With Enterprise Apps, Sometimes Less is More
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Guest author Ian Fisher is CTO of Taptera, a mobile-app development company.Recently, I found myself having a very familiar conversation: How many features should you put in a single mobile app? This topic comes up constantly in the enterprise mobility space, largely due to the huge influx of new users and development going on right now.The conversation usually goes something like this: “We want an app that lets us easily find our coworkers’ contact info. And it needs to be able to book conference rooms. We also need it to send reports to employees’ managers as well as let them approve expenses.”Hearing a list of requirements like that, some people envision one app. Some envision four. Having had this conversation constantly for several years, I can safely say that you want four. While one monolithic office-management app can sound appealing, breaking it into small parts has many tangible benefits.Pick One Thing, Do It WellThink of your favorite mobile apps. I’m guessing that nearly all of them have a specific function that they do really, really well. I use individual apps on a daily basis for email, project tracking, app deployment, note taking, personal to-do lists and file management, to name a few. Each of these apps has chosen a specific problem and does a great job at solving it.Another benefit that is often overlooked is the viral spread of these focused apps. When you see a coworker perform a task that one of your favorite apps does well, it’s really easy to tell them about the app-if you can summarize what it does quickly. Once users start telling their friends and colleagues about how great an app is, adoption skyrockets! Even for apps developed internally within an enterprise, this is incredibly important—you want your employees and coworkers to benefit from your apps as much as possible, and there’s no better way than to have them spread the apps organically throughout your organization.Mix And MatchOften, the most surprising thing I see happen with small, focused apps is how users combine them in new, innovative ways. Need a document signed on your iPad from your document management app? No problem! Send it over to DocuSign, get it signed, and then save it to the cloud with the Box app.Sure, you could build all of this into a single app. That might even be the right answer some of the time. But by having this suite of apps, you can quickly combine them to create new, efficient workflows. If you switch from DocuSign to another e-signature app, you only have to swap out one piece of your flow. If the signing feature was built into the content management app, you’ve forced your users to do things a certain way, limiting their creativity and discouraging them from discovering new tools that can add significant value to your organization.Having smaller apps also helps keep your context throughout your workday. Imagine my first example, where your employee directory is combined with conference-room booking. With an app like that you could find a coworker and book a conference room with them. So far so good. However, then you want to browse your other booking for the day, and check if a recurring meeting you have tomorrow has been cancelled. Then you realize that you needed to invite your coworker’s manager, but you can’t remember who she is. In the monolithic app you have lost your context within the employee directory and have to start the task of finding your coworker all over again. To make things worse, as soon as you do that, you’ve lost the context of the meeting you just created!If your directory and room booking solution were separate apps, you could easily switch between them with each maintaining their context. Looking up the manager is one app switch away and when you go back to add them to the meeting your other app remembers exactly where you left off.In And OutWith some exceptions, most mobile apps fall into the in-and-out category. You want to launch them, do a specific task, and then get on with your day. Checking your next meeting, checking a flight status, and approving an expense report all fall into this category.By keeping your apps small, you can optimize this workflow by reducing the number of taps needed. When you make things easy, users will love you. Conversely, if things are cumbersome they will run screaming!Focused Doesn’t Mean IncompleteTaking a very focused approach to your apps doesn’t mean they can’t be feature-rich. Consider Evernote : It is focused to the point that they have released a suite of companion apps that each target new uses, like taking notes on people you meet or the food you eat. You can summarize what Evernote does in a single sentence, but I feel like I am still discovering new features and ways to use it all the time.Being focused doesn’t mean you can’t continue to add useful features, it just means that you should do one thing well and use that as your foundation. Keep the simple things simple and the complex things possible.Image courtesy of Taptera Cognitive Automation is the Immediate Future of… Tags:#apps#Contributed#DocuSign#enterprise#enterprise apps#Evernote#mobile apps 
