The Hindu | 'Dynamic pricing' hard to implement sans complete automation The Hindu It might spell trouble where filling stations are either not automated at all or when the automation is not fully functional. Incidentally, a majority of the filling stations are non-automated, and there are many other issues that should be sorted ... |
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'Dynamic pricing' hard to implement sans complete automation - The Hindu
Customers by nature, are human beings. They want to be treated in a personal way. Customer service is hyper-personal. Period. But, in times that we live today, automation is happening everywhere. Businesses are rapidly replacing customer service executives with chatbots and automation tools that spew out canned responses. Customer service is gradually becoming artificial, something far away from the personal touch that customer service requires. Lets face it. Automation has taken away the charm of customer service. Customers all over the world feel like they are just another number in a brands database. That personal attention which made customers feel special is a thing of the past. And soon, it will vanish too. In the short-term, automation is great to achieve cost efficiency. But, businesses also need to ensure that their customers do not feel missed out for attention due to automation. How exactly does a business do that? We explain in simple terms, some tactics for businesses to retain and engage their customers better in times of automation.
You read that right. Today customers are able to find infinite product suggestions under the sun through online stores. There are also star ratings and reviews that rank the best sellers. But, not all best-sellers match individual requirements. There are also other constraints like budget, choice of color, delivery and so on. Product suggestions programs cannot help a customer pick a product that is best suited to their personal preferences. It is here that a business can tear down the virtual wall that digitalization has created and forge a personal relationship through true and honest advising. Marketing tactics like content marketing, video marketing, influencer marketing all fall under this category of educating a customer before turning them into lifelong buyers. Since they all happen online, it is easy to stay connected with customers even if they are located far away from the business.
We forge friendships and relationships with people whom we trust. Even in a business trust is the key factor that convinces a customer to part with his/her hard-earned money. The fact that security concerns rank among the top reasons why customers abandon their shopping carts is evidence enough. A brand that is trusted by customers is sure to beat the competition and soar to leaderboards. Take for instance, Amazon the global eCommerce brand. The brand is able to amass such massive volumes of sales effortlessly only because of the trust that the brand has earned through customer-centric service. But, in an automated world building trust in a business relationship can be challenging. It is here that modern tools for marketing like email marketing, personalized offers, dedicated virtual assistants come into play. They can make the customer feel the same way they would feel if they were to transact with an offline business.
More than half of the world is connected through social networks. For more than one-third of millennials, social media remains the prime way to communicate with businesses. A business which is not on social media is very well missing out to attend to its customers. This statistic compilation from Digital Resonance sums the importance of social media in customer service: Keeping apart the social medias ability to market on a large scale, it also doubles up as a platform where customers and businesses can come together and resolve common problems that arise in the due course of customer service.
One customer well taken care of could be more than $10,000 worth of advertising. ~ Jim Rohn.
Source Nothing could ever be true than this. Your happiest customers are your brand advocates. To take care of them you need trained staff who can defuse a possible damaging situation into a resolution. To begin with, recruited staff can be enrolled for any customer service course that will expose them to the right way of treating angry and frustrated customers. Moreover, it will also improve brand image, since customer service is nothing but the front face of business post sales.
Like I said before, automation can take away the personal touch in customer service. Automated emails, chat support replies, IVR messages can make a customer feel unwanted. However, it is not possible to do everything manual either, like sending welcome emails when a new customer signs up or when they subscribe to a newsletter. The trick to striking a balance between automation and personalization. Like the automated mail can be written in a personal tone with clear mentioning of the customer name and preferences. They can also be signed off by the manager or the CEO which will make the customer feel more valuable. Here is how Buffer, the social media sharing tool makes sure its customers are taken care of 24/7.
Source
Customer service is an attitude, not a department. This famous quote proves the need for personalization in customer service even when processes are getting automated. We have explained so far how to improve customer service without losing the personal touch. Use automation whenever necessary, but make sure you do not miss out on the personal effect that heartfelt customer service can have.
MeghaParikh
Megha Parikh is a digital marketing expert and has been journeying through the world of digital marketing for more than 7 years. She especially enjoys learning about social media marketing and conversion rate optimization while exploring her social and interpersonal skills.
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How To Retain Customers In Times of Automation | CustomerThink - Customer Think
You are here: Home Local News Slave wages in Zimbabwe farms
FARM workers in Zimbabwe are victims of modern-day slavery. They earn $75 a month, despite the fact that agriculture is the backbone of the countrys economy.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Wonder Chabikwa
Farm workers told The Standard in separate interviews last week that farmers and government were neglecting and subjecting them to modern-day slavery.
Its more of modern-day slavery. Workers earn peanuts and this is very sad.
We fought against white supremacy but now there is black supremacy.
Farm workers, especially in the tobacco sector, are operating under poor working conditions and earning paltry salaries.
Employers dont offer them any protective clothing, said Raymond Sixpence, Progressive Agriculture and Allied Industries Workers Union of Zimbabwe general secretary.
As such, workers are vulnerable to respiratory and other diseases. Chinese employers go further to beat and harass employees. They dont want to pay them.
Some workers said employers were paying them with farm produce, citing harsh economic conditions in the country.
Recently, farm workers and employers agreed a salary increment of 4,2% or $3 for 2017 which saw the lowest earner being paid $75 per month and the highest paid worker now earning $150.
The agreement was signed on June 2 between the General Agricultural and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (Gapwuz) and farmer organisations.
The farmer organisations that agreed to the new wages are the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union, Zimbabwe Farmers Union, Commercial Farmers Union, Zimbabwe Tobacco Association and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Employers Organisation.
Its a mockery for suffering employees who are working 365 days a year. Its very unfair, Sixpence said.
He said agriculture was one of the biggest contributors to the countrys economy but employees were not being recognised.
As a union, he said, they were fighting for a $100 minimum wage per month.
In South Africa, the lowest paid farm workers earn about $230 per month.
Gapwuz general secretary, Golden Magwaza said the wages for workers were still low but due to economic challenges, they had compromised for $75.
