How I Travel: Sandra Cisneros Packs Jewelry To Embody A Character Condé Nast Traveler
How I Travel: Sandra Cisneros Packs Jewelry To Embody A Character – Condé Nast Traveler https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/how-i-travel-sandra-cisneros-packs-jewelry-to-embody-a-character-conde-nast-traveler/
Someone must have told the legendary writer Sandra Cisneros that I’m calling her from Taiwan because she greets me with enthusiasm. “I just love Taipei because you can get a foot massage in a public place with a whole bunch of other people next to you and it doesn’t feel creepy. That is so civilized!” says the author of the classic novel The House on Mango Street, who resides in Mexico and has just released a new poetry collection, Woman Without Shame: Poems. “I bought a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes at the flea market there for 20 bucks. Woo-hoo! I’ve never worn them, but who cares? They look so nice you could put them on a cake.”
Cisneros was similarly ebullient when discussing her travels through Sarajevo, Istanbul, and Venice. Ahead, she shares the pieces she always packs, the feature she needs in a hotel room, and how Americans could behave a bit better when visiting Mexico.
All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
How she absorbs a new place:
I take notes. I love mistranslations. I take pictures of mistranslations, when things are translated into funny English. I take notes about how places make me feel. I was in Istanbul in May, and just the names of places are so beautiful. Everything sounds like poetry to me. I’m usually seduced by the sounds of words. I can’t always remember them unless I write them down. It’s all of the senses, but especially words. I’ve learned so few words in Turkish because they were always so complicated, but they’re beautiful. No wonder Rumi wrote poetry! It’s just the kind of place that is very conducive to poetry. But every place is conducive to poetry, because poetry’s about being very present in the moment and paying attention. That’s the same thing as a tourist, isn’t it?
Her approach to packing:
I telescope a lot of bags inside bags, or I have to have a bag that expands. Everything has to function three different ways. I like to travel with Mexican shopping bags inside my suitcases, and I don’t use a purse; I’ll use a flat cloth bag. The Mexican shopping bag is for all my books. I don’t understand people that travel with one little suitcase, because I don’t want to live with regrets. I want to take things home.
What she keeps in her carry-on:
I always have my laptop, and I carry a little basket with my jewelry that I wear to become “the author.” I don’t carry much jewelry if I’m just traveling as myself, but if I have to be “the author,” then I have my favorite turquoise cuff, or something that has to do with my culture. I always have a rebozo silk shawl or some silver Taxco earrings or bracelet, something that can empower me when I speak, but also educates the public about my culture.
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Supply Chain Issues Could Slow Fix Of Florida Electric Grid 69News WFMZ-TV
Supply Chain Issues Could Slow Fix Of Florida Electric Grid – 69News WFMZ-TV https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/supply-chain-issues-could-slow-fix-of-florida-electric-grid-69news-wfmz-tv/
Crews are beginning to repair — and in some cases, rebuild — Florida’s power grid after the state was pummeled by Hurricane Ian.
Florida Power & Light says it stockpiled enough poles, generators and wire to do the work. But power-industry officials warn that kinks in the nation’s supply chain could slow the recovery if Ian causes more damage as it spins up the Atlantic coast, or when another natural disaster strikes somewhere else in the U.S.
Eric Silagy, CEO of Florida Power & Light, said that Friday evening 850,000 of the utility’s customers who lost power in the storm remained without power, but 1.2 million had power restored during the day.
Ian crossed Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as one of the strongest storms to ever hit the U.S.
Silagy said earlier this week that the company had set aside enough generators in the months before Ian to complete repairs.
Nationally, however, there is a shortage of distribution transformers that take electricity from high-voltage lines and reduce it to levels that can be used in homes and businesses, industry officials said.
“It’s a critical component to the electrical grid that has been in scarce supply for a number of months now,” said Joy Ditto, president and CEO of the American Public Power Association. “We started to recognize it as a national concern in late winter, early spring, and the situation is getting worse.”
It used to take about three months for a transformer to show up after being ordered, but now it is taking more than a year, Ditto said. She said that is limiting the ability of companies to stockpile the boxes, and as a result, they are increasingly swapping boxes with utilities facing a shortage.
There are about a half-dozen U.S. manufacturers of the transformers that are dealing with labor and raw-materials shortages. Ditto said the main choke point is the specialty steel used in transformers — there is only one U.S. manufacturer for that. Her group and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association asked the Energy Department in May to suspend a 2016 efficiency standard that they say is partly responsible for the steel shortage, but the department has not gone along.
Scott Aaronson, an official at the Edison Electric Institute, which represents for-profit utilities, said the industry is prioritizing supplies during hurricane and wildfire season.
“These efforts help to ensure we are ready to share materials with companies impacted by Hurricane Ian if necessary,” he said by email.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Healthy Living For ME Network Announces Free Workshops In October Daily Bulldog Daily Bulldog
Healthy Living For ME Network Announces Free Workshops In October – Daily Bulldog – Daily Bulldog https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/healthy-living-for-me-network-announces-free-workshops-in-october-daily-bulldog-daily-bulldog/
MAINE – The Healthy Living for ME network has announced the workshops that will be starting up across the state in October. Topics addressed by the workshops include managing chronic conditions and chronic pain, improving fitness and balance, and managing diabetes.
Healthy Living for ME welcomes referrals from healthcare providers. The network’s evidence-based programming can help patients manage and prevent conditions before they become more serious or result in emergency situations.
“Our October workshops include a few being offered by two new partners in the network, Catholic Charities of Maine and Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital. We’re so pleased to be able to continue to expand our network and provide more access to free and low-cost resources that help Mainers improve their health and wellness,” said Maija Dyke, Business Manager of Healthy Living for ME.
The workshops starting in October are:
A Matter of Balance – This workshop emphasizes practical strategies to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels. Participants learn to view falls and fear of falling as controllable, set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, and exercise to increase strength and balance.
A Matter of Balance is being offered in-person in Presque Isle by Healthy Living for ME network partner, Aroostook Agency on Aging. The workshop begins on October 3, 2022 and will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30am-11:30am through October 31, 2022.
Living Well for Better Health – This workshop helps participants deal with ongoing conditions such as diabetes, COPD, arthritis, and high blood pressure. Topics covered include: handling frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation; appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance; appropriate use of medications; communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals; nutrition; and evaluating new treatments.
There are two in-person sessions of Living Well for Better Health launching in October; one in Caribou and one in Fairfield. A third session will also be offered online.
Healthy Living for ME network partner, Cary Medical Center is offering Living Well for Better Health in person in Caribou. The workshop begins on October 3, 2022 and will be held on Mondays, 10:00am-12:30pm through November 14, 2022.
Healthy Living for ME network partner, Catholic Charities of Maine is offering Living Well for Better Health in person in Fairfield. The workshop begins on October 6, 2022 and will be held on Thursdays, 9:00am-11:30am through November 10, 2022.
Healthy Living for ME network partner, Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital is offering Living Well for Better Health online. The workshop begins on October 6, 2022 and will be held on Thursdays, 4:00pm-6:30pm through November 10, 2022.
Bingocize – This workshop combines a bingo-like game with exercise and health education with the goal of increasing older adults’ functional fitness, health knowledge, and social engagement.
Bingocize is being offered online by Healthy Living for ME network partner, Aroostook Agency on Aging. The workshop begins October 3, 2022, and will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:00pm-3:00pm through December 12, 2022.
Better Health Now with Pain – This workshop is designed for those who experience long-term pain; their friends, family, and/or caregivers are also welcome to join. Participants in this workshop receive a toolkit in the mail and work with a leader either by themselves or in small groups. Topics covered include pacing and planning, medication management, and the Moving Easy Program.
Better Health Now with Pain is being offered over the phone by Healthy Living for ME network partner, Spectrum Generations. The workshop begins October 6, 2022 and will be held on Thursdays, 1:00pm-2:00pm through November 10, 2022.
Living Well with Chronic Pain – This workshop is designed for people who are dealing with persistent pain such as back pain, post-surgical pain, headaches, and other ongoing pain. Topics covered include: dealing with frustration, fatigue, isolation, and poor sleep; appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength; appropriate use of medications; communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals; nutrition; pacing activity and rest; and evaluating new treatments.
Living Well with Chronic Pain is being offered online by Healthy Living for ME network partner, Aroostook Agency on Aging. The workshop begins on October 11, 2022 and will be held on Tuesdays, 1:00pm-3:30pm through November 15, 2022.
Better Health Now – This workshop is designed to help those living with chronic conditions, including heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or other conditions. Participants in this workshop receive a toolkit in the mail and work with a leader either by themselves or in small groups. Topics covered during the workshop include: techniques to deal with frustration, fatigue, pain, and isolation; appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance; appropriate use of medications, communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals; nutrition; and how to evaluate new treatments.
Better Health Now is being offered by phone by Healthy Living for ME network partner, MaineGeneral’s Peter Alfond Prevention and Healthy Living Center. The workshop begins on October 12, 2022 and will be held on Wednesdays, 3:00pm-4:00pm through November 16, 2022.
Living Well with Diabetes – This workshop is designed to help people with type 2 diabetes learn how to live well. Topics include: techniques to deal with the symptoms of diabetes, fatigue, pain, hyper/hypoglycemia, stress, depression, anger, fear and frustration; appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength and endurance; healthy eating, appropriate use of medication; and working with healthcare providers.
Living Well with Diabetes is being offered in-person in Augusta by Healthy Living for ME network partner, MaineGeneral’s Peter Alfond Prevention and Healthy Living Center. The workshop begins October 17, 2022 and will be held on Mondays, 12:30pm-3:30pm through November 21, 2022.
Though the workshops are free for participants, registration is required. Family, friends, caregivers, and supports of participants are also welcome to register and participate. Please contact Healthy Living for ME at 1-800-620-6036 or info@healthylivingforme.org for more information and to register. You can also register online at www.healthylivingforme.org.
College Football Schedule Games 2022: What To Watch In Week 5 TV Channels Saturday Kickoff Times CBS Sports
College Football Schedule, Games 2022: What To Watch In Week 5, TV Channels, Saturday Kickoff Times – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/college-football-schedule-games-2022-what-to-watch-in-week-5-tv-channels-saturday-kickoff-times-cbs-sports/
Plenty of intriguing games featuring title contenders headline the Week 5 slate as the calendar turns to October
Sep 30, 2022 at 8:00 pm ET • 3 min read
USATSI
The first Saturday in October is almost here and that means the landscape of college football will be dominated by the developing conference races as we approach the season’s midpoint. Saturday’s Week 5 slate brings us plenty of action with conference title race implications from noon ET through well past midnight, including a showdown in the SEC West where No. 2 Alabama heads to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the 20th-ranked Razorbacks in the SEC on CBS Game of the Week.
Elsewhere in the SEC, No. 14 Ole Miss will host No. 7 Kentucky in a cross-division matchup that will serve as a measuring stick for each of the two upstart contenders. Meanwhile, a much-anticipated battle in the ACC Atlantic takes center stage in primetime as No. 5 Clemson hosts No. 10 NC State.
It’ll be a busy Saturday across the country, so here’s a handy viewer’s guide to help you navigate the action. All times eastern.
The best games
No. 4 Michigan at Iowa — noon on Fox, fuboTV (Try for free): Weird things happen in Iowa City, Iowa, when top-five opponents come to town, and the Wolverines will now step into the madness. Of course, if the Hawkeyes are going to spring the upset, they’ll probably have to score multiple touchdowns. That’s easier said (or written) than done.
No. 7 Kentucky at No. 14 Ole Miss — noon on ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free): Running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will be back for the Wildcats, and will be facing a Rebels defense that has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the young season. Meanwhile, the Rebels boast one of the best running back duos in the country with Quinshon Judkins and Zach Evans. If you haven’t watched this rushing attack, get your popcorn ready.
No. 2 Alabama at No. 20 Arkansas — 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free): The Razorbacks are in desperation mode after falling to Texas A&M last week but will have the chance to get back into the national picture if they can pull the upset on the Crimson Tide. Four of Alabama’s last five true road games have been one-score games, so don’t discount a nail-biter.
No. 9 Oklahoma State at No. 16 Baylor — 3:30 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (Try for free): This rematch of last year’s thrilling Big 12 Championship Game will feature two teams that are unbeaten in conference play and could factor into the College Football Playoff race. The Cowboys were off last week, so they’ve had two weeks to prepare for revenge against Dave Aranda’s Bears.
No. 22 Wake Forest at No. 23 Florida State — 3:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (Try for free): The Demon Deacons can’t afford another conference loss after falling to Clemson last weekend, and the defense will have a challenge on its hands against a Seminoles team that has been tough to match up with this year. This game will serve as a pivot point in the race for the ACC Atlantic title.
No. 10 NC State at No. 5 Clemson — 7:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (Try for free): Clemson gained confidence last weekend when quarterback DJ Uiagalelei lit up Wake Forest’s defense, and now it looks like a complete football team. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack can make a big statement to the college football world if it can spring an upset in Death Valley.
Best of the rest
No. 18 Oklahoma at TCU — noon on ABC, fuboTV (Try for free)
Purdue at No. 21 Minnesota — noon on ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free)
Texas Tech at No. 25 Kansas State — noon on ESPN+
Georgia State at Army — noon on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Oregon State at No. 12 Utah — 2 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks, fuboTV (Try for free)
Rutgers at No. 3 Ohio State — 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
Northwestern at No. 11 Penn State — 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free)
Fresno State at UConn — 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
No. 17 Texas A&M at Mississippi State — 4 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
No. 1 Georgia at Missouri — 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
San Jose State at Wyoming — 7:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Georgia Tech at No. 24 Pittsburgh — 8 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
Arizona State at No. 6 USC — 10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free)
Stanford at No. 13 Oregon — 11 p.m. on FS1, fuboTV (Try for free)
The Mugglehead Technology Roundup: The Metaverse Is Real Edition Mugglehead
The Mugglehead Technology Roundup: The Metaverse Is Real Edition – Mugglehead https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-mugglehead-technology-roundup-the-metaverse-is-real-edition-mugglehead/
Mark Zuckerberg’s introduction of the metaverse was the mainstream realization of a project that’s been in the works for years. As with all new projects there have been detractors and doubt, and some of those arguments have some merit. The history of virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality are fraught with failures and setbacks. Is it all just vaporware? Some companies beg to differ.
Here’s a short list of companies taking advantage of NFTs and the metaverse.
Powerbridge Technologies gets onboard with soccer collectable NFTs
The NFT craze is beginning to slow down and took a serious hit during the advent of the crypto-winter, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t companies that see something valuable in these lines of code. It could also be that these companies are the long-tail late adopters long after the bubble has burst. It’s hard to tell.
Regardless, Powerbridge Technologies (NASDAQ:PBTS) acquired an exclusive right to offer soccer collectable NFTs on Ali Auction through a partnership with World Football Collection. Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) is behind Ali Auction, and has made it into one of the biggest online auction marketplaces, sporting over two million active users everyday. The auction benefits from being attached to the largest e-commerce platform in China with over 100 million users.
