Latest news with #NERF
Gulf Today
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Art Fair earrings made from skateboards, Trump protests and gravel pit worries
An oil painter, when he struggled to run my credit card, let me take home a small print — a still life labeled 'skull and ivy' — without cost. I looked in awe at large, textured landscapes and colorful abstractions I would have loved to prominently place in my living room (in the vain hope the pricey pieces would go unharmed by NERF bullets, basketballs or any number of makeshift projectiles). And I purchased — after excessive deliberations over color and shape patiently tolerated by the booth attendant — the coolest earrings. They are playful, graphic and cleverly crafted from broken skateboards by North Carolina artist Tara Locklear. (Yes, I assured my co-worker, I will wear them.) Oddly, I know, for a journalist and life-long Michigan resident, I had never been until this week to the Ann Arbor Art Fair, which kicked off Tuesday and began in earnest Thursday, and I quickly came to realize I've been missing much. I long heard local warnings of traffic tangles, parking perils and insufferable crowds. Sure the mild Thursday weather helped, but I found none of those things, not really. On a work break, I spent longer than I should have and I could have spent far longer perusing those many tents. Thomas LeGault performs a live painting in his booth during Art Fair in downtown Ann Arbor. Tribune News Service Puffer fish flying above the sea. A watercolor Brussel sprout composed on a paint color sample. Antlers sprouting from a coral-like clay pot. So many beautiful, unusual or unusually beautiful items. I didn't buy a lot; my art budget is small. But I found joy in the looking, the exploring. Eventually, I did return to work. Art Fair has taken over the town, yes, but it's not the only news of the week. For one, protesters again hoisted signs in opposition to President Donald Trump. 'Good Trouble Lives On' demonstrations were planned throughout the nation and Ann Arbor in honor of U.S. Rep. John Lewis on the five-year anniversary of his death Thursday, July 17. Reporter Nicholas Alumkal was there to collect activists' thoughts. 'It just seems like our country is being led by an incapable madman,' said Lois Maharg, holding a sign with the initialism GOP standing for 'gutless, obsequious panderers' near Veterans Memorial Park. 'Our whole government is just being canceled. Democracy is canceled, and I am very concerned about that.' In Ann Arbor Township, residents are concerned about the Vella Pit, a gravel and sand mine on Earhart Road. Operator Mid Michigan Materials seeks a permit to create an approximately 59-acre lake to extract material from below the water table. This comes after some residents' drinking water wells ran dry and a lawsuit alleging the gravel pit is responsible is pending; settlement talks are underway, the township supervisor told Jen Eberbach last week. Michael Watts, a resident, said there are 'ongoing issues,' and 'distrust' of the mining company, as wells slowly recover. Ceramic artwork by Corey and Stacey Bechler of Bechler Pottery on display in their booth during Art Fair in downtown Ann Arbor. Tribune News Service Back in Ann Arbor, in another lawsuit, two taxpayers are challenging city ballot proposals A and B, up for an Aug. 5 vote, as perpetrating a 'fraud upon the electorate.' Voter approval would allow the city to sell the Library Lane property to the Ann Arbor District Library and undo a 2018 city charter amendment declaring it must become a downtown urban park and civic commons. The ballot wording, which city officials say would be legally compelling, states the city could sell the land 'for the purpose of building a mixed-use development that includes additional library services, housing, retail and programmable open public space.' Opponents and the complaint, however, argue the library could do whatever it wants with the property after the city transfers it for $1. Mayor Christopher Taylor called it 'campaign disinformation in the form of a lawsuit,' and district library Director Eli Neiburger, in response to critics, said the proposals aren't giving away the property to developers. In tragic news, a 25-year-old father of four, DaJon Ryans, died in an Ypsilanti shooting. Two men have since been arrested and charged, but not with murder. Reporter Jordyn Pair is revealing the details. At the University of Michigan, the Board of Regents agreed to fire a professor in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, and two Ann Arbor institutions — one of them UM — were awarded millions for startups and entrepreneurs. To end, as I always like to do, on a softer note: 11-year-old Tucker Lambert of Saline Township is doing some heavy hauling to fund his UM ambitions. Farmers' pains — field rocks — are dollars for the quiet, young entrepreneur. Enjoy the Art Fair! I might have to return. I keep thinking of these small, ceramic vases sold by a Florida artist... If you would rather not, I hear there are a whole lot of chicken dinners available this weekend in Manchester. Tribune News Service
Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Hasbro Strikes New Multi-Year Casino Licensing Partnerships
PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hasbro, a leading games, IP, and toy company today announced a new slate of multi-year licensing partnerships aimed at transforming and expanding its most popular brands across the casino category. After a comprehensive review and market evaluation, Hasbro has selected Aristocrat Technologies, Evolution, Galaxy Gaming, and Bally's as its newest partners in casino licensing. The new partners join existing licensee Sciplay. The announcement underscores Hasbro's 'Playing to Win' strategy, revealed in February 2025, which focuses on innovation, partnerships, and bringing beloved brands to life across more formats than ever. 'We're all about play—and that means meeting our fans wherever they are, from the game table to the casino floor,' said Claire Hunter Gregson, Director, Gaming Relationships. 'These visionary new partners have the expertise and imagination to reimagine our brands in bold, exciting ways for adult audiences.' Hasbro has a nearly 30-year history of licensing its age-appropriate IP to the gambling sector. With this new lineup of partners, the company is expanding access to entertainment experiences that reimagine its brands for a growing base of adult fans and gamers. Following is the list of partners: Aristocrat Technologies – B2B manufacturer land-based slot machines (MONOPOLY) Evolution – B2B developer for online slots and live casino (MONOPOLY, Hasbro Games) Galaxy Gaming – B2B developer and manufacturer for casino table games (MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE, BATTLESHIP) Bally's – B2C Online casino operator (MONOPOLY) With new titles launching in January 2026, adult fans will see some of Hasbro's beloved brands integrated into new and existing casino formats, including land-based gaming slots, online gaming slots, casino table games, and online casinos. About Hasbro Hasbro is a leading games, IP and toy company whose mission is to create joy and community through the magic of play. With over 100 years of expertise, Hasbro delivers groundbreaking play experiences and reaches over 500 million kids, families and fans around the world, through physical and digital games, video games, toys, licensed consumer products, location-based entertainment, film, TV and more. Through its franchise-first approach, Hasbro unlocks value from both new and legacy IP, including MAGIC: THE GATHERING, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, MONOPOLY, HASBRO GAMES, NERF, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH and PEPPA PIG, as well as premier partner brands. Powered by its portfolio of thousands of iconic marks and a diversified network of partners and subsidiary studios, Hasbro brings fans together wherever they are, from tabletop to screen. For more than a decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, a 2025 JUST Capital Industry Leader, one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50, and a Brand that Matters by Fast Company. For more information, visit or @Hasbro on LinkedIn. About Aristocrat Gaming Aristocrat Gaming is a leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of regulated land-based slot and electronic games across the globe. From award-winning games and hardware to unique game mechanics and leading performance, Aristocrat Gaming delivers the best seat in the house wherever and whenever the world plays. Part of Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), Aristocrat Gaming delivers end-to-end solutions to customers in more than 300 jurisdictions across the globe. We strive to be an industry leader in responsible gameplay, as part of ensuring a vibrant and sustainable industry. For further information, visit the company's website at Follow Aristocrat Gaming on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. About Bally's Corporation Bally's Corporation (NYSE: BALY) is a global casino-entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence. Bally's owns and operates 20 casinos internationally including 1 retail casino in Newcastle, UK, 11 states across the US, along with a golf course in New York and a horse racetrack in Colorado and holds OSB licenses in 13 jurisdictions in North America. It also owns Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform, Bally's Interactive International division (formerly Gamesys Group), a leading global interactive gaming operator, and a