Covid-19 Vaccines

Covid-19 Vaccines - Have We Seen the Last of Them?
By Bob Moglia

Recently you heard the President Joe Biden state that there will be enough supply to vaccinate the "ADULT" population by the end of May. Currently, Johnson & Johnson is the only vaccine approved for those 16 and up. Both Moderna and Pfizer are 18 and up. So what about those under the age of 16? Of the 358 million in the USA, 16 and under comprise about 80 million plus and thats just in the USA. Phase 3 trials for those 16 and under won't be completed until end of 4th quarter 2021. This leaves plenty of room for other smaller less traditional companies like Tonix and Occugen to get their products to market.

This takes in to consideration only the under 16 population in the USA not to mention, the continuing question? Will this be a "flu Shot" scenario? It very well could be. With all three current providers working their own variety of "booster" shot. If they did not believe it was necessary than why are they working on it. Why are other companies continuing to develop their vaccines if they did not believe this as well? It is clearly evident that globally and in the US there is room for other vaccine candidates

The world as a whole will be utilizing many more than the 3 vaccines we see in the US. China has its own vaccine as well as Russia. Many variations from many countries. Also, there are many countries looking to secure enough to vaccinate its own population. Lots of competition in a less than crowded market. Even more reason for other companies to continue to bring their vaccine to market.

Look at the way this is all trending. With all this in mind we would be hard pressed to imagine an ending to Covid-19 anytime soon. It has been reported that worldwide only 3.5 doses per 100 people have been administered. In some countries not even a single dose has gone out. Countries such as Japan, Australia, Iran, Eygpt, Thailand and a host of others show less than 1% vaccinated.

The US had 79.26 million visitors from foreigh countries last year alone. With tracvel restrictions easing as vaccinations roll out, we are likely to see a boost to tourism. What will the impact be? how do we protect those under 16 as society returns to normal?

One thing is for sure, dont let your guard down just yet, this Covid thing is not over.

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Monoclonal Antibody - Alternatives

Monoclonal Antibody - Alternatives for Treating Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
By Groshan Fabiola

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or NHL is a serious affection which occurs due to the presence of B cells (B lymophocytes), a type of white blood cells which usually lead to severe complications such as tumors. Even though, treatments with chemotherapy and radiation are considered effective for many people who suffer from NHL, on the other hand for many pantients these procedures can be very toxic.

In addition to this, specialists have developed in the laboratories a new theraphy to treat NHL, a theraphy known as Monoclonal-antibody which has been proved to be safe and effective for certain patients. As we know the body produces antibodies, substances which have the role to fight against bacteria and viruses. Moreover, monoclonal antibodies have been produced in laboratories like many other antibodies and have the role in producing anti-tumor effects. Since most NHL patients have B cells, treatment with monoclonal-antibodies has brought important results in healing lymphoma and much more they have been prescribed with other toxin or radioactive particles that usually kill cells.

Furthermore, monoclonal antibody treatments usually include medications as Rituxan or Bexxar. First of all, treatments with Rituxan are considered very effective for people who suffer from NHL and may be used for other types of lymphomas too. Rituxan is the only monoclonal antibody treatment approved for NHL and most of the time has been studied in patients that have relapsed low grade NHL. Moreover, it can be taken without other medicines and it is usually given intravenously once a week for 4 weeks. In contrast to other procedures, Rituxin doesn't offer serious side effects such as hair loss, vomiting, and low blood counts.

Secondly, another monoclonal antibody which is being tested in laboratories is Bexxar. This medicine is a murine monoclonal antibody and doesn't have a naked form due to the presence of a radiocative iodine molecule which is attached to it. Just like Rituxan, this agent is administered intravenous with the first dose having a trace amount of radioactivity and the second dose containing most of the radioactive iodine. On the other hand, Bexxar has some negative aspects, such as fever, chills or shakes and in some cases NHL patients may have temporary drop in blood counts.

Thirdly, another monoclonal antibody which has been studied as NHL treatments is Oncolym. This agent has been studied in a radiolabeled form like Bexxar and has proved to be toxic like other radiolabeled antibodies. In contrast, LL2 is a humanized antibody, using a naked, unlabeled form as well as a radiolabeled form.

To conclude, monoclonal antibodies can be very effective in treating NHL due to their low toxicity and also the advantage of combining them with each other and also by using them in combination with chemotherapy or other procedures. It is important to say that people who suffer from NHL should be aware of their condition and become well-informed in order to follow the suitable treatment.

So, if you want to find out more about non hodgkins lymphoma or even about mantle cell lymphoma please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com/

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Monoclonal Antibody

Humanized Monoclonal Antibody Therapies in Neoplastic Disease
By T Bell

In the last ten years the treatment of many types of cancer has been revolutionized by monoclonal antibody therapies. There are many, many print and audiovisual advertisements for these drugs bringing them into the public mainstream.. So, this brings to point some important questions: 1) What are monoclonal antibodies? 2) What types of cancer are treatable by this therapy? 3) What is the basic mechanism of action, i.e., How do these drugs work?

Antibodies are the body's natural immune defense against invading pathogens. They are produced by specific cells of the immune system termed B cells. When an infection of the body occurs, the immune system takes note. After a brief time, when the front line defenses of the immune system battle the infection, [termed the innate immune response- the first line of battle], the cellular part of the fight takes over [the adaptive response]. The adaptive immune response involves antigen presenting cells, T and B cells. Very briefly, what happens within your body when an infection occurs is this: Circulating "detectives" called macrophages and dendritic cells find the infection and literally eat it or eat cells infected [in the case of a viral infection]. The cells then "present" specific protein parts of the eaten pathogen [bacteria or virus--called antigens] to cells called T and B cells. This is a call to arms: this is literally a scream saying "time to kick butt" by the immune system. The T cells are activated by the B cells upon finding the presenting antigen. The B cells then decide that they can better fight by changing themselves into a plasma cell. This is where the action happens. The B cell changes into a protein pumping machine, the protein being antibodies. The antibodies then go find from the blood the pathogen that the original antigen presenting cells early in the infection encountered. When the antibodies find their target, they bind to it and mark it for death. Think of this as a ball with toilet plungers attached. The wooden handle is what tells the immune system, "this thing needs to die".

This is the basic theory behind monoclonal cancer therapy. Except in the context of monoclonal antibody cancer treatment, the antibodies are produced to a single epitope (a particular protein that the immune system readily sees from a cancer cell). These cells are then taken into the laboratory, grown and stimulated to produce a single antibody that "sees" a cancer cell.

An example of monoclonal antibody treatment in cancer is Herceptin. Herceptin is a monoclonal antibody specific for an antigen called HER2. HER2 is a protein that is more prevalent on cancer cells of the breast than in normal cells. This protein is from a family of receptors that tells normal cells to grow. The drug then takes advantage of this and can specifically target cancer cells of the breast in order to kill them. This drug too has side effects of being NOT heart friendly.

Another good example of neoplastic cancer therapy is the drug termed Rituxan (Rituximab). Rituxan is a monoclonal antibody directed towards the antigen CD20 on circulating lymphocytes of the blood and is indicated for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It works by depleting the blood of cells that have over-produced cells that have CD20 on their cell surface. When the antibody binds, like Herceptin, the body sees those cells as foreign and kills them.

So, the question is now that we know what neoplastic antibody therapy is, how does this killing work?
The current research and thinking is that when cancer cells are coated by these antibody drugs, the extending end of the antibody [called the Fc portion] attracts Natural Killer, NK, cells from the immune system. These cells actually have receptors that recognize this very event. When NK cells find antibody coated cells, they bind to them tightly and commence to kill them. The close proximity of the two cells allows the NK cell to release protein degradating enzymes, and other cytotoxic elements to kill the target.
This entire process is termed Antibody Dependent Cellular Toxicity, ADCC.

ADCC is a powerful tool being utilized by numerous biotech companies with the intent to augment the immune response with other, novel drugs. Such drugs that come to mind are TLR agonists, chemotherapy drugs and gene transfer strategies.

Genentech makes Herceptin, while Rituximab is in combination with Biogen Idec/Genentech. Both drugs are multimillion dollar assets to both companies. The side effects of Herceptin have been documented and are under intense research to understand them. Rituxan continues to be a key element to the bottom line of both companies with it's successful treatments.

