All Posts in "Month: February 2023"

John Akii-Bua – Background and Hurdling Tracks to Uganda’s Olympic Gold and Munich’s Top Highlight

Zambian 400 meters-hurdles legend Samuel Matete was born on July 27, 1968 in Chingola in Zambia. Samuel Matete is notably one of the world’s foremost 400 meters hurdlers of all time. For young Matete, legendary Uganda hurdler John Akii-Bua was his foremost sports idol. Matete still holds the African record of 47.10 seconds in the 400mh event, one he set in the German city of Zurich on August 7, 1991. At this Weltklasse Zurich (World Class Zurich), an annual athletics meeting in Switzerland which is part of the IAAF Golden League, and is sometimes referred to as the One-Day Olympics, Matete undeniably made his most memorable athletics mark. In his home country, Matete originally trained under rudimentary conditions, including setting up handcrafted wooden hurdles. Only three other people, all from the USA, have officially ever ran faster personal bests than Samuel Matete. These are: Bryan Bronson in 47.03 seconds (set in New Orleans in Louisiana on June 21, 1998), Edwin Moses in 47.02 seconds (set in Koblenz in Germany on August 31, 1983), and Kevin Young in an astounding world record and so far the only official time below 47 seconds, of 46.78 seconds (on August 6, 1992 in Barcelona, at the Olympic Games, in the finals).

The only other Africa runners with faster personal bests than Akii-Bua are El Hadj Amadou Dia Ba of Senegal. He ran the intermediate hurdles in 47.23 seconds at the Olympics of 1988 that were held in Seoul in South Korea. Here, aged 29, … Continue Reading ...

Amos Vanbrocklin by — February 18, 2023 in Nyc News Today
Real Estate Marketing – Is Newspaper Advertising Still Viable in Today’s Market?

Frequently sellers insist that their agents put ads in the local paper. Is this means of advertising still legit? While newspapers are still running For Sale and Open House ads in the paper, these sections are not what they used to be a few years ago. Buyers just aren’t utilizing the newspaper classifieds like they used to.

Reasons? Here are two reasons that I’ve come up with based on what I’ve seen and done. First, newspapers have a definite shelf-life. Newspapers are very current and only last for that day. If you don’t see the paper on a given day, chances are you will not see it at all, unless you take a trip to your local library or newspaper archive. And who looks for a new house in their newspaper archive? Online advertising, however, has a much longer applicable period. With good search engine optimization, a single site can draw many visitors…for as long as you keep the site up. I’ve heard agents say that they sometimes get inquiries after a home has sold as the website is still live.

Second, if I were looking to purchase a home, I would want as much information about the property as I could find. A newspaper ad might show a photo of the home (if that) and the basic details: bedrooms, baths, sq. ft., etc. The internet allows Realtors to put up a multitude of information about a listing, and allows prospective buyers a chance to “see” the property virtually through … Continue Reading ...

Amos Vanbrocklin by — February 16, 2023 in Tucson News
Project Failures From the Top Down – Can Marchionne Save Chrysler

When Chrysler merged with Fiat on June 10, 2009, there was cause for hope and optimism. After an endless string of bad news, perhaps, the auto industry was not dead yet.

On paper it looked like a good deal for everyone. Fiat would return to the US market and sell its popular 500 (Cinquecentro), Chrysler would acquire a line of cars that consumers might actually buy, and tens of thousands of workers would keep their jobs.

But the real prize might just be Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat and now CEO of FiatChrysler.

When he first became CEO of Fiat in 2004, Marchionne inherited a company on the brink of failure. It manufactured a lackluster product line and had suffered more than $12 billion in losses over the previous five years. 

To transform the company he embarked on several strategic and operational projects.  He fired senior managers, upended a bloated bureaucracy, and brought a team of young aggressive managers on board. Then, he reviewed all projects and killed those that could not pass the market test.  And he hired new designers, and demanded a portfolio of exciting projects that would bring customers back to dealer showrooms.

