Bobcats can’t catch Comets – Marshalltown Times Republican

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Local Sports

Jun 17, 2017

T-R PHOTO BY ANNE VANCE Marshalltown pitcher Tate Kuehner (11) gives chase as third baseman Sam Irwin (23) makes a sliding catch at the base of North Polks dugout during the fourth inning of Fridays non-conference baseball game at MHS. North Polk shut out the Bobcats, 2-0, for its first win in the series since 2013.

The Bobcats failed to pounce on what limited opportunities they encountered, and the Comets cashed in for the win.

North Polk junior right-hander Jake Johnson held the Marshalltown baseball team to one second-inning single, and the Comets danced around two errors to take out the Bobcats, 2-0, in Fridays non-conference contest at the MHS diamond.

Johnson (4-0) struck out three, walked none, and started 16 of the 24 batters he faced with a strike. His fastball moved about the strike zone and his defense made enough plays behind him when it counted to hold the Bobcats (9-13) scoreless for the ninth time this summer and the fifth time in their last six outings.

Designated hitter Dru Dobbins led off the bottom of the second inning with a single through the middle and advanced as far as third before Johnson escaped unscathed. Sam Irwin started the fifth by reaching on an error and stole second base but was stranded there, and the Bobcats last and best scoring chance arrived in the home half of the sixth. Dylan Eygabroad got on via an error, and he stole second with leadoff batter Nate Vance at the plate. But Vance popped out in foul territory, Tate Kuehners bunt was caught by a hard-charging first baseman, and Eygabroad was picked off second before Jordan Smiley had a chance to drive him home.

Marshalltown had just three runners on base, leaving two stranded in scoring position, and North Polk (12-4) picked up a win in the series for the first time since 2013.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE Marshalltown shortstop Dylan Eygabroad (15) prepares to tag out North Polks Adam Moxley (5) attempting to steal second base during the fourth inning of Fridays baseball game.

Weve been on the other end of that too where we havent been capable of keeping games close, so for us I guess it was good to play a close one, said MHS head coach Steve Hanson, but were not real pleased with the result.

We havent hit it and we had one base hit and they made two errors and that was it. So its pretty lonely. We dont have many opportunities, so when you have one you cant squander it as we did in the sixth inning. We had one hit and three baserunners, so thats a big, big deal, and that blew up a great opportunity and we didnt take advantage of it.

North Polk managed a mere seven hits against Marshalltowns pitchers Kuehner and Wade Canaday but five of them went for doubles. The Comets got a pair of second-inning doubles from Jeff Lamp and Mason Russell to account for their first run, and back-to-back two-out doubles by Anthony Capaldo and Colby Cupp closed North Polks scoring in the fifth.

Kuehner (2-2) struck out four, walked one and allowed two runs on five hits, while Canaday surrendered two hits and struck out one.

Their kid pitched better than ours, their team swung it better than ours, we played better defense than them but that didnt change the outcome any tonight, said Hanson. [Johnson] didnt walk anybody so I didnt find a flaw in any of the innings. He threw strike one, he kept us off-balance a little bit, but primarily hes a fastball guy and its not an overpowering fastball, but he moved it around and we did nothing so give him a lot of credit.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

Johnson also had one of two North Polk singles. Lamp finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored, and Capaldo was 2-for-3 with a double and a run.

Marshalltown has the weekend off before playing eight games in six days next week, including home doubleheaders Monday against Fort Dodge and Wednesday with Mason City. The Bobcats swept both teams on the road earlier this season, but they dont expect to do it again if they dont score any runs.

If we play well we can match up, and if we dont play well we wont match up, said Hanson. Thats kind of been the story of our existence here for the first month of the season. If we dont pitch it well and consequently give up too many opportunities, were not going to score 15 runs so we have to be really efficient with what we do offensively and then we have to make that hold up and thats a lot easier said than done.

Well have our hands full, and if we dont swing it any better than [tonight], if you give up a run, that might be too many. Its a really fine line that we have to manage right now and its a difficult thing to do.

North Polk 2, Marshalltown 0

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

At Marshalltown

North Polk 010 010 0 2 7 2

MHS 000 000 0 0 1 0

Jake Johnson and Matthew Antle; Tate Kuehner, Wade Canaday (6) and Miguel Torrez. WJohnson (4-0). LKuehner (2-2). 2BNP: Jeff Lamp 2, Colby Cupp, Mason Russell, Anthony Capaldo. LOBNP 4, MHS 2.

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Bobcats can't catch Comets - Marshalltown Times Republican

Comets’ softball season finally comes to an end with 6-1 loss to Whiteford in state semifinals – Midland Daily News

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STEVEN SIMPKINS|for the Daily News

Coleman softball coach Chad Klopf gathers his team together for a talk prior to Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford on Friday in East Lansing.

Coleman softball coach Chad Klopf gathers his team together for a talk prior to Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford on Friday in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden prepares to deliver a pitch against Ottawa Lake Whiteford, while Comets' first-baseman Brianna Townsend (1) and third-baseman Jaden Berthume crash from the corners during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden prepares to deliver a pitch against Ottawa Lake Whiteford, while Comets' first-baseman Brianna Townsend (1) and third-baseman Jaden Berthume crash from

Coleman pitcher Faith Barden winds up during Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman pitcher Faith Barden winds up during Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Autumn Tubbs crosses the plate for the Comets' only run on an RBI single by Brianna Townsend during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Autumn Tubbs crosses the plate for the Comets' only run on an RBI single by Brianna Townsend during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford

Coleman second-baseman Kenzie Miller catches a popup during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman second-baseman Kenzie Miller catches a popup during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden takes a swing during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden takes a swing during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Abigail Tubbs makes a catch in the outfield during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Abigail Tubbs makes a catch in the outfield during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Comets' softball season finally comes to an end with 6-1 loss to Whiteford in state semifinals

EAST LANSING It wouldve been easy for Coleman softball coach Chad Klopf to view Fridays loss in the Division 4 semifinals as the end of something special. Instead, he sees it as the possible start of something even more special.

Its another step (toward the ultimate goal of a state championship), Klopf said after his Comets fell 6-1 to Ottawa Lake Whiteford at Michigan State University three days after beating Holton 5-0 in the quarterfinal round to reach the final four for the first time since 2005.

Its similar to the way we looked in the quarters in the past, and we got over that hump this year, Klopf added, referring to Colemans losing twice in the quarterfinals in the early 2000s before winning it all in 2005. Hopefully, with the youth we have and the experience we have, we can get back here and try it again.

Just getting to the semifinals was quite a feat, considering the loss of arguably the most talented senior class in program history last year. And Whiteford hard-throwing sophomore pitcher Lindsey Walker and power-hitting senior centerfielder Erin Manley made sure the Comets went no farther this time around.

