Benton County News Now

Crypto Community Sets Bullish Bitcoin Price For October 31, 2022 – Finbold – Finance In Bold https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/crypto-community-sets-bullish-bitcoin-price-for-october-31-2022-finbold-finance-in-bold/ Disclaimer: The CoinMarketCap cryptocurrency community price estimate is based only on the votes of its users. Estimates do not guarantee end-of-month prices. Bitcoin (BTC) reached its highest level in more than a week on Tuesday, September 27, when it surpassed $20,000. Despite this, the cryptocurrency still has trouble breaking out of its narrow trading range. As a result, several traders and investors are now focusing on the crypto’s next target price by October 31, given the volatility experienced in the crypto market. In particular, the cryptocurrency community on CoinMarketCap forecasts that Bitcoin’s value will increase by 13.18% from its current level, reaching a median price of $22,857 by the end of October 2022, an increase of over $2,661. Bitcoin October price prediction. Source: CoinMarketCap According to crypto trading Michaël van de Poppe, the breakout consisted of a ton of spot volume on Bitcoin. He also suggested that it is a good idea to potentially long Bitcoin and short the dollar and that the flagship digital asset could be moving near the region the crypto community had suggested for the end of October. “It depends on the indices today, but it looks like we’ll be able to look towards $23K for some relief, at least. Time to long BTC.Time to short DXY. Probably that type of period.” He added: “Upside: – $20.7K – $22.9K Downside: – $20K – $19.3-19.5K. All are levels I’d be looking at for entries on positions.” Bitcoin price levels. Source: Michaël van de Poppe Bitcoin price fluctuation Since the middle of June, Bitcoin’s price has fluctuated between $18,000 and $25,000. This comes after a meltdown that wiped roughly $2 trillion off the value of the whole cryptocurrency market since it reached its all-time high in November.  This market fall was fueled by a wave of bankruptcies and insolvency troubles that trickled through the cryptocurrency sector. Interest rate increases by central banks aimed at managing uncontrolled inflation were also driving factors in this market decline. Interestingly, the recent upswing in Bitcoin, which started on Monday, September 26, occurred despite a decline in US equities, with the S&P 500 ending at its lowest level since 2022. The price of stock futures went up on September 27. Therefore, there are indications that the link between cryptocurrencies and equities may be beginning to break down.  Investors carefully watch DXY Meanwhile, investors are keeping a careful eye on the value of the United States dollar. This year, the dollar index, which compares the US dollar value to that of a group of other currencies, has increased by more than 18%.  Because the price of Bitcoin swings in the opposite direction of the dollar, a strong dollar is bad for the cryptocurrency. However, with some analysts such as Poppe suggesting the dollar index might be getting close to its peak, it could indicate a possible bottom for Bitcoin, which may be one explanation for Bitcoin’s recent price increase. Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

Owamni: The US’ Best New Restaurant? – BBC https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/owamni-the-us-best-new-restaurant-bbc/ Owamni: The US’ best new restaurant? (Image credit: Dana Thompson ) Through The Sioux Chef, Sean Sherman and Dana Thompson use food as a guidepost to a hidden part of history, all while sparking a (r)evolution of “true” North American foods. O On the back patio at Owamni – the Minneapolis, Minnesota, restaurant owned by Sean Sherman and Dana Thompson – the late-evening sun cast my dessert in a natural spotlight. Marigold-coloured agave squash caramel cascaded slowly down the sides of a sunflower-seed cake the colour of sandstone, and a deep red berry sauce shimmered atop a maple chaga cake so earthy in tone, it felt as though it were plucked from the forest floor. The connection to nature is palpable here, where sweeping views of the Mississippi River, along with curated indigenous plants like prairie dropseed – whose high-protein seeds can be eaten raw or ground into a flour – etch themselves into the landscape like a painting. “We named this restaurant Owamni from the Dakota name OwamniYomni, for the waterfall that used to surround this area,” said Thompson, a descendant of the Wahpeton Sisseton and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes. “It was said to be as beautiful as Niagara Falls. Spirit Island was the most sacred of the four islands here, and the Dakota and Anishinaabe communities would take their canoes there for ceremony, and women would come from far away just to give birth there.” Thompson’s grandfather, who contributed historical knowledge to the book Where the Waters Gather and the Rivers Meet, an atlas of the Eastern Sioux published in 1994, made it possible for this important piece of indigenous history to live on. One of Owamni’s many strengths is its ability to bridge the past to the present, knowing one can only exist because of the other. You feel this in the dining room, perched on the second floor of two abandoned flour mills, restored after the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Parks Foundation raised more than $19 million to honour the indigenous history of the area by creating a park with Owamni as its inspiration. It’s an investment that has already paid off in powerful ways. Less than a year after opening in July 2021, Owamni was named 2022’s Best New Restaurant in the United States by the James Beard Foundation – whose annual awards recognise exceptional talent in the culinary arts, hospitality, media and the broader food world. The accolade is big deal for any restaurant, but a monumental one when a decolonised menu is on the table. At Owamni, this means never using ingredients introduced to North America after Europeans arrived – including cane sugar, wheat, dairy, pork and chicken. Instead, only indigenous ingredients like turkey, bison, walleye, beans, wild rice, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, herbs, maple syrup and blue corn are featured. Other ingredients – like crickets, acorns and timpsula (or prairie turnip) – might be unfamiliar to more mainstream American palates, despite coming from the places we walk, cycle and drive past. But eating the food here brings with it a profound sense of place difficult to put into words. Sunflower-seed cake with agave squash caramel (Credit: Dana Thompson) While I’ve had sunflower seeds and honey before, I never expected that, with the addition of water, such simple ingredients could become a cake befitting any pastry shop. And though I can only imagine what a molten sunset absorbing a field of pumpkins into its hot, sticky flow would taste like, I feel certain nothing would come closer than the ethereal squash-agave caramel painted on top. It was so addictive I could have eaten an entire bowl of it. But then I wouldn’t have had room for the blue corn mush – a hazelnut and berry porridge – from the Ute Mountain Ute tribe in Colorado. A pool of maple syrup lay in wait at the bottom of the dish, and its sweetness, combined with the tender grit of the corn meal, the crunch of the hazelnuts and soft, tart berries, felt like a hug from my grandma. And that glistening berry topping on the maple chaga cake? It’s a Lakota berry soup called wojape, which Sherman uses as a sauce in both sweet and savoury dishes. As a child, he’d gather buckets full of fresh chokecherries to make it but uses many different berries today. The food, while beautiful, is so much more than a plate of art. It’s a thoughtful entry point for conversations about indigenous history – something inherent to the mission of The Sioux Chef, the company Sherman, an Oglala Lakota chef, founded in 2014, and co-owns with Thompson. Their business started with catering and pop-ups and now includes a food truck, the non-profit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) – from which the Indigenous Food Lab, a professional indigenous kitchen and training centre in Minneapolis’ Midtown Global Market is based – and, of course, Owamni. The wheels are already in motion to replicate the Indigenous Food Lab across the country, with immediate plans for locations in Montana and Alaska, and, eventually, into more than 45 satellite locations across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South America. Owamni was named 2022’s Best New Restaurant in the United States by the James Beard Foundation (Credit: Stefanie Ellis) “North America’s history begins with indigenous history,” Sherman said. “There should be Native American restaurants all over the place.” While he and culinary cohorts – like James Beard finalist Crystal Wahpepah, chef Nephi Craig of Café Gozhóó in Arizona, cook and educator Hillel Echo-Hawk and I-Collective co-founder Neftali Duran – have long been working to shift the conversations around indigenous food, the cuisine is still just gaining a foothold in the US. Recognising the limited time they have to capture guests’ attention, Owamni brings the past to life with intentional design touches – from a map that hangs in the foyer, noting the original indigenous names for the waterways and villages throughout Dakota Territory, to the sunlight-flooded dining room, whose wall of windows gives guests a clear view of the pulsing river below. At the door, a neon sign reminds you: You Are on Native Land. Thompson asked if I’d like to pose under it for a photo and snapped away on my iPhone. Though she and Sherman know some people still favour trendy food photos over the story behind the food, they’re banking on the fact that the more exposure people have to indigenous culture, the more they’ll want to learn its history. Owamni’s dining room overlooks the Mississippi River (Credit: Stefanie Ellis) But what that history is and isn’t makes their work all the more challenging. “History books were written by the US government,” said Sherman. “You always hear how Native Americans died from starvation and disease, but people were intentionally mutilated, murdered and killed brutally. “When you follow American history, you’ll see that from 1800-1900, indigenous people still had [access to] over 80 percent of land [in the US], but by the end of that century, had access to just two percent.” He pointed to a shockingly long list of historical events systematically designed to stamp out indigenous culture, such as the US government’s massive slaughtering of buffalo. Before 1800, an estimated 60 million buffalo roamed the land, offering crucial food sources, along with material for shoes and clothing, housing, cooking vessels and medicine. By 1900, after widespread efforts eradicated the buffalo population across the country, only a few hundred animals were left, effectively paralysing the mechanisms that existed for indigenous people to maintain a self-sustaining way of life. In his cookbook, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, Sherman explains that fry bread – often the only thing people associate with Native American food – is “a difficult symbol connecting the present to the painful narrative of our history. It originated [nearly 155 years ago] when the US government forced our ancestors from the homelands they farmed, foraged and hunted, and the waters they fished. Displaced and moved to reservations, they lost control of their food and were made to rely on government-issued commodities – canned meat, white flour, sugar and lard. Fry bread contributes to high levels of diabetes and obesity that affect nearly one-half of the Native population living on reservations. Obesity and tooth decay did not exist among indigenous people of North America before colonial ingredients were introduced.” The seeds from prairie dropseed can be eaten raw or ground into a flour (Credit: Stefanie Ellis) Sherman, who grew up on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, says these historical events devastated so much for human beings and their knowledge base, yet no one is talking about it. “It’s not ancient history,” he said. “This just happened.” Every culture has its own connection to food, including how it’s prepared, grown and consumed. For indigenous people, food sovereignty – the right to healthy and culturally appropriate food and the right to define food and agriculture systems – was erased through colonisation. Sherman hopes to put the power back in the hands of the people, because he believes when you control your food, you control your destiny. In North America, ingredients like the tepary bean, a culturally appropriate food and an important heirloom crop brought back from near extinction by Ramona Farms in Arizona, grow abundantly in areas without a lot of water. And at Owamni, when mixed with salt, sunflower oil, pepita meal and maple syrup, it creates an immensely comforting foundation for the tender tumble of smoked Lake Superior trout (from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Wisconsin) piled on top. The fish was remarkable – evoking memories of a snuffed-out campfire that left the tiniest trail of smoke lingering in the air, ca...

IMPD Pushes Forward With Gunshot Detection Technology – WISH TV Indianapolis, IN https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/impd-pushes-forward-with-gunshot-detection-technology-wish-tv-indianapolis-in/ INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis police have begun Phase 2 of the process to install gunshot detection technology by collecting data from three vendors: Flock Safety, J&M Security Systems, and ShotSpotter. “That’s one of our major questions, is how accurate is this. It’s one thing to hear a gunshot and have no idea where it came from, and it’s another thing to be able to respond to a very specific area,” said Matthew Thomas, commander of criminal investigations division of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Thomas tells I-Team 8 the collection of data will help answer a long list of questions: accuracy, timing, and even the types of weapons that are being used. “How fast was the response time? Has it changed? Or are we able to render medical aid to somebody more quickly?” he said. “It’s important that we walk through this methodically, and we’re using Phase 2 to do that, to ensure that the processes and policies are in place for Phase 3, which is active response by officers when they receive an alert directly to their laptop.” Thomas says the phases area coming at no cost to IMPD because $9 million was given to the department through the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided federal funds as a response to the coronavirus pandemic. However, once and if a vendor is picked, the gunshot detection technology will be costly. IMPD teamed up with Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis to “study the results of this pilot and allow the community to make an informed decision about continuing the funding of this technology.” Thomas said, “They’re able to sift through massive amounts of data and use best practices to be able to provide us kind of a third party for an independent voice and perspective.” The IMPD commander says the pilot process will remain within a 5-mile radius in the East District. He says, while the police department believes the technology will help officers to be more efficient, it will not replace the basics. “Gunshot detection systems are not a substitute for calling 911. They are an enhancement,” Thomas said. “There will never be a replacement for calling 911. A person’s perspective of events is critical, and forming a more complete picture.” Thomas says Phase 2 will last two weeks. He says the goal is to get through all six phases and then pilot one vendor for a year. © 2022 Circle City Broadcasting I, LLC. | All Rights Reserved.

