Balance Screening Held For Maine Seniors NewsCenterMaine.com WCSH-WLBZ
Balance Screening Held For Maine Seniors – NewsCenterMaine.com WCSH-WLBZ https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/balance-screening-held-for-maine-seniors-newscentermaine-com-wcsh-wlbz/
The free drop-in event was held to recognize September as Falls Prevention Awareness Month.
HALLOWELL, Maine — One in four adults over the age of 65 experiences a fall each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To raise awareness of that fact within the Maine senior community, Healthy Living for ME provided two balance screenings in Hallowell and Waterville.
The free drop-in event was held to recognize September as Falls Prevention Awareness Month.
The screenings provided participants with much-needed information on their balance, showing them if they are at high risk of a fall and what they can do about it.
Organizers said Maine’s weather can make it a difficult place to live for those at risk of falling, so it’s all about being prepared.
“It’s about understanding and making those small changes. Whether that is wearing cleats or understanding what they need to do. Maybe it’s going out with a buddy.” Jennifer Fortin of Healthy Living for ME said.
Fortin added that the best way for seniors at home to prevent falls is to stay active and engaged with their healthcare provider.
”If there is something I can do, and if I can remember to do it repeatedly, then it might help me.” Jack Schrader, one of the screening participants, said.
More NEWS CENTER Maine stories
West Virginia Vs. Virginia Tech: Live Stream Watch Online TV Channel Prediction Pick Spread Odds CBS Sports
West Virginia Vs. Virginia Tech: Live Stream, Watch Online, TV Channel, Prediction, Pick, Spread, Odds – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/west-virginia-vs-virginia-tech-live-stream-watch-online-tv-channel-prediction-pick-spread-odds-cbs-sports/
Virginia Tech and West Virginia will renew their regional and one-time conference rivalry when they battle Thursday night for the Black Diamond Trophy on a national stage in Blacksburg, Virginia. The two schools played every year from 1975 until 2005, including a run from 1991-2003 as members of the Big East. With the Mountaineers now in the Big 12 and the Hokies in the ACC, it’s taken some effort to keep this fierce rivalry going in the modern era.
Thursday night’s matchup is the second leg of a home-and-home agreement that already provided thrills with West Virginia beating Virginia Tech 27-21 in Morgantown last season, increasing the Mountaineers’ all-time series lead to 29-23-1. Though a lot has changed since that game, most notably a coaching change for the Hokies and new starting quarterbacks for both teams, the passion felt up and down both rosters to win this rivalry game has not lessened. Plus, considering how the season has started for both teams, there should be plenty of urgency to snag a victory in one of the true toss-up games on the schedule.
So while coaches Neal Brown and Brent Pry have just one combined appearance in the battle for the Black Diamond Trophy, there will be plenty of players and fans with intimate awareness of what’s at stake. Let’s get into the keys to the game and our official prediction.
West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech: Need to know
JT Daniels leads the West Virginia offense: The 2017 Max Preps National Player of the Year is on his third college stop, having started and won games at USC, Georgia and now West Virginia. Daniels has six touchdowns and two interceptions through three games, and it hasn’t taken long for him to identify junior Bryce Ford-Wheaton as the most dynamic option in the passing attack. Ford-Wheaton is one of just two wide receivers in the Big 12 to have four touchdown receptions already this season, and his 6-foot-3, 224-pound frame allows Daniels to take some chances in one-on-one situations knowing the wideout has the better chance of winning 50-50 balls.
The Lunch Pail Defense is back: Pry got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant working under legendary Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster. In his return to Blacksburg, Pry has brought back the famous lunch pail that represents the group’s blue-collar approach. That defense is the strength of this team so far; the Hokies rank third in the country in rushing defense (42 yards per game), fifth in total defense (201 yards per game) and in the top 20 in scoring defense, allowing just 12.33 points per game. That rushing defense will be a key for Virginia Tech in this game as West Virginia freshman CJ Donaldson currently leads the Big 12 with six rushing touchdowns on the season.
Increased pressure on West Virginia after 1-2 start: While Virginia Tech is still very much laying the foundation of the Brent Pry era, things are much different for Brown and the Mountaineers in Year 4. The fact that this is a rivalry game adds extra pressure from the fans, especially in the wake of the heartbreaking loss to Pitt in the renewal of the Backyard Brawl. A loss here to Virginia Tech would drop West Virginia to 1-3, with two ranked opponents coming up next on the schedule in No. 22 Texas and No. 17 Baylor. Brown has led West Virginia to a bowl game in each of the past two seasons, and there are enough winnable games left on the schedule to think he can do it again in 2022. A loss here, though, makes that margin for error razor thin and cranks up the pressure from fans as the calendar flips to October.
How to watch West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech live
Date: Thursday, Sept. 22 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Lane Stadium — Blacksburg, Virginia
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech prediction, picks
Virginia Tech has been somewhat of a fixture on Thursday night football, and the Hokies have had more success than not in these nationally televised opportunities, going 23-10 overall and 13-5 at home. Pry understands the value of these regional rivalries well, and while ACC Championship contention may be a few years away, this is one trophy that he can bring home to Hokie Nation right now. Virginia Tech gets it done, covering the spread in the process. Prediction: Virginia Tech +1.5
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.
Disguise Launches Metaverse Labs For End-To-End Metaverse Experience Enablement GlobeNewswire
Disguise Launches Metaverse Labs For End-To-End Metaverse Experience Enablement – GlobeNewswire https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/disguise-launches-metaverse-labs-for-end-to-end-metaverse-experience-enablement-globenewswire/
September 22, 2022 11:26 ET | Source: disguise Technologies Limited
LONDON, Sept. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, disguise announces the launch of its Metaverse Labs – a global network of creative and technical labs filled with experts that will empower brands, creatives and technologists that want to deliver experiences in the metaverse. As part of disguise’s Metaverse Solutions division, each Lab will merge R&D, creative services and consultancy to help their clients achieve the art of the impossible.
Led by Chief Collaboration Officer Abi Bowman, disguise Metaverse Labs bridges the talent gap to keep disguise and its community at the forefront of change, all while empowering development and exploration in the metaverse.
Its established partnerships with metaverse and virtual production experts Zerospace, Nowhere, Improbable, Film Soho, Super Bonfire, XR Studios, All of it Now, Zoan, Boum and Shape will give rise to new proof of concepts and new workflows. With this, disguise Metaverse Labs aims to democratize and share insight, develop the skills and talent for tomorrow as well as advise, consult and create future-facing experiences so creatives have everything they need to bring their next big idea to life.
In essence, disguise Metaverse Labs will be an end-to-end solution for anyone seeking to experiment and innovate within the $8 trillion metaverse market opportunity.
“R&D and technology breakthroughs are rapidly changing the industry around us, all while impacting how we consume content and interact with others. Only three years ago, remote work was not the norm and it’s amazing how far we’ve come in such a short space of time – once we’re enabled with the right technology,” says disguise CEO Fernando Küfer. “With the metaverse continually evolving, and innovators taking giant leaps every day, soon it will become part of our reality. Along with our network of expert partners, disguise Metaverse Labs are exploring new realms of entertainment and are here to help creatives deliver the impossible in an ever-changing technology landscape.”
The metaverse is now the new frontier for human experience and disguise, as a founding member of the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF), is here to help create it. Drawing on disguise’s proprietary RenderStream infrastructure’s ability to connect real and virtual worlds and having powered over 600 extended reality productions across more than 35 countries, disguise prides itself as a trusted partner for the delivery of any kind of hybrid experience.
In the past two years, disguise’s Extended Reality (xR) workflow has powered live entertainment for music artists such as Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, film and episodic TV productions for Netflix and Amazon Prime, corporate presentations for Siemens and Verizon and live broadcast programs from Eurosport, MTV and ITV.
“Our goal is to explore the intersection of the live and virtual world and take human experiences to the next level. We do this by giving the most creative people in the world brand new ways to express themselves. New creative opportunities and possibilities can now be unlocked with confidence, ” says disguise Chief Collaboration Officer, Abi Bowman.
First established in Auckland by Head of Labs New Zealand Sam Folkard, disguise Metaverse Labs is expanding globally, first, with a UK division formed and headed by Stuart Mckenna and a growing division in Los Angeles. Following this, Global Head of Labs Lara Bowen will bring together local partners in New York, Seoul and Montreal and continue establishing disguise Metaverse Labs’ global presence in the emerging metaverse space. disguise is delighted to be supported by ROE Visual, which provides the LED for all the Labs locations.
“With more of us eager to live our experiences in a virtual world, there will be a seismic shift in how we communicate, interact and deliver these experiences together,” says Bowen. “For the disguise community, that shift in workflow means both big opportunities and a steep learning curve. That’s why we started disguise Metaverse Labs. By offering the tools and training to create innovative metaverse experiences, we aim to give creatives around the globe more time to experiment with big ideas – without worrying about the technicalities of their setup.”
disguise Head of Labs New Zealand, Sam Folkard, envisions disguise Labs as a product of a collaboration that will create the next generation of experiences in the metaverse:
“disguise Metaverse Labs is here to provide brands, creative agencies and studios with everything they need to deliver their vision. Whether it’s creating hybrid or never-seen-before virtual experiences for artists and audiences, integrating with product or NFT launches, or even bridging a new technology innovation – we are here to help,” says Folkard.
Brands, creatives and technologists can now start taking advantage of Labs’ various services across the entire production pipeline, including concept development and content creation (photogrammetry, motion capture, volumetric capture) as well as production planning and delivery support. Labs will also offer regular training days so anyone can get up to speed with new metaverse workflows and technologies.
For the full list of services, visit www.disguise.one/en/discover-the-metaverse/metaverse-labs
Meet the team behind Labs in this short video.
# # #
About disguise
disguise makes the hardware, software and ecosystems needed to deliver spectacular visual experiences. Its award-winning extended reality (xR) solution has powered over 600 immersive real-time productions in more than 50 countries.
For more information, please visit www.disguise.one
Germany https://www.disguise.one/de
France https://www.disguise.one/fr
Spain https://www.disguise.one/es
Japan https://www.disguise.one/jp
China https://www.disguise.one/cn
Korea https://www.disguise.one/kr
Metaverse Labs
Metaverse Labs disguise Launches Global Network of Creative and Technical Labs to Empower Delivery of Metaverse Exp…
Contact Data
Larissa Mori larissa@liaisonpr.com
12 Big Features Are Hitting Your IPhone Soon With IOS 16.1 Gadget Hacks
12 Big Features Are Hitting Your IPhone Soon With IOS 16.1 – Gadget Hacks https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/12-big-features-are-hitting-your-iphone-soon-with-ios-16-1-gadget-hacks/
It hasn’t been long since Apple released iOS 16.0 with over 350 new features, but iOS 16.1 is hot on its tail with even more cool updates for your iPhone. While some of the recent upgrades were expected, others are somewhat surprising — and there’s even one that you may not even think was possible.
Apple’s iOS 16.1 update is still in beta testing, but you can install the beta on your iPhone right now if you want to start testing the below features out before everyone else. Some of these features also appear on iPadOS 16.1 for iPad, also still in beta.
Don’t Miss: Apple Photos Has 21 New Features for iPhone That Make Your Life Easier
1. Larger Numbers for Battery Percentage
On iOS 16.0, Apple finally added a switch in the Battery settings on Face ID devices to enable the battery percentage in the status bar, something Touch ID devices have long been able to do. The update put the percentage inside the battery icon, and iOS 16.1 makes the numbers larger and easier to see. Below, you can see the icons before and after in light and dark modes.
2. Battery Percentage for More iPhones
While iOS 16.0 lets us add the battery percentage to the battery icon in the status bar on Face ID devices, it’s not available on all Face ID models. Specifically, the iPhone XR, 11, 12 mini, and 13 mini are left out, presumedly because of their smaller displays. The iOS 16.1 update adds support for those models, so now all iPhone models that can run iOS 16 can get the new battery icon.
3. Clean Energy Charging
Go to Settings – Battery, then open up the “Battery Health & Charging” menu, previously just “Battery Health,” and you’ll see a new option called “Clean Energy Charging.”
Apple says your iPhone “will try to reduce your carbon footprint by selectively charging when lower carbon emission electricity is available.” It goes on to say your iPhone “learns from your daily charging routine so it can reach full charge before you need to use it.”
The setting should be automatically enabled by default, but the “Learn More” link goes to a non-existing webpage, which should go live when iOS 16.1 stable is released.
4. Live Activities
Live Activities are finally here. They appear on the bottom of your iPhone’s lock screen, as well as in the Dynamic Island for the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max models, and display an app’s most current data, updated in real time.
Live sports games in the Apple TV app is one example of what Live Activities can do. Pick a live game available in your region from the Live Sports section, then tap the “Follow” button. You’ll then see the play-by-play and real-time scores on your lock screen and in the Dynamic Island if you have an iPhone 14 Pro or 14 Pro Max. Right now, I can only get it to work with MLB games.
According to Apple, a Live Activity can only be active for up to eight hours in the Dynamic Island, but it can go as long as 12 hours on the lock screen. So on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, a Live Activity would disappear from the Dynamic Island after eight hours but remain on your lock screen for up to four more hours. Needless to say, you can stop following a Live Activity at any time.
There are also four different viewing modes for Live Activities in the Dynamic Island: a compact leading view, a compact trailing view, a minimal view, and an expanded view.
5. Live Activities API
Live Activities aren’t just available for Apple’s apps — any third-party developer can incorporate them into their apps using the new ActivityKit framework. Examples of activities you could track include a ride pickup from Uber or Lyft, package delivery from UPS or FedEx, food delivery from GrubHub or DoorDash, pickup order for Starbucks or Target, workout using Nike or Health, and so on.
While developers are now building Live Activities for their apps, you won’t be able to try any out until the iOS 16.1 stable release appears. That’s because developers can’t submit their updated apps with Live Activities to the App Store until the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate is available, the last beta build. You may be able to find beta apps on TestFlight that are experimenting with Live Activities.
6. New Shortcut Actions
The iOS 16.0 update added almost 60 new actions in the Shortcuts app, and iOS 16.1 throws a few more in. One is “Get Current Focus” for the Settings app, which returns the currently active focus. The other is “Search in Shortcuts” for the Shortcuts app, which opens Shortcuts and performs a search for the specified text.
7. Delete Apple Wallet
If you don’t use Apple Pay, Apple Cash, Apple Card, or store loyalty cards and tickets in Apple Wallet, you can finally delete the Apple Wallet app. Before, you could only remove it from the home screen, hiding it in the App Library, but now it can be gone for good.
8. Lock Screen Customization Changes
Apple is making the lock screen and home screen customization less confusing on iOS 16.1. Now, whenever you hit the “Customize” button for a lock screen in the lock screen switcher, it will give you a choice between editing the lock screen or home screen wallpaper.
Previously, it would jump right to the lock screen editor when you tapped “Customize.” Then, when you were done editing it, you would get an option to “Set as Wallpaper Pair” or “Customize Home Screen.” You’ll still see those two options when adding a new lock screen.
Don’t Miss: Customize Your iPhone’s Lock Screen with These 27 Killer New Features on iOS 16
9. Screenshot Editor Changes
When you tap on the thumbnail after taking a screenshot to open the editor, everything should look the same until it’s time to exit the editor. Tap “Done,” and instead of a large action sheet that takes up the bottom half of the screen (left screenshot below), you’ll get a smaller contextual menu near the “Done” button itself (right screenshot below).
