Agartala, Apr 22 (PTI) First Indian woman gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, Dipa Karmakar today returned home amid loud cheers from thousand of fans, who had throned the Agartala airport here. Dipa and her coach, Bisweswar Nandi, who arrived from Delhi this morning, were received at the Agartala airport by the Director of Sports of the state, Dulal Das, Secretary of the Sports Council of Tripura, Dilip Chakraborty. After a hectic schedule at Rio de Janeiro and a long journey back home, Dipa is now looking forward to stay with her parents for a week. “Now Ill prepare myself to participate in the Olympic game and would put every effort to bring a medal for the country. I have come here to stay with my parents for about a week and have home maid food prepared by my mother,” she told reporters. Visibly cheerful, Dipa said she got cooperation from all corners of the country and the contribution of her coach was unparallel. She booked her Rio ticket after qualifying in artistic gymnastics following a total score of 52.698 points in the Test event. She also won the gold medal in vault final in the event. Apart from being the first Indian woman, she also became first from the country to qualify for the quadrennial extravaganza after 52 long years. Since Independence, 11 Indian male gymnasts took part in the Olympics (two in 1952, three in 1956 and six in 1964). PTI JOY PR ATK ATK
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Has an organization or university offered you an opportunity with a stipend? Whether it’s an internship or apprenticeship, a stipend is a set amount of money that helps offset living expenses. This fixed amount is financial support provided while you’re… Full Story,Truth is, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to college: new friends, a new routine, (college parties!), and more independence. But along with all these perks, it’s also time to start thinking about your finances…. Full Story,A routing number is a unique number that identifies a specific banking institution. Each routing number is made up of nine digits. Routing numbers are sometimes referred to as an American Banker’s Association routing transit number or an ABA RTN…. Full Story,It’s stressful enough having a car loan over your head and staying on top of your monthly payments. But what if you have an upside-down car loan — in other words, the amount you owe on your set of wheels… Full Story,When you’re trying to get your financial house in order, it’s easy to get lost in the specifics. You might stress about how to adjust your budget, where to find some extra cash for the holidays or what funds to… Full Story,Shortly after graduating from New York University with a Master’s degree, Melanie Lockert turned to food stamps, as she worked her way out of $81,000 in student loans. “There were a lot of emotions around carrying that debt. It caused… Full Story,Traveling is one of the best things in life, and luckily, low funds don’t have to dash your dreams of enjoying an epic adventure. A wealth of destinations—both in the U.S. and abroad—are so affordable that even hardcore penny pinchers… Full Story,While we don’t yet have flying cars that collapse to the size of a suitcase, pneumatic tubes that transport us from room to room or machines that automatically bathe and clothe us in the morning, every day we’re getting closer… Full Story,Times have changed since Grams and Gramps were your age, looking to settle down and buy their first home. But today the house with the white picket fence—or that trendy loft in downtown—isn’t completely out of the question if you… Full Story,We recently hosted a Twitter chat as part of our #RealTalkSeries. And let’s just say, things definitely got real. Many of you joined us to discuss “taboo” and cringe-worthy money questions such as how to improve a bad credit score,… Full Story
Getting physically fit takes discipline, effort, and more than a little energy to get to where you want to be. Regularly moving your body and sticking to a fitness plan isn’t easy, and doing so is certainly commendable—and comes with… Full Story,Table of Contents Benefits of Working During Retirement Phased Retirement Types of Employment Recommended Jobs for Seniors Resources for Seniors Retirement looks different for everyone. Some people dream of playing golf and visiting their grandchildren, while others see it as… Full Story,A study conducted by Charles Schwab just last year found that three in five Americans live paycheck to paycheck, yet only one in four has a written financial plan. In fact, the majority of Americans are hesitant to receive any… Full Story,Life is unpredictable. Some days aren’t all sunshine, like when your car breaks down or your house needs a repair. These situations happen to everyone. That’s why it’s important to save while things are going well, so you can cover… Full Story,Structure is the key to growth. Without a solid foundation – and a road map for the future – it’s easy to spin your wheels and float through life without making any headway. Planning allows you to prioritize your time,… Full Story,Car accidents are not only scary but also a monumental hassle. That’s largely thanks to what comes after the accident itself. After an accident, you’ll likely have to spend ample time on the phone with your insurer. Then there’s dealing… Full Story,If you’re a furloughed government employee, you are likely feeling a good deal of stress and uncertainty about how to manage your finances during the government shutdown. While missing a paycheck is a financial moment no one wants to experience,… Full Story,Buried underneath paying bills, digging out of a debt hole, and saving for your kids’ college is the marathon of money goals: retirement. Cue the fantasies of spending your days at a leisurely pace, working on The Great American Novel—at… Full Story,When I’m on top of finances, I’m all up in my money management apps, checking my balances and the swift progress I’ve been making on my savings goals. But when things aren’t going so hot? I’m like an ostrich with… Full Story,With all of today’s home-based tech gadgets and virtual personal assistants, smart homes are quickly becoming ubiquitous. And with high demand for connected products, so too comes ease of use, accessibility and affordability. But as with all expenses, it’s important… Full Story
Getting physically fit takes discipline, effort, and more than a little energy to get to where you want to be. Regularly moving your body and sticking to a fitness plan isn’t easy, and doing so is certainly commendable—and comes with… Full Story,Table of Contents Benefits of Working During Retirement Phased Retirement Types of Employment Recommended Jobs for Seniors Resources for Seniors Retirement looks different for everyone. Some people dream of playing golf and visiting their grandchildren, while others see it as… Full Story,A study conducted by Charles Schwab just last year found that three in five Americans live paycheck to paycheck, yet only one in four has a written financial plan. In fact, the majority of Americans are hesitant to receive any… Full Story,Life is unpredictable. Some days aren’t all sunshine, like when your car breaks down or your house needs a repair. These situations happen to everyone. That’s why it’s important to save while things are going well, so you can cover… Full Story,Structure is the key to growth. Without a solid foundation – and a road map for the future – it’s easy to spin your wheels and float through life without making any headway. Planning allows you to prioritize your time,… Full Story,Car accidents are not only scary but also a monumental hassle. That’s largely thanks to what comes after the accident itself. After an accident, you’ll likely have to spend ample time on the phone with your insurer. Then there’s dealing… Full Story,If you’re a furloughed government employee, you are likely feeling a good deal of stress and uncertainty about how to manage your finances during the government shutdown. While missing a paycheck is a financial moment no one wants to experience,… Full Story,Buried underneath paying bills, digging out of a debt hole, and saving for your kids’ college is the marathon of money goals: retirement. Cue the fantasies of spending your days at a leisurely pace, working on The Great American Novel—at… Full Story,When I’m on top of finances, I’m all up in my money management apps, checking my balances and the swift progress I’ve been making on my savings goals. But when things aren’t going so hot? I’m like an ostrich with… Full Story,With all of today’s home-based tech gadgets and virtual personal assistants, smart homes are quickly becoming ubiquitous. And with high demand for connected products, so too comes ease of use, accessibility and affordability. But as with all expenses, it’s important… Full Story
Is your debt stressing you out? If so, we promise you’re not alone. Especially if you are financing a home. According to the Center for Microeconomic Data, mortgage balances—the largest component of household debt—rose by $60 billion during the second quarter of 2018.If you’re committed to getting out of debt, we’ve got you covered on how to set up a debt repayment plan to make sure you stay on track and reach debt freedom as soon as you can.Here are five simple steps on how to jump-start your debt repayment journey:#1 Assess The Amount of Debt You OweOf course, that’s what Mint is here to help you do — easily and automatically track where every last penny goes. Tracking your expenses will help you see where you can cut down, thus helping you reduce outstanding debt, as well as your debt/income ratio (outstanding debt divided by annual net income). Having a clear view of the numbers will empower you to make a plan that actually works based on where you are now.#2 Sleuthing For SavingsDon’t think you have any extra money to create a debt destroyer? Once you start tracking your expenses, you might be surprised. For example, can you can cut your cable bill (average of $75 a month) and switching to a streaming service (about $10.99 a month)? Or is there a subscription you’re paying for that you don’t actually use? The smallest things here and there can really add up, so make sure you understand what you don’t actually need to be paying for in order to find some extra cash to put toward your debt goals.#3 Pick A Debt To Tackle FirstSome people choose the smallest debt first because getting a few wins on the board helps motivate them to keep working toward bigger goals. Others choose to go after debt with the highest interest rate first because it’s costing the most money right now. Once you choose which debt to work on first, pay the minimums on all other outstanding debts, and put every leftover dime toward the debt you’re targeting#4 Start SnowballingAfter you pay off the first debt, move on immediately to the next one on your list, instead of taking a break and using that extra money elsewhere. As your number of debts decrease, the amount of money you have to attack the ones that remain increases. This means you can snowball your payments until all of your debt is pummeled#5 Enjoy Life After DebtOnce you’ve started paying down debt, now you’re ready to establish a commitment to saving. First, determine what you are you saving for! The first goal you should set is an emergency fund. This will help protect you in case of sudden unemployment, a medical emergency or other unexpected expenses. If you want to be consistent with your savings contributions, try automated savings. Start small and then increase the deposit amount when you feel confident that you can set aside more.The earlier you get started with a strategic debt repayment plan, the better. Remember, take things step by step and first get organized to figure out what you owe. We know debt can feel overwhelming at times, but it’s important to remember it doesn’t have to last forever if you’re committed to creating a better financial future!Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RelatedDiscretionary Income and Student Loans: What Does It Mean?August 19, 2019In “Financial Goals”Student Loans: Which Repayment Plan is Right for You?October 17, 2019In “Early Career”Debt Payoff Methods: All About the Blizzard ApproachNovember 6, 2019In “Financial Goals” Post navigation
