Nottingham to pioneer food manufacturing and medical devices

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
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Contact: Emma Rayner
emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-595-15793
University of Nottingham

How to meet the world's growing appetite for sustainable food production and how to create novel medical devices to improve healthcare are two of the biggest research priorities of the 21st century.

And now leading researchers from The University of Nottingham will play a larger part in tackling them, thanks to a multi-million pound grant for innovative manufacturing announced today by the government.

A new Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Food will be led by the University's School of Biosciences with funding worth 4.5 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The University will also be involved in a new Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices, with another EPSRC grant of 5.7 million for the pioneering healthcare technology of the future.

The Centres are two of four announced today by the EPSRC in a 21 million drive to develop new ways of manufacturing in the fields of electronics, lasers in production processes, medical technology and food production. It is part of a 45 million package of investments in manufacturing research announced today by David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science.

The ultimate aim of the new EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Food is to ensure the long-term competitiveness and security of the UK and global food supply chain.

Leading the centre, Dr Tim Foster from the University's Division of Food Sciences, said: "Our vision is to meet the future scientific and technological requirements of the food industry from post-farm gate to supermarket shelf. To do this we need to develop world-leading technologies, tools and processes tailored to the specific needs of individual food products. Food and Drink is the biggest manufacturing sector in the UK and with an expected rapid growth in 'better value' and healthier products, particularly for the ageing population, we need to innovate to increase productivity to produce more from less while preserving natural resources like water and energy and minimise waste generation."

The University of Nottingham's Engineering Faculty was also successful in a joint bid, with Leeds, Newcastle, Bradford and Sheffield with strong support from industry, for an EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices.

Professor of Materials Science and Head of Advanced Materials Research Group, David Grant, said: "The EPSRC Centre in Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices will research and develop advanced methods for functionally stratified design and near patient manufacturing, to enable cost effective matching of device function to the patient needs and surgical environment. The idea is to deliver the right product, by the right process to the right patient at the right time to an enhanced standard of reliability and performance.

"These innovative design and manufacturing advances will focus in the first instance on class 3 medical devices for musculoskeletal disease, where the cost of device failure and need for throughout life reliability are high. My colleagues and I are looking forward to meeting this manufacturing challenge through our expertise in novel materials and processing, imaging and modelling, and collaborating with our colleagues in the consortium in the next generation manufacturing of medical devices."

Speaking ahead of the BIS Manufacturing Summit on Thursday, Mr Willetts said: "The UK has a proud history of manufacturing but to build on this success industry needs access to the very latest science and technology. This 45 million package of investment will see our world-class research base investigating innovative new manufacturing equipment and techniques. This will support our industrial strategy in a range of important sectors, driving growth and keeping the UK ahead in the global race."

EPSRC's Chief Executive Professor David Delpy said: "EPSRC Centres of Innovative Manufacturing are building on previous investments we have made in the research base and combining academic innovation with industry knowledge. These new centres are in areas that are strategically important to the UK and the work there will push boundaries and drive growth."

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Emma Rayner
emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-595-15793
University of Nottingham

How to meet the world's growing appetite for sustainable food production and how to create novel medical devices to improve healthcare are two of the biggest research priorities of the 21st century.

And now leading researchers from The University of Nottingham will play a larger part in tackling them, thanks to a multi-million pound grant for innovative manufacturing announced today by the government.

A new Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Food will be led by the University's School of Biosciences with funding worth 4.5 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The University will also be involved in a new Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices, with another EPSRC grant of 5.7 million for the pioneering healthcare technology of the future.

The Centres are two of four announced today by the EPSRC in a 21 million drive to develop new ways of manufacturing in the fields of electronics, lasers in production processes, medical technology and food production. It is part of a 45 million package of investments in manufacturing research announced today by David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science.

The ultimate aim of the new EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Food is to ensure the long-term competitiveness and security of the UK and global food supply chain.

Leading the centre, Dr Tim Foster from the University's Division of Food Sciences, said: "Our vision is to meet the future scientific and technological requirements of the food industry from post-farm gate to supermarket shelf. To do this we need to develop world-leading technologies, tools and processes tailored to the specific needs of individual food products. Food and Drink is the biggest manufacturing sector in the UK and with an expected rapid growth in 'better value' and healthier products, particularly for the ageing population, we need to innovate to increase productivity to produce more from less while preserving natural resources like water and energy and minimise waste generation."

The University of Nottingham's Engineering Faculty was also successful in a joint bid, with Leeds, Newcastle, Bradford and Sheffield with strong support from industry, for an EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices.

Professor of Materials Science and Head of Advanced Materials Research Group, David Grant, said: "The EPSRC Centre in Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices will research and develop advanced methods for functionally stratified design and near patient manufacturing, to enable cost effective matching of device function to the patient needs and surgical environment. The idea is to deliver the right product, by the right process to the right patient at the right time to an enhanced standard of reliability and performance.

"These innovative design and manufacturing advances will focus in the first instance on class 3 medical devices for musculoskeletal disease, where the cost of device failure and need for throughout life reliability are high. My colleagues and I are looking forward to meeting this manufacturing challenge through our expertise in novel materials and processing, imaging and modelling, and collaborating with our colleagues in the consortium in the next generation manufacturing of medical devices."

Speaking ahead of the BIS Manufacturing Summit on Thursday, Mr Willetts said: "The UK has a proud history of manufacturing but to build on this success industry needs access to the very latest science and technology. This 45 million package of investment will see our world-class research base investigating innovative new manufacturing equipment and techniques. This will support our industrial strategy in a range of important sectors, driving growth and keeping the UK ahead in the global race."

EPSRC's Chief Executive Professor David Delpy said: "EPSRC Centres of Innovative Manufacturing are building on previous investments we have made in the research base and combining academic innovation with industry knowledge. These new centres are in areas that are strategically important to the UK and the work there will push boundaries and drive growth."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/uon-ntp022713.php

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Alarm Clock Gun: Vent Your Anger at Being Awake

If knowing you're going to wake up on time for work helps you sleep better, then slap two rounds of AAA batteries in this pistol-shaped alarm clock and stash it under your pillow. When it's time to wake from your slumber it gently vibrates you back to reality, and a built-in projector lets you pull off amazing quickdraw time checks all night long. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/6KHd8KtK-0E/alarm-clock-gun-vent-your-anger-at-being-awake

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Cell scaffolding protein fascin-1 is hijacked by cancer

Feb. 22, 2013 ? A protein involved in the internal cell scaffold is associated with increased risk of metastasis and mortality in a range of common cancers finds a meta-analysis published in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine.

The protein, fascin-1, is involved in bundling together the actin filaments which form the internal scaffolding of a cell and are involved in cell movement. Though it is absent, or only present at a low level in normal epithelial cells, several small studies have shown fascin-1 to be increased in many carcinomas, but its role in metastasis and mortality risk has been uncertain.

Researchers from the University of Bristol combined and reanalysed data from 26 studies looking at five different types of carcinomas. The meta-analysis showed that increased fascin-1 was associated with increased risk of mortality in breast, colorectal and esophageal carcinomas but not in gastric or lung carcinoma. It was also associated with disease progression in breast and colorectal carcinoma, but not lung carcinoma. It was associated with local and distant metastasis in colorectal and gastric carcinomas but there was no involvement of fascin-1 in metastasis of esophageal carcinomas.

These results show that the picture is not simple and that different types of cancer are affected in different ways. The story of fascin-1 not only provides a biomarker and potential avenue for research into anti-cancer therapy but also demonstrates the complexity of cancer.

Josephine Adams and Richard Martin who led this study said, "Our results show that fascin-1 is associated with several types of human carcinomas. The results will help focus further research into fascin-1 as a marker and potential target for cancer therapy to the most relevant types of carcinomas."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BioMed Central Limited.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Vanessa Y Tan, Sarah J Lewis, Josephine C Adams and Richard M Martin. Association of fascin-1 with mortality, disease progression and metastasis in carcinomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medicine, 2013 (in press) [link]

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/NNO8Aq881R0/130225201820.htm

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Immigration Talk with a Mexican American: Due to Sequestration ...

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Due to Sequestration, ICE Frees Hundreds of Non-Felonious Detainees in a Budget-Saving Move!

We can thank Republicans for the Sequester on Friday. This started in 2011 when they refused to raise the debt ceiling. Even though raising the debt ceiling "for funds we already spent" was never held hostage before, Republicans insisted on a guarantee of payment ? this resulted in the Sequester recommendation. Now that the Sequester is here, some Republicans are attempting to blame the President for this recommendation. They must think that WE THE PEOPLE have short memories. ?The President and Senate Democrats have proposed a balanced approach to resolving this crisis, but once again, Republicans REFUSE to even consider it.
The debt ceiling arguments in mid-2011 caused a HUGE DROP in the stock market. We can expect the same with Sequestration on Friday.While some Republicans bellyache about cuts to the over-bloated Military Budget, Sequestration will have a?particularly harmful effect on Minorities, the Elderly, Children and the Middle to Lower Income Americans. The first to be impacted will be:1.?????? The Unemployed: Those who have been on unemployment benefits for over six months may lose some or all of their continuing benefits. Additionally, Workforce Development programs will be reduced or cut.? Jobs Creation and Infrastructure Rebuilding Programs: Funds may be cut. Programs stopped.
2.?????? The Poor: Housing Programs: Section 8 programs cut. Home Energy Assistance, including winter heat bills programs cut. Cuts to WIC, Food Stamps, Nutrition Programs for Children Cut.
3.??????Middle to Lower Income Employees: Federal, State, City Jobs -- Expect Teachers, Firefighters, Policemen and Border Security layoffs.
4.?????? Education: Student Loans programs cut. Financial Aid programs cut. School Programs from Head Start to College Mentoring programs cut.
In addition to these cuts, in preparation of the impending Sequestration, starting last Thursday, Federal Immigration officials have released hundreds of non-felonious criminal detainees from immigration detention centers around the country. The move has been put in place to save money as automatic budget cuts loom in Washington. (One positive? aspect to the Sequestration that Republicans will surely hate!)

?

Source: http://immigrationmexicanamerican.blogspot.com/2013/02/due-to-sequestration-ice-frees-hundreds.html

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Edwards' miserable month continues at Daytona

No one will be more eager than Carl Edwards to get out of Daytona.

The No. 99 team had a brutal month leading up to the NASCAR season opener, wrecking four times.

Make it five.

Edwards was caught up in a crash heading into turn one at the Daytona 500, another case of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Trevor Bayne bumped Brad Keselowski from behind, which sent the No. 21 car sliding sideways.

With nowhere to go, Edwards was sent into the outside wall.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

SMOKE STEAMS: Tony Stewart has returned to the track at the Daytona 500.

But he's pretty much assured of going 0-for-15 in NASCAR's biggest race.

Stewart was 82 laps behind the leaders when he rolled out of the garage after an early crash. His frustration was never more evident than when he joined in the repair effort, banging on his No. 14 car with a hammer during the long stint in the paddock.

"To hell with the season," Stewart said. "I wanted to win the Daytona 500. We had a car that we could pass with today. We were passing cars by ourselves. I was so happy with our car, was just waiting for it to all get sorted out again. I don't know what started it, but we just got caught up in another wreck."