“I am thrilled that we have successfully launched our NFTs on Ali Auction. We will continue to strive and expand our new business in metaverse applications and NFTs, and we anticipate continuous growth from our new business,” said Stewart Lor, CEO of Powerbridge.
Powerbridge’s has its finger in a lot of pies. Its business is in multi-industry tech solutions. These range from software apps and services for global trade industry to intelligent devices for smart cities, and much more. Powerbridge is also up to its neck in the metaverse and smart offerings for travel and leisure, cryptomining and digital asset operations.
In this case, it’s involved in soccer NFTs. These NFTs launched on Ali Auction on Sept 20, 2020, and have since pulled in over 240,000 views from potential participants. The first batch of NFTs sold out entirely within the first hour of the auction.
Color Star new phone is your gateway to the metaverse
Color Star Technology (NASDAQ:CSCW) is entering the mobile industry through the development and manufacturing of a metaverse phone called DONO.
The DONO phone is an ESG-compliant, eco-friendly, with all of the sourcing for materials that go into making the phone completely mapped out over the lifespan of the device. Each phone will carry the Color Star logo along with the ColorWorld Metaverse software pre-installed.
“The mobile industry is our new business segment, and we are very excited and confident about developing this segment in the years to come. We are a technology company, and combined with our continuous development and optimization of our metaverse platform, our DONO phone will be a significant entry in the industry. While the public has been studying the features of our metaverse, we have been looking into user safety and protecting their privacy. Moreover, we will combine our metaverse with other services and businesses in order to widen our market. We are not your typical tech company. Here, everything is possible,” said Farhan Qadir, CEO of Color Star.
Color Star Technology is one of those mixed bag companies that gets as many fingers into as many different sectors as it can manage that are decently common on the fringes of the crypto-markets. In this case, it’s an entertainment and education company that provides online performances and online music education services. It runs through its subsidiaries, Color China Entertainment and CACM Group NY, and also it’s metaverse offering, Color World.
Now it’s apparently into technology and phones.
“Color Star is a technology company, so there are two things we value highly: one is software development, and the other is cyber security. Our upcoming DONO phone is aimed at the global market, and our priority is to ensure exceptional user safety and software stability. Our own Color World app will also introduce more people to the metaverse experience. We will provide more technology services and front-end projects in the future,” said Qadir.
The phone will also be highly resistant to tampering and hacks because of its tech and security. The team behind it will be providing full support in the development process, and the Color World platform will be on display to generate publicity for the phone.
DONO gives push-button connection to the metaverse, giving access to entertainment, collaboration, and educational content. The Color World app comes pre-installed, and users can visit new virtual locations, digital products, celebrity endorsement and other such things. The DONO will be unveiled in October at the 2022 Gulf Information Technology Exhibition in Dubai.
FaZe Clan optimizes in The Sandbox
FaZe Holdings (NASDAQ:FAZE) is a lifestyle and media platform that derives its value from gaming and youth culture. The Sandbox is a decentralized ‘metaverse’ or virtual gaming world, and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands. Faze Holdings is joining The Sandbox.
The specifics of this include a 12 x 12 plot of LAND named “FaZe World.” The company will this LAND to promote its lifestyle, products and culture. The two companies will come together to produce digital experiences for the community in The Sandbox through shared digital infrastructure, virtual events, games, and digital product releases. Essentially, this gives FaZe the chance to produce a gamified digital space where users can engage the brand, its talent and ultimately create new revenue options for FaZe.
“FaZe Clan has established itself through the power of the gaming and esports communities as a leading gaming, esports, entertainment, and culture brand. We’re thrilled to collaborate in bringing FaZe World to The Sandbox as we prepare to launch many exciting activations that put players and creators in control of the next phase of Internet culture comprising user-generated content, Web 3, metaverse, and gaming,” said Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox.
LANDS surrounding FaZe World will be available to the public for digital real estate purposes, giving fans of the brand a chance to be neighbours with the gaming and media organization. The Sandbox will sell LAND later this year and anticipates FaZe World going live in 2023.
The Sandbox is a curious creation. It’s part virtual real estate and part amusement park. The Sandbox embraces the idea of the metaverse as a consensual shared digital space where creativity and commerce meet. FaZe Clan is one of the largest gaming and lifestyle organizations, joining content creators and esports teams in The Sandbox. Over 400 existing partnerships are there, including Warner Music, Ubisoft, Tony Hawk, The Walking Dead, Snoop Dogg and more.
“FaZe Clan’s leadership position at the apex of gaming and youth culture presents an ideal opportunity to build bridges and lead the gaming community at large into the metaverse,” says Lee Trink, CEO of FaZe Clan. “Through FaZe World and our partnership with The Sandbox, our already digitally native fans can experience FaZe Clan in a new immersive way.”
Read more: The Mugglehead technology roundup: into the future edition
Read more: Super League Gaming extends branding options to Roblox metaverse
Orange Comet and AMC bring Anne Rice to NFTs and the metaverse
Orange Comet and AMC Networks (NASDAQ:AMCX) have expanded their partnership to launch NFTs and virtual environments for The Immortal Universe of Anne Rice. This is a metaverse-space. It will begin when Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire goes live on Sunday, October 2, on AMC and AMC+.
The two companies are expanding the scope for The Walking Dead NFT Collection to include the show’s expanding universe. This will include the upcoming The Walking Dead: Dead City spinoff starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
“AMC Networks has a proven track record of producing shows that break through the pop culture noise and attract highly passionate and committed fans. As The Walking Dead Universe enters its exciting second chapter, and we embark on the launch of our next epic franchise with Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, we’re excited to continue working with Orange Comet to deliver our viewers a world-class digital collectible experience that complements and enhances their favorite shows,” said Clayton Neuman, VP of games at AMC.
AMC Networks is a global entertainment company with a strong content base. Its brands include streaming services AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, and more. Beyond streaming, its in-house studio, production and distribution arm is behind some of the biggest titles and brands known to a global audience, including The Walking Dead, the Anne Rice catalog and the Agatha Christie library.
Orange Comet is a Web 3.0 entertainment company dealing in NFTs and metaverse experiences. The company’s claim to fame includes attracting some of the world’s largest award-winning media creators, producers and artists to partner with its biggest brands, IP and talent. Its founders include Hollywood producer, Dave Broome, NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and Grammy award-winning musicians Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Orange Comet runs its entire blockchain based operation on green severs to build a carbon-negative solution for the NFT space.
The NFT marketplace, OpenSea, hosts the NFTs for The Walking Dead and The Immortal Universe of Anne Rice. Additionally, The Walking Dead and Anne Rice products will come to life in a cinematic Metaverse environment.
“The first mint initiated a fan frenzy among dedicated supporters of...
Its Easy To Falsify Photo Geotags On Your IPhone To Keep Real Locations Secret Gadget Hacks
It’s Easy To Falsify Photo Geotags On Your IPhone To Keep Real Locations Secret – Gadget Hacks https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/its-easy-to-falsify-photo-geotags-on-your-iphone-to-keep-real-locations-secret-gadget-hacks/
Without realizing it, you may be giving away the GPS coordinates of your home, workplace, school, and other important or secret locations. Unless you’ve blocked the feature on your iPhone, location data is stored in almost every photo and video you take, and anyone you share the content with can find out where you are or were. But there are a few things you can do to safeguard the information.
When you opened up the Camera app for the first time, it asked you if it was OK to use your location when using the app, and you likely approved the request. And that’s perfectly fine. Tagging your photos and videos with location data helps you organize and keep track of important moments in your life, and it helps the Photos app create Memory videos for you, to name just a few benefits.
However, you may not remember that each image’s metadata stores the precise or approximate location where it was captured, or that anyone you share the image with can easily look up that information. You could even be sharing the GPS coordinates with hackers and the entire world if you upload content to services like DeviantArt, Flickr, Google Photos, and Unsplash.
Don’t Miss: Apple Photos Has 20 New Features for iPhone That Make Your Life Easier
Without Location Services disabled for camera apps, your iPhone doesn’t just use GPS networks to find your coordinates — it also uses Bluetooth connections, local Wi-Fi networks, and your cellular network. So even if you don’t have cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, location data could still be invisibly stamped on your images.
Jump to a section:
Disable Geotagging Altogether
Delete Geotags When Sharing
Delete Geotags Before Sharing
Fake Geotags Before Sharing
Option 1: Disable Geotagging Altogether
If you never want your iPhone to tag photos and videos with geographical information, you can disable Location Services for Camera and any other camera apps you use. To do so, go to Settings – Privacy (iOS 15) or Privacy & Security (iOS 16) – Location Services, then choose “Camera” or another app from the list.
From the app’s settings, you can:
Disable “Precise Location” to generalize recorded location data.
Change “While Using the App” to “Never” to disable the location access period.
Change “While Using the App” to “Ask Next Time Or When I Share.” When you open a new session in your camera app, it will ask you for location access. You can turn off Precise Location and choose “Don’t Allow” (to never let it access your location) or “Allow Once” (to have it ask the same question with every new session).
Option 2: Delete Geotags When Sharing
Since iOS 13, you can quickly remove the location from any picture or video you share from the Photos app. Once you open the share sheet, tap “Options” at the top, and toggle off the “Location” switch before sharing the content with any person or service. This even works when sharing multiple photos or videos with embedded geotags. If you don’t see the “Location” toggle, the content doesn’t have any location data in its Exif metadata.
Option 3: Delete Geotags Before Sharing
Since iOS 15, you can delete the geotags in your photos and videos from the Photos app, which comes in handy if you don’t plan on sharing the content just yet but know you probably will.
To delete the geotag of one photo or video:
Open the content, then swipe it up or tap the info (i) button to reveal the content’s metadata. Tap “Adjust” below the map, then hit “No Location.”
Open the content, tap the ellipsis (•••) icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the quick actions menu, then hit “No Location.” (This works on iOS 16 and later only.)
Open the content on iOS 15, tap the share icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the share sheet, then hit “No Location.” (This works on iOS 15 only.)
To delete the geotag of one or more photos or videos:
Hit “Select” from the grid view, choose the content, tap the ellipsis (•••) icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the quick actions menu, then hit “No Location.” (This works on iOS 16 and later only.)
Hit “Select” from the grid view, choose the content, tap the share icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the share sheet, then hit “No Location.” (This works on iOS 15 only.)
To revert back to the original location:
If you need the actual location back, use the same process above for single photos and videos.
Open the content, then swipe it up or tap the info (i) button to reveal the content’s metadata. Tap “Add a location” below the map, then hit “Revert.”
Open the content, tap the ellipsis (•••) icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the quick actions menu, then hit “Revert.” (This works on iOS 16 and later only.)
Open the content on iOS 15, tap the share icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the share sheet, then hit “Revert.” (This works on iOS 15 only.)
You cannot revert multiple photos or videos to the original location simultaneously, so you’ll have to do them individually if you have more than one that needs to be changed back.
Option 4: Fake Geotags Before Sharing
While removing the location data altogether when sharing photos and videos is quick and easy to do, you can also make it look like you were somewhere else. That way, if anyone looks up the content’s metadata, they’ll see a fake location instead of the real one. It could take them on a wild goose chase if they attempt to locate your whereabouts, favorite hangouts, or frequently visited locations.
It’s pretty much the same process to change the address for a photo or video in the Photos app as it is to delete it, as seen in Option 3 above, only you choose a specific location instead of “No Location.”
To falsify the geotag of one photo or video:
Open the content, then swipe it up or tap the info (i) button to reveal the content’s metadata. Tap “Adjust” below the map, then search for and select any location you want.
Open the content, tap the ellipsis (•••) icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the quick actions menu, then search for and select any location you want. (This works on iOS 16 and later only.)
Open the content on iOS 15, tap the share icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the share sheet, then search for and select any location you want. (This works on iOS 15 only.)
To Falsify the Geotag of One or More Photos or Videos:
Hit “Select” from the grid view, choose the content, tap the ellipsis (•••) icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the quick actions menu, then search for and select any location you want. (This works on iOS 16 and later only.)
Hit “Select” from the grid view, choose the content, tap the share icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the share sheet, then search for and select any location you want. (This works on iOS 15 only.)
To revert back to the original location:
If you need the actual location back, use the same process above for single photos and videos.
Open the content, then swipe it up or tap the info (i) button to reveal the content’s metadata. Tap “Adjust” below the map, then hit “Revert.”
Open the content, tap the ellipsis (•••) icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the quick actions menu, then hit “Revert.” (This works on iOS 16 and later only.)
Open the content on iOS 15, tap the share icon, choose “Adjust Location” from the share sheet, then hit “Revert.” (This works on iOS 15 only.)
You cannot revert multiple photos or videos to the original location simultaneously, so you’ll have to do them individually if you have more than one that needs to be changed back.
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Study: Hawaii Is Among Most Crypto-Obsessed States KHON2
Study: Hawaii Is Among Most Crypto-Obsessed States – KHON2 https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/study-hawaii-is-among-most-crypto-obsessed-states-khon2/
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Despite crypto interest being at an all-time low, Hawaii is among the Top 10 states that are still obsessed with digital currency, according to a new study. Finance website AtoZMarkets.com found that interest is over 80 times lower than the peak of early November 2021; analysis of Google Trends data also revealed that crypto interest in the last 12 months has reached an all-time low.
The study looked at which states still have their crypto obsession intact, despite the drop in online interest.
Get Hawaii’s latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You
Each state was given a total score determined by main crypto-oriented search terms over the last 12 months, including “bitcoin” and “cryptocurrency.” California was ranked as having the highest interest in crypto with a score of 675, followed by Nevada and New York. Hawaii was ranked as the seventh most crypto-obsessed state with a total score of 548, according to the study.
Top 10 Most Crypto-Obsessed States
State
Crypto
Bitcoin
Ethereum
Dogecoin
Cryptocurrency
NFT
Coinbase
Total Score
1. California
100
92
100
100
83
100
100
675
2. Nevada
91
100
84
87
87
89
79
617
3. New York
83
75
92
91
78
89
94
602
4. New Jersey
89
81
90
91
81
77
83
592
5. Florida
84
89
75
89
80
77
82
576
6. Washington
77
79
79
87
76
76
88
562
7. Hawaii
90
93
80
69
97
77
42
548
8. Utah
82
71
70
76
69
69
81
518
9. Massachusetts
74
76
81
67
65
77
75
515
10. Oregon
73
73
82
77
66
71
71
513
To see the full list, click here.
Hawaii’s crypto market almost took its last breath after House Bill 2108 was indefinitely deferred in early May. The bill would have established a program for the licensure, regulation and oversight of digital currency companies in the state. Without its passing, the Digital Currency Innovation Lab was scheduled to close for transactions on June 30 for both businesses and consumers.
