Sports Saturday on Empty Streets: Danica Patrick

We have already featured the top 2 most searched athletes of 2008 and now it is time to feature our number 3 on the list Danica Patrick. Like the other powerhouse women we have featured in the last Sports Saturday articles Danica is definitely in a league of her own and is becoming an icon for women and an item for men to drool over. But don't be fooled so easily for this talented athlete has a lot to offer than her hot sizzling looks.

Danica Sue Patrick (born March 25, 1982 in Beloit, Wisconsin) is an American auto racing driver, currently competing in the IndyCar Series. She was raised in Roscoe, Illinois. Patrick was named the Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season. In May 2006, she published her autobiography, Danica: Crossing the Line. With her win in the 2008 Indy Japan 300, Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy car race. She also has an equity stake in her #7 team

Prior to her win in Motegi, the most notable criticism of Patrick was that she had not won a race in three years of IRL competition and still garnered significant media attention. She is frequently promoted in mainstream and motorsport media, and has been compared to female athletes like Anna Kournikova for her apparent willingness to be marketed on her looks, examples being her appearance in FHM in April 2003 and Sports Illustrated in June 2005, February 2008, and February 2009.
Before 2008, some racing journalists, IndyCar fans, and other drivers claimed that Patrick's relatively low body weight gave her an advantage in the IndyCar series, which had a strict minimum weight set for the cars but which did not account for the driver's own weight. Patrick's height is 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) and she weighs 100 pounds (45 kg; 7 st 2 lb). By comparison, the IRL's tallest driver in 2008 is 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Justin Wilson who weighs 176 pounds (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb). The Dallara cars used in the IRL series weigh between 1,530 pounds (690 kg) and 1,600 pounds (730 kg), excluding the driver and 22 U.S. gallons (83 L; 18 imp gal) of fuel. IRL President Brian Barnhart thinks the advantage is exaggerated, telling Dave Caldwell for The New York Times that Patrick's weight "had a minimal effect on the competition." With the IRL-Champ Car unification prior to the 2008 racing season, the rules were revised to define the minimum weight of the car as including the driver.

Conversely, some have noted Patrick's disadvantage given the lack of power steering.

Several male drivers have made negative comments about Patrick's ability, as a woman, to race successfully. Former driver Richard Petty responded, in a separate interview, by stating, "I just don't think it's a sport for women, and so far, it's proved out. It's really not. It's good for them to come in. It gives us a lot of publicity, it gives them publicity. But as far as being a real true racer, making a living out of it, it's kind of tough." After Patrick's IRL win, she was praised by many drivers. NASCAR driver and former IRL champion Tony Stewart, for example, said "I think obviously she's got talent; she's been successful in every form of racing she's been in so far and I don't see why she wouldn't be successful here [in NASCAR]." Bob Margolis of Yahoo! Sports criticized Patrick for her actions after being taken out of the 2008 Indianapolis 500 after a pit road collision with Ryan Briscoe, writing that "Patrick’s drama queen theatrics have worn thin

With all that being said here is a video commercial of Danica for you to enjoy:

10 Things to Avoid in Making a Call Script

Things to Avoid when Making your Call Scripts:

A script is more of a guide than a must strictly follow rule. Many call centers make script errors which result in repeating mistakes. Here are 10 tips to avoid common errors call centers encounter when writing scripts:

1. Avoid formatting the script in long paragraphs that promote mechanical reading.

2. Omit irrelevant information.

3. Avoid accepting any limitation or fault on your side immediately.

4. Avoid “blaming” or criticizing the customer from the outset.

5. Don’t talk to the point; you need to proactively build relationships with customers to generate more business.

6. Don’t forget to include a proper follow-up plan. Without follow-through, your customers’ frustrations will quickly escalate to permanent anger.

7. Don’t require a full agent script, because it can diminish the customer rapport.

8. Avoid a long greeting or closing. Customers hear enough about who they're calling in the IVR (interactive voice response), so make greetings short and simple – identify the brand, yourself and get down to business.

9. Don’t require inflated cheerfulness or an overly polite tone. Saying please and thank you is customary, but requiring it after every request annoys many customers.

10. Don’t repeat the same questions. If a question was asked on a previous contact or in the IVR, don't ask it again. That applies to verification, phone numbers or anything that should have been captured in the first contact. Leverage your CRM application, automatic-number ID pop-ups, softphone capabilities and any previous data stored.

Last, but certainly not least, consider timing. Don't measure on calls per hour or minutes per call — you're just setting yourself up for bad customer service, instead, measure on key performance metrics that are aligned to your strategy.

