Anna Garraway

Studio In Brooklyn High-Rise Gets Dramatic $1,000 Makeover In Just One Day – Yahoo Entertainment https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/studio-in-brooklyn-high-rise-gets-dramatic-1000-makeover-in-just-one-day-yahoo-entertainment/ fmdr Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change.  On this episode of 1K Dream Room, host Will Taylor (@brightbazaar) heads to Brooklyn to give Ella’s sun-soaked studio an even brighter glow-up with a budget of $1,000 and only one day to finish. Ella recently moved into the modern high-rise and wants to add more personality and coziness to her apartment, in addition to more spatial differentiation between the areas where she works, sleeps, and plays. With high ceilings and large windows, Ella’s studio has the potential to be the homey, multi-functional space of her dreams! When it comes to making a space more versatile, multi-purpose furniture is key. To maximize storage without minimizing space, Will recommends versatile furniture such as a desk that doubles as a bookshelf with open sides to keep the area from feeling crowded. Another tip Will has for optimizing square footage is to build up instead of out by opting for shelving and storage that extends vertically. Using the bookshelf as a partial barrier, Will arranges Ella’s living room in the nook where her bed used to be and adds an off-white braided jute rug and two ottomans that can function both as seating or a coffee table. Will also adds beige cushions to the plush blue sofa, providing a nice contrast in color and texture. To create a separate zone for Ella’s bedroom, Will arranges an ivory full-size metal arch bed frame between two nightstands parallel to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The soft and muted colors of the bed’s queen powder pink bedding topped with a charcoal ruffle-trimmed throw blanket give the room an airy quality without feeling too sparse. For a finishing touch, Will disperses Ella’s growing plant collection throughout the sun-drenched space. When it’s time for the big reveal, Ella is almost at a loss for words over her apartment’s new layout! She is especially excited about having specific areas designed for their intended purpose, particularly the living room, where her friends now have a place to sit that isn’t her bed. Overall, Ella loves the space’s versatility and can’t wait to see how she and her plants can grow with it. The post Studio in Brooklyn high-rise gets dramatic $1,000 makeover in just one day appeared first on In The Know. More from In The Know: Over 15,000 Amazon shoppers love this ‘super flattering’ quilted vest Amazon shoppers can’t stop raving about this extra cozy Eddie Bauer throw blanket that’s on sale for just $18 7 amazing kitchen appliance deals to snag during Target Deal Days Amazon just revealed a bunch of the best deals shoppers will see at the Prime Early Access Sale next week

Grayscale’s New Co-Investment Vehicle Aims To ‘Capture The Upside Of Crypto Winter’ – Bitcoin News – Bitcoin News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/grayscales-new-co-investment-vehicle-aims-to-capture-the-upside-of-crypto-winter-bitcoin-news-bitcoin-news/ On October 6, Grayscale Investments announced a new venture that gives accredited investors the opportunity to invest in the mining infrastructure that powers the digital asset ecosystem. According to the announcement, the co-investment vehicle is called Grayscale Digital Infrastructure Opportunities (GDIO), and the crypto mining firm Foundry will handle the new product’s operations. GDIO is meant to “capture the upside of crypto winter,” Grayscale’s announcement on Thursday details. Grayscale’s New Co-Investment Vehicle GDIO Looks for Opportunities Within the Crypto Economy’s Market Cycles — Day-to-Day Operations to be Managed by Foundry Digital The world’s largest digital currency asset manager, Grayscale Investments, announced the launch of a new co-investment opportunity on Thursday, a financial vehicle that aims to take advantage of the crypto economy’s market cycles. The new co-investment product is the first of its kind for Grayscale and the bitcoin mining, and staking infrastructure firm Foundry Digital will “manage the day-to-day operations” of the Grayscale Digital Infrastructure Opportunities (GDIO) co-investment vehicle. The Four Stages of the Mining Cycle, according to the Grayscale Digital Infrastructure Opportunities (GDIO) fact sheet. During the last 12 months, Foundry has been the largest bitcoin mining pool in terms of total hashrate. The firm’s mining pool captured 19.38% of the global hashrate this year, or discovered roughly 10,375 out of the 53,532 BTC blocks found during the past 12 months. The bear market has been troublesome for miners this year and Grayscale believes that the crypto winter can provide unique opportunities for investment. Grayscale’s investment thesis states: As bitcoin prices have fallen dramatically, leveraged miners have experienced meaningful pressure on their operating margins. In the coming months, we anticipate that some miners will be forced to liquidate their mining equipment. We believe GDIO will have an opportunity to purchase mining equipment at distressed levels and to profitably mine bitcoin in the future. For instance, the crypto miner Cleanspark explained this past summer that the crypto economy’s downturn has produced “unprecedented opportunities.” At the end of June, a report noted that $4 billion in bitcoin mining loans were in distress. Moreover, In September, Jihan Wu’s Bitdeer launched a $250 million fund to help distressed miners. Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein says his firm has an edge above the rest that allows Grayscale to find opportunities within the crypto winter cycle. “Grayscale’s unique position at the center of the crypto ecosystem enables us to create offerings that allow investors to put capital to work through differing market cycles,” Sonnenshein remarked during the announcement. “Our team has long been committed to lowering the barrier for investing in the crypto ecosystem – from direct digital asset exposure, to diversified thematic products, and now infrastructure through GDIO.” Tags in this story Bitcoin, Bitcoin (BTC), BitDeer, Cleanspark, Co-Investment, co-investment vehicle, Crypto Winter, Digital asset manager, Foundry, Foundry Digital, Foundry USA, grayscale, Grayscale CEO, Grayscale GDIO, Grayscale Investments, Market cycles, Michael Sonnenshein, mining, staking company What do you think about Grayscale’s co-investment vehicle that aims to find opportunity in the crypto winter and market cycles? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. Jamie Redman Jamie Redman is the News Lead at Bitcoin.com News and a financial tech journalist living in Florida. Redman has been an active member of the cryptocurrency community since 2011. He has a passion for Bitcoin, open-source code, and decentralized applications. Since September 2015, Redman has written more than 6,000 articles for Bitcoin.com News about the disruptive protocols emerging today. Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons, Grayscale Logo Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

U.S. Department Of Agriculture Announces Andy Berke As Rural Utilities Service Administrator – USDA.gov https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/u-s-department-of-agriculture-announces-andy-berke-as-rural-utilities-service-administrator-usda-gov/ WASHINGTON, October 6, 2022 — Andy Berke was appointed today by President Biden to serve as Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Berke is a dedicated public servant with a history of advocating for rural communities in federal, state and local government. Most recently, he served as a Special Representative for Broadband at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce. Prior to joining NTIA, Berke served as Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2013 to 2021, during which he established a first-of-its-kind program to expand free high-speed internet service to families with children receiving free or reduced lunch at school. In addition, his administration launched efforts to reduce poverty, improve aging infrastructure and increase the use of clean energy. During his time as Mayor, Berke was named a Digital Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Municipal Leader of the Year by American City and County magazine, and City Executive of the Year by State Scoop. He was also awarded the Digital Inclusion Award from Next Century Cities in 2017. In 2007, Berke was elected to the Tennessee State Senate, where he served until 2012. During his tenure, he was on the Senate Transportation and Education Committees and was appointed to the Governor’s State Workforce Development Board and Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Learning. Berke also served as a law clerk for the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and as a legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Bart Gordon of Tennessee. “Throughout his career, Andy has demonstrated a clear and constant vision to improve the lives of rural Americans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Andy’s advocacy for better services, safer streets and improved infrastructure makes him an inspired choice for the role of Rural Utilities Service Administrator. I look forward to his continued leadership at USDA.” Outside of government, Berke has been a partner at urban planning and consulting firm Cityfi, a special advisor to the Chancellor of Vanderbilt University, and a managing partner at Berke, Berke & Berke. He received his Bachelor of Science from Stanford University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School. # USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

James Dyson Sues Channel 4 For Libel Over News Report – The Guardian https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/james-dyson-sues-channel-4-for-libel-over-news-report-the-guardian/ The billionaire businessman James Dyson is attempting to sue Channel 4 over a news report about claims of abuse and exploitation in the Malaysia factory of a former supplier to his firm. The lead story on Channel 4 News on 10 February suggested Dyson, second on this year’s Sunday Times UK rich list, was complicit in the practices at the ATA-owned factory, the inventor’s lawyer told the high court in London on Thursday. Hugh Tomlinson KC said the allegations were “remarkably defamatory”. In written submissions, he said: “The main theme of the broadcast is the difference between the fact of ‘Dyson’s image’ which [his firm] seeks to project and protect, and the reality of abuse and exploitation which it (the broadcaster) discloses. “The broadcaster leaves the viewer in no doubt that there has been very serious wrongs in relation to workers in Malaysia and that Dyson has (at the very least) failed to take action to deal with it.” The court heard that the report featured interviews with workers said to have “suffered abuse, inhuman work conditions, and in one case, even torture while they were helping to make Dyson products”. The workers, represented by Leigh Day, have launched legal claims against Dyson. The founder, whose fortune is estimated at £23bn, and two of his UK companies, Dyson Technology Ltd and Dyson Ltd, are suing Channel 4 and the programme’s production company, ITN, for libel over its reporting. Describing the company, as “well known, in particular, for its innovative vacuum cleaners and ‘air-blade’ hand driers”, Tomlinson told the court: “Nobody disputes that this was taking place at ATA … What’s being alleged is that Dyson is guilty of wrongdoing.” Thursday’s hearing was concerned with whether the three claimants were entitled to sue and whether the report contained meanings defamatory of the claimants. The defendants argue that no culpability was attributed to Dyson personally and that neither of the two claimant companies were named in the broadcast. Adam Wolanski KC, acting for the defendants, said in written arguments: “To the extent that readers [sic] would turn their mind to the question of which particular Dyson entity is being referred to, that entity is far more likely to be understood to be one that is overseas, most likely in Singapore or elsewhere in south-east Asia.” The inventor announced in 2019 that he was moving his company headquarters from Wiltshire to Singapore. Wolanski said that even if Mr Justice Nicklin held that the broadcast did refer to any of the claimants, the defendants’ case is that the report contained opinion about the extent of their responsibility for abuses at a company within their supply chain, rather than statements of fact. He added: “Dyson’s denials saturate the programme.” Nicklin reserved judgment on the preliminary issues.

IONE BAND OF MIWOK INDIANS PARTNERS WITH WARNER GAMING FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN PLYMOUTH, CALIFORNIA – PR Newswire https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/ione-band-of-miwok-indians-partners-with-warner-gaming-for-development-project-in-plymouth-california-pr-newswire/ , /PRNewswire/ — The Ione Band of Miwok Indians (https://ionemiwok.net/) is excited to announce that the tribe has entered into a development agreement with Warner Gaming for a new entertainment project in Plymouth, California. Warner Gaming (https://www.warnergaming.com/) focuses on the development and management of best-in-class gaming facilities, luxury hotels, restaurants, and recreational facilities. Comprised of seasoned gaming and hospitality executives, Warner Gaming has expertise in virtually every front-of-house and back-of-house function of the hospitality business. “This is an exciting time for our Tribe and the new development agreement with Warner Gaming is a critical step in establishing long-term economic self-sufficiency and prosperity for our people,” said Ione Band of Miwok Indians Chairperson Sara Dutschke. “Revenue generated from our new facility will be used to support social and educational programs, housing, healthcare and the preservation of cultural resources; things we have struggled to maintain and provide for generations.”    “We look forward to our partnership with the Ione Band of Miwok Indians as we work together to build a new state-of-the-art gaming facility in Plymouth,” said Bill Warner, Chief Executive Officer of Warner Gaming. “Our intensive and strategic planning processing will help ensure that the Ione Band’s new development maintains long-term success.” In March of 2020, the Ione Band announced that the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), had acquired over 220 acres of land into federal trust for the Ione Band in Amador County. The acreage is located in Plymouth, CA, adjacent to State Highway 49, and is on the ancestral land of the Tribe. In August of 2020, Governor Newsom signed a tribal-state gaming compact between the State of California and the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. The gaming compact permits the Ione Band of Miwok Indians to develop a gaming facility on the Tribe’s sovereign trust lands in Amador County, allowing for Class III gaming device operation, card tables, and off-track wagering on horse races. The Ione Band of Miwok Indians is comprised of Northern Sierra Miwok and Nisenan people, has over 750 members, and is governed by a 5-member elected tribal council. The vast majority of the Tribe’s members live in Amador County, Sacramento, and Elk Grove. The Ione Band of Miwok Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe of Miwok people, comprised of over 750 members in Amador County, CA. The Tribe is governed by a General Council with the day-to-day governance conducted by a 5-member tribal council: Sara Dutschke (Chair), Tracy Tripp (Vice Chair), Sandra Waters (Treasurer), Christine Hendricks (Secretary) and George Gurion (Member at Large). For more information, please visit https://ionemiwok.net/ Contact:  Sara Dutschke (209) 255-8005    SOURCE Ione Band of Miwok Indians

