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Watch These Dogs Who Really Don't Like Lemons — Daily Distraction
Dogs have a peculiar relationship with lemons (and limes and oranges—any citrus, really).
Dogs have a peculiar relationship with lemons (and limes and oranges—any citrus, really).
Being in the wedding party can be tough. You have to stand there, for what feels like forever, generally in not the most comfortable clothing. And sometimes, it's just too much to handle.
Never seen a Scottish terrier puppy pinwheel? It's a mesmerizing sight.
Never heard of a pygmy jerboa? It's kind of like a kangaroo. A very, very, very, very small kangaroo.
Dogs have loved sticks since the beginning of time. That's just a scientific fact.
Every kid likes to feel like a grown-up sometimes.
Not their boyfriends, of course.
Dads are great at so much: teaching us how to play catch, embarrassing us in front of our friends when we're in high school, fixing that step on the porch, etc. But skateboarding is not one of those things.
With all the trouble human beings have working together these days to get anything done—have you watched the news lately?—it's nice to see two different species getting along so well to achieve a simple goal.
Look, we know this is an optical illusion of some kind, but WHAAAA???!!!
What is more cooler than exploding things?
We're not positive what horse sense is, but it sure looks like Houdini here has it.


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The former Marcus High School baseball star and recent graduate had to decide whether to immediately begin a professional career or take up a scholarship offer from the University of Arkansas. He knew if he chose the latter, he couldn't go pro until after his third year in college.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound left-handed pitcher was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of this year's baseball draft in early June. But after a few weeks of negotiating a deal with the team, he decided to forgo the immediate money and play collegiately in 2012-13.
"I decided to go to college because I believe three years at an excellent baseball program like the one at Arkansas would prepare me better both physically and mentally for the daily grind of minor league baseball," he said. "Arkansas continually has one one of the best pitching staffs in the nation and I am excited to be a part of that and compete in the toughest conference in college baseball in the SEC. I have built a trust with the coaches at Arkansas and I am excited to play for them next year."
Playing in the pros was not at the top of Poché's mind after missing most of his junior season at Marcus with an elbow injury. Everything changed, however, when he worked with Dallas-area coach Sam Carpenter and the D-Bat Mustangs baseball club.
"I worked last summer to get my arm strength back and it carried over to this spring," he said. "Sam is a Dallas baseball legend. Being on his team gets you noticed and I started pitching well."
Poché helped the D-Bat Mustangs to the 2011 Connie Mack World Series championship game in Farmington, N.M., last summer. That fall, he struck out six batters in three innings in the WWBA World Championships in Jupiter, Fla., conducted by the Perfect Game Scouting Service.
It was while playing at Perfect Game that Poché first began attracting attention from major league scouts and college coaches. He committed to Arkansas during last November's early signing period after also receiving scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Navy, Dallas Baptist and Texas State and receiving calls from TCU, Oklahoma, Mississippi State and LSU.
"He's a lefty and they are always in demand," Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn told ArkansasSports360.com.
"Colin is an athletic left-hander that can throw strikes," Van Horn told arkansasrazorbacks.com. "He's also an outstanding student. We feel he has a chance to come in and contribute right away, especially as a left-handed pitcher."
Poché figured he was headed to Arkansas at the beginning of his senior year at Marcus. Then he turned in a stellar campaign with a 7-3 record while yielding just two earned runs, none in the regular season.
The key point came April 5 game against Flower Mound when Poché and mound opponent Cody Gunter each struck out 16 batters in a game the Jaguars won 1-0 in eight innings.
"There were about 30 scouts there that day which kind of put me on the map," Poché said. "After that, I got a lot of attention and realized I could have an opportunity to be drafted."
As school wound down and the June draft approached, Poché heard from enough people to know he'd be drafted at least as high as the No. 162 spot where he was picked. He just didn't know for sure who would choose him.
"I really didn't know if it would be the Orioles," he said. "I thought maybe it would be the (Los Angeles) Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays or San Diego Padres. You never know where they will have you on their board."
Poché said about 10 picks before he was selected, the Orioles called to see if he was still interested in foregoing his collegiate career and signing a pro contract.
"I said yes, then sat there checking the Internet," he said. "Then my name popped up and two minutes later Ken Guthrie, their area scout, called me."
Had Poché signed with the Orioles, he would have immediately reported to their Sarasota, Fla., training facility and joined one of their rookie teams where his biggest supporters figured he'd start the path to the major leagues.
"You'll most likely see him pitching on TV one day," former Marcus Coach Dustin Sykora told ESPNDallas.com.
That could still happen if Poché comes anywhere close to the pitchers he's been compared to such as current Texas Ranger Derek Holland, former Ranger Cliff Lee, current Oriole Zach Britton and New York Yankee Andy Pettitte. It's just that now, the road to get there starts in Fayetteville, Ark.
"I have a young body," he said. "I haven't matured. I haven't grown into the body I can be when I mature. I'm coachable. I pick up things every day.
"I need to learn how to pitch at the next level. You can't just throw a fastball. I need to physically get stronger so I can improve my velocity. I also want to develop a change-up. At that level, if you have a good fast ball and and a change up you can move up the system faster."

subset: commoncrawl


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"Obviously, Haiti wants to determine the motives behind the movement of children between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. And we are assisting in every way possible. And once we know all the facts, then we'll determine what the appropriate course is. But the judgment is really up to the Haitian government," the State Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley, said.
Crowley said the State Department has been given "unlimited" access to the jailed missionaries, and that they appear to be treated well.
