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Looking to get a TV for your gaming? Find the best 4K TVs for Gaming here.

12 Months of PS Plus for £37.82

Get the best deal for your PS Plus subscription; A 12-month subscription is now available to purchase for just £38.82 at CDKeys. Also, make sure to check out other PlayStation Plus deals for 12-month, 3-month and 1-month subscriptions below.

• PlayStation Plus (12 Month Subscription) at CDKeys – £37.82 when you Facebook Like CDKeys for 3% off. (This is £48.85 at Amazon)
• PlayStation Plus (3 Month Subscription) at CDKeys – £17.45 when you Facebook Like CDKeys for 3% off.
• PlayStation Plus (1 Month Subscription) at CDKeys – £6.59 when you Facebook Like CDKeys for 3% off.

12 Month Xbox Live Gold Membership for £31.03

Get the hottest Xbox Live 12 month gold membership subscription at Microsoft, now selling at under £32.

• Xbox Live Gold 12-month membership (Xbox One/360, Digital) at CDKeys – was £39.99, now £31.03 when you Facebook Like CDKeys for 3% off.

Alternative Deals:

• Xbox Live Gold 3-month membership with £10 free credit at Amazon – was £24.99, now £14.99
• Xbox Game Pass 12 Month Membership at Amazon – was £95.98, now £47.99

PSVR Mega Pack with 6 Games and Now TV Entertainment Pass for £229.99

Get a PSVR pack with six incredible games and Now TV Entertainment pass for 2 months, including Astro Bot Rescue Mission, WipEout, Doom VFR, Skyrim VR, Resident Evil 7 and VR World, all for £299.99 at GAME.

• PSVR Mega Pack with 6 Games with Now TV for 2 months at GAME – was £319.98, now £229.99

Save on Xbox One Bundles

There are loads of good offers out there for Xbox One console bundled up with the latest games. Grab an Xbox One X console with 3-month Xbox Live Gold membership, Forza Horizon 4, Forza Motorsport 7, Tekken 7, Red Dead Redemption 2, Fallout 76 and Project Cars 2, all for £429.99.

• Xbox One X with LIVE Gold Membership, Forza Horizon 4, Forza Motorsport 7, Tekken 7, Red Dead Redemption 2, Fallout 76 and Project Cars 2 bundle – was £611.94, now £429.99
• Xbox One X, Fallout 76, Red Dead Redemption 2, Tekken 7 and Project Cars 2 bundle – was £546.96, now £399.99

Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8, Super Mario Odyssey and Super Smash Bros for £349.99

Grab Nintendo Switch packed with the best games, including the new Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey, all for just under £335.

• Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8, Super Mario Odyssey and Super Smash Bros at Currys PC World – was £369.97, now £334.99

Best Deals from Amazon’s Christmas Sale

Find the best hand-picked deals from Amazon’s Last Minute Christmas Deals Sale below.

You can check a products price history for Amazon on CamelCamelCamel which is a price tracker that will show you the highest, average and lowest price of an item.

Available for today only

• Philips Series 7000 Wet and Dry Men’s Electric Shaver with SmartClean System and Precision Trimmer – was £300.00, now £99.99
• Fallout 76 Standard Edition | Xbox One – Download Code – £39.99
• Fallout 76: Tricentennial Edition – £49.99
• Echo Plus (1st Gen) With built-in smart home hub (Black) with Philips Hue White E27 Edison screw light bulb – was £154.98, now £89.99
• Amazon Echo Spot smart speaker – was £119.99, now £89.99
• All-New Echo Show (2nd Gen), Black with Philips Hue White Bulb E27 – was £234.98, now £169.99
• Sonos One Voice Controlled Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa Built In (Black) – was £199.00, now £179.00
• Hugo Boss Onyx Mens Quartz watch – was £298.84, now £208.48
• Ultimate Ears Megaboom McLaren Bluetooth/Wireless Speaker – was £249.00, now £89.00
• Logitech Harmony Elite Smart Remote & Fire TV Stick – was £199.97, now £159.99
• Razer Blade Pro 17-Inch 4K-Touch Gaming Laptop (Black) – was £4,199.99, now £3,499.99
• MSI GV62 8RE 15.6-Inch FHD Laptop – was £1,299.99, now £999.99
• All-new Kindle Paperwhite – was £119.99, now £99.99
• LG 34UM68-P 34-Inch Ultrawide Height Adjustable IPS Monitor – was £464.99, now £299.99
• Dell SE2219H 21.5 Inch IPS LED-backlit LCD Monitor – was £99.99, now £89.99
• Neato Robotics 945-0239 Botvac D5 Connected Wi-Fi Navigating Robot Automatic Vacuum – was £599.99, now £329.99
• iRobot Roomba 960 Robot Vacuum Cleaner – was £799.00, now £599.99
• Fitbit Unisex Ionic Smartwatch – was £279.99, now £199.00
• Nespresso EN550.BM Lattissima Touch Automatic Coffee Machine – was £279.99, now £149.00

Amazon promotions

• Offers on PlayStation consoles
• Offers on PlayStation VR
• Offers on Xbox One consoles
• Save up to 20% off laptops
• Up to 20% off TVs from LG, Panasonic, Hisense and more
• Up to 25% off FM London
• Up to 40% off Baylis & Harding Gifts for Him
• Up to 20% off PC Monitors including Asus, LG, AOC and more

Nvidia Shield 4K Media Streaming Device, Controller and £10 Steam Credit for £162

Enjoy the smoothest streaming of hundreds of PC quality games with the next generation of GeForce. This bundle also includes a controller and a £10 Stream wallet card.

• Nvidia Shield 4K Media streaming device 16GB, controller and £10 Steam wallet card bundle – was £189.99, now £161.99

£32 Logitech Z506 Surround Sound Speakers

Enhance your listening experience for your HDTV, iPod, game console or DVD player with surround sound speakers by Logitech, now discounted to just over £50 at Amazon.

• Logitech Z506 surround sound speakers at Amazon – was £83.21, now £50.49

£80 off JVC 55-Inch Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR LED TV

Grab a 55-inch 4K TV by JVC for just £369 at Currys PC World. It’s a great price for this TV.

• JVC LT-55C870 55″ Smart 4K Ultra HD HDR LED TV at Currys PC World – was £449.00, now £369.00
• Philips 75″ 4K Ultra HD Smart TV with HDR Plus (2018 Model) – was £2,500.00, now £1,999.00
• Philips 65″ 4K Ultra HD Smart TV with HDR Plus (2018 Model) – was £800.00, now £699.00
• Hisense 65″ 4K Ultra HD HDR Smart TV (2018 Model) – was £699.00, now £579.00
• TCL 50″ 4K Ultra HD HDR TV (2018 Model) – was £499.00, now £399.00
• TCL 43″ 4K Ultra HD HDR TV (2018 Model) – was £499.00, now £339.00
• Toshiba 32″ HD Ready Smart TV with Freeview Play and Built In DVD Player (2018 Model) – was £269.00, now £229.00

25% off RoboVac at Eufy UK Store

Make your home smarter with RoboVac smart vacuums by Eufy, as it sweeps, vacuums and recharges on its own. Save up to 25% off these vacuums at Eufy Christmas sale.

• RoboVac 11S – was £219.99, now £164.99
• RoboVac 30C – was £269.99, now £202.49

 

 

Game of Thrones Johnnie Walker White Walker Scotch Whisky under £34

Johnnie Walker has partnered with HBO’s Game of Thrones to launch a limited-edition collaborative whisky blend. A true Game of Thrones fan? You can now indulge yourself with a glass of a unique limited edition Game of Thrones inspired White Walker Whiskey by Johnnie Walker. Flavor notes include caramelized sugar, vanilla, fresh berries with a touch of orchard fruit, and is better to be served cold. It makes an ideal gift for any Game of Thrones or whiskey fan this Christmas.

• Game of Thrones Johnnie Walker White Walker scotch whisky – was  £34.00, now £33.83

Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Switch Gamepad Controller for £22

Play in style with the Super Smash Bros. Switch Gamepad controller at Argos for under £22.

• Super Smash Bros Nintendo Switch Gamepad controller at Argos – was £24.99, now £21.99

Alternative Deals:

• Super Mario Mini Question Block Light with Sound, Multi-Colour at Amazon – was £14.99, now £6.95

Horizon Zero Dawn PS4 for £6.78

Grab the cheapest Horizon Zero Dawn for PS4 right now at ShopTo.

• Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4) at CDkeys – was £15.49, now £6.78

OUT NOW: Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Nintendo Switch)

One of the most anticipated games of the year has just been released.

• Get it at Amazon for £47.99

Save £30 off Ring Video Doorbell 2 

Secure your home with Ring’s smart and convenient 1080p HD video doorbell, which allows two-way communication, motion detection and it’s Wi-Fi connected. Snag a bargain at Amazon and save yourself £30 off this product.

• Ring Video Doorbell 2 at Amazon – was £179.00, now £149.00

PlayStation Bundle Deals at Amazon

Get yourself the latest PS4 bundles before Christmas.

• PlayStation 4 500GB Red Dead Redemption 2 Bundle – £279.91
• PlayStation 4 500GB FIFA 19 Ultimate Team Icons and Rare Player Pack Bundle – £229.95
• PlayStation 4 1TB FIFA 19 Ultimate Team Icons and Rare Player Pack Bundle – £249.99
• PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB FIFA 19 Ultimate Team Icons and Rare Player Pack Bundle – £349.99

Exclusive to LEGO and Amazon:  LEGO 75251 Star Wars Darth Vader’s Castle Playset, TIE Fighter Toy and 5 Minifigures

Get busy with this unique Lego Star Wars Darth Vader castle play set. It will make a perfect Christmas present for any Star Wars fan and it is now discounted by £30.

