The relief was palpable in all of Australia’s players on Monday after they survived a huge scare to defeat Pakistan by 39 runs in the first Test, but none would have felt it more than captain Steve Smith.A bundle of nervous energy at the best of times, Smith grew increasingly fidgety as man-of-the-match Asad Shafiq and Yasir Shah marched quickly toward an improbable victory target of 490 in the first day-night Test at the Gabba. (Also read: Gabba Test: Shafiq heroics in vain, Pakistan fall short of historic chase by 39 runs vs Australia)Well might he have.Smith dropped two simple catches in the slips late on day four, the second letting Shafiq, Pakistan’s last specialist batsman, off the hook when he was on 72.Shafiq survived to stumps after raising an impressive 100 and lifted Pakistan’s hopes of closing out a famous victory before being dismissed for 137 by a pearl of a short-pitched delivery by paceman Mitchell Starc.That Pakistan were able to get so close to completing a record run chase took the gloss off another outstanding batting effort by Smith, who top-scored for Australia with 130 in the first innings and backed it up with 63 in the second.He also wrapped up the match in some style, throwing down the stumps from the slips to run out Yasir after the stocky legspinner inexplicably wandered out of his crease after a mis-hit behind the wicket.But those fine efforts may be drowned out in the debate as to how Australia found themselves in such a perilous position on day five in the first place.advertisementPakistan were skittled for 142 early on day three, 88 runs short of avoiding the follow-on, but Smith chose not to enforce it and instead opted to bat the tourists out of the game.With victory secured, it would be unfair to say the tactic backfired but Misbah-ul-Haq’s side may take more out of the match, having won back belief in their batting and resilience, and restored confidence lost by a 2-0 thrashing in New Zealand.The final total of 450 was Pakistan’s highest ever fourth innings tally, the highest ever in Australia and the equal third highest of all time.Australia, however, seemed plagued by doubt and inertia on the final day at the Gabba and Smith’s initially conservative field settings were roasted by former captains Michael Clarke and Mark Taylor as they called the game on television.”The Australian captain’s tactics this morning has been nothing short of ridiculous,” tweeted former England skipper Michael Vaughan.Smith may undertake extra catching practice during training before the Boxing Day (December 26) Test but had no regrets about not enforcing the follow-on.”I think I would go the same plan,” he said. “Our bowlers had bowled a lot. I’m just happy we got over the line.”
SRK to Alia Bhatt: Karan Johar’s book launch was a multi-starrer blockbuster
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Paris mayor assures security as bidding for 2024 Olympics kicks off
Paris showed on Friday that it can offer a safe environment to host the Olympics after an attack was thwarted at the Louvre Museum on the day when the city submitted its bid file to host the 2024 Games, mayor Anne Hidalgo said.A French soldier shot and wounded a man armed with machetes and carrying two bags on his back on Friday as he tried to enter the Paris Louvre museum in what the government said appeared to have been a terrorist attack.”I went straight there (to the Louvre museum) with the head of Paris police and what I could see is the serenity and the efficiency of our security forces,” Hidalgo said on the Place du Trocadero, with the Eiffel Tower lit in blue and red in the backdrop. (Budapest puts finishing touches to 2024 Olympics bid as opposition grows)Paris is competing with Los Angeles and Budapest to host the 2024 Summer Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will select the host following a vote on Sept. 13 in Lima.Hidalgo does not believe Paris is the only city concerned by militant attacks.”The threat exists in all cities across the world. It’s a threat that all cities need to take seriously,” she said. (LA, Budapest, Paris voted candidates to host 2024 Olympics)”This morning, our security forces showed their efficiency and again we showed how resilient Paris is.”More than 230 people have died in France in the past two years at the hands of attackers allied to the militant group Islamic State. Therefore the French capital knows how to handle terror threats, Hidalgo explained.advertisement”This capacity to react is an asset for this (Olympic bid),” she said.”It is important that we can rely on our security forces to counter these threats.”On Friday, the man trying to enter the Louvre shouted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) and rushed at police and soldiers before being shot and seriously wounded near the museum’s shopping mall, police said.The soldier who shot the man was from one of the patrolling groups which have become a common sight in Paris since a state of emergency was declared in November 2015. (Italy withdraws bid to stage 2024 Olympics in Rome)Another soldier received a scalp wound in the incident. “I want to spare a thought for the officer who got injured,” said Hidalgo.”Paris is a city of hope and youth, in which a lot of people come to take root.”It is a city that reassures, a city from which we can build a bright future.”Socialist Hidalgo was elected mayor in 2014.