"I can assure you that the intent of our group going down there had absolutely nothing to do with kidnapping and everything to do with helping a desperate situation in Haiti," the Rev. Clint Henry, from the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho, said on "Good Morning America.".
The 10 Baptist missionaries said they were attempting to bring the Haitian children to an orphanage across the border in the Dominican Republic when they were arrested Friday night at a border crossing.
"They were arrested on the border with children that were not theirs, and that they had no papers for," Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told ABC News. "For me, it's not Americans that were arrested, it was kidnappers that were arrested."
Henry said he spoke to the missionaries Friday night before they tried to cross the border, and they told him there was some confusion over what paperwork they needed to bring the children into the Dominican Republic.
"[They] indicated to me they were doing everything they could to work with the authorities to have the right paperwork and that became one of their frustrations -- not understanding everything they needed to have," Henry said.
Some of the children were apparently not orphans, said George Willeit of SOS Children's Villages, an nongovernmental international group.
"We already know that some of these children still have parents because an elder girl, maybe 8 or 9 years old, told us crying, 'I am not an orphan. I do have my parents. I thought I was going to boarding school or to a summer camp,'" Willeit said.
Henry said that the situation was "as much of a surprise to me as anyone else."
"The last that I knew is that we were working with a pastor who was dealing with an orphanage there, and I don't know any other information beyond that," Henry said.
The Americans are being held in a police station near the airport at Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, and have been visited by U.S. officials, according to a statement by the U.S. Embassy in Haiti.
"We came here simply to help these children, and we went to the border based on the approval of the Dominican government to take the children into the Dominican Republic and the pastor entrusting these precious children to our care because his orphanage collapsed and his churches collapsed, and he had nowhere for these children to go," the group's spokeswoman, Laura Silsby, said.
"In this chaos the government is in right now, we were just trying to do the right thing," she said.
When asked about the charges against them, several in the group simply responded to ABC News, "Philippians 1." The Bible's first chapter of Philippians chronicles the apostle Paul's time in prison for preaching the gospel.
ABC News' Kirit Radia, Ayana Harry and Steve Portnoy contributed to this report.


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INDIAN LAND – After months of discussion between residents and county officials, Mary Ann Brainard expected to see her community's name in big letters on a water tower near her Indian Land home.
Instead, she says the freshly painted words "Indian Land" are barely visible.
The tower, near her Legacy Park neighborhood, was recently painted to include the initials for the Lancaster County Water and Sewer District in big blue letters on two sides.
A sporting clay benefit shoot is aimed at supporting Jody Miles on May 16.
Miles, director of Christian Services in Lancaster, is seeking to get on the liver transplant list and the shoot is held in an effort to help her reach the goal.
The benefit shoot will be held at Meadow Wood Farm, an 800-acre private hunting preserve, which has 400 acres in Lancaster County and 400 acres in Union County, N.C.
Meadow Wood Farm hosts sporting clay fundraisers.
A conservation easement has been donated by Stoneboro Plantation LLC in the Stoneboro area of southern Lancaster County and northern Kershaw County to the Katawba Valley Land Trust.
The easement totals 564 acres, of which 509 are in Kershaw County.
The property encompasses the headwaters of Little Beaver Creek, which flows into Beaver Creek and empties into the northern tip of Lake Wateree.
The upland forests are open and park-like due to the prescribed fire management strategy. The open spaces are full of native grasses and shrubs.
Lisa Robinson suspected something was up when her coworkers recently took her picture. But she had no idea it would lead her to win as Lancaster County's Employee of the Quarter award.
Robinson, director of human resources for the county, was recently nominated by her coworkers for the honor, but they needed her picture for the ballot. She found out soon after that she had won.
"I was very honored and very surprised," Robinson said.
I guess it was a Monday when the lady of the cave decided it was time to wash out the family hides.
Years ago, it was called "Blue Monday," not because washing clothes without a washing machine was depressing, but because of a bluing agent used in the rising water.
Blue Monday still lingers in some households, but the advent of modern washers and dryers has made every day a potential wash day.
Well, it wasn't always that way.
When I was a small boy, Mama didn't have a washing machine, not even the old wringer kind.
A call about someone inside a vacant home and shots fired on Central Avenue on Wednesday led to the arrests of several people, including six juveniles.
According to Lancaster Police Department incident reports, officers arrived at 512 Central Ave. and saw Torey Robert Blackwell, 17, of 1262 Belmont Circle, standing in the front yard.
When officers turned into the driveway, the report said Blackwell went toward the back of the home, throwing marijuana on the ground.
Locals will get the chance to see how plowing was done in the old days with the opening of the Lancaster County Community Garden on Saturday.
From 10 a.m. to noon, mule teams and draft horses will plow plots near the Springdale Recreation Center, 260 S. Plantation Road, beside the soccer fields off Woodland Drive. Free horse and mule wagon rides will also be part of the fun.
The plots will be used for the community garden, which is being spearheaded by the United Way of Lancaster County.
According to Lancaster Police Department reports:
- Someone took a Maytag air conditioner and heater and a GE refrigerator from an East Dunlap Street home between 5 p.m. April 25 and 8:30 a.m. April 27.
The air unit was taken from a kitchen window. The refrigerator had been taken from a back bedroom while the kitchen in the rental home was being remodeled. The appliances are valued at $1,200.
There were no signs of forced entry at the home. The thief may have gotten into the home through a crawl pace, according to the report.