Herceptin is produced by Genentech.
Rituxan is another monoclonal antibody treatment indicated for the treatment of lymphoma.

T Bell posts regularly at [http://www.biotech101.org] There, T Bell interprets scientific clinical trial data and relates this to the current stock price of a particular company. In addition, with the help of what is that drug, they post how drugs most advertised in the media work within the body at [http://whatisthatdrug.com] T Bell has advanced research experience in pathology, cell biology, immunology and pharmacology.

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Snake Eyes Golf Clubs Review

Snake Eyes Golf Clubs Review - Why I Love My Snake Eyes Golf Clubs
By Jason Blakely

I know how frustrating it can be to find the right set of golf clubs, especially for the right price! I did my fair share of research before I decided to go with Snake Eyes clubs from Golfsmith. During my research I would always appreciate any sort of review or feedback from actual users about the product I was looking at. And that is why I chose to write this article. I hope the information here will help you while deciding which clubs are right for you!

I use the following Snake Eyes golf clubs with great confidence.

Driver - Ti-460 driver head, Pro-launch 65 Wood shaft, and Snake Eyes G8 grip

I love this driver! It is easy to hit and offers tremendous ball control. I have the 10.5 degree model and I probably would have been even better off with the 9.5 degree since I naturally have a higher trajectory. It feels and sounds good when striking the ball which makes using this club all that much more enjoyable for me. I used to have a pretty bad slice, but after working with this club I can now hit the ball straight and a lot farther too.

Fairway Woods - Quick Strike II Utility Wood Heads, Adila Gamer Hybrid shaft and Snake Eyes Velvet grips

The best thing about these clubs is the sound! I have two of these, one with a 15 degree loft and one with a 19 degree loft. I use the 15 degree as I would a 3 or 5 wood, but I feel it is more versatile. I am able to use these as easily and effectively in the rough as I do in the fairway, which was hard for me to do with a regular 3 wood. I use the 19 degree club as I would a 3 or 4 iron.

Irons - Python O/S Iron Head, Snake Eyes XL-90 shaft, Snake Eyes velvet grip

These irons are very forgiving. I do not have the most consistent swing but you could not tell by how well the ball comes off of the club. They feel well constructed and have given me more confidence in my game. I only bought the odd numbered clubs to start out with but will soon get the rest.

Whether you are already interested in Snake Eyes golf clubs, or if this is the first you have heard of them, you should check out my dedicated review site here for even more information!

One more thing, don't hesitate to ask me any questions you may have in the Feedback or comment sections of the sites mentioned above. I would be happy to hear from you.

Snake Eyes Golf Clubs Review.

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Snake Eyes Costumes

Snake Eyes Costumes
By Rochelle Stenway

With the release of the new GI Joe movie, the Snake Eyes character has become even more popular. Even though this GI Joe character dates back to it's introduction to the public from the pages of comic books, Snake Eyes and his nemesis Storm Shadow, are going to be some of the most popular costumes this fall.

It doesn't matter what event you need your Snake Eyes costumes for. This is a great costume choice, particularly for fans. The Snake Eyes costume is wonderful for a theme costume party. It can also be a good addition to any Halloween bash.

Fortunately, for fans of all ages, this costume is available for both adults and children. The children's costume includes the traditional black jump suit. It also has its real looking Snake Eyes mask. This mask is also black, with its attached visor. Your child will definitely look like the real deal. He will also feel like this action hero, as well.

The jump suit of this costume, has a padded muscle look. Not only will this costume provide a classic look, it is also muscle bound. The jump suit of this child's costume is a beautiful design. It has attached arm guards and leg holsters. Both of these give your costume a true character appearance.

It doesn't matter what size your child is, you will be able to find the right costume. These costumes typically come in small, medium, and large. Some of the accessories, are going to be wonderful. One of these is the Snake Eyes sword and sheath. Your character will appear to be a real warrior, with this accessory.

Some children will definitely want the Snake Eyes combat vest and holster. This gives your costume, yet another combat motif. With this costume on, you will be able to witness your very own little action fighter. Remember to take pictures of this memorable costume.

The adult Snake Eyes costume, is a very authentic looking costume. Included with this costume is the classic black jump suit and hood. The Snake Eye jump suit has a padded muscle chest, giving your character a wonderful appeal. The hood has an attached visor that looks a great deal like the real thing. In fact, you will look like you've just stepped off the big screen!

This costume has some really wonderful accessories. These are all available to separate purchases. One of these are the gloves. These gloves are the traditional black with silver arm bands. These only serve to accentuate your overall outfit. The Snake Eyes sword and sheath are two well-needed accessories. What real warrior would go without his weapons?

Shoes are also an important component to this ensemble. Black shoes will perfectly match your costume. These shoes along with black socks are a necessary addition to this costume. You will need, both of them to achieve the look you really want. Remember when searching, for the right shoes, shop for comfort, too. Yes, looks are important! But you will need to find shoes that feel good, as well. Since you'll be wearing them for hours, this will be especially important.

Rochelle Stenway is a fashion enthusiast and part time costume designer. Learn more about Snake Eyes Costumes [http://snakeeyescostumes.com] and check out the wide selection of Snake Eyes Halloween Costumes [http://snakeeyescostumes.com/kids-adults-snake-eyes-halloween-costumes.php] available this year.

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Why Halo Is My Star Wars

"I Am Your Shield, I Am Your Sword" - Why Halo Is My Star Wars
By Rob Richardson

Before I go on please note that I did NOT say "Halo is better than Star Wars" so this isn't an argument for or against either franchise. As I typed the title I could already feel the Force grip of millions of Jedi's around my neck whilst in the back of my mind I could hear the chant of "This is not the article you should be writing" repeatedly, Obi-Wan style!

Halo is my favourite franchise of all time. I love the game, I love the story and I love the idea. It's another cultural phenomenon that has captivated not only the imagination of gamers but those outside the community as well.

Star Wars and Halo are very different beasts but what they represent - culturally - is very similar.

Star Wars means a lot to a huge amount of people and rightfully so.

The original trilogy is fantastic. The trial of good over evil represented through ideas such as the Force, utilized by the opposing ideals of the Jedi and Sith, was completely original and fascinating at the time. George Lucas' creation captured the hearts and minds of not only Sci-Fi fans but families and children across the world.

The shocking revelation that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father at the climax of The Empire Strikes Back and his redemption at the end of Return of the Jedi were shining examples of imaginative vision and an apt conclusion to an inspiring series of movies.

Subsequent movies, comic books, novels, and video games; further filled out the Star Wars universe introducing us to many unique characters and a galaxy complete with its own history, myths and legends.

The impact of the original trilogy and the franchise is recognized throughout modern cinema and pop culture. There are not many people who have no idea what a Stormtrooper is or couldn't point out an Ewok in a crowd. Star Wars has touched millions of people.

I was not around when Episode IV: A New Hope was released in 1977 but I watched the movies on TV on numerous bank holidays and Christmas vacations before owning them on VHS and DVD. Countless viewings served to immerse me in the story.

But immersion is the key.

Star Wars used the media at the time it was released to tell a story. It was one of the first blockbuster movies. Special effects were getting better and George Lucas was able to utilize these, as well as a brilliantly crafted plot and a rich ensemble cast, to broadcast his vision worldwide.

Halo: Combat Evolved, similarly, used the technology of the time to introduce a new generation to a vast science fiction universe using the Xbox back in 2001.

Cinema, which provided something more stimulating than books to the youth of its day, is now nowhere near as immersive (there's that word again) a tool than a game is.

If handled correctly, a game can absorb the player, and weave itself in their consciousness, making the experience incredibly personal.

As a game, it was a stand-out contribution by Bungie to the First Person Shooter genre. The controls were weighted, the visuals sharp and pristine and the gameplay was perfect. The multiplayer aspect was amazing. It later even allowed gamers to use map editor Forge to create their own arenas of battle and create sculptures within the Halo setting.

The key though was how involving it was.

Becoming Master Chief John-117 (although his name was not revealed until Halo 3) meant you took the reigns of the last SPARTAN warrior, humanities last, best hope in the final years of an intergalactic war in the 26th century. This soldier was a honed killing machine but was more than just a robotic nobody who the player could dive in and out of. Who was this mysterious character? Why was he the last of his kind? What were his motivations? What were his origins?

