Love Binge-Watching TV? Watch Out, it’s A Habit That Could Harm You!

If your weekends consist of you stretching out on the couch, a bowl of popcorn at one end and the TV remote at the other while you indulge in hours of TV, you may be putting yourself at serious risk, say health experts.

 

According to a new health study the consequences of sitting still and watching TV for long periods of time may increase your potential for forming blood clots. The study found that if you spend more than four hours a day watching TV, your chances of developing a fatal blood clot increase by more than 35% compared to those who watch for two and a half hours or less a day.

 

It’s the same kind of risk factor that affects people who are travelling on long-haul journeys, or are bedridden after surgery, and who are immobile for extended periods at a time. Keeping your body in a static, cramped state for hours at a time slows down your circulation and leads to blood pooling in your extremities, which increases the potential for forming venous thromboembolism (VTE), known more commonly as blood clots.

 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re fit, slim, and do exercise every day – marathon TV sessions are still a risky activity. According to the lead author of the study, Dr Setor Kunutsor of the University of Bristol, UK, the findings show that regardless of your gender, age, or body mass index (BMI), being inactive for long periods at a time is dangerous.

 

What you can do

There are so many appealing shows to watch – like Big Brother on our screens right now, or the latest amazing Netflix series – that it’s unlikely that humans will stop binge watching anytime soon. If you know you’re going to be spending time glued to the TV, Dr Helen Okoye, medical expert and spokesperson for the World Thrombosis Day (WTD) campaign, gives the following advice to minimise your risk:

 

  • Take a break every hour to stand up and move around. A good tip is to drink lots of water regularly so that you have to get up to use the rest room even while watching your favourite show.

  • While you’re watching TV, tense and relax your leg muscles every now and then. Clots tend to start in the legs or pelvis, but can break free and travel through the bloodstream, lodging in small blood vessels in the lungs.

  • Invest in a stationary bike or a small rebounder trampoline and keep it in a corner of the sitting room. Make a pact with yourself that at least a portion of your TV time will be spent doing a light workout while you watch. You’ll have fun and feel like you’ve done something worthwhile at the same time!

  • Try not to snack while watching TV, and if you do, keep foods healthy – swap high-calorie fast-food for fruit, and sugary cool-drinks for water.

 

Studies have shown that spending time in front of the television is linked to an increased consumption of unhealthy snacks and drinks. Many of us know how indulgent it feels to munch on a packet of chips while watching our favourite series, but there is a good reason we enjoy it so much. Watching a programme that you like and eating food you enjoy both offer your brain hits of dopamine, the pleasure chemical – so it’s no wonder many of us have an eating-while-watching habit! Be aware though, an over-indulgence of unhealthy foods can lead to obesity and high blood pressure, both of which raise clotting risks.

 

Doing exercise doesn’t eliminate risk

Unfortunately, being fit and physically active during the day doesn’t offset the increased risk of blood clots associated with prolonged TV sessions. According to Dr Okoye, staying still in any position for a prolonged time is a risk factor for VTE.

 

“Even if you regularly engage in physical activity, when you’re sedentary for long stretches of time, blood pools in your extremities rather than circulating freely around your body, which can cause blood clots. If small parts of these blood clots break off, they can travel in the bloodstream to your lungs, and cause a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism (PE),” she says.

 

Dr Okoye advises that whether it’s watching TV or spending hours at your desk, it’s a good idea to limit the time you spend sitting, and essential to intersperse it with movement to encourage good blood circulation.

Be aware of the risks
Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of the dangers of clotting, or what they can do to avoid it. It’s the reason why World Thrombosis Day is doing all it can to highlight thrombosis as an urgent and growing health problem. According to Dr Okoye, one in four people worldwide dies from conditions caused by thrombosis.

“The good news is that there are many lifestyle adjustments you can make to minimise your risk of getting a DVT, and also that DVTs are preventable and treatable if discovered early,” she says.

