Clark County News Now

Did Mark Zuckerberg’s Little Dance Actually Show Us Real Metaverse Legs? – The Verge https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/did-mark-zuckerbergs-little-dance-actually-show-us-real-metaverse-legs-the-verge/ During Meta’s Connect conference on Tuesday, Mark Zuckerberg made a huge announcement: the avatars in the company’s Horizon VR app will be getting legs soon. To demonstrate this groundbreaking technical achievement, Zuckerberg’s digital avatar lifted each leg in the air, then did a jump, while Aigerim Shorman’s avatar kicked into the air. It may have all been for show. According to UploadVR editor Ian Hamilton, an unnamed Meta spokesperson said that the “the segment featured animations created from motion capture,” meant to “enable this preview of what’s to come.” To me that reads like what we saw wasn’t actually a demo of what Horizon’s legs will look like, but rather an artist’s interpretation of what Horizon’s legs may end up looking like. I’m crushed. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic. Because, really, this was easy to see coming. My co-worker Jay Peters even warned that the pre-recorded video wasn’t necessarily an accurate representation in his coverage of the announcement. Still, if Meta really is trying to say that its presentation didn’t feature any footage of what legs will actually look like as interpreted by your Quest headset, that’s slightly worrying. This feature is supposed to be coming soon, but we can’t see it yet? How am I supposed to know if I should spend $1,500 on a Quest Pro if I can’t be sure that it’ll let me have my virtual avatar jump up onto the boardroom table and do a dance during a virtual meeting? I guess we’ll just have to wait until the legs actually launch to see how Meta’s AI-predicted legs stack up against the real deal. For now, I guess we’ll just get a kick out of Zuckerberg’s awkward “demonstration” — even if all it really proved was that computers are, in fact, capable of rendering legs in some capacity.

10 Funniest Gadgets From The Adam West Batman Show – CBR – Comic Book Resources https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/10-funniest-gadgets-from-the-adam-west-batman-show-cbr-comic-book-resources/ Batman (1966) holds a strange place in popular culture, remembered (sometimes fondly) for its campy tone, farcical stories, and goofy action. Despite the many iconic elements, phrases, and action shots of the show remaining a staple of pop culture and the subject of many jokes, many people don’t remember that this was the point. Yes, Batman was silly, but it was never meant to be taken seriously. The show is a comedy disguised as an action superhero series, and no element of the show makes that clearer than the many weird gadgets Adam West and Burt Ward’s Batman and Robin used. From shields, to lasers, to shark-repellent spray, every gadget featured Batman’s signature logo and motif. 10/10 Batman’s Portable Laser Gun Was For All Purposes Batman’s Laser Gun (one of the few items in his toolkit without a “Bat” prefix) is one of his most useful gadgets. In the pilot episode alone, he uses it no less than three times, from lighting a fuse, to cutting through steel bars on a window, to melting the firing pin of a revolver. The laser gun became the ace up Batman’s sleeve, and its ridiculous usability was indicative of the show’s comedic style. What’s even more surprising than a 1960s Batman having a portable, lightweight, high-powered laser is the fact that, unlike some of Batman’s older gadgets, the laser gun has remained a staple of Batman’s inventory. Although it isn’t as portrayed as outlandishly, Batman still keeps laser-based tools, especially laser cutters, in his utility belt to this day. 9/10 The Anti-Hypnotic Bat Reflector Is Perfectly In Line With The Show’s Tone This gadget is pure Silver Age nonsense, and the show takes this ridiculous deus ex machina and runs with it. Why does Batman have a mirror on his person specifically designed to counter the Mad Hatter? Because why not! Batman’s high-tech mirror demonstrates the show’s angle on the old “prep time” argument. The idea that Batman could defeat anyone with enough prep time remains true here, but instead of a cool, action-packed portrayal, it’s portrayed as silly, even somewhat slapdash, to get laughs. 8/10 Batman Carries A Key To Wayne Manor (Just In Case) Once again, Batman‘s take on the idea of the always-prepared Batman is played for laughs, rather than showing a dangerous and shadowy vigilante. In the classic episode “Joker’s Provokers,” Joker ties Batman to a giant key duplicator, intending to kill him by running him through the machine. However, Joker is foiled when Batman throws his spare key into the machine, buying him time to escape. Adam West’s Batman truly is prepared for everything, just like the comics’ Batman, but his preparations also include simply carrying a spare key in case he gets locked out of his mansion. In a series where the absurd is often presented as mundane, the mundane becomes absurd and increases the hilarity. 7/10 The Bat-Turn Lever Made For One Of The Shows Most Iconic Shots What with Batman and Robin using an atomic-powered car with a rocket engine, a simple emergency break wouldn’t be enough to pull off high-speed turns. That’s where the Emergency-Bat-Turn-Lever comes into play. First, it releases parachutes to help slow the car before braking and allowing for a full 180-degree turn. While it does, in a way, make sense that West’s sleek and powerful Batmobile would need a special way to turn, Batman ’66 gave it its own unique flavor. The over-the-top execution makes for a combination of a great action scene, and laugh-out-loud ridiculousness. 6/10 Batman Used Bat-Acillin For Headaches And Bullet Wounds The modern Batman typically fixes his injuries on the fly with futuristic first-aid equipment or endures long enough to make it back to the Batcave, where Alfred can stitch him up. Adam West’s Batman, however, had a much better way to handle any combat injuries: Bat-Acillin Bat-Acillin makes video game health packs blush, a simple lozenge that allows whoever takes it to instantly recover from any sickness or wound. In the Western-inspired episode “It’s How You Play The Game,” Robin is shot in the heel, and Batman gives him some Bat-Acillin. In the very next scene, Robin is up and about, jumping and clicking his heels as if it never happened. It’s absolutely ludicrous, but 100% fits in Batman‘s world. 5/10 The Bat-Ray Brought Any High-Speed Chase To A Close Batman ’66 sure did love its car chases, and the Bat-Ray was Batman’s one-stop shop for ending them. Since Batman is strictly a non-lethal hero, he didn’t deploy any Mad Max or Fast and Furious tricks to get the upper hand. Batman used his Bat-Ray, a sort of ion/emp laser beam that disabled the villain’s vehicle. How does this work without disabling the Batmobile, and why does it shoot out of the headlights of all things? In perfect Batman ’66 fashion, the series never bothers to explain how it works; it just shows off its flashy toy. The fact that its very first use results in an explosive crash really demonstrates the mix of silliness and awesome action that the series is famous for. 4/10 The Batmobile’s Anti-Theft Activator Is Goofy In All The Right Ways Today, Batman uses everything from biometric scanners to an electric field to protect the Batmobile from theft, but that wasn’t so easy with an open-top Batmobile back in 1966. Instead, in the very first episode, when the Riddler tries to steal the Batmobile, Batman’s theft prevention methods are put on full display. Robin disguises the anti-theft activator as the ignition, so when Riddler attempts to drive away with his prize, he instead sets off fireworks. Batman’s ingenious theft protection is to set off fireworks to allow anyone to track a stolen Batmobile. It’s ridiculous, but it’s funny in just the right way, and while it may be silly, it was effective, forcing Riddler to abandon his attempts. 3/10 Batman And Robin’s Bat-Shields Defy All Logic Since Batman doesn’t use guns, he has to take steps to nullify the advantages guns give his opponents. Sometimes, he uses his Batarangs to knock them away, smoke bombs to block enemies’ sights, or (in the Arkham series) he disables them with advanced tech, but in Batman ’66, it got pretty silly, even by the silly standards of the show. Batman and Robin used portable shields made of bulletproof glass that Batman kept in his utility belt. How, exactly, did Batman break the laws of physics, and not the glass, to store a collapsible shield in his belt? No idea, but watching it makes for a great comedic moment. 2/10 Batman And Robin’s Bat-Poles Were The First Sign Of The Silliness In the pilot episode, before Batman and Robin even appeared in their costumes, one of the very first signs of the behavior of the Dynamic Duo was the Bat-Poles, and they made it crystal clear just how campy of a show the audience was in for. The Bat-Poles are, inexplicably and hilariously, clearly labeled as the “Bat-Poles” that lead into the Batcave, and are also marked specifically for Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. So, if anyone (such as Aunt Harriet) happened to somehow accidentally open the secret entrance, there would be no possible deniability of its purpose, and that just makes it funnier. Batman and Robin always leave the poles already changed into their costumes, however that works. 1/10 Batman: The Movie’s Bat-Shark-Repellent Is Iconic Batman: The Movie is nonsensical even by the standards of the show. But it is admirable that it manages to distill every aspect of the show into a film, utilizing famous villains from the original series like Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman, and famously contains some memorable moments. Really, what would any discussion of Adam West’s Batman be without Bat-Shark-Repellent? The gadget is the epitome of the show’s hilarious take on the over-prepared Batman, and the fact that the shark then falls back into the ocean and explodes is the perfect encapsulation of the series’ over-the-top comedy. Next: 10 Actors You Forgot Were On Batman (1966)

Crypto Market Is ‘The Tail Being Wagged By A Very Sick Dog’: Ethereum Co-Founder Joe Lubin – Decrypt https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/crypto-market-is-the-tail-being-wagged-by-a-very-sick-dog-ethereum-co-founder-joe-lubin-decrypt/ The years-anticipated Ethereum merge from proof of work to proof of stake finally happened on September 15, and it went off without a hitch. The Ethereum network now uses 99% less energy. The merge went “what seems to be flawlessly,” Joe Lubin, CEO of crypto software giant ConsenSys and a co-founder of Ethereum, told Decrypt in an exclusive video interview last week. “I’ve asked around in a bunch of different contexts for any awareness of anything that broke, and I haven’t heard one thing.” So, why is ETH down a brutal 22% in the month since the merge? Lubin’s answer is that the price action immediately after the merge was a “possibly inevitable ‘sell the news’ kind of activity,” along with some Ethereum miners “unloading their ether inventory as they shut down their rigs.” As for why ETH has continued to drop since then, along with Bitcoin and the rest of the crypto market? It’s the macroeconomy, stupid. “The economy is broken, and it’s likely to remain broken for a while,” Lubin said. “So we remain the tail that is being wagged by a very sick dog: the global macro situation. But our ecosystem and our company are doing quite well, even with with reduced volumes, reduced intensity. I think we’re all enjoying just building.” It’s the favored explanation from almost every founder in the crypto ecosystem right now, as crypto markets remain battered by the same economic headwinds in the U.S. (inflation, Fed interest rates) and globally (war in Ukraine, the hangover of COVID-19) that are weighing on stocks, bonds, and other more established investment vehicles. Solana founder Anatoly Yakovenko points to the same factors—and sees at least another year of the bear market. “Looking at macro stuff, my guess is there’s probably 12 to 18 months more of this brutal, Fed rates going up,” Yakovenko said on the latest episode of Decrypt‘s gm podcast. “But there is an end to it. And just like the last bear market, a lot of teams that built and focused on product-market fit, and really tried to build amazing products—a lot of those succeeded, I think, in a very dramatic way.” FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried put it in similar terms, and maybe the most bluntly, speaking at Anthony Scaramucci’s SALT conference in New York last month: “Everything’s down this year, because dollars are up this year.” Until money gets less expensive, crypto markets are expected to remain in the doldrums. But Lubin and other builders remain as optimistic as ever on the key parts of the crypto industry. “I think NFTs still have a ton of legs, NFTs are going to undergo so much innovation,” he told Decrypt. “I imagine we’re post our irrational exuberance moments with respect to DeFi. I think it’ll continue to innovate and mature quite significantly, but I think the real building will be in the development of the Web3 economy.” Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