The environment was equally as absorbing. One moment you were battling through the corridors of the Pillar of Autumn and the next you were looking out of forests and mountains of Halo; a massive, artificial ring-world. At some points, when facing in the right direction, you could see the immense construct reach up into the sky above you to meet its apex before curling back round behind you. You were left asking more questions - who built this world? What were they like? Why was it so valuable to your enemies?

You faced off against the Covenant. This was a multi-racial theocracy. Lead by The Prophets, this society was on a quest to take back all Forerunner artifacts (the beings who had built Halo) in the belief that this was a spiritual journey. They reviled humanity and viewed the Chief as a demon who stood in their way to enlightenment. Again, I was left wanting more - who were these aliens? What was their Great Journey? Why were they so malevolent?

On exploring Halo, Master Chief and the United Nations Space Command Marines unleash a terrible entity know as The Flood. This species, controlled by a being known as the Gravemind, took control over any living creature and distorted it, using it as host and fed upon anything in its path. Why were they sealed away on Halo? How long had they been there?

The game posed many questions and was so well put together that it attracted a huge fan base. People flocked in droves to purchase the game and I'm sure it worked in Microsoft's favour to sell a few Xboxes.

But, as Master Chief responded to Cortana at the end of Halo: CE, "I think we're just getting started."

I was hooked.

Nothing had ever gripped my imagination like this before. All the pieces were in play, all the questions that I NEEDED answered. I awaited the release of Halo 2 with baited breath.

As did I with Halo 3, Halo Wars, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach.

Bungie had developed a completely involving space opera and one that you could become a part of. YOU were the hero. Everything about the Halo universe was designed to feel real, particularly the behaviour of the characters and units in the game. Halo made you part of a galactic conflict that felt like it could happen.

But Halo did something that only the likes of Tomb Raider had done before. It was no longer confined to the console.

Eric Nylund wrote novels to accompany the series which were endorsed by the producers. These went into incredible detail about the aspects of humanities ascent into the stars, its colonial wars, and the shocking and controversial development of the SPARTAN project. The books also looked at the war from both sides, offering the unique perspective of the Covenant forces; the Grunts, the Elites, the Brutes and the Prophets.

We were introduced to Dr. Catherine Halsey, the mastermind behind the SPARTAN inception. We met Fred and Kelly, members of John-117's original unit. And learned of the tragic fall of Reach, Earth's last, major bastion before it was attacked by the Covenant. The novels followed Master Chief throughout his journey as Earth's hero but also fleshed out many other characters and events along the way, expanding on the Halo universe as it went.

Many comparisons were made between the books and Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers in terms of content, storytelling, and realism.

When Halo 3 was released things went a step further.

By this time Halo and Master Chief had become household names. Adverts for the game were shown in theatres and TV and the franchise broke records for merchandising, something that another staple of pop culture, Harry Potter, had held before.

This was unlike any other gaming experience. It was a story that broke the constraints of its platform and went on to influence games that came after it. It shifted the focus from making not just an involving game but crafting an incredible story on which to support it.

Comic books by Marvel have been written showcasing the adventures of Master Chief, to accompany the games and the multitude of characters in the franchise. A Blu-ray was created to delve even deeper to the mystery of Halo, its origins and the history of The Covenant and humanity. A continuing range of action figures and vehicles have been released following all the games and developing the ideas within the saga. Halo Wars and Halo: Reach are both prequels to the trilogy that started with Halo: CE.

Reach was Bungies farewell to the series it so successfully ushered into the world. 343 Industries have now taken over management of Halo - this division of Microsoft was developed solely to run all things Halo and is even named after the Forerunner AI, 343 Guilty Spark, from the games.

This year, the game that started it all is ten years old and gets a re-mastering of its own.

Drawing any parallels to another franchise I mentioned earlier?

I wasn't there for Star Wars original release but Halo seems to have had that same cultural impact on my generation. It has captured fan's imagination and ran with the ball, going from strength to strength.

I hope it can continue to keep up the pace.

Everyone has a little bit of nerd inside them dying to come out. Release your inner nerd.

We discuss everything from movies, comic books, science fiction, TV shows, costuming, gaming, conventions, and anything else considered to be nerdy. Think of us as your one stop shop for all things nerdy and a place to share information with fellow nerds. We would be honored if you would join us. [http://www.almostnerdy.com]

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Star Wars

Star Wars - When Nothing Was Ever the Same Again
By Niall Roche

There was a moment in the history of film making when everything changed. Before this moment, science fiction films occupied a fairly small niche position in film making and in movies people went to see. But when this moment happened, a change happened that virtually made science fiction the king of film styles for a long time to come. And that event was the initial release of Star Wars.

The fundamental difference in what surprised the world when those words scrolled across the screen and Star Wars took over science fiction movie making was the vision that George Lucas had when he conceived the films. When you have a man of vision creating something completely new, you know big changes are going to happen. But there are very specific ways that Star Wars changed science fiction movies forever that we can identify.

* Star Wars created a whole new model for movie making. Because it incorporated elements of the western and even of works of big vision like Wagner's operas, it reached for something much more noble and literary than what had been seen before.

* Star Wars was as much about people and their relationships as it was about science fiction. We cared about Luke and Leah and Hans from the moment we met them and the more people that got added to the adventure over the years, the more we cared about the human story as much as the space adventure.

* Star Wars was funny but it wasn't a comedy. That was a break through in science fiction movies. We knew about spoofs and science fiction comedies. And we knew about "serious" science fiction. But Star Wars combined the two and never stopped being a great science fiction movie.

* Star Wars birthed the blockbuster film. Next to Jaws, Star Wars is what got this entire era of huge movies making massive amounts of money going for the very first time. The funny thing was that it surprised George Lucas and the filmmakers as much as anybody.

* Star Wars made special effects explode and changed the scope of movies because of it. We had never seen effects so huge, so real and so fantastic as what we saw in Star Wars. From the bar scene with so much creativity on display to the spine tingling space war scenes, Star Wars was and is the standard every other film is held up to that tries to match the power of that movie.

Those of us that are massive Star Wars "geeks" know why we love it so. We love the stories, the people, the effects, and the excitement that a movie that stretched over six movies and many years and decades has held for us. But it's good to sit back and appreciate the incredible impact Star Wars has had on film history because after Star Wars came out, nothing was ever the same again. And that was a good thing.

You always wanted to be a jedi when you were growing up didn't you? The only thing that was stopping you was owning your own real lightsaber - why not own one today?

Source: www.lightsaberguide.com

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Bayern Munich

Must-Know Bayern Munich Facts for Readers
By Kev Rob

FC Bayern Munich is one of the most celebrity football clubs in the world. The club, which is popularly known as FC Bayern or even called FCB, competes in the top-tier of German football system, commonly known as Bundesliga. Without any shade of doubt, Bayern Munich has been the most consistent performer in Bundesliga. They are the most successful entity in Bundesliga. The article is intended to share some amazing Bayern Munich facts with the readers.

Bayern Munich - Story of Success

The club has climbed to the crest of success since its establishment back in 1900. Franz John along with eleven players took the leading role to set up the club. It was in 1932 when the Bavarian side claimed their first national champions title. The club kissed their greatest success in the 1970s. Bayern won the European title in 1974 and successfully defended the same in the next two seasons under great captaincy of Franz Beckenbauer who is considered one of the greatest players football has ever produced.

Among the Bundesliga clubs, Bayern has marched their way to the finals of the UEFA Champions League for the maximum number of times. The club has been the most dominant one in Bundesliga. Though the club was not a part of Bundesliga during its inception, it has won the Bundesliga title for the highest number of time. The club has wrapped up UEFA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, European Cup Winners Cup and also International Cups.

In a word, the club has earned respect and popularity on strength of its success both on national and international level. They have produced several football legends. Several Bayern Munich players were in the World Cup winning German team in 2014.

Bayern Munich - Rich in Resources

Bayern Munich is rich in resources both in terms of money and talent. As per the latest reports, the club is one of the wealthiest entities in the world of football. The club attracts both fresh and experienced footballers from all over the globe. They also nourish the young prospects at their own academy. The club has been managed by a number of brilliant coaches and is currently under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti.

Rivalry & Jersey

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have become arch rivals since mid of 1990s. Their rivalry has become more infamous as Bayern has been alleged of attracting the star players from Borussia Dortmund in order to maintain their monopoly in Bundesliga. The club's boys play in 'red and white' jersey. A 'white and blue' flag is the crest of Bayern.