So, while sitting for a long time is a bad habit many of us have gotten into, it’s an easy one to break. Before you sit down on the couch to watch TV the next time, ask yourself what your intention is. Will it be a quick break, or are you going to indulge in a TV fest? If it’s the latter, set an alarm to remind you to take regular breaks, and definitely try to limit the overall amount of binge watching you do.

And, advises Dr Okoye, because children’s eating and TV watching habits are so often modelled on what their parents do, incorporating healthy TV-watching patterns is a smart habit for the whole family to adopt.

A.S. Watson’s Move to Invest USD400M in Supply Chain Transformation Has Strengthened its O+O Capabilities and Competitive Position During the Pandemic

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 25 August 2022 – A.S. Watson Group has gained widespread and overwhelming recognition in the retail industry in Asia, winning eight regional and local accolades, including Health & Beauty Retailer of the Year – Asia Award and Omnichannel Strategy of the Year Asia Award, by Retail Asia. The Group’s flagship brand Watsons has also been voted Asia’s No.1 Pharmacy/Drugstore Brand by Campaign Asia for 13th consecutive year. Meanwhile, it is recognised as Digital Transformation Pioneer Company by WeChat in Mainland China last year. At the recent interim results announcement of CK Hutchison, parent company of A.S. Watson, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer reported 22% increase in revenue in its Asia operation and 13% in Europe. What’s behind the resilience of A.S. Watson in tackling the pandemic challenges in retail in the past two years while gaining in competitive position?

ViewQwest and HKBN forge Strategic Partnership to offer One-Stop DX services in APAC

HONG KONG SAR- Media OutReach – 25 August 2022 – Award-winning Singapore telecommunications, network and security solutions provider, ViewQwest, and Hong Kong’s fastest growing telecom and technology solutions provider HKBN Enterprise Solutions (“HKBNES”) has formed a strategic partnership to elevate their regional capabilities in providing ICT and digital transformation (DX) services to customers in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, especially for large regional retailers. By combining ViewQwest’s extensive regional network and HKBNES’s one-stop digital solutions, the two companies have further strengthened their capabilities in the region to create win-win-win outcomes with customers.

www.hkbnes.net/en.

LIVE UPDATE: Lagos Talks Holds Town Hall Meeting On Grassroots Governance (VIDEO)

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Lagos Talks 91.3 FM, the community-driven radio station, is currently holding a town hall meeting to mark its sixth year anniversary.

Brand Spur Nigeria reports that the town hall meeting themed ‘Politics as a Catalyst for Change’ focuses on “bridging the gap between the governed and the government.”

The digital news platform reports that the LagosTalks Town Hall meeting is ongoing at Agboyi Ketu LCDA.

Panelists for the town hall meeting include Oshinowo, the chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA; Femi Saheed, member house of assembly; and Kafilat Ogbara, commissioner at Lagos state audit commission/candidate Kosofe federal constituency.

“This is an opportunity for citizens and politicians to speak about issues that are affecting the country. There will be a Q&A session where guests can ask any pressing questions they might have,” the station said in a statement.

LIVE UPDATE: Lagos Talks Holds Town Hall Meeting On Grassroots Governance (VIDEO)

This year’s edition of the station’s anniversary which started on Monday is expected to end on Friday.

On Tuesday, the organisers held an outdoor broadcast showcasing the Lagos Talks brand outside of the usual studio setting.

The anniversary continues today with a free workshop aimed at encouraging and giving opportunities for skill acquisition to listeners of the radio station.

Mainland Chinese businesses increase digitalisation despite tech gap

BEIJING, MAINLAND CHINA – Media OutReach – 25 August 2022 – Nine out of 10 accounting and financial professionals in Mainland China believe their employer will increase technology use over the next 12 months. However, there is a digital divide between large and small businesses according to CPA Australia’s Business Technology Survey 2022.

cpaaustralia.com.au

Adron Homes Bags Outstanding Real Estate Company Of The Year

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Adron Homes and Properties a leading Pan African real estate company has been named the outstanding real estate company of the year at the Ibadan International Housing and Construction Fair, held at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Also in the award-winning chain is the company’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking who clinched the Award for the Housing CEO of the year.