Books Set In South Carolina | News | Tribuneledgernews.com – Cherokee Tribune Ledger News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/books-set-in-south-carolina-news-tribuneledgernews-com-cherokee-tribune-ledger-news/ Books set in South Carolina Updated 29 min ago Every state has its hallmark writers. Mississippi has William Faulkner and his incomparable (fictional) Yoknapatawpha County and Missouri can lay claim to Mark Twain. The state of Maine is gifted with Pulitzer winner Richard Russo and horror icon Stephen King. Rural Pennsylvania is the playground of the much-heralded (and occasionally maligned) John Updike, and when many bibliophiles think of New Jersey, they also think of Richard Ford’s series of novels featuring recurring Everyman character Frank Bascombe. Illinois can lay claim to William Maxwell, Sandra Cisneros, and Adam Langer, among numerous others. And what reader can think of Washington State without contending with the sparkle-vampire yarns of Stephanie Meyer? What makes authors like these inextricably associated with a particular state is not simply the matter of their having been born there or choosing to live there. The connection, from a writerly standpoint, is deeper than that—their work, nearly all of it, is set in “their” state. Of course, there are certainly exceptions. Whether a writer sets a tale in the town where they went to college or spent part of their childhood—like Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” and its New England arts school setting and the almost-factual small town of Jo Ann Beard’s “In Zanesville,” respectively—or crafts a story that follows a social or political theme to a location they know little about but lay narrative claim to anyway, the world is rife with books known, loved, and respected that also capture the essence of place—books where setting itself is one of the strongest characters. Stacker compiled a list of books set in South Carolina from Goodreads. Whether you’re looking for a good read set in the state you call home, or you’re looking to expand your curiosity with a writer you’re already familiar with, we’ve got you covered. You may also like: Highest-earning cities in South Carolina Goodreads The Secret Life of Bees Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.08 (1.2 million ratings) – Author: Sue Monk Kidd – Published: November 8, 2001 – Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Classics – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Prince of Tides Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.24 (202,850 ratings) – Author: Pat Conroy – Published: January 1, 1986 – Genres: Fiction, Classics, Southern, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Lowcountry Boil (A Liz Talbot Mystery, #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.00 (6,207 ratings) – Author: Susan M. Boyer – Published: September 13, 2012 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads South of Broad Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.82 (45,840 ratings) – Author: Pat Conroy – Published: August 11, 2009 – Genres: Fiction, Southern, Historical Fiction, Contemporary – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The House on Tradd Street (Tradd Street, #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.00 (23,960 ratings) – Author: Karen White – Published: November 4, 2008 – Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Lowcountry Boneyard (Liz Talbot Mystery, #3) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.28 (3,015 ratings) – Author: Susan M. Boyer – Published: April 21, 2015 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Lowcountry Bombshell (A Liz Talbot Mystery, #2) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.10 (3,798 ratings) – Author: Susan M. Boyer – Published: August 29, 2013 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Lords of Discipline Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.32 (26,767 ratings) – Author: Pat Conroy – Published: January 1, 1980 – Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Military Fiction, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Beach Music Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.17 (47,261 ratings) – Author: Pat Conroy – Published: July 2, 1995 – Genres: Fiction, Southern, Contemporary, Historical Fiction – Read more on Goodreads You may also like: Recipes from South Carolina Goodreads The Girl On Legare Street (Tradd Street, #2) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.11 (14,985 ratings) – Author: Karen White – Published: November 3, 2009 – Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Underground Railroad Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.05 (363,522 ratings) – Author: Colson Whitehead – Published: August 2, 2016 – Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Lowcountry Book Club (Liz Talbot Mystery #5) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.18 (2,629 ratings) – Author: Susan M. Boyer – Published: July 5, 2016 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.76 (579,020 ratings) – Author: Kami Garcia – Published: December 1, 2009 – Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Death by Darjeeling (A Tea Shop Mystery, #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.73 (10,459 ratings) – Author: Laura Childs – Published: May 1, 2001 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Strangers on Montagu Street (Tradd Street, #3) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.21 (12,040 ratings) – Author: Karen White – Published: November 1, 2011 – Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Return to Tradd Street (Tradd Street, #4) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.22 (10,643 ratings) – Author: Karen White – Published: January 7, 2014 – Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Invention of Wings Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.25 (296,936 ratings) – Author: Sue Monk Kidd – Published: January 7, 2014 – Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Book Club – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.83 (136,024 ratings) – Author: Grady Hendrix – Published: April 7, 2020 – Genres: Horror, Fiction, Fantasy, Vampires – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Pawleys Island (Lowcountry Tales, #5) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.13 (10,165 ratings) – Author: Dorothea Benton Frank – Published: May 3, 2005 – Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Southern, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Bastard Out of Carolina Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.12 (41,930 ratings) – Author: Dorothy Allison – Published: March 1, 1992 – Genres: Fiction, Classics, Southern, Coming Of Age – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Sweetgrass Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.14 (7,484 ratings) – Author: Mary Alice Monroe – Published: July 1, 2005 – Genres: Fiction, Romance, Southern, Chick Lit – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Saints at the River Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.83 (3,968 ratings) – Author: Ron Rash – Published: August 6, 2004 – Genres: Fiction, Southern, Southern Gothic, Literary Fiction – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Board Stiff (Elliott Lisbon Mystery #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.82 (1,160 ratings) – Author: Kendel Lynn – Published: April 30, 2013 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Chick Lit – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Agnes and the Hitman (The Organization #0) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.95 (19,779 ratings) – Author: Jennifer Crusie – Published: August 21, 2007 – Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Mystery, Contemporary Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Shem Creek (Lowcountry Tales, #4) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.05 (9,670 ratings) – Author: Dorothea Benton Frank – Published: January 1, 2002 – Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Folly Beach (Lowcountry Tales, #8) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.89 (9,750 ratings) – Author: Dorothea Benton Frank – Published: January 1, 2010 – Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads The Color of Light Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.08 (5,395 ratings) – Author: Karen White – Published: June 1, 2005 – Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Mystery, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie Way: Smokin’ Joe Butter Beans, Ol’ ‘Fuskie Fried Crab Rice, Sticky-Bush Blackberry Dumpling, and Other Sea Island Favorites Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.18 (84 ratings) – Author: Sallie Ann Robinson – Published: April 7, 2003 – Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Death on Demand (Death on Demand, #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.85 (8,192 ratings) – Author: Carolyn G. Hart – Published: February 1, 1987 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Compulsion (The Heirs of Watson Island, #1) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.85 (3,150 ratings) – Author: Martina Boone – Published: October 28, 2014 – Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Lowcountry Bookshop (Liz Talbot Mystery #7) Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.28 (1,922 ratings) – Author: Susan M. Boyer – Published: May 29, 2018 – Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Southern – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads On Leaving Charleston Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 3.99 (692 ratings) – Author: Alexandra Ripley – Published: January 1, 1984 – Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Historical Romance – Read more on Goodreads Goodreads Dear John Updated 29 min ago – Rating: 4.04 (577,987 ratings) – Author: Nicholas Sparks – Published: January 1, 2006 – Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chic...

Magical Vacation Planner Racing: Chase Briscoe Talladega Advance – Speedway Digest https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/magical-vacation-planner-racing-chase-briscoe-talladega-advance-speedway-digest/ ● Fresh off a top-five finish a in the Round of 12 opener of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Chase Briscoe returns to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway ninth in the standings, just four points below the cutline to advance to the Round of 8. The driver of the Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) finished 37th in this year’s April race at Talladega after an accident on lap 56 ended his bid. ● In three Cup Series starts at Talladega, Briscoe has a best finish of 11th, earned on April 25, 2021. He has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts (best finish of fourth in April 2019), one Camping World Truck Series start (22nd-place result in October 2017), and one ARCA Menards Series start (third-place finish in April 2016) at the 2.66-mile oval. ● Briscoe has earned four top-five finishes and five top-10s in 30 races this season, and he’s led 238 laps thus far compared to just 18 during his 2021 Rookie of the Year campaign. The 27-year-old driver earned his first Cup Series victory in his 40th career start March 13 at Phoenix Raceway. He scored his first Cup Series pole award June 5 at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis. ● Riding along with Briscoe and the No. 14 SHR Ford Mustang this weekend is Magical Vacation Planners (MVP), which was founded by Jamie Ane Eubanks alongside her husband JJ, a former professional basketball player, as a storefront travel agency in 2006. Today, it is a company that provides one of the best vacation planning services in the industry. It operates through three branches: MVP Parks, MVP Cruising and MVP Getaways. The company provides its exclusive and personalized, stress-free planning service at no additional expense to its clients, making the extensive array of Disney options and add-ons easy to understand and navigate. MVP actively seeks savings for its clients, monitoring early-morning releases of discounted room or vacation packages while also scouring existing reservations for price drops to where they can modify an existing reservation at the newfound lower price. MVP will also plan a family’s itinerary, expertly navigating Disney’s Genie+ and Lighting Lane systems to maximize resort and park times by avoiding long lines while also securing those premium Disney dining experiences that include coveted character meetings. Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing: You’re in a good position within the playoffs headed to Talladega. Does it help to know you are only four points below the cutline? “Thankfully, we aren’t in a massive points deficit going into this weekend. We made the best out of a tough situation to start in Texas and came out just outside of the top-eight in points. If we can keep doing that and just running the best race for us, I think we can continue in the playoffs. I don’t think anyone expected Texas to go the way that it did, but it was a nice primer for the chaos of Talladega.” You’ve done well on superspeedways this year, even if you don’t have the results to show for it. Is there a confidence that comes with knowing you are capable of being up front and potentially winning on these types of tracks? “I’m not sure. I’d like to say that I feel good about it, but there are so many unknowns. You never really know what you’re going to be up against. This weekend will be pretty similar to what we faced last weekend, just in terms of trying to avoid all of those things happening around us. I feel like I’ve gotten better at superspeedway racing over the years and we kind of saw that in the Daytona 500, but there’s not much you can control in these races, which we also saw at Daytona in August. Talladega is a different track. This car handles a little different there, but the concept of superspeedway racing is the same. Things happen so fast and it’s easy to end up in someone else’s mess, so I can’t make mistakes that are going to take us out of a chance to win and lock in or just have a good finish. I think our strategy is the same for the next few races, just run our best race and don’t do anything that can take us out of it. If it ends in a win, that’s great, but we really just can’t have a bad day.” TSC PR %

