SpiderMan Cover

Artist Todd McFarlane's original cover art for "The Amazing Spider-Man" No. 328 has sold for a record $657,250 at auction, just one among several pieces from the 1990s that went for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The McFarlane cover, which shows Spider-Man gut-punching the Hulk, was part of a collection of original art owned Martin Shamus, a Long Island, N.Y.-based comics and memorabilia shop owner.

McFarlane drew several titles for Marvel Comics in the 1990s and then left to develop his own character, "Spawn," and form Image Comics with other artists and writers.

The cover was among several sold by Heritage Auctions, and also included McFarlane's cover for "Spider-Man" No. 1, which was bought for $358,500.

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Guy Ritchie "demanded" a lot of stunt work from the stars of 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'.

The British director admits Jude Law, Noomi Rapace and Robert Downey Jr. -- who all appear in sleuth sequel -- were required to do a lot of hard work for the action-heavy movie and admits their individual exercise routines were gruelling.

He said: "Some of these action scenes would last for two weeks and these guys had to work eight or 10 hours a day repeating the same stunt. No one asks a professional athlete to do that amount of work and consequently Jude, Robert and Noomi were constantly on a diet, constantly on an exercising routine. The whole warm up would go on for an hour, cool down goes on for an hour and then they have 10 hours in between.

"That went on week after week. It is almost impossible to appreciate you want out of them physically. Never mind the other aspect, the physical aspect was very, very demanding."

However Jude -- who plays Dr. John Watson in the movie -- admits everyone returning from the 2009 movie was keen to do more stunts.

He told BANG Showbiz: "I think it's true to say though that the physical aspect of this film was another important element we wanted to push further. We were pushing the dialogue, we were pushing the banter, but we did all I think noticeably step up and say, 'Let's really elevate the physicality.'"

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George Whitman and Simon Klein

The man who nurtured a generation of aspiring writers at a rickety English-language bookstore in Paris, offering supper and a bed to literature fans providing they dusted the shelves or penned their memoirs, has died aged 98.

George Whitman, an American, died in the little apartment at the top of his Shakespeare and Company bookstore where he hung with Beat poets Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac half a century ago and until recently hosted literary tea parties on Sundays for anybody who cared to come by.

Decorated with a French medal for his contribution to the Paris literary scene, Whitman became a father figure over six decades to a stream of would-be writers from around the world who would curl up in his second-floor library for weeks on end.

Henry Miller once called his store, open since 1951 on the arty left bank of the Seine, "A wonderland of books."

"Thousands of people from around the world ate his clam chowder and strawberry ice cream and survived thanks to his generosity," said Pia Copper, 38, an art dealer who worked at the store in the 1990s and remained a close friend.

"He offered them the possibility of living across from Notre Dame for free while they penned their first novel or painted a picture. There were a lot of books and poems written there."

The green-fronted store was shuttered on Thursday and well-wishers left votive candles, flowers and novels at the door, where a formal announcement of his death said he would be missed by bibliophiles around the world.

Handwritten tributes cellotaped to the store thanked Whitman for his generosity in providing a haven for "aficionados" of literature or apologized for not finishing novels.

"I'm sorry I was so bad at the poetry reading," said one note. Others were left inside a wine bottle whose label read: "Messages in a bottle: For George. Something for you to read on your trip."

RAG AND BONE

Whitman, who liked to dub his bookstore "The Rag and Bone store of the heart," after a T.S. Elliot poem, was born in New Jersey and spent part of his childhood in China.

After studying journalism and travelling extensively, he moved to Paris in 1948 with a bicycle and a cat as his only possessions and slept in a university garden, as he liked to tell the story. Once settled, he began collecting books and started a lending library in his dingy hotel digs.

He opened his bookshop, "Le Mistral," in 1951 and renamed it several years later as he incorporated books from the original Shakespeare and Company store frequented by James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway before it shut down during World War Two.

Opened by American-born Sylvia Beach in the 1920s, also on the Left Bank, the original store won fame for publishing James Joyce's banned book "Ulysses."

Whitman's shop became a stopover for writers like Miller, James Baldwin, Samuel Beckett, Anais Nin and later on Lawrence Durrel, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso and Ginsberg. Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti became one of Whitman's closest friends.

It grew into a tourist landmark and gathering point for Anglophone expatriates, attracting eccentrics, nomads and dreamers. When an American ambassador once popped in for a visit, Whitman cheekily offered her a corner to sleep in.

Living by a motto taken from Yeats -- "Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise" -- Whitman helped out bohemian souls in return for them lending a hand in the shop or cooking supper. Hundreds left behind handwritten notes telling their life story.

"I was in my early 20s and just arrived in Paris when I wandered in and sat down to read. George appeared and said 'You're an old China hand like me. You start work tomorrow," said Pia, who was just starting out importing art from China.

Whitman suffered a stroke in October, but refused to stay in hospital. He had an ambulance crew carry him home, up two cramped flights of stairs and past wall-to-wall bookshelves to his bed, laughing with happiness to be back.

The store was his whole life and he rarely left it, except to take the odd trip to wildly exotic locations, Pia recounted.

Whitman, who penned many essays but never wrote a book of his own, will be buried on December 22 in Pere Lachaise cemetery, resting place of such literary luminaries as Oscar Wilde, Moliere and Jim Morrison. His family plans to mark his grave with a statue of Don Quixote, one of his favorite fictional characters.

His daughter Sylvia, who sat at his bedside as he grew weaker but refused to stop reading, will now run the store.

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The gold and silver coins are 10cm across and are legal tender

Sir Anthony Caro [L] and Tom Phillips with their designs

A gold coin commemorating London's 2012 Olympics, designed by eminent sculptor Sir Anthony Caro, has been revealed by the Royal Mint at London's Royal Academy of Art.

