Benton County News Now

U.S. Consumer Sentiment Rises In September; Inflation Expectations Fall – Reuters.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-consumer-sentiment-rises-in-september-inflation-expectations-fall-reuters-com/ A woman shops for groceries at El Progreso Market in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, D.C., U.S., August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) – U.S. consumer sentiment improved moderately in September, while households’ inflation expectations declined amid lower gasoline prices, a survey released on Friday showed. The University of Michigan’s preliminary September reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 59.5, up from 58.6 in the prior month. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a preliminary reading of 60.0 in September. The survey’s reading of one-year inflation expectations dropped to 4.6%, the lowest since September 2021, from 4.8% in August. The survey’s five-year inflation outlook slipped to 2.8%, the lowest since July 2021, from 2.9% in August. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Benton County Animal Control Deputy Caught On Video Abandoning Dog – KLRT – FOX16.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/benton-county-animal-control-deputy-caught-on-video-abandoning-dog-klrt-fox16-com/ SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Siloam Springs man’s outdoor camera captured the moment a Benton County Animal Services deputy dropped off a dog and drove away. In the video, the deputy driving the animal control vehicle came to a stop at the end of the road and opened a door to let the dog out. The dog then started running down the road and the vehicle drove off. Reed lives by a busy highway. He was immediately concerned for the loose dog and drivers on the road. “I know I don’t want to hit a dog on [Highway 412]. So, if you’re going to swerve and cause a wreck, it’s more likely to happen with a dog running out in front of your car,” said Reed. His kids also play in the open front yard of his home. He worried about the dog being dropped off so close to where they play. “I don’t want an aggressive dog in my front yard or a dog that might have a disease or anything like that,” said Reed. Animal Control is a team within the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. KNWA/FOX 24 reached out to the Sheriff’s Office on Thursday. In a text correspondence, the office said the deputy was attempting to return the dog to a home in which he believed the owner lived. “We do not and have not ever dumped a dog anywhere,” said a spokesperson for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. However, Reed said this dog wasn’t his. He said he tracked down the dog when he got home and asked his neighbors if it belonged to them. They all said no. “It was somebody else’s dog. That was not my dog. I have one dog. It’s an Alaskan Malamute, completely different breed, and it’s an inside dog,” said Reed. The Sheriff’s Office said there is normally a $50 fee for picking up dogs that are on the loose, and the deputy was trying to drop off the dog at the owner’s home without charging a fee. “We would have liked for him [the animal control deputy] to have tried knocking on the door beforehand, and this has been discussed,” said Reed. According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the dog is now with a local humane society. Read the full text correspondence with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office below: “The deputy was trying to be helpful and return a dog to the home in which he believed the dog belong to because he was told the dog belonged at that home. We do not and have not ever dumped a dog anywhere. We spend a ridiculous amount of money each year (million dollars) on taking dogs to shelters when their families cannot be located. We are supposed to charge people $50 when when we have to pick a dog up that is lose. However, our deputies try to save people money when they can and since he was told this dog belongs to that home, he was being helpful in dropping the dog off. Now, with that said, we would have liked for him to have tried knocking on the door before hand and this has been discussed. His helpfulness to the woman who had the dog in the first place and to the person he reasonably believed owned the dog is being falsely stated that a dog was being dumped. BCSO does not dump dogs. Our animal control deputies love what they do and are complete animal people. They do an outstanding job,” Spokesperson, Benton County Sheriff’s Office

Bright New Signs On Las Vegas Strip Honor Iconic Sin City Figure — Where You Can See Them – TravelAwaits https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bright-new-signs-on-las-vegas-strip-honor-iconic-sin-city-figure-where-you-can-see-them-travelawaits/ Connect With Fellow Travelers! Join Here The south end of the Las Vegas Strip has the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign to greet visitors to the world’s biggest adult playground.  Now the north end of the Strip has its own welcoming attraction. The installation and official lighting of two 50-foot showgirls has been completed on Las Vegas Boulevard, just north of the STRAT Hotel at the dividing line between the Strip and the downtown district. New showgirls signs welcoming visitors to downtown Las Vegas Photo credit: City of Las Vegas A Welcome Addition The signs are meant to welcome visitors to downtown, city officials said, creating a legacy for the city as the sculptures join previously installed dice sculptures and sidewalk roulette tables in the area. The signs were built by YESCO, a company with a 102-year history of creating iconic signs across the globe. “Over the decades, YESCO has created some of the most notable signs in Las Vegas, with other recent examples including downtown’s Gateway Arches and signage at the Circa Resort & Casino,” Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said in a release. “These gorgeous signs will continue to elevate Las Vegas’ image as a world-class travel destination beloved by people around the globe.” “At night they become a sight to see, lit up thanks to internally illuminated white LED and full-color LED pucks designed to twinkle in the darkness.” Photo credit: City of Las Vegas Showgirls By The Numbers The two showgirls are each 50 feet tall and 15 feet wide, and each weighs about 6,800 pounds. They are topped by old-Vegas headdresses that stand 5 feet high and 6 feet wide. The signs feature mostly blue outfits and skin tones and are beautiful in the daylight. But at night they become a sight to see, lit up thanks to internally illuminated white LED and full-color LED pucks designed to twinkle in the darkness. The showgirls are actually a replacement for two previous showgirls — though much smaller — that had been in the area. Those 25-foot symbols were removed due to the beating they took in the severe desert weather. The originals are being refurbished by the city and will be reinstalled in the coming months in the Arts District near downtown. The project cost a little more than $600,000, according to city officials, who believe the showgirls could become a new location for visitors to take iconic vacation photos. Las Vegas’s new showgirl signs during the day Photo credit: City of Las Vegas “This hidden gem on Las Vegas Boulevard next to the Strat is hardly ever as crowded as most of the other outdoor spots,” the city says on its website. “This photography spot out-Vegases any other selfie spot in the city.”  Officials from the city and the STRAT are working on a plan to provide parking for those who want to stop for photos at the installation.  %

Q&A: Craig Newmark Aims To Defend Democracy Via Philanthropy – 69News WFMZ-TV https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/qa-craig-newmark-aims-to-defend-democracy-via-philanthropy-69news-wfmz-tv/ NEW YORK (AP) — Craig Newmark twists a “Batman” quote to jokingly refer to himself as “not the nerd you want, but maybe now and then I’m the nerd you need.” Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, has since retired from the pioneering website that made him ultra-rich by expanding the world of classified ads onto the internet. But the 69-year-old self-proclaimed nerd says he’s now busier than ever as a philanthropist, with what he calls his particular skills — nurturing talent, directing people toward a goal, synthesizing expert knowledge — in high demand. Through Craig Newmark Philanthropies, he launched the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York and has donated to numerous charities that support trustworthy journalism, voter protection, veterans and their families and encouragement for girls to seek careers in technology. And in April, he committed $50 million in donations to the Cyber Civil Defense initiative. It is intended to help protect Americans from escalating cybersecurity threats. Newmark sees the bulk of his philanthropic work as a way to help protect democracy, a cause to which he has already donated more than $250 million. That includes his latest donation — funding the Newmark Civic Life Series of Recanati-Kaplan Talks and an initiative of the 92NY Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact, which runs through Oct. 11 in New York City. Topics include “The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of ‘The Big Lie’,” moderated by CBS News anchor John Dickerson, with participation from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, New York Times reporter and author Maggie Haberman and the founders of Axios. The Associated Press spoke recently with Newmark about the lecture series and why he believes democracy is in danger. The interview was edited for clarity and length. —— Q: Why did you want to sponsor this series? A: Basically, our country and our democracy are under threat. And a guy like me, who doesn’t know a lot, figures, “I can work with other people to stand up and defend the country.” I’m doing that in a number of ways. One way is to work with 92NY. They get people who really know their stuff and who talk for the country. I’m not the right guy. It takes a kind of savvy that as a nerd, I lack. Q: How does gathering people with varying viewpoints help solidify democracy? A: Well, democracy is about getting people with different viewpoints to work together and get along. The deal is that some people will have strengths, where others have weaknesses and vice versa. There’s always a lot to learn. I’m trying to learn how to counter disinformation, and that’s a theme of these talks. But the more I learned, the more I realized that my confronting a disinformation professional makes me the person bringing a knife to a gunfight. Q: How do you cut through the disinformation, especially as we approach the midterm elections? A: I don’t know how to cut through it, but I can speak simple truths. Like the argument that things are thoroughly corrupt. You could show people that’s false. And generally speaking, the corruption argument comes from people pushing the message that says, “Abandon all hope.” If you abandon hope, you’ve lost. There’s still a lot of time to support democracy. It won’t be easy. My contribution will be to support people who are good at it. Like I’m hearing that pre-bunking, inoculating people against disinformation might be really helpful, along with flooding the zone with facts. There’s a lot more good actors than bad actors. The 92NY programs are about telling people who are potentially good actors that it’s time to stand up. Q: And what do “good actors” need to do? A: You have to find people willing to take a good honest look at what’s going on and challenge their own assumptions. And then act on that. It’s tough, because we all have confirmation bias. I have confirmation bias. I’ve learned through the decades that I’ve been very wrong at times. That’s why I act in a pretty restrained way. There’s a lot of good people doing a lot of this work. They need to talk to each other. They need to work with each other. Then, effectiveness is amplified. When people work together like that, people are also safer. If they work together en masse, creating a such a target-rich environment, it’s much more difficult for very bad actors to target them. Q: Does that idea of collaboration extend to your philanthropy? A: I have the disadvantage of being an amateur in philanthropy. But my biggest advantage is that I am an amateur in philanthropy. I’m not constrained by annual budget cycles and so on, although I have to deal with things like adjusting my burn rate because the biggest single area of expenditures is in supporting democracy. I’m trying to lead by example. And all I know is how to lead from the grassroots and the very bottom up. I have no skills for top-down leadership. I’m a black hole of charisma, you know; I absorb it without emitting any. So all I know is to stand up for things and nudge people to do so relentlessly. Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Sebastian Yatra Talks Dharma World Tour, ‘Encanto,’ Colombian Roots – USA TODAY https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/sebastian-yatra-talks-dharma-world-tour-encanto-colombian-roots-usa-today/ You may know Sebastián Yatra as the angelic voice behind the Oscar-nominated song “Dos Oruguitas” from Disney’s “Encanto.” But onstage, the Colombian singer is ripping his shirt off on his way to heartthrob status.  On one of the hottest weekends in Los Angeles, the 27-year-old had the crowd – even the señoras – all hot and bothered inside the YouTube theater in Inglewood, California, as he lobbed his sweaty shirt at screaming admirers eager to take some Yatra memorabilia home. And toward the end of his 24-song set, during “Robarte Un Beso,” the singer did as the song said and stole a kiss from a fan.  Yatra knows he’s the one putting on the show “but my fans are giving me a show as well,” he says. “It’s just magical to be onstage with them, we’re all exchanging energy.” The North American leg of his Dharma world tour, through November, marks the first time he’s performed solo on this side of the globe. But with a stage presence like that, you wouldn’t be able to tell. Perhaps it helped that Latin music powerhouses Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias took Yatra under their wing for their co-headlining U.S. arena tour in 2021.  “I learned a lot from them,” Yatra says. “You’ll definitely see a beautiful evolution.”  ‘We love our roots’: Enrique Iglesias praises Latin music fans as he launches tour with Ricky Martin Songs of summer: Bad Bunny, Karol G, more Spanish-language artists dominate Spotify’s list Yatra’s 2022 has been full of career milestones. In January, he released “Dharma,” his third studio album, and in March, he hit the Oscars, “the biggest stage in the world,” to perform the Lin-Manuel Miranda-written ballad “Dos Oruguitas,” which was up for best original song. Yatra calls it “life-changing.”  Now, he’s basking it all in as he crosses state lines in a lavish tour bus.  Question: How do you take care of yourself mentally and physically while you’re on tour?  Answer: I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle … I train every day, I’m eating healthy, and my mind is in a good place. I read and I also talk to my psychologist once a week. I give my personal well-being and my emotions a very important place. I give them that priority that is necessary – not only as a singer but in general.  On the Road Again: Giveon is ‘not big on parties’ during his Give or Take tour … or ever ‘Party days are over’: Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean reveals how he stays healthy (and sober) on tour You don’t box yourself in within a genre and your discography – pop, reggaeton, ballads and flamenco – is proof. Have you ever felt pressured to change your sound?  I have at some points done things that aren’t really my essence. But then I realize it’s not the way to go because people don’t believe it too much when I have done the type of songs that just don’t flow with (my style). It’s important for it to happen, too, because it’s a reminder, “Hey, man, just follow your heart.”  In a competitive industry, how do you stay true to yourself and follow your heart?  I try to not go as fast as the rest of the world or look side to side (to what others are doing). It’s about focusing on your own things, enjoying them and having fun. ‘I’m not going to become boring’: J Balvín says becoming a father won’t change how he dresses If you’re living like you’re lacking something, it’s because you’re doing your tours and you’re seeing your songs having great success but then you’re (checking) what other artists are having more success than you. Then you’re like, “Why is this person achieving more than me?” That’s not good, that’s when you can get consumed by this industry or by life in general.  ‘I really found my voice’: Becky G shares advice to artists, importance of singing in Spanish Despite growing up in Miami and being fluent in English, you mainly sing in Spanish. Why?  I always knew I wanted to sing in Spanish. It was my calling. It’s where I’m from. I think and sleep in Spanish. I grew up listening to a lot of Spanish music and I wanted to write (music) in Spanish and so I decided to leave the U.S., go back to Colombia and start there. It’s been the best decision I’ve made in my life. It’s connected me with my Colombian culture and with so many other cultures of Latin America. I feel like I have a lot to offer.  Now, if I decide to sing in English, it’ll have a lot of that culture, passion, love and spark from Latin America. I am bicultural (and it’s) a huge blessing. How’d that happen? ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ from ‘Encanto’ is now a No. 1 hit How did it feel to perform “Dos Oruguitas” at the Oscars earlier this year?  It’s completely surreal. It’s like one of those dreams you have that you wake up from thinking, “How was that a dream?” This was literally that dream. Everything I could have wished for happened that night. In such a magical way (I was) representing the 600 million Spanish-speaking people in the world, our culture, our way of feeling, our way of thinking, and representing my country. And our land, our customs, our food and our love – “Encanto” has done such a beautiful job of painting a beautiful picture of Colombia for the world.

