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Merck Foundation’s ‘Sugar Free Jude’ Aims To Promote A Healthy Lifestyle & Fight Diabetes For Africa – BusinessGhana https://collincountynewsonline.com/merck-foundations-sugar-free-jude-aims-to-promote-a-healthy-lifestyle-fight-diabetes-for-africa-businessghana/ Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation expressed, “I am very happy to bring to you Merck Foundation’s new children storybook– ‘Sugar Free Jude’ in partnership with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies which is currently available on our social media and websites and will be distributed soon in our partner countries. Through our new children storybook, we want to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection, prevention, and management of Diabetes, from a young age, to remind all of you that together we can fight diabetes every day and that health is our only wealth.” ‘Sugar Free Jude’ is a story of a young school-going boy, Jude, whose daily life is affected when he is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Jude was able to manage his health condition with help from his family, friends and teachers at school and he became the advocate to fight diabetes in his school and community”. Read ‘Sugar Free Jude’ storybook here: https://bit.ly/3PsepSf According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 70% of the African population living with Diabetes is unaware of their condition and about 45 million adult population have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) which places them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “Jude symbolizes the many young men and women in Africa who suffer from Diabetes but are unaware of their condition. Early signs and symptoms of Diabetes such as frequent urination, increased thirst, feeling tired and hungry, vision problems, slow wound healing, and yeast infections must not be ignored. In case one experiences any of these symptoms, one must consult a doctor and get tested. Diabetes management is a lifestyle change, those living with this condition have to eat healthy, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and limit alcohol, sugar and salt intake”, explained Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej. Merck Foundation has also released three Songs in three languages named ‘NO more Diabetes, Sugar Free’ in English, ‘Dites non au Diabète’ in French and ‘Chega de Diabete’ in Portuguese. And recently has released the remix of the three languages. Listen to the remix diabetes song here: https://bit.ly/3yaw77d  These songs have been sung by Cwezi from Ghana for English Version, Laura Beg from Mauritius for the French Version, and Blaze from Mozambique for the Portuguese Version. The songs talk about promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness on the early detection and prevention of Diabetes. Click here to listen to ‘NO More Diabetes, Sugar Free’ English Song: https://bit.ly/3vcCVQ9  Click here to listen to ‘Dites non au Diabète’ French Song: https://bit.ly/3OrOw4J  Click here to listen to ‘Chega de Diabete’ Portuguese Song: https://bit.ly/3z22FzT Through our new children storybook, we want to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection, prevention, and management of Diabetes, from a young age Moreover, through “Merck Foundation Diabetes Blue Points Program” in partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, and Medical Societies, Merck Foundation has provided more than 720 scholarships for doctors from 45 Countries, of one-year Post-Graduate Diploma and two-year Master degree in both Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, and 3 months Diabetes Mastercourse. Merck Foundation together with African First Ladies, has also introduced Awards for Media, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, Musicians/ Singers, and new potential talents in these fields from African countries to Promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Details of the awards: 1. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here (https://bit.ly/3csdIun) to view more details. 2. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here (https://bit.ly/3z55T5z) to view more details. 3. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here (https://bit.ly/3z7C0BJ) to view more details. 4. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here (https://bit.ly/3JaxQNZ) to view more details. Entries for all the awards are to be submitted via email to: submit@merck-foundation.com Merck Foundation in partnership with African First Ladies has also released 7 inspiring children’s storybooks in three languages and over 30 songs on breaking infertility stigma, supporting girls’ education, and women empowerment, in English, French and Portuguese language. To listen to the Merck Foundation songs and read the Merck Foundation storybooks, please visit: https://bit.ly/3PUxM7a Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

Dolphins Week 5 Power Rankings Roundup – Sports Illustrated https://collincountynewsonline.com/dolphins-week-5-power-rankings-roundup-sports-illustrated/ The Miami Dolphins naturally dropped in the national NFL power rankings following their Thursday night loss at Cincinnati, a game marred by the frightening injury sustained by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. But the Dolphins clearly are still held in high regard among the national media, as evidenced by their current ranking at 3-1, where the consensus has them at number 5. In our survey of rankings of 10 national outlets —CBS Sports, NFL.com, The Athletic, The Sporting News, The Ringer, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Yahoo, and Pro Football Talk — the Dolphins were ranked as high as fourth and only NFL.com had them lower than seventh. Here’s the breakdown of the Dolphins’ 10 power rankings spots, along with the commentary associated with it: CBS Sports Ranking: 5 Previous: 2 Analysis: The Tua Tagovailoa situation clouds their fast start. It’s Teddy Bridgewater this week against the Jets, which will be a tougher game than maybe they thought. NFL.com Ranking: 10 Previous: 3 Analysis: The Dolphins lost for the first time this season against the Bengals on Thursday Night Football, but the story after the game surrounded Tua Tagovailoa, and the head and neck injuries that sent him to a Cincinnati-area medical center after a second-quarter sack. Tua was quickly released from the hospital and flew back to Miami with the team, but questions linger about whether the QB should have been on the field at all after his head was slammed to the turf in the Week 3 win over the Bills. The NFL Players Association terminated the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant involved in Tagovailoa’s concussion check, and changes to the league’s concussion protocol are being implemented. On Monday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel ruled Tua out of Sunday’s game against the Jets. Expect Miami to handle this situation with extreme caution moving forward. The Athletic Ranking: 5 Previous: 1 Analysis: On the field, the Dolphins should be one of the feel-good stories this season with an explosive offense (third in EPA per drive) that has as much speed as any team and one of the most blitz-heavy defenses in the league. But it’s hard to focus on much else in Miami other than the troubling handling of Tua Tagovailoa that seems primed to be held up as exhibition No. 1 in a looming fight between the NFL Players Association and the league on player safety. Tagovailoa has already been ruled out for Week 5 because of the concussion he suffered last Thursday night against the Bengals. Pro Football Talk Ranking: 5 Previous: 1 Analysis: Can they win with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback? Yahoo Sports Ranking: 5 Previous: 4 Scroll to Continue Analysis: It’s not the most important angle of the Tua Tagovailoa injury, but the Dolphins still have games to play and will do so for at least one week without their quarterback. Miami played hard in that loss to Cincinnati, so maybe it’ll be fine. But there’s a lot of pressure on Teddy Bridgewater to keep things on track until Tagovailoa returns. Miami doesn’t want to look up and their 3-0 start has been given away. ————————————————————————— FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM. ————————————————————————— Sports Illustrated Ranking: 4 Previous: 1 Analysis: While it’s impossible to separate what happened to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ immediate future, this is still a well-coached team and a well-designed offense. The first significant test of the Mike McDaniel era is here, though this is absolutely not what he was referring to when he discussed facing adversity. ESPN Ranking: 5 Previous: 1 Analysis (on the biggest issue on defense): Miami currently has the second-worst pass defense in the NFL through its first four games, although that hasn’t translated to the scoreboard. The Dolphins have been stout against the run, and the numbers they’ve given up are a bit skewed considering Josh Allen‘s 63 pass attempts in Week 3 and Lamar Jackson‘s prolific first half in Week 2. Presumably, they’ll return to form once Byron Jones returns from the physically unable to perform list — which he’s eligible to do this week.. The Ringer Ranking: 7 Previous: 6 Analysis: The biggest story line coming out of the Dolphins’ 27-15 loss to the Bengals is just how poorly the NFL and the team handled Tua Tagovailoa’s Week 3 injury against the Bills and the subsequent concussion Tagovailoa suffered four days later, Thursday night in Cincinnati. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced Monday that Tagovailoa will miss the team’s Week 5 matchup against the Jets. Teddy Bridgewater will get the start against New York. McDaniel’s offense is explosive and creative enough to survive Bridgewater being a step back in timing and accuracy from Tua, but Tagovailoa will need to be the healthy starting quarterback for Miami if its deep postseason aspirations will ring true. It will be interesting to watch the betting line on this game throughout the week, as last week’s line shifted from Bengals -1 to Bengals -3.5 even before Tagovailoa’s injury. The Dolphins opened as 3.5-point favorites on the road against the Jets. The Sporting News Ranking: 5 Previous: 1 Analysis: The Dolphins’ defense came down to earn against the passing of the Bengals and their offense took a tough setback of seeing Tua Tagovailoa going down. They will need to recover fast against the upstart Jets. USA Today Ranking: 2 Previous: 8 Analysis: Should be interesting to see this offense without QB Tua Tagovailoa, who will miss Week 5 with his (latest?) concussion. But backup Teddy Bridgewater, who aired out a completion of 61+ yards Thursday, has the arm to take advantage of this team’s speed … assuming coach Mike McDaniel can also get him to play less conservatively.

