Eagle Productions Receives Diversity Marketing Award | Business News | Stlamerican.com St. Louis American
Eagle Productions Receives Diversity Marketing Award | Business News | Stlamerican.com – St. Louis American https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/eagle-productions-receives-diversity-marketing-award-business-news-stlamerican-com-st-louis-american/
Eagle Productions, L.L.C. recently received a Midwest U.S.A. Prestige Awards for Diversity Marketing Services of the Year for 2022. Eagle Productions is a full-service marketing firm founded in 2020 by Angelia D. Bills, M.S.W., in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, Missouri.
Eagle specializes in public relations, marketing, media relations, social media, and special events. Its major clients have included Midwest BankCentre, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Missouri Minority Business Development Agency, Annie Malone Children & Family Services, the City of East St. Louis, and the St. Louis Development Corporation.
“I am very grateful to Midwest USA Prestige for honoring Eagle Productions with this award. Our collective staff have over 25 years of marketing experience to diverse communities, and we are truly excited to receive this recognition,” said Angelia D. Bills, president and CEO of Eagle Productions, LLC.
Phone Workshop Planned – Sidneydailynews.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/phone-workshop-planned-sidneydailynews-com/
DAYTON — Healthy Living with Chronic Conditions phone workshop is a free weekly group talk sharing ideas on improving health and strength by managing symptoms and concerns to keep doing or return to doing the activities that matter the most.
This abbreviated version of our in-person workshop meets for a half-hour on Tuesdays from Oct. 4 through Nov. 8. New topics are discussed each week so don’t worry if you can’t attend every session.
There is no charge to participate and workshop materials are mailed directly to your home. If you’ve taken this program before 2021, the materials and Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions book have been updated with new information.
These interactive, small-group workshops are available to Ohio residents of Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties.
Registration deadline is Sept. 26.
These workshops are open to adults of any age living with a chronic health condition and/or their caregivers. Our workshops focus on common problems like chronic pain, nutrition, exercise, medication use, emotions and communicating with doctors and family. Participants develop skills and coping strategies to manage symptoms through setting achievable goals, problem-solving, decision-making, social support and more.
To learn more visit https://info4seniors.org/events/healthy-living-with-chronic-conditions-phone-discussion-group/ or reach out to [email protected] or 937-341-3001.
Title IX 50 Years Later: The 37 Words That Changed Our Sports World Mississippi Today
Title IX, 50 Years Later: The 37 Words That Changed Our Sports World – Mississippi Today https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/title-ix-50-years-later-the-37-words-that-changed-our-sports-world-mississippi-today/
Let’s go back 50 years to 1972. Title IX has just weeks earlier become the law of the land. To paraphrase Bob Dylan: The times, they were a-changin’.
I was a young sports writer at the Hattiesburg American, working my way through college. My editor told me to go report on a seminar at the university. The federal government – the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), specifically – was sending a representative to explain the ramifications of Title IX. I went.
Rick Cleveland
But first I had to look up the Title IX legislation. It was all of 37 words: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
I didn’t see the words “sports” or “athletics” in the wording anywhere. I wasn’t sure why I was being sent to cover it. The answer came quickly.
The woman from HEW didn’t mince words. She said all public schools – elementary schools through universities that received federal funding – would have to spend money equally on boys and girls and men and women – in athletics, as in every other aspect of education. And, if they didn’t, they would lose all federal monies.
Hands shot up. People had questions. One of the first: How are universities such as USM, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, already struggling to make ends meet, supposed to double their spending on scholarships, salaries, expenses, etc. within their athletic programs?
Her answer: That wasn’t the government’s concern. They’d do it or else.
At that point, I muttered something to the effect: “That’s insane. It’ll never fly. It’s not fair.”
The man next to me, a professor in the health and physical education department, looked at me and replied, “Obviously, you’ve never had a daughter.” He had three. One became the point guard on the first Hattiesburg High basketball team.
Fifty years, a son and a daughter later, I get it.
Last week, the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics at Ole Miss celebrated 50 years of Title IX with a panel discussion that featured Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter, women’s basketball coach Yolette McPhee-McCuinn (better known as Coach Yo) and Rita Igbokwe, a senior player on the Ole Miss women’s basketball team. I moderated. You can find it here.
If the discussion did nothing else, it surely highlighted the remarkable change in the American sports scene those 37 words have spurred. I’ve lived it. I’ve covered it.
In 1972, no co-ed Mississippi college or university had a single women’s athletic team. Since then, Delta State has won six national women’s basketball championships. Ole Miss has won a national championship in golf. Mississippi State has made it the NCAA women’s basketball championship twice. Southern Miss made the women’s College World Series in softball. In track and field, USM’s Tori Bowie of Pisgah won NCAA championships in track and field and later an Olympic gold medal and three world championships. Last season, Coach Yo’s Ole Miss team won 23 games and made the NCAA Tournament.
More importantly, over the last 50 years, thousands upon thousands of young women have competed in multiple sports and had their educations financed as was never the case before.
In more than half a century of covering Mississippi sports, the two most meaningful transformations I have witnessed: One, the widespread racial integration of sports at all levels; two, the meteoric rise of women’s athletics.
Fifty years ago, I think I would have predicted what has happened as far as integration. As for what has happened with regard to women’s athletics, I had not a clue.
Thirty-seven words. Amazing.
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Is Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture (DNA) Trending Lower Or Higher Monday? InvestorsObserver
Is Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture (DNA) Trending Lower Or Higher Monday? – InvestorsObserver https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/is-metaverse-dualchain-network-architecture-dna-trending-lower-or-higher-monday-investorsobserver/
News Home
Monday, September 19, 2022 01:43 PM | InvestorsObserver Analysts
Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture receives a weak short-term technical score of 1 from InvestorsObserver analysis. Our proprietary scoring system considers the recent trading patterns of the coin by looking at the price movement to determine if it is trending in the right direction. DNA holds a better recent technical analysis than 1% of coins at its current price. Investors who are focused on short-term growth and looking for hot and trendy coins will find the Short-Term Rank especially relevant when allocating their assets.
InvestorsObserver is giving Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture a 1 Short-Term Technical Rank. Find out what this means to you and get the rest of the rankings on Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture!
Trading Analysis
Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture is $0.000004 (7.08%) higher than its 30-day low price of $0.000055104 while also -$0.010152 (-99.42%) lower than its high of $0.01021061 from the past month of trading. Meanwhile, DNA’s current price of $0.000059003 is under its average price of $0.003525303 set over the past month of trading, leading to a weak short-term technical score. In summation, the recent trading history of Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture suggest that traders are currently bearish on the coin. Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture’s market cap of $1,188,538.99 is relatively low for a coin. Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture’s relatively low market value comes as it sits under $100 million while the top 100 cryptos remain above $1 billion in market cap and the top 500 sit above $100 million. Meanwhile, DNA’s average volume is low with $61,234.93 worth of the coin traded over an average 24 hour period. DNA’s volume is relatively low as the most traded 100 cryptos typically have $100 million exchanged each day and smaller cryptos tend to sit under $5 million traded over 24 hours. Over the last 24 hours, DNA’s volume is below its usual with $8,452.83 exchanged.
Summary
DNA’s recent trading over the past month give it a weak short-term technical score as its recent price movement give traders reason to be more bearish on the coin in the short-term. Click Here to get the full Report on Metaverse Dualchain Network Architecture (DNA).
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SEC Charges Crypto Influencer Ian Balina Over Unregistered ICO In 2018 Decrypt
SEC Charges Crypto Influencer Ian Balina Over Unregistered ICO In 2018 – Decrypt https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/sec-charges-crypto-influencer-ian-balina-over-unregistered-ico-in-2018-decrypt/
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged crypto influencer Ian Balina, alleging the crypto personality did not file a registration statement with the commission for his offering and sale of Sparkster’s SPRK tokens, and no exemption from registration was applicable.
He also allegedly failed to disclose the compensation he received while promoting Sparkster’s SPRK initial coin offering (ICOICO) on social media, according to the SEC.
Sparkster offered investors a slice of its “no-code” software development platform by purchasing SPRK tokens, which claimed to allow users to develop software with minimal technical coding skills. A product demo can still be viewed here.
The SEC seeks “injunctive relief, disgorgement, civil penalties, and other appropriate and necessary equitable relief.” If the charges hold, it would mean Balina would be unable to promote securities again.
The filing also argues that contributions made in Ethereum (ETH) to participate in the ICO all took place in the United States.
“[Users’] ETH contributions were validated by a network of nodes on the Ethereum blockchain, which are clustered more densely in the United States than in any other country,” the filing reads. “As a result, those transactions took place in the United States.”
The influencer took to Twitter to announce that he was “excited to take this fight public.”
“This frivolous SEC charge sets a bad precedent for the entire crypto industry,” he added. “If investing in a private sale with a discount is a crime, the entire crypto VC space is in trouble.”
Excited to take this fight public.
This frivolous SEC charge sets a bad precedent for the entire crypto industry.
If investing in a private sale with a discount is a crime, the entire crypto VC space is in trouble.
Turned down settlement so they have to prove themselves. pic.twitter.com/lVaqnnsLgT
— Ian Balina (@DiaryofaMadeMan) September 19, 2022
Balina boasted around 143,000 Twitter followers and 110,000 YouTube subscribers at the time of writing, alongside books on Amazon and Audible, and mainstream media appearances in the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Forbes.
The Uganda-born entrepreneur left his sales role at IBM to promote crypto full time in 2017, with content such as “How to Make Millions with Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)” racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
Decrypt has yet to receive commentary from Balina at press time.
Balina’s Sparkster ICO promotion
Balina gave the token a 90% “Hall of Fame” ranking on his ICO investing spreadsheet and promoted it to users of a private Telegram group of around 50 people, according to the SEC’s filing.
The Cayman islands-incorporated firm is now defunct, with the last tweet from their company account being made in 2021.
The SPRK ICO, which the SEC confirmed was unregistered, took place between April and July 2018, raising approximately $30 million from nearly 4,000 investors located abroad and in the United States.
Balina allegedly signed a contract to invest approximately $5 million in the Sparkster offering before promoting the offered SPRK tokens on YouTube, Telegram, and other social media platforms.
Although the SEC claimed he agreed to receive a 30% bonus from Sparkster on the tokens he purchased in the Sparkster Offering, Balina allegedly never publicly disclosed the consideration he received for his promotion.
Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.
U.S. Looks To Trade Former Afghan Aircraft For Counterterrorism Help In Central Asia POLITICO
U.S. Looks To Trade Former Afghan Aircraft For Counterterrorism Help In Central Asia – POLITICO https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-looks-to-trade-former-afghan-aircraft-for-counterterrorism-help-in-central-asia-politico/
The U.S. is planning to conduct an assessment of the aircraft to see if they are flyable, the official said. The goal is to provide a number of aircraft to the Uzbek and Tajik governments in exchange for an informal agreement to “deepen our security relationships” on border security and counterterrorism, the official said.
The deal could include anything from increased intelligence sharing to, in the long-term, basing troops or aircraft in those countries as a regional staging post for keeping an eye on terrorist activity in Afghanistan — something the Biden administration tried and failed to arrange before the withdrawal. Both countries border Afghanistan and are much closer than the American bases hundreds of miles away in the Middle East the U.S. military relies on for access to the country.
But for now, it’s more likely the agreement would involve access to information the Uzbeks and Tajiks have about terrorist networks in Afghanistan.
“If I give you an airplane, then I call you and say, ‘Hey, can you tell that guy who has a cousin in Afghanistan to go look at something’ — that might be the nature of the relationship. That’s a hypothetical,” the senior DoD official said. “It might not be that I want to fly from there, but it might be, do I have access to networks of people that have access into Afghanistan?”
The Biden administration touted the U.S. military’s ability to conduct “over-the-horizon” counterterrorism operations after American troops left Afghanistan last August. The U.S. has since conducted only one counterterrorism strike since then, a drone mission that killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in July.
As the Taliban overran Kabul last summer, Afghan air force pilots flew about 25 percent of the total usable aircraft — 46 total — to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, according to a 2022 report assessing the collapse of the Afghan government. The aircraft included C-208 utility aircraft, A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, as well as Mi-17, Mi-25 and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, according to satellite images analyzed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Most of the planes had been supplied by Washington to build up the capability of the Afghan air force.
Both Central Asian countries are “certainly very interested” in keeping those aircraft, the senior DoD official said.
