I guess that you know you have made it, when you get an entry in Wikipedia. Ed Alleyne Johnson, who is a violin busker, and writer, now has his page though not many people outside of violin enthusiasts, know very much about him. Here is a brief profile of who he is and why I consider him to be an “important” violinist. Why important? Because any artist that is original and starts a trend, can be considered as someone different and therefore special.

Ed Alleyne-Johnson comes from Liverpool, but studied Fine Art at Oxford University where he also played bass in a college band. He made his own electric violin himself, apparently carving it out with a knife, on the kitchen table. It doesn’t end there though, as he also modified an amplifier to be run on re-chargeable batteries, and put together an effects pedal board which included a digital Loop Station. The result was that he was able to busk to a high level of professionalism wherever his fancy took him. To call Ed Alleyne-Johnson a busker though, is like calling a Stradivarius just a violin; he is of course, but is also so much more. Selling Albums as he busked on street corners was part of the “act” and Purple Electric Violin Concerto which he wrote in 1982 has sold over 800,00 copies. If you do the Maths for this, even at Ã�£10.00 a copy you would think that he could stop busking and move onto a new way of showing off his skills.

The fact is that Ed Alleyne-Johnson loves to busk, and as such has played in almost every major city in Europe, North America and Canada. This is his niche in music and he has uniquely built up a veritable Army of followers.

In between busking tours Ed has released a large number of albums. These are:

Purple Electric Violin Concerto 1992

Ultraviolet 1994 (my own personal favourite)

Fly before Dawn 1995 (written with his wife)

Purple Electric Violin Concerto 2 2001

Echoes 2005

Reflections 2006

Arpeggio 2011

For me the reason why this artist is special, is because he has spawned a lot of copy-cat buskers who try to copy his formula for success. Because he uses a very sophisticated loop Station, it enables him to put down layer upon layer of violin “riffs” and build up a song right in front of his audience of passersby and High street shoppers. There may now be better players out there on the streets, but he was one of the first, if not the first and this marks him down as an innovator.

Apart from the above; Ed Alleyne-Johnson has toured with Tube-Way Army, and appeared on the popular TV show “Later” with Jools Holland. Let’s hope he keeps touring as to see him perform live is a great experience.

JOHN MERVIN, one of the early settlers at the site of the present town of Risingsun, is a highly respected resident of that place. Like many of the prosperous and influential men of the day, he has made his way to success through adverse circumstances, and his well-won competency reflects credit upon him.

He is of English birth, having entered upon his mortal career in Leicestershire, January 11, 1824. His father, Thomas Mervin, was a butcher by trade. Our subject was returned upon a farm, near a small village, enjoying only the limited advantages of the common schools. He shown ability in the management and care of horses, and at an early age found employment in that work; but the opportunities for advancement seemed to him discouraging, and he determined to come to America. Leaving his young wife, formerly Miss Elizabeth Riley, he sailed from Liverpool, in April, 1849, in the ship "Joseph Badger," and after a voyage of four weeks landed in New York. The trip to Albany was made by river, from Albany to Buffalo by rail, and from Buffalo he came by lake to Sandusky, where he took the Mad River railroad, then the only one in this region. His destination was Avon township, Lorain county, but by mistake he went to New Haven, Huron county. On learning his error he started on foot for Lorain county, but while en route he was taken very ill in Greenfield township, Huron county, and was cared for by some friendly English people. On his recovery he had but fifty cents left of the sum which he had saved from his earnings for his journey, and a new start in life. This money was spent for wine to stimulate his impaired energies, and instead of going on, he decided to remain there and rent a farm.

In the spring of 1850 his wife rejoined him. She had a difficult voyage, spending four months on the way, and being shipwrecked three times. They lived there for several years, renting different farms in the locality, but in the fall of 1863 they came to Wood county, driving through in a wagon. Mr. Mervin purchased sixty acres of land in Section 36, Montgomery township, where the village of Risingsun now stands. At that time the land was partially improved in the dry portion and a plank house stood near his present home. The swamply part of the farm had to be cleared, however, and there was no small amount of hard work to be done in the first years of his stay; but the rapid development of the locality bought prosperity. He still owns severny acres of land in the vicity, and also has ten acres in Jackson township, Seneca county. In 1877 he built a fine residence in Risingsun, which he has since occupied. Mrs. Mervin's death, December 9, 1888, brought deep sorrow to this pleasant home. her remains are interred in Trinity cemetery, Scott township, Sandusky county. They had nine children, all of what are living: Sarah, Mrs. George Young, of Seneca county; Mary, Mrs. Adam Graber, of Risingsun; George, a farmer in Perry township; Elizabeth, Mrs. Frank Blonde, of Perry township; Eliza and Lucy, who are at home; Frances, Mrs. Benjamin Bates, of Risingsun; Anna, Mrs. Courtland Essex, of the same town, and Hattie, Mrs. Russell Hoover [my great grandmother], of Montgomery township.

