Anna Davis

JFK Falls To Red Hot United, 4-1 | News, Sports, Jobs – Warren Tribune Chronicle https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/jfk-falls-to-red-hot-united-4-1-news-sports-jobs-warren-tribune-chronicle/ Staff photo / Greg Macafee Warren JFK’s Michael Condoleon sends a cross into the box during the Eagles’ matchup with United on Thursday. WARREN — The chilly temperatures brought a hot team to Warren on Thursday when the Golden Eagles of United took on JFK. United (11-1-2) is currently ranked 12th in the state in Division III boys soccer and they handled Kennedy 4-1. “United is a very good team,” JFK coach Anthony Ledenko said. “They’re ranked, and they obviously showed why. “We played them tough last year, but it wasn’t our day today. They’re a talented, hungry team.” It was a physical battle early on. JFK junior goalie Nico Ciminero made a diving stop, but United went ahead 1-0 on a penalty kick by junior Matthew Logan after a hand-ball went against Kennedy. United made it 2-0 when sophomore Maddox Andrea put it into the back of the net after the ball ricocheted off of the side of the goal. “It was a hard fought match,” Andrea said. “It was physical. Our defenders played phenomenal.” The United defense kept JFK off of the scoreboard in the first half. Riley Littler almost bent one in from long range and Michael Condoleon just missed a penalty kick. Nick Ryan also nearly scored on a header, but the score remained 2-0 at the break. JFK is now 10-3-1 on the season with an undefeated 6-0 record in conference play. “It’s been a great year,” Ledenko said. “We like to play good teams. We have three games left in the regular season. This was a wellness check today.” Things continued to go well for United in the second half. The Golden Eagles scored less than 3 minutes after the half started and again 30 seconds later to make it 4-0. “This was a good test for us today,” said United senior Grant Irwin. “It’ll help to get us ready for the postseason. We want to go further than we’ve ever gone before.” United has been on a roll in recent seasons with their best finish being a trip to the regional semifinals after a district title in 2017. They’ve shut down opponents this year by surrendering a total of 4 goals in 14 games. “We’ve had eleven shutouts this season,” United coach Curtis Jones said. “We talk about having clean sheets. A shutout isn’t all about the goalie. It’s about everybody out there. This was only the fourth goal that we’ve allowed all season.” Jones doesn’t really care about the state rankings. “I don’t pay too much attention to it,” he said. “The kids care about it and that’s okay. They want to move up in the rankings. “We have four guys that have scored double-digit goals this season. I’m proud of them.” Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

The Metaverse: What The Law Look Will Look Like – Law.asia https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/the-metaverse-what-the-law-look-will-look-like-law-asia/ Current and potential applications of the metaverse are endless, but the new digital realm has raised novel issues that have confronted legal professionals in various roles. Putro Harnowo recaptures the views of tech experts attending a recent industry event T he metaverse has taken the spotlight as a limitless world that may be navigated and explored as virtual reality. This augmented world occurs through vision in the form of a head-mounted display, operating alongside audio or haptic sensory feedback that is elicited from devices that are worn by the user. Singapore’s TechLaw.Fest 2022 sought to answer new questions arising in the new space by bringing together well-known experts to offer possible solutions to the challenges posed. “We have to look at the balance between enabling the metaverse and its components to develop with proper incentivisation measures in place, and also safeguarding through regulation,” says Stanley Lai, partner and head of IP practice at Singapore law firm Allen & Gledhill. “Success and harm arise from abuse and exploitation. A balance can only be achieved by the convergence of non-legal rights, technologies, as well as the possibility of new evolving rights and obligations.” In IP matters, issues of copyright, trademarks and personality rights have become enigmas that are convoluted with decentralised technologies. Unregulated content has also posed harm to its users, in addition to the difficulties with enforcement beyond the platform space. For those seeking and currently involved in the metaverse project, the contractual interface, liability risk mitigation and data privacy laws are among the first to ponder. “Being an IP and commercial litigation lawyer for more than 25 years, I’ve seen our professional roles incrementally evolving,” says Lai. “Lawyers who practise in this field now have to be the embodiment of expertise and IP content regulation, data protection and the law of obligations.” IP rights analysis Earlier this year, Hermes sued digital artist Mason Rothschild for selling collections of NFTs called MetaBirkins, which were intended to be a playful abstraction of an existing fashion culture landmark, the famous Hermes Birkin, in the metaverse. The limited edition NFTs were sold for USD450 each late last year, collecting USD46,000 in just two weeks. The French luxury brand stated that MetaBirkins infringed on Hermes’ trademark rights and were an example of fake products in the metaverse, while demanding Rothschild and the companies that made available the MetaBirkins for sale remove the NFTs. Although Rothschild is currently contesting the cease-and-desist order, the largest NFT marketplace, Opensea, has complied and removed MetaBirkins from its platform. In AM General v Activision Blizzard, where Activision Blizzard reproduced military vehicle Humvees in their gaming platform, Call of Duty, the reproduction of Humvees is so realistic that the game company was sued by the vehicle manufacturer, AM General. However, the courts gave Activision a credit for their work, as the game maker had no choice but to make an accurate reproduction of the vehicles to make the war zone environment realistic. “We can start this analysis by walking ourselves through the various scenarios in trademark law to see how this will actually play out before the courts,” says Daniel Seng, associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Law. “The fundamental rule in trademark law is that a mark is to be used in relation to goods and services, so if a mark is not associated with or used in relation to goods and services, it falls outside of the trademark regime, and trademark law will not govern the issues in that particular instance.” Copyright law is also exemplified by the fact that it centres around the rights of reproduction, Seng adds, including the conversion from two or three dimensions and vice-versa. A good example of this is United Feature Syndicate v Koons (1993), where American artist Jeff Koons created a sculpture named Wild Boy and Puppy. Koons argued that the puppy was an accidental reproduction of Odie, the dog from the Garfield comics, and contended that this was fair use. However, the courts were not convinced, as Koons had made multiple copies of his sculpture for sale, which was therefore detrimental to his fair use defence. “The fair use defence is likely to feature very prominently in many metaverse cases, particularly if the assessment by the courts is done on a case-by-case basis by evaluating the alleged infringers’ use of copyrighted works,” says Seng. “Even though the fact that a work could have commercial use is not a factor that would preclude the application of the fair use test, the fact that the use of a work can have potential commercial ramifications in relation to the market of the original work will negatively affect the user’s reliance on the fair use test.” In some cases, copyright analysis in the metaverse will also overlap with personality rights, as there is limited recognition in the IP space for an individual’s right to his or her persona. For example, in Robyn Rihanna Fenty v Arcadia Group Brands, which involved the image of Rihanna on a T-shirt sold in London, an action was successfully taken against the T-shirt maker for passing off. “The interesting thing about this particular right is that, at least in common law jurisdictions outside of the US, it overlaps with the right to privacy and the right to be left alone and data protection rights,” says Seng. “One needs a holistic analysis of IP rights when analysing personality rights because one must also consider the data protection issues associated with subjects like these.” From a wider perspective, Seng expects legislators to evaluate the need to further harmonise copyright rules in the metaverse. For example, the internet era has sparked the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to ratify and update its internet treaties that lay down an international framework for protecting unauthorised access to and use of creative works on the internet and other digital networks. Colliding realms As the metaverse developed, Tan Cheng-Han, dean and chair professor of commercial law at the City University of Hong Kong, says the digital realm has brought with it the dark side of the internet, and the greater convergence of the real and virtual world will exacerbate this tendency. A BBC News investigation in February 2022 reported that a researcher posing as a 13-year-old girl witnessed online grooming, racist insults and an assault threat in the metaverse. Although the term “grooming” is used, Tan argues that this does not fall within the current definition of grooming in criminal law, as action in the physical world is necessary to fit into such a category. Another example in a different context is groups of user avatars with inappropriate language on their digital clothes, such as language that is offensive to a particular religion. “It is not difficult to envisage other types of highly anti-social behaviour that could take place in the metaverse, which are not offences to date and will cause a lot of people to wonder if they should be,” says Tan. “Since the metaverse is a junction of the real and the online world, and arguably an imperfect mirror of the real world, to what extent should activities be regulated more similarly to those in the physical world?” Tan also points out that general thinking on the internet has changed considerably in the past few years; where it was once extremely libertarian, states are currently moving in the direction of regulating online speech. The EU’s Digital Services Act, the UK’s Online Safety Bill and Singapore’s Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act are examples. Recently, Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information launched a public consultation on a proposed code of practice that will require platforms with significant reach to have appropriate measures and safeguards to mitigate exposure to harmful content for Singapore-based users. These include having community standards, content moderation processes, and tools to manage users’ exposure. “It will likely also be the case in the early phase of the metaverse to regulate online harm through the imposition of standards and obligations on significant platforms,” says Tan. Besides removing or blocking existing content, Tan argues that it may be equally important to prevent harmful activities from taking place in the metaverse. For example, is it feasible to require users’ avatars to be verified by authentic digital identities before accessing important services in the metaverse? As a result, such wrongdoing will leave a digital signature that can be traced to the identity of the user. Another area where the real world might intersect with the metaverse is digital assets. As such assets become more precious and might have sentimental value, in July 2021, Tencent was reported to have developed a patent on digital legacy that will allow people to pass on digital assets to the next generation. “If someone has an avatar that behaves in a certain way over a period of time in the metaverse, coupled with algorithms and artificial intelligence, eventually it’s likely to be that when the person has gone from the physical world, the avatar could probably be a fairly accurate representation of what the person would have done in the living world,” says Tan. “And I can just imagine and hope that the children and family members would like the digital footprint to continue to exist in the online space for them to remember the person.” Nitty gritty liability The multitude of organisations in the metaverse brings a big challenge from a contractual and liability standpoint, according to Ahmed Baladi, a ...

