Selena Gomez And The Weeknd Seen Kissing And Cuddling On Tuesday Night

The Weeknd seen making out with Selena Gomez.

Selena was seen hanging all over The Weeknd Tuesday night outside Giorgio Baldi  in Santa Monica -- getting handsy and mouthy with the singer. We don't know how long this has been going on, but they're definitely a thing ... based on these pics.

There's potential drama here -- Selena's pals with Gigi Hadid ... so her sister, Bella, might have a thing or 2 to say about the hookup.
Source: TMZ

Man Seeking The Position Of A Driver Crashes Company's Car During Interview

What could be worse for a man who went to a firm to look for job and was lucky that the company agreed to employ him and even gave him a car to drive, so as to prove himself as a driver?
Now he is the one indebted to the company, even without having a job.

Sonia Ogbonna Pens Relationship Or Marriage Advice To Couples Facing Crises

 

Beautiful Sonia, the wife of Nollywood actor, IK Ogbonna, is now a motivational blogger, author, life coach, relationship expert and motivational speaker – as shared on her bio.

 

She and her husband always take pictures making people to think that all is well in their marriage, but she just released something interesting indicating that all marriages have their issues and how you can take care of your issues and enjoy your life, in marriage.

 

Read what she wrote:

 

I will tell you straight up – there is no couple in this world that has been together for a long time without meeting any form of challenges on their way. Even the most compatible, ideal matches do argue and at some point they find themselves facing very tough times. Crises are super painful. They make us doubt. Wander. Overthink. Sometimes we feel like leaving. Or should I stay? Is he the right partner for me? Why do I suffer this much then? What if I have made a mistake? What is right? Who is wrong? 

 

Madness and headache.
Vulnerable mind is a devil’s playground. And devil is a very creative mofo. Indeed.
If you suffer from heartache, wanders, if you feel like your relationship or marriage is about to fall apart, I want you to continue reading.

Is there really a problem?
First of all, we do blow things out of the proportions by attaching meanings to not so relevant things. I think you know what I mean. That is what happens when we are emotionally involved with someone. We take everything personal and our fears and worries can make us see all the things we don’t want to see just because we hold on to them so badly. From my very personal experience I can tell you that you don’t have a problem that you think you have. At least not a rational one. In emotional relationships by taking everything way too personal we create false beliefs that turn reality because we feed them with so much strength, energy and focus.
Then your relationship sinks deeper and deeper into confusion, mess, accusations, blame, anger, frustration, pain and helplessness. Why? Because our focus is constantly on the wrong picture and wrong idea of having a “bad relationship/marriage”. What we focus on grows.
We are all different and every couple has a different challenge, a very specific tough path that was given to them for a reason.
I think I heard somewhere “Test before testimony”.
All my life I used to think, like most of you, that crisis in relationships is a bad thing. Just recently, I have changed my perception towards it; because I realized that no bond was ever build within a comfort zone.
Love. Friendship. Trust. Care. Understanding. Support. Faith. Loyalty.
None of these categories really manifests during good times. When things are smooth and everything happens the way you want it it’s easy to believe, to love, understand, trust or be a support system to someone. Under right circumstances almost everyone can it for you. To know each and every of this categories that make every healthy relationship meaningful you have to pass though unusual something.

When things are really bad our task is to overcome it.
Mostly, people are busy looking for flaws, blame and mistakes in each other and that is what makes couples sink deeper in painful confusion, darkness and crises. I’m sure some of you know how draining this is. It can exhaust you until you literally go crazy and forget everything good about your relationship and your partner.
Ask yourself: do you want this relationship to work? NO? Good and fine, you can leave and that is also very ok.

But you are still there. That means you want it to work. You want to be happy with your partner. Since you choose to stay involved, you will have to start acting according to your choice; otherwise you will really run mad.

In order to heal, you must start from yourself.

You must take responsibility over your own part. Not 60%. Not 89%, but 100%.
Tough times are sign that it’s about the time for us to turn to ourselves, and not to point fingers and count our partner’s sins and mistakes on loud.

Energy is contagious. Positive and Negative.

Once you start thinking of how your partner feels instead of always considering how much of a victim you are, you will by default trigger the same kind of behavior from your partner. Note to yourself: the biggest mistake people make when they start practicing this method is their instant expectation of what will their partner do for them in return and how fast will their efforts be acknowledged. Don’t do that. That means you are bringing yourself into picture again. You don’t love someone by expecting love in return. A true action of love does not have self interest in it.
Do not just wait to receive love so you can give it.
Start the process of exchanging good energy and positive vibrations yourself.
Every crisis you overcome will build your relationship stronger.

