PS Narasimha to resolve disputes of cricket administration in BCCI SC
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday appointed senior advocate P S Narasimha, who is assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae in the BCCI matter, as mediator for resolving various disputes related to cricket administration in the country. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and A M Spare was informed by Narasimha that former apex court judge Justice (retd) D K Jain has assumed charge as the ombudsman of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Also Read – Squadrons which participated in Balakot air strike awarded citations on IAF Day “The game must go on,” the bench said, asking Narasimha to act as mediator in the cricket administration disputes. It also asked Narasimha to look into the dispute relating to release of funds by the court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) to various cricket associations. Besides, it restrained all other courts in India from entertaining or proceeding with any matter pertaining to BCCI and state cricket associations. The apex court had on February 21 appointed its former judge Justice Jain, as the first court-appointed ombudsman for BCCI. Also Read – SC declines Oil Min request to stay sharing of documents on Reliance penalty Justice Jain emerged as the first choice among the six former apex court judges whose names were placed before a bench in an envelope. In the previous hearing, the counsel appearing for some of the state cricket associations had told the court that CoA has not released funds to them. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra Cricket Association, had said the condition was “precarious” as their stadium has been attached in a court proceeding and they have not been given funds by the CoA. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for a state cricket association, had argued that for the last three years, “not a single penny has been given to the state cricket associations”. Senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for the CoA, had told the bench that funds were released directly to the respective vendors for the works done by them. “As long as people are playing the game and cricket is going on, we are not concerned,” the bench had observed. It had asked Narasimha to advise the CoA to release funds to the state cricket associations for cricketing purpose. “At the moment, let CoA be re-constituted and they can seek advise of P S Narasimha and then release funds. We are not going to loon into the accounts,” the bench had said, adding, “We think that CoA is not utilising the services of amicus. Let them do it”. The apex court, had on February 21 appointed Lieutenant General Ravi Thodge as the third member of the CoA for BCCI. In 2017, the apex court had appointed a four-member CoA, headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Vinod Rai, to run the affairs of BCCI and implement the court-approved recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha panel on reforms in the cash-rich cricket body. The other three members of the CoA were — former Indian women cricket captain Diana Edulji, historian Ramachandra Guha and banker Vikram Limaye. Following the resignations of Guha and Limaye, the CoA presently has only two members — Rai and Edulji. The two-member CoA has been divided on several matters including the recent controversy involving cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul. Pandya and Rahul had attracted widespread criticism for their alleged misogynistic comments on TV Show ‘Koffee with Karan’. Rai had reportedly recommended a two-match ban on Pandya and Rahul, but Edulji had taken the matter to the BCCI legal cell which refused to call the players’ actions a violation of the code of conduct and recommended the appointment of an ombudsman. The CoA chief and Edulji had also reportedly differed on the controversy relating to exclusion of Indian women cricketer Mithali Raj from the playing 11 in the crucial semi-final match of the recently concluded women’s world cup.
Updated at 11.27pmTHE ALL-CLEAR has been given following an incident in Dublin city centre earlier in which a man threatened to jump off the roof of a building in the Gardiner Street area.The incident followed a stabbing earlier today in Isaac’s Hostel on Frenchman’s Lane. A 35-year-old female sustained a stab wound to the back and was taken to the Mater Hospital. Gardaí said her injuries were “not life threatening” and that they were investigating “all circumstances” surrounding the incident.Shortly after the stabbing incident a man was spotted on the roof of a nearby building, adjacent to the railway tracks. Rail services were suspended between Connolly Station and Grand Canal Dock as a precaution and garda negotiators were called in to speak to the man.Two units of the fire service, including one truck with a turntable ladder, attended the scene after a request from gardaí. A garda spokesperson described it as a “delicate situation”.Gardaí confirmed shortly before 5pm that the operation had been wrapped up and the incident brought to a “safe conclusion”.The man was escorted from the scene by emergency services.Additional reporting, Daragh BrophyOriginally posted at 5.05pm
