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The Sound of Your Phone Not Ringing
Essential Reading! Get my first book: The Only Sale Guide You’ll Ever Need “The USA Today bestseller by the star sales speaker and author of The Sales Blog that reveals how all salespeople can attain huge sales success through strategies backed by extensive research and experience.” Buy Now That silence you hear is the sound of your phone not ringing.Maybe you don’t want to pick up the phone and make your calls. Maybe you think you should have enough inbound to keep you busy. Maybe you believe social selling is going to generate more than enough leads.Maybe you believe that the guys and girls in product are supposed to design products that people clamor for. Maybe you believe that marketing is supposed to craft the irresistible offer. Maybe you believe that your prospects are supposed to beat a path to your door.I know one company that has so many inbound leads now that their management reached out to tell me that they’re scared that their sales force has completely lost any ability (and all willingness) to prospect on their own. That isn’t your company, is it? And it isn’t going to be.Today I am at Dreamforce and some cat named David shows up at my table while I am eating lunch to interrupt me and hand me a slick, four-color, glossy card about his company. Then he hands me another card which is an invitation to see a demo at a fancy restaurant tomorrow. David doesn’t have the money for the big booth. So David goes guerrilla.You might be unhappy with David interrupting your lunch. You might be put off by the idea of hustling people into a lunch somewhere to pitch them. But David isn’t, and over time, David just might beat you. David knows his phone isn’t ringing, and he is acting accordingly.
Organic farming gains ground in district
Organic farming is steadily gaining traction among farmers in Vellore. In the last few years, many farmers in the district have started to move away from inorganic farming to adopt organic means of raising crops.Started in the year 2016, “Thondai Mandalam Uzhavar Urpathiyalar Niruvanam”, a consortium of 350 organic farmers, has demonstrated techniques to earn higher yields from farmlands.Farmers from 15 blocks of Vellore are part of the movement. D. Kumaran, who also recieved inputs from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, a farmer welfare organization run by the government, reaped a rich Guava harvest on his farmlands in Kammasamuthiram in Kaniyambadi block. “Nothing is impossible in farming. You have to invest your money, energy and perseverance. It will pay you rich dividends,” he said.Multiple varietiesThere are about seven varieties of guava being cultivated in the district. ‘Thailand Pink’, ‘Thailand White’, ‘Arka Kiran’, ‘Lalith’, ‘Allahabad Safeda’, ‘Lucknow 49’ and ‘Arka Mrudula’ , are all high yield varieties of guava fruits, according to him. “Each guava produced at these organic farms weighs about 400-500 grams. Use of organic seeds and manure of nutrient value make the fruit bigger and tastier,” says Mr. Kumaran.“Likewise mango varieties of ‘Bengalura’, which when made into juice produces a pulpy nutrient, is assured of quality and a longer lifetime, if preserved properly,” he adds.“Consumers can purchase organic products at a lesser price than organic shops,” Mr. Kumaran says. The famers expect a better price for their produce as there are no middlemen involved. Apart from 30 acres of farmland with guava trees, 100 acres of mango and more than 400 acres of traditional rice varieties have also been cultivated using this method, says Kumaran.The consortium also provides technical support to farmers who want to take up organic farming. They are also guided in crop protection. “We are ready to help farmers who want to get organic certification for their products and also help them in getting training in value addition to their produce,” he says.Like him another farmer, C. Santosh from Baratharami says that they get technical advise from VIT-Vellore. “Farmers can be sure of better market value for their produce, if the people understand the importance of organic farming,” says Santosh.Inclusive projectWomen from self help groups like ‘Mahalir Thittam’ are getting training in farming, reaping, segregation, value addition and packing. “Thanks to the efforts of project director, A.R. Sivaraman, our members are able to get much closer to the buyers through the ‘Nam Sandhai’ market organised on Sundays at Vellore,” Santosh says. “More support in the form of extending loans to the organic farmers would enable more people to venture into this scientific agri-business,” says Mr. Kumaran.“Our aim is to turn farmers into businessmen, and once they establish regular contacts with the buyers, they would be encouraged to produce more depending on the requirements of their customers,” he adds.