Stadium & Members

The club has its home ground at the Allianz Arena. Olympiastadion used to be their home ground for 33 long years. Being popular internationally, the club has fans and followers all over the world.

Golden Goals

It is a football website that delivers historical facts and figures about the famous football clubs and players. The football crazy fans also flock to the website in search of live scores, updated news about matches and other football related information.

Golden goals is a popular website that gives updated facts about football matches, clubs and players. If you want to know FC Bayern Munich facts, log on the website.

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Britney Spears' Pictures:

Britney Spears' Pictures: Telling Life Beyond Words
By Amaryllis Zamora

Britney Spears' pictures have accompanied her in her entire career, and they sold as well as her as her albums did. Her larger-than-life star status rendered her pictures a different value. And her life's chronicles were accompanied by the visual appeal of Britney Spears' pictures. You cannot really expect to read up on news about Britney Spears if you cannot find Britney Spears' pictures partnering it. What has been observed from Britney Spears' pictures? There have been so many, but here we highlight a few of the best and worth highlighting.

From Rebel School Girl to Rehab Girl
Britney Spears' pictures painted her evolution. From her innocent but seductive "Hit Me Baby One More Time!" days up to her more daring "Toxic" days. All of Britney Spears' pictures combined paint a picture of consistent dramatic changes in her image-- reinvention at its utmost. You will find that in almost every celebrity-related website, Britney Spears' pictures are in abundance. Her famous flesh-colored suit adorned with crystals in one concert, to her long flowing gowns, to her performance outfits and even up to the sad time where she had personal

Numerous Hair Makeovers
Britney Spears fan are also close to making an entire memorabilia of Britney Spears' pictures in their own funded and uploaded websites. You need not look too far. Britney Spears' pictures have also been some sort of trend setter to her fans, who followed all the changes she made in her life: be it the radical haircut, the tattoos or even making outrageous coiffures to fit her reinventions to herself.

Relationships
All her publicized relationships formed a special part of the gallery of her life as well as the people who closely followed what she was going to come up with next. Britney Spears' pictures with her two ex-husbands, her equally famous pop star ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake and even her relationships with then rival and fellow Mickey Mouse Club alumni Christina Aguilera were all hyped up and devoured by the masses. While words can be devoid of emotion, Britney Spears' pictures just showed facets of her relationships with many people in the colorful industry of show business.

Glories and Pitfalls
Britney Spears' pictures both painted all the things she has ever achieved and even the times she fell flat on her face. Her infamous partying with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan without her underwear, her pictures when she shaved her head off with clippers, and her attempts to see her children in Kevin Federlines' home, plus the incident of the paparazzi she attacked with an umbrella for not respecting her privacy are the most recent posts if you try to look for Britney Spears' pictures, but the glories that precede that were also just as many. Her winning numerous awards, her different image revamps and her lovely pictures of success at the prime of her career were all shadowed by the numerous booboos she had, which she is still working to get out of via rehabilitation.

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Britney Spears Tickets

Britney Spears Tickets - Hitting the Road Again
By Matt Joal

Britney Spears is back! To be honest, she actually never left. Despite the drama Britney has endured for the last couple of years, the music industry is expecting that with her upcoming tour, Britney Spears tickets will still be in high demand.

Britney Spears tickets were a teenager's fantasy when she began touring in 1999 with her Baby One More Time Tour. Young girls and boys flocked to get Britney tickets during her rise to fame from the Mickey Mouse Club. This Louisiana native probably didn't have any idea how her life would play out or how successful she would be.

Dream a Little Dream

From 1991-1993, this young starlet played various roles on the hit show The Mickey Mouse Club. After her split in 1993, she went on to play herself in other television roles. No one was buying Britney tickets then. She was among a crop of teeny boppers trying to be rich and famous. Her 2002 film debut in the movie Crossroads sparked an increase in Britney Spears ticket sales. The PG-13 film grossed over $61 million.

There's no doubt that Britney Spears is a singing and dancing machine. Since she began touring in 1999 for her first studio album, Britney Spears has sold millions of tickets. She began a second tour entitled Crazy 2K Tour in 2000 to support her first album Baby One More Time. Being the workaholic that she is, Britney began another tour that same year. The 2000's Oops!...I Did It Again World Tour began June 20, 2000 until January 18, 2001. That tour was her first international tour with 58 stops in North America, 31 in Europe and 1 in South America. Her fourth tour from November 2001 to July 2002 was a bit Vegas-style with lots of pyrotechnics and a giant disco ball. Dream Within a Dream Tour grossed over $50 million from tickets sold and made 67 stops in North America with 1 in Japan.

If you think that Britney's tickets don't sell, think about all the people who purchased $40 million worth of her tickets in 2001. She also amassed over $162 million in record sales the same year. Not only do the Britney Spears tickets sell, but the merchandise at her concerts also sell sometimes to the tune of at least $100,000 per show.

After a brief hiatus, Britney tickets were on sale again for her 2004 The Onyx Hotel Tour, which featured New York-style theatrics with state-of-the-art stage pieces and screens. She greeted over 600,000 fans and grossed over $30 million earned from the tickets sold from North America and Europe tour stops.

After a couple of marriages, high-speed paparazzi chases and children, Britney tickets were on sale yet again in 2007. Dates for The M+M's Tour (aka The House of Blues Tour) only occurred in May 2007 in six U.S. cities. Britney tickets were often sold out ahead of time due to rumors of her locations prior to her performances.

'Circus' Time: New Britney Spears Tickets

Although Britney Spears has not toured since 2007, she is rearing to go for her upcoming 2009 tour The Circus. With a new workout regimen and her personal life now balancing out, Britney tickets are soon going to be the hottest selling tickets for 2009. Despite declining record sales over the past couple of years, Britney Spears is on the comeback. Her anticipated tour and hit singles on today's radio stations are bound to increase the sales of Britney Spears tickets.

You've seen her make guest appearances on How I Met Your Mother and Will & Grace, now get ready to see a new and improved woman on the stage. Britney Spears tickets are sure to sell out quickly. She is ranked in the Guinness World Records and is the eighth best-selling female recording artist with 31 million in certified albums.

Check online for dates when Britney Spears will be in your local area. Don't miss out. The Britney Spears concert will be the talk of 2009!

By Matt Joal, sponsored by http://www.StubPass.com - StubPass sells Britney Spears Tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

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Britney Spears' New Tour -

Britney Spears' New Tour - Just a Circus Or a New Start?
By Matt J Ryan

The Circus is coming to town! Meaning, either, Britney Spears' life on parade, or her new musical tour "Circus." The public is eagerly awaiting the answer - which one will it be? Britney has chosen to open her tour on March 3, 2009 in New Orleans. This Tour of the pop star's new album, Circus is the famous pop star's long-awaited re-entry into the music industry. During recent years, all of the focus on Britney has been on her far less than stable personal life, but both her fans and music executives hope that Britney's Circus Tour will revive her superstar status, and serve to welcome a new Britney Spears to the world. NEW ALBUM, SAME STAR?

The pop singer's sixth studio record Circus was released on November 28, 2008, and it has already reached number one on the Billboard charts. The Britney Spears Circus Tour will support Circus and will be interesting to see after her public downfall. Circus's debut falls in line with her other studio hits. This latest release is the singer's fifth number one album on the Billboard 200 charts.

There are those who will say that the title of her most recent album and tour is a little unfortunate. It's certainly a fitting description for the tone of her life over the last several years. This has been true as a result of rumored drug use, dissolving personal relationships, and bizarre personal behavior. Britney's people will tell you, however, that the Circus title will be the best named platform on which to stage her comeback. The comeback that will prove her capable of performing the greatest show on earth. Spears is ready to prove that despite her negative attention, she can still command an audience. The Circus Tour will highlight her pizzazz, and will serve to further what began as her entry back into the spotlight in early 2008, with guest appearances on popular television sitcoms. For instance, in September, 2008, she not only opened the MTV Video Music Awards, she also went on to win several awards there. Shortly thereafter Jive Records, her record label, announced that Circus was on its way. A mere eleven days later, 'Womanizer' was released to radio stations with mixed reviews, but only a few weeks later, the single had jumped to the Billboard Top 100 charts. With higher than expected sales, the Circus Tour has already exceeded expectations before it's even begun.