How A Tiny Austin-Area Government Is Scoring Big Tax Breaks For Developers Across Texas – Houston Chronicle https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/how-a-tiny-austin-area-government-is-scoring-big-tax-breaks-for-developers-across-texas-houston-chronicle/ Eric Dexheimer, Austin Bureau Oct. 6, 2022Updated: Oct. 6, 2022 11:57 a.m. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 1of3 Cheatham Street Flats, an apartment complex at 401 S. Guadalupe St. in San Marcos, is under contract with the SH130 Municipal Management District No. 1. The entity will become the owner of the building and exempt it from property taxes under an arrangement with the building’s current owners who will lease the property back and pay the management district a percentage of its property tax savings annually. Cheatham Street Flats is shown on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 2of3 This property at 7000 Gilbert Rd. in Austin is slated for development. The Travis County property was once owned by the president of the SH130 Municipal Management District. It is now tax-exempt. Google EarthShow MoreShow Less 3of3 A man walks by Cheatham Street Flats, an apartment complex at 401 S. Guadalupe St. in San Marcos, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. The complex is under contract with the SH130 Municipal Management District No. 1.  Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less In 2019, Texas lawmakers granted a small group of Central Texas businessmen permission to form their own government to develop agricultural land near the Austin airport. Yet recently the SH130 Municipal Management District No. 1 has thrown its civic weight around far outside its own narrow boundaries, using its status as a public agency to quietly arrange tens of millions of dollars-worth of property tax breaks for private developers across the state. UNFAIR BURDEN: This Texas tax incentive boosts development. But who is really benefiting from it? No local elected body reviewed the deals to determine if it made sense for taxpayers to subsidize the tax-exempt real estate projects in their backyards. In fact, city and county officials often have been unaware the money was being taken from their schools, libraries, hospital districts and local governments. The small district, meanwhile, stands to collect generous profits from the exemptions it helped arrange. Some of the deals also involve businesses tied to its board members, raising questions about how they are using the government entity they formed. How businessmen with vacant land in rural Travis County came to peddle under-the-radar tax breaks to developers hundreds of miles away with scant oversight is a story about the high cost of legislative sausage-making. Texas law promotes millions of dollars in tax breaks for the well-connected and big corporations while everyday Texans struggle with job losses, stagnant wages and the economic fallout from the pandemic. Read the series. In 2015, a single sentence grafted onto a dense finance bill in the closing days of the Texas legislative session created a new property tax break in exchange for modest affordable housing concessions. Yet even its author seemed unclear how it would work. READ THE SERIES: UNFAIR BURDEN Since then, developers have flocked to use the obscure law, removing hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of real estate from the tax rolls. Having so many projects that don’t pay property taxes “was not the intent of the program,” said Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who says he hopes to tighten the rules. In the meantime, the SH130 Municipal Management District is pushing the limits of the law in ways that have alarmed many who encounter it. So-called special districts typically wield authority only within, or just outside their small and very specific borders. By contrast, the SH 130 district is using its 1,100-acre piece of land to create valuable tax breaks in far away jurisdictions — making it “the poster child” of all that is wrong with the new affordable housing tax break, Bettencourt said. “Good grief,” he said. “We can’t have this.” When a parcel of property is removed from the tax roll, local taxpayers must make up the difference in revenue to pay for police, firefighters and teachers. Typically, such decisions are made by state or local lawmakers who represent their citizens’ interests — not a handful of businessmen in a distant county, said Pedro Alanis, executive director of the San Antonio Housing Trust. “That loophole needs to be closed,” he said. “Local communities should have a say in their own property tax issues and housing affordability issues.” Aundre Dukes, a spokesman for the SH 130 district, said it is working within the law to provide a valuable public benefit that traditional affordable housing agencies couldn’t or haven’t, creating desperately needed housing for priced-out middle class professionals. “No one questions that this housing crisis exists,” he wrote in a statement. “But no authority appears to have the resources to move expeditiously toward a sustainable solution.” ‘It’s an amazing deal’ Although details can vary, the 2015 affordable housing program’s developments generally look the same. A government entity — usually a local housing authority or trust whose members are appointed by elected officials — creates a spin-off called a public facility corporation, or PFC. The PFC acquires title to development projects pledging to include some affordable apartments. It then leases the property back to the developer to build, manage and profit from for up to 99 years. The PFC keeps only a sliver of ownership and has virtually no control over a project. But because on paper it is owned by a public entity, it pays no property taxes. In exchange, the housing authority or trust collects fees and a percentage of the tax savings it arranged, often using the money to support more affordable housing for the community. RELATED: Lawmakers killed a costly corporate tax break program, but loopholes will still cost Texas billions PFC developments have exploded in popularity. One reason: “It’s an amazing deal” for developers, said Walter Moreau, executive director of Austin’s Foundation Communities, a nonprofit that develops and operates housing for low- and very-low income residents. For large projects, a 100 percent exemption on property taxes can be worth $2 million annually, said Heather Way, a University of Texas at Austin law professor who studies PFC deals. Developers also enjoy a sales tax exemption on the project’s building materials, worth another $1.3 million per development, according to her 2020 analysis. What the public gets in return has been more debatable. The law requires developers to set aside half a project’s units as affordable housing. Supporters say it fills a growing need among middle-income residents unable to keep pace with the state’s soaring real estate costs. In her study, however, Way found the definition of “affordable” meant many PFC apartments rented at near-market rates. The projects also generally weren’t subject to the same oversight as other government-supported affordable housing. Using a section of the law allowing local governments to form their own PFCs, the SH 130 Municipal Management District created the Texas Essential Housing PFC in August 2021. Since then, Texas Essential Housing has pursued property tax breaks for at least 40 multi-family developments in a half-dozen counties, its records show. Local officials too ‘prideful’ The lost revenue has surprised local officials. “Why is it Bexar County residents are being asked to shoulder the tax burden for an organization in Travis County?” Conry Davidson, an attorney for the Bexar Appraisal District, recalls thinking after receiving notice it had to remove a 30-acre lot valued at $5 million from the local tax roll. Williamson County Commissioner Valerie Covey said she learned about several of the Travis County organization’s tax-break projects in her precinct only by chance. “If you can just sweep into any county in the state and cause any property to be exempt without the local government’s knowledge, it’s concerning,” she said. “Nobody the taxpayers could hold accountable is having a say in it, which is not the way it’s supposed to work. I don’t know how it’s legal.” “It’s not taxation without representation,” added Charlie Crossfield, an attorney who represents the Williamson County appraisal district, which recently had to remove a $1 million, 15-acre parcel acquired by Texas Essential Housing PFC from its roll. “But it is exemption without representation.” Appraisers and lawyers said the deals appear to carefully follow rules as passed by state lawmakers. Rather, they said, the Austin businessmen have figured out how to use the statutes to their benefit by making profitable deals far outside the district’s borders. Dukes, a former state government executive related to former State Rep. Dawnna Dukes who sits on the Texas Essential Housing PFC board and serves as executive director, said the organization has appropriately used the PFC law to respond to a dire statewide need for “missing middle” housing. “We know the TEHPFC can help fill the void of agencies that don’t have adequate resources to keep up with the escalating demand on their own,” he wrote. The organization “provides that expertise and service, without forcing taxpayers to shoulder an extra penny on their tax bills to repay bonds or face losing teachers.” He dismissed the complaints from local authorities, saying he was “100 percent open to working with” them. But, he added, “When we have requested meetings with those officials, they seem to have more interest in protecting their turf, some are prideful and reject our assistance to help solve the crisis with proven solutions.” Imagining an anti-Austin In exchange for arranging the deals, ...

Our Son Died Of A Brain-Eating Amoeba After Swimming In Costa Rica – Insider https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/our-son-died-of-a-brain-eating-amoeba-after-swimming-in-costa-rica-insider/ A few days after swimming while on vacation, our son Jordan developed a headache and stiff neck. He had been infected a brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, which is often misdiagnosed. He died seven days after swimming. Now, we’re working to raise awareness about this issue. Loading Something is loading. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Steve and Shelly Smelski, the founders of the Jordan Smelski Foundation in Florida, about primary-amebic meningoencephalitis. It has been edited for length and clarity.  We were vacationing at a five-star resort in Costa Rica on June 26, 2014 when we spent time at the hot springs. We got to enjoy scenic views, unbelievable weather, and listening to the laughs of our 11-year-old son, Jordan, going down the waterslide and plopping into the gorgeous hot spring below. It was perfect, aside from him getting a little water up the nose — or so we thought.  The next morning, Jordan woke up with a headache. We dug into our travel pharmacy — the medicine we brought with us just in case things like this occurred — and gave him Motrin. It seemed to help at first, but he couldn’t shake the pain. We asked him how bad his headache was on a scale of one to ten. The first three days after swimming, he answered anywhere between a one and a five; on days four and five, the pain worsened to a six and beyond. We figured Jordan just had a cold and we went home to Florida — but once we were home, he started vomiting uncontrollably.  We stayed up with him through the night, but he wasn’t getting better, only worse. By Sunday morning, Jordan had developed a stiff neck and his headache was escalating, so we rushed him to the emergency room, where staff transferred him to AdventHealth for Children in Orlando. We didn’t know what it could be, but having just traveled and gone horseback riding with exposure to animals on the trip, we thought that Jordan might have picked up a bacterial infection.  Jordan Smelski. Courtesy of Steve and Shelly Smelski By July 2, just seven days after swimming, Jordan passed away from primary-amebic meningoencephalitis, also known as PAM, after the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri infected him. The doctor said it was likely the amoeba infected him when water went up his nose after his trip down the waterslide in Costa Rica.  Our whole world fell apart that day. Jordan was our only child, our sweet boy who loved soccer and baseball and spent time writing and making art. He was all energy, all the time, and when we took him to the hospital, it never occurred to us that he wouldn’t be coming home.  There have been so many medical advances in the last 50 years that we just expected the doctors to fix whatever was wrong and give us our spunky son back. We didn’t anticipate that the hospital wouldn’t be prepared to help Jordan quickly enough to save his life. We’re now on a mission to save other children because education and testing could have saved Jordan’s life When we took Jordan to the hospital, doctors thought — incorrectly — that he had bacterial meningitis. Some of the symptoms are similar, like a stiff neck, severe headaches, and vomiting, and very few places even think of amoeba infections because they’re considered so rare. Thus, testing for them is extremely limited and only three states are required to report these infections — those states being Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. Many medical professionals aren’t even prepared to identify these infections.  First, the hospital has to understand how an amoeba infects the system, what the symptoms of this infection are, and how those symptoms present. Once medical professionals have received education and training in the symptoms, then they need a quick way to test for the amoeba.  As of right now, testing for an amoeba is done through a lumbar puncture where spinal fluid is collected. Most hospitals are able to collect spinal fluid, but they can’t confirm the PAM infection without the tests, which the CDC holds. That spinal fluid then has to be shipped to the CDC for confirmation, which takes up to seven days to return a result. However, amoeba infections have a 97% mortality rate and are usually fatal within five days of when symptoms begin to present — though they can take up to 18 days. Every second counts. That’s why we created the Jordan Smelski Foundation and partnered with AdventHealth to create faster tests that can staff can perform in hospitals to save other people from amoeba infections.   We wanted to do whatever we could to save other parents from the same grief  AdventHealth for Children helped us sponsor the first Amoeba Summit in 2015 to raise awareness and educate the medical community about amoeba infection and detection. Also in partnership with AdventHealth, Dr. Jose Alexander, a clinical microbiologist and the director of microbiology, virology and immunology for AdventHealth Orlando, and his team have been able to develop an accurate test that checks for all three variations of amoebas within five hours.  Even the CDC test is not that thorough; it only identifies one type of amoeba — Naegleria fowleri. Alexander’s lab test has been internally validated, undergoing rigorous testing and quality-control measures that don’t require FDA approval. He plans to present the test at a medical conference next year. Is it rare or is it underdetected? The primary mission of our foundation is to save lives, and the best way to do that is investing in research and early detection. The challenge we’re facing is that PAM is classified as a rare disease — but may not actually be that rare.  The amount of cases are severely underreported because PAM presents, and doctors often misdiagnose it, as bacterial meningitis, like it did for Jordan — or medical professionals never test for it at all. That means more parents are losing their children unnecessarily, and we want to help stop that.  Additionally, the research dollars don’t go into rare diseases. If we can help get an accurate picture of amoeba infections, then more research can be done. What parents need to know Amoebas live in freshwater in a wide range of temperatures. They can be in tap water, rivers, lakes, hot springs, and pools. If kids start showing signs of headache, fever, nausea, or vomiting within a few days after swimming, playing in bodies of water, rinsing contacts with tap water, or taking baths, take them to the hospital immediately.  There’s not enough time to wait and hope it goes away. Until the test is available at all hospitals and more medical professionals learn the symptoms, time is not on your side. The more time you have to catch it, the greater your child’s chances of survival.