A Weekend Of Positivity – The Largest Metaverse Virtual Reality And LIVE Streaming Global Event In History Launches With 50 Top Speakers Including Sharon Lecher, Dr. Andrea Adams-Miller, Austin Haines, Peter Vekselman And More – GlobeNewswire https://collincountynewsonline.com/a-weekend-of-positivity-the-largest-metaverse-virtual-reality-and-live-streaming-global-event-in-history-launches-with-50-top-speakers-including-sharon-lecher-dr-andrea-adams-miller-austin-haines/ Findlay, Ohio, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Starting at 5 pm Friday, September 30, 2022, through Sunday, October 2, 2022, The Weekend of Positivity Global Event launched with 50 top speakers covering inspiration, motivation, mindset, success, and knowledge in The MegaVerus Metaverse System, virtual reality and live streaming platform. Dr. Andrea Adams-Miller, of The RED Carpet Connection, is a speaker at the event and a strategic partner of MegaVerus, part of Rhino MR Studios. Click here and go to the EVENTS Tab to join on the Live Stream or on Desktop PC – No Headset required. Also, receive 12 months of the entire event on demand – Included with each ticket. Every paid ticket holder is entered into a drawing to possibly win a Virtual Real Estate Lot in the MegaVerus metaverse platform. The event is hosted by Rhino XR Studios, Donald W. LaPlume Jr., CEO, and Co-Founder of Rhino XR Studios, LLC – The Creators of MegaVerus. Don is a successful CEO of many companies, a man of vision with a passion for family, country, God, and business that brings good to the world with massive impact. Inspiration and training from the most incredible speakers to leave a lasting impact on the world. They have a weekend full of inspiration, positivity, mindset training, personal development, success principles, and mindfulness. It will help viewers to finish the last quarter strong and more importantly inspire and motivate them to leave a lasting impact on the world! Join today for this life-changing weekend! Of the top 50 speakers this weekend of positivity some highlights include the following notables. Sharon Lechter is an entrepreneur, international speaker, best-selling author, mentor, philanthropist, licensed CPA for 35 years, and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. Lechter is the premier expert for financial literacy and entrepreneurial success. From helping expand the electronic book industry to a multi-million-dollar international market to co-authoring the international bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad, and 14 other books in the Rich Dad series during 10 years as the co-founder and CEO, she built the empire into the world’s leading personal finance brand. In 2008, she was asked by the Napoleon Hill Foundation to help re-energize the powerful teachings of Napoleon Hill just as the international economy was faltering. Sharon has released three bestselling books in cooperation with the Foundation, including Think and Grow Rich-Three Feet from Gold, Outwitting the Devil, and her latest project. Sharon is a highly sought-after mentor and has worked with major brands like Disney and Time Warner and served two U.S. Presidents as an advisor on the topic of financial literacy. As CEO of Pay Your Family First, she has dedicated her entrepreneurial efforts to the creation and distribution of financial education books, games, curriculums, and other experiential learning projects. Everything about Sharon’s career centers around impacting others to improve their financial IQ, access untapped potential personally and in business, and create their own legacy. Dr. Andrea Adams-Miller, The Dream Maker, is an International Award-Winning Author and Publicist at TheREDCarpetConnection.com, who manifests dreams bigger than one ever dared to dream possible. As an international keynote speaker since the age of sixteen, she spoke in France, Egypt, Germany, the United Kingdom, Dubai, and more sharing the stage with leaders such as Anthony Hopkins, Jack Canfield, Les Brown, Sharon Lechter, Brian Tracy, and more. Adams-Miller has been seen on 20/20, PBS, CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, E! News, and more. With her authority, believability, credibility & connections to put clients in the limelight, create joint venture partnerships, & acquire funding. She incorporates neuroplasticity for mindset and limiting belief removal to manifest her client’s dreams. She holds three PhDs in theology, public health, and entreprenology. She holds certifications as a Master neuro-linguistic practitioner, dual-trained master hypnotherapist, biofeedback practitioner, and neurofeedback practitioner among many other modalities, and has been a repeat speaker at the World Congress on Brain Mapping and Therapeutics. Additionally, acting as Executive Director, she is a co-founder of TheKeepSmilingMovement.org, a 501(c)3 mental and dental health organization, she utilizes her knowledge, connections, and publicity to help the organization’s mission to save lives with SMILES by creating a DOSE of HOPE to be resilient no matter the challenge. Austin Haines – Austin is the author of the Amazon Best-selling book Flashpoint Your Turnaround Story Starts Here. As your Flashpoint Master Facilitator, Austin guides you to experience your Flashpoint. Austin became an Award-Winning Speaker, Trainer, Podcast Host, and Coach. He reaches his audiences wherever they are on their growth path and engages them on a life journey to propel them forward towards their own Flashpoint. Austin’s Flashpoint occurred after he struggled for many years living an unfulfilled life—a seemingly endless climb to reach nothing but dead ends and defeat. He carried the burdens of low self-esteem feeling branded by the scars from his broken childhood. Later in life, a major tragedy, tumultuous relationships, financial ruin, and the threat of addiction created a hurricane of hopelessness, dragging him into a dark space and time where he felt that his life was over. Through the support of his family, mentors, self-education, and spiritual beliefs, things started to change. Austin landed a promising new job, but within a year he was told he would be fired if he did not turn things around. This was the genesis of Flashpoint. During this time Austin created a big breakthrough that propelled him to become a top producer during a 19-year career with the same company. Most recently, Austin resigned from his career and reinvented his life to become a full-time Life & Business Coach, Author, and Speaker. His Flashpoint set him on a mission to reach out and pave a path for you to reinvent your life and journey through, allowing you to emerge into a purpose. Peter Vekselman, known as a real estate legend, has been involved in Real Estate as an investor, contractor, developer, and lender for some 15 years. He is the owner/principal of three Atlanta area (Cumming) based real estate companies including RBP Investments, The Real Estate Investing Academy, and The Muse Group, a residential real estate agent affiliated PalmerHouse Properties. Vekselman has bought and sold more than 3000 properties, and his construction company has handled 100+ projects. As a private lender, he has managed a portfolio of over $10 million. He holds a degree in Finance from Miami University and is based in Atlanta with a vast business network across the USA. Peter’s companies seek out opportunities for both real estate buyers and sellers. He has assisted over 6500 partners in real estate with his company PartnerDriven. Click here and go to the EVENTS Tab to join on the Live Stream or on Desktop PC – No Headset required. The event is a paid event offering day tickets and entire access for the weekend. Dr. Andrea Adams-Miller of TheREDCarpetConnection.com is a strategic partner for Megaverus. To learn more about how to partner with the MegaVerus organization through Dr. Adams-Miller, contact her at AndreaAdamsMiller@TheREDCarpetConnection.com or 419-722-6931. Rhino XR Studios has multiple components including an exclusive governance token, future-proof virtual real estate, and NFT and smart contract ownership along with events, concerts, seminars, and more. An entire universe of excitement is available within MegaVerus. ### For more information about The RED Carpet Connection.com, contact the company here: The RED Carpet Connection.com Dr. Andrea Adams-Miller 419-722-6931 AndreaAdamsMiller@TheREDCarpetConnection.com 8155 Township Road 89, Findlay, OH 45840

Lana Condor And Anthony De La Torre’s Amazon Wedding Registry – PEOPLE https://collincountynewsonline.com/lana-condor-and-anthony-de-la-torres-amazon-wedding-registry-people/ Their wedding registry includes plush throw blankets, matching coffee mugs, and more affordable finds Published on October 4, 2022 03:00 PM We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Lana Condor and Anthony De La Torre have so much to celebrate. If you’ve been following the actress and the singer, you’ll know that these two aren’t shy about sharing their affectionate relationship on social media and through musical collaborations; and now that they’re engaged, their better-together energy is downright undeniable. PEOPLE recently caught up with the talented duo to check in on how the wedding planning process is going. “Our favorite part has been celebrating our friendships! I don’t think people talk about how much joy there is in asking your bridal party to be a part of your wedding day,” Condor tells PEOPLE. “I sat down with all of my girls individually and surprised them with a bridesmaid box filled with cute little things, and reflected on the best memories. Oh, and I also finally pulled the trigger on my dress! I’m so stoked [about it] — but Anthony will not get a single peek until the big day.” While De La Torre may not have been witness to watching his bride-to-be say yes to the dress, he’s certainly no stranger to shopping. In fact, we learned that he played a big part in putting together the couple’s Amazon Wedding Registry — a beautifully curated wish list that provides a sneak peek into what their serendipitous life is like behind the scenes. “We love a wide range of things, so our registry really reflects who we are as people. We share an Amazon account, but I’m really the one rounding out the orders and adding things to the cart on the day-to-day,” De La Torre tells PEOPLE. Condor playfully interjected that she sometimes has to regulate her fiancé’s Amazon shopping time to desktop browsing only, since the app makes placing orders on the fly a little too accessible. “That easy swipe on the app is so dangerous!” she laughs. As for what’s on their registry, the lovebirds honed in on items that spark joy, including plush throw blankets, scented candles, and modern kitchen essentials to spruce up their space. “We’ve had our home for years, so we just wanted to give it a face lift. We picked out things that felt fresh and new, but still cozy. The basis of our foundation is safety — when we first met, we instantly felt at home with each other, so we wanted everything in our home to be soothing and comfortable,” Condor shares. Lana Condor and Anthony De La Torre’s Amazon Wedding Registry 1 by One High Fidelity Belt Turntable, $149.97 with coupon (orig. $239.99) Lurrier Stackable Coffee Mug Set, $31.99 The Glamorous Goat Mohair Wool Throw Blanket, $219.99 Yangqihome Decorative Wood Charcuterie Board, $28.99 Breville Waffle Maker, $149.95 Sweet Water Decor Wedding Day Candle, $20 (orig. $24) Uttermost Round Wall Mirror, $229.95 (orig. $249.99) Costa Farms Ficus Lyrata Live Indoor Plant, $35.98 De’Longhi Bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine, $169.95 (orig. $207.95) Patelai 4-Piece Stainless Steel Cheese Knives Set, $14.99 Elpheco Motion Sensor Bathroom Trash Can, $39.99 (orig. $65.99) The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before star pointed out the items she’s most excited about are food related, including a wooden charcuterie board, new dishes, and a dazzling Breville Waffle Maker, to name a few. “Anthony makes the best breakfasts ever, but he’s never made me waffles because we didn’t own a waffle maker. That’s about to change!” she says. Speaking of fancy new home gadgets, De La Torre is equally excited about adding a turntable to the living room so he can do what he does best: make music. See More from PEOPLE Shopping: Refresh Your Home with Trendy Rattan Decor and Furniture from Amazon — Sale Prices Start at Just $10 Amazon Shoppers Say They Can Organize a ‘Messy Closet’ Into ‘Something Pretty’ with These $3 Storage Bags Travis Barker Only Wears Vegan Leather, Including These Exact Boots on Amazon “When you go into someone’s home and you see a turntable, you instantly think they’re classy and cool and put together, right? Our hope is that when we host gatherings we can create that same illusion,” he says with a laugh. Shop the turntable and more fun standouts from Lana Condor and Anthony De La Torre’s wedding registry below. Buy It! 1 by One High Fidelity Belt Turntable, $149.97 with coupon (orig. $239.99); amazon.com Buy It! Lurrier Stackable Coffee Mug Set, $31.99; amazon.com Buy It! The Glamorous Goat Mohair Wool Throw Blanket, $219.99; amazon.com Buy It! Yangqihome Decorative Wood Charcuterie Board, $28.99; amazon.com Buy It! Breville Waffle Maker, $149.95; amazon.com Buy It! Sweet Water Decor Wedding Day Candle, $20 (orig. $24); amazon.com Buy It! Uttermost Round Wall Mirror, $229.95 (orig. $249.99); amazon.com Do you love a good deal? Sign up for PEOPLE’s Shopping newsletter to stay up to date on the latest sales, plus celebrity fashion, home decor and more.

Christopher Sheehan On Paying Bills With Crypto And Spritz Finance | CryptoNews Podcast #162 – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/christopher-sheehan-on-paying-bills-with-crypto-and-spritz-finance-cryptonews-podcast-162-cryptonews/ Christopher Sheehan is the Founder of Spritz Finance. He is an MIT Computer Scientist and repeat fintech entrepreneur. Chris’s previous company, WorldCover, was an international insuretech funded by Y Combinator, Index Ventures, Greylock and other global VC investors. The company developed parametric insurance products and software, and its IP assets were acquired in 2021.  In this conversation, we discuss:  – Y Combinator stories  – Doing things that don’t scale  – Growing 7% every week  – Life at MIT  – Learning routines  – Bridging tradfi and defi  – Paying your bills with crypto  – Volatility  – Polygon x Starbucks partnership  – Building on Polygon Ecosystem  – Crypto lifestyle app  – Keeping it simple

Analysis | Most Fentanyl Is Seized At Border Crossings — Often From U.S. Citizens – The Washington Post https://collincountynewsonline.com/analysis-most-fentanyl-is-seized-at-border-crossings-often-from-u-s-citizens-the-washington-post/ One line of political rhetoric that’s proved particularly popular as the midterm elections approach goes something like this: President Biden’s open-border policy has allowed dangerous drugs like fentanyl to flood into the country, imperiling our children. The evidence for this is often patchy, with Republicans — generally the people articulating this line of argument — often pointing to things like drug seizures as evidence. That those are seizures, drugs generally stopped at the border, doesn’t seem to derail the argument. After all, the same rhetorical trick is applied to immigrants themselves; that most of those stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border were prevented from entering doesn’t exclude them from being added to what’s meant to be a scary-sounding total number of people seeking to come to the United States. But there’s another point that’s worth drawing out here. Seizures are a dubious metric not only because those drugs will not be sold in the United States but also because of where and how those seizures occur: usually at border checkpoints and often in the possession of U.S. citizens. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provides detailed data on drug seizures. Those include seizures throughout the country, not just at the U.S.-Mexico border, and seizures undertaken by the CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) unit. But it breaks down the data usefully, allowing us to see the quantities of drugs seized by agents and where those seizures occur. It is true that the amount of fentanyl being seized by CBP has increased in the past few years. In the third quarter of calendar year 2019, some 668 pounds of fentanyl were seized by the Border Patrol, the Office of Field Operations (which manages border checkpoints, including at airports) and AMO. In the third quarter of 2020, that surged to 2,357 pounds. In the third quarter of 2021, the figure was 2,921 pounds. Full data for the third quarter of 2022 isn’t available yet, but the total in the first two months was over 4,400 pounds. Most of that, in each quarter, was seized at the U.S.-Mexico border. In the period from the fourth quarter of 2018 to the end of August 2022, an average of 87 percent of seized fentanyl was stopped at the southern border. But most of that was stopped by OFO at border crossing points. If we look at this not as raw totals but, instead, as percentages, the scale of stops that occur at border crossings becomes obvious. On average, just under three-quarters of all fentanyl seized by CBP is seized at U.S.-Mexico border crossings. Only about 11 percent of fentanyl is seized by the Border Patrol between checkpoints — the sort of scenario that often gets amplified as a point of political pressure. It is necessarily true that some percentage of drugs is not seized at the border. After all, there are illegal drugs in the United States that originate elsewhere. But it’s not fair to simply assume that enormous quantities of drugs simply aren’t detected. We recently considered this question in terms of migrants seeking entry to the country. Yes, some portion of migrants enter the country illegally and are not detected by the Border Patrol. But the percentage of migrants who do so has declined in recent decades thanks to both expansions of barriers on the border undertaken in the administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump and because of improved surveillance tools deployed at the border. It’s also because many migrants want to be stopped by government officials, in order to make an asylum claim that might allow them to remain in the country legally for some time. In other words, in many cases it’s simply easier to use the border checkpoints in the first place. Part of the goal of installing barriers on the border is to increase the likelihood that people will use manned crossing points. Then there is simple physics. Fentanyl isn’t like marijuana, which is voluminous and hard to hide in a car or on your person. If you want to smuggle a large volume of pot, you aren’t going to throw it in the trunk of your car. But even a relatively large volume of fentanyl can be tucked easily out of sight. Multiple government officials have testified in recent years that most drugs enter at border crossings. So who is being stopped with drugs at the border? Well, consider what’s occurring at those checkpoints. Thousands of vehicles and people are lined up, waiting to come in. At the San Ysidro crossing point, authorities have about 40 seconds to identify signs of smuggling, USA Today reported several years ago. The less suspicion a smuggler can draw, then, the better. And who better to reduce suspicion than a U.S. citizen? CBP doesn’t have compiled data on the percentage of seizures that are U.S. citizens. But a perusal of the organization’s website turns up a large number of news releases in which fentanyl seizures involve Americans. In March, for example, CBP published a notice in which it identified four people who had been detained for attempting to smuggle fentanyl. All were identified as citizens. Again, the idea of smuggling fentanyl into the country is to get the drugs in quickly without detection. Paying a citizen to drive them in makes more sense in that regard than having a noncitizen lug them across the Rio Grande. But reality isn’t always politically useful. Using the specter of fentanyl (the dangers of which are also overhyped) as a way to hand-wring about immigration is obviously useful. We can see that reflected in media coverage. As noted above, fentanyl seizures began to surge in 2020. Fox News, though, only began ginning up its coverage once Biden was inaugurated. Over the past five months, the network has mentioned fentanyl far more regularly — and often in the context of the border. For the most part, we can assume, the discussion doesn’t center on how much of the drug is taken from U.S. citizens at border checkpoints.