With the help of her friends, family and fans, her life has become more balanced, and she is moving to a much better plateau. With her attitude changed, the development of the Britney Spears Circus Tour could begin. A year ago with her dramatic lifestyle, no one would have imagined a number one album or number one single. However, with top debut sales of her sixth studio album Circus, she is on her way to become one of the top-selling females of 2008.

Make No Mistake - Circus is the Tour to See

Britney Spears re-introduced herself to the world through a much-anticipated performance on Good Morning America. Her first single from Circus, which hit the stores on Britney's 27th birthday, December 2nd, is entitled "Womanizer" and it has made a great impression on the music industry. This title track, some would say, has already proven that Britney can still sell music and concerts.

The 42-city Britney Spears Circus Tour begins in New Orleans on March 3, 2009 and ends April 28, 2009 in Rosemont, Illinois. The Britney Spears Circus Tour will tour eight dates in Europe in June 2009. Pop girl singing group The Pussycat Dolls is the opening act for the pop princess. The Britney Spears Circus Tour will be produced by famed director and choreographer Wade Robson.

Despite the difficulties of her personal life over the last few years, Britney Spears' Circus Tour might just be one of the hottest selling tours of 2009. Although it's easy to get caught up in her bad press of late, her fans have never forgotten that she already has an impressive musical career. All Circus need do is to contribute to her already impressive musical career. So, far, it's on a roll. The Britney Spears Circus Tour and her over 500,000 copies sold of Circus are a great start to the long-awaited, and much-renewed Britney Spears. Circus has been her long-awaited album since Blackout in 2007. What a difference a year makes! Hopefully the madness and drama are over, and the Britney Spears Circus Tour can bring back the old Britney Spears who was full of stamina and knockout performances. Get your tickets to the Britney Spears Circus Tour to see the act unfold.

By Matt Ryan, sponsored by StubPass.com. StubPass sells Britney Spears Tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and many more tickets to your favorite events around the world.

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Britney Spears is an US singer

Britney Spears
By Chris Shiflett

Britney Spears is an US singer, born December 2, 1981 in Kentwood Louisiana.

At the age of 8, following an audition to present the Mickey Mouse Club where Britney Spears was refused because too young, one of the producer of the show notices her and recommends Britney Spears to an agent in New York. Britney Spears then spends her following summers in New York to follow dancing and comedy courses. Very good idea as in 1991, Britney Spears manages to get a role in a Broadway show. The same year, Britney Spears little sister Jamie Lynn Spears comes to world. At the age of 11, Britney Spears presents the Mickey Mouse Club with Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. Then, Britney Spears records a sample that she sends to a large number of music record companies. Britney Spears takes audition for Jive Records which immediately signs her.

On January 12 1999, the first Britney Spears album Baby One More Time, (Baby One More Time, You Drive Me Crazy, Sometimes, Soda Pop, Born To Make You Happy, From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart, I Will Be There, I Will Still Love You, Thinkin' About You, E-Mail My Heart, The Beat Goes On) is released.

The Britney Spears album contains two titles with pop sounds and the targeted audience is somewhat young. The Britney Spears album sells at 23 millions worldwide. Britney Spears then releases her new song "Sometimes", with average success, then "Crazy" which ranks well in charts of many countries before giving place to "Born To Make Your Happy" which had a strong impact.

In 2000, Britney Spears releases her second cd album, Oops... I Dit It Again (I Can't Get No Satisfaction, Can't Make You Love Me, Dear Diary, Don't Go Knockin' On My Door, Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know, Lucky, One Kiss From You, Oops!...I Did It Again, Stronger, What U See Is What U Get, When Your Eyes Say It, Where Are You Now). The hit becomes one of the most popular song of the 90s. 19 millions of Britney Spears albums are sold. The second song "Lucky" encounters a relatively important success. We need to wait the third single "Stronger" to see a new success for Britney Spears. The last album, "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know", is however her fist commercial failure.

Well decided not to stay with a defeat, Britney Spears takes her time to prepare a third cd album with a first single "I'm Slave For You" with innovating and audacious sounds, produced by Neptunes. The Britney Spears single definitively breaks the virgin image of the pop star. The Britney Spears album sells pretty well (more than 12 millions albums sold), but not as much as her first two ones.

It is at the same period that Britney Spears makes her first steps in cinema in a movie specifically created for her, "Crossroads". Despite the movie getting deceiving results, the Britney Spears movie still is a commercial success as the movie collected over $60 million worldwide, for a budget four times less important.

Little by little, Britney Spears image degrades. We especially discover Britney Spears smokes, like parties, drinks and has tried drugs in the past. Britney Spears also surprised people with her express wedding at Las Vegas which lasted not even the 55 hours.

In November 2003, Britney Spears releases a new cd album, In The Zone ((I Got That) Boom Boom (featuring Ying Yang Twins), Brave New Girl, Breathe On Me, Early Mornin', Everytime, Me Against the Music (featuring Madonna), Outrageous, Shadow, Showdown, The Hook Up, Touch of My Hand, Toxic). Britney Spears music is now more sensual but also more personal (the singer has written or co-written several songs). The first Britney Spears single, “Me Against The Music” is with the collaboration of her idol of ever, Madonna. Yet, the presence of Madonna doesn’t Britney Spears to meet the expected success in the US. Nevertheless, the Britney Spears song still manages to top in several countries across the globe. It is with her international hit "Toxic" that Britney Spears album sales skyrocketed. Then Britney Spears releases her single "Everytime", first song written and composed by the singer, which also will be an international success.

Britney Spears then starts a world tour, the Onyx Hotel Tour, a concert which is more dedicated to an adult audience. Unfortunately, her wounded knee (while recording clip "Outrageous") forces Britney Spears to cancel the end of the tour. After a shorten promotion due to her being hospitalized, the Britney Spears album still managed to sells at more than 7 millions.

Britney Spears doesn't have the mood for work, and according to her, "What's better than releasing a Best Of?": then comes Britney Spears Greatest Hits: My Prerogative (My Prerogative, Toxic, I'm a Slave 4 U, Oops! ... I Did It Again, Me Against the Music, Stronger, Everytime, Baby One More Time, You Drive Me Crazy, Boys, Sometimes, Overprotected, Lucky, Outrageous, I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman, I've Just Begun Having My Fun, Do Somethin'). Two new Britney Spears songs appear on this Best Of; My Prerogative and Do Something'. My prerogative has had a relatively important success worldwide; the single is a version of Bobby Brown. The second single is Do Somethin' which wasn’t released in the US but still manages to rank position 100 thanks to downloads. The Britney Spears cd sells at 5 millions, it is the best of the most sold in year 2004.

In late 2004, Britney Spears launches her first perfume, Curious (produced by Elizabeth Arden), which immediately has a phenomenal success. Later, Britney Spears married Kevin Federline, dancer and boyfriend of a few months that left wife and his two children. Britney Spears releases a new perfume Fantasy still with Elizabeth Arden which again is a phenomenal success.

In 2005, Britney Spears comes back on the screens with her TV reality show: Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, aired on cable channel UPN. The TV reality show is a complete commercial disaster. Britney Spears then takes the opportunity of the last episode to diffuse her new clip; Someday (I Will Understand) where Britney Spears shares her feelings about her upcoming maternity.

Wanting to prove to the world that a woman body carrying a baby is still so beautiful, Britney Spears accepts to be taken in nude pictures in the August 2006 edition of magazine Harper's Bazaar, imitating Demi Moore who in 1991 made scandal on magazine Vanity Fair.

On September 14 of the same year, Britney Spears gives life to a little Sean Preston Spears-Federline in a clinic of Santa Monica, California. Britney Spears then appears in some journals, her being suspected of not looking well after her child.

One month after the birth of her son, Britney Spears releases a new album of remixes named B In the Mix: The Remixes (Toxic - Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix, Me Against The Music Featuring Madonna - Justice Remix, Touch Of My Hand - Bill Hamel Remix, Breathe On Me - Jacques Lu Cont’s Thin White Duke Mix, I’m A Slave 4 U - Dave Audé Slave Driver Mix, And Then We Kiss - Junkie Xl Remix, Everytime - Valentin Remix, Early Mornin’ - Jason Nevins Remix, Someday (I Will Understand) - Hi-Bias Signature Radio Remix, Baby One More Time - Davidson Ospina 2005 Remix, Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know - Hex Hector Club Mix).