Gifting Troubles? Our Astro Gift-Guide Has Got Your Back – Hindustan Times https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/gifting-troubles-our-astro-gift-guide-has-got-your-back-hindustan-times/ Here’s a complete guide to help you choose the best gift that even the pickiest, hard-to-shop for zodiacs will love and appreciate. Get ready to be the one with the best, most unique gift in the room! Aries You’ve got to think outside the box for this fiery one. Firstly, get the daily use products and cliché gift ideas out of the list. Playful and adventurous, they love experimenting with outfits, nothing complex just something lowkey that matches their personality. Gift tips: Something sporty like a golf set, thrilling video games, caps with unique prints, and cool gadgets. Taurus You might have to loosen up the purse strings a little to impress them. They love being pampered. Ruled by Venus, these signs are generous and sensitive, so give them that luxurious present and they’ll love you back. Gift tips: A lavish massage session, elegant jewellery, VIP tickets to a concert or a visit to a beautiful museum can make them love you immensely. Gemini Charming and intellectual. They would love gifts that can help satisfy their intellectual needs. They are great conversationalists and love expression. So, something as minimalistic as a pen and diary set will make them happy. Gift tips: Informative books/videotapes, a journal, a polaroid, or something colourful that pops and satisfies their creative energy. Cancer For them, it’s not the materialistic things in life that matter. All that matters is the happiness and well-being of the people in their lives. They are emotional and sensitive and will love a handmade gift or a present that brings them closer to loved ones. Gift tips: Warm memories in the form of sketches, photo frames, or albums. A card, which doesn’t have to be fancy just original and thoughtful. Leo Leos are performers, they are creative and love the stage. They’d love an entertaining gift. They are dramatic and expressive, think of their personality and you’ll find a well-suited gift. They also like wearing bold colours that make them stand out. Gift tips: A trip to an amusement park, tickets to a great movie or concert, or outfits in bold colours can really get them excited. Virgo Virgos have a lot of respect for tradition, routine, and punctuality. So, anything that will help them be more efficient with daily tasks will be appreciated by them. They also love pets, so find out if your loved one is a cat person or a dog person. Gift tips: A daily planner or organizer, a gym membership or a pet that can make a great companion will make them happy. Libra Loving and positive relationships are important to Librans. So, anything that reminds them of the bond they share with a closed can put a smile on their face. Librans admire aesthetic beauty; get them an artistic gift and they’ll be happy. Gift tip: A self-composed poem or a song, rare paintings, flowers, a mirror with a beautiful frame and makeup can make some great choices Scorpio Scorpios are mysterious, a cliché and predictable gift can put them off. The unexplored and thrilling stuff fascinates them. You can also go with an adventurous gift or jewellery. Being emotional they appreciate personalized gifts. Gift tip: A mysterious and thrilling book/game, gym membership, unique jewellery, and personalized gifts can really impress a Scorpio. Sagittarius They find themselves attached to culture and spirituality. So, make sure to look in this field. Sagittarians have an academic bent and are deeply curious. They are passionate about travelling and love exploring places that have intriguing histories. Gift tips: A trip to a historic site, informative books and videotapes, and encyclopaedias will be loved by a Sagittarius. Trying out new cuisines with them on a date can really impress them. Capricorn They are focused, ambitious, and responsible. A gift that helps them get better at their career and profession will mean a lot to them. They give a lot of importance to their everyday growth and development. They also like to be pampered once in a while. Gift tips: Autobiographies of successful people, self-help books, and daily planners can be great. You can also book them an appointment at a luxurious salon or spa. Aquarius Aquarians are the social smarties of the zodiac. Outgoing and open-minded they are usually the centre of attention at a party. They are great thinkers and appreciate technology, networking, and progress. So, to impress them make sure to go with the latest trends. Gift tip: Give them a unique gadget or book them a salsa trial class. Also, most importantly, don’t forget to plan a great party. Pisces Pisces are dreamers, they love mysteries and fantasies. The world for them is not black and white, it’s grey. The sensitive and tender Pisces will love a self-made, meaningful gift. Also, these water babies really do love thrilling water activities. Creativity and innovation are deeply appreciated by them. Gift Tips: Paints, a sci-fi-themed party, and self-written poems will make them happy. You can take them rafting or plan a pool party for them. (Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are based on Vedic astrology scriptures. Reader discretion is advised.)

Bitcoin Price And Ethereum Primed For Gains, XRP Starts Fresh Rally – Cryptonews https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/bitcoin-price-and-ethereum-primed-for-gains-xrp-starts-fresh-rally-cryptonews/ Bitcoin price is consolidating above $19,000. Ethereum could rally if it clears $1,340, XRP gained over 8% and surpassed $0.48. XLM and OKB are up over 5%. Bitcoin price settled above the $19,000 level. BTC is currently (03:10 UTC) consolidating above the $19,200 level. A clear move above the $19,500 and $19,600 resistance levels might spark a fresh increase. Similarly, most major altcoins might start a decent increase. ETH seems to be aiming an upside break above $1,340 and $1,350. XRP gained pace and cleared the $0.48 resistance zone. ADA is still stuck near the $0.435 level. Bitcoin price Yesterday, bitcoin price started a recovery wave above the $19,000 level. BTC even settled above the $19,200 level and the 50-hour simple moving average. However, the price is facing a major resistance near the $19,600 zone. A clear move above $19,600 might send the price to $20,000. The next major resistance is near $20,500, above which the price might revisit the $21,200 zone. On the downside, an initial support is near the $19,260 level and the 50-hour simple moving average. The next major support is near the $19,000 zone, below which the price could drop to $18,500. Ethereum price Ethereum price also started fresh increase and was able to clear the $1,300 level. It even settled above the $1,320 level and the 50-hour simple moving average. On the upside, the price is facing resistance near the $1,340 level and a contracting triangle on the hourly chart. The next major resistance is near the $1,350 level, above which the price could visit the $1,400 resistance. On the downside, an initial support is near the $1,315 level. The next major support is $1,300, below which price could drop to $1,255. ADA, BNB, SOL, DOGE, and XRP price Cardano (ADA) is stable near the $0.435 level. An immediate resistance is near $0.442. The first major resistance is near the $0.45 zone, above which the price could gain bullish momentum. BNB is slowly moving higher towards the $285 level. The first major resistance is near the $288 level, above which the price could rise towards $295 or even $300. Solana (SOL) is gaining pace above the $33.50 resistance. It is now approaching the $35 resistance. If the bulls remain in action, the price could clear $35 and rise towards $36.50. DOGE is consolidating above the $0.0600 level. An immediate resistance is near the $0.062 level. Any more gains might send the price to $0.0632. If not, the price might decline and test the $0.0585 level. XRP price formed a base and started a fresh rally above the $0.45 resistance. The price cleared the $0.48 resistance and might continue to rise towards the $0.50 level in the near term. Other altcoins market today Many altcoins are in the green zone, including XLM, OKB, LUNC, FLOW, EOS, LEO, MATIC, XDC, CELO, TRX, and AXS. Out of these, XLM gained over 5% and cleared the $0.475 level. Overall, bitcoin price is holding gains above the key $19,000 support. If BTC clears the $19,600 barrier, it could rise towards the $20,000 level or even $20,500. _____ Find the best price to buy/sell cryptocurrency:

U.S. House Approves Merger Antitrust Bill Giving States More Muscle – Reuters https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/u-s-house-approves-merger-antitrust-bill-giving-states-more-muscle-reuters/ WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill that would sharply raise fees for antitrust reviews of the biggest mergers and strengthen state attorneys general in antitrust fights. The bipartisan bill, which has yet to pass the U.S. Senate, combines a merger fee bill introduced by Representative Joe Neguse, a Democrat, and a measure to mandate that state attorneys general can pick the venue for antitrust lawsuits, which was introduced by Representative Ken Buck, a Republican. The bill, which passed the House 242-184, is one of several measures under consideration that would strengthen antitrust enforcers to rein in Big Tech. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com One bill would bar Big Tech companies like Alphabet’s Google and Amazon.com from preferencing their own products on platforms while another addresses Apple’s (AAPL.O) and Google’s clout in their app stores. Hopes are dimming that they will become law this year. The legislation the House approved on Thursday would lower fees paid for antitrust reviews of smaller deals to as little as $30,000. Bigger deals would be more expensive. Deals worth $5 billion or more would pay $2.25 million for their review. A previous version of the filing fee bill had included budget increases for the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission, but those have been removed, according to a congressional aide. The U.S. Senate has passed a bill giving state attorneys general the right to pick the venue for antitrust fights but has not passed a measure to update merger filing fees. Texas, along with other states, brought an antitrust action against Alphabet Inc’s Google in 2020 that the search and advertising giant succeeded in moving from Texas to a New York court, angering conservatives. In the Senate, the House bill has attracted public support from Republicans Mike Lee, Chuck Grassley and Tom Cotton as well as Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Dick Durbin. It is not immediately known when or if the Senate will vote on the bill. Opposition to the bill included Representative Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat, who joined with at least four other Democrats from the home state of Silicon Valley, urging that the bill be defeated because of the venue measure. California is home to some of the biggest tech companies, including Google and Meta Platforms’ (META.O) Facebook. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Diane Bartz and Richard Cowan; Editing by Franklin Paul, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Diane Bartz Thomson Reuters Focused on U.S. antitrust as well as corporate regulation and legislation, with experience involving covering war in Bosnia, elections in Mexico and Nicaragua, as well as stories from Brazil, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Nigeria and Peru.

2023 Census: Uzodimma Canvasses Deployment Of Accurate Technology | The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria And World News — Nigeria — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria And World News – Guardian Nigeria https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/2023-census-uzodimma-canvasses-deployment-of-accurate-technology-the-guardian-nigeria-news-nigeria-and-world-news-nigeria-the-guardian-nigeria-news-nigeria-and-world/ • Urges Imo residents to avail themselves for counting • Pleads with ASUU to call off strike As Nigeria prepares for next year’s headcount, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has urged authorities of the National Population Commission (NPC) to ensure deployment of equipment that will guarantee accurate and reliable figures. Uzodimma also urged all Imo residents, in the 27 councils, to avail themselves to be counted during the exercise. He made the calls, yesterday, during the flag-off of stakeholders’ summit on the 2023 Population and Housing Census, held in Owerri. The governor, who said that, so far, he is satisfied by efforts of the NPC, noted that the summit was “relevant to the realisation of our future plans as a government and as a people.” While noting that the headcount should not be a mere exercise in futility, Uzodimma said: “National Census is not just a mere collection of data, number of people and houses, it includes the collection of demographic, social and economic data, which government uses to formulate economic policies. “The data generated serve as useful guide in the distribution of social amenities and infrastructural projects. “In other words, population census is at the heart of planning for the future by government, based on figure obtained during the census exercise.” Uzodimma stressed that a well-conducted headcount would help government, at all levels, plan, saying: “A properly conducted population census, therefore, saves government from planning blindly.” IN another development, the governor has appealed to striking university teachers in the country, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to call off their strike to allow students go back to school for academic activities. Uzodimma made the plea on Wednesday when 17 members of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), led by the Pro-Chancellor/ Chairman of the Governing Council, Jack Tilley-Gyado, visited him at the Government House, Owerri. He, particularly, appealed to the FUTO chapter of ASUU to make necessary sacrifices for the existence of tertiary education, saying: “Allow students studying in the university to go back to school. Education is key ingredient for national development. So, it is the responsibility of leaders in the country to resolve issues and controversies that tend to impede academic progress of youths. “What the leaders of Nigeria owe our future generation is to ensure that they are given the opportunity to acquire knowledge and be better citizens in future.”