The 4th edition of the event which took place at the International Conference Center, the University of Ibadan with the theme ‘Rethinking the National Housing Policy and bridge gap between sustainability and affordability’ used technology, finance, and climate change as factors for consideration.

The fair was established in 2018 to provide a platform for thought leaders, businesses, entrepreneurs, organizations, and industry experts who have a common mission to convene, connect and take steps toward housing economy development in South-West Nigeria.

The fair which is highly adjudged to be the biggest and most inclusive housing event in Southwest Nigeria, and widely regarded as having the highest level of participation the fair enjoys, make it impeccable.

The organizers while presenting the apex real estate company and its GMD the award, said “the giant strides, physical development, and the architectural masterpiece of the company coupled with its affordability and credibility strategies have attracted the organizers to bestow the honour in appreciation of the transformational impact it had brought to the real estate experience and economic growth in South – West, and Nigeria.

The Adron boss who was represented by the company’s Director General Business Strategy, Mr. Ayodeji Omoniyi thanked the event’s planners for recognizing Adron Homes and his modest self as deserving of the prize.

He added “The reward for hard work is more work, this me and my team at Adron Homes and Properties are fully aware of. This award has spurred us to continue in our humble service of making incredible houses at affordable rates to Nigerians and Africans at large”.

Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, the CEO in his sent message wrote; I am highly elated that this award is being given to me in this great citadel of learning, Nigeria’s foremost premier university where I was schooled and bagged my master’s degree in housing development and management.

⁹My lecturers, the likes of Prof Tunde Agboola, Prof Olatubara, and Prof Egunjobi are surely proud of me today. He also went on to say “We have extended our premium service to the Republic of Benin, the plan is to ensure decent, accessible, and affordable houses for all”

9 Commandments Of Political PR For Politicians

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Politics is in the air, and as the 2023 elections loom closer, politics is everywhere you go. Radio, TV, print and social media are all talking politics. Political public relations has now become critical.

Connecting with the public and using effective public relations tactics remains the key success factor. Here are some essential political PR “commandments” and tips:

  1. Message repetition and reinforcementOne of the tactics used frequently in political PR is simple repetition. This is evident in many political campaigns around the world.

    Candidates should have five to six major topics and then break each talking point down to a few simple words. Then, they continue to repeat these topics in interviews, rallies, debates and on their social media feeds. Simple repetition is a very successful tactic in the political PR world because it works as people tend to remember those simple messages.

    1. Symbolic imagery

    Word association goes hand in hand with having a campaign logo or symbolic image.

Having an image that can be associated with the candidate makes them more memorable. Candidates will create websites, billboards, social media pages, bumper stickers and all sorts of collateral that have the same logo on them allow for uniformity.

In the last election, the APC broom was quite a memorable symbol.

  1. Special eventsHosting specials events is a commonly used PR tactic. Politicians hold special events, or rallies, in the locations where they need the most votes. These events do not have to be directly campaign related.

    This can help more individuals get involved in the political process. Therefore, these special events are an important activation tool in political PR.

    1. Press releases

    News releases are a way to deliver messages through the media without having to pay for sponsored content. Many politicians release statements through several media outlets.

    The press releases should be relevant and the core messages should connect with the public.

    1. Social mediaSocial media has now become the lifeblood of most political PR campaigns.

      In the 2023 build up, Peter Obi seems to be miles ahead of the other Presidential candidates, but as Election Day draws closer, all the contenders will soon be running neck to neck on social media.

      Social media have become essential in politics in many ways. Every city and state government has some form of social media presence as a way to reach constituents. Social media make it easy for politicians to stay connected with their target audiences.

      1. Newsjacking

      Newsjacking is another popular public relations tactic. It’s about monitoring live news and spotting opportunities to put your brand or political candidate. at the center of conversations.

      This will be done using expert commentary and thought leadership pieces. You see this playing out daily on the major TV stations.

      It calls for speed and fast thinking. If you are fast, reactive, and relevant, the political PR rewards are huge.