Then on June 2, a two-year extension of the DCIL was announced. The news was a sigh of relief for the cryptocurrency companies participating in the pilot program. They can continue to do business in Hawaii without having to first obtain a state money transmitter license, at least until June 30, 2024.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
Those that choose to withdraw from the program will have to abide by the terms of the DCIL and wind down procedures starting on July 1 and concluding on Dec. 31.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Jackson Embarking On First Term Says Her Appointment Inspires Pride Among Americans Reuters
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Jackson, Embarking On First Term, Says Her Appointment Inspires Pride Among Americans – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-supreme-court-justice-jackson-embarking-on-first-term-says-her-appointment-inspires-pride-among-americans-reuters/
U.S. Supreme Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson waves during a photo opportunity outside the U.S. Supreme Court following an investiture ceremony for Justice Jackson at the court in Washington, U.S., September 30, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Major race cases loom for first Black woman U.S. justice
Biden attends Jackson’s ceremonial swearing-in at court
Only one of justices to have worked as a public defender
Sept 30 (Reuters) – Liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said on Friday that her appointment as the first Black woman to serve on the court has inspired pride among Americans she has encountered
She hears arguments for the first time as the Supreme Court opens its new term on Monday and the conservative-dominated judicial body has shown an increasing willingness to exert its power on a range of issues.
Jackson did not discuss the court’s ideological split in remarks at the Library of Congress on Friday following her formal investiture, instead focusing on how historically marginalized communities benefit from seeing her elevation to the high court.
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“People from all walks of life approach me with what I can only describe as a profound sense of pride. And what feels to me like renewed ownership. I can see it in their eyes,” Jackson said. “They stare at me as if to say, ‘Look at what we’ve done … this is what we can accomplish if we put our minds to it.”http://www.reuters.com/”
Jackson and her eight new colleagues will consider a slate of important cases over the next nine months.
These involve race-conscious admissions policies used by colleges and universities to foster student diversity, voting rights, environmental regulation, LGBT and religious rights, the power of federal agencies – and even a dispute over Andy Warhol paintings.
“Given how the docket is shaping up, there’s no indication this is going to be a quiet term for Justice Jackson to join,” said law professor Allison Orr Larsen of the College of William & Mary in Virginia.
The court has a 6-3 conservative majority, with Jackson joining a liberal bloc that has been relegated to issuing strongly worded dissents in the most important decisions. For example, the court’s conservative majority powered rulings on back-to-back days in June overturning its 1973 precedent that had legalized abortion nationwide and expanding gun rights by declaring that the U.S. Constitution protects an individual’s right to carry a handgun in public for self-defense.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted after those rulings showed a majority of Americans holding an unfavorable view of the court.
Jackson’s two fellow liberal justices, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, during public appearances this summer raised concerns that the court was gambling with its hard-earned legitimacy among the public by appearing political.
“I do not think those sorts of concerns will be enough to persuade five of the right-wing justices in many of these cases to not simply leverage their raw power to obtain the ends that they are looking for,” Boston University School of Law professor Jonathan Feingold said.
‘WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR’
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, appointed Jackson to succeed now-retired liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. The Senate in April confirmed the federal appellate judge, despite broad opposition among Republicans. Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s top Republican, called Jackson the choice of the “radical left.”
“I decide cases from a neutral posture. I evaluate the facts, and I interpret and apply the law to the facts of the case before me, without fear or favor, consistent with my judicial oath,” Jackson told the Senate Judiciary Committee during her March confirmation hearing.
Jackson took an oath administered by Roberts on Friday in a ceremony attended by Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the other justices and retired Justices Breyer and Anthony Kennedy. Her formal swearing-in took place in June.
“Today for the first time Americans will see a Black woman serving on our nation’s highest court. This is a proud day for America, for our democracy, and in particular for women and Black women,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
The new term’s first month includes arguments in cases that present the conservative justices opportunities to limit the scope of a major environmental law, cripple an important civil rights law’s protections against racial discrimination in voting and end affirmative action admissions policies used by colleges and universities to increase their numbers of Black and Hispanic students.
The affirmative action litigation involves challenges to policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Jackson, who earned undergraduate and law school degrees from Harvard and has served on its Board of Overseers, recused herself from the Harvard case but is set to participate in the North Carolina one.
While the liberal justices may play merely the role of dissenters in some cases, Jackson could help shape some decisions, particularly when her expertise comes to the fore. Her perspective on criminal justice issues is informed by past service both as a trial judge and as a public defender – a job none of the other sitting justices ever performed. Jackson also served on a commission that addressed sentencing guidelines for the federal judiciary.
“Those are all issues I suspect Justice Jackson would care about,” Larsen said.
Jackson joins the court amid an investigation ordered by Roberts into the May leak of a draft version of the abortion ruling, a disclosure he called a betrayal.
“That’s not a wound that’s going to heal quickly. The reality is that she’s stepping into a court that has endured a particularly difficult circumstance in the leak,” said Megan Wold, a former Alito law clerk now at the law firm Cooper & Kirk.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Additional reporting by Andrew Chung in New York and Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone, Will Dunham and Cynthia Osterman
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Nate Raymond
Thomson Reuters
Nate Raymond reports on the federal judiciary and litigation. He can be reached at nate.raymond@thomsonreuters.com.
Alabama Supreme Court Orders Shutdown Of Electronic Gaming At Three Casinos WIAT CBS42.com
Alabama Supreme Court Orders Shutdown Of Electronic Gaming At Three Casinos – WIAT – CBS42.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/alabama-supreme-court-orders-shutdown-of-electronic-gaming-at-three-casinos-wiat-cbs42-com/
by: Maddie Biertempfel
Posted: Sep 30, 2022 / 05:47 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 30, 2022 / 05:47 PM CDT
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Supreme Court is siding with the state in a new ruling against electronic gaming, ordering the closure of three casinos in the state.
The court said casinos in Lowndes and Macon Counties — that includes Southern Star Entertainment, Victoryland and White Hall Entertainment — must stop “illegal gambling activities.”
Justices ordered those two counties’ courts to enter orders within 30 days permanently enjoining those locations from offering electronic gaming.
This comes after years-long legal battles headed by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall against the machines.
While those counties passed constitutional amendments allowing bingo, Marshall says electronic bingo doesn’t fit that category.
“It’s taken us almost five years to get to the point to be able to validate what we’ve been saying all along, is that under the current law of Alabama, there is no such thing as electronic bingo. These in fact are slot machines, and slot machines are illegal under Alabama law,” Marshall said.
The Attorney General’s lawsuit against gambling at the Greenetrack Casino in Greene County is still being adjudicated in court.
Special Judges Appointed To Help Clear Backlog Of Circuit Court Pending Cases Northside Sun
Special Judges Appointed To Help Clear Backlog Of Circuit Court Pending Cases – Northside Sun https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/special-judges-appointed-to-help-clear-backlog-of-circuit-court-pending-cases-northside-sun/
Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph has appointed four special judges to assist the Hinds County Circuit Court in reducing the number of pending cases caused by the pandemic.
Special judges include Andrew K. Howorth of Oxford, Betty W. Sanders of Greenwood, Stephen B. Simpson of Gulfport and Frank G. Vollor of Vicksburg.
“The courts remained open throughout the worst of the pandemic, but crime didn’t take a holiday. Trials were postponed and dockets became congested. The Legislature has provided coronavirus relief funds to assist the Courts, the prosecutors and public defenders, Capitol Police, and various other agencies in order to ameliorate the damage caused or exacerbated by COVID-19,” said Greg Snowden, director of the Administrative Office of Courts.
The elected Hinds County Circuit Judges maintain active dockets, and they will continue to bring cases to trial or other final disposition. The special judges appointed by the Chief Justice will concentrate on felony criminal cases that are part of the burgeoning regular dockets.
Judge Howorth served for more than 18 years on the Third Circuit Court. He retired June 30, 2020. The Third Circuit Court includes Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Marshall, Tippah and Union counties. He is former chairman of the Conference of Circuit Judges and served on the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Judicial College. He is a former member of the State Intervention Courts Advisory Committee.
Judge Sanders retired in December 2014 after 25 years of judicial service. She served for 20 years as a circuit judge of the 4th Circuit District of Leflore, Sunflower and Washington counties. She previously served for five years by appointment as a special magistrate hearing cases filed by prisoners at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. She is former chairman of the Conference of Circuit Judges.
She served on the State Intervention Courts Advisory Committee and was president of the Mississippi Association of Drug Court Professionals. She served on the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project Board of Directors and as a member of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance, the Ethics Committee of the Mississippi Bar and the Bar Complaint Tribunal.
Judge Simpson served as a circuit judge of the Second Circuit District for eight years. He is former chairman of the Conference of Circuit Judges. He resigned the judgeship in May 2008 to accept appointment by the Governor as Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, where he served for almost three years. Before his appointment to the bench, he served more than seven years as an assistant district attorney in the Second Circuit, which includes Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties. He is former president of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association.
Judge Vollor served for 20 years as a circuit judge of the Ninth Judicial District, which includes Issaquena, Sharkey and Warren counties. He retired from the bench on May 31, 2009, to return to the private practice of law. He was county prosecutor in Warren County for more than five years before he took the bench.
Here Are The Standard Cancellation Policies For Each Major Cruise Line Travel Market Report
Here Are The Standard Cancellation Policies For Each Major Cruise Line – Travel Market Report https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/here-are-the-standard-cancellation-policies-for-each-major-cruise-line-travel-market-report/
Cruise line cancellation policies are as varied as the cruise lines themselves. Some cruise lines let clients cancel up to three months before sailing with no penalty. Others charge an administrative fee for a cancellation from the minute a cruise has been booked.
One universal truth does apply, though: the more expensive or longer the cruise, the less time people have to cancel their sailing with the least penalty.
To help advisors quickly and easily identify the cancellation policy for ocean-going cruise lines, Travel Market Report has rounded up each line’s standard policy.
This roundup does not include any special promotions that require either a non-refundable deposit or a non-refundable fare. Additionally, unless noted otherwise, cancellation charges are person.
In this article: American Cruise Lines | Azamara | Atlas Ocean Voyages | Carnival Cruise Line | Celebrity Cruises | Celestyal Cruises | Cunard | Disney Cruise Line | Holland America Line | Lindblad Expeditions | MSC Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line | Oceania Cruises | Paul Gauguin Cruises & Ponant | Princess Cruises | Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Royal Caribbean | Scenic | Seabourn | Silversea Cruises | UnCruise Adventures | Viking | Virgin Voyages | Windstar Cruises
American Cruise Lines
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
91 days or more | $250 per person (unless cancelled within 24 hours of booking)
90-46 days | 50% + $250 per person
45 days or less | 100% + $250 per person
Azamara
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
121+ days | $75 per person
120-91 days | 25% of booked fare
90-61 days | 50% of booked fare
60-31 days | 75% of booked fare
30 days or less | 100% of booked fare
Atlas Ocean Voyages
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
Deposit-91 days (Deposit – 121 days for Antarctica sailings) | $250 per person
90-76 days (120-76 days for Antarctica sailings) | 50% cancellation fee
75-46 days (same for Antarctica sailings) | 75% cancellation fee
45 days or less (same for Antarctica sailings) | 100% cancellation fee
Carnival Cruise Line
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
Final payment – 56 days | Deposit amount
55-30 days | 50% of booked fare (or standard deposit, whichever is greater)
29-15 days | 75% of booked fare (or standard deposit, whichever is greater)
14 days or less | 100% of booked fare
COVID-19 Exception: If you, your family members living with you in the same household or a travel companion assigned to the same stateroom cancels a cruise booking due to testing positive for COVID-19 within seven days of embarkation, you and those traveling companions assigned to the same stateroom are entitled to an FCC for the amount paid to Carnival. To qualify for the FCC, you are required to notify Carnival within 24 hours or receiving a positive COVID-19 test result. Results must be presented to Carnival in an “acceptable” format – ie, a laboratory test record, digital certificate or healthcare record that indicates your full legal name, date of birth, type of test, date and time sample was taken, test result stating “POSITIVE” and laboratory, testing site, and/or healthcare provider details. Handwritten test results and photographs of at-home test results are not acceptable.
Celebrity Cruises
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
For 1 to 4 Night Cruises (including holiday sailings)
74-61 days | 50% of total price
60-31 days | 75% of total price
30 days or less | 100% of total price
For cruises of 5 nights or longer (including holiday sailings & cruise/tours)
89-75 days | 25% of total price
74-61 days | 50% of total price
60-31 days | 75% of total price
30 days or less | 100% of total price
COVID-19 Exception: For cruises departing through November 30, 2022, Celebrity will provide a 100% refund (or FCC) for any guest and their traveling party, if any test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to embarkation. To qualify for a refund or FCC, the person who has tested positive must present a verified positive test in a form acceptable to Celebrity.
Celestyal Cruises
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
For 2022 Cruises
89-30 days | full deposit
29 days or less | 100% (minus port and service charges)
For 2023 Cruises
90 days or more | $60 per stateroom
89-30 days | full deposit
29 days or less | 100% (minus port and service charges)
Cunard
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
For voyages of 30 nights or less on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing through February 23, 2023 (including World Voyage segments
89-61 days | 40% of full fare
60-31 days | 50% of full fare
30-15 days | 75% of full fare
14 days or less | 100% of full fare
For all other cruises or voyages of 30 nights or less on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing after February 23, 2023
129-90 days | 25% or deposit amount
89-61 days | 40% of full fare
60-31 days | 50% of full fare
30-15 days | 75% of full fare
14 days or less | 100% of full fare
For voyages of 31 nights or longer on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing through February 2023 (including World Voyages & World Voyage segments)
89-64 days | 50% of full fare
63-43 days | 75% of full fare
42 days or less | 100% of full fare
For all other cruises or voyages of 30 nights or less on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing after February 23, 2023
150-120 days | 20% or deposit amount
119-91 days | 40% of full fare
90-64 days | 50% of full fare
63-43 days | 75% of full fare
42 days or less | 100% of full fare
Disney Cruise Line
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
For sailings that depart on or before March 31, 2023)
Cruises of 1 to 5 nights (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)
59-45 days | full deposits
44-30 days | 50% of vacation fare per guest
29-15 days | 75% of vacation fare per guest
14 days or less | 100% of vacation fare
Cruises of 6 nights or more (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)
59-56 days | full deposits
55-30 days | 50% of vacation fare per guest
29-15 days | 75% of vacation fare per guest
14 days or less | 100% of vacation fare
Suites and Concierge Staterooms
60 days or more | full deposits
59-56 days | 50% of vacation fare per guest
55-30 days | 75% of vacation fare per guest
29 days or less | 100% of vacation fare
For sailings that depart after March 31, 2023
Cruises of 1 to 5 nights (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)
89-45 days | full deposits
44-30 days | 50% of vacation fare per guest
29-15 days | 75% of vacation fare per guest
14 days or less | 100% of vacation fare
Cruises of 6 nights or more (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)
119-56 days | full deposits
55-30 days | 50% of vacation fare per guest
29-15 days | 75% of vacation fare per guest
14 days or less | 100% of vacation fare
Suites and Concierge Staterooms
90 days or more | full deposits
89-56 days | 50% of vacation fare per guest
55-30 days | 75% of vacation fare per guest
29 days or less | 100% of vacation fare
Holland America Line
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
Voyages Up to 6 Nights
75-57 days | Full deposits
56-29 days | 50% of gross fare
28-16 days | 75% of gross fare
15 days or less | 100% of gross fare
Grand World, Grand Voyages, Segments of Grand World or Grand Voyages, 28+ Day Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas, Tales of the South Pacific, Amazon Explorer, Incan Empires (including segments), 30+ Day Transatlantic Voyages (including segments)
120-91 days | Full deposits
90-76 days | 60% of gross fare
75 days or less | 100% of gross fare
All Other Voyages of 7 Nights or Longer
90-76 days | Full deposits
75-61 days | 50% of gross fare
60-31 days | 75% of gross fare
30 days or less | 100% of gross fare
COVID-19 Exceptions: All cruises booked through September 30, 2022 that depart through December 31, 2022 can be canceled up to 30 days before departure through Holland America’s “Worry Free Promise” policy and receive a Future Cruise Credit in the amount of any non-refundable cancellation fees, with the remainder of what was paid for the cruise refunded to the original form of payment. Additionally, on these cruises a guest may cancel up to sailing date if they test positive for COVID-19 and receive the same remuneration.