In less than three years he succeeded in one of the most impressive turnarounds in automotive history. 

Now, as part of his plan to grow Fiat into a global competitor he has taken on Chrysler.  But, can he perform his magic again?  Can he save yet another company whose circumstances in many ways, but not … Continue Reading ...

Amos Vanbrocklin by — February 15, 2023 in Chicago Breaking News
Is Your Television Spying On You?

Is seems like the more connected we get the more privacy we lose. In a report and investigation from “Consumers Report” they found that some smart TV’s can track what you watch. The newer Smart TV from LG, Samsung, Sony, Vizio and others might be doing just that. It seems like they were trying to compete with Nielson in an attempt to do a better job at ratings. Most of us watch Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, RoKu and others. All of these need a Wi-Fi connection to operate.

So just how do they do it? They all have what is called Automatic Content Recognition (AGR) which monitors what you watch. And of course, you must be connected to the internet via hard wire or Wi-Fi. The AGR is turned on by default.

The next thing you should ask, can my TV be hacked? Can someone hack into my smart TV and take control of it or do something else? The answer to both is yes. How difficult this is depends on the TV manufacturer or the maker of the Ruku, Hulu or other hardware devices connected to your TV. They should have some type of security protection.

Can any of this be stopped? There are two basic ways, first is to unplug or disconnect the internet from your smart TV, this isn’t always practical. The second will take a little work and digging into the menu options of your TV. Most of the TV manufacturers will have a way to shut … Continue Reading ...

Amos Vanbrocklin by — February 14, 2023 in Tucson News
Major Highlights of Kerala Tour Packages

What is the perfect phrase that can describe the real beauty of Kerala? It is one of the sought after tourism destination in India, visited by tourists from all the nook and corner of the world. It is bedecked with amazing attraction of hill stations, backwaters, beaches and exotic wildlife parks and sanctuaries, which are the major attractions of Kerala tourism. All these true beauty have made Kerala fame all over the world. Due to is enigmatic tourism, National Travelers Magazine has named is One of the Ten Paradise of the World and One of the fifty must visit destination of the world. Well if you want to enjoy your holiday in this exciting tourism destination, you are most welcome to this state situated in the southern part of India.

Kerala’s astounding beauty has fascinated one and all. Take any step in this beautiful state and you will be amazed with the heavenly ambiance the beauty that its drenched with. Well come for tour to Kerala and explore the enticing beauty of some of the top places of Kerala – God’s Own Country.

Kovalam
Kovalam, one of the scenic and finest beach resorts in India, is now internationally known. It is the perfect place to enjoy beach activities and water sports drenching in the romance of the beguiling waves. Kovalam is not the major attraction of tourists in Kerala and is visited from all the nook and corner of the world. Here enjoy the fun filled water sports or taste … Continue Reading ...

Amos Vanbrocklin by — February 14, 2023 in Nyc News Today
Important Points to Consider While Writing a Graduate Curriculum Vitae

After spending hours pursuing your degree, it’s time to put it to use in search of a job. The curriculum vitae (CV) is an excellent resource for recent grads because it allows you to include more personal information than a resume. The CV also allows you to highlight your academic accomplishments as well as any job experience you may have had.

Introduce yourself
Your CV is the first impression an employer will have of you, so make it a good one. The purpose of the CV is to market yourself to the employer. It should be structured in a way that your experiences and accomplishments should match up with the requirements of the job for which you are applying. Employers have to sort through hundreds of CVs and may only spend a moment going over yours. So be sure to make it clear, concise, and presentable.

Formatting
Depending on the position you are applying for, you can give your CV some color and design elements, especially if you are applying for any type of design or creative position. Otherwise use a simple font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and to the point short sentences.

Step out of the box
There are words and phrases that have become cliché within the working world. Good communicator and easy to work with are adjectives everyone uses. Instead, use your CV to creatively express these qualities about yourself in a different way. Highlight how you have worked on projects with others and … Continue Reading ...

Amos Vanbrocklin by — February 12, 2023 in Nyc News Today