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10 months agoChelsea midfielder Kante hungry to continue trophy streak
Chelsea midfielder Kante hungry to continue trophy streakby Ansser Sadiq10 months agoSend to a friendShare the loveChelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante wants to win more trophies.The French midfielder has enjoyed a dream few years, winning two Premier League titles, the World Cup and other trophies.But he wants to win another FA Cup, after triumphing with the Blues in the competition last season.He is quoted by the Evening Standard as saying: “Does winning all those trophies give me the hunger to get more this season? Yes, of course. The last few years have provided some beautiful memories for me. “There have been beautiful achievements of winning titles with my team-mates. I hope to continue in the same way. “Even if we had ups and downs with Chelsea last year, because we didn’t get into the top four, we finished well with the FA Cup. “Following that, by winning the World Cup with the national team was a beautiful way to end 2017-18. I don’t know if if’s going to be my best year in football but for sure it will be something I will not forget.” About the authorAnsser SadiqShare the loveHave your say
Legendary College Football Coach Might Be On His Way Out
30 Oct 1999: A general view of the cloudly sky and the packed stadium taken during the game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the Baylor Bears at Wagner Field in Manhattan, Kansas. The Wildcats defeated the Bears 48-7. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /AllsportA legendary college football head coach might have coached his final game this evening.Kansas State lost to Iowa State for the first time in a decade, as the Cyclones rallied from a big deficit to topple the Wildcats, 42-38.This might’ve been the final game of Bill Snyder’s career.There has been rampant speculation about iconic Kansas State coach’s future and many around the program believe it’s time to move on.“Let the Snyder watch begin,” tweeted college football insider Pete Thamel.Let the Snyder watch begin. https://t.co/C3be8nQ6G1— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 25, 2018Associated Press college football writer Ralph D. Russo believes it’s time for Kansas State to make a change.What a job by Iowa State.Time for change at K-State. https://t.co/tHVYk6CBqC— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) November 25, 2018Kansas State finished the year 5-7, missing a bowl game for the first time in a long time.K-State finishes at 5-7. This is K-State’s first season with fewer than six wins under Bill Snyder since 2005.— David Scott Fritchen (@DScottFritchen) November 25, 2018Stay tuned.
Largest Conventional Geared Bulker in Canada Joined CSL
zoom Earlier this year, Montreal-based shipping company Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) welcomed to its fleet MV Ferbec, a conventional geared bulk carrier equipped with four cranes and grabs, which is now fully operational in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.The vessel, which previously operated in CSL’s Australian fleet as CSL Melbourne, became the largest vessel of its type in the Canadian domestic shipping market.Upon arrival in Québec City on May 13, 2017, the 49,502 dwt vessel underwent modifications to adapt to its new operating environment.Ferbec is now operating under Canadian flag in the Havre St-Pierre to Sorel corridor for Rio Tinto.Built at Nantong COSCO KHI shipyard in China in 2002, the Handymax bulker features a length of 188 meters and a width of 31 meters.“It is by design and with great pride that we revived the name Ferbec for this vessel. Like the original Ferbec – a 56,000 dwt ocean bulk carrier – the new Ferbec is plying the same trades along the same Saint Lawrence routes… Unfortunately, just like its predecessor, the new Ferbec will never be seen on the Great Lakes. Built as an ocean-going vessel, its hull is too wide for the locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway,” Louis Martel, President and CEO of The CSL Group, commented.The arrival of Ferbec in the Canadian fleet is part of CSL’s fleet optimization and capacity management program, which has seen the introduction of six new Trillium Class vessels to the Canadian fleet and the retirement of older, less efficient ships, including most recently the 33,197 dwt bulk carrier, Pineglen.Canada Steamship Lines, a division of the CSL Group, currently operates a fleet of 18 vessels, according to the company’s website.
