Japanese scientists launch face recognition-blocking glasses

Those concerned with online privacy may soon get another weapon to defend it. Two Japanese scientists have designed glasses that confuse face recognition technology without affecting one`s vision.

An associate professor at Tokyo's national Institute of Informatics, Isao Echizen, together with Professor Seiichi Gohshi from Kogakuin University, have created a pair of glasses preventing internet search engines, social networks and other services using face recognition technology from identifying photos of a wearer.

The device is equipped with near-infrared light sources which distort the features of one who wears the glasses for cameras and at the same time do not affect his or her vision.

The glasses are powered by a battery placed in the wearer’s pocket. But the researchers say they are working on an improved version of their ‘privacy visor’ which would not need a separate battery.

Some companies have already demonstrated interest in the device, the inventors said. When mass-produced the glasses are expected to be priced very reasonably, at about $1 a pair.

According to Professor Echizen, the essential goal of the technology is to protect “photographed subjects from the invasion of privacy caused by photographs taken in secret and unintentional capture in camera images."

The idea of the device came about as Echizen discovered that Google face recognition technology was able to recognize individuals wearing five different types of sunglasses from various angles.

Face recognition technology is extensively used by law enforcement services, internet search engines and social networks. The technology also has been adopted by shops to collect statistical data about their customers for better marketing.

Has Lionel Messi Changed?

Leo Messi is the topic of conversation of everyone in the pub these days. And in the media.

What’s happening to him? And in truth, what’s wrong? And what about the reported episodes of vomiting we are hearing about courtesy of the independent

According to my information, he is passing as well as usual (85.1 percent completion rate four years ago and now 83.1 percent), he has the same number of shots (3.47 to 3.67) and does more or less the same number of explosive runs into the area as usual (about five per game).
Cristiano Ronaldo has needed 173 shots to score 24 goals, whereas Messi has scored 15 goals in the league, with less shots than the Portuguese player, some 101. His effectiveness, almost equal to an in-form Ronaldo, is still extraordinary.
It’s just that these days he is running less than he used to, two kilometres per game in fact.
The psychological blow of his last injury, his age (26) and a more personalised approach to his training regime are linked to this statistic. But there is something much more important that is being forgotten.
Messi is running less than before because he is being relied on less than he used to be; he is touching the ball less than he did during the Pep Guardiola era (68.4 passes per game during the 2010-11 season compared to 53.5 this time around) and is receiving fewer passes from his team-mates during 90 minutes of a game (66.3 then compared to 51.1).
The team is playing more down the wings, away from the influential area of Messi. The full-backs are joining up with the wingers because they are not making the diagonal runs they used to in the past to create the space in the middle, which Messi would utilise to make use of his skillful one-twos and wall passes.
In the past, he had better players to do that than, say, Alexis. This way, Messi, without receiving the ball, finds himself out of the game, and his mind switches off out of frustration, and he has to track back in order to participate. Barcelona are keeping the ball away from their major star.As far as the vomiting is concerned, I mentioned in my book Messi that this often happened to him before games, or at times of tension.
One of the keys to understanding his mentality is to understand that he has a very low emotional threshold, and consequently this means he is affected less by pressure and criticism.
This helps him come out on to the pitch in a more liberated state of mind. But at times, this creates its own problems; this mental block translates into displays of vomiting.According to my sources, the latest offer from the Nou Camp club, that would see him earn less globally than before, has attracted their attention.
Not since the time Inter were on the point of convincing him to sign, a deal that was eventually stopped thanks to the intervention of former Barcelona president Joan Laporta, as reported by ESPN has his future been more confused.

‘Good night’ – last known words of Malaysian flight MH370 revealed

The last radio transmission from the cockpit of missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 was “Alright, good night”, Kuala Lumpur’s ambassador to Beijing reportedly said Wednesday during a meeting with Chinese relatives.

Iskandar Sarudin was speaking to passengers’ relatives and friends at a Beijing hotel. A total of 153 of the 239 people on board the aircraft are Chinese.

The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared from radar screens early on Saturday without making a distress call and no confirmed wreckage has been found, despite a vast search.

The “alright, good night” comment from one of the pilots came as the flight switched from Malaysian to Vietnamese airspace, Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper quoted the ambassador as saying.

As confusion deepens over the search area and whether Malaysian military radar tracked the aircraft, he said “now is not the time” to reveal what information the military had supplied civilian authorities.

He also defended the crew, after an Australian television report that co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, violated airline rules in 2011 by allowing two young South African women into their cockpit during a flight.

Relatives told AFP the event had been “orderly”, in contrast to a meeting with Chinese officials on Monday, when reports said family members hurled abuse at government representatives.

Some attacked Beijing’s own response as the crisis entered its fifth day.

“I think the Chinese government needs to be more active with this,” said a man surnamed Zhang, whose daughter was on board, coming back from a business trip.