10 Tabletop Games You Should Play If You Love Dungeons & Dragons – DualShockers https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/10-tabletop-games-you-should-play-if-you-love-dungeons-dragons-dualshockers/ With the explosion in popularity of actual play podcasts, tabletop gaming is bigger than it’s ever been. The flagship tabletop RPG is, of course, Dungeons & Dragons; a fantasy system with roots in old-school war gaming. The main focus of D&D is combat. Players gain experience by killing enemies, making their characters stronger. However, for many, what makes the medium great isn’t combat. It’s, you know, role-playing. Tabletop gaming is known for spiriting players away to other worlds, giving them the opportunity to tell personal, collaborative stories. And when it comes to this, there are far better games than D&D. Anyone experiencing fatigue with WotC’s iconic tabletop game owes it to themselves to check out some of these worthy competitors! 10/10 World Wide Wrestling At first glance, a professional wrestling RPG might seem like an odd idea. And it is. It totally is. Yet, somehow, it works. In World Wide Wrestling (or WWW), the players will work matches, cut promos, and develop heated rivalries as they steer their careers in whatever direction they desire. The GM is the “booker”, setting the players up in matches against one another, against NPC wrestlers, as part of a tag team, or whatever works for their wrestling show. Because the players will often be sitting around waiting to wrestle, WWW also has a number of mechanics to keep those on the sidelines involved. Players might step in as commentators, managers, or rambunctious audience members when they’re not actively wrestling. They can even choose to interfere in other people’s matches! 9/10 Gumshoe Mysteries in tabletop games can be rough. The players can’t be expected to be geniuses, and sometimes, neither can their characters. In Call of Cthulhu, which is a classic investigative game, GMs will generally include multiple avenues of investigation for each mystery. If the players fail to spot one, well, maybe they’ll find another. But maybe not. With Gumshoe, as long as a character is in the right spot and has the right ability, they will always find the clue they need. Instead, the drama comes from more interesting situations. There are lots of different Gumshoe games to choose from. We highly recommend Trail of Cthulhu and Bubblegumshoe. 8/10 Monster Of The Week Monster of the Week (or MotW) is the perfect game for anyone who’s ever wanted to hunt cryptids, vampires, ghosts, or aliens in a modern fantasy setting. It’s based on the successful Powered by the Apocalypse system, giving it a low overhead workload for GMs, as well as an easy-to-understand set of rules for players. And because MotW is based on this elegant system, it allows a fantastic level of freedom and collaboration in storytelling. Its mechanics are meant to simply guide the story. No one rule is too obtrusive or overly complex. It also puts a nice focus on investigation and actually hunting monsters, instead of just fighting them. 7/10 Lancer Lancer is a premier mech RPG, with solid mechanics and a wide fanbase for hacks and homebrews. Players take on the role of Lancers; elite mech pilots in a distant sci-fi future. Lancer is known for its incredibly deep mech customization, as well as its very solid hex-based combat rules. Lancer also has deep lore with a focus on corporations, as well as a companion site with equipment details, great digital character sheets, and helpful tools for DMs. And, we would be remiss not to mention the amazing art throughout the book. Anyone interested in mechs or extravagant sci-fi settings should definitely give this game a look. 6/10 Shadowrun Shadowrun is a classic game with a storied history. It’s a crunchy, rules-heavy cyberpunk game set in a world where some humans have morphed into fantasy races – elves, orcs, etc. The game takes place on a future Earth, so it’s great for those who want to play in a cyberpunk version of their hometown. It’s also great for groups that enjoy extremely deep mechanics, with tons of options for equipment and weapon customization. However, groups that prefer simpler games with fewer moving parts to keep track of might prefer Lancer or Stars Without Number. The rulebook for Shadowrun has always been thick and daunting to new players, though the most recent edition does streamline things a bit. 5/10 Pathfinder For those who want to change it up from D&D, but are still enamored with the fantasy setting, Pathfinder is a wonderful alternative. Its rules are a tad crunchier than D&D’s, but once the GM and players get a feel for things, it proceeds smoothly. Classes are richly detailed and filled with customization options. Plus, the writing is top-notch compared to D&D. Take monster races, for example. Rather than making them one-dimensional, Pathfinder fleshes out creatures like goblins with their own culture and motivations. It may be tough at first to make the transition from D&D to Pathfinder. There’s a bit of a learning curve involved. It’s a worthwhile shift, though. It may be a bit more old-school, but it’s a wonderful system with great writing and art. 4/10 Stars Without Number Stars Without Number is a sci-fi space opera RPG with a focus on exploration. It’s an amazingly designed RPG, not only in terms of the beauty and clever layout of the book but also in terms of its streamlined mechanics. For those who want to run a sci-fi game but don’t know exactly where to start, this is a perfect jumping-off point. Stars Without Number features rules for psionics, starship construction, and just about anything one would expect to find in a cool sci-fi setting. One of our favorite aspects of the game is space combat, where each player is responsible for various crises and different areas of the starship, keeping them all involved. 3/10 Mutants And Masterminds Plenty of people have wondered what their powers might be if they were a superhero. Mutants and Masterminds is here to help answer that question. At first glance, the game’s thick rulebook might be intimidating. Things can get pretty crazy with its tables, such as its systems for distance and scale, which quickly get up to interplanetary levels. However, like other entries on this list, the fun really starts once a particular group manages to wrap its head around the rule set. Though daunting at first, the game is ultimately very elegant. There are a ridiculous number of possibilities for different superpowers — it’s no stretch to say that essentially anything you can imagine can work in Mutants and Masterminds. 2/10 Call Of Cthulhu In D&D, the player characters can become god-like damage sponges. At higher levels, players can have hundreds of hit points. In Call of Cthulhu, the maximum HP for a player character is more like fifteen. That’s because it’s a Lovecraftian survival horror RPG. Because combat is so brutally realistic, it tends to be the final resort for players (at least, for those who wish to survive). Rather than focusing on combat, most Call of Cthulhu adventures are investigative in nature. The characters use their wits and skills to solve mysteries and invent creative solutions — all to turn back the tide of the cosmic clock. Games are often historical and rooted in reality. One adventure might take place in the 1920s New York, the other in prehistoric Egypt, 18th century France, etc. 1/10 Blades In The Dark Blades in the Dark is a streamlined fantasy crime RPG that highly values player freedom and collaboration. It features simple character creation, elegant RP-focused mechanics, and interesting lore that’s completely open to interpretation. Blades players take on the roles of daring scoundrels in the haunted gothic city of Duskwall. The group comes together to form a gang, pursuing whatever goals are most interesting to them. They might execute assassinations, clandestine heists, magical rituals, or so on. The GM is encouraged to take a hands-off approach, allowing the players to freely pursue their own goals. Drawing inspiration from Dishonored, Blades also includes a system for progressing the world around the players. Everything they do has an impact on the haunted city. NEXT: Best Open-World RPGs Of All Time, Ranked

Hard To See The Cambridge Hospital Torn Down – The Star Democrat https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/hard-to-see-the-cambridge-hospital-torn-down-the-star-democrat/ GUEST COMMENT Mike Detmer Sep 30, 2022 21 min ago 0 It is very hard to come to the office these days and see the piece by piece destruction of the hospital that attracted me to this community almost 50 years ago. Post a comment as anonymous Welcome to the discussion. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article. To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left.

Gadsden Area Siblings Witness History On Vacation Trip To England – Gadsden Times https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/gadsden-area-siblings-witness-history-on-vacation-trip-to-england-gadsden-times/ Skip to main content This content is only available to subscribers. Get unlimited digital access. $1 for 6 months. Your subscription supports: Investigative reporting that makes our community a better place to work, live and play Expert coverage of high school sports teams The best tips on places to eat and things to do Daily newsletter with top news to know Mobile apps including immersive storytelling This content is only available to subscribers. Get unlimited digital access. $1 for 6 months. Your subscription supports: Investigative reporting that makes our community a better place to work, live and play Expert coverage of high school sports teams The best tips on places to eat and things to do Daily newsletter with top news to know Mobile apps including immersive storytelling

LIVE: Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (Retd) To Take Charge As New CDS Today – Hindustan Times https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/live-lt-gen-anil-chauhan-retd-to-take-charge-as-new-cds-today-hindustan-times/ Live Updated on Sep 30, 2022 08:57 AM IST Breaking news September 30, 2022: Get latest news, breaking news, latest updates, live news, top headlines, breaking business news and top news of the hour. Get latest news, breaking news, latest updates, live news, top headlines, breaking business news and top news of the hour. Welcome to hindustantimes.com updates platform where you can find breaking news from India and across the world. Find fast updates about the latest news as it breaks. Follow all the updates here: Sep 30, 2022 08:57 AM IST India’s active Covid caseload drops below 40k-mark with 3,947 fresh infections in last 24 hours India’s active Covid caseload drops below 40k-mark with 3,947 fresh infections in the last 24 hours. Sep 30, 2022 08:15 AM IST Russia to annex 4 occupied Ukraine regions at major ceremony today| Top points In a major escalation of the ongoing war, Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Read more Sep 30, 2022 05:46 AM IST Delhi to enforce anti-air pollution plan from Oct 1: All you need to know Authorities across the National Capital Region (NCR) can start imposing restrictions under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) to combat pollution from Saturday, though curbs are unlikely to come into effect immediately, with the air quality till at least October 2 forecast to be below the preset threshold for mitigation measures to be introduced. Read more Sep 30, 2022 05:45 AM IST New CDS General Anil Chauhan takes over today, theaterisation drive in focus General Anil Chauhan will take over as India’s new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Friday, more than nine months after the death in a helicopter crash of the country’s first CDS, General Bipin Rawat, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Read more Subscribe to our best newsletters Congress reduced to brother-sister party: JP Nadda Published on Sep 30, 2022 08:54 AM IST Nadda said though BJP was fighting with Indian National Congress, the party no longer remained a national or Indian as it has become a party of brother and sister The BJP chief alleged that Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government was neck-deep in corruption. (File image) Two encounters underway in J&K’s Shopian, Baramulla Published on Sep 30, 2022 08:32 AM IST Police said that a gunfight first started at Chitragam area of Shopian in South Kashmir and then a Yedipora Pattan of Barmulla in North Kashmir. Strengthening India’s military government’s top priority: Rajnath Singh Published on Sep 30, 2022 08:26 AM IST He said the focus is on equipping it with self-reliant state-of-the-art weapons and equipment while lauding the armed forces for instilling a sense of national pride and patriotism among the people Rahul Gandhi says he’s having knee problem while walking but… | Watch video Published on Sep 30, 2022 07:25 AM IST In n interaction with his party workers in Kerala, Rahul Gandhi said he is having knee pain while walking but every time he is facing any difficulty, some one from the public or from his party is pulling him out of the feeling – doing or saying something, unknowingly. Rahul Gandhi unfit for politics, says Himanta Biswa; ‘One moment he’s listening’ Published on Sep 30, 2022 05:56 AM IST Himanta Biswa Sarma said he has been in the dining room of Union home minister Amit Shah, but in the Congress, the reach was only till veranda. The Assam chief minister said he took six months to get used to this BJP culture of personal warmth. LIVE: Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (retd) to take charge as new CDS today Updated on Sep 30, 2022 08:15 AM IST Breaking news September 30, 2022: Get latest news, breaking news, latest updates, live news, top headlines, breaking business news and top news of the hour. Interest rates on small savings schemes raised Published on Sep 30, 2022 12:35 AM IST With hardening of interest rates in the country and abroad, the government on Thursday decided to pass some benefits to select depositors of certain small savings schemes. Centre may nudge depts over vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes Updated on Sep 30, 2022 12:33 AM IST The Union government may nudge its departments and public sector firms to fill up backlog reserved vacancies for Scheduled Castes (SCs) at the earliest. ByRajeev Jayaswal, New Delhi Gehlot and Pilot supporters continue to be at loggerheads Published on Sep 30, 2022 12:23 AM IST The tussle between supporters of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, continued on Thursday. Confusion over Rajasthan CM post amid Congress internal turmoil Updated on Sep 30, 2022 07:03 AM IST Gehlot’s rival, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, met Gandhi in Delhi late on Thursday and later said that the party had to work together to win the state polls in 2023. Pilot has previously unsuccessfully laid claim to the chief minister’s chair. New CDS General Anil Chauhan takes over today, theaterisation drive in focus Updated on Sep 30, 2022 05:21 AM IST His appointment as CDS has drawn considerable interest as it is the first time a three-star officer has been brought back from retirement to hold a four-star rank (the Cabinet approved the creation of the post of CDS in the rank of a four-star general in December 2019). ByRahul Singh, New Delhi: Armed forces can take disciplinary action against personnel over adultery: SC Updated on Sep 30, 2022 07:34 AM IST The decriminalisation of adultery cannot stand in the way of the army taking action against officers for misconduct, the Supreme Court has said. Over 3.5mn register for army recruitment under Agnipath Published on Sep 30, 2022 12:19 AM IST The army is conducting 96 recruitment rallies across the country this year, with 30 already completed, 12 underway, and the rest to be organised in December, said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named. “The response to the Agnipath scheme has been good, and the number of applicants is in the same range as it was in the previous years under the legacy recruitment system,” he said. ‘Kerala is home for me’, says Rahul as yatra ends in state Published on Sep 30, 2022 12:15 AM IST After the yatra ended its Kerala phase at Vazhikaddavu here, Gandhi and senior Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh thanked the KPCC and UDF leaders, party workers and everyone else who participated in the foot march during the over 18 days it spent in the state Story Saved New Delhi 0C Friday, September 30, 2022

