New Chinese Iron Production Method Turns Hours Into SecondsUnified Endpoint Management Market: Unified Endpoint Management to Surge to USD 78.43B by 2031PALISADES TAHOE SKI RESORT — At midnight, a slender moon hangs above the snowy Sierra Nevada, casting only a faint glow on a sheer cliff and the dark canyon below. But snowcat operator “Bandit” Ferrante has laser-guided vision, measuring snow depth 150 feet ahead and to each side to sculpt the slopes with precision. By dawn, crowds will start arriving to ski and ride the weekend’s fresh powder. “These advancements are changing the way we do things,” said Ferrante, 36, who drives a new $400,000 German-made PistenBully rig with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to prepare the trails. “I see exactly where we’re going, and what’s going on.” After two winters of heavy snow, the snowfall so far this winter has been sporadic. While Mother Nature is always fickle, climate change could create less reliable snow, spelling hardship for the businesses and mountain communities that depend on storms for their economic survival. So resorts seek to make and protect each precious flake. Big corporations running Palisades, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and Mammoth Mountain have made major investments, worth many millions of dollars, in what’s dubbed “snow management.” With some daily lift tickets exceeding $250, the resorts seek to deliver a dependable high-end experience. Initially just farm tractors on tracks, snowcats have evolved into machines of design, detailed craftsmanship and computer-driven tools. Inside the warmth of his cab, with a chatty podcast for company, Ferrante monitors a computer screen with color-coded snow depths, guiding him on where to push and pull snow for the best coverage. Its SNOWsat LiDAR remote sensing technology uses laser pulses to measure snow depth. With accuracy to within an inch, it can construct perfect snowboard half-pipes or World Cup ski race terrain. The joystick that directs the 12-ton machine is smooth, responsive and comfortable to grasp. The blade shifts in 17 different directions, with wings to shovel the snow. With a sensor that detects incline, the powerful tiller automatically rises and falls when routes get steep. It’s turned a once lonely and tedious task into a skill-driven profession. “You keep learning new things,” said Ferrante, a South Lake Tahoe native with nearly 20 years of resort experience. A tidy tattoo — a snowcat control stick — adorns his neck. At competitive “Groomer Games” every spring, representatives of all California ski resorts gather to test their expertise by pushing a golf ball through a maze. Innovations in snow-making tools — such as the $40,000 Super PoleCat — perform alchemy, mixing massive drafts of water, air and electricity to cover miles of runs. Some have built-in automated weather stations. Snowcats maximize the efficiency of snowmaking. Some are simple utility vehicles, hauling things around the mountain. Others are “trooper carriers,” moving ski patrollers. “Dig rigs” have backhoes to excavate buried equipment. A few have forks, for installing fences and seats on race days. The smallest cats are adroit at digging out chairlifts and clearing sidewalks. “You use the right tool for the right job,” said Brendan Gibbons, director of snow surface at Palisades Tahoe. The most prized snowcats at Palisades are the new LiDAR-equipped machines. They are leading the fleets that are racing across the resort this weekend to groom freshly fallen powder, sending information by cell signal to the less well-equipped machines. Until recently, snowcats relied on GPS to measure snow depth; the technology knows how high the machine is sitting above the ground. But this tool offers a limited view of what’s directly under the rig and front blade, not what lies ahead. “It was a great start to this technology, but it only allowed us to see how deep the snow is where we’ve been, and where we are,” said Gibbons. “LIDAR shows us what the snow is before we get to it.” LiDAR also measures the volume of piles of manmade snow, helping guide its use. The tool is already in use in research and government agencies to study snow from the air. It helps water districts measure future water reserves. It can identify avalanche danger. Related Articles France rushes aid to Mayotte after Cyclone Chido leaves hundreds feared dead Despite year of extreme weather, here’s why CT’s climate risk remains lower than other states This winter, don’t forget CT’s birds. Here’s how you can support feathered friends in the cold US hikes tariffs on imports of Chinese solar wafers, polysilicon and tungsten products Central CT health agency considers seeking injunction against noisy trash-to-energy plant It works by sending out up to 200,000 laser pulses per second. Then it measures the time of flight — how long it takes the laser to hit the snow and bounce back to the instrument. It calculates distance by using the known speed of light and the time it takes the laser to travel. In the summer, LiDAR builds a digital model of the bare terrain. In the winter, Bandit and other “night crawlers” creep along the mountain’s cold contours, taking snow measurements. Managers study the freshly updated maps on their phones, then strategize a nighttime plan based on weather, wind, melting and skier traffic. After a long day of wear and tear, LiDAR helps “clean up the holes, remove the moguls and return the slope back to a nice, perfect skiing surface,” said Brian Demarest, SNOWsat manager for Kassbohrer All Terrain Vehicles in Reno, which sells PistenBully (“trail worker,” loosely translated, in German). Snowcats no longer lurch and rock. An eight-hour shift “is like driving to L.A.,” said Gibbons. The snowcat’s taco-shaped blade can turn in 17 different directions. On each side of the blade is a wing that shoves the snow left or right. Its weight compresses the snow as it rolls, squeezing out dangerous air pockets and creating a more firm surface. Each track works independently, so the rig can pivot. Cleats add traction. In the back is a spinning barrel with teeth, which chews up the snow. The barrel’s spin speed is adjustable, influencing how much the flakes heat up and bind to each other. A comb, also adjustable, drags behind to deposit rows of perfect corduroy. Grooming is still dangerous, with peril on slippery and avalanche-prone slopes. One recent winter, when winds hit 192 mph gusts, machines skidded on ice. Ferrante arrives at Palisades in mid-afternoon from his home in Garnerville, Nevada, to get his assignment for the night’s “swing shift.” When he’s done, he’ll hand it off to a colleague on the graveyard shift that grooms until the lifts open. By 5 a.m., he’s in bed. “I don’t get lonely,” said Ferrante, who drinks a thermos of black tea to stay alert. Food can be heated by the exhaust pipe. Throughout the long night hours, operators coordinate with each other, traveling together when there’s avalanche danger. A winch can help secure a machine, allowing it to work on steep slopes. Ferrante sees coyotes, deer, porcupines, and occasional bear. One crew saw migrating ducks fall from the sky, lost in a storm. His crew started the season with “track packing” to compress November’s snow. Now, with the arrival of a new storm, he’ll push snow into rigid “wind rows,” like fences, to catch blowing drifts; later teams will smooth them out. Post-storm priorities are roads, then ramps, then runs. His discipline, largely unrecognized by resort visitors, is building the foundation for a whole season of sport. “There is a ‘skill ceiling’ that’s infinite,” said Ferrante. “You’re never going to be the very best. You’re never going to figure it all out.”y99.web 。

The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level MediaUMass women’s basketball drops second straight in loss to Army

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A pair of teams with minimal rest will face off in Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday when No. 22 St. John takes on Georgia. St. John's (5-1), which will play its third game in four days, began the stretch in the Bahamas Championship on Thursday, dropping a heartbreaker to No. 13 Baylor. The Red Storm led by 18 in the first half before Baylor forced overtime. From there, St. John's rallied from five down with 1:47 left to send the game to a second overtime, where it saw Baylor knock down a pair of 3-pointers in the final seven seconds -- including Jeremy Roach's buzzer-beater -- to knock off the Red Storm 99-98. In the third-place game on Friday, St. John's breezed past Virginia 80-55. RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 18 points and four steals, followed by Kadary Richmond's 12 points, as the Red Storm took a one-point lead with 15:21 left in the first half and didn't trail again. "I'm really impressed with our guys, coming off a double-overtime, extremely emotional loss," St. John's head coach Rick Pitino said. "To respond that way was extremely impressive, both offensively and defensively." Pitino, in his second year with the Red Storm, was moved by something off the court on Friday, involving captain Zuby Ejiofor, who chipped in eight points, nine boards, two steals and two blocks. Ejiofor was serenaded by St. John's fans during the win, following his two missed free throws at the end of double overtime against Baylor. "When you've only been in a job for a year, you search for things you love about a place," Pitino said. "Tonight I found out what I love about St. John's. Our fans chanted Zuby's name the whole game, which doesn't happen anywhere else in America. I was really impressed with our fans and I thank them for making Zuby feel good, because he gives you all the energy." Luis leads the Red Storm with 17.3 points per game, followed by Ejiofor (10.7), Aaron Scott (10.5), Deivon Smith (10.3) and Richmond (10.2). Georgia enters Sunday's matchup looking to rebound from its first loss after falling to No. 15 Marquette 80-69 on Saturday. Georgia (5-1) battled back from a 15-point, second-half deficit, but was held to just three points over the final 4:57 in Saturday's loss. Blue Cain led the Bulldogs with a season-high 17 points, including five 3-pointers. "It's a process. It's a journey with this team," Bulldogs head coach Mike White said. "It's about continuing to make strides, continuing to protect our culture. ... At the end of the day, wins and losses are going to take care of themselves. We just have to embrace the process and enjoy it." Five-star freshman recruit Asa Newell was held to a season-low nine points but leads the team with 15.5 points per game. Silas Demary Jr. is second with 13.8. --Field Level MediaMichigan football scored its biggest recruiting win of the season this past Thursday as they coaxed former LSU commit Bryce Underwood into flipping his pledge to the Wolverines. The Wolverines took on Northwestern at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday as an unexpected guest joined the Belleville, Michigan native Underwood's teammate and four-star recruit Elijah Dotson at a tailgate: Conor Stalions. Stalions, who currently coaches for Dotson's Belleville team, showed up in a photo posted by a well known Michigan writer with his arm around the Belleville cornerback, who is headed to play for coach Sherrone Moore's team next season. Dotson and Stalions, a dynamic duo. 📸 @cpstalions pic.twitter.com/Q5asMwhhFU Dotson flipped his commitment from the Pitt Panthers to Michigan this past week. Stalions is the star of the popular Netflix documentary film 'Sign Stealer' about his role in allegations of alleged illegal in-person scouting as a member of departed Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh's coaching staff. Michigan took on Northwestern Saturday, opening up a 17-6 halftime lead on the visitors from Evanston, Illinois as starting quarterback Davis Warren passed 24 times, completing 19 passes before the half. Warren racked up 131 yards with a touchdown pass to Colston Loveland and an interception in a prequel game to next week's rivalry clash with the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. "Love Conor Stalions!" one fan said in response to the picture. "Tag your uncle from Ohio on this one. Michigan won't be down long," one fan added with a laughing and crying emoji. Some fans criticized Stalions but others appeared to praise him, some tongue-in-cheek, for his support of the Michigan program. "Build the statue for this man!" one fan said. "Can't wait until this class is signed so we can get the juicy details!" another fan added. Related: Michigan Quarterback Alex Orji Made His Thoughts on Bryce Underwood's Commitment Extremely ClearQatar tribune US President Joe Biden on Sunday said he has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, despite previously promising he would not do so. The president’s 54-year-old son had pleaded guilty to federal tax charges after being found guilty of charges relating to gun possession and drug use in two separate trials. The sentences were to be announced later in December. The US president said that, while he had promised he wouldn’t interfere with decisions by the Department of Justice, “It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.” “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” the older Biden said in a statement released by the White House. “Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unravelled in the court room - with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son - and that is wrong,” continued the US president. Biden had said several times that he would not pardon his son. His term in office ends when power is handed over to President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. Hunter Biden’s legal problems also weighed on his father politically during the election campaign. Biden was originally set to be the Democrats’ candidate for the White House, but withdrew from the race after a disastrous performance in a televised debate against Trump. He was eventually replaced by his vice president, Kamala Harris, who was defeated by Trump in the November election. US President-elect Donald Trump described the decision as a “miscarriage of justice.” He pointed on his Truth Social platform to people jailed for participating in the January 6, 2021 riots on Capitol Hill in Washington, terming them “hostages.” “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump posted. Trump is to be inaugurated in Washington on January 20. (DPA) Copy 03/12/2024 10

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, WR Jaylen Waddle out vs. BrownsGoodwill to Host Electronics Recycling Drive on National Technology Day(Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels) By Stephen Beech Employees are suffering "techno-strain" as a result of digital systems making it difficult to switch off from work, warns a new study. Tile used Department of Transportation data from the 2023 and 2024 summer travel seasons to see which airlines are getting worse at luggage handling. Click for more. These airlines are getting worse at baggage handling Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. (Photo by Tara Winstead via Pexels) (Photo by Thirdman via Pexels)

EU Commission deal puts center-right in driver's seatThe trailer for the world's first entirely made by artificial intelligence (AI) film, Mahabharat, has been released and it is looking quite promising. Rohit Reddy and EiPi Media released the trailer as per which this movie was made with the help of more than seven AI tools. Reddy released this on his LinkedIn account following which it was picked by several publications. At the moment it is unclear whether the final product will take the shape of a movie or a series. Continues below advertisement window.addEventListener("load", function() { let ad_unit_fire_time = 1000; if(ad_delay_time_abp > 0){ ad_unit_fire_time = parseInt(ad_delay_time_abp) + 500; } setTimeout(function () { googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-9167143-2"); }); },ad_unit_fire_time) }); Have a look at the trailer below: Continues below advertisement window.addEventListener("load", function() { let ad_unit_fire_time = 1000; if(ad_delay_time_abp > 0){ ad_unit_fire_time = parseInt(ad_delay_time_abp) + 500; } setTimeout(function () { googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-1253031-3"); }); },ad_unit_fire_time) }); ALSO READ | Maharashtra Election Results 2024: BJP For The Win Leaves Resort Owners In Loss? Memefest Leaves Netizens In Splits Mahabharat: Plot The majority of the Indian population might have heard to seen the basic plot of Mahabharat at least once in their lives. If not completely then there's a high chance that they must have seen or heard at least a small part of the saga. For the ones who still might be unaware, here's a basic plot for you- Pandavas fight the battle of justice with the Kauravas after the latter humiliates Draupadi (Wife of Pandavas) publicly. This war resulted in the mass elimination of some of the top warriors. By the end of it, only a few remained. ALSO READ | Coldplay Concert Tickets: You Can STILL Get Your Hands On Mumbai, Ahmedabad Passes Online. Check Out How The story is largely expected to be similar to the one that we've heard while growing up unless the makers decide to take inspiration from people who made Adipurush. The makers of Adipurush allegedly ruined Ramayana and the audience can only hope that EiPi Media would do a better job than them. The LinkedIn post has garnered over 3,700 reactions so far and it has also amassed 272 comments (at the time of writing).Remembering Carter: The Peacemaker President

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Huntley fills in for injured Tagovailoa, leads Dolphins past Browns 20-3 to keep playoff hopes alive