NRL Touch Football Partners with Indomie Noodles
NRL Touch Football is pleased to announce a new partnership with Indomie Instant Noodles.Instant noodles have always been a convenient way to refuel on carbohydrates, but they’ve come a long way since their basic beginnings, and Indomie is famous for its five different flavour sachets so you can add a little or a lot of favour, depending on your own tastes.Indomie is expanding in Australia, and they were interested in NRL Touch Football for being an Australian-born game and Australia’s largest social sport, with 680,000 participants.NRL Touch Football CEO Steve Mitchell says partnering with Indomie makes sense because touch footballers tend to lead busy lives, and instant noodles make for a convenient meal that you can cook within a couple of minutes when you don’t have time for anything else.“A large proportion of our participants are students, and the instant noodle category particularly appeals to students, who tend to look for convenience and affordability,” said Mitchell.Indomie Regional Manager William Ho is delighted to be aligned with a growing sport that has such a large national footprint.“Indomie are very pleased with the opportunity to partner up with NRL Touch Football, which allows us to connect our brand with one of the largest grassroots sports in the country. This is our first time to sponsor the sport and we truly appreciate the overwhelming support from the members and participants!”For more information on Indomie Instant Noodles please visit http://www.indomie.com.au/To play Touch Football this summer find your nearest club at https://playnrl.com/
CHAPEL HILL, NC – OCTOBER 07: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rolls out against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the game at Kenan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)Notre Dame, with an 11-0 record, seems close to a lock for the College Football Playoff if it can win its final game against USC. But the Fighting Irish are currently in a lot of trouble on the road against the Trojans.Through 18 minutes of play, the Fighting Irish have run just nine plays on offense – mostly because their defense can’t get off the field. USC currently has a 10-0 lead.Trojans quarterback J.T. Daniels is already 19-of-22 for 161 yards. Notre Dame is having a very tough time stopping USC’s passing attack.It’s early, but USC has looked to be the better team thus far. As a reminder, the Trojans are currently 5-6, fighting for bowl eligibility.This is the largest deficit the team has faced all season.Notre Dame trails USC 10-0, the largest deficit the Irish have faced all year.— Patrick Schmidt (@PatrickASchmidt) November 25, 2018SACK!@PalaieGaoteote powers through and the Irish are forced to punt!#FightOn | #BeatTheIrish pic.twitter.com/dJdZGnJEdn— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) November 25, 2018Notre Dame was ranked No. 3 in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings and likely needs just a win to secure a spot in the event.There is a lot of time left in this one, but it’s fair to say the Fighting Irish are officially on upset alert.
Jamaica, represented by Tourism and Entertainment Minister the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has been elected first Vice-Chairman of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council (EC) for 2013. This is a historic first for the country which has previously served as second Vice-Chair. Jamaica was elevated following a successful bid during the elections at the 94th meeting of the UNWTO EC held in Campeche, Mexico, recently. The UNWTO EC deliberates on policies and strategies that affect tourism worldwide before making recommendations to the General Assembly for action. As a member of the EC, Jamaica represents the interests of the Americas region. Jamaica will continue to serve as a member of the EC through 2013 after assuming the position of Second Vice Chair for the first time in January 2011, and is one of two Vice Chairs for the Council. Minister McNeill, who represented Jamaica at the meeting said, “it is a proud moment for the nation, especially bearing in mind that we are a small island state.” He added, “it is a strong testimony of the far reaching impact of Jamaica on the other nations of the world, which we expect to be further strengthened by our projected positive short and long term growth and performance.” Twenty-six countries from the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe attended the meeting, with sessions chaired by Kenya, the then Chairman of the EC; Romania, the then first Vice-Chair; and Jamaica, the then 2nd Vice-Chair. As second Vice-Chair Jamaica chaired several sessions, including the selection of the venue for the 95th EC meeting, scheduled for May 28-29, 2013, the Committee for the Review of Applications for Affiliate Membership, and the application of the new UNWTO institutional image in the official languages. Visa and travel facilitation was among the issues discussed by the EC, with Minister McNeill stressing the need for in-transit visa facilitation to be included in the topics for discussion at the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit at World Travel Market, held in London on November 6, 2012. The meeting was held under the theme Open Borders and Open Skies: Breaking Barriers to Travel. The other countries rounding off the chairmanship of the UNWTO Executive Council for 2013 are Romania – which was successful in its bid for Chairmanship and Mozambique – 2nd Vice-Chair. The 95th EC meeting will be held in Belgrade, Serbia. For further information contact: Kingsley Roberts Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5. Tel: 920-4926-30, ext: 5934 Cell: 322-9871 Fax: 920-4944
zoom Italian shipbuilding major Fincantieri informed yesterday that its new Board of Directors confirmed Giuseppe Bono as the company’s CEO, a position he has held since 2002. The new BoD of Fincantieri, appointed by the shareholders’ meeting held on 19 May 2016, will remain in office until the the approval of the 2018 financial statements.Bono has been granted extensive powers for the management of the company, except for those reserved to the Board’s exclusive jurisdiction.In addition, Bono holds 84,000 Fincantieri’s ordinary shares.Fincantieri marked a turning point in the first quarter of 2016 returning to the black from losses that were pressuring the shipbuilder’s results from the second half of 2015.The company’s profit before extraordinary and non-recurring income and expenses was EUR 5 million (USD 5.7 million), improving from a net loss of EUR 21 million in the first quarter of 2015. EBITDA was EUR 51 million against EUR 59 million in the corresponding quarter of 2015, with an EBITDA margin of 4.9% compared to 5.3% in Q1 2015.Since the beginning of the year, Fincantieri delivered three cruise ships, including two prototypes, namely the Koningsdam for Holland America Line and the Carnival Vista for Carnival Cruise Lines, which were delivered in the same week at two different yards. Several naval and offshore vessels were also delivered during the quarter. Overall, the deliveries in the first four months of 2016 generated cash inflows totaling some EUR 1.9 billion.
