Anna Garraway

Regulators Are ‘spending Too Much Time’ On Crypto: Comptroller – Cointelegraph https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/regulators-are-spending-too-much-time-on-crypto-comptroller-cointelegraph/ Michael Hsu stated that it is starting to worry him that “we’re not spending that time and attention on some other things,” like fintech, which he described as the “future.” 653 Total views 19 Total shares United States Acting Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Michael Hsu has expressed concerns that regulators are spending “too much time on crypto,” rather than more pressing issues, such as technology and banking.  The crypto skeptic OCC head made the comments during an interview with Reuters on Oct. 13, as he outlined a worry that crypto is “occupying a lot of brain space for an awful lot of people” in the regulatory community. Hsu has been at the helm of the OCC since May 2021 and serves as the administrator for the federal banking system and chief economic officer of the OCC. During his tenure, he has called for greater supervision of crypto firms and standards around stablecoins, while also stressing the need for a cautious approach to crypto regulation due to “red flags” with the sector’s rapid growth. “We’re spending too much time on crypto,” he told Reuters, adding that “it’s interesting, it has thorny issues… but relative to other technology and banking issues, I think we’re now kind of overweight crypto.” Hsu went on to explain that there are other areas that need to be focused on at present, specifically relating to fintech, something which he emphasized last month that required immediate oversight to avoid a “severe problem or crisis” due to the sector’s rampant expansion, adding: “The persistence of the occupation of brain space, it’s starting to worry me now that we’re not spending that time and attention on some other things.” The OCC head said he thinks fintech is the future, and therefore it needs proper time and considerations to help the sector thrive sustainably. “This is the future, so let’s do the future right,” he said. These sentiments are in stark contrast to Hsu’s views on crypto, given that he described the sector as “an immature industry based on an immature technology,” during a lecture at a Harvard Law School roundtable on Oct. 11. Related: Rep. McHenry gives progress report on stablecoin legislation, says it’s an ‘ugly baby’ Hsu also outlined concerns with the crypto sector’s apparent fear of missing out (FOMO) syndrome, which he argued fosters wild speculation as opposed to innovation: “Promises of innovation and inclusion often mask crypto’s promotion of a gold rush vibe that exploits people’s fear of missing out on the next Google or Amazon.” “My skepticism of crypto stems from a frustration that the most promising innovations have been crowded out by hype and a fixation on trading,” Hsu added.

Analysis | The Saudi-U.S. Relationship Was Always A Marriage Of Convenience – The Washington Post https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/analysis-the-saudi-u-s-relationship-was-always-a-marriage-of-convenience-the-washington-post/ You’re reading an excerpt from the Today’s WorldView newsletter. Sign up to get the rest free, including news from around the globe and interesting ideas and opinions to know, sent to your inbox every weekday. Not even a fist bump could save the Saudi-U. S. relationship. When President Biden visited the Saudi city of Jiddah three months ago, he was greeted with a fratboy-like familiarity by the 37-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The meeting sparked a wave of criticism for the U.S. leader, who was accused of cozying up to the de facto head of a country he had once pledged to make a “pariah” after to the murder of Saudi dissident and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. But any hopes for a renewed bromance between the United States and Saudi Arabia were shattered last week when the Saudi-led oil cartel OPEC Plus announced it would cut its oil output by 2 million barrels a day — a move that could boost prices in the United States over the winter, a major political problem for Biden only a month before highly competitive midterm elections. That OPEC Plus includes Russia, at odds with the United States and its allies over its invasion of Ukraine, was just another kick in the teeth. The Biden administration quickly fired back. It announced it would be reviewing the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia, warning of “consequences” for the action. In return, Riyadh offered an unusually detailed and combative response. On the official Saudi Press Agency, an unnamed official rejected any suggestion that it was taking sides against the United States and that the decision to cut production was based only on “economic considerations.” “The Kingdom affirms that it view[s] its relationship with the United States of America as a strategic one that serves the common interests of both countries. The Kingdom also stresses the importance of building on the solid pillars upon which the Saudi-US relationship had stood over the past eight decades,” the statement said. Among these pillars, it frostily concluded, was “mutual respect.” At a press briefing Thursday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby rejected that explanation and accused Saudi Arabia of tacitly supporting the war in Ukraine. “Do they want to stay on the side of Russia?” Kirby asked of Saudi Arabia. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States is a strange one. There is no treaty or mutual defense pact that binds the United States with Saudi Arabia. Instead, it’s a marriage of convenience centered on oil and oil alone. The informal partnership was cemented with a dinner date more than 70 years ago on a U.S. Navy boat on the Suez Canal. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was returning from the Yalta Conference in 1945 when he stopped in Egypt to meet with some of the most important leaders from the Middle East and Africa, including King Farouk of Egypt and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. There was also a lesser-known name on the list: The first Saudi king, Abdul Aziz ibn Saud. Ibn Saud was a charismatic military leader who beat his rivals to become the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. He was not a worldly man. The meeting on the Suez Canal was reported to be the first time he had left his kingdom. He brought eight sheep with him to the USS Quincy, where he met Roosevelt, to be slaughtered for dinner. He and Roosevelt hit it off, bonding over their shared physical ailments. They came up with an informal deal that would see the United States offer diplomatic support and military training for the then-fledgling kingdom, in return for political support in the region — and, of course, access to Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves. Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves were enormous, now believed to be second only to Venezuela, and of a higher quality than the sticky, crude stuff found there. But while Saudi Arabia had been struck years before World War II began, the kingdom was too poor to do much with it. Saudi Arabia’s traditional Western ally, Britain, was now preoccupied with its own recovery from the war. “Only the United States had the resources to help the Saudi economy cope until oil production grew sufficiently to make the Kingdom solvent,” Bruce Riedel later put it in his book “Kings and Presidents: Saudi Arabia and the United States since FDR.” In the years since 1945, this meeting has been mythologized as the beginning of a relationship of mutual benefit. Photographs of Roosevelt and Ibn Saud hang up in Saudi diplomatic outposts around the world. But in truth, there was no immediate seismic shift after the meeting. Roosevelt died only two months after he met Ibn Saud. He was replaced by Harry S. Truman, who took a more cautious view of the kingdom. Saudi oil production grew, but it didn’t make an immediate impact: Later estimates suggested that in 1950, after years of oil-backed growth, Saudi Arabia’s revenue was less than that of the average American city. When Saudi Arabia’s oil refineries did eventually boom, it wasn’t long before some Americans began to question what, exactly, the broader point of the relationship was. In 1972 and 1973, a Saudi-led oil embargo against countries supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War targeted the United States specifically. And as Saudi Arabia grew richer, it grew more powerful. “We are reaching the point where we are more dependent upon them than they are on us,” one American diplomat told The Washington Post in 1977 amid yet another round of tensions. “No matter what good friends they are, that is an unhealthy position for us.” Outside of oil, shared interests were fleeting. When Roosevelt and Ibn Saud met in 1945, much of the discussion centered around the prospect of a Jewish state in Israel, with the Saudi leader very much opposed. But differences over the Palestinian cause would later be at the root of many disagreements. Later, both Washington and Riyadh were loose allies in the Cold War and after the Iranian revolution in 1979, the two united in opposing Tehran. Saudi Arabia became a major purchaser of U.S. military goods by the 1990s, buttressing the American arms industry with the same money it extracted through oil sales. But the Cold War ended. Saudi Arabia now finds itself aligned with Moscow for economic reasons in OPEC Plus. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is seeking to revive the nuclear agreement between Iran and other world powers and it has little interest in painting Tehran as its enemy. And since the attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001, there has been simmering anger over Saudi Arabia’s tolerance of religious extremism. Arms sales have lost their luster, given the kingdom’s use of American weapons in its disastrous war in Yemen and the gruesome murder of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who was well-known and well-liked in Washington. Whatever bond may have existed in the past between leaders like Roosevelt and Ibn Saud does not exist between Biden and Mohammed bin Salman. The best an American could say of his signature policy, the insane planned city of Neom, is that it serves as financial support for U.S. urban planners and technologists. Now, by pushing a production cut at OPEC Plus, Saudi Arabia isn’t just indirectly supporting Russia or pushing the world closer toward a recession — it’s shaking the very slippery, oil-based foundations of its relationship with the United States. And if Biden listens to some Democratic lawmakers, this marriage of convenience could finally be heading for a divorce.

