Benton County News Now

Consider These Black Heritage Tours For Your Next Vacation – TheTravel https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/consider-these-black-heritage-tours-for-your-next-vacation-thetravel/ One of the many beautiful things about slow travel is the opportunity to enjoy and learn about different cultures in their absolute authenticity, and that’s what Intrepid’s culturally enriching experiences in the USA are offering. From learning Cajun cuisine from New Orleans’ only female-owned African American cooking school to enjoying a Native American river-to-table lunch in Warm Springs, Intrepid’s new experiences amplify and celebrate Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) perspectives in the United States. Each new activity listed here has been made possible and successful by collaborations and partnerships with several BIPOC groups and representatives, such as the National Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative and representatives from the Crow Nation and the Lakota tribes. Why It Is Essential To Go On These Tours General Manager of Purpose at Intrepid Travel, Sara King, defines regenerative travel as educating travelers on why it’s crucial to not just take from but also invest in the communities they visit. According to King, these tours aim to give people “deep information about Black history and culture” through firsthand experience. “Travelers vote with their wallets every day they are on a trip, so it is best to ensure they stay in locally owned properties and support locally owned businesses, which Intrepid takes seriously. Keeping money in a community and supporting job creation and social and environmentally conscious businesses must become the norm,” King adds. Stephanie Jones, Founder & CEO of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Inc. (CHEA), Founder of Black Cultural Heritage Tours, and the National Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative, shed more insight on the significance of these tours for visitors. “Our Black cultural heritage itineraries give transforming experiences for travelers wishing to get a fuller narrative about the Black experience, including the Civil Rights Movement,” Jones added. “Travelers experience both historical and contemporary cultural experiences celebrating Black history, exploring historic places and becoming immersed in the rich Black culture through food, music, art, dance and meeting and hearing stories told by locals.” Intrepid Travel has just introduced a new tour in Southeast Asia that focuses on the rich cultural heritage of West and Central Africa. Within these tours are several new BIPOC-centric activities that enable visitors to gain a more diverse and inclusive perspective of America. The eight unique excursions offered by Intrepid Travel in 2022 include the following: Explore Rich West And Central African Cultural Heritage Along The Gullah Geechee Corridor *New Trip* from Intrepid Travel: Charleston to Savannah: Exploring Gullah Geechee Culture This six-day tour from Charleston to Savannah covers the culture, history, and impact of the descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans, the Gullah Geechee. They are famed for guarding, preserving, and passing on their culture and legacy. Learn about Charleston’s Black heritage, tour the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church (an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement) and participate in a sweet grass weaving workshop. Additionally, travelers will witness a soul-stirring performance in Beaufort, where music and dance share the experience of enslaved Africans brought to South Carolina, indulge in a seafood boil with the locals, and attend Sunday worship at one of Savannah’s Black churches.This tour is one of the most impacting and culturally significant itineraries Intrepid has included in its new range of U.S. tours. Learn To Cook Cajun And Creole Food at Deelightful Roux School Of Cooking Included on the following Intrepid Travel tour: Tennessee Music Trail to New Orleans In New Orleans, visitors can learn how to prepare authentic Cajun and Creole dishes at the Deelightful Roux School of Cooking, the only African American woman-owned cooking school in the city. Chef Dwynesha Lavigne, a native of New Orleans and award-winning baker who helps produce a weekly food feature on a local television station and presents a monthly baking demonstration at the world-famous Southern Food and Beverage Museum, will educate visitors. Tour Charleston, South Carolina, With Professor Damon Fordham Included on the following Intrepid Travel tours: Georgia History trail to Nashville and Best of the South: Atlanta to New Orleans. This unique “Lost Stories of Black Charleston” walking tour will have guests accompanied by local professor and author Damon Fordham. Professor Fordham expertly tells tales at various locations around Charleston based on archival research, oral histories, and his own experiences as a Black resident of the city. Join 2nd Line Tours For A Visit To The Whitney Plantation In New Orleans Offered on the following Intrepid Travel tours: Tennessee Music Trail to New Orleans, Best of the South: Atlanta to New Orleans, and Best of the South: Louisville to New Orleans. Visitors to New Orleans can join 2nd Line Tours, a Black-owned business committed to sharing the city’s authentic history, to gain insight into the daily lives of enslaved people on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation. Exploring this estate, which puts more emphasis on the life of the enslaved people than on the luxurious mansion of the enslavers, is a sobering and eye-opening experience. Go On An Emotional Journey From the Past With Civil Rights Tours Civil Rights Tours bring Black and Indigenous American History, Music, and Culture to Life through unique, authentic, and cultural travel experiences that contribute to intercultural understanding and speak to the heart and soul of multicultural audiences. As this is untold American history, Leon Burnette, Founder and President of Media Art’s Institute of Alabama and Certified Tour Director of Civil Rights Tours, stresses the importance of telling the truth, presenting it publicly, and then discussing it. Address: Several locations in the US Phone: +1 256-525-1203 Email: civilrightstours@gmail.com %

Business News – AgUpdate https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/business-news-agupdate/ Smart-harvest market forecasted The smart-harvest market is projected to reach more than $15.5 billion by 2023, according to MarketsandMarkets. The market is driven by factors such as scarcity of labor and efficiency benefits offered by smart-harvest systems, according to the market analyst. Harvesting requires a great amount of bending and lifting through manual labor. The labor shortage affects overall yield output. Manufacturers have introduced autonomous harvesters that harvest fruits and vegetables with little or no human intervention. The smart-harvest market in Europe is projected to witness significant growth due to the prospect of increasing production, labor shortage, development of smart technologies and their adoption in agriculture. Development of smart-harvest technologies is being encouraged. It’s driven by public and private programs to bring about the commercialization of technologies. Projects such as the Clever Robots for Crops, Sweet Pepper Harvesting Robot, and the Handsfree Hectare project highlight industry efforts to develop and commercialize smart-harvest systems in the region. Some of the key players in the U.S. market are Deere and Company, Harvest Automation, Root AI, Abundant Robotics and Energid Technologies Corp. Visit MarketsandMarkets.com for more information. USDA invests in infrastructure The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $121 million in infrastructure to combat climate change in rural areas. The investments include $111 million for 289 projects to help people living in vulnerable communities. The USDA is making investments through three programs designed to help people and businesses in rural areas.  Community Facilities Disaster Grants Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants Rural Energy for America Program Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Grants The investments are intended to help state- and local-government entities, nonprofits and federally recognized Tribes. The funding may be used to construct, renovate or purchase and install equipment for rural community facilities. The funding also is intended to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable-energy systems as well as make energy efficiency improvements. Visit rd.usda.gov for more information. Herbicide-tolerance, herbicide pact formed Corteva Agriscience and BASF Agricultural Solutions recently agreed to develop future herbicide-tolerant soybeans and complementing herbicides. The collaboration aims to bring alternatives to manage resistant and tough-to-control weeds through trait stacks and long-lasting modes of action. Farmers are expected to receive more weed-management options and germplasm choices from both BASF and Corteva seed brands. BASF will license its protoporphyrinogen-oxidase gene for herbicide tolerance to Corteva to develop a new herbicide-tolerant trait stack. The stack will feature tolerance to BASF’s Liberty, Corteva’s Enlist herbicides and various glyphosate-herbicide solutions. It also will feature BASF’s existing and pipeline protoporphyrinogen-oxidase inhibiting herbicides. The stack of four herbicide-tolerant traits is expected to be available in all Corteva seed brands. Corteva has licensed the stack for use in BASF seed brands. Corteva anticipates licensing the new trait stack to independent seed companies in North America. Both companies plan to offer exclusive and proprietary germplasm options with the stack. The companies expect to commercialize the products in the early 2030s, pending regulatory reviews and completion of field testing. Visit agriculture.basf.us and corteva.com for more information. On-seed nitrogen introduced Pivot Bio recently introduced on-seed application of microbial nitrogen for crops such as corn, sorghum and spring wheat. “Proven 40 On-Seed” and “Return On-Seed” have been developed to enhance a crop’s potential all season long by providing a nitrogen source with no loss to leaching, denitrification or volatilization. Microbes adhere to the root of the plant without any waste, Pivot Bio states. The company measured and verified product performance across more than 2,100 on-farm fields, encompassing 1.3 million acres. Side-by-side comparisons show that plants where its microbes were used have 14 percent more nitrogen in the plant and 12 percent more plant biomass compared to untreated plants, the company stated. Visit pivotbio.com for more information. Canada boosts swine fever-prevention funds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is investing more than $45 million to enhance efforts to prevent African swine fever from entering Canada and to prepare for a potential outbreak. The government is investing as much as $23.4 million to support the pork industry’s prevention and mitigation efforts. The funding is intended to support biosecurity assessments, coordination for wild-pig management, retrofitting of existing abattoirs, sector analysis and African swine fever-related research. In addition as much as $19.8 million will be invested in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s prevention and preparedness efforts. The funding is intended to support work such as further enhancing laboratory capacity, establish zoning arrangements with additional trading partners, and contributing to international efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Canada has never had a case of African swine fever, but the disease continues to spread in several regions around the world, the agency stated. A single case of the disease in Canada would result in the closure of Canada’s borders to pork exports, which accounts for 70 percent of Canadian pork production, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada stated. Visit agriculture.canada.ca for more information. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

It’s Finally Mask Optional Workouts At Mayo Clinic’s Gym – Duluth News Tribune https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/its-finally-mask-optional-workouts-at-mayo-clinics-gym-duluth-news-tribune/ Dylan Kalscheur runs on a treadmill at Mayo Clinic’s Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, in Rochester. As of Monday, Sept. 12, mask-wearing for members at the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center is optional. Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin ROCHESTER, Minn. — The need for masking is highest within health care, but masking hits some activities harder than others. Like working out at the company fitness center. So for users of Mayo Clinic’s Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center, the lifting two weeks ago of a mask requirement within nonpatient areas on the Rochester campus has been a long time coming. “A few members have reached out to me to say that they have been waiting for this and are excited to return,” said Heather Smith, manager at the center. “I’ve had members come to my classes specifically, like a cycle class, and say this feels so amazing … Just to take off a mask when they come up stairs, workout hard and feel like they can give their best effort. It’s been a joy to see their smiles.” “This concept of joy is important for our organization,” said Beth Riley, director of Human Resources at the center. “And (the policy change) is something that has created joy for our membership here.” The clinic in Rochester, Arizona and southwest Wisconsin announced the new policy on Sept. 9, one making masking optional for vaccinated staff in nonpatient-care areas of patient-care buildings, according to Mayo spokesperson Ginger Plumbo. A mask mandate has been in effect for the last couple of years. “To protect our patients, visitors and staff, masking continues to be required in any physical location where patients or visitors may be present, including common spaces like hallways, waiting areas and patient cafeterias,” she said in an email. As a result, those who enter the Dan Abraham center still must wear masks in the elevator lobby servicing its upper floors, but can work out in the upstairs fitness area mask-free. That said, the center still hosts a sizable percentage of users who prefer to exercise with masks. “I would say right now it’s about 25%,” Riley said, “just depending on where they are at. You’ve got some of the active older adults who still prefer to mask … as well as those folks who work in direct patient care who still prefer to mask. But it’s so nice to provide the option.” With the exception that users must show proof of vaccination for membership, it’s the last concession to COVID-19 mitigation to fall on the center fitness floor. Tape lines that once kept participants distanced have been lifted since the start of this year, Smith said, and exercise classes have long since returned to pre-COVID capacity. Contacted outside the facility, several users said they liked the new policy but had become used to masking while sweating. “I like it,” said Emily Stuart, a student in the clinic’s medical lab science program. “It’s much easier to work out without the mask on … But I’m definitely aware of other people around me and try to go during times where there’s not a lot of people.” “It’s nice to be a part of Mayo community but not having to wear masks,” said Tony Watts, an RN. “That definitely wasn’t ideal when you got your heart rate up you started sucking in the mask and sweating all over it.” “But I’m just following their guidelines and whatever they decide I understand and respect.” “I’m used to it man,” said Graham Jaensch-Frie, a researcher who plans to remain masked while at the center. “Obviously the cardio was the hardest. I think a lot of people have been waiting for this because the second that mandate came out, I went in there and nobody had a mask on after that.” “I’m OK with it,” he said. “I know people are going to do what they want to do. All you can really do is protect yourself and that’s what it boils down to. I’m going to keep rocking the mask.” Paul John Scott is the health correspondent for NewsMD and the Forum News Service. He is a novelist and was an award winning magazine journalist for 15 years prior to joining the FNS in 2019.

Ohio State Vs. Wisconsin: Prediction, Pick, Spread, Football Game Odds, Live Stream, Watch Online, TV Channel – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/ohio-state-vs-wisconsin-prediction-pick-spread-football-game-odds-live-stream-watch-online-tv-channel-cbs-sports/ Powers from the Big Ten East and West divisions will meet when No. 3 Ohio State plays host to Wisconsin in the Horseshoe Saturday night for the conference opener for both programs. Of course, while both teams have proven to be powers in their respective divisions over the years, the series between the two, like many involving Ohio State, is lopsided. The Buckeyes have won eight straight meetings against Wisconsin and 11 of the last 12. Wisconsin’s only win in the series since 2005 was a 31-18 win in Madison during the 2010 season. Wisconsin jumped out to a 21-0 lead that day, with David Gilreath returning the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. These days, a 21-0 lead against Ohio State might not be big enough with the way the Buckeyes offense can put up points; Ohio State is averaging 47.7 points per game through their first three games. What do you need to know ahead of Saturday’s prime time showdown in Columbus? Let’s get you caught up and make some picks.  Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Need to know Ohio State scored 77 points last week: The Buckeyes beat Toledo 77-21 last week in an awe-inspiring offensive display. However, the 11 touchdowns scored actually marked the fifth time the Buckeyes have hit that mark in a game since the 2000 season. The last time was in 2019 in a 76-5 (what a score) win over Miami (OH). The Buckeyes offense had 763 yards in that game, which is the second-highest mark any Ohio State offense has amassed in a single game since 2000. The highest was 776 yards in a 77-10 win (another one of those 11 TD games) against Bowling Green in 2016. However, the biggest difference in the two games is that Ohio State needed to run 94 plays against Bowling Green (8.3 yards per) but only 78 plays (9.8 yards per) against Toledo. The bottom line: it was a ridiculous performance. The Buckeyes are still loaded at receiver: Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were two of Ohio State’s top receivers last year, but they left to play in the NFL. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was left behind and is considered one of the best receivers in the country, but he suffered an injury early in Ohio State’s season-opener against Notre Dame and has hardly played since. No matter; the Ohio State Wide Receiver Industrial Complex motors on without issue. Marvin Harrison Jr. — you might recognize that name — leads the team with 342 yards receiving and five touchdowns through three games, and Emeka Egbuka is right behind him with 324 yards and three touchdowns. Jayden Ballard and Xavier Johnson have stepped in to fill the third and fourth receiver roles, while tight end Cade Stover is averaging over 17 yards per catch. Graham Mertz is off to an encouraging start: The former five-star quarterback recruit has not lived up to the billing since joining the Badgers, but there are encouraging signs through Wisconsin’s first three games of 2022. Mertz enters the week completing 71% of his passes for an impressive 11.2 yards per attempt. He’s also thrown six touchdowns, though I’m sure coach Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin coaching staff have harped on him about the two interceptions. Still, for a player who threw 19 touchdowns to 16 interceptions in his first two seasons, a 3-to-1 ratio is an improvement. Of course, it must be pointed out that Wisconsin’s first three games of the year have come against Illinois State, Washington State and New Mexico State. It’s no coincidence that Mertz’s worst effort came in Wisconsin’s 17-14 loss to the Cougars. If the Badgers are going to have a realistic chance of pulling off an upset, they’ll need Mertz to be the player he was in Wisconsin’s two wins. How to watch Ohio State vs. Wisconsin live Date: Saturday, September 24 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET Location: Ohio Stadium — Columbus, Ohio TV: ABC | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free) Ohio State vs. Wisconsin prediction, picks Featured Game | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers While I have way too much respect for Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to believe Ohio State will do the kinds of things to it that it’s done to its last couple opponents, I don’t have nearly the same level of faith in the Wisconsin offense to keep up in this game. Until Mertz proves to me that he can be relied upon against top opponents, I won’t bet on it being the case. Lay the points with the Buckeyes.  Prediction: Ohio State -18 Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 4, and which Top 25 favorite will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned more than $3,300 in profit over the past six-plus seasons — and find out.

