Blink-182 will headline next year's Reading and Leeds festivals. The American pop-punk act joins Jake Bugg,
Disclosure, Metronomy, Of Mice & Men, Wilkinson and I Am Legion as
the first artists to be announced for the August bank holiday weekend.
2014
will mark Blink-182's fifth appearance at Reading and Leeds, and falls
15 years after their festival debut. The band last played at this event
in 2010, fresh from their comeback tour,
but this time they will be premiering songs from their seventh album.
"Prepare for the fury," frontman Mark Hoppus said in a statement. These
will be Blink-182's only UK concerts of the year.
Jake Bugg
will also be playing on the Reading and Leeds mainstage, albeit a little
lower on the bill. The Nottingham-born troubadour's performance will be
his third set at the annual rock festival. "Reading and Leeds have
become a bit of a regular feature of my summers lately, so it's amazing
to be asked back again," he said.
Reading on mobile? Click here to watch
The
rest of the initial lineup announcement includes Of Mice & Men,
making their only festival appearance in England or Wales, and Disclosure,
who return following a popular 2013 set. "Hundreds more" bands are
still to be added to the bill, and festival boss Melvin Benn has teased an "English band" as one of the headliners.
A
sell-out crowd attended Reading and Leeds in 2013, marshalled by
headliners Biffy Clyro, Green Day and Eminem. Tickets for the 2014
festival are available as of 9am at early-bird prices, with a £50
deposit scheme.
এখন PayPal এ Phone veryfication করুন সহজেই
আজ আপনাদের জন্য নিয়ে এলাম পেপাল এর ফোন ভেরিফিকেশন থেকে মুক্তির উপায়।
আগেই বলে রাখা ভালো এই পদ্ধতিতে আপনি যেকোন ভয়েস ভেরিফিকেশন করতে পারবেন।
এই নাম্বার দ্বারা আপনি USA নম্বর থেকে কল গ্রহণ করতে পারবেন। আমি গুগল
ভয়েস ভেরিফিকেশন করেছি শুধু। পেপাল কখনো ফোন ভেরিফাই করতে বলে নি তাই এটা
সেভাবে পরীক্ষিত নয়। তবে আশা করি পেপাল ও সম্ভবপ্রথমেই https://www.callcentric.com/login এ গিয়ে একটি একাউন্ট খুলুন। User name এবং Password টা ভালোমত খেয়াল রাখবেন।
এখানে একাউন্ট খুলার পর আপনার ই-মেইলে একটা নাম্বার পাঠানো হবে যেটা এরকম 1777*******। নম্বরটি নোট করুন।
এবার যান http://phone.ipkall.com এ। এখানেও সাইন আপ করুন। সাইন আপ করার সময় নিচের বিষয় গুলো খেয়াল রাখবেন
১. Area Code for your IPKall Number এ যেকোন একটা নম্বর নির্বাচন করুন।
২. SIP URI এ আপনার Callcentric এর সেই নোট করা 1777******* নম্বরটি দিন। @ এর পরে Host name এর ঘরে in.callcentric.com দিন
৩. Email এবং Password দিন। Callcentric এবং IPKall এ একই Password ব্যবহার করলে ভালো
এখন IPKall থেকে আপনার ইমেইল এ একটা মেইল পাঠাবে যেখানে আপনার সব ডিটেইলস লেখা থাকবে
আপনার IPKall নাম্বারটি হলো আপনার ফোন নম্বর। এটাই আপনাকে পেপালে এড করতে হবে। সেটা নিয়ে একটু পরেই বলছি। IPKall নাম্বারটি নোট করে রাখুন।
এবার http://callcentric-softphone.software.informer.com/download সাইটে গিয়ে 1.7MB সফটওয়্যারটা ডাউনলোড করে নিন। ইন্সটল করুন। এরপর Callcentric User Name ও Password দিয়ে লগইন করুন। লগইন হলে এরকম দেখাবে...
তবে অবশ্যই এন্টিভাইরাস ও উইন্ডোজ Firewall off করে নিবেন। মাঝে মাঝে একাউন্ট খোলার সাথে সাথে লগইন নেয় না। কিছু কিছু সময় দেরি হতে পারে।
এখন পেপালে গিয়ে আপনার IPKall নাম্বারটা Add করুন Home হিসেবে
Add করে সেটাকে Primary বানিয়ে দিন। যাদের পেপাল একাউন্ট লিমিটেড তারা নাম্বার Add করতে পারবেন। তবে Remove করতে পারবেন না।
এবার ফোন ভেরিফিকেশন করার জন্য আপনি প্রস্তুত। ওরা হয়ত আপনাকে ফোন করে আপনার একাউন্ট ডিটেইলস জিজ্ঞেসা করবে। আর আপনার পিসি তে হেডফোন লাগিয়ে নিবেন যেন তাদের কথা শুনতে এবং বুঝতে পারেন। আমি ক্ষমা চেয়ে নিচ্ছি কেননা আমি পেপালে ফোন ভেরিফিকেশন করিনি। আমি বিভিন্ন ফোরাম এবং সাইট ঘুরে যাবতীয় তথ্য নিয়ে এই টিউন করেছি। এছাড়া আমি এভাবে গুগল ভয়েস ভেরিফাই করেছিলাম
তাছাড়া পেপালের Photo ID, SSN, Utility bill, Proof of address, Bank Statement সফলতার সাথে সরবরাহ করি অল্প কিছু অর্থ কড়ির বিনিময়ে
এখানে একাউন্ট খুলার পর আপনার ই-মেইলে একটা নাম্বার পাঠানো হবে যেটা এরকম 1777*******। নম্বরটি নোট করুন।
এবার যান http://phone.ipkall.com এ। এখানেও সাইন আপ করুন। সাইন আপ করার সময় নিচের বিষয় গুলো খেয়াল রাখবেন
১. Area Code for your IPKall Number এ যেকোন একটা নম্বর নির্বাচন করুন।
২. SIP URI এ আপনার Callcentric এর সেই নোট করা 1777******* নম্বরটি দিন। @ এর পরে Host name এর ঘরে in.callcentric.com দিন
৩. Email এবং Password দিন। Callcentric এবং IPKall এ একই Password ব্যবহার করলে ভালো
এখন IPKall থেকে আপনার ইমেইল এ একটা মেইল পাঠাবে যেখানে আপনার সব ডিটেইলস লেখা থাকবে
আপনার IPKall নাম্বারটি হলো আপনার ফোন নম্বর। এটাই আপনাকে পেপালে এড করতে হবে। সেটা নিয়ে একটু পরেই বলছি। IPKall নাম্বারটি নোট করে রাখুন।
এবার http://callcentric-softphone.software.informer.com/download সাইটে গিয়ে 1.7MB সফটওয়্যারটা ডাউনলোড করে নিন। ইন্সটল করুন। এরপর Callcentric User Name ও Password দিয়ে লগইন করুন। লগইন হলে এরকম দেখাবে...
