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INFINADECK – SCALING UP THE MOVEMENT PLATFORM FOR THE METAVERSE WITH NEW CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER – EIN News https://collincountynewsonline.com/infinadeck-scaling-up-the-movement-platform-for-the-metaverse-with-new-chief-revenue-officer-ein-news/ Infinadeck Experience Patform INFINADECK ADDS VR/AR VETERAN, PHIL MARTIN AS CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER TO HELP SCALE UP THEIR TRUWALK MOVEMENT PLATFORM FOR THE METAVERSE Movement is critical to life in 3-D. It creates engagement and connection. We know this IRL: but it applies equally, if not more so, in the digital immersive realm, the so-called Metaverse.” — Phil Martin ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, October 12, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Infinadeck, the creators of the world’s only natural walking omnidirectional immersive experience platform, announced today that Phil Martin has joined the company’s Executive Leadership Team in the role of Chief Revenue Officer. Infinadeck is exponentially growing its market and client base across the enterprise, industrial, tactical, health care, gaming & fitness sectors through integrating real time, real movement into virtual and augmented reality experiences. Ken Bossung, Infinadeck’s CEO, said, “Immersive technology is ramping up the blending of our digital and physical worlds. Infinadeck continues to lead the way in integrating the power of real movement into virtual environments. Many people recognize our system from Ready Player One, the movie – what’s exciting is that now everyone can Step into the Metaverse with Infinadeck. “As we scale up the company at speed, we wanted to bring on board a power player in the VR/AR space. Phil has built up a formidable reputation for unlocking commercial success in the Location Based Virtual Reality (VR) industry. His deep background in Free Roam VR, his extensive senior management experience and his strategic relationships across the entire immersive experience ecosystem will be a critical addition to the Infinadeck executive leadership team going forward.” In the role of Chief Revenue Officer, Phil will lead global Sales and Marketing activity for Infinadeck and commercialize the company mission to bring true mobility to the virtual world. Phil said: “Movement is critical to life in 3-D. It creates engagement and connection, both with each other and with our surroundings. We know this IRL: but it applies equally, if not more so, in the digital immersive realm, the so-called Metaverse. “Infinadeck’s proprietary TruWalk omni-directional treadmill lets users unleash the interactive power of a physically dynamic virtual presence. Getting on the Infinadeck for the first time, I recognized how transformative this technology will be. Not surprisingly, I am absolutely delighted to be joining Infinadeck as we build the Movement Platform for the Metaverse. For More About Infinadeck Infinadeck Corporation created the Infinadeck Experience Platform, a mobility platform for the world’s most immersive virtual experiences, back in 2011. Infinadeck’s networked TruWalk omnidirectional treadmill system allows users to naturally walk or jog in any direction, in the real and virtual worlds. The company’s vision is improving reality through immersive mobility. The Infinadeck immersive experience platform unlocks the full potential of physically dynamic VR & AR presence. Find out more about how Infinadeck built the Movement Platform for the Metaverse. For Further Information Email: info@Infinadeck.com Call: (916) 292-9121 Visit www.infinadeck.com Step into the Metaverse with Infinadeck! Kenneth Bossung Infinadeck +1 916-292-0121 email us here Visit us on social media: Twitter LinkedIn You just read: EIN Presswire’s priority is source transparency. We do not allow opaque clients, and our editors try to be careful about weeding out false and misleading content. As a user, if you see something we have missed, please do bring it to our attention. Your help is welcome. EIN Presswire, Everyone’s Internet News Presswire, tries to define some of the boundaries that are reasonable in today’s world. Please see our Editorial Guidelines for more information. Submit your press release

New IPhones, Samsung Phones Sold Without Chargers, Earphones, Nigerians Kick – Legit.ng https://collincountynewsonline.com/new-iphones-samsung-phones-sold-without-chargers-earphones-nigerians-kick-legit-ng/ Apple and Samsung have resolved to ship their latest phones to Africa without the needed accessories The phone manufacturers cited environmental issues and plastic waste as the issue Nigerians, however, refused the assertion by the two makers saying they want to burden consumers with extra costs Frontline phone manufacturers have resolved to ship phones without accessories such as earphones and chargers, citing environmental issues. The move has put pressure on consumers who have to shop for the accessories separately, incurring additional costs. Nigerians kick over Samsung and iPhones sold without accessories Credit: Joy 1000 Source: Getty Images Samsung joins Apple to ditch accessories Samsung began the practice after Apple ditched the idea and stated that it wanted to curtail plastic waste and environmental degradation. PAY ATTENTION: Share your outstanding story with our editors! Please reach us through info@corp.legit.ng! The latest iPhone 14 and 14 Pro shipments, including the Samsung S21 and S22 series, came without chargers and earphones. The Brazilian example Last month, the Brazilian government banned the sale of iPhones without chargers. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security fined the company $2.34 million for the infraction. According to the order, environmental factors are insufficient for selling the products without the requisite accessories. However, consumers in Nigeria have lamented the decision of the top phone manufacturers as cumbersome and extra costs for them after coughing out huge sums to purchase already expensive gadgets. Nigerians react on social media On Twitter, Nigerians vented their anger at the phone makers for isolating them. “Now you buy a charger and air pods after buying a phone. What’s next? Phones won’t come with batteries, and you have to buy that separately? I cannot believe we are okay with this. Vehicle manufacturers are taking notes; soon you will buy a car and then buy a battery and tyres separately. Let’s be watching! “I really hope Europe does something about this so it can cascade across the world, America is the global HQ of capitalism so nothing will happen there,” he added. @SuogheneB said: “My Samsung came without an earpiece I demanded to know why and was told some even come without a charger. Not cool at all.” @robisky6 said: “This is serious oh. So, a first-time iPhone user will have to go buy a charger separately if peradventure he doesn’t have a spare one. That’s like renting an apartment without a roof.” New features in iPhone that have been on Android for years Legit.ng reported that Apple hyped many new features at its iPhone 14 event last week, but those features are very familiar to many Android users. iPhone users are entirely into Apple’s ecosystem and may not know that many of the features the company unveiled with glee have been in Android devices for years. Apple’s much-touted reality distortion field is also a reminder not to believe every claim by Apple. Source: Legit.ng

Crypto News Today: What Are The Top 3 Under-Hyped Crypto Coins Today – Stellar, Shiba Inu, And Moshnake? | – Bitcoinist https://collincountynewsonline.com/crypto-news-today-what-are-the-top-3-under-hyped-crypto-coins-today-stellar-shiba-inu-and-moshnake-bitcoinist/ The coin market is similar to other financial markets worldwide. Every experienced trader knows the importance of hype and how it can spur an asset to new heights. As a result, most traders are found purchasing coins with plenty of hype around them. While this may seem like a sound strategy, an interesting thing to note is that occasionally certain coins spring out of nowhere and take over the market space. Many times, these explosive price movements occur when no one is paying attention. If you’re interested in trying another trading strategy, purchasing coins that are not the center of the news and waiting for them to bloom, this piece is for you. You’ll find a list of crypto tokens that are currently underhyped but with the potential for much more. Stellar An interesting thing to note about the coin market is that several innovative digital assets exist. Each of them offers something different. While you’ll find coins that are satisfied with solely being used as a means of payment and transfer of assets, others provide a unique type of utility. Stellar is one of those projects introducing an entirely different set of features to the coin market. This cryptocurrency is designed to support payment systems worldwide. It aims to be the first blockchain-based solution to unite the traditional financial system. Think of the near-limitless potential that traditional financial institutions would enjoy if their transactions could be processed seamlessly without lengthy confirmations. This means that Stellar can be used to process cryptocurrency transactions. Stellar was a decentralized protocol created by the Stellar Development Foundation. XLM is the token that powers this decentralized protocol. Through token burns, the Stellar Development Foundation plans to maintain a high price of its digital asset. These burns will reduce the overall total supply of Stellar. Shiba Inu Shiba Inu was among the most popular meme coins on the coin market. But the hype around it has died down significantly. After Shiba Inu proved it could compete with Dogecoin, many users started flocking to it. They believed that Shiba Inu would be the next top coin in the crypto space. There were some interesting things to note about Shiba Inu. To start with, Shiba Inu adopts a community-driven approach. This means that a community of users will determine its growth and development. Today, there are more than five hundred thousand users on Shiba Inu, and there are still more on the way. This active community of users is referred to as the Shiba Army. Also, Shiba Inu’s developers recognized some of the deficiencies of Dogecoin. That’s why they have ensured that Shiba Inu will have a limited market supply. Furthermore, Shiba Inu is more than a meme coin. It will be an ecosystem of cryptocurrency activities. Through the ShibaSwap, users can trade different cryptocurrencies for each other. Shiba Inu has introduced token burns to reduce the number of SHIB in circulation and force its value to increase. Moshnake Moshnake is a play-to-earn NFT game that has won the hearts of crypto users worldwide. Why have users fallen in love with this crypto token? Well, Moshnake adopts the same system as an early retro game. So, this game brings back unique memories for users. Anyone can be a part of Moshnake’s gaming world, but you’ll need to get your own NFT snake to get started. You can buy either viper, cobra, krait or mamba. However, you need to note that the prices and attributes of each of them are different. Players will earn money from taking care of their NFT snake. The longer it gets, the more money you’ll earn from it. Your snake will grow by feeding it eggs and other in-game items. To purchase these items, you’ll spend MSH tokens. Moshnake: Website: https://moshnake.io Telegram: https://t.me/MoshnakeOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/moshnakeToken Disclaimer: This is a paid release. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent those of Bitcoinist. Bitcoinist does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of information available in such content. Do your research and invest at your own risk.

Asia-Pacific Markets Fall Ahead Of U.S. Inflation Data – CNBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/asia-pacific-markets-fall-ahead-of-u-s-inflation-data-cnbc/ A man looks at an electronic quotation board displaying stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on August 2, 2022. Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific were mixed on Thursday as investors await inflation data from the U.S. due later stateside. The Nikkei 225 in Japan was 0.6% lower at 26,237.42 and the Topix was down 0.77% at 1,854.61. Toshiba‘s stock rose more than 9% after local media Kyodo reported a potential buyout and closed 7.38% higher. Japan’s yen strengthened in Asia’s morning after touching 146.98 per dollar. South Korea’s Kospi shed 1.3% and the Kosdaq lost 2.71%. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong last traded 1.23% lower after struggling for direction earlier in the session. Mainland China’s stocks gave up gains — the Shanghai Composite was down 0.26% and the Shenzhen Component shed 0.155%. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.07% at 6,642.60. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.82%. Thailand’s market is closed for a holiday Thursday. TSMC’s third quarter net income surges around 80%, beats estimates Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s earnings topped estimates by posting a surge of almost 80% in its third-quarter net profit from a year ago. The Apple supplier’s net income rose to 280.9 billion new Taiwan dollars ($8.81 billion) for the July-September quarter – compared with 156.26 billion new Taiwan dollars for the same period in 2021. Analysts expected net profit of 265.64 billion new Taiwan dollars, according to Refinitiv data. – Jihye Lee Chips war to benefit Asian manufacturers: Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association The U.S. export restrictions could benefit many manufacturing countries in Asia including Malaysia, Wong Siew Hai, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association said. “Since they are putting tariffs on chips to ship out from China to the U.S., China has to find a solution. So basically, there’s a lot more room for opportunities for everybody,” Wong told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday. “Currently, there are instances of companies setting up in Malaysia, in Vietnam … [and] there are a lot more, because with more restrictions the U.S. put on China, China has to find solutions,” he said. — Su-Lin Tan TSMC secures one-year license from U.S. for China chip expansion, Nikkei reports Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has secured a one-year license to keep ordering U.S. chipmaking equipment for its China expansion, Nikkei reported, citing sources. The license from the U.S. government allows the company to continue shipping equipment to its plan in Nanjing, China, and serves as a temporary waiver from the latest sweeping rules announced by the U.S. The controls are aimed at preventing China from obtaining or manufacturing key chips and components for supercomputers. TSMC declined to comment to Nikkei. This comes after South Korea’s SK Hynix on Wednesday announced that it had received a one-year exemption from the U.S. government. –Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Goldman Sachs favors Tesla and one other big automaker even during an economic slowdown Goldman Sachs raised its forecasts for electric car sales and said Tesla and another big automaker will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act. It comes at a time when the auto sector faces multiple headwinds in 2023, from rising interest rates to a fall in consumer demand. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Ganesh Rao Japan’s September producer price index rises most in five months Earnings announcements: Taiwan’s TSMC, Japan’s Fast Retailing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is expected to report a 34.6% rise in revenue to $20.03 billion in the third quarter of this year, compared with $14.88 billion in the same period last year, according to Refinitiv data. The stock was trading 1.38% higher in Asia’s morning while the broader Taiex was about flat. Its U.S.-listed shares gained around 1% overnight. Meanwhile, analysts expect Japan’s Fast Retailing to post a record annual profit of 291 billion yen ($1.98 billion), or 17% increase for the full fiscal year, estimates from Refinitive show. Fast Retailing’s shares were last up 0.09%. — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: Is Meta a stock to buy or dodge? A bull and a bear face off These are tumultuous times for Meta, with investors fleeing this year as it struggles with headwinds. The stock in late September plunged to trade at its lowest since January 2019 – and since then has dropped even more. Do big investors consider the Facebook parent a buy, now that its shares are so cheap, or is it one to avoid? CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” spoke to Paul Meeks of Independent Solutions Wealth Management, and Jake Dollarhide of Longbow Asset Management, as they face off in making their bull-and-bear case for Meta. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan Shares of biotech firm BeiGene jump 20% after positive update on blood cancer drug Hong Kong-listed shares of Beigene jumped 20% at the open after the company announced positive late-stage data from its blood cancer drug. The biotechnology company said its treatment for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma is currently under review with the FDA, with a decision expected in January 2023. –Jihye Lee Toshiba up more than 9% after report of potential buyout Shares of Toshiba jumped as high as 9.4% after a report said a consortium could acquire the company for about $19 billion. Kyodo News reported that the Tokyo-based fund leading the group, Japan Industrial Partners, asked multiple companies, including Chubu Electric Power and Orix, to take part in the move, citing people familiar with the matter. Toshiba could be delisted if the buyout is completed. –Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: This EV battery-related sector is attractive right now, and Citi names stocks to cash in This sector could be the next big technology to power electric vehicles, with Citi calling it one of the ten fastest growing industrial tech markets as it highlights opportunities in this space. Morgan Stanley also flagged one stock that it says is a “hidden EV battery play.” CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan Stocks close lower after choppy session All three major averages closed lower Wednesday after whipsawing between gains and losses throughout the day. The S&P 500 shed 0.33%, falling to 3,577.03, its lowest close since November 2020 and its sixth consecutive daily loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 28.34 points, or 0.10%, to close at 29,210.85. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.09% to close at 10,417.10. —Carmen Reinicke Fed minutes show central bank sees more rate increases, higher rates for longer The Federal Reserve’s September meeting minutes, released Wednesday, show that the central bank expects to continue increasing interest rates and hold them higher until inflation shows signs of abating. The minutes reflect policymaker’s discussions ahead of the last 0.75 percentage point increase, the third consecutive hike of that size delivered this year. The central bank has been surprised with the persistent pace of inflation, but remain optimistic that rate hikes will help bring price increases back in check. —Carmen Reinicke, Jeff Cox