Challenges given to you are meant to strengthen the weakest links of your relationship with your loved one. This thinking is what cures my pain instantly every time I face issues in my marriage. When I just think of it as a process that will make us love each other more and deeper, my vibration instantly changes and different attitude and perception brings new dimensions and different circumstances. What excites me is to know that the roughest paths normally lead to the most amazing places.

- Sonia

Adama Indimi Looks Stunning In New Photos

 

The billionaire daughter looked awesome in new photos she shared on IG. Another photo below:

 

Yoruba Actor Sanyeri Allegedly Battered Hotel Receptionist And Chased Her With Broken Bottle

 

Yoruba actor, Adekola Tijani 'Sanyeri' on the 4th of January, angrily battered an hotel receptionist in Oyo state and also chased her with a broken bottle..

According to NigerianFilms, the actor was moved to another room without his permission due to clash of interest form another regular customer of the Hotel who seldomly uses the room also.
This angered the comic actor who ordered that his things should be moved back to his favorite room as he wasn’t informed before the changes was made. All effort to calm the angry actor was reportedly futile.

Ubi Franklin And Tekno Flies To New York For Official Signing Of Sony Deal (Photos)

Ubi Franklin and his artist Tekno are on their way to New York to officially seal the Sony Music deal.
 They both took to their Instagram pages to share photos, indicating they are on their way to the Sony Music headquarters in New York to wrap up the deal, which was announced months ago.

Femi Adesina, Has Denied Endorsing Ponzi Scheme, MMM

 

Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, has denied online speculations that he endorsed ponzi scheme, MMM via twitter handle.


 

I Did Not Set Out To Marry A Fine Woman; My Wife Is Beautiful - Comedian Omobaba Gushes About His Wife

                                                                           

Comedian, Olufemi ‘Omobaba’ Fagade, is one of the most celebrated comedians in Nigeria.

Despite his not-so-flattering looks, he is off the bachelor’s list few weeks ago and he even tied the knot with one of the prettiest babes in town. The girl had been his girlfriend for close to nine years.

“I met my wife at an event nine years ago. I saw her; fell in love with her, then decided to approach her. After a pleasant handshake, I told her she would be my wife and that was it. It took me about eight months of talking before she took me seriously because she always believed I was joking, now that we are married, I think I am still joking? It also took me about three years of friendship before it blossomed into a romance,” he said.

Omobaba explained why he had a low key wedding ceremony which is not usually the style of Nigerian celebrities.
He told Saturday Beats that contrary to what people might think, he did not marry his wife because she is a beautiful woman.

 

“This year, as a married man, my family comes first. I am still the same person I was even though I am now married and nothing has really changed. It is just that you have to be conscious that you cannot travel for about four days. I have to consider the kind of shows I do, I don’t have to be everywhere all the time. I have also begun to watch the people I associate with and know the ones I need to cut off. I did not set out to marry a fine woman; my wife is beautiful . It is not only about physical beauty, before a man gets married, he should also consider the character of the lady. Yes, my wife is beautiful but she also has a wonderful character.

“I did not make so much noise about my wedding because by nature, I do not like to make noise about anything I do. In fact, we had got married about a week ago in the church and it was attended by very close friends and family members before we had the other one on Tuesday. We released the pictures we wanted people to see because in this life, people only know what you want them to know. I am a proof that entertainers can keep their private lives to themselves if they really want to,” Omobaba said.

The Kardashian's DASH Store Robbed Shortly After Kim’s Paris Attack Suspects Arrested

Kim Kardashian's family's store, DASH was robbed shortly after Kim's Paris burglary case suspects got busted, it was robbed by a woman who strolled into the Melrose Avenue boutique Monday, grabbed a bunch of clothing and perfume and fled in a silver sedan without paying for the items. According to TMZ, the woman made off with about $1,600 in DASH items and still hasn't been found by the police.
                                                                                

Sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, who founded DASH in 2006, are yet to make any comment on the robbery.

                                                                                  

Michelle Obama Pens Emotional Message To Barack Obama

Obama's daughter, Malia Obama In Tears During President Barack Obama's Farewell Speech Message To Michelle

 
Emotions were high tonight as many tuned in to watch President Barack Obama deliver his farewell speech in Chicago before leaving the White House, and things only got heavier when seeing his daughter begin to get choked up, too.

Near the end of his hour-long delivery, POTUS turned the focus to thanking those closest to him for being by his side throughout his eight years in office, and one special shout-out tugged at everyone's heart. No, not his remarks to Joe Biden (although that was cute, too). It was his sweet message to wife Michelle Obama.