But in the short-term at least, it’s unlikely either country will allow the U.S. to use their territory for basing given their close ties to Russia. Uzbekistan cooperated more closely with the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, leasing the Karshi-Khanabad air base to the Americans from 2001 to 2005 for Afghanistan operations. But that agreement was shut down amid unrest and pressure from the Kremlin. Uzbekistan also has close ties to the Taliban, and Uzbek society views any intervention in the Afghanistan conflict negatively.
Further, any U.S.-basing agreement in Uzbekistan would require a change to Uzbek law, which stipulates that the country cannot host any foreign military base on its territory.
Tajikistan, too, has a history of working with Washington, including permitting U.S. military planes to refuel at the country’s airports after the 9/11 attacks. But more recently, relations with Washington have been frosty, and the economy is also heavily dependent on both Russia and China. On the military front, Tajikistan is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a military alliance of selected former Soviet states, and already hosts a Russian military base on its territory.
However, of the Central Asian states, Tajikistan is “by far the most cooperative” on counterterrorism, the congressional aide said, noting that the country collaborates with the U.S. on border security and training.
A State Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Build An MSP That Can Thrive In Any Economy ChannelE2E
Build An MSP That Can Thrive In Any Economy – ChannelE2E https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/build-an-msp-that-can-thrive-in-any-economy-channele2e/
by Acronis • Sep 19, 2022
In the United States, like many countries around the world, inflation has spiked over the last year, and we’ve seen the Federal Reserve react by raising interest rates.
While this eases inflation and encourages recovery, it also has a forward impact on business investment. Borrowing becomes more expensive, and companies can’t know when rates will drop again — all of this impacts their ability to build new infrastructure and spend on new services, at least for some time.
But amid all this anxiety is actually some good news for MSPs. In times like these, companies need technology more than ever to drive efficiency. An increase in product and labor costs tends to encourage businesses to rely more on services, not less. And economic uncertainty means your clients will want more cost flexibility — something that subscription services generally provide.
In short, MSPs are uniquely positioned to solve the new challenges their SMB clients are facing — and there’s actually tremendous potential for growth in this time of uncertainty. Here are just a few ways that you can alleviate your own stressors while acquiring and retaining more clients:
1. Reduce support demand by adopting automation and AI
Perhaps the best way to control costs is by streamlining your internal processes. Adopting new technologies can allow you to do more with limited headcount, and to focus your team’s efforts on more engaging, growth-oriented projects.
By turning over routine tasks to automated systems, you can increase staff efficiency while reducing the risk of human error and potentially catastrophic misconfiguration. A modern, integrated cyber protection solution, for instance, might include vulnerability assessment tools that alert you to unpatched software — and can automatically retrieve and install the latest updates.
Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, can help MSPs keep up with the latest cyberthreats. Did you know that the average lifespan of a malware sample is now a mere 2.3 days? With threats evolving so fast, it should be clear that legacy, signature-based approaches to detection are insufficient on their own. Modern cybersecurity tools rely on AI to detect malware based on the malicious behaviors they exhibit — preventing significantly more attacks and saving you time on support and remediation.
2. Boost client retention by demonstrating your value
One thing MSPs often struggle with is communicating the value they’re delivering — like how many attempted cyberattacks they’ve successfully prevented. This problem is amplified when you use disparate products that don’t neatly integrate: pulling together the reporting alone can take hours or even days.
Your clients may be disinclined to drop IT and security services altogether: these are no longer an option, after all, but a business imperative. Still, it’s important for client retention and satisfaction — especially in a time of economic uncertainty — that you make your value fully understood.
You may already be doing this to an extent, perhaps in the form of in-person quarterly reviews, which also offer an opportunity to make data-driven recommendations about changes to the clients’ service plan. The right tools make all of this significantly easier. Some service delivery platforms, like Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud, can even automatically generate “Executive Summary” reports based on your previously configured settings for the individual client — taking advantage of their holistic viewpoint into backup and cybersecurity settings and activity across protected workloads.
3. Protect yourself and your clients by emphasizing cybersecurity
The volume and sophistication of today’s cyberattacks is unlike anything seen before — and cybersecurity can no longer be seen as optional. Emphasize to clients that they must subscribe to at least a baseline level of security services if they hope to remain your client.
It might sound harsh, but it’s the responsible thing to do. Clients without these services actually pose a costly risk to your business:
They’re expensive to support, being more likely to suffer harm from cyberattacks
They drain resources away from clients who are actually paying for security services
They could be infected with ransomware or other cyberthreats that then spread to your own business or to your other clients
Include cybersecurity services in every service tier. Be prepared to explain (as an IT services expert) their necessity to the client — and to respectfully walk away from those who won’t value your opinion or do their part to invest in protection.
And as long as you’re adjusting service packages, don’t be afraid to raise your rates. Inflation has hit MSPs too. If you’ve been holding off through the pandemic to make things easier on clients, now is the time to help yourself — and your clients — by reclaiming those profits and reinvesting them into your organization.
4. Simplify management by consolidating the chaos of solution sprawl
One of the biggest challenges that growing MSPs face is tool sprawl. Adding entirely new solutions to your stack comes with time-consuming training, documentation and workflow challenges — and because different vendors’ software so rarely integrates well together, it can even open up dangerous protection gaps that are tough to identify before disaster strikes.
With these concerns in mind, MSPs are already trending towards tool consolidation and a unified delivery platform. According to original research by Vanson Bourne, a whopping 92% of MSPs state that they’re already consolidated vendors to some extent; 70% plan to consolidate even further.
This approach simplifies endpoint management by allowing you to configure a single protection plan that covers all current and new endpoints with backup, anti-malware protection and automatic patching — all through one central portal. The benefits speak for themselves: lower licensing fees, fewer resources spent on training and management, and countless hours saved when recovering from incidents. And by enabling you to add new tools to your service offering without installing additional software, integration make it easier than ever to upsell clients.
These topics and more were covered in a recent Acronis-led panel session, where we heard from an A-team of experienced channel professionals as they shared the real-world knowledge that has helped countless businesses navigate the ups and downs of a shifting economy. For more information, view the on-demand recording.
This guest blog is courtesy of Acronis. Read more Acronis guest blogs here. Regularly contributed guest blogs are part of ChannelE2E’s sponsorship program.
The Rise And Rise Of Partisan Local Newsrooms Columbia Journalism Review
The Rise And Rise Of Partisan Local Newsrooms – Columbia Journalism Review https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-rise-and-rise-of-partisan-local-newsrooms-columbia-journalism-review/
When the doors of the Texas Senate Chamber opened for the 2019 session, there were two new faces at the press table.
Both were employees of Texas Scorecard, then the reporting arm of the influential Tea Party-aligned group Empower Texans, with press credentials from the Senate. Empower Texans had donated millions to elect rightwing Republicans. Now, despite opposition from some lawmakers who saw them as lobbyists, the group said they would hold them to account on the floor, too.
It is part of a deeper shift in US media, where more than 2,000 local newspapers have vanished since 2004. Some of the vacuum has been filled by digital first, partisan journalism like Texas Scorecard.
“The advocacy and the journalism can intermingle,” said Matthew Watkins, managing editor of news and politics at the Texas Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom founded in 2009. But done badly, it can hurt legitimate journalism. “It’s muddying up the water where it causes people to trust everything a bit less,” he said, referring to the rightwing Texas Scorecard.
Tow has conducted an audience study on partisan news that can be viewed here.
There are two broad categories of politically motivated outlets in the US. First, what’s become known as ‘pink slime’ journalism. These are networks of local newspapers that deploy algorithmic stories, and display a lack of funding transparency and casual attitude to reporting conventions such as bylines or mastheads. They have trumpeted conservative talking points across all fifty states.
Second, partisan newsrooms. The question of their value is much more complex: some produce original reporting, some less so. These sites typically do have connections to their localities and produce solid journalism, but their news coverage tends to be steered by politics—they sometimes receive funding from candidates or political action committees (PACs).
The danger is that readers — who often encounter these newsrooms on the flattening interfaces of social media — are being served up emotive, partisan, divisive news disguised as community reporting, conflating the two.
‘Pink Slime’
Bad journalism habits have earned these networks the nickname ‘pink slime,’ after the meat byproduct substance added to beef products.
Over the past three years, the Tow Center has researched the emergence and tactics of ‘pink slime’ journalism, focusing on the sprawling Metric Media network of roughly 1,200 sites. Tow’s investigations have outlined how sites which present themselves as local news are used to bolster conservative talking points, serve as political platforms for aligned interest groups and as crisis management tools. The argument sometimes made by Brian Timpone, one of the main people behind Metric Media, is that local news is dying, so some reporting is better than none.
“They are filling the void of local coverage in a very sinister way — they’re not getting the full story, they use misleading headlines, they insert opinions and biased stories,” said Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise at the Poynter Institute. “They’re filling this information vacuum with garbage.”
The names of outlets are “very deliberately chosen so that when an article circulates on social media, the source looks legitimate,” said Penny Abernathy, a visiting professor of journalism at Northwestern University. “What it does is contribute to the polarization down at the state and local level, which in the US have not historically voted along party lines.”
The consequences for democracy are potentially stark. Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the author of the 2018 report ‘Truth Decay’, warned if people can no longer agree on the facts at the local level, the infrastructure of local governance is open to abuse — causing malpractice and corruption.
The problem is accelerating. A Tow Center investigation found during the pandemic at least 100 more news organizations shuttered, at a time when good information was more vital than ever.
Partisan Newsrooms
Partisan newsrooms are more complex. They often publish well-researched articles by on-the-ground journalists, but their reporting is driven by politics and it can sometimes be hard to decipher opinion from news.
This type of newsroom is not limited to one side of the political spectrum, with Texas Scorecard linked to Republicans and Courier Newsroom’s connections to Democrats.
But more mainstream news outlets now also proudly mix political activism with journalism. For Laura Quinn, founder and president of political consulting firm Catalist, who has been an unpaid advisor to Courier Newsroom, it is more important to measure the quality of reporting and level of transparency within these newsrooms: Do they have editors and reporters in the places they cover? Do they follow journalistic guidelines and ethics? Do they go beyond algorithms and press releases?
“Equating or even comparing the two distinctly different types of digital enterprises fails to recognize quality — and further incentivizes a race to the bottom,” Quinn said.
This is a debate that gets to the heart of whether journalism can ever be values-free. “The older I get the more I begin to disbelieve the whole concept of journalistic objectivity,” said Mark Jacob, the former Metro Editor at the Chicago Tribune and now a freelance writer who has done consultancy work for Courier. “The very act of assigning a news story to a reporter is a value judgment.”
“I’m not saying Courier should be someone’s only media diet,” Jacob said. “It’s certainly not a replacement for a legacy local news outfit.” But “places like Courier can do good journalism if they lead with their values, they serve their audiences but do it with facts.”
Yet concerns have been raised about the wider implications for US democracy if partisan-driven reporting continues to grow. “I believe journalism should speak truth to power” on both sides of the divide, said Ryan Zickgraf, a freelance journalist and whistleblower of Journatic in 2012, a now-defunct company that was run by the same people as Metric Media. (Zickgraf coined the term ‘pink slime’ back in 2012.)
“What I worry about over the long term is it’s part of this growing ecosystem of Republican and Democrat newsrooms, even Republican and Democrat companies, and what we think of as nonpartisan will be a relic of the past,” he added.
Part of the Political Furniture
After Texas Scorecard was granted Senate press access in 2019, Watkins of the Texas Tribune did not notice much change in their output. The group continued to focus coverage on rightwing talking points — immigration, tax cuts, ‘critical race theory,’ and now favorable coverage of Trump-endorsed candidates — but its blurring of opinion and news sparked an ethics debate in the state. The outlet even filed a First Amendment lawsuit to challenge a decision by the Texas House to bar press access, but it was later dismissed in federal court because the legislative session was over.
Texas Scorecard, which in 2020 was spun off as a separate nonprofit entity from Empower Texans, did not respond to multiple interview requests.
As the election cycle gets underway in earnest and the midterms approach in November, instances like that in Texas are likely to become increasingly common. Partisan newsrooms are likely to play a role not simply as recorders of events — straight-edged coverage of community affairs — but as actors on the stage, pushing agendas and backing candidates.
“Just in the same way as TV ads or rallies, it’s something we need to be covering and thinking about and informing readers about in our regular election coverage,” Watkins said.
For ‘pink slime’ outlets, the strategy is to trade off the trust and legitimacy of local news — which still holds weight — while attacking political opponents and boosting preferred candidates. In this way, partisan newsrooms are both a symptom of and an accelerator of politicization.
Here is a guide to what we know about the major players running networks of partisan US news sites.
SOME OF THE BIG PLAYERS
Metric Media
The network of roughly 1,200 sites, founded in March 2019, is the country’s largest, with a presence in every state and a greater number of titles than Gannett. It says on its website that it publishes “over 5 million news articles every month.”
Brian Timpone, an entrepreneur with a history in automated news at Journatic, which was found to deploy fake bylines by This American Life, built the network. (“I’m a biased guy. I’m a Republican,” Timpone once told the Washington Post.) Bradley Cameron, a Texas brand management consultant, is the chief executive.
Metric Media’s hundreds of sites produce largely automated daily articles: press releases on the weather, sports, business data and local government agendas. But a smaller number of non-automated articles push favored rightwing Republican candidates and smear Democrat or “RINO” rivals — across multiple outlets simultaneously.
A Tow Center investigation in 2021 discovered the network has financial ties to founders of the Tea Party movement; the non-profit DonorsTrust, which Mother Jones describes as “the dark-money ATM of the conservative movement”; and to CatholicVote, a political advocacy group that ran a $9.7 million swing-state campaign against Biden in 2020.
A Tow Center investigation in 2021 discovered the network has financial ties to founders of the Tea Party movement; the non-profit DonorsTrust, which Mother Jones describes as “the dark-money ATM of the conservative movement”; and to CatholicVote, a political advocacy group that ran a $9.7 million swing-state campaign against Biden in 2020.
A New York Times investigation also revealed the network engages in “pay-for-play” coverage, in which R...
INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES CLUB MUNDO IMPERIAL AND THREE LANDMARK ACAPULCO PROPERTIES TO ITS EXCHANGE NETWORK PR Newswire
INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES CLUB MUNDO IMPERIAL AND THREE LANDMARK ACAPULCO PROPERTIES TO ITS EXCHANGE NETWORK – PR Newswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/interval-international-welcomes-club-mundo-imperial-and-three-landmark-acapulco-properties-to-its-exchange-network-pr-newswire/
, /PRNewswire/ — Interval International, a leading worldwide provider of vacation services, and Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality, an innovator in travel, convention and entertainment destinations and subsidiary of Grupo Autofin Mexico, have announced the long-term affiliation of Club Imperial and three iconic properties in Acapulco to Interval’s global resort network.
Interval International’s new affiliated resort – Princess Mundo Imperial in Acapulco, Mexico
“Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality has become an important player in Mexico’s tourism sector,” said Marcos Agostini, Interval’s senior vice president of global business development. “This is an exciting time for their business, and we look forward to increasing their value proposition and supporting their success. Club Imperial is an excellent addition to the Interval network, giving our members the chance to discover Acapulco with all of the memorable experiences available at their resorts.”
Club Imperial encompasses three premier travel, convention, and entertainment destinations − Palacio Mundo Imperial, Princess Mundo Imperial, and Pierre Mundo Imperial. The oceanfront properties offer elegant design, modern luxury, and superior service in addition to a multitude of top amenities − including fully equipped fitness centers, world-class spa, two 18-hole golf courses, numerous pools, and tennis courts.
In addition to upgrading its Acapulco properties, Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality has introduced several world-class amenities. These include Expo Mundo Imperial Entertainment, an exhibit and convention complex; XTESEA – a 5,900 feet-long “above ocean” zip-line; the new Scala Beach Club; Forum Mundo Imperial Theater & Concert Hall, which seats up to 4,500 fans; and Arena GNP Seguros, a multi-use complex that hosts major concerts and sporting events such as the Mexico Tennis Open.
Club Imperial purchasers will become Interval members and enjoy a host of exciting benefits as well as access to thousands of resorts in some of the world’s most desirable destinations. Benefits include Interval Options®, the ability to use points toward a hotel stay, cruise, or experiential travel; ShortStay Exchange® for long weekends and midweek resort vacations; savings on Getaway vacation rentals; and special deals on select hotel bookings.
Long considered one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations, Acapulco attracts tourists for its sandy beaches, water sports, vivid nightlife, exceptional dining, and a number of other attractions. These include the spectacular La Quebrada Cliff Divers, one of Acapulco’s best-known traditions; Tres Palos Lagoon, Revolcadero and Barra Vieja beaches; an endless array of entertainment for all ages and music preferences; and cultural attractions such as La Casa de los Vientos and Diego Rivera’s home.
About Interval International
Interval International operates membership programs for vacationers and provides value-added services to its developer clients worldwide. Based in Miami, Florida, the company has been a pioneer and innovator in serving the vacation ownership market since 1976. Today, Interval’s exchange network comprises nearly 3,200 resorts in more than 90 countries and territories. Through offices in 12 countries, Interval offers world-class products and benefits to resort clients and nearly 1.7-million-member families who are enrolled in various membership programs. Interval is an operating business of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation ( NYSE: VAC), a leading global vacation company that offers vacation ownership, exchange, rental and resort and property management, along with related businesses, products, and services. Visit Interval International on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
About Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality
A division of Mexican finance company Autofin, Mundo Imperial Entertainment & Hospitality is a renowned tourism entertainment, and meetings and conventions operator in Mexico. The group oversees more than 2,000 rooms in Acapulco and the Yucatan Peninsula. The company is committed to furthering education, health, and environmental initiatives, and has been recognized as a leader in diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility. For more information, visit MundoImperial.com.
SOURCE Interval International
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Marketing Execs Acquire Riverhead Pet Business Long Island Business News
Marketing Execs Acquire Riverhead Pet Business – Long Island Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/marketing-execs-acquire-riverhead-pet-business-long-island-business-news/
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Dixie, Eva LaMere, Kerri Ficke, Jessy SanFilippo and Rick Chiorando. / Courtesy of The Hydrant Hotel
By: David Winzelberg September 19, 2022
The owners of a Long Island marketing firm have purchased The Hydrant Hotel, a pet boarding and grooming business in Riverhead.
Eva LaMere and Rick Chiorando, who own the Austin Williams agency in Hauppauge, acquired the facility that has provided boarding and grooming services for dogs and cats since it was opened by Anthony and Rebecca Pollina in 2015.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Hydrant Hotel in Riverhead. / Google Maps image
The Hydrant Hotel is located in a 10,000-square-foot building at 845 Raynor Ave. and also offers an outdoor agility course and 1 acre area where dogs can play and exercise.
“This is a true passion project for us, because we just love our pets, specifically our dogs,” LaMere, a resident of Southampton, said in a written statement. “We have rescued our dogs Dixie Doodle and Monty and fostered even more. We felt this was a calling for us to revitalize a business that serves such an important need for pet owners and their four-legged children.”
LaMere also serves as vice president on the board of Canine Companions Inc., a national nonprofit service dog organization based in Medford, which provides service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice, and educational settings.
The day-to-day operations of The Hydrant Hotel will continue to be run by Kerri Ficke and Jessy San Filippo, who are remaining on staff.
“Kerri and Jessy are essential to making sure pets get the exceptional level of care they deserve and putting their owners’ minds at ease when they leave them with us,” Chiorando said in the statement. “We plan to give them even more resources and expand the services and amenities for the dogs and cats that think of this as their second home.”
The new owners of the facility also plan on giving it a new look, tapping into their day jobs as marketers and advertisers.
“We have big plans for the interior design of the facility and will be revamping the website to add new features and functionality,” LaMere said. “We want the Hydrant brand to be known as the premier pet boarding facility on the East End.”
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Manipur: Korean Firm Creates Awareness On Oral Health Among Ukhrul Footballers EastMojo
Manipur: Korean Firm Creates Awareness On Oral Health Among Ukhrul Footballers – EastMojo https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/manipur-korean-firm-creates-awareness-on-oral-health-among-ukhrul-footballers-eastmojo/
Camp set up by Atomy India in Ukhrul
Ukhrul: Atomy India, a Korean healthcare firm, conducted an awareness campaign on oral health hygiene among young footballers in the Ukhrul district on Sunday.
During the awareness campaign, Atomy India through the Atomy Ultimate Ukhrul Center, distributed Atomy oral care kit to at least 75 underprivileged children who are currently undergoing football training at Ukhrul FC Academy. The campaign programme was also attended by the management staff of Ukhrul FC Academy.
The campaign is part of the 75-day mass awareness campaign on oral hygiene across the country by Atomy India. Under the initiative, Atomy India will reach out to over 7,500 children with the oral hygiene initiative.
“It is a great privilege for Ukhrul FC Academy kids to participate in this oral hygiene campaign. The people of the Ukhrul district hardly receive any kind of government-related schemes/beneficiaries or any CSR facilities due to various reasons. But this time, we are extremely happy to see our kids participate and receive the Atomy products,” said Khareithan, executive director, Ukhrul FC Academy.
According to Khareithan, most of the students at the Academy are from the economically-weak background and they are being sponsored by the local community and well-wishers.
Ukhrul FC Academy was launched in May this year with an objective to train the young budding talents of the hill district in football. Moreover, through football training, the academy encourages the youth to lead a healthy living, as drug abuse is becoming a social menace in society.
Also Read | Manipur CM launches portal to address public grievances
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HokieSports Weekly: Sept. 19-25, 2022 – VT Hokiesports.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/hokiesports-weekly-sept-19-25-2022-vt-hokiesports-com/
Check out the latest news from Blacksburg and get ready for the week ahead (all times Eastern).
UPCOMING HOME EVENTS
Tuesday, Sept. 20
Men’s Soccer vs. Longwood — Thompson Field @ 7 p.m. (free admission)
Thursday, Sept. 22
Football vs. West Virginia — Lane Stadium @ 7:30 p.m. (find tickets on StubHub)
Friday, Sept. 23
Swimming & Diving Hokie Belt Challenge — Christiansburg Aquatic Center @ 5:30 p.m. (free admission)
Softball vs. UVA Wise — Tech Softball Park @ 6:30 p.m. (free admission)
Saturday, Sept. 24
Swimming & Diving Hokie Belt Challenge — Christiansburg Aquatic Center @ 8 a.m. (free admission)
HEADLINES FROM LAST WEEK
Following an impressive performance in Virginia Tech Football’s 27-10 victory over Boston College, redshirt senior DL TyJuan Garbutt has been named the ACC’s Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Tech Softball head coach Pete D’Amour announced the team’s 2022 fall schedule that will see the Hokies play four games at home, beginning on Friday, Sept. 23, against UVA Wise at 6:30 p.m.
After kicking off the 2022 home slate with a victory over conference foe Boston College, Virginia Tech Athletics announced that new season ticket orders for the 2023 football campaign are now available. For as little as 10% down (if ordered in September), plus the required Hokie Scholarship Fund per seat gift, fans can lock in their spot in Lane Stadium for all six home games. Payment plan options are available for both season tickets and Hokie Scholarship Fund gifts.
The Atlantic Coast Conference revealed the 2022-23 men’s basketball schedule Tuesday afternoon, with Virginia Tech opening its league slate at Cassell Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 4 vs. North Carolina.
Virginia Tech women’s basketball head coach Kenny Brooks announced the Hokies’ 2022-23 non-conference schedule Wednesday morning, concurrently with the ACC office’s release of the conference slate.
The Tech athletics department announced on Wednesday that Hokies Football’s game against Miami (Fla.) on Saturday, Oct. 15, has sold out, along with Fan 4-Packs for Tech’s matchup against Wofford this Saturday, Sept. 17.
Making its first competitive appearances since hosting the 2022 Regional and Super Regional weekends in Blacksburg, the Virginia Tech baseball team revealed on Wednesday its fall 2022 exhibition calendar, featuring a pair of regional matchups slated for the month of October.
Virginia Tech men’s tennis unveiled its fall schedule on Thursday before starting play this past weekend at the Duke Bonk Invitational.
LAST WEEK’S SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Sept. 15
Volleyball vs. Norfolk State (Cassell Coliseum) — W, 3-0
Friday, Sept, 16
Women’s Soccer vs. Pitt (Thompson Field) — L, 1-4
Volleyball vs. Western Carolina (Cassell Coliseum) — W, 3-0
Men’s soccer vs. Wake Forest (Thompson Field) — L, 0-1
Saturday, Sept. 17
Football vs. Wofford (Lane Stadium) — W, 27-7
How To Disable The Always-On Display On Your IPhone 14 Pro Or 14 Pro Max Temporarily Or Permanently Gadget Hacks
How To Disable The Always-On Display On Your IPhone 14 Pro Or 14 Pro Max — Temporarily Or Permanently – Gadget Hacks https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/how-to-disable-the-always-on-display-on-your-iphone-14-pro-or-14-pro-max-temporarily-or-permanently-gadget-hacks/
An always-on display isn’t for everyone. If you aren’t happy about your iPhone 14 Pro or 14 Pro Max’s display being visible all the time, even when you press the Side button to lock the screen, there’s an easy way to make the screen act like any other iPhone screen.
The always-on display is actually a pretty helpful feature if you use lock screen widgets, so you can always have vital information just a glance away. Even the wallpaper can be a handy piece of glanceable data if you’re using the weather wallpaper that updates in real time. And it does this with minimal effects on your overall battery life since it uses minimal power and a low refresh rate.
Don’t Miss: All 350+ New iOS 16 Features for Your iPhone
Instead of disabling the always-on display, you can make the display go completely dark whenever you don’t want to look at it, like when in a movie theater or when driving at night. To temporarily sleep the screen:
Lay your iPhone face down.
Put your iPhone in a pocket, bag, or similar place.
Use an iPhone pouch or folio case.
Turn on Low Power Mode.
Activate the Sleep focus.
Connect your iPhone to CarPlay.
According to Apple, the always-on display will also go completely dark when:
Using your iPhone as a Continuity Camera.
You haven’t used your iPhone in a while (it will learn your routine and know when to sleep the screen or keep it active based on your daily patterns).
You’re wearing a paired Apple Watch and move away from the iPhone (the display will go back to always-on when you and your Watch are close again).
If you want to disable the always-on display permanently or for more time than any of the above options provide, go to “Display & Brightness” in the Settings app. From there, scroll down and toggle off the “Always On” switch.
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41% off a home Wi-Fi analyzer
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59% off the XSplit VCam video background editor
Cover photo and screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks
Global Crypto Art Market Forecast To 2029 Featuring OpenSea Rarible And SuperRare Among Others ResearchAndMarkets.com Business Wire
Global Crypto Art Market Forecast To 2029 – Featuring OpenSea, Rarible And SuperRare Among Others – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/global-crypto-art-market-forecast-to-2029-featuring-opensea-rarible-and-superrare-among-others-researchandmarkets-com-business-wire/
DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Global Crypto Art Market, Forecast to 2029” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
This report focuses on Crypto Art market revenue at the global, regional, and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Crypto Art market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East and Africa.
Key Points Covered in the Report
Market Revenue of Crypto Art Market from 2017 to 2029.
Market Forecast for Crypto Art Market from 2021 to 2029.
Regional Market Share and revenue from 2017 to 2029.
Country Market share within region from 2017 to 2029.
Key Type and Application revenue and forecast.
Company Market Share Analysis, competitive scenario, ranking, and detailed company profiles.
Marker driver, restraints, and detailed COVID-19 impact on Crypto Art Market.
Key Topics Covered:
1 Crypto Art Market Overview
1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Crypto Art
1.2 Classification of Crypto Art by Type
1.2.1 Global Crypto Art Market Revenue Comparison by Type (2021-2029)
1.2.2 Global Crypto Art Revenue Market Share by Type in 2021
1.3 Global Crypto Art Market by Application
1.3.1 Global Crypto Art Market Size and Market Share Comparison by Application (2021-2029)
1.4 Global Crypto Art Market by Regions
1.4.1 Global Crypto Art Market Size (Million USD) Comparison by Regions (2021-2029)
1.4.2 North America (USA, Canada, and Mexico) Crypto Art Status and Prospect (2017-2029)
1.4.3 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and Russia) Crypto Art Status and Prospect (2017-2029)
1.4.4 Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand) Crypto Art Status and Prospect (2017-2029)
1.4.5 South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia) Crypto Art Status and Prospect (2017-2029)
1.4.6 Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, and South Africa) Crypto Art Status and Prospect (2017-2029)
1.5 Global Market Size of Crypto Art (2017-2029)
2 COVID-19 Impact on Crypto Art Market
2.1 Impact of COVID-19 on the Crypto Art market
2.1.1 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19): Crypto Art Industry Impact
2.1.1.1 How the Covid-19 is Affecting the Crypto Art Industry
2.1.2 Market Trends and Crypto Art Potential Opportunities in the COVID-19 Landscape
2.1.3 Covid-19 Impact on Key Regions
3 Market Dynamics
3.1 Market Drivers
3.2 Market Restraints
3.3 Market Opportunities
3.4 Top Investment Pockets
3.5 Key Impacting Factor
3.6 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
3.6.1 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
3.7 Key Market Strategies
3.7.1 Key Market Strategies, 2021 (%)
4 Company Profiles
4.1 OpenSea
4.1.1 Company Basic Information and Its Competitors
4.1.2 OpenSea Product Category
4.1.3 OpenSea Crypto Art Revenue (2019-2021)
4.1.4 OpenSea Recent Developments
4.1.5 Main Business/Business Overview
4.2 Rarible
4.2.1 Company Basic Information and Its Competitors
4.2.2 Rarible Product Category
4.2.3 Rarible Crypto Art Revenue (2019-2021)
4.2.4 Rarible Recent Developments
4.2.5 Main Business/Business Overview
4.3 SuperRare
4.4 Foundation
4.5 AtomicMarket
4.6 Myth Market
4.7 BakerySwap
4.8 KnownOrigin
4.9 Enjin Marketplace
4.10 Portion
4.11 Async Art
4.12 NFT ShowRoom
4.13 Axie Marketplace
4.14 Makers Place
4.15 Nifty Gateway
4.16 NFT Hunters
4.17 NFTCN
4.18 Mintable
5 Global Crypto Art Market Competition, by Players
5.1 Global Crypto Art Market Revenue and Share by Players (2019-2021)
5.2 Player Positioning
5.3 Top 5 Crypto Art Players Market Share Market Concentration Rate
5.3.1 Top 3 Crypto Art Players Market Share
5.3.2 Top 5 Crypto Art Players Market Share
6 Global Crypto Art Market Size by Regions
6.1 Global Crypto Art Market Revenue, and Market Share by Regions
6.2 North America Crypto Art Market Revenue, and Growth Rate (2017-2021)
6.3 Europe Crypto Art Market Revenue, and Growth Rate (2017-2021)
6.4 Asia Pacific Crypto Art Market Revenue, and Growth Rate (2017-2021)
6.5 South America Crypto Art Market Revenue, and Growth Rate (2017-2021)
6.6 Middle East and Africa Crypto Art Market Revenue, and Growth Rate (2017-2021)
7 North America Crypto Art Market Revenue by Countries
8 Europe Crypto Art Market Revenue by Countries
9 Asia Pacific Crypto Art Market Revenue by Countries
10 South America Crypto Art Market Revenue by Countries
11 Middle East and Africa Crypto Art Market Revenue by Countries
12 Global Crypto Art Market Segment by Type
13 Global Crypto Art Market Segment by Application
14 Global Crypto Art Market Size Forecast (2021-2029)
15 Appendix
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vtel6t
Mark Frerichs Exchanged For Taliban Warlord Bashir Noorzai In Kabul The Washington Post
Mark Frerichs Exchanged For Taliban Warlord Bashir Noorzai In Kabul – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/mark-frerichs-exchanged-for-taliban-warlord-bashir-noorzai-in-kabul-the-washington-post/
correction
An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Bashir Noorzai had been held in Guantánamo Bay. He was serving his life sentence in a federal penitentiary. The article has been corrected.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — American Mark Frerichs, a civilian contractor who was abducted in Kabul over two years ago, was freed in exchange for an Afghan detainee held in U.S. federal prison, U.S. and Afghan officials said Monday.
Frerichs’s family hailed his release in a statement, saying they were “grateful and excited to learn that he has been freed” after being held for more than 2½ years.
“Our family has prayed for this each day,” Charlene Cakora, his sister, said in the statement from Camden Advisory Group, which has been advocating for his release. “We never gave up hope that he would survive and come home safely to us.”
President Biden applauded the freeing of Frerichs, who U.S. officials said was now in U.S. care in Doha, Qatar. “Bringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I did not take lightly,” he said in a statement.
U.S. officials said Frerichs’s release capped months of negotiations between senior U.S. officials and the Taliban, the insurgent group that has governed Afghanistan in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal last year.
To obtain his freedom, the official said, the U.S. government released detainee Bashir Noorzai (also known as Haji Bashir Noorzai) — a warlord and drug trafficker with ties to the Taliban — who was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life in federal prison after being lured to the United States and arrested in 2005.
In Kabul, acting Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi hailed Noorzai’s release. “This will open a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the United States and Afghanistan,” he said at a news conference in Kabul that was broadcast by local television outlets.
“We have been persistent in our efforts to free [Noorzai], and now he is with us in his own country,” Muttaqi continued. He said the two men were swapped at Kabul’s international airport.
Senior U.S. officials, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations, said Frerichs was in “stable health” and was being offered U.S. support. They declined to provide details on where Frerichs was kept during his long captivity or which faction of the Taliban had held him.
Frerichs’s release underscores the delicate path the Biden administration must tread in its dealings with Afghanistan’s new leaders, whom the United States fought for two decades before they took over after the collapse of the U.S.-backed government last year.
The United States, like other nations, has not officially recognized the Taliban government, but U.S. officials have engaged with it regularly as they seek to provide aid to Afghans and advocate for the rights of women and girls as the Taliban has imposed new restrictions on them.
Last week, the Taliban condemned a move by the United States to redirect $3.5 billion of the country’s frozen central bank reserves to a fund run in part by Swiss government officials and Afghan economic experts.
The Frerichs deal comes just weeks after the United States conducted a drone strike in downtown Kabul that killed al-Qaeda’s top militant, an incident that highlighted the Taliban’s ongoing ties to terror organizations and posed a major setback to any potential normalization of U.S. ties with the group.
One U.S. official said that the Biden administration told Taliban leaders after that strike “that we would hold them directly responsible if any harm were to come to Mark, and that the best way they might begin to rebuild trust with the United States with the world was to immediately release [him], and that didn’t happen immediately.”
“If the Taliban are as interested as they say they are in normal relations with the international community, then that practice must resolutely end,” another official said.
Officials said there was a “narrow window of opportunity” following Biden’s initial decision this summer to potentially grant Noorzai clemency. They contrasted Noorzai’s conviction with the fact that Frerichs had been in Afghanistan for work.
The release of Frerichs comes as the Biden administration attempts to secure the release of two Americans it says are being wrongly held by Russia, potentially via another prisoner swap.
George reported from Islamabad, Pakistan. Ryan reported from Washington.
Systems Integrator M&A: Convergint Acquires MVP Tech ChannelE2E
Systems Integrator M&A: Convergint Acquires MVP Tech – ChannelE2E https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/systems-integrator-ma-convergint-acquires-mvp-tech-channele2e/
by Ty Trumbull • Sep 19, 2022
Systems integrator Convergint has acquired MVP Tech for an undisclosed sum.
This is technology M&A deal number 825 that ChannelE2E has covered so far in 2022. See more than 2,000 technology M&A deals involving MSPs, MSSPs & IT service providers listed here.
Convergint, founded in 2001, is based in Schaumburg, Illinois. The company has 4,455 employees listed on LinkedIn. Convergint’s areas of expertise include physical security, access control, video, CCTV, intrusion, biometrics, cybersecurity consulting, command center, wireless, credentials, Quad4, building automation systems, fire alarm and life safety, mechanical services, HVAC, mass notification and energy efficiency audits.
MVP Tech, founded in 2003, is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company has 161 employees listed on LinkedIn. MVP Tech’s areas of expertise include radar, perimeter protection and x-ray scanning systems, IP surveillance systems, access control, biometrics, time and attendance, PSIM, car park management – ANPR, gate barriers and bollards, security maintenance systems, cyber security, specialized security systems and IT infrastructure solutions.
The acquisition will add more than 200 people to Convergint’s headcount and expand the company’s presence to countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Middle East, Convergint said.
Convergint Acquires MVP Tech: Executive Insight
Ken Lochiatto, CEO, Convergint
Ken Lochiatto, CEO, Convergint, commented:
“MVP Tech’s strong, customer-focused culture and their expertise in emerging technologies provides an important competitive advantage and is well-aligned with our growth strategy. MVP will allow us to directly meet the needs of our global customers in this critical region. MVP’s robust technical capabilities and rapidly expanding artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data capabilities will complement and accelerate our investments in these key areas. We look forward to collaborating with MVP Tech’s colleagues and leadership, who will remain in place to deliver uninterrupted service excellence and the latest in technological innovation to their customers.”
Charles Kiwan, CEO and owner, MVP Tech, said:
“By joining forces with Convergint, we now have the opportunity to expand our engineering-driven philosophy and to further elevate our service capabilities, for both our local and multinational customers. Convergint’s culture and core Values and Beliefs are the perfect fit for MVP Tech. We greatly look forward to the new possibilities we can bring to our customers through Convergint’s resources.”
Convergint’s M&A Growth
Convergint is a $2 billion global systems integrator with a service-focused presence across North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Oceania.
The company continues to grow globally, with this acquisition following four others earlier this year that expanded Convergint’s capabilities across Canada, Australia and the United States. Among those deals was the August 2022 acquisition of California-based Ojo Technology and the February purchase of Dramis Communications Solutions Ltd., a Canadian telecommunications and networking reseller.
09/19 Talk Like A (Disney) Pirate Day Jenny Daily Kos
09/19 – Talk Like A (Disney) Pirate Day, Jenny – Daily Kos https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/09-19-talk-like-a-disney-pirate-day-jenny-daily-kos/
It is the anniversary of the 1676 burning of Jamestown by its colonists in Bacon’s Rebellion. Often cast as an early revolutionary rebellion against the British crown, this was really a rebellion against the local government’s refusal to sanction the extirpation of all of the indigenous population of Virginia by the colonists.
It is also the anniversary of the exceedingly bizarre death of Giles Corey in 1692. He was accused of being a wizard. The standard routine was for such persons to plead one way or the other to the charge, whereupon they would be tried, convicted and hanged, with their possessions and estate passing to the local government. Mr. Corey chose not to plead which meant that they could not try him and therefore could not find him guilty, hang him and steal seize his property, which would then pass to his sons. The standard remedy for this behavior was to “press” the victim accused until he or she entered an plea and then proceed to the trial and hanging.
Pressing involved placing the victim accused naked on their back with heavy planks atop their body. Heavy stones were then piled upon said planks until the Victim accused made their plea and then it was on to the trial and hanging. Each time they paused to ask Mr. Corey to plead, however, he simply said “more weight” and so, in the fullness of time, they crushed the life out of him without a trial, allowing his estate to pass to his sons and really pissing off the savage rat-bastid christers who had tortured him to death
Aaand finally, we come to the anniversary of the death of Mary Jemison in 1833. She had been captured and adopted by the Seneca as a young girl and became fully assimilated into their culture. She went through two indigenous husbands and had seven children from them. She became known as the White Woman of the Genesee and when provided with the opportunity to “return to civilization”, she contemplated the life of the average colonial woman and decided to remain an indian.
It is also the anniversary of a 2019 drone strike that killed 30 civilians in Afghanistan, but I don’t see why this is at all noteworthy. That’s at best a tiny fraction of the civilians killed in either Afghanistan or in drone strikes and I doubt it ia the largest civilian death toll from one of our strikes either. Sounds to me like just another day in our Greed-based War On Target peoples.
–
**********
On this day in history:
–
1676 –- Jamestown was burned to the ground by the colonists during Bacon’s Rebellion.
1778 — The first US budget was passed by the Continental Congress
1796 — George Washington’s Farewell Address
1852 –- Annibale de Gasparis discovered the asteroid Massalia from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte
1870 — The Siege of Paris began
1893 — Women won the right to vote in New Zealand, that deserves a Haka I should think
1944 — Finland and the Soviet Union signed an armistice
1952 — The US barred Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country
1959 — Khrushchev was barred from visiting Disneyland
1982 — The first documented emoticons were posted to a university BBS by Scott Fahlman
1985 — Thomas BowdlerTipper Gore and other political wives backed by Beachboy Mike Love and Joseph Coors formed the Parents Music Resource Center to try to effectively ban or otherwise control and restrict “bad music”
1991 –- Ötzi the Iceman was discovered in the Alps
2006 — The Thai military staged a coup, revoked the Constitution and declared martial law
2010 — The Deepwater Horizon leak was purportedly sealed
2019 –- A drone strike by the United States killed 30 civilian farmers in Afghanistan
–
**********
Some people who were born on this day:
Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet.
~~ Sarah Louise Delany
1749 –- Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre, mathematician and astronomer
1759 –- William Kirby, priest and entomologist
1824 –- William Sellers, engineer, inventor, and businessperson, invented USS bolt, nut and threaded rod specification
1883 –- Mabel Vernon, educator and activist
1887 –- Lovie Austin, pianist, composer, and bandleader
1888 –- James Waddell Alexander II, mathematician and topologist
1889 –- Sarah Louise Delany, physician and author
1905 –- Judith Auer, World War II resistance fighter
1894 –- Rachel Field, author and poet
1909 — Ferdinand (Ferry) Anton Ernst Porsche, engineer and businessman
1911 — William Golding, author, poet, playwright
1913 –- Helen Ward, singer
1918 — Pablita Velarde, a painter from the Santa Clara Pueblo
1920 — Roger Angell, journalist and author
1921 –- Billy Ward, singer and songwriter
1922 — Damon Knight, author and critic
1927 — Helen Carter, singer
1927 — Nick Massi, singer and bass player (
1930 — Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist, composer, and educator
1931 — Brook Benton, singer, songwriter and actor
1932 — Mike Royko,journalist and author
1932 — Stefanie Zweig,journalist and author
1933 — Gilles Archambault, journalist and author
1936 –- Martin Fay, fiddler
1940 — Bill Medley, singer and songwriter
1940 — Sylvia Tyson, singer, songwriter and guitarist
1940 — Paul Williams, singer, songwriter and actor
1941 — Cass Elliot, singer
1942 — Freda Payne, singer and actress
1945 — David Bromberg, singer, songwriter and guitarist
1949 — Barry Scheck, lawyer and co-founder of the Innocence Project
1955 — Rex Smith, actor, singer, and guitarist
1952 –- Rhys Chatham, trumpet player, guitarist, and composer
1952 –- Henry Kaiser, guitarist and composer
1952 –- Nile Rodgers, guitarist, songwriter, and producer
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Some people who died on this day:
Aristotle was famous for knowing everything. He taught that the brain exists merely to cool the blood and is not involved in the process of thinking. This is true only of certain persons.
~~ Will Cuppy
1692 –- Giles Corey, farmer and accused wizard pressed to death
1710 –- Ole Rømer, Dastronomer and instrument maker
1833 — Mary Jemison, a frontierswoman captured and adopted by the Seneca who later chose to remain Seneca
1843 — Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis, a mathematician, physicist, and engineer
1935 –- Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, scientist and engineer
1936 –- Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, singer and musicologist
1942 –- Condé Montrose Nast, publisher, founded Condé Nast Publications
1949 — Will Cuppy, a brilliant author and critic
1968 — Red Foley, singer, songwriter and actor
1973 — Gram Parsons, singer, songwriter and guitarist
1985 –- Italo Calvino, novelist, short story writer, and journalist
2003 — Slim Dusty, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer
2004 — Skeeter Davis, singer & songwriter
2006 — Danny Flores, singer, songwriter and saxophonist
2008 –- Earl Palmer, drummer
2009 — Arthur Ferrante, pianist, half of Ferrante & Teicher, masters of elevator music
2015 –- Jackie Collins, novelist
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Some Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days, Days of Recognition, and such:
International Talk Like A Pirate Day
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Today’s Tunes
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Talk like A Pirate (Jenny)
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Helen Carter
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Nick Massi
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Brook Benton
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Bill Medley
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Sylvia Tyson
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Paul Williams
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Cass Elliot
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Freda Payne
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David Bromberg
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Red Foley
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Gram Parsons
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Slim Dusty
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Skeeter Davis
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Danny Flores
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Speaking of Pirates —
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I won’t be here when this posts
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Ok, it’s an open thread, so it’s up to you folks now. So what’s on your mind?
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Cross posted from http://caucus99percent.com
What You Miss And Dont Miss About Twin Falls When On Vacation Kezj.com
What You Miss And Don’t Miss About Twin Falls When On Vacation – Kezj.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/what-you-miss-and-dont-miss-about-twin-falls-when-on-vacation-kezj-com/
Work can weigh many of us down and life often gets busy, that we no longer make time to do the things we want to do. The routine goes on and on, and we continue to grind away to put food on the table and pay the bills. As time goes on the stress, the routine, and the lack of downtime take their toll and many of us find ourselves getting down, tired, and angry. It is at these times that we need to hit a sort of reset button, and that is when it is time to plan a vacation and escape the routine of everyday life and life in Twin Falls. While vacations are great and something to look forward to, you can often find yourself missing home a little. As you travel away from Twin Falls, it makes you appreciate certain things and miss them, but being in another place can also make you appreciate certain things more. These are the things that you miss when away from Twin Falls, and the things you are glad to be away from.
Glad to Escape: The People of Twin Falls
Credit: Digital Vision.
Credit: Digital Vision.
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Getting away for a week or two can be nice to escape certain coworkers, neighbors, or perhaps the community as a whole. We all have those certain people we need a break from, and being hundreds or thousands of miles away can be nice. Usually, on vacation, many of us will avoid social media, and it helps us distance ourselves from the community that lives here. Rants and Raves pages can take a toll, as well as dealing with people in general. By going someplace else it is nice to be around a different culture and community for a week or so.
Miss: The People of Twin Falls
Google Street View
Google Street View
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As much as escaping the people of Twin Falls is nice, it goes the other way as well. You miss your friends, coworkers, neighbors, and those you interact with that make everyday life joyful. Sometimes the time away makes you realize how much you enjoy them and miss them, and you can’t wait to get back to share a story with them or pictures of the vacation you were on. As the phrase goes, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ and that seems to be true more often than not.
Glad to Escape: The Food of Twin Falls
Photo by Coffeefy Workafe on Unsplash
Photo by Coffeefy Workafe on Unsplash
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This is not to knock down the eating options and restaurants of Twin Falls, as there are many good eating options here. This has more to do with when vacationing, all diets and bets are off. The best part of vacationing is pigging out and trying new local foods, wherever you go. It can be something local to the place you are, a small hole-in-the-wall shop, or a place for dessert, but eating local places you can’t get in Twin or anywhere else is the best part of traveling away. These foods hit the spot just right that you can’t help but wish you could order them in Twin, and that is true for anywhere you live or visit.
Miss: The Weather
Picture by Bill Colley.
Picture by Bill Colley.
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This one may seem odd due to the way Idaho’s weather does whatever it wants, but when you go to a place that is humid and muggy, you appreciate the dry heat of Idaho a little more. While Idaho weather has a mind of its own, it overall is decently pleasant. Unless you visit someplace like Hawaii, the Caribbean, San Diego, or the mountains, odds are your weather will be too hot, cold, or something else. When the fall and spring weather hits, there is no nicer place to be than in Twin. While winters are long and summers are hot, they still aren’t as bad as other places.
Glad to Escape: The Weather of Twin Falls
Credit: Irina Igumnova
Credit: Irina Igumnova
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While the weather may not be that bad, if you do decide to take a vacation to a tropical paradise where the weather is perfect year around, you won’t be thinking twice about what the temperatures are like in Idaho. Sit back, enjoy a cocktail, and watch the waves without a care in the world. If you are escaping to the mountains for some cool mountain air or to enjoy some time on the slopes, you will likely not be thinking of the snow or air back in Idaho. Depending on where you end up, determines how you feel about the weather for your trip.
Miss: The Traffic
Blue Lakes/Pole Line
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While some may complain about the traffic in Twin Falls, especially on Blue Lakes and Pole Line, it is nothing compared to many other places. Visit any major city, and you will be missing the traffic back home. While yes, you don’t get stuck behind a tractor or combine in cities, it is better than being in four or even eight lanes of nonmoving traffic. It makes you appreciate that there is usually movement, even if it is slow, here. Sitting in a rush hour downtown of a major city, will make you beg to get back to Twin Falls.
Glad to Escape: Small Town of Twin Falls
City of Twin Falls
City of Twin Falls
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While the small town lifestyle is great and many of us enjoy it, it is nice being able to get away and be on a beach or in a major city, or a theme park from time to time. Life can get routine here, and getting away to see something bigger and not the same place you see every day is a nice escape. There is more to do, more shopping, more eating, and more options than you can get back home in Twin Falls. Sometimes it can be a little thing like having a Macy’s or a Popeye’s, or it can be having slides or rollercoasters to go down that Twin doesn’t offer.
Miss: The Beauty of Idaho
Credit: Purestock
Credit: Purestock
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When traveling, odds are you looking to go to a destination you have long to see, but sometimes they don’t live up to the expectations. Seeing other places can make you miss the beauty that we are blessed with here. Not everywhere can match the mountains, the farmland, and the canyon that we are blessed with enjoying every day. Visiting big cities or overpopulated beaches or theme parks can make you appreciate the beauty we have here much more.
Glad to Escape: The Smells
Credit: Khosrork
Credit: Khosrork
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While the fresh air of Idaho can be of great quality, some of the smells in our town are enough to make you need some time away. We all smell the factories, the cows, and some of the whiffs that the breeze picks up and brings into town. While most of us are used to these and they aren’t as much of a burden as they once were, it is still nice to get away from them from time to time and take in some fresh ocean air, mountain air, or whiff a good ole lung full of smog. Maybe not the smog, but the smells of Twin can be a bit much at times.
Miss: The Peace and Quiet
Credit: christiannafzger
Credit: christiannafzger
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One of the number one things about living in the Magic Valley is it is overall peaceful and quiet. There will be the occasional sirens, neighbors arguing, or anything else, but it is much quieter than most tourist places. It is nice to come home and not worry about honking cars, loud noises, or bright lights, but instead enjoy the peaceful, quiet lifestyle we all love and enjoy here.
Life is too short not to travel and enjoy seeing the world. We all need to take time to get away and hit the reset button, or else we burn out and life gets too routine. It is nice to escape, but it is also nice to come home to the Magic Valley and the state of Idaho after a long week or two away. Enjoy your trips, but be grateful you get to come back home here.
Words that Mean Different Things in Idaho
Idaho is different, in the best ways possible. Here are some words from movoto that have deep meaning here in Idaho but in other places mean something different and usually less exciting.
15 Perfect Memes For Idaho
The beauty of a meme is that it usually doesn’t need any explanation. You can just post the meme and sit back, knowing your work is done.
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Spears School Of Business And InterWorks Partner To Create Spears Assist Oklahoma State University
Spears School Of Business And InterWorks Partner To Create Spears Assist – Oklahoma State University https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/spears-school-of-business-and-interworks-partner-to-create-spears-assist-oklahoma-state-university/
Monday, September 19, 2022
Media Contact: Bailey Stacy | Communications Coordinator, Marketing & Communications | 405-744-2700 | bailey.stacy@okstate.edu
Spears Assist powered by InterWorks is now offering support and tutoring to Oklahoma State University students enrolled in the three core analytics courses taken by all business students.
A generous $200,000 donation from InterWorks, a global IT and data consultancy business founded in 1996 by two-time business school graduate Behfar Jahanshahi, is making it possible for Spears School of Business students to receive academic support to pursue careers in analytics.
“Spears Assist is modelled directly off Assist by InterWorks, which is our analytics support arm trusted by some of the world’s leading brands,” said Dustin Wyers, Assist lead for InterWorks. “Those in the Spears Assist program will use a similar system and learn the same skills that our consultants utilize directly with clients. Learning how to deal with a wide array of challenges and personalities is crucial to being a good consultant, and that’s exactly what this program will provide.”
Spears Business has long been a leader in analytics education and continues to enhance the experience for students through implementing increased data analytics and visualization coursework for all business majors, and also encouraging the inclusion of data analytics in courses across disciplines. The collaboration between Spears Business and InterWorks further solidifies the school’s commitment to creating the next generation of data analytically savvy students.
“I am excited about our ongoing partnership with InterWorks, and the work we are doing to advance the data analytics skills of our students,” said Dr. Evan Davis, associate professor of professional practice, Department of Business Administration. “This program will not only benefit those selected as Spears Assist interns but serve as a resource for all the students within the Spears School of Business.”
Spears Assist utilizes undergraduate students as interns to support others in their analytics coursework. These interns are selected based upon their own performance in analytics courses, and as part of the experience will also receive extensive training and be involved with projects at InterWorks. The Spears Assist Faculty Fellows, Evan Davis and Kim Strom, assistant department head for the Management Science and Information Systems (MSIS) Department, will manage the interns and design their training opportunities.
“Spears Assist makes sense on a lot of levels for both OSU and InterWorks,” said Jahanshahi, who was one of the inaugural inductees into the MSIS Department’s Cloud of Honor, established to recognize and honor graduates from OSU’s MSIS and analytics programs. “In Stillwater, you have a university that brings in around 25,000 students each year who are excited, energetic and ready to learn. These students are looking for opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in a real-world context. Spears Assist gives OSU students a great outlet to prepare for a career in analytics, and it gives InterWorks an even stronger pipeline to the next generation of talented data professionals.”
Jahanshahi earned his bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) in 1998 and a master’s degree in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) in 2000 from OSU. He founded InterWorks during his time as an OSU student. Today, InterWorks employs over 250 individuals across the globe, including 75-plus OSU alumni. They serve hundreds of clients across virtually every industry, ranging from Twitter and Nike to OSU and Stillwater Medical Center.
In-person assistance is available in Business Building 205, Monday-Thursday, 1-5 p.m., and virtual assistance through Office365 TEAMS is offered Monday-Thursday, 6-10 p.m., and Sunday, 1-9 p.m.
Visit the website for more information or to request assistance, https://business.okstate.edu/departments_programs/msis/spears_assist.html.
Rebuilding Together NYC She Builds Committee To Develop Bronx Community Garden Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Rebuilding Together NYC She Builds Committee To Develop Bronx Community Garden – Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/rebuilding-together-nyc-she-builds-committee-to-develop-bronx-community-garden-hunton-andrews-kurth-llp/
The She Builds Committee of Rebuilding Together NYC is hosting a community revitalization service project to create a vegetable garden complex for the Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers.
She Builds is bringing together real estate industry leaders on Sept. 30 for its sixth annual rebuilding day to “make it sow.” Participants will spend the day transforming a 7,000-square-foot lot in the Bronx, bordered by Prospect Avenue and East 168th Street, into a community garden that will also include nearby gathering spaces and classrooms. When complete, the garden will include a variety of vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, zucchini, kale, spinach, onions and basil.
Valerie Payne, executive director of Rebuilding Together NYC, said that the Bronx is a noted food desert, where residents face nutritional insecurity at levels nearly twice as high as the New York state average. The COVID-19 epidemic has only exacerbated this problem.
“Creating a community garden will increase the neighborhood’s access to healthy, affordable and sustainable food,” said She Builds Committee co-chair Laurie A. Grasso, co-chair of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s global real estate practice. “Our project aims to harness our real estate community to play a part in improving citizens’ health and alleviating some of the disparities that exist in our city.”
She Builds Committee co-chair Laura Jackson, SL Green Realty Corp. senior vice president, added: “Our sixth annual She Builds community revitalization event reflects our ongoing mission to provide hands-on support for under-resourced women and their families. We’re proud of the longtime efforts of our She Builds colleagues and partners, who generously provide their talents, time and resources to serve our community.”
The She Builds day of service also will support Rebuilding Together NYC’s Careers in Construction program, which reskills New Yorkers for family-sustaining careers in construction. Details regarding financial sponsorships for the event can be found here, and current sponsors include:
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
SL Green Realty Corp.
Greystar Real Estate Partners
The Domain Companies
Nahla Capital
Duval and Stachenfeld LLP
EisnerAmper LLP
Meridian Capital Group
Cole Schotz P.C.
First Republic Bank
L+M Development Partners LLC
First American Title Insurance Company
FTI Consulting, Inc.
Goodwin Procter
Medical Properties Trust
Stewart Title Insurance Company
Sills Cummis & Gross P.C.
Douglaston Development
Invesco
Savanna
Structure Tone
Liberty Building Products
Bronx Pro Group
Brause Realty Inc.
Yagoda Real Estate
BentallGreenOak
About She Builds – New York City
The She Builds Committee of Rebuilding Together New York City organizes an annual community revitalization event with 100+ volunteers from the real estate industry to improve a nonprofit facility that supports under-resourced women and their families. The She Builds program harnesses the technical knowledge and skills of influential female real estate industry leaders to promote safe and healthy living conditions for women and families across New York City. https://rebuildnyc.org/events/she-builds-2022
About SEBNC
Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers, Inc. is a not-for-profit multiservice agency, whose mission statement is to plan, develop, and provide services that enhance the quality of life and facilitate empowerment of the constituents of the Southeast Bronx. https://sebnc.org/
PolkaStation One Stop For IDO/INO/IGO & Metaverse And Multi Defi Protocols. GlobeNewswire
PolkaStation – One Stop For IDO/INO/IGO & Metaverse And Multi Defi Protocols. – GlobeNewswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/polkastation-one-stop-for-ido-ino-igo-metaverse-and-multi-defi-protocols-globenewswire/
September 19, 2022 11:10 ET | Source: Polka Station
Singapore, Singapore, Sept. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Polkastation combines various DeFi protocols, NFT minting, and marketplace with the Polkadot framework as its base. Though early blockchains serve the purpose of deploying decentralized applications, there are limitations like lack of run-time specialization and limited throughput.
Polkastation wants to deliver a cutting-edge project in the blockchain space and thus chooses Polkadot, bridging multiple specialized chains into one sharded network. Polkadot offers the best returns in the market through various products. As these decentralized applications are deployed on Polkastation’s own blockchains, they have enhanced stability.
PolkaStation Ecosystem Live Dapps:
PolkaSwap:
Polkastation’s swap allows the instant exchange of two non-native tokens of two different blockchain protocols without any centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Instead, the operations are decentralized, fueled by smart contracts. Polkastation’s swap also allows the users to add liquidity to pools. You can add your POLKA tokens to the liquidity pools in return for LP tokens. These LP tokens represent your contribution to the addition of liquidity, and you will be rewarded accordingly.
NFT Space:
Polkastation has an entire NFT ecosystem that facilitates the users to mint their artworks into NFTs, display them in their creator profiles, and make money by selling them on the NFT marketplace. One must need an artist account to create and sell NFTs in the Polkastation NFT marketplace. When a buyer makes an auction to buy your NFTs, the order will be stacked in the order book and executed. With Polkastation, your NFTs need not sit idle in the wallets. Polkastaion allows users to attach their NFTs to the NFT staking protocol in exchange for staking rewards. So, you can earn extra rewards for your NFTs while you still remain the owner.
Farming:
The Polkastation AMM engine eliminates the need for intermediaries to carry out trades with the help of farms. Instead, the liquidity providers add LP tokens to the investment pools and get rewarded through yield farming. To enhance liquidity and make an asset a lucrative trade, Polkastation holds the investors’ funds. The period when a liquidity provider waits for the asset’s price to go up is yield farming.
IDO Staking Pools:
Polkastation’s IDO staking pool is the easiest way of earning more POLKAS tokens. Two different pools allow you to stake POLKAS and earn POLKAS in return. The first POLKAS-POLKAS pool has a locking period of 30 days and offers an APR of 30%, while the second pool has a threshold lock-in of 60 days and a 50% APR.
LaunchStation:
Polkastation offers two different fundraising mechanisms, the INO and IDO. Initial NFT Offerings helps projects with innovative ideas to reach a broader and up-to-date web3 community. It helps the projects raise funds with seamless access to instant liquidity before they are functional in the market. The projects can run IDO on Polkastation after the vetting schedule process. They can offer their project tokens for a fixed price, and Polkastation allows users to lock their funds in return for the tokens. Polkastation then distributes the tokens to the investors with the help of smart contracts during the token generation event (TGE).
Yield Aggregator:
With hundreds of yield farms on the market daily, keeping track of the best-performing ones is tedious. If so, we can track a few; they are not accessible from a single point. To solve this problem, Polkstation has developed a Yield Aggregator to collate multiple best-performing farms in a single place. Polkastation hunts for yield optimization and secures farms in the market to help its community members maximize the yield.
PolkaStation (POLKAS) is a Binance smart chain Bep20 token that is solely focused on providing holders with long-term holding benefits through staking, investment opportunity in their foundation and real use case for the entire ecosystem.
Token Contract: 0x81402bdf885a930ccf2175b66fbd435486b33f69
Blockchain: BSC chain
Total Supply: 50 Million
Maximum Supply: 50 Million
Buy/Sell Fee: There is No Buy & Sell Fees
PolkaStation Team has been KYC verified By CyberScope & SmarContract Audit By
Coinsult, Solidproof, Cyberscope.
Liquidity Locking: 5 years in Pinksale Platform
Team Tokens Locking: 2 Years in Pinksale Platform
PolkaStation Private Sale will begin on September 24th and will be hosted on our Private Sale LaunchStation.
Bonus Structure: Who will participate in private Sale will benefit upto 20% on public Sale (Pink Sale ) price & 32% on pancake swap listing Price of POLKAS Token.
Private Sale Vesting: 50% Unlock on TGE Remaining 50% Will Be Unlock on NOV 7Th 16 UTC
Hardcap: 100 BNB
Softcap: 50 BNB
PrivateSale Link: https://www.polkastation.finance/sale/privatesale
PolkaStation will host public sale on October 1ST at popular launchpad Pinksale. Trading will get live after the end of public sale.
Hardcap: 1000 BNB
Softcap: 510 BNB
Token vesting: No Vesting Schedule For Presale Tokens
Bonus Structure: Who will participate in Public Sale on Pink Sale platform will benefit upto 15% on pancake swap listing Price of POLKAS Token.
Pinksale Presale link: https://www.pinksale.finance/launchpad/0xeb26b81D6A8cEdE205B5B0EEd25E9Ba795b74257?chain=BSC
Read Whitepaper: https://polkastation.finance/pdf/whitepaper.pdf
Details About PolkaStation:
Website: https://polkastation.finance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PolkaStation
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polkastation
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Polkastation
Medium: https://medium.com/@polkastation2022
Telegram Channel: https://t.me/Polkastation_Press
Telegram Group: https://t.me/Polkastation_Discussions
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBlst9AmuzsH4yjy6YIgVGQ
Media Contact:
Contact Name: Racharla Jalandhar
Email: jalandhar@polkastation.com
Website: https://polkastation.finance
TV In The Bathroom: Technically Doable But A Very Bad Idea CNET
TV In The Bathroom: Technically Doable But A Very Bad Idea – CNET https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tv-in-the-bathroom-technically-doable-but-a-very-bad-idea-cnet/
TV lovers want to be able to see their big screens everywhere. And while there are plenty of good places to mount your TV, there are a few places where you might want to think twice about it. The bathroom is one of those places. It’s actually about the worst type of environment for any electronic device, but it’s especially bad for TVs. If you’re so hooked on a show you’re streaming that you don’t want to hit pause even for a bathroom break, you may think that mounting a TV above the bath or toilet is a good solution. It’s not. Really. I’m serious. Just don’t.
But if you absolutely must, mounting a TV in the bathroom is technically doable, as long as you know what you’re getting into. Here’s what you need to know before you start watching National Treasure during your morning constitutional.
Bathroom TV (doo)do’s and don’ts
This bathroom is nicer than my entire house.
Getty Images/Experience Interiors
A bathroom is a bad place for a TV. Two of the worst things for electronic gadgets are moisture and heat. The latter is also one of the reasons why we don’t recommend placing a TV above a fireplace. Even if you have a large, well-ventilated bathroom, it’s likely much more humid than a typical living room.
For example, here’s what Samsung has to say about bathroom TVs:
In general, you should not put your Samsung TV in extremely hot, cold, humid or dusty places. Consequently, we recommend that you do not install your Samsung TV in a bathroom or any other room with high humidity.
Here’s the relevant section in LG owner’s manual for its 2022 LED LCDs:
Do not place the TV and/or remote control in the following environments:
– An area with high humidity such as a bathroom.
– Near kitchen counters or humidifiers where they can easily be exposed to steam or oil.
– Do not expose to dripping or splashing and do not place objects filled with liquids, such as vases, cups, etc. on or over the apparatus (e.g., on shelves above the unit).
Otherwise, this may result in fire, electric shock, combustion/ explosion, malfunction or product deformation.
Sony’s TV warranty, for its part, doesn’t cover “contact with liquid, heat, humidity or perspiration,” all of which are pretty much par for the bathroom course.
Will humidity destroy the TV instantly? Probably not, and that’s part of the problem. You’ll likely hear or read plenty of anecdotal stories about how someone put a regular TV in their bathroom and it was “fine.” However, these people probably won’t follow up with how the TV later died “for no reason.”
To compound the problem most people will want to put the TV where it’s easily viewable from the tub or shower, namely up out of the way. Unfortunately heat and steam rise, especially when drawn ceiling-ward by a bathroom fan.
I could tub here.
Getty Images/Phototropic
There are waterproof TVs designed for high-humidity areas but, as you’d guess, they’re more expensive than regular models. They also don’t feature names you’d recognize: Elecsung, Soulaca, Haocrown and others. Many have streaming apps built in. Some even double as a mirror when turned off. We haven’t tested any of these models, but they cost at least three or four times as much as standard TVs of similar size.
Also, be wary of any lists on sites like Best Buy or Amazon that seem to suggest “bathroom TVs.” These are filled with normal, small TVs that shouldn’t be in a bathroom.
Things to consider for a bathroom TV
Add a fridge and I think I could live here.
Getty Images/John Keeble
Like other waterproof gear, for example headphones and Bluetooth speakers, waterproof TVs should have an IP rating. For example, “IP66-Certified Waterproof” means it’s sealed against dust and jets of water aimed directly at the device.
Voice control would be a plus, for sure, but don’t expect waterproof TVs to have the same features as a typical TV. For that matter, their smart TV interfaces are likely worse than you’re used to, and might not have all the streaming services you’d want. Check user reviews carefully, if you can find any.
What’s not important? Resolution. Don’t worry if the TV is 1080p or 720p. With small TVs you’re not likely to see much of a difference, if any.
Better hope it’s splash-proof.
Getty Images/John Keeble
It’s also worth checking to see if your Wi-Fi is up to the task. The signal might be strong enough to surf the web while you’re enshrined on your throne, but streaming video is another story. You probably don’t need to get any new gear, just give your current Wi-Fi a tuneup.
Check local building codes for any specific regulations for installing or mounting an electrical device in your bathroom. You can also mount a TV in the wall, but that’s well beyond the scope of this guide and likely not something for the average DIYer.
Alternate options (tablets, smart displays and more)
Totally natural towel placement.
Getty Images/Phototropic
Maybe you don’t need a “TV.” Smart home displays like the Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub can fit just about anywhere. They’ll run Netflix and some other streaming services. You won’t get full TV functionality, nor are they waterproof, but they’re cheap and far easier to fit in your bathroom. Just keep them away from the tub.
Another possibility is a simple waterproof Bluetooth speaker. I’ve had one of these in my shower for years. Certainly not a TV, but you can listen to music, news or podcasts. They have the added benefit of being inexpensive and, of course, portable.
Mirror mirror on the wall, play for me The Gilded Age.
Haocrown
A common option is a tablet, usually with the addition of some kind of stand or bath tray. Certainly risky for an often-expensive device, but it’s easier than mounting a TV in someplace that’s essentially a temporary sauna.
It’s also worth noting that most mid- and high-end phones are waterproof. Most tablets are not. So if you can handle a smaller screen, it’s definitely a safer bath-time option.
‘Bathroom TV, you’re the one’
More than ever, we all need a place to relax. I have a close friend with an extremely stressful job who winds down after a long day by watching shows on a tablet while soaking in the tub. I absolutely get it.
Permanently mounting a TV in your bathroom, however, should be approached with caution. These are not good environments for electronics to live in, as evidenced by the warnings and warranties of manufacturers.
With a TV that’s designed for it, or something inexpensive you don’t mind replacing regularly, they’re certainly better than holding your phone with one hand and your toothbrush in the other.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
US Treasury Asks Regulators To Take More Action Against Crypto Scams Yahoo Finance
US Treasury Asks Regulators To Take More Action Against Crypto Scams – Yahoo Finance https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/us-treasury-asks-regulators-to-take-more-action-against-crypto-scams-yahoo-finance/
The Treasury Department is keenly aware that crypto scams and hacks remain serious problems, and it’s pressuring the rest of the US government to respond. As The Washington Post notes, the Treasury has issued a report calling on other federal regulators to further crack down on scams and other illegal crypto activity. Officials want agencies to “expand and increase” investigations and enforcement, issue clearer guidance and help crypto users understand both risks and the reporting tools at their disposal.
In all cases, the Treasury asked for more coordination between government divisions. The department also asked for greater transparency on illegal activity to help spot trends in scams and other crimes.
The tougher stance is necessary given the dangers, according to the report. While proponents argue crypto can democratize financial services by making them more affordable and accessible, the Treasury found that there wasn’t much evidence to support the claim. If anything, the department found that low-income households were particularly vulnerable to ripoffs — 29 percent of crypto investors had an annual income below $50,000, according to Federal Reserve Board data.
It’s not clear that the findings will lead to decisive action. The Treasury didn’t outline a concrete strategy for battling crypto scams and security breaches, and regulators have their own sometimes-conflicting views of how to govern digital assets. The Securities Exchange Commission sees most crypto tokens as securities it can monitor, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission unsurprisingly wants to treat tokens as commodities. Although the bureaus might not be fighting, this report doesn’t do much to establish common ground.
Europe Ryder Cup Captain Donald Has A Plan For Beating US The Washington Post
Europe Ryder Cup Captain Donald Has A Plan For Beating US – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/europe-ryder-cup-captain-donald-has-a-plan-for-beating-us-the-washington-post/
GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Rory McIlroy likened it to landing in a “jungle” when his drives veered off line. Europe captain Luke Donald pointed to the thickness of the grass blades. U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick said the rough was simply “penal.”
If there was one major takeaway from the just-concluded Italian Open at the Marco Simone club outside Rome that will host next year’s Ryder Cup, it was that the course is being set up to reward accurate tee shots with narrow fairways surrounded by nasty rough and even higher grass beyond.
Coming off a record loss to the United States at Whistling Straits last year, Donald is enlisting the help of the golf course to try to reduce the gap to the big-hitting Americans.
“We certainly want to put a premium on getting the ball in the fairway,” Donald told The Associated Press after Sunday’s final round, confirming plans to narrow the fairways even further.
“It’s not going to be any narrower than a U.S. Open or anything like that — I think there’s plenty of width out here,” he said. “But some of (the holes) have a little bit too much width in areas. So if you want to take and hit driver, you can, but it’s going to narrow up.”
At Whistling Straits, where the Americans won 19-9 for the biggest margin of victory since continental Europe became part of the Ryder Cup in 1979, the rough was trimmed to a maximum of four inches.
By contrast, some of the high grass at Marco Simone reached up past players’ knees.
“I think the tougher the test, the better it is for us,” said Europe vice captain Edoardo Molinari, the team’s analytics expert.
Added McIlroy: “If you get it going off line here off the tee it’s very, very difficult. The rough is incredibly thick and there’s sort of jungle outside of that if you get a play way off line.”
“(The Americans) are very good from 150 in, so try to set the golf course up so it’s a challenge to get your tee shots within that range,” McIlroy said. “By forcing people to play more conservative off the tee, I think that helps the Europeans a little bit.”
It wasn’t just the rough that provided a challenge. Changing weather each day brought heat, rain and wind before Sunday’s near-perfect conditions.
“Some of these guys who are likely to be in the Ryder Cup team next year would have seen everything this week,” said Donald, who took over the captain’s duties from Henrik Stenson last month after the Swede was stripped of the honor for joining the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf circuit. “That’s good that they’ll be very prepared.”
None of the likely Ryder Cup members for the U.S. team showed up.
Donald himself, who finished 13 strokes behind surprise winner Bob MacIntyre, learned a few lessons himself when he hit the wrong ball after a poor tee shot on the driveable par-4 16th on Friday and then lost a ball in a tree on 13 on Sunday.
“I had a adventurous week,” he said.
McIlroy, who finished two strokes back in fourth, fell out of contention Sunday when he hit into the water on 16.
Fitzpatrick, who lost in a playoff to MacIntyre, was on course for victory until he found the rough on the par-3 17th and bogeyed the penultimate hole for the third time in four tries.
Fitzpatrick then again drove into the rough on the first playoff hole, enabling MacIntyre to snatch his first win in nearly two years — and only the second of his career.
A smooth-swinging Scot from the whisky town of Oban, MacIntyre plodded his way around the hilly course by consistently hitting the greens — never anything too spectacular — and recorded the lowest round of the week on Sunday with a 7-under 64.
“For me, it’s pretty simple. If you hit it where you aim, you’ll do alright,” the 26-year-old lefty said. “Thankfully today for the majority of it, I aimed it well, I hit it all right and the putter worked.”
From Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2023, Marco Simone will become the third venue in continental Europe to host the Ryder Cup after Valderrama in Spain (1997) and Le Golf National in France (2018).
MacIntyre’s performance in the second week of the Ryder Cup qualification period may have given him a spot on next year’s team.
“I played with Bob last week in Wentworth,” Donald said. “Looks like a strong player, a strong mind — he looks very fearless on the golf course, which you’ll need in a Ryder Cup. It’s a pressure packed situation.”
On the eve of the tournament, Donald and many of Europe’s top players like McIlroy, Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Molinari ate dinner together.
“We obviously play a very individual sport most of the time. But one week out of every two years, we try and come together as a team and unite,” Donald said. “And having those dinners helps with that.”
Edoardo Molinari said the menu included “pasta, prosciutto and mozzarella” and that “nearly everyone enjoyed a glass of wine.”
Donald hopes more elite players will check out Marco Simone in May when the next Italian Open is contested.
“As many eyeballs or potential players come over and get a feel for this place, the better,” he said. “I know the schedule is tough and it’s busy and jam packed, but I’ll certainly be encouraging them to try and make the trip.”
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More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf
Huron Elects Technology Executive Joy Brown To Board Of Directors Business Wire
Huron Elects Technology Executive Joy Brown To Board Of Directors – Business Wire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/huron-elects-technology-executive-joy-brown-to-board-of-directors-business-wire/
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Global professional services firm Huron (NASDAQ: HURN) today announced that Joy Brown was elected to Huron’s board of directors. Ms. Brown is a technology executive with deep experience helping global organizations across industries embrace data and change using innovative technology and advanced analytics.
“We are pleased to welcome Joy to Huron’s board of directors. Her extensive enterprise technology background and proven record in leading global teams will enable her to have an immediate impact on Huron’s growth objectives,” said John McCartney, non-executive chairman of the Huron board. “Joy’s appointment is part of our multiyear board evolution as we continue our focus on having the best mix of skills and experience to achieve our strategic and financial objectives.”
Ms. Brown previously served as global chief data officer at Verizon Media where she transformed its legacy data and enterprise technology architecture into an integrated digital ecosystem. She also led acquisitions and divestitures and established consumer focused 360 leading edge capabilities. Prior to her role at Verizon Media, she led Capital One’s credit card global data, analytics, and machine learning function helping the company optimize operations and increase customer engagement. Earlier in her career, she spent time at UnitedHealth Group, Vanguard, and General Electric in its financial services and corporate business units.
“I’m thrilled to join Huron’s board of directors,” said Ms. Brown. “I look forward to working with the board and the management team to support Huron as the organization continues to advance its growth strategy.”
Ms. Brown is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, DMAIC, DFSS, Lean, and serves as a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), Women Corporate Directors, DC Chapter, and Black Women on Boards (BWOB). She is an active member of the Greycroft Venture Capital Technology Council, and she will be receiving her NACD board director certification and Harvard Corporate Director certification in 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Science in information systems and data engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Joseph’s University. Ms. Brown has public and private board of director experience and sits on the board of Tractor Supply Company and the Peter Paul Development Center in Richmond, VA.
Ms. Brown’s addition brings the size of the board to eight members and continues Huron’s multi-year refresh process to ensure the board has a diverse mix of knowledge, skills and business acumen to evaluate and support the Company’s strategy going forward.
ABOUT HURON
Huron is a global professional services firm that collaborates with clients to put possible into practice by creating sound strategies, optimizing operations, accelerating digital transformation, and empowering businesses and their people to own their future. By embracing diverse perspectives, encouraging new ideas, and challenging the status quo, we create sustainable results for the organizations we serve. Learn more at www.huronconsultinggroup.com.
Statements in this press release that are not historical in nature, including those concerning the company’s current expectations about its future results, are “forward-looking” statements as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “provides,” “anticipates,” “assumes,” “can,” “will,” “meets,” “could,” “likely,” “intends,” “might,” “predicts,” “seeks,” “would,” “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “continues,” “goals,” “guidance,” or “outlook” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect the company’s current expectations about future requirements and needs, results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein include, without limitation: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, our clients and client demand for our services, and our ability to sell and provide services, including the measures taken by governmental authorities and businesses in response to the pandemic, which may cause or contribute to other risks and uncertainties that we face; failure to achieve expected utilization rates, billing rates and the number of revenue-generating professionals; inability to expand or adjust our service offerings in response to market demands; our dependence on renewal of client-based services; dependence on new business and retention of current clients and qualified personnel; failure to maintain third-party provider relationships and strategic alliances; inability to license technology to and from third parties; the impairment of goodwill; various factors related to income and other taxes; difficulties in successfully integrating the businesses we acquire and achieving expected benefits from such acquisitions; risks relating to privacy, information security, and related laws and standards; and a general downturn in market conditions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including, among others, those described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in Huron’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events, or for any other reason.
Book Banning Curriculum Restrictions And The Politicization Of U.S. Schools Center For American Progress
Book Banning, Curriculum Restrictions, And The Politicization Of U.S. Schools – Center For American Progress https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/book-banning-curriculum-restrictions-and-the-politicization-of-u-s-schools-center-for-american-progress/
Students pick up their school books at a high school in California, August 2020. (Getty/Rodin Eckenroth)
Introduction and summary
Recent debates across the country have pushed for book banning and the adoption of politically motivated laws and policies on school curricula. Such measures seek to prevent teachers from providing a thorough curriculum on American history, civics, and government in U.S. public schools and deny students their rights to a complete education.1 At least 17 states have introduced bills containing gag orders2 or taken other steps that would restrict how teachers can discuss American history and current events, including pulling books off library shelves in an effort to suppress so-called “divisive concepts”—a shorthand affectation nearly always referring to issues about race and identity.3
In Texas, for example, at least 713 books have been banned from public schools, and school districts’ and school boards’ attempts to censor books have triggered a systematic review of hundreds of books in every school district in the entire state.4 These censorship efforts require tens of thousands of hours from teachers, librarians, and administrators to review the books and implement a system of censorship—all at a time when school resources are already stretched thin, and states across the country are facing teacher and staff shortages.
These actions run counter to the shared value of free speech that has informed generations of American progress. They also violate the First Amendment, 14th Amendment, and Title IX rights of all students and educators, with particular disproportionate impact on people of color and LGBTQI+ individuals.5 However, despite some states’ and localities’ focus on book bans and curriculum restrictions, national polling data detailed throughout this report reveal that a majority of Americans oppose the anti-public-education movement, which involves policy decisions that perpetuate discrimination and inequity in education by cutting or reallocating funding dedicated to public schools toward private or alternative schooling structures that tend to benefit the wealthy; want teachers and students to play a more active role in determining school curricula; and want schools to embrace diversity and inclusion. But this is not evident from many media headlines, which often sensationalize popular political talking points, even those with no basis in truth.
The anti-public-education movement … involves policy decisions that perpetuate discrimination and inequity in education by cutting or reallocating funding dedicated to public schools toward private or alternative schooling structures that tend to benefit the wealthy.
Education should not be politicized
Preparing students for all types of civic engagement by teaching complete history is crucial; yet beginning as early as the 2016 Trump administration campaign, efforts to weaken the U.S. Department of Education through proposed cuts of $7.1 billion6 in funding. These cuts would undermine the department’s guidance and protections of vulnerable students attending public school, continue to threaten the future of public education in the United States.
When Americans call their legislators, join school boards, or utilize social media platforms to share their concerns about education, they are exercising the right to make their voices heard on policy issues—a right that is central to the American civic engagement process. Schools have a core responsibility to teach students about these processes. Book bans and curriculum gag orders make it impossible for every child to receive a high-quality and age-appropriate education by dictating whose history, identities, and voices matter.
For example, when a 2022 nationwide survey from Campaign for Our Shared Future7 asked, “All things being equal, would you prefer that each of the following take a more active role in the decisions about the subjects students are taught in schools, or a less active role?”, 92 percent of parents and 85 percent of voters overall said they believe that teachers should play a more active role in decisions about what subjects are taught in classrooms.8 Additionally, 74 percent of parents and 71 percent of voters overall reported believing that current high school students should play the second-most-active role.9
Ongoing state and local actions to ban books simply because they address racism, white supremacy, or LGBTQI+ issues have inspired students to stand up for their civil rights. Young adults attending public, charter, and private schools in Delaware began submitting stories of their experiences with overt and systemic racism,10 countering the narrative that America is a post-racial country and that racism no longer exists. Hundreds of students have taken to student-run social media accounts on platforms such as Instagram to tell their stories in the form of quotes or summaries detailing their experiences with racism and other forms of discrimination in their public, charter, and private schools.11 Young adults in Texas and Pennsylvania have also protested,12 while others in Missouri have sued their districts for removing books that are inclusive of multiple groups across racial/ethnic, gender, nondisabled and disabled, and socioeconomic lines.13
Attempts to limit learning are un-American
Recent survey research conducted by the National Education Association14 and ASO Communications15 between September and October 2021 found that “everyone across demographics agrees” that removing history from curricula and banning books are tools that politicians use to control a political narrative. GBAO and Anchor Collaborative conducted a similar survey in April and May 2022 and found a majority of Americans felt that efforts to censor classroom conversations about race “go way too far.”16 The survey asked participants to rate on a scale of 0–10 how well a group of statements on “historical facts, honesty, and no one being ashamed of their background” described how they feel about race in America, where 10 means the statement “describes how you feel very well” and 0 means it “does not describe how you feel at all.” Fifty-nine percent of people responded to the following statement with a rating of 8–10:
Efforts to censor teachers, omit history, or ban important conversations about race in our schools go way too far. Our children deserve an education honest about who we are, demonstrating integrity in how we treat others, and creating a sense of belonging so every child has the freedom to learn, grow, and pursue their dreams.
Research findings from Campaign for Our Shared Future17 found that in a national sample of parents and nonparents ages 18 and older who are registered or likely voters, more than half were overall supportive of, and voted in favor of, educators teaching about the following topics in K-12 schools:18
Civil rights movement: 87 percent of parents and 78 percent of nonparents ages 18 and older
The history and experiences of Native Americans: 86 percent of parents and 79 percent of nonparents ages 18 and older
Slavery: 74 percent of parents and 71 percent of nonparents ages 18 and older
Racial inequity in America’s past: 73 percent of parents and 66 percent of nonparents ages 18 and older
Ongoing effects of slavery and racism in the United States: 69 percent of parents and 60 percent of nonparents ages 18 and older
Systemic racism in America’s institutions and society: 59 percent of parents and 53 percent of nonparents ages 18 and older
Yet, in less than one year, state legislators have called for districtwide reviews of books, despite a nationwide teacher shortage and other existing strains on the teacher workforce.19 These actions are part of anti-public-school policies and agendas, which have adverse impacts on the experiences of students who attend these schools. More recently, states such as Arizona20 and Tennessee21 have also resurrected former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ privatization schemes and proposals to expand tax incentives that benefit private-school parents by passing voucher laws allowing parents to move their children into private school or other alternative schooling options with no accountability in accordance with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) law.
Interestingly, polling data on voters’ attitudes toward school voucher programs reveal that despite Arizona voters’ previous opposition to and rejection of a similar universal vouchers proposal—with 67 percent voting “No” and 33 percent voting “Yes”— in 2018, Arizona lawmakers successfully passed a new law on school choice vouchers.22 Other national polling results found that 49 percent of survey participants believe:23
Certain politicians try to use race to turn us against schools and teachers, or point the finger at parents. These politicians want to keep us from coming together to demand every school provide a quality education to every child, not just the children of the wealthy few.
More than 1,500 book bans have occurred in at least 86 school districts in 26 states since politicians began igniting the anti-public-education movement toward the end of 2019.24 Of the total number of books banned, 41 percent include protagonists or prominent secondary characters who are people of color; 22 percent of the titles directly address issues of race and racism; 16 percent are history books or biographies; and 9 percent have themes related to rights and activism.25 Other survey results revealed that 51 percent of survey participants responded to the following statement with a rating of 8–10, with 10 indicating that the statement describes how they feel “very well”:26
While educators work to deliver our children accurate and...
China Science Technology News Summary Sept. 19 China.org.cn
China Science, Technology News Summary — Sept. 19 – China.org.cn https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/china-science-technology-news-summary-sept-19-china-org-cn/
BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) — The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.
“DIGITAL MUSEUM” DNA
The DNA, a natural structure that has evolved to encode biological information, can be artificially modified into a durable, minuscule “digital museum.”
A team of Chinese scientists enciphered 10 digital pictures of Dunhuang murals into 210,000 DNA strands through the nucleotide sequences in a 6.8 MB zipped file, and they can be precisely recovered from a severely corrupted sample that has been treated at 70 degrees Celsius for 70 days.
MARS EXPLORATION
China’s first Mars exploration mission has achieved rich scientific results, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said Sunday.
As of Thursday, the Tianwen-1 orbiter has been operating normally for over 780 days, and the rover Zhurong has traveled 1,921 meters on the surface of Mars, the CNSA said.
The orbiter and rover of China’s Tianwen-1 probe have completed the targeted scientific exploration missions and have acquired 1,480 gigabytes of raw scientific data.
CARBON NEUTRALITY
Chinese researchers recently published an assessment of the mitigation of China’s carbon neutrality to global warming, noting that the country’s efforts can mitigate global warming by 0.48 and 0.40 degrees Celsius under intermediate and very high greenhouse gas emission scenarios.
According to the study published in the journal Nature Communications, compared with the period from 1850 to 1900, the global mean surface temperature from 2081 to 2100 is estimated to increase by 1.7 degrees Celsius under the low greenhouse gas emission scenario. Enditem