Walker threw a complete-game three-hitter with one walk and nine strikeouts to get the win and never allowed Coleman to get into a groove at the plate. Meanwhile, Manley crushed a pair of long home runs, neither of which left any doubt that they were leaving the yard.

Shes been phenomenal for a sophomore, Bobcats coach Kris Hubbard said of Walker. Last year, she threw hard and threw a change(up), but this year shes a (diversified) pitcher. She loves softball, and she works hard at it and spends a lot of time at it, and she has good composure for a sophomore.

Coleman senior catcher Liz Dana, the Comets leadoff hitter, was shocked to learn that the tall, strong Walker is only a 10th-grader.

Oh, god, shes only a sophomore? I would not have thought that, Dana noted. ... She had a lot of good pitches. She was a little quicker than (the) Holton (pitcher we faced on Tuesday), so I guess we werent really prepared for that. We just couldnt get around with our bats and hit off of her.

It didnt take long for her teammates to spot Walker a lead she would not relinquish three batters, to be exact.

After Karsyn Berns-Moore led off the game with a triple to the right-centerfield gap and Baylee Baldwin reached on a fielders choice, Manley blasted a monstrous three-run shot well over the rightfield fence for a 3-0 lead. The Comets answered with their only run of the game in the bottom of the second when Autumn Tubbs tripled to the right-center fence and Brianna Townsend drove her in with an infield single to cut it to 3-1.

But Walker responded by retiring 14 of the next 15 hitters she faced, and Coleman didnt get another runner into scoring position until the seventh inning. By that time, Whiteford had added a sizzling line-drive homer to rightfield by Manley in the fifth inning and a two-run single by Walker in the top of the seventh to make it 6-1.

Im so proud of this team for getting this far, for getting a step further (than last year), said Dana, Colemans lone senior. And next year (our returners) have something to shoot for still, but Im proud to be part of a team that got this far. ... The family aspect (is what Ill miss most). We goof around, and we all love each other so much, and its just a blessing to be on this team.

Although the Comets entered this season with only three returners with significant varsity experience, both Dana and Klopf said that getting all of the way to the semifinals was not particularly surprising to them.

We knew we could get here. Some of the girls are in travel ball, so they work all summer, and some them work all winter, Dana said. We knew we had the talent and the work ethic to get past the quarterfinals.

Klopf agreed.

We knew what we had in (returning pitchers/infielders) Faith (Barden) and Jaden (Berthume), and we knew Liz (Dana) would be a good leader. ... And defensively, with Makailyn Monson in centerfield, the pitchers feel pretty comfortable that they can throw whatever they want, and ... as the season has gone on, our infield has gotten stronger and stronger. Last year was more of an offensive team, and this year is more of a defensive team and pitching team.

Barden took the loss, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on six hits and four walks.

Manley was 2-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt to go with her two homers, four runs batted in, and three runs scored for Whiteford, while Berns-Moore had two hits and scored twice, and Walker walked twice to go with her two-run single.

For Coleman, Tubbs was 2-for-2 with a walk.

While the Bobcats (33-6) advance to face Indian River Inland Lakes a 9-0 winner over Kalamazoo Christian on Friday in Saturdays championship game, Coleman ends at 35-7.

Klopf said some of his players werent thrilled to receive consolation medals afterward until he put things into proper perspective.

We gave them their final four medals, and some of them were like, Oh, participation trophies, he said. But we explained to them that there are only four (teams that earn semifinalist medals) in our division and 16 total (across all divisions), and there a lot of teams that would want to be here.

Klopf added that things look very bright indeed for the Comets next season.

Its going to be tough to fit (new) people in. Were going to have to figure it out, because weve got a couple of freshmen who started the whole year for us, and all of our sophomores have done a wonderful job ... and Kalie Weidman and Autumn (Tubbs) are both juniors who have come up and shined throughout the tournament, he noted. Its going to be a tough lineup to crack. Well have to find the right person to fit behind the plate (and replace Dana as catcher), and then well see what we can do.

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Comets' softball season finally comes to an end with 6-1 loss to Whiteford in state semifinals - Midland Daily News

MnDOT to Post Human Trafficking Messages at Rest Areas – FOX 21 Online

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Minnesota has the third highest number of human trafficking cases in the nation, according to the FBI

ST. PAUL, Minn. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced it will be installing posters at 41 rest areas across the state to educate the public about human trafficking.

The posters include guidelines on how to recognize signs of human trafficking and potential victims, and a toll-free hotline to report any suspicious activity.

Human trafficking often involves travel, which includes the transport of victims form a base of operations to locations of exploitation.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Twin Cities is one of the 13 U.S. cities with a particularly high rate of child prostitution, and Minnesota has the third highest number of human trafficking cases in the nation, said MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle. MnDOTs responsibility for maintaining the quality and safety of multiple modes of transportation, including highways, airports, rail lines, transit systems, and commercial vehicles, provides unique opportunities to see, and stop, human trafficking.

MnDOT signed a pledge in January 2017 to join Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking, to make a stand against human trafficking and work to develop resources to inform the traveling public, as well as its employees on the issues.

To learn more about the initiative visitwww.dot.state.mn.us/humantraffickingawareness/

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MnDOT to Post Human Trafficking Messages at Rest Areas - FOX 21 Online

Trump’s Cuba policy tries to redefine ‘good’ US tourism. That includes putting visitors back on tour buses. – Washington Post

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(Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

The American traveler in Cuba sweating, disoriented and probably a bit woozy from the rum drinks is once more at the heart of the struggle for the islands future.

Central to President Trumps plans to peel back his predecessors detente with Cuba is the idea that there is good and bad U.S. travel. The United States, Trump believes, can tightly regulate American vacations to deprive the Castro government of dollars and redirect the money to the islands growing class of entrepreneurs.

But it will be difficult to pick winners in Cubas state-controlled economy, where government businesses and the private sector are thoroughly intertwined. And even harder will be determining what sort of travel constitutes the kind of people-to-people interactions the Trump administration says it wants to preserve.

By reinstating restrictions on independent travelers, the Trump administrations new policy will hurt Cubas emerging private sector that caters to American visitors, critics insist.

Instead, the new rules will herd Americans back toward the kind of prepackaged, predictable group tourism that the Cuban government actually prefers and earns more revenue from.

I think if you come here on a package tour, you see what the Cuban government wants you to see, said Andrew Sleyko, 36, a food scientist from Chicago who was visiting the island for the first time as Trump announced his new policy.

Sleyko and a friend had booked rooms through Airbnb and were spending their days walking around the city in the muggy heat.

Were talking to people wherever we go, he said. Isnt that the idea of people-to-people?