VANCOUVER – Adrian Crook hadn’t always intended on raising his five kids in a three-bedroom condo in downtown Vancouver.But skyrocketing real estate and rental markets across much of the country have some families choosing small spaces over suburban sprawl — and finding unexpected benefits.Crook moved downtown from the suburbs following a divorce, craving the social connections that he says are more readily available in the city.Now his family of six lives in a 1,000-square-foot condo in the heart of Vancouver, which Crook says allows them to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle and gives him more time with the kids, aged 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11.Living small has required some creativity, including custom bunk beds in a room shared by the three boys, but he says it also allows the family to easily walk to parks, galleries and libraries and teaches the kids about diversity that they may not see in the suburbs.“They get a much more fulsome impression of the world and the possibilities. And hopefully develop empathy in ways that they might not if everyone was the same as them,” says the tech entrepreneur.Crook, who is running in Vancouver’s fall election, says people have a mistaken idea that kids need a lot of space.“They really want you around and you to love them as much as possible, first and foremost,” he says. “And then they want creative, flexible things to do. They want to be left to their imaginations as much as possible and not have you control their reality.”Canadians are increasingly shifting to smaller living. The number of people living in apartments taller than five stories went up more than 12 per cent between the 2011 and 2016 census, according to data from Statistics Canada.The change was particularly noticeable in B.C. where the number of people living in single-detached homes dropped by 1.4 per cent, while the number of people living in apartments taller than five storeys went up by more than 23 per cent.People outside of hot real estate markets are choosing to live small, too, including artist Shelley Vanderbyl, who lives with her husband and their three kids in a 950-square-foot home in Winnipeg.Living small was never the plan, Vanderbyl says, but it’s worked for the family, which includes a 15-month-old, a three-year-old and a six-year-old.“My kids have always grown up in this space. It doesn’t feel small to them. You sort of just get used to it,” she says.It also teaches children problem solving, creativity and conflict resolution, Vanderbyl adds.“If you’re angry at someone, you can’t go somewhere and be away from them. You’ve got to sort it out. You just decide that you’re going to get along,” she says.A small floor plan does require flexibility, Vanderbyl says. Her family has learned to use every room for a variety of purposes and to move people and objects around as needed.Sometimes the results are non-traditional, but she notes that the expectation for families to have large, spacious homes is relatively new and doesn’t exist in many places outside of North America.“I think you have to let go of expectations and not feel guilty if your baby sleeps in a play pen because it’s smaller than the square footage of a crib or it’s on wheels and rolls better,” Vanderbyl says.“You just do what your family needs to do and what feels right for you.”Minimalism is also key to small living, says freelance writer Emily Morrice, whose family of five lives in a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom condo in downtown Montreal.Constant de-cluttering is necessary, as is saying no to people who want to buy the kids presents, she says, which can be difficult.“You have to be careful about that,” she says. “Or once you let new stuff in, you have to be willing to send things out.”The family asks for memberships to museums or for activities like swimming lessons instead of toys or clothes for Christmas and birthdays, she says, and the three kids — aged seven, six and four — have become experts at sharing.All three share a room with bunk beds and a pull-out mattress and abide by an important house rule: The first day someone gets a toy, it’s theirs, but every day thereafter, it’s shared, Morrice explains.She says the kids have a uniquely close bond as a result.“I wouldn’t say that we chose to have a small home in the beginning. We chose to live in the city and that necessitates a small home,” says Morrice, who chronicles her family’s experience on her blog, Our Nest in the City.“But we’ve been parents in a small home for eight years and I would never want anything else. It’s just so great for the family and the kids.”— Follow @gkarstenssmith on Twitter
Yesterday, Water.org Co-Founders Matt Damon and Gary White joined Stella Artois at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to announce the brand’s reaffirmed commitment to ending the global water crisis with a multi-year extension of its partnership and their “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign – which aims to help provide clean water for people in the developing world.Water.org Co-Founders Matt Damon and Gary White with Arianna HuffingtonWater.org co-founders Gary White and Matt Damon, African Zone President of AB InBev Ricardo Tadeu and Co-Chair of WEF Global Future Council on Environment and Natural Resource Security Usha Rao-Monari participated in a panel discussion on Tuesday, January 17 on the global water crisis. The conversation was moderated by Arianna Huffington and hosted by Water.org and Stella Artois