ABLADECO BY DEXTEREOUS9

Some say its 'cheeting' but I term it: THE SURVIVAL INSTINCT OF AN IMPALA

2013-07-10T16:15:00.001+01:00

so a bunch of tourists in a Jeep at Kruger park were dazzled when a certain Impala jumped into thier car as it was being chased by 2 Cheetahs... Enjoy!!!

YASiiN BEY (a.k.a MOS DEF) FORCE FED UNDER STANDARD GUANTANAMO BAY PROCEDURE

2013-07-08T19:56:00.001+01:00

"these inmates have exhausted all legal avenues to get justice for themselves, all to no avail, Its like a Hopless Situation with no way out! hence they resort to Hunger strike to butress their Angush yet they are Force-fed via this horrific procedure" _wolfman

Clarion call! Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) force-fed under standard Guantánamo Bay procedure – video

2013-07-08T19:33:00.004+01:00

As I was typing this, I had *kirikiri* on my mind. Okay quickly!, for some reasons which i don't want to dabble into, Some Guantanamo Bay Prison Inmates unilaterally decided to go on Hunger Strike. But why??? (the figures differ but THE ECONOMIST puts it at 100 inmates who are on Hunger strike)

it would interest you to know also that, From the Bush administration, to the present "2nd Term" Obama administration there have various out cries for the "detention facility" to be shut down permanently and inmates given a fair trial or transferred to a regular correctional facility but to no avail.

So it wasn't too surprising (okay that's a lie!, I for one was terrified!!!) when popular American actor and MC, known by the stage names: Mos Def and Yasiin Bey decided to show support by volunteering to undergo the "Standard procedure" used on the detainees to Force feed them- this is what happened>>>>

As "rational" human beings do you think what you just watched is right? #okbye

NIGERIA:- A Giant in Africa

2013-04-08T13:29:00.001+01:00

Nigeria: Giant in Africa by Ronald Dick, National Film Board of Canada

Synopsis

This feature documentary vividly recounts Nigeria's history from pre-European times to the mid-20th century. The film explores the political maturing of Africa's most populous country and depicts the various African cultures that make up the Federation of Nigeria....Enjoy the Video:

Film Credit

director: Ronald Dick
script: Ronald Dick
sound: Joan Edward; Marguerite Payette
editing: Marion Meadows; George Kaczender
re-recording: Ron Alexander

2013-02-15T18:22:00.002+01:00

How Hard Working Was SUSAN HARVEY a.k.a Goldie?

a personal Testimony from Mr Samuel Olatunji C.E.O BIGSAM MEDIA


COURTESY OF NAIJA PALS

It was a hot, Sunday afternoon when the BBM request beeped on my phone. I was totally engaged with the English Premiership football match showing on my TV. Not in the mood for any chit-chat. Checking out the identity of the sender showed me a ‘Goldie Harvey’ and my first impulse was I was face-to-face with another impersonator trying to take the place of one of Nigeria’s many hardworking entertainment celebrities. My curiosity got the better of me and I confirmed the request consciously granting the ‘impostor’ some measure of access into my life.I figured he\she will delete the connection in due course like others usually do. As at then, Goldie and I had never actually met in the true sense of the word. We weren’t friends. Neither were we enemies. We had bumped into one another a couple of times at events and that was it. Nevertheless, I was still surprised as to how the ‘impostor’ got my PIN.

Still caught in the reverie of the football match, my phone buzzed few minutes later and it was celebrated comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka. He wanted to introduce Goldie to me (like I didn’t know her) and informed me of her desire to work with my PR firm, Bigsam Media. He it was who had passed my PIN to her. Goldie herself requested my number and later called.

God, that voice on the phone! It wasn’t sweet or golden but plain…. and heavy laden with sadness. ‘I’m tired,’ she said to me like we had known for years. ‘I’ve worked with many people, spent a lot of money but not gotten much in return’.

She wanted to work with us as she had heard so much about us and was hoping we would stand out from the myriad of half-baked, briefcase PR firms(experts) running rings around entertainers and promising celebrities a dinner date in the White House ‘if only you can spend good money.’

I listened calmly and gave her an appointment at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja but for some reasons I showed up three hours late. She was understandably angry and was on the verge on leaving when I breezed in and apologized. We fixed another date to meet and finalize details on how we could work together regarding her blossoming brand. Sadly, I never made the appointment. Way before our meeting, Bobby Taylor and Gbenga Bada, fellow journalist friends had tried all they could to get me to interview and feature Goldie on my page while I was still in the employment of The Sun Newspapers. I just played an unwilling horse all through.

Looking back now, I realized that like many others, I didn’t take her serious at all. Many people had dismissed Goldie from the very beginning of her career, contending she was all beauty and no talent. Peeps were quick to condemn her art or lack of it. Check the popular blogs and see the deluge of negative comments that follow any post on Goldie and you’ll get a feel of what I mean.

Despite the ‘pull-her-down’ at all costs syndrome, Goldie kept pushing the envelope, working and living her life. If she cared about what people said about her, she didn’t show it. They would lambast her for wearing a particular dress and Goldie would defiantly wear something similar next time. They said she was everywhere, strutting the red carpets like a pepper seller but she was undeterred. Goldie was living her life by her rules and not by what ‘almighty’ commentators said. As if she knew she won’t be here for a long time.
I was told a popular producer had told her to go sell her Benz ML before he would sign her on and produce her song. *smh* And that was after months of keeping her waiting. She didn’t relent but decided to take her destiny in her own hands and thus embarked on a journey from one radio station to another, buying stuffs for the OAPs for her songs to get airplay.

Goldie eventually teamed up with Kennis Music, thankfully, Keke Ogungbe signed her on.

Upon hearing news of her death, I called Denrele, Baba Keke, KSB but their numbers were switched off. I called Funke Akindele to get across to Denrele’s friend hoping to hear that the rumour wasn’t true. She already did, and was close to tears on phone. A newspaper editor told me Goldie’s step-mum already confirmed it. After speaking with Linda Ikeji who broke the news, I still chose to doubt it.

I saw a tweet that Goldie was scheduled to perform at a certain Princeton Hotel in Ikeja and I dashed out to search for the location in spite of loud protestations from my wife that it was past 1am. She must definitely be at Princeton performing and would be willing to dispel the wicked ‘rumor’ doing the rounds about her passing.

Sadly, all my efforts proved abortive. Goldie wasn’t there. She was gone. Gone to be with the saints.

What was I looking for in the dead of night? What,what,what? All I wanted was just one more chance to make up for my folly of dismissing her and not taking her seriously. Suddenly, wonderful and innovative ideas on how to enhance ‘Brand Goldie’ are popping up in my brain. I want to work with her

We won’t always have people around. Why can’t we celebrate men and women while we have them? Bickering, pull-him-down, dismissal and nonchalant attitudes because we hold the ace should stop. We won’t always have all the time we want with people we love and life is too short to harbor hate. My heart went out to people whose bluff I have called and those I’m not treating right at present. What if I don’t see them again? Dear Lord, I need to make up for past follies. I’m sorry I didn’t take some people seriously. I need to make some calls and mend fences right away.

Another lesson from Goldie’s demise: live your life. Goldie didn’t allow others write her script for her. She gave life her best. One single after the other, (and talking about singles this particular one will forever be a classic) appearances at several red carpet events, Big Brother Africa, upcoming reality show etc Goldie didn’t slow down. She gave life her all like she knew she won’t live up to thirty. We all don’t have the promise to live till 80, if you drop dead today, can you confidently say you gave life your best?

Like the rest of us Goldie wasn’t perfect but didn’t deserve the way some people tried to pull her down. She was hustling on the grind of life, trying to make a name for herself like the rest of us. She wasn’t perfect just like the rest of us with many skeletons in our cupboards. Yet, some people were busy moving from one blog to another knocking her hustle. Now, that she’s gone are you happy?

Goldie, continue to rest in peace. We all owe death but so sad that he showed up too early at your doorstep.

May God comfort your parents, siblings, hubby and loved ones

————————-

Samuel Olatunji is a foremost entertainment journalist; now CEO of Bigsam Media and Editor-in-Chief of Icampus Newspaper and the website: www.ientertainmentng.com.

2013-02-06T14:15:00.001+01:00

Air hostess sacked after picture showing her giving passengers the "finger" goes viral on twitter.

Flight attendant Tatiana Kozlenko worked for Russian airline Aeroflot
She posted the picture on social networking site Vkontakte
Image then went viral after being reTweeted hundreds of times on Twitter
Ms Kozlenko claims it isn't her in the picture, which appears to show the arm of an air hostess giving the finger to a cabin full of passengers

By Suzannah Hills

PUBLISHED: 23:00 GMT, 5 February 2013 | UPDATED: 07:46 GMT, 6 February 2013

An air hostess who posted a picture of herself giving her passengers the finger has been sacked by Aeroflot airline bosses in Russia after it ended up on Twitter.

Flight attendant Tatiana Kozlenko put the snap up on her personal page on Vkontakte, one of Russia's most popular Facebook-style social networks.

Within hours the snap - which appears to show the arm of an air hostess giving the finger to an airplane cabin full of passengers - had clocked up dozens of 'likes'.

Sacked: Air hostess Tatiana Kozlenko, pictured left, has been fired by Russian airline Aeroflot after posting a picture online that appears to show a flight attendant giving the finger to a cabin full of passengers, right

But the image then went viral after it was posted on Twitter and reTweeted by hundreds of users.

Aeroflot airline bosses soon found out about the photo and fired Ms Kozlenko.

Aeroflot - who announced the sacking on their Twitter account - said: 'Posting this photo shows Tatiana’s attitude towards passengers and her duties. She acknowledged her fault when she spoke to her managers.'

But Ms Kozlenko claims it isn't her arm in the snap - or even one of her her airline's planes.

She admitted that she tagged herself in the photo, which doesn't show anyone's face - but claims it isn't her.

'I don’t consider myself guilty! The photo was added to my page, I only tagged myself on it!!! The hand isn’t mine, the plane is not my company’s!!! I don’t understand what they spoil my life for!!! I’m asking you for help and support!!' she said on her Vkontakte page.

Axed: Aeroflot bosses fired Ms Kozlenko after the image went viral on the internet (stock image)

Ms Kozlenko is not the first to get in trouble over making the gesture.

In similar fashion a teenager by the name of Penelope Soto (pictured below) was jailed for thirty days after sticking her finger up at a judge during sentencing yesterday.

Soto - who was in court after being arrested for drug possession - made the gesture after Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat doubled the amount of her bond.

As a result she was hauled back in front of the judge and given a jail sentence for contempt of court.

Another woman was forced to apologize after an image of her flashing her middle finger at Arlington National Cemetery (can u imagine!!!!) sparked widespread disgust across the web and prompted an online petition to get the woman fired from her job.

Lindsey Stone posted the picture of herself making the obscene gesture at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, next to a sign at the military cemetery that asks for 'Silence and Respect,' in October and the snapshot quickly went viral.

Stone issued an apology for the picture calling her gesture a 'visual pun' and saying she now realizes the picture 'was in incredibly poor taste'.

: @dextereous1 on Twitter |

2013-02-06T13:04:00.001+01:00

Doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter after German porn star 'Sexy Cora' died during sixth breast enlargement surgery

Carolin Wosnitza, 23, had a heart attack during her sixth breast op
Anesthesiologist, 56, failed to ensure porn star had enough oxygen
Hamburg doctor received a 15-month suspended sentence

By Kerry Mcdermott

PUBLISHED: 18:18 GMT, 5 February 2013 | UPDATED: 07:51 GMT, 6 February 2013

A doctor has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter following the death of a porn star who suffered a heart attack while undergoing her sixth breast enlargement operation.

German Carolin Wosnitza, 23, who performed under the stage name 'Sexy Cora', died after going under the knife to boost her breasts from a size 34F to a 34G.