[Whats changing and whats not with Trumps new Cuba policy]

The Trump plan, announced Friday in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood, asserts that the Obama-era rules facilitated what the White House called illegal tourism by allowing U.S. travelers to rent rooms in Cuban homes through sites such as Airbnb.

Americans will generally still be allowed to visit Cuba if they come on cruise ships, for instance, or book with U.S.- approved tour agencies that ensure travel itineraries do not include too much unstructured time.

The complication for Trumps rules, however, is that large tour groups are too big for smaller bed-and-breakfast rentals, and their government-appointed guides tend to ply the well-trodden routes that bypass the new galleries, restaurants and night spots opened by enterprising Cubans and others after the openings spurred by Obama.

That, in turn, will cause a ripple effect.

If independent American travel is cut off, you wont only hurt the bed-and-breakfasts. Its also the construction crews, the private tour guides, the taxi drivers, the restaurants and the artists selling handicrafts, said Andrea Gallina, an Italian entrepreneur who last year opened a high-end boutique hotel, Paseo 206, with his Cuban spouse.

The 1934 mansion has an Italian restaurant on the ground floor, and Gallina estimates two-thirds of his guests are American, booking rooms through Airbnb, Expedia and other U.S. sites.

To be honest, Americans dont have time to go to the beach, because they get absorbed into the city, he said. Independent travelers have more contact with real Cubans.

Gallina employs 22 Cuban workers. If his bookings decline because of a travel crackdown, he said, he will likely turn to the European market and tighten our belts.

American travel to Cuba has been a political battleground since the early 1990s, when the collapse of the Soviet Union left the islands communist government starved for hard currency.

[With Cuba shift, Trump could undercut his companys hotel rivals]

As its resort industry grew and more foreign visitors arrived, the Castro governments enemies in Miami and in the halls of Congress fought to restrict Americans from going knowing their dollars could undermine efforts to choke the Cuban economy.

Instead, Cubas tourism industry grew on euros and Canadian dollars.

But thats beginning to change.

The government says it received more than 4 million tourists last year a record number of which about 615,000 were U.S. visitors. That includes 330,000 Cuban Americans visiting relatives on the island, but many of the rest were Americans taking advantage of Obamas landmark moves to restore diplomatic ties with Cuba.

Travel by non-Cuban Americans has been on pace to double this year, according to the latest government data.

But Trumps rollback is expected to put a brake on that growth. U.S. officials say the new restrictions have yet to be written and will not take effect until then, and Americans who have already booked Cuba travel wont have to cancel.

Limited economic reforms by Cuban leader Ral Castro, 86, have allowed Cuban entrepreneurs to buy and sell property and run small businesses, but it was Obamas normalization measures that kicked the process into overdrive.

In Old Havanas tourist quarter, entire city blocks of crumbling century-old buildings are being renovated and turned into boutique hostels and chic cafes.

The work is being almost entirely carried out by private sector tradesman and contractors.

Ive never been this busy, said Roberto Claro, a dust-covered construction foreman in Old Havana, whose crew was busy converting a ruined, century-old building into a seafood restaurant. There were two other buildings on the same block also getting an overhaul.

The new rules aim to ban or limit Americans from patronizing military-linked businesses including Cubas gargantuan GAESA conglomerate, which is estimated to control more than half of the islands tourist economy.

The U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control said Friday it will provide Americans with a lists of prohibited hotels and other businesses linked to the company so American travelers can steer clear.

U.S. travelers will need to keep detailed records and receipts from their Cuba trips in case of an audit by Treasury Department officials, and that alone could be a deterrent if aggressively enforced.

The real challenge in implementing will be this, said Chris Sabatini, a lecturer at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs and the director of the website Global Americans. Monitoring travelers, evaluating who is staying in military-owned hotels, tracking license compliance all that requires bureaucratic capacity and follow up.

Because Treasurys foreign assets division is the same office in charge of enforcing sanctions against countries such as Iran and North Korea, it has come under criticism for devoting resources to investigating the vacation receipts of American travelers who visit Cuba. A bipartisan Senate bill that would completely lift travel restrictions has 55 co-sponsors.

You or I could travel to any country on the globe and theres not a federal government prohibition from us doing so the only restriction is Cuba, Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) told CNN as Trump announced the new measures. Were not the Soviet Union. We dont have to have travel papers for the government to decide whether or not you can travel.

Treasury said it will issue new guidelines in the coming months.

Gallina and others in Havana said they have been flooded with calls and emails from Americans in the past three days asking if they should cancel their trips.

nick.miroff@washpost.com

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Trump's Cuba policy tries to redefine 'good' US tourism. That includes putting visitors back on tour buses. - Washington Post

US drops $258m on supercomputer development to chase down China – ZDNet

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(Image: Top500)

The United States will spent $258 million over three years in an effort to develop a supercomputer capable of hitting one exaflop.

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced on Thursday that Washington would be awarding the money to AMD, Cray, HPE, IBM, Intel, and Nvidia to develop hardware, software, and applications.

The companies will be kicking in at least 40 percent of the costs, taking the total investment for the program to in excess of $430 million.

"Continued US leadership in high-performance computing is essential to our security, prosperity, and economic competitiveness as a nation," Perry said.

The funding will come from the Department of Energy's Exascale Computing Project (ECP) and falls under the PathForward program, with the goal to create a one-exascale system by 2021.

"The work funded by PathForward will include development of innovative memory architectures, higher-speed interconnects, improved reliability systems, and approaches for increasing computing power without prohibitive increases in energy demand," ECP director Paul Messina said.

"It is essential that private industry play a role in this work going forward: Advances in computer hardware and architecture will contribute to meeting all four challenges."

In recent years, a pair of Chinese supercomputers have held the top two spots in the Top500 supercomputer list.

Both computers are run by the Chinese National Supercomputing Center, with the Sunway TaihuLight machine in Wuxi rated at 93 petaflops, and Tianhe-2 in Guangzhou claiming 34 petaflops.

This did not stop the US Department of Energy claiming a form of leadership in a statement.

"While the US has five of the 10 fastest computers in the world, its most powerful -- the Titan system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory -- ranks third behind two systems in China," it said.

"The US retains global leadership in the actual application of high-performance computing to national security, industry, and science."

Not to be left out, the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology intends to create a 130-petaflop computer for AI development.

It is expected Japan will spent approximately 19.5 billion yen on the computer.

Originally posted here:

US drops $258m on supercomputer development to chase down China - ZDNet

A Supercomputer Has Just Created The Biggest Virtual Universe Ever – Wall Street Pit

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In a study that was recently published in the journal Computational Astrophysics and Cosmology, researchers from the University of Zurich report that with the help of a large supercomputer, they have been able to simulate how our Universe was formed thats a total of 25 billion virtual galaxies and they were able to do it in just 80 hours, making use of about 2 trillion digital particles in the process.