NASAA (State Securities, Not Outer Space) Cautions Investors Exploring Opportunities In The Metaverse – JD Supra https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/nasaa-state-securities-not-outer-space-cautions-investors-exploring-opportunities-in-the-metaverse-jd-supra/ The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), an organization of state and provincial securities regulators in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, recently issued an investor advisory warning about the potential risks of investing in the metaverse. The potential for fraudulent securities activity exists “IRL” (in real life) and in virtual worlds, whether through investing directly into a metaverse-focused company or by making an investment while par-digi-pating in the metaverse as an avatar (we may need to workshop that one a bit). NASAA points out that the difference between investing IRL and investing in the metaverse is increasingly blurry, but “real assets can be put at risk and transferred” in either case. Importantly, the advisory emphasizes that “the rules that apply to investments in the physical world also apply to investments in virtual worlds.” On that point, the SEC and state and provincial securities regulators could not be more clear. The NASAA advisory notes that the metaverse is “increasingly viewed as the future of the internet” with large, well-known technology companies already deploying resources to develop the space. As growth and advancements in this space continue, so too will regulatory scrutiny. Securities regulators already seem to be paying closer attention to metaverse-related considerations, including in a Texas case we recently covered involving the use of NFTs to finance multiple metaverse casinos. Issuers, intermediaries, or other service providers considering utilizing the metaverse or other facets of Web3 technologies must conduct themselves with the same care as they would IRL. Firms should pay special attention to the novel ways existing rules may apply in the metaverse, including in the areas of marketing and communication. Concerns around cybersecurity and the protection of personal information, an evergreen regulatory focus, are intensified given the digital landscape of the metaverse. The NASAA advisory identified several key areas of which investors should be mindful when evaluating metaverse-related investments. These are also instructive for issuers and service providers looking to establish a meta-presence in a compliant manner: Offerings and Personnel May Require Registration Offerings should be registered, or should utilize an appropriate exemption from registration. Absent exemptions, those providing investment advice related to securities, should be registered as an investment adviser or associated person of a broker-dealer. NASAA encouraged investors to check and verify these real-world facts before engaging with any metaverse investment. Be Wary of Scammy and Hyped Marketing Don’t get caught up in the hype. Fraudsters intentionally try to generate “viral” content, but popularity is not a good criterion for evaluating investment opportunities. Nor are celebrity endorsements. Avoid avatars that are persistent in discussing investment ideas or asking for money. Common Sense Remains Critical in the Metaverse Don’t share personal information. Identity theft can happen in any number of ways, including in the metaverse. Don’t ignore red flags. Every investment comes with risk, nothing is guaranteed, and nothing about the metaverse changes these tried-and-true principles. We will continue to monitor developments in this space and provide updates as we see them. [View source.]

Fancy Campers: Recipes For Tiny Kitchens – The Guardian https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/fancy-campers-recipes-for-tiny-kitchens-the-guardian/ Living in a van or a home that doesn’t have mains electricity, you learn to navigate and adapt and do things differently. Cooking and preparing food may take a little longer, but it’s incredible how quickly you start finding joy in preparing meals a little slower using your hands rather than appliances. To get you started on your tiny kitchen, here’s a list of equipment of what I use in mine almost every day – and three recipes to make. Heavy-based frypan: for any meal that doesn’t require cooking a lot of sauce: eggs, french toast, fish, searing meat, and even pancakes. Cast iron pot: for boiling pasta and rice, making cakes, cooking on the fire, boiling water, making curries and soups, or as a second frypan if it’s needed. A sharp knife (or two): I have a simple stone for keeping my knives sharp, but you can get plenty of handy gadgets that do the same job. Butler cooking in her trusty campervan. Photograph: Todd Thimios Utensils: my go-to 95% of the time is a wooden spoon for cooking. I also use tongs a lot, and I have a little egg flip which I find perfect for scrambled eggs. Strainer or colander: great for rinsing grains and legumes and for making cheese, draining pasta, or rinsing salad greens and herbs. Chopping boards: we carry two, one for meat and one for everything else. Bowls and plates: although these are a given, I want to point out that we don’t use anything “camping” specific. Our bowls, plates, cups, and serving ware are all things we could use in our house. Measuring cups and spoons: having a whole set of measuring cups and spoons will take up too much space, so just have measures for one cup, one tablespoon and one teaspoon. Different sized jars: for making salad dressings, storing grains, spices and other pantry items. Also essential for homemade ferments and pickles. Different sized containers: for storing leftovers and food scraps to make stocks and broths. Mortar and pestle: great to have for making pesto, nut and seed-based sweets, aioli, dips, salad dressings and curry pastes, especially if you don’t have electricity in your kitchen. A grater: I would suggest getting a good quality, small, but sharp grater that you’ll use for cheese, veggies and zesting citrus rinds. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Yoghurt flatbread These are super affordable, full of protein from the yoghurt, contain very few ingredients and are quick to make as the resting time is minimal. We also use them to replace store-bought wraps and fill them with our favourite sandwich ingredients. Makes 6Prep 25 minsCook 15 mins Eat them with curries, barbecues, or as alternatives to store-bought wraps: Butler’s flat bread. Photograph: Todd Thimios 1 cup bread flour, plus extra for dusting¾ cup full-fat Greek yoghurt2 pinches flaky sea saltOlive oil or butter for pan frying Combine the flour, yoghurt and salt in a small bowl and stir it to combine. Lightly flour the bench or a chopping board and bring the dough together until you reach a non-sticky and smooth dough. This will only take a minute. You don’t need to knead this flatbread. Place the dough back in the bowl with a little flour in the bottom. I have found that it’s easier to roll out these breads once the dough has had a little time to rest, either in the fridge or in a cool place in your small kitchen. It doesn’t need much rest time; about 20 minutes is fine. Once the dough has rested, divide it into six equal parts. Form them into balls and then roll them out with a rolling pin or a floured wine bottle (or any other glass bottle you have handy). Next, place your frypan on medium heat and add a small splash of oil or butter – just enough to lightly grease the pan. Cook the dough until golden on both sides – it should only take a couple of minutes. Wrap the breads in a clean dish towel to keep them warm as you cook. These are best served immediately, sprinkled with dukkah. Dukkah with walnuts and almonds Dukkah is an essential condiment in our campervan. We add it to salads and sprinkle it on eggs, dips and flatbreads. Macadamia, Brazil nut and pistachio are excellent substitutes for walnut and almond here. Makes ¾ cupPrep 5 minsCook 5 mins The mortar and pestle is put to good use in this hand-ground dukkah recipe. Photograph: Todd Thimios ¼ cup almonds¼ cup walnuts3 tbsp sesame seeds1 tbsp coriander seeds1 tsp fennel seeds1 tsp ground cumin½ tsp flaky sea salt Toast the almonds, walnuts, and sesame seeds in a frypan on medium heat until the nuts are golden and fragrant. It should take about five minutes. Be sure to toss the pan regularly to prevent the nuts and seeds from burning. Add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin and salt and heat the mixture for another one to two minutes before removing it all from the heat and allowing it to cool. It will be much easier and more effective to grind the nuts and seeds once they have cooled. Using a mortar and pestle, grind your dukkah down as fine as you like, but be careful not to blend it for too long, or it will turn into a fragrant nut butter. I like to leave it a little bit chunky for additional texture. Dukkah will store indefinitely in an airtight container or jar. Pan-fried pizza with zucchini, ricotta and cherry tomatoes There were many nights camping in the bush that we’ve craved a delicious, hot pizza. So with some time, wine and our favourite kitchen staples on hand, we came up with this recipe. Makes 2Prep 15 mins Cook 1 hr 15 mins No-bake pizza: simply pop it in a pan and sizzle away. Photograph: Todd Thimios For the dough1½ tsp dried yeast1 tbsp raw sugar 150ml lukewarm water1 tsp salt250g strong bread flour For the topping1 red onion, finely slicedExtra virgin olive oilFlaky sea salt2 tbsp balsamic vinegar1 tbsp coconut sugar or raw sugar (optional)2 small zucchinis, finely sliced lengthways400g cherry tomatoes, wholeCracked pepper1 garlic clove2 cups ricotta (store-bought or make your own)1 handful flat-leaf parsley and basil1 handful rocketSalt and pepper Add the yeast and sugar to the lukewarm water and stir to dissolve. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Allow the yeast to activate for a few minutes. The top should start to bubble and foam a little. Once it has, add the yeast-sugar water to the bowl of flour and salt. To cut down on mess in your small kitchen, begin mixing them in the bowl until you have a rough, sticky dough. Once all the liquid has absorbed into the flour, transfer it to a floured surface and knead it until it’s smooth and elastic. Place the dough back into the bowl with a dusting of flour. Cover it with a tea towel and leave it for about 45 minutes to rise, until it has almost doubled in size. Meanwhile, finely slice the red onion and fry it with two good glugs of olive oil and a few cracks of salt. Add the balsamic vinegar and sugar and stir it regularly until onions have cooked right down and are sticky and sweet to taste. Fry the cherry tomatoes with some olive oil, salt and pepper until they have softened and charred on the outside. Add a splash more oil and fry the sliced zucchini until golden. Cut the dough in half and roll it out to as thick as you like. I recommend it to be around the same size as a dinner plate. Keep your frypan on the stove and, if it needs it, add a splash more olive oil; not too much as you don’t want your bases to be too oily. Cook the pizza bases until golden. Keep the heat low, so the dough becomes golden outside but still cooks right through. Once the dough begins to bubble, flip it over and cook the other side. Keep it warm and repeat with the other pizza base. Give each base a rub of the garlic clove to add a subtle garlic flavour. Spread on the ricotta, then top with the charred cherry tomatoes, zucchini and onions. Garnish with parsley, basil, fresh rocket, salt and pepper. This is an edited extract from The Small Kitchen Cook by Ashleigh Butler, published by Exploring Eden (RRP$39.95)

World Economic Forum Launches A New Crypto Sustainability Coalition – Kitco NEWS https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/world-economic-forum-launches-a-new-crypto-sustainability-coalition-kitco-news/ Editor’s Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today’s must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here! (Kitco News) – The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the launch of a new Crypto Sustainability Coalition, which will investigate how Web3 and blockchain tools can be utilized to achieve positive climate action.  The Switzerland-based non-government organization revealed the new coalition on Wednesday, outlining that it will include 30 partners within the intersection of sustainable development and web3, crypto, and blockchain technologies, during a panel discussion titled “Web3’s Climate Impact.” Members of the coalition will explore the potential positive impacts technologies like blockchain, cryptocurrency, and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) have on environmental and social agendas.  “The coalition launch is timely as there is an urgent need to support the decarbonization of cryptocurrency and ensuring the industry is part of the climate solution,” Madeleine Hillyer, U.S. media specialist for the WEF, said in a press release. “Furthermore, there needs to be regulatory clarity that promotes web3 innovation, protects consumers, and improves financial inclusion.” To help further these efforts, the coalition will support research and development, share best practices, and influence regulation pertaining to climate-related matters.  The crypto industry as a whole is relatively energy intensive. Just Bitcoin alone has an annualized carbon footprint equal to the country Greece, and its energy consumption is equivalent to that of the United Arab Emirates, according to the Digiconomist Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index. The coalition will be divided into working groups that will focus on three main areas of interest: energy usage, Web3’s potential for climate action, and “On-chain” carbon credits.  The energy usage group will analyze the crypto industry’s consumption of energy and materials to better understand its impact on climate and nature. The Web3 working group will “investigate ways in which web3 innovations could tackle challenges facing the low-carbon transition at the pace required to hit the Paris Agreement’s targets.” The on-chain carbon credits working group will explore the ability of blockchain-based carbon credits to address the current flaws in global carbon markets. The list of partners joining this new endeavor includes Accenture, Avalanche, Avatree, CC Token, Circle, Climate Collective, Crypto Council for Innovation, Emerge, Energy Web Foundation, eToro, EY, Flowcarbon, Heifer International, KlimaDAO, Lukka, NEAR Foundation, Nori, PlanetWatch, Plastiks, Rainforest Partnership, Recykal, ReSeed, Ripple, Solana, Stellar Development Foundation, STEWARD, Sustainable Bitcoin Standard, The Global Brain, Toucan Protocol, University of Lisbon, and Zero Labs. The wider aim of the coalition is to “foster a broad education campaign on what web3’s potential and capacity look like, to better inform governments on how they regulate these technologies and incentivize investment and research into their development,” the WEF said.  This new coalition was made possible by the Crypto Impact and Sustainability Accelerator (CISA), a grant-funded initiative launched by the Forum in January 2022 with a mission to encourage a greater understanding of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts of crypto technologies. 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.

Biden To Announce $1.5 Billion To Fight U.S. Opioid Crisis – Reuters.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/biden-to-announce-1-5-billion-to-fight-u-s-opioid-crisis-reuters-com/ Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will announce on Friday nearly $1.5 billion to fund access to medications for opioid overdoses, sanctions against traffickers, and increased funding for law enforcement, the White House said. The Biden administration is keen to show it is taking action on a worsening nationwide opioid crisis, which according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data fueled more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, a nearly 15% increase from the previous year. “Our nation is facing 108,000 overdose deaths in just 12 months. That’s one life lost every five minutes around the clock,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of National Drug Control Policy at the White House. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “The Biden-Harris administration is announcing several key investments and actions to reduce overdose deaths, ensure public health and law enforcement officials on the front lines have the resources they need, support people in recovery, and finally beat this epidemic,” Gupta told reporters on a press call. Biden will announce nearly $1.5 billion in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to states, tribal lands and territories, said Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use. A Cataldo Ambulance medic holds used doses of naloxone after medics revived a man in his 40’s who was found unresponsive from an opioid overdose in the Boston suburb of Salem, Massachusetts, U.S., August 9, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder The funds will go toward treating substance-use disorders and removing barriers to key tools like naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, Delphin-Rittmon said. The grants will also fund recovery support services, overdose education efforts, peer support specialists in emergency departments, and care for stimulant use and misuse disorders including cocaine and methamphetamine, she added. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will release new guidance to ease restrictions on naloxone, said Gupta. Currently, there are legal barriers limiting access to naloxone in some states, and in others it is not always available to those most at risk of an overdose because patients are more likely to receive a prescription if they had a prior diagnosis of opioid misuse or dependence along with an overdose than if they have had those diagnoses without an overdose. Biden is also announcing an additional $12 million in funding for law enforcement in areas suffering the worst of drug trafficking, on top of $275 million announced in April, and sanctions on individuals and groups involved with drug cartels. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Leslie Adler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Ahmed Aboulenein Thomson Reuters Washington-based correspondent covering U.S. healthcare and pharmaceutical policy with a focus on the Department of Health and Human Services and the agencies it oversees such as the Food and Drug Administration, previously based in Iraq and Egypt.

