The Obama girls's four years development! pics and caption

Sasha and Malia Obama walk out on stage in full shirts and trendy flat shoes for appearance with their father, President Barack Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama at the president's election night speech, Nov. 7, 2012, in Chicago. President Obama defeated Republican challenger former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

President Obama posted this photo of his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha on his Facebook page with the caption, "Being married to Michelle, and having these tall, beautiful, strong-willed girls in my house, never allows me to underestimate women."

Sasha and Malia, stand on stage with father, U.S. President Barack Obama and mother Michelle Obama, after Barack Obama accepts the nomination during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena, Sept. 6, 2012 in Charlotte, N.C.

Malia and Sasha sit with their father, President Obama to watch their mother and first lady Michelle Obama speak at the Democratic National Convention on television from the Treaty Room of the White House, Sept. 4, 2012. (

Sasha Obama, 11, sits with her dad, President Barack Obama, on the White House lawn. This photo was posted to President Obama's Twitter account on July 19, 2012.

President Barack Obama laughs with daughter Malia after she catches a Nike t-shirt during the Olympic exhibition men's basketball game between Team USA and Brazil on July 16, 2012.

President Barack Obama walks with his daughter Sasha, 11, from Marine One to board Air Force One in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., en route to Chicago on June 15, 2012.

Malia Obama, 13, leads her family, President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and sister Sasha, 11, off the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on June 15, 2012.

Dressed in similarly brightly-colored outfits, Sasha Obama and mom first lady Michelle Obama attend the annual Easter Egg Roll in Washington D.C., on April 9, 2012.

Sasha Obama, 10, walks with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama across Lafayette Park on their way to services at St. John's Church, March 18, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Malia and Sasha Obama and their parents, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, are joined by entertainers Conan O'Brien, Jennifer Hudson, Victoria Justice and Justin Bieber for a final song at the conclusion of the performances at the annual "Christmas in Washington" gala, Dec. 11, 2011 in Washington, DC.

President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia pardons Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey, on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, 2011, on the North Portico of the White House in Washington. At left is National Turkey Federation Chairman Richard Huisinga.

Malia Obama, 13, and her sister Sasha, 9, watch the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan with their dad, President Obama, from the Treaty Room office in the White House residence, July 17, 2011. The President can often be found on the sidelines at his daughters' soccer games

Malia Obama, 13, walks with her sister Sasha, 10, and parents Barack and Michelle through Lafayette Square from St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church to the White House, July 17, 2011 in Washington, DC.

Malia Obama, 12, and her mom Michelle listen to their guide during a safari in Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa, June 25, 2011.

What a beautiful family!

Malia, 12, follows her dad as they bike on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, Aug. 27, 2010. The Obamas have made an annual trip to Martha's Vineyard, but the White House announced that this year they wouldn't be going.

First Daughter Malia, 10, runs with her new dog, a Portuguese water dog named Bo, as the first family introduces him to the White House press corps on the South Lawn of the White House, April 14, 2009, in Washington, DC.

Malia and Sasha welcome their dad and then Democratic presidential candidate and Illinois Senator Barack Obama along with their mom, Michelle, upon his landing in Pueblo, Colo., Nov. 1, 2008.

Malia Obama, 10, elder daughter of the then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, holds a microphone alongside her sister Sasha, 7, and mom Michelle, while her dad addresses the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Aug. 25, 2008.

Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6, stand by as their mom, Michelle, introduces her husband and then Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., at Headwaters Park in Fort Wayne, Ind., May 4, 2008.

Eight Things Remarkably Successful People Do

I'm fortunate to know a number of remarkably successful people. I've described how these people share a set of specific perspectives and beliefs.

They also share a number of habits:

1. They don't create back-up plans.

Back-up plans can help you sleep easier at night. Back-up plans can also create an easy out when times get tough.

You'll work a lot harder and a lot longer if your primary plan simply has to work because there is no other option. Total commitment--without a safety net--will spur you to work harder than you ever imagined possible.