Onyok Velasco see bright future for PH boxing in Olympics PLAY LIST 00:45Onyok Velasco see bright future for PH boxing in Olympics00:50Trending Articles05:25PH boxing team determined to deliver gold medals for PH01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. PH fights for gold in men’s squash Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa LATEST STORIES Read Next Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC View comments UPLB exempted from SEA Games class suspension SEA Games in Calabarzon safe, secure – Solcom chief The referee called Yerzhan’s attention numerous times in the match for clinching and using his arms to ward off the 2015 bronze medalist, but despite the warnings, the bout went on, with Yerzhan possibly earning points solely for his grit.Not helping Ladon’s case was him failing to land his power punches, which could have helped his case when the match went to the scorecards.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutWith Ladon bowing out early, the Philippines’ hopes are left on the shoulders of Dannel Maamo in the flyweight division.However, his path to the championship is expected to be a rocky one as he braces for top-seed Yosvany Veitia of Cuba. Catriona Gray spends Thanksgiving by preparing meals for people with illnesses MOST READ Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH LOOK: Venues for 2019 SEA Games FILE PHOTO – Rogen Ladon.Rogen Ladon bid in the 17th AIBA World Championship came to a sudden halt as he suffered a stunning split decision defeat to Zhomart Yerzhan of Kazakhstan at the Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany.Seeded fifth in the light flyweight tourney and already getting a bye in the round-of-16, Ladon had a tough time dispatching his Kazakh foe as he was matched with a feisty challenger from the start.ADVERTISEMENT
Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Read Next John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding Without Wall, Wizards end Thunder’s winning streak Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles01:08Smash hit? Tesla suffers broken glass mishap at launch of new truck00:50Trending Articles01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Slow and steady hope for near-extinct Bangladesh tortoises Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) reacts after he was called for a personal foul against San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)DETROIT — Kevin Love left Cleveland’s game at Detroit on Tuesday night with a broken left hand.Love went down the tunnel toward the locker room during the first quarter. He had X-rays at the arena, which the Cavaliers say showed a non-displaced fracture in his fifth metacarpal. The team says his status will be updated after additional examination Wednesday in Cleveland.ADVERTISEMENT Globe Business launches leading cloud-enabled and hardware-agnostic conferencing platform in PH 2 ‘newbie’ drug pushers fall in Lucena sting MOST READ View comments Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. LATEST STORIES Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa NEXT BLOCK ASIA 2.0 introduces GURUS AWARDS to recognize and reward industry influencers ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Love would likely to be out 6-8 weeks.Love played only 4:41 on Tuesday night and went scoreless.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSLillard, Anthony lead Blazers over ThunderSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutThe 29-year-old Love has missed only one game this season, and he’s the Cavs’ second-leading scorer behind LeBron James. With the trade deadline looming, Cleveland has been in a funk lately. The Cavs had lost 10 of 15 heading into Tuesday’s game, and they trail Boston and Toronto atop the Eastern Conference.Love’s injury will likely affect the Cavs’ plans as the Feb. 8 trading deadline approaches. The Eastern Conference champions may have to make a significant move to replace Love, who could be out for more than a month.