Chubu Electric Power Acquires Strategic Stake In Eavor Technologies Inc. – The Bakersfield Californian https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/chubu-electric-power-acquires-strategic-stake-in-eavor-technologies-inc-the-bakersfield-californian/ CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eavor Technologies Inc. (“Eavor”), the leader in globally scalable geothermal technology, is pleased to announce that Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (“CHUBU”) has entered an agreement to make a direct investment in Eavor and support the commercialization of Eavor-Loop technology. Along with CHUBU’s investment they will have a representative on Eavor’s Board of Directors. CHUBU’s presence and influence will be of paramount importance as Eavor completes first projects and enters its global commercialization phase. The Eavor-Loop system differs from conventional geothermal solutions as it uses conduction to retrieve heat from the earth’s subsurface, resulting in a long-term, reliable, predictable and independent supply of renewable energy. This completely closed loop system provides a highly scalable source of heat and power without the typical exploration risk. Mr. Hiroki Sato, Senior Executive Managing Officer at CHUBU, commented: “A technology such as this is a true game-changer and represents a potential transformation to the world’s energy stack, addresses climate change as well as energy autonomy and independence issues simultaneously. CHUBU is excited to be working with Eavor and supporting a solution to some of the world’s most intractable problems. This is an important strategic step for CHUBU fully aligned with our Management Vision 2.0 which defines CHUBU’s efforts to achieve sustainable growth.” John Redfern, President & CEO at Eavor, stated that: “The opportunity and plan for global deployment of this technology requires partners like CHUBU. The involvement of CHUBU as one of our partners and Board members represents a fantastic endorsement of our technology, its commercialization and global scalability. Ultimately, when it lives up to its potential, Eavor’s solution is not only the missing element needed to fully decarbonize the world’s energy supply, it is also an opportunity for localized economies to obtain resilient, independent, autonomous, domestic energy resources. This changes everything.” Watch Our New Video: Eavor – The Complete Package: https://youtu.be/3cNO2cR5Azk About CHUBU Electric Power Co., Inc. CHUBU is one of the largest energy companies in Japan, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE:9502). CHUBU Group has more than seven decades history consisting of energy value chain which includes power generation, power transmission/distribution and energy retail business. Aiming for a decarbonized energy company, CHUBU is expanding its business territory on a global basis with the optimal business portfolio, which consists of four domains of (i) “green” business centered on renewable energy, (ii) “blue” business in relation to de-carbonization, (iii) “retail, power transmission and distribution, and new services” and (iv) “new technologies”. CHUBU is promoting decarbonizing business to create a synergy between domestic business in Japan and global business to enhance its corporate value. For more details, please visit https://www.chuden.co.jp/english/ About Eavor Technologies Inc. Eavor (pronounced “Ever”) is a technology-based energy company led by a team dedicated to creating a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future on a global scale. Eavor’s solution (Eavor-Loop) represents the world’s first truly scalable form of clean, dispatchable, baseload capable, and flexible power. Eavor achieves this by mitigating or eliminating many of the issues that have traditionally hindered geothermal energy. Eavor instead circulates a benign working fluid that is completely isolated from the environment in a closed-loop, through a massive subsurface radiator. This radiator simply collects heat from the natural geothermal gradient of the Earth via conduction. Eavor has been supported by equity investments made by several leading global energy producers, investors, developers, and venture capital funds including Vickers Venture Partners, bp Ventures, Temasek, Chevron Technology Ventures, BHP Ventures, Helmerich & Payne, Precision Drilling, BDC Capital and CHUBU. info@eavor.com Contact Data Eavor Technologies Inc. John Redfern President & CEO John.Redfern@eavor.com Tel: +1-650-269-2501 Copyright 2022 GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Victor Muoghalu: Revolutionising Nigeria’s Gaming Industry – THISDAY Newspapers https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/victor-muoghalu-revolutionising-nigerias-gaming-industry-thisday-newspapers/ Trickery and breach of trust are often the fate of customers who participate in gaming and lottery in Nigeria primarily due to transparency issues. However, with the launch of Kobobid Auctions, the most prominent gaming platform with the most interactive features in Africa, the gaming industry in Nigeria is being revolutionised. The Chief Executive of Officer of the gaming firm, Victor Muoghalu in this interview with MARY NNAH explains how Kobobid is fueling interaction and excitement, as well as providing alternative ways for people to afford expensive goods and transform the negative image of too-cheap-to-be-true while improving people’s standard of living What is Kobobid and how does it work? Kobobid formation was born based on the following ideas: access, authenticity, fairness, and enjoyment. We thrive on the notion that everyone should have the opportunity to get the good things they want from life, to improve their general standard of living. This is why we’ve developed this business to place the opportunity to simply bid for what you want right at your fingertips. So, with as low as N100, Nigerians can win both cash and products by playing Kobobid in various games. Over one year after entering the gaming industry, Kobobid has launched four games on the gaming website to drive a unique experience for different players and give Nigerians a feeling of absolute control when they play fun games and win cash or items without the need for any betting skill. Kobobid games avail Nigerians an opportunity to play and win from game options like Kobobid Auctions, Kobobid Raffle Draw, Kobobid Fantasy Football, and Kobobid Scratch Cards from as low as N100. Players could win cash items ranging from N1k to N1,000,000 and products ranging from consumer electronics, home appliances, phones, and other gadgets. The uber model aims to allow agents to play Kobobid games with interested players from any geo-location and earn commission on every sale they make. The interesting part is that you don’t need any start-up capital to begin, all you need is an internet-enabled device to access the gaming website and you are good to start making money. Also, agents would be trained for free to enable them to understand everything about Kobobid games although the games are self-explanatory.   How is the gaming industry contributing to the Nigerian economy? The gaming industry contributes to the economy. For instance, for every payment that comes in, the government is paid some sum in terms of Value-Added Tax (VAT), and taxes. We get these complaints from customers a lot. They don’t understand why they are paying VAT. They tell us they won N500,000 and they feel this is the sum they are supposed to collect. But someone has to pay taxes on their behalf. For every prize that goes out, there is VAT that goes straight to the government. And we take that out directly. For the goods that we put up, there are VATs on them that go straight to the government. We have to get our licence fees which go to the government. At the end of the quarter, the government still gets three percent of our gross revenue. We are starting an agency model where anyone can become an agent for Kobobid and we are doing this to give back to the community. For our agency model, there is no agency fee, no sign-on fee, and no registration fee and there is no retainer fee. It is free. Agencies make their commission instantly from Kobobid with zero naira and they don’t need to know anyone to do this. They can sign up online and start. With the emergence of Kobobid agents in different areas, Kobobid has created job opportunities for unemployed graduates, also students looking for an extra source of income or looking to make some money during the ASUU strike. Despite the controversies around this industry, it keeps booming. Who are the players in this industry and how was the experience setting this up in Nigeria? The business needs a lot of understanding. It is not for everyone and you still have to be smart to a certain extent to do this. For the scratch cards, anyone can play them. The lesson we have learned in entrepreneurship in Nigeria is if you are going to innovate, you start first with what you already know, and then you add to it. You don’t innovate first because if you do this, you will pay the expensive cost of educating everyone to come up to speed. The first thing you do is give them what they know, then you give them the additional features to which they are not exposed. This way, the learning process becomes easier for people. So, we took that time to educate people and here we are today. At the end of the day, I would not know what I know today if we didn’t do this. In business, you can only figure out what works, what did not work, why it did not work and what it works for. There is no right or wrong, it is just that you could have done things in another way. This is because the products are still viable, you just keep educating people. You said this is not for everyone. Why? When I say it is not for everyone, I am specific about the penny auction because the penny auction requires you to be smart, have some thinking, skills, and logic. And we have to think about it in terms of intelligence. It is just like me trying to teach someone using a touch light phone how to use an iPhone. The I-phone is easy but it is easy because you are already used to something like that. But if all you are using is just a touch light phone, that is a completely different experience where may not even want to start because you think you may never get it. However, we created different games to capture everybody. If you come to Kobobid, there is something for you. If the Penny auction is too complex for you, there is a raffle draw, there is football fantasy for football lovers and there is a scratch card option. There is something for everyone. You said this industry requires smartness. Is there a level of education to engage in the games? It requires common sense. An illiterate can also play as long as they have common sense. It is just like playing Candy Crush but the strategy is just different. So as long as you understand strategy, you can play it. From all indications, the gaming industry has grown exponentially and has defied the economic downturn and current realities. Any particular reason for this? This is one of the key reasons I relocated to Nigeria. I said to myself that if I am going to quit my sweet job, I need to know that what I am jumping into is worth it. I needed to know if it was a business that is here to stay. When I was doing my research, I did my research first on the American economy and what I found was that most of the people that play in the betting and gaming market are Africans. I did more digging and research on it and find that it narrows down to religious factors. The more religious you are, the more you are into betting. While you belong to the one percent that says betting is against my religion, others are saying ‘This is where God has told me I’m going to make it.’ It is in poor countries that you get a lot of gamblers because these people believe in luck and this is where their luck would shine. I have heard people say ‘I would pray on this ticket and it would win.’ This is the psyche of gamblers. When you look at Nigeria, you discover that Nigerians are extremely religious. At this point, the economic downturn keeps biting. Unemployment keeps getting worse. Inflation is up which means people can’t afford what to eat or buy. So, most people are looking for the next miracle. When you flip the situation and people become better and more employed, the next thing is they look at the amount of disposable income they have to play with. At that point, it becomes a habit. Remember when you start smoking, you don’t start overnight. So gaming is here to stay and it’s not going anywhere. And it is simply because of the social, religious and economic conditions in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Are you registered with Lagos State licencing agencies? Lagos State did not accept our licence because we belong to Auctioneers. They sent us a letter saying we don’t fall under Lottery because we fall under Mobile Other Games. So we are licence with the Auctioneers Commission of Nigeria and we are registered under the National Lottery Regulatory Commission. So, we are registered under these two national bodies. Considering some of the challenges you have encountered, do you think the business would get better and where do you see the brand in the next five years? In every business, we have to look at it in terms of growth and where we are. We are in a state where we need recognition and brand identity and that is what we are growing now. People need to understand who we are, recognise that name and let people see who we truly are. We are not scratching the surface at all. We want to transform what we have and in the next two years, I see us breaking into the market and being one of those household names. When you talk about betting and the rest, you would remember Kobobid but you are going to remember us for something completely different because we won’t be competing with them but we would be in that space where we are providing you something more unique and something completely different. This is because of the way we are structured, you will realise it is easy to win on Kobobid without breaking the bank. We want to become like Indomie and Maggi which are brands that people refer to them as specific food items. This is what we want Kobobid to become. We want it to become that household name. So in the next five years, we want to look at it in terms of a conglomerate. My Chief Operating Officer is in New York; my head of Logistics is in Ghana. And...

Judge Strikes Down Voter Suppression In San Antonio, TX – Liberation https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/judge-strikes-down-voter-suppression-in-san-antonio-tx-liberation/ A lawsuit filed by the Texas Civil Rights Project and Texas Organizing Project has scored a victory against voter suppression in Bexar County, Texas — where the county seat is San Antonio — forcing the county to open an additional 129 voting locations. Keeping voting locations open is a crucial avenue of struggle in the fight against voter suppression in the South. Bexar County’s location closings violated Texas election code Even by Texas’s extremely voter-unfriendly election code, Bexar County’s election administration would not have met the bare minimum requirements. The Texas Election Code states that the “total number of countywide polling places may not be less than: … 50 percent of the number of precinct polling places that would otherwise be located in the county for that election.” In other words, the county needs to run one polling place for every two precincts. Bexar County, which has 776 precincts, needs to have a minimum of 388 polling places. Instead, the county was proposing just 267 locations for approximately 1.2 million registered voters. It was over this shortfall that TCRP and TOP sued Bexar County Election Administrator Jaque Callanen. This lawsuit follows a previous lawsuit filed by Texas Civil Rights Project in 2020 over Bexar County’s violation of legal framework in determining voting site locations. The county lost this suit too, and was forced to restore previously closed voting locations. According to Joaquin Gonzalez, a lawyer for TCRP, “The baseline for any election is one polling place for [each] election precinct.” The addition of 129 voting locations is important, but still far beyond what civil rights advocates consider the minimum for electoral fairness. County decisions part of a broad pattern of voter suppression Closure of polling locations in heavily Latino cities like San Antonio is one of several fronts in the right-wing assault on voting rights. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the provision of the Voting Rights Act that required states and localities with a history of racist voter suppression to demonstrate their compliance with federal law before making major voting changes. Just hours after the Supreme Court gutted the VRA, then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced a voter ID law that was considered the strictest in the country at the time. North Carolina also immediately implemented a voter ID law that a federal court determined was designed to target Black voters “with almost surgical precision.” States previously regulated by the VRA immediately began closing polling places. One thousand six hundred and eighty-eight polling places in these states closed between 2012 and 2018. Polling places have continued closing despite the South having the largest growth rate in the country in the past 10 years, at 10.2 percent. Photo credit: Michael Fleshman via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 In 2016, TCRP sued the state on behalf of Texas voters who were forced to take a separate trip to the Department of Public Safety office in order to register to vote. This effectively excludes those who cannot afford to take an entire day off of work to register to vote and those who renew their driver’s license online. In 2018, Texas appealed that suit in an attempt to maintain its system of disenfranchisement. In 2019, Texas passed Senate Bill 9. This new bill concentrated more polling sites in whiter neighborhoods with historically higher voter registration numbers and made it a felony for Texans to vote if they are ineligible to do so. This not only criminalizes unsuspecting voters who may not be aware of their voting status, but it also abandons areas with low voter registration by taking away polling sites. Since reducing voting sites will decrease voting participation, this creates a feedback loop that further suppresses voter turnout. The Bexar County decision is welcome news that provides a rare reversal of local voter suppression efforts. The fight for democracy is still ahead The recent push by the right wing in all sectors, and in the voting rights arena especially, is something that has to be fought tooth and nail. Texas plays a key role in pushing the far-right-wing agenda across the country, and if Texas is allowed to successfully disenfranchise Black and Brown voters, other states will follow suit.  Non-profit legal advocates have waged important campaigns to keep voting locations open and help voters clear the obstacles to registration. But they are limited in what they can offer under the current system. The Democrats have been largely absent from this fight, as much of the right-wing assault on democracy has happened during the Obama and Biden administrations — when Democrats held the reins of power. We must continue to fight back against these attacks on our basic democratic rights and build a mass movement capable not just of resisting the right-wing assault on democracy, but expanding democracy even further.