You can never be sure about the veracity of an Apple product leak, but a series of high-quality leaked pictures of a purported next-generation iPhone seem too detailed to be fake. The device, pictured in both white and black, hits all the bases from recent rumors, and even include some surprises. Most importantly, though, the new iPhone will still look like an IPhone.The device retains the same flat design with the metal rim forming part of the antenna. The most striking change is the back plate, which is no longer composed of fragile glass. The majority of the back surface is metal, which joins up with the metal rim of the device. The top and bottom are still glass, or possibly a ceramic of some sort. An all metal back might have been nicer looking, but the non-metal ends will be better for radio performance.There are not any images of the screen itself, but the disassembled front casing seems to confirm the move to a 3.99-inch screen. Unconfirmed sources are saying that panel will be 1136×640, which is just a little taller than the current Retina Display. A move to that resolution would mean a new 16:9 screen ratio. That could be a pain for developers, who have been designing apps for a 3:2 panel. Apple itself could use the extra 176 lines for an additional row of icons on the home screen. The front of the case also has a physical home button.The bottom edge of the phone has all manner of weird and wild stuff going on. Firstly, there is a new dock connector that finally eschews the dated 30-pin connector Apple has been relying on for so many years. The new port doesn’t look like a micro-USB, though. Apple likes to go with its own proprietary connectors. Expect a new ecosystem of accessories/adapters, and get ready to toss that old Apple dock out the window.If this is the real deal, it also appears that Apple has decided to move the headphone jack from the top to the bottom of the device. At first, this seems like an odd move, but some Android phones and the iPod Touch have been doing this for years. The phone would have to go in your pocket upside down, but it is more comfortable to use the device with the headphones plugged into the bottom — the cord stays out of the way when it’s in your hand.We don’t have any measurements of the device, but it’s safe to say that the extra height will make it easier for Apple to fit in an LTE 4G radio. Cupertino is silent on matters, but perhaps we’ll get a better look at this device at Apple’s WWDC event next month.via 9 to 5 Mac
Jan 23rd 2017, 12:43 PM 23,511 Views Aisling Burke, leaving the Dublin District Court in January 2014 Source: Laura Hutton/Rollingnews.ieA MOTHER-OF-ONE, originally charged with murdering Dale Creighton, has begun a one-year jail term for violent disorder during the fatal attack on a Tallaght footbridge.The 14-minute attack on Dale Creighton had begun after Aisling Burke’s mobile phone was stolen as she walked home from a night club. She had been sentenced to five years with four suspended last week, but had been given a week to arrange care for her child. She was back before the Central Criminal Court today.Mr Creighton (20) was assaulted by a group at the bridge over the Tallaght bypass between Saint Dominic’s Road and Greenhills Road on New Year’s Day 2014.He died in hospital the following day. The cause of his death was blunt force injury to his head and face.Six men and one woman were originally charged with murder and went on trial at the Central Criminal Court in October, after pleading not guilty. However, those charges were dropped on the 15th day of the trial, after they pleaded guilty to lesser charges and had their new pleas accepted.‘Too lenient’: Dale Creighton’s family criticises sentencing of his killersThe seven, who are all from Tallaght, had rung in the new year at a local night club. They were sentenced to various terms last week.The court was satisfied that 23-year-old Aisling Burke, with an address in Co Westmeath, did not inflict any physical violence on Mr Creighton.She was sentenced to five years in prison. The court suspended the final four years for two years on condition she be of good behaviour, keep the peace and be subject to probation service supervision for two years from her release.She did not enter the bond in court, but will do so before the governor or a deputy of the governor in prison.As a single mother, she had been given a week to organise care for her child. Dressed in a blue jacket, black trousers and blue shoes, she nodded at her parents as she was led away. Members of the victim’s family had also attended.Five of her co-accused had begun their prison terms last week. A sixth had walked free, after his sentence for possession of a knife at the time was fully suspended.Read: Dale Creighton killers attacked on their second day in MountjoyRead: Kickboxing trainee jailed for inflicting brain injury on older man http://jrnl.ie/3200670 Share135 Tweet Email By Natasha Reid 39 Comments Monday 23 Jan 2017, 12:43 PM Short URL Mother-of-one begins year-long sentence for violent disorder in connection with killing of Dale Creighton Dale Creighton died following a 14 minute attack in Tallaght on New Year’s Day 2014. Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article