U.S. Supreme Court Rebuffs Novartis, Allows Generic Versions Of MS Drug – Reuters.com https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/u-s-supreme-court-rebuffs-novartis-allows-generic-versions-of-ms-drug-reuters-com/ WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday turned down Novartis’ (NOVN.S) bid to block the launch of generic versions of the company’s blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya in a dispute with China’s HEC Pharm Co Ltd (1558.HK) and other generic drugmakers. Novartis had asked the justices to suspend a lower court’s ruling that lifted a ban on generic versions of Gilenya, the Switzerland-based company’s third highest-selling drug last year with $2.8 billion in sales. Novartis sued HEC and more than a dozen other generic drugmakers, accusing them of patent infringement, in Delaware federal court after they applied for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Gilenya generics. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Novartis settled with some of the drugmakers it had sued, allowing for some Gilenya generics before a key patent’s 2027 expiration. Companies that settled with Novartis included India-based Aurobindo Pharma Ltd (ARBN.NS), Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (REDY.NS) and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (SUN.NS), Pennsylvania-based Viatris Inc’s (VTRS.O) Mylan Pharmaceuticals and privately held Canada-based Apotex Inc. The FDA in 2010 approved Gilenya, a once-daily pill used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system. Novartis said in September that it expects to lose $300 million in sales for the rest of 2022 if the Gilenya generics are launched. The patent-focused U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in June that a key Novartis patent for Gilenya was invalid. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, granting a request by Novartis on Sept. 29, temporarily prevented the Federal Circuit from issuing a mandate as planned on Oct. 4 to lift a federal judge’s injunction that blocked generic versions of Gilenya based on the Novartis patent claims. Roberts acted after Novartis said that green-lighting the generics would hurt the company in “ways that could be impossible to calculate at an after-the-fact damages trial” and that it was likely to win a Supreme Court appeal of the underlying case. HEC told the Supreme Court that Novartis makes $3.8 million per day from Gilenya sales in the United States alone. “If Novartis does not prevail in this Court, it will improperly extract $3.8 million from payors and patients every day its requested stay remains in effect,” HEC said. “And not one penny of those improper monopoly revenues will be recoverable from Novartis by anyone.” A spokesperson for Novartis said the company will “continue to vigorously defend the validity of the Gilenya patent” and plans to petition the high court to review the Federal Circuit’s decision. Representatives for HEC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington and Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Chris Reese, Grant McCool and Deepa Babington Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Blake Brittain Thomson Reuters Blake Brittain reports on intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Reach him at blake.brittain@thomsonreuters.com

Xi Wanted China To Be At The Tech Frontier. 5 Years On, Tensions With The U.S. Have Dented That Goal – CNBC https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/xi-wanted-china-to-be-at-the-tech-frontier-5-years-on-tensions-with-the-u-s-have-dented-that-goal-cnbc/ Chinese President Xi Jinping proposing a toast at the welcome banquet for leaders attending the Belt and Road Forum at the Great Hall of the People on April 26, 2019 in Beijing, China. Nicolas Asfouri | Getty Images Xi Jinping once declared China should “prioritize innovation” and be on the “cutting-edge (of) frontier technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technologies.” Since that speech in 2017, Beijing has spoken about technologies it wants to boost its prowess in, ranging from artificial intelligence to 5G technology and semiconductors. Five years since Xi’s address at the Communist Party of China’s last National Congress, the global reality for the world’s second-largest economy has transformed. It comes amid an ongoing trade war with the U.S., challenges from Covid and a change in political direction at home that have hurt some of Beijing’s goals. On Sunday, the 20th National Congress — held once every five years — will begin in Beijing. The high-level meeting is expected to pave the way for Xi to carry on as head of the Communist Party for an unprecedented third five-year term. Xi will take stock of China’s achievements in science and technology, which have yielded mixed results. “I agree it is a mixed bag,” Charles Mok, visiting scholar at the Global Digital Policy Incubator at Stanford University. He said China sets “lofty” goals as it targets to be the best, but “they are limited politically and ideologically in terms of the strategies to reach them.” Private tech enterprises are faltering under stricter regulation and a slowing economy. China is far from self-sufficient in semiconductors, a task made harder by recent U.S. export controls. Censorship on the mainland has tightened as well. But China has made some notable advancements in areas such as 5G and space travel. U.S.-China tech war “It would seem that Xi underestimated the challenges China faced in overcoming its reliance on foreign, mostly U.S. firms…” Paul Triolo technology policy lead, Albright Stonebridge Zero Covid Semiconductor self-sufficiency Beijing put a lot of focus on self-sufficiency in various areas of technology, but especially on semiconductors. The drive to boost China’s domestic chip industry was given further impetus as the trade war began. In its its five-year development plan, the 14th of its kind, Beijing said it would make “science and technology self-reliance and self-improvement a strategic pillar for national development.” One area it hoped to do so was in semiconductors. But a number of restrictions by the U.S. has put a dent in those ambitions. “It would seem that Xi underestimated the challenges China faced in overcoming its reliance on foreign, mostly U.S. firms, in key ‘core’ or ‘hard’ technologies such as semiconductors,” Paul Triolo, the technology policy lead at consulting firm Albright Stonebridge, told CNBC. “He also did not account for growing U.S. concern over semiconductors as foundational to key technologies.” Looking ahead, the latest package of U.S. controls will make a huge dent in China’s technology ambitions. Paul Triolo technology policy lead, Albright Stonebridge Things did not look as “bleak” for China’s semiconductors in 2017 as they do now, Triolo said. “Looking back, Xi should have redoubled efforts to bolster China’s domestic semiconductor manufacturing equipment sector, but even there, a heavy reliance on inputs such as semiconductors has made it difficult for Chinese firms to reproduce all elements of those complex supply chains.” The Biden administration unveiled a slew of restrictions last week that aim to cut China off from key chips and manufacturing tools to make those semiconductors. Washington is looking to choke off supply of chips for critical technology areas like artificial intelligence and supercomputing. Analysts previously told CNBC that this will likely hobble China’s domestic technology industry. That’s because part of the rules also require certain foreign-made chips that use American tools and software in the design and manufacturing process, to obtain a license before being exported to China. Chinese domestic chipmakers and design companies still rely heavily on American tools. Chipmakers — like Taiwanese firm TSMC, the most advanced semiconductor manufacturer in the world —are also dependent on U.S. technology. That means any Chinese company relying on TSMC may be cut off from supply of chips. Meanwhile, China does not have any domestic equivalent of TSMC. China’s leading chip manufacturer, SMIC, is still generations behind TSMC in its technology. And with the latest U.S. restrictions, it could make it difficult for SMIC to catch up. So China is still a long way from self-sufficiency in semiconductors, even though Beijing is focusing heavily on it. “Looking ahead, the latest package of U.S. controls will make a huge dent in China’s technology ambitions, because the curbs on advances semiconductors,” Triolo said. The curbs will “ripple across multiple associated sectors, and make it impossible for Chinese firms to compete in some areas, such as high performance computers, and AI related applications such as autonomous vehicles, that rely on hardware advances to make progress.” China’s tech crackdown A major hallmark of Xi’s last five years is how he has transformed China into one of the strictest regulatory regimes globally for technology. Over the last two years, China’s once free-wheeling and fast-growing tech giants have come under heavy scrutiny. It began in November 2020 when the $34.5 billion initial public offering of Ant Group, which would have been the biggest in the world, was pulled by regulators. That sparked several months where regulators moved swiftly to introduce a slew of regulation in areas from antitrust to data protection. In one of the first regulations of its kind globally, Beijing also passed a law which regulated how tech firms can use recommendation algorithms, underscoring the intense tightening that took place. Looking back to Xi’s 2017 speech, there were hints that regulation was coming. “We will provide more and better online content and put in place a system for integrated internet management to ensure a clean cyberspace,” Xi said at that time. But the pace at which regulations were passed and the scope of the rules took investors off guard, and billions were wiped off the share prices of China’s biggest tech companies — including Alibaba and Tencent — in 2021 and 2022. They have yet to recover from those losses. Analysts pointed out that even though there were mentions about cleaning up the internet, the swift nature of regulation that subsequently swept across China was unlikely to have been anticipated — even by Xi himself. “While I believe that in 2017, Xi had absolutely become focused on strengthening platform regulation, I very much doubt that the rapid-fire nature of… [the regulation] was pre-planned,” Kendra Schaefer, partner at Trivium China consultancy, told CNBC. Five years ago, Xi said the government would “do away with regulations and practices that impede the development of a unified market and fair competition, support the growth of private businesses, and stimulate the vitality of various market entities.” This is another pledge that appears not to have been met. China’s technology giants are also posting their slowest growth in history, partly due to tighter regulations. Part of the story, analysts say, is about Xi exerting more control over powerful technology businesses that were perceived as a threat to the ruling Communist Party of China. “It is obvious that they are not supporting the growth of private businesses,” Mok said. “In my view, they have not succeeded.” “Think of it that they are putting the Party agenda and total control as the top priority … No one can be successful unless the Party is successful in sustaining its dominance and total control.”  China’s successes from 5G to space Despite the challenges, China has found success in the realm of science and technology since 2017. Space exploration has been a key focus. In 2020, a Chinese moon mission concluded with its spacecraft returning back to Earth with lunar samples, a first for the country. That same year, China completed its own satellite navigation system called Beidou, a rival to the U.S.-government owned Global Positioning System (GPS). Last year, China landed an un-crewed spacecraft on Mars and is planning its first crewed mission to the Red Planet in 2033. China was also one of the leading nations globally to roll out next-generation 5G mobile networks, which promise super-fast speeds and the ability to support new industries like autonomous driving. In electric vehicles, China has also pushed ahead. The country is the largest electric car market in the world and home to CATL, the world’s largest EV battery maker, which is looking to expanding overseas. What next for Xi’s tech policy? The regulatory assault on the domestic technology sector, which has slowed in recent months, will not go away entirely. Even if regulatory actions are “moving into a new phase” in Xi’s third term, companies like Alibaba and Tencent won’t necessarily see the breakneck growth speeds they’ve seen in the past, Mok said. “Even if they find their feet, it is not the same ground. They won’t see that growth, because if China’s overall GDP and economy growth is like what people are talking about now for the next several years … then why should they even outperform the whole China market?” Mok said. Without a doubt, technology will continue to be a key focus for Xi over the coming five years, with a focus on self-sufficiency. China will likely continue ...