Mr. Mervin's parents came to the United States in 1855 or '56, and located in Greenwich township, Huron county, where his father died at the age of seventy-three years. His mother afterwards made her home in Wood county with her children, but died in Richland county at ninety years of age. Mr. Mervin is the eldest of six children, all living. Thomas resides in Risingsun; George, in Longley; Elizabeth is the widow of James Brinson, of Huron county; Hannah married John Thompson, of Richland county, and Emma married first the late John Jenney, and second John Winder, of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Mr. Mervin possessed in youth a powerful physique, and is still well-preserved, his strict temperate habits being in his favor. Fond of reading, he has intelligent views on the questions of the time, and his interest in the education of the rising generation has led to several years of able service as school director. In principle he is a Democrat, but is not bound by partisan ties in the choice of suitable men for local offices. He is a leading member of the ME Church.

– From Wood County, Ohio, history, pg. 645

The Beatles spirit, the most beloved rock band of all time, have given rise, to a myriad of tribute bands devoted to them internationally. Hailing from Liverpool, England in the 1960's, these legendary icons made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, took the world by storm. With their unique sound and their mop-top hairdos, they were an act unlike any that anyone had ever seen before. Their impact on popular culture was unparallel and they still have an indelible mark on the culture of today.

While the original band is no longer around, you can still get your Beatles fix by attending one of the many concerts performed by the multitude tribute bands they have spawned. There is even a music festival, called Abbey Road on the River, designed to feature these bands in all their duplicity of their idols. Some of these groups strive to replicate every last detail of the group, from their speech, to their clothes, to their hair, to their mannerisms while others remain in character throughout endless shows and are truly awesome to experience. As imitation is the sincereest form of strategy, some bands reenact the Beatles shtick to the last detail. Too common here, need more poetry

Although these tribute bands differ in many ways, the share the common denominator of being appreciated and enjoyed by any baby boomer loving the classic rock of the Beatles. Ironically enough, these spin-off bands began forming even while the original band was still in existence. More than simply a cover group, these bands were, and still are, deeply devoted and dedicated to the music of their heroes.

Although the group disbanded in 1970, their legacy still lives on today. No matter what your age, everyone is familiar with the groundbreaking sound that these singers / musicians introduced. Fortunately, they have had such an impact that, even though they are no longer around, we can still hear their music today. In movies, television, and on the radio, we can still hear bits of classics like, "A Hard Day's Night" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand". Their spirit and sounds are also kept alive through the awesome tribute bands paying homage to them, making the Beatles still one of the most popular acts in the world today.

The starlit galaxies of the observable Universe were born very long ago, and began to cast their brilliant, beautiful, starlit fires into Space less than a billion years after the Big Bang birth of the Universe almost 14 billion years ago. Our own large barred-spiral Galaxy, the Milky Way, is a very ancient structure that houses our Solar System, which is located about 27,000 light-years from the Galactic Center, on the inner edge of one of the spiral-shaped concentrations of gas and dust called the Orion Arm. The stars that dwell in the innermost 10,000 light-years of our Galaxy create a bulge and one or more bars that radiate out from the bulge–where there lies in wait, at the very heart of our Galaxy, an intense radio source, named Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A* (pronounced saj-a-star), for short. Sgr A* is thought to be a supermassive black hole that weighs-in at millions of times the mass of our Sun. In November 2016, a team of astronomers announced the happy news that they have discovered a new family of stars living in our Milky Way’s heart. This new family of stellar sparklers are a welcome addition to our neighborhood because they can shed new light on our Galaxy’s birth in the primordial Universe.

This new discovery can solve some of the haunting mysteries surrounding globular clusters–which are spherical concentrations of about a million stars that formed at the very beginning of our Galaxy’s existence. Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) researcher, Dr. Ricardo Schiavon, led the project responsible for discovering the tattle-tale family of stars. LJMU, in Liverpool, England, is a member of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)–an international collaboration of scientists at numerous institutions. One of the projects of this collaboration is the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) which gathers infrared data on literally hundreds of thousands of stars dwelling in our Milky Way Galaxy.

By observing stars in the infrared towards the Galactic Center, the team of astronomers were able to discover the new family of stars–the likes of which had previously been observed only within globular clusters.

Globular clusters are beautiful spherical collections of stars that orbit around the core of a galaxy, and are very tightly glued together by their own gravity–which is why they have spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities towards their centers. These lovely collections of stars are usually found in the halo of a galaxy, and they harbor considerably more stars–and are also much older–than open clusters, which are considerably less dense than their globular cousins. Open clusters are also usually seen in a galaxy’s disk, rather than in the halo.

There are approximately 150 to 158 globulars known to inhabit our Galaxy, and they are considered to be fairly common objects. In addition, there are perhaps about 10 to 20 more still undiscovered globular clusters within our Milky Way. These globulars orbit our Galaxy at radii of about 130,000 light-years–or more! Galaxies that are larger than our Milky Way can also play host to more globulars. For example, the slightly larger neighboring spiral, the Andromeda Galaxy, may host as many as 500 of these clusters. Some of the giant elliptical (football-shaped) galaxies–especially those that are located at the centers of galaxy clusters, such as M87–can host as many as 13,000 globular clusters.

Our Galaxy is a denizen of the Local Group. Every galaxy of sufficient mass dwelling in the Local Group has an associated collection of globular clusters. The Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy, and the controversial Canis Dwarf galaxy, have both been observed to be in the midst of contributing their associated globulars–such as Palomar 12–to the Milky Way. This sheds light on how many of our Galaxy’s globulars might have been snatched up in the past.

Globulars contain some of the first stars to be born in a galaxy like our own. Nevertheless, how these clusters were born, and the role they once played in galactic evolution, are not well understood. Despite all this, it is generally thought that globular clusters formed in concert with the star-birthing process that occurred within their primordial parent galaxies–rather than as separate and distinct galaxies in their own right. Also, in many globular clusters, most of the constituent stars appear to be at the same stage of stellar evolution. This observation suggests that they were all born about the same time. However, the star-birth history varies from cluster to cluster, with some clusters showing distinct populations of stars.

Milky Way Matters

A sparkling host of brilliant stars hurl their fabulous light out into Space from where they dwell within the more than 100 billion galaxies of the observable Universe. The observable Universe is that relatively small portion of the unimaginably vast Cosmos that we are able to observe–most of the Universe exists far beyond what we can see. This is because the light streaming towards us from those mysterious and remote regions has not had enough time to reach us since the Big Bang. The starry galaxies of our observable Universe trace out for us enormous, and otherwise invisible, heavy filaments composed of transparent dark matter. The identity of the dark matter is not known, but many astronomers strongly suspect that it is composed of exotic, non-atomic particles that cannot interact with light, or any other form of electromagnetic radiation, which is why it is invisible. The starlit galaxies that mingle together to form groups and clusters of galaxies light up the transparent filaments that compose what is called the Cosmic Web. In this way, the stellar constituents of galaxies outline, with the bright light of publicity, that which we would otherwise not suspect is there.

The most widely accepted theory of galactic formation and evolution is frequently referred to as the bottom up model. The bottom up model proposes that large and majestic galaxies–like our own Milky Way–were rare in the early Universe, and that galaxies only gradually attained these impressive sizes as a result of collisions and mergers between much smaller, amorphous protogalactic blobs. It is generally thought that the most ancient galaxies were only about one-tenth the size of our own Galaxy, but as a result of their rapid production of fiery new and dazzling baby stars, they were just as brilliant. These relatively small, but extremely bright, very ancient galaxies served as the “seeds” from which the large galaxies inhabiting the Universe today grew and flourished.

In the primordial Universe, opaque clouds of mostly hydrogen gas bumped into one another and then coalesced along the massive, enormous filaments of the invisible Cosmic Web–composed of the ghostly dark matter. Even though scientists have not as yet identified what the dark matter really is, they have a good idea of what it probably is not. Dark matter is most likely not made up of the “ordinary” atomic matter that composes all of the familiar elements listed in the Periodic Table–the so-called “ordinary” stuff of stars, planets, moons, oceans, sand, trees, and people. “Ordinary” atomic matter is really very extraordinary–even though it only accounts for about 5% of the mass-energy of the Universe. Atomic matter is what brought life into the Universe. We are such stuff as stars are made of. The stars created literally all of the atomic elements heavier than helium, that made life possible, in their nuclear-fusing hearts. In this way, the stars progressively created heavier and heaver atomic elements out of lighter ones. The iron in our blood, the calcium in our bones, the oxygen we breathe, and the carbon that is the basis for life on Earth–the dirt, stone, and sand beneath our feet–were all manufactured in the searing-hot nuclear-fusing furnaces of the stars or, alternatively, in the explosive supernova demise of the more massive stellar denizens of the Cosmos.