Dhoni terms England tour one of the toughest of his career
His injury-ravaged team down in the dumps after back-to-back defeats and some key players experiencing indifferent form, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday conceded that the current England Test series is one of the most difficult tours of his career.”If you consider injuries, fitness, form, everything, there are quite a few things to worry about. It’s difficult to recall (any other) but it’s among the most difficult tour (I’ve been involved in),” Dhoni said ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.Dhoni did not reject the idea of fielding four medium pacers on a green track. “The wickets so far haven’t assisted spinners. It pushes us to think if we can play four fast bowlers. The slow over rate doesn’t bother us. It’s important that we select the eleven suited to the track,” said the Indian captain.Despite opener Virender Sehwag’s failure against Northamptonshire, Dhoni underlined the value the Delhi dasher brings to the side. “He is a dynamic player and has a big impact on opposition bowlers.”Reacting to the riots in London and Birmingham, Dhoni said he and some of his teammates were planning to go out for dinner when the violence broke out.”Our security manager told us it was better if we stayed in the hotel. It’s sad, but there is much we can do as individuals cricketers.”There are concerned authorities. We should do what’s in control and that’s preparing the game. We are avoiding things we can avoid,” he said.Meanwhile, England are determined the prospect of becoming the world’s top Test side prove no distraction. “We’re approaching this Test any differently,” captain Andrew Strauss said. “We have been keen to keep everyone’s feet on the ground whether we are winning or losing.”advertisementStrauss said the match was opportunity for cricket to put feel-good factor. “Clearly, it’s our proudest moment as a country. When you watch those things on the TV it’s horrific but they haven’t affected our preparations,” he said.-With PTI inputs
Vardy, Mahrez lead Leicester past Tottenham
Leicester City 2 Tottenham 1: Vardy and Mahrez stunners inflict more away-day woe on Spurs Peter Hanson Last updated 1 year ago 05:41 11/29/17 
Getty Images It was a performance reminiscent of 2015-16 for Leicester City, as Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez scored in a 2-1 win over Tottenham. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez scored stunning goals as Leicester City held firm against a late onslaught to inflict more away-day woes on Tottenham in a 2-1 victory.In a performance largely reminiscent of their remarkable title-winning triumph of 2015-16, the Foxes clinched a first home league win over Spurs at the King Power Stadium.The stars of the show were two men who were so influential in Leicester’s title win, with Vardy setting the tone with a stunning, audacious lob on the stretch that would have made Lionel Messi proud. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Lyon treble & England heartbreak: The full story behind Lucy Bronze’s dramatic 2019 Liverpool v Man City is now the league’s biggest rivalry and the bitterness is growing Megan Rapinoe: Born & brilliant in the U.S.A. A Liverpool legend in the making: Behind Virgil van Dijk’s remarkable rise to world’s best player Not to be outdone, Mahrez lashed home from outside in the area after a superb solo run as the first half drew to a close to leave Spurs shell-shocked.Spurs were much improved after the break, though, and Christian Eriksen missed a gilt-edged chance before the returning Erik Lamela – making his first Spurs substitute appearance since October 2016 due to surgeries on both hips – slid in Harry Kane to score his 11th goal against Leicester – including four in a 6-1 win last May.Substitute Fernando Llorente should have levelled but wastefully shot wide soon after, as Claude Puel’s Leicester clung on for a three points that moves them into the top 10.Spurs, meanwhile, have now lost three Premier League away matches on the spin for the first time since March 2014 and will be 16 points of leaders Manchester City if Pep Guardiola’s men beat Southampton on Wednesday.Full-time: Leicester City 2-1 Tottenham HotspurThree points #LeiTot pic.twitter.com/cDCAxpqrjg— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 28, 2017Leicester started brightly and Wes Morgan – making his 250th Foxes appearance – saw Danny Rose clear his header from Marc Albrighton’s corner off the line.But the opening goal arrived in sensational style after 13 minutes. Albrighton launched a ball over the top of the Spurs defence from the left flank and Vardy ran in behind to deftly lob over Hugo Lloris into the right-hand side of goal while in mid-leap.Finishing: #LeiTot pic.twitter.com/jyYjjXaH8t— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 28, 2017It was almost a short-lived lead as Kane slipped Moussa Sissoko in one-on-one but Kasper Schmeichel got enough on his shot and Vicente Iborra hacked the goal-bound ball to safety.Kane then shifted one onto his right foot before firing wide, before Dele Alli’s tame effort with only Schmeichel to beat was saved by the home goalkeeper.But in truth the visitors were wasteful in the final third and they were made to pay on the stroke of half-time.Mahrez ghosted in from the right, cut inside Jan Vertonghen and smashed a brilliant 25-yard effort into the top-left corner to double Leicester’s lead.Spurs upped the ante after the break and Kane fired wide of the far post from the right of the area.But a well-worked move involving Ben Chilwell and the lively Vardy led to Albrighton crossing for Shinji Okazaki, who wastefully powered his free header over the top.Leicester should have been punished 15 minutes from time when Son Heung-min’s corner bounced fortuitously off Danny Simpson’s knee into the path of Eriksen, who skewed comically wide from eight yards.With 11 minutes to go, Spurs did find a goal with a slick move. Son moved the ball to Lamela, whose throughball into the area picked out Kane to smash an unstoppable effort past Schmeichel.Agonisingly for Spurs, Llorente should have drawn the visitors level when he flicked wide from Serge Aurier’s teasing cross.Danny Rose then thought he was brought down by Wilfred Ndidi in the last minute of injury time, but referee Anthony Taylor was uninterested – with the England full-back possibly kicking the floor first –as Leicester held on amid relentless late pressure. Key Opta Facts:- Leicester recorded their first home Premier League victory over Spurs since beating them on the final day of the 2001/02 season at Filbert Street.