Florida Eases Some Voting Rules After Storm; 2 Debates In Midwest Thursday – The New York Times https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/florida-eases-some-voting-rules-after-storm-2-debates-in-midwest-thursday-the-new-york-times/ Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker

More Germans Are Booking Trips For Winter This Year, Still Not As Much As In 2019 – SchengenVisaInfo.com – SchengenVisaInfo.com https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/more-germans-are-booking-trips-for-winter-this-year-still-not-as-much-as-in-2019-schengenvisainfo-com-schengenvisainfo-com/ Booking rates for trips in the winter seasons of 2022/2023 among German nationals are on the rise but still remaining about 33 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. However, sales were significantly higher in the 2021/2022 season, as the DRV travel association has recently revealed. According to Reuters, the turnover in most destinations remains below pre-pandemic levels, but the Maldives and Turkey are witnessing higher turnover levels, with the latter experiencing a 16 per cent increase. On the other hand, turnover for the Maldives has reached 2019 levels already, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. “Germans are booking their holidays – as has been typical since the beginning of Corona – at much shorter notice than in previous years,” the DRV added in a statement. As a recent survey by the European Tourism Council (ETC) has revealed, the desire for tourists in Europe, in general, has recovered after COVID-19, as 23,000 consumers have claimed. That is great news considering the fact that the pandemic has affected the desire for travelling as well as tourism in the zone. Tourism review reveals that the top ten destinations for Germans include Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and other Eastern European, with 2.2 per cent of German tourists spending their main vacation in Eastern Europe in 2021. Another 2.3 per cent of German tourists choose the North Sea and Baltic coast, while 2.5 per cent opt for Greek islands such as Crete and Rhoades. About 2.6 per cent of vacationers in Germany like to travel to Croatia and Slovenia, same as another 2.6 per cent that enjoys visiting the neighboring country, Austria. The percentage is higher for German nationals that want to visit Upper Bavaria, the Alps, Allgau, and Lake Constance, about 2.8 per cent, while 3.2 per cent opted for Gran Canary, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and La Palma. 2.3 percent of Germans spent their main vacation in 2021 at domestic destinations in Germany. The list of top four destinations most visited by Germans consists of Turkey, as 3.3 per cent visited the country in 2021, which has buildings like Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque. However, the third most visited spot by Germans remains the coastal spots like the Balearic Islands as well as Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, with 3.7 per visitors reached in 2021. About 4.4 per cent visited Italy, in cities like Sicily, Sardinia and other islands. The main spot, however, goes to the North or Baltic Sea Coast as 7.4 per cent of visiting the East Frisian Island, Rugen or Usedom.

Kanye West, JPMorgan Banking Breakup Planned For Weeks – 69News WFMZ-TV https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/kanye-west-jpmorgan-banking-breakup-planned-for-weeks-69news-wfmz-tv/ If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS – The Palmer Township Board of Supervisors denied a conditional use for two warehouses proposed by developer Abe Atiyeh. – B. Braun bought Starboard Medical’s Clif-FIX line of devices that secure catheters for an undisclosed price. – The Lowhill Township Planning Commission denied a plan for a warehouse at 7503 Kernsville Road, saying it would change the character of the rural township. – Just A Dream Frozen Yogurt in Forks Township closed its doors after 10 years. – Khanisa’s Pudding Bar held a grand opening at its new Downtown Allentown Market location after having moved from Easton. – Mussel Polymers Inc. says its glue for bonding carbon and synthetic fibers is a big step toward creating lighter and stronger fiber-reinforced materials. – Poke Bar 25 & Bubble Tea in the Shops at Bethlehem (the Giant shopping center on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem Township, on the border with the City of Bethlehem) will open in late November or early December.  – The former Rosanna’s Restaurant in Bethlehem, which closed in February, will reopen as a deli and bar called Rosa’s Corner. – Victaulic has expanded in Tennessee with the acquisition of Tennessee Metal Fabricating, price not disclosed. – The old Forks Diner will be serving auto-repair customers by early spring of 2023 with a six-bay garage known as Wrenchtec. – Lehigh County-based Shift4 Payments stepped in to help the owners of Better on the Bone Butcher and Deli in Pottstown finally open their doors. – Mid Penn Bank opened a new, bigger location in Blue Bell. – Balloon Junction held a grand opening in Pottsville for its store offering custom balloon creations. – Rentschler’s Ice Cream has reopened just a few doors down from its former location in Ringtown after it was destroyed by a fire in February. – Mill Street Aesthetics, a day spa and skincare boutique, held a grand opening in Belvidere, New Jersey. – Provident Financial Services agreed to acquire Lakeland Bancorp in a stock deal valued at $1.3 billion, creating a bank that will hold 4% of the deposits in New Jersey.

Healthy Diets And Lifestyles With Melanie Kantor – YurView https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/healthy-diets-and-lifestyles-with-melanie-kantor-yurview/ On today’s episode of We Are Living Healthy, Alexis welcomes Melanie Kantor. Melanie is a gluten-free, low carb and no sugar cook and eBook author as well as the woman behind Optimum You. Furthermore, she is also a disordered eating specialist and Nutrition Coach. If you have a particular area of interest that you would like to know about in depth, this segment is right for you. She is also launching her Plant-Based YOUniversity and Food FreeYOUniversity in October. If you feel the subject of plant-based eating would be of interest for you, that is a topic for everyone to find out the benefits about it. There are many misconceptions of what being vegan is, how to eat, benefits of being plant-based, etc. Highlights from Alexis’s Chat with Melanie: What are the differences between being vegan and following a plant based diet? What is being a Vegetarian? What is disordered eating? How is this treated? What is a low carb food that we love and how can we manage those foods? Learn all of this and more on the latest episode of We Are Living Healthy. For more information go to: FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/optimumyouwellness/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/optimumyouwellness/ Or watch the video on Facebook For more great We Are Living Healthy content, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on all major podcasting platforms. https://3cstvshow.buzzsprout.com/ Already subscribed? Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast so that we can reach as many people that need the help as we can: https://3cstvshow.buzzsprout.com Follow us on Facebook: @WeAreLivingHealthyTV DISCLAIMER: THE CONSULTATIONS OR INTERACTIONS OFFERED ARE NOT MEANT TO REPLACE A CONSULTATION WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN. THE CONSULTATION IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT STRUCTURED IN A WAY TO PROVIDE HEALTH COUNSELING / DIAGNOSING OF ANY KIND. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE LIVING HEALTHY IS NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION AS YOUR TREATING HEALTH COUNSELOR, PHYSICIAN, ATTORNEY, LEGAL COUNSEL, EMPLOYER, MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. We offer no guarantees or promise of results from event nor assume liability for any information provided.

Mass Nails Down Contracts In Prep For Sports Betting Launch – Gaming Today https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/mass-nails-down-contracts-in-prep-for-sports-betting-launch-gaming-today/ Massachusetts has contracted with an equipment testing lab and financial auditing firm to help meet an early 2023 sports betting launch timeline.  Testing lab GLI and financial firm RSM were selected for the contracts, Mass Gaming Commission Executive Director Karen Wells told the commission at its Thursday meeting.  She said the contracts are “critical” for meeting the timeline set by the MGC at its meeting on Oct. 7.  Under the timeline, retail sports betting would launch in late January ahead of the Super Bowl. Mobile sports betting would launch in early March.  “It is going to be huge for our implementation timeline,” she told the MGC today.  “I know the team is really excited to have this level of help and this level of professionalism.” GLI, or Gaming Labs International, has been under contract for testing of the commonwealth’s casino equipment for years. Wells suggested the MGC contract with GLI on sports betting testing standards and internal controls soon after the commonwealth’s sports betting law was signed on Aug. 10.  RSM is a multinational accounting firm that assists states across the US. In Massachusetts, Wells said the firm will help with the MGC’s background review of sports betting applications, case management, financial suitability, and more.  Oct. 17 Deadline Looms For Potential Sports Betting Operators For potential retail and mobile sports betting applicants, the next step on the timeline is turning in a required “scoping study” form on Oct. 17. The survey, released by the MGC on Oct. 7, will give the commission its first look at companies vying for a sport in the Bay State market.  MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein reminded potential applicants of next week’s deadline at today’s meeting.  “The scoping survey is part of the application for Category 1, 2, and 3 operator licenses. Prospective operators must meet this deadline. Vendors will eventually be required to fill this survey out as well, but are not subject to the same deadline,” Judd-Stein said.  A draft sports betting operator application approved by the MGC last week has an Oct. 17 deadline for public comment. The ultimate due date for those applications is expected to be sometime in late November.  The MGC suggested today that potential applicants review the draft and begin compiling documents that they will likely need to submit as part of the application process.  According to Judd-Stein, “We recommend that the interested applicants begin to review and pull materials together.”

Today In The Connected Economy: Meta Tweaks Its Metaverse Offerings – PYMNTS.com https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/today-in-the-connected-economy-meta-tweaks-its-metaverse-offerings-pymnts-com/ Today in the connected economy, Meta reveals the price tag for its new virtual reality headset and unveils features to make that reality seem a bit more real. Plus, Apple introduces a new savings account tied to the Apple Card, while consumer financing company Synchrony debuts Allegro Credit, a point-of-sale (POS) tool. Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Avatar Finds Its Legs (and Headset) at Last Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said users can enter the metaverse — with avatars that will soon have legs — for the cost of $1,500. That price tag is for the new Meta Quest Pro virtual reality headset, which has better resolution and graphics and a more powerful onboard computer than previous — and considerably cheaper — models. Apple Lets Card Users Set up Goldman Sachs Savings Accounts Apple has unveiled a feature for Apple Card users that lets them save their Daily Cash rewards and grow them using in a high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs. Apple will roll out the program for card members in the months ahead, letting them have their Daily Cash deposited automatically into their accounts with no fees, minimum deposits or minimum balance requirements. Synchrony Debuts Consumer Financing Tool for Audiology Practices Synchrony has debuted Allegro Credit, a point-of-sale (POS) consumer financing tool for the hearing industry. The new solution, launched through the Sycle practice management platform, lets audiology providers offer financing options, such as healthcare credit cards and installment loans, and represents an expansion of Synchrony’s partnership with Sycle. Payments Tech Firm Priority Integrates With Valor PayTech Payments technology firm Priority Technology has integrated its MX Merchant ecosystem with Valor PayTech, part of a larger partnership between the companies for omnichannel solutions. Priority’s platform which operates at scale and lets companies collect, store and send money. Valor offers what it described as “cloud-based, end-to-end, processor-agnostic omnichannel payments solutions” for resellers and their merchant customers. Italian iGaming Firm Lottomatica Revamps With Nuvei for Digital Payments Italian iGaming company Lottomatica is re-platforming its digital services and working with payments technology provider Nuvei to offer faster payouts to users. Lottomatica Managing Director of Digital and Betting in Italy Alessandro Fiumara said the company’s players are looking to provide a payments experience similar to the one offered by Nuvei. New PYMNTS Study: How Consumers Use Digital Banks A PYMNTS survey of 2,124 US consumers shows that while two-thirds of consumers have used FinTechs for some aspect of banking services, just 9.3% call them their primary bank. Sign up for our daily newsletter. We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors. Learn More https://www.pymnts.com/news/b2b-payments/2022/today-in-b2b-payments-ecommerce-tools-focus-on-african-enterprises-aircraft-parts/partial/ See More In: Allegro Credit, Apple, Apple Card, Connected Economy, lottomatica, Meta, Metaverse, News, Nuvei, partnerships, Priority Technology, Sycle, synchrony, Valor PayTech, virtual reality