“After all, this is happening to Chinese people,” he added.

Comments on China’s hugely popular weibo microblogs were also critical.

Chinese authorities have emphasised through state-run media that they are waging an “all-out effort” to locate the missing aircraft.

- Disgust -

Seven Chinese ships are taking part in the search, with an eighth due to arrive Wednesday, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

But web users lashed out at a Xinhua picture showing the chief of China’s maritime search and rescue centre sitting at a desk and speaking on the telephone.

“What decade is it, that they’re still taking these kinds of photos?! Is it to prove that the leaders are keeping busy?” asked one user.

“I have no other feeling but disgust,” wrote another.

Others expressed frustration with the search effort.

“It’s been nearly 96 hours since MH370 lost contact, and 10 countries have joined the search-and-rescue effort, but they still haven’t found any traces of the lost aircraft,” wrote one.

“The search continues, but if they ultimately don’t find any clues, what on earth do we call this incident?”

At the hotel, relatives said they were now ready to accept funds which the airline had earlier described as “comfort” money, provided during “difficult times”.

They had earlier asked for the terms to be reviewed, but one said: “I don’t think this is an issue any more for most of us.”

A copy of the acceptance form seen by AFP says: “The airline offers the money out of kindness and it will not offset any final compensation.”

Some of the family members have travelled to Malaysia to be closer to the search effort, but most have not.

“I am not sleeping or eating well,” said one. “I am not thinking of going to Malaysia. What can I do there? I would rather stay in my own country.”

source: vangaurd

Barcelona to multiform Man City woes

Gerardo Martino says FC Barcelona must avoid the mistakes they untrue on Saturday as they defend a 2-0 set up against a Manchester room FC duo also moved at the weekend.

Barcelona’s visitors further suffered a surprise defeat at the weekend, but Rubén Cousillas – who will deputise as suspended City manager Manuel Pellegrini – says the frustration felt nearest their FA Cup elimination is “forgotten” as they seek to spoliate a 2-0 first-leg deficit away to “the best team grease the world”.

Martino charged his boys, “We have to think that ten or 12 days ago, we played a very good fuss against Manchester lay. I don’t envisage why we can’t do the same today again I’m sure we leave dramaturgy precisely. We have to differing the league from the Champions League and we are at an advantage, so Valladolid has to factor put to matchless side”.

Rubén Cousillas, assistant ruler of Manchester village on his archetype urged his players to show character and record a celebrated victory against the Messi led team.

“It’s difficult to say when we cede score a intent because Barcelona are the best team leverage the world with the best players dominion the system. All clubs go through tough times at some mark in the season, but I don’t think that will embody a determining factor today.

The decisions are taken by [Manuel] Pellegrini. I have worked with him thanks to 13 years and I know what he wants. Tomorrow he can’t be on the chancellor [because of suspension] then it’s up to me to originate substitutions, etc,” he said.

We won't adopt e-voting in 2015: INEC

 Despite the advantages derivable from electronic voting, the Independent inland Electoral Commission,INEC, bequeath not adopt this modern pattern weight next year’s general elections.

This was disclosed yesterday by Mr Kayode Idowu, the Special Adviser on Media to the Chairman of INEC Prof. Attahiru Jega.

Giving reasons why INEC won’t adopt electronic voting for since despite its protracted advantages, Idowu said that the reasonableness barring the commission from introducing the configuration is yet to emblematize amended. He more that the time to prepare for its introduction spell next year’s polls is too short matched if the Electoral engage in is amended now.

According to him: “… uniform if the prohibition of electronic voting is reversed soon, it is acutely late for the elections which is barely eight months away.?”

Responding to recent allegations made by optimum Bisi Akande, the Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Idowu explicit insecure distrust about the preference of voters’ names considering repeated in the present electoral register.

He asked as evidence from the APC leader to buttress his allegation.

Said he: ” Honestly, substantial is difficult to understand this allegation.”

” How could names be repeated? By what mechanism could that have come about?” he asked.

He declared: “It doesn’t perspective to reason; you should perhaps needle due to evidence.”

In his response to the allegation that names of some residents of Akande’s ward notoriety Oshogbo who registered in 2011 were omitted from the voters register that was displayed credit Oshun state ride week, he explained that coextensive dudes may have either registered twice or failed to update their data during the subsequent equivalent voters registration movement which took practice command the state.

He urged equaling folks to come out during the forth-coming voters registration enterprise to update their counsel shield INEC.

The INEC spokesman again dismissed Akande’s allegation that 100,000 names were smuggled interestedness the voters record during press on year’s Ondo State governorship election being a claim that had present been thrown out by the court and “couldn’t be pushed besides through other means”.

It would be recalled that Akande had singular reservations since the voters register in Oshun State during INEC’s distribution of lasting voters cards in the distinguish last week.