We still need more to be done because its still little but half a loaf is better than nothing, he said.
We are going to have another meeting with employers in the next 12 months to discuss the issue.
Our aim is to reach the poverty datum line but to reach that is a challenge due to economic challenges.
According to a 2016 report, Working and Living Conditions of Workers in the Agricultural sector in Zimbabwe compiled by Naome Chakanya, from 2011 to 2016, wages for farm workers failed to keep pace with both the food poverty line and the poverty datum line (PDL), thus reducing the workers to the working poor.
In 2011 and 2012, the lowest paid worker in the general agriculture sector earned $59. The figure was reviewed slightly up in 2013 by $6 to $65. In 2014 and 2015 workers earned $72.
Currently, the PDL is estimated at almost $600.
The report noted another major challenge facing agriculture sector workers was the non-payment of wages.
It said some workers had gone for periods ranging from three months upwards without salaries.
Employers cite reasons such as the challenging economic environment, while others with the capacity to pay are taking advantage of the excuse, reads the report.
For some workers, they are given their salaries piecemeal as the employers cite the liquidity crisis.
Also cases of compulsory overtime work and overburdening of workers are rampant in all the subsectors, the report noted.
A worker can only go home after completing the task given by the employer regardless of time required per day to complete the task.
For some, they do not have clear contracts of employment and end up being unsure of their hours of work and exposing themselves to overtime work, it said.
Furthermore, due to rampant casualisation of labour in the sector, workers are subjected to irregular hours of work, and their working time is unpredictable and can be changed by the employer at any time.
In some cases, the key informants noted that such overworking often leads to fatigue, which increases their vulnerabilities to workplace injuries and accidents.
Commercial Farmers Union president, Ben Purcell Gilpin said the farming industry was affected by viability challenges.
Yes, we had a good season, but it has not improved. Its not only workers who are feeling the pinch, also the employers. We have challenges of cash also, he said.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president, Wonder Chabikwa said the agreed wage increase was what farmers could afford.
For the past three years, there was no salary increment because farmers had not been making profit, he said. This year it increased from $72 to $75 for the lowest paid worker and this is the amount farmers could afford to pay.
He urged farmers to prioritise workers health by providing them safe working conditions.
The agriculture sector is the backbone of Zimbabwes economy as more than 70% of its population derives its livelihood from it, according to Chakanya. It contributes the highest figure in terms of the countrys wealth and employment.
In terms of employment, according to the Labour Force and Child Labour Survey released in 2014, the agricultures sector (including forestry and fishing) contributes about 67% of total employment.
The sector contributes about 15% to the countrys Gross Domestic Product.
Despite all this, workers in the sector are classified as working poor.
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Slave wages in Zimbabwe farms - The Standard - The Zimbabwe Standard
Designer Raf Simons was best man at the CFDA fashion award in New York last week. Photograph: Prandoni/BFA/Rex/Shutterstock
A highlight of the $3tn fashion industry took place last week: the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) awards. These arent just a pat on the back, theyre career-defining. But youre more likely to get one if youre a man.
Research by American academic and sociologist Allyson Stokes found that between 19812013, 98 men received a CFDA award, but only 29 women. This year the only female nominees were celebrity fashion designers, the Olsen twins. One man, Raf Simons, won for both menswear and womenswear. He is the first (man) to win the double since another (man) Calvin Klein. His victory was somewhat eclipsed by the furore over the glass runway. Does the fashion industry have a gender equality issue, asked Fashionista.com.
Well yes, Fashionista.com, it does. Its not so much a gender equality problem but the type of mass exploitation of women that future generations will look at as we do slavery. To find it, though, youll need to look beyond the rarefied world of the glass runway. Theres a global supply chain that produces most of the worlds fashion, and 85 per cent of the 75 million garment workers toiling in this chain sewing seams, sequins and adding zippers to our everyday clothes are young women.
Here, female representation is not the problem. Physical abuse, unsafe factories and poverty wages are. In a recent report from womens rights NGO the Circle, founded by Annie Lennox (disclaimer: Im a member), human rights barrister Jessica Simor QC looked at female garment workers wages in 14 hotspots, from Bangladesh to Romania producing for high-street brands. The report shows how brands and states are riding roughshod over the right of these women to earn a living wage. To add further injury, these slave-wage jobs are consistently presented as being empowering for women in fashion.
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Whistle-blower: director Ava DuVernay, whose Neflix documentary 13th explores the prison industry. Photograph: Vera Anderson/WireImage
We are all, at heart, ethical consumers. Ive never met anyone actively looking for a dose of slave labour with their teabags, window frames or underwear.
71% of companies surveyed in 2015 believed their supply chains might contain some form of slavery
But the supply chain for everyday products is in a parlous state. An incredible 71% of companies surveyed by the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) in 2015 believed their supply chains might contain some form of slavery.
So the Modern Slavery Act (ratified in 2015) deserves a cheer, requiring a raft of companies doing business in the UK and Ireland to eradicate child, bonded, forced prison and human-trafficked labour.
But this excludes voluntary prison labour, which is on the rise. The UKs rehabilitation revolution plans to double the number of employed offenders in the UKs prison population to 20,000 by 2020.
And thats nothing compared to the US where inmate labour is enshrined by the 13th amendment, which ended slavery except as a punishment for crime. The biggest brands in the world from Starbucks to Victorias Secret have used prisoners to bolster their businesses. Ava DuVernays Netflix documentary 13th explores this huge prison industry.
Inmate labour is often dressed up as an ethical intervention, the idea being that inmates working for multinationals in prison factories or loaned out as crews to call centres are learning important skills and paying their way. Except that its not altogether clear how these skills are transferable. Certainly the minimum wage does not apply.
The US state Viriginia was more upfront when its department of corrections took to promoting prison factories using the enticement inmate labour: the best- kept secret in outsourcing. Oops. Never buy the idea of prison products as ethical labour.
Londoners looking for respite from the capitals atrocious air pollution can take a deep breath at one of three new bus stops cited in pollution hot spots. The system from technology company Airlabs has been incorporated into Body Shop advertising boards, and works by trapping harmful particles (PM2.5) via a filtration system before gas pollutants, such as N02, are absorbed, delivering clean air to bus stop users.
At the risk of wishing the summer away, I can hardly wait for next month and the launch of the first People Tree collection with the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Its a small but perfectly formed eight-piece capsule collection which was inspired by the 1930s and based on dress fabrics originally produced by the Calico Printers Association in Manchester, now held in the V&As archive.
Its great to see an ethical fashion pioneer like People Tree continue to evolve. This is a brand that supports around 4,500 farmers, producers and artisans through 34 Fair Trade producer groups in 13 countries. This collection is sewn by a group working with female producers in Mumbai.
Clothes will be available from People Tree, with some styles on sale in the V&A shop. Available in sizes 8-16 online at peopletree.co.uk from July.
Email Lucy at lucy.siegle@observer.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @lucysiegle
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Theresa May pictured with her new chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, in summer 2016. Photograph: Neil Hall/PA
Theresa Mays plan for a loose alliance with the Democratic Unionists to prop up her government was thrown into confusion on Saturday night after the Northern Ireland party contradicted a No 10 announcement that a deal had been reached.
A Downing Street statement on Saturday said a confidence and supply agreement had been reached with the DUP and would be put to the cabinet on Monday. But the DUP last night put the brakes on that announcement, saying talks were continuing, not finalised. The DUP leader, Arlene Foster, said discussions will continue next week to work on the details and to reach agreement on arrangements for the new parliament.
Following talks between May and the DUP last night, a second statement from No 10 clarified that no final deal had been reached. A Downing Street spokeswoman said the prime minister had discussed finalising a confidence and supply deal when parliament returns next week As and when details are finalised, both parties will put them forward.
Earlier it emerged that angry Tory MPs had threatened to object to a formal coalition. The MPs had begun warning party whips they would oppose any formal deal, because of the DUPs position on gay rights, abortion and climate change. The looser deal on offer would see the Northern Ireland partys 10 MPs support the prime minister in key votes but not enter a closer pact with the Tories.
The decision to rule out a formal pact, which could make it harder for May to govern, comes after her trusted joint chiefs of staff, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, resigned following her shock failure to secure a majority in Thursdays general election. May had been under pressure from ministers to sack the pair or face an immediate leadership challenge. Gavin Barwell, who lost his Croydon Central seat, has taken up the role of chief of staff.
May is fighting to keep the job she won less than a year ago. As the general election result emerged, senior Tories are understood to have contacted Boris Johnson to sound him out about launching another leadership bid should May be unable to continue. Friends of the foreign secretary dismissed any suggestion that he would try to force May out, stating that he was backing her decision to stay in post. It is nonsense to suggest he is manoeuvring, they said.
Boris Johnson tweeted on Saturday night that reports of a challenge were tripe.
The Observer has learned that the DUP was planning to dodge a row when negotiations began by avoiding the inclusion of any controversial social policies, such as opposition to gay marriage or abortion, in its so-called shopping list of demands to the Tories. Party sources said it would be seeking commitments from May that there would be no Irish unity referendum and no hard border imposed on the island of Ireland.
However, some Tories remained concerned that a pact would damage a brand they have spent years trying to detoxify.
More and more colleagues are becoming distinctly uneasy about the idea of a formal pact with the DUP, said one senior Conservative. It is up to the DUP if they want to support a Conservative government and vote for various measures that we put through, but there is a feeling that we are damaged if we are seen to be entering into a formal agreement with a party whose views on a number of things we just dont share.
Why should we damage what we painstakingly built up through David Camerons work on personal issues, and indeed what the prime ministers own instincts are, with any form of formal linkage with people who plainly have some views that the vast majority of Conservative MPs would not share?
Nicky Morgan, an education secretary under David Cameron, said: As a former minister for women and equalities, any notion that the price for a deal with the DUP is to water down our equalities policies is a non-starter.
An online petition calling for May to resign rather than form a coalition with the DUP had attracted more than 500,000 signatures Saturday night.
The DUP is opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. It has also appointed climate change sceptics to senior posts within the party. The former Tory cabinet minister Owen Paterson sparked alarm by suggesting that his party might have to enter into a debate on further reduction of abortion times as medical science advances. But it is understood that the DUP will argue that controversial issues such as gay marriage and abortion can be dealt with only in a Northern Ireland context by the Stormont assembly.
Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, has expressed concern over the impact of a DUP deal on gay rights and other issues. But one DUP source said: Someone is stirring the pot with Ruth, who we regard as a hero of the union.
The DUP has been at the forefront of opposition in Stormont to legalising gay marriage and reforming the near-total ban on abortion in the region. Seeking a soft border would raise the question of whether or not the DUP backs the UK staying in the EUs customs union. The party will also insist that there are no checks at English, Scottish or Welsh ports and airports on any citizens travelling from Northern Ireland after Brexit.
DUP sources said the list of demands would be similar to its 2015 Northern Ireland plan, when the party laid out its price for supporting either a minority Tory or Labour administration. That included more Treasury cash for Northern Irelands schools and hospitals. Also among the DUPs conditions will be at least a 50% cut or the total abolition of air passenger duty in Northern Ireland.
Discussions between the DUP and the Conservatives will run parallel with negotiations this week involving all the main parties in Northern Ireland. The latter talks are aimed at restoring the power-sharing devolved government in Belfast. Writing in todays Observer, Jonathan Powell, Tony Blairs secret negotiator with the IRA after the 1998 Good Friday agreement, saidon Monday: If Mrs May depends on the DUP Ian Paisleys party, not the old Official Unionists who used to work with the Tories to form a government it will be impossible for it to be even-handed.
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Theresa May's plan to govern with DUP support thrown into confusion - The Guardian
Julian McMahon at an appeal by Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in Indonesia. He has been made a companion of the Order of Australia. Photograph: Ed Wray/Getty Images
The abolitionist lawyer Julian McMahon and the refugee advocate Paris Aristotle have been recognised in this years Queens birthday honours list.