If somehow the worst does happen (and the "worst" is never as bad as you think) trust that you will find a way to rebound. As long as you keep working hard and keep learning from your mistakes, you always will.

2. They do the work...

You can be good with a little effort. You can be really good with a little more effort.

But you can't be great--at anything--unless you put in an incredible amount of focused effort.

Scratch the surface of any person with rare skills and you'll find a person who has put thousands of hours of effort into developing those skills.

There are no shortcuts. There are no overnight successes. Everyone has heard about the 10,000 hours principle but no one follows it... except remarkably successful people.

So start doing the work now. Time is wasting.

3.  ...and they work a lot more.

Forget the Sheryl Sandberg "I leave every day at 5:30" stories. I'm sure she does. But she's not you.

Every extremely successful entrepreneur I know (personally) works more hours than the average person--a lot more. They have long lists of things they want to get done. So they have to put in lots of time.

Better yet, they want to put in lots of time.

If you don't embrace a workload others would consider crazy then your goal doesn't mean that much to you--or it's not particularly difficult to achieve. Either way you won't be remarkably successful.

4. They avoid the crowds.

Conventional wisdom yields conventional results. Joining the crowd--no matter how trendy the crowd or "hot" the opportunity--is a recipe for mediocrity.

Remarkably successful people habitually do what other people won't do. They go where others won't go because there's a lot less competition and a much greater chance for success.

5. They start at the end...

Average success is often based on setting average goals.

Decide what you really want: to be the best, the fastest, the cheapest, the biggest, whatever. Aim for the ultimate. Decide where you want to end up. That is your goal.

Then you can work backwards and lay out every step along the way.

Never start small where goals are concerned. You'll make better decisions--and find it much easier to work a lot harder--when your ultimate goal is ultimate success.

6. ... and they don't stop there.

Achieving a goal--no matter how huge--isn't the finish line for highly successful people. Achieving one huge goal just creates a launching pad for achieving another huge goal.

Maybe you want to create a $100 million business; once you do you can leverage your contacts and influence to create a charitable foundation for a cause you believe in. Then your business and humanitarian success can create a platform for speaking, writing, and thought leadership. Then...

The process of becoming remarkably successful in one field will give you the skills and network to be remarkably successful in many other fields.

Remarkably successful people don't try to win just one race. They expect and plan to win a number of subsequent races.

7. They sell.

I once asked a number of business owners and CEOs to name the one skill they felt contributed the most to their success. Each said the ability to sell.

Keep in mind selling isn't manipulating, pressuring, or cajoling. Selling is explaining the logic and benefits of a decision or position. Selling is convincing other people to work with you. Selling is overcoming objections and roadblocks.

Selling is the foundation of business and personal success: knowing how to negotiate, to deal with "no," to maintain confidence and self-esteem in the face of rejection, to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, to build long-term relationships...

When you truly believe in your idea, or your company, or yourself then you don't need to have a huge ego or a huge personality. You don't need to "sell."

You just need to communicate.

8. They are never too proud.

To admit they made a mistake. To say they are sorry. To have big dreams. To admit they owe their success to others. To poke fun at themselves. To ask for help.

To fail.

And to try again.

Rihanna Drops Emotional "Diamonds" Music Video

Rihanna is getting raw and emotional in her latest music video for the single "Diamonds".
The sexy songstress is showing her beautiful bare face in a number of highly artsy-style shots.
RiRi is nude in several scenes, floating on water at one point and crying into the camera. Gorgeous!

