RI pension overhaul may head to the courts (AP)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. ? Rhode Island is taking dramatic steps toward fixing one of the nation's most underfunded public pension systems, but the true battle with public-sector unions may be just beginning.

State lawmakers ignored jeers from public workers and the threat of a lawsuit Thursday to pass sweeping changes to the pension system covering 66,000 active and retired public workers.

The legislation is designed to save billions of dollars in future years by backing away from promises to state and municipal workers that lawmakers say the state can no longer afford. Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent, said he will sign the bill.

Public-sector union leaders promised a court challenge before the final votes were even cast.

"The attorneys are going to make a lot of money," Philip Keefe, president of Local 580, which represents social service, administrative and technical workers. "If this is overturned, it will be you, me and every other taxpayer that is on the hook for billions."

Supporters acknowledged that a lawsuit was inevitable but said the bill was thoroughly reviewed for any legal problems. Supporters said one of the reasons for the bill was to ensure there's money available when today's workers retire.

"It would certainly be a lot easier to walk away from this reform," said Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport. "However, it is clear that doing nothing only puts our retirees and our active members' benefits at greater risk. We owe it to them, as well as to all other taxpayers, to attack this challenge head on."

The landmark legislation could have big implications around the nation. Nearly every state is confronting the same problem, caused by escalating pension costs, huge investment losses and recession-induced budget deficits. The Pew Center on the States released a report earlier this year that found that states face a collective gap of $1.26 trillion between what they've promised public workers and what they have set aside to meet those promises.

Rhode Island needs $7 billion to fully fund the pension fund that covers state workers and many municipal employees ? roughly the same amount as the state's entire annual budget. Under the current system, the state must pour more and more into the pension system annually, from $319 million in 2011 to $765 million in 2015 and $1.3 billion in 2028.

The pension system covers active and retired public teachers, state employees, judges and many municipal workers. Fifty-eight percent of retired teachers and 48 percent of retired state workers receive more money in their pensions than they did in their final years of work. Their benefits are set by state law and not collective bargaining.

The legislation passed Thursday would suspend automatic, annual pension increases for retirees for five years, and then award them only if pension investments perform well. The bill also raises retirement ages for many workers and creates a benefit plan that mixes pensions with 401(k)-style accounts. The changes wouldn't apply to municipal pension plans, which are typically the result of collective bargaining.

The measure is projected to reduce the state's unfunded pension liability by $3 billion immediately, and save taxpayers $4 billion over 25 years.

Public workers said they felt betrayed and some interrupted Thursday's debate with jeers.

"They should be ashamed of themselves," said Dean Brockway, a Cranston firefighter with 28 years on the job. "These were Democrats voting to do this. They're trying to solve a 40-year-old problem in one day. They didn't have to do this."

Frustrated opponents in the legislature warned their colleagues that the bill may come back to haunt them if the courts side with workers.

"What we are about to do is a crime," said Rep. Scott Guthrie, D-Coventry, himself a retired firefighter. "You want this thing to linger around for 10, 15 years? You want to go through 10 years of litigation? You want to spend God knows how much money on legal fees?"

The state's public-sector unions won a key victory in September when a judge ruled that pension agreements are a contract between the state and its employees and cannot be taken away arbitrarily. The state is appealing that ruling.

Supporters of the bill, however, note that the ruling says contracts may be altered if there is a good reason to do so.

While the bill's fate may be decided in the courts, its passage represents a political win for legislative leaders, Chafee and Treasurer Gina Raimondo, a Democrat who was the main architect of the legislation. For months, Chafee and Raimondo warned that unless the state reined in pension costs, lawmakers would have to raise taxes and slash funds for education and other services.

"Rhode Island has demonstrated to the rest of the country that we are committed to getting our fiscal house in order," Chafee said in a statement.

Several lawmakers said they supported the bill with great reluctance, noting that they were voting to withhold money that retired workers were counting on. Rep. Donna Walsh, D-Charlestown, said it was the "most heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching vote" she has cast in 12 years in the General Assembly.

"It may be necessary, but it certainly is not fair," said Rep. John Savage, R-East Providence. "Can we honestly say to our state workers, to those who educate our children, to those who protect us... that this bill is fair? I don't think so."

Democratic leaders said they understood that by tackling public pensions they would alienate public-sector unions, a long-standing ally.

"Significant Democratic constituencies are very upset," said House Speaker Gordon Fox, D-Providence. But Fox said the General Assembly can no longer afford to "make promises we can't keep."

A coalition formed by the state's business community helped push for the changes, which business leaders argued would help restore fiscal stability to state government and relieve the state's tax burden.

Lawmakers said the state's stubbornly high unemployment rate of 10.5 percent helped convince them of the need for change. The state has intervened in the financial struggles of two cities, and a state-appointed receiver sought bankruptcy protection last fall for the insolvent city of Central Falls.

Raimondo said it's not fair to ask taxpayers to pay for ever-increasing pensions for public workers when they may not be able to find a job themselves.

"The average Rhode Islander is worse off than the average public employee," she said. "The average Rhode Islander is pretty strapped right now."

Opponents of the bill pushed unsuccessfully to weaken its impact, but the bill passed easily nevertheless. The Senate passed its version of the legislation 35-2, with the House voting 57-15 a few hours later.

The changes in the legislation would not apply to locally-run pension funds, many of which are in even worse shape than the state-run system. Chafee said he will introduce legislation in January to give cities and towns greater authority to curb their pension costs.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111118/ap_on_re_us/us_ri_pensions

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Reed Elsevier on track in economic storm (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Anglo-Dutch publishing and events group Reed Elsevier Plc/NV (REL.L)(ELSN.AS) posted a 1 percent rise in underlying sales for the first nine months of the year and said macroeconomic uncertainty had had only a marginal effect on its results.

Each of its five business areas showed underlying growth, excluding the effect of trade shows that happen every two years, with its LexisNexis legal products holding up well as demand from law firms remained subdued but stable, Reed said.

Reed Elsevier, whose world-leading trade shows include the London Book Fair and Aluminum China, has been making aggressive investments in legal products, where it competes with Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO) and Wolters Kluwer (WLSNc.AS).

The company, which also provides professional information for scientists, academics and doctors, said on Wednesday it should deliver full-year adjusted earnings per share in line with expectations.

A spokesman said the company saw consensus at between 45 and 46 pence per share, which would represent an increase of 4 to 6 percent.

"The recent uncertainty in the macro-economic environment has had a limited impact on some of our more cyclical businesses with only a marginal effect on our overall results to date," Chief Executive Erik Engstrom said in a statement.

Shares in Reed Elsevier, considered a safe haven with steady subscription revenue that underpins its consistently high dividends, fell 1.3 percent in early trade in London and 0.9 percent in Amsterdam, underperforming a flat European media index (.SXMP).

FORWARD BOOKINGS

"We believe execution at Reed has improved but we remain wary of how Legal will be squeezed between market leader Westlaw (part of Thomson Reuters) and challenger Bloomberg (which recently bought BNA for $1 billion)," analysts at brokerage Numis wrote in a note.

Numis kept its "hold" recommendation and price target of 536 pence on the stock, not far from its price of 531p at 0813 GMT.

Reed Exhibitions sales grew 12 percent, excluding the effect of biennial shows, and the company said forward booking trends remained strong, although it was watching out for changes in customer sentiment.

Legal and Professional underlying sales grew 1 percent. UBS wrote in a research note that it appeared Reed's LexisNexis legal products were making some market share gains. Wolters Kluwer reported a slight drop in third-quarter legal and regulatory revenue. Thomson Reuters reported an increase in third-quarter legal revenue.

"While there have been some signs of increased U.S. law firm activity, this has yet to show through in legal headcount," Reed Elsevier said.

LexisNexis Risk Solutions showed underlying growth of 4 percent, excluding an insurance software business the company has recently agreed to sell.

Scientific and academic publishing division Elsevier reported underlying growth of 2 percent, while magazine unit Reed Business Information grew 1 percent.

(Editing by David Holmes)

(Corrects paragraph 11 to attribute to UBS the comment that LexisNexis is gaining market share, and to show that Thomson Reuters third-quarter legal revenue rose, not fell)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111117/bs_nm/us_reedelsevier

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Walken: Went to bed, awoke to learn of Wood death

FILE - In this April 9, 1979 file photo, actress Natalie Wood is shown at the 51st Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Los Angeles sheriff's homicide detectives are taking another look at Wood's 1981 drowning death based on new information, officials announced Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. (AP Photo, file)

FILE - In this April 9, 1979 file photo, actress Natalie Wood is shown at the 51st Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Los Angeles sheriff's homicide detectives are taking another look at Wood's 1981 drowning death based on new information, officials announced Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. (AP Photo, file)

FILE - The 55-foot yacht "Splendour," belonging to actor Robert Wagner and his wife, actress Natalie Wood, sits in the waters off Catalina Island in Santa Catalina, Calif., near the site where Harbor Patrol personnel and lifeguards discovered the body of Wood, an apparent drowning victim, Nov. 29, 1981. Los Angeles sheriff's homicide detectives are taking another look at Wood's 1981 drowning death based on new information, officials announced Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Harrington, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Actor Christopher Walken says he went to bed on a yacht he was on with actress Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner 30 years ago and awoke to learn that she had died.

Walken tells Washington, D.C. sports talk radio station ESPN980 on Friday that there was drinking and shouting on the boat and that then "there was tragedy."

His comments come as Los Angeles authorities reopened the case of Wood's 1981 death in the waters off Southern California.

A boat captain said Friday that he lied to authorities about the case and that Wood's husband, Wagner, was to blame for her death.

Police said Wagner was not a suspect and that they had new information that warranted a reopening the case.

___

Associated Press writer Joe White in Bethesda, Md.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-18-Natalie%20Wood-Investigation/id-35b6a16d8f3b45d08fe2b231f1466d39

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NASA's TRMM satellite sees deadly tornadic thunderstorms in Southeastern US

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 18-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Rob Gutro
Robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
443-858-1779
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Tornadoes are expected to accompany severe storms in the springtime in the U.S., but this time of year they also usually happen. When a line of severe thunderstorms associated with a cold front swept through the U.S. southeast on Nov. 16, TRMM collected rainfall data on the dangerous storms from space.

NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over the southeastern United States on November 16, 2011 at 2310 UTC (6:10 p.m. EST) when tornadoes were occurring with a line of thunderstorms that stretched from western Florida north through North Carolina. At least six deaths were caused by one of these tornadoes that destroyed three homes near Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Typically in the fall, the transition from warm air to cooler air occurs as Canadian cold air moves down into the U.S. The combination of a strong cold front with warm, moist air in its path enables the creation of strong to severe storms at this time of year.

TRMM data was used to create a rainfall analysis of the line of severe thunderstorms associated with the cold front. The analysis showed that the area of moderate to very heavy rainfall (falling at more than 2 inches or 50 mm per hour) with this frontal system was only located in a narrow line. In addition to heavy rain and some tornadoes, the strong cold front brought winds gusting over 30 mph, and a temperature drop of as much as 20 degrees as the front passed.

TRMM rainfall imagery is created at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. To create the images, rain rates in the center swaths are taken from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR), a unique space-borne precipitation radar, while rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The rain rates are overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) to form a complete picture of the rainfall in a storm or storm system like this one.

Data captured at the same time with TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) were used to create a three dimensional look at the line of severe storms. That 3-D image shows the vertical structure or height of the thunderstorms. The higher the cloud tops go, the stronger the storm. Strong updrafts had pushed precipitation within some of these storms to heights of 9.3 miles (15 kilometers).

According to USA Today tornadoes were reported in four states from that line of thunderstorms. Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina all had reported tornadoes, and dozens of buildings and homes were damaged. The line of severe weather also took down trees and power lines leaving many without electricity.

###

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) designed to monitor and study tropical rainfall.



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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.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 18-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Rob Gutro
Robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
443-858-1779
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Tornadoes are expected to accompany severe storms in the springtime in the U.S., but this time of year they also usually happen. When a line of severe thunderstorms associated with a cold front swept through the U.S. southeast on Nov. 16, TRMM collected rainfall data on the dangerous storms from space.

NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over the southeastern United States on November 16, 2011 at 2310 UTC (6:10 p.m. EST) when tornadoes were occurring with a line of thunderstorms that stretched from western Florida north through North Carolina. At least six deaths were caused by one of these tornadoes that destroyed three homes near Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Typically in the fall, the transition from warm air to cooler air occurs as Canadian cold air moves down into the U.S. The combination of a strong cold front with warm, moist air in its path enables the creation of strong to severe storms at this time of year.

TRMM data was used to create a rainfall analysis of the line of severe thunderstorms associated with the cold front. The analysis showed that the area of moderate to very heavy rainfall (falling at more than 2 inches or 50 mm per hour) with this frontal system was only located in a narrow line. In addition to heavy rain and some tornadoes, the strong cold front brought winds gusting over 30 mph, and a temperature drop of as much as 20 degrees as the front passed.

TRMM rainfall imagery is created at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. To create the images, rain rates in the center swaths are taken from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR), a unique space-borne precipitation radar, while rain rates in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The rain rates are overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) to form a complete picture of the rainfall in a storm or storm system like this one.

Data captured at the same time with TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR) were used to create a three dimensional look at the line of severe storms. That 3-D image shows the vertical structure or height of the thunderstorms. The higher the cloud tops go, the stronger the storm. Strong updrafts had pushed precipitation within some of these storms to heights of 9.3 miles (15 kilometers).

According to USA Today tornadoes were reported in four states from that line of thunderstorms. Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina all had reported tornadoes, and dozens of buildings and homes were damaged. The line of severe weather also took down trees and power lines leaving many without electricity.

###

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) designed to monitor and study tropical rainfall.



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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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/nsfc-nts111811.php

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The Best Free Songs on Google Music [Google Music]

One of the coolest features of Google Music is the free jams they're giving away everyday. We went through and picked out some our favorites from the list for your listening pleasure. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Bkgs1funUt4/the-best-free-songs-on-google-music

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Eviction notices posted on Occupy London tents

A member of the media holds up an eviction notice for photographers to take pictures of that protesters removed after it was placed by an official on a tent at the Occupy London demonstration camp outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. London officials attached eviction notices to protest tents outside St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, asking the demonstrators to remove the camp within a day or face legal action. The notices posted by the City of London Corporation said the encampment was "an unlawful obstruction" of a sidewalk, and asked protesters to take down "all tents and other structures" by 6 p.m. (1800 GMT, 1 p.m. EST) Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

A member of the media holds up an eviction notice for photographers to take pictures of that protesters removed after it was placed by an official on a tent at the Occupy London demonstration camp outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. London officials attached eviction notices to protest tents outside St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, asking the demonstrators to remove the camp within a day or face legal action. The notices posted by the City of London Corporation said the encampment was "an unlawful obstruction" of a sidewalk, and asked protesters to take down "all tents and other structures" by 6 p.m. (1800 GMT, 1 p.m. EST) Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Occupy London protestors wear masks as they continue their demonstration outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. Authorities in London said Tuesday they will resume legal action to evict protesters from outside St. Paul's Cathedral after talks with the demonstrators stalled. More than 200 tents have been pitched outside the iconic church for around a month in a protest inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

A supporter of the Occupy London movement sings as he plays his guitar with some protestors wearing masks in foreground, outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. Authorities in London said Tuesday they will resume legal action to evict protesters from outside St. Paul's Cathedral after talks with the demonstrators stalled. More than 200 tents have been pitched outside the iconic church for around a month in a protest inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Occupy London protestors wear masks as they continue their demonstration outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. Authorities in London said Tuesday they will resume legal action to evict protesters from outside St. Paul's Cathedral after talks with the demonstrators stalled. More than 200 tents have been pitched outside the iconic church for around a month in a protest inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Banners are posted on the walls of local buildings outside the Occupy London protest camp outside St Paul's Cathedral in London, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. Authorities in London said Tuesday they will resume legal action to evict protesters from outside St. Paul's Cathedral after talks with the demonstrators stalled. More than 200 tents have been pitched outside the iconic church for around a month in a protest inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

(AP) ? London officials attached eviction notices to protest tents outside St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, asking the demonstrators to remove the camp within a day or face legal action.

The notices posted by the City of London Corporation said the encampment was "an unlawful obstruction" of a sidewalk, and asked protesters to take down "all tents and other structures" by 6 p.m. (1800 GMT, 1 p.m. EST) Thursday.

Cathedral and city officials had suspended legal action to remove the camp two weeks ago, and offered the protesters a deal to allow them to stay until the new year if they then agreed to leave. But the corporation said Tuesday that talks had failed and it was resuming legal action.

If the tents are not removed, the corporation says it will go to court seeking an eviction notice ? a process that could take weeks or months.

More than 200 tents have been pitched outside the famous domed church since Oct. 15 in a protest against capitalist excess inspired by New York's Occupy Wall Street, and the protesters said they would resist attempts to move them.

"We will contest it," spokeswoman Naomi Colvin said. "We will be speaking to our legal team and we will be fighting it."

The governing Chapter of St. Paul's Cathedral said in a statement that it recognized "the local authority's statutory right to proceed with the action it has today," but would continue to meet with protesters in a bid to find a peaceful solution.

Police in the U.S. have been moving in to clear away similar protests, breaking up camps in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday, Oakland, California, on Monday and on Tuesday in New York, where about 200 people were arrested. No immediate police action is likely in London as the case moves into the courts.

Within an hour, the new notices in London had been ripped down.

Tammy Lawrence, a 33-year-old demonstrator, said that she was not going to leave.

"I get freezing cold at night, but I believe in what we're doing and I'm happy to sacrifice something for it," she said.

"All we're going to do if the police come in is sit down."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-11-16-EU-Occupy-London/id-9dcc49a95b7f41d693b72b0bd8018f7f

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Multidisciplinary team of researchers develop world?s lightest material

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 17-Nov-2011
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Contact: Janet Wilson
janethw@uci.edu
949-824-3969
University of California - Irvine

UCI mechanical and aerospace engineer plays key role

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 17, 2011 A team of researchers from UC Irvine, HRL Laboratories and the California Institute of Technology have developed the world's lightest material with a density of 0.9 mg/cc about 100 times lighter than Styrofoam. Their findings appear in the Nov. 18 issue of Science.

The new material redefines the limits of lightweight materials because of its unique "micro-lattice" cellular architecture. The researchers were able to make a material that consists of 99.99 percent air by designing the 0.01 percent solid at the nanometer, micron and millimeter scales. "The trick is to fabricate a lattice of interconnected hollow tubes with a wall thickness 1,000 times thinner than a human hair," said lead author Dr. Tobias Schaedler of HRL.

The material's architecture allows unprecedented mechanical behavior for a metal, including complete recovery from compression exceeding 50 percent strain and extraordinarily high energy absorption.

"Materials actually get stronger as the dimensions are reduced to the nanoscale," explained UCI mechanical and aerospace engineer Lorenzo Valdevit, UCI's principal investigator on the project. "Combine this with the possibility of tailoring the architecture of the micro-lattice and you have a unique cellular material."

Developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the novel material could be used for battery electrodes and acoustic, vibration or shock energy absorption.

William Carter, manager of the architected materials group at HRL, compared the new material to larger, more familiar edifices: "Modern buildings, exemplified by the Eiffel Tower or the Golden Gate Bridge, are incredibly light and weight-efficient by virtue of their architecture. We are revolutionizing lightweight materials by bringing this concept to the nano and micro scales."

###

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. Use of this line is available for a fee to radio news programs/stations that wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.

UCI maintains an online directory of faculty available as experts to the media. To access, visit www.today.uci.edu/experts. For UCI breaking news, visit www.zotwire.uci.edu.


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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.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 17-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Janet Wilson
janethw@uci.edu
949-824-3969
University of California - Irvine

UCI mechanical and aerospace engineer plays key role

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 17, 2011 A team of researchers from UC Irvine, HRL Laboratories and the California Institute of Technology have developed the world's lightest material with a density of 0.9 mg/cc about 100 times lighter than Styrofoam. Their findings appear in the Nov. 18 issue of Science.

The new material redefines the limits of lightweight materials because of its unique "micro-lattice" cellular architecture. The researchers were able to make a material that consists of 99.99 percent air by designing the 0.01 percent solid at the nanometer, micron and millimeter scales. "The trick is to fabricate a lattice of interconnected hollow tubes with a wall thickness 1,000 times thinner than a human hair," said lead author Dr. Tobias Schaedler of HRL.

The material's architecture allows unprecedented mechanical behavior for a metal, including complete recovery from compression exceeding 50 percent strain and extraordinarily high energy absorption.

"Materials actually get stronger as the dimensions are reduced to the nanoscale," explained UCI mechanical and aerospace engineer Lorenzo Valdevit, UCI's principal investigator on the project. "Combine this with the possibility of tailoring the architecture of the micro-lattice and you have a unique cellular material."

Developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the novel material could be used for battery electrodes and acoustic, vibration or shock energy absorption.

William Carter, manager of the architected materials group at HRL, compared the new material to larger, more familiar edifices: "Modern buildings, exemplified by the Eiffel Tower or the Golden Gate Bridge, are incredibly light and weight-efficient by virtue of their architecture. We are revolutionizing lightweight materials by bringing this concept to the nano and micro scales."

###

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. Use of this line is available for a fee to radio news programs/stations that wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.

UCI maintains an online directory of faculty available as experts to the media. To access, visit www.today.uci.edu/experts. For UCI breaking news, visit www.zotwire.uci.edu.


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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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/uoc--mto111711.php

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Fresh iPhone Apps for Nov. 17: Minecraft, RPM: Gymkhana Racing, Superman, Bullet Time HD (Appolicious)

This week?s big games release in the iTunes App Store sees the addition of Minecraft: Pocket Edition, an iOS version of the incredibly popular indie PC sensation in which players have built all kinds of amazing, huge structures. Following that is RPM: Gymkhana Racing, a racing game that puts the emphasis on insane drifts and finesse. Superman finally comes to iOS care of Chillingo in a side-scrolling action game, and twin-stick shooter Bullet Time HD packs role-playing elements to make a deep action experience that includes multiplayer support.

A monster indie hit on the PC, Minecraft has already made its way to Google?s Android operating system, and now finally shows up on the iPhone and iPad. The first-person game is all about mining for various resources, cutting down trees and gathering items to use to construct all kinds of things ? think ?virtual LEGO? and you have the right idea.

This version of Minecraft isn?t quite as complete as the one available on PC, lacking things like animals, online multiplayer support and the frightening ?creepers? that attack players within the game. Instead, it focuses on constructing things in the game world. It also includes local multiplayer over a Wi-Fi network, so you can join in with your friends to build houses, towns or even scale models of the Starship Enterprise (yes, somebody did that).

Top-down racing game RPM: Gymkhana Racing isn?t just about posting top times on each track. To really rack-up high scores and grab the best times in the game, you need to master the ability to drift around corners. This lets you max out your car?s top speed as well as score points. In each race, you?ll also have objectives to meet, like grabbing certain objects or avoiding collisions.

RPM packs 25 tracks across five different locales, ranging from New York to Dubai. You can work through tracks in a variety of ways, and locating shortcuts is key to your success. As you clear tracks, you?ll also unlock new cars and accessories to further your racing ambitions.

Superman (iPhone, iPad) $0.99

The Man of Steel finally has an iOS game of his own. With a comic book look and feel, Superman puts you in the role of the iconic superhero as you fight through waves of dangers and crimes taking place in Metropolis. You?ll fly around the city to blast space probes with Superman?s heat vision, fly at super-speeds to take down thieves, and bash missiles until they explode harmlessly before impacting the city.

Superman has simple controls that allow you to use a host of his abilities while utilizing only a couple of virtual buttons on your iOS device?s screen. The game packs 18 levels to play through, and in each you?ll be scored on how quickly and efficiently you defeat your enemies. It also has Game Center support for achievements and leaderboards.

Grab your guns and get ready to take on mutants in Bullet Time, a twin-stick shooter with some great graphics optimized for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. The game is filled with fast-paced shooter action as blade-wielding mutants charge you, flanked by their gun-toting allies. You?ll need to take them all down carefully while completing other objectives in order to move forward through the game?s two big single-player campaigns.

Bullet Time also contains quite a few role-playing game elements, like the ability to find or buy new weapons and armor to better your character over time. It also includes a pretty robust cooperative multiplayer mode, allowing you to take on the game with up to two friends. You can track your scores using Game Center?s online leaderboards.

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