Carpenter Technology Stock Scores Relative Strength Upgrade | Investor’s Business Daily – Investor’s Business Daily https://collincountynewsonline.com/carpenter-technology-stock-scores-relative-strength-upgrade-investors-business-daily-investors-business-daily/ Access to this page has been denied because we believe you are using automation tools to browse the website. This may happen as a result of the following: Javascript is disabled or blocked by an extension (ad blockers for example) Your browser does not support cookies Please make sure that Javascript and cookies are enabled on your browser and that you are not blocking them from loading. Reference ID: #9bc5e677-4417-11ed-b775-7a5273565374

Mobile Gaming Platform BlueStacks Offers Its Affiliate Program For Publishers Across 57 Countries – Investing News Network https://collincountynewsonline.com/mobile-gaming-platform-bluestacks-offers-its-affiliate-program-for-publishers-across-57-countries-investing-news-network/

Priced Out: How Dallas’ Soaring Rental Costs Fuel Homelessness – Dallas Observer https://collincountynewsonline.com/priced-out-how-dallas-soaring-rental-costs-fuel-homelessness-dallas-observer/ Hector Hernandez stood outside his small Oak Cliff apartment in early July on one of his last days at the Oakridge Apartments, a place the 48-year-old had called home for about a year. It wasn’t the best place to live, but he could afford it on his fixed income. Then the complex came under new management. Most of the complex’s units had boarded-up windows, ready for renovations and a rent increase. Hernandez and others couldn’t afford the higher rents and likely wouldn’t have met the new management company’s requirements. Hernandez is blind and scrapes by on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments. Most of that money would go toward his rent. The rest was just enough for groceries and a few incidentals. His mom would visit him every month to drop off his rent check. One day she showed up and found a note posted to his door that said the apartment was coming under new management. Rents would go up, the note said, but Hernandez was free to reapply if he wanted to stay. “I need to find somewhere to go. I can’t afford that,” Hernandez said. A group called Fighting Homelessness was helping Hernandez and the others get better conditions at the apartment complex, pushing for repairs to gas leaks and action on stopping a rat infestation. But since the notice about new management arrived, the group has been trying to find new homes for the residents priced out of the Oakridge Apartments. They haven’t had any luck yet. Barring any rental assistance, which they’re working to get, there’s nothing in the tenants’ price range. Hernandez, for example, is used to spending between $600 and $700 on rent, most of his income. Finding something in that price range in a market as hot as Dallas is not easy. Some might say it’s impossible. “That’s the reality out there,” Lisa Marshall, the homelessness advocate who started the Fighting Homelessness group, said. “People that are on fixed incomes, whether it’s [Social Security Disability Insurance] because of their disability or they’re elderly, or they’re on [Supplemental Security Income], there are no places out there to get and rent that are $650. Anything below that, you probably are renting from a halfway house or a drug rehab place or you’re just sharing a room with somebody in a boarding home. And they are few and far between. So, that’s the population that nobody thought about when all this rent was going up.” “I need to find somewhere to go. I can’t afford that.” – Hector Hernandez, renter tweet this According to apartmentlist.com’s October 2022 national rent report, rents nationwide are up by nearly 7% over last year’s. In Dallas, rents have increased by a little over 12%. The average two-bedroom apartment in Dallas now costs about $1,500 a month. Housing production in Dallas picked up between 2020 and 2021. At the beginning of 2020, builders had started on some 12,000 houses, according to the housing research firm Zonda. When 2021 rolled around, builders had started on more than 54,000. Despite this uptick, a report released this year by the national housing advocacy group Up For Growth found that another 3.8 million homes must be built in the U.S. to fill the country’s housing needs. That translates to about 322,000 homes across Texas and 85,220 across DFW. Even as the housing market cools down – tracking with the first small month-to-month decrease in rent prices this year – it’s hard to see an end in sight to sky-high rents and mortgage rates. People attribute the rising costs to factors like inflation, issues in the supply chain, short-term rentals and institutional investors. All of these things can contribute to the underlying issue — a massive housing shortage. The production of new homes over the last 10 years simply hasn’t kept up with demand in the U.S. Changes in the industry in this period, such as the start of short-term rental companies like Airbnb and institutional investors’ expansion into the housing market, have also taken properties off the market for would-be homeowners. *** Windows boarded up at Oakridge Apartments are being renovated for higher rents.   Jacob Vaughn” href=”https://media1.dallasobserver.com/dal/imager/u/original/14963646/windows_are_boarded_up_at_oakridge_apartments_jacob_vaughn.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-14942990″ title=”Windows boarded up at Oakridge Apartments are being renovated for higher rents. – Jacob Vaughn” click to enlarge Windows boarded up at Oakridge Apartments are being renovated for higher rents. Jacob Vaughn Short-term rentals have stirred up a controversy in Dallas, as in other cities, especially from residents complaining that the rentals are being used as party and event spaces, creating a nuisance. City officials and staff are still meeting to discuss how to deal with the short-term rental market in Dallas. Some have proposed using the city’s zoning laws to restrict rental locations, while others think they should be allowed in their current locations under tougher regulations. There are about 1,200 short-term rentals registered in the city, but active listings suggest that there are many more in Dallas. As of Sept. 28, Dallas actually had 5,677 active properties, according to the website airdna.co, which provides information on short-term rentals. Most of those are listed on Airbnb. Short-term rentals have the potential to benefit cities and neighborhoods. They could lead to an increase in tourism and stimulate the local economy. Property owners can benefit by turning their homes into another source of income. Tourists can enjoy lower travel costs by using short-term rentals. But after a while, the negative effects of short-term rentals can start to outweigh the benefits. A report by the Economic Policy Institute from 2019 looked into the economic costs and benefits of the short-term rental company Airbnb. “While the introduction and expansion of Airbnb into U.S. cities and cities around the world carries large potential economic benefits and costs, the costs to renters and local jurisdictions likely exceed the benefits to travelers and property owners,” the report said. “That’s the reality out there.” – Lisa Marshall, Fighting Homelessness tweet this “There is evidence that Airbnb increases the supply of short-term travel accommodations and slightly lowers prices,” the report said. “But there is little evidence that the high price of travel accommodations is a pressing economic problem in the United States: The price of travel accommodations in the U.S. has not risen particularly fast in recent years, nor are travel costs a significant share of American family budgets.” Housing costs are a significant share of American family budgets, and they have seen huge increases in recent years for both renters and homeowners. There’s some evidence to suggest that short-term rentals are contributing to the problem. The report says that one of the largest and best-documented potential costs of Airbnb’s expansion over the years is the reduction it causes in the housing supply. Because the cost of housing doesn’t affect people’s need for it, the report says, “even small changes in housing supply (like those caused by converting long-term rental properties to Airbnb units) can cause significant price increases.” The report says studies have indicated that Airbnb’s introduction and expansion into New York City, for example, may have raised average rents by nearly $400 annually. *** Neighboring apartment complex is also showing wear. If residents can’t afford these apartments, where can they go?   Jacob Vaughn” href=”https://media1.dallasobserver.com/dal/imager/u/original/14963902/this_is_one_small_complex_that_neighbors_oakridge_jacob_vaughn.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-14942990″ title=”Neighboring apartment complex is also showing wear. If residents can’t afford these apartments, where can they go? – Jacob Vaughn” click to enlarge Neighboring apartment complex is also showing wear. If residents can’t afford these apartments, where can they go? Jacob Vaughn Some believe the increase of institutional investors in the single-family-rental market also is taking homes off the market and sending prices through the roof. The Congressional Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations has been looking into the influx of investor home-buying and its effects on the market. The 2008 recession and its mass foreclosures put a huge number of homes on the market that many individuals couldn’t afford. That’s when corporations began gobbling up single-family homes across the country, a report by the subcommittee explained. No single investor owned more than 1,000 homes in 2011. That has changed drastically over the last decade, with investors making more than half of 2021 home purchases in Tarrant County. In Dallas County, institutional investors accounted for 43% of 2021 home purchases. Democrats and Republicans on the subcommittee seemed divided on the topic. U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican and a ranking member of the subcommittee, pointed out during a June hearing that while investors may be increasingly buying up these properties, they still account for only a small portion of the country’s single-family rentals. According to the real estate consulting firm RCLCO, 2% of the 15 million single-family rental homes across the U.S. are owned by investors. Emmer said investors are actually benefiting people by providing homes for rent that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford because of poor housing policy decisions and rising inflation, both of which he blames Democrats for. “While many Americans can’t afford a full tank of gas or to buy meat at the grocery store, our subcommittee is focusing on institutional homeownership in the home rental market,” Emmer said. “We cannot demonize in...