Alora determined to finally beat Cambodian rival if they meet in AIMAG Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ View comments Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo The lanky forward drilled two crucial jumpers over Rey Nambatac to push his side from a 77-all deadlock to an 82-77 advantage with 3:01 left in OT, and stifled the Knights’ late rally as he blocked Nambatac in the final minute before AJ Coronel put the game out of reach with his freebies.Dagangon finished with 21 markers, five boards, three assists, and two blocks in the win.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSBoxers Pacquiao, Petecio torchbearers for SEA Games openingGJ Ylagan chimed in 18 points and three rebounds, while Coronel added 10 markers, four boards, three dimes, and three steals.“We play with no pressure. We’re free-wheeling, no one’s hesitant, especially on offense. We had some lapses, but at least, we survived it in the overtime period,” said Gican, as the Altas improved to 4-6. MOST READ Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies at 59 with wife by his side LATEST STORIES NATO’s aging eye in the sky to get a last overhaul
It was a heartbreaking defeat for Letran, which had to fight back from a 75-72 deficit at the 14.2 second mark of regulation before Bong Quinto banged in the game-tying triple with 4.4 seconds to spare to tie the game at 75.JP Calvo paced the Knights with 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Quinto got 15 markers, six boards, and two dimes before fouling out at the 1:43 mark of the extra period.Nambatac also got 15 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists in the defeat, which sent Letran down to 5-5.The Scores:PERPETUAL 88 – Eze 21, Dagangon 21, Ylagan 18, Coronel 10, Pido 9, Cabiltes 4, Hao 3, Yuhico 2, Mangalino 0, Sadiwa 0, Clemente 0, Lucente 0, Tamayo 0.ADVERTISEMENT LETRAN 82 – Calvo 21, Quinto 15, Nambatac 15, Vacaro 9, Balanza 8, Taladua 7, Bernabe 3, Mandreza 2, Gedaria 2, Pamulaklakin 0, Balagasay 0, De Villa 0, Caralipio 0, Pascual 0.Quarters: 18-12, 32-33, 57-52, 75-75, 88-82. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netFinally playing with a sense of urgency, Perpetual weathered a mighty challenge from Letran and came away with an 88-82 overtime victory Thursday in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.MVP frontrunner Prince Eze showed his worth with 21 points and 19 rebounds, but it was Gab Dagangon who came up with the big shots in extra time to salvage the Altas.ADVERTISEMENT Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Hotel says PH coach apologized for ‘kikiam for breakfast’ claim For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. Trump signs bills in support of Hong Kong protesters Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies at 59 with wife by his side
After government agencies’ offensive over the issue of payment of taxes and foreign investment in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), the Indian cricket Board has become extremely cautious.Particularly after the publication of a scathing report, prepared by the Lok Sabha Standing Committee on Finance, over various omissions and commissions in the conduct of the IPL and the foreign investment in a few franchises, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has become guarded.Now, the Board is taking no chances for payments it would be making to the foreign boards and teams taking part in the ongoing Champions League T20, the global version of the IPL. The BCCI, which organises the tournament, Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA), the national boards of those countries, constitute the Champions League T20 Governing Council.Fifty per cent of the total profit earned from the Champions League T20 goes to the BCCI, 30 per cent to CA and 20 per cent to CSA. For the ongoing tournament, the BCCI has budgeted an income of $ 54.85 million and an expenditure of $ 44.85 million for a surplus of $ 10 million (before tax). But, according to sources, the BCCI is in no hurry to make payments.”We are looking closely at the tax rules of the country for paying the foreign teams competing in the CLT20 as well as the Australian and South African boards because huge amounts of money is involved,” a BCCI official told Mail Today. Apart from the payment to the two boards, each of the 13 competing teams is being paid $ 500,000 as participation fee besides free boarding, lodging and travelling.advertisement”The BCCI will be paying $ 500,000 as the participation fee to each of the six teams who took part in the qualifying round as well as each of the 10 in the main competition,” he explained.”But no team will be paid twice, so the three teams that advanced from the qualifying round to the main one will be paid only once.And, only the Australian and South African boards would be paid and not the boards of England and the West Indies for the participation of Somerset and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively.” For the 2009 edition of CLT20, however, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was paid Rs 1.5 million for participation of two teams from that country.The BCCI has budgeted $ 16.5 million as participation fees to the teams for the 2011 tournament.The payment to the boards and the teams will be made after cutting the mandatory taxes at source. “The TDS will be deducted as per government rules,” said the official.For the cancelled CLT20 edition in 2008 and the one played in 2009, the BCCI deducted 10 per cent from the participation fees payable to CA and CSA. The grossed up TDS amount to Rs 5.07 crore.The second edition of the tournament was held in South Africa. The BCCI paid Rs 69.35 crore to Cricket South Africa as hosting fee, as per the Board’s 2011-12 balance sheet. It also paid a total sum of Rs 68.66 crore as participation fees to the teams as well as the national Boards for that tournament.