Every month, climate scientists make new discoveries that advance our understanding of climate change’s causes and impacts. The research gives a clearer picture of the threats we already face, and explores what’s to come if we don’t reduce emissions at a quicker pace.Our new blog series, This Month in Climate Science, offers a snapshot of the month’s significant scientific literature, compiled from some of the leading peer-reviewed journals. This edition explores studies published in June 2018. While it is not meant to be comprehensive, it provides an overview of the latest scientific revelations, including overlooked problems and potential solutions. (To get these updates delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our Hot Science newsletter.)Antarctica is melting faster than previously thought. Photo by Harvey Barrison/Flickr Other ImpactsSensitive regions still at risk with warming of 1.5°C: In an article in Nature Climate Change, researchers found that even if warming is limited to 1.5°C (2.7°F), a goal laid out in the international Paris Agreement on climate change, some sensitive regions like the Arctic could still be significantly impacted by climate change. Interestingly, in 50 percent of their simulations, researchers found the world could limit warming to 1.5 degrees C without negative emissions. Arctic archeological artifacts under threat: The Arctic’s cold, wet conditions have left archeological treasures and ecological records remarkably well-preserved. However, as reported in the journal Antiquity, scientists found that coastal erosion, permafrost thaw, increased vegetation and tundra fires are now threatening these archeological sites, such as those documenting Siberian, Greenlandic and Norwegian communities. Coral reefs impacted by sea level rise: Reporting in Nature, scientists studied more than 200 reefs in the Caribbean and Indian Oceans and found that corals will not be able to keep pace with projected levels of sea level rise. Even under more conservative projections, most corals are not able to grow vertically quickly enough, and would be too submerged to continue growing to compensate for the rising seas, exposing coastlines to flooding and erosion. Some of the oldest trees on Earth died, perhaps due to climate change: Baobabs are the biggest and longest-living flowering plants. Scientists reported in Nature Plants that over the last dozen years, nine of the 13 oldest and five of the six largest baobabs have died or almost died. Some of the trees date back more than 2,500 years. While the cause is unclear, the lead author suspects the combination of unprecedented high temperatures and extreme drought. Fish on the move: In Science, researchers reported that by the end of the century, climate change will likely cause many of the world’s Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) to get one to five new transboundary stocks of fish. With high rates of warming, about 35 percent of global EEZs would have new transboundary stocks by end of the century; under lower rates of warming, this falls to about a quarter of EEZs. The tropics are especially hit hard, with fisheries moving out, not in. This could lead to strained maritime relations due to disputed territories, overlapping fishery claims and illegal fishing. Species under threat: Scientists reportded in the Proceedings of the Royal Society that by 2070, climate change will either match or exceed the effects of land use change on biodiversity. The combined impacts are projected to lead to losses of about 38 percent of vertebrates. Fossil fuels may create trillions of dollars in stranded assets: Driven by massive declines in coal, overall fossil fuel use in U.S. electric generation fell to the lowest level since 1994, according to the Energy Information Administration. Should this trend continue, numerous investments in fossil fuel ventures could become stranded. Reporting in Nature Climate Change, analysts found that some amount of stranded fossil fuel assets will occur regardless as a result of technological progress, irrespective of new climate policies. But if countries collectively limit warming to 2 °C (3.6°F) and/or if low-cost fossil fuel producers continue their level of production despite demand reductions, stranded fossil fuel assets could cause a $1–4 trillion loss in wealth globally. Clear solar cells: Three-quarters of U.S. electricity use is from houses and office buildings. While engineers have attempted to install solar cells in windows, they have not been fully embraced in part because of their red or brown tints. As reported in Science, a new technological development allows for solar windows to be fully transparent, enabling greater market acceptance. Storms like 2017’s Hurricane Harvey are moving slower, giving them more time to create significant damages. Photo by 1st Lt. Zachary West/Texas Army National Guard OceansWarmer, saltier Atlantic water entering Arctic: The Barents Sea, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, is made up of a colder northern area and a warmer southern area. The waters of the northern Barents are more stratified, with freshwater at the top due to melting sea ice, and denser, saltier waters beneath. Less freshwater sea ice floating from northern latitudes means the water is becoming saltier. Publishing their results in Nature Climate Change, scientists found an “Atlantification” has occurred, leading to warming and increased salinity in the northern Barents Sea. This can reduce the area where sea ice forms and can change ecosystems, with unknown impacts on species composition and fisheries. Human activity drives ocean acidification since Industrial Revolution: Accurate measurements of historical ocean pH are nearly non-existent, aside from limited ship track measurements and station base instrument records of the past few decades. In a new Nature article, scientists used coral skeletons in the South Pacific and documented evidence of uninterrupted ocean acidification since the Industrial Revolution. They showed a pronounced variability of pH in the South Pacific from 1689 to 1881, and that surface wind strength and other processes were the main drivers. But after this time, human-induced CO2 played the prominent role in driving ocean acidification, which is responsible for coral bleaching and death.Coal-fired power plant in central Wyoming. Photo by Greg Goebel/Wikimedia Commons The PolesAntarctic melt speeding up: Reporting in Nature, 80 scientists found that the melting of Antarctica is speeding up. They compared 24 independently derived estimates of the Antarctic Ice Sheet’s mass and found that it has lost about 2,720 billion tonnes between 1992 and 2017. The picture in West Antarctica is the clearest. Ice loss there has roughly tripled, from 53 billion tonnes per year to 159 billion tonnes per year over the same time period. But in East Antarctica, the picture is more ambiguous. While most scientists believe East Antarctica is on average gaining mass in the form of ice and snowfall, or both, they also believe that increases in the East are not enough to offset losses in the West. The continent is losing ice mass overall. To further complicate the picture, scientists reported in Science new information on the upward movement of Antarctica’s underlying bedrock, which could suggest the Ice Sheet is more stable than previously thought. The Earth’s crust deforms when it is under the weight of glaciers and ice sheets. With the removal of these masses, the crust will rebound, which may help prevent the complete collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, even with significant warming. New GPS measurements signal that as ice is lost, the Earth’s crust under the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is rebounding much faster than previously expected. This surprising finding, though, may cause estimates of total ice mass loss to be revised upward by as much as 10 percent.
Greenhouse Gas EmissionsCarbon dioxide levels reach new milestone: May 2018 saw the highest monthly average of carbon dioxide levels since record-keeping began, reaching 411 parts per million (ppm). In 2016 and 2017, concentrations of global CO2 increased 2.3 ppm per year, in contrast with 1.5 ppm per year in the 1990s. New carbon budget calculations for 1.5°C: There’s been recent debate about the world’s remaining “carbon budget,” the amount of carbon dioxide we can emit and still limit temperature rise to a certain amount. Using a simplified calculation based on the level and rate of warming to date, scientists calculated the world’s carbon budget for 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Reporting in Nature Geoscience, they found that we would burn through the budget in just 22 years at our current emissions levels. If the contribution of non-CO2 gases change, or if past warming is calculated to be higher, the budget would shrink.Baobab trees, some of which are 2,500 years old, are dying. Scientists suspect extreme drought and high temperatures could be to blame. Photo by ACEI Cheung/Wikimedia Commons Extreme Events and Climate VariabilityStorms moving more slowly, wreaking havoc: A study in Nature showed that storms are moving more slowly in the summer than they used to, sticking around and causing more damage, just as Hurricane Harvey did when it stalled over Texas. This is due to a weakening of summertime tropical circulation, which has been linked to human-induced warming. From 1949 to 2016, the speed of tropical cyclones declined by 10 percent globally. Record high-tide flooding days in US: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found a record number of high-tide flooding days in 2017, with more than a quarter of coastal locations tying or breaking records. Cities with the highest number of flood days include Atlantic City, New Jersey; Sandy Hook, New Jersey; Boston; Galveston; Texas and Sabine Pass, Texas. NOAA suggests that 2018 may be even worse, with as much as 60 percent more high-tide flooding than 20 years ago. Extreme events linked more to CO2 concentrations than temperature: Research in Nature Climate Change showed that extreme events are directly impacted by higher carbon dioxide concentrations, with an even more predictable relationship than with global temperature increase. They suggest we need explicit targets to limit CO2 concentrations, in addition to goals that limit temperature rise.Ocean acidification causes coral bleaching. Photo by Richard Vevers/The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERTo receive these climate science updates right in your inbox, subscribe to our monthly newsletter Hot Science. Each month we review the latest and most significant climate research.Sign Up