Meghan Markle’s ‘ultra Luxury’ Holiday Destination Is Also Pippa Middleton’s Favourite – Express https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/meghan-markles-ultra-luxury-holiday-destination-is-also-pippa-middletons-favourite-express/ Meghan Markle ‘doesn’t sound happy’ says Rupert Bell Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Before joining the Royal Family, Meghan regularly shared travel tips on her blog, The Tig. While the Duchess of Sussex visited many cheaper spots, one luxury destination was her favourite “respite”. Meghan visited St Barts in the Caribbean for a luxurious holiday before she met Prince Harry. She wrote on The Tig: “Without question, St Barths remains an ultra luxury destination, but with a little scouring, you can find a respite from the fancy fray or dive right in, whatever your pleasure, this island does seem to have it all.” Saint Barthelemy island is a French speaking Caribbean paradise known for its stunning white sand beaches. The gorgeous island is a luxury holiday destination and perfect for those seeking an exclusive experience. READ MORE: Two men arrested after choking and robbing tourists in Spain Meghan Markle and Pippa Middleton both enjoyed St Barts (Image: Getty) While there Meghan dined at the popular restaurant, Le Grain de Sel, which serves fusion food. She said: “An authentic Caribbean restaurant serving up creole classics. Do not miss this food gem, where the bites are as transportive as the vacation itself.” The restaurant’s menu heavily features fish with dishes including grilled curry tuna steak and lobster with creole sauce. For dessert, options include pineapple cake with a lime twist, coconut creole pie and roasted pineapple with ginger. DON’T MISS Meghan also visited Grand Saline Beach and said her friends couldn’t drag her out the sea as she loved it so much. The stunning white sand beach is one of the island’s best and is perfect for snorkelling and swimming. But Meghan isn’t the only celebrity to enjoy holidaying in Saint Barts. Pippa Middleton is also a huge fan of the island. Pippa’s husband James spent part of his childhood on the island as his father owns the luxury hotel, Eden Rock. READ MORE: Spain holiday warning over Covid rules St Barts is an exclusive luxury destination (Image: Getty) It’s impossible to take mass transport to St Barts and visitors can only reach it by using a private jet. There are only around 30 hotels on the exclusive island in order to maintain its luxurious feel. Jay Z and Beyonce are also regulars on St Barts which attracts an ultra rich and celebrity audience. St Barts has a heavy French influence and many of the island’s restaurants feature French cuisine. Meghan added: “After three nights of this girls’ getaway, we take in the view one last time before travelling by Jeep to the airport.” She said the pilot allowed her to sit in the front with him for the short flight back to St Maarten. The Duchess stayed at Hotel Taiwana, a boutique luxury hotel which has now closed down. It is thought that Pippa Middleton stays at Eden Rock when she visits the island for family holidays.

LIVE: India Sees Marginal Dip In Daily Covid Count With 2,678 Fresh Cases – Hindustan Times https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/live-india-sees-marginal-dip-in-daily-covid-count-with-2678-fresh-cases-hindustan-times/ Live Updated on Oct 14, 2022 09:38 AM IST Breaking news October 14, 2022, live updates: Get latest news, breaking news, latest updates, live news, top headlines, breaking business news and top news of the hour. Get latest news, breaking news, latest updates, live news, top headlines, breaking business news and top news of the hour. Welcome to hindustantimes.com updates platform where you can find breaking news from India and across the world. Find fast updates about the latest news as it breaks. Follow all the updates here: Oct 14, 2022 09:30 AM IST BSF guns down drone at India-Pak border in Amritsar, The BSF personnel on Friday shot down a drone that entered the Indian territory near the Ramsas village in Amritsar, Punjab. Following the incident, which happened at around 4pm, the personnel found a rope attached to the drone. The area is being searched by a heavy BSF and Punjab Police forces under the DIG’s investigation. Read more. Oct 14, 2022 09:02 AM IST India’s Covid tally sees slight dip with 2,678 new infections India on Friday logged as many as 2,678 new Covid-19 cases, a marginal dip from 2,786 the day before, the health ministry’s morning bulletin revealed. The active case count now stands at 26,583, accounting for 0.06 per cent of the cumulative tally of 44,623,997. Oct 14, 2022 08:03 AM IST Delhi Police gets bomb call on Moscow-Delhi flight, probe on after aircraft lands safely & everyone deboarded Delhi Police on Friday said that a call about a bomb on a flight coming to the capital from Moscow was received last night. They added that the flight landed in Delhi at around 3.20am, after which all passengers and crew members were deboarded safely and now the aircraft is being checked and a probe into the matter is underway, ANI reported. Read more. Oct 14, 2022 07:05 AM IST Earthquake of 4.8 magnitude hits Chhattisgarh region early Friday An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 happened today at around 5.28 am 65km WNW of Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, the National Center for Seismology said. “The depth of the earthquake was 10km below the ground,” it added. Oct 14, 2022 05:52 AM IST Elon Musk probed by US authorities over his Twitter buyout deal Tesla CEO Elon Musk is under a federal investigation by United States authorities over his $44 billion buyout deal of social media giant Twitter, the company said in a court filing made public on Thursday. Twitter said it had requested Musk’s advocates for months to produce their communications with federal authorities, but they had not complied, and so they asked a Delaware judge to order the attorneys to provide the documents. Read more. Subscribe to our best newsletters Ahead of Congress prez polls, endorsement by G-23’s Tewari, Gehlot for Kharge Updated on Oct 14, 2022 09:23 AM IST Congress leader Manish Tewari has decided to back party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge instead of Shashi Tharoor, a fellow member of the so-called G-23 that, in 2020, wrote to interim party president Sonia Gandhi asking for changes in the way the party functions. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor BSF shoots down drone at India-Pakistan border in Amritsar Published on Oct 14, 2022 09:09 AM IST The jawans of 73 Batalion posted in the area of responsibility of Shahpur border out post (BoP) brought down the drone NDPP denies reports of Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio’s alleged grilling by ED Published on Oct 14, 2022 08:58 AM IST The NDPP, to which Rio belongs, in a statement issued on Thursday night termed the news report as “false” and “malicious” Morning brief: Order allowing Adani to acquire 34 acres set aside Published on Oct 14, 2022 08:58 AM IST Here are today’s top news, analysis, and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. UP: Man thrashed after wife catches him shopping with girlfriend on Karwa Chauth Updated on Oct 14, 2022 09:05 AM IST According to reports, the wife was staying with her parents after a fight with her husband. On Karwa Chauth, when she had gone shopping with her mother, she found her husband with someone else. Bomb threat on Delhi-bound flight, probe underway: Police Updated on Oct 14, 2022 09:31 AM IST This comes days after the Indian Air Force (IAF) had to scramble Su-30MKI fighter jets to shadow an Iranian Mahan Air flight following inputs from Lahore’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) about a possible bomb threat, which turned out to be false. Monsoon withdrawal from parts of southwest India to continue: IMD Updated on Oct 14, 2022 07:54 AM IST IMD released new monsoon onset and withdrawal dates in 2020 factoring in the likely impact of climate change, which has altered the way the southwest monsoon progresses 4.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur Published on Oct 14, 2022 07:05 AM IST The earthquake occurred 65km west nothwest of Ambikapur at around 5.28am. Kerala black magic case: Killer a haiku poet, reveal Facebook posts Updated on Oct 14, 2022 07:07 AM IST Bhagaval Singh who claimed to be a traditional medical practitioner also had a passion for poetry. He posted two haikus on October 6, days before the Kerala human sacrifice case came to the fore. After Shah blames Nehru for J&K issue, Jairam steps in: ‘Super-spreader of lies’ Published on Oct 14, 2022 06:39 AM IST Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, participated in discussions before including Article 370 in Indian Constitution as opposed to the time when demonitisation happened. India’s 5G is indigenous; can provide to other countries: Sitharaman Updated on Oct 14, 2022 07:12 AM IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 5G technology earlier this month at India Mobile Congress 2022 in New Delhi. Smriti Irani calls Gopal Italia ‘gutter mouth’; ‘Kejriwal…with your blessings’ Updated on Oct 14, 2022 06:01 AM IST Union minister Smriti Irani said Gujarat AAP chief Gopal Italia also ‘abused’ PM Modi’s mother. “I profer no outrage, I don’t want to show how indignant Gujaratis are but know this you have been judged,” she said addressing AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. LIVE: India sees marginal dip in daily Covid count with 2,678 fresh cases Updated on Oct 14, 2022 09:38 AM IST Breaking news October 14, 2022, live updates: Get latest news, breaking news, latest updates, live news, top headlines, breaking business news and top news of the hour. Story Saved New Delhi 0C Friday, October 14, 2022