10. iCloud Shared Photo Library
If you use Family Sharing to share content with your partner, kids, and other family members, iCloud Shared Photo Library is another feature you can now take advantage of. It can be shared with up to five users, and everyone can add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete content.
You can include all your photos in the shared library or use the setup tools to include only specific content based on a start date or group of people. People can also add content manually or share media automatically via a switch in the Camera app, using a Bluetooth proximity trigger, or from sharing suggestions in For You.
Content from your iCloud Shared Photo Library may appear in the Photos widget, under your Featured Photos in For You, or as memory videos.
Images via Apple
11. Matter Support
Matter, a new unifying open connectivity standard for the Home app, Siri, Control Center, and HomeKit-based apps, enables secure, IP-based communication among a wide range of compatible smart home devices and accessories.
Designed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance, which includes hundreds of companies like Apple, Amazon, and Google, the royalty-free protocol makes devices and accessories from different companies work together seamlessly across platforms. According to Apple, it will “provide more choice and interoperability for customers.”
Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings are just some of the smart home tech that will work with Matter. To use Matter accessories, you’ll need a home hub, such as an Apple TV or HomePod device.
12. Game Center Improvements
The Contacts app will show your friends’ Game Center profiles, and you can tap through to see what games they’re playing and the achievements they’re accomplishing. There’s also a new toggle in Game Center for “Allow finding by friends” and a new splash screen for it called “Help Your Friends Find You.”
Help your Game Center friends find you more easily based on the name they have for you in their Contacts app. To do this, Game Center will use the email address and phone number associated with your Apple ID.
Multiplayer games that work with Game Center are also expected to work with SharePlay, so you can play games with your friends during FaceTime calls.
Don’t Miss: Your iPhone’s Contacts App Just Got Its Biggest Update Ever
What’s Missing?
There are still a few things Apple said were coming later this year that aren’t fully implemented yet on iOS 16.1, including key sharing via messaging apps, starting Live Activities from a Spotlight Search result, Live Activities for App Clips, and its new Freeform app.
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Cover photo and screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks (unless otherwise noted)
Rushing token Mapping Could Hurt Aussie Crypto Space Finder Founder Cointelegraph
Rushing ‘token Mapping’ Could Hurt Aussie Crypto Space — Finder Founder – Cointelegraph https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/rushing-token-mapping-could-hurt-aussie-crypto-space-finder-founder-cointelegraph/
Australian crypto entrepreneur and investor Fred Schebesta has described the Australian government’s prioritization of token mapping as “wonderful,” but warns that rushing it could lead to detrimental effects on the economy.
Schebesta’s comments come after Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers released a statement on Aug. 22 stating that the “treasury will prioritize token mapping work” in 2022 to show how “crypto assets and related services should be regulated.”
Speaking to Cointelegraph, Schebesta believes Australia already has a “fledgling” crypto industry but needs to “align with the other major markets and their regulations.”
Schebesta added that the “intricacies” of token mapping are not clear, and “things are changing as well.”
Schebesta is an Australian entrepreneur and investor — best known as the co-founder of Finder, an Australian comparison website. Schebesta is also a co-founder of crypto investment fund Hive Empire Capital and an advisor for Balthazar, an NFT gaming platform.
He explained that if “we rush” — the token mapping exercise could turn away crypto companies, particularly if there’s a “very different approach” to other countries.
Schebesta stressed that it’s not the time to “rush it out,” but take the time “to just take it easy and really, really do some deeper analysis.”
The token-mapping announcement from Australia’s new Labor government came three months after it came into power, breaking a long silence on how it would approach crypto regulation in the country.
At the time, Treasurer Chalmers said the government wanted to reign in on the “largely unregulated” crypto sector.
“As it stands, the crypto sector is largely unregulated, and we need to do some work to get the balance right so we can embrace new and innovative technologies,” he said.
Related: Australia’s new government finally signals its crypto regulation stance
While many in the industry lauded the announcement as an “important step” for the industry, some were disappointed that there the country was not “further along” the path to regulatory certainty.
Australian lawyer Liam Hennessy, partner at Gadens told Cointelegraph that Australia has been at the “forefront of the crypto developments,” but worries that the country is “slowly falling behind the U.K. and U.S.” due to failure to create rules for those “in the crypto industry, in particular those in financial services.”
Hennessy believes that while token mapping is vital, it shouldn’t be the primary focus for regulators.
“It should be secondary to actually creating some tax rules and regulations around licensing that we can give to our businesses that really need to hear it so they can compete with our global competitors.”
He fears that Australia is falling into the trap of “thinking that a little bit of attention from the government will solve the problems,” which he believes that the token mapping exercise “to some extent, is being viewed as.”
Schebesta said he spoke at a senate hearing in 2021 where he highlighted “Australia would have a huge influx of new businesses […] because it’s a safe, stable, and great regulatory place to build their business,” adding that “tens of thousands” of jobs would be created “in the next two to three years.”
U.S. Aircraft Carrier Arrives In South Korea As Warning To North Korea Reuters
U.S. Aircraft Carrier Arrives In South Korea As Warning To North Korea – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-aircraft-carrier-arrives-in-south-korea-as-warning-to-north-korea-reuters/
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is anchored at a port in Busan, South Korea, September 23, 2022. REUTERS/Daewoung Kim
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BUSAN, South Korea, Sept 23 (Reuters) – A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday for the first time in about four years, due to join South Korean ships in a military show of force aimed at sending North Korea a message, officials said.
USS Ronald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike force docked at a naval base in the southern port city of Busan.
Its arrival marks the most significant deployment yet under a new push to have more U.S. nuclear-capable “strategic assets” operate in the area to deter North Korea.
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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has pushed for more joint exercises and other displays of military power as a warning to North Korea, which earlier this year conducted a record number of missile tests after talks failed to persuade it to end its nuclear weapons and missile development.
Observers say Pyongyang also appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.
North Korea has denounced previous U.S. military deployments and joint drills as rehearsals for war and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul.
The visit is the first to South Korea by an American aircraft carrier since 2018. That year, the allies scaled back many of their joint military activities amid diplomatic efforts to engage with North Korea, but those talks have since stalled and Pyongyang this month unveiled an updated law codifying its right to conduct first-use nuclear strikes if necessary to protect itself.
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Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Lincoln Feast.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Western Tech Partners With Mopar For Soldier Technical Training KTSM 9 News
Western Tech Partners With Mopar For Soldier Technical Training – KTSM 9 News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/western-tech-partners-with-mopar-for-soldier-technical-training-ktsm-9-news/
by: Melissa Luna
Posted: Sep 22, 2022 / 05:56 PM MDT
Updated: Sep 22, 2022 / 05:58 PM MDT
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Mopar Cap has partnered with Western Technical College in order to provide soldiers who are transitioning out of the Ft Bliss Army base an opportunity to learn skills which could be used for future work.
The official ribbon cutting and classroom dedication celebration was held today at the Plaza Circle. The following attended as Western Tech leadership; Mopar leadership, Deputy Commanding General of Operations from Ft Bliss, and members of the El Paso Chamber.
The Service-to-Service program is an Army career skills program offered to service members transitioning from the military. Many of the transitional soldiers are could be looking for career where they can utilize their skills in areas close to their homes. Those accepted into this program will undergo extensive Mopar technical training for 10 hours a day, five days a week for 12 weeks. Upon completion of the program, soldiers will graduate with level two certified technical training and will be ready to join a participating Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, or Fiat dealership.
“By participating in this joint venture, we not only hope to help transitioning soldiers become employable but also help meet the need and shortages of qualified technicians. It’s a perfect opportunity to be able to give back and assist those that have served our country.”
Brad Kuykendall, CEO- Western Technical College.
For local and breaking news, sports, weather alerts, video and more, download the FREE KTSM 9 News App from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
7 Iconic Master And Disciple Relationships In Gaming TheGamer
7 Iconic Master And Disciple Relationships In Gaming – TheGamer https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/7-iconic-master-and-disciple-relationships-in-gaming-thegamer/
One of the most commonly seen relationships in video games is between a mentor and a student. When you hear those terms, your mind may go to a wise, old martial artist teaching their craft to a bright-eyed pupil.
However, these relationships don’t have to be as structured as that. Sometimes the mentorship forms organically, and it can even be between two people of similar age. The only requirement for this sort of bond is that one character is teaching another – at least, it starts that way. Here are several of the most notable examples of this in gaming history.
Metal Gear Solid 3 allows you to witness the future Big Boss in action before he was a legendary soldier. Instead, he looks up to the most iconic soldier of his time, which is The Boss. Most of the mentorship part of their relationship happens before the game, but you get to hear all about it.
It turns out that The Boss taught Snake pretty much everything he knows about combat, survival, and espionage. Unfortunately, though, they’re on different sides in MGS3 – albeit, it’s a little more complicated than that. Snake is even ordered to kill the woman he respects more than anyone. And much of the protagonist’s arc revolves around whether he has the desire and skill to defeat his former mentor.
6 Commander Shepard And Garrus Vakarian (Mass Effect Series)
While Shepard grows in fame as the Mass Effect series goes on, they’re actually already a big deal from the start. The same can’t be said of Garrus Vakarian, who is a c-sec officer still trying to find his way. The Turian eventually gets on the right path when he joins the Normandy crew and works with Shepard.
During their adventures together, the two become great friends and perhaps even lovers. Yet, there is also a mentor and student aspect to their relationship, as Garrus is always looking to his Commander for guidance – particularly in the first game. As the player, you even get some control over this, as your choices and interactions regarding Garrus shape his personality.
5 Dutch Van Der Linde And Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
In Red Dead Redemption 2, Dutch serves as the charismatic leader of the Van Der Linde gang. Most members of his crew are like his children, who he has guided from a young age. The most notable is the protagonist Arthur Morgan.
Alongside Hosea, Dutch taught Arthur how to be and live as an outlaw. He also showed him how to read and write. And he certainly was a better father figure than Arthur’s actual dad. This is why Morgan is so loyal to the man during RDR2. However, during the game, Dutch begins to change and become a worse version of himself. Arthur then has to decide where his loyalties now lie.
4 Lee Everett And Clementine (The Walking Dead: Season One)
At the beginning of the first season of TellTale’s The Walking Dead, Lee Everett finds little Clementine hiding in a tree house. From there, he serves as the girl’s protector amid the zombie outbreak. After a while, though, he realizes that he won’t be able to protect her forever. Therefore, he begins teaching her several tips and tricks that she can use to survive.
While he still defends her throughout the first season, she does prove to be more capable as time goes on. In the proceeding seasons, Clementine grows up and becomes the main protagonist. She never forgets what Lee taught her, though.
3 Victor Sullivan And Nathan Drake (Uncharted Series)
Sully and Nate are among the best duos in gaming history. The two treasure hunters epitomize the phrase ‘thick as thieves’ as they stick together throughout the entire series. A flashback in Uncharted 3 gives more insight into their relationship.
Sullivan discovered Nate in Colombia when the latter was just a teenage thief. Back then, Sully helped the kid out and took him under his wing. Under the guidance of the experienced criminal, Drake became the excellent explorer and combatant that he is in the games. He even surpasses his mentor, which never seems to bother Sully.
2 Michael De Santa And Franklin Clinton (Grand Theft Auto 5)
Franklin Clinton is an ambitious criminal. At the start of GTA 5, he is ‘repossessing’ cars for the crooked dealership owner, Simeon, but he strives for more. He gets the chance to increase his standing in the criminal world when he meets a retired heist man named Michael De Santa.
Initially, Michael is hesitant to help Franklin. Yet, when he needs to make some money, he comes out of retirement and brings Franklin along for the ride. For the rest of the game, the two, along with the unpredictable Trevor Phillips, go on all sorts of jobs together. Under the guidance of Michael, Franklin becomes a master killer and thief in his own right. And it’s up to you how his relationship with his mentor ends.
1 Geralt Of Rivia And Ciri (The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt)
Ciri is naturally one of the strongest characters in RPG history due to the special Elder Blood in her veins, which gives her magical powers. Her brilliant sword skills, though, come from her Witcher training. This occurred before the events of Witcher 3 as she spent much of her childhood at Kaer Morhen, learning from several Witchers.
Geralt was among her most notable teachers. The two already shared a strong bond due to the grizzled protagonist being her adoptive father. Their relationship is a bit different in Witcher 3 since she no longer needs to learn how to swing a sword. But he is still her guide, as your choices as Geralt impact how she views herself and ultimately affects the end of her story.
NEXT: Games Where You Play As A Parent
Federer To AP: Tennis Will Withstand Big-Name Retirements The Washington Post
Federer To AP: Tennis Will Withstand Big-Name Retirements – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/federer-to-ap-tennis-will-withstand-big-name-retirements-the-washington-post/
LONDON — Roger Federer was paying attention right along with everybody else when Serena Williams played what is expected to be her last match three weeks ago at the U.S. Open.
“Not surprised. Just very similar to me, in many ways. We were expecting it to come at some point,” Federer told The Associated Press. “You don’t ever want players like Serena to ever retire. … I just thought, ‘What a great career.’”
He recognizes that their back-to-back exits after about a quarter-century each in tennis — he is 41 and leaves with 20 Grand Slam titles and she turns 41 on Monday and has 23 major singles championships — will spur some fans to move on from the sport.
Federer insists, though, that plenty will stick around.
“I mean, look, it’s going to leave some fans with not the same taste for the game. We might lose some, because they say, ‘OK, well that chapter for me closes, and I’ll move on to another sport or another athlete,’” Federer said in an interview Wednesday at the Laver Cup, where the final match of his stellar career will be in doubles alongside rival Rafael Nadal for Team Europe on Friday night.
“And some will stay with the game forever, because tennis is just a sport (that), once you’re in it, you’re normally in it. That’s why I don’t believe a lot of people will leave,” he continued. “But they will not maybe wake up at 3 in the morning anymore for the Australian Open. Or they might not use their vacation time to go travel to a place. Maybe they say for a few years, ‘OK, let me go with a friend of mine and do a good adventure trip somewhere,’ until they find their way back in.”
He and Williams — along with Nadal, a 36-year-old who has a men’s-record 22 Slam titles, and Novak Djokovic, a 35-year-old with 21 titles — helped create a golden era in the sport, drawing new viewers and inspiring new players.
“Serena and Roger probably have more fans than anybody in tennis,” said Taylor Fritz, a 24-year-old Californian who is the highest-ranked American man at No. 12 and a part of Team World in London. “It’s tough to replace two people as iconic as them, but I still think there is a lot of exciting times ahead.”
Still, what happens after they leave?
“These two players are irreplaceable. I don’t think there is any question about that,” said John McEnroe, who won seven major trophies from 1979 to 1984. He added this caveat: “The sport goes on, no matter what, and we have witnessed that in every sport over time.”
Which is why Federer is among those optimistic about the future.
“I’m a big believer, always, that tennis is bigger than anybody,” he said, “and it will always create new superstars.”
Federer thinks highlight-reel shots that make their way around on social media can help. So can the telling of each new top player’s “captivating story.”
McEnroe mentioned the sport’s need to do better marketing of fresh faces.
Someone Federer believes could fit the “superstar” category is Carlos Alcaraz, the 19-year-old from Spain who won the U.S. Open and became the youngest man at No. 1 in the history of the ATP computerized rankings, which date to 1973.
