Former Manchester United winger Bojan Djordjic confirmed for Indian Super League

The 'Hero' Indian Super League has confirmed the participation of former Manchester United player Bojan Djordjic for the inaugural ISL season. The winger-cum-attacking midfielder will feature among the 49 players in the 'central international player draft' to be held on August 21, 2014 in Mumbai. "Playing in the Indian Super League will be a great adventure, a chance to meet new people and help them to become stronger in a sport that has been my passion for my whole life," says the left-footed Swede, who once was named United's Young Player of the Year at the age of 18. Djordjic joined Manchester United in 1999 at the age of 17 from Brommapojkarna, a Swedish second division club near his Stockholm home. The Red Devils spotted Djordjic playing in the Under-17 European Championships for Sweden against England. Within a year Bojan earned the rare distinction of United's Young Player of the Year. By 2001, he was named in United's first team squad on a regular basis. Over the last 15 years, the now 32-year-old has gained vast international experience having played competitive football in England, Scotland, Serbia, Denmark, Sweden and Hungary. Known as a creative centre midfielder and touted as a set-piece specialist, Bojan has played key role for his respective teams in winning four league titles in four different countries - the domestic doubles with Glasgow Rangers (Scotland), Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) and AIK in Sweden and won the League Championship in Hungary for Videoton FC. He was also instrumental in making Plymouth Argyle FC a strong Championship side during his time in England. Source: Article

Read More........ → August 14, 2014

I was Hitler's food taster, says woman

London: Margot Woelk, now a 95-year-old woman, says she was the "food taster" of Adolf Hitler for more than two years, and had to taste the dictator's food to ensure it was not poisoned. Woelk ate fresh fruit and vegetables including asparagus, peppers and peas, and was one of a dozen women Hitler used to protect himself at his Eastern front headquarters, also known as the "Wolf's Lair", the Daily Mail reported. She was taken there in 1942 when evacuated from Berlin to Gross Partsch -- Parcz in modern-day Poland. Her husband had then gone for fighting. "Of course, I was afraid. If the food had been poisoned, I would not be here today. We were forced to eat it, we had no choice," she said. "Between 11 and 12 o'clock, we had to taste the food, and only after all 15 of us had tried it was it was driven to the headquarters by the SS." "It was all vegetarian, the most delicious fresh things, from asparagus to peppers and peas, served with rice, and salads. It was all arranged on one plate, just as it was served to him," she said. Woelk does not recall tasting any meat, fish or drinks. There was always an hour's delay before Hitler ate his meal so that effects of any poison in the food could be seen in the women. Woelk had to report every day, but was only used when Hitler's personal train was in the station. She lived with her mother-in-law outside the headquarters until an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hitler's life by Claus von Stauffenberg in July 1944. She was then confined to a school building. When Hitler abandoned the lair in November 1944, an officer helped the woman escape to Berlin. Woelk said she believes the other tasters were shot by the advancing Russians. In 1946, she was reunited with her husband who she had presumed dead. The couple lived together until he died in 1990, the daily said. Source: News-Bullet

Read More........ → February 16, 2013

Coca-Cola issues new ads laying out its efforts in tackling the nation’s disease

Starting from Monday on the highest-rated shows on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC will be interrupted by Coca-Cola two-minute ads laying out the company’s record of providing drinks with fewer calories and noting that weight gain is the result of consuming too many calories – not just soda. In such a manner Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most powerful brands, has set to dismiss accusations that soft drinks are the primary culprits of obesity and promote the company’s efforts to fight the nation’s disease.

Amid general concerns over the nation, the youngest part of it in particular, gaining weight too fast – childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years – New York City has decided to enact a cap on the size of soft drinks sold at restaurants, movie theaters and sports arenas. The city’s pioneer move has inspired the mayor of Cambridge, Mass., to introduce a similar measure. For a long time Coca-Cola has been associated with the idea of happiness. But the Coca-Cola happiness, as it has turned out, is measured in kilograms. A decades-long study involving more than 33,000 Americans, for example, suggested that drinking sugary beverages interacts with genes that affect weight. Some new research has also suggested that sugary drinks cause people to gain kilograms independent of other behavior. With the new campaign to kick off next week Coca-Cola is set to weigh in the debate and points to the efforts the company performed over the past years to tackle the problem. "There's an important conversation going on about obesity out there, and we want to be a part of the conversation," Stuart Kronauge, general manager of sparkling beverages for Coca-Cola North America, said. One of the videos to be aired on US television will remind viewers that weight management is about calorie counting, including those that come from Coca-Cola beverages. The advert also recalls Coca-Cola’s commitment to deliver more beverage choices, including low- and no-calorie options, to the public. Besides, as the company noted, it already puts calorie counts on the front of its cans and bottles. It is noteworthy that Coca-Cola has been shaping its business for the past years based on the public concern over the high calorie content of its soft drinks. Nearly one-third of its sales in the US and Canada is diet soft drinks. Then come sports drinks and bottled water. It is the first time the company has gone on the offensive to tackle widespread criticism that sugary beverages are one of the biggest contributors to the obesity epidemic. The ads have been attacked before they were shown. “This is about confusing the public,” said Michele R. Simon, a public health lawyer who writes frequently about the food and beverage business and its role in public health issues. “They are downplaying the serious health effects of drinking too much soda and making it sound like balancing soda consumption with exercise is the only issue, when there are plenty of other reasons not to consume too much of these kinds of products.” Source: Voice of Russia

Read More........ → February 15, 2013