Benton County News Now

LUNA Top Crypto Loser, TAMA Presale At $15M – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/luna-top-crypto-loser-tama-presale-at-15m-cryptonews/ Terra LUNA is the biggest crypto loser today, crashing 27%.  Both Terra crypto assets are red on the day, retracing after their recent bull runs. Terra Classic (LUNC) is also down today, dropping 20% – the second highest loser after LUNA. In other altcoin news, ERC-20 token Tamadoge (TAMA) has raised $15 million in its presale. Biggest Crypto Gainers Bitcoin is steadily climbing, with a 3% rally to the upside in the past 24 hours, hitting an intraday high of $22,500 and many altcoins are following – notably Solana is up 7% and one of the top 10 crypto gainers on Binance.  Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) is putting on an even stronger performance, up 13% and breaking into the 5 biggest crypto gainers on Binance since news of its upcoming Coinbase listing broke today.  Top Crypto Trader Shorts LUNC Altcoin Sherpa tweeted out to his 183k followers yesterday that he opened a short position on LUNC, timing the top well. Sell LUNA, Buy TAMA? Retail investors tend to buy the top of bull cycles by FOMO’ing into green candles – by the time Terra (LUNA) and Terra Classic (LUNC) had made mainstream headlines for their explosive run ups in the past weeks, the top was in. One positive for Terra bulls is that the LUNA price has bounced from the daily EMA 8 at $4 as shown on the Terra price chart above. A potentially better way to invest in cryptocurrency is to research new crypto projects at their presale or initial coin offering (ICO) stage, yet to begin trading on crypto exchanges and pump to a high valuation in the billions of dollars. Tamadoge (TAMA) is the native token of an upcoming play to earn crypto game, adopting the aesthetic and mass appeal of dog themed meme coins but having a use case and being deflationary with a low fixed supply – unlike e.g. Dogecoin which has an infinite supply and is inflationary. In that way it addresses some of the issues that faced DOGE and Shiba Inu (SHIB) in that they had little utility or scarcity as reasons to hold them after they achieved fully diluted valuations (FDV) in the tens of billions in mid to late 2021. Learn more about TAMA, its roadmap and team at tamadoge.io. At the time of writing the Tamadoge presale is on pace to sell out this month, with under $4 million remaining before its hard cap of $19 million is hit. Visit Tamadoge Presale

US Lawmakers Question Twitter On Security Practices On Eve Of Whistleblower Testimony – CNN https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/us-lawmakers-question-twitter-on-security-practices-on-eve-of-whistleblower-testimony-cnn/ (CNN Business)US lawmakers sent Twitter more than a dozen questions about its security practices Monday, on the eve of a company whistleblower’s testimony before Congress in which he is expected to outline damning allegations of security and privacy vulnerabilities at the embattled social media company. In a letter addressed to CEO Parag Agrawal, leading members of the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Twitter about the steps the company takes to secure personal data on its platform; how it protects against insider threats and foreign intelligence operatives; and allegations it’s intentionally misled regulators about Twitter’s privacy protections for users, claims that could lead to billions of dollars in fines for Twitter if they are proven. The committee also invited Agrawal to testify alongside the whistleblower, Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, according to a copy of the letter obtained by CNN. But a committee aide told CNN on Monday evening that the official witness list for Tuesday’s hearing remains unchanged and that Zatko continues to be the sole witness, an indication that Twitter has declined the invitation. Twitter (TWTR) didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The letter requests responses from Twitter by Sept. 26. “If accurate, Mr. Zatko’s allegations demonstrate an unacceptable disregard for data security that threatens national security and the privacy of Twitter’s users,” wrote Sens. Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley, the panel’s top Democrat and Republican, in the letter. Zatko, who was Twitter’s head of security from November 2020 until his firing in January, filed a whistleblower disclosure to multiple US government agencies and lawmakers in July. The disclosure was first reported by CNN and The Washington Post in August. It alleges that Twitter lacks many basic internal security measures and grants roughly half of its employees, including all its engineers, privileged access to the company’s live, active service, including actual user data. It claims the company does not reliably delete the data of users who cancel their accounts, and that the company may even now have foreign spies on its payroll despite a US government tip to that effect. Twitter has pushed back on Zatko’s allegations, accusing him of painting a “false narrative” of the company. It has said that while members of its product and engineering teams have the type of access Zatko describes, only those with a specific business justification are permitted to access the live Twitter product. It has also said that Twitter has internal processes to deactivate and to begin deleting the data of users who cancel their accounts, but the company has not said whether it typically completes that process. And the company has not publicly addressed Zatko’s allegations about possible foreign intelligence compromise. The whistleblower disclosure, along with Tuesday’s congressional hearing, sets the stage for deeper probes of Twitter’s business operations just as it is poised to go to trial in an effort to force billionaire Elon Musk to follow through with a $44 billion acquisition he agreed to earlier this year. Musk has alleged, among other things, that Twitter’s failure to disclose the vulnerabilities outlined in Zatko’s whistleblower report is a breach of the acquisition contract Musk and Twitter both signed. Twitter has disputed that claim and has insisted that it is Musk who has breached the contract. The two sides are set to face off at trial in October.

Tech News: 5 Things To Know In Australia Today – Gizmodo Australia https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tech-news-5-things-to-know-in-australia-today-gizmodo-australia-5/ Good morning, hope your week is going well so far. There are a few things happening in the tech world this morning, so let’s dive in. 1. Blue Origin booster suffers fiery anomaly during launch An uncrewed flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital rocket ended in failure shortly after lift-off on Monday morning from Launch Site One in West Texas. The capsule, packed with scientific and technological payloads, managed to survive an apparent booster malfunction, with the launch escape system successfully working as designed. The booster anomaly happened just over one minute after the rocket launched. Booster failure on today’s uncrewed flight. Escape system performed as designed. pic.twitter.com/xFDsUMONTh — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) September 12, 2022 2. Instagrammers aren’t using Reels Instagram looks a lot more like TikTok as of late, but that radical metamorphosis and new focus on short-form video hasn’t translated into TikTok’s ludicrous viewership numbers. In news surprising no one, a leaked report apparently said that Instagram users are not spending much time watching these short-form videos, and even worse, “most Reels users have no engagement whatsoever”. 3. Humans and cockatoos locked in an ‘arms race’ over rubbish Man and bird are waging a fierce battle over the most precious of resources: garbage. Over the past several years, a team of scientists has studied sulphur-crested cockatoo parrots in the area that have learned — and even taught other parrots — how to rob garbage bins around Sydney. Humans have now started to devise their own methods to keep the birds out, to varying degrees of success. There’s science involved, we promise, read more about it here. A cockatoo trying to push off the brick placed to keep it away from the trash it craves. Image: Barbara Klump 4. Climate Council’s 10 steps to beat emissions reduction target The federal government’s climate target is now enshrined in law, meaning that by 2030, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions need to be 43 per cent lower than they were in 2005. A new ‘plug-and-play’ roadmap from the Climate Council has now asked the government to do 10 things in order to reach this target. As the ABC is reporting, this includes moving to 100 per cent renewable grid supply. 5. iOS 16 is here Apple first announced iOS 16 back in June at its annual WWDC developer conference. Some features of the new software include the ability to unsend or edit texts sent via iMessage, (almost) complete Lock Screen customisation, Family sharing (think parental controls), the ability to share photo galleries with family and friends and makeovers to a few existing apps/features/settings. We’ve been using the Beta if you want to know what to try first. It’s available today. BONUS ITEM: We love frogs at Gizmodo Australia, especially the clumsy ones. — Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) September 10, 2022 Have a good one!

Benton Air Quality Alert Extended Due To Wildfire Smoke – Newstalk870.am https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/benton-air-quality-alert-extended-due-to-wildfire-smoke-newstalk870-am/ (Kennewick, WA) — Benton County is currently still experiencing elevated levels of smoke particulate due to wildfires in the region. The pollutant measured is PM2.5; particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is currently at Unhealthy. Changing weather conditions could improve air quality by midweek, but residents should prepare for continued levels of unhealthy air if changing weather patterns don’t move wildfire smoke out of the area. Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes…runny nose…aggravate heart and lung diseases…and aggravate other serious health problems. Limit outdoor activities and keep children indoors if it is smoky. Please follow medical advice if you have a heart or lung condition. Individuals should consider air quality conditions before conducting activities outdoors, especially to those who are sensitive to air pollution. Sensitive groups include older adults, children, people who work or exercise outdoors, and those with heart conditions and respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Everyone else should reduce outdoor activities. · Stay indoors when possible. · Limit your physical activity outdoors, such as running, bicycling, physical labor, and sports. · Close windows in your home, if possible, and keep the indoor air clean. If you have an air conditioner, use the “recirculation” switch. Use an indoor air filter if available. · If you do not have an air conditioner, consider finding a public place with clean, air-conditioned indoor air like a public library or a community center. · N95 or N100 rated masks can help protect some people from air pollution. These masks are usually available at hardware and home repair stores. Please check with your doctor to see if this appropriate for you.

Rental Escapes Launches Monthly Travel Advisor Bonuses – TravelPulse https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/rental-escapes-launches-monthly-travel-advisor-bonuses-travelpulse/ Full-service, luxury villa rental company Rental Escapes has announced a new series of bonus commission rewards for travel advisors as part of the lead-up to its 10-year anniversary celebration, which arrives in December. In recognition of the crucial role that travel agents have played during the company’s decade-long history, their unwavering support and dedication, Rental Escapes will be running a new travel advisor promotion each month through the end of the year. Trending Now This month, travel advisors are being offered a bonus commission amount of up to $2,500 on each booking they make through the end of September, valid on guest stays taken between October 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. These bonus commissions will be paid out, along with the travel advisor’s regular commission payment, upon the client’s departure. “Travel advisors remain our most valued partners and we feel it is important to express our gratitude with a series of celebratory offerings designed to benefit these advisors,” says Willie Fernandez, chief marketing officer of Rental Escapes. “Over the next four months, we will introduce new, month-long offerings that travel advisors can take advantage of to convey our immense appreciation for their support.” Throughout its decade in the business of providing unparalleled private villa rentals around the world, Rental Escapes has continually prioritized its partnerships with the travel advisor community. The company supplies advisors with various online tools to help grow their businesses and has never charged booking fees. Porters Villa in Barbados. (photo courtesy of Rental Escapes) It also offers them the opportunity to work alongside Rental Escapes’ dedicated villa specialists and concierge team to ensure that guests have access to round-the-clock support. And, when working with the concierge team, advisors are even able to earn commission on customized concierge packages created for their clients. When Rental Escapes and travel advisors join forces, they’re able to truly provide guests with matchless vacation experiences and peerless customer care. “Over the last 10 years we have rapidly expanded our unforgettable product offerings, our first-in-class team and our network of loyal travel advisors who have played an essential role in our business,” says Brian Schwimmer, chief executive officer of Rental Escapes. “When creating Rental Escapes, we sought to establish a customer-centric culture, where exceeding travelers’ expectations is the goal. This philosophy has helped forge our relationship with advisors and made Rental Escapes one of the leading luxury villa rental companies in the world today.” For the latest travel news, updates and deals, be sure to subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter here. %