Apple AirPods Pro 2 Review: A Complete Package | Technology News – The Indian Express https://collincountynewsonline.com/apple-airpods-pro-2-review-a-complete-package-technology-news-the-indian-express/ I wouldn’t have made it through the lockdown period if not for the large terrace in my old apartment block and my AirPods Pro. I used the latter so much on long calls while I walked on the terrace, that one evening when I tried to clock more steps than usual, they popped out of my sweaty ears and got trampled under my feet. The AirPods Pro was my closest ally in my loneliness, as well as in the claustrophobic environs of Zoom calls. Now the latest version is here, and with some extra features on what was already the best truly wireless earphones out there. Truly wireless earphones are hard to improve, especially if the audio quality is already good. But Apple has thought out of the box on how this can be achieved, justifying the gap between device updates. There is almost no change in the design, or so you will think initially. But there are new elements here — a small lanyard loop, the ability to be charged using the Apple Watch charger, and some speaker grills. Why would the AirPods Pro case need speakers, you might wonder? Well, this is because Apple is trying to solve a problem faced by many users, that of misplacing the case. Now, one can use the FindMy app on your iPhone to seek and find the case, like you would use the Apple AirTags. If you are near the location and still can’t find it, there is the option to make the case play a tone, and that is why these have speakers. There are new elements here — a small lanyard loop, the ability to be charged using the Apple Watch charger and some speaker grills. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan / Indian Express) I tested the feature first at the Ahmedabad Airport while waiting for a flight, and it worked wonderfully well in the crowded space with multiple iPhones for the device to send pings to. Back home in Noida, the AirPods still seem to show the Airport as its location, even though it’s been over 10 days since I returned from Gujarat. I think this is because the phone recognises that the AirPods are nearby and with the earbuds inside them. Setting up Apple devices is so easy. As soon as you take the AirPods Pro out of the box, the iPhone starts guiding you on what to do next. In the process, it also asks you to take photos of your ears, so that it can customise the spatial audio experience for you. Many other earphones, especially from Sony, do this now. You can also check if the silicone tips are fitting perfectly, and the app will recommend if you need a better seal. All this preps you for the experience that is coming. One can use the FindMy app on your iPhone to seek and find the case like you would use the Apple AirTags (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan / Indian Express) The first AirPods Pro had very good noise cancelling. And Apple has really outperformed itself with what it offers in this version. The noise cancelling is perfect in many aspects, and it is not just keeping the noise out. Once you wear the new AirPods Pro, it is as if you are wearing two pods of silence. They just negate the sharpest noises and soften everything else. And it does so without creating the sort of negative space that we in the initial years identified with noise cancelling. While travelling in the US, one thing you realise is how popular the AirPods are as a product. It is as if everyone is wearing a pair. And this is where the new adaptive transparency feature on the new AirPods Pro is so innovative. When in transparency mode, the AirPods immediately cancel out loud noises around you on their own. This is a great feature for those wearing these in urban environments. This is also where the difference between Apple’s noise cancellation and transparency modes needs to be underlined. You have the noise cancellation mode, where most ambient noise around you is negated. You can switch this off and hear what you would without the AirPods on. But in transparency mode, you actually hear a bit better than natural. This is the best mode to be in when you are with people or in a situation where you might have to interact with others, like at an airport. In a noisy restaurant, this will ensure you hear everyone at the dinner table. Once you wear the new AirPods Pro it is as if you are wearing two pods of silence. They just negate the sharpest noises and soften everything else. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan / Indian Express) There is a lot of ease with using the AirPods Pro, especially if you are a slave of the Apple ecosystem as I am. For one, the AirPods know when they are in your ears and switch on noise cancellation automatically. Then they connect by default to your iPhone. If you are working on the MacBook, it sends you prompts asking if you want to connect there. If you do, and then later shut the MacBook, it goes back to pairing with the iPhone. Yesterday, I was in the office canteen and didn’t realise I had left the iPhone on my desk. That’s when a call came in and I had to take it on the watch. Voila, the call was in my ear thanks to the AirPods, which I had previously not connected to the Apple Watch Ultra, which I was reviewing last week. That’s the ease of use you pay for, along with everything else. But how good is the audio quality? Well, let me tell you that spatial audio makes more sense on Apple devices than earphones from others. For instance, I was listening to the latest episode of my favourite Empire podcast at the Delhi airport, and the spatial audio made it feel like I was in a room flanked by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand. The sense of space these tiny AirPod Pros can recreate, even while listening to a simple podcast, is amazing. And this goes to a whole new level when you listen to something from Apple Music that is produced to be consumed with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. Like Luke Combs performing Hurricane for a live audience literally transports you to Charlotte. It is as close as possible to the real thing. With something richer, for instance, the title track of Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, the AirPods show their versatility. They fill up your ears with layers and step up the game when needed, but without trampling on the details that add so much to the composition. This is almost like a microscopic study of the OST, with notes big and small getting the same amount of attention. Ramin Djawadi’s overture for Surreal is in a different spectrum altogether. The AirPod Pro’s near-surreal noise cancellation mixes with Djawadi’s soft notes to create a satin cushion into which you can sink in, and float to your own lonely worlds. I was listening to the latest episode of my favourite Empire podcast at the Delhi airport and the spatial audio made it feel like I was in a room flanked by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand. The AirPods are easy to control by pressing on their stems to pause, play or skip a song. And you swipe up the step to increase volume. But I preferred using the iPhone, which was almost always nearby, to do these. The battery life is good enough to last a week with regular usage. If like me, you also wear the AirPods all day long to cut out the noises that have started permeating our lives as we return to public spaces, then you can maybe squeeze in three days on a full charge. But the best thing for me is how this can be juiced up on the wireless charger I have on my office table. At Rs 26,900, the new AirPods Pro are not for everyone. But I would like to stick my neck out and call these the best truly wireless earphones around. Now, I am saying this not because these have the best audio profile at the moment. There are models from Sony and Sennheiser that maybe do a better job, but no other earphone offers such a complete package as the AirPods Pro. This is a bundle of the best noise cancelling, ease of use, convenience and audio quality, especially for Apple users. And that makes the AirPods Pro worth every penny you spend on them.

Waco Stages Feature Latin Music, Ibsen Drama – Waco Tribune-Herald https://collincountynewsonline.com/waco-stages-feature-latin-music-ibsen-drama-waco-tribune-herald/ Waco stages will offer an international flavor in music and drama this weekend with the Waco Civic Theatre presenting an evening of Latin jazz and popular song, and the Silent House Theatre Company mounting a production of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s classic “Hedda Gabler.” Austin musician and native Costa Rican Estéban Alvarez, a Steinway Artist, will provide the music Friday and Saturday in a WCT fundraiser, a presentation that came about through his long friendship and collaboration with WCT actor, supporter and board secretary Piers Bateman. Estéban Alvarez Waco Civic Theatre, provided The two met when Alvarez studied piano at Baylor University some 20 years ago and had kept in touch since then, due in part to a common love of music. Bateman has translated the Spanish lyrics of several songs Alvarez recorded or performed over the years, including on Alvarez’s third and most recent album, “Roots of the World.” After Baylor, the pianist went on to earn a degree in jazz studies from the University of North Texas and has built a career as an Austin-based musician and consultant with Steinway & Sons, with frequent travels to countries in Latin and South America and Europe to perform and record. He’s been a Steinway Artist for nearly a decade and he presently leads Chorus Austin as its executive director. His program in Waco draws heavily from the sources that inform his recent album, in which he interprets songs from Costa Rica, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua, Cuba, Colombia and El Salvador. Jazz influences his play, but doesn’t constrain it, and he considers himself a performer of world music rather than one limited to the Americas. “I’m not a classical pianist or a jazz pianist. I’m a world music instrumentalist,” he said during a recent stop at the theater. “World music is like defining ‘freedom’ — we all know what it means, but it’s hard to define.” Much of what he writes and plays can be found online in his YouTube and Instagram channels and Facebook page. The pianist intends to bring colleagues with roots in El Salvador, Brazil, Honduras and his native Costa Rica, depending on their availability. The evening fundraisers start at 7 p.m. with food and drink, followed by Alvarez at 8 p.m. Ibsen play At the Jubilee Theatre this weekend, Silent House Theatre Company will kick off the first weekend of its production of “Hedda Gabler.” The drama, considered one of Ibsen’s leading works, follows a Norwegian wife (Valerie Davis) trapped in a loveless marriage, who begins to scheme in her academic husband’s life and those of their acquaintances. Director Collin Selman said the Ibsen classic was on the company’s short list of dramas to tackle and follows its August production of the Broadway musical “Godspell.” Though “Hedda Gabler” and its strong protagonist lead some to consider the 1891 play an early feminist work, Selman sees the play in the light of mental health. Gabler’s frustration at the household role in which her husband and culture try to confine her leads to anxiety and depression with destructive consequences. “She’s very, very, very manipulative and lacks empathy,” he observed. The play takes place in a single room, with much of the plot’s action happening offstage. To emphasize the sense of claustrophobia that Gabler feels, Selman is keeping the characters of his seven-person company onstage at all times, though sometimes behind a scrim. And to underline the interpersonal power struggles between characters, actors will perform on a surface suggesting a checkered chessboard, with multiple levels hinting at characters’ level of power. The drama’s two-weekend run at Jubilee Theatre starts Friday with the opening night performance signed by American Sign Language interpreters. True to its eclectic form, Silent House Theatre Company will follow its two-weekend run of “Hedda Gabler” next month with the Stephen Sondheim musical “Company.” Stay up-to-date on what’s happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