Business Insider Quotes Brewer About Inflation Relief – UMaine News – University Of Maine – University Of Maine https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/business-insider-quotes-brewer-about-inflation-relief-umaine-news-university-of-maine-university-of-maine/ Division of Marketing and Communications 5703 Alumni Hall Orono, ME 04469-5703

Opening Access: White Bird Clinic Doubles Capacity Of Its Medical Clinic – The Register-Guard https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/opening-access-white-bird-clinic-doubles-capacity-of-its-medical-clinic-the-register-guard/ White Bird Clinic began over half a century ago when a group of activists, students, medics and social workers gathered, in the spirit of counterculture, to make an alternative. They wanted the community’s most vulnerable to have someone they trusted to respond to their crises. Much has changed since 1969. Over the years, White Bird has grown from a ragtag team with a phone – developing the now-famous mobile response team CAHOOTS, a substance abuse treatment clinic, counseling services, a dental office, mental health services for teens and several other programs designed to support those in need. Wednesday evening, the clinic will celebrate another advancement: An expansion and update of its medical clinic, which means the clinic can have 40 to 60 more visits a day once enough providers are hired. The updated facility more than doubles the size of the clinic, provides more space for a walk-in clinic and adds negative pressure exam rooms, which allows clinicians to safely isolate and diagnose patients with symptoms of respiratory transmitted diseases such as COVID-19. The expanded walk-in clinic means that those most in need of services can get help without an appointment. The clinic looks and feels like a typical doctor’s office, but White Bird’s radical roots still shine through. “We still wear a lot of tie-dye around here,” Rachael Phipps, a medical clerical specialist joked as she gave The Register-Guard a tour Tuesday. “Our core mission is to serve the community and clearly this is serving the community a lot better than before.” “No more sandals,” client resource specialist Mel Rondon said with a laugh, adding on a more serious note how meaningful it feels to be improving the capacity and capability of a building that has housed White Bird services for more than a decade. There’s a huge need for more resources to aid Lane County’s nearly 4,000 people experiencing homelessness. One clinic can’t fill all of the gaps, but clinic staff will work with their clients to help them navigate the larger healthcare system and connect with other medical and social resources in the community. The goal of the new clinic, which was paid for through private donations, grants and through general operating costs, is to improve quality of life, promote healthy living, treat acute and chronic conditions, and reduce reliance on emergency medical services. “When you don’t have food, when you don’t have housing, when you don’t have clothes, when you don’t have a safe place to live in, when you don’t have folks who are invested in your wellness and who care about you as a person … our health starts to suffer, suffer really quickly,” Rondon said. “And not just our mental and emotional health, but our physical health as well.” According to staff, primary care walk-in clinics are a proven way to remove some of the obstacles to medical care faced by homeless and low-income people, since no appointment is needed and it gives people a chance to address more urgent needs in a place they feel comfortable in. Offering low-barrier access means that more people will have the chance to get healthier and feel better. Low-barrier care might look like removing sobriety requirements, prohibitive pet policies, restrictions against certain past criminal convictions, photo ID requirements, and other factors that can prevent people from getting support, Rondon said. More:What is a low-barrier shelter and why is it important in the homelessness solution? All of the factors that might lead a person to homelessness are hard to count, however Rondon said a common denominator among those who prefer living on the streets to engaging with social services is a feeling of disfranchisement or being excluded from society. Part of her job is assuring clients that they belong, which paradoxically requires honoring what makes them different. “The spirit of low-barrier service is to provide avenues to service for as many people as possible by honoring individual autonomy,” Rondon said. “By removing and reducing barriers to service, we help make support more accessible and demonstrate to clients that they are part of our community – however they decide that looks for them.” White Bird Medical Clinic expansion Where: White Bird’s main medical clinic at 1400 Mill St. The walk-in clinic is located inside. Co-location with the primary care clinic will allow supplemental services to be available to walk-in patients as available. Walk-in hours: 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Medical clinic hours: 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Of note: The clinic is experiencing the same staffing shortages faced by many other healthcare setting, staff are looking for registered nurses and other clinic staff to join their team. Follow Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT. Email Tatiana@registerguard.com.

Colts Vs. Broncos Predictions For Thursday Night, Plus Unfortunate 15-Year Streak For London Games Is Ending – CBS Sports https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/colts-vs-broncos-predictions-for-thursday-night-plus-unfortunate-15-year-streak-for-london-games-is-ending-cbs-sports/ Welcome to the Thursday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! Usually, this is the part where I hype you up for tonight’s game, but I’m not sure any amount of hype is going to get you excited to watch the Broncos play the Colts. Actually, I take that back, this game could be exciting, because there’s a 70% chance it ends in a 0-0 tie and we don’t get to see those very often these days. These two teams have single-handedly set offensive football back 95 years and if we’ve learned one thing through four weeks, it’s that they both have trouble scoring. We’ll be breaking down those troubles as we preview the game in today’s newsletter, plus we’ll also be taking a look at the unfortunate 15-year streak that will be ending in London on Sunday.  As always, here’s your weekly reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the Pick Six newsletter. To get your friends to sign up, all you have to do is click here and then share this link with them. Alright, let’s get to the rundown.  1. Today’s show: Brady Quinn breaks down the latest NFL news USATSI If you’re going to listen to just one episode of the Pick Six podcast every week, then you should definitely make sure that you’re listening every Thursday, because that’s when Brady Quinn joins the show. For today’s episode, the former first-round pick chatted with Will Brinson about a multitude of topics, which included a conversation about who the best 2-2 team is in the NFL.  Nearly half the teams in the league are 2-2 right now (15 of the 32 teams) so there are a lot of candidates to choose from. One 2-2 team that Brady currently likes is the ARIZONA CARDINALS. Although some people have left the Cards for dead, Brady is definitely not in that camp.  “I’m buying them right now because they’re finding ways to win games they probably shouldn’t and they don’t have arguably their best player out there in DeAndre Hopkins,” Brady said. “You’re a quarter into the season and you’re 2-2 and you have to feel like the Rams don’t look like they’re running away with [the NFC West], Seattle looks more competitive than we thought, but I’m buying the Cardinals. I’m excited to see what they will be when Hopkins gets in there.” Another 2-2 team that Brady talked about was the Jets. Brady was down on the Jets all offseason and because of that, the fan base came to loathe him. To fix things, Brady made a crazy offer during today’s show: He’s going to donate $1,000 to charity for EVERY game the Jets win for the rest of the season (You can hear Brady talk about this by clicking here).  If you want to hear everything else Brady had to say on today’s podcast, then be sure to click here. If you want to see his handsome face, then you can also watch today’s episode on YouTube by clicking here.  2. Thursday night preview: Prepping you for Colts at Broncos The Colts and Broncos have a lot in common this year: During the offseason both teams made a major trade for a quarterback and so far, both trades have been spectacular failures. Their offenses haven’t just been bad, they’ve been worse than bad.  The Colts have scored the fewest points in the NFL this year (14.3 point per game) while the Broncos have scored the third-fewest (16.5). If you hate high-scoring games, then you’re going to love this game, because there shouldn’t be a lot of points scored.  My good pal Cody Benjamin put together CBSSports.com’s deep-dive preview for this game. Here’s how he sees the game playing out: Why the Colts can win: The Colts aren’t going to have Jonathan Taylor (ankle) for this game, which means they’re actually going to need Matt Ryan to play like the Matt Ryan they thought they were getting when they traded for him in March. Ryan was supposed to be an upgrade over Carson Wentz, but he hasn’t been that yet. Through four weeks, Ryan has turned the ball over EIGHT times, which is the most in the NFL. He’s also thrown at least one pick in three of Indy’s four games and not surprisingly, the Colts are winless in those three games. If Ryan can play mistake-free football, that should be enough to at least keep the Colts in the game.  Why the Broncos can win: The Broncos offense might not be much to look at, but they’ve made it to 2-2 because they have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Broncos rank in the top five in both fewest yards allowed and fewest points allowed and they should have a field day against the Colts offense. If the Broncos can get pressure on Matt Ryan, the Colts offense is going to have a tough time moving the ball and if that happens, the Broncos should be in prime position to win a low-scoring slugfest.  You can get a full preview of the game from Cody by clicking here. If you’re thinking about betting on the game, Tyler Sullivan put together a full gambling preview (odds via Caesars Sportsbook). You can check out Sullivan’s full gambling preview by clicking here, but if you don’t feel like clicking over, here’s one prop from both of us for tonight’s game (My prop has hit in three straight prime-time games, so let’s see if we can keep this roll going).   ONE PROP TYLER LIKES: Russell Wilson UNDER 229.5 passing yards (+100): “Wilson is dealing with a shoulder injury and that has me leaning on the under for this prop. Over the last three weeks, he’s gone under this total twice while averaging just 213.3 passing yards per game in his past three games. Factor in the injury and it’s hard to see his passing stats see any sort of drastic uptick, even with the Javonte Williams injury possibly forcing him to pass more often.”  ONE PROP I LIKE: Brandon McManus OVER 1.5 field goals (-123): The Broncos have the worst red zone offense in the NFL this year, which is bad for the Broncos, but that’s good for McManus, who already has 10 field goal attempts on the season. If the Broncos are scoring points, it usually involves McManus, who is averaging two field goals per game this season and two is all you need for this over to hit.    Finally, if you’re wondering who we’re picking, here’s who we have tonight:  Cody’s pick: Broncos 22-17 over Colts Sullivan’s pick: Colts 23-21 over Broncos My pick: Broncos 20-17 over Colts Over on our CBSSports.com picks page, six of our seven experts are taking the Broncos to win.  3. Packers and Giants to end unfortunate 15-year streak for London games USATSI The NFL has been playing games in London since 2007 and over that time, there hasn’t been a SINGLE GAME that pitted two teams that BOTH had a winning record. The NFL has sent so many bad games over to London that I was 91% sure England was going to declare war on us at some point, but that didn’t happen and their patience has now paid off with the Giants and Packers getting set to play on Sunday.  Here are a few nuggets from the game in London along with the two streaks that will be ending:  NFL finally sending a good matchup to London. Fans in London haven’t gotten to see very many good teams over the years. In the 31 games that have been played since 2007, there have been nine teams that were winless when they played in London, but only one team that went into its international game undefeated (the Ravens in 2017). The Giants (3-1) game against the Packers (3-1) will mark the first time ever that both teams have entered a London game with a winning record.  Packers headed overseas for the first time. Since 2007, the NFL has sent 31 of its 32 teams overseas, but the Packers had somehow avoided playing in London until this year. When they take the field on Sunday, every NFL team will have played at least one game in England. This game will mark the first time that the fans in London have gotten to see Aaron Rodgers play in-person.  Why it took so long for Packers to be sent to England. It took 15 years for the Packers to get sent to London because they didn’t want to give up a home game at Lambeau and opposing teams were hesitant to give up a home game when the Packers were the visiting team because Green Bay draws well on the road. With a ninth home game added to the schedule this year, that opened the door for the Packers’ debut in London to happen.  London game could be a good omen for the Giants. The Giants have made the playoffs in every season where they’ve been sent to London (2007, 2016), and based on how they’ve played this year, they might be able to keep the streak alive. Also, the Giants are the only team in the NFL that has gotten to the Super Bowl in the same season where they also played in London. That came in 2007 when they beat the Dolphins in London before shocking the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.  The Packers and Giants will be kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday in a game that will be airing on NFL Network. 4. Rookie rankings heading into Week 5: Seahawks’ third-round pick jumps into top-five If you read this newsletter regularly, then you know we love to rank things here. And if you don’t read it regularly, I have some news for you: We love to rank things here, and today, we have rookie rankings.  CBSSports.com’s Josh Edwards ranks the NFL’s top rookies every week, and here’s how things stand as we get ready to kick off Week 5 tonight. Top rookies heading into Week 5: 1. Falcons WR Drake London. “Cleveland challenged London at the catch point and forced a few incompletions in a game where he caught just two passes for 17 yards.” 2. Jets WR Garrett Wilson. “Wilson has such a good feel for when to make that cut and is open on almost every play. The rookie went for 41 yards against the Steelers in Week 4.” 3. Seahawks OL Abraham Lucas. “Lucas has been sensational this season. He struggled at times with Nick Bosa in Week 2, but he has more than held his own against all ot...

This Week In The Metaverse: Meta Makes Deep Cuts, NFT Sales Drop 60% – The Drum https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/this-week-in-the-metaverse-meta-makes-deep-cuts-nft-sales-drop-60-the-drum/ Things are moving fast in the metaverse, and in the wider world of web3 as a whole. Here’s what you need to know from this past week: Meta Platforms plans to terminate the lease at its 225 Park South office location in New York City, per reports. News of the upcoming closure arrives on the heels of a grim milestone for Meta: Last week, the company’s founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced the first major budget cut in the nearly 20-year history of the company (which was originally founded as Facebook in 2004), plus a hiring freeze and expected layoffs that will likely leave the company with a smaller workforce in 2023 than it has currently, according to Bloomberg. Meta has recently been spending vast amounts of capital in its efforts to be a prime mover in the metaverse, a gamble which may or may not yet pay off. In the final days of September, the company’s stock hit its lowest point since 2019. Tim Cook casts doubt on the future of VR, underscores enthusiasm for AR Apple chief executive Tim Cook has some doubts about the long-term appeal of the metaverse and virtual reality (VR). The tech billionaire told Dutch publication Bright that “it’s important that people understand what something is … I’m not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is.” While he acknowledges that VR is “something that you can really immerse yourself in,” he adds that he doesn’t “think you want to live your whole life that way.” Instead, he’s placing his bets on augmented reality (AR), which he described in the Bright interview as “a profound technology that will affect everything.” Apple is expected to release its much – anticipated AR headset – which reportedly will also include some VR capabilities – as soon as next year. Cook isn’t the only tech magnate who has rained on the metaverse parade. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, who’s also been pushing his company in the direction of AR rather than VR, recently told The Guardian that the concept of the metaverse is “pretty ambiguous and hypothetical.” NFT sales drop sharply in Q3 The non-fungible token (NFT) market continues to nosedive amid the ongoing “crypto winter.” NFT sales were down around 60% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter, according to a Reuters report published earlier this week. The report, which cited data from blockchain data tracker DappRadar, said that NFT sales tallied at around $3.4bn in Q3, compared to $8.4bn in Q2 and $12.5bn in early 2022, which marked a high point for the NFT market. Shaky economic conditions prompted many investors to abandon risky crypto assets earlier this year, sparking a general decline in the crypto market. FSOC report calls on Congress to crack down on crypto A new government report is urging Congress to impose regulations on the crypto market in order to protect the stability of the US economy. The 124-page report, published on Monday, was compiled by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), a panel comprised of leading financial regulators that was created as part of the Dodd-Frank Act following the financial crisis of 2008. “Crypto-asset activities could pose risks to the stability of the U.S. financial system if their interconnections with the traditional financial system or their overall scale were to grow without adherence to or being paired with appropriate regulation, including enforcement of the existing regulatory structure,” the report says. The FSOC, part of the Treasury Department, compiled its report in response to President Joe Biden’s “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets” executive order from March of this year. The order called for a “whole-of-government approach to addressing the risks and harnessing the potential benefits of digital assets and their underlying technology.” The report offered many suggestions for potentially effective strategies for regulating the crypto market, including that Congress pass legislation to give federal regulators “explicit rulemaking authority … over the spot market for crypto-assets that are not securities.” Celsius execs withdrew over $40mn in crypto before freezing customer withdrawals, per court documents New court documents reveal that two former executives and one current executive from the crypto lending company Celsius Network withdrew a cumulative $42.13 worth of cryptocurrency shortly before the company froze all customer withdrawals and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year. According to CoinDesk, which broke the news early this morning, Celsius’ former CEO Alex Mashinsky withdrew around $10mn in crypto; the company’s former CSO Daniel Leon and current CTO Nuke Goldstein withdrew around $11mn and $20.8mn, respectively. Celsius reported that Mashinsky resigned from the company last week, followed by Leon on Tuesday. Celsius filed for bankruptcy in July, an event which some were calling crypto’s “Lehman Brothers moment,” in reference to the collapse of the major Wall Street firm during the earliest days of the 2008 financial crisis. The company reportedly owes its users around $4.7bn and does not have the funds to repay them. For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.

Weird Old Inventions And Curiosities Of Yesteryear – Pocket-Lint https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/weird-old-inventions-and-curiosities-of-yesteryear-pocket-lint/ (Pocket-lint) – Mankind has been crafting all sorts of weird and wonderful inventions since time began. Some of them appeared way before their time and were underappreciated.  Others are intriguing curiosities, often with unexpected uses and hidden surprises.  The Museum of Curiosities is a Twitter account that’s dedicated to collecting these trinkets, gadgets, gizmos and oddities. It’s well worth following in order to see some brilliant curiosities. We’ve collected some of our favourites for you to enjoy.  A curious orange Here’s a neat little thing. A set of perfume bottles that are designed to look like an orange. Each segment is an individual bottle with a total of eight being held inside the skin.  A multi-purpose radiator From the Victorian era comes an invention that’s ideal for multitasking. This is a radiator but one that also doubles as a bread warmer.  Others have suggested that you could also use it to dry your shoes out or use it as a cat bed.  A bonkers tricycle Here’s a bonkers tricycle from the 1930s. Designs back then were bright, bold and in-your-face. Would we see kids riding this sort of thing down the street now? Probably not. Tiny books within books Book lovers are bound to appreciate this one. In 1757 a bookbinder in the Netherlands apparently made a tiny bookshelf with miniature books and nestled it away inside another bigger book. Weird and wonderful.  Efficient reading If you like multitasking then you’ll surely love this. It’s a 300-year-old contraption for opening (and reading) multiple books at once. Why just read one when you can read seven? In-car coffee machine You’ve probably marvelled at the various accessories you’ll find conveniently installed in modern motor vehicles. But car manufacturers have been putting things inside cars for years.  In the late 1950s, Volkswagen was apparently installing optional coffee machines in its vehicles. Convenient, but probably not terribly safe.  Complex wiring We love seeing how technology has changed over the decades. And this photo from the late 1950s shows what could now be seen as a “primitive computer”, but at the time was a marvel of IBM engineering.  Retro radios Radios might not have been as fancy as modern music tech or even as the phone in your pocket but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t look great. Here are some awesome-looking Art Deco radios from the 1930s.  Razzle Dazzle camoflauge You’ve probably heard about modern stealth technology used on military aeroplanes and vehicles but have you ever seen Razzle Dazzle camouflage? This was a type of camouflage painted on allied ships during WW1 to confuse the enemy. It was inspired by British marine artist Norman Wilkinson and was intended to make it difficult to range the ships accurately. Thus making them harder to hit.  Double wide limo Jay Ohrberg is famous for creating some pretty bonkers cars including experimental vehicles for TV shows and movies. This is one of his creations, a “double wide” limo. Not really practical, but certainly curious.  Casio EG-5 Cassette Player This awesome creation dates back to the 1980s. It’s a guitar/cassette player and recorder combo. Ideal if you want to jam out and record your own music at the same time? Weird TV Here’s a weird and wonderful Philco Predicta Television from the 1950s. Sure, it might be tiny compared to modern TVs but its design is certainly quirky.  Reusable shopping list Using a piece of paper and pen to write a shopping list is so archaic. But using your phone to note it down is a bit too dull too. How about this reusable shopping list instead.  Air conditioned lawn mower Some of these inventions are clearly way beyond their time and perhaps verge on being a bit unnecessary.  Like this ride-on lawnmower that also has air conditioning. There’s a reason they aren’t commonplace several decades after they were first invented.  Writing by Adrian Willings.

Web3 Gaming Industry Stats Might Surprise The Crypto Holders – AMBCrypto News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/web3-gaming-industry-stats-might-surprise-the-crypto-holders-ambcrypto-news/ Mobile gaming company Coda Labs recently carried out a user study focusing on the Web3 gaming industry. The study was led by WALR, a leading data creation firm and a member organization of the Market Research Society.  The survey was carried out in five countries, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, and Japan.  A total of 6,921 respondents were surveyed. The U.S. recorded the most responses, while South Africa accounted for the least.  Findings of the study The participants were initially divided into three groups based on their gaming activity and interests. 81% of the respondents qualified as gamers (general), meaning that they played video games at least twice a month. The next category is crypto non-gamers. These were people who use crypto regularly but their gaming activity is negligible compared to general gamers.  Their crypto activity includes more than just buying and selling tokens. This category is active on decentralized exchanges and buys NFTs on a monthly basis. The final category, labeled crypto gamers, included those who met the requirements of the previous two categories. So that means people who played games at least twice a month and interacted with DEXs and NFTs regularly. Japan recorded the highest number of gamers with 90% of respondents qualifying for this category. Interestingly, just 2% identified as crypto non-gamers. South Africa accounted for the least amount of gamers with 71% of total respondents but had the highest percentage of crypto gamers at 24%. The study concluded that Web3 gaming is not a “mass market” yet. 52% of gamers are not familiar with any kind of web3 gaming term.  Only 12% of the respondents from this category have even tried a web3 game. The ones who haven’t tried, aren’t looking forward to it anytime soon. In contrast to this, 65% of the crypto non-gamers have tried their hands on a web3 game, indicating that the target crowd for this sector lies within the industry.  Gamers as a group aren’t really fond of crypto, be it NFTs or trading/investment. Crypto gamers, however, have a positive sentiment toward crypto.  Respondents across the board are incentivized to play web3 games due to the potential crypto earnings. This motivation was identified, even among the general gamers.  General gamers who weren’t getting involved with Web3 games cited a lack of knowledge about their work as the reason.  However, those familiar with crypto were more concerned with the setup costs of getting into Web3 games, and the risk of scams and exploits. Investments pouring in In the first six months of 2022, the blockchain gaming industry received investments totaling $5 billion.  NFT scaling platform Immutable made headlines earlier this year when it announced a $500 million venture fund solely focused on web3 gaming, along with NFTs.  A report published by DappRadar last month showed that projects focused on web3 gaming and metaverse had raised a whopping $750 million in investment since 1 August 2022.  In more recent news, blockchain game developer Horizon raised $40M in its Series A funding round led by Morgan Creek Digital and  Brevan Howard Digital  Ser Suzuki Shillsalot has 8 years of experience working as a Senior Investigative journalist at The SpamBot Times. He completed a two-hour course in journalism from a popular YouTube video and was one of the few to give it a positive rating. Shillsalot’s writings mainly focus on shilling his favourite cryptos and trolling anyone who disagrees with him. P.S – There is a slight possibility the profile pic is AI-generated. You see, this account is primarily used by our freelancer writers and they wish to remain anonymous. Wait, are they Satoshi? :/

Mexican Economy Minister Resigns, Dealing Blow To Trade Team Amid U.S. Talks – Reuters Canada https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/mexican-economy-minister-resigns-dealing-blow-to-trade-team-amid-u-s-talks-reuters-canada/ Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier speaks during an event in London, Britain May 20, 2022. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Pool/File Photo MEXICO CITY, Oct 6 (Reuters) – Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier stepped down on Thursday, depriving Mexico of one of its key trade negotiators as her government scrambles to head off a major dispute over energy with the United States and Canada. Clouthier, a scion of a powerful political family who became economy minister early last year, said she had first told President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador she intended to quit not long after the energy disagreement threatened to become costly for Mexico. Her resignation was effective immediately. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The United States requested dispute settlement talks with Mexico over energy on July 20. Clouthier said she had first discussed her desire to step down with Lopez Obrador on July 26, using baseball as a metaphor to explain her decision. “Like in the game, one needs to know when to retire,” Clouthier said as Lopez Obrador stood alongside her. Lopez Obrador, a baseball fan, has made strengthening state control of energy a cornerstone of his economic agenda. The policy has upset U.S. and Canadian investors who argue their companies have been put at an unfair disadvantage. The U.S. energy complaint, which Canada joined, put Clouthier in a tough position, forcing her to defend policies that Mexican officials privately concede very likely breach a North American trade deal Lopez Obrador is also committed to. Visibly moved while reading from her resignation letter in a government news conference, Clouthier said she had also raised her plan to resign with Lopez Obrador in September. Lopez Obrador said he respected her decision. “We insisted she stay, but she’s a woman with convictions,” he added. A replacement for Clouthier will be announced on Friday, Lopez Obrador said. Her departure just comes days after an initial consultation period for the energy dispute was set to expire. Washington had the option to request a dispute panel after 75 days, but U.S. and Mexican officials told Reuters talks would continue. If the dispute does end up at a panel, Mexico risks getting hit with punitive trade tariffs, trade experts say. Clouthier thanked the president for showing her “there’s no exhaustion, sickness or barrier that can’t be overcome when it comes to public service.” Lopez Obrador did not respond when asked by a reporter if Clouthier was ill. Clouthier, a former congresswoman and onetime member of the opposition center-right National Action Party (PAN), later joined forces with the leftist Lopez Obrador and played a major role in helping run his campaign for president in 2018. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Kylie Madry; Additional reporting by Sarah Morland and Raul Cortes; Editing by Dave Graham and Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Enabling EV Powertrain Systems: Amsted Automotive Technology Will Be Featured Prominently At The 2022 International Supplier Fair (IZB) – PR Newswire https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/enabling-ev-powertrain-systems-amsted-automotive-technology-will-be-featured-prominently-at-the-2022-international-supplier-fair-izb-pr-newswire/ , /PRNewswire/ — Several technologies developed by Amsted Automotive will be featured at the upcoming International Supplier Fair (IZB) including the company’s series-production Dynamic Controllable Clutch and e-axle disconnect, novel Multi-Functional Clutch Technologies for EV Disconnects and Integrated Differential Disconnect. The 2022 IZB takes place in Wolfsburg, Germany, October 11-13. Nearly 1,000 exhibitors from more than 30 countries are expected to attend this gathering of global innovators in the automotive industry. Amsted Automotive will be featured prominently as part of IZB. Its Dynamic Controllable Clutch technology is featured as one of the stand-out Innovations of IZB. John Jennings, Amsted Automotive Director Innovation & eMobility, will present novel Multi-Functional Clutch Technologies for EV Disconnects on October 12 at 1:10 pm Central European Time. The presentation will be on the IZB main stage in Hall 1. A download of the presentation can be obtained here: novel Multi-Functional Clutch Technologies presentation. The presentation will also be available as part of a digital package that will be distributed at the Amsted Automotive display. The digital package also includes videos that demonstrate the range of Amsted Automotive technologies available to enable and improve EV powertrain systems. Stop by booth #6418 in Hall 6 to experience the technology demonstrations and receive a digital package from Amsted Automotive. About Amsted Automotive Group In 2021, Amsted Automotive Group brought together Means Industries Inc., SMW Manufacturing, and Burgess-Norton Mfg. Co., Inc. to form a new and innovative technology team. The integration provides an expanded global presence with 21 facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia to serve the global automotive customer base with a robust manufacturing footprint, producing over 100 million components and assemblies annually. The group combines design and engineering expertise, strategically aligned to be a nimble leader in advanced metal-forming, powder metal manufacturing, and electro-mechanical clutches for electrified propulsion solutions. Amsted Automotive plays an integral role in the global automotive market, both ICE and EV, in North America, Europe, and Asia. SOURCE Amsted Automotive

Logitech Announces New $1000 Gaming Chair With Herman Miller – GameSpot https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/logitech-announces-new-1000-gaming-chair-with-herman-miller-gamespot/ Logitech has announced a new high-end gaming chair made in partnership with Herman Miller. The new chair is called Vantum, and Logitech says it’s the company’s first “performance” chair designed specifically for gamers. “Driven by extensive research, design expertise, and a unique understanding of gaming performance, we’ve developed a seat that provides superior ergonomic support and adjustability so every player can do what they love for longer,” Logitech said The Vantum chair promises “total support” through the head, neck, and shoulders. It has an adjustable headrest and thoracic support. The suspension system promises “lasting, breathable” comfort. The chair is 36.8 pounds and has dimensions of 44.25″ H 30.5″ W 29″ D. The Vantum chair costs $995 USD and comes in three different colors, including Black/Obsidian, Black/Polar, and Black/Flare. You can learn more and place an order via Herman Miller’s website. This chair is pretty pricy, but it’s not the most expensive gaming chair from Herman Miller. The store also sells the Embody ($1800) and the Aeron ($1700). Logitech and Herman Miller announced their partnership back in August 2020. Gaming furniture is a growing business, apparently, as PlayStation has also announced a line of branded furniture. Additionally, IKEA has gaming chairs that use a 3D-model of your butt to make the most comfortable seat. If you’re looking for a nice gaming chair but don’t want to spend $1,000, check out our roundup of the best gaming chairs. The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

42 Years Ago, An Elite San Antonio Brothel Was Raided By Police – San Antonio Express-News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/42-years-ago-an-elite-san-antonio-brothel-was-raided-by-police-san-antonio-express-news/ Timothy Fanning, San Antonio Express-News Oct. 6, 2022 Theresa Brown and Attorney Rick Woods R.J. Osborne/San Antonio Light On the morning of Oct. 2, 1980, madam Theresa Brown heard a booming voice from the living room of her North Side home: “Raid!” That single word, uttered 42 years ago this week by a law enforcement agent, put an end to the elite brothel Brown ran out of her home on Northtrail Drive that was rumored to have attracted politicians, athletes and lawyers for two decades.  Questions quickly swirled about how Brown was able to operate with limited harassment from law enforcement. Both the FBI and San Antonio Police investigated whether Brown received legal protection.  You might also like: The place to go for sex: A history of prostitution in San Antonio While Brown’s story has since faded from the spotlight, questions remain as to what provoked the bust and how she was able to operate for so long.  “That’s one of the questions I was left with,” said Rick Casey, who hosted KLRN’s “Texas Week” and covered the story for the San Antonio Express and News.  In 1980, acting on a tip, Casey unearthed a police report that showed that authorities were well aware of Brown’s brothel at 314 Northtrail Drive. Theresa Brown’s brothel at 315 Northtrail. Jim Blaylock/San Antonio Express-News At the time, the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County District Attorney’s Office were at each other’s throats, each denying that they knew about the brothel.  On the sidelines stood nervous public officials and local business leaders — alleged clients of Brown who feared they would be exposed. Many feared Brown’s fabled “trick list,” which contained the names and sexual preferences of some of the city’s leading figures.  More San Antonio history: Johnny Cash was an honorary Bexar County sheriff’s deputy The list, rumored to contain 3,000 names, was in the hands of police after it was confiscated on Oct. 2, 1980. The story about the bust, the aftermath and who might have frequented the brothel dominated local and national headlines for years.  “It was a circus, it was a real circus,” Casey said. Among the day-to-day twists and turns that captivated the public  —  Brown filed to run against one alleged client for City Council.  And El Pueblo, a West Side leftist newspaper, later printed 19 of the names of Brown’s clients. “The high and mighty of San Antonio, who in the past have constantly accused the Blacks, the Mexicans, the poor and working people of being immoral, corrupt and law breakers,” the story said. Theresa Brown charged with operating a brothel in San Antonio in 1980. Theresa and her son Cecil Brown and attorney Rick Woods walk together. San Antonio Express-News file/Jo/San Antonio Express-News The full scope of the client list has never been known.  In 1985, acting under a court order, police burned the list. The whereabouts of her back-up list, which was the subject of a First Amendment court battle, remains unknown. Brown died in 2012. ‘Grand tradition of free enterprise’ Brown grew up in San Antonio. Her father was a machinist and her mother died giving birth to one of her three siblings, according to an interview with the San Antonio Light in 1980.  She dropped out of high school at 17 and then married against her father’s wishes. When the marriage collapsed, Brown found herself living in Victoria Courts, a West Side public housing project, with her two sons.  Brown worked as a bookkeeper, clerk and “call girl” before opening her brothel, next to her home, in the 1960s. “I was getting $50 a month for both kids, and we lived in a project,” Brown told Texas Country magazine in 1981. “I decided to better myself in the grand tradition of free enterprise.”  Hearst newspaper archives don’t explain how Brown’s brothel became so popular among San Antonio’s elite.  Theresa Brown. Jim Blaylock/San Antonio Express-News However, columns published in the San Antonio Evening News suggested that she was a regular at club and restaurant openings, downtown fashion shows and political rallies.  Her brothel had a rigid code of conduct, according to a book of rules used as part of evidence during her trial. Four girls lived at the brothel at any given time for up to a week. The girls had to be healthy and off drugs, they had to keep the house clean and they made their own appointments, which typically began around noon.  Jan Jarboe, assistant managing editor for the San Antonio Light, wrote that Brown read biographies, winced at pornography, listened to Austrian composer Franz Schubert and viewed sex “merely as a passport to a good life.”  ‘An unfortunate joke’ Between 1965 and 1979, Brown was not arrested for any prostitution-related offense, according to the San Antonio Light. Prior to that period, she was charged with misdemeanor prostitution charges twice, but both were dismissed.  An FBI spokesman told The Light in 1980 that the local raid was part of a multi-city investigation of prostitution circuits that extended beyond Texas. A grand jury issued a subpoena for Brown’s phone records the summer before the raid.  The FBI said it had taken photographs of individuals entering Brown’s house during their investigation. A week after the raid, the San Antonio Light reported that the police department waited until officers were inside the house on Northtrail before getting a judge to sign the search warrant for the “trick book.” Officers were reportedly worried that Brown would be tipped off about the raid. Almost immediately after the raid, several prominent names in San Antonio were whispered to be connected with the North Side brothel. Among them was Bill Jonas, the Republican nominee for sheriff.  Jonas said that attempts to link him as a client were “politically motivated” and said he had been there “four or five times” over an eight-year period to check out her complaints that the telephone there was being tapped. At the time, Jonas was chief of security for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.  Brown outed then-District 8 Councilman Gene Canavan as one of the brothel’s regular “tricksters,” which Canavan denied and threatened to sue over.  Theresa Brown preparing her election headquarters. She ran against an alleged former client.  Jim Blaylock/San Antonio Express-News Shortly after Brown was convicted of aggravated promotion of prostitution, she filed to run against Canavan during his re-election campaign.  “Mr. Canavan knows what the truth is and I know what the truth is,” Brown said during the campaign. “Let’s let the voters decide what they think the truth is.”  Then-mayor Lia Cockrell and then-city councilman Henry Cisneros criticized her campaign, saying it created a poor image of San Antonio across the country.  “It’s the type of thing people … may look at in terms of being an unfortunate joke, Texas style, which does not enhance our image as a city very desirous of being taken seriously,” Cockrell told the Express in 1981.  ‘Too indecent to print’ At some point after her arrest, Brown reportedly gave the index card list of clients to Armandina Saldivar, who wrote for El Pueblo, and to the paper’s editorial board. But in February 1981, Brown won a temporary restraining order in state court to keep El Pueblo from releasing the list. After some legal wrangling, the publication printed 19 names along with a column by Saldivar that detailed Brown’s concern about some of the clients, whose sexual preferences were noted next to their names on the index cards. “One of the customers satisfied his sexual urges by calling the girls vulgar names but did not participate in physical activity,” Saldivar wrote. “Another prominent politician had written the word ‘dangerous’ on his card.” Theresa Brown after being released from Bexar County Jail in 1980.  Al Guzman/San Antonio Express-News Other details were “too indecent to print,” she said, adding it was her opinion that “some of the customers need psychological counseling before they cause serious harm to themselves or others.” The alleged clients, including two state representatives and a well-known developer, never confirmed they were patrons. Brown was reportedly livid that the incomplete list had been printed. “She is terribly, terribly worried about the families of these poor men,” Brown’s attorney, Pat Maloney, told the Associated Press. “Theresa Brown is not a kiss-and-tell person. This is viciously and tragically unfair.” That same month, she was found guilty of the felony crime and sentenced to five years of probation. All along, Brown told reporters she only wanted her clientele to be treated the same way she was, noting she was convicted of a felony but the Johns, who were never punished, would have faced only misdemeanor charges. Theresa Brown was charged with operating a brothel in San Antonio in 1980. Theresa Brown has a garage sale. Photo dated 1982 San Antonio Express-News file/San Antonio Express-News After losing her election bid, Brown sold the remnants of her brothel the next year at a garage sale. In 1984, she registered “Madame T’s Panache,” a bric-a-brac store that she ran temporarily and held on to three homes she owned on Northtrail for another decade. Brown sold the brothel in 1998 for $67,065 and then disappeared from public records.  In 2002, the Express-News profiled Brown’s brothel in a piece about San Antonians living in notable homes around the city.  According to the story, “the only indication their home was once a brothel operated by Theresa Brown, San Antonio’s infamous madam who made headlines in the 1980s, are the names of prostitutes etched in a concrete patio slab next to the pool.” Hearst newspaper archives were used in this report.  timothy.fanning@expr...

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Miranda Nieman, UW-Stevens Point – Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/student-athlete-spotlight-miranda-nieman-uw-stevens-point-wisconsin-intercollegiate-athletic-conference/ Each week during the 2022-23 academic year, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will feature two student-athletes (one male and one female) from one of its eight institutions for a “Student-Athlete Spotlight” Q & A segment. The segments will be posted every Thursday and individuals are selected by the institution. The WIAC Student-Athlete Spotlights are presented by Culver’s. Name:  Miranda Nieman Institution:  UW-Stevens Point Hometown (High School):  Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School) Year in school:  Senior Sport:  Women’s Soccer Major:  Health Science; Pre-Athletic Training   Why did you choose UW-Stevens Point? I chose Stevens Point because it was close to my family so they could watch me play. I also came to school here because they have a great Health Science Program.   What other clubs or organizations on campus are you involved in? I am not in any clubs on campus.   What causes do you care about? I care about people who struggle with Autism and Down Syndrome. My uncle who had down syndrome just recently passed away and it has taken a toll on my family, but it has brought us closer together.   What do you like most about competing in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and being a NCAA Division III student-athlete? What I like about the WIAC is that our conference is very competitive. Being in the NCAA Division III, I feel like I can still be competitive but enjoy the sport of soccer.   What is your favorite… Menu item from Culver’s?  Spicy Chicken Sandwich and Cheese Curds Flavor of the Day from Culver’s?  Caramel Cashew Non-Athletic Spot on Campus?  Schmeeckle Reserve Movie?  Star Wars: Episode III – The Revenge of the Sith Holiday?  Fourth of July Food?  Homemade green pepper pizza Music Group/Artist?  Post Malone Professional Sports Athlete/Team?  Mo Bova, NC Courage Vacation Spot?  My cabin up north   What is your greatest sports moment? I think my greatest sports moment was when we were playing Hamline this season. In the last 2 minutes of the game, Hamline got a corner kick. The ball was headed, and I made a goal line save to keep the game at a tie.   What is your favorite thing to do off the court /field with your teammates? Team dinners.   One word that describes your team? Optimistic.   One word that describes you? Driven.   What is your dream job? I want to be an Athletic Trainer for the USWNT (US Women’s National Team).   Three things on your “bucket list”? —I want to go skydiving, even though planes and heights scare me. —I want to go to all the National Parks in the US. —I want to travel overseas and go to Germany.   A non-athletic talent that you have is? I can juggle tennis balls and occasionally basketballs.   Do you have any pre-game/pre-event superstitions or rituals? If so, what are they? My pre-game superstition is I must put my socks and shin guards on the same way each time. It always goes left sock, right sock, right shin guard, left shin guard.   # # # # #

US Applications For Jobless Benefits Increased Last Week – Long Island Business News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/us-applications-for-jobless-benefits-increased-last-week-long-island-business-news/ Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications! AP Photo By: The Associated Press October 6, 2022 More Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, the largest number in four months, but the labor market remains strong in the face of persistent inflation and a slowing overall U.S. economy. Jobless claims for the week ending Oct. 1 rose by 29,000 to 219,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s number was revised down by 3,000 to 190,000. The four-week moving average inched up by 250 to 206,500. The total number of Americans collecting unemployment aid rose by 15,000 to 1.36 million for the week ending Sept. 24. Applications for jobless aid generally reflect layoffs, which have remained historically low since the initial purge of more than 20 million jobs at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020. Recent employment data has indicated that the job market may be cooling slightly, an important consideration for the Federal Reserve when it meets early next month to decide whether or not to raise its main lending rate again. On Tuesday, the government reported that the number of available jobs in the U.S. plummeted in August compared with July as businesses grow less desperate for workers, a trend that could put a dent in chronically high inflation. Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that businesses added 208,000 jobs in September, ahead of analysts’ estimates of 200,000, but below the 250,000 that Wall Street expects the government to report in September jobs data coming Friday. The ADP survey does not always mirror the government’s tally. The Federal Reserve is aiming to bring down inflation by rapidly raising its key interest rate, which is currently in a range of 3% to 3.25%. A little more than six months ago, that rate was near zero. The sharp rate hikes have pushed mortgage rates up to 15-year highs, and made other borrowing costlier. The Fed hopes that higher interest rates will slow borrowing and spending and push inflation closer to its traditional 2% target. Fed officials are increasingly warning that the unemployment rate will likely have to rise as part of their fight against rising prices. If it remains at or near its current 3.7%, most economists believe it would likely mean more rate hikes from the Fed. Last week, the government reported that the U.S. economy shrank for the second straight quarter, but so far, that has done little to cool the job market, part of the Fed’s inflation-fighting strategy. × Enjoy This Free Article We Have 2 More For You All You Need To Do Is Register To Receive Your 2 Additional Free Articles

Optima Living Announces Optima Living TV: An Entertaining And Informative Video Series For Seniors To Live Their Best Lives – AccessWire https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/optima-living-announces-optima-living-tv-an-entertaining-and-informative-video-series-for-seniors-to-live-their-best-lives-accesswire/ EDMONTON, AB and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 6, 2022 / Optima Living supports seniors to embrace an active and healthy lifestyle. As part of their unprecedented approach to seniors’ wellness and active living, Optima Living is excited to launch Optima Living TV, featuring regular episodes of easily digestible content full of useful and interesting information for seniors and the people who love them. “We are really excited to launch Optima Living TV as part of our unprecedented approach to seniors’ wellness and active living, helping seniors live their best lives,” said Farid Damji, Co-Founder and Principal, Optima Living. Each episode (viewable on the Optima Living YouTube channel at YouTube.com/optimaliving) will consist of (1) an interesting class or lesson for seniors to take part in; (2) a discussion relevant to senior life full of useful information and takeaways; and (3) a health tip from the University of Alberta’s Division Director of Geriatric Medicine, Dr. Adrian Wagg. Full episodes will be released on the first Friday of each month starting on October 7th. In between each release day, there will be segment videos released called “Spotlights,” bite sized content from the full episodes, easier to watch on the go. The first episode of Optima Living TV, Fitness in Later Life, streams on YouTube on Friday, October 7th at 1:30 PST/2:30 MST. Optima Living Principal Ali Shivji talks fitness with Wild Rose Lifestyle and Programs Manager Erin Keith before she leads him through a chair yoga session that seniors can follow along with. Dr. Wagg’s health tip is about how important keeping mobile is for health and wellbeing in later life. “Optima Living TV provides a great opportunity for older adults to learn more about getting healthy and staying well in later life, maximizing quality of life and wellbeing,” said Dr. Wagg. Optima Living hopes this new series will inform and entertain residents in all Optima Living communities as well as seniors across the country. Providing credible information to help seniors live their best life and sharing this knowledge is something Optima Living is very passionate and excited about. About Optima Living Optima Living – founded in 2007 – owns and operates innovative seniors’ living communities throughout Alberta and BC, taking an unprecedented approach to senior life. Their unique company culture is one where both residents and team members are family. Optima Living’s North Star, Let us welcome you home, speaks to their underlying principles and the experience seniors discover in their communities. When residents are home, they feel safe, respected, and welcome. Home is where one’s voice is heard, their views matter, and they have freedom of choice. Optima Living’s mission, vision, and values – respect, dignity, teamwork, and doing the right thing – support and build upon their North Star. Optima Living operates over 2,200 beds providing congregate living options for seniors. These options range from subsidized to luxury, Independent to Assisted Living, Long-term Care to Memory Care, and Residential Mental Health. For more information, visit optimaliving.ca. This release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy securities of any entity. Contact Alyssa Barry Media Relations 604-997-0965 [email protected] SOURCE: Optima Living

Arsenal Vs. Bodo/Glimt Odds, Picks, How To Watch, Live Stream: Oct. 6, 2022 Europa League Predictions – CBS Sports https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/arsenal-vs-bodo-glimt-odds-picks-how-to-watch-live-stream-oct-6-2022-europa-league-predictions-cbs-sports/ Arsenal F.C. will try to stay on top of their game when they switch to Europa League play on Thursday and host Norwegian club FK Bodo/Glimt on Paramount+. The Gunners are currently sitting at the top of the Premier League table with seven wins in eight matches played and won their only Europa League match so far, a 2-1 win over Zurich. Meanwhile, Bodo/Glimt sits in second place on the Eliteserien table and on top of Group A in Europa League 2022 play with a win and a draw. You can catch all the action when you stream the match live on Paramount+. Kickoff from Emirates Stadium in London, England is set for 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. The latest Arsenal vs. Bodo/Glimt odds from Caesars Sportsbook list Arsenal as the -440 favorite on the 90-minute money line, with Bodo/Glimt as the +1100 underdog. A draw is priced at +525 and the over-under for goals is 3.5. Thursday’s match will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan. Paramount+ now has levels of membership so you can watch the hottest soccer matchups worldwide and much more. The Premium Plan is $9.99 per month and you can watch your local CBS live stream, including plenty of sports like Champions League, Italian Serie A, college hoops, and the PGA Tour, with no ads, on demand and the ability to download episodes for offline viewing. Plus, watch the highly-anticipated series Halo, Picard, 1883, and more. Both plans come with a free week to start and include soccer matches, so sign up now here. How to watch Bodo/Glimt vs. Arsenal Arsenal vs. Bodo/Glimt date: Thursday, October 6 Arsenal vs. Bodo/Glimt time: 3 p.m. ET Arsenal vs. Bodo/Glimt streaming: Paramount+ UEFA Europa League picks for Bodo/Glimt vs. Arsenal Before you tune in to Thursday’s match, you need to see the Bodo/Glimt vs. Arsenal picks from SportsLine’s soccer insider Martin Green. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated almost $33,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he is 10-7 over his past 17 EPL picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe. For Arsenal vs. Bodo/Glimt, Green is picking Arsenal to win for a -145 payout. The expert notes that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will probably rotate his starting 11 for Thursday’s match in order to have some of his usual starters fresh from Sunday’s Premier League match against Liverpool. That said, Arsenal has a deep enough roster to contend with pretty much any team and should have little trouble against Bodo/Glimt. “Bodø/Glimt did very well to draw 1-1 with PSV in the Netherlands in its opening group stage game,” Green told SportsLine. “It has an excellent home record, and it beat FC Zurich 2-1 in Matchday 2, which saw it storm to the top of the group. Yet, an away game against the Gunners, who sit top of the Premier League table, will be Bodø/Glimt’s sternest challenge yet, and they are likely to fall short.” How to watch, live stream Arsenal vs. Bodo/Glimt on Paramount+ Now that you know what to pick, get ready to watch the Europa League. Visit Paramount+ now to see the UEFA Europa Conference League, your live local CBS sporting events, some of the world’s other top soccer matchups and much more.

Will Metaverse Create A Bigger Digital Divide? – SDxCentral https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/will-metaverse-create-a-bigger-digital-divide-sdxcentral/ Cookie Settings SDxCentral employs cookies to improve your experience on our site, to analyze traffic and performance, and to serve personalized content and advertising relevant to your professional interests. You can manage your preferences at any time. View our Privacy Policy for more information. Toggle Necessary and Functional Cookies Necessary and Functional Cookies – These cookies are necessary for the Site to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. These are used to let you login and to and ensure site security. Without these cookies, our Services won’t work properly or won’t be able to provide many features and functionality. Toggle Performance & Tracking Cookies Performance & Tracking Cookies – We use our own and 3rd party analytics and targeting cookies to collect and process certain analytics data, including to compile statistics and analytics about your use of and interaction with the Site along with other Site traffic, usage, and trend data which is then used to target relevant content and ads on the Site. Opting out of these cookies may impact some minor site functions.

Is The Pixel 7 Series Waterproof? – PhoneArena https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/is-the-pixel-7-series-waterproof-phonearena/ We live in a golden age – our gadgets can snap photos of our vacation for us, they can tell us what the weather will be like, map every corner of the world and guide us to it, and many many more. One of the key characteristics of every electronic device, one that we quite often forget, is protections against the elements. What will be the point of all the aforementioned features if the phone has short-circuited due to water sneaking inside? That’s especially true for flagship devices that aren’t cheap, and the newly announced Pixel 7 series is no exception. Alongside all the technical features and specs, there’s a pressing question that needs to be answered. Is the Pixel 7 waterproof? Sadly, the honest and technically correct answer is “No.” Waterproof means that the device is completely sealed and protected against water, and the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro just don’t tick that box. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro sport an IP68 rating, though, which is a bit different. This widely accepted standard is often cited by tech specialists and you can see it written in the specs sheet of many modern gadgets. So what does it mean? What does IP68 mean? The International Organization for Standardization came up with this strange abbreviation, and in this case IP stands for “Ingress Protection.” The standard (IEC standard 60529) is internationally accepted and regulated and defines the protection against solids and liquids of any electronic device. The first digit shows the protection against solids such as dust, dirt, grease, sand, etc. In the case of the Pixel 7 series, the number 6 is the highest possible rating, and it means “dust tight” – the phone is completely protected against solid particles. The second part is much more important, as water and other liquids are much more prone to entering our electronics (smaller molecules that are not so tightly bound). The number 8 here means the device is able to survive submersion up to 6 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes in the best case scenario. Water resistant vs waterproof When it comes to water resistance, all companies can carry out their own tests in their own labs – the standard says “up to 6 meters, for up to 30 minutes.” What this means is that some phones are rated for submersion up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for half an hour, while others state 1 meter, or up to 3 meters. It’s a bit vague. The things get even more complicated after a couple of months of usage. The rule of thumb is that most gadgets will gradually lose water protection as they age – the seals get old and harden, there might be damage from drops and bumps, etc. What you need to know is that IP68 can save your phone from the occasional drop in the pool, or in the toilet (eww), from a surprising Summer rain pouring down, or that you can probably safely wash the device in the sink, provided you don’t use extremely hot or cold water and you dry it out properly before you use it again. There are some additional tips to keep your phone safe: Whenever your phone gets wet, dry it thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth. Do not expose the phone to salt water or ionized water. Salt water is much more conductive than fresh water and can quickly short-circuit your phone and damage internal components. Furthermore, when it dries, salt may accumulate and block the primary microphone, earpiece, or external speaker. If your phone is exposed to salt water, wash the phone with fresh water, and then dry thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth. When drying off your phone, be sure to pat the earpiece (top front of the phone), primary microphone (bottom of phone), external speaker (bottom of phone), and the power/accessory (Lightning) interface connector with a clean, soft cloth to remove as much water as possible. Some phones have a special mode to clean water from these crevices by playing a sound with a specific frequency to push the water out. When making a call immediately after your phone is wet, the microphone may have water in it, which may lower the volume that the other person will hear. After drying off the phone, allow the phone to air-dry before making a call. Physical damage to your phone, such as chips and cracks, can significantly reduce its ability to resist dust and water.

GoldenTree Asset Management Reveals $5.3 Million Position In SushiSwap – Cryptonews https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/goldentree-asset-management-reveals-5-3-million-position-in-sushiswap-cryptonews/ Source: GoldenTree GoldenTree Asset Management has invested roughly $5.3 million in SUSHI, the governance token of the decentralized finance protocol SushiSwap.  The U.S.-based asset management firm with approximately $50 billion in assets under management (AUM) said in a post on the SushiSwap community forum that the investment is based on the belief that Sushi has “incredible potential.”  The post added that the firm has been following the progress of the protocol for a while and is excited by the resilience and innovation the community has shown. These characteristics have put Sushi among the very best of DeFi in the eyes of GoldenTree.  “Although the community has certainly been through some tough challenges, we’ve been amazed at the resilience of both the core team and the community in the face of these speed bumps, as you all have continued to build and release top-tier products,” the post said.  The investment is being managed by GoldenChain Asset Management, the digital assets-focused arm of GoldenTree that was created back in March. The head of the unit, Avi Felman, along with other members of the 10-man team, has promised to begin playing a more prominent role in the Sushi community.  GoldenChain says it will focus most of its assistance to the protocol in the areas of tokenomics and general design/strategy. Felman said in a tweet that Sushi still has a lot to accomplish.  “There are many reasons we like Sushi (detailed in the post), but a core reason is that it represents some of the best of DeFi. We think there is a lot to do, and that a lot will be accomplished over the coming months,” he wrote.  SushiSwap at a crucial point in its roadmap GoldenTree has been previously reported by finance-focused news outlet The Street to have bought Bitcoin for their balance sheet. Meanwhile, the announcement of the company’s position in SushiSwap is coming shortly after the protocol’s community voted in a new CEO, or head chef (HC) as the community tags the position, in the person of Jared Grey.  His appointment comes as the Ethereum-based DeFi protocol with around $23 billion in total value locked (TVL) has proposed to turn over its governance from being run by a leaderless DAO to being run by two foundations and a corporation.  The move was based on legal advice arising from the CFTC’s litigation of DAO-run crypto lender Ooki for violating the Commodities Exchange Act (CEA). If the proposal is accepted by the community, the protocol will be incorporated in Panama.

Report To Congress On U.S.-Baltic Relations – USNI News – USNI News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/report-to-congress-on-u-s-baltic-relations-usni-news-usni-news/ The following is the Sept. 29, 2022, Congressional Research Service report, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania: Background and U.S.-Baltic Relations. From the report Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, often referred to as the Baltic states, are democracies and close U.S. allies. Strong U.S. relations with these three states are rooted in history. The United States never recognized the Soviet Union’s forcible incorporation of the Baltic states in 1940, and U.S. officials applauded the restoration of their independence in 1991. Congress backed these policies on a bipartisan basis. The United States supported the Baltic states’ accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004. Especially since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014, potential threats posed to the Baltic states by Russia have been a primary driver of increased U.S. and congressional interest in the region. Regional Security Concerns Russia’s February 2022 renewed invasion of Ukraine has intensified U.S. and NATO concerns about the potential threat of Russian military action against the Baltic states. The Baltic states have supported Ukraine, including by providing military assistance and imposing sanctions against Russia that go beyond those adopted by the EU. Baltic states have been seeking to build up their military capabilities, but their armed forces remain relatively small and their capabilities limited. Consequently, the Baltic states’ defense planning relies heavily on their NATO membership. The Baltic states fulfill NATO’s target for member states to spend at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense. Defense Cooperation and Security Assistance The United States and the Baltic states cooperate closely on defense and security issues for the purposes of building capacity to deter and resist potential Russian aggression. In FY2021 and FY2022 combined, Congress appropriated nearly $349 million in U.S. Department of Defense security assistance funding to the Baltic states through the Baltic Security Initiative. Under the U.S. European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), launched in 2014, the United States has enhanced its military presence in Central and Eastern Europe, with rotational U.S. forces conducting training and exercises in the Baltic states. The United States has stationed additional personnel and capabilities in the Baltic states since February 2022. NATO also has helped to bolster the Baltic states’ security. In 2016, the allies agreed to deploy multinational Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroups to the Baltic states. NATO allies have deployed additional personnel to these battlegroups since February 2022. Baltic leaders have advocated for further enhancements to the U.S. and NATO deployments. Potential Hybrid Threats Some observers have expressed concerns that Russia could use the Baltic states’ ethnic Russian minorities as a pretext to manufacture a crisis. Many ethnic Russians in the Baltic states traditionally receive their news from Russian media sources, potentially making those communities a leading target for disinformation and propaganda. The Baltic states suspended many Russia-based television channels following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Cyberattacks are another potential hybrid threat; addressing potential vulnerabilities with regard to cybersecurity is a top priority of the Baltic states. Energy Security The Baltic states have taken steps to end energy reliance on Russia, including through a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Lithuania and new pipeline interconnections with their European neighbors. Lithuania ended imports of Russian gas in April 2022, and Estonia and Latvia plan to do the same by the end of 2022. Relations with China A variety of factors have contributed to the Baltic states developing a skeptical view of China over the past several years. In 2021 (Lithuania) and 2022 (Estonia and Latvia), the Baltic states quit the 17+1, a forum China launched to deepen cooperation with countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Tensions between Lithuania and China are especially acute, with China recently launching a de facto trade embargo against Lithuania due to Lithuania’s expanded relations with Taiwan. Download the document here.

HITN Brands Reach The Stratosphere To Promote Space And Technology Awareness – Business Wire https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/hitn-brands-reach-the-stratosphere-to-promote-space-and-technology-awareness-business-wire/ BROOKLYN, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–HITN-TV, the nation’s leading Spanish-language media source for educational and cultural programming, announced today that as part of its participation in the global event World Space Week 2022, it has launched its brands into the stratosphere as a way to raise awareness to space sciences and aerospace technology among Hispanic students. A space probe took an HITN logo and Ray, HITN’s mascot for preschool-aged children, to over 20 miles above the surface of the Earth. Taking over 2 hours to do the round trip, the device sustained winds of over 75 miles per hour and temperatures below -50° Fahrenheit. During the entirety of the flight, two ultra-high-definition cameras captured images of both brands. The launch was managed by BXSPACE, a technology company that has become a leader in commercial stratosphere flights. “We are very excited to have this week-long activity drive awareness and pique the curiosity of younger generations about space and technology. Hispanics under-index in the adoption of STEM related careers and so many bright minds are never given the opportunity to fully develop their potential. It is core to our mission at HITN to help promote change,” said Guillermo Sierra, Head of Television and Digital Services for HITN. HITN has joined World Space Week from Oct. 4-10, 2022 (www.hitn.tv/spaceweek/) in benefit of the Hispanic youth in the US. HITN will offer a slate of space-themed content through its television, digital, and community outreach initiatives. The programming will be available to 40 million homes nationwide through HITN-TV, as well as its TV-everywhere app HITN GO. World Space Week is an educational experience about space and science for everyone. HITN has extended this initiative to EDYE, its premium SVOD service designed for preschool children, available in both the United States and Latin America (www.edye.com). For that reason Ray, the service’s mascot, was also included in the launch to the stratosphere wearing his astronaut suit. For full details about HITN’s World Space Week initiatives, please visit www.hitn.tv/spaceweek/. About HITN-TV HITN-TV is a leading Spanish-language media company that offers educational and cultural programming for the whole family. It reaches more than 44 million homes in the United States and Puerto Rico through DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse, AT&T TV, DISH Network, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Mediacom, CenturyLink, Prism and Altice, Liberty Cable & Claro (Puerto Rico). Download the “HITN GO” Everywhere app available on Apple, Android, Apple TV, and Roku® with a wired subscription. For more information, visit: www.hitn.org and follow @HITNtv on social platforms.