Wall Street Rallies Further Ahead Of Inflation Report – 69News WFMZ-TV https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/wall-street-rallies-further-ahead-of-inflation-report-69news-wfmz-tv/ NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks climbed again Monday, as Wall Street made its final moves ahead of a high-stakes report that will hopefully show inflation hammered the economy less hard last month. The S&P 500 rose 43.05, or 1.1%, to 4,110.41 for its fourth straight gain. That’s its longest winning streak since July, in the early days of the market’s bounce back from its battering earlier in the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 229.63, or 0.7%, to 32,381.34, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 154.10, or 1.3%, to 12,266.41. The nation’s punishingly high inflation, and the steps the Federal Reserve is taking to combat it, have been the driving forces on Wall Street all year. Economists expect a report on Tuesday to show that prices for consumers were 8.1% higher in August than a year earlier, but that inflation was not as bad as July’s 8.5% rate. A slowdown would bolster hopes that inflation topped out in June at 9.1% and is on its way back down. That in turn could allow the Federal Reserve to avoid a worst-case scenario for markets, where it jacks short-term interest rates up to recession-causing levels and holds them there a long time. “This week is going to be very telling,” said James Demmert, founder and managing partner at Main Street Research. Beyond Tuesday’s headliner report on inflation at the consumer level, a report on Wednesday is expected to show inflation slowed at the wholesale level last month. A report the following day will show how U.S. households have altered their spending amid high inflation, while a Friday report will show how much inflation households are preparing for in upcoming years. They’re all crucial data points for the Federal Reserve as it mulls how much to raise interest rates at its meeting next week. Fed officials have loudly reaffirmed recently their plans to raise rates enough to slow the economy, plus their commitment to keeping rates high for long enough to ensure the job is done on inflation. But with Tuesday’s report possibly continuing a trend, many investors and economists are hopeful that inflation could return to more “normal” levels quickly, unlike the 1970s, when it took many years. Jonathan Golub, chief U.S. equity strategist at Credit Suisse, wrote in a report that investors and economists expect inflation to collapse within the next 12 to 18 months. Markets are fairly convinced the Fed will hike its key short-term interest rate by a hefty 0.75 percentage points next week for the third straight meeting. But the hope is that an easing of inflation will allow the Federal Reserve to successfully tiptoe the narrow pathway for a “soft landing” of the economy. That’s where higher rates slow the economy enough to halt inflation but not so much as to cause a scarring recession. Higher rates hurt the economy by making it more expensive to buy a house, a car or anything else bought on credit. They also push down on prices for stocks, bonds and other investments. Many traders are forecasting the Fed will begin downshifting the size of its rate increases after next week through the end of the year, before potentially keeping rates steady through the first half of 2023. Of course, such hopes could also be setting Wall Street up for disappointment. The economy has given head fakes on inflation before, with hopes percolating that a peak has passed only to begin accelerating again. Demmert said the broader market is looking for inflation to not just peak, but to start cooling meaningfully. He said the strong hopes for Tuesday’s inflation report are likely “not going to be healthy for stocks.” Wall Street economists are still split on whether the U.S. economy will fall into a recession next year because of higher interest rates and other factors. The Fed has already raised short-term rates four times this year, and its aggressive moves have helped the value of the U.S. dollar soar against many other foreign currencies. A strong dollar helps to limit inflation at home by pushing down on prices for commodities and imports, but it can also hurt profits for U.S. companies that have a lot of sales coming from overseas. The dollar gave up some of its gains on Monday after slipping against the euro, British pound and several others. Treasury yields were mixed. The 10-year Treasury yield, which helps control where mortgages and rates for other loans are heading, is back at 3.34%, close to its highest level in more than a decade. The two-year yield, which tends to track expectations for Fed action, held steady at 3.56%. It remains close to its highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis. In the stock market, the vast majority of stocks rallied. Energy producers were close to the top of the leaderboard, benefiting from climbing oil prices. Bristol-Myers Squibb gained 3.1% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500 after federal regulators approved its treatment for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Healthy Living For ME Recognizes September As Falls Prevention Awareness Month – The County https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/healthy-living-for-me-recognizes-september-as-falls-prevention-awareness-month-the-county/ AdobeStock_87836936 (AdobeStock) (AdobeStock) September is Falls Prevention Awareness Month, a time to recognize the impact that falls have on the lives of millions of Americans each year and take steps to prevent falls.  The U.S. CDC reports that each year one in four adults over the age of 65 experiences a fall. Additionally, the National Council on Aging reports that an older adult is seen in an emergency room every 11 seconds due to a fall-related injury.   “Healthy Living for ME is actively making a difference for Mainers who are at risk for falls. Through workshops and resource connections, network partners throughout the state are helping Mainers reduce their risk of falls and improve their quality of life,” said Jennifer Fortin, training & fidelity manager of Healthy Living for ME. “During this Falls Prevention Awareness Month, we encourage Mainers to assess their own risk for falls and have conversations about preventing falls with loved ones who may be at risk.”   In May 2022, Healthy Living for ME announced that over 2,100 Mainers had participated in the network’s falls prevention workshops, with 98 percent of participants reporting they have made positive changes due to their experience.   In 2022, Healthy Living for ME will be marking Falls Prevention Awareness month with several events in addition to the network’s regularly offered falls prevention workshops.   Falls Prevention Awareness Week is held during the awareness month, Sept. 18-24. During this week, Healthy Living for ME will be holding two public drop-in events to provide free balance assessments and information/resources to Mainers.   Aroostook Agency on Aging will partner with HL4ME during the Falls Prevention Awareness Month to host several events including regional informational sessions, as well as several demonstration events for ongoing wellness classes that are designed to improve balance, strength, and mobility to prevent falls. For a complete listing of September events in Aroostook County, please visit www.aroostookaging or call 207-764-3396/800-439-1789.  Among the factors that may put someone at risk for falls are balance and gait, as well as the presence of chronic conditions that lead to inactivity or pain. Throughout the year, the Healthy Living for ME network offers free and low-cost evidence-based workshops that can help adult Mainers of all ages prevent falls through addressing balance, flexibility, and activity levels. These include A Matter of Balance, Tai Chi for Health and Balance, Bingocize, and EnhanceFitness.   To learn more about these workshops, to register for one, or to make a referral, visit Healthy Living for ME’s website at www.healthylivingforme.org, call at 1-800-620-6036, or send an email to info@healthylivingforme.org.  Healthy Living for ME is a statewide network of local organizations, health systems and volunteers that work together to empower individuals to take control of their health. Through tailored services, we provide free and low-cost options that are personalized to focus on the entire individual rather than a single condition to improve overall quality of life. Thank you for reading your 4 free articles this month. To continue reading, and support local, rural journalism, please subscribe.

Boxing News: WBA Joins The Court Of Arbitration For Sport » September 12, 2022 – Fight News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/boxing-news-wba-joins-the-court-of-arbitration-for-sport-september-12-2022-fight-news/ Skip to content September 12, 2022 Boxing News The World Boxing Association (WBA) officially joined the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Court was originally created in 1984 to settle disputes at that year’s Olympic Games. However, time has led to its to growth and to encompass different branches in the global arena. “The WBA has long been pursuing access to CAS as a way to give new resources of justice and transparency to boxers and everyone involved in the sport. We are very happy to have entered this system and deliver a new resource to all. CAS is a very respectable institution that has been involved in anti-doping cases, cases related to FIFA World Cups or decisions in Olympic Games. Undoubtedly, it will bring many benefits,” said WBA President Gilberto Jesús Mendoza. The CAS has its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, but also has courts in New York, United States; in Sydney, Australia; in Panama City, among other places. The entry of the WBA into this system is a way to resolve conflicts once internal resources have been exhausted. The entity makes its entry effective and formally establishes that its decisions can be appealed through CAS, so that the ruling of this body will be definitive and final. Athletes or any interested party may appeal by their own means in any of the three available languages (English, French and Spanish) and appoint their own lawyer to proceed. Top Boxing News PLEASE READ We have a few rules to make our comment section more enjoyable for everyone. 1. Keep comments related to boxing. 2. Be respectful, polite and keep it clean. 3. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. Offending posts will be removed. Repeat offenders will be put on moderation.

Bored Ape NFT Metaverse Band Taps Beyoncé, Bruno Mars Producers – Decrypt https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bored-ape-nft-metaverse-band-taps-beyonce-bruno-mars-producers-decrypt/ In brief Kingship, a virtual band based on Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT artwork, has named Hit-Boy and James Fauntleroy its co-executive producers and songwriters. Universal Music Group’s 10:22PM label created the group in partnership with NFT collector Jimmy “j1mmy” McNelis, who owns the NFTs. Universal Music Group announced today that its virtual metaverse band, Kingship—which features characters based on Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT artwork—has tapped a pair of very real music producers that have created hits for superstars like Beyoncé, Jay Z, and Bruno Mars. The veteran producers—Chauncey “Hit-Boy” Hollis and James Fauntleroy—will take the roles of co-executive producers and songwriters behind the Bored Ape band, and work to create music for the NFT-inspired characters to perform in videos and immersive online metaverse worlds. Kingship hails from UMG’s 10:22PM label and was created by label head Celine Joshua. The characters in the band are based on Bored Ape Yacht Club and Mutant Ape Yacht Club NFTs licensed from notable collector Jimmy “j1mmy” McNelis. It’s similar to the seminal virtual band Gorillaz, albeit with a handful of valuable NFTs used as source material. Hit-Boy is a well-known hip-hop producer and three-time Grammy winner who has produced hit singles for artists like Beyoncé, Kanye West, Rihanna, Jay Z, and Ariana Grande. Fauntleroy, meanwhile, is best known as a four-time Grammy-winning songwriter for artists like Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, and Justin Timberlake, plus he’s produced music for various other musicians. A recent Kingship teaser video, released in August to mark a promotion with the M&M’s candy brand, offered the first taste of their musical contributions to the project. In July, Kingship released its own NFT project, launching 5,000 Ethereum key cards that provide special access to exclusive content and token-gated future experiences. An NFT is a blockchain token that represents ownership of a digital item, and can be used for things like artwork, Bored Ape-style profile pictures, collectibles, and access passes to online communities and live events. The NFT market swelled to $25 billion worth of trading volume in 2021, per data from DappRadar. The Bored Ape Yacht Club is arguably the best-known project in the space, racking up billions of dollars’ worth of trading volume while amassing numerous celebrity and athlete holders. Yuga Labs, the creator of the Ethereum project, raised $450 million earlier this year at a $4 billion valuation, and is working on its own metaverse game called Otherside. Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT holders are given broad rights to use their owned images to create and sell derivative artwork and products. Some owners have used their Bored Ape imagery for things like fast food restaurants, cannabis and alcohol packaging, toys, and apparel. UMG and 10:22PM aren’t the only creators that see opportunity at the intersection of Bored Apes and music: Storied producer and Ape owner Timbaland has also produced music from Bored Ape-based artists. He also released a single as his Bored Ape and sold NFTs of the music video itself. Meanwhile, rappers Eminem and Snoop Dogg—also both Bored Ape NFT owners—recently released a collaborative single called “From The D 2 The LBC” that features their Ape images in the music video. They also performed the song live via 3D Ape avatars at the MTV Video Music Awards, and sold limited-edition merchandise based on their NFT characters. Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

16 Best Free Competitive Games You Can Play On Nintendo Switch – Gameranx https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/16-best-free-competitive-games-you-can-play-on-nintendo-switch-gameranx/ Get competitive. Are you looking to scratch that competitive itch? In this list, we’re looking at some of the best available free competitive games on the Nintendo Switch. From battle royale games to revamp classics, there’s something in here for everyone. #16 Roller Champions A free-to-play Ubisoft Original title that trades guns for roller skates. Roller Champions pits teams of three against each other to take a ball, maintain a lap whilst keeping hold of the ball, dodge opponents to then score. If you keep hold of the ball for more laps, your team will score more points. Customize your characters, gain fans and compete in the best arenas. Now’s the time to show who’s the champ.  #15 Super Animal Royale Battle royale with cute animals? I’m in! Super Animal Royale is a 64-player, top-down 2D battle royale game where various (aggressive) animals will face off against each other in a race to become the number one. Search for and collect your weapons of choice and shoot your way to victory. Play solo or team up as a squad of four, the choice is yours. Unlock hundreds of different animal breeds and customize them with thousands of cosmetic items, outfits and umbrellas! What’s better? IT’s consistently being updated to include bigger and better content.  #14 Paladins A free-to-play fantasy game that already has a 50+ million player base. Paladins is a fantasy team shooter similar to the likes of Overwatch. Choose your desired champion from a large selection, all with their own attributes and special moves. This game gives you a little more customisation regarding your abilities though, with the option to choose your desired core abilities. On top of that, Paladins allows you to choose what your playstyle is with the deck-building system. Choose from dozens of cards to create your perfect champion.    #13 Knockout City Despite its name, Knockout City is not a boxing game or a punch-em-out game. No, this is a game that features epic dodgeball battles. Team up and battle against rival crews in this intense but mega-fun team-based multiplayer game. Customise your character, form your own crew and take on the world. Knock out opponents with cool trick shots and coordinated teamwork, dodge flying balls and even become a ball yourself.. Yes, I said what I said. A variety of ball types, locations and game modes will keep you entertained for hours to come. Not to mention each season comes with new maps, balls, rewards and events. So, get to it. If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.  #12 Super Bomberman R Online Who remembers playing the classic that is Bomberman? Facing off against 3 other friends to become the champ? Well, Super Bomberman R has taken that to the extreme with the classic Bomberman gameplay we know and love supercharged to 64 players online. Customise your character with outfits and bomb skins and pick up exciting power-ups to give you the advantage. Nintendo Switch online subscribers will be able to download this free of charge. So go on, get downloading one of the most addictive games out there.  #11 Pac-Man 99 Similarly to the above, Pac-Man 99 is available for free as a special offer to Nintendo Switch Online members. Again, taking everything we love about the original Pac-Man games and making it into a hectic battle royale game. Roam the maze, avoid ghosts (or eat them) and stay alive, all whilst you’re playing against 98 other players. Collect power-ups to knock your opponents off your tail and become the champ. Not only that, but there are a range of game modes to explore, including offline play so there is something for everyone. Sounds hectic, right? It is. But, it’s a ton of fun.  #10 Rogue Company A third-person tactical action shooter that tasks you with defeating enemies in objective and action based game modes. Explore exotic locales, take out the enemy team is thrilling gun-play and cause many explosions. Rogue Company features 4v4 and 6v6 game modes such as King of the Hill, Strikeout and Demolition or see how you fare in more competitive ranked modes. Each player has their own unique set of skills, weapons and gadgets, allowing you to choose your own play style. Do you prefer to get up close and personal? Get yourself a katana. Or maybe you prefer to lurk in the dark with a sniper rifle? What’s better though is that all rogues can be unlocked for free, with no in-game purchases necessary. Just playing the game is enough.  #9 World of Tanks Blitz The 3D tank shooter features a 7×7 format that can be enjoyed both on your own or with friends. Featuring over 350 unique combat vehicles with elaborate 3D models and historically accurate vehicles, this will be a blast. Over 25 battle arenas are at your disposal with a well-developed progression system which allows you to research vehicles from Tier 1 tanks to mighty Tier X machines. A range of in-game events await you that allow you to unlock rare vehicles and offer a different gameplay experience. If you like your heavy vehicles, this one’s for you. #8 Ninjala Ever wanted to be a ninja? Well, now is the perfect time. Up to 8 players compete is a battle royale-style match to be the best of the best. The player who earns the most points throughout the course of the match will be crowned the winner. Defeat opponents, collect items, destroy drones and more to score the points that will allow you to be the winner. Ninjala also features cooperative play in a 4-on-4 team battle where you must work together to gain a higher score than the enemy team. Of course, what would it be without a form of customisation? Players can use a variety of costumes and accessories to create their own unique look for their character. Perfect! #7 Smite The ever-growing popular action multiplayer online battle arena game Smite is free-to-play on the Nintendo Switch! Choose from over 100 Gods to play as and unleash pain and suffering on your opponent’s. You name it, you can play it! Zeus, Thor, Monkey King – all playable. Featuring an auto-buy and auto-level mechanic, Smite makes it super easy to jump in on the action. With different game modes and unlockables, what’s not to love about this MOBA that already has over 35+ million players. Join the ranks! #6 Brawlhalla An epic platform fighter for up to 8 players online or locally. Featuring casual free-for-alls, more competitive ranked matches and even private battles with friends, Brawlhalla is a blast. With over 50 legends to choose from and customisable options on all of them, you are bound to find one you love. With themed events including famous Street Fighter characters as well as it being cross-platform, there are many reasons to play Brawlhalla. #5 Fortnite Do we really even need to describe Fortnite at this point? The game that blew up has become a phenomenon around the world. It’s also a key battle royale game available on just about every mainline platform. Players drop into the map and scavenge for resources, build up structures, and attempt to take out the competition. Meanwhile, the map continues to shrink down in size, forcing every player to move just a bit closer to one another. So if this game has somehow slipped past your radar, give it a download and try it out today. #4 Fall Guys Fall Guys took the world by storm when it was released on PlayStation 4 back in 2020, heading straight onto PlayStation Plus, and the world went wild for it. Offering a different type of battle royale experience that doesn’t include guns and killing, instead Fall Guys has players partaking in various mini-games to see who comes out on top. Race games, team games and even memory games will be among the many you need to master in order to win. Think of ninja Warrior mixed with Takeshi’s Castle. The game recently came to Nintendo Switch consoles with Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout, a free-to-play version of the game. Will you come out with the crown? Go find out!  #3 Apex Legends For the lovers of Fortnite that want a more competitive style of play, there is Apex Legends. Each character has a background and lore from the Titanfall universe with their own unique abilities. No matter how you play, there will be a legend for you. If you prefer to stay back and heal your teammates, there’s Lifeline with her useful healing drone. If you prefer to rush into the fight and do as much damage as possible, there’s Wraith who can phase to avoid any incoming damage. Unlike Fortnite, there is no option to join a 4 man squad but instead they have 3 man and duos for battle royale or there are Arenas which is a round based elimination type game mode. There are always new events with limited time game modes and skin cosmetics for you to obtain along with customizations for your banner so you always look good when you wipe out the enemy squads.  #2 Rocket League A game of football with a twist. Rocket League is an arcade-style soccer game where instead of controlling people, you control cars. Yes, that’s right. Boost, jump, bash your way to the ball in order to knock it into the net. Unlock various items in their version of a battle pass with the Rocket Pass, test your skill in competitive tournaments, complete challenges, or just have some relaxing fun with friends. It’s a ton of fun, and it features cross-platform progression and play. Now is the best time to play, what are you waiting for? Shoot your shot! #1 Tetris 99 Another Nintendo Switch Online offering, Tetris 99 pits 99 players together in an all out Tetris Frenzy. All 99 players are playing a game of Tetris at the same time. The goal? To survive for longer than the others. Dominate your opponents by clearing your own grid as quickly as possible, making more drops for other players. Various times events are held which hold awesome prizes too, which is awesome! It’s stress...