After the largest election in history, India’s government faces important decisions on how to respond to climate change, including preparing for its increasing impacts on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Indians. While climate and environmental issues such as deforestation, water stress and floods were largely absent in the election campaign, several Indian states provide the federal government with a compelling case for strong climate policies.This is a critical year for India in many ways. The country’s 29 states are revising their five-year State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC), which are intended to integrate climate change concerns into mainstream government planning processes. After drafting a National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change recognized the importance of local insights and decision-making, thus creating the SAPCCs at the sub-national level. India, like other countries, may also choose to update its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the international Paris Agreement on climate change in 2020.These processes present excellent opportunities to ensure that a range of voices outside government—such as civil society organizations, the scientific community, media, think tanks and academics—are included in climate policy decisions. Climate policies ultimately affect the lives and livelihoods of communities, families and individuals. In order to make sure policies are effective and equitable, these actors must be involved. Addressing local concerns is also important because Indian states have primary jurisdiction over the country’s water and agriculture sectors, two of the areas most impacted by climate change.Women farmers planting rice in Tamil Nadu, India. Photo by Michael Foley/Flickr. The following examples from around the world show how countries are creating more inclusive, coordinated and effective approaches to climate action. Indian state and federal policymakers can draw insights from these examples as they revise their climate action plans:1. Mexico’s Climate Law Strengthens Political Discourse, Government CapacityIn 2012, Mexico became the first middle-income country to create a comprehensive national climate change law. Its law established a federal agency, the National System on Climate Change (SINACC), to develop policies and coordinate their implementation. NGOs, businesses and academics advise SINACC through a Consultative Council, while the National Institute on Ecology and Climate Change, a state research organization, provides technical support. The SINACC also includes representation from the federal Congress, as well as city and state governments. A recent study, based on interviews of Mexican stakeholders involved in SINACC, found that the law established clearer responsibilities across government, promoted the involvement of subnational and non-state actors, and strengthened political discourse and commitment towards long-term climate action.2. On-the-Ground Expertise Improves France’s Energy TransitionFrom rural and urban development to public health and gender equality, climate change affects a range of social issues. Involving groups that work on these issues can improve climate policies. In 2015, France held a wide-ranging stakeholder consultation process while developing its Energy Transition for Green Growth Law. The group responsible for implementing the law, the Council for a National Energy Transition (CNTE), includes 50 members representing labor, business, environmental NGOs, consumer interest NGOs, locally elected authorities and members of parliament. It has guided the development and early implementation of France’s Low-Carbon National Strategy by providing technical and policy expertise that the government wouldn’t have on its own.3. Brazilian Coalition of Non-State Actors Influences National PoliticsThe Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forests and Agriculture consists of more than 190 representatives from social and environmental groups, academic institutions and agri-businesses. The coalition develops action plans to support Brazil’s climate commitments, establishes and sustains dialogue with government representatives, and delivers the message of enhanced climate action to relevant audiences. As a credible non-state representative, the coalition has not only established itself as a leader for Brazilian climate action, but also influenced policymakers. In the run up to Brazil’s national election in 2018, the Coalition presented 28 proposals to the candidates on sustainable land use, and committed to support the new government in implementing these proposals.4. Collaborative Climate Adaptation Efforts in IndiaTwo Indian states have already demonstrated the benefits of including stakeholders from inside and outside government in the policymaking process.Local Experts Help Madhya Pradesh Adopt Climate-Resilient CattleIn Madhya Pradesh, the Department of Animal Husbandry discovered that rising temperatures adversely affect non-native breeds of cattle, which have become increasingly popular and contribute heavily to the state’s milk production. The department brought together veterinarians, data scientists, milk cooperatives and local governments to address the issue. Through these consultations, the department realized it needed to further invest in breed research and encourage farmers to rear indigenous cattle, which are more tolerant to heat. Madhya Pradesh reports that more farmers are now opting to rear native breeds—the number of indigenous cattle in the state increased from 3.9 million in 2012-2013 to 5 million in 2016-2017.A dairy farming family carrying their cows’ milk in Punjab, India. Photo by P. Casier/CGIAR. Uttarakhand Forest Communities Benefit from Coordinated Government EffortsIn Uttarakhand, the Forest Department has been working with forest communities to improve their resilience to climate change. Coordination among various agencies has been a long-standing challenge, which often led to ineffective and confusing communication with the communities. However, under the Forest Department’s leadership, local villages and forest governing bodies (Gram and Van Panchayats), along with state-level departments of agriculture and water, were able to coordinate their disparate efforts on climate-resilient livelihoods. Now forest management, agricultural diversification and water security efforts complement one another so that communities get maximum benefits.Many rural communities in India practice agroforestry. Photo by James Anderson/WRI
Both state governments found that a more participatory approach led to better climate resilience policies. These examples highlight that in order to successfully implement climate action, governments need to coordinate among various agencies, as well as consult with local experts, affected communities and those responsible for implementing policies on the ground.India isn’t the only country grappling with climate governance—a term encompassing not just climate policies themselves but also the institutions, legal processes and people that produce and implement them. As India and other countries choose to update their NDCs over the next year, they should keep in mind that including diverse perspectives from multiple stakeholders, especially sub-national ones, can make their climate action more successful.WRI will release new research on climate governance, addressing the themes in this blog, at the end of 2019.
We marketers are known for launching and running various campaigns. But like lots of other terms in our industry — ‘engagement,’ ‘brand equity,’ ‘virality’ — what an inbound marketing campaign actually is sometimes seems like sort of a mystery.It’s not that it’s a difficult concept — an inbound marketing campaign is simply a concentrated effort to attract leads and customers who are interested in a particular topic, or have a specific need.Learn how to run more impactful, measurable marketing campaigns.But it gets complicated in the execution, because inbound marketing campaigns have lots of moving parts that require plenty of forethought and coordination. In other words, if you fly by the seat of your pants, your campaign’s results will suffer accordingly. So whether you’re starting your first campaign or just need a brush up on the basics, follow this simple, 5-step process to execute your next inbound marketing campaign like a pro.Step 1: Determine Your Offer Mix Inbound marketing campaigns are all about creating the right mix of offers. The idea is to create a number of pieces of valuable content that you anticipate will drive conversions. If this is your first campaign, I’d recommend starting with around 4-5 different offers of varying formats. Remember, you can always scale this up if you need to.For example, HubSpot recently announced a brand new email tool. In anticipation of the launch, we wanted to raise awareness about how to build the right sort of email strategy that adds value for recipients rather than interrupts them. We also wanted to give people the chance to check out the new tools themselves and ask any questions they might have about them. So naturally, we wanted our offer mix to reflect those two goals. Some of the offers were more “top of the funnel” in nature — meaning they were more educational and discussed email strategy and concepts. Others were more “middle of the funnel” — better suited for individuals who were interested in learning about the email marketing software itself. Here are some of the offers we chose to include in our email campaign to achieve that balance:A whitepaper with facts and benchmarks about email marketingAn intermediate-level guide to email marketingAn upcoming webinar on the science of email marketingA free email marketing assessmentA series of webinars offering a first look at the new email toolEach of the offers had a unique value proposition but were tied together by a unifying theme — creating an email marketing strategy people love that simultaneously helps you achieve your goals with an email marketing program. As part of your own inbound marketing campaign, all of your offers should do this, too. And of course, each offer should have its own landing page so you can track the conversion of your offers over time!What to Measure: Downloads, registrations, new leads, and eventually, the number of customers those offers generatedStep 2: Set a Timeline and GoalsThe timeline will be unique for every campaign, but think about how to spread out your mix of offers to maximize their impact without having them run so long that the overall theme is diluted. A more complex topic may take longer than a straightforward campaign. As a rule of thumb, however, campaigns typically run anywhere from 30 to 90 days, with offers spread throughout. Topics: Step 5: Close Your Campaign & Report On ItAt the end of the day, there are a few metrics that are truly central to the success your campaign. When your campaign period comes to a close, it’s a good idea to report on the following:Views: Measuring the number of views will give you a sense of how effective your promotion was. If your conversion rate was high, but views were low, you need to evaluate and improve upon your promotion channels and strategy.New Leads: New leads are critical to your sales team and therefore central to any B2B campaign. New leads are a sign that you’re tapping into a market that you haven’t hit before, and that the content was valuable in attracting people to your company.Total Submissions: Don’t dismiss submissions from existing leads. They are another point of engagement, and they give you further indication of what your leads are interested in. New Customers: Obviously, the number of customers your campaign generates is a critical metric. While you often can’t measure this fully until some time has passed, it is especially interesting to measure which campaigns brought in actual customers compared to just leads. Here’s an example of campaign metrics in one of HubSpot’s analytics reports. In it, you can see how each offer (color coded) contributed to the core metrics. Marketing Campaigns As an inbound marketing software company, HubSpot creates a number of content offers throughout the year, but we only run a few campaigns. That’s because concentrated campaigns require efforts from of every member of your team — from your bloggers, to your email marketers, to your sales reps. Your entire company should be aware of the campaign and ready to contribute to it.Have you launched and run concentrated campaigns for your company? What lessons have you learned?Image credit: Tamsin Slater Don’t forget to share this post! AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to Email AppEmail AppShare to LinkedInLinkedInShare to MessengerMessengerShare to SlackSlack Setting goals is easiest if you’ve already got benchmarks. Once you know your offer mix, try to find similar offers in your marketing history to compare each against. In the case of the intermediate email marketing guide, for example, we looked to see how many leads our introductory guide had generated and how many leads other ebooks on similar topics had generated. We then used those metrics to set benchmarks for this campaign. By adding up the unique leads, submissions, and customers generated by past campaigns, we got a framework for how to measure the whole campaign. In addition to metrics directly tied to your set of offers (downloads, registrations, etc.), you may also want to add some complementary goals. As part of the HubSpot email campaign, we wanted to increase awareness about our new email software. For that, we planned to also measure the number of media mentions and external content created around the launch. What to Measure: Keep an eye on your benchmarks; if a given offer doesn’t meet your expectations for submissions or new leads, you may need to redirect your efforts or add in an additional offer mid-stream. By measuring throughout your campaign timeframe, you will ensure that you don’t fall too far behind.Tip