Julian McMahon, a Melbourne barrister, has been appointed a companion of the Order of Australia for his dedication to defending human rights, in particular advocating for defendants facing the death penalty.
The president of Reprieve Australia since 2015, McMahon has worked pro bono for death-row defendants including: Van Tuong Nguyen, hanged in Singapore in 2005; George Forbes, wrongly accused, then exonerated of murder in Sudan in 2007; and the Bali Nine members Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who were executed by firing squad in Indonesia in 2015.
His work has raised public awareness globally of the death penalty, as more and more countries abolish capital punishment.
In the wake of Chan and Sukumarans executions, McMahon said the killing of Australian citizens overseas for non-violent drug offences had solidified public opposition in Australia to capital punishment.
I think its been a developing idea basically since the execution of Van Nguyen, which many people rightly thought was an appalling outcome, McMahon told Fairfax Media.
The public consciousness was awakened to the reality of executions, which hadnt really featured in public life for a long time. It was on a slow burn until the lead-up to the executions of Chan and Sukumaran. Their case led to such intense analysis, discussion and political input, it is now beyond dispute that we simply understand as a nation the death penalty is unacceptable.
McMahon, the Victorian Australian of the Year in 2016, has been cited in the Queens birthday honours for eminent service to the law and the legal profession, through pro bono representation of defendants in capital punishment cases overseas, as an advocate for the abolition of the death penalty, and to human rights and social justice reform.
Aristotle has made an officer of the Order of Australia. He founded the Victoria Foundation of Survivors of Torture in 1987 and has been its chief executive since then. He was a member of the prime ministers expert panel on asylum seekers in 2012.
Aristotles citation as the 2017 Victorian Australian of the Year reads: A tireless advocate for refugees and asylum seekers, Paris Aristotle has made an enormous contribution by helping countless people rebuild their lives in Australia after surviving torture and trauma in their countries of origin.
Aristotle has worked with state and federal governments of all political affiliations over decades as well as with the United Nations high commissioner for refugees.
In an address in March, he said the issue of forced displacement will be one of the great challenges of the 21st century for Australia, the region and the world:
Protecting people fleeing war, conflict and persecution is both a moral and legal obligation for a country like ours. Every person should know that they have a right to protection under the refugee convention every refugee should be confident that as a part of that they will be properly cared for and every persecutor should fear that they will be brought to justice.
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Julian McMahon and Paris Aristotle honoured for defence of human rights - The Guardian
Moscow is home to the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy, an enormous recreation and museum complex. One of its buildings is decked out with a spectacular exterior thats designed to look like the conductive tracks on a circuit board.
The building in question is the Pavilion of Moscow Information Technology Department, a 1,600 square meter presentation space that showcases Russias electrical achievements. Russian architectural firm Wall designed the exterior of the pavilion in 2016, according to Dezeen. The outer panels were formed out of concrete in a local factory, and house an exhibition space, business center, and childrens play area.
WALL | [] | [] | | | | 2016
WALL | [] | [] | | | | 2016
The structure is supposed to stand for another ten years, and the result is really something. The detailing adds an intriguing texture to the walls, which lends itself nicely to the purpose of the building itself: promoting the countrys technological achievements.
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The walls of this Russian technology exhibit are imprinted with a circuit board design - The Verge
How many screens are in the cab of a farmer's planter?
Jason Watson's has five, and he said that's typical.
"It's full of electronics," said Watson, who farms near Villa Grove.
This includes:
A screen attached to the tractor's basic controls.
A backup camera, so farmers are "able to know when a car's behind them," Watson said.
The planter monitor, which "is recording all of our skips, doubles, down force, all the things that we need to know to make adjustments to best plant the seed," Watson said.
A global positioning system for guidance. "The tractors are being driven by a satellite signal that's allowing us to stay straight," he said.
An iPad, which combines the planter monitor data with the GPS data and displays it on a map of the field.
All this technology isn't necessarily cheap, and farmers always have to weight the costs and benefits.
"The constant game with technology is making sure that you're benefiting from it enough to afford it," he said. "It's never easy. You want all the bells and whistles, and you want all the gadgets, but it's about understanding what you can do with the information and how that technology can benefit you."
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Just Askin': Technology on the farm - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
The fibreglass-concrete facades of this technology centre in Moscow, designed by architecture practice Wall, are imprinted with a pattern based on the conductive tracks of circuit boards.
Moscow-based Wall, astudio led by architectsArakelyan Ruben and Navasardyan Ayk, designed the Pavilion of Moscow Information Technology Departmentfor the city's exhibition centre and amusement parkVDNH.
Also known asPavilion DIT, the 1,600-square-metre temporary pavilionstands at the intersection of Kolcevaya Road and Serenevaya Alley.
It is expected to remain in place for10 years, and will be used to show off the most interesting achievements inelectronics.
Lines and circles are imprinted into the fibreglass-concrete panels that clad the building, creating thetactile facade intended to reference the circuit boards used inelectronics.
The panels, which continue onto the ground at the pavilion's entrance, were designed by Wall and made in a local factory.
These imprinted walls arewindowless, placingfurther emphasis on the pattern. This approach also helped todraw visitors towards the full-height glazing that fronts entrance points to the building.
Inside, thesingle-storey space isdivided into three parts an exhibition space, business centre and a children'szone that are separated by a recess in the building's facade.
"Thematic areas create open spaces for flexible use in the summer season, open exhibitions, lectures, workshops, kid's activities," explained thearchitects.
Other recent examples of contemporary architecture in Russia's capital city include OMA'sGarage Museum of Contemporary Art and David Adjaye'sMoscow School of Management.
Just outside the city, London-based Zaha Hadid Architects is working on a building for theSkolkovo Innovation Center, Russia's answer to Silicon Valley. The131,000-square-metreSberbank Technopark buildingreferences Hadid's well-documented interest in the Russian Avant-Garde.
Photography is by Ilya Ivanov.