Some Cruise Fares Have Dropped As Low As $26 A Day As Lines Struggle To Fill Ships For Fall – The Points Guy https://collincountynewsonline.com/some-cruise-fares-have-dropped-as-low-as-26-a-day-as-lines-struggle-to-fill-ships-for-fall-the-points-guy/ Looking for a last-minute fall vacation that won’t break the bank? Consider a cruise. With bookings for fall sailings weaker than expected, some cruise lines are offering wildly low rates to fill ships in the coming months. At one major cruise brand, Carnival Cruise Line, base fares for some four-night fall sailings have dropped as low as $26 per day. One three-night sailing at Carnival is selling for just $99 — not per day but for the entire voyage. Sign up for our daily newsletter “If you’re looking to book a fall vacation, you’re unlikely to find a better value than at sea,” longtime industry watcher Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of online cruise site Cruise Critic, told TPG on Monday. “We’re seeing some truly incredible deals right now from the Pacific to Atlantic.” For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter As Gray Faust noted, there are a wide range of fall cruises to the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera and Pacific Coast currently available for under $50 a night, a low rate for a cruise. It’s something that is all the more remarkable considering such fares include not just accommodations on a ship but meals and onboard entertainment, too, she said. The lowest base rates for some fall sailings are so low that cruisers will pay more in taxes and fees to various government entities when booking one of the trips than they do in base fare to their cruise line — an upsidedown situation that is relatively rare in cruising. The $99 fare for the Carnival cruise mentioned above, a three-night sailing from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas scheduled for Oct. 17, for instance, is well below the $131.27 in taxes and fees that each passenger must pay to book the sailing. Related: The ultimate guide to picking a cruise line Many of the lowest fares available for the fall are on ships operated by Carnival and Holland America, two lines that are being particularly aggressive in discounting to fill ships. MSC Cruises also is offering low fares on a number of fall sailings. Some cruise brands, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, are keeping base fares higher but throwing in lots of freebies such as free unlimited drinks, specialty dining, excursions and Wi-Fi. Norwegian Cruise Line has tried to hold the line on pricing. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE Norwegian on Monday was selling three-night sailings to the Bahamas in November and December that included all of the above freebies starting at $279 per person — about $93 per day. Cruise deals from $26 per day Among particularly low fares for fall sailings that cruise lines were touting on their websites as of late Monday: A four-night Carnival voyage out of Miami on Nov. 28 starting at $104 per person — about $26 per day. The Bahamas trip will take place on the 2,980-passenger Carnival Conquest. A four-night Carnival voyage out of Port Canaveral, Florida, on Nov. 28 starting at $104 per person — about $26 per day. The Bahamas trip will take place on the 2,974-passenger Carnival Liberty. A five-night Holland America voyage out of Vancouver, British Columbia, on Oct. 24 starting at $179 per person — about $36 per day. The Pacific Coast trip will take place on the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam. A six-night MSC Cruises voyage out of Barcelona on Nov. 6 starting at $299 per person — about $50 per day. The Mediterranean trip will take place on the 4,500-passenger MSC Bellissima. A seven-night Holland America voyage out of Florida’s Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 27 starting at $299 per person — about $43 per day. The Caribbean sailing will take place on the 2,106-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam. As is typical for cruise fares advertised online, the rates don’t include government taxes and fees, which often run around $100 to $200 per person, per cruise. They also don’t include the cost of flights to reach the ships, which can be high. That said, there are plenty of low-cost sailings available this fall out of “drive-in ports” near major U.S. population centers that many passengers can reach without a flight. Passengers who book many of the lowest fares available also will pay extra for things like alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi and service charges while on the cruises. Related: 11 extra charges on cruise ships that will drive you nuts — and what to do about them The current state of cruise pricing Still, even with such extra charges, the cost of such cruises is notably low when compared to the rapidly rising cost of staying in a resort or hotel on land. Cruise pricing this year has fallen far behind pricing for lodging on land, with some Wall Street analysts who cover the travel industry saying the differential is now in the 30% to 50% range. Cruise pricing for some itineraries, notably, has not kept up with the inflation rate since 2019, the last normal year for the industry, whereas hotel pricing is well above where it was a few years ago. The cumulative inflation rate in the United States since 2019 is nearly 16%, as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The low rates for fall cruises come as cruise companies struggle more than land resorts to return to normal occupancy levels in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The parent company of Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation, on Friday announced that occupancy levels at its nine brands averaged just 84% during the peak summer travel months of June, July and August — below the 87% that Wall Street analysts had been expecting and well below normal levels. Carnival Corporation, which also owns Princess Cruises, Holland America and Costa Cruises, usually reports ship occupancies during the summer months over 100% — something possible when more than two people stay in a cabin. Passenger ticket revenue for the summer months at Carnival Corporation also came in well below Wall Street expectations. The company on Friday also said its cumulative advanced book position for the fourth quarter was “below the historical range” — a change from earlier in the year when the company was saying bookings for the fourth quarter were within historical ranges. Carnival Corporation stock plunged more than 23% on Friday to its lowest level in nearly 30 years. Planning a cruise? Start with these stories: The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly 15 ways cruisers waste money 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up What to pack for your first cruise Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Poll: Many Pessimistic About Improving Standard Of Living – 69News WFMZ-TV https://collincountynewsonline.com/poll-many-pessimistic-about-improving-standard-of-living-69news-wfmz-tv/ NEW YORK (AP) — More than half of Americans believe it’s unlikely younger people today will have better lives than their parents, according to a new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Most of those polled said that raising a family and owning a home are important to them, but more than half said these goals are harder to achieve compared with their parents’ generation. That was particularly true for younger people — about seven in 10 Americans under 30 think homeownership has become harder to achieve. About half of those polled also said it’s hard for them to improve their own standards of living, with many citing both economic conditions and structural factors. Josean Cano, 39, a bus operator in Chicago who is Hispanic, said he’s had a harder time economically than his parents. He mentioned inflation, high housing costs, and the recent baby formula shortage as examples. “Things have doubled and tripled in price, ” he said. “We’re not talking about gym shoes or concert tickets. We’re talking about essentials. Six months ago, you couldn’t find PediaSure. And if you could find it, it would be $20. It used to be $11 at Target.” Cano also pointed to the fact that the real purchasing power of the minimum wage was higher for previous generations and that rents and the cost of education were more reasonable. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the federal minimum wage in 2021 was worth 34% less than in 1968, when its purchasing power peaked. “Many people perceive their options are less than what they had in the past,” said University of Chicago professor Steven Durlauf, who studies inequality and helped construct the study. “A lot of sense of well-being has to do with relative status, not absolute status.” The study also showed marked partisan disagreements over whether structural factors contribute to social mobility. Democrats were more likely than Republicans to say that factors such as parents’ wealth, the community one lives in, college education, race and ethnicity, and gender greatly affect one’s social mobility. Black and Hispanic adults were also more likely than white adults to say a college education, race and ethnicity, and gender are very important factors. Acacia Barraza, 35, who lives in Las Lunas, New Mexico and works as an employee services coordinator, said she was more optimistic about social mobility for Hispanic Americans before the election of former President Donald Trump. Barraza is Hispanic and Native American. “Before, I would have thought we had made progress,” she said. “That we’d be able to have more and be more. But we’re battling the same battles our parents did. Trump brought it back to the forefront.” Barraza said that student debt, which she and her husband both have, has made raising a family and working towards buying a house more difficult. According to Department of Education data, average student loan debt has increased for all generations, reaching record highs. Of adults under 30 who have a bachelor’s degree or higher, 49% have student loan debt. Federal borrowers 24 and younger owe an average of $14,434, those aged 25 to 34 owe an average debt of $33,570, and those aged 35 to 49 owe an average federal debt of $43,208. Mark Claffey, 52, who is disabled, white, and lives in Logan, Ohio, said that “everything costs more” now than it did for his parents’ generation. “Back then you could make something on a limited budget,” he said. “You could do more with less. Bread cost less than a dollar.” Now, Claffey says he and his wife find themselves squeezed at the end of the month on their fixed income budgets. He also thinks the country is more divided and polarized along partisan lines than in previous eras. Compared with younger people, Americans aged 60 or older are more likely to believe it’s easier for them to achieve a good standard of living compared with their parents, the poll found. Only 35% of adults over 60 said it is “much or somewhat harder” to achieve a good standard of living, compared with 54% of adults aged 18-29. The poll also found that Black Americans have a more positive outlook on upward mobility for future generations than white Americans. Poll respondent Glen McDaniel, 70, who is Black and works as a medical laboratory scientist in Atlanta, said he has “a certain amount of optimism” about the prospect of future generations having a better standard of living because he “knows for a fact it’s possible, not something you read in a book.” “I’ve seen a lot of history through these eyes,” he said. “There were times when even someone looking like me going to college didn’t seem possible. We would have to think, going on vacation — would people who look like us be safe, or would we be harassed? It’s incredible to think that was during my lifetime.” McDaniel said his mother started college, but dropped out, and that he went to the University of Toronto. He said seeing technological advances also contributes to his feeling that future generations may make gains. McDaniel added that his optimism is “a little constrained by the political climate right now.” “There’s still a climate of people coming out from under rocks motivated by their worst fears,” he said. “It’s not as blatant as when I was a kid. But it’s still part of the American ethos.” The poll of 1,014 adults was conducted Aug. 25-29 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. Follow AP’s coverage of financial wellness at https://apnews.com/hub/financial-wellness The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Ohio Department Of Aging Announces Launch Of State Plan – Spectrum News 1 https://collincountynewsonline.com/ohio-department-of-aging-announces-launch-of-state-plan-spectrum-news-1/ COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Aging announced the launch of Ohio’s 2023-26 State Plan on Aging on Oct. 3.   What You Need To Know  The ODA is required to submit a state plan on aging periodically to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration Approval of the state plan provides Ohio the ability to withdraw federal Older Americans Act funding In order to develop the plan, the ODA conducted a “multiphase needs assessment” process ​According to an ODA press release, “the plan calls on all Ohioans… to join forces to help Ohioans live longer, healthier lives with dignity and autonomy, and to eliminate disparities and inequities in aging.” The 2023-26 State Plan on Aging addresses community conditions, healthy living, access to care, social connectedness, population health and preserving independence. “This plan is a roadmap for working toward our common vision of making Ohio the best place to age in the nation by allowing Ohioans to live longer, healthier lives,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. As Ohio’s federally designated State Unit on aging, the ODA is required to submit a state plan on aging periodically to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living. Approval of the state plan provides Ohio the ability to withdraw federal Older Americans Act funding. This funding helps support critical programs and services, including home-delivered meals, transportation, caregiver supports and more. In order to develop the plan, the ODA conducted a “multiphase needs assessment” process. This process included an online survey of more than 1,200 older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers. The department hosted a public hearing in March 2022 and three virtual stakeholder meetings to gather input from the public. “Creating the plan was a collaborative process and implementing it will be a team effort among ODA and all of our aging network partners to ensure that all Ohioans can age with grace and dignity,” said ODA Director Ursel J. McElroy. “This plan masterfully reframes how we view aging and the healthy aging process. It highlights the link between social determinants of health and longevity, prompting us to rethink our approaches to policymaking, service delivery, and investment priorities.” To view the entire plan, visit the 2023-26 State Plan on Aging page on the ODA website

STUDENT NEWS: Oct. 4, 2022 – Park Rapids Enterprise https://collincountynewsonline.com/student-news-oct-4-2022-park-rapids-enterprise/ (Adobe Stock) Chinnapong – stock.adobe.com October 04, 2022 10:42 AM We are part of The Trust Project. Trinidy Meech of Menahga earned a place on the North Dakota State University summer Dean’s List for achieving a 3.50 grade point average or higher while enrolled in at least nine class credits.