for HubSpot Customers: Bookmarking a goal in HubSpot’s Landing Page Analytics Report Step 3: Drive Traffic To support your campaign and drive traffic to your offers, give the rest of your communication channels an editorial tilt toward your campaign. Blog: Dedicate a percentage of your blog posts to the topic your campaign covers. Include internal links to the offers where appropriate, and keep track of the traction those posts get. Social Media: Post teasers to your ebooks and other offers to your social media channels, and join existing conversations on other blogs and forums. Try not to post the same content again and again; rather, mix up the content and offer different angles. Email: Launch some of your offers with an introductory email, but don’t just blast a general email to your full list. Make sure your list is segmented to include people who are most likely to be interested in the topic or content. Save some of your offers for lead nurturing campaigns, which we’ll discuss more in the next section.Pay-Per-Click Ads: If you have the budget, paid search ads (PPC) aren’t a bad way to drive traffic to your offers. Just make sure that what you’re offering provides value and matches the message in your ads. What to Measure: Click-throughs to your offers, conversions, content sharing (retweets, “likes,” re-posts)Step 4: Nurture Your LeadsThe cardinal rule of inbound marketing is to provide value, not high-pressured sales pitches. Just because someone converts on one offer in your campaign doesn’t mean they’re ready to make a purchasing decision. Use a series of related emails to incrementally give your leads more and more information, and to nurture them through the sales funnel. As your lead becomes more engaged in the content and opts to download additional offers, start to introduce them to your product or service. If they aren’t interested, don’t push a sales call on them. If they do continue to click through on your emails and convert on your offers, they may be ready to hear more. Lead nurturing tools make it easier to automate and scale this practice, but if you’re a small enough business, it’s something you can do on your own. We’ve written an introductory ebook about lead nurturing that you can download for more information about managing lead nurturing.What to Measure: Watch that the click-through rates of your lead nurturing campaigns don’t fall below 5%. If they do, your offer may not be sticky enough or you may have pushed a sale too early. Originally published May 22, 2012 9:00:00 AM, updated July 28 2017
Yuvraj Singh. Manish Pandey. Ajinkya Rahane. Suresh Raina. Ambati Rayudu. Shreyas Iyer. All these batsmen were tried and dropped as India sought to address their middle-order woes in the lead-up to the 2019 Cricket World Cup.For the last 3 years, India had dominated teams the world over. Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were on fire. India’s top 3 batsmen turned into an unstoppable force.And in Jasprit Bumrah, they found a pacer who would go on to become the world’s best in ODIs. And along the way, they found two wrist-spinners who would bamboozle batsmen with their guile and variations. But one major problem kept Indian cricket on tenterhooks.The middle-order. Who would bat at No.4? Who would bat at No.5? Who would finish games for India? Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were formidable in their prime but India soon realised they were no more the players they once were.Virat Kohli believed Rahane could be a good option in England but surprisingly, he did not even get a look-in after the South Africa tour in eary 2018.Months before the World Cup, the Indian team management decided Vijay Shankar could be a great asset in the middle-order. Called in as a like-for-like replacement for Hardik Pandya who was banned for his controversial comments on Koffee with Karan, Shankar was touted as a viable middle-order batsman because he could also offer a few overs of medium pace.In List A cricket, Vijay Shankar has an average of 36.32. In the Indian domestic set-up, there are many more batsmen with much better averages. Yet, the Indian team decided to go in with Vijay Shankar who had only debuted in January, months before the World Cup.advertisementBefore the World Cup began, Vijay Shankar had played a grand total of 9 ODIs with a best of 46. He played only 3 matches in the tournament before being ruled out with a toe injury. At no point during the World Cup, did he look like he could solve India’s middle-order puzzle?Rishabh Pant, a promising batsman undoubtedly, was called in as a replacement for opener Shikhar Dhawan. Pant is a wicketkeeper-batsman, is only 20 and had played only 5 matches before the World Cup. To his credit, Pant showed character with scores of 32, 48 and 32 in 3 out of 4 innings in the tournament.All these decisions were surprising but not enough questions were raised. Going into the World Cup, India did not groom their middle-order. A handful of games was never going to be enough.The middle-order conundrum was years in the making. There were players who had made an impact: Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane were deemed solid players but they were inexplicably discarded.QUESTIONS FOR RAVI SHASTRI Ravi Shastri took over as coach in 2017 after Anil Kumble stepped down because of a rift with Virat Kohli. Shastri had enough time to plug the hole in that middle-order and call the shots. What were his inputs on the several middle-order options India tried out?What was Shastri’s role in deciding MS Dhoni’s batting order? What was Shastri’s role in helping batsmen tackle with overcast conditions which aided swing? What has so far been Ravi Shastri’s role in the Indian team?Ravi Shastri was team director in 2015 when India stormed into the World Cup semi-finals and lost to Australia. He was the popular choice after Kumble resigned in 2017. Both captain and coach have often spoken openly of their admiration for each other. Yet, there were gaps in team selection and tactics.MS Dhoni was sent in at No.7 when he clearly was no longer the finisher he once used to be. Dinesh Karthik who had batted only once throughout the World Cup, walked in at No.5 with the team tottering at 5 for 3. It was mayhem in the first half of the Indian innings before Ravindra Jadeja played the innings of his life to give India a glimmer of hope.Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was livid to see Dhoni sitting in the pavilion when India had lost their top run-scorers in the tournament. Ganguly wondered why Shastri wasn’t more proactive in deciding the line-up.”When your captain is out on the field, you expect your vice-captain, you expect your coach. But you have got to be proactive,” Ganguly said during his commentary stint when asked if Shastri would be empowered to change the batting order while the captain was out in the middle.Yes, India had a terrific campaign in the lead-up the semis but familiar problems did them in. Like in Dharamsala, like in England before, like in Hamilton, India were undone by the swing. Like in the Champions Trophy final, once India lost Kohli and Rohit, the rest of the middle-order failed (barring Hardik Pandya in the Champions Trophy and Jadeja and Dhoni in the World Cup semi-final).advertisementIndia went to play a World Cup without ironing out their flaws, hoping Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli would carry them through. Well, Dhawan was ruled out with an injury, Rohit Sharma did everything he could with 5 hundreds and Virat Kohli, though not at his best, scored 448 runs. But the rest of the puzzles remained unsolved.Ravi Shastri as coach has a lot of questions to answer.Also Read | Virat Kohli, KL Rahul had nervous energy while defending the ball: Sachin TendulkarAlso Read | Ravindra Jadeja has ripped me apart by bits and pieces of sheer brilliance: Sanjay ManjrekarAlso See:
Topics: Originally published Aug 3, 2016 5:00:00 AM, updated February 01 2017 Don’t forget to share this post! AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to Email AppEmail AppShare to LinkedInLinkedInShare to MessengerMessengerShare to SlackSlack What KPIs are other agency owners tracking? What should my profit margin be? How many clients do I need to make $X per year? What sources generate the most and best leads?These are just a few of the common questions agency owners and leaders ask themselves.Leading an agency is a challenging pursuit — it’s a different type of business with its own set of rules, language, and best practices. To help you better understand how agencies price, manage, sell, market, and deliver to clients, we conducted a survey during April and May of this year, with more than 750 agency executives responding to our questions.The results reveal common problems and challenges agency owners face and industry best practices. In addition, we’ve included essays from six industry experts who detail how agencies can improve their financial management, business development practices, and more. Download the report below to better understand how to build a profitable and stable agency. Agency Pricing Models
1. Yellow Leaf HammocksWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It tells us a story.When you have a great story about how your product or service was built to change lives, share it. The “About Us” page is a great place for it to live, too. Good stories humanize your brand, providing context and meaning for your product. What’s more, good stories are sticky — which means people are more likely to connect with them and pass them on.Yellow Leaf Hammocks tells users about its product by describing how the hammocks empower artisan weavers and their families. The company breaks down different pieces of the story into sections that combine words and easily digestible graphics, painting a picture instead of big chunks of text. They’re clear about why they’re different: “Not a Charity,” the page reads. And then: “This is the basis for a brighter future, built on a hand up, not a handout.”Every company has a story to tell, so break out your storytelling skills from that random English class you took years ago and put them to work on your “About Us” page. Using descriptive and emotive copy and gorgeous graphics, an “About Us” page with a story works harder for your business than a generic one.2. Eight Hour DayWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It’s human.People tend to think that “About Us” pages have to sound formal to gain credibility and trust. But most people find it easier to trust real human beings, rather than a description that sounds like it came from an automaton. Trying to sound too professional on your “About Us” page results in stiff, “safe” copy and design — the perfect way to make sure your company blends in with the masses.Instead, Eight Hour Day showcases the people behind the company and humanizes its brand. Introducing the founders by name and featuring the photos of them on the “About Us” page drives home the point that Nathan and Katie are — as they so astutely put it — “two individuals with a passion for creativity — creativity makes us happy.”When you’re designing your “About Us” page,avoid industry jargon and replace it with an authentic voice — yours — to describe your product or service. Sure, it needs to be polished and free of errors, but it should always sound friendly and real.3. Joe PaytonWhy the “About Me” Page Rocks: It’s confident, creative, and easy to skim.”About Us” pages might encompass the values of more than one person or entity, but they’re no more important to the image of a business than your personal about page. Take Joe Payton’s “About Me” page, below.Not only does Joe’s illustrative self-portrait give him a personal brand that customers will remember, but it also demonstrates his expertise as a designer and animator. His website visitors can learn not just what he does, but why he does it, in an easily digestible way. Being able to express his values as a creative professional in such a well-organized page is something to be desired by anyone creating their own about page.4. ApptopiaWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It skips the business babble.We know — no industry jargon. If you think it makes you sound super smart on your “About Us” page, think again. People want and appreciate straight talk about what your