Federer watched — on TV — some of Alcaraz’s epic quarterfinal in Flushing Meadows against Jannik Sinner, a 21-year-old from Italy. It lasted 5 hours, 15 minutes, ending at 2:50 a.m. in New York — that’s 8:50 a.m. in Federer’s home country of Switzerland, so the father of two sets of twins missed the fifth set, he explained, “because I had to bring the kids to school.”
He came away impressed by both players.
“Super movers. Great ball-strikers, forehand and backhand,” Federer said. “And I always said it: The best movers are the best players. We’ve seen it with Novak, we’ve seen it with Rafa, we’ve seen it with myself, Lleyton (Hewitt). You name it. … And because you cover the court so, so well, you end up giving yourself more time and less stress.”
Alcaraz’s all-court ability has been likened, albeit in a it’s-far-too-early-to-put-their-names-in-the-same-sentence sort of way, to that of Federer.
Federer did not dismiss the comparison.
“He has great power with his forehand. And that sets up everything for him. In this sense, when you can do that, like I did, you can then decide, ‘Shall I drop shot? Shall I hit it big? Shall I hit it big again? Or should I actually go for the angle? Or should I come in?’” explained Federer, whose first Grand Slam title came at 21. “My problem when I was younger — and I don’t think I was nearly as good as him at his age — is, for me, it was so hard which decision to take. He seems to have more clarity. He’s stronger mentally. He’s worked harder. You can see his body; if you look at our two bodies, we were different guys. He’s got a lot that is already going in a really good direction. Then it’s just a matter of powering through, plowing through.”
___
More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Execs: US Casinos Learned Some Useful Lessons From Pandemic 69News WFMZ-TV
Execs: US Casinos Learned Some Useful Lessons From Pandemic – 69News WFMZ-TV https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/execs-us-casinos-learned-some-useful-lessons-from-pandemic-69news-wfmz-tv/
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A dealer prepared to spin the ball during a game of roulette at the Hard Rock casino in Atlantic City N.J. on Aug. 8, 2022. On Sept. 16, 2022, New Jersey gambling regulators reported that the state’s casinos, horse tracks that offer sports betting and the online partners of both types of gambling outlets won $470.6 million from gamblers in August, up nearly 10% from a year earlier.
A man plays a slot machine at the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City N.J. on Aug. 8, 2022. On Sept. 16, 2022, New Jersey gambling regulators reported that the state’s casinos, horse tracks that offer sports betting and the online partners of both types of gambling outlets won $470.6 million from gamblers in August, up nearly 10% from a year earlier.
FILE – This May 3, 2021 file photo shows an intentionally disabled slot machine next to a woman playing a different slot machine while wearing a face mask at the Hard Rock casino in Atlantic City, N.J. Participants in a major casino conference Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 in Atlantic City said the pandemic and its months-long closures taught them some useful lessons that could continue even after the pandemic is a distant memory, including not offering things like buffets that used to be taken for granted by casino players.
FILE – A dealer wears personal protective gear while working at the Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., Thursday, July 2, 2020. Participants in a major casino conference Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 in Atlantic City said the pandemic and its months-long closures taught them some useful lessons that could continue even after the pandemic is a distant memory, including not offering things like buffets that used to be taken for granted by casino players.
If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.
PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS
– The Cadillac Pub opens where Klingers used to be at 24 E. Main Street in Fleetwood
– II-VI Inc. (pronounced “two-six”) will become Coherent Corp., taking on the name of a company it recently acquired.
– ABEC, a company that provides services and products to the pharmaceutical industry, with headquarters in Northampton County, will invest in a new disposable-container facility in North Carolina.
– A new Lehigh Valley Martial Arts center will hold a grand opening starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, with a ribbon-cutting shortly afterward.
– Bethlehem Township’s planning commission has approved an Amazon parking lot with 248 spaces at Brodhead and Mowrer roads.
– The Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board rejected variance requests that would have allowed multifamily homes to go up on the Southside properties at 508-512 Selfridge St.
– Northampton County Council voted 1-8 against a tax break for development of a proposed warehouse at the Dixie Cup building on South 25 Street in Wilson Borough.
– The former Valley Farm Market, now known as Gerrity’s Valley Farm Market, will take on a new name as of Oct. 14: Gerrity’s The Fresh Grocer.
– Hamsa Exoticz is already open at the Lehigh Valley Mall, but it will hold a grand opening at 5 p.m. Sept. 16 with the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce.
– A new Home Depot will open a 136,048-square-foot building on about 21 acres of vacant land just off Hamilton Boulevard in Lower Macungie Township.
– Rocco Ayvazov’s Monocacy General Contracting received approval from the Bethlehem Planning Commission to put up a six-story building with 55 apartments and retail space on the first floor at 128 E. Third St.
– The old Allen Organ showroom building on Route 100 in Lower Macungie Township will come down and about 100 total apartment units will go up.
– Reading Hospitality’s Catering by DoubleTree will handle food at events at Reading Country Club, after Exeter Township supervisors approved a new agreement.
– Natural healing is the goal at Reike Balance, which will open Sept. 9. on Reading Avenue in West Reading.
– The Pocono Chamber of Commerce held a grand opening at the Bartonsville branch of Farmhouse Cafe.
– The reopening date for the historic Frenchtown Inn building overlooking the Delaware River in New Jersey remains unclear.
– River Paws, a pet-supply store, is across Race Street from the Frenchtown Pharmacy.
– The planned reopening date of Aug. 13 for Toby’s Cup was pushed back after ownership said a dispute about the occupancy of a home on the hot dog stand’s property delayed the reopening.
10 Tips For Co-Existing With Covid (And Living A Normal-Ish Life) The Washington Post
10 Tips For Co-Existing With Covid (And Living A Normal-Ish Life) – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/10-tips-for-co-existing-with-covid-and-living-a-normal-ish-life-the-washington-post/
You are reading our weekly Well+Being newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
Whether you agree with President Biden that the pandemic is over or you agree with most scientists who say it’s definitely not over, it doesn’t really matter. The reality is that all around us, pandemic precautions have disappeared.
But getting on with life doesn’t have to mean throwing caution to the wind. Covid is still here, and case counts are on the rise in some communities. We all have to learn to live with covid.
Living with covid can be easy if you take simple, regular precautions. Jay Varma, a physician, expert in infectious diseases and professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, has compared this new normal to the adjustments we all had to make regarding safety after 9/11. We’ve grown used to additional restrictions around travel, such as taking our shoes off in airline screening lines, as an inconvenience to stay safer.
I’ve spent nearly three years reporting on covid and pandemic life, talking to many of the world’s leading experts in public health and virus transmission. We don’t have to chose between staying safer and living a normal life. We can do both. Here are 10 tips to help, including some of the steps I’m taking to protect myself.
Get a booster shot. Start by getting vaccinated or getting a booster shot. Read this Q&A for answers to common questions about the new boosters.
Mask when it’s easy. Nobody wants to wear a mask all day long, so be strategic. I don’t normally wear a mask at work, but I wear one in a crowded meeting. You might want to mask in the grocery store; it’s a building full of strangers and covid is probably there too. Mask at the doctor’s office or on your commute if you take public transit. Risk is cumulative, so every time you don a mask in a high-risk situation, you’re lowering your odds of catching the virus.
Mask when you travel. Your risk for coming into contact with covid goes up when you travel. Lower it by wearing a mask in the security line and in crowded terminals. Airplanes have effective ventilation systems, filtering air as often as every five minutes, but I still wear a mask. If it’s a long trip and you just don’t want to mask up, consider wearing one during the boarding and deplaning process, when the ventilation system may be off. And here’s a travel tip from virus experts: During the flight, turn the fan nozzle on and position it to blow on your face to help keep any wandering viral particles at bay.
Avoid crowds. Whether you heed this advice probably will depend on your overall risk. Young and healthy people who are vaccinated may choose to spend time in packed indoor areas. People who are older or who have an underlying health condition may opt for outdoor areas when it comes to dining, sporting events and concerts. And for indoor events such as going to the movies or theater, the cautious may still want to wear a high-quality mask.
Check community transmission levels. Keeping track of case counts in your community can help guide your choices. In the United States, if you look at a map of transmission levels from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, be sure you use the drop-down menu to see “community transmission,” not “covid-19 community levels,” which are an indicator of how hospitals are managing and not as relevant to personal decision-making.
Have a Paxlovid plan. People over 50 and those at high risk are eligible to take Paxlovid, a highly effective antiviral drug. You’ll need to start within five days of diagnosis or symptom onset, so it’s important to talk to your doctor and have a plan for getting a prescription quickly if you need it.
Think about your indoor air. Adding a portable air cleaner to a space can effectively double the ventilation in the room. Ask your employer to provide portable air cleaners in office spaces and meeting rooms. Ask how often the filters are changed. You can also ask your employer what steps have been taken to improve indoor air quality at the office. Many workplaces have upgraded air filters to hospital-grade quality filters. (Ideally your workplace is using something called MERV-13 filters, but some systems can only handle MERV-11 filters.)
Use home tests wisely. While a negative home test means you’re probably not contagious, it’s not a guarantee you don’t have covid. If you have cold symptoms or don’t feel well, especially if you’ve had a known exposure to the virus or have been in a higher-risk situation such as traveling or an indoor concert, you should stay away from others or wear a mask until your symptoms subside — even if your test is negative.
Stay home from work when you’re sick. One of the great lessons of the pandemic is that we should not go to the office with the sniffles or a sore throat. Just stay home and Zoom in if you feel well enough to work.
Plan your life around the most vulnerable person in your orbit. If you have regular close contact with someone who is older, has a chronic illness or is immunocompromised, you’ll need to take more precautions and be more vigilant about masking, testing and avoiding high-risk situations.
The bottom line is that it’s not all or nothing, said Gregg Gonsalves, an epidemiologist and associate professor at Yale School of Public Health. “There’s lots of reasons we shouldn’t be just vaxxed and done. One infection with the virus can sideline you or disrupt your life or the lives of those around you very easily.”
Three questions . . . about smarter exercise
This week I spoke with Your Move columnist Gretchen Reynolds, who has written about the perils of being an active couch potato and whether morning or night is the best time of day to exercise.
Q: Why is it so hard for people to establish a regular exercise habit?
A: Most people, including me, say it’s because we don’t have time. But most behavioral science says it’s because we aren’t having fun. If people don’t like exercise, they won’t do it. The good news is there are so many ways to be active. Don’t relish jogging? There’s swimming, hiking, mountain biking, weight training, pickleball, online yoga, walks with friends or whatever movement you enjoy. It could help, too, to reframe workouts as “me time” or healthy procrastination. In that case, you’re not just going for a walk or swim. You’re taking a mental health break and will return to work refreshed, alert and eager to procrastinate some more tomorrow.
Q: What’s more important for health: exercising more or sitting less?
A: Can I answer “both”? There’s no doubt sitting is bad for us. It impacts our bodies in ways that raise our risks for everything from weight gain to heart disease. And new studies suggest short workouts won’t undo those effects. We probably need to exercise for at least an hour a day to combat long hours of sitting. Or we can sit less and move around more, breaking up our sitting with gentle activity but not formal exercise. Either approach is healthy and combining them — exercising more plus sitting less — is healthiest of all, if you can manage it.
Q: What’s your favorite short workout?
A: I love to fartlek, which just means I pick out a tree or other landmark when I’m out walking or running and pick up the pace until I reach it. My fartlek sessions are usually brief, maybe 15 minutes. But it’s such a fun, easy way to thread intensity into a workout and make the time go faster. I’m never bored when I fartlek.
This week’s everyday life coach is Shunmyo Masuno, a monk and the author of a new book I’m reading, “Don’t Worry: 48 Lessons on Relieving Anxiety from a Zen Buddhist Monk.”
The advice: Make your evenings calm. “One of the tricks to making your evening calm is to avoid, as much as possible, having to make decisions at this time,” Masuno writes.
Why you should try it: In one study, researchers tracked the decisions of 184 chess players. The study, published in the journal Cognition, found that the most accurate decision-making happened between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
How to do it: Adding calm to your evening will vary depending on the person. Evenings can be hectic for parents, and sometimes we have to take work home with us. Whatever your situation, try to carve out a little time for calm before bed. Some people may want to read a book or listen to music. Make evening the time you work on a craft or hobby. Light a candle. Take a bath. “When you make time for pleasure, you will naturally feel calmer and more at ease,” Masuno writes. “You end up improving the quality of your sleep, and you will awake refreshed and ready for your day.”
The Well+Being team has had a busy week! Don’t miss these stories.
Please let us know how we are doing. Email us at wellbeing@washpost.com.
Postgame Notes: Rangers 5, Angels 3 – Sports Illustrated https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/postgame-notes-rangers-5-angels-3-sports-illustrated/
Texas takes the finale of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
TEXAS trailed, 1-3, after 5 innings, but leveled the score, 3-3, in the 6th and took a 5-3 lead in the 8th to complete its 30th come-from-behind victory of the season…secured a win in this 3-game set vs. LAA (2-1), snapping span of 9 straight winless series (0-6-3)…also clinch season series over the Angels (10-6) for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons…the Rangers have gone 5-5 in rubber games at Globe Life Field this season.
MARTIN PEREZ did not factor into the decision, as he exited with the game tied at 3-3 after 6.0 innings…allowed 3 R-ER on 5 hits and 3 walks while recording 5 strikeouts, including his 900th career SO in the opening frame (1st batter faced – Luis Rengifo)…has gone 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA (8 R-ER/24.1 IP) across 4 starts in September, this after going 1-3, 4.24 (18 R-16 ER/34.0 IP) over 6 starts in August…has produced career-high 21 quality starts over 30 outings this season, the most by a Ranger over the span of a single campaign since Cole Hamels in 2016 (22)…today marked his 28th consecutive start of 5.0+ innings pitched, matching the longest such streak by a left-handed pitcher in Texas history (also 28-Kenny Rogers from 8/30/95-7/24/00).
COREY SEAGER snapped a 3-3 tie with a 2-run, opposite-field home run in the 8th inning to give Texas its first and final lead of the day, 5-3…it was the 7th game-tying or go-ahead HR in the 8th-or-later of his career, and his 3rd as a Ranger: 6/10 at CWS (GT off Graveman in 8th) and 7/5 at BAL (GT off Bautista in 9th)…6 of Seager’s last 7 hits have gone for extra bases (3 HR, 3 2B), and he has at least one XBH in each of his last 4 G (2 HR, 2 2B)…his team-high 32 HR this season are the most by a Ranger in the last 4 seasons, last topped by Joey Gallo in 2018 (40 HR)…13 of Seager’s HR this season have come against LHP, the 3rd-most HR vs. LHP by a left-handed batter in Rangers history: 15-Gallo in 2018/Palmeiro in 2003, 13-Seager in 2022.
MARCUS SEMIEN reached base safely in 3 of his 4 plate appearances (2B, 1B, BB), including an RBI double in the 3rd inning which put the Rangers on the board for the 1st time this afternoon…has hits in 9 of his last 10 G (beg. 9/12) at .425 (17-40), and is slashing .345/.389/.595/.984 (29-84) with 3 HR, 10 2B, 13 RBI, and 14 R over 20 G in September to raise his season batting average from .239 to season-high .254…
LOS ANGELES-AL drops back into 4th place in the A.L. West, losing 2 straight after having won 4 of previous 5 games…today was club’s 19th loss in the final at-bat.