Business Highlights: UK Economic Turmoil, Russian Propaganda – Federal News Network https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/business-highlights-uk-economic-turmoil-russian-propaganda-federal-news-network/ ___ British pound stabilizes, but turmoil still roils UK economy LONDON (AP) — The British pound has stabilized as U.K. authorities tried to ease investor concerns after the biggest tax cuts in 50 years sent the currency tumbling to a record low. Some businesses are predicting a devastating combination of a weak currency and rising interest rates. The turmoil is already having real-world effects, with British mortgage lenders pulling hundreds of offers from the market…. READ MORE ___ British pound stabilizes, but turmoil still roils UK economy LONDON (AP) — The British pound has stabilized as U.K. authorities tried to ease investor concerns after the biggest tax cuts in 50 years sent the currency tumbling to a record low. Some businesses are predicting a devastating combination of a weak currency and rising interest rates. The turmoil is already having real-world effects, with British mortgage lenders pulling hundreds of offers from the market. That’s because there are expectations the Bank of England will sharply boost interest rates to offset the inflationary impact of the pound’s recent slide. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association says the sterling crash is set to raise prices for consumers and threaten hundreds of British jobs in bottling plants. ___ Meta disables Russian propaganda network targeting Europe MENLO PARK (AP) — Facebook says it has identified and stopped a sprawling network of fake accounts that spread Russian propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine throughout Western Europe. Facebook parent company Meta says the network created more than 60 websites that mimicked legitimate news organizations but parroted Russian talking points about Ukraine. More than 1,600 fake Facebook accounts were used to spread the propaganda to audiences in Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. Meta says it was the largest and most complex network linked to Russia that the California-based company has identified since the Ukraine invasion began. The Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., hasn’t responded to a request for comment. ___ States get final OK to build highway EV charging network WASHINGTON (AP) — All 50 states have received final approval to begin construction on a first nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations that places one roughly every 50 miles along interstate highways. It’s part of the Biden administration’s plan to spur widespread adoption of zero-emission cars. The Transportation Department approved plans Tuesday for the last set of 17 states that will install or upgrade fast chargers along 75,000 miles of highway, coast to coast. By year’s end, drivers could start seeing shiny upgrades to existing highway EV stations in states including California, Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania. ___ Walmart to cover fertility treatments under insurance plan NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is teaming up with a fertility startup to offer benefits under its insurance plan that will help its workers expand their families. The nation’s largest retailer and private employer said Tuesday it’s partnering with New York-based Kindbody to offer benefits such as in vitro fertilization as well as fertility testing regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Walmart’s employees will get access to more than 30 fertility clinics and in vitro fertilization labs across the U.S. Kindbody’s clinics will be available to help eligible workers access Walmart’s surrogacy and adoption benefits, as well. ___ US consumers gaining confidence as gas prices keep falling WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers grew more confident for the second month in a row as gas prices continued to fall. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 108 in September, from 103.6 in August. The back-to-back monthly increases follow three straight monthly declines as American households were hammered by rising prices, particularly at the gas pump. The business research group’s present situation index — which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — also rose again, to 149.6 in September from 145.3 in August. ___ Fed’s Powell urges broader regulation for stablecoins WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that stablecoins will need greater regulation as they become more widely used by consumers. Powell delivered his virtual remarks Tuesday to a conference on digital finance in Paris. Powell said the Fed hasn’t yet decided on whether to proceed with a digital dollar. The Fed’s sharp interest rate increases this year, Powell said, have contributed to the collapse of some stablecoins and big drops in the value of cryptocurrencies. Stablecoins are digital tokens pegged to the value of traditional financial instruments, often the dollar. ___ JetBlue CEO first witness in US lawsuit against 2 airlines BOSTON (AP) — A trial is underway in the federal government’s lawsuit aiming to kill a partnership between American Airlines and JetBlue Airways in the Northeast. The government says the deal is, in effect, a merger that will cost consumers $700 million a year in higher fares. But the airlines say the pact — which has been in place for 18 months — is already letting them open new routes that are good for travelers. They say the deal boosts competition by helping American and JetBlue compete with Delta and United, especially in the New York area. ___ Attorneys for Musk, Twitter argue over information exchange DOVER, Del. (AP) — A Delaware judge is hearing arguments over the exchange of information by lawyers in Twitter’s lawsuit seeking to force billionaire Elon Musk to carry through with his $44 billion acquisition of the social media giant. Tuesday’s hearing comes three weeks before a scheduled trial in the dispute. Musk agreed in April to buy Twitter and take it private, offering $54.20 a share and vowing to loosen the company’s policing of content and to root out fake accounts. He later indicated that he wanted to back away from the deal, claiming that Twitter had failed to provide him enough information about the number of fake accounts on its platform. ___ The S&P 500 slipped 7.75 points, or 0.2%, to 3,647.29. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 125.82 points, or 0.4%, to 29,134.99. The Nasdaq rose 26.58 points, or 0.2%, to 10,829.50. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 6.63 points, or 0.4%, to 1,662.51. Copyright © 2022 . All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Living Donor Transplantation Offers A Safe Alternative For Liver Transplant Patients – Anti Aging News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/living-donor-transplantation-offers-a-safe-alternative-for-liver-transplant-patients-anti-aging-news/ Demand for donor livers for transplant patients outstrips supply with over 15% of waitlist patients dying after a year. A new international study offers support for increasing the use of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in Western countries and reducing the imbalance between organ supply and demand. This study is reported in the Journal of Hepatology, the official journal of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, published by Elsevier. LDLT is when a portion of the liver from a healthy living person is removed and placed into someone whose liver is no longer working properly. The donor’s remaining liver regrows and returns to its normal size, volume, and capacity within a few months after the surgery. Although the waiting period for a deceased donor transplant can be over five years, LDLT remains uncommon compared to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) in Western countries compared to those in Asia. Identifying differences in outcomes and other transplant characteristics may help identify areas for healthcare improvement and clarify whether expanding LDLT practices can be justified in countries that rely primarily on DDLT. “There has been a growing interest in strategies to alleviate the increasing demand for transplantation and the unacceptably high mortality on the liver transplant waitlist,” explained Gonzalo Sapisochin, MD, Ph.D., MSc, Division of General Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. “One such approach is LDLT, which can expand the number of grafts available for transplantation. However, short- and long-term outcomes need to be maintained for both the donors and recipients. We, therefore, sought to compare donor and recipient characteristics and post-transplant outcomes after LDLT.” This is a retrospective multicenter study of adults aged 18 years or older who underwent primary LDLT between January 2008 and December 2018 as reported by three national liver transplantation registries: United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS; US), National Health Service Blood and Transplantation (NHSBT; UK), and the Canadian Organ Replacement Registry (CORR; Canada). Patients undergoing retransplantation or multi-organ transplantation were excluded. Investigators compared recipient and donor characteristics, temporal trends, and post-LDLT outcomes across the three registries. In addition, they sought to evaluate outcomes for LDLT compared with DDLT within each of the countries. A total of 2,954 LDLTs were performed in these countries, 2,328 of which took place in the US, 529 in Canada, and 97 in the UK. Canada performed the highest proportion of LDLT procedures over time. Investigators were pleasantly surprised to see that long-term outcomes were excellent despite relatively low use of LDLT in Western countries. The one-, five-, and 10-year patient survival rates were 92.6%, 82.8%, and 70.0% in the USA; 96.1%, 89.9%, and 82.2% in Canada; and 91.4%, 85.4%, and 66.7% in the UK, respectively. This analysis of LDLT demonstrates that despite the low use of LDLT in Western countries compared to Asian countries, long-term survival is excellent. In addition, the mortality risk is not statistically significantly different between these three countries. “This study offers support for increasing the use of LDLT in Western countries because it provides an opportunity to reduce the imbalance between organ supply and demand and, as a result, offers waitlist candidates the possibility of earlier transplantation and decreased mortality on the transplant waitlist,” commented Dr. Sapisochin

USA Vs. Saudi Arabia Score: USMNT Held To Uninspiring Scoreless Draw As World Cup Now Looms On Horizon – Sporting News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/usa-vs-saudi-arabia-score-usmnt-held-to-uninspiring-scoreless-draw-as-world-cup-now-looms-on-horizon-sporting-news/ If the 2-0 defeat to Japan saw worries creep across the USMNT fanbase ahead of the 2022 World Cup, then alarm bells are now surely blaring as the United States played to a drab 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in the final friendly before the World Cup arrives in late November. Both sides had a few decent chances but the match was hardly a barnburner, with Christian Pulisic unable to inspire an attacking onslaught from the United States. Ricardo Pepi, who has struggled for club form at striker, was handed a start but saw just scraps up front. At the back, mistakes that plagued the U.S. against Japan cropped up again as starter Aaron Long and substitute Mark McKenzie both struggled on the ball. Gregg Berhalter has preached calm and trust as the process plays out, but with USMNT supporters having waited eight years for World Cup action and the big dance nearly here, the fanbase grows increasingly worried. Poor results against two teams not expected to exit their respective groups in Qatar are a worrisome way to highlight the September international window. Now, Wales awaits in the Group B opener for the United States as the players return to the clubs and the coaches get to devising a plan for success at the 2022 World Cup. DECOURCY: Why Pepi might be USA’s best chance at resolving forward conundrum USA vs. Saudi Arabia final score   1H 2H Final USA 0 0 0 Saudi Arabia 0 0 0 Goals: None USA vs. Saudi Arabia live updates, highlights from friendly FULL-TIME: USA 0-0 Saudi Arabia A totally uninspiring performance as the World Cup preparation comes to an official close. The United States had very little creativity or attacking spark, and Gio Reyna was injured in the process. It was better than against Japan, but not by much considering the level of competition. After a loss to Japan and a draw with Saudi Arabia, head coach Gregg Berhalter will face a lot of nervous U.S. fans and media between now and the start of the World Cup. 90+1 min: Tyler Adams gets a yellow card in a final act from the official as the three minutes of added time quickly play out. Saudi Arabia with one last set-piece chance before the time ticks down. 86th min: Off a nothing throw, Jesus Ferreira threads Paul Arriola in on goal, but the FC Dallas winger blasts his shot miles wide. Arriola’s hit looked like a power hitter swinging out of his shoes trying to hit a 500-foot home run. 82nd min: Now it’s Saudi Arabia’s turn to possess the ball in the attacking third, threatening Matt Turner’s penalty area on multiple occasions. The U.S. just look completely flat, with very few chemistry and no answers to find a winner. 75th min: A long spell of good attacking pressure from the U.S. doesn’t result in any solid chances. Arriola, Ferreira, and Pulisic are at the heart of the moves, but nothing comes off. Malik Tillman and Brenden Aaronson will come off the bench for an appearance, while Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic are replaced. Interestingly, Aaronson comes into midfield and Tillman goes out wide. 70th min: Chance, Saudi Arabia! A giveaway from Mark McKenzie creates an opportunity for Asiri, but Matt Turner makes a great parried save! The Arsenal goalkeeper was great against Japan, and he’s not yet beaten today, denying the substitute. — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 27, 2022 68th min: More pressure from Saudi Arabia as they bring on fresh legs, but the cross from deep on the right flank doesn’t find a mark. 61st min: Chance, USA! Just moments after coming on, Jesus Ferreira comes close! Paul Arriola sets up the chance, and Ferreira strikes from a central location, but Al-Rubaie makes the simple save down low, with the shot directly at the Saudi Arabia goalkeeper. Our FC Dallas boys combine for our best look of the evening thus far pic.twitter.com/FPaNlcC8TO — U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (@USMNT) September 27, 2022 57th min: Oh boy. Abdulhamid obliterates DeAndre Yedlin deep on the right flank, late after delivering a cross. Typical from this referee, Abdulhamid gets just a yellow here, but on replay it shows a nasty late tackle, and the FOX rules analyst Dr. Joe Machnik believes the Saudi Arabia man should have been sent off. — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 27, 2022 Yedlin immediately makes way for Joe Scally, limping off the field gingerly. McKenzie replaces Aaron Long, while Jesus Ferreira takes over up front for Pepi. The starting U.S. striker had just 13 touches through an hour of action. 55th min: Paul Arriola generates a turnover deep in the attacking third, but his cross into the area sees nobody there to meet it. Joe Scally, Jesus Ferreira, and Mark McKenzie look like they’re getting ready to come on. 52nd min: Whatever changes Berhalter hoped to make at the break have not come to fruition. Saudi Arabia have had the lion’s share of possession to start the second half, just like they did to start the match. U.S. on the back foot, looking like they want to be anywhere else. 46th min: We’re back under way in Spain, and there’s some good news as Gregg Berhalter tells FOX sideline reporter Jenny Taft that Reyna’s substitution was “precautionary.” Moments later, U.S. Soccer confirmed that the 19-year-old felt “muscle tightness” so they brought him off. UPDATE: Gio Reyna was experiencing muscle tightness and came out of the match as a precaution. https://t.co/GET8j1zGc1 — U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (@USMNT) September 27, 2022 HALFTIME: USA 0-0 Saudi Arabia A very, very concerning half from the United States. They started on the back foot, and eventually built into the match, but created precious few opportunities. Christian Pulisic is being hacked to pieces by Saudi Arabia, which he should be used to from CONCACAF matches, but the U.S. has not capitalized. The opponents missed a big chance too, which contributes to the feelings of disappointment at the break. We failed the test against a high pressing team. The test against a low block isn’t going well either. Oof For the record, I remain optimistic. #USMNT — Michael Parkhurst (@MFparkhurst) September 27, 2022 The injury to Gio Reyna is the talking point of the first half, as he was one of the best U.S. players in the first half. If it’s another muscle injury, he and fans will be severely disappointed given his history. The U.S. has not scored in 135 minutes of play in this international break, which will also make fans extremely nervous about the fast-approaching World Cup. There could be significant changes from Gregg Berhalter after the break as the head coach looks for some kind of attacking spark. Josh Sargent, Jesus Ferreira & Joe Scally stay on the field warming up at the half — Meg Swanick (@Meg_Swanick) September 27, 2022 43rd min: Pulisic is hacked on the edge of the penalty area, but no call, which is a consistent theme of this first half. A replay showed that not only was it a clear foul, but it was probably slightly inside the 18-yard box too. It’s unclear if these friendlies have VAR (the Japan game did have VAR available but the broadcasters didn’t even know it), but that probably should have been a penalty for the United States. 41st min: U.S. holding significant possession but struggling to bring the attackers into the flow of possession. Kellyn Acosta is flagged for offsides, ending the move. Meanwhile, U.S. Soccer has confirmed that the Reyna substitution was NOT pre-planned, which is obviously not good news for his health. USSF spokesperson says the Gio Reyna sub was not planned. Not great, obviously. — Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) September 27, 2022 38th min: Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic have been hacked incessantly in this first half, and the referee has not shown a single yellow card. U.S. players are getting increasingly frustrated. Saudi Arabia officially aware that they are not going to get yellows for anything. Late tackles on Weston and Christian (multiple times) and ref just asking for calm, basically. — Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) September 27, 2022 34th min: Chance, Saudi Arabia! How did the Middle Eastern side not score??? Somehow, the ball can’t find the back of the net as the substitute Asiri carves through the penalty area. He fires off a shot that’s blocked, and the ball bobbles around, with Turner diving to make a stop and finally Arriola clearing. Complete mayhem, but still scoreless. — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 27, 2022 31th min: An all-too familiar sight for USMNT fans will make them sick just weeks before the World Cup. Gio Reyna is subbed off on the half-hour mark, with Paul Arriola coming on. The timing actually could lend itself to a pre-planned change, but Reyna heads right down the tunnel after coming off, which is a bad sign. Saudi Arabia makes a substitution as well, as Al-Najei comes off for Asiri Haitham. — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 27, 2022 Gio asked for the sub just before the free kick and he kicked it out of bounds to initiate the change so yeah I don’t think they planned to sub him off after 27 minutes. — scuffed (@scuffedpod) September 27, 2022 29th min: It’s Saudi Arabia’s turn for a dangerous free-kick, with a set-piece from atop the penalty area maybe five yards outside the box. A long wait for Turner to set the wall, and eventually it’s fired well over the crossbar, not threatening the U.S. goal. 27th min: Babhir chops down Sergino Dest and the U.S. have a dangerous free-kick. Those two were involved in a wrestling match on the touchline moments earlier, and it appeared then that the referee told Babhir no more, but he’s not cautioned for the most recent offense. The free-kick is collected by the Saudi Arabia goalkeeper. 24th min: Chance, USA! Pulisic brings up t...

