Just as the nation celebrated her independence, there were certain incidents which happened on that same day.
Among the incidents, was an unfortunate case for the road side traders of Iyana Ipaja, Lagos State, where a reckless driver driving an Xterra Jeep 2001 Model coming out from inside Iyana Ipaja linking the Lagos Abeokuta Express road ran into unsuspecting road side traders leaving several seriously injured with goods damaged. An eye witness says “Nobody knew what went wrong with the jeep.
After running into the traders, he quietly came down from the jeep and offer helping hand after he had locked up the car”. As at the time of filling in this reports members of the Nigerian police for and LASMA have not arrive the scene.
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 Anambra State governorship election scheduled for the 16th day of November 2013 is around the corner. All the parties have conducted their primaries and the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) had already released the names of the candidates for each party in the election. The names of all the twenty three (23) candidates as released by INEC include: Okeke Chika Jerry (AA) Chukwuemeka Nwankwo (ACCORD) Dr Ifeatu Ekelem (ACD) Engr Anthony Anene (ACPN) Comrade Aaron Igweze (AD) Chief Anayo Arinze (ADC) Patrick Chukwuka Ibeziako (APA) Senator Chris Ngige (APC) Chief Willie Obiano (APGA) Chief Austin Nwangwu (CPP) Chijioke Geofrey Ndubuisi (DPP) Christian Ikechukwu Otti (ID) Chief Dennis Nwaforka Oguge (KOWA) Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (LP) Pastor Simon Okafor (MPPP) Okoknkwo Webster (NCP) Prince Leonard Uchendu (NNPP) Nicholas Ukachukwu (PDP) Godwin Ezeemo (PPA) Hon Basil Ijedinma (PPN) Onuarah Onyeachonam (SDP) Barr Okoye Godson (UDP) Prince Akaneebu Ogochukwu (UPP). Even though the candidates are many, the candidates for the major parties and top contenders are Senator Chris Ngige (APC), Chief Willie Obiano (APGA), Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (LP) and Nicholas Ukachukwu (PDP). The list for candidates could change between now and the 16th November based on the latest court’s decisions challenging the validity of some candidates. INEC would dutifully amend the list in line with the decisions of courts. If the list stands, the fortunes of many candidates would not change as far as the Anambra election is concerned. By now, a large number of Anambrarians must have made up their minds on whom to vote for. The number of undecided voters is not really that significant. But in my considered opinion based on my months of research and my study of Anambra politics, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah would not be governor of Anambra state; and so is Nicholas Ukachukwu or Senator Chris Ngige. Willie Obiano of APGA is highly favored to win the election and convincingly too. This is because of many factors that work to his advantage. First of all, he is the candidate of the ruling party, APGA, which is highly entrenched in the state based on their grass root support, active and well-oiled political machinery. Even though APGA has its own squabbles before and after its primary that pitched Maxi Okwu’s faction with the Chief Victor Umeh’s faction; the APGA problem is not a do-or-die affair and could be easily settled over a glasses of wine as both sides of the disagreement agrees that APGA would win the forthcoming election. All the parties to APGA dispute are in agreement that victory for the party is more important than any squabble or dispute among them. Secondly, the incumbent governor, Peter Obi, had acquitted himself well as a prudent manager of Anambra’s scarce resources who has put the state in a very sound footing. Also with the performance of the current governor and the kind of leader that he is, a case has already been made for continuity, prudence, competence, civility, humility, maturity, exposure and knowledge. Many people have unconsciously gravitated to Governor Obi’s style of leadership and wish that anyone that succeeds him possesses many of those traits. When a ruling party methodically frames an election issue to suit its own strategy, then it would be an uphill task if not a total impossibility, for a challenger to beat the ruling party. Governor Obi, by his style of leadership and his achievements has made the strong case that a person that would take over from him should possess certain similar characteristics and backgrounds. Besides, there are lots of ongoing projects which could not be finished before the next administration comes on board, and I could say that it was strategically done so that it would be difficult for towns where those projects are cited to abandon APGA, jump ship and risk the project being abandoned by a successor that may not share the philosophy of Governor Obi and APGA. The current governor has also made a case that for equity and fairness, his successor should come from Anambra North Senatorial Zone; a zone that is Anambra’s “food basket” and a zone where Anambra owes her status as the 10th Oil Producing State in Nigeria. Besides, the zone has never produced a governor both in the old and new Anambra State. So the question now is: who among the candidates is close to the kind of leader that Gov. Obi modeled and who among the candidates would continue on the path that Gov. Obi has charted for the state and its future; and who comes from Anambra North? Is it Senator Ngige? Nicholas Ukachukwu? Ifeanyi Ubah? Willie Obiano?