An anaesthesiologist was today found guilty at a court in Hamburg of failing to ensure Ms Wosnitza had enough oxygen during the surgery in 2011.

Sexy Cora': The 23-year-old died following an operation to boost her breasts from a size 34F to a 34G

'Sexy Cora': The 23-year-old died following an operation to boost her breasts from a size 34F to a 34G

The 56 year old female doctor, known only as M.F., was given a 15-month suspended sentence after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter, the dpa news agency reported.

During the trial M.F. had told the court she took responsibility for the porn star's death, it said.

Mrs Wosnitza, who appeared on the German version of reality show Big Brother, was put into an induced coma following serious complications during her breast enhancement surgery two years ago.

Her family were called to the hospital in Hamburg, north Germany, where they were told she had been without oxygen for a period of 15 minutes during the operation, and was in a 'serious condition'.

The heavily tattooed adult actress died nine days later, and an investigation was launched into the clinic.

A judge at Hamburg district court described the events that unfolded at the clinic as 'a nightmare', according to thelocal.de.

'Nightmare': A judge said the anesthesiologist had made a 'unique, albeit terrible, mistake'

Rejecting calls to ban the anesthesiologist from practicing in the future, the judge told her the incident was 'a unique, albeit terrible mistake that you made'.

He said she had failed to correctly monitor the 23-year-old's breathing, and that a long period elapsed before she realized there was a problem.

The judge also criticized conditions at the clinic where the botched surgery took place.

Mrs Wosnitza's widower had claimed the doctor turned off the alarm on the breathing monitor during his wife's surgery to avoid being distracted.

2013-01-17T14:48:00.000+01:00

So Why Did France Invade Mali Anyway?

Expert says France fights to protect Europe's 'backyard'

By Paul D. Shinkman

Malian soldiers, helped by French troops, move a broken helicopter out a hangar to make room for more incoming troops at Bamako's airport.

The French military action in Mali serves not only to keep the unstable African nation from falling under the yoke of Islamic extremist rule, but also to keep terrorists out of France and Europe's front yard, analysts say.

France has deployed thousands of ground troops to reinforce aerial strikes that began on Friday, in an attempt to quell a coalition of disparate extremist groups approaching the capital city from the north. The insurgents' progress has startled some experts who did not think they would already seize territory within 200 miles of Bamako.

The goal of pushing back the northern fighters is clear, but how it will be accomplished remains very uncertain. Other countries in West Africa are still trying to determine their role in the efforts to keep Mali from toppling, and France, the former colonial master of Mali, itself faces internal disputes over the next step in their strategy.

"[The extremists'] ultimate goal is to establish Mali as an Islamic state," says Morgan Roach, research analyst with the Heritage Foundation. "It would provide them with a base to not only carry out and recruit, but train as well as launch international terrorist attacks."

"[The French] have an interest in Mali, and they have colonial ties to Mali. They consider this their backyard and a threat to France and Europe," she adds.

Reconfiguring the country as a terrorist base would likely not happen quickly, but is possible barring outside intervention, Roach says. Former Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure failed to turn over the government to any kind of civilian rule before he was ousted last March in coup d'etat, leaving the country vulnerable to power grabs.

Preventing total governmental collapse is "absolutely critical to stop the offensive of terrorist groups," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Tuesday.

MALIAN Police forces patrolling the town of bamako after an air raid by the french airforce

The rebel fighters are a motley crew comprised of three primary groups. Ansar al Din is an Islamist group led by Iyad Ag Ghaly, a former Malian diplomat with experience to posts such as Saudi Arabia. Ag Ghaly is a Tuareg, the Berber nomadic tribe found throughout Saharan regions of North Africa. He is connected to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a mostly Arab affiliate of the terrorist network based in North Africa. AQIM also has close ties with the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, comprised of largely of sub-Saharan Africans.

Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Tuesday these groups pose a serious threat worldwide.

"[AQIM] and Al-Shabaab continue to sow instability and exploit safe havens in Mali, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, destabilizing societies and obstructing the delivery of vital humanitarian relief to millions in need," she said at a Security Council briefing.

"Terrorist groups continue to adapt, evolving into criminal entrepreneurs, engaging in trafficking and other illicit activities to finance their operations," Rice added.

The U.N. Security Council on Monday backed France's military action.

As for whether France's response will be effective, it's too early to tell, Heritage's Roach says.

"They're not off to a good start, considering Diabaly was taken, despite aerial bombardment," she says. The small town less than 200 miles northeast of Bamako was the target of French aerial strikes. Intense clashes between al Qaeda-linked extremists and Malian and French ground troops began there Thursday morning, BBC reports.

"They have an uphill battle. They need to fight back this coalition of Islamic groups, and then, 'What then?' " she says.

The Economic Community of West African States has not yet reached a consensus on how to deploy African forces to support the mission, which was supposed to begin later this year.

Newly elected French President Francois Hollande said in a press conference Tuesday that troops would remain in Mali until the country is safe and stable, though the French foreign minister said the engagement would only last for a matter of weeks.

Public support in France remains high for the mission. Almost two-thirds of the country support it, according to a Monday poll by the French Institute of Public Opinion, reported by the Christian Science Monitor.

But Roach questions how long that will stand, particularly if French troops start taking casualties.

The best case scenario involves a long, two-pronged approach, she says, of fighting off the Islamic militants as they hide among civilians, and push them back to arid, sparsely populated northern Mali.

A successful military campaign would have to be followed by resurrecting the Malian government to a state where it can defend itself.

This is an optimistic appraisal versus the worst outcome, of the French and Malians losing control of Bamako to the rebel fighters and Mali becomes under de facto Islamic extremist control.

The most likely situation, says Roach, is a combination of the two. Most of the fighters will be pushed back into the north, but some will remain blended in the civilian population. They won't be able to advance, but they also can't be pushed back.

It could lead to an eventual stalemate, she says. "I don't think this is going anywhere any time soon. The troops are very well dug in and for now, at least, they are unified and working together."

Japheth Omojuwa: For bloggers only – Part 1

2013-01-16T17:50:00.001+01:00

‘So yes, if you have a real job and make a living off that I am glad for you. There are folks who don’t even have any’

This article is for bloggers who want to make a living out of the art (including me, fact is I am sick and tired of my boss breathing down my neck about deadlines and all). Moriyon (and thats not me in the pic, its Mr Omojuwa)

I will say some things here that may portray me as proud but what has to be said has to be said. My attention has been drawn to what bloggers are about and what they are not based on the perception of some folks who feel we should get real jobs. I have ignored too many articles about the essence and importance of bloggers in the Nigerian political and social system. I ignored these articles because I believe a footballer’s best answer for his critics is to play better. In essence, a blogger’s best answer for his or her critics is to blog better, make more money and have more influence.

Nigerians are a unique people. We have a box in our heads of what a real job should or should not be. I have read tweets and comments from people who say things like “go and get a real job.” I checked the profile of one of those, and I found out he worked in a bank. That’s a real dream job for many Nigerians. I am first to admit that blogging is not a real job, but I never wanted a real job so I am fine. I could decide to work from my toilet seat on a Monday morning if I so desire. I could even decide not to bother at all after all I pay folks to post materials on my blog. I know a blogger who turns in at least N4 million per month. I don’t turn in that much every month but I am not in anyway far from that. Not only can I afford to take care of my own bills, I cater to the bills of numerous others. Last year blogging took me to four continents, made me earn money in at least 5 major currencies and I still do and will always do!

Let me assure you, if you really love blogging and you are willing to wait the period it takes to be regarded and to get the hits, it really does pay. I saw @Olorisupergal for the first time last April and she has grown in leaps and bounds since then. She not only gets free tickets to major events – I know many can afford them but “free” always feels good – she gets paid to talk about them. I should not tell you about Linda Ikeji beyond saying she’d buy that banker I mentioned earlier at least 20 times over every month. Of course it took her years – about 4 – to get a dime from blogging but today there is a chance she won’t have space for you if you don’t go early enough to pay for your space on her blog.

I do not blog for money. But I make money from blogging. This is just an aspect of a whole. The other part of the whole is that I get to speak about what I do all over the world. Later this year I’ll be on a tour of Europe and I got so busy speaking about this thing I had to employ more hands. The reason is because I love speaking and I love seeing the world. I will always blog. When they abuse us bloggers as not having real jobs, they are speaking from the point of our parents who saw musicians, footballers, photographers, make-up artistes e.t.c as nobodies. Today, our parents know better. If Bloggers are not there yet, that’s because we need more of you to redefine your game and up the ante.

So yes, if you have a real job and make a living off that I am glad for you. There are folks who don’t even have any. This is how you a blogger should answer those who tell you to get a real job; keep doing what you do, keep doing it in your own unique way, if you must copy anyone do not forget to add your own touch and personality. Be different because that’s what sells. Be brave, be real and be you. Bloggers are bosses!

Coined from http://www.ynaija.com/japheth-omojuwa-for-bloggers-only-part-1-y-frontpage/

2012-12-05T17:24:00.001+01:00

Tragedy as woman with debilitating sexual arousal disorder that made her orgasm up to 50 times in a row commits suicide

Gretchen Molannen, 39, suffered from persistent genital arousal for 16 years
She committed suicide a day after paper published her story
Condition meant it was impossible to work
Turned down for disability twice
Appealed on Craigslist for a free MRI scan so she could prove condition to judge
Attempted suicide three times in the last year

By Rachel Quigley

PUBLISHED: 23:50 GMT, 4 December 2012 | UPDATED: 15:49 GMT, 5 December 2012

A woman who suffered from a debilitating condition where she had constant, uncontrollable orgasms has committed suicide after years of battling her affliction.

Gretchen Molannen, 39, was found dead in her home in Spring Hill, Florida, over the weekend from an apparent suicide.

She had suffered from persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) for more than a decade-and-a-half.

The condition means the afflicted are physically but not psychologically aroused and can often only find relief after masturbating for hours upon end.

It is unclear how or when the 39-year-old died. The Hernando County Sheriff’s office responded to a suicide call on Saturday night and two of her friends confirmed it.

The Tampa Bay Times had done a profile on Ms Molannen only a week before, speaking to her about her debilitating disorder.

'I had such a different life before this thing, this beast, took over. I was terrified, I couldn't get unaroused.
I used to love life but this has destroyed it. This isn't living, so what's the point?'

‘I had such a different life before this thing, this beast, took over,’ she said in November. Ms Molannen explained that she began feeling the sensation when she was 23, describing that it was like a switch she couldn’t turn off.

'I used to love life. But this has destroyed it. This isn't living. What's the point? I think about suicide all the time,' she said.

One of the only forms of relief came from masturbating for hours on end, something that Ms Molannen, a Lutheran, found as a point of shame.

Though she had aspirations of working as a translator as she is fluent in French, German and Spanish, her condition meant that she had to take odd jobs, because she had to deal with the physical demands of PGAD.

But, having to relieve herself almost constantly, she stopped working in 1999 and started spending most of the time in her bedroom with her vibrator.

'I was terrified,' she said. 'I couldn't get unaroused. I didn't know what to do.'

Her distress over the condition made her attempt suicide three times in the past year.

'I know that God wants more out of my life than having me testing out suicide methods, constantly crying and abusing myself,' she said.

She tragically revealed to the paper she had been molested for years by a neighbor, who said she was being punished for being bad. She wondered if that had anything to do with it?

THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY: WHAT IS PGAD?

Persistent genital arousal disorder is a fairly recent phenomenon, first described in medical literature in 2001.

Sufferers describe symptoms as only physical arousal. Women who have the disorder say that they experience symptoms that are intense and incredibly uncomfortable.

Some women may temporarily lesson the symptoms by masturbating and reaching orgasm, though it is an ephemeral relief system. Treatment ranges from psychotherapy to various medications.