Color Star’s Metaverse Adventure Continues With Promise To Make Smart Phones – Defector https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/color-stars-metaverse-adventure-continues-with-promise-to-make-smart-phones-defector/ Color Star Technology Co., Ltd., the Cayman Islands-registered, possibly Dubai-based ready-mix concrete company that scrapped its legacy business and recently launched its own extremely janky digital metaverse, continues to struggle with executive turnover. On Aug. 5, Color Star quietly filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission noting that Biao Lu and Jehan Zeb Khan had resigned simultaneously from their roles as co-CEOs of this strange company, and were replaced by a man named Farhan Qadir. Even by the standards of Color Star, which has now had seven CEOs in just over two years, this is abrupt: Lu and Khan were on the job together for less than two months, and are not stepping back into support roles, but appear to be leaving the company altogether. For the record, this is now the second time that Biao Lu, who also resigned from his role as Chairman of the company’s board of directors, has resigned from the position of Color Star CEO. Followers of this extremely normal business story will recall that Color Star’s fascinating young CEO, Sir Lucas Capetian, the man who spearheaded the launch of the company’s signature Color World app, resigned suddenly and left the company due to “personal reasons” back in June. At Defector, this was a heartbreaking development: We’d worked diligently over a period of months to establish contact with Capetian, and had received nothing in return beyond a couple terse emails and the threat of a lawsuit. Now, suddenly, Capetian was out of our lives altogether, replaced at the top of this strange company by not one but two new corporate officers. What a time we’d had: It was during Capetian’s eventful stewardship that Color Star entered into the now-infamous sponsorship partnership with the Philadelphia 76ers, and it was Capetian who pivoted from the 76ers deal to a partnership with Villareal of Spain’s La Liga. It was Capetian himself who announced to the world that Color Star had formed a strategic partnership with a super-duper-real biotech company that could eventually give Color World users access to “human cloned organs.” To see this visionary jettisoned from the company he’d led in so many deranged new directions was like watching a beautiful star in the night sky suddenly blink out forever. Biao Lu and Jehan Zeb Khan did not immediately show their predecessor’s flair for Slick Business. The first news update posted to the company’s extraordinarily busted website (you’ve been warned) after the duo’s June takeover is headlined “Stop wasting time! This is enough~” and features another jarring 30-second video advertisement for the Color World app, with a strange and Cinquain-esque caption: Immersive visual experience, fresh and fun new sections, star entertainment, technological intelligence, and experience [color world] without leaving home. come, on! Hurry up and log in to the app store and download [chromeworld_metverse] Color Star Credit: Screenshot: Color Star Normal company. This inauspicious launch portended doom. Six days later, Lu and Khan resigned and were replaced by Qadir. Qadir appears to be a mover and shaker: Just over two weeks after taking the helm, Qadir attended a fancy event in Dubai where Color Star announced a “strategic cooperation” with something called Emirates Travellers. As with other recent Color Star partners, it’s not clear at all what Emirates Travellers sells or does, but it’s worth noting that the Color Star press release says the event was attended by members of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates. Neat! Then again, Color Star once announced that they would put likenesses of active 76ers players in their ugly metaverse, an overstatement that may have provided the 76ers organization the escape hatch they needed to parachute out of this hilariously ill-advised partnership agreement. One must never take at face value anything printed in a Color Star press release or advertorial. The purpose of the new partnership is unclear, but Color Star says their vaunted in-house tech team is busy building the “world’s first metaverse headquarters” for Emirates Travellers, which presumably will have the same Turok-gas-station aesthetic as the Color World shopping mall, announced back in June: Credit: Color Star It’s the mall. Just days after the glamorous Emirates Travellers announcement, Qadir was back at it, announcing on Sept. 6 a “long-term strategic cooperation” with something called Global Digital Club, which it describes as a “world-renowned professional digital investment club” with a membership of “powerful corporate elites in the global field.” In a startling twist, Global Digital Club has a functioning website and a little bit of an online footprint. In fact, they recently held a private investors event, featuring “business CEOs, venture capital funds, and investors” back on, ah, Sept. 11. Looks fun! But the biggest development of Color Star’s business was announced Monday, when the company issued a press release describing the upcoming launch of Color Star Technology Co., LTD-branded smart phones. These gizmos will be made in partnership with a company called Anex Korea, which Color Star describes as an “internationally renowned enterprise.” The “‘DONO’ Metaverse mobile phone,” as it is described in the announcement, will come preloaded with the Color World app, so that users can instantly log on and wander around the bleak, empty, bizarrely magenta-soaked digital landscape. “The mobile communication market is our latest new business sector, we are very happy about it, and are confident that we will develop this sector into maturity in the next few years,” says Qadir, via the press release. “While the outside world is focusing on the functions of the Metaverse, we will use mature and perfect technical means to escort users.” The bet seems to be that sooner or later one of these lurches is bound to pay off. Color Star recently executed something called a “reverse stock split” of shares of its ordinary stock, in order to consolidate the nearly 262 million shares of outstanding stock it’s distributed over the many years and permutations of its business. Reverse stock splits generally produce a bump in stock price, as sets of individual units at a certain market value are converted into one larger unit, maintaining all the consolidated market value. It’s a little artificial, yes, but Color Star’s stock has been trending in the wrong direction for years, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Unfortunately, in Color Star’s case, 40 shares individually worth approximately dog shit are being consolidated into one share of incredibly dense dog shit. This and Color Star’s more ambitious business moves have failed so far to generate enthusiasm among investors: CSCW stock has lost approximately 98 percent of its value over the past five years, and is now trading at a new low of $1.22 per share as of Tuesday afternoon. But just you wait until those hot Color Star smartphones hit the shelves. As their enthusiastic new CEO says, Color Star “is by no means a traditional technology company, and more we will combine our metaverse content with other businesses, which will find a broader market environment for us, and everything is possible.” That’s the spirit! H/t Fredrick

Home Solutions To Turn Home Into A Sanctuary – Malaya https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/home-solutions-to-turn-home-into-a-sanctuary-malaya/ Appliances that make use of the latest technologies play a huge role in transforming one’s concept of a better home. Homeowners now have access to appliances that enable them to upgrade their homes, thanks to Midea – the leader in intelligent home solutions. Midea shares exciting ideas guaranteed to transform the place into a sanctuary. It is true that décor and color can help create an inviting space, but it is equally important to ensure that the environment is always cool and comfortable, especially in areas for sleep, work, or relaxation. Keep all corners of a room cool with Midea U-Shaped Window Type Air Conditioner, which has a strong airflow that allows one to feel the cold air even 20 feet away. It has an innovative design that provides easy installation and an ultra-quiet relaxation experience. The Midea 3-in-1 Convertible 5 Blades Timer and DC Inverter Stand Fan also redefines the family’s cooling experience with its adjustable features that can be converted into a desk fan, floor fan, and stand fan, not to mention a 12-speed level and 12 hours programmed timer to give a smart and energy-efficient cooling solutions at every corner of the home. Homeowners can never go wrong because it is recognized by Euromonitor International in 2022 as the world’s number one in air cooler and cooling fans brand. Keep the home dust- and dirt-free with Midea M7 Robot Vacuum Cleaner, which uses the latest fifth generation LDS laser navigation technology that will easily clean every nook and cranny of the home with its amazing suction power. This intelligent cleaning powerhouse has an auto-return and charge function, which means the M7 is always ready for action. Its smart app and voice control is compatible with Alexa and Google, too. The Midea Cordless 2-in-1 Stick Vacuum Cleaner has an ergonomic handle for comfortable carrying and convenience to easily access hard-to-reach areas in the home. This versatile cleaning expert has a high-efficiency motor for a powerful suction and multi-filtration system that does its job in cleaning not only the couch and floors, but also the car, gadgets, fabrics, clothes, and beddings. The Midea 20cm Air Purifier lets homeowners enjoy clean air 24/7. It has five layers of filtration systems for powerful purification. It removes hair, dust, and large air pollutants, with an anti-bacterial pet layer, and a high-efficiency HEPA filter that removes up to 99.97 percent of allergens and germs as small as 0.3mm. For perfectly cooked rice, Midea Digital Rice features a smart temperature sensor so one can cook rice that is fragrant, with just the right texture while retaining the nutrition of each grain.