Marvell Technology, Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend Payment | | News-Journal.com – Longview News-Journal https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/marvell-technology-inc-declares-quarterly-dividend-payment-news-journal-com-longview-news-journal/ , /PRNewswire/ — Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL), today announced a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per share of common stock payable on October 26, 2022 to shareholders of record as of October 7, 2022. About Marvell To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, we’re building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world’s leading technology companies for over 25 years, we move, store, process and secure the world’s data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers’ current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, we’re ultimately changing the way tomorrow’s enterprise, cloud, automotive, and carrier architectures transform—for the better. Marvell® and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. For further information, contact: Ashish Saran Senior Vice President, Investor Relations 408-222-0777 ir@marvell.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marvell-technology-inc-declares-quarterly-dividend-payment-301632365.html SOURCE Marvell

Feds Shut Down Massive Illegal Marijuana Operation In Burbank – Newstalk870.am https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/feds-shut-down-massive-illegal-marijuana-operation-in-burbank-newstalk870-am/ An illegal marijuana operation was shut down by the Feds Thursday in Burbank. After authorities were alerted to the activity, several law enforcement agencies worked together to seize almost 1,200 pot plants. Google Maps Google Maps loading… Hundreds of pounds of processed illegal pot were also recovered in the 100 block of Dusty Road. A search warrant was served at the property by detectives with the Walla Walla Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Washington State Patrol Cannabis Eradication Response Team, the Law Enforcement Against Drugs Task Force, and members of the WSP SWAT Team. You can read more from our KEPR news partners, here. Tri-Cities, Washington Restaurants Serving Delicious Breakfast You know what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whether it’s eggs, oatmeal, or cereal, it’s always best when you can start your day with a balanced meal. Maybe a fluffy omelet, or pancakes, breakfast is most enjoyed with others. But where can you go to get a great breakfast in Tri-Cities, Washington? Let us show you! 25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today? Below, find out where 25 of the most infamous crimes in history took place — and what the locations are used for today. (If they’ve been left standing.) 25 Missing Children From Washington, Do You Recognize anyone? It’s every parent’s nightmare. When children go missing from home, school, anywhere, fear sets in. Who took the child, teen, or adult? What happened? Please take a look at these missing children going back to 1971. One of these kids could be your neighbor, a fellow co-worker, or parishioner. Do you have any information about any of these children? PHOTOS: Scene at U.S. Capitol shows chaos and violence

Paris To St. Tropez: Here’s What The Train Ride Entails – TheTravel https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/paris-to-st-tropez-heres-what-the-train-ride-entails-thetravel/ France has some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world, from the beautiful boulevards of Paris to the chic beach resorts of the Côte d’Azur. France leads the world in terms of tourism and welcomes more than 89 million international tourists annually. There are 49 world heritage sites altogether in cities with a high level of cultural appeal, including Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux, and many more. Romantic travelers are delighted with fairy-tale castles, magnificent cathedrals, splendid beaches, and picturesque towns. At the same time, the nation’s modern monuments and speedy railway system startle tourists out of the idyllic surroundings and into the atmosphere of the twenty-first century. Travelers start with France’s contemporary national symbol, the Eiffel Tower. Then, they go to the Louvre Museum to see well-known works of art. The opulent Palace of Versailles is the perfect place to spend a day acting like royalty. They save some time for leisurely, fine-dining dinners. French cuisine that is traditionally prepared has been included in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Finally, to enjoy life like nowhere else, they will head to the sparkling Saint-Tropez on the wonderful Côte d’Azur. Here is what the train ride from Paris to Saint-Tropez entails. An Overview Of Dazzling Saint-Tropez The finest kinds of luxury are combined with authenticity in St. Tropez. Fishing boats and magnificent yachts concur the harbor, while the French Riviera’s opulent boutiques are hidden in golden, charming alleyways. Tourists travel to the amazing St. Tropez to mix with the elite, to take in the vibrant atmosphere, the blazing sun, and the breathtaking coastline. Visitors cannot resist packing their bags and traveling to this opulent vacation spot when they visit the country. They will enjoy finding their dream hotel for their vacations first; then, they will explore St. Tropez, a sanctuary of elegance in the South of France, and everything it has to offer. Top things to do: Visiting the old port and town, swimming in Plage de Pampelonne, discovering the citadel How To Get By Train To Saint-Tropez The TGV high-speed rail system in France is well-known for its effectiveness throughout Europe. About 110 million people use the service each year, which is run by the national network SNCF. The TGV system extends to nearby nations, either directly to Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Germany or via TGV-derived networks connecting France to Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (Eurostar), Germany, and Belgium. The network even stops at Disneyland Paris and also extends to Charles de Gaulle Airport. One such high-speed train route that goes to the South of France is the LGV Méditerranée, which is a section of TGV. Tourists can travel from the charming city of Paris to the Mediterranean coast, particularly Saint-Tropez. It departs from Paris Gare De Lyon and stops in Saint-Raphael Valescure on a daily basis. Duration: Tourists will arrive at Saint-Tropez after 5 hours of leaving Paris. Distance: Two astonishing cities are connected by a train connection that is around 436 miles (703 Km) long. Set Your Budget To Take A Train From Paris To Saint-Tropez Tourists are recommended to book at least a week in advance their tickets from Paris to St. Tropez, especially in Summer, to find seats. Additionally, early booking will save them a lot of money. TGV ticket prices may vary from one hour, day, and month to another. There is no doubt that during weekends and high seasons, they are more expensive. For example, in September, the cost can vary from $70 to $140 per day for a second-class seat depending on the time and the booking conditions (direct train or with connections), while in August 2022, the prices can reach double. However, tourists will pay, on average, $84 for a one-way ticket. What You Need To Know When Taking A Train In France Tourists shall find out which platform the train departs from by getting there early. Train stations in Paris may be perplexing, especially for first-timers. They have to check in advance and, if needed, purchase their own snacks or small meals at the station because there might not be refreshments on the train. The train stations are packed with delicious pastries and meals that can be easily taken for their trips. Tourists shall also pay attention to validate their tickets. Just before arriving at the platform, they have to keep an eye out for the yellow composting machines. When putting their tickets in the slot, they have to remember to take them out because they will need them later. On the train, ticket inspectors will examine the ticket. However, tourists shall not be worried because, at the train stations, they will find friendly agents ready to help them. Finally, it is good to know that during their trip, travelers will be comfortable due to adjustable seats, power outlets, folding tray tables, an adjustable reading light for each one of them, and luggage storage areas. Some trains also offer free Wi-Fi. Recommended food stores: Brioche Dorée and Pret a Manger Train companies: InOui and SNCF %

This Week In Washington – Chamber Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/this-week-in-washington-chamber-business-news/ Latest news from Washington, D.C. produced by Total Spectrum/SGA exclusively for members of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry More Info: Michael DiMaria | Partner and Vice President of Business Development | 602-717-3891 | [email protected] Thanks for your interest in Washington, D.C., and thanks for reading This Week in Washington. Special thanks to those who participated in this week’s Arizona Chamber Fly-in. Congressman Erik Paulsenand I enjoyed visiting with each of you who attended. The pandemic robbed members of Congress from interacting with Americans… and the pandemic robbed Americans from interacting with members of Congress and their staff.  Thankfully, that’s all in the rearview mirror.  Both the Senate and the House returned to Washington right after Labor Day, and both are scheduled to leave town by the end of September. Patrick Robertson has written an excellent summary of Congress’ legislative agenda – what’s possible in the next 7 days and what is going to get pushed off until the lame duck session.  Patrick’s Washington Whispers articles are always good, and this week’s is exceptionally well done.  Ramona Lessen monitored the September 20th hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, entitled “Tightening the Screws on Russia.”  While Patrick summarized the legislative agenda, the political agenda is also on the front burner, and the water is boiling.  Republicans expect to take back the House of Representatives; the question is how many seats they will hold next January. The very conservative low is about 220, and the realistic high is around 230.  Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will present the House Republicans’ ‘Commitment to America’ today in Pittsburgh, which they hope will help them achieve the biggest majority possible in the next Congress. The Senate is way too close to call. The key states have been – and still are – Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Republicans had momentum through the spring, but Democrats took some back over the summer. Republicans now sense a slight breeze at their back as inflation, interest rates, and the economy become more impactful. Senate Republicans are beginning to feel cautiously optimistic that they could hold a one or two seat majority next January. Today’s Total Spectrum Spotlight interview is with Nathan Gonzales, the Editor and Publisher of Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan analysis of Senate, House, and gubernatorial, and presidential elections. Nathan provides important context and fascinating observations on November’s elections.   Congressman Erik Paulsen has planned a number of really important interviews for our Total Spectrum Spotlight series.  The next interview should be distributed next week, and as always, we welcome your thoughts and comments.We’ll be back in two weeks with the next issue of This Week. Steve Gordon Total Spectrum Managing Director Total Spectrum Spotlight Labor Day starts the final lap toward the finish line for this year’s elections. n this week’s Total Spectrum Spotlight, Congressman Erik Paulsen speaks with Nathan Gonzales, Editor and Publisher of Inside Elections, a publication which provides nonpartisan analysis of campaigns for Senate, House, governor and president. Mr. Gonzales also serves as Elections Analyst for CQ Roll Call. Mr. Gonzales shares his insights on the GOP’s momentum going into November’s midterm election and how the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision may have changed that momentum. He also explores whether results from special elections should be considered as trend indicators, and which Senate races are surprising analysts – and the potential for another runoff in Georgia All this and more in today’s Total Spectrum Spotlight. Washington Whispers By Patrick Robertson, Total Spectrum Strategic Consultant Congress returned after Labor Day from its summer break and its to-do list has narrowed as September marches on.  Coming into the month, the Senate had hoped to vote on a bill to codify the right for same-sex couples to marry, pass the annual defense authorization bill, pass a permitting reform bill authored by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), and pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government beyond the end of Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), which ends at midnight on September 30.  But since Congress returned, a number of these items have been pushed until after the election or even later. First, Democratic and Republican Senators announced that they would put off a vote on the same sex marriage bill until after the election. The bill negotiators, who include Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), have been working for months to agree on a product that will get 60 votes in the Senate. This delay will give them more time to find the 60 votes they will surely need to clear the filibuster. Congress has passed an annual defense authorization bill for the better part of six decades. The Senate has not debated this year’s version, but the House passed a bill with almost 330 votes and defense negotiators have decided to conference a final product that both chambers can pass in a lame duck session following the November election. This strategy has been used in years past and observers expect that the bill will eventually pass. In exchange for his vote on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) got assurances from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to consider a permitting reform bill that would make it easier to get federal permits for infrastructure projects, especially in the energy sector. This agreement was necessary because the changes Senator Manchin is seeking could not be considered under the Senate’s limited budget reconciliation rules that the Senate used to pass the IRA. Senator Manchin released his bill this week which proposes these permitting changes: A maximum time to consider federal permit requests; Concurrent review of permit application by multiple federal agencies; A new designation of projects of “strategic national importance” to receive expedited consideration; Some shorter timelines for legal challenges to federal permitting actions; and Enhance federal government authority over interstate transmission lines. Leader Schumer and Senator Manchin are working to insert these changes into the extension of government funding because it is a bill that will get 60 votes. They are banking on Republican support for both the funding bill and the permitting reform bill carrying over to make this package pass the Senate. But there are a few warning signs. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) has released her own permitting reform bill with 46 Republican Senate cosponsors, which gives those Republicans cover for opposing the Manchin plan if they want to do so. Some Republican Senators are suggesting they could tank the deal as revenge on Democrats who used budget reconciliation to pass their priorities. In addition, 72 House Democrats have said they oppose the Manchin plan. Just yesterday, Sen. Capito announced she will vote in favor of Sen. Manchin’s bill if it is included in the CR. Finally, in addition to some of the concerns being raised on the left, top House Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy is currently urging House Republicans to oppose the CR over their concerns on border funding. On Friday, Leader McCarthy will be in Pittsburgh, PA to announce Republicans’ unified message, called “Commitment to America.”  In short, there are a lot of twists and turns remaining in the debate to pass a funding bill before September 30 and the Congress has left a lot of work for itself when it returns after the November midterm elections. Lame duck sessions of Congress go one of two ways – either a lot of bipartisan dealmaking happens or Congress does the bare minimum, sometimes even punting decisions to the new Congress in the new year.   At this point, Congress is banking on having some cooperation in the lame duck but no one can know if that will be true until the political dynamic is set post-election. As a reminder, the 2020 Senate landscape was not clear until January 2021 with runoffs and recounts, so there could be an even more compressed timeline.Most observers predict that Congress will pass a short-term funding bill before September 30 to fund the government until either December 9 or December 16, and then decide if anything else can ride on that bill or if all items will need to wait until after the midterms.   Hearing Report By Ramona Lessen, Executive Director, Total Spectrum  Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on “Tightening the Screws on Russia” Tuesday, September 20, 2022; 9:00 a.m.  To view a livestream of the hearing please click here.  Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman Majority Statement Senator Patrick J. Toomey (R-PA), Ranking Member Minority Statement Witnesses: The Honorable Elizabeth Rosenberg Assistant Secretary For Terrorist Financing And Financial Crimes U.S. Department of the Treasury Testimony Mr. Andrew C. Adams Director, Task Force KleptoCapture United States Department of Justice Testimony Congressional Calendar All times ET Monday, Sept. 19 2 p.m. House Rules Committee business meeting to consider a bill, S. 1098, that would authorize federal direct consolidation loan borrowers to separate joint consolidation loans. Tuesday, Sept. 20 9 a.m. Senate Banking Committee hearing on “tightening the screws on Russia,” focusing on smart sanctions, economic statecraft and next steps. 9:30 a.m. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on U.S. nuclear strategy and policy. 10 a.m. House Agriculture Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee hearingon a 2022 review of the Farm Bill, with respect to stakeholder perspectiv...

