Features

As close as a regular production vehicle gets to being an off-the-shelf off-road racer, the Ford F150 Raptor has in the decade since its first introduction become a bona fide motoring legend. Based on the already capable and best-selling F150 full-size pick-up — and retaining all the same comfort, convenience, safety and mod-con features — the Raptor takes things to the extreme, in a good way! Palpably more aggressive and athletic in its aesthetic, the Raptor goes far beyond a mere appearance kit, but instead features a host of mechanical upgrades and receives plenty of off-road hardware, updated again for 2019 onwards.

More accurately a F150 sub-model than a trim level, the second generation Raptor first arrived in 2017, after a two-year hiatus following the introduction of the current F150 model line. Noticeably more aggressive in detail and demeanour than either its Raptor predecessor or the current garden-variety F150, the new Raptor is immediately identifiable by its matte dark grey grille outline and the honeycomb mesh and large chunky “Ford” lettering within, in place of the brand’s usual Blue Oval logo. Gone too is virtually all chrome bright-work adorning many F150 variants, in favour of darker, “stealthier” detailing.

Wide body brute

Snoutier and with a more protruding grille, the Raptor’s headlights sit in a more recessed position for more menacing appearance, which is also accentuated by wider, bulging wings and wheel-arches. Not just for show, the Raptor’s wide body design is there to accommodate its dramatically longer wheel travel and huge chunky off-road tyres. Similarly, the Raptor’s redesigned bumper is slimmer and features wider side intake slots, and sits higher for better clearance. Meanwhile, the regular F150’s lower lip is replaced by a rugged and prominent light matte grey skid plate to protect its underside.

A thoroughly capable and highly sophisticated brute, the Raptor is powered by a high output version of the F150’s twin-turbocharged, direct injection 3.5-litre V6 Ecoboost engine. Downsized in comparison to the previous Raptor’s naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8, the newer model’s smaller Ecoboost engine, however, delivers more power and a significant torque increase. Not just more powerful and with 227kg lighter body to motivate, the new Raptor’s engine is also mated to a quicker-shifting 10-speed automatic gearbox with more ratios to better exploit available output for improved acceleration, flexibility, refinement and fuel economy.

Brisk beast

Developing 450BHP at 5,000rpm and 510lb/ft torque at 3,500rpm, the Raptor’s mighty twin-turbo engine is quick to spool and go on boost, with little by way of turbo lag at idle. Responsive from low-end and with muscularly deep reservoirs of mid-range torque for effortlessly brisk overtaking, the Raptor is also vigorous and eager spinning up to its red-line. Decisively quick, the Raptor’s big tyres and four-wheel-drive system provide excellent traction and allow this 2.5-tonne beast to move with a pace the belies its size and weight, including swift 0-97km/h acceleration time, estimated at just 5.1-seconds.

Blisteringly quick on road and with plenty of off-road driving muscle, the Raptor can be operated in rear-drive for economy or four-wheel-drive auto for additional on- and off-road traction, with power going frontwards as necessary. For more demanding low traction off-road terrain, full-time four-wheel-drive and low gear ratios can be engaged. The Raptor also features a locking rear differential to keep rear wheels moving in unison and an optional centre Torsen differential for rear-to-front power distribution. And for 2019 onwards, the Raptor receives a Trail Control system that automatically brakes and sends power to individual wheels at rugged low-speed terrain.

Daily drive desert racer

Engineered with brisk and highly demanding, Baja-style desert driving ability firmly in mind, the Raptor’s famously long suspension travel is improved for 2019 to more easily absorb vertical ruts and bumps, and keep wheels in contact with ground for better traction. Also notable for its race-derived Fox Shox dampers, the 2019 Raptor receives an updated 3.0 version with an internal valve bypass system to adjust in real time for comfort or stiff body control, as well as for improved bottoming out resistance. The Raptor also features big rugged 315/70R17 tyres with high sidewalls and knobbly off-road treads.

Though single-minded in its off-road orientation, the Raptor also proved to be the sportiest driving F150 variant on-road, with its widened track, long wheel-travel and Fox dampers, working to lend it a smoother more compliant ride quality despite its rugged live-axle rear suspension and off-road tyres. Additionally, these attributes provided terrific body control for such a truck that sits even higher than usual for improved ground clearance and off-road angles. Stable and planted at speed, the Raptor also proved more agile than expected through corners, as driven in the shorter SuperCab versions of two wheelbase lengths available.

Spacious and settled

Tidy and eager into a corner for its size, the Raptor’s wider track provides what feels like better road-holding, while its shorter wheelbase makes it nimble for a 5,588mm long vehicle. At the rear, the Raptor also feels more settled and buttoned down to the road. Meanwhile, its electric-powered steering is lightly assisted and firm in “sport” mode. With little feel on centre, it weighs up well through corners and is direct, even if not delivering too much nuance owing to the big tyres. It also has two other, steering settings with more assistance for town and off-road driving.

Built for open roads, deserts and plains, the Raptor is as comfortable and well-equipped with high-tech features as other daily drive F150s. However, with its size and wider body, manoeuvring in tight urban confines can be tricky, but is made much easier with its parking aids and cameras. Inside, it has a more sporting flavour than regular F150 models, with carbon-fibre accents, Alcantara, off-road information monitor and excellent supportive and comfortable Recaro sports seats. Spacious in every direction, the shorter SuperCab version, with its small rear-hinged back doors, doesn’t offer the near limo-like rear legroom as full four-door SuperCrew variants.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 3.5-litre, all-aluminium, twin-turbo, in-line V6-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 92.5 x 86.7mm

Compression ratio: 10:1

Valve-train: 24-valve, DOHC, variable valve timing

Gearbox: 10-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Drive-line: 2.64:1 low ratio transfer case, electronic locking rear differential, optional centre Torsen differential

Gear ratios: 1st 4.69; 2nd 2.98; 3rd 2.14; 4th 1.76; 5th 1.52; 6th 1.27; 7th 1.0; 8th 0.85; 9th 0.69; 10th 0.63; R 4.86

Final drive ratio: 4.1:1

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 450 (456) [335.5] @5,000rpm

Specific power: 179.5BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 128.7BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 510 (691.5) @3,500rpm

Specific torque: 197.6Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 175.7Nm/tonne

0-97km/h: approximately 5.1-seconds (estimate)

Top speed: 172km/h (estimated, electronically governed)

Length: 5,588mm

Width: 2,192mm

Height: 1,994mm

Wheelbase: 3,408mm

Track, F/R: 1,877/1,869mm

Ground clearance: 292mm

Wheel travel, F/R: 330/355mm

Approach/break-over/departure angles: 30.2°/22.9°/23.1°

Seating: 5

Headroom, F/R: 1,036/1,023mm

Legroom, F/R: 1,115/851mm

Shoulder room, F/R: 1,694/1,671mm

Hip room, F/R: 1,587/1,643mm

Cargo bed height, length, width: 543, 1,704, 1,285-1,656mm 

Load floor height: 924mm

Cargo box volume: 1,495-litres

Fuel capacity: 98-litres

Kerb weight: approximately 2,506kg

Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion

Turning circle: 17.1-metres

Suspension, F/R: Double wishbones, coil springs/live axle, leaf springs

Dampers: Gas-pressurized, electronically-controlled, continuously variable Fox 3.0 Racing Shox

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs, 350 x 34mm/drum, 336 x 24mm

Brake calipers, F/R: Twin/single

Tyres: 315/70R17

NEW YORK — Microsoft came to the defence of the maker of video game sensation Fortnite on Sunday, saying in a court filing that Apple’s moves to cut off the company from programming tools would hurt other game creators and players as well.

Epic Games is locked in a legal battle with Apple after trying to dodge commission payments due to the tech giant, prompting the iPhone maker to pull Fortnite from its online store.

Apple also threatened to cut off Epic’s access to its programming tools needed to maintain “Unreal Engine”, a software platform that was developed by Epic and which is used by many video game studios to create graphics.

In a filing to the California court handling the case between Epic and Apple, a Microsoft manager said Unreal Engine “is critical technology for numerous game creators including Microsoft”.

“Apple’s discontinuation of Epic’s ability to develop and support Unreal Engine for iOS or macOS will harm game creators and gamers,” wrote Kevin Gammill, Microsoft’s general manager of gaming developer experiences.

Apple has alleged that the Fortnite maker deserves to lose its access to the programming tools because it violated the terms of their contract.

At the heart of the fight is the 30 per cent that Apple takes on the revenue generated by companies to distribute their apps through its online store.

Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Apple last week after the tech giant took Fortnite off its App Store for releasing an update that dodges revenue sharing.

The latest version contains a payment system that lets player transactions bypass the App Store, preventing Cupertino-based Apple from collecting its typical 30 per cent cut.

‘FreeFortnite’ 

taunts Apple

The maker of video game sensation Fortnite is taunting Apple amid its legal battle with the tech titan, launching a tournament on Sunday to highlight its war on the App Store fee policy.

“All of your friends. Awesome prizes. And one bad apple,” Epic Games said in a post on its website.

The “FreeFortnite Cup” is free to enter and prizes include a virtual “Tart Tycoon” outfit featuring an apple head, sunglasses and condescending frown.

Players with top scores in each of the game’s 20,000 regions around the world will be sent caps with a “Free Fortnite” logo playing off of Apple’s iconic symbol, Epic said.

Epic also encouraged players to express their displeasure with Apple on Twitter using the #FreeFortnite hashtag.

Fortnite players on Apple mobile devices won’t be able to access a new season of the game, set to launch August 27 with a software update, because the app has been removed from Apple’s App Store.

“These are the final days of the entire Fortnite community’s ability to play together,” Epic said.

Self-inflicted wound?

Epic has asked a judge to make Apple put Fortnite back in the App Store until the matter is resolved in court.

Apple on Friday voiced its opposition to such an emergency order, arguing in a legal filing that Epic’s situation is a “self-inflicted wound” that could be remedied by updating Fortnite to stop bypassing the App Store payment system.

“Epic made a deliberate choice to cheat Apple,” it said.

“Having decided that it would rather enjoy the benefits of the App Store without paying for them, Epic has breached its contracts with Apple, using its own customers and Apple’s users as leverage.”

Epic has executed a carefully orchestrated campaign, complete with a parody video, merchandise, hashtag, belligerent tweets and legal action, Apple contended.

Apple does not allow users of its popular devices to download apps from anywhere, but its App Store, prompting critics to argue it wields monopoly power.

The tech giant has also notified Epic it will cut off access to tools needed to tailor software for devices powered by its operating systems, according to a request by the game maker for a temporary restraining order.

Without those tools, Epic will not be able to create iPhone, iPad or Mac computer versions of its widely used Unreal Engine for powering rich graphics.

Gamers can still play Fortnite on Apple mobile devices, but will not receive updates because those need to come through the App Store.

Epic reminded players they can access the latest versions of Fortnite on personal computers, video game consoles and Android-powered mobile devices. 

It is giving away 1,200 pieces of gaming hardware as prizes in the Sunday tournament.

“Just because you can’t play on iOS doesn’t mean there aren’t other awesome places to play Fortnite,” Epic told fans.

By Silvia Zayadin

Veternarian

Canine coronavirus, feline coronavirus and COVID-19 are from the same big family, yet, they have different characteristics and hosts. They usually do not cross-infect other species. Read on for more.

Feline coronavirus and infectious peritonitis

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a viral disease of cats caused by one of the strains of feline coronavirus. Usually, most of those strains are found in the gastrointestinal tract of the cat and do not cause significant disease. These strains are known as a feline enteric coronavirus.

The intestinal form of this virus usually does not cause any symptoms during the initial viral infection; cats may occasionally have some bouts of diarrhoea or mild upper respiratory symptoms. In most cases they recover without treatment. Sometimes, a mutation will cause the virus to spread throughout the cat’s body. When this occurs, the virus is referred to as Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) virus. This is a more serious and severe strain of the virus, thus the disease’s course is more severe and could be fatal.

Symptoms

In most cases, the coronavirus infection has no symptoms. In more severe cases, symptoms can include one or more of the following:

• Upper respiratory symptoms (sneezing, nasal discharge, cough)

• Weight loss

• Loss of appetite

• Diarrhoea

• Vomiting

Cats affected with FIP may be alert or depressed and may experience fever. Their appetite may be normal, increased or absent. Symptoms vary depending on which organs are involved. The liver, kidneys, pancreas, central nervous system and eyes are the ones most commonly affected.

In more serious and severe cases, noticeable fluid build-up in the abdomen leads to swelling. In other cases, fluid buildup in the lungs will lead to difficulty in breathing. Fluid can also build up around the heart.

Treatment and management

As with all viral diseases, there is no specific treatment for feline coronavirus. In mild intestinal cases, your pet will recover without treatment. In more severe cases, supportive therapy is needed to avoid complications.

It is uncommon for cats affected with feline infectious peritonitis to recover. Usually, this disease ends with death within several days, although in some cases, it can happen after several months.

Can it transfer to humans?

To date, feline coronaviruses cannot be passed from infected cats to humans.

Canine coronavirus

Two major coronaviruses cause disease in dogs and both of them are not related to the COVID-19 virus:

• Canine enteric coronavirus (CCV)

• Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV)

CCV causes highly infectious intestinal infection in dogs, especially in puppies and is found worldwide. CCV infection is generally considered to be a relatively mild disease with sporadic symptoms or none at all. Most cases of canine coronavirus are transmitted by direct oral contact with infected faeces. A dog may also become infected by eating from contaminated food bowls or by direct contact with an infected dog.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a CCV infection vary. In adult dogs, the majority of infections don’t result in any visible symptoms. Mild vomiting and yellow-greenish explosive diarrhoea are the most commonly seen symptoms. Other symptoms may include:

• Lethargy

• Loss of appetite

• Fever

• Dehydration

The course of the disease is usually more serious in puppies as symptoms may develop very quickly and lead to more severe complications.

Canine respiratory coronavirus is genetically related to the bovine coronavirus, which can cause respiratory infections in cattle and the human coronavirus that causes the common cold in people. The risk of infection increases in areas highly populated such as kennels and shelters.

Dogs of all breeds and ages can get infected. The virus is spread directly from dog to dog contact and through infected aerosols and respiratory secretions of infected dogs.

Symptoms

Most dogs will have mild respiratory disease with a cough, sneezing and nasal discharge. In some cases, dogs infected with CRCoV may develop pneumonia, which usually resolves within one to two weeks, depending on whether or not there’s co-infection with other viruses or bacteria.

Treatment and management

In mild cases, the disease will resolve on its own without treatment. In more severe cases, supportive therapy is recommended to control the symptoms and to prevent further complications.

Can it transfer to humans?

There is no evidence that CRCoV can infect other animal species or people.

COVID-19 and pets

• There are a few reports of pets being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 after being in contact with people who were positive for COVID-19

• There’s no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19 to people

• Canine and feline coronavirus are NOT the same as COVID-19

• People cannot get infected with “canine” and “feline” coronavirus

Monitor trusted news outlets for the latest updates, such as Centres for Disease Control, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health as well as national authorities.

Can pets spread COVID-19?

According to the WHO for Animal Health, “COVID-19 is a result of human to human transmission. To date, there is no evidence that companion animals spread the disease. Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals which may compromise their welfare”.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

GENEVA — The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday recommended that children over 12 should wear masks in the same contexts as adults in the bid to rein in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UN health agency, in cooperation with UNICEF, published fresh guidance on Friday on when it is appropriate for children to wear masks to impede the spread of the coronavirus crisis.

The two UN agencies had convened a group of experts to review the limited data available on children’s contribution to the spread of COVID-19, as well as on the benefits of mask-wearing by children.

Based on those findings, as well as considerations surrounding children’s developmental needs, they said the advice varied in different age groups.

WHO thus recommends that “children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults, in particular when they cannot guarantee at least a one-metre distance from others and there is widespread transmission in the area”.

The document acknowledged that much remains unknown about to what degree children contribute to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

But it said that while there is some limited evidence that young children may have lower susceptibility to infection compared to adults, data indicated that teenagers “may play a more active role in transmission than younger children”.

The UN agencies said that children under five should not wear a mask.

“This is based on the safety and overall interest of the child and the capacity to appropriately use a mask with minimal assistance,” they said.

But they said that in certain circumstances it could be advisable for children between the ages of six and 11 to wear a mask in places where there is widespread transmission of the virus, or in settings where the children were in contact with the elderly or others at high risk of developing serious illness if they contract the virus.

For such young children, though, an adult should be present to supervise that they are using the mask safely, and the potential impact on their learning and development should be taken into consideration. 

According to the new guidance, for children of any age with developmental disorders, disabilities or other specific health conditions that might interfere with mask wearing, “the use of masks should not be mandatory”.

It also recommends that children should not be asked to wear masks when playing sports or doing physical activities “so that it doesn’t compromise their breathing”, but stresses the importance of keeping a proper distance from others and limiting the number of children playing together.

In Jordan, and in the world, many are the businesses that are trying to be pre-emptive so as to better face and deal with an eventual, new confinement that could take place if the COVID-19 crisis gets worse. Whereas everybody prays never to have to live this again, and regardless of the probability of seeing this scenario happening or not, companies just do not want to be caught off guard the way it all came upon us all of a sudden last March.

Naturally, the essential, the biggest part of such preparation is about having the right IT setup, in order to be able to continue working as smoothly as possible. This entails having the largest possible number of the staff technically armed to work remotely from home, over the network.

One aspect of this contingency plan concerns the equipment. In many ways this is the easy part. The company would provide the staff with laptop computers. These are must easier to move and manipulate than bulky desktop office units.

Laptops also have built-in the necessary cameras and microphones that are a must to communicate over the Internet. Last but not least, the battery of a laptop plays the role of expensive, external UPS (Uninterruptible Power System) equipment that usually ensures the continuous and safe operation of desktop computers in case of power failure, even if for a limited time.

The fastest possible Internet connection would also serve the purpose for the staff working from home. Though a large part of the population does have Internet and FO (fibre optic) subscriptions, not everybody enjoys this setup. Businesses can do little about that, and it is unlikely that we will see them pay their staff to have them upgrade to FO, for those who do not have it.

Yet, the hardest part is not the IT equipment or the speed of your Internet connection at home but the organisation around the whole concept of working remotely. Over the last four to five months many have learnt it at their own expense.

Schools in particular have encountered difficulty at all levels: management, teachers and students. Some could not handle properly the now famous Zoom Meeting application for example. Others misplaced files stored “somewhere in the cloud”, etc. But schools already are a special business segment, it is agreed.

The fact is operating your computer from home to do the job and to communicate with your colleagues is not much different from doing it from the usual workplace. This is because, understandably, everything revolves around networking and data sharing nowadays. It is just that it requires more precision, focus and attention.

This involves accurate organisation, basically in organising folders and files, in naming them according to pre-established and agreed upon procedures and protocols. Perhaps clear planning and stringent rules are the key words here. Few are the businesses that do it right.

Just like the notion of netiquette (the correct or acceptable way of using the Internet) was introduced a few years ago, we probably need some kind of “remoteworkiquette” now: how to make remote meeting appointments, how to behave and what to say — or not say - when there are several people participating, and so forth.

Analysts often say that the great scientific achievements in Western industrialised countries like the USA, France, Germany or the UK, for instance, took place thanks to a high and advanced level of organisation in the workflow, and not because people there have a higher IQ than in the rest of the world.

Therefore, organising the way, the methods and the rules to apply and follow to use your computer from home to work, in the most efficient and pleasant manner, is what is required in any plan that would be drawn to work remotely, whether there will be a lockdown or not.

QUITO — An international team of marine scientists have discovered 30 new species of invertebrates in deep water surrounding the Galapagos, the Ecuadoran archipelago’s national park authorities announced on Monday.

The deep-sea experts discovered fragile coral and sponge communities including 10 bamboo corals, four octocorals, one brittle star and 11 sponges — as well as four new species of crustacean known as squat-lobsters — the Galapagos National Park said in a statement.

“These discoveries include the first giant solitary soft coral known for the Tropical Eastern Pacific, a new genus of glass sponge that can grow in colonies of over one metre in width and, colourful sea fans that host a myriad of associated species,” the archipelago’s Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) said in a separate statement.

Scientists from the CDF, in collaboration with the National Park Directorate and the Ocean Exploration Trust, probed deep-sea ecosystems at depths of up to 3,400 metres using state-of-the-art Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs). 

The two ROVs, Argus and Hercules, were operated from the 64-metre exploration vessel Nautilus, which carried out the deep-sea probe in 2015.

“The deep sea remains as earth’s last frontier and this study provides a sneak-peek into the least known communities of the Galapagos Islands,” said CDF marine scientist Pelayo Salinas de Leon, who led the study and announced its findings on Monday.

The expedition explored for the first time three steep-sided underwater mountains, or seamounts, located near the islands of Darwin and Wolf in the archipelago’s north. The area is home to the world’s largest shark population.

“These pristine seamounts are within the Galapagos Marine Reserve and are protected from destructive human practices, such as fishing with bottom trawls or deep-sea mining that are known to have catastrophic impacts upon fragile communities. Now it is our responsibility to make sure they remain pristine for the generations to come,” Salinas de Leon said.

“The many discoveries made on this expedition showcase the importance of deep-sea exploration to developing an understanding of our oceans,” said Dr Nicole Raineault, chief scientist of the Ocean Exploration Trust.

“Since we never know what we’re going to find, we utilise land-based scientists who watch the ROV dives from home and communicate directly with the shipboard team in real time, to help determine what is truly new and worthy of further investigation or sampling. 

“Scientists studying the resulting video, data, and specimens make an astonishing number of discoveries, reminding us how little we know about the deep sea,” said Raineault.

The Galapagos archipelago, located 1,000 kilometres west of Ecuador, is a fragile ecosystem that harbours the largest number of different animal species on the planet.

Launched a year after its fixed-head coupe sister, for the 2019 model year, the Bentley Continental GT Convertible is the third generation modern Continental since 2003, when the re-born nameplate became Bentley’s first all-new launch during the brand’s Volkswagen group era. Retaining a similar size, look and position in Bentley’s roster, the new Continental is, however, a more significantly different car than its two closely related predecessors. Fresher, more elegant and more detailed in design, the new Continental rides on a new platform and has a more palpable sense of occasion and luxury.