Sitting between daughter Malia Obama and Biden's wife Jill, Michelle listened as Obama spoke words that had many in their feelings. Especially their 18-year-old daughter.
"Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, girl of the Southside," Obama began as the crowd roared and gave FLOTUS a standing ovation. "For the past 25 years, you've been not only my wife and mother of my children, but you've been my best friend."
 

Tears began to flow from both Malia and President Obama, but he continued. "You took on a role you didn't ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You've made me proud. You've made the country proud."
He, then, of course, steered the focus to his two daughters. "Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I've done in my life, I'm most proud to be your dad."

According to CNN, Obama wrote his speech himself, much like many of his previous major addresses, and did so by dictating passages to his chief speechwriter Cody Keenan who then transcribes POTUS' words.

The team reportedly went through at least four drafts before finalizing tonight's address.
Obama is said to be returning to the White House in the early morning hours tomorrow, which will also mark his final flight on Air Force One.

Written Version Of President Barack Obama's Farewell Speech

Here's the text of President Barack Obama's farewell address Tuesday at McCormick Place in Chicago:
It’s good to be home.  My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we’ve received over the past few weeks.  But tonight it’s my turn to say thanks.  Whether we’ve seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people – in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant outposts – are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going.  Every day, I learned from you.  You made me a better president, and you made me a better man.

I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, and was still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life.  It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills.  It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.  This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, and they get engaged, and come together to demand it.

After eight years as your President, I still believe that.  And it’s not just my belief.  It’s the beating heart of our American idea – our bold experiment in self-government.

It’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union.

This is the great gift our Founders gave us.  The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination – and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a common good, a greater good.

For 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation.  It’s what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom.  It’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande, it's what pushed women to reach for the ballot, it's what powered workers to organize.  It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan – and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well.

So that’s what we mean when we say America is exceptional.  Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow.

Yes, our progress has been uneven.  The work of democracy has always been hard, it's always been contentious and it's sometimes been bloody.  For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back.  But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some.

If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history … if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11 … if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens ... If I had told you all of that, you might have said our sights were set a little too high.

But that’s what we did.  That’s what you did.  You were the change.  You answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.

In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy:  the peaceful transfer of power from one freely elected president to the next.  I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me.  Because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.

We have what we need to do so.  We have everything we need to meet those challenges. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth.  Our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention means that the future should be ours.

But that potential will be realized only if our democracy works.  Only if our politics better reflects the decency of the our people.  Only if all of us, regardless of party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now.

That’s what I want to focus on tonight – the state of our democracy.

Understand, democracy does not require uniformity.  Our founders argued, they quarreled, eventually they compromised. They expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one.

There have been moments throughout our history that threatened that solidarity.  The beginning of this century has been one of those times.  A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism – these forces haven’t just tested our security and prosperity, but are testing our democracy as well.  And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs and protect our homeland.

In other words, it will determine our future.

To begin with, our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity.  Today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again.  The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records.  The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low.  The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower.  Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years.  And I said, and I mean it, if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system – that covers as many people at less cost – I will publicly support it.

That, after all, is why we serve – not to score points or take credit, but to make people’s lives better, not worse.

But for all the real progress we’ve made, we know it’s not enough.  Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class.  That the economic argument. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles.  While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind – the laid-off factory worker; the waitress or health care worker who is barely getting by and struggling to pay the bills – convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful – a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.

There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend.  I agree -- our trade should be fair and not just free.  But the next wave of economic dislocations won’t come from overseas.  It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes a lot of good, middle-class jobs obsolete.

And so we're going to have to forge a new social compact – to guarantee all our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from this new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country that’s made their very success possible.  We can argue about how to best achieve these goals.  But we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves.  For if we don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.

There’s a second threat to our democracy – one as old as our nation itself.  After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America.  And such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic.  Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society.  Now, I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago no matter what some folks say. You can see it not just in statistics. You can see it in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum.

But we’re not where we need to be.  All of us have more work to do.  After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and an  undeserving minority, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves.  If we're unwilling  to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children -– because those brown kids will represent a larger and larger share of America’s workforce.  And we have shown that our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game.  Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.

So if we're going to be serious about race going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination – in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system.  That’s what our Constitution and highest ideals require.  But laws alone won’t be enough.  Hearts must change. It won't change overnight. Social attitudes often take generations to change. But if our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

For blacks and other minority groups, that means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face – not only  the refugee, or the immigrant, or the rural poor, or the transgender American, but also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he’s got all the advantages, but who’s seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change.