Doctors don't agree what causes it but do agree on how debilitating it is.

Women have described getting it after falling over, childbirth, menopause and coming off anti-depressants.

She had a boyfriend, who emailed the Times after her original story was published, saying the article ‘won’t help her now’ because she had killed herself.

They had sex around four times a year, the Times said, because it caused Ms Molannen hours of agony afterward. She agreed to it in a bid for physical intimacy.

Unable to hold down any full-time employment. Ms Molannen said she tried to file for disability twice, and was twice denied.

Because of this, the boyfriend had paid her taxes so she could keep her parents’ house.

Her worst day, she said, was when she had 50 uncontrolled orgasms in a row.

‘It made me think I was going to die,’ she told the newspaper. 'That was the worst day.'

Describing the first time she felt it, Ms Molannen said she thought it was just a hormonal change women went through that they didn't talk about, so she suffered in silence for ten years.

'I noticed something wasn't right any more but thought maybe I'll grow out of it. So I waited and waited - its been almost 16 years and I'm still waiting.'

Describing the orgasms she experiences, she said: 'All the feelings that people have when they are aroused, they're there. The genital congestion, throbbing pulsating, heart pounding, it's all there but the difference is tremendous anxiety - anxiety which is devastating and traumatizing.

'I try to tell myself it's not real and just ignore it. Sometimes I can resist it and sometimes I just can't.'

Breaking down in tears she told the Times: 'I had no idea other people were going through this

'I wish I could have told my mom and even my dad about it. I wish I could have told my parents' friends I wasn't in my room wasting my life away.'

The paper found her after she posted an ad on Craigslist seeking help at the beginning of the year. She wanted someone to give her a free MRI scan so she could prove her condition to a judge.

Tragically, after the story was published - and after she had committed suicide - a number of people reached out to the paper to offer their help.

According to the Journal of Sex and Marriage Therapy, any number of events or medications can trigger the disorder, including going off antidepressants, starting menopause, and even a bad fall.

It is unclear how many women suffer from the disease, but experts estimate it to be in the thousands.

IN HER OWN WORDS: THE RELENTLESS, HORRIBLE AROUSAL THAT WON'T SUBSIDE

'The arousal won't let up. It will not subside. It will not relent. One O-R-G will lead you directly into the horrible intense urge, like you're already next to having another one. So you just have to keep going.

'I mean, on my worst night I had 50 in a row. I can't even stop to get a drink of water. And you're in so much pain. You're soaking in sweat. Every inch of your body hurts. Your heart is pounding so hard.

'You have to ignore it, Gretchen. YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. STOP NOW. Just let your body calm down. Many times, I've tried that.

'I'd be as far as in the bathroom, going in for my reward shower. I'm done. Now it's time to clean up and relax. And I'd look at myself in the mirror and there it is again. And I'd throw myself on the floor and cry.

'Men don't understand it. They don't care. They think it's hot...When I describe it to men, I tell them, "Imagine having an erection that does not go down, that feeling of just before it comes out, all day, all night, no matter how many times, no matter how much you've destroyed the skin on your penis".

'It won't let you calm down. You can't go to sleep. You think you are going to have a heart attack. You think you are going to die.'

Source: Tampa Bay Times

39 year old Lady commits suicide after 16 years of debilitating sexual arousal disorder

2012-12-05T17:20:00.001+01:00

Ruthless Roman will never be satisfied

2012-11-27T19:33:00.001+01:00

The only real surprise is what took him so long. Why wait until November when he should have acted immediately after that night in Munich in May?

Even as the glitter of victory fell from the sky, had Roman Abramovich told Roberto Di Matteo that he didn't think he was good enough to manage Chelsea then at least it would have given ample demonstration of what we now know: there is nothing anyone can do to please the owner.

And there were we thinking that for a manager to survive in the Stamford Bridge dug out what he needed to do was win the Champions League. That was the thing the owner craved. That was, after all, what he had bought the club for: so that he could offer drinks on his yacht from the largest trophy in world football.

But no, now we discover not even that is enough. Over the years Abramovich has got rid of the great (Jose Mourinho) and the useless (Felipe Scolari and Avram Grant). He has got rid of those who won the double (Carlo Ancelotti) and those who never really had long enough to prove whether they were any good or not (Ande Villas-Boas and Claudio Ranieri). Now he has got rid of the man who delivered the one trophy none of the others could. Now he has got rid of the man who was carefully, skilfully and with great speed rebuilding the team into one of grace, technique and huge possibility.

But then what did we expect? Abramovich has taken his managerial approach to a new level. He lives by the knee jerk. He is the game's finest proponent of Tourette's sacking. If in doubt, defenestrate has long been his business model. And it served him well in the wild west capitalism of his homeland.

He didn't build his businesses. He acquired them by acting quicker and more decisively than anyone else. He was in the right place at the right time. And he has subsequently maintained them not by careful building as such, but by continuing to keep one step ahead.

Besides, he would argue — if he could be bothered to engage anyone in such argument — that managerial continuity may be enough for those old fashioned institutions like Arsenal, Everton and Manchester United, but Chelsea have continued to win despite all the blood on the floor and the pay-offs in the negative columns of the accounts.

Conservative observers may believe that the manager is the most important figure at any football club, but Abramovich is having none of that. He is the man who counts. Managers are simply there to be dismissed.

It is a dismal methodology that sadly, given the huge financial backing he can bring, shows no sign of abating. Never mind that Di Matteo was a good man, steeped in the culture of Chelsea, who behaved at all times with dignity and common sense. Never mind that he had established a pattern of play as bright and optimistic as any in the club's history. Never mind that the fans found in him a proper figure around whom they could gather.

He was simply never going adequately to second guess what the owner wanted. And the owner was never going to tell him. So when Chelsea lost to Juventus and he said it was his fault, obviously he had to go. That's the Abramovich logic.

It's the logic of the junkie, in which the next fix is the sole object of importance on the horizon. So what is the next fix for Abramovich? Clearly he would like some of that high grade Pep Guardiola. But the Spaniard is a man fully aware of his own mystique. He would be wary of jeopardising his place in the history of the game by engaging in a battle which he simply cannot win.

He knows he would be sacked by Chelsea simply because everyone is. And judging by what happened to Di Matteo, managerial life expectancy at the Bridge seems to be shrinking. Within months of his arrival at the club the rumours would begin: Guardiola had lost the dressing room, the senior players didn't like his approach, he was failing to get the best out of Fernando Torres. And once they start, a manager cannot retrieve his position. He will be gone within weeks.

So who will Abramovich go for? Rafa Benitez? Why not? He may not be the best there is out there, he may be loathed by the regular Chelsea goer for his Liverpool connections, but he was the last manager who got anything out of Abramovich's vanity purchase Torres. Which seems to be what counts in Abramovich's private box.

In any case, it doesn't really matter whether he is good enough for the job or not. One thing we know after the ridiculous removal of Roberto Di Matteo: whatever he does, the new man won't be around for long.

Envy of David Beckham remains a curiously British thing

2012-11-27T19:21:00.001+01:00

If David Beckham is considering returning to England for the final furlong of a career that has exceeded his own expectations, no matter how ridiculous they were during his formative years in Manchester United's youth system, he would be advised to leave the missus at home on match days.

It would not take much for the great thinkers of our time to dust down the old songbooks about Posh's apparent preferences, a litany of air-polluting tunes that reached a crescendo at the same time Beckham was England captain and rejoicing in his trademark wide berth representing Manchester United in the early part of the noughties.

Much of the derision Beckham continues to attract lies only in his native country, which is a shame but symptomatic of the way Britain has treated its most successful sportsmen over the years. And talent, some will argue. It is too simplistic to say he was not liked because he played for United. Build 'em up to knock 'em down has always been an unfortunate strand of thinking in this country's collective psyche.

Beckham was subjected to some rancid criticism by the media, and not just the red tops, when he was sent off for aiming a sly kick at the Argentina player Diego Simeone during a 2-2 draw at the 1998 World Cup finals. England lost on penalties and England fans lost the plot, some characters crazily laying the blame of their country's demise solely at the feet of the young Beckham.

Effigies were burnt and death threats made as Beckham became a pariah in his home country. Like in the aftermath of Princess Diana's death, it was a time when people happily abandoned their senses.

Beckham never quite followed in the footsteps of P.G. Wodehouse. He recovered handsomely and remains a patriot, which says enough about his character, but 'Brand Beckham' continues to prompt a polarised debate in this country despite being one of its most successful exports. He seems to be reviled and revered in equal measure.

Of course, the British like their winners in sport. But they like them with flaws. There is nothing this country likes more than a fallen champion. Men like Alex Higgins, Ricky Hatton, Paul Gascoigne and Frank Bruno remain popular in sporting folklore because they somehow make folk feel even with life. Much of it is down to their ability to self-implode. These are very human frailties which Beckham has never possessed, in public at least. It tends to leave him as a figure of envy.

The fact that Beckham married a pop singer, is rich, successful, easy on the eye and British, brings out the old green-eyed monster in some people who are quick to make statements about him being an ego-driven footballer of average talent. All of which is complete balderdash.

I remember having an argument about Beckham being as effective as Ryan Giggs. I was quick to make the point that a player did not need to drift past several men to bewitch audiences. Beckham could do the damage with one swing of his right boot. Bend It Like Beckham? What other footballer has a film title dedicated to their shenanigans with a ball and pair of trusty Predators?

Beckham may not be jet-heeled, but his game has been built on his use of the ball, delectable crossing, stamina and utter professionalism. It was never founded on drifting by opponents.

For a supposed "average" player, Beckham has done it all in football. He won six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and the Champions League with United. He lifted the Spanish title and Super Cup with Real Madrid. He snagged the Major League Soccer Cup with Los Angeles Galaxy. Throw in a couple of loan spells with AC Milan, and it is all good.

He won 115 England caps, but was decried as a publicity hunter by some hacks when he announced his decision to depart his post as England captain in a teary speech after the World Cup finals in 2006. Newspaper sales have been boosted by his very being, yet the same organs mocked him.

There was one truly mind-numbing article regarding Beckham in one of the broadsheets a few years ago that stuck out like the free-kick he walloped in against Greece in helping England reach the 2002 World Cup finals. He was at the time stuck on 99 caps after being initially shunned by the unfortunate national coach Steve McClaren. His failure to pass the century was written about as an example that all men have to accept shortcomings in life.

Of course, McClaren saw the error of his ways when he opted to recall Beckham because nobody could bend it like him in England's green and pleasant lands.

Becks has helped to sell the game in America more than Pele managed in the 1970s. That may be due to new media and the world becoming a global village. Much of it is down to the individual.

Football in America will miss Beckham when LA is no longer his lady. "There is no doubt that the MLS is far more popular and important here and abroad than it was when he arrived," said the MLS commissioner Don Garber last night.

Beckham could have chucked it long before now. He could have followed his old United companion Lee Sharpe onto celebrity Love Island, but his love of the game should only be admired.

He would lift the profile of the game in Australia, but it may be too much of a sleepy hollow for him to pen the final tune of his grand opus.

Victoria Beckham once said that her husband was the "good looking one" in their relationship, but the ongoing midfielder's relationship with football remains as much a marriage of fascination.

At the age of 37, his longevity should be applauded amid a life of distraction. It is just a shame that Beckham has received a warmer welcome elsewhere, most notably in the US, Spain and Italy, than in his homeland. Whatever he tries next in the game, he should stay clear of England.

By Eurosport | Desmond Kane – Tue, Nov 20, 2012

As a wave of player withdrawals decimate the leading nations, why has international duty gone from glamorous honour to annoying chore?

2012-11-13T13:31:00.003+01:00

By Dan Ripley

PUBLISHED: 17:02 GMT, 12 November 2012

There was a time when being called up to represent your nation was a boyhood dream come true and the pinnacle of your football career.

