the way he plays the game. As a friend, I can only accept him for who he is.
Who do you feel closer to – Lotus or Luclay?
I am as close to Luclay the same way I was close to Lotus. Both of them are great people. They are both adorable with big elements of entertainment. It’s hard for me to pick sides because I see them both in the same light.
You are self-employed, tell us about your business?
I own and run a clothing shop – that’s what I do.
Any chance of coming to Namibia?
I would love to come and see Namibia, I heard a lot about Namibia from my best friend Miguel and Bernadina too. So I’m really looking forward to that.
Thank all my fans in Nam, I’m available on Facebook and ready to chat with them …I’m watching the show so be sure to tune into BBA Africa.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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