Handy Gadgets Everyone Needs In Their Office – TechNewsGadget https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/handy-gadgets-everyone-needs-in-their-office-technewsgadget/ Global Connection Virtual Icon Diagram Interface Marketing Reserch.Young Businessman Team Analyze Finance Online Report Electronic Gadgets.Coworkers Startup Modern Digital Project.Flares Background. The modern-day office space is going to look drastically different from the average office space of twenty years ago. Technology has become such an integral part of work life in more ways than one. Here are some of the most useful little gadgets that you should have in your company’s office. Adjustable Standing Desks Computer work has expanded in huge ways since the early days of business. No longer is it only software engineers or IT customer service employees who need computers. In fact, it’s a good bet that just about everybody in your company will need a computer for at least a portion of their work. That’s why it’s so important to keep all employees’ physical health in mind. Spending years at a time hunched over a computer screen at a desk can be bad for the eyes, neck, and back – not to mention your mental health. That’s why adjustable standing desks are so important for most sedentary jobs. Label Makers If your work deals with chemicals like ammonia, properly naming their storage is a must. You will need to be labeling some things at some point. That might be for storage purposes, or might simply be for organization. Whatever the reason, that’s nothing that a few well-placed, high-quality label makers can’t fix. The exception is if you need to label items on a larger scale. In some situations, you might need more than a couple of label makers for miscellaneous tasks. Industrial label printers are ideal for printing labels quickly. You should carefully plan and budget how much equipment will be needed for the task in question. Personalized Desk Trinkets Everyone is going to decorate and use their desk or cubicle space differently. You may want to have a small, portable fan to keep you cool. You might want a quick and powerful charging station. Others may want to use cup holders that clip onto the edge of the desk or noise-canceling headphones so they can focus better on their work. Regardless – you should try to find the items you need to make your work experience more enjoyable and relaxing. Efficiency comes from a happy employee who feels like they are thriving, so find ways for you to succeed. Tech companies will have different office equipment than an insurance firm – which in turn, will have different office gadgets from the sales department of a company. Find what works for you and your company culture. Once you do, you won’t be able to go back! Did you enjoy this article? Here’s more to read: How Technology Helped Connect Us During the Pandemic

Roche Firm Booted From Tether Action After Crypto Leaks Post (1) – Bloomberg Law https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/roche-firm-booted-from-tether-action-after-crypto-leaks-post-1-bloomberg-law/ A New York judge on Thursday removed Roche Freedman from representing plaintiffs in a class action that accuses the crypto exchange Bitfinex and Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, of market manipulation. The decision is a blow for Roche Freedman after videos posted on a website called Crypto Leaks showed founding partner Kyle Roche boasting about the law firm’s relationship with the crypto startup Ava Labs. Katherine Polk Failla, a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of New York, said in a hearing Thursday that the firm’s continued participation in the case could derail litigation. She said she would modify her initial lead counsel appointment to remove the firm. Allowing the firm to continue serving as counsel “with the metaphorical baggage they now carry is not in the best interests of the class,” Failla said. Roche Freedman did not immediately return a request for comment. During an Oct. 3 hearing, Failla called Roche’s comments “uniquely stupid” and pressed co-founder Devin “Velvel” Freedman on the firm’s conduct while litigating the 2019 lawsuit. Freedman said Roche’s comments were “stupid” but argued there was no evidence Roche Freedman brought a lawsuit to help Ava Labs, and that concerns about the law firm abusing discovery were unfounded. The law firms Selendy Gay Elsberg and Schneider Wallace will remain lead counsel for the proposed class, which is pursuing claims that the defendants manipulated prices. Roche Denial Roche has denied his firm has used litigation to target Ava Labs competitors. Ava Labs CEO Emin Gün Sirer has also said that the videos posted on Crypto Leaks showed Roche making false statements about their relationship. Following the disclosure of the recordings in August, Roche’s firm kicked him off its class action practice and barred him from participating in ongoing class matters. Freedman argued that it took such steps to protect against the appearance of impropriety. Still, Bitfinex and Tether moved to terminate Roche Freedman from the case, claiming the comments raised concerns about the firm’s motivations. Roche Freedman’s co-counsel, meanwhile, argued that booting the firm would eliminate a distraction. A separate plaintiffs firm filed a motion to substitute Roche Freedman as lead counsel, but Failla on Thursday rejected that application. Disqualification Roche Freedman faces disqualification motions in at least four other cases, according to federal court filings. A different New York judge has scheduled a Friday hearing in an action the firm brought on behalf of investors against the Tron Foundation, the company behind the TRON blockchain protocol. Launched in 2019 by expats of the prominent litigation shop Boies Schiller, Roche Freedman has become one of the most active firms in the cryptocurrency class action space. The firm, which was granted lead counsel status in the Bitfinex and Tether action in 2020, argued that it had the most expertise in digital assets and that Roche’s “false comments” should not impugn the rest of the firm. Freedman also claimed during the Oct. 3 hearing that a defendant in one of the actions the firm brought was behind the surreptitious recordings of Roche. Failla, however, said that Roche’s comments were “too detailed to dismiss out of hand.” The putative class also will not suffer from any diminished quality of legal representation with the law firm’s removal, she concluded.

Lawyer ‘exchange Program’ Has U.S., U.K. Associates Swapping Firms – Reuters https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/lawyer-exchange-program-has-u-s-u-k-associates-swapping-firms-reuters/ (REUTERS) – Banner Witcoff, a Chicago-based law firm, boasts four U.S. locations and none overseas. But that did not stop Reilley Keane, a senior associate at the intellectual property-focused firm, from practicing in London for about two months under an unusual collaboration announced this week. Banner Witcoff and two IP firms based in the United Kingdom and the European continent, 90-attorney Withers & Rogers and 100-attorney Boult Wade Tennant, said their new initiative will benefit clients and give their lawyers “a more enlightened perspective on various facets of intellectual property law” in the United States and the European Union. Keane, who normally practices in 125-attorney Banner Witcoff’s Washington, D.C., office, lived in central London for seven weeks starting in July as the program’s first participant. He said he split his time between the London offices of both European firms, working and socializing at their summer events. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “I feel like I know about 50% of the rules of how to play cricket at this point,” he said. This week London-based Withers & Rogers associate Daniel Varley began a similar four-week stint in Banner Witcoff’s D.C. office, and Boult Wade Tennant plans on sending an associate in the spring, said Ross Dannenberg, senior partner at Banner Witcoff. While Dannenberg said the firms share some clients, Keane was working on his own firm’s work while in London, he said. Dannenberg said he and Withers & Rogers partner Nick Wallin developed the idea when the pandemic made clear that lawyers could work from almost anywhere. Each firm pays for their own lawyers’ time and expenses. Dannenberg said the program will build relationships and pave the way for future collaborations. He said he was inspired partly by his own experience as an associate over a decade ago, when the firm hosted a Japanese attorney from Tokyo-based IP firm NGB, creating lasting connections. “If you want to work with someone, you have to have the ability, the availability and the affability, but in reverse order,” he said. Withers & Rogers has offices in the U.K., France and Germany, and Boult Wade Tennant has offices in the U.K., Germany and Spain. Read More: Arnold & Porter adds trio from Chicago IP boutique Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Chinekwu Osakwe Thomson Reuters Chinekwu Osakwe covers legal industry news with a focus on midsize law firms. Reach her at Chinekwu.osakwe@thomsonreuters.com.

Tech News: 5 Things To Know In Australia Today – Gizmodo Australia https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/tech-news-5-things-to-know-in-australia-today-gizmodo-australia-5/ Happy Friday, hope you’re keeping dry. It’s been a big week in the tech world, here’s the latest. 1. Netflix ad tiers are upon us We’ve finally got some concrete details on the long-rumoured Netflix ad-supported tier, this time straight from the horse’s mouth. Netflix’s Basic with Ads will launch on November 4 and will cost $6.99 per month. Basic with Ads will offer users “a limited number of movies and TV shows won’t be available due to licensing restrictions”. Basic with Ads will have 5-to-10 per cent less titles than its ad-free plans. From November, Netflix will also be available in Australia from $6.99. Basic with Ads, Netflix’s new lower priced ad-supported plan. A plan for every fan! https://t.co/Qy1R8HyQpK — Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) October 13, 2022 2. Medibank suffers ‘cyber incident’ Yesterday news broke that Medibank had fallen victim to a ‘cyber incident’. It said that in response to this incident, the organisation took immediate steps to contain it, and engaged specialised cybersecurity firms. Unlike the Optus data breach we’re all familiar with by now, Medibank said at this stage, there is no evidence that any sensitive data, including customer data, has been accessed. Investigations into the cyber incident are ongoing, and Medibank said it will provide regular updates. 3. EV sales are booming, but we need more New electric vehicle sales in Australia have increased by 65 per cent in 2022 but uptake still lags far behind other countries (in the UK, one in five new cars are electric). As brought to our attention by The Guardian, a new State of Electric Vehicles report by the Electric Vehicle Council has said EVs now represent 3.39 per cent of all new car sales. The highest number of sales occurred in the ACT where 9.5 per cent of all new cars sold were electric. 4. Amazon same-day satellite internet Amazon is getting ready to launch two test satellites for its Project Kuiper satellite internet constellation, as The Verge notes, built to compete with services like SpaceX Starlink and OneWeb. The prototypes, Kuipersat-1 and Kuipersat-2, will be riding into orbit on a Vulcan Centaur rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) in early 2023. Once in orbit, Amazon’s plan is to “deliver fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world”. 5. No more Microsoft Office Microsoft is making a major change to its Microsoft Office branding. After more than 30 years, Microsoft Office is being renamed “Microsoft 365” to mark the software giant’s collection of growing productivity apps. While Office apps like Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint aren’t going away, Microsoft will now mostly refer to these apps as part of Microsoft 365 instead of Microsoft Office. BONUS ITEM: As we head into the weekend, we want the bonus item to incite fun. This corgi is really cute and hates cops. Not a whole lot else to it. he’s innocent pic.twitter.com/75tuyvcdkG — ᴘᴀᴠʟᴏᴠ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʀɢɪ (@PAVGOD) October 13, 2022 Have a great weekend.

