Collin County News Online

Anglo American Commits $15m To The Global Fund To Tackle Diseases – Creamer Media’s Mining Weekly https://collincountynewsonline.com/anglo-american-commits-15m-to-the-global-fund-to-tackle-diseases-creamer-medias-mining-weekly/ Global miner Anglo American, together with the Anglo American Foundation, have pledged $15-million to support the Global Fund, aimed at ending HIV/Aids, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, and building resilient systems for health and pandemic preparedness. The pledge was delivered in New York, during the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment. Anglo American and the Anglo American Foundation’s combined $15-million contribution will fall under the Global Fund’s Digital Health Impact Accelerator Catalytic Fund – which will promote investment in community health systems to improve the quality of community health worker programmes through digitisation, for example through the  improvement of the interoperability of health data systems. Partners for this initiative include Zenysis and Novartis Foundation. The health and wellbeing of employees and host communities is noted to form an integral part of Anglo American’s Sustainable Mining Plan. Built around three major sustainability pillars of Healthy Environment, Thriving Communities and Trusted Corporate Leader, the plan is aligned with the attainment of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Thriving Communities focuses on creating better health, well-being, education, and employment outcomes for host communities, with considerable investments by the company and the Anglo American Foundation on long-term system-level change within priority focus areas, including healthy living. “Building a more equitable healthcare system globally is in our DNA as a company – it is how we do business. “Through our long history of supporting major public health programmes to help improve the health of our employees and host communities and running major health facilities around our operations over many decades, we recognise that good health and well-being are essential to building thriving communities and economies,” says Anglo’s Kumba Iron Ore CEO Mpumi Zikalala, who is also the chairperson of the South African National Aids Council’s Private Sector Forum. “Our contribution to the Global Fund enables us to meaningfully contribute to shaping the agenda associated with relevant national health programmes while supporting the successful delivery of our Sustainable Mining Plan health interventions,” she adds. Anglo has a longstanding partnership with the Global Fund, both as a member of the fund’s board and a considerable contributor to the fund’s activities, the company points out. “We are tremendously grateful to Anglo American, together with the Anglo American Foundation, for once again committing funds to support our lifesaving work. Through its industry-leading commitment to health and well-being, Anglo American is showing how powerful partnerships can be to fight for what counts – to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and end health inequity,” enthuses Global Fund executive director Peter Sands. “The digital solutions that the company will support through the Digital Health Accelerator can transform progress in the fight against diseases and prepare countries for future threats,” he adds.

What Time Is Shakur Stevenson Vs. Robson Conceicao Today? Schedule, Main Card Start Time For 2022 Boxing Fight – Sporting News https://collincountynewsonline.com/what-time-is-shakur-stevenson-vs-robson-conceicao-today-schedule-main-card-start-time-for-2022-boxing-fight-sporting-news/ The 25-year-old Shakur Stevenson has become a true force since moving from featherweight to junior-lightweight. With an undefeated 18-0 record including nine wins via knockout, Stevenson is ready to compete against some of the best boxing has to offer, for a limited time. Before he can think about superfights and adding more gold to his resume, Stevenson faces Robson Conceicao. The fight on September 23 will take place inside New Jersey’s Prudential Center.  Conceicao won gold at the 2016 Olympics, capping an active amateur career that ended with 73 wins. He made his pro debut later that year and won his first 16 fights before finally suffering his first loss in 2021 against Oscar Valdez when challenging for the WBC title. Conceicao rebounded in January with a unanimous decision win over Xavier Martinez. Conceicao’s gold medal certainly garners the respect of Stevenson heading into Friday’s fight. “You go and win an Olympic gold medal, I don’t care who you is, that’s one of the hardest things to do in life, especially as a boxer. You got to give him the respect he deserves,” Stevenson told FIGHT SPORTS. “But I ain’t going to respect him the ring. He’s a solid fighter, but the pro game is a lot different. I think it’s a whole different sport. Amateurs and pros is two different things. I think I might go in there and beat him up.” MORE: Boxing’s top 25 under 25: Ranking the best young stars in 2022 A 2016 Olympic silver medalist (he fought in the bantamweight division while Conceicao competed as a lightweight), Stevenson made his pro debut in 2017. He won the WBO featherweight title in 2019 against Joet Gonzalez. In 2021, Stevenson won the interim WBO junior-lightweight title against Jeremiah Nakathila. Later that year, he beat Jamel Herring to become the regular champion. In his last fight in April, Stevenson beat Valdez via unanimous decision to win the WBC and The Ring junior-lightweight titles.  Stevenson was set to defend the WBC, WBO, and The Ring junior-lightweight titles, but was stripped of the belts when he missed weight for the fight. After this, he will move to the lightweight division. Only Conceicao can win the belts. The Sporting News has you covered with all the information needed to watch Stevenson vs. Conceicao, including start time, live stream information, ticket prices, and more. What time does Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao start today? Date: Friday, September 23 Undercard: 5:30 p.m. ET  Main card: 10 p.m. ET Main event: 11:30 p.m. ET (Approximate) Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao will be taking place on September 23. The undercard is set to start at 5:30 p.m. ET. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET. Stevenson and Conceicao should be making their way to the ring around 11:30 p.m.ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.  How to watch Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes The Stevenson vs. Conceicao main card will be airing on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The undercard will be airing exclusively on ESPN+.  MORE: Sign up to watch Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao on ESPN+ Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao price: How much does the card cost? You will need to pay $9.99 a month for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or an annual subscription for $99.99/yr. The Stevenson vs. Conceicao fight won’t be an additional cost to current ESPN+ subscribers.  Product Prices ESPN+ Monthly Subscription $9.99/month ESPN+ Annual Subscription $99.99/year The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported $13.99/month The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads $19.99/month How much do tickets for Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao cost? Tickets for Stevenson vs. Conceicao, taking place inside New Jersey’s Prudential Center, start at $49, per Ticket Smarter.  They then range from $60, $70, $80, $90, $100, $200, $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, $900, and $1,208.  MORE: Boxing Schedule 2022: Date, division, location for upcoming fights Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao fight card Main card Shakur Stevenson vs. Robson Conceicao for the WBC, WBO, and The Ring junior-lightweight titles Keyshawn Davis vs. Omar Tienda; Lightweights Undercard Jahi Tucker vs. Jose Luis Sanchez; Welterweights Bruce Carrington vs. Jose Argel; Featherweights Armani Almestica vs. Omar Urieta; Lightweights Pablo Valdez vs. Noe Alejandro Lopez; Welterweights Orlando Gonzalez vs. Misael Lopez; Featherweights Floyd Diaz vs. Eduardo Diogo; Junior-Featherweights

Disguise Establishes Global Network Of Metaverse Labs – Sports Video Group https://collincountynewsonline.com/disguise-establishes-global-network-of-metaverse-labs-sports-video-group/ disguise has launched Metaverse Labs – a global network of labs filled with creative and technical experts that will empower brands, creatives, and technologists to deliver experiences in the metaverse. As part of disguise’s Metaverse Solutions division, each Lab will merge R&D, creative services and consultancy to help their clients achieve the art of the impossible. Led by Chief Collaboration Officer Abi Bowman, disguise Metaverse Labs bridges the talent gap to keep disguise and its community at the forefront of change, all while empowering development and exploration in the metaverse. Its established partnerships with metaverse and virtual production experts Zerospace, Nowhere, Improbable, Film Soho, Super Bonfire, XR Studios, All of it Now, Zoan, Boum and Shape will give rise to new proof of concepts and new workflows. With this, disguise Metaverse Labs aims to democratize and share insight, develop the skills and talent for tomorrow as well as advise, consult and create future-facing experiences so creatives have everything they need to bring their next big idea to life. In essence, disguise Metaverse Labs will be an end-to-end solution for anyone seeking to experiment and innovate within the $8 trillion metaverse market opportunity. “R&D and technology breakthroughs are rapidly changing the industry around us, all while impacting how we consume content and interact with others. Only three years ago, remote work was not the norm and it’s amazing how far we’ve come in such a short space of time – once we’re enabled with the right technology,” says disguise CEO Fernando Küfer. “With the metaverse continually evolving, and innovators taking giant leaps every day, soon it will become part of our reality. Along with our network of expert partners, disguise Metaverse Labs are exploring new realms of entertainment and are here to help creatives deliver the impossible in an ever-changing technology landscape.” The metaverse is now the new frontier for human experience, and disguise, as a founding member of the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF), is here to help create it. Drawing on disguise’s proprietary RenderStream infrastructure’s ability to connect real and virtual worlds and having powered over 600 extended reality productions across more than 35 countries, disguise prides itself as a trusted partner for the delivery of any kind of hybrid experience. In the past two years, disguise’s Extended Reality (xR) workflow has powered live entertainment for music artists such as Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, film and episodic TV productions for Netflix and Amazon Prime, corporate presentations for Siemens and Verizon and live broadcast programs from Eurosport, MTV and ITV. “Our goal is to explore the intersection of the live and virtual world and take human experiences to the next level. We do this by giving the most creative people in the world brand new ways to express themselves. New creative opportunities and possibilities can now be unlocked with confidence, ” says Bowman. First established in Auckland by Head of Labs New Zealand Sam Folkard, disguise Metaverse Labs is expanding globally, first, with a UK division formed and headed by Stuart Mckenna and a growing division in Los Angeles. Following this, Global Head of Labs Lara Bowen will bring together local partners in New York, Seoul and Montreal and continue establishing disguise Metaverse Labs’ global presence in the emerging metaverse space. disguise is delighted to be supported by ROE Visual, which provides the LED for all the Labs locations. “With more of us eager to live our experiences in a virtual world, there will be a seismic shift in how we communicate, interact and deliver these experiences together,” says Bowen. “For the disguise community, that shift in workflow means both big opportunities and a steep learning curve. That’s why we started disguise Metaverse Labs. By offering the tools and training to create innovative metaverse experiences, we aim to give creatives around the globe more time to experiment with big ideas – without worrying about the technicalities of their setup.” disguise Head of Labs New Zealand, Sam Folkard, envisions disguise Labs as a product of a collaboration that will create the next generation of experiences in the metaverse: “disguise Metaverse Labs is here to provide brands, creative agencies and studios with everything they need to deliver their vision. Whether it’s creating hybrid or never-seen-before virtual experiences for artists and audiences, integrating with product or NFT launches or even bridging a new technology innovation – we are here to help,” says Folkard. Brands, creatives and technologists can now start taking advantage of Labs’ various services across the entire production pipeline, including concept development and content creation (photogrammetry, motion capture, volumetric capture) as well as production planning and delivery support. Labs will also offer regular training days so anyone can get up to speed with new metaverse workflows and technologies.

AI Companies Upgrade Strategies And Product Lines – SHINE https://collincountynewsonline.com/ai-companies-upgrade-strategies-and-product-lines-shine/ Ti Gong A student uses a smart learning device. Shanghai-based Squirrel AI, which used to offer AI-powered customized online learning services, has transformed its core business into smart devices. When faced with market changes and obstacles such as rigorous industry regulation, diverse marketing channels and pandemics, artificial intelligence enterprises modify their strategies and product lines. These AI firms, which serve millions of users in China and may revolutionize people’s lifestyles in the future, encompass education, health care, banking and marketing. With a regulatory change, Shanghai-based Squirrel AI, which used to offer AI-powered customized online learning services, has transformed its core business into smart gadgets. Since last year, China has been implementing “double reduction” reforms, a vast drive to cool the country’s educational rat race. Excessive homework, classes on weekends and holidays, and all forms of private tutoring are now prohibited. It has impacted companies such as New Oriental and Squirrel AI. So far, Squirrel AI has launched five smart learning devices, with total sales of 40,000 units and a revenue of 300 million yuan (US$43 million). These gadgets include AI teaching services just like intelligent diagnosis, knowledge point splitting, error cause analysis, a wrong question book, and feedback reports. Squirrel AI wants to deliver “L5-level” human-machine interactive gadgets for education, such as fully autonomous L5 driving cars, based on its industry experience and tech reserve, according to the company’s founder Li Haoyang. According to iResearch, China’s smart learning gadget market revenue will reach 100 billion yuan in 2024, more than doubling the level of 45.3 billion yuan in 2021. Jianke, an online health-care platform, sees a new market opportunity with China’s volume-based purchasing program, or VBP. The Chinese government has begun numerous rounds of negotiations for the VBP program, which will employ a competitive bidding process to purchase medications and reduce medical costs. Xie Fangmin, chairman and CEO of Jianke, stated in Shanghai that drug companies are looking for various avenues to enhance sales, which will boost online pharma sales in the future. Jianke has so far built an online health-care platform that connects 210,000 doctors. It employs AI technologies to provide personalized services, particularly in chronic disease management and cancer survival, which are desperately needed in China due to the country’s aging population. Meanwhile, the company has enhanced its payment facility to allow more people to buy medications online using their social security accounts, Xie said. The epidemic has also boosted the trend as more people are hesitant to make trips to hospitals now. Dong Jun / SHINE The World Artificial Intelligence Conference was held in Shanghai earlier this month. According to International Data Corp, China will invest US$26.7 billion in artificial intelligence in 2026, making up 8.9 percent of the global expenditure covering device and service sectors. A total of 45,000 AI-related patent applications were filed in Shanghai, making it one of the top five regions nationwide. According to a recent CIRD analysis by PatSnap, in July, the number of AI applications in Shanghai increased by 12.6 percent over the previous year. Today, AI is more than just a technology; it also serves as a catalyst for digital innovation and economic transformation, according to Tu Youfu, secretary general of the Shanghai Financial Association. Speakers, including Tu, shared their views on AI applications at the World Artificial Intelligence Corp, held in Shanghai earlier this month. AI assists businesses in considerably enhancing marketing ROI and streamlining operational procedures. According to Song Bilian, chairman of the Shanghai-based Datatist, the standard AI service has been employed extensively in the data-driven retail, banking, insurance, and securities industries. Application areas where AI has been used include legitimate account operation, wealth management, product recommendation, loan product recommendation, cyber traffic operation, and in-store repurchase, Song continued.