Virat Kohli named Captain of the Year by popular cricket website
India Test skipper Virat Kohli has been named as the ‘Captain of the Year’ at the 10th annual ESPNcricinfo Awards. Kohli led India to nine wins out of 12 Tests in the year gone by. (Virat Kohli grateful to Anil Kumble for helping him evolve as a cricketer)Englishman Ben Stokes won the Test Batting Performance of the Year for his incredible counterattacking innings of 258 runs off 198 balls against South Africa in Cape Town.Stokes team-mate Stuart Broad’s 6 for 17 in the third Test ensured a series victory for England and fetched him the Test Bowling Performance of the Year award for the second year running.Winners were selected by an independent jury including former cricket greats, ESPNcricinfo’s senior editors, writers and global correspondents, comprising Ian Chappell, Mahela Jayawardene, Ramiz Raja, Isa Guha, Sambit Bal, Courtney Walsh, Mark Butcher and Simon Taufel among others. (Virat Kohli creates a positive environment in the dressing-room: Wriddhiman Saha to India Today)Quinton de Kock’s 178 against Australia in Centurion was the second-highest individual score by a South African player, and it was voted the ODI Batting Performance of the Year.Mystery spinner Sunil Narine was awarded the ODI Bowling Performance of the Year award for his 6 for 27 against South Africa in the Tri-Nation series in Guyana.Carlos Brathwaite received the T20 Batting Performance of the Year award for his 34 not out against England in the World T20 final in Kolkata, in which he hit four consecutive sixes off the last over to win West Indies the match. (Tendulkar a legend but hard to look past Virat Kohli: Chris Woakes)advertisementBangladesh left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman took away the T20 Bowling Performance of the Year award for his 5 for 22 during the World T20 against New Zealand in Kolkata.Mehedi Hasan Miraz, one of the brightest young stars of Bangladesh’s national team, was declared Debutant of the Year for his 19 wickets in the two Test matches against England, one of those being possibly their finest Test win ever.This year ESPNcricinfo introduced awards for women’s cricket across all three international formats.West Indian Hayley Williams received the Batting Performance of the Year award for her match-winning 66 off 45 balls performance in the World T20 final against three-time champions Australia.Leigh Kasperek, the talented New Zealand offspinner, took the Bowling Performance of the Year award for her 3 for 13 spell, defeating Australia in the teams’ World T20 group match.Speaking about the awards, Sambit Bal, Editor-in-chief of ESPNcricinfo and ESPN South Asia said, “The ESPNcricinfo Awards are about meaning and context, so we are chuffed a ten-ball innings sits beside a score of 258 in the list of winners. There is delight and irony in the fact that these two performances belong to Carlos Brathwaite and Ben Stokes, whose names will be forever entwined for those dramatic four balls in the World T20 final.”The tenth year has seen some inspirational talent come to the fore, we are pleased to introduce winners from women and Associates cricket this year.
Lenovo’s new Moto G5, G5 Plus make last year’s Moto G4, G4 Plus look dumb
Let’s face it. Last year’s Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus weren’t as revolutionary as the original Moto G. Even though the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus stuck with the original’s philosophy – of cramming in some noteworthy specs at dirt cheap prices – somewhere down the line, competition was really starting to catch up. The Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus were good. They were just not good enough. Enter the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.Also Read: Why an all-metal Moto G5, G5 Plus should make Honor and Xiaomi nervous Lenovo’s new Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are so good they make last year’s Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus look dumb.The first all-metal Moto G took a long time coming. But, eventually it got here. Both the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are carved out of aluminum and will be available for buying in lunar gray and fine gold options.Lenovo, last year, made a clear distinction between the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus in terms of hardware specs. The Moto G4 Plus was the all premium Moto G while the Moto G4 was a relatively basic affair that was easier to overlook in a sea of significantly better smartphones from the kinds of Xiaomi and Honor. The fingerprint scanner was one major point of distinction. The Moto G4 did not have one.This year, too, the Moto G5 Plus is the heftier Moto G, but, the Moto G5 is also not very far behind. It also gets a fingerprint scanner on the front for one, just like it is in the Moto G5 Plus. In fact, keep the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus together, and it would be really hard to tell the difference. And while we are on fingerprint scanners, here’s the thing, it looks very different now. The capacitive button housing the fingerprint scanner in the Moto G4 Plus was an anomaly. It’s a pill-shaped even structure now – that looks pleasing — that (also) supports a new one button navigation feature.The Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are both all-metal phones with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and splash-resistance coating. While the Moto G5 is a 5-inch phone, the Moto G5 Plus has a slightly bigger 5.2-inch one. Both the phones rock a 1080p screen.The Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, both, came with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor inside and when combined with their near vanilla Android software, the two phones clocked good all-round performance. Both the phones, however, had an Achilles heel. They were prone to excessive heating — because of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 inside these phones — when pushed to the edge. The Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus, at least on paper, look like they can take heavy workload without breaking a sweat.While the Moto G5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor the Moto G5 Plus has a beefier Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 inside. While the Moto G5 comes with 2/3 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of internal memory which is also expandable, the Moto G5 Plus comes with 2/4 GB of RAM and 16/64 GB of internal memory which is again expandable. Both the phones support dual-SIM and 4G LTE.The Snapdragon 625 is the first 600-series chipset to be built on the power-efficient 14nm finfet process. The technology essentially allows a processor — the Snapdragon 625 in this case — with multiple cores to hit higher clock speeds without overheating and draining the battery quickly. The Snapdragon 625, for your reference, consumes up to 35 per cent lower power than its predecessor (the Snapdragon 617), in typical usage scenarios, according to Qualcomm. As for the Snapdragon 430 which is inside the Moto G5, well, it is no slouch either. Xiaomi’s Redmi 3S Prime is a classic example to prove its mettle.The Moto G5 Plus sports a 12-megapixel camera on the rear with dual pixel autofocus, f/1.7 aperture and dual-LED flash. It’s a significant upgrade over the camera on-board the Moto G4 Plus. In layman’s terms, the Moto G5 Plus is supposed to focus quickly with minimum shutter lag and also it is supposed to excel in low light photography, in comparison to rival phones in and around its price category. Additionally, the Moto G5 Plus’ rear camera is also capable of recording 4K video. The Moto G5 on the other hand comes with a standard 13-megapixel camera. Both the phones come with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.Both the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus run an almost unmodified version of Android Nougat Moto enhancements like Moto Display and Moto Actions alongside the Google’s AI assistant. The addition of the Google Assistant means that users can send messages, make calls, navigate, and manage their tasks, simply by holding the home button.While the Moto G5 is backed by a 2,800mAh battery, the Moto G5 Plus has a bigger 3,000mAh battery. Both the phones support fast charging. Battery capacity is the only area (along with the screen resolution) where Lenovo has maintained a consistency. Still, the Moto G5, on paper, is a small downgrade as the Moto G4 also came with a 3,000mAh battery.advertisementadvertisementWhile the Moto G5 has been priced at around Rs 14,054, the Moto G5 Plus starts at around Rs 15,275. These are of course with respect to their European and US pricing. Their pricing may be a little different on arrival in India, but, looking at the history of the Moto G phones here, ideally, they should cost at under Rs 20,000.Also Read: Moto G5 Plus has almost same camera that is inside Rs 45,000 Galaxy S7 To refresh, both the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are all-metal phones with plenty of juice under the hood that should make Honor and Xiaomi (very) nervous. This is because, it seems Lenovo has finally given the Moto G a much needed modern day revamp, the lack of which was keeping the humble Moto G4 (and G4 Plus) from getting a full 10 on 10 from critics and buyers.