In 2006, Britney Spears releases a third perfume Curious-In-Control in limited edition in the US. Again it is another success for Britney Spears. A party is then organized with some children to celebrate the three successes of her perfumes which would for sure be followed by two others as the star Britney Spears has signed for five perfumes with Arden.

Britney Spears then makes an appearance in the serial Will & Grace in March 2006 and announces on May 9 2006 her second pregnancy in David Letterman's talk show. On September 12 2006 at 2H AM, Britney Spears gives birth to her second child, a boy named Sutton Pierce. Britney Spears would have chosen Sutton Pierce to have the same initials as Sean Preston (SPF). Two days later, on 14, Britney Spears celebrates the first anniversary of Sean.

The official Britney Spears website is currently in renovation. Apparently, Britney Spears comeback promises to rock if we believe what the producers of her future album said. Singer Britney Spears just gave birth to her second child that rumors fuse everywhere about her big coming back in the music scene. Even if no specific date was given, the next Britney Spears album is expected for early 2007. Jonathan Rotem (producer of Britney Spears) has admitted the album would contain one or two rap songs, some slows and club songs. Jive would have sent a song to a radio. This song may be "Everybody" from Britney Spears next album but it is only a rumor.

Concerning the comeback of Britney Spears, in 2005 the title of the album, according to media, would have been “The Original Doll" but here we are in 2006 and Britney Spears may rather be more keen on something like "The Glorious Return Of The Southern Bell" but nothing has been decided yet.

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Living an Honest and Fruitful Life is Not an Option (from a Seminar I Gave)