Project credits:
Architects: Wall Other participants: - Product brands: GRC, Guardian, MDM
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Information technology pavilion in Moscow features circuit-board-patterned walls - Dezeen
A new project by The Texas A&M Transportation Institute could soon make Texas Department of Transportation road evaluations more consistent, efficient and effective using technology similar to what is being developed for autonomous vehicles.
The project is among a number of innovative studies being overseen by TxDOT's Office of Research and Technology Implementation.
Paul Carlson, head of TTI's Traffic Operations and Roadway Safety Division, said the monitoring system would replace the agency's current method of evaluating roads by eye -- a practice he said often lends itself to subjectivity and inconsistency.
"The idea is to add low-cost sensors to TxDOT vehicles so that they essentially act like robotic eyes, looking at the infrastructure, providing infrastructure information and condition assessment information," Carlson said. "[Right now] TxDOT employees have to drive their roadways twice per year doing windshield inspections, driving down the road and judging what needs to be rehabilitated and what needs to be maintained. ... This provides a much more objective way for that to be done with consistency across the board."
TxDOT RTI project manager Chris Glancy said while the technology is still in the testing phase, it already is garnering attention from department employees across the state.
"Every time I show district personnel the project, they want to implement it locally," Glancy said in a statement. "This is an example of what we expect to be many future innovative opportunities to utilize new vehicle technologies to improve safety and efficiency of many of the field operations that the department must undertake to effectively maintain our transportation system."
Carlson said the technology is now in the field for testing to measure accuracy and the cost-benefit of the system. He said four fleet vehicles of TxDOT's Bryan District already have been equipped with the system, and 26 are scheduled for installation across the state by the end of the year.
Should the system prove successful, Carlson said the technology could provide transportation officials with a more timely and cost-efficient way to get the most out of the "limited dollars" in maintenance funding they receive each year.
Carlson said the "unobtrusive" technology is designed to cost less than $1,000 per vehicle.
In addition to its potential cost-saving benefits, Carlson said the monitoring system is automatic and connected to a cloud service in which data is collected and analytics are compiled.
"The idea is that we provide the TxDOT personnel with no additional duties," Carlson said. "[The drivers] just go do their normal work."
He said the information then would be available to officials in the form of a "near-real-time map" of road conditions.
Carlson said in addition to its potential use in TxDOT vehicles across the state, the technology could also be commercialized and marketed to other state transportation agencies as well.
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TTI project using technology to improve road-evaluation process - Bryan-College Station Eagle
Nebraska farmers to learn about agricultural technology The Olympian Nebraska farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals will gather in Kearney to learn about changing technology and how to prepare for tough economic times. The Nebraska Farm Bureau, University of Nebraska and KRVN Rural Radio Network will ... |
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Nebraska farmers to learn about agricultural technology - The Olympian
England have won their first major trophy since 1966, after Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Venezuela.
Three points from England's 1-0 win over Venezuela in the U20 World Cup final.
England are world champions
For the first time since 1966, England are champions of the world, albeit at youth level, after a 1-0 win over Venezuela in the Under-20 World Cup final in South Korea. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the scorer, and Freddie Woodman, the goalkeeper who saved a second-half penalty, were England's heroes in a pulsating final against an exciting Venezuelan team who have defied expectations even more than Paul Simpson's Young Lions.
This tournament has captured the imagination of the English public, and the jubilant scenes at the final whistle, when England's bench sprinted onto the pitch for a mass embrace, and the beaming trophy presentation, showed what it meant. This is not just youth football; it could prove hugely significant for English football.
England went into the game as favourites and had the best of the opening exchanges but Venezuela nearly took the lead after 25 minutes with an effort that would have gone down as one of the great World Cup final goals at any level. Mimicking a technique made famous by his namesake, Ronaldo Lucena thumped a dipping, swerving free kick against the post from a full 40 yards. Woodman was not alone in expecting a cross, but he would have struggled to save the effort even if he hadn't been 6 yards off his line.
The Venezuelan defence was having difficulty in dealing with England's two Dominics -- Solanke and Calvert-Lewin -- at the other end, and the latter opened the scoring with a goal that demonstrated England's superior strength and composure in the final third. The Everton forward won a high ball against his man and, although his first effort was saved one-handed by Wailer Farinez, he tucked in the rebound for England's first World Cup final goal since Geoff Hurst scored with "some people on the pitch."
England sensed blood before the half was finished as Calvert-Lewin got in behind again, only for Farinez to save with his legs.
On 52 minutes, Venezuela made a significant change, with Yeferson Soteldo replacing the ineffective Ronaldo Chacon, and with his very first touch, he dissected England's defence with a pass, leaving Sergio Cordova one-on-one with Woodman. His tame finish was smothered by the goalkeeper, who also held on to a header shortly afterward. The diminutive Soteldo helped put Venezuela on top and on 72 minutes came Woodman's moment, saving Adalberto Penaranda's penalty brilliantly after Jake Clarke-Salter was penalised. Venezuela pushed for a leveller, with even Farinez trying his luck in the dying seconds when up for a corner, but England held on to claim a historic victory.
VAR works
The most high-profile incident in the short history of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) trials was another positive advert for the technology. On 72 minutes and with Venezuela on top, Clarke-Salter clipped the heels of Penaranda and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. England's players implored him to consult the video assistants and he did, but replays showed it was the correct the decision. Woodman dived the wrong way but brilliantly kept out Penaranda's spot kick with a firm hand, and the Malaga forward seemed so stunned he failed to react to the rebound.
While Penaranda can hardly have savoured the extra wait, consulting the video assistants took barely a minute and ensured the correct decision at a pivotal moment in a World Cup final. There will always be detractors, people who fear further interference by a faceless official behind the scenes, and the questionable decision to uphold a red card in Italy's quarterfinal win over Zambia proves that there are still problems to be ironed out.
But this tournament has gone a long way towards suggesting that VAR works. It's time to have the conversation about introducing it to men's football -- and Serie A is leading the way by applying for FIFA approval for the start of the upcoming season.