Lindblad Expeditions
Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge
For Departures through December 31, 2023 (National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Islander II, Delfin, The Jahan, Lord of the Glens, Oberoi Philae, and Sea Cloud)
120 days or more | $350 (will be credited in the form of a Lindblad Expeditions Travel Certificate, which may be applied towards final payment on any future booking, no expiration date)
119-90 days | Advance payment cost (will be credited in the form of a Lindblad Expeditions Travel Certificate, which may be applied towards final payment on any future booking, no expiration date)
89-60 days | 25% of trip cost
59-45 days | 50% of trip cost
44 days or less | 100% of trip cost
For Departures Starting January 1, 2024 (National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Islander II, Delfin, The Jahan, Lord of the Glens, Oberoi Philae, and Sea Cloud)
120 or more days | Advance payment cost (will be credited in the form of a Lindblad Expeditions Travel Certificate, which may be applied towards final payment on any future booking, no expiration date)
119-90 days | 50% of trip cost
89 days or less | 100% of trip cost
For Departures through March 31, 2024 (National Geographic Explorer, Nati...
Latest News Updates: Disney Adds New Board Member As Part Of standstill With Dan Loeb Financial Times
Latest News Updates: Disney Adds New Board Member As Part Of ‘standstill’ With Dan Loeb – Financial Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/latest-news-updates-disney-adds-new-board-member-as-part-of-standstill-with-dan-loeb-financial-times/
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Thousands Of Refugees Seeking Permanent Visas Still Living In Uncertainty 9News
Thousands Of Refugees Seeking Permanent Visas Still Living In Uncertainty – 9News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/thousands-of-refugees-seeking-permanent-visas-still-living-in-uncertainty-9news/
More than 30,000 refugees living in Australia are still on various temporary visas, limiting their ability to work, study, reunite with their loved ones and create stable lifestyles.
History repeated itself in Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, forcing thousands of Afghans, majority belonging to ethnic Hazaras, to dangerously flee their country in order to escape the looming genocide under the group’s regime.
Sajeda Zaki, a Hazara woman and law student at Victoria University, told 9news.com.au she arrived in Australia after leaving Pakistan with her mother and five siblings in 2016, reluctant to abandon her previous life and Hazaragi culture.
Sajeda Zaki (right), pictured here with her mother and father. (Supplied)
Her father was smuggled into Australia on a ship in 2009, where “all he could see was black ocean onboard a giant ship with hundreds of other terrified people”, fleeing Afghanistan to establish a better life for a family he would not see for seven years.
“Dad always tells me he came by boat for us, to have a better future for his children, even though he was told there was only a one-in-100 chance of surviving the trip to Australia,” Zaki said.
After being “overwhelmed by unhappiness” seeing people on temporary protection visas (TPVs) suffering mentally, Zaki began working with the Victorian Afghan Youth Association (VAYA) to communicate for refugees and rally for action to be taken by the Australian Government.
“I have a lot of friends who are on temporary visas and they suffer emotionally and mentally from not being able to reconnect with their families or build a permanent life in Australia,” she said.
Sajeda Zaki advocates for refugees in Australia, helping them navigate the visa and citizenship pathway. (Supplied)
Once Zaki was reunited with her father in 2016, she realised the importance of reuniting displaced people with their families.
She now assists individuals with filling out their paperwork to apply for permanent visas and citizenships.
“There are a lot of people who aren’t healthy, living in constant uncertainty and we are not seeing results from the government who are meant to be improving the rate of permanent visa processing,” she said.
“I want the people of Australia to know that refugees have the same emotions, dreams and plans as you do, the only differences are that we weren’t born here and that English isn’t our first language.”
‘Psychological damages’ from temporary visas
Asylum seekers who arrive in Australia irregularly, either by boat or plane and without a valid visa, are not counted in the government’s permanent Humanitarian Program and are not granted a permanent visa.
Under changes made to the Migration Act 1958 by the Abbott Government in 2014, refugees are granted one of two temporary visas – a three-year temporary protection visa (TPV) or a five-year safe haven enterprise visa (SHEV).
Hazara refugees rallying for permanent visas which will allow them to reunite with families. (Supplied)
In both cases, individuals holding temporary visas have to wait in uncertainty for at least three years before being allowed to re-lodge another application for protection at the end of their visa period.
Former Policy Officer with the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) and lawyer Shukufa Tahiri advocates for the human rights of refugees.
She told 9news.com.au the uncertainty of being on a temporary visa causes all sorts of “psychological damages” for already traumatised individuals.
“One of the key policy platforms from the Labor government during the last election was to grant permanent residency to current TPV holders, a commitment which they now need to honour,” Tahiri said.
“Thousands of individuals have held temporary visas for over 10 years and the uncertainty of remaining in limbo has meant extended trauma that should have been prevented many years ago.”
Shukufa Tahiri gathers information on policies and issues affecting the protection of refugees. (Supplied)
TPV and SHEV holders cannot travel outside of Australia to reunite with their families in developing countries, have limited access to state benefits such as Centrelink and Medicare, no access to emergency housing and limited ability to attend English classes or translation services.
Australia’s offshore resettlement component of the Humanitarian Program includes people who are proposed for resettlement by someone already living in Australia, usually a relative, which is one of the only pathways for separated families to reunite and settle in Australia.
Federal government urged to improve permanent visa processing
The Albanese government has stated processing the backlog of visa applications is an “urgent priority”, with those who have been waiting for permanent visas for years pleading for certainty.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles said in June the department was working through large numbers of older cases but noted reducing the backlog couldn’t happen overnight.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles says Labor government is prioritising permanent visas for refugees. (AAP)
“The number of applications received in June 2022 is 6.5 per cent higher than May 2022 – over the same period, there was a 10.6 per cent increase in applications finalised,” Giles said.
“The former government devalued immigration, with the visa application backlog increasing to nearly 1,000,000 on their watch.
“The Albanese government is determined to reduce the backlog and restore the importance of the immigration function of our government.”
Tahiri is asking for more empathy from the government to reunite families through extended Humanitarian Programs, but admits not everyone seeking asylum will gain permanent protection right away.
“Our community is not saying that Australia is in a position to save everyone, but for people who are here, who have worked and lived in this community for 10 years and who have proven to be very valuable members of society, we need to give them permanency,” she said.
Poverty, oppression as Afghanistan marks one year of Taliban rule
The Last Run Medford News Weather Sports Breaking News Mail Tribune
The Last Run – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News – Mail Tribune https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-last-run-medford-news-weather-sports-breaking-news-mail-tribune/
Press operator Mike Seaney says goodbye to the Mail Tribune press before its last run Thursday. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
A skilled team of press operators and production and distribution staff did their thing for the final time Thursday night.
Without them, nothing written or photographed by the Mail Tribune news staff over the past century could have made it into the hands of readers.
Most of the longest-running employees in the Mail Tribune pressroom have lived their lives around the daily news. As the presses were heating up one final time, carriers waited for their final stacks of newspapers and production facility employees stared down a final farewell to keepsakes, memories, inside jokes and the well-worn machinery of the pressroom.
Mailroom “kids” who climbed the ranks are now the bosses just a few years from retirement age. Karen Redfield, production department manager assistant, started as an ad inserter in 1991. Her sons, now adults, were 1 and 9. This week, her oldest, now 39, was set to be married Friday. A dozen flags that were hung in the press building windows when he left for the Navy weeks after 9/11 still filter the outside light.
“Everybody starts as an inserter, so that was what I did,” Redfield said, noting she had done everything from forklift driving and maintenance to managing pre-prints at the Ashland Daily Tidings.
“It was good because I was able to work at night while my babies were home sleeping. I’ve done everything in this building except for make a bale in the baler because they’re so heavy.”
Redfield said production facility employees weren’t entirely shocked at the announcement earlier this month that the Mail Tribune would cease printing the paper Sept. 30, after 134 years in print.
“We’re fairly pragmatic. Most of us are on the correct side of 50-plus, and we all understand that life goes to a certain point, and then you have new parts of life, and you have change,” she added.
Redfield said the increasing prevalence of digital newspapers in recent years has been a growing reminder that the days of print media were numbered. Still, Redfield and crew were proud of their devotion to putting out a quality product over the years, especially over the past two years.
“All of us across this entire building got to make a choice, and every one of our staff stayed during the entire pandemic and worked. Every shift. We were all in it together,” she said.
“We had every safety precaution we could do — masking and distancing — but we never missed a beat, never missed a paper. We knew we needed to protect ourselves for our families, but we also were committed to keeping it going for the community.”
She added, “The dedication of the people who work in the newspaper industry speaks for itself.”
Redfield recalled the ins and outs of putting out the daily paper, from massive Thanksgiving ad inserts and waiting for last-minute political headlines on too-close races. More recent changes included fewer print days, dropping in August 2021 from seven days to four.
Pressroom Manager Tim Grogan, in his navy blue pressman shirt — painters wear white, printers wear blue — was busily setting up Wednesday’s paper Tuesday night, too busy still “putting out a paper” to figure out what would come next.
Now 52, Grogan started “stuffing inserts” at age 17. He moved to Portland not long after, working in a print shop for just over a year before returning after production machinery had been moved, anticipating construction of the two “new” Mail Tribune buildings in downtown Medford in the early 1990s.
“It moved over to Bryan Way while I was gone, between ’88 and ’91. I started working in the mailroom again, with that inserting machine on Bryan Way. I did that until May of ’93 before I moved into the pressroom as a bottom level apprentice, making 60% what the other guys made,” said Grogan.
Former longtime press boss John Aldridge waited for what felt like an eternity before letting Grogan run the 30-ton, three-story press, a 1988 Goss Metroliner 2, once used by the Wall Street Journal.
“He felt very comfortable with the guys that knew what they were doing — having them do it. I was here for almost eight years before I ever got to run the press. Steve Wilson, one of the older guys here at the time who was our main press operator, he decided this one day that THIS was the day I was going to start running. Steve said, ‘OK, John, Tim’s gonna run the press today. So John comes walking down and said, ‘Tim’s gonna start this thing up. I’m gonna watch this.’ He was standing there with his arms crossed, and I was so nervous,” Grogan recalled.
“I started it up — didn’t blow out any webs — and started printing. I walked over, grabbed a paper and walked back to start doing my settings, and I heard John lean over to Steve and say, ‘He started it up like a professional!’
I said, ‘Well, I sat around and watched it being done for eight years!’”
Grogan said anyone in print media would have been remiss to have not expected eventual slowdown of printed papers. Whether creatively sourcing replacement press parts or watching ink and paper prices nearly double in recent years, Grogan understood that the old press would eventually go the way of the ancient Linotype sitting at the front of the building.
“A few years ago, I started almost joking that this is probably not going to be here long enough for me to retire from. And we never knew exactly when, but there was always that thought in the back of our minds. It was a bit of a surprise for it to all of a sudden just happen. But I fully understand why,” he said.
“I order all the newsprint and the ink and everything. Newsprint has gone, in only about two years, or not even quite that long, from less than $500 a metric ton to now almost $1,000. … There’s only one paper mill left to buy from where there used to be three.”
Grogan said he’d take some time to figure out “what next.”
“It’s been a great career. I’ve had a consistent job here for 31 years. … The thought of turning off the lights and leaving and never coming back, I’m not sure how that will feel. I don’t know how to be unemployed yet, but to think that papers could one day all just be digital, and nothing printed … doesn’t seem right.”
Matt Talley, youngest of four pressmen at the Mail Tribune, began as an “18-year-old kid” seven years ago, learning “to do everything from the ground up.” Setting up the first of three final papers Tuesday alongside pressman Bob Caldwell, he was nostalgic about “growing up” in the pressroom — and grateful for the experience.
“I feel content, to be honest. I checked everything off my list. I started as just a kid, and I get to say I was one of the last few people to print a newspaper in the valley,” he said.
“I’ve been here my whole adult life — used to pay for my grandfather’s subscription until he passed. … I’m really gonna miss this place.”
Heating up the presses on Thursday, pressmen Grogan, Talley, Bob Caldwell and Mike Seaney worked one last time, like a well-oiled machine. Longest tenured in the pressroom, Seaney was nostalgic about his roots with the paper. His father began in the 1950s, as a printer, using the old Linotype.
“My dad set the type and all that. And my mom — I was probably in her belly when she was delivering papers. I remember, when I was 16 or 17, Dale Erickson, who was in charge of circulation at the time, hollered at my mom and said, ‘When you gonna get that guy a job?’” Seaney said, noting that he started in circulation in 1977 and started in the pressroom in 1981.
Marking his 45-year anniversary in August, Seaney was sad but grateful to be present for the “final run.”
“I was planning on going until 67, but when they went to four days a week, I realized we were really losing circulation. In the heyday, we were around 30,000 subscribers. Fridays and Sundays it was even higher. Now we run about 8,000. We knew digital was taking over,” he said.
“Things have certainly changed a lot since I first came to work here, but I’m sure grateful for all the years that I’ve had … It’ll be a new adventure, hopefully.”
Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or bpollock@rosebudmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.
Karen Redfield, who started as an ad inserter in 1991, drives a forklift Wednesday at the Mail Tribune press building. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Mail Tribune pressroom Manager Tim Grogan starts the press Wednesday. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Matt Talley, youngest of four pressmen at the Mail Tribune, loads a plate on the press. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Papers fly off the press in downtown Medford. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
The Mail Tribune press ran for its final time Thursday. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Tools of the trade. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Jeanne Ames, left, and Janis Bryan, production staff, load papers onto a pallet in the Mail Tribune production building. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Janis Bryan stacks papers. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Papers move along the gripper conveyors. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Papers move through the production process on gripper conveyors. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
The Mail Tribune press ran for its final time Thursday. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
The 1988 Goss Metroliner 2 was once used by the Wall Street Journal. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
The Mail Tribune press ran for its final time Thursday. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Mail Tribune street boxes await new uses. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
The final printed copies of Tempo make their way down the line Thursday evening. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune]
Bob Caldwel checks on a paper during a press run.