Retail Consultants YRC Envisions The Application Of Metaverse In Retail – EIN News https://collincountynewsonline.com/retail-consultants-yrc-envisions-the-application-of-metaverse-in-retail-ein-news/ Retail Consultants YRC envisions the application of Metaverse in Retail YRC is a retail and eCommerce consulting enterprise having the experience of working with more than 500 clients in 20+ verticals. YRC is a Management Consulting Company, especially for the B-C Sector. Empowering Retail & E-commerce businesses.” — Nikhil Agarwal DUBAI, October 4, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — With a budding international presence, YRC offers a host of world-class services and solutions to retail and eCommerce brands. In this communiqué, the omnichannel consulting experts share their vision and ideas for the application of the Metaverse concept in the world of retail. Metaverse in short The concept of Metaverse encompasses any digital/technological environment or platform that is capable of delivering a virtual or verisimilitude experience to the audiences and customers. But it does not end there. Metaverse applied is also capable of giving effect to real-world situations by allowing users to interact with the platform and other users. For instance, in Metaverse, it could be possible for console players to buy merchandise within the game. The term is still open for interpretation. The concept of Metaverse should not be confused with the brand name of any business or non-business organisation. Metaverse in Departmental Stores and Supermarkets One possibility for supermarket and departmental stores to apply metaverse is offering a live view of the merchandised inventory in their stores via their official apps or websites. The broad idea of metaverse retail is not only to provide customers with a view of the metaverse store but also to give them a metaverse shopping experience. As a provider of online business consulting services, YRC specifies that shifting to the metaverse will lead retailers to take their businesses online ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/retail-grocery-supermarket-kirana-consultants/ ). Metaverse in Fashion Retail Many customers do not go for online shopping of fashion products because of the lack of validation. They are deprived of the option of physically checking out a product. This is where Metaverse could play a role if not completely solve the problem. By adding AR, VR, and 3D avatar technologies, both online and offline retailers could provide an opportunity to customers to make a better sense of how a product would look on them ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/luxury-retail-consulting/ ). Metaverse in Beauty and Personal Care Metaverse always need not involve AR and VR. Sometimes, simple and short videos on display screens in stores could do the trick. By displaying pre-recorded videos of the application of beauty and personal care products, retailers can help customers in assessing products and make purchasing decisions. Metaverse need not necessarily lead to shopping in the metaverse; it could also play the role of a facilitator in the customer shopping journey ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/beauty-and-personal-care/ ). Metaverse in Health & Wellness The metaverse approach could help organisations reach out to people living in semi-urban and remote areas in more effective ways. Professionals in the field could interact with their clients and assess their problems and requirements with a closer-to-reality approach. Clients would not be required to travel to any branch and access the services from anywhere anytime ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/hospital-and-health-clinics-consulting/ ). Metaverse in Automobile and Auto Accessories Metaverse is good for an enriched experience. However, it has different implications for different industries and businesses. Today, almost every big automaker brand has virtual showrooms. Without having to visit the showrooms, customers can have a glimpse of the exteriors and interiors of cars. But it is unlikely that customers will make big purchases like buying a car over virtual tours. And experienced online business consultants would know this ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/automobile-spare-parts-accessories-consulting/ ). Metaverse in Hotels Offering virtual tours is also common with hotels, resorts and similar other service providers. But many such virtual tours offered by businesses are merely pre-recorded videos and compilations of photos. What users can see is limited to the confines of these videos and photos. There is no scope of action or interaction that contributes to or enhances the customer journey ( https://www.yourretailcoach.in/industries/hotel-and-fine-dine-consulting/ ). Metaverse in Restaurants and Cloud Kitchens Metaverse could prove to be a brilliant platform for restaurants and cloud kitchens. Businesses could not only show the quality standards maintained or how the food items look after preparation, but metaverse could also be the platform for interacting with customer support, raising queries, placing orders, or raising complaints. For more insights into retail innovation and YRC’s retail consulting services or for a quick conversation with one of YRC’s retail and eCommerce consultants, please visit https://www.yourretailcoach.in/ Get advise for Retail Business Consulting : https://www.yourretailcoach.in/contact/ Rupal Shah Agarwal YourRetailCoach +91 98604 26700 consult@mindamend.net Visit us on social media: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Other How To Choose The Right E Commerce Business Model 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

Fiture Review: A Snazzy Workout Mirror That Gives The Mirror A Run For Its Money – Forbes https://collincountynewsonline.com/fiture-review-a-snazzy-workout-mirror-that-gives-the-mirror-a-run-for-its-money-forbes/ In the old days, you could say you had a home gym if you hung your laundry on a spin bike at the foot of the bed. These days, new gadgets can motivate you to work out—workout mirrors provide a gym-like fitness class experience led by real human trainers. The aptly named Mirror kicked off the trend, but we’ve cataloged a slew of formidable alternatives in our roundup of the best workout mirrors. For the last few months, I’ve been working out with the Fiture, and this new Mirror competitor brings a lot to your exercise room. Photographer Dave Johnson For Forbes Fiture is a true workout mirror in that it’s a highly reflective mirror; you can use it to check out your outfit when you’re getting dressed in the morning. And when you’re working out, you can easily see yourself—and your form—reflected back at you through and around the trainer’s video. But the field is getting crowded, with excellent options such as Tempo, Tonal, Mirror and others to choose from. Does the Fiture deserve a spot in your home near the treadmill? Here’s what I found. Screen Size: 43-inches | Subscription: $39 per month for up to seven users, cancel anytime | Installation: Free delivery and installation Best for: A body-length mirror to get ready for work when you’re not exercising. A wealth of exercises including kid-friendly fitness games. Apartment dwellers and folks who don’t want to put holes in the wall. Skip if: You must have live classes. You want to listen to your own (or at least recognizable) music. You want an all-in-one package with weights and accessories. Fiture Design: A Real Beauty It’s hard not to compare Fiture to the Mirror because it’s the granddaddy of all workout mirrors and its slick, mirrored display and clean design lines make this device a close cousin inviting comparison. Like the original Mirror, Fiture is a highly polished, reflective mirror that works as a piece of home décor when you are not exercising. Moreover, it’s a full-length mirror that stands 68 inches high—just shy of six full feet—and the mirror extends down to all but a foot off the floor. If you didn’t know it was exercise gear, you’d think it was just a mirror, which means you can feel good about displaying it in your home. You don’t have to bolt it to the wall, either, which makes it apartment-friendly and suitable for anyone who doesn’t want to sink anchors into their wall. There is a safety strap in back to secure to the wall if you want to, but I never had any concerns with the way Fiture leans against the wall. Photographer Dave Johnson For Forbes Let’s get this out of the way right now: Fiture doesn’t use a touchscreen. These days, it seems like everything has a touchscreen, and after months of testing the Tempo, I missed not being able to directly interact with classes and workouts on the Fiture screen. Instead, you’ll usually turn to the mobile app to make class choices and tweak other settings. Would it be better if Fiture let you touch it? Sort of. It would certainly make using it feel more modern and interactive. But then the screen would be covered in fingerprints, ruining the elegant mirror. So perhaps it’s for the best. I should point out you’re not tied to your phone, though. Fiture responds to gestures—you can browse for classes by swiping your hand to the left or right, and when you want to start a class, just raise your hand like you’re asking the trainer a question. That’s kind of cool, though honestly, it’s often easier to use your phone, and that’s how I interacted with Fiture most of the time. While the built-in speakers are perfectly fine for hearing your trainer during workouts, Fiture also lets you connect Bluetooth speakers or headphones. Personally, I mostly don’t see the point. The background music is a boring collection of generic rights-free tunes, and you can’t pipe in music from a streaming service or your phone—or even select the genre of music. Let’s hope all that’s going to be improved in a later update. Speaking of connecting stuff, Fiture barely acknowledges this feature except in its help files, but you can use your Apple Watch as a heart rate monitor. Even better, if you connect your watch, you can play and pause the workout from your wrist. Photographer Dave Johnson For Forbes Fiture Classes and Workouts: More Than You’d Expect You wouldn’t go to a gym that specializes exclusively in HIIT classes if you’re more interested in cardio boxing, and likewise, it doesn’t matter what Fiture’s hardware is like if the workout selection is too narrow. Thankfully, the service—which is still pretty young compared to many other workout mirrors—has a generous array of classes on tap. Like most of the competition, it’s $39 per month, but that buys seven user accounts with month-to-month billing that can be cancelled anytime. Classes are led by a generally enthusiastic and likable cadre of trainers who mostly stick to the basics without sharing a ton of personal anecdotes or letting their personalities dominate the classes. Content includes HIIT, strength training, barre, boxing, yoga, Pilates, cardio sculpting and stretching. You can filter your search from the mobile app by class length, difficulty, body focus (core, arms or full body), low impact and equipment needed. Photographer Dave Johnson For Forbes Fiture is also a thoroughly modern workout mirror with support for rep counting and form correction. If you choose a class that includes the so-called Motion Engine (not all do), Fiture uses the onboard camera to count your reps and make corrective suggestions as needed. It worked well, but like all workout mirrors with this feature, it can be hard to read the onscreen corrections if your exercise has you oriented perpendicular to the screen, such as during a push-up or plank. On balance, though, this is a great feature that works well. Many workouts require equipment that isn’t included. You might need dumbbells, for example, so it might not be a bad idea to buy some great adjustable dumbbells to accompany your Fiture. Fiture offers an optional $150 Fit Kit that includes a heart rate monitor and set of resistance bands (used in some workouts), and currently the Fit Kit is bundled for free with the Fiture. I’m not sure how long that deal will last and when it’ll need to be purchased separately. In addition to the substantial library of individual classes, Fiture also offers a (very) limited number of multi-week workout programs. There’s a 20-class weight training program, 10-class barre program, 18-session HIIT and a handful of others—seven in total. It’s a nice start, but this area really shows the infancy of the Fiture subscription service. Perhaps to make up for that, you can also create custom classes. Using the mobile app, you can choose HIIT or strength, pick a length and intensity level, and in moments have a collection of exercises to save and call up anytime you like. You can add more movements and edit details of each—pretty cool. When you run the class, each exercise is demonstrated, albeit very robotically, without any personality like you’d get with a trainer-led class. And there’s more. You can create accounts for everyone in the house (unless you have a very, very big family), so Fiture has rolled out fitness games that will appeal to the younger set. The first such game, Tightrope Tiger, is a balance and coordination game where you control an animated character walking a tightrope while avoiding obstacles along the way. It’s the most innovative use of a workout mirror I’ve yet seen. Photographer Dave Johnson For Forbes All that said, one thing Fiture doesn’t do—at least not now—is live classes. All classes are prerecorded and available on demand, which is probably fine for 90% of everyone out there—it’s certainly all I need, personally speaking. But if you thrive on the buzz of live classes with callouts from the trainer in real time, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Fiture Review: Final Thoughts Fiture is an excellent workout mirror that benefits from arriving in the second wave, and can offer virtually all important features pioneered in the mirrors before it. Not only is it effortless to set up and unlikely to bother a landlord if you’re renting, but it also looks far classier than any piece of workout equipment has any right to be. A sizable and growing catalog of workouts is available in a wide variety of categories, and Fiture seems inclined to innovate, like with kids fitness games, to differentiate itself from other fitness mirrors on the market. It would be great if Fiture offered a full line of accessories like dumbbells, but you can collect extra equipment as your workout journey progresses. In the meantime, Fiture stands near the top of the workout mirror hill. Have fun climbing it.

IMPT Token Presale Raises $150,000 In 24 Hours – Best Green Crypto For 2022? – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/impt-token-presale-raises-150000-in-24-hours-best-green-crypto-for-2022-cryptonews/ Disclaimer: The Industry Talk section features insights by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of Cryptonews.com. A brand new crypto presale has just been unveiled, and investors cannot seem to get enough. IMPT is an environmental and sustainability-focused crypto project that could reshape the current carbon credit landscape through the use of NFT technology. The project already raised more than 150,000 in just 24 hours and is already hitting new milestones. What is IMPT? IMPT allows people and companies to reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing carbon credits which are each equivalent to offsetting 1 ton of carbon. In order to combat the current issues plaguing the industry, IMPT has opted to tokenize carbon credits. This will dramatically increase the transparency in the sector and eliminate any issues surrounding double-spending tokens.  IMPT website (impt.io) There are a few different ways that carbon credits can be acquired. Firstly, they can be purchased on the IMPT marketplace. However, for people unable to purchase the tokens directly, IMPT has partnered with over 10,000 brands to award users with IMPT tokens simply for shopping. These tokens can then be swapped for carbon credits which can be sold or redeemed. The IMPT Presale Clearly, this concept has been popular among investors as the IMPT presale has managed to raise over $150,000 in just 24 hours and has now gone on to accumulate more than $250,000 in investments. According to the IMPT whitepaper, the presale is broken into three distinct phases. The first phase will see 600 million tokens sell for $0.018, the second phase will see 660 million tokens sell for $0.023, and the first and final presale will be for 540 million tokens at $0.028 each. This means that 1.8 billion tokens of IMPT’s 3 billion supply will be sold to presale investors.  As it stands, the IMPT presale seems to be primed to sell out far ahead of schedule. The project is operating in a rapidly expanding sector which could help fuel its accession. While it’s difficult to predict how a project will perform when it’s still in its early stages, IMTP has all the markings of a blue-chip cryptocurrency, meaning we could see the project perform extremely well upon its release. With the IMPT presale selling out quickly, it’s worth checking out the project today in order to purchase tokens for the lowest price possible. Join the IMPT Telegram group to learn more.   Visit IMPT Today Related News and Analysis How to Buy IMPT Token This New $0.018 Token Could 50x 9 New Crypto Launches

Tracking The Funds: Specific Fiscal Year 2022 Provisions For U.S. Department Of Agriculture – Government Accountability Office https://collincountynewsonline.com/tracking-the-funds-specific-fiscal-year-2022-provisions-for-u-s-department-of-agriculture-government-accountability-office/ What GAO Found The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 designated $405.2 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 287 projects at the request of Members of Congress. The act includes specific provisions that designate an amount of funds for a particular recipient to use for a specific project. These provisions are called “Congressionally Directed Spending” in the U.S. Senate and “Community Project Funding” in the House of Representatives. GAO described, among other things, information about the intended uses for these funds, the recipients to whom they were designated, and when USDA expects recipients will have access to the funds: The intended uses of these funds are to support a variety of efforts, including improving access to broadband and other social infrastructure in rural communities, expanding agricultural research efforts, and managing forests. The designated recipients of these funds are mostly tribal, territorial, state, and local governments and higher education and other nonprofit organizations. The remaining recipients are subunits of USDA. Funding ranged from $17,000 to $39.7 million, with projects located in 45 states and territories. USDA plans to obligate funds to recipients by September 2023 and recipients will have between 1 and 5 years or more to spend the funds, depending on the project. Why GAO Did This Study The joint explanatory statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 includes a provision for GAO to review agencies’ implementation of Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending. For more information, contact Steve Morris at (202) 512-3841 or morriss@gao.gov.

For This Reporter, A Long-Awaited Trip To Digital Dealer – Automotive News https://collincountynewsonline.com/for-this-reporter-a-long-awaited-trip-to-digital-dealer-automotive-news/ I started covering dealership technology at Automotive News in the summer of 2019. A little more than six months later, a pandemic forced most major industry events to shut down for at least a year, if not longer. For me, that meant the 2020 NADA Show in Las Vegas was the last in-person event I attended before COVID-19 began its rapid spread across the U.S. My return to live industry events didn’t really happen until this year’s NADA Show. One of the events that has long been on my list to attend is Digital Dealer. The show shifted to include more virtual components during the pandemic. Barring any last-minute complications, I’ll be in Las Vegas next week to take it all in. I’m looking forward to meeting more dealers and talking face-to-face to people I’ve interacted with over Zoom for the past two years. I’m interested to hear about how dealers are thinking about the digital path forward, particularly as the pandemic and inventory constraints appear likely to linger. The industry is in the midst of significant transformation, in terms of powertrains, in terms of consumer preferences, in terms of new entrants that aspire to disrupt the traditional model. I’ve written about how dealers are working to disrupt their own model to differentiate themselves from competitors by providing the type of online, convenient, seamless experience that consumers desire today. I hope to return to Michigan with a notebook full of ideas and experiences that I can use to tell important stories about how dealers are doing just that. What do I need to see and do while at Digital Dealer? Send me an email and share your thoughts.

Magic: The Gathering Taps Into Big-Name Gaming IPs For 2024 – Dot Esports https://collincountynewsonline.com/magic-the-gathering-taps-into-big-name-gaming-ips-for-2024-dot-esports/ Wizards of the Coast is planning to continue IP crossovers with Magic: The Gathering in 2024, adding popular games like Final Fantasy and Assassin’s Creed to the Universes Beyond lineup.  IP crossovers within the Universes Beyond model have performed well for WotC throughout 2022, showcasing Secret Lair sets like Street Fighter and Fortnite. Upcoming mashups include a Commander set with Warhammer 40,000 and a Lord of the Rings set called The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. Revealed today during the Hasbro Investor Day 2022 presentation, WotC will include gaming IPs Final Fantasy and Assassin’s Creed within the MTG 2024 Universes Beyond lineup.  Crossovers with LotR and Dr. Who are slated to take place during 2023. No specific details were announced for the 2024 mashups, other than the names of games WotC plans to collaborate with. The crossovers will likely tap into Secret Lair drops and potentially have their own set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. Players can expect the Universes Beyond crossovers to potentially include Commander Precon decks as well.  Universes Beyond have added financial stability to Hasbro, with MTG “tentpole releases” bringing in almost $100 million in revenue to the company, according to Polygon. And Magic has the potential to bring in around $1 billion in total annual revenue over the course of 2022, elevating the tabletop and digital card game to the top of Hasbro’s top money-making brands.  Similar to the LotR and Dr. Who announcements, players can expect additional details surrounding the Assassin’s Creed and Final Fantasy crossovers sometime throughout 2023.

Coty Wamp Names Top Leadership Posts In DA’s Office – The Chattanoogan https://collincountynewsonline.com/coty-wamp-names-top-leadership-posts-in-das-office-the-chattanoogan/ District Attorney Coty Wamp on Tuesday announced five new leadership positions in the office of the District Attorney. The new positions include executive assistant district attorney, deputy district attorney, gang and violent crime prosecutor, chief homicide prosecutor and child sex abuse prosecutor. “These prosecutors reflect my priorities,” said DA Wamp, who took office on Sept. 1. “To say I am proud of my office would be an understatement. We worked hard in September to fill positions with exceptionally qualified individuals who share in my mission to make our county safer. I’m grateful to be able to lead the charge, but even more grateful for the people who are willing to work alongside me.” Since taking office, MS. Wamp has hired 15 new employees, including nine new attorneys. The new leadership team includes: Executive Assistant District Attorney Kevin L. Loper, who brings experience in both leadership and jury trial litigation. Loper has 14 years as a lawyer and most recently worked at the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office as a Supervising Attorney. At the Public Defender’s Office, Loper managed his own caseload, as well as a team of lawyers and office staff. Loper is an experienced trial lawyer, having handled countless criminal matters, including trials in first degree murder cases. Prior to working at the Public Defender’s Office, Loper, a graduate of the University of Alabama, worked at the firm of Moore, Ingram, Johnson & Steele in Knoxville. He moved to Chattanooga in 2009, where he worked locally at Cavett & Abbott in the areas of criminal defense and property law. Deputy Assistant District Attorney Steven Moore. A graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1990, Moore began his career in the district attorney’s office in Jefferson County, Alabama. Moore then began his criminal defense practice and has spent the last 30 years practicing in both federal and state courts across the country, with a primary practice in East Tennessee and North Georgia. His practice has included multiple death penalty cases, murders, major drug conspiracies, gang offenses and white-collar crimes. Moore has tried approximately 200 jury trials. As a defense attorney, Moore was an AV top rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell peer review board and has appeared on the Mid-South Super Lawyers list for three straight years. Gang and Violent Crime Prosecutor Austin Scofield. A graduate of UTC (2004) and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law (2011), Scofield began his career in 2011 with the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office in Memphis as an Assistant District Attorney and has prosecuted cases in Memphis for more than 10 years. For the last six years, Scofield has primarily prosecuted gang-related crimes of violence including first-degree murders, a mass shooting, attempted murders, aggravated robberies and carjackings as part of the Gang Unit. During this time, he also worked closely with the Shelby County Multi-Agency Gang Unit to conduct long-term investigations into gangs engaged in group violence and narcotics trafficking through the use of wiretaps, including two successful homicide wiretaps. Scofield’s experience includes complex litigation for widely reported cases like the murders of NBA player (and Memphis hometown hero) Lorenzen Wright, the rapper Adolph Thornton AKA Young Dolph, and, most recently, the abducted runner, teacher and mother Eliza Fletcher. Prior to attending law school, Scofield worked as a probation officer in Grundy and Marion counties. Chief Homicide Prosecutor Michael Dowd. A graduate of Cal-State University Long Beach (1992) and from the University of Houston Law Center (1995), Dowd worked for 18 months as a prosecutor with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. He also spent 22 years with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy District Attorney and Supervising Deputy District Attorney. He was the Chief Prosecutor for the City of Pasadena for five years. As a district attorney, Dowd was a major crimes prosecutor who tried 131 cases, which included 40 murder cases, three of those were capital cases. During that time, he also supervised the Juvenile Division, the Gang Unit and the Major Crimes Unit. As Chief Prosecutor, Dowd instituted a new approach within the City Prosecutor’s Office that firmly established that the foremost duty of the office was to protect the people of Pasadena. This approach focused on the need for accountability, responsibility and safety for the public while at the same time promoting community-based efforts to stem crime, especially violent crime, in the City of Pasadena. He was a Senior Adjunct Professor at the University of La Verne for 20 years and a Professor of Law at three law schools for 13 years. He resides in Jasper with his wife, Margo, and his daughter, Isabella. Child Sex Abuse Prosecutor Stephani Brown. Brown, a native of Cleveland, TN, attended Lee University for her undergraduate education followed by Baylor Law School in Waco TX. Brown previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in Collin County, TX, located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, where she led a section of Collin County’s Domestic Violence Unit and successfully tried cases ranging from Driving Under the Influence to Continuous Sexual Assault of a Child. Brown and her family relocated back to Tennessee in 2022. “This group of lawyers will make a dramatic difference in the way the District Attorney’s office operates,” said DA Wamp. “I am confident the public will see positive results as we focus solely on the safety of the citizens of Hamilton County.”