Trips To Italy, 6-Course Dinners And Endless Booze: Do Fancy Work Trips Really Stop Staff Leaving? – Euronews https://collincountynewsonline.com/trips-to-italy-6-course-dinners-and-endless-booze-do-fancy-work-trips-really-stop-staff-leaving-euronews/ Imagine waking up to early morning yoga in the hills of Piedmont. Archery lessons overlooking a sprawling castle. Limousines, five-star hotels and Michelin-starred cuisine. But this isn’t a holiday. This is a company offsite. As we emerge from pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, many companies are maintaining a fully remote model. In some cases, in-person interactions have become a thing of the past, making it challenging to establish a strong company culture. For some companies, a team lunch doesn’t cut it anymore. They’re looking at far-flung locations, luxury hotel stays and meticulously designed experiences to quickly establish trust between employees that have only met through a screen. We spoke with some experts to learn more about the trend, and why it’s important.  What is a company offsite? Offsites are team-building days designed to bond employees, brainstorm, boost morale and establish a company culture. These are often an opportunity for managers to organise focus groups and explore the ‘big picture’ goals of the company. The ‘traditional’ image of a company team-building day is in a hotel conference room, with employees taking part in challenges and presentations. Now, and especially as we emerge from the pandemic, companies are blurring the line between work and vacation to keep a stronghold on company culture. What do company offsites look like today? There have been reports of Uber taking its employees to a Beyoncé concert in Las Vegas, a WeWork summer camp fueled with booze and sex, and Glossier’s lavish ‘glamping’ trips. The New York Post reports the owner of a Chicago recruiting company “used the money her company saved on office rent during 2020 and 2021 to shell out $80,000 [€82,500] for her employees to take a three-day weekend trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in February.” And at night, the booze always comes out. “It’s still one of the oldest tricks in the book if you want to get people to bond,” Johannes Hoyos, owner of the Piedmont-based Workation Village, says to Euronews Travel. “Give them some booze and then it’s gonna happen.” Aron Solomon, the head of strategy at Esquire Digital, also noted that all-nighters in Berlin and Paris, clubs, and lavish dinners are pretty commonplace for big firms. “Believe me, when they go to these offsites, they stay in the best hotels, they’re eating at the best restaurants – at least the big companies, the big law and accounting firms,” Solomon reveals. “We’re talking about a lot of expensive meals. We’re talking about limousines for airport transfers, $500 to $700 [€515-€720] night rooms.” Which destinations are most popular for company offsites? Solomon says US companies are looking to Europe more than ever, and expects this to continue into next year. He expects this is a reaction to the pandemic lockdowns. “People have missed Europe… A lot of these executives or people who get to go offsite, who might have travelled to Europe regularly, have missed it,” he says. “So the idea of a company doing an offsite kills two birds with one stone.” New companies have been popping up in Europe that design and host company team-building trips. Again, we’re not talking about a conference room or business lunch. Solomon predicts companies will be looking for “something kind of exotic” in their 2023 offsites. In 2021, Hoyos transformed a sparsely populated Italian village into a campus for company trips. The Workation Village hosts multi-day offsites for big names like Google and Spotify, for up to 200 people. Hoyos tells Euronews Travel to think of it as a sort of countryside boutique hotel meets modern co-working space meets yoga retreat meets adventure space. According to Hoyos, being in a stunning natural setting is conducive to creative and productive thinking. “Our brains are super hardwired to come back again to certain patterns of thought,” he explains. “When we are in our typical environments – cities, airports, meeting rooms, office spaces, restaurants, hotels – [they] tend to trigger these patterns that we are hardwired to.” Breaking routine and being in a natural setting breaks that cycle. What’s the point of company away days? Though individual companies may plan away days with specific goals, there’s one theme that seems everpresent: building trust. This is especially important now in a remote working environment. Most of the Workation Village’s clients are technology companies that are otherwise working remotely. – “The goal of those teams is to get to know one another because they normally don’t work together in the same space,” Hoyos says. “That’s one of the key issues. How do you build trust?”  Hoyos describes that being in such close proximity in a new environment can create bonds between employees in a way that may not be possible virtually. “Say for the first time in your life, you’re participating in yoga and you do these awkward movements and you feel a bit embarrassed,” he theorises. “But then you feel like it’s ok, and this creates trust.” Now, in the age of social media, cool offsites have also been an opportunity for company branding. “We have local photographers and videographers, and we help [employees] to use content around their experiences here to tell the story about their company, their team, company culture, and so on,” Hoyos says. As businesses continue to adapt to hybrid systems – and employees become more selective about the companies they work for – offsite opportunities could be a powerful tool in the modern workplace.

AP Top Business News At 12:12 A.m. EDT – WTMJ https://collincountynewsonline.com/ap-top-business-news-at-1212-a-m-edt-wtmj/ AP Top Business News at 12:12 a.m. EDT  WTMJ

Pa. Student Wins 4-H Youth In Action Award For Healthy Living – Farm And Dairy https://collincountynewsonline.com/pa-student-wins-4-h-youth-in-action-award-for-healthy-living-farm-and-dairy/ National 4-H Council recently announced that Norah Carter, 18, of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, was named winner of the 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award for Healthy Living. (Pennsylvania 4-H photo) CHEVY CHASE, Maryland — National 4-H Council recently announced that Norah Carter, 18, of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, was named winner of the 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award for Healthy Living.  Carter will be recognized nationally for developing and leading a hands-on educational program about mindfulness and stress management for teens and tweens.  Launched in 2010, the 4-H Youth in Action Awards recognize 4-H’ers who have applied the knowledge gained in 4-H to create a lasting impact in their communities while overcoming personal obstacles.  As a national winner, Carter will receive a $5,000 higher education scholarship and spend 2023 inspiring other youth by telling her 4-H story and celebrating her leadership. In addition, she will have opportunities to showcase her story nationally, network with prominent 4-H alumni, and serve as the official 4-H youth spokesperson for Healthy Living.  Connections “After seeing the emotional impact that the pandemic had on my peers, I knew that I had to get involved to lift them up during this tough time — and 4-H helped me do just that,” said Carter. “Using my experience living with a disability, paired with 4-H curricula, I was able to connect with at-risk populations through workshops to help them navigate the difficulties they were facing in a healthy and productive way.”  Carter was introduced to Pennsylvania 4-H through competitive therapeutic riding classes when she was 8 years old. She used the resiliency and coping skills she developed while navigating life with a disability and adapted 4-H health curriculums to help other youth cope with the unique challenges they were facing throughout the pandemic.  By teaching the curriculum online, Norah was able to reach diverse audiences including inner-city middle school students, suburban tweens and previously-incarcerated youth.  She has also co-facilitated a four-session workshop on anti-vaping, the importance of strong social circles and stress coping mechanisms. Carter is one of four 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award Pillar Winners who were announced during National 4-H Week, held Oct. 2-8.  Other winners The other winners announced include Matias Habib of Illinois (Agriculture), Nicole Cash of Minnesota (STEM) and Sruthi Sudarson of California (Civic Engagement).  “We are proud to honor our 2023 Youth in Action winners, a group of exceptional young people who have overcome obstacles and made an incredible impact on their communities through Cooperative Extension’s 4-H programs,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. “By empowering these stand-out youth and fostering their skills to make change, they in turn can inspire thousands of other young people wanting to make a difference. When given the tools they need to lead, 4-H’ers like Matias, Sruti, Norah and Nicole are becoming the next generation of changemakers in their communities and for our country.”  Carter leveraged her role as vice president of operations of the Pennsylvania’s State 4-H Council to advocate for a statewide theme of diversity and inclusion called “Be Different, Together,” which was recognized and accepted by her state 4-H program.  A freshman at Denison University, Carter is studying global health and politics, philosophy and economics and hopes to work in public policy or law as an advocate for those with physical and mental disabilities.  To learn more about the 4-H Youth in Action Awards and to view the other pillar winners from around the country, visit 4-h.org/youthinaction. STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox!

Browns’ Brissett Still Confident Despite Mistakes | News, Sports, Jobs – Warren Tribune Chronicle https://collincountynewsonline.com/browns-brissett-still-confident-despite-mistakes-news-sports-jobs-warren-tribune-chronicle/ Cleveland Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett takes questions during the news conference after an NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Cleveland. The Browns lost 30-28. (AP Photo/David Richard) BEREA — Jacoby Brissett’s been classy for the Browns, not clutch. After throwing three interceptions, all in the final three minutes of Cleveland’s three losses, Brissett watched the game film and dissected every detail of his picks, two of which ended the Browns’ chance at a comeback. He looked for a common thread, reasons for the mistakes. Brissett found them and figured out how to prevent a recurrence. “It’s no scientific answer,” he said. “It’s just don’t do it.” If it were only that simple. His picks aside, Brissett has been everything the Browns (2-3) could have hoped while starting while quarterback Deshaun Watson serves his 11-game suspension for alleged sexual misconduct. Brissett has played well while providing leadership and stability to a potentially awkward situation. Only in crunch time, he’s crumbled. On Sunday, with the Browns trailing the Los Angeles Chargers by one and only needing a field goal to take the lead, Brissett made a bad decision inside the 10-yard line and threw an interception in the end zone with 2:55 left. A week earlier in Atlanta, Brissett forced a pass into heavy coverage and was intercepted with 1:03 remaining to secure the Falcons’ 23-20 win. And in Week 2, after the Browns had melted down and blown a 13-point lead in the final two minutes, Brissett was intercepted with 13 seconds to go. There’s nothing he can do about the miscues now but learn from them. He can’t look over his shoulder despite his days as a starter dwindling with Watson returning to the team’s facility as his ban nears its end. Brissett’s only option? Move forward. “It’s something that’s part of the game that obviously I’m trying to work on and get better at,” he said Wednesday when asked about his late-game errors. “And, listen, clearly I haven’t lost trust in myself or confidence in myself.” Brissett’s next chance to atone will be Sunday as the Browns host the New England Patriots (2-3), who drafted him in 2016 and had to start him as a rookie when Tom Brady was suspended for “Deflategate” and backup Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt. Brissett has fond memories of his one season with New England, and the Patriots remember him as dependable. “Jacoby looks like Jacoby,” coach Bill Belichick said. “Big kid. Strong arm. Tough. Smart. Does a good job with the system that they’re running. Doesn’t turn the ball over.” Brissett’s reputation for avoiding turnovers was one of the main reasons he appealed to the Browns when they were looking for a quarterback to plug in during Watson’s absence. In 30 starts over four seasons with Indianapolis, he only threw 13 interceptions. And while his three this season are magnified because of when they happened, they haven’t caused coach Kevin Stefanski to lose any faith in Brissett. “There are going to be moments that you absolutely have to bounce back from,” Stefanski said, “and just the makeup that Jacoby has and the things he’s seen, the things he’s been through, I have no doubt in my mind that he will be ready to go Sunday.” Brissett’s teammates are equally confident. They’ve been impressed with the 29-year-old’s composure and consistency and don’t see that changing. “Jacoby’s a great player,” said Nick Chubb, the NFL’s leading rusher. “We all know it’s a bad decision (the interception against the Chargers), but he’s owned up to it. He feels really guilty about it, but then again, he’s the one who put us in position to win the game time in and time out. “Those things happen. We’ve all been there, so it’s not really something to beat yourself up over. You just gotta learn from it.” Brissett promised to do just that. He’s overcome self-doubt, anxiety and grown from experiences — good and bad. He’s not going to let a couple of bad throws, albeit costly ones, change him. “It’s over now. The game’s over,” he said. “I can’t go back and do anything about that. I moved past that a long time ago. So excited for this opportunity and this next one we got.” NOTES: Newly acquired LB Deion Jones practiced for the first time since coming over in a trade from Atlanta. Cleveland’s defense has allowed more than 200 yards rushing the past two games, and Jones could help plug the middle. Jones is trying to quickly learn the Browns’ system, and Stefanski said it’s possible he’ll play this week. … DE Jadeveon Clowney sat out practice with ankle, knee and elbow injuries. … Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward remains in the concussion protocol. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