Fight to free Raif Badawi goes on five years after his imprisonment
MONTREAL – Raif Badawi’s supporters say they haven’t given up the fight to free him as they mark the five-year anniversary of his imprisonment.Badawi was arrested on June 17, 2012, and later sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for his criticism of Saudi clerics.His imprisonment has drawn widespread international condemnation and Amnesty International has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of not doing enough to free him.Badawi is not a Canadian citizen but his wife and three children live in Sherbrooke, Que.Earlier in this month, Badawi’s children appealed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a video message, asking him to personally call Saudi Arabian authorities to ask for their father to be freed.Badawi’s spouse, Ensaf Haidar, has met with leaders in Canada and around the world while campaigning for his release.More than 200 rallies to protest Badawi’s imprisonment have been held in Quebec alone, including several this week.Earlier this week, a Parti Quebecois legislature member urged Premier Philippe Couillard’s administration to pressure the federal government, saying Trudeau campaigned on a promise to do everything he could to secure Badawi’s release.Global Affairs Canada has said the government has raised Badawi’s case at the highest levels and continues to call for clemency.But Amnesty International Canada says Ottawa has been far too passive when it comes to defending human rights.“It’s not a simple subject, it’s not a subject that will be solved tomorrow, but the country is reaping what it has sowed in the past years by not demonstrating leadership on the international scene when it comes to human rights,” spokeswoman Anne Sainte-Marie told The Canadian Press.After five years, Sainte-Marie said Badawi supporters are determined not to let his memory fade from public memory.“We have to remember that Raif didn’t go anything,” she said. “All he did was call for reflection, dialogue and exchange on societal issues that are completely legitimate.”
BMW wins skirmish in 175M claim against Autoport over stored cars
TORONTO — BMW Canada has won a skirmish in its quest for $175 million in compensation from storage company Autoport for alleged damage to thousands of imported vehicles.In a ruling, Ontario’s Divisional Court ordered Autoport to foot the $10,000-a-day bill BMW says it’s been paying to preserve the vehicles as litigation evidence.The case arose after a brutal winter in February of 2015 during which, the German automaker alleges, 2,966 imported BMW and MINI models stored by Autoport in Halifax were unduly exposed to ice, water and salt. BMW argues the exposure created potential safety risks and recalled all the vehicles.In a July 2015 recall notice, Transport Canada warned of a serious safety risk. Corrosion, the agency said, could lead to sudden engine shutdowns, steering problems or fires. The recall affected 10 different BMW models — including higher end X7 and i8s from three different model years — and seven 2015 MINI models.BMW says it’s impossible to determine the extent of any damage without destructive tests, and, as a result, none of the vehicles could be made roadworthy and sold. The automaker wants to destroy all of them.The unproven suit, which alleges Autoport was negligent and breached its contract, seeks $175 million — the full value of the vehicles.Autoport denies any liability. It argues BMW’s claim is grossly exaggerated and the recall unreasonable. The storage company says none of 12 vehicles it has inspected showed any sign of damage, according to court documents.BMW argues its claim does not turn on proving any particular vehicle was damaged and says it doesn’t need the vehicles for the lawsuit. For its part, Autoport says it needs to examine the automobiles to mount a proper defence.It also wants to see the results of inspections BMW has done, saying it doesn’t know what specific investigations are required or whether examinations can be performed on only a small sample of the cars.The automaker says it has been spending about $10,000 a day — roughly $3.5 million a year — to keep the vehicles at three sites in Canada. It wants Autoport to foot the bill.The courts initially sided with BMW, but an appeal judge overturned the decision on the basis that the automaker, as plaintiff, was financially responsible for storing and preserving the litigation evidence. BMW appealed to Ontario’s Divisional Court.In agreeing with BMW, the Divisional Court panel said making Autoport pay for the storage gives it an economic incentive to preserve and test only as many automobiles as it actually needs for its defence.“Placing the financial burden on the plaintiff would give the defendant an economic incentive to delay its testing and exaggerate the number of vehicles to be preserved,” the panel said in its decision.“Autoport’s own experts can determine how many vehicles they need to preserve and test. Logic and the principle of proportionality suggest that it will be substantially fewer than the 2,500 vehicles currently in storage.”The appellate court ordered Autoport to pay for the storage to date. The company can also keep paying for the storage or take possession of the vehicles to do whatever tests it feels are needed, the court said.Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press
Metis woman uses dark past to help others find the light
APTN National NewsAn Edmonton woman is helping drug users beat addiction and change their lives.She can quickly bond with users because she was also a drug addict for a quarter of a century.APTN’s Chris Stewart talks to Pamela Spurvey who has changed her life and the lives of others.