But unless you’re Steven Gerrard and about to join the 100 club this week, it seems that representing your country in international football no longer has quite the glamorous appeal it once had.

Gerrard will need to pass a fitness test before facing Sweden in a friendly on Wednesday but England team-mates Theo Walcott, Wayne Rooney, Aaron Lennon, Kyle Walker and Jonjo Shelvey haven’t even risked it by pulling out of the squad completely.

Not risking it: Wayne Rooney picked up a knock playing for Manchester United at the weekend and withdrew from the England squad to face Sweden on Wednesday

Sorry, Roy... Liverpool's Jonjo Shelvey breaks the news to Roy Hodgson that he won't be involved this week

But it’s not just an England problem, with a wave of international withdrawals decimating squads from other nations. Some player excuses look more suspect than others.

Demba Ba for instance played the full 90 minutes of Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham on Sunday and showed no visible signs of injury. But the striker has pulled out of Senegal’s squad to face Niger on Wednesday along with five other international team-mates.

If you’re Scottish (or English with a few ancestral links north of the border) the chances are you may want to sit by your phone as you could be next in line for a Scotland call-up in a squad managed by caretaker, Billy Stark.

Scotland, who sacked Craig Levein earlier this month, are without nine players from the original squad selected to play in Luxembourg – all of whom play for clubs in England’s Premier League or the Championship. Some would argue the home side may even be favourites now…

Down and out: Demba Ba was disappointed that Newcastle lost to West Ham on Sunday... so much so he withdrew from international duty

Even Europe’s big guns are in on it as Gael Clichy has pulled out of France’s squad to face Italy in Parma with a lower back injury despite playing 90 minutes in Manchester City’s 2-1 win against Tottenham.

Not even the blockbuster clashes are safe, with Germany hit by six absentees for their match with huge rivals, Holland. Miroslav Klose is convinced he cannot overcome a cold by Wednesday while Mesut Ozil’s withdrawal is officially because of ‘muscle problems’ – for what it’s worth that could be a dead arm.

On the positive side it does leave space for players to receive late international call-ups, with Shola Ameobi poised to make his Nigeria debut…although only because Chelsea pair John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses have been given leave by the Nigerian FA.

The 31-year-old who is capped at Under 21 level for England faces a long journey though as Nigeria face Venezuela in Miami. It’s no wonder friendlies take so much flack when you have an African side taking on a South American team in North America – what is the point?

Sniffles: Miroslav Klose scored at a rainy Stadio Olimpico in the Rome Derby on Sunday... but has since withdrawn from international duty with a cold

Believe it or not, friendlies still serve some purpose on the international front from a competitive standpoint.

They ultimately lead to FIFA ranking points, which in fine margins can be the difference between avoiding tougher sides in a major tournament or qualifying group.

To put that into perspective, a win for England on Wednesday could put them up two places to fourth in the world rankings while defeat may leave them as far down as eighth.

Should they make the World Cup in Brazil – that’s going from being a European top seed to a second seed (Brazil currently ranked 13th are automatically seeded top as hosts) so every win in any format does count.

But what does go against international friendlies is their puzzling schedule. Friendlies in the middle of August are incredibly disruptive to a domestic team’s preparation for a new season, while the current bouts of matches take place four months before the next round of UEFA’s World Cup qualifying games (discounting Northern Ireland v Azerbaijan and Macedonia v San Marino).

On leave: John Obi Mikel (left), played for Chelsea on Sunday but has been given leave by the Nigerian FA for this week

In truth the African sides have the Cup of Nations to prepare for in January (which makes Nigeria’s game in Miami even more confusing) but that doesn’t mean European sides have to compete too.

So who should we be blaming for all these international exiles? Should players care more about representing their country, regardless of where and when?

Or are the senseless selected dates of friendlies making it needlessly awkward for the football clubs that pay the players’ wages and nurture their talents?

There is always a place for friendlies but a more sensible solution would be to play them in the build-up to competitive games or in the usual fashion of just before a major tournament.

Ranking points or not, random friendlies are doing no one any favours.

It’s not quite the death of international football just yet but when did a boyhood dream become an annoying chore?

| DailyMail on Facebook

CHELSEA FC ANNOUNCES ANNUAL PROFIT

2012-11-09T13:59:00.001+01:00

Posted on: Fri 09 Nov 2012

Chelsea FC plc today announced a profit of £1.4 million for the year ended 30th June 2012 - the first time the club has made a profit since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003.

Chelsea Football Club has also recorded a record group turnover of £255.7 million, making Chelsea the fifth largest club in Europe in terms of revenue.

This follows the club winning the UEFA Champions League for the first time and the FA Cup for the fourth time in six years - in what was an historic 12 months both on and off the pitch.

The £1.4m profit contrasts with a loss of £67.7m in the previous financial year and puts the club in a strong position to comply with UEFA Financial Fair Play criteria for the coming seasons. In order to compete in European competitions, these require clubs over a fixed period to achieve a break-even figure when expenditure is measured against the income from football-related activities.

The increase in revenues to £255.7m from the previous year's level of £222.3m was in the main due to on-field success, especially in the Champions League. In addition, significant profits (£28.8m) were made in the transfer market. The club also enjoyed an uplift in revenues from commercial activities including new partners and merchandising.

The club also negotiated a deal with BSkyB to acquire its interest in Chelsea Digital Media Ltd (the holder of certain Chelsea media rights). This deal allows the club to have full control of our digital media strategy.

Intergroup debt of £166.6m was capitalised into equity during the course of the year strengthening the balance sheet and making Chelsea FC plc debt free.

The revenue recorded in the latest results follows improved figures the previous two years.

The main figures for the year ended 30 June 2012 were:

· Group turnover was up from £222.3m to £255.7m

· Profit for the financial year was £1.4m compared to a loss of £67.7m.

Chief Executive Ron Gourlay said: 'Our club philosophy is built on success. We had that success on the field this year, as we were the first London team to win the UEFA Champions League, and we enjoyed it off the field as well and this helps us inject financial investment into the team.

'The big challenge is always to have a successful team on the field that wins trophies and to make a profit at the same time. The objectives have been set across the whole business, from the Academy to Under-21s and all the way through to the first team.'

Chairman Bruce Buck added: 'We will never forget that night in Munich and now we are celebrating serious progress off the field too.

'While we draw huge satisfaction from the achievements of the past 12 months we are more than ever focused on continuing the story of on-field success supported by improving financial performance off the pitch.

The reconstruction of Fernando Torres

2012-10-24T15:02:00.000+01:00

Fernando Torres, striker. A man barely alive. We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him more than he was. ~~Better~~...~~stronger~~...~~faster~~...different.

* * *

Do you remember Fernando Torres? No, not the Fernando Torres from earlier this week, or last month, or last year. Do you remember Fernando Torres, scourge of the Premier League? This Fernando Torres?

There's a school of thought that says that Torres came pre-broken when Chelsea committed £100 million to him on January 31st, 2011. And it's true, to an extent -- his raw goalscoring tally had certainly dropped thanks to injuries and overuse. But on the occasions that he did play, he was still the Torres we knew and hated.

A quick, incisive player, the Spanish centre forward was always pushing straight towards the goal. His finishing was instinctive and sublime. He could go past defenders or take advantage of their positioning to make the goalkeeper's life more difficult. He was never much for influencing the game beyond actually scoring goals, but he was always a threat when the ball was near the box, spinning goals from nothing with alarming regularity.

That's the player Roman Abramovich so desperately wanted to steal from Liverpool. It's not the player he received.

We've been treated to a litany of excuses regarding Torres' poor form in a Chelsea shirt. He's still injured. Didier Drogba eats competition. He's not getting enough playing time. His confidence is shattered. He's not geting enough service from his teammates. Some of those ring truer than others, but the simple fact of the matter is that since his move to Stamford Bridge, Torres has been nowhere near as sharp, nowhere near as direct.

Misfiring in his debut is perhaps understandable -- one can only imagine the kind of pressure a player's under facing his old team immediately after a contentious 50 million transfer. The next few matches were less so. The first warning sign came against Fulham, when fellow newcomer David Luiz released the striker with a flamboyant 70-yard through ball.

Those aren't the sort of chances Torres fluffed very often when he was with the Reds. This time, however, he didn't even manage to get a shot off before giving the ball away. Even the best strikers make mistakes, but the miss at Craven Cottage was just the start of a trend. The transfer, which had been little short of earth-shaking when it happened, turned into a joke. Weeks went by, then months, and Torres still hadn't scored. Or looked close to scoring.

Even when he finally broke his Chelsea duck against West Ham, it was hardly convincing, assisted as it was by a convenient puddle. And by that point the 'has Torres scored a goal yet?' saga had turned into a farce. His second strike for Chelsea came against Manchester United in a match better known for The Miss, and his third was quickly overshadowed by a red card in that same half.

To cut a long and fairly sad story short, Torres wasn't scoring goals, nor was he looking like a goalscorer. I was in attendance at Stamford Bridge*(NOT ME, MY SPIRIT) for the final home game of the 2010/11 season, and one of my fellow matchgoers commented to me that 'he looks like an actor playing a footballer'. I couldn't disagree.

*A rare treat for an expatriate.

And when Torres isn't scoring -- old Torres, at least -- he's pretty terrible. He was never good at any of the other things you expect from a footballer. His passing was only ok, his movement only useful insomuch as his very presence would terrify the opposition and force them to compromise their organisation to track him.

That meant that Chelsea Torres, the one not scoring goals, began his career as one of the Premier League's more useless players. He was bringing basically nothing to the team, and although the fans were still behind him it was abundantly clear that Chelsea were better off using, well, anyone else.

None of Carlo Ancelotti, Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto di Matteo have succeeded in reinstating Torres' abilities as a pure scorer. The early returns this year are promising (especially the finishes for his goals against Newcastle United and Arsenal), but nothing to put real stock in just yet.

There's no much use speculating just what's going on in a footballer's head, but an awful lot of the time it seems as though Torres is trying far too hard to be, well, Torres. When he doesn't have time to think, he does some astonishing things -- the long-range shot against Aston Villa, the overhead kick against Sunderland, that volley against the post for Juan Mata's goal against Wigan. But when he does... well, can get pretty ugly.

While Torres still doesn't look like the sort of player who can get you 25-30 goals a season, however, the rest of his game is vastly improved. Against Nordsjaelland on Tuesday, the striker lead the team in a hugely aggressive pressing game, winning the ball for the opening goal. He also was heavily involved for Chelsea's second and their fourth.

Shaun Botterill - Getty Images

During his Liverpool days, Torres' highest assist count was five. He more than doubled that last year with the Blues, notching twelve as he started to wander flank to flank and actually get involved in the play. It's a markedly different style to the one he's used to, but he can no longer simply coast on a skill that he doesn't have. He wasn't pulling his weight -- still isn't pulling his weight, probably -- but he's slowly turning into a much more well-rounded player.

This experiment is still in its early days. Torres comes along in fits and starts, is prone to vanishing with alarming regularity and still isn't worth anything like what Chelsea paid for him. But it's progress, and if the club can squeeze some value from their record signing despite the fact that he forgot how to play football when he arrived here... well, we've got him anyway, so might as well try.

And if, on the off chance that this scoring renaissance is legitimate (I have my doubts, but your mileage may vary) -- Torres has scored four times in the past eight matches, after all -- then we suddenly have a striker who's a better all-around player than the one who arrived at Stamford Bridge 21 months ago.