significant economic stake in Intralot S.A. (ATSE: INLOT), a global lottery management and services business. With 11,500 employees, its casino operations include approximately 17,700 slot machines, 630 table games, and 3,950 hotel rooms. Bally's also has rights to developable land in Las Vegas at the site of the former Tropicana Las Vegas. About Evolution Evolution AB (publ) ('Evolution') Evolution develops, produces, markets and licenses fully integrated B2B Online Casino solutions to gaming operators. Since its inception in 2006, Evolution has developed into a leading B2B provider with 800+ operators among its customers. The group currently employs 22,200+ people in studios across Europe and in North America. The parent company is based in Sweden and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm with the ticker EVO. Visit for more information. Evolution is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority under license MGA/B2B/187/2010. Evolution is also licensed and regulated in many other jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Romania, South Africa, and others. About Galaxy Gaming Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, Galaxy Gaming ( develops and distributes innovative games, bonusing systems, and technology solutions to physical and online casinos worldwide. Galaxy Gaming offers games proven to perform developed by gaming experts and backed by the highest level of customer support. Galaxy Gaming Digital is the world's leading licensor of proprietary table games to the online gaming industry. Galaxy Gaming has 131 licenses worldwide, including licenses in 28 U.S. states. About Light & Wonder, Inc. SciPlay is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Light & Wonder. Light & Wonder, Inc. is the leading cross-platform global games company. Through our three unique, yet highly complementary businesses, we deliver unforgettable experiences by combining the exceptional talents of our 6,000+ member team, with a deep understanding of our customers and players. We create immersive content that forges lasting connections with players, wherever they choose to engage. At Light & Wonder, it's all about the games. The company is committed to the highest standards of integrity, from promoting player responsibility to implementing sustainable practices. To learn more visit
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Joe Mixon, sister's boyfriend hold real guns outside home in new video of Nerf war gone awry
Video of the March 2023 shooting outside of Joe Mixon's home has emerged. The footage shows a group of teenagers playing with NERF guns outside in the Cincinnati suburb. In another angle, Mixon and his sister's boyfriend, Lamonte Brewer, are seen in the backyard with real guns in their hands. Later, Brewer could be seen firing the gun, shooting a 16-year-old in the leg. In an interview with investigators, Mixon said he was holding a weapon because his sister told him there were people outside with guns. 'She runs in screaming, telling the kids to get into the room and lock the door,' Mixon said, per FOX19 News in Cincinnati. He added he was 'scared' after recently receiving threats stemming from a recent arrest. 'At one point, I was getting a lot of death threats and getting a lot of bomb threats on my home.' The teenager, who suffered minor injuries, said he went into 'freak-out mode' after bullets suddenly flew toward him. 'I am running, feel something hit my foot. I hide behind a tree. I'm crunched down. I'm in a fetal position almost. I call my mom. I'm like, 'Is the front door unlocked?'' he said. '…It's really frantic at first. I'm holding my foot because it's hurt, and I'm using words like shot and guns, and my brother's all like – it's just very frantic,' the teen added. In February, Brewer, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Mixon, who was with the Bengals at the time and now plays for the Texans, has not been charged in the case, but is being sued by the legal guardians of the teenager.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- New York Post
Joe Mixon, sister's boyfriend hold real guns outside home in new video of Nerf war gone awry