For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ‘60s; that when minority groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness; when they wage peaceful protest, they’re not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment that our Founders promised.

For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, and Italians and Poles, who it was said were going to destroy the fundamental character of America. And as it turned out, America wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation’s creed, and it was strengthened.

So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; we all have to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own.

For too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions.  The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste – all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable.  And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only information, whether it's true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that’s out there.
And this trend represents a third threat to our democracy. Look, politics is a battle of ideas; that's how our democracy was designed. In the course of a healthy debate, we prioritize different goals and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we’ll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible.

And isn’t that part of what makes politics so dispiriting?  How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations?  How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing?  It’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it’s self-defeating.  Because as my mom used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you.

Take the challenge of climate change.  In just eight years, we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil, we've doubled our renewable energy, and we've led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet.  But without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of climate change; they’ll be busy dealing with its effects: more environmental disasters, more economic disruptions, waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary.

Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem.  But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of this country, the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders.

It is that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse – the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.

It’s that spirit – a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but built on principles – the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press.

That order is now being challenged – first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, and open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power.  The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile.  They represent the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right.

Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although Boston and Orlando and San Bernardino and Fort Hood remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever.  We’ve taken out tens of thousands of terrorists – including Osama bin Laden.  The global coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory.  ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe.  To all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief.

But protecting our way of life -- that's not just the job of our military.  Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear.  So just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are.  And that’s why, for the past eight years, I’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firmer legal footing.  That’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, reformed our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties.  That’s why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans, who are just as patriotic as we are.  That’s why we cannot withdraw from big global fights – to expand democracy, and human rights, and women’s rights, and LGBT rights – no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem.  That's part of defending America. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism and chauvinism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression.  If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened.

So let’s be vigilant, but not afraid.  ISIL will try to kill innocent people.  But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight.  Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world – unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.

Which brings me to my final point – our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted.  All of us, regardless of party, should be throwing ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions.  When voting rates in America are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote.  When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service.  When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our congressional districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes.

And remember -- none of this happens on its own. All of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings.

Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift.  But it’s really just a piece of parchment.  It has no power on its own.  We, the people, give it power – we the people give it meaning with our participation, and the choices we make and the alliances that we form.  Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms.  Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law.  America is no fragile thing.  But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.

In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken … to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;” and so we have to preserve this truth with “jealous anxiety”; that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one.

America, we weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character aren't even willing to enter into public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent.  We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and when we sit back and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them.

It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.  Because for all our outward differences, we in fact all share the same proud title, the most important office in a democracy: citizen.

So, you see, that’s what our democracy demands.  It needs you.  Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime.  If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try talking with one in real life.  If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing.  If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.  Show up.  Dive in.  Stay at it.  Sometimes you’ll win.  Sometimes you’ll lose.  Presuming a reservoir of goodness in other people, that can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you.  But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, and to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire.  And more often than not, your faith in America – and in Americans – will be confirmed.

Mine sure has been.  Over the course of these eight years, I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers.  I’ve mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in Charleston church.  I’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch. I've seen wounded warriors, who at points were given up for dead, walk again.  I’ve seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks.  I’ve seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other.

That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change – that faith has been rewarded in ways I could not have possibly imagined.  I hope yours has, too.  Some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in 2012. Maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off.

You’re not the only ones.  Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side – for the past 25 years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend.  You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and with grit and with style and good humor.  You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody.  And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model.  You have made me proud.  And you have made the country proud.

Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women.  You are smart and you are beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion.  You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily.  Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.

To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son:  you were the first decision I made as a nominee, and it was the best.  Not just because you have been a great vice president, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother.  We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life.

To my remarkable staff:  For eight years – and for some of you, a whole lot more – I’ve drawn from your energy, and every day I've tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism.  I’ve watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own.  Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. You guarded against cynicism. The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we’ve done is the thought of all the remarkable things you are going to achieve from here.

And to all of you out there – every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town, every kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change – you are the best supporters and organizers anybody could ever hope for, and I will forever be grateful.  Because you did change the world. You did.

That’s why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than I was when we started.  Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans – especially so many young people out there – to believe you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves.  Let me tell you, this generation coming up – unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – I’ve seen you in every corner of the country.  You believe in a fair and just and inclusive America; you know that constant change has been America’s hallmark, that it's not something to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward.  You’ll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands.

My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you.  I won’t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my remaining days.  For now, whether you’re young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your president – the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago.

I am asking you to believe.  Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.

I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written:

Yes We Can.

Yes We Did.