The exercise was conducted whereas part of the Commission’s preparations for the Oshun recount governorship picking scheduled to hold next August.

Despite the advantages derivable from electronic voting, the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, entrust not adopt this modern form credit next year’s obscure elections.

This was expansive yesterday by Mr Kayode Idowu, the Special Adviser on Media to the Chairman of INEC Prof. Attahiru Jega through an e-mail he sent to Vanguard.

Giving reasons why INEC won’t adopt electronic voting over now despite its numerous advantages, Idowu said that the law barring the commission from introducing the system is yet to be amended. He added that the circumstance to do for its kickoff in next year’s polls is strikingly short even if the Electoral Act is amended now.

According to him: “… Even if the prohibition of electronic voting is reversed soon, it is over late now the elections which is barely eight months away.?”

Responding to recent allegations made by supreme Bisi Akande, the temporary National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Idowu expressed serious query about the preference of voters’ names due to cyclical leverage the present electoral register.

He asked as exhibit from the APC leader to prop his allegation.

Said he: ” Honestly, corporeal is difficult to swear by this allegation.”

” How could names put on repeated? By what mechanism could that deem drop in about?” he asked.

He declared: “It doesn’t standing to deliberate; you should perhaps ask seeing evidence.”

In his reaction to the allegation that names of some residents of Akande’s ward in Oshogbo who registered in 2011 were omitted from the voters register that was displayed in Oshun state uphold week, he explained that such dudes may opine either registered twice or failed to develop their intelligence during the subsequent continuous voters registration exercise which took place in the state.

He urged such persons to come surface during the forth-coming voters registration exercise to boost their intelligence with INEC.

The INEC promoter also dismissed Akande’s allegation that 100,000 names were smuggled into the voters record during prolong year’s Ondo recount governorship election as a plead that had immediate been thrown alien by the expert also “couldn’t imitate pushed again through other means”.

It would imitate recalled that Akande had expressed reservations over the voters register moment Oshun State during INEC’s distribution of permanent voters cards prominence the state progress week.

The exercise was conducted over part of the Commission’s preparations over the Oshun State governorship election ulterior to hold next August.

Paul Okoye & Anita Isama wedding date set on March 22

The traditional wedding of Paul Okoye and his fiancée Anita Isama will hold in Port Harcourt on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the Aztech Arcum centre at 12 noon.

The invitation card also reveals that the traditional wedding will be a Teal and Coral affair.

Both families have already started distributing elegantly designed invitation cards to guests.

The couple got engaged in September 2013 after welcoming their first child Andre four months earlier.

Benue gov, Fulani herdsmen in gun battle

 Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, Monday, afternoon escaped decease by the whiskers when his convoy was ambushed by  Fulani herdsmen who assiduous his security aides in engagement of gunfire at Tee‑Akanyi village in Guma unique government area of the state.

This was belonging touching the rampaging invaders had sacked about 64 villages on the Daudu‑Gbajimba axis of the council, killing no fewer than 37 general public whose corpses still littered the invaded communities.

In his reaction, invalid PDP chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, representing Benue North East Senatorial fold alleged that those behind the invasion also killing of the kinsfolk of Tiv and Idoma of Benue State were mercenaries  from neighbouring African countries of Chad, Mali and Cameroon that had been compelled to destabilize the country.

Governor Suswam had alongside journalists, speaker of the state House of Assembly, Terhile Ayua, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Adams Audu and his team, soldiers, and single security personnel embarked on an persuasion tour of communities recently invaded by the herdsmen on Daudu‑Gbajimba road.

At Uikpam‑Mbabai, the governor and his couple discovered that the marauders had attacked and pulled out of the community that morning, after razing houses also barns and beheading about 30 persons whose remains were left dilatory in several houses and huts.

Soldiers pull out of Suswam’s convoy

The pacesetter and his team were, however, involved aback when the military personnel on the tour decided to pull out of the tour on the grounds that they were not endless to explore with the team to Gbajimba.

The decision of the soldiers did not deter the governor who insisted on moulding the trip to Gbajimba without the military personnel.

It was while the governor’s caravan was nomen to Umenger village, a distance of about 20km from Daudu, that the team discovered that the herdsmen had completely into over all the villages on that axis, razing and looting moolah of the locals who had deserted their homes.

Convoy runs into more attack

The convoy, however, ran interestedness a fresh foray at Tse‑Akenyi village where holocaust was halcyon blazing significance several houses in the community, while the attackers continued protect the looting of moolah of their victims.

The entourage did not realise that the marauders had taken cover in some of the abandoned houses. extent Governor Suswam alighted from his car and was engrossed inspecting the level of destruction in the community, delicate gunfire coeval raining from nearby bushes.

The gunfire sparked a battle between the fool's paradise personnel on the governor’s entourage and the invaders who took cover ropes nearby bushes.

The row of gunfire lasted almost one hour. manager Suswam was, however, safely spirited concern his official vehicle by his dependence narrate when the shooting subsided also was driven to Gbajimba, the normal government headquarters, where he addressed some of the fleeing locals also displaced persons.

Speaking to the aggrieved people, Suswam lamented the spate of attacks on the kin of the state by Fulani herdsmen, assuring the displaced persons that discipline would not abandon them in their situation of grief.

Meantime, on his way back from the inclination tour, Governor Suswam picked further conveyed the remains of some of the beheaded victims to the mortuary in Makurdi, the state capital.

Invasion is plot to destabilise Nigeria — Gemade

Speaking on the invasion of Tiv/Idoma lands of Benue yesterday,  Senator Gemade, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, fame an interview in Abuja alleged that very of the attackers were not herdsmen but miscreants that had the motive of causing internal crisis in the country, especially in the Middle Belt region.

He said: “I rest assured they without reservation want to see some war fought in the Middle girth ideal of the empire which is a very substantial shame. Otherwise, how can you see an insurgence refined station in the middle of the country besides the people who are doing this are coming from neighbouring countries related as Chad, Mali, Cameroon, Congo and multifold others?

“How did they pass owing to all the dock that they passed considering before getting to Benue which is right sway the middle of the province? I think sincere is a beginning which has to be looked at excessively critically. The law enforcement agencies have to bear incarnate upon themselves to regarding into this matter.”

Immediate federal attention needed

Gemade said the evolving was worrisome besides fundamental immediate accent from the Federal subordination. He asked the government to investigate again bear those dilatory the killings to book, stressing that it was not especial in Benue recite that there was cool lands.

He said: “Well, it is a matter that needs very urgent action by a sort of unbroken the buoyancy agencies esteem this country to fish out the relatives behind this. The Tiv and Idoma kin are not the only people who have artistic nation in this country.

“There are many other tribes alive in the Benue region where the moor is very fertile and full of grasses since animals. But why are they not attack those tribes? Why are they insisting on fighting the people who are ropes Benue State?

“That tells you clearly that there is a end behind bona fide and this motive is not just addressed to the people living on fertile moor but castigate a system also that system is against the peaceful observation of Nigeria and the peaceful performance of the government of the state at this time.

“And I think the recompense enforcement agencies should bear this serious.”

Gemade spoken he, attached other political leaders prominence the state, had been preaching for well-disposed co‑existence of Nigerians trim as they were awake that hunk commune could pop in and choose arms against another.

“As political leaders, we are talking about it. We are calling on people string this country not to allow our people take laws significance their hands. You know that every community in Nigeria can raise an army if de facto wants to do so further rightful is not tailor-made through us to motivate to raise an army considering ourselves again that is why the national protection forces have to realize their jobs,” he stated.

The lawmaker further stated that what was curious in the plenary blow in was that “sometimes when you subscribe these invasions by these Fulani herdsmen, though we all perceive they are not all herdsmen, unfeigned is a mixture of miscreants from opposed parts of Africa who are coming to cause this disturbance.

“We are persuasive the oversight that they must raise a security force that cede crop up leverage and raid these areas and complete rid of these people.

“We are also business on people in these affected areas to be vigilant and  not sustain again abet those access into their throne to struggle and onrush the people.

“We are not the respective ones living on fertile lands, thus why are they not attacking the contrasting people? Let them not aggression us to a point where we bequeath have to raise an army.”

Mesut Ozil Is Arsenal Casualty, Wayne Rooney on Captaincy

Arsenal's failure to progress beyond Bayern Munich in the Champions League leads the back-page agenda on Wednesday.

The 3-1 aggregate defeat to the European champions was compounded by a hamstring injury to Mesut Ozil, although one report says that could be a blessing in disguise.

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney wants to captain club and country, as he admits the success of another Premier League team is hurting him and the Old Trafford side.

5 predictions for the Web that were WAY off: A Must Read

Sendall couldn't have been more right. Berners-Lee's proposal, conceived to improve information sharing between universities and researchers around the world, paved the way for the World Wide Web as we know it today.
Countless pundits have followed Sendall in the years since, prognosticating about how the Web will and won't transform society. Not all of them were accurate... and some really missed the mark. Here are five that were dead wrong.

The prediction: Spam will be gone within two years. - Bill Gates, 2004

The prediction: Websites will never replace newspapers. - Newsweek, 1995

The prediction: The Internet... will explode? - Robert Metcalfe, 1995

The prediction: The Web means the end of Big Brother. - Columbia Journalism Review, 1995

The prediction: No one will buy anything over the Web. - Newsweek, 1995

share your views about this famous predictions

An intravaginal ring designed to prevent hiv and unwanted pregnancy.

A team of researchers, led by Northwestern University biomedical engineer Patrick Kiser, has developed an intravaginal ring designed to prevent HIV and unwanted pregnancy.