Purpose Investments Comments On Plan For Crypto Funds Following Ethereum Merge – Yahoo Finance https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/purpose-investments-comments-on-plan-for-crypto-funds-following-ethereum-merge-yahoo-finance/ Purpose Investments Inc. TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”) announced today its plan for the upcoming Ethereum Merge (the “Merge”), the Ethereum network’s transition to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, which is expected to be completed in the coming days. The exact timing of the Merge, based on timelines provided by the Ethereum Foundation, is expected to occur by September 20, 2022, with current estimates pointing to September 15, 2022. Following the Merge, Purpose’s three funds with exposure to Ethereum—Purpose Ether ETF (TSX ticker: ETHH), Purpose Ether Yield ETF (TSX ticker: ETHY), and Purpose Crypto Opportunities ETF (TSX ticker: CRYP)—will continue to obtain exposure to Ether, which is defined as the native unit of account within the Ethereum network. Given the support the transition to PoS has received from both the Ethereum Foundation and the broader Ethereum community, Purpose funds expect to only hold Ether as a unit of currency for the Ethereum network that will operate using a PoS consensus mechanism post-Merge. In the event of one or more proof-of-work forks, Purpose plans to monetize the forked asset(s) as soon as reasonably practicable in light of market conditions, risks, and the infrastructure available to execute. Purpose intends to re-invest any proceeds from the sale of Ether PoW into Ether PoS to align with the funds’ objectives. Following its launch of the world’s first spot Bitcoin ETF last year, Purpose has become a world leader in digital asset management. Its crypto ETFs are industry favourites for retail investors and institutions alike across the globe in part because of their ability to accurately track performance to the underlying crypto tokens, giving the funds a competitive advantage over futures-based products and non-redeemable trusts. Following the Merge, Purpose is excited to continue to bridge gaps between the crypto community and the traditional financial services sector to reduce friction that investors have in accessing the crypto space. Purpose remains committed to educating investors about this emerging new asset class and routinely publishes timely research and digital asset thought leadership on its cryptocurrency education hub, Purpose Crypto Corner. If you are interested in learning more about the Merge and how Purpose believes it might affect investors, please check out Purpose Crypto Corner’s Ether 101 whitepaper, Intro to Staking primer, and articles on Ethereum’s triple halving, what investors should know about the Merge, and the benefits of staking. To learn more about Purpose Ether funds, please click here: Purpose Crypto Funds. About Purpose Investments Purpose Investments is an asset management company with more than $13 billion in assets under management. Purpose has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation, and offers a range of outcome-focused products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company. For further information please contact: Keera Hart Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com 905-580-1257 The content of this document is for informational purposes only, and is not being provided in the context of an offering of any securities described herein, nor is it a recommendation or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security. The information is not investment advice, nor is it tailored to the needs or circumstances of any investor. Information contained in this document is believed to be accurate and reliable, however, we cannot guarantee that it is complete or current at all times. The information provided is subject to change without notice. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

Many Fleeing Russian Troops Near Kharkiv Have Exited Ukraine -U.S. Official – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/many-fleeing-russian-troops-near-kharkiv-have-exited-ukraine-u-s-official-reuters/ Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com WASHINGTON, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Russia has largely ceded its gains near Kharkiv and many of the withdrawing Russian soldiers have exited Ukraine, moving over the border back into Russia, a senior U.S. military official said on Monday. As it pulls back, the United States has seen anecdotal reports of Russian forces abandoning their equipment, “which could be indicative of Russia’s disorganized command and control,” the U.S. military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The remarks to Pentagon reporters followed a weekend of rapid gains for Ukrainian forces. Ukraine’s general staff said its soldiers had recaptured more than 20 towns and villages in just the past day, as Ukrainian forces swept deeper into territory seized from fleeing Russian troops. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The U.S. military official was upbeat, but cautious, when describing the Ukrainian advances. “It’s clear they’re fighting hard,” the official said, citing progress in the south and east to reclaim territory. Ukraine said it repelled attempted Russian advances in two important areas of the Donetsk region – the city of Bakhmut and Maiorsk, near the coal-producing town of Horlivka, the general staff said in an evening update. But the senior U.S. military official said Russia was still focusing its firepower on Bakhmut. “We continue to see heavy use of artillery and airstrikes,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Vitaly Ganchev, the Russian-installed head of Moscow’s occupation administration in what remained of Russian-held territory in the Kharkiv region, acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had broken through to the frontier. The official did not say how many withdrawing Russian forces had left Ukrainian territory and exited to Russia but described a significant pullback. “On the ground in the vicinity of Kharkiv we assess that Russian forces have largely ceded their gains to the Ukrainians and have withdrawn to the north and east. Many of these forces have moved over the border into Russia,” the official said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Lisa Shumaker Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Idrees Ali Thomson Reuters National security correspondent focusing on the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Reports on U.S. military activity and operations throughout the world and the impact that they have. Has reported from over two dozen countries to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of the Middle East, Asia and Europe. From Karachi, Pakistan.

Tech Panel Pushes ‘new Public-Private Model’ For Competition With China – Federal News Network https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tech-panel-pushes-new-public-private-model-for-competition-with-china-federal-news-network/ A new group convened to study strategic technology competition issues facing the United States is urging policymakers to establish a “new public-private model” for marshaling U.S. resources in the emerging tech race with China. The first report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) follows up on many of the same themes and ideas from the influential National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, but with a broader lens toward technologies beyond AI. The NSCAI was… READ MORE A new group convened to study strategic technology competition issues facing the United States is urging policymakers to establish a “new public-private model” for marshaling U.S. resources in the emerging tech race with China. The first report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) follows up on many of the same themes and ideas from the influential National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, but with a broader lens toward technologies beyond AI. The NSCAI was established in 2018 and issued its final report in March 2021. The SCSP is staffed by many former commission employees. Its chairman is Eric Schmidt, the former Google chief executive who was co-chairman of the NSCAI. The other co-chairman of the commission, former Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work, also serves on the SCSP’s board of advisors. The primary thread throughout the SCSP’s first report is an imperative to win the technology competition with China. “This is a real technical competition,” Work said on a call with reporters today. “It is absolutely critical to the future of our country as well as democracies worldwide. And we must win it. And this [report] starts to give recommendations on how we organize ourselves for the competition, and how we win it.” The report posits that “2025-2030 represents a critical window where tech trends and strategic competition will come to a head in the contest.” “If we want to alter the trajectory of the competition, we must organize now,” the report states. The SCSP suggests that “America is prime for moonshots,” and suggests the lack of such a national objective has led to weaknesses in the current tech ecosystem. “If the U.S. government steps forward to set grand technology objectives, it can spur national enthusiasm, galvanize the private sector to action, and accelerate innovation in strategic sectors,” the report states. The report also argues the United States came close to missing the strategic significance of microelectronics, fifth-generation wireless networks and artificial intelligence “because no one in government was responsible for identifying strategically relevant technologies and making sure the United States had a plan to build them.” “The United States cannot continue to shoot behind the target on the next critical technologies, such as biotechnology, smart manufacturing, and new energy production and storage,” the report states, adding, “going forward America, must be able to get ahead of the target in defining critical technologies.” During today’s call with reporters, both Schmidt and Work pointed to how new technologies are being used in the war in Ukraine, where biometric databases have been able to identify Russian soldiers accused of war crimes, commercial satellites are providing internet connections and small drones are being used in a range of military operations. “Most of the military people I’ve talked with over the years have talked about this in principle, but we see it in action,” Schmidt said. “And I can just report that based on my small amount of data that the Ukrainian tech industry really did make a contribution to the fight.” Schmidt also argued the recently signed CHIPS and Science Act — a $280 billion package to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research — cannot be seen as the final stroke in strategic technology efforts. “In practice, of course, this is just the beginning,” he said. “Our analysis of what China is doing indicates that they’re serious.” ‘New public-private model’ The report calls for building a “national process for horizon scanning for emerging technologies and rivals’ strategies that draws on a range of experts,” suggesting it use a combination of government, industry and academia representatives. “The necessary elements are already in place,” the report states. “America possess immense talent in this space – horizon scanning elements already exist everywhere from investment banks and think tanks to universities and venture capital funds. Folding voluntary private sector experts into an unclassified strategy process that produces ‘business intelligence’ would mark a step change in the U.S. understanding of international rivals.” It also calls on the government to “curate national action plans for strategic technologies that set bold technology goals and prime the ecosystem for diffusion and adoption.” Agencies can also expand on information sharing efforts with the private sector to help spur more technology developments and adoption, according to the SCSP. “The government can help identify strategic technology areas and incentivize private investment and action,” the report states. “Incentives can come in setting moonshots, regulatory updates, de-risking investment, or a targeted technology fund.” The report also proposes the creation of a new entity akin to the National Economic Council or National Security Council to serve as an “intuitional home to make a new public-private model a reality for sustained long-term technology competition.” The report says two specific ideas are “worthy of further study”: a proposal in the House to create a Technology Competitiveness Council (an idea from the NSCAI’s final report), and a bill in the Senate to create an “Office of Global Competition Analysis.” In both cases, the new office would be established within the White House. The report also suggests a legislative branch agency akin to the Congressional Research Service, or a new federally funded research and development center, could be provide a valuable analysis, although limited in its ability to implement policy. The SCSP also delves into suggestions for how the United States should govern the use of artificial intelligence. Rather than creating new regulatory bodies, the SCSP is recommending policymakers “empower and modernize” existing regulatory agencies who oversee AI technologies and industries. “Existing regulatory bodies have the sector expertise that allows for tailoring rules, ensuring AI governance complements existing non-AI governance, and assessing impacts,” the report states. “However, we must identify the resources these agencies currently lack to address regulatory challenges posed by AI. Because existing regulatory bodes were created in a different technology era, the United States needs to modernize them for a new AI era.”