Stewart's misfortune came a day after he won the lower-division Nationwide race ? his 19th career triumph at Daytona.

None of them have come in the race he really wants.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

FAMILIAR SPOT: Matt Kenseth is back in a familiar spot.

Leading the Daytona 500.

Kenseth was running out front at the 100-lap mark, halfway through the biggest NASCAR race of the season.

While there's nothing unusual about Kenseth leading at Daytona, where he's won two of the last three years, it's a bit jarring to see him doing it in the No. 20 car.

Kenseth had spent his entire Cup career driving the No. 17 machine for Roush Fenway Racing, but he switched to Joe Gibbs Racing this season. He's got a new car, a new number, a new sponsor and a new team.

But he still knows how to run strong at Daytona.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

DANICAMANIA: Danica Patrick keeps making history.

The first woman to start from the pole at the Daytona 500 has become the first female to lead a lap in a NASCAR Cup race.

Patrick sent the huge crowd into a frenzy when she snatched the lead from Michael Waltrip on lap 90 after a series of pit stops under yellow. She led two laps before Denny Hamlin surged to the front.

But Patrick has shown her qualifying run was no fluke. She's got a strong car and has been in the top 10 all day as the 200-lap race approaches the midway point.

Patrick switched to NASCAR last year after becoming the first woman to lead laps at the Indianapolis 500, as well as being the first to win an IndyCar race.

Now, she's looking for a win in NASCAR's biggest event.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

AWKWARD: Rapper 50 Cent wasn't content just chatting up Erin Andrews.

He went in for a kiss.

Rebuffed.

In the strangest part of the buildup to the Daytona 500, Mr. Cent brought back memories of Joe Namath's awkward attempt to plant one on Suzy Kolber when he tried the same move with Andrews on pit road.

She turned her head one way, then the other, only allowing the "Candy Shop" rapper to get a peck on the cheek.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

BIG CRASH: We've had the first big wreck of the Daytona 500.

And a bunch of top contenders have seen their chances go up in smoke.

Former 500 winners Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Jamie McMurray were caught up in the crash on lap 33. So was defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski.

The melee began coming through the tri-oval when Kasey Kahne's car began to slide across the track after appearing to get bumped from behind by Kyle Busch.

At least two other drivers also got caught up in the mess: Juan Pablo Montoya and Casey Mears. Joey Logano made a great move to dodge the spinning cars.

Pole sitter Danica Patrick made it through unscathed and remains near the front of the pack.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

HANG ON TIGHT: From one defending champion to another, Brad Keselowski had a piece of advice for Daytona 500 starter Ray Lewis:

Don't drop the flag.

The retired Baltimore Ravens star served as honorary starter for the Daytona 500. Lewis waved the green flag without incident Sunday to start the "Great American Race."

Lewis, who said he was nervous, got a quick tip from Keselowski.

"Brad texted me on the way in, the one rule is, don't drop the flag," Lewis said before the race. "I'm going to squeeze the flag very hard. I want to watch this and be a part of it. To be here is an awesome experience."

Lewis was one of several stars at Daytona International Speedway. Rappers T.I. and 50 Cent attended NASCAR's season opener, which has Danica Patrick starting on the pole.

Oscar-nominated actor James Franco was the grand marshall and said, "Drivers and Danica, start your engines!" The Zac Brown Band played a pre-race concert in the Daytona International Speedway infield. Band member Clay Cook performed the national anthem.

Retired baseball pitcher Tom Gordon, comedian Drew Carey, and Wes Welker and Steve Spurrier also were in attendance.

Lewis called Keselowski on the eve of the 2012 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and left him an inspirational voice message. Keselowski also often listens to Lewis' motivational speeches before races.

"I caught a glimpse of how he always watched my videos and it really inspired him," Lewis said. "That's when me and him really started having conversations with each other, and from there it just turned into a friendship. I send him motivational things, and heads-up on what I am doing, that's where the relationship has gone."

? Dan Gelston ? http://twitter.com/APgelston

___

DANICA DROPS BACK: Danica Patrick made history by becoming the first woman to start from the pole in a NASCAR Cup race.

But in the beginning of the Daytona 500, she failed to pull off another landmark.

Choosing the outside spot on the front row, Patrick gave up the lead to Jeff Gordon on the very first lap, missing out on an early chance to become the first female to lead a Cup lap.

Over the first 10 laps, she settled in behind Gordon and held on to the second spot in the 43-car field.

Patrick went on the radio before the race to thank her crew for giving her such a strong car. "I'll do the best job I can to do my end of the deal today," she said. "All in all, thank you for everything. You guys are awesome."

Later, Patrick sent the huge crowd into a frenzy when she snatched the lead from Michael Waltrip on lap 90 after a series of pit stops under yellow. She led two laps before Denny Hamlin surged to the front.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

FRANCO'S AUDIBLE: "Drivers ... and Danica!!! ... start your engines."

With that unique command, actor James Franco has ordered the 43 cars to fire up for the Daytona 500.

The duty is normally carried out with the most famous words in racing: "Gentlemen, start your engines."

Of course, this year is different. Danica Patrick is the first woman to start from the pole in a Cup race, and Franco hinted beforehand that he was planning an audible. As unpredictable as ever, he passed on a chance to copy the command that was used when Patrick raced in the Indianapolis 500, "Lady and gentlemen, start your engines."

Now, it's time to go racing at Daytona.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

A HEARTY BUNCH: NASCAR FANS RETURN TO DANGER ZONE: Say this about NASCAR fans: They don't frighten easily.

One day after a harrowing crash injured dozens of fans in the stands, those same seats are filling up for the Daytona 500.

No one seems too concerned.