Faces Of Fall: Sept. 16, 2022 | Sports | News-Gazette.com – News-Gazette https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/faces-of-fall-sept-16-2022-sports-news-gazette-com-news-gazette/ ZEUS BRUNDAGE Rantoul football ➜ His favorite athlete is … Cooper Kupp. ➜ His favorite team is … the New England Patriots. ➜ If he could attend any one sporting event in person, it would be … a tennis match. ➜ His favorite sport besides football is … basketball. MICHAEL GAUNA Arcola football ➜ His favorite athlete is … DeMar DeRozan. ➜ His favorite team is … the Chicago Bulls. ➜ If he could attend any one sporting event in person, it would be … the World Cup. ➜ His favorite sport besides football is … soccer. JACAI MERRIWEATHER Centennial football ➜ His favorite athlete is … Kevin Durant. ➜ His favorite team is … the San Francisco 49ers. ➜ If he could attend any one sporting event in person, it would be … a 49ers game. ➜ His favorite sport besides football is … basketball. ZAVIER NEILL Champaign Central football ➜ His favorite athlete is … Jordan Burroughs. ➜ His favorite team is … Champaign Central. ➜ If he could attend any one sporting event in person, it would be … the Olympics. ➜ His favorite sport besides football is … wrestling.

Neal Stephenson Named The Metaverse. Now, He’s Building It – WIRED https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/neal-stephenson-named-the-metaverse-now-hes-building-it-wired/ Hi, everybody. Elizabeth is mourned, Ukraine is battling back, and new Covid vaccines are here. But this week will be remembered for the Merge, making crypto more useful and maybe advancing it beyond the con-game era. The Plain View Neal Stephenson invented the metaverse. At least from an imagination standpoint. Though other science fiction writers had similar ideas—and the pioneers of VR were already building artificial worlds—Stephenson’s 1992 novel Snow Crash not only fleshed out the vision of escaping to a place where digital displaced the physical, it also gave it a name. That book cemented him as a major writer, and since then he’s had huge success. But late last year, Stephenson’s ambient, persistent and immersive alt-reality suddenly became known as the next step in computing. “Metaverse” became a buzz word, and Big Tech raced to productize it. Most notably, Facebook, spending billions on its Reality Labs, renamed itself Meta. Everyone from Microsoft to Amazon was suddenly coming up with a metaverse strategy, even though the technologies that might make it happen are still out of our grasp. At the time, Stephenson was publicizing his most recent novel, with a theme involving climate engineering. “That turned into the ‘Neal, how do you feel about the Metaverse?’ book tour,” says Stephenson. The answers Stephenson provided to that question were a mix of bemusement or, as a WIRED writer noted, disgust. For one thing, the metaverse according to Snow Crash was a somewhat dystopian locale, a fact ignored by the companies telling us that it will be a great place to live. And seeing his fictional creation colonized by profit-seeking growth-greedy goliaths wasn’t fun. But here’s a weird plot twist. Stephenson is now entering the marketplace with his own take on how his fictional concept might become a real-life make-believe world. He’s partnering with a crypto guy—Peter Vessenes, who heads the Bitcoin Foundation—to start Lamina1, a company hoping to create a scaffolding upon which creators can build an open metaverse. “It’s like Neal is coming down out of the mountains like Gandalf, to restore the metaverse to an open, decentralized, and creative order,” says Rony Abovitz, the former CEO of Magic Leap, who is a strategic adviser to Lamina1. Indeed, it appears that righteousness is the branding for this new venture. Vessenes acknowledges that there was initial suspicion that Stephenson was “Kardashian-ing,” jumping on a bandwagon that he serendipitously started. “That’s potentially the first question: Is Neal selling his brand out to some fucking metaverse company?” says Vessenes, who adds that given his own background as a Bitcoin evangelist, the second question was whether Lamina1 was a cash grab. “But when people talk to us they conclude this is a principled effort,” he says. “So then they ask, ‘Is this real? Are you actually going to try to do this?’” Indeed they are, and investors are buying in. “Reid Hoffman wanted to know if this company will work, even if VR goggles are not the future?” After Vessenes affirmed that it would, Hoffman wrote a personal check.

TikTok’s CEO Navigates The Limits Of His Power – The Indian Express https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tiktoks-ceo-navigates-the-limits-of-his-power-the-indian-express/ Little is known about Chew and how he operates TikTok. (Image Source: Twitter) Written by Ryan Mac and Chang Che TikTok recently tried to tamp down concerns from U.S. lawmakers that it poses a national security threat because it is owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance. The viral video app insisted it had an arm’s-length relationship with ByteDance and that its own executive was in charge. “TikTok is led by its own global CEO, Shou Zi Chew, a Singaporean based in Singapore,” TikTok wrote in a June letter to U.S. lawmakers. But in fact, Chew’s decision-making power over TikTok is limited, according to 12 former TikTok and ByteDance employees and executives. Decisions about the service — including moves to emphasize livestreaming and shopping on TikTok — are made by Zhang Yiming, ByteDance’s founder, as well as by a top ByteDance strategy executive and the head of TikTok’s research and development team, said the people, who declined to be identified for fear of reprisals. TikTok’s growth and strategy, which are led by ByteDance teams, report not to Chew but to ByteDance’s office in Beijing, they said. The arrangements illustrate the tightrope that Chew, 39, walks as the head of one of the world’s most popular social apps. Since being appointed TikTok’s CEO in May 2021, he has had to navigate presenting himself to the West as the autonomous leader of a global service while fulfilling the demands of the app’s Chinese parent. Chew faces mounting challenges. As TikTok has stormed its way onto people’s smartphones and accrued an estimated 1.6 billion monthly active users, its ByteDance ties have raised concerns that it may be siphoning off people’s data to Chinese authorities. In recent months, U.S. lawmakers and regulators have increasingly questioned TikTok’s data practices, reigniting a debate over how the United States should treat business relationships with foreign companies. On Wednesday, TikTok’s chief operating officer testified in Congress and downplayed the app’s China connections. On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to sharpen the federal government’s powers to block Chinese investment in tech in the United States and to limit its access to private data on citizens. In an email, TikTok said Chew was ultimately responsible for the app’s product and strategy decisions. ByteDance said he was familiar with the company’s business. Little is known about Chew and how he operates TikTok. But the former TikTok and ByteDance employees said he had focused on bringing financial discipline to the app during a global downturn. He has tightened budgets, shuttered marketing experiments and laid off employees in North America as the app has moved more operations to Singapore, they said. Chew has also met with global business executives and European regulators. In a meeting late last year, one TikTok employee asked where Chew saw the app in 100 years. “I just want to make money next year,” he said, according to three people who were on the call. But ByteDance has more control, others said. “If he didn’t want to do something ByteDance wants him to do, he could be fired and someone else could be put in his place,” Salvatore Babones, the director of China and free societies at the Center for Independent Studies, an Australian think tank, said of Chew. Chew has acknowledged a familiar relationship with ByteDance that dates to when he helped invest in the firm nearly a decade ago. In March 2021, Chew announced that he was joining ByteDance as chief financial officer, fueling speculation that the company would go public. (It remains privately held.) Two months later, TikTok appointed Chew as CEO, with Zhang praising his “deep knowledge of the company and industry.” Late last year, Chew stepped down from his ByteDance role to focus on TikTok. TikTok had been without a permanent CEO since August 2020, when Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive, left after the Trump administration’s effort to sunder the app from its Chinese parent. China was also cracking down on its domestic internet giants, with Zhang resigning from his official roles at ByteDance last year. Zhang remains involved in decision-making, people with knowledge of ByteDance said. ByteDance has kept optics in mind in choosing TikTok CEOs, five people with knowledge of Chew’s appointment said. Mayer, who was based in Los Angeles, was hired because he was an American at a time when TikTok wanted to look distinct from its Chinese parent, they said. Chew straddles the Western and Chinese business worlds, with Singapore offering a hedge against any potential crackdown from China or the United States, they said. But both Mayer’s and Chew’s power as TikTok’s head has been circumscribed by ByteDance, five people with knowledge of the company said. Changes to TikTok’s core app and its features run through Zhang; ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo, who was Zhang’s college roommate; Zhao Pengyuan, a ByteDance strategy executive; and Zhu Wenjia, the head of TikTok’s research and development team, the people said. ByteDance executives direct TikTok’s development by seeing what happens first on Douyin, its Chinese counterpart, they added. In May, Chew flew to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, speaking with European regulators and ministers from Saudi Arabia to discuss digital strategy. More recently, he has defended TikTok’s data practices. In the app’s June letter to U.S. lawmakers, he noted that ByteDance employees in China could gain access to the data of Americans when “subject to a series of robust cybersecurity controls.” But he said TikTok was in the process of separating and securing its U.S. user data under an initiative known as Project Texas, which has the app working with American software giant Oracle. “We know we’re among the most scrutinized platforms,” Chew wrote. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Gaming In Retail: Trends To Watch – TWICE – Twice https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/gaming-in-retail-trends-to-watch-twice-twice/ Gaming is a way of life, and your customers engage in it more than you know. What trends do retailers need to know so they can connect better with their gaming customers? Stewart Wolpin ⋅ Published: September 16, 2022 Like most other digital entertainment sectors, the video game category is experiencing somewhat of a transition in 2022, and the future of the category could be defined by a slew of anticipated new hardware and technologies expected in the next 18 months. Fortunately, these new video game products could spell good news for consumer technology retailers looking to spark sales excitement. One aspect of the anticipated video game transition is being driven by the lucrativeness of the market, even with a slight regression expected this year after a two-year Covid bump. NPD projects that video game hardware, content and accessories will dip a bit this year to $55.5 billion in the U.S., a decline of 8.7% compared to 2021. CTA, however, is, not unexpectedly, a bit more gaming bullish for H2. According to Steven Hummel, a CTA market research manager, gaming consoles were the fourth most anticipated tech product consumers expected to purchase in 2022, with 29% of U.S. households planning to buy one. CTA says more than 15 million home gaming consoles will ship in 2022 in the U.S., a 5% increase from 2021. Worldwide, IDC expects video game market revenue to rise slightly to $275 billion this year. According to Piers Harding-Rolls, research director for Ampere Games, consumers around the world will spend $18 billion just on new consoles in 2022, while new boxed games will drive $9 billion in spending. “So, across these two parts of the market, there is an almost $30 billion market opportunity,” Harding-Rolls concludes. “Add in accessories, used games and hardware and merchandise, and the market remains substantial. Reselling game subscription cards or store credit on prepaid cards is well established but remains relevant.” Regardless of single-digit market rises or falls of video game sales this year, the overall market remains enormous and still sits comfortably second behind the TV business in the overall entertainment market, more than three times that of the movie business. However, the uniquely splintered nature of the video game industry – from the varying hardware and content platforms including mobile (smartphones and handhelds), PC, and console, to its wide accessories opportunities led by headphones, monitors, and keyboards/controllers, present plenty of areas of continued retail sales potential. According to Ampere, the global mobile video game content and services market will generate $111.1 billion globally this year, the console market $42.6 billion, and the PC gaming market $34.2 billion, and IDC projects revenues from the sale of PC and console gaming accessories and peripherals this year will reach $20.6 billion. “Gaming is a different space than other tech because the content these devices can play have an important role in the sales of the hardware and software,” observes Emily Herbert, research associate on the North America team for Counterpoint. New Hardware Anticipation (Image credit: Microsoft/Sony) As usual, the fall will bring new gaming hardware. A third update to the Sony PlayStation 5, the CFI-1200, has already appeared in Australia, was expected to be released in Japan on September 15, and eventually the rest of the world, although Sony has not said when. Sony also started pre-sales of a new camouflage PS5 and accessories on September 15. Microsoft revealed a more affordable Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 “Core” ($130) sans interchangeable components and a separate Component Pack ($60), both scheduled to be available on September 21. On the portable gaming side, most anticipated is wider availability of the popular Valve Steam Deck portable, which originally went on sale in February but suffered from extensive shortages due to unanticipated high demand along with Covid-impacted production issues. While Valve struggles to fulfill orders, rumors of a pending second-generation handheld have begun swirling. New versions of Nintendo’s popular Switch portable, including the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet version, are coming this holiday season, according to Ampere’s Harding-Rolls. These and other portable gaming handsets continue to battle the more all-in-one but still technologically and ergonomically restricted smartphone for mobile gaming supremacy. On the accessory side, next-gen 3D “spatial” 360-degree headphones and even neck speakers are bringing more aurally enveloping experiences for players. “The word ‘immersive’ is a large buzzword for gaming and the hardware being developed and trending now will push to make the most immersive experience,” explains Counterpoint’s Herbert. Additionally, LG just released a “bendable” monitor that transforms from a flat wide screen monitor into a curved one. New Tech, New Potential (Image credit: Logitech) Perhaps the most anticipated new gaming development is “meta” or “metaverse,” thoroughly video immersive virtual reality gaming, especially for massive multiplayer online games, aka MMOs such as “Call of Duty.” Leading the metaverse hardware world is the Meta Quest 2 – formerly the Oculus Quest 2 – of which 10 million were shipped by the end of 2021 according to Counterpoint, compared to 6.6 million Sony PlayStation VR, 3.3. million HTC Vive, and 7.6 million other Meta VR headset versions. Sony is expected to release its PlayStation VR2, theoretically by the end of this year, “but with the ongoing supply chain issues the OEM is facing, [Sony] is unlikely to release the device until 2023,” according to Herbert, along with 20 games from both first- and third-party developers. Counterpoint expects standalone VR will reach almost 40 million units by 2025, while a new report from ARRIS Composites finds that 79% of Americans are interested in VR, with 29% planning to buy a VR headset in the next year – and, more importantly, that 92% of VR headsets are used for gaming. “I’m predicting that 2023 will be huge not just because of ongoing Meta momentum with its Quest line but because PSVR 2 will supposedly launch in late 1Q 2023, and that will have a lot of great games coming out for it next year,” agrees Lewis Ward, IDC’s gaming, esports, and VR/AR research director. “VR isn’t a huge part of the gaming pie, but I do expect to see at least 100% revenue growth next year worldwide in this market relative to 2022’s total.” See also: Another View: The PS5 Price Hike Is Part Of A Worrying Trend

