Monday, 21 November 2011

Untitled

So I went on a field trip with the rest of my 'transport economics' class about a month ago. We went to lagos to "see" some of the things we had been learning about in theory in practice. We planned to get to the Sea_port (NPA), NIMASA (the maritime agency), the Air_port (FAAN), as well as LAMATA. We also planned to go Oniru beach (the fun part :D) but due to several constraints, most epecially the legendary Lagos "hold up", we were only able to get to just two of those places, NPA & LAMATA. The trip to lamata is what I wanna talk about, it was enlightening as well as inspiring!

Leadership isn't just about having a fancy post, office, earning a fat salary, giving fancy speeches, having a trophy wife (or in naija, a wife who is legendary on the mic.), for all the perks of office, there are also equal downsides to public office. Leadership is about service, what's the point of being a leader if after 8years, people only remember you with curses, cos you brought them backward instead of taking them to the next level. A leader is only about as good as his team or "backroom" staff, in fact one of the principal functions of management is staffing.
The Sea_port (NPA) gave the impression of a very rough place to work (it probably is), buh tis understandable cos of the hands on approach to such a business; In Contrast when we visited the lamata offices, it was very impressive n attractive to those who wanted to specialise in transport economics. the staff were professional looking (even for a friday) n speak well or articulate, they gave the air of people who are accustomed to travelling abroad n interacting with foreigners.
A Comment posted on a very popular nigerian internet forum suggested that since GEJ (the naija president) got into power, these are some of the things he has been up to (in case u have been wondering):
-campaigning for the next election
-fighting several political enemies
[sylva-must-go campaign
7yr single tenure presidency.
oil subsidy removal
federal university in his village
5.toll gate errection.
6 controversial soverign wealth fund
7.canonisation of Hafiz ringim with OFR
8.BOKO HARRAM
9.Demotorisation of benin-ore road

It may not be totally true or may not even tell the whole story buh you cannot deny that it makes for interesting and thought provoking reading.

On the other hand, LAMATA is just one of the lagos state government's objectives to help improve the welfare of the citizenry of the state (how I wish power supply in naija was decentralized, maybe fashola would have made it much better).
They believe that by improving the transport system in Lagos, life would be easier for the residents, this is a really laudable plan because an almost perfect transport system will reduce the transport cost of transporting goods n services in the state, this will directly lead to a reduction in price of goods n services in the state, an improved transport will reduce the horrible lagos traffic jam, leading to efficiency of workers, the advent of alternative means of transport will reduce the number of automobiles on lagos roads, this will reduce pressure on the reduce, pollution and even the scourge of area boys. There'll be less congestion in the lagos metropolis as people will be able to live farther from their places of work since the transportation system is reliable, this will lead to development of other parts of the city as well as reduce congestion/over crowding in the major city centres. An excellent transport system also aids tourism which fetches big bucks in countries in countries such as kenya.
LAMATA which stands for the lagos metropolitan area transport authority plans to revolutionise the transport system and regulate it, it plans to implement an integrated transport system comprising rail (hopefully we'll get underground trains), road n water.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is already effective n lagosians can attest to how much it has changed their lives, lamata is committed to making sure the roads (and eventually rail n sea) maintain a certain safety level. By 2020 lagosians should be able to enjoy excellent road, rail n sea (ferry) transport services.
lamata is a semi autonomous agency that was created with 2002 with the support of the world bank. It's backed by an act that was signed into law in 2002 and ammended in 2007. The staff regularly embark on training so as to keep up with advancements and innovations in urban transport.
»Countries such as south africa as well as other naija states haff come to enquire about how the BRT system is run, the lagos BRT is based on the colombian bus system.

The Dearth of good managers and visionary people has been the bane of Nigeria for years now, if people like
Gov. Fashola, Dr Mabereola (md/ceo lamata) & the rest of the lamat team had a chance, I'm sure the change we're looking forward to isn't so far away after all.

follow @MrTuneri on twitter

Common Mistakes Made By Students During Exam Period



The Dumbest Things Students Do When Cramming for Exams

Each year before the holidays, university students find themselves staring down the barrel of exam week. Fortunately, they're totally serious about learning the information and they aren't getting up from this desk until they do! Unfortunately, desperation can only be directly converted into high scores on reality TV. But this crawling panic and insane workload is a great learning experience. University is all about preparing for the real world, and this is one of life's favorite lessons to teach: You've messed up badly and there will soon be a reckoning. How do you deal with that?

Plan A

The first and most important thing is to actually deal with it, because running away from University only dumps you in the real world faster. And make no mistake: In the game of life, University isn't even easy mode, it's the bonus level. You want to enjoy it all the way to the end. Here are some ways your brain can trick you into studying without actually learning anything.

Stockpiling
Listen, students, this might sound crazy but it's important: You are not squirrels. You may be hyperactive mammals frantically running around trying to mate, hibernate and look hilariously retarded in online photographs, but there's an important difference: Hoarding things doesn't help you. Students spend the days leading up to exams stockpiling handouts, photocopies, printouts and textbooks by the video game logic that simply owning books makes you smarter
Your head won't absorb knowledge because you built a library on your table. If you find yourself doing this, simply take a deep breath, and tell yourself it's not your fault. You're trying to cram three months worth of information into a brain that stress has tricked into thinking it's being chased be a bear. Hell, you're lucky you're not wearing your socks on your hands right now.

But that doesn't mean you should let yourself off the hook when you notice yourself doing this. If you're familiar with the university system, one thing you will notice without fail is that the terrible students would "study" by piling up work all around them, then sit there wasting time and being miserable until the clock said they were finished. Which is actually brilliant preparation because that's exactly the type of job they'll get.

Instead, try starting with something manageable like reading one book you were supposed to have read. And when you do, keep in mind that ...

Highlighting Key Points Doesn't Mean You're Really Studying

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="273" caption="markers/highlighters don't do magic"][/caption]

If you've ever been to a university, or a library within two miles of one, then you've seen a student painting their notes like a My Little Pony in drag. We shouldn't have to explain that highlighter pens aren't like supermarket scanners -- they might drag bright lights over things but they don't instantly upload data.
Again, this is just your brain flipping out. People having nervous breakdowns revert back to infancy and start flinging their poop around. You're having 40 percent of a nervous breakdown, and reverting to preschool logic. "I'll take the most essential parts of my course and COLOR THEM IN! Yay!"

It's understandable, but it's profoundly stupid. If you notice yourself lighting a textbook up like TRON fanfic, drop the highlighter. Instead, try writing out the key points of your reading material on a separate page you can study easily and anywhere. If that sounds like too much work, well done, you've just found out why people highlight instead.

Nest Building

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="256" caption="Stressus Procrastinatus"][/caption]

In times of stress, the Examinated Student (Stressus Procrastinatus) can spend over an hour crafting the perfect "study nest" to defend itself from guilt. It all has to be just right, from lighting to coffee, because every single thing that needs to be fixed is another reason not to actually study yet. Some students spend longer trying to reach the perfect setup than Buddhist Monks spend trying to reach Nirvana, and with less tangible result

Depending on 'Re-Reading' Materials Alone
Re-reading your notes does not count as studying, even if it is the easiest way to technically study while watching Tinsel. Also, you're ruining Tinsel. Watch Tinsel, and then set aside time to actually engage with the material. If you're in science or engineering, do problems. If you're in history, write out key elements of a period in a paragraph, or try to teach the chapters you've read to your lazy roommate who didn't read them, and have him try to teach you the ones he read.

If you're in English lit, put down the play you already read, and write a one page essay discussing how Hamlet was the greatest pussy of all time. Do something, anything, which tests your knowledge or makes you actually think, then use your notes to find out what you'd forgotten. Then do the problem again. Instead of sitting and reconfirming.


Fake studying is the worst waste of time since the super chickens replaced the super eagles. If you don't want to study, there are bars full of other people having more fun than you while not studying. And while they're screwing themselves, they figure they might as well screw each other. You'll always find the best college parties just before the exams. You're missing that by studying, so make sure it's worth it

Solving Questions For The First Time In The Exam Hall
There is no way to say this without sounding patronizing: If you're preparing to do an exam, prepare by doing exams. Every year millions of students do their first exam-style problem in the exam hall, and if there's one thing we learned from university, it's that the first time you do anything important, you suck at it. Even if you suck at it.

»INSERT PIC
Odds are your course wasn't created this term. They've been asking the same questions for years, and the only reason they even pretend to change the wording is because they'll lose their accreditation if they don't. Your Exam Questions Are Got When Exam banks, Older students, just Google your course code and the word "exam," there's no excuse for not practicing what you actually have to do. Many students think of preparing for exams like Dragon Ball Z: You focus and concentrate all sorts of power with endless text for weeks, then fire it all out in one perfect blast. But exams are just like everything else. You get good at things by doing them as many times as possible. Which is also most students' real plan in college anyway.

Skip the "I'm So Screwed" Competitions

"I'm so screwed!" The attention-seeking cry of the idiot, one who knows they desperately need to fix themselves but would rather have attention for being useless instead. It's the Project Fame of exam season.

SCENE: Library, two dumb-asses.

A: OMG, I'm so screwed for this test!