Buford defeated county rival Indian Land for the second time in four days to wrap up a third-place finish in Conference III-A Monday at Andrew Jackson High School.
The one-game play-off game was needed after Buford and Indian Land were tied at the end of regular-season conference play. BHS took a 4-3 win.
Buford downed Indian Land 4-2 on Lady Jackets' Senior Day on Friday. Indian Land then fell to regular-season runner-up Chesterfield in its final regular-season game on Saturday.
Right now, any help that HOPE of Lancaster gets is a blessing, said director Elaine Adkins.
"The first six days of January, we saw 197 people," Adkins said. "The numbers only continue to climb. Right now, there are lots of folks out there who need help and many of them never thought they'd have to."
And just in time, another group is stepping into the gap to help HOPE.
The STAR (Star Touring and Riding Association) Lancaster Chapter 396 will host its third annual Feed the Children Trivia Ride on Saturday.
Copyright © 2015
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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Billy Mays was a legend ... and a late night cable TV Zeus-like God at that ... And as 'The Babe' once told Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez in the 'Sandlot' ... "Everybody gets one chance to do something great. Most people never take the chance, either because they're too scared, or they don't recognize it when it spits on their shoes." And that's what the great 'Pitchman' did when infomercials came calling his name ... and what a better way to go out then ending with ESPN 360! Way dominate all things OxiClean and beyond my friend.
I'm pretty sure KP is thinking about his place on Mt. Olympus next to the right hand of Zeus after the magic he's worked while on the Blazers . . . and Roy is . . . well . . . ROY! Who cares what he's thinking since he's pretty much Santa Claus and his elves in one all-star of a gift.
Perhaps all you haters in here can do something crazy . . . go outside and do something. Step away from the computer for like five minutes, get out of the forums, and go meet some people. The offseason is what it is . . . and there is not always going to be breaking news on the team every single day. If I were you, I'd be happy that Quick is taking a different angle and helping you find out more about the guys on the team. Would you rather have nothing at all?
I wonder if Greg likes his Steven Hill sandwich with or without mayo?
WOW!!! You are like SO hardcore . . . Are you a part of any hardcore bands like Megadeth or Air Supply?
I think Jaison might be better off working on his stone hands instead of his eyes.
And why was the Independent Party 'certified' as an official party? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of being 'Independent?'
Well thought out bitter fan 'spike85,' it's nice to to know you just spewed out some very naive racist remarks. Have you even been to Oklahoma City? I haven't, but wow, that's quite the judgment on a whole city of people. Why don't you step away from the computer, down a shot or four of Jack Daniels, and be thankful you still have the NFL and MLB. Then, after you breathe for a few minutes, we can have a civilized conversation about this.
Pushing Seattle politics aside . . . how do you know this won't be good for the NBA? What's wrong with giving a smaller market a chance to succeed . . . they obviously did well when they had the Hornets for the season. And Portland wasn't a big market (and still isn't . . . really) and last time I checked, they've sold out the last 25 home games and made a 20+ year run to the playoffs back in the day (and will surely head back down that road again here soon).
Isn't that a pleasant thought . . . man sweat and bacteria in your drinking water . . . wow. Can you imagine the nice health benefits you can receive from these individuals' actions? It's invigorating to think about the awesome replenishments of nutrients that this will provide when you're hydrating yourself this week.
How 'bout Reynolds? The Raiders are going to be the most lethal pirates in the Mt. Hood Conference!
I couldn't agree with you more Peter, it's never okay to 'edge into racism, or casual jokes about killing political figures, or confabulating an opposing political perspective with terrorism,' I don't think anyone would disagree with that, I'm with you, it is appalling. Then again, when stupid people say stupid things, don't you think it's a little unfair to generalize about an entire network? I'm not necessarily a FNC sympathizer, but I do think they are a little more fair than your statement about their 'conservativism' implies?
Whether it was 'Chickadee' or 'Petie,' I have no doubt the bird lived a good life. One in which will be remembered by all as the essence of living life to the fullest . . . even if it is a life that's only a few days long.
So Peter, do you ever have anything critical to say about MSNBC or CNN? Because it seems to me the only network you seem to have a problem with is FOX. I'm sure if you actually looked from an unbiased view, you'd find plenty of clips from Keith Olbermann talking about how much he hates anything conservative or constant praise from MSNBC of Barack Obama . . . Just sayin . . .
Shame on anyone that thought the movie 'Junior' was fiction. Perhaps it played a part in the Governator's rise to power.
His name is 'Squatch' man . . . 'SQUATCH!' One of the 200 Sonics fans or so left might chase you down dressed like Bigfoot, and unleash their rage on your Blaze bobblehead doll.
I got to be honest, I feel no sadness for Seattle. They have freakin' NFL and MLB. And in both sports, they're competitive. To compare their situation with Portland's is absurd . . . if the Blazers were ripped out from underneath our fingertips, we'd have every reason in the world to be pissed . . . it's the only show in town. They do that, and we're stuck with the Portland Beavers, LumberJax, and Timbers as our main sports. (Excuse me while I throw up in my mouth about the latter two). These sports are minor-league compared to the NFL and MLB. I will shed no tears for Seattle.
On another note . . . as someone mentioned earlier, did we ever 'really' have a rivalry with the Sonics? I am a die-hard Blazers fan, and I have never felt any sort of hatred for them (and believe me, I've practically watched every single Blazers game I possibly can). Who cares if they're gone. If anything, we should be happy, as the Blazers will get to have the NW spotlight all to themselves (a nice change from all the overbearing amount of attention Seattle receives).