• LEGO 75251 Star Wars Darth Vader’s Castle Playset, TIE Fighter Toy and 5 Minifigures at Amazon – was £119.99, now £89.99

Get Amazon Music Unlimited for 99p per Month

3 Months of Amazon Music Unlimited for 99p (usually £23.97)

Amazon Music Unlimited is usually £9.99 a month, or £7.99 a month if you’re an Amazon Prime member, which means you’ll be saving a load of money with this Amazon Black Friday deal. Amazon Music Unlimited has 40 million songs in its arsenal, with new releases everyday from today’s most popular artists. By nature, the streaming service is compatible with Amazon’s smart speaker devices.

• Get 3 Months of Amazon Music Unlimited for 99p. This is a limited time offer. The promotional offer of 3 months for £0.99 is valid from November 15, 2018 through January 2, 2019 and redeemable towards an Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Monthly Plan.

Half Price Audible Membership for 4 Months

4 Month Audible Membership for £3.99 per Month (usually £7.99 per Month) Love books? With Audible it’s easy to tune into audiobooks wherever you are. By streaming or downloading books onto the free Audible app you will be able enjoy your favourite titles on the go, in your car or even at the gym. You can opt-out of this deal at any time.

• Get 50% off an Audible Membership for 4 Months. Join Audible for just £3.99/month. Offer available until 14th December 2018.

The below are all market-leading prices:

Gaming Laptop Deals

• ASUS TUF Gaming FX504GM i5 1060 Gaming Laptop – was £1,219.95, now £999.98
• MSI GL62MVR 7RFX 1060 Gaming Laptop – was £919.97, now £799.98
• MSI GE73 Raider RGB 8RE-061UK 1060 Gaming Laptop – was £1663.43, now £1,399.98

Gaming Desktop Deal

• Intel Hades Canyon i7 VEGA VR Gaming Machine – was £882.98, now £829.98

Gaming Monitor Deals

• Element Gaming 27″ QHD 144hz 1ms Gaming Monitor – was £269.99, now £229.95
• Asus VP28UQG 28″ 4K UHD 1ms Gaming Monitor – was £319.98, now £289.86

 

Free Samsung Duo Wireless Charger with Selected Samsung Smart Watches

Get a free Samsung Due wireless charger (worth £89) when you buy a selected Samsung smart watch at Argos. You can also claim Samsung cashback up until 24th December and a free £10 Argos voucher with this purchase.

• Samsung Galaxy 46mm Smart Watch with Samsung Duo wireless charger at Argos – was £388.99, now £299.00

 

LOGIK Sound Bar for £24

Looking to purchase a sound bar? Currys PC World is offering Logik’s sound bar for only £24.00, which will save you £45.99. The sound bar has Bluetooth connectivity, it is portable with 22-Inch TVs and includes a wall mounting kit.

• LOGIK L32SBT17 2.0 Sound Bar at Currys PC World – was £69.99, now £24.00

The Best Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Limited Edition Bundles

Grab the newest Nintendo Switch bundle that comes with Mario Kart Deluxe 8 for just £249.99 at Very.co.uk with code “N9MDV“. This code will only work for new customers who sign up for Very.co.uk credit account*. This works out to be the cheapest deal currently available, but we have also listed deals by other retailers below.

• Nintendo Switch w/ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Limited Edition Console at Very.co.uk – was £279.99, now £249.99 w/ code N9MDV

Alternative Deals:

You can shop all the bundle variations at Amazon or GAME through the links below or get Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Limited Edition bundle at Nintendo Official UK Store with 2-year warranty here.

• Nintendo Switch w/ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Limited Edition Console at Nintendo Official UK Store – £279.99
• Nintendo Switch w/ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! at GAME – was £322.98, now £309.99
• Nintendo Switch w/ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at GAME – was £327.98, now £309.99

Editor’s Notes: You need to apply for Very.co.uk credit card, which is interest free for 3 months. Credit provided, subject to credit and account status, by Shop Direct Finance Company Limited. If you can’t get the promo code working, get in touch with Very customer service team and provide the offer URL and they should apply the savings to your account manually.

£35 PSN Card for £29.97 with Code

Electronic First currently offer the best price for a £35 PlayStation Store Network card, especially when you Facebook like their page and redeem your unique promo code that will help you save a further 3% off.

• £35 PSN Card at Electronic First – was £35.00, now £29.97 when you Facebook like Electronic First for 3% off.

LG 60-Inch LED HDR 4K Ultra HD TV under £550

This is one the hottest TV deals since Black Friday. Previously priced at £649.95, this 60-inch LG HDR 4K Ultra HD TV just dropped in price at John Lewis to just £549.95. It also comes with a 5-year warranty when you purchase it at John Lewis.

• LG 60UK6200PLA LED HDR 4K Ultra HD TV at John Lewis – was £649.95, now £549.95

 

IGN Exclusive: CyberGhost VPN for Only £1.60 per Month Recently, VPNs are becoming increasingly popular because they can ensure your security and privacy when browsing the web. CyberGhost VPN is also a great VPN to access American Netflix from the UK and paying £1.59 per month on top of your current Netflix subscription to get all of the Netflix content you get in America is definitely worth it.

• IGN Exclusive: CyberGhost VPN 4-year subscription deal – £1.60 per month, £19.20 billed annually (80% off).

Alternative VPN Deal

• IGN Exclusive: PureVPN 1-year subscription deal – £2.33 per month, £27.96 billed annually (73% off).

Editor’s notes: Read our guide on how to get American Netflix content in the UK.

The Best Deals from Carphone Warehouse

If you are looking to upgrade to a new handset for Black Friday prices, you can still get a good deal at Carphone Warehouse, as they continue dropping prices on the most popular phones. Get one of the new handsets below or head straight to Carphone Warehouse website for more deals.

• Samsung Galaxy S9 – O2 Network, 10GB data, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts – £9.99 upfront, £32.00 per month with £100 Cashback. Get this deal here.
• Apple iPhone 8 – O2 Network, 30GB data, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts – £29.99 upfront, £38.00 per month. Get this deal here.
• Apple iPhone XR – O2 Network, 30GB data, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts – £49.99 upfront, £51.00 per month. Get this deal here.
• Apple iPhone XS – O2 Network, 10GB data, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts – £129.99 upfront, £56.00 per month. Get this deal here.

2 Games at £60 at GAME

The latest promotion by GAME features a range of Xbox and PS4 games, including some of the biggest titles of this year. You can get two games for just £60, which saves you up to £40.

• Get this deal here

Corsair K55 RGB Membrane Gaming bundle under £100

Upgrade your PC gaming gear with Corsair’s Membrane gaming bundle, which is now discounted to under £100. Get it while stocks last.

• Corsair K55 RGB Membrane gaming keyboard with Harpoon RGB optical gaming mouse, stereo gaming headset and medium cloth surface mousepad at Amazon – was £128.96, now £99.99

Razer Phone 2 with Complimentary Case and Screen Protector Receive a complimentary Razer Word phone case and tempered screen protector (worth £44) with purchase of a Razer Phone 2, while stocks last.

• Razer Phone 2 with Razer Word phone case and tempered screen protector at Razer – was £823.99, now £699.99

Amazon Exclusive: Red Dead Redemption 2 with Collectible SteelBook PS4 / Xbox One for under £50

This game scored 10/10 and described as a masterpiece on IGN review. Get it for £49.99 at Amazon and receive a limited edition collectible steelbook.

• Red Dead Redemption 2 with Collectible SteelBook (PS4) – was £59.99, now £49.99
• Red Dead Redemption 2 with Collectible Steelbook (Xbox One) – was £59.99, now £49.99

Save up to 57% off Norton Security Antivirus

Get Norton Antivirus for great value during Black Friday, The Norton Security Deluxe antivirus package will provide protection for up to 5 devices against viruses and ransomware, as well as encrypt the data you send and receive on public WiFi. It is now reduced from £69.99 to £29.99.

• Norton Security Standard Antivirus (1 Year, 1 Device) – was £49.99, now £24.99
• Norton Security Deluxe Antivirus (1 Year, 5 Devices) – was £69.99, now £29.99
• Norton Security Deluxe with Free Norton Security VPN (5 Devices) – was £89.98, now £29.99
• Norton Security Premium Antivirus (1 Year, 10 Devices) – was £79.99, now £39.99

Christmas Gift Kits: Save over 60% off Shaving Kits

Dorco’s Classic model is the world’s first seven-blade razor, micropositioned to give you a smooth and precise shave. Get a perfect razor gift set at Dorco and save over 60% off.

• Get this deal here

The Best Broadband Deals in November

If you’re in the market for a broadband deal, whether it is superfast fibre. brodband and TV bundles or just standard broadband, then check the best Black Friday offers on them below:

• Compare the best Broadband deals using our comparison site
• NOW Broadband: Fab Fibre and Anytime Calls 3 (36MB average speed) with £50 voucher (Argos, John Lewis, Tesco) – £23.50 per month for 12 months, £9.99 setup cost.

Save 25% off Selected Laptops

In the market for a new laptop? It’s your lucky day, as early Black Friday deals can save you up to 25% off makes such as Acer, Lenovo, HP and more. Hand-picked deals:

• AORUS X7 DT v8 17.3” FHD Gaming Laptop – (Intel i7-8850H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GTX1080 Graphics Card) – was £2999.00, now £2,455.95
• GIGABYTE AERO 15X 15.6” FHD Gaming Laptop – (Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GTX1070 Graphics Card) – was £2199.00, now £1,799.99
• ASUS ZenBook 13 UX331UA-EG005T 13.3″ Full HD Laptop – (Intel Core i5-8250U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) – was £899.99, now £699.99
• ACER Aspire 7 15.6″ FHD Gaming Notebook – (Intel Core i5-7300HQ, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Graphics) – was £749.99, now £629.99
• ASUS VivoBook 15.6″ Full HD Laptop – (Intel Core i5-8250U Processor, 4GB RAM + 16GB Intel Optane Memory, 1TB HDD, NVIDIA MX130 Graphics Card) – was £599.99, now £490.28

Listen to “Born And Raised” on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

Family restaurants are a part of life for many immigrants in Canada. Parents work long hours in the kitchen and in the dining room serving tables so their children can have better opportunities. It can be gruelling work. So what happens when the kids want to enter the food biz themselves?

In this episode of “Born And Raised: Food,” host Angelyn Francis and reporter Al Donato explore stories that feature family restaurants, with a twist.

Listen to “The Family Restaurant”

Can’t play it on this page? Listen on the SoundCloud site.

Read a transcript of this episode.

Meet the guests:

Vanessa Ling Yu kept a secret from her family: she’s a food activist. For the most part, she hasn’t shared her achievements, such as successfully getting racist language in the City of Toronto food safety manual removed because it implied Chinese dishes cause food poisoning.

Why does she hide her work? It’s complicated. Her family ran the only Chinese restaurant in rural Nova Scotia. They wanted her to stay out of the food industry and become a bank teller.

Eden Hagos wants you to “Injera and Chill.” That’s the name of the parties she throws that celebrate food from the East African diaspora. She’s part of a growing trend of second-generation millennials who get involved in the food business in creative ways. And this venture into cultural cuisine looks very different from the Ethiopian restaurant she grew up in.

When Mike Tan became a chef, his parents were disappointed. They came to Canada as refugees to escape the Khmer Rouge regime, and wanted Tan to do “better” than the food industry. But after Mike took a trip back to their homeland to research Cambodia’s food, and then open a restaurant in Toronto, what was once their son’s solo venture has become a source of parental pride.

Places mentioned in this episode:

• Ming’s. Now closed, was in New Glasgow, N.S.
• Tuk Tuk Canteen in Toronto, Ont.
• Banh Mi Boys, a franchise owned by brothers Philip, David, and Peter Chau in Toronto, Ont.
• Nguyen Huong Food Co., the family restaurant owned by the Chau brothers’ father, Toha Chau.

Stream this episode and more: Find “Born And Raised: Food” on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Michigan supplanted Florida as the No. 1 team in this week’s USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Wolverines (27-3) picked up 17 first-place votes and 781 points to leapfrog the Gators (34-3) for the first time this season.

Michigan swept a three-game Big Ten road series from Indiana, while Florida dropped two-of-three at home to then-No. 6 Alabama. In moving to No. 1, the Wolverines reached the top ranking for the first time since April 19, 2011. During the three-game sweep, head coach Carol Hutchins became the NCAA’s all-time winningest coach. Saturday’s 8-0 triumph in Bloomington brought her win total to 1,458, surpassing previous record holder Margie Wright (Fresno State).

The Gators received 10-first place votes and 765 points and were one of five programs to gather first-place nods, along with Auburn (2), Alabama (2) and James Madison (1).

Florida and Alabama locked up in an intense three-game SEC series in Gainesville with the now fourth-ranked Crimson Tide (31-7) winning games one (2-1) and three (3-0) behind the solid pitching of Sydney Littlejohn. The Gators earned a one-run victory (3-2) in game two on Saturday.

Auburn remained in the three-hole following a sweep of then-No. 14 Kentucky in Lexington over the weekend. The Tigers (33-4) opened with a 9-0 triumph before earning a pair of close victories to finish the sweep, 6-5 and 3-1 in nine innings.

No. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette, No. 7 James Madison, No. 8 LSU, No. 9 Florida State and No. 10 Georgia remained in their respective rankings, while Oregon slipped two spots to No. 6. The Dukes (30-2) were the only squad to post an undefeated week as they shut out their opposition in four of five games. The Ragin’ Cajuns (29-3) dropped their opener at No. 19 Baylor (0-2) before rattling off four straight wins to close out the week, including a 4-3 win over the Bears and a three-game Sun Belt sweep of Texas State.

The Ducks (27-6) dropped two of three at home to then-No. 16 UCLA (6-16, 6-5, 1-4), while the Tigers (28-9) went on the road and picked up two wins (5-4, 5-1) over the No. 10 Bulldogs in Athens. Only able to get two games in due to inclement weather, the ninth-ranked Seminoles (27-4) split an ACC road twinbill at then-No. 22 Notre Dame (14-5, 4-5).

There was some movement over the final 15 spots of the poll, but no new faces made appearances this week.

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Records reflect games played through April 3, 2016.

 

2016 USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Coaches Poll
Week 8 | April 5, 2016 (Results through 4/3)

 

Rank Team Totals 2016 Record Last Poll 1 Michigan (17) 781 27-3 2 2 Florida (10) 765 34-3 1 3 Auburn (2) 731 33-4 3 4 Alabama (2) 712 31-7 6 5 Louisiana-Lafayette 656 29-3 5 6 Oregon 622 27-6 4 7 James Madison (1) 611 30-2 7 8 LSU 591 28-9 8 9 Florida State 524 27-4 9 10 Georgia 492 31-7 10 11 Texas A&M 470 30-6 12 12 Washington 458 22-8 11 13 UCLA 408 22-11-1 16 14 Oklahoma 396 26-7 13 15 Missouri 347 26-7 15 16 Kentucky 301 31-8 14 17 Tennessee 295 27-10 17 18 Arizona 275 23-11 18 19 Baylor 256 31-7 19 t20 Notre Dame 172 26-6 22 t20 Arizona State 172 27-10 20 22 Minnesota 124 24-10 21 23 Fresno State 76 24-9-1 25 24 Florida Atlantic 61 30-7 23 25 USF 42 31-10 24

Dropped Out: None

New to Poll: None

Receiving Votes: Cal State Fullerton (15), Nebraska (14), Tulsa (9), Ohio State (5), California (3), South Alabama (3), Utah (3), BYU (2), UCF (2), South Carolina (2), McNeese State (1), Mississippi (1), Texas (1).

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Coaches Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference.  

Epic Games has removed the newly introduced Mythic Infinity Blade item in Fortnite after it turned out to be too powerful, saying on Twitter that it “messed up” and that the Blade was too strong.

“We messed up and rolled out the Infinity Blade overpowered / without good counters, especially in the end game. The Infinity Blade has been Vaulted and we are re-evaluating our approach to Mythic items,” the studio tweeted.

Earlier this week, Epic announced that it would be removing its Infinity Blade series from the App Store, but revealed that the sword from the game would be popping up in Fortnite as a Mythic weapon.

The Infinity Blade caused a kerfuffle during the North American Winter Royale tournament thanks to its build/harvest capabilities, with Eurogamer reporting that the rolling out of such a powerful weapon at the outset of the tournament angered a number of players who had been grinding for weeks in advance to qualify.

In a post on Reddit following its release, Epic and Fortnite community manager Nathan Mooney discussed the feedback surrounding the Infinity Blade and announced that would have the ability to build and harvest removed so that it provides a greater risk/reward for players.

On the subject of Mythic items, Epic explained that their purpose “is to provide an interaction a step above the Legendary item functionality,” and has said it will continue to introduce them to the game.

“The addition of items in this tier provide new and flavorful ways to interact with the map and generally shake up normal play across default modes.”

Shabana is a freelance writer who enjoys JRPGs, wine, and not finishing games. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The flu vaccine is once again available and as usual, Canadians are being urged to get the shot. Yet, like most years, fewer than half of us will roll up our sleeves. This unsettling reality doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.

The reasons behind the lack of uptake are many. Some are health-related, such as allergies, being sick and other pre-existing conditions. Others avoid the shot for non-scientific reasons, including fear and religion. But these individuals combined amount to a small minority of Canada’s population. Figuring out why the rest choose to go without has been for the most part a challenge.

Research into why Canadians may be hesitant to get the flu shot has suggested one of the major problems happens to be a matter of trust. Many people simply do not believe the flu shot is the right choice. No matter how much campaigns may say otherwise, the message doesn’t seem to be heard.

Now that may change thanks to a recent study out of Kenya. A team of researchers have identified an interesting phenomenon with respect to vaccines. They may have figured out why a majority of people may be willing to get a shot but avoid it when the time comes.

In this study, the Kenyan group were not looking at perceptions of the flu vaccination. Instead, they were examining how people felt about an HIV vaccine. Although one has yet to be approved, trials are occurring in different parts of the world including Kenya. The team hoped to find out how many people out of the 100 enrolled would show a willingness to take part in a hypothetical vaccine trial, and then how many would back away. The authors also hoped to find out why people made that decision.

Right from the start, they lost six who simply didn’t want to have anything to do with a trial. The reasons were based on fear, family and indecisiveness. Of the remaining 94 people who were willing, about a third felt they were helping the world in an altruistic way, another third felt they were helping themselves while the final third were simply curious.

The next step was to ask the 94 people to confirm they wish to be part of the trial. Although the authors expected some people to back out, they were surprised to see only 26 agree to join. This meant a loss of three-quarters of the participants.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. When the time came to enrol, the number dropped again. Only 15 of the 26 signed on.

When those who dropped out were asked why they didn’t follow through with the trial, a fascinating revelation was made. The same reasons that kept the original six from joining were mentioned. The factors of fear, family and a lack of being able to commit rushed to the top of the mind, and prevented the individuals from agreeing or joining formally.

For the authors, this surprising outcome revealed an interesting perspective on human nature in relation to clinical trials and by extension, to vaccines. While willingness may be strong in an individual, it may not be able to overtake the factors that lead to hesitancy and/or refusal. This could explain why mass recruitment campaigns may not be as effective as believed. While these are great at identifying willing people, they are not effective in getting people to the next steps. Those require more targeted means, such as community involvement and word of mouth.

As for Canada’s vaccination efforts, the results suggest more is needed than widespread media campaigns, kiosks in drugstores or public clinics, all of which garner willingness. Instead, means are needed to overcome the same hurdles that keep the minority from getting the shot, namely fear, indecision and the combination of families and religion.