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MIKE TROUT hit a 2-run double in the 3rd inning for the game’s first runs, with the hit coming on a 3-2, 2-out pitch from Martín Pérez…the double had a game-high 112.0 mph exit velocity, the highest for Trout since 8/24 vs. TB (HR off Jason Adam)…it was just his 3rd double this month, as he has 8 HR in Sept…also had a 104.2-mph lineout today.
TAYLOR WARD followed the Trout double with an RBI single, as he has hit safely in 8 straight (.414, 12-29)…has RBI in 4 straight games.
MICHAEL LORENZEN had 14 swing-and-miss strikes today, matching his season high (also 6/4 at PHI)…took no decision despite leaving the game in the 6th inning with a 3-1 lead, as he allowed both batters faced in the 6th inning to reach, and both would score after his exit…today was his 1st career start against Texas and his first-ever appearance in Arlington.
MISCELLANEOUS: The Rangers 10 wins vs. LAA this season are its 2nd-most over any single opponent (11-OAK), and its most over the Angels in a single season since 2019 (10-9)…the first 5 batters in the TEX lineup today: 6-for-19, 2B, HR, BB, 5 RBI…last 4 spots: 0-for-9, 2 BB…each of the Rangers’ last 4 games have been played in under 3:00 hours.
Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.
Texas takes the finale of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
TEXAS trailed, 1-3, after 5 innings, but leveled the score, 3-3, in the 6th and took a 5-3 lead in the 8th to complete its 30th come-from-behind victory of the season…secured a win in this 3-game set vs. LAA (2-1), snapping span of 9 straight winless series (0-6-3)…also clinch season series over the Angels (10-6) for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons…the Rangers have gone 5-5 in rubber games at Globe Life Field this season.
MARTIN PEREZ did not factor into the decision, as he exited with the game tied at 3-3 after 6.0 innings…allowed 3 R-ER on 5 hits and 3 walks while recording 5 strikeouts, including his 900th career SO in the opening frame (1st batter faced – Luis Rengifo)…has gone 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA (8 R-ER/24.1 IP) across 4 starts in September, this after going 1-3, 4.24 (18 R-16 ER/34.0 IP) over 6 starts in August…has produced career-high 21 quality starts over 30 outings this season, the most by a Ranger over the span of a single campaign since Cole Hamels in 2016 (22)…today marked his 28th consecutive start of 5.0+ innings pitched, matching the longest such streak by a left-handed pitcher in Texas history (also 28-Kenny Rogers from 8/30/95-7/24/00).
COREY SEAGER snapped a 3-3 tie with a 2-run, opposite-field home run in the 8th inning to give Texas its first and final lead of the day, 5-3…it was the 7th game-tying or go-ahead HR in the 8th-or-later of his career, and his 3rd as a Ranger: 6/10 at CWS (GT off Graveman in 8th) and 7/5 at BAL (GT off Bautista in 9th)…6 of Seager’s last 7 hits have gone for extra bases (3 HR, 3 2B), and he has at least one XBH in each of his last 4 G (2 HR, 2 2B)…his team-high 32 HR this season are the most by a Ranger in the last 4 seasons, last topped by Joey Gallo in 2018 (40 HR)…13 of Seager’s HR this season have come against LHP, the 3rd-most HR vs. LHP by a left-handed batter in Rangers history: 15-Gallo in 2018/Palmeiro in 2003, 13-Seager in 2022.
MARCUS SEMIEN reached base safely in 3 of his 4 plate appearances (2B, 1B, BB), including an RBI double in the 3rd inning which put the Rangers on the board for the 1st time this afternoon…has hits in 9 of his last 10 G (beg. 9/12) at .425 (17-40), and is slashing .345/.389/.595/.984 (29-84) with 3 HR, 10 2B, 13 RBI, and 14 R over 20 G in September to raise his season batting average from .239 to season-high .254…
LOS ANGELES-AL drops back into 4th place in the A.L. West, losing 2 straight after having won 4 of previous 5 games…today was club’s 19th loss in the final at-bat.
MIKE TROUT hit a 2-run double in the 3rd inning for the game’s first runs, with the hit coming on a 3-2, 2-out pitch from Martín Pérez…the double had a game-high 112.0 mph exit velocity, the highest for Trout since 8/24 vs. TB (HR off Jason Adam)…it was just his 3rd double this month, as he has 8 HR in Sept…also had a 104.2-mph lineout today.
TAYLOR WARD followed the Trout double with an RBI single, as he has hit safely in 8 straight (.414, 12-29)…has RBI in 4 straight games.
MICHAEL LORENZEN had 14 swing-and-miss strikes today, matching his season high (also 6/4 at PHI)…took no decision despite leaving the game in the 6th inning with a 3-1 lead, as he allowed both batters faced in the 6th inning to reach, and both would score after his exit…today was his 1st career start against Texas and his first-ever appearance in Arlington.
MISCELLANEOUS: The Rangers 10 wins vs. LAA this season are its 2nd-most over any single opponent (11-OAK), and its most over the Angels in a single season since 2019 (10-9)…the first 5 batters in the TEX lineup today: 6-for-19, 2B, HR, BB, 5 RBI…last 4 spots: 0-for-9, 2 BB…each of the Rangers’ last 4 games have been played in under 3:00 hours.
Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.
This Week In The Metaverse: VR For Surgery Patients Kraken CEO Steps Down The Drum
This Week In The Metaverse: VR For Surgery Patients, Kraken CEO Steps Down – The Drum https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/this-week-in-the-metaverse-vr-for-surgery-patients-kraken-ceo-steps-down-the-drum/
Things are moving fast in the metaverse, and in the wider world of web3 as a whole. Here’s what you need to know from this past week:
Mark Zuckerg’s net worth has dropped by around 71% thus far in 2022, per Bloomberg. Its new report details just how much Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg’s recent spending on the metaverse has cost the company – and himself personally. Zuck’s now reportedly the 20th wealthiest person in the world, a position he hasn’t held since 2014. He was the third-wealthiest person in the world in September 2021, according to Bloomberg, when his net worth peaked at $142bn.
Shortly after reaching that peak, in October 2021, Zuckerberg’s company changed its name to Meta and began investing primarily on software and hardware for the metaverse — essentially making a calculated gamble that this was going to be the next major technological frontier. Generally speaking, things have been going downhill for Meta and Zuckerberg since then. Meta’s stock price has dropped by 57% since the beginning of 2022, per the Bloomberg report, much more than the dips experienced by some other industry leaders like Amazon and Apple (much of the industry has financially suffered this year).
Zuckerberg has made an effort to be transparent with investors that his company’s pivot to the metaverse will require some short-term financial losses in order to be successful in the long-term. But time will tell how patient investors are willing to be.
VR may reduce need for anesthetic during surgery, study shows
Who needs an IV when you have VR? Patients who are receiving surgery while immersed in virtual reality are likely to require a lesser amount of anesthesia, per a new study.
The study — published in the scientific journal PLOS One on Wednesday — focused on 34 patients, all of whom were receiving an elective hand surgery. Half of the group went into the surgery behind VR headsets, which were displaying calming nature landscapes or playing guided meditations, while the other half (the control group) went in without a VR headset.
The study organizers then kept track of the amount of propofol (an anesthetic) that was requested by the members of both groups, eventually finding that the VR group requested far less than their non-VR counterparts. “Despite receiving significantly less intraoperative propofol sedation, VR group patients did not have any significant differences compared to usual care group patients in self-reported assessments of pain, relaxation, anxiety, or overall satisfaction,” the authors of the study wrote. It was also noted that members of the VR group “were discharged from the PACU [Post-Anesthetic Care Unit] 22 minutes earlier than control patients.”
A recent Meta ad envisioned that VR headsets could eventually help physicians practice surgery on virtual patients, theoretically reducing risk when they go in for the real thing.
Beleagured Kraken chief executive steps down
Jess Powell, a co-founder and the chief executive of Kraken, has officially stepped down. Kraken — currently the second-largest crypto exchange platform in the US and the fourth-largest in the world, according to crypto industry tracker CoinMarketCap — published a “leadership succession plan” on its website earlier this week, in which the it said that Powell would remain with the company as chairman of board of directors, to be replaced as chief executive by Dave Ripley, formerly the company’s chief operations officer.
Powell became embroiled in a conflict with some Kraken employees earlier this year over his views about the use of preferred pronouns and differences in intelligence levels between men and women, according to The New York Times. Some employees reportedly opted to leave the company as a result. It was also recently revealed that the Treasury Department has been investigating Kraken for allegedly violating US sanctions.
Twitch cracks down on livestreams of crypto gambling
After being criticized by some viewers and streamers for its unwillingness to take action against crypto gambling livestreams on its platform, Twitch has decided to take action. On Tuesday, the popular streaming platform announced in a statement published on Twitter that it will ban the livestreaming of gambling sites that use crypto assets from its platform, effective October 18. The “policy update” will “prohibit streaming of gambling sites that include slots, roulette, or dice games that aren’t licensed in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection,” according to the statement. Stake.com, Rollbit.com, Roobet.com and Duelbets.com were specifically called out. The statement also said that other platforms are likely to be identified and banned in the future.‘We will continue to allow websites that focus on sports betting, fantasy sports, and poker,” the statement said.
Dogecoin now the second largest proof-of-work cryptocurrency
For a cryptocurrency that started as something of a joke, Dogecoin has come a long way. After Ethereum wrapped up its historic merge last week — switching from a proof-of-work (PoW) system to the much more eco-friendly proof-of-stake (PoS) system — Dogecoin became the world’s second-largest PoW cryptocurrency by market cap (after Bitcoin), according to data from CoinMarketCap. It currently has the tenth largest market cap of all cryptocurrencies.
Dogecoin was founded in 2013 as a tongue-in-cheek cryptocurrency based on a meme. Beginning in 2019, it became a social media darling of serial entrepreneur and the world’s wealthiest person Elon Musk, causing the coin’s popularity and value to periodically spike. Despite its lofty current rank, the current “crypto winter” has caused Dogecoin’s value to plummet by more than 90% since its last peak in May, 2021.
$160mn stolen in Wintermute hack
Crypto market maker Wintermute was hacked earlier this week, resulting in the theft of around $160mn in crypto assets, according to a tweet from the company’s founder and chief executive Evgeny Gaevoy. “We are solvent with twice over that amount in equity left,” he said in a follow-up tweet. He also reported that the company’s centralized finance and over-the-counter operations had not been affected by the hack.
We’ve been hacked for about $160M in our defi operations. Cefi and OTC operations are not affected
— wishful cynic (@EvgenyGaevoy) September 20, 2022
Gaevoy ended his string of tweets with a request to the hacker (or hackers): “We are (still) open to treat this as a white hat, so if you are the attacker – get in touch.”
The Wintermute hack is the latest in a recent string of cyberattacks targeting the crypto industry. In August, hackers stole millions of dollars worth of crypto from the Solana network. Earlier that same week, roughly $200mn was stolen from crypto bridge platform Nomad.
Ricky Williams’ cannabis brand sets up shop in the metaverse
NFL legend Ricky Williams is bringing his cannabis brand Highsman (a play on “Heisman”) into virtual reality. Described by the brand as “the first true virtual reality sports and cannabis experience,” the new virtual space — called the “Highsman House” — will kick off with a Monday Night Football viewing party on September 26. A virtual dispensary will also be available.
Highsman isn’t the only cannabis brand that’s been looking to capitalize on the metaverse recently. In May, for example, Cannaverse Technologies launched Cannaland, a virtual space where customers can both shop for and learn about cannabis.
New NFT provides perks at Bad Bunny, Jack Harlow and Post Malone concerts
Web3 brand Dancing Seahorse Labs announced the minting of the Dancing Seahorse NFT on Tuesday. Legendary token holders will be granted “exclusive suite access and memorable concert experiences” at upcoming Bad Bunny, Jack Harlow and Post Malone concerts.
The minting is one of the latest examples of how web3, and particularly NFTs, have been transforming the music industry. In addition to opening the door to exclusive events and perks, NFTs are also being leveraged by some artists as a means of attaining a higher degree of financial autonomy.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.
Quotes: DC Wink Martindale OC Mike Kafka STC Thomas McGaughey RB Saquon Barkley DL Dexter Lawrence OT Evan Neal Giants.com
Quotes: DC Wink Martindale, OC Mike Kafka, STC Thomas McGaughey, RB Saquon Barkley, DL Dexter Lawrence, OT Evan Neal – Giants.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/quotes-dc-wink-martindale-oc-mike-kafka-stc-thomas-mcgaughey-rb-saquon-barkley-dl-dexter-lawrence-ot-evan-neal-giants-com/
Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale
Martindale: Going afternoon. Going back and looking back really quickly to the Carolina (Panthers) game, I was really pleased and happy with A – the fans. When I say they make a difference, they make a difference. It was already quoted from Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers Head Coach) about how they had a hard time communicating, and I think the biggest thing is the challenge I give the fans this week is I told the players from Week 1 to Week 2 is the biggest jump in the NFL of your performance. So, we expect it to be rocking. I heard it’s a white out, so I’ll wear my white sleeves I guess (laughs). And it should be like an avalanche once they get in that stadium. But it was a great environment, and it’s going to do nothing but get better because the fans definitely held up their end of the bargain. And it helps us immensely on defense when they have to go to their silent count and everything else. That should be the goal every time. There was a bunch of great plays in that game, but the biggest thing I was pleased with is seeing a carryover from our practice to our play, and with our effort for 60 minutes. And I can’t be more pleased with what I saw on Sunday. With that, I’ll open it up to questions.
Q: Why do you think your defense does such a good job of confusing quarterbacks and obviously there’s some unorthodox things you do, but what do you think the challenges are for the other side?
A: I think that the biggest challenges for our opponents are the same things as the biggest challenge for us. There’s a lot of time put into studying protections and seeing how they’ll react. And by the time we get to – like today we put in our pressures – it’s easy for us to teach, easy for our players to learn. But yet it’s something completely different. And you’ve heard me say this many times before: It’s a position-less defense. So, just because a guy, let’s use (safety) Julian (Love) again, has safety next to his name in the program, he can play anywhere on the field. Why can he do that? Because (of) the way we teach the system; he’s a smart player. And wherever we need him and wherever I think his skillset would fit us best is where we play him that week. And you’ve already seen two different defenses, and it’s a credit to the players because they’re studying their tails off not only with what we do but what they do. And it’s a long process. We got to reap the rewards on Sunday because we gave Carolina a different look than what they’ve seen.
Q:It’s a copycat league and you’ve had success, and you’ve had success. Why do you think there are not more defenses like yours around the league?
A: (I) don’t know that answer. (I) don’t know that answer. There’s a lot of good football coaches in this league.
Q: You were referring to versatility there. (Safety) Dane Belton played quite a bit in that game. I presume you think he has a lot of versatility. How do you think he performed with what you saw – your first look at him? And what can he bring as a versatile piece?
A: I think that Dane’s a really good football player and is going to continue to get better. For a rookie in the first play, you’re in in the National Football League and recover a fumble going down on a kickoff, that’s pretty cool. So, if things go up from there, he’s going to have a heck of a career – which I think it will. He does have some versatility to him. It’s harder earlier with rookies, because until you get them rolling, like the first five weeks after they’re used to (it and) they get in the rhythm of the league itself. You can just imagine being at a young age like that and going out there, and (it’s) your first time doing what you dreamed of all your life. So, I always take that into account.