Study Finds Association Between Hot Flashes And Heart Health Among Menopausal Women – Bel Marra Health https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/study-finds-association-between-hot-flashes-and-heart-health-among-menopausal-women-bel-marra-health/ Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause, but did you know that there is also an association between hot flashes and heart health? Recent studies have shown that experiencing hot flashes is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. If you’re going through menopause, it’s important to be aware of this link and take steps to protect your heart. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, and previous research has shown that it accelerates in midlife during the menopause transition. Approximately 70% of women experience hot flashes during the menopause transition, so more studies are needed to understand the full complexity of this transition in life. It has already been found that women with more frequent hot flashes have poorer cardiovascular risk factor profiles, including insulin resistance (or diabetes), elevated blood pressure (hypertension), dyslipidemia, and a greater risk of underlying atherosclerosis. Persistent hot flashes have additionally been associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease events such as stroke and myocardial infarction. Menopause has also been associated with mental health concerns. Researchers will be presenting this week at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting, highlighting concerns linking hot flashes with heart health. Dr. Rebecca Thurston from the University of Pittsburgh will lead the presentation and explore potential underlying physiologic mechanisms that could link vasomotor symptoms to cardiovascular risk. “Hot flashes are regarded as symptoms with implications for quality of life but not necessarily physical health. Accumulating research has called this long-held clinical wisdom into question and underscores that frequent or severe hot flashes may signal women who are at increased cardiovascular disease risk at midlife and beyond,” says Dr. Thurston. Maintaining Heart Health Heart Rescue was designed to help support and promote cardiovascular health using a variety of ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10. The omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in cardiovascular function, while CoQ10 is involved in energy production at the cellular level. These two heart superstars are supported by five other ingredients that can help to promote and support cardiovascular function as you age. This formula’s health benefits can help strengthen the heart muscle, support circulation, and help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Picture This: Mid-Ohio Valley Heart Walk 2022 | News, Sports, Jobs – Parkersburg News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/picture-this-mid-ohio-valley-heart-walk-2022-news-sports-jobs-parkersburg-news/ Walkers and supporters pass the American Heart Association starting line in City Park on Thursday, for the return of the Mid-Ohio Valley Heart Walk. (Photo by James Dobbs) Walkers travel around City Park on Thursday to support the American Heart Association and the fight against heart disease for the return of the Mid-Ohio Valley Heart Walk. (Photo by James Dobbs) Local businesses and community teams joined the American Heart Association at City Park for the return of the Mid-Ohio Valley Heart Walk in Parkersburg on Thursday. (Photo by James Dobb) Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Metaverse Legs Were Staged – Decrypt https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-metaverse-legs-were-staged-decrypt/ It’s fair to say that nobody is more excited about Meta’s future metaverse than billionaire CEO, co-founder and chairman Mark Zuckerberg. Note his utter delight when, earlier this week, he announced “one more feature coming soon that’s probably the most requested feature on our road map.” “Legs!” he said. “I think everyone has been waiting for this!” Indeed, the addition of legs to Meta’s metaverse was what made the most headlines this week—and not the upgraded haptic and tracking features or integrated web browser of the new Quest Pro mixed reality headset. Zuckerberg explained that Meta will use an artificial intelligence model to predict and depict the positions of a user’s whole body. “But as delightful as the livestreamed reveal may have been, it appears the Horizon Worlds legs “demo” was more a “screen images simulated” moment. According to Ian Hamilton, editor of Upload VR, a Meta spokesman told him that “to enable this preview of what’s to come, the segment featured animations created from motion capture.” For those who’ve been wondering about the legs shown in the Connect keynote (@hrafntho). Meta: “To enable this preview of what’s to come, the segment featured animations created from motion capture.” — Ian Hamilton (@hmltn) October 13, 2022 Anything in a product demo deserves skepticism (“All demos lie!” reads one reply), but the apparent fabrication of a feature that has drawn a significant amount of industry commentary, snark, and competitive-trolling certainly doesn’t help the rocky rollout of what is supposed to be Meta’s signature product. At least Zuckerberg’s commentary about adding legs makes clear that doing so is a significant challenge—one that, in retrospect, he could have been saying Meta hasn’t yet solved. “Seriously, legs are hard, which is why other virtual reality systems don’t have them either,” he said, while his avatar shuffled and danced on screen. “The perceptual science behind this is actually quite interesting,” he opined. “We discovered early on that your brain is a lot more willing to accept a rendering of a part of you as long as it’s accurately positioned, but if it’s rendered in the wrong place it just feels terrible—it breaks the whole feeling of presence and immersion.” That’s why, Zuckerberg explained, early VR iterations depicted the positions of VR controllers, rather than guessing the positions of the hands and arms holding them. But for Horizon Worlds, and most VR technologies, there are no controllers or sensors for users’ feet and legs. “Understanding your leg position is surprisingly difficult because of occlusion—if your legs are under a desk or your arms block your view of them, your headset can’t see them directly,” he said. “You need to build an AI model to predict your whole body position.” As a result, the first full-body avatars will come to Horizon Worlds first, then to Meta’s other products. Some people have suggested the lack of legs is a feature, not a bug, as there is a notable increase in the amount of potential mayhem and abuse that can be simulated once the human form extends below the belt. Sadly, Meta’s Horizon Worlds has already seen its first sexual assault report. But this latest revelation of a “preview” that enlisted trusty motion capture rather than VR doesn’t help Meta’s metaverse PR problem. In October 2021, Facebook—arguably one of the biggest names in technology—bet the whole $10 billion farm on the metaverse. The company changed its name to Meta, and has since been aligning its sprawling enterprise to support Zuckerberg’s vision of a virtual social universe. Stockholders have not been impressed, however. And when Zuckerberg unveiled his cartoonish Horizon Worlds avatar in August, the instant reaction from the tech press and the public was outright mockery. While virtual worlds are not known for exceptional graphics, the debut of Meta’s visual style went so poorly, Zuckerberg rushed out updated images with more sophisticated rendering. Just last week, Meta put Horizon Worlds development on “quality lockdown,” hoping to clean up bugs and other performance issues. Internal emails suggested that even Meta employees were not using their own product. And it remains an open question as to whether Meta’s metaverse will play nicely with other metaverses or Web3 tech. Given Zuckerberg’s singular vision and zeal, Horizon Worlds will surely be only the first iteration of Meta’s future. It remains to be seen whether anyone will want to be a part of it. Zuckerberg should quit Meta. He seems disinterested in fixing its money-making platforms and he should build his dorky metaverse somewhere out of our sight where we can’t clown him for it. https://t.co/fVPUY7F4f6 — Linette Lopez (@lopezlinette) October 13, 2022 Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

This Little Gadget Lets You Play Gameboy Cartridges On A Steam Deck – Kotaku Australia https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/this-little-gadget-lets-you-play-gameboy-cartridges-on-a-steam-deck-kotaku-australia/ If you’ve got a bunch of Gameboy and Gameboy Advance cartridges lying around and a Steam Deck (I’m jealous), you might be in luck if you’re looking to bring the two together. Epilogue is a tech company that, back in 2021, released a nifty little gadget called the GB Operator, which when connected to a computer can run any Gameboy, Gameboy Colour and Gameboy Advance game through their own homebrew emulator. The really neat thing is that while you can play the game through the emulator, you can also save your progress and have that progress stay on the cartridge meaning that if you decide to go back to an official console, you won’t lose any progress. The Epilogue GB Operator and Studio can also be used to easily write homebrew games onto physical cartridges too, meaning it’s a good way for indie developers dabbling in demakes and retro-style games to simply make physical copies of them. This gadget was released in 2021, so why the hell am I talking about it now? WELL! Epilogue themselves posted an update on their Twitter announcing that after much testing, the GB Operator and Operator app are “fully compatible with Steam OS” with Gameboy games able to run “impeccably” on the Steam Deck. It’s official – enjoy your childhood cartridges, now on SteamDeck! Today we validated at the office that GB Operator and the Operator app are fully compatible with Steam OS and run impeccably on SteamDeck. This makes the experience fun and portable, we’re happy to support it pic.twitter.com/Ik4Pc6xPny — Epilogue (@meet_epilogue) October 13, 2022 So get this, folks: those little games that you could play as a kid on the go? You can now play them on the go again. But this time? It’s on something bigger and bustier. While there is something inherently funny about making something that was already portable once again portable but with a different flavour, this is still pretty neat. While still portable like they literally always were, your old Gameboy games can also now be played on a reasonably larger screen thanks to the GB Operator. The Steam Deck’s emulation capabilities continue to expand here, which is very cool to see. From this to the ability to recreate the experience of playing WiiU and 3DS in probably the most accurate way to date, it’s clear that the Steam Deck is becoming the most flexible console out there.

Mastercard Focusing On 5 Key Areas To Turn Crypto Into ‘an Everyday Way To Pay’ – Featured Bitcoin News – Bitcoin News https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/mastercard-focusing-on-5-key-areas-to-turn-crypto-into-an-everyday-way-to-pay-featured-bitcoin-news-bitcoin-news/ Mastercard has outlined five key crypto areas it is working on in order to “turn cryptocurrencies into an everyday way to pay.” A Mastercard executive opined: “Someday soon, the ability to own and spend a digital currency could be as seamless as making a contactless card payment.” Mastercard Focusing on 5 Major Areas Covering Crypto, Metaverse, and NFTs Mastercard highlighted on Wednesday five different areas it is working on in order to “turn cryptocurrencies into an everyday way to pay.” Raj Dhamodharan, executive vice president of Digital Asset and Blockchain Products & Digital Partnerships at Mastercard, explained: “Digital assets like cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies [CBDCs] have the potential to transform the financial system’s infrastructure.” He added that non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain gaming, and metaverse experiences “could change how consumers shop and communicate.” The executive opined: Someday soon, the ability to own and spend a digital currency could be as seamless as making a contactless card payment. Dhamodharan proceeded to outline five key areas that Mastercard is working on to make this happen. The first area is crypto cards. He detailed that Mastercard already announced dozens of new crypto card programs globally this year. For example, in the U.S., the payments giant worked with Gemini on a credit card that pays rewards in cryptocurrencies. In Argentina, the company launched a prepaid card with Binance. In Europe, Mastercard recently announced the world’s first physical debit card that can be customized to include a customer’s NFT avatar. The second area is services for crypto. Noting that “Mastercard is a provider of cybersecurity, digital ID, advisory and open banking services to tens of thousands of financial institutions,” Dhamodharan said the company is going to use the same tools “to provide more support to crypto players and issuers.” Mastercard has expanded its consulting work to include a dedicated crypto practice and it completed the purchase of Ciphertrace last year. The company will soon launch a new crypto monitoring product called Crypto Secure. The third area is payments. “We’ve partnered with a handful of top-tier crypto-focused companies — including Paxos, Circle, Evolve and Uphold — to develop ways for people to quickly convert their crypto to fiat to make payments. This work will support current and future crypto card partnerships,” the executive detailed. Noting that the fourth area focuses on crypto on the Mastercard networks, Dhamodharan emphasized: An important way to expand choice for people is to bring certain Mastercard-approved digital assets onto our networks, a plan we announced last year that continues to move forward. The fifth area concerns the metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Mastercard is working to grow its partnerships to support NFTs and the metaverse, Dhamodharan explained. For example, Coinbase users can now pay for NFTs with Mastercard. In conclusion, the Mastercard executive noted that the payments giant already operates “a trusted global network that enables payments with a single tap or click.” He added, “That’s what the crypto economy needs to support the next million users — or the next billion,” elaborating: We’re excited to prioritize these core areas to give people more access to the crypto ecosystem and help it keep innovating and growing. What do you think about the five key areas Mastercard is engaged in to “turn cryptocurrencies into an everyday way to pay”? Let us know in the comments section below. Kevin Helms A student of Austrian Economics, Kevin found Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open-source systems, network effects and the intersection between economics and cryptography. Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons 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.

INDIA RUPEE Rupee Seen Higher After Dollar’s Post U.S. Inflation Rally Fades – Reuters https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/india-rupee-rupee-seen-higher-after-dollars-post-u-s-inflation-rally-fades-reuters/ MUMBAI, Oct 14 (Reuters) – The Indian rupee is tipped to strengthen versus the U.S. currency on Friday after the dollar’s rally following higher-than-expected U.S. inflation data proved short lived. The rupee is expected at around 82.20 in early trading, up from 82.3450 in the previous session. The dollar index dropped in Asia trading to 112.22 after having reached almost 114 immediately into the data. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com U.S headline consumer prices increased more than expected in September fuelling underlying inflation pressures, making it almost certain that the U.S. Federal Reserve will deliver another 75-basis-point rate increase at next month’s policy meeting. read more Further, the odds of an additional 75 bps rate hike in December climbed to 2-in-3, according to the CME FedWatch Tool. This probability was less than 10% a week back. More sustained core U.S. services pressure could see the Fed having to contemplate another 75 bps hike in December against our current base case of 50 bps, Morgan Stanley said in a note. The dollar advanced against its major peers soon after the data, while U.S. equity futures plunged and Treasury yields rose. However, U.S. equity futures and the dollar witnessed an intraday turnaround while Treasury yield came off highs. Analysts attributed the surprising turnaround to position adjustments and the possibility that decline in U.S. shares was overdone. The USD/INR 1-month non-deliverable forward jumped to 83 initially, but similar to the dollar index, retreated to near 82.50. The rupee will open at near its weekly high of around 82.15-82.17 and it “would not be a surprise” if the initial uptick does not sustain, a trader at a Mumbai-based bank said. The trader pointed to likely dollar buying interest from importers and to oil prices. Brent crude rose more than 2% on Thursday, inching higher in Asia to $94.70. read more KEY INDICATORS: ** One-month non-deliverable rupee forward at 82.50; onshore one-month forward premium at 22.5 paise ** USD/INR NSE October futures settled on Thursday at 82.42 ** USD/INR forward premium for current month at 9.5 paise ** Dollar index down at 112.30 ** Brent crude futures up at $94.7 per barrel ** Ten-year U.S. note yield at 3.92% ** SGX Nifty nearest-month futures up 2.0% at 17,296 ** As per NSDL data, foreign investors sold a net $43.4mln worth of Indian shares on Oct. 12 ** NSDL data shows foreign investors bought a net $13.8mln worth of Indian bonds on Oct. 12 Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Nimesh Vora; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Virginia Tech Ties No. 13 Virginia 3-3 In The Final Minute – VT Hokiesports.com https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/virginia-tech-ties-no-13-virginia-3-3-in-the-final-minute-vt-hokiesports-com/ 3 Virginia UVA (10-2-3, 3-2-2) 3 Virginia Tech VA (9-4-2, 3-3-1) Virginia UVA (10-2-3, 3-2-2) 3 3 Virginia Tech VA (9-4-2, 3-3-1) Score By Periods Team 1 2 F Virginia UVA 0 3 3 Virginia Tech VA 1 2 3 BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech recorded a pair of goals from Taylor Bryan late in the second half resulting in a 3-3 draw against Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 13 at Thompson Field. The tie moved Virginia Tech’s overall record to 9-4-2 and 3-3-1 in ACC play. Tech remains unbeaten in the ACC against top-25 opponents.  How it Happened The energy was live and well at Thompson Field as Virginia Tech took a 1-0 lead over Virginia (10-2-3, 3-2-2). Taylor Price recorded her eighth goal of the season in the 31st minute with a header into the back of the net, assisted by Emmalee McCarter from the corner kick. Price’s goal marks the sixth time this season she has scored the first Hokies’ goal.  The Cavaliers responded to tie the game in the 50th minute with a goal from Jill Flammia. Virginia then broke the 1-1 draw thirteen seconds later on a goal from Haley Hopkins. The Cavaliers pulled further ahead 3-1 with a 59th minute goal from their lead goal scorer, Hopkins, her second goal of the night.  Virginia Tech fought hard until the end, narrowing the gap to 3-2 on Taylor Bryan’s third goal of the season in the 80th minute, assisted by Tori Powell and Emma Pelkowski.  With less than a minute to go, the Hokies leveled the match 3-3 thanks to the equalizer from Bryan at 89:19.  “I’m proud of the team tonight for the way we came back, 3-1 down,” said head coach Chugger Adair. “It was a tremendous comeback from our ladies and I am pleased with the overall effort of the team to earn the point.”  Game Notes Taylor Bryan prevented the loss with two goals in the second half.  Tech remains unbeaten by ACC schools ranked within the top-25  Taylor Price scored her eighth goal of the season.  Lauren Hargrove piled up three saves for the Hokies out of 13 total Cavaliers shots. Virginia Tech tied Virginia with both teams registering six shots on goal  The tie gives the Hokies and Cavaliers one point each in the Commonwealth Clash, presented by Smithfield. For more information, visit https://smithfield.sfdbrands.com/en-us/promotions/commonwealth-clash-2022/. Click here to support Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer all season by making a pledge per goal today.

The Biggest Gaming News For October 13, 2022 – TheGamer https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/the-biggest-gaming-news-for-october-13-2022-thegamer/ Elden Ring might be gearing up for some DLC and Activision Blizzard is hit with another sexual harassment lawsuit. Happy Thursday, folks! Just one more day and then a weekend full of nothing but video games awaits you. To get you past the finish line, we have a bunch of interesting stories to cover, including the latest update for Elden Ring which signals DLC could soon be on the way. We also got Sony’s announcement that Spider-Man: Miles Morales is headed to PC next month, but we have to start today’s roundup off by getting serious as Activision Blizzard has been hit with yet another sexual harassment lawsuit. For more details, just keep on reading. Activision Blizzard Hit With Another Sexual Harassment Lawsuit We’ll get the serious stuff out of the way first, as yet another employee is suing the company over a “pervasive ‘frat-boy’ workplace culture.” The lawsuit has been put forward by a woman refered to as Jane Doe and alleges that former manager Miguel Vega sexually harassed her after she began working at Activision Blizzard in 2016. The lawsuit alleges that Vega “repeatedly groped Ms. Doe’s breasts” and would often attempt to kiss her, claiming that Vega would say things like “one day you’ll give in” when Doe stopped him. via FromSoftware Elden Ring Update Prepares It For Ray Tracing And Possible DLC Onto more positive news now, as FromSoftware could be gearing up to announce some Elden Ring DLC. Dataminers have dived into the files of the game’s latest update, revealing “raytracing strings” that indicate an update that includes ray tracing is right around the corner. More interestingly, popular dataminer Lance McDonald also reveals that these strings also reference two new maps, neither of which are currently in Elden Ring at the moment. Spider-Man: Miles Morales Coming To Steam November 18 Sony is ramping up its presence on PC by steadily bringing its hefty catalogue of exclusives to Steam. Titles like Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, and Days Gone have already made the leap, but it’s now been announced that Spider Man: Miles Morales will be following them very shortly, launching on Steam on November 18. Definitely a solid choice if you’re looking for something to play over the festive season. Toad Will Have An “Improvised” Song In The Mario Movie Now that the Mario movie’s first trailer is out in the wild, the stars of the project have been talking a little more openly about what fans can start to expect. Toad voice actor Keegan-Michael Key recently gave us the clearest indication that the movie will be a lot more musical than some of Illumination’s previous titles, as Key explains he got to “improvise a song” for Toad. If Toad is getting his own song, it stands to reason that bigger characters like Mario and Bowser will also be getting their groove on. via Sega Sonic Frontiers Combat Trailer Accidentally Leaked By Sega Finally, the release of Sonic Frontiers is fast-approaching and Sega is doing its best to hype up its fans for the blue blur’s next big adventure. Unfortunately, it slipped up a little bit earlier today, as it seemed to prematurely release a combat trailer for Sonic Frontiers, giving us our best look at the game’s skill tree and some of Sonic’s new abilities. Thankfully, the game continues to look great, so we’ll let you off this time Sega. Next: Fallout 4’s Wasteland Has Prepared Me For The Nightmare Of Britain

News Briefs | Region | Starbeacon.com – The Star Beacon https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/news-briefs-region-starbeacon-com-the-star-beacon/ Top Democratic women call out California senator for downplaying unwanted hugging SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Los Angeles state senator reprimanded four years ago for unwanted hugging and other touching is under renewed scrutiny for making light of his behavior at a July campaign event. In a letter released Wednesday, dozens of prominent women in California politics accused outgoing state Sen. Bob Hertzberg of failing to take years of sexual harassment allegations seriously despite being investigated and sanctioned. Hertzberg, a former Senate Majority Leader, is now in a tight race for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors with another Democrat, West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath, in next month’s midterm election. The letter accused Hertzberg, 67, of minimizing the seriousness of the hugging and touching despite a “pattern” of behavior that is “aggressive, sexual in nature, and most of all, intimidating” to his women colleagues in Sacramento and Los Angeles. His behavior in the senate earned him the nickname “Huggy Bear Hertzberg.” —The Sacramento Bee Texas sheriff says migrants should stay in US — because DeSantis made them victims of a crime The Venezuelan migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by the state of Florida last month are one step closer to staying in the United States — because Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has questioned their right to remain here legally, made them the victims of a potential crime, their attorney says. The 48 migrants say they were tricked into taking charter flights from San Antonio to the Massachusetts island with false promises of jobs and other aid, part of a taxpayer-funded operation DeSantis said he set up to draw attention to the border crisis. The Sheriff of Bexar County, which covers San Antonio, quickly opened a criminal investigation. Now, the sheriff has granted each migrant a certification allowing them to apply for a special kind of visa meant for crime victims who are helping law enforcement, according to Rachel Self, an attorney for the migrants. Those applying for the visa cannot be sent back to their homelands until their immigration cases are settled — which can take as long as six or seven years, Self said in a statement. “No matter what your political beliefs are, these people are all crime victims,” she said. —Miami Herald California Coastal Commission OKs desalination plant in Orange County LOS ANGELES — Less than six months after rejecting a proposal for a major desalination plant in Huntington Beach, the California Coastal Commission on Thursday approved plans for a different, smaller project in Orange County they say could serve as a model for future projects. The commision gave unanimous approval — with conditions — to the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project near the Pacific Coast Highway and San Juan Creek in Dana Point. The facility, which will convert seawater to drinking water, will be operated by the South Coast Water District. Unlike the Poseidon Water project, which was rejectedin May because of the dangers it posed to marine life and other issues, the Doheny plant will tie into an existing municipal system and feature a better environmental design, officials said. But while some championed the project as an example of desalination “done right,” opponents said there are more efficient and economical methods that should be explored first. Kate Huckelbridge, the Coastal Commission’s senior deputy director, said in an interview before the meeting that Doheny cleared many of the hurdles that come with desalination and “represents an easier pathway to an approvable project.” —Los Angeles Times Kyiv region hit by Iranian-made kamikaze drones, Ukraine says KYIV, Ukraine — Infrastructure in the region around the Ukrainian capital was attacked by kamikaze drones on Thursday, officials in Kyiv said. The explosions occurred in the early morning in the town of Makariv, west of the capital, Kyiv Region Police Chief Andriy Nebitov said, adding that officers and rescue workers were on the scene. Deputy head of the presidential office Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Telegram that “critical infrastructure facilities” had been the target. There was initially no word on possible casualties or details on what was struck. As Moscow’s forces struggle on the battlefield, Ukraine has for weeks been reporting increased Russian attacks using the unmanned Iranian-made drones that operators smash into their target. Experts from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of the War reported that Russia brought Iranian instructors to the occupied territories of Ukraine to teach Russian troops how to use the drones. —dpa 2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Copyright 2022 Tribune Content Agency.

Family Cruise Vacation Requests Growing Significantly – TravelPulse https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/family-cruise-vacation-requests-growing-significantly-travelpulse/ Requests for family cruises are pouring in, reports leading online cruise marketplace CruiseCompete, with booking requests having recently risen by a staggering 285 percent. When it comes to taking the entire family on vacation, cruising offers an excellent experience for all ages, as well as great value for the money. With more than 50 global cruise lines sailing over 500 cruise ships on voyages all over the world, travelers are sure to find something to suit their tastes. Trending Now With nearly two decades in business, CruiseCompete is a free online service that helps travelers request custom quotes from multiple sources and find the best deals on their selected sailings. CruiseCompete also releases a CruiseTrends report each month—reporting the most-requested cruise ships, lines and travel dates for premium, luxury and river cruising—based on actual consumer quote requests and transactions taking place on its website (an average of over 25,000 quotes monthly). This month, CruiseCompete reported that consumers are placing a premium on cabin room service, citing it as one of their top most-desired onboard amenities when it comes to choosing their cruises. The comparison site provided a rundown of the top seven reasons that cruisegoers love having room service when they’re sailing: There is nothing that feels more indulgent than having your cabin steward awaken you with the aroma of fresh coffee and freshly-baked pastries. Families often benefit from having cabin room service available at various times of the day and night, especially those kids of various ages, not all of whom might be ‘dining-room’ ready. It can sometimes provide couples with an opportunity for some private romance alone in their cabin. While there are usually many dining options no matter what you are doing, if you’ve had a busy day, you might just need a break from fellow passengers and prefer to dine in. Sometimes guests just might like to have some food available to enjoy in the comfort of their cabin. Since children never stop being hungry, it provides parents peace of mind, knowing that in-cabin service is always available, typically 24/7. If your cabin category offers room service at any time, why not take advantage of it?! For the latest travel news, updates and deals, be sure to subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter here.

Amazon’s Holiday Sales Event Sees Lower Sales, Group Says – Business News – Castanet.net https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/amazons-holiday-sales-event-sees-lower-sales-group-says-business-news-castanet-net/ Amazon’s holiday sales slow Haleluya Hadero, The Associated Press – Oct 13, 2022 / 7:02 pm | Story: 390515 Photo: The Canadian Press FILE – An Amazon Prime delivery vehicle is seen in downtown Pittsburgh on March 18, 2020. Amazon said Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, that its Prime members ordered more than 100 million items during a sales event this week that analysts are expecting to be a bellwether for the holiday shopping season. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) Amazon said Thursday its Prime members ordered more than 100 million items during a sales event this week that analysts are expecting to be a bellwether for the holiday shopping season. As expected, the Seattle-based e-commerce company did not share sales figures. Still, some third-party estimates offer clues on how consumers spent during the two-day discount event that ran on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the data group Numerator, which tracked roughly 44,670 orders during the sale, the average order size clocked in at $46.68, $13 less than what it was during Amazon’s Prime Day sales event in July. Inflation also had an impact – 26% of shoppers passed on a deal because it wasn’t a necessity, Numerator said. Major retailers have been offering more holiday discounts this year and doing it much earlier than usual, aiming to offload excess goods and offer cash-strapped Americans better deals amid high inflation. Amazon’s discount event this week was the first time the company offered major sales to its Prime members twice in one year. Walmart has also been offering sales this week and has expanded its window for gift returns to between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31, compared with last year’s return window of Nov. 1 to Jan. 24. Meanwhile, Target began offering holiday deals last week during a two-day discount event. The company declined to share its revenue from those sales. According to Salesforce, which analyzes online shopping data, the average online discount rate on Tuesday and Wednesday was roughly 21%, the deepest discount rate since the beginning of the pandemic outside of Cyber Week, the time between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. But despite the deep discounts, consumers are still generally paying more than they did in the past two years due to high inflation. The average online selling price on Tuesday and Wednesday, for example, was up 8% compared to last year, and 17% compared to 2020, Salesforce said. Online spending in November and December is expected to hit $209.7 billion, a 2.5% jump from 2021, according to Adobe Analytics. That’s sluggish growth compared to last year’s gain of 8.6%.

The Works’ Mobile Grocer To Bring Groceries To Memphis’ Food Deserts – Commercial Appeal https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/the-works-mobile-grocer-to-bring-groceries-to-memphis-food-deserts-commercial-appeal/ Fresh fruits, canned goods, and reusable bags are the marks of any average grocery store, but what if instead that grocery shopping experience came to you? The Works’ grocery store on wheels, Mobile Grocer, hit the streets in North Memphis for the first time Wednesday. “I feel like a kid on Christmas, like a 6-year-old, with all of the gifts,” The Works CEO Roshun Austin said. “This is a dream in that way because for a long time… we were trying to find ways for not only our staff members and neighbors to have access [to groceries].” While the routes are still being finalized, Austin said the truck will definitely serve the Klondike, Frayser, Smokey City, and North Memphis areas. The Works will also partner with hyperlocal organizations to determine the best stops for the truck. South Memphis Development:22 homes planned for new subdivision in Trigg neighborhood Memphis grocery stores:Gordon Food Service’s first Memphis store opens in Midtown “Everything we do is about a partnership with groups and neighbors, so we’d like the voices of people who live in this place,” Austin said. The Works is a community development corporation serving the Memphis community by offering affordable housing and social services. BJ Adams was hired by The Works last year to drive the Mobile Grocer. After supply chain problems delayed the project since 2020, Adams is happy to get on the road to bring fresh foods to neighborhoods without grocery stores. “We’re just trying to find out exactly what areas we want to target first,” Adams said. “Once we get the routes configured, then we’ll do about two hours in each location… We’re going to hit some senior living facilities, maybe some areas where you don’t really have access to fruits and vegetables, as well.” The roughly 20-foot trailer is stocked wall-to-wall with every type of grocery item one might need: bread, cereal, fruits, vegetables, canned foods, plates, and cups. It also opens from the back to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 2010, The Works opened the South Memphis Farmers Market to fulfill a pillar of its South Memphis Revitalization Action Plan, which emphasizes healthy living by improving access to healthy foods in the community. The seasonal market with local vendors then expanded to become the brick-and-mortar store The Grocer at 1400 Mississippi Blvd. Whitehaven news:Opening delayed for new YMCA in Whitehaven. Here’s a look at where the project stands. In South Memphis:Rapper Kevo Muney provides free dental cleanings for Memphis Delta Prep students Rick James, owner and CEO of Castle Retail Group — the group behind stores including High Point Grocery and South Point Grocery, acts as The Works’ wholesaler. James and Austin have been working together for more than a decade on addressing food deserts in Memphis. “To see it, you know, see it actually come off of a sheet of paper and sitting in this parking lot is great, but the value of it being able to move throughout the city and get into neighborhoods, especially where access is limited because of transportation problems,” James said. “That’s one of the biggest things for seniors in the city is they rely on somebody else for transportation, or they rely on mass transit, which is very time-consuming, but to be able to have this show up at a parking lot in their building is just really going to be terrific.” For updates, follow The Works on Instagram.

Raiders’ Maxx Crosby: Pair Of Sacks In Week 5 – CBS Sports https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/raiders-maxx-crosby-pair-of-sacks-in-week-5-cbs-sports/ Fantasy Football Today Newsletter Get tips, advice and news to win your league – all from the FFT podcast team. By submitting my email I agree to receive the “Fantasy Football Today Newsletter” and other marketing and promotional emails from CBS Sports, which may include information from our affiliates and/or partners’ offers, products and services. For more information about our data practices consult our Privacy Policy Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error processing your subscription.

This Week In XR: The Quest Pro And Everything In Meta’s Metaverse – Forbes https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/this-week-in-xr-the-quest-pro-and-everything-in-metas-metaverse-forbes/ Meta Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Connect developer conference keynote on Tuesday introduced the new $1,499 Meta Quest Pro, which is focused on first adopters/prosumers and enterprise users. It got great reviews from the press, notably CNet and RoadtoVR. Pre-orders are being accepted for an October 25th ship date. Meta The Quest Pro is smaller, thinner, and sleeker than the Quest 2, thanks to pancake optics, resulting in its 40% reduction in size. The battery has been relocated to the back of the headset, improving the ergonomics. There are new haptic self-tracking controllers, too. Outward facing color cameras enable new mixed reality experiences. The device and controllers fit nicely together in a desktop charging pad. Face tracking will make avatars more expressive. This is also the first device to use the new Snapdragon XR2+ processor which is optimized for VR to run at 50% more power than Quest 2. © 2022 Bloomberg Finance LP Meta emphasized that the Quest Pro is for business and prosumers. It has a stylus to enhance writing while in Workrooms. The new lenses make reading much easier. The Meta CEO was met (virtually) by the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, to announce the integration of Horizon Workrooms with Microsoft Teams. It will also be integrated with Zoom. © 2022 Bloomberg Finance LP Accenture CEO Julie Sweet dropped in to emphasize their commitment to VR’s role in the future of work. Over the last two years, Accenture has deployed 60,000 Quest 2 headsets to help onboard new employees on virtual campus called the “Nth Floor,” co-created with Microsoft on AltspaceVR, has welcomed 150,000 people. © 2022 Bloomberg Finance LP This year’s keynote was more restrained than last year’s dramatic visualizations of the Metaverse, climaxing with Facebook’s name change. Tuesday, the earnest, super sincere founder and CEO takes us on a two hour tour of his Metaverse. He is joined by his version of the Disney Imagineers, led by his sideman CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth. They trotted out each piece of the hardware and software puzzle Meta says is necessary to create the Metaverse. Topics included work and productivity, deals with Adobe and Autodesk, avatar updates, including much requested legs, photorealistic avatars, fitness, entertainment, AR, capture technologies, game engines, developers, and future technologies. Meta will soon begin selling avatar clothing in Horizon. This could be the sleeper revenue bomb of Connect. Epic Games makes an estimated $5 Billion dollars a year selling avatar “skins” in Fortnite. Meta The Meta Quest app store has generated over $1.5 Billion dollars. One in three of its 400 titles have made more than a million dollars. 33 titles have made over $10M in gross revenue. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners has surpassed $50M in revenue on Quest alone, nearly double its revenue on all other platforms. In its first 24 hours, Resident Evil 4 made $2M. With games making that kind of dough, Meta notably revealed it had purchased three more of its best game developers. Meta The haters were at work before Connect. Last Friday (Oct 6th) The NY Times dropped This Is Life in the Metaverse. Author Kashmir Hill acknowledged Meta’s challenges, while admitting she had a pretty good time chatting people up in Horizon and visiting a comedy club, although she encountered trolls and pre-teen children who should not be there. On the same day, Alex Heath’s story Meta’s flagship metaverse app is too buggy and employees are barely using it, says exec in charge went up in the Verge. Monday, the Times published this notably negative story, Skepticism, Confusion, Frustration: Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Struggle. Within an hour of Connect, Bloomberg fired this dart: A $1499 Headset Won’t Help Meta. Wired is already speculating on how face tracking data can be used to violate our privacy. There was other news this week in XR: Didimo Didimo raises $7.1M Series A led by Armilar The Portuguese company makes realistic 3D avatars from 2D photos. Armilar Venture Partners led the round which included investment from Bright Pixel Capital, Portugal Ventures, and Techstars. ORamaVR Raises $2.4M for VR Medical training tools The Swiss start up, founded in 2020, provided a low/no code platform for medical institutions to create training modules with increased speed and efficiency. The round was led by the European Union NextGenerationEU and Horizon Europe programmes, as well as the Geneva Foundation for Technology Innovation (Fongit) and FORTH-ICS. US Army Microsoft (MSFT) US Army HoloLens Goggles Gave Soldiers Nausea, Headaches According to a summary of the exercise compiled by the Pentagon’s testing office, US soldiers using new goggles based on the HoloLens suffered “mission-affecting physical impairments.” Acceptance of the goggles by soldiers “remains low” and doesn’t “contribute to their ability to complete their mission.” Epson Epson announces launch of new Moverio Augmented Reality smart glasses The company says its Moverio BT-45C and BT-45CS AR headsets have been designed to support remote collaboration, troubleshooting, maintenance, inspection, and training. It will be showing off the headset at the Augmented Enterprise Summit in San Diego next week. Decntraland DappRadar Data Says Sandbox and Decentraland are “Ghost Towns” The Data Suggests Decentraland Has 38 “Daily Active Users,” and The Sandbox has fewer than 1,000. Each has a valuation over a billion dollars. However, Dapp radar defines “active users” as those making SAND or MANA transactions and doesn’t count people who simply log in and interact with other users on a Metaverse platform or drop in briefly for an event. It may also mean that fewer transactions, like buying or selling a non-fungible token (NFT), take place on these platforms than the number of people that visit. Upcoming Conferences: Augmented Enterprise Summit, San Diego (Oct 17th-19th) Ericsson’s Imagine Possible, San Jose (Oct 18 & 19th) TechCrunch Disrupt, San Francisco (Oct 18th – 20th) This Week in XR is also a podcast hosted by the author of this column and Ted Schilowitz, Head of Future Technologies at Paramount Global. This week our guest is Lucas Martell, CEO of Mighty Coconut, developer of the hit VR game, Walkabout Mini-Golf, which has recently launched new courses based on the classic movie Labyrinth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We can be found here Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube. What We’re Reading Epic interview with FXG about Pico’s huge VR concerts in China (Tony Vitillo/Skarred Ghost Blog) Apple’s AR or VR wearable device is now even closer to release (Adario Strange/Quartz)

Everything You Need To Know Before You Start Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – GameSpot https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/everything-you-need-to-know-before-you-start-bleach-thousand-year-blood-war-gamespot/ By Mason Downey on October 13, 2022 at 4:03PM PDT Bleach’s final arc is finally getting animated, but after a 10 year hiatus, you might want to brush up on your Bleach tr It’s a great time to be an anime fan. Not only do we have a new One Piece movie on the horizon and the brand new (incredibly stylish) Chainsaw Man anime starting up, long-standing Shonen Jump favorite Bleach is returning to animation to finally finish out its final arc with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. It’s been a full ten years since the Bleach anime has been on the air, and while the show lasted a whopping 300+ episodes, it never actually completed the story as told in Kubo Tite’s original manga series. Instead, the anime invented new story arcs called “filler” to mitigate the fact that the anime and the manga were often out of sync in their publication. The anime culminated in a filler arc, The Lost Agent, which brought it to its conclusion in 2012. Now, however, as Bleach turns 20-years-old, the anime is being revived and the finale brought to life for the first time. Thousand-Year Blood War’s first episode has already premiered and will continue to air simultaneously in Japan and abroad on Hulu and Disney+ so fans across the globe can keep up with the action as it happens. But there’s one issue. Not only has Bleach been off the air for ten years, Thousand-Year Blood War offers little to nothing in terms of a recap to bring fans up to speed. If you’re a hardcore Bleach fan, this certainly isn’t an issue, but if you’re a newcomer to the series looking for a jumping-on point, this was probably a little bit jarring. And, trust us, we get not wanting to have to go back and watch several hundred episodes of TV to get caught up–though we definitely would recommend hopping over to the manga if you’re looking for something to read, especially since Thousand-Year Blood War is, so far, basically torn right from the page. But that’s not always feasible and if you want in on the hype right now with no homework, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about Bleach to jump right into Thousand-Year Blood War with its first episode. 1. Ghosts are real (kind of) and all over the place The concept of Bleach is pretty simple. The human world is watched over by a heaven-like alternate reality called Soul Society, populated by supernatural beings called Soul Reapers or Shinigami. These Soul Reapers are typically invisible to the naked eye unless you happen to be a human who is particularly sensitive to spiritual energy. They run around killing monsters called Hollows, or corrupted human souls that were not able to make the trip to Soul Society. The protagonist of Bleach, Ichigo Kurosaki, was a human boy who was able to see ghosts, Hollows, and Soul Reapers. He was given the powers of a “substitute” Soul Reaper when the Soul Reaper in charge of his neighborhood, a woman named Rukia Kuchiki, was injured. Naturally, things kind of spiraled out of control from there. 2. Zanpakuto are just really cool swords Every Soul Reaper fights with a sword called a Zanpakuto, and all Zanpakuto look different. It won’t surprise you that they all have different powers and abilities, too. This is a Shonen anime, after all. We love power levels and magic. Every Zanpakuto has a name, too. Ichigo’s is called Zangetsu. You don’t need to remember them all, don’t worry. 3. Shikai, bankai, and lots of big explosions. Every Zanpakuto has a handful of special movies unique to it, the most important of which being its “bankai,” which is functionally its ultimate attack. Each bankai makes the Zanpakuto transform in some way and the transformations can range from a sword becoming a bigger sword to a dagger becoming a giant manta ray monster, there are really no rules. Each Soul Reaper must train extremely hard to unlock their Zanpakuto’s bankai and the usage of them is usually seen as a sort of last resort in many different fights. Meanwhile, a shikai is kind of a “mini” bankai, it changes the sword’s form (though not too dramatically) and provides an initial power-up. Typically a fight in Bleach will go from a normal sword fight, to a fight with shikai forms, to a fight with bankai forms. 4. Quincies, Arrancar, and others Soul Reapers aren’t the only supernatural people galavanting around in the Bleach universe. There are also Quincies, who are humans with spiritual abilities that also fight Hollows–but unlike Soul Reapers, who seek to usher human souls from their Hollow forms and usher them into Soul Society, Quincies seek to straight up destroy any and all vestiges of the Hollow, full stop. Conversely, Arrancar are former Hollows who, without the help of Soul Reapers and without being murdered by Quncies, regained their agency and autonomy to control their Hollow powers. All three factions play a major part in Thousand-Year Blood War, but the Quincies are the main antagonists. 5. Bureaucracies Soul Society and the Soul Reapers function with a bureaucratic hierarchy. Within Soul Society, there are thirteen different divisions, each with a different specialization lead by a captain and a vice captain. You’ll be able to pick out the captains by their white jackets, each with the kanji of their respective division on the back. Vice captains, conversely, wear an armband with their number on it. You do not need to remember every division’s specialization, and you definitely don’t need to know each captain and vice captain by heart. But it will help make things a little easier when dealing with large crowds and new characters. 6. Languages are also a clue Bleach’s creator, Kubo Tite, has a thing for incorporating languages other than Japanese and English into his work, which can help differentiate the different factions and characters just by listening to them talk. For example, Soul Reapers and people within Soul Society will usually stick to Japanese-based names for places and things. Arrancar are almost universally named and themed after Spanish words, and their attacks are usually in Spanish as well. Quincies, meanwhile, are very German. Their attacks, headquarters, and technology will almost always be in German. 7. Ichigo’s pals Bleach has no shortage of side characters and not all of them are Soul Reapers like Ichigo. His three best friends, Chad, Inoue, and Ishida, are all super-powered fighters in their own right. Chad is able to summon a sort of magical armor onto his arms and punch things really, really hard. Inoue’s hair clips allow her to summon tiny fairy-like spirits that put up shields and let her heal people. Ishida, on the other hand, happens to be a Quincy. Surely that won’t be a big deal during a story where the Quincies are the bad guys. There’s also Urahara, an ex-Soul Reaper who now lives in the human world and runs a sort of boutique shop full of mystical gadgets and parapheniala. He’s a bit like the Q to Ichigo’s Bond–if Q were way more unscrupulous and way less trustworthy. 8. There’s some shady stuff going on in Soul Society’s (and Ichigo’s) past While Thousand-Year Blood War’s main conflict is a fight between the Soul Reapers and the Quincies, there’s still plenty of other drama to be uncovered. This is likely where the story will get the most confusing to people who are coming in fresh, since a lot of it involves pay-off for years-old plotlines and character details, but don’t let that discourage you. In lieu of spoiling any major developments from past story arcs, we’ll leave you with this: Bleach is very much a long-game in terms of its development and a great deal of it relies on what seemed like minor details from old stories coming back in a major way down the line. This happens a number of times during Thousand-Year Blood War, so it’s best to go in with an open mind and a willingness to start connecting dots that may feel very confusing at first. It’s worth it, we promise.

Hempacco Partner With Rick Ross For Hemp-Hop Smokes, Plans New Crypto ICO – Cryptonews https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/hempacco-partner-with-rick-ross-for-hemp-hop-smokes-plans-new-crypto-ico-cryptonews/ Disclaimer: The text below is a press release that is not part of Cryptonews.com editorial content. Rapper-turned-business tycoon Rick Ross has joined Hempacco Co. Inc. to launch his brand of Hemp Hop Smokables.  With the CEO of Rap Snacks Inc. James Lindsay joining him as founder, Rick Ross is entering the $1-trillion hemp industry. Hemp Hop will offer hemp cigarettes, smoking paper and other alternatives to nicotine.   The venture could give Hip-Hop’s biggest boss a new theme song to live by, Rich Life Forever. The Founding of Hemp Hop Hempacco’s co-founder and chief marketing officer Jorge Olsen announced the partnership at Ross’ Boss Up Conference which took place Sept. 17-19. “We’re ready to start offering Hemp Hop Hemp Cigarettes to wholesale distributors,” Olson said.  “With Rick Ross and James Lindsay spearheading the sales, distribution and marketing, it will be a wonderful consumer experience for the consumers.” Ross took to Instagram on Sept. 22 to announce the alliance between the powerhouses of the hemp industry. “This Hemp Hop right here,” said Ross. “This [is] the combination of the game right here – something [that is] some of the finest, healthiest rollups.” James Lindsay is also in the mix. Lindsay–the highly-successful CEO of Rap Snacks–has a proven track record of teaming up with the rap industry’s biggest names such as Migos, Cardi B and Lil Boosie. Lindsay is a wholesale distribution veteran who is adding Rick Ross to his resume. “It’s fantastic to team up with my partner Rick Ross to mentor Black entrepreneurs wanting to scale their business and become mentors to the new generation of your business leaders,” said Lindsay. “Sculpting and participating in the success of others is one of my big passions.” Hempacco, Hemp Hop Partnership The Hemp Hop Smokables brand and Hempacco agreed to a 50/50 joint venture. The new line plans to offer a variety of products such as Hemp Hop wraps, CBD smokables and Delta 8 smokes.  Hempacco’s trademark phrase is “Disrupting Tobacco,” and together, they are focused on “developing, manufacturing and marketing an expanding consumer good line of CBD hemp functional cigarettes and hemp wrap rolling papers.” But Hempacco’s ambition didn’t start–and it’s not ending–with Rick Ross Hempacco’s Plan to Unveil New Crypto The San Diego-based cannabis brand has shown it’s serious about accelerating commercial growth.  Until this year, Hempacco’s success didn’t escape the confines of the Southern California region. But that is no longer the case. Hempacco was commissioned to produce 250,000 packs of 20 CBD hemp cigarettes for the Ace & Axle brand in June 2021. In January 2022, they entered a joint venture with Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company. Hempacco Co. raised $6 million in August 2022 with its Initial Public Offering (IPO) to finance further distribution nationwide. And now this partnership with Wingstop franchise’s biggest boss,  Rick Ross.  Next on Hempacco’s to-do list is releasing a cryptocurrency, according to Crypto Coin Opps.  “We will soon accept crypto in our store and might create our own crypto,” said Jorge Olsen. “More as a club style than a currency for trading.”  It’s not confirmed but a company executive said the accepted cryptocurrencies will likely include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Shiba Inu, Solana, LiteCoin and DOGE. An ICO or IDO launch for a Hempacco cryptocurrency will also occur and it’s to be announced before the year’s end.  “It’s suggested that the launching of a legitimate new cryptocurrency ICO or IDO by Hempacco is one that should be watched for,” according to Crypto Coin Opps. “The investment could see a 10x return in [a] fairly short time as the Hemp products company has all the tools necessary to create brand popularity and use of their own token.” This isn’t surprising given the rapid decline of tobacco use in the United States–along with the rapid increase of CBD, marijuana and hemp use. Hempacco is currently traded on the S&P 500 stock market and is one of only two companies in San Diego that successfully launched an IPO in 2022.  In short, it’s like Rick Ross said on Instagram, “It’s about doing something that lasts forever…it’s history.”

U.S. Lawmakers Made Urgent Pleas For Help During Jan. 6 Riot, Video Shows – Reuters https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/u-s-lawmakers-made-urgent-pleas-for-help-during-jan-6-riot-video-shows-reuters/ WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other top lawmakers urgently dialed military officials and White House staff seeking help during the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters, video shown on Thursday revealed. At what is likely its last hearing on the deadly attack, the House of Representatives Select Committee aired the previously unseen video that showed the fear gripping the Capitol as rioters stormed the building. Video showed Pelosi and Schumer, top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, and Republican Senator John Thune calling the Department of Defense asking for military backup to help clear the Capitol complex. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Pelosi and Schumer also called acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen. Rioters were breaking windows and ransacking their offices “and all the rest of that – that’s nothing,” Pelosi said on the call, the footage showed. A mob of supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump climb through a window they broke as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo “The concerns we have about personal safety just transcend everything. But the fact is on any given day they’re breaking the law in many different ways. And quite frankly, much of it at the instigation of the president of the United States.” “Why don’t you get the president to tell them to leave the Capitol, Mr. Attorney General, in your law enforcement responsibility?” Schumer said on the call. “A public statement: they should all leave.” The footage also showed Pelosi and top House Democrats being told that members of the House were pulling on gas masks. Upon hearing this, Pelosi silently looked at House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. “Can you believe it?” she asked, turning to someone off screen. She was also shown talking to Ralph Northam, then governor of Virginia, asking what military aid his state was able to send and whether he was able to send police without permission from the federal government. In the video, she said she planned to call Larry Hogan, governor of Maryland, about sending the National Guard from his state. Maryland and Virginia border Washington, DC. The hearing room fell silent while the footage was being shown. Many of those present – including reporters and congressional staff – were in the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Moira Warburton and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Rosalba O’Brien Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Office Time Is Not For Video Calls, Says Tech Boss – BBC https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/office-time-is-not-for-video-calls-says-tech-boss-bbc/ Image source, Getty Images By Zoe Kleinman Technology editor Businesses should rethink the way staff use their time in offices, says the boss of the messaging platform Slack. With the rise of hybrid working, lots of people now divide their working week between home and going into their workplace. But being in the office should be an opportunity to do things that cannot be done at home, argues Stewart Butterfield, Slack’s chief executive. Sitting at a desk with headphones on is not one of them, he says. Of course the boss of an online messaging platform is not going to go so far as to say staff should leave their laptops at home, but he does say it would “put a strong line in the sand about what the purpose is of getting together”. Slack has headquarters in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia and India. Reflecting on its offices before the pandemic, Mr Butterfield says: “The 80% of the floor space that we dedicated to kind of factory-farm, battery-chicken housing for people to use their desks all by themselves and listen to their headphones, and not talk to anyone else… was a bit of a waste.” A comfortable environment Image source, Getty Images Ongoing renovations are gearing Slack workspace more towards that of a social club, he says, because he wants people to come to work to collaborate and build relationships face-to-face. “The best thing we can do is create a comfortable environment for people to come together and actually enjoy themselves,” he says. He accepts that some people will choose to work full time in the office because they either cannot or do not want to work from home, and also thinks that young people starting their careers generally prefer to be in the office with their peers. “It’s hard to imagine starting your career fresh out of university, and not going to the office, and not being able to meet all these people in person,” he says. “But I think the the majority of knowledge workers, over time, will settle into some sort of pattern of regular intervals of getting together.” ‘Should have been an email’ Mr Butterfield is really not a big fan of meetings. He champions Amazon’s idea, introduced by Jeff Bezos, where each attendee reads a six-page memo at the start of a meeting as a briefing note, rather than sitting through PowerPoint presentations. “There probably are 20% or 30% (of meetings) that don’t actually have to be meetings, that would be more effective with written communication,” he says, in a nod to the internet meme “this meeting should have been an email”. He also backs what he calls “asynchronous work” – minimising the need to share information in real time. “So for example, people going around the room and giving their status update, if you can do that asynchronously, and I can record mine at 08:17, and then listen to yours at 09:53 or whatever – that is itself worth a lot,” he says. “I think the place for most teams to invest in is how they do asynchronous work, because we’re humans.”

G2E: Sports Entertainment Industry Sold On Gaming – Las Vegas Review-Journal https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/g2e-sports-entertainment-industry-sold-on-gaming-las-vegas-review-journal/ A heavy focus was placed on sports betting and fan experiences during the Global Gaming Expo, the gaming industry trade show held this week at The Venetian Expo. It comes as no surprise as more states consider legalizing sports betting. And online gaming — including sports betting — is the fastest growing segment of the industry, according to American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller. But the sports entertainment industry’s impact on the conference went beyond the book. Aristocrat Gaming, a subsidiary of Australia-based Aristocrat Leisure Ltd., teased its NFL-licensed slot machines on the trade show floor while casino operators expressed excitement about future sporting events. In an interview Tuesday, Circa CEO Derek Stevens said he’s encouraged that the sports betting industry is in its infancy and expects a wider market in the coming years. He said having room to grow is good for brick-and-mortar casinos because of the experience created by watching sports — where watching a game live, and often with others, can change people’s schedules. “You’re not going to record the Super Bowl and watch it three hours later,” Stevens said. “People are making decisions to make sure they’re in front of a TV. They adjust their schedules for sports. I think it’s a good thing for sports teams; it’s a good thing for sports leagues; it’s a good thing for sports fans and it’s a good thing for sports betting operators.” Stevens said he expects Circa, a sports-oriented property centered by its three-story sportsbook, and the city to benefit from being a destination for sports fans. And he’s not alone. According to J.P. Morgan analysts’ investors note about a meeting with Caesars Entertainment executives, the company expects future demand on the Las Vegas Strip to be buoyed by two destination sporting events coming to Las Vegas — the Formula One race in November 2023 and the Super Bowl in 2024. “Regarding Formula 1, the race will take place on November 18th, historically one of the weakest weekends of the year, with management noting this is likely to bring in ‘hundreds of thousands of visitors’ (Singapore’s race recently brought in ~300k attendees,” analysts wrote. “So you swap a soft weekend with one that’s likely much stronger than even the Super Bowl.” Aristocrat’s partnership with the NFL also illustrates another area where sports entertainment and gaming are merging. A sneak peek of the machine wasn’t available for public viewing, but Aristocrat still centered its booth around the first-of-its-kind partnership with the football league. The games are expected to be rolled out for the 2023 season. Jon Hanlin, the company’s senior vice president of commercial strategy and business analytics, said while the partnership comes from the symbiotic relationship between the NFL and casinos, he was impressed when the NFL approached Aristocrat about a potential partnership given their past anti-gaming stance. “They did a complete 180 — I would have never thought they would have been the first to dive into this space,” Hanlin said. “I think other leagues and other sports entertainment brands are probably going to follow suit. But we’ll be here to help them if they want to join the party.” McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on Twitter.

San Antonio To See $40M In Covid Relief Funds Redirected For Local Medical Expansion – San Antonio Business Journal – The Business Journals https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/san-antonio-to-see-40m-in-covid-relief-funds-redirected-for-local-medical-expansion-san-antonio-business-journal-the-business-journals/ San Antonio to see $40M in Covid relief funds redirected for local medical expansion – San Antonio Business Journal  The Business Journals

Sales Of Resorts And Land Vacations Soaring At Dream Vacations And Cruise One Agencies – Travel Weekly https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/sales-of-resorts-and-land-vacations-soaring-at-dream-vacations-and-cruise-one-agencies-travel-weekly/ Land and resort sales are booming for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne agencies, up more than 50% this year compared with 2019, the franchisor said. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne said resort sales are surpassing prepandemic levels, while its land business in general continues to grow. It attributed the growth to marketing programs and support offered to franchisees, including a “land brochure,” social media assets and more. The franchisor has been putting an increased emphasis on land vacations in recent years and even introduced the Dream Vacations moniker in 2016 partly because of the segment’s growth among agents. The growth in land and resort sales was announced at the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne Land Summit at the Dreams Onyx in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, which was co-hosted by Apple Leisure Group and AMResorts. The four-day training event drew more than 120 advisors.

Greater Coachella Valley Hispanic Chamber Of Commerce Hosts 2nd Annual Impacto Business & Community Awards – Kuna Noticias Y Kuna Radio https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/greater-coachella-valley-hispanic-chamber-of-commerce-hosts-2nd-annual-impacto-business-community-awards-kuna-noticias-y-kuna-radio/ Hispanic leaders, organizations and businesses will be recognized at this year’s 2nd Annual Impacto Business and Community Awards. The sold out event is hosted by the Greater Coachella Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Organizations including Pueblo Unido CDC will receive the Community Advocate Award for their work with farm working families. Civil Rights Activist, Dolores Huerta will also be honored with the Impacto Award. The Greater Coachella Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce shared the following on their Facebook page regarding Huerta’s award, “Our IMPACTO! Award honoree Dolores Huerta is unable to join us next week but will still be honored. She is healthy and traveling the country continuing her farmworker advocacy and empowering the people. We love this incredible fierce warrior and will continue to support her and the Dolores Huerta Foundation mission.” In the sports arena, Rosie Casals, U.S. Open Doubles Champion will receive the Pionera Award. Coach Joel Diaz, world champion boxing trainer from Indio, will receive tonight’s Community Hero award. Artist and muralist Michael Angelo Hernandez will receive the Kahlo-Rivera Award for his creative contributions to the valley. We’ll have more on tonight’s ceremony and the hispanic leaders that are impacting the Coachella Valley tonight at 10 and 11 p.m. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

$110M Targeted To Improve Rural Health Care In 43 States – WZTV https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/110m-targeted-to-improve-rural-health-care-in-43-states-wztv/ $110M targeted to improve rural health care in 43 states  WZTV