The UK's first Kilo coin - one of just 60 to be produced - is worth £100,000 as it contains 1kg of fine gold.

A silver Kilo worth £3,000 designed by artist, composer and writer Tom Phillips was also revealed.

The Queen personally approved both designs in order for them to become legal tender.

The obverse of the coins features her effigy, created by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, whose design of Her Majesty appears on all UK and Commonwealth coinage since 1998.

Sir Anthony Caro's design represents how the Games focus on success and pushing the body and mind to their limits as well as the long heritage of the Olympics. His coin is framed by a laurel wreath and the London 2012 logo, and depicts the sports equipment used for weightlifting, boxing, football and athletics.

During the manufacturing of the gold Kilo, a special press and production technique was used to achieve the highest ever relief on a coin struck by the Royal Mint. However because of its worth and size, it is unlikely to go into circulation.

The silver Kilo design focuses on the idea of teams working in unison to achieve success and victory, featuring the words "Unite our dreams to make the world a team of teams". It also has images of celebratory flags creating a sun for the Games while also representing the Olympic flame.


Sir Anthony's works have played a key role in the development of contemporary sculpture. He was knighted in 1987 and was the first British sculptor since Henry Moore to receive the Order of Merit in 2000. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York recently featured a major exhibition of his works.

Phillips's works are displayed in some of the world's most prominent galleries, including London's Tate and the National Portrait Gallery.

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An art critic takes in the room as a painting

London's National Gallery said on Wednesday it would crack down on the re-sale of tickets to its blockbuster show of Leonardo da Vinci paintings which are being offered online at up to 300 pounds each ($470).

The normal price of a ticket to "Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan", billed as the most complete collection of Leonardo's few surviving paintings ever staged, is 16 pounds.

"We are obviously very disappointed at the resale of these tickets for profit," said a spokeswoman for the gallery.

"The resale of tickets for the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition is against the terms and conditions of their sale and this information is printed on the tickets.

"Our website clearly states: 'Tickets that have been resold will be cancelled without refund and admission will be refused to the bearer.'"

She added that the gallery was in the process of contacting companies and websites offering to re-sell tickets and requesting that they "stop immediately.

"We are conducting checks on Leonardo tickets."

The exhibition, which opened on Nov. 9 to rave reviews and closes on Feb. 5, 2012, quickly sold out as art lovers from Britain and abroad scrambled for access.

The gallery has withheld a limited number of tickets to be sold each day, but on its website it warns visitors they may have to wait for up to three hours and then wait again to enter the show.

The website also advises ticket holders unable to attend to provide a signed letter of authorisation if they wish to hand them over to somebody else.

On Wednesday, two tickets were offered on the eBay online auction website for 600 pounds, although most were priced significantly lower and in some cases at a discount to face value.

On the Viagogo online ticket exchange a pair of tickets was on sale for up to 227 pounds.

The exhibition boasts nine of 15 or 16 known Leonardo paintings, including "Christ as Salvator Mundi" which was only recently attributed to Leonardo, although its authenticity is still questioned by some.

Listed by the National Gallery as an original, the painting was sold at Sotheby's for 45 pounds in 1958, when it was believed to be by one of Leonardo's pupils.

According to ARTnews, the work is now owned by a consortium of dealers, including Robert Simon, a specialist in Old Masters in New York. Valued by experts at up to $200 million, Simon told the publication the work was not for sale.

The National Gallery has collected virtually all of the known Leonardo paintings from Milan, where he was court artist to the city's ruler Ludovico Sforza from around 1482-1499.

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Juranic performed in operas

 Opera singer Sena Jurinac, one of the most celebrated sopranos of the post-war period, has died aged 90.

Born in Travnik in Bosnia in October 1921, the Austrian star studied in Zagreb, and made her debut there 1942 as Mimi in La Boheme.

She made very few recordings across her career, although the BBC recently issued a CD of her 1961 Proms show.

The Vienna State Opera, of which she was an honorary member, confirmed the singer had died in southern Germany.

In a statement, it said it was mourning the loss of a "legendary artist who shaped not only the Vienna State Opera but also the entire opera world".

Jurinac first sang for the company in 1944, playing Cherubino in The Marriage Of Figaro, and remained a member until 1983, when she made her farewell as Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.

She appeared at the Salzburg Festival in 1947, and soon after made her London debut, singing Dorabella at Covent Garden.

Jurinac went on to become a favourite at Glyndebourne, and was renowned for her interpretation of Mozart.

Scholar Peter Branscombe described her voice as "beautifully pure, rich and even throughout its range".

Austrian news agency APA reported that Jurinac died Tuesday at her home near Augsburg.

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"It all ends," says the poster slogan. A potentially grim statement of the obvious, of course, yet the Potter saga could hardly have ended on a better note. With one miraculous flourish of its wand, the franchise has restored the essential magic to the Potter legend – which had been starting to sag and drift in recent movies – zapping us all with a cracking final chapter, which looks far superior to CS Lewis's The Last Battle or JRR Tolkien's The Return of the King. It's dramatically satisfying, spectacular and terrifically exciting, easily justifying the decision to split the last book into two.

 
Here is where the Harry Potter series gets its groove back, with a final confrontation between Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and our young hero, and with the sensational revelation of Harry's destiny, which Dumbledore had been keeping secret from him. When stout-hearted young Neville Longbottom (a scene-stealer from Matthew Lewis) steps forward to denounce the dark lord in the final courtyard scene, I was on the edge of my seat. And when, in that final "coda", the middle-age Harry Potter gently hugs his little boy before sending him off for his first term at Hogwarts – well, what can I say? I think I must have had something in my eye.