BlackRock Digs Further Into Crypto With Metaverse ETF FinanceFeeds
BlackRock Digs Further Into Crypto With Metaverse ETF – FinanceFeeds https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/blackrock-digs-further-into-crypto-with-metaverse-etf-financefeeds/
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with almost $10 trillion in AUM, is set to launch a new metaverse ETF to help investors securely monetize on the booming immersive version of the internet.
BlackRock’s iShares Future Metaverse Tech and Communications ETF will give investors exposure to metaverse-focused companies, as per the filing on Thursday. This may include companies with links to social media, virtual platforms, digital assets, gaming, augmented reality and much more.
The metaverse, which combines technologies such as virtual reality and NFTs, has become a focal point for exchange-traded product issuers. Most recently, Switzerland-based crypto exchange-traded product issuer 21Shares and US rival ProShares have launched their own Metaverse ETFs.
Despite a major slowdown in the Metaverse space, some industry surveys estimate that the total addressable market between $8-13 trillion by 2030.
BlackRock has been increasing its exposure to the digital assets space throughout 2022. Just yesterday, the New York-based financial conglomerate announced the launch of its crypto ETF in Europe despite the regulatory concerns in the continent.
The iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF is listed on Euronext, made up of 35 global companies whose primary business is related to blockchain such as crypto miners and exchanges. Around 25% of the fund’s exposure goes to companies that support the technology such as semiconductor companies.
The news comes barely a month after BlackRock had inked a partnership deal with the prime brokerage arm of US popular exchange, Coinbase. The collaboration is, however, limited to bitcoin and will allow BlackRock’s institutional clients to have access to crypto trading, custody, prime brokerage, and reporting via Coinbase Prime.
The clients will also be able to manage their bitcoin and conduct risk analysis using BlackRock’s software suite Aladdin.
Back in April, BlackRock had participated in $400 million funding round for Boston-based fintech startup Circle. In addition to its investment and role as a primary asset manager of USDC cash reserves, BlackRock has entered into a partnership with Circle to explore capital market applications for its stablecoin.
BlackRock made headlines last year when it added bitcoin futures to derivatives products that two of its funds can invest in. The development came shortly after CEO of BlackRock, Larry Fink, provided a somewhat bullish take on the world’s first cryptocurrency. In a relatively rare endorsement, Fink said Bitcoin has ‘caught the attention’ and could largely replace gold but warned of its growing popularity that has a real impact on the US dollar.
Back then, Fink, who has grown BlackRock into the world’s largest money-management corporation, dismissed bitcoin as nothing more than a vehicle for speculation and money laundering.
The world’s largest asset manager launched a blockchain-focused ETF in April that provides investors with exposure to the crypto and blockchain industry. The company added the Blockchain and Tech ETF (IBLC) to its iShares product line.
The North Face Urban Exploration FW22 Goes GORE-TEX Minimalist Highsnobiety
The North Face Urban Exploration FW22 Goes GORE-TEX Minimalist – Highsnobiety https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-north-face-urban-exploration-fw22-goes-gore-tex-minimalist-highsnobiety/
Who doesn’t love The North Face Japan? Operated by Goldwin separately from the VF Corp-owned American label, TNF JP is a masterclass in minimalist steeze, a perfect example of how to make truly technical clothing look effortlessly cool.
We all love The North Face Purple Label and we’re collectively reminded every time it drops a beautiful seasonal lookbook (or a one-off drop). But mainline Japanese North Face stuff ain’t no slouch, plus there are all these cool sub-labels.
For instance, look to TNF’s maternity collection, packed with killer wearables mom, dad, and baby alike.
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The North Face Urban Exploration is similarly cool in a quiet, refined kinda way.
Designed for exactly what the name intends — cool clothes you wear around the city — TNF Urban Exploration is as fascinated by functionality as the other TNF offerings, it’s just that this collection is more interested in metropolitan adventure.
You can wear a lot of this out and about in nature, obviously, but the idea here is clothing for the people traveling from coffee shop to restaurant to bar and everywhere in between.
However, Urban Exploration usually includes a wider selection than what’s on tap here. For Fall/Winter 2022, you have a men’s jacket, the Gadget Hanger Magne Triclimate Jacket (what a mouthful) and the Bison Chino Pant.
The latter is simply a hardwearing work trouser but the former is a three-season layering piece packed with massive pockets and fitted with a removeable GORE-TEX Pro 3L liner that attaches to the shell with magnet closure. Next-level stuff.
That’s it for apparel, the rest of Urban Exploration’s FW22 lineup encompasses weather-resistant and waterproof totes, weekenders, luggage, GORE-TEX sock shoes, and a Cordura moccasin shoe that’s the perfect blend of elderly and elevated.
Hard to complain about a concise drop that gets the job done. In fact, perhaps more brands would be better served by tighter, punchier seasonal drops. If they were all this good, who’d complain?
Portland Trail Blazers End Jersey Sponsorship With Seattle Crypto Startup StormX GeekWire
Portland Trail Blazers End Jersey Sponsorship With Seattle Crypto Startup StormX – GeekWire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/portland-trail-blazers-end-jersey-sponsorship-with-seattle-crypto-startup-stormx-geekwire/
The Portland Trail Blazers’ StormX jersey patch. (Photo courtesy of Bruce Ely / Trail Blazers)
The Portland Trail Blazers are ending the team’s jersey sponsorship with Seattle crypto startup StormX.
The jersey deal was originally scheduled to last five years, beginning with the 2021-22 season. The StormX logo appeared on Blazers jerseys last year, and as recently as this week when the team produced promotional content.
But the Blazers announced Friday that they are looking for a new jersey partner.
“As we tip-off the 2022-23 season, we will launch a search to identify a new jersey patch partner as we’ve ended our current relationship with StormX,” the team said in a statement. “We’ll share additional information in the near future on this exciting new opportunity.”
GeekWire reached out to StormX for additional information, and will update when we hear back.
Founded in 2015, Seattle-based StormX operates a platform that lets users earn cryptocurrency rewards when they shop at stores. It also has its own token called STMX.
StormX was the first crypto company to be an NBA jersey sponsor and the first crypto brand to work with the Trail Blazers, highlighting the technology’s growing adoption and popularity in recent years.
But crypto companies have taken a hit this year amid the broader market slowdown, with prices of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies falling substantially. Crypto giants Coinbase and Robinhood both laid off employees this summer and their share prices are down by more than 70% over the past year.
The NBA in 2017 introduced its jersey patch sponsorship program that allows teams to earn revenue from companies who pay to get their logo stitched on the front left shoulder area of jerseys.
The deals average $7-to-$10 million each, according to a 2020 report from The Athletic. The Los Angeles Lakers recently inked a five-year jersey deal worth more than $100 million.
The Trail Blazers previously had a jersey deal with Performance Health and its Biofreeze brand.
Portland will visit Seattle this Monday Oct. 3 for a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers, the first NBA game to be played at Climate Pledge Arena.
Q&A: Stop Subsidizing Foreign Investments Of U.S. Farmland Senator Chuck Grassley
Q&A: Stop Subsidizing Foreign Investments Of U.S. Farmland – Senator Chuck Grassley https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/qa-stop-subsidizing-foreign-investments-of-u-s-farmland-senator-chuck-grassley/
Q&A: Stop Subsidizing Foreign Investments of U.S. Farmland
With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: What is the Farm Credit for Americans Act?
A: As part of my ongoing crusade to protect the family farm and U.S. food security, I introduced this bipartisan legislation with Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who also serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee and is the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Our bill would prevent foreign individuals from obtaining credit and financial services through the Farm Credit System (FCS). Right now, certain foreign individuals and entities are eligible to receive credit through this government-sponsored enterprise. I hear growing concern from Iowans at my 99 county meetings about the increase in foreign-owned farmland. The concern is justified. Food security is national security. Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland presents a potential threat to our domestic food supply. Foreign ownership of U.S. land increased by 2.4 million farm acres in 2020. If this trend continues, it will contribute to unfair competition for young and beginning farmers who seek to buy land. Building on my previous work for transparency and to get a better handle on foreign-owned farmland, our bill would ensure no foreign investors can use loans from a government-sponsored entity to buy up farm acres. The U.S. government serves the American people. We need to take steps to ensure foreign buyers, including those backed by the Communist Party of China, are not swallowing up prime land away from American family farmers with help from the U.S. government. That’s out of whack and another example why I work to keep federal programs on a short leash.
Q: What is the Farm Credit System (FCS)?
A: Created more than a century ago in 1916, the FCS provides credit to rural areas when commercial lenders were avoiding farm loans. It is mandated and limited by federal statute to serve agriculture. In 2021, FCS had a portfolio of approximately $210 billion in farm loans. As a government watchdog, I work to make sure federal programs are run as Congress intended. Regulations put in place by the FCS have allowed its network of lenders to extend credit to certain foreign nationals who are not permanent residents of the United States, as well as to foreign-owned entities. Our bipartisan bill would make foreign individuals and entities, as defined by the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act, ineligible for this financing. Since Iowans first elected me to Congress, I’ve championed the interests of Rural America and Iowa farm families to protect our way of life and livelihoods. Allowing foreign investors to buy up U.S. farmland with government-backed credit is wrong and raises a number of red flags, including risk to domestic food production. I was the original author of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act. Transparency brings accountability. When foreign investors – backed by China – seek to gobble up bites of the food chain in America, Washington needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The federal government has a responsibility to protect American sovereignty. And food security is national security. That’s why I’ve also teamed up with Sen. Tammy Baldwin of neighboring Wisconsin to introduce the Farmland Security Act to bolster scrutiny of foreign investments in U.S. farmland and introduced the bipartisan Food Security is National Security Act with another Midwestern lawmaker, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee. Our bill would give top U.S. agriculture and food officials a permanent seat at the decision-making table when reviewing transactions that could result in giving control of a U.S. business to a foreign company. Washington needs to scrutinize these deals and weigh the impact on American food security with a fine-toothed comb. As a watchdog for Rural America, I’ll keep barking as loud as it takes to protect the family farmer and all Americans who produce our food and earn a living along the farm to fork supply chain. This is a food fight we can’t afford to lose to ensure America’s prosperity and family farms are handed down from one generation to the next for centuries to come.
Putin Illegally Claims Ukrainian Territory In Speech: Live Updates And News The New York Times
Putin Illegally Claims Ukrainian Territory In Speech: Live Updates And News – The New York Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/putin-illegally-claims-ukrainian-territory-in-speech-live-updates-and-news-the-new-york-times/
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President Vladimir V. Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Friday.Credit…Pool photo by Dmitry Astakhov
President Vladimir V. Putin on Friday asserted that Russia would take control of four Ukrainian regions and decried the United States for “Satanism” in a speech that marked an escalation in Moscow’s war against Ukraine and positioned Russia, in starkly confrontational terms, as fighting an existential battle with Western elites he deemed “the enemy.”
Speaking to hundreds of Russian lawmakers and governors in a grand Kremlin hall, Mr. Putin said that the residents of the four regions — which are still partially controlled by Ukrainian forces — would become Russia’s citizens “forever.” He then held a signing ceremony with the Russian-installed heads of those regions to start the official annexation process, before clasping hands with them and chanting “Russia! Russia!”
Mr. Putin’s address came against a backdrop of Russian embarrassments on the battlefield, where Ukraine’s forces have scored stunning victories in recent weeks in the east. Even as the Russian leader spoke, officials said the Ukrainian army had moved closer to encircling the Russian-occupied town of Lyman, a strategically important hub in the Donetsk region that lies inside the territory Mr. Putin is claiming.
Even by Mr. Putin’s increasingly antagonistic standards, the speech was extraordinary, a combination of bluster and menace that mixed conspiratorial riffs against the American-led “neocolonial system” with an appeal to the world to see Russia as the leader of an uprising against American power.
He referred to “the ruling circles of the so-called West” as “the enemy,” a word he rarely uses in reference to the West — and struck a tone of spiteful anger and defiance.
“Not only do Western elites deny national sovereignty and international law,” he said in the 37-minute address. “Their hegemony has a pronounced character of totalitarianism, despotism and apartheid.”
Western leaders have condemned Russia’s annexations as illegal, and the “referendums’’ that preceded them — purporting to show local support for joining Russia — as fraudulent. The Biden administration announced new sanctions in response to the Kremlin’s move.
President Biden was quick to denounce Mr. Putin’s actions to annex the four territories, saying they “have no legitimacy’’ and adding that “the United States will always honor Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.’’
Ukraine’s government has rebuffed Mr. Putin’s claims and vowed to retake territory captured by Russia in the east and south. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to Mr. Putin’s speech on Friday by announcing that he was fast-tracking his country’s application to the NATO alliance. In a video, he accused the Kremlin of trying to “steal something that does not belong to it.” “Ukraine will not allow that,” he said.
Mr. Putin insisted that Russia’s position on annexing the four territories was nonnegotiable, adding that the country would defend them “with all the forces and means at our disposal.”
“I call on the Kyiv regime to immediately cease fire and all military action,” he said, and for the Ukrainian government “to return to the negotiating table.”
“But we will not discuss the decision of the people of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson,” he went on, referring to the four Ukrainian regions being annexed. “It has been made. Russia will not betray it.”
Mr. Putin cast the conflict with the West in even more severe terms than in previous speeches, reeling off centuries of Western military actions to denounce the American-led world order as fundamentally evil, corrupt and set on Russia’s destruction.
“The repression of freedom is taking on the outlines of a ‘reverse religion,’ of real Satanism,” Mr. Putin said, asserting that liberal Western values on matters like gender identity amounted to a “denial of man.”
But Mr. Putin offered few new details on the matter that is now perhaps of greatest concern in Western capitals — whether, and at what point, he may be prepared to use weapons of mass destruction to force Ukraine to capitulate. His spokesman said earlier in the day that after the annexation of the four regions — a move that virtually no other country is expected to recognize — an attack on those regions would be treated as an attack on Russia.
Without saying so directly, Mr. Putin hinted that the role of nuclear weapons in war is on his mind. Describing the West as “deceitful and hypocritical through and through,” Mr. Putin noted that the United States was the only country to have used nuclear weapons in war. He then added: “By the way, they created a precedent.”
Valerie Hopkins and Oleg Matsnev contributed reporting.
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President Biden said during a news conference at the White House on Friday that the world would not recognize Russia’s annexation efforts.Credit…Pete Marovich for The New York Times
WASHINGTON — President Biden warned Russia on Friday that the United States and its allies would not be intimidated by its latest actions in Ukraine and said that the world would not recognize the sham referendum that President Vladimir V. Putin staged to justify seizing Ukrainian land.
Speaking at a news conference at the White House, Mr. Biden said the United States and its allies would continue to support Ukraine with military equipment and aid. He warned that anyone who supported Russia’s fraudulent claims to Ukrainian territory would also be subject to economic sanctions.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Putin announced in a bellicose speech that Russia would annex four Ukrainian provinces it had invaded. The Russian leader cast the war in Ukraine as an existential battle against the United States and its allies. He accused America of “Satanism” and of trying to impose its culture on the rest of the world.
“He’s not going to scare us or intimidate us,” Mr. Biden said. “He can’t seize his neighbor’s land and get away with it.”
The president also said that Mr. Putin should not dare to take his fight into NATO territory, underscoring the unity among the alliance.
“America’s fully prepared with our NATO allies to defend every single inch of NATO territory, every single inch,” Mr. Biden said, adding: “Mr. Putin, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying.”
The United States has been investigating leaks that emerged in the Nord Stream gas pipeline and while Mr. Biden said it is not clear exactly what had happened, he believed the damage was the result of Russia’s actions. The United States, he said, is now helping European countries to protect their critical infrastructure.
“It was a deliberate act of sabotage, and now the Russians are pumping out disinformation and lies,” Mr. Biden said.
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The Russian Central Bank headquarters in Moscow. Credit…Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is enacting a round of new sanctions aimed at further crippling Russia’s defense and technology sectors and other industries, as well as cutting off more top officials and their families from global commerce, to punish Moscow for its efforts to annex parts of eastern Ukraine.
The Treasury and Commerce Departments will impose sanctions and export controls on any companies, institutions or people who “provide political or economic support to Russia for its purported annexation,” White House officials said on Friday.
“Make no mistake: these actions have no legitimacy,” President Biden said in a statement. “I urge all members of the international community to reject Russia’s illegal attempts at annexation and to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Antony J. Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said in a separate statement that “the United States unequivocally rejects Russia’s fraudulent attempt to change Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders”
“This is a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,” he added. “In response, the United States and our allies and partners are imposing swift and severe costs.”
The moves fulfill longtime vows by the Biden administration to punish any move by Russia to annex captured Ukrainian territory. But just as those threats failed to deter President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, it is unclear whether the new penalties — which compound a slew of crushing sanctions imposed in recent months — will blunt his determination.
The Treasury Department said as part of the broad announcement that it is enacting sanctions against 14 international companies for supporting supply chains of the Russian military.
The Treasury Department is putting nearly 300 members of the Parliament on a sanctions list, along with Elvira Sakhipzadovna Nabiullina, the governor of the Central Bank of Russia; Olga Nikolaevna Skorobogatova, the first deputy governor of the bank; Aleksandr Valentinovich Nova, a deputy prime minister; and relatives of members of the National Security Council. U.S. agencies had already put Russian security council members on lists.
The State Department also is imposing visa restrictions on more than 900 Russian officials.
The Commerce Department is adding 57 entities from Russia and the Crimea region of Ukraine, which the Russian military forcibly occupied in 2014, to what it calls the entity list, which limits commercial transactions. Officials also plan to try to ensure that companies outside the United States are restricted in the business they can do with those on the list. The Commerce Department now has 392 entities linked to Russia on the list.
The Biden administration was not alone in announcing punitive measures in response to Russia’s illegal annexation.
Britain’s Foreign Office on Friday announced a series of sweeping new sanctions on key servic...
Bob Jones COO Of Score Gaming We Are Delighted That QCI Has Invited Score Gaming Into Their Booth At G2E Where Will Be Demonstrating How The Award-Winning QCI Loyalty Tool Applies To Table Games. PR Newswire
Bob Jones, COO Of Score Gaming, “We Are Delighted That QCI Has Invited Score Gaming Into Their Booth At G2E Where Will Be Demonstrating How The Award-Winning QCI Loyalty Tool Applies To Table Games.” – PR Newswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bob-jones-coo-of-score-gaming-we-are-delighted-that-qci-has-invited-score-gaming-into-their-booth-at-g2e-where-will-be-demonstrating-how-the-award-winning-qci-loyalty-tool-applies-to-table-games/
, /PRNewswire/ — Quick Custom Intelligence (“QCI”) announced that Score Gaming has been invited to join us in our booth #2046 at G2E where we will be showcasing our QCI Loyalty product and how it can solve problems related to table games ratings.
“Combining Score’s experience and knowledge of table games with QCI’s innovative, accurate and long overdue program that allows table games players the same ability to earn all the comps, awards and special treatment given to slot players is truly an exciting next step. At G2E we will be showing how innovation in table games can be both in the games and how they are rated. We will demonstrate how QCI Loyalty can be added to any existing table game,” said Bob Jones, Chief Operating Officer of Score Gaming.
CTO of QCI, Mr. Andrew Cardno, stated “We are excited to have Score Gaming join us in our booth at G2E to demonstrate how innovation in table games is possible and affordable.”
ABOUT Score Gaming
Score Gaming was founded in 2009 by Merrill Sparago MD; an expert in human psychology who turned his passion for table games into a company focused on giving player’s new and exciting wagering options. Score also builds games from the casino’s perspective. Chief Operating Officer Bobby Jones; and Director of International Sales; Dean Evans have over 75 years of combined experience in table games, casino operations and management. In addition to popular progressives and side wagers, Score’s premier game, Double Up Blackjack, with over 10 years of live play, gives players the unique ability to stand and “Double Up” their wager on any two-card hand. Double Up is widely successful in a wide range of domestic markets including Colorado, California, Michigan, Oklahoma and Las Vegas, as well as Internationally in markets including Canada, the Czech Republic and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.ScoreGamingNV.com
ABOUT QCI
The QCI Platform aligns player development, marketing and gaming with powerful real-time operational tools developed for the gaming and hospitality industries. QCI has installed their ground-breaking, highly configured software in over 85 casino resorts in North America and over 4,000 sites worldwide. QCI products provide tooling for gaming operators managing over $20 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, these products are built on the QCI Platform, a best-in-class on-premises, hybrid or cloud-based technology that enables fully coordinated activities across gaming or hospitality operations. This data-driven software allows for quick, informed decisions in the ever-changing world of the casino industry and assists casinos in their efforts to optimize resources and profits, manage marketing campaigns and increase customer loyalty. QCI was founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno. Based in San Diego, QCI also has offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas & Phoenix. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715 www.QuickCustomIntelligence.com
SOURCE Quick Custom Intelligence
Doctors Washington County Sexual Assault Trial Delayed KNWA
Doctor’s Washington County Sexual Assault Trial Delayed – KNWA https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/doctors-washington-county-sexual-assault-trial-delayed-knwa/
by: C.C. McCandless
Posted: Sep 30, 2022 / 02:16 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 30, 2022 / 02:16 PM CDT
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — One of two criminal trials for a Northwest Arkansas doctor accused of sexual assault has been delayed until December.
On September 30, Judge Mark Lindsay in the Circuit Court of Washinton County granted a continuance request by Adam Maass, 51, changing the trial start date to December 16. The trial had been set to begin on October 18.
Felony charges against Maass filed by Washington County prosecutor Matt Durrett on June 10 stated that “on or about November 3, 2020, the defendant engaged in sexual contact with a medical patient by forcible compulsion.” A second charge alleges that Maass did the same with a different victim “on or between October 1, 2020, and October 31, 2020.”
Maass is also facing a separate sexual assault charge in Benton County. In that case, the Cave Springs Police Department received a complaint in February 2022 that Maass allegedly touched a woman’s breast without her consent while performing a medical exam.
Since 2007, seven victims have filed formal complaints against Maass with the Arkansas State Medical Board, and the board suspended his license in August 2021. In December 2021, his license was reinstated after a review determined that the original complaint “did not rise to the level of ‘gross negligence or ignorant malpractice’ which is required for disciplinary action to be taken under the Arkansas medical practices act.”
Maass has a pretrial hearing scheduled in the Benton County case on November 7. He has entered not guilty pleas in both cases.
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Briefs: Mansion Gets New Owner; Hybridge Capital Acquires 2 In S.C. HOTELSMag.com HOTELS
Briefs: Mansion Gets New Owner; Hybridge Capital Acquires 2 In S.C. – HOTELSMag.com – HOTELS https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/briefs-mansion-gets-new-owner-hybridge-capital-acquires-2-in-s-c-hotelsmag-com-hotels/
Mansion on Turtle Creek gets new owner: The iconic 142-key Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek and its adjoining restaurant in Dallas, Texas, have been acquired by Dallas-based HN Capital Partners. The hotel was acquired in 2011 by a Hong Kong investor. The new owner will continue operating the hotel with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, while planning upgrades to the property, further growing the luxury offerings and introducing new services. The hotel was last renovated in 2020, just ahead of its 40th anniversary. KSL Capital Partners and InterBank provided financing for the acquisition. InterBank provided a US$77.5 million loan for the purchase. HN Capital has control of a prime development site in Turtle Creek, which was earlier planned for a Mandarin Oriental hotel.
Sand Castle North
Hybridge Capital acquires in Myrtle Beach: Hybridge Capital Management, Los Angeles, California, has acquired two hotels in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — Sand Castle North and Sand Castle South Beach — from the City of Myrtle Beach in an off-market deal. Hybridge Capital plans to revitalize both hotels and other assets in the portfolio in the next three years. Rusty Helms and Keystone Commercial represented both the seller as well as Hybridge Capital.
AC by Marriott to debut China: Marriott International has signed an agreement with Suzhou Jingyuan Hotel Management Co. Ltd. to launch the AC Hotels by Marriott brand in Greater China. The 135-key AC Hotel by Marriott Suzhou will open in December and will feature the brand’s signature AC Kitchen and the AC Lounge & Bar. The hotel will also include flexible spaces, a fitness center, laundry room and meeting room. Currently, Marriott operates 15 hotels under eight brands in Suzhou. There are over 210 AC Hotels by Marriott hotels across 30 countries.
Hurricane Ian’s impact on Florida tourism: The impact of Hurricane Ian on Florida’s tourism infrastructure, specifically hotels, is estimated to touch US$5 billion. Lost revenue from tourists unable to visit the area is projected to reach US$2 billion. Cruise operators have been forced to cancel departures or reroute ships as ports on both sides of the state have been shut down, while the closure of Tampa International Airport has forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights.
Brand growth in Germany: With more than 13 hotels, Premier Inn emerged as the fastest growing hotel brand with at least 15 brands in Germany, according to the latest study by PKF hospitality group. B&B Hotels showed potential and is set to become the most represented brand in the German hotel market and might displace Best Western from the number one spot if the speed of expansion is maintained. With a decline of 17 hotels, Novum recorded the highest fall due to re-brandings at Novum Hospitality. Germany also saw a decline of traditional brands like Best Western, Steigenberger and Maritim. The midscale segment emerged as the biggest segment with a share of 41% of the hotel sample, with Adina Apartment Hotels and Leonardo (including Royal, Boutique) seeing the highest growth in the segment. The economy segment (+34 hotels) also saw a big jump. Six fastest-growing brands (in terms of rooms) belong to the economy/budget segment — niu, Premier Inn, Motel One, Moxy, Hampton by Hilton and B&B Hotels.
Ballard Inn announces new owners, expansion plans: The Ballard Inn in Santa Ynez, California, which was acquired by real estate veterans Christopher Hyldahl and Rick Ringer in September 2021, will be undergoing changes to its branding and design, along with expanded restaurant concepts and F&B programming. The property was previously owned and operated by Santa Barbara County Chef Budi Kazali and his family, who acquired the property in 2004. Whitney Able Melnick of Santa Ynez Valley-based company R2PxDESIGN is leading the property’s creative direction and interiors. The property will soon introduce a new, second dining concept located outdoors in the side yard. The new F&B platform will be based on a wood-fire oven.
22 Hospitality buys majority stake in Capital Hotels: Capital Hotels, the Abuja, Nigeria-based owner of the Sheraton Hotel Abuja, has announced 22 Hospitality Ltd. has acquired 66.1% of its outstanding shares in exchange for a controlling stake in the company. 22 Hospitality acquired the first set of ordinary shares, accounting for 51% of the hotel’s equity, through private placement. 22 Hospitality also bought ordinary shares, representing 14.45% and 0.68% of the equity share capital of the company, from Hans Gremlin Nigeria Ltd. and Associated Ventures International Ltd., respectively. Following the buyout, Chairman Chief Anthony Idigbe and four other directors of Capital Hotel have resigned. Ramesh Kansagra was elected the new chairman.
Inflation, cost of travel impact travel intent: Inflation and the rising cost of travel have convinced some Americans to stay at home, while higher-income households and Boomers plan to keep traveling and are expected to increase their spending on travel in the next year, as per a new study from MMGY Travel Intelligence. About 63% of Americans plan to go on a vacation in the next six months, holding steady with the volume seen earlier in the summer but a 10-point dip compared to the corresponding period last year. Among those not planning to vacation in the next six months, 40% said they were concerned about their financial situation or the soaring cost of travel. Fewer adults are planning to travel this season, down from 42% in 2021 to 36% this year. Those who plan to travel for leisure in the next 12 months will spend significantly more than those surveyed last year at this time (US$3,785 this year from last year’s US$2,758). About 56% of Gen Zs and 61% of millennials are influenced by the quality of the culinary scene when deciding where to stay. Social media plays a significant role in planning vacations, with four out of 10 millennials stating that digital content creators and celebrities influence their travel decisions (38%). About 57% of millennials have made travel purchases based at least partly on a social media post by an influencer or celebrity.
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LI Construction Icon Jack Kulka Dies At 79 Long Island Business News
LI Construction Icon Jack Kulka Dies At 79 – Long Island Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/li-construction-icon-jack-kulka-dies-at-79-long-island-business-news/
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Jack Kulka
By: David Winzelberg September 30, 2022
Jack Kulka, the outspoken Long Island construction industry leader and founding member of the Hauppauge Industrial Association, has died at the age of 79.
The only child of immigrant parents, Kulka grew up in the Bronx and received full scholarships to attend Bronx High School of Science and New York University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and subsequently became a professional engineer.
At age 34, Kulka founded Kulka Construction Corp., now known as The Kulka Group, and pioneered construction management on Long Island. He was the only non-lawyer involved with creating the Construction Management Association of America contractual documents and quickly became recognized for giving clients quality building at a lower cost.
In his 39 years of leading the company, Kulka was responsible for the construction of more than 22 million square feet of commercial projects across the New York metropolitan area and south Florida.
“Not only were we interested in building the most economical projects for our clients, but we wanted to make sure it was of the highest quality and met very stringent scheduling requirements,” Kulka said in a 2018 interview. “Our clients not only got the best job for the money, but they got the best possible job that could be done that adhered to code. Contractors working for us had to adhere to the strictest construction and quality standards. Clients got a superior project at an exceptional price.”
When his health began failing, Kulka handed over the reins of the company to his son Devin in 2017.
“My father was a visionary businessman and a strong advocate for Long Island and the working people who make it what it is. He helped shape the Long Island landscape forever,” Devin Kulka, CEO of The Kulka Group, said in a written statement. “His legacy is his large, blended family, the business he created and the friendships he made throughout his life. We thank everyone for their well wishes at this challenging time for our family.”
Jack Kulka was a member of the New York’s State Society of Professional Engineers and served on numerous organizational governing and advisory boards including the Touro Law Center, the Metropolitan New York Chapter of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, the Bi-County Political Action Committee, the Long Island Holocaust Committee and the Hauppauge Industrial Association.
Kulka also held leadership positions with several organizations, including the Commack Jewish Center, the Long Island Israeli Bond Campaign, United Way of Long Island, Suffolk County Crimestoppers, American Cancer Society, St. Johns Episcopal Hospital and Hauppauge Educational Foundation. Kulka was also a past president and founder of the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center, and the Farmingdale College Foundation.