"These should be good seats," said Rick Barasso, as he settled into a spot that was right in the danger zone when Kyle Larson's car slammed into the catch fencing on the final lap of a Nationwide Series race Saturday. "I mean, what are the chances of it happening again?"

That seems to be the attitude of the fans heading into the Daytona 500, the season-opening Cup race and biggest event on the NASCAR schedule. Most people say it's worth the risk to sit next to the ear-rattling action ? no more than 20 feet away for those in the first row. They love to hear the engines, smell the exhaust, and feel the wind whipping in their face as 43 cars go by at nearly 200 mph.

Still, there are a few fans fretting about the location of their seats.

Raymond Gober returned to the same location where he was nearly struck by a bolt from Larson's car. He scooped up the debris as a souvenir, though he acknowledged being a little nervous about his seat on the back row of the lower level. He even considered wearing his motorcycle helmet to the 500, but figured "everybody would start laughing at me." Next year, he plans to buy an upper-level seat in the main grandstand.

"My dad called and said, 'You're sitting in the same seats? "' Gober said. "He couldn't believe it."

There are grim reminders of what happened Saturday: a bloody spot that had been washed down (not entirely, though), a tire mark on a seat, another seat that was partially bent from getting struck by that same tire.

? Paul Newberry ? http://www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Daytona 500 Watch" shows you the Daytona 500 and events surrounding the race through the eyes of Associated Press journalists. Follow them on Twitter.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/edwards-miserable-month-continues-daytona-205035187--spt.html

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U.S. tells Iran: Negotiate in good faith on nuclear program

LONDON (Reuters) - Iran still has time to find a diplomatic solution to the international standoff over its nuclear program but the Islamic Republic must negotiate with world powers in good faith, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday.

"The window for a diplomatic solution simply cannot by definition remain open forever. But it is open today. It is open now," Kerry told reporters in London.

"There is still time but there is only time if Iran makes the decision to come to the table and negotiate in good faith. We are prepared to negotiate in good faith, in mutual respect in an effort to avoid whatever terrible consequences could follow failure. And so the choice really is in the hands of the Iranians. And we hope they will make the right choice."

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge Editing by Maria Golovnina)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-tells-iran-negotiate-good-faith-nuclear-program-141952019.html

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Kat Graham Goes Blonde: Love It or Hate It?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/kat-graham-goes-blonde-love-it-or-hate-it/

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Check Out This Proof of Concept Documentary on Texting while Driving by University Students in Jamaica

Writer/Director
David Johnson

Producer
Stephanie Duhaney

Boom Operators
Kristen McKenzie
Kerrol Parke

Production Assistants
Samantha Barrett
Orane Hart

Cast
Janiece Forbes
Diane Dawkins
Lucius White

Music
The Raven by CDK

Filmed on the Sony HXR-MC2000U
Audio via Rode NTG-2

University of Technology, Jamaica

Like this:

Like Loading...

Source: http://themalaika.com/2013/02/23/check-out-this-proof-of-concept-documentary-on-texting-while-driving-by-university-students-in-jamaica/

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news Art and Entertainment: Music Industry Is About To Change !

At the beginning of 2000's, the music business, in particular the communities of hiphop and rnb, resulted in the rise of what we now call the "super music producers", accounting for frontrunners: Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins or even The Neptunes.

What is meant by a "super producer"? So, the most reliable interpretation of their distinction with a "simple" producer would take the demonstration of what we call a "supermodel" in fashion, for instance Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer or Naomi Campbell. You know these prominent fashion models as well as anybody else and you can see them on almost all the catwalks. To be brief: safe values.

This was the very same thing in the music industry: there have been "big" producers, risk free, that driven entirely the projects and were needed by the most well-known singers or rappers. It was really less hazardous for record labels to use a popular music producer in contrast to a novice. The known one produced a more than a few of triumphant singles, in theory. Given that right at that time ordinarily big names sold discs.

However, the music business, since the start of the decade has totally changed. First, many people don't actually buy cd nowadays.

Consequently the record labels offer less budget for a project. And of course, record companies will no longer be willing to put in money between $ 100 000 to $ 300 000 for just one single beat, as was the case through the golden years of music producers. The cd not sell and the internet grows. To surmount not legal downloading of their artists, record companies develop or merge with statutory download applications and just try to force their presence on the cyberspace, that has been escaping their control for so long.

But the rise up of the web in addition has permitted the ascent of many of unknown producers as good as, if not superior to, "Super Producers".

Those producers have paying attention to the developments of the Internet, that has facilitated these to sell their beats online. Giving them to reach and work with performers on a local scale as well as a worldwide one. A producer from New york city can advertise beats to any one in Japan. It is now more easier for them to obtain a good recognition or have a career. For the artists, this makes a big difference! They can buy beats online at home for their album, EP and also mixtape for reasonable prices; far from those practiced by the "super producers".

Record labels pay a specific attention to this modern business. They buy beats online as well. And nowadays we can notice that a few internet based producers are getting signed by majors.

The golden time period of super producers such as the era of super model fades away slowly and gradually, allowing way to this brand new sector driven by producers who, often, have not a single thing to envy to the "super producers".

Source: http://newsartentertainment.blogspot.com/2013/02/music-industry-is-about-to-change.html

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NVIDIA Tegra 4 benchmarked, breaks all sorts of speed records (video)

When NVIDIA unveiled Tegra 4 back at CES, we scrambled to get hands-on with a reference device. And though our initial performance impressions were positive -- it runs 1080p video and games smoothly -- there was only so much we could say to illustrate how fast the performance is. After all, Tegra 3 already does a fine job handling games and full HD movies. What we really needed were benchmarks, some quantitative data to help show the difference between Tegra 4 devices and whatever's currently on the market. Fortunately for all of you, we just got our chance: here at Mobile World Congress, the company has reference tablets set up expressly for the purpose of running tests. So, we did just that... over and over and over until we had a long list of scores. Meet us after the break to see how it fared.

Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, NVIDIA

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/24/nvidia-tegra-4-benchmarked/

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Anti-Gay Cardinal Keith O'Brien Rejects Accusations Of 'Inappropriate' Behavior With Priests

(Reuters) - Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, a cardinal expected to take part in the conclave to choose the next pope, rejected allegations on Sunday that he had behaved in an "inappropriate" way with other priests.

The Observer newspaper said Cardinal Keith O'Brien, 74, the archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, who is known for outspoken views on homosexuality, had been reported to the Vatican over allegations of inappropriate behavior stretching back 30 years.

"Cardinal O'Brien contests these claims and is taking legal advice," a spokesman for the cardinal said.

Three priests and a former priest, from a Scottish diocese, have complained to the Vatican and demanded O'Brien's immediate resignation, the newspaper said, adding that they wanted the conclave to choose Pope Benedict's successor to be "clean".

The Observer gave little detail on the allegations but said one complainant had said O'Brien made an inappropriate approach after night prayers. Another priest complained of unwanted behavior by O'Brien after a late-night drinking session.

Last week, O'Brien advocated allowing Catholic priests to marry as many found it difficult to cope with celibacy.

His comments last year labeling gay marriage a "grotesque subversion" landed him with a "Bigot of the Year" award from gay rights group Stonewall.

The Catholic Church's handling of the sexual abuse of children and others by priests has dogged the papacy of Benedict, who is due to step down on Thursday after becoming the first pope in centuries to choose to resign.

The next leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics will be chosen by 117 cardinals in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

Almost 10,000 people have signed a petition urging a U.S. cardinal not to take part in selecting the next pope, saying to do so would insult victims of sexual abuse by priests committed while he was Archbishop of Los Angeles from 1985 to 2011.

(Reporting by Mohammed Abbas; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/24/cardinal-keith-obrien-inappropriate-gay_n_2753175.html

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Military suicides taken seriously - Sat, 23 Feb 2013 PST

As a member of the Military Suicide Research Consortium, I?d like readers to know four?things:

1) Your tax dollars now support a new research mission to reduce military suicides. Civilian applications could follow. Seven studies are under way; more are?planned.

2) The vast majority of service men and women are resourceful, psychologically and emotionally sound, able and resilient. While military and veteran suicide rates make headlines, thousands of at-risk soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines receive help, support and competent treatment within the military. We wish we could say the same for all our veterans, but it should??

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As a member of the Military Suicide Research Consortium, I?d like readers to know four?things:

1) Your tax dollars now support a new research mission to reduce military suicides. Civilian applications could follow. Seven studies are under way; more are?planned.

2) The vast majority of service men and women are resourceful, psychologically and emotionally sound, able and resilient. While military and veteran suicide rates make headlines, thousands of at-risk soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines receive help, support and competent treatment within the military. We wish we could say the same for all our veterans, but it should be remembered that most veterans who die by suicide are not receiving services from the Veterans Administration ? the only health care system in America paying serious attention to suicide?prevention.

3) We train our warriors to be self-reliant, 10-feet tall and bulletproof. Expecting Rambo to call a crisis line is counter not only to boot camp expectations, but to the evolutionary history of human?males.

4) Lesson: Don?t wait for a solider or veteran to ask for help; if you see signs of distress, reach out, now, and offer help in any way you?can.

Paul Quinnett,?Ph.D.

Cheney

Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/feb/23/military-suicides-taken-seriously/

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Quality Engineer Job ( ref : 3124454) in Peel, Canada

Company/Agency:

Trebor Personnel Inc (TPI)

Title:	Quality Engineer
Ref Number:	5591323
Job Id:	3124454
Posted Date:	15 February 2013
Closing Date:	17 March 2013

REPORTS TO: Quality Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

The role of the Quality Engineer is primarily to provide support to the Quality Department. Product realization and program development are the primary focus of the position. As such, interaction and interface with all other departments is critical. The Quality Engineer shall develop, implement and maintain many of the key elements of the ISO-9000 quality operating system as per direction from the Quality Manager. Continuous Improvement, Corrective and Preventive Action and Product Quality Planning are key to this role. Ensuring follow-up on these items is particularly important.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Must work in accordance with Health & Safety regulations, Company rules, policies and procedures
• Must use or wear equipment, protective devices or clothing as required by the company
• Participate in the development and ensure full implementation of the ISO-9000 quality operating system.
• Participate and interface with other departments on product realization activities (APQP).
• Spearhead PPAP and ensure that PPAP submissions are professional, thorough, on time and acceptable.
• Develop inspection methods and procedures for use on the shop floor that are user-friendly and accessible.
• Identify key areas for inspection and control with inspection processes. Identify and implement SPC at identified points in select processes.
• Identify and quantify quality improvements in process, materials and product.
• Provide training to employees on ISO requirements and subsequent documentation (procedures, work instructions, forms).
• Develop and maintain systems for the maintenance and calibration of metrological equipment.
• Conduct and direct internal auditing as per the annual internal quality auditing schedule.
• Administratively support the initiatives of the Quality Manager, including data management and tracking.
• Develop any necessary forms to ensure effective control of inspection processes with subsequent data to be provided for further analysis. Provide information to the Quality Manager for use in management performance measurables review.
• Utilize defect tracking reports and information (internally and customer generated) to drive continuous improvement on the inspection line.
• Identify any and all issues that require corrective and/or preventive action and ensure that subsequent actions are documented thoroughly and pursued through to completion.
• Interaction and Interface with other departments is required. All other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES (Job Knowledge/Skill, Education and related experience)