By [https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Richard_Posner/34106]Richard Posner Let's discover your true self and the pot of gold that is yours to claim. Truth is at the heart of an honest and happy life. Be true to others, to yourself and to the values that guide you. Start each day in truth and finish in truth. You'll sleep soundly and each delicious next morning you'll feel glad to be alive. It's a splendid manner of living and you'll never have to lower your eyes again. I hope that each of you will be touched today by the spirit of challenge. I hope that each of you will grasp the powerful picture I am passionately painting for you with my words and visions; words which touch you and jumpstart your life up the road to success. I hope that each of you will today walk away from this groundbreaking seminar with a strong, long-lasting belief that you CAN control your destiny through proper planning and execution of your special plan. I hope that each of you will learn to trust yourself and act on that trust. I hope that each of you will learn to lighten up and loosen up. I hope that each of you will walk miles taller. Firmly committed to excellence, may you never again have to settle for second best. And finally, I hope that each of you today will leave here full of gratitude just for being alive. The famous utopian, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote: "You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." Friends, we must leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of happiness and fulfillment. Our task is huge, but well worth the effort. Whether we are 12 or 800, retired or tired, dirty or clean, angry or dreamy, wounded or whole...character is always a welcomed guest and is treated with all due respect. Let's take our hats off to character. So what is character? What does he or she look like who has character? What difference does character make in the scheme of things? I can't fully put my finger on what character is. I do know that it holds power, love, beauty, warmth, strength, forgiveness, steadiness, excellence, luxury, compassion, thoughtfulness, richness, blissful laughter and sincere teardrops. I do know that character doesn't ignore unhappiness, dissatisfaction, anger, frustration, stubbornness, depression and hopelessness. I do know that it is crystal-pure blessing from wherever Heaven may be. It pays everyone in kindness, respectfulness and mindfulness. Indeed, it is the most dignified manner of living a good, respectful, respectable life. Character is the rope that pulls us up from deep disappointment and failure to the shores of success. It is the smiling, confident, calm face in the eye of a storm. Character stands for what we stand for and what we stand for should stand for something. When life is conducted properly, our steadiness and resolve make us unstoppable. We will set goals. We will act. We will adjust. We will not back down or turn back. We will feel able to climb steep, spiritual mountains and rebound from broken promises. To know how to conduct your life through empowering thought and mindful action will make you absolutely unstoppable. We must attempt the uncomfortable at times in order to gain mastery and self-confidence. Tony Robbins, personal coach/mentor for many famous people including the late Princess Diana, gives a special, annual seminar using a very frightening strategy. He teaches his pupils the art of fire-walking barefooted across red-hot coals. It takes a full weekend to mind train and convince his audience that they can do such a dangerous task effortlessly and with no injury. Amazingly, he has never had an injury at his seminars requiring hospitalization. Why would the participants take the risk of getting seriously burned in a coal pit? Why is an excellent question. Tony Robbins believes and fully lives a life of truth. He follows through. He wants his seminar participants to experience the victory over unbelievable circumstances. If you master coal walking, then dealing with sassy teenage daughters and sons seems that much easier. Dealing with a demanding or unfair boss becomes a trivial manner. Nobody can or will do the hard work for us. There is a price to be paid for success and fulfillment. That price is --- to never give up. Never ever give up on your dreams and plans. Only losers do. I read in a newspaper clip a few month's ago of a very old yet active woman, Lana by name, one hundred and three years young, and her reaction to the question 'What makes you stay young?' Her response? "We don't stop playing because we grow older, we grow older because we stop playing." Folks, our lives are not a dress rehearsal. Our lives are what we make them. The seeds we plant now will bloom into flowers over time. Patience is a willingness to stick with a plan whether or not the sun shines, the wife loves you, the boss respects you, the money is flowing in or the economy is rising up. Patience brings results... There was a famous, cynical comedian in the 1930s named W.C. Fields. He loved to drink, he loved to party and he loved to make people laugh. He was extremely funny. One day he was walking through a flower shop and a tag on one of the plants caught his eye. The plant was called a Century Plant. The somewhat dishonest florist told Mr. Fields that this plant only flowered once per century and that within 24 hours it would bloom. In a drunken ecstasy, Fields bought the over-priced plant, brought it home and invited many of his Hollywood pals over for the 24-hour wait for this Century Plant to flower. And wait they did. Two days of hard, heavy drinking passed and still the flower failed to bloom. Fields, fed up with waiting, went to his locked drawer, yanked the key off the wall hook and inserted it into the keyhole. Hearing the unlocking click, he yanked the drawer out and grabbed his pistol. He went into the livingroom where the Century Plant lay at rest and said to the plant: "For the last time, bloom! Bloom!!! Do you hear me, you fool?" Mysteriously, the plant remained silent and the flower failed to appear. Bang! He shot the plant and soil into a thousand directions and walked back into the kitchen for another shot of whiskey. Mr. Fields is not so different than most people who want quick results or want something for nothing. He got impatient and never gave his flower a chance to bloom. Have you ever wondered what could have happened for the better, if you had been a bit more patient with someone, with some project, or with some study you gave up on? Most of us shoot the plant before it has a chance to flower. God only knows how many times I have given up too soon. And turning back too soon results in low levels of self-confidence. And when you lose your self-confidence, opportunity becomes like a disease. You close your mind step-by-step to the magnificent, golden fields of opportunity. You hear people say things like "I know about that" or "I did that and it doesn't work" or "Japanese are all alike" or "My friend tried that and lost money." Sound familiar? Regret is a bitter pill to swallow. Following through brings rewards and momentum. I speak from experience. Nine and a half months ago I weighed in at 114 kilograms. My blood pressure was skyrocketing, my legs were swollen because of poor circulation. I was on a regiment of pills to control all the diseases that were starting to effect me. Clothes didn't fit well. I looked like a poor cousin of Konishiki, the gargantuan sumoist. My wife, a nurse, was constantly complaining to me that being so fat was dangerous and selfish to the family. She was right, but I ate more under that pressure. If you had seen me at that time you would not have believed that this over-fifty-year-old man, me, could have totally turned his troubled life and body around. I'm back from the valley of the living dead to inspire each of you to do your best, always. I did my best for the last nine months of weight loss and you can too with whatever areas of your life requiring improvement, once you understand the mindset for success. Last Friday I weighed in at 74 kilograms. My blood pressure is almost perfect. My leg swelling is virtually gone. The bounce is back in my walk. I can fit into Japanese-sized clothing without difficulty. The pillbox of disease is history. Whether your twenty or eighty, fat or thin, smart or not so smart, handsome, pretty or not, rich or poor, confident or lacking confidence...there are better tomorrows and they should start today. Not one precious soul in this world hasn't at least secretly wished he or she could live a first-class, healthy life. A famous speaker once said, "If a man tells you he doesn't care about his self-improvement and success, there's no telling what else he might lie to you about." I'm certain many of us don't change because we are caught in what is often referred to as the "comfort zone." The comfort zone is that cubbyhole place where we can consistently justify our underachievement and abandon our hopes and dreams while being cheered on by our failing and failed comrades. They are going nowhere and they are glad that you are too. When we hang around with other people who are living compromised, unfulfilled lives it is easy to catch the blues. Misery does enjoy the company of other giver-uppers. Don't look in that dark storm, however, for support in your quest for betterment and excellence. Great minds do, however, arise from the ashes of despair and hopelessness. Those of Excellence do not live in mediocre circles, and neither should you. The comfort zone club only loves you when you stop trying as hard as you can. That's the wrong club to hang out at. If you want to soar, then hang out with the hawks and eagles. Attend meetings and seminars with people serious about learning and improving upon their life and business skills. Read books by people who have accomplished much by doing and sharing much. Look up, look down, look sideways and look within. Pause and reflect on your blessings. Smile until it doesn't hurt. Listen until your tongue bleeds. Take nothing for granted. Give others credit, even when it is not due. Put high expectations on everyone but never be disappointed if others can't or don't live up to your standards. Be wrong often, even when you know you are right. Make a mountain of errors in your pursuit of excellence. Focus on the person/people you are with, as if it may be the last time you meet. And it may just be. Be the first to reach out with a hand of friendship or an encouraging pat on the back. One of my favorite motivational speakers and a multi-millionaire sales trainer as well is named Zig Zeigler. He has often said at his seminars: "Are you a wandering generality or a meaningful specific?" A wandering generality --- do you spend your life avoiding risk and settling for second best? A meaningful specific --- do you have any short-, medium- and long-term plans for your life? Are you orchestrating your life or is your boss or spouse doing the orchestrating? What are we living for? Are we living for our parents', spouse's or children's dreams and hopes? Or are we selfishly - some people may want you to believe - looking out only for our own self-interests? Frankly, there isn't a single soul in the world who isn't living for the appreciation and respect of others. We all want love and acceptance. Our self-interest gives us the confidence and reserve energy required for moving forward and navigating the uncharted waters of our lives. Our value on this planet is in direct proportion to the effort each of us puts out, even though we can rest. Even though no one may be watching. Even though the result may be in doubt. Even though the money may not be in the bank. Even though a loved one may be suffering from a disease or other misfortune. Even though the sun hasn't shone for a week. Even though you're getting by on three hours' rest and holding down two jobs. Even though we are told to fear terrorists and terrorism. Even though the economy is in the doldrums. Even though your boss doesn't like you. Even though your spouse doesn't pay attention to you. Even though no one cares about you. We are all given the same twenty-four hours each day. No more and no less. How we fill that time defines us. Thomas Edison, the prolific inventor of thousands of clever gadgets, once was asked about his invention of the lightbulb. The questioner wondered how he could have had the perseverance to continue with his experiments after thousands' of failures. He quickly snapped back: "Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won't work." Stop complaining and moaning. Things don't work. People don't work. Children don't listen. Nobody loves you (or so you think). The world is going to hell. The government is the cause of my problems. I don't have enough money, enough time, enough brains, enough good looks. I'm too shy. He pushes me around. There's no hope. Rich people are lucky. It's my destiny to fail. Everything I touch goes bad. And my parents are the reason I'm a nobody. On and on, the excuses flow, and we never have to get off our behinds and get to work on being the best we can. With a suicidal rapidity we march forward toward a painful mental and physical death or living hell --- "Oh well" or a "I never got any breaks" or "What's the use." As you get older you start in with your list of "used to's." We alllllll do it or have done it. "I used to be a good tennis player." "I used to bake bread." "I used to be in great shape." "I used to have four girlfriends." "I used to like people." "I used to have ambition." "I used to have a lot of money." I used to be a good tenor." "I used to write short stories." "I used to read a lot." Or here's a clever one: "I used to have a sense of humor." And the grand prizewinner is: "I used to have time." Hey, folks, time is not about to change. But your perception of time must change. You must be focused. Although our lives are finite, the opportunities within our lifetime are infinite and timeless. A woman climbed Mt. Everest in her late seventies recently. A man ran and completed a marathon at age 100. An ex-President skydived at age 88. Actor Paul Newman drove in the 24-Hour Daytona Race when he was 75. Tired? Consider this: John Wesley, a famous Christian minister of the 19th Century, preached over 40,000 sermons and traveled 225,000 miles (his horse had never heard of kilometers). Did you realize these figures belong only to the latter part of his life, from age 36 to 88? And if you need more inspiration, let me read to you about a very special granny. Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma Moses) was born on September 7, 1860 in Greenwich New York. She spent most of her life as a farmer's wife and raising her five children. She didn't become serious about painting until she was in her mid seventies. Up until that time, she enjoyed embroidery work with colorful scenes on canvas but when her hands became stiff with arthritis, she switched to painting. Her first picture was painted on a piece of canvas with house paint. In 1938 when she was almost eighty, Louis J. Caldor, an art collector noticed her work in a drugstore window and bought her first paintings. In 1939, Otto Kallir, art dealer first exhibited her scenes of rural life at his Gallerie Saint-Etienne in New York City. Her one-woman show brought national recognition. Gimbel's Department Store invited Grandma to New York to see a display of her painting at a Thanksgiving festival. Here she met many people who were fascinated by her paintings and by 1941 she received New York state prize for one of her paintings, "The Old Oaken Bucket." In 1949, President Harry S. Truman presented her with the Women's National Press Club Award for outstanding accomplishment in art. In 1955, the news reporter Edward R. Murrow invited her on his TV show, See It Now. People watched the TV screen as Grandma painted a picture from her house. She sat at an old table and painted on masonite, a thin hard board. "I like to paint old-timey things," she said. Her work is called primitive art, a simple and clear style and her theme was American rural life. Many primitive artists have not had formal training yet seem to paint in a natural way. Grandma drew from her memory and captured activities such as capturing the Thanksgiving turkey, Halloween night on the farm and having a family reunion picnic. At age 100, she illustrated an edition of "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore and the book was published after her death. Grandma Moses died on December 13, 1961. She lived to be 101 and in the last year of her life painted twenty-five pictures! It's all in your head. Are you a wandering generality or meaningful specific? You are what you think you are. You always meet your expectations, and if your expectations are low then your results will be low. Are you a good person? Are you kind? Are you soft? Are you thoughtful? Are you exhausted? Are you serious? Are you rich? Are you boring? Are you bored? Are you a housemom? Are you a dissatisfied worker? Are you an underachiever? An overachiever? A nonachiever? Are you an engineer talking about stress in buildings? Are you just an office lady filing away your hours? Are you a Kacho (boss) who secretly wishes to be in the sales department or in a laboratory or to have your own business? Are you Mr. Macho, pumping iron after hours? Are you gay and afraid to come out of the closet? Are you a Christian on a mission to save the world? Are you an eldest son with an endless sense of duty? Are you a beer drinker who never gets high on life when off the bottle? Are you a bellydancer masquerading as a department store clerk? Are you the black sheep of your family who never gets invited to family affairs? Are you the heirloom of a fortune that dishonestly tells people that your wealth was earned through hard work? Are you a welfare recipient because hamburger-flipping jobs are below you? Are you tired of life or your partner or your boss or your spouse or your children or that mother of yours' who keeps asking about your plans for marriage? Are you ready for change? It's not easy becoming a man or woman of truth and integrity, but the effort is more than worth it. Concentrate, as if your life depends on it. If you have goals and you are focused on self-improvement, your listening skills must be improved. Switch off your cleverness, so that you can listen with all your might. Open your eyes to the world begging to be noticed. Smell the flowers and put a gentle hand of encouragement on the shoulder or neck of those you love. Two thousand years past, an ancient philosopher named Pliny the Younger said: "The grace of listening is lost if the listener's attention is demanded, not as a favor, but as a right." So who are you? What are you living for? What are you willing to die for? I pray these last few reading minutes forced you to question yourself about how to proceed from this day forward in being a person of achievement. Remember: you only grow old by thinking old. Keep yourself fresh. Look for the opportunities to serve your fellow men. Small acts of kindness do add up to a better world for us all. I leave you with this story. There was a carpenter who for forty years worked honestly and built for himself a reputation. His skill was known in all the nearby towns and villages. One day the carpenter decided that it was time to retire. He told his boss that he would like to leave after his next job. His boss agreed but said to him "Your last house is to be made with great precision. I will give you all the materials necessary to build a quality, comfortable home. The carpenter agreed to do his best, but in truth his heart just wasn't in it. He put together the house hastily, not pounding in nails or measuring dimensions accurately. The house was done quickly and at first appearance looked good to the boss. The carpenter saw the boss count out his wages and then reach into his trousers to pull out the key. "This, my good carpenter, is your house and my final gift to you." When we do our best and live truthfully we can reach magnificent heights. Treat every house you build as you would your very own. Richard Posner has been a presentation trainer for major Japanese corporations for the last 25 years. He is a firm believer in the power for good of the Internet. He believes that an honest,low-key approach to how to build an online business will help elevate people who have lived on the fringes of society or haven't experienced marked success until now. He is dedicated to presenting programs, seminars, software and inspiration to the underdog. Visit http://www.successinjapan.com Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Living-an-Honest-and-Fruitful-Life-is-Not-an-Option-(from-a-Seminar-I-Gave)&id=196497] Living an Honest and Fruitful Life is Not an Option (from a Seminar I Gave)