Terri Alessi-Miceli, president and CEO of HIA-LI, of which Kulka was a founding member, called him a driving force.
“He had a passion and vision for building in the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge and helped the organization lead a group of business professionals to get them what they needed when they needed it to help their businesses thrive,” Alessi-Miceli said. “He was relentless about everything he did and showed us what real tenacity looked like. I was fortunate enough to have worked alongside him and he showed me that if you bring the right people together for the right reasons anything can get accomplished. I felt privileged to work and learn from him. We are forever grateful.”
Services in Kulka’s honor will be held at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2 at the Star of David Memorial Chapel and a burial service will follow directly after.
The family will be sitting shiva at 16 Wyandanch Blvd. in Smithtown, and they’ve requested that shiva visits be limited to Sunday after the service; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3; and 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Donations in Kulka’s honor are much appreciated and requested to be made to one or more of the following organizations: Chabad of Mid Suffolk, Suffolk Y JCC, Hauppauge Industrial Association Scholarship Fund, Suffolk County Crimestoppers, Family & Children’s Association of Long Island and Long Island Home Builders Care.
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Experts Have Beef With Study Linking Depression And Vegetarian Diet Healthline
Experts Have Beef With Study Linking Depression And Vegetarian Diet – Healthline https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/experts-have-beef-with-study-linking-depression-and-vegetarian-diet-healthline/
Health experts raise questions about new research that suggests vegans and vegetarians experience depressive episodes twice as often as meat-eaters. Vertikala/Stocksy
A new study has found a link between meatless diets and depressive episodes.
People who did not eat meat were depressed about two times as often.
It was not possible to determine whether this was due to nutritional deficiencies.
Nutritionists say certain nutrients may be more difficult to obtain on a meatless diet.
However, meatless diets can be nutritionally adequate with good planning.
According to a new study published this month in the Journal of Affective Disorders, vegetarians experienced depressive episodes twice as often as those who ate meat.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains that vegetarianism is defined in various ways, with some people opting to still consume dairy and/or eggs. However, the common thread in all forms of vegetarianism is the avoidance of meat.
Vegans, on the other hand, do not eat any animal products at all, including honey.
There are many reasons that people choose to eat a meatless diet, including ethical considerations, concern for the environment, religious beliefs, and health benefits.
The survey looked at 14,216 people in Brazil between the ages of 35 to 74. A food frequency questionnaire was used to determine whether people followed a meatless diet.
A diagnostic tool called the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) was used to determine whether people had episodes of depression.
The researchers found, upon analysis of the data, that meatless diets were associated with twice the frequency of depressive episodes. Further, this association was independent of socioeconomic factors as well as lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity levels, and body mass index (BMI). The exact reason for these findings is unclear.
Mary Mosquera-Cochran, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center who was not a part of the study, said that due to the way the study was designed — analyzing data rather than conducting a controlled experiment — it can’t be concluded whether a meatless diet actually does cause depression.
“The researchers found that diet quality was somewhat associated with higher rates of depression, but it did not fully explain the association,” said Cochran.
She further explained that the researchers hypothesized that this link might exist because people who are depressed are more likely to try dietary changes (like cutting out meat, for example) because they are hoping to feel better.
Cochran said that the study was done on Brazilian citizens, so it also may not apply to other populations.
She additionally pointed out the fact that it was only a very small percentage of people in the sample studied were actually vegetarians — 82 people out of around 14,000 total.
“The authors note that it’s currently estimated that 5-14% of Brazilians currently follow a vegetarian style diet, so this sample may not be reflective of all vegetarians in Brazil either,” said Cochran.
Though the authors also note that they adjusted for factors like protein and micronutrient intake, concluding that they believe “nutrient deficiencies do not explain this association,” other experts disagree.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson Monique Richard, said meatless diets and depression could be linked for a variety of reasons, with one being nutrient deficiencies.
“Whenever an individual excludes an entire food group, in this case, protein and fat sources, and does not replace it with equally nutritionally-adequate options, it will affect a variety of systemic and physiological functions such as cognitive health,” she said, noting that it is important to look deeper into the dietary patterns of these individuals to learn whether this might have been the case.
“If an individual does not have an adequate intake of nutrients such as B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein, certain enzymes and proteins may be compromised, altering specific pathways in the body,” said Richard. “This could affect mood, anxiety, memory, perceived stress, sleep, etc.”
As an example, she cites the amino acid tryptophan, which is needed to make serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that has been linked to mood disorders like depression.
Tryptophan is found in meat as well as oats, nuts, and seeds, explained Richard. But it’s important that people are educated on what foods contain it and how to consume enough to meet their own personal needs.
“Other factors that would be important to assess would be if the person felt isolated or disconnected from others related to their dietary choice,” said Richard. “Is there a personal, religious, or moral consideration for the choice that may also be contributing to these feelings and state of mind?”
Dr. Mary-Jon Ludy, Chair of the Department of Public and Allied Health and Associate Professor of Food and Nutrition at Bowling Green State University, advised that “[w]ith or without meat, it is important to follow a healthy, high quality eating pattern that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.”
“Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods as well as limiting added sugars, solid fats, and sodium is key,” she said.
According to Samantha Coogan, Program Director of the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the main vitamins and minerals of concern when it comes to depression are the B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and selenium.
Vitamin B12, in particular, is only found in animal products, said Coogan. However, it, along with other B complex vitamins, are responsible for mood regulation and brain function.
“B vitamins can be found in fortified breakfast cereals, and B12 in fish, eggs, meat, and milk products,” she said. Additionally, most people who don’t eat meat will need to take a B12 supplement.
She further notes that a B complex supplement may be a better option since you’ll get the amount of B12 that you need along with the other B vitamins.
“Zinc may play a role in endocrine pathways that may lead to increased levels of cortisol, and the regulation of neurotransmission as a potential mechanism of action, so a deficiency could disrupt usual neurotransmitter firing/signaling to other areas of the body, such as elevating the expression of the hippocampus and decreasing cortisol,” explained Coogan.
She noted that zinc is mainly found in red meat, crab, and oysters, making it difficult for a vegan or vegetarian to get enough. However, it can also be found in nuts, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products.
Coogan further explained that magnesium is responsible for the activation of more than 300 enzyme systems that play important roles in brain function.
“Low magnesium can lead to inflammation, dysregulation of oxidative pathways possibly inducing oxidative stress, and may dysregulate the release of serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, and sleep cycles (i.e. interrupting sleep/insomnia),” she said.
But, when it comes to getting enough magnesium, plant eaters are in luck, according to Coogan. This important mineral is found mostly in plant-based foods, including leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Lastly, selenium deficiency can cause thyroid dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, and dysregulation of important mood regulators like serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline.
“Selenium is primarily found in seafood, poultry, meat, eggs, and fish,” said Coogan. However, it can also be found in bread and grains.
Ludy concluded by stating, “If in doubt, meeting with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can be a great resource for planning a well-balanced diet.”
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics maintains a database of RDNs on its website, or you can ask your primary care provider for a referral.
LSU Vs. Auburn: Prediction Pick Spread Football Game Odds Live Stream Watch Online TV Channel CBS Sports
LSU Vs. Auburn: Prediction, Pick, Spread, Football Game Odds, Live Stream, Watch Online, TV Channel – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/lsu-vs-auburn-prediction-pick-spread-football-game-odds-live-stream-watch-online-tv-channel-cbs-sports/
Some wild and unpredictable games throughout the years have defined the LSU vs. Auburn rivalry, and this season’s edition is loaded with intrigue as well. LSU is coming off of an emphatic 38-0 home win over New Mexico, while Auburn narrowly escaped Missouri 17-14 in overtime in one of the sloppiest games of the season.
There’s no doubt that this is a huge game on both sides. A road win over Auburn will keep the momentum for Brian Kelly’s LSU squad going after it recovered from the Week 1 heartbreaker vs. Florida State. Meanwhile, Auburn coach Bryan Harsin would love to move to 2-0 in conference play and show his detractors that there’s hope that he can turn things around.
Let’s break down the top storylines in the matchup and make picks straight up and against the spread.
LSU vs. Auburn: Need to know
Auburn’s OL woes: Auburn’s offensive line has been dreadful this year regardless of quarterback. T.J. Finley, Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner have all been under relentless pressure this year. That has to change for Auburn to be successful, but now it’s on its third-string center against one of the best defensive fronts in the country. Auburn has given up 7.25 tackles for loss per game and 2.75 sacks per game, which isn’t a recipe for success. It’s a big reason why the offense ranks No. 13 in the SEC in third-down conversions at 32%. If Auburn can’t block and can’t move the chains, it’s going to be a long night.
Jayden Daniels‘ quiet success: The senior transfer from Arizona State has quietly put together one of the best seasons of any quarterback in the conference. He’s hasn’t thrown an interception, ranks third in the conference in completion percentage (73%) and is second in rushing among signal-callers at 65.5 yards per game (which includes sack yardage). It’ll be fascinating to see how Auburn’s front seven attacks him. Derick Hall is a stud off of the edge and there’s talent at linebacker on The Plains, but the front seven as a whole hasn’t performed anywhere close to expectation. LSU coach Brian Kelly has always been creative with how he uses his quarterback’s legs, so expect him to try to exploit Auburn’s front seven in a variety of ways.
The Harsin factor: Harsin could have been fired as early as last Sunday if the Tigers had lost to Missouri, according to multiple reports, but the 17-14 overtime victory likely didn’t do much to fend off his detractors. The players won’t quit — they want to win more than anybody — but when programs have this much turmoil swirling, it can take a mental toll and send a season spiraling out of control. If Auburn comes out flat, that spiral is likely to continue.
How to watch LSU vs. Auburn live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 1 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium — Auburn, Alabama
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
LSU vs. Auburn prediction, picks
Featured Game | Auburn Tigers vs. LSU Tigers
I simply don’t trust Auburn’s offense at all, especially against the fast and physical LSU front seven. What’s more, I don’t trust Harsin to use running back Tank Bigsby for a full four quarters; he seemingly forgot that Bigsby existed after the first quarter of last week’s game. LSU will dominate in the trenches and wear down an Auburn team that simply won’t be able to keep up. Prediction: LSU (-9)
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 5, and which top-10 favorite will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned more than $3,100 in profit over the past six-plus seasons — and find out.
How Bentley Systems 3DFT Could Conquer The Infrastructure Metaverse VentureBeat
How Bentley Systems’ 3DFT Could Conquer The Infrastructure Metaverse – VentureBeat https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/how-bentley-systems-3dft-could-conquer-the-infrastructure-metaverse-venturebeat/
September 30, 2022 12:07 PM
Image Credit: Weiquan Lin/Getty
Construction data can quickly scale into gigabytes and terabytes of data. The field is complicated because teams use various file formats to design, construct and operate a building or facility. Teams must often load the whole file into proprietary rendering tools before showing off a new design or collaborating on schedules. These files can be even more complex when building out large-scale digital twins of whole cities like Helsinki or Singapore.
Bentley Systems hopes to change that. At a technology demonstration event in London, Bentley showed off a new 3D streaming codec for the infrastructure metaverse called 3DFT. It’s already running on the Epic Unreal Engine, and Bentley plans to support other platforms down the road.
3DFT is not the first format for streaming metaverse data. The GIS industry has been streaming 2D data for years using tiles. And the Open Geospatial Consortium has been working on the 3D Tiles standard to extend streaming into the third dimension.
Greg Demchak, senior director of Bentley’s digital innovation lab, told VentureBeat that 3D Tiles is an excellent standard for rendering large outdoor environments. However, it struggles with rendering physical infrastructure such as BIM models at high quality. This is important for building designers who are evaluating trade-offs in design choices.
Faster iteration
Simon Blakeney, technical account manager at Epic Games, said that with traditional 3D formats, teams might wait up to 20 minutes to load a new dataset. “With 3DFT, the data just flows through. It really speeds up the iteration for design reviews.”
Another strength is that 3DFT does a good job of capturing asset IDs about the objects in a space. This could help connect objects like doors and windows to a rich trail of information relating to costs, scheduling, clashes and analytics. Down the road, Blakeney predicts this will make it easier to weave this raw data into applications for stress testing, simulating crowds in a space or optimizing schedules.
“The world is your oyster once you have hooked into the IDs,” Blakeney said.
The new codec is part of Bentley’s broader plan to build out the infrastructure metaverse on top of tools like iTwin for consolidating all construction data into a basic overlay.
“While we have many products, the platform lets us make all information available, including the 3D models, metadata and point cloud data, and store it in a single source of trust, and then you can start to build apps on top of it,” said Demchak.
For example, third parties are developing tools to automatically detect cell tower assets from drone footage and populate an inventory. Down the road, Bentley hopes this could allow a whole ecosystem of custom-built solutions for construction and asset management.
Demchak’s team has experimented with building integrations into all three major platforms from Unity, Nvidia Omniverse and Epic Unreal. They are currently getting the best results for live immersive experiences on the Unreal platform. But Demchak observed that the other platforms are working to catch up. He has found the Omniverse ideal for generating photorealistic video walkthroughs after the fact.
Collaboration required to connect worlds
Bentley is certainly not the only construction giant fleshing out its infrastructure metaverse strategy. Autodesk also announced a collaboration with Epic to make it easier to create virtual walkthroughs from Revit data.
Architectural and construction firms are starting to innovate on Epic as well. For example, Zaha Hadid has created a building configurator for a new project off the coast of Honduras. It allows consumers to customize a new home and virtually walk through a mockup. This improves the customer experience and helps optimize construction time.
“We work very closely with Bentley, Autodesk and other third parties to ensure that other tools can be interoperable with our ecosystem,” Epic Games’ Blakeney said.
But at the moment, it can be challenging to move data between the different construction software platforms. Demchak hopes that the big construction tool providers can overcome their differences to promote interoperability.
“In my dream state, we are trying to achieve lossless transmission of formats from one to the next,” Demchak said. “There should be no loss in fidelity if I go from Revit to iTwin. There should be no reason that any of that information should diminish.”
In the long run, this will help enable an immersive experience that allows teams to use their tool of choice while collaborating on the same underlying dataset.
“It will be less about an experience of a file and more about a connection where whatever happens behind the scenes just works,” Demchak said.
VentureBeat’s mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.
Essentials Fall 100: Why We Think The Cosori Dual Blaze Is The Best Air Fryer Of Fall 2022 CBS News
Essentials Fall 100: Why We Think The Cosori Dual Blaze Is The Best Air Fryer Of Fall 2022 – CBS News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/essentials-fall-100-why-we-think-the-cosori-dual-blaze-is-the-best-air-fryer-of-fall-2022-cbs-news/
CBS Essentials; Cosori via Amazon
Air fryers are still the hottest kitchen gadgets around. If you don’t have one yet, we’ve found an Amazon bestseller that we love with a 4.8-star-rating and tons of positive reviews.
Keep reading to see why the Cosori Dual Blaze smart air fryer earned a spot on our Essentials Fall 100 list — and why it deserves a spot on your kitchen counter.