at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.Water is a fundamental human need, yet 663 million people live without access to safe water.Water is also the foundation of Stella Artois and has helped the brand build its 600-year brewing legacy. This week, Stella Artois reaffirmed its commitment to ending the global water crisis at the World Economic Forum with a multi-year extension of its partnership with Water.org and their “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign to help provide clean water for people in the developing world.Stella Artois will inspire U.S. consumers to support this issue throughout the year, beginning at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.The “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign was first launched in 2015, leveraging Stella Artois’ global footprint to raise awareness and spark consumer action to address this critical issue. This year, the brand announced a four-year commitment with Water.org to help provide 3.5 million people with long-term, sustainable access to clean water by 2020.One in 10 people in the developing world lack access to safe water. This problem disproportionately affects women and children, who spend millions of hours a day collecting water instead of working, caring for family or attending school.“I have four daughters and it’s tough to imagine them having to walk for hours every day to get clean water, as so many women around the world do,” said Matt Damon, Co-founder of Water.org. “We want to put an end to these journeys. Through our partnership with Stella Artois, and the campaign launch at the World Economic Forum and the Sundance Film Festival, we’re inviting consumers around the world to help us do this.”“It is unnecessary and unacceptable that every 90 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease,” said Gary White, CEO and Co-founder of Water.org. “We need partners and committed resources – both human and capital – to help end the global water crisis.”This global, multi-channel partnership launches in the U.S. today with several opportunities for people to engage in the effort.New Limited-Edition Chalices Designed by Local Artists in Uganda, Brazil and CambodiaAs part of this year’s campaign, Stella Artois will release a new set of Limited-Edition Chalices designed by three influential artists – Lisa Mam from Cambodia, Fernando Chamerelli from Brazil and Eria Nsubuga from Uganda. Each design reflects the artist’s experience and artistic interpretation of the global water crisis in their country and represents one of the countries where Water.org provides support. For every Limited-Edition Chalice that is sold, Stella Artois will help Water.org provide five years of clean water for one person in the developing world.“We are proud to continue partnering with Water.org for a renewed commitment that is bigger than what we’ve ever done in the U.S.,” said Harry Lewis, Vice President, Stella Artois. “To be the generation that ends the global water crisis, people can take small steps – like purchasing a chalice – to spark change.”Since the launch of the “Buy a Lady a Drink” campaign two years ago, Stella Artois has helped provide more than 800,000 people in the developing world with access to five years of clean water through the sale of more than 225,000 Limited-Edition Chalices, and by directly donating more than $3 million to water.org.Consumers can purchase one of the exclusive Chalices for $13 at BuyALadyADrink.com, Amazon.com, Gilt.com and Drizly.com, and other retailers nationwide.New for 2017, the campaign also introduces two additional donation mechanisms, further increasing the reach and scale of the program. For every six- or 12-bottle pack of Stella Artois sold in select retail stores, Stella Artois will help Water.org provide six or 12 months of clean water for one person in the developing world. For every pint or bottle of beer sold in select bars and restaurants, Stella Artois will help Water.org provide one month of clean water for one person in the developing world.Stella Artois Seeks to Inspire Change at the 2017 Sundance Film FestivalStella Artois will once again be at the Sundance Film Festival to rally consumers to support the “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign and spotlight its commitment to inspiring social impact through the power of film at their Filmmaker Lounge. Located on Main Street, the Filmmaker Lounge hosts the Festival’s most prominent films and filmmakers from Friday – Sunday during the Festival’s opening weekend.The brand will bring the global water crisis to the forefront of the Sundance Film Festival through an exclusive event at the Stella Artois Filmmaker Lounge on Saturday, January 21 called, “From Tap to Table: the Global Water Crisis through the Lens of Culture and Cuisine.” Matt Damon and Gary White will be joined by international culinary star and water advocate Marcus Samuelsson to discuss the water crisis through an intimate, internationally inspired tasting.