If there is anything we need to be concerned or uptight about, it's that we can't get more serious consideration for an MLB team. Portland-metro area has like 2.2 million people in it . . . there is absolutely no reason we shouldn't be given more of a serious look when it comes to bringing in a team from places like Miami (Florida Marlins) or Tampa Bay (Devil Rays) among others that could care less whether or not they had a MLB team.
Anyone feeling me on this?
Hey 'Rock,' maybe you didn't get the memo . . . they're called freedom fries . . . FREEDOM FRIES! Think about it . . . what would William Wallace say? What would Chief Joseph say? Perhaps "I will fight no more forever." That's right . . . and if they were FRENCH fries . . . wouldn't the picture on this comments box be a hairy teen wolf-looking character? I think so.
Can I just say . . . this guy is absolutely insane . . . I'm not even sure he belongs in jail . . . How about 'Arkum Asyluym' or some other loony bin where he can protest with his fellow crazies?
Have all you ridiculous J-Jack haters gone silent . . . wouldn't surprise me . . . I guess I would keep my mouth shut to if I was eating a huge dish of crow while I'm watching him play one of his best games this season right now.


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"Focus on what matters" is Sbusiso Leope's mantra. The popular radio personality, known by his musical alias DJ Sbu, seems to be doing just that. In between hosting his weekly radio slot, Sound Revival, on Metro FM, and the SABC 1 game show Friends Like These, the recording artist turned entrepreneur visits three schools a week to share his inspirational life story with young learners. In addition, he personally mentors 16 children, two of whom graduated from the University of Johannesburg in 2012, and his eponymous education foundation has given away 147 bursaries to date. Leope has come a long way. Named by Forbes as one of 13 young celebrities to watch in 2013, he "grew up all over Johannesburg, in places such as Daveyton and Soweto", but considers Tembisa the place where his roots are. He matriculated from Central Secondary School in Pretoria before studying sound engineering at Africa Media University as well as electrical engineering at Technikon Witwatersrand. His broadcasting career, which would later catapult him to mega stardom, began in 1998 when he started volunteering for a community radio station in Tembisa. It would be another 18 months before his talent would be recognised. "What opened doors was when I entered a talent search competition at Yfm and came second," he says. "That was my big break." Since then, DJ Sbu has become one of the most recognisable names on radio and faces in the media. A successful recording artist in his own right, with six studio albums, he has also been instrumental in unearthing new musical talent, including the chart-topping Afro-pop sensation, Zahara, who has signed with TS Records, the record label Leope started with TK Nciza. Music may be his first love, but business and philanthropy look set to become his passion. — Bongani Kona
Frustrated by the slow pace of studying for a BCom Accounting, writing hypothetical business plans and balance sheets, Nick Kaoma decided to hurry up the process and start a business. He dropped out and spent some time researching the Cape Town fashion and media culture, attending events such as Design Indaba and Fashion Week, while paying his way as a waiter and later as a sales executive for Cape Media. His blogs during this time drew the attention of Uhuru Communications and he progressed from feature writer for their Student Choice publication to editor at the age of 24. Finally, in 2008, he convinced Vega graduate Mzoxolo Gcwabe to become his business partner and together they started lifestyle brand Head Honcho. Thanks to clever collaborations with brands such as Miller and Play, as well as a symbiotic relationship with brand ambassadors AKA and Lulo Café, Head Honcho became the first local brand to be stocked in Shesha and Sportscene outlets all over the country and has become the voice of ambitious South African youths who aim to "live progressively". At the 2012 South African Hip Hop Awards the Head Honcho family picked up six awards, including King of Gauteng, for Marketing Director Tebello Motsoane and Hustler of the Year for Kaoma — an apt prize for a man who once hustled his way into a meeting with design icon Gavin Rajah, with just a few sketches and some exaggerated claims about a clothing label on the production line. Having secured accounts with national chains in Nigeria and Zambia, Head Honcho is set to grow into the rest of Africa. That's only the beginning — 31-year-old Kaoma has also just started a branding and marketing firm called 6th Avenue and is pushing ahead with his dream to take over the world, "one city, one country at a time". — Rudi Benadé
When Tasmi Quazi was six she offered a beggar on a rickshaw in Bangladesh a packet of chips. He refused the offer, but was visibly moved.
The incident left a lasting impression on her of the dehumanising effects of poverty. When she was in matric she received an award for social service and chose to study architecture at university with the aim of working on projects focusing on community-based and sustainable practices of design.
As research officer at Asiye eTafuleni, Quazi has played a significant role in various similar projects. She has managed the Imagine Durban Inner-City Cardboard Recycling project, which, since 2010, has helped to increase the income of informal recyclers through several new interventions.