Govt pursuing “disruptive” policies: Cong
New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) Hitting out at the government for bringing changes in the Finance Bill, the Congress today accused the BJP-led regime of pursuing “disruptive” policies and suffering from “indecision”. This government prefers to run as a “rampaging elephant” to impose its whims and fancies, Congress member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in the Lok Sabha. Participating in the resumed debate on the Finance Bill, he said like many changes made in rules after demonetisation, now there are changes in the Finance Bill too. “You are proving that you are suffering from indecision,” he said. On Tuesday, the government introduced as many as 40 amendments to the Bill, including making Aadhaar compulsory while filing income tax returns. While the Congress government pursued adoptive and persuasive policies, this government is pursuing “disruptive and coercive policies”, Chowdhury said. Responding to criticism that the erstwhile UPA regime had resorted to tax terrorism, Chowdhury wondered “in which parameter is it (the Finance Bill) different from tax terrorism”. On the move to make Aadhaar number compulsory while filing income tax returns, Chowdhury asked whether the present infrastructure was ready for such a system and urged the government to make Aadhaar voluntary. Questioning the BJP over the proposal to write off loans of farmers in Uttar Pradesh, he wanted to know why the same was not extended to farmers in other states. It looks like the government is “doing such things whenever there are polls”. BJPs Nishikant Dubey urged the Congress not to mislead the people as the Opposition party questioned the GDP numbers. Taking a dig at the Congress, he said it wanted answers on surgical strikes as well as GDP numbers and also alleged that the previous regime had indulged in tax terrorism. Ranjeet Ranjan (Cong) wanted to know what have the poor people received from the government “except for speeches and announcements”. She urged the government to look into corruption in sports in the country. Abhishek Singh (BJP) said the Oppositon has been demoralised by the recent victories of the BJP in various elections, including the state polls. The government should come out with a separate policy and allocation for the development of left-wing extremism affected areas, he added. Shivkumar Udasi (BJP) claimed the government was working in a transparent and honest manner. (More) PTI RAM ARCadvertisement
Showman Virat Kohli missing, IPL 2017 to kick off without some big stars
Virat Kohli’s colossal presence is sure to be missed when the 10th Indian Premier League (IPL) takes off tomorrow after a build-up mired in administrative tug-of-war over funds.A clutch of Indian stars led by Kohli are out of this edition — either partially or fully, which certainly lessens the novelty factor for all the star gazers.Even off the field, the run-up to the tournament has been far from smooth. Several state units had expressed their inability to conduct matches, citing lack of funds, before the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators stepped in to resolve the matter.WATCH: Indian stars laid low by injuries in IPL 2017The COA will have the onerous job of continuing to keep an eye on officials to ensure that no such teething troubles crop up during the tournament.On to the cricketing issues, it will only be known next week when exactly Kohli will start playing in the league for Royal Challengers Bangalore as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury.The dashing India captain, known as much for his feisty persona as for his peerless batting, would undoubtedly be missed the most most when action kicks off tomorrow in Hyderabad.Kohli had accumulated nearly 1000 runs last time and each of his four hundreds were T20 master-classes.Another big name to be missing from early action would be South African swashbuckler A B de Villiers. Nursing a back injury, there is no clarity on his availability just yet.Till the likes of Kohli and de Villiers come back, the onus of providing perfect “cricketainment” will lie with someone who responds to the name of Christopher Henry Gayle.advertisementIf Gayle just stands and delivers, RCB will again have a feast.There will be curiosity regarding what T20 specialist Tymal Mills — bought for Rs 12 crore — will bring to the table and how stand-in captain Shane Watson uses him.Sport needs characters and cricket even more so.Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence from Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) means there would a bit less colour on the field.A combative cricketer like Ashwin, whose multi-dimensional ability makes him special even though there were doubts about how much he could have contributed after bowling nearly 740 overs.BIG HOPES FROM BIG BENBut all eyes will be on Ben Stokes, bought for Rs 14.5 crore by Pune. Each ball that the ‘Big Ben’ bowls and each run he scores will be equated with his pay package.Mahendra Singh Dhoni has no such worries apart from proving a point with his blazing blade — a fitting reply for being stripped off captaincy.Also before he returns to his spiritual home in Chennai, Dhoni won’t mind winning another IPL trophy albeit with different teams.Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis both got injured the last time but would like to make amends in this edition.For the hugely popular Mumbai Indians, skipper Rohit Sharma’s form at the top will be important not only for his franchise but also for the Indian team that will defend the Champions Trophy in the United Kingdom.Jos Buttler’s big hits and Harbhajan Singh’s guile also makes them the team that they are.Kolkata Knight Riders will depend a lot on their quartet of Indian batsmen, including skipper Gautam Gambhir, Surya Kumar Yadav, Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey.A barely consistent Yusuf Pathan would also look to make his presence felt.Andre Russell’s one year ban has affected the composition of the side. But Chris Woakes and Trent Boult are expected to be used a lot on seamer-friendly tracks till Umesh Yadav is back in action.Kings XI Punjab would miss Murali Vijay but Glenn Maxwell, after a few indifferent knocks last season, may just tee off well.The flashy Manan Vohra, talented Marcus Stoinis and the ever-dependable Wriddhiman Says will form the core of their batting under Virender Sehwag’ s mentorship.This year, a surprise rookie pick Thangarasu Natarajan will be itching to bowl his cutters too.For Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina, this season will be a make or break one after being dropped from the one-day squad and central contracts. Till Ravindra Jadeja is absent, Dwayne Bravo will have to take more responsibility as an all-founder.The Delhi Daredevils, after making some inexplicable choices and some injury setbacks, are the weakest team in the competition.Quinton de Kock’s absence is going to hurt them badly as mentor Rahul Dravid has already pointed out. They would depend on their band of speed merchants, including the wily Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Chris Morris, Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada.advertisementOn a slow Kotla track, Amit Mishra could prove to be the trump card.But it’s the batting that will hurt them most with Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer not consistent enough.Last but not the least are the defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad with David Warner at the helm.The core remains the same. Yuvraj Singh, Deepak Hooda and Shikhar Dhawan are capable of changing the course of the match. When fully fit, Ashish Nehra and Mustafizur Rahaman can prove to be a handful.From Brendon McCullum’s 158 on the opening night nine seasons back to S Sreesanth’s arrest on charges of spot-fixing, the league has seen unbelievable highs and abysmal lows.As a cycle gets complete, the craze will only travel northwards.
Pepe injury blow leaves Real Madrid with defensive headache
Real Madrid defender Pepe has broken two ribs after colliding with team mate Toni Kroos during the 1-1 derby draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday, the La Liga leaders said in a statement.The Portuguese centre back scored the opening goal for Madrid but was replaced by Nacho Fernandez in the 67th minute after the incident.Madrid said that Pepe “has been diagnosed with fractures in the seventh and eighth ribs on the left side”.Spanish media reports said Pepe will miss around a month, ruling him out of their Champions League quarter-final clashes with Bayern Munich and the Clasico against Barcelona on April 23.Pepe, 34, joins French defender Raphael Varane on the sidelines, leaving reserve Nacho as a partner for Sergio Ramos at the back.Antoine Griezmanns late equaliser for Atletico stopped Madrid from extending their lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga to five points, instead moving them three clear of the Catalans.
Top nonprofit technology trends for 2011
Blackbaud today issued a white paper on nonprofit technology trends.Here are the broad themes, with my commentary:•Technology is a crucial tool in delivering accurate, up-to-date information about prospects and donors in real-time across departments. Information consumers, both internal and external, will come to expect access to data in line with progressive forums, such as mobile, cloud-based tools. Nonprofits should expect mobile-powered major giving applications that provide constituent data on the go to become widely used in the coming years.I think this sounds great, but 99.9% of nonprofits don’t have donor online and offline data in one place – much less available on their phones. I would call this more of an aspirational idea than a trend, but the thought is right. We need one view into our supporters, and we need to structure our work around them.•The web continues to grow as a primary channel for messaging and communicating an organization’s mission. Based on an audience and its needs, nonprofit websites will increasingly offer virtual opportunities for education, conversations, community, and stewardship, tailored to the user’s level of engagement with the organization.Again, this is a great idea – but most nonprofits are still striving with the bascis: a decent home page and an optimized donation page. Walk before you run. Have compelling content, clear calls to action and clean, simple design. Make sure you are telling a great story. Most of us aren’t. Then look at ways to start engaging supporters on a deeper level with virtual experiences. These are great ideas if you’re ready for that step.•The best fundraisers are those who ask their personal network for support. No one can promote an organization better than those who already believe in the mission and have a built-in network of high-propensity prospects. Tools to localize and personalize fundraising through independent fundraising events and other network-based fundraising tools – while retaining efficiencies and economies of scale associated with centralized systems – will be key. I agree: relationships are everything.•Social remains an evolving medium and is best deployed as part of a comprehensive, mission-based strategy, although many organizations have found new constituencies who respond to this channel exclusively. Social networks provide the ability to communicate a mission and message to a large group, serving as a supplementary or primary acquisition channel. Nonprofits can deliver updates and announcements while leveraging a network of supporters for a tangible return on investment. I agree social is evolving and should be seen as part of an overall strategy, though I’m not a fan of seeing it through an acquisition lens or as a broadcast medium. It’s a tool for conversation and relationship building.Want to read more? You can find the full analysis here.
Video: The power of positive messaging
So many public service announcements and nonprofit ads feature doom and gloom, negative messaging and fear. And lots of statistics. I believe these aren’t the most motivating of choices. People tune out things that make them uncomfortable or confused. Negativity works well if you want to scare people into opposition or inaction – but it’s not great for effecting positive change.Here’s a lovely example of positivity. It was Oscio’s campaign of the year.