Binance Hired Compliance SVP From Rival Crypto Exchange Kraken – CoinDesk https://collincountynewsonline.com/binance-hired-compliance-svp-from-rival-crypto-exchange-kraken-coindesk/ Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London. Cryptocurrency exchange Binance hired Steven Christie as its senior vice president (SVP) of compliance from rival Kraken, according to Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. CZ tweeted that Christie joined Binance “a few months ago” and that the firm is still planning to hire “a few hundred more compliance people.” Christie leads a 750-strong team at the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange which has been keen to demonstrate its commitment to compliance since receiving a string of warnings from central banks and other regulatory bodies last year. The Wall Street Journal had reported about the move earlier. The news comes a day after Binance announced it was forming a board to advise it on regulatory and political matters. The advisory board’s members include David Plouffe, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, Lord Ed Vaizey, a former U.K minister of state for culture and the digital economy, and former chair of the First Bank of Nigeria Ibukun Awosika. Sign up for The Node, our daily newsletter bringing you the biggest crypto news and ideas. By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk product updates, events and marketing and you agree to our terms of services and privacy policy. DISCLOSURE Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated . The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG . Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London. Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London.

U.S. House Republicans Unveil Agenda Ahead Of Nov. 8 Elections – Reuters.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-house-republicans-unveil-agenda-ahead-of-nov-8-elections-reuters-com/ General view of the U.S. Capitol as the House of Representatives takes up debate of U.S. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan in Washington, U.S., March 8, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives rolled out an agenda on Friday aimed at tackling a range of priorities from inflation and crime to election accountability, which they hope will give them the upper hand against Democrats in the Nov. 8 midterm elections. The agenda, called the “Commitment to America,” claims to show voters how Republicans would address problems they blame on President Joe Biden and the Democrats, should they succeed in winning the House majority. Elements of the plan, which lawmakers spent months crafting, began to appear online on Thursday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Much of the agenda entailed policy objectives such as curbing wasteful spending, supporting U.S. troops, putting parents in charge of their children’s education, protecting the unborn, and preserving women’s sports for those whose gender assigned at birth was female. On the issue of crime, the agenda aims to put 200,000 more police on the streets by providing federal funding for recruitment and retention bonuses. The agenda also pledged a host of investigations on issues including fentanyl addiction, COVID-19’s origins, Big Tech “censorship,” the U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal, “politicization” of the Justice Department and the border crisis. But the plan offered few specifics and little detail about how Republicans would expect to achieve their goals while the White House – and possibly the Senate – remain in Democratic hands. Control of the Senate is up for grabs in November. But Republicans are favored by nonpartisan election analysts to erase Democrats’ 221-212 House majority. Doing so would give them the power to block Biden’s legislative agenda and to launch potentially politically damaging investigations into his administration. Democrats’ fortunes have improved in recent weeks. A national Reuters/Ipsos poll concluded on Sept. 12 found that 37% of Americans would prefer to vote for a Democratic congressional candidate, with 34% preferring Republicans and 15% still undecided. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s top Democrat, poured scorn on the emerging agenda on Thursday, warning that Republicans wanted only to ban abortion nationwide, cut Medicare and Social Security, and raise taxes on working Americans. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by David Morgan; editing by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Google’s Pixel Watch Design Video Reveals Chunky Bezels – The Indian Express https://collincountynewsonline.com/googles-pixel-watch-design-video-reveals-chunky-bezels-the-indian-express/ The design of the upcoming Google Pixel Watch, the first smartwatch in the Pixel series, has been seen before. However, we never really had a closer look at a few design elements of the watch, including how thick the wearable’s bezels were. The black bezels of the Pixel Watch in all its official and leaked images conveniently blended the display with the dial, making it impossible to gauge where the screen actually started. A new video released by Google, however, finally spills the beans on the matter. The minute long-video showcases a number of features of the Google Pixel Watch including the unique locking mechanism for its straps, the various colour options and the textured crown. It also shows us that the bezels on the circular dial of the Pixel Watch are much bigger than we expected. The section of the video that shows multiple watch faces on the watch has black areas around the dial’s perimeter that don’t really light up with any watch face. That’s likely because those are big black bezels and not part of the screen itself. With bezels so chunky, no doubt Google has shown the watch with only darker watch faces so far, which somewhat help camouflage the large bezels. However, if this is the true bezel size of the watch, a lighter-coloured watch face would look terrible, reminiscent of early smartwatches from years ago. A report by Digital Trends also points out that the Pixel Watch is set to be powered by an Exynos chipset from 2018 and could launch at a starting price of around $350 (about Rs 28,359), none of which help justify its seemingly outdated design. The Pixel Watch is set to launch alongside the Pixel 7 series globally on October 6 next month. While the Pixel 7 series was recently confirmed to get an India launch, we still have no concrete availability details on the watch, but this should be confirmed on launch day.

India Gaming Summit 2022 LIVE: ‘Gaming Industry Needs Soft-Touch Regulations’ – The Financial Express https://collincountynewsonline.com/india-gaming-summit-2022-live-gaming-industry-needs-soft-touch-regulations-the-financial-express-2/ In the last two and a half years, the online gaming industry has grown by leaps and bounds in India, with now it being considered a serious profession The online gaming industry across India is expected to be valued at Rs 150 billion in CY2024, compared to Rs 120 billion in 2022, according to the latest data by market research firm, Statista. In the last two and a half years, the online gaming industry has grown by leaps and bounds in India, with now it being considered a serious profession. Case in point, India recorded about 390 million online gamers in 2021, thereby clocking an eight percent growth from the previous year. Interestingly, about 95 million gamers reportedly paid to play last year. The total number of gamers is likely to reach over 450 million by 2023, stated the report. With the total number of smartphone users in India expected to reach 931.3 million by end of CY22, the mobile gaming market across India is projected to account for about 50.5% of the gaming industry. The sector had a market share of around 49% in 2016. Meanwhile, the PC gaming market is also been growing thanks to the rise of AAA games and other advanced games. The value of the PC gaming market is projected to reach about $106 million in CY22, marking a significant increase from about $84 million in CY16. In the last two and half years, all kinds of genres of online games have seen an uptick. From real money to casual gaming, fantasy gaming, Esports – all genres seem to have found their share of users as well as revenue. In the third edition of the India Gaming Summit – we try to find out the next steps ahead for the gaming industry in India – this includes creating a viable business model, taking gaming to more people including women and making it more accessible and affordable. Additionally, it will focus on helping the gaming developer community build many more news games for a broader audience. The Summit will see names such as Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India; Vinay Thakur, MD, National Informatics Centre, Government of India; Abhishek Ravi, chief information officer, Dream Sports; Arvind Neelakantan, tech evangelist, Epic Games; Kishore Kichili, senior vice president, Games and country head, Zynga India; Mohit Sureka, founder and CEO, Spiel Studios, among others.  Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook Live Updates

India Gaming Summit 2022 LIVE: ‘Gaming Industry Needs Soft-Touch Regulations’ – The Financial Express https://collincountynewsonline.com/india-gaming-summit-2022-live-gaming-industry-needs-soft-touch-regulations-the-financial-express/ In the last two and a half years, the online gaming industry has grown by leaps and bounds in India, with now it being considered a serious profession The online gaming industry across India is expected to be valued at Rs 150 billion in CY2024, compared to Rs 120 billion in 2022, according to the latest data by market research firm, Statista. In the last two and a half years, the online gaming industry has grown by leaps and bounds in India, with now it being considered a serious profession. Case in point, India recorded about 390 million online gamers in 2021, thereby clocking an eight percent growth from the previous year. Interestingly, about 95 million gamers reportedly paid to play last year. The total number of gamers is likely to reach over 450 million by 2023, stated the report. With the total number of smartphone users in India expected to reach 931.3 million by end of CY22, the mobile gaming market across India is projected to account for about 50.5% of the gaming industry. The sector had a market share of around 49% in 2016. Meanwhile, the PC gaming market is also been growing thanks to the rise of AAA games and other advanced games. The value of the PC gaming market is projected to reach about $106 million in CY22, marking a significant increase from about $84 million in CY16. In the last two and half years, all kinds of genres of online games have seen an uptick. From real money to casual gaming, fantasy gaming, Esports – all genres seem to have found their share of users as well as revenue. In the third edition of the India Gaming Summit – we try to find out the next steps ahead for the gaming industry in India – this includes creating a viable business model, taking gaming to more people including women and making it more accessible and affordable. Additionally, it will focus on helping the gaming developer community build many more news games for a broader audience. The Summit will see names such as Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India; Vinay Thakur, MD, National Informatics Centre, Government of India; Abhishek Ravi, chief information officer, Dream Sports; Arvind Neelakantan, tech evangelist, Epic Games; Kishore Kichili, senior vice president, Games and country head, Zynga India; Mohit Sureka, founder and CEO, Spiel Studios, among others.  Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook Live Updates

What To Expect From Plano Balloon Festival This Weekend – CW33 Dallas https://collincountynewsonline.com/what-to-expect-from-plano-balloon-festival-this-weekend-cw33-dallas/ Baloon Ride at Masai Mara National Reserve. Masai Mara is a wildlife reserve, known for the famous crossing of the Wilder Beast. There are balloon safari organised… Baloon Ride at Masai Mara National Reserve. Masai Mara is a wildlife reserve, known for the famous crossing of the Wilder Beast. There are balloon safari organised for an amazon aerial view. Multiple Ballons by: Caleb Wethington Posted: Sep 22, 2022 / 12:31 PM CDT Updated: Sep 22, 2022 / 12:31 PM CDT DALLAS (KDAF) — The fall season is starting off with a bang in North Texas as the 2022 Plano Balloon Festival will take flight starting Thursday, September 22, and ending on Sunday, Sep. 25. This will be the 41st year of ballooning in Plano and Collin County, according to Visit Plano! The city wants you and all your friends and family to join in on the celebration of this four-day event that takes off at 5 p.m. Thursday. “This weekend event offers something for everyone; entertainment on the Main Stage, special kids activities, sky divers, an enormous variety of food to tempt your taste buds, merchandise and handmade products showcased, and of course, the incredible hot air balloons,” Visit Plano says. Here’s what you need to know: Tickets: $10 – Adult Ticket $ 5 – Kids 3-12 years old $ 5 – Seniors 65 and older Free for Kids 36 inches and under Free for all Military and First Responders (with valid ID) When: Thursday, Sept. 22. 5-10 pm Balloon activities begin at 6 p.m. Plano Symphony Orchestra Concert starts at 7 p.m. Balloon Glow at 7:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. 4-10 pm Party Machine in Concert starts at 4:15 p.m. Texas Parachute Team at 5:30 p.m. Balloon Activities at 6 p.m. Balloon Glow at 7:45 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. 6 am – 10 pm 5K begins, Balloon Activities start at 7 a.m. 1K at 8: 30 a.m. PBF Races Awards Ceremony at 9 a.m. Missing 3 in Concert at 4 p.m. Texas Parachute Team at 5:30 p.m. Balloon Activities at 6 p.m. Balloon Glow at 7:45 p.m. Moving Colors in Concert at 8:15 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. 6 am – 7 pm Half Marathon/10K races, Balloon Activities start at 7 a.m. Races Awards Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Texas Parachute Team at 5:30 p.m. Balloon Activities at 6 p.m. Traffic info: “Spring Creek between Jupiter and Parker Rd. will close on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 2 pm and reopen Sunday, Sept. 25, by midnight. Throughout the event – the area around Oak Point park will have various road closures and increased traffic.” For more information about this incredible event, click here!

Already Eager To Book Your Winter Vacation? These Sun Destinations Are On Sale Right Now – Hamilton Spectator https://collincountynewsonline.com/already-eager-to-book-your-winter-vacation-these-sun-destinations-are-on-sale-right-now-hamilton-spectator/ This week in new getaway inspiration, including Canada’s largest Oktoberfest and the latest art museum in Washington, D.C. By Jessica Wynne LockhartSpecial to the Star Fri., Sept. 23, 2022timer2 min. read Soak up the sun for less Fall is officially here, and if you’re already dreaming of warmer climes, this is the time to take advantage of deals to sun destinations for winter. From now until Oct. 4, when you book a select Air Canada Vacations package departing between Jan. 2 and April 30, your favourite travel buddy will get up to 50 per cent off their booking. Meanwhile, Air Transat is launching its R&R 18+ collection, which features packages at top hotels in Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and St. Martin that cater exclusively to adults. Also, until Sept. 27, you can get in on Transat’s 35th anniversary sale, with up to 35 per cent off select packages to tropical destinations. Music to your ears Hosted over three weekends, the Ontario Festival of Small Halls kicks off on Oct. 6. The multi-venue event showcases big music in little places, with celebrated Canadian musicians playing small-town venues, including community halls, art centres and churches. Highlights include intimate performances by Juno-nominated Royal Wood in the Wilton Community Hall (Oct. 6), Ashley MacIsaac in the Almonte Old Town Hall (Oct. 15), and Ron Sexsmith in McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Hall (Oct. 21). Tickets, from $30, are available at ontariosmallhalls.com. Prost! Oktoberfest is back It’s time to bust out your steins, lederhosen and best hangover cures. Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest — said to be the largest Oktoberfest outside Germany — is back in full form this year. From Sept. 23 until Oct. 15, up to 700,000 people will attend the festival’s 40 events, including family-friendly cultural activities at KIDtoberfest, a golf tournament and a parade. But the main attraction takes place in downtown Kitchener starting on Oct. 6, when the official keg is tapped and Willkommen Platz is transformed into a bustling Bavarian village for the weekend, complete with live music, markets and, of course, plenty of biergartens. Opening soon Already home to some of America’s best museums, Washington, D.C., will welcome another to its fold on Oct. 29. Miami-based Rubell Museum, founded in 1993 to house Don and Mera Rubell’s vast private contemporary art collection, is opening a location in D.C., in the former Randall Junior High building, a historically Black public school. Its inaugural exhibition, “What’s Going On,” is inspired by alum Marvin Gaye and will feature 200 works exploring themes of discrimination and political and sociopolitical discourse. Also new in the capital is the Smithsonian’s refreshed National Air and Space Museum, which has been closed for six months. Half of the museum will reopen on Oct. 14, providing access to the planetarium and eight entirely new exhibits. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be registered Torstar account holder. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free) Sign In Register Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the Code of Conduct. The Star does not endorse these opinions.