Driver, Passenger Dodge Doom After DUI Into Benton Canal – Newstalk870.am https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/driver-passenger-dodge-doom-after-dui-into-benton-canal-newstalk870-am/ DUI into canal (BCSO) DUI into canal (BCSO) loading… Benton County Deputies arrested a driver after they plowed their truck into an irrigation canal, presumably late Friday night.    Driver, and passenger, able to swim away safely despite fast-moving water The BCSO reports the driver ‘diverted’ from the road, and dumped the truck into a main feeder irrigation canal near Griffin and Snipes Roads, about ten miles northwest of Prosser and just east of Sunnyside. Despite the usually brisk moving water, both occupants were able to get out and swim away, they were treated at the scene by paramedics. BCSO Deputies say the driver was found to be intoxicated and will be facing charges. Truck pulled from canal (BCSO) Truck pulled from canal (BCSO) loading… The next day, tow crews had to extricate the truck with help from Columbia Basin Dive Rescue. Fortunately, they were not seriously harmed. Many people over the years have drowned after falling or driving vehicles into these larger canals. Col Basin Dive Rescue helping pull out truck (BCSO) Col Basin Dive Rescue helping pull out truck (BCSO) loading… READ ON: Weird, wild UFO sightings from throughout history

This State Park Is Home To An Abandoned Girl Scout Camp – TheTravel https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/this-state-park-is-home-to-an-abandoned-girl-scout-camp-thetravel/ Wayne County, New York, is home to Beechwood State Park, which boasts 3,500 feet of undeveloped, unmarked shoreline along Lake Ontario. The park spans 315 acres. Beechwood, located not far from Chimney Bluffs State Park, served as a Girl Scout camp for nearly 70 years before closing in the mid-1990s. Beechwood State Park has minimal infrastructure outside its two parking areas. While the entire Girl Scout camp may be abandoned and falling apart into the surrounding forest, it still manages to pique the interest of curious visitors. Beechwood State Park And Its Curious History In 1929, the Girl Scouts of America established Beechwood State Park as Camp Beechwood. Located in the northern Finger Lakes, this 150-acre plot featured a stunning forest and, back in the day, a fantastic beach on Lake Ontario. Over the subsequent seven decades, this camp became an institution that countless young women looked forward to attending every summer before its termination in the mid-1990s due to dwindling participation and rising costs. The state purchased the site for the park in 1999. However, they, too, were experiencing financial difficulties and decided to turn the area into a preserve though it still bears the designation of “state park.” The town of Sodus is responsible for park maintenance at the moment. The park’s current size is a little under 300 acres, thanks to an extra 146 acres added over the past two decades after the state purchased the site. Even though the grounds and buildings remain abandoned, a caretaker and hidden cameras provide security and defend the park from vandals. What To Enjoy At Beechwood State Park? Beechwood State Park is a must-see for those who like exploring abandoned locations. There are several camping circles in Beechwood, some in better condition than others. Particularly dilapidated are the slightly-different cabins at the park’s edge, where the main road ends. Travelers will pass some other derelict structures along the road that, from the outside, look like they might be worth exploring in their own right. Just beyond these makeshift dwellings, the trail takes a sharp right and drops steeply to Lake Ontario. Pioneer Lodge, perched high above the lake, is a stunning structure lacking special finishing touches—like windows—but it nonetheless has a timeless, rural allure. In its heyday, the lodge’s prime location was not on a hill overlooking the lake. Over the past ninety years, the lake has reclaimed nearly 100 feet of land due to erosion. There was once a stunning beach right below the property; presently, only a narrow strip of stony beach extends out into the lake from where the forest once stood. A different trail in the park may reach two more historic buildings; one of them, a tiny lodge, is particularly stunning because of its elevated position above Lake Ontario. The smaller lodge and the nearby Pixie Playhouse are two of the most picturesque locations in the entire park. Beechwood State Park is also notable for allowing free camping throughout the entire park. Campers should notify the park’s maintenance supervisor upon arrival to let him know they intend to spend the night there, although reservations are not required. Campers are welcome to pitch their tents wherever they please or spread out sleeping bags in any of the remaining buildings. But there are some guidelines to follow. What Else Is There To Do In The Area? Beechwood State Park is not a swimming destination. If one is in the mood for a swim, head further down Lake Road to Sodus Point Beach Park. Located at the very end of Sodus Point, Wayne County’s Sodus Point Beach Park is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. The newly restored park offers activities for the entire family. Free activities for visitors include sunbathing, picnicking, swimming, and using the brand-new playground. The renovated bathhouse, the greenway route, and the repositioned bayside beach make Sodus Point Park the ideal site to appreciate the splendor of Lake Ontario. From late June to Labor Day, supervised swimming is available on the lakeside, and bayside beaches from 11 am to 7 pm. The Lighthouse Museum at Sodus Point also hosts an annual summer outdoor concert series, which is now in its 27th year. Every Sunday from July 4th to Labor Day weekend, people go to the museum’s rolling lawn to bask in the lake breeze and listen to musical performances ranging from choral to jazz to oldies to Big Band to symphonic. After a concert has ended, there are abundant, exciting activities to enjoy. Visitors can take advantage of the self-guided walking tour to learn more about the fascinating past and exciting present of Sodus Point and to see for themselves what makes this destination such an excellent vacation spot. How to arrive at Beechwood state park: From Route 104/Ridge Road, take Route 14 north to Sodus Point. Turn left/west onto Lake Road and travel 2 miles along it. Shortly after passing Halcus Road (on the left), the parking lot entrance will be on the right. Where to stay: In the heart of Sodus Point’s charming downtown, guests of the Lummis St. Bungalow will find everything they need for a memorable vacation with friends and family. Off of Bay St., the tranquil and friendly Lummis St. offers stunning views of Great Sodus Bay. %

Ducey Administration Reduces State Government Office Space, Increases Work Efficiency – Chamber Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/ducey-administration-reduces-state-government-office-space-increases-work-efficiency-chamber-business-news/ September 12, 2022 3 min read Throughout Gov. Doug Ducey’s eight years as Arizona governor, the state has reduced its footprint of occupied government office space by about 750,000 square feet, increasing efficiency and lowering costs. This initiative accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when workers found themselves adapting to hybrid and remote work. Before the pandemic started, “less than 10 percent of state employees participated in some level of remote work, either full-time from a virtual office or periodic telecommuting. That number has surged to 41 percent.” In the last two years, the state government has invested in downsizing its office space by consolidating natural resource agencies into one building, with six state agencies to join them. This has allowed the state to move out of six buildings, now assigned for demolition. Additionally, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System downsized from two buildings into one and moved the majority of its employees to virtual offices. That move alone saved $1.2 million. The Department of Education, Office of Tourism, and Department of Economic Security will also be relocated from rental spaces to offices owned by the state. Since 2020, these actions have saved the government more than $9 million in rental costs and “nearly $139 million in deferred maintenance costs.”  The transition to remote work has also come with benefits to the environment, as “the reduction in commutes averted 91,165 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 81.48 tons of nitrogen oxides from the air.” Many government employees have moved into Arizona’s Connected Workspace, which Ducey unveiled last Wednesday. The Governor’s Office described the new complex as a “state-of-the-art hub for the more than 15,000 state employees who work remotely.” From the Office of the Arizona Governor The new workplace is designed to be ready for hybrid work environments, as Arizonans look for jobs that allow for remote work. To meet these goals, the new facility comes equipped with “capabilities for video conferencing, interactive whiteboards, a variety of conference rooms and collaborative huddle spaces, personal item lockers, and a fully stocked snack and beverage bar with a self-checkout kiosk.” Currently, the state has the smallest “government headcount in a quarter century with 32,000 employees.” However, in the last decade, Arizona’s population has drastically increased and the state has been faced with the task of maximizing resources to serve residents more effectively. This goal of increasing government efficiency has long been a priority of Gov. Ducey, who promised “he would shrink government and grow businesses” during his first state of the state address in 2015.  The Arizona Department of Administration, led by Director Andy Tobin, will manage Arizona’s Connected Workspace and continue to oversee the consolidation of Arizona’s state work environment.

George Clooney Is Living His Best Life At 61 And These Are His Secrets — Eat This Not That – Eat This, Not That https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/george-clooney-is-living-his-best-life-at-61-and-these-are-his-secrets-eat-this-not-that-eat-this-not-that/ Take one look at George Clooney’s life, and it’s clear he’s doing many things right. In fact, the actor, filmmaker, twice dubbed “Sexiest Man Alive” by PEOPLE, and family man admits he has much to be thankful for. “Every single day of my life, I just feel lucky. Lucky in my career. Lucky enough to have found the perfect partner. Sometimes in life it doesn’t happen on your schedule, but you find the person that you were always supposed to be with,” Clooney shares with The Hollywood Reporter. Read on to learn more about how George Clooney is living his absolute best life at 61 years old. Shutterstock How does the 61-year-old actor stay so fit? Well, he’s a fan of Bikram yoga (which is performed in a heated space to rid your body of toxins) and plays tennis. As a matter of fact, the celeb makes a sweet date out of it and has been spotted heading to the courts in Laglio, Italy, holding Amal Clooney’s hand. The star also played basketball for quite some time before switching over to tennis, revealing in 2020, “I stopped hooping three years ago. I was having dinner with President Obama, who I used to play with, and he said he’d stopped playing ball a couple of years ago. It’s nuts because I’d always said… I was 55, and I’d say, ‘I’m going to be playing until I’m 80!’ I played like a 25-year-old. But it was one last, like, roll my ankle, get my tooth chipped, get my eye socket cracked with an elbow, and I was like, ‘You know? I’ve had enough. I’ll play tennis, and just switch it up'” (via CinemaBlend). Related: Healthy Habits Daniel Craig Follows at 54 To Stay in the Best Shape As far as family dinners are concerned, the Clooneys eat extremely well, thanks to their talented personal chef from Lake Como, Italy, Viviana Frizzi. The Clooneys enjoy pizza nights on a weekly basis, and Frizzi reveals, “George and Amal’s favorite pizza is a margherita with rocket salad” (via PEOPLE). Yum! Frizzi knows how to make a mean homemade gnocchi dish with pesto sauce “that would make you cry,” according to George Clooney, in addition to sushi, risottos, Lebanese dishes, and Indian cuisine. Related: The Healthy Habits of Harrison Ford Make Indiana Jones Look Great at 80 Until George Clooney embraced family life, the actor revealed he “didn’t know how un-full” his life was, reminiscing with GQ, “I was like, ‘I’m never getting married. I’m not gonna have kids. I’m gonna work, I’ve got great friends, my life is full, I’m doing well.'” Then he met Amal, and that changed everything. His realization? “I was like, ‘Oh, actually, this has been a huge empty space.'” He reveals to CBS, “I knew fairly quickly that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Amal.” And just like that, George Clooney, once one of the world’s most eligible bachelors, has been married to Amal for eight years. George and Amal Clooney maintain wonderful family values. The power couple enjoys eating dinner together and gabbing endlessly. They cherish spending time raising their adorable twins, Ella and Alexander. As George Clooney explains via Today, “They’re good kids. They’re happy kids. They laugh a lot. They do pranks already. Put peanut butter on their shoes, so that it looks like poo-poo on their shoes and stuff, and they think that’s funny.” The actor boasts, “They already can—you know, do all their ABCs in Italian and in English and I can’t do that in English,” adding, “I just have to clean the barf off of my tux. It used to be my barf but now it’s the twins’ barf.” Okay George Clooney, let’s get one thing straight. Everyone agrees that you can totally rock a tux—with or without the barf. It’s pretty evident George Clooney is just as lovable and fun off-screen spending time with his family as one would imagine. A typical morning in the Clooney household? Well, George Clooney describes a movie-worthy scene (via Mirror), but it’s actually a typical day in the life making memories in the Clooney family. “There’s nothing more fun than sitting there in the morning with my kids singing in Italian and us making breakfast for them. I picked right when I picked Amal. It’s just the two of us having dinner together every night and we never run out of conversation. We couldn’t be happier with our lives and we couldn’t feel luckier.” Could we love this actor and family anymore? More importantly, are we invited for breakfast? (Asking for a friend, of course!) Alexa Mellardo Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa

MLB Power Rankings: Could AL Central Winner Make Surprise Playoff Run?; Yankees Climb Back Up – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/mlb-power-rankings-could-al-central-winner-make-surprise-playoff-run-yankees-climb-back-up-cbs-sports/ The Dodgers and Astros sit at the top, but how do we sort out the next four? Sep 12, 2022 at 1:45 pm ET • 2 min read Do you ever argue with yourself? It’s only natural, right? When there are, in your mind, at least two different sides to an issue with similar merit, you just kind of go back and forth in your head with it.  Lately, I’ve found myself arguing with myself when it comes to the American League Central and the playoffs.  You see, the Guardians lead the AL Central and they are on pace to go 86-76. There are 12 teams with better records than the Guardians and only 17 worse. And yet, should they hold on, they’ll be the No. 3 seed in the AL.  Remember, last season the Braves had the worst record among the playoff teams at 88-73. They didn’t feel too lackluster, due to such a strong final two months. Maybe the Guardians or White Sox (or Twins, I guess) will finish so strong that they don’t feel vastly inferior to the rest of the field this time around, either.  By submitting my email I agree to receive the “CBS Sports HQ Newsletter” and other marketing and promotional emails from CBS Sports, which may include information from our affiliates and/or partners’ offers, products and services. For more information about our data practices consult our Privacy Policy Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error processing your subscription. As of right now, though, I couldn’t help but think about how annoying it would be if, say, an 85-win team took the World Series this season with so many Goliath-types.  But then I started to argue with myself.  Aren’t David stories just so much fun? We all love the underdog, no?  Eh, I don’t know. I think I’d much rather see two powerhouses duking it out in the World Series, whether it’s a rematch of 2017 with the Dodgers and Astros, a Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets, the Braves looking to defend their title against one of the AL titans, maybe even in a rematch of 2021 or something along these lines.  On the other hand, we’ve seen some relatively boring World Series between two titans before. The 2018 Red Sox dismantling of the Dodgers comes to mind. And in 2014, for example, neither the Giants nor the Royals won 90 games in the regular season and they gave us a beauty. Every World Series is great, too!  Wouldn’t it have been so much more cool if Cleveland broke its World Series drought with one of its recent powerhouse teams instead of this slightly-better-than-mediocre bunch?  Wait, though, who cares about the regular season when your favorite team wins the World Series? Ask fans of the 2006 Cardinals. Do you think they care that team only won 83 games in the regular season?  I’m certainly of two minds here. Maybe more. I just can’t decide if the AL Central winner making a deep run would be bad or good.  Of course, it probably doesn’t matter. The most likely outcome is a loss in the wild-card round for whoever emerges. Until then, we get to follow the hopefully hotly contested race.  Biggest Movers Rk Teams   Chg Rcrd 1 Dodgers The 1927 Yankees had a +371 run differential. The 2022 Dodgers currently have a +310 run differential. We haven’t even seen a +300 team since the 2001 Mariners went 116-46 and were exactly +300. The only other post-integration team +300 or better was the 1998 Yankees. — 96-43 2 Astros Ninety wins again. There have been 10 90-win seasons in franchise history and five of those have been the last five full seasons. It’s the Golden Era of Astros baseball, easily. — 90-50 3 Braves They battled all the way back from a 10 1/2-game deficit to take the NL East lead on Friday night. But they’ve now lost two straight and fell to 1 1/2 games back. This should be a fun race down to the end, hopefully the final day of the season. — 87-53 4 Mets From June 1 through Friday night — the time period when the Mets “blew” a 10 1/2-game lead — they played at a 96-win pace. That’s not a choke job. Not even close. Be better than ignorant narrative. 1 89-52 5 Cardinals One of the many cool things about these Albert Pujols home runs is how many of them are game-changers. He did it again on Sunday. 1 83-58 6 Yankees We should have all seen it coming from a mile away. They just needed to play the Twins to get their mojo back. Jaw-dropping stat coming: This was the first time the Yankees won back-to-back series since June 22. 2 85-56 7 Mariners If you haven’t seen them yet, go find the highlights of the Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suárez home runs Sunday to walk it off and win two of three from the Braves. So much fun. There are some damn good vibes here! 1 79-61 8 Blue Jays Through August (127 games), Bo Bichette was hitting .260/.305/.420. He’s been so ridiculous in his 10 games this month that he’s now hitting .279/.322/.472. 1 78-61 9 Rays My gut feeling is they had their chance at the AL East and that chance has passed with the Yankees pounding them two straight days. 2 78-60 10 Phillies They’ve won 21 of their last 25 when they play the Marlins or Nationals. Say what you will about strength of schedule, but taking care of business is a great feature of a good ballclub. The Phillies have seven games left against the NL East bottom-dwellers, too. 2 78-62 11 Guardians Shane Bieber has a 1.75 ERA in his last nine starts. He’s struck out 68 with nine walks in 61 1/3 innings in that span. 2 73-65 12 Padres Juan Soto continues to struggle with everything but his eye. He’s hitting .218 with a .345 slugging percentage since the trade. 1 77-64 13 Brewers In spring training, 2020, just a few days before COVID caused everything to shut down, the Brewers announced a monster contract extension for Christian Yelich. He’s still only 30. He’s played in 133 of the Brewers’ 140 games this season. And yet, he is eighth on the team in home runs. He was coming off a 44-homer season when he signed the deal. It’s remarkable how this has unfolded. 1 75-66 14 White Sox The White Sox, 63-65 with Tony La Russa in the dugout, are now 9-4 with him away from the team. 2 72-69 15 Orioles Last week was the first time the Orioles broke into the top 10 in the rankings since 2016. This week, the Orioles have lost six of their last eight games. You could argue that the two things have nothing to do with each other, but I have it on good authority that the Orioles saw my power rankings and got too proud of themselves, hence the recent skid. As we’ve learned from Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. I’m sorry, O’s fans. 5 73-67 16 Red Sox Rafael Devers in the first half: .324/.379/.601, reasonable MVP candidate. Rafael Devers in the second half: .207/.276/.357. Yuck. 1 69-72 17 Twins You know how in the Mets comment I explained that it would be ignorant to slap a “choke” on them, even if they end up not winning the NL East? Yeah, we can instead use the label on the Twins. They had a 5 1/2-game lead on May 24. They’ve gone 42-54 since then, including 3-8 against the Guardians. 2 69-70 18 Giants Who had “Thairo Estrada will be their best position player this season” back in spring training? No, you didn’t. Liar. 1 67-73 19 Diamondbacks It really looked like the D-Backs would crawl into the periphery of contention, but then they lost four in a row. Still, it was fun watching them claw their way into the discussion for a quick second and kudos to Zac Gallen for his scoreless streak (it reached 44 1/3 innings). 1 66-73 20 Angels Did you know Mike Trout (has only played in 99 games) and Shohei Ohtani (a pitcher) are tied for second in the AL in home runs? Sure, they are 21 behind the leader, but that’s still funny. — 61-79 21 Rockies Yes, I realize the air is thinner than other ballparks, but go watch that 504-foot shot from C.J. Cron on Friday. It’s mesmerizing. 1 61-80 22 Rangers The player who has lost the most hits to the shift the last few seasons is Corey Seager. I would say something like “file that away for your fantasy baseball draft,” but you’ll surely be pounded over the head with it come next spring. 1 60-79 23 Reds Remember when they started 3-22? Surely at that point, most of us believed they’d lose at least 100. They can avoid 100 losses by going at least 7-17 the rest of the way. It says here they pull it off and avoid 100 losses. 1 56-82 24 Cubs THE BEARS WON! Sorry. Wrong sport. We’ll do this. Here are the shortstops with more WAR than Nico Hoerner this season: Xander Bogaerts, Dansby Swanson, Francisco Lindor and Trea Turner. That’s it. 1 58-82 25 Tigers The Tigers have been shutout 20 times this season, tying their 1975 team for the most shutouts in a season post-integration. They have plenty of time to shatter the record. 3 54-86 26 Royals This has been a really nice breakout year for Brady Singer overall, but he’s getting better. In his last 13 starts, the Royals have gone 10-3 and he’s pitched to a 2.45 ERA. 1 57-84 27 Marlins I’m getting worried about Power Rankings Favorite Sandy Alcantara. He’s been roughed up three of his last four outings and even with a complete-game gem against the Dodgers mixed in there, he has a 6.08 ERA in those four starts. 1 57-82 28 Nationals There’s a lottery now, but the Nationals will have a great shot to pick No. 1 overall next summer. Previous No. 1 overall picks for the franchise: Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. Those worked out decently. Will they hit the jackpot again? 1 49-92 29 Pirates The single hardest-hit ball this season came courtesy of Oneil Cruz. Anyone who has watched him regularly is now rummagin...

Adidas (OTC:ADDYY), Atari (OTC:PONGF), (FB) – Metaverse Land Just Sold For $4,620 (3 ETH) In The SandBox – Benzinga https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/adidas-otcaddyy-atari-otcpongf-fb-metaverse-land-just-sold-for-4620-3-eth-in-the-sandbox-benzinga/ What happened: Virtual land tokenized as an NFT just sold for $4,620, which is 2.83x the current floor price of 0.95 Ether ETH/USD. The estate consists of 166,464 plots of land –– each plot is 2,500 square feet in the metaverse. Land in Decentraland and The Sandbox skyrocketed after Facebook’s rebrand to meta, as more investors become aware of what the metaverse is. Most of the time, virtual land sells at a premium due to the size of the lot and its proximity to the center of the metaverse. Ethereum’s blockchain is home to open world metaverses, with the 2 largest being Decentraland MANA/USD and The Sandbox SAND/USD. Brands like Adidas ADDYY and Atari PONGF have bought virtual land in these blockchain-based metaverses, and some companies believe that much of retail will eventually happen within the metaverse. The term metaverse is used to describe the evolution of human’s interaction with the internet. As we spend more and more of our time on the internet, the gap between the real world and our online identities declines. Eventually, the metaverse is intended to be an immersive virtual world where people enjoy digital ownership and can interact with their peers. Why it Matters: After Facebook FB announced its rebrand to Meta, investors began to pay attention to platforms that are building metaverses. Smart contract blockchains can secure ownership of digital assets, so these networks play a crucial role in building out the metaverse. See Also: NFT Release Calendar and Best NFT Projects of 2021 Data provided by OpenSea. Checkout the full The Sandbox collection You can learn more about this LAND here. This article was generated by Benzinga’s automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Wall Street Looks To Extend Its Winning Streak Ahead Of CPI Report – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/wall-street-looks-to-extend-its-winning-streak-ahead-of-cpi-report-reuters/ Raindrops hang on a sign for Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., October 26, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Segar Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Headline CPI seen easing Tuesday Bristol Myers rises on FDA approval for psoriasis drug Twitter says Musk’s latest attempt to scrap deal invalid Indexes up: Dow 0.66%, S&P 0.97%, Nasdaq 1.14% NEW YORK, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Wall Street advanced to two-week highs on Monday with few impediments to thwart a three-day winning streak as investors awaited crucial inflation data. All three major U.S. stock indexes appeared set to notch their fourth straight session of gains in a broad rally which evenly favored growth (.IGX) and value (.IVX) stocks. “There are no real catalysts today to my knowledge,” said Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel in Charlottesville, Virginia. “I thought the market would be flat to down, because there’s a lot riding on CPI.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI), expected before Tuesday’s opening bell, is this week’s main event, and will be scrutinized for any clues regarding the length and severity of the Federal Reserve’s policy tightening phase. On Thursday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell affirmed the central bank remains “strongly committed” to tackling decades-high inflation, and that they would “keep at it until the job is done.” read more Economists polled by Reuters expect monthly CPI to have contracted 0.1% in August, edging down to 8.1% year-on-year, mainly due to the recent cool-down of commodity prices. read more Financial markets have currently priced in a 92% probability that the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) will implement its third straight 75-basis-point interest rate hike at the conclusion of next week’s policy meeting, according to CME’s FedWatch tool. “(The market has) pretty much got a 75 basis-point (interest) rate hike baked in,” Tuz added. “It would take a monumental event to swing that up or down.” The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 212.19 points, or 0.66%, to 32,363.9, the S&P 500 (.SPX) gained 39.58 points, or 0.97%, to 4,106.94 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 137.49 points, or 1.14%, to 12,249.80. All 11 major sectors of the S&P 500 were green, with tech (.SPLRCT) enjoying the biggest percentage gain, followed by energy companies (.SPNY). Economically sensitive transports (.DJT) were outperforming the broader market. Shares of Apple Inc (AAPL.O), beaten up this year, jumped 4.2% days after the gadget maker unveiled updates to its iPhone and Apple Watch. read more Drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY.N) surged 4.9% following the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of its psoriasis drug late on Friday. Rival Amgen Inc (AMGN.O), maker of psoriasis drug Otezla, dropped 3.6%. Twitter Inc slipped 2.0% amid its legal wrangling against Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) chief Elon Musk for scrapping a deal to acquire the social media platform. read more KFC and Pizza hut operator Yum Brands Inc (YUM.N) advanced 1.0% in the wake of its $2 billion share buyback announcement. Car selling platform Carvana Co (CVNA.N) hopped 13.1% higher following Piper Sandler’s upgrade of the stock to “overweight.” Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 3.73-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.93-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 11 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 33 new highs and 52 new lows. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Stephen Culp in New York Editing by Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Celsius Price: CEL Dips 17% As Crypto Struggle To Hold Gains – Invezz https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/celsius-price-cel-dips-17-as-crypto-struggle-to-hold-gains-invezz/ Celsius (CEL/USD) price fell by as much as 17% on Monday amid an overall struggle across crypto assets. The CEL token, which had pumped by more than 13% late Sunday amid a short squeeze, fell from highs of $1.68 to place at $1.43 at the time of writing. Are you looking for fast-news, hot-tips and market analysis? Sign-up for the Invezz newsletter, today. The 82nd ranked crypto by market cap was also down significantly against the Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) pairs. As of 12:50 pm ET, the CEL/BTC pair was down 18% while CEL/ETH was nearly -14% off in the past 24 hours. Celsius price falls sharply Crypto news this week is largely going to be dominated by the Ethereum Merge, which is just two days away. But Monday finds cryptocurrencies struggling to hold onto weekend gains, with a lull for most of the tokens resulting in bulls giving up momentum. For the CEL token, the dip to $1.43 looks to open it to further weakness as the downturn since a high of $3.86 on 14 August threatens a revisit of a local bottom formed around $0.86 on 28 August 27. As can be seen on the CEL chart below, the token has made a series of higher lows and lower highs since the start of September.  CEL/USD price on the daily chart on FTX. Source: TradingView Actually, the token lacks any sustained upside since last month’s pump and faces main resistance around the 50-day moving average. However, while the outlook is likely to favour bears, another short squeeze could ensue as speculative momentum builds, with buy pressure pushing the price higher again. However, (and its generally), Celsius lacks any real fundamental strength for a sustained move upward, especially with uncertainty still lingering over the company’s future since the bankruptcy debacle earlier in the crypto winter. Invest in crypto, stocks, ETFs & more in minutes with our preferred broker, eToro 10/10 68% of retail CFD accounts lose money

U.S. News & World Report Gives MSU Highest Ranking In Seven Years – MSUToday https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-news-world-report-gives-msu-highest-ranking-in-seven-years-msutoday/ U.S. News & World Report continues to rank several Michigan State University programs among the top in the nation with the release of its 2023 edition of Best Colleges. MSU’s overall rank improved six places from last year, tied for No. 77, up from a tie for No. 83. This is MSU’s highest rank in seven years. MSU also moved up two places among public universities to tie for No. 31. The university now has a total of 40 undergraduate and graduate programs ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News. “Michigan State continues to demonstrate excellence in our academics with highly ranked programs that provide a personalized educational experience,” said MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. “Students come to MSU confident they will work with high-quality faculty in exceptional programs that support their success to graduation and beyond.” For the 12th consecutive year, MSU’s undergraduate supply chain management program — housed within the Eli Broad College of Business — ranks No. 1 among U.S. public and private universities. The Broad College’s graduate program in supply chain has held the No. 1 ranking in the nation for the past six years. “We are honored by our No. 1 ranking in supply chain management, No. 13 ranking among U.S. publics and top 25 overall, which speak to the unwavering commitment to excellence that our faculty, staff and students maintain,” said Judith Whipple, interim dean of the Broad College. “Recent world events have shown the importance of supply chain and Spartans are ready to take on the challenges of today and the future.” U.S. News & World Report ranks the following MSU undergraduate programs in the nation’s top 25: No. 1: Supply chain management No. 5: Production/operations No. 6: Agricultural engineering No. 9: Game development (MSU’s first appearance in this ranking) No. 11: Management No. 22: Marketing No. 23: Management information systems No. 23: Undergraduate business No. 25: Accounting The university’s favorability ranking in several student engagement categories also increased in this report. For the fourth year in a row, MSU’s learning communities are ranked No. 4 overall and No. 1 among public institutions. Education Abroad improved two spots to No. 9 and remained No. 1 among public four-year institutions. Service-learning also is ranked No. 9, up from No. 13, and is No. 2 among public institutions. “It is rewarding to see that Michigan State University’s learning communities maintained their No. 1 ranking among four-year public universities, and No. 4 ranking overall,” said MSU Provost Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. “MSU’s three residential colleges and additional living-learning communities support student success through experiential learning and help foster a sense of inclusion and belonging across campus.” Read related coverage about MSU’s latest U.S. News graduate program rankings.