Read more at

“I Don’t Believe in God” – Seun Kuti

*I Was Raised Like a Prince
Oluseun Anikulapo-Kuti is the youngest son of legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela. Seun leads his father’s band, the ‘Egypt 80′ to date. In this interview with PATRICK EBI AMANAMA, he speaks on his music, lifestyle, amongst other issues.
What is the latest project you are working on?
I’m working on my new album right now, and we are also working on our tour. We are doing all the logistics, visas, passports, that’s the immediate project.
What memories do you cherish most, when you look back at your childhood?
Basically, I had a very good childhood. Fela was an amazing parent. My mum was good to me as well. For me, my childhood was a big ball. You know, Fela raised us like royalty.
Did Femi give you any advice about the music industry?
I grew up with my father, you know. I got all my advice already. But you know, there is no kind of advice anyone can give anyone in the music industry. It’s a learn-as-you-go kind of thing. You have to have your own personal experience, because what every artiste goes through in the cause of his development is not identical to the next artiste.Everybody has their own unique developmental story.
Describe your relationship with your siblings?
We are very close, except age wise. We were six, one is late; so five. Femi and Yeni are the eldest boy and girl in the family, and they are 20 years my senior. My other elder brother,Kunle, is 12 years my senior. And then, there is Motun, my immediate elder sister. She is only six days my senior. So, the two of us are like 12 years from the first born. So, we are quite close. It’s just that we are all in different generation. So, we don’t share the same interest all the time, but in terms of siblings relationship, we are quite close.
You were 14 when Fela died, what do you miss most about him?
Well, Fela was my father. You know, it’s a long time now since he died. The most important thing to me now is his presence. I miss him being around. I think of what would happen if I were able to have a discussion with him today. Knowing everything I know now, those are the kind of things you miss. I just miss him being around.
Can you describe what God means to you?
I do not believe in God. I am not a believer of anything supernatural. I don’t believe in God, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Ifa, Ogun, or whatever anybody uses as a reason to explain simple actions of nature. God, to me, is in existence.
How do you spend your weekends?
Weekend for me is just more work. It means I have more time to face what I really want to do, because during the week, it’s so much music business. Less music itself, the weekend ends up being the time when you can sit down and work on your act. I like to practice a lot, during the week. I can rehearse in an hour, but at weekends, I have much time.
What has been your most embarrassing moment?
Ha! (smiles). My most embarrassing moment happened when I was nine.And nothing up till now has topped that. You know, I used to open the show for my father, I used to sing before he comes on stage; we were in Cincinnati, Fela was about to come on stage, and I had gone up somewhere because we played in this huge dome where there was an archaic session. I was playing archaic, and I forgot about the show. I got carried away. And when it was five minutes to go… rushing back to the stage, I dressed up quickly. So, my sister helped me with my pant, I was wearing all this traditional pant that you will have to tie. So, I was like, Mosun, you did not tie it. And as soon as I got on stage, my pant just got down…
What is the amusing fact about your life that people will be surprised to know?
Well, I think I tried to keep everything as open as possible.But maybe, people would not know that if I had the opportunity, if it wasn’t for music, I would have been playing football. Not the American football, I mean real soccer.
What major goal do you hope to achieve in the next 20 years?
I do not plan that long. It is impossible for anybody to have that great plan; looking at 20 years in a globalised world; anything can happen beyond your control. So, I think the way to deal with globalised world is to have concrete short term plan.
Which is your favourite Fela song and why?
I like two; Look and Laugh and Original Suffer Head. You know, it’s just the dynamics of the music. I think in Look and Laugh, Fela actually put the definition of arrangement and melody together.
What is it like heading Fela’s ‘Egypt 80′ band?
For me, it’s very easy. The band is a very experience band. It’s not as if they are novice, and they helped me as well. The veterans in the band make it a tradition, training the young ones and letting them to be acquainted to the music; although, we are large in number which makes it quite expensive to manage, but in terms of organisation and discipline, we are good.
Do you smoke?
Yes, I do. But I don’t smoke cigarette… I don’t believe any human being has the right to tell nature what to do. Nature believes in the usefulness of marijuana. And I think mankind is pompous. You don’t say earthquake or tsunami is illegal. So, why should marijuana, an equally natural thing, be illegal? Even when earthquakes and tsunami are killing people.
When are you hoping on getting married?
I don’t believe in the title of ‘Mister’. The word itself is ‘Miss Your Star’. It doesn’t relate well with me. People forget to understand that the term ‘mister’ is an English term; for an English gentleman, and I do not see myself as an English gentleman. When it happens, it happens.
You spent sometime in the western world, what do you think about the African culture and tradition?
African culture and tradition are quickly getting extinct. Our society does not encourage us to embrace our culture. All cultures are centred around religion. So, the propaganda that African religion is only used to do evil, while western religion is used to do good has totally perverse our society. Seun Kuti

