THE BEST SELF FOR WHOM: AGENCY, ACTION, AND CAPACITY IN TED TALK MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES

The contemporary United States is characterized by rising standards of productivity in pursuit of success, which James Daniel suggests has caused significant physical and mental strain for many. Self-help materials, such as motivational video lectures, often exploit this discomfort to present specific ideologies as “solutions” to an audience’s anxiety, sense of insufficiency and perceived failure. This project evaluates motivational video lectures from TED to determine how their rhetoric constructs success. This project uses Burkean cluster criticism and queer influenced methodologies to illuminate an understanding of success characterized by perceived action and sustained by stigma. The project finds that the speakers represent success as eminently accessible to those “resourceful” enough to exert action towards it. This emphasis on general accessibility uses stigma to identify the activities and individuals as successful in our contemporary rhetorical ecology. These results can guide rhetorical studies scholars in challenging popular representations of success and locating more nuanced and inclusive understandings

Quantitative Estimate of Weeds of Sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum L.) Crop in Ilorin, Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

A survey was conducted in the sugarcane fields of Unilorin Sugar Research Institute, Ilorin in the southern Guinea savanna agro-ecological zone of Nigeria during 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons with an objective to identify the current status of prevalent weeds in rainfed and irrigated sugarcane fields. A quantitative method was employed for the enumeration of weeds. Quadrats were laid along transects and individual weed species in each quadrat was identified and counted. Simpson’s diversity index, Sorensen similarity index and relative abundance were used to determine the weed community structure. A total of 51 weed species belonging to 40 genera within 16 families were identified across the sugarcane fields. Rainfed sugarcane field was higher in weed species (41) than irrigated fields (35 weed species). Rainfed fields also had the diversity index of 28.84 % compared to 21.66% species diversity computed for irrigated fields. The result generally shows that the similarities index of weed species between rainfed and irrigated fields is about 50 %. Among the 10 abundant weed species, two grasses viz. Panicum repens L. and Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeschel were the most  abundant weeds in sugarcane fields followed by Rottboellia cochinchinensis Lour and two sedge weeds Cyperus rotundus L. and Mariscus longibracteatus Cherm. Results obtained from this study would be useful in creating a weed management programme and making informed decision on choice of herbicides. Regular weed survey to identify possible problematic weeds and weed population shifts and direct research toward new or improved weed control measures is thereby recommended.Key words: Sugarcane fields, rainfed, irrigation, survey, weed specie

Application of Stochastic Frontier Analysis in the Estimation of Allocative Efficiency of Part-Time Food Crop Farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria

The part-time farmers like other farmers will typically produce to satisfy household food needs or make profit from selling or both. Either of the two objectives of production requires efficient use of farm resources as efficiency is at the heart of agricultural production. In this paper, stochastic frontier cost model is used to analyze the allocative efficiency of part-time food crop farmers in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria and also to establish the socio-economic factors that determine allocative efficiency. It is evident from the study that part-time food crop farmers are not fully efficient in their allocation of production resources.  This was confirmed by the presence of allocative inefficiency effects in part-time food crop farming with average allocative efficiency of 97.95 %. The study also revealed that rising age and household size contribute to allocative inefficiency in part-time food crop farming, while level of education and farming experience were found to increase allocative efficiency among the part-time food crop farmers. It is recommended that policies aimed at encouraging relatively younger and educated persons and providing them easy access to improved seeds and fertilizers should be formulated .This will go a long way in enhancing allocative efficiency in part-time food crop farming. Keywords: Part-time farming, stochastic frontier cost model, allocative efficienc

Prevalence and factors influencing cigarette smoking among young adults in a tertiary institution in Borno State, Nigeria

Objectives: Tobacco use, a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality, kills over 3.5 million people worldwide each year. Adverse effects of tobacco smoking on general health and longevity are well documented. WHO states that out of the 1.22 billion smokers, 1 billion live in developing and transitional economies. Epidemiological studies among different University students showed marked variation in the prevalence of smoking. The current study was aimed at finding the prevalence of smoking and factors influencing it among young adults in a tertiary institution in Borno State, northeast Nigeria and to find whether there is a change in the trend from previous studies. Factors influencing the onset of smoking habits among adolescents were investigated with peer-group/friends as the single most important contributory factor.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of 400 undergraduate students of the University, carried out over six weeks using a structured, researcher-administered questionnaire.Result: Forty-eight percent of the respondents fall within the age group of 20-24 years and majority of them (76%) were male. The prevalence of those of them currently smoking was 11.5%. The major reason for initiating the smoking habit amongst the undergraduates was peer group influence observed in over 60% of respondents.Conclusion: The prevalence of current smokers among university students in Maiduguri is relatively low. Peer influence still plays an integral role in sustaining the habit and it can be targeted to further decrease the trend.Keywords: Cigarette, smoking, prevalence, tertiary, adult

Factors Influencing Attitudes Towards Stigmatization and Discrimination Amongst People Living with HIV/AIDS

This research study was designed to explore stigmatization and Discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS. The study employed the descriptive survey of By means of a self 116 participants. A research questionnaire elicit~d information on demography and stigmatization and discrimination amongst the people living with HIVIAIDS and the general population. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested The re.sult confirmed a significant combined contribution of family and workplace attitude, towards people living with HIV/AIDS. (r == .408, r2 == .166; F r2. IIJJ == 11.261; p < 0.005). The second hypothesis showed that there is no significant difference between male and female respondents in their workplace attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS (t == J.200, df== 114, p > 0.05, one-tailed). The study concludes that the society should be encouraged to have a change of attitude towardl' (!C'O(! /e ! i l · i n r: 1\'ifh H!f/!1 rns F l l l f l ( l l l n · support and care should be demonstrated to victims of H1V/AIDS in place of stigmatization and discriminatio

IS THE MEDIA A FRIEND OR ENEMY OF THE STATE?