The colossal achievement of this series really is something to wonder at. The Harry Potter movies showed us their characters growing older in real time: unlike Just William or Bart Simpson, Daniel Radcliffe's Harry was going to grow up like a normal person and never before has any film – or any book – brought home to me how terribly brief childhood is. The Potter movies weren't just an adaptation of a series of books, but a living, evolving collaborative phenomenon between page and screen. The first movie, Philosopher's Stone, came out in 2001, when JK Rowling was working on the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix, and when no one – perhaps not even the author herself – knew precisely how it was going to end. The movies developed just behind the books, and it's surely impossible to read them without being influenced by the films. This is most true for Robbie Coltrane's endlessly lovable, definitive performance as Hagrid.

In this final episode, Harry (Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) continue their battle to find and destroy the "horcruxes" that the sinister Voldemort needs so he can stay alive for all eternity: these are objects in which the fragments of souls are trapped and whose vital, spiritual force Voldemort, that hateful parasite, can siphon off for his own ends. Harry and his friends track down these horcruxes, but the last one is a puzzle. As the forces of good assemble at Hogwarts for the final showdown with Voldemort and his hordes, Harry knows only that the most vital horcrux is actually in the castle, very close at hand.

There are some superb set-piece scenes – and now the plot has so much more zing, these scenes have a power that comparable moments in earlier movies did not have. When Harry, Ron and Hermione insinuate themselves into Gringotts Bank to steal the sword of Gryffindor, the effect is bizarre, surreal and macabre: drawing on the influence of Lewis Carroll and Terry Gilliam. It is a great moment when Severus Snape, played with magnificently adenoidal disdain by Alan Rickman, is attacked by Voldemort's snake Nagini, and we witness this only from behind a frosted glass screen – a nice touch from director David Yates. London-dwelling Potter fans will, as before, be intrigued to see how the ornate St Pancras railway station is used to represent King's Cross, from where the Hogwarts train traditionally departs. Millions of tourists are undoubtedly convinced that this building is, in fact, King's Cross. It may be forced simply to change its name.

We get passionate, but somehow touchingly innocent screen kisses between Harry and Ginny (Bonnie Wright) and, of course, between Ron and Hermione. In the midst of the battle, Neville declares that he is going to find Luna (Evanna Lynch) for a snog: "I'm mad about her! About time I told her, since we're both probably going to be dead by dawn!" But these love stories are always subordinate to the all-important battle between good and evil.

The crucial moment of the film is where, I admit, I have a quibble: it is gripping and even moving when Harry realises what his destiny is, and sets out to fulfil it. Yet the exact rationale for his ultimate survival may be a little obscure, and perhaps even Potter-diehards may suspect that in the film there is a touch of having your cake and eating it. Well, no matter. This is such an entertaining, beguiling, charming and exciting picture. It reminded me of the thrill I felt on seeing the very first one, 10 years ago. And Radcliffe's Harry Potter has emerged as a complex, confident, vulnerable, courageous character – most likable, sadly, at the point where we must leave him for ever. Wait. I've got that darn thing in my eye again ...

Watch the full movie here

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Stakeholders in the Nigerian entertainment sector have reasons to celebrate as some of their own were proud recipients of prestigious national awards conferred on them by the President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Sunday, November 13, 2011.

Those conferred the award of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), include veteran actor, Olu Jacobs, actor turned politician, Kanayo O Kanayo, one-half of the ‘Aki and Pawpaw’ duo, Osita Iheme, producer and director, Amaka Igwe, and Nollywood divas Stephanie Okereke and Genevieve Nnaji.
Meanwhile, respected pioneer African novelist and renowned author of bestselling epic novel ‘Things Fall Apart’, Professor Chinua Achebe, has again rejected the national award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) awarded to him by the federal government.

The professor of Africana studies at Brown University, United States, rejected the award on the ground that the concerns he raised when he first rejected the award in 2004 remain unresolved and it was ‘inappropriate’ for the government to offer him the award again.

According to a statement issued by the presidential media adviser, Dr. Reuben Abati, the Presidency has expressed regret that the eminent professor turned down the award, claiming that the professor’s assertion ‘flies in the face of reality’ especially as the situation in the country was much improved than when he first turned the award down.

It will be recalled that 81 year old Professor Achebe had earlier turned down the same award by the Olusegun Obasanjo government in 2004, lamenting the corroding influence of a certain ‘clique of renegades, openly boasting its connections in high places’, who seem ‘determined to turn my homeland into a bankrupt and lawless fiefdom. I am appalled by the brazenness of this clique and the silence, if not connivance, of the Presidency’.

The CFR is a prestigious national merit award conferred on individuals, by the government, who have rendered services to the benefit of the nation.
View below the full list…