BJPs name shows on EVM during mock poll at Barrackpore
Kolkata: Taking strong exception to the name of the party written under the symbol of BJP during a mock poll at Barrackpore, the Trinamool Congress has lodged a complaint with the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bengal.TMC had raised questions over the act as the name of no other party is written under its respective symbol, except the saffron party. The ruling party alleged that BJP is trying to influence the Commission through such an act. Also Read – Bengal family worships Muslim girl as Goddess Durga in Kumari PujaThe anomaly was perceived during the mock poll at the office of the SDO of Barrackpore on Friday morning. Soon, the polling agents of TMC who were present during the mock poll protested and started agitating. The mock poll was stopped and a complaint was lodged with the returning officer. Congress also joined the protest along with TMC. It may be mentioned that Arjun Singh is contesting on the ticket of the saffron party from the Barrackpore seat, while Dinesh Trivedi is the candidate for Trinamool Congress. Also Read – Bengal civic volunteer dies in road mishap on national highwayLater in the day, a delegation of TMC led by its secretary general Partha Chatterjee, along with senior TMC leaders Tapas Roy, Derek O Brien, Subrata Bakshi and Subhasish Chakraborty met CEO Ariz Aftab and lodged a complaint in this regard. “We have seen during the elections till date that only the symbol of a political party is present on the EVM. The name of any political party does not feature on it. If the name of one party is written then it should have been so for other parties as well. It seems that a political party is trying to use technology with an evil intention. We have urged the Commission to take immediate action so that such things are not reflected during the elections,” Chatterjee said. Barrackpore, along with six other Lok Sabha constituencies namely Bongaon, Howrah, Uluberia, Sreerampore, Hooghly and Arambagh goes to polls on May 6, the fifth phase of the ongoing seven phase elections. TMC district president, North 24-Parganas, Jyotipriya Mallick said: “We are witnessing strange things during the elections this year. How can the name of a political party be written under the symbol? The act is illegal and BJP has done this with malafide intentions. They have realised that they will be defeated and so they are doing such things out of desperation.” TMC has also pointed out in its complaint that similar things had also occurred during the mock poll at Raiganj, where the elections have already been held. A senior official of the CEO’s office said that they have forwarded the report of the District Magistrate in this regard to the Election Commission of India for necessary action.
Will continue to fight for transparency in election process says Chandrababu
New Delhi: A delegation of 22 opposition parties, led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on Tuesday approached the Election Commission requesting for verification of all Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) in an assembly segment if discrepancy is found in counting of VVPAT slips of five random machines.The delegation met the EC immediately after the Supreme Court dismissed a plea by opposition parties to review its judgment rejecting 50 per cent random physical verification of EVMs using VVPATs. Also Read – 2019 most peaceful festive season for J&K: Jitendra SinghThe delegation also demanded that the EC “suo motu” increase the physical counting of VVPAT slips with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) vote count in order to restore voters’ confidence, credibility, transparency and robustness of institutional mechanism of counting process. The Supreme Court has directed the EC to count VVPAT slips of five random EVMs in each assembly segment. Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Abhishek M Singhvi as well as National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, CPI parliamentarian D Raja and AAP MP Sanjay Singh were among other leaders present in the meeting. Also Read – Personal life needs to be respected: Cong on reports of Rahul’s visit abroad”After the SC dismissed our petition, we came to the EC and requested it clearly that if any discrepancy is found in five VVPATs then what action it should take. Some of the booths are manipulated. Our demand is clear that all VVPATs in the entire assembly segment should be verified,” Naidu told reporters after the meeting. Naidu said the delegation told the EC that it is possible to count 50 per cent of VVPAT slips easily. “There are 14 tables in every counting hall for an assembly constituency. Therefore the amount of time and energy in which slips from one VVPAT machine can be supervised by returning officer and observer is same for 14 VVPAT machines. “Therefore slips from at least 70 VVPAT machines can be counted in the same time. If they are counting 5 VVPATs, then they can count 70 VVPATs at a time,” he said.
UN condemns latest death sentences carried out by Sudanese authorities
15 January 2010The United Nations human rights office today strongly condemned the execution on Thursday of six Sudanese accused of murdering a number of policemen during clashes in 2001, despite requests by the world body to determine whether fair trials standards were respected. The six men were sentenced to death in November 2006 for the killing of 13 policemen during clashes over a forced eviction in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum A stay of execution was granted by the Supreme Court of Sudan in early December 2009, but it expired on 6 January. Rupert Colville of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) strongly condemned these latest executions and reiterated that under international law, the application of the death penalty can only take place in a very strictly defined set of circumstances. One of these, he told a news briefing in Geneva, is that the sentence of death can only be issued after a trial in which minimum standards for fair trial were respected. Mr. Colville noted that after their conviction and sentencing, the Government’s attention was drawn to various reports that the men had been detained without access to legal counsel for five months following their arrest, and that they confessed to murder under torture. Also, just hours before the execution took place, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Sudan sent an urgent letter to the Government requesting that no execution take place. “Regrettably, this appeal was ignored,” said Mr. Colville, adding that the latest executions highlight the growing number of executions that have taken place in Sudan in recent times, many of which were carried out after trials which failed to conform to international standards.