- Spurs have now lost as many Premier League games this season as they did in the entirety of last season (4).- Since the start of last season, Jamie Vardy has scored 11 Premier League goals against the “big six” – five more than any other player.- Harry Kane has now scored 14 goals in his last eight away Premier League games – 36 per cent of those goals have come against the Foxes (5).- Riyad Mahrez has been involved in five goals in his last seven Premier League appearances (three goals, two assists).- Erik Lamela assisted Kane’s goal just 76 seconds after coming on as a substitute.- Spurs have conceded five first half goals in their last three Premier League games – as many as they’d conceded in their 31 in 2017 before this run. read more
‘Real Madrid’s Neymar talk not nice for Ronaldo’
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid’s Neymar talk not nice for Cristiano Ronaldo, says PSG director Harry Sherlock 20:25 12/20/17 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(4) 
Getty Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid Real Madrid v PSG PSG UEFA Champions League Neymar The Spanish side’s president pontificated on the hypothetical scenario of signing the Brazilian, much to the French club’s chagrin PSG sporting director Antero Henrique insists that Real Madrid should not have spoken about Neymar, as it is not “nice” for Cristiano Ronaldo!Real president Florentino Perez appeared to kick the hornet’s nest earlier this month, on the day that Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or, by claiming that Neymar would have a better chance of winning the prize if he played at the Santiago Bernabeu.“Being in Madrid would make it easier to win the Ballon d’Or,” he said. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Lyon treble & England heartbreak: The full story behind Lucy Bronze’s dramatic 2019 Liverpool v Man City is now the league’s biggest rivalry and the bitterness is growing Megan Rapinoe: Born & brilliant in the U.S.A. A Liverpool legend in the making: Behind Virgil van Dijk’s remarkable rise to world’s best player “Real Madrid is a club which gives all you need as a big player, everyone knows that I already wanted to sign him at one point.”Henrique says that Perez’s words came at an inopportune time for Ronaldo, telling Le Parisien: “Talking about a player from another club on the same day Cristiano Ronaldo picked up his fifth Ballon d’Or was not very nice for his own player.”The 49-year-old, who formerly worked with Porto, is convinced that Neymar is happy in France following his eye-watering €222 million move to Parc des Princes in the summer, and has thus refused to entertain the possibility of a transfer.”Neymar is happy,” he added. “He loves the club and is doing very well here. It is not a question of money, it is a question of stability.”Neymar has accepted our vision. He is very ambitious and PSG offered him the space to work on these ambitions.”PSG currently lead Ligue 1 by nine points, with Neymar scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists in 13 games.The French club, ironically, will face Real in the Champions League Round of 16.
Heynckes: De Bruyne is Europe’s outstanding player
Transfers Heynckes: I would give De Bruyne the shirt off my back Nicholas McGee 05:01 1/16/18 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(3) 
Getty Images Transfers Bayern München Manchester City Premier League Bundesliga Kevin De Bruyne The Belgium international has no desire to leave Manchester City, but one top coach would go to extremes in order to bring him back to Germany Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has described Kevin De Bruyne as “the outstanding player in Europe”, saying he would give the shirt off his back for the Manchester City star.Attacking midfielder De Bruyne has been in scintillating form for runaway Premier League leaders City this season, the Belgium international scoring six goals and providing nine assists in the top flight.De Bruyne has insisted he has no desire to leave City and, given the recent signings of Neymar for €220million and Philippe Coutinho for a fee that could rise to £142m (€159.5m) by Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona respectively, it would likely take an eye-watering offer to prize him from the Etihad Stadium. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Lyon treble & England heartbreak: The full story behind Lucy Bronze’s dramatic 2019 Liverpool v Man City is now the league’s biggest rivalry and the bitterness is growing Megan Rapinoe: Born & brilliant in the U.S.A. A Liverpool legend in the making: Behind Virgil van Dijk’s remarkable rise to world’s best player Asked by Kicker if Bundesliga leaders Bayern were in need of a “super transfer” of over €50m, Heynckes – who took over from Carlo Ancelotti until the end of the season – replied: “What does super transfer mean?”Paul Pogba cost Manchester United €105million. Does he play like this? Many alleged top players can and have still to learn. Bayern have to go their way with [Niklas] Sule, [Joshua] Kimmich, [Corentin] Tolisso or [Kingsley] Coman.”For sure there has to come a player again for €40million or €50million, but today for €50million you don’t get a finished player.”For example Kevin De Bruyne. He did not play this well last season, but for him I would give shirt off my back. On this position you need such a player. De Bruyne is clearly the outstanding player in Europe at the moment.”