How To Create A Healthy Workplace In Healthcare – Modern Healthcare https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/how-to-create-a-healthy-workplace-in-healthcare-modern-healthcare/ September 29, 2022 11:00 PM BEACH CITIES HEALTH DISTRICT Beach Cities Health District CEO Tom Bakaly (center) stretches during a yoga session on the beach presented as part of BCHD’s “Free Fitness” series in Hermosa Beach, Calif. Hospice of Lubbock, a nonprofit organization that employs about 70 staff members and serves some 700 western Texas patients and families each year, seeks to advance worker wellness through parent company Providence’s Choose Well benefit. The program includes a diabetes prevention and management program; video-on-demand fitness classes and expert workouts from personal trainers; mental health resources; help with smoking cessation and more. Staff members can earn financial incentives, such as cash in their health savings account or flexible spending account, for working on their personal health objectives. “We can just log into the Choose Well app and be intentional about walking 10,000 steps a day, and there’s real dollars attached to that,” said Dr. Jeremy Brown, Hospice of Lubbock’s executive director. “It gives us the tools to be able to succeed in our goals.” Organizations like Hospice of Lubbock that shine in the “healthiest” category of Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work list help employees integrate beneficial habits into everyday activities. Not a Modern Healthcare subscriber? Sign up today. HOSPICE OF LUBBOCK Hospice of Lubbock bereavement counselor Sydney Crane (top) and volunteer services coordinator Bari Wenglein help provide gifts for veterans and the organization’s families during the holiday season. Hospice of Lubbock is part of Covenant Health, which merged with Renton, Washington-based Providence a few years ago. Hospice employees have low-cost access to Covenant Health’s local gym, which includes a swimming pool and equipment to assist with cardiac and physical rehabilitation. “There are trainers on-site to help you,” Brown said. “Providence and Covenant, and Hospice of Lubbock, really do promote a healthy lifestyle.” Best Places to Work in Healthcare – Hospice of Lubbock Catapult Healthcare Services, a national staffing company based in Plano, Texas, that serves hospitals, outpatient facilities and rehabilitation/skilled-nursing facilities, offers two “wellness days” per year for each employee. “If you need a break, you can take a day off without giving a reason and it doesn’t count against your paid time off,” said Olivia Burke, marketing and communications lead. Best Places to Work in Healthcare – Catapult Healthcare Services “If you need a break, you can take a day off without giving a reason and it doesn’t count against your paid time off.” Olivia Burke, marketing and communications lead at Catapult Healthcare Services The mission of Beach Cities Health District, a public agency serving three communities in Los Angeles’ South Bay area, is to promote disease prevention and wellness—starting with its own workforce. “We see our employees as ambassadors of healthy living and what we want to see out in our community as well,” said Megan Vixie, the health district’s chief engagement officer. Beach Cities leaders advocate for walking or taking group meditation breaks during meetings. Employees get a free membership to the district’s fitness center, and they can work out during the day. The district sponsors an annual 5K and 10K run for its employees. And food guidelines encourage healthy consumption at the workplace. Best Places to Work in Healthcare – Beach Cities Health District “If you go into our kitchens, you won’t find doughnuts,” Vixie said. “We provide healthy snacks, but we also want to make sure people don’t bring their kids’ leftover birthday cake to the lunchroom for people to finish. We want to create a healthy environment, not have temptation. “If people are ordering food for meetings or to host external partners, they are following our healthy guidelines as well,” she added. Download Modern Healthcare’s app to stay informed when industry news breaks. The district, which has about 100 full-time and 30 seasonal employees, uses biometric health screenings and health risk assessments to identify risks and opportunities within its workforce. Its Work Well committee uses the analysis to develop quarterly challenges around nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction or another health-related topic that employees can focus on. Participants are paired to serve as “accountability buddies” during challenges. “Our current challenge is Witness the Fitness, so we’re focused on fitness activities throughout the work week,” Vixie said. “And we check in with our buddies to make sure we accomplish the tasks that we are assigned each week. It adds a lot of fun, and hopefully stress reduction, to our workdays.” Attending to employee well-being is built into managers’ responsibilities. This year, Beach Cities plans to further operationalize work-life balance. “This makes [it] intentional for us to define work-life balance for our employees and to make sure that we’re focusing not only on what work needs to be done, but what is going on with them as well,” Vixie said. Lola Butcher is a freelance writer based in Springfield, Mo. Best Places to Work in Healthcare 2022 Sponsored Content

Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa Taken Off On Stretcher During Thursday Night Matchup With Bengals After Sack – CBS Sports https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/dolphins-tua-tagovailoa-taken-off-on-stretcher-during-thursday-night-matchup-with-bengals-after-sack-cbs-sports/ Katie Stratman / USA TODAY Sports Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa came into Thursday night’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals questionable to play with back and ankle injuries, but he did suit up. Late in the second quarter, however, he was taken off the field on a stretcher after taking a violent sack.  On second-and-7, Tagovailoa was sacked by Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupou for a loss of 10 yards. Tagovailoa went down on his already-injured back, and appeared to hit his head as well. It was a frightening scene, as Tagovailoa raised his hands with what was described by the Amazon broadcast as a neurological response to head trauma. He remained on the turf for several minutes before ultimately being loaded on a stretcher and taken off the field. Teddy Bridgewater replaced Tagovailoa under center. The Dolphins quickly ruled Tagovailoa out with what they classified as head and neck injuries. The team also said he was conscious and had movement in all his extremities. Per Amazon’s broadcast, Tagovailoa was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. NFL Media reported Tagovailoa was transported there via ambulance. Many hypothesized Tagovailoa suffered a concussion last week against the Buffalo Bills after taking a hard sack from linebacker Matt Milano. Miami’s QB was stumbling on the field after the hit, causing many to believe he had suffered a head injury. He exited and returned to the game, however, and finished out the 21-19 win. The NFLPA said afterward it would review whether the Dolphins followed the concussion protocol, but the team has maintained it was a back issue.  After social media outcry following Tua’s latest injury, the NFLPA released a statement via Twitter: “Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.” Tagovailoa completed 8 of 14 passes for 110 yards and one interception on Thursday night before exiting the game. The third-year signal-caller from Alabama entered this matchup second in the NFL with 925 passing yards, and tied for third in passing touchdowns with eight.

Chinese University Renames Engineering Department After Metaverse, Sets Up New Major – CoinGeek https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/chinese-university-renames-engineering-department-after-metaverse-sets-up-new-major-coingeek/ Home » Tech » Chinese university renames engineering department after metaverse, sets up new major Nanjing University of Information Science Technology has taken a significant step in its quest to be a distributed ledger technology (DLT) hub as it renames its Information Technology department after the metaverse. Under the School of Artificial Intelligence, the department changed its name to the Department of Metaverse Engineering after prior deliberation by members of the institution’s governing council. Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence, Zhigeng Pan, noted that the decision was the first of its kind in mainland China that a faculty will be named after the metaverse. Details of the curriculum of the newly named department remain unclear, but Zhigeng noted that it will train master, doctoral, and postdoctoral students in different areas of the metaverse. Gleaning from Zhigeng’s speech to reporters, the Department of Metaverse Engineering will focus on metaverse research and identifying new applications for the technology that will be integral in providing a deep talent pool for firms in the ecosystem. The university had previously entered into an agreement with Yalong Intelligent Equipment Group to set up a Metaverse Research Institute. The institution’s moves in the metaverse are part of the global race towards the development of the industry. The metaverse has been described as the next iteration of the Internet, leveraging distributed ledgers to create a virtual world for users. Given the heightened interest in the metaverse, Citi predicted that the metaverse could surpass $10 trillion. “We estimate, in the report, the target addressable market (TAM) for the metaverse economy to be in the range of $10 trillion-plus,” remarked Ronit Ghose, Global Head of Banking, Fintech & Digital Assets. “Expert contributors to the report indicate a range of users of up to five billion” depending on whether mobile phone users are considered part of the count. China’s tango with the metaverse China latched onto the metaverse with enthusiasm that baffled pundits since the country’s regulators had imposed a blanket ban on digital assets. In fact, Chinese-based Pony Ma had publicly disclosed its extensive plans for the metaverse, called Quan Zhen, months before Meta (NASDAQ: MEA) made its big reveal. Chinese tech giants like Tencent, Huawei, and Epic Games have also laid bare plans for their versions of the metaverse in collaboration with some of the country’s educational institutions. Apart from private efforts, the Chinese government is also making significant strides in metaverse development. Local governments in Beijing and Shanghai have previously announced plans to use the metaverse to trigger economic growth in their cities. However, not all regional governments share the same stance on the metaverse. Watch: The BSV Global Blockchain Convention presentation, Masters of the Metaverse New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeek’s Bitcoin for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoin—as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto—and blockchain.

Safari Snuck In A New Feature On Your IPhone That Makes An Old Tool Even More Useful On Webpages – Gadget Hacks https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/safari-snuck-in-a-new-feature-on-your-iphone-that-makes-an-old-tool-even-more-useful-on-webpages-gadget-hacks/ There’s a new hidden Safari feature for your iPhone, one that makes it even easier to find words, numbers, phrases, and other text on a webpage. In case you didn’t know, Safari has a built-in “Find on Page” feature on the iPhone, and it helps you locate content on a webpage just like the Command-F keyboard shortcut would on a Mac. It’s actually been around since iOS 4.2 and was a part of Safari’s independent search bar until iOS 7 incorporated search into the URL bar. That part of “Find on Page” works the same to this day; Type whatever it is you’re looking for on the webpage in the URL bar, then scroll to the end of the results to the “On This Page” section to “Find” it. When iOS 9 rolled around, “Find on Page” became easier to access with the new share sheet action. And like Find in the URL bar, it works the same on current iOS versions; Tap the share icon, hit “Find on Page,” then type in your search. Don’t Miss: Finally! Permanently View Battery Percentage in Your iPhone’s Status Bar Instead of Battery Levels How iOS 16 Makes Safari’s Find Feature Better With iOS 16, the “Find on Page” feature is even more convenient, as long as you already see the text on the webpage and want to find more instances of it. Highlight any text on the page you’re on by long-pressing it (and adjust the selection if needed), and you’ll see a new “Find Selection” option in the contextual menu that pops up. Tap that, and the Find interface appears as usual to see how many times it’s on the webpage, letting you quickly skip to each one. Additionally, you can highlight text on the webpage by long-pressing it (and adjusting the selection if needed), opening the share sheet, tapping “Find on Page,” and it will automatically search for whatever you highlighted. The change also appears on iPadOS 16.1 for iPad, which is still in beta. Using the “Find Selection” button (left) vs. “Find on Page” in the share sheet (right). It’s a small change but a useful one that skips the process of having to type out your search term when it’s already sitting there, right in front of you. If you try highlighting text on a Safari webpage in iOS 15.7, you won’t see the “Find Selection” button in the contextual menu, and tapping “Find on Page” from the share sheet will ignore whatever’s selected. What’s even better about the new Find Selection tool is that it’s not just for Safari — it’s available in other apps on iOS 16, such as Notes. Keep Your Connection Secure Without a Monthly Bill. Get a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited for all your devices with a one-time purchase from the new Gadget Hacks Shop, and watch Hulu or Netflix without regional restrictions, increase security when browsing on public networks, and more. Buy Now (80% off) Other worthwhile deals to check out: 41% off a home Wi-Fi analyzer 98% off a learn to code bundle 98% off an accounting bootcamp 59% off the XSplit VCam video background editor Cover photo and GIFs by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks

Will Rate Hikes Spell More Trouble For Crypto Markets?s – Business Standard https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/will-rate-hikes-spell-more-trouble-for-crypto-marketss-business-standard/ Global recession fears, stronger dollar, higher interest rates and spike in bond yields, are building pressure over the crypto markets. Since crypto markets move in tandem with global equity markets, the ongoing volatility in the US markets have cast a shadow on crypto-currencies as well. All the three major indexes in the US markets like Dow Jones, NASDAQ Composite, and the S&P 500 have shed in the range of 19 per cent to 30 per cent so far this year. Therefore, the promise of more rate hikes proclaimed by the US Fed till 2023 is likely to keep crypto markets volatile too. According to coinmarketcap.com, the global market capitalisation of crypto assets has tumbled over 57 per cent to 935 billion dollars, so far this year. Popular crypto asset Bitcoin, for instance, has tanked nearly 60 per cent so far in 2022. Other assets like Ethereum, BNB, Solana, Dogecoin and Polkadot have declined in the range of 46 per cent to 81 per cent, during the same period. Analysts believe that the reduced risk appetite among investors compelled them to shift to less riskier assets like bonds. Going ahead, they expect the volatility in crypto markets to continue in the near-term. Minal Thukral, Executive Vice-President, Growth and Strategy, CoinDCX, says equity selling pressure to cast a shadow. Crypto markets continue to be sideways. Ethereum, Bitcoin are deflationary assets. On the other hand, Devangshu Datta, independent market expert, says that the lack of any fundamental benchmark makes crypto assets a riskier bet to hold for the long-term horizon. Devangshu Datta, Independent Market Expert, says Bitcoin’s decline up to 99% possible. No fundamental benchmark for crypto. Crypto assets not a safe bet for long-term. Meanwhile, technical charts suggest a ‘death cross’ pattern for bitcoin, which signals a bearish market ahead. As regards today, investors will closely track the Reserve Bank of India’s interest rate stance post the 3-day monetary policy committee meeting. According to experts, the central bank is likely to raise interest rates up to 50 basis points. FII flows, rupee movement and crude oil prices, will also be on investors’ radar.