business does. After all, if people can’t figure out what you do, how will they know they need your product or service?So, skip the industry lingo — that’s what Apptopia does on its “About Us” page. The startup’s simple but polished language effectively communicates the company’s offering while still allowing the Average Joe to understand it. The moral of the story: Try to get rid of jargon on your “About Us” page whenever possible. Use short and punchy sentences to explain complex products and ideas in a way that isn’t patronizing, but rather, is empathetic.5. MozWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It’s humble.Instead of following the classic “About Us” script and writing a few paragraphs about the company’s mission and origins, try something different — there are plenty of ways to make your brand more compelling to someone who doesn’t know about you.Take Moz, for example. A lot has happened since it was founded in 2004, so the company chose to share those milestones using a fun and clean design that incorporates clear headers, concise blurbs, and little graphics to break up the text.We especially love the humble references to how Moz received funding, how it switched its brand positioning — and most importantly, how it switched back to its original model. This speaks volumes to the value honesty and humbleness can play to your customers. Don’t be afraid to talk about your ups and downs; your customers will trust what you say that much more. Free Resource Originally published Nov 18, 2018 11:11:00 PM, updated January 31 2019 Website Design Examples Topics: Hi 👋 What’s your name?First NameLast NameHi null, what’s your email address?Email AddressAnd your phone number?Phone NumberWhat is your company’s name and website?CompanyWebsiteHow many employees work there?1Does your company provide any of the following services?Web DesignOnline MarketingSEO/SEMAdvertising Agency ServicesYesNoShow Me the Examples Building a website is, in many ways, an exercise of willpower. It’s tempting to get distracted by the bells and whistles of the design process, and forget all about creating compelling content.It’s that compelling content that’s crucial to making inbound marketing work for your business.So how do you balance your remarkable content creation with your web design needs? It all starts with the “About Us” page.Download our collection of awesome ‘About Us’ page examples here, and get tips for making yours great, too. For a remarkable about page, all you need to do is figure out your company’s unique identity, and then share it with the world. Easy, right? Of course not. Your “About Us” page is one of the most important pages on your website, and it needs to be well crafted. This profile also happens to be one of the most commonly overlooked pages, which is why you should make it stand out.The good news? It can be done. In fact, there are some companies out there with remarkable “About Us” pages, the elements of which you can emulate on your own website.By the end of this post, you’ll know what makes some of today’s best “About Us” and “About Me” pages so great, and how to make your own about page that shares your company’s greatness. Lookbook: Awesome ‘About Us’ Page Examples 6. Aja FrostWhy the “About Me” Page Rocks: It’s data-driven.Alright, we might be biased in highlighting this professional, as Aja is our very own SEO strategist at HubSpot. Nonetheless, the ingenuity she brings to the company isn’t lost on her website’s “About Me” page.Being a data-driven professional, Aja knows her own clients as a freelance writer and strategist don’t just want to see what she’s written — they want to see how her content has performed. With that in mind, her “About Me” page tells a story of her career growth, which peaks — no pun intended — at an impressive line graph showing the result of an SEO strategy she implemented for the HubSpot Blog. (The graph’s sharp decline at September simply indicates when she stopped collecting data.)Following the impressive chart, Aja closes out her about page with a personal note on what she does in her spare time — always a good way to humanize yourself in the eyes of your potential customers.7. Cultivated WitWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It breaks the mold.Yes, this post is about, well, “About Us” pages. But sometimes, you don’t always need to wait for users to get there in order to make a statement. That’s part of breaking the mold to showcase your company’s personality.That’s exactly what Cultivated Wit — a creative agency and media company — does, with both an edgy name and an incredibly fun story told through video and parallax scrolling … right on its homepage. How to Write an About PageEstablish a mission statement.Outline our company story.Reveal how you’ve evolved.State your “aha!” moment.Explain who you serve.Explain what you’re offering them.Cite examples of who you’ve served.Describe your values. Tell us a little about yourself below to gain access today: It’s tough to establish one all-encompassing template for your “About Us” page — there are just so many ways you can go about telling your company story. But, per the real “About Us” pages we’ve just highlighted, there are some steps you should keep in mind when getting started.Here are five steps to writing an “About Us” page based on some of the things that impressed us about the examples above.1. Establish a mission statement.Your “About Us” page can and will be much longer than a single mission statement, but in order to draw people in, you need to succinctly state your goal in the industry up front. What are you here to do? Why should your website visitors care?2. Outline your company story.You might not have a long history of changes and growth your company has endured (yet), but it’s a nice touch to talk about where you came from in your “About Us” page. So, isolate the milestones prior your company’s founding, and use them to give readers some backstory on your current venture.3. Reveal how you’ve evolved.Even if you’re a young company, there’s no shame in admitting your business strategy — or even personal way of thinking — has changed since you began. In fact, in about pages, these evolutions can improve the story you tell to website visitors.About pages are perfect spaces to talk about where you started, how you’ve grown, and the ideals that have helped your organization mature. Use these moments to further your company story and show people that you’re always ready to change and adapt to the needs of your industry.4. State your “aha!” moment.Every good company was founded on an idea — something the current marketplace might not yet offer. What was your idea? Use this “Aha!” moment as a pivot point when telling your company story. What was a challenge you faced while developing your company? How did this challenge or discovery shape what you are today?5. Explain who you serve.As much as you want as many eyeballs on your “About Us” page as possible, you won’t do business with every single one of them. That’s why it’s crucial that you identify and mention your core customer. Who should care you exist? Which eyeballs are you here to serve?6. Explain what you’re offering them.As you’re explaining who you serve, make it clear what it is you’re offering. Too often companies generalize their product or service in the language of their website, making it hard to understand what it is the customer is actually paying for. They’re afraid literal explanations of their products aren’t interesting enough, or will sound unappealing in writing. And that’s a fair concern.However, by investing just a sentence or two into telling your potential customers exactly what they’ll receive can keep them on your website for longer and interested in learning more.7. Cite examples of who you’ve served.Got some loyal customers in your portfolio? Use your about page to let the world know who already trusts and benefits from your work.Knowing about your company’s past successes can influence the purchasing decision of up to 90% of today’s B2B customers, according to Dimensional Research. Even if you don’t yet have case studies to expand on the problems you’ve helped buyers solve, it’s in your interest to briefly mention who you’ve done this for. And your about page is the perfect platform for it.8. Describe your values.Customers want to be treated like human beings. For that to happen, they need to feel that they’re being treated by human beings. When finishing your “About Us” page, describe who you are as a person or a team, and what your personal values are. What’s your company culture like? What bigger picture in life drives your business?An LED lightbulb maker might sell 10 different lamp styles, for example, but that might not be the most important characteristic to its primary audience. Maybe this lightbulb developer was founded on a commitment to environmental protection, and every bulb the company makes was built by people who are dedicated to making the world more energy-efficient.Keep in mind a secondary audience of your company’s “About Us” page consists of your future employees. This is another reason describing your personal values is a good idea — the key to your job candidates’ hearts is to show them you have one too.At this point, we hope that creating an “About Us” page doesn’t seem like a daunting task — rather, we hope you’re ready to have some fun with it. With a good story to tell, creative copy, humility, and digestible visuals, you’re on your way to an eye-catching user experience.Even better? You’re becoming part of the exception — and standing out from a sea of “About Us” pages. What makes you different? We’re eager to learn more … about you.Want more inspiration? Check out 16 inspiring examples of beautiful blog design. Best About Us Page ExamplesYellow Leaf HammocksEight Hour DayJoe PaytonApptopiaMozAja FrostCultivated WitKero OneNikeRefinery29Sara DietschyMarie CatribsMarc EnsignBulldog SkincareDoomtree Below is the actual “About Us” page, which is a gem once you get there. But it’s great to see a company embrace its own brand of quirk throughout the site.Even if you have a dedicated “About Us” page, there are plenty of ways to creatively showcase your company’s personality throughout your entire website. And yeah, that’s harder than filling a stock “About Us” template — but it can have a significant payoff for your brand.8. Kero OneWhy the “About Me” Page Rocks: It’s multilingual.Kero One is a hip-hop artist and DJ from San Francisco, and his “About Me” page carries a valuable lesson to personal brands who cater to more than one audience — especially if those audiences speak different languages.Kero One’s story starts at his childhood, when he was six years old and first discovered a passion for hip-hop. Knowing how old and genuine his love for the genre is adds tremendous value to his own music in the eyes of his listeners.While this entrepreneur’s childhood interests help to deepen his audience, the second screenshot below helps Kero One widen it. His “About Me” page first tells his story in English, then in Japanese, then in Korean, then in Chinese. Accommodating these Southeast Asian audiences makes his brand more inclusive of all the audiences he identifies with….9. NikeWhy the About Us Page Rocks: It knows its audience.Nike might seem like a company that’s too big to inspire smaller businesses. You might even wonder if Nike even still has an “About Us” page. As a matter of fact, it does, and it hasn’t forgotten the company’s roots.Nike began on the campus of the University of Oregon by the hand of the college’s track coach, Bill Bowerman. And even though he no longer works at the company, one of his beloved quotes still brands the bottom of Nike’s “About Us” page below: “If you have a body, you are an athlete.”This bold sentence, referenced by the asterisked “Athlete” in the words right above it, sheds important light on Nike’s audience. The brand may be big today, but Nike is all about the rising stars — who Nike depends on to, according to the rest of its “About Us” page, “expand human potential.”The takeaway for marketers? Know your audience, and make it obvious to that audience the instant they read about you on your website.10. Refinery29Why the “About Us” Page Rocks: It tells you what’s most important.Here’s another instance where any area of your website — not just the “About