Hépatite C : nouveau scandale sanitaire autour du ViraferonPeg de MerckLe ViraferonPeg, l’un des deux traitements de référence de l’hépatite C, est aujourd’hui dans le collimateur des autorités sanitaires. En effet, le stylo qui permet de réaliser l’injection ne délivrerait pas toujours le produit, ce qui entraînerait des traitements prolongés.C’est le professeur d’hépatologie niçois Albert Tran, qui avait alerté, l’an passé, les laboratoires Merck du problème rencontré avec le ViraferonPeg, un traitement de l’hépatite C. On apprend ainsi dans le journal Libération que le laboratoire américain avait été alerté dès février 2011 et qu’il “aurait dissimulé un grave dysfonctionnement dans le traitement de l’hépatite C”. Le groupe américain a aussitôt démenti l’accusation tout en admettant qu’il avait été alerté par M. Tran. Mais ce n’est pas le traitement en lui-même qui poserait problème mais le stylo qui permet de l’injecter.À lire aussiAntihistaminique : qu’est-ce que c’est ? A quoi ça sert ?En effet, celui-ci ne délivrerait pas toujours le produit. Mercredi soir, le dossier ViraferonPeg était ainsi au centre d’une réunion d’urgence dans les locaux de l’Agence sanitaire. Cité par nice-matin, le professeur Tran explique : “Les patients croient avoir reçu la bonne dose, alors qu’il n’en est rien. Le stylo injecteur est conçu de telle sorte qu’il n’y a aucun moyen de vérifier si la dose a bien été reçue. Par chance, contrairement à un cancer, l’histoire naturelle de l’hépatite C est longue. Le dysfonctionnement de ce traitement ne peut donc avoir eu d’impact vital sur les patients, mais, en revanche, il a pu retarder des guérisons, prolonger des traitements”.Aujourd’hui, plus de 500.000 personnes sont porteurs du virus de l’hépatite C en France. Chaque année, 3.500 malades en meurent et ce sont environ 5.100 patients qui ont été traités en 2010 avec le ViraferonPeg. Pour le professeur Tran en tout cas, le constat était suffisamment net pour ne plus prescrire de ViraferonPeg. Il lui aura suffi de se tourner vers l’autre traitement existant, proposé par les laboratoires Roche (le Pégalys). De son côté, le laboratoire Merck, qui réfutait totalement ces accusations, indique avoir fait contrôler “tous les lots de stylos” et certifiait hier qu’aucune “non-conformité n’avait été rapportée concernant les tests sur la fonctionnalité et la précision de la dose délivrée” par le stylo ViraferonPeg. Quoiqu’il en soit, c’est un troisième revers pour ce traitement qui en 2006 déjà avait obligé Merck à ouvrir un numéro vert pour ses clients. A l’époque, un problème de blocage du stylo était en cause. Enfin, en octobre 2010 certains lots de ViraferonPeg avaient dû être retirés du marché “par mesure de précaution” sur ordre de l’Afssaps.Le 9 février 2012 à 12:49 • Maxime Lambert
Sony Pictures CEO Says ‘Door Is Closed’ for Now on Spider-Man SplitMarvel Censors Criticism of America From Marvel Comics #1000 Stay on target Marvel has a knack for turning obscure superheroes into household names. Case in point: Ant-Man and the Wasp.Following the 2015 debut of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, a well-meaning thief who inadvertently takes on the role of Ant-Man, the character charmed his way into the cinematic universe—and our hearts.Since then, he’s returned to his Hymenoptera ways in Captain America: Civil War and Ant-Man and the Wasp (co-starring Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/the titular Wasp).But if you’ve ever wondered how people who temporarily shrink to the size of insects, while retaining the mass and strength of their human bodies, don’t die of oxygen deprivation, you’re not alone.Virginia Tech engineering mechanics graduate student Max Mikel Stites studied the “serious challenges” Ant-Man and the Wasp should face each time they reduce.With advisor and VT associate professor Anne Staples, Mikel-Stites researches biological fluid dynamics, particularly as they pertain to insect respiration and insect-scale flows.So what’s that got to do with the incredible shrinking man and his flying partner?The team’s work, discussed at this week’s American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics 71st Annual Meeting, could reduce the actuation machinery needed for microfluidic devices, making them more portable and cost-efficient.“Applying that perspective to Ant-Man and the Wasp seemed like a straightforward thing to do,” Mikel-Stites said in a statement.According to their analysis, the atmospheric density (number of molecules in a given volume of air) experienced by our bug-sized heroes is nearly identical to that of Mt. Everest’s so-called “death zone,” where there is no enough oxygen for humans to breath.“While the actual atmospheric density is the same for an insect and a human, the subjective atmospheric density experiences by a human who shrinks to insect size changes,” Mikel-Stites explained.“For example, a normal-size person taking a deep breath can expect to inhale some number of oxygen molecules,” he continued. “However, when that person is shrunk down to the size of an ant, despite still needing the same number of oxygen molecules, far fewer are available in a single breath of air.”The “death zone” for normal-sized humans begins around 8,000 meters above sea level.In the form of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Lang and Pym/van Dyne would feel like they’re at an altitude of 7,998 meters—giving them one hell of a case of altitude sickness.I don’t remember either suffering from headaches, dizziness, or the buildup of fluid in the lungs and brain. And since Rudd is set to reprise his role in next year’s untitled Avengers film, he is certainly not dead (yet).But that’s not all the crime-fighting duo have to worry about.Based on Kleiber’s law, which correlates the metabolic rate of an animal to its size, researchers found that the metabolic rates per unit mass of the superheroes at bug size would increase by some two orders of magnitude—as would their oxygen demands.Mikel-Stites, however, has a solution.Microfluidic components (like Knudsen pumps, driven by temperature gradients) and microscale gas compressors could be embedded into the champions’ helmets, helping them breath at microscale.Got any ideas, Mikel-Stites, for when Ant-Man expands 65 feet tall?More coverage on Geek.com:Stan Lee’s Best CharactersBees Were Also Distracted by 2017 Total Solar EclipseCyborg Cockroach May Save Your Life, Haunt Your DreamsAnt Brains Grow Proportionally to Communal Responsibilities
