Eden Hazard and Victor Moses relieve Chelsea pressure in West Brom win
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Monday 12 February 2018
Eden Hazard and Victor Moses relieve Chelsea pressure in West Brom win
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Ugwuanyi procures 10000 set top boxes for low income rural dwellers
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Ugwuanyi procures 10000 set top boxes for low income rural dwellers
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Finance: 10 things that used to be free but now cost money
They say the best things in life are free — but the list of such things seems to be getting shorter by the day.
They say the best things in life are free — but the list of such things seems to be getting shorter by the day.
Businesses are constantly coming up with more ways to nickel and dime customers, and many items that used to be gratis now come with a fee.
We can only imagine how much longer this list will be in 10 years — and what new items will be on it.
Here are some products and services that, back in the good old days, used to be free of charge but now will cost you.
Airline extras
Airfares may be low these days, but don’t be fooled: Just because you’re paying less for an actual ticket doesn’t mean your overall flight experience won’t be pricey.
Many services and amenities that used to be free for airline passengers now come a la carte, depending on the airline including checking a bag, carrying on a bag, onboard snacks, beverages, meals, onboard entertainment, seat selection and more. Even if the fees are small, those charges quickly add up.
Water in restaurants
Nobody wants to look like a cheapskate, but sometimes you just want a regular glass of water — that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Nowadays, at some restaurants, you have to specify that you want tap water. Otherwise, the waiter may automatically bring you a bottle of still or sparkling water and add it to your bill. (And just try finding the cost of said water on the menu; it’s rarely listed.) Also, some venues serve filtered tap water, such as Vero water, that’s typically billed per person.
Hotel amenities
Just like with airline tickets, the nightly rate for a hotel room is just the tip of the cost iceberg for your overall lodging experience these days. Over the past 20 years, hotels started adding extra charges, often called “resort” fees, to offset the costs of amenities like pools, gyms, and complimentary newspapers.
Some properties take it even further by charging other types of hidden fees on top of the typical resort fee, such as a cleaning fee, a pool/spa fee, or a processing fee. And that doesn’t even take the mini fridge into consideration.
Food delivery
In the age of third-party services like UberEats and Grubhub that charge both diners and restaurants for food delivery, you’d think that restaurants would be glad to deliver directly to the customer for free as long as the customer purchased a certain amount of food.
But some restaurants these days charge a delivery fee — sometimes ranging from $3 to $10 — to bring their food to your front door. But that delivery fee doesn’t go to the driver, so don’t stiff him on the tip, OK?
Plastic bags
In an effort to curb waste, California became the first state to ban the distribution of single-use plastic bags at large retail stores. The 2014 bill also called for a minimum 10 cent charge for “alternative” bags, such as recycled paper bags, reusable plastic bags, and compostable bags.
Since then, several cities have followed suit with plastic bag bans and fees, including Austin; Los Angeles; Chicago; New York; San Francisco; Seattle; and Washington, D.C..
Banking
Once upon a time, free checking accounts were a common occurrence at banks and credit unions. But that changed when the CARD Act came into effect in 2009, eating into bank profits and spurring the institutions to start charging regular fees for checking accounts.
On top of that, banks have added extra charges over the years, including service fees, overdraft fees, and ATM fees.
Directory assistance
It seems like only yesterday when you could call 411 to quickly find a phone number for free. But phone companies put an end to that when they realized how much potential profit they were missing out on, and they started charging for the service. Today, for example, Verizon Wireless will charge you $1.99 for a directory assistance call.
Just Google it, folks.
School sports
There wasn’t always a charge to participate in after-school sports like softball, track, or basketball. Parents had to cover the cost of uniforms and some gear, but that was it.
Today, some schools suffering from tight budgets employ a “pay-to-play” policy that charges each child a sports activity fee simply to participate. (And that still doesn’t cover the cost of all the requisite gear.)
Compressed air
You wouldn’t think that businesses could charge for air — and, for a long time, most gas stations didn’t. It was common practice for a station to allow anyone and everyone free use of an air compressor to fill up their tires. However, many station owners have since made such air compressors coin operated, charging as much as $1.50.
Online newspapers
In the early days of the internet, when print publications like newspapers were still figuring out their digital strategy, you rarely saw an outlet charging a fee to read content.
However, over the years, some newspapers like “The New York Times,” the “Washington Post,” and the “Los Angeles Times” have started charging an online subscription fee — also known as a paywall — for full access to their content as a way to bolster lagging advertising revenues.
Finance: 10 things that used to be free but now cost money
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Strategy: The analyst who predicted Amazon would buy Whole Foods says only 2 cities have a shot at HQ2 (AMZN)
To Scott Galloway, Amazon's HQ2 has already been narrowed down to two metro areas.
- Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at NYU and business analyst, has laid out his predictions for where Amazon will put its new headquarters, HQ2.
- Galloway correctly predicted Amazon would buy Whole Foods, lending his predictions some clout.
- He narrows it down to five regions on Amazon's 20-location short list. They're all in either the New York metro area or the DC metro area.
Amazon is about to choose the location for its second headquarters.
Who will get the $5 billion investment and 50,000 jobs — along with any of the potential downsides?
"It comes down to two locations: the metro area of New York or the metro area of DC," NYU marketing professor and business analyst Scott Galloway says in a new YouTube video.
Galloway doesn't get more specific than that prediction, which technically includes five of Amazon's shortlisted locations: New York City; Newark, New Jersey; Washington, DC; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Northern Virginia.
Why those two regions? Galloway says there are only two items to consider. The first is that Amazon wants to go where it can get the best talent.
"In the eyes of Amazon, the best talent is a 24-year-old [electrical engineering] grad from MIT. This individual isn't concerned with cost of living," Galloway said. "Cost of living only matters when you're in your 30s and you begin collecting dogs and kids."
Then, Galloway says, the next thing to consider is where Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wants to spend his time. Bezos already owns homes in New York and DC, in addition to Seattle.
Galloway then goes on to implore Bezos to pick his city now, instead of waiting for the HQ2 bidding process to go on any longer. He also calls on mayors and civic leaders to band together and refuse to offer the company financial incentives to locate in their city.
"Mr. Bezos, come to the light," Galloway says.
Watch the full video below:
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Boko Haram: Court sentences one of the abductors of Chibok Girls to 15 years in jail
While handing down judgement, the judge said the convict, who is crippled, was using his disability to draw sympathy.
The Federal High Court sitting in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger State, has sentenced a Boko Haram terrorist to 15 years imprisonment.
The convict, 35-year-old Haruna Yahaya, bagged the jail term on Monday, February 12, 2018, for participating in the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, in 2014.
Yahaya, whose left arm and left leg are crippled, pleaded guilty to the two counts preferred against him by the Federal Government.
He, however, pleaded for mercy, saying he was forced into the terror group.
He was said to have participated in the group’s attacks in Chibok, Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State and Gabsuri town in the Damboa Local Government of the state.
Delivering judgement, the presiding judge said the court was "not fooled" by Yahaya's story, adding that the convict was "using the misfortune of his handicap to draw sympathy."
The judge ruled that sentence starts counting from Monday, February 12, even though Yahaya has been in detention since 2015.
On the night of April 14-15, 2014, the sect invaded the Government Secondary School in Chibok town, Borno State, and kidnapped 276 female students of the school.
Over the next few months, 57 of the schoolgirls managed to escape.
In May 2016, one of the missing girls, Amina Ali, was also found. She claimed that the remaining girls were still in captivity, but that six had died.
ALSO READ: Boko Haram never planned Chibok schoolgirls' abduction
1n October 2016, the terrorists released 21 of the girls while 82 more of them freed in May 2017 in an exchange deal struck by the terror group and the Federal Government.
It was reported that the sect had demanded the release of some of its commanders in the government's custody.
It was alleged that huge amount of money was also received by the notorious group.
Founded by by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002 and later led by Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands of people in the northeast and displaced over 2.3 million from their homes.
In 2015, the group which had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), was ranked as the world's deadliest terror group by the Global Terrorism Index.
Boko Haram: Court sentences one of the abductors of Chibok Girls to 15 years in jail
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2019: Gov. Okorocha open up on successor, gives reasons
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2019: Gov. Okorocha open up on successor, gives reasons
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Churches, Mosques must work together against human trafficking – Kukah
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Churches, Mosques must work together against human trafficking – Kukah
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Lupita Nyong’O Covers Allure Magazine ” March 2018 issue, The Culture of Hair,”
Actress Lupita Nyong’O is the face of the Allure Magazine March 2018 issue tagged ‘The Culture Of Hair”. In the magazine, the actress is seen flaunting her hair styled in…
The post Lupita Nyong’O Covers Allure Magazine ” March 2018 issue, The Culture of Hair,” appeared first on Wedding Digest Naija.
Lupita Nyong’O Covers Allure Magazine ” March 2018 issue, The Culture of Hair,”
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Bride Gets Emotional When her Dad’s Letter was Read Out at her Wedding Reception Stating the Reasons why He Couldn’t Walk her Down the Aisle
Every bride dreams of having her dad by her side as she walks down the aisle to marry the love of her life! A father duty is not only about…
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Pulse Opinion: How will EFCC investigate snake that swallowed N36M?
A snake has been accused of swallowing N36M from JAMB office. This is the hardest case EFCC has to crack.
The biggest task before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the moment isn't how to bring Diezani Alison Madueke to justice or how to keep Chief Olisa Metuh on his feet so he can stand trial. The EFCC has to figure out how to grill a snake in Makurdi which has been accused of swallowing N36million of taxpayers’ money.
As though trying to establish cases of corruption against politically exposed persons isn’t difficult enough, the EFCC now has to look for a snake in the wild and drag the serpent before a Judge. There's no school that teaches investigators how to get a serpent to start talking.
Snake in the office
An employee of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Madam Philomina Chiesha is certain that a mysterious snake unlocked the vault of her office in Makurdi and made away with the sum.
The background of the story is that JAMB dispatched auditors to all of its offices across Nigeria as it attempts to wind down the corrupt scratch card regime.
For while JAMB was selling scratch cards to candidates seeking admission into the nation’s universities, the agency couldn’t remit commensurate income into the federation account.
According to Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, in 2017, JAMB remitted N5bn to government coffers with a promise to pay the balance of N3bn. In comparison, JAMB remitted N3million annually to the federation account in the preceding 40 years. Blame it on the snakes.
Suspension
Madam Chiesha first blamed the snake for making away with the money. When that sounded hollow, she blamed her maid who she claimed connived with another lady called Joan Asen, to steal the money.
A spokesperson at JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, has disclosed that Chiesha has been suspended.
“She has been suspended and she is going through all other disciplinary procedures while investigation is ongoing on the matter. Her claim was that a snake came into the office and swallowed the N36m proceeds,” Punch quotes Benjamin as saying.
But beyond a suspension, Chiesha should be made to take investigators to this snake, explain how the snake got into her office and detail what led her into believing that the snake is the culprit.
Even snakes should be handed a fair hearing.
Apparently, under Prof Dibu Ojerinde who served as Registrar from 2012 to 2016, JAMB finances were laid bare for snakes to devour.
It is little wonder that JAMB was remitting next to nothing to Nigeria even though it was making so much money from selling forms and scratch cards.
Cash-ful policy
It also says something about how JAMB was run when that much money is kept in an office. Whatever happened to keeping this money in a bank? Oh, there’s the answer. There’ll be a trail if someone planned on stealing. Better to keep the cash in an office vault for easy disbursement or sharing.
Hopefully, the new JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, sanitizes the place and makes the entire organization more accountable and transparent.
Storing money in offices just so it can be easily looted, isn’t peculiar to JAMB. Most government agencies and politicians operate this way. Money is stockpiled in offices in order to leave no digital footprints. So much for cashless policy.
This is hoping the EFCC gets this snake to start talking. Fat chance, you have to say.
Pulse Opinion: How will EFCC investigate snake that swallowed N36M?
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Big Brother Naija: Anto and Lolu are the favourite #BBNaija pair of Pulse readers
We asked Pulse readers who their favourite #BBNaija pair is. Here's how they voted.
We asked Pulse readers who their favourite #BBNaija pair is, and they chose Anto and Lolu.
After a fake eviction on Sunday, February 11, 2017, a real and the first nominations and eviction of the season are set to happen this week.
As you already know, the paired housemates will act as a unit even when it comes to nominations and evictions.
We asked Pulse readers who they are rooting for, and here's how they voted.
1. Anto and Lolu
26.7% of Pulse readers chose Anto and Lolu as their favourite. The duo recently 'survived' last weekend's fake eviction.