“As an Ethiopian, the global water crisis hits close to home. While I was fortunate enough to not have to face this issue personally, I feel great kinship to my country and those who experience this suffering on a daily basis,” said Samuelsson. “Having traveled the world and seen firsthand how clean water can transform lives, I’m passionate about joining this movement to help end the global water crisis with Stella Artois and Water.org.”There are many ways that consumers can get inspired and join the conversation while in Park City: • Women in Film Partnership: As part of the “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign and a further testament to supporting women who are sparking change around the world, Stella Artois announces its new commitment to supporting female filmmakers through a strategic multi-year partnership with the non-profit organization Women in Film. • Up-Close with Festival Casts: To underscore the brand’s support of the film community, Stella Artois and Deadline invite Sundance Film Festival filmmakers and cast into the Filmmaker Lounge for lively industry discussions. ◦ Every day from Friday – Sunday at 12 pm MST, join Stella Artois and Deadline for a live cast Q&A open to Festival credential holders. ◦ Sunday’s panel will pay special homage to women in film, and feature Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentarian Crystal Moselle, who was commissioned by Stella Artois at the 2016 Festival to create “Water Front,” a three-part documentary series showcasing the impact of the global water crisis on women and their communities in Haiti, Kenya and Peru. • Take Action: The new Limited-Edition Chalices are available for purchase at the Stella Artois Filmmaker Lounge.From the Big Screen to Homes NationwideIn addition to activity in Park City, Stella Artois is further encouraging people take part in the “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign through multi-channel online and offline activations. • National Television Advertisement: Building on the success of its presence online in 2016, Stella Artois released a television ad featuring Matt Damon that highlights the Limited-Edition Chalices and challenges viewers to become the generation that ends the global water crisis. • New Short Online Film: Stella Artois and Water.org will feature a short online documentary film titled “Elizabeth’s Dream,” the story of a young Kenyan woman whose life was transformed when access to clean water was established in her village. • Leveraging Innovation to Drive Awareness: Stella Artois is utilizing digital platforms to inspire others to participate in the “Buy A Lady A Drink” campaign – including immersive experiences tailored to art and design lovers on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.Visit www.BuyALadyADrink.com to purchase a Limited-Edition Chalice and learn more about how you can help be the generation to end the global water crisis. Join the conversation online with @StellaArtois #1Chalice5Years.
OceanaGold Corp has made the first shipment of the Didipio concentrate from the San Fernando port in the Philippines. This is one of many projects covered in IM’s SE Asia focus in the May issue of the magazine. This first shipment of some 5,000 t (dry) of copper-gold concentrate is now en route to Hibi, Japan. The first cash receipt for Didipio concentrate is due mid-April. There are 1,500 t (dry) of copper-gold concentrate currently at port and 8,800 t of copper-gold concentrate currently at Didipio mine site. The next 5,000 t shipment is expected late April 2013.OceanaGold Managing Director and CEO, Mick Wilkes, said “Commissioning activities continue to progress well at the Didipio mine. To date, we have produced over 15,000 dry t of copper-gold concentrate and the first shipment of the Didipio concentrate is another significant milestone for the operations team. The process plant continues to ramp up well and recoveries of copper are approaching steady-state expectations. Gold recoveries are also increasing and will be further boosted as the gold head grade increases. As we further optimise the transportation logistics combined with regular outbound shipments to smelters, we expect to be in a position to announce commercial operations during this quarter.”
Back in August, Nintendo announced it was introducing a new model of the Wii console. The new machine would be offered at a lower price, but in return would ship with a smaller set of features. Those feature cuts included no vertical stand and no backwards compatibility with Gamecube games–including a removal of the game controller ports.Nintendo’s focus has now turned to the Wii U and it won’t be releasing anymore first-party Wii games. However, another new Wii console might appear next month. There’s a rumor going around that a Wii Mini console is set to be released on December 7.Where as the redesign in August removed features, it did not change the size of the console. The Wii Mini is expected to fix that by offering a Wii with a much smaller footprint while shipping it with everything you need in the box (Wii, Wii Remote Plus, Nunchuk, and Sensor Bar).If true, it would mean Nintendo sees a future for a budget Wii which it could potentially offer for less than $100. A Wii is a smaller shell will cost less to make, ensuring Nintendo retains a profit while being able to offer the cheapest current gen console on the market today by some margin.As it stands, this is just a rumor. However, if Nintendo can hit a sub-$100 price point with a Wii Mini, and bundle a decent game too, it could fly off the shelves this Christmas. And if you consider the Wii U is expected to be sold out most places until March, Nintendo could do with the Wii having one last good Christmas to boost revenue.via NintendoWorldReport