Community Calendar: Sept. 30-Oct. 7 – Portland Press Herald – Press Herald https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/community-calendar-sept-30-oct-7-portland-press-herald-press-herald/ Benefits Thursday 10/6 Inside Wayside: A Celebration & FUNdraiser: 6 p.m., Wayside Food Programs, 135 Walton St., Portland. $50, waysidemaine.org. Books/Authors Patten Free Library Writing Contest: Open to adults and teens grades 7 and up in library’s service, RSU 1 and other schools for short fiction and nonfiction. Deadline Dec. 3, cash prizes, .patten.lib.me.us/2022-writing-contest. Gulf of Maine Books will host Portland author Philip Hoose at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick Oct. 3. Gordon Chibroski Monday 10/3 Portland Author Phillip Hoose: Reading and discussion of his new book “Duet – Our Journey in Song with the Northern Mockingbird,” 7 p.m., Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Free and open to the public. Wednesday 10/5 “Angel of the Garbage Dump” book launch: 6:30 p.m., First Parish Unitarian Church, 425 Congress St., Portland. Features the late Yarmouth native Hanley Denning, who launched a school in the Guatemala City garbage dump. angelofthegarbagedump.com. Thursday 10/6 NEA Big Read: “Infinite Country”: 6 p.m., series of five book discussions on “Infinite Country” by Patricia Engel. Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square, Portland. Free, portlandlibrary.com. Friday 10/7 Maine Lit Fest Day: Rebecca Traister with Kerri Arsenault: 7 p.m., Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, 519 Congress St., Portland. Free, mechanicshallmaine.org. Ongoing Blurb Club in Congress Square Park: noon to 1 p.m., every other Thursday in Congress Square Park, Portland. Hosted by Portland Public Library, Riverton Branch, 1600 Forest Ave. portlandlibrary.com. Books and Brews: 6 p.m., fi3333rst Thursday, Flight Deck Brewing, Brunswick Landing. Books on Tap: 5:30 p.m. third Monday of the month via Zoom, hosted by Scarborough Public Library. Contact Tom Corbett at [email protected] Casco Bay Writers’ Project at the Hall: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Thursday, Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, 519 Congress St., Portland. mechanicshallmaine.org. Great Books Discussion: 10 a.m. to noon second Saturday, Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road. Always looking for new members; email [email protected] Guerilla Poetry Whoop: 6:30 p.m., second Thursday of the month via Zoom, hosted by Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth, thomasmemoriallibrary.org/poetry-at-tml. Just Desserts Mystery Group: 6:30-7:30 p.m. virtual meeting first Tuesday of the month, presented by Curtis Memorial Library. curtislibrary.com. Midcoast Indigenous Awareness Group Book Club: 10 a.m. Fridays via Zoom, hosted by Curtis Memorial Library. Email [email protected] for Zoom invitation. Monday Afternoon Book Group: 1 p.m., first Monday of the month at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick. Email [email protected] Racial Equity Book Group: 7-8 p.m. third Thursday of the month, hosted by Curtis Memorial Library. Books provided. Email [email protected] with questions. Registration and book list at curtislibrary.com (if registration is full, submit the form to be put on the waiting list). Read Your Mind: 12:30 p.m. last Wednesday of the month, virtual from Portland Public Library. Features new books, topics and resources about teen mental health, portlandlibrary.com. Reading Challenge 2022: Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland. List of 18 reading prompts to challenge readers throughout the year, princememorial.org. Road Scholars Walking Group: 10-11 a.m. Thursday. Do you want to read more? Do you want to walk more? Would you like to do both at the same time? Merrill Memorial Library, 215 Main St., Yarmouth. yarmouthlibrary.org. Sci-fi Book Club: 5-6 p.m. via Zoom second Thursday of the month, hosted by Curtis Memorial Library. Email Marian Dalton at [email protected] to sign up. South Portland Public Library Writers’ Group: 2-4 p.m. first and third Saturdays via Zoom, southportlandlibrary.com/writers-group. World War II Commemoration: free military history, African-American history and Latino history downloads at ebooksforstudents.org. Writers’ Meet-Up: 6 p.m. second Thursday of the month via Zoom through Portland Public Library, portlandlibrary.com/series/writers-meet-up/ for more, including monthly writing prompts. Bulletin Board Freeport Fall Festival: Sept. 30-Oct. 2, L.L.Bean, KeyBank lawn, Freeport Village, over 180 New England artists, makers and local food producers,  visitfreeport.com. Saturday 10/1 Blessing of the Animals: 10-10:30 a.m., St. Mary Church parking lot, 144 Lincoln St., Bath; 10-10:30 a.m., St. Louis Church, 279 Danforth St., Portland; 1-2 p.m., St. Joseph Church lawn, 673 Stevens Ave., Portland; 2-2:30 p.m., Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main St., Yarmouth. Farm Tours: Wagon Ride: 2:30 p.m., Wolfe’s Neck Center, 184 Burnett Rd, Freeport. visitfreeport.com. Yard sale: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. North Pownal United Methodist, Lawrence Road, Pownal. Sunday 10/2 Pettengill Farm Day: 10:30 a.m., hosted by Freeport Historical Society, visitfreeport.com. Wednesday 10/5 Successful Aging Expo: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park St., Freeport. Free, maineseniorguide.com. Thursday 10/6 Snowmobile Club meeting: 6 p.m., Tri-Town Penguins, Acacia Lodge, Route 136, Durham. Ongoing Board Game Social: 3-5 p.m. Fridays, Slot Car Junction, Brunswick. brunswickdowntown.org. Cafe en Français – French Conversation Club: 2:30 p.m., fourth Tuesday of the month, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org. Calico Quilters: 7 p.m. first and third Mondays, North Yarmouth Congregational Church, Route 115, 7-9 PM. All are welcome to attend; contact Lorna Clark, [email protected] Chess Club: 6 p.m. first and third Wednesdays of the month, Curtis Library Chess Club open to all ages, younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult helper. Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com. Citizens Climate Lobby Portland Chapter: 9-10:30 a.m. via Zoom first Saturday of the month, Facebook or citizensclimatelobbymaine.weebly.com. Connected: nondenominational social group for widowers, widows, divorced and singles 55 and over, 7 p.m. first Monday of the month, St. Charles Borromeo Church Hall, 132 McKeen St., Brunswick. Guest speaker, light refreshments, 725-1266 or 725-8386. Craft Meetup: 4:30-6 p.m. Mondays, Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St, Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com. Critical Home Repair program: Habitat for Humanity partners with low-income homeowners who require safety and structural repairs, including accessibility issues, unsafe roofing or flooring, lack of heat, electrical or plumbing hazards. Cumberland County residents only, habitatportlandme.org/critical-home-repair. Down East Ship Modelers Guild: 1 p.m. second Thursday of every month, 200 Congress St., Bath, rear of the American Legion Hall. 751-2453. Freeport American Legion: 5:30 p.m. every 2nd Thursday of the month, Freeport Masonic Lodge, 33 Mallot Drive. ALL Veterans welcome. Freeport Classic Car Cruise Night: 5-7 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 17, 31 Maine St., Freeport Antiques and Heirlooms Showcase with food, live music, 50/50, giveaways. Game Night: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Sunday, Foreplay Sports Pub, 436 Fore St., Portland. Free. Maine Irish Heritage Trail: self-guided historical Portland tour, map at maineirishheritagetrail.org. Maker’s Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, Brick South at Thompson’s Point, 15 Resurgam Place, Portland. Local farms, artisans, artists, thompsonspoint.com. Makers on Main: 10 a.m., first Saturday of each month through September. Freeport. visitfreeport.com. Monument(al) Square Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Thursday in Portland, goods crafted by Portland makers. Museum Passes: Merrill Memorial Library in Yarmouth has passes for patrons to Maine Maritime Museum, Maine Wildlife Park, Portland Museum of Art, Children’s Museum of Maine, Farnsworth Art Museum and Maine State Parks. Reserve at 846-4763 or [email protected] Portland ReStore: 659 Warren Ave., restoreportlandmaine.org. Scarborough 55-plus Program Senior Drop-In: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday. Get together for coffee, snacks, games and camaraderie. Registration not necessary. SCS Hub, 418 Payne Road, Scarborough. Free, scarboroughmaine.org. Scarborough Kiwanis: noon lunch meeting Fridays, Cowbell Wood-Fired Grill, 185 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough. scarboroughkiwanis.org. Senior Bingo: noon, every Monday, Scarborough Community Center Hub, 418 Payne Road, Scarborough, 55-plus, free, registration not necessary, scarboroughmaine.org. Stump Trivia: 8-10 p.m., Sea Dog Brewing Company, 125 Western Ave., South Portland. sopo.seadogbrewing.com. Topsham ReStore: 126 Main St., 504-9340. Trivia: 6:30-9 p.m. Wednesdays, Stroudwater Distillery, 28 Resurgam Place, Portland. Free, stroudwaterdistillery.com. Trivia Night: 6:30-8 p.m. Thursdays, Byrnes’ Irish Pub, 38 Centre St. Bath. byrnesirishpub.com. Vigils for Peace and Justice: 5-5:30 p.m. Fridays, Brunswick Town Mall, Maine Street at Park Row. Dining Saturday 10/1 Saturday Supper: 5-6 p.m., Brunswick Post 20 American Legion Hall, 1 Columbus Drive (next to the Brunswick U-Haul). $12, [email protected] Ongoing Brunswick Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Friday, Brunswick Mall, Park Row and Maine Street. Cumberland Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, Town Hall, 290 Tuttle Road. Curbside Souper Supper: 5 p.m. second and fourth Fridays of the month. Masks and social distancing. Free to all. St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth. smary.org. Deering Center Community Church in Portland: Call 773-2423 for more information. Freeport Community Services Food Pantry: open for in-person shopping 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and 9:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday at 55 Depot St., Freeport, see fscmaine.org. Freeport Farmers Market: hosted by Freeport Climate Acti...

2022 Presidents Cup Scores, Results: Live Coverage, Standings, Golf Updates, Schedule For Day 2 On Friday – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/2022-presidents-cup-scores-results-live-coverage-standings-golf-updates-schedule-for-day-2-on-friday-cbs-sports/ The United States takes a commanding 4-1 lead into Day 2 of the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Golf Club. The U.S. looked right at home in Charlotte, and the Americans appear primed to win their 12th Presidents Cup if all goes according to plan. Adding to their dominance in foursomes on Thursday, they now shift their attention to four-ball where the U.S. side has drawn square with the International team since 2007. The Internationals squad is sending out Adam Scott first, once again, despite the eldest member of the away team struggling mightily alongside Hideki Matsuyama on Day 1. He will be paired with his fellow Australian Cameron Davis as the pair aims to take down the American duo of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. In total, five four-ball matches will be contested as Trevor Immelman’s squad attempts to claw its way back into contention. Despite all the naysayers, falling behind by three points early in the competition is not insurmountable for an away team as showcased by the U.S. in 2019 at Royal Melbourne. In Australia, the U.S. lost the first session at the exact same 4-1 score  only to raise the Presidents Cup by week’s end with a 16-14 victory. While the likelihood of the International team replicating this feat is faint, it remains a possibility heading into the second day of event. 2022 Presidents Cup scores, results Day 2 — Four-ball 1 Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas 3 UP thru 8 Adam Scott & Cameron Davis 2 Scottie Scheffler & Sam Burns TIED thru 8 Sungjae Im & Sebastian Munoz 3 Cameron Young & Kevin Kisner 1 UP thru 7 Mito Pereira & C. Bezuidenhout 4 Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele 4 UP thru 7 Hideki Matsuyama & Tom Kim 5 Billy Horschel & Max Homa 2 UP thru 6 Corey Conners & Taylor Pendrith CBS Sports will be with you the entire way updating this story with the latest from the second day of the Presidents Cup. Keep it locked here for live scores, updates and highlights. See New Posts Pinned Pinned Pinned U.S. extending its margin in matches Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will have an opportunity to go 4 UP through seven and they are not alone in this international drubbing. Spieth and Thomas are 3 UP on the ninth green and Homa and Horschel just went 2 UP through six. The good news for the away team is they just tied a match, but they will need more than that if they want to have a heartbeat over the weekend. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Cantlay and Schauffele rolling The duo again looks unbeatable. They might play the role of Morikawa and DJ or Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari this week and just go out and never lose en route to a rout. Pinned Pinned Three U.S. flags on the board Leading in the first match of the day, slowly but surely other U.S. partnerships have followed the way of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele command a 2 UP lead through five while Max Homa and Billy Horschel are 1 UP through four. The internationals need to start making putts and fast. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned JT and Spieth picking up where they left off Now 2 UP thru five, the American frontmen are one of two pairs to command a lead on the golf course. Thomas continues to find his stride with the putter in hand while Australians Cam Davis and Adam Scott can’t seem to figure out the greens of Quail Hollow. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay recently went 1 UP in their match. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Keep an eye on the internationals’ putting The visiting team made just one putt outside 15 feet on Day 1 and just three holes into fourball, they have already matched that total. Sam Burns and Sebastian Munoz traded birdies on the par-4 third to remain tied. Up ahead, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth take a 1 UP lead thanks to a Thomas birdie. Pinned Pinned Kisner gets his first taste of 2022 Presidents Cup Dapping up George W. on the first tee, Kisner later got up-and-down for par on No. 1. He is paired with Cameron Young and will take on Mito Pereira and Christiaan Bezuidenhout in the third match of the day. Pinned Pinned See More

The Metaverse Is ‘really Dangerous’ When It Comes To Privacy, Attorney Jay Edelson Says – Fast Company https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-metaverse-is-really-dangerous-when-it-comes-to-privacy-attorney-jay-edelson-says-fast-company/ The metaverse has risen to become one of tech’s biggest focuses for the next decade. Just look at Facebook, which was renamed Meta last year as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the immersive technology. But the rise in the metaverse also coincides with an increased focus on consumer privacy. Users and lawmakers have become more concerned with how their data is being used, tracked, and sold. Having people work, play, and live in a virtual world that users enter through a type of headset is likely going to be a disaster when it comes to data collection, argues attorney Jay Edelson, who has brought previous privacy suits against Google and Facebook. From left: Harry McCracken, global technology editor, Fast Company; Jay Edelson, attorney and founder, Edelson law firm [Photo: Maja Saphir for Fast Company] Headset devices are able to record things like a person’s movements, facial attributes, blinking, surroundings, and their activities when they’re in the metaverse. “The metaverse is really dangerous on privacy because if the idea is that we’re going to be wearing stuff that is tracking everything from our heartbeat to where we go and who we talk to, it is just gold for data companies,” Edelson told the audience at the Fast Company Innovation Festival on Thursday. That’s where the importance of privacy laws come in, he said. Proponents of data privacy are pushing for companies to either share their data collection practices with consumers because they want to or because they’re compelled to by law. “The key thing is for companies to actually talk about publicly and disclose what they’re collecting,” Edelson said. “I’m not looking to sue everyone. I’d rather they just change their behavior. If there’s a reason you’re not willing to say it in your contracts or on stage or anywhere else, maybe that’s because it’s stuff that you shouldn’t be doing. That’s a key thing with the metaverse.” [Photo: Maja Saphir for Fast Company] It’s still the early days of the metaverse. The ability to transition seamlessly from the digital world to the physical is still unrealized. But it’s clear that many believe it to be one of the biggest growth opportunities in the next decade. In just the first five months of 2022, companies and venture capital and private equity firms have invested more than $120 billion in the metaverse, according to a report from McKinsey & Company. That’s more than double what was invested in all of 2021. The investments come with good reason: McKinsey anticipates that the metaverse could generate up to $5 trillion in impact by 2030. “It’s fine to innovate. It’s fine to do kind of cool things,” Edelson said, “but you’ve got to tell people what actually you’re collecting, who you’re giving it to, and what’s going to happen with the data. It’s about disclosures and consent, to me.”

AquaTech AxisGO: The Ultimate Waterproof Housing For Smartphones – GearJunkie https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/aquatech-axisgo-the-ultimate-waterproof-housing-for-smartphones-gearjunkie/ (Photo/Rebecca Parsons) September 23, 2022 | By Rebecca Parsons Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn more. I have a nice camera with a decent zoom, but my surf breaks are too far from shore to capture, and a waterproof housing is out of my price range. Divers, paddlers, swimmers, and anglers who want to document your adventures — take note: the AxisGO is a great solution. The quality of phone cameras these days is incredible and after doing some research, I discovered that there are a number of phone housings designed to protect your phone during your aquatic adventures. After scouring the internet and reading about the different options, the AxisGO seemed like the best bet in an accessible price range, so I ordered a case for my iPhone 13. I live in Hawaii and am in the ocean every single day. Although I’ll give any water sport a try, my staples are surfing, standup paddling, snorkeling, and free diving. In short: When I was in the market for a housing, I was looking for something that wasn’t too bulky to swim with during surfing and diving. I also wanted it to have a decent depth rating, so I could free dive with it and take on shallow-water scuba diving adventures. The AxisGO ($179 and up) ticked all my boxes. Here’s how it performed. AquaTech AxisGO Housing Review How to Use a Waterproof Housing Designed specifically for iPhones, the AxisGO 13 works for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13. (AxisGO currently has models for the iPhone XR, 11, 12, and 13, with the 14 coming soon.) To use, you simply insert your phone into the case. (If you have the iPhone 13 Pro, you first snap in the cradle and then insert your phone.) The waterproof housing provides access to all three lenses on the iPhone 13, and the glass lens port is scratch-resistant. The housing features a rear touch membrane, which allows you to have full touch-screen access so you can easily use your favorite apps, take selfies, and instantly send your photos to your contacts. The AxisGO 13 supports the latest features of the new iPhone including Macro, Cinematic Mode, and RAW capture. On the bottom of the housing, there are mounting points to attach the Bluetooth pistol grip and on the front, there are threads to attach the dome, both of which are accessories on offer. When purchasing the AxisGO, you have the option to simply purchase the housing, a kit, or individual accessories. Accessories on offer are the AxisGO Dome, the Bluetooth pistol grip, a dome cover, a cleaning and scratch removal kit, an action mounting kit, a protective case, and a sport leash. The dome enables you to take stunning over/under shots, and the Bluetooth pistol grip allows you to take photos at the click of a button. Testing the Waters With the AxisGO (Photo/Rebecca Parsons) Taking your phone in the water feels very counterintuitive, but with the AxisGO housing, my phone feels well protected. I typically am not a big fan of all the setup it takes to figure out, but the AxisGO was straightforward. There are even videos on the website to guide you through all of the features. I like that you simply put your phone in the case, snap it shut, and you’re ready to go. The snap makes it easy to know when your phone is fully secure. The touch screen doesn’t work as well as if your phone weren’t in the case, but you are able to access everything. And compared to other options out there, it works well. Many lower-price waterproof cases won’t have this touch screen feature. I’m not usually one to purchase add-ons, but the accessories offered by AxisGO definitely enhanced the experience. The Bluetooth pistol grip made it easy to hang onto the housing while swimming and diving, and it was awesome to be able to take photos by simply clicking the button. And the dome allows you to take over/underwater shots, which for me turned out really cool. I also am a fan of the sport leash because the housing is not buoyant, so it’s important to make sure your phone and housing stay in hand. Drawback There are other waterproof housing options out there, ranging from over $350 to $500 that do have better depth rates of 30-40m, but they also come at a higher price. We do wish the AxisGO had a slightly better depth rate. But for now, the 10m depth rate, price, and performance of the housing make it a great option. AxisGO Housing: Conclusion Is the AxisGO Housing for you? With a price tag of $179-219 (less than 200 bucks if you have an iPhone XR, 11, or 12), this housing is hard to beat. That price is definitely lower than a GoPro or Olympus Tough Underwater camera, or other housing options, and is definitely lower than buying a new phone if you take yours out on the water without protection (and drop it). Overall, I’m a big fan of this housing case! It has all the features I want. It offers fun, compatible accessories, and it’s easy to use. In future models, I hope they’ll improve the depth rating so users can take it on deeper dives. I’m excited to take the AxisGO out more frequently and continue to work on my underwater photography skills. Check Price at AquaTechCheck Price at Amazon The Best Dry Bags of 2022 We tested and reviewed the best dry bags of 2022, including the YETI Panga 75 Dry Duffel and top picks from SealLine, NRS, and more. Read more… The Best Standup Paddleboards of 2022 Looking to invest in a standup paddleboard but don’t know where to start? Check out our list for the best paddleboards of 2021. Read more… The Best New Fly Fishing Rods of 2022 Fly rods are constantly changing with each tech advancement or construction innovation. These are our picks for the best fly fishing rods for 2022. Read more…

Want A $1 Million Job In Crypto? How About Chief Metaverse Officer – They Are All The Rage – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/want-a-1-million-job-in-crypto-how-about-chief-metaverse-officer-they-are-all-the-rage-cryptonews/ Image credit: Pixabay Metaverse technology has continued to be the rage among big-name brands that are now dolling out million-dollar paychecks to so-called “chief metaverse officers” to think up their metaverse adoption strategy.  According to a Bloomberg report, brands such as Disney, Proctor and Gamble (P&G), LVMH, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Spanish telecom carrier Telefonica SA, and wedding-registry retailer Crate & Barrel are among giants that have invested in a CMO of recent.  These firms, while each having modified job descriptions for their CMO, are all making the appointment with a view not to be left behind in the adoption of the emerging technology. Hamza Khan, the co-lead of metaverse efforts at management and consulting firm McKinsey & Co., said: “Brands need to get closer to their customers, and the metaverse is a channel to do that. Compared to the early days of e-commerce, this time around brands are a lot more active, a lot earlier.” McKinsey estimates that annual global spending related to the virtual world could reach as much as $5 trillion by 2030. Analysis by Gartner Inc. supports the position that the metaverse is the next big innovation with its forecast that one in four people will spend at least an hour a day in the metaverse within a few years.  Despite the “digital FOMO” trend, companies are still treading cautiously in their metaverse adoption as the sector is yet to prove itself to be a big earner. Bloomberg found that it is presently not uncommon to see newly named chief metaverse officers having additional responsibilities in order not to constrain company resources, although their paychecks still run into millions in some cases.  Companies already rolling out metaverse adoption strategies Companies globally have not stopped at eyeing metaverse technology, some have already initiated moves to establish a significant presence in the virtual world. So far in 2022, the number of metaverse-related trademark filings made by companies has exceeded the total number of such filings made in the whole of 2021 as reported by Fortune.  Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook completed its rebrand to Meta this year and has pivoted its business focus to metaverse technology, albeit to a rocky start. Others like Walmart, Starbucks, and McDonald’s to mention a few have formed partnerships with metaverse-native companies to launch NFT collections or other metaverse-related initiatives.  All these strides the metaverse sector has been making have been despite a broader market price slump that has seen the crypto market capitalization drop below $1 trillion from its all-time high of close to $3 trillion.

Wall St Week Ahead ‘Uncharted’ Sell-Off In U.S. Stocks Has Investors Wondering When The Pain Stops – Reuters.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/wall-st-week-ahead-uncharted-sell-off-in-u-s-stocks-has-investors-wondering-when-the-pain-stops-reuters-com/ A specialist trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com NEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) – A week of heavy selling has brought U.S. stocks and bonds to fresh bear market lows, with many investors bracing for more pain ahead. Across Wall Street, banks are scrambling to adjust their forecasts to account for a Federal Reserve that shows no evidence of letting up in its fight against inflation after delivering another market-bruising rate hike this week and signaling more severe monetary policy tightening ahead. Once-reliable technical indicators are falling by the wayside. The S&P dipped below its mid-June low of 3,666 on Friday afternoon, erasing a sharp summer rebound in U.S. stocks – the first time in history the index breached a new low after erasing more than half of its losses. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com A rout in bond markets added to the pressure on stocks — yields on the benchmark 10-year Treasury, which move inversely to prices, recently stood at 3.67%, their highest level since 2010. “These are uncharted waters,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. “The market right now is going through a crisis of confidence.” The fresh low will likely prompt another wave of aggressive selling, potentially sending the index as low as 3,200, a level in line with the average historical decline in bear markets that coincide with recessions, Stovall said. While recent data has shown a U.S. economy that is comparatively strong, investors worry the Fed’s tightening will bring on a downturn. read more timeline of the market Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist at BofA Global Research, believes high inflation will likely push U.S. Treasury yields as high as 5% over the next five months, exacerbating the selloff in both stocks and bonds. “We say new highs in yields equals new lows in stocks,” he said, estimating that the S&P 500 will fall as low as 3,020, at which point investors should “gorge’ on equities. Goldman Sachs, meanwhile, cut its year-end target for the S&P 500 by 16% to 3,600 points from 4,300 points. “Based on our client discussions, a majority of equity investors have adopted the view that a hard landing scenario is inevitable and their focus is on the timing, magnitude and duration of a potential recession and investment strategies for that outlook,” wrote Goldman analyst David Kostin. read more Investors, meanwhile, are looking for signs of a capitulation point that would indicate a bottom is near. The Cboe Volatility Index, known as Wall Street’s fear gauge, on Friday shot above 30, it’s highest point since late June but below the 37 average level that has marked crescendos of selling in past market declines since 1990. Bond funds recorded outflows of $6.9 billion during the week to Wednesday, while $7.8 billion was removed from equity funds and investors plowed $30.3 billion into cash, BofA said in a research note citing EPFR data. Investor sentiment is the worst it has been since the 2008 global financial crash, the bank said. Kevin Gordon, senior investment research manager at Charles Schwab, believes there is more downside ahead because central banks are tightening monetary policy into a global economy that already appears to be weakening. “It will take us longer to get out of this rut not only because of slowdown around the world but because the Fed and other central banks are hiking into the slowdown,” Gordon said. “It’s a toxic mix for risk assets.” A key signal to watch over the coming weeks will be how steeply estimates of corporate earnings fall, said Jake Jolly, senior investment strategist at BNY Mellon. The S&P 500 is currently trading at around 17 times expected earnings, well above its historical average, which suggests that a recession is not yet been priced into the market, he said. A recession would likely push the S&P 500 to trade between 3,000 and 3,500 in 2023, Jolly said. “The only way we see earnings not contracting is if the economy is able to avoid a recession and right now that does not seem to the odds-on favorite,” he said. “It’s very difficult to be optimistic on equities until the Fed engineers a soft landing.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by David Randall; Additional reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Nick Zieminski Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Wesco Acquires Global Systems Integrator, VAR Rahi Systems – ChannelE2E https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/wesco-acquires-global-systems-integrator-var-rahi-systems-channele2e/ by Joe Panettieri • Sep 23, 2022 Wesco International is acquiring systems integrator and VAR Rahi Systems for $217 million, or roughly 7.5x Rahi’s projected trailing 12 months EBITDA (months adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization). This is technology deal number 808 that ChannelE2E has covered so far in 2022. See more than 2,000 technology M&A deals involving MSPs, MSSPs & IT service providers listed here. Wesco Acquires Rai Systems; Expands Communications and Security Solutions Business Unit Rahi Systems, founded in 2012, is based in Fremont, California. The company has 940 employees listed on LinkedIn. The IT solutions provider’s expertise spans data center and IT infrastructure, cloud services, unified communications, managed services and global distribution/logistics. Wesco, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, provides business-to-business distribution, logistics, and supply chain services. Wesco’s areas of expertise include Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions. Company sales were $5.5 billion in Q2 of 2022, up 19% compared to the corresponding quarter last year. Rahi Systems will tuck into Wesco’s Communications and Security Solutions (CSS) strategic business unit. That CSS business unit generated: Net sales of $1.6 billion for the second quarter of 2022 — up 9.6% compared to $1.5 billion for the second quarter of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA of $150.0 million for the second quarter of 2022, up 14.4% compared to $131.1 million for the second quarter of 2021. Global Systems Integrator M&A: Executive Perspectives In a prepared statement about the deal, Wesco CEO John Engel said: “This acquisition strengthens our leading data center solution offerings for our global customers. Rahi’s extensive services portfolio serving the leading global hyperscale data center providers expands the cross-sell opportunities across our company.” Added Bill Geary, executive VP and general manager, Wesco Communications and Security Solutions. “Rahi has a successful history of above-market growth since its inception. With more than 900 employees in 25 countries around the world, this acquisition provides complementary global coverage and enhances our full suite of data center solutions for contractors, integrators and end-user customers.”

Old Post Files Sept. 23, 1922-2022 – The Vicksburg Post – Vicksburg Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/old-post-files-sept-23-1922-2022-the-vicksburg-post-vicksburg-post/ Published 9:52 am Friday, September 23, 2022 100 years ago: 1922 Capt. and Mrs. W.T. Rigby plan to spend a month at their old home in Iowa. • P.C. Canizaro tells about his trip over the Atlantic and his visit in Paris. • Frank Farish leaves for Chicago on business. 90 years ago: 1932 Jackson City Leagues win an 11-inning game from Ivy Bakers, 7-5. • Carrie Louise White of Cary is in the city visiting Mrs. B.H. Colmery. 80 years ago: 1942 “FDR completes Tour of Nation” reads a headline in the Vicksburg Evening Post. His trip, undisclosed until his return to Washington, included a visit to Camp Shelby during which he conferred with Gov. Paul Johnson. 70 years ago: 1952 George O’Neal dies in a truck accident near Bolton. • Services are held for Mrs. A.D. McKay. • Mr. and Mrs. Sam Mackey celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. • Mrs. J.D. Parks is ill at the Lutheran Hospital. • The Vicksburg Little Theater opens its new season with “State of the Union” at the Playhouse on Bowmar Avenue. 60 years ago: 1962 Mrs. Ida Purviance dies. • Mrs. Willie Belle Shipley is elected president of the Credit Women’s Breakfast Club. • Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Clark Jr. announce the birth of a daughter, Catherine, on Sept. 23. • Dr. John Robert Shell is attending a post-graduate course given by the American College of Surgeons at the Medical College of Richmond, Va. 50 years ago: 1972 Mrs. Mary F. Shelly dies at a local hospital after a lengthy illness. • The McGovern and Shriver campaign headquarters in Vicksburg has been opened at 2413 Hunt St. 40 years ago: 1982 Leon Plump is injured in an accident when pinned between a vehicle and a bench at Atwood Chevrolet Service Department. • Phillip Edward Coutch celebrates his first birthday. • Rubyanne Andress is elected senator of Phi Theta Kappa at Hinds Junior College. 30 years ago: 1992 The family of a kindergarten killed in a school bus accident at Jett Elementary in 1990 is awarded $100,000 by a Warren County jury. • Joe Rushing Jr. is sentenced to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to beating and robbing an elderly Warren County couple. • Mallory Nicole Wells celebrates her fifth birthday. 20 years ago: 2002 Cason and Frances Schaffer organize the last of the fall flea markets they’ll conduct around the Old Court House Museum. They are passing the reins to the Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society. • Dr. Alfred G. Windham, ENT physician, relocates his office to The Street Clinic. • A vacant storage facility at MMC Materials Inc. on Grange Hall Road catches fire. 10 years ago: 2012 St. Aloysius swimmer, Wally Wibowo, won the boys 50 and 100-yard freestyle events at the Jones County Invitational. • Bryce Fleming, an offensive and defensive lineman, has already cemented his spot in the starting lineup. He leads PCA with 63 tackles, after making 12 against Benton Academy, and has gained notice from teammates and opponents alike for his ability to disrupt gameplans.

SF Woman’s Rage At GoCar’s ‘Loud As A Truck’ 10 Year Nuisance – The San Francisco Standard https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/sf-womans-rage-at-gocars-loud-as-a-truck-10-year-nuisance-the-san-francisco-standard/ English For over 10 years, Donna Morrison has endured “loud as a truck” engine noises from GoCar’s yellow tourist buggies.  The Gough Street resident of 47 years is fed up with the noisy engines and loud GPS-guided narration that comes with the vehicles rumbling past her 131-year-old Victorian home. Donna Morrison poses for a portrait outside her home on Gough Street in San Francisco. Morrison’s home is on one of Go Car’s routes, causing constant noise and disruption on the street. | Juliana Yamada for The Standard “You stand out on the street and you’re having a conversation, and it’s as loud as a truck. You can’t talk above it,” said Morrison.  And there’s nothing that the city can do to change the vehicles’ route, or quieten them down, as they’re not regulated by SF’s municipal transportation agency or Caltrans.  The company is only regulated by California’s DMV, which also doesn’t have the power to change the company’s routes or engine noise. Caltrans, SFMTA and the DMV were contacted for comment. The DMV directed The Standard to the police department for noise complaints, San Francisco Police Department The police department for San Francisco. It has an annual budget of around $700 million and roughly 1,800 officers. The current chief of police is Bill Scott. ” href=”https://sfstandard.com/glossary/san-francisco-police-department/”SFPD have been contacted for comment. ‘It Is Pretty Loud’ GoCar riders have noticed the noisy engines too. Tourists Adam Francisco and his wife Kira were visiting San Francisco from Oklahoma City to celebrate their third anniversary and hired a GoCar for a three-hour lap around the city. “We’re gonna enjoy this tour, but it is pretty loud,” Francisco said as he rode a GoCar out of the  Beach Street rental office. Morrison believes GoCar is disrespecting the time and effort she put into restoring her historic home by profiting from tourists in loud buggies eager to see the city’s older architecture.  “We do so much to preserve our neighborhoods, and I think the corporations kind of take advantage of that,” Morrison said.  GoCar rents three-wheeled vehicles that are classed as motorcycles by the DMV. Riders can tour planned routes, guided by a GPS system that plays a recorded tour-guide over speakers about areas of interest when the buggies pass by. Drivers can go anywhere they want in the cars—they are not self-driving—but often follow the tour’s pre-programmed route, which passes through residential Gough Street. Go Car customers leave the Go Car lot in San Francisco. Go Car offers GPS tours around the city with a variety of routes and time limits. | Juliana Yamada for The Standard “It’s all done for us, it’s pre-recorded,” said Phil Ellcock, who is visiting San Francisco from Margate, England for a two-week vacation with friends. “The beauty of it is we’re going to see a guided tour, but on our own, so we can stop and spend as much time at each destination as we want.” ‘No Noisier Than Any Other Scooter’ GoCar co-founder and co-owner Nathan Withrington admitted that there have been periodic noise complaints around the city about the buggies, including along Lombard Street when the company was launched in 2004. But Withrington said that the noise generated by GoCar’s vehicles is similar to the noise made by other small-engine vehicles. “We’re conscious that having our vehicles drive by someone’s house could be perceived as annoying, but I think that at the end of the day you need to look at what the background noise is,” Withrington said. “They’re no noisier than any other scooter going around the city that’s got a gasoline engine.” Morrison said up to 30 GoCars pass along her street every day in the fall. Gough is already a busy street, but she said the buggies travel in convoy and loudly accelerate as they go uphill past her home—she says the noise blasts through her home’s thin windows. “These houses have single-pane windows, they’re Victorians, and the front has a lot of glass,” Morrison said. “And you hear the speakers, and it’s the same speech everytime.” Withrington couldn’t say how many of his vehicles drive along Gough, citing drivers’ ability to decide where to drive, but estimated it can range between 10 and 50 vehicles a day depending on how much business they get. Withrington added that routes have been changed in the past in response to complaints about the cars’ speakers and their 150cc engines.  In 2006, tour routes that passed along the Palace of Fine Arts were diverted to run along Divisadero Street due to noise complaints. Withrington said that changing the route is not expensive, but can affect a customer’s experience. A small yellow GPS-guided GoCar or rentable tourist car attempts to navigate around a parked vehicle and two bicycles in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, August 22, 2021. | Gado/Getty Images “It’s more to do with the experience of the customer,” said Withrington. “To move it from one block to another isn’t a crazy amount, it’s just making sure that there’s a real and valid reason to move it.” Morrison suggested that GoCar change their route every couple of years to give Victorian owners on Gough Street a break from the noise, but noted that other streets nearby have Victorians as well. “[A route change] could be done.” Withrington said. “In two to three years we’ll all be electric anyway.” For Morrison, that may be enough. “They’re noisy, that’s my beef,” Morrison said. “If it’s quiet then, yeah, I’m not against tourists enjoying the city—that’s our lifeblood.” A New Law For others annoyed by vehicle noise there is hope yet, as a new law sitting on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk could limit loud engine noise.  Bill AB2496 has a deadline of Sept. 30 to be signed into law and would limit motorcycle noise output to 96 decibels. If signed, it would go into effect on Dec. 30. GoCar’s gas-powered vehicles are regulated as motorcycles according to the DMV.  Withrington said he was unsure if the law would affect his vehicles if passed. English %

Economy News And Stock Market Updates – The New York Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/economy-news-and-stock-market-updates-the-new-york-times/ Sept. 21 Sept. 22 Sept. 23 3,700 3,750 3,800 3,850 Markets around the world slid on Friday as investors continued to fret about inflation, recession and rapidly rising interest rates. The S&P 500 fell more than 2 percent, putting the index on track for a second consecutive weekly decline. It is also now negative for the quarter; if it persists through the end of the month, it would be the first time since 2008 that the index has had three straight quarters of losses. In a research note, analysts at Goldman Sachs sharply lowered their year-end forecast for the S&P 500 to a level that implies a 5 percent fall from current prices, where the analysts expect it to remain through the first half of next year. Inflation is more persistent than expected, the analysts wrote, and that led them to forecast that the Federal Reserve would raise rates higher than previously assumed, which is typically bad for stocks. But “the outlook is unusually murky,” they said. The 10-year Treasury yield, a benchmark for borrowing costs, rose slightly, extending an earlier increase after the Fed announced another supersize rate increase on Wednesday. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 fell by 2.3 percent, a drop that left it in a bear market, defined as a 20 percent decline from a peak. With Friday’s decline, the index is down just over 20 percent from its January high. Markets in Britain were particularly shaken by the details of new government policies on tax cuts and spending. Japan’s Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 closed with losses of about 0.6 percent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell around 1.2 percent. Reflecting worries about economic growth, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the U.S. benchmark, was down more than 5 percent, dropping below $80 a barrel for the first time since early January. The dollar, often a haven for investors during times of turmoil, gained 1 percent against a basket of currencies of major U.S. trading partners. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, fell 2 percent to around $18,600, near its lowest level of the year. Europe’s Stoxx 600 index ended the day in bear market territory, a bleak reflection of the state of the European economy. The benchmark index, which includes large companies from 17 European countries, like Britain’s Shell, Switzerland’s Nestlé and Germany’s Volkswagen, fell 2.3 percent on Friday, pushing the index down about 21 percent from its Jan. 5 peak. A fall of more than 20 percent from a high is the common definition of a bear market, a rare and grim signal for stock markets. The S&P 500 slipped into a bear market in June. The European Central Bank, the Bank of England and other central banks across Europe and elsewhere are aggressively raising interest rates to bring down high inflation, which cools economic activity in many countries that are already showing signs of recession. Surveys of corporate purchasing managers published on Friday darkened the mood of European investors. The polls implied another month of contraction in business activity in the eurozone, suggesting that “recession is inevitable,” Katharina Koenz, a senior economist at Oxford Economics, wrote in a report. “The decline was led by manufacturing, as the sector continues to suffer from sky-high energy costs, but the services sector also showed marked weakness.” Britain’s new government announced a sweeping series of tax cuts on Friday, betting it had found the path to economic growth despite high inflation. But the market verdict was swift and negative: The value of British stocks, bonds and the pound sank to new lows against the U.S. dollar, not seen since 1985. The plans will require large increases in government borrowing and have raised expectations that the Bank of England will need to raise interest rates even more aggressively to stop inflation. This will add even more to the cost of these tax cuts and previously announced spending plans to shield households and businesses from the soaring cost of energy. After the announcement by the new chancellor of Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, the FTSE 100, Britain’s benchmark stock index fell more than 2 percent. But the most eye-catching market moves were in British government bonds and the pound. Bond yields, a measure of borrowing costs, shot higher, which will make the interest the government pays on the new debt it issues much more expensive. The yield on benchmark 10-year government bonds climbed to the highest since 2011. And the yield on the five-year bond rose by more than half a percentage point, to 4.15 percent, a huge move in a market where daily changes are typically measured in hundredths of a point. “It’s fair to say that the gilt market hated today’s mini-budget,” Jim Leaviss, a bond investor at M&G Investments, said in emailed comments, referring to the market for British government bonds. “In what has already been a weak period for government bonds thanks to global inflation and central bank rate hikes, the U.K. has stood out as an underperformer,” he added. The pound also fell nearly 2 percent against the euro on Friday and dropped more than 3 percent against the U.S. dollar, to $1.09. The British currency has lost more than 18 percent against the dollar this year, falling to its lowest level since 1985. “Concerns over the U.K.’s fiscal position combined with its recessionary outlook and extremely high level of inflation leave the pound extremely vulnerable,” analysts at Rabobank wrote in a note. Mr. Kwarteng outlined the government’s plan in a statement to a packed Parliament, promising to accelerate economic growth with a combination of tax cuts and deregulation that echoed the 1980s under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. But the emphasis on lower taxes for companies and workers comes as the government prepares to spend £60 billion over the next six months to subsidize energy costs for households and businesses, the first phase of an expansive plan to freeze the cost of gas and electricity for consumers. “The markets react as they will,” Mr. Kwarteng said in the House of Commons on Friday. “But the growth plan will very soon show we are on the right course and we are steering us to a more prosperous future.” Investors had already appeared anxious about Britain’s fiscal state before the details of the new government’s plan were unveiled by Mr. Kwarteng. Britain’s budget and balance of imports and exports make the country dependent on what a previous central bank governor called “the kindness of strangers” to finance economic plans. “Sterling is in danger,” warned analysts at Deutsche Bank, who have been fretting for weeks about investors losing confidence in Britain and being unwilling to finance its current account deficit. “We worry that investor confidence in the U.K.’s external sustainability is being eroded fast. And the only thing that can prevent the pound from weakening is a very aggressive Bank of England hiking cycle.” Image Kwasi Kwarteng, the chancellor of the Exchequer, promised the dawn of a new age of lower taxation.Credit…Jessica Taylor/House Of Commons/Via Reuters Britain’s chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, introduced a long-awaited raft of new policies on Friday, including sweeping deregulation and a series of tax cuts. The plan was meant to hark back to Thatcher-era policies — but it comes at a fraught time for Britain’s public finances, reports the DealBook newsletter. Here are the takeaways: Tax cuts: In a surprise move, Mr. Kwarteng will scrap Britain’s top income tax rate of 45 percent, applied to those who earn more than 150,000 pounds, or about $169,000, a year and cut the basic rate for lower earners. He also said the government would abandon a planned rise in corporate taxes and another on national insurance contributions, and reduce a levy on home purchases. Deregulation: The government will remove a cap on banker bonuses, a move made possible by Brexit that is meant to bolster London’s competitiveness as a global financial center. It will also end a ban on fracking and will streamline construction planning laws. Mr. Kwarteng pitched the moves as a way to supercharge Britain’s economy, with a goal of getting back to 2.5 percent annual growth, a level not seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Since being elected as prime minister, Liz Truss has promised a return to the small-government, business-minded ethos of Margaret Thatcher, her political idol and a touchstone for the governing Conservative Party. The strategy is a high-wire fiscal act. Ms. Truss is already planning to subsidize soaring energy costs for consumers and businesses, which will draw on a wave of government borrowing. British government bonds fell sharply after Mr. Kwarteng’s announcement, as did stocks on the FTSE 100 index in London. The pound fell to a 37-year low of $1.10. George Saravelos, Deutsche Bank’s global head of foreign exchange research, warned in a client note this morning that “sterling is in danger” of falling further. Economists and investors have been worried about Britain’s dismal economic prospects, with climbing inflation and rising interest rates. An independent report this week said that the widely telegraphed budget proposals would put British public finances on an “unsustainable path.” There are political risks as well. Polls suggest that Britons favor higher taxes and more government spending on areas like health care and education. And ending caps on banker pay is deeply unpopular. Ms. Truss and Mr. Kwarteng are hoping to get traction on an economic recovery ahead of national elections in 2024. The U.S. benchmark oil price tumbled below $80 a barrel on Friday for the first time since January as traders grew increasingly worried that much of the world was headed into a recession or was already in one. The steady fall in prices from ove...

Why Are Women And Young Adults Living Without Health Insurance? – El Paso Inc. https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/why-are-women-and-young-adults-living-without-health-insurance-el-paso-inc/ Nadia Tahir Sep 23, 2022 1 hr ago 0 How are you feeling? A recent study found that women and young adults invest less in health insurance. More than one-third of young adults, ages 25-34 lack an active health insurance policy. What’s more, only about 60% of women period are protected by health insurance. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Wealth of Geeks Post a comment as anonymous Welcome to the discussion. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article. Sign up for our newsletters We’re always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what’s going on!

2022 NFL Week 3 Picks: Bengals And Texans Pick Up First Wins, Bills Blow Out Dolphins – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/2022-nfl-week-3-picks-bengals-and-texans-pick-up-first-wins-bills-blow-out-dolphins-cbs-sports/ Two weeks into the season we still don’t know anything. Well, I take that back — I know my record against the spread currently isn’t acceptable. We’re going to work on that starting in Week 3, which profiles as a real interesting opportunity for some road teams with short numbers, either as a favorite or as a tiny dog.  There’s also a host of teams who are currently winless, and the heat is going to start getting turned up very quickly for anyone who heads into Week 4 without a single victory to their name.  I think there’s a decent chance one or two of them end up picking up that first win, including both the Bengals and the Texans. Let’s get to the Week 3 picks.  All NFL odds are via Caesars Sportsbook NFL Week 3 Picks Steelers at Browns Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET Stream: Amazon Prime Follow: CBS Sports App Featured Game | Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers No clue how this game ends up going over the total of 38.5. Neither team is exceptionally explosive on offense and both defenses (despite missing key pass rushers) are fairly stout. More importantly, the wind looks like it’s going to be whipping mostly all night, upwards of 22mph for most of the evening. That should mean a lot of runs, very few passes and very few points. I’m not sure how much lower the total can get, but I’d back the Steelers getting points and the under in this spot of offensively challenged AFC North rivals.  The pick: Steelers 13, Browns 10 Props, Best Bets: Under 38.5 Bills at Dolphins Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (One month free trial) Featured Game | Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills TuAnon is flourishing after two weeks and buddy-oh-buddy is there potential for Dolphins fans to come out in full force with a home win against the Bills here. Miami could flagplant their interest in trying to steal the AFC East with a win here and Mike McDaniel’s COY odds would be roughly -150 with a win here. I’m inclined to back Buffalo but think the over will be a more popular play. The DFS ownership in this game will be outrageous after seeing the Bills offense and Miami’s comeback last week. This pick of mine is not fading Tua or Miami, it’s simply a bet on the Bills being by far and away the best team in football and people not catching up to it yet. The pick: Bills 35, Dolphins 17 Props, Best Bets: Pass Bengals at Jets Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (One month free trial)   Featured Game | New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals The Jets and Joe Flacco shocked the world in Week 2 with a once-in-several-decades comeback against the Browns. People are high on the Jets and low on the Browns. Nothing would be more delightful than seeing Cincy go down, if only to watch John Breech sweat on the Pick Six Podcast (our daily NFL show, subscribe rate and review!). But Joe Burrow going down to 0-3 feels like a bit too much given how lucky the Jets have been the last two weeks in terms of keeping things close. The Bengals OL isn’t great, but the Jets pass rush isn’t as dangerous as the Steelers and Cowboys. Weather forecast looks a little sloppy for the New York area, but there’s some sneaky over potential here if either team gets a lead and everyone has to start throwing downfield.  The Pick: Bengals 28, Jets 21 Bets: Bengals -5 Texans at Bears Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (One month free trial)   Featured Game | Chicago Bears vs. Houston Texans Super low total (40) and the line steaming towards the Bears. This isn’t an easy one. Some daring people will roll Chicago for survivor pools, but the Texans are too scary for me. They like to *hang around* and make things awkward. The Broncos could have easily lost in Week 2 and the Colts should have lost in Week 1. I have no interest in fading them against a team with a questionable roster, a very questionable offense all while facing a Lovie Smith Revenge Game.  The Pick: Texans 24, Bears 17 Bets: Pass Ravens at Patriots Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)   Featured Game | New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens Totally up in the air based on Lamar Jackson, who “vows” to play apparently. The total here feels suspiciously high to me. Patriots unders have been great and Lamar is hurt? Can’t touch it until we know what Lamar’s status actually is.  The Pick: Ravens 24, Patriots 21 Bets: Nope Chiefs at Colts Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (One month free trial)   Featured Game | Indianapolis Colts vs. Kansas City Chiefs The Colts have to be in full-blown desperation mode at this point. A Week 1 tie against the Texans followed by a shutout from the Jaguars? And now the Chiefs are coming to town. Michael Pittman is massive to this game — Indy needs someone to threaten down the field. The Chargers backdoored last weekend, but make no mistake the Chiefs are cooking on offense right now. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are basically involved in a Zoolander-style dance off with Tyreek Hill at this point. Indy is more desperate, but the Chiefs are too damn hot right now.  The Pick: Chiefs 31, Colts 18 Bets: Chiefs -5.5 Lions at Vikings Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)   Featured Game | Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions The Lions over is a bet this season until it doesn’t hit. This team simply refuses to die and thusly ends up in some kind of shootout every week. Imagine Dan Campbell yelling at you on the sideline — you don’t think about the scoreboard, you just feel like you shotgunned four Red Bulls in a row. Then you run on the field and pretend it’s a one-score game.  The Pick: Lions 35, Vikings 31 Bets: OVER, OVER, OVER  Raiders at Titans  Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)  Featured Game | Tennessee Titans vs. Las Vegas Raiders Two very prominent AFC playoff contenders have started off quite slow this season. Which is a worse way to get daggered — Kyler Murray runs 14 billion yards on fourth downs and two-point conversions to snatch a win … or … benching your QB midway through the third quarter of a MNF game because you simply got overpowered? The Raiders are a good team and I wouldn’t be surprised if they won this game or it just turned into a random shootout. But I’m backing the Titans on my “if you played the Bills you’re not as bad as you look” theory here.  The Pick: Titans 31, Raiders 28 Bets: Titans +2, Over 45.5 Saints at Panthers Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)   Featured Game | Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints This game is something else right here. The Panthers feel like a One Pot whose timer went off an hour ago or so. The pressure is there big time on Matt Rhule. That being said, that defense is better than you think and the Saints offense might not be able to manufacture a ton on the road here.  The Pick: Panthers 18, Saints 15 Bets: Nope Eagles at Los WFTs Sunday, 1 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)    Featured Game | Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles Hefty spread for a nasty NFC East rivalry. Such is the respect Vegas is giving the Eagles after two impressive performances this season. Jalen Hurts was flashing breakout passing skills last week and has really good vision for running the ball. He avoids contact when he has to, but has a cagey-veteran quality to his moves near the goal line. Carson Wentz has flashed his upside the first two weeks of the season. If Darius Slay trails Terry McLaurin, this could be a monster game for Jahan Dotson (again). This could be a potential shootout, honestly.  The Pick: Eagles 31, WFT 24 Bets: Over Jaguars at Chargers Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (One month free trial)   Featured Game | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars are the perfect opponent for a Chargers home game. There won’t be aggressive, in-stadium opponent noise. Jacksonville notoriously struggles on the West Coast. Justin Herbert‘s game status is a big concern — there’s a touch too much optimistic smoke coming out of Los Angeles. I wouldn’t want to bet the Chargers without knowing for certain Herbert was going to play this week. It’s looking better for him to go as of Thursday with Herbert practicing but I wouldn’t want to bet this game until I saw Herbert off the injury report or officially active.  The Pick: Jaguars 24, Chargers 21 Falcons at Seahawks Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)   Featured Game | Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons Not the biggest headliner for the afternoon slate, although it’s a massive game for both these teams as far as their respective seasons go. If the Seahawks have legitimate hopes of making the playoffs this is a “must-win game.” The Falcons, meanwhile, want to pick up their first win of the season. I’m going to (perhaps foolishly) hope Seattle comes out a little more aggressive a la Week 1 and finds a way to pick up this win. I can’t foresee a ton of points here.  The Pick: Seahawks 10, Falcons 9 Bets: Nope Packers at Buccaneers Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (click here)   Featured Game | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers course corrected nicely in Week 2, very similarly to last season, something he noted after the game. Tom Brady is going to be missing virtually his entire receiving corps. This total — 42 — is outrageously low for a Rodgers/Brady matchup, but the under is probably a pretty decent look. I lean to the Packers as well, particularly with Akiem Hicks out of the lineup, as they’ll be able to run more effectively than most opponents against the Bucs.  The Pick: Packers 17, Bucs 14 Bets: Pass Rams at Cardinals Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET TV: FOX | Strea...