Europe Holds 44-Leader Summit In Prague Without Russia – MySA https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/europe-holds-44-leader-summit-in-prague-without-russia-mysa/ LORNE COOK and KAREL JANICEK, Associated Press Oct. 6, 2022Updated: Oct. 6, 2022 6:47 a.m. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 1of15Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Petr David Josek/APShow MoreShow Less 2of15British Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Alastair Grant/APShow MoreShow Less 3of15 4of15British Prime Minister Liz Truss, center, arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Petr David Josek/APShow MoreShow Less 5of15Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Darko Bandic/APShow MoreShow Less 6of15 7of15Netherland’s Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Darko Bandic/APShow MoreShow Less 8of15European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala as she arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Petr David Josek/APShow MoreShow Less 9of15 10of15Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Darko Bandic/APShow MoreShow Less 11of15Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, right, is greeted by Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala as he arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Darko Bandic/APShow MoreShow Less 12of15 13of15Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Darko Bandic/APShow MoreShow Less 14of15Liechtenstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Risch arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a “European Political Community” aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited.Petr David Josek/APShow MoreShow Less 15of15 PRAGUE (AP) — The leaders of 44 European countries stretching from Iceland all the way to Turkey met Thursday in what many said was a united stand against Russia’s war on Ukraine, as an energy crisis and high inflation fueled by the conflict wreak havoc on their economies. The inaugural summit of the European Political Community involves the 27 European Union member countries, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as neighbors like Britain — the only country to have left the EU — and Turkey. Russia is the one major European power not invited, along with its neighbor and supporter in the war Belarus. “What you will see here is that Europe stands in solidarity against the Russian invasion in Ukraine,” Iceland’s prime minister, Katrin Jakobsdottir, told reporters at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic, where the gathering is taking place. Her Belgian counterpart, Alexander De Croo, said that “if you just look at the attendance here, you see the importance. The whole European continent is here, except two countries: Belarus and Russia. So it shows how isolated those two countries are.” The summit is the brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron and is backed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They say it’s aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, but the summit is overshadowed by war and takes place as pressure builds to allow Ukraine to join the EU. “This meeting is a way of looking for a new order without Russia. It doesn’t mean that we want to exclude Russia forever, but this Russia — Putin’s Russia — has not a seat,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters. “Unhappily you cannot build a security order with Russia.” Critics claim the new forum is an attempt to put the brakes on EU enlargement. Others fear it may become a talking shop, perhaps convening once or twice a year but devoid of any real clout or content. In a speech unveiling his idea in May, Macron may have fueled the enlargement concerns. “The war in Ukraine and the legitimate aspiration of its people, just like that of Moldova and Georgia, to join the European Union, encourages us to rethink our geography and the organization of our continent,” he said. But even with the outpouring of support for Ukraine — in the form of weapons so it can fight back or shelter for people fleeing — Macron said, “we all know perfectly well that the process which would allow them to join, would in reality take several years, and most likely several decades.” What is needed, Macron said, is “a new space for political and security cooperation, cooperation in the energy sector, in transport, investments, infrastructures, the free movement of persons and in particular of our youth.” Thursday’s summit was to kick off with an opening ceremony, followed by a series of meetings where leaders will discuss the key challenges Europe faces: security, energy, climate, the dire economic situation, and migration. No EU money or programs are on offer, and no formal declaration will be issued after the summit. The forum, an EU official involved in preparations said, “does not replace existing organizations, structures or processes and does not aim to create new ones at this stage.” The proof of its worth will probably only be known once a second summit is held. ___ Sylvie Corbet contributed to this report.

Straub’s Jet Ski Adventure Took 101 Days, But Memories Will Last A Lifetime – The Hamburg Reporter – Hamburg Reporter https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/straubs-jet-ski-adventure-took-101-days-but-memories-will-last-a-lifetime-the-hamburg-reporter-hamburg-reporter/ Kirt Manion, CherryRoad Media How long does it take to climb Mount Everest? According to an article published on the web by CNN, it takes about two months. Mike Straub, an Omaha resident and graduate of Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School, took on his version of the Everest by tackling the grand water traveling adventure known as America’s Great Loop on a 2022 Sea Doo Fish Pro Trophy jet ski. Straub spent 101 days taking a trip both to and on the Great Loop, a journey which wraps around the eastern third of the United States. Being a resident of Omaha, Straub added to the trip. He needed to travel the Missouri River from the Omaha area to St. Louis before beginning. The route takes rivers south to the Gulf of Mexico, then goes around the tip of Florida, up the eastern seaboard to New York and through the Great Lakes to Chicago before going back down the Illinois River to St. Louis and then back up the Missouri River to Omaha. In total, Straub ended up traveling 6,975 miles and traveled numerous rivers, intracoastal waters and the Great Lakes. He left for the trip on June 9 and was away from home until Sept. 17. It took months to plan and months to travel and was an enormous undertaking in almost every way it could be described. “I knew it would be a big endurance challenge physically, mentally and even emotionally,” Straub said. When the trip concluded, and the challenge had been met, Straub said his return to home seemed almost surreal. “Walking into the house for the first time after three plus months felt foreign,” Straub said. “It was almost like walking into a host’s house — I caught myself thinking ‘I don’t remember our trim being that dark.’. For the first week or so at home, I would wake up at night, and my first thoughts were ‘Where am I, and where is the toilet in this house?’ I’d also have to remind myself that “No – you do not have to ski today.” It took a bit for Staub to get readjusted to home again. But memories of this journey are going to last a lot longer. You can relive the memories as well thanks to a commitment that Straub made to document the journey. And that was a major undertaking too. “I cut a 10-15 minute video every day I rode,” Straub said. “That’s 66 videos published to YouTube (search for “SeaDooLooper”) and each took an average of three hours to create, edit and publish. For every hour I rode the ski, I spent 34 minutes editing and publishing videos. I committed to do it as a journal, but it was exhausting. I did not sleep much on the trip.” For well over three months, Straub’s world revolved around the jet ski, work (his actual job, done remotely), and making those videos. There were some built in breaks and exciting moments. He celebrated a wedding anniversary in Florida and went on a vacation with his brothers. Each time, he was away from the jet ski for a week. And the jet ski was serviced during those times as well. “Being able to stop for an extended period and ‘smell the roses’ was great – especially with family,” Straub said. “Beyond that, the biggest highlight was when Stacy (Sawyer) Salvadori joined me for four days. She is a high school classmate from Syracuse. It was a lot of fun having a friend ride along who was willing to ride long days in bigger water (Chesapeake and Delaware Bays). She now lives on the Chesapeake Bay, so it was her home waters.” On the daily, there were many small highlights. He met a lot of people. In fact, it helped control some of the expenses associated with the trip and allow him to beat his budget for the journey. Straub spent 46 nights at 33 different hotels, but he also got to spend 31 days with 19 hosts along the trip. Finding joy in small things made the trip fun. “I also loved getting off the water around 2 p.m., stopping at a marina with a restaurant, having a nice early dinner with a beverage or two, and soaking up the day’s ride,” Straub said. The trip had its challenges as well. Straub took five days off from the jet ski due to weather. There were a couple of days of mechanical trouble too. The ski wouldn’t start in Key West, the closest service location was 150 miles away, and Straub couldn’t even get the ski out of the water to work on the problem. Luckily, the ski started later that morning and Straub was able to get going. And he found a solution to the problem. ”I was so relieved once we figured out why the machine was having trouble starting. The solution was to simply reduce the amount of weight on the back of the machine overnight — problem solved,” Straub said. “After Miami, the machine started every morning with no problems.” Another trouble spot was crossing Lake Michigan. Riding along the eastern coastline of the lake was smooth. “But at some point, I had to commit for the roughly 85-mile crossing,” Straub said. “I knew I was going to put my body through a solid four hours of rough riding that day and turning the ski to make the crossing was hard to do. The closer I got to Chicago, the more the wind had a chance to whip up waves on Lake Michigan. I ended the day in 4–5-foot waves.” Once through the Great Lakes, Straub made his way down the Illinois River to St. Louis and then back up the Missouri River to Omaha. Straub passed by Nebraska City on AppleJack Saturday, Sept. 17, and went on to his final destination back home in Omaha. So, what’s next? Straub has some ideas. “I’d love to get sponsored — either locally or nationally,” said Straub. “Then I’d love to run more rivers: the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to Venice (past New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico); Ohio River from Pittsburg to Cairo, Ill.; Tennessee River from Knoxville to Paducah, Ky. I also have my eye on jet skiing from Seattle to Juneau, Alaska. “We’ll see, but if I want my wife to be ‘on board, I better throw a European vacation or two in there as well,” Straub said.

Greene County Business Licenses For September | Local Business News | Greenevillesun.com – Greeneville Sun https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/greene-county-business-licenses-for-september-local-business-news-greenevillesun-com-greeneville-sun/ Log In Register You are logged in  Switch accounts Sign Up * Username (Optional) This is the name that will be used to identify you within the system. Choose wisely! * First name * Last name Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more! * Email Address Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won’t share it with anyone else. * Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you’ll be able to recover it using your email address. * Confirm Password Confirm your password. CAPTCHA or Sign up with Have an account? Log In You’re all set! Thank you. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Check your email for details. OK Log In Invalid password or account does not exist Email Address Password Forgot your password? Email me a log in link or Sign in with Need an account? Sign Up Reset Password Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Email or Screen Name CAPTCHA Forgot Password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Email me a log in link Account Email CAPTCHA Purchase Access You are logged in  Switch accounts Secure & Encrypted What’s your e-mail address? E-mail Password Confirm How would you like to pay? Name Credit Card CVV Zip Code Expiration I Agree to the Subscription Terms of Use. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime. You’re all set! Thank you. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. A receipt was sent to your email. OK An error occurred This offer is currently unavailable.

Healthy Living: Immune Support From Our Limerick Hedgerows – Limerick Live https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/healthy-living-immune-support-from-our-limerick-hedgerows-limerick-live/ Nature never stops to amaze me – it provides us with exactly what we need right at our doorstep. Just as the cold season arrives it ripens some wonderful berries bursting full of antioxidants to support our immune function. Thankfully, the wise traditions are making their way back to our medicine cupboards. Two of my favourite wild food winter remedies are elderberries and rosehips. Elderberries have been used for centuries in Europe – documents from France from the early 1600s revealed they used it to prevent or cure numerous ailments, particularly as winter tonic to treat fever, gut disorders, and rheumatism. There are increasing numbers of studies to unravel their important medicinal properties. Elderberries have both direct and indirect ways to help us fight viruses that cause the colds and flues. They are rich in the purple pigment, an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which may block the receptors a virus uses to enter our cells of the respiratory tract, thus preventing their replication and life cycle. Its polyphenols have been shown to enhance the communication of our own immune cells, nourish the microbes that live in our gut also known to have immune regulating properties, and reduce inflammation. Human clinical trials confirmed that elderberry supplementation may substantially reduce the duration & severity of upper respiratory symptoms. It seems to be most effective when used before and throughout an infection, so it is best taken throughout the winter season. Don’t make the mistake of eating them raw! They need to be thoroughly cooked or processed to break down their gut-irritating toxins. Thalli Foods (www.thallifoods.com) sells it as incredible elderberry vinegar, juice, and dried powder. Of course, you can get various quality tonics from your pharmacy and health stores. Rosehips bring back great memories – my grandma used to make jam out of them every winter. I pick these bright red shiny berries on my walks and runs with the dogs and make tea out of them, or add them to my smoothie, granola, or salads. They are known to have high levels of antioxidants – especially highly bioavailable form of vitamin C, and their antimicrobial actions have long been used in the traditional prevention and therapy of common colds and other infections. The phenols in rosehips have antibacterial activity – they are able to increase membrane permeabilization, nutrient deprivation and extracellular enzyme inhibition – thus making a bacterium’s life particularly difficult. Antiviral and antifungal properties of Rosa species have also been reported, while its anti-inflammatory benefits have been studied in rheumatoid arthritis. The best winter tonics are made with raw honey, which is one of the most appreciated ancient remedies. Honey has been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years. In its raw state it contains natural sugars, enzymes, hydrogen peroxide and defensins, which all have been shown to be antimicrobial – fighting those microscopic creatures that are looking to make you sick. It also has wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties, which are responsible for that well-known throat soothing sensation, so comforting in the winter. ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW