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* Help finally arrived to a desperate town in Puerto Rico after a single photograph signaled just how badly supplies were needed. "Necesitamos Agua/Comida," which translates to "we need water and food," were written on the pavement of the small town of Humacao. Angelina Ruiz-Lambides, an associate director of the Cayo Santiago Field Station, captured the scene while she was flying over Punta Santiago to survey the damage from Hurricane Maria. "You may have seen the images on social media, it was a big SOS sign that they wanted food and water," Rosselló said. "We went there, got food and water, established some of the security protocols ... we're really focusing on what needs to get done right now, which is making people have their life support."

The former head of a major Vietnamese bank has been sentenced to death for his role in a fraud case involving millions of dollars of illegal loans. Nguyen Xuan Son, who served as general director of OceanBank, was convicted of embezzlement, abuse of power and economic mismanagement. Vietnam is one of the world's biggest executioners, according to Amnesty International, but this is believed to be the first time in years that the death penalty has been given to such a high-flying former official. Earlier in the day, the bank's ex-chairman Ha Van Tham, once one of the richest people in Vietnam, was jailed for life on the same charges, and for violating lending rules. Judge Truong Viet Toan said: "Tham and Son's behaviour is very serious, infringing on the management of state assets and causing public grievances, which requires strict punishment."

The leader of the Islamic State group urged followers to burn their enemies everywhere and target "media centers of the infidels," according to an audio recording released Thursday that the extremists said was by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The reclusive leader of Islamic State, who has only appeared in public once, also vowed to continue fighting and lavished praise on his jihadis for their valor in the battlefield — despite the militants' loss of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in July. "You soldiers of the caliphate, heroes of Islam and carriers of banners: light a fire against your enemies," said al-Baghdadi, a shadowy cleric who has been surrounded by controversy since the Sunni terror group emerged from al-Qaida in Iraq, its forerunner. Russian officials said in June there was a "high probability" that al-Baghdadi had died in a Russian airstrike on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Raqqa, the group's de facto capital. US officials later said

Cameroon has banned public meetings and travel in a mainly English-speaking region ahead of a protest to demand independence for the area. The South-West region's border with Nigeria has also been shut to block "infiltration" by people threatening Cameroon's unity, officials said. Pro-independence marches have been planned for Sunday, the 56th anniversary of Cameroon's unification. English speakers accuse the Francophone majority of discrimination. They say they are often excluded from top civil service jobs, and that the French language and legal system have been imposed on them. The government denies the allegations and insists that it treats all citizens equally.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness revealed Carlo Ancelotti's position at the club became untenable after a group of players turned against the Italian. "There were five players against Ancelotti," Hoeness said. "It was impossible to get out of that."    Star trio Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben have all voiced their discontent at various stages of the season, with the latter refusing to back Ancelotti after the defeat in Paris. Ancelotti was sacked on Thursday following a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to former club Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Two toddlers were hospitalised in critical condition after a playmate accidentally shot them with a loaded gun at a daycare in the US state of Michigan. Police in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn said the child managed to get a hold of a loaded gun on Wednesday inside a private home that functioned as a daycare. The toddler fired either one or two shots that struck two children — both three years old, according to US media which also reported that there were multiple guns inside the home. “I’m not going to guess on what occurred in there, but obviously there were weapons in proximity to where kids are, and that’s totally unacceptable to me,” Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad told reporters. As many as 1.7 million American children live in homes with an unlocked, loaded gun, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun violence, and the incident was the latest case of children being injured by unsecured firearms. Nearly 1,300 children die and 5,790 are treated for gunshot wounds

Bayern Munich have fired Carlo Ancelotti in the wake of Wednesday's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and replaced him with Willy Sagnol as interim coach. The German champions were humbled 3-0 in their Champions League clash in Paris, and the Italian coach came under criticism for leaving Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Mats Hummels out of the starting XI. The 58-year-old defended his tactics and selection for the game, telling reporters afterwards : "I know I will get criticism, that's fine. I thought it was a good line-up for this game." However, he faced questions from the Bayern board over some of his decisions the next day, as German newspaper Sport Bild revealed that crisis talks with the higher-ups were scheduled on Thursday. CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge did not make it easy on Ancelotti when he said the performance was "not Bayern Munich" and said the club needed to discuss it. Arjen Robben, meanwhile, refused to say whether the Bayern players still ba

UEFA Champions League tables after Wednesday’s second round of games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Group A Manchester United     2 2 0 0 7 1 6 Basel                             2 1 0 1 5 3 3 CSKA Moscow            2 1 0 1 3 5 3 Benfica                         2 0 0 2 1 7 0 Group B Paris SG                        2 2 0 0 8 0 6 Bayern Munich            2 1 0 1 3 3 3 Celtic                             2 1 0 1 3 5 3 Anderlecht                    2 0 0 2 0 6 0 Group C Chelsea                          2 2 0 0 8 1 6 Roma                              2 1 1 0 2 1 4 Atletico Madrid             2 0 1 1 1 2 1 Qarabag                         2 0 0 2 1 8 0 Group D Barcelona                      2 2 0 0 4 0 6 Sporting Lisbon            2 1 0 1 3 3 3 Juventus                        2 1 0 1 2 3 3 Olympiakos                   2 0 0 2 2 5 0 Group E Sevilla                            2 1 1 0 5 2 4 Liverpool                       2 0 2 0 3 3 2 Sparta

The Vice-Chancellor of the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Prof. Zacheus Adeyewa, has said that the Federal Government is owing the institution  the sum of $375,000,  said to have been spent on research aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in the country in 2014. The VC said this at a pre-convocation press conference held to announce the ninth convocation ceremony of the university on Monday in Ede, Osun State. Adeyewa said it was unfair that private universities were not benefitting from the Tertiary Education Fund despite their contributions to the body of knowledge and the well-being of humanity. He said, “We spent $375,000 during the Ebola crisis and the government has not returned the money to us. They say we are a private university, but they have not answered the question whether Ebola, Yellow fever and other infectious diseases are private. “Why did they cheat us with this public, private dichotomy? Please, help us to tell them to refund our money. Our Afric

Tattoos are on trend right now, but worrying new research has potentially uncovered a link between tattoos and cancer. Researchers from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France say the chemicals in tattoo ink can travel in the blood stream and accumulate in the lymph nodes, which could cause them to become swollen and therefore hinder their ability to fight infections. But the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggested that one particular type of colour pigment used in tattoos could be more dangerous than the rest. Titanium dioxide, which is a chemical commonly used to create white ink, was also found to dye lymph nodes and was earlier this year linked to an increased risk of cancer when inhaled. Previous studies also suggested the chemical could cause itching and delayed healing. “When someone wants to get a tattoo, they are often very careful in choosing a parlour where they use sterile needles that haven’t been used previously,” explained Hiram C

Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial put CSKA Moscow to the sword as Manchester United took control of Champions League Group A with a ruthless 4-1 win on Wednesday. Lukaku scored twice at Moscow’s VEB Arena, taking his United tally to 10 goals in nine games, with Martial setting him up twice and netting a penalty before Henrikh Mkhitaryan completed victory. It was United’s first away win in the competition since November 2013 and with Basel thrashing Benfica in the other group game, it left Jose Mourinho’s side three points clear at the top of the pool. After grinding out a 1-0 win at Southampton on Saturday, United were back to their fluid best in the Russian capital, the pace and movement of new strike partners Lukaku and Martial causing CSKA headaches all night. Having beaten Benfica in their opening game, CSKA were brought back to earth with a bump, although substitute Konstantin Kuchaev gave their fans something to cheer with a 90th-minute consolation goal. While the hosts had

After a week of misery, millions of Puerto Ricans are still suffering in primitive conditions without power, water or enough fuel. About 97% of the island's 3.4 million residents are still in the dark one week after Hurricane Maria slammed into the Puerto Rico. And there's nowhere enough food to go around. Some help is on the way. On Wednesday, a plane carrying 3,500 pounds of water, Army meals ready-to-eat, diapers and other supplies will head from Miami to Puerto Rico, said Rob Brisley, spokesman with US Customs and Border Protection. The plane, which usually carries out intelligence missions, will travel back to the United States with 28 family members of federal employees, he said. "We are getting help from the federal government, but this is an unprecedented set of circumstances," Governor Rosselló said Wednesday. "We want to make sure that we recognize that a lot of resources are coming in. They are coming in by air or by boats. But they are starting t

Arjen Robben poked fun at big-spending Paris Saint-Germain on the eve of Bayern Munich’s key Champions League away match in the French capital. With Anderlecht and Celtic also in the pool, the PSG-Bayern clash at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday could go a long way to deciding who wins Group B. “Paris have certainly given out a few more euros than us, but money doesn’t score goals, quality on the pitch scores goals, good teams score goals,” said veteran winger Robben before the team jetted to Paris. PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona for a world record 222 million euros ($264m) last month and recruited Kylian Mbappe from Monaco on an initial loan deal which is set to be made into a permanent move for 180 million euros next year. But when asked about PSG’s star-studded ‘MCN’ attack — Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and Neymar — Robben was unfazed: “The important thing is the performance of the team, not just to focus on particular players”. Meanwhile, when asked about his Dutch team-mate’s

Barcelona tried to distance themselves on Wednesday from a political crisis enveloping Spain ahead of an October 1 referendum on Catalan independence called by pro-secessionist politicians. The behaviour of fans at Barca’s 99,000 capacity Camp Nou will be under the spotlight as they host Las Palmas in La Liga on Sunday, whilst the potentially historic vote is taking place. “It will be an important day in the history of our country, but we have to focus on football,” said Barca vice-president Jordi Cardoner. Spain’s government and the country’s constitutional court have declared the vote illegal. Among a number of measures being taken to impede the referendum, 14 regional government officials were detained last week. In response, Barca released a strongly-worded statement condemning the arrests in “the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination.” A powerful symbol of Catalonia, Barcelona have been cautious not to support either side of th

As the crisis that hit PSquare deepens, the group’s lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, has said the wives of the artistes have no hand in it. He expressed the optimism that the disagreement among them – including the elder brother, Jude – would be resolved. A statement from the Keyamo Chambers noted that,  contrary to public belief, the quarrel was not the fault of any of the parties – including their wives. The statement titled The public feud by the PSquare brothers, on Tuesday evening, appealed that the public should “refrain from jumping into uninformed conclusions about this feud.” Keyamo expressed optimism that the brothers would eventually put away their differences and come back stronger than ever. He said while it was obvious that none of these materials sent by Peter Okoye was released to the public domain, his chambers was thoroughly saddened and embarrassed by these developments. The statement read in part, “As their close friends and lawyers over

The President, Muhammadu Buhari is presiding over the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, currently holding at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Last week, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo presided over the FEC meeting which was held in Abuja The Vice President stood in for President Buhari who attended the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

The Peoples Democratic Party has told Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State not to waste his resources on his presidential ambition, saying the party’s candidate for the 2019 election will come from the North. The party said all its members were aware of the zoning formula it adopted for both its presidential ticket and the position of the national chairman. Fayose had sent letters to some leaders of the party to inform them about his decision to run for the Presidency on the platform of the PDP. The event, according to a copy of the letter sent to our correspondent, will hold in Abuja on Thursday. The letter was signed by the governor under the banner of Ayo Fayose Presidential Campaign Organization.

A Ugandan judicial officer has been suspended from work for what was termed indecent dressing. Rosemary Namuwanga is a court clerk and interpreter at Kasangati Magistrate's Court in Wakiso. Daily Monitor reported on Friday that she was punished on Thursday by Public Service Permanent Secretary Josephine Muwonge. "Muwonge faulted Namuwanga for defying public service standing order by dressing in a manner that does not portray a good image of the judiciary and public service image," the agency said. Namuwanga was given a letter dated September 21. "It stated she was dressed in a very short and tight dress which, by description, did not fall within the generally acceptable standards of the established Notice NO.1 of 2017. " Namuwanga is reportedly the seventh civil servant to suffer these consequences following a ban on sleeveless, transparent and tight clothes for public service officers. "All clothing is expected to cover the cleavage, navel and the back

Collated English Premier League results on Saturday: Burnley 0 Huddersfield 0 Everton 2 (Niasse 77, 82) Bournemouth 1 (King 49) Leicester 2 (Okazaki 45+3, Vardy 69) Liverpool 3 (Salah 16, Coutinho 23, Henderson 68) Manchester City 5 (Sane 44, Sterling 51, 59, Augero 79, Delph 89) Crystal Palace 0 Southampton 0 Manchester United 1 (Lukaku 20) Stoke 0 Chelsea 4 (Morata 2, 77, 82, Pedro 30) Swansea 1 (Abraham 56) Watford 2 (Gray 13, Richarlison 90) West Ham 2 (Hernandez 65, Kouyate 87) Tottenham 3 (Kane 34, 38, Eriksen 60) Playing Sunday Brighton v Newcastle (1400 GMT) Playing Monday Arsenal v West Brom (1900 GMT) (Visited 4,219 times, 53 visits today)

Mr Lawrence Katken, Nigeria National League official, on Saturday, predicted victory for home-based Super Eagles over their Ghanaian counterparts in the West African Football Union finals on September 24. Katken made the prediction in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja while speaking on Nigeria’s expectations on the final match. He said that Nigeria’s performance at the ongoing West African football tournament was a pointer to their lifting the trophy. The NNL official, who expressed optimism in the ability of the CHAN Eagles to defeat Ghana, said bringing the cup home was non-negotiable. The host, Ghana defeated Niger Republic 2-0 to scale through to finals, while Nigeria beat Benin 1-0 in the semifinals.

A new earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 has hit Mexico, just days after another devastating tremor left 295 people dead. The US Geological Survey said it was centred about 11 miles (18km) south-southeast of Matias Romero in the southern state of Oaxaca. Details on damage or injuries are not immediately clear. Buildings swayed and a seismic alarm was set off in the capital, Mexico City, where rescuers have been trying to reach people who remain buried in rubble from Thursday's quake.

Whether you’re a heavy sitter or a binge-sitter, racking up prolonged sedentary time increases your risk of early death, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. That conclusion held up even after researchers took account of mitigating factors, such as time spent exercising. Even for people who hit the gym after a long day in a desk chair, sitting can be deadly. The findings led the study’s authors to suggest that people who sit a lot should get up and move around every 30 minutes to counter the health risks that come with prolonged sedentary behavior. The study team, led by Columbia University exercise researcher Keith Diaz, tracked the movements of close to 8,000 Americans older than 45 by asking them to wear an accelerometer on their hip. Over a period of 10 days, sitting or lounging behavior took up the equivalent of 12.3 hours over a 16-hour waking day — about 77%, on average. That’s a whole lot of sitting. But subjects differed in the extent to whi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced a conditional suspension of it nationwide industrial action. ASUU’s decision followed a reconciliation meeting with a Federal Government team which held today (Monday) in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. President of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, who made the announcement, explained that the suspension was conditional, as it depends on whether the Federal Government would fufil its parts of the agreements. Today’s dialogue came after about two weeks following the union’s consultations with its various chapters on the terms of the agreement earlier reached by both parties. ASUU had been on strike since August 14, over unpaid arrears and demands for improved infrastructure in the universities.

The following are the highlights of President Trump's first speech at the UN General Assembly in New York today. He began his speech by talking about the vision of the UN, and also said that as a President, he will always put America first. He also said that the US will no longer be taken advantage of in matters of trade and otherwise. "Our citizens have paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom,” he said. They have also fought to defend other countries represented in the room. “It is an eternal credit to the American character,” that they have fought wars abroad but have not “sought territorial expansion” and not imposed their way of life on other people. “We want harmony and friendship, not conflict and strife,” Trump reiterated. He said that member states must work together to confront “rogue regimes”. He then quickly moved on to his most important part of the speech, North Korea. He said the “entire world” is threatened by the nuclear threat in North Korea. “If it

President Buhari has just delivered his speech at the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York today. He stressed on the need for member states' cooperation during these 'dark and troubled times' and assured everyone of Nigeria's cooperation in this pursuit, He then commended the UN's role in settling civilians in conflicted areas of Syria, Iran and Afghanistan and thanked the governments of Germany, Italy, Turkey and Greece assisting refugees. “In an exemplary show of solidarity, the international community came together within my own region to assist the countries and communities in the Sahel and the Lake Chad regions to contain the threats posed by Al Qaida and Boko Haram,” he said on Monday. "We thank the Security Council for visiting the countries of the Lake Chad Basin to assess the security situation and humanitarian needs, and for pledging assistance to rebuild lives and livelihoods." He added that international community came together to focus on

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake stunned central Mexico on Tuesday, killing at least 119 people as buildings collapsed and thousands fled into the streets in panic. Dozens of buildings tumbled into mounds of rubble or were severely damaged in densely populated parts of Mexico City and nearby states. Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said buildings fell at 44 places in the capital alone. The quake is the deadliest in Mexico since a 1985 quake on the same date killed thousands. It came less than two weeks after another powerful quake left 90 dead in the country's south. Mancera said at least 30 had died in Mexico City, and officials in Morelos, just to the south, said 54 had died there. At least 26 others died in Puebla state, according to state disaster prevention chief Carlos Valdes. Gov. Alfredo del Mazo said at least nine had died in the State of Mexico, which also borders the capital. Mancera said 50 to 60 people were rescued alive by citizens and emergency workers. Earlier in the day

For many, the Internet is becoming an embedded part of everyday life. Seen as an indispensable commodity for socialisation, communication and business transaction, it is sharpening several aspects of human existence, not leaving out fast developing regions like Africa. With the ubiquity of digital technologies on the continent, it is common to find more than a few individuals with mobile phones – smart or dull, computer systems, among other gadgets, across urban and rural centres. The reality, however, is that most of the gadgets are often under-utilised, largely due to high level of digital illiteracy, which has a global dimension. Digital literacy, though not explicitly a clear scope of exploration, is the ability to master relevant skills on digital devices, processes and systems that will positively affect one’s life, career, business and future towards prime productivity, through efficient time and resource management. It is the route to acquiring essential digital skills, the

Fatima dislocated her left shoulder while getting dressed. She was in excruciating pain, but not enough pain to make her forget her state of undress, which would be extremely embarrassing if she were to raise the alarm. She glimpsed her phone, which was lying on her bed and quickly used her right hand to quickly type  “how to fix a dislocated shoulder”  on her Google search bar, and followed the instructions. She was able to solve her problem without any embarrassment. She went for a check-up after getting dressed to ensure that every part of her body was in good position. Google has become a part of our lives, and has seen us through minute-to-minute aspects of our daily living. People solve many of their problems with Google. People have improved their cooking, housekeeping, grooming skills and a million other skills with Google. It defines words as well as explains things. It gives detailed examples, numerous views and puts things in contexts. Many arguments these days end as soon

No building in DC may be taller than 13 floors. This is so that no matter where in the city you are, you can see the monument to the first president, GEORGE WASHINGTON . Such respect given to a PERSON. It's wonderful!

You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny. ~ Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV 4.5 ~

There are different types of hair loss and only a proper clinical diagnosis can guide the specialist on the right course of therapy to recommend for effective hair restoration.  A particular type of hair loss (CICATRICIAL  ALOPECIA) sometimes seen at our clinics in Nigeria and usually among women can be easily confused with the more common female pattern baldness because of the similarities in appearance. The term cicatricial alopecia refers to a diverse group of uncommon disorders, which destroys the hair follicles and the associated sebaceous (oil) glands that eventually result in permanent hair loss. The process may or may not be symptomatic. In some cases, hair loss is gradual with no symptoms and the patient may not even be aware of the hair loss until such time as it becomes more pronounced. In other cases,  the hair loss progresses rapidly with associated itchiness and pain or discomfort on the scalp. The follicle is destroyed by an inflammation, just below the skin surface,

Pineapple, a delicious tropical fruit, has been celebrated for centuries not only for its unique taste but also for its miraculous health benefits. The health and medicinal benefits of pineapple include improving the immune system, respiratory health and digestion, strengthening bones, reducing inflammation, curing coughs and colds, and weight loss. Aside from the interesting story and appearance of this fruit, it is also a storehouse of huge health benefits due to its wealth of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, beta carotene,  thiamin, B6, and folate, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber, and bromelain. A pineapple fruit is known to offer a lot of benefits, which include a stronger immune system, weight loss, improved respiratory health and strengthened bones, among others. Let us discuss each benefit in detail; Treats arthritis One of the most celebrated uses of pineapple in terms of health is its ability t

Microsoft is declaring war against the iMac. Following quite a while of rumors, holes, and hypothesis, Microsoft uncovered the Surface Studio, its first-historically speaking desktop PC, at an occasion in New York today. Like the iMac,  it’s an all-in-one (AIO) PC, with every one of its segments held in a solitary base and screen unit. Not at all like the iMac, Microsoft needs it to do significantly more than simply sit at your work area.

National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had not asked Women Affairs Minister, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, to resign over her recent comments in the media. He also said that her appearance at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja, on Thursday, was not on a summon. The minister, who had been in the eye-of-the-storm over her comment on her choice of the presidential aspirant for the 2019 election, had a closed-door meeting with the party’s leadership at the secretariat. She had reportedly said that she would support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar if he showed interest in the 2019 presidential race, explaining that the man had been her “godfather”.The comment drew the flak of APC stalwarts, who dubbed it anti-Buhari and anti-party, saying she was disloyal and should resign or be sacked.

EA Sports has unveiled the 20 fastest players in FIFA 18, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang again leading the way. The Premier League is well represented on the list, with Hector Bellerin, Leroy Sane, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Raheem Sterling also making the cut. Many of these players are featured in the FIFA 18 demo released worldwide on Tuesday, allowing gamers to test out the latest edition of the football simulation ahead of its official release September 29. Here are the top 20: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (BVB)  Jonathan Biabiany (Sparta Prague)  Hector Bellerin (Arsenal)  Mathis Bolly (Greuther Furth)  Ernest Asante (Nordsjaelland)  Jurgen Damm (Tigres)  Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)  Leroy Sane (Manchester City)  David Accam (Chicago Fire)  Kekuta Manneh (Columbus Crew)  Jonas Aguirre (Puebla)  Gelson Martins (Sporting CP)  Sadio Mane (Liverpool)  Jordi Alba (Barcelona)  Lucas (PSG)  Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)  Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)  Gerard Deulofeu (

CHAPTER FOUR TWO KINDS OF ORDINARY In my opinion, there are two kinds of ordinary. The first is the one that we have described above. Here, we are ordinary by virtue of the circumstances or families into which we are born. We don't choose our parents or race. We don't choose the colour of our skin and I don't think we select an IQ before we turn up. There's little we can do to change any of these initial designations. We can’t determine to whom or under what circumstances we are born. If our parents are poor, we'll be born into a poor family. If they're cattle rustlers, that's the infamy we get born into. But that does not designate us poor or cattle rustlers for the rest of our lives. You probably have had opportunity to watch the start of a big marathon race with thousands at the starting line. Some competitors are in front while others are way back in that sea of humanity. But you know they don't necessarily finish in that order. Forty years ago yo

CHAPTER THREE What it Means to Be Ordinary You've probably heard this story before, but let me tell it anyway. It was in the early hours of the morning and all was quiet in the five-storey, five-star hotel. The last of the guests, most of whom had spent the better part of the night in the bar, the dancing floor or the casino had finally crept into bed and it was peace and quiet all round. In the midst of this peaceful beginning to a new day, smoke began to billow out of one of the windows on the first floor. The building was on fire. The few workers who were on night duty quickly made their way to the upper floors where the guest rooms were, intent on warning the guests of the fast-spreading fire. As they moved from door to door, they were confronted by signs declaring boldly: PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB. On another day, those little signs would have turned them back. But not this morning, not with a fiery death fast approaching. On another day, the thought of an angry voice shoutin