VIETNAM BUSINESS NEWS SEPTEMBER 23 – VietNamNet https://collincountynewsonline.com/vietnam-business-news-september-23-vietnamnet/ State Bank of Vietnam (Photo: VNA) Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong has issued decisions on revising up several interest rates by 1%, starting from September 23. Under the Decision No. 1606/QĐ-NHNN dated September 22, the refinancing interest rate will be set at 5% per year, rediscount at 3.5%, and overnight inter-banking lending rate at 6%. Under another decision, the interest rate for non-term and one-month deposits in Vietnamse dong is capped at 0.5% annually while that for 1-6 month deposits is 5%. Deposits of 1-6 months at people’s credit funds and micro-finance organisations will enjoy an annual interest rate of 5.5%. Vinfast, Ahamove launch delivery service using e-bike Electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast and Ahamove Instant Services JSC have jointly launched AhaFast, the first electric bike-based delivery service in Vietnam. Under the newly-signed deal, VinFast will provide electric motorcycles for Ahamove to deploy its delivery service based on the technology platform – AhaFast. Ahamove’s goal is to put 10,000 e-bikes into operation by 2025, gradually replacing gasoline-powered ones that do not meet quality standards and are causing environmental pollution. In the first phase, the service will be available in Da Nang with 100 vehicles, then expanded to other major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, and Nha Trang. The deployment of technology-based freight services using electric motorbikes is hoped to help promote the green revolution towards the national climate change goal from now to 2050. PM chairs forum on digital transformation role in collective economy, cooperatives Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 23 chaired a forum on collective economy and cooperatives, which focuses on the role of digital transformation in the development of the sector. The leader underlined the significance of digital transformation as a compulsory task in the national development. Meanwhile, the collective economy is an obvious trend during international economic integration, which is suitable to the socialist-oriented economy, he said. Resolution No.20-NQ/TW released at the fifth session of the 13th Party Central Committee clarified that the collective economy is an important economic sector that needs to be reinforced and developed and, together with the State-owned sector, to become a firm foundation for the national economy, he noted. The Government leader said that over the years, the collective economic sector has seen strong growth in all aspects, including scale, structure, connectivity, and efficiency. However, it has yet to meet all development targets and requirements, he said, pointing out various difficulties facing it, including poor capacity and efficiency and the loose organisation structure, and modest human resources quality. One of the reasons behind the problems is the slow digital transformation without specific strategy and actions. Therefore, the collective economy and cooperatives should actively change their production and business methods, while speeding up digital transformation to adapt to the new development situation, he stressed. The Government leader underlined that the forum aims to evaluate the achievements in digital transformation at the national level and in the field of collective economy and cooperatives in particular, while pointing out shortcomings, difficulties, challenges and current problems in the work, thus seeking suitable solutions and promoting digital transformation in the future, motivating the fast and sustainable growth of the sector. New regulations enhance transparency in private placement of bonds       The new decree on offering and trading private placement bonds helps standardise and improve bond issuance conditions, supervision of capital use purposes and information transparency, said analysts. The Government on September 16 issued Decree 65/2022/ND-CP which amends and supplements a number of articles of Decree 153/2020/ND-CP dated December 31, 2020 on offering and trading private placement bonds in the domestic market and offering corporate bonds to the international market. The new decree seeks to strengthen issuers’ responsibilities and obligations in using bond proceeds for the intended purposes. Analysts from Mirae Asset Securities Vietnam Joint Stock Company, Nguyen Nam Son and Nguyen Duong Cong Nguyen, said that the corporate bond market will see many fluctuations in the short term, related to the review of the compliance level of bond issuance. The development potential of this market remained very large. If compared with countries in the region, the ratio of corporate bonds to GDP of Viet Nam is currently at a low level of 15 per cent, while that of Thailand is about 97 per cent or Malaysia with 58 per cent. The issuance of this new decree shows the determination of the management agency to stabilise the corporate bond market, which has faced many risks and shortcomings, leading to cases of violations in recent years, they said. The new decree adds provisions on ensuring publicity and sets standards and strengthens sanctions enforcement measures and removes unreasonable constraints on the corporate bond market, according to Vu Tien Loc, president of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre and member of the Economic Committee of the National Assembly. According to the Viet Nam Bond Market Association (VBMA), in the first eight months of 2022, there were 344 private placements of bonds worth about VND211.3 trillion, accounting for 96 per cent of the total issuance value. The value of bond private placement decreased by about 40 per cent compared to the same period last year. Baby products showcased at Hanoi international exhibition The fair features a total of 80 booths from more than 50 businesses representing the Republic of Korea, Australia, Italy, China, and New Zealand, among others. Many famous brands are being showcased at the function, including Merucon, Aquamilk, Yodee, Aladin Vina, Kutieskin, Uala Rogo, Dalgomi, CVI Pharma, and Green Finger. The event’s organisers are also hosting a playing zone and photobook corner for children and families to enjoy a fun time together. Most notably, during the prime time between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., several businesses will launch a 70% discount programme on baby, kids, and educational products. HCM City to host International Food Industry Exhibition in October The Ho Chi Minh City International Food Industry Exhibition 2022 (HCMC FOODEX 2022) will run from October 19-20 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC), heard a press conference held in HCM City on September 22. Organised by the Investment &Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) and the Food and Foodstuff Association of Ho Chi Minh City (FFA) , the event will attract the participation of more than 300 domestic and overseas businesses. At the event, businesses will display and introduce a variety of food products in raw and semi-processed forms as well as those that are processed; beverage products and machinery and equipment for production, packaging and preservation. A series of seminars and business-matching events will be held within the framework of the exhibition to provide the latest information on consumption trends as well as orientations of potential export markets. One highlight of the event is the promotion of Vietnamese and international cuisine with the participation of famous artisans and domestic and foreign culinary experts. Seminars kick-start Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Day 2022 A series of seminars kick-started the 2022 Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Day (AI4VN) in Hanoi on September 22. The seminars discussed AI solutions in finance-banking, training and connecting AI human resources, and automation in production. As heard at these events, the Accenture’s latest report showed that more than 60% of companies operating in the financial – banking sector are testing AI. Pham Quang Vinh from Viettel Cyberspace Centre said in the next three years, the accumulation of AI database will bring great value, contributing to solving many problems. Pham Hien, a researcher from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)’s Data61, introduced a project on the AI market in Vietnam, which is built exclusively for the formation and strengthening of the AI ecosystem in the nation. Do Manh Cuong, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Automation Association, said automation is divided into seven levels, with most businesses in Vietnam now at the level 3-4-5 or partial automation. In the digital era, the traditional business model will be eliminated and replaced by a digital transformation model of corporate governance, he added. Vietnam, India boost cooperation in trade, investment A Vietnam-India business matching event was held in Hanoi on September 22, on the occasion of the Vietnam visit by 42 enterprises of the India-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IVCCI). Speaking at the event, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Nguyen Quang Vinh appreciated the working visit of the Indian business delegation, which took place just ahead of the 50th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries later this year. For Vietnam, India has always been a strategic partner in trade and has a lot of potential for cooperation; in which mechanics and engineering for production are an important part of bilateral trade. IVCCI President Ajoykant Ruia said that with a stable economic and political environment, a young, abundant and highly skilled workforce, Vietnam is currently a safe and reliable destination. Indian investors are really interested in expanding their investment in Vietnam than...

Nutrition & Longevity Experts Love This Metabolism Supplement – Mindbodygreen https://collincountynewsonline.com/nutrition-longevity-experts-love-this-metabolism-supplement-mindbodygreen/ Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may earn a small commission. September 23, 2022 — 9:30 AM While weight and body composition concerns are often siloed as the only determinants of metabolic health, the truth is that metabolism physiology is incredibly multidimensional, and a healthy metabolism impacts so much more than what a scale can tell us—including hormone balance, cardiometabolic efficiency, blood sugar levels, and longevity (to name a few). The fact is, very few Americans are actually metabolically healthy (only 12%, to be exact). With so many people struggling to nurture an active metabolism and maintain cardiometabolic health, mindbodygreen felt it was time to provide a tangible and targeted solution to supplement foundational health habits that promote metabolic health—literally. metabolism+ metabolism+ Multi-pronged approach to promote healthy weight & body composition* Introducing: mbg’s metabolism+. This premium, plant-powered supplement is cutting edge and anchored in research. It delivers five unique botanicals (cayenne pepper, veld grape, grains of paradise, and EGCG and caffeine from green tea leaf extract) in their full-potency doses clinically shown to promote appetite regulation, healthy body composition, neuroendocrine hormone balance, major cardiometabolic health parameters (think: blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol), and more.* Whether you’re looking to optimize your body’s calorie burn and fat metabolism, curb cravings and feel satisfied, promote energy balance, or bolster your cardiometabolic health, mbg’s high-quality formula can help you maintain an active, healthy metabolism.* But don’t just take our word for it: Physicians, nutritionists, neuroscientists, longevity and performance experts, botanical researchers, and hormone health coaches all agree—metabolism+ is an innovative daily tool that gives people a metabolic advantage.*  Enough from me; it’s time for these metabolic health gurus to have the floor: “Packed with evidence-based botanicals that support comprehensive metabolic health” “Before I was a doctor specializing in performance medicine and helping clients leverage pivotal wellness strategies like targeted nutrition, I was a doctor personally struggling with excess weight and suffering with cardiometabolic health dysfunction (all before the age of 40). It’s a journey and metamorphosis I don’t regret. Why? Because now I know how crucial metabolic health is for my whole-body health and longevity. And I get to empower and equip people striving for holistic health. Fact: Metabolic efficiency and a long, healthy life go hand-in-hand. That’s why mindbodygreen’s metabolism+ formula is such a useful daily tool. It’s packed with evidence-based botanicals that support bioenergetics, comprehensive metabolic health, and a healthy body composition for the long haul.”* —Kien Vuu, M.D., The Performance and Longevity Doc & bestselling author “Science-backed tools that help give my clients a metabolic advantage.” “Our nation has weight management and metabolic health crises. Nourishing our gut and maintaining proper energy balance by consuming more plants (fiber, but also herbs and spices), healthy fats, and quality protein, while remaining active throughout life are some powerful ways to reclaim our metabolic health. I’m always excited to find science-backed tools that help give my clients a metabolic advantage, because weight maintenance is challenging! I’ve been using green tea extract, caffeine, and Capsimax® in my weight loss practice for over a decade. That’s why I’m thrilled that mindbodygreen’s metabolism+ serves up these stellar botanicals in one product.”* —Melina Jampolis, M.D., physician nutrition specialist, podcast host & bestselling author “Shown to reduce cravings and body fat, and promote healthy body composition.” “Chili peppers and their capsaicinoid compounds are famous for being spicy. mbg’s metabolism+ is literally bringing that heat by featuring Capsimax® in their metabolism+ formula. Capsimax® is a widely researched, whole-food red chili pepper extract. Using controlled-release technology, you glean the health benefits of this premium cayenne pepper fruit extract gently (without any stomach upset). Clinical research supports the truly multifaceted metabolic benefits of this powerhouse pepper. The unique botanical ingredient has been shown to increase metabolism, activate thermogenic calorie and fat burn, reduce cravings and body fat, and promote healthy body composition.”* —Deshanie Rai, Ph.D., FACN, vice president of global scientific & regulatory affairs at OmniActive Health Technologies “Plant-powered strategy to fine tune and optimize metabolic health.” “Two decades ago, I left my clinical practice to solely focus on educating and empowering others through diet and lifestyle to optimize health and healing. While healthy living must be personalized to the individual, the tried-and-true pillars are whole foods and regular movement. Colorful plant-laden nutrition and daily physical activity that preserve muscle mass, fuel an active metabolism, and nurture long-term cardiometabolic health are foundational. With an evidence-based ingredient lineup (cayenne pepper, EGCG, caffeine, and more), mbg’s metabolism+ is a targeted plant-powered strategy I can stand behind to help my clients fine tune and optimize their metabolic health.”* —Ann Kulze, M.D., physician, nutrition expert, bestselling author & founder of The Healthy Living School®️ “Extra support in weight loss to jump start and maintain metabolic health!” “This plant-powered formula is remarkably effective. mindbodygreen combines my top metabolism-boosting ingredient recommendations (green tea leaves, veld grape, and cayenne pepper) as pure extracts in one easy product. Combined with grains of paradise from Africa, this multi-ingredient supplement features five premium botanicals from around the world, in their clinically researched doses, to deliver 360-degree daily metabolic support. My clients use metabolism+ whenever they need a reset. It provides them extra support in weight loss to jump start and maintain their metabolic health!”* —Ella Davar, R.D., CDN, longevity dietitian & health counselor “It’s able to enhance your metabolic rate and increase energy expenditure.” “A key component of metabolism+ is a powerful botanical extract, ThermoGP, from grains of paradise. This unique fruit comes from West Africa. It’s able to enhance your metabolic rate and increase energy expenditure. It also thermogenically attacks your visceral fat—the fat layer around your abdominal organs—and has been clinically shown to reduce visceral fat. It works on what is called, brown adipose tissue (BAT), by burning calories to generate energy. For daily metabolic support, ThermoGP is a leader in this plant-powered formula from mindbodygreen.”* —Michael Lelah, Ph.D., chief science officer at NutriScience Innovations “Exclusively designed to support our body’s efficient conversion of food to fuel.” “Balancing energy intake and blood sugar is critical to support our brain, mood, digestion, hormones, and overall health. While ‘metabolism’ is often synonymous with weight loss, it is actually so much more. Metabolism is truly about how our body creates energy from the foods that we eat. mbg’s metabolism+ is exclusively designed to support our body’s efficient conversion of food to fuel, while also promoting fat burn and balance of hunger and satiety hormones and energy intake. This advanced formula goes far beyond simply supporting a healthy weight.”* —Brooke Scheller, DCN, M.S., CNS, doctor of clinical nutrition “Perfectly positioned to improve metabolic rate while managing appetite.” “mindbodygreen is my go-to when it comes to supplements. Not only is mbg a company I trust, but I know that they always source quality ingredients rooted in rigorous science. And metabolism+ is exactly that! The green tea, cayenne pepper, veld grape, and grains of paradise botanical combination in this impressive formula is going to be ideal for my clients. I help empower people to make impactful lifestyle changes to improve their health, but some folks need a boost when it comes to metabolism. This formula is perfectly positioned to improve metabolic rate while managing appetite. And the biggest perk? Hormone balance!”* —Federica Muggenburg, NHC, HHC, AADP, integrative chef & nutritional/hormone health coach “Directly supports appetite hormone, energy, and blood sugar balance.” “Sometimes it feels like your metabolism is working against you (because it literally is). As a neuroscientist, I’m fascinated by the physiological underpinnings of metabolic efficiency. One of the most overlooked factors is hormone balance. I’m talking about neuroendocrine hormones like serotonin that are critical for appetite regulation, as well as leptin and adiponectin—hormones involved in our ability to burn fat and balance blood sugar levels. All five botanical ingredients in metabolism+ excite me, but veld grape is especially noteworthy, as it’s been shown in clinical research to directly support appetite hormone, energy, and blood sugar balance.”* —Milene Brownlow, Ph.D., neuroscientist & cognitive health scientist If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you. metabolism+ Multi-pronged approach to promote healthy weight & body composition* metabolism+ metabolism+ Multi-pronged approach to promote healthy weight & body composition* https://www.mindbodygre...