Short Covering Helps ‘oversold’ TSX Snap Losing Streak – Reuters https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/short-covering-helps-oversold-tsx-snap-losing-streak-reuters/ TSX ends up 407.35 points, or 2.2%, at 18,613.63 Energy rises 3.3%; oil settles 2.1% higher Financials advance 2.7% TORONTO, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Canada’s main stock index rose on Thursday, rebounding from its lowest intraday level in 20 months, as investors covered short positions that they had put in place in anticipation of hot U.S. inflation data. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) ended up 407.35 points, or 2.2%, at 18,613.63, ending a streak of five straight daily declines. Earlier in the day, the index touched its lowest since February 2021 at 17,873.18. “We had discounted already a bad (inflation) number and a bad market and I am sure we were oversold aggressively,” said Paul Gardner, a portfolio manager at Avenue Investment Management. “There was just too many shorts out there.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com U.S. consumer prices increased more than expected in September as rents surged by the most since 1990 and the cost of food also rose, reinforcing expectations the Federal Reserve will deliver a fourth straight 75-basis-point interest rate hike next month. Investors have worried that aggressive tightening by central banks could tip some major economies into recession. U.S. stocks also rallied as investors covered short positions and technical support helped drive a rebound. read more The Toronto market’s energy sector rose 3.3% as U.S. crude oil futures settled 2.1% higher at $89.11 a barrel, supported by low levels of diesel inventory. Heavily-weighted financials were up 2.7% even as data released by Refinitiv showed that the slump in Canada’s mergers and acquisition activity extended into the third quarter. read more Utilities rebounded 2.6% after falling sharply since August and industrials ended 1.8% higher. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Fergal Smith; Additional reporting by Johann M Cherian and Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; editing by Grant McCool Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Jennifer Chirico Joins Tech As New Associate Vice President Of Sustainability | News Center – Georgia Tech News Center https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/jennifer-chirico-joins-tech-as-new-associate-vice-president-of-sustainability-news-center-georgia-tech-news-center/ On Oct. 17, Jennifer Chirico will join Infrastructure and Sustainability (I&S) as the associate vice president of Sustainability. Jennifer Chirico joins Tech as new associate vice president of Sustainability. On Oct. 17, Jennifer Chirico will join Infrastructure and Sustainability (I&S) as the associate vice president of Sustainability. Originally from Atlanta, Chirico brings 20 years of sustainability experience to the Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in public policy with a major in environmental policy, a master’s in public health with a major in environmental health, and a B.S. in management — all from Georgia Tech.   “I am thrilled to return to Georgia Tech, my alma mater, to share my experiences and expertise in sustainability. In my opinion, the people at Georgia Tech are its foundation and what makes it great,” said Chirico. “I hope to serve as a connector and bridge in helping to lead the university in becoming a world-class sustainability Institute that is known for its advances and innovation in student programs, clean energy, net zero initiatives, zero waste, and climate justice.”  In this inaugural role, Chirico will lead the implementation of the Institute Sustainability Plan and the Climate Action Plan as well as help guide the future of sustainability at Georgia Tech.  You can learn more about Chirico at the upcoming Sustainable Facilitates Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Click here to learn more about this event.

It’s A Nearly Perfect Cloud Gaming Device At $299 – Droid Life https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/its-a-nearly-perfect-cloud-gaming-device-at-299-droid-life/ Cloud gaming is in an interesting place, at least for us Android users. In our eyes, it’s not looking great, with Google announcing the shutdown of Stadia and refunds to be issued for games purchased. It’s just not a good, reassuring look for those who might be thinking about dropping money on a cloud-based version of their favorite game. While Google may be taking a step back, other companies are pushing forward, with Logitech recently announcing the G Cloud handheld gaming device. Available later this month, but up for pre-order right now for the early bird price of just $299 ($349 regular price), the G Cloud is what NVIDIA’s SHIELD Portable should have eventually evolved into. It’s a relatively underpowered device that takes full advantage of the cloud-based systems that companies like Microsoft and NVIDIA are pouring a ton of resources into. Think of G Cloud like an Android-powered Steam Deck, but with a lot less onboard computing power. For hardware, we have a plastic body complete with all of the triggers, bumpers, and buttons one may need for gaming. It’s a very solid body with a nice bit of weight thanks to a large built-in 6,000mAh battery and 7-inch Full HD (60Hz) display. All of the buttons, thumbsticks, D-Pad, triggers, and bumpers feel solid. To put it simply, it doesn’t feel like a $349 device, if that makes sense. On the inside, we have a Snapdragon 720G processor and 4GB RAM running Android 11, with a custom launcher created by Logitech to act as the interface you’ll mostly see for jumping in and out of games. There’s also a Tablet Mode, should you want that at some point. A full spec rundown can be viewed on our original announcement post. For anyone on the fence, it’s possible that the specs are what seem a little lacking. After all, it’s a SD720G with 4GB RAM running a version of Android from over two years ago. I totally get it, and let me assure you, I felt the same way when I was first learning about this device. Now having used the device for games from both the cloud and Google Play, I can honestly say that these specs work perfectly fine for what most may need, plus the overall experience at the Early Bird price of $299 is pretty great. Do I wish the device could support higher refresh rates? Yes, that’s my number one complaint, but other than that, performance is surprisingly good, which makes perfect sense when we consider that all this device has to do is have a solid WiFi connection to play the world’s most demanding AAA titles. We can all admit that this is what makes the idea of cloud gaming attractive, having all graphical settings set to ultra but not actually needing the thousands of dollars worth of hardware required to make that happen. The issue is, while it is possible on G Cloud, you still can’t truly experience the cloud’s ultimate power because we’re still limited by the machine’s own display specs. To reiterate, in the performance department, all this device needs is a 90-120Hz display and I’d be completely onboard. The display’s colors are good, brightness is super solid, and the contrast levels are very nice. It really just needs that higher refresh rate that my eyes have grown accustomed to. Battery life is exceptional. To give examples, I tested a few things. For starters, I downloaded a ton of games from Google Play, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, GTA: Vice City, Alto’s Odyssey, Crazy Taxi, plus a few other favorites of mine. For my gaming sessions, which never went more than an hour, this device was lasting for days. I’d come back from time to time throughout the day, get some gaming in, and then set it down. Hours later I’d come back and still have plenty of juice for more gaming. For the cloud gaming it was the same, if not better. Since all I’m doing is streaming the game, it felt like the G Cloud was sipping juice while I was deep in Cyberpunk 2077 via GeForce NOW or Xbox’s Trek to Yomi and Back 4 Blood. Logitech claims up to 12-ish hours of continuous gaming, so as long as you break up that time, this device should have no issues giving you plenty of gameplay on a single charge. I was pretty impressed here. To wrap this up, if you’re a fan of cloud gaming, I have no issues recommending this device. If you’re looking for more of a portable Google Play game hub to play your favorite mobile games, while it does work, I think you’re better off sticking with your phone or dedicated tablet device with a Bluetooth controller paired to it (if the game supports such a thing). G Cloud simply doesn’t have the processing power (or display chops) to take us where we want to be with Android-based gaming. On the cloud side, though, performance is completely ample and it gets the job done. My only concern on that side is GeForce NOW. Will NVIDIA continue to support it? While I hope they do, with the death of Stadia, I keep getting a sense that the writing is on the wall for other cloud gaming services. TL;DR Version: At the Early Bird price of $299, the G Cloud has great hardware and battery life. It’s the perfect entry point into the world of handheld cloud gaming, so long as you don’t mind staring at a display that can’t go beyond a frame rate of 60Hz. Purchase G Cloud Amazon Best Buy Microsoft Logitech

Police: Officers May Have Been Lured Into Deadly Ambush – The Washington Post https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/police-officers-may-have-been-lured-into-deadly-ambush-the-washington-post/ BRISTOL, Conn. — Two police officers who were shot dead in Connecticut were apparently drawn into an ambush by an emergency call about possible domestic violence, authorities said Thursday. A third officer was wounded in the gunfire. State police said in a release that the 911 call Wednesday night about a dispute between two siblings appears to have been “a deliberate act to lure law enforcement to the scene” in Bristol. Bristol Police Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy were killed. Officer Alec Iurato was injured. Police said suspect Nicholas Brutcher, 35, was shot dead, and brother Nathan Brutcher was wounded. The surviving brother, 32, was hospitalized, and it wasn’t immediately clear whether he or his family have an attorney or someone else who can speak for them. The deadly encounter came during a week when at least 11 police officers have been shot around the country. Nationwide, 54 officers have died by gunfire on the job so far this year, compared to 62 throughout 2021, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a nonprofit organization that tracks U.S. police officer deaths. (This year’s overall number is far behind last year’s pace, largely due to declining deaths from COVID-19.) Connecticut state police said they were still working to answer many questions that remained about the confrontation. No video of it has emerged publicly. Neighbors said they heard two or three sets of gunshots, about 30 in all. “I heard a whole war going on behind me,” said Danny Rodriguez, who said he was outside his home across the street when the gunfire rang out. It was so intense that he could smell gunpowder in the air, he said. “It was so loud and crazy,” said Rodriguez, who also recalled a woman screaming, “you … killed them!” State Police Sgt. Christine Jeltema said that when officers answered the call at roughly 10:30 p.m., they encountered someone outside the house, and shots were fired. Schalitda Strong lives diagonally across the street from the shooting but ducked into her room “because it sounded so close,” she said. Strong said she called 911, but police were already on their way. Police haven’t yet said who opened fire, who fired the fatal shots, or how many guns were fired in all. “We lost two exceptional Bristol police officers, and a third was seriously injured, as a result of senseless violence,” Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould said at a news conference. Demonte, 35, was a 10-year veteran officer and co-recipient of his department’s 2019 Officer of the Year award. He was “very focused on his career and furthering his career and education,” the chief said. Demonte, who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology, worked as a school resource officer. He and his wife were expecting their third child, Gould said. Philip Demonte Jr. called his brother “an all-around good guy” with a great sense of humor. “No one had anything bad to say” about him, his brother said. “Terrible loss, someone who died for no reason.” Hamzy, 34, had gotten many letters of commendation during his eight years on his hometown police force, the chief said. Like Demonte, Hamzy was an advisor to a police cadet program. “The outpouring of love, support and prayers from so many is deeply appreciated,” Hamzy’s family said in a statement. Scores of officers lined a street and followed a vehicle carrying Hamzy’s body from the shooting scene late Thursday morning. Demonte died at a hospital. Iurato, 26, joined the Bristol department in 2018 and has a bachelor’s degree in government, law and national security, the chief said. Iurato was released from a hospital Thursday morning. Bristol, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of the state capital of Hartford, is home to about 60,000 people and to the sports network ESPN. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont called the shooting “a senseless tragedy,” ordering flags to be lowered to half-staff in the officers’ honor. It followed shootings of police officers this week in Greenville, Mississippi; Decatur, Illinois; Philadelphia,Las Vegas and central Florida. Two of those officers, one in Greenville and one Las Vegas, were killed. The last fatal shooting of a Connecticut officer was in 2018, when Preston Constable William Kinney was gunned down while serving an eviction notice, according to the Connecticut Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation. ___ This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the name of the wounded officer. His name is Alec Iurato, not Alex Iarato. ___ Peltz reported from New York. Contributing were Associated Press writers Sue Haigh in Hartford, and Karen Matthews in New York.

