Month: May 2023

Categories
Health

How Dexcom and Abbott are going past diabetes

How Dexcom and Abbott are going beyond diabetes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million people in the United States have diabetes. That is just over 11% of the total population.

A diabetic’s body does not produce enough insulin, or no insulin at all. Sick people need to check their blood sugar regularly. This is traditionally done with blood glucose meters, which diabetics use to prick their fingers to detect drops of blood. But in the last decade, technologies like continuous glucose monitoring have been on the rise.

Abbott And Dexcom are the two most dominant players in this field. Both companies recorded increased growth.

The technology is also being marketed by several health and wellness apps, as many companies see benefits for those who don’t have diabetes.

CNBC spoke to both Abbott and Dexcom about the technology in continuous glucose meters and how they anticipate its expansion.

Watch the video to learn more.

Categories
Entertainment

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello dazzle on the Taylor Swift live performance

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello dazzle at the Taylor Swift concert

shawn mendes And Camila cabelloThe cruel summer is just around the corner Taylor SwiftLove songs.

Shawn and Camila — who announced their split in November 2021 but seemingly reconciled at Coachella in April 2023 — enjoyed a night out at Taylor’s latest Eras Tour concert outside of New York City on May 26.

The pair were spotted in the crowd at MetLife Stadium, with Camila rocking a low-back top and colorful skirt and Shawn wearing a white cropped shirt and jeans. (See photos and videos of the duo at the concert.)

It’s just the singers’ latest public appearance, who earlier this week showed off some cute PDAs near a New York City coffee shop before catching up in matching black ensembles on a SoHo shopping spree in the Big Apple the next day.

But this concert is clearly dear to their hearts, as both have worked with Taylor before. Camila, 26, performed as an opener on her recent Reputation tour while Shawn made a surprise appearance at a show in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old was later featured in a remix of the Lover theme song.

Categories
Technology

BMW’s new electrical 5 Sequence permits you to play video games whereas charging the automobile

BMW's new electric 5 Series lets you play games while charging the car

BMW has partnered with Swiss gaming platform AirConsole to bring in-car gaming to its new all-electric 5 Series.

Drivers and passengers can play the games, for example to kill time while the vehicle is charging. Unfortunately, but probably for the best, you can’t play while the car is driving.

In addition to the new BMW 5 Series, the debuted The AirConsole app will be rolled out in other BMW vehicles this week. The service has been available on TVs for a while, but this is the first time it’s been available in a car.

To use the gaming app, gamers need their smartphone, which acts as a controller, and the BMW Curved Display, which acts as a television. After booting the AirConsole With the in-car app, users simply scan a QR code to connect their phone to the screen and are ready to go.

Around 15 titles are available initially, including Go Kart Go, Golazo, Music Guess and Overcooked, with the list expected to continue to expand. While the console isn’t exactly for hardcore gamers, it should provide enough entertainment for families or anyone with a penchant for smartphone gaming.

To celebrate the introduction of in-car gaming, BMW is there present the electric i5 version of the 5 series with a gaming shell and big pixels as a tribute to the legendary 8-bit era of computer games.

Credit: BMW

Categories
Sport

Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Has Devin Haney moved up after controversial win over Vasiliy Lomachenko?

Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Has Devin Haney moved up after controversial win over Vasiliy Lomachenko?

In one of the most anticipated fights of the year, Devin Haney defended his undisputed lightweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko in Las Vegas.

Haney (30-0, 15 KOs), ESPN’s top 25 fighter in 2022, won with scorecards of 115-113 (Tim Cheatham), 115-113 (David Sutherland), and 116-112 (Dave Moretti). Moretti’s scorecard left some questions from fans, some members of the media and Lomachenko’s team. Moretti was the only judge who awarded Haney the 10th round, a round in which Haney landed just five punches and appeared to be dominated by Lomachenko. This, coupled with the fact that Lomachenko took control for much of the fight, led some of our panelists to keep Haney in place or even downgrade him.