Knowit Acquires Business Management, Technology Consultancies – ChannelE2E https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/knowit-acquires-business-management-technology-consultancies-channele2e/ by Sharon Florentine • Sep 12, 2022 Digital transformation and sustainability consultancy Knowit AB is acquiring Ascend AB and its sister company Ionic AB. The enterprise value of the two companies initially totals SEK 200 million. Additional consideration can be paid out, conditional upon the EBITDA level for 2022 and 2023 respectively in the acquired entities. The additional consideration is estimated at SEK 50 million, which will also be included in the acquisition balance sheet on the day of acquisition, the companies said. This is technology M&A deal number 813 that ChannelE2E has covered so far in 2022. See more than 1,000 technology M&A deals involving MSPs, MSSPs & IT service providers listed here. Knowit Acquires Ascend and Ionic Knowit, founded in 1990, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company has 3,809 employees listed on LinkedIn. Knowit’s areas of expertise include application management, business intelligence, system development, test and quality management, Microsoft, EpiServer, digital marketing, web analytics, digital business transformation, organizational development, strategy, mobile development, management consulting and business consulting. Ascend, founded in 2014, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company has 51 employees listed on LinkedIn. Ascend’s areas of expertise include business transformation, management consulting, sales transformation, service transformation and operations transformation. Ionic, founded in 2019, is based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company has 13 employees listed on LinkedIn. Ionic is an IT consultancy delivering services covering all phases of cloud adoption.​ The acquisitions will add around 60 employees in Stockholm, Sweden, to the combined company and bringing a total of about 500 consultants in the Nordic region. Ascend and Ionic will become part of Knowit’s Insight business area and bolster the firm’s management consulting offering in business technology and commercial excellence, the companies said. All four founders will remain with the company after the merger. Knowit Acquires Ascend, Ionic: Executive Perspectives Carin Strindmark, head of Knowit Insight Jonas Nodler, partner and co-founder, Ascend & Ionic Carin Strindmark, head of Knowit Insight, commented on the news: “We are proud and pleased to welcome new colleagues from Ascend and Ionic to us at Knowit Insight. Ascend and the sister company Ionic both strengthen our brand and offer with their high competence and strong client relationships. Knowit’s management consultancy offer and market position are now stronger than ever1) and we are becoming an even more relevant partner to both existing and new clients, while also being a more attractive employer.” Jonas Nodler, partner and co-founder of Ascend and Ionic, added: “We are seeing increased demand for management consultancy services closely associated with new technology. Our clients are increasingly asking for support that combines technical and operative knowledge, with an ability to assist at both a strategic and an operative level. We have a clear ambition to continue developing our companies and offering our clients even better support in their crucial transformations. Therefore, it feels like a natural step to become part of a larger context at Knowit. Ascend and Knowit complement each other well and have similar cultures, values, and visions of building a sustainable and humane society. We look forward to becoming part of Knowit, which is on an exciting growth journey,” says Knowit is no stranger to M&A. In June 2022, Knowit acquired Danish IT consultancy firm Miracle — an open source-focused firm that partners closely with IBM’s Red Hat and Atlassian. The purchase price was approximately US$20.3 million. Knowit also acquired Capacent in September 2021 and Marketing Clinic in July 2022.

Amazon’s Secret Overstock Sale Section Is Packed With Problem-Solving Products, Starting At $6 – AOL https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/amazons-secret-overstock-sale-section-is-packed-with-problem-solving-products-starting-at-6-aol/ The secret’s out. (Photo: Amazon) We LOVE a good deal. Every week, we spend hours combing the internet for the very best products at the lowest prices to share with you. But there’s only one thing that makes a deal on a product even better: it solves a problem. You probably already know that Amazon is loaded with items that meet both criteria. What you might not know is that Amazon has a secret section with awesome overstock items that you can get at a serious bargain. It’s packed with everything you need, but we’ve zeroed in on the items that can simplify, clear up or just make your life a little bit easier — all at a massive markdown. We searched through hundreds of products — from vacation-saving gadgets to quirky items to make lounging more relaxing — and picked out our favorite items. Scroll down for hidden gems to help out around the house. Whether you’re a neat freak or you just don’t like to fold shirts, this folding board makes laundry day much less of a headache — just ask one of the 1,000 five-star fans. “As a Virgo, I appreciate order and neatness when I can find it,” reported one rave reviewer. “I had decided to take about 2 feet of t-shirts out of my closet to store so I finally had an excuse to buy one. This one worked so nicely! I made short, and very neat, work of my t-shirts, even the really big ones! And then one day my daughter came by to do laundry. After watching her slowly fold some shirts, I pulled my board out and had fun helping her.” We’ve all accidentally brought a few too many items to the restroom with us and this little gadget means you don’t have to scramble for a place to put your phone or keys while you do your business. Genius, right? One rave reviewer wrote: “I really like this toilet paper holder, it looks modern and your phone will never fall down to the floor or inside the toilet again thanks to the top part to place the phone lol” This wall-mounted dispenser promises to eliminate the problem of messy tubes of toothpaste. The dispenser turns the tube upside down and, with a push of a lever, it squeezes out toothpaste onto your brush, hands-free. According to Amazon shoppers, this little gadget has the power to prevent messes and save relationships. “I bought two (his and hers),” shared a happy shopper. We’ve been using these since November and they are fantastic! Stays securely attached to the mirror and is easy to use. My husband has left side weakness from a stroke and does not have use of his left hand. He loves how easy it is to load toothpaste onto his toothbrush without any help. So happy with my purchase and would gladly recommend!!!” Perfect for small kitchens, this dish drying rack saves counter space by using the sink to catch dripping water. Bonus: it rolls up for easy storage. “Ooooh, I scored big for Valentine’s Day this year!” wrote a doting husband. “My wife loves it. She likes order in her kitchen, and leaving things on the counter to dry is horrific. This little baby is easy to store and unroll for use, and enables one to keep all dishes/pots/pans over the sink. It can be a good space-saver by allowing you to use the area above your sink. Also works well as a cooling rack. So easy to use, and yet so enabling.” For those cooks who haven’t gotten around to getting that coveted hand blender, now’s your chance to get one of the best on the market. Cuisinart appliances are known for how well they can pulverized vegetables and crush nuts into bits, and this hand blender holds up that reputation. You can whip, blend and grind with this gadget without being cumbersome. “This little handheld blender is so useful so I don’t have to pull out the big Cuisinart every time I want to make some soup,” shared a happy cook. “It’s blending power is amazing and it is so easy to use and clean. I highly recommend it.” If you spend any amount of time on your couch, you might want to invest in this organizer. On one end, it has six pockets to hold items like books and remote controls. The other end slips under the couch cushion to hold it in place. Amazon shoppers love it for de-cluttering their space. “I have arm covers with small long pockets for remotes and my mom came by for a visit and wanted just one arm cover to store her iPad and puzzle books in,” reported a rave reviewer. “We decided on this one because it says it is extended so you can tuck more under the sofa cushion to prevent slippage and it’s perfect! She picked the color she wanted, the teal and she’s been using it for several weeks now and she could not be happier. The pockets are plenty big enough to store her iPad, puzzle books and pens and even the thick zip up case that the iPad is stored in when not in use. The material feels like a soft burlap and seems quite solidly constructed. It is absolutely worth the asking price.” A hook is an all-purpose problem solver. Whether you’re short on shelving or you need nail-free solution for hanging decor, these adhesive hooks work magic without damaging your wall. “These worked out wonderfully for what I needed them for,” wrote a happy shopper. “I even tested one out by hanging a cast iron pan on it to see if it really could hold a heavy item. It didn’t even budge a bit with the pan on it. They are very easy to apply and worked in the area I needed them to work. I had an issue with another brand where they wouldn’t stick to the paint we used in our kitchen. This product had no problem sticking and staying at all. they have been up for several weeks and are still holding strong.” This gadget takes a spoon rest to the next level. Designed as a place to put your messy utensils while you’re cooking, it has an extra large to catch all the drippings and there are four slots for all the wooden spoons and brushes you need to pull off dinner. “Great for cooking big meals!” wrote a rave reviewer. “I have the single utensil holder that’s glass and looks cute, but when cooking big meals for friends and family I was laying down napkins and just dirtying the stove top without having a place for stirring items and scoopers and whatever else I’m using for cooking. This has been GREAT for getting rid of that problem! I will say, things like curry will stain it. But it also stains a lot of other plastic items so that’s on me for not thinking ahead. Otherwise, easy to clean, I can easily hold 4 utensils while cooking on 4 burners, and adds a pop of color to the kitchen! Hands down best thing in my kitchen to have.” JHSSN JHSSN Clothes Storage Bag $37$73Save $36 $37 at Amazon Made with waterproof Oxford cloth, these storage cubes have a clear vinyl window, a steel frame to help hold their shape for orderly storage, and a zip closure for easy access. The end of summer means we’ll be swapping out our summer bedding and clothes for cozier items. If you’re short on closet space, these Oxford cloth storage cubes keep things compact and out of the way when you don’t need them. “Ordered these to store bedding, blankets, comforters, etc,” a satisfied shopper shared. “I previously stored those items in the plastic zip packaging that new sheets and quilts come in, but I had so many and they were scatter in our storage room and in various closets. Now they’re all together and still protected and easily available. Love the see-thru front with two-way zippers on the front and the top. They can be a bit heavy and unwieldy when fully loaded, but they seem sturdy and hopefully will last a long time for what I’m using them for.” This bag is designed with two openings and a loop at one end for easy hanging. You can use it for plastic grocery bags you want to reuse — or anything else that needs corralling in your house. “I love these bags!” reported one enthusiastic shopper. “Very strong cording & material, excellent sturdiness. And it holds a lot of bags. What I love most is the bottom allows me to pull one out, but isn’t allowing bags to fall to the floor.” Not only is the umbrella made for the rain (it’s never too early to prepare for the rainy season!) but it’s also designed to provide shade from the sun and block damaging UV rays. “Sitting in full sun with temps in the 90’s, I found it to be very comfortable sitting under this umbrella,” wrote a happy shopper. “I am typically bothered by heat and my husband not so much. The first Sunday that I used this umbrella I was cooler than he was using a regular umbrella.” If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And even those without Prime get free shipping on orders of $25 or more). The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication. Looking for more great Amazon home deals? Check these out: Outdoor Energizer Universal Plus LED Headlamp, 2-Pack $14$16Save $2 Chanodug Three Donkeys Extra Large Picnic Blanket $19$46Save $27 Love Story Triangle Sand Sun Shade Sail Canopy $36$49Save $13 Kurifier Outdoor Solar Torch Lights 8-pack $70 Grilljoy 24-piece BBQ Grill Tools Set $27$44Save $17 Vacuums ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner $15$40Save $25 ILIFE V80 Max Robot Vacuum Cleaner $175$280Save $105 Belife Cordless 6-in-1 Lightweight Vacuum Cleaner $140$229Save $89 eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S (Slim) $140$200Save $60 whall Cordless Vacuum Cleaner $150$400Save $250 iRobot Roomba i3 EVO Robot Vacuum $300$350Save $50 Hoover Windtunnel Air Steerable Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner $137$200Save $63 Kitchen NutriBullet Pro $91$110Save $19 Ultrean 4.2-quart Air Fryer $55$96Save $41 Braun 12 Cup Food Processor $200$349Save $149 Lodge Cast Iron Combo Cooker $50$75Save $25 CHEF iQ Smart Pressure Cooker $131$200Save $69 Rockridge Press The Complete Air Fryer...