Apart from their intelligent conversations, Anto is popular for her kiss with Lolu, which supposedly made K.Brule jump off the balcony.
Lolu is also popular for bursting into tears after Nigeria's famous DJ Exclusive hailed him.
2. Nina and Miracle
17.1% of Pulse readers think Miracle and Nina are perfect enough to be their favourite.
The two are mostly popular for their romantic relationship. They also gave viewers the first kiss of the season.
3. Cee C and Tobi
16.6% of Pulse readers chose Cee C and Tobi as their favourite. Tobi won the Head of House task for two consecutive weeks. He handed over to Khloe.
Since the season kicked off, they have entertained viewers with their controversial relationship, which often has Tobi begging for a crime he didn't commit.
Cee C is also popular for saying that the 45 million naira prize can be made in a week.
4. Bambam and Teddy A
13.7% of the readers prefer Bambam and Teddy A to the other housemates. The two are romantically involved and recently shared their first kiss.
Though Bambam seems to really be into Teddy A, the latter is holding back as he has a relationship outside the house.
5. Ahneeka and Rico Swavey
8.7% of Pulse readers chose Ahneeka and Rico Swavey as their favourite. Ahneeka gained more followers after she was rejected by Dee One as his partner.
Rico is popular for his amusing facial expressions and sense of humour.
5.1% of the readers chose Leo and Alex, 3.9% of Pulse readers prefer Khloe and K.Brule to other housemates, while 3.6% are rooting for Vandora and Dee One.
According to Pulse Nigeria readers, Princess and Bitto, and Ifuennada and Angel are the least favourite pairs, with 2.7% and 1.9% votes, respectively.
The first Big Brother Naija eviction show is set to happen this week [week 3] and viewers can't wait to see who leaves, who stays or who gets saved by the Head of House.
Big Brother Naija: Anto and Lolu are the favourite #BBNaija pair of Pulse readers
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Trending: Hilarious Reactions Trail 'Money-Swallowing' Snake Report
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Trending: Hilarious Reactions Trail 'Money-Swallowing' Snake Report
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Celebrities Put their Best Foot Forward for Omotola @ 40 Grand Ballroom Party – See What Your Favorite Celebrities are Wearing
Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde celebrated her birthday in grand style yesterday the 11th of February! The Nollywood actress was born on the 7th of February 1978 and it was a week full…
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Jasmine is 1! Noble & Chioma Igwe Celebrate their Daughter’s Birthday in Grand Style
Noble Igwe and his daughter, Jasmine, birthdays are just a few days apart! To celebrate their birthdays, the beautiful family decided to take timeless images that will celebrate their new…
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Jasmine is 1! Noble & Chioma Igwe Celebrate their Daughter’s Birthday in Grand Style
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Sports: 4 years ago the 2 breakout stars of US figure skating were eating In-N-Out together wishing they had made it to Sochi
Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu have come a long way since sadly eating In-N-Out on Nagasu's roof in 2014.
- Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu of the U.S. became breakout figure skating stars at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang on Monday.
- Rippon revealed in an interview that in 2014, neither skater made the Sochi Olympics, so they got In-N-Out together and ate at Nagasu's house in misery.
- They now room together at the Olympic Village and have a shot at earning medals.
On Monday in Pyeongchang at the Winter Olympics, Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu became breakout starts for the U.S.
The two figure skaters had big nights while skating in the team event. Nagasu became the first American woman and third woman overall to land a triple axel in the Olympics and then had an ecstatic celebration. Rippon dazzled on the ice and then won fans over with his bubbly, witty personality.
While neither took first place in their respective events, both became stars for their achievements. It's a long way from where they were four years ago.
After skating, Rippon told NBC's Mike Tirico that in 2014, neither he nor Nagasu made the Sochi Olympics. After failing to make the team, he said the two went to In-N-Out together and ate at Nagasu's house on the roof, miserable.
"We were eating In-N-Out because we were so upset we weren't at the Olympic games," Rippon said. "Tonight — the Olympics are truly magical because we came out here tonight … we gave each other a hug and said, 'Mirai, we're here! We did it!'"
Rippon revealed that the two skaters are also roommates at the Olympic Village in Pyeongchang.
Not only did both skaters make it, they have a shot to earn bronze in the team event. That may be worth a celebratory trip to In-N-Out.