Tomb Raider: 10 Little Known Facts About Lara Croft – Screen Rant https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tomb-raider-10-little-known-facts-about-lara-croft-screen-rant/ As casting begins for the new Tomb Raider reboot, the future of the franchise may seem as perilous as Lara Croft teetering over a chasm, but interest remains strong among her loyal fanbase. With 10 games, three live-action movies, and a tomb’s worth of merchandise to her name, Lara Croft is one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture with a legacy lasting three decades. From her debut in 1996 all the way through her reboot game Shadow of the Tomb Raider, her legacy has been as rich as the lost treasure she searches for. Get ready raiders, there are still plenty of things that not even die-hard fans know about Lara Croft, and it’s time to uncover them. Lara Croft Had Her Own Animated Series The Tomb Raider franchise has taken many directions, and after the success of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider The Cradle Of Life starring Angelina Jolie as the titular archeologist, an animated anthology series (similar to The Animatrix) was created called ReVisioned: Tomb Raider by Ricardo Sanchez for the online video game service GameTap. Each episode was written and directed by a well-known comic illustrator and the voice of Lady Croft was provided by Minnie Driver. Released in 2007, it can since be found on YouTube, with each adventure capturing a different aspect of Lara’s personality as she hunts a unique treasure. The variety of animation gives each artist the opportunity to show her in different iterations, including as a pre-teen. Lara Croft Was Inspired By Indiana Jones, Tank Girl, And James Bond Lara Croft took her inspiration from a number of distinct fictional characters, including Indiana Jones, Tank Girl, and James Bond. Each one contributed a different portion of her personality, vocation, and lifestyle. Indiana Jones inspired her career as an archeologist and explorer, while Tank Girl gave her confidence and swagger, and James Bond contributed to her posh lifestyle and action-packed storylines, including fast cars and cool gadgets. The amalgamation of all three beloved pop culture icons made her an instant success. A LEGO crossover movie featuring Lara Croft and Indiana Jones was pitched to Lucasfilm by TT Games (the company behind LEGO Batman, LEGO Star Wars, and LEGO Indiana Jones) but nothing ever materialized, the company citing that the characters were too similar. Lara Croft Released Music Albums Lara Croft, archeologist, adventurer, music artist? During the marketing campaigns for Lara’s early games, two musical albums were released in tandem as a means to increase sales. Even with album names like Female Icon, songs like “Getting Naked,” “Feel Myself” and “Sure is Pure,” were more of a parody of Lady Croft than a celebration. Each album was recorded in English but only released in France, but they can be found on YouTube for fans curious to know what Lara would sound like as a singer. Tracks include ethereal vocals over simple ’90s house, a few rap verses, and instrumentals. While not a bullseye, they nevertheless capture a fun moment in time when the franchise was exploring itself. Lara Croft Was Almost Part Of A Same-Sex Romance Globe-trotting archeologists deserve love too, and at one point, and according to Pink News, Tomb Raider: Inferno writer Jackson Lanzing nearly succeeded in developing a romance between Lara Croft and Samantha Nishimura before it was mysteriously scrapped by his publisher. Tomb Raider comic artist Phillip Sevy revealed that he still had “the original pencils/inks for that page” before the was asked to redraw them. Given shifting attitudes in modern fans, it might not be too long before Square Enix decides to take inspiration from Lara’s comic adventures and give her a same-sex partner, whether Sam or someone new. Not only will it be inclusive to a large majority of her existing fans, but it will also be important representation to new ones. Lara Croft Has Had 8 Different Voice Actresses Several different talented voice actresses have given Lara her distinct sound in the games, beginning with Shelley Bond in the first Tomb Raider, followed in Tomb Raider II by Judith Gibbins, who then turned the job over to Jonell Elliot who remained in the role from the late ’90s until 2003. Later games were voiced by Keely Hawes until 2010, and the rebooted titles have been voiced by Camilla Luddington from Grey’s Anatomy. Each person brings Lara to life with their vocal abilities giving her a different personality, wit, and charm. Every game gives her a different challenge, and how she responds to it is shaped by a strong performance, some of which remain fan-favorites to this day as the Lara they remember from pivotal moments in their lives. Lara Croft Was Live Action Before The Tomb Raider Movie To casual Lara fans, the first live-action version of Lara Croft was Angelina Jolie, followed by Alicia Vikander, but to those who have followed her career since the mid ’90s, she’s been depicted by several other actresses at gaming conventions around the world. With several new actors who could be cast as the next Lara Croft, it’s the perfect time to remember those who have made her famous over the years. These “ambassadors” walked around crowds posing with fans and reciting some of Lara’s most iconic lines from the games, all while wearing her signature shorts, teal tank top, and thigh holsters. Some ambassadors like Rhona Mitra would go on to play other action heroines, like the ancestor of Selene in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. Lara Croft Was Almost Played By Catherine Zeta-Jones Before a Tomb Raider movie had been made, several prominent actresses were courted for the part of Lara Croft, including then rising star Catherine Zeta-Jones who had appeared in such blockbusters as Entrapment and The Mask of Zorro. With a proven track record of hits in action ensemble movies, she was deemed ready to lead a franchise, and her Welsh heritage didn’t hurt her chances of nailing Lara’s posh British accent. Ultimately, despite Zeta-Jones’ credibility, wild card Angelina Jolie (who had just won an Academy Award for Girl, Interrupted) got the part. The movie would launch Jolie’s career as an action star and a bonafide A-lister, and with her witty one-liners and visceral approach to the stunts, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider isn’t as bad as fans think. Lara Croft’s Acrobatic Gunplay Style Comes From John Woo Movies Running around doing backflips while firing twin desert eagles is a Lara Croft hallmark, but the same fighting style can be seen in the Hong Kong action movies of John Woo. In an interview with BBC, Tony Gard took inspiration from Woo movies like Hard Boiled, in which characters routinely mixed martial arts with gunplay, creating its own genre affectionately called “gun-foo.” In all Woo movies, the action sequences are a dazzling spectacle of violence and beauty, and have gone on to influence the John Wick film series and other popular blockbusters in Hollywood. Lara’s distinct fighting style is part of what keeps her games appealing and cutting edge. Lara Croft Was A Magazine Covergirl During the late ’90s, interest in Lara Croft exploded beyond the pages of video game magazines and into editorial spreads. The British fashion and lifestyle magazine The Face even put her on the cover as the first non-human person to represent its brand. From there, Lara became a bona fide cover girl, amassing a total of 1,100 magazine covers. Because supermodels rarely grace the covers of video game magazines, Lara stands above them in status as an elite icon representing a coveted lifestyle, poise, and attitude. By being treated like a real person, she transcended her original origins and became something much more intimate to her fans. Lara Croft Is The Highest Selling Female Video Game Character Of All Time Given her position as a pioneering female protagonist in video games, it might not come as a surprise that Tomb Raider games have sold well over the years. But Lady Croft holds a distinction in the Guinness Book of World Records for selling more than 80 million units globally. Lara could have been a flash in the pan, but her presence in the gaming industry has endured, allowing her to permeate pop culture in live-action films and a variety of other media appearances. Her sense of adventure, curiosity, and spunky attitude are timeless qualities even as gaming tastes change. NEXT: 10 Things Only Die-Hard Fans Know About The Tomb Raider Games

Terra Luna Classic Crypto Price Prediction – LUNC Recovery To $0.0003? – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/terra-luna-classic-crypto-price-prediction-lunc-recovery-to-0-0003-cryptonews/ Terra Luna Classic (LUNC) is ravenously batting through a bullish-reversal pattern known as a falling wedge. Over the last 24 hours the bulls are gathering momentum once again and buyers are starting to move in to slow down the fall.  Will Terra Luna Classic repossess the $0.0003 price level?  Terra Luna Classic (LUNC) Price Prediction  At the time of writing this article Terra Luna Classic (LUNC) is trading at $0.000265 according to Coinmarketcap and now has a market capital of $1.63 billion.  Trading volume has slipped away slightly on the Binance exchange as the anticipated 1.2% supply burning mechanisms were not deployed and FUD surrounding Do Kwon led to a further decrease in price reducing investor appetite.  Despite the bearish news, Terra Luna Classic is trading within a rather bullish looking pattern.  LUNC/BUSD – 4 Hour Time Frame. As we can see LUNC is constantly getting rejected on the 20-day moving average, this type of recoil is preventing LUNC incepting in a new uptrend.  Residing within the falling wedge was a descending triangle which we can see Terra Luna Classic (LUNC) has now successfully broken through. The next hurdle is breaking through the resistance trendline of the falling wedge pattern at $0.000273. If this is achieved the next technical price target is $0.000335 which would result in a price increase of roughly 25.15% from current levels.  If Terra Luna Classic loses price structure within the falling wedge pattern there is a chance we might lose the support at $0.000254 which would make revisiting $0.000236 likely.  Major CEX Adopts Burning Mechanism Some good news despite the recent fall in price is that a major centralized exchange known as MEXC is adopting additional burn on top of their current 1.2% burn. Once more centralized exchanges also integrate the 1.2% burning mechanisms, we will see a greater amount of LUNC supply burnt. According to Terrarity 3,967,138,030 LUNC has been burned which is just 0.0574% of the total supply.  Terra Luna Classic Video Analysis Terra Luna Classic has been one of the fastest growing cryptocurrencies for 2022. I still think we could see strong upside potential from here. If LUNC can break out of the falling wedge pattern we could see strong bullish momentum to the upside. Remember, September is notorious for being an extremely bearish month so seeing a downtrend here and rejections at resistance is typically normal.  On the touch of fast growing cryptos, Tamadoge is a new exciting play-to-earn meme coin which is set to launch in Q4 2022 and could see exponential growth.

Readout Of U.S.-Colombia High-Level Roundtable – The White House https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/readout-of-u-s-colombia-high-level-roundtable-the-white-house/ Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman co-chaired a U.S.-Colombia High-Level Roundtable yesterday at the White House with the participation of representatives from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The Colombian delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Alvaro Leyva and included Minister of Defense Ivan Velasquez and other senior Colombian government officials. During the roundtable, senior officials from the United States and Colombian government discussed the importance of the bilateral relationship and our countries’ continued cooperation on security and law enforcement, counternarcotics, and migration issues.  ###

East TN Counties Rank Among Counties With The Most Reported DUI Arrests In The State – WATE 6 On Your Side https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/east-tn-counties-rank-among-counties-with-the-most-reported-dui-arrests-in-the-state-wate-6-on-your-side/ (WJHL) — Tennessee saw a total of 18,757 DUI arrests in 2021 — a 3.03% increase from 2020, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The TBI compiled the data in its annual report based on numbers sent in from law enforcement agencies across the state that are recorded in the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS). A three-year trend showed that despite the slight rise in DUI arrests from 2020 to 2021, county agencies charged fewer people for driving under the influence in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic data in 2019. In fact, there was a 4.34% drop in DUI arrests in 2021 (18,758) compared to 2019 (19,573). Unsurprisingly, more DUI arrests were reported in counties that have higher populations. While crime data from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department was not available, the Metro Nashville Police Department recorded the most DUI arrests out of any agency — 727. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in 2020, Nashville had a population of 692,587 people. That is just over a single DUI arrest per every 1,000 Nashville residents. Knox County, on the other hand, is home to about 67.3% of Nashville’s population. The sheriff’s office in Knox County recorded 396 DUI arrests in 2021 — equating to 0.84 DUI arrests per 1,000 residents. One Tennessee locality — Moore County Sheriff’s Office — reported a single DUI arrest in 2021. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020, Moore County is home to 6,396 residents. That equates 0.15 DUI arrests per thousand. Of WATE’s sister station, WJHL’s seven-county viewing area in Northeast Tennessee, Hawkins County had the highest occurrence of DUI arrests in relation to population. Data showed that there were 1.32 DUI arrests per 1,000 residents in Hawkins County — a higher prevalence than numbers seen in Metro Nashville arrests. Unicoi County followed closely behind Hawkins County at 1.29 DUI arrests per 1,000 residents — also higher than DUI arrest ratios in Nashville. The lowest prevalence of DUI arrests in Northeast Tennessee was seen in Carter and Washington counties at 0.23 and 0.24 DUI arrests per 1,000, respectively. Here are the top 10 counties that reported the most DUI arrests in 2021. #10 & 9. Anderson and Loudon counties Anderson County, located west of Knoxville, and Loudon County, located south of Farragut, both reported 99 DUI arrests in 2021. Anderson and Loudon counties’ DUI arrests per 1,000 residents were 1.29 and 1.8, respectively. #8 & 7. Hamilton and Robertson counties Hamilton County, located in the Chattanooga area, and Robertson County, located north of Nashville near the Tennessee-Kentucky state border, both reported 115 DUI arrests in 2021. Using population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, it was determined that Robertson had a DUI rate of 1.62, meaning that there are roughly 1.62 DUI arrests for every 1,000 residents. Hamilton County saw 0.31 DUI arrests per 1,000. #6. Bradley County Bradley County is in the southeastern portion of Tennessee near Cleveland. The county recorded 122 DUI arrests in 2021. This equates to 1.14 DUI arrests per 1,000 residents in the county. #5. Blount County Blount County, located below Knox County, reported 132 DUI arrests in 2021. This equates to roughly one DUI arrest per 1,000 residents. #4. Sevier County Sevier County in East Tennessee reported 188 DUI arrests in 2021 — 1.91 DUI arrests per 1,000 people in the county. #3. Sumner County Sumner County in Middle Tennessee reported 293 DUI arrests in 2021. This equates to 1.56 DUI arrests per 1,000 residents. #2. Rutherford County There were 347 DUI arrests reported out of this Middle Tennessee county. That equates to 1.07 DUI arrests per 1,000. #1. Knox County The Knox County Sheriff’s Office reported 396 DUI arrests in 2021 — more than any other agency in Tennessee, according to available data in the TBI report. Counties within WATE’s viewing area are highlighted in the list below, which reveals the number of DUI arrests reported by county agencies in 2021. Anderson County — 99 adult arrests Bedford County — 26 adult arrests Benton County — 11 adult arrests Bledsoe County — 5 adult arrests Blount County — 131 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest Bradley County — 122 adult arrests, 4 juvenile arrests Campbell County — 56 adult arrests Cannon County — 8 adult arrests Carrol County — 4 adult arrests Carter County — 13 adult arrests (56,452 population) (0.23 DUI arrests per thousand) Cheatham County — 79 adult arrests Chester County — 1 adult arrest Claiborne County — 17 adult arrests Clay County —15 adult arrests Cocke County — 74 adult arrests Coffee County — 57 adult arrests, 2 juvenile arrests Crockett County — 5 adult arrests Cumberland County — 89 adult arrests Davidson County — Data not available Metro Nashville Police Department — 727 adult arrests Decatur County — 5 adult arrests DeKalb County — 22 adult arrests Dickson County — 59 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest Dyer County — 5 adult arrests Fayette County — 6 adult arrests Fentress County — 14 adult arrests Franklin County — 30 adult arrests Gibson County — 29 adult arrests Giles County — 23 adult arrests Grainger County — 12 adult arrests Greene County — 60 adult arrests (69,077 population) (0.86 DUI arrests per thousand) Grundy County — 41 adult arrests Hamblen County — 36 adult arrests Hamilton County — 115 adult arrests Hancock County — 9 adult arrests Hardeman County — 17 adult arrests Hardin County — 53 adult arrests Hawkins County — 75 adult arrests (56,735 population) (1.32 DUI arrests per thousand) Haywood County — 6 adult arrests Henderson County — 6 adult arrests Henry County — 11 adult arrests Hickman County — 11 adult arrests Houston County — 7 adult arrests Humphreys County —17 adult arrests Jackson County — 8 adult arrests Jefferson County — 88 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest Johnson County — 17 adult arrests (17,755 population) (0.95 DUI arrests per thousand) Knox County — 396 adult arrests Lake County — 0 arrests Lauderdale County — 19 adult arrests Lawrence County — 1 adult arrest Lewis County — 0 arrests Lincoln County — 17 adult arrests Loudon County — 99 adult arrests Macon County — 31 adult arrests Madison County — 61 adult arrests Marion County — 35 adult arrests Marshall County — 2 adult arrests Maury County — 33 adult arrests McMinn County — 16 adult arrests McNairy County — 8 adult arrests Meigs County — 9 adult arrests Metro Hartsville/Trousdale County — 49 adult arrests Monroe County — 30 adult arrests Montgomery County — 103 adult arrests Moore County — 1 adult arrest Morgan County — 36 adult arrests Obion County — 11 adult arrests Overton County — 13 adult arrests Perry County — 26 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest Pickett County — 13 adult arrests Polk County — 18 adult arrests Putnam County — 20 adult arrests Rhea County — 37 adult arrests Roane County — 30 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest Robertson County — 115 adult arrests Rutherford County —347 adult arrests (324,139) Scott County — 13 adult arrests Sequatchie County — 21 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest Sevier County — 188 adult arrests (98,007) Shelby County — 90 adult arrests Smith County — 30 adult arrests Stewart County — 58 adult arrests Sullivan County — 82 adult arrests (157,707 population) (0.52 DUI arrests per thousand) Sumner County — 292 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest (187,680) Tipton County — 24 adult arrests Unicoi County — 23 adult arrests (17,821 population) (1.29 DUI arrests per thousand) Union County — 42 adult arrests Van Buren County — 2 adult arrests Warren County — 41 adult arrests Washington County — 31 adult arrests (128,874 population) (0.24 DUI arrests per thousand) Wayne County — 3 adult arrests Weakley County — 9 adult arrests White County — 38 adult arrests Williamson County — 92 adult arrests Wilson County — 53 adult arrests, 1 juvenile arrest

