Latest news with #Vita
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Waterford community hub is Day Care Centre of the Year
The Waterford city disability support service was lauded for championing community inclusion for its 24 members, by creating an environment that empowers and facilitates personal and professional growth. Broadcaster Martin King was on MC duty at the ceremony in the Clayton Hotel Dublin, leading the evening's celebrations with good humour and charm, as hundreds of leaders and representatives from the disability and healthcare sectors gathered for the prestigious event to celebrate outstanding achievements in service provision. Vita Community Hub scooped the national award for Day Care Centre of the Year, honoured for its dedication to developing the talents and potential of the people attending the service. The innovative programmes on offer have helped individuals with disabilities to achieve greater independence and a higher quality of life. The service was honoured for its focus on community engagement, with the Vita team continuously striving to create and enhance connections that will have far-reaching benefits for each individual. 'Vita prides itself on promoting fulfilling employment opportunities for its members,' said a spokesperson. 'The judges credited the service for the development of a unique staged job activation programme, focused on harnessing each individual's essential job skills. 'Community collaboration is key for the programme's success, with the Vita team actively creating multiple partnerships with employers throughout the locality.' In addition, the promotion of third level education is a top priority for the Vita team. In collaboration with South East Technical University (SETU) Humanities department, staff in Vita developed a pilot project which allowed its members to study a Hospitality course in the college. Throughout the academic year, individuals from Vita worked alongside hospitality students in the SETU training restaurant and ran the Growth Café on campus. James O'Halloran, Vita Programme Supervisor, said, 'We have been on a high all week since winning this award. The team is thrilled to have achieved this national recognition for our dynamic educational, advocacy, and employment programmes at Vita. This award is a testament to the unique impact of our service and the difference it has made to people's lives.'
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered' Switch Review: A Clear Upgrade
This remaster is a definite step up over the Vita original. Way back in 2012, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny was released on the PlayStation Vita. It was a solid little game, and this Remastered version stays true to its heritage. The Gundam Battle games were originally developed for the PlayStation Portable by Artdink, starting with Gundam Battle Tactics in 2005. It was a good little mecha action game too, where you took down enemy mobile suits with a tethered orbit lock-on setup and various long and close-range weapons. In the following years, Artdink improved on this setup with a multitude of follow-up games until they had to make the jump to the Vita. Unlike the previous PlayStation Portable releases, a new Vita game meant all the visual assets needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. With this additional expense, Artdink also took the time to re-evaluate the controls and took advantage of the Vita's dual analogue setup. The result was a decent entry in the Gundam Battle series, and I game I enjoyed playing through back when I reviewed it in 2012. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Even on Switch, the game looks and runs great. So, how does this new Remastered version stack up? Well, first off, it has more comprehensive controller options. I normally play with inverted vertical controls, and in the original Vita version, there was no way to change that. However, in this new Remastered version, there is. The frame rate, at least on the Switch version, is also more stable, and being able to play with a proper pad does make the whole experience more comfortable. On the Vita version, I'd end up with the patented claw rictus in one hand, or both, after an extended session. Here, I've had no issues at all. As for the game itself, like almost all Gundam Battle games, you always start off with an underpowered grunt unit. Playing multiple missions earns you tuning points to make the mobile suit perform more fluidly. This is a staple of these games, and it does mean you have to play a fair bit before the game gets into its groove. This used to be more of an issue because each mobile suit would accrue its own upgrade points through playing the game. These points also weren't often transferable, either, and it resulted in you replaying previous missions to gain enough points to actually make your mobile suit decent. As the Gundam Battle games evolved, you got GP points. These were earned alongside the mobile suits' own tuning points and could be spent on whatever mobile suit you wanted. The back-end tuning setup is key for your progression through the game. This was very handy because it meant that once you unlocked a nice beefy mobile suit later on in any given game, you already had some currency that could be used to upgrade your ride of choice from the moment you got it. To feed into this, in addition to the Story missions, you also had EX Missions in this game. These were redone versions of the Story missions, but you got big GP rewards after each one. So, apart from the visual upgrade, there is an improvement over the controls and general upgrade progression compared to the Vita version. Personally, I also think the Gundam Battle games play far better than the Gundam Breaker games, but in this instance, if you're not a fan of Gundam Seed, then your enjoyment of the game will likely be diminished. Cuteness aside, the variety of series and mobile suits available in SD Gundam Battle Alliance made for a more complete and accessible game, in my opinion, which is also part of the Gundam Battle pantheon. However, for a classic take on the original Gundam Battle setup, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is arguably one of the best entries thus far and a marked improvement over the Vita original. Overall, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is not only a solid visual upgrade to the Vita original but also has some much-needed functional improvements, both in terms of the controls and the backend progression flow. The only real downside is if you're not a fan of Gundam Seed, as otherwise, this is a very nicely made mecha action game. Now, if only Bandai Namco would remaster Gundam Battle Universe. Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PC Developer: B.B. STUDIO CO., LTD. Publisher: Bandai Namco Released: 22nd May 2025 Price: $39.99 Score: 8/10 Disclosure: I purchased this game with my own money. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
Business Wire
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sappi Casting and Release Announces New Textures and Collaborative Product Launch Ahead of
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and dissolving wood pulp, is preparing for the interzum 2025 exhibition with six new Ultracast textures and a new collaborative product launch. The exhibition will take place next week – May 20 – 23 – in Cologne, Germany. Visitors to the Sappi booth (Hall 6.1 Booth E-048) will be immersed in a sensory experience with surfacing solutions that demonstrate the impact of how we perceive and experience a variety of materials through natural looking design and our sense of touch. The decorative laminate texture six-pack will include new or recently launched textures, including: Canaletto: Canaletto is a new woodgrain texture with a natural, all-over design featuring meticulous details and a well-balanced rhythmic grain pattern. The realistic details, beautiful shimmer, and satiny touch make Canaletto stand out, evoking a soft, precise richness of noble wood. Circuit: The complex interconnections and patterns on electronic components inspire Circuit. Its peaks and valleys look like traces and pathways woven or etched onto its surface. When you examine its haptic surface more closely, you can see a delicate network of lines that resemble conductive routes punctuated by geometric shapes. City: City is an evolution of the Sappi texture Urban, with a refined stone character for a more contemporary appeal. With an expanded scale, softened and adapted to trendy stones like travertine and limestone, City is versatile and can beautifully fit many other décors like marble, concrete, clay and granite. Matte Luxor: Matte Luxor is a decorative laminate version of our textile texture Luxor. The dual gloss surface creates a woven appearance of squares and diamonds. The ultra-fine lines produce a warp-and-weft effect, adding an easy, subtle sheen to the surface design. Matte Luxor's haptic is reminiscent of a pleasing woven engineered finish. When touched, the technical texture has a multidirectional sensory effect: one direction has a gliding smoothness, and the other has a slight roughness. Mokka Vintage: Mokka Vintage exudes a bold, industrial aesthetic with its ultra-flat finish and intentionally weathered appearance. Mokka Vintage's dual finish creates extremes in light and dark qualities, giving the material a raw and rough edge. Deliberately incorporated subtle scuffs, scratches, and irregularities suggest a history of wear and resilience. Vita: Vita, our newest organic texture, features a nicely refined ribbed finish with subtle undulations that exhibit a vibrant play of glimmer and shadow, a vivid sheen that moves with the light. Vita enables unlimited design freedom in interiors with a surface that blends perfectly into the elevated aesthetics of industrial stainless steel and the expressive elegance of statement pieces. 'When creating new textures, we are constantly evaluating what is the most important to consumers – haptics, aesthetics, and function,' says Mark Hittie, Director of Release Business Strategy for Sappi North America. 'We are proud to showcase this new laminate texture six-pack, which combines design with performance. We strive to push the boundaries of texture, with the user experience always top of mind.' In addition to these six new textures, Sappi is announcing a collaborative product launch with Upco SRL. UpcoXtouch, Texture by Sappi, is a three-dimensional textured surfacing solution that provides high-wear and anti-fingerprint performance to decorative laminates, including worktops, countertops, and kitchen cabinetry. 'We strongly believe in this collaboration,' says Florian von Kuczkowski, COO of Upco SRL. 'Combining Upco's innovative functional coating solutions with Sappi's aesthetically pleasing and authentic-to-the-touch textures answers the need of laminators for a textured surface with highly functional properties.' UpcoXtouch will be featured at both Upco's and Sappi's booths during interzum 2025. Learn more about Sappi's Textures here. About Sappi North America, Inc. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi North America, Inc., is a leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that are used worldwide. Sappi NA has a corporate office in Portland, Maine and mills in Skowhegan and Westbrook, Maine, Cloquet, Minnesota, and Matane, Quebec, along with a dedicated Technology Center and Sheeting Facility. Sappi NA employs approximately 2,100 people in the United States and Canada. Sappi NA uses a renewable, recyclable natural source – woodfibre – to create packaging, specialty papers, graphic papers, and pulp that make everyday products more sustainable. Sappi supports sustainable forestry and sustainable manufacturing to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity and improve soil and water quality. Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. To learn more, visit
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sappi Casting and Release Announces New Textures and Collaborative Product Launch Ahead of interzum 2025
Sappi will showcase a six-pack of decorative laminate textures, as well as a new collaboration with Upco SRL BOSTON, May 15, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and dissolving wood pulp, is preparing for the interzum 2025 exhibition with six new Ultracast textures and a new collaborative product launch. The exhibition will take place next week – May 20 – 23 – in Cologne, Germany. Visitors to the Sappi booth (Hall 6.1 Booth E-048) will be immersed in a sensory experience with surfacing solutions that demonstrate the impact of how we perceive and experience a variety of materials through natural looking design and our sense of touch. The decorative laminate texture six-pack will include new or recently launched textures, including: Canaletto: Canaletto is a new woodgrain texture with a natural, all-over design featuring meticulous details and a well-balanced rhythmic grain pattern. The realistic details, beautiful shimmer, and satiny touch make Canaletto stand out, evoking a soft, precise richness of noble wood. Circuit: The complex interconnections and patterns on electronic components inspire Circuit. Its peaks and valleys look like traces and pathways woven or etched onto its surface. When you examine its haptic surface more closely, you can see a delicate network of lines that resemble conductive routes punctuated by geometric shapes. City: City is an evolution of the Sappi texture Urban, with a refined stone character for a more contemporary appeal. With an expanded scale, softened and adapted to trendy stones like travertine and limestone, City is versatile and can beautifully fit many other décors like marble, concrete, clay and granite. Matte Luxor: Matte Luxor is a decorative laminate version of our textile texture Luxor. The dual gloss surface creates a woven appearance of squares and diamonds. The ultra-fine lines produce a warp-and-weft effect, adding an easy, subtle sheen to the surface design. Matte Luxor's haptic is reminiscent of a pleasing woven engineered finish. When touched, the technical texture has a multidirectional sensory effect: one direction has a gliding smoothness, and the other has a slight roughness. Mokka Vintage: Mokka Vintage exudes a bold, industrial aesthetic with its ultra-flat finish and intentionally weathered appearance. Mokka Vintage's dual finish creates extremes in light and dark qualities, giving the material a raw and rough edge. Deliberately incorporated subtle scuffs, scratches, and irregularities suggest a history of wear and resilience. Vita: Vita, our newest organic texture, features a nicely refined ribbed finish with subtle undulations that exhibit a vibrant play of glimmer and shadow, a vivid sheen that moves with the light. Vita enables unlimited design freedom in interiors with a surface that blends perfectly into the elevated aesthetics of industrial stainless steel and the expressive elegance of statement pieces. "When creating new textures, we are constantly evaluating what is the most important to consumers – haptics, aesthetics, and function," says Mark Hittie, Director of Release Business Strategy for Sappi North America. "We are proud to showcase this new laminate texture six-pack, which combines design with performance. We strive to push the boundaries of texture, with the user experience always top of mind." In addition to these six new textures, Sappi is announcing a collaborative product launch with Upco SRL. UpcoXtouch, Texture by Sappi, is a three-dimensional textured surfacing solution that provides high-wear and anti-fingerprint performance to decorative laminates, including worktops, countertops, and kitchen cabinetry. "We strongly believe in this collaboration," says Florian von Kuczkowski, COO of Upco SRL. "Combining Upco's innovative functional coating solutions with Sappi's aesthetically pleasing and authentic-to-the-touch textures answers the need of laminators for a textured surface with highly functional properties." UpcoXtouch will be featured at both Upco's and Sappi's booths during interzum 2025. Learn more about Sappi's Textures here. About Sappi North America, Inc. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi North America, Inc., is a leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that are used worldwide. Sappi NA has a corporate office in Portland, Maine and mills in Skowhegan and Westbrook, Maine, Cloquet, Minnesota, and Matane, Quebec, along with a dedicated Technology Center and Sheeting Facility. Sappi NA employs approximately 2,100 people in the United States and Canada. Sappi NA uses a renewable, recyclable natural source – woodfibre – to create packaging, specialty papers, graphic papers, and pulp that make everyday products more sustainable. Sappi supports sustainable forestry and sustainable manufacturing to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity and improve soil and water quality. Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Patti GrohDirector of Communications, Sappi North 617.423.5425 Hannah LillyClient Manager, Broadreach Public Relationshannahl@ 207.228.3869