My View: An Alaskan Vacation Is Taken To The Next Level – Buffalo News https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/my-view-an-alaskan-vacation-is-taken-to-the-next-level-buffalo-news/ Brenda Alesii I have a pale blue paper wristband marked “12:30” hanging on my office wall. It’s doubtful anyone would notice what looks like a flimsy piece of litter I likely forgot to toss. That band is a tangible symbol of the twin emotions – terror and exhilaration – that I experienced on a recent vacation. I also discovered that it holds a much more important meaning, one that symbolizes confidence, acknowledging and overcoming fear, and the lasting effects of an unforgettable experience. This life-altering event began some 3,000 miles from home when my husband and I, along with two other couples, vacationed in Alaska. Our cruise included three ports of call – Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. As I researched travel guides and watched YouTube videos about the state known as “The Last Frontier,” my enthusiasm started to grow. The distinctive Alaskan natural wonders – ranging from scenic glaciers, mountains and rainforests to exciting activities like like whale watching – were surely unlike any place we had visited. Just a few days before the six of us were to depart, the cruise line alerted us about a landslide that occurred near Skagway, making it too hazardous for our ship to dock there. Icy Strait Point in Hoonah was now our new destination. It certainly had the sound of a quintessential Alaskan town and we soon discovered that it was the site of the world’s largest and longest zip line called the ZipRider. Four of the six of us decided to throw caution to the wind and register for this new adventure. Our check-in time was 12:30. After a required weigh in, we signed several legal documents accepting the risk involved in flying down a cable as high as the Empire State Building. It was now time to travel to the mountaintop. As we ascended 5,330 feet on a gondola through the dense rainforest, our docked cruise ship getting smaller by the moment, my pit-in-the-stomach feeling started to stir. That uneasy feeling spiked when we were told that there was a maintenance issue with one of the zip line cables. High anxiety prevailed but we still opted to take the plunge. Literally. The six of us were each placed in a separate harness and strapped in with a shoulder and lap belt. My heart beat was booming. Realizing there were no brakes, I gripped the narrow harness straps, closed my eyes and prayed. After a countdown by the operator, the ground disappeared below us. All six of us flew down a vertical drop of 1,330 feet at a rate of 60-70 mph. The indescribable rush had all of my senses on high alert; I quickly opened my eyes and took in the sweeping views of the port, the shimmering water below, and the stunning rainforest. With a jolt that mimicked a slingshot sensation, the ride came to a dramatic halt after a mere 90 seconds. It’s fair to say our adrenaline was flowing faster that the water below us. While the ZipRider experience was over in a minute-and-a-half, the impact has barely faded in the weeks that followed. I faced my fear, realized that I did not have to back down even though I had no control zipping down that cable. A sense of triumph coursed through me. When life throws those inevitable curve balls, I will look at my tattered wristband and know that sometimes a daring adventure far outside my typical comfort zone can be a source of strength and inspiration. Our foursome had a shared experience unlike any we’ve known before – we will be bonded forever by a metaphorical tether that represented much more than just a trip down a mountain. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

10/13/2022 | A Week In Business – October 14, 2022 | News Ocean City MD – The Dispatch https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/10-13-2022-a-week-in-business-october-14-2022-news-ocean-city-md-the-dispatch/ Golf Pro Welcomed OCEAN PINES – Ocean Pines Association has announced the hiring of Bob Beckelman as the new golf pro for the Ocean Pines Golf Club. Bob Beckelman Beckelman grew up in Annapolis, Md., and West Chester, Pa., and studied aerospace engineering at Penn State University. He’s been a Professional Golfers’ Association member for 25 years and has lived on the Eastern Shore for the last 35 years.   Beckelman started his professional golf career at the Ocean Pines Golf Club, first from 1992 to 1997, and then returning from 2000 to 2007. “I was hired here originally as an assistant under Buddy Sass, and then left to help build the Deer Run Golf Club, and then came back as the head golf professional in Ocean Pines,” he said. Beckelman said “a phone call” brought him back to Ocean Pines for a third time. “Honestly, when I first got into the golf business, I loved it and I enjoyed it so much,” he said. “I had been around Ocean Pines for a while already. When I was in college, I was working summers at the club, and waited tables and I bartended. I just got to know the people and really loved the community, and I had a lot of friends and built a lot of relationships here. “Once I started at the Ocean Pines Golf Club, I enjoyed the golf community so much, I planned on working my way up the ladder and eventually finishing my career here,” Beckelman continued. “There’s been some changes along the way, but it’s still my plan – I started here, and I want to finish here.” Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola said he’s happy to have Beckelman back. “I reached out to the Golf Advisory Committee and the golf community, and they all told me this was the right guy for the job,” Viola said. “He obviously, knows the club and he knows the community. We’re happy to welcome him back and I think he’s going to be a great addition to the team.” X Award Recipient SALISBURY – Salisbury University’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business has been named the recipient of the sixth annual WRDS-SSRN Innovation Award for the North American region. As a part of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, WRDS enables comprehensive thought leadership — democratizing data access and giving global users the power to analyze complex information through curated research and analytics tools. SSRN is a worldwide collaborative of more than 2 million users that is devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of research. The award recognizes one rising business school each year from North America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. “The WRDS-SSRN Innovation Award is presented to schools that have made a commitment to research, with an increase in publications and citations as a result of that commitment,” said Dr. Christy Weer, dean of the Perdue School. “This is not only a great honor for the Perdue School as a whole, but for the many faculty and students who have facilitated that research in recent years.” X Designation Earned SALISBURY – Hudson Behavioral Health has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Behavioral Health Care by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. Hudson Behavioral Health underwent a rigorous, unannounced site review in May of 2022. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with behavioral health standards spanning several areas including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control and medication management. The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess, and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews. “As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, accreditation and certification operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Hudson Behavioral Health for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.” X New Location OCEAN CITY – Ocean City just got a whole lot tastier with a new DQ® restaurant coming to town. American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ) recently announced its new DQ Grill & Chill® restaurant opened in Ocean City. Conveniently situated at 11401 Coastal Highway, the restaurant is locally owned by Mike Ramadan and is operated by the trusted general manager of all his DQ locations. An experienced multi-unit operator who first joined the brand as a franchisee in 2006, this Ocean City location is Ramadan’s fifth American DQ Grill & Chill restaurant, and he is thrilled to open his newest business in the bustling Gold Coast Mall. With an impressive background in business ownership, Ramadan also owns a local liquor store, pizza restaurant and recently bought another restaurant in Ocean City. His entrepreneurial expertise has proven to be an asset as he continues to grow his investment portfolio alongside the DQ brand. “After more than 15 years with the brand, DQ continues to be a wonderful investment,” said Ramadan. “I am always seeking ways to build my portfolio while also investing in the local community by offering hometown staples and concepts that will bring joy to our customers’ lives, and I’m honored to bring the DQ brand to Ocean City. I know this location will be a welcome addition to the community, and quickly become a staple for those who live here.” X Coordinator Hired BERLIN – Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) has welcomed Debbi Dean Colley as the new community engagement coordinator. Brenda Davis, ACT’s new executive director, states, “We are so excited to have Debbi as part of our team. We have Debbi Dean Colley many new programs and projects on the drawing board and she’s the perfect candidate to help make them come to fruition.” This position encompasses social media specialist, fundraising campaigns, marketing, preparing press releases, along with volunteer coordination with an extension of outreach into the community. An artist at heart, Colley was born in Pittsburgh and attended Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. She has traveled internationally to London, England, and Rimini, Italy, teaching advanced platform work to colleagues in the salon industry. She then studied environmental education at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa., which then led her into the environmental sector and devoted herself to the issues surrounding waterway destruction. Colley has a strong background in project management, event coordination and volunteer service with a previous commitment as the Project Manager for Grow Berlin Green (GBG). This was an extension of ACT, which was a multi-year campaign to the area as a model community for participatory environmental protection, conservation, and smart growth policy and practice. GBG was instrumental to Berlin as the first Maryland municipality to qualify for “Sustainable Maryland Certified” status by the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center. Colley feels she has come full circle back to her old stomping grounds with her environmental education and action. She is excited to be working with the ACT director, Brenda Davis, the coastkeeper, Gabby Ross, along with the entire ACT team and board to engage the community through outreach and communication. Her goals are to connect with businesses, schools and organizations to become partners and enact regulations that encompass the purpose and vision of Assateague Coastal Trust. ← Previous Next →

Healthy Living: Heavily ‘meditated’ And Ready To Let Go – Powell River Peak https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/healthy-living-heavily-meditated-and-ready-to-let-go-powell-river-peak/ After lugging around the burdensome weight of pathological anxiety and a slew of negative behaviours which, with a sharp and pointy finger, directed me toward chronic addiction, the phrase with the whimsical tone, “Let it go”, attracts me on an intuitive, visceral level. In the context of my experience, the bumper sticker sounding aphorism has had a fundamental and profound effect on how I see the world and, in turn, how the world sees me. Its meaning punches far above the weight of its three words and seven letters. When psychology and biology overlap with spirituality, there may be an abstract, slightly flaky tone to the conversation. You have been given a fair warning. Although, I find it especially compelling when the arts and things of a spiritual nature merge with the hard sciences. Letting go is a central idea to the religion of Buddhism. Although I do not identify as a practicing Buddhist, I found clarity and usefulness with some of the teachings of the 2,500-year-old religion which originated in India. Buddha said, quite simply, nothing is permanent, everything is in a constant state of change, so clinging on to things will be a main cause of great suffering. It is my experience, and the reality of many people I have met, that the primary reason for using drugs and alcohol was the illusion there was a dulling or diminishing effect on personal, often internal suffering; a suffering often caused by thoughts that were clinging tightly to the past like the way ivy clings to a wall. Letting go does not suggest forgetting or denying painful parts of yesterday. Not at all. It means there is no longer intense, often painfully negative emotional reaction to parts of life which are always in a state of change. Our emotions are not drawn from an inexhaustible well. In a sense, letting go can replenish our emotional reserves or resources and leave us feeling strong and happy, prepared to live in the present, while acknowledging the past with a healthy detachment. As I mentioned in the beginning, the practice of letting go is especially liberating to someone, like me, who carries irrational fears with him and an anxiety which, at times, seems unshakable. My muscles are tense and my brain is overanalyzing my immediate environment like a mortal danger looms closely. It can be emotionally and physically tiring to experience the sensations often. Letting go and liberating oneself from the physical symptoms of anxiety is the beginning of a life lighter and happier, which attracts opportunities and adventures. Letting go is an admission we have never had control in the first place; it was a spiritually and emotionally unproductive illusion which enabled me to barely survive but never thrive. It is time to let go of that. Robert Skender is a qathet region freelance writer and health commentator.