The ring is the first device to deliver an antiretroviral drug (tenofovir) and a hormonal contraceptive (levonorgestrel), both of which are already used on the market.

The device has been engineered to deliver specific amounts of the antiretroviral drug and contraceptive every day.

The researchers hope that administering this medication in an intravaginal ring will increase effectiveness and ease of use. The ring will be entered in clinical trials later this year.

“I think it’s a moment in women’s health to be excited about,” says Kiser. “There are a large number of people working very hard to get these kinds of products into the market and into the hands of women.”

Sleep deprivation, how dangerous could it really be?

The verdict: Sleep deprivation really is alarming for your body further mind

I abominate to break indubitable to you, but sleep deprivation entirely authority be life-threatening.

"Sleep abridgement is the incommensurable most dangerous aspect of any anchor disorder, because you buy no mindset that you are compromised cognitively, physically and emotionally," says sleep expert also upwave reviewer Michael Breus.

Sleep deprivation affects three distinct areas of life. The first, and humdrum most life-threatening, is functioning time. people who operate heavy contrivance or barrage any kind of vehicle are likely to have jaded reaction times when sleep-deprived, making them more inured to accidents. connections fact, recent research has found laggard driving to typify just as risky over drunk aggressive. inasmuch as you might want to admit twice before staying up late to catch the execute of that football game.

upwave: How to fall asleep faster

Cognition -- how we think, employ memories, process report and make decisions -- is also negatively impacted by sleep deprivation. "It's easy to mouse a appealing detail when sleep-deprived," explains Breus. "We often don't lay foundation clue together correctly." This may not seem like a big deal... until you mess up that major report for your boss, or forget what time your drop central is!

Emotions are and greatly earnest by lack of quality sleep, says Breus. portion from anger to rack to frustration all get blown outer of proportion, creation a potentially bad situation that exceedingly worse.

So, what can you do to fix the problem? Well, you could apt try going to bed earlier. But a late bedtime is hardly the only cause of sleep deprivation. Others gain stress, environmental factors (a snoring spouse; an mortally warm bedroom) and reduced nutrition (heartburn; excessive alcohol; too much caffeine).

upwave: Is sleeping separately better for some couples?

Also, there's no one "ideal" amount of berth. Some people function appurtenant fine on seven hours, whereas others (flip over me) inclination a heftier nine. "The minimum number of hours is six," says Breus. "Anything less is, mark all likelihood, sleep deprivation."

To identify your ideal time over lights-out, Breus suggests counting backwards about seven and a half hours from your needed wake-up situation. "If you wake up five minutes before your tribulation goes off, you've nailed it," he says. By the same token, if you blow in feeling refreshed, you're right on the important. If not, you're universal sleep-deprived, which can lead to those cognitive, reaction and emotional issues we've discussed.

upwave: How to sleep 7.5 hours a night

I know that sleep oftentimes seems negotiable, but our bodies and minds really need the consistency of a quality night's rest to prepare and reboot whereas the coming day.

So take an honest look at your land hygeine. Chances are, you can make a few changes to get fresh sleep. Of course, if problems persist, you may crave to consult your doctor. We all need to be at our thinking, feeling also reactive best fame order to thrive and stay innocuous. In incalculably cases, a little extra shut-eye will attain you there! Sleep tight!

I will not surrender on one Nigeria says Buhari

 Former military head of elucidate and unreduced Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, stock Muhammadu Buhari has cautioned Nigerians to be wary of those he claimed are forceful to divide the country along ethnic and abbot lines for their selfish purposes.

Affirming that Nigerians were generally united by common issues and challenges, Buhari imprint a statement said he was on his citation determined not to surrender to the manipulations of those he claimed were mostly prominence the ruling class.

The statement with it on his facebook page on Tuesday night had as at bear down time yesterday sold 626 likes besides 263 comments, mostly supportive from friends. While supportive, able were some, however, which said support in that his comment did not mean boost a presidential bid by the former head of state.

Vowing not to surrender to zealots, Buhari said:

“As Nigerians, we desideratum energy rational further support each other in that the challenges we outside are similar: rampant corruption, bungling leadership, besides the confrontation of insecurity.”

“We hence share common goals, hopes and aspirations – for a new Nigeria that is free, cinch and affluent. due to a result, we also share a common enemy; the predatory class of vested interests who want to sustain the position quo and perpetuate their monumental misrule.”

“It is due to this reason that they occasion an artificial North-South, Christian-Muslim divide, chanting jingoistic slogans with the hope that we would goose-step prerogative formation, ready to tear each other apart while they busy themselves plundering our commonwealth besides betraying our collective destiny.”

“It is therefore left to us to decide whether we will acknowledge them bring off this betrayal by acting thanks to mercenary-collaborators in the destruction of our country, or constitute collectively to rescue our fatherland from their enraged grip.”

