What a way to celebrate your 64th birthday—and your 15th wedding anniversary. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today spent part of this morning chatting with Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates before a friendly crowd of several hundred people in a vast hotel ballroom. A few hours later he was being grilled by members of Congress about the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 2013 spending plans, but the rhetorical heat was pretty mild. “My wife decided I’d be less likely to forget our anniversary if it was on my birthday,” he told ScienceInsider after the desultory clash with members of the House Appropriations Committee over spending priorities, gas prices, and plans for the recently-abandoned Yucca mountain nuclear waste depository in Nevada. “But she forgot that I also forget my birthday.” The morning session with Gates, at a DOE-sponsored conference on energy research and development, was something of a love fest, with Gates calling for a doubling of federal spending on energy research and a supportive crowd applauding some of Chu’s comments. Sign up for our daily newsletterGet more great content like this delivered right to you!Country *AfghanistanAland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBolivia, Plurinational State ofBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, The Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCote D’IvoireCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Faroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and Mcdonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)HondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIran, Islamic Republic ofIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMacedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMoldova, Republic ofMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinianPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalQatarReunionRomaniaRussian FederationRWANDASaint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Martin (French part)Saint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint Maarten (Dutch part)SlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofVietnamVirgin Islands, BritishWallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweI also wish to receive emails from AAAS/Science and Science advertisers, including information on products, services and special offers which may include but are not limited to news, careers information & upcoming events.Required fields are included by an asterisk(*) At the afternoon hearing, Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA) was critical of some of Chu’s spending plans, but he wasn’t about to let the Nobel Prize-winning physicist forget the importance of the day before Leap Day. After noting that Jean Fetter, Chu’s wife, holds a graduate physics degree from the University of Oxford and has served as a dean at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, Lewis opined that “it’s got to be interesting to hear what you guys talk about.” Chu didn’t response to Lewis’s observation, but he did smile when Representative Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), who was running the show, told Chu that he was cutting the hearing short so that committee members could vote on the House floor. “This is your lucky day, your birthday and your anniversary,” Frelinghuysen told Chu. “We have some votes and we will not reconvene, so you will not have to return.” U.S. Department of Energy read more

Rahul Dravid and Sachin TendulkarStranded on 194 when stand-in skipper Rahul Dravid declared the Indian innings in the 2004 Multan Test, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has spoken about the anger and shock he felt by the decision which “did not make any sense”.In his autobiography ‘Playing It My Way’, Tendulkar reveals how hurt he was at the declaration and he told Dravid to “leave him alone” so that he could come to terms with his disappointment of missing out on a double century.”I assured Rahul that the incident would have no bearing on my involvement on the field, but off the field, I would prefer to be left alone for a while to come to terms with what had happened,” Tendulkar writes in the book.However, the batting legend said that the incident didn’t have any adverse effect on his relationship with Dravid.”Despite this incident, I am glad to say Rahul and I remained good friends and even on the field, our camaraderie remained intact until the end of our careers. We continued to have some good partnerships and neither our cricket nor our friendship was affected.”In the book, published by Hachette India, Tendulkar has narrated the entire story of the Multan declaration and what happened behind the scenes after he was back in the dressing room.Tendulkar writes, “At tea-time, I asked stand-in skipper Rahul Dravid, who was in charge because Sourav was out with a back injury, and coach John Wright what the plan was. I was informed, we were looking to give Pakistan an hour to bat, so would put them in with 15 overs left on the second day. It was perfectly sensible and I went about my business after tea with this plan in mind.”advertisementTendulkar said that he paced his innings in a manner that he could reach double century in time to give Pakistan 15 overs to bat as per plan.”But then, a little more than half an hour into the post-tea session, Ramesh Powar, who was substituting in the game came on the field and asked me to accelerate. I even joked with him, saying I was aware that we needed quick runs but with the field totally spread out, there was only so much we could do”, he writes.”A little later, when I was on 194, he came out again and said I should try and get my double hundred in that over itself because Rahul had decided to declare. I was startled to say the least, because in my mind I still had 12 balls in which to score the remaining six runs before 15 overs were left for the day”, Tendulkar writes.But as it happened, Tendulkar did not get to play a single ball in that over.”As it happened, I did not get to play a single ball in that over with Yuvraj on strike against Imran Farhat.He blocked the first two balls before picking up two runs off the third ball. He once again blocked the fourth ball and was out to the fifth ball.”Then just as Parthiv Patel, the next batsman started to come out, I saw Rahul gesturing us to go back to the pavilion.He had declared the innings with me stranded on 194 and with 16 overs left for the day — one more than we had agreed.Tendulkar admitted that he was indeed “shocked” at Dravid’s decision.”I was shocked as it did not make any sense. It was Day 2 of the Test match and not Day 4, as it had been in Sydney, a month earlier.””Disappointed and upset, I made my way back to the dressing room and could sense that the whole team was surprised at the decision (Rahul Dravid declaring with me stranded at 194). Some of my team-mates perhaps expected me to throw my gear about in the dressing room in disgust and create a scene. However, such things are not in me and I decided not to say a word to anyone about the incident.””I calmly put my batting gear away and asked John Wright for a little time before I went out to field because I was feeling a little tight after batting for so long. Inside, I was fuming. Just as I was washing my face in the bathroom, John walked up to me and apologized. He was sorry about what had happened and said he had not been party to the decision. I was surprised and said to him that as coach he was one of the decision-makers and there was no reason for him to be sorry if he believed in what had been done.”advertisementTendulkar told coach Wright that what has happened can’t be reversed now.”I also said that what was done could not be reversed and it was best to leave it alone. Finally, I couldn’t help reminding him that the declaration was contrary to what had been discussed at tea and it was strange that I was not given even one ball to get to my double hundred after a message had been sent out asking me to get there as quickly as possible”.Tendulkar recollects that after Wright, even regular skipper Ganguly came into “apologise” for the decision.”Soon after my exchange with John, Sourav came to me and said he was very sorry at what had happened and that it wasn’t his decision to declare. This was a little surprising, as the skipper, was part of the tea-time discussion and was also present in the dressing room at the time of declaration.””I said to him (Sourav) that there is no point going over it anymore.”Tendulkar didn’t hide his displeasure at the voluntary opinion given by his one-time teammate Sanjay Manjrekar.” Sanjay Manjrekar, who was a commentator in Pakistan, turned up in my room. Sanjay said, it had been a brave decision to declare and it was a good sign for Indian cricket. He carried on in that vein until I asked him if he really knew what he was talking about.”I explained to him that he was not aware of what had transpired in the dressing room and arrived at his judgement without knowing the real facts of the matter. I made it clear that I didn’t appreciate his opinion, which I thought was a deliberate attempt to be different.”Tendulkar said that he told Rahul that “he was indeed upset and can’t pretend otherwise.””Rahul said that the call was taken with the interests of the team in mind. It was important to demonstrate that we meant business and were keen to win. I wasn’t convinced. First, I said to him that I was batting for the team as well. The 194 was meant to help the team and it was my individual contribution to the team’s cause.”Tendulkar reminded Dravid of the Sydney Test match, held less than a month ago.”When we had both been batting on the fourth evening and Sourav had sent out two or three messages asking when we should declare and Rahul had carried on batting. The two situations were comparable and, if anything, the Sydney declaration was far more significant and may have cost a Test match and series victory. If Rahul was so keen show intent in Multan, he should have done the same in Sydney.” read more

AdvertisementJuventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo’s dominance in Portuguese football continues, as the superstar has been named his country’s Player of the Year for a record 10th time. Showing no signs to slow down even at 34, he is still an iconic figure in world football and remains the standout performer in his homeland over the last decade. Only Simao and Pepe have pipped Ronaldo to the prestigious award, across the last 12 years.The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was a nominee for the latest award along with City’s Bernardo Silva, Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, and Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Neves the midfield duo from Sporting and Wolves respectively. However, Ronaldo clinched the honour following his Serie A title with Juventus and the UEFA Nations League trophy with Portugal.While accepting his award, Ronaldo said: “This world is so fast, with the social media, the press, it’s been wild. It’s been an extremely complicated year on a personal level. Don’t let anyone pull you down.”Portuguese Footballer of the Year for a tenth time 👌Will @Cristiano be crowned #TheBest on 23 September? 👑 pic.twitter.com/QDMv4nn9Ii— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) September 3, 2019The former Real Madrid winger took his talismanic presence to Turin from Madrid, netting 28 times with 10 assists for his new side in 2018-19, as he looks forward for another achievement in a long-running battle with Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi for global dominance. The greatest players of this generation have been nominated once again for the 2019 FIFA Best Award and Ballon d’Or along with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, who already has bagged UEFA’s Player of the Year trophy.[Credit TW/@FIFAcom] Advertisement read more

Former Australia captain Steve Smith equalled Michael Hussey’s record for the most successive fifties in The Ashes on Sunday with his 25th Test half-century in the ongoing match against England at Edgbaston.Smith’s fifty was his sixth in succession which is the joint-most along with Hussey in The Ashes. Smith also joined an elite group of players who have scored a hundred and a fifty in the same Test match for the ninth time.Smith equalled legends Allan Border and Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 9 instances of scoring a century and a fifty in the same Test match. Only Jacques Kallis (11) and Ricky Ponting (10) have managed the feat on more occasions.Smith had scored a superb 144 off 219 balls in the first innings and led a miraculous fight back for the team on his comeback Test match. Smith rescued the side with three big partnerships as Australia recovered from 99 for 4 to post 284 in the first innings.Smith added 64 runs for the fourth wicket with Travis Head and then joined forces with the last-two batsmen – Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon – to added another 88 and 74 runs for the 9th and 10th wickets respectively, which gave Australia a total to fight with.England in reply scored 374 in their first innings thanks to Rory Burns’s maiden hundred. The hosts then reduced Australia to 75 for 3 on Day 3 before Smith once again took control of the situation and bailed his side out of trouble with a gritty half-century.At the time of writing this report, Smith was batting with Travis Head with Australia’s lead reaching 73 as their score read 163 for 3 in 43 overs. Smith is batting on 63 while Head is on 38 with their 4th-wicket partnership reaching 88 off 150 balls.advertisementSteve Smith. Fifty. Just getting started: https://t.co/adY5nEzxYR #Ashes pic.twitter.com/4v89ejATp5cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 4, 2019The boos and jeers that Smith has been receiving from the hostile English crowd seems to be working in his favour as he has let his bat do the talking throughout this Test match.Smith, who is making a return to Test cricket in this match after serving out his one-year ball-tampering ban, has scored over 1000 runs in his last 10 Ashes innings with his last six scores reading – 239, 76, 102 not out, 83, 144 and 63 not out in this Test match.Also Read | England vs Australia Ashes 2019, 1st Test Day 4 Live ScoreAlso Read | Absolute load of rubbish: Ricky Ponting backs ex-captain Steve Smith to advise Tim PaineAlso Read | Ashes 1st Test: England need to find a way to get ‘world class’ Steve Smith out, says Chris Woakes read more

Are you looking for a thrilling career in the sports industry?  Touch Football Australia (TFA) is seeking suitably qualified applicants for the position of Competitions and Events Coordinator, based in our Victorian office in Melbourne.   Applications for this opportunity close at 5pm on Wednesday, 9 June.  To view the Position Description, please click on the attachment below.   For further information or to lodge your application for this career opportunity, please email careers@touchfootball.com.au. Related Filesposition_description_-_competitions_and_events__tfv_-pdfRelated LinksPosition Vacant (VIC) read more

Local Area Office: 902-798-6885 Fax: 902-798-2927 Local Area Office: 902-538-3877 Fax: 902-538-8288 HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Route 333 Sections of Route 333 from the West Dover ball park for eight kilometres to Blind Bay at the intersection of MacDonalds Road will be reduced to one lane until Sunday, Sept. 30 to allow for repaving. Work will take place from sunrise to sunset. Traffic control will consist of signs and traffic control people. CAPE BRETON REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Route 223 Closed Route 223, near Big Beach and Christmas Island, is closed for repair until Wednesday, Sept. 19. Local traffic can use the road up to that point but through traffic is required to detour on Route 216. Local Area Office: 902-860-5615 Fax: 902-860-5616 Local Area Office: 902-542-6344 Fax: 902-542-6342 KINGS COUNTY: Fred Saunders Bridge Fred Saunders Bridge is closed for repairs from Monday, Sept. 17, until Thursday, Sept. 27. Detour routes: Spicer Road to Russia Road to Route 360 1.2 kilometres – Route 360 to Spicer Road to Baseline Road 1 kilometre – Baseline Road to Route 360 to West Black Road 4.3 kilometres – West Black Rock Road to Baseline Road to Russia Road 1.2 kilometres. Local Area Office: 902-755-7146 Fax: 902-755-7049 Local Area Office: 902-893-5784 Fax: 902-896-2259 CONTINUING WORK NEW WORK Local Area Office: 902-893-5776 Fax: 902-896-2259 Local Area Office: 902-533-2771 Fax: 902-533-4352 Local Area Office: 902-542-6344 Fax: 902-542-6342 SHELBURNE COUNTY: Barrington Passage – Trunk 3 Barrington Passage – Trunk 3 from the intersection of the Oak Park Road to the intersection of Route 330 will be reduced to one lane for cold planing until Sunday, Sept. 30. Motorists should expect delays and speed reduction in work zone. Cyclists should use caution. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset. Local Are Office: 902-563-2245 Fax: 902-563–0505 Local Area Office: 902- 485-5254 Fax: 902- 485-7047 GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY: Route 316 Route 316, from about six kilometres, south of Route 276 at Goshen, south to the Guysborough-St. Mary’s municipal boundary will have intermittent one-lane closures for gravelling and paving until Sunday, Sept. 30. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Sedgiwich Bridge Sedgiwich Bridge, near the intersection of the Arhibald Brook Road and the Higginsville Road, will be closed until Sunday, Sept. 30, for replacement. Traffic will be routed through the site over a one-lane temporary bridge controlled with traffic lights. HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Route 306 Route 306,for about 4.5 kilometres, from Acres Road southeast to the intersection of Route 349 and Route 306 in Sambro will be reduced to one lane at various locations until Sunday, Sept. 30. Traffic control consists of cones, barrels, pilot vehicle and traffic control people. Motorists are advised to be cautious while travelling through the marked work site. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset. HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Highway 207 Highway 207 from West Lawrencetown Road to Three Fathom Harbour will have intermittent delays for repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. KINGS COUNTY: Maple Court Maple Court from English Mountain Road to the end of the road will have a one-lane closure for gravelling and repaving until Sunday, Sept. 30. Traffic control people will be on site. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-893-5784 Fax: 902-896-2259 Local Area Office: 902-835-2702 Fax: 902-835-1860 Local Area Office: 902-237-0068 Fax: 902-835-1860 Local Area Office: 902-755-7060 Fax: 902-755-7049 Local Area Office: 902-625-4200 Fax: 902-625-1946 Local Area Office: 902-827-5388 Fax: 902-827-5190 KINGS COUNTY: Hantsport Kates Bridge on Tannery Road in Hantsport will be reduced to one lane for repairs and replacement of the bridge abutments until further notice. A detour is available on Avon Street. RICHMOND COUNTY: Route 320 Traffic on Route 320 will be reduced to one lane from north of the intersection of Route 206 near Arichat north for 4.5 kilometres toward D’Escousse to allow for repaving. Work will take place between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. and traffic will be controlled by traffic control people. The project is scheduled to be completed by Saturday, Sept. 22. KINGS COUNTY: Trunk 1 Trunk 1 from Lockhart Mountain Road to Lovett Road will have one- lane closures for widening, traffic lights, sidewalk and repaving until Monday, Dec. 31. Traffic control people will be on site. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-667-0366 Fax: 902-667-3424 Local Area Office: 902-794-5120 Fax: 902-794-5141 Local Area Office: 902-625-4200 Fax: 902-625-1946 GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY: Trunk 7 Gaspereaux Brook Bridge on Trunk 7 at Liscomb will be reduced to one-lane for repairs until Sunday, Sept. 30. Traffic control consists of signs and traffic control people. Work takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some possible work on Saturdays. Local Area Office: 902-563-2518 Fax: 902-563-2517 Local Area Office: 902-752-6224 Fax: 902-755-7184 Local Area Office: 902-533-2771 Fax: 902-533-4352 Local Area Office: 902-674-2146 Fax: 902-674-2170 Terence Bay Road, 7.7 kilometres Lower Prospect Road, 2.3 kilometres Lower Prospect Branch, 0.30 kilometres Local Area Office: 902-827-5388 Fax: 902-827-5190 GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY: South River Lake Road South River Lake Road, from Route 316 east for 6.1 kilometres, will have intermittent one-lane closures for gravelling and paving until Sunday, Sept. 30. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ANTIGONISH COUNTY: Highway 104 The intersection of Highway 104 and Beech Hill Road will have a one-lane closure for improvements and repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Traffic will not be stopped but will be slow. Traffic control will be marked with signs. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset seven days a week. PICTOU COUNTY: MacKay Bridge MacKay Bridge on Toney Mills Road, Toney River will be closed for repairs until Friday, Sept. 28. Detour route is available on Meadowville Station Road. CUMBERLAND COUNTY: Trunk 6 Trunk 6, from Amherst town line to Ripley loop will have one-lane closures for chip sealing and crack filling until Friday, Sept. 21. There will be traffic control people and a pilot vehicle on site. Local Area Office: 902-670-1727 Fax: 902-538-8288 CAPE BRETON REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Trunk 22 Trunk 22, Louisbourg Highway from Highway 125, Sydney By-pass to Landry Crescent will have one-lane closures for paving and repairs to guardrails until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Work take place from 7 a.m. to 7:30 pm. COLCHESTER COUNTY: Trunk 2 Trunk 2 from Alton Road north to the tracks near Brookfield will be reduced to one lane for paving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Traffic control people and a pilot vehicle will be on site. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-798-6888 Fax: 902-798-2927 HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Kearney Lake Road Kearney Lake Road and the Highway 102 northbound exit will have one-lane closures for intersection improvements, signal installation and widening until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset. COLCHESTER COUNTY: Intersection of Salmon River, Brookside and Pictou Roads. Motorists are advised that a one-lane closure will take place at the intersection of Salmon River, Brookside and Pictou Roads for upgrades to the intersection until Wednesday, Oct 31. Traffic control people will be on site. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route if possible. Work takes place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-424-6144 Fax: 902-424-1776 Local Area Office: 902-893-5797 Fax: 902-896-2259 GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY: Trunk 16 Trunk 16 from the intersection at Larrys River Road north to Church Street will have intermittent one-lane closures for patching and repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Work takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday with occasional Saturdays. Local Area Office: 902-825-4827 Fax: 902-825-3593 Local Area Office: 902-863-0364 Fax: 902-863-7482 Local Area Office: 902-533-2771 Fax: 902-533-4352 COLCHESTER COUNTY: Trunk 2 Trunk 2 from Little Bass River to Economy River will have one-lane closures for ditching and paving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Traffic control people will be on site. Work takes place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-527-5448 Fax: 902-527-5371 ANNAPOLIS COUNTY: Route 201 Route 201 between Paradise Lane and Nictaux Road will be restricted to about 2.5 metres for repaving from Monday, Sept. 17, until Friday, Sept. 28. A wide load detour is available by taking Paradise Lane, Trunk 1, Elliot Connector, Highway 101, Brooklyn Street, Trunk 1, Trunk 10, Nictaux Road. The wide load detour is about 20.7 kilometres. HANTS COUNTY: Route 215 Route 215 from Kempt Shore east to Sherman Lake Road will have one-lane closures for repaving until Sunday, Sept. 30. Work takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-893-5797 Fax: 902-896-2259 PICTOU COUNTY: West River East Side Road The West River East Side Road near Salt Springs is reduced to one lane for repairs until further notice. Traffic control consists of signals. A wide-load detour route is marked. COLCHESTER COUNTY: Highway 102 Highway 102, southbound lane, from Como Road south to Shubenacadie River, will be reduced to one lane for repaving and patching until Sunday, Sept. 30. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-533-2771 Fax: 902-533-4352 Local Area Office: 902-893-5797 Fax: 902-896-2259 Local Area Office: 902-424-6144 Fax: 902-424-7116 PICTOU COUNTY: Route 256 (Scotsburn Road) Traffic on Route 256 (Scotsburn Road) from Durham Road westerly for about three kilometres to Campbell Hill Road will be restricted to one lane to allow for repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Traffic will be controlled by traffic control persons and signs. Please slow down in the construction area. INVERNESS COUNTY: Trunk 19 Traffic on Trunk 19, north of MacLean Street in the Town of Inverness,1 for about 8.3 kilometres will be reduced to one lane until Sunday Sept. 30, to allow for road improvements and repaving. Drivers should reduce speed and expect delays in the construction area. Local Area Office: 902-542-6344 Fax: 902-542-6342 HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Ingram River Bridge on Highway 103 will be reduced to one lane for repairs from Monday, Sept. 17 until Monday, Oct. 29. Traffic control consist of flashing unit display. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. VICTORIA COUNTY: Trunk 30 (Cabot Trail) Trunk 30, from Highway 105 intersection (Exit 11) northerly about 5 kilometres will have one lane closures for repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Work takes palce from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local Are Office: 902-533-2771 Fax: 902-533-7352 KINGS COUNTY: Glebe Bridge Glebe Bridge on Route 201 will have a 2.7 metre height restriction and 15 tonne weight restriction until further notice. Local Area Office: 902-543-4671 Fax: 902-543-5596 Local Area Office: 902-752-6224 Fax: 902-755-7184 HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Three Sections Paving has started on three sections of road in Halifax Regional Municipality. Sections being paved are: -30- PICTOU COUNTY: Big Gut Bridge Big Gut Bridge, on Route 348 near Pictou Landing, is open to motorists. A temporary bridge will accommodate one-lane traffic and is controlled by traffic signals. The bridge width restriction is 4.2 metres. Motorists should proceed with caution. COLCHESTER COUNTY: Truro Heights Connector Truro Heights Connector from Truro Heights Road, east to the entrance to Wal-Mart will be reduced to one lane for bridge repairs and paving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Paving on Tuesday, Sept 18, and Wednesday, Sept. 19. Traffic control people will be on site. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Work is expected to continue until Sunday, Sept. 30. Motorists are advised there will be lane closures and to expect delays. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset. GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY: Route 344 Route 344 from the intersection at Trunk 16 easterly to MacPherson Lake Road will have intermittent one lane closures for patching and repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Work takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday with occasional Saturdays. Local Area Office: 902-835-2702 Fax: 902-835-1860 YARMOUTH COUNTY: Indian Sluice Point Bridge Indian Sluice Point Bridge is now opened to vehicles under two tonnes. Work is expected to end on Friday, Oct. 5. Vehicles over two tonnes are advised to find alternate route. Local Area Office: 902-542-6344 Fax: 902-542-6342 PICTOU COUNTY: Westville Road and Trunk 4 Traffic on the Westville Road (Route 289) will be reduced to one lane from Exit 23 of Highway 104 for 2.5 kilometres southwest to the Westville town line. Traffic will also be reduced to one lane on Trunk 4 (Truro Road) from the intersection of the Westville Road (Route 289) for 2.5 kilometres to the west. The reductions will allow for repaving. Work will take place from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is scheduled for completion on Sunday, Sept. 30. CAPE BRETON REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Highway 125, Leitches Creek Bridge The eastbound lanes of Highway 125, over Leitches Creek, will be reduced to one lane, 24 hours a day, until Sunday, Sept 30. This will allow concrete repairs, waterproofing, and repaving of the bridge deck. Drivers should use extra caution and be prepared for traffic delays in the construction area. Keltic Drive is available as a detour. HANTS COUNTY: Bishopville Road The Bishopville Road will be closed at Highway 101 for construction of the new Highway 101 structure over Bishopville Road until Friday, Nov. 30. Detour route via Rand Street, Bog Road and Old Post Road. QUEENS COUNTY: Labelle Brook Bridge – Labelle Road Labelle Brook Bridge located north of Greenfield on Labelle Road and south of South Brookfield on Molega Road will be closed for replacement from Monday, Sept. 17, until Saturday, Oct. 6. Work began on Wednesday, Sept. 12, but the bridge will remain open until Sept. 17. A traffic detour is available on Trunk 8 and Rout 325, Route 210 and Route 208 will have posted detours. A temporary pedestrian walkway will also be available. HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY: Highway 107 Highway 107, from Little Salmon River Bridge to Exit 18, will have one-lane closures for patching and repaving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. Traffic control consists of cones, barriers and traffic control people. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset. Local Area Office: 902-667-0366 Fax: 902-667-3424 VICTORIA COUNTY: Trunk 30 (Cabot Trail) Cabot Trail from Victoria/Inverness county line south for 1.7 kilometres and Cabot Trail from Gold Brook Road south for 1.8 kilometres will have one-lane closures for road repairs until Thursday, Sept. 28. Work takes place from sunrise to sunset. CUMBERLAND COUNTY – Route 209 Route 209, from the Trunk 2/Route 209 intersection westerly toward Diligent River will have one-lane closures for gravelling and paving until Wednesday, Oct. 31. There will be a traffic control person and pilot vehicle on site. Work takes place from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Local Area Office: 902-742-0587 Fax: 902-749-2244 INVERNESS COUNTY: Route 252 and Shore Road Route 252 from the intersection of Trunk 19 in Mabou east for 10 kilometres and Shore Road from the intersection of Trunk 19 in Judique north for 3.2 kilometres will be reduced to one lane for paving. Work is taking place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Saturday Sept. 29. Traffic control people and pilot vehicles will help guide drivers safely through the construction areas. KINGS COUNTY: Lovett Road Lovett Road from Trunk 1 to Brooklyn Street will have one-lane closures for gravellling and repaving until Thursday, Nov. 15. Traffic control people will be on site. Work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. PICTOU COUNTY: Black Brook Bridge Black Brook Bridge on Route 347 (East River St. Mary’s) will be closed for replacement until Friday, Nov. 30. A temporary detour is parallel to the existing structure. Motorists are advised to use extreme caution when traveling though construction zone. Local Area Office: 902-674-2146 Fax: 902-674-2170 Local Area Office: 902-893-5797 Fax: 902-896-2259 KINGS COUNTY: Aylesford Road Traffic on Aylesford Road from the intersection of Dalhousie Road north for about six kilometres will be reduced to one lane until Wednesday, Oct. 31,for repaving. Drivers should expect delays and use extra caution in the construction area. Local Area Office: 902-742-2415 Fax: 902-742-0649 read more