Classy character

Designed as a more modern, accessible and athletic car with tighter packaging and more muscular styling than the gloriously opulent and expansive land yachts of the Continental’s now historic era, the 2003-2018 generations were altogether different cars. With the third generation Continental, Bentley has kept the modern Continental’s broad brief largely unchanged, but have re-imbued it with both a sportier and more luxurious character. Sitting with seemingly lower, wider and more rearwards stance, the new Continental’s detailing, surfacing and profile seem better integrated and lend it greater gravitas and a clear sense of high-end luxury.

Based on a more rear-oriented four-wheel-drive platform shared with the current Porsche Panamera rather than the preceding two generations’ use of a modified Audi-derived Volkswagen Phaeton luxury saloon platform, the new Continental’s bonnet is longer and more indulgently luxurious. Meanwhile, the front pillars being brought further back and away from the wheel-arches. In turn, the wheelbase is longer and front overhang shorter. With the new continental, Bentley seems to have also mastered its big inner and smaller outer light corporate face aesthetic, while slim new oval rear lights are far more charismatic, distinctive and tasteful.

Quick and capable

Carried over but improved to be smoother, more efficient and more powerful, the new Continental GT Convertible is powered by Bentley’s modern signature 6-litre four cylinder bank twin-turbo W12 engine. A huge and powerful engine with comparatively compact dimensions it now employs stop/start technology and cylinder de-activation for reduced 14l/100km combined fuel consumption. Meanwhile, it now features a dual mass flywheel, in place of a torque converter, and powers all four wheels through a smooth, slick and quick-shifting 8-speed automated dual-clutch gearbox, and develops 626BHP at 6,000rpm and 664lb/ft torque throughout a broad and flexible 1,350-4,500rpm range.

Epic in scope the Continental GT Convertible’s 12-cylinders haul its 2,414kg mass with verve and vitality. Launching with vice-like traction, the Continental rockets through the 0-100km/h dash in scant 3.8-seconds, 0-160km/h in mere eight-second and onto a supercar-like 333km/h top speed. Phenomenally fast and flexible in delivery with its quick-spooling turbos, the Continental’s performance is muscular, responsive and seemingly indefatigable across the spectrum. Near silent when cruising, but with a harder, heavier and bass-laden urgency as revs rise, it is defiant against high-speed air resistance and effortlessly versatile when accessing its deep mid-range torque reservoir.

Committed cornering

Driving all four wheels, the Continental GT Convertible develops reassuring road-holding over low traction surfaces and through corners, where its huge staggered front to rear tyres grip hard at the tarmac, while its four-wheel-drive system apportions power where needed. A more balanced car than its predecessor, the Continental’s weighting is, however, still 55 per cent front-biased. That said, its four-wheel-drive is more rear-biased — sending up to 38 per cent power to the front wheels normally, and only 17 per cent in sport mode — for enhanced balance and unexpectedly nimble cornering agility for a car of this class and weight.

Defying its weight in how it pounces into corners, the Continental is a technological tour de force with an exhaustive list of technologies, not least of which are its driver assistance, safety and sophisticated suspension systems that reconcile its supple comfort and weight with confident and committed handling and stability. Riding on double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension with adaptive air springs and continuous damping control for a smooth, wafting ride quality the Continental well irons out bumps, lumps and imperfections, and alternatively tightens for a sportier and more settled ride with firmer cornering body control.

Comfortable cruising

A car that is and does exactly what its name suggests with a high level of excellence, Bentley’s Grand Touring Convertible is a luxurious, comfortable, powerful, flexible and supremely confident high speed open top sports car designed for continent-shrinking journeys. More than just an Autobahn-stormer, it is highly adept through twisting roads, with tenacious four-wheel-drive grip and 48v powered active anti-roll bars that provide comfort over imperfections, but which alternately provide taut body roll control. Deceptively quick in how effortless, settled and confident it feels at speed, the GT Convertible is a thoroughly reassuring convertible even with its quick-folding and well-insulated fabric roof down.

Winner of the 2020 Middle East Car of the Year awards’ best Luxury Performance Convertible category, the GT Convertible is exquisitely appointed inside with fine quilted leathers, rich woods and real metals stylishly designed with attention to details like its organ stop vent controls, while cabin layouts are user-friendly. Fitted with innumerable safety, convenience and infotainment features, its cabin provides well-adjustable, hunkered down, supportive and comfortable front accommodation. Rear seats are, meanwhile, convenient for short trips and not intended for continental cruising, but do double as additional luggage room, given that the Middle East spec spare tyre eats up much of the GT Convertible’s 235-litre boot space.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Engine: 6-litre, twin-turbo, in-line W12-cylinders
• Bore x stroke: 84 x 89.5mm
• Compression ratio: 10.5:1
• Valve-train: 48-valve, DOHC
• Gearbox: 8-speed automated dual clutch, four-wheel-drive
• Ratios: 1st 5.966; 2nd 3.235; 3rd 2.083; 4th 1.42; 5th 1.054; 6th 0.841; 7th 0.678; 8th 0.534
• Final drive, F/R: 3.130/3.154
• Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 626 (635) [467] @6,000rpm
• Specific power: 105.2BHP/litre
• Power -to-weight ratio: 259.3BHP/tonne
• Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 664 (900) @1,350-4,500rpm
• Specific torque: 151.2Nm/litre
• Torque-to-weight ratio: 372.8Nm/tonne
• 0-100km/h: 3.8-seconds
• 0-160km/h: 8-seconds
• Top speed: 333km/h
• Fuel economy, combined: 14-litres/100km
• CO2 emissions, combined: 317g/km
• Fuel capacity: 90-litres
• Length: 4,850mm
• Width: 1,954mm
• Height: 1,399mm
• Wheelbase: 2,851mm
• Track, F/R: 1,672/1,664mm
• Aerodynamic drag co-efficient: 0.32
• Boot capacity: 235-litres
• Unladen weight: 2414kg
• Weight distribution, F/R: 55/45 per cent
• Suspension, F/R: Double wishbones/multi-link, adaptive air suspension, 48V active anti-roll bars
• Steering: Electric-assisted variable ratio
• Turning circle: 11.51-metres
• Brake discs, F/R: Ventilated discs, 420 x 40mm/380 x 30mm
• Brake callipers, F/R: 10-/4-piston
• Tyres, F/R: 275/35ZR22/315/30ZR22

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Fellow desperate dieters, let me be the first to confess that I’ve been there, done that, which qualifies me to be the number one insane dieter!

Yes, I am guilty of thinking about all the ways I’m going to cut down on my calories and at the end of the day falling victim to the bad habits that I never change. You know the ones. Please tell me you do! Tell me you’ve eaten too many nuts watching your favourite television show. Tell me you’ve forgotten to measure your portion when you cooked your favourite meal. Tell me you’ve delved right in and attacked that homemade pizza your friend just delivered. Tell me you just succumbed to your teenager’s request to stop at a favourite fast-food place and ordered something for yourself. Do tell me you’ve done all these things so I don’t feel like the biggest loser! No pun intended but the only thing lost is usually my pride and barely a kilogramme!

So what do you do when you need to replace the insanity with sound behaviour? To do so is a double-edged sword. It’s easy because you just have to do the opposite of what you’ve been doing. Yet, it’s so difficult to change course when your body fights fiercely to stay where it’s been so comfortable. The sofa is way more comfortable than the gym. The fridge is way more tempting than fasting and the pantry is way more welcoming than my dumbbells! If we are looking to stay comfortable, we will have to admit insanity and keep doing the same thing expecting a different result.

It’s time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable

No one said this weight management would be easy. Nothing worth attaining is ever easy. The question is, do we want it badly enough? How desperate are we to change our behaviour? Because, without changing our behaviour, we are never going to win the battle of the bulge. You might have a different experience and your journey may look different if you’re already at your goal weight and are just trying to eat healthier. You may even have the opposite problem and are underweight and your doctor may have told you to eat more to get yourself up to a healthier weight. No matter what your weight is, healthier habits always need to be managed and maintained so we can function at our ultimate best.

Revving up motivation

This month, I’m set on doing things differently in the hopes of revving my metabolism as well as my motivation. As I get older, I’m not sure which is sometimes slower – my motivation or my metabolism. I used to run out the door when the weather was beautiful in the hopes of stealing an hour’s walk. Now I come up with a million reasons why I’m too busy to go on that walk. This is what the winter months do to me. Now that the weather is beautiful, that excuse doesn’t work anymore. My housework will still be there when I come back. It’s not going anywhere and it’s not going to kill anyone if things wait until after I get my exercise. The only thing that will wane is my motivation. I sometimes tell myself that I’m just going for a stroll and I put on my favourite childhood music. You’d be surprised what a good beat does to our heartbeat!

Once I start moving, I’m on a roll; I even kill 45 minutes so fast I don’t know how they pass. I’ve done many routines inside our house, between walking and going up and down the stairs. I add a couple of dumbbells to my routine and some yoga stretches. In this Internet age, I look up workouts on YouTube and do them in the comfort of my own home. Where there’s a will, there’s a way and nothing can stop me from taking that next step off the sofa!

Motion is lotion!

I’ve heard it said that motion is lotion when it comes to our joints. To prevent joint pain and inflammation, we need to make it our number one priority to move. The longer we permit ourselves to sit, the more likely we are to lose muscle mass and flexibility as we age.