Our Galaxy’s oldest stars have been estimated to be 13.6 billion years old. This would suggest that the Milky Way is almost as old as the Universe itself, which is about 13.8 billion years old. Stars and gases at a wide range of distances from the Galactic Center of our Milky Way all orbit at about 220 kilometers per second. This constant speed of rotation conflicts with the laws of Keplerian dynamics and hints that much of our Milky Way’s mass does not emit or absorb electromagnetic radiation–an indication of the existence of dark matter.

In the primeval Universe, little by little, the wandering clouds of primordial gases and the invisible, ghostly dark matter did their fantastic dance together, combining to create the familiar structures in Space that astronomers observe today. Dense collections of the dark matter came to fill the entire ancient Cosmos, thus becoming the “seeds” from which the galaxies formed and evolved through Time. The powerful gravitational tugs of those ancient protogalactic “seeds” squeezed the primeval gases into ever tighter and tighter clouds. The clouds intermingled in a mysterious ancient dance, colliding and merging with one another to create these very ancient galactic building blocks. The primordial building blocks formed when halos of dark matter collapsed under the powerful and heavy weight of their own gravity. The protogalaxies did their ancient waltz together, eventually forming ever larger structures that became immense, majestic, starlit galaxies like our own Milky Way. The very ancient Universe was much smaller than it is today because of the accelerating expansion of Spacetime. The protogalaxies were relatively close to one another and, as a result, frequently bumped into one another and merged. This is how galaxies like our Milky Way were born.

From Earth the Milky Way can be seen as a fuzzy band of soft white light about 30 degrees wide, creating an amazing arc across the sky. The light emanating from this band originates from the accumulated light of unresolved stars and other material situated in the direction of the Galactic Plane. Darker segments of the band, such as two areas named the Great Rift and the Coalsack, are really regions where light from distant stars is blocked out by shrouds of obscuring dust swirling around in the space between stars. The area of the sky blocked by our Milky Way is called the Zone of Avoidance. Our Galaxy is the second-largest inhabitant of the Local Group, after the spiral Andromeda Galaxy.

Our Milky Way plays host to between 200 and 400 billion stars, and at least 100 billion planets. By comparison, the Andromeda Galaxy is thought to harbor approximately one trillion stellar inhabitants. However, most of the mass of our Milky Way appears to be composed of the dark matter, which interacts with “ordinary” atomic matter only through the force of gravity. A dark matter halo is spread out relatively uniformly to a distance beyond one hundred kiloparsecs from the Galactic Center.

The disk of stars in our Galaxy does not display a sharp edge beyond which there are no stars. Instead, the concentration of stars decreases with distance from the center of our Milky Way. Surrounding the Galactic Disk is the spherical dark matter halo, containing stars and globular clusters, that extends outward. However, the halo is limited in size by the orbits of a duo of amorphous Milky Way satellite galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The Magellanic Clouds make their closest approach to the Galactic Center at approximately 180,000 light-years.

Welcoming A New Family Of Stars Into Our Galaxy’s Heart

The lovely new family of bewitching stars possibly once belonged to globular clusters that were destroyed during the violent beginning of the formation of the Galactic Center. In this case, there would have once been approximately 10 times more globular clusters in our Milky Way, during its formative early years, than there are today. This means that a large percentage of the elderly stars, now dwelling within the inner portions of our Galaxy, may have been born in globular clusters that were eventually destroyed.

“This is a very exciting finding that helps us address fascinating questions such as what is the nature of the stars in the inner regions of the Milky Way, how globular clusters formed and what role they played in the formation of the early Milky Way–and by extension the formation of other galaxies. The center of the Milky Way is poorly understood, because it is blocked from view by intervening dust. Observing in the infrared, which is less absorbed by dust than visible light, APOGEE can see the center of the Galaxy better than other teams,” explained Dr.Ricardo Schiavon in the November 21, 2016 LJMU Press Release.

Dr. Schiavon continued to note: “From our observations we could determine the chemical compositions of thousands of stars, among which we spotted a considerable number of stars that differed from the bulk of the stars in the inner regions of the Galaxy, due to their very high abundance of nitrogen. While not certain, we suspect that these stars resulted from globular cluster destruction. They could also be the byproducts of the first episodes of star formation taking place at the beginning of the Galaxy’s history. We are conducting further observations to test these hypotheses.”

Kaka Biography – Introduction

I’m writing this Kaka biography a few weeks after the 2006/2007 Champions League final, a final ending with a happy result, 2-1 for the Brazilian’s team, AC Milan against England’s Liverpool.