“I took Devin Haney off my pound for pound list even in a win because in my eyes – and in the eyes of many others – it felt like Vasiliy Lomachenko had won that fight,” said Michael Rothstein. “It was a close fight with Haney rarely seeming to be in control and it doesn’t feel right to keep Haney in my top 10 after a fight I think lost.”

Regardless of which side of the decision you’re on, Haney has a win over a top contender in Lomachenko, a former #1 pound-for-pound contender and current ESPN #2 lightweight contender.

ESPN Deportes’ Salvador Rodriguez moved Haney up a spot on his list after what he said was “an epic fight for the fans that could have gone either way.”

“In my opinion, 115-113 was within reach for one thing or another, or 114-114,” Rodriguez said. “For me, Haney’s win cemented his place as one of the top ten fighters in the world. Beating a fighter of Lomachenko’s class would mean moving up a few spots, but even with the win, Haney didn’t do enough to impress me putting him in the top 5 or higher, hence my vote at #9. But at 24 and with an unbeaten record, he’s well on his way to the top. I still think Gervonta Davis is the best current fighter at 135lbs… and watch out for Shakur Stevenson coming to clean them all late this year or next.

Our panel consists of Mike Coppinger, Ben Baby, Timothy Bradley Jr., Rothstein, Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas, Nick Parkinson, Andre Ward, Eric Raskin, Crystina Poncher, Michelle Joy Phelps, Bernardo Osuna, Eric Woodyard, Kel Dansby, Bernardo Pilatti , Claudia Trejos, Charles Moynihan, Rodriguez, Jim Zirolli, Michael Mascaro and Aladdin Freeman share their voices.

Other rankings: division rankings and ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings for women.

Note: Results are available until May 24th.

1. TERENCE CRAWFORD Previous ranking: No. 1

RECORD: 39-0, 30 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Welterweight (Champions)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO6) David Avanesyan, Dec 10
NEXT FIGHT: July 29 vs. Errol Spence Jr.

2. NAOYA INOUE Previous ranking: No. 2

RECORD: 23-0, 20 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Junior Featherweight
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO11) Paul Butler, Dec 13
NEXT FIGHT: July 25 against Stephen Fulton

3. OLEKSANDR USYK Previous rank: No. 3

RECORD: 20-0, 13 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Heavyweight (Uniform Champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (SD12) Anthony Joshua, Aug. 20
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

4. ERROL SPENCE JR. Previous ranking: No. 4

RECORD: 28-0, 22 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Welterweight (United Champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO10) Yordenis Ugas, April 16
NEXT FIGHT: July 29 against Terence Crawford

5. CANELO ALVAREZ Previous ranking: No. 5

RECORD: 59-2-2, 39 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Super Middleweight (Undisputed Champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) John Ryder, May 6th
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

6. DMITRY BIVOL Previous rank: No. 6

RECORD: 21-0, 11 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Light Heavyweight (Champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Gilberto Ramirez, Nov. 5
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

7. TYSON FURY Previous ranking: No. 7

RECORD: 33-0-1, 24 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Heavyweight (Champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO10) Derek Chisora, Dec 3
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

8. ARTUR BETERBIEV Previous ranking: No. 8

RECORD: 19-0, 19 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Light Heavyweight (Unified Champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO8) Anthony Yarde, Jan. 28
NEXT FIGHT: August 19 against Callum Smith

9. DEVIN HANEY Previous ranking: No. 10

RECORD: 30-0, 15 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Lightweight (undisputed champion)
LAST FIGHT: W (UD12) Vasiliy Lomachenko, May 20
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

10. SHAKUR STEVENSON Previous ranking: No. 9

RECORD: 20-0, 10 KOs
DEPARTMENT: Lightweight
LAST FIGHT: W (TKO6) Shuichiro Yoshino, April 8
NEXT FIGHT: TBA

The formula

The ranking is based on a descending point system, with the first-place vote receiving 10 points, the second-place vote receiving nine points, etc. A tie goes to the fighter with the highest rank, and then to the fighter with the most votes on that rank Rank.

Other votes received: Gervonta Davis (35), Vasiliy Lomachenko (3), Jermell Charlo (1).