Nedbank Secures Footing In African Metaverse – The Fintech Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/nedbank-secures-footing-in-african-metaverse-the-fintech-times/ One of the most prominent financial services groups in Africa is to become the continent’s first financial services organisations to enter the metaverse.  Nedbank has secured a 12 by 12 space in Ubuntuland, a space in the metaverse designated to showcase African creativity, which it will utilise to establish its own ‘village’. The early settlers in Ubuntuland include MTN, World Data Lab and M&C Saatchi Abel. To make this leap, the group has partnered with Africarare, the continent’s first metaverse, with which it will collaborate to guide its metaverse transition. “We are thrilled to welcome Nedbank into Ubuntuland and look forward to creating positive change with them” said Mic Mann, co-founder and CEO of Africarare. “By entering the metaverse, this organisation will pave the way for new solutions for Africa and play a role in the future of banking in this exciting world,” he added. The Nedbank village will focus on customer value and services and is expected to contain numerous experiences, including virtual gaming and a sports lounge. Nedbank joins global players such as DBS Bank, HSBC, Fidelity Investment and JP Morgan who have partnered with metaverses globally. Confirming the Group’s intention to delve into experiences beyond the scope of traditional banking, its group executive for marketing and corporate affairs, Khensani Nobanda, comments that its entry into the metaverse isn’t just about having its foot in the door, “it’s about meeting the needs of our clients on platforms that resonate with them while offering an array of touchpoints that continue to demonstrate our commitment to lead in digital.” Fred Swanepoel, chief information officer, Nedbank Adding to these comments, Fred Swanepoel, the Group’s chief information officer, affirms that the Group wants “to remain at the forefront of the technologies that will enable the next wave of digital business models.” To achieve this, Swanepoel confirms that the Group is actively investing in web 3.0 and open source technologies on which the metaverse is built. “It’s important for us as Nedbank to continue leading and advancing our digitisation journeys which have already yielded excellent results for the Group, and enable Nedbank to engage in the future digital market places, where we believe we will need to meet and serve our clients,” he continues. Tyler Pathe Tyler is a fintech journalist with specific interests in online banking and emerging AI technologies. He began his career writing with a plethora of national and international publications.

PLAYFIT CHAMP2 Smartwatch Launched At INR 1,799, Comes With A 5-Day Battery Life – Times Now https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/playfit-champ2-smartwatch-launched-at-inr-1799-comes-with-a-5-day-battery-life-times-now/ PLAY has launched its latest smartwatch, PLAYFIT CHAMP2. Designed and manufactured in India by keeping the demands, expectations, and feedback of domestic customers in mind. Consumers can purchase it at just INR 1799 from PLAY’s official website https://theworldofplay.com/ and also available on Amazon. Vikas Jain— Co- founder of PLAY, said, “At PLAY, we always strive to offer our customers technologically superior products at highly competitive prices so they can avail of avant-garde gadgets without burning holes in their pockets. This is a smartwatch that is specially built for you. It understands your requirements and will function as a companion you never knew you needed.” Here’s a brief description of the various features the PLAYFIT CHAMP2 smartwatch: Available in four premium colours: Black, Indigo Blue, Rose Gold and Cool Grey, the PLAYFIT CHAMP 2 smartwatch comes with a wide array of specifications and features tailored to address the needs and requirements of Indian consumers. The device boasts a 1.69″ full-touch advanced toughened glass display. Made with stainless steel and a silicon strap, this smartwatch can up your fashion game effortlessly. PLAYFIT CHAMP2 offers a battery life of up to five days in one single charge. Its battery capacity is 230 mAH and provides a standby time on a single charge for up to 30 days. The watch offers heartrate to blood oxygen monitoring and counting calories, it can detect physical activities such as Walking, Running, Cycling, Skipping, Football, Badminton and Basketball. It functions as a user’s personal monitoring assistant that keeps track of their health and fitness goals constantly, from notifying wearers to drink water on time to a specially designed female health tracker. Furthermore, it also allows users to receive notifications alerts for incoming calls, text messages and emails, making their life easier. The PLAYFIT CHAMP2 is IP68 dust and water-resistant certified, meaning users can take it for swimming or robust Zumba classes without worrying about anything. Just download the PLAYFIT application on your smartphone, sync PLAYFIT CHAMP2 with it and access your health and fitness progress report anytime, anywhere.

Best Crypto Exchanges In The UK Reviewed – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/best-crypto-exchanges-in-the-uk-reviewed-cryptonews/ Disclaimer: The Industry Talk section features insights by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of Cryptonews.com. Crypto exchanges enable UK investors to buy and sell digital currencies like Bitcoin and BNB.  The best crypto exchanges in this space are regulated and offer competitive trading fees across a wide number of markets.  In this comparison guide, we review the best crypto exchanges in the UK in the market right now.  The 12 Best Crypto Exchanges in the UK for 2022  The overall best crypto exchanges in the UK for 2022 can be found in the list below: eToro – Overall Best Crypto in the UK with Copy Trading Features Crypto.com – Trade 250+Crypto Assets at 0.4% Commission Binance – Low-Fee Exchange Offering 600+Coins Coinbase – Popular Crypto Exchange for Beginners   Bitstamp – Zero Trading Fees and Monthly Volumes of Under $1,000 Huobi – Top Crypto Exchange for Technical Traders  Kraken – Gain Exposure to 185+Crypto Markets   Gemini – Solid Crypto Exchange for Serious Traders   CEX – UK-Based Crypto Exchange Operational Since 2013 Kucoin – Top Altcoin Exchange With More Than 700 Supported Coins Luno – User-Friendly Crypto App that Stores Cryptos Offline in Cold Storage  Gate.io – More Than 1,400 Crypto Assets Supported  Our comprehensive reviews in the sections below will enable traders to make an informed decision to select the best crypto exchange in the UK.  The Top 12 UK Bitcoin Exchanges Reviewed  Many UK crypto trading platforms in the online space still operate without regulatory approval.  Therefore, in choosing the best crypto exchange in the UK, investors should make it a priority to assess the safety of their funds.  Additionally, UK investors should explore which crypto markets the exchange supported and what fees it charges.  Below, we cover these important metrics and more through comprehensive UK crypto exchange reviews.  1. eToro – Overall Best Crypto Exchange UK eToro is a clear winner in terms of the overall best crypto exchange in the UK. This exchange is heavily regulated, so safety is assured. Licensing comes from the FCA, in addition to regulators in the US, Cyprus, and Australia. Over 27 million clients now trust eToro to find the best cryptos to buy in 2022. Those in the market for crypto specifically will find 78 coins hosted on the eToro website. The most traded crypto assets at eToro include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, BNB, and Cardano. Others include Shiba Inu, Dogecoin, Solana, Decentraland, and the Sandbox. The minimum crypto trade on eToro is just $10 for UK investors, or about £8.  Traders will pay a competitive commission of 1% per slide when trading crypto at eToro. This means that users can buy Bitcoin in the UK and pay a crypto fee of 1% plus the market spread. This amounts to just £1 for every £100 worth of crypto bought or sold. Getting money into eToro is cost-effective too, with the exchange charging just 0.5% on GBP deposits in the form of debit/credit cards, e-wallets, or bank account transfers.  The minimum deposit for UK traders is just $10 across all supported payment types. Another option to consider when buying crypto at eToro is to invest in a Smart Portfolio. This offers access to dozens of crypto assets through a single investment and the Smart Portfolio is professionally managed by eToro.  This means that investors in the UK can buy and sell crypto passively, as the Smart Portfolio will be re-weighted and re-balanced regularly. The minimum Smart Portfolio investment at eToro is $500, or about £400. Another option is the eToro Copy Trading feature. Instead of investing in a diversified portfolio, Copy Trading enables users to allocate capital to another trader.  For example, by investing capital into an experienced crypto trader, any buy or sell positions that they entered on eToro will be copied over to the user’s portfolio. The minimum investment per trade when opting for the Copy Trading tool is $200, or about £160. In addition to crypto assets, eToro also supports traditional financial markets.  This includes thousands of stocks and ETFs from the UK and international markets, with the latter including the US, Hong Kong, Canada, France, and more. All stocks and ETFs at eToro are commission-free. It is also possible to trade stocks at eToro via CFDs with leverage of up to 1:5. eToro also offers CFD markets on forex, commodities, and indices.  Other eToro features include a fully-fledged demo account with $100k in paper funds, alongside a user-friendly mobile app. There are also tools to perform analysis, such as technical indicators and pricing charts. To get started with eToro, UK investors can create an account in under five minutes.  Number of coins 78 Minimum deposit $10 (about £8) Debit card fee 0.50% Crypto trading fee 1% Top features FCA regulated, low fees, Copy Trading, diversified Smart Portfolios, user-friendly platform Proprietary wallet Yes Pros Authorized and regulated by the FCA 27+million clients 1% crypto trading fee 0.5% debit/credit card fee 78+other cryptocurrencies to buy Also supports 0% commission stocks and ETFs Copy trading feature  User-friendly web and mobile trading platform Cons  Better suited for those seeking custodial storage  $5 (about £4) withdrawal fee Visit eToro Now Crypto assets are highly volatile investment products. Your capital is at risk.  2. Crypto.com – Trade 250+Crypto Assets at 0.4% Commission Crypto.com is one of the best crypto exchanges in the UK for diversification purposes as well as gaining exposure to new cryptos. After opening an account with this provider – which typically takes 5-10 minutes, UK investors will then have access to more than 250 coins. Not only that, but Crypto.com offers competitive trading fees. For example, the highest rate that UK investors will pay to trade is just 0.075% per slide.  This means that buying £100 worth of crypto would attract a commission of just 7.5p. This means that Crypto.com is now cheaper than Binance, which historically was regarded as the best Bitcoin exchange in the UK for low commissions. Moreover, the Crypto.com maker-taker pricing model means that those trading larger volumes will be offered even lower fees.  Lower fees are also possible when staking CRO tokens, which is the native digital currency of the Crypto.com ecosystem. To get money into a newly created Crypto.com account, UK investors can transfer funds from a bank account without paying any deposit fees. Those in a rush might consider using a debit/credit card – which is processed by Crypto.com instantly.  However, this will attract a fee of 2.99% of the transaction amount. Furthermore, do note that GBP deposits can only be made via the Crypto.com app. Once the account is funded, investors can then buy and sell coins via the Crypto.com web trading interface, which comes packed with tools and features.  It is also possible to generate a yield on idle coins through the Crypto.com Earn platform. For example, by depositing crypto on a 3-month term, investors can earn up to 14.5%. Shorter-term investors might opt for a flexible account which, although yielding a lower interest rate, offers instant withdrawals. Crypto.com also offers loans, NFTs, and a DeFi wallet.       Number of coins 250+ Minimum deposit $20 (about £16) Debit card fee 2.99% Crypto trading fee 0.075% Top features Free UK bank transfer deposits, 250+supported coins, crypto interest accounts Proprietary wallet Yes Pros Lowest crypto trading fees in the industry  More than 250 cryptocurrencies supported User-friendly mobile app for iOS and Android DeFi services including interest accounts and loans Cons  Debit/credit cards attract a fee of 2.99% Purchases made with GBP are only available on the app Visit Crypto.com Now 3. Binance – Low-Fee Exchange Offering 600+Coins As noted above, Binance was for a long time the cheapest crypto exchange in the UK, with commissions starting at just 0.1% per slide. Although Crypto.com is slightly more competitive, Binance is still hugely competitive. After all, at a commission of 0.10%, this amounts to a fee of just 10p for every £100 worth of crypto traded.  Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, Binance offers a 25% fee reduction for those holding BNB. This is the native coin of the Binance ecosystem. Moreover, depositing funds into a Binance account via a UK bank transfer will attract a fee of just £1. Debit and credit card payments are supported too but this will cost 1.8% in transaction fees.  In addition to offering competitive fees, Binance is perhaps the best crypto exchange in the UK for supported markets. It offers access to more than 600 coins across a wide variety of projects. Moreover, this extends to more than 1,000 tradable markets. There is also a conversion facility that enables traders to swap coins at the click of a button.  However, the more cost-effective way of trading coins is to use the Binance exchange. This will see UK investors trading with other market participants through a highly sophisticated platform that comes packed with analysis tools and features. Binance also offers a decentralized wallet called Trust, which comes in the form of a mobile app.      Number of coins 600+ Minimum deposit £15 when using a debit card Debit card fee 0.018 Crypto trading fee 0.001 Top features 600+coins and 1,000+markets, 0.1% commission, largest exchange for trading volume Proprietary wallet Yes Pros Trading commission of just 0.1% Minimum debit card purchase of £15 Supports more than 600 coins Huge liquidity levels  Cons  Debit/credit cards attract a fee of 1.8% Not regulated by the FCA Faster payments option is often suspended Visit Binance Now 4. Coinbase – Popular Crypto Exchange for Beginners  Coin...

Analysis | US Megabanks Are Being Asked The Wrong Questions – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/analysis-us-megabanks-are-being-asked-the-wrong-questions-the-washington-post/ US regulators and some politicians seem to be missing the real story in American banking. Blocking mergers and higher capital charges were the key financial questions fired at the chief executive officers of seven US megabanks by Congressional committees this week — when financial issues got a hearing amid the more nakedly political grilling anyway.  But what’s going to be far more important for the future shape of the banking industry is technology. The biggest banks, with the greatest profits, are already investing vastly more in faster, cheaper, easier-to-use digital apps than smaller banks can afford. Technology is helping big banks gain market share and is more likely to drive consolidation in the years ahead than regional bank mergers.On the Republican side, one concern for the future was that the Federal Reserve’s new vice-chair for supervision, Michael Barr, will hike capital demands as he aligns US rules with global standards. Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO, and Citigroup Inc.’s Jane Fraser — smarting from recent increases in capital requirements — put a marker down ahead of the hearings, saying the growing demands would hurt lending to the US economy. The CEOs repeated the message before the committees. JPMorgan has said it is holding back loan growth while it builds more capital, although the bank hasn’t said what types of loans or quantified the impact.But capital fears are a red herring. The Fed, like European regulators before it, will likely aim to have a neutral effect on large banks’ capital needs after any changes to the rules, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Barr could have a more chilling effect on regional bank mergers, where he’s pledged to protect competition and is considering new guidance on what deals will be allowed. With nearly 5,000 banks, the US financial sector is highly fragmented compared with many other countries. That sounds like a lot of competition, but it isn’t when so many are too small to compete in a world where the fixed costs of regulation and reporting are high, and where technology is racing away from those who can’t afford to spend billions each year. As an example, JPMorgan’s investment budget for technology and growth in consumer and small business banking this year is $7.5 billion. That’s greater than the 2021 revenue of all but nine banks in the S&P 500. Of that investment, $2.8 billion is purely for technology, which is roughly the same as the revenue at three S&P 500 banks: Signature Bank, Comerica Inc, and Zions Bancorp NA.Brian Moynihan, Bank of America Corp’s CEO, told the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday that Truist Financial Corp was a stronger competitor now than either of the banks that merged to form it three years ago had been individually. Like JPMorgan, Bank of America is a big investor in digital technology and both have been winning a disproportionate share of the growth in deposits as a result, according to Mike Mayo, an analyst at Wells Fargo. Both banks have about $1 trillion in consumer deposits, and JPMorgan grew its market share nationally from 8.9% to 10.3% between 2017 and 2021. Its share is greater and has grown by more in the US states it has operated in longest. And Dimon has said there’s no reason why it can’t get to 20% of the US market some day. Both banks also have a high and growing share of customers that join them digitally rather than through a branch.Mayo estimates that the two banks have increased total deposits over the past two years by an amount that is equivalent to the total deposit base of the sixth biggest US bank. The proposed new law to limit regional bank deals “may as well be called the Protect Jamie Dimon Act,” Mayo said. Banking is increasingly a scale game where the biggest players are most able to absorb high fixed costs and generate the best returns. Advantage begets advantage as profits can be plowed back into making services cheaper and continuing to build smarter technology that customers want to use. In areas like trading stocks and bonds, the biggest US banks have already raced ahead of weaker European rivals. The same dynamic is coming to corporate and consumer banking – maybe not to quite the same levels of industry concentration, but you better believe that JPMorgan and Bank of America, for example, are going to be much bigger tomorrow than today. If politicians and regulators want to worry about market power and financial stability, they shouldn’t be blocking mergers or even worrying that much about capital levels – they should be thinking about the power of technology.More from Bloomberg Opinion: Sorry, Bankers, You’ll Never Have an Easy Life: Paul J. Davies Real Stress Hurts Bank Buybacks More Than a Test: Paul J. DaviesApple, JPMorgan Turn to Pay Now Grow Later: Paul J. Davies Want more Bloomberg Opinion? Click here.   This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Paul J. Davies is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering banking and finance. Previously, he was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion ©2022 Bloomberg L.P.