তবে অবশ্যই এন্টিভাইরাস ও উইন্ডোজ Firewall off করে নিবেন। মাঝে মাঝে একাউন্ট খোলার সাথে সাথে লগইন নেয় না। কিছু কিছু সময় দেরি হতে পারে।
এখন পেপালে গিয়ে আপনার IPKall নাম্বারটা Add করুন Home হিসেবে
Add করে সেটাকে Primary বানিয়ে দিন। যাদের পেপাল একাউন্ট লিমিটেড তারা নাম্বার Add করতে পারবেন। তবে Remove করতে পারবেন না।এবার ফোন ভেরিফিকেশন করার জন্য আপনি প্রস্তুত। ওরা হয়ত আপনাকে ফোন করে আপনার একাউন্ট ডিটেইলস জিজ্ঞেসা করবে। আর আপনার পিসি তে হেডফোন লাগিয়ে নিবেন যেন তাদের কথা শুনতে এবং বুঝতে পারেন। আমি ক্ষমা চেয়ে নিচ্ছি কেননা আমি পেপালে ফোন ভেরিফিকেশন করিনি। আমি বিভিন্ন ফোরাম এবং সাইট ঘুরে যাবতীয় তথ্য নিয়ে এই টিউন করেছি। এছাড়া আমি এভাবে গুগল ভয়েস ভেরিফাই করেছিলাম
তাছাড়া পেপালের Photo ID, SSN, Utility bill, Proof of address, Bank Statement সফলতার সাথে সরবরাহ করি অল্প কিছু অর্থ কড়ির বিনিময়ে
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Google PR Domain সহজ করবে online আয় করার স্বপ্ন
আসুন প্রথমেই জেনে নেই, গুগল পি.আর ডোমেইন কি? এটি হলো ডোমেইন এর রেংকিং
এর মাত্রা যা গুগল সার্চ ইঞ্জিণ একটি নির্দিষ্ট প্রক্রিয়ার মাধ্যমে
নির্ধারণ করা হয়।
সাধারণত একটি ডোমেইন যতো পুরাতন হয় তার রেংক তত বাড়তে
থাকে। আবার একটি সাইটে যদি অনেক ভিজিটর ও আরটিকোল থাকে তবে তার রেংক বাড়তে
থাকে। গুগল একটি ডোমেইন কে ০ থেকে ১ , ২,৩ ইত্যাদি ক্রম অনুসারে ১০ পর্যন্ত
রেংক দিয়ে থাকে। রেংকিং যত বেশী হবে ডোমেইন এর দাম তত বেশী হবে। কাউন্ট
শুরু হয় ০ থেকে। যেগুলোতে কোন রেংকিং নাই সেগুলো (–) রেংক হিসেবে চিহ্নিত
করা হয়।
এবার আসুন জেনে নেই একটি পি.আর ডোমেইন থেকে কিভাবে আয় করা যায়?
পি.আর ডোমেইন রেডিমেইট পাওয়া যায় আবার একটি ডোমেইন কিনে এস.ই.ও করলে রেংক পাওয়া যাবে।
এবার আসুন জেনে নেই একটি পি.আর ডোমেইন থেকে কিভাবে আয় করা যায়?
- ১। হাই পেইজ রেংক প্রাপ্ত একটি ডোমেইন ১৫-২৫ টি আরটিকোল লিখে এডসেন্স একাউন্ট তৈরি করে তা থেকে আয় করতে পারেন। যেহেতু ডোমেইনগুলো অনেক পুরাতন তাই এডসেন্স একটিভ করতে ৬ মাস অপেক্ষা করার প্রয়োজন নাই।
- ২। হাই পেইজ রেংক ডোমেইনে কয়েকদিন ব্লগিং করে বিশাল ভিজিটর নিয়ে আসা সম্ভব যা দিয়ে আপনি এফিলিয়েট মার্কেট এর কাজ করতে পারেন। আপনি হয়ত জানেন, আমাদের দেশে অনেকই রয়েছেন যারা মাসে ১ থেকে ৫ হাজার ডলার আয় করছেন কেবল এফিলিয়েট মার্কেটিং করে। আপনি যদি ইংরেজীতে দক্ষ হোন তবে আপনিও পারেন একজন সফল এফিলিয়েট মার্কেটার হতে। এফিলিয়েট মার্কেটার হতে আরো একটি গুন থাকা প্রয়োজন আর তা হলো মানুষ বুঝাতে পারার ক্ষমতা থাকতে হবে।
- ৩। মাইক্রোওয়ার্কাস এর অসংখ্য কাজ রয়েছে যা সমাপ্তি করতে হাই পেইজ রেংক এর সারভার প্রয়োজন পড়ে। মাইক্রোওয়ার্কারস এর সাইটগুলো ভিজিট করলে দেখতে পাবেন যে, পি.আর. ২ + সাইটে কমেন্ট ও ১০০ শব্দের আরটিকোল লিখে .৫০ সেন্ট থেকে ৫ ডলার আয় করার সুযোগ রয়েছে।
- ৪। ডোমেইন গুলোর রেংকিং আরো বাড়িয়ে বিশাল দাম তুলে বিক্রয় করতে পারেন।
- ৫। নিজের প্রডাক্ট সহজেই মার্কেটিং করতে পারেন। যেহেতু এটির ভালো একটি রেংকিং রয়েছে তাই আরটিকোল লিখলেই সার্চ ইঞ্জিন থেকে ভিজিটর পাওয়া যায়। আলাদা করে বিশাল পরিমানে এস.ই.ও করার প্রয়োজন পড়ে না।
পি.আর ডোমেইন রেডিমেইট পাওয়া যায় আবার একটি ডোমেইন কিনে এস.ই.ও করলে রেংক পাওয়া যাবে।
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স্বাগত ও বিনীত অভিনন্দন জানাচ্ছি আমার এই প্রথম টিউনটি দেখার জন্য ও
ধন্যবাদ জানাই টেকটিউনসকে আমাকে টেকবিষয়ক টিউন করতে অনুপ্রানীত করার জন্য ।
আশা করি সবাই এই ফেইসবুক কমেন্টগুলো ডাউনলোড করে ব্যবহার করবেন।ফেইসবুকে কমেন্ট পিকচার দ্রুত জনপ্রিয় হচ্ছে। অনেকেই এই পিকচার কমেন্ট করতে জানেন না, আবার যারা জানেন তারা কমেন্টের কালেকশন না থাকার কারণে তারা সবসময় সঠিক ও ভালো কমেন্ট করতে পারেন না। তাই আমি আমার এই প্রথম টিউনে সবার জন্য প্রায় ৪৫০ টি ফেইসবুক কমেন্ট দিচ্ছি যাতে সবাই ফেইসবুকটাকে আরো আনন্দময় করে তুলতে পারে।
যেভাবে কমেন্টকরবেনঃ
- ১. যে পোস্ট এ আপনি কমেন্ট করতে চান এই কমেন্ট এর ডান পাশে লক্ষ্য করুন
- ২. আপনি একটি ক্যামেরার মত আইকন দেখতে পাবেন
- ৩.আপনি ওই ক্যামেরা আইকনে মাউস পয়েন্টার রাখলে Attach a photo দেখাবে
- ৪. এইবার আপনি ওই ক্যামেরা আইকনে ক্লিক করুন
- ৫. আপনার কমেন্ট পিকচার বা ছবিটা যেখানে আছে তা দেখিয়ে দিন ও ওপেন করুন
- ৬. কিছুক্ষণ অপেক্ষা করুন দেখবেন কমেন্টে আপনার কাঙ্খিত ছবিটি আপলোড হয়ে গেছে
- ৭. এবার আপনি চাইলে এর উপরে কিছু লেখতে পারেন বা সরাসরি কি-বোর্ডের enter বাটন প্রেস করে কমেন্ট করা সম্পন্ন করতে পারেন।
- ৪৫০ টি ফেইসবুক কমেন্ট ডাউনলোড করে নিন এইখান থেকে আর উপভোগ করুন আপনার ফেইসবুকিং
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Is there a 'dark side' to Amazon drones, Google robots?
I've got Amazon.com drones in my future.
I use Amazon's Prime delivery service for everything from rechargable batteries to art books to beef jerky, and so I was quite taken aback when CEO Jeff Bezos showcased a drone delivery system called Prime Air on 60 Minutes this past weekend. The idea is that packages below five pounds could be delivered straight from Amazon distribution centers to customers within 30 minutes using drones.
For now, it seems like half pipe dream, half pseudo-marketing: As many have observed, it probably wasn't a coincidence that the 60 Minutes segment aired on Sunday ahead of Cyber Monday, the busiest online shopping day of the year -- a good time for Amazon to be in the news.
Since Sunday's show, media coverage of Bezo's plan has overwhelmingly focused on the technical and logistical aspects of Prime Air.