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Furniture men get ultimatum
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EKITI GOV POLL: I'm better fit for APC winning strategy than Oni, Fayemi — ARISE
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EKITI GOV POLL: I'm better fit for APC winning strategy than Oni, Fayemi — ARISE
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Odd Enough: Lactation tea is all the rage with some breastfeeding moms — but does it work?
And when "lactation teas" pop to the top of your search results, you might be tempted to click purchase.
Breastfeeding is hard, and your milk supply isn't always as hearty as you’d like it to be. That’s why you might find yourself frantically Googling things like “ways to boost milk supply” and "how the F do I get more milk?" in the middle of the night.
And when "lactation teas" pop to the top of your search results, you might be tempted to click purchase.
But are lactation teas are legit—or a total scam?
The reality is, there isn’t a ton of science behind these teas. “The evidence isn’t really strong on these teas, it’s more anecdotal,” says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D.
Julie Lamppa, A.P.R.N., a certified nurse midwife at Mayo Clinic, agrees, noting that research doesn’t clearly support that they actually work. “The clinical trials which do show that lactation teas or herbs help boost milk supply tend to be small sample sizes and are poorly designed,” she says.
READ ALSO: This mom says the pressure to breastfeed led to her infant’s death
The safety of herbal supplements (including lactation teas) for moms and their babies isn’t totally clear, either. However, “if mega-dosing is avoided, they likely have a relative safety,” Lamppa says.
Lactation teas usually include fenugreek, which is thought to increase milk flow, Wider says. But again, the evidence that this works is largely anecdotal.
However, fenugreek may act like estrogen in your body, so it isn’t safe if you have a history of hormone-sensitive cancers. You also shouldn’t take it when you’re pregnant because it may trigger uterine contractions, Wider says.
Learn what it's like to breastfeed with implants:
If you want to try a lactation tea, talk to your doctor and your baby’s pediatrician. Lactation teas are generally considered safe for your baby, says Ashanti Woods, M.D., a pediatrician at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, but it’s a good idea to check in.
However, it’s important not to overdo it. If you take more than directed, you may actually decrease your milk supply and suffer other weird side effects attributed to fenugreek, like heartburn, abdominal pain, and B.O.,
Woods says. “In some cases, the baby's urine may develop a sweet, maple odor if Mom takes too much tea,” he says, also due to compounds in fenugreek. This isn’t harmful to the baby, he says, but it’s definitely noticeable.
READ ALSO: This mom says she breastfeeds during sex — And people are not having it
To boost your milk supply, make sure you’re staying well-hydrated, nurse your baby frequently, and avoid supplementing with bottles, Wider says. As for lactation teas, you’re probably okay to use them, but it’s really best to check in with your doctor first. “The bottom line is that we need large, well-designed clinic trials to really look at the efficacy of herbal supplementation for milk production,” Lamppa says.
Odd Enough: Lactation tea is all the rage with some breastfeeding moms — but does it work?
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How we rob night crawlers, by suspect
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How we rob night crawlers, by suspect
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Girl Smarts: 'I tried using the squatty potty for a week — here's what happened'
Pooping as often as I do, I’ve started to consider myself a bowel-movement aficionado. A poop princess. A smooth stool sovereign. A rectum ruler.
I visit the porcelain throne three to four times per day. That’s right, I poop after my morning cup of joe, my daily yoga flow, my afternoon snack, and my CrossFit WOD. Like a queen.
Pooping as often as I do, I’ve started to consider myself a bowel-movement aficionado. A poop princess. A smooth stool sovereign. A rectum ruler.
When it comes to poops, nobody does them better than me. Or at least, that’s what I thought before discovering the Squatty Potty on Reddit (while I was on the toilet, no less). Before I knew it, the Squatty Potty—a $25 stool that helps you squat, instead of sit, while you poo—was in my shopping cart.
The Squatty Potty first rose to fame on Shark Tank, where its founders claimed that proper pooping posture makes all the difference. Since then, it's become the hottest piece of bathroom paraphernalia on the market.
The concept of the Squatty Potty is pretty simple: It's a step stool that sits on the floor in front of the toilet. It has a stable seven- or nine-inch adjustable platform that elevates the legs and feet to put you in that natural squatting position even when you're sitting on your keister.