B: I didn't go to half the lectures!

A: Well I didn't go to any!

B: Our Lecturers Are So Old, They Don't Know How To Teach

A: Our Lecturers Don't Even Understand The Course Well

B: Our Lecturers Said No One Will Graduate With First Class Honours

A: Our Lecturers Divide Our Exam Scores

B: Oh GOD, We're So Screwed!

By The Time You Finish Trying To Prove You're Even More Screwed Than Your Buddy, Precious Study Must Have Been Wasted And You're Under Even More Stress!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="312" caption="@#$%& Experience!!!"][/caption]

Complaining That the Lectures Didn't Prepare You for the Exam
Complaining that the exam was unfair is generally the best way to go through the uncomfortable process of failing a class, while not learning that any of the above strategies are bullshit.

The most common post-exam complaint is, "Why didn't the lectures just teach us how to do the exam?" For the same reason sex isn't just wetting a condom and throwing it in the toilet. Your professors are actually trying to teach you the subject. Exams aren't the point of education. They're the flaccid little appendix we still sort of need to test if people have been turning up. Exams used to be walking into a room with all the smart people and just talking to them until they decided whether you were a dumb-ass or not. We suspect most students don't want to go back to that.
I'm sorry, but here at The Real World Incorporated there's no multiple choice section. You actually have to know what the fuck you're talking about.

Now that higher education isn't just for nobility we can't do it that way. Hundreds of thousands of people get into higher education. This is progress. But it's not going to be a perfect system.

You're in university to learn how to think and do things. Exams are an extremely small part of that. If you treat the only minor obstacles in four years of opportunity unmatched in the entire history of human civilization as a huge hassle to be avoided, you're right when you say the educational system isn't working for you. But it's not the educational system's fault. ITS YOURS!

follow @MrTuneri on twitter

Untitled



SO I went on a field trip with the rest of my 'transport economics' class about a month ago. We went to lagos to "see" some of the things we had been learning about in theory in practice. We planned to get to the Sea_port (NPA), NIMASA (the maritime agency), the Air_port (FAAN), as well as LAMATA. We also planned to go Oniru beach (the fun part :D) but due to several constraints, most especially the legendary Lagos "hold up", we were only able to get to just two of those places, NPA & LAMATA. The trip to lamata is what I wanna talk about, it was enlightening as well as inspiring!

Leadership isn't just about having a fancy post, office, earning a fat salary, giving fancy speeches, having a trophy wife (or in naija, a wife who is legendary on the mic.), for all the perks of office, there are also equal downsides to public office. Leadership is about service, what's the point of being a leader if after 8years, people only remember you with curses, cos you brought them backward instead of taking them to the next level. A leader is only about as good as his team or "backroom" staff, in fact one of the principal functions of management is staffing.
The Sea_port (NPA) gave the impression of a very rough place to work (it probably is), but its understandable cos of the hands on approach to such a business; In Contrast when we visited the lamata offices, it was very impressive n attractive to those who wanted to specialize in transport economics. the staff were professional looking (even for a friday) n speak well or articulate, they gave the air of people who are accustomed to travelling abroad n interacting with foreigners.
A Comment posted on a very popular Nigerian internet forum suggested that since G.E.J (the naija president) got into power, these are some of the things he has been up to (in case you have been wondering):
campaigning for the next election

winning the election

7yr single tenure presidency

fighting several political enemies
[sylva-must-go campaign]

oil subsidy removal

federal university in his village

toll gate erection

controversial sovereign wealth fund

canonization of Hafiz ringim with OFR

BOKO HARRAM

It may not be totally true or may not even tell the whole story but you cannot deny that it makes for interesting and thought provoking reading.

On the other hand, LAMATA is just one of the lagos state government's objectives to help improve the welfare of the citizenry of the state (how I wish power supply in naija was decentralized, maybe fashola would have made it much better).
They believe that by improving the transport system in Lagos, life would be easier for the residents, this is a really laudable plan because an almost perfect transport system will reduce the transport cost of transporting goods and services in the state, this will directly lead to a reduction in price of goods and services in the state, an improved transport will reduce the horrible lagos traffic jam, leading to efficiency of workers, the advent of alternative means of transport will reduce the number of automobiles on lagos roads, this will reduce pressure on the reduce, pollution and even the scourge of area boys. There'll be less congestion in the lagos metropolis as people will be able to live farther from their places of work since the transportation system is reliable, this will lead to development of other parts of the city as well as reduce congestion/over crowding in the major city centers. An excellent transport system also aids tourism which fetches big bucks in countries in countries such as kenya.
LAMATA which stands for the lagos metropolitan area transport authority plans to revolutionize the transport system and regulate it, it plans to implement an integrated transport system comprising rail (hopefully we'll get underground trains), road n water.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is already effective n lagosians can attest to how much it has changed their lives, lamata is committed to making sure the roads (and eventually rail n sea) maintain a certain safety level. By 2020 lagosians should be able to enjoy excellent road, rail n sea (ferry) transport services.
lamata is a semi autonomous agency that was created with 2002 with the support of the world bank. It's backed by an act that was signed into law in 2002 and amended in 2007. The staff regularly embark on training so as to keep up with advancements and innovations in urban transport.
»Countries such as south africa as well as other naija states have come to inquire about how the BRT system is run, the lagos BRT is based on the colombian bus system.

The Dearth of good managers and visionary people has been the bane of Nigeria for years now, if people like
Gov. Fashola, Dr Mabereola (md/ceo lamata) & the rest of the lamata team had a chance, I'm sure the change we're looking forward to isn't so far away after all.

 

follow @MrTuneri on twitter

Technology (Social Media) As A Bane of The Nigerian Youth

EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE NiGERIAN YOUTH

Technology as a whole has good and bad effects on the Nigerian Youth of today. Technology has helped make the erstwhile impossible become possible. Otherwise difficult tasks have become faster and easier to accomplish. It's both a boon and a bane. Things such as posting of letters, getting information (research), getting in touch with people within and outside the country have become as easy as pressing a button or click of the "mouse".
The internet has also made it easier to see what's happening in other parts of the world. We know what is happening everywhere- anything from current affairs, natural disasters, politics, latest treatments or innovation in medicine, invention of electronic gadgets, astronomical discovery etc.
Internet has helped people to connect-- emails for one-to-one interaction, blogs for expressing & discussing, groups for specialized discussion.
it has helped to improve welfare of people in several ways. Medical research, new drugs, organ donors, infertility treatments, unusual surgeries..we now are aware where we can go for treatment.
These Days, business is totally dependent on internet. For any company, there are offices globally. Employees connect with each other, have video conferences, have meetings on internet.
Sales and marketing is highly efficient because the world is a global village.
Online shopping is the in-thing now. It saves time & energy.
Again, people from one part of the world can order anything from a distant place.
There are many more miscellaneous benefits--tracking courier,
online reservations, online examinations, online lecture classes.

While our culture heralds the Internet as a technological wonder, there are suggestions that Internet use has a negative influence on individuals and their social skills.

For the Nigerian Youth, the negative aspects of the Internet include Internet Addiction as well as Online Risks such as exposure to sexually explicit material and online victimization such as fraud, scams and sexual soliciting.
The Internet Has Succeeded In Intensifying The Negative Effect of The Television.

Internet Addiction

Excessive Internet use is emerging as one of the more negative aspects of young people's online activities. Excessive Internet Use Can Said To be synonymous with terms such as 'compulsive Internet use', 'problematic Internet use', 'pathological Internet use', 'Internet dependence', 'computer addiction' and 'net addiction'. Internet addiction, as used here involves the continued use of the Internet to escape from negative feelings, continued use of the Internet despite the desire to stop, experience of unpleasant emotions when Internet use is impossible, thinking about the Internet constantly, and the experience of any other conflicts or self-conflicts due to Internet use. There is evidence that Internet addiction has a negative effect on academics (a drop in grades), family relations (having to hide their excessive Internet use from parents), physical health (sleep deprivation due to long hours of Internet use), mental health (depression), and finance (cost of accrued Internet expenses). Social Networks & Interactive communication applications such as chat rooms, instant messaging, e-mail, and online games have most commonly been associated with Internet addiction among Nigerian Youth.
Identified symptoms of the Internet Addiction disorder include:
(a) using the computer for pleasure, gratification, or relief from stress;
(b) feeling irritable and out of control or depressed when not using it;
(c) spending increasing amounts of time and money on hardware, software and internet-related activities;
(d) neglecting work, school, or family obligations.
the Nigerian Youth use the computer "as a tool to evade, procrastinate and escape" .
among the most vulnerable are individuals who are lonely and bored or from families where nobody is at home to relate to after school."

It has been hypothesized that, because adolescence and young adulthood is a time of identity and relationship exploration, those who have trouble navigating through these developmental challenges are particularly vulnerable to using the Internet as a coping mechanism.
Youth with deficiencies in the ability to read, express, and elicit desired emotions may be more prone to partake in online-addiction-behaviors.
A recent sample survey found out that people in the sample who used the Internet more reported keeping up with fewer friends. They also reported spending less time talking with their families, experiencing more daily stress, and feeling more lonely and depressed. These results occurred even though "Interpersonal Communication" was their most important reason for using the Internet.
Many respondents spoke of the sense of isolation inherent in this medium and the lack of face to face contact as a contributing factor to feelings of alienation and loneliness.

