Tuesday, July 31, 2007

The School of Mathematics, University of Manchester finished moving in to its new building Monday. The building is named after one of its most widely known academics, Alan Turing, one of the founders of computer science and a Reader in Mathematics at Manchester.

Although Turing is one of the city and university’s most famous sons, there are very few things named in his honour. The city council was criticised for naming an uninspiring piece of by-pass Alan Turing Way, and a statue erected by public subscription bears a plaque pointing out the failure of the computing industry to contribute.

The new building deliberately attempts to provide a conducive atmosphere for mathematical collaboration with a design that aims to promote chance encounter in public spaces. It also aims to save energy with solar panels fitted to the roof.

The building also houses the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, and the Photon Sciences Institute.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Anime North is “by the fans, for the fans”, event chair Irwin Tan told Wikinews in an interview at the event, Saturday. Started by a group of university anime clubs in 1997, it has grown to become one of the largest conventions of its kind in North America, spanning three days, five venues, and tens of thousands of fans.

Along with the dealer’s hall, industry tables, and artist booths typical of conventions, Anime North’s convention floor included a formal gallery space, a charity auction in support of Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital, an aerial performer, gaming tables, archery tag, dance events, and outdoor concerts. At one of the hotels surrounding the main venue, an entire 5000 volume manga library was available, for attendees looking to take a quiet pause. Full programming tracks about ball-jointed dolls — Doll North — and homoerotic-themed anime and manga — Yaoi/Yuri North — were also given entire hotels to themselves, allowing them to offer extensive programming.

As with many fan conventions, many fans attended in cosplay of their favourite characters. Some outfits included massive props, like wings, weapons, or even an additional character riding on their back. A variety of anime and manga worlds were represented, as well as video games like Undertale, Western comic books, Disney characters, even “Smug Wendy”, and the Ferocious Beast from Maggie and the Ferocious Beast. The event offered panels to help costume creators and wearers develop in their hobby, such as “Thermoplastics for Cosplay”, looking at the pliable polymers used to create things like character armour, and “Social Media for Cosplayers”.

The cosplay subculture of animegao kigurumi, for which masks of mainly human characters are worn, was well-represented. Ride the Pig Studios, a Nevada-based studio, was set up in the industry section with a photo booth for attendees to get a photo with practitioners of the craft, and two sessions, including one hosted by Kazunori Uhyo Sugiura, a university professor attending from Japan.

Anime North was deemed the fourth largest convention in North American with a primary theme of anime, in 2016, by AnimeCons.com.

Cosplay coverage continues after the interview.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

A car crash on the A614 road, in Nottinghamshire, England has killed six people, all of whom are believed to have lived near the scene of the crash.

All six victims died at the scene of the crash, which involved four young adults in a Peugeot 206 and two elderly people, possibly a male and female, who police believe to be in their 60s, in the other car said to be a Ford Fiesta. Rescue workers fought to save the one of the elderly individuals, but were unsuccessful. Both vehicles collided head-on and exploded upon colliding.

Two police officers on traffic patrol discovered the crash, which took place at 23:00 local time (UTC) yesterday. The officers involved were praised by Bruce Cameron, a superintendent for Nottinghamshire Police. “The bodies are very badly burnt and they will have to be identified using dental records. We want to make sure we are absolutely certain as to who was in both cars when the accident happened,” he said.

Local residents say that the A614 has been the scene of a large number of accidents. One resident, Stuart Stonebridge, told The Daily Telegraph that “we only moved here three years ago and there have been a lot of accidents and some fatalities in that time,” while another resident, Janice Gilbody said that “the people of Bilsthorpe will be in shock, horror and disbelief at the young lives lost.”

Gilbody also said that this accident is “yet again another accident on this road.” She then added that the road was dangerous, saying that “it’s a wonder it doesn’t happen more often.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but police say weather was not a contributing factor.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Traralgon were defeated by Maffra in the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League (WGLFL) Grand Final at the Recreation Reserve in Morwell, Australia. Both teams defeated Moe to qualify for this match – Traralgon in the major Semi Final, Maffra in the Preliminary Final.

Traralgon finished on top of the ladder after the Home and Away season, earning a week off in week one of the finals. They defeated Moe in the major semi final – their only match in the first three weeks of the finals – by 32 points. Maffra had lost to Moe in the Qualifying Final by 37 points. They recovered in the minor semi final by thumping Leongatha by 74 points before getting some revenge of sorts over Moe in the Preliminary Final, running out winners by 52 points.

“I think we’re as cherry ripe as we can be for a grand final,” Maffra coach Graham Robbins said going into the match. “We’re pretty even across the board but we’ve got to get our hands on the footy and move it smartly to our key forwards.”

Traralgon coach Steve Hazelman said, “We now know we can beat anyone, anywhere, it’s just a matter of performance and hopefully everyone can step up. There’s lots of team structures that we’ve worked on all year, so we’re just sticking to what we’ve done and making sure we’re switched on for the whole four quarters.”

In lower grades, Traralgon lost to Moe in the Reserves. Warragul lost to Maffra in the Under 18’s and Traralgon beat Maffra in the Under 16’s. The WGLFL is considered one of the “major leagues” controlled by the Victorian Country Football League, the governing body of Australian rules football in regional Victoria.

Scores below are quoted as goals-behinds (total). Goals are worth six points, behinds one

Traralgon and Maffra fought a low scoring opening quarter. The contest went back and forth with both teams kicking one goal each. Maffra lead 1-4 (10) to 1-1 (7). No body could get a clear shot on goal. Maffra created forward pressure time and time again creating a handful of chances. However, Traralgon created their own chances in response.

Traralgon kicked five goals to one to go into the long break by 18 points. At half time, Traralgon 6-5 (41) lead Maffra 2-11 (23).

By the end of the third quarter, Maffra had kicked an inaccurate 6-18 (54) and were behind Traralgons 8-9 (57). One could argue that Maffra should’ve been well ahead and would’ve been had they been accurate.

Traralgon lead but conceded a free kick when the final siren went giving Maffra the chance to kick a goal to steal victory. The goal was converted. Final scores Maffra an inaccurate 7-27 (69) to Traralgon 9-12 (66).

[edit]

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

On Monday, at the 58^th Grammy Awards ceremony, Canadian singer The Weeknd won his first Grammy Award, Best R&B Performance, for his song Earned It, which was also featured on the soundtrack of the 2015 Fifty Shades of Grey movie based on E.L. James’s erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

The Weeknd also won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album for his second studio album Beauty Behind the Madness. Abel Tesfaye — The Weeknd — had seven nominations in total including Record of the Year for his song Can’t Feel My Face and Album of the Year.

The YouTube video of the song received more than 179 million views and more than 1.1 million likes. The Weeknd was also nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, but British singer Ed Sheeran won the golden gramophone for his song Thinking Out Loud.

Last year, Beyoncé won the Award for Best R&B Song for Drunk in Love featuring her husband Jay-Z. This awards ceremony marked the first Grammy wins for The Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Yesterday, at least seven people including Aden, Yemen governor Jaafar Mohammed Saad died in a car bomb attack on their convoy in the city of Aden, according to local officials. An online claim of responsibility on behalf of militant group ISIS called Saad a “tyrant”.

An online post purportedly from the group claimed they detonated the bomb as Saad’s convoy passed where the car was parked. The post shared photos purporting to show Saad’s vehicle passing the parked car, and the following explosion.

People as much as 10km away reported hearing the explosion, and medics said it left victims’ bodies unrecognizable. Photos supposedly of the attack showed a burning, wrecked car. Aden’s Jumhoriya Hospital treated the victims.

The online statement threatened to “chop off” the “rotten heads” of Yemen’s “infidels”, and said more attacks are coming.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who follow Shia Islam, have taken over Yemen’s capital of Sanaa. Until just recently, President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government operated for several months in Saudi Arabia, which has led a coalition involving air strikes against the rebels.

Yemeni fatalities in ISIS-claimed bombings this year number reportedly around 159. Yemeni fatalities since March, when Saudi Arabia’s pro-Hadi airstrikes began, number at least 5,700 according to the United Nations.