Los Angeles: Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama have signed a deal to produce a series of podcasts for music streaming platform Spotify. Under the multiyear deal between Spotify and the couples’ Higher Ground Productions, the duo are set to develop, produce, and lend their voices to select podcasts on a various of topics. According to Variety, the deal is with Higher Ground Audio, a new division of the Higher Ground production company. Also Read – ‘Hong Kong won’t rule out Chinese help over protests’ “We’ve always believed in the value of entertaining, thought-provoking conversation. It helps us build connections with each other and open ourselves up to new ideas. “We’re excited about Higher Ground Audio because podcasts offer an extraordinary opportunity to foster productive dialogue, make people smile and make people think, and, hopefully, bring us all a little closer together,” the former president said in a statement provided by Spotify. Also Read – Pak Army chief accompanies Imran at key meetings in China Michelle said through these podcasts their aim is to tell inspirational stories which can help people connect emotionally. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to amplify voices that are too often ignored or silenced altogether, and through Spotify, we can share those stories with the world. Our hope is that through compelling, inspirational storytelling, Higher Ground Audio will not only produce engaging podcasts, but help people connect emotionally and open up their minds and their hearts,” she added. Spotify will distribute the Obamas’ podcasts worldwide to its paid and ad-supported user base. The streaming platform, however, did not provide details on the specific projects the Obamas may be planning at this point. “President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are two of the world’s most important voices and it is a privilege to be working with them to identify and share stories that will inspire our global audience, which looks to Spotify for unique, breakthrough content,” said Spotify chief content officer Dawn Ostroff. read more