To make the simulation possible, the researchers used a code referred to as PKDGRAV3 which they specifically developed for use with the superior processing power and memory of a supercomputer. For this particular purpose, they used the Piz Daint supercomputer at the Swiss National Computing Center (CSCS).

Owing to the extreme precision of their calculation that featured how dark matter fluid might have evolved under its own gravity, the researchers were able to simulate the formation of small concentrations of matter called dark matter halos. This is crucial because scientists believe that galaxies like our own Milky Way Galaxy were formed within such halos.

There was nothing easy about arriving at those calculations, especially because they were dealing with dark matter, and they had to incorporate its potential effects and influence on other parts of the Universe. As Professor Joachim Stadel, one of the studys co-authors, told Universe Today, part of the task done in Barcelona under the direction of Pablo Fossalba and Francisco Castander also involved integrating galaxy features such as their expected colors, spatial distribution and the emission lines.

The virtual universe created is meant to help guide and calibrate experiments being conducted on the Euclid satellite, scheduled for launching in 2020 with the primary mission of exploring the dark side of our Universe.

Based on the little we know, nearly 95% of our Universe is comprised of dark material 23% dark matter and 72% dark energy. Dark here means literally dark. We cant really see it, and its existence can only be inferred through indirect observation and its effects on surrounding observable matter. In the case of the Euclid satellite, researchers will be measuring the distortions that result as light emanating from countless galaxies is deflected by the presence of dark matter.

Through the data collected, it is hoped that Euclid will be able to provide new information that can help expand our understanding of the Universe its history, how it evolved into what it is today, and what it will be like in the future. Maybe, it can also lead to new discoveries that may refine or alter some of the physics models we know today, such as Einsteins Relativity Theory. Helping discover new types of particles will be an awesome bonus too.

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A Supercomputer Has Just Created The Biggest Virtual Universe Ever - Wall Street Pit

Supercomputer arms race hots up as US commits $258m to research – Siliconrepublic.com

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To try and stay ahead in the supercomputer arms race with China, the US is pumping $258m into six firms to speed up development.

While various countries including Ireland are investing time and money to develop the next generation of supercomputers capable of performing enormous computations in seconds, the US and China are firmly in the lead.

Within the US, the most notable example would be IBMs Watson programme, which plans to overhaul various sectors from healthcare to insurance with artificial intelligence and big data.

However, aiming to be the world leader in supercomputers by 2020 is China, whichlast year revealed the most powerful machinein the world, the Sunway TaihuLight, with 93 petaflops of processing power.

Now, the supercomputer arms race is heating up with news that the US Department of Energy (DoE) is pumping $258m into research in this field across six American tech companies: IBM, Intel, HP Enterprise, Nvidia, Cray and AMD.

The purpose of the PathForward programme, the department said, is to maximise the energy efficiency and overall performance of future large-scale supercomputers.

As part of the deal, the companies will be providing additional funding, amounting to at least 40pc of their total project cost, bringing the total investment to at least $430m.

The work funded by PathForward will include development of innovative memory architectures, higher-speed interconnects, improved reliability systems, and approaches for increasing computing power without prohibitive increases in energy demand, said Paul Messina, director of the DoEs Exascale Computing Project.

It is essential that private industry plays a role in this work going forward.Advances in computer hardware and architecture will contribute to meeting all four challenges.

The head of the DoE, Rick Perry, went so far as to say that supercomputers will be essential to the USs security, prosperity, and economic competitiveness as a nation.

However, the US is now facing the prospect of a three-way race to supercomputing domination, with news that Japan is currently building a supercomputer that can outperform Chinas Sunway TaihuLight.

According to CNN, Japans AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure supercomputer will be capable of performing at an incredible 130 petaflops, or 130 quadrillion calculations per second.

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Supercomputer arms race hots up as US commits $258m to research - Siliconrepublic.com

About CSP | Graduate Programs in Christian Spirituality …

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The program dates for Summer 2017 are:

The Master of Arts with a major in Christian Spirituality and the graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreat are summer-only programs of graduate-level courses. Solid academicstudy is combined with a personal appropriation ofthe Christian faith through prayer and worship. Theapplication of these aspects to one's life and ministry is stressed in both programs.

The primary value of Creighton University's graduate programs in Christian Spirituality is the integration ofthree elements:

The long-range goal of the program is to foster an apostolic spirituality which promotes the deep spiritual and moral renewal needed for Christians to respond appropriately to the many urgent issues facing humanity in the twenty-first century.

The courses are offered in four-week terms with two terms scheduled each summer. One may register for either term or both terms.

An eight-day, silent, directed retreat is held three times each year. All are welcome,though space is limited and registration is required. Participation in the Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton is not required to attend the retreat. The dates of the 2017 retreats are:

March 6-15, 2017

June 1-10, 2017

July 31-August 9, 2017

If you have questions orwould like materials mailed to you or a friend, please use our Request Information Form on this web site or email your name and mailing address to: csp@creighton.edu or phone toll free 800.637.4279 and ask for Colleen Hastings, Administrative Assistant.

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About CSP | Graduate Programs in Christian Spirituality ...

What is the spiritual life? – Sri Chinmoy’s official site

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Here we are all seekers, seekers of the infinite Light and the eternal Truth. What does this mean? It means that we have accepted the spiritual life soulfully and consciously.

The paramount question is, "What is the spiritual life?" The spiritual life is something that is natural and normal. It is always natural and it is always normal, unlike other things that we come across in our day-to-day multifarious activities. The spiritual life is normal and natural precisely because it knows its Source. Its Source is God the infinite Light and God the eternal Truth.

When we follow the spiritual life, we come to feel that a life of peace need not always remain a far cry. We come to feel that a life of love, the love that expands, need not always remain a far cry. Everything that fulfils us divinely and supremely, we can achieve and claim as our very own if we follow the spiritual life. Right now Peace, Light and Bliss in abundant measure we do not have at our disposal. But when we practise spirituality, when our inner cry, which we call aspiration, climbs up high, higher, highest, at that time Peace, Light and Bliss we get not only in abundant measure but in infinite measure. And we can achieve and treasure these divine qualities in the inmost recesses of our hearts. When we practise the spiritual life soulfully, devotedly and unconditionally, we try to bring to the fore the divinity that we all have. And this divinity is nothing short of our perfection.

Here we are all seekers. Each seeker represents the ideal and the real. The ideal is self-transcendence and the real is God's all-pervading Consciousness.

If we want to grow into the real and the ideal in us, we have to clean our mind thoroughly of the undivine thoughts that are constantly assailing us. And we have to empty our heart and fill it with infinite Light and Delight. Then God the Real and God the Ideal will be able to sing and dance in our aspiring being.