Robinhood Debuts Web3 Crypto Wallet To 10K Customers — Beta Version Supports Polygon – Wallets Bitcoin News – Bitcoin News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/robinhood-debuts-web3-crypto-wallet-to-10k-customers-beta-version-supports-polygon-wallets-bitcoin-news-bitcoin-news/ The American financial services company headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Robinhood Markets, Inc., announced the launch of a new non-custodial Web3 crypto wallet on Tuesday and said the product supports the Polygon blockchain network. The application is currently for iOS users only and Robinhood is rolling out the beta version of the Web3 wallet to 10,000 clients on the company’s waitlist. Robinhood Launches Beta Web3 Crypto Wallet to 10,000 Select Customers During the last 12 months, Robinhood Markets has shown a strong interest in building cryptocurrency products and services. At the end of January 2022, Robinhood started to roll out the beta version of its crypto wallet that supports bitcoin (BTC), dogecoin (DOGE), and ethereum (ETH). In April, Robinhood expanded the crypto wallet participants to 2 million customers and in mid-May, the financial services company hinted at the non-custodial Web3 wallet release. The beta version of the Web3 wallet initially will support the Polygon (MATIC) network, a proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain that’s compatible with Ethereum. Anything connected to the Polygon network like third-party decentralized finance (defi) protocols and decentralized applications (dapps) will support Robinhood’s Web3 wallet. Robinhood detailed on Tuesday that Polygon was chosen due to its inexpensive network fees, plus “scalability, [and] speed.” Moreover, Polygon won’t be the Web3 wallet’s exclusive blockchain as Robinhood said that eventually, the Web3 wallet will be a “multichain wallet.” “A wallet worth the wait,” Robinhood said on Tuesday. “Beta testing is now live for 10K customers from the waitlist, with Polygon as the first blockchain supported.” Johann Kerbrat, the chief technology officer of Robinhood Crypto, explained that the Web3 wallet widens new opportunities and accessibility. Kerbrat said: Like we did with the stock market, Robinhood Wallet strips away some of the complexities of Web3 and defi to make crypto more accessible to everyone. While the wallet is a Web3 client, the product doesn’t support non-fungible tokens (NFTs) at the moment. However, the Web3 wallet can connect to defi applications, access liquidity pools, and participate in yield farming schemes. While 10,000 Robinhood customers are able to leverage the new Web3 wallet, the financial services company detailed that 1 million customers have registered for the waitlist. “With this launch, Polygon [and] Robinhood are bringing millions of customers to onchain defi via low gas infrastructure,” Polygon’s official Twitter account said on Tuesday. Tags in this story 10K customers, Apps, Beta version, dApps, decentralized applications, decentralized finance, DeFi, financial services company, iOS wallet, Johann Kerbrat, NFTs, Non-custodial wallet, Non-fungible tokens, Polygon, Polygon (MATIC), Robinhood, Web3 client, Web3 wallet, yield farming What do you think about Robinhood Markets releasing the beta version of its Web3 non-custodial crypto wallet? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. Jamie Redman Jamie Redman is the News Lead at Bitcoin.com News and a financial tech journalist living in Florida. Redman has been an active member of the cryptocurrency community since 2011. He has a passion for Bitcoin, open-source code, and decentralized applications. Since September 2015, Redman has written more than 6,000 articles for Bitcoin.com News about the disruptive protocols emerging today. Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons, Editorial photo credit: rblfmr / Shutterstock.com Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

U.S. OKs Potential Sale Of Rounds For Abrams Tanks To Kuwait – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-oks-potential-sale-of-rounds-for-abrams-tanks-to-kuwait-reuters/ Sept 27 (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of operational and training rounds for M1A2 Abrams tanks to Kuwait in a deal valued at up to $250 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. The Pentagon said the Kuwaiti government had requested to buy the ammunition and related equipment, and the proposed sale would improve Kuwait’s ability to meet current and future regional threats. The equipment would provide Kuwait with the ability to deter and defend against land-based threats, and help protect border regions and key land-based infrastructure, the Pentagon said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com The proposed sale would not require the assignment of any additional U.S. government or contractor representatives to Kuwait, nor would it have any adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness, the Pentagon added. The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the U.S. Congress of the possible sale on Tuesday. Despite approval by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded. The Pentagon said General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) was the prime contractor for the proposed sale. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Editing by Sandra Maler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Arm Strengthens Board Ahead Of ‘prospective IPO’ – Business Weekly https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/arm-strengthens-board-ahead-of-prospective-ipo-business-weekly/ 27 September, 2022 – 21:31 By Tony Quested Arm has unveiled a new CFO and fortified its board ahead of what chief executive Rene Haas calls “a prospective IPO.” The Cambridge superchip architect seems set on a US float early in 2023 despite media talk of a potential pre-IPO takeover by Korean company Samsung – one of the world’s largest producers of electronic devices. Arm sources believe talks between the company and £250 billion revenue Samsung are designed to fortify the Cambridge-based business ahead of an IPO through a strategic technology alliance rather than a back channel takeover bid by the Koreans. If NVIDIA from the US wasn’t allowed to buy Arm for upwards of $40 billion because of anti-competitive concerns then it is hard to see how Samsung would succeed – even if it wished to. And no-one at either business is talking about such a deal being on the cards. Haas, meanwhile, is reinforcing the troops around him in the assumption that a Wall Street IPO will eventually be confirmed as the way to go for Japanese parent SoftBank whose boss Masayoshi Son is personally leading the strategy parley with Samsung. Arm has unveiled the appointment of new board members Karen Dykstra, former Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of AOL, and Jeff Sine, co-founder and partner of Raine Group, with immediate effect. Coming from a global merchant bank, as Sine does, is a useful addition pre-IPO as SoftBank aims to raise around $60 bn. It has also taken on Jason Child as chief financial officer to replace Inder Singh who will remain at Arm in an advisory role and assist in the transition before moving to a new opportunity.  Child has more than 30 years’ experience in leadership at high growth companies and scaling global finance functions. He will join Arm on November 2 and lead the company’s global finance and IT organisations, reporting to Rene Haas. Haas said: “Jason’s extensive experience in financial management at public companies and IPO execution will be invaluable in preparation for a potential public listing.” Child most recently served as senior vice-president and CFO at Splunk from 2019. Prior to Splunk, Child held multiple CFO positions including at Groupon, which he helped to take public in 2011, and as CFO at Amazon International.  “Since its founding, Arm has had an incredible history of innovation and leadership in the semi-conductor industry,” said Child. “Arm is a world-class, category leader and I am thrilled to join as CFO during this exciting time for the company.”  Karen Dykstra previously served as chief financial and administrative officer of AOL, a web portal and online service provider.  Jeff Sine is the co-founder and partner of The Raine Group, a global merchant bank focused on technology, media and communications.  Newsletter Subscription Stay informed of the latest news and features

Alert Issued, Benton County Fire Danger High-No Burning – Newstalk870.am https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/alert-issued-benton-county-fire-danger-high-no-burning-newstalk870-am/   Benton County Tuesday morning issued a High Fire Danger alert, in effect til further notice.     Fire Danger curbs residential burning According to information released by Benton County by way of Benton County Commissioners Communications Coordinator Shayanne Palmus:  “Wildfires are likely. Fires in heavy, continuous fuel such as mature grassland, CRP fields and forest litter, will be difficult to control under windy conditions. Control through direct attack may be difficult but possible and mop-up will be required. PUBLIC OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT PERMITTED with the exception of a legal recreational fire within a metal fire ring.” That data also comes from the Benton-Franklin Clean Air Agency.  This designation ranks 3rd out of the 5 fire threat conditions used by the Agency and county officials. Our temps are expected to be warmer than usual through Tuesday, a little cooler Wednesday, and seasonably dropping into the low 70s by the rest of the week. LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Are Couples Friskier On Vacation? This New Study Reveals Some Interesting Findings – My Imperfect Life https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/are-couples-friskier-on-vacation-this-new-study-reveals-some-interesting-findings-my-imperfect-life/ If you need an incentive to pack your bags, this might do the trick.  According to research, we are in a sexier state of mind while traveling with a S.O., so you’ll want to make room in your luggage for the best sex toys for couples—they’re just as necessary as your toiletries.  Passport-Photo Online (opens in new tab) decided to poll 1,000+ Americans to uncover their sexy habits while on vacation, and it turns out spending more time focusing on things you enjoy makes activity between the sheets all the more pleasurable. Sounds like it might be time to familiarize yourself with a few travel hacks and book a getaway—that wanderlust is bound to kick in.  Are couples friskier on vacation? (Image credit: Getty) When speaking to those people polled, Passport-Photo Online confirmed that the consensus is indeed that frisky activities are better when away from home. A good tip for how to get in the mood? A confirmation from Hotels.com.  Some of the findings are actually pretty eye-opening. Here’s what the company uncovered.  (Psst! Here are some stats about the methodology: respondents were 52.4% male, 47.4% female and 0.2% other. 14.6% of respondents were 25 or younger, 49.2% were aged 26–38, 25.8% were aged 39–54 and 10.4% were 55 or older.) Is sex better when you’re away from home? A staggering 80% of participants feel as though sex is better when you’re away from home. Guess that desire for adventure carries over into the bedroom, too.  Does sex differ while traveling? Everyone likes to up the ante while on vacation, as 72% of participants revealed they’re more likely to experiment and act on their sexual fantasies when they’re taking a trip. When in Rome—or literally anywhere else—right? Favorite vacation sex accessories While strategically packing that suitcase, couples are most likely to bring the following sex accessories:  Lubricant (50%) The best sex games for couples (49%) Lingeriere (46%) Where do people have sex while on vacation? Although the hotel room seems like a no-brainer, some couples live a little more dangerously. Then, there are those trips that don’t require a hotel room at all. Here’s where pairs are most likely to get frisky while away:  Hotel room (75%) Shower/bathtub (65%) Tent (60%) Rental Car (39%) Where do couples want to get down to business? On a beach (51%) In nature (49%) In the ocean/sea (45%) You can do a deep dive into the findings online (opens in new tab). So, about that tropical getaway… %

FOX Business Network Continues Reign As Leader In Business News With Highest Rated Quarter Since 2020 – Business Wire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/fox-business-network-continues-reign-as-leader-in-business-news-with-highest-rated-quarter-since-2020-business-wire/ NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–FOX Business Network (FBN) ended the third quarter of 2022 outpacing CNBC in Business Day viewers for the second consecutive quarter, according to Nielsen Media Research. The network, which saw double-digit audience growth year-over-year across the board, also placed seven of the 15 most-watched business programs on television and delivered the highest-rated quarter since 2020 with viewers. As market uncertainties continued to drive the news cycle, FBN delivered 227,000 total viewers across Business Day (9:30 AM-5 PM/ET), up 37% compared to the third quarter of 2021 and a 21% advantage over CNBC. Additionally, the network’s Total Day (6 AM-6 AM/ET) viewership saw 133,000 total viewers, up 29% year-over-year (27% year-over-year with A25-54). Meanwhile, during the critical Market Hours (9 AM-4 PM/ET), viewers also grew by 32% (216,000 total viewers), outpacing CNBC for four straight months. All day parts saw increases across the 25-54 demographic as well. In fact, nearly all FBN programs rounded out the quarter with double-digit year-over-year gains across both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic. Larry Kudlow’s eponymous Kudlow (weekdays, 4 PM/ET), which placed first in all business news programs with 322,000 viewers, saw its highest-rated quarter ever in the younger demo, a 69% advantage year-over-year. The program also delivered a 67% increase in viewers year-over-year, overtaking CNBC’s Closing Bell for the fourth consecutive quarter with viewers. Stuart Varney’s three-hour market-open program Varney & Co. (weekdays, 9 AM-12 PM/ET) nabbed gains of 31% while also ranking second in the top 10 business programs on television with 282,000 viewers. The program beat CNBC’s Squawk on the Street/TechCheck for the second consecutive quarter with viewers. Leading into the market open, Maria Bartiromo’s critical three-hour pre-market program Mornings with Maria (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) saw a jump in the A25-54 demo (+36%) and was up 24% percent in total viewers. This also marked the second consecutive quarter the program beat its CNBC counterpart Squawk Box. FBN’s core Business Day programs including CAVUTO: Coast to Coast (weekdays, 12-2 PM/ET) anchored by Neil Cavuto, Making Money with Charles Payne (weekdays, 2-3 PM/ET) and The Claman Countdown (3-4 PM/ET) anchored by Liz Claman all scored placements in the top 20 business programs on television. Each program also earned double-digit audience increases across the board. Making Money with Charles Payne beat CNBC’s Power Lunch with total viewers marking the program’s first quarterly win since 2018. During post-market coverage, FBN’s FOX Business Tonight (weekdays, 5 PM/ET) trounced CNBC for the full quarter for the first time ever with a 9% advantage in total viewers. It also saw an 67% advantage compared to the prior year in the 25-54 demo, while also marking the show’s highest rated quarter since Q4’20 with total viewers. The program drew in 160,000 total viewers and finished the quarter among the 15 most-watched business programs, while The Evening Edit with Elizabeth MacDonald (6-7 PM/ET) garnered 168,000 total viewers (+29% year-over-year) and was up 36% year-over-year in the demo. For the fourth consecutive month, the program outperformed CNBC’s Mad Money with viewers. Year-over-year, Kennedy (Monday-Thursday, 7 PM/ET) notched a 22% increase in viewers and a 75% increase with demo viewers. FBN also scored eight of the top 20 most-affluent cable news programs with A25-54 for the quarter with The Claman Countdown taking first place with an average median income of $140,600. Cavuto: Coast to Coast, Making Money with Charles Payne, Varney & Co., Wall Street Journal at Large with Gerry Baker (Fridays, 7:30-8 PM/ET), FOX Business Tonight, Kudlow and Mornings with Maria all had average median incomes of $118,900 or greater. 3Q’22 Total Day (6 AM-6 AM/ET): FBN: 133,000 P2+ and 14,000 A25-54 CNBC: 148,000 P2+ and 35,000 A25-54 3Q’22 Business Day (9:30 AM-5 PM/ET): FBN: 227,000 P2+ and 21,000 A25-54 CNBC: 188,000 P2+ and 37,000 A25-54 3Q’22 Market Hours (9 AM-4 PM/ET): FBN: 216,000 P2+ and 20,000 A25-54 CNBC: 190,000 P2+ and 38,000 A25-54 **Program Specials Excluded​** FOX Business Network (FBN) is a financial news channel delivering real-time information across all platforms that impact both Main Street and Wall Street. Headquartered in New York — the business capital of the world — FBN launched in October 2007 and is currently the top business channel on television during market hours. The network is available in nearly 80 million homes in all markets across the United States. Owned by Fox Corporation, FBN is a unit of FOX News Media and has bureaus in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

Study: Women With Healthy Lifestyle Can Reduce Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes – DNA India https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/study-women-with-healthy-lifestyle-can-reduce-risk-of-developing-type-2-diabetes-dna-india/ Researchers found that women who have a history of diabetes during pregnancy can still reduce their risk of developing it by living a healthy lifestyle that includes eating well, quitting smoking, exercising frequently, and not being overweight. The results show that women who adhered to five key lifestyle factors – healthy weight, high-quality diet, regular physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, and not smoking – had a 90 per cent lower risk of the disorder compared with women who did not adhere to any, even among those who were overweight or obese, or were at greater genetic risk of type 2 diabetes. It’s widely known that a healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in generally healthy middle-aged populations. But less is known about whether this also applies to high-risk women with a history of diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes), and if obesity status or genetic risk of type 2 diabetes influence this association. To fill in these research gaps, researchers evaluated the associations of adherence to optimal levels of five modifiable risk factors – healthy body mass index, high-quality diet, regular physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, and not smoking, with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among these women at high risk. The researchers also assessed whether these associations changed according to obesity status or underlying genetic susceptibility for type 2 diabetes.

College Football Rankings: FIU Plummets In The Bottom 25 After 73-Point Loss To Western Kentucky – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/college-football-rankings-fiu-plummets-in-the-bottom-25-after-73-point-loss-to-western-kentucky-cbs-sports/ Anybody can rank the best teams, but only The Bottom 25 ranks the worst Sep 27, 2022 at 1:41 pm ET • 7 min read CBS Sports graphic We are staring a fantastic Bottom 25 season directly in the face. I’ve written many times about how much harder it is for a team to go winless at the FBS level than for a team to go undefeated. The 2022 season is no different in that aspect, but the speed at which things are moving is incredible. It’s not even October, and we only have three winless teams remaining: Colorado, Colorado State and Georgia State. Last year there were seven left at this point, leading to a somewhat dull and predictable Bottom 25 playoff chase. It looks like this season will be much more exciting, and I have no idea which team will be taking home the Bottom 25 title in 2022. Although, based on current rankings, there’s a decent chance our champion will either reside in the MAC or in a state the Rocky Mountains run through. On to this week’s rankings! No Longer Ranked: No. 21 San Diego State, No. 18 Miami OH

PlayerUnknown’s New Game Is A 15-Year Metaverse Project – Gamesradar https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/playerunknowns-new-game-is-a-15-year-metaverse-project-gamesradar/ Home Games (Image credit: PlayerUnknown Productions) Brendan ‘PlayerUnkown’ Greene, creator of PUBG, says his new game is a 15-year, metaverse-style project that could make use of the blockchain to power its economy. Greene announced Prologue way back during The Game Awards in 2019, and you’d be forgiven if you’re still confused about what it actually is. In short, Prologue is a tech demo that’ll build a massive world for you to explore as you load into the game, and there’ll be some sort of survival system to challenge you once you’re in the world. Prologue, then, will be a proof of concept for a much larger project currently called Artemis. “We want to make our engine easy to mod, and to make it open source so everyone can participate,” Greene tells journalist Nathan Brown of the Hit Points newsletter (opens in new tab). “That’s what it has to be, I think. It won’t be PlayerUnknown’s Metaverse, just like it isn’t Tim Berners-Lee’s Internet. It has to be owned by everyone.” Yes, Artemis is a metaverse game. It’s been in the concept stages since before “metaverse” was a corporate buzzword, and Greene describes this as a 10 or 15-year project, so it may even outlast the fad. But it’s building on similar design ideas that have led publishers to try incorporating blockchain technologies like NFTs into games. A year of pushback on the blockchain from the gaming community hasn’t broken Greene’s interest in the technology, which he’s expressed in older interviews with outlets like VentureBeat (opens in new tab). In the new interview with Hit Points, Greene says “We’re building a digital place. That has to have an economy, and it has to have systems at work. And I do believe you should be able to extract value from a digital place; it has to be like the internet, where you can do stuff that will earn you money.” Blockchain could have a part in securing that economy, though Greene’s own modding background informs how he looks at its implementation. It won’t be in-game items representing big deals with brands like “Chanel and Louis Vuitton. It’s some kid called AwesomePickle selling cool skins because he understands what people want.” The interview paints Greene as seeing “merit in the function of the technology, if not its execution so far,” but over the course of another decade or more of developing Artemis, the appropriate technology is apt to see big changes. It’s worth noting that Greene left South Korean game studio Krafton in 2021, taking PlayerUnknown Productions in Amsterdam independent – though PUBG itself remains with Krafton. Earlier this year, Krafton announced (opens in new tab) a partnership with Solana Labs to “support the design and marketing of blockchain-based games and services.” Check out our rundown of the biggest new games for 2022 and beyond. Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He’s been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

The Roomba J7+ Learns To Mop With A Dramatic Swing-Arm Setup – Ars Technica https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-roomba-j7-learns-to-mop-with-a-dramatic-swing-arm-setup-ars-technica/ How soon until this breaks? — iRobot’s wild mop design can move from the top of the robot to the bottom. Ron Amadeo – Sep 27, 2022 5:07 pm UTC The Roombo Combo j7+. Sick spoiler, bro! Wait, that’s a mop?! Roomba The spoiler thing is a mop. The side flaps open and little arms swing it into the bottom of the robot. iRobot Here’s the bottom of the old j7 (not a mop) versus the new j7 (a mop). That mop pad is the bottom of the spoiler. iRobot really turned the j7+ into a mop with almost no other changes to the layout. iRobot The base station has no interaction with the mop; it just sucks out dust into a larger bin. iRobot The mop spoiler from the back. iRobot The mop can also be closed, which makes this Roomba look a lot more like a normal Roomba. iRobot iRobot—soon to be owned by Amazon—is announcing a flagship Roomba with a new feature: It can vacuum and mop simultaneously. Meet the Roomba Combo j7+, a $1,100 combo cleaning robot that ships on October 4. iRobot is not doing a ground-up redesign of the j7+ series to add mop functionality. In fact, the update almost looks like a retrofit. The new j7 looks just like the old j7 with a camera in the front, a big dust bin in the back, and a bottom layout that is almost identical to the old bot. There’s a new dust bin and… is that a rear spoiler? The mop functionality lives on the top (yes, the top) of the j7+, which has a big rear cutout now. The top of this cutout is plastic, and the bottom is the wet mop pad, which is connected to the robot by two side arms. When it’s time to do some mopping, a dramatic, Transformers-like transition occurs. Two flaps on the side of the Roomba open up, revealing that the top mop cutout is actually connected to the robot by a pair of swing arms. The cutout section on top of the robot is lifted up and swings down and under the robot in a big, 180-degree motion. Now you’re dragging a wet mop pad across the floor with minimal changes to the layout of the j7+. It doesn’t sound like the j7+ will provide iRobot’s top-of-the-line mopping experience, which will still belong to the purpose-built Braava Jet M6. iRobot’s dedicated mop bot beats the j7+ because about 50 percent of the Braava’s body is a water tank, and it has a front water sprayer. The j7+ has a redesigned dust bin that is now a dust and water combo tank. The dust area is smaller to make way for a 210ml water tank. That means way less dust capacity, but that doesn’t really matter since the Roomba will just visit the base station to get cleaned out anytime the bin is full. The mop raising in action. When it’s time to go over a carpet, the mop swings up to the top of the robot, so it will never get your carpet wet. iRobot The state of the art in combo cleaning robots is probably the $1,400 Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra or $1,550 Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni, both of which have a dust bin and water tank in the robot, along with a giant base station that empties the robot of dust, fills it with fresh water, and then washes the mop and stores the wastewater in a separate tank. iRobot has a long way to go to catch up to that. The swing-arm setup looks cool, but you have to wonder about its longevity. These robots take a lot of abuse by bumping into everything and constantly dealing with dust—it’s just the nature of the job. That large motion requires a ton of small moving parts and tiny pivot points. Something like a Roborock, by contrast, just has a mop permanently affixed to the bottom of the robot, and the mop setup is on a variable-height suspension, so it can be lifted up slightly to avoid touching carpet. That works for thinner carpets, but if you have a serious pile going on, the robot can sink down too far and get your carpet wet. iRobot says the swing arm setup is designed to avoid that. iRobot’s press release throws some shade at the competition, saying, “Other 2-in-1 mops lift only a few millimeters—if at all—and, as a result, can leave wet messes on many carpets or rugs. The Roomba Combo j7+ is the only 2-in-1 with a mop that lifts itself to the top of the robot, completely away from carpet and rugs. Two fully retracting, durable, metal mop arms raise the mop pad when the robot senses carpet and rugs, preventing unwanted wet messes.” The new combo bot is up for preorder now. Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs. Listing image by Roomba

Euro Sculpture In Frankfurt Rescued By Crypto Firm – Kitco NEWS https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/euro-sculpture-in-frankfurt-rescued-by-crypto-firm-kitco-news/ Reuters Tuesday September 27, 2022 14:26 FRANKFURT, Sept 27 (Reuters) – A giant blue euro sculpture in the heart of Frankfurt’s financial district has a new benefactor: The firm behind a sharia-compliant cryptocurrency. The future of the sculpture, in the shadow of the European Central Bank’s former headquarters and long a symbol of Frankfurt’s role in managing the single European currency, was at risk after the banks that paid for its upkeep backed out. On Tuesday, the sculpture’s owner, the Frankfurt Culture Committee, revealed that it had secured a new sponsor, saving it from having to auction the 14-metre object. The sponsor is the technology developer Caiz, a Frankfurt-based company whose Caizcoin conforms to the principles of Islamic finance and laws. “The euro symbol is photographed several hundred times a day, so our involvement also makes sense from a commercial perspective as a marketing effort,” Joerg Hansen, chief executive officer of Caiz development, told Reuters. The sculpture was constructed to much fanfare in 2001, shortly ahead of the launch of euro notes and coins. “The most photographed object in the city remains in Frankfurt am Main,” said Manfred Pohl, chair of the committee that owns it. The cryptocurrency’s logo is prominently displayed on the sculpture’s base. “We aren’t a threat to the euro. The euro will always exist,” Hansen said. Reporting by Marta Orosz; Writing by Tom Sims; Editing by Alison Williams Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

A $100 Million Deli? Not So Fast, U.S. Prosecutors Say. – The New York Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/a-100-million-deli-not-so-fast-u-s-prosecutors-say-the-new-york-times/ Business|A $100 Million Deli? Not So Fast, U.S. Prosecutors Say. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/27/business/100-million-dollar-deli.html The Justice Department charged three men with fraud for their role in a scheme to bolster the value of a New Jersey sandwich shop that brought in less than $40,000 in annual sales. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. The Justice Department accused three men of orchestrating a brazen market manipulation scheme involving Your Hometown Deli in Paulsboro, N.J.Credit…Michael Reynolds/EPA, via Shutterstock Sept. 27, 2022Updated 2:49 p.m. ET Three men are facing federal charges after U.S. prosecutors accused them of orchestrating a brazen market manipulation scheme, the latest twist in the bizarre tale of a tiny New Jersey deli that somehow achieved a market capitalization of more than $100 million. Your Hometown Deli became an emblem of a frothy stock market in April 2021, when the hedge fund manager David Einhorn criticized the incongruous rise of the deli’s parent company, Hometown International, in a letter to clients, quipping, “The pastrami must be amazing.” The deli, in Paulsboro, N.J., near Philadelphia, was the sole asset of Hometown International and, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission, brought in less than $40,000 in sales a year. On Monday, the Justice Department charged James Patten, Peter Coker Sr. and Peter Coker Jr. on 12 counts, including conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy to manipulate securities prices. It said they had engaged in “a number of coordinated trading events, often referred to as match and wash trades,” in the stock of Hometown and another company, E-Waste.

Sharon P. Pitt Named Brown’s Vice President For Information Technology – Brown University https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/sharon-p-pitt-named-browns-vice-president-for-information-technology-brown-university/ PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Sharon P. Pitt, an accomplished technology leader and strategist, has been appointed Brown University’s vice president for information technology and chief information officer, effective Dec. 1, 2022. A longtime technology professional who has served in campus leadership roles at the University of Delaware, Binghamton University, George Mason University and North Carolina State University, Pitt brings decades of experience and a data-informed approach to information technology that supports and advances research and scholarship, while adeptly building infrastructure for future growth. Pitt will join Brown in the top information technology role at the University, reporting to Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Sarah C. Latham. Latham said that Pitt will use her wide-ranging talents and breadth of experience to play a critical role in supporting Brown’s research enterprise and leading innovative technology, data and digital solutions for faculty, staff and students. “Sharon is well suited to advance Brown’s culture of innovation through a core IT infrastructure that supports teaching, research and the operational needs of the campus,” Latham said. “She possesses critical experience with instructional technology and research, and she’s also engaged in information technology at the national level, so she understands how to leverage new opportunities to ensure the University’s systems are secure and best in class.” Pitt said she will draw on her expertise to help advance technology environments at Brown that support research and education, develop secure and sustainable systems to meet the ever-evolving needs of a complex university environment, and provide direction, innovation and service to the Brown community. “I’ve spent much of my career in support of teaching and learning technologies, and I’m very excited to bring my unique perspective to Brown to advance progress in those areas,” Pitt said. “I’ll work responsively and collaboratively with Brown faculty, staff and students to support the different disciplines, which have distinct computation, networking and security needs, while advancing the strategic directions of the University and ensuring robust and reliable systems everywhere.” Pitt joined the University of Delaware in 2017 as vice president for information technologies and chief information officer, where she has grown and strengthened online learning capabilities and expanded high-performing computing capacity for the university’s Data Science Institute, among her contributions. Pitt will join Brown as it continues to strengthen its innovative education and interdisciplinary research and scholarship, as outlined in the University’s Building on Distinction strategic plan. As one example of an emerging project that will rely on cutting-edge technology, Brown is planning for a new integrated life sciences building in Providence for scholars in biology, medicine, brain science, bioengineering, public health and other disciplines to work together on pressing health-related issues. “Sharon’s experience with instructional technology and research position her especially well to support Brown’s bold goals across a range of academic disciplines,” Latham said. “She also has the organizational design know-how, management skills and emotional intelligence to ensure her team members will thrive.” As a mentor and a leader, Pitt is engaged at the national level of higher education technology leadership and serves on the boards of various organizations and in advisory and strategy groups, including Internet2 and EDUCAUSE. Pitt said she approaches her work through an institutional equity and diversity lens. For example, under her leadership at the University of Delaware, the IT team created a Women in IT program and supported and engaged in Delaware’s Girls Who Code program. “One of things that really attracted me to Brown was its broad commitment to diversity, equity and belonging and the fact that Brown actually has assessment criteria and metrics around DEI for every department at the University,” Pitt said. “I’ve embraced DEI as a leader and will passionately continue to embrace DEI at Brown.” The responsibilities in Pitt’s portfolio at Brown include oversight of most IT systems and services that support teaching and learning; technology support for research and business operations across the University’s schools and administrative functions; oversight of the budget and more than 200 staff members in the Office of Information Technology; and collaboration with the University Library in support of research computing, which is organized in the Center for Computation and Visualization, a unit of the Office of Information Technology. “There’s very little that technology doesn’t touch at a university,” Pitt said. “A technology leader must create an environment where the community can utilize all of the technology tools in the most effective ways to serve the institution, ensure that data flows across those tools, and make sure faculty and students don’t have any technology barriers to their work. Brown has an expert IT team that I’m very excited to join and lead.” Pitt earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master of architecture from Virginia Tech. She also holds a graduate certificate in higher education administration from George Mason University. In joining Brown, Pitt will succeed Interim Chief Digital and Information Officer John Spadaro, who will continue to serve as deputy CIO. Her appointment follows a national search and input from campus stakeholders, as well as the participation of faculty, staff, students and others during the interview process. September 26, 2022 Stories, tears and Brown pride filled a weekend-long celebration of life honoring Chancellor Emeritus Artemis A.W. Joukowsky Jr. and Professor Emerita Martha Sharp Joukowsky, who died in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Read Article September 16, 2022 From U.S. News and World Report to Forbes, prominent rankings in the last year gave the University high marks for its distinctive student experience, world-class teaching and research, and inclusive environment. Read Article September 10, 2022 As students commenced their Brown academic careers, President Christina H. Paxson and Dean of the School of Engineering Tejal Desai urged them to seek out new perspectives and immerse themselves in research. Read Article

U.S. Offshore Oil Output Drops As Hurricane Ian Approaches – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-offshore-oil-output-drops-as-hurricane-ian-approaches-reuters/ HOUSTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) – U.S. offshore oil producers on Tuesday were keeping a wary eye on Hurricane Ian’s track as the powerful storm shut-in at least 480,000 barrels of oil production as it heads toward Florida. The hurricane entered the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and is forecast to become a dangerous, Category 4 storm over the warm waters of the Gulf, according to National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecaster Eric Blake. Ian weakened after crossing Cuba and was packing winds of 115 miles per hour (185 km per hour), the NHC said. It is heading toward making an extremely dangerous landfall in southwestern Florida, Blake predicted. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com It is the first hurricane this year to disrupt oil and gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, which produces about 15% of the nation’s crude oil and 5% of dry natural gas. Ian’s course takes it east of the core of U.S. offshore oil and gas production. “The storm is so massive, it’s going to affect all of Florida,” said Jim Foerster, a consulting meteorologist at data and analytics firm DTN. “This is going to be really, really bad.” Ian will be “very impactful, not only to the offshore operations, but certainly, there will be tens of thousands of people without power over land,” Foerster added. Tampa Electric (TEPEL.UL) said it will proactively cut off service to customers and warned that they should be prepared for “extended power outages.” Duke Energy (DUK.N) said it was initially mobilizing nearly 10,000 lineworkers, tree professionals, damage assessment and support personnel to safe locations in its Florida service areas to respond to outages. Offshore producers Chevron (CVX.N), BP (BP.L), Occidental Petroleum (OXY.N) and Hess (HES.N) on Monday said they had taken precautions ahead of the storm’s arrival in the Gulf. BP said it was working to redeploy offshore personnel to two offshore production platforms after determining Hurricane Ian no longer posed a significant threat to its Gulf Of Mexico assets. The oil major had on Monday evacuated personnel and halted output at Na Kika and Thunder Horse platforms that together pump up to 380,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). Chevron also removed staff from two platforms that together produce 105,000 bpd. Occidental and Hess said they were implementing storm procedures without providing specifics. Tankers and vessels cleared the eastern Gulf of Mexico region, Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking showed. Read more: The worst hurricanes in Florida’s history as Ian takes aim How climate change is fueling hurricanes Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar; Editing by Mark Porter Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Award-Winning Filmmaker Takes On Technology – SUNY Cortland News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/award-winning-filmmaker-takes-on-technology-suny-cortland-news/ 09/27/2022  Award-winning filmmaker Shalini Kantayya will bring her knowledge of the dark side of technology to a Gallery Talk titled “Coded Bias: How Human Prejudice Creates Corrupt Technology.”  Her presentation will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at SUNY Cortland’s Dowd Gallery.   It’s a rare chance to meet an accomplished, award-winning filmmaker on campus face to face, according to Jaroslava Prihodova, director of Dowd Gallery, which is located in the Dowd Fine Arts Center at the corner of Prospect Terrace and Graham Avenue  “Shalini Kantayya is an accomplished filmmaker with a strong history of notable and award-winning projects,” Prihodova said. “Unfortunately, we often don’t have a chance to meet creatives behind the camera and ask direct questions. This event provides a unique opportunity for students and visitors to meet Kantayya and interact in person.”  Kantayya’s Gallery Talk begins at 5 p.m. in Old Main Brown Auditorium.   Gallery events are free and open to the public.  Kantayya’s recent documentaries, “Coded Bias” and “TikTok Boom,” will be screened ahead of the lecture, each examining the algorithms used — and abused — in day-to-day life. Sleek, silicon promises of ease and entertainment have also brought with them pressing concerns about privacy, bias and public surveillance.   “TikTok Boom” will take place at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 at Dowd Gallery.   The second film, “Coded Bias,” can be seen at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, in Brown Auditorium.  “Coded Bias” was released in 2020 and questions whether liberties are in danger if the technology that runs the modern world is itself programmed with the unconscious bias of its creators. It was shown nationwide on PBS’ Independent Lens before it reached a worldwide audience through Netflix in 2021. The film was nominated for a Critics Choice award and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary.   Kantayya’s “TikTok Boom,” released this year, explores the rise of the popular social media app and the conflict between the culture of its global Gen-Z userbase and the data surveillance inherent to its use. It will debut on Independent Lens on Oct. 24.  “The lecture demonstrates that our world is built to the image of its creators without consideration for all of its inhabitants,” said Prihodova. “We often submit to constructed conditions without a second thought.  The screening of “TikTok Boom” will take place at 5 p.m. on Oct. 6 at Dowd Gallery, Dowd Fine Arts Center, Room 106. “Coded Bias” can be seen at 5 p.m. Oct. 10 at Brown Auditorium in Old Main. Kantayya’s Gallery Talk follows on Oct 11, taking place at in the Brown Auditorium at 5 p.m.  The films and lecture are related to the current exhibition at Dowd Gallery, artist Beth Livensperger’s “Runaway,” which itself examines the impact of rapid technological change. Prihodova says it’s part of Dowd Gallery’s goal to take on tough topics and spark useful conversation.   “Exhibitions organized by the gallery are carefully selected to fulfill the educational mission of the Art and Art History Department and provide space for questions, inspiration and a respite from the ordinary,” she said. “We want to offer thought-provoking shows that stimulate and further the education of all visitors, not only students.”   Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday or by appointment.  “Runaway” is partially funded by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Provost’s Research Fellowship at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. SUNY Cortland support includes the Art and Art History Department, Art Exhibition Association, Cortland Auxiliary Services grant, Campus Artist and Lecture Series, Communication and Media Studies Department, Cultural and Intellectual Climate Committee, School of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, Economics Department, Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office, Haines Fund, President’s Office, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs’ Office, Student Government Association.  Visit the Dowd Gallery website for details about exhibiting artists, other programs, safety protocols and online booking. For more information or to inquire about an appointment, tour or additional images, contact Jaroslava Prihodova, Dowd Gallery director, at 607-753-4216.