But does it really make it easier to poop? I would be the judge of that with my own Squatty Potty review.
While I waited for my Squatty Potty to show up on my doorstep, I reached out to the experts to find out if it could really make a difference in my bathroom visits.
The Science of The Sit vs. The Squat
It turns out that pooping is a little more, well, technical, than sitting on the seat and straining. The rectum and the anal canal are poop's last stop before going plop, and there are a few muscles that make sure that we don’t automatically poop our pants every time we sit.
One muscle (called the puborectalis) pulls the rectum forward, which creates a 90-degree angle that kinks your colon (like a garden hose) when you're sitting or standing, thereby helping to keep the poop in place, explains women’s health certified specialist, Lori Mize, P.T., D.P.T.
But it also means that when we want to poop, there's a kink in the way, she says.
Enter: the deep squat. Not only does a little ass-to-grass action help build a juicy peach, it’s also the only position where that magical muscle fully relaxes, straightening the kink in your bowels and letting things flow as nature intended, explains Mize.
According to one small study published in Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, squatting helps relax the puborectalis muscles, opening the rectum and straightening the colon, which, for us, means bombs away.
“For women in particular, straining is a problem because repeated straining over many, many years may weaken the pelvic floor, which can lead to bowel control problems and even the pelvic floor dropping,” says Mize.
In fact, almost a quarter of women deal with pelvic floor disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health. Here's the good news: A second study published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that pooping while in the squatting position results in less effort, less strain, and more satisfactory bowel emptying, which suggests that it could be used to help prevent pelvic floor weakening.
The Squatty Potty may also be helpful if you're prone to hemorrhoids, suggests research published in Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients. After all, the less you're straining, the lower your changes of developing a varicose vein in your rear, says Mize.
According to Peter Stanich, M.D. a gastroenterologist with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the constipated crowd is really the Squatty Potty's intended market:
“The purpose of the Squatty Potty is to make pooping easier and faster for people who are constipated or who have incomplete evacuation,” he says.
“Using it when you’re not constipated and don’t have to strain won’t cause any harm, but you don’t necessarily need your pooping to be faster,” he added.
If you're dealing with constipation, try these remedies:
While he predicted that the Squatty Potty would have a zero-sum effect on me (I'm not a strainer), I was curious if I would feel emptier after a week using the tool. After all, sometimes, frequent pooping can be a sign that, each time you go, you aren't actually getting everything out, says Rudolph Bedford, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
All in all, squatting was starting to sound pretty good.
Here's How My Week Went Down
When my Squatty Potty was delivered, I took it out of its box, and set up shop in the bathroom. (What’s different about the Squatty Potty compared to any ‘ole stool is that it fits around the toilet, so it’s less of an eyesore than most plastic stools.) Then, I group-messaged my two roomies (another girl and her boyfriend) and let them know that we’d all be embarking on a little Squatty Potty experiment for one week.
He was amped. She, not so much. So we made a little deal. If at the end of the week, two of us felt like our defecation benefitted, we’d keep the accessory.
And if not, well, we’d stash it away in the closet along with the Poo-Pourri and plunger. No harm, no foul.
The first time I used my Squatty Potty was after yoga. I shimmied my sweat-drenched leggings down mid-calf, tried to step on the stool, and tripped.
Turns out that stepping onto a nine-inch stool with compression leggings around your ankles isn’t easy. So, after catching myself on the sink, I took my pants all the way off and lowered my Squatty Potty by two inches.
The whole shebang took about two minutes, but by the time I sat on the toilet, I was sure I was going to poop my pants from the delay. I’d rank my first usage as a solid D. I had to do it half-naked.
And the whole thing happened so fast I didn’t even have time to scroll through Instagram or play a level of Candy Crush while on the pot.
The second time I used it was after my second cup of joe for the day. This time, I was wearing a pair of boyfriend jeans. Much easier.
I shimmied them down to my ankles, and squatted way back until my tuchus hit the seat. Then, I lifted my legs to rest them on the stool. Getting into position took approximately 20 seconds. A 1:40 PR from my first use. I was getting the hang of it. And no, there was no straining.
My third poop of the day also went smoothly.
Because I work from home, most poops happen in my apartment, where I stored and used the Squatty Potty.