New Delhi, Sep 19 (PTI) A major gold smuggling racket that illegally brought around 7,000 kilograms of gold worth over Rs 2,000 crore from Myanmar to India in past over two years has been busted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The syndicate was smuggling the gold through Indo-Myanmar land border and then bringing it to Delhi and other locations in domestic flights by declaring the yellow metal as valuable cargo, the DRI said in a press release issued today. The case came to light when the officers of Delhi zonal unit of the agency seized 10 kg of gold at the domestic cargo terminal of Indira Gandhi International airport recently. The seized gold bars of 24 carat purity were admittedly smuggled into India from Myanmar and brought to Delhi from Guwahati by a domestic flight, it said. Market value of the 10 kg of seized gold is Rs 3.1 crore. Involvement of the employees of the airlines and others is being investigated by the DRI. Two accused–a Guwahati-based businessman and his Delhi-based aide–have been arrested by the DRI and sent to judicial custody. They had brought gold to Delhi from Guwahati on 617 occasions by declaring it as the valuable cargo in domestic flights, the release said. “The Delhi zonal unit of the DRI has busted a major gold smuggling racket involving smuggling of around 7,000 kgs of gold worth more than Rs 2,000 crore, over a period of past two and half years. This probably is the single biggest case of detection of gold smuggling by any agency in India,” it said. PTI AKV RGadvertisement
Johannesburg, Jul 24 (PTI) Veteran administrator Russell Adams will end a nine-year stint with IPL teams in India to take up the position of tournament director for the inaugural T20 Global League, to be hosted by Cricket South Africa. Confirming Russels appointment today, CSA said he was an experienced sports management professional, known to the global cricket fraternity. Adams has been based in India for the last nine years where he served as the vice-president of commercial, operations and cricket academy for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Before that, he worked as a consultant to the Kolkata Knight Riders. Adams, who starts in his new role in August, is looking forward to returning to South Africa. “Im looking forward to this new chapter in my career and to be given the opportunity to be part of the exciting T20 Global League,” said Adams. “Although Ive been working abroad for close to a decade now, Ive always wanted to come back to South Africa and contribute positively to the sports and cricket environment in our wonderful country. “The T20 Global League is a unique opportunity for me to do just that and use my experience to further enhance and build a world-class T20 competition Adams added.” CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat welcomed Adams appointment. “His experience for the last ten years with the IPL and his qualifications and passion for the game makes him an ideal person for the job. “We have every confidence in Russell and we are thrilled to have him as part of the T20 Global League senior team,” Lorgat said. The T20 Global League is an international T20 cricket league based in South Africa. PTI FH AH AHadvertisement
I grew up hearing statements like The Porsche 911 is the greatest sportscar ever. Everyone who had driven one automotive expert or otherwise seemed to be echoing the sentiment.While a regular school-going like me was no one to contest those claims, but the charm of the 911 seemed lost on,I grew up hearing statements like The Porsche 911 is the greatest sportscar ever. Everyone who had driven one automotive expert or otherwise seemed to be echoing the sentiment.While a regular school-going like me was no one to contest those claims, but the charm of the 911 seemed lost on me. For starters, it wasn’t the sort of car that evoked the same emotions a Ferrari or a Lamborghini (which adorned my bedroom walls) did. Primarily because it didn’t boast an outrageous exterior, scissor doors or an ostentatious interior. And with no access to any car of its kind, my judgment relied on the headlining numbers and the 911 with its relatively humble power and torque figures never caught my fancy. But hey, so many people can’t be wrong, right? Buyers can choose from a long list of customisation options for the interior trim and upholstery Fast forward to 2019, I found myself sitting behind the wheel of a new-generation Racing Yellow 992 Carrera 4S in the pit lane of the Buddh International Circuit getting ready to head out for a lap. Three corners in and I already knew why people wax lyrical about the 911. The grip, the balance, the composure, everything just ties together so well. It builds up your confidence with every corner with a steering that tells you exactly what the tyres are up to, brakes that are set up just right and the new 8-speed PDK gearbox that always has the car in the right gear. For the next lap, I was handed the rear-wheel drive Carrera and that proved to be even more fun. Quite obviously, this one was more willing to stick its tail out and it did on occasion before being reined in by the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) to make sure I didn’t make a fool out of myself by pointing in the wrong direction.advertisementSitting behind the rear axle is a 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six engine churning out 444 bhp marking an increase of 30 bhp over its predecessor. In the Carrera S guise, the 911 can hit 100 kmph from a standstill in just 3.7s. The 992’s face features full LED lighting, a sharper bumper and hood recesses that are inspired by the 911s of yore. At the back the changes are more prominent with a light bar that brings the 911 in line with what has become a Porsche styling signature. The five-dial analogue instrument console makes way for a more digital affair. The central analogue tacho is flanked on either side by customisable screens that can display all manner of data. I love every bit but one the stubby gear selector. A 10.9-inch display takes centrestage and overall the luxury quotient remains high with a superb fit and finish and generally high levels of quality all around. With the 992, Porsche has improved upon an already stellar package with better performance, at least on the track, improved driving dynamics and a plusher interior but with the magic of the 911 still very much intact.Four FusionBMW X4 HEAD TURNER The BMW X4 will definitely get you thatsecond (and third) glanceBMW may have drawn the ire of many for the X6 and the X4 owing to their controversial styling, but the car maker had the last laugh. Over the last decade, close to half a million units of the X6 and the smaller sibling, X4 have been sold globally clearly indicating that people haven’t just accepted SUV-coupes but the market now has a healthy appetite for them.Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder holds so true for the X4. The nose is not too different from the X3, but post the A-pillar, things change drastically with a plummeting roofline. The rear section of SUV-coupes tends to be the most controversial bit. In the X4’s case, at least for me, this is the part that I love the most. The rather fetching posterior with its subtle ducktail spoiler and the lovely LED detailing of the tail lights make the rear three quarters the BMW X4’s best angle. Sure, some of you might disagree with me and I’m not one to impose my opinions, especially when it comes to styling, but no one can deny that the X4 is a definite head turner.The dashboard has been lifted straight from the X3 with identical switchgear and layout with the steering wheel and all black theme, courtesy the M Sport X trim, being the only noticeable differences. Equipment wise, the X4 comes standard with a panoramic sunroof, adaptive LED headlights, the BMW Display Key, gesture control for the infotainment unit that can be accessed via the 10.25-inch display and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio setup.advertisementUnsurprisingly, a direct consequence of the sloping roofline is compromised rear headroom as compared to the X3.Our test car came with a 2.0-litre in-line 4 petrol with turbocharging churning out 252 bhp and 350 Nm helping the X4 to 100 kmph from a standstill in 6.3 seconds. That’s pretty quick. It’s actually just 0.3 seconds slower than the 3.0-litre in-line 6 diesel variant which has more power and 270 Nm more torque. The third engine option is a 2.0-litre diesel with 190 bhp of max power and 400 Nm of peak torque on tap. Gearbox duties are handled by the ubiquitous 8-speed torque convertor from ZF which is quick and jerk-free. BMW is a pioneer of sorts when it comes to sporty SUVs and the likes of the X4 are a testament to that. The X4’s dynamic capabilities belie the high-riding body style.So, if you’re someone with around Rs 70-odd lakh to spare and looking for something that will have people craning their necks to get another glimpse of what just drove past them then, by all means, go ahead and indulge yourself.
SANTA CLARA, CA – JANUARY 07: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi’s Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Pretty much every set of college football preseason rankings will have Clemson at No. 1 and Alabama at No. 2. However, Stadium’s Brett McMurphy is going against the grain with his top two.McMurphy has been unveiling his preseason top 25 incrementally. He put out his top five on Friday, and he had Alabama surprisingly sitting at No. 3.Clemson and Georgia were his top two teams. His full top five is as follows:ClemsonGeorgiaAlabamaOklahomaOhio StateNaturally, the Crimson Tide being behind Georgia is the most noteworthy thing about McMurphy’s rankings. His reasoning? Turnover on the roster and on the coaching staff. ‘Look, I’m not predicting Alabama goes 7-5 or 6-6. I just feel like they had a number of key losses and eventually it’s going to catch up with Alabama,” McMurphy said.You can view McMurphy’s full comments below.Find out why @Brett_McMurphy has #Alabama ranked No. 3⃣ in his pre-spring college football rankings. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/VYi6bn5tmc— Stadium (@Stadium) February 15, 2019Would it be insane to see Georgia beat Alabama head-to-head in the SEC Championship Game next season? No, because they’ve almost beaten them each of the last few years.However, it is hard to predict any slippage from the Crimson Tide, no matter who they have to replace. They seem to have no trouble reloading on a yearly basis.