TNA to decide on US visit
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is to meet this week and discuss a proposed visit to the United States (US) early this year, reports said.According to the Jaffna media, TNA leader R. Sampanthan, who has been overseas for medical treatment, is due back in the country this week. On his return he is scheduled to attend a function in Trincomalee on Thursday and then discuss the visit to the US. The State Department had reportedly invited the TNA to Washington for talks on the political solution and the state of the resettlement of the war displaced. A TNA delegation had last visited the US in 2011 on an invitation extended by US Under Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake.During that visit the TNA had briefed US officials on talks held so far between the TNA and the government.
Oil higher as OPEC ups 2013 global demand forecast euro rises against
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The price of oil rose Tuesday as OPEC upgraded its forecast for global demand and the Group of Seven industrial countries pledged not to devalue their currencies.Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude gained 48 cents to finish at US$97.51 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.OPEC, the Vienna-based organization comprising many of the world’s key oil exporters, raised its 2013 forecast for global demand to 89.7 million barrels — 80,000 barrels more than its previous forecast a month ago — citing “some signs of recovery in the global economy and colder weather at the start of this year.”It said about half of the demand increase over 2012 would come from China.Oil prices were also supported by a rise in the euro against the dollar. The increase makes it cheaper for European traders to buy crude oil, which is priced in dollars.The euro rose after the finance ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrial countries insisted they remained committed to exchange rates driven by the market — not government policy — and would consult closely when it comes to sharp movements in foreign currency markets.Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, rose 53 cents to end at US$118.66 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.In other energy futures trading on the Nymex, wholesale gasoline rose three cents to finish at US$3.05 a U.S. gallon (3.79 litres), heating oil rose less than a cent to finish at US$3.24 a gallon and natural gas fell five cents to end at US$3.23 per 1,000 cubic feet.(TSX:ECA), (TSX:IMO), (TSX:SU), (TSX:HSE), (NYSE:BP), (NYSE:COP), (NYSE:XOM), (NYSE:CVX), (TSX:CNQ), (TSX:TLM), (TSX:COS.UN), (TSX:CVE) AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email Oil higher as OPEC ups 2013 global demand forecast, euro rises against greenback by The Associated Press Posted Feb 12, 2013 4:11 pm MDT
Canadian poet to reflect on human impact on environment during public talk
During an upcoming talk, regarded Canadian poet and Brock Associate Professor Adam Dickinson will use poetry to share with audiences the dramatic impact humans have made on Earth’s climate, geology and biological makeup.Presented by the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC), Dickinson’s talk will be the next presentation in the Walker Cultural Leaders Series. It will take place on Monday, March 18, from 8 to 9 p.m. in room 211 of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).“Writing in the Anthropocene: Poetics and the Environment” will focus on the intersections between poetry and science as a way of exploring new ecocritical perspectives and alternative modes of poetic composition. Catherine Parayre, Director of STAC, said Dickinson is a fitting artist to welcome to the Walker Cultural Leaders Series this year because of his involvement with the Centre’s new Small Walker Press.Officially launching this spring, the press publishes books by artists and authors working together on a given theme.“The Small Walker Press is publishing works on the theme of environmental degradation this year, and Adam Dickinson’s work perfectly aligns with it,” explained Parayre. “He was inspired to write his contribution to the press after a walk he took with artist Lorène Bourgeois at Glenridge Quarry in the Fall of 2018.”Dickinson is an award-winning poet whose work has been featured at prominent international literary festivals such as Poetry International in Rotterdam, the Harbourfront International Festival of Authors in Toronto and the Oslo International Poetry Festival in Norway.He is perhaps best known for his work The Polymers (2013), which was a shortlisted finalist for the Governor General’s Award for English-language poetry in 2013, the 2014 ReLit Award for Poetry and the 2014 Trillium Book Award. He is also the author of Cartography and Walking (2002), Kingdom, Phylum (2006) and Anatomic (2018). His poem My Fear of Being Eaten will appear alongside art by Lorène Bourgeois in the forthcoming Quarry, to be published by the Small Walker Press later this year. His upcoming author’s talk is free and open to the public. No registration is required. For more information, please contact Catherine Parayre at cparayre@brocku.caGenerously funded by Marilyn I. Walker, the Walker Cultural Leader series brings leading artists, performers, practitioners and academics to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University. Engaging, lively and erudite, these sessions celebrate professional achievement, artistic endeavour and the indelible role of culture in our society.