      1. Leverage what’s trending in the worldThis is self-explanatory and it’s similar to the earlier point. Take anything that’s trending, use your creative skills to blend your political brand’s message into it, and you can get great exposure. And that can be in any format.
        1. Controversy creation

        Creating some controversy around your brand or political candidate is another effective way to grab the public’s attention is to create some controversy around your message.

        People love a good debate, so if you can give them that, you’ve basically got a winning PR campaign right there. You can generate lots of coverage from different audience segments analyzing your story and giving their perspective on the subject.

      2. However, this political PR tactic has to be creatively and cleverly done so it doesn’t backfire.
        1. Calendar PR
        2. Remember some significant dates in the country and globally. These could be anniversaries, special world days or awareness days.
          With content designed around these particular days, a politician can create valuable news and also connect with key audiences.

Building relationships with the media and journalists is important for creating a positive image and reputation in political public relations.

Having a solid relationship with the media and key media influencers can pay off over time. Although the media terrain is saturated with thousands of media outlets, there’s still an art to media.

Sadly, money talks in media relations and brown envelopes have not gone out of fashion. But excellent relationship management always trumps over cash.

Whatever political agenda you are driving, smart PR tactics are more important than ever to achieve your political PR goals and electoral victory.

Because when you make a choice, you change the future.

Canon Embarking On A Canon R Tour In Nigeria To Launch Our Flagship R System Models And Experiential Opportunities

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Canon Central and North Africa is set to embark on the Canon R Tour journey to Nigeria that falls in line with the company’s vision to bring together the finest imaging technology solutions to the continent of Africa.

Through the R tour, Canon is also launching its revolutionary mirrorless range of products for the first time in Nigeria – the EOS R3, EOS R5 C, EOS R7, and EOS R10.

Canon hosted a Masterclass with Canon Certified trainer Austen Udoh, on its renowned mirrorless products, followed by an open exhibition that put on display some of Canon’s best products for the audiences to touch and try on August 23rd, 2022. Furthermore, photography workshops will also be held on 24th and 25th August 2022 with Canon photographers who will shine light on their best tips and tricks to use Canon’s revolutionary full-frame R system lineup. Starting on August 24th, the photography workshops will commence with Canon ambassador Emanuel Oyeleke putting the spotlight on Canon EOS R3, followed by photographer Victor Modo on EOS R3, and finally, conclude on August 25th with PRO influencer Daniel Ehimen on EOS R5C.

Canon Embarking On A Canon R Tour In Nigeria To Launch Our Flagship R System Models And Experiential Opportunities
Canon Embarking On A Canon R Tour In Nigeria To Launch Our Flagship R System Models And Experiential Opportunities

The EOS R3 offers all the familiarity and speed of Canon’s celebrated EOS-1 series, with the innovation and versatility of the pioneering EOS R System whereas the EOS R5 C is a powerful, hybrid cinema camera that combines the professional filmmaking features of the Cinema EOS range with the EOS R System’s photo capabilities.

 

Connecting, Communicating & Co-creating

Centering its vision of getting closer to its customers and imaging community in Nigeria, Canon has set up various experiential booths to facilitate audiences in getting an authentic experience of the Canon universe. A total of five different experiential booths promises a thrilling ride for the participants. The R series & Pro Printer booth will put on display the Canon R series line-up along with its different accessories as well as showcase the brilliance of the PRO printers through a live photoshoot and printing experience. The Canon Showroom will spark curiosity among visitors for Canon’s high-end DSLR range, the lineup of its Cinema products, along with Inkjet and laser printers. Likewise, the Documentary Production Booth will offer an exciting experience to avid documentary filmmakers and cinematographers by simulating a food documentary experience, while action and sports photography enthusiasts can experience diverse photography techniques to capture split-second moments at the action booth where it will showcase an exhilarating fast-paced aerial act performance. Lastly, there will also be a Service Check and Clean booth, where audiences can get their Canon gear checked and cleaned by professionals.

