Welcome to Uzbekistan, a country bigger than Germany, with a population of 31 million, where Islam Karimov is now embarking on a fourth term of office, even though the constitution stipulates a two-term maximum for heads of state.
Partly because Pardew's Newcastle were past masters at embarking on dismal runs themselves.
Born in Birmingham and educated at Solihull school, in the West Midlands, he trained at the Birmingham School of Art in the 1950s before embarking on an architectural career that frequently took him abroad for long periods, principally to the Middle East and the far east.
It was obviously a distant dream, but I knew then that's what I wanted to do.' Henman, embarking on his eighth attempt at the men's title this week, does not always receive a favourable press, particularly when he submits himself to interviews by general feature writers.
Their son, Max, was just embarking on his GCSEs, and Simon, Sian's son and Peston's stepson, was in his mid 20s.
Miller said GNM was "embarking on a major transformation that will see us change from a print-based organisation to one that is digital-first in philosophy and practice".
Because the Cameron-Osborne team did not deserve their reputation for economic competence, and, for all the talk of "one-nation Conservatism", what they are embarking on is a programme that is likely to be divisive of British society, as well as of our relationship with continental Europe (I keep having to remind people that we are part of Europe!).
Jonny and the Baptists The musical-comedy double act who famously inspired the wrath of Ukip last year are now embarking on their pre-general election Rock the Vote tour, offering discount tickets for first-time voters.
The tragedy has deeply affected the Simtek team, based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and embarking on their first season of Formula One racing.
Stronger commodity prices, optimism around the next round of US corporate results and talk that FTSE 100 could be embarking on yet another rally, lifted the index through a key level to a fresh one-year high on Monday.
And it will introduce a piquant new ingredient into the constituency party re-elections on which Labour is embarking after the boundary review.