S.Korea, U.S., Japan To Stage Anti-Submarine Drills Amid N.Korea Tension – Reuters https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/s-korea-u-s-japan-to-stage-anti-submarine-drills-amid-n-korea-tension-reuters/ SEOUL, Sept 30 (Reuters) – The naval forces of South Korea, the United States and Japan will stage their major trilateral anti-submarine exercises for the first time in five years on Friday, amid tension over North Korea’s recent series of missile tests. The drills will be held in international waters off the Korean peninsula’s east coast, just a day after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward its east coast and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Seoul and the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas. “The exercises are designed to improve their capability to respond to increasing North Korean submarine threats, including its submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) at a time when it consistently poses nuclear and missile threats with a series of ballistic missile tests,” the South Korean navy said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The one-day drills are a flagship maritime training that has not been conducted since 2017 because the former progressive South Korean government sought to improve inter-Korean relations and facilitate denuclearsation talks between Pyongyang and Washington, which have stalled since 2019. Under the programme, the three countries’ navies will track down a mock North Korean submarine while exchanging information with each other, a South Korean military official said. The exercises will bring together the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, the 9,800-ton guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, the 6,900-ton Aegis-equipped destroyer USS Barry, South Korea’s 4,400-ton destroyer Munmu the Great and Japan’s 5,100-ton tanker Asahi, among other warships, the South Korean navy said. The drills came days after a U.S.-based think tank said North Korea may be preparing to launch a new submarine believed to be capable of firing ballistic missiles, citing commercial satellite imagery. South Korea’s military has also detected signs that the isolated country might be gearing up for an SLBM test, Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Jamie Freed Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Tulsa State Fair Security Using New Technology To Keep Attendees Safe – News9.com KWTV https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/tulsa-state-fair-security-using-new-technology-to-keep-attendees-safe-news9-com-kwtv/ Thursday, September 29th 2022, 9:35 pm TULSA, Okla. – It’s the first day of the Tulsa State Fair and dozens of Tulsa County Deputies and Tulsa Police are patrolling the fairgrounds and surrounding areas; this comes after they spent time training on property last week. There are 26 deputies assigned to the fair and they bring in an additional 15 weekday evenings; on the weekends, an additional 30 deputies come out to help at the fairgrounds. Many of them do this event year in and year out. “We have our school resource officers, we have our intelligence deputy providing us with anything that’s going on in the schools or out in the communities that may have done sort of effect of the fair,” said Capt. Mike Moore. Deputies expect more than a million people to attend the fair this year. In the evenings, their main focus is patrolling the Midway, where all the rides, games and entertainment are. Capt. Mike Moore said the forecast is probably the best we’ve had in a decade and believes that’ll attract even more people. You can barely turn a corner without seeing a Tulsa County Deputy. “Manpower. We will have a good number of deputies out here, so the goal is when you’re walking and you make it 30, 40, 50 feet you want to be able to see us because we’re just constantly moving, walking visiting with people, answering questions,” said a Tulsa Co. Deputy. “Looking for you know suspicious behavior; people grouping up; people carrying bags and even how they hold themselves and certain mannerisms if they have something on them that they’re not supposed to have on them. Weapons for instance. Unless you’re trained to carry a weapon for a living most people can’t do it very subtly,” said Capt. Mike Moore. “New and interesting people out here but I haven’t seen any rascals running around,” said Ken Harris. “Super clean. There’s lots of staff. I mean it doesn’t feel unsafe,” said Kristie Bradley. “I still wouldn’t send my kids out.” They’ve got hundreds to keep an eye on everyone. “We’re utilizing every single camera the expo has installed. Over 300 cameras. Then we’ve placed some camera pods, the sheriff’s office has, in and around some of our more heavily trafficked areas,” said Capt. Moore. “We can program you know 5’7”, wearing a red shirt and the AI technology will start picking out every single child or person matching that description so we can hopefully quickly identify and reunite them with their families.” The sheriff’s office is also using technology to pinpoint calls and plot incidents. “We’re doing a pilot project with AT&T RapidSOS and CRG Mapping. AT&T FirstNet is providing the Network obviously for cameras and some of the other pieces but then they’ve also provided us a cash of cellular devices that are for first responders. And then RapidSOS is obviously the 911 piece and they plot calls before we actually answer the telephone and provide us critical data and pin point accuracy and mapping and the CRG mapping has provided a fair map for us and we’re able to plot incidents and provide gridded location data with real time access. And then all of those devices are being tracked so I know what responder is the closest to the incident that’s plotted in a gridded map. So, for instance, if we had an incident at K6 I could see and go to a camera pod that’s plotted to try and zoom in, in real time and then see which responder is out in the field and closest to that incident as well,” said Ken Stewart, TCSO 911 Communications Director. Deputies also remind everyone you are not allowed to bring your guns to the fair. “This is according to Oklahoma state law that during the Tulsa state fair the Tulsa county fairgrounds is a gun free zone; that means no open carry. No concealed carry. Leave your gun at home. Don’t bring your gun and leave it in the car,” said Capt. Moore. Capt. Moore said it’s important for fairgoers to do their part and watch out for themselves and others. He said it’s best to leave important things at home and remember to lock your car doors.

Tua Tagovailoa Removed From Field After Second Head Hit In Two Games – The New York Times https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/tua-tagovailoa-removed-from-field-after-second-head-hit-in-two-games-the-new-york-times/ N.F.L.|Tua Tagovailoa Removed From Field After Second Head Hit in Two Games https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/sports/football/tua-tagovailoa-head-injury.html The N.F.L. quarterback left Thursday’s game on a stretcher after his head was slammed to the turf. The players’ union had previously asked for an investigation of his team’s handling of the concussion protocol. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. Medical staff examined Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after he was hit in the second quarter on Thursday night.Credit…Andy Lyons/Getty Images Sept. 29, 2022Updated 11:16 p.m. ET Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was carted off the field on a stretcher during a game Thursday night after he appeared to experience his second head injury in less than a week when he was thrown to the ground, hitting his head on the turf. Midway through the second quarter of a game between Miami and the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoa dropped back to pass around midfield. Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou grabbed Tagovailoa, spun him around and threw him to the ground. Tagovailoa’s elbow hit the ground first, and then the back of his helmet. Tagovailoa immediately raised his hands with his fingers splayed, a gesture called a “fencing response” that can be a sign of brain injury. Dolphins trainers ran onto the field and, after several minutes, put Tagovailoa on a stretcher and wheeled him off the field. A few minutes later, the broadcasters announced that Tagovailoa had sustained head and neck injuries, was conscious and had been taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The team said on Twitter that he had movement in all his extremities. Dolphins Coach Mike McDaniel told a sideline reporter that the injury was a “scary moment.” Chris Nowinski, the chief executive of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, who has often criticized the N.F.L.’s handling of concussions, was unsparing on Thursday night. “This is a disaster,” he wrote on Twitter soon after Tagovailoa was wheeled off the field. “Pray for Tua. Fire the medical staffs and coaches. I predicted this and I hate that I am right.” But Tagovailoa’s injury raised fresh questions about the Dolphins’ handling of the league’s concussion protocol, which first arose because of the team’s decision to allow him to re-enter a game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday after a hit in which he appeared to slam his head on the turf left him wobbly. In the second quarter of that game in Miami Gardens, Fla., Tagovailoa was pushed to the ground, hit his head, grabbed the sides of his helmet, staggered to his feet and, after taking a few steps, fell to his knees. He walked off the field and spent the rest of the first half in the locker room, but he returned to play in the second half. His return prompted the N.F.L. Players Association to begin an inquiry into the Dolphins’ handling of the injury, an option added to the collective bargaining agreement in 2020. The process includes reviewing video and interviewing team and league doctors who diagnosed Tagovailoa. The process can take weeks. The union said on Twitter on Thursday that it hoped Tagovailoa would have “a full and speedy recovery” and that its investigation was ongoing. On Wednesday, the N.F.L. said that it welcomed the inquiry into the handling of this incident on Sunday. On a conference call with reporters, Jeff Miller, the league’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, said that “every indication” was that the league protocols were followed. The Dolphins listed Tagovailoa as “questionable” on the team’s injury report ahead of Thursday’s game with a “back/ankle” issue. After Tagovailoa’s exit from a second game, the league’s confidence in its concussion protocols could be questioned anew. His injury in a prime time N.F.L. game followed that of Bills cornerback Dane Jackson, who was also carted off the field during a Monday night game on Sept. 19 after he inadvertently collided with teammate Tremaine Edmunds. The hit caused Jackson’s head and neck to snap back. He was released from Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo the following day after being cleared by a CT scan. “It brings us back to the reality of the violence of the game, and I hope it gives people perspective,” said the veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, a commentator for Amazon, which broadcast Thursday’s game. “These are human beings and they have families and they have futures and they’re putting it all out on the line to entertain people.”