NAMES	STATUS	Sector	CLASS OF MEDAL
Alhaji Aliko Dangote	Chairman Dangote Group	Private	GCON
Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal	Speaker House Of Representative	Public	CFR
Mr. Ita Ekpentoung E. Ita	Dg Sss	Public	CFR
Mohammed Bello Adoke, San	Attorney General Of The Federal	Public	CFR
Air Chief Oluseyi Petinrin	Chief Of Defence Staff	Public	CFR
Air Marshal Muhammed Dikko Umar	Chief Of Air Staff (Cas)	Public	CFR
Vice Admiral Sa’ad Ibrahim	Chief Of Naval Staff (Cns)	Public	CFR
Lt-Gen. Azubuke Ihejrika	Chief Of Army Staff	Public	CFR
Hafiz Rigim	Inspector General Of Police	Public	CFR
Abdullahi, D.I	Comptroller General Of Police	Public	CFR
Alhaji Isa Bello Sali	Head Of Civil Service Of The Federation	Public	CFR
Amb. Ezekiel O. Oladeji	DG NIA	Public	CFR
Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar	Justice Of The Supreme Court	Public
Justice Dalhatu Adamu	AG. President, Court Of Appeal	Public	CFR
Mrs Victoria Gowon	Former First Lady Of Nigeria	Public	CFR
Hon. Justice Umaru Atu Kalgo	Former Justice Of Supreme Court, Chm Law Reform Comm	Public	CFR
Lt. Gen S. Ibrahim	Former Chief Of Army Staff	Public	CFR
Rear Admiral A.A Madueke	Former Chief Of Naval Staff	Public	CFR
Vice Admiral P.S. Koshoni	Former Chief Of Naval Staff	Public	CFR
Air Mashal A.M Daggash	Former Chief Of Defense Staff	Public	CFR
Air Marshal N.E Eduok	Former Chief Of Air Staff	Public	CFR
Air Vice Marshal J. Yisa Doko	Former Chief Of Air Staff	Public	CFR
Alh. Muhammed Gambo-Jimeta	Former Inspector General Of Police	Public	CFR
General D.Y. Bali	Former Chief Of Defence Staff & Traditional Ruler	Public	CFR
Air Vice Marshal Lm. Alfa	Former Chief Of Air Staff	Public	CFR
Air Vice Marshal C.A Dada	Former Chief Of Air Staff	Public	CFR
Maj. Gen. M. C Alli	Former Chief Of Army Staff	Public	CFR
Rear Admiral S. Saidu	Former Chief Of Naval Staff	Public	CFR
Lt. Gen Jeremiah Timbut Useni	Former Min. & Rtd Lt. General	Public	CFR
Prof. Oladipo A. Afolabi	Former Head Of The Civil Service Of The Federation	Public	CFR
Maj. Gen Emmanuel Abisoye	Former General Officer Command	Public	CFR
Amb. (Dr.) Dalhatu Sarki Tafida	Physician, Diplomat, Former Senator	Public
Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi	Scholar, Diplomat, Former Minister	Public	CFR
Prof. Chinua Achebe	Scholar, Eminent Writer	Private	CFR
Dr. Shehu Usman Abubakar	The Emir Of Gombe	Private	CFR
Hrh. Alh. (Dr.) Isa Mustapha A Agwali	The Emir Of Lafia	Private
Hrh Oba (Dr) David Victor Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi	The Olowo Of Owo	Private	CFR
Hrh. Dr. Muhammed B. Aliyu Mustapha	Lamido Of Adamawa	Traditional
Prof. T.T Princewill	Amanayabo Of Kalabari	Traditional	CFR
Hrh Alhaji (Dr) Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu	Emir Of Bauchi	Traditional	CFR
Dr. Oba Otudeko	Business Man	Private	CON
Prof. Akin Magbogunje	Consultant, Businessman	Private	CON
H/E Dr Peter Obi	Governor Of Anambra State	Public	CON
H/E Senator Liyel Imoke	Governor Of Cross River State	Public	CON
H/E Com. Adams Oshomole	Governor Of Edo State	Public	CON
H/E Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa	Governor Of Kaduna State	Public	CON
H/E Ibrahim Shehu Shema	Governor Of Katsina Staff	Public	CON
H/E Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu	Governor Of Niger State	Public	CON
H/E Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi	Governor Of Rivers State	Public	CON
H/E Chief Godswill Akpabio	Governor Of Akwa Ibom State	Public	CON
H/E Alhaji Sule Lamido	Governor, Jigawa State	Public	CON
H/E Brig. Gen. Abba Kyari (Rtd)	Fmr Governor North Central State	Public	CON
H/E Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife	Fmr Governor Anambra Staff	Public	CON
H/E Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo	Fmr Governor Of Ekiti State, Owa-Oye Of Okemesi Ekiti	Public	CON
H/E Maj. Gen R.S Magashi	Fmr Governor Of Kaduna State	Public	CON
H/E Alhaji Saidu Barda	Former Governor Of Katsina State, Former Permanent Secretary	Public	CON
H/E Dr Olusegun Agagu	Fmr Governor Of Ondo State, Accomplished Geologist	Public	CON
H/E Senator Otunba Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke	Former Governor Of Osun State, Senator	Public	CON
H/E Alh. Lamidi O. Adeshina	Former Governor Of Oyo State	Public	CON
H/E Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim	Former Governor Of Yobe State, Senator	Public	CON
H/E Chief Rufus Ada George	Former Governor Of Rivers State	Public	CON
Chief Clement David Ebri	Former Governor Of Rivers State	Public	CON
Senator Ben Ndi Obi	Senator	Public	CON
Senator Bello Hayyatu Gwarzo	Senate Chief Whip	Public	CON
Senator Emmanuel Pauka	Senator	Public	CON
Senator Grace Folashade Bent	Politician	Public	CON
Senator James Ebowu Manager	Senator	Public	CON
Senator John Wash Pam	Politician, Diplomat	Public	CON
Senator Joy Emodi	Politician	Public	CON
Senator Maina Maji Lawan	Senator, Former Deputy Chief Whip	Public	CON
Senator Mohammed Girgiri Lawan	Politician	Public	CON
Senator Smart Adeyemi	Senator	Public	CON
Senator Uche Chukwumerije	Senator	Public	CON
Senator Udoma Udo Udoma	Legal Practitioner, Politician And Administrator	Public	CON
Mr Olusegun Aganga	Accomplished Economist, Minister	Public	CON
Barr. Chukwuemeka Wogu	Hon. Minister	Public	CON
Godsday Porubebe	Hon. Minister	Public	CON
Mrs Dieziani Allison Madueke	Hon. Minister	Public	CON
Dr. Usman Shamsudeen	Hon. Minister And Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission	Public	CON
Hon. Emeka Shedioma	Politician, Deputy Speaker House Of Representatives	Public	CON
Mr Kanu Agabi, San	Former Attorney General Of The Federation	Public	CON
Sen. Nuhu Aliyu	Dig (Rtd)	Public	CON
Maj. Gen. M. G. Nasko	Former Minister	Public	CON
Major Gen. Mamman Isofo Kontagora	Former Minister	Public	CON
Mr Kayode Adetokunbo, San	Former Attorney General Of The Federation, Former Minister Of Defence	Public	CON
Chief Akin Olujimi, San	Former Minister And Attorney-General Of The Federation	Public	CON
Chief Bayo Ojo, San	Former Minister And Attorney-General Of The Federation	Public	CON
Hon. Justice Orjiakor	Fmr Cj Of Io State	Public	CON
Amb. Ignatius C. Olusemeka	Former Permanent Secretary, Diplomat	Public	CON
Alhaji Shu’aib Kazaure	Former Chairman Federation Civil Service Commission, Former Minister	Public	CON
Mr. Basil L.E Omiyi	First Nigerian Md Of Shell, Largest Oil Company	Private	CON
Amb. Aminu Wali	Diplomat	Public	CON
Amb. Adamu D. Idris Waziri	Diplomat	Public	CON
Prof. Emeritus John Festus Ade Ajani	Accomplished Scholar, University Administrator	Public	CON
Dr Samuel Danjuma Gani	Administrator, Taraba	Public	CON
Chief Osayande Omotayo Akpata	Administrator, Scholar Of Several Years	Public	CON
Mr Arumeni Johnson	Air Transporter, Md Arik Airline	Private	CON
Mr Atedo Peterside	Banker	Private	CON
Mr Jim Ovia	Banker	Private	CON
Aig Imoukhueke	Banker (Md Access Bank), Administrator	Private	CON
Alhaji Abdulkadir Sanusi Dantata	Businessman	Private	CON
Mr Pascal Dozie	Businessman	Private	CON
Alh. (Dr.) Usman Nuhu Mohammed Sanusi	Emir Of Dutse Jigawa	Traditional	CON
Hrh. Alh. Muh’d Ibn Shehu Masta Ii El-Kenemi	Shehu Dikwa	Traditional	CON
Hrh Michael Gbadebo Adedeji	Traditional Ruler	Traditional	CON
Hrh. Bonet Affoi	Traditional Ruler, Chief Of Kagoro	Traditional	CON
Alhaji Magaji Danbatta	First Generation Journalist, Public Servant, States Man	Public	CON
Abdulsamad Rabiu	Industrialist	Private	CON
Engr. Egbert Imomoh	Renowned Geologist	Private	CON
Hon. Justice S.S. Alagoa	Justice Court Of Appeal	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Badamasi Maina	Honourable Justice Of The Court Of Appeal	Public	OFR
Amb. Mohammed Lameen Meteeden	Diplomat	Public	OFR
Amb. Hassan Tukur (Psp)	Diplomat	Public	OFR
Hon. Farouk Lawan	Politician, Member House Of Representatives	Public	OFR
Hon. Mutu Nicholas	Politician, Member House Of Representatives	Public	OFR
Hon. Agunwa Anaekwe	Member And Former Speaker House Of Representatives	Public	OFR
Hon. Babaginda Nguroje	Politician, Member House Of Representatives	Public	OFR
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila	Politician, Member House Of Representatives	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Amiru Sanusi	J.C.A	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Kumai B. Akaahs	Justice Court Of Appeal	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Iorhemen	C.J Benue State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Kashim Zannak	C.J Borno State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Dorothy N. Eyamba-Idem	C.J Cross River State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Ibrahim Auta Ndahi	C.J Federal High Court	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Adamu Aliyu	C.J Kano State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Charles O. Jacobs	C.J Ogun State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Aisha Sani Dahiru	C.J Sokoto State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Hauwa Kulu Aliyu	C.J Zamfara State	Public	OFR
Justice (Mrs) Inumidun Enitan Akande	C.J Of Lagos State	Public	OFR
Justice Ibrahim Mohammed	C.J Of Bauchi State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice M.M Igbetar	President Customary Court Of Appeal Benue State	Public	OFR
Osita Benjamin Chidoka	Chief Marshall Frsc	Public	OFR
Sen. Dr. Chief Jacob Tilley Gyado	Fmr Senator	Public	OFR
Chief David Dafinone	Chartered Accountant, Former Senator, Administrator	Private	OFR
Mr. P. Osayande	Former Deputy Inspector General Of Police	Public	OFR
Col. Musa Shehu (Rtd)	Sec. Gen. Arewa Consultative Forum	Traditional	OFR
Dr Emmanuel Nyong Nsan	Former Minister	Public	OFR
Dr. Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar	Former Minister, Permanent Secretary	Public	OFR
Air Cdre Otuekong Idonesit Nkanga (Rtd)	Military Officer	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Sunday Ndudim Imo	Former C.J Abia State	Public	OFR
Hrh Hon Justice Eze Ozobu	Former C.J Enugu State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Daniel D. Abutu	Former C.J Federal High Court	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Saka Yusuf	For C.J Kwara State	Public	OFR
Chief Ernest Olawumi Adeleye	Former Deputy Commandant Nda	Public	OFR
Hon. Grand Kadi Mohammed Adamu Idris	Grand Kadi Gombe State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Adamu S.M. Kanam	Grand Kadi Plateau State	Public	OFR