Email: the original social network
There was a great post in ClickZ this week that points out that email is “social.” The post was a reaction to all the debate about email vs. social networking. Done right, email is just as personal, conversational and bond-building as social networking. People can forward emails just as they share content elsewhere. In fact, as the article points out, you could say that email was the original social network:Philosophically, there is no difference. You are managing content that is pushed out to subscribed (opted-in, following, etc.) users and managing responses (once someone responds, you now have a conversation)… The message’s content still needs to be relevant, timely, and match the expectations of the subscriber in either the e-mail channel or a network channel (and we all know each network is different). E-mail marketers need to get in this mindset – it’s not either/or; it’s not one killing the other; it’s two different channels that are very much the same.On a personal note, I just got a wonderful email that shows just how compelling, engaging and “social” a simple email can be. It comes from A Wider Circle, one of my favorite local nonprofits. A Wider Circle provides beds and other basic needs to families who are just getting onto their feet in empty apartments. Here was the start of it: First, a few words from Noreen who was served in May:“I would like to thank you all at A WIDER CIRCLE for helping myself and my children through this very difficult period in our lives… Right now I am sooooo happy that I am unable to fall asleep. Normally, my son (8 yrs.) and daughter (12 yrs.) would fall asleep with me on a queen sized mattress on the floor in my bedroom. Tonight they are asleep in their individual rooms, in their own beds!! I continue to go into each room and stand over each of them for a few minutes just watching them sleep peacefully. My two older children (21 and 22) were also very excited to have beds. It was very hard to watch them all have productive days knowing the pallet on the floor was all I could manage for them.”Noreen’s was one of 306 families that received much-needed help from A Wider Circle in the month of May.The email went on to tell me about – and invite me to – some local goings on.A simple email, with a heartfelt thanks, an amazing story and a kind invitation. I cried when I read about Noreen getting up with glee to watch her children sleep in their own beds for the first time. As a mother, that experience resonates to my core. I was so touched, I blogged about it. You can’t get more social – and connected — than that.
Your #GivingTuesday Questions, Answered
Make this #GivingTuesday your best yet! Kick off your year-end fundraising with our tools, training and matching funds. It doesn’t matter if your organization has 2 staff members or 200, you can raise money on #GivingTuesday and we can help. Free #GivingTuesday resources are available to all nonprofits through Network for Good’s All TUEgether campaign. Network for Good customers can leverage matching funds for all donations made on December 1, 2015. Plus, customers have access to expert coaching, new donors, and exclusive resources to help plan a stellar #GivingTuesday campaign. Not a Network for Good customer yet? No problem. Sign up for a demo and find out how easy it is to raise money online. Get ready to have your best giving season ever.With less than two months until #GivingTuesday, we at Network for Good are ramping up the resources to make sure you have the best year-end yet! In our recent Nonprofit 911 Webinar: Get Ready for #GivingTuesday, you asked several great questions. Here are some answers to help you get started on your #GivingTuesday campaign.What suggestions do you have for organizations with limited capacity (staff, budget, skill sets)?Setting an appropriate goal and having a solid plan is the key. Focus on your fundraising strengths, and examine what worked well in the past for each type of donor, then leverage that for your #GivingTuesday ask. Rethink your limitations, even if you don’t have a large staff (or any staff), and tap into your networks and those of your board to identify ambassadors, pro bono help, and community partners. Identify these groups early so you have time to organize and use their skills to their full potential. To learn more, check out this article: #GivingTuesday Success with a Staff of One: Q&A with CASS.What is the relationship between #GivingTuesday and a nonprofit’s annual year-end appeal?The big opportunity is to launch December on #GivingTuesday and carry the energy and excitement straight through to New Year’s. Think of it as a chance to throw a virtual giving-season kickoff party for your cause. Through Network for Good’s platform, nonprofits that raised money on #GivingTuesday received, on average, 10 times more than nonprofits that didn’t.#GivingTuesday can be a chance to tell fresh stories, attract new or younger supporters, accelerate your social media presence, or diversify your fundraising channels. Your goals can be about more than dollars raised. Consider a goal focused on recurring givers, new donors, volunteers, in-kind gifts, or even social media followers.How do you go about setting specific goal metrics if you have never participated in #GivingTuesday before?What are you aiming for? Dollars are likely to be one element of your goal, but it doesn’t need to be the only one. Every successful endeavor is a combination of planning and luck, and a successful giving day is no exception. In your first year, setting goals will be an educated best guess. Look at your past campaigns and donors as a way to get started.#GivingTuesday sounds great. Would you encourage us to participate even when we’re doing another online giving campaign this fall? We don’t want to annoy our supporters.#GivingTuesday is still a great opportunity to generate activity and revenue for your organization, thanks to the popularity of the event. So it will likely be top of mind for your donors and something they’ll hear about in the media and from other organizations. If you’re worried about oversaturating your audience, keep in mind that #GivingTuesday is a good time to target specific segments of donors, focus on a certain program or type of giving, and stand out with specific messaging and branding. This will help differentiate your #GivingTuesday campaign, from both your other asks and those of other organizations. Another way to set your campaign apart is to use it as an opportunity to activate your base to fundraise on your behalf through a peer-to-peer campaign.Is Twitter essential to this process? We have a social media presence, but Twitter doesn’t really work for us.If Twitter doesn’t work for you, there’s no reason to feel compelled to use it for #GivingTuesday. You have a limited window to generate excitement and activate your donors for this giving day, so focus on what does work for your organization and donors, and build from there. A large social media presence isn’t a requirement for #GivingTuesday, but you should have shareable content and updates for your supporters to use to help spread the word and activate their friends and family.Thanks to everyone for attending the webinar and asking these great questions! If you missed our #GivingTuesday webinar, you can listen the full recording. If you want to put on a great #GivingTuesday campaign ahead, we can help.