For Quazi, it's an ongoing labour of love. "The proactive approach of the AeT team and the informal workers' drive to be agents of change has struck a remarkable dynamic of developing innovation through collaboration, which is not only pioneering but utterly inspiring," she says. — Fatima Asmal
At the age of 17 Kave Bulambo fled the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, spending a year in refugee camps before crossing into South Africa. Unperturbed, she finished high school and received a scholarship allowing her to study for a degree in Psychology at Harvard University. She returned to South Africa and, despite struggling to get permanent residence, considers herself unaffected by her refugee status. In 2008 she realised others weren't as lucky and founded the non-profit Women Across Borders, offering social support and English literacy skills to female refugees. During the day she is a training and assessment officer at Gold Peer Education, where she is involved in the implementation of youth leadership programmes. Thanks to the 28-year-old's efforts, her daughter Abigail will be part of a new generation of professional women we ought to be proud to call South African, regardless of what is written in their passports. — Rudi Benadé
Linda Olagunju may have been recognised as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum but before she changes the entire world, her focus is on changing the way Africa manages its natural resources. She is committed to being part of the team of professionals who will bring positive change to government policies on the use of these resources. Just 29 and one of the first black female attorneys in the renewable energy sector, Olagunju has been involved in critical deals such as Eskom's $250-m World Bank Loan for renewable projects and Mulilo Renewable Energy's bid to become the first independent renewable energy power producer in the country. She is founder of DLO Energy Resources, which initiated Renewable Energy Forum SA, and runs a pan-African online magazine, www.africabe.com. Seems this powerhouse has plenty of energy left in her. — Caroline Cowan
Vuyane Mhlomi grew up with his single-parent mother in a household of 10 children in Khayelitsha, using Sunlight soap to brush his teeth, wash his shirts and as deodorant. Now 25 and a doctor at Chris Hani Baragwanath he has come a long way from those difficult days. He struggled to get into medical school and then his mother suffered a stroke as he was studying for his final exams, and his books played second fiddle to looking after her. Despite these setbacks he graduated third in a class of 171 students. He was awarded the Dr Helen Brown Prize for the second-best final year student in clinical medicine and was on the Dean's Merit List and Medicine Honours List — no easy feat. His main interest is hypertension and he was primary researcher, investigator and first author of a research project with the president of the Hypertension Society of South Africa. When he has completed his internship he plans to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship to pursue a doctorate in Cardiovascular Medicine. Concurrently with his medical internship he is studying law through Unisa in order to understand better the legalities of medical practice. When he is not studying he is something of a thespian, having appeared in the film Madam and Eve and a few foreign films, and a play he wrote won the award for best script in the residence festival at the University of Cape Town. He is currently assistant director of a South African short film soon to go into in production. With friends, he founded the MH Foundation, whose mission is to see every disadvantaged child become an outstanding scholar, by providing the resources and tools to enable children to follow their dreams. — Ilham Rawoot
The best thing about Mandy Rossouw was her dimples. No. It was her hair, the way it turned up at the ends in this sort of retro look that could only have suited her. Actually, it was the way she would make you laugh, or how she would tell you, in no uncertain terms, that she was right about whatever point she was making and if she was later proven wrong she would tell you you were a fool for believing her in the first place. Rossouw, who graduated from Stellenbosch University with her journalism degree in 2000, had the kind of confidence, humour, style and drive that made her an asset to any newsroom. She loved her work and had a career most journalists only dream of. Her first job was as provincial government reporter for Beeld. She went on to become the international correspondent for Media24, based in London. In 2007 she joined the Mail & Guardian as senior political reporter and it was she who broke the Nkandla story in 2009. In 2011 she returned to Media24 as international correspondent and City Press's political reporter. The next year she joined Eyewitness News, adding radio to her already impressive CV. She wrote three books: The Year in Quotes 2010, with Andrew Donaldson; The World According to Julius Malema, with Max du Preez; and Mangaung: Kings and Kingmakers, which came out in the run-up to last year's conference. When she died, unexpectedly, in March the journalistic community let out a collective howl. The ANC, Cope, Numsa and the Commission for Gender Equality issued statements. Social networks exploded, reports on radio, TV and websites and in newspapers all murmured in grief. She was only 33 years old. She was a Young South African destined for even greater things, and she is so missed. — Tanya Pampalone
The Democratic Alliance is known for its welloiled communications machine. The party issues press statements at the drop of a hat on issues every day. Twenty-nine-year-old Phumzile van Damme, head of the DA's parliamentary research and communications department, is the woman behind this machine. Her team is charged with communicating the party's role as the official opposition in Parliament. She has been a political communicator for four years, following her years as a political support officer for the then DA national spokesperson, Lindiwe Mazibuko, and for a short while with Mmusi Maimane. Van Damme is chairperson of the DA's Cape Town City Bowl branch. Her long-term career goal is to become a public representative and Cabinet minister one day. "When I worked as the spokesperson for the Western Cape minister of finance I saw how, if utilised correctly, government resources can actively contribute to changing people's lives." — Andisiwe Makinana
At the core of Tsakani Mthombeni's work is giving people a shot. Mthombeni would not be where he is today were it not for just such a shot — a De Beers scholarship to study electrical engineering at the University of Cape Town. Using his studies as a stepping stone he paved his way to career success. After obtaining a PhD in the United States he took a research position at the University of Cape Town. While there, he sent a proposal to Eskom for an energy-savings programme that so impressed them they offered him a job. Years later he made another bold move — to the Technology Innovation Agency, where the 33-year-old now helps entrepreneurs to turn their innovations in energy into viable businesses. His dream is to be a philanthropist: "If you pick the right people and give them the right resources, you can change lives," he says. He should know — he's a shining example. — Joonji Mdyogolo