As voted by our writers

Atlas: 1. Crawford, 2. Bivol, 3. Inoue, 4. Usyk, 5. Spence, 6. Fury, 7. Davis, 8. Lomachenko, 9. Alvarez, 10. Beterbiev

Bradley: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Usyk, 4th Bivol, 5th Alvarez, 6th Spence, 7th Beterbiev, 8th Haney, 9th Stevenson, 10th Davis

Coppinger: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Usyk, 4th Fury, 5th Bivol, 6th Alvarez, 7th Spence, 8th Haney, 9th Stevenson, 10th Beterbiev

Votes: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Usyk, 4th Beterbiev, 5th Spence, 6th Stevenson, 7th Bivol, 8th Alvarez, 9th Fury, 10th Haney

Parkinson’s: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Usyk, 4th Beterbiev, 5th Bivol, 6th Alvarez, 7th Davis, 8th Fury, 9th Haney, 10th Spence

Raskin: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Spence, 4th Bivol, 5th Alvarez, 6th Fury, 7th Usyk, 8th Stevenson, 9th Davis, 10th Beterbiev

Ward: 1st Crawford, 2nd Spence, 3rd Inoue, 4th Usyk, 5th Bivol, 6th Alvarez, 7th Haney, 8th Stevenson, 9th Beterbiev, 10th Davis

Baby: 1st Inoue, 2nd Usyk, 3rd Crawford, 4th Spence, 5th Alvarez, 6th Beterbiev, 7th Haney, 8th Bivol, 9th Stevenson, 10th Fury

Rothstein: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Fury, 4th Bivol, 5th Alvarez, 6th Usyk, 7th Spence, 8th Davis, 9th Stevenson, 10th Beterbiev

Phelps: 1st Alvarez, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Spence, 4th Usyk, 5th Haney, 6th Fury 7th Inoue, 8th Bivol, 9th Beterbiev, 10th Davis

Osuna: 1st Usyk, 2nd Inoue, 3rd Bivol, 4th Alvarez, 5th Crawford, 6th Spence, 7th Haney, 8th Beterbiev, 9th Charlo, 10th Stevenson

Rodriguez: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Fury, 4th Alvarez, 5th Spence, 6th Usyk, 7th Bivol, 8th Davis, 9th Haney, 10th Beterbiev

Poncher: 1st Crawford, 2nd Inoue, 3rd Usyk, 4th Spence, 5th Alvarez, 6th Fury, 7th Bivol, 8th Beterbiev, 9th Stevenson, 10th Haney

Trejos: 1st Crawford, 2nd Inoue, 3rd Usyk, 4th Bivol, 5th Spence, 6th Fury, 7th Alvarez, 8th Haney, 9th Beterbiev, 10th Stevenson

Woodyard: 1st Crawford, 2nd Fury, 3rd Spence, 4th Alvarez, 5th Davis, 6th Haney, 7th Inoue, 8th Usyk, 9th Stevenson, 10th Bivol

Dansby: 1st Usyk, 2nd Inoue, 3rd Alvarez, 4th Crawford, 5th Spence, 6th Fury, 7th Haney, 8th Bivol, 9th Stevenson, 10th Davis

Moynihan: 1st Crawford, 2nd Spence, 3rd Inoue, 4th Alvarez, 5th Fury, 6th Usyk, 7th Bivol, 8th Haney, 9th Beterbiev, 10th Davis

Pilatti: 1st Inoue, 2nd Bivol, 3rd Beterbiev, 4th Crawford, 5th Spence, 6th Fury, 7th Usyk, 8th Davis, 9th Haney, 10th Stevenson

Zirolli: 1st Crawford, 2nd Inoue, 3rd Alvarez, 4th Spence, 5th Fury, 6th Usyk, 7th Stevenson, 8th Beterbiev, 9th Bivol, 10th Haney

Mascaro: 1st Inoue, 2nd Crawford, 3rd Spence, 4th Usyk, 5th Stevenson, 6th Beterbiev, 7th Bivol, 8th Gervonta, 9th Haney, 10th Alvarez