APTN National NewsThe federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Bernard Valcourt visited the 2014 North American Indigenous Games.APTN’s Mike Hutchinson joined the Minister on the tour.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The longtime head of Alaska’s 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is resigning in mid-January after 25 years on the job.Iditarod Trail Committee CEO Stan Hooley said Thursday he is leaving the post he held since 1993 to take on a new opportunity outside the state.The 61-year-old Hooley says he’s not at liberty to say what the opportunity is until January.Hooley says his resignation has nothing to do with the Iditarod coming off a difficult time for race organizers, who have faced the loss of major sponsors, financial hardships and the first-ever dog doping scandal.Earlier this month, race officials cleared four-time champion Dallas Seavey of any wrongdoing in a dog-doping scandal that followed the sled dog race last year.The committee’s chief operating officer, Chas St. George, will serve as acting CEO until a replacement is found.The Associated Press read more

Rabat – As China pushes to expand overseas through its Belt and Road Initiative, it has found particular success in Morocco, which has become the main importer of Chinese tea.When the Chinese tea company Jinli opened a branch in Mohammedia, Morocco, it was the first Chinese tea company in Africa. Now established with 80 employees and two packaging plants, the company is a signal of China’s growing presence in North Africa.Read Also: Essaouira Signs Tourism Deal with Shengzhou, China, at Tea ConferenceMorocco is by far the largest market for Chinese tea. In 2018, Morocco imported 97% of its tea from China, according to statistics from the International Trade Center According to the same statistics, Morocco’s imports of Chinese tea, which stood at 77,600 tonnes in 2018, made up almost a quarter of China’s total tea exports in the same period. Morocco’s Chinese tea imports have been steadily increasing since 2001, picking up in recent years. Tea is an important export for China, valued $1.79 billion in 2018, a 40% increase since 2014.For Jinli, Morocco is just the beginning. “Our main products are still for export, so we went to Morocco and thought we must open the western Africa[n] market through the country,” Jinli chief executive Wang Qimao told the South China Morning Post this week.According to a work report from Jinli, the private equity fund China-Africa Development Fund (CAD Fund) held 49% of shares of Jinli’s Morocco branch until last year. The fund is the investment arm of the China Development Bank, a Chinese government bank driving China’s development projects within and without the country.The CAD Fund is one of many Chinese projects that has strived to build economic ties between China and Africa. The continent, particularly East and North Africa, forms an important part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an ambitious and far-reaching development strategy aiming to create a new “silk road” through extensive investment and infrastructure projects overseas.Morocco and China have strengthened ties in recent years, signing a $140 million deal in March for public projects following a 2017 agreement on Morocco’s involvement in the BRI.That same month, the mayor of Essaouira traveled to Shengzou, China, to take part in the International Shengzou Tea Conference, again making tea the symbol of growing Chinese-Moroccan relations. read more

People who drove for a ride-hailing service like Uber or rented out their homes through Airbnb last year earned extra income, and that needs to be reported come tax time. “When you decide to put up the post for a room in your house or your cottage or in fact if you happen to sign up with Uber and be a driver, you’ve got I think an approach to earn income or money,” said Paul Woolford, a tax partner at KPMG. Tax forms and Canadian currency are shown together in this photo illustration taken in Toronto on Sunday, April 3, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy OTTAWA – People who drove for a ride-hailing service like Uber or rented out their homes through Airbnb last year earned extra income, and that needs to be reported come tax time.“When you decide to put up the post for a room in your house or your cottage or in fact if you happen to sign up with Uber and be a driver, you’ve got I think an approach to earn income or money,” said Paul Woolford, a tax partner at KPMG.“As such, there’s a need to report the benefits of those efforts.”But some costs that were paid to earn the extra cash can be used to offset income and reduce taxes owing.“In a simple context, anything that you incurred to provide that income … you can take an expense for the related cost,” Woolford said.The complication comes in the shared aspect.“There’s property taxes that apply to both personally and the room, there’s heat and electricity, there’s water costs, there’s potentially repairs,” Woolford said.For example, people who rent out their cottage for one month of the year can take one 12th of the property taxes, insurance, and heating-cooling costs and expense those against the income they receive.The profit is then rental income that must be reported on a tax return.For those who worked as a driver for Uber, that means having kept logs detailing how much they used their cars for personal use and when they drove paying passengers to determine how much may be deducted.“Record keeping becomes very important,” Woolford said.Earlier this year, Airbnb agreed to email the 11,000 people in Ontario who list their homes or other spaces for rent on its site and tell them to report the income as part of a pilot project with the province.Dale Barrett, a tax lawyer and principal at Barrett Tax Law, said he was unaware of any instances of the Canada Revenue Agency requesting information from companies like Uber or Airbnb so far.“However, at any given time this could happen,” he said. “If these companies are American, the information could go from the American company to the IRS, from the IRS to CRA, then all of sudden they’ll know who all the Canadian players are and they can go ahead and reassess.”Barrett noted that several years ago the agency launched a probe reviewing big eBay sellers and obtained information on its so-called PowerSellers.“If you’re doing business with one of these sort of new economy-type of websites and you’re earning income, one way or another, the CRA will eventually find out,” he said.“And if you haven’t declared it, you’re going to be subject to penalties and if the amount is great enough, prosecution.” by Craig Wong, The Canadian Press Posted Apr 7, 2016 8:00 am MDT Last Updated Apr 7, 2016 at 11:58 am MDT AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to TwitterTwitterShare to FacebookFacebookShare to RedditRedditShare to 電子郵件Email Earn extra income this year through Uber or Airbnb? Remember to report it read more

ULSTER BLINDSIDE FLANKER Stephen Ferris has been linked with a one-year switch to play in Japan’s Top League, it is reported today.Capped 35 times for Ireland, Ferris’ current central contract with the IRFU expires at the end of June.With the IRFU in no apparent rush to renew the 27′year-old’s deal, the BBC report that an unnamed Japanese club is among the potential suitors for Ferris.The flanker will miss the rest of this season after suffering a setback to the ankle injury he sustained in action for Ulster in November.Meanwhile, Andrew Trimble is on the verge of re-signing with the union. Ulster are set to confirm a new deal for the winger this week. Last month, Trimble was tentatively linked with a move to Top 14 club Stade Francais.Sean O’Brien on wooden spoons, concussions and short man syndromeO’Driscoll set for 125th Ireland cap after steaming through training read more

Découverte inattendue de particules qui dépassent la vitesse de la lumière Des physiciens du CNRS ont fait une découverte inattendue et totalement révolutionnaire. Ils affirment avoir mesuré des particules à une vitesse dépassant celle de la lumière, normalement considérée comme une limite infranchissable dans la théorie d’Einstein. “Totalement inattendu”, “étonnant” : si la découverte se confirme, elle pourrait complètement révolutionner le monde de la physique. Hier, une équipe internationale de chercheurs a annoncé avoir mesuré des particules élémentaires de matière à une vitesse légèrement supérieure à celle de la lumière. Une capacité qui défie totalement la théorie de la relativité d’Einstein qui place la vitesse de la lumière d’environ 300 millions de mètres par seconde, comme la limite infranchissable par toutes les particules et corps existant. C’est au cours de l’expérience internationale Opera en étudiant des neutrinos que les chercheurs appartenant entre autres au CERN et au CNRS ont fait une telle découverte. Selon les résultats publiés, ils ont observé que ces particules parcouraient les 730 kilomètres séparant les installations du CERN à Genève du laboratoire souterrain de Gran Sasso (Italie) à une vitesse de 300.006 kilomètres par seconde, soit 6 kilomètres par seconde de plus que la vitesse de la lumière. Cette différence étant extrêmement infime, on peut penser qu’il suffit de considérer une marge d’erreur et qu’en réalité les particules ne dépassent pas la célérité limite. Mais pas du tout car il ne s’agit pas d’un exploit unique : les résultats publiés sont le fruit de trois ans de données et d’observation de plus de 15.000 neutrinos, avec une marge d’erreur record de seulement 10 milliardièmes de seconde, rapporte l’AFP.”Je ne m’attendais pas du tout à ça, on a passé six mois à refaire tout de zéro”, a précisé jeudi Dario Autiero, chercheur à l’Institut de physique nucléaire de Lyon et responsable de l’analyse des mesures d’Opera. En effet, face à cette découverte, les chercheurs ont tout vérifié et revérifié : recalibrage des instruments de mesures, vérification des relevés topographiques, du tunnel à particules… Ils ont même pris en compte la dérive des continents et le séisme dévastateur de L’Aquila survenu dans le centre de l’Italie en avril 2009. Tout ceci n’a toutefois rien changé : les neutrinos semblent toujours bel et bien avoir voyagé plus vite que la lumière.Des résultats inattendus à vérifierMais au vu d’un tel bouleversement des lois de la physique, les scientifiques ont appelé à la prudence. “Compte tenu de l’énorme impact qu’un tel résultat pourrait avoir pour la physique, des mesures indépendantes s’avèrent nécessaires afin que l’effet observé puisse être réfuté ou bien formellement établi”, souligne ainsi le CNRS dans un communiqué. Il précise également : “C’est pourquoi les chercheurs de la collaboration Opera ont souhaité ouvrir ce résultat à un examen plus large de la part de la communauté des physiciens”. En attendant, la découverte continue de susciter toutes les hypothèses de la part des physiciens. Ainsi, Pierre Binetruy, directeur du Laboratoire Astroparticules et cosmologie à Paris estime que ces résultats pourraient suggérer que “des particules ont trouvé un raccourci dans une autre dimension”, et donc qu’il existerait dans l’univers davantage que les quatre dimensions, soit les trois dimensions dans l’espace auxquelles s’ajoute celle du temps. “Il se peut aussi que la vitesse de la lumière ne soit pas la vitesse limite”, suppose t-il également, tout en soulignant que le record battu par le neutrino ne signifierait pas forcément “qu’Einstein s’est trompé”. Une nouvelle théorie de physique ?  À lire aussiLes scientifiques découvrent une nouvelle façon de stocker de l’information dans… un atomeLa découverte d’Opéra pourrait alors montrer que la théorie d’Einstein “est valable dans certains domaines mais qu’il existe une théorie encore plus globale, comme des poupées russes (…) ça ouvre de nouveaux champs”, ajoute encore le chercheur. Désormais, toutes les attentions sont donc tournées vers les autres expériences capables de confirmer ou non ce résultat. C’est le but visé par le projet Minos aux Etats-Unis, qui était déjà parvenu voici quelques années, entre le Fermilab de Chicago et une mine proche de la frontière canadienne, à un résultat similaire à celui d’Opera, rapporte l’AFP. Mais la marge d’erreur trop importante avait conduit les scientifiques à exclure la mesure. Une nouvelle expérience d’une précision sans précédent est cependant en cours aux Etats-Unis et devrait aboutir d’ici environ trois ans, selon Stavros Katsanevas, directeur adjoint de l’Institut de physique nucléaire. Le 23 septembre 2011 à 09:11 • Maxime Lambert read more

Les propriétés de l’ADN utilisées pour produire de l’énergieDes chercheurs toulousains ont eu l’idée d’utiliser des brins d’ADN pour produire de l’énergie en se basant sur l’association de l’aluminium et de l’oxyde de cuivre. Pour assurer le lien entre ces deux éléments, ils ont recours aux propriétés collantes de l’ADN.C’est un matériau surprenant qu’ont mis au point des chercheurs toulousains du Laboratoire d’analyse et d’architecture des systèmes (CNRS). En collaboration avec le Centre interuniversitaire de recherche et d’ingénierie des matériaux, ceux-ci ont développé un explosif solide dont la densité énergétique est équivalente à la nitroglycérine. Un matériau composite réalisé avec un nouveau procédé de fabrication mettant en contact des nanoparticules d’aluminium et d’oxyde de cuivre, avec des brins d’ADN, explique le CNRS dans un communiqué.À lire aussiL’axolotl, cet étonnant animal capable de se régénérer, révèle ses secretsSi les chercheurs ont eu l’idée d’utiliser des brins d’ADN, c’est en raison de leurs vertus “collantes”, qui permettent d’assembler les différentes variétés de nanoparticules. Deux brins d’ADN complémentaires s’auto-assemblent en effet pour former une structure de double hélice, et demeurent solidement collés entre eux. Les scientifiques ont commencé par greffer séparément des brins d’ADN sur des billes nanoscopiques d’aluminium et d’oxyde de cuivre, précise le CNRS. Ils ont ensuite mélangé les deux types de nanoparticules. Les brins complémentaires de chaque type de nanoparticules se sont alors assemblés, faisant de la poudre d’aluminium et d’oxyde de cuivre un matériau compact et solide ayant pour propriété de s’enflammer spontanément lorsqu’il est chauffé à 410°C. Une température spontanée de combustion qui compte parmi les plus faibles connues à ce jour, souligne le communiqué.”Le nouvel explosif possède une énergie dégagée et une température d’initiation thermique parmi les meilleures connues à ce jour dans la littérature. Il pourrait servir de source d’énergie pour alimenter, dans l’espace ou dans l’environnement, des microsystèmes embarqués” note le CNRS.Le 9 janvier 2012 à 19:23 • Maxime Lambert read more

Friends of Vancouver Lake says the clock is ticking.Eurasian milfoil, an aquatic invasive weed, is threatening to choke Vancouver Lake’s shallow waters with a tangle of vegetation and render the lake unusable for rowing, sailing and other recreation.“This Eurasian milfoil just grows like wildfire,” Friends member Larry Cassidy told The Columbian’s Editorial Board this week. “If we don’t do something, it will take over the lake by 2022.”How milfoil got into Vancouver Lake isn’t known. Cassidy, who lives in the Lake Shore area and has spent decades working on fish, wildlife and power issues, speculated that it was introduced by a boat. It also could have entered through the flushing channel connecting the lake to the Columbia River, where there is milfoil, he said.Regardless, Friends of Vancouver Lake says the milfoil infestation tripled in size last year.“If it’s not dealt with this year, it’s going to be twice as expensive next year,” said Jim Luce, another member of the group.Friends of Vancouver Lake is trying to raise about $175,000 so a portion of the lake can be treated this year with ProcellaCOR, an herbicide the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved in February 2018. read more

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum insists Jurgen Klopp’s rotation policy has kept the player’s fit amidst their title challenge this season.The Reds manager has been able to rotate his midfield to the benefit of the team and their unbeaten start to the Premier League season is testament to “Since I have been here we have been quite unlucky with injuries. It goes quite well with rotating,” Wijnaldum said, according to Sky Sports.“Everyone is trying to do their best when they play. Until now it works and let’s hope it works until the end of the season.”“I think everybody wants to play every game, but you play so many games and the way we play with a high intensity sometimes you need a rest.”Crouch: Liverpool could beat Man United to Jadon Sancho Andrew Smyth – September 14, 2019 Peter Crouch wouldn’t be surprised to see Jadon Sancho end up at Liverpool one day instead of his long-term pursuers Manchester United.“It is the manager’s decision. Sometimes it is a decision you don’t like but he knows what is best for the team. Up to now it goes quite well.”“People get a rest when they need one and the level stays the same (on the pitch). I think that is due to a mixture of things: the coaching, the players’ professionalism in the way we work together and the way we help each other out. We got the results we needed.”“I am happy if he chooses me because like I said we all want to play but it is not possible to play every game because of the way we play with lots of running, high intensity, then you have to use the squad, especially around this part of the season.” read more

Michael Austin spent 26 years in the now defunct Maryland State Penitentiary for a crime he did not commit.By the time he walked out of prison on Dec. 28, 2001, Michael Austin had lost over 26 years of his life. Now a musician and entrepreneur, Austin has found a measure of peace and success, but his recovery from the psychological scars of imprisonment remains a work in progress.On April 29, 1974, security guard Roy Kellam was murdered during a robbery at the Crown Food Market in East Baltimore. The initial suspect description was that of a light-skinned African-American man between the ages of 22 and 25, 5’8″ to 5’10”, and weighing between 130-150 pounds.Austin – dark skinned, a smidgen under 6’5″, and well over 200 pounds – would spend 26 years in the now defunct Maryland State Penitentiary, despite matching the suspect description only with respect to relative age. Austin was 25.In an interview with the {AFRO}, Austin described the sort of environment he had to navigate while in prison. “You don’t know what a guy might do, you don’t know what a guy is thinking because everybody is on a different trip,” Austin said about the ever-present tension in the maximum-security facility he called home for over a quarter century.“You might have a guy who went up for parole and they denied him, you’ll be walking down the tier, you bump into him, that’s all he needs to explode. So your sense of thinking is you make an assessment of where you’re at and you just weave through the madness. Every day.”Yvonne Rahman, a Maryland State Department of Education pre-release teacher in the Maryland prison system, said she met Austin while volunteering with a trauma group at the penitentiary. Austin had asked Rahman to look at his trial transcript, an offer she accepted out of curiosity, having never read one before.This is a facsimile of the initial police sketch of the suspect in the murder of security guard Roy Kellam.After reading it, Rahman came away convinced of Austin’s innocence. “It was very apparent, it didn’t take a lot of thought,” said Rahman. “I think it was the transcript that it was so apparent from the trial, and what came out in the trial. It just left too many questions.”Rahman suggested Austin contact Centurion Ministries (CM), a non-profit whose mission is to vindicate people sentenced to life or death with factual innocence, determined by CM after a thorough vetting process. Jim McCloskey, founder and executive director of CM, said this process averages five years. .Austin initially ignored her advice, confusing CM, which has secured the release of 53 persons, for your standard prison ministry. Austin would eventually write, and, after vetting him, CM agreed to take his case in 1995, spending the next six years working for his release.On Dec. 28, 2001, Austin left the Maryland State Penitentiary. Accustomed to moving around in shackles, he walked as though still fettered until McCloskey pointed it out to him.Austin says that among the adjustments he had to make were relearning mundane habits, like speaking without the need to yell over the din of a prison; or eating meals at a leisurely pace, no longer at risk of having his mealtime cut short by a guard who needed to get over 1,000 prisoners through the cafeteria in a set amount of time and had decided Austin’s was up.The adjustments continue to this day. “I’ve been home 14 years in December, now my reintegration back into the community has reached 85, 90 percent psychologically,” said Austin. “I’m able to communicate with people, and I’m able to interact with people without being paranoid, and without having that fear of being used or taken advantage of.”This continuing process of overcoming the psychological trauma of prison may have proved even more difficult had Austin not had the opportunity to learn music while incarcerated from a cellmate with a bachelor’s degree in music. Music became Austin’s escape from the pressures of prison life, and he learned to sing, play the trumpet and keyboard, as well as read and write music. “With music, I was able to do a lot of different things. We would put on shows, we gotta practice, and I’m hanging out with my buddies, good atmosphere. So music was a vehicle that really enhanced all the things I was trying to get done.”Austin currently has an album, available on iTunes, entitled I Just Want to Love You, which he says is doing well. He sings locally with his band and started his own food truck business this past January. Named Rena’s Corner Kitchen, the truck currently serves breakfast and lunch items, but Austin says he is still working with his chef to establish a signature menu.Much like his nascent food truck endeavor, Austin’s path of reintegration remains a work in progress. He said, “It will always be ongoing.” read more

Indian New Year, also known as ‘Navreh’ in Kashmir, ‘Gudi Padwa’ in Maharashtra and ‘Ugadi’ in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, was celebrated with much fervour by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), during their three-day festival titled as ‘Swagat Parv.’The event was inaugurated on March 26 with a theatrical presentation on ‘Draupadi Antarkatha’ by Draupadi Dream Trust, New Delhi. Directed by Neera Mishra, the play portrayed Indian mythological figure, ‘Draupadi’ as an icon of woman power. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfThe last day of the festival showcased dance, music and comedy show by SAM Band which is a youth awakening drive of Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan; featured a dance-drama on ‘Rakht Beej Sanhar’ by SAM arts group; Fusion musical concert based on rock music by SAM Band and socially relevant comedy show by Siddharth Sagar who is a well-known personality in Indian television and cinema. Through this event, SAM Band also intends to promote drug abuse eradication and adoption of Indian cultural traditions. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveThe new year of the Indian calendar, ‘Vikram Samvat 2074’ is considered to be 56.7 years ahead of the Solar Gregorian Calendar, the most widely used civil calendar. The Hindu New Year is celebrated twice in a year at different times and with different names. The Hindu calender, which is based on the Solar calendar, is known as ‘Puthandu’ in Tamil Nadu, ‘Bihu’ in Assam, ‘Pana Sankranti’ in Odisha and ‘Naba Barsha’ in West Bengal. With passage of time, the festivity has lost its original significance. IGNCA as an organisation works for the promotion and preservation of Indian cultural traditions, arts and heritage. Through this festival, an attempt is being made to revive the lost traditions and especially make the younger generation aware of India’s traditional cultural practices. Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA said, “This is the first time that IGNCA celebrated the Indian Calendar New Year. The three days programmes were representative of the rich cultural tradition of India.”While Draupadi represents the woman power, the SAM band unleashes the youth energy. The concerts on the second day were presented by Pandit Sugato Bhaduri, the only Mandolin exponent in Hindustani Classical Music and Meera Prasad, a well- known Sitar player. Pandit Bhaduri was accompanied on ‘Tabla’ by Ustad Akram Khan while Pandit Shailendra Mishra supported Meera Prasad on ‘Tabla’. read more

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. 6 min read Understanding website functionality can get a little confusing, and deciding what bells and whistles to include on your site isn’t always easy. Here, we discuss three tools used on many of today’s websites. If you’re considering adding them to your site, take some time to think about the best way to do it, and make sure you and your developer are on the same page.Password Areas Some websites require users to enter a username and password. This feature is often implemented because the website has one or more of the following needs:a secure area for viewing contentcontributor login for adding contentregistration for commentsshopping cartsIf your site has this feature or you’re considering adding it, it’s important to know that how these items are set up, and the items that come with them, are not all the same.When creating a password area, think about how users will login–using e-mail address and password or username and password? Having visitors use e-mail addresses is a way for you to monitor and keep members from duplicating memberships. You then need to consider what the process is for your users to change their e-mail addresses–for instance, through an account settings area. The second feature you want to think about here is the password and a common item known as the “forgot password” feature. This feature will allow users to retrieve their existing password or have the system assign a new one. The question is which way would you like this feature to work? Or are you thinking of a third option–sending those users to a link that prompts them to create a new password?The point is, when you meet with your developer, don’t assume anything. You need to explain your expectations, and if you don’t know what you want, ask the developer to explain how they see this feature working.Depending on what you’re password-protecting, you need to ask yourself what security level you need. How will users’ information be protected? Don’t make assumptions when dealing with developers. Different people will come to your project with different ways of doing things, and if you don’t clarify what you’re looking for, you may not get what you want.Feedback Forms Online forms are wonderful tools for collecting customer information, but not all forms are created equally. Some online forms are linked to a database so when data is entered via the web, it’s stored for future use. Other online forms are designed to capture the data and send the information via e-mail to someone in the company, and the data is not stored anywhere else. Another way a form can be set up is to collect data into a text file or csv (comma separated values) file format and e-mail the company administrator. Each type of form involves different setup costs and programming requirements.Forms also have other features like auto-responders for notifying recipients that their information was received or for sending them that special download you offered on your website. Be upfront about what you want your form to do, if you want your data stored, and how you want your users to be notified or redirected once the form is submitted.Data storage and auto-responders are not the only features you may want to consider. Most of today’s forms provide a captcha field to ensure that the form was filled out by a human. Is this a feature you see your form using? What about requiring fields or the functionality of revealing a field if a customer chooses a certain option from a drop box? Clearly outline what you want your forms to do, how you want them to store information, and how you want them to direct your visitors.Content Management Systems Content is the heart of today’s websites, and managing that content with a content management system is one of the most import decisions you need to make. Your CMS is the foundation for the growth of your website. Evaluating the right CMS is also one of the most difficult processes because of the various opinions, options and functions available in today’s marketplace. The key here is to clarify your needs first. What do you need your content management system to do? Do you want your CMS to provide SEO-friendly URLs and individual page control for titles and metadata? Will your CMS need to support different layout designs for different sections? Will you be adding new features to your website in the next few months? What functions are you planning for? For example, will you be adding video, additional forms, a blogging feature or possibly a member area? The point is, you want to know if the CMS system you choose is scalable. How is it scalable? Are there third-party applications already designed and ready to work with your CMS, or will your developer have to write something from scratch?Next, look at who will be editing the content on your website. What is this person’s comfort with technology? Some CMS systems are easier to use than others. A good development firm will understand this and take this into consideration when making a recommendation. Then, ask your developer or web firm what CMS systems they recommend or work with and why. Some developers use one CMS system, while others will work with two or three systems. After you talk to the people you trust, find some time to demo the CMS either through a web meeting or an online demo. Taking a test drive will prepare you and your team for taking over the content management of your website.The most important thing to remember when deciding what tools to use on your website is that we all have expectations when it comes to how we see our websites functioning, and those expectations come with assumptions. That’s why it’s crucial to explain your expectations to your developer in great detail, use examples to illustrate your needs, and ask lots of questions. Free Workshop | August 28: Get Better Engagement and Build Trust With Customers Now This hands-on workshop will give you the tools to authentically connect with an increasingly skeptical online audience. February 5, 2010 Enroll Now for Free read more

Windows 10 1903 comes with setup error improvements by Martin Brinkmann on January 30, 2019 in Windows – 13 commentsMicrosoft plans to improve the user experience during setup of Windows 10 in regards to error messages the system may display in the coming Windows 10 version 1903.The company demonstrated the current and new functionality in the latest Windows Insider Webcast on Mixer (starts at the 1 hour mark).The company acknowledged that the current system is not well suited to provide users who are not very tech savvy with needed information to fix issues encountered during setup (or upgrade).The “What needs your attention” dialog, for example, highlights applications that may not be fully compatible with the new version of Windows.Current versions of Windows 10 may display a Knowledgebase ID but it is not linked and customers may not know what to do with it other than to provide it when they contact IT support or Microsoft.The only actionable options are to go back and end setup or to refresh; refresh won’t change anything, however, until the software is either removed or, if possible, updated.The next feature update introduces changes to the setup process to make error messages less cryptic and provide users with better information and actions to address the issue directly.The following changes are planned:Make sure that KB articles are linked so that they may be opened directly.Provide users with options to uninstall or upgrade applications, if applicable.Provide users with an option to learn more about the issue.The following screenshot shows a Windows Update error message that prompts the user to remove certain applications in current versions of Windows 10.The interface provides little information other than that Windows compatibility found these apps to be incompatible with a newer version of Windows. The only options that users have is to uninstall the listed programs to continue, or close the dialog.The updated dialog for the same issue provides users with more information.It adds icons to each application, includes a “learn more” link for each application, and options for each of the listed applications. For some applications, Windows may hint that users may be able to update the application instead to resolve the issue.Also, there is a link to general information about the issue which links to a KB support article, and options to go back or refresh the dialog.Closing WordsMicrosoft has to find answers to some questions that are not addressed yet. It is not clear right now how Microsoft can provide information to offline devices.Most users should welcome the changes as they improve the setup experience. Users may find actionable options in setup and may look up information directly without having to leave the setup interface or use a different device for research.Now You: Which error related issues should Microsoft address as well? (via Winfuture)SummaryArticle NameWindows 10 1903 comes with setup error improvements DescriptionMicrosoft plans to improve the user experience during setup of Windows 10 in regards to error messages the system may display.Author Martin BrinkmannPublisher Ghacks Technology NewsLogo Advertisement read more