When Reinardt Janse van Rensburg was 12 his dad bought him a bike for Christmas. He started racing and was soon hooked, becoming the National Time Trial champion in his age category two years later. He soon moved from club teams to bigger teams such as MTN Qhubeka before joining Argos Shimano, a world tour team, for the 2013 season. Van Rensburg was the South African time trial champion in 2012. His first international victory was a stage-two win in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Australia. Last year he won the Tour of Morocco comfortably, and his debut win in Europe was the fourth stage of the Tour de Bretagne in France. Adapting to different roads and weather conditions can't have been easy for the 24-year-old but his determination to succeed has meant that this year he'll feature in some of the biggest races in the world. — Fatima Asmal
Zandile Manana (33) is the marketing director of Massbuild, the home improvement and DIY division of Massmart Holdings. After graduating with a Commerce degree from Rhodes University, Manana began his career at Unilever on the graduate development programme. After two years at the company he was promoted to national account manager, at age 23. He remained in that role for five years until January 2008 when he joined Massmart as a channel forum manager. At the end of 2007, Manana won the Gibs (Gordon Institute of Business Science) 60-second challenge for a scholarship to study for an MBA at the business school in 2008 and 2009. In November 2009 he was appointed executive assistant to the Group chief executive of Massmart, Grant Pattison, who describes Zandile as a role model for young executives in South Africa. "He's got that X factor, something which is hard to describe. But when you meet him you are convinced that he will occupy the position of CEO for some company one day," says Pattison. In July 2011, Manana landed his current role to head up marketing for Massbuild. For him, marketing is not only about delivering and communicating value to customers; it is also about managing customer relationships in ways that will benefit the organisation. After two years in the role, he seems encouraged by the significant changes his team has made in communicating the company's value proposition to its customers. He said that the extended price cut campaigns (which commenced after the Massmart-Walmart merger) have triggered a new thought process, both from an advertising perspective and in in-store execution. Manana was raised in Kagiso (Mogale City) in the West Rand, Gauteng. Despite being a reluctant leader, he has always ended up in leadership positions since high school. He was deputy head boy in Grade 12 and went on to become president of the local chapter of an international non-profit student organisation in his first year at Rhodes, and was a sub-warden at College House in his third year. "I recall being elected as the student representative for the Information Systems 2 class; I had no clue that half the class even knew my name, and I ended up failing the course to my embarrassment," he says. Although he considers setbacks to be an important part of life, not going to university was one that he was not going to accept. When he was in high school he realised that many talented learners were not furthering their studies owing to financial constraints and he vowed that lack of money was not going to stop him from obtaining his degree. And when he boarded that Greyhound bus to Grahamstown in February 1997, he had no idea where the money was going to come from, but took the step of faith anyway. He soon discovered that faith indeed moves mountains and managed to get funding from the Tertiary Fund of South Africa (now called the National Student Fund Aid Scheme) in his first year and then a full bursary, through the help of his aunt, for the rest of his studies. "Had I not taken that big step and boarded that bus to Grahamstown, I might not be where I am today," he says. That experience has taught him that, although nothing in life comes easy, dreams can still be achieved if one is determined and committed. Since then Manana has never stopped dreaming and believing.
"Focus on what matters" is Sbusiso Leope's mantra. The popular radio personality, known by his musical alias DJ Sbu, seems to be doing just that. In between hosting his weekly
Frustrated by the slow pace of studying for a BCom Accounting, writing hypothetical business plans and balance sheets, Nick Kaoma decided to hurry up the process and start a business.
When Tasmi Quazi was six she offered a beggar on a rickshaw in Bangladesh a packet of chips. He refused the offer, but was visibly moved. The incident left a lasting
At the age of 17 Kave Bulambo fled the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, spending a year in refugee camps before crossing into South Africa. Unperturbed, she
Linda Olagunju may have been recognised as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum but before she changes the entire world, her focus is on changing the way Africa


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8.7 Million iPhones Sold in Q1 2010 -- Apple Financial Results
Apple today announced their Q1 2010 financial results, covering the all-important holiday quarter, with 8.7 million iPhones sold, and a 55% increase in iPod touch sales. Total revenue was $15.68 billion, and cash-on-hand is now approaching a whopping 39.8 billion! Says CEO, Steve Jobs:
"If you annualize our quarterly revenue, it's surprising that Apple is now a $50+ billion company," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The new products we are planning to release this year are very strong, starting this week with a major new product that we're really excited about."
Way to iTablet tease us there, big fella.
During the conference call that followed, CFO, Peter Oppenheimer and COO, Tim Cook revealed:
- 17 new carriers for the iPhone, including Bell Canada, Telus Canada, Orange Canada, China Unicom, Korea
- iPhone "very strong" in Japan, Australia, UK, Germany
- Business users ranked iPhone #1 in satisfaction according to JD Power
- 70% of Fortune 100 businesses piloting or deploying iPhone
- New accounting methods mean $25 of iPhone revenue deferred for "updates"
- Apple defended AT&T, said they have higher broadband usage than any other carrier, great experience for many customers, and have shared with Apple plans to improve problem cities
- 2.7 million iPhones in channel, including in-transit, invoiced to carriers, demos.
- 200,000 iPhones activated in China. Ramping slowly to ensure customer experience.
- Nothing on Nokia lawsuit.
- 90% of iPhone Apps approved in 14 days. Apple wants to protect privacy, prevent porn, defend children. Most frequent cause of rejection is bugs in app.
- Cook: Noise about App Store frustration may be higher than reality (orly?)
- Could anything equal Mac, iPod, iPhone for Apple? Wait for Wednesday!
- iPhone 3GS features accelerated corporate adoption (hardware encryption?)
- Adding carriers in existing countries earned incremental growth.
- Quattro Wireless was acquired to provide developers, especially those who develop free apps, a seamless way to earn money.