Here Is The Latest Pac-12 Conference Sports News From The Associated Press – Corsicana Daily Sun https://collincountynewsonline.com/here-is-the-latest-pac-12-conference-sports-news-from-the-associated-press-corsicana-daily-sun-4/ UNDATED (AP) — No. 7 USC and Oregon State are both undefeated heading into Saturday night’s game at Reser Stadium. The Trojans have a high-scoring offense with quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Jordan Addison. The Beavers make the most of their roster on offense. Oregon State is seeking to go 4-0 for the first time since 2012, while USC looks to match its win total from last season. UNDATED (AP) — Oregon State has a chance to start the season 4-0 for the first time since 2012 with a win over No. 7 Southern California. The Beavers beat USC 45-27 last season for their first win in the Coliseum in more than 60 years. There are currently four Pac-12 teams in the latest AP poll, but a win over the Trojans could very well elevate the Beavers into the rankings. In other Pac-12 games, No. 15 Oregon travels to Washington State and Sun Devils interim coach Shaun Aguano makes his debut after taking over for Herm Edwards. Arizona State will host No. 13 Utah. UNDATED (AP) — Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley is a transfer from Nevada who might be the steal of the transfer portal this year as the Cougars prepare to host No. 15 Oregon on Saturday. Henley had a huge day in Washington State’s 38-7 victory over Colorado State, registering 13 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. The senior was named Pac-12 defensive player of the week. Henley will be challenged Saturday by Oregon’s veteran offensive line and standout quarterback Bo Nix. TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State would have a tough task beating No. 13 Utah this weekend even in ideal circumstances. The Sun Devils will play their first game with interim coach Shaun Aguano in charge when they host the Utes on Saturday night. The school fired coach Herm Edwards on Sunday after the team’s embarrassing loss to Eastern Michigan. Aguano called the opportunity to lead the Sun Devils a “dream” even though he considers Edwards a good friend. Now it’s his job to help the Sun Devils salvage a season that’s quickly gone south. SEATTLE (AP) — Washington is showing the troubles of previous seasons may be in the past after a 3-0 start to the first season with Kalen DeBoer as head coach. The latest victory over Michigan State vaulted the Huskies back into the AP Top 25 at No. 18. Now the challenge is proving to the rest of the Pac-12 that Washington is back. That begins this weekend with the Huskies hosting Stanford. It’s the conference opener for the Huskies, while the Cardinal dropped their first conference game. Stanford has lost seven straight Pac-12 games dating back to last season. UNDATED (AP) — Arizona and California are both looking for a fast start in conference play when they meet in their Pac-12 opener. Both teams won two of three in nonconference play. The Wildcats have already exceeded their win total from the previous two seasons combined. The Golden Bears have won five straight home games. UNDATED (AP) — The UCLA Bruins have won six straight games since last season as they head into their Pac-12 opener at Colorado. The Bruins haven’t won more than six straight since opening 8-0 in 2005. The Buffaloes may be playing to save coach Karl Dorrell’s job. Athletic director Rick George put out a statement to quell the fan base after a 49-7 loss at Minnesota. He said he understands the disappointment and frustration for a team that’s been outscored by a 128-30 margin. UNDATED (AP) — The early-season starts by the four Pacific Northwest schools would have had all the hallmarks of an exciting race in the Pac-12’s North Division. If only the North Division still existed. The current season marks the first time that the two teams with the highest winning percentage in conference games will meet in the championship game. The Pac-12 decided to do away with divisions after the NCAA Division I Council changed the rule requiring conferences to have divisions to conduct championship games. Washington, Washington State, and Oregon State are all off to 3-0 starts, while Oregon is 2-1. The Huskies and Ducks pulled off significant wins last weekend, with Washington defeating No. 11 Michigan State 39-28 and 25th-ranked Oregon beating No. 12 BYU 41-20. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Metaverse Infrastructure Firm Hadean Raises $30M From Fortnite Developer, Others – CoinDesk https://collincountynewsonline.com/metaverse-infrastructure-firm-hadean-raises-30m-from-fortnite-developer-others-coindesk/ Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London. Hadean, which aims to build the infrastructure for metaverse environments, has raised $30 million in Series A funding in a round led by Molten Ventures and including Epic Games, the developer of online video game Fornite. Other participants included 2050 Capital, Alumni Ventures, Aster Capital, Entrepreneur First and InQTe, Hadean said Friday. “As an open platform for distributed cloud computing, Hadean can be considered the ‘infrastructure’ that powers the metaverse so it can become a reality,” the London-based company said. The metaverse is a digital world created by the combination of virtual reality, augmented reality and the internet. While the technology is in its infancy, many believe it will profoundly change the worlds of gaming, social media and ecommerce. Last week, JPMorgan said in a research report that the metaverse-related economy of China alone could reach $4 trillion. Sign up for The Node, our daily newsletter bringing you the biggest crypto news and ideas. By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk product updates, events and marketing and you agree to our terms of services and privacy policy. DISCLOSURE Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated . The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG . Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London. Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London.

Samsung Galaxy Z Series Promotions Still Ongoing, With Gifts Worth RM1398, 50% PwP & More – TechNave https://collincountynewsonline.com/samsung-galaxy-z-series-promotions-still-ongoing-with-gifts-worth-rm1398-50-pwp-more-technave/ While the iPhone 14 series sales launch has just begun, Samsung Malaysia is still running its promotion for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4. Until the last day of September 2022, you can enjoy some exclusive gifts worth up to RM1398. On Samsung Malaysia’s website, the gifts include a Galaxy Watch 4 Bluetooth (40mm), Samsung Care+ and 3x protective film replacements. You can also opt to trade in and own either one of the latest Galaxy Z series for as low as RM1969. On the other hand, there is another exclusive offer for you if you purchase one from an official Samsung Experience Store. Should you get your hands on a Galaxy Z Fold 4, you can get a Galaxy Watch 4 Bluetooth (40mm) and an S Pen Pro, whereas getting the Galaxy Z Flip 4 grants you the same wearable and an extra Galaxy Z Flip 4 Clear Slim Cover. On top of that, both devices come with a 50% Purchase-with-Purchase on selected Samsung accessories. Also on the same webpage, you stand a chance to win a Freestyle projector if you join the lucky draw. Entering it is easy as all you have to do is buy a Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Galaxy Z Flip 4 and be one of the 80 winners weekly. Moreover, if you join the VIP Referral Program, you can get a RM150 e-voucher too. For more information, you can visit the promotional webpage here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Specs & Price Tags: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 announce, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Malaysia launch, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Malaysia release date, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 specs, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Malaysia price, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Malaysia, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 pre-order, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Malaysia pre-order, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 harga, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 price Malaysia

Crypto.com Referral Code For September 2022 – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/crypto-com-referral-code-for-september-2022-cryptonews/ (Source: UnSplash/AltumCode) Disclaimer: The Industry Talk section features insights by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of Cryptonews.com. With over 50 million users and support for more than 250 cryptocurrencies, Crypto.com has been a popular exchange platform for crypto asset investors and traders since 2016. Whether you’re just joining the Crypto.com platform or you’re a current user, you’ll be able to benefit from the Crypto.com referral code program and its rewards. In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about the Crypto.com bonus code and highlight everything you need to know about the promotion. Latest Crypto.com Referral Code & Bonus Offer The Crypto.com referral code program lets users earn up to $50 in Cronos (CRO) by meeting some requirements shown in the table below. Sign up Bonus Requirements $10 in CRO 1,000-4,999 First CRO Staked* $50 in CRO 5,000+ First CRO Staked* *Just the first CRO Stake amount is taken into account for the Crypto.com sign-up bonus **Earned CRO from staking is not counted towards the First CRO staking requirement Visit Crypto.com Now Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. What is the Crypto.com Sign Up Bonus Offer? Using the ongoing Crypto.com promo code lets both new and existing users earn bonus CRO, the native token of the Crypto.com blockchain. When new users register with a referral code, they are eligible for the sign-up bonus after meeting certain terms such as an initial CRO crypto staking requirement. The entire Crypto.com bonus code program can be fully availed of through just the Crypto.com App or Crypto.com Exchange. The greater the amount of CRO initially staked, the higher the Crypto.com referral bonus is for the referrer.  Crypto.com Referral Promotion Terms & Conditions As with any promotional program, the Crypto.com invite code requires both referrers and referees to meet certain terms and conditions. Let’s take a look at these requirements: First CRO Stake of Referee The referee will earn $10 or $50, depending on how much CRO they initially stake. If the referee’s first stake amounts to between 1,000 and 4,999 CRO (equal to around $110 to $550 at the time of writing), they are eligible to earn the $10 worth of CRO. If the first stake is equal to 5,000 or more CRO, the referee will earn the full $50. In this term, it’s important to note that the Crypto.com referral code bonus takes into account only the first CRO stake of the referee. This means that the minimum stake required to earn the bonus is 1,000 CRO. Any CRO that is earned after the initial staking does not count towards the first stake for the referral program. Advanced Level Verification  Aside from having to buy CRO and staking a certain amount of it, another condition that must be met for users is to have their accounts verified to the advanced level. This will require more information from the user aside from the KYC verification from the initial account registration. The required information includes: First name and last name Citizenship Date of Birth Email Cell Phone number Valid ID Recent/Current Photo Use Code Within 10 Days of Account Creation If you recently signed up with Crypto.com but forgot to use a referral code, Crypto.com still allows users to avail of the bonus within 10 days of account creation.  To do this, simply login to your account on the Crypto.com Exchange and head to the Referral page. Click on ‘Enter a referral code here’ to input the Crypto.com invite code which you can submit afterward. Referrer CRO Bonus  Referees can earn $10 or $50, but the Crypto.com Exchange referral program lets the referrer get up to $2,000 in CRO per friend that is referred. There are also no referral limits so the referrer can earn rewards from as many friends that meet the requirements. Below is a table of the Crypto.com promo code program per referee’s amount of first CRO staked: Crypto.com Referral Bonus  First CRO Stake of Referee $10 in CRO 1,000-4,999 CRO Staked $50 in CRO 5,000-9,999 CRO Staked $100 in CRO 10,000-49,999 CRO Staked $200 in CRO 50,000-99,999 CRO Staked $400 in CRO 100,000-499,999 CRO Staked $800 in CRO 500,000-999,999 CRO Staked $1,000 in CRO 1M-4.9M CRO Staked $2,000 in CRO 5M CRO Staked Referrer CRO Trade Commission  Additionally, the referrer is also eligible to earn 50% of their referee’s net trading fees for the 12 months starting from the date of the referee’s registration. This includes trading on the exchange platform as well as earnings from staking and the commission is applied after discounts for both activities.  For referrers to qualify for the 50% commission from their referees’ fees, their accounts must be fully KYC verified at the Advanced level just.  They should have also staked at least 1,000 CRO on their Crypto.com Exchange accounts. After these conditions have been met, the Crypto.com promotion commission is paid daily to the referrer’s CRO wallet. Crypto.com Referral Code Cross-platform Terms Crypto.com uses two different platforms, the Crypto.com App and the Crypto.com Exchange.  The platforms have separate and unique referral codes so if you’re a sole Crypto.com Exchange user, your referral code cannot be used by someone registering for the Crypto.com App and vice versa.  Make sure that your referral code is compatible with the Crypto.com platform where your referees will register. Crypto.com Bonuses & Offers Available at Crypto.com The $50 Crypto.com promotion offer might be the platform’s main and biggest referral bonus, but more bonuses are produced throughout the year.  Currently, there is one other referral bonus that is active which we’ll go through below. $25 Crypto.com Visa Card Referral The Crypto.com Visa Card invite bonus, or BG25 referral program, lets users get $25 in CRO once their referee successfully stakes CRO and reserves at least a Metal Ruby Steel Crypto.com card.  Referees can easily unlock their $25 sign-up bonus after registering their Crypto.com account with the referral code. After signing up on the app, they’ll be led to open a Metal Ruby Steel Crypto.com Visa Card which requires a minimum 1,000 CRO stake and a holding period of 180 days. The referrer gets the $25 of CRO locked in their Crypto.com DeFi wallet per successful referral which can be tracked in the Crypto.com App. How to Claim the Crypto.com Referral Bonus Here’s how to claim the referral code for Crypto.com summarized in a short list: Get the Crypto.com referral code Create a Crypto.com Exchange account Complete the KYC verification process Buy a minimum of 1,000 CRO Stake at least 1,000 CRO To break down the process even further, here’s a step-by-step guide to start with the Crypto.com promotion. Step 1: Get Referral Code All current Crypto.com users can find their referral code on the Referral page of their Crypto.com Exchange accounts. Not only do users have access to a referral code but also to a referral link which can be shared for new users to instantly sign up with the referral code filled in. Step 2: Register at Crypto.com Once you have the referral code, head to the Crypto.com website to sign up for an account. You may also download the Crypto.com App through the App Store or Google Play Store for your account registration. On the sign-up sheet, fill in the required details such as email, mobile number, and password. At the bottom of the form is the ‘Referral Code’ portion where you can enter the Crypto.com referral code from the previous step. Step 3: Verify Account After account registration, you’ll be prompted for a general account verification which involves a one-time verification link and code sent to your email and mobile phone.  To avail yourself of the referral bonus, you’ll need to complete the Advanced level of verification with Crypto.com. This simply requires your input of a full legal name, access to your camera for a live photo, and a picture of a valid ID. The Crypto.com platform will process the files and inform you upon the completion of the advanced verification. Step 4: Buy CRO On the Crypto.com Exchange platform, click on the Trade button on the navigation bar and search for the Cronos cryptocurrency. Upon entering the CRO price page, you’ll find a price chart of CRO to USD. Click on the Buy CRO button and choose either bank card or bank transfer for the payment method. Fill in the amount of CRO you wish to purchase and click. It is recommended to buy at least 1,000 CRO to be able to meet the staking requirement for the Crypto.com sign-up bonus. Step 5: Stake and Earn CRO Lastly, you’ll need to make your first CRO stake through the Crypto.com interest account or wallet. On the Crypto.com Exchange site, click on Yield and CRO Staking on the navigation bar. You’ll enter the Stake & Earn page where you can click on the ‘Stake Crow Now’ button and enter the amount of CRO you wish to stake. You’ll need to stake at least 1,000 CRO to avail of the $10 sign-up bonus and at least 5,000 CRO if you want to claim the $50 promo. After making your very first CRO stake with these requirements, your CRO referral funds will be transferred to your Crypto.com CRO wallet. Crypto.com Exchange Review  Crypto.com is a crypto exchange platform that offers several crypto-based financial products. Among these products is the Crypto.com Exchange, a crypto market trading platform with spot, margin, and derivatives trading features. Cronos is the blockchain that powers the Crypto.com ecosystem which includes its DeFi products, Web3 projects, and metaverse programs. In terms of overall user experience, the Crypto.com Exchange is straightforward for new traders to get accustomed to. Users have access to the platform’s wide range of education...

Steve Hanke Says The Chance Of A U.S. Recession Just Shot Up To 80% – CNBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/steve-hanke-says-the-chance-of-a-u-s-recession-just-shot-up-to-80-cnbc/ There’s an 80% chance of the U.S. falling into a recession — much higher than previously predicted, according to Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University. According to CNBC’s September Fed survey of economists, fund managers and strategists, those surveyed said there’s a 52% chance that U.S. could enter into recession over the next 12 months. “The probability of recession, I think it’s much higher than 50% — I think it’s about 80%. Maybe even higher than 80%,” Hanke told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Friday. “If they continue the quantitative tightening and move that growth rate and M2 (money supply) into negative territory, it’ll be severe.” They have really been searching for inflation and the causes of inflation in all the wrong places. They’re looking at everything under the sun, but the money supply. Steve Hanke Professor of applied economics, Johns Hopkins University. Hanke was critical, and has been in the past, of the Federal Reserve’s failure to manage inflation through keeping an eye on the large supply of money sloshing around in the U.S. economy. “They have really been searching for inflation and the causes of inflation in all the wrong places. They’re looking at everything under the sun, but the money supply,” Hanke said. “And in fact, they’ve doubled and tripled down on the argument that money has no relationship to economic activity or not a reliable relationship to economic activity and inflation.” A customer shops at a supermarket in Oregon. There’s an 80% chance of the U.S. falling into a recession — much higher than previously predicted, according to Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University. Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images He blamed the U.S. central bank for rising inflation. “The reason for that is because the Fed exploded the money supply, starting early 2020 at an unprecedented rate and they don’t want this length to be visible between the money supply and inflation.” “Because if it is, the noose around their neck, and that’s the real problem.” An increase in money supply drives up prices as consumers are willing to pay more for goods. Classical economics, as put forward by Milton Friedman and others, have pointed to money supply as the culprit for out-of-control inflation, Hanke added.  The Fed flooded the U.S. economy with large amounts of stimulus and liquidity to keep it afloat during the pandemic, but did not focus on carefully reducing that money supply over time, the professor said.  The M2 supply of money, a broad measure of money supply which includes cash and deposits, has been growing by double digits in the past three years.  Now the growth of M2 money supply is slowing too quickly and that could send the economy into a recession, Hanke warned.  “They are not addressing it correctly,” he said. “In the five months, we’ve seen broad money major in the United States flatline. It’s not growing at all. Stock picks and investing trends from CNBC Pro: “And now they’re going to introduce quantitative tightening and what that’s going to do that will drive the money supply down, that will drive it down into negative territory if they keep this up.” Hanke said the right economic move would be to keep money supply growing at a “golden growth rate” of 5% to 6% to get inflation to about 2%. “Now it’s zero. And it will probably go negative,” the professor said. “And that’s that’s why we will see a recession in 2023.”

Robot Sleeves For Kids With Cerebral Palsy – UC Riverside https://collincountynewsonline.com/robot-sleeves-for-kids-with-cerebral-palsy-uc-riverside/ UC Riverside engineers are developing low-cost, robotic “clothing” to help children with cerebral palsy gain control over their arm movements.  Concept image of proposed assistive device. (Jonathan Realmuto/UCR) Cerebral palsy is the most common cause of serious physical disability in childhood, and the devices envisioned for this project are meant to offer long-term daily assistance for those living with it. However, traditional robots are rigid and not comfortable on the human body. Enabled by a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, this project is taking the novel approach of building devices from soft textiles, which will also facilitate more natural limb functioning.   “Hard materials don’t interact well with humans,” said Jonathan Realmuto, UCR assistant professor of mechanical engineering and project lead. “What we’re going for by using materials like nylon and elastic are essentially robotic garments.” These garments will contain sealed, airtight regions that can inflate, making them temporarily rigid, and providing the force for movement.  “Let’s say you want to flex the elbow for a bicep curl. We can inject air into specially designed bladders embedded in the fabric that would propel the arm forward,” Realmuto said. The project will focus not only on constructing the robot, but also on developing the algorithms that teach the machine to predict movements the wearer wants to execute.  Experimental setup for earlier iteration of the proposed robot sleeves. (Jonathan Realmuto/UCR) “One of the critical challenges in providing movements assistance is interpreting a person’s intention. We want a “volitional controller,” so the robot behaves in terms of what the human wants to do,” Realmuto said. The project team also includes UCR mechanical engineering assistant professor Jun Sheng.  One aspect of such a controller is using a variety of small sensors on the sleeves to detect small voltages generated by muscles when they contract. These sensors will feed the voltage data into an algorithm that will be trained to extract the wearer’s intention from them. Using widely available textiles, rather than traditional, rigid materials will likely keep the cost of the sleeves low. In addition, the team intends to minimize the use of sophisticated electronics, which will also help reduce overall costs for patients. This project is being conducted in partnership with Children’s Hospital of Orange County, where patients from a pediatric movement disorder clinic will help test and refine the prototypes.  Starting from the left the actuator is in an unpressurized state and moving towards inflation at increasing pressures. (Jonathan Realmuto/UCR) Additionally, the research team will hold annual meetings at the hospital for each of the four years of the project. These meetings will include the patients and their families, as well as occupational therapists, and elicit their feedback on the technology as it develops.  “By centering stakeholders in our design process, we hope to develop a product that truly works for them,” Realmuto said.  The development team views this work as enhancing independence not only for the pediatric patients themselves, but also for entire communities.  “If we can help kids brush their own teeth, pour water or open doors, actions that others take for granted, it’s a huge win for them,” Realmuto said. “But it’s also a win for their families and caretakers.” Although this project is focused on children with movement disorders, the technology can eventually be used for other applications and populations, including geriatric patients and other adults with movement issues.  “Our technology is universal,” Realmuto said. (Cover image: shorrocks/iStock/Getty)

Best Gaming Experience On Android – Android Headlines https://collincountynewsonline.com/best-gaming-experience-on-android-android-headlines/ When gaming on Android, you’re spoiled for choice with so many wonderful titles to choose from. With the recent growth of mobile gaming, even triple-A games are now available for Android. In order to have the best gaming experience on your Android device, you’ll want to make sure you choose the right games. Here are a few tips to help you find the best Android games: Fast internet connection A fast internet connection is vital for a great gaming experience on Android. Games on Android constantly need to transfer data, and if your internet connection is too slow, it will slow down the games and ruin your overall gaming experience. To avoid this, make sure your connection is always fast. The recommended speed for a good internet connection is around 25 Mbps. However, if you’re using several devices at the same time, 50 Mbps or more is recommended. In addition, it’s advisable to have at least 100 Mbps for large files. While this may not seem like much, it’s enough to enjoy most games online. However, it is also essential to consider latency when playing online games. Indie games Indie games are developed by small groups or individuals who don’t have the resources to make hugely successful games. Instead, they use their own money and time to create and publish their games. This gives them the independence to do whatever they want with their games, from adding extra features to answering reviews or user questions. Indie games are often produced by student teams and are not supported by a major game publisher. These games are often low-budget and feature unique gameplay mechanics and storylines. This type of game development is gaining popularity as gamers seek out games that are unique in style. Console-quality games Android users are finally able to play some sites not on GamStop on their smartphones. The rise of 5G and a bump in hardware have helped mobile games approach console quality. Here are a few titles to check out. One example is Vainglory, which is a free-to-play RPG that has a high production value and a massive open world. It is similar to MOBAs and has skill-heavy combat and a spectacular jungle map. In order to get the best out of the game, players must learn how to carry out their roles. Although the Android gaming market is full of gimmicky cash grabs and utter trash, there are some gems among them. Retro classics, indie hits, and even Nintendo-published originals are all available for the platform. In fact, some of these games can rival AAA titles for PC or consoles. Call of Duty: Mobile If you’re looking for the best gaming experience on Android, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a seasoned pro, there are plenty of games to choose from. Choosing the right match will make the difference between a good gaming experience and a bad one. Luckily, there are a few popular options that are available for free. One popular free-to-play shooter for Android is Call of Duty. This version includes classic maps as well as a battle royale mode. It is also monetized fairly. Look for games that are designed specifically for touchscreens. Many Android games are ports of traditional console or PC games, which can be difficult to control on a touchscreen. Look for games that have been designed from the ground up for touchscreen play. Consider graphics and gameplay. Not all Android games have high-end graphics, but those that do can offer an immersive gaming experience. If you’re looking for top-notch graphics and gameplay, you’ll want to focus on 3D games or those that offer console-quality graphics. Pay attention to reviews. When you’re looking for new games to play, pay attention to user reviews. This will give you an idea of how others feel about the game before you spend any money on it. Try before you buy. Many Android app stores offer free trials or demo versions of paid games. This is a great way to try out a game before you commit to buying it. Know your device’s limitations. Not all Android devices are created equal when it comes to gaming performance. If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line gaming experience, you’ll want to make sure your device can handle it before you download any resource-intensive games. Following these tips will help you find the best Android games to suit your personal preferences and ensure that you have a great gaming experience on your device.

Top Five Things To Do With Your Library This October – Plano Magazine https://collincountynewsonline.com/top-five-things-to-do-with-your-library-this-october-plano-magazine/ From preschool to professional, Plano Public Library (PPL) has something for everyone. Not interested in reading? No biggie – PPL is #morethanbooks! Check out some of their upcoming events – in-person and virtual – for all your educating and entertaining needs: 1. Build in 3D with the library (all ages, ticketed) Did you know your local library has 3D printers, and teaches you how to use them and design in three-dimensions? This fall, Plano Public Library has two Intro to 3D Printing classes, where you will learn about the additive manufacturing process and see a 3D printer in action. This class is ticketed, so show up 30 minutes before the class begins to secure your spot. Intro to 3D Printing meets at Parr Library on Sunday, October 16 at 2 p.m. and at Davis Library on October 22 at 3 p.m. 2. Get your money questions answered by a pro (grades 6-12) As you gain independence, financial questions are sure to arise. Budgeting, purchases, interest rates, savings and even retirement planning are topics to consider. Bring your questions and hear answers from a panel of financial professionals from Bank of America at Davis Library on Tuesday, October 11 at 2 p.m. 3. Dress up and see Big Pumpkin (all ages, ticketed) Every October, Plano Public Library puts on a few showings of “Big Pumpkin” – and this year there are even more than usual. Each showing of “Big Pumpkin” is ticketed, and tickets are available in-person beginning 30 minutes before each show. Costumes encouraged! – Parr Library on Tuesday 10/11 at 11 a.m. – Haggard Library on Wednesday 10/12 at 10:30 a.m. – Haggard Library on Thursday 10/13 at 11 a.m. – Parr Library on Friday 10/14 at 11 a.m. – Davis Library on Tuesday 10/25 at 6:30 p.m. – Schimelpfenig Library on Wednesday 10/26 at 10:30 a.m. – Davis Library on Thursday 10/27 at 11 a.m. – Davis Library on Friday 10/28 at 10:30 a.m. – Davis Library on Saturday 10/29 at 10:15 a.m. – Schimelpfenig Library on Saturday 10/29 at 10:30 a.m. – Schimelpfenig Library on Monday 10/31 at 10:30 a.m. – Schimelpfenig Library on Monday 10/31 at 11 a.m. 4. Explore healthcare careers (grades 9-12, registration required) Caring for patients takes the energy and expertise of a team of healthcare professionals. Respiratory therapists, surgical technologists and patient care technicians represent some of the careers typically found in a hospital setting. Training required for these roles often does not require a four-year degree. Explore a variety of opportunities in healthcare with Texas Health Plano, Children’s Health and Collin College and plan your first steps toward a fulfilling career in healthcare at Exploring Careers in Healthcare, which meets virtually on Wednesday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m. Register here. 5. Celebrate Family History Month (various ages) October is a big month for the Genealogy Center at Haggard Library: Visit the Spark Space on the first floor to participate in an interactive exhibit to showcase your ancestry and learn about interviewing family (all ages) The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation is hosting an Archaeology Fair on Saturday, October 8 from 1-4 p.m. at Haggard Library. Dig in the dirt to find fossils and see the Native American Drummers and Dancers (all ages) Preserve Collin County history by sharing your photos and documents at two “History Harvest” events. Staff from the Genealogy Center will digitize up to six items–you get digital copies, and these digital items are also added to the Collin County Digital Images. Email genealogy@plano.gov to register for one of these dates: Tuesday, October 11 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Tuesday, October 25 from 4-8 p.m. Join other libraries across Texas and Oklahoma to see eight webinars throughout the day on genealogy research for the Genealogy Lock-In on Friday, October 21 from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (adults) If you do not already have a Plano Public Library card, be sure to register online here. All Plano Public Library locations are open to use computers, browse the collection, and attend in-person programs. Porch side pickup for holds is available, and you can always access eLibrary content online.

Affluent Americans Intend To Travel More Internationally And Spend More Abroad In Coming Year, According To New MMGY Global Research – Hospitality Net https://collincountynewsonline.com/affluent-americans-intend-to-travel-more-internationally-and-spend-more-abroad-in-coming-year-according-to-new-mmgy-global-research-hospitality-net/ Despite rising costs and changing world events, international travel is poised to increase among affluent Americans over the next year, according to new research by MMGY Travel Intelligence. Today, the company released the findings of its Portrait of American International Travelersstudy, presented in collaboration with the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). Examining data from more than 2,000 respondents, the comprehensive national survey found that high-income, outbound U.S. travelers intend to take an average of 3.8 international vacations in the next 12 months, up 72% from 2.2 in 2019. Additionally, the average outbound traveler anticipates spending a total of $15,364 on international trips in the coming year – a 16% increase when compared to pre-pandemic spending predictions. “It’s clear that there is a willingness and growing appetite to travel internationally, but the important thing for marketers to note is that the American traveler looks and acts quite differently than they did before COVID-19,” said MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe Managing Director Cees Bosselaar. “As international tourism ramps back up, destinations should continue to be mindful of the new concerns and challenges that today’s travelers face throughout the course of their journeys.” Key findings from the third annual study include: Although overall interest in foreign travel is up, the number of destinations U.S. travelers want to visit is down compared to pre-pandemic, suggesting that travelers have become more selective in their purchase decisions. Europe, the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Canada were the top four destinations cited by U.S. travelers as places they want to visit. Indicating a shift in travel patterns, the study also noted an overall increase in interest in visiting less-crowded destinations and those that offer an abundance of outdoor activities. Examining generational differences, the study found that American Millennials plan to go on more international trips than Boomers (5.7 vs. 1.5 in the next 12 months) though Boomers anticipate spending twice as much on each trip ($7,725 vs. $3,564). Travel disruptions such as flight cancellations or delays reign supreme as the top concern for Americans traveling internationally. Concerns surrounding travel disruptions were shared equally across all generations, whereas other concerns such as inflation and COVID-19 appear to have more of an impact on younger travelers. Personal safety, as it relates to violence and unrest, and sustainability practices round out the top areas of concern for travelers. “This study confirms that the sustainability efforts of a travel service provider or a destination are impacting travel decisions, primarily for younger generations,” said Terry Dale, President & CEO of USTOA. “Sixty-three percent of Millennials indicate that a travel service provider’s focus on sustainability impacts their travel decision-making.” Dale added that USTOA is using its milestone 50th anniversary in 2022 to look “50 years forward” to help its tour operator members initiate and grow sustainable and responsible practices to meet these evolving traveler expectations. For more information about the study or to purchase a copy, visit mmgyintel.com or contact [email protected]. About the 2022 Portrait of American International Travelers Presented in partnership with USTOA, the third annual national survey of American international travelers examines the travel behaviors, spending habits, preferences and motivators of 2,024 respondents surveyed in July 2022. In order to qualify for the survey, respondents had to have an annual household income of $100,000 or more, had taken at least one vacation outside of North America during the past three years and plan to take at least one vacation outside of North America during the next 12 months. Respondents were selected randomly, and the sample was weighted based on age, gender, ethnicity, household income, geography and education to ensure the data is representative of American high-income households. About MMGY Global MMGY Global is the world’s leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries. With operations across the world, the award-winning organization maintains a global communications practice in all marketing channels, serving many of the world’s premier travel and tourism brands. As a company dedicated to the travel industry, MMGY Global strives to create a connected, inclusive and peaceful world by promoting travel as a cultural bridge of understanding. For more information, visit mmgyglobal.com.

The Building Of Bastion, Part 1 – Business News – MCV/Develop https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-building-of-bastion-part-1-business-news-mcv-develop/ In all my years writing for and about games, I can only recall visiting a single PR agency once, when I was invited to one of Bastion’s infamous Christmas parties at the tail end of last century. Naturally my memory of that evening is a little fuzzy. Perhaps what happened is why so much time has passed before being invited back. It would explain a few things. Thankfully on this occasion my visit is far less about wanton revelry and more concerned with sober reflection, as the veteran agency celebrates 30 years of sending out press kits, orchestrating campaigns, and having to deal with truculent young games journos. By way of reintroduction, on arrival at Bastion’s Spitalfields residence I mention my previous visit to Dean Barrett, co-founder and managing director, who shakes his head, either unable or unwilling to recall. “It was a different time,” he says, eyes briefly fixed on the past. FIRST CONTACTS The foundations for Bastion’s success were laid over the course of five formative years during which Barrett worked first at magazine publisher VNU, before joining hardware giant Commodore’s marketing agency as it prepared to launch the Amiga 500 in 1987. “I got to know Steve Franklin (Commodore UK’s MD) very closely and he invited me to become marketing manager. I worked on the Amiga, and while doing that, met a load of games companies while putting together game bundles.” This was when four or five hit games were compiled onto cassette or disk and given grand titles like They Sold A Million, which put Barrett in close contact with the likes of Ocean and US Gold, the UK’s triple-A publishers at the time. “That got me interested in the games industry because that seemed to be where the fun was.” In 1989 Barrett briefly returned to magazines, joining EMAP as its head of marketing as the publisher was preparing to pitch for an official Nintendo magazine. It was there that Barrett was invited to join Ocean, “So I went up to Manchester and spent two years there. But I always remembered the agency days and just thought I’d start my own.” Barrett called on Ciaran Brennan, one of his editor contacts at EMAP who had moved into PR, and in the same month that the seminal Championship Manager arrived, so too did Bastion. SHADOW OF THE BEASTS In 1992 games PR was as different to today as the tech and media landscape it served. Nothing was data driven, with focus groups, favour and gut instinct powering most videogame decision making. Magazines were the only influencers of the day, and, of course, there were far less of them than the content channels we endure now. Mobile phones had no utility beyond making expensive calls, and the internet, such as it was, was equally unevolved. As for the games, they were far from becoming the aspirational playthings Sony would help make mainstream. The big PR beasts of the early 1990s were the in-house teams – Sega, Nintendo, and on PC, Virgin Interactive. Brennan, who left Bastion in 2005 (and is currently the communications director at Sports Interactive) recalls only a handful of independent agencies specialising in games at the time, “People like Simon Harvey at Barrington Harvey had been around for quite some time, but generally the landscape was very small. But then the games business was as well. There were loads of independent publishers and hardware manufacturers. We’d leave work on a Friday having ten clients then come in on Monday morning and four of them would have merged.” RED ALERT Without any investors Bastion experienced a slow start that was hand-to-mouth in some respects. Brennan remembers having to rely on freelance writing to supplement his PR income. “It was a slow start,” admits Barrett “‘92 to 93 was a bit painful, then things started to take off.” Bastion was soon contracted to Virgin, which at the time published two of the biggest games on PC, Command & Conquer and Doom. Joining the team initially to work on the account was another EMAP veteran, whose first week was spent trying to come up with creative ways to get the press to write about Doom 2. “It was decided – I think it was Ciaran’s idea – to bike jiffy bags of offal to news editors on national newspapers,” recalls Simon Byron (now publishing director at Yogscast). “As well as to celebrate the goriness of the game, we were trying to get wider coverage.” It worked. By way of recognition, Bastion’s Doom 2 campaign was later voted second-worst PR stunt of the year. “My first week on the job ended with me picking the phone up to the police. I passed them onto someone else very quickly.” GREATNESS AWAITS Also around this time the ink was drying on a deal that saw Sony acquire Psygnosis, the Liverpool-based developer founded by the late Ian Hetherington and Jonathan Ellis, who upon finalising the deal in New York, flew back to London and called Barrett to join them for breakfast at the Dorchester hotel, where he was asked to come up with a plan that would help ease Sony’s entry into the console hardware market. It was a moment that in many ways changed Bastion’s fortunes. “That was an exciting time for the industry, because it was going into a whole new era where things were moving from the bedroom to the living room,” remembers Barrett, who looks back on Bastion’s milestones not so much as events as most would characterise them, like the launch of the Sony PlayStation, but as meetings (such as the aforementioned Dorchester breakfast) that became accounts that then opened up a network of professional relationships. Since his early days at Sony, Phil Harrison has been a close contact for Bastion. Mike Gamble, since his time at Microsoft, is another. “We worked on DirectX when he was tech evangelist there, and that’s been a long-term relationship, right through to the long stint he had at Epic.” Often of course, working relationships with client organisations persisted long after people have moved on, as Bastion’s ongoing work promoting Unreal Engine is testament to. SHOW BUSINESS Equally as important to Bastion’s success, although less obvious, have been the shows it has worked on. An early coup was when Bastion took over the European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) account from Barrington Harvey in 1995, when the long-running event moved to the Olympia exhibition centre in Kensington. Despite being an intense amount of work, the great benefit was that Barrett and the team got to work with all of the exhibitors, which is to say all the publishing teams, major and minor, since ECTS was the biggest trade show in Europe at the time. “That gave us a taste for events,” says Barrett. “It’s a nice way to become embedded into an industry, so we started doing trade shows and B2B” going on to work on Brand Licencing Europe, Toy Fair and The Gadget Show Live. It’s only relatively recently that Bastion has pulled back from trade fairs, partly because dipping in and out of an industry can be disruptive, but mostly because there’s no shortage of games industry work these days. “The one thing we’ve kept is the connection to the toy industry.” Bastion has run the PR for the London Toy Fair for 13 years, “Because we think there’s a synergy there. Increasingly there are lots of crossover opportunities.” “As we’ve built up the games practise, doing something outside of games really helped us craft stories that resonate with consumer-based audiences,” chips in Ravi Vijh, Bastion’s client services director. “The gaming world has become so much bigger. Anyone with a mobile phone is a gamer. Somebody who plays FIFA is very different from someone who plays Diablo, and so you’ve got to understand the different worlds now and think how you pitch stories differently.” BEING INFLUENTIAL Another point of crossover in recent years has been Bastion’s work with influencers, which formally started more than five years ago and culminated in April this year with the setting up of Pinpoint, a separate agency within Bastion run by Sam Jones (who we’ll catch up with in Part 2, next issue). The idea behind Pinpoint is a simple one; rather than deal with influencers in a transactional way, the idea is to build up relationships and treat them as collaborations, as an agency might traditionally manage the games press. “PRs are the best people to manage influencers and websites because they know the language” says Barrett. “Very often you’re creating the language for the clients, so to then farm that to another agency to then tell somebody else doesn’t really make sense. Because we know the language the client uses and wants to use about their brand, we feel we’re in the best position to make that process work.” It makes sense, according to Vijh, since dealing with press is no longer the be-all-and-end-all that it used to be: “The way we think about content, PR almost becomes the third thing on the agenda,” he says. “First you’re talking about community messaging, and [then] influencers and then, maybe, how does media fit around that.” Ten or twelve years ago, Vijh says, it was about the journalists you knew and nervously picking up the phone to them in the hope it wasn’t slammed down. “People in our team have never experienced that before in their lives,” he laughs. “It is weird, I guess, how the tactics we use have had to change, but then also how all our clients see the world differently in terms of PR versus the general, rounded comms situation.” WINED AND DINED It isn’t just the importance of PR that has changed, but also the nature of it. The stories of press-attended alcohol-fuelled misdeeds during the 1980s and 90s are legion, which Barrett succinctly characterises as ‘swashbuckling’ behaviour: “There wasn’t much process and hardly any science. It was about stunts and making noise. It was a different era.” Aside from the offal Doom 2 stunt, was it more fun? “Yeah,” says ...