Us” page — is an opportunity to break the mold.Many companies add just a simple mission statement or company profile, but people often don’t want to ready a wall of text explaining what you do. So, Refinery29 broke it down to convey the intangible qualities that are tough to include in a basic “About Us” page.Although Refinery29 does introduce its page with a description of its business, its goes out on a bang — four bangs, to be exact. The organization is on a “mission,” sure, but there’s also an “essence” of Refinery29, a “promise” it keeps, and a “vibe” it gives off.These aren’t company traits you’d think to include when starting out, but they’re what your customers often make gut decisions on when buying.11. Sara DietschyWhy the “About Me” Page Rocks: It has variety but still aligns with her personal brand.This professional YouTube content creator has an eclectic collection of videos related to technology and culture, and expresses that diversity all over her “About Me” page.In addition to the vibrant self-portrait at the top of the page, Sara’s first sentence tells you just how many people subscribe to her channel: 350,000. This is an important number to know for her potential video advertisers and collaborators who want to know how much exposure they’d get by working with her or advertising on her channel.The colored tiles lining the page — starting with the red one, as shown below — also do a terrific job segmenting her work by the types of projects she takes up and for whom she’s done them. That Intel logo in the second photo of Sara, below, is sure to turn some visitors’ heads as they’re perusing her website.12. Marie CatribsWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It’s unexpected.There’s a reason why these examples are exceptional — “About Us” pages aren’t always the most riveting parts of a company’s website. In fact, they often look like an afterthought. But even if you don’t have budget for juicy graphics, video, or parallax scrolling, there are other ways to make your “About Us” page unexpected with the copy alone.Marie Catrib’s is a restaurant, so you might think their “About Us” page would be your typical “here’s how we started, here’s what we believe in, and here’s our food” story. Marie Catrib’s “About Us” page does tells us that — but it does so in an unconventional way. Immediately, the user’s eyes are drawn to a header that says, “It’s okay to make a mess, experiments can lead to beautiful things.” Quite philosophical, for a place to have dinner.But next comes the story about the owner, which starts in an unexpected way — “It’s hard to imagine, but at one time Marie was banned from the family kitchen.” A line like that draws in the audience, because we know it’s not going to be typical.So, how will you use copy to really draw readers in? It’s amazing what impression you can make on site visitors just by creatively telling your story with words alone.13. Marc EnsignWhy the “About Me” Page Rocks: It’s funny but professional.This branding expert does two things super well on his about page: He takes his work seriously, but doesn’t take himself too seriously. Marketers know there’s value to keeping a casual tone in the content they create, but in order to attract customers, you need to prove you have discipline and integrity. That’s a tough balance to get right.Marc Ensign nails that balance between friendly and formal with a confident opening statement, followed by an amusing smiley photo of himself to set an inviting tone.14. Bulldog SkincareWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: It’s lovable and memorable.What’s the difference between “average” marketing and lovable marketing? It’s the difference between creating generic webpages that provide great information, but in a straightforward, black-and-white kind of way — versus creating webpages that provide great information and are infused with color, personality, and stay true to a company’s unique brand voice. When you create lovable marketing, you can start a movement of brand evangelists and advocates who will help you grow.Where does this fit into a company’s “About Us” page? The folks at Bulldog, a men’s skincare company that was named for the colloquial “man’s best friend” — a dog — could have typed up a few paragraphs about where the brand came from and how they were one of the first in the space to redefine and eliminate stereotypes around men’s grooming. But that text alone would have been a bit, well, average.Instead, the “About Us” page is pithy, colorful, and leads with the lovable mug of an adorable bulldog — fitting the name and the brand. And it states the purpose of the products — to help customers from waking up with the (admittedly adorable) wrinkly face you see when you visit Bulldog’s website.Play on your own words — it’s okay to have fun and pun with your brand, as it helps to inject personality and humor into your “About Us” page. It primes visitors for a story in a way that makes them immediately feel something. That’s how you create memorable, lovable marketing.15. DoomtreeWhy the “About Us” Page Rocks: Its shows, tells, and has a soundtrack.One minute of video is worth 1.8 million words, according to Forrester Research’s Dr. James McQuivey. But what about audio and visual, too, all combined with a really cool story? Well, that’s one way to tell your story in an engaging way — through multimedia.Doomtree is built on a bit of an innovative concept: That a group of talented artists can each have thriving solo careers, but can still come together on a regular basis to create great music. It’s not a band — it’s a crew. It’s an unconventional concept with an equally interesting backstory that “started as a mess of friends in Minneapolis, fooling around after school, trying to make music without reading the manual.” And as soon as you arrive on Doomtree’s ‘About Us’ page, you’re greeted with big, bold photos of those friends.As you scroll down, users are treated to even more interaction with the crew’s tracks and music videos. That makes sense, because it gives visitors an instant sample of Doomtree’s product. What’s more, the entire “About Us” page is responsive, including the video. That’s important — not only because it offers site visitors a great mobile experience, but also for Google search ranking — especially now that such mobile usage has surpassed desktop. Don’t forget to share this post!
Ice Breakers for Meetings1. One Word GameThe One Word ice breaker allows you to provide initial context into a meeting’s topic, and get everyone in the right mindset for discussion.To play, you’ll want to divide meeting participants into smaller groups. Then, tell them to think for a minute or two, and then share with their group one word that describes X.For instance, let’s say you’re leading a meeting on culture. Tell the groups to describe work culture, or your office culture in particular, in one word. Once they’ve shared with their groups, you can invite them to share their word with the entire room.This game encourages everyone to think about a certain topic in smaller groups ahead of time, which could increase participation during the meeting.2. Pop QuizTo successfully loosen everyone up and get them in the right mindset for a meeting, you might consider putting a short Pop Quiz on the board.If your goal is simply to encourage team bonding, your quiz can be more fun — like, “Match the lyrics with this 80’s song”. However, you might also use the Pop Quiz as an opportunity to introduce participants’ to the meeting’s theme.If you’re discussing company changes, for instance, maybe you’ll start by quizzing team members on company history facts (i.e. “What year was this company founded?”).3. Birth MapPlace a map and a set of pins at the front of a large conference room before a big meeting. As people walk in, ask them to place a pin where they were born or raised.As the map fills up with pins, people will learn about how diverse their teammates might be. Allow some time at the end of the meeting for your colleagues to walk up and look more closely at the map.Quick Ice Breakers4. Would You RatherA classic game played at summer camps everywhere, “Would You Rather” is actually an excellent, quick ice breaker for the workplace. Next time you’re settling into a meeting or team bonding outing, take turns going around the table and asking each person a “Would You Rather” question.Here are a few “Would You Rather” questions to get you started:Would you rather only have summer or winter for the rest of your life?Would you rather go on a hike or see a movie?Would you rather never use social media sites and apps again, or never watch another movie or TV show?Would you rather have a horrible short term memory or a horrible long term memory?5. 18 & Under18 & Under is an engaging and unique way to encourage team members to share fun or interesting stories with one another. Before a meeting, simply go around the room, and ask each person to share one accomplishment they had before they turned 18.Undoubtedly you’ll get some of lesser importance, like “I bought a skateboard,” but you never know what hidden skills you might discover in your colleagues.6. Two Truths and a LieOne of the more classic ice breakers in the list, Two Truths and a Lie can be used anywhere from family parties to company events. To play, you simply ask each person to brainstorm three “facts” about themselves — two of the facts will be true, and one will be a lie.For instance, I might say, “I once auditioned for the TV show Zoom. I have three brothers. I ziplined in Switzerland once.” Coworkers can take turns guessing which is the lie. (FYI, I have two brothers, not three, so that’s the lie. Unfortunately, I did audition for Zoom.)Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and engaging game, and more importantly, it can help your team learn facts about one another, so they can begin forming deeper bonds.Ice Breaker Games for Small Groups7. Fun QuestionsAsking fun questions is an easy and effective ice breaker game. To play, simply go around the room and have each person provide an answer to a fun question. The questions are up to you, but if you’re stuck, here are a few ideas:If you’re stranded on a desert island and have the option of bringing three items with you, what three items would they be?If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?What was the first concert you ever went to?If you could have any celebrity over for dinner, who would it be and why?These questions serve two purposes — first, they allow your coworkers to get into a sillier, more creative mindset. Second, they encourage conversation on topics typically reserved for outside the office, which enables members of your team to get to know one another on a deeper level.8. Personality QuizThis ice breaker can promote team bonding, and it’s one of the easier options in the list. Simply choose a brief personality quiz on your phone or computer (if you’re stuck, here’s a list), and pull it up on a projector or send the link to everyone.Once everyone has completed the personality assessment, have each colleague mention one thing they agree or disagree with in their results. This game allows your team members to gain a new perspective on their peers, and it’s also a fun and easy way to get an interesting conversation started.9. Who is it?Have everyone write a unique, strange, or unexpected fact about them on a piece of paper. Then, put the pieces of paper into a hat and mix them around. Pull from the hat and read each fact.Allow the team to try and guess who wrote it. After they guess, ask the employee who wrote the fact to identify themselves and give any further context if necessary. This could be a great way to get to know surprising new things about your teammates.10. Marshmallow ChallengeTom Wujec, a business visualization expert, initially presented his Marshmallow Challenge at TED. To play, you simply divide your team into groups of four and give each group 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and a marshmallow. Whichever team can build the tallest structure, wins — the trick is, the marshmallow must be on top.There are a few reasons this game works as both a great ice breaker and a team-building exercise. First, the most successful teams are the groups of people who don’t spend time competing for power.The game forces your colleagues to work