The Growth Plan 2022 – Business Weekly https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-growth-plan-2022-business-weekly/ The Chancellor has today delivered his first fiscal event to Parliament and in around 30 minutes made more tax cuts for both business and individuals than we can recall previously, writes Ivan Woolgrove, Tax Director at Ensors Chartered Accountants. It is said the reason for these changes is to stimulate economic growth. In summary the main points are as follows. Scrapping the planned increase in corporation tax to 25 per cent from April 2023; companies will instead continue to pay tax at the existing 19 per cent rate.There will be some adjustments made to the Super Deduction provisions. Similarly, the increases in the Bank Corporation Tax Surcharge and the rate of Diverted Profits Tax will be cancelled. The Annual Investment Allowance will permanently remain at its existing level of £1,000,000. From April 2023 there will be improvements in both Company Share Option Plan and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme limits. The off-payroll working reforms introduced in 2017 and 2021 will be repealed from 6 April 2023.  Announced yesterday was the reversal from November 2022 of the increase in National Insurance contributions of 1.25 per cent together with the scrapping of the Health & Social care levy. Discussions with 38 Local Authorities, including Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, are being held to establish investment zones benefiting from lower taxes, accelerated development and wider support for growth.  Proposed tax benefits include full stamp duty land tax relief on land for commercial and residential development, zero employer National Insurance contributions on new employee earnings up to £50,270 per year, 100 per cent first year enhanced capital allowances for plant and machinery and accelerated Enhanced Structures and Buildings Allowances of 20 per cent per year.  From April 2023 the basic rate of income tax is being cut to 19 per cent and the current top rate of income tax of 45 per cent is being abolished, so from April 2023 the highest rate of income tax in the UK will be 40 per cent. To support retail and tourism a VAT free shopping scheme will be introduced for non-UK visitors to Great Britain. From today the threshold above which Stamp Duty Land Tax must be paid will be increased to £250,000 and there will be additional support for first time buyers. For this and other financial information, check out the Ensors website: www.ensors.co.uk

Payton Brust Leads Central Golfers, Places Fourth At Watertown Invite – AberdeenNews.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/payton-brust-leads-central-golfers-places-fourth-at-watertown-invite-aberdeennews-com/ American News  |  USA TODAY Network Pierre won the 13-team Watertown Invitational boys golf meet Tuesday at Cattail Crossing Golf Course. The Governors finished with a team score of 298. Aberdeen Central was sixth with a 325, and Aberdeen Roncalli took ninth with a team score of 337. Jake Olson of Watertown was the medalist, shooting a three-under-par 69. Central’s top golfer was Peyton Brust, who finished fourth with a 74. Roncalli’s top finisher was Sawyer Henrich. He carded an 83, good for 30th place. The meet included eight of the nine schools that are slated to compete Saturday in the Eastern South Dakota Conference tournament at the Hillsview Golf Course in Pierre. Roncalli, Sioux Valley and Milbank each play in the Region 1A tourney Monday at Moccasin Creek Country Club in Aberdeen. High school volleyball Thursday Aberdeen Christian def. North Central Co-Op, 25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22 Aberdeen Roncalli def. Sisseton, 25-12, 26-24, 25-16 Andes Central/Dakota Christian def. Freeman Academy/Marion, 25-19, 25-18, 24-26, 27-25 Arlington def. Dell Rapids St. Mary, 25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20 Avon def. Colome, 25-14, 25-22, 19-25, 25-21 Baltic def. Parker, 25-9, 25-13, 25-14 Canistota def. Bridgewater-Emery, 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 Chester def. Garretson, 25-23, 26-28, 25-21, 25-21 Clark/Willow Lake def. Deuel, 25-17, 19-25, 25-20, 25-18 Dell Rapids def. Flandreau, 25-19, 25-9, 25-17 Deubrook def. Estelline/Hendricks, 25-22, 16-25, 25-16, 25-22 Elk Point-Jefferson def. Alcester-Hudson, 25-13, 25-16, 25-19 Elkton-Lake Benton def. Colman-Egan, 3-1 Ellendale, N.D. def. Leola/Frederick, 25-16, 25-14, 25-16 Faith def. New Underwood, 25-19, 25-22, 25-15 Freeman def. Menno, 25-13, 25-17, 25-21 Great Plains Lutheran def. Waverly-South Shore, 25-14, 25-9, 25-18 Groton Area def. Tiospa Zina Tribal, 26-24, 25-17, 25-10 Hamlin def. Webster, 25-8, 25-14, 25-11 Hanson def. Irene-Wakonda, 25-19, 25-16, 19-25, 25-22 Hill City def. Newell, 25-20, 25-15, 22-25, 25-23 Huron def. Brookings, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 Ipswich def. Langford, 25-10, 25-14, 25-16 Iroquois/ Lake Preston Co-op def. Highmore-Harrold, 28-26, 25-21, 25-16 Jones County def. Todd County, 25-11, 25-7, 25-9 Madison def. Tri-Valley, 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 25-16 McCook Central/Montrose def. Parkston, 25-13, 25-17, 25-18 Northwestern def. Waubay/Summit, 25-4, 25-4, 25-12 Oldham-Ramona/Rutland def. Sioux Falls Lutheran, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 16-25, 15-10 Potter County def. Stanley County, 25-21, 25-23, 17-25, 25-13 Rapid City Christian def. St. Thomas More, 25-13, 25-19, 25-22 Rapid City Stevens def. Rapid City Central, 25-13, 25-12, 25-13 Redfield def. Milbank, 17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 23-25, 15-10 Scotland def. Marty Indian, 25-3, 25-20, 25-13 Sioux Falls Christian def. Dakota Valley, 25-15, 25-18, 25-21 Sioux Falls Jefferson def. Brandon Valley, 20-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-22 Sioux Falls Lincoln def. Harrisburg, 25-13, 28-26, 25-22 St. Francis Indian def. Little Wound, 25-9, 21-25, 26-24, 25-22 Sully Buttes def. Sunshine Bible Academy, 25-12, 25-10, 25-14 Tri-State, N.D. def. Wilmot, 25-13, 25-18, 25-11 Viborg-Hurley def. Centerville, 25-11, 25-4, 25-11 Wagner def. Kimball/White Lake, 25-14, 25-12, 25-13 Wall def. White River, 17-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-22 Watertown def. Mitchell, 25-19, 22-25, 26-24, 25-17 West Central def. Lennox, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 25-19 Wolsey-Wessington def. James Valley Christian, 25-12, 25-17, 25-12 Bon Homme def. Chamberlain, 25-20, 25-15, 25-8 Burke def. Bon Homme, 18-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-19 Burke def. Chamberlain, 25-5, 25-4, 25-15 Tuesday Aberdeen Christian def. Waubay/Summit 25-16, 14-25, 25-20, 25-23 Castlewood def. Great Plains Lutheran, 25-23, 25-17, 25-4 Sioux Valley def. Milbank, 25-18, 25-14, 25-20 Webster def. Wilmot, 25-9, 25-18, 25-20 Northwestern def. Leola/Frederick, 25-5, 25-5 and 25-10 Britton-Hecla def. Waverly/South Shore, 25-15, 25-10, 25-19  Miller def. Redfield,  25-23, 25-21, 25-17 Canton def. Tri-Valley, 25-16, 25-12, 21-25, 25-14 Chester def. Parker, 25-9, 25-4, 25-12 Colman-Egan def. Canistota, 25-21, 25-14, 25-7 Dakota Valley def. West Central, 25-8, 25-6, 25-10 Douglas def. Red Cloud, 25-10, 25-8, 25-22 Edgemont def. Crawford, Neb., 25-19, 25-16, 25-9 Elk Point-Jefferson def. Beresford, 25-22, 25-23, 25-12 Faulkton def. Highmore-Harrold, 25-14, 25-16, 25-14 Freeman def. Scotland, 25-13, 25-12, 25-17 Garretson def. Dell Rapids, 25-23, 25-16, 25-19 Gregory def. Todd County, 25-14, 25-8, 25-13 Heart River, N.D. def. Harding County, 25-19, 25-16, 24-26, 25-13 Hill City def. Lead-Deadwood, 25-13, 25-17, 25-17 Hitchcock/Tulare def. Lake Preston, 25-21, 18-25, 20-25, 25-18, 15-13 Hot Springs def. St. Thomas More, 25-23, 25-13, 24-26, 25-14 Howard def. Dell Rapids St. Mary, 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 27-25Huron def. Aberdeen Central, 25-22, 25-20, 25-22 Kimball/White Lake def. Corsica/Stickney, 16-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-21 Lower Brule def. Sunshine Bible Academy, 25-17, 25-17, 24-26, 25-21 McCook Central/Montrose def. Flandreau, 20-25, 25-13, 25-10, 25-20 Mitchell def. Brookings, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21, 15-11 Mobridge-Pollock def. Lemmon, 24-26, 25-10, 25-9, 25-7 Mount Vernon/Plankinton def. Lennox, 25-23, 26-24, 25-16 Parkston def. Winner, 25-12, 25-12, 22-25, 25-18 Philip def. White River, 28-26, 25-23, 25-15 Platte-Geddes def. Burke, 25-22, 16-25, 25-9, 26-24 Potter County def. Ipswich, 18-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-19 Rapid City Christian def. Belle Fourche, 27-25, 25-20, 25-14 Sioux Falls Lincoln def. Yankton, 25-16, 25-11, 25-16 Sioux Falls Lutheran def. Centerville, 25-12, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21 Sioux Falls O’Gorman def. Sioux Falls Jefferson, 25-16, 25-9, 23-25, 25-20 Sioux Falls Roosevelt def. Brandon Valley, 25-19, 25-23, 25-22 Sioux Falls Washington def. Harrisburg, 25-15, 22-25, 25-14, 23-25, 15-12 Spearfish def. Sturgis Brown, 25-19, 25-9, 25-19 Timber Lake def. McLaughlin, 25-18, 25-15, 25-9 Tripp-Delmont/Armour def. Andes Central/Dakota Christian, 25-20, 25-15, 25-16 Viborg-Hurley def. Menno, 25-19, 25-13, 23-25, 25-21 Wall def. Lyman, 20-25, 26-24, 19-25, 25-13, 16-14 Warner def. Groton Area, 25-10, 25-15, 25-10 Wolsey-Wessington def. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, 25-17, 25-10, 25-8 Hanson def. Bridgewater-Emery, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15-2 Wagner def. Bon Homme, 25-20, 25-14, 25-11  Florence/Henry def. Sisseton 25-20, 25-7, 25-11 Deubrook Area def. Deuel 25-10, 25-9, 25-11  Madison def. Arlington, 25-16, 25-18, 25-20 De Smet def. James Valley Christian, 25-21, 25-18 and 26-24 Oakes (N.D.) def. Ellendale (N.D.), 21-25, 25-16, 20-25, 27-25, 15-12 Monday Aberdeen Roncalli def. Aberdeen Christian, 25-10, 25-7, 25-9 Colome def. St. Francis Indian, 25-16, 25-15, 19-25, 26-24 Ethan def. Sioux Falls Lutheran 25-12, 22-25, 26-24, 12-25, 15-7 Little Wound def. Oelrichs, 25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 25-12 McCook Central-Montrose def. Mount Vernon-Plankinton 17-25, 25-18, 25-14, 25-13 Tripp-Delmont/Armour def. Wessington Springs 25-14, 27-25, 23-25, 25-16 Hamlin def. Estelline-Hendricks, 21-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-17 16-14 High school soccer Tuesday Girls Aberdeen Central 7, Watertown 0 Boys Aberdeen Central 1, Watertown 0 High school cross-country Wednesday Lakeside Invitational in Faulkton Boys team scores: Miller 17, Northwestern 19, Frederick Area 26, Aberdeen Roncalli 59, Faulkton 65, Highmore-Harrold 67, James Valley Christian 88, Potter County 92, Stanley County 96, Kimball/White Lake 103, Herreid/Selby Area 118, Timber Lake 121, Hitchcock-Tulare 126, Sunshine Bible Academy 153 Top five boys finishers (5K): 1. Pierce Baumberger, Miller, 17:38.96; 2. Alex Schumacher, Miller, 18:08.78; 3. Nicholas Schlachter, Potter County, 18:19.96; 4. Lincoln Woodring, Northwestern, 18:21.52 ; 5. Nathan Melius, Northwestern, 18:38.21. Girls team scores: Potter County 14, Kimball/White Lake 25, Frederick Area 28, James Valley Christian 30, Stanley County 46, Warner 57, Miller 67, North Central 73 Top five girls finishers (5K): 1. Ella Boekelheide, Northwestern, 20:17.05; 2. Dannika Kaup, Potter County, 20:49.59; 3. Autumn Baker, Kimball/White Lake, 21:04.90; 4. Autumn Fallis, Highmore-Harrold, 21:14.93; 5. Morgan Sumption, Frederick, 21:22.65. Russ Strand Invitational in Brookings Girls team scores: Brandon Valley 30, Harrisburg 50, Mankato West (Minn.) 101, Watertown 104, Aberdeen Central 116, Brookings 156, Tea 166, Huron 185 Top five girls finishers (5K): 1. Addison Scholten, Brandon Valley, 18:28.94; 2. Addison Reilly, Harrisburg, 19:13.64; 3. Landree Quint, Mankato West, 19:20.77; 4. Shelby Bergan, Brandon Valley, 19:24.40; 5. Sarah VanDeBerg, Brandon Valley, 19:27.19. Boys team scores: Brandon Valley 37, Aberdeen Central 57, Harrisburg 63, Brookings 120, Huron 128, Watertown 134, Tea 182 Top five boys finishers (5K): Cashton Johnson, Harrisburg, 16:02.61; 2. Mikah Peters, Brandon Valley, 16:40.88; 3. Tino Lopez, Aberdeen Central, 17:01.29; 4. Tyler Groen, Brandon Valley, 17:02.28; 5. Christian Wells, Aberdeen Central, 17:02.97. Clark Invitational Girls team scores: Clark/Willow Lake 15, Flandreau 18, Madison 25, Aberdeen Christian 28, Florence/Henry 57, Webster Area 65 Top five girls finishers (5K): Faith Wiese, Flandreau, 19:29.24; 2. Madison Zirbel, Waubay/Summit, 19:39.15; 3. Kamryn Nesheim, Clark/Willow Lake, 20:37.21; 4. Kiley Westberry, Flandreau, 21:15.59; 5. Jessie Tappe, Madison, 21:17.87. Boys team scores: Flandreau 13, Madison 21, Tri-State 32, Clark/Willow Lake 34, Webster Area 45, Tiospa Zina 62, Florence/Henry 78 Top five boys finishers (5K): Kaleb Foltz, Tri-State, 16:30.82, 2. Dylan Gerdes, Madison, 17:26.28; 3. Tanner Reed, Flandreau, 18:00.59; 4. Lurick Dailey, Flandreau, 18:00.95; 5. Cooper Pommer, C...