CSR Collaboration Can Aid The Development Of Public Healthcare And Wellness, Says Dr. Nalini Saligram, Founder & CEO, Arogya World – IndiaCSR https://collincountynewsonline.com/csr-collaboration-can-aid-the-development-of-public-healthcare-and-wellness-says-dr-nalini-saligram-founder-ceo-arogya-world-indiacsr/ India CSR interview with Dr. Nalini Saligram, Founder & CEO, Arogya World, an Ashoka Fellow By Rusen Kumar Arogya World is a global health non-profit organization working towards preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—diabetes, heart disease, cancer and chronic lung diseases—through health education and lifestyle change. Since prevention is at the core of Arogya’s work, through its programs and advocacy efforts, they help people around the world lead healthier lives. All programs at Arogya world are now ready for scaling up and investment from the corporate is invited and welcome. Collaborating with companies through CSR initiatives will aid the development of public healthcare and wellness in India. Dr. Nalini Saligram, Founder & CEO, Arogya World talked to Rusen Kumar, India CSR and shared how organisation is adding value to society and people.  Today we have Nalini Saligram, the head of Arogya World. Please introduce yourself, your organization, and your key area of intervention.  I am Nalini Saligram, founder, and CEO of Arogya World. I have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. I had the opportunity to work and live in various parts of the world in the pharma and healthcare industry. Leveraging my experience, I was determined to make a meaningful contribution to global health. This is how the Arogya World came into being. Founded 12 years ago, it is a global health non-profit that works on diabetes prevention through healthy living, with a PAN India operation. Our core objective is to facilitate sustainable development in national health, helping mobilize people to improve their health habits. We, at Arogya World, interact with experts from the healthcare and communications industry to help our programs reach the masses. What inspired you to take up healthcare? About 15 to 20 years ago I was a member of the Dean’s Council at Emory University, Atlanta– the School of Public Health. We were introduced to Dr. William Foege—the man who single-handedly conquered smallpox. Inspired by his journey, I decided to dedicate my life to public health. Having said that, routinely meeting with public health experts also keeps me going. What was the reason for choosing Diabetes as your organization’s core focus? Having lived with gestational Type 2 Diabetes and a family history of the disease, I wanted to be able to educate people unaware of lifestyle changes that can delay or prevent Diabetes, empowering them to take up healthy habits. Secondly— As a student of public and global health, several of my peers were working on Under-5 childhood mortality, women’s health, or HIV. Unlike them, I wanted to explore unconventional areas, using my background in both Science and Communications. I chose Diabetes as non-communicable diseases are one of the biggest challenges facing our nation. Through persuasion and science, I could effect a change in public behavior concerning health. India is the world capital for Diabetes. What are the reasons behind the growing numbers of patients in the country? The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes Diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and chronic lung diseases as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as they are not communicable like infectious diseases. However, they are chronic in nature and affect every 2 out of 3 people. Non-Communicable diseases are the prime cause of death in India. The problem of NCDs is not limited to just rich countries. Middle and lower-income countries suffer greatly due to socio-economic factors like lack of access to healthcare, misinformation, and overpopulation. The impact is felt severely by the poorest of the poor. Treatment and care for NCDs come at a great expense. Our study on 10,000 Indian women found that 25% of a lower-income family’s wealth is spent on treatment. The economic burden forces them to remain in poverty, negating any chance of improving their economic condition. This forces another generation into poverty. High cost/economic consequence is felt by families with lower income.  Indians are genetically predisposed to Diabetes. Research suggests that Indians can have Type-2 Diabetes as early as 30 years, two decades before the West! The issue is aggravated further in urban metros with 75% of the population either Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic.  Being demographically young, the median age here is 27 years. Leaving the issue unaddressed can mean a demographic disaster. Even children as young as 5 years old! 10% of our children and adolescents are pre-diabetic. Physical inactivity has exposed children and adolescents to the risk of early onset Diabetes. Another one of our studies revealed that Bangalore’s inactivity levels equal an alarming 65%. Lifestyle is one of the biggest culprits behind India’s poor Diabetic health. Please elaborate on the factors that affect our lifestyles. Rapid urbanization is responsible for the explosion of Communicable diseases. Consumption of fast food and tobacco are other major contributors. Smart marketing and attractive packaging lure children to eat at large fast-food chains. Busy lives force us to reach for processed, ready-to-eat food products instead of freshly cooked alternatives. But the good news is, despite being genetically predisposed, it is possible to prevent and curb genetic pressure with healthier lifestyle choices. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of diabetes and heart disease and 40% of cancers can be prevented with three lifestyle changes—eating right, adequate exercise, and avoiding tobacco.  Our ‘Doorstep Health Model’ follows the same ideology. We take prevention to people where they live, learn, and work. To children in schools, adults in their workplaces, and on social media. The model consists of sending participants healthy living reminders to eat right and exercise. How can corporations join hands with healthcare, through CSR initiatives in creating awareness and helping take the right interventions?  The Corporate role is manifold. For example, employee health programs that focus on both; employees’ physical and mental health and extend the benefits to their families. The ‘Healthy Workplace’ program at Arogya World assesses and awards companies based on criteria encompassing physical and mental health. Additionally, leveraging Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) initiatives coupled with technology to improve adolescent health can include more people in the purview of leading healthy lives. Mental health has emerged as the No.1 fallout from Covid. Corporations need to commit to the mental health and well-being of their employees and communities. Close links were observed between Covid and Diabetes now. People with underlying health issues like Diabetes were more susceptible to Covid and were more likely to succumb to the disease. To prevent the next pandemic, we need to prepare our bodies well. Companies can spearhead the effort not just for their employees but also for society at large. A collaboration of the private sector, the government, and civil society can work wonders for public health and welfare using a multi-stakeholder approach. Collaboration is key! What are the key projects at Arogya World? Please elaborate on the key findings, outcomes, and impact. In addition to the Doorstep Health model, we have four key projects at Arogya World— ‘Healthy Schools’: This program has reached 5,00,000 children so far. We interact with adolescent children, aged 11 to 14 years, and organize activities that teach children the basics of healthy living as a foundation before their lifestyle habits are set. Additionally, we provide them with reading materials to understand the concepts better. An activity with 250,000 kids now showed a 15% improvement in both: awareness and health behaviors. Answers to awareness and behavior questions are tracked through scientific pre-post analysis, to evaluate an overall measure of health—available in multiple languages.  The results are validated by the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education. Currently, we are reaching up to 2,00,000 children in extremely poor districts of West Bengal. So, we are optimistic about the potential to scale up opportunities for the ‘Healthy Schools’ program. ‘Healthy Workplace: This program recognizes companies for their investment in employee health. Our criteria are based on physical and mental health parameters. We assess companies’ employee health programs and award them basis effectiveness. So far, we have recognized about 170 companies. Government departments, public sector as well as private sector companies are included in the scope of this program. ‘M-Diabetes’: Our text message program is now adapted to voice messages as well as WhatsApp. Developed with Emory University, the program teaches people through text messages on their phones, available in multiple languages. The program is an effective way to leverage technology in public health intervention. 20% improvement has been observed across multiple health behaviors. In 2012-2013 the M-Diabetes was conducted with over 1 million people at Nokia. Our program has also been successful at the Aravind Eye Hospital and LV Prasad Eye Centre. ‘My Thali’: Using the National Institute of Nutrition guidelines, the My-Thali uses easy-to-understand graphics to indicate what should be eaten in proportional quantities. We also utilize social media to educate people on eating right and learning how to read food labels.  The program has reached 10.8 million people so far. A Nielson analysis revealed that over 1 million people had actively engaged with the My Thali program....

Prep Sports Roundup: Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 | Local Sports News | Havasunews.com – Today’s News-Herald https://collincountynewsonline.com/prep-sports-roundup-friday-sept-23-2022-local-sports-news-havasunews-com-todays-news-herald/ 87° Lake Havasu City, AZ (86403) Today Sunny skies. High 99F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 78F. Winds light and variable. Updated: September 23, 2022 @ 12:49 am Full Forecast Wednesday 9/21 Girls’ Golf: Havasu 178, Lee Williams 237 Welcome to the discussion. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article. Three weeks into the season and there are still more than few teams ranked in The … PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts had 301 total yards in the first half in the break… Samson Evans ran 35 times for 257 yards and a touchdown and Eastern Michigan never trailed in beating Arizona State 30-21. Evans posted his first 100-yard game — he had 96 by halftime — as the Mid-American Conference’s Eagles easily handled the Pac-12’s Sun Devils. The Eagles (2-1) scored on four of their five first-half possessions, with only an interception stopping the EMU offense. Arizona State (1-2), meanwhile, didn’t get a first down until late in the first quarter, when the Sun Devils were already behind 10-0.

Metaverse Without Benefits: Does A Non-Utilitarian Metaverse Serve Any Purpose? – Times Of India https://collincountynewsonline.com/metaverse-without-benefits-does-a-non-utilitarian-metaverse-serve-any-purpose-times-of-india/ The Metaverse today is more than just a concept. Or a platform that many don’t understand. It is a whole new world that intrigues, baffles, and often confuses the world at large. It is a virtual world; a digital world; and to many, an unrealistic world. But it is a world that possesses staggering potential that can benefit mankind, if tapped correctly? The appeal of the Metaverse lies in its versatility, which currently seems to have caught the attention of people worldwide. It offers them a virtual world in which they can function freely behind the anonymity of ‘avatars’, as they party with their peers; spend hours gaming; attending events; living it up virtually at concerts; and generally, live out their fantasies.  Furthermore, the capabilities of Metaverse as a marketing tool has also taken the world of branding by storm. Marketers today, are tapping into its potential to reach multiple markets worldwide. Its ability to capture the interest of the ‘millennial’ segment is its primary strength in the eyes of marketers, big and small. Notwithstanding its popularity as a source of entertainment, and as a marketing tool, how useful can the Metaverse really be? Can it be tapped to bring about change in the fields of education, ecommerce, government services, and workforce skilling? Can it deliver actual, realistic benefits in different spheres, to people residing in the farthest reaches of the world, by offering immersive, virtual realities? Is India ready to take on the Metaverse? In an increasingly digitized world, India, although undoubtedly acknowledged as a hub for IT and ITES, is still to develop the requisite infrastructure to make the most of the Metaverse. Several factors such as government policies, and the telecom players, are yet to work out a blueprint for the availability of 5G technology. As of now 26% of the country uses smart phones and 5G penetration hasn’t started yet. Additionally, current network speeds and technology are a long way away from enabling Metaverse to reach every corner of the country.  Hence, the road ahead may prove to be long and arduous. There are doubts about accessing the Metaverse easily, thanks to the necessity for hardware that is highly sophisticated and prohibitively expensive. This is a niche area because the Metaverse calls for low-latency broadband that is robust and fast – which should be accessible by all and sundry.  So, what does India need to do to establish its presence in the Metaverse? Does it call for the evolution of a new version of Metaverse? Maybe a Lite or no-frills version that can be efficiently accessed on every smartphone, at low network speeds, without being dependent on AR/VR devices? And, of course, without being limited by the lack of a tech infrastructure, and hence, not being limited to just a few. Indeed, a far cry from the present situation in India – where students in rural areas are resigned to hours spent in downloading a mere 1GB of data on the local broadband connection. So for India to be ready for Metaverse, the tech infrastructure has to become better and the Metaverse approach has to change from gamification to utilisation/functional. India is not alone in this – even technologically advanced nations such as USA have issues with connectivity. There is no denying that Americans in rural areas also lack access to high-speed, affordable broadband. Hence, this is a global problem that many countries are looking to solve to enable access to all that the Metaverse has, to offer. And to enable digital inclusion across the board, for communities everywhere. The importance of developing 5G technology is obviously key to tapping into the vast potential of the Metaverse – evident in the efforts made by many countries. USA has made 5G available in 279 cities, while China has rolled it out in 541 cities, UK in 54 cities and South Korea in 85. Not to be left behind, the Indian government has announced the availability of 5G across 13 cities by the end of 2022, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Chennai. But this is only the first step in a series of many ahead. How does Metaverse affect participants’ perceptions of reality and what does it mean for India? The responses that can be expected from participants and their experiences within an immersive, virtual reality system, can form the basis of strategies to upgrade technology, disseminate information, and enhance skills across communities, across the country. More so in a country like India which has large pockets of rural communities with little access to technology.  A utilitarian Metaverse can make a world of difference in a vast country like India. This includes offering opportunities to students from rural communities to attend classes, virtually; enabling skill development classes to be conducted; and enhancing ecommerce activities for shoppers to experience the true values of products and services. The learning & training industry will be the biggest beneficiaries as the virtual word will make education more accessible and will democratize the entire realm of learning. Indian industry leaders present at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting spoke of their efforts in establishing their participation in the Metaverse, that include sports training programs; rural education programs; and retail commerce. To name a few. If we take the example of the ecommerce industry, Metaverse will make shopping more immersive and real. This will reduce the average return rate of 18.1% to half for sure. This is going to make the ecommerce business profitable very easily. But, in a country with smartphone penetration of only 26%, efforts need to be stepped up if India wants to make its presence felt in the Metaverse which, according to research, is slated to grow by 2024, into an $800 billion market.  Tapping into a utilitarian Metaverse can be a game changer for India Contrary to popular belief, there is more to the Metaverse than gaming, and social networking. It possesses immense potential just waiting to be tapped, in the fields of education, ecommerce and skilling. Building on the strides made by the EdTech sector during the Pandemic as it replaced traditional schooling, the Metaverse offers opportunities for skill training and technical training to people across the country – virtually. Enabling the availability of a wider pool of skilled manpower across industries. It is now time for India to upgrade its technological capabilities, increase connectivity and reach out to remote communities to make the most of a Metaverse with benefits. Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author’s own. END OF ARTICLE

