ECHOES

More than 8.3 million American adults suffer from serious psychological distress, according to new research from New York University Langone Medical Center. That means a higher percentage of U.S. adults are dealing with this mental health issue now than in the past. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines serious psychological distress as a combination of “feelings of sadness, worthlessness and restlessness” profound enough to affect your physical health. In addition to rising distress, the new findings (published online in the journal Psychiatric Services) show that the country’s “ability to meet the growing demand for mental health services is diminishing,” the study’s press release explains. Researchers analyzed data from more than 200,000 Americans between 18 and 64 years old using self-reported surveys, a process that spanned nine years. They found that 3.4 percent of participants met the criteria for serious psychological distress — previous estimates were le

With summer jobs on the horizon, professionals recall the first jobs that launched their careers. #CareerLaunch  In the summer of 1971, I was babysitting for Mrs. Hackleberry for 50 cents an hour. I entered the Miss Fire Prevention contest sponsored by my local radio station WVOL in Nashville. Everyone, especially me, was shocked when I won.  When I went back to the radio station to claim my prize, a Longines watch and a "digital" clock radio, the local DJ saw me looking around in awe.  "Have you ever heard your voice on tape?” he asked. “Think you could read this?”  He tore some wire copy, adjusted the mic, and rolled tape as I began to speak. I hadn’t finished three sentences before he called for another guy, then another, to "come listen to this kid read.” I left the station that day with the biggest prize of all — my first job in broadcasting. I was 17 years old. 

One of the most common questions asked of job search experts is, “Do I really need a cover letter?” To set the record straight, yes, a cover letter is necessary. The cover letter influences the reader’s first impression of you. It serves to sell you as a viable candidate or it knocks you out of the running. One of the most common questions asked of job search experts is, “Do I really need a cover letter?” To set the record straight, yes, a cover letter is necessary. The cover letter influences the reader’s first impression of you. It serves to sell you as a viable candidate or it knocks you out of the running. Step 1: Analyze The Opportunity Review the job posting or information on the employer’s website. Determine the requirements of the job. Do you possess the education, skills, and experience for this opportunity? Make note of those basic requirements specific to that particular opportunity. This is the content for your opening paragraph. You may think this is a no-brainer.

Today’s kids are growing up in a world where screens are a fixture from the moment they’re born — something no previous generation has experienced. Now a new  study  published in  Scientific Reports  shows a serious consequence of growing up in the digital age: The use of touchscreen devices is linked to sleep loss in infants as young as 6 months old Every hour infants and toddlers aged 6 to 36 months spent using touchscreen devices was associated with  15.6 minutes less total sleep. That number may seem small but considering that at these ages, “sleep is essential for cognitive development,” the study authors write, any amount of lost sleep is a big deal. There was also a significant association between tablet use and taking longer to fall asleep at night. (Data was collected from 715 UK infants and toddlers by researchers from the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at the University of London.) Given what we know about  how screens mess with our sleep as adults , these find

Nearly two years ago, the eyes of the world were on Oklahoma, where a man named Richard Glossip was facing execution for a 1997 murder many people say he was not involved in. I learned about Richard’s case when actress Susan Sarandon contacted me, expressing deep concern that the State of Oklahoma was just about to kill an innocent man. After reviewing the facts, I too became convinced of Richard’s innocence, and we decided to  make a public plea for the governor to gra nt freedom On 30 September 2015, Richard came within minutes of execution by lethal injection, when officials suddenly stopped the proceedings. As it turned out, the state of Oklahoma had procured the wrong execution drug, risking another botched execution that would lead to a slow and painful death. At the last minute, Governor Mary Fallin, not exactly an opponent of the death penalty, issued a stay of Richard’s execution. Today, Richard’s situation is nowhere near being resolved. As the state of Oklahoma is investi

There are certain things that as a guy, you must take notice of in your partner. Most guys are really clueless about dating when compared to women. Sometimes, they make many guys feel like learners. The simple truth is that things might go wrong no matter what you do. It is therefore important you look out and know what to avoid in a relationship. I have penned down a couple of things. 1. If a lady misses a date you both agreed on and doesn’t call to apologize, let her go. There is no time to waste on one woman. If she does call to apologize, let her be the one to request another time so as to make it up to you. If she doesn't show up again, forget about her. She doesn't value your time. 2. Never let any woman disrespect you. If she does and she refuses to apologize and change for good, drop her. You don't want to be with someone who tears down your self esteem or does not know your worth. 3. Dating an indecisive lady can be frustrating. When you find your

 German bomb attack on the bus of the Borussia Dortmund soccer team  and are investigating a possible radical Islamist link, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor's office said Wednesday. authorities suspect "terrorist involvement" in a  The investigation is focused on two suspects from the "Islamist spectrum," spokeswoman Frauke Koehler said. Their homes have been searched and one has been temporarily detained, she said. Three explosive devices shattered windows and injured a player on the Borussia Dortmund team bus Tuesday evening local time as the German squad was en route to its home Champions League match against AS Monaco. The devices, which were hidden behind a hedge, contained pieces of metal and had a reach of 100 meters (109 yards), the prosecutor's office said. Based on the type of detonator and explosive involved, German authorities assume "terrorist involvement" but the motives are unclear, Koehler said.