Q: So, how do you think he played Sunday?
A: I thought he played well. I thought he played really well. As a coach you always think about – like when you just asked me that question – some of the things he didn’t do well. But there wasn’t that many.
Q: For years going against the (Dallas) Cowboys as a defensive guy, you had to deal with that offensive line. They were a problem usually. What do you see in that group this year, and are they not quite the problem they’ve been in the past?
A: I haven’t played them enough to talk about the past except one every four years, being in the AFC as long as I was. But I know one thing is they have a tremendous skillset at the wide receiver, running back and even quarterback position. We’re going against their second team quarterback, and their offensive line – they work well together. When they were giants, big-dudes way back like you were talking about, I know exactly what you’re talking about, but they still play really well.
Q: What do you see from (Cowboys quarterback) Cooper Rush?
A: I see a guy that’s a starting quarterback in this league. Honestly, I do. And I made the comment just watching him and the decisions that he makes, I think he’ll have a long career as a quarterback in this league, and then he’ll be one of those cats that become an offensive coordinator and a head coach by the time he’s 38 or 39. That’s how it usually works.
Q: How deep do you go on him? He’s got two career starts. What do you try to do to find out as much as you can about him?
A: He’s got two career starts, but he’s also 2-0 with those career starts. So, this guy’s a proven winner. And we’ve gone back to college tape on his favorite throws, because obviously when the schedule came out, we worked ahead. But then after the (Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s) thumb injury, some of the coaches went and looked at some of his (Cooper Rush’s) college throws, all of his preseason games since he’s been there. And he’s a smooth operator back there, and he doesn’t get rattled. Our job is to try to rattle him.
Q: Just looking at the other side of the ball, when you see a player like (Cowboys linebacker) Micah Parsons, what makes him so difficult to contain?
A: Because of his skillset and versatility where he moves all around.
Q: You’ve talked about stud running backs the first two weeks. This team has kind of two of them. What problems does that create for the defense?
A: A lot of that is, first of all it’s very difficult for the defense when you have two running backs of their caliber – especially when they’re out there on the field at the same time. But either one of them could be Pro Bowl running backs. They basically have very similar skillset. I’ve always said going against Zeke (Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott) that once he gets his shoulders squared and he starts heading downfield, he’s a problem. You better be ready to come tackling. So, it’s going to be another one of those games where we got to tighten up our chinstraps and try to get 11 people the football.
Q: You guys obviously have (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux) here for a reason, and he’s trending to play Monday. I know that will still be determined. But when he and (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari) are in the mix for you in your toolbox, does that change anything in terms of how you can deploy your guys?
A: No. I mean, they’re two really good football players, Kayvon being picked where he is and Zeez (Azeez Ojulari) being a second rounder. The change is we have another two guys that are ready to go and play on Monday night if they are. I don’t know if they are or not yet.
Q: The Panthers went after (defensive back Cor’Dale) Flott early, Cor’Dale Flott. What did you think of how he played? Why’d you make the switch to (defensive back Fabian) Moreau, and how do you view that going forward here?
A: I first of all – Cor’Dale has his best week of practice going into Carolina; and he started off well yesterday. He had some cramping issues during the game. Once again, that’s that rookie thing I was talking about with Dane Belton. They’re breathing heavier and everything else because they’re so excited about being out there to play. And then we put Fabe (Fabian Moreau) in there, and he did a great job as well. So, going forward, we’ll see where we’re at. We can still rotate them or do whatever we need to do. But I was pleased with both of them actually.
Q: How would you evaluate (defensive lineman) Dexter Lawrence so far?
A: He’s maybe one of my most favorite players that I’ve ever been around in my life. He’s a great guy first of all – a great person. And he’s a problem. I mean, he is athletic. And I’m glad you brought that up because that play – I told the whole defense on Monday – the play where he chased (Panthers quarterback) Baker Mayfield down and got him short of the sticks on that scramble, I don’t know (if) in my career I’ve ever seen a big man like that make a play like that. And that’s the kind of effort and leadership that he brings to the defense. And he and Leo (defensive lineman Leonard Williams) and X (safety Xavier McKinney) and Julian, they’ve been the blocks of granite. (Cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson) on the outside has been playing lights out, and we’re just excited to go get this thing cranked up on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka
Q: What is your process as a staff for making adjustments at halftime? How much time do you spend on it and how detailed is that?
A: It’s detailed. Those conversations start happening throughout the first quarter and second quarter, really as the defense presents itself. Really, if you have a two-minute or maybe you don’t have the possession, that conversation will happen between series and then those will get written down by staff and they will already be on paper as we walk into the locker room. We discuss them, make sure we’re all on th...
Crypto-Mining Data Center Compute North Files For Bankruptcy Protection CoinDesk
Crypto-Mining Data Center Compute North Files For Bankruptcy Protection – CoinDesk https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/crypto-mining-data-center-compute-north-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-coindesk/
Stephen Alpher is CoinDesk’s co-regional news chief, Americas. He holds BTC and ETH above CoinDesk’s disclosure threshold of $1,000.
Aoyon Ashraf is managing editor with more than a decade of experience in covering equity markets
Compute North, one of the largest operators of crypto-mining data centers, filed for bankruptcy and revealed that its CEO stepped down as the rout in cryptocurrency prices weighs on the industry.
The company filed for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, according to a filing.
Compute North in February announced a capital raise of $385 million, consisting of an $85 million Series C equity round and $300 million in debt financing. But it fell into bankruptcy as miners struggle to survive amid slumping bitcoin (BTC) prices, rising power costs and record difficulty in mining bitcoin. The filing is likely to have negative implications for the industry. Compute North is one of the largest data center providers for miners, and has multiple deals with other larger mining companies.
“The Company has initiated voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings to provide the company with the opportunity to stabilize its business and implement a comprehensive restructuring process that will enable us to continue servicing our customers and partners and make the necessary investments to achieve our strategic objectives,” a spokesperson told CoinDesk in an emailed statement.
CEO Dave Perrill stepped down earlier this month but will continue to serve on the board, the spokesperson added. Drake Harvey, who has been chief operating officer for the last year, has taken the role of president at Compute North, the spokesperson said.
Compute North has four facilities in the U.S. – two in Texas and one in both South Dakota and Nebraska, according to its website.
Some of the company’s partners include Marathon Digital (MARA), where Compute North has brought online 40 megawatts (MW) of a 280MW wind-powered facility at its Upton County in West Texas. Bitcoin mining hosting and brokerage services firm Compass Mining also said recently that it will work with Compute North on a 75MW hosting partnership for its Granbury, Texas, data center. Compass said in a Tweet that its reviewing the bankruptcy petitions and Compute North has informed the company that the filing shouldn’t disrupt mining operations.
Marathon also tweeted that the bankruptcy protection filings won’t affect its current mining operations and its in communication with Compute North.
Meanwhile, crypto miner Hive Blockchain (HIVE) also entered into a deal with Compute North on March 7, for 100MW worth of mining capacity. Shares of Marathon were down slightly in post-market trading on Thursday, while Hive remained unchanged.
Additional deals that Compute North signed included Singapore-based Atlas Mining, Chinese Crypto Miner The9, bitcoin miner BitNile Holdings (NILE) and Bit Digital (BTBT). Shares of BitNile was down about 1% in after-hours trading, while Bit Digital rose slightly.
On July 14, Celsius Network’s mining unit, which said in March it planned to go public, also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, along with its parent company, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Meanwhile, Poolin Wallet, the wallet service of one of the largest bitcoin (BTC) mining pools, has announced on Sept. 13 it will issue IOU (I Owe You) tokens to affected customers after it froze withdrawals prior week.
UPDATE (Sept. 22, 2022 23:25 UTC): Updates with Marathon’s comments.
UPDATE (Sept. 22, 2022 23:05 UTC): Updates with Compass Mining’s comments.
UPDATE (Sept. 22, 2022 22:41 UTC): Updates with CEO exit and company comments.
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Stephen Alpher is CoinDesk’s co-regional news chief, Americas. He holds BTC and ETH above CoinDesk’s disclosure threshold of $1,000.
Aoyon Ashraf is managing editor with more than a decade of experience in covering equity markets
U.S. Has Sent Private Warnings To Russia Against Using A Nuclear Weapon The Washington Post
U.S. Has Sent Private Warnings To Russia Against Using A Nuclear Weapon – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-has-sent-private-warnings-to-russia-against-using-a-nuclear-weapon-the-washington-post/
The United States for several months has been sending private communications to Moscow warning Russia’s leadership of the grave consequences that would follow the use of a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. officials, who said the messages underscore what President Biden and his aides have articulated publicly.
The Biden administration generally has decided to keep warnings about the consequences of a nuclear strike deliberately vague, so the Kremlin worries about how Washington might respond, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive deliberations.
The attempt by the White House to cultivate what’s known in the nuclear deterrence world as “strategic ambiguity” comes as Russia continues to escalate its rhetoric about possible nuclear weapons use amid a domestic mobilization aimed at stanching Russian military losses in eastern Ukraine.
The State Department has been involved in the private communications with Moscow, but officials would not say who delivered the messages or the scope of their content. It was not clear whether the United States had sent any new private messages in the hours since Russian President Vladimir Putin issued his latest veiled nuclear threat during a speech announcing a partial mobilization early Wednesday, but a senior U.S. official said the communication has been happening consistently over recent months.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, wrote Thursday in a post on Telegram that territory in eastern Ukraine would be “accepted into Russia” after the completion of staged “referendums” and vowed to strengthen the security of those areas.
To defend that annexed land, Medvedev said, Russia is able to use not only its newly mobilized forces, but also “any Russian weapon, including strategic nuclear ones and those using new principles,” a reference to hypersonic weapons.
“Russia has chosen its path,” Medvedev added. “There is no way back.”
The comment came a day after Putin suggested Russia would annex occupied lands in Ukraine’s south and east, and incorporate the regions formally into what Moscow considers its territory. He said he was not bluffing when he vowed to use all means at Russia’s disposal to defend the country’s territorial integrity — a veiled reference to the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Biden administration officials have emphasized that this isn’t the first time the Russian leadership has threatened to use nuclear weapons since the start of the war on Feb. 24, and have said there is no indication Russia is moving its nuclear weapons in preparation for an imminent strike.
Still, the recent statements from the Russian leadership are more specific than previous comments and come at a time when Russia is reeling on the battlefield from a U.S.-backed Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Whereas previous Kremlin statements appeared to be aimed at warning the United States and its allies against going too far in helping Ukraine, Putin’s most recent comments suggested Russia is considering using a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine to freeze gains and force Kyiv and its backers into submission, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, a nonproliferation advocacy group in Washington.
“What everyone needs to recognize is that this is one of, if not the most, severe episodes in which nuclear weapons might be used in decades,” Kimball said. “The consequences of even a so-called ‘limited nuclear war’ would be absolutely catastrophic.”
For years, U.S. nuclear experts have worried that Russia might use smaller tactical nuclear weapons, sometimes referred to as “battlefield nukes,” to end a conventional war favorably on its terms — a strategy sometimes described as “escalate to de-escalate.”
On Thursday, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, told the U.K.’s ITV News that it is possible Russia will use nuclear weapons against Ukraine “to stop our offensive activity and to destroy our state.”
“This is a threat for other countries,” Skibitskyi said. “The blast of a tactical nuclear weapon will have an impact not only in Ukraine but the Black Sea region.”
The Ukrainians have tried to signal that even a Russian nuclear strike wouldn’t force them into capitulation — and in fact could have the opposite effect.
“Threatening with nuclear weapons … to Ukrainians?” Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, tweeted on Wednesday. “Putin have not yet understood who he is dealing with.”
In an interview with CBS News’s “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, Biden was asked what he would tell Putin if the Russian leader is considering using nuclear weapons in the conflict against Ukraine.
“Don’t. Don’t. Don’t,” Biden said. “You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II.”
Biden declined to detail how the United States would respond, saying only that the reaction would be “consequential” and would depend “on the extent of what they do.”
The Biden administration would face a crisis if Russia were to use a small nuclear weapon in Ukraine, which isn’t a U.S. treaty ally. Any direct military U.S. response against Russia would risk the possibility of a wider war between nuclear-armed superpowers — the avoidance of which the Biden administration has made its No. 1 priority in all of its Ukraine policymaking.
Matthew Kroenig, a professor of government at Georgetown University and director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council, has argued that the best option for the administration, if faced with a limited Russian nuclear strike in Ukraine, might be to step up backing for Ukraine and conduct a limited conventional strike on the Russian forces or bases that launched the attack.
“If it’s Russian forces in Ukraine that launched the nuclear attack, the United States could strike directly against those forces,” Kroenig said. “It would be calibrated to send a message that this is not a major war coming, this is a limited strike. If you are Putin, what do you do in response? I don’t think you immediately say let’s launch all the nukes at the United States.”
But even a limited conventional strike by the U.S. military against Russia would be viewed as reckless by many in Washington, who would argue against risking a full-scale war with a nuclear-armed Russia.
James M. Acton, co-director of the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said it doesn’t make sense at this point to game out U.S. responses because there is such a wide range of possible Russian actions — from an underground nuclear test that doesn’t hurt anyone to a large-scale explosion that kills tens of thousands of civilians — and there are no signs Putin is close to crossing the threshold.
“If he was really thinking very seriously about using nuclear weapons very imminently, he almost certainly would want us to know that,” Acton said. “He would much rather threaten nuclear use and have us make concessions than actually have to go down the path of nuclear use.”
U.S. officials have been stepping up efforts at the U.N. General Assembly this week to deter Russia from seriously considering what would be the first use of a nuclear weapon in a conflict since the atomic bombings of Japan by the United States in 1945.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking at a U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday, said Russia’s “reckless nuclear threats must stop immediately.”
“This week, President Putin said that Russia would not hesitate to use and I quote, ‘all weapons systems available’ in response to a threat to his territorial integrity — a threat that is all the more menacing given Russians’ intention to annex large swaths of Ukraine in the days ahead,” Blinken said. “When that’s complete, we can expect President Putin will claim any Ukrainian effort to liberate this land as an attack on so-called Russian territory.”
Blinken noted that Russia in January joined other permanent members of the Security Council in signing a joint statement declaring, “nuclear war can never be won, and must never be fought.”
Hudson reported from the United Nations in New York.
War in Ukraine: What you need to know
The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of troops in an address to the nation on Sept. 21, framing the move as an attempt to defend Russian sovereignty against a West that seeks to use Ukraine as a tool to “divide and destroy Russia.” Follow our live updates here.
The fight: A successful Ukrainian counteroffensive has forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in recent days, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment.
Annexation referendums: Staged referendums, which would be illegal under international law, are set to take place from Sept. 23 to 27 in the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies. Another staged referendum will be held by the Moscow-appointed administration in Kherson starting Friday.
Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work.
How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can help support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating.
Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.
Texas Tech LB Ramirez Back Home After Gruesome Injury The Associated Press En Español
Texas Tech LB Ramirez Back Home After Gruesome Injury – The Associated Press – En Español https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/texas-tech-lb-ramirez-back-home-after-gruesome-injury-the-associated-press-en-espanol/
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech linebacker Bryce Ramirez is back in Texas five days after breaking his left leg in a gruesome injury sustained during a game at North Carolina State.