‘Extremely Scary’ Or Respectful? Wave Of Cancelations And Closures For Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral Is Drawing Fire For Stopping Daily British Life – Fortune https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/extremely-scary-or-respectful-wave-of-cancelations-and-closures-for-queen-elizabeth-iis-funeral-is-drawing-fire-for-stopping-daily-british-life-fortune/ Britain is in an official state of mourning after Queen Elizabeth II passed away last week. Huge crowds have gathered to catch a glimpse of the late monarch’s coffin, which was moved from Buckingham Palace to London’s Westminster Hall on Wednesday, where it will remain until her funeral on Monday. With the day of the funeral being declared a public holiday, many businesses have said they will close their doors for the day—but the disruption to daily life won’t end there. “Non-urgent” hospital appointments, some flights and school classes will also be canceled as organizations try to allow staff to pay their respects to the late monarch.   Here’s a round up of what Brits won’t be able to access on Monday. Healthcare fears The short-notice holiday has sparked frustration over widespread cancelations from public healthcare providers, with hospitals across the U.K. postponing “non-urgent” consultations and procedures, including maternity appointments, surgeries and some cancer treatments. “Our services will be reduced to allow staff and patients to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate her reign,” Bradford Teaching Hospitals—which oversees six hospitals in northern England—said in a statement. “We are working hard to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum but due to the bank holiday, some planned activity, including surgery, out-patient appointments and day cases, will be cancelled.” The trust added that all of its urgent and emergency services would continue as normal. Many of those with appointments have been left in limbo, with some either being given no alternative slot or still waiting to be told if their appointment will go ahead. Frustrated patients have taken to Twitter to air their irritation with the cancelation of their appointments, with one person calling the closures “scary and sad,” while a U.S. epidemiologist dubbed the move “the stupidest thing ever.” One woman based in Essex, England, had her antenatal mental health appointment on Monday rescheduled, but was told her new appointment could be delayed if other appointments run over their allotted timeslots. “I have a history of eating disorders and have been struggling with antenatal depression,” she told Fortune. “I’ve been very upset about my appointment being canceled—I had it in my diary for three weeks and had been relying on it. My pregnancy is high risk and extremely scary. I only have six to seven weeks left of my pregnancy, so any delays are stressful.” Another woman who was due to have a maternity checkup on Monday, but had it postponed due to the Queen’s funeral, told Fortune the cancelation was concerning because she had a high-risk pregnancy and a high chance of developing gestational diabetes. On Tuesday, she received a text message that told her the “sad news” of the Queen’s death and the resulting public holiday meant her appointment would be canceled, with a new appointment set to be organized “in due course.” The woman has since been given a new appointment, but said she did not understand why a holiday meant hospital appointments were being canceled. “I can only imagine how people with more serious conditions are feeling about this, she said.” Dr. Julia Patterson, founder and CEO of advocacy group Every Doctor said healthcare workers would be “damned if they do and damned if they don’t.” “I am certain that if NHS staff had failed to observe this occasion they’d be attacked,” she said in a tweet. “[But] if they take the bank holiday it leads to problems.” The cancelations of appointments on Monday comes as a record 6.8 million people are waiting to receive NHS treatment, after the pandemic exacerbated an existing waiting list problem in Britain’s public health service. Education and childcare Schools and colleges will be closed on Monday, while many nurseries and pre-schools will also not be opening. Monday 19th September will be a Bank Holiday to mark Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral. Schools and colleges will be closed for the Bank Holiday. https://t.co/T3DtHiBKgp — Department for Education (@educationgovuk) September 10, 2022 Universities will also be closed, with many higher education institutions saying they are canceling operations for the day to allow staff and students to mourn. The state funeral of Her Majesty The Queen will take place on Monday 19 September at Westminster Abbey in London. The University will be closed on that day to allow staff and students to pay their respects. More information can be found here https://t.co/WSSbXvVh6X — The University of Edinburgh (@EdinburghUni) September 15, 2022 Stores shuttering A wide array of British retailers have also said they plan to close to the public on Sept. 19. Supermarket giants Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl and will be closed, while Asda will not open until 5 p.m. During the national mourning period—which will end after the funeral on Monday—Morrisons has also turned down the “beep” sound on its cash registers and stopped playing music in its stores. Grocery retailers Tesco and Sainsbury’s will keep their large stores closed and open their convenience stores at 5 p.m., with both retailers planning to open some of their stores in central London earlier in the day to cater to people traveling to the capital to pay their respects to the Queen.   Department store chain John Lewis will not open its stores on Monday, while clothing stores Primark and Jack Wills have also announced they will be closed. Homeware stores Ikea, Homebase and B&Q, videogame chain Game and pet store giant Pets at Home are also among the major retailers that will not open on the public holiday. Flights and transport Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority said on Thursday that there would be restrictions on the airspace above and around London in the coming days. The organization noted that it would be unlikely that travelers would receive compensation for canceled flights, as cancelations would be caused by “circumstances outside of the airline’s control.” However, airlines should offer alternative travel arrangements, the CAA said. On Wednesday, London’s Heathrow Airport canceled flights to ensure they did not disturb the Queen’s coffin procession as it was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Drone flights above central London have also been banned in the lead-up to the Queen’s funeral. We will take enforcement action against anyone using a drone without permission in the restricted area, which covers much of central London. The restrictions are for public safety. Any breaches may result in you facing prosecution and your drone being seized. https://t.co/ip2iEycctf — Metropolitan Police Events (@MetPoliceEvents) September 13, 2022 At least 16 British Airways flights due to depart from London Heathrow airport on Monday have already been canceled, while London Stansted Airport has warned travelers should prepare for disruption. Mourners hoping to head into London to pay their last respects to the late monarch have been warned to expect “unprecedented” demand for transport and in train stations, with hundreds of thousands reportedly expected to make the journey. While capacity on train networks around London is expected to increase to allow people to travel to the capital on the day of the funeral, many local bus operators will run reduced services on Monday. Leisure Most of the U.K.’s large movie theater chains, including Odeon, Showcase and Cineworld, will be closed on Monday. Cinema operators Vue, Curzon and Arc will use their theaters to screen the Queen’s funeral to the public for free. We have to decided to screen Her Majesty The Queen’s State Funeral on Bank Holiday Monday 19th September at 11am This is a free event but pre-booking your seat is essential https://t.co/ptAGWCah7W There will be no other shows taking place while the funeral is broadcast. pic.twitter.com/7UkZKX4xmz — The Arc Cinema (@CinemaArc) September 12, 2022 Bowling alley operator Hollywood Bowl will be closed until 1:30 p.m., while PureGym—which runs 320 gyms across the U.K.—will close its sites between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday. Many local libraries will also be closed on the public holiday. Meanwhile, Centreparcs—which runs woodland lodge-style vacation camps—landed itself in a PR disaster when it revealed it planned to kick holidaymakers out of its sites for the day on Monday. After a furious backlash, the company backtracked—somewhat—saying it would allow people already on vacation to stay, but anyone due to arrive on Monday has been told to delay their arrival until Tuesday, a move that invited more criticism. Mail Postal service and courier company Royal Mail—which was founded by Henry VIII in 1516 and claims to be one of the oldest organizations in the world—will suspend its services on the day of the Queen’s funeral. Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations. %

A Signature Move | Business News | Stlamerican.com – St. Louis American https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/a-signature-move-business-news-stlamerican-com-st-louis-american/ Akia Kemp owns the signage business Signature Design Gallery, and clients include nationally known interior artist Derwin Scott. His work is on display at Scott’s DSD Paintings, and his signs grace LD’s Coffee Shop, and All Things Retro. He also has crafted work for UFC fighter Tyron Woodley.  But being an entrepreneur wasn’t always on Kemp’s radar. He grew up on the west end of St. Louis, where the Sumner graduate said he “saw a lot and did a lot.”  “I started hustling when I was a kid,” said Kemp, who is also a co-owner of Guys with the Fries. His street life days ended with a bit of divine inspiration as he sat on his mother’s couch. He had recently been home from prison after a drug charge conviction and was unemployed. He had two young sons and no way to provide for them.  “I asked God to give me something that’s mine so that I didn’t have to go back to the streets, ‘cause I was getting close,” he said. The bible states “the Lord works in mysterious ways, and Kemp said he was told “go to Hobby Lobby. “It was the first time I ever heard God really speak to me,” said Kemp.  Filled with excitement, Kemp said he ran upstairs to tell his mother, told her about the vision and idea he had, and she gave him $100 to buy supplies at Hobby Lobby.  He bought foam board, an Exacto knife, paint, glue, and string lights. He went back to his mom’s house, sat at the kitchen table, and got busy. By 5 a.m. the next morning, his first project was completed. It was a silhouette of the late rapper 2 Pac Shakur. He attached lights to the silhouette and hung his work on the wall.  “It was the coolest thing ever,” he said. Kemp says he was so proud of his work, he paraded it around for everyone to see.  However, three days later his younger brother kicked his prototype and broke it.  Kemp became very frustrated and pushed his dream to the side.  The setback didn’t stop him from improving his life. He went to truck driving school and got his commercial driver’s license (CDL), but he was unhappy. “I hated being a truck driver. I hated being on the road all those hours and being away from my kids. My heart and head just weren’t in it,” he said.  “I had to think differently, I’m fresh out of jail, I’m a felon, I haven’t had a real job in 20 years,” said Kemp. But, no matter how he tried to get leave his artistic passion, something always pulled him back in.  Kemp went to a Home Depot, this time more knowledgeable on the material he needed to make a successful sign. He bought wood and a Dremel tool and made another sign which was better constructed. The creation paid homage to slain rapper Nipsey Hussle. He showed a few people and soon had 10 orders.  “The orders just keep coming in, it has never stopped,” said Kemp.  The orders were pouring in, and his work shed became his sleeping quarters. In less than a year he was making as much money designing signs as driving trucks.  “It was a no-brainer, I quit the trucking business,” said Kemp.  “When you’re in your purpose, it doesn’t always happen how you plan it.  “Many of the new businesses in St. Louis [established] in the last three years, I did their interior design sign.” Akia Kemp originals can also be found in Atlanta and throughout Texas. Kemp says when he is designing signs, “it doesn’t feel like work.” “Most of my days are 10 to 12-hour days. I took the signage industry and made it my own. I’m adding my own artistic input to each piece,” he said. “I know this may sound [like a] cliche, but I believe you can literally be anything you want to be. I went from street hustler to owning two businesses.”  Akia Kemp on Instagram at: @signaturedesigngallery @ay2thak_signsandfries @guyswiththefries

Quest Diagnostics Teams Up With Lee Health To Deliver High-Value, Innovative Laboratory Services – Laboratory Network https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/quest-diagnostics-teams-up-with-lee-health-to-deliver-high-value-innovative-laboratory-services-laboratory-network/ Secaucus, NJ and Fort Myers, FL /PRNewswire/ – Quest Diagnostics ( NYSE: DGX), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, and Lee Health, Southwest Florida’s primary community-owned health system, are teaming up to enhance the quality and value of diagnostic services to patients and their doctors. “We are excited to team up with Lee Health, a leading healthcare provider in Southwest Florida,” said Steve Rusckowski, Chairman, President and CEO, Quest Diagnostics. “As people return to care and hospitals contend with post-COVID challenges, hospital systems like Lee Health are turning to Quest for help on executing their lab strategy, taking advantage of our expertise, innovation and scale so they can focus on what they do best, providing quality care to their patients.” Under the agreement Quest will provide supply chain expertise in laboratory equipment, supplies and procurement processes for five hospitals owned by Lee Health and selected outpatient centers. Quest will also continue to perform reference testing for Lee Health. “We are pleased to partner with Quest Diagnostics to help us streamline our lab operations,” said Dr. Lawrence Antonucci, M.D., MBA, president and chief executive officer of Lee Health. “The ability to leverage Quest’s purchasing power for equipment and supplies and their expertise in supply chain logistics allows us to continue to provide high-quality care to our patients.” About Quest Diagnostics Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world’s largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com About Lee Health Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Staffed by caring people, inspiring health, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org. Copyright 2022 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

Magic Johnson Vs. Stephen Curry: Does Warriors Star Have Stats Case To Surpass Lakers Legend As GOAT Point Guard? – Sporting News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/magic-johnson-vs-stephen-curry-does-warriors-star-have-stats-case-to-surpass-lakers-legend-as-goat-point-guard-sporting-news/ After the Warriors defeated the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals to capture their fourth championship in the past eight seasons, Golden State forward Andre Iguodala made a bold proclamation about Finals MVP Stephen Curry. “I think he solidified himself today — not even today, just his career — as the best point guard of all time,” Iguodala said. Unleash the legions of angry Lakers fans! When it comes to point guard debates, Magic Johnson typically lands at the top of the list. Ever since he retired from the NBA in 1996, he has held the No. 1 spot, and it has been difficult to envision someone actually challenging his status. But with another title on Curry’s resume — and the possibility of more trophies being added to his shelves before his career is over — it’s worth taking a closer look at how the two all-time greats stack up against each other. (All stats current as of Sept. 16, 2022) Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Regular season stats Curry is a more dangerous scoring threat than Johnson. His ability to shoot, finish at the rim and move without the ball can break even the best defenses. (Sorry to bring up bad memories, Celtics fans.) Johnson has the advantage in terms of assists and rebounds. His size (6-9, 215 pounds) and skill set allowed him to climb up to third on the all-time triple-double list (138). He sits behind Russell Westbrook (194) and Oscar Robertson (181), the only players who have averaged a triple-double for a season. Magic Per Game  Curry 19.5 Points 24.3 7.2 Rebounds 4.6 11.2 Assists 6.5 1.9 Steals 1.7 0.4 Blocks 0.2 3.9 Turnovers 3.1 36.7 Minutes 34.3 52.0 Field goal % 47.3 30.3 3-point % 42.8 84.8 Free throw % 90.8 Magic Totals  Curry 906 Games 826 17,707 Points 20,064 6,559 Rebounds 3,838 10,141 Assists 5,388 1,724 Steals 1,367 374 Blocks 187 3,506 Turnovers 2,598 33,245 Minutes 28,361 Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Regular season advanced stats Through 13 seasons, there is a sizable gap between Johnson and Curry in the advanced categories. However, Curry seems to have a few prime years left, so that gap could shrink as he ages into his mid-30s.  Magic Advanced  Curry 24.1 Player Efficiency Rating 23.8 80.0 Value Over Replacement 60.9 7.5 Box Plus/Minus 6.5 155.8 Win Shares 120.2 61.0 True Shooting % 62.4 22.3 Usage % 28.7 Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Playoff stats Unsurprisingly, Curry and Johnson are two of the best postseason performers of all time at their position. Curry increases his scoring output during the NBA Playoffs and he still clears 40 percent from beyond the arc. Johnson bumped up his assist and rebounding numbers under the bright lights of the postseason. Magic Playoffs Per Game  Curry 19.5 Points 26.6 7.7 Rebounds 5.4 12.3 Assists 6.2 1.9 Steals 1.6 0.3 Blocks 0.3 3.7 Turnovers 3.3 39.7 Minutes 37.3 50.6 Field goal % 45.2 24.1 3-point % 40.1 83.8 Free throw % 89.2 Magic Playoff Totals  Curry 190 Games 134 3,701 Points 3,570 1,465 Rebounds 719 2,346 Assists 833 358 Steals 210 64 Blocks 38 696 Turnovers 447 7,538 Minutes 4,999 Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Playoff advanced stats The advanced stats in the NBA Playoffs are a bit tighter than the regular season figures. Curry has already moved past Johnson in PER, and he’s not far behind in Box Plus/Minus. Magic Advanced  Curry 23.0 Player Efficiency Rating 23.2 18.3 Value Over Replacement 11.4 7.6 Box Plus/Minus 7.1 32.6 Win Shares 20.3 59.5 True Shooting % 60.8 21.2 Usage % 29.7 Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Accolades and awards Johnson leads in nearly every category here, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see Curry match or even pass Johnson’s totals before the Warriors send his jersey into the rafters at Chase Center. Curry should easily hit double-digits in All-NBA and All-Star selections, and as long as Golden State continues to put the right pieces around him, he should be in a position to compete for more championships. Magic Accolades  Curry 5 Championships 4 3 MVPs 2 3 Finals MVPs 1 10 All-NBA 8 12 All-Star 8 0 Scoring titles 2 4 Assist titles 0 2 Steal titles 1 Fans in the U.S. can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange for $35/month to catch all regular season games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBATV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $46/month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply. SIGN UP FOR SLING: English | Spanish

B․Duck Enters Web3 With GigaSpace Metaverse Partnership – Press Release Bitcoin News – Bitcoin News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/b%e2%80%a4duck-enters-web3-with-gigaspace-metaverse-partnership-press-release-bitcoin-news-bitcoin-news/ press release PRESS RELEASE. B.Duck, a global character IP, is entering Web3 with its first metaverse partnership with GigaSpace, working alongside MADworld to establish a Web3 blueprint for brands and IPs in the metaverse. Created by the Hong Kong-listed company Semk Holdings International Limited (2250 HK), B.Duck joins the initiative “Project Spaceport” by acquiring land NFTs in the GigaSpace and will build experiences to bring joy, positivity, and fun to its 10+ million fans around the world. Brought into the digital world by the NFT platform MADworld, B.Duck has already launched a 3D NFT collection. NFT owners can soon travel through GigaSpace and spread positivity to every corner of the virtual space. Project Spaceport & Web3 Project Spaceport will be a cultural space district. Brands can create their own virtual space when the metaverse launches. B.Duck has permanently cemented its web3 presence on the “Map of the Galaxy” at GigaSpace. MADworld, an NFT platform backed by Animoca brands, has also committed to building Project Spaceport in the GigaSpace. Learn more about B.Duck on the MADworld Medium page. When the GigaSpace metaverse launches, B.Duck will help build the Museum of Brands, an innovative way for brands to showcase their products, vision, and mission. Another exciting feature is branded avatars — fans can travel in the GigaSpace with a B.Duck avatar. “We’re motivated by inspiring our fans the love for travel and bringing them joy and positivity. The metaverse is how we will experience Web3, and GigaSpace allows us to create innovative experiences for our fans,” said Mr Eddie Hui, the founder of B.Duck. “B.Duck entering Web3 is prominent in establishing a foundation for digital creatives for brands and IPs. We’re thrilled to be a part of the journey to offer tools for brands to express themselves in the metaverse,” said M, co-founder of GigaSpace. Win Gigaspace Land From September 16th to October 7th, ten lucky B.Duck NFT community members will WIN their Gigaspace virtual land. Over the next three weeks, B.Duck will host three raffles and five games in the official B.Duck Discord to reward all community members. Join the community now while early! The best part? Participants don’t have to own NFTs, all B.Duck fans and Discord community members can participate in the raffles and games! TIP: The earlier participants join the Discord server, the more time and opportunities they have to level up. The more raffles and games entered, the higher the chance to win! Save this guide – Don’t miss any of our upcoming raffles and games! About B.Duck Designed by Eddie Hui in 2005, B.Duck was originally a gift for his children. B.Duck was China’s most significant domestic character IP regarding licensing revenue in 2021. With in-house solid artistic design capabilities, SEMK has developed and nurtured a proprietary portfolio of approximately 26 self-created characters created under the motto of “Be Playful”. As of December 31st 2021, B.Duck family characters had recorded more than 10.5 million subscriptions or followed by B.Duck fans on various e-commerce platforms and social networking platforms, within aggregate, over 740 million views of various types of content concerning the elements of B.Duck family characters. Website | Twitter | Discord About GigaSpace GigaSpace is a blockchain-based virtual space metaverse where users can purchase land NFTs to create content and explore worlds. It offers a platform to drive the adoption of Web3 by helping brands and partners build their presence in the metaverse. Website | Twitter | Discord This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release. Media Bitcoin.com is the premier source for everything crypto-related. Contact the Media team on ads@bitcoin.com to talk about press releases, sponsored posts, podcasts and other options. Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons

Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G Review: Good Design Backed With Performance – The Indian Express https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/xiaomi-notebook-pro-120g-review-good-design-backed-with-performance-the-indian-express/ Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G laptop review: The new laptop comes with Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) When considering a new laptop, many users prefer to stick with a known, established brand. This is where companies like Dell, HP and Asus have an advantage since they are perceived to be more ‘reliable’ in the personal computer (PC) space. But that doesn’t mean there is no space for other brands to make inroads. Xiaomi, which leads the smartphone segment in India, is back with another laptop for the Indian market. The new Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G comes with the latest Intel 12th gen processor and a 120 Hz refresh rate on the display. But is it worth buying? Here’s our review. Xiaomi’s Notebook Pro 120G specifications: 14-inch 2.5K display with 120 Hz refresh rate | Intel Core i5 12th gen processor with Nvidi X550 for graphics | 16GB RAM + 512GB PCIe Gen 4.0 storage | 100W charging with 56Wh battery | Windows 11 Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G price in India: Rs 74,999 Xiaomi’s Notebook Pro 120G: What’s good? The Notebook Pro 120G comes with an aluminium chassis, with Xiaomi stating they are using the Aerospace grade series 6 for this laptop to ensure a more premium look. The laptop comes in a space grey colour, which looks inspired by Apple. But that’s not a bad thing. The branding on the top is minimal, and you can easily open the laptop with just one hand. Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G laptop in the grey colour. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) The Xiaomi Notebook Pro weighs around 1.4kg, so it is heavier than a MacBook, but still not too heavy or chunky. The keyboard layout is also inspired by Apple, and the power button includes a fingerprint sensor. With the Xiaomi Notebook Pro, you get a 14-inch 2.5K LCD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. The laptop’s default refresh rate is set at 120 Hz, though you can opt for 60 and 90 Hz. I would highly recommend you set this to 60Hz if you want a better battery life. The display on the Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G is excellent and sharp. It works well for daily tasks and entertainment purposes. I didn’t use the laptop for gaming, but for my daily work, which involves writing, editing, cropping photos, etc, and watching some shows in my spare time. But I chose to keep the brightness level low. The higher refresh rate is another useful addition to the laptop, especially if you want to play games which support it on the laptop. But again, not everyone needs this. Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G comes with a 120Hz refresh rate on the display. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) I was more interested in testing the Xiaomi NoteBook Pro 12G’s performance for daily tasks. This laptop gave me no trouble at all, even when I had multiple tabs opened on Chrome or when I was editing several photos. The Xiaomi Notebook Pro 12G was my primary laptop for a few days and I decided to do all office-related work on this, and it worked like a charm. Given the specifications this particular variant is packing — including 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, Intel 12th gen processor and Nvidia GeForce MX550 for graphics — most users will be happy using this as a daily driver. The laptop runs on Windows 11 and comes with a dedicated fingerprint sensor to unlock the device. There were times when the sensor would not respond and I wasn’t sure why, but it worked fine at other times, though it was a bit slower. The Thunderbolt 4.0 port, HDMI port and 3.5mm headphone jack. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) The Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G also comes with one Thunderbolt 4.0 port, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm port, a USB-C and a USB 2.0 port. Some people may find the input/output options a bit limited. You can charge it via the Type-C Charger in the box. The Xiaomi laptop comes with a full-size keyboard with 1.3mm travel on the keys. Xiaomi is using the scissor mechanism on these keys, and I had no trouble typing on this. There’s no stickiness as such, and the response is quick and fast. I enjoyed typing on the keyboard. What I didn’t care so much about was the touchpad, but more on that in the next segment. The USB-C and USB 2.0 Port on the other side. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) Finally, on the audio front, this should be good enough for most users, though it is not something that stands out. I listen to music while working with a set playlist, and Taylor Swift definitely sounds different on this one. Xiaomi’s Notebook Pro 120G: What’s not good? While the 100W charger will ensure that the battery reaches 50 per cent in around 40 minutes, it takes nearly two hours or more to get to a full charge. I didn’t have a great battery experience with this laptop. With the high refresh rate turned on, the battery would last for around four hours. Turning off the refresh rate should give better results, but even with 120 Hz turned, I expected better performance on the battery front. Xiaomi is promising nine hours of battery life, but that’s likely when the refresh rate is kept to a standard 60 Hz. The Xiaomi laptop comes with an excellent keyboard. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) The touchpad too doesn’t ensure a smooth experience. If I compare this touchpad to some other laptops I’ve reviewed more recently, Xiaomi was a disappointment. I would say a Bluetooth mouse is a must with this laptop as an accessory. The front camera is 720p, which isn’t impressive. There are other laptops in a similar price range, offering a 5MP web camera. Again, not everyone needs the best web camera on a laptop, so this is not exactly the biggest deal-breaker. Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G laptop works well for daily usage. (Image credit: Shruti Dhapola/Indian Express) Xiaomi’s Notebook Pro 120G: Verdict As a daily driver, this is a good laptop with ample storage and RAM to handle most tasks efficiently. But at Rs 74,999, Xiaomi’s Notebook Pro 120G takes on other similar options, such as the HP Pavilion Plus 14 (this one doesn’t have a 120Hz display), the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (90 Hz display), and Dell’s new Inspiron 15 series (120 Hz display). Most of these laptops are in a similar price bracket, with the same 16GB RAM and 512GB storage space, as well as the Intel Core i5 (12th generation processor), though Asus is the most expensive at Rs 89,999. So Xiaomi is evenly matched in terms of competition from other brands. Xiaomi also has an option at Rs 69,999, which has the same specifications, but without the Nvidia MX550 for graphics. The biggest challenge for Xiaomi will be to convince buyers that their laptop has the best to offer, which might not be easy considering the competition in the market.

