Archives 2023

Bell Canada Enterprises might be taken private

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, announced Tuesday that it is in talks with a consortium of Canadian pension funds to explore the possible sale of the company.

If successful in their bid, the consortium would take the publicly-traded company private, which would mean an end to the trading of BCE shares on the Toronto (TSX: BCE), New York (NYSE: BCE) and the Swiss (SWX: BCE) stock exchanges. BCE is one of the most widely held stocks in Canada.

BCE revealed that the potential takeover group includes the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, and Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board. Each of the pension funds involved have signed non-disclosure and standstill agreements with BCE. It was also revealed that New York-based private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) would join the Canadian-led consortium as a minority partner.

“We are pleased to be a partner with this consortium of leading Canadian institutional fund managers and look forward to working closely together in this transaction.” said Henry Kravis, co-founding member of KKR. “Our experience in large, complex transactions of comparable size will be of significant value to this process,” continued Kravis.

BCE is also leaving the door open to rival bids, “taking into consideration the need to meet all legislative and regulatory requirements, including ensuring the Company remains Canadian to meet existing foreign ownership restrictions,” the company stated. In addition, BCE may retain the status quo if it does not receive a bid that it feels would enhance shareholder value.

One other pension fund that has expressed interest is the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP). “We are pleased that this process is not exclusive and we will continue to review our options, including leading an alternative Canadian consortium,” said Jim Leech, Senior Vice-President, Teachers’ Private Capital. OTPP is currently BCE’s largest single shareholder, with an approximate ownership stake of 5.3 percent.

BCE, as Bell Canada, has been in business for 127 years. It provides phone service, satellite television, Internet access, wireless services, and other technologies to residential and business customers.

If analyst estimates are accurate, the sale of BCE could be worth about CA$32 billion or roughly $40 per share. On Tuesday, BCE shares were up CA$2.34 to close at $38.60 on the TSX, and up US$2.03 to close at $34.10 on the NYSE.

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Minnesota oil pipeline explosion and fire kills two

Friday, November 30, 2007

A major oil pipeline in Minnesota exploded and caught fire, killing two workers. The pipeline carries oil from Saskatchewan, Canada to close to Chicago, United States, representing 16% of America’s total oil imports.

The section of the pipe that exploded was undergoing maintenance at the time to address a pinhole leak first identified three weeks earlier, and patched at the time with a metal sleeve. On Wednesday, the entire section was removed and replaced with a new one. When oil was reintroduced on Thursday morning, oil leaked where the new section joined the pre-existing pipe, triggering the fatal explosion.

The fire was extinguished later the same day.

The line is split between four separate pipes. After the explosion, all four pipes were shut down, resulting in the global price surge, but this subsided for the most part after it became clear that the three undamaged pipelines had returned to normal operation, restoring 80% of the line’s capacity, and that the accident pipe is expected to be back in use in a matter of days.

“There were no problems found in that area where the leak occurred,” reporters were told by Larry Springer, spokesman for Enbridge, the Canadian company that owns the line. High-tech equipment had been through the line in 2006 to check for any signs of problems.

Enbridge identified the deceased as Dave Mussati Jr. and Steve Arnovich, both of whom were contract workers based in Superior, Wisconsin. The damaged section of pipe is in Clearbrook, which is approximately 350 miles Northwest of Minneapolis.

Enbridge metallurgists have been sent to examine the failed section in an effort to determin the cause of the accident. Other Enbridge workers are working to clear spilled oil from the site. It is expected that once this is complete, the pipe will return to service.

Global crude oil prices temporarily spiked by over US$4 per barrel but closed yesterday slightly above original prices.

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Top Tips For Updating A Victorian Home

By Terry Henman

It is a like love gone bad, an affair that started of great but has now turned sour! The panel of oak wood that made your heart race, now makes you feel gloomy and dark. The alcoves, the turrets, the oddly shaped rooms seemed so inviting and romantic before, but now you have no idea on how to furnish and decorate your home!

After few years living in a small Victorian terraced house you can find yourself craving for a big modern bathroom, a simple open floor and ample storage space.

Older homes are beautiful and may seem like living a dream, but the truth is they are simply not designed for modern living.

The plan of a Victorian House seems cluttered and open spaces are hard to come by, instead you may find a maze of small rooms of almost closet size connected by a series of doors and hallways.