I must say, as impressive as Filippo Inzaghi (who scored both AC Milan’s goals) was, my eyes were focused on the Brazilian Kaka throughout the entire match. His passes, his dribblings, his speed and his vision on the pitch were honey to my eyes.

I decided to write this Kaka biography not because the Brazilian needs it, but because I want you to find out who the real Ricardo Kaka is, how he rose up the ladders of his career before being a super star and what exactly does that “hands-up-to-the-sky” kaka celebration mean.

Kaka Biography – Early Career

After spending his early days at different youth clubs around his home town of Brasilia and Sao Paulo, Kaka was eventually offered a professional contract at a very tender age: seventeen.

Since Kaka played great soccer for Sao Paulo’s youth teams, the reserve team and the Brazilian U-17 national squad, he immediately attracted the eyes of several European clubs, the one coming forward first being Turkish side Gaziantepspor.

Sao Paulo agreed to sell Kaka, for a sum of $1.5m, a sum that, if you think of the player’s market value now, would seem like peanuts. Still, the sum was quite big for the Turkish side, especially for a 17-year old footballer, Kaka’s young age giving them no guarantees that he will turn out to play great soccer regularly on professional level.

Kaka Biography – Swimming Pool Incident Sao Paulo FC

In his first season as a professional player for Sao Paulo, Kaka didn’t play for the Brazilian team, but he used this time to accommodate himself with his new colleagues and the hardships of professional soccer in Brazil.

He was probably going to get his debut that season still, but an unfortunate swimming pool incident almost ended his career as a footballer, Kaka fracturing his spine in September 2000. Not only did he risk his future, but this fracture almost cost him his life and he was in real danger of being paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Miraculously, Kaka made a full recovery and came back to training after his full strength came back to him. From that day forward, Kaka found faith in God and some of his profits as a professional footballer always go to the Church, as a small gesture of thanking God for saving his life and his career. The famous Kaka celebration, after he scores a goal, is related to that incident, as each time, he thanks God for allowing him to play soccer and be there on the pitch.

Kaka Biography – Attracting the European Giants

After fully recovering from his horrible fracture, Kaka was finally given a chance to play for Sao Paulo, in January 2001 and he didn’t disappoint, scoring no less than 12 goals in 27 appearances that season. This guaranteed him a solid first team place for the 2001-2002 season, in which he scored another 10 goals in 22 matches and whenever a young Brazilian soccer player performs that well, he’s bound to get a few calls from some major European clubs.

One of these clubs would be AC Milan, one of Italy’s most important teams and Kaka signed without blinking, eager to start a European career.

You probably know the story from here. Kaka is currently in his fourth season with Milan, whom he won the Serie A championship with once, the Italian Super Cup once, and the UEFA Champions League a few weeks ago (he also played another Champions League final in the 2004-2005 season, but lost it to Liverpool in what is considered one of the most beautiful finals of the tournament). He became an indispensable player for AC Milan but also for Brazil.

As a Brazil soccer player, Kaka scored 31 goals in 52 matches so far and gave out numerous perfect assists in his role as an attacking midfielder. Having the young midfielder in the squad, Brazil football became even more technical and quick (if that was even possible) and they’re considered amongst the main favorites for the following international tournaments.

There is a new heavyweight force in European football, they are being bankrolled apparently by the Russian economy, they mean business, and their name is Chelsea FC Chelsea Football Club has always been a decent club in the second strata of English clubs. In London alone Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have invariably been ahead of the Chelsea Blues, even West Ham have often put Chelsea in the shade. But no longer, for in the season 2004-2005, Chelsea won the English Premier League title for the first time in fifty years, their only previous winning season.

But they have not stopped there, in the new season 2005-2006 they are already well clear in the title race leaving all their rivals gasping, and now they have set their sights on the pinnacle of all the club trophys, the European Champions League . Chelsea have never won the Champions League, indeed no London club ever has. And it is clear that their charismatic manager Jose Mourinho is intent on winning the Champions League again, he did so with his previous club Porto, of Portugal.

So what of the traditional English giants? Manchester United, often described as the world's richest football club, have fallen into the hands of the Glazer family of Tampa Bay fame, but they reportedly needed to borrow half a billion pounds to buy United, a debt the club now shoulders. Spending on new players has so far been thin on the ground and United's brusque Glaswegian manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has admitted that United, for so long England's most successful club, can not compete with Chelsea when it comes to buying players. The hordes of United fans are not amused, the natives are growing restless.