Food Fridays on Empty Streets: Chilli Crab Recipe

I have been craving for the old Singaporean Chilli Crabs ever since I got back from Singapore last 2006 and I have been looking around and trying out different recipes to try and replicate it here back home. It took me quite awhile and I have finally found one that actually works and I couldn't wait to share it here with all of you in today's Food Fridays.

Ingredients:

• 6 live blue crabs
• 4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, finely grated
• 1 large egg
• salt and pepper

To Combine for the Chilli Sauce

• 4-5 tbsp or to taste Chilli Paste
• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2-1 tbsp soy bean paste
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup water

Preparation

1. Clean Blue Crabs and cut into halves. Crack the shells and claws gently with a wooden mallet.
2. In a bowl combine chilli sauce ingredients, mix well.
3. Heat peanut or vegetable oil in a hot wok, add garlic ginger and chilli paste - stir fry for about 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Add combined chilli sauce ingredients to wok.
5. Bring sauce to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Toss in crabs, stir fry to coat with sauce, about 2 minutes.
7. Cover and cook crabs over medium to high heat until they turn red in color.
8. Lift cover from time to time to give it a good stir
9. When crabs are almost fully cooked, push crabs to the side of the wok, or remove them with a slotted spoon.
10. Break an egg intoo the sauce, stirring gently to form yello and white streaks, then mix the crabs.
11. Remove crabs from the wok and keep warm. Let it stand for about 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
12. Serve with French Baguettes to dip into the yummy sauce. ;)

Here is a video presentation of the Chilli Crab recipe for those that like to watch how this tasty Singaporean recipe is done :)

Travel Thursday on Empty Streets: Bahaghari Festival - Mindoro

This coming April 24 - 25 something special and different will be celebrated in a town that is known for it's people and it's festivals. The Town of Pinamalayan, Mindoro will be celebrating the Bahaghari Festival and it is definitely an event that one shouldn't miss.

According to an old story, the early settlers of this town came from Marinduque. While on this way to Mindoro on their bancas, they encountered turbulent weather and lost their direction. They prayed to God Almighty for deliverance and guidance, whereupon the weather cleared and a rainbow appeared on the horizon. The crew shouted “ipinamalay” meaning- it was made known. They followed the direction of the rainbow and landed at what is now Brgy. Lumangbayan and established the first settlement which they named Pinamalayan. The rainbow became the historical landmark of the town. The yearly Bahaghari Festival is a colorful commemoration of the importance of the rainbow in the history of the town of Pinamalayan. The celebration includes a street dancing competition, cultural presentations, religious & cultural activities, and products & trade fair. Said activities showcase the values of the people, appreciation of their cultural heritage, the strength to face up to life’s challenges and unity and harmony as in the colors of the rainbow. Like the rainbow which rises to give color in the sky after torrent of rain, the Bahaghari Festival is a reflection of the continuing effort of the people of Pinamalayan that there is truly paradise at the end of the rainbow.

If you want to know more about this festival and this rather cozy little town check out their main site here - Welcome to Pinamalayan

See you there are the festival ;) xoxo

Wellness Wednesday on Empty Streets: Why Organic

I have been featuring organic food alternatives in the past Wellness Wednesday articles and because of it I got a rather interesting email asking why would it be better to go organic. I had to ponder on that question for a little bit before I finally got my answers all put together into three simple reasons.

Why would organic be better?
1. Overall Health of the Environment

Organic farming helps maintain the overall health of the environment by reducing the level of pollution in the air, water and soil. Free from synthetic fertilizers, organic farming helps eliminate harmful chemicals being introduced and released into the atmosphere. (Preserving our precious water sources!) In contrast to modern farming techniques which use synthetic or chemical fertilizers, organic farming distributes biofertilizers such as crop, animal, farm and aquatic waste into the soil in order to encourage growth and high produce yields.

2. Soil Preservation

Organic methods help maintain, strengthen, and preserve the soil. Alternative fertilizing methods, such as using compost and green manure, help create a highly productive soil, full of the necessary nutrients and microorganisms which are vital to the plant's growth. Because organic farming is free of synthetic chemicals, the soil will not be depleted of vital nutrients. In a way, you could say that organic farming ensures the maximum utilization of the resource in that it is still here for years to come. The point is to reduce physical and chemical damage to the soil so that it does not become infertile, dry, loose, or invaded by pests.

3. Live Healthier

Organic farming's all-natural approach increases the nutritional value and overall health of the produce farmed in healthy soil. The more nutrients in the soil, the better it is for both the plants and for us as consumers. A surplus of nutrients allows plants to grow to their full potential. And consequently, we are able to eat, digest and reap the benefits of all the nutrients offered from these plants. Eating healthier will help you live healthier, not only now but in the future years to come. (On a side note, organic foods are also said to be tastier compared to those grown in a greenhouse or on a high-production agricultural farm that uses chemical fertilizers.)

The growing number of supporters for going organic is increasing and the awareness of how it benefits us all is spreading. Here's a video to help teach you more about why more and more are turning Green ;)

Technology Tuesdays on Empty Streets: LG Arena

LG has yet again released an upcoming contender to the touch phone/PDA market with the launch of LG ARENA. It has proven to be very sleek and stylish with a power pack functionality to match it's simple beauty. Many are awaiting it's arrival and from the looks of things it may very well deliver well on its promise.

Here are its specifications:

General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 2100 or 850/1900 MHz, EDGE class 10, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps

Dimensions: 105.9 x 55.3 x 12 mm, 105 g

Display: 3" 16M-color capacitive TFT touchscreen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)

Memory: 8GB flash storage, microSD card slot (up to 16GB)

User interface: S-Class Touch UI

Still camera: 5 megapixel autofocus camera, Schneider-Kreuznach optics, autofocus, LED flash

Video recording: 3GP D1 (720x480)@30fps, QVGA@120fps high-speed recording, QVGA time lapse recording

Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio jack, TV-out, microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS

Misc: Accelerometer for screen auto rotate, Multi-touch input, 3D hardware accelerator, DivX support, Dolby for Mobile audio enhancement, FM radio, FM transmitter, office document viewer

Battery: Li-Ion 1000 mAh, Talk time: 3 h 50 min, Standby: 300 h, Music playback: 30 h

and to show you more here is LG Arena's Official Video launch to dazzle your senses:

Music Monday on Empty Streets: Britney Spears - Circus

Britney is definitely back and is on the roll with her latest album Circus. And leading her new album is a single that has been rocking the charts with the same name. Circus is the sixth studio album by American pop singer Britney Spears. Jive Records, in collaboration with Zomba Label Group and Sony Music Entertainment, released it on November 28, 2008. Having sold over 505,000 copies in the United States in its first week, Circus debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, making it Spears's fifth number-one album. The feat made Spears the only act in Nielsen SoundScan history to have four albums debut with 500,000 or more copies sold.



The album's first single, "Womanizer", became Spears's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 since her debut "...Baby One More Time", almost 10 years prior. The second single, "Circus", debuted at number three on the Hot 100 chart. On January 7, 2009, "If U Seek Amy" was announced as the album's third single via Spears' official website.



Here is her single Circus just for you all to enjoy :)



Here's the lyrics:

There's only two types of people in the world:

The ones that entertain, and the ones that observe

Well baby, I'm a put on a show kind of girl

Don't like the backseat, gotta be first



I'm like the ringleader,

I call the shots (Call the shots)

I'm like a firecracker,

I make it hot



When I put on a show,

I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins,

Spotlight on me and I'm ready to break



I'm like a performer,

The dance floor is my stage

Better be ready,

Hope that you feel the same



All eyes on me in the center of the ring

Just like a circus

When I crack that whip everybody gon' trip

Just like a circus



Don't stand there watching me,

Follow me, show me what you can do

Everybody let go, We can make a dance floor

Just like a circus



There's only two types of guys out there:

Ones that can hang with me, and ones that are scared

So baby, I hope that you came prepared

I run a tight ship, so beware



I'm like the ringleader,

I call the shots (Call the shots)

I'm like a firecracker,

I make it hot



When I put on a show,

I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins,

Spotlight on me and I'm ready to break



I'm like a performer,

The dance floor is my stage

Better be ready,

Hope that you feel the same



All eyes on me in the center of the ring

Just like a circus

When I crack that whip everybody gon' trip

Just like a circus



Don't stand there watching me,

Follow me, show me what you can do

Everybody let go, We can make a dance floor

Just like a circus



Let's go!

(Uh, uh, uh, uh, Uh-huh)

Let me see what you can do

(Uh, uh, uh, uh, Uh-huh)

I'm running this

(Like, like, like, like a circus)

Yeah, like a what?

(Like, like, like, like a circus)



All eyes on me in the center of the ring

Just like a circus

When I crack that whip everybody gon' trip

Just like a circus



Don't stand there watching me,

Follow me, show me what you can do

Everybody let go, We can make a dance floor

Just like a circus



All eyes on me in the center of the ring

Just like a circus

When I crack that whip everybody gon' trip

Just like a circus



Don't stand there watching me,

Follow me, show me what you can do

Everybody let go, We can make a dance floor

Just like a circus

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