Suleiman Muhammed Daura	Former Grand Kadi Of Katsina State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice Abdulkadir Oba Imam Fulani	Former Grand Kadi Of Kwara State	Public	OFR
Hon. Justice M.A. Ambali	Former Grand Kadi Of Kwara State	Public	OFR
Amb. Magaji Mohammed	Former Perm Sec., Diplomat	Public	OFR
Brig. Gen Samuel Laye Teidi (Rtd)	Rtd Gen. And Administrator	Public	OFR
Dr. Tim Manakaya	Physician, Former Minister	Public	OFR
Chief Oladipo Odulate	Rtd Head Of Service, Ogun State	Public	OFR
Prof. Grace Alele-Williams	Former Vc Uniben, Administrator, Scholar	Public	OFR
Prof. Abdulraheem Shu’aib Oba	Former Vice Chancellor University Of Ilorin, Chairman Federal Character Comissioner	Public	OFR
Prof. M. A. Daniyan	Educationist	Public	OFR
Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar	Educationist	Public	OFR
Alh. Mohammed Kudu Abubakar	Accomplished Journalist, Emir Of Agaie	Public	OFR
Alh. Muhammed Manga Iii	Traditional Ruler, The Emir Of Misau	Traditional	OFR
Hrhm King Gininwa, Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Jp	Traditional Ruler, The Gbenemene Tai	Traditional	OFR
Alh. Musa Ibrahim Faruk			OFR
Alhaji Abdulrahim Oladimeji	Investor, Philantropist, Established Al Ikhma University	Private	OFR
Chief (Dr.) Innocent I. Chukwuma	Industrialist	Private	OFR
Chief (Dr.) Olusegun O. Osunkeye	Industrialist	Private	OFR
Chief Ayantayo Ayandele	Administrator, Former Chairman Of Ogbomosho L.G., Former C.E. N.T.C	Public	OFR
Dr. Amuda Aluko	Community Leader (Tafida Ilorin) Medical Practitioner	Private	OFR
Mr Tunde Lemo	Deputy Governor Cbn	Public	OFR
Prof. C.A Osuntogun	Educationist	Public	OFR
Prof. M.A. Danyaro	Educationist	Public	OFR
Prof. O.L Oke	Educationist	Public	OFR
Prof. Ode Ojowu	Educationist	Public	OFR
Engr. Makori J	Engineer, Adminstrator, Former Md. NEPA	Public	OFR
Engr. Yusuf Larewaju Shagaya	Engineer, Industrialist	Private	OFR
Sir Festus Remilekun Ayodele Marinho	First Md. NNPC	Private	OFR
Mrs Amina Sambo	Former President (Ncws), Community Leader	Private	OFR
Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu	Industrial, Politician	Private	OFR
Mr Reginald Ihejiahi	Industrialist	Private	OFR
Prince (Engr) Authur Eze	Industrialist	Private	OFR
Mr. Kase Lawal	Industrialist On An International Level	Private	OFR
Mr. Damian D. Dodo San	Legal Practitioner, Member Taraba State Judicial Council	Public	OFR
Mazi Sam I. Ohuarunwa	Phamacist, Industrialist, Administrator	Private	OFR
Chief (Sir) Tony Ezenna	Businessman/Industrialist	Private	OFR
Sir Emmanuel Bishop Okonkwo	Businessman/Industrialist	Private	OFR
Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar	Academician	Public	OFR
Prof. Kunle Ade Wahab	Scholar, Educationist	Public	OFR
Dr Uriah Angulu	Scholar, Former Commissioner Icpc	Public	OFR
Comrade Pascal Myeleri Bafyau	Trade Union, Former President Nlc	Private	OFR
Malam Abubakar Oladimeji	Writer, Administrator		OFR
Sir Edward Nkwoegu			OFR
Chief Mrs Cecilia Akanu	Politician, Women Activist		OFR
Dr. Biodun N. Olorunfemi	Permanent Secretary, F.C.T.A	Public	OON
Baba Umar Faruk	Federal Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Alh. Aliyu Salihu Gusau	Federal Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Dr Bright Okogu	D.G Budget	Public	OON
Mr Umaru Hamza	D.G Ndlea	Public	OON
Mrs Arunma Otteh	Former Vice Prsident African Development Bank D.G.S.E.C	Public	OON
Prof. Julius Okojie	Executive Secretary NUC	Public	OON
Dr (Mrs) Yewande Thorpe	Former Federal Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Mr Fidelis K. Kaigama	Former Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Dr Ochi Achinivu	Former Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Dr Abubakar K. Mohammed	Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Bukar Goni A.	Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
MR DANLADI KIFASI Mni	Permanent Secretary	Public	OON
Alh. Ayinla Olomoda	Former Secretary, Commissioner FJSC	Public	OON
Alh. Lawal Isyaku Kazaure	Former Permanent Secreatary	Public	OON
Venmark Kurnap Dangin	Former Senator, Permanent Secretary Plateau State	Public	OON
Dr Stephen Sinikiem Azaiki	Former SSG Bayelsa State (Seasoned Administrator)	Public	OON
Prof. B. G Bajoga	Accomplished Engineer, Former Md Nitel	Public	OON
Mrs C.B Ugowe	Deputy Inspector General Of Police (Rtd)	Public	OON
Prof. Abiodun Ilesanmi	Educationist, Former Md Uch Ibadan	Public	OON
Chief Linus Okom	Former Board Chairman, Fed. College Of Education Obudu	Public	OON
Amb. Salaudeen A. Lawal	Former Diplomat, Administrator	Public	OON
Air Vice Marshal N. S Imam (Rtd)	Rtd Air Force Officer	Public	OON
Avm Gabriel Adesola Babatunde	Rtd Air Force Officer	Public	OON
Avm Ahmed Tijani Mua’zu	Rtd Air Force Officer	Public	OON
Brig. Garba Mohammed	Rtd Army Officer	Public	OON
Dr. Granville Inya Inya-Agha	Rtd Civil Servant	Public	OON
Maj. Gen. J.O Obada	Rtd General	Public	OON
Hon. Justice Ibrahim Isola Adekunle Olorunnimbe	Rtd Judge Lagos State High Court	Public	OON
Alhaji Musa Etudaiye	Rtd Permanent Secretary Kwara State	Public	OON
BELLO UMAR, Mni	RTD PERMANENT SECRETARY ZAMFARA STATE	Public	OON
Alh. Inuwa Gombe	Former Director Of Mines	Public	OON
Prof. Peter Okebukola	Former Executive Secretary Nuc	Public	OON
Chief Omoefe F. James	Former Federal Director Rural Development	Public	OON
Maj. Gen Sarki Yaki Bello	Army Officer	Public	OON
Maj. Gen I. Garba	Army Officer	Public	OON
Alh. Bashir M. Borodo	Banker	Private	OON
Dr Chilo Ofia	Captain Of Industry	Private	OON
Chief Cletus Ibeto	Chartered Accountant	Private	OON
Mr Oluwato Yin Adeagbo Adepate	Chartered Accountant	Private	OON
Alh. Muhammed Bashir Salihu	Chief Imam Of Ilorin, Religious Leader	Religious	OON
Imam Ibrahim Ahmed	Chief Imam Of Maiduguri, Religious Leader	Religious	OON
Igwe G.O. Ezechukwu	Community Leader	Traditional	OON
Amb. Emmanuel Chame Quitomi Njiwah	Diplomat	Public	OON
Amb. Oladele Akadiri	Diplomat	Public	OON
Prof. Mohammed Kaoje Abubakar	Educationist	Public	OON
Prof. Herbert Onyekwere Orji	Educationist	Public	OON
Prof. Francis Ojinde	Educationist	Public	OON
Dr. (Mrs) S. N. Adukwu Bolujoko	Educationist	Public	OON
Chief Robert Usman Audu	Community Leader	Public	OON
Aliyu Husseini	Deputy Comtroller General Of Immigration (Rtd)	Public	OON
Chief Agada Igomu	Member Nigeria Institute Of Food Science & Techn.	Public	OON
Hrh Uti Joseph Davis Agba	Traditional Ruler	Traditional	OON
Chief Prof. Somayina Gabriel Nwoko	Educationist	Traditional	OON
Engr. Abdullahi Nuhu (Chiroman Zauzau)	Engineer, Industrialist	Private	OON
Malam Saleh M. Jambo	Industrialist		OON
Engr. Jani Ibrahim Fnse Mni	Industrialist		OON
Dr Eniola Akinsete	Medical Doctor		OON
Dig. Isreal Olusoji Ajao	Police Officer	Public	OON
Dig. Udem U. Ekpoudma (Rtd)	Retired Dig	Public	OON
Chief Mathias Chikeluba Ekeremadu	Politician	Public	OON
Pharm Hon. Jimi Agbaje	Politician, Pharmacist		OON
Engr. Umaru Gambo Jibrin, Fnse	Professional Engineer		OON
Engr. Mustapha Bulama	Professional Engineer		OON
Engr. Aako Ugbabe	Professional Engineer		OON
Dame Comfort Chinezerem Obi	Publisher, Hon. Commissioner Police Service Commission		OON
Rt. Rev. Dr. Godwin Izundu Nmezinwa Okpala	Religious Leader		OON
Arch (Prof.) Theophilus Adelodun Okin	Scholar, Architech, Educationalist		OON
Professor John Adetunji Adeleye	Scholar, Educationist		OON
Igwe Denis Akputa	Igwe Okaa Omee Of Agbogugu	Traditional	OON
Hrh. Dr George Oshiapi Egabor	Traditional Ruler (Okumagbe Of Uweppa Uwano)	Traditional	OON
Hrh Oba Eshiemokhai Idogu	Trad. Ruler (Olokpe Of Okpe)	Traditional	OON
Mr Chinedu Ogah	Youth Leader	Private	OON
Hon. (Barr) Istifanus Haruna Gbana	Chairman, Conf. Of Speakers	Public	MFR
Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie	Politician Member House Of Representatives	Public	MFR
Akuma John Atte	Dcg, Customs	Public	MFR
Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim	Dcg, Prinson	Public	MFR
Alh. Muhammed Kajiama Dapchi, Mni	Chairman Yobe State Local Gov. Council	Public	MFR
Saudatu Magajiya Shehu Mahdi	Educationist, Women Right Activist, Sec-General Wrapa	Public	MFR
Hamza Ahmed Isa	Rtd Dig, Police	Public	MFR
Alh. Ibrahim Galadima	Sport Administrator	Public	MFR
Chief Mrs. Rhoda Nguhemen Tor-Agbioye	Fmr Civil Servant	Public	MFR
Mrs Monye Rajis-Okpara	Politician	Public	MFR
A. B Iyoha (Mrs)	Rtd Director Sss		MFR
Chief Mrs Eniola Ajoke Fadayomi	Jurist (Former Attorney Sec-General Lagos State)		MFR
Raymond Iheanacho Nkemdirim	Public Servant	Public	MFR
Alh. Hanafi Musa Moriki	Civil Servant	Public	MFR
Abudu Silas Kamaru-Salami	Civil Servant (Dss)	Public	MFR
Olaolu Adebowale Adegbite	Civil Servant (Efcc)	Public	MFR
Beremako Bob E. Ogbuagu	Rtd Civil Servant	Public	MFR
Mr A. Ayorinde Otepola		Public	MFR
Bala Tsoho		Public	MFR
Dr Chris Nwanoro (Foreign Affairs)		Public	MFR
Chief Emmanuel Olorunfemi Otitoju		Public	MFR
Dr Emmanuel Uwakwe Agbo		Public	MFR
ABUBAKAR MUSTAPHA Mni	FEDERAL COMMISSIONER NPC	Public	MFR
Chief David Ogba Onuoha	Industrialist	Private	MFR
Chief James Njoku Afoke	Industrialist	Private	MFR
Ibrahim Mohammed		Private	MFR
Engr. Inuwa Musa	Accomplished Engineer	Private	MFR
Prince Fayisayo Soyewo	Accomplished Insurer	Private	MFR
Chief Basseye E.O Edem Fca	Accountant	Private	MFR
Mr Olusegun Abayomi Jawando	Administrator Lagos State	Private	MFR
Kanayo O. Kanayo	Artist	Private	MFR
Iheme Osita	Artist	Private	MFR
Amaka Igwe	Artist	Private	MFR
Olu Jacobs	Artist	Private	MFR
Stephenie Okereke	Artist	Private	MFR
Genevieve Nnaji	Artist	Private	MFR
Dr Aliyu Abubakar	Business Man	Private	MFR
Chief Martins Agbaso	Business Man, Politician	Private	MFR
Sadik Tafawa Balewa	Community Leader	Private	MFR
Professor Bashir Garba	Educationist	Private	MFR
Prof. Shehu Said Farinwata	Educationist	Private	MFR
Igbafe Philip Aigbona	Educationist	Private	MFR
Hajiya Indo Mohammed (Nee) Ibrahim	Educationist (Principal FGC, Zaria)	Public	MFR
Mrs Na’omi P. Maiguwa	Educationalist	Public	MFR
Yarkey Verghese	Foreigner	Foreigner	MFR
Jacob C. K. Wood	Foreigner	Foreigner	MFR
Mr Jean Clande Gandur	Foreigner, Addax Petroleum	Foreigner	MFR
Mohammed Namadina Abdulrahaman Jp Mbe	Former Administrator	Public	MFR
Hon. (Barr) Mrs Titi Oseni	Former Ag. Chairman, Conf. Of Speakers	Public	MFR
Mr Moses Frank Ekpo	Former D.G Nigeria Copyright Commission	Public	MFR
Dr Christain Ifenichuwu Adimorah	Former Md/Ceo First Bank Nigeria Plc

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Julian Barnes, who won this year's Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and Carol Ann Duffy, Britain's poet laureate, were among the nominees for the 2011 Costa Book Awards announced on Tuesday.

English author Barnes is one of four shortlisted for the best novel category for "The Sense of an Ending", the work that won him the coveted Booker award last month at the fourth time of asking.

Scottish writer Duffy, who was made the nation's poet in 2009, has been shortlisted in the poetry section for "The Bees".

The winner of each of the five categories -- novel, first novel, biography, poetry and children's book -- will be revealed on Jan. 4, 2012 and the overall Costa Book of the Year winner on Jan. 24.

Barnes is up against John Burnside for "A Summer of Drowning", Andrew Miller for "Pure" and Louisa Young for "My Dear I Wanted to Tell You" in the novel category.

Duffy takes on poets David Harsent for "Night", Jackie Kay for "Fiere" and Sean O'Brien for "November".

The 2010 Costa Book of the Year also went to a work of poetry -- "Of Mutability" by Jo Shapcott.

Since 1985 the award, open to books first published in the United Kingdom or Ireland, has been won nine times by a novel, four times by a debut novel, five times by a biography, seven times by a collection of poetry and once by a children's book.

In the biography section, journalist Patrick Cockburn and his son Henry co-authored an account of the latter's struggles with paranoid schizophrenia in "Henry's Demons: Living with Schizophrenia - A Father and Son's Story."

Also in the category is Claire Tomalin's account of Charles Dickens, who is expected to be the subject of a raft of books in the run-up to the bicentenary of his birth next February.

The winner of each category receives 5,000 pounds ($7,950) and the overall winner a further 30,000 pounds.

The awards, formerly the Whitbread Book Awards, are sponsored by the Costa coffee shop chain.

Following is the full shortlist:

Costa Novel Award:

- Julian Barnes/The Sense of an Ending

- John Burnside/A Summer of Drowning

- Andrew Miller/Pure

- Louisa Young/My Dear I Wanted to Tell You


First Novel Award:

- Kevin Barry/City of Bohane

- Patrick McGuinness/The Last Hundred Days

- Christie Watson/Tiny Sunbirds Far Away

- Kerry Young/Pao


Biography Award:

- Julia Blackburn/Thin Paths: Journeys In and Around an Italian Mountain Village

- Patrick and Henry Cockburn/Henry's Demons: Living with Schizophrenia, A Father and Son's Story

- Matthew Hollis/Now All Roads Lead to France: The Last Years of Edward Thomas

- Claire Tomalin/Charles Dickens: A Life


Poetry Award:

- Carol Ann Duffy/The Bees

- David Harsent/Night

- Jackie Kay/Fiere

- Sean O'Brien/November


Children's Book Award:

- Martyn Bedford/Flip

- Frank Cottrell Boyce/The Unforgotten Coat

- Lissa Evans/Small Change for Stuart

- Moira Young/Blood Red Road.

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The Morale Entertainment Foundation says ESPN will televise the Carrier Classic game between Michigan State and North Carolina on the deck of an aircraft carrier in San Diego Bay on Veterans Day.

Mike Whalen of Morale Entertainment Foundation says ESPN also will televise a halftime show and postgame concert.

A basketball court with seating for approximately 7,000 fans will be built on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier for the rematch of the 2009 NCAA championship game, won by North Carolina. Organizers won't know until much closer to the Nov. 11 game which aircraft carrier will serve as host. Whalen has said it probably will be the USS Ronald Reagan or the USS Carl Vinson.

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