zoom Clyde Marine Training Short Courses division will begin providing ‘enclosed spaces’ training to individuals and companies within the next month as a response to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) introducing new requirements to SOLAS Chapter III regulation 19, coming into force on January 1, 2015, regarding entry into enclosed spaces drills.The requirements are expected to be adopted in November 2014, for entry into force on July 1, 2016, for portable atmosphere testing instruments to be carried on board ships.The new IMO requirement is for all crew members to participate in enclosed space entry and rescue drills on board ship at least once every two months.In addition, portable testing instruments will be required to test enclosed spaces from the outside to make sure they are safe to enter and will cover, as a minimum, testing of oxygen, flammable gasses or vapours, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide, expected to be adopted as SOLAS regulation XI-1/7. Press Release, August 15, 2014
PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. – A judge has frozen half of a $1.2-million Chase the Ace jackpot at the centre of a lawsuit between a Nova Scotia woman and her nephew.Barbara Reddick sued her nephew Tyrone MacInnis after the grand prize of a charity fundraiser in rural Cape Breton was divided between the two, leaving them each with $611,319.50.Reddick has said she put MacInnis’s name on the ticket for good luck and agreed to split the money if they won the consolation prize — but not the jackpot.She sued MacInnis in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Port Hawkesbury.Lawyers for both parties said that Justice Patrick Murray granted a preservation order on Monday freezing MacInnis’s winnings until the case is resolved.Reddick’s lawyer, Adam Rodgers, said the two sides have agreed to a Sept. 17 settlement conference.Candee McCarthy, who represents MacInnis, said she had expected the preservation order to be granted.“The test for the preservation order was a very low one for Ms. Reddick to meet — whether there was a triable issue, that the claim isn’t on its face frivolous or vexatious. So it wasn’t a surprising outcome,” said McCarthy in an email.The controversy over the lottery in Margaree Forks, N.S., gained widespread attention after a celebratory photo op ended with Reddick telling her 19-year-old nephew she intended to take him to court. The scene was caught on video and quickly went viral.Rodgers has said the tickets were purchased with his client’s money and there was no contract or agreement of any kind to share the proceeds — even though both of their names were on the winning ticket.“She agreed to have his name on the ticket for good luck,” Rodgers said in July. “That’s obviously been a point of contention for some people but that in itself doesn’t create a contract.”Rodgers said while his client has managed to “buffer” herself from the public attention, she is bothered by the breakdown in her relationship with her nephew.“This is a very special person in her life,” he said. “She hopes they can somehow reconcile that relationship in the future.”Reddick did not have children of her own and she has supported her nephew financially and emotionally, Rodgers said.Chase the Ace has gained increasing popularity in Atlantic Canada in recent years, with rural areas using the lottery to raise money for everything from local fire departments to legions.