Rivalries expansion rule changes headline first day of 2014 Big Ten Media
The trophies for the Big Ten West Division (left), Big Ten Championship (center) and the Big Ten East Division sit alongside the podium during the 2014 Big Ten Media Days July 28 in Chicago.Credit: Tim Moody / Lantern sports editorCHICAGO –– It may only be July, but the Big Ten football season is already heating up.The discussion of rivalries in the realigned Big Ten Conference was a point of emphasis Monday as a coach from each of the 14 teams took to the podium, and the coaches from the top two Big Ten teams from last year did not agree on what constituted a rivalry.Reigning Big Ten and Rose Bowl Champion Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said he believes the rivalries within the East Division will make for a competitive 2014 season.“Great games and a lot of games, a lot of teams that have built-in rivalries. Obviously our rivalry with Michigan is intense for us, but we’ve also got a rivalry with Ohio State from the past and Penn State,” Dantonio said. “So I think it’s going to be a tough division. There’s no question about that.”OSU coach Urban Meyer was not convinced.“There’s one rival, that will never change,” Meyer said, likely referring to OSU’s historic rivalry with Michigan.Despite the disagreement on the rivalry, Meyer did agree with Dantonio concerning the competitiveness of the conference.“(The) East Division is very strong,” Meyer said. “As we get close to the season, start looking at the schedule, there’s a tough run.”The Spartans and Buckeyes are set to play Nov. 8 in East Lansing, Mich., in a game that very well might decide the East Division representative in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game.Coming off of the 2013 Big Ten Championship Game win against OSU, Dantonio said one of the biggest struggles for his Spartans will be not letting the recent success go to their heads.“We’ve gotten to a point where we’ve done some special things,” Dantonio said. “What’s on our agenda next, how do we handle that success, and that’s really going to be one of the biggest things we’ll have to deal with this year. I think we’re a little bit more of the hunted.”The East Division not only contains the top two teams from the conference last year, but also welcomes Big Ten newcomers Maryland and Rutgers.Terrapins coach Randy Edsall and Scarlet Knights coach Kyle Flood took the stage in Chicago for the first time Monday, and will face the significant schedule change that coincides with changing conferences, something Flood said he is excited about.“We’re looking forward to competing for championships,” Flood said. “And if that’s what the schedule is to give us an opportunity to compete for a championship, then we certainly look forward to it.”Edsall echoed Flood, and said he is eager for the season to start.“So the thing is, I’m just glad that we’re finally to the point now where we can go and play games,” Edsall said. “But I’m glad we’re here, and I’m glad it’s getting close to August and starting practice and getting the opportunity to compete against these outstanding programs and institutions that we’re going to compete against.”The Terrapins are scheduled to play their first home game as a member of the Big Ten Conference against OSU, a game that Edsall said he thinks will be “electric.”“It will be something that I know our fans are looking forward to,” Edsall said. “Ohio State is a program with great tradition and history and one that has done very, very well. And it will be something that I think everybody that’s in attendance and everybody that gets a chance to watch on TV wished that they were there, because I think it will be a ton of excitement, one that I know we’re looking forward to as well as all the other games we’re going to play.”A topic that all coaches seemed to agree on was the NCAA rule change new to 2014 that allows them to require summer workouts. The rule allows up to eight hours of weekly weight training and conditioning required by the coaches, something that was prohibited in years past.Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald kicked off the discussion early, as it carried on throughout the day.“I really like the new rule change we’ve been able to have this summer where we’ve been able to have a chance to spend time with our guys,” Fitzgerald said. “We know more about our football team today than maybe in the past through going through summer workouts.”Former OSU assistant and current Purdue coach Darrell Hazell was just as pleased with the rule change.“I think this off-season’s new rule of being able to use two hours to meet with our guys couldn’t have come at a better time,” Hazell said. “What we’ve seen, we used it as a staff to meet with our younger guys, to get those guys caught up, then we took the second hour to meet with the rest of the team, just so we can get advanced in the football knowledge that we needed to get advanced in.”Meyer also expressed his delight with the change, and said that the Buckeyes took full advantage of the extra allotted time.“I think we had six or eight sessions with our players, and they were also helped in the transition of our high school guys when they showed up in June,” Meyer said.Day two of Big Ten Media Days is set to begin Tuesday at 8 a.m. when all coaches and players will be made available to the media.