It is important to note that Social Networking, online gaming and Chatting can be enjoyable leisure activities for youth, however, the excessive use of the internet and social media for general entertainment purposes decreases the quality of friendships and romantic relationships.

Online Risks

Online risks facing young people include exposure to sexually explicit material as well as online harassment on the Internet.
The Internet is so easily accessible these days in a blink of an eye, a "mis-click" some where can lead anyone to website that "stream" pornographic videos on the internet thus exposing children to things way beyond their age.
Exposure to sexually explicit Internet material is an important concern as there is evidence that such exposure is related to greater sexual uncertainty and more positive attitudes towards uncommitted sexual exploration among the Nigerian Youth.
Websites which showcase pornography make up more than 70% of the internet. Pre marital Sex, rapes, sexual abuse has increased. Kids at a very young age get exposed to things which they shouldn't be at their age.
One can have multiple email addresses. People make fake addresses and misuse this independence. Kids keep on chatting with anonymous people the whole night. Their eyes are badly affected. Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is becoming too common.
Medicine has now recognized "addiction to internet" as a disease

Online Harassment

Online harassment is when 'threats or other offensive behaviour (not sexual soliciting) sent online to the youth or posted online about the youth for others to see'. Sexual Soliciting is when 'requests to engage in sexual activities or sexual talk or to give personal sexual information that were unwanted or, whether wanted or not, made by an adult to younger ones.
It must be pointed out that it is not the availability of identifying information (personal info posted on social networks etc) that increases the risk for sex crimes, but rather the willingness of certain youth to respond to or partake in relationships with online strangers. It was found that youth who engaged in potentially risky online behaviours and who freely interacted with strangers online experienced significantly higher numbers of aggressive soliciting. There is also evidence that online soliciting is heightened for youth who have experienced high parental conflict, physical abuse, and/or sexual abuse.

The case of Internet Fraud or "Yahoo Yahoo" Is Also A Major Issue These Days. Most young men these days would rather be on the internet looking for would-be victims instead getting gainful employment or studying. It appears to be a means of making fast money and young people venture into it not mindful of the consequences. The image of the Nigerians as a whole has been severely damaged as people from the country are seen generally as dishonest by the international media.

The Introduction & Proliferation of sophisticated devices which enable easier access to the internet, easier connectivity to social networks & social media as well has taken this issue to unprecedented levels. Devices such as blackberries, iphones, androids, tablets, ipads, even any phone with opera mini has virtually replaced the need for social interaction, reading and other past times that used to be norms in years gone by. Blackberry users get so engrossed that its a normal thing to see them pinging on the road, on the bus, on the bike, in the lecture room etc.
This has made students deviate their attention from their studies which is their primary responsibility of getting an education, learning and studying to get good grades or even gaining admission into tertiary institutions.



Also, the working class is not left out. The sight of people receiving calls while driving is now a normality. Jobs are abandoned while the "important" goings on in the day are being updated, tweeted, pinged, etc.

I'm Sure If you're Reading This, You Probably Are Guilty of One If Not All of The Behaviours mentioned. In Time, This Will Blow Up To Be A Major Issue.

On a light note, younger job-seekers will have skills such typing as well as data presentation on the C.Vs

Adedeji Tinuade,
Mass Communication
Moshood Abiola Polytechnic,
Abeokuta.

Tinu is on facebook like all the cool kids, you can check her on www.facebook.com/adedeji tinuade

 

 

 

follow @MrTuneri on twitter

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

Wale: Ambition; The Nairaview

Album Review of  "Ambition" By American Rapper, Wale.


I Love Music, So Album Reviews Will Be A Big Feature of Nairanotes, I Know This Is A Bit Late But I Wanted Wale Folarin's "Ambition" To Be The First Album I'll Review On This Blog... I Had A Lotta Help From "The Music Geek" Himself, So Shout Out To Onos For This Piece.


Leggo!


Ambition is a themed album about the journey of a driven individual towards his goals and the rollercoaster ride which ensues therein. From the die-hard attitude to succeed by any means necessary to the ups and downs of the inherent success and a few reminiscent capers, Ambition is an album that intends to motivate the everyday dreamer. The production has a massiveness and snobbery that fits the Maybach Music Group perfectly in their esteem of living good, living large and being a boss. But, on a less visionary stand point, ergo bringing down Ambition from the pedestal it wishes to stoop on; Ambition doesn’t fulfil the clout and buzz that it had before its release. This is not to say that Ambition is not a good album or that it is not musically savvy. But, this is to say that the methods used to express the lofty heights of Ambition were far too crude especially for the Calibre of the album artist, Wale. Wale established himself on his prior album and mixtapes as a deep, no-nonsense, down to earth, poetic genius with his epic wordplay, punchlines, innuendoes and graphically clear storytelling and song intentions. But rather, on Ambition, Wale exchanged a heavy dose of his deepness, well thought out poetry and wordplay for braggadocio, stories of lavish, frivolity, illusions of grandeur and a lot of weed smoking apparently; probably on a whim that his sophomore attempt at chart success and Hip Hop History should be far different from his first.


  Personally, as a long time Wale fan, I am very much disappointed by his choices. Most fans, like me, would feel lost as the experimentation on this album is far from home. There are barely five tracks that incur reminiscence of Wale’s niche. This is not implying that experimentation is not welcome, no! This just means that, so far in Wale’s career, his fans have journeyed with him through his growth and development as an artist, poet and sub-consciously friend, even up to his “eleven one eleven theory” pre-album mix tape. But, in this case, he didn’t carry us along; we could not connect with him and didn’t realize his quantum leap from “pick six” to “Illest Bitch”. As far as I'm concerned, he was so quick to sell out to make that green that he left his artistry behind. He used no production with his ever familiar Go-go movement but rather experimented with Diplo’s Frankenstein monster on “Slight Work” with Big Sean; of which by popular demand, Big Sean outSean’d


[caption id="" align="alignright" width="308" caption="Wale & Not-So-Big Sean"][/caption]


(outshone) him. That wasn’t the only track that felt far off from his comfort zone or much better to say, excellence zone (style where he would triumph; imagine timbaland producing classical music, it might be listenable but Bach and Mozart are still the main G’s).To state a fact, Wale was outdone by every feature on this album from the melodious crooners, Miguel & Lloyd to double featured boss, Rick Ross and co-label mate, shouter extraordinaire, Meek Mill. To put this casket of an album to rest, I’ll say my final peace. Wale almost lost me as a fan but there are some biases I wish not to express that still keep him in my favourites. Kid Cudiwas a wasted feature on Ambition in my opinion, from him sounding like Roscoe Dash to his low participation in the track he was featured on. I was disappointed at his complacency and aloofness but can I really blame a "pot-head"? As individual art pieces, the songs don’t have that long lasting impression because of their experimental nature; so, a song you might have liked on first listen would soon be forgotten. And, I think that is because of the flawed method system mentioned earlier. For example, there are just some books that when it’s time for them to become a huge feature film, cartoons or CGI are picked over actors in live action so, need I say more?


[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="344" caption="M-M-M-Maybach Music"][/caption]


My only kudos to Ambition goes to the formula; the discipline in sticking to the script/concept and the fact that each track has the ability to win new fans; although, those new fans will not experience the true artistry that is/was Wale Folarin.


*watch out for: "chain music" n "legendary", as well as Big Seans verse on "slight work"


The Nairaview: 3/5 (cos tis my first album review, so i'm being generous)


 


@Onosraye Is A Very Ambitious Guy, So You Can Follow Him On Twitter or read more lovely music opinions by the music geek on www.th3rdculture.wordpress.com

"Coming Soon" Top Movies You Must See This Winter

 



»The Descendants, (George Clooney) Out Nov.16

 



»Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part1 (Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart) Out Nov.18 *Spoiler Alert: the gruesome birth of bella's "half-vampire" child, definitely the most challenging scene to shoot, no dialouge, 15 lines in 20 minutes

»Happy Feet 2
(Elijah Wood) Out Nov.18

»A Dangerous Method
(Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley) Nov.23

»The Muppets

(Jason Segel, Chris Cooper) Out Nov.23

»My Week With Marilyn
(Michelle Williams As Marilyn Monroe) Out Nov.23

»Rampart
(Woody Harrelson) Out Nov.23

»The Artist
Out Nov.25

»Sleeping Beauty
(Emily Browning) Out Dec.2

»Shame
(Michael Fassbender) Out Dec.2 *Spoiler Alert: Michael Fassbender Gets Naked A Lot In This One

»Hugo

(Asa Butterfield) Out Nov.23

»Arthur Christmas
(James McAvoy) Out Nov.23

»The Sitter
(Jonah Hill) Out Dec.9

»W.E
(Directed By Madonna) Out Dec.9

»We Need To Talk About Kevin
(John C Reilly, Ezra Miller) out Dec.9

»New Year's Eve
(Jon Bon Jovi, Lea Michelle, Halle Berry, Katherine Heigl, Sofia Vegara,) Out Dec.9