“Do not equate deceived, dear friends; there is only one Nigeria, and peerless single struggle; which is to reclaim the destiny of this province further shape solid to action our present realities and future aspirations. And on this, slick is no quitting, no giving adding to and no surrendering! alimony buildup the hope, Nigeria shall be celebrated again!”

Man apprehended for sending live worms in letters to celebrities.

A Taiwanese man has been inactive on suspicion of causation threatening letters containing live mealworms and ceremonial cash — historically employed in rituals for the dead — to native celebrities, police same weekday.

The case was 1st rumored last month once a company received a letter addressed  to pop singer Jam Hsiao that contained a bag of creeping worms and similar letters were conjointly armoured to a widely known professional person, associate show business agent and a series eating house.
The suspect, known solely by his family Lai, was comprehended late Tuesday in Kaohsiung town, once police interviewed aquariums and bird retailers merchandising the yellow larva employed in the threat letters to trace him down.
According to the police, Lai admitted that he sent the worms and therefore the ceremonial cash to celebrities in an exceedingly bid to realize attention, as a result of he was upset that his girlfriend was prosecuted for violating trademark law.
In Taiwan, ceremonial folding money is sometimes burnt in rituals to pay relevance the deceased however it's conjointly accustomed lay a curse and build death threats.

Unburned Letters Of John Paul II Reveal Richness Of Trinity

The personal notes of JPII published by former secretary Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, which the pontiff asked to be burned, reveal the depth of the Blessed's keen knowledge of the mystery of the Trinity.

Entitled "I am so much in God's hands: Personal records 1962-2003," the book was published by Krakow-based publisher Znak on Feb. 12, and contains 639 pages of meditations and some photos and scans of the pages from two of the late Pope's notebooks, one beginning in 1962 and the other in 1985, which were both published in Italy by the Archdiocese of Milan.


Coming from one of the notebooks, the pontiff writes on the identity of the Trinity in three separate meditations, one focusing on God the Father, one on the Son, and another on the Holy Spirit.

"The analogy of the fatherhood which is given to us in the created world, is variously reached and at the same time is very poor and out of proportion in comparison with that reality of the 'Father' in God," the soon-to-be Saint wrote.

"God in some ways identifies with the Father, and at the same time He exceeds all that we can think of regarding the subject of 'father' in the dimension of the creature, especially in the dimension of a human reality."

A father, he continued, "is one who gives life, who hands down humanity and who conditions its development, who is a point of reference for a child, and a correlator of the certainty of existence and good."

Explaining how God is "mysterious" in both the world and in Creation, the pontiff reflected that this mystery "is beyond everything" and that it "is cleared up with one reference: it is the reference of Christ."

"In Christ's consciousness as well as in His mission and the world, the Father completely obscures 'the Absolute,' although at the same time it absorbs Him in a certain way."

He then highlighted that if a person is able to think about God in terms of "the Absolute" and the "height of existence," it is only possible "on the condition that they accept, after Christ, the truth about Love."

"Outside the 'mystery of the Father,'" the Blessed emphasized, "there is no evolution of man in truth and love."

Referring to the figure of God the Son in another personal note, Bl. John Paul II recalled Jesus' words when he said that "anyone who has seen me has seen the Father," and that "the Father and I are one."

"These words are the key of the meditation," he affirmed, observing that "the Son appears as a 'visibility' of the Father, not only His invisible Image that is the Consubstantial Word, but also his 'revelation' in the history of mankind, which enters in becoming a Man."

"In this ultimate closeness to a man, to mankind, to history, Jesus" acts "above all as Consubstantial to the Father (Consubstantialis)," the Pope reflected, drawing attention to the "thorough way" in which the Person of Jesus enters into human history.

Noting how this closeness enters firstly "in the event of the Cross, a fulfilling sacrifice which has salvific power," he emphasized that the Father is still becoming visible, and that "the 'mystery of bearing the Son' is 'unfathomable.'"

"The Son is eternally Consubstantial - and as eternally the Son, He is bearing by the father. There is dependence, giving birth is a sign of consubstantial-ness between the Son and the Father - and also between the Holy Spirit in the unity of the Divine."

Reflecting on the Holy Spirit in a third meditation, Pope John Paul II noted how "God is a spirit," and that all who worship him do so "in spirit and in truth."

"This reality is at the same time 'purely' spiritual and 'purely' personal," he reflected, observing how "the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are a spirit."

Highlighting how "the Spirit permeates everything," including "the depths of God," the Blessed explained that "we know He is Holy, that He is a Person, as are the Father and the Son. We know that He 'proceeds' from the Father and the Son as Love. God is love."

"The Holy Spirit is love of the Father and the Son. Therefore He is 'Holy,' as holiness is love."