Sports, Games … And Law? New Course Gives Prospective Lawyers A Fresh Take – University Of Virginia https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/sports-games-and-law-new-course-gives-prospective-lawyers-a-fresh-take-university-of-virginia/ “This course has helped me think a lot about adjudicating decisions in the real world, in a mundane context,” said Brown, a third-year law student from Alexandria. “I’m getting practical experience doing something I would never get otherwise. It’s helped me with decision-making and has me thinking more clearly about what rules I’m creating, what rules I’m enforcing.” The course is based on “The Jurisprudence of Sport: Sports and Games as Legal Systems,” a casebook co-written by law professors Mitchell Berman of the University of Pennsylvania and Richard Friedman of the University of Michigan. Re, a friend of Berman’s, was sent the book, sparking his interest in creating a course. “You can make a lot of the same points about discretion and the value of rules or the role society plays in managing adjudication in both sports and games, and law,” Re said. “What’s great about approaching it from the sports-and-games angle is we naturally shed a lot of the preconceptions that we bring with ourselves to the discussion of law. And we take on new preconceptions. “So it’s interesting to do a deep dive on these questions in a sports or games context and, then at the end of it, step back and say, ‘OK, how does that compare with similar questions in law?’” A recent Sports and Games class focused on a case close to Re’s heart: the 2019 National Football Conference championship game, when an infamous no-call toward the game’s end benefited the Los Angeles Rams and might have cost the New Orleans Saints a shot at the Super Bowl. Re, a New Orleans native and lifelong Saints fan, opened the class by promising to try to stay impartial and to hold back tears as he played the clip of Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman leveling Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis before a pass arrived. The third-down play occurred with the game tied at 20 and under two minutes left in the game. Had officials called a pass interference penalty, there’s a good chance the Saints could have run down the clock before kicking a game-winning field goal. Instead, there was enough time in the game for both teams to trade field goals. The Rams eventually won in overtime, ending the Saints’ season. Reacting to public outcry, the National Football League made all forms of pass interference and non-calls subject to video reviews the following season. That experiment, considered a failure, was discontinued after a year. The sequence on the #Saints sideline after the #Rams no-call pass interference that should’ve ended the game is heart wrenching. pic.twitter.com/mYJ2smOObZ — Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 24, 2019 The breakdown of the play – and its fallout – led to a class discussion with several analogies to law. Re said Rucho v. Common Cause, the landmark Supreme Court case in 2019 that ruled partisan gerrymandering is beyond the reach of the federal courts, would typically be analyzed in legal education through a federal courts or election law course. But Sports and Games provided the platform for Emma McLaughlin, a second-year law student, to bring it up in a perhaps more relatable context. What McLaughlin “saw as one of the main issues of debate in that case was the exact same issue that we’re talking about in instant replay,” Re said. “One of the main issues that was at stake in this very divisive case was if the federal courts get involved a little bit, what will happen the next time? Where do we draw the line for when we get involved and we don’t get involved? If we dip our toe in, do we end up going all the way in the pool? If we give the mouse a cookie, will the mouse come back for more a thousand times?” In other words, the NFL, in the role of the Supreme Court in this situation, risked a slippery slope with its knee-jerk reaction to the no-call in New Orleans. Jonathan Peterson, a third-year law student from Charlottesville, said his main takeaway from the Rams-Saints presentation was the issue of the NFL’s legitimacy. “If you’re hearing out requests for exceptions all the time and you’re re-reviewing the calls that you’ve made and whatnot, you open yourself up to a lot of potential for dissatisfaction and distrust from the people who see themselves as existing properly within those rules,” Peterson said. “I’m not a huge fan of the idea that finality is super important for judicial legitimacy, because I think the main goal should be we get the right call, and not have that focus. But I think it does show how important it is, especially today where I think judicial legitimacy is one of the biggest issues facing the court.” Re has been able to spark these kinds of discussions through several real-life sports examples. The list of clips he’s played for the class include the controversial no-catch involving the Dallas Cowboys’ Dez Bryant in the 2014 NFL playoffs, tennis player Serena Williams’ foot fault in the 2009 United States Open and even Anthony Poindexter’s goal line stop of Warrick Dunn to cement UVA football’s upset of Florida State University in 1995.

Scary Housing Costs, Inside Zuck’s Metaverse, And The Future Of Late-Night TV – CNN https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/scary-housing-costs-inside-zucks-metaverse-and-the-future-of-late-night-tv-cnn/ Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: Copyright 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc.2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor’s and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates. © 2022 Cable News Network.A Warner Bros. Discovery Company.All Rights Reserved.CNN Sans & © 2016 Cable News Network.

The Best Smart Light Bulbs For 2022 – The Paradise News https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/the-best-smart-light-bulbs-for-2022-the-paradise-news/ By Valentina Palladino One of the best places to start when building a smart home ecosystem is smart light bulbs. Not only are they relatively affordable compared to other IoT gadgets, often costing between $10 and $50 a bulb, but they can also completely change the feel of your home. You can go from boring and analogue to colorful and automated within minutes, and there are endless possibilities when it comes to using smart light bulbs to create funky-colored light scenes, setting schedules and more. But like the rest of the smart home space over the last few years, there are now more players in smart lighting than ever before. We tested out some of the most popular smart lights on the market and found that most of them are quite good, but there are differences in compatibility, color quality and mobile app usability that are worth considering before deciding which smart bulb system will be right for your home. Engadget’s picks Best overall: Philips Hue White + Color Ambiance Runner up: LIFX Color E26 Best budget: TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light Bulb Best all white: LIFX White E26 Honorable mention: Sengled Smart Light Bulbs What to look for in smart light bulbs Connectivity (to hub or not to hub) One of the biggest appeals of smart lights is being able to control them from your phone. Most of them are able to do so by connecting to it via WiFi or Bluetooth, or via an external hub, which handles the connection for them. Bluetooth connectivity limits the range in which you’ll be able to control the light, so it’s only best for a limited number of bulbs and ones you don’t expect to control when you’re away. WiFi smart lights are easy to set up and can be cheaper overall since they don’t require a hub to connect them. However, having something like a central Zigbee hub can make your whole system more reliable since its connection is separate from your home’s WiFi network. For that reason, hub-based bulbs tend to be more expandable, so we mainly recommend those if you want to eventually have dozens of smart lights around your home. White or color? Most smart bulbs you’ll find today are “white and color” bulbs, meaning they can glow in vibrant blues, pinks, greens and everything in between, as well as shine with different temperatures of white. But there are some white-only bulbs out there, and they are often a bit more affordable than their color counterparts. While we recommend springing for the white-and-color devices, if you’d prefer white only, make sure you’re getting a bulb that can span the temperature spectrum (typically from about 2000 to 5000 Kelvin), offering you various levels of warm and cool white light. App features One of the perks of smart lights is the amount of control you have over them thanks to their various app-connected capabilities. Most companion apps let you do things like set lighting schedules, group individual lights into room designations and create your own custom light “scenes” with different colors. But we have seen other features that aren’t as ubiquitous like vacation mode for automatically turning lights on and off to enhance your home security, and sync with media, which changes the colors of lights depending on the music you’re listening to or the game you’re currently live-streaming. Smart home compatibility If you use a virtual assistant like Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant regularly, make sure the smart lights you get work with your favorite. All of the bulbs we tested supported both Amazon’s and Google’s virtual assistants, allowing you to use voice commands to turn lights on and off, dim them and more. The wildcard here is Siri and Apple’s HomeKit; while numerous smart bulbs have added HomeKit to their list of compatible connections, not all lights support Apple’s smart home framework. Expandability We alluded to this above, but you’ll want to consider how many smart lights you eventually want in your home. Some brands and systems are easier to expand than others, and we generally recommend going for hub-based bulbs if you plan on putting smart lights in every room in your home. If you’re only looking to deck out your home office or living room with some fancy lights, WiFi options should serve you well. Thankfully, these are some of the most affordable smart home devices you can get, so even if you don’t have a clear answer to this question now, you can reconsider your options down the line if you do decide to outfit your home with dozens of bulbs. Best overall: Philips Hue White + Color Ambiance Amazon / Philips If you’ve done any research into smart lights, you’ve probably come across Philips Hue bulbs. The range is popular for a variety of reasons, and we agree they’re the best smart light bulbs you can get thanks to their wide compatibility, easy to use mobile app and their expandability. Particularly, if you know you want to outfit more than one room in your home with these IoT devices, Philips Hue is the way to go. The first thing that’s important to know about Hue bulbs is that they are now Bluetooth enabled. That means you can buy a few to try out first, then easily expand your system with a hub when you want to add more lights to your home. Previously, the hub was required for any and all lights, but now it’s much easier to dip your toe into the range before fully taking the plunge. Like all of the other smart lights we tested, you only need to screw in a Hue bulb, turn on your light, and follow the instructions in the Philips Hue mobile app to start using it. Even if you only have the lights in one room to start, we still recommend grouping them into their own “room” in the Hue app so you can easily control the entire space’s environment at once. Hue’s White + Color bulbs provide a range of warm to cool whites and millions of colors to experiment with. Colors are rich and vibrant, and Philips’ pre-programmed scenes, such as Energize, Bright and Relax, let you quickly emulate your old “dumb” lights with different warmth levels of white light. You can pick from a number of color scenes in the app, too, but it’s also easy to create your own color temperature. So if you’ve always wanted to flood your office with a rainbow of colors while you’re live-streaming on Twitch, you can find the precise presets you want, save them and then turn them on with just a few taps in the app. The Hue app is pretty easy to use, and the bulbs support voice commands from Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. That means you don’t even have to open the app to control your lights; you can simply say “Alexa, turn off the bedroom lights” and only the lights in that designated room will extinguish. You’ll be able to add up to 10 bulbs to your system using Bluetooth alone – at which point you’ll have to add a Philips Hue hub into the mix to support up to 50 lights. The hub also enables things like HomeKit connectivity, light schedules and automations, home and away modes and syncing with movies and music. Arguably the most useful of those features is automations, which lets you set on/off schedules for your lights, including automatically turning the lights off when you leave the house. It’s understandable why Philips would make these few features exclusive to those with Hue hubs – adding a hub into the mix makes the system more reliable, allowing you to do more with increasing numbers of connected lights, plus it will encourage many to invest in a hub and more Hue bulbs over time. We like Hue’s hub not only for its reliability, but also because it allows finer and more flexible control over your devices. So if you’re on vacation and want to turn on your living room lights to see what’s going on, you can do that. Expandability goes beyond the number of lights you have in your home: It also includes multiple smart bulbs you can install outside, too. The Hue range has a ton of indoor and outdoor bulbs to choose from, including recessed lights, outdoor pedestal and flood lights, light strips and more. It’s one of the few ranges available today that gives you a ton of options to make every bulb in and out of your home smart, which is important to consider if you know you want to go all in on the smart light front. But that brings us to the biggest downside of Philips Hue, which is the price. Hue bulbs are on the expensive side, with a two-pack of White + Color Ambiance bulbs costing $80. If you’re looking for cheap bulbs to test out smart lighting, some of our other picks below, like the Kasa smart light bulb, will be better choices since most of them have lower prices per bulb. However, if smart lighting is something you want to invest in going forward, we recommend going with one of Philips’ Hue starter kits: the White + Color Ambiance starter kit, including three bulbs, a hub and a smart button, comes in at $180, which is cheaper than if you were to buy all of those components separately. Buy White + Color Ambience kit (2 pack) at Amazon – $90Buy White + Color Ambience starter kit at Amazon – $180 Runner up: LIFX Color E26 LIFX Overall, LIFX’s color smart lights are similar to Hue’s White + Ambiance bulbs in that they’re easy to set up, they offer striking, saturated colors and work with three major platforms: Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit. But the main difference is the LIFX bulbs are WiFi only, so you can’t connect them to a hub even if you wanted to, and some are slightly more expensive than Hue devices. The Color E26 bulb, which supports 1100 lumens, normally costs $50, but there’s an 800-lumen equivalent that’s a bit cheaper, coming in at $35 per bulb. LIFX’s mobile app is also undoubtedly the slickest we tested. While that may not mean much to you, it’s worth mentioning because mobile apps are the way most people interact with their smart lights on a daily basis. The homepage features all of t...