- iTunes/App Store still run just above break even, Apple reinvests revenue to maintain and improve customer experience as it scales.
- Japan iPhone growth 400%, Asia Pac iPhone growth 500%
- On Google: Apple competes with Google in some areas, works with them in others.
For more from the conference call, check out TiPb's live coverage!
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
8.7 Million iPhones Sold in Q1 2010 -- Apple Financial Results
My god that's some iPhones sold.
Let's see how the new iPhone will do when it's released. Http://appulous.eu
Like what janitorial services? Lunch room help? Fluffer for El Jobso?
Analysts don't see iPhone sales quite as rosy as Apple would like you to believe. In fact they are seeing signs of a slow-down of growth:
Apple sold a record 8.7 million iPhones and 3.36 million Macs in the holiday shopping season, which has been Apple's biggest sales quarter for the past four years. The iPhone and Mac together account for more than 60 percent of revenue.
Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray & Co. in Minneapolis, said investors were looking for about 8.8 million iPhones and 3.1 million to 3.2 million Macs.
Some investors were expecting iPhone sales of 10 million, said Shaw Wu, an analyst at Kaufman Bros. in San Francisco.
"The Mac number looked good and was impressive," he said. "IPhone shipments were light."
They wanted 10 million. So it's no wonder the investors aren't as happy. Although 10 million in one qtr is an ass load of phones.
I this explains why the stock hasn't moved much. Hopefully Wednesday will send it skyward.
Apple's upside comes from accounting shift
5:31p ET January 25, 2010 (MarketWatch)
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- At first glance, it looks like Apple Inc.'s fiscal first quarter was a serious barn burner, as its revenue and earnings per share numbers widely surpassed Wall Street's expectations.
Apple reported fiscal first quarter revenue of... On that basis, the quarter looks like a major blow-out.
But it appears that Wall Street's first quarter estimates don't include the positive impact of a major new accounting rule related to revenue recognition for certain products, namely how Apple can now account for sales of its popular iPhone and Apple TV.
The new accounting rules let Apple recognize substantially all of the revenue and product cost for the iPhone and Apple TV when those products are delivered to customers. Apple had been using subscription accounting, which deferred significant amounts of revenue and cost of sales related to those devices over a longer period.
Apple's quarter was actually pretty much on target, when one looks at the unit sales of its devices. IPhones, iPods and Mac computers sold pretty much in line with analysts' forecasts for the period.
That may explain why the stock was trading down in the after-hours on Monday. In any event, most Apple watchers are just biding their time until the company's big event on Wednesday, when it will supposedly unveil its tablet computer. Until then, it's pretty much wait-and-see.
- Therese Poletti


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Pretty Little Liars
Who Is "A"? Top Suspects From Pretty Little Liars Season 1, Episode 18
We know that you're dying to know who "A" might be! Don't worry — we've got our crack team of sleuths on the case, picking up even the tiniest clue for your mystery-solving pleasure. Here are the hints from "The Badass Seed" (February 21, 2011) that may help us solve this thing for good!
Suspect #1: Jenna Marshall
Why she might be "A": Jenna's now somehow working with Ian, and she still seems to be stalking Toby. If we didn't trust Jenna before (and we didn't!), she's certainly not doing much to help her cause.
Why she might not be "A": Frankly, right now we don't have a great reason why she's not "A"; she's the closest thing to a safe bet. However, between her injury and her loving someone who won't love her back, we sometimes take pity on poor Jenna — that is, when she's not being an uber-bitch.
Suspect #2: Mona Vanderwall
Why she might be "A": There's no reason to believe that Mona is anything but pure evil. And she seemed to be baiting Aria at those play rehearsals, as if she already knew that something was up between her and Ezra. One thing's for sure — Mona is not capable of playing nice.
Why she might not be "A": We hate to ask, but does Mona really seem smart enough to be "A"? And "A" has been tormenting Hanna so much lately — sending the exterminator, making her eat cupcakes, taking her mom's money — that it would be pretty harsh if her bestie Mona were behind all that. (Then again, we already know that Mona isn't much of a bestie!)
Suspect #3: Caleb
Why he might be "A": We've been led to believe that there's no criminal act too big for Caleb to handle. So why wasn't he able to crack into Jenna's phone? Could it be possible that the two are in cahoots?
Why he might not be "A": How can a guy this adorable be up to no good? Seriously, we've had our suspicions about Caleb, but then we saw him in the shower with his shirt off, and... What were we talking about again?


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The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community
CIRI is dedicated to advancing the stature and credibility of the investor relations profession and the competency of its members.
Your Membership in CIRI entitles you to a wide
range of services.
Members remember to login to receive discounted member pricing.
All cancellations must be received in writing. All cancellations are subject to a $150.00 administration fee. Cancellations received after April 23, 2015 are non-refundable. Substitutions are accepted and subject to a $75.00 Transfer fee. All substitutions must be received in writing.
Delegate registration fees include breakfasts, coffee breaks, luncheons, a welcome reception on Sunday evening and a reception, dinner and dance on Monday evening.
Registration Fees
Early Bird - October 2014 to January 16, 2015
Member $890 I Non-member $1,200
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Member $990 I Non-member $1,300
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Member $1,090 I Non-member $1,400
**Members, remember to login before you register to ensure you receive your member's discount** Not yet a CIRI Member? Take advantage of the 2015 CIRI Membership/Conference Bundle by clicking here.