Davidson County Teen Spreads Joy One Snack Sale At A Time With Food Trucks – Lexington Dispatch https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/davidson-county-teen-spreads-joy-one-snack-sale-at-a-time-with-food-trucks-lexington-dispatch/ Skip to main content This content is only available to subscribers. Get unlimited digital access. $1 for 6 months. Your subscription supports: Investigative reporting that makes our community a better place to work, live and play Expert coverage of high school sports teams The best tips on places to eat and things to do Daily newsletter with top news to know Mobile apps including immersive storytelling This content is only available to subscribers. Get unlimited digital access. $1 for 6 months. Your subscription supports: Investigative reporting that makes our community a better place to work, live and play Expert coverage of high school sports teams The best tips on places to eat and things to do Daily newsletter with top news to know Mobile apps including immersive storytelling

Stockholm In Summer – Napa Valley Register https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/stockholm-in-summer-napa-valley-register/ Our two-hour KLM flight from Amsterdam descended over the Baltic Sea, then farmland, forests and lakes to Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport around 11 PM, shortly after dark. The terminal was quiet as we strolled through with our rolling carryon bags – no stops for checked baggage, passport control or Customs – and simply walked out the front door to clear sky, twinkling stars and mild fresh air. Several taxis, the driver of one who was waving to us, were parked a few steps away. The waving driver’s invitation worked, and we were whisked silently by his electric taxi along the almost empty E4 freeway to our Scandic Gamla Stan Hotel. The building dates to the 17th century, with high ceilinged, wallpapered rooms, older art and no air conditioning, just fans. We had requested a quiet room, and it was, facing an interior courtyard and the neighboring building, which sported a brass plaque identifying it as the Indian Embassy. “Gamla Stan” translates to “Old Town.” Really old, in this instance, as this island neighborhood is the site of original 13th century Stockholm. In addition to its history and attractiveness, it has its own Metro station and is walkable to nearby parts of Stockholm connecting to tour boats, the central train station, museums and shopping. A fine fresh hotel breakfast reintroduced us to delicious and crepelike Swedish pancakes, lightly topped with elderberry jam and whipped cream. Well fortified, we stepped out to orient ourselves – in light rain – which happens fairly often. Raingear and umbrella protected, we began the first of many traverses of our island base, passing the grand Royal Palace, then crossing one of Stockholm’s 57 bridges, this one at the confluence of Lake Malaren and the Baltic, then on to the Swedish History Museum. Built in 1943, the museum educated us on centuries medieval to modern, with bilingual displays throughout. We already had some idea of Viking explorations, including North America, but gained new knowledge of voyages, including to Africa and the Middle East. We also learned that Sweden was a northern European power from the 1500s into the 1700s, with control at various times in what is now Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, the Baltic countries and parts of Russia – with occasional wars in various directions. Sweden’s star faded in the 19th century, its empire shrank, and its agrarian economy weakened. In the second half of that century, many people who could emigrated to Canada and the United States; and Chicago eventually was home to more Swedes than any city other than Stockholm. The Industrial Age began a turnaround, with Sweden becoming progressively more prosperous from the beginning of the 20th century and continuing to the present. The museum also allowed us to stay dry for a couple hours, and its café served a good lunch. The rain cleared in the late afternoon as we walked across another bridge and through the Parliament complex back to “our” island to relax and eventually find a fine dinner around the corner from the hotel. The city, with its population of almost a million, and surrounded by the metro area with a total population of almost two and a half million, is built on fourteen islands, hence the numerous bridges. Outside the city is the Stockholm Archipelago, consisting of thousands of islands, many inhabited. Some are accessible by bus from the city, and many more are reached by boat. We enjoyed the next, sunny day on a Stromma Thousand Island Cruise on a classic archipelago boat, the steamer Waxholm III, built in 1903. An easy walk from our hotel led to the dock and 9 AM departure. We left the central harbor at a stately pace, chugging past docked giant drive-on ferries that ply the sea to Finland and the Baltic countries, as well as cruise ships from around the world. The scenery turned ever greener heading out to sea between islands often close enough to exchange greetings with those on shore. The islands have been populated for centuries, with full time and vacation homes ranging from tiny primitive cabins to glamorous elaborate estates with their own docks. Included in the long day were stops at three pretty islands, for a handy convenience store, short, guided hikes, and cinnamon buns to augment the gourmet lunch and dinner servings aboard. The voyage ended with a return to the dock at 8:30. Many cities offer “Hop On – Hop Off” bus services to help travelers easily maneuver between points of interest. Stockholm takes the service further by adding boats, so visitors can also explore the city’s islands and waterways. We started with the bus, and after winding through a number of neighborhoods dismounted to visit the popular Skansen outdoor historic park and museum. The park is uphill from the waterfront and accessed by escalator and elevator. Several “town quarters” depict typical 19th century Swedish life, with reclaimed older buildings for residences, farms and various businesses. Rides, entertainment and food are also in abundance. Across the street from Skansen is the large Grona Lund amusement park, from which delighted screams could be heard from people on several thrilling rides. We passed on the thrill rides and instead visited another neighboring attraction, the Abba Museum – who could resist light hearted entertainment capturing the background and especially the music of the famous band of the seventies? The museum backs to the waterfront and after our visit we didn’t have to wait long for our Hop On – Hop Off boat to further explore Stockholm, and eventually return us Gamla Stan for an easy walk back to the hotel, and later to the nearby Flying Elk restaurant for dinner. The enormous Royal Palace dominates one side of Gamla Stan and is only a few minutes from our hotel. We visited it on a fine sunny Sunday morning, absorbing the elaborate beauty of only some of its 600 rooms. One small basement area is all that remains of the original palace, consumed in a huge fire in 1697. Rebuilding started soon after, and the royal family was finally able to move back in 1754. Additions and improvements have continued, and it now is one of the world’s largest palaces still in use as a working building for the monarchy. Our visit timing was fortunate, as we, along with several hundred other visitors, enjoyed the daily changing of the guard ceremony, complete with lively music by a military marching band. Though the monarchy still uses part of this palace for work and ceremonial functions, the royal family has lived since 1981 in the suburban Drottningholm Palace, originally built in the late 16th century and used through most of the 18th century as a royal summer residence. We took a short voyage the next day on Lake Malaren to visit that lovely expansive palace and its lush gardens, complete with pools, fountains, and a Chinese Pavilion built in the 1760’s. Our voyage back to the city gave plenty of time to visit the famous City Hall, completed in 1923, and not far from the tour boat dock. It was late enough in the warm afternoon that the interior of the building was unavailable, so we could not visit its Blue Hall, where the Nobel Banquet is held each December, on the day after the presentation of the Nobel Prizes. However the building’s 348 foot high tower on the waterfront was still open. We rode its elevator halfway and completed the ascent via a narrow walkway and stairs. At the top, the open air viewing platform offered splendid vistas over the city, and an usher graciously took our photo. Vacation travel is not quite complete without gifts for family and friends. In this case, Jean bought Fjallraven (the name translates to “arctic fox”) backpacks from the Swedish company’s flagship store in downtown Stockholm for grandkids in time for their return to school. Dinner at yet another excellent restaurant around the corner from the hotel – The Moritz – was in its fine basement dining room. Pasta bolognaise for Jean and pasta scampi in cream sauce for Gerald. Our server was a Swedish Navy veteran who had served on submarines and remembered how small they seemed when a US Navy sub tied up next to them on a visit some years ago. And then it was time to go. On our final morning we rolled our bags about 15 minutes to the central station to board a fast train to Copenhagen. We passed through green farmland, tunnels, huge stands of forest, and by many lakes and streams, with stops at nine towns and cities, gliding silently along and thinking about learning how to make those great pancakes. Stockholm offers what a great city should – safety, cleanliness, history, beauty and charm. Highly recommended! Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Survey: Good Customer Service Is The Key To Customer Loyalty – 69News WFMZ-TV https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/survey-good-customer-service-is-the-key-to-customer-loyalty-69news-wfmz-tv/ If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS – All-you-can-eat Korean barbecue is on its way, with 88 K-Pot opening perhaps in December near the Wine & Spirits store in the Bethlehem Square shopping center.  – Air Products’ joint venture in Saudi Arabia has acquired an industrial-gas business for an undisclosed price. The Abdullah Hashim Industrial Gases & Equipment venture acquired Khafrah Industrial Gases from Paris-based Air Liquide S.A. – Anatolian Kitchen is still closed for renovations, according to a sign at the Taylor Court, Bethlehem, business.  – After 36 years, the owners of Cavaluzzo’s Pasta, Steaks & Subs in Emmaus are retiring, and the restaurant will close. – The high-tech conglomerate formerly known as II-VI (pronounced “two-six”) has taken on the name of a company it acquired, Coherent Corp.  – Palmer Township’s board of supervisors approved a conditional-use application for four industrial buildings know as “First Park 33” on Tatamy Road, between Newlins Mill and Corriere roads. – The Florida-based chain Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers plans to open three physical-therapy clinics within two years in the Lehigh Valley. – Radish Republic, a specialty grocery store on North Seventh Street in Allentown, is closing after three years. – The Palmer Township Zoning Hearing Board made the decision to keep a cease-and-desist order against The Reserve at Palmer Pointe apartments, which township officials say were built contrary to designs submitted six years ago. – The Allentown-Based payment-processing company Shift4Payments Inc. introduced SkyTab POS, a point-of-sale system for restaurants.  – The Bethlehem Planning Commission approved three separate “mixed-use” buildings for South Bethlehem, on East Fourth Street, South New Street and West Fourth Street. – Transform Rehabilitation’s physical-therapy clinics in Allentown, New Tripoli and Whitehall are now part of Upstream, which owns or manages more than 1,200 locations in the U.S. – The Lehigh Valley’s newest Wawa opened on the east side of Nazareth Pike/Route 191, just south of the Borough of Nazareth.  – DoubleTree Hotel has expanded its catering to private jets that take off from Reading Regional Airport. – The not-for-profit Kutztown Community Partnership has discussed buying the shuttered Strand Theatre to continue its tradition, but KCP would need grants and donations to keep it going. – A man police say was drunk drove into Budd Lake Bagel & Deli II in Hackettstown, New Jersey, on Sunday night, causing the shop to close indefinitely.

WCBI Senior Expo Healthy Living Spotlight: Preventing Falls – WCBI https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/wcbi-senior-expo-healthy-living-spotlight-preventing-falls-wcbi/ COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It is happening today. The WCBI Senior Expo is going on at the Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus until 1:00 p.m. Get tips for healthy living and talk with care providers including Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle. “Hello. My name is Madison Guyton, Director of the ambulance Service at Baptist Memorial Hospital, Golden Triangle. Don’t be afraid to promptly speak up to your loved one’s medical provider over falls, concerns of falling, or if he or she is unsteady or at risk. Keep walkways free from obstructions and clutter. Watch out for cords or wires in walkways. Use night lights to light the path from the bed to the bathroom. Keep a lamp next to your bed. Have non-slip flooring and mats in the bathroom. Have handrails for the toilet and tub. And ask for assistance if needed. Modesty is not worth a fall injury.” For 24/7 news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Minnesota Vikings At New Orleans Saints: Predictions, Picks And Odds For NFL Week 4 Matchup – Yahoo Sports https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/minnesota-vikings-at-new-orleans-saints-predictions-picks-and-odds-for-nfl-week-4-matchup-yahoo-sports/ The NFL heads back across the pond when Justin Jefferson‘s Minnesota Vikings take on Jameis Winston and the New Orleans Saints in London. The Vikings are looking for their third win of the season after edging Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions in a Week 3 NFC North matchup, but Dennis Allen’s Saints will have something to say about that. Can the Saints get back to 2-2 on the season? The game kicks off Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Here’s a look at the betting details and USA TODAY’s NFL staff picks for the Vikings vs. Saints Week 4 game: Vikings at Saints odds, moneyline and over/under Spread: Vikings (-2.5) Moneyline: Vikings (-145); Saints (+122) Over/under: 43.5 More odds, injury info for Vikings vs. Saints OPENINGS AND BARRIERS: The NFL coaches project WEEK 4 POWER RANKINGS: Who takes over No. 1 spot after losses by Bills, Chiefs? 32 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM NFL WEEK 3: Super Bowl, MVP favorites emerging? NFL Week 4 odds, predictions and picks Dolphins vs. Bengals | Vikings vs. Saints | Browns vs. Falcons | Seahawks vs. Lions | Jaguars vs. Eagles | Commanders vs. Cowboys | Titans vs. Colts | Jets vs. Steelers | Bills vs. Ravens | Chargers vs. Texans | Bears vs. Giants | Cardinals vs. Panthers | Patriots vs. Packers Lorenzo Reyes: Saints 24, Vikings 21 This is a game, frankly, that I would stay away from, given the volatility both these teams show. New Orleans will go as far as Jameis Winston can take them. And with this one coming after he struggled, I’m expecting him and the rest of the offense to respond. New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) sets back to pass the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones) Safid Deen: Vikings 27, Saints 17 I like to think of this matchup as two teams who should make the playoffs but are off to rough starts. Both make you shake your head. The Vikings are 2-1 and lucky the Lions let them back in the game last week, while the Saints have looked terrible in their last two games. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will be bothered by a shoulder injury if he plays, while Saints starter Jameis Winston (back), receivers Michael Thomas (toe) and Jarvis Landry (foot) are also dealing with injuries. Plus, Winston has five interceptions already this season. London will be in for a treat, give me the Vikings. Lance Pugmire: Saints 20, Vikings 17 In this Sunday morning London affair, New Orleans finds some defensive rhythm and wins by forcing Kirk Cousins into a late pivotal mistake. Jarrett Bell: Saints 26, Vikings 24 Nate Davis: Vikings 27, Saints 22 Tyler Dragon: Vikings 26, Saints 20 I SEE SWAG: Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel praises presence of Bengals QB Joe Burrow NFL VETERAN QBs ON NEW TEAMS: How seven have performed entering Week 4 WEEK 4 WHAT TO WATCH: Super Bowl 55 rematch Sunday; Rams clash with 49ers Monday night NFL salaries: These are the highest-paid NFL players All players Quarterback Running back Wide receiver Tight end Tackle Guard Center Kickers Edge rusher Safety Cornerback Linebacker Interior defensive linemen Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See applicable operator site for its terms and conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21 or older to gamble. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints: Game odds, picks, predictions