The mass media have always been huge blessings to any society they are found. They are agents of socialisation and education as well as development. The important roles of the media earned them the title of the ‘Fourth Estate of the realm’ which implies that after the three arms of government; executive, legislature and the judiciary, the media are the next. The media socialise the people, get them informed of happenings around them, analyse issues of national importance to them and help them to take right decisions and at the same time, help to transmit the norms of values of the society from one generation to another. Mass media is the vehicle through which government developmental messages and ideas get to the people and on the other hand, the people use it to express their feelings, motives, dissatisfactions and needs to the governments or representing bodies. It is used by the government or people to set agenda on important issues relating to the public for either the government to be aware and take actions or for the people to know and be informed. The mass media surveys the environment for news, interprets issues to the people, provide entertainment and also help the propagation of the societal cultural norms and values. The media not only transmit cultural values and norms from one generation to another, they help to enforce such values and norms through the mental pictures they establish in our minds. This study however seeks to find out how the media can be use to propagate developmental course, be more effective in playing the watchdog role as well as serving as agents of cultural transmission. This study also will reveal ways on how the media can keep to it social responsibility functions by putting honesty, truthfulness, fairness and balance up above any personal interest and also adhere to the ethics of the profession in their performance. The media should establish high trust level with the people for smooth interactions and collaborations for effective outputs

The media as both friend and enemy of the state

The mass media – radio, television newspaper, magazine and the internet – are very relevant in every society. They are the channels through information and messages are propagated simultaneously to large number of people in different areas. They are agents of socialisation and education as well as development. The mass media surveys the environment for news, analyse issues of people‟s interest, provide entertainment and also help the propagation of the societal cultural norms and values. However, in spite of the important roles of the media in the society, they as well have their disadvantageous roles in the society. The study evaluated the mass media as both friend and also as enemy of the state. According to this paper, the media act as friend of the state by serving as watchdogs, agents of cultural transmission and agents of political orientation to the people in the society. However, the media act as enemy of the state as they are used as channels for people, especially politicians to throw abusive words at one another, huge contributors to decadence in our society and they aid the spread of violence and hatred through propagation of hate speeches and words that can incite people into violence. The researcher concluded that the media have been both constructive (friend) and destructive (enemy) to the society. The study recommended that the media should keep to their social responsibility functions and adhere to the ethics of the profession in all their operations

Factors affecting biofilm formation as seed transmission mechanism of cowpea bacteria blight induced by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv vignicola (Burkholder) Dye

Bacteria are carried in/on seeds by biofilm formation.&nbsp; However relatively few studies have been focused on the factors affecting biofilm formation ability of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola (Xav) as a mechanism of transmission. Knowing the factors that enabling plant-pathogenic bacteria to form biofilm as a means to move and establish on/in &nbsp;the hosts provides the necessary basis to set up appropriate management approach. The study was conducted to determine factors affecting biofilm formation as mechanisms of seed transmission of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola by growing bacterial &nbsp;cells in&nbsp; maize, millet, sorghum, Ife brown, Sampea7 extracts and extracts of Ife brown&nbsp; + 0.5 g &nbsp;nutrient glucose agar (NGA) in a 96 microlitre wells. &nbsp;The seeds extract were prepared by soaking one hundred seeds each of Ife brown, Sampea7, millet, sorghum and maize in a 250 ml flask containing 100 ml SDW and &nbsp;for 20 h. Bacterial suspension adjusted to ca. 4.5 x 107 cfu/ml was suspended in each of the extracts and the media and filled twelve wells each of the treatment. These were incubated for 72 h, 96 h and 120 h. afterwards, the wells were emptied and the wells were stained with 1 % crystal violet (CV) solution in 33 % (V/V) acetic acid for approximately 20 minutes. Excess CV was washed with SDW. The bound CV to the wells were solubilized with 200 µl of 33 % acetic acid or acetone – ethanol and quantified spectrophotometrically using Well Reader (GF 3000 microplate Reader –Bran scientific and Instrument Company England). Specific Biofilm formations (SBF) was calculated. The experiment was replicated two times and repeated 3 times. There was statistical difference between the biofilm formation induced by the different extracts and NGA.&nbsp; All the seeds extract induces biofilm formation and the level of biofilm formation varies with time and the nutrient status of the media or medium

THE INTERNET AS A TOOL FOR INFORMATION AND EDUCATION: THE CASE OF OTA COMMUNITY IN NIGERIA

One of the best known traditional functions of the mass media is to foster education. The mass media aid both formal and informal education: the ultimate instruments for national development. The Internet has revolutionized communication and consequently, the nature and the structure of education. This study examines the Internet access and usage among residents of Ado-Odo Ota local government area of Ogun State in Nigeria. It is commonly said that we live in an information age. Nothing has changed the nature as well as the process of sharing information and knowledge as the advent of the Internet. The potentials of the Internet have been so celebrated that several scholars have described it as the leveler of the differences between the information rich and information poor nations. Considering the seemingly limitless information and educational materials on the Internet; it is also assumed that every society would have equal right to development. However, the issue of access has limited the seeming advantages derivable from the Internet, particularly in the developing world, of which Nigeria is one. This study explores 16 communities’ access to the Internet, their means of accessing it and levels of benefits. The survey method was used for the study. For societies to benefit from the Internet, the barrier of availability must be surmounted