collaboratively when brainstorming potential solutions. Second, the Marshmallow Challenge encourages people to think quickly and offer alternative solutions when their initial idea fails.With the Marshmallow Challenge, you can strengthen your team’s brainstorming and problem-solving skills, and your team can also have some fun. A win, win.11. Scavenger HuntAt HubSpot, we conduct a scavenger hunt for new hires on the first day of their training. It’s fun and encourages collaboration, but additionally, it can help employees learn their way around the office.Fortunately, you can conduct a scavenger hunt for your team even if they’ve worked at your office for years.Simply split up your team into groups, and give each group a short list of items to find — if you work in a smaller space, maybe you can hide some funny items around the office ahead of time. You might even provide incentive for the winning team, like a $50 Amazon gift card.A scavenger hunt is also an exceptional opportunity for cross-department interaction. Consider reaching out to managers’ from other departments, and creating groups of employees who don’t often get to work together.12. No SmilingThis game is simple and meant to energize your team. Get your colleagues in a circle and ask one volunteer to sit or stand in the middle. Tell the volunteer that they can not laugh or smile, regardless of what happens. Then have each other colleague take turns telling the volunteer a work-appropriate joke.The goal of the volunteer is to hear a joke from every colleague around the circle, while the goal of the other team members is to make the volunteer laugh.This icebreaker can be helpful in new-employee or management training to lighten the pressure of starting a new job. It can also be helpful as a way of lightening the mood on teams that regularly deal with stressful projects or situations.13. This is Better Than ThatAside from being a fun team activity, this might be great energizer for sales employees or others that regularly pitch, market, and sell products.Ask your team to find four to seven items around the office and bring them to one room. These items could be something they use daily, like a pen or a chair. However, you should encourage them to find items that are more odd or unique. This will make the game more challenging.Line the items up and split the group into sub-teams. Task each team with picking an item they would use to survive if stranded on a dessert island.Tell team members that they cannot pick more than one and must assume it is the only item they will have on that island. Allow the teams time to deliberate and then ask them to present the item they chose and why. Human Resources Topics: Originally published Jun 26, 2019 4:06:00 PM, updated June 26 2019
Asking “How is everyone?” at the beginning of every meeting isn’t always the best way to encourage connection and team bonding. Sometimes, you need to take it a step further with an ice breaker.The best ice breakers have the power to strengthen coworker bonds, stimulate better brainstorming sessions, and create an atmosphere of inclusivity. But it’s easier said than done, and the wrong ice breaker questions can lead to awkwardness or even increased tension.To get the most value out of your team bonding moments, we’ve compiled a list of the best ice breaker games for the workplace. Next time you get together with your team, use one of these games instead of asking “How is everyone”, and you’re sure to hear some better, more insightful responses than “I’m good.”Download a Free Guide and Template to Help You Create a Company Culture Code. Ice Breaker Games for WorkOne Word GamePop QuizBirth MapWould You Rather18 & UnderTwo Truths and a LieFun QuestionsPersonality QuizWho is it?Marshmallow ChallengeScavenger HuntNo SmilingThis is Better Than That Don’t forget to share this post!
A resilient Daniil Medvedev changed tactics midway through the second set and shocked world number one Novak Djokovic 3-6 6-3 6-3 in the Cincinnati Masters semi-finals on Saturday.After losing the first set, the Russian ninth seed decided he had nothing to lose midway through the second.He became more aggressive in general and on second serve in particular, and the complexion of the match changed in a heartbeat as the previously dominant Djokovic suddenly looked vulnerable.”I was so tired in the first set and playing Novak, I thought I’m not going to be able to keep the intensity,” world number eight Medvedev said in a courtside interview with ESPN.”Then there was one momentum change in the second and I just started playing unbelievable.”Asked why he had started bombing his second serve, Medvedev said it was par for the course when behind.”I do it all the time when my second serve doesn’t work. Novak, he was destroying me on the second serve so at one moment, at three-all, love-30 I’m like okay, what’s the matter.”He reeled off four successive points, including an ace on second serve, to hold and then broke Djokovic in the next game by ripping a winner down the line to seize the initiative.Medvedev never looked back and he was delighted to win a match he acknowledged would often have slipped away in the past.”Many (other) matches like this I would go crazy and break the racket and lose 6-3 6-3,” he said.advertisementMedvedev, who also beat Djokovic in April at Monte Carlo, will play Belgian David Goffin in the final on Sunday.It will be the third successive final for 23-year-old Medvedev, who lost to Nick Kyrgios in Washington and Rafa Nada in Montreal.Also Read | Knee injury puts Naomi Osaka’s US Open title defence in doubtAlso See:
Onam is a traditional ten-day harvest festival that marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. It’s the biggest festival of the year in Kerala, in South India, and the whole state rejoices in celebrating it. People decorate the ground in front of their houses with flowers arranged in beautiful patterns to welcome the king. The festival is also celebrated with new clothes, feasts served on banana leaves, dancing, sports, games, and snake boat races.There are actually four days of Onam. First Onam will be on September 10 (the day before Thiru Onam), while fourth Onam will be on September 13. Onam festivities continue throughout these days, and even longer. Onam 2019: Quotes, messages and whatsapp messagesCelebrate the carnival of Onam by sending heartfelt Onam messages to near and dear ones. They will love these heartwarming Onam wishes from you on this auspicious occasionAccept our warmest greetings on Onam festival. May you have an enjoyable and fun-filled Onam celebration there, as we join the fun in spirit. We may not be there but we will celebrate the occasion with you by soul. Happy Onam!Onam is a celebration of the home-comingof Emperor Mahabali.May you enjoy the love and bountiesof nature by sharing it with yourfamily.On the happy occasion of Onam, may you have abundance of joy in your live, good health and immense prosperity. Wishing a very happy Onam to you and your entire family.Wishing that King Mahabali blesses you with all that you desire!Wish you all a very happy, prosperous, colorful, healthy, wealthy and funfilled Onam!Let this season brings you all lot of good luck, peace of mind, happiness and all that you wish!Accept our warmest greetings on Onam festival. May you have an enjoyable and fun-filled Onam celebration there, as we join the fun in spirit. We may not be there but we will celebrate the occasion with you by soul. Happy Onam!It’s Onam! So, let’s celebrate the spirit of the harvest festival in all its splendour. Decorate your house with pookalams, listen to the melodious Onappattus and enjoy the auspicious festival of Onam!I’m wishing you a life as colourful as pookalam, as festive as this Onam festival, and as prosperous as the bountiful harvest. Happy Onam to you!Once more Onam is coming to remind us Maveli’s golden rule. Let me take the pleasure to wish you and your family a very happy Onam festival!Celebrate this Onam festival with joy and happiness. Cheers to this auspicious occasion! Happy Onam everyone!Read more: How to book a room at Vaishno Devi bhawan
Whenever we take up the subject of child health, it is more often than not discovered that the discussions focus on infants and children under the age of 5. While this emphasis is understandable, since they are physically the most vulnerable category, the neglect of the pre-adolescent children is baffling.Even while formulating the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the focus remained on the health of children below 5 years of age. One major reason behind this could be the fact that children in this age group are the healthiest in comparison to the other categories.However, it is also important to note that over a million children in the age group of 5 to 14 died in the year 2015 and several others suffer from health issues as per UNICEF data.Why does the 5-14 age group need more attention?The 5-14 age group is an extremely critical component of demographics. This is when children come out of their childhood innocence and start finding their feet in the world.A normal child starts formal schooling at about 5 years of age and by the time he/she reaches the age of 14, the foundation for the life trajectory is laid.Children in these formative years find their own identity, passions, and preferences and discover their life ambitions.As they evolve from innocent, incoherent toddlers into self-conscious individuals with their own responsibilities and expectations, these children need a solid support system.Since they are historically in the healthiest bracket, attention on their health and wellness topics is usually inadequate or absent.advertisement How parents overlook the importance of proper health and fitness of childrenAs a child becomes capable of controlling the motor skills, thoughts and words, parents start focusing on the education and personality aspects, taking it for granted that the child would remain in the pink of health. They strive to ensure best schooling, life’s luxuries and future planning aspects for them.Even as a society, it is assumed that children are capable of independently handling themselves and should be subjected to moral, behavioural and academic teachings.However, their physical endurance and psychological constitution are often overlooked and any failure on the part of children to display a healthy persona is often attributed to lack of intent or focus.Unsuspecting parents keep channelling their time and resources to provide the comforts of life to their children. In fact, most modern parents go out of their way to remove roadblocks and insulate their children from life’s challenges.Whether it is the school admission or homework, dealing with the teachers or school bullies, deciding the future careers of their children or anything else, parents take it all upon themselves.In fact, it is often seen that they try to ensure the academic or competitive success of their children by helping them pass in exams or get favourable feedback from evaluators. This practice of pro-active and protective parenting is known as Snow Plow Parenting in today’s times. Repercussions of ‘Snow Plow Parenting’It is undeniable that most parents only endeavour to provide a comfortable life and a great future to their children. However, in their quest to do so, they often inadvertently end up causing more harm than good.They channel all their efforts into ensuring great education and material luxuries for the children and get so engrossed in future building that they don’t realize the importance of present building.Children today are increasingly experiencing problems such as physical inactivity, obesity and lack of nutrients. Their parents remain too busy solving maths problems but lack focus on the child’s health problems.This results in children becoming unhealthy and overly reliant on their parents for even the basic needs and tasks.They experience anxiety, panic or inability to undertake daily life tasks unassisted and while interacting with the society independently.This eventually transforms them into failed and frightened individuals. Need to join hands to improve health and fitness of childrenDespite the criticality and neglect, it is not a grim picture for the children in the 5-14 age group.What is important is for the various stakeholders such as the children, their