Yes We Can.

Thank you.  God bless you.  And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Lady Who Has 4 Kids for Different Men Arrested for Torturing Her 9yrs Old Nephew

 
 The police have arrested a woman, identified only as Bassey, for allegedly inserting a stick of broom dipped in pepper into the private parts of a nine-year-old boy, identified as Promise, in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos.

Lady Bassey had accused the boy, who is her nephew, of stealing N2,000.
Forcing him to confess to the crime, the mother of four allegedly resorted to the extreme torture.

According to Punch, neighbours, who had reportedly observed the continuous abuse of Promise, reported the case to the police at the Iponri division.

Promise was said to have been taken to hospital, where stick of broom was removed from his p*nis.
It was gathered that officials of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender had taken the victim to a government shelter.

A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, told Punch that Promise had been living with Bassey on Ashaka Street for the past five years, adding that his parents were late.
He said, “Promise is the son of Bassey’s elder sister. His mother brought him to live with her so she could assist him with his education.

“The boy was formerly in a private public school, but he was withdrawn immediately his mother died. His father is also late. Since that time, she turned him into an errand boy.
“I have known the boy for three years and can categorically say that he is always being maltreated.
“There was a time the guardian beat him up and tortured him with a needle. She starved the boy for three days. On another occasion, she sent the boy out of the house in the night and left him outside till daybreak.”

He added that despite having four children from different men, Bassey don't maltreat her own kids.
Another tenant said matters got to a head on Wednesday, January 4, when Madam Bassey inserted a stick of broom which had been dipped in pepper into Promise’s p*nis for allegedly stealing N2,000.
He said, “She said she was looking for N2,000 and accused the boy of stealing it. She beat him up with a stick and used red pepper to rub his whole body. The boy was screaming, yet she did not stop.
“After that, she inserted a stick of broom, dipped in Cameroon pepper, into the boy’s private parts.
“We could not bear it again and we reported the abuse to the police at the Iponri division. She was arrested and is still in police custody.”

Funny enough, the tenant said some relatives of the suspect had been threatening to deal with them for reporting the case to the police.
Anyway, the lady has been arraigned in court by police and remanded in prison.

Muslim Girls To Take Mixed Swimming Lessons With Boys In Switzerland - Court Rules

European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled in favour of Switzerland's educational authorities for Muslim girls to take mixed swimming lessons with boys. It comes after two Swiss-Turkish parents from Basel, Aziz Osmanoǧlu and Sehabat Kocabaş had refused to send their daughters to mixed swimming lessons on the basis of their religion.

The Turkish parents were ordered to pay a fine of CHF 350 per parent and child, a total of CHF 1,400  for 'acting in breach of their parental duty' in 2010.

At the court hearing Tuesday, a panel of seven judges who gave backing to the fines, also revealed that the freedom of religion had been 'interfered with'. But the interference, it said, was justified by the need to protect the children from social exclusion.

The Court ruled that the school played a special role in the process of social integration, particularly where children of foreign origin were concerned.


Source: Aljazeera

Seyi Law Steps Out With His Beautiful Wife (Photos)

 Popular Nigerian comedian, Seyi law and his beautiful wife stepped out in style to watch a movie

32-Year-Old Man Beheads His 60-Year-Old Lover In Ghana

A 32-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly beheaded his lover under a strange circumstance. The man identified as Kisseh Adowah is believed to have decapitated the head of late Korkor Sarah Mormorbi Wormenor, at a village near Kasseh in the Ada District of the Greater Accra Region on Sunday.

Speaking to 3News, the Ada District Police Commander, Supt. Faustina Agyeiwaa Koduah Andoh-Kwofie, who confirmed the brutal incident said that the head of the deceased couldn't be found, adding that the body was going to be sent to the Accra Police Hospital for an autopsy.
'We could not find the head so we are sending the body to the Police hospital.'
According to relatives of the deceased, they said the victim had left for Adowah's home at about 10:30pm on Sunday where they usually spend the night together.

After endlessly waiting upon her return, they became alarmed Monday morning when she did not return by 10:00am and proceeded to the house of Adowah but did not find the two in the room.

They mounted a search for the two leading to the discovery of the decapitated body of the woman in a bush with her head missing.

Father of the alleged murderer who was later arrested in town, told the press correspondent that his son suffered high fever two years ago noting that Adowa once injured him.

American Actress Solange Knowles Rocks Outfit Made With Banana Leaves

American singer, songwriter, model, and actress Solange Knowles, Beyoncé's younger sister rocks outfit made with banana leaves. Who wore it better... moi moi or Solange?