VARSITY DROP OUT’S WIZKID CORRECTS GRADUATE’S TONTO DIKE ON SPELLINGS

Tonto Dike

wiz kid

“Brush up your spellings,” this was what the sensational artiste popularly called Wizkid wrote on his Twitter yesterday retweeting on the beautiful actress, Tonto Dikeh to correct her spellings and tenses. Fans of the versatile actress have seen this as an insult to Tonto Dikeh on account that Wizkid is just a University drop out unlike Tonto who is a Petrol Chemical Engneering graduate.

Though, the two have been twitter buddies for years, and contrary to what is widely believed, they both continue to insist there’s never been any romance between them.

Well, Wizkid might just be severing ties with Tonto Dike who many feel is fast becoming a ‘nuisance’ on the social network, Twitter
Wizkid on Tuesday, November 6 expressed his displeasure at Tonto’s spelling game.

This is what Tonto tweeted on her profile;

Who eva said Succezz waz a slow procezz waz mos defntly not talking abt Mii/Businez tycoon/A petro/chemical engr /IAMNollywood *#IAMPOKO# Tlovethyself #I luv TerryG.
And when someone jokingly explained to Wizzy, that Miss Dike was only being trendy, he replied – ‘thats that sh*t i don’t like!’.

This is the response of Tonto’‘I get mad when a chick doesn’t type right…wtf is succezz?!‘, a somewhat infuriated @Wizkidayo tweeted.

Any ardent follower of Tonto Dike on the social network knows the controversial actress replaces her ‘S’s with ‘Z’s.

Wizkid had earlier expressed his dissatisfaction with the actress venturing into the world of music saying that ‘she needs to chill.

See tweets below :

Voters approve same-sex marriage for the first time

same sex wedding.

Voters approve same-sex marriage for the first time
By Ben Brumfield, CNN

    Voters in Maine and Maryland approve same-sex marriage
    It's the first time voters have approved same-sex marriage
    In the past, only judges or legislatures had approved it
    The votes show a dramatic shift in attitudes over the decades

(CNN) -- In a historic turnaround, the ballot box is showing America's shifting attitudes about same-sex marriage. After gay marriage rights died at the polls dozens of times in the past, on Tuesday they passed in at least two states.

Rarely do popular votes reflect such dramatic social changes.

The result: Maryland and Maine will now allow couples like Chyrino Patane and James Trinidad to tie the knot.

The Maryland couple has been together for seven years, and now, after the historic vote, they plan to marry in the next six months to a year.

"Both families will be at the wedding," Patane said.
Popular vote on same-sex marriage
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Same-sex wedding snapshots Same-sex wedding snapshots

But the win was hard fought and the margin of victory was small.

"We've lost at the ballot box 32 times," said Paul Guequierre of Human Rights Campaign. "History was made tonight."

In Maine, Erica Tobey and Ali Ouellette wed in September, but only now will the women's marriage be recognized under Maine law.

"It's hard to overstate the national significance of this vote," Marc Solomon, campaign director at Freedom to Marry, said of the Maine referendum.

Related: French ministers back same-sex marriage

In Maryland, where just 51.9% of voters approved gay marriage rights, "It was a little bit pins and needles," said Human Rights Campaign's Kevin Nix. "It was going to be a close call all along."

A similar ballot measure in Washington state is pending. And in Minnesota, voters rejected a measure that would have banned same-sex marriage.

Pollsters got a hint of the coming change. Recent national surveys have shown shifting attitudes toward same-sex marriage, with a majority of Americans now approving of marriages between two men or two women. A June CNN/ORC poll, for example, reflected such a shift in opinion in the U.S.

Support has been growing for decades.