Positions Vacant
Are you looking for a thrilling career in the sports industry? Touch Football Australia (TFA) is seeking suitably qualified applicants for the positions of State Operations Manager in our Tasmanian office and Competitions and Events Coordinator in our Western Australian office. State Operations Manager – Tasmania Touch Football Australia (TFA) and the National Rugby League (NRL) are seeking suitably qualified applicants for the unique key leadership position of State Operations Manager – Tasmania, to be based in Hobart.Touch Football Australia’s mission is to lead Touch Football and develop the dynamic sport to the position of Australia’s leading community sport. Rugby League is the Greatest Game of All with a vision to be the most entertaining, most engaging and most respected sport.With reporting line to the TFA General Manager, Sport Operations the successful candidate will be employed by TFA, yet actively represent both organisations across Tasmania linking into NRL Victoria Operations. The ideal candidate for the role will have the following knowledge, skills and qualifications:· Tertiary qualifications in sport management or related field are desirable · Demonstrated success as a leader in sports program delivery and competition management · Sound understanding of either or both Touch Football and Rugby League and the structures and needs of the TFA and NRL community· Excellent written and oral communication skills supported by interpersonal skills of a high order· Proven experience working with volunteers in a non-profit environment · Demonstrated experience and skills to work within a specific budget, operational plans and strategic plans · Experience in working in a diverse team to achieve planned outcomes· Demonstrated ability to consistently display customer services principles, practices and attributes · Demonstrated computer literacy and competence in particular excel and database tools · Demonstrated initiative and self-management For further information or to lodge your application (CV and cover letter addressing the key selection criteria) to Marianne Maguire, TFA General Manager Sport Operations via email address careers@touchfootball.com.au or call 026212 2800. Applications will close Sunday, 15 November 2015 at 9.00pm (AEDST). Competitions and Events Coordinator – Western Australia Touch Football Australia (TFA) is seeking suitably qualified applicants for the position of Competitions and Events Coordinator – Western Australia, based in our Perth branch office. Applications for this opportunity close at 5pm (WST) on Friday, 13 November 2015. For further information or to lodge your application for this career opportunity, please email careers@touchfootball.com.au. To view the Position Descriptions for the respective jobs, please click on the attachments below. Related Filespd_sops_state_operations_manager__tasmania_2015_-pdfpd_sops_cec-pdfRelated LinksPositions Vacant
a month agoLampard: Chelsea fans are smart. They know we’re improving
About the authorFreddie TaylorShare the loveHave your say Lampard: Chelsea fans are smart. They know we’re improvingby Freddie Taylora month agoSend to a friendShare the loveChelsea manager Frank Lampard believes that everyone who follows the club knows they are improving.Lampard was speaking about the disappointing 2-1 loss to Liverpool.He believes the team are making progress on all fronts and thinks that fans can see that progression with their eyes.”Chelsea fans are smart in terms of football,” Lampard said to the club’s official website.”The older fans have seen a lot and those from the more modern era have seen a lot with different managers and different styles, but they are certainly now in a position where I think they are really behind us in terms of where we are at.”That is a club with a ban that has lost Eden and two strikers from what we had last year in terms of Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain. “Now we have younger players who I think the fans are very ready to be patient with. And they will need to be, but at the same time the rules always remain the same, if you show passion and fight and desire to play for the club, as we showed, then fans will respect that whether you win, lose or draw.”That is why the performance was appreciated and when you lose, sometimes that is when you need it even more. “It is that feeling of togetherness and now the players must take that on and show that every week. The same desires, the same passion, keep improving all the time and move forward.” 
90 Years of Thanks to Boston
Ninety years after the Halifax Explosion, Nova Scotians are still thanking the people of Boston for their help with disaster relief. Tonight, Nov. 29, a 50-foot white spruce tree from Granville Centre, Annapolis Co., will light up Boston Common as the city’s official Christmas tree. “Nova Scotians will always remember the outpouring of kindness and support from Bostonians in our time of need and we continue this tradition of giving a beautiful Nova Scotia evergreen as a gift of thanks,” said Bill Dooks, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, on behalf of Premier Rodney MacDonald, at the event. “This event also lends itself to promoting Nova Scotia as an excellent place to visit, live, learn and do business. It allows us to build on our historic ties and create even more opportunities for both Boston and Nova Scotia.” Nova Scotia performers will showcase the province’s Celtic and Acadian cultures at the tree lighting ceremony. Siblings Kendra, Sabra and Troy MacGillivray, Mairi Rankin, Christiane Theriault and Scott Long will perform during the televised portion of the ceremony. It can be viewed from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. AST on Boston’s ABC affiliate, Channel 5 WCVB, carried by some Nova Scotia cable providers. The tradition began in 1971 and has become an opportunity to strengthen Nova Scotia’s economic position with the New England market. Before the ceremony, a reception for business clients will be hosted by a delegation of Nova Scotians from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Nova Scotia Business Inc., Destination Halifax and Nova Scotia “Come to life”. Every year, the Boston Tree Lighting event captures the attention of thousands. Nova Scotia “Come to life” is proud to be the title sponsor of this years event. While in Boston, representatives from Nova Scotia “Come to life” will meet with the Boston sounding board. The sounding board is one of five advisory groups that provides input on how Nova Scotia is being perceived in the board’s market and gives advice on how the province can best capitalize on opportunities within that market. The meeting will provide an update on the initiative’s programs, upcoming plans for marketing and communications and an opportunity for input and feedback on topics relating to Nova Scotia.
Ask for neutral venue Indian players tell AITA
New Delhi: The Indian Davis Cup team wants the tie against Pakistan in Islamabad next month to be shifted to a neutral venue and is baffled that the national federation has merely asked for a security re-check so far. After repeatedly making statements that the All India Tennis Association (AITA) will seek a neutral venue, its general secretary Hironmoy Chatterjee surprisingly sought just a security re-check from the International Tennis Federation. Also Read – Puducherry on top after 8-wkt win over ChandigarhIt left the players and the team management disappointed and after discussing the matter among themselves, they have decided to approach the federation. “We have asked AITA to request for a neutral venue,” said India captain Mahesh Bhupathi. Another player, who did not wish to be named, said the team is “quite surprised” with how AITA has dealt with the situation. The AITA said it would go ahead with the visa formalities for the tie if the September 14-15 clash is cleared by the ITF following a fresh security check. Also Read – Vijender’s next fight on Nov 22, opponent to be announced laterA section within the AITA is also surprised that the Indian government was not ready to take a stand despite escalating tension between the two nations following recent scrapping of the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir. Sports minister Kiren Rijijiu on Monday said that since the Asia Oceania Group 1 tie is not a bilateral series and the world body is involved in hosting of the Davis Cup, they can’t stop tennis players from travelling to Pakistan. “We understand that the Olympic charter does not allow government interference but this is a question of lives of the players. The government always jumps in when Indian citizens are trapped abroad and try to ensure their safe passage back to country,” said an official on condition of anonymity. “Are tennis players not citizens of India? How can the government risk their lives by not stopping them?” he asked. The AITA is also being criticised for not seeking a neutral venue despite the prevailing circumstances. “It’s beyond understanding why AITA did not ask for change in venue in clear terms? Why are they beating around the bush? Do players mean anything to them,” said another official.