Arsenal, London's biggest and most successful club, lost their skipper and driving force Patrick Vieira last summer, he moved to Juventus in Italy for £ 12 million pounds and with their star striker Thierry Henry suffering fitness problems, they picked up some uncharacteristic defeats at unfashionable clubs like West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough. This is their last season at their famous old Highbury Stadium before they move to their new purpose built Emirates stadium almost next door. The increased capacity of 60,000 will unduly give their French manager Arsene Wenger more money to spend next year, but of course they have to pay for that new ground too. Far from challenging Chelsea again, it would seem that Arsenal are more likely to fall further behind.

That leaves Liverpool and Newcastle. News comes through just today that the American Kraft Company and family are interested in investing in Liverpool FC, possibly even buying the club outright just like Manchester United fifty miles up the road, but that is some way down the line. And they too are seeking to build a brand new stadium on Stanley Park and of course that all costs big money. Despite last year's freakish win in the Champions League, Liverpool's league form this season has again been patchy, and that included a 4-1 walloping by Chelsea on their own Anfield pitch. The idea that Liverpool might challenge Chelsea for the title remains a far-fetched one. Newcastle, England's second best supported club are gradually improving, and they have signed England's center forward Michael Owen, but they still remain unconvincing at the top level. They have not won the title since Noah was seen building his ark, or so it sees, and they are not going to do so this season either.

So although it is very popular for foreign investors to snap up the leading English (and Scottish) football clubs, it appears that only Roman Abramovich at Chelsea has the muscle to buy the best players around. He is the only one to put unlimited funds on the table. Top class players now command a transfer fee of £ 40 million each and whereas Manchester United may afford one of them a season, Chelsea's purse looks bottomless. They have already spent £ 220 + million and are still in the market to buy again when the transfer window re-opens in January.

They have already achieved success by winning at home, now the European Champion's League is the Holy Grail for them, a trophy they are now the outright favorites to win with the odds layers. And astonishingly they have achieved their success to date with an array of strikers who have not really cut the mustard. Mutu the Romanian, was promptly sacked for drug taking, Crespo the Argentinian, was sent out to Milan on loan last season, and though he is back now he is hardly setting the world afire, or even playing that often, Gudjohnson an Icelander, plays more often than not, the muscular Drogba from the Ivory Coast, seems to have finally claimed the number nine shirt as his own, yet many blues followers still remain unconvinced about him, so it would seem that Chelsea may still be looking for another proven goal scorer come January, especially after a recent rare defeat at Manchester United.

It would take a brave man to back against Chelsea in any competition at the moment. But if you'd like to, you can still have a free $ 30 dollar bet at Betfair.com by entering the code 6CHE3VPWJ when prompted. But one thing is for sure; no one would be surprised if this time next year the Premier League trophy AND the Champions League trophy were both on display in the Chelsea boardroom. It seems that only the Italian giants Milan and Juventus, and the Spanish top two, Real Madrid, and most especially Barcelona with their Brazilian superstar, are obviously soon to be the world player of the year, Ronaldinho, might stop the London blues. It really does seem as if we have entered a new era in European and world football, or if you prefer the ridiculous name that no one ever uses, Soccer. Chelsea fans have never had it so good while everyone else is left gasping in their wake, for it is a fact that Chelsea Football Club has raised the bar for everyone else to follow. Time will tell if anyone can.

It’s Premier League match time as Blackpool host Everton on Saturday afternoon. Blackpool are coming off a home win against West Brom in match week ten, their first, in their debut season in the Premier League.

Their critics might carp at Blackpool’s apparent struggle to put away a win against nine-man Albion on the day, but West Brom were playing to a defensive plan with two banks of four men each. But at the end of the day the Seasiders banked three full points and they won’t be complaining any time soon about that.

Blackpool have been the surprise package of the season and with wins against Liverpool and Newcastle before their third win last week, the Tangerines are in the top ten, thereby countering pre-tournament predictions of being relegation favourites.

Among the players who have made it possible is Elliot Grandin, and DJ Campbell’s return to Ian Holloway’s side on deadline day has been another crucial factor.

Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam in midfield has been a revelation. Blackpool owe their promotion to the Premier League to the twenty-four year old, who, with his pace and guile, has been key to Blackpool’s attack strategy this season.

For Everton, David Moyes will welcome the return from injury of Anichebe and Rodwell. Both players turned out for the Everton Reserves team on Wednesday, against the Blackpool Reserves, with Rodwell spending nearly an hour on the pitch, while Anichebe saw 20 minutes of action at the end. Rodwell appears certain to play in the Blackpool game on Saturday

Striker Jermaine Beckford scored in the 5-0 win against the Blackpool Reserves and that is a positive sign for the Toffees, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League encounter against the same rivals, at Bloomfield Road.

Everton are among the teams to have had a relatively quiet start this season but they are beginning to rumble and that’s bad news for other top six aspirants like Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Home advantage will work in Blackpool’s favour especially as Bloomfield Road is not the best of venues, especially for big teams like Everton who are used to certain standards of comfort when they travel.

Almond, Clarke and Baptiste are sidelined with injury on the Blackpool side, while Everton’s injury worries include Anichebe, Barkley, Rodwell, Fellaini, Jagielka and Osman.

In the game against Albion, Blackpool used the following players in their starting eleven: Gilks, Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt,

Crainey, Grandin, Adam, Vaughan, Taylor, Fletcher, Campbell, Varney

The following were the substitutes that played in the game: Kagielka, Keinan, Carney, Philips

Everton named the following players in their starting eleven against Stoke: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines,

Coleman, Arteta, Heitinga, Pienaar, Cahill, Yakubu

The substitutes who features in the match were: Saha, Bilyaletdinov

Staycations are again on the rise more, and more Brits are deciding to stay home for their holidays. But where in the UK should you go if you have never had a staycation before or fancy trying something new? Here is my staycation guide is here to help.

The UK is a dynamic place full of history, natural beauty, dramatic coastlines and historical cities. Every corner has such an individual identity that no two places are alike. Some UK destinations might even give you a little taste of Europe! Here is how:

Love The Algarve? Try Devon

Branded “the English Riviera”, Devon is fantastic for families and beach holidays. It is also home to five areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, UNESCO Sites and Natural Parks.

For a cultural city break, try Plymouth or Exeter, both rich in Roman history. It it’s the relaxed coastal life you want, try South Devon. For surfing, go for North Devon and Exmoor. And for the true Riviera experience, try Torquay, Paignton, and Brixham. There are also many smaller towns and villages worth exploring if you fancy going for a drive.

Love Tuscany? Try Lancashire, Yorkshire And Cumbria

North West England and the region of Tuscany in Italy share two things in common: beautiful green panoramic views and maxing food.

Famous for its artisan food, locally sourced produce and niche eateries, the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria, will entice any foodie traveler with their food festivals and farm shops galore. To work up an appetite, you can visit the castles, museums, theatres or seafront towns or you can go hiking and take in scenery so beautiful that Queen Elizabeth is reported to have said she would like to retire here.

For more active travelers, highlights are the Yorkshire Dales, the Pennines and the Lake District, where you can try all sorts of sports from golfing to sailing and paragliding. For those wanting a peaceful hideaway, try smaller market towns such as Kirby Lansdale, Hebden Bridge or Clitheroe. And if it’s a sea you seek, try Whitby, Scarborough or Lytham St Annes.

Love Switzerland? Try Scotland

If you a partial to mountain ranges, lakes and a pair of skis, then Scotland is the perfect staycation for you. With beautiful scenery, imposing castles and interesting cities thrown in for good measure, both Switzerland and Scotland will give you jaw-dropping views. Switzerland has some of the most famous ski resorts in the world, Scotland has the best ski resorts in the UK. The Swiss have the alphorn and Schnapps; the Scots have the bagpipe and their world-famous Scotch whisky. Hell, the Scottish accent might even make you feel you’re abroad!

Jokes aside, Scotland is indeed a beautiful country, with intriguing and grand history, beautiful landscape and stunning natural reserves. Even Her Majesty has a residence here, Balmoral Castle. For a city break, both Glasgow and Edinburgh are famous for their nightlife and culture. And if you like to drive, we would highly recommend the drive from Glasgow to Dundee. The views are to die for.

Love Rome? Try York

The Italian city of Rome is one of the most famous destinations in Europe, known worldwide for its rich history and vibrant culture. In the UK we have our little version thanks to the Romans themselves.

Although York existed as a settlement before the Roman invasion, it was during that period that it was declared a city of importance. Constantine the Great was proclaimed a Roman Emperor here. Even going out for a pint will yield a history lesson in pubs that used to be churches or monasteries. In recent years, York has become famous for its retail and nightlife as well as its history, and although it’s much smaller than Rome, you will have plenty to do and see.

Love Berlin? Try Liverpool

Berlin and Liverpool share many commonalities. Both have witnessed their fair share of political and social change, but are today UNESCO Heritage Sites and European Capitals of Culture.