Stay on target With ‘Borderlands’ Crossover, ‘Fortnite’ Just Ad…Get Used to ‘Fortnite’s’ Powerful Mech Suits What even is Fortnite? When Epic first pitched its eventual Golden Goose a billion years ago to show off Unreal Engine 4 it was, like, a cartoony Left 4 Dead-style survival co-op shooter with Minecraft building mechanics. But that became Fortnite: Save the World, famous thing no one pays $30 for.Now, when you talk about Fortnite, there’s a 99.9 percent chance you’re talking about the free-to-play Fortnite: Battle Royale, which only came together after a few months of studying PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and subsequently took over the world.With Fortnite raking in so much money and fame though, who says it has to stay limited to just two modes? Take a break from all the shooting, building, and stolen dancing to chill out with the new Fortnite Creative mode.Earlier this year Fortnite gave players temporary access to something called Playground mode, a space for players to explore the map without the stress of battle and try out weird new things with friends. Creative Mode is a bigger, and hopefully more permanent, version of the same idea.After selecting the mode from its own separate menu, players gain their own private island to completely customize with buildings to demolish, weapons to fire, vehicles to race, and nature to admire. It makes you remember that it’s the Minecraft roots, not just the 100-player battles, that give Fortnite such appeal with The Youth.Fortnite Creative is available now if you bought the Season 7 Battle Pass. You can also invite 16 other players to your island, whether or not they have Creative themselves. The mode then goes live for everyone on December 13.For more on Fortnite watch us get coached by a professional Fornite player, celebrate that Sony is finally playing nice when it comes to crossplay, and read about the generous new Epic Games Store only possible because of Fortnite.<span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>
Seven days ago, Harry arrived in Vancouver by way of Tulsa in search of a new life. The 1-year-old shepherd mix was joined by 224 of his fellow animal mates on a plane to Seattle where five Washington shelters met on a tarmac to take them home.The planeload of dogs and cats came from overburdened Texas shelters, and the group that arrived in Vancouver is the largest in the Humane Society for Southwest Washington’s history.The shelter took in 31 dogs, including Harry, and five cats. As of Thursday morning, 18 dogs and four cats had already been adopted.It’s been a long journey for the larger group of 225 animals, who originated from the Palm Valley Animal Center and El Paso Animal Services in Texas, as well as Animal Welfare of Tulsa, Okla. Before making the trip to the Pacific Northwest, the animals received interim care from the Humane Society of Tulsa where they waited for the last month to travel.This transport was possible thanks to Mud Bay Pet Stores, which is based in Olympia. But more routine Vancouver-bound transports are paid for by HSSW.“We take in over 2,000 cats and dogs every year from transports because the demand for adoptable animals exceeds the supply of available animals locally,” said Lisa Feder, HSSW’s Vice President and Director of Shelter Operations.
Rhode Island’s first director of veterans affairs plans to extend the agency’s role by bolstering its capacity to support veterans transitioning to civilian life.Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kasim Yarn, who was appointed by Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) on Wednesday, will work on “increasing the role the office plays with assisting veterans’ transitions from service to the community, including in the areas of education, workforce training, small business ownership, and housing and home ownership,” according to a spokeswoman for the governor.Yarn, who is expected to retire from the Navy shortly, plans to improve access to education and training opportunities that lead to meaningful work for veterans and help them to successfully navigate services and benefits, according to a press release.The veterans office previously has focused on running the state veterans home and veterans cemetery, reported the Providence Journal. It is housed within the state’s executive office of Health and Human Services.Yarn’s appointment makes him the state’s first veterans affairs director. The Rhode Island General Assembly created the cabinet-level director position in 2009, but it had been left vacant and unfunded until recently.The General Assembly in 2009 passed a bill turning the Division of Veterans Affairs into a standalone state department with a cabinet-level director appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. The director’s position was never funded, however, and in 2011, before the division ever turned into a separate department, lawmakers repealed the 2009 law and kept the division within Health and Human Services, according to the Journal.Raimondo said Yarn would report directly to her, rather than the Health and Human Services director. Dan Cohen AUTHOR
Hyderabad (NSS): In connection with Bonalu festival celebrations, the Hyderabad City Police declared that toddy/wine shops, including bars in restaurants (excluding bars in star hotels and registered clubs) within Hyderabad and Secunderabad shall remain closed from 6 am on July 28 to 6 am on July 30.
It rarely gets bigger than this. Seventy five artists get together in the Capital for the eighth edition of the biannual exhibition Manifestations, which has been running for four consecutive years. Expect to see some rare collections of 20th century modern art.’Every art form here has some important reference of the artist or has some history behind the art. Each collection is unique, in the sense if one sees the context of the work in the artist’s own life,’ said curator Kishore Singh. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting”The many forms of art — be it abstract, figurative, landscape, portraits or still life — the running theme that binds them together is they are all modern painters,’ added Singh.The works are on sale. Prices start at Rs 15 lakhs and go up to Rs 5 crores. A total of 75 modern artists collection has been displayed. This includes an untitled portrait of Kadambari Devi (his sister-in-law and the inspiration behind many of his works) by Rabindranath Tagore. Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixAlso on display is Anjolie Ela Menon’s Madonna of Merriweather Road which was inspired by the blank eyes of a hippie woman tripping high on drugs. The sordid painting was a reminder of the drug mafia. Don’t miss out MF Husain’s works — the untitled Keehn family portrait done in 1959 is one rare family portrait. The Keehn family was known collectors of Indian modern art in the mid-20th century and were also friends of Husain’s. There is also Jamini Roy’s Flight to Egypt where one can see Roy’s signature compositional pattern.Other works include S. Dhanpat’s sculpture Mary and Christ and a sketchbook by Mahadev Visvanath Dhurandhar titled My wife in art. It is a series of 175 sketches in graphite, pen,ink, watercolour, oil and coloured photographs. The haunting landscapes of FN Souza, the still life works of KH Ara, Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar and figurative art works by Tyeb Mehta are also to watch out for. Manifestations also displays patachitra from Kalighat and early Bengal (Ravi Varma School) of paintings of Krishna and Gopi. Watch out!DETAILAt: Delhi Art Gallery, Hauz Khas Village On Till: 29 December Timings:10.30 am to 7 pm Phone: 46005300
Advertisement Bill Walton is a national treasure. He has an NCAA title, 2 NBA championships, and the biggest Grateful Dead bootleg collection this side of Shakedown Street.We’ve come to expect the unexpected from Big Bill, and he didn’t disappoint again today. During the live broadcast of the Kansas/Texas Big 12 game, he decided to take off an uncomfortable tie dye shirt in favor of his preferred “Keep Austin Weird” tie dye.Throw it DOWN big fella!!Walton was briefly shirtless on live TV, which has to be a first for a college basketball broadcaster. Let’s just hope Dickie V doesn’t get any ideas. Jerry Garcia summed up the Walton shirtless incident best in the Dead classic Scarlet Begonias:“Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.”Check out the Walton shedding his shirt, but more importantly, look at the reaction of the lady behind him who looks like she threw up in her mouth. Fantastic.Bill Walton is something else pic.twitter.com/jU1riOKWe4— FootBasket.com (@FootBasket) February 26, 2017
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If your website doesn’t show up on the first page of search results on Google, Bing or Yahoo, your potential customers might not even know you exist. Better search engine visibility can be critical to boosting visits to your website, which can lead to increased brand awareness and higher sales and profits.But what if you lack the time and technical expertise to improve your site’s search engine ranking? It might make sense to hire an experienced, reliable search engine optimization (SEO) consultant.Here are 10 essential questions to ask when considering prospective SEO consultants:1. May I have a list of current and past clients? A reputable SEO consultant should be open to sharing a brief list of current and former clients and his or her contact information, says Vanessa Fox, author of Marketing in the Age of Google (Wiley, 2012) and founder of Nine By Blue, a Seattle-based SEO software provider.These references can help you gauge how effective the candidate is, as well as verify that the person did indeed work on specific SEO campaigns. Clients may not provide specific analytics, Fox says, but they should be able to at least tell you if they saw a positive impact on their search ranking, especially in conversions and in gaining an audience, as a direct result of the consultant’s efforts.2. How will you improve my search engine rankings? Steer clear of SEO consultants who won’t freely discuss their methods in detail, cautions Rand Fishkin, founder of Moz, a Seattle-based internet marketing software company and co-author of The Art of SEO (O’Reilly, 2012). They should explain the strategies they would use to drive up your website’s search engine ranking, as well as estimate how long it could realistically take to achieve the SEO campaign goals you agree on.Make sure the candidate’s proposal includes an initial technical review of your website to weed out any problems that could lower your search engine ranking, including broken links and error pages. Consultants also should provide “on page” optimization, a process to make your website as search engine friendly as possible. It involves improving your website’s URL and internal linking structure, along with developing web page titles, headings and tags.Also, ask consultants if they provide “off page” SEO strategies to raise awareness of your content on other websites, often via blogs, social media platforms and press releases.3. Do you adhere to search engines’ webmaster guidelines? You want a consultant who strictly abides by Google’s publicly posted webmaster best practices, which specifically prohibit 12 common SEO tricks, including automatically generating spammy content and adding bogus hidden text and links. If a candidate doesn’t follow those guidelines, your website could be relegated to a dismally low search results ranking. Or, worse yet, Google could ban it from search results altogether.Bing and Yahoo also post webmaster best practices that consultants should confirm they follow.4. Can you guarantee my website will achieve a number-one ranking on Google, Bing and Yahoo? If the candidate answers yes, Fox warns, “Turn and run in the other direction as fast as you can.” Although it’s impossible to guarantee a number-one ranking on any search engine, she says, some unethical SEO consultants do make such bogus guarantees.Consider it a red flag if the candidate claims to have an insider relationship with Google or any