Freeman: 1st Crawford, 2nd Inoue, 3rd Usyk, 4th Bivol, 5th Stevenson, 6th Spence, 7th Alvarez, 8th Beterbiev, 9th Davis, 10th Haney

ESPN Expert Poll

First place: Inoue (10), Crawford (8), Usyk (2), Alvarez (1)

Second Place: Crawford (9), Inoue (6), Spence (2), Bivol (2), Usyk (1), Fury (1)

Third Place: Usyk (7), Spence (4), Inoue (3), Alvarez (2), Fury (2), Crawford (1), Bivol (1), Beterbiev (1)

Fourth Place: Bivol (5), Usyk (4), Alvarez (4), Spence (3), Crawford (2), Beterbiev (2), Fury (1)

Fifth Place: Spence (6), Alvarez (5), Bivol (3), Fury (2), Stevenson (2), Crawford (1), Haney (1), Davis (1)

Sixth Place: Fury (7), Usyk (4), Spence (3), Alvarez (3), Beterbiev (2), Haney (1), Stevenson (1)

Seventh place: Bivol (5), Haney (4), Inoue (2), Usyk (2), Spence (2), Alvarez (2), Davis (2), Beterbiev (1), Stevenson (1)

Eighth place: Beterbiev (4), Haney (4), Davis (4), Bivol (3), Stevenson (2), Usyk (1), Alvarez (1), Fury (1), Lomachenko (1)

Ninth place: Stevenson (7), Beterbiev (4), Haney (4), Davis (2), Alvarez (1), Bivol (1), Fury (1), Charlo (1)

10th Place: Beterbiev (5), Davis (5), Haney (4), Stevenson (3), Spence (1), Alvarez (1), Bivol (1), Fury (1)

Categories
Science

Germans appear fed up with local weather disruption – do you agree?

Germans seem fed up with climate disruption - do you agree?

According to CNN, the German police are cracking down on organized climate protest rings.

(CNN) As the Munich public prosecutor announced on Wednesday, German investigators have launched a nationwide raid against members of the climate activist group “Last Generation”.

According to the authorities, a total of 15 properties in seven federal states were searched as part of the raids on behalf of the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (LKA) and the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Four searches took place in Berlin, three in Bavaria and three in Hesse. The authorities announced that there were other actions in Hamburg, Magdeburg, Dresden and Schleswig-Holstein.

The Munich public prosecutor’s office announced that “due to numerous criminal complaints from the population” they had initiated investigations against a total of seven defendants between the ages of 22 and 38 “accused of forming or supporting a criminal organization”. The reports have been received since mid-2022.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/europe/german-police-raid-last-generation-climate-activists-intl/index.html

The defendants are accused of organizing fundraisers to fund “other crimes” such as blockades and art vandalism, organized through advertisements on Last Generation’s website. They have apparently collected at least 1.4 million euros.

Let’s hope other countries will follow suit and apply the law equally and not give passports to vandals because the authorities believe in the vandals’ cause.

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Health

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Receives FDA Approval for Human Trial

Elon Musk's Neuralink Receives FDA Approval for Human Trial

The Neuralink logo displayed on a phone screen, a paper silhouetted in the shape of a human face, and a binary code displayed on a screen can be seen in this multi-exposure illustrative photo taken on December 10, 2021 in Krakow, Poland.

Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Neuralink, the neurotech startup co-founded by Elon Musk, announced Thursday that it has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to conduct its first human clinical trial.

Neuralink is building a brain implant called Link, designed to help patients with severe paralysis control external technologies using only neural signals. This means that patients with severe degenerative diseases like ALS could eventually be able to communicate with loved ones again by moving the cursor and typing with their minds.

“This is the result of the incredible work of the Neuralink team in close collaboration with the FDA and represents an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people,” the company wrote in a tweet.

The FDA and Neuralink did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. The scope of the approved trial is unknown. Neuralink said in a tweet that patient recruitment for its clinical trial is not yet open.

Neuralink is part of the burgeoning Brain Computer Interface or BCI industry. A BCI is a system that decodes brain signals and translates them into commands for external technologies. Neuralink is perhaps the most recognizable name in the industry thanks to the high profile of Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter.

Scientists have been studying BCI technology for decades, and several companies have developed promising systems that they plan to bring to market. But getting FDA approval for a commercial medical device is no easy task — it requires companies to successfully complete multiple, extremely thorough rounds of testing and data security collection.

No BCI company has been able to earn the FDA’s final seal of approval. But Neuralink is one step closer to commercialization by approving a study in human patients.

Neuralink’s BCI requires patients to undergo invasive brain surgery. At the heart of his system is the Link, a small circular implant that processes and translates neural signals. The link is attached to a series of thin, flexible threads that are inserted directly into the brain tissue, where it picks up neural signals.

Patients with Neuralink devices learn to control them using the Neuralink app. Patients can then control external mice and keyboards over a Bluetooth connection, according to the company’s website.

The FDA’s approval of a human trial is a significant victory for Neuralink after a series of recent hurdles at the company. In February, the US Department of Transportation confirmed to CNBC that it was investigating Neuralink for allegedly unsafe packaging and shipment of contaminated hardware. Reuters reported in March that the FDA had denied Neuralink’s application for human testing, reportedly naming “dozens” of issues the company needed to address.

Neuralink has also come under criticism from activist groups for its alleged treatment of animals. The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, which opposes animal testing, has repeatedly urged Musk to release details of experiments on monkeys that resulted in internal bleeding, paralysis, chronic infection, seizures, deterioration in mental health, and death.

A representative from PCRM did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Experts believe that BCIs could not only help paralyzed patients, but could also help treat conditions like blindness and mental illness. Musk has expressed his intention for Neuralink to explore these future use cases, as well as potential applications for healthy people.

At a “Show and Tell” recruitment event late last year, Musk even claimed he plans to one day receive one of Neuralink’s implants himself.

“You could have a Neuralink device implanted right now without even realizing it,” Musk said at the time. “In fact, I’m going to do that in one of these demos.”

Categories
Entertainment

Ayesha Curry takes to social media to open up about daughter Riley’s “overexposure”.

Ayesha Curry takes to social media to open up about daughter Riley's "overexposure".

Ayesha Curry shares insights into why she’s become more private when it comes to posting her kids on social media. As previously reported by The Shade Room, Curry has three children with her husband, NBA player Stephen Curry.

RELATED: Steph Curry and Ayesha Curry pose with their kids

Ayesha Curry detailed her family’s decision to become more private in the wake of the pandemic

The 34-year-old recently did an exclusive interview with Insider. During the call, Curry explained that the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic pushed her family to become more private.

“We kind of had a revolving door the whole time…”

said Curry, speaking about her family’s life before the pandemic.

However, she added that having time for themselves allowed the Curry family to “figure out what we want for our lives” and “how to improve ourselves.”

Curry detailed her past courtship of her eldest daughter, Riley

Additionally, Curry thought about frequently posting her daughter Riley, now 10, on social media. The author and television personality explained that if she had known then what she knows now, she wouldn’t have made her daughter public so often.

“When the social media thing started, no one knew what was going to happen. If we had known then how messy life was going to be, we probably wouldn’t have done it…”

However, Curry explained where her and her husband’s minds were during this time.

“But we just lived our lives back then. And we were like, ‘This is our kid. We’re bringing our kid.’”

Curry explained that she and her husband are now focused on giving their children a more normal childhood while they continue to “learn” and grow as parents.

“We’re trying to figure out what that balance looks like. Just learn how you do it, right?”

Ayesha Curry also looked back on her viral “Red Table Talk” appearance in 2019

During the interview, Ayesha Curry also reflected on her appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith’s 2019 Facebook series Red Table Talk.

“[The show] was edited to sound crazy. It’s not what I said and the context was odd. Yes. I took that personally.”

As The Shade Room previously reported, Curry went viral after reportedly stating that she would feel insecure if she didn’t get male attention outside of her husband.