For example, will the FAA be okay with all these drones flying around? Are they safe enough to fly around crowded cities and neighborhoods? And can Amazon economically operate what would be a presumably large fleet of drones?
And Amazon's not the only one in this game. The Verge reported that United Parcel Service is researching delivery drones, too.
Additionally, we learned this week that Google acquired seven robotics companies, which, according to a New York Times report, "are capable of creating technologies needed to build a mobile, dexterous robot."
Remember, Google has been experimenting with driverless cars, and is actually running a same-day delivery service in California, so it is definitely interested in humanless logistics, for lack of a better term.
The Dark Side
I find it a bit disturbing how little conversation there is about the possible negatives of replacing humans with machines for things like delivering packages.
Here's a passage from the Times' article that actually startled me a bit:
A realistic case, according to several specialists, would be automating portions of an existing supply chain that stretches from a factory floor to the companies that ship and deliver goods to a consumer's doorstep.
"The opportunity is massive," said Andrew McAfee, a principal research scientist at the M.I.T. Center for Digital Business. "There are still people who walk around in factories and pick things up in distribution centers and work in the back rooms of grocery stores."
In terms of the massive opportunity, it certainly isn't for the middle class. Mr. McAfee himself discussed this issue in a June piece from the M.I.T. Technology Review, fittingly titled "How Technology Destroys Jobs":
New technologies are "encroaching into human skills in a way that is completely unprecedented," McAfee says, and many middle-class jobs are right in the bull's-eye; even relatively high-skill work in education, medicine, and law is affected. "The middle seems to be going away," he adds. "The top and bottom are clearly getting farther apart." While technology might be only one factor, says McAfee, it has been an "underappreciated" one, and it is likely to become increasingly significant.
And what about the people who make a living in the back rooms of grocery stores? Should we simply write them off as left behind because machines are more productive?
Here's more from the Times' on Google's Andy Rubin, the engineer behind the Android operating system who is now heading up the company's robotics effort:
"I have a history of making my hobbies into a career," Mr. Rubin said in a telephone interview. "This is the world's greatest job. Being an engineer and a tinkerer, you start thinking about what you would want to build for yourself."
He used the example of a windshield wiper that has enough "intelligence" to operate when it rains, without human intervention, as a model for the kind of systems he is trying to create. That is consistent with a vision put forward by the Google co-founder Larry Page, who has argued that technology should be deployed wherever possible to free humans from drudgery and repetitive tasks.
Well, there are a lot of people who earn honest livings from drudgery and repetitive tasks.
My father dropped out of school at a pretty early age. But he went to trucking school and learned a skill that allowed him to earn a good living doing something he enjoyed. In fact, he'd still be doing it at 71 if he could get his big belly up into the cab.
Nonetheless, as much as he liked his job, he certainly experienced a lot of drudgery and repetition -- there was a lot of waking up at 4:00 a.m. to do round trips from Brooklyn to Indiana, and an awful lot of late nights on the road.
But would it have been better for that job to not exist?
The Great Debate
There's no standing in the way of technological advancement. But we shouldn't gloss over the inevitable friction that comes with evolution, especially since in this case, the end result looks like a class war.
The victims of this relentless innovation in automation will be, at least initially, people who work in factories, for delivery services, and in service industries like retail -- not the programmers and entrepreneurs who reap the economic benefits of increased productivity.
The good news is that a truly automated world still seems pretty far off.
But that's exactly why we should be talking about it now.
I use Amazon's Prime delivery service for everything from rechargable batteries to art books to beef jerky, and so I was quite taken aback when CEO Jeff Bezos showcased a drone delivery system called Prime Air on 60 Minutes this past weekend. The idea is that packages below five pounds could be delivered straight from Amazon distribution centers to customers within 30 minutes using drones.
For now, it seems like half pipe dream, half pseudo-marketing: As many have observed, it probably wasn't a coincidence that the 60 Minutes segment aired on Sunday ahead of Cyber Monday, the busiest online shopping day of the year -- a good time for Amazon to be in the news.
Since Sunday's show, media coverage of Bezo's plan has overwhelmingly focused on the technical and logistical aspects of Prime Air.
For example, will the FAA be okay with all these drones flying around? Are they safe enough to fly around crowded cities and neighborhoods? And can Amazon economically operate what would be a presumably large fleet of drones?
And Amazon's not the only one in this game. The Verge reported that United Parcel Service is researching delivery drones, too.
Additionally, we learned this week that Google acquired seven robotics companies, which, according to a New York Times report, "are capable of creating technologies needed to build a mobile, dexterous robot."
Remember, Google has been experimenting with driverless cars, and is actually running a same-day delivery service in California, so it is definitely interested in humanless logistics, for lack of a better term.
The Dark Side
I find it a bit disturbing how little conversation there is about the possible negatives of replacing humans with machines for things like delivering packages.
Here's a passage from the Times' article that actually startled me a bit:
A realistic case, according to several specialists, would be automating portions of an existing supply chain that stretches from a factory floor to the companies that ship and deliver goods to a consumer's doorstep.
"The opportunity is massive," said Andrew McAfee, a principal research scientist at the M.I.T. Center for Digital Business. "There are still people who walk around in factories and pick things up in distribution centers and work in the back rooms of grocery stores."
In terms of the massive opportunity, it certainly isn't for the middle class. Mr. McAfee himself discussed this issue in a June piece from the M.I.T. Technology Review, fittingly titled "How Technology Destroys Jobs":
New technologies are "encroaching into human skills in a way that is completely unprecedented," McAfee says, and many middle-class jobs are right in the bull's-eye; even relatively high-skill work in education, medicine, and law is affected. "The middle seems to be going away," he adds. "The top and bottom are clearly getting farther apart." While technology might be only one factor, says McAfee, it has been an "underappreciated" one, and it is likely to become increasingly significant.
And what about the people who make a living in the back rooms of grocery stores? Should we simply write them off as left behind because machines are more productive?
Here's more from the Times' on Google's Andy Rubin, the engineer behind the Android operating system who is now heading up the company's robotics effort:
"I have a history of making my hobbies into a career," Mr. Rubin said in a telephone interview. "This is the world's greatest job. Being an engineer and a tinkerer, you start thinking about what you would want to build for yourself."
He used the example of a windshield wiper that has enough "intelligence" to operate when it rains, without human intervention, as a model for the kind of systems he is trying to create. That is consistent with a vision put forward by the Google co-founder Larry Page, who has argued that technology should be deployed wherever possible to free humans from drudgery and repetitive tasks.
Well, there are a lot of people who earn honest livings from drudgery and repetitive tasks.
My father dropped out of school at a pretty early age. But he went to trucking school and learned a skill that allowed him to earn a good living doing something he enjoyed. In fact, he'd still be doing it at 71 if he could get his big belly up into the cab.
Nonetheless, as much as he liked his job, he certainly experienced a lot of drudgery and repetition -- there was a lot of waking up at 4:00 a.m. to do round trips from Brooklyn to Indiana, and an awful lot of late nights on the road.
But would it have been better for that job to not exist?
The Great Debate
There's no standing in the way of technological advancement. But we shouldn't gloss over the inevitable friction that comes with evolution, especially since in this case, the end result looks like a class war.
The victims of this relentless innovation in automation will be, at least initially, people who work in factories, for delivery services, and in service industries like retail -- not the programmers and entrepreneurs who reap the economic benefits of increased productivity.
The good news is that a truly automated world still seems pretty far off.
But that's exactly why we should be talking about it now.
Blink-182 headline Reading and Leeds festivals 2014
Mark Hoppus (front)
and Tom Delonge (behind, obscured) of Blink 182. The US band will
headline next year's Reading and Leeds festivals. PRESS ASSOCIATION
Photo. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire Photograph: Yui Mok/PA
Tributes pour in for the late Paul Desmarais
MONTREAL - Tributes poured in for the late Paul Desmarais
on Tuesday at a commemorative ceremony headlined by a veritable who's
who of public figures past and present.
Four Canadian prime ministers, a former French president and five Quebec premiers were among those who attended a two-hour memorial for the business tycoon at Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica. He died Oct. 8 at the age of 86.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and two of his predecessors, Jean Chretien and Brian Mulroney, delivered eulogies for a man described as both a business titan and a humble, giving friend.
Mulroney, a longtime friend, recalled an exchange he observed years ago between Desmarais and a couple of the businessman's employees at his estate in Quebec's Charlevoix region.
Only a few days earlier, Mulroney and Desmarais had eaten dinner together with the Queen at 24 Sussex Drive.
"I saw Paul seated on the porch with...two of his most trusted workers," Mulroney told hundreds of people who had packed the Basilica pews for the ceremony.
"They were talking about plans for a new garage and a new road for access to the property. I was listening to their conversation on that morning... when something struck me.
"I realized that Paul was interacting with the workers exactly the same way he had with Her Majesty. He was the same man: warm, funny, respectful and direct."
Desmarais, a native of Sudbury, Ont., took over a near-bankrupt family bus operation and eventually built a multibillion-dollar business empire. Over the years, he cultivated political connections on different continents.
Tuesday's crowd of political and business heavywieghts also included Quebec Premier Pauline Marois and her predecessors Daniel Johnson, Lucien Bouchard, Bernard Landry and Jean Charest.
Also present were former prime minister Paul Martin, ex-media mogul Conrad Black, former Bombardier president Laurent Beaudoin, ex-Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, former federal Liberal leader Bob Rae and his successor, Justin Trudeau.
In his eulogy, Harper praised Desmarais as a canny entrepreneur who saw opportunity within Canada and abroad.
"He foresaw the rise of China as a great trading nation and got there long before others," the prime minister said in a five-minute address.
"He understood early the transformation brought about by the unity of Europe and the role it would play in Canada's economic future, a potential now being realized in no small part thanks to the trailblazing efforts of Paul and his connections and those he inspired."
Harper expressed his admiration for Desmarais and called him a humble, generous and unpretentious man.
"He never once raised personal business interests with me," said Harper who also appreciated Desmarais' steadfast belief in Canadian unity.
"Indeed, the one and only common theme of every subject we ever discussed was his country, Canada: its uniqueness, its prosperity, its challenges, its unity."
Testimonials heard Tuesday about Desmarais' life also reminded the audience of his powerful contacts.
Chretien, whose daughter France married Desmarais' son, Andre, recalled how he met with Desmarais after being named parliamentary secretary to then-finance minister Mitchell Sharp in the mid-1960s.
"I told Paul that I didn't know anybody in the big business world," said Chretien, who shared four grandchildren with Desmarais.
"I asked for his help. Forty-eight hours later, we were having lunch with the president of the Royal Bank, Earle McLaughlin. That was Paul Desmarais at his best."
The A-list in attendance on Tuesday also included former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who has admitted he owed much to Desmarais.
When Desmarais was awarded the French Legion of Honour in 2008, Sarkozy said he was president partly because of the Canadian's advice, friendship and loyalty.
On Tuesday, Sarkozy likened his friend to a tireless fighter and recalled how incredibly sad he was when Andre Desmarais told him of his father's death.
"It was over," he said in a eulogy. "We'd never speak again."
"My dear Jackie (Jacqueline Maranger, Desmarais' widow), not a day has gone by since that I haven't thought about your husband.
"In my life I haven't met too many people with the standing of Paul Desmarais. I will always be proud to say I was his friend."
Desmarais also cultivated high-level friendships at the White House.
The guest list for a Desmarais housewarming party in 2003 included two former U.S. presidents: Bill Clinton and George Bush.
During Tuesday's memorial service, former U.S. secretary of state James Baker read out a statement prepared by Bush.
"Paul was that rarest of men, who possess not only the drive, the integrity and the vision to succeed spectacularly in business, but also a tremendous capacity for friendship," Bush's statement said.
"He was what I would call a true point of light, helping and usually leading many worthwhile causes. So, yes, I liked and I respected this good man immensely. At age 89 and a half, I recognize more than ever the importance and the blessings of friendship."
Baker himself also paid homage to Desmarais, noting how observers have said the businessman had a pipeline into every prime minister's office, regardless of who was in power.
"And you take one look at the list of today's eulogists and I think you see the validity of that comment," said Baker, who described Desmarais as "notre ami."
"Paul Desmarais was a friend, both to Canada and to the United States."
Baker also credited Desmarais for being a capitalist who supported free trade, particularly the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.
"Yes, Paul Desmarais was proof that what we call the American Dream in my country has been alive and well in Canada," he said.
Desmarais' path to power began in Sudbury, where he was born in 1927. He left law school to take over the family's ailing bus company in 1951.
A series of smart moves resulted in the creation of a holding company that in 1968 made a share-exchange offer with Power Corp.
With his company's diversified holdings in insurance, transportation, paper, media, and financial services, Desmarais was one of the most notable members of his province's business elite, often referred to as Quebec Inc.
His empire included Great West Life, London Life and Canada Life in the insurance industry; the Investors Group and Putnam Investments; the Gesca newspaper chain, with its flagship Montreal La Presse; and stakes in the oil company Total S.A. and the Pernod Ricard liquor company.
He helped open the door to Canadian businesses in China by leading a commercial delegation there in 1978. He was the founding chairman of the Canada China Business Council.
However, it took eight years before Power Corp. launched a business venture there. It now invests in infrastructure projects in China through its stake in CITIC Pacific Ltd.
By the time he handed daily operations of the company to his sons in 1996, Desmarais had seen Power's assets increase to $2.7 billion, from $165 million.
Power Corp., through its Square Victoria Communications Group subsidiary, and together with the corporate parent companies of the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail newspapers, owns The Canadian Press.
Canadian Business magazine ranked Desmarais as the wealthiest Quebecer and Canada's seventh-wealthiest person, with a fortune estimated at $4.4 billion.
Despite his heft in the business world, he was discreet when it came to discussing politics.
Desmarais, however, was a staunch Canadian federalist.
Only on rare occasions did he voice his views publicly. During his last annual meeting as Power's chief executive in 1996, he extolled his belief in Canadian unity.
"My profound attachment to Canada stems from the great liberty and freedom that my ancestors were able to enjoy in building their lives in a new country, the same liberty and freedom which allowed me as a young French-Canadian from Northern Ontario to realize his dream in building a business in all parts of Canada and abroad.''
Even with Desmarais' longtime opposition to Quebec's independence movement, he still managed to win the respect of those on the other side of the contentious debate.
"We were totally opposed on many matters — the national fate of Quebec of course, the management of modern capitalism," former Parti Quebecois premier Landry said after Tuesday's ceremony.
"But for many other things, internationalism, culture, we were on the same floor. And that's why we remained friends."
An art lover, Desmarais had one of Canada's largest private art collections. Two wings of Montreal's Fine Arts Museum are named in honour of his family.
He also had a deep appreciation for music and Montreal's Orchestre Metropolitain performed at Tuesday's service.
Mulroney said while Desmarais was renowned for his skills in business in finance, he was less well-known for his vast knowledge of music, history and architecture.
"Every day with Paul, and I had hundreds with him, both here and around the world — every one was a good one," Mulroney said.
"Something to learn. Something to do. Some new place to go. Some fascinating people to meet.
"With him, life was a whirlwind of achievements and discussions and debates, laughter, good times and fun."
- With files from Sidhartha Banerjee, Peter Rakobowchuk and Melanie Marquis
Four Canadian prime ministers, a former French president and five Quebec premiers were among those who attended a two-hour memorial for the business tycoon at Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica. He died Oct. 8 at the age of 86.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and two of his predecessors, Jean Chretien and Brian Mulroney, delivered eulogies for a man described as both a business titan and a humble, giving friend.
Mulroney, a longtime friend, recalled an exchange he observed years ago between Desmarais and a couple of the businessman's employees at his estate in Quebec's Charlevoix region.
Only a few days earlier, Mulroney and Desmarais had eaten dinner together with the Queen at 24 Sussex Drive.
"I saw Paul seated on the porch with...two of his most trusted workers," Mulroney told hundreds of people who had packed the Basilica pews for the ceremony.
"They were talking about plans for a new garage and a new road for access to the property. I was listening to their conversation on that morning... when something struck me.
"I realized that Paul was interacting with the workers exactly the same way he had with Her Majesty. He was the same man: warm, funny, respectful and direct."
Desmarais, a native of Sudbury, Ont., took over a near-bankrupt family bus operation and eventually built a multibillion-dollar business empire. Over the years, he cultivated political connections on different continents.
Tuesday's crowd of political and business heavywieghts also included Quebec Premier Pauline Marois and her predecessors Daniel Johnson, Lucien Bouchard, Bernard Landry and Jean Charest.
Also present were former prime minister Paul Martin, ex-media mogul Conrad Black, former Bombardier president Laurent Beaudoin, ex-Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, former federal Liberal leader Bob Rae and his successor, Justin Trudeau.
In his eulogy, Harper praised Desmarais as a canny entrepreneur who saw opportunity within Canada and abroad.
"He foresaw the rise of China as a great trading nation and got there long before others," the prime minister said in a five-minute address.
"He understood early the transformation brought about by the unity of Europe and the role it would play in Canada's economic future, a potential now being realized in no small part thanks to the trailblazing efforts of Paul and his connections and those he inspired."
Harper expressed his admiration for Desmarais and called him a humble, generous and unpretentious man.
"He never once raised personal business interests with me," said Harper who also appreciated Desmarais' steadfast belief in Canadian unity.
"Indeed, the one and only common theme of every subject we ever discussed was his country, Canada: its uniqueness, its prosperity, its challenges, its unity."
Testimonials heard Tuesday about Desmarais' life also reminded the audience of his powerful contacts.
Chretien, whose daughter France married Desmarais' son, Andre, recalled how he met with Desmarais after being named parliamentary secretary to then-finance minister Mitchell Sharp in the mid-1960s.
"I told Paul that I didn't know anybody in the big business world," said Chretien, who shared four grandchildren with Desmarais.
"I asked for his help. Forty-eight hours later, we were having lunch with the president of the Royal Bank, Earle McLaughlin. That was Paul Desmarais at his best."
The A-list in attendance on Tuesday also included former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who has admitted he owed much to Desmarais.
When Desmarais was awarded the French Legion of Honour in 2008, Sarkozy said he was president partly because of the Canadian's advice, friendship and loyalty.
On Tuesday, Sarkozy likened his friend to a tireless fighter and recalled how incredibly sad he was when Andre Desmarais told him of his father's death.
"It was over," he said in a eulogy. "We'd never speak again."
"My dear Jackie (Jacqueline Maranger, Desmarais' widow), not a day has gone by since that I haven't thought about your husband.
"In my life I haven't met too many people with the standing of Paul Desmarais. I will always be proud to say I was his friend."
Desmarais also cultivated high-level friendships at the White House.
The guest list for a Desmarais housewarming party in 2003 included two former U.S. presidents: Bill Clinton and George Bush.
During Tuesday's memorial service, former U.S. secretary of state James Baker read out a statement prepared by Bush.
"Paul was that rarest of men, who possess not only the drive, the integrity and the vision to succeed spectacularly in business, but also a tremendous capacity for friendship," Bush's statement said.
"He was what I would call a true point of light, helping and usually leading many worthwhile causes. So, yes, I liked and I respected this good man immensely. At age 89 and a half, I recognize more than ever the importance and the blessings of friendship."
Baker himself also paid homage to Desmarais, noting how observers have said the businessman had a pipeline into every prime minister's office, regardless of who was in power.
"And you take one look at the list of today's eulogists and I think you see the validity of that comment," said Baker, who described Desmarais as "notre ami."
"Paul Desmarais was a friend, both to Canada and to the United States."
Baker also credited Desmarais for being a capitalist who supported free trade, particularly the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.
"Yes, Paul Desmarais was proof that what we call the American Dream in my country has been alive and well in Canada," he said.
Desmarais' path to power began in Sudbury, where he was born in 1927. He left law school to take over the family's ailing bus company in 1951.
A series of smart moves resulted in the creation of a holding company that in 1968 made a share-exchange offer with Power Corp.
With his company's diversified holdings in insurance, transportation, paper, media, and financial services, Desmarais was one of the most notable members of his province's business elite, often referred to as Quebec Inc.
His empire included Great West Life, London Life and Canada Life in the insurance industry; the Investors Group and Putnam Investments; the Gesca newspaper chain, with its flagship Montreal La Presse; and stakes in the oil company Total S.A. and the Pernod Ricard liquor company.
He helped open the door to Canadian businesses in China by leading a commercial delegation there in 1978. He was the founding chairman of the Canada China Business Council.
However, it took eight years before Power Corp. launched a business venture there. It now invests in infrastructure projects in China through its stake in CITIC Pacific Ltd.
By the time he handed daily operations of the company to his sons in 1996, Desmarais had seen Power's assets increase to $2.7 billion, from $165 million.
Power Corp., through its Square Victoria Communications Group subsidiary, and together with the corporate parent companies of the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail newspapers, owns The Canadian Press.
Canadian Business magazine ranked Desmarais as the wealthiest Quebecer and Canada's seventh-wealthiest person, with a fortune estimated at $4.4 billion.
Despite his heft in the business world, he was discreet when it came to discussing politics.
Desmarais, however, was a staunch Canadian federalist.
Only on rare occasions did he voice his views publicly. During his last annual meeting as Power's chief executive in 1996, he extolled his belief in Canadian unity.
"My profound attachment to Canada stems from the great liberty and freedom that my ancestors were able to enjoy in building their lives in a new country, the same liberty and freedom which allowed me as a young French-Canadian from Northern Ontario to realize his dream in building a business in all parts of Canada and abroad.''
Even with Desmarais' longtime opposition to Quebec's independence movement, he still managed to win the respect of those on the other side of the contentious debate.
"We were totally opposed on many matters — the national fate of Quebec of course, the management of modern capitalism," former Parti Quebecois premier Landry said after Tuesday's ceremony.
"But for many other things, internationalism, culture, we were on the same floor. And that's why we remained friends."
An art lover, Desmarais had one of Canada's largest private art collections. Two wings of Montreal's Fine Arts Museum are named in honour of his family.
He also had a deep appreciation for music and Montreal's Orchestre Metropolitain performed at Tuesday's service.
Mulroney said while Desmarais was renowned for his skills in business in finance, he was less well-known for his vast knowledge of music, history and architecture.
"Every day with Paul, and I had hundreds with him, both here and around the world — every one was a good one," Mulroney said.
"Something to learn. Something to do. Some new place to go. Some fascinating people to meet.
"With him, life was a whirlwind of achievements and discussions and debates, laughter, good times and fun."
- With files from Sidhartha Banerjee, Peter Rakobowchuk and Melanie Marquis
© Copyright (c)
V carpenter Bill Beckwith has been killed in a motorcycle accident in San Francisco.
TV carpenter Bill Beckwith has been killed in a motorcycle accident in San Francisco.
The 38-year-old was known for his work as co-host of HGTV's Curb Appeal, a half-hour home improvement show that began running in 2002.
Police say the crash occurred near Oak and Steiner streets in San Francisco's
Haight district about 8.30pm Monday.
Beckwith, a San Francisco resident, was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital.
He was pronounced some time later, according to Variety.
Authorities say his motorcycle collided with another vehicle.
While details of the accident have not been released, police say the 30-year-old driver of the car stayed at the scene.