Dubai’s Future Blockchain Summit To Create Opportunities For Crypto, Metaverse Innovators – BeInCrypto https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/dubais-future-blockchain-summit-to-create-opportunities-for-crypto-metaverse-innovators-beincrypto/ Future Blockchain Summit, the MENA region’s longest-running exhibition and conference connecting key stakeholders across blockchain, crypto, and Web 3.0 will return to Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from October 10-13, 2022. An integral part of GITEX Global 2022, the world’s biggest tech and startup event of the year which will feature over 4,500 tech and digital companies from 170 countries, the four-day event will explore topics including the metaverse, blockchain for enterprise, and the future of digital assets. The Summit comes at an opportune time for the Middle East region’s development in Blockchain and cryptocurrency – the UAE has positioned itself as a global futuristic innovation hub, emphasized by the recent launch of the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority and Dubai Metaverse Strategy, showing the commitment of its government to the implementation and advancement of cutting-edge solutions to the digital economy. The Summit is set to provide a major international meeting point for the blockchain and crypto communities, welcoming more than 600 investors, and offering blockchain, cryptocurrency and metaverse innovators an unrivaled opportunity to accelerate their growth. Day four of the Summit will play host to the North Star Dubai Supernova Challenge, the biggest pitch competition in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, offering startups the opportunity to pitch to an audience of global investors and earn potentially transformative capital. Leading cryptocurrency exchanges and market makers including OKX, Coinstore, KuCoin, the Hong Kong Digital Assets Exchange, Elliptic, Chainalysis, Coinfirm, and Sun Zu Labs will exhibit at the Summit. Blockchain protocol specialists Consensys, EOS Network Foundation, and Ultron Foundation will also be exhibiting, while there will also be a comprehensive focus on the Metaverse, NFT and gaming with innovators including Sensorium, METAP Japan and Ghost Ivy set to be at the show. International experts speaking at the Summit include AleksandrBornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, Ukraine; OG Arabian Prince, Founder, iNov8 Next Open Labs, Founding Member of Legendary Rap Group N.W.A; Lennix Lai, Director, OKX; Scott Page, CEO, Think:EXP, Technologist & Saxophone player for Pink Floyd; FarhadShagulyamov, CEO, VELAS and many more. The Future Blockchain Summit 2022 will host an engaging lineup of over 100 international speakers comprising business and government leaders who will discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities in the global Blockchain ecosystem. The Global Leaders Exchange, Crypto, DeFi& Virtual Asset Forum, and Metafest will provide visitors with essential insights and offer a glimpse of the emerging future of the Web. Visit the event website for more information on the Future Blockchain Summit, as well as registration details. About Dubai World Trade Centre: With a vision to make Dubai the world’s leading destination for all major exhibitions, conferences, and events, DWTC has evolved from being the regional forerunner of the fast-growing MICE industry into a multi-dimensional business catalyst, focusing on Venues, Events and Real Estate Management. Complementary to the primary service offerings are various value-added services from media/advertising, engineering and technical consultation and wedding planning, security services, and an award-winning hospitality portfolio. Visit their website to know more about the Dubai World Trade Centre. Disclaimer All the information contained on our website is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action the reader takes upon the information found on our website is strictly at their own risk.

Tim Drake’s Newest Upgrades Comes From His Worst Suit – CBR – Comic Book Resources https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/tim-drakes-newest-upgrades-comes-from-his-worst-suit-cbr-comic-book-resources/ The following article contains spoilers from Tim Drake: Robin #1, on sale now. Tim Drake’s new solo series has introduced not only a new part of Gotham City to be explored, but also given Tim some pretty cool upgrades. Tim Drake: Robin #1 (by Meghan Fitzmartin, Riley Rossmo, Lee Loughridge, and Tom Napolitano) saw its titular hero unveil a new feature in his costume. When he needed to move quickly and scan an area, Tim jumped off a building, activating a flight function in his cape that allowed him to fly. While this may be a new function for his current costume, it actually isn’t the first time he’s employed such tech. This kind of functionality comes from what many fans will argue is the worst costume Tim ever wore during the New 52. With this added feature though, Tim reclaims what is arguably the most useful tool he’s ever had, and incorporated it in such a way that it avoids the criticism fans had about his New 52 look. Now, in Tim’s defense, the New 52 came with a whole range of changes for multiple characters, many of them relating to their classic costumes. More than a few fans were upset about the loss of Superman and Batman’s classic trunks. That being said, Tim drake’s costume when he was operating under the Red Robin moniker got an incredible amount of backlash from fans. It was so disliked in fact that even in comics the other members of the Bat-Family still occasionally make fun of Tim for it. In all honesty, the costume wasn’t the worst he’s ever worn, but many fans were disappointed by the loss of the original Red Robin costume. Tim dropped the cowl, suddenly wore two belts across his chest, and his cape was replaced with one that was meant to act as bird wings, separating when he needed to take flight. While it might not be his most popular costume, the wings were easily the best gadget he’s ever used, having a variety of purposes. Now, it seems that he’s reclaimed that part of his past. His current cape still looks like a classic Robin cape, but it can now take on a wing-like function without going too overboard in the design. Now that this feature is a part of his arsenal again, Tim doesn’t have to worry about swinging through Gotham or chasing people over rooftops, He can instead just quickly fly above the streets, avoiding traffic and obstacles altogether. He’s already made excellent use of it when his new enemy once against struck with a spectral animal, looking for the source of the construct overhead instead of wasting time searching on foot. Looking closer now, Tim’s new wings are oddly suited towards his new neighborhood. The marina of Gotham is filled with open space, and if he’s going to patrol here he’ll probably have to pursue or sneak onto more than one boat. Having wings to glide across the water isn’t just a smart decision, it is a necessary one.

Big News For Facebook And Instagram Crypto Community. – Cryptopolitan https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/big-news-for-facebook-and-instagram-crypto-community-cryptopolitan/ Today, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that both Facebook and Instagram platforms would allow users to connect their wallets and share NFTs on their social media pages. The announcement comes at a time when NFTs have generally received negative sentiments across the crypto space.  The announcement is meant to improve the quality of the experience on both social media platforms under the Meta umbrella. According to Mark Zuckerberg, the move will increase interactions on social media platforms and allow creatives to access more monetization opportunities for NFT creators.  The newly announced NFT capabilities for both Facebook and Instagram are a massive step for Meta. The move solidifies Meta’s ambitions to continue exploring the possibilities of blockchain technology and Web 3 within its platforms. Given the large user base of both Facebook and Instagram, incorporating NFTs could lead to explosive growth spiked by demand.  Often techies and crypto enthusiasts talk about NFTs, Web 3, and blockchain technology in general. The subject remains relatively new to the average internet user. The ability to share NFTs across Facebook and Instagram will undoubtedly increase awareness of NFTs and spark further interest.  As the crypto market approaches ten months into the bear market, there is minimal enthusiasm around NFTs at the moment, and many who purchased these non-fungible tokens are less enthusiastic. However, NFT prices do not necessarily depend on the happenings within the crypto space.  Facebook and Instagram’s journey with digital collectibles? According to the announcements, the updated features will be available to US-based users of both platforms. The upgrade allows users to connect to their digital wallets to facilitate the process. Posting NFTs to these social media platforms will require users to connect their NFT networks to Meta.  Currently, there are limited options for the blockchain networks available for seamless connections to Facebook and Instagram. Currently, users can connect to third-party blockchain wallets such as Trust Wallet, Dapper Wallet, Coinbase wallet, and Metamask wallet.  Similarly, the princess currently supports digital collectibles minted on the Polygon network, the Ethereum network, and the Flow network.   Prior to this recent announcement, Mark Zuckerberg’s team have been working hard on digital collectibles, announcing developments. Throughout the year, the team announced their plans to include NFTs on Instagram until July, when Meta launched its NFT support in 100 countries.  Although NFT features are available on Instagram in more than 100 countries, the recently released feature that allows for cross-posting on both platforms is only limited to US users.  The move aims to kill two birds with one stone. As social media platforms open up to the digital collectibles market space, it provides digital creators with a broader audience and an opportunity to sell their products. Similarly, the additional features will continue to create awareness and demystify the Web 3 ecosystem to regular social media users who will be able to scroll through different NFTs as they do pictures.  The Meta platform is playing a long-term game as it will undoubtedly profit from sales of digital assets. Considering the user base on Facebook and Instagram, successfully turning them into an online marketplace for NFTs with integrated Wallets from various blockchains can prove profitable.