By Graham MacAree

Gathering Storm: America and China in 2020

2012-10-18T13:22:00.002+01:00

Ian Bremmer

Each week adds a new item to the growing list of grievances between the United States and China. The value of China’s currency, arms to Taiwan, human rights in Tibet, carbon emissions, military spending, sanctions on Iran, cyber attacks, and, of course, North Korea have all made headlines in the past few months. But there are far more profound problems that tend to get covered up by this landslide of daily disagreement, problems that raise the specter of a new kind of cold war. The most fundamental is Beijing’s newfound belief that there has been a substantial shift in the balance of power within its relationship with America, and that the United States is no longer indispensable to China’s development. Added to that is China’s deepening commitment to a state-driven form of capitalism that increasingly pits the two counties in a zero-sum competition for resources and wealth.

There is still considerable mutual dependence in U.S.-Chinese relations, grounded mainly in the complex commercial ties of the two nations. But there are also risks that are more dangerous for Washington than anything produced by the long U.S.-Soviet stalemate. The Berlin Wall separated East and West, but it also acted as a kind of shock absorber, ensuring that economic bankruptcy on the Communist side had little impact on the freer world. There is no such buffer between China and the United States. The financial crisis of the past twenty months has produced significant aftershocks in China. And in the coming decade, economic developments inside China will have profound implications for America’s financial well-being—and, therefore, its security.
The risk of an intensifying cycle of recrimination between the two sides is increasing; such a cycle could take on a life of its own, growing beyond the ability of the two governments to contain it. To manage this risk, U.S. policymakers should find every available means over the next decade to ensure that American economic and military power remains indispensable to China’s rise, a strategy that will require considerable patience, political maturity, and more than a little good luck. But they must also enlist friends and allies to ensure that where U.S. and Chinese interests diverge, it is the latter, not the former, that ends up isolated.

F or three decades, Washington and Beijing have defied predictions of an inevitable conflict, mainly because American power has helped support China’s rise by providing customers for its exports, predictability in East Asian security, and protection for international sea-lanes—and because China’s success has created lucrative long-term opportunities for American companies and provided low-cost products for U.S. consumers. In the late 1970s, the Chinese leadership began to experiment with capitalism and to slowly open the country to trade and investment. The massacre in Tiananmen Square in June 1989 put plans for expanded commercial ties on hold, and, as European Communism began to implode later that year and the Soviet empire collapsed in 1991, China’s hard-liners, fearing a similar loss of political control, slowed the drive for market liberalization. But in 1992, an increasingly frail Deng Xiaoping put market reform back on track with his “southern tour” of China’s special economic zones, the enclaves of managed capitalism his government had opened to foreign investment years before. In the 1990s, Jiang Zemin used the momentum Deng had created to accelerate China’s development as an export powerhouse and a magnet for Western investment.
Champions of market reform within the Chinese leadership used the collapse of European Communism as a different sort of cautionary tale by making the case that only by delivering on the promise of an ever-rising standard of living could Beijing succeed where Moscow had failed, allowing the leadership to maintain its monopoly on domestic political power. Mikhail Gorbachev had tried to invigorate the Soviet economy by reforming Soviet politics. China’s leaders attacked the problem from the other side, reforming the economy to ensure long-term political stability. China’s own experience had proven that no state can simply mandate growth. The creation of jobs meant empowering manufacturers to sell products to those who could afford to buy them by winning access to consumers in the world’s largest markets—America, Europe, and Japan. It meant welcoming foreign companies and investors on an unprecedented scale. It meant an irreversible drive toward capitalism that has only intensified in the years since this strategy was put in place.
The 1990s marked an important shift in China’s relations with America. As a candidate for president, Bill Clinton had denounced China’s leaders as “butchers” in the aftermath of Tiananmen Square. Once in office, he acknowledged the unique power of trade with China to fuel U.S. growth. American manufacturers won access to low-cost Chinese labor and the world’s most promising new market, and the flood of Chinese imports provided Americans with newly affordable consumer products that helped keep inflation in check. In March 2000, Clinton signed legislation that granted China “permanent normal trade relations.” The U.S.-Chinese trade relationship had become too big to fail.
To fuel the next phase of China’s growth, the party committed in the late 1990s to a policy known as “Go Out,” a concerted state push to send Chinese companies abroad to establish new trade ties and to lock up long-term supplies of the energy and other commodities on which future economic growth would depend. In 2001, China formalized its commercial ambitions by joining the World Trade Organization, a commitment that gave Beijing all the more reason to value American power and Washington’s willingness to use it. Developing trade and investment relationships with potentially volatile emerging states in Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America—and depending more than ever on sending tanker traffic through troubled waters—exposed China to unprecedented levels of foreign political risk. America’s role as global policeman helped open and maintain trade routes and sea-lanes for Chinese companies. Expanded access to American purchasing power helped China’s economy create millions of jobs. In short, by protecting China’s hard-won gains and allowing it to build a capitalist future on a solid foundation, American power—hard and soft—proved indispensable for China’s expansion, and China’s growth kept America’s good times rolling.
China’s commitment to foreign trade and investment has generated an astounding three decades of double-digit growth, a trend impressive enough to inspire some to believe that it just might last forever. Western firms, large and small, are now banking on the promise of steady long-term profits as China develops what is expected to become the largest middle class in history. This investment boom has also lifted a fast-growing number of Chinese companies onto the commercial playing field, inside China and around the world.
Yet over the past several years, China’s leadership has also been forced to embrace the natural volatility and often toxic side effects that come with decades of hypertrophied growth in a developing country. Rapid industrialization has done enormous environmental damage, displaced huge numbers of people, and widened wealth gaps between increasingly affluent coastal cities and the slower-to-develop interior. Among the results has been an annual spike in the number of large-scale public protests across the country. To engineer a more “harmonious” economic expansion, President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao have crafted a more direct state role in managing capitalist growth, one that allows the political bureaucracy much greater control over how and where jobs are created, to whom and how much banks lend money, and which companies dominate strategically important economic sectors. In other words, certain that command economies are doomed to fail but fearful that truly free markets will spin out of control, the leadership has invented something new: state capitalism with Chinese characteristics.
Beijing continues to rely on a wide variety of state-owned companies in several economic sectors to secure long-term access to the resources China will need to feed future growth, to develop China’s technological prowess, and to create jobs in decades to come. China’s finance ministry has reported that state companies produced $3.3 trillion in sales in 2009, about seventy percent of the country’s GDP.
The bureaucracy uses select privately owned companies to dominate key industries. They use sovereign wealth funds, created from the country’s enormous reserves of foreign currency, to direct huge flows of capital. In sum, China’s political leaders are using markets to create wealth that can be used to maximize state control of the next phase of the country’s development—and their own chances of political survival. This is a form of capitalism in which the state uses markets primarily for political gain. It is a model that has so far proven strikingly successful.

The financial crisis and global recession have given that model a new sheen—and shifted the balance of power in U.S.-Chinese relations. The international market meltdown hit China only indirectly, but had a dramatic impact nonetheless. Its banks were not exposed to the contagion as much as Western financial institutions were, but a loss of purchasing power in America, Europe, and Japan sharply reduced demand for Chinese products, led to enormous overproduction in China, and temporarily cost millions of Chinese their jobs. Beijing moved quickly to stop the bleeding with a massive stimulus package, directing hundreds of billions of dollars through state-controlled lenders to state-owned companies for use on large-scale, job-creating infrastructure products. The robust recovery that followed has further persuaded the leadership that state capitalism heals the wounds inflicted by under-regulated free markets.
Put bluntly, China’s leaders no longer believe that American power is indispensable for their country’s prosperity—or their own long-term political survival. The financial crisis has underlined the risk that China has accepted in relying on exports to developed states for economic growth. This has increased the urgency with which the leadership works to build domestic demand for Chinese products. Chinese officials have made news in recent months with the occasional call for the establishment of a new reserve currency to replace the dollar. That cannot happen overnight, but as China reduces its dependence on market conditions in the West, the need to purchase dollars will gradually ease, and much of the reserves will flow toward the purchase of commodities. This is a long-term project and one that will have to be undertaken carefully to ensure that the creative destruction that accompanies this transition does not force so many people out of work at one time that widespread social unrest reaches critical mass.
In addition, now that a growing number of Chinese firms have developed the management, marketing, and technical expertise needed to compete, they increasingly see foreign companies and investors as commercial rivals for local market share. As China’s need for foreign investment wanes, so will the influence of foreign companies, and in a growing number of cases, Chinese companies are already using their new leverage within the political bureaucracy to win advantages and protections that force their competitors onto a less-than-level playing field. In 2009, Coca-Cola was hoping its lead role as a sponsor of the Beijing Olympics the year before would warm official attitudes toward its $2.4 billion bid for the Chinese juice maker Huiyuan. During the negotiation process, Huiyuan owner Zhu Xinli stoked popular anger over the proposal, even as he courted the bid in case the state approved it. The Chinese government ruled that the proposal violated antitrust legislation, and Coke came away empty-handed.
In July 2009, the New York Times published a surprising account of the public backlash inside China against foreign players in the country’s professional basketball league. Just a year earlier, league officials had moved to generate more excitement for Chinese fans by attracting larger numbers of high-talent foreign players, mainly Americans. The league eased restrictions on the amount of money that players could earn and eliminated limits on their playing time. Within one season, the game won a wider audience throughout China. Now the fans want to see Chinese power forwards and shooting guards on the court.
This patriotic pressure has also become a growing problem for foreign companies and investors trying to make a name for themselves within China’s state-dominated system. The state itself now faces unprecedented pressure to satisfy public demand for all kinds of things. Ironically, it is one of globalization’s primary engines, the Internet, that makes this possible. According to a recent report from McKinsey & Company, an international management consultancy, there are now more than three hundred and eighty-four million Chinese online, an increase of fifty percent from 2008. Like Web surfers everywhere, the vast majority of Chinese users appear to spend the vast majority of their time discussing popular culture, their personal lives, and local issues. But in the past two years, the Chinese leadership has repeatedly found itself reacting to waves of angry popular sentiment pushing through Chinese cyberspace. Far from swelling popular demand for pluralist government and better relations with foreign governments, the Internet has on many occasions become an incubator of wounded national pride and demand for a government that better defends China’s interests in the face of Western criticism. This helps explain why, though economic decoupling will take years to accomplish, a process of political decoupling is already well underway.
A growing number of U.S. companies have begun to complain both publicly and privately about the Chinese government’s plan to support homegrown intellectual property via its promotion of “indigenous innovation.” Beyond claims of espionage, high-tech firms in the United States and Europe now charge that China’s policy of favoring products made with domestically created intellectual property in government procurement proves that Beijing has lost interest in even pretending that it will observe international intellectual property rules and maintain a level playing field for foreign firms throughout the next several years.
American media continue to cover the recent story of the hacking of Google as if the crux of the conflict is a dispute over cyber attacks, censorship, and state persecution of dissidents. All those issues are important, but Google’s battle with China is also about the market dominance of Baidu, Google’s primary Chinese rival. Baidu already holds larger Chinese market share than Google. If the American firm leaves or is forced out, Baidu will be the beneficiary. In fact, Baidu represents all the Chinese companies that have developed the skills and market muscle to compete with foreign rivals. These firms have become points of pride in China for the government as well as the public, both of which appear pleased to see the home team whip the foreign competition.
The new nationalism was apparent in China’s reaction to the recent announcement by Washington that the United States would sell Taiwan $6.4 billion in new weaponry. There is nothing new about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, or angry public responses from the mainland. But this time, Beijing punctuated its frustration with an extraordinary threat: the imposition of sanctions on U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing, which has dominated China’s airline market and expects to do $400 billion in business with China in the next twenty years. Taken together, the Google and Boeing stories illustrate how a perceived shift in the balance of power within U.S.-Chinese relations—not to mention the increasingly obvious incompatibility of the American and Chinese brands of capitalism—are pushing Washington and Beijing toward conflict.
Political decoupling takes many forms. U.S. policymakers, focused mainly on problems at home and eager for assistance on major foreign and security matters, want China to play a larger (and more cooperative) international role. On climate change policy, rebalancing of the global economy, Iran’s nuclear program, violence in Sudan, counterterrorism, and other issues, Washington needs and wants Beijing’s help. But the Chinese leadership, preoccupied with its own domestic challenges, has made it clear that it has acquired the confidence to look inward, and that its primary goal is to create new jobs and to ensure steady and predictable economic growth. Beijing has every incentive to resist any commitment that distracts from that ongoing project or exposes China to unnecessary risk. Americans will have to get used to a China that is ever more ready to just say no.