And while there is a certain shamelessness required to chronicle your week of poop, I was not about to lug my stool with my on the subway and to my gym. Which meant that I’d have to defecate without my accessory at least once per day.
While Mize says that many people have anxiety about pooping in public, which can make going when you’re on the go pretty difficult, especially without the Squatty Potty, I don’t have that problem. So I took my fourth poop of the day happily in the bathroom of my gym and didn’t miss my Squatty Potty at all.
The second day and third day were a total breeze. I used the Squatty Potty three times during the work day and got used to the the fact that it felt like I was using a little kids potty, which both Mize and Stanich warned me might take some getting used to.
During my evening excretion, I sent the poop emoji to the roommates with a bunch of question marks.
My roommate said it made her hips hurt and that she didn’t notice a drastic difference, but her boyfriend basically said it was the greatest invention since high-definition TV (to which I say, okay but what about the Swiffer?!). At least one of us was digging the doody-helper.
The fourth day, I had two meetings in the city, which means I only got my a.m. doo done with the help of Squatty Potty. Because it was a meeting at a local fitness studio, I was all dolled up in sports gear and again had to strip my leggings off to make use of the stool. But the poop itself was pretty anti-climactic.
I wish I could say that on the fifth, sixth, and seventh day, things got really exciting… but alas, the end of the experiment was as plain as the beginning, and my overall Squatty Potty review was pretty "meh."
Did I have the promised best poops of my life? No. Did I feel emptier? Eh, not really. But to be fair, when you’re already pooping four times a day, it’s hard to feel emptier. However, over dinner when I asked my roommate's boyfriend if he felt emptier after using the tool he said, "sorta" which isn't not promising.
At the end of the week, my apartment decided to keep the device in the closet by the plunger. The stool definitely made our Brooklyn-sized bathroom feel smaller, and because none of us were in a bout of constipation, we didn’t really need it.
However, if any of us do wind up constipated, your can bet your sweet patootie that it's coming back out.
Girl Smarts: 'I tried using the squatty potty for a week — here's what happened'
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Sunday 11 February 2018
Katsina, Kano Polls: PDP says it is compiling evidence of infractions
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said this on Sunday in Abuja.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it is compiling a comprehensive documentary evidence of infractions and irregularities in Saturday’s House of Representatives bye-election in Katsina and Kano State local council election.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said this on Sunday in Abuja.
The party alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) resorted to primitive cheating and deployment of heavily armed security forces to muscle votes for itself in Katsina bye-election.
It also alleged that Kano’s Local Council election was characterised by outright cheating, underaged voting and ballot stuffing, all of which make a mockery of the electoral process.
“These two elections have signified that the APC cannot win any free and fair election, even in their supposed stronghold.”
The party added the APC resorted to force and the allocation of ballots to gain votes in the bye-election in Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency,
PDP said the fact that irregularities happened in the election that could have been ordinarily a walk in the park for the APC, shows that the party has lost grounds.
“The fact that PDP still held a legitimate 22,690 votes against the 30,719 fraudulently allocated to the APC, despite the use of force and other brazen infractions by the APC, shows that PDP was the natural winner of the election.
“It further strengthens our resolve that our party, the PDP, still commands a genuine followership among Nigerians.
The party decried the deployment of over 1000 “heavily armed and hostile security operatives for an election that held in only 15 polling units within two local governments of Katsina State.
“It is unfortunate that the APC has recoursed to the worst kind of intimidation and violations twelve calendar months ahead of the general elections.
“Currently, the PDP is compiling a comprehensive documentary evidence of infractions and irregularities, including barring of legitimate voters from accessing polling centres, assigning of polling units to APC government functionaries.
“Also are indiscriminate arrests of opposition members and supporters, underaged voting and allocation of votes for APC as well as conflict between results from the polling units and collation centres among others.
“Also being compiled is the identity of the security and electoral officials used by the APC to subvert the will of the people, which will be made public while ensuring that they are prosecuted.
“The clear message is that the will of the people will prevail in 2019.
“It also means that Nigerians will never allow the shameful impunity and suppression witnessed in Katsina and Kano during Saturday’s election as they will be fully rallied to resist such across board.”
The PDP, however urged its members in Katsina and Kano to remain calm as it would take decisive and legitimate steps to reclaim their stolen mandate.
Katsina, Kano Polls: PDP says it is compiling evidence of infractions
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Shagaya's death shocking – ACF
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Shagaya's death shocking – ACF
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N-power: FG boosts skills training with N1.4bn tools, kits
Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and Youth Employment disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
The Federal Government has spent N1.4 billion on the purchase of training kits and work tools for its technical arm of the job creation programme, the N-Build skills acquisition scheme.
Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and Youth Employment disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, the N-Power Build scheme is one of the two components of the non-graduate programme of the N-power volunteer job-creation scheme which also has N-Power knowledge.
He said the scheme is set to begin in no fewer than 250 centres in the 36 states and FCT from Feb. 12 to Feb. 20, with the registration of successful volunteers while orientation would hold for beneficiaries from Feb. 26 to Feb. 28.
Imoukhuede added that beneficiaries would start training on March 1, for three months, and be deployed to places of work/apprenticeship afterwards for nine months after which successful volunteers would receive tools to become self-employed.
The Presidential Aide noted that it was the intention of the federal government to train no fewer than 75,000 youths on various skills to prepare them for the industrial development of the country.
He, however, stated that the first batch of trainee volunteers would comprise 20,000 youths spread across the states of the federation and the FCT with other batches expected to follow in due course.
He said that beneficiaries were selected from the 2016 non-graduate applications when also 200,000 graduate volunteers were selected and deployed in the on-going N-agro, N-teach and N-health programmes nationwide.
According to him, the Buhari administration’s job creation scheme has recently pre-qualified additional 300,000 young graduates to bring to 500,000 the number of graduates for the N-Power scheme.
He explained that the graduate volunteers were being paid N30,000 monthly for the two-year cycle of the programme.
He noted that the non-graduate counterparts would receive N10,000 monthly stipends for 12 months in addition to skills kits at the end of their training and apprenticeship.
Imoukhuede said N-Build has seven components: automobile; carpentry and joinery; electrical installation; masonry; painting and decoration; plumbing and pipe fitting; as well as welding and fabrication.
He said that at the end of the training and apprenticeship, the country would expect to have a crop of well-trained skilled workers to handle all forms of building works.
“Here in Nigeria, we are building a skilled workforce for our needs,’’ the presidential aide remarked.
N-power: FG boosts skills training with N1.4bn tools, kits
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John Shagaya's death confirmed
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John Shagaya's death confirmed
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Mourinho's St James' Park curse continues as Man Utd humbled by Newcastle
The Red Devils boss has managed more Premier League matches at the Magpies’ home ground without a win than any other venue
Mourinho's St James' Park curse continues as Man Utd humbled by Newcastle
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Paul Pogba: Manchester United star hangs out with David Beckham
Pogba shares picture with Manchester United icon David Beckham
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba shared a picture with David Beckham on after they both hanged out at an event.
Both Pogba and Beckham are dear to the hearts of Manchester United fans, and both athletes represent the same international kit brand.
The two united heroes were together, and the younger Pogba decided to post their selfie paying tribute to the Manchester United great.
In a message on his official Instagram account
Pogba wrote: 'Man bought so many shoes because of you' – referring to the Predator football boots.
When Beckham was at OldTrafford, he occupied the position Pogba is fulfilling now as the brand ambassador for adidas.
The Predator boot is one of things that most United fans remember Beckham with, as he wrote his name into the history books with the boots, especially during the 1999 treble winning season.
Pogba will hope he can achieve that sort of success with United, but has already triumphed in the Europa League and EFL Cup.
Pogba seems to warming his way into the hearts of Manchester United faithfuls as he posed for pictures after the ceremony to mark 60 years of the tragic Munich disaster.
Pogba was in action as Manchester United lost to Newcastle United
Paul Pogba was in action for Manchester United as they lost to Newcastle United at St James' Park.
Pogba was back in the starting line up named by Jose Mourinho, but was substituted for Michael Carrick in the 67th minute just as Manchester United lost 1 – 0.
Matt Ritchie was the hero home the home side as his goal in the 65th minute gave Newcastle all three points.
Paul Pogba: Manchester United star hangs out with David Beckham
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Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 0: Ritchie strike keeps City 16 points clear
Manchester United appear certain to have conceded defeat in the Premier League title race after a disappointing loss to Newcastle United.
Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 0: Ritchie strike keeps City 16 points clear
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