Registration is closed for this event
CIRI's Annual Conference is the second largest gathering of IR practitioners in the world. The 2015 Conference will be held May 31 - June 2 at the Fairmont Banff Springs in beautiful Banff, Alberta. Over three days of programming, the Conference will bring together industry leaders and IR experts that offer their views and advice during numerous breakout sessions, panel discussions and presentations. You will have an opportunity to meet with knowledgeable exhibitors who offer IR services and products that can help you do your job more effectively. Plus there will be numerous opportunities to network with your peers from across Canada and share your IR successes and challenges.
Optional Activities
Cave and Basin Tour - $69.00 (plus tax)
19th Annual Golf Tournament - $205.00 (plus tax)
Click here to learn more about each activity.
The conference was my first and I thought it was excellent. Kudos to the organizers and co-chairs! I was generally very pleased with the topics and quality of the speakers. Thank you!
2014 Conference Delegate
Very well done - excellent agenda - great venue. I enjoyed it and did benefit from it.


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The Steelers have four games left, and despite the wound to their postseason hopes inflicted by Thursday's loss to the Ravens, Pittsburgh isn't talking about just playing out the string. The Steelers apparently still hear the faint heartbeat of playoff life.
"We're going to keep fighting right now," linebacker Lawrence Timmons said, as reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "We're not going to give up; this team never gives up. This is the type of fight us as an organization always has, so we're going to stay optimistic."
Offensive lineman Ramon Foster said after Thursday's defeat: "We're going to keep on fighting for one of those playoff spots. We can't worry about this game."
[RELATED: Tomlin thought Bell scored on helmet off play]
Foster was asked whether the Steelers would entertain the notion that their playoff chances already were gone. "Never, never, it's not even a question," he said.
It's not a question that the Steelers need to win every one of their remaining games — against the (in order) Dolphins, Bengals, Packers and Browns — to finish 9-7. Pittsburgh would need lots of help in the crowded field for the second wild-card spot.
"We have to finish, win every one," Foster said. "End of story right there."
Even if, realistically, their story for this season already has ended.


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Check out all things Harlem Shake on Music Fails!
Just looking at this gave me diabetes... and cancer.
This is 5-year-old Oliver tattooing his name on his dad's leg. It was done in a tattoo studio with supervision of his dad who is a professional tattoo artist. The procedure was carried out in exactly the same way as it would have been if it were his dad doing the tattoo.


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Isn't storytelling an overhyped branding word?
Actually, no. Storytelling can be a very important branding tool, if you know how to use it to your advantage. Storytelling is not an overhyped branding word, but a means of focusing your communication around a central theme and creating consistent brand messages. Furthermore, narrative has been argued to be a very natural occurrence in the human brain, as a natural way of making sense of the world and our experiences, and storing and understanding memories. Things are easier to understand in story form, which makes storytelling a useful tool to explain complicated business concepts/ideas, brand values, etc to your stakeholders.
What defines a story?
Generally, a story has a beginning, middle and an end. Good stories have a conflict, and engage their audiences emotionally. Engaging your audience emotionally through your story is an important idea to remember, since this may lead to positive psychological co-creation, and effective word of mouth for your business and brand.
Other important elements of stories are authenticity, honesty and credibility. These go hand in hand with good brand communication, as you want you brand to seem (and be) authentic, honest and credible. Stories are also more effective at communicating your brand values when they have moral and ethical undertones. So highlighting the activities your business carries out to help others can be extra effective.
How do you use storytelling in branding?
The important thing to note is that storytelling need not involve lots of drama, a villain or even a clear beginning, middle or end to be engaging. Rather, in using storytelling in branding, you want to make sure that all your communication revolves around a central theme. For example, if I had to describe the "story" that I model Web Couture's communication around, I would say:
Web Couture was founded to help small businesses with their online web presence. I am met with resistance in that I am a self-taught graphic designer and front-end developer, and constantly learning. However, I have a deeper knowledge and understanding of branding and marketing than most web designers, and I am a hard and passionate worker. Through understanding the core of your brand and activities, and modeling your website, graphics and content to embody your brand's values, identity and message, Web Couture will dress your brand for the web.
And more concisely, my theme:
Dressing your brand for the web.
The brand story can show up (also visually, storytelling is not only verbal) in several places, for instance:
- Your business logo, motto/tagline, mission, vision and values
- The customers you choose to take on
- The potential customers that you openly engage with online (for example through Twitter)
- Your about page & background story
- The graphics on your website
Till Next time
Homework till next Monday's Branding 101 post is to think about your brand story through these easy five steps:
1. What are your brand's values as you see them?
2. What message(s) does your name, logo, tagline and website convey about your brand?
3. Do these visible key features line up with how you see your brand values?
4. Who are your main social media buddies, followers and potential clients? Who do you follow, and what do you tweet about?
5. Do your messages to these groups follow your brand values?
If you answer no to 3 and 5, you'll definitely want to stay tuned for next Monday when I write more about how you can practically use storytelling to gain consistent communication of your brand values.
By the way
If you want to read more about what storytelling can do for your brand take a look at these books:
- What's your story? Storytelling to move markets, audiences, people and brands by Mathews & Wacker, 2007
- Storytelling – Branding in practice by Fog, Budtz & Yakaboylu, 2004
- The dream society: How the coming shift from information to imagination will transform your business by Jensen, 1999
For more posts about branding and marketing for small businesses, take a look at the Branding 101 category.
Like Web Couture Ltd on Facebook to keep up with the company, project related news and new blogposts.
Follow @carina_claire on Twitter to read the more personal side of things.