Several remote New Brunswick lakes still have high levels of a pesticide banned 46 years ago — findings with significant implications for today, says the scientist behind a study on DDT published Wednesday.“This is definitely a cautionary tale,” said Joshua Kurek of Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.“At the time, we applied these synthetic chemicals thinking they’d have tremendous benefits. And look, 50 years later we’re still dealing with the fallout.”New Brunswick, heavily dependent on the forest industry, was one of the heaviest users of DDT in North America. Between 1952 and 1968, at least 5.7 million kilograms of DDT were applied to the province’s forests to control spruce budworm.Canada banned DDT in 1972. Kurek wondered what happened to all that poison.He and his colleagues looked at sediments in five northern lakes far from communities or any other source of contamination. He found, as expected, large concentrations of DDT in sediment that dated from the spraying era. He did not expect the other results.“The surprise is that there is no recovery.”On average, sediments exposed to water and organisms on the lake bottom still had DDT levels 16 times higher than those at which the chemical would start to affect aquatic life. Kurek suspects DDT continues to be washed into the water from the forest floor.As well, the sediments also revealed something odd about the tiny animals that form the basis of the lake’s food web.One species of zooplankton fell off drastically as DDT levels increased. Another species increased markedly — a species shown in previous research to be a good index of how much stress an ecosystem is suffering.“When conditions in a lake become more stressful, they’re often able to withstand those conditions longer,” Kurek said.The findings aren’t limited to the five New Brunswick lakes, as the province wasn’t the only place enthusiastic about DDT.“There are hundreds and hundreds of other lakes probably in eastern North America where we could potentially have very high concentrations of DDT still present in the water column, still present in the organisms,” Kurek said. One of Canada’s top water ecologists, John Smol of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., said Kurek’s work should be studied closely.“There’s this legacy effect 50 years later in the aquatic ecosystem that has important implications for lake ecology. Nature is slow to pardon our mistakes and we’re overly optimistic.”DDT levels are generally falling. But Smol said the chemical compound pops up over the long term in unexpected places and creates unexpected effects.It gets transported by birds to nesting colonies, where it concentrates in soil from bird droppings. It may be behind the increase in toxic algae blooms, as it kills off tiny algae-grazers.“Governments think four years,” Smol said. “CEOs, at best, seem to think in 90-day cycles.“Ecosystems don’t keep a political or industrial timetable. Things happen on much longer time cycles.”The study didn’t look for impacts on fish or birds. Kurek said that’s next.Kurek said pesticides applied almost five decades ago still being active in the environment are reason to think hard about current practices.“You could substitute DDTs with plastic pollution, with greenhouse gases, with salting on our roads — any contaminant that you put in our environment over a massive region is going to have tremendous effects and sometimes surprise effects.”— Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960Bob Weber, The Canadian Press
“I think that we’re in this transition, hopefully, transformation, to be able to get more and more communities out from under the Indian Act so that there isn’t this question of who speaks for the community, as they choose a governance of their own making,” she says.Coastal GasLink is planning to run its pipeline from northeastern B.C. to LNG Canada’s export facility on the coast in Kitimat. The estimated cost of the terminal and infrastructure is $40 billion.While Coastal GasLink says it has signed benefits-sharing agreements with all 20 elected First Nations councils along the pipeline route, five hereditary clan chiefs say they are “adamantly opposed” and the project has no authority without their consent.The B.C. Supreme Court granted a temporary injunction to the company instructing pipeline opponents who set up a gate along a construction access road to remove their blockade. RCMP enforced the injunction on Jan. 7, arrested 14 people, and sparked protests across Canada and internationally.The project is within British Columbia’s boundaries, so Bennett says she has not been in contact with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary clan chiefs about the ongoing dispute. But she says it points to the urgency of having decision-making processes in place where the community feels represented by its leaders.“This is a wholly B.C. project with a B.C. court having allowed the injunction and so we are in a difficult place in terms of how decisions get taken and how urgent it is to be moving forward,” Bennett says. The Wet’suwet’un were part of the landmark Delgamuukw Supreme Court of Canada decision in 1997 that ruled Aboriginal title does exist in B.C. The ruling said governments must consult First Nations whose title rights are affected.Bennett says the federal government is working to assist First Nations in building self-governance capacity, including through the new “Nation Rebuilding Program.”She says the Indian Act, which imposed the elected band council structure on First Nations, had the effect of breaking up larger nations into “villages.”The program is a way to counter that by recognizing self-defined Indigenous groups linked culturally, linguistically, geographically or along historical treaty lines. In the past week, the government has announced 25 projects in British Columbia totalling $4.75 million, she says.As an example, it is giving $600,000 to the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council in the B.C. Interior “to rebuild their governance and hereditary structures.” Work will include developing community history books and workshops on governance, roles and responsibilities, clan systems and hereditary systems.Bennett defended the hereditary system against criticism that it is undemocratic, saying there have always been traditional checks and balances for hereditary leaders.“When you talk to the best knowledge keepers there were always ways of dealing with people who were not serving their communities well, these systems were in place long before the settlers showed up,” she says. Bennett points to Nunavut as an example where land-claim settlements have made consent for industry projects more straightforward.“There is a proper regional approach to major projects. The good projects get approved really fast, the bad projects get rejected really fast,” she says.While the Crown historically acquired land from many First Nations across the country by signing treaties, only 14 treaties on Vancouver Island had been signed by the time B.C. joined Confederation in 1871, and Aboriginal title to the rest of the province was left unresolved.It means some nations have never ceded their territories and many are in the process of negotiating modern-day treaties. Eight modern treaties have been ratified.
VANCOUVER, B.C. – Canada’s minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is pointing her finger at the Indian Act for creating a gridlock in northern British Columbia where some hereditary clan chiefs say a liquefied natural gas pipeline doesn’t have their consent.Carolyn Bennett would not say whether she believes the hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation have jurisdiction over the 22,000 square kilometres they claim as their traditional territory, saying that it is up to each community to determine its leadership structure.But she says the situation is an example of why the federal government is working to increase First Nations capacity for self-governance, including a new funding program to rebuild hereditary structures.
Lucknow: Accusing the BJP of indulging in “despicable politics”, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, Sunday alleged that the ruling party had conspired to field Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat to divide the Dalit votes. Azad had announced earlier this month that he will contest the general elections from Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency. “With the ill-intention of dividing Dalit votes & taking advantage, the BJP has conspired to field Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar from Varanasi LS seat. This organisation was formed under BJP conspiracy & with its anti-Dalit mindset, it is now indulging in despicable politics,” Mayawati said in a tweet. Also Read – India gets first tranche of Swiss bank a/c details “The BJP tried hard to help Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar join the BSP as its mole but failed in its conspiracy. It is very imperative in the national interest to dislodge autocratic, despotic anti-Dalit, OBC & minorities BJP from power. Pls ensure no vote goes waste. My Appeal,” she added. Later, in a statement, the BSP chief said, “Each and every vote of the Dalits is important to remove the arrogant, autocratic, casteist and communal BJP from power. This should not be allowed to go waste, so that one regrets in future and life does not become hell.” Azad launched his Lok Sabha campaign with a roadshow in Varanasi on Saturday. He accused Modi of only favouring the rich and “harassing” small borrowers and poor. The Dalit leader declared at the roadshow that the countdown to Modi’s defeat had begun.
CAIRO – Reactions to the appearance of veiled woman on TV varied between welcome and condemnation.A veiled Egyptian woman has stirred up a hornet’s nest inside Egypt by appearing on TV and singing rap songs.Reactions to the appearance of the woman on a Saudi Arabian channel as part of a reality talent show called “Arabs Got Talent” varied between welcome and condemnation.Although Mayam Mahmoud made her appearance in the show about a week ago, reactions are still lively and strong.“The headgear makes it necessary for women to abide by a specific code of conduct,” Nabil Hussein, a cyberspace activist, wrote on his Facebook page. “Singing, and rapping in particular, contradicts with the required conduct.”Rapping is a form of speaking or chanting rhyming lyrics that occupies a gray area between speech, prose, poetry and singing. It is closely associated with hip hop music and this is perhaps why rapping by a veiled woman is provoking the ire of some people in the predominantly conservative Egyptian society.Mahmoud, now 18, says she has started rapping since she was eight. She says she had joined a school especially to learn this art form.“The main idea about rap is the message the song seeks to convey to listeners,” Mahmoud wrote on her Facebook page.When she appeared on the program, Mahmoud focused in her song on social ailments, such as gender discrimination and sexual harassment. She expressed her rejection of the presence of these phenomena through her fast-paced song.Mahmoud says on her page that she seeks to make success, blending rap singing as an art form with her Islamic appearance and conduct. And she managed to win support.“I don’t see a problem with a veiled woman rapping,” wrote Hagar Hamdi, another Facebook user, commenting on the angry reaction that accompanied Mahmoud’s appearance on the show.“The Islamic religion never calls for backwardness.”