Al Hoceima Court Sentences Pardoned Hirak Activist to 2 Years
Rabat- Amkouh was one of the 184 Hirak prisoners whom the King pardoned on the eve of Eid al-Adha (festival of sacrifice), August 21. He had received a three-year sentence for participating in “unauthorized protests” and “undermining territorial integrity.”Local police arrested Amkouh again late in October for practising violence against security forces and “inciting minors to protest” during the funeral of the mother of Hirak Rif detainee Bilal Ahabbad in Imzouren, a town in the Rif mountains near Al Hoceima.Dozens of neighbors and locals attended the funeral in an atmosphere of solidarity and sadness on October 26. Ahabbad, one of the youngest Hirak detainees, had been sentenced by a Casablanca court to 10 years in prison for participating in “unauthorized” Hirak protests. Ahabbad became suicidal after his mother’s death, especially when prison officials refused to let him attend his mother’s funeral despite previous promises.Read Also: Moroccan Court Upholds 5-Year Prison Sentence for Hirak Protester over Facebook PostIn June, a court in Casablanca sentenced 54 Hirak activists and journalists to 1-20 years in prison. Moroccan authorities had arrested the activists involved in the Hirak Rif protest movement in 2016 and 2017.The Hirak movement began in October 2016 after the death of Mohcine Fikri, a local fishmonger crushed to death in a garbage truck while trying to save his goods that had been confiscated by authorities in Al Hoceima.The incident angered citizens, causing protests across the country, but especially in Al Hoceima province, which condemned Fikri’s death and social disparities in Morocco. Police arrested an estimated 400 activists and protesters involved in “unauthorized” protests.
Beyond paper straws: More hacks for reducing plastic at home
To help the environment by cutting down on non-compostable plastics, many people have begun saying no to plastic straws and are bringing reusable bags to the grocery store instead of accepting new plastic ones. But many more small steps like those can be taken.“There are so many simple changes you can make at home,” says Melissa Ozawa, features and gardening editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine. “You can use a wooden comb, a bamboo toothbrush, silk dental floss and metal refillable safety razors.”And that’s just a start.“A good way to begin is with a waste audit, taking notes on what you throw away, whether it’s a dryer sheet or an old toothbrush. You’d be surprised by how much trash you’re generating, and it’ll give you clues about what you can do differently,” says Anna Maltby, deputy editor of Real Simple.A handful of easy, no-plastic hacks for a greener home:LIDS, NOT CLING WRAP“When I did a waste audit, I realized we were using a lot of plastic wrap. So I switched to using containers we already had and invested in a set of silicon lids that fit onto bowls in an array of sizes,” Maltby says.Other substitutes for cling wrap include cloth coverings, like Bee’s Wrap and Abeego, that seal tight. Paper sandwich bags and reusable zip-shut silicon baggies are also popular choices to replace traditional single-use plastic baggies.BUY IN BULKPlenty of things like laundry detergent can be found in refillable containers , and beans and nuts can be found in bulk, so you can sidestep plastic or clamshell containers, Ozawa says. Carry purchases home in glass jars, paper bags or other containers you already have.Farmer’s markets are another great source of package-free foods, she adds.DRY CLEANING FIXESMany dry cleaners now offer reusable bags for garments, including folded shirts. Just as the milkman used to bring milk in returnable bottles, dry cleaning can be delivered and dropped off in reusable bags.“The industry has made great strides,” says Jennie Nigrosh, founder and CEO of The Green Garmento, which sells reusable dry-cleaning garment bags, shirt box bags and other sustainable products.“My husband started the company after we started freaking out because we couldn’t find anything in our closet, it was so full of plastic-wrapped clothes. We were drowning in plastic,” she says.The idea seems to be catching on. And like a growing number of companies, The Green Garmento has a take-back program to recycle or up-cycle the worn-out bags.REUSE REUSABLES . A LOT“It’s important to remember that some reusable items may be harder on the environment than the plastics you’re trying to avoid, unless you use them a lot,” points out Maltby, of Real Simple. “Switching to reusables is a good goal, but you have to be willing to commit long-term to ensure that shift is doing more good than harm.”For example, it could take as many as 1,000 uses of a travel mug to make it a total win for the environment, she says, citing an estimate by the International Reference Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services (CIRAIG), in Quebec.“The message really is that when you buy a reusable product, use the heck out of it and don’t keep buying new ones,” says Maltby.BETTER YET, OPT FOR USED“Using reusable products you already own or that are handed down, that’s a real win for the ecology,” says Maltby. “You don’t need to buy a new set of Mason jars, because chances are your sister or a thrift shop may have perfectly good Mason jars you can use.”SHOP MINDFULLY“Think carefully about what you’re buying. At the grocery store or mall, people are often on autopilot. Just make avoiding plastic a part of your mindset,” says Ozawa.