L’iPhone 3GS et l’iPhone 4 retirés de l’Apple Store allemandMotorolaa remporté une injonction face à Apple pour violation de brevets concernant iCloud et la 3G. La conséquence directe de cette décision est le retrait de l’iPhone 3GS et de l’iPhone 4 de l’App Store allemand. Motorolaa remporté vendredi, en Allemagne, une injonction pour violation de brevets vis-à-vis d’Apple et son systèmeiCloud.Une décision renduepar le jugeAndreasVossde la courrégionale deMannheim, qui a accordé une deuxième injonction définitive à Motorola Mobility contre Apple Sales International. Elle vise le service iCloud et tous les appareils pouvant s’y connecter.À lire aussiMaladie de Charcot : symptômes, causes, traitement, où en est on ?La firme Motorola peut demander l’exécution de la procédure en provisionnant un fonds de 100 millions d’euros. Et seule une décision en appel pourrait annuler l’injonction. L’issue de ce différend entre Motorola et Apple ressemble donc à l’affaire qui s’était conclue en novembre dernier et qui avait vu Motorola l’emporter. Apple avait été reconnu coupable de violer des brevets liés à l’utilisation de la 3G.Mais une autre nouvelle de taille est venue d’Allemagne ce matin, Apple doit en effet retirer de sa boutique en ligne allemande, l’iPhone 3GS et l’iPhone 4. Il s’agirait d’une conséquence de la décision de justice remontant justement à la mi-novembre 2011. La mesure ne vise pas l’iPhone 4S, qui utilise pourtant une puce 3G… au chipset Qualcomm, au contraire de l’iPhone 3GS et de l’iPhone 4, qui sont équipés d’un chipset Infineon / Intel.Le 5 février 2012 à 19:30 • Emmanuel Perrin
The long-anticipated Ilani Casino Resort opened to much fanfare last week, and with it came a traffic backup of more than 8 miles and lots of idling cars at the Interstate 5 interchange.Those issues didn’t just frustrate drivers heading to the casino. They also irked those living in La Center who were diverted to back roads if they wanted to leave the city.As the backup grew on I-5, La Center city officials decided to close the main road leading to and from the city. They put up signs on La Center Road at Timmen Road, directing people to use the back roads to the Ridgefield I-5 interchange rather than the La Center onramp near the casino.“It was blocked off,” said La Center resident Jennifer Miller. “That seemed kind of wrong.”“It’s our road,” she added.La Center Public Works Director Jeff Sarvis said the decision to reroute traffic was made shortly after the casino opened, when it quickly became apparent that traffic at the interchange was going to be a mess for a while. Residents weren’t prohibited from using the interchange, Sarvis said; the city just advised against it.The city had plans in place to deal with increased traffic, but nobody anticipated the deluge of cars that backed up the freeway to the Interstate 5-Interstate 205 split within 90 minutes of the casino’s opening, Sarvis said.
Training with the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will help me reach my full potential, says new Paris Saint-Germain defender Thilo KehrerThe Germany international completed a €35m switch to PSG from Schalke last month following a breakthrough campaign last term.Since arriving at the French capital, Kehrer has made two Ligue 1 appearances.Although the 21-year-old will have to compete against captain Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe for a starting spot at PSG.
PSG ultras sent a warning letter to Neymar Manuel R. Medina – September 14, 2019 Brazilian superstar Neymar might play today his first game of the season for Paris Saint-Germain and the team’s ultras have warned him.However, due to the star quality at his new club, Kehrer is feeling confident that he’s at the right place to fulfil his potential.“Now that I’m at PSG, I’ve set myself the target of reaching the highest playing standard,” he told the DFB website.“Training with and defending against world-class players like Neymar and Mbappe will only help me become a better player.“I’d also like to be playing and helping the team on the pitch, of course. That would also help me make progress with the national team.”
Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp#Bahamas, September 18, 2017 – Nassau – Another teenager is dead today, gunned down and rushed to hospital and dying there – the young man, just 17 years old. Police say they are looking for two male suspects who shot the boy while he was walking with a friend, along Johnson Road in Fox Hill. The two suspects were driving a gray vehicle.A man out on bail for murder was re-arrested on Sunday when he was found with a .40 glock pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, it happened on Kemp Road. An East Street nightclub owner was also arrested on Sunday for illegal gun possession; he had a loaded Smith & Wesson with 14 rounds of ammunition which he tried to hide in the toilet bowl.#MagneticMediaNews#teenkilledinFoxHill Facebook Twitter Google+LinkedInPinterestWhatsApp Related Items:#magneticmedianews, #teenkilledinFoxHill