Categories
Science

World Document Grain Manufacturing Forecast for 2023/24 – Are You Comfortable With It?

World Record Grain Production Forecast for 2023/24 - Are You Happy With It?

Not many people know that

By Paul Homewood

Which climate crisis?

Global corn production is expected to rise sharply, primarily due to forecasts of continued high production in Brazil and a recovery in the United States and Argentina. Shipments in Ukraine are expected to fall as the ongoing war limits production. Trade is expected to increase as ample supplies from major exporters Brazil, Argentina and the United States drive down prices and support a recovery in global demand. Global corn consumption for feed and non-feed purposes is expected to increase. Closing inventories are also expected to increase, mainly due to a sharp rise in inventories in the United States.

The global outlook for wheat is for greater production and consumption with declining global trade and ending inventories. Production is expected to rise with larger harvests in Argentina, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India and Turkey and more than offset large declines in Australia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. World trade will contract with lower imports for China. Declines in exports for Australia, India, Ukraine and the United States will more than offset gains for Argentina, Canada and the EU. Global consumption is projected to increase through greater Food, Seed and Industrial (FSI) consumption, which will more than offset lower feed and residue consumption. Closing stocks are expected to fall, with smaller stocks in the EU, Russia and the United States.

Global rice production is forecast to reach record levels, with greater production in Asia, particularly on the back of bumper harvests in Bangladesh, India and China, and a rebound in Pakistan. Global consumption is expected to rise to new record levels, mainly due to strong growth in India, Bangladesh and sub-Saharan Africa. Global trade is expected to remain almost unchanged, with India remaining the largest exporter. Pakistan is expected to post significant export growth amid a recovering harvest, while forecasts for Thailand and Vietnam – the next largest exporters – are down on lower demand from Indonesia. Global equities continue their downtrend to a 6-year low.

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Sport

How the Florida Panthers made it to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals

How the Florida Panthers made it to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals

  • Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporterMay 24, 2023 11:03 pm ET

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      Kristen Shilton is an NHL national reporter for ESPN.

The Florida Panthers are in the Stanley Cup finals.

Just like we all predicted.

(jokingly.)

In reality, Florida’s trajectory this season reads like the plot of a classic Disney film, a tale about brave misfits, fueled by confidence, who slay dragons and beat all odds on their way to unexpected victory. And all the main characters are designed to make that happen.

Anti-hero Matthew Tkachuk was the polarizing, productive face of the Panthers’ playoff run.

Quiet, unassuming Sergei Bobrovsky is enjoying a career renaissance as Florida’s backbone on the web.

Breakout star Brandon Montour has brought momentum to the blue line.

Franchise veterans Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad have stepped in to help Florida reach its potential (finally).

And role-players from Carter Verhaeghe to Sam Bennett to Sam Reinhart have rounded out the Panthers cast with strong contributions.

The Panthers caused a lot of drama. It will be fascinating – and fun – to watch them in the upcoming cup final. Let’s take a look at exactly what Florida did so well to become the NHL’s postseason darling.

(More than) happy to be here

Florida’s greatest superpower could be in for a surprise.

Taking it a step further, the Panthers were bottom of the Atlantic Division for about two-thirds of the regular season. Nevertheless, General Manager Bill Zito stopped at the end of trading and expressed his confidence in the already assembled group. It was a bold – and seemingly questionable – decision.

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A few months later, Zito is a finalist for the GM of the Year award. Apparently, his gamble paid off. Florida went all out to push past Pittsburgh in the 11th hour of the game to secure eighth and last place in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Your reward? A first-round clash with the Boston Bruins, who played the best regular season in league history. Florida was undeterred and won the series 4-3. Next up were the Toronto Maple Leafs, who defeated Florida 4-1. When the Panthers faced Carolina in the Eastern Conference Finals, they seemed completely unstoppable and sent the Hurricanes home with a series win.

The Panthers were not weighed down by outside pressure. Heck, they weren’t the betting favorite in any game until they led 2-0 against Carolina in the Eastern Finals. If Florida found that disrespectful, it never showed. The Panthers are doing too well to care.