England must translate success to senior team
This was England's first World Cup final appearance at any level since 1966 and the achievement of Paul Simpson's squad should not be underestimated. England have enjoyed relative success at youth level before, however, notably losing to Germany in the final of the European Under-21 Championship in 2009, but failed to build on these at senior level.
While Germany's youth team from that final went on to form the core of their World Cup winning team in 2014, England's stars from that tournament -- Theo Walcott, Micah Richards, Kieran Gibbs et al -- have largely failed to live up to their potential. A huge challenge for the Football Association, and English clubs, is to ensure the same fate does not befall this U20 team.
Key to that will be opportunities at club level and England's heroes will hope to use this triumph as a springboard. The closest thing to a Premier League regular in England's World Cup winning squad is captain Lewis Cook, who may have made more than six appearances for Bournemouth last season were it not for injury.
Cook's midfield partner Joshua Onomah, England's most impressive player in the final, is a good example. The Tottenham player made just four substitute appearances in the Premier League last season but this experience can only be a positive for him. He and his teammates will hope to use it and play more next term.
Dominic Solanke, who won the Golden Ball for the Player of the Tournament in South Korea, will jump ship from Chelsea due to a lack of first-team opportunities. It has to be hoped he will find more of a home when he completes his switch to Liverpool on July 1.
Dan is ESPN FC's Tottenham correspondent. Follow him on Twitter: @Dan_KP.
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England's young stars rule the world, but must progress to senior team - ESPN FC (blog)
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During the 2016 offseason, we explained that nothing in the labor deal prevents players from getting paid a percentage of the salary cap. This approach would protect great players against significant jumps in the spending limit (and, in turn, the market) creating the impression that the player is being underpaid in the latter years of the contract.
Some have tried to get there, starting with former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis in 2010 and, more recently, continuing with Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins last year. To date, no player has gotten that sort of term.
Jason Cole of Bleacher Report recently noted that [s]ome agents and people within [the] NFLPA are increasingly suggesting that star players tie their contracts to a percentage of the cap. Itll happen only when a great player has maximum leverage, presumably upon hitting the open market and creating a land rush for his services. It probably also needs to be a franchise quarterback.
While most big-money, long-term deals are meaningless beyond the first couple of years, a franchise quarterback tends to continue to play every year of his contract, until its time for another. To date, however, no true franchise quarterback has tried to get the out-year protection that comes from tying compensation to cap percentage. Not Aaron Rodgers (who refuses to admit hes underpaid because to do so would be to admit he did a subpar deal four years ago), not Peyton Manning in 2012 (when teams were lining up to get him), not Tom Brady at any time, not Ben Roethsliberger, not Drew Brees, not Russell Wilson, not Andrew Luck (who may not be a true franchise quarterback yet, but who had plenty of leverage when he did his second deal), not anyone.
Theres still no guarantee that a player would get that term. Its believed that the highly-influential Management Council has encouraged teams to resist, which makes the refusal to tie wages to cap percentage arguably collusion, if there were ever a paper trail to prove it.
Cole mentions Odell Beckham Jr. and Derek Carr as current star players who potentially could get a piece of the cap to account for future spikes, but Beckham is two years away from having his best leverage (unless hes willing to hold out from mandatory activities and ultimately skip games) and Carr has one more year before he can put the Raiders on the verge of the Cousins-style year-to-year franchise-tag dance.
Its really not all that controversial of a term, which makes the refusal of teams to do it even more confusing. The team and the player would set the salaries and guarantees for the first two or three years of the contract, and then starting in the third or fourth year of the deal hell have a set salary along with a roster bonus or some other payment aimed at bringing his total pay for the year to a certain percentage.
For example, if the Raiders were to sign Carr to a contract worth $25 million per year (which would represent 14.9 percent of the 2017 salary cap of $167 million), Carrs contract would ensure that, come 2019 or 2020 (and beyond) hed always be making 14.9 percent of the total cap.
If Rodgers had included such a term in his 2013 contract worth $22 million per year, which represented 17.8 percent of the $123 million salary cap in the year it was signed, hed be making $29.72 million this year. Instead, hes making $13.65 million.
Accounting for his signing bonus, Rodgers actually is at $20.3 million this year. Still, thats nearly $10 million lower than where he could have been if the deal had fully accounted for what has become a 35.7-percent hike in the cap since Rodgers signed.
Of course, a term like that could make a team more likely to squeeze a player to take less or to simply cut him in latter years of the deal, given his overall cash and cap burden. But getting a crack at the open market because the team thinks the player is making too much is always better than being tied to a team by a contract that doesnt pay nearly enough, and having no way to improve the situation without alienating fans who always applaud owners for trying to make more money and consistently chastise players for doing the same.
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Is progress being made toward paying players a percentage of the ... - NBCSports.com
Tigers outfield prospect Cam Gibson is in his second season at Single-A West Michigan.(Photo: Robin Buckson / Detroit News)
Maybe because they had learned earlier lessons about rushing players think of big-bonus outfielder Daniel Fields the Tigers these days are taking their time with promotions and upgrades.
It might have paid off in the 2017 rise of Cam Gibson, a 23-year-old outfielder who was asked to repeat a second season at Single-A West Michigan.
Gibson is batting .275 in his last 10 games and has nine home runs for the Whitecaps. On the year he has a .331 on-base average and .786 OPS. He tracks balls in the outfield with range reminiscent of his dad, Kirk, who three decades ago was a Tigers centerpiece on some elite teams that in 1984 won Detroits last world championship.
This progress Cam Gibson has made in 2017 is not, say his bosses, the product of a one-time Michigan State baseball star overmatching his pitching competition. Its simple development that, perhaps within a month, will see Gibson heading for a stiffer challenge at Single-A Lakeland.
Gibson ripped a double and had another hard-hit out in Fridays game against a starting pitcher from Daytona, Tony Santillan, who was firing a 99-mph fastball during Fridays game at Comstock Park. He had another single and a pair of RBIs in Saturday nights Whitecaps triumph.
This can happen when swing adjustments and simple maturation move a player from so-so prospect to a youngster the Tigers could eventually see in the big leagues, even as a fourth outfielder.
Hes adjusted his stance, and his hands set-up, and hes trying to limit excess movement trying to be more direct to contact, which hes doing better, said Bruce Fields, the Tigers roving batting instructor who was taking in the Whitecaps-Dayton series this weekend, and whos been monitoring Gibson for two years.
Hes hitting the ball hard and more consistently. His swing hasnt been in and out like it was last year. Last year, hed show you a couple of good swings, then lose it for a while, then show you another good swing.
Now you see that hes hitting the ball harder. With a little air under it. Hes improved his swing greatly from last year.
Gibson was a fifth-round pick in 2015 following his junior year at East Lansing. He batted only .221 last year at West Michigan, his first full season of professional baseball. It was not the start Gibson or the Tigers had in mind.
Rather than push him reflexively to high Single-A Lakeland in 2017, the Tigers decided to cool the timetable, not only with Gibson, but with one of his old Spartan teammates, first baseman Blaise Salter, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound, right-handed batting first baseman who last season worked at Single-A Connecticut. Salter is batting .319 for the Whitecaps, with an .859 OPS, five home runs and 48 RBIs in 60 games.
Put it this way, Fields said, speaking of Gibsons follow-up at West Michigan. When you repeat a league you expect better results. What Cam has shown is what was expected. Hes given us better results, been more consistent with his swing. Hes added the bunt (for base hits) game, as have some of the other young guys there.
Numbers dont lie, Fields continued. Let me ask you this: If this were another organization, any other organization, and you had a couple of kids one hitting .325, .330, another with a league-lead in RBIs what would you say?
Fields was speaking here of Salters RBIs, as well as another of manager Mike Rabelos outfield colts, Jacob Robson, an eight-rounder (Mississippi State) from last Junes draft, who is batting .321 for the Whitecaps and alternating outfield spots with Gibson and with Danny Woodrow, a 12th-round pick (Creighton) last June.
All of the outfielders have speed. All can and do play anywhere in the outfield.
A little fireplug, Fields said of Robson, an Ontario native who grew up in London and now lives in Windsor. He gets after it. Plays hard. I just love the way he goes after it.
Woodrow after watching him last night his swing is definitely improving. You see a better plane and path. Hes hitting hard, firm ground balls and using the whole field. And hes repeating his swing. At least he did last night.
Gibson, of course, is a left-handed batter, 6-1, 195, with an arm similar to his fathers (a bit beneath average) and defensive range that could help push him to Comerica Park
The Tigers hope for obvious reasons Gibson can make the cut. A defender with his range could be of immense help in a home ballpark that has surplus acreage. He also could decongest basepaths the 2017 Tigers too often tend to clog.
Gibson had 26 steals in 2016. He has 12 swipes in 2017. The Tigers would prefer seeing 30-plus by the time he wraps up his 2017 venture. Speed and power theyre difficult to ignore in a Tigers system hurting for position options.
I would say Gibby, if you were to grade his power, probably is slightly below average but hes got pop, Fields said. Its mostly pull power, but he has hit a couple of deep balls to right-center and center, and if hes doing that, hes making progress.
Obviously, the next step is you want to see it at the next level (Single-A Lakeland). You want to see if he can repeat his swing at that level. Well see where it goes.
This is where the Tigers are perhaps taking different tacks from some older, less strategic days when the likes of Daniel Fields, who had gotten a $1.6 million bonus from the Tigers, was rushed to high Single A and never spent a day getting a base at West Michigan.
The Tigers have different approaches these days. Gibson might be an eventual salute to more prudent development and patience.
twitter.com/Lynn_Henning
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Cam Gibson rewards Tigers' patience with progress - The Detroit News
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Decades-long American chestnut restoration efforts show progress Pittsburgh Post-Gazette In the late 1980s, after more than 20 years of inactivity, another wave of restoration efforts began, and a recently published paper offers positive signs on the progress. It's a cautious optimism, said co-author Sara Fitzsimmons, the director of ... |
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Decades-long American chestnut restoration efforts show progress - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Jacoby Ellsbury again is making progress in his recovery from a concussion, but not to the point that hes game-ready.
Joe Girardi said the centerfielder, who has been on the disabled list with a concussion and neck sprain since May 25, will not travel with the Yankees on Sunday night when they head to the West Coast for the start of a seven-game trip that begins Monday night in Anaheim. Instead, Ellsbury will go to Double-A Trenton, where he will work out with the club but not play in games.
That is not to say Ellsbury isnt feeling better. The headaches that had started to go away returned June 2 in Toronto, and he has been restricted to light exercise since then. That activity has been moderately increased in recent days because the headaches have not been as frequent.
He has been riding the bike, he has run on the treadmill, he is not sprinting yet, Girardi said. But hes played catch, so were starting to see progress.
Though Ellsbury certainly helps the Yankees outfield depth, all signs are that he will not be put back into the starting lineup immediately after he returns. Thats because Aaron Hicks entered Saturday nights game with a .318/.426/.584 slash line, 10 homers and 34 RBIs.
After watching Hicks hit two home runs Friday night, Girardi said his playing time wont decrease significantly when Ellsbury returns. Hes going to play a lot, thats the bottom line, Girardi said of Hicks. Hes going to continue to get a ton of at-bats.
Greg Bird (right ankle bone bruise) entered Saturday night hitting .280/.438/.360 in eight rehab games but still could be a little ways from returning.
I dont have a timetable on when hes coming back, Girardi said. Looking at the numbers, hes doing OK. Our people have determined hes not ready to come back yet. Could it be sometime soon? I guess it could be, but I dont have a date yet. Hes been off for a while and needs some at-bats.
Aroldis Chapman threw 18 pitches in a simulated game Saturday in Tampa with his fastball sitting at 97-98 mph, according to Girardi. He said Chapman will pitch for high Class A Tampa on Tuesday and Double-A Trenton on Friday and perhaps be back Saturday with the Yankees.
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Fort Worth Star Telegram | Injured Texas Rangers pitchers making progress | Fort Worth Star ... Fort Worth Star Telegram Cole Hamels threw a bullpen session Saturday during the Rangers' game at Nationals Park, and A.J. Griffin played catch before the game. |
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It was great to be at the homestead again. After nearly six months of very little progress, Saturday was spent putting up siding. I think that we made some great progress and am super excited with what we accomplished.
My Dad has been plugging away on the siding for a month now. He took a little tumble near the end of May, so my Mom and I were adamant that he needed to rest for a bit. It scared me and filled me with all kinds of emotions. My initial reaction was he was not going to be working on my house ever again. After talking with my parents and knowing my Dad as I do, there is no way he could ever sit still. If he wasnt working on my house, hed be doing something else on the Farm. Possibly something more dangerous.
Today was spent working on the siding. My Dad found the most amazing little clamps. They fit on the piece of siding that we just installed and then we sit the next piece right onto the clamps. You dont have to measure or level the pieces at all. Its amazing. I cant imagine putting the Hardie plank on without them. (Ill have to get a photo of installing a piece). Were using screws to put it up, which I highly recommend.
The pieces of siding are 12 feet long and made of cement. They are hard to move as they break easily. I learned the hard way that there is pretty much just one way to move them. Oops.
We worked on the back side first and got up to about the window. Then we moved to the front of the house when it was in the shade. We got just about to the bottom of the window on the front as well. We are still able to do a bit more with the staging. I think that we will probably end up renting a lift to do above the windows near the peak.
There are times that it seems like we still have so far to go, but then I think of what weve accomplished in the last year. It was funny. My Dad was on the staging thinking about the best way to approach the windows and I was sitting on the ground next to my Mom. My Mom said remember when we were inside sitting on the slab, trying to find a bit of shade under one of the few beams that we had up? Now, the exterior is nearing completion.
I had a big frustration with my townhouse, but I am just trying to roll with the punches and not get down. I know that Gods sovereign plan is perfect and that He is teaching me lessons every day in this journey. My friend Elizabeth is in a similar situation so I know that I am not alone. Maybe Im supposed to be renting my current place?
Over the past few months, Ive been able to save a bit of money so I am going to proceed with what I am able to afford. Im on vacation this upcoming week so I am hoping to make up for lost time and make lots of progress.
After 15 years in college athletics, the last seven as an assistant athletics director, I was burned out with 70-hour work weeks and extensive travel. I resigned my position and accepted a position in marketing at a small, vibrant college in my hometown of Unity, Maine. In the process I wanted to go back to my childhood where we raised polled Herefords, had a Christmas Tree Farm and spent many hours outside. I decided I wanted to build my own home on beautiful farmland that my family owns. With help from my Dad, the most talented person Ive ever met, we are building my home together. I have decided to blog my experience the ups and downs, the joys and frustrations. What was once an open field will one day be my home! The dream in my head is becoming reality. I can just see the lambs frolicking in the field, chickens in the barnyard and going running with my Alaskan Malamute!
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The latest release of the popular "Far Cry" video game series will feature a Montana setting, and promoted with video shot near Poplar.
A press release from the Montana Department of Commerce says that Far Cry 5 takes place in fictional Hope County, Montana. Although usually set in exotic, foreign locations such as the Himalayas and a fictional African country, Far Cry 5 is the first entry set in America. Its scheduled to be released in February 2018.Since 2004, sales of Far Cry games have reached more than 42 million.
The press release states: Players will have a large game world to explore while fighting off a hostile occupation of the county. In between the action, players will get a taste of Montanas outdoor recreation with hunting and fishing challenges. We know from the film industry that movies can be some of the best tools available for promoting a destination, but the interactive nature of video games represents an exciting opportunity weve never quite had before, said Montana Film Commissioner Allison Whitmer. Audiences around the globe not only will see Montana, theyll experience it virtually.
The official Far Cry 5 website provides this overview: Welcome to Hope County, Montana, land of the free and the brave, but also home to a fanatical doomsday cult known as The Project at Edens Gate that is threatening the community's freedom. Stand up to the cults leader, Joseph Seed and the Heralds, and spark the fires of resistance that will liberate the besieged community. In this expansive world, your limits and creativity will be tested against the biggest and most ruthless baddest enemy Far Cry has ever seen. Itll be wild and itll get weird, but as long as you keep your wits about you, the residents of Hope County can rest assured knowing youre their beacon of hope.
A spokesperson for Ubisoft said Montana was a natural fit for the series because of its diverse landscape and the do-it-yourself attitude of its people. The developers visited several times to shoot thousands of photos and interview residents.
A location scout identified a church near Poplar where promotional video for the game was shot. The crew employed three people from Montana. Between labor and other expenditures related to the production, the shoot is estimated to have generated $20,000 for the Poplar economy.
While the Montana Department of Commerce is focused on the promotion of Montana, many gaming sites and reviews are focused on the actual premise and game-play.
An article at Kotaku notes:Its about blasting through a section of modern Montana controlled by a Bible-thumping madman who runs a heavily-armed militia. Youre up against The Father, Joseph Seed, who along with his family has spent the last dozen years sinking deep roots into the fictional Hope County while establishing a cult called The Project at Edens Gate.
Sam Machkovech, writing for ArsTechnica, said: "The 13-year-old Far Cry gaming series returns once more in February 2018, and, at least conceptually, this might be its most intense entry yet. While Far Cry games traditionally drop players into exotic, international locales with only a gun and a prayer, this year's entry, Far Cry 5, lands in the U-S-of-A. Specifically, the open, rural wilds of Montana. Your mission: invade a militarized cult's massive compound and take down its gun-toting, Jesus-invoking leader."
From Wired:When it arrives next February,Far Cry 5will unfold in a small town in Montana, where a religious cult tinged with American survivalism has emerged. (Think the Bundys, though no shortage of legalese will doubtless back away from that comparison.) Youll play a young police officer, a man or a woman, depending on your decision, and youll be tasked with (ugh) taking this slice of America back.
The Montana setting and choice of villains in the game has even sparked an online petition, which has garnered nearly 2,000 signatures.
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