“As a consumer, you have a lot of power, and you can use it to reward the companies that are doing a good job with their packaging.”SPEAK OUTAbove and beyond small changes on the home front, “political action is the most important thing you can do for the environment. Contact your representative and ask them to make changes,” Ozawa says.Urge friends and family to join you in your efforts, post something on social media and write companies to request that they make environmentally friendly changes, says Ozawa.“Make your voice heard,” she says.Katherine Roth, The Associated Press
Canam criticizes Quebec City amphitheatre bidding process won by ADF
Canam criticizes Quebec City amphitheatre bidding process won by ADF by Ross Marowits, The Canadian Press Posted Feb 20, 2013 5:41 pm MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email MONTREAL – Structural steel provider Canam Group Inc. criticized the bid process for Quebec City’s new amphitheatre Wednesday and said its losing submission was “relatively aggressive.”“The Quebec bid was the most difficult bid conditions we’ve seen in the last 20 years,” CEO Marc Dutil told analysts during a conference call to discuss its fourth-quarter and 2012 results.He pointed specifically to a requirement prohibiting companies from publicly talking about their bid.Although the Quebec-based company wanted to win the contract for the provincial capital’s new hockey arena, Dutil said the company couldn’t go lower given the project risk. He said its contract to build an arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., suggests that the “right price” for Quebec City was $52 million.“So at $50.8 million, we felt we were relatively aggressive in spite of the general conditions which were fairly risky.”Ultimately, ADF Group (TSX:DRX) won the contract earlier this month with a reported bid of nearly $47 million.“It’s funny nobody ever congratulates you for having done something which results in nothing but sometimes that’s a good decision too,” Dutil said, adding that Canam could still provide ADF with joists and decks for the amphitheatre.Canam met expectations Wednesday as it reported a more than doubling of profits to $7.4 million in the fourth quarter despite a nearly 17 per cent drop in sales.The Quebec-based company earned 18 cents per share for the period ended Dec. 31, up from seven cents per share or $3.3 million last year.Sales were $238.5 million, down from $285.6 million.For the full year, it reversed last year’s loss by earning $17 million, or 40 cents per share. That compared with a loss of $32.5 million, 72 cents per share in 2011. The 2011 results contained a $25 million after-tax provision related to work on BC Place.Consolidated sales increased 2.8 per cent to $905.4 million, from $881 million in 2011.Canam (TSX:CAM) was expected to earn 18 cents per share on $282 million of revenues in the quarter, according to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.For the full year, analysts forecast the company would earn 38 cents per share on $949.6 million of revenues.Canam’s order backlog at year-end hit a five-year high of $493 million, up from $462 million at the end of 2011.Dutil said higher 2012 sales was primarily due to joist and steel deck activities in Canada and the United States, and to contributions by FabSouth, a U.S. subsidiary.The bridge and structural steel fabricator, which has been struggling because of the slowdown in non-residential construction in North America, sees opportunities for gross margins to recover as U.S. demand picks up and the Canadian dollar continues to weaken.“Take away bad jobs, bring back a little more work in the U.S., drop the Canadian dollar to 90 cents and 18.5 per cent (gross margin achieved in the fourth quarter) is certainly something we can achieve on a more regular basis,” he said.“We can do better but none of us would safely forecast that we would return to 20s any time soon.”Canam recently announced the sale of its 49 per cent ownership interest held since 2007 in a Chinese company, United Steel Structures Ltd., for US$13.5 million.The buyers are two Chinese companies, Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd. and Glory Group Development Ltd.United Steel operates a bridge and structural steel fabrication plant in Guangzhou, in southeastern China.Canam said the transaction is in line with its strategy to “dispose of certain investments in order to focus on its core activities in North America” and follows the sale of its ownership interest in the Canadian joint venture, Amcan-Jumax, and the Canam Asia joint venture in 2012.The company repurchased nearly 1.35 million of its shares last year, and 3.26 million shares since Nov. 1, 2011.Canam Group, which employs almost 3,500 people in Canada, the U.S., Romania, India and Hong Kong, specializes in designing and fabricating customized products for the construction industry focusing on buildings, structural steel and bridges.On the Toronto Stock Exchange, its shares briefly hit a new 52-week high, closing up 12 cents to $7.38 in Wednesday trading.