A Facebook tribute page has been set up for friends to share their memories.
Beckwith's girlfriend, Yulia Korneeva, has posted a photo album on the page featuring happy snaps of the couple.
'My love: so kind, so bright, adventurous and strong,' she wrote online.
'You are loved by so many good people! I wish you could stay with us for way longer.'
Beckwith was born in Maine and studied English and martial arts at the University of Montana.
His contracting company, BB Design Build, offered residential and commercial construction services around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Beckwith hosted Curb Appeal for two years.
HGTV released a statement following his death.
'The HGTV family is deeply saddened by Bill’s tragic death and we mourn his loss along with his many family and friends who will miss his creativity, adventurous spirit and general love of life,” a spokesperson said in a statement,' the statement said.
The 38-year-old was known for his work as co-host of HGTV's Curb Appeal, a half-hour home improvement show that began running in 2002.
Police say the crash occurred near Oak and Steiner streets in San Francisco's
Haight district about 8.30pm Monday.
Beckwith, a San Francisco resident, was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital.
He was pronounced some time later, according to Variety.
Bill Beckwith, 38, a keen bike rider and former
host of home improvement show Curb Appeal, has died in a motorcycle
accident in San Francisco
Details of the crash that killed Bill Beckwith
have not yet emerged, however authorities have confirmed that another
car was involved and that the driver cooperated with police
The accident is said to have occurred here, at
Oak and Steiner streets in San Francisco's Haight district, about 8.30pm
Monday. The crash involved one other vehicle
While details of the accident have not been released, police say the 30-year-old driver of the car stayed at the scene.
A Facebook tribute page has been set up for friends to share their memories.
Beckwith's girlfriend, Yulia Korneeva, has posted a photo album on the page featuring happy snaps of the couple.
'My love: so kind, so bright, adventurous and strong,' she wrote online.
'You are loved by so many good people! I wish you could stay with us for way longer.'
Bill Beckwith and his girlfriend Yulia Korneeva, as seen in a photo she posted on Beckwith's Facebook tribute page
Yulia Korneeva, girlfriend of Bill Beckwith, described the carpenter as 'so kind, so bright, adventurous and strong'
Bill Beckwith¿s company, BB Design Build,
offered residential and commercial construction services around the San
Francisco Bay Area
His contracting company, BB Design Build, offered residential and commercial construction services around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Beckwith hosted Curb Appeal for two years.
HGTV released a statement following his death.
'The HGTV family is deeply saddened by Bill’s tragic death and we mourn his loss along with his many family and friends who will miss his creativity, adventurous spirit and general love of life,” a spokesperson said in a statement,' the statement said.
Bill Beckwith seen here on a dirt bike in a photo from Facebook. He died on Monday night in a motorcycle accident
Bronx bombshell: Jacoby Ellsbury to Yankees
Jacoby Ellsbury ended his Red
Sox career last night by agreeing to a rich, seven-year deal worth $153
million deal with the Yankees.
Now the Red Sox must find a replacement for him, and they are taking a close look at free agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, according to a source familiar with their thinking. The Red Sox believe Choo is more durable than Ellsbury, they prefer his on-base percentage over Ellsbury —at .389, it’s nearly 40 points higher than Ellsbury’s career OBP — and they recognize that he has more power than Ellsbury. With Jackie Bradley Jr. ready to play the center field position but not hit leadoff, the club could opt to move Shane Victorino to center field and play Choo in right field.
With the loss of switch-hitting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (to Marlins), who was more productive as a left-handed hitter, and Ellsbury, the Red Sox have no other consistent power source from the left side besides designated hitter David Ortiz. New catcher A.J. Pierzynski is a left-handed hitter with some pop, but he’s much streakier and far less disciplined a hitter than Choo, who is a left-handed hitter.
Eight clubs are believed to be in on Choo, who is likely going to command a multiyear deal very similar, if not larger, than the one Ellsbury just received from the Yankees. The Tigers are believed to be interested in Choo as well. Choo, 31, is a year older than Ellsbury.
The contract trumps the seven-year deal the Red Sox gave to Carl Crawford three years ago, a sure sign of how much the Yankees value Ellsbury’s triple threat of base-stealing, hitting ability in the leadoff spot and defense. The fact the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium plays into Ellsbury’s power stroke likely boosted his appeal.
The deal is pending a physical that is expected to take place later this week.
In January 2006, former Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon signed a four-year deal worth $52 million with the Yanks.
Ellsbury’s deal reportedly includes an option for an eighth y
ear that would
increase the total value to $169 million. It also leaves the Red Sox
with a gaping hole in their leadoff spot.
Victorino could slide over from right field to play center, or Bradley could be called into action. Bradley is considered to be major league-ready with his glove but still has room to develop his offensive skills. Bradley also is not the same threat on the bases as Ellsbury.
Because the Red Sox made a qualifying offer to Ellsbury, they will receive a supplemental draft pick, between the first and second rounds, from the Yankees. They would have received a first-rounder, but the Yankees already lost it to the Atlanta Braves when they signed free agent catcher Brian McCann to a five-year deal.
The Red Sox’ decision to not pursue Ellsbury to the extent the Yankees did is not so surprising, given the conservative tack they have taken with free agency and long-term contracts since last offseason.
They do have to make a decision on how they will replace their homegrown center field solution. They might not want Victorino to make the switch to center field because that would mean someone other than Victorino would be in charge of patrolling Fenway Park’s dangerous right field.
That’s something Victorino did at a Gold Glove level this past season.
Or, the Sox might decide that Bradley is not ready for prime time.
Whatever they decide, the Red Sox still have to add another outfielder. Another possibility on the free agent market is Curtis Granderson.
One defensive-oriented center field free agent option is Franklin Gutierrez, who played in Seattle the past five seasons.
Now the Red Sox must find a replacement for him, and they are taking a close look at free agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, according to a source familiar with their thinking. The Red Sox believe Choo is more durable than Ellsbury, they prefer his on-base percentage over Ellsbury —at .389, it’s nearly 40 points higher than Ellsbury’s career OBP — and they recognize that he has more power than Ellsbury. With Jackie Bradley Jr. ready to play the center field position but not hit leadoff, the club could opt to move Shane Victorino to center field and play Choo in right field.
With the loss of switch-hitting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (to Marlins), who was more productive as a left-handed hitter, and Ellsbury, the Red Sox have no other consistent power source from the left side besides designated hitter David Ortiz. New catcher A.J. Pierzynski is a left-handed hitter with some pop, but he’s much streakier and far less disciplined a hitter than Choo, who is a left-handed hitter.
Eight clubs are believed to be in on Choo, who is likely going to command a multiyear deal very similar, if not larger, than the one Ellsbury just received from the Yankees. The Tigers are believed to be interested in Choo as well. Choo, 31, is a year older than Ellsbury.
The contract trumps the seven-year deal the Red Sox gave to Carl Crawford three years ago, a sure sign of how much the Yankees value Ellsbury’s triple threat of base-stealing, hitting ability in the leadoff spot and defense. The fact the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium plays into Ellsbury’s power stroke likely boosted his appeal.
The deal is pending a physical that is expected to take place later this week.
In January 2006, former Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon signed a four-year deal worth $52 million with the Yanks.
Ellsbury’s deal reportedly includes an option for an eighth y
ear that would
increase the total value to $169 million. It also leaves the Red Sox
with a gaping hole in their leadoff spot.Victorino could slide over from right field to play center, or Bradley could be called into action. Bradley is considered to be major league-ready with his glove but still has room to develop his offensive skills. Bradley also is not the same threat on the bases as Ellsbury.
Because the Red Sox made a qualifying offer to Ellsbury, they will receive a supplemental draft pick, between the first and second rounds, from the Yankees. They would have received a first-rounder, but the Yankees already lost it to the Atlanta Braves when they signed free agent catcher Brian McCann to a five-year deal.
The Red Sox’ decision to not pursue Ellsbury to the extent the Yankees did is not so surprising, given the conservative tack they have taken with free agency and long-term contracts since last offseason.
They do have to make a decision on how they will replace their homegrown center field solution. They might not want Victorino to make the switch to center field because that would mean someone other than Victorino would be in charge of patrolling Fenway Park’s dangerous right field.
That’s something Victorino did at a Gold Glove level this past season.
Or, the Sox might decide that Bradley is not ready for prime time.
Whatever they decide, the Red Sox still have to add another outfielder. Another possibility on the free agent market is Curtis Granderson.
One defensive-oriented center field free agent option is Franklin Gutierrez, who played in Seattle the past five seasons.
Seahawks take control of the NFC with dominant win over Saints
The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will almost certainly go
through Seattle. And as the Saints found out the hard way tonight,
Seattle is a tough place to play.
The Seahawks put a 34-7 beating on the Saints in a highly anticipated but ultimately uncompetitive Monday Night Football matchup, jumping out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead and never looking back.
Seattle absolutely dominated New Orleans on both sides of the ball. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson
engineered long scoring drives all night long, completing 22 of 30
passes for 310 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions, and
adding 47 rushing yards. Saints quarterback Drew Brees
was under constant assault from a relentless Seattle pass rush, and
could rarely find open receivers against an outstanding Seattle
secondary. Brees finished with just 147 passing yards, snapping a streak
of 43 straight games with at least 200 yards.
Make no mistake: The Seahawks are not just a good football team but a dominant football team. A lot can happen between now and the Super Bowl, which is still two months away, but at the moment Seattle has to be considered the favorite to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The win improves the Seahawks’ record to 11-1. The Saints are now tied with their NFC South rivals, the Panthers, at 9-3. The Saints and Panthers still play each other twice for NFC South supremacy and a likely No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, but it’s almost impossible to imagine either team catching the Seahawks in the race for home-field advantage.
And that makes it tough to see anyone beating the Seahawks in the playoffs. Seattle looks like a Super Bowl team.
The Seahawks put a 34-7 beating on the Saints in a highly anticipated but ultimately uncompetitive Monday Night Football matchup, jumping out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead and never looking back.
Seattle absolutely dominated New Orleans on both sides of the ball. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson
engineered long scoring drives all night long, completing 22 of 30
passes for 310 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions, and
adding 47 rushing yards. Saints quarterback Drew Brees
was under constant assault from a relentless Seattle pass rush, and
could rarely find open receivers against an outstanding Seattle
secondary. Brees finished with just 147 passing yards, snapping a streak
of 43 straight games with at least 200 yards.Make no mistake: The Seahawks are not just a good football team but a dominant football team. A lot can happen between now and the Super Bowl, which is still two months away, but at the moment Seattle has to be considered the favorite to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The win improves the Seahawks’ record to 11-1. The Saints are now tied with their NFC South rivals, the Panthers, at 9-3. The Saints and Panthers still play each other twice for NFC South supremacy and a likely No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, but it’s almost impossible to imagine either team catching the Seahawks in the race for home-field advantage.
And that makes it tough to see anyone beating the Seahawks in the playoffs. Seattle looks like a Super Bowl team.
49ers Surging Toward Matchup with Seahawks
We’ve yet to see the best of the San Francisco 49ers.
But we’re getting close.
That’s the assessment of 11-year veteran
Read: 49ers Beat up on Rams
Boldin said he believed that the 49ers, now boasting a healthy Crabtree, are just hitting their stride.
“I don’t think we’re playing at our top level,” the physical receiver said after a nine-catch, 98-yard performance. “I don’t think we’ve played our best football yet. I still think we have some things that we have to clean up.”
Boldin, however, likes the development of San Francisco’s roster.
“I do think we’re getting better each week,” he added. “Our communication is getting a lot better, our confidence in one another is getting a lot better. We’re not where we expect to be.”
It's not hard to see why Boldin feels that way. Crabtree’s two-catch, 68-yard debut, is a great sign for the 49ers as they chase Seattle in the NFC West. It also comes at a perfect time with the Seahawks set to visit Candlestick Park on Dec. 8.
Photo Gallery: 49ers vs. Rams
The 49ers have momentum on their side with a current two-game win streak.
“It’s just by whatever means necessary,” Jim Harbaugh said. “We’re gonna go to the next game prepared and know what the stakes are. Know what the pressure is, what the task is. That’s life-giving energy to a football player, to a team. And, we’re in a position we’re in and we control our destiny."
Seattle’s win over the New Orleans on “Monday Night Football” was likely viewed by many of the 49ers on their day off. The divisional rival was also discussed heavily after Sunday’s win over St. Louis.
“We definitely have to control our emotions because if we don’t they’ll get the best of us,” cautioned tight end
“We don’t need that to happen and guys know that. We have a mature team; guys know how to handle themselves and how to control their emotions. With that being said, going forward we have to do everything we can to help this team.”
San Francisco lost 29-3 to Seattle on the road in Week 2. The “Sunday Night Football” matchup saw a competitive first half, but the game got out of hand in the fourth quarter with the 49ers committing a pair of turnovers in their own territory.
Boldin said the key this for the rematch is to play physical, be tough, but don’t do anything foolish to hurt the team.
With a reloaded roster, the veteran wideout believes the 49ers are built to play in rugged late-season games like Sunday’s upcoming matchup with the Seahawks.
“We have guys that are physical and hard-nosed,” Boldin said. “Across the offensive line, our running backs run hard, our receivers are tough, big guys outside. And defensively, they hit anything that moves.” One of those hitters,
“We’re very eager,” Whitner said. “We feel like we’ll be ready for the test and it’s going to be a really, really big game and we’re looking forward to it.”
Asked why he thought San Francisco would be victorious at home for a third consecutive season against Seattle under coach Harbaugh, Whitner said it all has to do with home cooking and health.
“First and foremost we’re at home,” Whitner reasoned. “We understand that it’s a different ballgame when we’re up there in their arena. We understand that when they come here it’s a lot more difficult for them.
“They don’t have the crowd noise behind them to mess with our offense. On defense we feel like we can matchup with them. All we have to do is stop the run and not allow the quarterback to run around and beat us. So, that’s why I feel like we can win.”
Seahawks and Saints among the NFL’s best at finding hidden gems
Pete Carroll and Sean Payton have built their teams similarly — and atypically. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Perhaps the most intriguing similarity between the franchises is that they’re two of the best in the NFL when it comes to finding and cultivating players who are undrafted, unheralded and unwanted. Twenty-five of the players on New Orleans’ current roster were not drafted — 18 veterans and seven rookies. Receiver Lance Moore, safety Rafael Bush, fullback Jed Collins, offensive tackle Bryce Harris and center Brian de la Puente came from the team’s practice squad. Receiver Marques Colston was a seventh-round pick in 2006 — many teams pegged as a reserve tight end due to his lack of speed; he’s now one of the most prolific pass-catchers in team history. The Saints got the current starting right side of their offensive line in the later rounds of the 2006 draft from smaller schools — right tackle Zach Strief in the seventh round from Northwestern, and right guard Jahri Evans in the fourth round from Bloomsburg. Pierre Thomas, Kenny Stills, Akiem Hicks … the list of key role-players on this team’s roster that were taken and developed from the scrapheaps of other draft boards is a testament to the job that head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis have done since Payton was hired in 2006.
Similarly, the current Seahawks team under head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, both hired in 2010, bears little resemblance to the team they inherited. Only defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and center Max Unger remain as starters from the previous administration run into the ground by GM Tim Ruskell, a man who was notoriously fearful of small-school players, prospects in need of further development and diamonds in the rough. Carroll and Schneider have no such issues — they’re ballsy enough to make crucial decisions against the grain, and in step with each other enough to avoid any miscommunications.
Carroll and Schneider turned a fifth-round pick in 2011 into possibly the NFL’s best cornerback in the person of Richard Sherman. Receiver Doug Baldwin, who came from Stanford as Sherman did, became the first undrafted rookie to lead his team in receptions and receiving yards since Bill Groman did it for the Houston Oilers of the American Football League in 1960. Brandon Browner, signed out of the CFL in 2011, made a Pro Bowl that first season and has started 36 games at cornerback for one of the league’s best defenses. Most notably, they took quarterback Russell Wilson with the 75th overall pick in 2012 and made him their opening day starter that season, despite having signed Matt Flynn to a lucrative free-agent contract.
Carroll and Schneider flipped defensive end Darryl Tapp for Chris Clemons, who has led the team in sacks every season from 2010 through ’12. And they gave the Buffalo Bills a couple of low picks in 2011 for running back Marshawn Lynch, who has defined the franchise on and off the field since. There have been a couple of high-round blunders (most notably offensive lineman James Carpenter), and the Percy Harvin trade from earlier this year looks like a loss in the short term, but there’s no doubt that the Seahawks have built as much of their recent dominance on surprise players as any team around — including the Saints. Their opponents have taken notice — 15 of the players Seattle released in final cutdowns in 2013 were signed by other NFL teams, a league high. There’s perhaps no greater validation of the team’s personnel philosophy.
I’ve asked Carroll and Schneider about that philosophy several times over the last four seasons, and two main points keep coming up — be sure that you’re matching your roster to your overall schematic philosophy, and focus more on what your players can do than what they can’t. That second point is subtle and underrated, but the list of general managers and coaches throughout history who become risk-averse and profoundly negative about prospect talent as a result is long, sad and usually not long for the position. When I asked Payton about the Saints’ philosophy this week, the same things came out.
Sean Payton saw potential in Marques Colston when other teams passed him by. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
“I think most important is understanding, or at least appreciating, what you’re looking for and is there a role for that player? The other thing we talk about all the time with our players is once they enter the building, how they got here is of no importance to us. I know that sounds a little bit cliché, but using draft selections to acquire talent, signing free agents after the draft. Even in that minicamp, we have a free-agent tryout where we’ve had players like Billy Miller make the roster and Khiry Robinson this year, who won’t even sign after the draft. It’s just paying attention to what you’re seeing. I think with hindsight now, we’re seven or eight years into it, when we’re on the phone with a free agent, there is a track record with their agents that we can point to that they have a chance at playing if they’re good enough and I think that’s kind of helped.”
The evaluation-to-decision process happens with the Saints very much like it happens with the Seahawks. You have to start with everybody in the room knowing what the franchise wants, and you have to establish a belief among everybody in the building that there really is a meritocracy.
“There’s a combination of a few things,” Payton concluded. “It’s typically a scout. It’s someone who’s got a strong conviction for a player. In Pierre Thomas’ case, Greg McMahon, our special teams coach, was at Illinois, and he had a strong conviction for Pierre. That same year, we had drafted a running back out of Ohio State [Antonio Pittman] in the fourth round and Pierre beat him out and made the team and we ended up releasing the fourth-round draft pick. So I think just understanding how much time we spend in the month leading up to the draft on the first round, 98 percent of the [media] discussion is regarding Round 1, and a real good draft is going to take place long past the first round. It’s going to take place in those middle rounds to later rounds. I think we got six college free agents that made this current roster, which is the highest for us we’ve ever had here.”
Red Bryant was a floundering defensive tackle until a new Seahawks regime redefined his career. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
“There is a philosophical approach here in that we’re looking for the unique qualities, as you heard me say before, in a player, and then we try to amplify those unique qualities where if you try to fit that guy into a role that maybe doesn’t do that, he might not look as good,” Carroll said this week. “The classic example is Red Bryant. Red Bryant was playing tackle and nose tackle, and he was so long, that it was hard for him to stay low and have good leverage all of the time. He wasn’t as effective as he is when we moved him outside. Now his length became an asset, and his 340 pounds is an asset. He can really stop anybody at the line of scrimmage. That’s an illustration of it.”
Most importantly, Bryant is not an isolated case — Carroll believes in the unusual player as a philosophical staple as opposed to a rare gambit. It’s how this team has been constructed from the start.
“I would like to think I could go through almost every guy and talk like that, because that’s how we’ve looked at our players. Whether you look at Russell [Wilson], whether you look at Marshawn, or [outside linebacker] Bruce Irvin, which was a pick that people challenged. Asking ‘Why would you take that guy? Why would you take Earl Thomas, who is a smaller safety, when you love to have big guys?’ Because he is such a freakish competitor. We saw that in him and we wanted to get him on our team and make him an essential part of it. That’s a mindset that we utilize throughout.
“I don’t think you see us trying to stuff any square pegs in a round hole. We’re not doing that, and if we’re doing it we’re making a mistake. I think the reason that we do that is because we like to champion the guy’s special qualities, but also we’re trying to make really good decisions on what a guy is capable of doing, and what he brings, and not trying to make him something that he isn’t.”
NFL teams are built in many different ways. But when you’re watching the Seahawks and Saints tonight, it’s important to note that the road less traveled can still take you to the top of the league.
Seattle Seahawks control NFC with win over Saints
We already knew the Seattle Seahawks would be a tough beat at home this season. Right about now it feels like a near impossibility.
The New Orleans Saints never had a chance Monday night. Feeding off the energy of a legit advantageous home crowd, the Seahawks scored 17 points faster than Drew Brees can open a cough medicine royalty check.
When it was mercifully over, the Seahawks were 34-7 winners in a supposed showdown that was anything but. Seattle moves to 11-1 and finds itself in great position to clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Seattle's defense made Brees look like Kellen Clemens. That's actually unfair to Clemens. Brees was a non-factor, held to his lowest yards-per-attempt average in 10 years. The Saints finished with 188 total yards and didn't crack double digits in scoring -- "Twilight Zone" stuff in the Sean Payton era.
So much for the theory the Seahawks were vulnerable following the suspensions of defensive backs Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond.
Russell Wilson,
meanwhile, is playing the best football of his career. The quarterback
was in complete control, throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns
while posting his third consecutive game with a passer rating north of
130. He might not have Percy Harvin this season, but Wilson continues to prove he can make do with what's already in place.
Consider it a huge upset if the road to the Super Bowl doesn't go through CenturyLink Field. Seattle finishes at San Francisco, at the New York Giants, then home to Arizona and St. Louis. A split in those games will be enough to clinch the No. 1 seed by virtue of prior wins over the Panthers and Saints.
No wonder Pete Carroll is strutting like Ric Flair. How could you not be confident coaching a team like this?
The latest "Around the League Podcast" recapped every Week 13 game.
The New Orleans Saints never had a chance Monday night. Feeding off the energy of a legit advantageous home crowd, the Seahawks scored 17 points faster than Drew Brees can open a cough medicine royalty check.
When it was mercifully over, the Seahawks were 34-7 winners in a supposed showdown that was anything but. Seattle moves to 11-1 and finds itself in great position to clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Seattle's defense made Brees look like Kellen Clemens. That's actually unfair to Clemens. Brees was a non-factor, held to his lowest yards-per-attempt average in 10 years. The Saints finished with 188 total yards and didn't crack double digits in scoring -- "Twilight Zone" stuff in the Sean Payton era.
So much for the theory the Seahawks were vulnerable following the suspensions of defensive backs Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond.
|
Consider it a huge upset if the road to the Super Bowl doesn't go through CenturyLink Field. Seattle finishes at San Francisco, at the New York Giants, then home to Arizona and St. Louis. A split in those games will be enough to clinch the No. 1 seed by virtue of prior wins over the Panthers and Saints.
No wonder Pete Carroll is strutting like Ric Flair. How could you not be confident coaching a team like this?
The latest "Around the League Podcast" recapped every Week 13 game.