B eijing’s new assertiveness comes at a bad time in America. As China’s growth rates surge back toward ten percent of GDP, the United States finds itself slowly emerging from its worst recession in decades, with President Obama and congressional leaders facing volatile public frustration over a painfully slow economic recovery and an unemployment rate close to ten percent.
Beijing is implicated in these developments. In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in late 2009, forty-four percent of U.S. respondents named China as “the world’s leading economic power,” while just twenty-seven percent chose the United States. In the same poll, forty-nine percent (up from thirty percent in December 2002) said the United States should “mind its own business” in international politics and “let others get along on their own.” These findings were confirmed by a Washington Post-ABC News poll published in February 2010, which found that U.S. respondents were evenly divided on whether the twenty-first will prove an American or Chinese century. By a margin of forty-one to forty percent, more respondents predicted Chinese rather than American economic dominance. On the geopolitical front, the margin was forty-three to thirty-eight. The presidential election in 2008 was clearly the last in which the average voter will neither know nor care where the candidates stand on China.
It seems inevitable that U.S. lawmakers of either party will try to shift the blame for the country’s woes onto someone else. Cultural conservatives of the right and labor champions of the left will tell voters that their problems are made in China, and more Americans will want to know why a country with ten percent unemployment can’t persuade a country with ten percent growth to respect trade rules and play a more “responsible” role on the international stage.
To address the issue of diverging interests, U.S. officials must first accept that there is a problem. Washington continues to behave as though Beijing resists calls for greater international burden-sharing only because China’s developing economy is not yet ready—and that once it reaches some undefined point of maturity, Chinese leadership will see the virtue of partnering with Washington on projects that bring stability to international politics and the global economy. This assumption is grounded in the view that U.S.-Chinese relations remain positive-sum, that developments that benefit one will generally benefit the other.
Over the longer term that may be true, and Washington is wise to continue to seek closer economic integration with China, to formalize the strategic dialogue between the two sides, and to try to work toward eventual realization of a G-2 model of cooperation. But between now and 2020, Washington and Beijing will have to grapple with the fact that China’s decoupling, the friction generated by the collision of free-market and state capitalism, and competition for scarce resources will push the two sides toward confrontation. Beijing recognizes this change. Washington apparently does not.

If China and America are to coexist with a minimum of conflict in 2020, U.S. policymakers should separate the positive-sum and zero-sum elements of the relationship. Where the two sides’ interests coincide, U.S. officials should work to ensure that American economic power, political influence, and military might remain as valuable as possible for the next stage of China’s development. Resisting the temptations of protectionism won’t be easy, particularly if historically high unemployment continues to plague the U.S. economy, providing lawmakers with ample reason to scapegoat China. In Washington’s poisonous political climate, opportunists from both left and right will cast engagement with China as “appeasement.” But America cannot afford unnecessary political grandstanding on the value of China’s currency, on the trade imbalance, or on the supposed dangers of Chinese investment in U.S. assets. Sustained pressure in defense of U.S. economic interests is one thing. Protectionist posturing is another. In short, U.S. policymakers should do everything possible to cultivate mutually assured economic destruction—and to ensure that Beijing knows that a bad day for America’s economy is still a bad day for China’s.
Where U.S. and Chinese interests are truly irreconcilable, Washington will have to get by with a little help from its friends. For example, U.S. officials know well that Beijing will not simply allow the value of its currency to float freely. If it did, China would quickly shed huge numbers of jobs as demand for Chinese exports fell. But pressure can be applied to encourage the Chinese leadership to allow the yuan to rise gradually but significantly. Here, U.S. and European interests coincide. Both would profit from pooling their negotiating leverage and coordinating their strategies. China will have to let the yuan rise anyway as plans to rely more heavily on domestic consumption pick up steam. Washington should stick with a policy of ensuring that sanctions on international troublemakers—Iran, for example—are the product of multi-state coordination. The goal here is to ensure that Beijing, not Washington, is isolated in its position.
The U.S. government should also invest in its area of greatest comparative advantage, its “hard power.” Soft power played a crucial role in helping America outlast the Soviet Union, and it will continue to help extend U.S. political and cultural influence. But hard power can ensure that the United States remains internationally indispensable for political and economic stability—including as a protector of China’s increasingly complex web of international commercial ties—for decades to come.
China’s determination to defend its territorial integrity, its ambition to extend its influence in Asia, and its plan to form new commercial partnerships in far-flung places to feed its economic growth have added momentum to military modernization plans. With 2.3 million soldiers under arms, the People’s Liberation Army is already the world’s largest. Its investments in cyber warfare technology continue to feed anxieties in Washington. Its military budget is believed to have doubled between 2003 and 2009 to about $70 billion—a sum significant enough to pose future challenges in East Asia and the Indian Ocean. But that’s about twelve percent of what the United States now spends on its military each year—and an even smaller percentage if supplementary U.S. spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is included. For the projection of power around the world, no weapon is more valuable than an aircraft carrier. The United States has eleven carrier groups; China has none. In short, the gap between the U.S. and Chinese militaries is considerable, and widening in America’s favor.
In addition, Beijing has no incentive to mount a global military challenge to U.S. power. China will one day possess a much more substantial military capacity than it has today, but its economy has grown so quickly over the past two decades, and its living standards improved so dramatically, that it is difficult to imagine the kind of catastrophic, game-changing event that would push Beijing to risk it all by posing the West a large-scale military challenge. It has no incentive to allow anything less than the most serious threat to its sovereignty to trigger a military conflict that might sever its expanding network of commercial ties with countries all over the world—and with the United States, the European Union, and Japan, in particular. The more familiar flash points are especially unlikely to spark a hot war: Beijing is well aware that no U.S. government will support a Taiwanese bid for independence, and China need not invade an island that it has largely co-opted already, via an offer to much of Taiwan’s business elite of privileged access to investment opportunities on the mainland.

China will expand its political, economic, and cultural influence, particularly in East and Southeast Asia. But China has no reason to gamble its economic future and political stability by challenging U.S. hard power outside of Asia since China will rely for decades to come on oil and gas supplies from unstable parts of the world—the Middle East, the Caspian Sea basin, and West Africa in particular. The presence of U.S. troops in Japan and South Korea also limits the risk of an Asian arms race, saving all of Asia’s most powerful governments, including China’s, considerable amounts of money.
There will be plenty more battles—like those with Google and Boeing—as Beijing responds to threatening words and deeds from Washington by limiting the access of U.S. firms to Chinese markets. There are frustrations to come over Iran as Washington tries to build support for sanctions with little support from Beijing; and over North Korea, China’s neighbor and client. American firms will find themselves competing for increasingly scarce natural resources across the developing world with Chinese state-owned companies armed with subsidies and political backing. Charges of Chinese-sponsored corporate espionage will complicate the efforts of Chinese firms to invest in the United States. China will respond with investment restrictions of its own. China and other authoritarian governments that embrace state capitalism will increasingly direct trade flows toward one another, sharply lowering the trajectory of economic growth in the West.
But the shape of U.S.-Chinese relations in 2020 will depend largely on choices that have not yet been made. Confrontation is a lurking possibility. But cooler heads on both sides may yet realize that—despite the divergence of their interests and the risk that opportunistic populists in both countries pose to their relations—America and China will have more than ever to gain from closer political and commercial ties, and take steps to avoid a cold war, or worse.

Reference: World Affairs journal

2012-08-15T11:23:00.003+01:00

The Secret To Creating The Life Of Your Dreams

Many people think that if they stay focused on work and constantly sacrifice their quality of life, that they will reach their goals faster. I’ve certainly been guilty of this over the years too, and so have the most successful people that I’ve met in my life.
In fact, I used to work myself to near-exhaustion by working as much as 100 hours per week. I thought that was the answer to achieving the income level and lifestyle that I wanted.

There are even some years of my life that I can hardly even remember, and I generally have an excellent memory.

After this happened to me, I made it my mission to discover the secret to enjoying life while also earning a significant amount of money at the same time. I’ve always been a hard-worker and able to earn a significant amount of money. But my life was out of balance, and wasn’t a lot of fun.

Here’s what I discovered that totally transformed my life. (Hint: this is also the same secret that I just heard those amazing billionaire entrepreneurs talk about in New York too).

The secret to success is making sure you take care of your body, mind, and spirit in addition to your business or job. You may think that you can’t afford to do this, or that it won’t work for you.

But the truth is that your best ideas and contributions in business and life will come out more often when you are happy, healthy, and relaxed.

Sure, there may still be times when you are under an urgent deadline and you may need to spend extra time working. And you may be someone who loves to work a lot because you want to. And those are both fine. But it’s equally important that you play as hard as you work.

In the rest of this article, let’s look at the top 4 strategies that you can use to become more successful and achieve the life of your dreams. These strategies are focused on helping you balance the business, body, mind, and spiritual areas of your life.

Strategy #1: Focus On The Right Tasks At The Right Time

At some point, nearly every person will fall into the trap of spending time or money on “the wrong things at the wrong time”.

You need to make an effort each day to focus the majority of your time on the tasks that will produce the greatest result.

For example, if you get distracted a lot with emails or surfing the Internet, you may actually only get a few hours per day of quality work done.

Technology is so addicting that it’s easy to get sidetracked without even realizing it.

The easiest way to overcome this problem is to write down the 3-5 most important tasks that would allow significant progress towards your goals. Then, get started on those tasks first thing in the morning before you do anything else.

If you work on the most critical tasks first, then you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish each day.

Strategy #2: Make Your Health A Priority Every Single Day

You are certainly aware that being healthy is a good thing, and has a huge impact on your quality of life.

But if you’re like I was five years ago, you may not realize that two of the most important ingredients to staying healthy are getting enough sleep and enough water.

It is super-important to get a full night’s sleep, and on a consistent schedule.

Have you ever noticed that when you haven’t slept much, that over the next few days, your brain is foggy and you don’t get as much done.

The reason is because you then spend the rest of the week recovering from the sleep you lost earlier in the week. And you ultimately end up getting less done than if you had just done the work after a normal sleep cycle.

And when it comes to water, you have heard a million times that it is important for you to drink lots of water. But if you’re like most people, you fill your day with other fluids like sodas and tea and very little amounts of actual water.

It is OK to drink those on occasion, but not as a replacement for the essential water that your body needs.

The human body has approximately 50-75% water. And your brain is 90% water.

So if you don’t supply enough water to your body, then your brain and other parts of the body cannot function well.

That is why it is so critical that you make sure and drink 6-10 glasses of water per day, depending on your age and body size.

Strategy #3: Plan Your Path To Success With Written Goals

One of the best gifts that you can give yourself and your family is the “gift of choice”. You are capable of creating the life that you want, if you just follow the right steps to get there.

It has been proven time and time again that those who go through life with a plan will be more successful than those who just take life as it comes. It makes sense logically too.

After all, if you leave your house and just start driving your car, will you end up in any particular destination? Probably not.

But if you get in your car and set a course for San Diego and then enter it into your navigation system, then you will eventually get there if you keep driving in the correct direction.

Goals are the same way. If you always keep working in the direction toward your end goal, you will eventually get there.

Here’s how to achieve your goals as fast as possible. You first need to get clear about exactly what you want to accomplish, and then write those goals down.

Then, you should re-write each of your goals in a positive tense, such as “I choose to have a healthy body that weighs 135 pounds”, or “I choose to earn $200,000 per year from all sources”.