E3 2023 Could Finally Fix The Worst Thing About Gaming’s Biggest Convention – Inverse https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/e3-2023-could-finally-fix-the-worst-thing-about-gamings-biggest-convention-inverse/ There was once a time when the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was the most important video game trade in existence. The nearly week-long event offered a look at the hottest upcoming games, capitalizing on the excitement and energy of the industry’s fans. Its significance waned in recent years as digital showcases and one-off events became more frequent, particularly during the pandemic. But in partnership with New York Comic Con organizers Reedpop, the Entertainment Software Association is bringing E3 back as an in-person event in 2023 — but one recently announced major change to the convention’s overall format feels like a strong indication that E3 is about to embark on a huge comeback. A new direction E3 was always busy, but the show floor was much harder to navigate once it opened its doors to the general public.Kim Kulish/Corbis Entertainment/Getty Images E3 2023 will take place in the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 13 to June 16, 2023. The show is organized by ReedPop, the same company in charge of PAX and New York Comic Con. However, for the first time ever, the convention offers separate Business Days for media professionals from June 13 to June 15, with exclusive access to certain halls around the show floor. This is a huge step in the right direction, as it’ll hopefully make the event less crowded by spreading the attendance out over multiple days. To industry workers and fans alike, attending E3 is a monumental occasion. It’s a chance to meet your favorite developers, pursue job opportunities, play early versions of upcoming games, and catch up with (or meet new) friends. In 2017, E3 opened its doors to the public for the first time after being restricted to only industry workers for over 20 years. While this was an excellent opportunity for fans to attend the legendary event, it severely impacted the flow and made it much less desirable to all. During recent years, it was difficult to work the show as a member of the media because there were simply too many people in attendance. This would often result in being late to demos or missing appointments entirely. In 2017, over 15,000 fans attended E3, inflating the total attendance to over 68,000 people. On top of that, having so many in attendance at once made it easier to get sick, which is especially relevant during the pandemic. The new setup doesn’t completely eliminate the chance of getting sick, but it certainly makes things safer. Now, with the dedicated Business Days, the media experience will hopefully be smoother, resulting in better game coverage, which in turn, benefits the readers/viewers, developers, and press. More organized for all attendees Now, fans will get to spend more time playing demos during E3 2023.Dan R. Krauss/Getty Images News/Getty Images As a fan, E3 often felt disappointing because the massive attendance made it difficult to actually spend much time trying demos. In one day, you’ll likely spend several hours waiting in line just to play a handful of games for short periods, which simply isn’t worth it, especially given the expensive $250 entry fee (not including airfare and lodging). Part of E3’s magic is getting to try new games that aren’t out yet, but when the show is so crowded, it quickly loses its appeal. Sure, the media might stick around for the Consumer Days in 2023, but many will likely opt to skip it, making it less crowded for the general public. This rings true, especially since the media will have dedicated halls and booths separate from the general show floor, allowing consumers to spend more time playing and less time waiting. It’s unclear if E3 will ever feel the way it once did, but the show’s new direction is certainly a step towards becoming relevant once more. It will be interesting to see how E3 2023 unfolds alongside other events like Summer Game Fest, which focus more on the digital components, but many of us are optimistic about the future. E3 returns from June 13 to June 16, 2023.

WACO Still No. 2, Trio Of Area Teams Get Votes – Southeast Iowa Union https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/waco-still-no-2-trio-of-area-teams-get-votes-southeast-iowa-union/ The fifth edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette’s high school football rankings are out, and the WACO Warriors continue to occupy the No. 2 spot in Class 8-Man football. WACO faced one of its toughest tests on Friday as New London came to town for the Warriors’ homecoming game. The Tigers couldn’t stop the WACO train from rolling, as the Warriors pulled out a 43-14 win. Collin Miller (pictured) and the Mid-Prairie football team is one spot off the Top-10 in the Class 2A Gazette rankings. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union) WACO still sits behind Remsen, St. Mary’s in the Class 8-Player poll. Remsen has recorded three shutouts in a row, and has only given up 13 points all season. The Union area has teams in the rankings or in ‘others receiving votes’ in four of the seven classes. Mid-Prairie is the next team off the Top-10 in Class 2A. Sigourney-Keota received one vote in Class 1A, and Columbus collected two votes in Class A. Columbus’ Triston Miller breaks free for one of his three scores against Lisbon on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. (Hunter Moeller/The Union) Mid-Prairie shut down Central Lee 51-0, collecting its fourth win in five games. Sigourney-Keota knocked off previous No. 1 Pella Christian, bumping the Eagles back to the No. 10 spot in Class 1A. Columbus scored a 53-28 comeback win over Pekin. (First-place votes in parentheses) CLASS 5A W-L Pts. Pvs 1. Ankeny (2) 4-1 54 1 2. WDM Dowling (2) 4-1 53 2 3. Pleasant Valley (2) 5-0 50 3 4. Southeast Polk 4-1 45 4 5. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 5-0 38 5 6. Urbandale 4-1 25 6 7. Cedar Rapids Prairie 4-1 20 8 8. West Des Moines Valley 3-2 14 9 9. Ankeny Centennial 3-2 13 9 10. Iowa City High 3-2 7 — Dropped out: Sioux City East (7). Others receiving votes: Sioux City East 5, Iowa City West 4, Linn-Mar 2. CLASS 4A W-L Pts. Pvs 1. Lewis Central (6) 5-0 60 1 2. Waverly-Shell Rock 5-0 53 2 3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 5-0 49 3 4. Carlisle 4-1 36 5 5. Indianola 4-1 34 5 6. Norwalk 4-1 30 7 7. Bondurant-Farrar 4-1 21 3 (tie) Iowa City Liberty 4-1 21 9 9. Newton 5-0 12 10 10. Cedar Rapids Washington 2-3 7 — Dropped out: North Scott (8). Others receiving votes: North Scott 4, Le Mars 3, Spencer 1. CLASS 3A W-L Pts. Pvs 1. Harlan (5) 4-1 59 1 2. Humboldt (1) 5-0 53 2 3. Adel ADM 5-0 50 3 4. Mount Vernon 5-0 40 4 5. North Polk 4-1 34 5 6. Creston 5-0 28 6 7. Nevada 4-1 20 7 8. Independence 5-1 18 7 9. Solon 3-2 15 9 10. Hampton-Dumont/CAL 4-1 7 — Dropped out: MOC-Floyd Valley (10). Others receiving votes: Carroll 3, Davenport Assumption 2, Benton Community 1. CLASS 2A W-L Pts. Pvs 1. Central Lyon-GLR (5) 5-0 59 1 2. Williamsburg (1) 5-0 52 3 3. Spirit Lake 5-0 47 5 4. West Marshall 5-0 43 4 5. New Hampton 5-0 35 6 6. Ida Grove OABCIG 4-1 32 2 7. Dubuque Wahlert 4-1 26 7 8. West Lyon 3-2 13 10 9. Greene County 4-1 8 — 10. Estherville ELC 3-2 6 — Dropped out: Red Oak (8), Crestwood (9). Others receiving votes: Mid-Prairie 4, Clarion CGD 2, Crestwood 2, Monticello 1, Osage 1. CLASS 1A W-L Pts. Pvs 1. Van Meter (2) 4-1 51 2 2. West Sioux (1) 4-1 49 3 3. West Branch (2) 5-0 48 5 4. Underwood (1) 5-0 44 4 5. Aplington-Parkersburg 5-0 39 5 6. Dike-New Hartford 4-1 30 7 7. Durant 5-0 24 8 8. Carroll Kuemper 5-0 22 8 9. Dyersville Beckman 4-1 9 — 10. Pella Christian 4-1 8 1 Dropped out: Mediapolis (10). Others receiving votes: Cascade 2, MFL MarMac 2, Sigourney-Keota 1, Western Christian 1. CLASS A W-L Pts. Pvs 1. West Hancock (4) 5-0 57 1 2. Grundy Center 5-0 49 3 (tie) Woodbury Central (1) 5-0 49 2 4. Lynnville-Sully (1) 5-0 45 4 5. Hartley HMS 4-1 36 5 6. Avoca AHSTW 5-0 29 6 7. North Linn 4-1 20 7 8. East Buchanan 4-1 13 9 9. Le Mars Gehlen 4-1 12 8 10. Alburnett 4-1 6 — (tie) Wapsie Valley 3-2 6 10 Dropped out: None. Others receiving votes: Columbus Community 2, Mount Ayr 1. 8-PLAYER W-L Pts. Pvs 1. Remsen St. Mary’s (6) 5-0 60 1 2. WACO 6-0 46 2 3. Don Bosco 5-0 45 3 4. Newell-Fonda 5-0 41 4 5. Lenox 5-0 36 5 6. Easton Valley 4-1 34 6 7. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 5-0 24 7 8. Ruthven GTRA 5-0 20 8 9. West Harrison 5-0 12 9 10. Baxter 5-0 6 — Dropped out: West Bend-Mallard (10). Others receiving votes: Fremont-Mills 4, Southeast Warren 2.

These Calgary Airport Travel Hacks Will Save You So Much Time & Some Are Free – Narcity Canada https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/these-calgary-airport-travel-hacks-will-save-you-so-much-time-some-are-free-narcity-canada/ Travelling can be stressful, but if you’re heading through Calgary Airport for your next vacation, there are actually some pretty useful travel hacks you can use which will make your airport a breeze. From skipping security lines to taking a shuttle to your gate, there are some pretty easy ways you can travel like a V.I.P. and some of them are completely free and will save you a bunch of time. Next time you’re heading on a flight, these hacks are ones you should absolutely try. Skip security line Security lines at airports can be notoriously hard to predict and there is nothing worse than being stuck in line and panicking about missing your flight. But if you want to make your life a little bit easier, passengers can sign up for Calgary Airport’s YYC Express to skip those long security lines. Up to 48 hours before your flight departure time, you can head online and book a security screening slot in advance. Then all you have to do on the day of your flight is check-in, drop off any baggage and show up at security at the time of your appointment. Best of all, the service is completely free. Book Here Relax in the lounge While there are a few lounges at the airport for high-flyers, Calgary Airport also has a lounge that anyone can pay to visit and it’s not as pricey as you’d think. Calgary Airport’s Aspire Lounge is the perfect place to relax and grab a bite to eat before your flight. The lounge has complimentary hot food and beverages (including alcohol), Wi-Fi, charging stations, personal tvs and showers. For $46.20, it might actually work out cheaper than buying a meal and drinks at an airport restaurant. Book Here Get to your gate in style Anyone who’s visited Calgary Airport will know that it takes what feels like forever to get from one side of the terminal to the other. One kind of genius thing Calgary Airport has is the YYC Link Shuttle, a little 10-seater shuffle bus that can pick you up from one side of the terminal and drives you across the terminal in about half the time. There are stations labelled A to E to match up with gate numbers in the terminal so you can just get picked up from one location and ride in style. No more sweating your way through the airport with baggage in tow. It’s also a complimentary service so why not take advantage. %

Mortgages Withdrawn From Sale As Market Reels After Mini-Budget – Sky News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/mortgages-withdrawn-from-sale-as-market-reels-after-mini-budget-sky-news/ The market turmoil caused by Friday’s seismic mini-budget has hit mortgage offerings as providers withdrew partial and entire lending ranges. On Monday Virgin Money and Skipton Building Society temporarily withdrew their entire mortgage product range, while Halifax, the country’s largest mortgage lender, said it is to remove fee-paying mortgages. Fee-paying mortgages allow borrowers to pay a fee in exchange for a lower interest rate. Britons warned of 6% interest rates – live updates Halifax’s changes are to take effect on Wednesday, while the Virgin Money and Skipton Building Society decisions have already taken effect. A number of other, smaller, lenders are understood to have also paused the sale of fixed deals. Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s announcement of the most extensive programme of tax cuts for 50 years, and the associated market upset, has traders expecting that the Bank of England will raise interest rates to 6% – even higher than it outlined last Thursday. On Monday, the Bank fuelled those fears when, in a surprise statement, it said it “will not hesitate to change interest rates as necessary”. That uncertainty around the future of rate rises has caused the withdrawal, one broker told Reuters. “The uncertainty around the risk of an emergency rate rise is likely to see other lenders withdrawing products or increasing rates dramatically until they know the extent of how this all pans out,” Jamie Lennox, a director at Dimora Mortgages, said. Read more: Five reasons why pound’s ‘doom loop’ matters to you Could mini-budget bankrupt UK? Your questions answered Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:32 Why has the pound fallen to a record low? Parent company Lloyds said Halifax was making the changes to its mortgage product offering “as a result of significant changes in the cost of funding”. Virgin Money made its decision “given market conditions”, a spokesman said in a statement, with already submitted applications to be processed as normal. Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts The provider said it hopes to launch new products towards the end of the week.

WCBI Healthy Living Spotlight For Upcoming Senior Expo – WCBI https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/wcbi-healthy-living-spotlight-for-upcoming-senior-expo-wcbi/ COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It is always a good idea to plan ahead. You can take care of your family by making your long-term plans with the people at Lowndes Funeral Home. You can visit them at the WCBI Senior Expo this Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus. Here’s a healthy living spotlight. “Hi, I’m Caleb Pounders. I’m a funeral director here at Lowndes Funeral Home in Columbus. And today we just want to talk to you about pre-needs. Pre-needs are beneficial to a lot of people in a lot of different ways. One of those ways is it is an emotional stress reliever. The family doesn’t have to worry about the type of services that the individual they had passed on would like to have, whether it be cremation or a full traditional funeral. It also helps with the financial strain. You can go ahead and prepay and purchase all of the products and services that you wish to have during your service. And then also get down all the details of the service that you would want and want us to be able to follow for your service. Come down soon to see us at Lowndes Funeral Home for more details.” For 24/7 news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter