'He's a miracle from God': The greatest ever quotes about Lionel Messi

'He's a miracle from God': The greatest ever quotes about Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi defies description - but that doesn't mean people haven't tried to put his talent into words. Here's our pick of the most profound, wittiest and most eloquent pieces of wisdom about one of the undisputed greats of football history:
"I have never seen anyone like Leo Messi. He is a miracle from God! I like it when he does his things on the field. It's not jealousy - I feel good, for instance, when he nutmegs someone." - Arda Turan "Once they said they can only stop me with a pistol. Today you need a machine gun to stop Messi." - Hristo Stoichkov "Messi is the Mozart of football." - Radomir Antic "It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind." - Xavi "For me, to watch Messi play is a pleasure – it’s like having an orgasm – it’s an incredible pleasure." - Luis Figo "This Barca will be remembered as Messi’s Barca. He’s well above anything else I’ve ever seen. He’s an alien." - Messi's former team-mate Carles Puyol
"Messi is the best in the world without any doubt and for me the history of football." Luis Enrique

"Messi is God, as a person and even more as a player. I knew him when he was a boy and I’ve watched him grow. He deserves it all." - Samuel Eto'o "Although he may not be human, it’s good that Messi still thinks he is." - Javier Mascherano "They tell me that all men are equal in God’s eyes, this player makes you seriously think about those words." - Football commentator Ray Hudson "Newton and Einstein had a certain level of autism - I hope that, like them, Messi surpasses himself every day and continues to give us his beautiful brand of football." - Romario "Life with Leo is prettier, of another colour." - Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu "There are three or four important things in life: books, friends, women… and Messi." - Portuguese writer Antonio Lobo Antunes "Barca will never have a player like Messi again. Messi’s greatness is present on and off the field of play." - ex-Barcelona president Sandro Rosell

"Seeing Messi play is like watching a video game… What Messi does on a football field is simply unthinkable… The way he walks from side to side, and once he sees an opportunity, he simply creates magic." - tennis superstar Victoria Azarenka.

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The real truth behind household power savers

The real truth behind household power savers

A household power low voltage saving devices has recently received a lot of attention from both consumers and manufacturers. It is generally used in residential homes to save energy and to reduce electricity bills. It is a small device which is to be plugged in any of the AC sockets in the house (Mostly near Energy Meter). Moreover, some of the companies claim that their power savers save up to 40% of the energy.

Many people believe that the claims made by the power savers manufacturing companies are false. Almost all people who buy power savers do it to reduce their electricity bills.

Many people who have used these power savers said that they could reduce their electricity bills with the devices; however the reduction was not as much as they had expected. Moreover, they could not figure out if the reduction in electricity bills was due to the power savers or because of their efforts to reduce their electrical usage. There have been several serious discussions about the genuineness of the device.

In this note, we will try to find the real truth behind these power savers which claim to save as much as 40% of energy.

Working Principle of Power Saver as per Manufacture

A Power Saver is a device which plugs in to power socket. Apparently just by keeping the device connected it will immediately reduce your power consumption. Typical claims are savings between 25% and 40%.

It is known that the electricity that comes to our homes is not stable in nature. There are many fluctuations, raise and falls, and surges/Spikes in this current. This unstable current cannot be used by any of the household appliances. Moreover, the fluctuating current wastes the electric current from the circuit by converting electrical energy into heat energy.

This heat energy not only gets wasted to the atmosphere, but also harms the appliances and wiring circuit.

Household power saver device - Schematic diagram
Household power saver device - Schematic diagram

Power Saver stores the electricity inside of it using a system of capacitors and they release it in a smoother way to normal without the spikes. The systems also automatically remove carbon from the circuit which also encourages a smoother electrical flow. This means that we will have less power spikes. More of the electricity flowing around circuit can be used to power appliances than before.

Basically it is claimed that Power savers work on the principle of surge protection technology. Power savers work on straightening this unstable electric current to provide a smooth and constant output. The fluctuation in voltage is unpredictable and cannot be controlled. However, the power savers utilize current fluctuation to provide a usable power by acting like a filter and allowing only smooth current to pass through the circuit. Power savers use capacitors for this purpose. When there is a surge of current in the circuit, the capacitor of the power saver stores the excess current and releases it when there is a sudden drop. Thus only smooth output current comes out of the device.