»Young Adult
(Charlize Theron) Out Dec.9

»Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
(Gary Oldman, Colin Firth) Out Dec.9



»Sherlock Holmes :A Game of Shadows

(Robert Downey Jnr., Jude Law, Jared Harris) Out Dec.16

»Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Out Dec.16

»Carnage
(Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C Reilly, Jodie Foster) Out Dec.16

»Mission: Imposssible-Ghost Protocol (Tom Cruise, Paula Patton) Out Dec.16

»The Adventures of Ti

n_Tin

(Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig) Out Dec.21

»Albert Nobbs

(Glenn Close) Out Dec.21

»The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig) Out Dec.21



»In The Land of Blood & Honey (Written & Directed By Angelina Jolie) Out Dec.23

»We Bought A Zoo
(Matt Damon) Out Dec.23

»War Horse
(Jeremy Irvine) Out Dec.25

»Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Tom Hanks, Thomas Horn) Out De

c.25

»The Iron Lady

(Meryl Streep As Magaret Thatcher) Out Dec.30

»Beauty & The Beast 3D
(After Lion King 3D Earned $93m, Disney Was Encouraged To Try Out Talking Tea Cups)
Out Jan.13

»Red Tails
Out Jan.20



»HayWire
(Gina Carano) OutJan.20

»Underworld: Awakening
(Kate Beckinsale) Out Jan.20

»One For The Money
(Katherine Heigl, Jason O'mara) Out Jan.27

 

 

http://m.ew.com/gallery-detail-lu-by-gallery.rbml?guid=20544775&pos=1

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday, 13 November 2011

Quiet People Have The Loudest Minds!

Assumptions Made About Quiet People... That Are Totally Wrong

People out there have a lot of funny ideas about quiet people, the worst one being that all quiet people are alike. There are about 10 million reasons why someone might not talk very much, running the gamut from being shy, to hating you, to having sold their voice to a witch in return for legs. People who don't recognize this come up with their own ridiculous assumptions about what quiet people are up to. Even quiet people themselves are guilty of assigning their own traits to all other quiet people in the world. Here's a few of those assumptions.

Quiet People Are Looking For Your Help   There's a common assumption that all quiet people really want to be talkative, but can't be. They just lack confidence, or are really bad with words, but if you just reached out a helping hand and gave them a gentle push, you could rescue them from their silent prison, from which they must constantly look out in misery at normal people talking and enjoying themselves. First, many people are pretty comfortable with not talking very much, for various reasons other than having low self-confidence or bad social skills. Or at least they are comfortable until someone makes a point of how little they are talking and tries to awkwardly force them into spitting out more words for the sake of words. Even the people who do just lack confidence and wish they could be more chatty don't usually appreciate the kind of "help" usually offered, which might involve suddenly putting them on the spot in a group conversation, or pretending one of the few things you know about them is suddenly a very interesting subject to you. "So I hear you work in an accounting office! Tell me all about it! I bet you have a ... desk ... and everything!" Other well-meaning tactics involve pushing them into some embarrassing party participation role, like forcing them onstage for karaoke, making them chug something, pushing a stripper on them, or whispering to the waiter at T.G.I. Friday's on their birthday so the whole staff will come over and sing one of those humiliating songs, all in the name of getting the person to "loosen up" and "come out of their shell." Even worse, when they do gamely participate, the horribly awkward results are often applauded with extremely fake and over-the-top enthusiasm, as if the person's budding confidence is extremely fragile and every sign of progress must be heavily nurtured. "Man, you really ROCKED that version of 'Don't Stop Believing'! Who knew you were such a wild man!" The root problem is projection. A lot of people just think, "If I wasn't talking, that would mean something was wrong, and I would want someone to pay attention to me, put me on the spot, and push me into something crazy. That would snap me out of it!" Which is probably true for them, but different people have different personalities, and for some people, that's the wrong cure entirely, while for some other people, it's not even a problem that needs a "cure." Before jumping right into "helping" a quiet person, maybe it's best to figure out what's behind their lack of chattiness. Which is a whole new set of misconceptions, like ...

Quiet People Lack Social Skills  The assumption here is that quiet people are quiet because they don't know what to say, or how to say it. They'd like to make jokes, but they always come out awkward. They want to make cleverly flirtatious comments about how young the host's lovely wife looks, but somehow it always comes out sounding like they are planning to rape her. And that's why they stay quiet. "Sir, your wife looks so young I thought she was your daughter at first! I'm sure her genitals are quite taut! Er ..." Knowing when, and to whom, it's appropriate to say things has nothing to do with how quiet or talkative you normally are. There are embarrassing faux pas blurters among both quiet and chatty people, and there are tactful wits in both groups too. Sometimes quiet people tie these things together as an excuse, since if being quiet is part of your personality, and lack of communication skills are tied to being quiet, well, you can't be expected to do anything about it. This is bullshit. I'm a quiet person, and also used to be terrible at saying the right things in public, starting from when I was in children's Sunday school and we all had to fill out a registration form. I was so proud that I had seen forms before that when the teacher was explaining what "M/F" meant, I remembered what the field was called on most forms and shouted, "IT'S SEX!" in front of 50 children and about five teachers including my mom. I learned very quickly that while there is nothing wrong with sex, that is not the place and volume to proclaim it.  Makes a good "Kids Say The Darnedest Things" story later though. Look, if you have some form of autism spectrum disorder or Tourette's, then of course that's going to be a real problem that can't be solved with just practice and common sense, but being quiet isn't either of those things. Talkative people might find out by trial and error, but quiet people can find out just as well by watching talkative people trying and erring. Not talking isn't an excuse to not observe. And if you really can't do it on your own, some therapists do life skills coaching. If you're put off by the idea of therapy, just think of it as coaching, or personal training. You can learn how to participate in conversations same as you'd learn to run a marathon -- with a lot of practice and sweating and going to the bathroom in your pants. Only while you are practicing. In actual situations this is considered socially inappropriate. Just because you don't naturally like to talk doesn't mean you can't intellectually learn the right thing to say so you can hit on someone you're interested in without being pepper sprayed, or deal with customer service without being rerouted into the "difficult customer" queue.

Quiet People Lack Confidence   Most people fit quiet people into the "shy nerd" stereotype, where the quiet person is intimidated by other people, or is afraid of being laughed at, or undervalues him or herself. But as long as we're going to movie stereotypes, there's also the silent kung fu master, who doesn't need to say anything, even when insulted, because he knows damn well he's a kung fu master and can remove your spine whenever he wants. Just saying, when you see those old people in the park doing the tai chi, you should give them a wide berth. I'm not saying that smiling arrogantly because the words of lesser mortals mean nothing to you is a positive thing, but just demonstrating that a completely overconfident person can be just as silent as an extremely under-confident one. And there are lots of other reasons that people of varying confidence levels might not feel like talking much. Just off the bat: They could hate everyone present, they could be tired, they might not know very much about the subject you're discussing, they might not believe in small talk, or they might be worrying about other problems, like whether they buried their victims deep enough.  Six feet. Don't be lazy. All kinds of different people have all kinds of different ideas of when they should and shouldn't talk. It's when a person does decide to talk that you can evaluate their confidence levels. If that person who was giving you monosyllabic responses a moment ago is suddenly up on stage giving a dynamic speech, maybe they were busy rehearsing their speech in their head while talking to you. Or maybe they hate you. Who knows.

Quiet People Want To Be Left Alone A lot of times, being quiet tends to go hand-in-hand with not going to a lot of social events, leading people to believe the quiet person doesn't like the company of other people. This is one of the reasons more outgoing people try to "help" quiet people -- because they confuse it with being withdrawn and antisocial, which most people would agree is generally unhealthy. A certain number of people do like solitude and don't feel a great need for company, but most people have a pretty strong need for friends. It can be hard to see sometimes in the non-partying, stay-at-home types, but often they depend on friends just as much as anyone else, but just a few close ones, as opposed to keeping up with dozens of people.  An extrovert's intimate gathering of a few close friends. One common definition of the introvert/extrovert divide is that extroverts gain energy from being around people, whereas introverts spend energy when hanging around people. So parties make introverts tired, even if they like everyone there and are having a good time. It's like playing a pickup basketball game with your friends. You might have a hell of a time, but you're going to be very tired after an hour (or in my case, a minute) and have to call it, and go home. And you can't play every single day, it would wear you out. It doesn't mean you hate basketball or you don't like the other players, you just literally don't have the energy to do it all. Well, or at least it would require some bending of the space-time continuum. Extroverts, who get amped up at parties, don't have this social energy burnout problem, and the only reason they could imagine for someone leaving is if they don't like the party or the guests, or just don't like being around people. It's hard for them to grasp that someone could have had a blast at the party and loved everyone there, but was only be able to handle an hour or two, and would have to pass on any more the rest of that week. Needless to say, a lot of quiet people are introverts, and they do suffer from social energy drain. Sometimes what looks like a person trying to be a hermit and avoid the world is someone who's really just the same as anyone in terms of needing friends and company and distractions, but just in different quantities, and less often.

[caption id="attachment_101" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="an extroverts idea of a gathering of friends"][/caption]

Quiet People Are Mad At You   I've suggested a couple of times that quiet people may be mad at you or hate you, which is always a possibility, but this can also be a big misconception. So it turns out everyone has a different idea of what conveys a neutral or "baseline" attitude toward someone -- like if you passed this person in the hallway, and you were neither mad at them, nor happy with them, nor had anything in particular to say to them, what you should do to indicate there is no change in your relationship. Some people feel a smile is required, some people feel you should also say, "Hello," and some people also feel you should ask, "How's it going?" But most of these people oddly enough don't feel like they should stay around long enough to hear the answer. Anyway, for them, the "baseline" expression would be a smile.  However, some people, particularly quiet ones, feel like the correct way to indicate "everything between us is the same as when I last saw you an hour ago" is to do nothing, which makes sense from a purely logical standpoint.  There's nothing wrong with people having different ways to indicate, "We are still OK with each other!" until people forget other people might have different ways to say it. People who believe a perfunctory "How's it going?" is required can become infuriated at a person strolling by quietly under the "no news is good news" approach, convinced their silent associate is deliberately snubbing them. The misunderstanding can extend to the actual conversation, where some people feel like a smile should be your default expression if nothing's wrong, whereas some people feel like if you don't want to express any particular emotion, you would just let your face relax. This probably ties into the introvert/extrovert energy thing, since smiling can be a small social energy drain. Unfortunately, apparently a relaxed face looks angry or sullen to some people.  Is she angry at you? Or just resting her face? That's probably why I got yelled at as a kid every time we left a Thanksgiving or Christmas get-together, where my mom would accuse me of putting on a "sour face" while talking to the relatives and making them think I hated them, when all I was doing was not smiling. Even when I grew up, I was surprised how many friends told me they thought I hated them when we first met, even though I only hated about half of them. Whenever I meet strangers now I just smile all the damn time, and drink some water and take a breather when I get a chance. It's a lot less trouble than explaining all this.

Quiet People Are Smarter/Deeper Than You   Obviously, this one is put forth by some quiet people themselves, in a sort of overdefensive backlash against being treated like the weird, abnormal ones. History has always shown that the most sensible way to fix discrimination against one group is to turn around and discriminate against the other group instead. What's the old saying? Two wrongs make a right? You see that kind of attitude in articles like this one, where the author talks about how introverts are "more intelligent, more reflective, more independent, more level-headed, more refined, and more sensitive than extroverts," and how extroverts' conversation is "98-percent-content-free talk." Or take this blog, which suggests you "feel bad for extraverts or as I like to call them: the life-disadvantaged." It's normal to be kind of resentful when you're misunderstood, and it's normal to feel like the universe should make it up to you by giving you some kind of positive trait to make up for it. I'm not sure if I should blame comic books for the common narrative of "everyone always treated me like I was weird and different but it turns out this weirdness is actually because I have special powers that make me better than them," but it seems like everyone wants to play that card these days.  Marvel Directory The X-Men are actually not as good a metaphor for real life as you would think. The same arguments we're always making about how this or that trait of an introvert or quiet person isn't wrong, just different, applies in reverse to extroverts. Maybe introverts don't understand why extroverts need to talk so much or why they need so many friends and social events, but that's not wrong either, it's just different. You know, like Apple products. I don't buy that introverts are necessarily smarter, either. I've met a ton of quiet, introverted people that were dumb as bricks. I do think it's a lot easier to look smart when you don't talk as much, because of that whole kung fu master vibe, and because anything stupid you think is less likely to come out of your mouth. On the other hand, I think there's some virtue in being willing to take risks and say things that might be wrong, as long as you're brave enough to fess up to and correct your mistake afterward. Basically, nobody's wrong, except for people who aren't willing to accept the other group of people they don't understand.

Saturday, 5 November 2011

The Bro Code

Saw This Email Sent To Me  A While Back By My Bro, The Last Bra Bender, Thought I should Share It Here

"Whether we know it or not, each of us live a life governed by internalized code of conduct. Some call it morality. Others call it religion. I call it "The Bro Code".

For centuries men have attempted to follow this code with no universal understanding of what such an arrangement meant: Is it okay to hug a Bro? If I’m invited to a Bro's wedding, do I really have to bring a gift? Can I sleep with a Bro's sister, or mother, or both?

Now for the first time on paper, I have recorded the rules of social decorum that Bros have practiced since the dawn of man... if not before. The Bro Code previously existed only as an oral tradition (heh), so I have journeyed the globe to piece together the transcribe the shattered fragments of The Bro Code, pausing only to flesh it out myself (double heh). While not intending to write a "Guide to Being a Bro" if men should treat it as such and pass this compendium of knowledge from one generation to the next, I have little doubt it would bring a tear to my eye. But not out of it. That would be a violation of Article 41: A Bro Never Cries.

It is my hope that, with a better understanding of The Bro Code, Bros the world over can put aside their differences and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. It is then, and only then, that we might work together as one to accomplish perhaps the most important challenge society faces-GETTING LAID. Before late: without the sport inherent in trying to bang chicks, would men willingly have sex for the sole purpose of producing smelly, screaming babies?

Centuries from now, when a Bro applies the rudiments of The Bro Code to score a three-boobied future chick, the only thanks I’ll need is the knowledge that I-in whatever small capacity- Bro'd him out...though if he could figure out how to bring me back to life, that would be pretty awesome, too.

- Idris, The Last Bra Bender

You've probably heard the word "Bro" used liberally at your local bar or gym. Perhaps you've even seen it recklessly confused with "dude" or "guy" in an adventure themed soft-drink commercial. Maybe even you yourself have unwittingly tossed out a "Bro" when asking a stranger for the time. But an important distinction must be drawn: just because a guy is a dude, doesn't mean that dude is a Bro.

Q: What is a Bro?
A: A Bro is a person who would give you the shirt off his back when he doesn't want to wear it anymore. A Bro is a person who will bend over backwards to help you bend someone else over backwards. In short, a Bro is a lifelong companion you can trust will always be there for you, unless he's got something else going on

Q: Who is your Bro?
A: Your father was once a Bro, and the boy who mows your lawn represents the Bro of tomorrow, but that doesn't make him your Bro. When someone has faithfully upheld one or more of the codes in The Bro Code, then you may consider him you Bro. Warning: Exercise caution when bringing home a hot chick-your brother may or may not be your Bro. (Tuneri sleeping with George’s date or vice -versa)

Q: Can only dudes be Bros?
A: You don't need to be a guy to be somebody's Bro, provided you uphold the moral values contained within this sacred canon. When a woman sets a guy up with her busty friend, she's acting as a Bro. And if she sets him up with other hot friends after he slept with the first one and never called her again, then she’s officially his Bro.

While the story of The Bro Code is not nearly as simple and elegant as God handing down some stone tablets to 'Broses' , its origins weave all the way back to the dawn of humanity

In the beginning there was no Bro Code... which was unfortunate for the world’s first Bros-Cain and Abel. Lacking an agreed-upon set of social principals, Cain killed Abel and committed history's first Broicide. As punishment Cain was doomed to walk the earth alone. Why? Because without a wingman, he had absolutely no chance to meet chicks.

Centuries later a Bro from Sparta and a Bro from Troy got in a fight over a chick named Helen. I know, "Helen" doesn't sound hot, but allegedly she had a "face that launched a thousand ships" so you can just imagine what her rack was like. The two Bros waged a terrible war over this chick-a war that could have been avoided had the Bros been familiar with the most basic Bro Code: Bros before ho's. Troy put up a good fight, but the Spartan navy was very powerful. Soon hordes of Spartan seamen burst through the Trojan barrier, and Helen got half the gold for the next eighteen years.



Hundreds of years later, appropriately in Ibadan (the City of Bro Love), a little known delegate named Idris scathed on pathchment what is now considered the earliest attempt to record The Bro Code. Over the years Bros have amended and added rules, but Idris’s elegant words remain as the glorious preamble to The Bro Code.

While the original document is housed two stories beneath sea level in an undisclosed, vacuum-sealed, bullet-proof chamber, I was able to gain access lone enough to manufacture this replica.

Article 1 : Bro's before ho's

The bond between two men is stronger than the bond between a man and a woman because, on average, men are stronger than women. That's just science.

Did you know...Article 1 can trace its genesis all the way back to Genesis. No, not the Peter Gabriel/Phil Collins pop triad, but the biblical book. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has unearthed a once-lost passage that documents the earliest infringement of The Bro Code.

Book Of Broses 1:1And everything of need was provided in that Garden. Fruit, water, companionship. But one day, Adam came upon a naked chick, Eve, and desired her olive leaf. And so Adam wenteth behind an apple tree to know Eve, totally ditching his Bro, Phil, who had Koko concert tickets, VIP. Long story short, humankind became self-aware and paradise was lost.

Article 2 : A bro is always entitled to do something stupid, as long as the rest of his Bros are all doing it

Note:  If only one Spanish dude had decided to run down the street in front of a bunch of angry bulls, people would've been like, "Dude, come on". If only Tommy Lee had worn eyeliner in the early day of Motley Crew, people would've been like, "Lady, come on". The license to be stupid is why we have Bros in the first place.