other search engine that will get you priority search results rankings. Only Google, Bing and Yahoo can control how high or low websites appear in their search results.5. Are you experienced at improving local search results? Appearing in the top local search engine results is especially important to small brick-and-mortar businesses trying to attract nearby customers, Rand says. You’ll want a consultant who has expertise in local SEO techniques.If your website is optimized for what’s known as “local SEO,” it should appear when someone nearby is searching for keywords that are relevant to your business. To achieve that, a consultant should add your business’s city and state to your website’s title tags and meta descriptions, and get your site listed on Bing, Google and Yahoo’s local listings, which are online directories of businesses that cater to a specific geographical area.6. Will you share with me all changes you make to my site? Search engine optimization will most likely require a number of changes to your existing web page coding. It’s important to know exactly what adjustments the consultant plans to make and on how many web pages. If you would like the candidate to get your permission before accessing and altering your website code, be sure to say so.For example, will consultants add new title tags to your existing HTML code or modify the existing ones? Will they provide additional copywriting content highlighting your products and services to beef up the number of visible, on-page keywords relevant to your potential customers? And do they plan to redesign all or some of your website navigation or add new pages to your site?7. How do you measure the success of your SEO campaigns? To gauge the success of SEO efforts, you must track exactly how much traffic is being sent to your website and where it is coming from. Consultants should be experienced in using Google Analytics to track improvement in your site’s search engine rankings, the number of links from other websites driving traffic to yours, the kinds of keywords searchers use to find your site, and much more.Be sure to ask how often they plan to share these important analytics with you and how they would use the data to continually improve your search engine rankings and website traffic.8. How will we communicate and how often? SEO consultants’ communication styles and customer service standards vary. You need to find someone whose approach best fits your needs. Ask if the candidate prefers to talk in person or via phone, Skype, texting or email. And find out how often will he or she reach out to you with status updates.9. What are your fees and payment terms? You need to know how much you’ll be charged, of course, and also whether the consultant gets paid hourly, by retainer or by project. Project-based payments are the most common in the SEO consulting industry, and they can vary widely, depending on a project’s size and complexity. Most contract projects ranged between $1,000 and $7,500, according to Moz’s 2011 pricing survey of more than 600 SEO firms.The study also found that the most common retainers ranged between $251 to $500 a month on the lower end and $2,501 to $5,000 a month on the higher end, while the most common hourly rates ranged from $76 to $200. Fox said consultants who specifically serve small businesses often charge less per month and hour.Other important payment-related questions: How often are invoice payments due — every 30, 60 or 90 days? Is there an interest charge for late payments?10. What happens when we part ways? When your contract expires or if you terminate it early, you should still maintain ownership of all of the optimized web content you paid the consultant to provide, Fox says.Accordingly, you’ll want to make sure the contract states that when you part ways, consultants will not change or remove any of the content they added, modified or optimized on your behalf. You also should ask consultants whether they charge any fees for early contract termination, and if so, to specify them in the contract. 
Share Tweet Submit Black Friday 2017 is almost upon us, and, of course, the masters of the video game sale at Steam are getting in on the fun. The Steam Autumn Sale serves up discounts on over 6,000 games, so obviously there’s no way to list them all here. That said, I’ve picked out a select 50 deals that might pique your interest. Check the list out, below.Assassin’s Creed Origins – $49.99 (17% off)Cities: Skylines – $7.49 (75% off)Civilization VI – $29.99 (60% off)Counter-Stroke: Global Offensive – $9.99 (33% off)Dark Souls III – $23.99 (60% off)Dead by Daylight – $9.99 (50% off)Dead Space 2 – $4.99 (75% off)Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – $8.99 (85% off)Dirt 4 – $23.99 (60% off)Dishonored: Death of the Outsider – $14.99 (50% off)Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition – $13.49 (66% off)Doom – $14.99 (50% off)Dying Light – $17.99 (55% off)Elite Dangerous – $13.49 (55% off)Fallout 4 – $14.99 (50% off)Friday the 13th: The Game – $9.99 (50% off)Ghost Recon Wildlands – $29.99 (50% off)Grand Theft Auto V – $29.99 (50% off)Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – $22.49 (25% off)Just Cause 3 – $7.49 (85% off)LA Noire – $8.99 (70% off)Left 4 Dead 2 – $1.99 (90% off)Little Nightmares – $9.99 (50% off)Middle-earth: Shadow of War – $35.99 (40% off)NieR: Automata – $35.99 (40% off)Prey – $19.99 (50% off)Project Cars 2 – $35.99 (40% off)Rainbow Six Siege – $7.49 (50% off)Resident Evil 7 – $29.99 (50% off)Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – $0.65 (87% off)Rise of the Tomb Raider – $19.79 (67% off)Rocket League – $9.99 (50% off)Ruiner – $13.49 (33% off)Sid Meier’s Civilization VI – $29.99 (50% off)Skyrim Special Edition – $19.99 (50% off)Sniper Elite 4 – $20.39 (66% off)South Park: The Fractured But Whole – $44.99 (25% off)Stardew Valley – $9.99 (33% off)Tekken 7 – $24.99 (50% off)The Evil Within 2 – $29.99 (50% off)The Long Dark – $13.99 (60% off)The Orange Box – $1.99 (90% off)The Witcher III: Wild Hunt – $19.99 (50% off)The Witness – $15.99 (60% off)Total War: Warhammer – $20.39 (66% off)Undertale – $4.99 (50% off)Watch Dogs 2 – $20.39 (66% off)Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – $29.99 (50% off)Wolfenstein Two Pack (The New Order/Old Blood) – $14.99 (50% off)XCOM 2 (67% off)The Steam Autumn Sale will run until next Tuesday, November 28. Unlike in the past, Steam no longer does flash sales – all discounts will be available for the entire length of the promotion. You can browse the many, many games on sale, right here.Any deals you have your eye on? I’ll admit, Rainbow Six Siege for $7.50 and The Witcher III for 20 bucks are pretty enticing bargains.