Today, the action returns with the strongest, fastest, fittest, swiftest, bravest and of all the Champions. What are we the fans to expect? well as for me, i am Catalonia for life, and today we go for victory, we have done it before with Juventus in the 2015 finals, we had the greatest come back in the history of the game and tonight again we go for victory. FC Barcelona for eternity till eternity. But first lets discuss what we could probably be expecting from this week UEFA game. Tonight we have the following game and what could be the outcome, well i always say football is a that the unexpected keeps happening, and i still hold on to that, but it is always about the fittest, strongest, fastest, swiftest, and bravest during the game, for a single mistake can cause the team that game. Add caption #FC Barcelona vs Juventus FC - a tough game it will be, it could be a game of revenge for Juve and a game of the best for Barcelona, two great teams, with lovely and unique pla

The Police have confirmed the kidnap of the Cross River State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Gabriel Odu-Oji. According to the State Command, Mr Odu-Oji was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Sunday in Calabar South Local Government Area of the state. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tunde Gbolarumi, confirmed the incident during a telephone interview with Channels Television. Mr Gbolarumi said the Command has blocked all exit roads, with a strict stop and search exercise of all vehicles coming in and out of Calabar, aimed at preventing the kidnappers from fleeing out of the state’s capital successfully. He noted that the Police and other security agencies will not rest in their oars in ensuring that the Commissioner, whom he said is still within Calabar according to intelligence report, is released without being hurt nor any ransom paid. The Deputy Commissioner of Police appealed to the public to avail security agencies with necessary inf

If I refuse to talk because am not affected then I am part of the problem 😢 For God sake what's Gov. Ambode up to? I can't help but soberly cry at seeing dwellers of OtodoGbame community watch their homes of decades being lit on FIRE by Lagos State Task Force 😢 Obviously Nigeria isn't a state for both elites and the poor we were only being cajoled for votes 😢   # sobbing  LagosAt50! party for the rich; death and displacement for the poor. Gov. Ambode this isnt expected from you. Please Save OtodoGbame People! An Injury to one is an injury to ALL!!!

Waooooo, i could barely breath when i heard that beautiful chick(please permit me to use the word) last night on the popular reality show Big Brothers Naija which just rounded up said she would exhaust her 25 million cash in a week if she won the reality show. I was like please is she kidding me or us, i mean the viewers, how could someone, in this recession period exhaust the cash that took her three good months to earn in a week? What the F.... word, i was frustrated immediately i heard that but when i actually heard of her plans, all i could noticed was my hands were right there on my head, hoooops, as my mother would say ( Omo yi ti pa mi ) meaning this child has killed me while she still lives. Nigerians come on please, it isn't really Tboss fault, it clearly shows the recession has really gotten hold of her before she came for the reality TV show, for a to be owing a huge sum of such. Haaaa, what a pity that Tboss could not just really do a minute thinking before she op

Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has appointed Bruno Tshibala as the new prime minister of the power-sharing government. Mr Tshibala will be leader until presidential elections later this year. He was expelled from Congo's largest opposition party, the UDPS, last month after contesting the designation of successors to veteran leader Etienne Tshisekedi who died in February. Mr Tshibala's appointment is likely to further divide Mr Kabila's opponents. Talks to negotiate his exit from power broke down last week. Mr Kabila was supposed to step down after his second and final five-year term came to an end last year but the vote to replace him was not held. The electoral commission cited financial and logistical difficulties. The arrogance of power The failure to organize the polls led to a wave of deadly demonstrations by opposition supporters, with calls from diplomats for the president to respect the constitution. The Roman Cathol

YouTube is changing the rules about when users can start earning money through carrying adverts on their video channels. New channels will have to get 10,000 views before they can be considered for the YouTube Partner Program, the firm announced in a blog post. YouTube will then evaluate whether the channel is adhering to its guidelines before letting it carry adverts. It will help clamp down on content theft and fake channels, YouTube said. "After a creator hits 10k lifetime views on their channel, we'll review their activity against our policies," wrote Ariel Bardin, vice president of product management at YouTube. "If everything looks good, we'll bring this channel into YPP [YouTube Partner Program] and begin serving ads against their content. Together these new thresholds will help ensure revenue only flows to creators who are playing by the rules." Qingzhen Chen, senior analyst for advertising research from IHS, said it would not be diff

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground , and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul (Gen 2:7). The formation of Man the unique being, life itself. Trying to understand life, what it is, what it entails, its purpose, its concept, and so on, i realised life itself is we humans, Man is the life we speak of, we are life, life is what we live here on the surface of earth. No wonder every single good or evil that takes place here on earth is attached to a being. Adolf Hitler is remembered for the world war II, Steve Jobs is remembered for making the unique technology called Apple, Abraham Linco ln  is known to be one of the greatest president America ever had, who wanted to make everything right, Nnamdi Azikwe , Obafemi Awolowo , Fela Anikulapo Kuti , Sheuh Shagari , Osama Bin Ladin , Sadamm Hussein , Mohammed Ghadaffi and so many more all have one thin in common and that is life, death and Memories. We remember this people toda

" It was Grace who driving pass  Agueke  on her way back,would become haunted by the image of a destroyed village and would go to London and to Paris and to  Onicha ,sifting through moldy files in archives,reimagining the lives and smell of her grandmother's world for the book she would write.................................But that day as she sat at her grandmother's bedside in the fading evening light,Grace was not contemplating her future.she simply held her grandmother's hand,the palm thickened from making pottery." This short story totally caught my attention,its one of the stories in the Famous "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie" book THE THING AROUND YOUR NECK". You should also read AMERICANAH. I know some people who thinks that the Feminist movement was brought to African women by the western world,but this story made me realise it has always been in Existence in the African setting. African feminism owes its origin to different dynamics than those