319 Price Transparency Compliant Hospitals, By State – Becker’s Hospital Review https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/319-price-transparency-compliant-hospitals-by-state-beckers-hospital-review/ An August report from patientrightsadvocate.org found that 319 of 2,000 hospitals it reviewed were compliant with the federal price transparency law that went into effect in January 2021.  Here is the breakdown of complaint hospitals by state: Alaska: 1 PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center  Alabama: 5   Andalusia Health Flowers Hospital (Dothan) Gadsden Regional Medical Center Grandview Medical Center (Birmingham) Huntsville Hospital  Arkansas: 6   Arkansas Children’s Hospital (Little Rock) Medical Center of South Arkansas (El Dorado) National Park Medical Center (Hot Springs) Saint Mary’s Regional Health System (Russellville) Unity Health-White County Medical Center (Searcy)  Washington Regional Medical Center (Fayetteville) Arizona: 10 Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital (Phoenix) Canyon Vista Medical Center (Sierra Vista) Chandler Regional Medical Center Flagstaff Medical Center Mayo Clinic Hospital (Phoenix) Mercy Gilbert Medical Center (Gilbert) Northwest Medical Center-Sahuarita (Sahuarita) St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center (Phoenix) Valley View Medical Center (Fort Mohave) Yavapai Regional Medical Center-West (Prescott)  California: 20 Adventist Health Sonora  Adventist Health St. Helena  Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles) Community Hospital of San Bernardino French Hospital Medical Center (San Luis Obispo) Marian Regional Medical Center (Santa Maria) Mark Twain Medical Center (San Andreas) Mercy General Hospital (Sacramento) Mercy Medical Center (Merced) Mercy Medical Center Mount Shasta Mercy Medical Center Redding Mercy San Juan Medical Center (Carmichael) Methodist Hospital of Sacramento  Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego St. Bernardine Medical Center (San Bernardino) St. Elizabeth Community Hospital (Red Bluff) St. Mary Medical Center (Long Beach) St. Mary’s Medical Center (San Francisco)  Stanford Hospital Woodland Memorial Hospital Colorado: 1  Middle Park Health Kremmling District of Columbia: 2 George Washington University Hospital Sibley Memorial Hospital Delaware: 3 Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus (Dover) Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus (Milford) Beebe Healthcare (Lewes)  Florida: 26 AdventHealth Carrollwood (Tampa) AdventHealth Connerton (Land O’Lakes) AdventHealth Dade City AdventHealth DeLand  AdventHealth Fish Memorial (Orange City) AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach AdventHealth North Pinellas (Tarpon Springs) AdventHealth Ocala  AdventHealth Palm Coast AdventHealth Sebring AdventHealth Tampa AdventHealth Waterman (Tavares) AdventHealth Wauchula AdventHealth Wesley Chapel AdventHealth Zephyrhills Bravera Health Brooksville Bravera Health Spring Hill Cleveland Clinic Florida (Weston) Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital (Vero Beach) Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital (Stuart) Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital (St. Petersburg) Mayo Clinic Hospital in Florida (Jacksonville) North Okaloosa Medical Center (Crestview) ShorePoint Health Port Charlotte ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda South Miami Hospital Georgia: 8 AdventHealth Gordon (Calhoun) Augusta University Medical Center Candler County Hospital (Metter) Children’s Egleston Hospital (Atlanta) Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Elbert Memorial Hospital (Elberton) Northside Hospital Atlanta Northside Hospital Cherokee Iowa: 6 CHI Health Mercy Corning CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs CHI Health Missouri Valley Genesis Medical Center-Davenport MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Ottumwa Regional Health Center Idaho: 2 St. Joseph Regional Medical Center (Lewiston) Steele Memorial Medical Center (Salmon) Illinois: 12 Advocate Christ Medical Center (Oak Lawn) Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital (Downers Grove) Franklin Hospital (Benton) Hillsboro Area Hospital HSHS Saint Francis Hospital (Litchfield) Marshall Browning Hospital (DuQuoin) Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago) Paris Community Hospital  Rush Copley Medical Center (Aurora) Rush University Medical Center (Chicago) University of Illinois Hospital (Chicago) Wabash General Hospital (Mount Carmel) Indiana: 13 Franciscan Health Indianapolis IU Health Bloomington Hospital IU Health Jay Hospital (Portland) IU Health Paoli Hospital IU Health Tipton Hospital IU Health University Hospital (Indianapolis) IU Health White Memorial Hospital (Monticello) Lutheran Hospital (Fort Wayne)  Northwest Health-La Porte Northwest Health-Porter (Valparaiso) Northwest Health-Starke (Knox)  Rehabilitation Hospital (Fort Wayne) The Orthopedic Hospital (Fort Wayne) Kansas: 4 AdventHealth Ottawa AdventHealth Shawnee Mission (Merriam) Allen County Regional Hospital (Iola) Ness County Hospital (Ness City) Kentucky: 11 AdventHealth Manchester Bluegrass Community Hospital (Versailles)  Bourbon Community Hospital (Paris) Clark Regional Medical Center (Winchester) Fleming County Hospital (Flemingsburg) Georgetown Community Hospital Logan Memorial Hospital (Russellville) Meadowview Regional Medical Center (Maysville) Ohio County Hospital (Hartford) Saint Joseph Berea Spring View Hospital (Lebanon) Louisiana: 4 Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Mid City Jackson Parish Hospital (Jonesboro) Minden Medical Center Ochsner Medical Center (New Orleans) Massachusetts: 5 Beth Israel Deaconess Main Campus (Boston) Brigham and Women’s-Main Campus (Boston) Mass General Hospital-Boston New England Baptist Hospital (Boston) Tufts Medical Center (Boston) Maryland: 2 Greater Baltimore Medical Center The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore) Maine: 2 Maine General Medical Center (Augusta) St. Joseph Hospital (Bangor) Michigian: 2 Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit) University of Michigan Medical Center (Ann Arbor) Minnesota: 4 CHI St. Gabriel’s Hospital (Little Falls) Mayo Clinic Health System in St. James  Mayo Clinic, Saint Mary’s Campus (Rochester) Ridgeview Sibley Medical Center (Arlington) Missouri: 3 Cox Barton County Hospital (Lamar) Cox Monett Hospital Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital Mississippi: 9 Baptist Memorial Hospital-Attala (Kosciusko) Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville Baptist Memorial Hospital-Calhoun (Calhoun City) Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto (Southaven) Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle (Columbus) Baptist Memorial Hospital-Leake (Carthage) Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi (Oxford) Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County (New Albany) Baptist Memorial Hospital-Yazoo (Yazoo City) Montana: 1 Big Horn Hospital (Hardin) North Carolina: 16 AdventHealth Hendersonville Ashe Memorial Hospital (Jefferson) Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte) Central Carolina Hospital (Sanford) Davie Medical Center (Bermuda Run) Davis Regional Medical Center (Statesville) ECU Health Medical Center (Greenville) Frye Regional Medical Center (Hickory) Haywood Regional Medical Center (Clyde) Lake Norman Regional Medical Center (Mooresville) Lexington Medical Center Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center (Charlotte) Person Memorial Hospital (Roxboro) UNC Rex Healthcare (Raleigh) Wake Forest Baptist Health, High Point Medical Center  Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (Winston-Salem) North Dakota: 5 CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck CHI St. Alexius Health Devils Lake CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson CHI St. Alexius Health Garrison CHI St. Alexius Health Williston Nebraska: 12 Boys Town National Research Hospital (Omaha) CHI Health Good Samaritan (Kearney) CHI Health Lakeside (Omaha) CHI Health Midlands (Papillion) CHI Health Nebraska Heart (Lincoln) CHI Health Plainview CHI Health Schuyler CHI Health St. Elizabeth (Lincoln) CHI Health St. Francis (Grand Island) CHI Health St. Mary (Nebraska City) Methodist Hospital (Omaha) The Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha) New Hampshire: 8 Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital (Lebanon) Androscoggin Valley Hospital (Berlin) Cheshire Medical Center (Keene) Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon) New London Hospital Southern New Hampshire Medical Center (Nashua) Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital (Colebrook) Weeks Medical Center (Lancaster) New Jersey: 2 Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (New Brunswick) Saint Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston) New Mexico: 4 Eastern New Mexico Medical Center (Roswell) Los Alamos Medical Center Lovelace Medical Center (Albuquerque) University of New Mexico Hospital (Albuquerque) Nevada: 13 Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center (Carson City) Carson Tahoe Sierra Surgery Hospital (Carson City) Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center (Las Vegas) Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center (Las Vegas) Henderson Hospital Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital (Elko) Northern Nevada Medical Center (Sparks) Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center (Reno) Saint Rose Dominican Hospitals-Siena Campus (Henderson) Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center (Las Vegas) Summerlin Hospital Medical Center (Las Vegas) UMC Children’s Hospital (Las Vegas) Valley Hospital Medical Center (Las Vegas) New York: 3 Mount Sinai Morningside (New York City) NYU Langone Tisch Hospital (New York City) Sisters of Charity Hospital (Buffalo)  Ohio: 5 Akron Children’s Hospital Clinton Memorial Hospital (Wilmington) Fairview Hospital (Cleveland) MetroHealth Medical Center (Cleveland) The Cleveland Clinic Oklahoma: 3 Hillcrest Hospital South (Tulsa) Jefferson County Hospital (Waurika) University of Oklahoma Medical Center (Oklahoma City) Oregon: 5 CHI St. Anthony Hospital (Pendleton) Mercy Medical Center (Roseburg) Oregon Health & Science University Hospital (Portland) PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical  Center RiverBend Willamette Valley Medical Center (McMinnville) Pennsylvania: 4 Conemaugh Miners Medical Center (Hastings) ...

Lions Rally Falls Short – WSJM Morning Sports – News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/lions-rally-falls-short-wsjm-morning-sports-news-talk-sports-94-9-wsjm/ News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM     @wsjmsports     wsjmsports.com     Monday, September 12, 2022 NFL – National Football League – Week 1 Yesterday Philadelphia Eagles 38, Detroit Lions 35 Chicago Bears 19, San Francisco 49ers 10 Indianapolis Colts 20, Houston Texans 20 – OT – TIE Eagles 38, Lions 35 – Jalen Hurts, Eagles too much for Lions in opener 38-35 Jalen Hurts accounted for 333 yards and a touchdown and A.J. Brown had a career-high-tying 155 yards receiving in his Philadelphia debut, helping the Eagles hold on for a 38-35 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Eagles scored 24 points in the second quarter and had a 17-point lead in the fourth that was cut to three when Jared Goff threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to DJ Chark with 3:51 left. Philadelphia sealed the win with Miles Sanders’ 24-yard run on third down and Hurts’ sneak that converted a fourth down on the final possession. Bears 19, 49ers 10 – Fields throws 2 TDs, Bears top 49ers 19-10 in Eberflus debut Justin Fields threw for two second-half touchdowns, Eddie Jackson set up a TD with an interception and the Chicago Bears gave Matt Eberflus a win in his head coaching debut, beating the San Francisco 49ers 19-10 on a rain-soaked afternoon. Fields shook off a rough first half, throwing a 51-yard TD to Dante Pettis in the third quarter and connecting with Equanimeous St. Brown for an 18-yarder early in the fourth to put Chicago on top 13-10. Jackson then picked off Trey Lance near midfield for his first interception since 2019 and returned the ball to the 21. That led to a 6-yard touchdown run by Khalil Herbert, making it 19-10. Heavy rain flooded the area and drenched the new Bermuda grass installed this week. Colts 20, Texans 20 – OT – TIE – Ryan, Colts rally but stall in OT for 20-20 tie with Texans Matt Ryan rallied Indianapolis in the fourth quarter to force overtime against the Houston Texans in his Colts debut, but neither team could score on two overtime possessions each and the game ended in a 20-20 tie. The Texans led 20-3 entering the fourth quarter in coach Lovie Smith’s debut, but Ryan led three successive scoring drives, culminating with his 15-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman with 1:54 remaining. The Colts got within field goal range in overtime, but Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 42-yard try with 2 minutes left. Ryan threw for 352 yards with an interception and a lost fumble. Other Scores Buffalo 31, L.A. Rams 10 Baltimore 24, N.Y. Jets 9 Cleveland 26, Carolina 24 Miami 20, New England 7 New Orleans 27, Atlanta 26 Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20, OT Washington 28, Jacksonville 22 Kansas City 44, Arizona 21 L.A. Chargers 24, Las Vegas 19 Minnesota 23, Green Bay 7 N.Y. Giants 21, Tennessee 20 Tampa Bay 19, Dallas 3 Tonight Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. NFL – Lions lament another season-opening rally that falls short The Detroit Lions began their 2021 season by rallying to turn a potential blowout into a close loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Detroit did much the same on Sunday, falling behind 38-21 to the Philadelphia Eagles before scoring two late touchdowns and losing 38-35. Coach Dan Campbell says his team can be encouraged by the fact it didn’t play well but only lost by three points. Two of Detroit’s biggest mistakes were personal fouls that extended Philadelphia touchdown drives. Quarterback Jared Goff struggled to connect with his receivers until the later stages of the game. NFL – Bears penalized for using towel on soggy field before FG try The Chicago Bears were hung out to dry by their own towel during their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Trenton Gill was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct after the rookie holder used a towel to dry off a small area of the field ahead of a potential field goal try late in the second quarter. The 15-yard penalty moved Chicago out of Cairo Santos’ range, leading to Gill’s punt. It rained for much of the morning in Chicago, soaking Soldier Field. There were splashes of water almost every time a player went to the turf. NCAAFB – College Football – Week 2 Saturday South Alabama 38, Central Michigan 24 Western Michigan 37, Ball State 20 Marshall 26, (8) Notre Dame 21 (14) Michigan State 52, Akron 0 Louisiana 49, Eastern Michigan 21 (4) Michigan 56, Hawaii 10 AP Top 25 1 Georgia (53) 2-0 2 Alabama (9) 2-0 3 Ohio State (1) 2-0 4 Michigan 2-0 5 Clemson 2-0 6 Oklahoma 2-0 7 USC 2-0 8 Oklahoma State 2-0 9 Kentucky 2-0 10 Arkansas 2-0 11 Michigan State 2-0 12 BYU 2-0 13 Miami 2-0 14 Utah 1-1 15 Tennessee 2-0 16 NC State 2-0 17 Baylor 1-1 18 Florida 1-1 19 Wake Forest 2-0 20 Ole Miss 2-0 21 Texas 1-1 22 Penn State 2-0 23 Pittsburgh 1-1 24 Texas A&M 1-1 25 Oregon 1-1 NCAAFB – AP Top 25: UGA reclaims No. 1 Georgia has reclaimed the top spot in The Associated Press college football poll and Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Arkansas moved into the top 10 after an upset-filled weekend. The defending national champion Bulldogs started the season at No. 3 in the AP Top 25. It took them two weeks to get back to where they spent most of last year. Georgia received 53 of 63 first-place votes. No. 2 Alabama, which needed a late field goal to hold off Texas, received nine first-place votes and No. 3 Ohio State got one. No. 4 Michigan and No. 5 Clemson held their places. Oklahoma moved up a spot to No. 6. And Southern California jumped three places to No. 7. Notre Dame tumbled out all the way from No. 8 to snap a streak of 80 straight poll appearances. NCAAFB – Nebraska fires Frost; AD says 16-31 ‘not acceptable’ Nebraska has fired football coach Scott Frost after a 1-2 start to the season. The situation was so dire that athletic director Trev Alberts made the move only three weeks before Frost’s contract buyout would have been cut in half. The Cornhuskers lost 45-42 to Georgia Southern as a three-touchdown favorite at home on Saturday night. Frost was 16-31 three games into his fifth season. Associate head coach Mickey Joseph was named interim coach for the rest of the season. Alberts said there was no attempt to negotiate a lower buyout and that Frost would receive the $15 million owed to him. MLB – Major League Baseball Yesterday Kansas City Royals 4, Detroit Tigers 0 Oakland A’s 10, Chicago White Sox 3 San Francisco Giants 4, Chicago Cubs 2 Royals 4, Tigers 0 – Singer’s 7 scoreless innings lead Royals over Tigers 4-0 Brady Singer threw seven scoreless innings as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 4-0 to salvage the finale of the three-game series. Detroit was shut out for the 20th time this season, the most in the majors. Singer allowed four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Kansas City has won six of Singer’s last seven starts. Michael Massey hit his second home run of the season and Drew Waters added a two-run double to lead the Royals’ offense. Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits and a double, his 51st extra-base hit to lead all major league rookies. Detroit starter Tyler Alexander allowed four runs on six hits over five innings. A’s 10, White Sox 3 – Laureano 2-run homer highlights 6-run fifth, A’s beat ChiSox Ramón Laureano hit a two-run homer and Vimael Machin hit a two-run double in the decisive fifth inning to back Cole Irvin’s second straight winning decision, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 10-3 to snap a five-game losing streak. Defending AL Central champion Chicago had a four-game winning streak end with just the club’s third loss in 12 games as it chases first-place Cleveland in the division race down the September stretch. Giants 4, Cubs 2 – Estrada, Flores homer in late innings, Giants beat Cubs 4-2 Thairo Estrada homered in the seventh, Wilmer Flores connected in the eighth and the San Francisco Giants held on to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2. The Giants kept the Cubs offense in check while using six pitchers on a bullpen day. Estrada, Evan Longoria and Austin Dean had two hits each for the Giants. Zach McKinstry had three hits for the Cubs Flores’ 18th homer of the season matched his career-high and snapped an 0-for-19 skid. Estrada led off the seventh with a tiebreaking homer for his 13th of the season. Tonight Houston (Valdez 14-5) at Detroit (Rodriguez 3-4), 6:40 p.m.      WSJM/WCSY 6:20 Chicago Cubs (Assad 0-1) at N.Y. Mets (Bassitt 13-7), 7:10 p.m. White Sox are off MLB – Chisox manager La Russa has pacemaker; return date uncertain Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa says he’s on the mend after having a pacemaker inserted for his heart. He says he’s uncertain when he’ll return to manage the team. La Russa has been away from the White Sox since Aug. 30. He rejoined the club on Sunday in Oakland to celebrate the A’s retiring Dave Stewart’s No. 34 jersey. La Russa managed Stewart and was part of the tribute, but was not managing the White Sox in their game against the Athletics. La Russa shared specifics of the procedure with The Associated Press after discussing his health before Chicago’s series finale against the Athletics. He is grateful to have had what he considered a relatively “simple” heart issue. The Hall of Fame manager turns 78 next month. MLB – George W. Bush part of MLB’s 9/11 anniversary tribute Former President George W. Bush took part in a first ball ceremony in Texas, Aaron Judge put on special cleats at Yankee Stadium and the New York Mets wore first responder caps as Major League Baseball paused to remember the 9/11 attacks. There were moments of silence, remembrances and tributes at ballparks all across America on Sunday on the 21st anniversary of 9/11. Bush, who was president on the day of the attacks, was at Globe Life Field as the Rangers played Toronto. Bush famously delivered a perfect strike be...