Coin Center Sues Janet Yellen Over Tornado Cash Sanctions – Cryptonews https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/coin-center-sues-janet-yellen-over-tornado-cash-sanctions-cryptonews/ Source: AdobeStock / Vladimir Kazakov The crypto think tank Coin Center has sued US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen over sanctions imposed on the coin mixer Tornado Cash, saying the service has legitimate use cases. In the lawsuit, filed in Florida on Wednesday this week, Coin Center said Tornado Cash is “an open-source software tool that helps Americans maintain their privacy while using cryptocurrency.” “The Administration’s use of the foreign-affairs power to punish domestic cryptocurrency users was unprecedented and unlawful,” the lawsuit added, referring to the sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). Among those named as defendants in the suit were US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and OFAC Director Andrea Gacki. New York-based crypto investor David Hoffman and Florida-based software developer Patrick O’Sullivan were among the plaintiffs named in the suit. Source: Coincenter.org According to the lawsuit, Hoffman has previously been “dusted,” meaning that someone has sent him a small amount of ETH through Tornado Cash after the service was sanctioned in an attempt to get him into legal trouble. “[…] Ethereum users like Mr. Hoffman have no ability to reject incoming transfers. So the criminalization of Tornado Cash empowered someone else to implicate Mr. Hoffman and force reporting obligations on him by causing him to receive an asset from a sanctioned entity,” the lawsuit explained. Both Coin Center and the broader crypto industry has on several occasions pointed out that OFAC does not normally sanction software, and that Tornado Cash is not operated by any central entity. Tornado Cash is a coin mixing service on the Ethereum (ETH) network designed to improve the privacy of users and obfuscate who owns what on the network. The service was sanctioned by OFAC in August, with the government agency claiming North Korean hackers had laundered hundreds of millions of dollars using the service. Just like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum is a transparent network, which means that those who send transactions can potentially expose their entire transaction history to the receiver. To avoid this, Tornado Cash is one solution that has been popular among privacy-oriented users. Back in September, the US Treasury Department clarified that the sanctions do not prohibit individuals in the US from viewing and disseminating the open-source Tornado Cash code.

U.S. House Jan. 6 Committee Plans Vote On Whether To Subpoena Trump – Reuters https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/u-s-house-jan-6-committee-plans-vote-on-whether-to-subpoena-trump-reuters/ WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol plans to vote at a meeting on Thursday on whether to subpoena former President Donald Trump. A source familiar with the matter said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been alerted to the panel’s plan to hold the vote. Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House select committee, announced that Thursday’s gathering would be a business meeting, not a hearing, which would allow the panel to vote on whether to recommend further investigative action rather than just present evidence. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com During the meeting, committee members argued that the Republican former President Trump planned to deny his election defeat in advance and followed through even as close advisers told him he had lost. U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol meets for a hearing in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, U.S., October 13, 2022. Alex Wong/Pool via REUTERS NBC News had initially reported that the committee planned to vote to subpoena Trump during the meeting. A committee spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. “We now know more about President Trump’s intention for election night. The evidence shows that his false victory speech was planned well in advance before any vote had been counted. It was a premeditated plan by the president to declare victory no matter what the actual result was,” Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren said. The meeting followed eight hearings earlier this year and one in July 2021. There were no live witnesses, but the panel aired videotaped testimony from earlier interviews. It could be the committee’s last public session before releasing its final report, expected before the Nov. 8 midterm elections that will determine whether President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats or Trump’s Republicans control Congress. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Moira Warburton; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone, Josie Kao and Aurora Ellis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Code Louisville Celebrates Placing 750+ Graduates In Technology Careers; 15000 Hours Donated By Mentors – LouisvilleKy.gov https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/code-louisville-celebrates-placing-750-graduates-in-technology-careers-15000-hours-donated-by-mentors-louisvilleky-gov/ Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer today joined Code Louisville staff, graduates, mentors, employers and partners at Virtual Peaker in the NuLu Marketplace to celebrate significant milestones achieved by the software development and technology training program. “Code Louisville has become a key part of this region’s growing tech ecosystem since 2015, when President Obama helped put it on the map,” the Mayor said. “Its leaders and staff have been building a dedicated community of graduates and mentors, who are demonstrating what can be accomplished when a city invests in technology training for its residents.” Code Louisville offers students a unique blend of online learning, career readiness training and guidance from experienced software development professionals. Hundreds of industry mentors have now donated a total of 15,000 hours of their time to Code Louisville – including many program graduates. More than 40% of the 91 mentors who’ve served in 2022 are former Code Louisville students, for example. Today’s event was hosted by Virtual Peaker, a local energy technology company founded in 2015 that is one of the top employers of Code Louisville graduates, alongside El Toro, Humana, Switcher Studio, Waystar and UPS. In all, more than 300 companies have hired at least one Code Louisville graduate over the past seven years. “Code Louisville has been instrumental in the growth and success of Virtual Peaker’s development team and ultimately our technology platform,” said the company’s CEO and Founder, Dr. Bill Burke. “We’ve created a hiring strategy around the program, and it has proven to be successful as we’ve hired 14 full-time engineers directly from Code Louisville. We’re looking forward to this continued partnership as our team continues to expand.” Shawn Offutt, a Code Louisville graduate who has worked as a software developer at Virtual Peaker since 2020, also spoke about his experience breaking into the technology industry. “Before Code Louisville, I was working in a warehouse. Getting into technology was my goal, but at the time I couldn’t afford to go back to school,” he said. “Code Louisville helped me get promoted to the front office, then transition into a full-time career as a software developer. The training is definitely top notch… everyone there is ready to help you out.” Brittney Coble, who now works as a Support Operations Engineer at Capella Space, also spoke about the impact Code Louisville made on her career. “Code Louisville didn’t just teach me how to code, it also taught me how to problem solve so that I could continue learning and building on my skills after I graduated the program,” said Coble, who has since mentored multiple cohorts of Code Louisville students. Mayor Fischer closed out today’s event by encouraging Louisville adults who are interested in coding and technology to register for the next Code Louisville training, which starts in January. ### About Code Louisville Code Louisville is offered at no cost to residents 18+ in the Louisville region. All coursework is remote at this time. Participants must complete two 12-week courses in the pathway they select in order to graduate. Code Louisville offers pathways in Web Development with JavaScript, User Experience Design (UX), Data Analysis with Python, Quality Assurance (QA) Testing, and Software Development with C#. Code Louisville began in 2014 and was expanded in 2015 through a federal grant. Now that the original grant has expired, the program is funded through Louisville Metro Government. The program is run by KentuckianaWorks, the Louisville region’s Workforce Development Board. For more information, visit CodeLouisville.org.

State Gaming Board To Weigh In On Proposed Horserace Track In Hardwick – Worcester Telegram https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/state-gaming-board-to-weigh-in-on-proposed-horserace-track-in-hardwick-worcester-telegram/ HARDWICK — Even before selectmen vote on whether to allow a thoroughbred racetrack to be sited on a 359-acre farm, opponents say they’ll work to quash the plan with a petition that, if the board favors the track, would send the matter to a ballot. Selectmen have the authority to allow the track to operate from Great Meadowbrook Farm at 228 Barre Road, but there are additional steps, including approval from the Planning Board and the state, before any racing could take place. The state Gaming Commission will hold its required public hearing on the matter from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Hardwick Elementary School on Schoolhouse Drive. Selectmen are slated to meet Oct. 24, although a potential vote on the track was not listed on the agenda as of Thursday. The selectmen’s vote could be overturned, though, if 12% of the town’s registered voters, which amounts to 237, sign a petition asking them to reconsider. If the board doesn’t change its vote, the petition would require a special election which could affirm or overturn the selectmen’s decision. During a two-night, six-hour public hearing on the matter earlier this month, opponents said they plan to circulate a petition if the board approves the site. Opponents said they are concerned with traffic, gambling and the potential for as many as 5,000 people to come into town on festival days during which horses would race, food trucks would be set up and on-site betting kiosks would be temporarily erected. Online wagers could also be made on horses competing in Hardwick, which is part of how some revenue from the state’s new gaming law would reach the town. Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center would operate day-to-day as a breeding and training facility for thoroughbred race horses. A component of the plan includes using the site for retired race horses, as well. Those efforts would be supported by the track which would initially operate one weekend a year with hopes to increase to three or four weekends in a decade, when the stock of race horses is increased enough to support more racing, John A. Stefanini, chairman of the Racing Oversight Board for Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center, has explained. The town would benefit from $500,000 annually through a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program and could negotiate other benefits with Hardwick officials as a Host Community Agreement is worked out. Stefanini said at Monday night’s Zoom selectmen’s meeting, that a proposed agreement has been sent to selectmen for review. It’s expected there will be negotiation on the agreement if the board votes in favor of the track. He said Richard Fields and Robin Kalaidjian managing partners for Commonwealth and other team members, have also looked at additional properties in town to open a farm to table restaurant, a bed and breakfast and parking for the track.

Sheriff: Vegas Officer Killed In Shooting, Suspect Arrested – The Washington Post https://clarkcountynewsnow.com/sheriff-vegas-officer-killed-in-shooting-suspect-arrested-the-washington-post/ LAS VEGAS — A veteran Las Vegas police officer died early Thursday after being shot during an exchange of gunfire with a man who was later arrested, authorities said. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo told reporters that Officer Truong Thai was fatally wounded while he and another officer answering a 1 a.m. report of a domestic disturbance stopped a vehicle near a busy crossroads and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, located east of the Las Vegas Strip. “The suspect was armed with a firearm and fired at our officers,” Lombardo said. “Both responding officers discharged their duty weapons. One officer was struck.” A woman who was nearby was wounded and was taken to a hospital, where she was expected to survive, police said. The suspect, Tyson Hampton, 24, of Las Vegas, drove away from the shooting scene and initially refused to surrender when he was stopped several blocks away, Lombardo said. A police dog was used during Hampton’s arrest, and Lombardo said Hampton “received minor injuries.” Hampton was due to be booked into the Clark County jail pending an initial court appearance on charges including murder and attempted murder. Records did not immediately reflect if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. “The incident demonstrates the dangers our officers face every day just putting on the uniform and doing their job,” said Lombardo, who did not immediately identify the other officer involved in the shooting. Thai’s death came during an exceptionally violent week for officers across the country, including in Connecticut where two officers were fatally shot. Police in North Las Vegas shot and killed a man Monday, after they said he pointed a gun at people while wearing a Halloween mask, and officers in neighboring Henderson were involved in a shooting Wednesday although no gunshot injuries were reported. Also, a Henderson police officer was wounded and a suspect was killed in a shooting Sept. 26. The Las Vegas shooting on Thursday was the 10th this year involving officers covering the city and Clark County including the casino-lined Strip. Thai, 49, joined the Las Vegas police department in 1999, and Lombardo described him as an “honorable” and “commendable” officer. The sheriff declined to fully detail Thai’s career until he said Thai’s ex-wife and daughter had time to mourn. Thai is the first Las Vegas police officer killed by gunfire in the line of duty since October 2017, when Officer Charleston Hartfield was shot and killed by a gunman who opened fire from a high-rise hotel into an open-air concert crowd, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Hartfield was attending the concert. Two officers, Igor Saldo and Alyn Beck, were killed in an ambush shooting in June 2014 as they sat as a pizza shop.