BRASILIA, Brazil — Living in a military dictatorship, a young Dilma Rousseff, seething against the inequities of Brazilian society and the authoritarian government, joined a Marxist guerrilla group with one central objective: to topple the state.Forty years later, it’s President Rousseff who is being tested by rage: daily protests across hundreds of cities in June, followed by simmering discontent.The anger over corruption and substandard services is directed at the entire political class, leading to sometimes-violent demonstrations against the governor in Rio de Janeiro and outbursts against politicians in other corners of the country. But on a national level it is Rousseff, 65, who has been most battered by unrest that her center-left government failed to see coming.That has led to splits in her broad governing coalition and to an intense debate inside her Workers’ Party, where some members are floating the idea of a comeback by Rousseff’s larger-than-life predecessor, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, according to party members and political analysts interviewed here in the capital.Jorge Bittar, a Workers’ Party congressman, said he believes that Rousseff’s outreach efforts since June have strengthened her position and that she will probably run for a second term next year. But nothing is preordained, he said, particularly if the economy declines and protests pick up again.If Rousseff’s political fortunes worsen, “we go to Plan B,” he said. “You know what that will be? Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, that he comes back as a candidate.”Lula, a charismatic political operator who enjoyed a special bond with his countrymen, handpicked Rousseff to succeed him as the Workers’ Party candidate in 2010 as he neared the end of his second four-year term. Rousseff, a details-oriented technocrat who had never held elective office, won easily.Lula, whose two terms were marked by robust economic growth and a steep fall in poverty levels, has said he has no plans to run again. But his active and very public role in Brazilian politics — he says he is a friend and special adviser to Rousseff — has many here wondering if he could reverse himself at her expense.In a rare, recent interview with the São Paulo newspaper Folha, Rousseff did little to dampen talk of Lula’s outsize role, which gave the impression to some that she is not fully in charge.Asked about a movement to bring him back as a presidential candidate, Rousseff said: “I think Lula won’t be back, because he never left.”Pressed again about Lula’s aspirations, Rousseff answered, “That I don’t know, my dear.”Rousseff is facing tough questions from Workers’ Party members, among them lawmakers worried that their seats are vulnerable and that the presidency their movement has long held might be in jeopardy.Adair Rocha, a party founder and an official in Lula’s government who frequently speaks to the former president, said there is a divide between those who want to align themselves with the protesters and those who strongly back Rousseff’s “institutional” response to citizen demands.Though Lula supports Rousseff as the party’s candidate for 2014, “he’s talking, he’s listening, he’s looking at the coming challenges,” Rocha said. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former president of Brazil, is shown in Brasilia, Brazil, in December 2010. Some consider Lula a solution to the growing discontent in Brazil under current President Dilma Rousseff. Lula says he has no plans to run again. Bloomberg News photo by Adriano Machado Rousseff remains the politician to beat, since most of her challengers have failed to capitalize on her recent troubles. But she has fallen fast and far in the polls, underscoring the general malaise in a country that has seen its once go-go economy slow sharply since 2010.With public support that hovered just below 80 percent when she started her term in 2011, Rousseff’s numbers dipped to a still-strong 57 percent at the start of June. Then came the free fall to a 30 percent approval rating by July.A Datafolha opinion poll published last week showed a slight rebound. But the government has appeared indecisive while trying to find a formula to ease the discontent ahead of the World Cup soccer championship in several Brazilian cities next summer — venues many believe will be conducive to more protests.“I think next year the protests will be more intense,” said João Telesforo, 25, who has been demonstrating in Brasilia against the government. “It will be similar to this year, with as many people in the street, but with much more capacity to influence what happens in this country.”Rousseff, an economist and energy expert who is uncomfortable wading into crowds, appears hamstrung by the lackluster economy and what even politicians in her own governing coalition say is an inability to set a new political agenda.“She has a style of doing politics that in some ways is like Angela Merkel — it’s a Germanic manner, and this doesn’t work here,” said Oswaldo Munteal, a historian and expert on Brazil’s transformation to democracy. “I don’t see her with an appetite for governing. I see her as a little sad, somewhat disillusioned. She doesn’t seem to have the heart to rule.”Government aides describe a president determined not only to govern but also to modernize the government. She has promised broad changes and pledged to funnel more money to schools and hospitals, whose shoddy services have generated rage.Her aides have also urged Rousseff to reach out to people in unscripted settings, such as a series of low-key meetings she has had with Brazilians who participated in the protests.“She listens more than she talks,” said an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak for the government. “She is there to take notes.”In her standard stump speech, Rousseff talks of how natural it is for people to call for “more democracy” in an already vibrant democracy. She also highlights what she calls “extraordinary” accomplishments under Workers’ Party rule, such as popular anti-poverty programs, while asserting that she, too, is supportive of demonstrators’ demands for a better-functioning government.Her efforts have fallen short with many protesters.