“Why play in this situation if you can’t have fun with it?” Tkachuk mused ahead of Game 3 against the Hurricanes. “There is no panic in our game. It’s just so much fun coming to the rink every day.”

Every team wants to “ignore the noise” and really tune out their critics. Florida did it successfully. The Panthers are not burdened by history. You are unique. This ability to live in and embrace the present should continue to drive Florida.

The Maturation by Matthew Tkachuk

Matthew Tkachuk’s dogged demeanor has set the tone for the Panthers throughout the postseason. Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire

If you missed it when Matthew Tkachuk was in Calgary, the forward has come on tremendously since he was seen by some as a simple nuisance.

It may be a pest, but it is actually multi-faceted.

Tkachuk’s refusal to sign a long-term contract with the Flames last summer eased his move to Florida in July for Jonathan Huberdeau, the Panthers’ top scorer of the 2021-22 season, and top-four defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. Risky? Possibly. But the move was worth it for the Panthers.

Tkachuk drove Florida’s offense during a tumultuous regular season with 40 goals and 109 points (ranked seventh in the NHL). He played a pivotal role in luring the Panthers into the race for last place in the playoffs, with a breakthrough late in the season while borrowing the us-versus-the-world mentality.

And he didn’t hurt Florida by taking nasty penalties or stirring up the pot; Tkachuk was too busy putting pucks in the net.

He did that all of the postseason, and no goal was bigger than his winner with 4.9 seconds left in Game 4 that defeated Carolina and sent the Panthers to the Cup final. Tkachuk has nine goals and 21 points in 16 games, including overtime winners in Games 1 and 2 against the Hurricanes. And sure, Tkachuk has had to pick up a penalty or two over time, but he’s also been a dominating presence on offense at times, delivering the big plays needed. That’s what Florida needed most from their Hart Trophy nominee.

Bobrovsky is back

He wasn’t Florida’s first pick as a postseason starter. But Sergei Bobrovsky didn’t let that stop him from becoming the team’s finisher.

When the $10 million man at the Panthers net fell ill with an illness in March, substitute Alex Lyon took over the goal area and put on an incredible 6-1-1 run that helped Florida earn the coveted postseason berth to secure. Of course, coach Paul Maurice picked Lyon to start the Panthers’ series against Boston.

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The journeyman went 1-1 into Game 3 as he conceded five goals on 30 shots and was replaced by Bobrovsky late in the third period. Maurice returned to Bobrovsky for Game 4, a loss for the Panthers but still stayed with the veteran.

Bobrovsky then secured three straight wins, ending the streak with Boston on a good note. He continued to improve in the second round, keeping Toronto’s much-vaunted offense down to just two goals a game. Bobrovsky blossomed into a true virtuoso in the conference finals, recalling his season in Columbus as a two-time Vezina Trophy winner while handicapping Carolina’s shooters to open frustration after a 1-0 blank in Game 3. (Jesperi Kotkaniemi broke his bat against a dressing room wall, anyone?)

Now Bobrovsky is carrying his impressive postseason record of 11-2, a save percentage of .935 and an average of 2.21 clean sheets into his maiden cup final. There’s no doubt that Bobrovsky’s performance will be significant for Florida.

Montour, the minute eater

In addition to anchoring the Florida blue line, Brandon Montour made some key offensive contributions. Michael Chisholm/NHLI via Getty Images

It was crucial enough for the Panthers’ chances that Brandon Montour had the best regular season of his career with 16 goals and 73 points.

However, the defenseman caught everyone’s attention when he scored Florida’s four-overtime Game 1 win over Carolina 57-56. That’s no small feat and underscores the importance of Montour’s performance throughout the season – and his overall development.

Montour has previously been a solid contributor to depth, posting his best overall score (37) last year. It was far from predictable that he would experience a mammoth season in 2022/23.

Montour was able to sustain his success during the Panthers’ postseason, stabilizing the back end with a nightly dose of big minutes (nearly 28 per game average) and contributing enough offensive contributions (six goals and nine points) to make Florida’s back end one to make real threat .