“The objective behind setting up these different booths is for our end users, enthusiasts and customers, and media to really get up close and personal with Canon products to gather all the knowledge, and additional tips and tricks they need to use their Canon products optimally. We truly practice what we preach, and the R-tour is a living testimony of Canon’s commitment to get closer to its customers. It gives us an opportunity to connect, learn, teach, communicate, and co-create with our passionate end users who are as eager to interact with us, as we are with them. The roaring success of our previous R-tours in Africa highlights the mammoth efforts taken by Canon to build long-lasting relationships with our consumers,” remarked Amine Djouahra, Director of Sales and Marketing, Canon Central and North Africa.

“Nigeria is a land of creativity and is home to the second biggest film industry in the world, there is absolutely no doubt that the country needs best-in-class photography and videography products and that’s precisely what we do. Canon and Nigeria are a perfect match for each other, and I know that this R-tour will help us fortify this bond of creativity even further,” he continues.

The last day of Canon’s R-tour in Nigeria, August 25th will witness the first ever African Canon Creators Summit, where content creators will be invited to learn and exchange knowledge on the nitty-gritties of content creation. The space will also help participants to better understand the significance of imaging and using the right equipment and tools to achieve the right outcome. The summit will also host a panel discussion on ‘The importance of quality content creation and how it can grow industries. In addition, content creators will be part of future local creator summits along with a performance-based opportunity to attend Canon Creator Summit in Dubai, and exclusive product offers to purchase Canon products.

Canon Embarking On A Canon R Tour In Nigeria To Launch Our Flagship R System Models And Experiential Opportunities

Spreading Goodness – Project Ire

Canon will commence its Project Ire through R-tour with a vision to support and sustain a year-long collaboration with influencers that are spreading goodness and giving back to their respective communities by generating awareness through their art-forms. Canon will collaborate with influencers that include Mofe Bamuyiwa, George Okoro, Princemeyson, Eleanor Goodey, Bedge, Aham Ibeleme and Gazmadu. Coinciding with the Canon’s Kyosei philosophy that stands for working and living together for the common good, the word ‘Ire’ stands for goodness and thus Project Ire will focus on bringing the goodness out of Canon’s avant-garde technology to further the cause of spreading goodness for different communities in Nigeria. The chosen influencers will be exclusively offered the opportunity to test drive Canon’s mirrorless line-up of products, along with a range of online and/or offline masterclasses in a bid to propel the wave of storytelling in Nigeria. Images captured by the influencers who are part of Project Ire will be printed on Canon Pro 300 Printer at the University of Lagos.

The Spirit of Storytelling

As part of the R-tour, Canon will also be announcing a partnership with Shuttersnetwork – a photo community based in Abuja, Nigeria in an endeavor to promote the spirit of storytelling through community engagement, content creation, and social media awareness. Canon’s online activities to generate community engagement in the Shuttersnetwork will include photo competitions, live sessions on Shutter’s network community page along with online panel discussions and masterclasses whereas the offline activities will include photo walks and physical masterclasses. Additionally, photography and videography campaigns and training will also be held by Canon to facilitate creation of inspirational content, along with the availability of Canon’s demonstration products for the network.

Canon Central and North Africa has successfully launched its R-tour previously in Morocco, Egypt and Kenya and intends to continue this journey of building relationships by getting closer to its customers throughout the African continent.

Konga Pioneers Monthly Public Townhall Session Thursday

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Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce giant, has pioneered another exciting initiative, bringing together customers and senior company executives for a virtual interactive session – Chat with our Executive Management – to be held monthly.

The maiden edition of the innovative interactive meeting holds on Thursday, August 25, 2022 by 1pm.

The session will be hosted via Zoom, with the live feed also broadcast across Konga’s social media pages on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To be a part of the session, interested customers and other participants are expected to register with the link: https://form.typeform.com/to/ZYfukylG

Once successfully registered, a link to join the Zoom session will be automatically sent to the user via email.

Nick Imudia, Co-CEO, Konga Group, has extended an open invitation to all customers, urging them to join in the maiden edition on Thursday, adding that this will further raise the bar of service delivery and enrich the relationship between brand and customer.