Once you have written your goals in a positive tense, you should visualize what life is like once those goals have already happened. Picture it in your mind.

Then, repeat this process each day when you wake up, and/or each night before you go to bed to reinforce your goals.

Next, take action in your life as opportunities come your way that will help make your goals come true.

This process literally trains your brain to be on the lookout for the opportunities and ideas that will help you achieve your goals the fastest.

Strategy #4: “Be Present” With Whatever You’re Doing

While technology has introduced so many incredible improvements into our lives, it has also caused everyone to be more distracted than ever.

The truth is, when you try to talk to someone while you are looking at your phone or computer, you are not really being effective at either. Plus, you may hurt the other person’s feelings because they will not feel listened to.

A better approach is to just stop what you are doing, and then turn and give that person your un-divided attention for the time you are together.

The same concept applies to your vacations and other time away from work.

When you have a day off or take a vacation, leave your work and your computer behind. Give yourself some true time away from the office. In other words, be “present” with your day off, not distracted or multi-tasking.

This will actually help you be more productive when you get back to work, and will expand your creativity.

And don’t feel guilty about enjoying your days off. Treat your time away from work as being critical to your success.

If you apply these four strategies in your own life, you will be amazed at the changes you will notice, often within just a few days.

Please give them a try, and reply back and let me know about your results.

Good luck!

The secret to success is maintaining a balance between your business, body, mind, and spirit. Here are some of the top strategies that you can use to keep yourself balanced and operating at your very best:

1. Focus on the right tasks at the right time. Each day, write down the top 3-5 things you need to accomplish in order to make the biggest progress on your goals. Then, work on those items before lunch.

2. Make your health a priority every single day. This includes getting plenty of sleep, and plenty of water.

3. Plan your path to success with written goals. Write your goals down, and then re-write them as choices, such as “I choose to earn $X per year from all sources”. Re-read your goals each day, and visualize what your life is like with them being present. Then, take action as the opportunities are presented to you that align with those goals.

4. Always “be present” with whatever you’re doing. Say no to multi-tasking and give other people or tasks your attention. And when you take a vacation or day off, make it a real day off. You’ll have a lot more fun in the process, and some of your best ideas will come out when you let your mind rest.

Denise Gosnell

THE COOLEST AND EASIEST WAY TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE: A TRIAL WILL CONVINCE YOU

2012-01-25T02:53:00.000+01:00

Have you heard about GNLD, it’s wonderful products and the great business opportunity it offers? If you haven’t here is your chance to do so and if you have but didn’t grab the opportunity you have another chance to do so. We will be discussing about GNLD’s business opportunity generally. Having your own GNLD Business offers you the opportunity to-

* improve your lifestyle and financial independence and

* improve your health and well-being through its products.

This business can be done by anyone no matter what your educational level, age, sex or believes. You can do this business full time or part time at your own convenient time from the comfort of your home as it is a home based business.

HOW YOUR GNLD BUSINESS WORKS.

GNLD makes use of a Network Marketing system that not only allows you to reap rewards from your sells but to teach others how do so and earn commissions from theirs. To build your network you simply introduce 3 Distributors and help them get their own 3.

Their own 3 will do the same and so forth. In GNLD’s Marketing Plan there are various steps you must achieve to earn commissions in your business. To achieve this steps you accumulate POINTS VOLUMES (PV) from the products you and your Distributors in your networking team sell, enabling you to move much faster up the various steps in GNLD’s Marketing Plan. Each product has it’s own PV. You make money from your GNLD Business when you –

* earn Retail Profits selling directly to your customers,

*earn Sales Volume Bonuses when you start other Distributors into your network,

* earn Leadership Bonuses as you develop Directors in your network through the power of duplication,

* earn premiums, bonus cash, travel rewards and more through GNLD’s annual sales plan incentives. To qualify for GNLD’s World Team you have to develop Directors in your successline and together accumulate GROUP PV’s per month for 3 months in a 6 month period.

There are 11 recognition levels in GNLD’s World Team starting from SAPPHIRE DIRECTOR. Qualification for each level is based on the combinations of Director “legs” in your successline More Than 4 Decades! More Than 50 World Markets! World’s Finest Products! Top-Notch Support! Amazing Success The GNLD story GNLD Founder Jerry Brassfield knew there was more to life than he could find in his small, Central California town. Even at age 19, he believed the combination of quality products and a person-to-person, network-based business could lead to success. As his business grew and he learned from his successes and mistakes, Jerry’s vision evolved far beyond the borders of Porterville, California. He saw the limitless potential of his direct-selling network, and he eventually achieved national—and then international—success beyond his wildest dreams! What is GNLD GNLD International is a privately-owned company that has been in operation for over 46 years (founded in 1958) and now markets its products in over 50 countries around the world. GNLD is an abbreviation of Golden Neo-Life Diamite - so called as it was formed by the coming together of three separate companies, Golden Products, Neo-Life, and Diamite, all of which shared common values and ideals, reflected today in our stated 'purpose': To Make a Positive Difference in People's Lives. Two brothers raised in rural California saw in network marketing the greatest opportunity for the average person to become financially independent. Through the distribution of unique products and incomes generated by the best paying plan in the industry, this vision has become a reality for hundreds of thousands around the world. Beginning in 1958, GNLD pioneered the concept of network marketing, and today enjoys an enviable reputation for innovative leadership and business integrity in the rapidly expanding direct sales industry. Global expansion efforts extended the GNLD products and opportunity to more than 50 world markets. GNLD'S ultimate goal is to be the largest and most respected network marketing company in the world, giving people everywhere the opportunity to choose GNLD as the vehicle for realizing their dreams. GNLD brings together people of all cultures, races and backgrounds as one global family, united in a single purpose to make a positive difference in people's lives. They are not only offering others a brighter future and financial freedom - they are making personal contributions toward a world without boundaries. What GNLD Offers - High demand, high quality products that are based in nature and backed by our Scientific Advisory Board, a team of world scientists and researchers. 1. Nutritional supplements to support optimal health. 2. Herbal Alternatives for traditional benefits from plants. 3. Home care products for ecologic “low-dose, low-burden” performance. 4. Weight management products to help achieve your weight loss goals. 5. Personal and skin care products for lasting health and beauty. 6. Water enhancement systems for water you can trust. The GNLD Business Opportunity - GNLD is your opportunity to be your own boss, create your own future, develop financial independence and security and realize your dreams. No matter what your current situation, a GNLD business of your own makes the difference between dreaming about a better life...and living it. GNLD is a network marketing company, distributing its products via a network of independent Distributors who purchase GNLD products directly from the company and then sell these products to their own customers. The Distributors are also able to build their businesses through the sponsoring and recruitment of other Distributors who become part of their own sales and marketing network. Many Distributors work their business as a "part-time" operation, as a means of earning extra income. Others have built their GNLD businesses into substantial operations, working them full time and earning significant revenue and rewards in the process. With GNLD you can choose to become a Distributor and receive 25% discount on products or you can start building your own business and start earning extra income today!

To have more knowledge on how to make it with ease, contact me on phone 07069633525 or e-mail me at moriyon9@yahoo.com.

2012-01-06T01:08:00.000+01:00

How Your Brain Lies to You

By Sam Wang , Sandra Aamodt and Moriyon
Source: New York Times

False beliefs are everywhere. Eighteen percent of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth, one poll has found.

75 percent of Nigerians believe Goodluck Jonathan is insensitive to the plight of poor Nigerians, whereas 90 percent say GEj knows those behind Boko haram. hmmm

Thus it seems slightly less egregious that, according to another poll, 10 percent of us think that Senator Barack Obama, a Christian, is instead a Muslim. The Obama campaign has created a Web site to dispel misinformation. But this effort may be more difficult than it seems, thanks to the quirky way in which our brains store memories — and mislead us along the way.

The brain does not simply gather and stockpile information as a computer’s hard drive does. Facts are stored first in the hippocampus, a structure deep in the brain about the size and shape of a fat man’s curled pinkie finger.

But the information does not rest there. Every time we recall it, our brain writes it down again, and during this re-storage, it is also reprocessed. In time, the fact is gradually transferred to the cerebral cortex and is separated from the context in which it was originally learned. For example, you know that the capital of California is Sacramento, but you probably don’t remember how you learned it.

This phenomenon, known as source amnesia, can also lead people to forget whether a statement is true. Even when a lie is presented with a disclaimer, people often later remember it as true.

With time, this misremembering only gets worse. A false statement from a noncredible source that is at first not believed can gain credibility during the months it takes to reprocess memories from short-term hippocampal storage to longer-term cortical storage. As the source is forgotten, the message and its implications gain strength. This could explain why, during the 2004 presidential campaign, it took some weeks for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against Senator John Kerry to have an effect on his standing in the polls.

Even if they do not understand the neuroscience behind source amnesia, campaign strategists can exploit it to spread misinformation. They know that if their message is initially memorable, its impression will persist long after it is debunked. In repeating a falsehood, someone may back it up with an opening line like “I think I read somewhere” or even with a reference to a specific source.

In one study, a group of Stanford students was exposed repeatedly to an unsubstantiated claim taken from a Web site that Coca-Cola is an effective paint thinner. Students who read the statement five times were nearly one-third more likely than those who read it only twice to attribute it to Consumer Reports (rather than The National Enquirer, their other choice), giving it a gloss of credibility.

Adding to this innate tendency to mold information we recall is the way our brains fit facts into established mental frameworks. We tend to remember news that accords with our worldview, and discount statements that contradict it.

In another Stanford study, 48 students, half of whom said they favored capital punishment and half of whom said they opposed it, were presented with two pieces of evidence, one supporting and one contradicting the claim that capital punishment deters crime. Both groups were more convinced by the evidence that supported their initial position.

Psychologists have suggested that legends propagate by striking an emotional chord. In the same way, ideas can spread by emotional selection, rather than by their factual merits, encouraging the persistence of falsehoods about Coke — or about a presidential candidate.

Journalists and campaign workers may think they are acting to counter misinformation by pointing out that it is not true. But by repeating a false rumor, they may inadvertently make it stronger. In its concerted effort to “stop the smears,” the Obama campaign may want to keep this in mind. Rather than emphasize that Mr. Obama is not a Muslim, for instance, it may be more effective to stress that he embraced Christianity as a young man.

Consumers of news, for their part, are prone to selectively accept and remember statements that reinforce beliefs they already hold. In a replication of the study of students’ impressions of evidence about the death penalty, researchers found that even when subjects were given a specific instruction to be objective, they were still inclined to reject evidence that disagreed with their beliefs.

In the same study, however, when subjects were asked to imagine their reaction if the evidence had pointed to the opposite conclusion, they were more open-minded to information that contradicted their beliefs. Apparently, it pays for consumers of controversial news to take a moment and consider that the opposite interpretation may be true.

In 1919, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes of the Supreme Court wrote that “the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market.” Holmes erroneously assumed that ideas are more likely to spread if they are honest. Our brains do not naturally obey this admirable dictum, but by better understanding the mechanisms of memory perhaps we can move closer to Holmes’s ideal.

How to Eliminate Poverty Consciousness and Manifest True Abundance

2011-12-27T00:56:00.000+01:00

Have you ever wondered how poverty consciousness is created and what you can do to step out of it?

Sometimes it happens that we become overly entangled in the material world and get wrapped up in feeling that we always need more money. This idea of lacking money sends toxic stress chemicals to the brain causing the body to fight or flee for its life.

Anytime we repetitively feel that there is not enough of "this or that", it forms a chemical rut of impoverished thinking in our body-mind which depletes our energy, manifesting vibration, and financial outlook on life. Every time this lacking feeling is regurgitated it creates mini "poverty attacks" in the inner world, which eventually manifest into physically lacking finances on the outer world.