First Mover Asia: How Many Metaverse Users Are There? The Figures Are Debatable And Discouraging – CoinDesk https://collincountynewsonline.com/first-mover-asia-how-many-metaverse-users-are-there-the-figures-are-debatable-and-discouraging-coindesk/ Good morning. Here’s what’s happening: Prices: Bitcoin rose slightly amid tepid trading as investors await the next Consumer Price Index – not that it will likely present any surprises. Insights: Metaverse companies would like you to think that they’ve built significant followings, but data suggests that’s far from the case. Catch the latest episodes of CoinDesk TV for insightful interviews with crypto industry leaders and analysis. And sign up for First Mover, our daily newsletter putting the latest moves in crypto markets in context. ● CoinDesk Market Index (CMI): 939.17 +0.1% ● Bitcoin (BTC): $19,117 +0.4% ● Ether (ETH): $1,294 +1.0% ● S&P 500 daily close: 3,577.03 −0.3% ● Gold: $1,679 per troy ounce +0.0% ● Ten-year Treasury yield daily close: 3.90% −0.04 Bitcoin, ether and gold prices are taken at approximately 4pm New York time. Bitcoin is the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (XBX); Ether is the CoinDesk Ether Price Index (ETX); Gold is the COMEX spot price. Information about CoinDesk Indices can be found at coindesk.com/indices. Bitcoin’s Ongoing Sounds of Silence Bitcoin’s quiet life continued. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was recently trading just over $19,100, about flat for the past 24 hours as investors waited for Thursday’s release of the next U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI). Barring the unexpected, the CPI is expected to show a slight drop, but hardly sufficient to sway the U.S. central bank from its current monetary aggressiveness. BTC has remained rangebound for weeks, largely between $19,000 and $21,000, although it dipped briefly below the lower support on Wednesday. Trading volume has remained tepid, falling regularly below 20-day averages. “Nothing happening today, Bodhi Pinkner, a research analyst at crypto-focused financial services firm Arca, told CoinDesk. “Markets were up marginally.” Pinkner added: “Very, very low trading volumes across the space. We’ve been stuck in a range.” Ether, the second largest crypto in market value, was recently changing hands below $1,300, about where it stood much of Wednesday but up roughly 1% from Tuesday, same time. Other major cryptos were mostly flat, although SUSHI recently fell more than 5%, while TRON was up more than 1%. The CoinDesk Market Index (CMI), a broad-based market index that measures the performance of a basket of cryptocurrencies, was flat. Stocks cast their promising first two days of October further in the rearview mirror as the tech-heavy Nasdaq, the S&P 500, which has a strong technology component, and Dow Jones Industrial Average extended their current losing streaks to six days. Markets chewed nervously over a 0.4% increase in September’s producer-price index, a discouraging sign following the previous month’s slight decrease. CPI observers anticipate the latest reading remaining above 8% with core inflation, which eliminates the impact of volatile food and energy prices, rising to 6.5%, a four-decade high. The increase would bolster an already determined Federal Reserve’s argument for continuing its recent diet of sharp interest rate hikes, discouraging already skittish investors from riskier assets. In an on-stage discussion Wednesday at the International Monetary Fund’s annual meeting, the organization’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, said that central banks should refrain from currency interventions, instead suggesting that they use interest-rate raises as the preferred tool for combating foreign-exchange weakness versus the dollar. “Do not waste your reserves to protect your currency,” Georgieva said Arca’s Pinkner noted a downward trend in the correlation between cryptocurrencies and other risk assets “over the last couple of months. “However, in order for any decoupling, you likely need a catalyst, and it’s possible that catalyst would be widespread currency debasement across various economies and mostly to bitcoin as a non-sovereign, safe haven asset, and it’s possible that catalyst is unforeseen or that there’s just no catalyst, and we remain correlated to risk assets.” Biggest Gainers Biggest Losers The Metaverse Struggles to Catch On The Metaverse is in need of a census. A few have tried, but so far nobody can agree about the findings of the enumerators. Horizon Worlds, like Decentraland and the metaverse at large, isn’t as popular as what Mark Zuckerberg or Metaverse token holders want you to think. The problem is in the numbers. Earlier this month, The Verge reported Meta’s VR social network Horizon Worlds is so bug-ridden that even its developers aren’t using it much. “But currently feedback from our creators, users, playtesters, and many of us on the team is that the aggregate weight of papercuts, stability issues, and bugs is making it too hard for our community to experience the magic of Horizon,” Meta’s VP of Metaverse, Vishal Shah, wrote in a memo obtained by The Verge. “Simply put, for an experience to become delightful and retentive, it must first be usable and well crafted.” Meta claims that Horizon Worlds has 300,000 signups, but there’s no indication of how many are active users. One proxy could involve looking at the population of related Facebook groups: the official Horizon Worlds page has 31,644 followers while an official Horizon Worlds Facebook community group has 28,200 members. Let’s assume there’s plenty of overlap meaning the higher number is the total addressable market. If we want to figure out the serviceable available market we must look at the install base of virtual reality headsets. (Steam Hardware Survey/Steampowered.com) Digital gaming store Steam – a must-have for any PC gamer – says that 2% of its 132 million monthly active users have a VR headset. Of this two million, 64% are using Meta’s Oculus headsets, putting the install base at 1.28 million. So with that in mind, even if Meta’s figure of 300,000 is correct it only means that 23% of its VR install base is using what Meta believes to be the future of the company. But that’s the best-case scenario, the more realistic number is closer to 31,644 which would mean that around 2% of the VR install base is using Horizon Worlds as Meta intended. Decentraland’s fuzzy math But what about Decentraland? There was some MANA mania earlier this week when CoinDesk, citing DappRadar numbers, reported that it was a lonely world with 38 people in the $1.3 billion ecosystem. DappRadar’s number relies on analyzing smart contracts from Decentraland that are being interacted with. Decentraland HQ says it’s not looking at the whole picture and only a handful of the hundreds of available smart contracts. Decentraland, instead, offers its own sets of numbers via its portal DCL-Metrics which says that there have been around 7000 unique users in the last 24 hours visiting 6900-odd virtual parcels. The validity of these numbers begins to dissolve once you take a closer look at them. Their data shows that there are also dozens of ‘marathon users’ that have spent the majority of the day in Decentraland. Marathon users (https://dcl-metrics.com/) There’s also another list of users – that don’t seem to overlap – that have visited hundreds of parcels during the course of the day. Clearly, there are bots among us. Perhaps the most realistic number from DCL-Metrics could be found in the daily active users at the ICE Poker house, which it says is just under 3000. This might actually be where Decentraland’s real population lies as ICE Poker has an actual, documented player base. There are two more stars in the sky of data that can help us triangulate a position. On Github, Decentraland runs something called a Catalyst Monitor, a tool for tracking the load on each of its servers which it calls catalysts. (https://decentraland.github.io/catalyst-monitor/) The count from the servers shows that there are 518 total users on the platform as of late Wednesday afternoon Asia time. This number comes close to the headcount of 457 that Nansen estimates on its Entity Billboard tool. Nansen would like to stress that this tool is very much in Beta, and only tracks 72 of the smart contracts Decentraland uses. At the same time, there are 269,698 unique holders of MANA tokens. Even if we use some best-case numbers from ICE’s poker house count of 3000 as a proxy for Decentraland’s total active population (this would be a best case scenario, realistically the number is closer to what Catalyst and Nansen provide) that means only 1% of MANA token holders are users of the platform. Not exactly a bullish case for Decentraland and the Metaverse at large. But we had all of this a decade ago with Second Life. Which had better graphics, smoother gameplay, and an actual community – not token holders pumping their bags trying to make you believe that this is the future of the internet. In case you missed it, here is the most recent episode of “First Mover” on CoinDesk TV: There’s been another massive exploit in crypto, this time tied to market manipulation on Mango, a Solana-based decentralized exchange. “First Mover” discussed the state of the crypto industry and markets with Tribe Capital co-founder and CEO Arjun Sethi. CoinDesk’s Cheyenne Ligon provided an update in Grayscale’s lawsuit against the SEC over the agency’s rejection of Grayscale’s Bitcoin ETF application. Plus, DIMO aims to help drivers gain and monetize their car data, and DIMO co-founder Andy Chatham joined the conversation. Ethereum’s Second- Layer Projects Duke It Out for Dominance: Ethereum’s layer 2 scaling platforms are taking center stage in the network’s newest chapter, and it is unclear whether first movers hold the greatest advantage. Canadian Self-Regulatory Agency Approves First Crypto-Native...

Amazon Prime Day Fall 2022 LIVE — Best Deals Available For Members This October – How To Sign Up For Fre… – The US Sun https://collincountynewsonline.com/amazon-prime-day-fall-2022-live-best-deals-available-for-members-this-october-how-to-sign-up-for-fre-the-us-sun/ Live Blog BIG DEALS Updated: 1:00 ET, Oct 13 2022 DAY 2 of Amazon’s October Prime Day sale is underway, and there are huge markdowns, even if you sign up for free. If you are not a Prime member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial here. Remember to cancel your membership after the trial is up (if you want to, that is), otherwise, you’ll be charged $14.99/month plus tax. Also called the Amazon Prime Early Access Sale, Prime members can save up to 50 percent on popular Amazon tech items, including the Echo Dot and Fire TV Stick 4K. Both items have been marked down to $24.99 from their original prices of $49.99. The Amazon Prime Day October sale offers huge discounts which will end at 11.59pm (PST) Wednesday, and only Amazon Prime members can access the deals. We have our deals experts picking out the best offers for you, but we also recommend checking prices using the website camelcamelcamel.com., which shows you whether the item has been cheaper in the past. Happy shopping, but remember, a deal isn’t a deal if you don’t need the item. Shop all the Prime Day October Deals here Read our Amazon Prime Day live blog for the latest updates… Walmart Prime Day deals Walmart is known for throwing a rival Prime Day sale – it did it in July and it’s doing it again now. You can currently get a Drew Barrymore 8QT Slow Cooker for $35 (saving $14.96), a Soundcore Pro Portable speaker for $59 (saving $50), and a Cricut bundle for $279.99 (saving $49.01), plus much more. Shop Walmart’s deals here Amazon Prime Day Gift Card Deal Prime Members can get $10 credit when they spend $50 on gift cards in Amazon’s Prime Early Access sale. Sign up here When is the next Prime Day? Amazon has yet to announce when the next Prime Day sale will be. Usually, there’s only one Prime Day per year which takes place around Amazon’s birthday in mid-July. However, we expect to see similar discounts to the Fall Prime Day during Black Friday next month. Shop October’s Prime Day deals here Read about Amazon’s Black Friday sale here Amazon Prime Day 2022, explained Usually, Amazon Prime Day is an annual online sale the retail giant holds in July. However, Amazon is holding a second event this year called the Prime Early Access Sale in October. Prime Day was originally launched in 2015 to celebrate Amazon’s 20th birthday but has since evolved into a cult-like sale comparable to Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Looking for an Amazon device at a discount? Prime Day and Black Friday are some of the best times to pick up Amazon devices at their cheapest prices. Here are some of the best deals we’ve spotted in the October Prime Day sale: Echo Dot (3rd Gen) bundle with Amazon Smart Plug, $17.99 (save $46.99)- buy here Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) with Amazon Smart Plug, $34.99 (save $74.99)- buy here Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) Kids + Echo Glow, $50.99 (save $73.99)- buy here Fire 7 Kids Tablet, $86.79 (save $76.18)- buy here Blink Whole Home Bundle, $139.96 (save $70)- buy here Kindle Oasis, $199.99 (save $269.99)- buy here Fire TV Gaming Bundle with Fire TV Stick, $74.98 (save $50)- buy here Amazon Prime membership cost The premium membership gets customers free next-day delivery and access to Prime TV shows, eBooks, and even live music events. It costs $139 per year or $14.99 per month, depending on the payment plan you choose. How long the offers last Prime Day 2022 lasts for 48 hours, and only Amazon Prime members can access the deals. Some offers are available for the entire period of Amazon Prime Day, while “Lightning Deals” are only available for a limited time, like a few hours. If you are not a Prime member There is a trick you can use to take advantage of the sale if you’re not currently an Amazon Prime member. Sign up for free to get a 30-day Amazon Prime trial here, and then cancel the membership before the trial is up. Make sure you remember to cancel the subscription though, otherwise you’ll be charged the full amount. When does Prime Early Access end? The Prime sale ends today, October 12, at 11.59pm PST (2.59am ET). Shop Prime Day 2’s best deals here Fire Stick benefits revealed The Fire Stick’s main screen will guide you through setting it up with your wireless network and ensuring your favorite streaming apps are on your profile. You can also set up different profiles for every family member, meaning that making one for the true-crime lover, one for the kids, one for your sports fan, and one for your Bravo binger was never easier! The Fire Stick supports many streaming channels, including Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Sling, Hulu, ESPN, YouTube, and Disney+. Amazon Fire Stick, $19.99 on Amazon – buy here Get half off on Amazon Fire Stick The Fire Stick we’re talking about is the Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, which includes a physical remote control for those who don’t use Alexa Voice technology. Setting up your Fire Stick is easy. All you have to do is plug in a small piece to the HDMI port in the back of your TV, and then plug your TV into your power source. Plus at just $19.99, it’s half its usual price. Amazon Fire Stick, $19.99 on Amazon – buy here Amazon’s Fire TVs are on sale This top-rated 43″ Fire TV is reduced by 19 percent in October Prime Day sale, meaning you can pick up this smart TV for $70 less than usual. It has over 19,000 5-star reviews and with customers raving about its value and picture quality. 43″ Fire TV, $299.99 (save $70) – buy here Deals on Beats Fit Pro This isn’t as good a discount as the noise-cancelling earbuds, but $40 off is great for these top-of-the-range headphones. The price jump comes with the Apple H1 chip, which allows for automatic switching between devices, music sharing with other H1 headphones and Siri functions. Beats Fit Pros also have a wingtip design which means they may stay in better than the Studio Buds. Both are a fantastic deal that Beats fans should definitely snap up as fast as possible. Beats Fit Pro, $159.95 (save $40) – buy from Amazon Get $50 off Beats Studio Buds Usually these noise-cancelling wireless headphones are $149.95 but Prime Day means they are down by $50. Even better they come in five colors to choose from, including moon grey and ocean blue. That means you can get the popular Beats Studio Buds in your favorite color for just $99.95 in this amazing Prime Day tech deal. Despite the fact these are owned by Apple, they are compatible with both Android and iOS devices – unlike the AirPod range. Beats Studio Pro, $99.95 (save $50) – buy here Best Fall Prime Day Deals 2022 DAY 2 of Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale is taking place today, and is Prime members’ last chance to snap up deals on big name brands and Amazon-owned products and services. The sale ends at 11.59pm PST tonight (October 12). * If you click on a link in this boxout we may earn affiliate revenue Here are some of our favorite deals we’ve spotted from the October Prime Day event so far: Apple Airpods (2nd Gen), $89.99 (save $69) – buy here Fire TV Stick with Alexa, $19.99 (save $20) – buy here Echo Dot (3rd Gen), $17.99 (save $22) – buy here Roomba i4+ Robot Vacuum, $399.99 (save $250) – buy here Get 4 months of Amazon Music Unlimited for FREE – here Olaplex No.5, $24 (save $6) – buy here Ring Doorbell + Echo Show 5, $79.99 (save $104.99) – buy here Amazon Smart Plug, $12.99 (lowest price ever) – buy here Get 20% off takeout with Grubhub – here Instant Pot, $89.99 (save $59.96) – buy here If you haven’t signed up already, make sure you sign up here for the 30-day free trial – otherwise, you won’t be able to access the deals. We’ve rounded up more top offers and information here: Prime Day live blog Best Amazon Prime Day deals Best Amazon Prime Day tech deals When is Amazon Prime Day? Best Amazon Black Friday deals Save 20 percent on takeout tonight In the mood for takeout tonight? Don’t miss this Prime-exclusive discount code for Grubhub that gets you a nice 20 percent off your order. On top of that, you get a year of Grubhub absolutely free (it’s usually $9.99 per month). Save 20 percent on takeout here HP Laptop is reduced to under $150 If you’re on the hunt for a laptop but you’re spending on a budget, it’s well worth looking at the HP Stream 11, which is now 40 percent cheaper and comes in at just under $150. This is a lower-spec device but one that’s perfectly fine for basic tasks like browsing and streaming. HP Stream 11, $149.99 (save $100) – buy here Get a top-rated 65″ TV for less Looking for a bigger screen at home? Don’t miss the nice price drop on Amazon’s very own 65-inch Omni TV, which has been reduced to $759.99. This 4K television has the retailer’s Fire TV streaming platform built in, setting you up with instant access to Netflix, Disney + and, of course, Amazon Prime. Amazon Fire TV 65″, $759.99 (saving $70) – buy here Snap up an e-reader for less The Kindle Paperwhite is Amazon’s luxe e-reader. It comes with an array of glitzy array of extra features you don’t get in the standard kindle, including wireless charging, an auto-adjusting front light and a glare-free screen. Right now you can pick it up for $88 less if you’ve signed up for Prime. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, $171.97 (save $88) – buy here Another great Prime Cordless Vacuum deal Prime members can pick up Samsung’s Jet 60 cordless vac for an impressive 40 percent less than usual right now. 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Bitcoin Price And Ethereum – US CPI Figures In The News – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/bitcoin-price-and-ethereum-us-cpi-figures-in-the-news-cryptonews/ During the early Asian session, major cryptocurrencies were trading in the negative, as the global crypto market cap fell 0.05% on the previous day to $918.19 billion. Over the last 24 hours, overall crypto market volume fell 9.88% to $44.13 billion.  The overall volume in DeFi was $2.40 billion, accounting for 5.44% of the total 24-hour volume in the crypto market. The overall volume of all stablecoins was $41.54 billion, accounting for 94.13% of the total 24-hour volume of the crypto market. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, has gained 0.21% after losing more than 6% in the previous seven days. Ethereum, on the other hand, is still trading below $1,300 (the psychological level), having lost nearly 6.19% this week. Top Altcoin Gainers and Losers Huobi Token (HT), Terra (LUNA), and OKB (OKB) continued to be the top performers in the Asian session. Huobi’s price has risen by more than 12% to $7.31, while Terra’s price has risen by 5.06% to $2.68. In contrast, OKB rose 1.65% to $16.68. Cryptocurrency Market Heatmap | Source: Coin360 The TerraClassicUSD price has remained bearish, falling 22.36% to $0.0455 in the last 24 hours. The trading sentiment in the cryptocurrency market is slightly negative, and digital assets are struggling to rise.  As a result, we have a good opportunity to enter positions, especially given how oversold the markets are. Cryptocurrency News Highlights Here are some of the events that stood out in the crypto news section: US Dollar on the Rise The US Dollar Index (DXY) has moved to 113.20 after breaking a five-day rise with slight losses the day before. The US dollar index against the other six major currencies was flat on Thursday, before the release of the crucial US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for September, failing to justify recent hawkish Fed bets and cheery Fed governor comments. The greenback’s value retreated after minutes from the most recent Federal Reserve meeting revealed some dovish undertones. In the meeting minutes, it was noted that some people talked about the need to slow down the pace of further tightening to lessen the threat to the US economy.  However, the Fed maintained its plan to increase interest rates in an effort to slow inflation. US PPI Figures  The dollar gained ground versus most cryptocurrencies after news that US producer prices rose more than expected in September.  The PPI for final demand rose 0.4%, more than the 0.2% increase economists had predicted. The PPI rose 8.5% year-over-year in September after rising 8.7% in August. US CPI Figures Ahead Inflation in the United States slowed for a second consecutive month in August 2022, falling to 8.3% from 8.5% in July but still coming in above market expectations of 8.1%. The US consumer price index came in at 296.17 in August, slightly below the previous month’s reading of 296.28 and above the 295.53 that had been anticipated by the market. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for September will be made public by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Thursday, October 13, at 8:30 ET. As for the core (ex-food and energy) CPI data, the consensus forecast is for it to print at 0.4% m/m, 6.5% y/y, while the headline CPI is predicted to come in at 0.2% m/m, 8.1% y/y.  What effect will stronger US economic figures have on the cryptocurrency market?  The cryptocurrency market may take a bearish turn with higher US CPI figures. It is primarily because the US Federal Reserve closely monitors economic statistics such as inflation, labor, GDP, and other events to determine its upcoming policy.  The improved economic data will persuade Jerome Powel and the rest of the FOMC to raise interest rates. As a result, investors may shift their investments away from risky investments like cryptocurrency, forex, and stocks and toward safe-haven investments like gold and government bonds. Bitcoin Price Prediction & Technical Outlook The current Bitcoin price is $19,094.36, and the 24-hour trading volume is $25 million. Bitcoin has increased by 0.23% in the previous 24 hours.  CoinMarketCap now ranks first, with a live market cap of $366 billion. It has a total quantity of 21,000,000 BTC coins and a circulating supply of 19,177,593 BTC coins.  On October 13, the Bitcoin price prediction remains bearish although it’s gaining immediate support near $18,857. Closed Doji and spinning top candlesticks above this level are likely to fuel Bitcoin’s uptrend. As shown in the 4-hour chart above, the relative strength index (RSI) has entered the oversold zone, indicating that sellers have been exhausted and buyers are on the horizon.  They are simply waiting for a glimmer of hope, such as a weaker US CPI, before taking advantage of the opportunity. On the upside, Bitcoin’s immediate resistance remains at $19,295 and $19,550 which has been extended by the 50-day moving average. A bullish crossover above the 50-day moving average could push the price of bitcoin up to $20,470. Ethereum Price Prediction & Technical Outlook The current price of Ethereum is $1,287.17, with a 24-hour trading volume of $8.5 billion. In the last 24 hours, Ethereum has gained 0.28%. With a live market cap of $158 billion, CoinMarketCap currently ranks second. It has a circulating supply of 122,771,325 ETH coins and no maximum supply. Ethereum price prediction remains bearish as ETH has broken through a symmetrical triangular formation at $1,303, and candles closing below this level are likely to push the price down. Ethereum may regress back to retest the crucial level of $1,300; failure to break above this level confirms the continuation of the downturn. On the downside, ETH’s immediate support remains at $1,260, and a break below this level may result in selling ETH around $1,220. A surge in selling pressure might push ETH below $800, but this is unlikely because the $1005 level will provide significant support along the way. IMPT – The Green Alternative Crypto Tamadoge, a meme coin, is gaining traction, having increased by more than 33% in the last 24 hours to trade at $0.04143. OpenSea now sells the Ultra-rare Tamadoge NFTs, with a start price of 1 WETH. Tamadoge has become the 3rd biggest meme coin in the crypto space. After only 9 days of the presale, the project’s native currency, the IMPT token, has already raised an incredible $3.9 million, having sold 217 million tokens.  Even though the blockchain-based carbon credit marketplace began its auction during a bear market for cryptocurrencies, demand for the marketplace token remained high. Find The Best Price to Buy/Sell Cryptocurrency:

US’s Moves To Reorient Chip Supply Chains Offer Opportunites For Allies – Bloomberg https://collincountynewsonline.com/uss-moves-to-reorient-chip-supply-chains-offer-opportunites-for-allies-bloomberg/ We’ve detected unusual activity from your computer network To continue, please click the box below to let us know you’re not a robot.

Reuters Science News Summary – Devdiscourse https://collincountynewsonline.com/reuters-science-news-summary-devdiscourse-6/ Following is a summary of current science news briefs. Astra Space to supply engines for Maxar satellites Rocket builder Astra Space Inc signed an agreement with Maxar to supply electric propulsion engines for the Earth observation firm’s future low-earth orbiting satellites, Astra announced on Tuesday. The value of the agreement was not disclosed. Astra declined to say how many satellites were involved in the agreement. NASA looks to launch Artemis lunar test flight again on Nov. 14 NASA has targeted Nov. 14 for a third attempt to launch its big, next-generation rocketship, the U.S. space agency said on Wednesday, after weeks of technical setbacks and foul weather delayed the uncrewed inaugural Artemis mission to the moon. Plans call for rolling the 32-story-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and its Orion capsule back out to Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as early as Friday, Nov. 4 to renew final flight preparations. On New Zealand farm, scientists reduce cow burps to save the world More than a dozen calves wait at a research farm in New Zealand to be fed Kowbucha, a punnily named probiotic that studies show reduces burps — or methane emissions. The Kowbucha powder is blended into a milk-like drink fed to the calves at the Massey University farm in Palmerston North. Arizona cryonics facility preserves bodies to revive later Time and death are “on pause” for some people in Scottsdale, Arizona. Inside tanks filled with liquid nitrogen are the bodies and heads of 199 humans who opted to be cryopreserved in hopes of being revived in the future when science has advanced beyond what it is capable of today. Many of the “patients,” as Alcor Life Extension Foundation calls them, were terminally ill with cancer, ALS or other diseases with no present-day cure. Asteroid’s path altered in NASA’s first test of the planetary defense system The spacecraft NASA deliberately crashed into an asteroid last month succeeded in nudging the rocky moonlet from its natural path into a faster orbit, marking the first time humanity has altered the motion of a celestial body, the U.S. space agency announced on Tuesday. The $330 million proof-of-concept mission, which was seven years in development, also represented the world’s first test of a planetary defense system designed to prevent a potential doomsday meteorite collision with Earth. SpaceX to take entrepreneur Dennis Tito on Starship around the moon Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX said on Wednesday that the world’s first space tourist Dennis Tito and his wife Akiko have signed up to fly around the moon on the space exploration firm’s Starship rocket. Engineer turned financial analyst Tito, 82, was the first private individual to pay for a trip to space on Russia’s Soyuz TM-32 mission in 2001, when he spent nearly eight days aboard the International Space Station. ‘Although not alive, I can still create art,’ robot Ai-Da tells UK lawmakers A “robot artist” called Ai-Da told British lawmakers on Tuesday that although it was an artificial creation, it was still capable of producing art, as it spoke at a parliamentary inquiry into how new technologies will affect the creative industries. Described as “the world’s first ultra-realistic AI humanoid robot artist”, it appeared in one of parliament’s ornate wood-paneled rooms, wearing a short black-haired wig and denim dungarees. Japan’s Epsilon rocket failed after launch – Kyodo The Japanese space agency’s Epsilon rocket failed after it was launched on Wednesday, Kyodo News and other domestic media reported. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) sent a destruction order signal to the rocket after detecting trouble, Kyodo said. Public broadcaster NHK said the signal was sent after JAXA determined that rocket was not able to fly safely. (With inputs from agencies.)

Collin County Detention Officer Arrested For Bringing A Cell Phone And Charger To Inmate – Local Profile https://collincountynewsonline.com/collin-county-detention-officer-arrested-for-bringing-a-cell-phone-and-charger-to-inmate-local-profile/ Skip to content On October 10, a detention officer at Collin County jail found a cell phone and charger in an inmate’s cell. Officer Tyler Moody confessed to giving both items to an inmate, despite knowing the consequences.  The McKinney Courier-Gazette reported that Moody, an employee of Collin County jail since 2019, now faces a third-degree felony charge of bringing prohibited items into a correctional facility. Since the incident occurred, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement:  On Monday, October 10, 2022 a detention officer discovered a cell phone and charger in an inmate’s cell in the Collin County jail.  Detention Officer Tyler Moody, an employee since October 2019, confessed to sheriff’s investigators that he brought the contraband into the jail and provided it to the inmate. Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner fired Moody and informed him that he was being placed under arrest for violating Texas Penal Code 38.11 Prohibited Substances and Items in Correctional or Civil Commitment Facility, a 3rd Degree Felony. Investigators then booked Moody into the Collin County jail. This investigation is ongoing. A video was also released by the sheriff’s office showing Sheriff Skinner firing Moody for his actions and formally placing him under arrest. The video also shows Skinner asking Moody to remove his uniform saying he “does not deserve to wear it.” “You betrayed the trust of every citizen we have the privilege to serve, and you betrayed the trust of the brave and selfless men and women you worked alongside for years,” Sheriff Skinner told Moody. “As of this moment you are under arrest for bringing prohibited items into a correctional facility.”  No other information regarding the inmate or Moody has been released. Local Profile reached out to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office for comment, but it is unable to provide any further information.

Universal Studios Is Bringing Back Its Harry Potter & Grinch Holiday Celebrations – Thrillist https://collincountynewsonline.com/universal-studios-is-bringing-back-its-harry-potter-grinch-holiday-celebrations-thrillist/ Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that this year’s “Awesomest Celebration of the Season” holiday events will include the return of “Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter” and “Grinchmas.” The events will start on Black Friday, November 25, and run through New Year’s Day. Unlike how things run for Halloween Horror Nights, all of the holiday activities at Universal Studios Hollywood will be included in the general theme park admission. During “Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” Hogsmeade will be transformed into a wizardly holiday celebration. Charm your inner Andy Bernard with an a cappella performance from the Hogwarts Frog Choir and holiday meals at the Three Broomsticks. There is, of course, lots of holiday-themed merch for sale as well. Additionally, at night, Hogwarts Castle will come alive with lights during a light projection show called “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.” At Universal Plaza, you’ll see the “Grinchmas” celebration, including a 65-foot-tall “Grinchmas” tree with hundreds of ornaments and LED lights. There’s a tree-lighting ceremony nightly, hosted by the Grinch with songs and snowballs. For younger kids, there is also a storytime led by Cindy-Lou Who. She will, naturally, tell the story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” In addition to those events, there will be a general aura of merriment around the park with the Universal CityWalk decorated for the season with a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree featuring more than 200,000 LED lights. There will also be seasonal food around the park, including a special lineup of treats at Voodoo Doughnut. There might not be much snow in California in November, but the park can get you into the spirit of the snowy season starting next month. Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat. Thrillist TV Wine and Cheeseburger Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine

PLAY Food & Drink Business News Bulletin: 13 Oct – Food & Drink Business https://collincountynewsonline.com/play-food-drink-business-news-bulletin-13-oct-food-drink-business/ By Kim Berry | 13 October 2022 In the news this week: LIVE22, Naturo, Remedy Drinks, Carmen’s, Murray River Organics Brought to you by Allied Finishes.