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
80 Years Later, Both Trump and Putin Brand WWII a Victory
President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Oval Office of the White House on May 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Anna Moneymaker—Getty Images Eighty years after the Allied powers accepted Germany's unconditional surrender and ended the fighting in Europe, world leaders are now fighting about who did the most for victory. President Donald Trump declared May 8 as a national holiday to commemorate American victory in WWII because, as he wrote in one social media post, 'nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance.' But in Kyiv, my Ukrainian aunt Vita immediately thought of Vladimir Putin. The Russian President has long made the veneration of World War II the central tenet of Russia's national idea. Starting from 2010, he centralized Russia's sole role in 'saving the world from fascism,' while simultaneously declaring that Russia would have defeated Nazi Germany even without Ukraine. My aunt couldn't believe Trump was usurping the war from a country that bore such a huge brunt of Hitler's invasion. Though it can be difficult to measure, according to Western, Soviet, and Ukrainian historians, between 17% and 25% of Ukraine's population was killed during World War II. The fact that she—and I for that matter—exist today is quite miraculous. Vita's Ukrainian mother (my grandmother) survived as an orphan for two years under German occupation and barely evaded being carted off to Germany to work as a forced laborer. My grandfather, a Jewish soldier from Ukraine, was a prisoner of war and a forced laborer in Nazi Germany, where he managed to evade Hitler's deadly antisemitism through a whole lot of luck and survivor's cunning. When he returned home to Soviet Ukraine, he realized Stalin was intent on punishing those who had, in his opinion, surrendered to the enemy and 'sat out the war.' For the rest of his life, Grandpa kept what happened to him hidden from his family because of fear and shame. Unaware of his true story, my family celebrated Victory Day at home with flowers and a small feast every year until my grandfather passed away. In 2014, war broke out in the Donbas where my family lived, and Putin's messaging around Victory Day became much more bellicose, making my family reject the holiday ever since. Russian propaganda weaponized the memory of World War II, accusing Ukraine of being overtaken by Nazis and threatening the West not to mess with Mother Russia, lest it repeats its victory. As fighting broke out on the streets of her city, Donetsk, my aunt Vita walked by posters that declared 'Our grandfathers won victory. We'll do it again if needed' and cars carrying bumper stickers of St. George ribbon, a symbol associated with victory and Russian militarism. Ukraine's government immediately responded by changing its own approach to commemorating Victory Day. In 2015, Ukraine began officially observing May 8—a day earlier than the Russians—as the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, shifting the conversation away from that of victory. The St. George ribbon was replaced with the red poppy symbol, used in the UK, Italy, and other countries. A year after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law establishing May 8 as the official Day of Victory over Nazism in World War II, aligning it definitively with Europe and claiming Ukraine's own right to history. And yet, unlike Moscow's flashy military parades, Ukraine focused more on memorials, concerts, and educational programs. Their slogan became 'Never again'. Now, it appears that Trump also wants to jump on this bandwagon. 'We are going to start celebrating our victories again!' he declared before establishing May 8 as the newest national holiday in the U.S. But if there is one thing that growing Russian militarism has shown it's that the focus on one's victoriousness can easily transform into a militant arrogance and, eventually, an actual war that perpetrates the exact same crimes that it purports to have fought. Reports have emerged of Russian prisons where captured civilians are used as forced laborers and prisoners of war are tortured and starved in the same way my grandfather and millions of other captives had been in Germany. But simultaneously, there is no place where the 80th anniversary of the end of the last world war is more pompously celebrated than in front of the Kremlin. Vita, who was a teen when the first celebration of Victory Day was conducted in the USSR in 1965, tells me 'The end of the war in Europe should be a day to cry about the dead, not be happy about victory.' Today, there are fewer and fewer WWII veterans left alive to tell us what that war was really like. But when I researched my grandfather's story for a novel I wrote based on it, I came across many witness accounts describing how they made it alive to victory day. And whether they were soldiers, prisoners, forced laborers, or civilians, they often mentioned crying on May 8, 1945 when they heard that Germany had capitulated. They didn't cry because they won. They cried because the worst war in human history was finally over. Contact us at letters@