If you happen to be willing to get the flu shot, pursue that willingness. There are many options available to you now. If you have any doubts that creep up, make sure to talk with the health provider and ask the questions that concern you. Don’t feel pressure to reach an agreement either. The evidence is strong enough that it will come.

Vaccination is a personal choice and should be made with confidence and trust. While we all could use more people taking the vaccine, making sure you are happy with the decision is the best approach. Not only will you feel good, but it may help ensure you roll up your sleeves again next year.

Have you been affected personally by this or another issue? Share your story on HuffPost Canada blogs. We feature the best of Canadian opinion and perspectives. Find out how to contribute here.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Louisiana-Lafayette senior catcher Lexie Elkins was the No. 1 overall pick by the Pennsylvania Rebellion in the 2016 NPF College Draft presented by Bownet on Thursday evening at the CMA Theater in Nashville, located within the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Elkins was the first player from Louisiana and the Sun Belt Conference to be drafted No. 1.

 “Lexie was at the top of our list from day one,” said PA Rebellion owner Stu Williams. “She does have the power. She rarely strikes out. We are very excited to have her in Pennsylvania. We can’t wait to see how this season unfolds.”

Following Elkins as first round picks were Michigan second baseman Sierra Romero (USSSA Pride), James Madison pitcher/first baseman Jailyn Ford (Akron Racers), Missouri infielder Sami Fagan (Akron Racers), Kentucky pitcher Kelsey Nunley (USSSA Pride) and Nebraska outfielder Kiki Stokes (Scrap Yard Dogs). Stokes becomes the first draft pick in Scrap Yard Dogs’ franchise history.

“The philosophy of this draft was to make sure we had kids who could drive the ball,” Scrap Yard Dawgs general manager Connie May said. “We wanted to make sure they were athletes who had speed so we could have a lot of versatility across the field.

The Dallas Charge and defending Cowles Cup champion Chicago Bandits, who did not have first-round picks, made their first selections in the second round, drafting UAB infielder Caitlyn Attfield and UCF pitcher Shelby Turnier, respectively.

In all, 40 college seniors from 27 NCAA programs were selected by the six NPF team over six rounds. Two-time defending champion Florida led the way with four selections, while Missouri, LSU and Oregon followed with three apiece. Georgia, James Madison, Kentucky and Michigan each had two draftees.

James Madison, Iowa State, Troy, UAB and University of Missouri St. Louis (DII) each had their first-ever NPF draftees. Akron’s sixth-round pick of UMSL pitcher Hannah Perryman made history. Perryman is the first Division II player to be selected in the NPF draft.

 

The SEC had nine programs and 18 student-athletes represented, followed by the Big 12 with four schools and four players. The Pac-12 had three programs and five draftees and the Sun Belt finished the night with three universities and three players. The Big Ten (2 schools / 3 players), American Athletic Conference (2/2), Colonial Athletic Association (1/2), ACC (1/1) and Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference (1/1) were also represented.

— Quotes courtesy of the NPF

First Round
1. Pennsylvania | Lexie Elkins, C | Louisiana-Lafayette
2. USSSA | Sierra Romero, IF | Michigan
3. Akron | Jailyn Ford, LHP/UT | James Madison
4. Akron | Sami Fagan, IF | Missouri
5. USSSA | Kelsey Nunley, RHP | Kentucky
6. Scrap Yard Dogs | Kiki Stokes, OF | Nebraska

Second Round
7. Scrap Yard Dogs | Emily Crane, OF | Missouri
8. Pennsylvania | Allexis Bennett, OF | UCLA
9. Dallas | Caitlin Attfield, IF | UAB
10. Akron | Alex Hugo, IF | Georgia
11. Chicago | Shelby Turnier. RHP | UCF
12. USSSA | Kelsey Steward, IF | Florida

Third Round
13. USSSA | Haylie McCleney, OF | Alabama
14. Pennsylvania | Chelsea Wilkerson, RHP | Georgia
15. Dallas | Taylor Gadbois, OF | Missouri
16. Pennsylvania | Chaley Brickey, IF | Kansas
17. Chicago | Kelsi Kloss, C | LSU
18. USSSA | Erica Field, C/UT | James Madison
19. Scrap Yard Dogs | Lexi Overstreet | C/UT | Tennessee

Fourth Round
20. Akron | Geri Ann Glasco, UT | Oregon
21. Pennsylvania | Lindsey Stephens, OF | Texas
22. Chicago | Emily Carosone, IF | Auburn
23. Akron | Sandra Simmons, 1B | LSU
24. Chicago | Kristen Brown, SS | North Carolina
25. USSSA | Kirsti Merritt, OF | Florida
26. Scrap Yard Dogs | Christian Stokes, IF | Kentucky

Fifth Round
27. Scrap Yard Dogs | Sara Driesenga, RHP | Michigan
28. Pennsylvania | Brittany Gomez, UT | Iowa State
29. Dallas | Cheridan Hawkins, LHP | Oregon
30. Akron | Hannah Day, C | Troy
31. Akron | Emily Messer, UT | South Alabama
32. USSSA | Heather Stearns, RHP | Baylor
33. Scrap Yard Dogs | Lee Ann Spivey, C/OF | USF

Sixth Round
34. Scrap Yard Dogs | Taylore Fuller, C/UT | Florida
35. Pennsylvania Rebellion | Kayla Winkfield, IF | Mississippi State
36. Pennsylvania Rebellion | Biana Bell, IF | LSU
37. Akron | Hannah Perryman, LHP | University of Missouri-St. Louis
38. Dallas | Alyssa Gillespie, OF | Oregon
39. USSSA | Aubree Munro, C | Florida
40. Scrap Yard Dawgs | Mikela Manewa, IF | Oregon State

Per NCAA rules, active senior student-athletes cannot sign a professional contract until their college season is complete.

Quotes from around the country

Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Michael Lotief on Lexie Elkins (PA Rebellion)

“Incredible, awesome and surreal were the emotions upon hearing Lexie’s name as the No. 1 pick, and to realize that what ‘we have already known’ – that Lexie is the best of the best – is now known by all. This is an amazing moment in our program’s and University’s history to have the best in their area recognized nationally.

Third overall pick Jailyn Ford – James Madison (Akron Racers)

“I can’t put this feeling into words as I am still taking it all in. This is something I have always looked forward to ever since I started my softball career. I am very excited to have the opportunity to continue playing but we still have work to do in my final season at James Madison.”

James Madison Head Coach Mickey Dean on Ford and Erica Field (USSSA Pride)

“I feel like a proud father for both Erica and Jailyn. It’s great for them to be recognized for all their hard work and dedication. They are two very talented young ladies and I am excited to see that people are appreciating what James Madison is bringing to the softball world.”

Sami Fagan – Missouri (Akron Racers)

“I want to thank my parents and family for supporting me. I also want to thank Coach Phil Bradley for being the best mentor I could have ever asked for. Coach Ehren Earleywine, Coach Gina Schneider, Coach Pete D’Amour, the Mizzou Softball support staff and all of my teammates for making me better every day. Mizzou is my second home and being there was the best four years of my life.”

Erin Crane – Missouri (Scrap Yard Dogs)

“I wanted to go somewhere that I could help make a name and when I saw my name on the screen for the Scrap Yard Dawgs, I knew I had the perfect opportunity to do that with a brand new NPF organization. I’m so happy that I get the chance to tie up my cleats after my time with Mizzou. I can’t thank this program enough for helping me be the player I am now. Thank you to the entire family for believing in me and chasing me around the last four years and even before that. Thank you to Uncle Randy for being the best angel I could ask for. This is going to be a new experience and I’m excited to see where it takes me. Let that dawg hunt!”

Taylor Gadbois – Missouri (Dallas Charge)

“I’m not sure I can imagine not playing with Emily by my side or Sami playing in front of me, but I’m excited to see where this journey takes us all. Texas here I come!”

Chaley Brickey – Kansas (PA Rebellion)

“It’s crazy, this is what I’ve always dreamed of. As a little kid, I used to watch the draft myself and to actually be on the screen is just crazy. I definitely want to thank my mom for all the stuff she has been through to get me to this point.”

Hannah Perryman, UMSL (Akron Racers)

“I am beyond excited to be a Racer! To even be selected, let alone to be the first Division II player, is a dream come true. This is something I’ve always dreamed of and have worked so hard for. To be able to say that I am a professional softball player is the most amazing feeling.”

UAB Head Coach Marla Townsend on Caitlin Attfield (Dallas Charge)

”What an outstanding honor and recognition for one of the most humble people I know. She plays the sport with the upmost respect and integrity for the game. She strives for excellence in everything that she does. I look forward to her touching many lives out on the professional circuit.”

Kellsi Kloss – LSU (Chicago Bandits)

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to play with this organization, while also being so honored that they believed in me and that I deserved the shot to be a professional athlete. It’s humbling to know that I’m going to be surrounded by so many of the athletes that I, and so many others, have looked up to. I want to thank all of my teammates and the coaches who have helped get me to this point and I cannot wait to join the team later this summer.”

Kiki Stokes – Nebraska (Scrap Yard Dogs)

“It was really exciting,” Stokes said. “Everybody around me was screaming and it was surreal to me. I didn’t process at all that I was going to go in the first round. I’m still kind of shaken up about it. I’m really excited about what’s next, and I’m really excited everyone got to be around and witness it. I’m blessed to be able to get to play a game that a lot of people only get to play for four years.”

Nebraska Head Coach Rhonda Revelle on Stokes

“This is a proud moment for Nebraska softball,” Revelle said. “It is a proud moment to see a player work so hard to maximize her talent and to have that talent be recognized by the NPF. We can’t wait to see Kiki play professionally.”

Shelby Turnier – UCF (Chicago Bandits)

“This moment is unreal. I’ve always dreamed of this day happening, but never thought it could be a reality. I’m so thankful for all the coaches and players who have helped me along the way. And of course, the biggest thanks goes to my family, who are my number one fans.”