If we want to be our number one advocate when it comes to owning our healthcare, then we need to stop this insanity in its tracks and change the things we’ve been doing that haven’t worked for us.

Let’s not expect perfection but aim for imperfect progress because that’s attainable. One day at a time, one step at a time, one meal at a time. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple and Google on Thursday pulled video game sensation Fortnite from their mobile app shops after its maker Epic Games released an update that dodges revenue sharing with the tech giants.

The latest version of Fortnite contains a payment system that lets player transactions bypass Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play, preventing the firms from collecting their typical 30 per cent cut.

Apple, which does not allow users of its popular devices to download apps from anywhere but its App Store, booted the game from its online marketplace, followed later Thursday by Google.

Epic quickly filed a federal lawsuit against Apple, accusing the iPhone maker of wielding monopoly power.

The game-maker called on a federal judge to order Apple to stop its “anti-competitive conduct” and invalidate the tech giant’s rules requiring app developers to pay the company 30 per cent of transactions.

The suit said Epic is not seeking favourable treatment, but is asking the court to order Apple to change its commission structure for all developers.

Apple said Fortnite was pulled after “Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users”.

Google followed suit and removed Fortnite from its Play store for mobile devices powered by its Android software.

“For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users,” Google said in reply to an AFP inquiry.

Gamers will still be able to play Fortnite on their mobile devices, though Apple users will no longer be able to receive updates because those would need to come through the App Store.

Android users can still download updates directly from Epic.

Ruling the App Store

Apple has in recent months come under fire for the tight grip it has on the App Store, with the issue coming up during a heated congressional antitrust hearing last month.

“Apple has become what it once railed against: the behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation,” the lawsuit argued.

“Apple is bigger, more powerful more entrenched, and more pernicious than the monopolists of yesteryear.”

The Silicon Valley colossus has defended its position, saying its commission — which can drop to 15 per cent in the second year for subscriptions — helps it keep apps and users safe from hackers and scammers.

“Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we’re glad they’ve built such a successful business on the App Store,” Apple said.

“The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users.”

Fortnite has been played by some 350 million people around the world since its release in 2017. Set in a virtual world, players must survive by searching for weapons and resources while eliminating competitors.

It is also a popular e-sports title in which spectators watch expert players compete, in some cases for cash prizes.

Epic is taking a “risky and calculated path” by going after Apple at a time that the App Store is under scrutiny by antitrust regulators, reasoned Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.

“This is a high stakes game of poker being played,” Ives said.

“Apple needs to make sure the Epic challenge, which is timely in light of anti-trust swirls and growing opposition to Big Tech within the Beltway, does not create a ripple impact which developers globally are watching carefully,” Ives said.

PARIS — The dwarf planet Ceres — long believed to be a barren space rock — is an ocean world with reservoirs of seawater beneath its surface, the results of a major exploration mission showed Monday.

Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and has its own gravity, enabling the NASA Dawn spacecraft to capture high-resolution images of its surface. 

Now a team of scientists from the United States and Europe have analysed images relayed from the orbiter, captured around 35 kilometres from the asteroid.

They focused on the 20-million-year-old Occator crater and determined that there is an "extensive reservoir" of brine beneath its surface. 

Several studies published Monday in the journals Nature Astronomy, Nature Geoscience and Nature Communications also shed further light on the dwarf planet, which was discovered by Italian polymath Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801.

Using infrared imaging, one team discovered the presence of the compound hydrohalite — a material common in sea ice but which until now had never been observed off of Earth.

Maria Cristina De Sanctis, from Rome's Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica said hydrohalite was a clear sign Ceres' used to have seawater. 

"We can now say that Ceres is a sort of ocean world, as are some of Saturn's and Jupiter's moons," she told AFP. 

The team said the salt deposits looked like they had built up within the last two million years — the blink of an eye in space time.

This suggests that the brine may still be ascending from the planet's interior; something De Sanctis said could have profound implications in future studies. 

"The material found on Ceres is extremely important in terms of astrobiology," she said. 

"We know that these minerals are all essential for the emergence of life."

Writing in an accompanying comment article, Julie Castillo-Rogez, from the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the discovery of hydrohalite was a "smoking gun" for ongoing water activity. 

"That material is unstable on Ceres' surface, and hence must have been emplaced very recently," she said.

In a separate paper, US-based researchers analysed images of the Occator crater and found that its mounds and hills may have formed when water ejected by the impact of a meteor froze on the surface.

The authors said their findings showed that such water freezing processes "extend beyond Earth and Mars, and have been active on Ceres in the geologically recent past".

By Patrick Galey