Article 3 : If a Bro gets a dog, it must be at least as tall as his knee when full-grown

Article 4 : A Bro never divulges the existence of The Bro Code to a woman. It is a sacred document not to be shared with chicks for any reason... no, not even that reason

Note: If you are a woman reading this, first, let me apologize: it was never my intention for this book to contain so much math
Second, I urge you to look at this document for what it is- a piece of fiction meant to entertain a broad audience through the prism if stereotypical gender differences. I mean, sometimes it really is like we're from different planets! Clearly, no real person would actually believe or adhere to the vulgar rules contained within. *Those boots are adorable, b-t-dub.

Article 5 : Whether he cares about sports or not, a Bro cares about sports.

Article 6 : A Bro shall not lollygag if he must get naked in front of other Bros in a gym locker room

COROLLARY: If a bro gets naked in a locker room, all other Bros shall pretend that nothing out of the ordinary is happening while, at the same time, immediately averting their eyes. When in doubt, remember the old adage: "If a towel drops to the floor, so should your eyes".

Article 7 : A Bro never admits he can't drive, even after an accident

Article 8 : A Bro never sends a greeting card to another Bro

There are no sentiments between Bros that cannot be articulated through the convenience and emotional distance of electronic mail. The following are a few emails for any Brocassion that succinctly get the message across without costing you the trouble and expense of having to find and then send an actual greeting card.

EMAILS FOR ANY BROCASSION
SYMPATHY
To: Bro___________
From: Bro____________
Subject: Dude






Sorry, Bro.

CONGRATULATIONS
To: Bro__________
From: Bro___________
Subject: Bro!






Nice, Bro!

GET WELL SOON
To: Bro_______
From: Bro______
Subject: Bro...






Don't give up, Bro.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
To: Bro_________
From: Bro_______
Subject: Dude






Drinks on me, Bro.
THINKING OF YOU
To: N/A
From: N/A
Subject: N/A






N/A

Article 9 : Should a Bro lose a body part due to an accident or illness, his fellow Bros will not make lame jokes such as "Gimme three!" or "Wow quitting your job like that really took a lot of ball". It's still a high five and that Bro still has a lot of balls... metaphorically speaking, of course

Article 10 : A Bro will drop whatever he's doing and rush to help his Bro dump a chick

It's normal for a Bro to get confused and disorientated when dumping a chick. For some reason he's worried she'll become agitated or even violent after he calmly explains his desire to have sex with her friends. This is when a Bro most needs his Bro to remind him that there are plenty more chicks in the ocean, and that a breakup need not be hazardous, stressful, or even time-consuming.

SIDE-BRO: HOW TO DUMP A CHICK IN SIX WORDS OR LESS

"Maybe try a side salad instead"
"Cute! You're growing a mustache, too!"
"She looks like a younger you"
"I will finance a boob job"
"Sorry I threw out your shoes"

"Your sister let me do that”







Article 11 : A Bro may ask his Bro(s) to help him move, but only after first disclosing an honest estimate on both time commitment and number of large pieces of furniture. If the Bro has vastly underestimated either, his Bros retain the right to leave his possessions where they are - in most cases, stuck in the doorway.

Article 12 : Bros do not share dessert.

Article 13 : All Bros shall dub one of their bros his wingman

Article 14 : If a chick inquires about another Bros sexual history, a Bro shall honour the Brode of Silence and play dumb. Better to have women think all men are stupid than to tell the truth.

Article 15 : A Bro never dances with his arms above his head.

Article 18 : If a Bro spearheads a beer run at a party, he is entitled to any excess monies accrued after can canvassing the group.

NOTE: To avoid confrontation, it’s a good idea for the bro to jettison the receipt before returning to the party.

Article 19 : A Bro shall not sleep with another Bro’s sister. However, a Bro shall not get angry of another Bro says, “Dude, your sister’s hot!”

COROLLARY: It’s probably best for everyone if Bros just hide pictures of their sisters when other Bros are coming over.

CHECKLIST FOR BRO-PROOFING YOUR HOME

• Hide all pictures of hot sisters, moms and first cousins.
• Open liquor bottles and dust the bar to give the impression you actually use it.
• As a courtesy, move printed porn from the bedroom to the bathroom.
• Scan PVR playlist and remove embarrassing TV programs like daytime talk shows.
• Open all windows.
• Display all remote controls on the coffee table, regardless of functionality.
• Call Mom an hour before your Bros arrive.
• Sign out of email account.
• Usher girlfriend/booty call off the premises.

Article 20 : A Bro respects all his Bros in the military because they’ve selflessly chose to defend the nation, but more to the point, because they can kick his ass six ways to Sunday.






A bro must respect fellow Bros in the Uniform be it Navy, Airforce or Marines and even MOPOL( no not that dumb guy) Mobile Police with the exception of The “street” Police all they need is 20 bucks.

Article 21 : A Bro never shares observations about another Bro’s smoking-hot girlfriend. Even if the Bro with the hot girlfriend attempts to bait the Bro by saying, “She’s smoking-hot, huh?” a Bro shall remain silent, because in this situation, he’s the only one who should be baiting.

Article 22 : There is no law that prohibits a woman from being a Bro.

Women make excellent Bros. Why? Because they can translate and navigate the confusing and contradictory whims that comprise the Chick Code.

DO CHICKS REALLY HAVE THEIR OWN CODE?

Yes, I’m afraid so. One morning, before slipping out the door wile my hostess was in the shower, I happened upon a copy of the rumored tome. I didn’t have time to flip must past the pink bedazzled cover, but here are some of the phases I remember seeing on the frilly pages within:

• A chick shall not sleep with another chick’s ex-boyfriend, unless she does.
• A chick never pays for anything. Ever.
• If two chicks get into a fight, they shall make catty remarks and pretend to ignore each other, rather than simply stripping down and wrestling it out.
• If a chick hears a chick-empowering song like “I Will Survive,” she shall stop whatever she’s doing, grab another chick’s hand, and shriek the lyrics at the top of her lungs.
• A chick may get a dog as a pet, but only if it fits in her mailbox.
• If two chicks are wearing the same outfit, each retains the right to accidentally spill a drink on the other.
• A chick shall not operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner.

Article 23 : When flipping through TV channels with his Bros, a Bro is not allowed to skip past a program featuring boobs. This includes, but is not limited to, exercise shows, women’s athletics, and on some occasions, surgery programs.

Article 24 : When wearing a baseball cap, a Bro may position the brim at either 12 or 6 o’ clock. All other angles are reserved for rappers and the handicapped.

Article 26 : Unless he has children, a Bro shall not wear his cell phone on a belt clip.

Article 28 : A Bro will, in timely manner, alert his Bro to the existence of a girl fight.

A Bro must, in timely manner, communicate the possibility of fisticuffs between two humans of the female variety (henceforth "girl fight"), in an effort to make possible and probable that another Bro or Bros can partake in observation. A "timely manner" is open to interpretation based on the initial Bro's viewing and processing of the potential feminine conflagration. Said Bro must use any and all methods of media distribution at his disposal, including but not limited to: telecommunications, elbow nudging, carrier pigeons, fiber optics, shouting, postcards, and telepathy. If an informed Bro is unable to witness the girl fight firsthand, the spotter Bro is responsible for documenting and relating details of the girl fight via pictures, video, or, barring any other reasonable method, interpretive dance and/or pantomime.

Article 29 : If two Bros decide to catch a movie together, they may not attend a screening that begins after 4:40 PM. Also, despite the cost of savings, they shall not split a tub of popcorn, choosing instead to procure individual bags.

Article 30 : A Bro doesn't comparison shop.

Article 32 : A Bro doesn't allow another Bro to get married until he's at least thirty.

Article 33 : When in a public restroom, a Bro (1) stares straight ahead when using the urinal; (2) makes the obligatory comment, "What is this a chicks' restroom?" if there are more than two dudes waiting to pee; and (3) attempts to shoot his used paper towel into the trash can like a basketball... rebounding is optional.

Article 34 : Bros cannot make eye contact during a devil's threeway.

Article 35 : A Bro never rents a chick flick.

Article 36 : When questioned in the company of women, a Bro always decries fake breasts.

When in conversation with a woman, fake breasts may arise, but not in the way that you'd like. It's not uncommon for a woman to deftly use trick questions in order to probe a Bro's real thoughts on the subject of breast augmentation. And don't be fooled into thinking your prepared speech on the beauty of the natural human form can get you out of it.

HOW TO HANDLE FAKE BREASTS

Wrong Answer
Chick: Ugh, her breasts are so fake.
Bro: Totally. Unnatural is unsexy.
Chick: So you've been staring at her breasts, huh?

Wrong Answer
Chick: Ugh, her breasts are so fake.
Bro: Whose?
Chick: You know who I'm talking about.
Bro: Oh. Yes, those must be fake.
Chick: So you've been staring at her breasts, huh?

Wrong Answer
Chick: Ugh, her breasts are so fake.
Bro: No?
Chick: Well then, why don't you go marry her, then???

Correct Answer
Chick: Ugh, her breasts are so fake.

Bro: I Wouldn't know.
Chick: Oh. Well they are.

Article 37 : A Bro is under no obligation to open a door for anyone. If women insist on having their own professional basketball league, then they can open their own doors. Honestly, they're not that heavy.