‘‘Konga has a face. We were the first e-commerce company to combine the warmth and human touch of physical stores to the convenience and savvy of online shopping, but we are also taking it further by giving our customers the chance to interact with company leaders and become more familiar with the names and faces driving the business.

‘‘No doubt, this innovation will improve the connection between brand and customer, enabling us to serve them better. I hereby extend an open invitation to all to join us on Thursday. We look forward to hosting you online and to a warm and interesting session,’’ he stated.

Hosted on the last Thursday of each month, the interactive session affords customers, merchants and other stakeholders the opportunity of submitting questions to members of the Konga Executive Management team and receiving answers straight from the source, with the initiative bound to further close communication gaps, improve the company’s customer-centric nature, while also boosting the warm, physical touch that Konga is respected for.

Attendance is open to interested persons anywhere in the world, with prospective participants receiving a Zoom link to join the session after registering online here: https://form.typeform.com/to/ZYfukylG

Konga has built a strong reputation for stocking high-quality goods, cutting-edge technology, large inventory/warehousing capabilities, a fast-growing nationwide presence, accessibility, quick and responsive customer service approach and lightning-fast shipping, among a number of other impressive advantages.

 

NNPC Eyes N422bn From Six IOCs In August

Six international oil companies are to remit a total of N442.37bn in August 2022, being proceeds from the sale of domestic crude oil in May 2022, figures obtained from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on Monday showed.

NNPC explained that the N422.37bn was for 8.887 million barrels of oil for May 2022 domestic crude payable in August 2022, adding that the six companies were joint venture partners of the national oil company.

It outlined the companies to include: Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria, and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, the flagship upstream subsidiary of NNPC.

Others include: Total Exploration and Production Nigeria, First Exploration and Production, as well as Addax Petroleum.

Figures from the oil firm showed that Chevron will pay N162.24bn for 3.49 million barrels of crude oil, while N90.06bn for 1.9 million barrels of crude is expected from Mobil this month.

NPDC and Total are to remit N41.13bn and N47.26bn for 948,296 and 948,776 barrels of crude oil respectively.

Similarly, the recently commercialised company stated that First E&P and Addax will pay N33.498bn and N48.188bn for 650,071 and 948,251 barrels of crude oil in August.

In its remarks on the funds to be remitted by the firms, the national oil company stated that it was for “May 2022 domestic crude oil payable in August 2022 by NNPC in line with the 90 days payment terms.”

NNPC makes remittances from crude oil sale to the Federation Account, which are shared by the three tiers of government monthly.

However, it has not been able to make remittances since this year due to the humongous amount it spends on the subsidy of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.

The NNPC is the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria for several years running and has been shouldering the petrol subsidy burden on behalf of the Federal Government, a development that has stopped it from making remittances to the Federation Account.

Although the N422.37bn proceeds for May 2022 oil sale are expected in August 2022, the NNPC recently stated that it would no more make remittances to the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee.

The company’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, disclosed this in July at the official unveiling of the firm in Abuja as a commercial entity.

Kyari had also made it clear in July that subsidy on petrol was now the Federal Government’s burden and not the responsibility of the oil company, stressing that the company was now a private outfit and had nothing to do with FAAC anymore.

Responding to a question on what would happen to NNPC’s monthly FAAC contributions, while speaking on the sidelines of NNPC unveiling, kyari said, “We are now a private company; would MTN go to FAAC?”

When probed further to tell if there would be no more FAAC remittances from the company going forward, he said, “We will pay our taxes, royalties and deliver dividends to our shareholders.”

Asked about the arrears to FAAC that were not delivered by the firm over the years, the CEO said, “Which arrears? That’s Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.”’

On how the oil firm would handle subsidy on petrol being a commercial entity, Kyari replied that fuel subsidy was not a burden on NNPC.

The CEO had said, “Subsidy is not NNPC’s burden. Subsidy is the decision of the state and in every jurisdiction anywhere in the world, countries see them differently. In some countries, they put petroleum tax on top of the market price of these products.”