But none the less, Victorian houses have a lot of charm and with the right remodelling they can be a dream come true. Most people look to create more space by tearing down old walls, but look out!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yJwf_Hsc6o[/youtube]

Many of these seemingly insignificant walls are actually load bearing. They actually support the upper floors! While your house may not come crumbling down if you remove one wall, there is a risk of the floors beginning to sag. If you want to remove walls you should check with a reputable builder as it may be necessary to have supporting lintels put in place to support the upper floor.

You will have to ensure that any major refurbishments made meet building regulations and planning permission is obtained, where applicable, before starting any major renovations.

Luckily there are many ways to update that older house and still keeping structure intact. Don’t remove the entire wall, but cut openings in existing walls. The result will be more space, while still maintaining ambiance.

The number one complaint about Victorian houses is usually the bathroom. Even though modern plumbing were largely available at the time, Victorian bathrooms are small compared to many modern standards. But you can transform them into havens of peace and practicality by adding a few personal touches of Victorian or modern soft furnishings and clever decorating.

Finding extra storage space in a Victorian home has always been a problem, but here are some tips:

* Use the area below the main staircase. This can be opened up to provide space for bureaus and desks, if large enough computer stations can be placed here very effectively.

* Install bookcases or shelving around windows, doors and in alcoves.

* The number one rule is ‘No harm’- meaning do not purposely destroy the original styling and materials.

* Use the same fabrics and original styles wherever you can.

* Think creatively about the possibilities instead of the limitations of your house.

* Decorate in pale or neutral colours or bright vibrant colours to make small rooms appear larger and brighter.

* Choose full length curtains to add height to a room, coordinate with rugs, runners, cushions and throws.

Many Victorian houses are now seen as very desirable residences, so rather then moan and groan about your older style house reflect back and remember the unique assets which you fell in love with and turn your house back into a home your adore!

About the Author: Terrys Fabrics offer a wide range of curtains, fabrics,

cushions and throws

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British Parliament bans smoking in pubs, workplaces and clubs

Friday, February 17, 2006

MPs at the British Parliament have voted by large majority of 200 to bring in legislation banning smoking in all pubs, clubs and workplaces in a landmark free vote. The ban is expected to come into force from summer 2007.

The originally proposed fine of £200 was raised to £2500 for failing to stop people smoking in banned areas in the late stages of the parliamentary process. Other fines include a fixed penalty notice of £50 for lighting up in banned areas and spot fines of £200 for failing to display no smoking signs in banned areas.

Smoking may also be banned in “substantially enclosed” venues such as railway stations and football stadiums; this may also include cars carrying passengers but no decision has been taken on this as yet. Ministers will finalise precise regulations after a three month consultation.

The vote was politically fraught, as the Labour Party in government had proposed a ‘compromise’ bill, in line with their election manifesto, which would allow pubs not serving food to be exempt from the ban. With many Labour MPs threatening to rebel against this compromise however, in favour of a full ban, Labour granted its members a free vote. MPs then voted for the full ban by a margin of 453 votes to 125,­ a majority of 328.

MPs then debated a last-minute amendment to exempt private members clubs, which was also rejected, by 384 votes to 184,­ a majority of 200. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, voted for a complete ban along with his health secretary, Patricia Hewitt.

The ban will bring England in line with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, which will all be introducing a full smoking ban for pubs and clubs. The bill also gives ministers powers to increase the age for purchasing cigarettes from 16 to 18 which ministers will begin the consultation process upon shortly.

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Spanish town council electee proposes nudist pool, marijuana field in park

Friday, June 1, 2007

A former mailman who proposed to paint the town hall pink, turn the local town square into a nudist pool, and to plant a marijuana field in the local park has been elected to the Reus, Spain town council.

Ariel Santamaria promised to show up to the town’s council meetings dressed up as Elvis Presley if he was elected and kept his word at the town’s first meeting on Thursday.

Before being elected, Santamaria who is a member of the Reus Independent Coordination, had also promised the town’s 100,000 residents that he would install a GPS system at the police department that would allow officers to track people who are smoking marijuana and provide them with a light if they need one.

An unnamed media consultant who works for Santamaria set up a website for his campaign and followed Santamaria wherever he went, dressed as a pirate.

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New Zealand begins process to consider changing national flag design

Thursday, May 7, 2015

On Tuesday, the New Zealand government announced the start of a public process to suggest designs for a new national flag, and determine whether their citizens would prefer a different national flag over the current one.

The current flag of New Zealand.

The current New Zealand flag is partially based on the United Kingdom’s flag; the new one would be unique to New Zealand. The government’s Flag Consideration Project has planned a number of conferences and roadshows as part of this process, with the first meeting set to take place in Christchurch on May 16. According to the New Zealand Herald, Emeritus Professor John Burrows, the chairman of the project’s panel of twelve, said New Zealand’s flag has never before been open to public choice.

Professor Burrows also said resources and kits would be accessible for schools and communities, “For example, schools can run their own flag discussions and referendums to mirror the formal process as part of their own learning exercise”. People were encouraged to submit their designs online at www.flag.govt.nz and suggest what the flag should mean on www.standfor.co.nz. Names of participants would be engraved, at their option, on a flag pole monument to be built in the nation’s capital, Wellington.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key said he believes redesigning the flag now has a “strong rationale”. Mr Key promoted the campaign for a unique New Zealand flag on Waitangi Day — February 6 — this year. Of the public process, he said, “In the end I’ll have one vote in each referendum just like every other New Zealander on the electoral roll”.

The New Zealand government intends to hold two referendums to reach a verdict on the flag, at an estimated cost of NZ$26 million, although a recent poll found only a quarter of citizens favoured changing the flag. This is a decrease from the year before, when it was forty percent. The first referendum is to be held from November 20 to December 11, selecting a single new flag design out of about four finalists. Voters would then choose between the new flag and their current flag early in 2016.

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How To Make Your Teaching Lessons Interesting?

By Sky Joe

Being a teacher can be a very challenging and enriching career for a lot of people. The task and responsibility of a teacher is to enrich the knowledge of the young, preparing the students for their future endeavors. In the midst of doing all these, the teacher is actually shaping the future of the whole nation. If you have chosen to become one of them, you should be proud of yourself.

However, being a teacher who is able to conduct effective lessons is not an easy task to achieve. This is mainly because its very difficult to capture the full attention of the students throughout the whole day. For a typical student, the time to concentrate fully can only last up to two hours. This means that schools are spending more efforts to employ teachers who can engage their students in interesting lessons.

One of the basics for teaching is to conduct lessons that interest your students. Bored students won’t remember much of the lesson. Refrain from giving long lectures that will only encourage your students to wander to slumberland. Instead, keep students involved and interacting with them in English. Some students may prefer to listen quietly as they are shy to make any comments. If this kind interaction makes your students nervous, provide plenty of support by giving clear and very specific directions. In addition, make your lessons livelier by adding games or using real-life objects such as a telephone, cook book, or musical instrument. You can also bring your students out of the classroom for a educational tour. This will greatly increase their attention lifespan and assist to absorb the knowledge easily.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0z7Ab-xJFE[/youtube]

Another effective way to attract their attention is to provide some rewards during the lessons. Studies have shown that students will be able to learn better when they perceive a personal reward. To boost internal motivation, remind them of the benefits that English can provide, such as English-speaking friends, better job opportunities, easier shopping, or less stress at the doctor’s office, and then teach language that will bring them closer to those benefits. External motivation can be achieved by praise and encouragement as well as tangible rewards like prizes or certificates. These rewards have been proven to be very effective in encouraging the students to put in extra efforts in their daily learning.

Learners will remember material better and take more interest in it if it has applicable contextual meaning. This means that good teachers should be able to relate the teaching materials to daily usage or practical examples. By providing appropriate applications, students will be able to remember them better and longer. Arbitrary rote learning (word lists or grammar drills) may be useful in solidifying language forms, but unless there’s a real-world application, sooner or later it’s likely to be forgotten.

Experienced teachers usually motivate their students to build up their self-confidence. In other words, teachers should allow them to use their own ability to complete a task. If they lack self-confidence, they tend not to take risks, and risk-taking is necessary in language learning. By trying out new or less familiar language, they may find that they are indeed capable of more communication than they thought. On your part, you can encourage them to interact more by reducing feelings of embarrassment when mistakes are made, and give far more compliments than criticisms. You can also instruct them to perform tasks that are easily achieved so that everyone is guaranteed success. This will help to develop their confidence gradually and increase their learning abilities.

For more information on the different ways of teaching English, teaching opportunities available or getting a teaching degree, please visit the following website: http://teaching.mygeneralknowledge.com/

About the Author: Skyjoe is a well-known author, website publisher and owner of

teaching.mygeneralknowledge.com

. Skyjoe. All rights reserved. This article may be freely distributed as long as it remains unaltered and the copyright notice is intact.

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Gunman on the loose in Melbourne

Monday, June 18, 2007

Police in Melbourne, Australia are on the hunt for a gunman who killed a man and injured two others in the city’s central business district this morning.

Officials warned all office workers to remain indoors, and train services to Flinders Street Station were temporarily on hold, as investigations were carried out on the intersection of Flinders Lane and William Street.

Malcom Bates, who witnessed the shootings at around 8:15 a.m., said the gunman grabbed a woman from inside a taxi. “The lady got away and he turned and shot three people basically point blank,” Mr Bates said. “I was right across the road”. He said that the incident took no longer than the “wink of an eye”.

Paramedics struggled to revive the one victim for almost an hour before declaring him dead at the scene. The two injured people have been taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition.

Police believe the incident began at the Bar Code 24-hour bar in King Street, when a woman attempted to get into a taxi. She was apparently grabbed by the hair by the gunman who then shot her and two men who attempted to come to her aid.

Police have identified the gunman as Christopher Wayne Hudson, aged 29. They believe him to be a member of the Hells Angels bikie gang. Police have described Hudson as about 180 cm tall, with short brown hair and wearing a dark tracksuit top and dark denim jeans.

A building worker on a construction site on the corner of Queen and Flinders Streets has reportedly discovered a handgun. It is understood the gunman may have thrown the weapon into the site as he fled the scene.

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Category:Tattoos

This is the category for tattoos, a form of body modification using ink and a needle.

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Grow Your Accounting Practice With These 7 Accountant Marketing Tips

By Aaron Hoos

Accountants have a critical role to play in helping individuals and businesses with their finances. But as essential as their role is, an accountants’ work is undervalued by prospective clients. Often, clients bring too little too late and expect miracles, or they simply don’t understand the full value that an accountant can provide.

By following these accountant marketing tips, accountants can educate their potential clientele to build a relationship earlier and to get more value from the accountant/client relationship.

Accountant marketing tip #1: Create a website or blog. Many accountants are very busy and don’t think they have time to set up a website. However, a simple blog (even a free blog) can add tremendous marketing value without taking a lot of time, effort, or money to manage.

Accountant marketing tip #2: Your clients will general come to you from a specific geographic area so target your marketing to that location. Use simple “local search engine optimization” techniques so that the people who visit your business’ website will be more likely to buy from you.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMKaDSv5p74[/youtube]

Accountant marketing tip #3: Don’t be scared off by social media. Accountants can approach social media with some skepticism because so much of their work is private and very specific to their clients. However, accountants can still participate in social media and derive a lot of value from it without risking their client’s privacy.

Accountant marketing tip #4: Develop a sales funnel. Most businesses that are new to internet marketing or social media marketing approach it in a haphazard way. However, with some sales funnel strategy, internet marketing becomes so much simpler to execute.

Accountant marketing tip #5: You don’t have to do everything. There are a lot of internet marketing opportunities out there and the choices can be almost overwhelming. Fortunately, you don’t have to do everything. Pick a few internet marketing channels (like Twitter, Facebook, and a blog, for example) and excel at those. Only bring other channels on board if you have the time and if they will serve your sales funnel.

Accountant marketing tip #6: Be consistent. No matter what marketing channel you use (offline or online), consistency is the key to success. Posting a single blog post or a single tweet and then waiting by the door for a stampede of clients just won’t cut it. You need to plan for months of targeted marketing. (Fortunately, that’s not as hard or costly as it sounds).

Accountant marketing tip #7: Measure your marketing. You’re already a genius at numbers or you wouldn’t be doing what you do for a living. Apply those same skills to your analysis of your marketing to improve your marketing so it becomes more effective.

By following these accountant marketing tips, you’ll increase the number of new clients that come through your door and you’ll increase your clients’ awareness of what you do so you can offer higher value and more services to them.

About the Author:

Aaron Hoos

is a freelance writer and internet marketer for financial and real estate businesses. Visit his blog for more

accountant marketing tips

.

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