The good news is that this entrapped cyclical experience is only here to give you an experience of what you don’t want, so that you are inspired to one day become clearer on what you really DO want! The enlightening secret is that this pattern is easily shifted by simply refocusing your awareness OFF of neediness and ON to feelings of gratitude and appreciation.

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." ~Buddha

When you put your attention on feelings of acceptance and gratitude for what you do have, you start sending positive expansive feeling based chemicals directly into your brain which are felt throughout your body.

The more frequently these “appreciation chemicals” are produced, the happier you become and the higher your manifesting vibration grows. This vibrational inner shift causes you to physically attract that higher paying job, a huge contract, that wealthy client who loves you, or a sizeable check from that special person in the outer world.

Even though your financial situation may be struggling, impoverished, or absolutely bleak for years, it really does not matter. You can instantly shift into the experience of feeling more abundant and start manifesting abundance! Simply refocus your attention for 24 hours on deep feelings of appreciation and gratitude. Choose to focus on ANYTHING that you can authentically feel deep gratitude for. We live in an abundant conscious Universe. With patience, you will soon begin to see these physical manifestations of abundance come your way.

“Look within, see The Divine Self. Only then there will be an end of the world and its miseries.” ~Ramana Maharshi

There is an ancient golden secret to breaking out of the prison of poverty consciousness forever that we'd like to share with you. This secret is to ONLY measure your financial abundance based on the quality and quantity of ABUNDANT FEELINGS you are having.

Meaning that your outer wealth is never going to be 100% trustworthy measurement of how abundant you really are. Anything and everything in the outer world will be taken away from you one day. Abundance based on resources from the outer world is illusory, and is a form of impermanent abundance.

The true permanent state of richness only comes from being connected to the divinity within. Appreciating what is here now or the goodies that are coming your way is the fastest path to getting there. Yes, there are many multi-millionaires in this world who aren’t very appreciative, still don’t FEEL rich and are continuously striving to become wealthy. Even though they have plenty of dough, they are still letting themselves remain entrapped in the realm of poverty consciousness.

Consistent gratitude is the easy track to ending poverty internally and externally. When your abundance is measured by how deeply you FEEL abundant and how often you visit this feeling, then your experience of being rich is truly unstoppable. This is the most direct path to financially magnetizing massive abundance to you in the outer world.

“You are not inferior Beings in need of enlightenment…you are not misguided children trying to find your way home. You are powerful Leading-Edge creators riding the most significant wave of expansion that has ever occurred.” ~Abraham-Hicks

Now that you know this secret, be curious about the beliefs you are repetitively having about your current financial situation. We all have hidden beliefs that are running the show behind the scenes. If somehow you have a deeper belief that you must work harder in order to be truly successful, then that is exactly what you will create.

Go deeper inside. Explore what is beneath those old paradigms that make you struggle more, work harder (and not smarter) to achieve unnecessary stress and make you feel less successful and abundant. There is a much more expansive, empowering belief system available. You can begin to form these new beliefs today by living as if you have already arrived at this abundant life that you love.

So start relaxing while you're at work, appreciating that electric bill that gives you light. Go and have that special experience that you've always wanted, and really enjoy this amazing body and creative mind that have been freely given to you! As you consistently appreciate this divine manifesting vehicle that you are living in, you'll notice how each day of your life unfolds itself in the most magical and abundant ways.

If you feel moved about this article, then feel free to subscribe with us by entering your name and e-mail address at top right side corner of this site for subsequent updates and promotional materials, training seminars, etc, coming up in 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY 2012

2011-12-25T01:14:00.000+01:00

· Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

· Lets welcome the year which is fresh
Lets welcome the year which is fresh and new,
Lets cherish each moment it beholds,
Lets celebrate this blissful New year. Merry X-mas

· From Home to home, and heart to heart,
From one place to another.
The warmth and joy of Christmas,
Brings us closer to each other.

· In this Christmas,
In the daytime if sun shin so shall Ur expectation come true,
At night when moon comes out so shall U receive blesses,
Then if rain fall so shall it going to carry all ur problem away from U!
Happy Christmas!!! and a Happy new year in advance

14 Easy Ways to Get Insanely Motivated

2011-12-20T00:58:00.000+01:00

Here are 14 quick strategies to get and keep yourself motivated even as we move into a new year:

1. Condition your mind. Train yourself to think positive thoughts while avoiding negative thoughts.

2. Condition your body. It takes physical energy to take action. Get your food and exercise budget in place and follow it like a business plan.

3. Avoid negative people. They drain your energy and waste your time, so hanging with them is like shooting yourself in the foot.

4. Seek out the similarly motivated. Their positive energy will rub off on you and you can imitate their success strategies.

5. Have goals–but remain flexible. No plan should be cast in concrete, lest it become more important than achieving the goal.

6. Act with a higher purpose. Any activity or action that doesn’t serve your higher goal is wasted effort--and should be avoided.

7. Take responsibility for your own results. If you blame (or credit) luck, fate or divine intervention, you’ll always have an excuse.

8. Stretch past your limits on a daily basis. Walking the old, familiar paths is how you grow old. Stretching makes you grow and evolve.

9. Don't wait for perfection; do it now! Perfectionists are the losers in the game of life. Strive for excellence rather than the unachievable.

10. Celebrate your failures. Your most important lessons in life will come from what you don't achieve. Take time to understand where you fell short.

11. Don’t take success too seriously. Success can breed tomorrow's failure if you use it as an excuse to become complacent.

12. Avoid weak goals. Goals are the soul of achievement, so never begin them with "I'll try ..." Always start with "I will" or "I must."

13. Treat inaction as the only real failure. If you don’t take action, you fail by default and can't even learn from the experience.

14. Think before you speak. Keep silent rather than express something that doesn’t serve your purpose.

Courtesy of Omar periu

How to Overcome WHATEVER is Keeping You from Making Money Online

2011-12-09T00:57:00.000+01:00

It is frustrating.

It seems like everywhere you look – from business forums to Facebook – Someone is sharing their story of amazing internet business success.

Their internet and information marketing businesses are growing as quickly as weeds and no doubt their bank accounts are growing just as fast as well, they plaster their proofs all over the internet and the paper adverts

But you feel stuck…

You feel like you are being held back. You feel like you just don’t have the same advantages of those with the mega-success stories.

These fellows talk about having big lists. They have loads of traffic. Some of them have amazing technical skills that allow them to get ahead faster. And they seem to have plenty of time to churn out one profitable product and website after another, every single week!

Sound familiar?

If so, then I have some great news:

You see, you too can overcome ANY obstacle to start and grow your internet and information marketing business quickly and easily, and level the playing field with the “big guys” in your niche.

How?

By using a simple internet business plan that has proven to work ALWAYS!

This business plan works. I use it ALL the time, when ever I have a new business to launch on the internet. And the best part is, it allows you to grow your business quickly!

Let me give you a few examples of common obstacles you are probably facing with your internet and information marketing business

No list. The money is in the list – but you don’t have one! The solution is simple: follow a proven business plan to build your list!

No traffic. This proven business plan helps you drive laser target traffic to your website that help you build a targeted list of 200 ready buyers of whatever product or service you are selling online within 24 hours…guaranteed!!

No time. I hear this complain almost every single day! – Are you one of the people who can’t get his or her businesses off the ground simply because you don’t have the time? Maybe you’re already working full time, and you can’t quit your job to focus on

your internet and information marketing business. Or maybe you have a lot of family responsibilities. Whatever the reason, you are constantly squeezed for time, meaning

you probably can only spare an hour or two here and there. Here’s the good news: once you can follow this simple business plan, all you need are a few hours per week – and your business will grow faster than you ever thought possible!

The Point I am making in todays’ article is, you too can run with the big guys in your niche. You can start and grow your internet and information marketing business. You can enjoy more free time. And you will enjoy all of these benefits and more once you can follow this simple business plan.

But one word of warning: You need to know what you’re doing before

you start internet and information marketing business, otherwise you could find yourself walking an expensive, time-consuming and frustrating path.

That’s why I suggest you click here now to pick up your copy of the

Infomarketing Blueprint – it’s the only guide book I know in Nigerian, that shows you quickest and easiest way to Make it Big In Information and Internet Marketing Business in Nigeria!

All the details are at:

http://www.businessforts.com/sc/infomil/infomill-aff2-eff.php

Step By Step Guide To Information and Internet Marketing Business in Nigeria By Efe Imiren

2011-12-08T00:55:00.000+01:00

How do you raise money in 24 Hours, when you are broke, in dire need of cash for an emergency situation or have to pay an urgent bill that will bring shame and reproach to you amongst your friends and family members, if not paid on time?

Questions are very powerful things. Think about it for a minute, every major discovery from airplanes to computers - all of them, where created because someone had enough guts to simply ask a question.

Today's Important Question is:
"What do you do, when you are broke?"

Put in another way:
"what can you do right NOW to raise cash in an emergency situation and how can you do it CONSISTENTLY i.e. how can you ensure that when ever you need cash in an emergency situation you will ALWAYS get it, No matter what?!"

If you are reading this article right now, chances are that

You are tired of being a job seeker or,

You are tired of trekking the streets of Lagos in search of a job or

You don't want to spend the rest of your life working like a slave on a job that never gives you any personal satisfaction or,

You are tired of constantly being broke and living from hand-to-mouth

If you have answered YES - as in- you fall into at least ONE of these categories, then you are most likely wondering why others are making IT in terms of MONEY in life - BUT NOT YOU.

And you could have found yourself wishing for some-one who would simply hand you a crystal clear easy-to-follow treasure map for making it in Nigeria.

Stick with me to the end of this article, I will reveal to you EXACTLY what to do.

A coach and mentor of mine, whom I respect so much in Information and Internet Marketing Business in Nigeria, Efe Imiren (she is a lady by the way), was in your shoes many many years ago.

While in those shoes of tight cash flow she asked a friend this same question and guess what the answer was? Her friend said to her - "Sell Something!"

I mean, SELL SOMETHING?!

C’mon, what do you sell with SPEED and EASE that people will fall over themselves to buy INSTANTLY?

Here is an illustration to help you get the answer.

Why are you reading this article now? >>>>> You want to "Know" Why do people buy newspaper every day? >>>> They want to "Know" what is happening in town. Why do you have a TV at home? Exactly! >>>> To "KNOW" the latest news, trends, music, etc. The number ONE and most visited website on planet earth is what? GOOGLE. WHY? People visit Google because they want to "KNOW" something; they are in search of ONE important thing and that thing is called >>>> INFORMATION.

Information is a world 'CURRENCY'.

And it is the one thing that you can sell NOW that people will fall over themselves to buy INSTANTLY!

WHY?

Information is Solution.

And if the information you have will bring 'relief from pain' and a clear solution to the
problem that an individual is facing, and the individual desperately wants to solve his problem URGENTLY, they will trip over themselves to pay you for it. With this little background, -

I Welcome YOU to the informationmarketing industry - a little-known industry of entrepreneurs netting six-figure profits in Nigeria!

Info-marketers gather information and sell it in convenient forms to people who need it. The topics include everything imaginable from better sex to okada riding, to public speaking, to running businesses. ANYTHING. Information Marketing is fueled by the ever-increasing pressure on peoples' time

When you are broke, the FASTEST way to raise cash is to sell INFORMATION.

Whether you are a business owner, employee or just plain jobless, if you know how to do it right, you can build a comfortable life out of selling information on the internet .

It is not enough to know that you can sell information to raise emergency cash you need to know, what type of information, how to package and present it, how to even make people buy it, why people will buy it, where to even get it from and a lot of other stuff in fact

You need a PROVENsystem and BLUEPRINT® to follow if you do not want to have tales of woes, or fail at it.

You can download a copy of the blue print from this website link below:

http://www.businessforts.com/sc/infomil/infomill-aff2-eff.php