Virtual Reality In Gaming Market Size Worth $ 86.22 Billion By 2031 | CAGR: 32.3 % – States TMR Analysis – PR Newswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/virtual-reality-in-gaming-market-size-worth-86-22-billion-by-2031-cagr-32-3-states-tmr-analysis-pr-newswire/ Improving disposable income of people is fueling the sales growth in the virtual reality in gaming market Surge in the demand for next-gen VR gaming consoles in North America is propelling the market , /PRNewswire/ — The global virtual reality gaming market size is prognosticated to reach a value of US$ 86.22 Bn by 2031, according to an analysis by Transparency Market Research (TMR). Besides, the study highlights that the market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 32.3% during the forecast period, 2022-2031. The TMR report performs in-depth analysis of major factors influencing the growth trajectory of the virtual reality in gaming market. Hence, readers gain access to assessment of the growth drivers, challenges, opportunities, and R&Ds together with key insights on the future of VR gaming. Request Sample Report at – https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2513 Virtual Reality in Gaming Market: Key Findings With advancing spending power of population from developing and developed countries, this populace is rising the demand for innovative entertainment sources and VR gaming systems. This factor is fueling the sales opportunities in the global virtual reality in gaming market. Virtual reality in gaming is application where users experience a three-dimensional (3D) environment in the gameplay due to different interactive features and graphics provided in such types of devices. Over the period of past few years, there has been a surge in the use of VR gaming accessories. This factor is creating lucrative opportunities in the global virtual reality in gaming industry. Cloud technology is gaining traction among the players in the virtual reality in gaming market. The cloud technology is being increasingly used by market players in order to provide improved gaming experience to the users. This advancement allows for changes in gaming libraries and stores games so as to allow instant access to the user profiles. This aside, it provides varied features such as unlimited storage capability, live streaming, and connected devices. Thus, the technology is helping in boosting the future of online gaming industry. Ask for References – https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=ARF&rep_id=2513 Virtual Reality in Gaming Market: Growth Boosters Improved spending power of people in developed and developing nations is leading to profitable prospects in the virtual reality in gaming market Increase in the adoption of latest technologies including 3D effects, motion tracking, and interactive graphics in gaming is driving the growth in the global virtual reality in gaming market Virtual Reality in Gaming Market: Regional Analysis The market players are expected to gain significant opportunities for growth in North America during the forecast period owing to a surge in the use of next-gen VR gaming consoles incorporated with next-gen technologies including IoT, 3D graphics, cloud streaming, and VR/AR, 8K, and 4K resolutions The virtual reality in gaming market is expected to observe sizable avenues for business in Europe due to a rise in the adoption of virtual reality in gaming in the nations from the Western Europe region Virtual Reality in Gaming Market: Competition Landscape Players operating in the virtual reality in gaming market are investing significant amounts in R&Ds in order to develop nect-gen products. Such activities are also helping companies in their product portfolio expansions. Several companies are using strategies of mergers and acquisitions in order to consolidate their positions in the virtual reality in gaming market Make an Enquiry before Buying – https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=EB&rep_id=2513 Virtual Reality in Gaming Market: Key Players Some of the key players profiled in the report are: bHaptic, Inc. Apple, Inc. Google LLC Electronic Arts Inc. Juego Studio Pvt. Ltd. HTC Corporation Microsoft Corporation Magic Leap, Inc. Nvidia Corporation Nintendo Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co.Ltd. Qualcomm, Inc. Survios, Inc. Sony Corporation Unity Technologies Teslasuit VirZoom Inc. Virtuix OBni Virtual Reality in Gaming Market Segmentation Component Hardware Software Services End-user Individual Commercial Regions Covered North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South America It and Telecom Research Reports BI and Analytics Market– BI and Analytics Market is expected to reach US$ 56.72 Bn by the end of 2031 3D Reconstruction Technology Market– 3D Reconstruction Technology Market is expected to reach US$ 2.8 Bn by the end of 2031 Edge Computing Market– Edge Computing Market is expected to reach US$ 161.66 Bn by the end of 2031 Cloud Workload Protection Platform [CWPP] Market– The global cloud workload protection platform (CWPP) market is estimated to exceed value of US$ 22 Bn by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of ~25% during the forecast period Telecommunication Market– Telecommunication market is projected to expand at a CAGR of ~5% from 2020 to 2030 Artificial Intelligence Market– Artificial intelligence market is expected to advance at an explosive CAGR of 29% during the assessment period. Video Analytics Market– Video Analytics Market is expected to surpass the value of US$ 37.85 Bn by 2031, It is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 21.3% from 2022 to 2031 Digital Experience Monitoring [DEM] Market– Digital Experience Monitoring Market size is expected to reach US$ 6.53 Bn by the end of 2031, expand at a CAGR of 18.3% from 2022 to 2031 Managed Security Services Market– Managed Security Services Market is expected to reach US$ 53.22 Bn by the end of 2031, expand at a CAGR of 14.2% from 2022 to 2031 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, is a global market research company providing custom research and consulting services. TMR provides in-depth insights into factors governing demand in the market. It divulges opportunities across various segments based on Source, Application, Sales Channel, and End-Use that will favor growth in the market over the next 9 years. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. For More Research Insights on Leading Industries, Visit our YouTube channel –  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8e-z-g23-TdDMuODiL8BKQ Contact Us: Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research Inc. CORPORATE HEADQUARTER DOWNTOWN, 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 USA Tel: 1-518-618-1030 USA – Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Blog: https://tmrblog.com Email: [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682871/TMR_Logo_Logo.jpg SOURCE Transparency Market Research

Chris Pratt Only Made It To Hollywood Because A Director Paid For His Flight – Showbiz Cheat Sheet https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/chris-pratt-only-made-it-to-hollywood-because-a-director-paid-for-his-flight-showbiz-cheat-sheet/ Actor Chris Pratt is known for his roles on the TV show Parks and Recreation as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World movies. While it’s hard to imagine a world where Pratt is a star, he actually had a rough start in Hollywood. In fact, there was a time when Pratt could not afford a plane ticket to Los Angeles and a director had to pay for his flight. Chris Pratt’s humble background Chris Pratt attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Universal Pictures “Jurassic World Dominion” on June 06, 2022 in Hollywood, California. | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Pratt did not come from a wealthy family. When he was growing up in Lake Stevens, Washington, his family relied on food banks. “I grew up in a small town, we had 7,000 people in our town, and we had some economic hard times, and we had a food bank nearby and I’m not ashamed to say that there were moments when my family would need to eat from a food bank,” he shared during an Instagram Live. When Pratt was a young adult, Pratt studied acting at a local community college for a semester. Afterward, he moved to Hawaii and lived in a van on the beach. “I had a friend who was like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to come out here,’” Pratt told Entertainment Weekly. “We set up camp on the beach and lived the dream.” Chris Pratt came to LA thanks to a director While working at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Hawaii, Pratt met actor Rae Dawn Chong. Pratt told her he wanted to be in movies, and she decided to cast him in Cursed Part III, a movie she was directing. She also paid for his flight out to L.A. “The director and her producing partner were getting ready to shoot this movie, and I said, ‘I can’t go to LA, I don’t have any money,’” he recalled on the Smartless podcast. “She said, ‘Sweetie, we’ll fly you there.’ That was it. And I never went back.” Although the movie was never released, Pratt made a good impression on her. She told Entertainment Weekly, “He was a joy on set. My movie sucked, but he was awesome.” Chris Pratt’s net worth today After appearing in Chong’s movie, Pratt decided to pursue acting seriously. He has since become one of Hollywood’s most renowned actors and can enjoy the financial benefits that come with being a celebrity. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Pratt is worth an estimated $80 million. Pratt currently lives in a home in Pacific Palisades with his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, and two daughters. Pratt bought the home in 2018 for $15.6 million and renovated it until 2021.  He also has a ranch on San Juan Island in Washington, where the family can enjoy farm life away from the hustle and bustle of L.A. Other celebrities who own properties in the area include Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates.

Coinbase Japan Almost Doubles The Number Of Tokens It Lists – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/coinbase-japan-almost-doubles-the-number-of-tokens-it-lists-cryptonews/ Source: Jezael Melgoza/Unsplash The crypto exchange Coinbase Japan has almost doubled the number of tokens it lists on its platform, taking the total of coins listed from six to 11 – a suggestion that Japanese exchanges could start significantly expanding the number of tokens they handle. On Twitter, the exchange’s Japanese arm wrote that it had begun trading chainlink (LINK), enjin Coin (ENJ), OMG (OMG), ethereum classic (ETC), and basic attention token (BAT). The firm launched its Japanese branch in August last year, listing an initial three tokens. It has since added another three. But the listing process is notoriously difficult in Japan. Until very recently, all token listing applications had to be approved by the self-regulatory Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA) – in a process that could often take several months to complete. Source: Coinbase Earlier this year, however, the JVCEA announced its intention to streamline the process and allow exchanges to cut corners, particularly in instances whereby an exchange wants to list a token that has already been listed on a domestic rival’s platform. The regulatory Financial Services Agency says it wants to have the final say on listing policy changes, but looks to be begrudgingly following suit with the government’s relatively pro-crypto stance. Japanese Exchanges Hope to List More Tokens Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has spoken about Web3 in glowing terms, and has agreed to make a number of concessions to the domestic crypto sector. Japanese businesses working in the crypto space have claimed of over-regulation, while political opponents say that Japanese crypto talent and capital are both flowing overseas. As such, exchanges have been taking advantage – and some are now rapidly expanding the number of coins they list. While at the start of the year, no exchange listed more than 20 tokens, some are on course to end the year with as many as 30 coins on their platforms. Coinbase’s own entry into the Japanese market was a slow process. Japan’s crypto exchange scene is dominated by domestic startups like bitFlyer. Larger Japanese conglomerates’ crypto subsidiaries are also active on the scene, as are platforms that are run by local securities firms – such as Coincheck. But Coinbase’s entry made headlines after the firm last year announced its launch in partnership with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, one of the largest banks in the country.

Remarks By Ambassador Burns At U.S. Embassy Beijing 2022 Independence Day Celebration – US Embassy & Consulates In China https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/remarks-by-ambassador-burns-at-u-s-embassy-beijing-2022-independence-day-celebration-us-embassy-consulates-in-china/ (Delivered on September 15, 2022) Good evening, everyone.  Thank you very much for being with us as we Americans celebrate all that we love about our country—the United States of America. Now, some of you may be wondering:  if America’s Independence is on July 4, why are we gathered here at the U.S. Embassy in mid-September? Well, please mark your calendars because we will celebrate Independence Day next year on July 4, 2023! As you will remember, Covid protocols made a big party like this somewhat problematic in July this year.  September is when we also celebrate Constitution Day—the day that great document was signed and our Union was born. The United States was founded on an idea that was revolutionary in the 18th century and remains revolutionary today—Thomas Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of Independence—that all men, (and all women), are “created equal” and that they have individual rights that are God-given, precious, and as worth defending now as they were then. Our Founding Fathers and Mothers launched a democratic challenge that every generation for 246 years has sought to redeem—the building of “A More Perfect Union”—words from the Preamble to the Constitution. We have learned throughout our history that America is at its best when we extend rights to people in our own society who have been denied them. For all of our history, the rights of Native Americans have been a major part of the struggle. The battle to end slavery and to extend rights to African Americans has been a central searing drama in American history—from the 17th century to the Civil War to this very day. The search for equality was the driving force behind our Constitution’s 19th amendment that gave women the right to vote in 1920. It was also behind the struggle of the Irish, like my Irish grandparents, and the Italians, Poles and Czechs, Jews from Russia, Mexicans and Central Americans, Kenyans, Nigerians, Lebanese, Indians, Filipinos, and Koreans, people from every country in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe who came to our shores as immigrants and refugees to be treated equally as they sought to live the American Dream. And that struggle continues to this very day for Chinese Americans, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and those Americans whose family roots are in every country of the Indo-Pacific region for a life of acceptance, inclusion, and dignity in our society. As Americans we are proud of our achievements and understand that the struggle for equality continues. But, we have made and must continue to make steady progress — from the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of the mid-1960s to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to the struggle today for the rights of the LGBTQI+ community. President Biden has said that equality “beats in all of our hearts, no matter your race or ethnicity; no matter your gender identity or sexual orientation; no matter your disability; no matter your faith.” At the entrance to our event tonight, you may have seen a poster board featuring Americans both past and present who led the fight for equality in their time.  They inspire us to continue the fight for equality in our time. At the core of our national identity is also a deep, abiding faith in human freedom.  That ideal springs from the Declaration and the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. We believe that all Americans, as well as people everywhere, have individual rights that no government can take away. Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Assembly. Freedom in The Rule of Law. And so, on this United Nations International Day of Democracy, we are reminded that these individual rights are an essential element in a true democracy. We formed our union 246 years ago to defend these freedoms and to advocate that they be extended to all people in all countries as they are promised and enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is the true meaning of July 4, 1776. If you travel anywhere across all 50 states on our Independence Day, you will find Americans enjoying cookouts, family reunions, baseball games and hometown parades. Whether we are left or right, red or blue, Republican, Democrat or Independent, we Americans are united in a great commitment to and great love of our country. Let me thank our sponsors, our Marines, and all of our Mission colleagues who made this evening’s celebration happen. To close, let me ask Assistant Foreign Minister Xu Feihong to join me on stage.  Assistant Minister, thank you for being with us and for representing the government of the People’s Republic of China.  We appreciate your presence. Ladies and Gentlemen, Please join me in raising a glass to toast our country, the United States of America in our 246th year. And, before we kick things off with our very own Embassy band, Lily and the Boys, I invite you to watch another American tradition –Fireworks–that we borrowed from its actual inventors—the people of China!  Think of it as fireworks with Digital American characteristics. Thank you.

Arkansas Covid Hospitalizations End 2-Day Upward Trend Thurday, Falling By 9 – Arkansas Online https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/arkansas-covid-hospitalizations-end-2-day-upward-trend-thurday-falling-by-9-arkansas-online/ A ventilator is shown next to a hospital’s intensive care bed set up for covid-19 patients in this Aug. 17, 2021, file photo. (AP/Rogelio V. Solis) After rising by double digits the previous two days, the number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in Arkansas fell part of the way back down Thursday as the state’s count of active, or currently infectious, cases continued to decline. The state’s death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Department of Health, rose by seven, to 11,977. Health Department spokeswoman Danyelle McNeill said all the deaths reported Thursday happened more than a month ago. One of the deaths occurred in January, one was from February, one was from March, one was from April, one was from May, one was from June and one was from July, she said. After hitting a two-month low of 258 on Monday, then rising by a total of 28 over the next two days, the number of covid-19 patients in the Arkansas’ hospitals fell Thursday by nine, to 277. The state’s count of cases rose by 845 — down by 174 compared to the increase Wednesday and by 298 from the one the previous Thursday. Dropping for the second day in a row, the average daily increase in the state’s case count over a rolling seven-day period fell to 750, which was down from an average of 797 a day the previous week. With recoveries outpacing new cases, the number of cases in the state that were considered active fell by 379, to 9,217, its lowest level since June 22. “We’re pleased to see cases continue to decrease,” McNeill said in an email. She said it was difficult to predict how much longer the decline would continue. As long as the state’s active cases keep falling, however, health officials expect the number hospitalized to also trend downward, she said. Pulaski County had the most new cases, 106, on Thursday, followed by Washington County with 57 and Craighead County with 43. The state’s cumulative count of cases since March 2020 rose to 944,789. After not changing the previous two days, the number of the state’s virus patients who were in intensive care fell Thursday by six, to 49. The number on ventilators, which fell by two on Wednesday, remained Thursday at 16. At its hospitals in Little Rock and Springdale, Arkansas Children’s had 13 covid-19 patients Thursday, down from 14 on Wednesday and 17 the previous Thursday, spokeswoman Hilary DeMillo said. MAP UPDATED Despite the downward trend in the state’s new case numbers overall, the number of Arkansas counties where the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear masks in indoor public places rose Thursday by seven, to 22, after falling a week earlier. The recommendation applies to counties where the “covid-19 community level” — based on weekly numbers of new cases, hospital admissions for covid-19 and the percentage of staffed hospital beds that are occupied by covid-19 patients — is considered “high.” Under the latest weekly update to a CDC map, the level rose from “low” or “medium” to high in 10 Arkansas counties: Ashley, Bradley, Clay, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lonoke, Perry and Scott. Meanwhile, the level fell from high to medium in Grant and Prairie counties and from high to low in Johnson County. Overall, the number of counties with a low covid-19 level fell by 10, to 28, while the number with a medium level rose by three, to 25. Among the state’s most populous counties, the level remained medium in Pulaski and Saline counties, low in Benton and Washington counties and high in Faulkner and Craighead counties. In Sebastian County, the level rose from low to medium. In counties with a medium covid-19 level, the CDC recommends that people who are immunocompromised or at high risk of severe covid-19 talk to their health care providers about whether they should wear masks or take other precautions. People in those counties also should consider wearing masks around people who have a high risk of severe illness, according to the CDC. In counties with a low covid-19 level, the CDC doesn’t have a recommendation about whether people should wear masks.

As Prices Climb, Americans Cut Spending And Dip Into Savings To Make Ends Meet – Capital Public Radio News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/as-prices-climb-americans-cut-spending-and-dip-into-savings-to-make-ends-meet-capital-public-radio-news/ Susan Morrison knew something was wrong when she bought a new tub of cottage cheese. “I had an old one in the refrigerator,” Morrison recalls. “I went to put the new one in and it was like, ‘Wait a minute. This is two-thirds of the size. There’s a third missing.'” Many people feel as though something is missing in the U.S. economy, finding they’re paying more and getting less. Despite a strong job market and near record-low unemployment, 37 % of Americans say their personal finances have gotten worse in the last year, according to a new NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll. That’s an 8-point jump since February. Twice as many people now say their economic situation has worsened as say it has improved. Most blame the worst inflation the United States has seen in four decades. Consumer prices across the board rose 8.3% in August from a year earlier, according to government data released this week. Price increases in some areas were even steeper. Thanks inflation: almost everyone says they’re cutting back and staying in For Morrison, who lives in Thousand Oaks, Calif., the curdling of confidence goes beyond cottage cheese. She and her husband are both retired. They’ve watched a falling stock market erode their savings, while prices at the supermarket have jumped more than 13% in the last 12 months. “We’re seniors. It’s not like we’re eating huge meals,” Morrison says. “But we have noticed that our grocery bill over just the last two years, we’ve watched it go up and up and up.” Nearly three out of four people surveyed say they’ve cut back on spending in the last six months in response to economic conditions. More than a quarter say they’d had to rely on savings in order to make ends meet. Morrison used to volunteer weekly with at a senior center in Simi Valley, but now goes only every other week to save on gasoline. She and her husband have also cut back on travel. “We love to vacation in our motor home,” Morrison says. “But we have not gone anywhere in our motor home at all this year because of the cost of diesel.” Both diesel and gasoline prices have dropped sharply, since hitting record highs in June. But fuel remains significantly more expensive than it was a year ago. The average price of diesel is still nearly $5 a gallon. As with many issues, people’s attitudes about the economy are shaped in part by partisan politics. Republicans, like Morrison, are almost four times as likely as Democrats to say their financial situation has worsened in the last year, just as Democrats were more likely to grumble when President Trump was in office. Even among Democrats, though, attitudes have deteriorated somewhat. Fifteen percent of Democrats now say their family finances have worsened in the last year — up from 12% who said so in February. One of the biggest complaints is high inflation. “I mean, when you try to buy a steak, for Chrissakes,” says Craig Barnes, an energy broker in Plano, Texas. “It has a big impact, especially in my business. When I’m taking people out and stuff like that, we’re not going to steakhouses any more. We’re dialing it back big time.” More than half the people surveyed say they’re eating out less now than they were six months ago. Four in ten say they’re driving less or carpooling in order to save on gas. Some of the reported spending cuts may be exaggerated. According to the Commerce Department, for example, actual spending at restaurants is up nearly 7% over the last six months. Lavender Justice, who works as a pizza delivery driver in suburban Atlanta, suffered a drop in income earlier this summer when gas prices soared. Although gas prices have since fallen, the delivery business hasn’t fully recovered. Fewer people are ordering pizza some nights. And even when it’s busy, tips are down. “People are struggling. It’s kind of tragic,” Justice says. “Even on Fridays and Saturdays, I’ve been making only 75% of what I was a year ago.” As a result, Justice has scaled back spending on favorite hobbies, such as costumed camping trips. “A lot of my friends are either having to cut down on activities that they enjoy, ” Justice says, or “pick up more hours, [or] figure out second jobs.” Skipping doctor visits and other signs of economic distress Just over a third of those surveyed say they canceled or scaled back vacations over the last six months, while 18% say they skipped a doctor’s visit or a purchase of prescription drugs. In general, families making less than $50,000 a year were more likely to say they’d cut spending than those with higher incomes. Missing a rent or mortgage payment can be a sign of more serious economic distress. Less than 10% of those surveyed said they’d skipped or delayed such a payment in the last six months. But missed housing payments were more than twice as common among families making less than $25,000 a year. “I had to be late on rent this month, and probably going to have to figure something out for this coming payment as well,” says Connor Slaten, who works at a KFC in Kansas City, Mo. Slaten was recently promoted to shift manager, and his wages climbed to $14 an hour. Still, he says, that’s not keeping pace with the rising cost of living. “I don’t think there’s anywhere in America where $14 an hour can adequately pay for a one-bedroom apartment and everything else that you need,” he says. Some of those surveyed are pessimistic that economic fortunes will improve any time soon. Others have their sights set on a political change in Washington. And some are banking on growing sense of empowerment among workers. “There’s more people quitting jobs that aren’t treating them well,” says Justice, the pizza delivery driver. “That gives me a lot of hope. Because if enough people quit jobs that aren’t treating them well, they’ll have to start treating people better and have to start paying people what they’re worth.” Justice hopes to start a new job — working with a wilderness therapy program — this fall. Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. Loading… %

Starbucks Closing Flagship Canal Street Location, Citing Security Concerns – NOLA.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/starbucks-closing-flagship-canal-street-location-citing-security-concerns-nola-com/ Starbucks is closing its New Orleans flagship coffee shop on the corner of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue, citing concerns over security and the safety of its employees. The Seattle-based chain said Thursday that the store, which was opened with great fanfare just nine years ago, would close permanently on Oct. 2. It is located on the ground floor of the historic building at 700 Canal Street owned by The Pickwick Club. Starbucks spokesman Sam Jefferies said the closure comes as part of a national review the chain announced in July in the form of a letter from its joint heads of operations, Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelsen. They said then that they recognized a rising level of threat their employees felt in some of their outlets and promised to either fix the issues or close them down. “We said we wanted to work with local leaders and be flexible using different tools to make premises safer, but if that didn’t work that we would have to consider closures,” Jefferies said. “That is what we have had to do in this instance.” Davon Barbour, who took over as the CEO of the Downtown Development District of New Orleans in December, said the closure of a national outlet like Starbucks at such a high-profile location is unfortunate, especially at a time when New Orleans is making headlines for surging crime and a staffing crisis in its police department. “The closure of the Starbucks is a recognition of those public safety challenges, despite the fact we continue to see investment in businesses downtown,” Barbour said. Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration did not respond to a request for comment. The view of Canal Street out the window of Starbucks at the corner of St. Charles Avenue on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Starbucks corporate said it is shutting this location because of security concerns. They announced in July they were concerned about security and safety at various big city locations. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER The coffee shop on Thursday had a smattering of customers, one barista and a security guard in the middle of the afternoon and its décor was a shadow of the carefully curated apothecary look it sported when it opened in 2013. At the time, CEO Howard Schultz had visited the store and had taken a personal interest, slowing down its opening so that special care could be taken to preserve historic features. But commissioned art and carefully placed antiques no longer adorn the shop. The backroom was closed off to the public and was being used as office space, with staff laptops on top of the 12-foot-long community table “made from wind-fallen trees” that was once for customers. A small sign on the door of the Canal Street store directed customers to nearby outlets two blocks away in the Sheraton Hotel or at other locations in the Central Business District. A ‘high incident store’ Jefferies said that Starbucks had not kept an incident log and couldn’t cite specific numbers or types of threats faced by staff. But he said the decision to shutter the location was taken after consulting with staff, managers and “local leaders”. “This is certainly, unfortunately, a high incident store,” he said. The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. New Orleans is not the first nor the only city to see Starbucks closures because of security concerns. Shortly after the letter to staff was written in July, the company said it would be closing 16 stores for security reasons: a half-dozen each in the greater Los Angeles and Seattle areas; two in Portland, Oregon; and one in both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. At the time of those closures, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he had personally witnessed incidents at some of the closing locations and promised to bolster police resources. A New Orleans police vehicle passes in front of Starbucks, center, in downtown New Orleans at the corner of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Starbucks corporate said it is shutting this location because of security concerns. They announced in July they were concerned about security and safety at various big city locations. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER A Downtown Development District of New Orleans security truck, left, passes the Starbucks at the corner of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Starbucks corporate said it is shutting this location because of security concerns. They announced in July they were concerned about security and safety at various big city locations. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER Shootings on Canal, a main thoroughfare in downtown New Orleans, are not uncommon. A woman was killed and a man and a dog were injured in a shooting near the University Medical Center on Canal Street last month. In July, two men were injured in a shootout near Roosevelt Way. In 2019, seven people were shot near the McDonald’s restaurant directly across the street from the Starbucks. The rise in crime rates, especially murders and carjackings, have led many businesspeople in New Orleans to voice concerns over their safety and that of their employees and customers. In July, a group of businesses banded together with community organizations to form the Nola Coalition, aiming to both bolster support for the New Orleans Police Department and provide money for a wide range of programs for at risk youth. Under the Nola Coalition banner, the Police and Justice Foundation funded a team of consultants to advise the NOPD. This week, they recommended that hundreds of NOPD officers be reassigned to patrol duty to deal with the crisis. Starbucks at the corner of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Starbucks corporate said it is shutting this location because of security concerns. They announced in July they were concerned about security and safety at various big city locations. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER “I am disheartened to hear we’re losing a flagship store in one of the most historic locations in the city,” said Kelisha Garrett, chief operating officer of the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which promotes small businesses and is part of the Nola Coalition. “But valiant efforts are being made by the community as a whole to curtail and counteract the current issues plaguing the city as it relates to crime.” David Rubenstein, one of the third generation that owns Rubenstein’s men’s clothing store directly opposite the Starbucks across St. Charles Avenue, said the issues for businesses mainly have to do with occasional harassment of customers by people on the street and homeless people who sometimes sleep in doorways. He thinks the talk of crime might be overblown. A man sleeps on the sidewalk across the street from the Starbucks at the corner of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue on Thursday, September 15, 2022. Starbucks corporate said it is shutting this location because of security concerns. They announced in July they were concerned about security and safety at various big city locations. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER “Yes, there are problems downtown as on any major downtown street,” he said. “I just don’t want people to think all of Canal Street is collapsing and going out of business because of the crime issue.” Barbour at the DDD has been pushing a “Quality of Life” agenda since he started in his job. This includes offering businesses on Canal Street a $3,000 improvement grant so that they can fix up their properties and add better lighting. “It matters for a community to set standards, to say ‘This is who we are,'” Barbour said. “Allowing properties to be abandoned and not have adequate lighting sends the message that nobody cares and this is a place where you can do what you want.”

Opinion: What Is House Bill 135. How Would It Help Sickle Cell Patients – The Columbus Dispatch https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/opinion-what-is-house-bill-135-how-would-it-help-sickle-cell-patients-the-columbus-dispatch/ “For many patients, medicine would be unobtainable without assistance from third parties such as charities, churches, and drug manufacturer assistance programs,” Annie J. Ross-Womack Annie J. Ross-Womack  |  Guest columnist Annie J. Ross-Womack is the executive director of the Ohio Sickle Cell and Health Association. September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle cell disease is an inherited, rare, painful, and debilitating condition that affects thousands of Ohioans. In 2018, the Ohio legislature launched a statewide network of sickle cell programs to help Ohioans detect, manage and live better lives with the disease. These programs support a rigorous newborn testing program, counseling and education services, and care coordination across the state. Ohio lawmakers may soon pass a law that can further assist people living with sickle cell disease and others living with chronic and life-threatening diseases. More:Sickle cell patient becomes vocal advocate for importance of blood donations Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide – about 100,000 in the United States. Sickle cell disease is particularly common among those whose ancestors came from sub-Saharan Africa; Spanish-speaking regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, the Caribbean, and Central America); Saudi Arabia; India; and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. There are several types of sickle cell disease. The specific type of sickle cell disease a person has depends on the genes inherited from their parents. People with sickle cell disease inherit genes that contain instructions, or code, for abnormal hemoglobin. More:Sickle cell children are living longer than ever, but as adults they face challenges to get basic care As a result, red blood cells cannot adequately deliver oxygen to the body’s organs, tissues, and bones. When this happens, people living with sickle cell disease experience crippling pain. As they age, serious complications occur to the brain, heart, lungs, and other vital organs. Currently, there is no cure for sickle cell disease. Most treatments are centered around easing pain episodes and preventing complications and unseen damage to the body. Treatments include medication and blood transfusions and sometimes go as far as a stem cell transplant. There are some cutting-edge gene therapy treatments underway as well. More:How to submit guest opinion columns to the Columbus Dispatch Medications to manage rare and chronic illnesses such as sickle cell and related diseases are often expensive. People with high-deductible health plans must pay higher copays and coinsurance costs. Their medications are likely on specialty-tier formularies, which drives up these out-of-pocket costs. Columbus resident Habiba Bankston is one of thousands of Ohioans who live with sickle cell disease. As an adult, she has made the transition from pediatric sickle cell disease care to adult sickle cell disease care. Transition services from childhood to adult treatment is a critical time for all people living with sickle cell disease. Bankston, like other adults with sickle cell disease, receives some care from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in addition to services at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Thanks to healthy living, blood transfusions, and adherence to medicines, Bankston is living strong with sickle cell disease. For many patients, medicine would be unobtainable without assistance from third parties such as charities, churches, and drug manufacturer assistance programs. Unfortunately, health insurance companies have created policies commonly referred to as copay accumulators, which deny copay assistance from being applied to a cost-sharing requirement. The irony is that insurers refuse to apply financial assistance to the patient’s cost-sharing; they ultimately get paid twice by taking the monetary value of the copay assistance and the patient’s deductible obligation. More:Sickle cell children are living longer than ever, but as adults they face challenges to get basic care In addition, insurers use industry middlemen called pharmacy benefit managers to craft and utilize policies that shift the cost of the patient’s medication from the insurance company back onto the patient. Currently, nine out of 10 healthcare plans in Ohio have copay accumulator adjuster policies. The Ohio legislature is taking action to help patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases. The Ohio House, by unanimous vote, recently approved House Bill 135, which would address copay accumulator policies. House Bill 135 will help Ohio families reduce out-of-pocket costs by allowing the payments from third-party copay assistance programs or other financial assistance programs to count toward their deductible and coinsurance. Ohioans living with complex conditions such as sickle cell disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, and cancer are just some people whom this legislation will help. As House Bill 135 waits to be heard in the Ohio Senate, it is critical that policymakers understand that the bill does not force insurers to cover new benefits nor interrupt the use of generic medications or steer patients to more expensive medications. More:From debilitating illness to a ‘normal’ life, new gene therapy treatment promises to transform rare disease This bill does not increase premiums; so far, 14 states have banned copay accumulators, and more than 20 states are working on legislation. Data shows premiums have not increased in the first states where bans were implemented. People living with sickle cell disease appreciate that the Ohio Department of Health and state legislators support our community’s care, education, counseling, and newborn screenings. We urge the members of the Ohio Senate to pass House Bill 135 to continue to support those Ohioans dealing with chronic illness. Annie J. Ross-Womack is the executive director of the Ohio Sickle Cell and Health Association. September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

Here Is The Latest Pac-12 Conference Sports News From The Associated Press – Corsicana Daily Sun https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/here-is-the-latest-pac-12-conference-sports-news-from-the-associated-press-corsicana-daily-sun-3/ BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a new trial for a former decorated University of Southern California water polo coach convicted in the sprawling college admissions bribery scandal. In throwing out Jovan Vavic’s fraud and bribery conviction, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani found some evidence introduced by the government to be unreliable and that prosecutors erred in their argument to jurors about some of the alleged bribe money. Vavic was convicted in April after being arrested in March 2019 in the headline-grabbing “Operation Varsity Blues” investigation. He had guided USC’s men’s and women’s water polo teams to 16 national championships. UNDATED (AP) — The 25th-ranked Oregon Ducks play their second ranked opponent of the season when No. 12 Brigham Young makes its first trip to Autzen Stadium since 1990 on Saturday. Oregon has won 29 straight nonconference home games, the second-longest active streak in FBS, including seven against ranked teams. Bo Nix had five touchdown passes against Eastern Washington last week after throwing two interceptions in the opener vs. Georgia. BYU won all five games against Pac-12 teams last season, including two against ranked teams. Jaren Hall is 7-1 as a starting quarterback against ranked teams. UNDATED (AP) — BYU’s double-overtime victory over Baylor moved the Cougars up nine spots to No. 12 in the AP Top 25 and gave the team a boost nationally in its final year as an FBS independent. But the attention quickly shifted to Saturday’s game at Oregon, and the latest opportunity to make BYU’s season special. The Ducks are coming off a 70-14 win at home over Eastern Washington. The rout helped Oregon move on from its disappointing season-opening loss to Georgia and popped the Ducks back into the rankings at No. 25. LOS ANGELES (AP) — No. 7 Southern California’s roaring start under Lincoln Riley has caught the college football world’s attention and driven the Trojans to their highest ranking in five years. Fresno State is exactly the type of opponent that could put the brakes on all the excitement around a rebuilding project that’s humming along smoothly. Caleb Williams looks to remain unbeaten on the West Coast when the quarterback leads USC back to the Coliseum to face coach Jeff Tedford, quarterback Jake Haener and the Bulldogs, who came agonizingly close to an upset of Oregon State. SEATTLE (AP) — No. 11 Michigan State and Washington have looked great for the first two weeks of the season against lesser competition. Now both teams seek validation when the Huskies host the Spartans on Saturday. Michigan State beat up on Akron and Western Michigan to open the season. Washington thumped Kent State and Portland State. A win for Washington would be big in coach Kalen DeBoer’s first season in charge. A win for the Spartans would be just as significant in proving they are worthy of their high ranking. UNDATED (AP) — No. 14 Utah found its quarterback in Cameron Rising a year ago in a three-overtime loss against San Diego State when he came off the bench to spark the Utes. Rising has gone 10-3 as a starter since taking over. He went on to guide the Utes to a Pac-12 title and a spot in the Rose Bowl. The Utes enter this year’s game against the Aztecs at Rice-Eccles Stadium as a 20 1/2-point favorite. The Utes are chasing after win No. 300 against Mountain West teams. Utah was a member of the  league before joining the Pac-12 in 2011. UNDATED (AP) — Marcus Freeman has lost his first three games since taking over as Notre Dame’s coach. His fourth chance comes Saturday when the Fighting Irish host unbeaten California. It’s the first time the teams have met since 1967. The biggest problem for Notre Dame has been a stagnant offense. The Irish rank No. 117 out of 131 FBS teams in scoring offense and total offense. And this week they’ll have a new quarterback running the show as Drew Pyne replaces the injured Tyler Buchner. UNDATED (AP) — Oregon State plays Montana State on Saturday at Portland’s Providence Park. The Beavers haven’t played in Portland since 1986, when they faced UCLA. Oregon State is 2-0 for the first time since 2014, coming off wins over Boise State and Fresno State. Montana State is coming off a 63-13 victory over Morehead State in Bozeman. The Bobcats beat current Pac-12 member Colorado 19-10 back in 2006. That was Montana State’s last victory over an FBS team. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Nextbrain Technologies Taking The Lead As The Best Metaverse Development Company – EIN News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/nextbrain-technologies-taking-the-lead-as-the-best-metaverse-development-company-ein-news/ Nextbrain Technologies is a renowned metaverse development company delivering unique & enterprise-driven metaverse solutions to businesses. We have seasoned professionals providing all-inclusive guidance and advisory solutions to assist clients to adopt blockchain metaverse development for streamlining their business processes.” — Mr. Saran Raj BANGALORE, KARNATAKA, INDIA, September 16, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Nextbrain Technologies have been able to come out as an excellent metaverse development company by offering premium quality services to grow up the metaverse virtual world. As the premier metaverse development company, Nextbrain uses cutting-edge technology for creating metaverse game development, metaverse development and metaverse NFT marketplace development solutions. The end-products are highly secure and can be customized depending on the business needs. With technological advancement happening around the globe, the use of metaverse is increasing highly in the blockchain environment. The online ecosystem of metaverse has let users communicate with other digital avatars. These digital spaces enable users to conduct employment, shop, attend events, and so forth. Metaverse has the effective potential to alter the way people interact digitally by moving away from social media and messaging apps. It offers a multidimensional ecosystem where communication is vital. As per the latest statistics, it is estimated that the market value of the metaverse is going to increase significantly. With the rising awareness of metaverse possibilities, many businesses are using blockchain metaverse solutions for providing their customers enhanced product experience. As the leading metaverse game development company, Nextbrain provides world-class Metaverse development services for a huge spectrum of business sectors in the market. It offers excellent metaverse development solutions to global clients across the globe. The company comprises experienced developers, professionals, and designers providing cutting-edge and effective solutions for helping you create a metaverse platform. The metaverse development solutions are established with security and trust. Metaverse developers offer the best metaverse NFT platform utilizing agile methodologies and advanced tools. With the help of the blockchain metaverse platform, users can build new avatars in 3D space, and conduct trading and bidding. As the top metaverse development company, Nextbrain has experienced metaverse developers who have hands-on experience in offering enterprise-focused solutions to help companies using the metaverse for fashion, gaming, marketing, real estate, and tourism. The developers make the potential usage of technology and development tools to create real-world metaverses. The metaverse development solutions are decentralized networks comprising smart contracts, interoperable standards, full-stack programming, payment wallets, and many more. It has encouraged big enterprises, fashion brands and organizations to adopt metaverse development in business. About Nextbrain Having served clients across different industry verticals with technical expertise and in-depth knowledge, Nextbrain has skilled developers to amplify the metaverse solution for businesses. Being a premier metaverse development company, our company assists in creating unique metaverse solutions catering to meeting requirements. With a strong portfolio, the company stands firmly as an acclaimed metaverse development company that uses skilled knowledge in creating blockchain-driven metaverses. The services encompass augmented reality, virtual reality, NFT marketplaces, metaverse marketplaces, and decentralized metaverse applications. Saran Raj Nextbrain hello@nextbraintech.com +91 80883 21887 Visit us on social media: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Other You just read: EIN Presswire’s priority is source transparency. We do not allow opaque clients, and our editors try to be careful about weeding out false and misleading content. As a user, if you see something we have missed, please do bring it to our attention. Your help is welcome. EIN Presswire, Everyone’s Internet News Presswire, tries to define some of the boundaries that are reasonable in today’s world. Please see our Editorial Guidelines for more information. Submit your press release

US Slaps Sanctions On Russia Technology Sector, Ukraine Proxies – Al Jazeera English https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/us-slaps-sanctions-on-russia-technology-sector-ukraine-proxies-al-jazeera-english/ US added Russian space, technology firms, and the GRU intelligence agency among others to its sanctions list. Published On 16 Sep 202216 Sep 2022 The US has imposed sanctions on a long list of Russian officials and companies, ramping up pressure for the invasion of Ukraine while hoping to hobble any attempt to rebuild its heavily damaged defence sector. Top officials overseeing Russian securities markets operations, a neo-Nazi fighter group, Russian and pro-Russian officials in occupied parts of Ukraine, and a children’s rights official who allegedly directs the removal of Ukrainian children to Russia were all put on the US blacklist on Thursday. The GRU intelligence agency and a top economic adviser to President Vladimir Putin, Maxim Oreshkin, were placed on sanctions lists. In tandem, US sanctions were put on Russian space, computing and technology firms in an effort to cripple Russia’s technology development and stifle its ability to refurbish and modernise its military after broad losses in Ukraine. Five Russian officials were blacklisted for allegedly supporting or enabling the theft by Russians of Ukrainian grain. “The United States continues to hold the Russian government to account for its war against Ukraine,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “Those designated today – from perpetrators of violence to an official facilitating the purposeful removal of children from Ukraine – provide examples of the behaviour that has become synonymous with the government of Russia’s unprovoked war,” he said. ‘Patriotic education’ US Treasury sanctions aim to freeze any assets those designated might have under US jurisdiction and forbid any US individuals or companies – including international banks with US operations – to do business with them, effectively limiting their access to global financial networks. The sanctions singled out justice officials in occupied Crimea and members of Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s family, including three of his wives. The Treasury blacklisted Maria Alexeyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights. Working directly under Putin, the Treasury said, Lvova-Belova has overseen the deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. “Lvova-Belova’s efforts specifically include the forced adoption of Ukrainian children into Russian families, the so-called ‘patriotic education’ of Ukrainian children, legislative changes to expedite the provision of Russian Federation citizenship to Ukrainian children, and the deliberate removal of Ukrainian children by Russia’s forces,” it said. The Treasury also put sanctions on Task Force Rusich, a neo-Nazi paramilitary group fighting in Ukraine and associated with the Wagner mercenary army controlled by close Putin adviser Yevgeny Prigozhin. Targeting Russian tech The US also stepped up its efforts to cut off Russian industry and particularly high-technology entities from the global market, seeking to deprive them of capital and components from abroad. The State Department put 31 companies on its sanctions list, including three involved in building space instrumentation, satellites and space-defence equipment. Others on the list are involved in semiconductor development, nanotechnologies, quantum computing and engine technologies. In addition, the US Commerce and Treasury departments issued bans on the export of quantum computing technology and related software and hardware to Russia and Belarus. The Treasury said that would degrade Moscow’s ability to rebuild its military after heavy losses in the continuing war. “As Ukraine presses forward with defending its freedom, today we’re taking steps to further degrade Russia’s ability to rebuild its military, hold perpetrators of violence accountable, and further financially isolate Putin,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a statement. In the Russian financial sector, sanctions included the heads of key institutions including National Payment Card System (NSPK), which runs the Mir payment card network; the National Settlement Depository; Central Counterparty National Clearing Centre (CCP NCC), which manages settlement for the Moscow stock exchange; and the Deposit Insurance Agency.