Here we are all seekers. We are all chosen instruments of the Supreme, our Beloved Supreme, the Eternal Pilot. We can prove this soulful statement of ours, not by words but by deeds, by our serving love and loving service.

Loving service. Our loving service can prove to the world at large that we are the chosen instruments of the Supreme, for the Supreme. When we love the Supreme soulfully, devotedly and unconditionally in our aspiring mind, we heighten our God-Height; and when we serve the Supreme soulfully, devotedly and unconditionally in our aspiring mind, we deepen our God-Depth.

Since we are the chosen instruments of the Supreme, our immediate necessity is God-realisation and our absolute duty is God-manifestation. In the fulfilment of our immediate necessity, we can become the torch-bearers of infinite Truth and the harbingers of God-Vision within us and without. In the fulfilment of our absolute duty, we discover that we are God-seeds and God-fruits. Let us offer our God-seed to the Supreme; let us place it at His Feet, so it may grow into a divine tree that can lift humanity to the highest transcendental Height. Let us also offer to the Supreme our God-fruit. Let us place our God-fruit at His Feet for His Manifestation, His total and complete Manifestation here on earth.

~Sri Chinmoy Northwestern University 1 7 December 1975

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Christian Spirituality | Creighton University

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The Master of Arts degree in Christian Spirituality and the Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats are a living synthesis of graduate-level study, personal prayer, shared faith and a commitment to apostolic work.

Thedegree and certificate draw faculty and students from all parts of the United States and several other countries.

The program's more than 800 graduates, including laity, religious, and clergy, attest that Creighton's Spirituality program applies to a wide range of ministries.

A major focus of the program is to preparestudents to provide spiritual direction and to give individually-directed retreats in the Ignatian tradition.

1. Graduates will demonstrate mastery of core content in the following fields: Scripture, Church Tradition and Christian heritage, Contemporary theology and psychology with an emphasis on Ignatian Spirituality. 2. Graduates will demonstrate pastoral program development skills, critical thinking, and effective disciplinary problem-solving in the field of Christian Spirituality and Ignatian Spiritual Direction. 3. Graduates will demonstrate an apostolic orientation directed toward more effective ministry skills especially toward preparation for giving spiritual direction and directed retreats in an Ignatian format. 4. Graduates will demonstrate competent, respectful and effective communication of Spirituality in written and oral English. 5. Graduates will demonstrate learned skills for lifelong deliberation and discernment. 6. Graduates will demonstrate effective intercultural competency required for meaningful Christian Ministry and Ignatian Spirituality.

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Center for Spirituality | Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN

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The Center for Spirituality offers programs that promote the engagement between faith and reason and the connection between mind, body, and spirit. Spirituality at the Center is discussed as an academic discipline and as a way of life and includes individual and social dimensions of spirituality. We draw on intellectual resources in the Catholic and Christian heritage as well as how individuals practice faith in their daily lives to develop critical conversations around contemporary religious issues, especially as they relate to womens experience.

Opportunities for students include: annual fall and spring lecture series on designated themes such as faith in public life or sustainability; the Madeleva Lecture given annually by a prestigious female scholar of religion; and the Real Life Project in vocation, inviting women in small groups to discuss the ways in which faith intersects with their future careers.

32nd Madeleva Lecture NOW ONLINE!

A Hunger for Wholeness: Soul, Space, and Transcendence Ilia Delio, OSF, Villanova University

NEWS/ARTICLES OF INTEREST

Madeleva Lecturer Ilia Delio's recent article in National Catholic Reporter

NCR article about Fr. Bryan Massingale's recent lecture at SMC

Biblical Scholar Sandra Schneiders Celebrates Four Milestones Schneiders is a two-time Madeleva Lecturer. She has also been the main speaker for past Summer Seminars.

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Center for Spirituality | Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN

Spirituality Center | The Sage Colleges

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The Spirituality Center offers a safe place for spiritual gatherings, religious ritual, healing, celebration, educational events and social justice activities. The Spirituality Center encourages the honoring, sharing and celebrating of the sacred in the diverse range of forms present in all the religious traditions represented in the Sage community.

The Spirituality Center is a place

The Spirituality Center fosters a spiritual community in which diversity is embraced. It is a place where communication is encouraged so that groups and individuals can learn from each other and work together to make a difference in our society.

The Spirituality Center offers you the opportunity to integrate a centered life with your social and educational life during your college career. If you are uncertain about your religious convictions or simply have many unanswered questions, the Sage Spirituality Center welcomes you as well. Should you desire it, individual spiritual counseling is available to assist you in deepening your personal and spiritual growth. In addition, there will be time for fun and just being together with friends!

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Enlightenment and spirituality on the fringe of Fieldays 2017 – Stuff.co.nz

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THOMAS MANCH

Last updated10:17, June 18 2017

THOMAS MANCH

Amani, a Hare Krishna monk, was at Fieldays asking farmers to consider a greater purpose and a lifestyle that didn't exploit animals.

Enlightenment might not have been on the shopping list this Fieldays, but it was on offer.

On the fringes of Fieldays 2017, four soldiers of dharma and a flock of Christian students were asking the hard questions.

Amani, a Hare Krishna monk from Hamilton, could be found at an intersectionbetween tractor stalls asking,"Who are you?

THOMAS MANCH

Emerson Bredin from the Fellowship of Christian Farmers: "We're not here trying to force it on anybody we just talk to them about it."

"You might think you're a farmer, but that's a temporary designation," he said.

READ MORE: *Dare-to-wear acting prime minister opts for pink gumboots at Fieldays *Green Party finding firmer ground at Fieldays *Parking a car a second is the job of Fieldays volunteers *Fieldays 2017 brings promise of big crowds and robotic revolution

Seeking to spark interest in deeper thoughts, he was eager to sharethe monk's "simple living, high thinking" way of life.

"They're out here looking for gumboots, tractors, Swanndris this is a chance. Someknow there is something more to life than the day-to-day grind."

He is one of five monks who opened a new meditation centre in Hamilton three months ago. The monkswere at Fieldays to attract interest in their practice.

"This is where everyone is."

The Hamilton monks are vegan, a subject that wasn't broached with the meat- and milk-farming crowd.

"Veganismis a natural side effect. Once you understand who you are, you don't want to be exploiting others for your own sustenance."

The response from curious farmers was good, he said. Many had taken copies ofthe Hare Krishna text, the Bhagavad-gita.

Another book Amani recommended, Hiding in Unnatural Happiness, was out of stock.

A source ofspirituality more commonly seen in the hands of Fieldays punters were wooden walking sticks given out by the Fellowship of Christian Farmers.

The group, from the United States, had a stall in the Town and Country section manned by students from the Capernwray bible college in Cambridge.

Emerson Bredin, 18, said walking sticks were adorned withcoloured beads representing Jesus's love and sacrifice, God's gift of free will and forgiveness.

"We're not here trying to force it on anybody we just talk to them about it."

Bredin had read about issues with mental health and suicide faced by the rural communityand said the group offered something to farmers who were struggling.

"Coming from a farming background, I know that it is an isolated activity. You think, getting up to milk the cows, why am I here on Earth?"

The majority of people stopping to chat were Christian farmers, he said.

"Even the ones who aren't are at least giving us the time It's interesting hearing their stories; it's really nice when people open up."

Originally from Ontario, Canada, Bredin travelled to New Zealand for a course at the bible college.

"I wanted to get as far away from home as I could. I had problems with street fighting and drinking."

The Fellowship of Christian Farmers has maintained a presence at Fieldays for the past seven years.

-Stuff

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Jammu bends to Yoga – Daily Excelsior – Daily Excelsior

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O P Sharma International Yoga Day is being observed on June 21, with great enthusiasm and fervor all across the globe in almost over 176 nations. Like other parts of the country, special programs have been chalked out by the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan at Jammu for celebrations with renewed spirit and vigour this year too. It is noteworthy that Jammu and Kashmir State will not lag behind in projection and promotion of Yoga to ensure physical, mental and spiritual development of its citizens. It is a fact that Yoga unites all the human beings and acts as an integrating factor. It is noteworthy that Yoga is voluntary. Because of its usefulness it is being adopted by one and all. It may be recalled that the UN General Assembly (UNGA) had declared on December 14, 2014, that June 21 will be International Yoga Day every year, recognizing ancient Indian civilizations Yoga for its holistic approach to health and well-being for the population of universe. It was Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who proposed and pleaded for adoption of Yoga Day in the UN General Assembly in his speech on September 27, 2014. The resolution for the Yoga Day was solidly supported by 175 of the 193 nations including the United States, Syria, Russia, Britain; China, Philippines as also some Islamic countries as well . The UNGA resolution said a goal of the Yoga Day is the wider dissemination of information about the benefits of practicing yoga would be beneficial for the health of the world population. It amply proves that Yoga is really a testimony to the enthusiastic cross-cultural and universal appeal. It is a holistic way of life that stresses harmony between man and nature and simpler lifestyles and can also help fight climate change. Yoga has the unique power to bring the entire humanity together! It beautifully combines Gyan (knowledge), Karm (work) and Bhakti (devotion). It is noteworthy that Indian Prime Minister rightly raised this vital point at the worId forum and got Yoga its due status among the comity of nations. Yoga is both a philosophy and a science. It is worth mentioning that the people of any faith or even no-faith can practice Yoga for healthful and happy living. Misconceptions about Yoga are now fading away, steadily but surely. Peoples Programme Jammu and Kashmir State also, like other parts of India, is making rapid progress in the field of Yoga. Jammu is emerging as a nerve centre for its activities. Some organizations are functioning to promote Yoga among the masses. This northern State had rich tradition of Yoga and there were great saints and seers, who preached and practiced Yoga so that the new generation adopts it for benefit. A few such Yoga gurus are: Swami Nityaanand, Hari Bhagat, Dharendra Brahamchari, Swami Laxman Joo, Bhagwan Gopinath in the recent past who promoted Yoga in a big way. The Bhartiya Yog Sansthan, J&K is operating for the last more than about five decades. This premier organization is operating from its prestigious building in Talab Tillo, Jammu under the dynamic and inspiring leadership of Satyapaul Sharma, Mahavir Prasad and a band of some motivated persons. This modern and spacious Yog Ashram is carrying on its activities under the experts. The President of this institution, Satyapaul Sharma, in an interview, spoke about the basic objectives and benefits of Yoga activities conducted by this premier institution. He said that Yoga is getting popularity among men, women and particularly the youth. Yog is becoming gradually the peoples programme now, he said and added this Sansthan has spread its wings through its network of more than 110 centres functioning every morning and evening. Yoga Kendras are also engaged in having special classes for security forces and educational institutions. An ambitious future plan has been drawn up, he added. Patanjali Yog Peeth, an organization of Swami Baba Ramdev, too is effectively spreading the message of Yoga through its network in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir. While holding Yog Aasans, training is also imparted and Indian system of medicines promoted. Even the University of Jammu has a separate wing for various courses in Yoga by competent and qualified experts. This is the popular centre in the University. Some other Yoga organizations are also lending their helping hand in promoting Yoga practices among the people by holding early morning Yoga sessions in different places. Sanjay Asen, a reputed Yoga teacher, opined: Yoga is a way of life and an integrative systems of education for the body, mind and the inner spirit. This art of right living was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago but since Yoga deals with universal truths, its teachings are equally valid now in our times. Yoga is a practical aid and its techniques may be practised by Budhists, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and even atheists alike. So Yoga is union with all. The awareness of Yogas usefulness is spreading fast in all the parts of the States. Swami Ramakrishna Mission, Udyewalla, Jammu and few other Ashrams are also actively engaged in promoting Yoga practices. On the International Yoga Day, June 21, an impressive function will be held at Yog Sansthan, Jammu. Many other Yoga camps will be organized on this particular day throughout Jammu and Kashmir. Major benefits of daily Yoga are that almost all the minor ailments or even major diseases can be prevented and even cured through its proper practice. Yoga can be useful in weight loss, building up a strong and flexible body, glowing skin, peaceful mind, good health and overall inner strength and whatever one may be looking for yoga has it to offer. It is expected that with the adoption of Yoga by all sections of people will lead to a better individual health and harmony in the humanity. All the nations can look forward to better quality of life with healthy-happy minds and also spiritual enlightenment. All the Indians must take pride in the precious legacy of Yoga bequeated given by our great Rishis of the ancient times. (Starline Syndicate Service)

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Emerge from Ramadan to promote national peace, unity – Veep tells Muslims at Iftar – BusinessGhana

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The Vice-President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has advised Muslims to emerge from the Ramadan (month of fasting) with a renewed commitment to promote national peace, unity and development.

The month of Ramadan, which we are yet to conclude, is a month in which Muslims around the world are reminded of the values that are crucial to leadership, driven by public morality and targeted at effective governance, he said.

Those values, he said, included tolerance, patience, fairness, forgiveness, charity, sacrifice, among others.

The Vice-President gave the advice when he hosted a section of the Muslim community to Iftar, a break from the Ramadan fast, at the Flagstaff House last Wednesday night.

IFTAR

The Iftar is the meal served at the end of the day during Ramadan to break the day's fast. Literally meaning break fast, it is served at sunset each day during the Ramadan. It is often done as a communal thing, with people gathering to break their fast together.

Many Muslims believe that feeding someone at Iftar as a form of charity is very rewarding and that such was practised by the Prophet Muhammad.

Peace

The Vice-President said Ramadan was a period of contemplation, reflection, compassion and reconciliation for the benefit of self and society, both spiritually and materially.

The observance of Ramadan, he said, ought to be a means of bringing strength and the earnest will to live in peace together with fellow humans.

He, therefore, called on the Muslim fraternity to extend their hand to all humanity in genuine brotherliness, saying the quest for peace was an inherent attribute of the great founders of the various faiths who practised fasting and self-denial as the path to spiritual enlightenment and the promotion of peace, love, mercy, justice and forgiveness.

Dr Bawumia said it was crucial for every leader to imbibe those basic tenets that Islam and other religions promoted as the bedrock of ethical living in society.

While declaring that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was a man of peace and tolerance, the Vice-President said the avowed passion of the President was to see all Ghanaians living together in peace, irrespective of their varied backgrounds.

Total inclusion

The President, he said, would not want to see any group left out in national development engagement, stressing: We want to have a Ghana where everybody is included in our development, and this is why President Nana Akufo-Addo has put together the Zongo Development Fund.

He said it was an imposing mark in the history of the country for the President, apart from setting up that fund, to appoint a minister for Inner City and Zongo Development to ensure that all sections of society were involved in national development.

Dr Bawumia described the Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharabutu, who was present at the event, as the embodiment of the Islamic religion in the country and prayed for Allahs blessings for a spirited leadership for the benefit of all.

Present at the event were ministers of state, Members of Parliament (MPs), the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi; the Black Stars coach, Mr Kwesi Appiah; Black Star players Dede Ayew, Majid Waris and Sulley Muntari and some members of the Diplomatic Corps.

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Baking Experiments on International Space Station – TrendinTech

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A future experiment on the International Space Station is taking the recipe instruction allow the dough to rise to all new heights. Scheduled to launch in 2018 during Horizons, Alexander Gersts second science mission as a European Space Agency astronaut, Bake in Space will experiment with a specialty bread dough in a microgravity oven to bake in orbit for the first time ever.

Baking where nobody baked before, said the team behind Bake In Space. Bake In Space seeks to address the scientific and technical challenges relating to the production of fresh bread in space. The Bake in Space team behind the experiment is compromised of former shuttle astronaut Gerhard Thiele, German scientists, and engineers but its not about augmenting the current station crews diet. Instead, researchers are exploring options for future space travel, when spaceflight is available for private tours.

As space tourism takes off and people spend more time in space, we need to allow bread to be made from scratch, said Sebastian Marcu, CEO, and founder of Bake In Space, based in Bremen Germany. The main difficulty with bread in space and the driving force behind the experiment is the tiny, innocuous breadcrumb. While perfectly innocent on Earth, in the microgravity of space, they can cause a laundry list of issues including complications with ventilation filters or electrical system failures. A breadcrumb could even cause health problems if inhaled by an astronaut or space tourist.

In past missions, crumb-less bread solutions, as developed by NASA, have been unappetizing, to say the least. After crews on the Mercury and Gemini missions snuck sandwiches on board, astronaut food supplies included pre-cut bread cubes coated in gelatin to encapsulate the crumbs. Eventually, bread was removed from the equation entirely and replaced with tortillas space shuttle era missions.

Bake in Space will attempt to make a type of German bread roll using a unique dough and a small convection or vacuum oven that requires little power. In a video recorded earlier this year, astronaut Shane Kimbrough explained from aboard the space station, The first thing we need for a sandwich is a piece of bread. Well, up here, we dont have bread like you have on Earth, but we have tortillas. So we use tortillas a lot for our sandwiches.

However, breadcrumbs alone are not the only difficulties Bake in Space will face in testing their new bread dough. The dough must produce a bread that is not only nutritious but also enjoyable to consume and emotionally satisfying, emitting the warm and pleasant smell of freshly baked bread. A goal described on the companys website: Besides [being] a source for nutrition, the smell of fresh bread evokes memories of general happiness and is an important psychological factor. It is a symbol of recreational time and procedure down on Earth.

This is the biggest challenge, agreed Florian Stukenborg with the research firm TTZ Bremerhaven. Similar food-based experiments have already been performed previously for fresh produce grown in a plant chamber called Veggie, and a microgravity coffee makes called ISSPresso. Besides baking bread, Bake in Space also hopes to form a sourdough batter in space, which will later be baked on Earth and become the first space-born loaf sold on the planet.

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Long March 3B to launch Zhongxing-9A television satellite – SpaceFlight Insider

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Curt Godwin

June 17th, 2017

Image Credit: Peoples Republic of China

China is preparing to launch theZhongxing-9A direct-to-home (DTH) television service satellite aboard the countrys Long March 3B/E carrier rocket. Although newsfrom the countrys tight-lipped space agency is difficult to come by, information fromtheGBTimes indicates the launch may occur as soon as June 18, 2017, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Tipping the scales at more than 11,200 pounds (5,100 kilograms) is the Zhongxing-9A satellite, also known as ChinaSat 9A. It will ride to space atop the 185-foot (56.3-meter) tall Long March 3B/E.

File photo of a Long March 3B being prepared for launch at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Photo credit: Chinanews.com

Built on the indigenous DFH-4bus, the spacecraft isChinas first domestically-produced DTH satellite. It will provide services to mainland China,the autonomous regions of Macau and Hong Kong, and the island of Taiwan via 24 Ku-band transponders.

ChinaSat 9A has a design lifetime of 15 years, and will be positioned at 101.4 degrees East in geostationary orbit.

One of Chinas workhorse rockets, the Long March 3B willdeliver the spacecraft into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). The boosterhas launched 39 times notching 37 successes, onepartial failure, and onetotal failure across both its standard (3B) and enhanced (3B/E) configurations.

Although it hasnt been confirmed, its assumed the rocket will be configured in its enhanced arrangement to support delivering the heavy payload to GTO.

The Long March 3B/Eis a three-stage rocket, with four supplemental liquid-fueled strap-on boosters. When outfitted in the enhanced configuration, the vehicle is capable of lofting 12,100 pounds (5,500 kilograms) into GTO, compared to the11,200 pounds (5,100 kilograms) in the standard configuration.

At liftoff, the firststages YF-21C engine and the supplemental power suppliedby a singleYF-25 on each of the four boostersprovide 1.3 million pounds (5,923.2 kilonewtons) of sea-level thrust. The boosters operate for 140 seconds before falling away, while the first stage burns for an addition 20 seconds.

The vehicles second stage is powered by a YF-24E propulsion unit comprised of a loneYF-22E engine and a quartet ofYF-23C vernier thrusters. In total, the YF-24E provides 177,419 pounds (789.2 kilonewtons) of thrust and operates for slightly more than three minutes.

Like its first stage and booster siblings, the second stages YF-24E burns a relatively inefficient mixture of nitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine. Although this toxic mixture is significantly less efficient than either a kerosene/liquid oxygen or liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen combination, it has the benefit of being able to be stored at room temperature.

The third stage is outfitted with a single YF-75 engine, producing 37,850 pounds (167 kilonewtons) of vacuum thrust and burning a mixture of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This stage can operate for nearly eight minutes across two ignitions.

This will mark Chinas sixth launch in 2017.

Tagged: China Lead Stories Long March 3B/E Xichang Satellite Launch Center Zhongxing-9A

Curt Godwin has been a fan of space exploration for as long as he can remember, keeping his eyes to the skies from an early age. Initially majoring in Nuclear Engineering, Curt later decided that computers would be a more interesting - and safer - career field. He's worked in education technology for more than 20 years, and has been published in industry and peer journals, and is a respected authority on wireless network engineering. Throughout this period of his life, he maintained his love for all things space and has written about his experiences at a variety of NASA events, both on his personal blog and as a freelance media representative.

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Long March 3B to launch Zhongxing-9A television satellite - SpaceFlight Insider

ARCA to perform historic space flight of aerospike engine – Space Fellowship

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For 60 years the aerospace industry has been waiting for this moment, a moment ARCA Space Corporation will offer to the scientific community in August this year by launching the Demonstrator 3 space vehicle: the first space flight of an aerospike rocket engine. Soon we are going to know if the hopes and dreams of generations of aerospace engineers, in their pursuit to create what is supposed to be the most efficient rocket engine in the world, will materialize. We hope to confirm that aerospike rocket engines, which are significantly more fuel efficient than the current engines, are achievable and that they can lead the way to the creation of Single Stage to Orbit rockets, which are more cost efficient and responsive.

The aerospike engine was extensively tested on the ground by NASA and Rocketdyne, and it was a strong contender for the Space Shuttle. It was also part of NASAs VentureStar, a Single Stage to Orbit vehicle. Due to schedule and budget constraints, the Space Shuttle received a classic bell-shaped nozzle engine and the VentureStar was canceled before getting to see an actual flight. Hence, the aerospike engine never saw a space flight to this day. In March 2017 however, ARCA Space Corporation brought this technology back into the publics attention by introducing the Haas 2CA Single Stage to Orbit rocket equipped with the Executor Aerospike linear rocket engine. The Haas 2CA is an orbital launcher aiming to operate on the small satellite market, estimated by Space Works and Eurostat at $5.3 billion over the next decade.

ARCA Space Corporation

The Haas 2CA engine needs to be tested. Ground and vacuum tests are scheduled at ARCA and NASAs JSC/WSTF. However, ARCA wants to gather more data about how the aerospike technology performs in flight before the launch of the Haas 2CA, which is scheduled for 2018 from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. This is where the Demonstrator 3 rocket comes in and will continue the tradition of ARCAs previous demonstrator rockets.

Demonstrator 3 will perform a suborbital space flight up to an altitude of 100 km above the New Mexico desert. What is remarkable about this rocket, aside from the aerospike technology, is that we decided to use a super cold engine, by decomposing 70% concentration hydrogen peroxide at a temperature of only 250C. This generates oxygen and water, making it environmentally friendly.

ARCA will launch the Demonstrator 3 rocket in August 2017 from Spaceport America to test the atmospheric exhaust expansion of the aerospike linear engine. ARCA will measure engine thrust variation with increasing altitude using a vast array of sensors placed on board the rocket. The type of fuel tanks that will be installed in the Haas 2CA Single Stage to Orbit Rocket will also be flight tested to pressure and acceleration similar to what is encountered during an orbital flight.

By sending the Demonstrator 3 rocket into space using a super cold engine with only 250C instead of 3500C in the reaction chamber and paired with the aerospike technology, we are going to demonstrate the impressive potential of the aerospike. The Haas 2CA Single Stage to Orbit is just the beginning of a new generation of space vehicles shaped by innovation that will generate lower costs. We are going to answer one of the industrys most asked questions: can an aerospike deliver, in flight, the pressure compensation generated by altitude variation and deliver the expected performance by saving fuel?

ARCA Space Corporation

We want to pick up where NASA left off and prove that this technology is actually the way to go for space flights. We are confident that the aerospike engine combined with composite material fuel tanks and dense fuels will significantly lower the costs for orbital and suborbital launches. We truly believe that the answer for cost reduction of space flight is innovation, not trying to make old technologies a little bit more efficient as this will never generate a significant price drop of space launches but merely small improvements. With this philosophy in mind, we expect to increase the registered value of our company from its current $20 million to at least $200 million by 2019. said Dumitru Popescu, ARCA CEO.

Due to its simplicity and low cost, ARCA is also considering utilizing Demonstrator 3 to begin commercial suborbital flight services as the rocket can carry a payload of 30 kg up to 100 km altitude. The payload will experience low accelerations during the powered flight and will experience around 5 minutes of microgravity.

ARCA Space Corporation

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Ginger discount restaurant to open new bar…with booze deals for redheads – Daily Post North Wales

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A restaurant which offers food discounts to redheads launches a new bar tonight - with special deals for gingers.

Gingers Grill in Prestatyn has been offering money off food to genuine carrot tops since opening exactly a year ago.

The offer, dreamt up by former ginger boss Mark Linaker, attracted global attention and remains a talking point for customers coming to the restaurant.

Now Mark is set to expand the site with a new upstairs bar opening tonight.

Mark - who has shaved off his own receding ginger hair - said the redhead discount will continue on selected ginger themed cocktails but added that beyond the gimmick this bar would bring something new to Prestatyn.

He said: The bar, named The Upstairs - will offer something that is not in the town at the moment, there will be open mic nights, lots of live music, folk nights, and also a 100inch screen for sports.

There will always be something different going on and we have a licence to 3am as well.

He added: The ginger discount has done so well for us that we will bring this upstairs with money off on ginger themed cocktails that we will develop.

The offer continues to make customers laugh, there isnt a day when we dont get a few comments on it and it makes people smile. Its a great talking point.

The addition of the bar will bring the total number of jobs at the site up to 14 and Mark hopes to expand the brand in the future.

He said: Over the year we have made changes here and there to the restaurant and we now feel we have everything the way we want it. We will now get the bar opened and then start to look at another site.

We are interested in coming to Bangor and think the brand would fit in well there but well first focus on getting the new bar right.

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Ginger discount restaurant to open new bar...with booze deals for redheads - Daily Post North Wales