These Striking Mirrored Cabins Are Now Available To Rent In Tennessee’s Countryside – Robb Report https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/these-striking-mirrored-cabins-are-now-available-to-rent-in-tennessees-countryside-robb-report/ An immersive new glamping experience has arrived in the heart of Tennessee’s countryside. Bolt Tree Farmhouse just unveiled five new mirrored cabins on a mountaintop outside Chattanooga that are designed to steep you in the natural surroundings. The luxurious campground, which is set across 55 acres on Whitwell Mountain, first opened in May 2020 with a range of luxe domes and tree houses that recently appeared on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals. The aptly named Mirror Cabins appear to be equally amazing. Designed by Estonia-based hotel group ÖÖD, the striking structures feature a sturdy steel frame and glass walls that provide spectacular panoramic views of the rugged environment. The special glazing reflects 97 percent of UV rays to ensure the living quarters stay nice and cool. It also gives you complete privacy since it’s impossible to see inside the cabins while outside. Cabins are framed from recyclable steel and glass.  Bolt Farm Treehouse “Nature has this magical way of melting away stress, so it’s worth the hard work of anchoring these mirrored structures atop giant rock faces and next to waterfalls,” campground owners Tori and Seth Bolt said in a press statement. “The visually stunning architecture blends perfectly with nature, providing a fully immersive experience like no other.” The brand’s mantra “live like kings and queens” is apparent within the 200-square-foot interior of each cabin. You can expect a comfy bedroom with a queen-size bed, a bathroom with a rainfall shower, a well-equipped kitchenette and an in-room movie theater. The abodes come equipped with all the mod cons, too, including A/C, heated floors, high-speed Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth record player. Outside, each cabin has a private terrace that comes fitted with a hot tub, Adirondack chairs, a bistro table and a smokeless fire pit. It’s the perfect place to take in that fresh mountain air. Guests can chill by one of the fire pits or partake in activities like horseback riding.  Bolt Farm Treehouse Bolt Tree Farmhouse is about more than glitzy accommodation, though. While at the campground, adventurers can also opt to partake in a range of blood-pumping outdoor activities, including horseback riding, scenic hikes and ATV tours. See you on the camping trail. Rates for the cabins start at $475 per night. Click here to see the Bolt Tree Farmhouse in photos.  %

Hostess Brands Outlines Innovation Blueprint – Food Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/hostess-brands-outlines-innovation-blueprint-food-business-news/ BOSTON — Baby Bundts, Hostess Donettes caffeinated Boost and Bouncers stand out as new product success stories and shining examples of how insight is driving innovation at Hostess Brands, Inc.   Executives at the Kansas City-based snacks manufacturer discussed how the company’s customers are recognizing the power that Hostess brings from an innovation perspective to drive category growth at the Barclays Consumer Staples Conference held Sept. 8 in Boston. “We’re starting to talk to our customers about a three-year innovation pipeline,” said Arist R. Mastorides, executive vice president and chief customer officer. “So not only what we’re doing today, but how we’re thinking about that over three years and really leveraging the (snacking) occasions … and those occasions also inform how we go to market in each of our channels. And all of that is supported with broad-based digital media, including with some of our retail partners. And that’s the power of this new Hostess that we’re talking about.” Mr. Mastorides said Hostess’ strength of innovation is disproportionately amplified by the company’s ability and unique go-to-market capabilities. Specifically, he mentioned the company’s warehouse distribution model, which he said gives Hostess the ability to reach into every store in the channels it competes in. “Our customers see that,” he said. “They’re expecting us to be in stock to help them drive their category and our growth. And candidly, that’s something that our DSD (direct-store delivery) partners just simply can’t do.” Hostess also is driving innovation by leveraging data in its proprietary performance model. “We’re using that data to collaborate with our retail partners, and we’re setting distribution and merchandising goals for the year and then leveraging that data to make sure that we stay on track and to reward our retail partners for that execution,” Mr. Mastorides said. “The other part that we’re doing with that data is dynamically sending our retail store team into the stores where we have the biggest opportunities. And that’s really working well for us. So we are accelerating our distribution. This year alone, we’ve closed over 100,000 distribution voids. And we’ve sold about 20% more of the single-serve display racks. And so while we have really broad-based distribution, we believe that we’re just getting started.” The commitment Hostess has shown to the convenience store channel also has been instrumental in its growth. Andrew P. Callahan, president and chief executive officer, said Hostess never stopped investing in the convenience channel, even when things were extremely difficult during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We never stopped investing in the consumer,” he said. “When capacity was really tight, we looked at it and said, how do we get more efficient versus how do we cut off our most strategic issues? We’re not stopping investing in advertising now. So a lot that we … kept doing, which is paying off now all in the mindset of profitable growth.” Mr. Mastorides added that Hostess remains “very bullish” about the convenience store channel and about Hostess’ business within convenience stores. “So we leverage some industry data and our own data,” he said. “And what we’re seeing in the c-store channel is that as gas prices came up, we did see transactions dip a little bit. But as gas prices have moderated, we’re also seeing those trips start to moderate again. And so I feel like from a trip perspective, we’re in a good shape in the c-store channel. “I would also say that our category continues to perform really well. We’re up over 15% in the c-store channel. And that’s ahead of some of the other really big categories within c-store, including beverage. … We continue to invest in our business model. C-store has been one of those places where we’ve invested. Over the last four years, we’ve grown 5 points of share in the c-store channel behind some of those investments. And I’m very confident in what we’re doing and how we’re going to continue to drive growth in that channel going forward.” Mr. Callahan also alluded to what he described as a “secret element” key to Hostess’ success in new product innovation: quality. He said that part of the reason that Hostess moved to a warehouse distribution model and invested in data insight was to make sure that it not only is able to deliver products to consumers, but to deliver products that consumers really enjoy. Hostess has been able to deliver, he said, generating a repeat buy rate of greater than two times the category. “That repeat sale is really, really good to be twice,” he said. “That’s the math and we spend a lot of time investing in the drivers of liking, understanding, being able to do it at scale, testing it throughout the shelf life. And that’s part of the things that I’m really, really proud of. If you ever tasted our products or you thought about it before, our Baby Bundts products or our Twinkies, they are really, really good products.”

400 Brand New Homes In Dhaka From BTI – Dhaka Tribune https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/400-brand-new-homes-in-dhaka-from-bti-dhaka-tribune/ Building Technology and Ideas Ltd (BTI) is going to organize a grand launching event where some very important matters such as DAP, wellness communities and healthy living will be discussed.  “This event is going to add value to the prospective customers as well as the landowners,” said FR Khan, the managing director of BTI in a press conference held recently at their own premise, BTI Celebration Point in Gulshan, reads a press release. BTI is going to host a two-day long ‘BTI Grand Launching Event 2022’ on September 16-17 at Celebration Point, Gulshan-2.  The event will mark the occasion of launching 400 brand new apartments in the presence of their customers, added FR Khan. The Chief Architect of BTI Sabrin Zinat Rahman mentioned that under the wellness communities, BTI has planned homes for all age groups, for example, toddlers, adolescents, adults, and senior citizens.  “Here your loved ones will be your neighbours and your neighbours will be your loved ones. We have focused on both your physical and mental fitness while designing the wellness communities,” she added. The day-long event will also hold two-panel discussions on the newly approved Detailed Area Plan (DAP) and its implications, as well as healthy living in wellness communities.  Project Director of DAP Md Ashraful Islam, other real estate experts, acclaimed health experts, and international award-winning architect Rafiq Azam will grace the panel discussions with their presence, informed by the managing director. In this press conference, FR Khan, the chief architect, executive director of brand and the general manager of sales were present among others.

MLB Power Rankings: Mets, Braves Battle Atop NL East Standings – USA TODAY https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/mlb-power-rankings-mets-braves-battle-atop-nl-east-standings-usa-today/ With about 20 games left in the regular season, some of Major League Baseball’s playoff races look set to go down to the wire. The New York Mets have 1½-game lead in the National League East entering Monday, pulling back two games in the days after they lost possession of first place after nearly five months on top. The Atlanta Braves have gone since 64-26 – a 115-win pace – since June 1 and managed to briefly overtake the Mets on Friday, before losing the last two of their weekend series in Seattle. HOME RUN RACE: Mark McGwire thinks Judge will pass Bonds some day NEWSLETTER: Get the latest sports news straight to your inbox The AL Central race has also gotten more interesting, with the Cleveland Guardians holding a 2½-game advantage over the second-place Chicago White Sox, who have won seven of 10 – while the Minnesota Twins have fallen to third by losing eight of 10. Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ eight-person panel voted this week: Rank (movement from last week) 1. Los Angeles Dodgers (–) LA should clinch its eighth division title in nine years this week. 2. Houston Astros (–) Lefty Will Smith has a 2.63 ERA in 15 appearances since joining Houston. 3. Atlanta Braves (+1) Spencer Strider’s 13.65 K/9 is the best mark of any pitcher with at least 60 innings. 4. New York Mets (-1) Fell out of first place for the first time since April 12 – but found themselves 1½ games up two days later.  5. New York Yankees (+1) Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton and Harrison Bader all set to begin rehab assignments. 6. St. Louis Cardinals (-1) Entering Sunday, St. Louis was 47-24 at home and 35-34 on the road. 7. Tampa Bay Rays (–) Shortstop Wander Franco returns after two months on the inured list. 8. Toronto Blue Jays (+1) Eight games in seven days this week against AL wild-card rivals Tampa Bay and Baltimore. 9. Seattle Mariners (-1) Seattle’s starters had a 1.95 ERA in the first nine games of September. 10. Philadelphia Phillies (+1) J.T. Realmuto is the fifth catcher in history with a 15 homer, 15 steal season. 11. San Diego Padres (-1) Juan Soto was hitting .224 with a .740 OPS through 31 games with San Diego. 12. Milwaukee Brewers (+2) Matt Bush has six holds and two saves in 17 games trade to Milwaukee. 13. Cleveland Guardians (–) Cleveland bullpen’s 2.34 ERA in the second half is the best in baseball. 14. Baltimore Orioles (-2) Lost six of eight and enter Monday 5 ½ games back in the AL wild-card race. 15. Chicago White Sox (+1) Makeup game at Cleveland on Thursday could play big role in deciding AL Central. 16. Minnesota Twins (-1) Reliever Griffin Jax has given up one earned run in his last 13 appearances. 17. Boston Red Sox (–) Boston is 19-40 against the AL East – and 49-32 against everyone else. 18. San Francisco Giants (–) Joey Bart is hitting .288 (36-for-125) with 7 homers and an .822 OPS in his last 43 games. 19. Arizona Diamondbacks (–) Zac Gallen’s 44⅓ scoreless inning streak comes to an end, breaking Brandon Webb’s club record. 20. Colorado Rockies (+4) Rockies head to Chicago this week for two vs. White Sox, three vs. Cubs 21. Texas Rangers (-1) Finally in the majors after injury derailed his season, top prospect Josh Jung homers in his first big-league at-bat 22. Los Angeles Angels (-1) Patrick Sandoval’s last four starts: 1.33 ERA, 25 strikeouts, 4 walks in 27 innings. 23. Miami Marlins (-1) Cy Young frontrunner Sandy Alcantara’s ERA has jumped from 1.92 to 2.43 in four starts. 24. Chicago Cubs (-1) Marcus Stroman has a 3.28 ERA in 17 starts since May 1. 25. Cincinnati Reds (+1) Joey Votto is Cincinnati’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee for the second year in a row.  26. Kansas City Royals (-1) Rookie Vinnie Pasquantino reinstated from the injured list. 27. Detroit Tigers (–) Eduardo Rodriguez has a 3.68 ERA in four starts after three months away. 28. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1) Starting a 10-game road trip on Monday in Cincinnati. 29. Oakland Athletics (-1) Ken Waldichuk looked good (3.60 ERA) in his first two big-league starts. 30. Washington Nationals (–) Anibal Sanchez has a 1.71 ERA in his last five starts.