‘Give Ramsey a new contract!’ – Arsenal fans urge team to act
Aaron Ramsey may be leaving Arsenal after the season, but Gunners fans are urging the club to reconsider their stance after the Wales star produced another fantastic display on Sunday. After coming on as a half-time substitute against rivals Tottenham, Ramsey provided two assists in Arsenal’s 4-2 victory at the Emirates Stadium. Ramsey endeared himself to Gunners fans even before he entered the pitch, as he got into an altercation with Eric Dier after the Spurs midfielder levelled the score at 1-1 in the first half. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! With his contract set to expire and no new offer believed to be forthcoming, the 27-year-old is expected to leave Arsenal at season’s end. The Gunners withdrew their contract offer to Ramsey, but supporters will be hoping their club change their tune after a star performance in the north London derby. Dear @ArsenalGive Aaron Ramsey a new contract.RegardsArsenal fans pic.twitter.com/HJQUGzGPSQ— Lacazettes (@Lacazettes) December 2, 2018Aaron Ramsey:Been screwed by the clubGets into a fight on the sidelinesComes on at halftime and changes the gameUtmost respect. What a day for him— Le Grove (@LeGrove) December 2, 2018Chat to me about Aaron Ramsey haters. What an impact he has had. Despite the club dealing with his contract horribly, 100% professionalism. 2 assists and unbelievable running. One of the best midfielders around, blessed to have him.— LTArsenal™️ (@ltarsenal) December 2, 2018Aaron Ramsey has literally been told he won’t be given a new contract at the end of the season and he’s put more in for his club than some of our players have put in all season.— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) December 2, 2018I want Aaron Ramsey to stay.— Pain In The Arsenal (@PainInThArsenal) December 2, 2018Aaron Ramsey will always stand up for his teammates, the supporters and most importantly, the club. pic.twitter.com/xmGEzkUdYz— LTArsenal™️ (@ltarsenal) December 2, 2018No player has provided more PL assists this season than Aaron Ramsey (6 assists). #afc pic.twitter.com/8YcG3AgG5T— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 2, 2018Aaron Ramsey’s game vs Spurs by numbers-Minutes played – 45Assists – 2Chances Created – 4Key passes – 2Recoveries – 4Touches – 23Duels won – 2The game changer, we must do everything to get him on a new contract. pic.twitter.com/9F1VaX7RTe— Luke (@AFCLuke_) December 2, 2018NEVER LEAVE AARON RAMSEY— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) December 2, 2018Why on earth are Arsenal allowing Aaron Ramsey to leave? He’s surely worth a new contract. His passion, passing and work-rate so important to Arsenal’s comeback against Spurs. Delivered an immense 45 minutes. His quality and character will be expensive to replace. #afc #ARSTOT— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) December 2, 2018Victory against Spurs stretched Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 19 games, and pushed Unai Emery’s men up to fourth place in the Premier League table. Check out Goal’s Premier League 2019-20 fantasy football podcast for game tips, debate and rivalries.
Report: Crystal Palace 1 Watford 2
Watford came from behind to claim a dramatic 2-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace, with substitute Tom Cleverley scoring a sublime winner.Craig Cathcart’s own goal after 38 minutes had Palace on course for victory, but the Watford defender scored at the right end 23 minutes from time.And Cleverley, yet to start in the league this season as he returns from injury, netted his first goal since October 2017 with a superb volley to give his side, who only managed two shots on target, an impressive victory. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! Watford’s triumph halts a troubling run that had seen them win only twice in their last 11 top-flight games, while Palace have only won two of their 11 home matches this season.PICK THAT OUT #CRYWAT 1-2 pic.twitter.com/nzcXLSZRTy — Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 12, 2019 Inside three minutes, Watford incredibly hit the woodwork twice in the same move. Gerard Deulofeu nutmegged James Tomkins and fired an effort from 12 yards against the same post that Roberto Pereyra struck from the rebound when he appeared destined to score.The visitors, who lost Will Hughes to a head injury, saw captain Troy Deeney send a header just wide, while Tomkins had an aerial effort of his own tipped over by Ben Foster at the other end, leading to a corner from which Palace took the lead.In one of the scrappiest goals of the season, Tomkins attempted to turn in Luka Milivojevic’s corner from close range, and Abdoulaye Doucoure’s attempted clearance bounced in off the unfortunate Cathcart.It was Palace’s turn to lose a player to injury on the stroke of half-time, Wayne Hennessey replacing Vicente Guaita, but Foster was the keeper who had to keep out a Milivojevic effort, which the hosts claimed had bounced off Adrian Mariappa’s hand.Wilfried Zaha raced clear to create a glorious chance for himself after the break, but he was denied by Foster, who also made a fine stop to keep out an audacious 30-yard attempt from Milivojevic.Yet just as Palace looked like finding a result-clinching second goal, Cathcart scored at the right end, heading in Jose Holebas’ corner at the far post with Hennessey caught out badly by the delivery.James McArthur somehow failed to turn in Zaha’s cross-shot for Palace, while Watford saw Deeney’s deflected effort hacked off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with the match in the balance until it was settled 16 minutes from time.Cleverley – just six minutes after coming on – was the scorer, sending a sweet volley from 15 yards into the top corner, Palace having twice failed to clear a corner. What does it mean? More home woe for PalacePalace came into the game with some momentum after their away win at Wolves, and a run that had seen them lose just once in five Premier League games.But their home form remains a big problem. Just two wins and six goals in 11 top-flight games at Selhurst Park is not enough, and the main reason Roy Hodgson’s men remain 14th and now sit just four points clear of the bottom three.Watford, meanwhile, are up to seventh in the table, and continue to pick up enough wins to stay firmly in the mix to finish as best of the rest outside the Premier League’s big six.Cathcart & Foster crucial Cathcart could do nothing about his first-half own goal, but made up for it with a firm second-half header to bring Watford level, as well as making six defensive clearances at the other end.Foster also impressed, making six saves, including pivotal stops from Zaha and Milivojevic to keep Watford in it at 1-0 down.Horror show for Hennessey Hennessey has been in the news for the wrong reasons over recent weeks, having to deny he was making a Nazi salute in a picture that emerged after the FA Cup win over Grimsby Town. He would not have expected to play in this one, and he struggled when replacing Guaita, He was caught out of position for Cathcart’s goal and ended up without a save.Key Opta Facts- Crystal Palace have lost six of their 11 home Premier League matches this season (W2 D3), only one fewer than they lost during the entirety of the 2017-18 campaign (7).