Ramirez returned to Lubbock on Thursday, greeted at the airport by coach Joey McGuire and others as he was wheeled into the terminal two days before the Red Raiders face rival Texas in their Big 12 opener at home.
The fourth-year junior’s week in Raleigh, North Carolina, included a hospital visit from N.C. State coach Dave Doeren and members of his staff. Ramirez received a big get-well card. He tweeted a photo while thanking Doeren and his program.
Doeren said Thursday it was “just the right thing to do.” Ramirez underwent two surgeries on the broken leg while in North Carolina.
“If my son was in the same situation in another city, I would hope someone would do that for my son,” Doeren said.
McGuire met with reporters Monday just after getting off the phone with Ramirez.
“You could see the smile in his voice just because he’s got a great smile,” McGuire said. “It’s funny. He said, ‘What’s next? It’s Texas week. Let’s go. Tell everybody 24 hours is up.’”
Ramirez fractured his lower left leg in the first half of Saturday night’s 27-14 loss when he tackled Wolfpack running back Jordan Houston. The pile rolled over Ramirez’s leg, which was planted in the turf. It bent below the knee and was twisted abnormally as he laid on the grass.
Trainers covered the leg with a towel when they began treating him, and ESPN chose not to show a replay of the injury. The game was stopped for roughly 10 minutes before Ramirez was put on a motorized cart and transported to a hospital.
Ramirez was one of four Texas Tech players awarded scholarships before the season after appearing mostly on special teams in his first action as a redshirt sophomore last year. He played high school football in the Houston area.
McGuire said no family members were at the game, but Ramirez’s mom and dad traveled to see him in the hospital. A Texas Tech athletic trainer stayed back with Ramirez. The school said it was paying the family’s expenses in accordance with NCAA rules.
___
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Delaware County Attorney Arrested In Fatal Car Crash KSNF/KODE FourStatesHomepage.com
Delaware County Attorney Arrested In Fatal Car Crash – KSNF/KODE – FourStatesHomepage.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/delaware-county-attorney-arrested-in-fatal-car-crash-ksnf-kode-fourstateshomepage-com/
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – A Delaware County attorney was arrested in connection with a fatal motorcycle crash leading to the death of an Arkansas woman.
Jason David Smith, 50, of Bella Vista, was arrested on Sept. 17 on complaints of negligent homicide while intoxicated, careless and prohibited driving and failure to yield at an unsigned intersection, according to a Benton County book-in sheet.
Killed in the May 29 crash was Afghanistan War veteran Carmen Vaughn, 30, of Bella Vista and injured in the crash was Dustin Simon, 37, of Bella Vista.
Smith is free on $10,000 bail but he has not been charged, online records show.
Whitney Evans-Smith said her younger sister served in Afghanistan for over six years and left behind a 3-year-old son.
Evans-Smith said the complaints are “just a slap on the wrist.”
“She fought for our country and served in Afghanistan as a helicopter mechanic,” Evans-Smith said. “Her death should be more.”
The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. in rural Benton County, according to a 14-page Arkansas Motor Vehicle Crash report.
Initially, prosecutors declined to file charges against Smith saying “the circumstances did not meet the criteria to pursue the charge” of negligent homicide, the report states.
Toxicology results for both men were added to the report and on Aug. 23 it was reported the prosecutor found probable cause to charge Smith, the report states.
Smith’s toxicology report showed the prescription drugs methadone, phentermine and sertraline were present. His blood level did register 0.05 for alcohol which is below the legal limit in Arkansas, the report states.
Smith’s medications are primarily used for chronic pain, weight loss and depression, according to a pharmaceutical website.
Smith was driving a 2021 Dodge Charger westbound on Highway 102 in Benton County and approached the intersection of Highway 102 and Highway 43 waiting to turn left and drive southbound on Highway 43, according to the report.
Simon was driving a Harley Davidson XTC motorcycle northbound on Highway 102 and was approaching the intersection when Smith turned left. Simon crashed into the driver’s side of Smith’s vehicle, the report states.
Vaughn was a passenger on the back of the motorcycle. Both Vaughn and Simons were ejected from the bike.
The report states Vaughn and Simon were not wearing helmets.
Vaughn died at Washington Regional Medical Center on May 30, the report states.
Smith has been a criminal attorney in Delaware County since 2003. He also specializes in family law, wills and estates, patents and intellectual property and protective orders.
Smith’s law office also doubles as a food pantry for animals providing free pet food to individuals who house stray dogs and cats.
The 16 Best Hikes On Oahu For Every Skill Level U.S. News & World Report
The 16 Best Hikes On Oahu For Every Skill Level – U.S. News & World Report https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-16-best-hikes-on-oahu-for-every-skill-level-u-s-news-world-report/
Hiking is one of the best ways to experience the gorgeous island of O’ahu. Whether you’re looking for a light stroll or a challenging climb on your Hawaii vacation, the top O’ahu trails highlight the natural beauty of this island paradise. Treat yourself to jaw-dropping views of the vast Pacific Ocean and iconic landmarks as you trek past all kinds of indigenous and introduced flowers, plants and trees. You’ll also get to hear the sounds of both rare and common birds and other critters that live in the lush valleys and forested trails. Lace up your boots and hit the trails to be inspired by what nature has to offer on some of the best hikes on O’ahu.
Hikers should be sure to proceed with caution and respect while venturing out onto the trails. Don’t veer off the paths, adhere to trail signs, check the weather beforehand, pack enough water, wear closed-toe shoes and check in at trailhead stations. It is also important to be considerate of the people, land and wildlife as you hike; visitors must remember to pack out what you packed in.
(Note: Some of the following hikes and locations may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or trail conditions. New policies may be in place, including capacity restrictions, reservation requirements or mask mandates. Check with the Department of Land and Natural Resources for trail updates.)
The Top Oahu Hikes for Every Skill Level
Easy Hikes
Puu Ohia (Mount Tantalus) Trail
(Heather Goodman/Courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority)
Approximate total length: 1 mileApproximate elevation gain: 350 feetTrail type: Out and back
At just about a mile out and back, the Pu’u Ohia Trail is generally considered easy, although it’s not entirely flat. You’ll experience gradual elevation gain through a serene bamboo forest to get to the top of Mount Tantalus; look out for the iconic hibiscus flower. Recent hikers praise the trail for being shady but warn it can get slippery after rain. Some add that while the views along the hike are beautiful, there’s sometimes not much to see at the top because of overgrown bushes and trees. From the trail you can see the volcanic Lē’ahi (also called Diamond Head), downtown Honolulu, the Ko’olau Range and other peaks.
The trailhead is easily accessible with parking available at the top of Tantalus Drive. This hike is part of the Honolulu-Mauka Trail Network, which comprises 18 interconnected trails. Follow this route out and back or take connecting trails such as the Mānoa Cliffs Trail for a longer excursion. This is a popular area for hiking, birding and trail running. You can even bring your furry friend on a leash, but beware of hunting on the trail, as hunting dogs may be off-leash.
Waimea Valley Trail
Approximate total length: 2 milesApproximate elevation gain: 270 feetTrail type: Out and back
Waimea Valley, which stretches from the mountains to the sea, is located on the North Shore. It is directly across from Waimea Bay, a legendary big wave surfing hot spot. This plot of land is home to numerous botanical gardens with thriving flora and fauna. Recent visitors comment that the flowers, in particular, are impressive. Waimea Valley awes tourists with its natural beauty and is revered by locals as a significant cultural and historic site. Explore the area on your own or as part of a free tour, but note that you will have to pay a fee to enter Waimea Valley. The paved Waimea Valley Trail – less than 2 miles round trip – winds through the world-class botanical gardens and past historical sites, leading to a natural 45-foot waterfall.
Most of this popular trail is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible, though it can be steep. For a fee, shuttle rides also take travelers to the waterfall turnaround area. Guests are often allowed to swim in the pool at the waterfall for a truebucket list activity; swimming access depends on daily conditions, and some visitors warn that the cascade isn’t always flowing, so check ahead if you plan to take a dip. Life vests are required for swimming and provided at no charge by lifeguards on duty.
Diamond Head (Leahi) Summit Trail
(Getty Images)
Approximate total length: 2 milesApproximate elevation gain: 450 feetTrail type: Out and back
The silhouette of Diamond Head, called Lē’ahi in Hawaiian, is probably what most people envision when they think of Hawaii. Did you know it’s an extinct volcanic crater and you can actually hike to the top? At just under 2 miles round trip, the steep Diamond Head Summit Trail is one of the most well-known hikes on the island. With nearly 3,000 visitors a day here, recent hikers warn it can get crowded. This trail is part of the 475-acre Diamond Head State Monument. The peak provides spectacular views of famous Waikīkī Beach and the expansive Pacific Ocean.
To get to the summit, you have to endure about 200 steps and a few dimly lit tunnels. The trail and tunnels were originally built as part of the coastal defense system in O’ahu; atop the crater you’ll notice old military bunkers and a 1917 navigational lighthouse. This trail is easy to get to since Lē’ahi sits only a few miles east of Waikīkī. Reservations are required for out-of-state visitors, and the parking and entry fees must be paid online in advance. No dogs are allowed here.
Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail
(Getty Images)
Approximate total length: 2.5 milesApproximate elevation gain: 500 feetTrail type: Out and back
This hike is a relatively easy 2.5 miles round trip with about 500 feet of elevation gain. The paved trail leads to the 1909 red-roofed Makapu’u Lighthouse, which can be seen from the summit. Located within the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline, the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail provides stunning views of Koko Head and Koko Crater, Makapu’u Beach, the small islands of Mānana (Rabbit Island) and Kāohikaipu, and Moloka’i on a clear day. Also keep your eyes open for migrating humpback whales in December through May; you may want to pack a pair of binoculars. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen, as hikers warn it can get hot on the exposed trail. The parking area with trailhead access is located off Kalaniana’ole Highway.
Kaena Point Trail (from North via Farrington Highway)
(Getty Images)
Approximate total length: 5 milesApproximate elevation gain: 225 feetTrail type: Out and back
If you’re looking for a hike closer to the ocean, this is the one. The Ka’ena Point Trail hugs the coast along the westernmost point of O’ahu and offers dramatic ocean vistas. The 5-mile dirt trail, which used to be a railroad bed, is accessible to hikers and bikers, but leave your dog behind. Recent visitors commented that the trail, which is considered fairly easy, is rocky and there’s no shade; it can also be windy.
Along the way, you may spot monk seals on the beach, but don’t get too close. While hiking in this area you’ll also find tide pools, natural stone arches, blowholes, seabirds and native vegetation. For an intermediate-level addition to your hike, climb up to the pillbox – a World War II-era observation structure. If you begin on the Mokulē’ia side, at the end you’ll arrive at the remote Ka’ena Point Natural Area Reserve; you can park at the end of the paved road before setting out.
Easy to Moderate Hikes
Manoa (Waihi) Falls Trail
(Getty Images)
Approximate total length: 1.5 milesApproximate elevation gain: 630 feetTrail type: Out and back
Situated only a short drive from Waikīkī at the back of lush Mānoa Valley, the Mānoa Falls Trail is one of the most easily accessible waterfall hikes on O’ahu for all skill levels, meaning it’s also often heavily trafficked. This out-and-back trail – part of the Honolulu-Mauka Trail Network – is about 1.7 miles total and has an elevation gain of about 630 feet. If you feel like you’ve just set foot on a tropical movie set when you hike this trail, that’s because you have: The trail has served as a filming location for shows like “Lost” and movies such as “Jurassic Park.” The dog-friendly trail (for pets on a leash) winds through a shipping container into a field, across a wooden footbridge framed by eucalyptus trees and past a freshwater pool, taking hikers through a lush rainforest before arriving at a viewing area of Mānoa Falls. There are a couple of rest stops along the way.
Parents praise this hike as being family-friendly. To get to the trailhead, take Mānoa Road to Paradise Park and park either in the lot there or in the neighborhood, taking care not to leave valuables in your car. Due to the year-round rainfall in the area, the trail can be muddy, so wearing appropriate footwear is advised. Mosquitoes can also be found here as well, so it’s not a bad idea to carry bug spray.
Makiki Valley Trail
(Getty Images)
Approximate total length: 2.5 milesApproximate elevation gain: 800 feetTrail type: Out and back
This out-and-back hike starts at the Hawaii Nature Center. Considered an easy to moderate trek, the Makiki Valley Trail is part of the Honolulu-Mauka Trail Network. As you wander along the path, you’ll encounter many types of vegetation, including banyan trees; native ti (also called ki) plants, which are used to make skirts for hula; and kukui trees, whose nuts were used by early Hawaiians to make leis. Near the end of the trail, travelers will climb along the side of the volcanic black cinder cone, Sugarloaf (Pu’u Kakea). Watch your footing on this hike, as the trail includes stream crossings and slippery rocks; past hikers do warn that it can be muddy. Visitors’ dogs must be on a leash on hiking trails.
Waahila Ridge Trail
(Getty Images)
Approximate total length: 3 milesApproximate elevation gain: 960 feetTrail type: Out and back
Located in the Wa’ahila Ridge State Park, the Wa’ahila Ridge Trail is about 3 miles long. This hike winds through forested woodlands and across an open rid...
Powells Stark Message: Inflation Fight May Cause Recession Business News Castanet.net
Powell’s Stark Message: Inflation Fight May Cause Recession – Business News – Castanet.net https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/powells-stark-message-inflation-fight-may-cause-recession-business-news-castanet-net/
Photo: The Canadian Press
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a news conference Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at the Federal Reserve Board Building, in Washington. Intensifying its fight against chronically high inflation, the Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate by a substantial three-quarters of a point for a third straight time, an aggressive pace that is heightening the risk of an eventual recession. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The U.S. Federal Reserve delivered its bluntest reckoning Wednesday of what it will take to finally tame painfully high inflation: Slower growth, higher unemployment and potentially a recession.
Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged what many economists have been saying for months: That the Fed’s goal of engineering a “soft landing” — in which it would manage to slow growth enough to curb inflation but not so much as to cause a recession — looks increasingly unlikely.
“The chances of a soft landing,” Powell said, “are likely to diminish” as the Fed steadily raises borrowing costs to slow the worst streak of inflation in four decades. “No one knows whether this process will lead to a recession or, if so, how significant that recession would be.”
Before the Fed’s policymakers would consider halting their rate hikes, he said, they would have to see continued slow growth, a “modest” increase in unemployment and “clear evidence” that inflation is moving back down to their 2% target.
“We have got to get inflation behind us,” Powell said. “I wish there were a painless way to do that. There isn’t.”
Powell’s remarks followed another substantial three-quarters of a point rate hike — its third straight — by the Fed’s policymaking committee. Its latest action brought the Fed’s key short-term rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to 3% to 3.25%. That’s its highest level since early 2008.
Falling gas prices have slightly lowered headline inflation, which was a still-painful 8.3% in August compared with a year earlier. Those declining prices at the gas pump might have contributed to a recent rise in President Joe Biden’s public approval ratings, which Democrats hope will boost their prospects in the November midterm elections.
On Wednesday, the Fed officials also forecast more jumbo-size hikes to come, raising their benchmark rate to roughly 4.4% by year’s end — a full point higher than they had envisioned as recently as June. And they expect to raise the rate again next year, to about 4.6%. That would be the highest level since 2007.