As for the Panthers’ defensemen, their willingness to block shots in the series against Carolina was undeniably crucial. In the first three games alone, the Florida defense was credited with more than 30 blocked shots, and several came in the closing minutes of the 1-0 Game 3 win that put the Hurricanes in a stranglehold.

They stand up for the Panthers

Aleksander Barkov has spent his entire 10-year career in Florida. Aaron Ekblad was with the Panthers in all nine of his NHL seasons.

They’ve had regular-season success (including winning the President’s Trophy last season) but it hasn’t translated into long-lasting post-season success.

Until now.

Barkov and Ekblad have provided Florida with veteran knowledge and maybe even a little perspective. They’ve been through a lot with this franchise. They answered the questions and thought about the future. This is her time to enjoy the loot.

These panthers are not one dimensional and do not overly rely on any single aspect of their game. Florida rolls deep.

Ekblad was a pivot on the blue line, providing consistency there and the same type of stabilization that Montour offers. Barkov has four goals and 14 points in his first 15 playoff games. Then there are the people who don’t make as many headlines.

Carter Verhaeghe is coming off an unheralded 42-goal regular season and has had timed goals in the playoffs, winning three games. Sam Reinhart has won two game winners himself. Sam Bennett has consistently proven his role as the ultimate setup man.

And the list goes on.

Florida has beaten three teams that put too much emphasis on their so-called “best” players. The Panthers don’t need such designations. Florida functions more like an orchestra, with each instrument finding its chance to shine.

This is how the Panthers make beautiful music.

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Technology

Unbelievable is launching a brand new Metaverse assume tank within the midst of strategic choices

Improbable is launching a new Metaverse think tank in the midst of strategic decisions

British unicorn Unlikely has sharpened its Metaverse focus with the creation of a new think tank.

Dubbed the Metaverse Society, the think tank will examine the social and economic impact of emerging technology. Improbable told TNW that it wants to develop use cases, clarify misconceptions, and reduce the risks associated with the metaverse.

“We want to help ensure the Metaverse delivers on its promise of being a network of meaning that unleashes creativity, social interaction, and economic opportunity, free of gatekeepers,” said Herman Narula, founder and CEO of Improbable.

“The convergence of AI, metaverse and blockchain technologies offers a unique moment to create a space where communities, content creators and brands can rethink engagement, loyalty and culture. We need to bring key players together and clear up the misconceptions surrounding the metaverse.”

Unlikely plans to present a detailed program Metaverse Society Activities at the end of June.

To start with, the company is contributing its own research portfolio to the think tank. These include studies on potential Metaverse sectors, a report on European regulation – and a new research memo offering clues to Improbable’s evolving strategy.

“Without blockchain-based solutions, the metaverse is not possible.

The new memo emphasizes the value of blockchain for the decentralization, interoperability, and monetization of the metaverse.

“The metaverse will be heavily dependent on blockchain technology, particularly for economic activity… Without blockchain-based solutions, the metaverse is not possible,” the authors write.

On the Blockchain

The think tank and memo were unveiled in the midst of a major strategic pivot for Improbable. The company has been developing virtual worlds for over a decade, but has recently focused exclusively on the commercial metaverse.

As part of the shift, the Softbank-backed company has abandoned plans to develop its own video games. In December, the company also shut down its US Defense division, which provided war game simulations to armed forces.

Former subsidiary president Caitlin Dohrman said Improbable made the decision to do so “Refocus on its commercial Metaverse business” as it “needs to accelerate the path to profitability.”

Instead of in-house games and defense, Improbable now focuses on the Metaverse infrastructure. A key component of this effort is blockchain technology.

In September, the Financial Times reported that Improbable was on the verge of a new €100 million funding round that would value the company at more than €3 billion. The round was led by Elrond, a blockchain company.

Improbable is also developing and collaborating with M2, a blockchain-enabled network of interoperable metaverses the company behind the Bored Ape NFTs on a virtual world project.

The transition to a blockchain-based metaverse aims to end Improbable’s operating losses. Narula says he expects the company to be profitable by 2023.