Moreover, a power saver also removes any type of carbon in the system, which facilitates further smoother flow. The main advantage of power savers is not that they provide a backup system in times of low current, but that it protects the household appliances. It is known that a sudden rise in the power can destroy the electrical appliance. Thus, the power saver not only protects the appliance but also increases its life. Moreover, they also reduce the energy consumption and thus the electricity bills.

The amount of power saved by a power saver depends on the number of appliances on the electrical circuit. Also, the system takes at least a week to adapt itself fully to the circuit, before it starts showing its peak performance. The maximum amount of voltage savings will be seen in areas where in the current fluctuation is the highest.

Household Power Saver Scam Review

Power Factor Correction for residential customers (home owners) is a scam? At most, each unit is worth as an investment. Power factor correction does make sense for some commercial / industrial customers.

Many companies are promoting and advertise that their Power Saver unit are able to save domestic residential power consumption by employing an “active power factor correction” method on the supply line. The concept seems pretty impressive as the concept is true and legally accepted. But practically, we will find that it’s not feasible.

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Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Is it just me, or is Germany possibly the greatest country in the world today…?

Germany is considered the 5th best place to be young in the world (3rd in Europe), and with 64% of the population speaking English, it’s also one of the best places for foreigners of any age to visit (…especially if they speak English). It has the world’s 4th largest economy (after US, China, and Japan) and an impressively low unemployment rate. It’s no wonder that it was rated as the most positively viewed country in the world in 2013 by the BCC. But the real story that motivated me to blog about this is the news about something dear to my heart – higher education. Namely, Germany has made all of its university education completely free.

Say What?

Considering that Germany has the third-most institutions among the world’s best universities (just behind the US & UK), this is a serious and astonishing development. In fact, after having investigated many of the available courses myself, I can say that there are some very interesting options for students of any nations. In English, that is. I have nothing to say about German courses because, frankly, I can’t read German.

Too good to be true? Absolutely not. English is already the main language taught in many German universities, and the amount of English-only schools is growing. Even the best institutions in the country offer programs for international students in English. Of course, it depends on what you would like to learn. Having looked through the catalog of bachelor’s degrees for business and PhDs for psychology offered entirely in English, it’s easy to see (especially for the bachelor’s degrees, which have lots of information available) that the quality of these programs look excellent. Even I have begun considering studying in Germany for graduate school because of this news. From care2:

Germany has never been known for having high tuition costs, but last week it officially voted to make college education free for everyone. According to German senator Dorothee Stapelfeldt, the decision was made because they felt paying anything for tuition was “unjust” and discouraged students with difficult economic circumstances from receiving a high level of education.

Though tuition was already incredibly low by American standards – sitting at about $600 for a year – this decision completely does away with it: even for international students.

This move isn’t unprecedented for Germany. Higher education was free in the past, but in 2006 institutions across the country began charging.

Public outcry caused most schools to phase out their tuition policies rapidly. Last week, Lower Saxony was the final state to formally end all of theirs, driving the proverbial nail into the coffin for tuition fees.

American students, who typically graduate university with about $29,000 of student debt, could now be eyeing Germany as a place to continue their studies. Of course, they’ll have to learn German. Universities have accounted for this, however, with many German language classes on offer. Other schools offer some classes taught in English under headings such as “International Studies.”

This is all true except for the last paragraph above, which is misleading.

To reiterate, you will not have to learn German. I could get a BA, MA, and PhD in Germany without ever having to pay tuition, despite the fact that I am neither German nor speak any German. Sure, depending on the program, you may require basic German language abilities; but this is not actually requiring fluency by any stretch of the imagination.

You may be required to introduce yourself in German, and perhaps talk about your studies in a very rudimentary way. I suspect that this language requirement (again: for some programs, not all) is more to make sure that you are able to live in Germany; not because it has anything to do with the curriculum. Your degree will be in “International Studies,” but in whatever you’re studying. For example, I found lots of really great-looking neuroscience doctorates during my research.

How and Why?

You may be wondering… how can Germany do this? It’s really kind of simple: Taxes & hopes.

Germany wants more skilled workers, and it hopes that you will enter the German workforce after you graduate. Meanwhile, universities are paid (though they all pretty much claim to be underfunded) through taxes. Yes, taxes are high for Germans, but in case you forgot: tuition is free!

So you might now think “so they are manipulating me in order to get me to work for them?” Not really; but even if that was the case, I find no problem in that. If I am educated in a country that has treated me well, and I have a good social life there, then entering the workforce to “give back” to the community would be an easy choice to make. This is true for any country.

Of course, many factors can influence this decision, but the hope is presumably that you will fall in love with Germany. And you know what? It’s looking pretty attractive.

Conclusion

The more I learn about Germany, and the idea of moving there for graduate studies, the more I am becoming open to it. This recent news just made it all the more official – Germany is an amazing country. It is not the first or the only country to eliminate tuition, but there’s no other culture like it.

Of course, I’m not going to go into the merits of the German culture ( ‘m not some spokesman for Germany, nor do I know much about the German culture), but I will ask the following question: Won’t young people (specifically, but not exclusively, Americans) who can’t afford the university experience, consider moving to Germany? I don’t think I have met a single American my age in the last few years (where I live in Japan) who are not still paying back student loans from university. Is it that they don’t want to be separated from home? They don’t know about the amazing opportunities abroad? I’m not sure. But, the way I see it, the choice is now this:

Entering the workforce with international experience and an additional language under your belt (if you choose to spend some free time learning German).
Entering the workforce after living near/at home, with tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
I know a lot of people (including Americans, who pay the highest tuition fees) would pick #2, simply because being in a foreign country can be scary. I get it – I really do. But you will always have choices in your life that will be scary. At least something like this will also have the added benefit of being an adventure, in a country when more than 6 out of 10 people speak fluent English.

It should be mentioned that just because these programs are free does not mean that they are easy to get into. They are still competitive programs (which also implies that they are high quality), and you will have to work hard in order to be accepted (i.e., good grades, a good CV, etc.). But since this news is so new to most people, the next few years will be probably be easier for international students to get into. Perhaps when more people find out about the free tuition, the competition will become that much greater. Also, free tuition doesn’t mean free room and board. Naturally, students will have to pay for their own living expenses.

The Bottom Line

What it really comes down to is whether or not you are able to say goodbye to a cozy life of certainty (which won’t be so cozy once the debts have to be paid back) in order to embrace this unbelievable opportunity.

I decided to write this post because I am considering this option myself, and I think you would be foolish to ignore this opportunity if money is an issue for you, and you’re interested in higher education. If this post has made you consider Germany, please let me know in the comments section below. Maybe in a few years, I’ll see you there.

اقرء المزيد

World names Germany 'best country ever'

World names Germany 'best country ever'

Germany may not be "fun" or "sexy", but it's still considered the best country in the world, according to a worldwide public opinion poll.

Germans prefer contentment to career and money (19 Jan 16)
German jobless count falls below 2 million (05 Jan 16)
Germany is second-oldest country worldwide (09 Dec 15)
Germany was ranked the overall best country in the world, according to the rankings released by US News & World Report on Wednesday.
The rankings report praised Germany for its support of entrepreneurs, growing role as a global leader and high quality of life, among other factors.

The rankings were based on a survey of 16,000 people worldwide who were asked to associate each of the 60 countries chosen with certain attributes. The responses were then broken down into various categories, including adventure, power, entrepreneurship and quality of life.

Germany was followed in the rankings by Canada in second, then the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden. Algeria was perceived as the worst country of the 60, with Ukraine and Iran rated just above.

While Germany scored especially well for its perceived power, human rights and the strength of its labour force, the report also cautioned that its "aging population and Europe's future pose challenges" to the Bundesrepublik (Federal Republic).

Who else would dare address the President of the United States like this? Photo: DPA

"Germany's geographic location as a crossroad in Europe places it as the focal point for the tension across the continent between the forces of integration and disintegration, a tension fueled by deepening anxieties over terrorism and a refugees crisis unprecedented since World War II," the report notes.

"Both issues threaten the idea of a unified Europe without borders."

US News & World Report lays out the great tasks ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel this year, but also praises her competence as a political figure.

"Germany's ascendance as a world leader comes largely from the work of Merkel," the report states.

"Only the third German since World War II to hold the chancellorship for a decade or more, Merkel has shown decisive leadership on several issues."

Strong economy, weak on fun?

Although the country scored among the top ten worldwide for the categories of entrepreneurship, quality of life, place and green living, Germany scored quite poorly in "adventure", ranking 45 out of 60.

Under the adventure category, the Bundesrepublik was given a 1.2 out of 10 for fun, a 3 for friendliness and a withering 0.1 for sexiness.

اقرء المزيد

World names Germany 'best country ever'

World names Germany 'best country ever'

Germany may not be "fun" or "sexy", but it's still considered the best country in the world, according to a worldwide public opinion poll.

Germans prefer contentment to career and money (19 Jan 16)
German jobless count falls below 2 million (05 Jan 16)
Germany is second-oldest country worldwide (09 Dec 15)
Germany was ranked the overall best country in the world, according to the rankings released by US News & World Report on Wednesday.
The rankings report praised Germany for its support of entrepreneurs, growing role as a global leader and high quality of life, among other factors.

The rankings were based on a survey of 16,000 people worldwide who were asked to associate each of the 60 countries chosen with certain attributes. The responses were then broken down into various categories, including adventure, power, entrepreneurship and quality of life.

Germany was followed in the rankings by Canada in second, then the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden. Algeria was perceived as the worst country of the 60, with Ukraine and Iran rated just above.

While Germany scored especially well for its perceived power, human rights and the strength of its labour force, the report also cautioned that its "aging population and Europe's future pose challenges" to the Bundesrepublik (Federal Republic).

Who else would dare address the President of the United States like this? Photo: DPA

"Germany's geographic location as a crossroad in Europe places it as the focal point for the tension across the continent between the forces of integration and disintegration, a tension fueled by deepening anxieties over terrorism and a refugees crisis unprecedented since World War II," the report notes.

"Both issues threaten the idea of a unified Europe without borders."

US News & World Report lays out the great tasks ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel this year, but also praises her competence as a political figure.

"Germany's ascendance as a world leader comes largely from the work of Merkel," the report states.

"Only the third German since World War II to hold the chancellorship for a decade or more, Merkel has shown decisive leadership on several issues."

Strong economy, weak on fun?

Although the country scored among the top ten worldwide for the categories of entrepreneurship, quality of life, place and green living, Germany scored quite poorly in "adventure", ranking 45 out of 60.

Under the adventure category, the Bundesrepublik was given a 1.2 out of 10 for fun, a 3 for friendliness and a withering 0.1 for sexiness.

اقرء المزيد

Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Be Smart, Move to Germany (not in that order)

Is it just me, or is Germany possibly the greatest country in the world today…?

Germany is considered the 5th best place to be young in the world (3rd in Europe), and with 64% of the population speaking English, it’s also one of the best places for foreigners of any age to visit (…especially if they speak English). It has the world’s 4th largest economy (after US, China, and Japan) and an impressively low unemployment rate. It’s no wonder that it was rated as the most positively viewed country in the world in 2013 by the BCC. But the real story that motivated me to blog about this is the news about something dear to my heart – higher education. Namely, Germany has made all of its university education completely free.

Say What?

Considering that Germany has the third-most institutions among the world’s best universities (just behind the US & UK), this is a serious and astonishing development. In fact, after having investigated many of the available courses myself, I can say that there are some very interesting options for students of any nations. In English, that is. I have nothing to say about German courses because, frankly, I can’t read German.

Too good to be true? Absolutely not. English is already the main language taught in many German universities, and the amount of English-only schools is growing. Even the best institutions in the country offer programs for international students in English. Of course, it depends on what you would like to learn. Having looked through the catalog of bachelor’s degrees for business and PhDs for psychology offered entirely in English, it’s easy to see (especially for the bachelor’s degrees, which have lots of information available) that the quality of these programs look excellent. Even I have begun considering studying in Germany for graduate school because of this news. From care2:

Germany has never been known for having high tuition costs, but last week it officially voted to make college education free for everyone. According to German senator Dorothee Stapelfeldt, the decision was made because they felt paying anything for tuition was “unjust” and discouraged students with difficult economic circumstances from receiving a high level of education.

Though tuition was already incredibly low by American standards – sitting at about $600 for a year – this decision completely does away with it: even for international students.

This move isn’t unprecedented for Germany. Higher education was free in the past, but in 2006 institutions across the country began charging.

Public outcry caused most schools to phase out their tuition policies rapidly. Last week, Lower Saxony was the final state to formally end all of theirs, driving the proverbial nail into the coffin for tuition fees.

American students, who typically graduate university with about $29,000 of student debt, could now be eyeing Germany as a place to continue their studies. Of course, they’ll have to learn German. Universities have accounted for this, however, with many German language classes on offer. Other schools offer some classes taught in English under headings such as “International Studies.”

This is all true except for the last paragraph above, which is misleading.

To reiterate, you will not have to learn German. I could get a BA, MA, and PhD in Germany without ever having to pay tuition, despite the fact that I am neither German nor speak any German. Sure, depending on the program, you may require basic German language abilities; but this is not actually requiring fluency by any stretch of the imagination.

You may be required to introduce yourself in German, and perhaps talk about your studies in a very rudimentary way. I suspect that this language requirement (again: for some programs, not all) is more to make sure that you are able to live in Germany; not because it has anything to do with the curriculum. Your degree will be in “International Studies,” but in whatever you’re studying. For example, I found lots of really great-looking neuroscience doctorates during my research.

How and Why?

You may be wondering… how can Germany do this? It’s really kind of simple: Taxes & hopes.

Germany wants more skilled workers, and it hopes that you will enter the German workforce after you graduate. Meanwhile, universities are paid (though they all pretty much claim to be underfunded) through taxes. Yes, taxes are high for Germans, but in case you forgot: tuition is free!

So you might now think “so they are manipulating me in order to get me to work for them?” Not really; but even if that was the case, I find no problem in that. If I am educated in a country that has treated me well, and I have a good social life there, then entering the workforce to “give back” to the community would be an easy choice to make. This is true for any country.

Of course, many factors can influence this decision, but the hope is presumably that you will fall in love with Germany. And you know what? It’s looking pretty attractive.

Conclusion

The more I learn about Germany, and the idea of moving there for graduate studies, the more I am becoming open to it. This recent news just made it all the more official – Germany is an amazing country. It is not the first or the only country to eliminate tuition, but there’s no other culture like it.

Of course, I’m not going to go into the merits of the German culture ( ‘m not some spokesman for Germany, nor do I know much about the German culture), but I will ask the following question: Won’t young people (specifically, but not exclusively, Americans) who can’t afford the university experience, consider moving to Germany? I don’t think I have met a single American my age in the last few years (where I live in Japan) who are not still paying back student loans from university. Is it that they don’t want to be separated from home? They don’t know about the amazing opportunities abroad? I’m not sure. But, the way I see it, the choice is now this:

Entering the workforce with international experience and an additional language under your belt (if you choose to spend some free time learning German).
Entering the workforce after living near/at home, with tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
I know a lot of people (including Americans, who pay the highest tuition fees) would pick #2, simply because being in a foreign country can be scary. I get it – I really do. But you will always have choices in your life that will be scary. At least something like this will also have the added benefit of being an adventure, in a country when more than 6 out of 10 people speak fluent English.