George Frey/Getty ImagesSlide Fire Solutions announced Tuesday it will stop taking orders for its line of bump stock products on May 20, 2017.Slide Fire Solutions, the company that invented and manufactures bump stocks, announced Tuesday it is shutting down production.A notice on its website reads, “On Sunday, May 20, 2018 at midnight CST, Slide Fire will cease taking orders for its products and shut down its website.”Bump stocks are modification devices used to accelerate a gun’s shooting rate so it fires like an automatic weapon — almost as fast as machine guns, which are largely outlawed.Slide Fire president Jeremiah Cottle designed and holds the only approved patent for bump stocks.It’s unclear if the freeze will be temporary or permanent, or what might happen to the factory in Texas. Slide Fire did not respond to NPR’s requests for comment. And the posted notice asks visitors to the site to enter an email address to “stay updated on any future news.”The devices, and Slide Fire products specifically, have come under intense public and political scrutiny since the rapid-fire gun accessory was used in the Oct. 1, 2017, Las Vegas mass shooting that left 58 dead and hundreds more injured.Three of those victims have filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status against Slide Fire and other bump stock manufacturers for negligence. According to the complaint, “this horrific assault would not and could not have occurred, with a conventional handgun, rifle, or shotgun, of the sort used by law-abiding responsible gun owners for hunting or self defense.”Court documents also allege that Slide Fire manufactured, marketed, and sold devices to gun owners who wanted semi-automatic rifles to mimic fully automatic weapons, “thereby subverting federal law that has highly regulated machine guns for over 80 years.”“Slide Fire’s decision is just something they’re doing now to try to relieve political pressure they’re under,” Robert Eglet told NPR.Eglet is a senior partner at Eglet Prince, the firm that filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of the Las Vegas victims along with the Brady Center. He contends the shutdown is a strategic move by the company to “put the brakes on any congressional movement that would prevent them or anyone else from producing these bump stocks in the future.”This is not the first time Slide Fire is halting production. As NPR reported, it suspended sales shortly after the devices were used in the Las Vegas shooting in October. But less than a month later, days after another mass-shooting in Texas, Slide Fire restarted production on the controversial gun accessories.Regardless of what the company does or doesn’t do, Eglet said he and his clients are continuing to go forward with this case.“We want to sue these people out of business and send a message to any future manufacturers that that’s what will happen to them if they try to make and sell these devices to the public,” Eglet said.The devices have been legal since June 2010, after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined a bump stock “is a firearm part and is not regulated as a firearm under [the] Gun Control Act or the National Firearms Act,” according to a letter from the ATF to Slide Fire.Bloomberg reported Slide Fire, which is the nation’s only manufacturer of bump stocks, earned more than $10 million in sales in its first year of business.The company was engaged a yearslong patent infringement battle with another manufacturer, called FosTecH Ourtdoors, but it was settled in 2012. The rival company has since gone out of business, the founder told Reuters.The carnage of the Las Vegas shooting, exacerbated by Paddock’s use of bump stocks, has altered the national debate on gun control regulations. It prompted President Trump to call for a ban on the devices and in March, the Justice Department took the first step in banning the sale, manufacture or possession of bump stocks.Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Share
Sony is clever in deciding to release this PS1-themed PS4. Millions of grown-up gamers have very fond memories of the original PlayStation, making this a very tempting purchase. But that’s where, in my opinion, Sony has made a mistake. This PS4 will only be manufactured in very limited quantities, with only 12,300 available worldwide (and individually numbered). It’s a shame because there’s easily a few hundred thousand sales to be made here, maybe even more.Sony will start selling the console in Japan and through its online store later today for $418. US and Canadian gamers can pre-order one from December 6, and European availability hasn’t been announced just yet. I imagine securing one regardless of where you are in the world is going to come down to luck because there are so few of them.One thing it would be nice to see Sony do is offer the PS1-themed DualShock 4 on its own and in much larger quantities. That would allow gamers who already have a PS4 to experience some of the nostalgia as well as netting the company some healthy extra profit from this anniversary. It would also go nicely with the PS1 Theme they have released for use on the PS4, which you can see in action below: Today is the 20th Anniversary of the launch of the original PlayStation, which hit Japanese store shelves on December 3, 1994. Western gamers had to wait until September 1995 to get their hands on one. To mark the anniversary, Sony has unveiled a rather special PS1-themed PlayStation 4, which will be available to purchase in very limited quantities.Known as the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition PS4, Sony has made everything about the console, peripherals, and even the packaging look like a PS1. That includes the console itself in original gray, the stand, a single DualShock 4 controller, and the PlayStation Camera that’s bundled, too. The unboxing videos below show you the complete package:
“We are trying to understand quantum nano-electro-mechanical systems,” Jason Twamley explains to PhysOrg.com. “These systems display richer dynamics and interactions than one can obtain with quantum optical systems, because it’s very hard to get photons to interact with each other.” Phonon-mediated quantum state transfer and remote qubit entanglement Citation: Shuttling Electrons (2006, June 5) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2006-06-shuttling-electrons.html With the situation of the shuttle, the team discovered that it is possible to detect the spin. The spin on the shuttle causes the shuttle to move a tiny distance; this causes the current through the device to change. The change can be detected, measured, and interpreted, making it useful in a quantum computer or for spin-based classical computing, such as in the field of spintronics. One possibility for the shuttle is a molecule known as a “doped Buckyball.” These molecules, only recently discovered, are composed of 60 carbon atoms surrounding either phosphorous or nitrogen. The trapped atom, either nitrogen or phosphorous, sits at the center of the carbon cage and the charge neutral molecule has an overall spin of 3/2. Putting a Buckyball between two contacts and introducing a nanomagnet results in the ability to move the molecule to the left or to the right, depending on the molecule’s spin, shifting the current and providing a change to measure.Twamley readily admits that there are problems with the theory, the first being that the proposed device is a theory, and hasn’t been put into practice. “But,” he adds, “a lot of people are looking at these systems because such nano-electro-mechanical systems may yield ultra-precise measurements of the masses of biomolecules, and thus allow you to do bio-analysis on minute amounts of material.” On top of that, creating a quantum computer adds other challenges, due to the somewhat-mysterious nature of quantum mechanics. “It’s pretty wide open at the moment. What you have to be careful about is encoding qubits in degrees of freedom that are long-lived. If noise couples with them, the qubits die quickly, and can’t be used.” The trick to overcoming this, Twamley says, is experimentation. “With condensed matter systems, once you do the experiment, and probe how healthy the qubits really are in that physical system, you will know how much noise you have, and what could be done with the qubits before they die.”However, a mechanical device like that suggested by Twamley and his colleagues does have a clear advantage over optical quantum devices. “It’s hard to predict which technology will be used for quantum computing,” he explains. “But the nice thing about these nano-mechanical systems is that they interact with each other quite strongly as compared to optical systems.”By Miranda Marquit, Copyright 2006 PhysOrg.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Explore further
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Artists impression of the spin-detection single molecule shuttle. The Buckyball containing the Nitrogen (or Phosphorous), is held between two gold electrodes by linking flexing molecules (shown schematically as springs). The shuttle picks up an electron (shown as glowing ball), from one electrode and then moves to the other electrode to dump the electron. The average current depends sensitively on the equilibrium position of the shuttle and via the interaction of the shuttle´s spin and nearby (unshown), nanomagnet. Credit: Jason Twamley Twamley, a professor of quantum information science at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, worked with various colleagues, including theorists from the University of Queensland in St. Lucia, Australia and National Taiwan University in Taipei to develop a quantum nano-mechanical system that could measure the spin of a single molecule and perhaps be part of solid-state quantum computer. Their paper on the subject, “Spin-detection in a quantum electromechanical shuttle system,” appears in the May issue of the New Journal of Physics. “Part of doing quantum computing,” Twamley explains, “is being able to input and output quantum bits (or qubits). If you are using a charge-based computer, you need to be able to read the charges. With spin-based, you need to read out spins.” Any quantum computer requires encoding quantum bits (qubits) into something. Twamley and his peers propose a readout device that would be able to detect changes in spin state of a single molecule, paving the way for spin-based input/output quantum computers in which qubits are inputted into the electron’s spin, and then decoded in the read-out to provide the asked-for information.Twamley and his colleagues propose a mechanical system, simple and based on a mobile quantum dot, often referred to as a single electron shuttle, to provide the means for measuring differences in spin. “We’re combining the charge features of the quantum dot with the dot’s motion, a combination which most nanoelectronics don’t even contemplate doing.” And while nanoelectronic systems are quite new, Twamley points out that they are already pushing beyond that: “We’ve add a ‘q’ to the front of it: quantum nano-electro-mechanical systems. We’re now working in the quantum regime and the experiments are very close to the quantum regime now.”The device comprises two electrodes, placed apart, and a quantum dot that acts as a shuttle, ferrying electrons from one to the other. Here’s how it works:“The shuttle moves toward the source electrode. There is a bit of a gap between the two, called a tunnel gap. The shuttle doesn’t touch the electrode. Classically, the tunnel gap is not something that the electron could go through. On the quantum level, though, there is a chance. The electron jumps through the tunnel, and its charge forces the shuttle to the other electrode, called the drain electrode. The electron then jumps through another tunnel to the drain electrode and the whole process repeats.”
© 2010 PhysOrg.com This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Scientists develop resource to study animal aging More information: Extreme lifespan of the human fish (Proteus anguinus): a challenge for ageing mechanisms, Biology Letters, Published online before print July 21, 2010, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0539 The blind salamander (Proteus anguinus), also known as the olm, has the longest lifespan of any amphibian, often living to over 70 in zoos, and with a predicted maximum age of over 100. It reaches sexual maturity during its fifteenth year and lays about 35 eggs every 12.5 years.The amphibian spends its entire life in water in the dark limestone caves in southern Europe. Its eyes are atrophied and it has almost no skin pigments. The skin looks pink because the blood shows through, leading to the olm sometimes being called the “human fish”.The olm is a snake-like creature 25-30 cm long and weighing only up to 20 grams. Most tiny creatures have short lifespans, which is thought to be due to having higher metabolisms that in essence burn the creatures out more quickly, but the olm has a similar metabolic rate to its closest relatives, which have much shorter lifespans. There is also no unusual antioxidant activity in the olm that might explain its longevity.Scientists at a cave station set up at Moulis, Saint-Girons in France have been studying the olm, an endangered species, since 1952. The cave is a faithful reproduction of the olm’s natural habitat and has over 400 salamanders in residence. It is the only successful breeding program of the amphibian, and the project is operated by the National Center for Scientific Research in France. Data on deaths and breeding activity have been recorded at the cave station since 1958.Ecophysiologist Yann Voituron and colleagues, from the Université Claude Bernard Lyon, have been studying the salamanders to try to understand why they live so long in comparison to their relatives. Voituron said they would like to look at the “usual genes associated with increases in lifespan, and maybe hope to detect something new.” They would also like to analyze the creatures on a cellular level and examine their mitochondria, for example, but this would necessitate killing the animals, and they do not want to do this because they have so few to work with.The scientists estimated the maximum age from the knowledge the oldest inhabitants of the cave are now at least 48 and probably in their mid or late fifties, and in related species the average lifespan is between 10 and 67 percent of the longest lifespan known for the species. This gives a conservative estimate of a maximum lifespan of 102 years for the olm, or almost double the maximum lifespan of other long-lived amphibians such as the Japanese giant salamander, with a maximum of 55 years.Voituron said the studies have shown the olm is extremely inactive and rarely moves except to feed and to reproduce (which only happens every 12.5 years). There are no predators in the caves, so they live a stress-free life. The researchers think the salamander’s limited activity and an adjusted physiology may be a way to reduce production of reactive oxygen species (that damage cells as they age) without increased antioxidants or a lower basal metabolic rate. The paper, published online in the journal Royal Society Biology Letters concludes the olm raises questions about agiing and “appears as a promising model” to study mechanisms preventing aging processes in vertebrates. Citation: Scientists study why the blind salamander lives so long (2010, July 22) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2010-07-scientists-salamander.html Explore further (PhysOrg.com) — Scientists have long been intrigued by the longevity of a tiny amphibian known as the blind salamander, but it now seems it may live a long time because it basically has no life. Proteus anguinus. Image crecit: CNRS
Facebook Comments Related posts:VIDEO: Even in defeat, Costa Rica celebrates With focus on next round, winning Group D less of a priority, says Wanchope In Costa Rica, pride for La Sele’s historic World Cup play VIDEO: Fans in the last excruciating moments of Costa Rica vs. Netherlands A La Sele fan winces after a missed penalty kick during Costa Rica’s match with the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday. After the teams played to a scoreless time through regulation and overtime, the Dutcheliminated the Ticos on penalties. Costa Rica’s national team flies home on Tuesday, after completing its best performance at the World Cup.
Today Freestyle Holidays launches an exciting competition for travel agents, with the chance to win a 6 night holiday for two in the Maldives. The prize is valued at over $12,700 and includes return flights, transfers and 6 nights accommodation at Starwood’s Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa, and W Retreat & Spa, Maldives.The brand offered a similar prize last year which was well received by agents – Andrew Hutchinson, Head of Wholesale, said “Once again we’re excited to be offering such an appealing prize! The lucky winner will experience two of the most iconic resorts in the Maldives, and bring back amazing experiences to share with clients and colleagues”.To celebrate the launch of the competition, Freestyle Holidays is promoting 50% off room rates at both the Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa and W Retreat & Spa. These deals, plus more information on the competition are available at http://www.pinpointtravelgroup.com.au/info/freestyle-holidays/Freestyle Holidays is operated by Pinpoint Travel Group, one of Australia’s leading wholesalers, which also includes Rosie Holidays and The Collection as part of its portfolio.Source = Pinpoint Travel Group
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel celebrated its full-fledged return to business as one of the world’s most revered resorts with its Grand Opening festivities this weekend. The iconic Mauna Kea celebrated with themed events featuring lavish dinners and concerts by Hawaii’s most beloved duo, Cecilio & Kapono, and the internationally acclaimed jazz-fusion artistry of Hiroshima.Jon Gersonde, general manager of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, noted that all the planning and hard work has paid off. “The resort has never looked better, we’ve had a full-house of guests this weekend, and our employees are energized about all the festivities. All systems are fully up-to-speed and our bookings are solid for the next several months.”Gersonde noted that 85 percent of the hotel’s employees have returned to work at the hotel and are enjoying the reunion with many long-time Mauna Kea guests. Friday was themed as “Cuisines of the World” with chefs flown in from Japan to prepare a special selection of meals for the guests. A “Hawaiian Pa‘ina Party” was the theme for a Saturday evening party under the stars of the Big Island’s Kohala Coast.Guests received special Grand Opening amenities throughout the weekend, including Nikon digital cameras, Plumeria Pendants, Hiroshima and Cecilio & Kapono music CDs, Big Island Candies, Mauna Kea Golf Club logo items, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel bags and Mauna Kea gift certificates.Nightly turndown service included Port Wine and strawberries and fruit and cheese.Special events for the Grand Opening included two golf tournaments, a special Wine Tasting at the newly opened Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar with its state-of-the-art Enomatic wine system, a Cooking Lesson and special luncheon with Executive Chef George Gomes, Ti Leaf Lei and Skirt Making and Hula Classes, a Hawaiian Trail Hike, Mauna Kea Art Tour and Hawaiian Storytelling.www.maunakeabeachhotel.com