Article 38 : Even in a fight to the death, a Bro never punches another Bro in the groin.

Article 39 : When a Bro gets a chick's number, he waits at least ninety-six hours before calling her.

SIDE-BRO:
ASK Uncle Idris.
Q: I'm confused- if a woman gives me her phone number, doesn't that mean she wants me to call her? Why do i have to wait so long?
A: Broflation- an unreasonable increase in female expectations about how Bros should act. you call a woman the next day, and soon enough, women everywhere will expect guys to call them the next day. Before you know it, Bros the world over will find themselves trapped in relationships, and all because you couldn't wait ninety-six little hours.

Q: Okay, I've waited ninety-six hours. When's the best time of day to call ?
A: Cal during the middle of the day. You'll have a better chance that she will be busy which ultimately means less conversation. With any luck you'll be able to set something up without ever having to talk to her. Note: Never call after 9 PM-- late-night phone calls are the province of the booty call, and only the booty call. See Article 92 for further elaboration.

Q: I've always heard you wait three days? Why does the Bro Code specify four?
A: If you've always heard that a bro should wait three days before calling, you can bet that women have, too. By waiting an extra day, you can make the chick feel special.

Article 40 : Should a Bro become stricken with engagement, his Bros shall stage an intervention and attempt to heal him. this is more commonly known as "a bachelor party."

Article 41 : A Bro never cries.

EXCEPTIONS: Watching Field of Dreams, My Name is Khan .E.T., or a sports legend retire.*

*Applies only to the first time he retires.

Article 43 : A Bro loves his country, unless that country isn't Nigeria.

Article 44 : A Bro never applies sunscreen or body lotion to another Bro.

EXCEPTION: If the Bros are within 7 degrees latitude of the equator.

Article 45 : A Bro never wears jeans to a strip club.

WHY A BRO NEVER WEARS JEANS TO A STRIP CLUB
1. Cloth pockets are roomier and more elastic, allowing for thicker wads of cash.
2. Denim clashes with a club's leopard, zebra, or other safari animal motif.
3. One word, two syllables, three hours in the ER: Zipper.
4.It's a performance, and deserves respect. these erotic dancers have practiced tirelessly on a technically demanding piece of choreographed art. Would you wear dungarees t a ballet?*
5. You don't feel it as much on your kazoo.

*Trick question. Bros don't watch ballet.

Article 46 : If a Bro is seated next to some dude who's stuck in the middle seat on an airplane, he shall yield him all of their shared armrest, unless the dude has (a) taken his shoes off, (b) is snoring, (c) makes the bro get up more than once to use the lavatory, or (d) purchased headphones after they announced the inflight movie is 27 Dresses. See Article 35.

Article 47 : A Bro never wears pink. Not even in Europe.

Article 48 : A Bro never publicly reveals how many chicks he has banged.

COROLLARY: A Bro never reveals how many chicks another Bro has banged.

When a chick meets a Bro there are three things she wants to know:
1. How much money does he make?
2. Is he shorter than her?
3. How many chicks has he banged?

Eventually, she will figure out the first two, but a bro never answers the third question. If, however, a bro feels compelled to answer (i.e., sex is being withheld until he supplies a tally), he can calculate an acceptable number using the following formula:

HOW MANY CHICK IS IT SAFE FOR A BRO TO SAY HE'S BANGED?
n= (a/10 + s) + 5

n= number of chicks
a= Bro's age
s= inquiring chick's slut factor (1=nun, 10 former nun)

Article 49 : When asked, "Do you need some help?" a Bro shall automatically respond, "i got it," whether or not he's actually got it.

EXCEPTIONS: Carrying an expensive TV, parallel parking an expensive car, loading an expensive TV into an expensive car.

Article 50 : If a Bro should accidentally strike another Bro's undercarriage with his arm while walking, both Bros silently agree to continue on as if it never happened.

Article 51 : A Bro checks out another Bro's blind date and reports back with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

If you can't get a bro to scope out your blind date beforehand, there is a way to at least learn how promiscuous she'll be–– have her choose the date venue.

BLIND DATE TRANSLATIONS currently under construction.

Article 52 : A Bro is not required to remember another Bro's birthday, though a phone call every now and again probably wouldn’t kill him.

Article 53 : Even in a drought, a Bro flushes twice.

Article 56 : A Bro is required to alert another bro if the Bro/Chick ration at a party falls below 1:1. However, to Avoid Broflation, a bro is only allowed to alert one Bro. Further, a Bro may not speculate on the anticipated Bro/Chick Ration of a party or venue without first disclosing the present-time observed ratio.

Article 57 : A Bro never reveals the score of a sporting event to another Bro unless that bro has thrice confirmed he wants to hear it.

Article 58 : A bro doesn't grow a mustache.

Mr Tuneri must be thinking this article is for him but then why should anyone grow a mustache?

Exception: When shaving, it's more than okay for a Bro to keep the whiskers around hes mouth until the end so that he might temporarily experiment with different facial hair configurations.

Exception: Tom Selleck and Joey Barton

Article 59 : A Bro must always post bail for another Bro, unless its out of state or, like, crazy expensive.

WHEN BAIL IS CRAZY EXPENSIVE?

Crazy Expensive Bail > (Years You've Been Bros) x #10000

Article 60 : A Bro shall honor thy father and mother, for they were once Bro and Chick. However, a Bro never thinks of them in that capacity.

Article 61 : If a bro, for whatever reason, becomes aware of another Bro's anniversary with a chick, he shall endeavor to make that information available to his Bro, regardless of whether he thinks is Bro already knows.

Article 62 : In the event that two Bros lock on to the same target, the Bro who calls dibs first has dibs. If they both call dibs at the same time, the Bro who counts aloud to ten the fastest has dibs. If both arrive at the number ten at the same time, the Bro who brought the last round of drinks has dibs. If they haven't purchased drinks yet, the taller of the two Bros has dibs. If they're the same height, the Bro with the longer dry spell has dibs. Should the dry spells be of equal length, then the first Bro to promise to finance the next beer run wins and he must do so.

Article 63: A Bro Shall Not Get High Alone

 

Article 64: A Bro Shall Not listen to Justin Bieber

 

Article 65: A Bro must not Cock-Block another Bro

 

Article 66:  Bros Must not cross swords during a threesome.

 

Article 67: A Bro Must Not Meet a Girl’s Parents

 

Article 68: A Bro must not laugh when another Bro gets kicked in the nuts.

 

Article 69: Bros Must keep a 6 meter radius around each other while dancing in a party.

 

Article 70: Even if he is Financially capable a Bro is not allowed to ditch other bros to go ahead and sleep with a prostitute in an hotel when bros already planned to sleep in the car/bus/club during the trip.

 

Violations of the Bro Code may result in a fine of up to #30,000 or in some cases permanent dis-Broment. Unresolved disputes over The Bro Code may be submitted via email to the International Court of Bros at ……………………………., provided such disputes include pictures of the chicks involved. But only if they're hot-the chicks, not the disputes.

There is no greater affront to the spirit of The Bro Code than a willing violation. While occasionally a Bro may err due to inebriation, a momentary lapse of judgment, or if a chick is so hot that other Bros would say "He didn't really have a choice" any premeditated infraction of The Bro Code is inexcusable. When a Bro violates The Bro Code, he hurts not only his Bros but also himself, because he is no lone Bro worthy.

It's important to note that there are no tenets of The Bro Code that cannot be discussed in confidence with another Bro, and I would urge a Bro to seek permission form another Bro before doing something, or someone, that he feels might violate this sacred code. Note: A great time to get that permission is when your Bro is super drunk...like almost passed out

If and when a violation occurs, a Bro has the right to administer the offending Bro a level of punishment befitting the infraction. He may choose from the Approved Punishments list.

Approved Punishments

  • Revocation of wingman status

  • Text blackout (No Pings)

  • Designated all-time tip leaver (must be the one to tip the bar man always)

  • Assigned to sleep on bare rug if all bros are in the room

  • Removal from inappropriate email forwards list

  • Water-boarding

  • Temporary blacklist from barbecues/football Sundays

  • Removal from holiday card mailing list

  • Revocation of airport picking/drop-off privileges

  • Must help offended Bro move heavy furniture

  • Must return stuff loaned from offended Bro...even stuff he thinks his Bro forgot about

  • No longer allowed to borrow the truck

  • Offended Bro no longer required to Buy beer for the other bro


.....To Be Continued

You Can Follow The Last Bra Bender On Twitter @dondekojo

Thursday, 3 November 2011

You Can Learn From Kim Kardashian!



How Does a Marriage End In Less Than Three Months?