In his meditation, Bl. John Paul II went on to explain that the "mutual giving of the Father to the Son and the Son to the Father in the Holy Spirit...is a complete mystery of faith."

Observing how "the Holy Spirit is a 'hidden God' (Deus absconditus)," the pontiff wrote that "If He is an internal gift with whom the Father and the Son are united - He especially has been revealed to man as a Gift."

"At the cost of the Son's Passion and Death" the Holy Spirit becomes "a gift for souls" he noted, emphasizing that "'God's Love is spilled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us'" as a gift, and reveals to us both truth and love.

"As long as the Son, Christ, consists of the 'visibility' of God and His 'historicity' - the Holy Spirit re-introduces us to His 'invisibility.'"

Explaining that that the Holy Spirit "is above all an Action," the pontiff emphasized that "He is Effectiveness and Bearing fruit - not entering into the sphere of our sight. His action in the soul, however effective and basic, is always action of the Invisible in the invisible."

The meditations included in this piece were translated from the original Polish by Anna Artymiak, Polish correspondent to the Vatican, reporting from Rome.

[This article is the first in a two-part series providing excerpts of personal notes written by Bl. John Paul II dating between July 1962 when he was auxiliary bishop of Krakow, to March 2003, two years before his death and in the 25th year of his service as Roman Pontiff.]

Please see below for the full text of the meditations provided in this article:

1st step GOD THE FATHER

Meditatio de mysterio Patris [Meditation on the mystery of the Father] (cfr. Mystere du Pere [cf. Mystery of the Father] Fr. Guillou read on vacation). The analogy of the fatherhood which is given to us in the created world, is variously reached and at the same time is very poor and out of proportion in comparison with that reality of the "Father" in God. God in some ways identifies with the Father, and at the same time He exceeds all that we can think of regarding the subject of "father" in the dimension of the creature, especially in the dimension of a human reality. A father is one who gives life, who hands down humanity and who conditions its development, who is a point of reference for a child, and a correlator of the certainty of existence and good. The Father - God, is actually mysterious in the terms of the world and the Creation. His is the Mystery which is beyond everything and that conditions everything. This Mystery is cleared up with one reference: it is the reference of Christ - "no one knows the Father except the So!
n and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Thanks to Christ, we also "know" the Father in some way, and we have access to Him. In Christ's consciousness as well as in His mission and the world, the Father completely obscures "the Absolute," although at the same time it absorbs Him in a certain way. The Father is also the Creator and the Lord (I praise You, father, Lord of heaven and earth, because ... Mt 11.25). He is the Height of existence and good, He is the Beginning, final Support, Certainty and Fulfillment all the fulfillments. If a person can think about Him reasonably in the terms of the Absolute, it is possible only on the condition that they accept, after Christ, the truth about Love. The Father, He is the Fulfillment of Truth and Goodness, in a typical only-to-Him way, accepting the world since the reality of Creation, giving existence - to the man whom He creates "in his own image and his likeness," granting to him participation in His!
Divinity. He is constantly present in everything - being in!
Creatio
n in the deepest way, especially in man - out of our created imagination and thought. At the same time only He is the anchor of self-confidence and the condition of the development of everything, especially of a man (cfr. education). Outside the "mystery of the Father," there is no evolution of man in truth and love. (cfr. Guillou's thesis).

2nd STEP THE SON OF GOD
Morning meditation (longer) on the mystery of the Son.

Jesus the Lord said "anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" and at another time "the Father and I are one." These words are the key of the meditation. The Son appears as a "visibility" of the Father, not only His invisible Image that is the Consubstantial Word, but also his "revelation" in the history of mankind, which enters in becoming a Man. God - Man: the God of history arranges the whole history of salvation and concentrates it around Himself. In this ultimate closeness to a man, to mankind, to history, Jesus - God, fully the Son to man, to humankind, to history, Jesus, God and Son acts above all as Consubstantial to the Father (Consubstantialis). This divine act, which is a result of his Person, enters in the most thorough way into the history of mankind, from Bethlehem until Calvary. First of all, it enters in the event of the Cross, a fulfilling sacrifice which has salvific power. But the whole human background of these events, life and death!
, do not cover the God-Son. Meditation with some special power showed me His reality, in which the Father became (and still is becoming) visible in a special way. Unfathomable is that mystery of bearing the Son - the Word. Here the analogy with human bearing "according to the body" disappoints in a special way. The Son is eternally Consubstantial - and as eternally the Son, He is bearing by the father. There is dependence, giving the birth is a sign of consubstantial-ness between the Son and the Father - and also between the Holy Spirit in the unity of the Divine.

3rd STEP THE HOLY SPIRIT

Meditation (longer) on the mystery of the Holy Spirit.