Self-Esteem, Shunned Commencement Speakers

Self-Esteem, Shunned Commencement Speakers, and College Trigger Warnings
By Carol Josel

Here it is in a nutshell: Self-esteem comes from true accomplishment, or, at the very least, a strong effort to succeed, to attain a goal. It cannot be handed to children by well-meaning parents and educators who put every scribble on the fridge door or bulletin board.

Nevertheless, too many of us continue to ignore that truth, over-indulging our kids, defending the indefensible, and protecting them from failure. We hover, too.

Every kid now gets a trophy, merited or not, while many schools have done away with homework, red pens, and zeroes. Nowadays, we even see multiple valedictorians at graduations--or none at all. God forbid, the slackers out there should feel badly and left out.

Much of this is attributable to the self-esteem movement that got started back in the 1980's in California. The thinking at the time was that by downplaying grades and competition while praising even minimal effort, kids would feel worthwhile and be better behaved.

What we've ended up with instead are countless intolerant, arrogant, needy young people who've come to believe that life is supposed to be fair and that they're the be all and end all. They post the minutiae of their lives online, take countless selfies, expect good grades simply for showing up, cope poorly with failure, and lack adult-ready skills.

And all that me, me thinking is no more apparent than on our college campuses. Says comedian Jerry Seinfeld, "College kids are too politically correct; I hear it all the time. I don't play colleges, but I hear a lot of people tell me, 'Don't go near colleges. They're too P.C.' I'll give you an example: My daughter's 14. My wife said to her, 'Well, you know, in the next couple years, I think you're going to want to be hanging around the city more on the weekends, so you can see boys.' You know what my daughter says? She says, 'That's sexist.' They just want to use these words: 'That's racist;' 'That's prejudice.' They don't know what the _ _ _ _ they're talking about."

Along with all that unbridled political correctness and self-centeredness, many college students nowadays can't handle opposing points of view, so they protest, shun, or cause certain guests to be disinvited as speakers-and with many of their professors right there with them. In fact, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), since 1987, there have been at least 145 instances where speakers have withdrawn their names, had invitations revoked, or been the subjects of protests-with almost 100 of these in the last five years.

Notes the Washington Square News Editorial Board: "The protests follow party lines-with speakers who are perceived to be conservative uninvited almost three times as much as liberal guests." Last year, that included former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. Not only did Rutgers University students protest with a sit-in, the faculty council urged the university to disinvite her, calling her a "war criminal." She withdrew her name, so as not to detract from the ceremony itself.

Another who withdrew in 2014 was Robert J. Birgeneau, former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. Students at Haverford College liked that he champions undocumented and minority students but disapproved his use of force during a 2011 Occupy movement protest on campus. The upshot: They and some professors penned a letter asking that he apologize and support reparations or be disinvited.

Meanwhile, although Harvard's graduating seniors didn't want former NYC Mayor Bloomberg to speak last year, speak he did. Among his comments: "In the 1950's. the right wing was attempting to repress left-wing ideas. Today, on many campuses, it is liberals trying to repress conservative ideas, even as conservative faculty members are at risk of becoming an endangered species, and that is probably nowhere more true than it is here in the Ivy League."

Underscoring that fact, he noted that "all but 4% of presidential campaign contributions by Ivy League faculty and staff in 2012 went to Obama." Bloomberg himself endorsed the man at the time.

Among 2015's hit list:

• St. John Fisher College: Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Dozens of professors wrote, "A graduation ceremony should be a moment in which we publicly acknowledge and show respect for all members of our diverse student body and their accompanying families. Regretfully, our speaker selection implies that we do not value all members of the Fisher family equally."
• University of California, L.A.: Former Microsoft technology officer and co-founder of Intellectual Ventures Nathan Myhrvold. Offended, student Ara Shirinian called his company "the world's biggest patent troll" and insisted that, in the future, students be involved in the selection process.
• LeMoyne College: Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Almost the entire graduating class signed a Change.org petition against him for opposing same-sex marriage and mishandling sex abuse allegations against priests.

And when Texas Governor Greg Abbott was asked to speak this year at the University of North Texas, "Turn Your Back on Bigotry" designed an AbbottFreeUNT Facebook page asking that agreeing students turn their backs on him for the duration. Part of their platform read, "Governor Abbott supports policies that impede the attainment of rights pursued by marginalized communities, including, but not limited to: the LGBT+ population, women, people of color, and lower/working class people, e.g. Abbott's attempts to block access to in-state tuition for undocumented migrants is antithetical to this university's purported commitment to higher education and opportunity."

The upshot: Only a few hundred of the 4,000 graduating seniors showed up, and many of them turned their backs as the governor spoke. Wonder what their parents thought.

As the WSN Editorial Board concluded, "Although the overwhelming majority of students support free speech in theory, those who protest visiting speakers do not reflect this belief. If students are to advocate for free speech, they must uphold it unselectively. Advocates for free speech should not try to eliminate opportunities for unpopular views to be heard, and should, in fact, encourage them. Exposure to dissenting ideas is especially critical to intellectual honesty, and growth in an educational setting."

Unfortunately, the threat to academic freedom and freedom of speech doesn't end with shunned guest speakers. Nowadays, trigger warnings on campuses also seek to protect "fragile" students from any topic that might "trigger" in them an emotional response.

For instance, Oberlin College's now-tabled policy warned faculty to "remove triggering material when it does not contribute directly to the course learning goals." Listed as potential triggers: "Racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, and other issues of privilege and oppression."

I needed help with:

• Cissexism: "The appeal to norms that enforce the gender binary and gender essentialism, resulting in the oppression of gender variant, non-binary and trans identities."
• Ableism: "a set of practices and beliefs that assign inferior value (worth) to people who have developmental, emotional, physical or psychiatric disabilities."

Even such classics as Huck Finn, The Great Gatsby, Mrs. Dalloway, and Shakespeare, too, have been targeted.

Such goings-on triggered this from The Daily Beast's Neil Gillespie: "Abetted by idiot administrators, today's students seem incapable of living in the real world. Every time we seem to have reached peak insanity when it comes to the intellectually constipated and socially stultifying atmosphere on today's college campuses, some new story manages to reveal vast new and untapped reservoirs of ridiculousness. In a world of trigger warnings, microaggressions, and official apologies featuring misgendered pronouns that start a whole new round of accusations, wonders never cease."

And so it goes...

Carol is a learning specialist who worked with middle school children and their parents at the Methacton School District in Pennsylvania for more than 25 years and now supervises student teachers at Gwynedd-Mercy University and Ursinus College. Along with the booklet, 149 Parenting School-Wise Tips: Intermediate Grades & Up, and numerous articles in such publications as Teaching Pre-K-8 and Curious Parents, she has authored three successful learning guidebooks: Getting School-Wise: A Student Guidebook, Other-Wise and School-Wise: A Parent Guidebook, and ESL Activities for Every Month of the School Year. Carol also writes for examiner.com; find her articles at http://tinyurl.com/1416px. For more information, go to http://www.schoolwisebooks.com or contact Carol at carol@schoolwisebooks.com.

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