‘Abortion Absolutely Is Health Care,’ U.S. House Panel Told As GOP Pursues Nationwide Ban – Maryland Matters https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/abortion-absolutely-is-health-care-u-s-house-panel-told-as-gop-pursues-nationwide-ban-maryland-matters/ Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) listens during a House Rules Committee hearing on the procedures for upcoming votes at the U.S. Capitol on June 28. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images. A nationwide abortion ban would widen disparities in health care and drive up the maternal mortality rate, particularly among Black women, physicians and advocates told a U.S. House panel on Thursday. “Women’s progress has always been inextricably linked with the ability to control our own bodies,” Jocelyn Frye, the president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, told members of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform during a three-hour-plus hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building. “Access to abortion has been pivotal to women and all those who give birth,” Frye continued. “Research shows that restricting abortion impacts the health, safety, and welfare of people who are pregnant.” Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced a bill that would ban abortion nationwide at 15 weeks, superseding state-level restrictions, and further roiling the debate over abortion access in the wake of a June U.S. Supreme Court decision toppling Roe v. Wade. Graham’s bill came even as Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have been moving to impose strict abortion bans, forcing pregnant people to flee across state lines to seek care. Some of Graham’s fellow Republicans have distanced themselves from the proposal. “How do abortion bans disproportionately impact communities of color that are often left behind?” U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) asked Frye. “What we really want is the ability for every person, especially Black and brown people, and people of color, to have the access to the healthcare they need,” Frye responded. “Abortion bans take the decisions out of their hands. It makes them rely on systems that have perpetuated disparities for decades.” ‘Who are you going to be?’ One witness told lawmakers they face a binary choice on abortion rights. “Who are you going to be?” Kelsey Leigh, a Pittsburgh resident, asked the panel. “Will you sit in judgment of people who are pregnant without knowing them or their circumstances? Or will you listen … and be the compassion our country so desperately needs right now?” Leigh, who had an abortion at 20 weeks after an ultrasound revealed conditions in her unborn son she deemed “incompatible with life,” and who now works for the Allegheny Reproductive Health Center in Pittsburgh, where she speaks with people seeking abortion care, told lawmakers that the facility has been inundated with calls from people in neighboring Ohio and West Virginia, which have strict abortion bans. “We are the closest clinic for 70% of Ohio,” Lehigh told U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif). “Two-thirds of the people I talk to every day are from Ohio and West Virginia. They are organizing rides and childcare.” ‘Turning the clock back’ In opening remarks, the panel’s chairperson, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), argued that Republicans on Capitol Hill and across the country, are “turning the clock back on women’s rights,” referencing a recent court ruling in Arizona reinstating a 158-year-old law that bans virtually all abortions. “Let that sink in, a law passed more than a century ago, before women had the right to vote,” Maloney said. Republicans on the House panel repeatedly charged that majority Democrats were using the hearing to make a play for votes ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections. They also repeated the false claim that a bill codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law would allow abortion until birth. “Let’s be clear on what today’s hearing is about — it’s not about advocating for the best interests of women. It’s an effort to institute a system of taxpayer-funded abortion on demand,” U.S. Rep. Fred Keller (R-Pa.) said. “They do so under the guise of hearings like this one, to perpetrate fear and to achieve their far-left agenda.” U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis). echoed the sentiment, arguing that “the idea that there is a constitutional right to abortion is not true. We have an era in which judges go to law school and find ways to get around the constitution. A bill that recently passed the House would make abortion legal all the way to birth. Other countries have prohibitions on that.” A PolitiFact analysis in June ruled that claim “mostly false.” The bill “permits abortion up until delivery, but only if it is deemed necessary to protect the life of the patient. It does not explicitly require states to keep the procedure legal in all cases past the point of fetal viability,” according to PolitiFact. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), hearkened back to that constitutional argument. “The Supreme Court has made the decision. That is really what the problem is here. There’s a question that needs to be answered: Who gets to decide? Does the government get to decide whether and when a woman can be pregnant? Or is that a personal healthcare decision that should be made and left to the woman, her family, her faith, and her doctor?”. GOP lawmakers also rejected arguments by witnesses on the panel that safe and legal abortion is a critical component of self-determination by pregnant people as they try to make the best decision for themselves and their families. “This extreme bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, would place the United States in the company of countries such as China and North Korea,” U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said. “It is the Democrats who hold extreme positions on abortion, and they are contrary to the will of most Americans. It’s one thing to determine what happens in your own body. It’s another [thing] to determine the fate of the unborn child you are carrying.” Raskin regards Pennsylvania Looking across his state’s border into Pennsylvania, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.)  referred to recent stories about Pennsylvania’s GOP gubernatorial candidate, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who told a radio interviewer in 2019 that women who violated a six-week ban bill he was then sponsoring should be charged with murder. “They’ve grown a little more reticent and evasive about wanting to ban abortion everywhere in the country since the people of Kansas rejected a ban,” Raskin said, referring to an August vote that saw Kansas voters resoundingly reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would have stripped residents of abortion rights. “It seems like the cat’s got their tongue now that they’ve struck the rock. And the rock is the women who are standing up as first-class citizens of America,” Raskin said. Medical professionals who addressed the House panel Thursday faced repeated questions from GOP lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) on whether abortion care could be classified as healthcare. “Abortion is not health care. Its goal is to kill the fetus,” Dr. Monique Chireau Wubbenhorst, an obstetrician-gynecologist, speaking at the behest of the panel’s Republicans, said. Dr. Nisha Verma, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, countered that Wubbenhorst’s opinion is not the prevailing view among obstetricians/gynecologists and their professional organizations. “The overwhelming consensus is that abortion absolutely is health care,” Verma said.

Utah Tech Embracing Role As Only Technical University In Utah – Deseret News https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/utah-tech-embracing-role-as-only-technical-university-in-utah-deseret-news/ For the first time in its six-year history, the Silicon Slopes tech summit on Thursday had representation from a polytechnic university in the Beehive State. Before this year, there wasn’t a true polytechnic university in Utah. Then the university formerly known as Dixie State made the transition in May to Utah Tech University. Utah Tech University President Richard Williams was joined Thursday by board of trustees member Dave Elkington and Silicon Slopes cofounder and CEO Clint Betts to discuss the new era of the university. “We looked at all of the universities that had this polytechnic focus. We mapped it out in the United States map and there was this huge hole in the western United States, and right in the middle of that hole was St. George, Utah,” Williams said. With that, the university saw an opportunity and eventually snagged it when it transitioned to Utah Tech. It makes sense for a state with as big of a tech hub as Utah has that there would be a technical university to supply a competent workforce to the many companies that call Utah home, a point that Betts raised to Elkington. “We all know there’s just not enough engineering talent (and) there’s not enough computer science talent,” Elkington said. Elkington said that the university’s transition aims to fix that shortage, noting that the school isn’t going through a name change only, but a “focus change.” He pointed to the $100 million science, engineering and technology building that was built on Utah Tech’s campus in 2020. “There’s a makerspace, there’s engineering labs, there’s machine shops,” Elkington said. “I don’t think most people realize what this thing’s turned into, and it will produce, I think, the next generation of entrepreneurs, the next generation of talent for the state of Utah and honestly the country.” Utah Tech is also home to the Atwood Innovation Plaza, which has filed over 195 patents since its conception. “If you look on the world scale, we’re ranked in the top 25 in the world for how many patents are approved at a university — not in Utah, in the world,” Williams said. Both Elkington and Williams said that the university will be welcoming collaboration and input from Utah’s tech sector. In March, the university struck a partnership with Pluralsight, a technology workforce development company, to help students enhance their education with technology-based skills. “We are in a transition and we are looking toward the day that we will become a truly polytechnic university,” said Chris Guymon, assistant provost for adult and professional education at Utah Tech. “It became very, very clear that our students, in particular — but also our faculty and staff and our alumni — needed to have greater experiences around technology.” Students, faculty and staff can now take any of the 7,000 courses offered by Pluralsight. The new connection will give all current university students, faculty and staff unlimited access to Pluralsight Skills, an online platform that teaches technology-based skills people need to succeed in today’s digital world. “We want experts in learning opportunities for our students. Come and share with us, let’s build some internships, externships, whatever we need,” Williams said. “We’d like the tech companies to come and partner with our faculty. Give us projects you want us to accomplish that we can embed in our curriculum.” Elkington also took the opportunity to emphasize that the university is “not the Dixie State that it was.” “It’s a different feel. Come be involved. This is your university, this is Silicon Slopes’ university,” Elkington said. “Technology is changing, as you know,” Williams said. “We need to be partners with (Silicon) Slopes to make sure that we are the tech university for the state of Utah.”

DeFiance Capital’s Arthur Cheong Envisions A Play-To-Own Gaming Economy For Web3 Games – NFTgators https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/defiance-capitals-arthur-cheong-envisions-a-play-to-own-gaming-economy-for-web3-games-nftgators/ Quick take: A new report by DeFiance Capital envisions the future of the gaming industry. The report identifies the weaknesses and strengths of current web3 games and what can be done to make them better. According to DeFiance Capital founder Arthur Cheong, a plat-to-own gaming mechanism could help onboard mainstream gamers to web3. The future of web3 gaming lies in a new economic model called “play-to-own” (P2O), a new report by DeFiance Capital founder Arthur Cheong has declared. According to Cheong and his two co-authors, Bailey and David, the current play-to-earn model could never onboard masses to the blockchain because of its inflationary earning mechanism. The three co-authors define a play-to-own game as “a blockchain-enabled game developed with the ethos of Web3 — which is incentive alignment and true stakeholder ownership. Players are rewarded for their play and contributions with ownership of the game in the form of tokens or in-game assets.” 0/ Play-to-Earn? Free-to-Own? Play-to-Own. Bear markets are for long-form writing, excited to present our Web3 Gaming Thesis that has been in the works for some time. We will offer a short primer on Play-to-Own & our Web3 Gaming thesis in this thread : — DeFiance Capital (@DeFianceCapital) September 25, 2022 Unlike the play-to-earn games which focus on maximising players’ profits, a play-to-own model would be focusing on building fun games.  One of the biggest obstacles to onboarding mainstream gamers to web3 is the poor quality of games in the market. Some blockchain game developers have prioritised adding multiple earning mechanisms at the expense of improving the quality of games they build. Play-to-earn games attract the wrong types of players incapable of building a sustainable community. Arthur and co believe that a lot of people joining play to earn games are interested in making profits. And as such, once the game can no longer sustainably continue making them money, they tend to pull out leaving a skeleton of a community. This is one of the reasons why most in-game tokens tend to experience high volatility as their prices plummet the moment these profit-driven investors cash out their staked tokens. It is why play-to-own must focus on onboarding real gamers from the mainstream, rather than fishing within the crypto space. For this model to work though, DeFiance Capital thinks the games must be built better, to rival their web2 counterparts. “Games are not jobs and should not emphasize the ability to earn money from playing. This terminology reflects the need to align both players and owners of a game as well as an understanding of NFT technology, which are all about improved ownership,” the authors wrote. Play-to-own will bring about a strong sense of in-game assets and IP ownership, which will be key to establishing a sustainable economy. “We believe this model will allow games to reap the real benefits of blockchains such as unlocking value from in-game assets, better price discovery and building a strong sense of community ownership.” Essentially, by onboarding real gamers, web3 games will be building communities that are more interested in claiming ownership rather than computing how much profit they can make by cashing out their in-game assets. While play-to-earn games solved a problem of revenue sharing that plagued gaming for decades, they also created another, an economy that benefits early adopters at the expense of late entrants. Using Axie Infinity as a reference point, the pioneer NFT game inspired the emergence of several play-to-own games that got into the business purely to chase profits. But as DeFiance points out: “Most have struggled with overly high inflation of their in-game currency due to poor economic design and management — a high percentage of players cashing out causes a death spiral whereas token prices drop, earnings of players drop, and they stop playing the game because their main reason for playing is to earn financial yield.” However, not everything the P2E model brought is detrimental. The concept has already established a strong foundation for building play-to-own games. “The open and trustless economy built on the blockchain enables a vibrant secondary market for game assets,” the authors write, adding that prices are controlled by the market forces of demand and supply as compared to the traditional gaming economy where developers hold all the cards. Stay up to date: Google News Twitter Telegram LinkedIn Facebook TikTok

DCAD Approves New Budget – The Cross Timbers Gazette https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/dcad-approves-new-budget-the-cross-timbers-gazette/ The Denton Central Appraisal District Board voted this week to approve a new budget for the second time in the last couple months. In late July, the board approved a proposed budget that increased the district’s budget from about $15 million to $18 million. The main reason for the 17% increase was the addition of nearly 20 new full-time employees because DCAD is understaffed. But that budget was disapproved by a majority of taxing entities within DCAD’s borders. Many local officials criticized the leadership of then-Chief Appraiser Hope McClure and said the budget was too much, and it didn’t account for enough training for the new employees. Earlier this month, the board parted ways with McClure and named Deputy Chief Appraiser Don Spencer as the interim chief appraiser. Interim DCAD Chief Appraiser Don Spencer Spencer said he listened to the critiques and feedback from local taxing entities and he brought back a budget with more details about an increase in training and education for new employees, and he removed one proposed new director position from the budget and converted another one into a second deputy chief appraiser position. “I’ve heard the expressed concerns throughout the last budget process, about communication and execution and delivery of services, and my goal is to improve that,” Spencer said. The revised budget, which is nearly $200,000 less than the one that had been disapproved, was approved unanimously by the board during this week’s meeting. Taxing entities have the next 30 days to consider the new budget. Spencer said DCAD’s staffing issue is not new, but a problem that began about 10 years ago and has been slowly growing worse, and then a combination of COVID-19 restrictions, flooding caused by Winter Storm Uri and a software conversion “created more stress on an already tense environment.” “In my opinion, there was not a continued growth of staff here trending with the growth over the county over the last 10 years,” Spencer said. “You can do things for a while to create efficiencies, such as utilizing technology and AI to a certain degree, but you can only do that for so long.” Mark Smith Mark Smith is the Digital Editor of The Cross Timbers Gazette.