- Watford are unbeaten in four away Premier League matches (W2 D2), their best run since September 2017 (also four unbeaten).- No player has scored more Premier League own goals this season than Watford defender Cathcart (2, level with Wesley Hoedt).- Watford’s Craig Cathcart became the first player to both score a goal and an own goal in the same Premier League game since Ryan Shawcross in December 2017 (Stoke v Tottenham).What’s next? Palace face a daunting trip to Anfield to play leaders Liverpool – not the ideal fixture when looking to get back on track – next Saturday, which is also when Watford play at home to Burnley. read more
Bare minimum skills to work for yourself in a creative field
By Paul JarvisPaul Jarvis is a web designer and author. His latest book, The Good Creative, explores the habits of the world’s most respected and interesting artists.Wouldn’t it be great if being a brilliant artist was all it took to earn a living?We could spend our days with words, canvases and music, creating our art until we dropped of beautiful exhaustion. Rent, food, college funds, insurance could be worries for someone else.Sadly, when art mixes with money, we’ve got to take on (or hire) several responsibilities beyond just creating our art. We’ve got to be lawyers, accountants, sales people, researchers, and marketers too, if there’s any hope that our art will sustain us.Taste (as Ira Glass famously said) cannot be taught, so most of our artistic abilities come from constant work and our innate talent for creating. The rest of what we need to take care of to make our art work for us needs to be learned, and most of the time, learned very quickly.To pursue your art as a creative professional, here are a few things you either need to learn quickly or be able to afford hiring out:1. Understand sellingNot in the sleazy car-sales or travelling vacuum peddler sense, but in a way that actually provides value to the people you want your art to connect with. It’s not enough to price your art at “what it’s worth”. The price has to be “what the market is willing to pay for it”.2. Understand moneyYou’ve got to price your work accordingly, revise as necessary and make sure what’s coming in isn’t less than what’s going out. Keep track of expenses and for the love of Van Gogh, live within your means (or under). Hire an accountant and keep meticulous records of everything you sell and buy, beyond keeping receipts in shoeboxes (or Evernote).3. Understand your audienceYou aren’t going to please everyone and not everyone is going to want your art. The good thing is that it’s much easier to please the right people than all of the people.Share your work with them as often as possible. Connect with them, seek them out and offer help/insight when applicable. It’s interesting how much value there is in taking time to listen to what your audience is saying.4. Understand how to not get fed over*Contracts are funny things. Most of us creative professionals can’t afford to actually take someone to court, but we also need to be aware that not everyone is an altruistic, loving, and most importantly, paying, customer.Contracts are more important to define a mutual understanding than anything legal. What is a client getting, exactly, when, and for how much. Making these things absolutely clear (in writing) goes a very long way towards not getting screwed.So, there you have it. The 4 bare minimums required if you want to work for yourself in a creative field. If you aren’t good at or haven’t figured out all four of those things, learn. Take courses, read books, ask others questions. Get good at them quickly or earn enough to hire them out. If you aren’t comfortable connecting with your audience or selling to them, find an approach or style that does feel comfortable for you.I easily spent the first few years working for myself getting screwed over. By clients and by the government (ok, that never stops happening, but at least now it’s done in expected and planned for ways). And I didn’t have a clue about connecting with the right people, in the right way.Even after many years of working for myself, I still don’t have all the answers and there’s lots I still don’t understand. But I’m slightly closer, I think. And now that I have those 4 bare things under control, I worry about and focus on them less.If you have a boss (that isn’t you), then someone else will take care of the four above points. Working for yourself as creative means you have to work harder than you would for any employer. It’s more hustling, longer hours, and probably less pay (at least at first).The good thing is that once you have those four bare minimum things under control, you can focus more on your art and defining what success means for you. Being a gifted artist isn’t enough. If you want your art to support your life (financially), make these 4 bare minimums a priority.
Find a gig / share a gig in new online network for freelancers
What’s the best way to get gigs or find freelancers? By asking your network!That’s one of the many reasons we built an online community (called Hives): to make it easier to find a great network of local and national freelancers.One of our most popular Hives this week is Work, work, work. Created by long-time Freelancers Union member Marc Scheff, Work, work, work is all about posting work you need done or work you can do.Check out the network.Screenshot of one conversation in Work, work, work.Post now to meet other freelancers! Even if you don’t feel like posting publicly in the network, but you feel like working with another HIve member, click on their name and get their contact info on their profile (or Email them directly through their profile).And while you’re there, browse through 50+ brand new Hives started by members of Freelancers Union over the last week.Have fun — and get that gig.
Chronic worriers might be more creative
In an article published by the health and fitness guru David Wolfe, those who exhibit signs of an overactive imagination through constant worrying may in fact be the creative geniuses of our time.It seems that worrying and being creative go hand-in-hand. When we worry, we often fabricate scenarios and explanations for what is occurring. Like the patterns of a complex quilt, our deepest concerns and, yes, fears are often made visible through our creative processes.Wolfe writes, “It is the people who worry that are the creators. They are the ones who see the problems that need to be fixed before the happy go lucky people of the world.”Sometimes creating our life work can be one of the greatest struggles of all.Rest assured, my anxiety-ridden compatriots, we are in good company.Take a moment to consider the famous, renowned creative geniuses of our time and the times before: Emily Dickinson, Kurt Cobain, Steve Jobs, Tina Fey, Albert Einstein, and so many others!Creativity is beautiful, painful, and all the layers in between. But this is what makes it so worth it.As artists, innovators, and designers we must continually challenge these notions that being slightly neurotic and detailed-oriented is in fact an unwanted state of mind.Join a community of creative doers at Freelancers Union (it’s free!)Become a memberInstead, let’s try and view these traits as a means to stay honest and dedicated to our work.Channeling our creativity can be the healthiest way for us to focus our minds and allow our anxieties to calm themselves.We are the creative, innovating freelancers. And we can be loud and proud. Anxious and hyperfocused on the teeny tiniest details.But no details are too small when it comes to what we love. So the next time you start creating all sorts of reasons why your date didn’t return your call or why your cat just has to walk so darn close to the breakable objects in the precariously high places of your house, instead of stifling that anxious banter in your mind, pick up a pen and paper and get to writing.A brush and paint shall do just fine, too.Whatever your creative element–let it flow.An aspiring novelist and human and animal rights activist, Sarah Sather is the Communications Associate at Freelancers Union. When she’s not writing blog posts and editing articles, Sarah’s exploring NYC with her lovely girlfriend and their dachshund Mila.
Singapore secures Formula One future until 2021
The Singapore Grand Prix is set to stay on the Formula One calendar until 2021, the sport and race organisers confirmed on Friday, after agreeing a four-year contract extension.Sunday’s race in the city-state would otherwise have been the last.”I’m very glad that all the parties concerned have been able to agree on commercial terms for an extension as Formula One and, I believe, Singapore have been good for each other,” Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran told reporters at the Marina Bay street circuit.”Over the past decade the Singapore race has introduced many innovative elements and become an iconic and highly anticipated event on the F1 calendar,” he said.The sport’s first night race is marking its 10th anniversary this year and has established itself as one of the most popular and glamorous of Formula One’s events.Cars drive around a floodlit street circuit through the heart of Singapore against a backdrop of glittering skyscrapers while spectators are entertained by headline music acts. Calvin Harris, Ariana Grande and Seal are on the bill this year.The race, which will remain 60 percent funded by the government, costs some S$150 million ($111.58 million) to put on every year but Industry Minister Iswaran said that would be going down to S$135 million a year.It has also contributed S$1.4 billion in tourism receipts to Singapore over the past decade and drawn over 450,000 international visitors, including projected arrivals for this year’s race, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.Ticket sales for this year’s race are 19 percent up.advertisementFormula One Chief Executive Chase Carey described the race as a “signature” event.”We are very pleased that it will continue to feature on the calendar for a further four years,” he added.Singapore, along with China, had been listed on Formula One’s 21-race calendar for next year with an asterisk as subject to confirmation. The new deal removes that doubt and also secures Formula One’s future in the region.Neighbouring Malaysia also hosts a Grand Prix but next month’s race at Sepang is set to be the last.When asked whether Singapore had come away with a cheaper deal, Carey and Iswaran declined to comment on details.”We want the Singapore race to be accorded its due importance and position in the context of the F1 calendar because of the value we think it brings to the overall sport,” said Iswaran.”Beyond that the tipping point comes down to a basic analysis of where is the value proposition, can we sustain this going forward and that’s what a lot of the commercial terms were about.”
Chelsea’s Danny Drinkwater sidelined for a month due to injury
English football champions Chelsea’s latest signing, midfielder Danny Drinkwater is to be sidelined for a month due to a calf injury, coach Antonio Conte said.The 27-year-old Drinkwater joined the London giants from Leicester City on the last day of the summer transfer window and has yet to make his debut with his new club, reports Efe.”He has a muscular problem in his calf. I think it’s very difficult to see him before the international break (early in October),” Conte on Friday told a press conference ahead of Sunday’s English Premier League (EPL) match against Arsenal.”He needs time to recover. It’s a pity because he was starting to work and to improve his physical conditions. Now we have to move all these situations,” the manager added.”And in two, three weeks, four weeks, I don’t know,” Conte said.Drinkwater sat on the bench for last weekend’s EPL match against his former club and was not on the roster Tuesday for Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League opener, 6-0 rout of Azerbaijani club Qarabag.
Manchester City turn on the style to thrash hapless Crystal Palace
Free-scoring Manchester City turned on the style after a difficult start to the game to thrash Crystal Palace 5-0 on Saturday, taking their tally to 16 goals in their last three Premier League games.Palace had the better of the action for much of the first half, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek twice going close to breaking the deadlock, but Leroy Sane’s well-taken goal on the stroke of halftime gave City momentum going into the break.After the interval, it was all City, and it was not long before they had their second, with Sane turning provider this time for Raheem Sterling to slot home six minutes after the interval.Sterling then tapped home his second and City’s third eight minutes later, Sergio Aguero netted 11 minutes from full-time, and Fabian Delph’s thunderbolt at the death added the finishing touch to a result which ensures City stay top of the table, on goal difference, above rivals Manchester United.