• High School graduate (or equivalent) required.
• Post-Secondary Education and/or Training in a quality-related field required.
• Metrology experience and training required.
• Quality systems and implementation experience (ISO-9000 required)
• Experience in an industrial fabrication and assembly environment preferred.
• Metrology fundamentals
• Inspection methods
• Basic Statistical Methods and Knowledge
• Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing fundamentals
• Internal Auditing

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Working in an office environment
• Frequent distractions and interruptions
• Multiple demands, challenging, fast paced, team orientated environment

EFFORT - PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

• Occasional sitting, frequent standing
• Constant communication with employees, peers, management, corporate and customers.
• Use of computer and phone
• Overtime as required
• Travel as required

Peel, Canada

Industry

Job Occupation(s)

Source: http://www.expatengineer.net/jobs/locations/Ontario/Peel/Validation%2520Engineers/Quality%252520Engineer_3124454

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Zombie warning exposes flaws, say experts

Jim Finkle , Reuters ? ? ? 22 min.

The zombie attack alert issued on a handful of U.S. TV stations this week is more serious than a mischievous hacker prank say cyber experts, who warn the incident exposes lax security practices in a critical public safety system.

While broadcasters said poor password security paved the way for the bogus warning, security experts said the equipment used by the Emergency Alert System remained vulnerable when stations allow it be accessed via the public Internet.

The fear is that hackers could prevent the government from sending out public warnings during an emergency or attackers could conduct a more damaging hoax than a warning of a zombie apocalypse.

"It isn't what they said. It is the fact that they got into the system. They could have caused some real damage," said Karole White, president of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

James Barnett, a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former chief of public safety and homeland security for the Federal Communications Commission, told NBC News Wednesday that while the zombie prank was not an act of terrorism, the false message, which spread to other states, demonstrated a real risk.

"Somebody hacked in and did a very good job of making it sound real," Barnett said. "The problem was bad computer hygiene. [Admins] didn't change the passwords, so it was easy for someone to break into it."

Following the attacks on Monday, broadcasters were ordered to change the passwords for the EAS equipment.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would not comment on the attacks, but in an urgent advisory sent to television stations on Tuesday said: "All EAS participants are required to take immediate action."

It instructed them to change passwords on equipment from all manufacturers used to deliver emergency broadcasts. The FCC instructed them to ensure gear was properly secured behind firewalls and to inspect systems to ensure that hackers had not queued "unauthorized alerts" for future transmission.

Vulnerable
The attacks come after warnings by government officials and outside security experts that the United States is at risk of a cyber attack that could cause major physical damage or even cost lives. President Barack Obama told Congress on Tuesday that some hackers were looking for ways to attack the U.S. power grid, banks and air traffic control systems.

White and her counterpart in Montana, Greg MacDonald, said they believed the hackers were able to get in because TV stations had not changed the default passwords they used when the equipment was first shipped from the manufacturer.

But Mike Davis, a hardware security expert with a firm known as IOActive Labs, said hackers could still get past new passwords to remotely access the systems.

Davis said he had submitted a report to the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT, about a month ago that detailed the security flaws.

"Changing passwords is insufficient to prevent unauthorized remote login. There are still multiple undisclosed authentication bypasses," he told Reuters via email. "I would recommend disconnecting them from the network until a fix is available."

Davis said he was able to use Google Inc's search engine to identify some 30 systems that he believed were vulnerable to attack as of Wednesday morning.

Privately held Monroe Electronics, whose equipment was compromised in Monday's attacks, said it was still evaluating the risks.

"The situation appears to just be the password stuff, but we are looking at anything else and everything that might come into play," Vice President Bill Robertson told Reuters.

A spokesman for US-CERT said he could not immediately comment on the matter.

'Bodies are rising'
The zombie hackers targeted two stations in Michigan, and several in California, Montana and New Mexico, White said.

A male voice addressed viewers in a video posted on the Internet of the bogus warning broadcast from KRTV, a CBS affiliate based in Great Falls, Montana: "Civil authorities in your area have reported that the bodies of the dead are rising from the grave and attacking the living."

The voice warned not "to approach or apprehend these bodies as they are extremely dangerous."

Stuart McClure, chief executive of cyber security firm Cylance Inc, said he had investigated cases in which hackers accessed EAS systems via a different method: breaking into hidden accounts built into the systems by manufacturers so that service technicians can easily access them for repairs.

"You cannot give a separate pass code to everybody. Nobody is going to remember it. You have to share the secret," said McClure, who previously ran a unit at Intel Corp's McAfee security division that investigated cyber attacks.

Electronics industry experts said that it is tough for some broadcasters to follow all security guidelines because staff at small stations lack the expertise to do so.

The equipment that was compromised obtains emergency broadcasts by frequently using the Internet to make outward calls to trusted government servers. When it finds an alert on one of those servers, it broadcasts it on that station.

Monroe Electronics said its gear is designed to let stations make outgoing queries, but still keep outsiders from getting in. It recommends against unsecured access to the Internet. "It's the wild, wild West," said Robertson.

He said the equipment sometimes gets exposed to the open Internet because it is not properly configured or because engineers want remote access when they are on call.

Robertson said the company was working to beef up security on the equipment and might update its software to compel customers to change default passwords.

Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Dan Watson said that the zombie breach did not have any impact on the government's ability to activate the Emergency Alert System.