In the UK, Liverpool is the city with the most galleries and national museums outside of London. The birthplace of the Beatles, it also boasts a very strong art scene. On a more outrageous note, it has been said that the Liverpudlian velvet tracksuit is as infamous as the German beach thong! Liverpool is a vibrant and dynamic city, ideal for any art, fashion or music lover.

Stansted Airport, which is located roughly 48km towards the northeast of Central London, is a hub of low-cost European carriers. In terms of passenger traffic, it is the fourth busiest airport in UK after Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. The good thing about Stansted Airport is that it is extremely well-connected with Central London by means of several modes of transports. Let’s take a look at some popular airport transfer modes.

Car- Unlike Gatwick Airport, where parking is a costly proposition, Stansted Airport has several cheap parking lots in its vicinity. You can choose anyone of them to park your car safely. If you have to catch a crack-of-dawn flight, the most feasible option for you will be book a reasonably priced airport hotel. A majority of overnight hotels offer exciting parking packages that can help you to save a lot of money.

Taxi- Taxi is the most convenient way to get to London Stansted. There are more than 500 companies providing first-rate taxi services at Stansted Airport. For a standard taxi, you will have to spend anything between £80 and £100. It will take approximately one hour to reach Central London, depending upon the traffic condition and the time of the day. At a slightly higher price, chauffeur-driven luxury taxis are also available. They are typically equipped with facilities as air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, Sat Nav, snacks, water, magazines and newspaper. You can book these taxis either by phone or by internet. If you have not been able to book the taxi in advance, don’t worry as it is possible to arrange for one at an appropriate desk at the International Arrivals Hall of the airport. Upon booking the taxi, the company will provide you the phone number of the driver. Use the number frequently to keep the parking charges to a minimum.

Bus- Terravision, Stansted Bus and easy bus are three major bus services that operate between London Stansted and Victoria Station and Liverpool Street Station. If you have time in hand, opt for easy bus. For as low as £2, you can reach Stansted Airport from Victoria Station. Terravision shuttle bus service is slightly expensive, but the time taken to reach the airport is lesser. The journey between Victoria and Stansted is completed in 75-minutes. However, the cost of the journey is £9.

Coach- Almost all major cities of UK are connected with London Stansted by long and short distance coach services operated by National Express. These coaches are available 24-hours a day, and they can be caught at various pick-up points.

Train- Beneath the terminal building of the airport, there is a station that is served by Stansted Express. Depending upon the time of the day, it runs every 15 to 30 minutes. In addition to Stansted Express, the station is served by other trains originating from Liverpool Station and the Midlands. If you book your train ticket in advance, you can save as much as 43 percent. This makes the train the cheapest mode of transportation.

EUFA Champions League is world famous football league held every year, where champions of every European country leagues from last year are group in this awesome UEFA Championship League to play a win the trophy that will declare them the best Football Team of Europe.

Therefore this is a multi-million tournament! New stars and born in this most awaiting football event and this is why all football/soccer fans love to watch, enjoy and bet on this event.

Inter Milan is the current UEFA Championship League trophy holder; they beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the last Champions League finals.

Real Madrid is the team who won the most UEFA Championship League, they left this trophy 9 times (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002), followed by AC Milan who won 7 times (1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007) and Liverpool who won 5 times (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005).

Bayern Munich and Ajax both won 4 times, Bayern Munich in (1974, 1975, 1976, 2001) and Ajax in (1971, 1972, 1973, 1995).

Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United won 3 times each. Barcelona in (1992, 2006, 2009), Inter Milan in (1964, 1965, 2010) and Manchester United in (1968, 1999, 2008).

Benfica, Juventus, Nottingham Forest and Porto won 2 times in tournament; Benfica in (1961, 1962), Juventus in (1985, 1996), Nottingham Forest in (1979, 1980) and Porto in (1987, 2004).

Celtic, Hamburg, Steaua BucureYti, Marseille, Feyenoord, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven, Red Star Belgrade and Borussia Dortmund won 1 time each.

Meaning 4 British teams: Liverpool, Machester United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Vila have won this competition. Followed by 3 Italian teams: Ac Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus and 3 German teams: Bayern Munich, Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund.

The reason why I am writing this is because this is crucial data that can help to predict which team from which country got better odds to win the next UEFA Championship League.

Heavy better usually really on this sort of data (plus experience). It is estimated that over 100 million bets are placed every year over UEFA Championship League.

I cannot say which team will win the next Champions League, however based from this crucial data I can say that a team from Britain as better chances to win the next Champions League as a team from Romania; since the only Romanian team (Steaua BucureYti) won only 1 Champions league so far. Where 4 strong British teams such as: Liverpool, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Vila won 11 times in total.