By raising borrowing rates, the Fed makes it costlier to take out a mortgage or an auto or business loan. Consumers and businesses then presumably borrow and spend less, cooling the economy and slowing inflation.
Other major central banks are taking aggressive steps, too, to combat global inflation, which has been fueled by the global economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and then Russia’s war against Ukraine. On Thursday, Britain’s central bank raised its key interest rate by a half-percentage point — to its highest level in 14 years. It was the Bank of England’s seventh straight move to increase borrowing costs at a time of rising food and energy prices, which have fueled a severe cost-of-living crisis..
This month, Sweden’s central bank raised its key interest rate by a full point. And the European Central Bank delivered its largest-ever rate increase with a three-quarter-point hike for the 19 countries that use the euro currency.
In their quarterly economic forecasts Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers also projected that economic growth will stay weak for the next few years, with unemployment rising to 4.4% by the end of 2023, up from its current level of 3.7%. Historically, economists say, any time unemployment has risen by a half-point over several months, a recession has always followed.
“So the (Fed’s) forecast is an implicit admission that a recession is likely, unless something extraordinary happens,” said Roberto Perli, an economist at Piper Sandler, an investment bank.
Fed officials now foresee the economy expanding just 0.2% this year, sharply lower than their forecast of 1.7% growth just three months ago. And they envision sluggish growth below 2% from 2023 through 2025. Even with the steep rate hikes the Fed foresees, it still expects core inflation — which excludes volatile food and gas costs — to be 3.1% at the end of 2023, well above its 2% target.
Powell warned in a speech last month that the Fed’s moves will “bring some pain” to households and businesses. And he added that the central bank’s commitment to bringing inflation back down to its 2% target was “unconditional.”
Short-term rates at a level the Fed is now envisioning will force many Americans to pay much higher interest payments on a variety of loans than in the recent past. Last week, the average fixed mortgage rate topped 6%, its highest point in 14 years, which helps explain why home sales have tumbled. Credit card rates have reached their highest level since 1996, according to Bankrate.com.
Inflation now appears increasingly fueled by higher wages and by consumers’ steady desire to spend and less by the supply shortages that had bedeviled the economy during the pandemic recession. On Sunday, Biden said on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he believed a soft landing for the economy was still possible, suggesting that his administration’s recent energy and health care legislation would lower prices for pharmaceuticals and health care.
The law may help lower prescription drug prices, but outside analyses suggest it will do little to immediately bring down overall inflation. Last month, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office judged it would have a “negligible” effect on prices through 2023. The University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Wharton Budget Model went even further to say “the impact on inflation is statistically indistinguishable from zero” over the next decade.
Even so, some economists are beginning to express concern that the Fed’s rapid rate hikes — the fastest since the early 1980s — will cause more economic damage than necessary to tame inflation. Mike Konczal, an economist at the Roosevelt Institute, noted that the economy is already slowing and that wage increases — a key driver of inflation — are levelling off and by some measures even declining a bit.
Surveys also show that Americans are expecting inflation to ease significantly over the next five years. That is an important trend because inflation expectations can become self-fulfilling: If people expect inflation to ease, some will feel less pressure to accelerate their purchases. Less spending would then help moderate price increases.
The Fed’s rapid rate hikes mirror steps that other major central banks are taking, contributing to concerns about a potential global recession. The European Central Bank last week raised its benchmark rate by three-quarters of a percentage point. The Bank of England, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Bank of Canada have all carried out hefty rate increases in recent weeks.
And in China, the world’s second-largest economy, growth is already suffering from the government’s repeated COVID lockdowns. If recession sweeps through most large economies, that could derail the U.S. economy, too.
Travis Barker Shares What Wellness Means To Him: Living A Healthy Lifestyle Is My Only Option Billboard
Travis Barker Shares What Wellness Means To Him: ‘Living A Healthy Lifestyle Is My Only Option’ – Billboard https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/travis-barker-shares-what-wellness-means-to-him-living-a-healthy-lifestyle-is-my-only-option-billboard/
The drummer’s new skincare collection aims to “support all aspects of your daily skin routine” with all-natural, vegan, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic products.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker attend the Barker Wellness Skincare Collection Launch Event with REVOLVE. Jason Sean Weiss/BFA.com
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Travis Barker is no stranger to taking care of his body and mind. He’s been eating a vegan diet for 16 years and is committed to a regular workout routine.
That’s why his Barker Wellness company has added a wide-ranging skincare line to its collection of CBD tinctures, balms, gummies and bath products — commemorated with a star-studded launch party in collaboration with Revolve on Tuesday (Sept. 20). The Malibu event had Barker’s celebrity friends like Avril Lavigne and the D’Amelio family as well as his son Landon and wife Kourtney Kardashian in attendance, trying out the new line. “Wellness is about nurturing the health of your whole body – your mental health and physical health,” the Blink-182 rocker tells Billboard after the event. “Being ‘well’ and living a healthy lifestyle is my only option. I couldn’t do what I do without taking care of myself and giving what my body needs to keep going.”
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The new skincare collection aims to “support all aspects of your daily skin routine with all-natural, vegan, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic” products, which include a 2-in-1 face mask and cleanser, eye serum, face serum, renewal balm and Barker’s favorite, the daily moisturizer. “It’s a staple in my routine now. It’s lightweight but extremely hydrating,” he explains to Billboard.
Barker Wellness Skincare Collection Launch Event with REVOLVE Jason Sean Weiss/BFA.com
Of course, self care goes deeper than skin, so the drummer also shared some of his favorite wellness practices that he incorporates into his day-to-day routine. “I really enjoy boxing and training Muay Thai. Playing drums is definitely one of my favorite self care practices too, of course,” he reveals.
The main message Barker wants to send to fans, however, is that self-care is universal and accessible. His advice for those looking to start a wellness routine is simple: “Form a routine that works for you. Find something you enjoy doing and find a way to do it consistently.”
Shop Barker Wellness’ full new line of skincare on Revolve’s website here or at Barker Wellness’ site here.
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2022 Presidents Cup Scores Results: Live Coverage Standings Golf Updates Schedule For Day 1 On Thursday CBS Sports
2022 Presidents Cup Scores, Results: Live Coverage, Standings, Golf Updates, Schedule For Day 1 On Thursday – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/2022-presidents-cup-scores-results-live-coverage-standings-golf-updates-schedule-for-day-1-on-thursday-cbs-sports/
The 2022 Presidents Cup has arrived. After a long year of player-league alignment controversies, roster sorting by the captains and chatter about what to do to spice this event up in the future, there is actually golf to be played. While many are predicting a United States blowout, the magic of team golf at this level is that it almost always feels closer than it is for longer than it should.
That wasn’t the case in 2017 when the U.S. side absolutely waxed the International team, but hopefully, with an amalgamation of big hitters, young stars and an us-against-the-world attitude, we get a Presidents Cup that’s at least interesting through most of Sunday’s singles matches. If you’re looking for where the event could turn, you don’t need to look past the first day. The U.S. has owned the International side in foursome matches over the last 15 years, doing the majority of their damage within this particular format. If that happens again — there’s no reason to believe it won’t — the red, white and blue will likely be off to the races.
2022 Presidents Cup scores, results
Day 1 — Foursomes
1
Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele
6&5
Adam Scott & Hideki Matsuyama
2
Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas
2&1
Corey Conners & Sungjae Im
3
Cameron Young & Collin Morikawa
1 UP thru 16
K.H. Lee & Tom Kim
4
Sam Burns & Scottie Scheffler
1 UP thru 15
Cameron Davis & Si Woo Kim
5
Tony Finau & Max Homa
TIED thru 15
Mito Pereira & Taylor Pendrith
CBS Sports will be with you the entire way updating this story with the latest from the first day of the Presidents Cup. Keep it locked here for live scores, updates and highlights.
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Spieth and Thomas claim 2&1 victory
The best buds win another as they both remain undefeated in Presidents Cup foursomes. It was the par-4 15th which ultimately proved to be a the difference as it looked as if the match would be tied, yet instead the Americans left the green 2 UP. It is another big blow for the internationals, but there is still a chance to flip some late points as all three matches on the course are within one.
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JT stays thriving
I’m not sure we’re appreciating how good Justin Thomas has been at Presidents Cups and Ryder Cups. With his win with Jordan Spieth over Sungjae Im and Corey Conners today he moved to 11-2-3 in alternate shot and four ball matches in those two events.
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This is unbelievable.
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Internationals in trouble
Caesar’s moved the live line to USA -2500, and Data Golf has bumped the U.S. chances of winning to nearly 90%. Both of these notes are a bit incredible considering the fact that the U.S. is only leading 1-0 in a 30-point competition.
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Burns and Scheffler get some breathing room
It has been an up-and-down day for the two friends and after a birdie on the par-4 13th, they are now 2 UP. The fact they are struggling and still command such a lead just goes to show you the quality of Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler who combined for seven PGA Tour victories in the 2021-22 season.
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The Cantlay/Schauffele staple
I tweeted during the 2019 Presidents Cup that Xander and Cantlay needed to be split because I thought they lacked energy and panache. I don’t think they’ve lost since I hit send. They just went to 5-0-0 in alternate shot, although it’s worth pointing out that they’re 0-2-1 in four balls. Regardless, a horrific take by me.
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Schauffele and Cantlay win 6&5
The Zurich Classic winners improve to 5-0-0 in foursomes together with an easy victory over Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama. The two did not make a bogey — the only group to do so — and made it extremely difficult for their international counterparts to garner any momentum. Captain Love wanted this duo against the international veterans and it proved to be a wise decision.
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Dormie at the top
Cantlay and Schauffele are 5 up with five to go in their opening match over Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott, which is a complete disaster for the International side with two veterans getting smoked to kick off the event.
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Final four matches tightening up
It is easy to suggest the U.S. will cruise to a 5-0 lead, but the internationals have a pulse. With each of the final four matches being either 1 DN or 2 DN, there is an opportunity to flip a pair of those and hold onto life heading into tomorrow. The first match will wrap up momentarily as Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are 5 UP with five to play.
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South Koreans key to potential international comeback
Corey Conners and Sungjae Im have cut their match to 1 DN through 10 with Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Behind them, Tom Kim and K.H. Lee are 2 DN through 9. These two matches are critical if the away underdogs want to have any chance come this time tomorrow.
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U.S. leads in all five matches as players head to back nine
Squandering an opportunity to square a match, the internationals find themselves down in all five matches. Matsuyama and Scott make their way to the inward half 3-down while the other four matches fall either 1-down or 2-down. They will need to somehow flip a pair of those by the time the day is over.
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Milan Fashion Week And Fashion Law Trends: Fashion In The Metaverse A New Era For Brands Lexology
Milan Fashion Week And Fashion Law Trends: Fashion In The Metaverse – A New Era For Brands – Lexology https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/milan-fashion-week-and-fashion-law-trends-fashion-in-the-metaverse-a-new-era-for-brands-lexology/
From updating retail experiences, to wearable technology, innovation is continuously inspiring and influencing trends and fashions. Also, following Facebook rebranding into “Meta” in late 2021, the term “Metaverse” definitely entered the common vocabulary and fashion brands are continuously seeking to conquer this new innovative world.
The Metaverse is a new virtual universe characterized by an augmented reality that combines aspects of the digital and physical worlds, allowing people to adopt new ways of digitally exploring their everyday life and living a second life through 3D avatars controlled by technology that incorporates the real into the virtual.
In this innovative context, thus, companies need to find new ways to stay relevant and the rise of the Metaverse still represents a big challenge – but also a huge opportunity – for fashion brands. In fact, innovative technology within the fashion industry is more apparent than ever. Entering the Metaverse, fashion brands transform the purchasing experience, also taking inspiration from the physical retail in order to become “phygital”. In this new world, avatars can indeed visit new malls and fashion shops that offer digital garments to be bought with virtual currency, experimenting a new kind of hyper-realistic shopping that goes beyond the traditional physical in-shop experience.
Over the course of the last year, a number of major brands have already taken a place in the Metaverse expanding their business in a variety of ways.
In particular, Nike, Gucci and Forever 21 partnered with Roblox in 2021 and invited digital customers to embark on a unique trip respectively in Nikeland, Shop City or the virtual Gucci Garden. Also Balenciaga successfully accessed Web3 through a collaboration with Fortnite, creating an authentic and exclusive collection of Balenciaga x Fortnite looks that users can purchase for their gaming avatars. Similarly, Ralph Lauren partnered with South Korean social network App Zepeto to release a virtual fashion collection for its players.
As part of fashion’s integration into the digital landscape, also the Fashion Week has gotten “phygital”. Brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Etro and Elie Saab took part in the first Metaverse Fashion Week that was run in Decentraland in 2022, featuring luxury brands, household names and digital-native designers promoting their collections at 3D catwalks and exclusive events.
Alongside the development of more diverse worlds and fashion experiences, brands also exploit NFT projects and more 3D designer engagements. In particular, Dolce & Gabbana bagged the record for the most expensive suit ever sold, a digital Glass Suit, which fetched the Italian brand a cool $1 million late last year, whereas Gucci’s Queen Bee Dionysus virtual bag has been recently sold for 350,000 Robux (an in-game currency) meaning $ 4,000 (that is more than the bag’s real-life valuation). Louis Vuitton, instead, launched a new video game that allows players to hunt for 30 NFTs hidden within its digital world. Such NFTs then permit to gain access to various exclusive events organized by the luxury brand.
If the Metaverse is plenty of new opportunities, it is also full of risks. In fact, companies operating in the Metaverse shall be ready to redefine their strategy to duly consider the relevant regulatory framework and the legal issues that may arise in this new age. In particular, the creation of new virtual worlds populated by our avatars may arise issues concerning the processing of the user-avatar’s personal data collected in the Metaverse, as well as regarding the regulation of the contractual relationship that may be established within it.
In particular, brands must ensure that users and their avatars benefit from the protection reserved to them as consumers also in the virtual B2C retailing world. It is now a consolidated principle that consumers who buy online, wherever they are and whatever brand they are buying from, can benefit from the protection granted to them by the laws of their country of residence that are more favorable to the consumer himself, even though they may differ from those applicable to the seller. In light of the above, the same rules shall also be applied in the Metaverse to protect avatar-consumers.
Entering the Metaverse is also about marketing a fashion brand to a new community made up of players and their avatars meaning consumers who are immersed in the Metaverse and likely willing to connect virtually with beauty and fashion brands.
These can include influencers who, even in their virtual form, promote the most famous brands, sponsoring their products and services (the so-called “virtual influencers”). By way of example, Meta’s platforms now host more than 200 virtual influencers, including Nefele, the twins Eli and Sofi, Shudu, Lil Miquela, Noonoouri, Rozy and the virtual streamer CodeMiko that is well-known on Twitch.
There are already many fashion brands that are turning to these virtual influencers to advertise their products. Examples include Rihanna, who chose Shudu to promote her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, as well as Prada, Chanel, and Fendi that have been collaborating with the famous Lil Miquela for years. This means that new forms of commercial communication are developing and brands shall not forget to comply with the legal requirements for advertising even in the Metaverse.
In fact, from a self-disciplinary perspective, the transparency obligations to comply with are those already set forth in the Digital Chart Regulation, whereby even virtual influencers are required to explicitly declare the advertising nature of their contents published online, where it is the result of commercial agreements, identifying it through hashtags such as #ad, #adv or #sponsored or, alternatively, #suppliedby or #giftedby in the case of goods or services received without a compensation for their advertising.
In this regard, the Italian Istituto dell’Autodisciplina Pubblicitaria (IAP) and the Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM) have reiterated the principle that not declaring the advertising nature of a content means violating the Code of Marketing Communication Self-Regulation and engaging in an unfair business practice. Thus, the fundamental principle underlying all advertising regulations is the prohibition of hidden advertising and the need for commercial communications to be transparent, clear and fair.
In addition, it is necessary to make the unreal nature of these characters on the platforms used to convey advertising messages explicit, so that the user is aware that he or she is interacting with an avatar and not a human. Indeed, companies should aim to develop technologies that are both ethically and morally reliable in order to be useful for society and commensurate with human needs.
Therefore, although the metaverse represents an opportunity to evolve the manner in which companies interact with their customer/user base, it is fundamental that the new virtual world is able to provide avatars with the same legal protections gained by consumers in the physical world.
Money-Saving Tips For New Parents As The Cost To Raise A Kid Soars Past $310K Arizonas Family
Money-Saving Tips For New Parents As The Cost To Raise A Kid Soars Past $310K – Arizona’s Family https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/money-saving-tips-for-new-parents-as-the-cost-to-raise-a-kid-soars-past-310k-arizonas-family/
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – We feel the pinch of inflation in purchases every day. Now add up those increased costs over the course of a kid’s entire childhood. The estimated cost to raise a child until they’re 17 is now more than $310,605, according to the Brookings Institution. That’s up more than $26,000 from estimates in 2017.
For new parents, the financial stress can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Andrea Woroch, an author and money-saving expert, says one of the best things you can do to keep costs under control with a new baby is stay put, at least for a little while.
“I think a lot of families out there tend to think that they need a bigger home or a bigger car to accommodate baby, whether it’s your first baby or your third, but the reality is kids don’t need a lot of space,” Woroch said. “So I really recommend sticking with what you have. Adjust to your new lifestyle. Get used to the new expenses that you’re paying and all those unpredictable bills that come with a baby and then give yourself time to figure out what you can comfortably afford.”
Woroch also suggests setting a budget, shopping sales, and finding alternatives to brand-new items, especially if it’s something you’re just going to use for a few months. “I think the best thing you can do is talk to a parent who has gone through it all because I’ve made those same mistakes of feeling like I needed all the latest gadgets,” Woroch said. “Maybe you can borrow from friends or family that recently had babies. It’s also a good idea to buy gently used. Now there are some things you don’t want to buy used, like maybe a car seat or a mattress for the baby crib, but there are plenty of things that you can buy used and save a lot of money.”
“There’s a cool browser tool called Beni, and what it does is it lives on your browser and every time you’re shopping for a baby item online, it will show you if it’s available for resale at another site,” Woroch said. “That can help you save a lot of money.” There are also rental options, like Rents4Baby.com. The companies typically cater to families who are traveling, but if there is a high-dollar product you may only use for a short period of time, Woroch says it could be cost-effective to rent it instead of purchasing it.
Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
Bitcoin Ethereum Crypto News And Price Data CoinDesk
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Crypto News And Price Data – CoinDesk https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bitcoin-ethereum-crypto-news-and-price-data-coindesk-4/
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How Tech Is Improving The Customer Experience Nations Restaurant News
How Tech Is Improving The Customer Experience – Nation’s Restaurant News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/how-tech-is-improving-the-customer-experience-nations-restaurant-news/
Shoppers, food lovers and travel junkies have all had their customer journeys and experiences augmented by the advancement of technology. However, over the last couple years technology use and adoption by the hospitality industry have exploded, reshaping how consumers are connected to the services they desire. The function of hospitality has been redefined as restaurants and hotels fought to meet consumer expectations under pandemic conditions, and the changes are now finding some stability.
Naturally, consumer habits shifted during the pandemic in order to maintain safety procedures. However, once restrictions eased, consumers were eager to return to the services they loved, and new technologies were there to bridge the gap. The addition of new tools enabled businesses to operate productively under new safety protocols, assist employees in completing their tasks and streamlined the training process. Technologies like learning management systems (LMS) and services like contactless pickup reduce business expenses while simultaneously increasing revenues, helping manage employees and improving and personalizing the customer experience.
Advancements in hospitality tech
Even before the pandemic, smartphones and mobile apps had become the de facto method for consumers to purchase flight tickets, book a table at a new restaurant and research exciting destinations. Through these services, app providers collect and package user information to help companies curate personalized experiences for their customers. The Internet of Things (IoT) — the connection between personal devices, enterprise hardware, local networks and software applications — powers these services and facilitates the relationship between consumers and providers.
Behind the scenes, the hospitality industry depends on LMSs to drive employee training, development and learning. Entire learning and development programs (employee progress tracking, training sessions, communications) can be housed within a single LMS and helps management with the creation of consistent company culture across teams.
The future of restaurant tech
Restaurants were already pivoting to a technology-oriented approach to better serve their customers prior to the pandemic. Then in the midst of a labor shortage, business owners found themselves “employing” more automated solutions powered by artificial intelligence to make up the difference.
During the middle of the pandemic, about 20% of Americans said they felt comfortable eating inside a restaurant, but that number has now jumped to 80%. Although guest confidence has increased, restaurant owners should not ignore customers who prefer contactless service.
Contactless payments and orders are now must-haves in the hospitality industry and most businesses in the U.S. now offer said services. Delivery apps like DoorDash and GrubHub experienced an explosion in user growth as in-person ordering and pickup declined under shutdowns.
In moments of uncertainty and confusion during the early months of the pandemic, restaurant owners realized the advantages an LMS provided them when communicating safety protocol and guideline updates to their teams. Food and service industries were able to rapidly enact new best practices to protect their workers without compromising on delivering the best service possible for their customers.
About half of U.S. adults said they would like restaurants to expand and make delivery/take-out services more convenient. As restaurant lobbies closed and at-the-counter orders were no longer available, drive-thru volume exploded with fast-food chain Chick-fil-A leading the charge and optimizing their system for quicker service.
The future of hotel tech
In order to successfully operate a business during the pandemic, hotels had to develop an entirely new technology-focused approach to maintain the guest experience and to protect their bottom line. Tech-oriented luxuries like robotic bellhop assistants, automatic room sanitization, mobile keys and online reservations and check-in delighted frequent hotel guests while ensuring their safety is valued.
In addition to providing lodging for guests, the expanding use of remote work has created a demand for hotels to provide space for traveling business people. Suites and rooms are now fitted with features that would be found in traditional office spaces to accommodate the influx of remote workers that need reliable internet access, meeting rooms and desk space.
Guests are more likely than ever to book trips and accommodations specifically for their well being and for self-care after the stress of isolating for extended periods of time. Understanding this, hotel operations can modify their existing offerings to cater to these types of travelers and provide them with experiences focused on health and wellness, fitness or nutrition. Managers can quickly develop and deploy these new programs through an LMS and train employees to be knowledgeable in these new areas.
As a whole, technology has been a huge asset to both hospitality entrepreneurs and their clients. Hotel and restaurant leadership should continue to seek and incorporate new innovations into their current technology stack. The pandemic opened the floodgates and now is the best time to adopt ambitious projects while customers are accustomed to change. U.S. adults are clamoring for the opportunity to plan their next destination, so why not welcome them to the new normal with new and exciting opportunities?
AUTHOR BIO
Ali Knapp is president of Wisetail.
Sauk Rapids Man Charged In Attempted Train-Jacking Tuesday WJON News
Sauk Rapids Man Charged In Attempted Train-Jacking Tuesday – WJON News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/sauk-rapids-man-charged-in-attempted-train-jacking-tuesday-wjon-news/
FOLEY — A Sauk Rapids man has been formally charged in an attempted train-jacking on Tuesday morning.
Forty-year-old Samuel Hohman is charged with 2nd-degree assault and 1st-degree criminal damage to property.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Benton County, the train’s engineer said Hohman hopped aboard the locomotive shortly after 8:00 a.m. The victim said Hohman then wrapped his arms around his neck and told him to speed up and get out of town.
Hohman then allegedly rummaged through a bag and grabbed a small folding knife before stabbing the victim in the forehead.
Court records show the engineer and Hohman struggled and the rail worker was able to bite Hohman’s hand, free himself and jump from the train.
The train came to a stop in Sartell and Hohman was arrested nearby. Police say they found a knife matching the description about 75 yards away.
Authorities discovered that several wires inside the locomotive had been cut causing several thousands of dollars in damage.
Court documents don’t indicate a motive behind the attack.
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15 Must-Have Travel Accessories Under $25 Thrillist
15 Must-Have Travel Accessories Under $25 – Thrillist https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/15-must-have-travel-accessories-under-25-thrillist/
Take some of the stress out of traveling by packing these cheap but necessary products.
Published on 9/22/2022 at 1:57 PM
We independently source all of the awesome products and experiences that we feature on Thrillist. If you buy or book from the links on our site, we may receive an affiliate commission — which in turn supports our work.
It doesn’t quite compare to going to the dentist or DMV, but as much as we all love to travel, the process of getting from point A to B can be rather stressful at times. It’s why most major airports have places that offer massages—and why pretty much all airports sell alcohol. Still, many travel-related problems can be avoided if you pack the right products. We’re not just talking about the basics like your phone and passport (though don’t forget those, either!), but we’d also advise packing some of the less obvious things that will seriously make your trip so much easier. And no, these things don’t even have to put a serious dent in your wallet.
If you’re looking to save the big bucks for things like airfare, hotels, and gas money by getting your carry-on essentials on the cheap, don’t worry because we’ve got you. Some of the most useful products we’ve seen are also the most reasonably priced, from a collapsible water bottle that keeps cold drinks cold to space-saving bags that allow you to pack up to 80% more stuff. If you’re ready to change the way you travel (for the better), here are 15 highly rated travel accessories we love that cost less than $25.
Amazon
Keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot with this handy leakproof collapsible water bottle that was invented by a trio of Brooklyn dads tired of buying single-use plastics. Despite being able to hold 20 ounces, this bottle only measures 3.3 inches tall when collapsed. It’s also dishwasher and microwave safe, so feel free to use it at home, too.
Amazon
Every savvy traveler should have an extra bag on hand for unexpected purchases. This water-resistant nylon backpack folds down to fit in a pouch no larger than the palm of your hand. When unfolded, it can fit things like a computer, clothes, and a pair of shoes. There’s also an exterior pocket perfect for stashing snacks or other small items.
Amazon
Gone are the days of holding your phone in your hand for an entire flight. With this popular hands-free phone holder, it’s easy to mount your mobile device onto the back of your tray table, so you can enjoy Netflix even if your plane doesn’t have its own entertainment screens. The phone holder’s dual joints provide 360 degrees of rotation so you can get just the right angle, and the holder fits any phone up to 3.75 inches wide.
Amazon
Whether you’re bringing a bottle of wine home from your travels or packing a bottle of wine in your luggage as a host gift, these bottle protectors will keep the glass intact. A PVC exterior and air bubble cushioning mean no breaking and no leaking—for bottles of wine or anything else.
Amazon
Make country-hopping—or at least dealing with outlets while country-hopping—easier with this universal travel adapter. It works in more than 150 countries and features four USB ports, so you can charge multiple devices at once. Just note that it’s not a voltage converter, so make sure you’re working with the right wattage before plugging it in.
Amazon
Unless your wardrobe consists entirely of spandex, your clothes are going to get wrinkled while in transit. This best-selling handheld travel steamer from Conair is compact and weighs less than 5 ounces. It’s TSA-approved, so it’s easy to travel with—and with 1,100 watts of power, it offers up to 10 minutes of continuous steaming before you need to add more water.
Amazon
There are a lot of great toiletry bags out there but only this one can claim to be Amazon’s current bestseller in the category. The bag has four separate compartments and countless pockets to organize everything you might need. There’s also a non-slip metal hook that allows for easy hanging, so the bag doesn’t need to take up any precious counter space. And unlike many other toiletry bags, this one’s interior pockets boast elastic straps that prevent bottles from tipping over. Choose from a few different sizes and several different colors.
Amazon
If you like using straws but don’t like using wasteful disposable ones when youre traveling, these handy reusable straws have a telescoping design so they don’t take up much space. They come with a convenient carrying case you can clip to your keychain to make things super simple, and they’re made from stainless steel that’s easy to keep clean with the included brush.
Amazon
Do neck pillows look a little silly? Maybe. Do they work? Definitely. This memory foam neck pillow offers just the right amount of support for airplane naps, whether you nod off with your head lolling to the side, front, or back. It comes in 12 colors and two sizes (small and medium). Its pillowcase is removable and washable, and the pillow itself compresses down to fit into a carrying case about a third of its size for easier transport.
Amazon
If you have a vaccination card, it can be handy to travel with—after all, you never know when you’ll need to show proof that you’ve been jabbed. However, it can be nervewracking to take a flimsy paper card out into the world, where it might be torn, crumpled, or spilled on. This pack of clear vinyl card protectors will be a weight off your mind, since they’ll protect your card from most unsavory fates. The card protectors even feature holes at the top, so you can attach them to lanyards to avoid another unsavory fate: losing your vaccination card altogether.
Amazon
You can’t get noise canceling headphones for under $25, but you can get these memory foam blackout curtains for your eyes for around $20. The Mzoo contoured sleep mask has an impressive 4.7-star overall rating on Amazon from over 75,000 reviews, and for good reason. The strap is adjustable, so it fits any size head, and the mask is held together with a heat-bonded technology (so you don’t have to worry about any annoying seams).
Amazon
Phones have been known to take a beating during vacation, especially if your destination involves copious amounts of H2O. But with this best-selling waterproof pouch (which has more than 67,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.6-star rating overall), you can rest assured you won’t fry your phone while taking photos during a snorkeling sesh. Not only does it keep the water out, it’s also sandproof and scratch resistant. Pro tip if you do plan to use your phone underwater, though: set up your phone so you can use the volume buttons to take photos and video, since the touchscreen may not work once the phone is submerged.
Amazon
Imagine how much more room you’d have in your suitcase if you could compress your clothes and get rid of any excess air. That’s pretty much what these roll-up storage bags do. Simply pack, zip, and roll to squeeze out the air and give yourself up to 80% more storage space. There’s no need to worry about leaks either; the bags have double-zipper seals.
Amazon
A portable charger is a godsend when you’re traveling and can’t hang out near an outlet to charge your phone. With a 4.6-star rating overall after 46,000 reviews, this portable charger from Iniu is one of Amazon’s most popular. It bills itself as the thinnest 10000mAh power bank on the market and claims it can bring an iPhone battery back to life (from 0% to 78%) in just an hour. Use it to charge Apple devices of all sizes, ranging from tiny AirPods to larger iPad Airs. Of course, it’s also compatible with Android phones, too.
Amazon
Financially, it doesn’t make sense to buy your favorite products in travel sizes. Instead, make a one-time investment in this best-selling refillable container set, and fill the containers from standard-sized bottles of product. All of the containers are TSA-approved, and they even come with a clear case (clearly an upgrade from the classic Ziploc bag). The set also includes a sheet of preprinted labels, so you never have to worry about accidentally conditioning your hair with body lotion again.
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