Active Group @ 52: Enjoy Healthy Lakeside Living At Mozzafiato | BMPlus – BusinessMirror https://collincountynewsonline.com/active-group-52-enjoy-healthy-lakeside-living-at-mozzafiato-bmplus-businessmirror/ Many lessons were learned these past two years. One lesson is that more people are looking for healthier living environments, far from the crowded city. They took to heart a recent article from the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health which pointed out that people living close to large bodies of water were healthier than those who do not. Studies show that these bodies of water or “blue space” relaxes the body with a “blue mind” effect, boosts the immune system, fresh air and sunshine. “Resort communities, whether in the highlands or by the sea, offer residents a nature getaway where they can relax and decompress from stressful city lifed; a quiet place all their own, with the best of nature just a few steps from their front doors,” said Architect Antonio “Toti” Turalba, Jr., the young president and chief executive officer of the Active Group of Companies. A boating lifestyle awaits homeowners in Mozzafiato, where lake time is primetime. “With the success of our best-selling projects in Batangas, we are now developing Mozzafiato (which means “breathtaking” in Italian) in the town of Balete, for healthy and wholesome lakeside living.  And the response to the project has been very encouraging,” he said. Mozzafiato is a master planned lakeshore resort community with commercial and residential components.  When completed, it will form a trifecta of the Active Group resort communities, ranging from the verdant highlands of Lipa and the fine sand beaches of San Juan, to the rustic lakeshore charms of Balete. Not only are these three projects within an easy drive from each other; they are also all easily accessible from Metro Manila. Architect’s perspective of the entrance gate to Alta del Lago, the residential component of Mozzafiato. Alta del Lago, which in Italian means “above the like,” is the first phase of the Mozzafiato project. Strategically located on a hillside overlooking Taal Lake, Alta del Lago is envisioned to be a gated residential community to about 370 lucky lot owners.  Its proposed features and amenities will include a clubhouse, swimming pool, basketball/tennis court, parks, and nature trails. But its biggest assets are all natural: the clean air, the cool weather, and the wide-open view and direct access to the lake through the Mozzafiato Boat Club, which will serve as the residents’ foremost venue for leisure activities. “Mozzafiato will introduce many Filipinos for the first time to the pleasures of a boating lifestyle that’s popular in the United States, Italy, and Switzerland,” claimed Turalba. “Taal Lake is an eco-tourism destination and can be a recreational venue for a variety of watersports.” To find out more about the future possibilities offered by Alta del Lago and Mozzafiato, or to inquire about the other Active Group resort communities in Batangas, please call (0998) 962-8745 or e-mail sales@activegroup.com.ph. Author Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror’s digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.

Sports Planner For Thursday – The Republic https://collincountynewsonline.com/sports-planner-for-thursday-the-republic-2/ COMING UP Indianapolis Colts Sunday vs. Jaguars, 1 p.m. (CBS) Oct. 23 at Titans, 1 p.m. (CBS) Oct. 30 vs. Commanders, 4:25 p.m. (FOX) Indiana University football Saturday vs. Maryland, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Oct. 22 at Rutgers, Noon (BTN) Nov. 5 vs. Penn State, Noon (TBA) Purdue football Saturday vs. Nebraska, 7:30 p.m. (BTN) Oct. 22 at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. (TBA) Nov. 5 vs Iowa, Noon (TBA) Notre Dame football Saturday vs. Stanford, 7:30 p.m. (NBC/Peacock) Oct. 22 vs. UNLV, 2:30 p.m. (Peacock) Oct. 29 at Syracuse, Noon (TBA) Indiana Pacers Friday vs. Rockets (preseason), 7 p.m. (Bally Sports Indiana) Wednesday vs. Wizards, 7 p.m. (Bally Sports Indiana) Oct. 21 vs. Spurs, 7 p.m. (Bally Sports Indiana) Indy Eleven Saturday at Birmingham Legion FC, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+) NASCAR Sunday at Las Vegas, 2:30 p.m. (NBC) Oct. 23 at Homestead-Miami, 2:30 p.m. (NBC) Oct. 30 at Martinsville, Va., 2 p.m. (NBC) HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS TODAY Volleyball Hauser vs. North Decatur in Hauser Sectional, 6 p.m. Trinity Lutheran vs. West Washington in Trinity Sectional, 6 p.m. Columbus East vs. Whiteland in East Sectional, 7:30 p.m. Jennings County vs. Floyd Central in Jeffersonville Sectional, 7:30 p.m. South Decatur vs. Southwestern (Shelby) in Edinburgh Sectional, 7:30 p.m. SPORTS ON TV TODAY College football Temple at UCF, 7 p.m. (ESPN) Baylor at West Virginia, 7 p.m. (FS1) Morgan State at NC Central, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) Women’s college soccer Duke at Florida State, 6 p.m. (ACC) Wisconsin at Penn State, 6 p.m. (BTN) Mississippi State at Mississippi, 7 p.m. (SEC) Virginia at Virginia Tech, 8 p.m. (ACC) Purdue at Iowa, 8 p.m. (BTN) Golf DP World Tour: The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, 8 a.m. (Golf Channel) PGA Tour: The ZOZO Championship, 11 p.m. (Golf Channel) Horse racing NYRA: America’s Day at the Races, 12:30 p.m. (FS2) MLB A.L. Divisional Series: Mariners at Astros, Game 2, 3:30 p.m. (TBS) A.L. Divisional Series: Guardians at Yankees, Game 2, 7:30 p.m. (TBS) NBA Preseason: Memphis at Detroit, 7 p.m. (NBA) NFL Commanders at Bears, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video) Men’s soccer UEFA Champions League: Teams TBA (taped), 10 a.m. (CBSSN) Tennis San Diego-WTA, Florence-ATP, Gijon-ATP, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Early Rounds, 5 and 6 a.m. today and 6 a.m. Friday (Tennis) San Diego-WTA Early Rounds, 8 p.m. (Tennis)

First Mover Asia: How Many Metaverse Users Are There? The Figures Are Debatable And Discouraging – Yahoo Finance https://collincountynewsonline.com/first-mover-asia-how-many-metaverse-users-are-there-the-figures-are-debatable-and-discouraging-yahoo-finance/ Good morning. Here’s what’s happening: Prices: Bitcoin rose slightly amid tepid trading as investors await the next Consumer Price Index – not that it will likely present any surprises. Insights: Metaverse companies would like you to think that they’ve built significant followings, but data suggests that’s far from the case. Catch the latest episodes of CoinDesk TV for insightful interviews with crypto industry leaders and analysis. And sign up for First Mover, our daily newsletter putting the latest moves in crypto markets in context. Prices ● CoinDesk Market Index (CMI): 939.17 +0.1% ● Bitcoin (BTC): $19,117 +0.4% ● Ether (ETH): $1,294 +1.0% ● S&P 500 daily close: 3,577.03 −0.3% ● Gold: $1,679 per troy ounce +0.0% ● Ten-year Treasury yield daily close: 3.90% −0.04 Bitcoin, ether and gold prices are taken at approximately 4pm New York time. Bitcoin is the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (XBX); Ether is the CoinDesk Ether Price Index (ETX); Gold is the COMEX spot price. Information about CoinDesk Indices can be found at coindesk.com/indices. Bitcoin’s Ongoing Sounds of Silence By James Rubin Bitcoin’s quiet life continued. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was recently trading just over $19,100, about flat for the past 24 hours as investors waited for Thursday’s release of the next U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI). Barring the unexpected, the CPI is expected to show a slight drop, but hardly sufficient to sway the U.S. central bank from its current monetary aggressiveness. BTC has remained rangebound for weeks, largely between $19,000 and $21,000, although it dipped briefly below the lower support on Wednesday. Trading volume has remained tepid, falling regularly below 20-day averages. “Nothing happening today, Bodhi Pinkner, a research analyst at crypto-focused financial services firm Arca, told CoinDesk. “Markets were up marginally.” Pinkner added: “Very, very low trading volumes across the space. We’ve been stuck in a range.” Ether, the second largest crypto in market value, was recently changing hands below $1,300, about where it stood much of Wednesday but up roughly 1% from Tuesday, same time. Other major cryptos were mostly flat, although SUSHI recently fell more than 5%, while TRON was up more than 1%. The CoinDesk Market Index (CMI), a broad-based market index that measures the performance of a basket of cryptocurrencies, was flat. Equities Stocks cast their promising first two days of October further in the rearview mirror as the tech-heavy Nasdaq, the S&P 500, which has a strong technology component, and Dow Jones Industrial Average extended their current losing streaks to six days. Markets chewed nervously over a 0.4% increase in September’s producer-price index, a discouraging sign following the previous month’s slight decrease. CPI observers anticipate the latest reading remaining above 8% with core inflation, which eliminates the impact of volatile food and energy prices, rising to 6.5%, a four-decade high. The increase would bolster an already determined Federal Reserve’s argument for continuing its recent diet of sharp interest rate hikes, discouraging already skittish investors from riskier assets. In an on-stage discussion Wednesday at the International Monetary Fund’s annual meeting, the organization’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, said that central banks should refrain from currency interventions, instead suggesting that they use interest-rate raises as the preferred tool for combating foreign-exchange weakness versus the dollar. “Do not waste your reserves to protect your currency,” Georgieva said Arca’s Pinkner noted a downward trend in the correlation between cryptocurrencies and other risk assets “over the last couple of months. “However, in order for any decoupling, you likely need a catalyst, and it’s possible that catalyst would be widespread currency debasement across various economies and mostly to bitcoin as a non-sovereign, safe haven asset, and it’s possible that catalyst is unforeseen or that there’s just no catalyst, and we remain correlated to risk assets.” Biggest Gainers Biggest Losers Insights The Metaverse Struggles to Catch On By Sam Reynolds The Metaverse is in need of a census. A few have tried, but so far nobody can agree about the findings of the enumerators. Horizon Worlds, like Decentraland and the metaverse at large, isn’t as popular as what Mark Zuckerberg or Metaverse token holders want you to think. The problem is in the numbers. Earlier this month, The Verge reported Meta’s VR social network Horizon Worlds is so bug-ridden that even its developers aren’t using it much. “But currently feedback from our creators, users, playtesters, and many of us on the team is that the aggregate weight of papercuts, stability issues, and bugs is making it too hard for our community to experience the magic of Horizon,” Meta’s VP of Metaverse, Vishal Shah, wrote in a memo obtained by The Verge. “Simply put, for an experience to become delightful and retentive, it must first be usable and well crafted.” Meta claims that Horizon Worlds has 300,000 signups, but there’s no indication of how many are active users. One proxy could involve looking at the population of related Facebook groups: the official Horizon Worlds page has 31,644 followers while an official Horizon Worlds Facebook community group has 28,200 members. Let’s assume there’s plenty of overlap meaning the higher number is the total addressable market. If we want to figure out the serviceable available market we must look at the install base of virtual reality headsets. (Steam Hardware Survey/Steampowered.com) Digital gaming store Steam – a must-have for any PC gamer – says that 2% of its 132 million monthly active users have a VR headset. Of this two million, 64% are using Meta’s Oculus headsets, putting the install base at 1.28 million. So with that in mind, even if Meta’s figure of 300,000 is correct it only means that 23% of its VR install base is using what Meta believes to be the future of the company. But that’s the best-case scenario, the more realistic number is closer to 31,644 which would mean that around 2% of the VR install base is using Horizon Worlds as Meta intended. Decentraland’s fuzzy math But what about Decentraland? There was some MANA mania earlier this week when CoinDesk, citing DappRadar numbers, reported that it was a lonely world with 38 people in the $1.3 billion ecosystem. DappRadar’s number relies on analyzing smart contracts from Decentraland that are being interacted with. Decentraland HQ says it’s not looking at the whole picture and only a handful of the hundreds of available smart contracts. Decentraland, instead, offers its own sets of numbers via its portal DCL-Metrics which says that there have been around 7000 unique users in the last 24 hours visiting 6900-odd virtual parcels. The validity of these numbers begins to dissolve once you take a closer look at them. Their data shows that there are also dozens of ‘marathon users’ that have spent the majority of the day in Decentraland. Marathon users (https://dcl-metrics.com/) There’s also another list of users – that don’t seem to overlap – that have visited hundreds of parcels during the course of the day. Clearly, there are bots among us. Perhaps the most realistic number from DCL-Metrics could be found in the daily active users at the ICE Poker house, which it says is just under 3000. This might actually be where Decentraland’s real population lies as ICE Poker has an actual, documented player base. There are two more stars in the sky of data that can help us triangulate a position. On Github, Decentraland runs something called a Catalyst Monitor, a tool for tracking the load on each of its servers which it calls catalysts. (https://decentraland.github.io/catalyst-monitor/) The count from the servers shows that there are 518 total users on the platform as of late Wednesday afternoon Asia time. This number comes close to the headcount of 457 that Nansen estimates on its Entity Billboard tool. Nansen would like to stress that this tool is very much in Beta, and only tracks 72 of the smart contracts Decentraland uses. At the same time, there are 269,698 unique holders of MANA tokens. Even if we use some best-case numbers from ICE’s poker house count of 3000 as a proxy for Decentraland’s total active population (this would be a best case scenario, realistically the number is closer to what Catalyst and Nansen provide) that means only 1% of MANA token holders are users of the platform. Not exactly a bullish case for Decentraland and the Metaverse at large. But we had all of this a decade ago with Second Life. Which had better graphics, smoother gameplay, and an actual community – not token holders pumping their bags trying to make you believe that this is the future of the internet. Important events. 8:30 p.m. HKT/SGT(12:30 p.m. UTC) United States Consumer Price Index Report 9:30 p.m. H1HKT/SGT (1:30 p.m. UTC) Celsius Meeting of Committee of Unsecured Creditors Devcon Bogota 2022 CoinDesk TV In case you missed it, here is the most recent episode of “First Mover” on CoinDesk TV: DeFi Exchange Mango’s $100M Exploit; State of Crypto Startup Funding There’s been another massive exploit in crypto, this time tied to market manipulation on Mango, a Solana-based decentralized exchange. “First Mover” discussed the state of the crypto industry and markets with Tribe Capital co-founder and CEO Arjun Sethi. CoinDesk’s Cheyenne Ligon provided an update in Grayscale’s lawsuit against the SEC over the agency’s rejection of Grayscale’s Bitcoin ETF application. Plus, DIMO aims to help drivers gain and monetize ...

Dubai: Gloves To ‘feel’ Things In The Digital World, Space Boots; Cool Wearable Tech At Gitex – Khaleej Times https://collincountynewsonline.com/dubai-gloves-to-feel-things-in-the-digital-world-space-boots-cool-wearable-tech-at-gitex-khaleej-times/ With flying cars, futuristic vehicles and interactive robots, this year’s edition has been a treat for all technology lovers Published: Thu 13 Oct 2022, 6:51 AM A slew of cool wearable tech is making a splash at Gitex Global this year. One of the largest technological exhibitions in the world, Gitex is spread over an area of 2 million sqm and has attracted over 5,000 companies from 90 countries. Located at the futuristic e& stall in Zabeel Hall 6, one innovation consists of a set of VR glasses and a pair of robotic gloves. Upon wearing it, the user can begin seeing and feeling everything that is in the virtual reality. Once they have work the gloves, the user is instructed to close and open their hands until they can begin sensing the virtual reality. Once that happens, they are ready to experience the wearable tech. From grabbing a coffee cup to picking up a ball to clicking a button, a lot is possible in the virtual world. Here is a demonstration on how it works: Described as the future of technology, wearable gadgets have become increasingly popular among tech aficionados. Unlike the 2D images on a television or phone, tech like VR headsets have several sensors, with some devices even having a system for head tracking. Another cool wearable tech on display at Gitex is the space simulating boots. Made with lightweight carbon fibre, the boots are fitted with various sensors and motors to allow its user to feel what it’s like to walk on space. With a green LED light running all around it, the boots will only work on the specially designed floor. The clunky boots were initially designed as VR movement solutions that allow users to walk through metaverse and gaming platforms. Here is a video of a Gitex visitor testing out the boots: With flying cars, futuristic vehicles and interactive robots, this year’s Gitex has been a treat for all technology lovers. The day before it began, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had tweeted that since it began in 1981 the event “has put Dubai on the global technology map and put technology at the top of Dubai’s priorities.” ALSO READ: Sheikh Mohammed tours Gitex, says humanity is in ‘historical transit’ toward tech-driven future Dubai: Will residents, tourists travel in flying cars by 2025? Gitex in Dubai: Meet 6 robots that can deliver food, give directions at malls

Devere CEO Expects Further Volatility In Crypto Market Before Year-End — Says Savvy Investors Will Benefit From Panic Sellers – Markets And Prices Bitcoin News – Bitcoin News https://collincountynewsonline.com/devere-ceo-expects-further-volatility-in-crypto-market-before-year-end-says-savvy-investors-will-benefit-from-panic-sellers-markets-and-prices-bitcoin-news-bitcoin-news/ The CEO of Devere Group, a financial advisory and asset management firm, anticipates further volatility in the crypto market before year-end. However, he stressed that “for serious investors, this will not necessarily be seen as a bad thing,” noting that “Savvy, long-term crypto investors will be looking to benefit from panic sellers by buying their digital currencies ‘on the cheap.’” Devere CEO’s Crypto Outlook The CEO of financial advisory and asset management firm Devere Group, Nigel Green, shared his view on the future outlook for bitcoin and ether Monday. “Markets are now predicting that policymakers at major central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of England, are likely to remain resolute in pumping up interest rates in their battle to beat down unexpectedly stubborn inflation,” he began. The executive added that the Fed has “maintained a hawkish theme that inflation remains far too high and they won’t put off raising rates.” As higher interest rates typically lead to stock market declines, the Devere CEO noted: Given bitcoin and ether’s current correlation with stock markets, we anticipate further, perhaps heightened, volatility in the crypto market before the end of 2022. “However, for serious investors, this will not necessarily be seen as a bad thing,” he continued. “The major investors, including institutional ones, will treat it in the same way as turbulence in any other market.” He explained that “Some of the world’s best investors consistently use market volatility as major buying opportunities in traditional financial markets — and the cryptocurrency market is now no different.” The Devere boss stressed, “When used effectively and efficiently, volatility can be an extremely powerful investment strategy.” The Devere executive further pointed out that “Bitcoin remains the best-performing asset class in the world, and has consistently ranked amongst the best for both traditional and crypto investment sectors over the last few years.” Noting that “Serious investors will not be spooked by further volatility,” Green concluded: Savvy, long-term crypto investors will be looking to benefit from panic sellers by buying their digital currencies ‘on the cheap’ to enhance their investment portfolios. What do you think about the comments by Devere CEO Nigel Green? Let us know in the comments section below. Kevin Helms A student of Austrian Economics, Kevin found Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open-source systems, network effects and the intersection between economics and cryptography. Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

US And Mexico Make Deal To Ease Venezuela Migration – BBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/us-and-mexico-make-deal-to-ease-venezuela-migration-bbc/ Image source, Reuters By Will Grant in Mexico & Tiffany Wertheimer in Singapore BBC News The US and Mexico have agreed to a plan that allows some Venezuelan migrants to enter the US – but those who arrive illegally will be sent back to Mexico. It is hoped the deal will ease pressure at the US-Mexico border, where a steady flow of Venezuelans continue to arrive as they flee the crisis-hit nation. Starting immediately, flights will be arranged for 24,000 migrants to arrive in the United States. Some six million people have left Venezuela in the past five years. The exodus is one of the largest migrations in the world, fuelled by violence, food, fuel and medicine shortages, and repression by the government of President Nicolás Maduro. It has seen people desperate to improve their lives walking thousands of miles along dangerous routes to try to reach the US-Mexico border, where they then try to enter illegally or claim asylum. Under the new deal, which is effective immediately, the 24,000 eligible Venezuelan migrants – a tiny fraction of those who have fled – will be allowed to access the US by air, and stay for up to two years. They must still be in Venezuela, and not have made the trek to the US-Mexico border, the US Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. They will also need to have a person or organisation based in the US to provide financial support and back up their claim to be part of the programme. Media caption, Life after deportation: ‘I am living the Mexican dream’ It will come as a huge relief to those who are set to benefit from it. In theory, they will be spared the exhausting and dangerous journey to the US border and instead will be able to fly into the country, where support measures are in place. However, one major policy shift is that any undocumented Venezuelans who cross the southern border now face expulsion to Mexico – where previously, authorities usually did not accept expulsions of Venezuelans. This is a part of a controversial Trump-era policy called Title 42, that allows the US to swiftly expel undocumented migrants, thus taking away their chance to claim asylum. It was brought in during the pandemic to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in holding facilities, officials said. Until now most Venezuelans who crossed into the US were not turned back – instead they were temporarily allowed in and had the chance to apply for asylum. Now, Venezuelans found to have entered the US illegally – of which there are many thousands – could be sent to Mexico. The US and Mexican governments have said the policy is designed to discourage people from making the perilous trek across South America and Mexico – which they have been doing in record numbers over the past year as Venezuela’s economic and political situation worsens. The programme is based on a similar US model called Uniting for Ukraine, which offered safe haven to more than 100,000 Ukrainians who fled their country after Russia invaded earlier this year. The so-called “humanitarian parole programme” has been launched with the US midterm elections looming in November. The Biden administration is undoubtedly hoping the idea of helping Venezuelans who are fleeing poverty, political turmoil and violence will play well politically, especially if it is combined with also expelling thousands who crossed the southern border illegally. However, with the vote so close, it may have a limited impact, and in the meantime, many thousands of desperate and tired Venezuelan migrants are caught in the middle.

UrVenue Enables Hotel Guests To Book Experiences In A Unified Cart With Launch Of Property Experience Management System | – Hotel Technology News https://collincountynewsonline.com/urvenue-enables-hotel-guests-to-book-experiences-in-a-unified-cart-with-launch-of-property-experience-management-system-hotel-technology-news/ UV Enterprise, the hospitality industry’s first official Property Experience Management System (PXMS), is a full-stack technology platform that provides hospitality leaders the ability to sell, yield, and operate on-property experiences. 10.12.2022 UrVenue is pleased to announce the launch of UV Enterprise, the next generation of its platform to monetize and manage experience-based inventory across an entire property. Just like a property-management system (PMS) which manages an entire property’s room inventory, UV Enterprise, the hospitality industry’s first official Property Experience Management System (PXMS), is a full-stack technology platform that provides hospitality leaders the ability to sell, yield, and operate on-property experiences. In a 2021 study with YouGov, 85% of luxury leisure travelers said they would book additional experiences in advance with a single shopping cart experience. UrVenue solves this growing need by enabling guests to book all available experiences throughout the resort and throughout their stay in a single, unified booking cart and empowering hospitality operators to manage all outlet inventory and service all guests in a single platform. “After more than two years of evolving our industry-leading venue management system, we are very proud to be the pioneers of hospitality’s first PXMS,” said Deron Pearson, CEO of UrVenue. “We believe UV Enterprise is a game changer, fully capable of standing alone as its own hotel technology classification. Managing each experience on a different, siloed system is a real pain point for resort operations and their customers. UV Enterprise manages them all in one place, making the PXMS an integral part of resort operations, just like the PMS.” UV Enterprise has four core capabilities: Commerce: Monetize experience-based inventory with a robust booking and ticketing solution that upsells, cross-sells, and packages live inventory Operations: Streamline property-wide operations, boost team productivity, centralize guest data, and elevate the guest experience. Insights: Leverage an analytics layer across the entire enterprise to provide commerce and operations insights for every team. Knowledge Management: Ensure every system, team, guest touchpoint and third party can securely access vital enterprise data in real-time with unparalleled accuracy. UV Enterprise also includes multiple new and advanced features: Itinerary Builder:  Delight guests with the ability to book every experience under one roof in a unified booking cart and empower employees to book the same experiences on behalf of guests in the guest services dashboard Interactive 3D Seating Maps:  Inspire guests with detailed renderings of venues and empower them to choose the exact location of their VIP table or cabana Distribution Channels: Target guest segments with customized pricing and inventory and manage distribution channels, including 3rd party resellers, with ease Revenue Management: Yield prices, daypart inventory, and segment customers with robust, automated tools Comprehensive Payment Methods: Employ a variety of payment options tailored to your experience – reservations, secured reservations, deposits, food and beverage minimums, or full pre-payments Partner Integrations: Connect the dots between all key guest touchpoints with 30+ integrations with POS, PMS, payment, and other best-in-class partners Founded in 2011, UrVenue is a dominant presence on the Las Vegas Strip and has expanded to service more than 250 clients in 15 countries. It is specifically built for experience-based inventory found within a resort or mixed-use environments – nightclubs, dayclubs, pools, restaurants, sportsbooks, lounges, shows, recreation, activities, and more. Prior to its official launch, UV Enterprise has been piloted by Las Vegas’ and the world’s largest integrated resorts. Does your company have news it would like to share with our readers? If so, we invite you to review our editorial guidelines and submit your press release for publishing consideration.

The Top 10 Things To Do This Weekend In Dallas & Collin County – Local Profile https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-top-10-things-to-do-this-weekend-in-dallas-collin-county-local-profile-2/ At some point Collin County woke up and thought, “How many activities could fit in one weekend?” Turns out, a lot. From festivals to concerts to car shows, it’ll be hard to choose where to go first. Take a look at our favorite picks to help you make up your mind. Come right in, because here’s the only list you need! Plano Comedy Festival When: October 13 through 16, 2022 | See full scheduleWhere: Plano House of Comedy, 7301 Lone Star Dr Suite A-110, Plano | North Texas Performing Arts, 6121 W Park Blvd B216, PlanoMore info The largest comedy festival in North Texas is here, y’all! A four-day event, the 5th Plano Comedy Festival is returning bigger, better and funnier than ever — and we can’t stop talking about it. Get ready for performances by 130 comedians, sketch and improv groups, magicians and more. This year’s lineup includes some big names like Matthew Broussard, Jackie Kashian, Dean Lewis and America’s Got Talent finalist Mike E. Winfield, who’s making a comeback after performing at the very first festival in 2018. Automotivated for Kids Car Show When: October 15, 2022 | 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Where: Credit Union of Texas Event Center |  200 E Stacy Rd #1350, AllenMore Info This motorcycle show will have it all, exotic and classic models, muscle cars, motorcycles, customs of all colors and shapes and most important of all, good deeds. 100% of the event’s proceeds will go to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County to help abused and neglected children. McKinney Wine & Music Festival When: October 15, 2022 | 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.Where:  Towne Lake Park | 1405 Wilson Creek Pkwy., McKinneyMore Info The 6th annual festival will feature live music from four bands and 30 award-winning wineries offering wine tasting under the trees next to the park’s lake. Local restaurants will provide delicious cuisine,so check out the variety of local vendors on site. Stay around to participate in grape stomping competitions! CityLine Live Fall Concert Series When: Every Friday and Saturday from September 2 through October 29, 2022 | 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.Where: CityLine Plaza | 1150 State Street, Richardson More Info Get your lawn chair ready because live music returns to the outdoor CityLine plaza this fall. This weekend Alex Cantrell will take the stage on Friday with some soul pop-rock tunes, followed by Jake Quillin’s Americana on Saturday. Enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios on State Street or make a picnic out of your to-go order and take a spot at the plaza. Photo: plano international festival | facebook Plano International Festival When: October 15, 2022 | 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Where: Haggard Park | 901 E 15th St, PlanoMore Info Cultures from all around the world are coming to Plano this Saturday for the 18th Plano International Festival. Get into the multicultural spirit and try new foods and drinks while you enjoy live music and performances. Stay around for performances of ballet folkloric, Irish dance and Bollywood dances brought to life by the Plano Symphony Orchestra’s benefit concert. Concerts by the Creek: Fall Series When: September 3 through October 22, 2022 | 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.Where: Watters Creek | 970 Garden Park Dr, AllenMore Info Every Saturday you’ll get a chance to enjoy live music outdoors on the Village Green. Get lawn chairs and find your spot before you grab food and beverages from one of the restaurants at Watters Creek or picnic supplies from Market Street. This Saturday, enjoy a live performance by Down & Out Featuring Will Kincaid, a George Strait tribute band. Farmers Table When: October 15, 2022 | 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.Where: Heritage Farmstead Museum | 1900 West 15th Street, PlanoMore Info The Heritage Farmstead Museum has prepared a beautiful evening with a farm-to-table, four-course dining experience benefiting Future Farmers of America and the museum. Guests will enjoy live music, specialty cocktails, a wine pull and even bid on prizes available in the silent auction. Photo: octavio hoyos | shutterstock Día de los Muertos Celebration When: October 15, 2022 | 12:00 to 9:00 p.m.Where: Dr. Glenn Mitchell Memorial Park | 300 W Louisiana St, McKinneyMore Info The second annual Día de los Muertos Celebration is taking place this Saturday. Get your costumes ready for the contest and participate for the chance of winning a prize and a signed certificate from the mayor. Pumpkin Splash Patch When: October 15, 2022 | 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Where: DRN Leisure Pool | 110 E. Rivercrest, AllenMore Info For those who miss summer already, head to the natatorium, you’ll find a floating pumpkin patch waiting for you to swim and choose your favorite pumpkin. Stay around after the splash to carve and decorate the lucky pumpkin for Halloween. Legacy West Art Club When: September 17 through October 18, 2022 | 12:00 p.m.Where: Legacy West | 5908 Headquarters Dr, PlanoMore Info If you are stopping by Legacy West this Saturday, let the kids have some artsy fun at the seasonal space located in front of Nike and Free People. Every month Legacy West will add new activities for younglings of all ages to express themselves. Don’t miss a thing, check our October guide! October In Collin County And Beyond Fairs, concerts and festivities are heading our way at full steam! Check this October guide to see what Collin County has in store for us this fall. Isn’t it nice to have the whole month at a glance? State Fair… Keep reading Even More Great Things To Do This Weekend in Dallas & Collin County Dracula on StageWhen: October 7 through October 16, 2022 | See full scheduleWhere: McKinney Performing Arts Center | 111 N. Tennesee St., McKinneyTickets Music on MainWhen: October 15, 2022 | 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.Where: Tumbleweed TexStyles | 7511 Main St., FriscoMore Info Artisan Gift MarketWhen: October 15, 2022 | 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.Where: Heard-Craig Center for the Arts | 205 W. Hunt, McKinneyMore Info Spook AlleyWhen: October 14, 2022 | 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.Where: The Texas Pool | 901 Springbrook Drive, PlanoMore Info Psychedelic Robot When: Thurs to Sat, 3:00 – 9:00 P.M. | Sundays 12:00 – 9:00 P.M.Where: The Shops at Willow Bend | 6121 W Park Blvd, PlanoTickets Daebak! It’s K-Pop!When: October 15, 2022 | 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.Where: Allen Public Library | 300 N. Allen Drive, AllenMore Info Garden of Eden Drag BrunchWhen: October 15, 2022 | 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Where: EBB & Flow | 7300 Lone Star Drive C125, PlanoTickets

Cruising Emerges As The Top Family Travel Trend For Indians In 2023 – Travel Daily https://collincountynewsonline.com/cruising-emerges-as-the-top-family-travel-trend-for-indians-in-2023-travel-daily/ The top travel trends that emerged from the August 2022 study include that 8 in 10 urban Indian families who are planning to travel internationally are considering a cruise holiday in the next 12 months. 79% of Indians want to vacation with their families and 89% believe it is very important to spend quality time with family for an overall sense of wellbeing. The survey was conducted in August 2022 by Hansa Research on behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line. Family travel goals have taken on an all-new meaning, with Indian families seeking to make up for lost time with new and exciting experiences to strengthen their bond and enjoy each other’s company. The importance of close community and family bonds has emerged as vital to maintaining a sense of wellbeing among Indians, according to a recent survey conducted by Hansa Research on behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the leading innovator in global cruise travel. Around 78% of respondents said that their vacation goal was to travel to create memories with their loved ones, while 65% said they travel to visit different places and experience something new. Families, particularly those with younger children under 15 years of age, believe that kid-friendly holiday options and dining choices are very important when considering holiday choices. The study further added that when travelling with family, 69% of Indian travellers said value and inclusive pricing was a very important consideration while 61% feel that easy access to attractions and activities was important. It’s no surprise that cruise holidays are top of mind for Indian families seeking to reconnect, since cruising offers the ultimate way to travel together. They can easily visit multiple destinations while unpacking just once, and cruising caters to many different types of travellers with varied entertainment, dining and accommodation options. In addition, a cruise holiday promotes a sense of peace, wellbeing and worry-free travel with everything taken care of from the moment guests step aboard. “It’s really exciting to see such a significant number of Indian travellers have shown a desire to take a cruise vacation so that they can spend quality time with their loved ones”, said Manoj Singh, country head india at NCL. “The thrill of exploring multiple destinations in one vacation with ease has led to families fulfilling their travel goals at sea. With NCL’s world class onboard offerings, port-rich itineraries to almost 400 of the world’s most sought-after destinations and inclusive pricing, families of all shapes and sizes will experience the holiday of a lifetime.” NCL offers the ultimate way for families to reconnect and recharge, with port-rich itineraries that allow them to immerse themselves in each destination, and a fleet of innovative ships that offer an incredibly vast array of choice to suit families large and small – from an onboard racetrack to Broadway entertainment, fine dining and casual fare, as well as multiple accommodation options and unique event spaces that are ideal for milestone moments amongst larger, multi-generational families.

Guadalupe Business Association Hosts Second Annual ‘Taste Of Guadalupe’ | News Channel 3-12 – KEYT https://collincountynewsonline.com/guadalupe-business-association-hosts-second-annual-taste-of-guadalupe-news-channel-3-12-keyt/ GUADALUPE, Calif. – An effort to bring tourists and diners to Guadalupe is underway. El Tapatio is cooking for new customers, all thanks to the second annual ‘Taste of Guadalupe.’ “How I see it is like a trick-or-treating for adults, where you just go to all the restaurants listed here,” said Noemi Berumen, owner of El Tapatio. She said they participated last year, and it helped her business.  “Then that friend becomes our regular, then brings their other friends,” said Berumen. “So we get pretty busy, and I say a lot is due to the taste of Guadalupe.” The Guadalupe Business Association says the goal is to bring more foot traffic into the city while also boosting the economy.  Participants can pick a special passport at any of the 16 participating restaurants. When you go to one of the restaurants– you can get the passport stamped… and then have a chance to win prizes like a flat-screen tv.  “This year, if you have eight stamps, you get one entry; 12, you get two entries into the drawing, and three for all 16 stamps,” said Garret Matsuura, president of the Guadalupe Business Association.  The restaurant owner of El Tapatio says no purchase is necessary to participate in “a taste of guadalupe.” However, they said when customers come in, they can’t resist the smell of their food. “We’re excited about this year because it is now who else we will meet,” said Berumen. “Who else hasn’t seen me participate in a long time and get to say hello to them.” Berumen hopes this contest continues every year, all to cook for new and old faces. “It’s really nice to get Guadalupe out there on the map,” said the restaurant owner. The last day to enter the contest is October 31st. For more information, click here.

Modifying Screen And Sleep Time For Optimal Living – Businessday https://collincountynewsonline.com/modifying-screen-and-sleep-time-for-optimal-living-businessday/ After a long day at work, you felt that you needed that good 8-hour sleep. Plopping down on your bed, you hurriedly say your night prayers and close your eyes. Then, you hear that familiar notification sound. You picked up your phone, replied to about four to five messages, and before you knew it, you had already spent more than 2 hours on your screen. Now, you need to wake up by 6am the next morning or you would be late for work. You are left with the option of sleeping for a few hours, and you eventually wake up feeling groggy, tired, and irritated. Sounds familiar, right? It is an indisputable fact that sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle. Despite that, many people still struggle to get the recommended 8-hour sleep at night. This can be attributed to a wide range of factors, and excessive screen time is not excluded from the list. This article discusses how an excess of screen time can disrupt a person’s sleep, the implications, and how screen and sleep time can be modified for optimal living. We live in a world that is increasingly dependent on technology. Hence, smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices play a huge role in how we work, play, and communicate. However, these devices emit blue light or High Energy Visible (HEV) light, a colour in the natural electromagnetic energy spectrum that can be seen by the human eye. This blue light from screens suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle. The production of melatonin is often triggered by darkness, so the light from your screens tricks your brain into thinking it is time to wake up when you are supposed to sleep, increasing your general alertness. Blue light emission from screens does not only suppress the production of melatonin and increase your alertness at the wrong time, but it also affects your natural body circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that helps your body naturally operate on a healthy sleep-wake schedule. This means that during the day, your body produces cortisol, the hormone that helps you stay awake and alert, and at night, your body produces melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep. Exposure to blue light at night can affect the body’s circadian rhythm, as well as delay good sleep. Now, the sad truth is that having one’s sleep disrupted due to an excess of screen time does more than make one feel irritated, groggy, and grumpy all day. The prolonged effects of sleep deprivation are real and alarming. To begin with, sleep deprivation drains a person’s mental ability. It worsens symptoms of mental conditions like anxiety and depression. Not only that, it slows the learning process. During sleep, the brain forms new cells that help the processing and retention of new information, and little or no sleep hinders the formation of these cells. There is also trouble with concentration because of the inability to focus well. This can make it quite difficult to pick up information and can also be detrimental to a person’s creative and problem-solving skills. Read also: Sleeping well to live well Additionally, having little or no sleep time can endanger a person’s physical health. Because the body needs sleep to produce certain antibodies to fight infectious diseases, lack of sleep weakens the immune system and makes the body prone to all sorts of diseases. Also, sleep deprivation may lead to increased blood pressure and higher levels of chemicals linked to inflammation, both of which can cause heart disease. Moreso, having little or no sleep delays the body’s release of insulin, the hormone responsible for blood sugar regulation. This makes people who are sleep-deprived susceptible to higher blood sugar levels, making them prone to diabetes. It is also important to note that sleep distortion can as well affect a person’s balance and coordination, increasing the risks of falls, physical accidents, and in severe cases, car accidents. From the aforementioned, it is apparent that an uncoordinated use of devices can disrupt one’s sleep, and the implications of sleep deprivation are dire. Now that you know how dangerous it is to use electronic gadgets before bed, it is advisable to avoid them for at least 30 minutes before sleep. In rare cases, where you need to use your phones, laptops, or computers at night, you can make use of blue blocker glasses, which are specially designed to protect your eyes from blue light emissions. Also, most electrical gadgets are now equipped with a “night-time mode” or a “warm-light” feature that reduces blue light emission. It is advisable to adjust your phone display settings to this feature if you need to use your device at night. Thus, there is no gainsaying that screen time before bed could disrupt sleep which could be detrimental to one’s health and work-life productivity. It also delays the natural body circadian rhythm; suppresses the production of melatonin and hinders getting to bed on time. Therefore, for you to get a full 8 hours of sleep and maintain a healthy sleep habit, limit your exposure to blue light at night, invest in blue blocker glasses, or better still, turn off your screens right before you sleep. Bolanle is a communications intern at the Institute for Work and Family Integration, Lagos

NWSL Playoff Bracket, Schedule: Postseason Matchups, Live Stream, Start Times, News, How To Watch Online – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/nwsl-playoff-bracket-schedule-postseason-matchups-live-stream-start-times-news-how-to-watch-online-cbs-sports/ USATSI The 2022 National Women’s Soccer League postseason is officially here as six teams begin the journey for a spot in the 2022 NWSL Championship final. The playoffs will kick off on Sunday with the quarterfinals and feature third-place San Diego Wave FC and sixth-place Chicago Red Stars at SnapDragon Stadium in San Diego. Also, fourth-place Houston Dash will face fifth-place Kansas City Current at PNC Stadium in Houston. It is the first time in franchise history that San Diego and Houston will host home games in the NWSL postseason, and fans can watch all the action across CBS Sports Network and Paramount+. First-place OL Reign is the 2022 NWSL Shield winner and have a direct bye to the NWSL 2022 semifinals along with second-place Portland Thorns FC beginning on October 23. The two semifinalists will play host to the winners of the NWSL quarterfinals. The semifinal winners will compete for the NWSL Championship at Audi Field in Washington D.C on October 29 with the primetime event available to audiences on CBS. Want more coverage of women’s soccer? Listen below and make sure to follow Attacking Third, A CBS Soccer Podcast devoted to bringing you everything you need to know from the NWSL and around the globe. Below you’ll find the schedule and results for every round of the postseason: NWSL playoff bracket NWSL playoff matchups Sunday, Oct. 16 No. 5 Kansas City Current at No. 4 Houston Dash, 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+ No. 6 Chicago Red Stars at No. 3 San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. on CBS Sports Network Sunday, Oct. 23 Red Stars/Wave winner at No. 2 Portland Thorns, 5 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network Current/Dash winner at No. 1 OL Reign, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network Saturday, Oct. 29 NWSL Championship, 8 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+