9 Cool New Gadgets To Keep On Your Radar – Gear Patrol https://collincountynewsonline.com/9-cool-new-gadgets-to-keep-on-your-radar-gear-patrol/ For more of the latest and greatest product releases, check out our full collection of the best new gear. This week, Amazon announced that its next big hardware event will take place next week — on September 28 — so get ready for some more Echo devices (as well as probably a lot of other gadgets). Some reviewers actually put the iPhone 14‘s new crash detection feature to test. And we reviewed two of Apple’s newest gadgets, the Apple Watch Ultra and the AirPods Pro 2. Additionally, a bunch of cool new gadgets were announced. Check ’em out below. Victrola Stream Carbon Courtesy The Victrola Stream Carbon is the first turntable that works natively with an existing Sonos speaker system. It’s a collaboration between Victrola and Sonos and, after you set it up, it’ll appear in the Sonos app just like any other Sonos component; from there, you just group it with your other Sonos speakers are — boom — you’re rocking out to vinyl. There’s no extra components needed. In addition to working perfectly with Sonos, it’s also just a really gorgeous and high-end turntable. Price: $799 LEARN MORE Polaroid Players Courtesy Polaroid is temporarily jumping out of the realm of instant film cameras and into… portable Bluetooth speakers. That’s right, the company announced four different Bluetooth speakers — the P1 ($60), P2 ($130), P3 ($190) and P4 ($290) (from left to right: starting from the smallest and most affordable to the largest) — that each have a colorful-yet-retro flair. They work like most other portable Bluetooth speakers (although none are rugged) but the kicker is that each works with the company’s new companion app (Polaroid Music), which allows them to stream a number of different radio stations. Price: $60 — $290 LEARN MORE Meze Audio 109 PRO Courtesy The Meze Audio 109 Pro is the Romanian hi-fi company’s first pair of dynamic open-back headphones. They’re designed to be super lightweight and comfortable, but yet they’re also made with premium materials — like wood, steel and leather — so they’ll feel pretty lavish. The 109 Pro are modeled after the company’s well-loved 99 Classics ($309), but they have an all-new beryllium coated dynamic driver that promises rich, detailed and accurate sound. At $799, they are open-back headphones for budding audiophiles looking to make the jump into the world of serious hi-fi. Price: $799 LEARN MORE Sony SRS-XV900 Courtesy The Sony SRS-XV900 is the company’s newest Bluetooth party speaker, and it’s effectively a larger version of its existing SRS-XV700. At 58 pounds, it’s a far-cry from being classified as a “ultra-portable” speaker, but it does have a built-in battery (that gets up to 25 hours of playtime) so you can move it around your backyard as you see fit. It has multiple analog connections and can be used to power your other mobile devices. And yes, you can customize its built-in LEDs to light up however you see fit. Price: $900 LEARN MORE Mophie Powerstation Wireless Stand with MagSafe Courtesy This is Mophie’s newest portable power bank that doubles as a stand for your iPhone. It’s fully compatible with MagSafe, meaning it can fast charge any iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 at up to 15 watts. It has a 10,000-mAh capacity, which is enough to nearly double the battery life of your iPhone. Additionally, it has a USB-C PD input/output port that you can use to charge a second device along with your iPhone. (Mophie also announced updated models of its other portable powerbanks, including the powerstation mini, the powerstation and the powerstation pro XL.) Price: $130 LEARN MORE Focal Utopia (2022) Courtesy Focal announced an upgraded version of the super high-end Utopia headphones that it first released in 2016. The new open-back cans have an updated and more lightweight design (the earcups also have a new honeycomb pattern on them), but they also boast improved sonic performance thanks to new M-shaped drivers and M-shaped grills that, according to the company, enable “even clearer and more accurate musical reproduction.” The only real downside is the Focal increased the price of the new models by about a grand. Price: $4,999 LEARN MORE Logitech Brio 500 Courtesy Logitech, one of the biggest names in external webcams, has announced the Brio 500. It’s effectively an updated version of the company’s c922 Pro. It delivers similar picture quality — 1080p at 30 fps or 720p at 60 fps — but it does have a new ultra-wide lens and more advanced autofocusing capabilities that can automatically keep you in frame. The Brio 500 also has a built-in microphone and a privacy shutter, and it comes in three different colors. It’s positioned as a moderately affordable option for anybody looking to up their Zoom game (it’s also compatible with Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts) with upgrading to a more expensive 4K webcam. Price: $130 LEARN MORE Bowers & Wilkins 700 S3 Courtesy The Bowers & Wilkins 700 S3 is the company’s third-generation line of 700 series loudspeakers. The line includes a total of eight loudspeakers — including three floor-standing speakers, three stand-mounted speakers and two center-channel speakers — and they all borrow technologies of the company’s high-end line of 800 Series Diamond speakers, but deliver them in a slightly more accessible package. Price: $1,500 (center-channel) — $7,000 (floor-standing) LEARN MORE DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Courtesy DJI announced the Osmo Mobile 6, its latest handheld gimbal designed to help you take more stabilized photos and videos with your smartphone. This sixth-generation model has a couple marked improvements over its predecessors. It has a new wheel control on the side of the handle that can help you quickly zoom-in (or out) and focus on your subject. There’s a new “quick launch” feature that, as the name gives away, will help you quickly launch to the DJI camera app so that you can get shooting faster than before. And there’s a new status panel screen that’ll more easily show you how much battery the gimbal has left. Price: $159 LEARN MORE

Latest Crypto News: Royal Enfield NFT Soon, UK Bill To Seize Crypto Used In Illegal Activities – Outlook India https://collincountynewsonline.com/latest-crypto-news-royal-enfield-nft-soon-uk-bill-to-seize-crypto-used-in-illegal-activities-outlook-india/ There have been quite a handful of crypto developments over the past few days including the announcement of Royal Enfield non-fungible tokens (NFT), introduction of a bill regarding crypto sanctions in the UK, JPMorgan Chase bank calling Bitcoin a scam, and others.  Royal Enfield NFT To Be Launched On Ethereum Blockchain Based Platform Royal Enfield, the maker of the popular Classic 350, Bullet, and other motorcycles in India and abroad had announced its foray into Web 3.0 technology, NFT by partnering up with an Ethereum (ETH) based NFT platform called foundation.app.  In a release Royal Enfield said that they will launch their NFT collection featuring 10 exclusive winning artwork designs from the last two seasons of their Art of Motorcycling programme. All of these NFTs are priced at Rs 15,000 each. The NFTs will be released on October 3. Puneet Sood, global head of apparel business at Royal Enfield, said, “Art Of Motorcycling is intended to give designers, artists, illustrators and motorcycling enthusiasts a platform to illustrate their love for motorcycling. We are extremely proud to take this to the next level in the digital space, as we announce the launch of Royal Enfield’s first-ever NFTs to encourage this ever-growing community scale to new heights.” United Kingdom Introduces The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency bill The U.K. has introduced this bill as originally promised in May by the Home Office, and it essentially makes it easier for law enforcement agencies to seize, freeze and recover crypto assets if they are used for various criminal activities like money laundering, drugs, cybercrime, and others. “Domestic and international criminals have for years laundered the proceeds of their crime and corruption by abusing U.K. company structures, and are increasingly using cryptocurrencies,” Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Crime Agency, said in the statement, reported Coindesk. We’re introducing the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Bill to crack down on the kleptocrats, criminals & terrorists who abuse our open economy. Driving out dirty money from the UK. Strengthening the UK’s reputation for supporting legitimate business to thrive. pic.twitter.com/WMlcfTLUOI — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) May 15, 2022 JPMorgan Chase Bank Calls Bitcoin ‘Decentralised Scam’ Jamie Dimon, CEO, JPMorgan Chase Bank, one of the big 4 U.S. based banks, said in a U.S congressional hearing, “I’m a major sceptic on crypto tokens, which you call currency, like bitcoin. They are decentralised Ponzi schemes,” reported Bloomberg. Dimon also argued that digital currencies are being used by an increased number of criminals in their illicit operations including sex trafficking and money laundering, among others. Dimon, however, is quite vocal about the underlying technology behind these digital currencies i.e. blockchain, metaverse, others and said that these technologies are ral and can be deployed in both public and private use cases, permissioned or not. JPMorgan Chase bank has a lounge in decentraland where a host of digital services are on offer over there. Decentraland is a Ethereum blockchain based virtual 3D animated world. “I’m a major skeptic on crypto tokens, which you call currency, like Bitcoin,” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said in congressional testimony Wednesday https://t.co/C1ymC4nXGp — Bloomberg Wealth (@wealth) September 22, 2022 Michael Saylor Says The Price Will Reach $69,000/Bitcoin In 4 Years Michael Saylor is the co-founder and chairman of IT company MicroStrategy, which is the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder with about 1,30,000 BTC tokens in its reserves at an average price of $30,639. He said in an interview to Marketwatch, that Bitcoin could go back to the $68,990 levels sometime in the next four years and could also reach $5,00,000 levels in the next decade “if it matches the market cap of gold.” Saylor also said that his company is also making developments on the Lightning network, which is a payment protocol layered on the Bitcoin network. Ethereum Miners Rally Up To Dump Ethereum Ethereum miners who no longer can mine Ethereum (ETH) tokens have reportedly sold more than 16,000 ETH tokens and are still left with about 2,45,000 ETH tokens. According to on-chain data analysed by Oklink, a blockchain analytics firm, miners dumped about 16,000 ETH tokens from September 12 to September 19 and this was worth more than $300 million. Lucas Ontumuro, head of research, IntoTheBlock, in an interview to Coindesk, said that miners are moving onto other blockchains by taking their profit from ETH holdings out. “Miners dumping their ETH is an overhang that we’ll have to get through over the coming months in order to resume up-only mode, but it will happen,” Lucas Campbell, editor of the Bankless newsletter on September 19 in a newsletter, reported Coindesk.

US Aircraft Carrier Ronald Reagan Arrives For South Korea Drills – Al Jazeera English https://collincountynewsonline.com/us-aircraft-carrier-ronald-reagan-arrives-for-south-korea-drills-al-jazeera-english/ Arrival marks most significant deployment yet amid push for more US nuclear-capable ‘assets’ to deter North Korea. Published On 23 Sep 202223 Sep 2022 The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan has arrived in South Korea ahead of joint military exercises that are seen as a show of strength amid growing North Korean threats. The Ronald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike force docked at a naval base in the southern port city of Busan on Friday. The arrival marks the most significant deployment yet by Washington under a new push to have more US nuclear-capable “strategic assets” operate in the region to deter North Korea. Joint military drills in the coming days will be the first involving a US aircraft carrier in the region since 2017, when the US sent three aircraft carriers including the Reagan for naval drills with South Korea in response to North Korean nuclear and missile tests at that time. North Korea denounced previous US military deployments and joint drills as rehearsals for war and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from the flight deck of the Ronald Reagan, said that the stated mission of the joint drills was to demonstrate “the resolve of these allies in the face of renewed North Korean threats”. “This is a way of showing the strength of the alliance in the face of what the US and South Korea say are these increased threats from North Korea. From North Korea’s point of view, they are always enraged by these exercises,” McBride said. Joint military exercises had reduced in recent years to allow “summit diplomacy to take place to try to get the North Koreans to give up their nuclear arms”, he said. “Clearly, they haven’t done that,” he added. The North, McBride said, will likely look on the drills as justification for “their position that they need to hold on to their much-treasured nuclear weapons at all costs as a guarantee of their survival in what they see as a hostile world”. ‘Firm resolve’ The South Korean navy said on Friday that its combined training with the Reagan battle group is meant to boost the allies’ military readiness and to show “the firm resolve by the Korea-US alliance for the sake of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula”. With North Korea’s resumption of major weapons testing, Seoul and Washington have revived their large-scale military exercises that were downsized or cancelled in previous years to support diplomatic efforts with Pyongyang or because of COVID-19. The North Korean threat is also expected to be a key agenda when US Vice President Kamala Harris visits South Korea next week after attending the state funeral in Tokyo of slain former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It’s a great day to #FlyNavy! @USNavy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, participating in routine flight operations while in the #PhilippineSea. #Warship76#FreeandOpenIndoPacific #PresenceMatters pic.twitter.com/BlfJ0ud5aj — USS Ronald Reagan (@Gipper_76) September 22, 2022 The aircraft carrier’s arrival in South Korea comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Pyongyang’s parliament this month that he would never abandon his nuclear weapons and the missiles he needs to counter what he perceives as US hostility towards the North. North Korea also passed a new law that enshrined its status as a nuclear power and authorised the preemptive use of nuclear weapons over a broad range of scenarios where the country or its leadership comes under threat. Sung Kim, the Biden administration’s special representative for North Korea, met with South Korean counterpart Kim Gunn in Seoul on Thursday where they expressed “serious concern” over the North’s escalating nuclear doctrine spelled out in the new law, South Korea’s foreign ministry said. The diplomats reaffirmed the US commitment to defend South Korea in the event of a nuclear war with the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear. The allies also maintained their months-old assessment that North Korea is gearing up to conduct its first nuclear test since 2017 and discussed “stern” countermeasures to such an action, the ministry said. North Korea has increased weapons testing to a record pace in 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic weapons including its intercontinental ballistic missiles as it exploits a divide in the UN Security Council deepened over Russia’s war on Ukraine. Source : Al Jazeera and news agencies

Students Learn About Manufacturing And Tech Workforce | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer https://collincountynewsonline.com/students-learn-about-manufacturing-and-tech-workforce-news-sports-jobs-evening-observer/ JAMESTOWN — Hands-on training helps students enter the manufacturing workforce quicker. And that’s the goal of Jamestown Community College’s Manufacturing Technology Institute. MTI, 512 Falconer St., held a manufacturing and technology expo Thursday where Dunkirk and Springville P-Tech students had a chance to network and learn about a variety of technology products such as CAD/CAM software, 3-D scanning, robotics, automation, and machining and tooling. “This is a great event. We are really excited to be part of it,” said Todd Tranum, executive director of Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier and president of Dream It Do It of Western New York. JCC Workforce Development Director Grant Umberger agreed. “We are the training arm of the college and we provide training solutions that have individuals go directly into employment,” Umberger said. Liam Rivera. Students also learned about technology through live demostartaions, interactive breakout sessions, and meeting with a variety of vendors. Liam Rivera, a senior at P-Tech in Dunkirk, is very familiar with the JCC-MTI facility and is looking to develop skills in mechanical technology. “I took a mechanical technology course in my junior year,” Rivera said. “I spend my Fridays here because I take half-days at P-tech and half-days at JCC. My dream job would probably be to become an architect. I love hands-on building. I love building and P-Tech has really helped me out with that.” Rivera added not only does P-Tech show him hands-on work, P-Tech also gives access to him about machine work and digital technologies. “They (P-Tech) have been an incredible help,” Rivera noted. OBSERVER photos by Michael Zabrodsky From left Dunkirk P-Tech students Xavior Warrior, Kay Lazar, Tyler Mathews, and Austin Bennet, watch Randy Biebel of FARO Technologies, Inc., demonstrate 3-D scanning. Steve Myers of Applied Industrial Technologies located in Erie, Pa., said he was attending to lend support for industrial distribution. “We work with local manufacturers. We are bringing products and services that we help local manufacturer with and we are sharing the information today with everybody,” Myers said. Jeffrey Teluk, director of engineering science and mechanical technology, said area businesses got a chance to network, and showing students a classroom setting versus a job setting. “We also invited students to get a better idea of what (jobs) are out there as far capabilities. The students also get a contextual information as to what we show in a classroom versus what’s out there in the real world,” Teluk said. Teluk said another similar networking event is held in the spring where students have to have situational attire for a chance to maybe interview with prospective employers looking to hire workers. “They (the students) actually get a chance to get hired,” Teluk noted. Randy Biebel of FARO Technologies, Inc., located in Exton, Pa., showed students what 3-D scanning involved. Biebel said he takes an object and scans it in several different orientations to create one STL (stereolithography) model. STL is the type of file needed to print a 3-D copy of the object. “It only took a few moments, and we scanned by laser,” Biebel said. Tranum said that more young talent is needed in the manufacturing workforce. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox