WagooMusic

Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship (January 26-29, 2012) will feature the strongest field ever assembled at a Middle East golf tournament.

Three reigning Major winners head will battle it out for the European PGA Tour-sanctioned event’s US$2.7 million prize fund, with Charl Schwartzel (US Masters), Rory McIlroy (US Open) and Darren Clarke (British Open) eyeing top honours at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

The Championship Village has been expanded to 1,200m² and will have a fantastic range of attractions, prizes, games, competitions, live performances and family-friendly fun. Fans can also enjoy the popular HSBC Interactive Zone with sporting activities that reflect the diversity of HSBC’s global sports sponsorship. Open to all, the HSBC Interactive Zone lets visitors test and hone their swing and putting techniques, while non-golfers can spend time in the creative area.

Championship tickets are AED 50 (US$13.6) for a daily pass and AED 150 (US$40.8) for a four-day pass. the first – ‘Dress in Red Day’ will see any visitor sporting red in their outfit – enter for free. Emirates Golf Federation members and children under-18 – when accompanied by an adult – will enter free of charge. HSBC customers simply present their cards for free entry with Premier card holders redeeming two daily tickets and regular card holders claiming one daily ticket.

Tickets are available via abudhabigolfchampionship.com and itptickets.com.

Visitors can also phone book through ITP international line: +971 4 210 8943.

Trump Winery, situated on Trump Vineyard Estates, formerly the renowned Kluge Vineyard and Estate, is the premier American luxury winemaker. Featuring nearly 1000 acres of breathtaking countryside, and the East Coast’s most coveted, award-winning wine selection from the Kluge Estates brand.

Albemarle Limousine  was delighted to be invited to provide black car service as well as valet service for the Trump Winery Grand Opening on October 4th, 2011.  The prestigious event was held at the Trump Estate Pavilion.

____________________________________________________________

TRUMP ESTATE PAVILION

| Sophisticated |Pristine | Elegant |

Trump Winery offers both indoor and outdoor venues for exceptional events and retreats. Meticulously scrutinizing over every detail – Trumps Events Manager works with you to design specialized gatherings, all with white glove service in an unparalleled setting. Contact us to prepare a customized wine excursion.

Trump Winery can accommodate intimate gatherings as well as larger groups up to 150. The winery is located only 15 minutes from downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. our Events Manager can help with all your meeting planning needs as well helping to secure accommodations and transportation from Charlottesville. for pricing and availability please contact 434-977-3895 or .

 ____________________________________________________________

AWARD WINNING WINES

KLUGE SP ROSÉ, 2004

Gold, Effervescents du Monde, International Competition between the Best Sparkling Wines in the World, 2008

Gold & Best of Category, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, 2008

Gold, Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Competition, 2008

Gold, VirginiaWineries Association Governor’s Cup, 2007

Silver, Hong KongInternational Wine & Spirit Competition, 2009

Silver, Hilton Head Wine Fest, 2008

Silver, MonticelloCup, 2008

KLUGE SP BLANC DE BLANCS, 2005

Silver, Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Competition, 2009

KLUGE SP BLANC DE BLANCS, 2004

Silver, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, 2008

Silver, Hilton Head Wine Fest, 2008

Silver, Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Competition, 2008

Silver, VirginiaWineries Association Governor’s Cup, 2007

Bronze, Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2009

Bronze, Effervescents du Monde, International Competition between the Best Sparkling Wines in the World, 2008

KLUGE SP BLANC DE BLANCS, 2002

Gold, International Eastern Wine Competition, 2003

Gold, Los AngelesCounty Fair, 2005

Gold, FloridaStateFair, 2005

Gold, Jerry D. Mead’s new World International Wine Competition, 2005

Silver,DallasMorning News World Wine Competition, 2005

Silver, Grand Harvest Awards, 2005

Silver,San Diego International Wine Competition, 2005

Bronze, MontereyWine Competition, 2005

Bronze, International Eastern Wine Competition, 2004

KLUGE SP BLANC DE BLANCS, 2001

Silver, Los Angeles County Fair Competition, 2004

Bronze, DallasMorning News World Wine Competition, 2004

KLUGE ESTATE 2005 NEW WORLD RED

Gold, Virginia Wine Lover Magazine Wine Competition, 2009

Silver, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2010

KLUGE ESTATE 2004 NEW WORLD RED

Silver, SouthFloridaBusiness Journal Fine American Wine Competition 2007

Silver, MonticelloCup, 2008

Bronze, International Eastern Wine Competition 2008

KLUGE ESTATE 2002 NEW WORLD RED

Silver, VirginiaStateFair 2007

Silver, VirginiaWineries Association Governor’s Cup, 2007

KLUGE ESTATE 2001 NEW WORLD RED

Double Gold, International Eastern Wine Competition, 2004

Silver, International Eastern Wine Competition, 2005

Silver, Grand Harvest Awards, 2005

Silver, San Francisco International Wine Competition, 2005

Silver, DallasMorning News World Wine Competition, 2004

Bronze, Los Angeles County Fair Competition, 2004

Bronze, FloridaStateFair, 2005

Bronze, Jerry D. Mead’s new World International Wine Competition, 2005

KLUGE ESTATE CRU

People’s Choice Award at the Virginia Wine Showcase, 2009

Silver, Los Angeles County Fair Competition, 2004

Bronze, San FranciscoInternational Wine Competition, 2005

ALBEMARLE VIOGNIER 2006

Silver, International Eastern Wine Competition, 2008

Silver, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, 2008

ALBEMARLE VIOGNIER 2005

Gold, VirginiaStateFair 2007

ALBEMARLE ROSÉ 2006

Silver, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, 2008

Bronze, International Eastern Wine Competition 2008

ALBEMARLE ROSÉ 2005

Gold, VirginiaWineries Association Governor’s Cup, 2007

Bronze, VirginiaStateFair 2007

ALBEMARLE ROSÉ 2003

Silver, Long BeachGrand Cru, 2005

Bronze, San FranciscoInternational Wine Competition, 2005

ALBEMARLE SIMPLY RED 2005

Silver, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2010

ALBEMARLE SIMPLY RED 2004

Silver, Hilton Head Wine Fest, 2008

Bronze, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, 2008

ALBEMARLE SIMPLY RED 2002

Gold, Los AngelesCounty Fair, 2005

Gold, FloridaStateFair, 2005

Silver, Grand Harvest Awards, 2005

Silver, San Francisco International Wine Competition, 2005

Silver, Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, 2005

The following wines qualified for the Virginia Wine Experience in London, a 2007 event in conjunction with the 400th anniversary celebration of Jamestown:

Kluge SP Blanc de Blancs 2004

Kluge Estate new World Red 2004

_____________________________________________________

WINE LIST

Albemarle Sauvignon Blanc

Kluge Estate SP Blanc de Blancs

Kluge Estate new World Red

_____________________________________________________

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Clinton’s naked gloating over the public lynching of America’s old adversary revealed the depravity of the leading politicians of the imperialist world, while underlining the length they will go to achieve their imperial aims in the contemporary world.

It was clear that NATO’s “Operation Unified Protector” was not about implementing UN Resolution 1973, but as Thierry Meyssan, writing for Voltaire.org said, was “to overthrow a political system and to kill the leader, even if the assassination of a serving head of state is strictly prohibited by US law and universally condemned”.

It was also clear that NATO was not really enthusiastic about handing Gaddafi over to the ICC, because it was unlikely to be able to sentence him for crimes against humanity, anymore than the Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia was able to prove its case against former Serbian leader, Slobodan Milosevic, after two years of prosecution.

The imperialist media parroted the same set of accusations against Gaddafi over and over, giving an indication that there was really little incriminating evidence which could hold in a court, against the man. one of the most repeated accusations was that he stashed away billions of dollars, but none of the imperialist countries: France, Britain or the USA that bunched together with their Gulf clients like the feudal Emirate of Qatar, was able to track the alleged fortune of the Gaddafi clan.

Money seized in the course of the criminal aggression against Libya, belonged to the Libyan state, not Muammar Gaddafi. Interestingly, the only international arrest warrant against Gaddafi before the NATO aggression was issued by Interpol. he had been accused by Lebanon of having killed Imam Moussa Sadr and a group of companions in 1978.

The imperialist media was silent on that warrant, because the kidnapping of Imam Sadr had been sponsored by the United States which wanted to get rid of the Imam, to prevent the spread of the radicalism which Ayatollah Khomeini had inspired in the Middle East.

The imperialist media similarly conveniently ignored the role which Gaddafi played in the political life of countries like France, where Gaddafi illegally financed the presidential election campaigns of Nicholas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal. we must not forget that deeply ingrained in imperialist politics is immorality and gluttony.

The same characters that sponsored the destruction of Libyan infrastructure had been lining up to kiss Gaddafi’s hand in order to secure lucrative oil deals a few years ago as well as outsourcing to his security forces, the torture of Islamists.

And as soon as the puppets of the NTC were knocked together, discussions emerged in imperial centres about the privatization of Libyan assets.

They want to parcel out oil concessions, take over the ports and banks as well as other infrastructure. Libya will become a dependent protectorate and a NATO bridgehead for all sorts of aggression against African and Middle Eastern interests.

I have never admired Gaddafi, who I think lived far more on the lunatic fringe to be able to understand the fundamental necessities for the revolutionary change that Africa required. he was too eclectic in his actions and too befuddled in his thoughts. he supported national liberation movements in Southern Africa alright, but was also the sponsor of bandits like Charles Taylor and Foday Sankoh. he was forever attempting to annex the Aozou Strip of Chad and in one of his most unforgivable crimes ever, he stormed a plane in Tripoli, arrested the leaders of the Sudan Communist Party and handed them over to another lunatic like himself, Gafar Numeiri, for execution, in 1971! he was forever blowing hot and cold and ran a most personalised regime which alienated the people and did not allow the development of the Libyan state; Gaddafi was the state! Nevertheless, despite all the imperialist media’s attempt to delegitimize him totally, they could not erase the most important of his achievements. he overthrew the puppet monarchy which had been imposed by imperialism after the Second World War; he removed imperialist troops from bases in Libya; nationalized Libyan oil to serve the interests of Libyans as well as giving aid to impoverished African countries; constructed the great Man-Made River (the largest irrigation project on earth). Thierry Meyssan said: “Libya’s development aid was more important than all the G20 countries put together”. Well, as Hilary Clinton vulgarly declared, they went, they saw and he died. But imperialism will not have the last word in history!

Those who accepted the NATO aggression against Libya and the public lynching of Moammar Gaddafi must remember the way that French troops also publicly defied Ivorian sovereignty a few months back, to invade the Abidjan presidential palace, to capture the recalcitrant Laurent Gbagbo. These are markers of the new imperialist attitude in Africa. the Americans have been shopping for bases to locate AFRICOM, the forward operational arm for Africa’s re-colonization. it has been unpopular in the continent. But the new theory of linkage between AQIM, Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram, is becoming the red herring to interfere even more vigorously in African affairs.

They are planning new secret bases to launch drones against targets in Africa and already, they have been used against targets in Somalia, from secret bases in Yemen and Djibouti. West Africa will be targeted from secret bases in southern Algeria and with the imposition of a puppet regime in Libya, that country will enter the loop.

In the long run, there is also the underlining rivalry between the old imperialist powers and the emergent nations, such as China, for Africa’s natural resources. the Chinese method of offering infrastructural development, non-interference plus mineral deals, became popular with African ruling elites, to the chagrin of the Western countries, long used to a monopoly of exploitation of African resources.

The battle for the economic domination of the world of the 21 Century will increasingly be fought on the African continent.

Of course, imperialism will exploit slogans about democracy and human right, to try to claim the upper hand in that battle, because Africans want democracy and a respect for our human rights.

But the history of slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism, show that in the long run, imperialism cannot defend the values of Africa. Leaders who stand for an independent political or economic line, will suffer the fate of Moammar Gaddafi!

But what really happened to President Jonathan at the Commonwealth Summit?

THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper of October 28, 2011, carried a report written by Amanda O’Brien titled “Goodbye Goodluck, but Nigerian show goes on”.

The article talked about “the mysterious non-appearance of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan at a packed CHOGM forum yesterday where he was scheduled to outline his country’s mining potential…”.

Nigeria, O’Brien noted, had “one of the biggest delegations with more than 120 people and its towering President with his distinctive black hat ha[d] cut an imposing figure at the business forum all week”.

She added however, “but there was no explanation yesterday when he failed to appear for two scheduled speeches”. But it was instructive that Nigerian newspapers had carried frontpage pictures of the president “feeding his wife, Patience, with a piece of cake to commemorate her birthday in Perth, Australia…yesterday (October 26, 2011), according to THISDAY newspaper’s version of the event.

Was there a link between the birthday celebration and the “mysterious non-appearance” of President Jonathan “for two scheduled speeches”, that Amanda O’Brien reported in THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper? Well, Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, reacted the following day, denying reports that President Jonathan failed to attend the forums.

“I find the story mischievous and the innuendoes contained therein entirely misleading”. Abati added that “the President was not scheduled to deliver speeches at two events on Thursday as claimed…”.

In matters like that, the issue of trust creeps in; the reader might choose the side he believes!

Northern Nigeria’s education deficit

LAST Friday, the Kano State Commissioner for Higher Education, Umar Doguwa, was reported to have lamented the falling standard of education in the state.

He then revealed that literacy level was only 30 per cent in Kano, Northern Nigeria’s largest state. it was also recently revealed that 70 per cent of school-age children in Zamfara are not in schools.

The same depressing statistics can be quoted from several states in our region of Nigeria. for instance, in the same Kano, one out of every 14 children now lives on the streets. In the meantime, 45 per cent of the population is under the age of 15 while 70 per cent is under 30!

We are clearly sitting on a keg of powder that might explode anytime! Fifty-one years down the road of independence, it is simply irresponsible that we have not instituted a compulsory educational revolution in Northern Nigeria. until and unless we break the yoke of oppressive traditions, we will not achieve modernity.

My experience of acquisition of both Islamic education and BOKO (and several others too!), shows that it is possible, if we put our hearts into it.

I am a member of a new committee instituted by the Sultan of Sokoto to look at the various challenges we face in Northern Nigeria, and this is one of the central issues. we cannot become competitive in the post-modern realities of the 21st Century, when modernity in terms of education has continued to elude us!