Top products in this article:
Cosori Dual Blaze smart air fryer (6.8 quart), $180
Cosori air fryer oven combo (5.8 quart), $100
Ninja Foodi 12-in-1 deluxe XL fryer (8 quart), $220 (reduced from $250)
Air fryers can help you make all sorts of tasty fall foods. Use an air fryer to whip up crispy roasted vegetables or perfectly toasted pumpkin seeds. An air fryer can even make a Sunday night football or Thanksgiving appetizer feast, including stuffed peppers, mozzarella sticks, chicken wings (even from frozen) and potato skins. And you’ll still have your oven free for baking even more goodies.
Best of all, because of the way air fryers work, you can make these foods with less oil than traditional methods of preparation. Air fryers cook faster than traditional ovens too, which means you and your crew won’t have to wait as long for your food.
The Cosori Dual Blaze is an Amazon best seller. It boasts a bunch of cool features and functions, including Wi-Fi connectivity, voice command and dual heating elements (so you don’t need to flip your food while it’s cooking). Keep reading to shop the Cosori Dual Blaze smart air fryer and see more CBS Essentials air fryer picks.
Cosori Dual Blaze smart air fryer (6.8 quart)
Amazon
The Cosori Dual Blaze air fryer features 12 different cooking functions. According to the brand, the air fryer’s aluminum basket conducts heat three times faster and stores heat more effectively than other air fryers. The kitchen gadget uses dual heating elements and Cosori’s 360 ThermoIQ technology to make real-time temperature adjustments during cooking, so you’ll get evenly cooked and crisped food, without having to shake or flip whatever’s in your basket. The non-stick basket is dishwasher safe.
This large Cosori air fryer connects to your phone, so you can scan the barcode of your favorite frozen foods to get the ideal temperature and time settings. This smart air fryer can also be operated by voice command.
“I love how easy it is to cook many different types of food in my new air fryer. No heavy greasy foods to deal with and the foods retain their natural flavors. Extremely fast cooking speeds and the model I chose makes shaking and turning foods over a thing of the past. The foods come out tender crisp and browned perfectly,” raved an Amazon customer who purchased the Cosori Dual Blaze 6.8 quart smart air fryer.
Cosori Dual Blaze smart air fryer (6.8 quart), $180
More air fryers to consider
If you have limited kitchen counter space or a limited budget, the Cosori Dual Blaze air fryer may not be right for you. Here are more top-rated air fryers that we think you’ll love.
Cosori air fryer oven combo (5.8 quart)
Amazon
The bestselling Cosori air fryer features 13 different cooking functions that prepare your food at the best temperature and time for the most crisp and crunch. Cooking for more than one or two? According to the brand, the 5.8-quart basket can fit a five-pound chicken. The non-stick air fryer basket is removable and dishwasher safe. The top-rated air fryer comes in black, red and white.
“This thing is so easy to clean and use,” enthused an Amazon customer who purchased the Cosori air fryer. “It has made cooking bacon the easiest thing ever, it’s great for reheating items or using it as a mini oven. It becomes a must-have item after you’ve gotten used to adding it to your cooking accessories. I’ll always have an air fryer from now on in my kitchen.”
Cosori air fryer oven combo (5.8 quart), $100
Philips Essential Airfryer Compact (4.3 quart)
Philips/Amazon
Here’s a good air fryer for people with smaller kitchens.
An updated and compact version of the original gadget introduced in 2010, this Philips Essential Airfryer grills, roasts, bakes, reheats and air fries — it’s ready to take on a multitude of air fryer recipes. It features a digital touchscreen with seven presets for simplified cooking. Measures 4.1 liters (more than 4.3 quarts).
Philips Essential Airfryer Compact (4.3 quart), $150
Emeril Lagasse power air fryer
Emeril Lagasse/Amazon
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s countertop convection oven offers many of the same functions as other countertop air fryers, but manages to “kick it up a notch,” in his signature fashion, by adding a rotisserie to the mix.
It offers 12 functions on its LCD digital display — air fry, bake, rotisserie, dehydrate, toast, reheat, roast, broil, bagel, pizza, slow cook and warm/reheat — and comes with a crisper tray, rotisserie spit, pizza rack, baking pan, drip tray and cookbook filled with Lagasse’s recipes.
Emeril Lagasse power air fryer, $165 (reduced from $250)
Chefman digital air fryer (10.6 quart)
Chefman via Walmart
The Chefman digital air fryer does more than just get chicken fingers nice and crispy. This 10-liter appliance (10.6 quart) can be used as a rotisserie spit, oven and a dehydrator.
It comes with cooking accessories that include removable racks, a rotisserie basket, rotisserie spit, drip tray and retrieval tool.
Chefman digital air fryer (10.6 quart), $116
Instant Pot Crisp multi-cooker and air fryer (8 quart)
Instant Pot via Walmart
This nine-in-one Instant Pot device can air fry, pressure cook, steam, slow cook, sauté, bake, broil, roast and keep food warm as well as make rice and oatmeal.
The pressure-cooking lid and cooking pot insert are both dishwasher safe.
Instant Pot Crisp multi-cooker and air fryer (8 quart), $79 (reduced from $99)
Instant Vortex Plus (6 quart)
Instant Pot via Amazon
Yes, it’s another Instant Pot device but this one specifically air fries. Unlike many air fryers, the Instant Vortex Plus has an easy view window. Instead of opening the air fryer every 10 minutes to see if your food is crisping, watch it get that delicious crunch while it cooks without letting all the heat out of your device.
The Instant Vortex Plus can also roast, broil, bake, reheat and dehydrate food.
Instant Vortex Plus (6 quart), $99 (reduced from $160)
Ninja Foodi 12-in-1 deluxe XL air fryer (8 quart)
Ninja/Amazon
One of Ninja Foodi’s highest-rated models on Amazon, this 4.8-star-rated, family-friendly 12-in-1, extra-large air fryer offers an 8-quart pot that holds up to a 7-pound chicken or eight breasts.
It can pressure cook and slow cook, air fry and crisp, steam, slow cook, bake, sous vide, keep warm, sear, sauté, roast, broil, dehydrate and make yogurt.
Ninja Foodi 12-in-1 deluxe XL fryer (8 quart), $220 (reduced from $250)
Instant Pot Omni Plus air fryer toaster oven
Instant/Amazon
The sleek-looking Instant Omni Plus boasts 10-in-1 functionality, but the headline is: It works as an air fryer and as a toaster oven. It boasts enough space for a large chicken, or 12-inch pizza.
Amazon reviewers rate it 4.6 stars; they give it high marks for its easy-to-operate digital interface and stainless-steel exterior.
Instant Pot Omni Plus air fryer toaster oven, $224
The CBS Essentials Fall 100
Want the secret to the perfect fall? The shopping experts at CBS Essentials (that’s us!) have compiled the first-ever Essentials Fall 100, a list of the 100 most essential products of fall 2022.
These must-have items include bestsellers, seasonal favorites, top-rated products and hotly anticipated new gadgets including the new Apple iPhone 14, Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple AirPods Pro 2. Before you buy anything this season, check out the CBS Essentials Fall 100 list for the best in tech, kitchen gadgets such as coffee makers, 4K TVs and streaming boxes, home appliances such as washers and dryers, robot vacuums, must-have apparel, cozy furniture, fall decor, Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving turkeys and more.
CBS Essentials Fall 100: Our picks for the top 100 must-have products this fall
Essentials Fall 100: Why the Apple iPhone 14 is our first-ever must-have fall essential pick
Essentials Fall 100: The iRobot Roomba i7+ is our best selling robot vacuum
Essentials Fall 100: The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are the must-have earbuds for fall
Essentials Fall 100: The Apple Watch 8 is the must-have smartwatch for fall workouts
Essentials Fall 100: Apple TV is $60 off right now
Essentials Fall 100: Why this Samsung washer and dryer are CBS Essentials best sellers
Essentials Fall 100: Amazon Fire TV Omni series is the perfect budget TV upgrade (and it’s on sale)
Essentials Fall 100: The Instant Dual Pod Plus coffee maker is the must-have fall kitchen gadget for coffee drinkers
Essentials Fall 100: Why your home needs a Ring home security system with cameras this fall
FTX Is Paying $51 Million In Cash For Voyager Assets Court Records Show CNBC
FTX Is Paying $51 Million In Cash For Voyager Assets, Court Records Show – CNBC https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/ftx-is-paying-51-million-in-cash-for-voyager-assets-court-records-show-cnbc/
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and chief executive officer of FTX Cryptocurrency Derivatives Exchange, speaks during an interview on an episode of Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubenstein in New York, US, on Wednesday, Aug 17, 2022.
Jeenah Moon | Bloomberg | Getty Images
FTX’s winning $1.4 billion bid for bankrupt crypto firm Voyager Digital was announced earlier this week, but court filings indicate that the cash paid for the firm itself is significantly lower — $51 million.
The bulk of FTX’s offer focused on Voyager’s crypto holdings, which amounted to $1.31 billion. Those holdings will be distributed to eligible creditors on a pro rata basis, the filings say.
related investing news
Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX’s founder, has pursued an aggressive buying spree across the crypto industry, snapping up deeply discounted assets in the wake of defaults, bankruptcies, and market tumult.
In the Voyager deal, FTX’s consideration for non-crypto assets — the users, intellectual property, and structure of Voyager itself — constitutes a total of “at least $111 million,” filings show. Just $51 million of that is for Voyager’s assets, intellectual property, and user base. The remaining $60 million consists of an accumulated $50 account credit for each Voyager user who successfully onboards with FTX and a $20 million “earn out” allowance.
It was not immediately apparent, based on filings, who would benefit from an earnout, which is often used in acquisitions as a way to incentivize founders and management teams of the company being purchased.
Voyager’s most recent bankruptcy report indicated that the company held just shy of $900 million in crypto assets for customers, with another $456.44 million loaned out and $173.68 million held as collateral from borrowers.
Voyager users who chose to migrate to FTX’s platform would receive a pro rata distribution of Voyager assets, based on their portion of Voyager’s overall holdings.
Voyager’s troubles emerged after the firm extended a loan valued at $670 million to crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) in early 2022. When 3AC defaulted on its loan obligations in late June, it unleashed a financial cascade that pushed Voyager into bankruptcy and 3AC’s founders into hiding.
FTX’s bid, if approved by creditors, would transfer Voyager’s loan balances — excluding the 3AC loan, which was not part of the deal — to FTX and, by extension, to Bankman-Fried. The $51 million price tag for Voyager and its associated claims would represent a steep discount, given FTX’s assumption of customer assets and loan balances.
WATCH: Voyager Digital files for bankruptcy amid crypto lender solvency crisis
Hurricane Ian Already Ranks Among The Top Storms In U.S. History The Washington Post
Hurricane Ian Already Ranks Among The Top Storms In U.S. History – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/hurricane-ian-already-ranks-among-the-top-storms-in-u-s-history-the-washington-post/
The devastation from Hurricane Ian’s direct hit in Southwest Florida is still being tallied, but the storm’s sheer force as it crashed into the coastline has already placed Ian in the upper echelon of hurricanes to strike the United States.
When Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Cayo Costa Island, it carried with it maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and a minimum central pressure of 940 millibars.
Ian became the 37th major hurricane — a designation reserved for storms of Category 3 intensity or greater — to have ever struck the state of Florida, and just the 15th to be rated a Category 4 or higher. Records of hurricane intensity date back to 1851.
By measure of sustained winds at landfall, Ian is in an eight-way tie for the fifth-strongest storm to strike the United States. Over the past two years, two other storms pummeled the United States with winds up to 150 mph: Hurricane Ida, which just last year carved a path of destruction from Louisiana to New York, and Hurricane Laura, which also slammed into Louisiana and brought with it a 17-foot storm surge.
Another storm that packed 150 mph winds with it was Hurricane Charley, which made landfall in 2004 in nearly the exact same spot that Ian did — though Charley was significantly smaller when it careened into the coastline.
The strongest storm to ever strike the United States was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which came ashore in Florida with sustained wind speeds of 185 miles per hour — making it a high-end Category 5 storm. The storm also had a central pressure of 892 when it hit the coast, something that is extraordinarily rare in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, let alone at landfall.
Ian’s central pressure of 940 millibars put it in 18th-place historically — edged out by recent major hurricanes like Hurricane Harvey (937 millibars), Hurricane Ida (931 millibars), Hurricane Katrina (920 millibars) and Hurricane Michael (919 millibars).
When looking just at Florida, Ian enters a 3-way tie for the fourth strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the state by maximum sustained winds, surpassed in order by the Labor Day Hurricane (185 mph), 1992′s Hurricane Andrew (165 mph) and 2018′s Hurricane Michael (160 mph).
By the measure of minimum central pressure, Ian becomes the ninth-strongest hurricane to ever hit Florida, surpassed by both historical cyclones and recent storms like Hurricane Andrew (922mb), Hurricane Michael (919 millibars) and Hurricane Irma (931 millibars).
While it is too early to tell where Ian will stack up in terms of lives lost — Florida has had a history of deadly hurricanes, with fatalities generally dropping in recent years due to improved building codes and much greater warning in advance of storms.
The deadliest storm in the modern record to strike Florida was the Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, which is estimated to have killed at least 2,500 people, with some estimates taking the death toll markedly higher, according to the National Weather Service.
Since 2000, the deadliest storms to have hit the state of Florida are Hurricane Irma, which killed 77 people when it made landfall in 2017; Hurricane Michael, which killed 50 people in 2020; Hurricane Frances, which killed 37 people in 2004 and Hurricane Charley, which killed 29, also in 2004.
It is also too early to tell if Ian will rank among the costliest hurricanes to hit the United States, but it seems likely to do so. According to NOAA, the top 5 costliest cyclones in U.S. history are Hurricane Katrina ($186.3 billion), Hurricane Harvey ($148.8B), Hurricane Maria ($107.1B), Hurricane Sandy ($81.9B) and Hurricane Ida ($78.7B). All of those storms, with the exception of Katrina, have struck the United States within the past 5 years.
To be one of the 10 costliest hurricanes in U.S. history, Ian would have to beat or tie the $29 billion dollars in damage caused by Hurricane Michael, something early estimates suggest it could do. An analyst with Fitch Ratings estimated that insured cost losses in Florid could be anywhere from $25 to $40 billion, with more damage set to come along the Southeast coast when Ian makes landfall in South Carolina.
Speaking of South Carolina, if Ian makes landfall in the state as a hurricane as it is currently forecast to do on Friday afternoon, it will be the first storm to do so since 2016, when Hurricane Matthew made landfall in the state, according to Phillip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University.
The last storm to make landfall in both Florida and South Carolina as a hurricane was Hurricane Charley in 2004.
Ian will be far from one of the strongest hurricanes to make landfall in South Carolina, though the storm is still quite hazardous. Ian’s massive size means it will bring widespread tropical-storm-force winds to both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Storm surge is also a threat for nearly the entire Southeast coastline, with 2-4 feet of surge expected from northern Florida to the surge-vulnerable Outer Banks, with 4-7 feet of surge forecast in South Carolina from Edisto Beach to Little River Inlet.