(NBC News contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/security-experts-say-zombie-tv-warning-exposes-flaws-1C8383202

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The Triumph of Alvin Plantinga

One of the more memorable evenings of my Harvard years came when I received a rather panicked call from an administrator for the Committee on the Study of Religion. ?Would you be able to pick up a speaker from the airport?? she asked. Of course, I said. Who?s the speaker? ?A guy named Alvin Plantinga.? They needed someone to pick him up, and I was the first evangelical doctoral student who came to mind. I had read several of his books, so I grabbed a few Plantinga fans, brought along my wife, and we gave him a warm welcome. In return he invited us to enjoy his per diem with a dinner at the Harvard Faculty Club. We got a great meal, a great conversation, and a great story to tell. He was a nice guy and a great conversationalist.

I?m grateful to my friend David Theroux for allowing me to republish this from The Independent Institute. It?s a great overview (with lots of helpful links) of Plantinga?s work and why it?s so important. If you have the sense that the arguments of the New Atheists have been carrying the day, you?re wrong. Dr Plantinga has led the way in a quiet revolution in analytic philosophical circles, and it?s a crime so few evangelicals know about it.

*

By David Theroux

Alvin Plantinga

The world-renowned philosopher?Alvin C. Plantinga?has recently?received the prestigious Nicholas Rescher Prize for Contributions to Systematic Philosophy, awarded by the University of Pittsburgh?s Departments of Philosophy, History, and Philosophy of Science, and the Center for the History and Philosophy of Science. Plantinga is widely known for his work in the philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and Christian apologetics, and he has revolutionized scholarly interest in Christian theism, shown naturalism/atheism to be self-refuting and incoherent, and set the new standards for the defense of free will, individual agency, consciousness, rational inference, science, objective truth and morality, and more. As a result, Plantinga has both directly influenced the entire field of philosophy and has mentored and inspired new generations of top scholars who are critiquing the reductionism, relativism, materialism, collectivism, scientism, positivism, determinism, and de-humanization of the modern era. In short, Plantinga has devastated the prevailing view in Western elites that human beings are merely ?matter in motion? (i.e., purposeless, accidental, robotic products of a closed, natural world ruled solely by physical laws and that truth, reason, morality, and God are illusions).

Plantinga is the inaugural holder of the Jellema Chair in Philosophy at Calvin College, the John A. O?Brien Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, and a member of the Board of Advisors for the?Center on Culture and Civil Society?at the Independent Institute. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Yale University, he has served as President of the American Philosophical Association (Western Division) and Society of Christian Philosophers, and he has delivered the Gifford Lectures in Scotland three times.

Plantinga?s work is of immense importance to all thinking in epistemology, ethics and economics, especially regarding individual action, entrepreneurship, free markets, civic virtue, and the rule of law. Plantinga has shown that those scholars who attempt to ground reality in naturalism are not just pursuing a futile quest leading to determinism and nihilism but are embracing views that defeat their very intellectual enterprise, including science itself. Unfortunately, many superb classical liberal and libertarian scholars remain unaware of Plantinga?s work and are oblivious of the profound weaknesses in their naturalistic assumptions. In this regard, I authored an earlier, preliminary paper,??Economic Science and the Poverty of Naturalism,??that discusses this dilemma and the crucial value of the critiques of metaphysical naturalism by both C.S. Lewis and Plantinga, especially as this is relevant to the corpus of economic reasoning in the Austrian School, Public Choice and other traditions within what?Peter Boettke?describes as ?mainline economics? in his new Independent Institute book,?Living Economics.

For example, Plantinga?s??evolutionary argument against naturalism??brilliantly argues that if evolution is true, it is an epistemic defeater for naturalism, leaving naturalism in ruin. The influential philosopher Thomas Nagel agrees and utilizes Plantinga?s work in his recent book?Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False?(Oxford University Press). Nagel also?recently and favorably reviewedPlantinga?s newest book,?Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism?(Oxford University Press), in the?New York Review of Books.

Similarly, Plantinga developed the??Modal Ontological Argument??for the existence of God, drawing on the work of St. Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th century but correcting the argument using modal logic in a more rigorous, formal, and irrefutable way. Here is a?video discussion?of Plantinga?s Modal Ontological Argument and a furthervideo that refutes objections.?Here,?here?and?here?are videos that further discuss the argument.

In his book?God, Freedom, and Evil?(William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.), Plantinga?s essay ?The Free Will Defense,? with its implicit?libertarianism, is accepted today by most philosophers who have come to see the ?problem of evil? as having been sufficiently rebutted and showing that free will is necessarily true.?Here?is a video discussing Plantinga?s argument.

In the following, pioneering trilogy of books, Plantinga has famously argued that ?warrant? (something held to be true) cannot exist in naturalistic epistemology and that for?all?warrant, theism must be true:

Other key books of Plantinga?s work include the following:

The Rescher Prize is named after the distinguished philosopher?Nicholas Rescher, University Professor of Philosophy and former Director of the Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Rescher is a member of the Board of Advisors for both the Independent Institute?s?Center on Culture and Civil Society?and quarterly journal,?The Independent Review, and he authored the foreword to the Institute?s book by Tibor Machan,?Private Rights, Public Illusions. Rescher is founder of the highly influential journal,?American Philosophical Quarterly, and he is former President of the American Philosophical Association, American Catholic Philosophy Association, American G. W. Leibniz Society, C. S. Peirce Society, and American Metaphysical Society.

Here are some of the?videos of Plantinga?from the PBS series, ?Closer to Truth: Cosmos, Consciousness, God?:

Here also are sample articles by Plantinga:

Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/philosophicalfragments/2013/02/13/the-triumph-of-alvin-plantinga/

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Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.] detailNews.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +133 System.Web.Util.CalliHelper.EventArgFunctionCaller(IntPtr fp, Object o, Object t, EventArgs e) +14 System.Web.Util.CalliEventHandlerDelegateProxy.Callback(Object sender, EventArgs e) +35 System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +99 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +50 System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +627

---

Version Information:?Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.3634; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.3634

Source: http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=15952&sid=1

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NIH chief: Cuts put vital medical research at risk

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Better cancer drugs that zero in on a tumor with fewer side effects. A universal flu vaccine that could fight every strain of influenza without needing a yearly shot.

Research into potentially life-saving products like these will be delayed and newer discoveries shelved if Congress can't avert impending budget cuts that the director of the National Institutes of Health warns will have far-reaching effects.

"All diseases will feel the consequences, I'm afraid," Dr. Francis Collins told The Associated Press.

"We're in this amazing revolution," Collins added. The faster promising leads are funded, "the more lives are saved."

The NIH, the leading funder of biomedical research, will lose $1.6 billion this year, about 5.1 percent of its budget, if automatic cuts go through next month. Collins said.

That means hundreds of medical research projects around the country may go unfunded, while multi-year projects already under way could be scaled back. The ripple effect, Collins said: About 20,000 jobs nationwide could be lost in university and other research laboratories nationwide.

NIH's budget hasn't kept pace with inflation over the past decade, resulting in what Collins calculates is a 20 percent erosion in the agency's buying power during a time of unprecedented scientific discovery. A decade ago, NIH was funding about 1 in every 3 grant applications. Today that's dropped to 1 in 6, before the upcoming cuts.

President Barack Obama argued the economic value of preserving medical research in his State of the Union address, saying every dollar the government invested to map the human genome returned $140 to the economy.

Other health impacts from the planned cuts, as outlined in a letter to lawmakers by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:

?Health departments will give 424,000 fewer tests for the AIDS virus this year.

?About 7,400 fewer HIV patients will be able to get life-saving medication through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

?The Food and Drug Administration will conduct 2,100 fewer inspections of food manufacturing firms this year.

?More than 373,000 seriously ill people may not receive needed mental health services.

Also, Medicare is slated for a 2 percent cut in payments to service providers. Hospitals and popular private insurance plans through Medicare Advantage and the prescription drug plan will feel the biggest impact. They will be reimbursed at 98 cents to the dollar for services to Medicare beneficiaries.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-14-US-MED-Budget-Medical-Research/id-8d176d69c0d44210b6d2a27141876ab9

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The Bachelor Recap: Don't Lose That Sparkle, Tierra!!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/the-bachelor-recap-dont-lose-that-sparkle-tierra/

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Foul odors, inoperative toilets reported on Carnival Triumph

Janet Shamlian ? ? ? 4 hrs.

Passengers onboard the Carnival Triumph say conditions are getting worse, citing foul odors, inoperative toilets and long waits for food.

?The worst part is the bathrooms,? passenger Donna Gutzman told NBC News. ?There?s no water. You can?t really flush so everyone?s going in little plastic baggies and putting it outside their rooms.?

Fewer than two dozen public toilets are working, Carnival said.

The ship is being towed to port in Mobile, Ala., and is expected to arrive some time Thursday. A weekend fire left the vessel disabled without propulsion and stranded at sea.

Lani Corbett?s daughter, Shannon Dobbs, is on the Triumph with a group of co-workers. ?She sounded scared, angry, exhausted, miserable,? Corbett said, who last spoke to her daughter on Monday afternoon.? She was OK, but it was basically pandemonium.?

Corbett set up a Facebook page where friends and family members of cruise passengers had a place to get and share information. ?People are thankful I set it up,? she told NBC News. ?While we know everyone is safe, we still have the right to be scared for them.? By midday Wednesday, the page had 138 ?likes.?

Lindsey Peterson, whose parents are onboard the Triumph, said she?s hearing conflicting reports. ?Carnival is telling me that all the passengers are safe, the boat has 40 percent power, they have one dining room working with hot food and hot coffee, that the sleeping conditions are fine,? Peterson said. ?Everything that Carnival has told me thus far has not matched up with what my mom has said.?

Tess Hester, whose daughter is on the ship, received this message: ?This is honestly the worst experience ever. I?m not sure I can take two more days at sea with no food, water or power.?

One of the biggest concerns crew members will have until the ship docks is the potential for disease outbreak, particularly norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, Jay Herring, a former senior officer for Carnival Cruise Lines, told The Associated Press.

"Housekeeping, others are probably working double shifts to keep the mess clean and wipe down and sanitize all the common areas," said Herring, who worked for Carnival from 2002 to 2004 and spent four months on the Triumph.

Carnival apologizes
?I think it?s very important that I apologize to our guests and to their families that have been affected by this very difficult situation,? Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill said. The cruise line has reserved 1,500 hotel rooms for passengers in Mobile and New Orleans, and 20 chartered flights will transport passengers to Houston, Cahill said at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the engine-room fire. The fire broke out Sunday morning as the Triumph -- with 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members on board -- was sailing about 150 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The flames were put out without any injuries to passengers or crew.

The disabled ship was originally going to be towed to the Mexican port of Progreso, but strong winds pushed them 90 miles north. Carnival decided to tow the ship to Mobile instead, making it easier for passengers traveling with passports to get home.

The ship left Galveston, Texas, on Thursday, and was scheduled to return on Monday. Passengers will receive a full refund and a future cruise credit, Carnival said.

The ship?s next two voyages, scheduled to depart Monday and Saturday, have been canceled. Passengers scheduled to sail on either of those voyages will receive a full refund and a discount on a future cruise.

The incident comes more than two years after another Carnival ship, the Splendor, was crippled at sea by a fire in the engine room.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/carnival-triumph-passengers-cite-foul-odors-worsening-conditions-1B8325828

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