In the 1990s, most Americans told pollsters they did not know anyone close to them who was gay. By 2010, the number of Americans who said they had a gay or lesbian close friend or family member was 49%. This year, that number stands at 60%.

Maryland, Maine approve same-sex marriage

Election Day brought two additional gains for proponents of same-sex marriage: Wisconsin elected America's first openly lesbian senator, Democrat Tammy Baldwin, and President Obama became the first president to openly support same-sex marriage and get re-elected.

Wisconsin's Baldwin is first openly gay person elected to Senate
I have never been this happy after an election.
Derek Hurder, Hampden, Maine, same-sex marriage supporter

"I have never been this happy after an election in my 17 years of voting," said Derek Hurder from Hampden, Maine, who's been with his partner, Chris McLaughlin, for a year and a half.

They're not yet ready for marriage, but they were elated about having the option. And they both voted to re-elect the president.

The change in attitude makes them feel more comfortable, but that has its limits. "I wouldn't feel safe walking down the street holding hands," Hurder said.

Patane and Trinidad share their Catholic faith and are despondent that the church won't recognize their union.

"I believe in a religious marriage," Trinidad said. "I recognize that it's going to be a nonreligious wedding."

Tobey and Ouellette, who met four years ago, tied the knot last September -- in a church.

"We are affiliated with the United Methodist Church, which on the whole does not support same-sex marriage," Tobey said. But their church made a hearty exception. "We had three pastors who know us and love us and agreed to do that for us."

The legal situation led the couple to do things in reverse order. After their wedding, they applied for a name change. Now that the referendum has passed, they'll apply for a marriage license.

Maine should begin granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples in mid-December, according to same-sex marriage supporters at Freedom to Marry.

What the measures say

The two measures that passed, called "Question 1" in Maine and "Question 6" in Maryland, contain similar language.

The words man and woman "relating to the marital relationship or familial relationships must be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes," the Maine measure says.

Maryland's ballot reads, "Civil marriage laws allow gay and lesbian couples to obtain a civil marriage license."

Both measures also explicitly mention the right of clergy to refuse to wed gay and lesbian couples if it goes against their religious convictions.

"This chapter does not require any member of the clergy to perform or any church, religious denomination or other religious institution to host any marriage in violation of the religious beliefs of that member of the clergy, church, religious denomination or other religious institution," Maine's Question 1 states.

The governments of Maine and Maryland had passed laws permitting same-sex marriage, but activists opposed to the laws collected enough signatures to put them on a ballot, said Fred Sainz, a spokesman for Human Rights Campaign, which raised $32 million for its campaigns on the referendums that included radio and television ads, social media strategy and on-the-ground canvassing by thousands of volunteers.

Opponents of same-sex marriage say the new laws in both states will redefine marriage for everyone as a genderless union and endanger the fabric of society.

"Such a radical change in the definition of marriage will produce a host of societal conflicts that government -- exercising its enormous enforcement powers -- will have to resolve," argues Maryland Marriage Alliance.

The group also published an online opinion by parents stating that legalizing same-sex marriage would lead to the promotion of homosexuality in school curriculum.

Election results raise questions about Christian right's influence

Sainz believes the campaigns supporting the Maine measure paid off.

In 2009, a similar referendum in Maine failed when voters rejected the governor's decision to allow same-sex marriage. Tuesday's results represent a remarkable turnaround.

"The secret to our success is that we won over hearts and minds," Sainz said. "Americans are fair and want to see their gay and lesbian friends, co-workers and family members have the freedom to marry."

Thirty-eight states have passed bans on marriages between people of the same gender, mostly by amending their constitutions to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

In the six states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York -- and the District of Columbia where gays and lesbians have previously won marriage rights, it was because of actions taken by judges or legislators, not voters.

On election night, Tobey joined friends as they all watched results on TV.

She wasn't expecting Maine's ballot to pass. But then they heard the news.

"I said: 'Hey, did that just happen?' "

She did a double take.

CNN's Rose Arce contributed to this report.