It should be mentioned that just because these programs are free does not mean that they are easy to get into. They are still competitive programs (which also implies that they are high quality), and you will have to work hard in order to be accepted (i.e., good grades, a good CV, etc.). But since this news is so new to most people, the next few years will be probably be easier for international students to get into. Perhaps when more people find out about the free tuition, the competition will become that much greater. Also, free tuition doesn’t mean free room and board. Naturally, students will have to pay for their own living expenses.

The Bottom Line

What it really comes down to is whether or not you are able to say goodbye to a cozy life of certainty (which won’t be so cozy once the debts have to be paid back) in order to embrace this unbelievable opportunity.

I decided to write this post because I am considering this option myself, and I think you would be foolish to ignore this opportunity if money is an issue for you, and you’re interested in higher education. If this post has made you consider Germany, please let me know in the comments section below. Maybe in a few years, I’ll see you there.

اقرء المزيد

The real truth behind household power savers

The real truth behind household power savers

A household power low voltage saving devices has recently received a lot of attention from both consumers and manufacturers. It is generally used in residential homes to save energy and to reduce electricity bills. It is a small device which is to be plugged in any of the AC sockets in the house (Mostly near Energy Meter). Moreover, some of the companies claim that their power savers save up to 40% of the energy.

Many people believe that the claims made by the power savers manufacturing companies are false. Almost all people who buy power savers do it to reduce their electricity bills.

Many people who have used these power savers said that they could reduce their electricity bills with the devices; however the reduction was not as much as they had expected. Moreover, they could not figure out if the reduction in electricity bills was due to the power savers or because of their efforts to reduce their electrical usage. There have been several serious discussions about the genuineness of the device.

In this note, we will try to find the real truth behind these power savers which claim to save as much as 40% of energy.

Working Principle of Power Saver as per Manufacture

A Power Saver is a device which plugs in to power socket. Apparently just by keeping the device connected it will immediately reduce your power consumption. Typical claims are savings between 25% and 40%.

It is known that the electricity that comes to our homes is not stable in nature. There are many fluctuations, raise and falls, and surges/Spikes in this current. This unstable current cannot be used by any of the household appliances. Moreover, the fluctuating current wastes the electric current from the circuit by converting electrical energy into heat energy.

This heat energy not only gets wasted to the atmosphere, but also harms the appliances and wiring circuit.

Household power saver device - Schematic diagram
Household power saver device - Schematic diagram

Power Saver stores the electricity inside of it using a system of capacitors and they release it in a smoother way to normal without the spikes. The systems also automatically remove carbon from the circuit which also encourages a smoother electrical flow. This means that we will have less power spikes. More of the electricity flowing around circuit can be used to power appliances than before.

Basically it is claimed that Power savers work on the principle of surge protection technology. Power savers work on straightening this unstable electric current to provide a smooth and constant output. The fluctuation in voltage is unpredictable and cannot be controlled. However, the power savers utilize current fluctuation to provide a usable power by acting like a filter and allowing only smooth current to pass through the circuit. Power savers use capacitors for this purpose. When there is a surge of current in the circuit, the capacitor of the power saver stores the excess current and releases it when there is a sudden drop. Thus only smooth output current comes out of the device.

Moreover, a power saver also removes any type of carbon in the system, which facilitates further smoother flow. The main advantage of power savers is not that they provide a backup system in times of low current, but that it protects the household appliances. It is known that a sudden rise in the power can destroy the electrical appliance. Thus, the power saver not only protects the appliance but also increases its life. Moreover, they also reduce the energy consumption and thus the electricity bills.

The amount of power saved by a power saver depends on the number of appliances on the electrical circuit. Also, the system takes at least a week to adapt itself fully to the circuit, before it starts showing its peak performance. The maximum amount of voltage savings will be seen in areas where in the current fluctuation is the highest.

Household Power Saver Scam Review

Power Factor Correction for residential customers (home owners) is a scam? At most, each unit is worth as an investment. Power factor correction does make sense for some commercial / industrial customers.

Many companies are promoting and advertise that their Power Saver unit are able to save domestic residential power consumption by employing an “active power factor correction” method on the supply line. The concept seems pretty impressive as the concept is true and legally accepted. But practically, we will find that it’s not feasible.

اقرء المزيد