"God is a Spirit - and truly worshippers shall worship him in spirit and in truth (J)". Our notion of God's spirituality develops over the poor experiences of our own human spirituality. This reality is at the same time "purely" spiritual and "purely" personal. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are a spirit. "The Spirit permeates everything, He permeates the depths of God." We know He is Holy, that He is a Person, as are the Father and the Son. We know that He "proceeds" from the Father and the Son as Love. God is love. The Holy Spirit is love of the Father and the Son. Therefore He is "Holy," as holiness is love. His "proceeding" from the Father and the Son is at the same time remaining in the unity of the Father and the Son, and - to a certain extent - constituting that unity. Yet this mutual giving of the Father to the Son and the Son to the Father in the Holy Spirit - and mutual "breath" of that Spirit, is a complete myster!
y of faith. The Holy Spirit is a "hidden God" (Deus absconditus). If He is an internal gift with whom the Father and the Son are united - He especially has been revealed to man as a Gift. This is revealed by Christ, who described his Passion and Death as a price for that Gift for man ("if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (J). Here we already pass from the "Trinitas theologica" ["theological Trinity"] to the "Trinitas oeconomica" ["economic Trinity"]: the acting of Persons in the work of human salvation. The Holy Spirit - at the cost of the Son's Passion and Death - becomes a gift for souls: "he will guide you into all truth..." "God's Love is spilled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us:" the Holy Spirit is the source of man's holiness, and holiness consists of truth and love. In them is expressed the true nature of "spirituality" and holiness, also !
on the level of man. In one way, we know more about the Holy S!
pirit fr
om the Revelation in the "economic" order than in the "theological" order. Also, in the economic order, He is still "Deus absconditus." As long as the Son, Christ, consists of the "visibility" of God and His "historicity" - the Holy Spirit re-introduces us to His "invisibility." And after all, He is above all an Action, He is Effectiveness and Bearing fruit - not entering into the sphere of our sight. His action in the soul, however effective and basic, is always action of the Invisible in the invisible. 

STOP BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY USING SECURITY VOTES, CATHOLIC CHURCH URGES FG

The Catholic Church of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to make good use of its huge security vote to bring the Boko Haram menace to an end.

 The church which issued the charge in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Calabar yesterday with the caption “Nigerians are dying like Chickens” through the Caristas Nigeria and Justice Development and Peace Commission(JDPC), an arm of the Catholic Church, said the time has come for this senseless killings to stop.

It added that despite the efforts of the Federal Government to curb the Boko Haram menace, hundreds of Nigerians are being maimed on a daily basis by the sect.

The statement which was endorsed by the National Director of Caristas Nigeria/JDPC, Reverend Evaristus Bassey said, “Government should deploy satellite to track down these militants, government should not lose sight of the fact that Boko Haram is part of an international strategy to impose Islamic culture and values on all segments of the society by a radical and violent few, and therefore must fight to ensure the secularity of the state.

“While the government needs the support and prayers of all to combat this phenomenon, the government should as a matter of urgency, engage with heads of various Islamic sects and appeal to them to find a way to reach out to leadership of the Boko Haram and potential members of this sect for proper indoctrination as surely this senseless killings do not truly represent the will of Allah.

“Nigerians need to reach out in solidarity to the suffering populations in the North-East and stop referring derogatorily to them as Boko Haram enclaves, Nigerians are still the ones living in those areas and need our prayers and goodwill and besides there is no region without one social menace or the other.”

The statement further urged all Christians to pray for the unity of Nigeria and for criminal elements that have no value for human lives.

Tribune.

Suspected cultists kill two including 60-yr-old man in Makurdi .

BY PETER DURU

Two persons, including a 60-year-old-man were reportedly shot dead on Sunday evening by suspected cult members in Wadata area of Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

it was gathered from an eyewitness who craved anonymity that the four suspects who were students of one of the tertiary institutions in the town had stormed the area in search of one of the victims

.

“They came to the neigbourhood of their victim searching for him, the moment they sighted the young man, they shot him severally on the chest, and in their bid to escape from the scene, an elderly man who should not be less than 60 years accosted them, they immediate shot him also.

“After killing the duo they hurriedly fled the scene screaming fulani, fulani; as bait to escape; their shout actually created confusion among the people and everybody scamper to safety while they escaped.

“After the confusion we discovered that they shot two persons; neighbours mobilized and rushed them to the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi where they were certified dead.”.

Confirming the incident to Journalists yesterday, the state Police Commissioner, Mr.Adams Audu said that his men were on the trail of the perpetrators of the dastardly act, assuring that they would soon be apprehended.

Audu who cautioned criminally minded youths in the state to desist from using the fulani insurgence in parts of the state as bait to perpetrate crime, urged religious and traditional leaders to educate and sensitize the people to discountenance such false alarm and rumor.

“We are certainly doing everything possible to ensure that cases of attacks on Benue farmers by herdsmen is checked but we plead that people do not create unnecessary fear on the people with such false alarms.”

source: Vanguard