Video of the March 2023 shooting outside of Joe Mixon's home has emerged. The footage shows a group of teenagers playing with NERF guns outside in the Cincinnati suburb. In another angle, Mixon and his sister's boyfriend, Lamonte Brewer, are seen in the backyard with real guns in their hands. Advertisement Later, Brewer could be seen firing the gun, shooting a 16-year-old in the leg. 4 Newly released videos show the moments a Nerf War turned into a shooting outside of former Bengal Joe Mixon's home in March of 2023. Fox19 In an interview with investigators, Mixon said he was holding a weapon because his sister told him there were people outside with guns. Advertisement 'She runs in screaming, telling the kids to get into the room and lock the door,' Mixon said, per FOX19 News in Cincinnati. He added he was 'scared' after recently receiving threats stemming from a recent arrest. 4 Then-Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon holds the Lamar Hunt trophy after the AFC championship NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022. AP 4 One of the videos shows Mixon and his sister's boyfriend, Lamonte Brewer, holding guns outside Mixon's home in Anderson Township on Ayers Road on March 6, 2023. Fox19 Advertisement 'At one point, I was getting a lot of death threats and getting a lot of bomb threats on my home.' The teenager, who suffered minor injuries, said he went into 'freak-out mode' after bullets suddenly flew toward him. 'I am running, feel something hit my foot. I hide behind a tree. I'm crunched down. I'm in a fetal position almost. I call my mom. I'm like, 'Is the front door unlocked?'' he said. 4 Newly released videos show the moments a Nerf War turned into a shooting outside of former Bengal Joe Mixon's home in March of 2023. Fox19 Advertisement '…It's really frantic at first. I'm holding my foot because it's hurt, and I'm using words like shot and guns, and my brother's all like – it's just very frantic,' the teen added. In February, Brewer, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Mixon, who was with the Bengals at the time and now plays for the Texans, has not been charged in the case, but is being sued by the legal guardians of the teenager.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Artist Shocked To Find Her Poster Designs From 2017 In Bungie's Marathon: 'A Major Company Has Deemed It Easier To Pay A Designer To Imitate Or Steal My Work Than To Write Me An Email'
One of the most striking things about Bungie's Marathonis its presentation. The sci-fi extraction shooter combines bleak settings with bright colors in a way that makes it feel a bit like a sneaker promo meets Ghost in the Shell, or as designer Jeremy Skoog put it, 'Y2K Cyberpunk mixed with Acid Graphic Design Posters.' But it now looks like at least a few of the visual design elements that appeared in the recent alpha test were lifted from an eight-year old work by an outside artist. 'The Marathon alpha released recently and its environments are covered with assets lifted from poster designs i made in 2017,' Bluesky user posted on Thursday. She shared two images showing elements of her work and where they appeared in Marathon's gameplay, including a rotated version of her own logo. A poster full of small repeating icon patterns also seems to be all but recreated in Marathon's press kit ARG and website. 'Bungie is of course not obligated to hire me when making a game that draws overwhelmingly from the same design language I have refined for the last decade, but clearly my work was good enough to pillage for ideas and plaster all over their game without pay or attribution,' wrote. 'I don't have the resources nor the energy to spare to pursue this legally but I have lost count of the number of times a major company has deemed it easier to pay a designer to imitate or steal my work than to write me an email.' How could something like this have happened? One possibility is that the art was used for placeholder assets that were supposed to be replaced or overhauled later on but never were. A less generous version is that someone at Bungie or the agencies it outsources to cut corners and knowingly lifted the work or used it as inspiration without compensation or attribution. Bungie didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. This isn't the first time the PlayStation-owned studio has gotten into hot water for this sort of thing. In 2023, Destiny 2 fanart turned up in a major cutscene for the massive sci-fi MMO. In 2024, old fan art was plagiarized for an Ace of Space Exotic ornament and NERF gun replica. Bungie agreed to pay the artists and apologized in both instances. The studio has also been on the receiving end as well, with last year's The First Descendant lifting ability and perk icons directly from Destiny 2 before later removing them. Marathon's alpha wrapped up earlier this month, leaving fans impressed by the shooting and moment-to-moment feel but torn on its implementation of the extraction shooter formula. What's not in doubt is that the worldbuilding and sci-fi interiors are some of the most intriguing work Bungie's done in years, a virtue now partly tarnished by allegations of plagiarism in certain aspects of the aesthetic. 'In 10 years I have never made a consistent income from this work and I am tired of designers from huge companies moodboarding and parasitising my designs while I struggle to make a living,' wrote. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