parents, educational institutes, health and wellness experts and the authorities to jointly work towards improving the situation.Parents should imbibe values for a healthy living in their children. Children need to be encouraged to spend time out in the open, undertake exercises, eat balanced diets and personal hygiene etc.Schools and educational institutions can help their students/learners by setting up support’ systems that proactively respond to the biological and psychological changes that children experience in early teenage years. They should put greater emphasis on sports and physical activities.Authorities should form more relevant and executable guidelines, regulations, etc. for the wellness of children. There should be awareness campaigns conducted on a regular basis, similar to the regulations and campaigns run to address the health issues of infants and under 5 year olds.Health and wellness experts should promote aspects like importance of physical activities among children, nutritional guidelines and also create facilities where children can come and indulge in rejuvenating physical activities.advertisementHow it would benefit kids?Focusing strategically on the health and wellness of the children and encouraging them to be physically active, take responsibilities, has great benefits for all. The children will become happier and healthier.They will be able to withstand the rigours of 21st century life better and become less prone to lifestyle diseases such as obesity, breathing and stamina related problems.While all the above-mentioned stakeholders need to play their roles in improving health among the children, the impetus must come primarily from parents. They are the biggest influences on their children when they enter the 5+ age group.By inculcating and encouraging positive health and fitness practices among the children, parents can become instrumental in building a robust society altogether!- Article by Dr. Tejal Kanwar, Founder, Kleinetics (a physical fitness-system servicing company)Read: Over 50% schoolchildren have dental issues, 19% are obese, 1 in 2 need glasses: ReportRead: Are our schools actually harming children with humiliation, sarcasm and caning? How can we create an NEP for kids’ safety?Read: Does your child have the right social and emotional skills to live a good life in the 21st century
Amit Panghal on Friday became the first male Indian boxer to qualify for the final of a World Boxing Championships. Panghal beat Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibbisinov by split decision in the flyweight (48-52kg) semi-final to seal a spot in the gold medal match where he will face Uzbekistans Shakhobidin Zoirov.”The guy I fought today was taller but he didn’t have the kind of power that I have. My opponent tomorrow is an unknown entity to me. I haven’t fought him before. I will rely on old videos to figure him out,” Panghal said about his final opponent Zoirov.Manish Kaushik, on the other hand, lost his lightweight (57-63kg) bout to Cuban 2017 champion Andy Cruz by unanimous decision and thus won bronze.Panghal and Kaushik’s performances have already made this India’s best showing at the men’s Boxing Worlds. India have only won four bronze medals before this and not more than one medal in each edition.The duo’s performances that earned them a spot at the semi-finals sealed their places in next year’s Olympic qualifiers with the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) stating earlier that those pugilists who win medals at the Worlds will be automatic picks for the qualifiers.When is the World Championship 2019 Final match between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov?The World Championship 2019 Final match between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov will take place on September 21, 2019 (Saturday).Where will the World Championship 2019 Final match between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov match be take place?The World Championship 2019 Final match between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov will take place in Ekaterinburg, Russia.advertisementWhat time does the World Championship 2019 Final bout between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov begin?The World Championship 2019 Final match between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov will start at 07:30 PM IST.Where can I watch the AIBA World Championship 2019 Final bout between Amit Panghal and Shakhobidin Zoirov live?You can watch the live broadcast of the bout on AIBA YouTube and Russian Boxing YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBdXQS3czTQsr_f_F5TZpwwAlso Read | World Championship bronze an inspiration for upcoming challenges: Bajrang PuniaAlso see:
Dutee Chand is part of the Indian contingent that will be going to the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships to be held in Doha, Qatar which starts on September 27.When Qatar hosts a sports event, conversations invariably veer as to how the athletes can cope with the temperatures and conditions they will find there.The tiny middle eastern nation is known for its scorching summers, with temperatures often hitting 50 degrees celsius in the capital city of Doha.At the time the World Championships will be held, temperatures are expected to be hovering around 35 degrees Celsius but Dutee is not too worried about it.”The climate I will find there will be very similar to what is there in Bhubaneshwar. My event will be happening in the night and so I am preparing my body accordingly,” Dutee told IANS on the sidelines of an event for Fitness First.The 23-year-old sprinter, who entered the Worlds team by virtue of an invitation from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), will be taking part only in the 100m event in Doha.She has been training in her home state, Odisha, as opposed to the Gachibowli stadium in Hyderabad which has been her training base for the past few years.In Bhubaneshwar, Dutee has been undergoing late evening training in an attempt to replicate the conditions she will find in Doha. “I have been training at around 9 p.m. because I think my event there should be happening at around 11.30 p.m. local time,” she said.advertisementAdd to this the fact that Dutee has experience of running in Doha. She won a bronze in the 100m event of the Asian Athletics Championships that was held in the city in April this year.”The weather had suited me very well when I had gone there for the Asian championships so I don’t expect too much of a difference now,” she said.Dutee said that her primary objective is to match her best time of 11.24 seconds — a national record — but she also has an eye on the final.”The last time I had participated in the World Championships was in 2017 and there I was not able to reach the semi-finals. This time I have kept a target of either matching my best time or reaching the final,” she said.The ace sprinter has been in the news for developments in her life off the track as much as on it. She revealed in May that she has been in a same-sex relationship with a girl from her hometown.”She never comes to the track but she has been with me. She has been motivating me. It is important that a person be relaxed so as to be happy and she tries to do exactly that for me,” she said.Her decision to come out led to her being hailed as a trailblazer around the world. However, she has spoken about the repercussions of doing so within her family.”I am minding my business, they are minding their’s. I have to stay in the city because of my profession. There hasn’t been any problems for now,” she said.Also Read | Gold at Olympics is my next target: Amit Panghal after historic silver at World ChampionshipsAlso see:
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Transfers Neymar plays down Real Madrid talk: I’m happy with my team-mates Goal Last updated 1 year ago 07:17 1/28/18 FacebookTwitterRedditcopy Comments(2) 
Gettyimages Transfers Real Madrid Neymar PSG v Montpellier Montpellier PSG Ligue 1 Primera División The Brazilian claims to be happy with life in the French capital and says the boos from fans don’t bother him Neymar claims he’s happy at Paris Saint-Germain amid mounting speculation that the Brazilian could be headed for Real Madrid this summer. Goal understands that PSG are prepared to let Neymar join Real Madrid this summer if he helps the club to Champions League success. Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi claims that the rumours around Neymar are an attempt to “destabilise” his club, but there is also plenty of reason to believe that the Brazilian could well be on his way back to Spain. 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 While Neymar himself is pleased to constantly have his name linked to the top clubs, he claimed after Saturday’s win over Montpellier that he was perfectly happy in France. “I’m happy with my team-mates and I’m happy at PSG,” he told reporters. “I have good games and numbers and come here to make history and do my best.”Speculation has always existed and will always exist. Since Santos and in my years in Barcelona, all the transfers windows had something with my name.”It’s impossible to stay out of it. But I’m happy because it means I’m a good player, and quality players are always speculated.”One cause of the constant speculation is perceived rift with Edinson Cavani, who passed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to become the club’s all-time leading scorer on Saturday. The two stars have butted heads over who takes the penalties at PSG in the past, and the Brazilian was jeered by fans after striking from the late on in an 8-0 trashing of Dijon, with supporters believing he should have allowed Cavani a chance at breaking the record rather than netting his fourth of the night. But the 25-year-old remains unfazed, and claims the decision for him to take the penalty was down to the manager rather than the players on the pitch. “I’m used to both boos and applause, but I’m happy with the victory in today’s game, which is the most important thing. I think we had a great game.”It’s impossible for us not to know (Cavani record), but the coach defined me as a penalty taker and we have no controversy with that.”We know what happened in the locker room and he decided that, so I have to assume this responsibility.”Of course, I support Cavani and wanted that he can break the record like he did today, but I also know that he would do that some day, because we still have many games this season. I know all my responsibilities and I’m not here to hide, but to assume them.”The 4-0 win over Montpellier pushed PSG’s lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table to 11 points ahead of Lyon’s clash with Bordeaux on Sunday, and the French giants are set to take on Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 in February.
While you’re here, we’d like you to consider subscribing to Pistols Firing and becoming a PFB+ member. It’s a big ask from us to you, but it also comes with a load of benefits like ad-free browsing (ads stink!), access to our premium room in The Chamber and monthly giveaways.The other thing it does is help stabilize our business into the future. As it turns out, sending folks on the road to cover games and provide 24/7 Pokes coverage like the excellent article you just read costs money. Because of our subscribers, we’ve been able to improve our work and provide the best OSU news and community anywhere online. Help us keep that up. The wait is over. Former Oklahoma State defensive tackle Vincent Taylor was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the 10th pick in the 6th round (194th overall).Taylor is a good fit for Miami’s 4-3 defense. With Taylor, they address a need for depth behind Ndamukong Suh and former Oklahoma defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.The Dolphins were the fourth-ranked NFL defense in points allowed in 2016. Their season ended with a loss in the wildcard game to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was Miami’s first postseason appearance since 2009.Taylor tweeted this shortly after the announcement.It’s a blessing to be apart of @MiamiDolphins Organization ready to get to work! ??— Vincent Taylor (@BallOut_96) April 29, 2017Taylor is the 20th selection from OSU in the Mike Gundy era. A Cowboy has been taken in nine straight NFL Drafts.