2 Uber managers detained in France over illicit lowcost service
by The Associated Press Posted Jun 29, 2015 8:12 am MDT Last Updated Jun 29, 2015 at 2:31 pm MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email 2 Uber managers detained in France over ‘illicit’ low-cost service PARIS – French authorities detained two senior Uber managers for questioning on Monday over “illicit activity” involving its low-cost ride-hailing service.The detentions came amid rising tensions between the government and the American company, which culminated last week in a violence-marred taxi strike that blocked roads around the country.French authorities are frustrated that Uber doesn’t pay the same taxes and social charges as traditional taxis, whose drivers have lashed out against what they see as unfair competition. Uber, meanwhile, argues that the French system is outdated and needs reform to keep up with apps and geo-localization.Uber said in a statement that its general managers for France and Western Europe were questioned Monday.“We are happy to answer questions the authorities have about our service and look forward to resolving these issues,” it said.The company assured passengers that it would ensure their safety, after last week’s violence.Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre, the Paris prosecutor’s spokeswoman, didn’t name the two Uber managers detained.Uber officials last week vowed to keep operating the lowest-cost UberPop service until France’s top court rules on it. A spot check of the app Monday showed drivers available in central Paris.The standoff reflects larger tensions in France over how to regulate fast-moving technology and stay globally competitive while ensuring labour protections.San Francisco-based Uber Technologies Inc. has also run into legal problems elsewhere in Europe, as well as in China and India.
UN moves ahead with efforts to reinforce rule of law worldwide
“Newly-constituted governments are looking to the United Nations for advice and assistance in constitution-making processes, reforming justice and security institutions and dealing with legacies of atrocities,” Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the General Assembly committee that deals with international legal matters, also known as the Sixth Committee.“The United Nations has a comparative advantage in providing this assistance,” Mr. Eliasson stressed, noting that it is currently helping 150 Member States on various aspects of the rule of law. “We have a broad range of experience dating back many years. The UN brings neutrality and the weight of the international community to the work. We are also using out convening power to advance the issues and the debate.”The committee is following up on the Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on the Rule of Law that was held last month, when world leaders stressed the universality of humanitarian law and the importance of the system of international courts in enforcing fundamental human rights.Mr. Eliasson highlighted the crucial role played by the network of international tribunals such as the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal UN judicial organ set up in 1945 to settle legal disputes submitted by States, and the more recent Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), an independent international body that is not part of the UN and tries those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Other UN-backed country-specific international courts deal or have dealt with such crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Cambodia. Mr. Eliasson reiterated the call Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made at last month’s meeting for all States to accept the jurisdiction of the (ICJ).“The International Court of Justice plays a particularly important role,” he said. “It is the only judicial forum to which Member States can bring virtually any legal dispute concerning international law. No other forum’s jurisdiction is as far-reaching. Yet the court is only competent to hear a case if the States concerned have accepted its jurisdiction.”Only 67 of the UN’s 193 Member States, or 34 per cent, including only one permanent member of the Security Council, currently accept the ICJ’s compulsory jurisdiction. That compares with 59 per cent in 1948, when 34 of the then 58 UN Member States, including four of the five permanent members of the Security Council, recognized its jurisdiction.Mr. Eliasson highlighted the crucial role played by the UN-backed international criminal tribunals, noting that the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) last year sentenced former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison for planning and abetting crimes committed by Sierra Leonean rebel forces during that country’s civil war, finding him guilty of acts of terrorism, murder, rape, sexual slavery and enlisting child soldiers.Meanwhile, the ICC earlier this year found Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo guilty of conscripting child soldiers under the age of 15 into his militia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and jailed him for 14 years. Looking forward, Mr. Eliasson called for strengthening the linkages between the rule of law and all three pillars of the UN’s mission – peace and security; development; and human rights. This includes strengthening peace and security in post-conflict countries; establishing the necessary framework for commerce and international trade, including the sanctity of contracts and labour safeguards; and the need for governments to ratify international rights treaties and promulgate national laws that uphold these obligations.
Scrolls first impressions Did Mojang trap lightning in a bottle again
1 2 Mojang’s second game, Scrolls, hit open beta yesterday with the same payment model employed by Minecraft’s beta. You can purchase the game for a one-time fee of $20, but since you’re dropping the full-price on a beta, you get the bonus of all future game updates for free.When Minecraft was both an alpha and beta, the game always seemed “complete” due to its do-whatever-you-want nature. Scrolls, though, is more of a traditional game. There’s one ruleset, one mechanic and, unlike Minecraft, it’s an engine that lives inside traditional strategic head-to-head gaming competition. Scrolls will never create generate pretty, easily comprehensible pictures of instantly identifiable structures. Because of that, it’s tough to say if Scrolls will spread around the internet like digital wildfire. A good game is a good game, and disregarding a few outliers, good games spread, but is Scrolls a good game?I, unfortunately, didn’t make it into the alpha, so I’ve only spent a night with my new Mojang mistress. I played a few matches, spent too long creating a male and female character, and absentmindedly mucked about the user interface and store. The game instantly felt more like a beta than Minecraft ever did. This isn’t a bad thing — the game’s a beta, after all — but as mentioned above, Minecraft rarely felt like a work-in-progress. Scrolls doesn’t feel unfinished, but it feels a little bare at the moment.There is something of a single-player campaign, consisting of 25 trials in total, but they’re not quite glued