Easy, You Spend Six Months Obsessing Over what flavour of icing the cake will have instead of obsessing over what kind of life you and your  fiancĂ© will have. When your focus is on who’s coming to your  wedding, not who’s going to be there when the wedding ends, you’re begging for trouble. Kim Kardashian was so thirsty to get  married and shove her “Fairy Tale” wedding in everyone’s face that she made a crucial blunder… she forgot to build a solid relationship. Look at me world, marvel at my 20 carat diamond ring, behold my corn feed fiancĂ©! I’m as good as Kate Middleton!
 "You don’t get married to prove people wrong, you get married because you can’t  imagine yourself waking up to anyone else for the rest of your life".
Personally I don’t really care who Kim Kardashian fucks, sucks, or marries. Yeah, I co-sign that she’s a living work of art when it comes to looks, but personality wise she doesn’t do anything for me that makes me a fan. But I Get Why This Culture Loves Some Celebrities. Whether you hate Kim Kardashian or if you love her, there is something you can learn from her epic 72 day marriage. Although she may seem like a non-human, clearly Kim made the same mistake any woman, flat ass or phat ass, makes when they think they’re in love. You can say she did it for the money and that it was all a sham from the jump, but unless you can read minds sit your ass down (i mean, she could have easily gotten herself a Laker or a Knick).
No one knows for sure how she felt or why she married Kris, but I’m going to give Her the benefit of the doubt and say that it wasn’t some fixed relationship, and that because of that pressure to get married she brainwashed herself into thinking Kris Humphries was the one. I don't know details about her personal life, but here is where I think she went wrong and the lessons you can learn from the Duchess of Donk.

»Don’t Compete

I’m #TeamKhloe and the reason I 'fux' with Khloe is because she’s clearly a woman with balls. She doesn’t bite her tongue, she’s  passionate about what she believes in, but at the same time she’s also willing to admit when she’s wrong. Khloe owns up to her flaws and that makes her insanely beautiful to me. You can hook a man with great sex, but you KEEP him with honesty. When Khloe and Lamar got married everyone assumed it would end just as fast, but they’re still going strong, and that’s a testament to Lamar and Khloe both  knowing how to deal with each other’s flaws. Every couple will argue about things, you cannot pray for a drama free relationship because if no one’s butting heads that means no one’s  communicating. A perfect relationship doesn’t mean you never argue, it means you argue then get over the shit. "You had a problem, solved it, and lived to be married another day, that is a perfect relationship". If you’re arguing over the same shit you argued about last month then you’re not solving your problems, you're just throwing duct tape on the problem, and let’s take bets to see how long that holds up. Like most couples who make it work, Khloe and Lamar have found a way to patch their holes with cement, that’s the secret to their success. Kim’s not a cement type of chick at this stage of her life, she’s more of a 'bulldoze that house and buy some new property' type of chick. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kim was the first person thinking, “Khloe and Lamar are going to fail” and when it didn’t she did what a lot of single women do, she got pissed and asked God a question… “Why can’t I find a husband, I look better than her?!” Once Khloe moved into wifeville and left Kim stranded on the island of singledom, she stopped looking for love and started looking for revenge. If you’re a woman who has not found that special someone or you have a boyfriend who's not ready to make that commitment don’t get upset when you see others jumping the broom. Your friend, cousin, or sister getting married before you doesn’t make you less of a woman. “I’m so jealous of you” should be replaced by “I’m so happy for you", stop making someone else’s big  moment about you! Your time will come, why would you force it? So you can have the joy of sending out invites to girls you never liked just to say, “fuck you bitch, I’m engaged, and your single ass is still popping out kids for niggas!” real mature. Weddings have stopped becoming about the ceremony and more about the extravagant show of how much better you are than other people. Crystal Chandeliers and diamond bouquets don’t make you awesome, staying happily married and celebrating 50 years together, that’s awesome. Doing it bigger than the next lady or getting married before your enemy is not a reason to speed up a relationship. In the end those girls who you’re stunting for will be the first ones laughing their asses off when your Facebook status goes from Married back to Single.

»Your Type Is Your Type For A Reason

When I’m talking about type, I’m not talking about race, height, or any other superficial quality."By type I mean personality that turns you on". Kim’s type physically seemed to be Black guys and personality wise she definitely liked guys with swag who liked to party and live that Hollywood lifestyle. She didn’t need to keep  dating Black dudes to find that level of swag, she could have found a white guy like Justin Timberlake and that would have served her just as well. From the time I saw Kris Humphries on that show I knew Kim had strayed far from the type of personality she was  attracted to. Los Angeles is a strange place; it’s pretentious, self- indulgent, and fun as hell if you like to show off. Kris Humphries is half-Black but he wasn’t raised hood. He’s a good ol’ boy from Minnesota, that dude does not want a camera in his face every time he goes to the gym. He clearly didn’t need to be in the club dancing until 3am to hip hop and he never embraced that wacky Kardashian  house the same way Lamar did. Kris wants to shovel snow, raise children, and wake up at 5am to practice his jump shot. Kim Kardashian knew all of this before she said “I Do”, but she figured like most women who meet sweet guys, “He’s nice to me therefore I can work with it and mold him into my type of guy”. Wrong! You mold a man into what you want over the course of YEARS not months. If the type of guy you’re attracted to keeps doing you dirty, then yeah it’s time to  think outside the box, and try something new. But remember that it takes time and effort to convert to something new; you can’t go  from Gangster to Nerd or Mr. Asshole to Mr. Sensitive overnight. You have to build up an appreciation for your new type of guy, not continue to look back and compare him to what you’re used to and expect him to eventually change into that.

»Ego
It doesn’t matter who you are, Kim Kardashian is a bad bitch. I don’t care if you say hater stuff like this or that is fake or she looks funny in certain pictures, her hotness is not subjective it’s Factual. The girl is default pretty, and most guys would hit it raw even before seeing an AIDS test. "But the thing that goes hand and hand with good looks and wealth is ego". I don’t know her, she’s probably a sweetheart, but I don’t doubt for a minute that she’s fully aware that she’s Kim f**king Kardashian and she’s the sh*t. When dating a guy or a girl who is indeed the sh*t, you have to have a certain attitude. Either you let them blow their trumpet and cosign like Nikki Minaj “You da boss, you da you da boss” or you check that ass and let them know that in this house we’re equals. Who the is going to check Kim Kardashian? The woman is a brand; do you think some scrub from a last place NBA team is going to check her? I’m sure he tried, but a woman that powerful and egotistical isn’t going to compromise even when she’s in the wrong. And that’s the problem, "no matter if you’re Bill Gates or Bill Jones you can’t be  bigger than your relationship". Think what you will internally but when it’s time to be a good husband or a good wife, you have to play that position and humble yourself to appease the person you love.

»Plan The Wedding, Don’t Let The Wedding Plan You
I watched enough wedding shows to know that when ladies started to plan their big day, my job was to just nod my head and keep my opinion to myself. Men don’t have pressure to put on Cirque du Soleil, so we don’t understand why everything is so serious during what’s supposed to be a happy occasion. But most women have been planning their wedding since they were 5 years old and they will be damned if it isn’t what they imagined.  This period is not a time to be getting to know each other, it’s like trying to date a lawyer while he’s prepping for the Bar, you’re not going to get the nicest part of their personality due to the high stress level. One moment Kim and Kris were having intimate dinners together and talking about the future the next she’s taking 50 phone calls a day trying to make the wedding perfect and profitable. Where was their time to cement their love during all of that madness??? Your wife may nevergo Bridezilla, but she will have her moments, and if you didn’t know her, the real her, you would have definitely been like; “do I really want to marry this crazy woman”. Wedding planning creates temporary insanity, and if your  relationship hasn’t withstood the test of time it will make you resent each other. No matter how much honeymoon sex you have, it won’t make up for the emotional damage done during a taxing wedding.


»It’s Okay To Fail

I’ve heard rumblings that Kim should have given her marriage more time, that she didn’t care enough to try and make it work. Here’s the thing, if you’re not happy—fuck it. This is your life, the only rules you follow are the ones you want to. If you don’t want to be with someone you don’t owe it to them to hang tough. You don’t owe it to your family to keep it going. You don’t owe it to the  public to keep up a front. It’s not working and you don’t want to work at it, then don’t work at it, that’s your  prerogative. 72 days or 7 days, who is anyone to judge? what the fuck you should or shouldn’t put up with. You  know who the most screwed up people in the world are? Children from homes where their parents hated each other for 20 years. The little bastards that watched Mommy and Daddy divorce at age 8 were sad, but I’m sure they grew up more adjusted than those who had to suffer with two parents who plotted murdering each other. You can’ t predict the future, we all make mistakes, so when doubt creeps in  during the engagement or first months of marriage, don’t be too proud to pull the plug. One of my good friends was engaged last year and after she moved in with the guy she realized he wasn’t the one for her and canceled the wedding. Money had been spent, a venue had been booked, and people were ready to attend. A weaker person  would have said, “I don’t want to lose that money or have people think I’m a failure” and went through with it in hopes they could work it out after the wedding. That’s the stupidest life choice ever, if you have doubt get the hell OUT. I don’t care how far you’re into a relationship or how high the expectations people have placed on  you are, when it’s not working it’s time to move the fuck on. There is no shame in breaking off an engagement or getting a divorce. The real shame is waking up five years later next to a person you no longer love and wanting to kill yourself. Kim Kardashian may not  know what she wants, but she knew what she didn’t want and made the right decision for her future, and for that I’m proud of her.

 

note: this post is based on wonderful work by our friends at www.blackgirlsareeasy.com (read original article here http://blackgirlsareeasy.com/2011/11/learn-from-kim-kardashians-epic-fail.html)