Opinion DIY cocktails – how to grow your own mojito
THERE ARE A wealth of garden-based beverages and homegrown cocktails that even the most lethargic gardener can muster up. One of my favourites is the classic mojito. Perhaps because it features one of the easiest plants in the world to grow – mint. Cooling and refreshing for summer evenings and great for get-togethers and home barbeques.Originating in Havana, Cuba, it is argued that famous Elizabethan explorers such as Francis Drake may have influenced the creation of mojitos – along with African and Irish captives, who were forced to work the sugar cane plantations. Furthermore, it was often thought that “mojito” stemmed from a Cuban-Spanish language. Yet, it may stem from the African word “mojo” meaning magic charm or little spell – and boy does it put a spell on. Whoever started it, with the simplest of ingredients came a stunning beverage with a delicious kick.Today, in the 21st Century, there are many variations of the white rum cocktail including strawberry mojitos, coconut rum mojitos; even tropical fruit twists and frozen ones. Nevertheless, the classic recipe calls for the five customary ingredients – rum, mint leaves, fine sweet sugar, lime juice, and (a bit of fizz) club soda.Selecting and understanding mintsBeing the base of the beverage, mint is one of the most important pieces of the drink. There are many varieties of mint, all delicious and all so easy to grow. Not just in the garden but also ideal for containers and even indoors on a bright windowsill. When growing my own mint, I like to mix some garden soil and sand/grit with any good quality potting compost. This will give the growing media body nutrients for long term-harvesting.Care for this plant is minimal, you simply need to water the plant when the soil becomes dry. Watering the plant when it dries out creates a good base for the plant to grow, as well as cutting it. Every harvest after they are cut, they grow back with even more flushes of foliage. Unfortunately outdoor plants will die in the winter, but they will return in the spring. A nifty trick that I use is dividing my containers every three years to keep vigorous growth.There are three types of commonly used and grown mints. The garden mint, peppermint, spearmint. In order to understand the differences, below are descriptions of each plant and how they grow.The most common type of mint is the ‘garden mint’ (Mentha suaveolens) popularly used in mint sauce or on top of new potatoes. This plant is a hardy perennial, and sometimes has an evergreen colour in milder years. It can thrive in every type of soil and grows well everywhere except in deep shaded areas. It can tolerate drought but not water logging. However, I find it likes to have regular watering in order to produce lots of leaves, so how much you want to harvest will dictate how often you water.Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is perhaps the second most used and recognisable of all the mints. The mint smells of confection and sweets but with all the refreshing properties we seek. I recommend keeping it in a larger pot or container as it will colonise the garden quickly if planted directly into the ground.Next is spearmint (Mentha spicata), the stronger scent and flavour makes it a global hit as culinary seasoning herb. It prefers more light than the others. Great in lemonades and iced teas too.Other varieties such as ginger mint, eau de cologne mint, Corsican mint, pineapple mint etc, all have subtle culinary differences and different aroma notes but will all hit a nice note in your highball glass of rum.The ‘Encanto Perfecto’Pluck six mint leaves (fresh) off of your mint plantBegin to roll them a little between your fingers to burst open the aromatic oilsThen drop them into a shaker or direct into a collins or highball glass, squeezing in the juice from a wedge of limeSprinkle a tablespoon or two of fine sugar (to your preference); an alternative for those watching calories is for half that amount (1/2 or 1 tablespoon) of stevia, or for those who want more of a sweet sensation add a drop of demerara syrupCrush (roughly) two ice cubes and add about 3oz of rumYou can then muddle (fiddle around with a fancy bartender crusher-slash-stirrer) or shake a littleFinally add a second wedge of lime and top up the glass with some fizziness with club soda (tonic water is too bitter); you may then garnish with a mint sprig.Also in season…If you are a GIYer (or Grow it Yourself) you will have strawberries in season now – so if you fancy a Strawberry Mojito, the trick is to…Cut the mint leaves in halfPuree two juicy strawberries And add a full one as garnish.If you are just starting out and keen to get some strawberries on the go, then bear in mind there are many varieties.The three main types in garden centres are June-bearing, Everbearing and Day neutral.June-bearing produces once a year in June and is gone by the end of July. Everbearing produces fruit twice: once in June and then once again in late summer (could be late July or mid-August or even September depending on weather). The Day- neutral type will continue to bloom and produce fruit throughout the summer and often into late autumn no matter what. All will grow in a wall-mounted containers, hanging baskets, terracotta pots or directly in the ground.One last thing – mojitos are not part of your five a day – please garden sensibly.Fiann Ó Nualláin is an advocate of gardening for health with a background in horticulture, nutrition, naturopathy and ethnobotany. His new book, The Holistic Gardener, published by Mercier Press, is available to buy now. Opinion: Want to grow your own food, but don’t have outside space?Read: 11 really cool facts you didn’t know about the human body
Diapermaker to close Vancouver plant
Duluth, Ga.-based Associated Hygienic Products on Monday announced it’s closing its Vancouver plant and moving a portion of its 101 employees to factories in Texas and Ohio, according to a federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification. AHP, a subsidiary of Disposable Soft Goods International, manufactures disposable baby diapers and training pants at 801 S.E. Assembly Ave. in Vancouver. Its products are sold in private-label or store brands in most big-box grocery and drug stores nationwide, according to the company.“Due to market demands, product changes, facility constraints and growing logistical issues, the high capital investment needed to maintain operations in Washington state is not economically feasible,” according to the notice.AHP managers didn’t return calls seeking comment.Workers received layoff notices last week that the plant will close Nov. 27. They could face schedule changes and reduced hours to meet the company’s production needs, according to AHP. With some exceptions, employees won’t receive severance pay. But the company will offer some employees with technical experience the opportunity to relocate.Disposable Soft Goods bought AHP, then known as Drypers Corp., out of bankruptcy in 2006. At the time, 200 people worked at the Vancouver office, which housed the international division of Houston, Texas-based Drypers. The company was founded in Vancouver in 1984 as VMG Products.
Rotten Tomatoes seeks proof you saw the movie youre rating
Rotten Tomato audience reviews of Captain Marvel sparked controversy earlier this year. Marvel More changes are coming to review site Rotten Tomatoes. As of Thursday, the audience score for new movies added to the site will default to show ratings from fans confirmed to have purchased tickets to those films.”The goal is to strengthen consumer confidence around that audience score,” said Greg Ferris, vice president of product for Rotten Tomatoes’ parent company, Fandango.
Enlarge ImageThe Rotten Tomatoes audience score will now show the rating from verified ticket purchasers as its default. Users can click on the tab marked “all audience” to see the combined score from all audience reviews. Rotten Tomatoes Here’s how it’ll work: Any site user will still be able to write a review of a film. But now users can opt to have their rating and review marked as “verified.” That means they bought their film ticket on Fandango, the movie-ticketing site that owns Rotten Tomatoes. Later this year, AMC Theatres and Regal and Cinemark ticketing sites will also be participating. So if you buy your ticket for Aladdin at the box office, for example, sorry, but you can’t get verified for that review. (At least for now: Dana Benson, Fandango vice president for communications, says that the site is “exploring options” for ways to verify box office purchases.)Reviews associated with a ticket purchase will be marked with a “verified” icon. By default, the verified reviews will be used to make up the audience score shown on Rotten Tomatoes. To see the total audience score, including reviews by those who didn’t purchase through Fandango or didn’t opt in to the verification, users can select the “all audience” tab.”Every rating counts, but the score that we’re putting out there is verified,” Ferris said.The Rotten Tomatoes site will automatically verify that a ticket was purchased and that the time for that movie showing has already passed. For now, only one verified review will be allowed per transaction, no matter how many tickets were purchased. 1 Comment Flip through 32 Marvel-ous images from this super exhibit Share your voice Rotten Tomatoes president: We didn’t change site to protect Captain Marvel Kevin Feige says Marvel didn’t want Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man Avengers: Endgame passes $2 billion, is now No. 2 movie of all time 32 Photos More on movies The changes will affect only movies opening Thursday and beyond, and won’t be retroactively applied to movies already on the site. The fan rating system previously used on Fandango’s site will be replaced there with the Rotten Tomatoes score.The change is similar to an element used on Amazon. Reviews written by those who bought a particular product on that site are marked with the words “Verified Purchase.”
Enlarge ImageFandango will also display Rotten Tomatoes reviews, complete with the “Verified” indicator when a ticket purchase has been confirmed. Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is perhaps best known for the Tomatometer, which tells readers at a glance whether a film has mostly positive or negative reviews from professional critics. But the audience-score section of each movie page is also prominent. “Our research shows movie fans leverage both (critic and audience ratings),” Ferris said. The changes are meant to “protect the integrity of the audience score,” he added.The audience-score section of the Captain Marvel movie page made the news back in February. Even before the film was released March 8, users were leaving negative comments about it, with some reacting angrily to public comments made by star Brie Larson. Larson drew fire in part for telling Marie Claire magazine that the critics covering her films were “overwhelmingly white male” and noting that she was reaching out to a more inclusive group of critics. That resulted in some Rotten Tomatoes users leaving such comments as “Larson has made it clear … men need not attend this movie.” Back in February, Rotten Tomatoes disabled the comment function prior to a movie’s release date and made some other changes.There’s clearly a trend toward using a movie-review site to express anger about a film for reasons other than its content. That may not be the only reason for adding and elevating the verified review component, but it’s surely in the mix.”It’s a component that we don’t ignore,” said Lori Pantel, chief marketing officer for Fandango.Said Benson, “Anyone who is in this space, who has an open platform, is looking at this.” Tags TV and Movies
300 Villages Kobuk
This week, we’re heading to Kobuk in northwest Alaska. The village of about 200 people is steadily growing, nearly doubling in size since 2000. A resident says that’s in part due to reliable seasonal work and efforts to mesh traditional lifestyles with modern ones. Beatrice Barr is a tribal clerk in Kobuk.Download Audio
Legislatures capital budget impasse could delay Haines Highway project
Haines residents look at a map of the Haines Highway at a project information meeting in 2015. (Jillian Rogers)A major Haines infrastructure project that is years in the making may have to wait a little longer.Listen nowConstruction on the Haines Highway improvement project was expected to begin this fall. But the Alaska Legislature’s failure to agree on a capital budget could delay this and more than 20 other transportation projects.Without a state budget, the Alaska Department of Transportation can’t access millions of dollars in federal money for infrastructure developments.Phase one of the Haines Highway construction, which deals with miles 3 through 12, is estimated to cost around $40 million. Federal highway funding should pay for 90 percent of the bill. But not until the state approves it’s about $4 million in matching funds. That’s part of the capital budget.DOT spokeswoman Aurah Landau said the department anticipated advertising the project for construction bids in late July. It will have to put that off until a capital spending plan is passed.Landau said the Federal Highway Administration fiscal year ends Sept. 30. If the capital budget is still in limbo at that time, it would cause a more serious delay.The legislature passed an operating budget in June, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. It is meeting now in a special session focused on oil tax legislation.The Haines Highway renovation isn’t the only DOT infrastructure project affected by the capital budget. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry Tustumena replacement is the highest-dollar item on the list. Road and bridge renovations from Ketchikan to Fairbanks are also affected.The aim of the Haines Highway project is to improve the safety of the corridor connecting Haines and Canada. It will bring the road up to 55-mile-per-hour standards by widening shoulders and straightening curves.Construction on the highway is expected to last several years. The total cost is around $100 million.
Buy Sell Hold What stocks are analysts tracking on March 16
Traders and investors keep a close track after Indian government’s de-monetisation move at Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai.IANSSGX Nifty, an early indicator of the Nifty 50’s trend in India, signals a weak start for the domestic markets after the benchmark Sensex lost 150 points or 0.44 percent to close at 33,685 on Thursday.Here are some of the stock recommendations by analysts for Thursday:1. Berger PaintsEdelweiss recommends ‘Buy’Target Price: Rs 293Current stock price: Rs 250About the company: Berger Paints manufactures and distributes paints, enamels, varnishes, and synthetic resins. The company’s products are used in home, office, factory, interiors, exteriors, metal, wood, plastic, and others.Stock Performance: The stock has gained 9 percent in an year and has a P/E ratio of 51 times forward earnings. Berger Paints has a market capitalization of Rs 242 billion.2. Sun TV NetworkIIFL recommends ‘Buy’Target Price: Rs 975Current stock price: Rs 920About the company: Sun TV Network offers television channels. The company operates Tamil and Malayalam language channels in southern India.Stock Performance: The stock has gained 22 percent in an year and has a P/E ratio of 35 times forward earnings. Sun TV Network has a market capitalization of Rs 362 billion.3. Power Finance CorpDeutsche Bank recommends ‘Buy’Target Price: Rs 140Current stock price: Rs 88About the company: Power Finance power projects in India. The company serves state power utilities, central power sector utilities, power departments, private power sector utilities, joint sector power utilities, power equipment manufacturers, and municipal power utilities.Stock Performance: The stock has lost 29 percent in an year and has a P/E ratio of 10 times forward earnings. Power Finance Corp has a market capitalization of Rs 232 billion.4. Dish TVCiti recommends ‘Buy’Target Price: Rs 90Current stock price: Rs 69About the company: Dish TV India offers direct broadcast satellite subscription television service in India.Stock Performance: The stock has dropped 36 percent in an year and has a P/E ratio of 67 times forward earnings. Dish TV has a market capitalization of Rs 74 billion.5. Bajaj FinanceIIFL recommends ‘Buy’Target Price: Rs 1,780Current stock price: Rs 1,726About the company: Bajaj Finance is a financial services company that operates branches in India, which provide an assortment of financial services.Stock Performance: The stock has jumped 49 percent in an year and has a P/E ratio of 51 times forward earnings. Bajaj Finance has a market capitalization of Rs 998 billion.Disclaimer: The recommendations provided by the research analysts are their own, and not that of the website or its management.