“She truly believes that people who are complaining are complaining on a full belly,” said Gustavo Capela, 27, a lawyer.Even her allies talk of her failure to connect with ordinary people the way Lula and his predecessor, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, could.“With Lula and Fernando Henrique, there was understanding, and people ceded to them,” said Pedro Simon, a senator from the main party allied with Rousseff in her broad coalition. “But Dilma just doesn’t have what it takes.”Still, not all the news is grim. Unemployment remains low, and her own commitment to clean government is unquestioned.The president has also emphasized that she is patiently working to resolve Brazil’s problems, as she pointed out to the newspaper Folha when asked if she would be out protesting if she were not president.“I went to a bunch of marches,” she said, recalling her youth. “After that, you see the world in a different way. You know that protests are very important. But each one of us contributes in the best way he or she can.”© 2013, The Washington Post Facebook Comments
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Etihad Airways has officially opened its new flagship First Class Lounge & Spa at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Terminal 3. The spectacular new space showcases the airline’s commitment to providing unparalleled and aspirational hospitality experiences.Inspired by the world’s most prestigious hotels, private members’ clubs and fine dining establishments, the lounge is an ultra-exclusive lifestyle environment which tells the airline’s acclaimed guest experience and hospitality story with unrivalled design, style and comfort, world class dining, and bespoke beauty and relaxation services.The lounge features 16 unique zones designed to ensure that guests can relax, re-energise and be entertained in total luxury before boarding their flight. An à la carte restaurant, showcase bar, fitness room, cigar lounge, Six Senses Spa, Style & Shave hairdresser, nail bar, TV room, secluded relaxation room, prayer room and children’s play room ensure that all guests receive a highly personalised experience and intuitive service.Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our new First Class Lounge & Spa is the jewel in the crown of our new lounge offerings worldwide and represents the best of our home city of Abu Dhabi. It is a showcase of intelligent product design, innovation, and superlative hospitality and service.“This is not just a lounge but the ultimate airline hospitality experience and one which perfectly mirrors Etihad Airways’ evolution into the best airline in the world.“Continuing our journey of innovation, this new dedicated First Class environment demonstrates our on-going commitment to developing world-class products as we continue to reimagine travel.”Measuring approximately 1,700 m², and boasting expansive views of the airport, the new facility is open round-the-clock for the exclusive use of guests of The Residence, Etihad First Class, Etihad Guest Exclusive, Etihad Guest Platinum members (plus one guest), Etihad Airways Partner (EAP) airline First Class guests, EAP ‘Invitation only’ members (plus two guests) and EAP equivalent Platinum members (plus one guest). Guests of The Residence enjoy the exclusivity of their own private space discreetly located adjacent to the main lounge entrance. The secluded area boasts a dedicated Savoy-trained Butler, custom-made Poltrona Frau Italian leather armchairs and sofas, its own shower room stocked with a range of Acqua di Parma products, a prayer room, and private dining.Guests of the First Class Lounge & Spa will be attended to by a number of expertly trained staff – all of whom have undergone a rigorous selection process. The lounge features a General Manager, Concierge, Maître d’Hotel, Savoy-trained Butlers, chefs and mixologists among its highly trained lounge team.The Executive Chef brings with him immense experience from a long career with leading hotel brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La, and InterContinental. His team of skilled Sous Chefs, Demi Chefs, and Chef de Partie create superior haute cuisine dining served at an à la carte dining area.The sculptural showcase bar, which is now a striking feature of Etihad Airways’ new collection of global lounges including the recently opened New York and Melbourne facilities, is stocked with 75 premium spirits, champagne and aperitifs.The cigar lounge provides a choice of nine premium brands including Hoyo de Monterray, Cohiba, Bolivar, Montecristo, Arturo Fuente and Romeo Y Julieta from its own humidor. Each has been expertly matched with a number of whiskies and cognacs.The Six Senses Spa comprises three treatment rooms with shower facilities. First Class guests can enjoy a complimentary treatment, while guests in The Residence are offered two complimentary treatments.In keeping with a focus on health and wellbeing, the Relax & Recline area features a large video wall made up of 27 individual screens, soothing sound and lighting, and is furnished with six Poltona Frau leather recliners. The fitness room is equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym treadmills and cross trainers, and male and female washrooms and showers.The Style & Shave area is staffed by talented barbers offering a suite of hair and shave services, including one complimentary express treatment and a shoe shine service. The nail bar provides hair and nail services, including nail art, and one complimentary express treatment.H.E. Eng. Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “We are delighted to support Etihad Airways with the launch of their First Class Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport. This new facility will offer guests a truly exclusive and premium experience, and is a reflection of the continued commitment by the airline and the airport to offer the best possible services to passengers flying through the UAE capital.”From an interior design perspective, the principles of style, space and serenity are complemented by Etihad Airways’ distinctive ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ branding. With its geometric patterns and colour palette inspired by the UAE landscape, it is the ultimate expression of 21st century Arabian modernism. Etihad AirwaysSource = Etihad Airways