together in any kind of narrative fashion. It’s more of a challenge mode with preset scenarios you must defeat. Since Scrolls is a collectible card game (CCG), albeit digital, it doesn’t really need a campaign — after all, you just play Magic: the Gathering with your friends and not in some kind of linear story. The trials, though, have a bit of narrative flavor text, and hint at some kind of story taking place, but seem to simply be disjointed snippets.The character creator, seen above, is simple, though not unsatisfying. You only have four character portions to customize, not including gender (represented by the Set category). The pre-made character art is pretty and detailed, but currently limited to only a handful of models per body part. You won’t find sliders or color options here, so it’s likely you’ll run into an exact copy of your character at some point. More pre-made body part choices, as well as a color-chooser, would make the character creator perfectly sufficient, though maybe not something you sink MMO-level character creation hours into.As with any CCG, the cards come in different levels of rarities. However, unlike Magic for instance, there doesn’t seem to be an easily identifiable color or symbol that denotes rarity. I had a hunch that the somewhat darker background colors of cards and the somewhat more intricate markings along the borders denoted rarity, but I had to ask in general chat to be sure. The three pre-constructed starter decks also don’t seem to come with a card rarity higher than an uncommon, so there weren’t three kinds of card colors and markings to help me figure this out more easily. If the rare does exist in the pre-constructed deck, then I wasn’t able to notice the difference while specifically looking for that difference.You can earn in-game currency, gold, from the trials and the quick match options, which allow you to purchase more cards — or the two remaining starter decks — from the store. If you don’t like to grind for in-game gold, you can also pony up real cash for shards, the real-money proxy in Scrolls.Thankfully, everything in the game is purchasable with the in-game currency, but in a continuing theme with the game, the store seems a little bare at the moment. You can purchase two of the remaining starter decks, a single random card, a single random card from within one of the game’s three resource types (factions), and a pack of 10 scrolls (two guaranteed uncommons, one guaranteed rare). There is no singles store, but each week, the game will randomize six different cards unique to you (as in, your friend will have a different set of six randomized cards) that you can purchase individually.You can also buy a few more character customization options, but that’s about it. For a CCG, you’ll likely notice it’s missing a way to purchase singles — though you can still trade with players — as well as missing a larger bulk option, such as a booster box.Next page: But does Scrolls’ gameplay feel beta?
Hard Rock reveals scale model of Japan IR concept
Load More Huawei Japan joins Kansai Economic Federation with eye on World Expo 2025 and Osaka IR Japan to conduct nationwide prefectural survey to confirm IR intentions The new design also features an authentic Ainu village experience, designed to help raise awareness for the local indigenous Ainu people and educate those who visit the proposed Japan Hard Rock Resort destination in the city of Tomakomai.Other key features of the resort include a New York Yankee experience, a Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame highlighting Japanese, Asian and global artists and a partnership with Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment to bring Broadway shows to Hokkaido, while technology advances will include the latest facial recognition and security services.“We are extremely excited about the prospect of introducing our Hard Rock family to the people of Hokkaido, Japan with this world-class entertainment resort,” said Hard Rock International Chairman and CEO Jim Allen.“It will not only bring economic benefits to the local community, but also act as a gateway to learn more about the wonderful heritage of Japan and all that it has to offer.” RelatedPosts Osaka approves Yumeshima site for commercial development in latest IR move Hard Rock International has unveiled its concept for a Japanese integrated resort in Hokkaido, revealing a full-scale model of its proposed IR during last week’s Hokkaido IR Showcase.The concept includes monorail access from Chitose International Airport, Hard Rock’s signature guitar-shaped hotel, a Four Seasons Resort, a Hard Rock Live venue, multipurpose Broadway-style theaters, a state-of-the-art wellness center and more than 215,000 square feet of world-class retail and dining space.
Russian Ruble Falls to 16year Low despite Interest Rate Hike Putins Power
The Russian ruble fell to a new 16-year low on Wednesday despite the government’s frantic efforts to prevent a slide, reflecting a possible weakness in Putin’s power grip over the region.The ruble weakened 6.3 percent to 72.2 per dollar even after the Russian administration raised benchmark interest rates from 10.5 percent to 17 percent on Tuesday. The ruble lost 11 percent against the US dollar on Tuesday and has fallen 50 percent this year. Experts believe the currency is now in freefall.Timothy Ash of Standard Bank London told Fox News that the fall of the ruble was “the most incredible currency collapse I think I have ever seen in the 17 years in the market, and 26 years covering Russia.”In a televised message, the government asked Russians to stay calm adding that there was no need to worry. The administration said that a weak ruble was good for the economy because it will boost domestic production and make exports cheaper and that it was doing everything to control the situation.The Russian Central Bank also said that the higher rates would increase inflation eventually but wouldn’t have an immediate effect. Experts say the rate-hike and falling currency will hit the middle-class the most eventually and though there hasn’t been any public display of discontent yet, the current state of affairs could threaten Putin’s power.”I think he has a store of support that can last 1-1/2 to two years. We will see the first signs of discontent in the spring,” Lev Gudkov, head of the Levada Center, an independent polling group, told Reuters in a telephone interview.Others agree adding that the upcoming panic won’t really be about the currency fall or the oil prices but “rumours about the return of our country to the “98-year” regime,” Alena Afanasyeva, a senior analyst at Forex Club in Moscow told the agency referring to the 1998 crisis.Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis and speculators for the slide in the currency. A spokesperson for the president also added that “emotions and a speculative mood” were brewing up the market turbulence.The US Secretary of State said that the sanctions could be lifted if Putin took necessary steps to ease tensions in Ukraine and committed to the ceasefire accords to end the conflict.”These sanctions could be lifted in a matter of weeks or days, depending on the choices that President Putin takes,” Kerry told reporters, according to Reuters.