Everywhere in Anambra, most people want a governor that would continue from where governor Obi stopped. Senator Ngige does not represent continuity, future, civility, prudence or competence. He represents Anambra’s past and the period in our history beset with strife, lawlessness and rancor. Also his tenure represents a period of uncertainty, endless bickering and arson. His party, APC, is not really welcomed in the state based on the fact that it represents a lot of things that most Anambrarians would shudder at including Boko Haram, deportation of and ethnic domination against Igbos. Every politics is local as they say in the political world. Many have argued that it is not about party but about the individual, however, who would finance Ngige’s campaign? Who would match his rhetoric with action on the ground? How many online analysts running their mouths like ‘micro-waving’ popcorns can put in time, money and efforts to help Ngige to achieve his political goals? Popularity does not normally translate to success at elections. Besides, who pays the piper says much about where a candidate loyalty is. Is Ngige’s campaign funded by Anambra people or Chief Bola Tinubu or Gov Fashola of Lagos State? What is their pay-back assuming they are bankrolling his campaign? Is Anambra money to be used in settling them if Ngige becomes governor? On his own part, Ngige did not acquit himself well as a senator. For over two years, there has never been any bill sponsored or co-sponsored by him in the senate. His name was recently published among the list of docile senators (that earn much more than any congress in the world and more than the United States president, Barack Obama) without anything to show for the huge salaries they smile home with every month (over seventy million naira per annum). On issues after issues that are of emotional attachment to his constituency and Anambra State/Igbos generally, it appears that he either does not have a clue on what to do or he is uninterested in doing his job as a senator. On the Ezu River scandal, the investigation was allegedly killed in the senate by Ngige and other senators. Also on the Boko Haram menace that directly affects his constituency, no action; on Unity School that demands that Anambra candidates score higher than any states (139 points), he was a ‘no-show’; on the Orient Refinery that is being claimed by Kogi and Enugu states, he did not put up a fight to defend Anambra’s interest. Then it was the controversial deportation of so-called destitute of Anambra origins by the Lagos State government which Senator Ngige supported; that broke the his political ‘carmel’s back’. To many like myself, Ngige only makes ‘waves’ when he returns to Anambra, but when stacked against his mates at the senate where outspokenness is required to influence a governmental actions to benefit his own people, he goes numb or mute. It is only at markets and among some gullible market women or ‘okada’ riders that he finds his voice. Besides, he does not have a forward looking agenda for returning to the Governor’s Mansion. No real vision about moving the state forward to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). I have not seen a comprehensive manifesto that is outside the generic “I will build airport, roads, bridges”, “I will make education tuition-free.” Anambra needs and deserves an ambitious manifesto that addresses the needs of Anambra such as security/kidnapping, Agriculture/food production, unemployment/job creation, industrialization, housing, education, health-care, energy efficiency, manpower development etc. The problem with adherents of the 20th Century political philosophy is that they do not understand that different times calls for different measures. Ngige was governor by default when the state was in dire need of good roads and when teachers were owed backlog of salaries and allowances, and when schools were closed for a year due to the fact that teachers were owed. Rehabilitating roads and paying salaries at the time was counted as achievements. Now things have changed and Anambra people now discovered that there are more to government than roads and salaries of workers. Ngige’s problem now is “what have you done for us lately”? He has not understood that the ground has shifted from under his feet. Professor Okey Ndibe summarized Ngige’s situation thus:
"Mr. Ngige benefited as much from the incompetence and greed of his predecessors as from a culture of low expectations where the payment of salaries or the provision of roads is rated an amazing achievement. But there’s no question that his image has lost much of its glitter in the last two years or so. After a bruising battle to claim his Senate seat from Dora Akunyili, Mr. Ngige, a medical doctor by training seemed to have gone to sleep. If there was any significant bill he sponsored or co-sponsored, or any legislative steps he took to boost the life of his constituents, he and his handlers must have worked hard to conceal it from the public. He has been quite, quite simply a mediocre, an underwhelming senator. Given his self-inflicted injuries as a weak senator, the question is whether he has the residual goodwill to pull off victory in a governorship election where he is almost certain to be outspent by his other opponents and their backers.” It was also alleged that among the South East Senate Caucus, Senator Ngige is the only senator whose office at Abuja is always under lock and key with no support staff. He is currently the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and it is alleged that when his committee toured the Psychiatric Hospital at Enugu, he was more concerned with getting three employment slots for his cronies; and that he does not care about doing anything to address the many concerns of the hospital and its staff. He has never cited any project using the Constituency Funds allocated to Anambra Central Constituency. The funds is estimated to be over three hundred and thirty three million naira (N333,000,000) annually. Ngige is also seen as a rubble-rouser, selfish, arrogant and polarizing. He has never been successful either as a physician or as a manager of people or wealth and resources which is what Anambra needs at this period of our history. People see him, rightly or wrongly, as capable of igniting old battles and strife in the state and would sour the long working relationship between Anambra government and the federal government. The prospect of peace and prosperity would be lacking in a “Governor Ngige” of 2014. He is also afflicted with the diminishing political returns and has maxed out politically as far as Anambra state is concerned. Another problem is that he lacks the trust of politicians. Recently, his campaign suffered another blow when his Campaign Manager, Senator Annie Okonkwo, threw in the towel on him saying: "My decision was borne out of inability to keep to the agreement and flagrant distrust and abuses by our standard bearer who of course showed no appreciation for the supreme sacrifice of stepping down for him.” Ngige is pretty much a ‘one-man show’, and thrives on out-dated “ambush” campaign strategy of criticism only with no positive message in his own favor. As a veteran journalist from Anambra, Uche Ezechukwu, put it“…if you are on ground in Anambra state and not merely a social media political analyst, you will see that Ngige is weighed down by even a greater predicament.” Ngige’s political problems are legion, for they are many, and it would only take a miracle for him to win any election outside his usual Idemili axis who benefitted mostly from his road construction during his illegal tenure as governor. Nicholas Ukachukwu has been in politics for a better part of the decade. He is a strong political force and a philanthropist known by many especially in the Anambra South Constituency. He had suffered lots of disappointments politically, mostly in the hands of the Uba Brothers, who was alleged to have consistently rigged him out in any election that he participates in from 2003 and now. Ukachukwu has a sizeable following in the PDP and commands lots of respect among the rank and file of the party. He is a well-known grass root politician. However, his greatest challenge is the fact that his party is highly divided between various factions. The election is less than two months from now, but PDP is still battling in the court to determine who the authentic flag-bearer of the party is. Last Monday, 30th September, 2013, the PDP Anointed Candidate, Nwoye Withdrew lawsuit against the Party and INEC and the Federal High Court at Abuja granted the application to withdraw the suit. Even without rancor in his party, Ukachukwu does not have a followership that could easily cut across all sections of the electorate; he does not appear to have the financial muscle to prosecute a contentious campaign season and the rigging season in Anambra by PDP is long over. Besides that, he is seen as part of the ‘old guard’ and does not have the intellectual background that Anambra people are looking for. He does not have any listed educational qualification beside his name. This is troubling since in a state like Anambra that has a high number of education achievers, appearance of “money-miss-road” is never a virtue for any candidate in Anambra. As for Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, first of all, he is spending much of his campaign resources and time trying to convince Anambra people that he is not related to the Uba Brothers from Uga. Many mistake him to be another Uba of the “Ngige-gate” infamy. The young man is very ambitious, stupendously rich and successful in oil business. As a philanthropist, he is building a 3,000 seat Catholic Cathedral for the Nnewi Diocese. He was a lead donor in refurbishing St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Umuanuka Otolo, Nnewi, his home church, and has generously donated N60 million for the acquisition of the Bishop’s Court for the Anglican Diocese of Awka. He has also materially supported bishops and other clergymen of various religious denominations across Anambra State. He did some good things in creating jobs for a sizeable number of youths. He also distributed kerosene to teeming number of people to alleviate their sufferings during scarcity. One cannot but admire his courage, fearlessness, energy, youth, fresh ideas and ambition. At a young age and from a humble beginning, he was a successful businessman making his first million at the age of 19. He sits at the board of about ten companies. However, his first mistake was dabbling into APGA crisis without first doing his homework. A candidate cannot win an election by antagonizing an incumbent in his own party. In Igbo we say: “nwata kwuo okwu, a malu afo one o di”-a child reveals his age when he talks. Inexperience and youthful exuberance killed his momentum. Also by taking side in the controversy, he showed his poor leadership skills and made people to accuse him of trying to “buy” the APGA ticket via Chief Victor Umeh, who at the time was seen as a merchant going for the highest bidder. But Ifeanyi Ubah’s greatest undoing is the fact that only a few weeks ago, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) announced its seizure of Mr. Uba’s firm, Capital Oil. AMCON plans to run the company for a period of two years. Even upon that, the way and manner the young man spends money traversing from Onitsha-Awka-Nnewi and all major cities in a long convey of exotic cars reflects an extravagance that the state could ill-afford. Besides, the common thinking around Anambra is that the man is desperate to be governor so that he would plunder the state’s resources to meet up with his immense debt and to use the executive immunity that becoming a governor brings, to ward off Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from his trail. Also, he got caught up by the quest to appear well-educated by attaching an honorary doctorate degree to his name just like “Dr.” Andy Uba did when back in 2007 election. On the Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation website, he was listed as having a Bachelors’ Degree (B.Sc) in International Relations, but curiously the university he attended was not listed but that of his wife was listed. Besides, on the INEC list of candidates, NECO was listed as his qualification. Actually, possession of WASC or equivalent is the basic qualification for governor, so on that score, he is qualified. Now the question is: when exactly did he sit for the NECO? NECO was established in 1999 and conducted its first exams by mid-2000. This is a legitimate issue that played to the notion that he is an illiterate who can buy any degree or certificate that he wants to look “educated”. But to be a governor of a state like Anambra, a mere impression as an ‘illiterate trader’ or ‘money-miss-road’ is a tough impression to overcome. This leaves only Chief Willie Obiano. The man stands out as mild mannered, gregarious and confident. As a case has been made for Gov. Obi’s successor to be in the mold of Gov. Obi, Obiano is well suited in this type of contest. People are looking for somebody who can sustain the lofty achievements of the out-going Governor. Anambra needs somebody who possesses the requisite education, experience and exposure. So looking at the career profile of Chief Obiano, it is difficult not to notice his outstanding qualities. This is a man who had a distinction in secondary school: Christ the King College, Onitsha; and was John F. Kennedy Essay Winner 1974 at CKC and holds a national Merit Certificate for outstanding service during his NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) in Benue State, Nigeria in the 1979/80 Nigerian Prisons Service? Year; had a second class upper from an ‘Ivy League’ school, the University of Lagos in 1979, had an MBA in Marketing in the same school; he also had an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of Wisconsin. Besides that, he attended many international senior management courses at Harvard University, Stanford University and other top-rated universities around the world. Obiano is also a patron of the Lagos Business School. He is a fellow with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). Apart from his educational achievements, the man backed it up in the private sector. How bad can a man be, when he worked in First Bank for a long period of time, served as an Executive in a Bank for nine years; served as a Chief Internal Auditor for Texaco World Wide for six years, and a Chartered Accountant; was promoted four times in his eight-and-half-year-service at Texaco to become Chief Internal Auditor? He is a specialist in Bunkering, Lube-blending and Refinery Audits. Chief Willie Obiano was part of the team that audited Texaco Refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1989. He was part of the great team that saw Fidelity Bank through the Bank’s Consolidation process. With his leadership, the bank raised over N16 Billions and acquired two other banks and today boasts of shareholders fund in excess of N100 Billion within six years! The most interesting aspect of his long banking career is that there has never been any allegation of fraud or malpractice unlike what we see every day in the banking sector which led to many failed banks. He served with distinction and integrity. A case is already been made that he is the kind of person the state can entrust its finances on based on this profile of prudence and experience. The main negative thing that people could say against him is that he is Gov. Obi’s stooge and that he was planted to cover Obi’s ugly rear and bad deeds. But the funny thing is that the same people calling him a stooge are the same people that idolize Gov. Fashola of Lagos state and don’t call Fashola, a Bola Tinubu’s stooge. They wouldn’t refer to Ngige as Tinubu and Fashola’s stooge. They would rather have people across the River Niger as political sponsors of Anambra governor, but would develop diarrhea when a fellow Anambra man recommends a capable and highly competent hand to manage Anambra resources. Another criticism against him is that does not have political experience. It is true that the man has not spent a lot of time learning the evil ways of politicians, but his long term in the business sector and the intrigues there has prepared him for the big task of managing Anambra resources. It is a good thing to learn that he has not been tainted by politicians and their ways. After all, how many people in Anambra knew who Peter Obi was back in 2003? Ten years later, Gov. Obi is now a household name not only in Anambra but in the whole federation as a silent revolutionary. People that have worked closely with Chief Obiano testify to his exceptional social skills. He is well known in the banking and business circle as a bridge builder, a team player, a motivator and an astute and shrewd executive who always sets goals and reaches them with seamless precision. Anambra needs bridge builders and men of peace who would galvanize and tap into the human and material resources abound in Anambra for the state to continue on her way to prosperity. His manifesto is not just about continuity but about breaking new grounds of his own in revolutionizing the agricultural sector, healthcare, education, power sector, water resources, youth and manpower development. Some criticize him for being at home with ceremoniousness and love for the traditional institutions and talked about him going the “Okwadike Igbo-ukwu” way of flooding the government House with “okwa ojas” and “ogbu opis” (flute blower and traditional trumpeters), but if that is a negative to someone’s political standing, I can’t see it. Our people should prefer a candidate that is comfortable in his own skin and not afraid to project the rich cultural heritage of Igbos. One doesn’t expect less from high chief from the ancient Aguleri who value traditions as their Nri kinsmen. It would be very interesting to see how the incumbency and other enumerated factors in favor of APGA and her candidate, Willie Obiano, could be upset by the other mushroom and ragtag parties and candidates full of also-rans. Unless the unexpected happens, November 16th is only a matter of weeks and Anambra cannot wait to usher in a new round of peace, prosperity, civility, continuity, competence and industrialization epitomized by a Governor Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, Akpokuodike Aguleri. Come March 16th 2014, the government of Anambra would move from Obi to Obiano (three Obis) and from a native of Agulu to a native of Aguleri! As the saying goes “you don’t change a winning team” “do not fix it unless it is not broken”; Anambra is on a threshold of history, it’s too late to reverse course. (c) Chukwudi Nwokoye
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.
Damaturu — After ter-rorists killed 40 students in a dormitory attack in Yobe Sate, Nigerian authorities are taking measures to improve security around schools, including stepping up patrols and putting armed soldiers outside them and guarding school buses.
Government sources said, Monday, that the move aimed to restore confidence in the Western style schools that have seen scenes of bloody massacres by Boko Haram militants fighting for an Islamic state.
A presidency source said President Goodluck Jonathan met senior security aides, Sunday, to discuss how to respond to the latest deadly shift in tactics by the insurgents.
The source, who was present but who declined to be named, said: “At the meeting, they decided to provide special security cover for schools in the North-East and some other places prone to possible attacks.
”The president is not happy. He directed security chiefs to work out a new strategy so this doesn’t happen again.”
Gunmen had stormed an agricultural college in Gujba area of the state, Sunday, dragging students out of their beds and shooting them dead.
”For now, the state government has directed all round security surveillance on all schools across the state,” Mohammed Lamin, Yobe Commissioner for Lower Education, said.
He added that “the security agencies need to step up their operations to protect lives and property.”
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.
SACRAMENTO, California (AP) — California Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a bill outlawing so-called revenge porn and levying possible jail time for people who post naked photos of their exes after bitter breakups.
Senate Bill 255, which takes effect immediately, makes it a misdemeanor to post identifiable nude pictures of someone else online without permission with the intent to cause emotional distress or humiliation. The penalty is up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
"Until now, there was no tool for law enforcement to protect victims," the bill's author, Sen. Anthony Cannella, said in a statement. "Too many have had their lives upended because of an action of another that they trusted."
Cannella, a Republican, has said revenge porn is a growing problem in the age of social media, when photos and videos that were made privately during a relationship can find their way onto hundreds of websites.
Before the criminal law was enacted, California allowed victims to sue their virtual assailants, but that is an expensive and time-consuming option.
The American Civil Liberties Union had opposed the bill, arguing it might restrict free speech rights, which has been a concern in other states as well.
Florida lawmakers rejected a similar bill this year after constitutional free speech concerns surfaced there. Last year, the Missouri Supreme Court cited concerns about free speech in striking down part of a 2008 law enacted after a teenager who was teased online committed suicide.
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.
Jacksonville International Airport reopened Tuesday night after a bomb squad removed a "destructive device," the Associated Press reported.
At about 11:20 p.m. ET, the airport tweeted that it was open again and encouraged travelers to check with their respective airlines for flight updates.
Earlier Tuesday, authorities ordered an evacuation of the facility as police investigated suspicious packages.
Airport spokesman Michael Stewart said the evacuation was ordered after authorities found the package in the terminal and another in a parking garage, the Times-Union reported on its website.
Police found one of the packages in the terminal and another in a nearby parking garage, Stewart said. It wasn't immediately clear what was in the packages, but the bomb squad from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office was still on the scene and investigating late Tuesday night, Stewart said.
"It was determined that because of the seriousness of the situation that they would evacuate the terminal," Stewart said.
There were no reports of injuries or damage. Jacksonville police blocked off the entrance to the airport.
Local news media reported that the sheriff's office had arrested two suspects, but Stewart said he could not confirm that.
Flightaware.com, which tracks commercial aviation, reported that flights to Jacksonville were being ordered held at their origin point. Passengers on flights that arrived during the evacuation were being taken by bus to local hotels, the airport said in a tweet.
A TV station reported on its website, News4Jax.com, that a witness, Jennifer Lee, said said she saw a man taken into custody at a security checkpoint.
"My colleague and I were coming through security, and all of a sudden they stopped everybody that was in security," Lee said. "We looked a couple of lanes over and they were arresting a gentleman in sunglasses. Originally they told us to stand there. Then they started to yell at us to leave."
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.
CINCINNATI — Many residents of Hillsboro, Ohio, woke Sunday to find Ku Klux Klan fliers on their automobile windshields, part of a large recruiting effort by a North Carolina-based Klan branch, a watchdog group told The Enquirer on Tuesday.
The Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, based in Eden, N.C., but with chapters in 16 states, including Ohio and Kentucky, are trying to attract new members, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The nation's third-largest Klan group, the White Knights held a rally Saturday in Tennessee, according to the center, a civil rights legal group based in Montgomery, Ala., that monitors hate groups and their activities nationally. The White Knights also distributed leaflets in June in Colorado Springs, Colo.
"Help Save Our Race: Everything we cherish is under assault by ZOG," the one-page flier reads. ZOG is a white supremacist acronym for "Zionist Occupied Government."
The flier features an image of a hooded Klan member in front of a Confederate battle flag.
Hillsboro, the government seat of Highland County, has a population of 6,500 and is about 60 miles east of Cincinnati.
The extent of activity for many Klan groups is this type of leafleting, said Mark Potok, senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
"But this was the group that on March 30, in Memphis, Tenn., marched to protest the changing of the Confederate names of three parks, including Nathan Bedford Forrest Park," named after an early Klan leader, Potok said.
Hillsboro Police Chief Nicholas Thompson told the Chillicothe Gazette that his officers "found several fliers that had been placed on vehicles downtown." He didn't know how many fliers were left around town.
"At this point, it doesn't appear any one individual has been targeted that we know of," Thompson told the Gazette, which, like The Enquirer, is owned by Gannett Co. Inc. "I haven't a clue where they came from. They just appeared."
Thompson said it's possible someone printed them from the website and distributed them locally. He said he consulted with Hillsboro Law Director Fred Beery, who said whoever distributed the fliers did nothing illegal.
Thompson called their distribution "unfortunate."
Fiona McGinty, 44, moved to downtown Hillsboro nine years ago from Cincinnati.
Her goal was to find a safer place for her son, then 15, to grow up. He is now 22 and a graduate of Hillsboro High School. And he is biracial; his father is African-American.
His car had five fliers on them, not just one.
"That was no accident," McGinty told The Enquirer on Tuesday.
"My son just laughed at it. He said, 'They can come after me if they want.' I don't think it's funny. It's very upsetting," she said.
She initially thought the single-page flier was a parking ticket.
"Join Today!!!" the flier reads. It lists a web address and a phone number.
"Greetings white brothers and sisters," is how the recorded message begins when a call is placed to the number on the flier. The Loyal White Knights refers to itself as one of the most active Klan groups in the country and said it is "fighting for equal rights for whites." People interested in joining are asked to leave their name and contact information.
The message ends, "Always remember, if it ain't white, it ain't right. White power."
Another Klan group, the Confederate White Knights, is seeking a permit to hold a rally this weekend at Gettysburg National Battlefield in Pennsylvania, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. It is billed as a First Amendment rally and is seeking to have President Barack Obama removed from office.
Obama's election in 2008 as the nation's first African-American president caused growth in existing hate groups and formation of new splinters. Since the end of 2008 – the number of anti-government groups, including armed militias, has grown 755 percent, from 149 to 1,274 in 2011.
The number of hate groups – which includes neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, skinheads, black separatists and others – has increased 69 percent since 2000 and now has reached 1,018 nationally, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
A majority of Americans now express prejudice toward African-Americans, even if they don't recognize those attitudes, according to an Associated Press survey released in October 2012.
Conducted with researchers from Stanford University, the University of Michigan and University of Chicago, the survey showed that the number of Americans with anti-black sentiments increased to 56 percent in 2012, up from 49 percent in 2008, when measured by an implicit racial attitudes test.
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.
Breast cancer can be a devastating disease, but most women can take active steps to reduce their risk, say some of the nation's leading breast cancer experts.
Women shouldn't blame themselves for their illness, doctors say, noting that it's usually impossible to pinpoint what caused an individual woman's breast tumor.
But about 25% of all breast cancer cases in women of all ages could be avoided by maintaining a healthy body weight and doing regular physical activity, says internist Anne McTiernan, a researcher with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
"The greatest benefits for breast cancer reduction come from weight control and physical activity together," she says.
Alpa Patel, an American Cancer Society epidemiologist, agrees that these are "modifiable risk factors," along with limiting alcohol consumption.
It may seem obvious, but being a woman is the main risk factor for developing breast cancer, the cancer society says. Men may also develop it, but the disease is about 100 times more common among women than men. This is likely because men have less of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, which can promote breast cancer cell growth, the group says.
A woman's risk of developing breast cancer increases as she gets older. About one in eight U.S. women (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime, the cancer society says.
A large part of breast cancer risk is determined by women's lifetime exposure to estrogen, Patel says. Your risk increases if you begin your period early, if you go through menopause late, if you have fewer children or if you have them later in life. Those are considered non-modifiable risk factors, she says.
About 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, resulting directly from gene defects, called mutations, inherited from a parent, the cancer society says.
A small percentage of women, including Angelina Jolie, "have genes that put them at a very high lifetime risk," Patel says. Jolie opted for a preventative double mastectomy after learning that she carried a mutation in a gene called BRCA1, which gave her an 87% chance of breast cancer.
The most common cause of hereditary breast cancer is an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, the cancer society says. Women with those genes need to be thinking of more intensive ways of reducing their risk, McTiernan says. "They need to be talking to a specialist."
But breast cancer that isn't linked to genes appears to be connected to lifestyle and environment, she says. Her studies show that weight loss and exercising regularly combined have the most impact on improving the biomarkers, including estrogen and insulin, for breast cancer risk.
Between two-thirds and three-quarters of breast cancers occur after menopause, and obesity is most clearly linked to postmenopausal breast cancer. That's partly because body fat raises levels of estrogen, which fuels most breast cancers. "If a woman is overweight or obese, she most likely is making a lot of estrogen," McTiernan says. "If a woman doesn't have lot of fat tissue, chances are her estrogen is low."
A new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology finds that obese women have four times the risk of developing a rare type of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer, which makes up 1% to 6% of breast cancers.
With weight loss, you don't have to go from being a heavy person to being very slim, McTiernan says. "We're not talking about becoming a model. We're talking about getting off 5% to 10% of your weight, preferably 10%. So if a woman weighs 200 pounds and loses 20 pounds, it will make a huge difference in her risk for breast cancer."
Another hormone that comes into play for breast cancer is insulin. Insulin helps glucose (sugar) get into cells, where it is used for energy.
"You need insulin for life, but too much is bad for you," McTiernan says. People who are obese tend to make too much insulin. It's not made by the fat tissue, but the fat tissue causes it to increase, she says.
Heavy people tend to develop "insulin resistance, a condition where the body can't use the insulin you have, so you keep making more and more, and the excess insulin is associated with increased breast cancer risk," she says. "Weight control helps keep insulin at the right level."
Patel adds that, "while not as well-established as the estrogen pathways, there is increasing evidence that insulin pathways may also be involved in breast cancer risk."
She says the verdict is still out on whether weight loss alone reduces risk, partly because many women regain the lost pounds. Researchers are currently studying how much weight loss is needed and how long you have to keep the weight off to lower breast cancer risk, Patel says.
In the meantime, Patel encourages people to sit less and move more. Even if you are doing half an hour of aerobic activity a day, you need to make sure you don't sit the rest of the day, she says. "You have to get up and take breaks from sitting."
IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH
So how much should you exercise? McTiernan did an analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative, which showed that as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman's risk by 18%. Walking 10 hours a week reduced the risk a little more.
McTiernan says physical activity decreases the risk of breast cancer for all women, so she advises that they move as much as they can, not only with planned physical activity but by working exercise into their lives — taking the stairs, walking more, gardening, cleaning the house. "It's never too late to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for breast cancer."
ADVICE FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS
What about if you have already had breast cancer? What should you do then?
Doing regular exercise may lengthen breast cancer survivors' lives and improve their quality of life, research shows.
Breast cancer survivors who are physically active live longer than those who aren't physically active, says Catherine Alfano, deputy director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship at the National Cancer Institute. And studies show that patients who exercise after treatment report having less pain and fatigue and improved quality of life and daily functioning, which is the ability to participate fully in things such as work and caring for children and aging parents, she says.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that — to the extent they are able — cancer patients and survivors should adhere to the government's exercise guidelines, which recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as brisk walking.
There are more than 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the USA, the American Cancer Society says. Most breast cancer survivors are overweight or obese, and most of them are physically inactive, Alfano says. Plus, women tend to become less active and gain weight over the course of chemotherapy and radiation treatment for breast cancer, and that compounds their problems, she says.
"We know that excess body weight is associated with increased risk of recurrence, second cancers and decreased length of survival. However, we need to conduct further research studies to prove it's causal. We also know that excess body weight and physical inactivity are related to having a worse time with cancer symptoms during and after treatment."
So physical activity improves symptoms and may increase longevity, but does weight loss help in the same way?
The potential benefits of weight loss are less clear than those of physical activity because there have been very few studies of intentional weight loss in cancer survivors, Alfano says. "We need more trials to see if weight loss improves survival."
In the meantime, she says, "many breast cancer survivors are looking for a way to take the reins of control back and be in charge of their health again. Exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight are the best ways to do that."
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.
BUENA VISTA, Colo. (AP) — Friends preparing to bury five relatives who died in a Colorado rock slide are remembering the father credited for saving his daughter's life as a selfless volunteer who probably didn't flinch to jump in front of cascading boulders to protect his daughter.
Thirteen-year-old Gracie Johnson says her father, Dwayne Johnson, covered her when a rock slide crashed down on the family on a popular hiking route to see a waterfall with visiting cousins. The action, according to local law enforcement, made the teen girl the only survivor in the group after Monday's slide.
Gracie's parents and sister from nearby Buena Vista were killed, as were two of her cousins from Missouri.
Family friend Mike Carr of Buena Vista said Dwayne Johnson was quick to help others.
"Probably his only regret is that he didn't jump in front of his whole family. He's just that type of guy," said Carr, who joined others at a candlelight vigil Tuesday night at Buena Vista High School's football field.
The sheriff's department identified the dead as Dwayne Johnson, 46, and Dawna Johnson, 45, Gracie's parents; and her 18-year-old sister, Kiowa-Rain Johnson.
The other victims were identified as Baigen (BAY'-gun) Walker, 10, and Paris Walkup, 22, both of Birch Tree, Mo. They were nephews of Dwayne and Dawna Johnson.
All five bodies were recovered Tuesday afternoon and identified by a family member, Sheriff Pete Palmer said. Palmer said the coroner will make the final, formal identification.
A memorial service for the Johnsons was set for Saturday at the high school gym, to be followed by a community meal; separate services were being organized for the nephews in Missouri. Buena Vista's Cornerstone Church also set up a fund for the family.
Carr said the Johnsons loved the Agnes Vaille trail and the view of the falls in Chalk Creek Canyon, and frequently brought visiting guests to see the falls.
"This is part of living here — when you have a nice day, you take the opportunity to enjoy the day, the colors," Carr said.
"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the right thing, and that is spending time with your family."
Local officials have asked the U.S. Forest Service, which maintains the trail, to close it permanently.
What triggered the slide is still under investigation. The area had heavy summer rain and a recent snowfall.
Rain or melting snow can make slides more likely by weakening a steep slope and making the rocks and soil heavier, said Jerry Higgins, an associate professor of geological engineering at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.
With enough data, geologists can identify slopes that are susceptible to slides, Higgins said, but finding all of them would be a massive undertaking.
"In Colorado, there's a lot of steep slopes, and I don't think anybody's got the money to pay for the studies for all the steep slopes," he said.
Witnesses said some of the boulders were the size of cars. A hiker who heard the slide in Chalk Creek Canyon ran down the trail and called for help.
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.
MELBOURNE, Fla. — A flesh-eating bacteria in the same family as those that cause cholera has killed nine people in Florida this year, most recently a 59-year-old who was wading in the Halifax River to set crab traps.
Henry Konietzky, 59, of Palm Coast, Fla., died Sept. 23 after setting the traps two days earlier in the river near Ormond Beach, Fla. The very next day, he noticed he had a sore on his leg that looked like a bug bite.
That's one way the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria is transmitted. It lives in warm, salty water.
When it comes in contact with an open wound, it can cause lesions. High-risk individuals, such as those with liver disease or cancer, have a 50% fatality rate.
"It's not that serious" for people who are generally healthy, said Heidar Heshmati, Brevard County health director, about an infection contracted through an open wound. "But you will have a huge infection in the skin and you will be treated for that."
Two Brevard County men — a 62-year-old from Rockledge, Fla., and a 74-year-old from Melbourne, Fla. — have recovered from the potentially fatal bacteria that infected their skin after they went fishing in Indian River Lagoon. Twenty-seven cases of the infection have been reported to the Florida Department of Health this year.
Brevard County generally has one to four cases each year, Heshmati said.
About half of infected wounds require surgical removal of damaged tissue or amputation.
The bacteria is much more serious when ingested. Eating a single contaminated oyster can kill.
Florida averages 50 cases, 45 hospitalizations and 16 deaths annually, most in the Gulf Coast region, according to the state Department of Health. Across the country, about 95 cases, 85 hospitalizations and 35 deaths occur.
The bacteria rarely causes disease, and as a result is underreported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 1988 and 2006, CDC received reports of more than 900 infections from the Gulf Coast states, where most cases happen.
Illness usually begins within one to three days of exposure, but up to a week later for a small percentage of cases, according to the CDC. Symptoms include fever, swelling and redness of skin on arms or legs, with blood-tinged blisters, low blood pressure and shock.
Health officials urge people to cook all seafood thoroughly and to avoid going into the water with open wounds. Even an ant bite or any tiny wound can allow an entry point for the bacteria.
Vibrio vulnificusis part of a group of bacteria called "halophilic" because they require salt. It dies at salt levels typical of the ocean but thrives at lower to moderate salt concentrations, such as those found in Indian River Lagoon or mouths of rivers near oceans.
The bacteria is most dangerous when ingested in oysters or other contaminated food.
Of the nine deaths this year in Florida, health officials say four were likely from exposure to seawater, three from eating raw oysters and two from undetermined routes of exposure.
Recent studies have shown that rising water temperatures from climate change have increased the risk of Vibrio vulnificus infection in higher latitudes, especially the northern European countries that surround the Baltic Sea.
But the bacteria has long been here.
"I don't know that there's any increase at all," Jim Oliver, a professor of microbiology at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, said of the recent cases in Florida. "There are more cases in Florida than anywhere else."
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.
NEW YORK – A motorcyclist injured in a now widely publicized Sunday altercation between 20 to 30 bikers and an SUV driver may not walk again, according to published reports and a Facebook page set up to support him.
Meantime, New York City police are questioning a second person in relation to the dustup on Manhattan's West Side Highway between the motorcyclists and the driver of a Range Rover.
Details of the altercation spread quickly after a video of the incident was posted on YouTube and went viral. A motorcyclist remained hospitalized Tuesday and his family said he will never walk again. The driver of the SUV, father and husband Alexian Lien, was treated for knife lacerations to his back and face, police said.
Police have arrested motorcyclist Christopher Cruz, 28, in relation to the incident and charged him with reckless endangerment, menacing, reckless driving and acting in a manner injuries to a child less than 17.
The person who was being questioned Tuesday night is a 42-year-old male, police said.
Emotions ran hot over the incident on social media, as friends and family of injured motorcyclist Jeremiah Mieses expressed anger on a new Facebook page titled "Justice for Jay Meezee," which is a nickname for Mieses, 26, of Lawrence, Mass.
Mieses' wife, Dayana Mejia, told ABC News that her husband will never walk again and the same statement was made on the "Justice for Jay Meezee" Facebook page. The New York Post reported his spine was crushed.
The Facebook page said Mieses was trying to tend to another injured motorcyclist when he was hit. A woman identifying herself as an aunt of the motorcyclist created a GoFundMe.com crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for Mieses' medical expenses.
The Facebook page and crowdfunding page drew lots of expressions of good wishes for Mieses and anger toward the SUV driver. Of Mieses, the Facebook page said, "He got off his bike to help someone and now this is the condition he is in." The page described Mieses as a kind family man.
"He was on the ground attending to an injured person and was run over like an animal!!!!" the page read.
Graphic photos of Mieses in the hospital, face bruised, tubes attached to him, also covered the page.
But there were sentiments expressed in the other direction too on that Facebook page, on another expressing sympathies for the SUV driver and even on the crowdfunding page.
One person who donated $5 toward Mieses' medical expenses wrote. "I don't feel bad for you one bit" and "Enjoy your hospital stay you non walking excuse of a man."
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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