Recreate Your Best Vacation Sleep At Home With These 13 Hotel Pillows – CNN Underscored https://collincountynewsonline.com/recreate-your-best-vacation-sleep-at-home-with-these-13-hotel-pillows-cnn-underscored/ Content is created by CNN Underscored’s team of editors who work independently from the CNN newsroom. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more Getty Images From building up generous hotel loyalty programs to offering a consistent experience for guests around the world, major hotel brands do a lot of things right. And, in some cases, that also includes the bedding. Think of arriving at a new hotel and diving into a perfectly plush bed with the plumpest, softest pillow for resting your head. We all know that sleep is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. And while there are plenty of terrific non-hotel-branded pillows out there (we love the Coop Home Goods The Eden Pillow, in particular), if you’re interested in replicating your best-ever night’s sleep from your favorite hotel at home, it is possible. Check out our rating of the best pillows for 2022. But, which hotel pillows can you get to furnish your own home? And where can you buy them? From the fluffy hotel pillows found at Westin to Aria’s famous feather pillows, here are some of the most amazing options you can purchase for your own home. From $89 at Westin Store Westin properties truly span the globe. From the Westin Excelsior in Florence, Italy to the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort (an excellent option for booking your honeymoon using travel rewards!), you can likely find a Westin property at your next vacation destination. And if you’ve stayed at a Westin property before, you’re likely well aware of the brand’s famous bedding. While the Westin Heavenly Bed tends to take the spotlight, the brand’s pillows are equally as dreamy. The Westin feather and down pillows are a great option for all types of sleepers with their plush and soft nature. And not only can you purchase standard hotel pillow sizes via the Westin Store, but you can choose from a selection of decorative pillows as well as body pillows. $129 at Amazon Fairmont fans can duplicate their favorite hotel bedding at home with the chain’s collection of pillows. The Fairmont Luxury Feather & Down pillow is composed of 80% down material and 20% feather, enclosed by a 240 thread count soft cotton cover. This pillow is best suited for king beds and is on the firmer side, which matches the standard offering in Fairmont hotel rooms. Fairmont also offers synthetic gel fiber pillows in king or queen sizes. With the synthetic gel, you can decide whether you want your pillow to have a medium or firm fill. From $89 at Ritz-Carlton Shops The famous Ritz-Carlton Pillow is a classic for a reason. The pillow is composed of an allergen-free blend of down, feathers and Lyocell fibers. The end result? A perfectly plush pillow that offers support for all types of sleepers. Because the Ritz-Carlton chain is part of the Marriott Bonvoy program, you can instead use your points to cover the cost of a pillow. Instead of spending your cash, redeem your Bonvoy points — from just 23,000 points for a pillow. While you won’t be getting the best value from your points, it’s a nice option to have. From $105 at Shop Edition The Edition brand, which is also part of Marriott, is known for offering modern luxury in individualized hotels — it currently has 15 properties in New York, West Hollywood, Dubai, Barcelona, London and beyond. The brand sells its own feather and down pillow so you can recreate your favorite hotel stay at home. The pillow is known for its perfect combination of softness and support, offering a medium level of firmness. The down outer chamber and feather core inner chamber, combined with the 100% cotton cover ensure that you’ll sleep comfortably at home — and during your next Edition hotel stay. From $79 at W Hotels The Store Geared toward a younger, hip clientele, W Hotels are chic. And, if you’ve had a great stay — whether at the W New York – Union Square, W Koh Samui or the W Costa Rica — you’ll know that the bedding is luxurious. Through the W Hotels Store, you can select from several pillow options, including the brand’s famous feather and down pillow. The pillow is fluffy and plush, offering both firm support and cushiony softness for supreme comfort. Available in king, queen and standard sizes, this pillow could make a great addition to any bed in your house. From $89 $71.20 at Hilton to Home If you’ve stayed at a Hilton-branded hotel and wished you could bring its feather and down pillow home with you, you’re in luck. An inner chamber of feathers and an outer layer of down provide sleepers with a great combination of support and fluffiness. We like this option because it comes in two varieties: firm and soft. Select which fill best suits your sleeping position — loftier is generally best for back sleepers and less loft is best for stomach sleepers — and bring the comfort from Hilton hotels home. Also available for an extra cost are pillow protectors, which can help keep your luxuriously comfortable pillow clean and dry. From $85 at Shop Marriott Marriott properties have long been celebrated for their comfortable bedding options, and you can have it all at home, too. While the Shop Marriott store offers options from decor pillows to body pillows, for those who want the all-purpose Marriott staple, the feather and down pillow is the best option. The filling means that your head and neck will be supported, and it’s also allergen-free. You can add an optional protector for an additional $14 to elongate the life of your pillow. From $84 at Shop Sonesta Sonesta Hotels also offers its feather and down pillow for sale through its Shop Sonesta online store. This pillow is made of half feathers and half down, and its cover is made of 100% cotton. This is a great option for the average sleeper who is looking for support and cushion with a soft exterior cover. Size options include king, queen and standard, and pillow protectors and classic pillowcases are offered for an additional charge. From $89 at Waldorf Astoria Boutique Waldorf Astoria also makes it easy to outfit your home with one of its pillows — and if you’ve ever stayed at a Waldorf Astoria property, you know that’s a great thing. While you can choose from down pillows and down alternative options, we like the brand’s classic feather and down pillow. King and queen sizes are available, as are pillow protectors for added peace of mind. Plus, we like this option because you can choose firm support or a softer option to best suit your sleeping style. From $119 at Shop Four Seasons The Four Seasons brand exudes luxury. If you’ve stayed at a Four Seasons property, you’ll know just how that translates to the bedding, too. The duvets are soft and airy while the pillows offer supreme comfort and plushness — complete with the iconic Four Seasons logo subtly stitched on the exterior. The down alternative pillow is crafted from 100% hypoallergenic polyester fiber and is anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. You can choose from a king, queen or standard size to ensure you sleep like you’re on vacation every night. From $85 at Shop Aria If you’re a Las Vegas fanatic and love staying at the Aria Resort & Casino, look no further than bringing a piece of your favorite Sin City resort to your home. The Aria feather and down pillows available online are the same that are used in the resort and are available in three sizes: king, queen and standard. Topped with a 100% cotton cover for next-level softness and a pillow protector available as an added purchase, these pillows filled with duck feathers and down will give you a great night’s sleep. From $105 $89.25 at St. Regis Boutique Bring the luxury of your favorite St. Regis hotel home through the brand’s own boutique. While you can choose from a wide selection of St. Regis mattresses and box springs, linens, bath and body products, slippers, pajamas and more, the pillows are a great option. A softer composition of 75% white feathers and 25% down, your head and neck will feel supported while your face will stay cool and comfortable. The St. Regis feather and down pillows are available in king or queen sizes with a pillow protector available for an extra cost. From $85 at Sheraton Store The plush Sheraton feather and down pillow is composed of a 50/50 blend of feathers and down. So, you’ll get a medium combination of both firm support and plush cushion. Available in two sizes — king and queen — the pillows are machine washable. Pillow protectors are available to elongate the life of your new pillow for an extra $14. How to actually wash your pillows, according to experts. Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored chose as our best travel credit cards of 2022. Note: The prices above reflect the retailers’ listed price at the time of publication. Thanks for subscribing! Your welcome email is on its way. 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Arkansas September Tax Collections 20% Above Forecast | Arkansas Business News – Arkansas Business Online https://collincountynewsonline.com/arkansas-september-tax-collections-20-above-forecast-arkansas-business-news-arkansas-business-online/ Larry Walther, secretary of the state Department of Finance & Administration, said September results show Arkansas “on track for a third consecutive year of high growth in incomes.” The Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration on Tuesday reported September net available general revenue of $766.1 million, 11% above the same month last year and 20% above forecast. In its monthly report, the department said September results were above forecast in all major revenue categories, with individual and corporate income tax collection accounting for more than $103 million of the gain, largely in estimated tax payments. For the fiscal year so far, net available general revenue stood at $1.85 billion, 7% above the same time last year and 10% above forecast. “Corporate and Individual Income tax filings in September indicate we are on track for a third consecutive year of high growth in incomes,” said Larry Walther, secretary of the state DF&A. “There appears to be no pullback in tax payments for Tax Year 2022 liabilities. This helps explain continued double-digit gains in Sale Tax collections.”  In September, individual income tax collections totaled $361.4 million, up nearly 9% from the same month last year and 12% above forecast. Individual withholding tax revenue was up 4% over last year amid tax rate reductions, the report said. More: Download the full report. Meanwhile, corporate income tax totaled $164.8 million, up nearly 18% from the same month last year and 64% above forecast. September sales and use tax collections totaled $288.6 million, up more than 11% from the same time last year and forecast. “Most major reporting sectors of Sales Tax displayed high growth over the prior year,” the report said, “reflecting continuing economic expansion in many sectors.” Arkansas’ prevoius fiscal year ended with a nearly $946 million surplus and net available general revenue of $6.8 billion. That revenue was up 19% year-over-year and 20.4% above forecast.

Hemp Inc. Sees Significant Increase In Revenue Over The Last 3 Quarters – GlobeNewswire https://collincountynewsonline.com/hemp-inc-sees-significant-increase-in-revenue-over-the-last-3-quarters-globenewswire/ October 04, 2022 10:10 ET | Source: Hemp, Inc. Las Vegas, NV, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NewMediaWire — Hemp Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP): Since Hemp Inc. has been selling its new CBD products through its website www.KingOfHempUSA.com and continuing to sell its oil-absorbing products out of its plant in North Carolina, Hemp Inc.’s revenue has been steadily increasing each quarter.  Hemp Inc. has seen an increase of 146% 1st Qtr., 383% 2nd Qtr, and 455% 3rd Qtr. as compared to the same quarters of the previous year, with an overall 315% growth rate for 2022! With facilities in Spring Hope, North Carolina and Las Vegas, Nevada, Hemp Inc. has two major product lines.  The 85,000 square-foot facility on over 9 acres in Spring Hope, N.C. produces Spill-Be-Gone and Drill-Wall.  These are both Hemp/Kenaf blends of a product that is well suited as a base for Hemp/Kenaf plastics, oil/gas well drilling and oil spill cleanup.  The Las Vegas facility produces some of the best cannabinoid products available and at an excellent price. Las Vegas, Nevada CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBGA and CBN are non-psychoactive compounds found in cannabis plants. CBD is known for pain relief, relaxation, and anxiety relief. CBG is known for greater pain relief and works better with an entourage effect when taken with CBD. CBN is for sleep, when CBD and CBG are added it relaxes, reduces anxiety, reduces pain and helps you sleep quicker and go back to sleep if you wake up. There are many other benefits of these non-psychoactive cannabinoids. Hemp Inc.’s CBD/CBG Tinctures are made from hemp isolate, fractionated organic coconut oil (MCT oil) and USP grade β cyclodextrin (BCD) which increases the body’s ability to quickly absorb the cannabinoids in the intestines. This same tincture (minus the BCD) is used in Hemp Inc.’s Coffee Enhancer.  There is also a potent Pain Relief Roll-on that has received rave reviews from users. For people who prefer capsules, Hemp Inc. has CBDA/CBGA capsules, CBD/CBG capsules, as well as CBD/CBG/CBN capsules which also help with sleep. Spring Hope, North Carolina Spill-Be-Gone is sold in industrial sized quantities for large oil spill cleanups. It is exclusively available through Industrial Hemp Manufacturing LLC. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Hemp, Inc.). It is fast and cost effective in cleaning up oil spills on land or water. It can also be disposed of in a green manner as well, so as not to pollute the environment further. It is often used by first responders to clean up oil spills on our highways and land and is many times more absorbent than clay. DrillWall is a tested LCM made of kenaf and hemp cellulose. It includes milled products from kenaf and hemp that are made into oil drilling fluid additives and oil absorbents.  DrillWall is insoluble in water, non-toxic, and is a biodegradable drilling fluid additive used in oilfield drilling applications. This product is used by many major oil, water and gas companies. Hemp Inc.’s proprietary LCM product also acts as a borehole stabilizer, a lubricating agent, as well as prevents differential sticking. The proprietary LCM product works faster to plug the leaks and is cost competitive with most LCM materials. About Hemp, Inc. With more than 10 years of experience in growing and processing hemp in North America, Hemp, Inc. has an established network of industry professionals in every segment of the industrial hemp industry. Hemp Inc.’s 85,000 square-foot facility on over 9 acres in Spring Hope, N.C.  is one of the largest industrial multipurpose hemp processing facilities in North America. Its mission of providing green solutions that help make the world a better place continues to flourish as the company advances an ever-growing portfolio of revenue and value-generating synergistic businesses. Hemp may be the salvation in retooling America for greener, more sustainable domestic manufacturing. To catch up with the latest news on Hemp, Inc., be sure to check out: Global Hemp Fiber Market Rising at an Annual Rate of 6.9% Hemp, Inc. Offers CBD-CBG Topical Pain Relief Roll-On Hemp, Inc.’s Chief Visionary Consultant Bruce Perlowin Brings Opportunity to Hemp, Inc. (August 8, 2022) Hemp Inc.’s CBDA and CBGA Products on Sale Now (July 19, 2022) Hemp Inc.’s Chief Visionary Consultant Bruce Perlowin talks with Stock Day podcast about Hemp Inc.’s super potent line of CBD/CBG/CBN Products (July 7, 2022) Healthy Products for Healthy Living: A Look into Hemp, Inc.’s Pure, Premium, and Potent CBD and Wellness Products (June 16, 2022) Hemp, Inc. Releases New High Potency CBD/CBG Vanilla Flavored Coffee Enhancer (June 9, 2022) Hemp, Inc.’s King of Hemp CBD-CBG-CBN Natural Sleep Aid Capsules in Stock and On Sale (May 26, 2022) King of Hemp Natural and Vanilla-Flavored CBD/CBG “Super” Tinctures Now in Stock (May 12, 2022) The Company will continue to keep its shareholders up to date on all pertinent material events, product releases, production plans, and inventory availability. Those interested in distributing on a large-scale basis should email sales@hempinc.com or call 877-436-7564 for more information. The entire product line includes tinctures, gummies, capsules, and edibles in a variety of sizes, potencies, flavors, and formulas with a future focus on healthy foods for healthy living. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires issuers to provide “adequate current information”. Financials for Hemp, Inc. are listed on the OTC Exchange. More information can also be found on the Hemp, Inc. website by visiting www.hempinc.com/hemp-financial-disclosures/. Material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Contact: Hemp, Inc. ir@hempinc.com | (855) 436-7688 Sales: (877) 436-7564

Eintracht Vs. Spurs Odds, Picks, How To Watch, Live Stream: Oct. 4, 2022 UEFA Champions League Predictions – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/eintracht-vs-spurs-odds-picks-how-to-watch-live-stream-oct-4-2022-uefa-champions-league-predictions-cbs-sports/ After a disappointing loss to open group play in 2022 UEFA Champions League play, Eintracht Frankfurt has dusted itself off and looks like an impressive side heading into Tuesday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur on Paramount+. Eintracht youngster Jesper Lindstrom has scored twice in his last three appearances with the club. Meanwhile, the season has been maddening for Tottenham, as a dominating 6-2 win against Leicester City is sandwiched between two poor showings over their last three games. You can see what happens when you stream the match now on Paramount+. Kickoff from Deutsche Bank Park in Germany is set for 3 p.m. ET. The latest Tottenham vs. Eintracht odds from Caesars Sportsbook list Spurs as the +112 favorites (risk $100 to win $112) on the 90-minute money line, with Eintracht the +235 underdogs. A draw is priced at +255 and the over-under for total goals scored is 2.5. Tuesday’s match will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan. Paramount+ is the only place to watch every minute of every UEFA Champions League match this season. Sign up now to get a 7-day free trial. A subscription also gives you access to other sports content including the UEFA Europa League, Italian Serie A, NWSL, NFL on CBS, and countless movies and shows. Get it all free for 7 days when you sign up right here.   How to watch Eintracht vs. Tottenham Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham Hotspur date: Tuesday, Oct. 4 Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham Hotspur time: 3 p.m. ET Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham Hotspur live stream: Paramount+ UEFA Champions League picks for Spurs vs. Eintracht Before you tune in to Tuesday’s match, you need to see the UEFA Champions League picks from SportsLine’s soccer insider Martin Green. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated almost $33,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe. For Spurs vs. Eintracht, Green is backing both teams to score in the match for a -140 payout. Before the ball is even kicked, both teams will be on the field with added intent to win. The two clubs are in the middle of Group D, and a win would go a long way towards holding position behind Sporting CP, a club that has already handed both a loss. Harry Kane has found his groove for Spurs over his last four matches, in which he has three goals. Tottenham could also use another quality outing from attacker Son Heung-min, who scored a hat trick in just over 30 minutes on the pitch against Leicester before putting in two more goals for South Korea during international friendlies at the end of September. Meanwhile, Eintracht hasn’t been a prolific offensive side in the Bundesliga this season, but it has been efficient and leads the league in goals per shot (.17). “Frankfurt suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Sporting at Deutsche Bank Park in its Champions League opener, but it bounced back with that 1-0 win against Marseille,” Green told SportsLine. “That leaves it level with Spurs on three points apiece, and it could develop into a straight fight between these teams for qualification.” How to watch, live stream UEFA Champions League on Paramount+ Now that you know what to pick, get ready to watch the UEFA Champions League. Visit Paramount+ now to see UEFA Champions League action, your live local CBS sporting events, some of the world’s top soccer matchups and much more.

Metaverse Tech Startup Improbable To Raise $100M New Funding At $3.36B Valuation As It Sets Sights On Profitability – NFTgators https://collincountynewsonline.com/metaverse-tech-startup-improbable-to-raise-100m-new-funding-at-3-36b-valuation-as-it-sets-sights-on-profitability-nftgators/ Quick take: Improbable is one of the builders of Yuga Labs’ Otherside metaverse. The company’s CEO Herman Narula said it is close to “achieving profitability.” Narula said the company sold its game studios in Seattle and Canada this year. Metaverse technology startup, Improbable, is closing in on $100 million in new funding, according to a Financial Times report. This is despite the company posting its biggest loss in 2021. The company recorded a loss of £152 million ($173 millon) in 2021, according to a snapshot of accounts the company shared with the Financial Times. This means that the capital it raised from investors since launching in 2012 has almost dried up as the company only had £57 million ($65 million) in the bank at the end of 2021. In April, Improbable completed a $150 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The company previously raised $502 million in a Series B round led by SoftBank in 2017, two years after Andreessen Horowitz led a Series A round that raised $20 million. Founded by gaming enthusiasts, Improbable’s original vision was to deliver a new generation of video games set in an expansive world with thousands of players at the same time. The company sold “unproductive assets” like its game studios in Seattle and Canada this year after failing to create a hit game. It tried both licensing its technology to game developers and building its own games, which wasn’t successful. Improbable recently pivoted to building metaverses, which has steered it towards revenue growth. Improbable’s co-founder and CEO told FT that the company’s revenues should triple to more than £100 million ($114 million) this year. “We are now a financially sustainable business with a really interesting growth rate because we found product-market fit in a new sector,” Narula said in an interview with the FT. The company has inked a deal with Yuga Labs to build the Otherside metaverse, which will form a big part of Improbable’s revenue – which is likely to run into tens of millions – as it has been paid upfront.  Some of the payment will be in ApeCoin as well as Otherside land plots. However, Improbable told FT that it would recognise ApeCoin as revenue when the Otherside project reaches certain milestones, at whatever the market price is at that time. Narula added that the high-profile deal has helped Improbable attract “a broad base of customers” outside of gaming. Improbable is also currently working with the U.S. and UK military which use the company’s simulation technology for training purposes.  Stay up to date: Google News Twitter Telegram LinkedIn Facebook TikTok

The Best Luggage By Away In 2022 – CBS News https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-best-luggage-by-away-in-2022-cbs-news/ Away If you’re looking for a stylish piece of new luggage, it’s hard to go wrong with Away. The relatively new company offers sturdy polycarbonate and aluminum luggage that come loaded with convenient features, all at a reasonable price. Top products in this article: Away The Carry-On, $275 Away The Large, $375 Away Aluminum Edition The Medium, $725 In seven short years, Away has become one of the most recognizable brands on the luggage carousel. Once available only online, Away now operates several brick-and-mortar stores in major cities across the country as well as London and Toronto.  If you are considering ordering an Away suitcase or travel bag for your next trip, here is everything you need to know.  Away carry-on luggage Away With cool features like a removable, rechargeable battery for on-the-go phone charging, Away carry-on bags offer incredible value. The more compact of the two, the 22-inch version, holds three to five days worth of clothes while the 23-inch “Bigger” boasts four to seven days worth of space. Need more room? Check out the “Flex” styles, offering a zipper flex feature to create an additional 2.25 inches of space. Those who like to stash travel documents and gadgets might prefer the pocketed version, equipped with a water-resistant nylon front pocket. Exterior features on Away luggage include 360-degree spinner wheels, a TSA-approved combination lock and telescopic handle. Inside the suitcase you will find a removable liner (which comes in handy in case of spills, says one CBS Essentials staff member), an interior compression system, a removable laundry bag and a few zipper compartments. Away luggage is incredibly durable and well-made.  Away The Carry-On, $275 Away The Bigger Carry-On, $295 Away The Carry-On Flex, $325 Away The Bigger Carry-On Flex, $345 Away The Carry-On with Pocket, $325 Away checked bags Away Away offers a few checked bag options. The Medium, a 26-inch version that holds one to two weeks worth of gear, and The Large, a 29-inch vessel sized for over two week trips. Both are available in flex versions expanding for an additional 1.75 inches worth of space.  Away The Medium, $345 Away The Large, $375 Away The Medium Flex, $395 Away The Large Flex, $425 Away The Aluminum Edition Away Away’s upgraded Aluminum Edition might be a splurge compared to the polycarbonate suitcase, but serves as a more wallet-friendly alternative to Rimowa. The aluminum version comes in four sizes: two carry-ons and two check-in. It’s available in three metal tones: silver, onyx black and rose gold. The smaller carry-on weighs 10.1 pounds and the medium-sized 10.6, while the smaller check-in weighs in at 13.3 pounds and larger version, 16. Away Aluminum Edition The Carry-On, $625 Away Aluminum Edition The Bigger Carry-On, $645 Away Aluminum Edition The Medium, $725 Away Aluminum Edition The Large, $745 Other Away bags Aside from luggage, Away makes great backpacks, bags, pet carriers and duffles.  Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack Away Looking for a backpack to coordinate with your Away luggage? The Everywhere Zip offers a minimalist look constructed out of water-resistant nylon material with leather trim and available in navy, black and asphalt gray. As for functionality, an interior padded laptop pocket holds a 15-inch computer secured by a magnetic locking zipper and other pockets hold water bottles, travel documents and other essentials. One of the coolest features? The backpack zips open like a clamshell, offering easy access to all your items. Offered in a smaller version as well.  Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack, $195 Away The Small Everywhere Zip Backpack, $175 Away The Everywhere Bag Away The line between a carry-on bag and personal item often feels blurred. However, this multi use bag was designed specifically to fall into the latter category. With a padded laptop pocket, detachable key clip, pockets sized for water bottles, other gadgets and accessories and a detachable padded strap, it makes the perfect travel companion. Slip it onto the handle of your Away suitcase while wheeling around the airport. Also available in two carry-on sizes, medium, big enough for a change or two of clothes, and a larger version, for weekend trips.   Away The Everywhere Bag, $195 Away The Medium Everywhere Bag, $225 Away The Large Everywhere Bag, $245 Away The Pet Carrier  Away Away’s Pet Carrier offers the same sleek look as the luggage, a super cozy interior for your pet to travel in, safety features for their security and interior and exterior pockets for organization. Lined in a water resistant material with removable plush, sherpa bedding, your up to 18-pound pet can relax in luxury while traveling. Strap the carrier into a car seat belt via latches or attach it to the top of your Away luggage via a trolley sleeve. Available in black and coast, a sea green color.  Away The Pet Carrier, $225 Away For All Routes (F.A.R) Away Away recently segued from travel to adventure with their outdoor collection, For All Routes, or F.A.R. The outdoor travel essentials, which include duffles, backpacks, convertibles and more, seamlessly balance technical performance with modern design and function. Each piece is durable, lightweight, easy to pack & store, and made from recycled components.  For example, the convertible backpack weighs just over three pounds and doubles as a carry-on with space for three to five days worth of gear. Wear as a backpack, carry as a duffle or even across your chest with included straps. Interior compression straps help you pack the maximum amount of gear, while interior and exterior pockets, including a compartment for a 15-inch laptop, help you stay organized. The Duffle, available in three sizes, 40L, 55L and 70L, makes a great throw-it-all-in bag for camping or road trips, with features including interior compression straps and detachable padded straps, transforming the bag into a backpack.  Shop the Away F.A.R collection Away F.A.R Convertible Backpack, $220 Away F.A.R 70L Duffle, $190 Away accessories Great travel accessories simplify packing and unpacking. Away offers an extensive collection of gear, from laptop sleeves to packing cubes.  Shop all Away accessories Away Hanging Toiletry Bag Away Made out of water-resistance nylon with a spill-proof interior, this hanging toiletry bag offers three mesh pouches and a clear, removable pouch for liquids.  Away Hanging Toiletry Bag, $75 Away Insider Packing Cubes Away Packing cubes help keep clothes organized and compressed in your suitcase to maximize space. This set of six in various sizes, made out of water resistant nylon, are sized to fit within Away suitcases.  Away Insider Packing Cubes, $65 Away Laptop Sleeve Away More than just a laptop sleeve, this protective case for your up to 13-inch computer offers a lot of great pockets and organizational spaces for chargers, cords, a wireless keyboard and mouse, notebooks and pens. Away Laptop Sleeve, $95 Away luggage design and features Away suitcases generally come well-equipped. Currently, the brand offers two materials: Polycarbonate and aluminum. Away also make a few travel bags and backpacks out of water-resistant nylon.  The polycarbonate suitcases come in multiple core color options and limited edition seasonal colors. The aluminum model is offered in silver, rose gold and black.  Away luggage Price Away luggage offers high quality at a reasonable price point, competitively priced compared to other DTC luggage brands.  Currently the smaller Monos carry-on retails for around $245, while the similarly sized Away carry-on sells for $275. However, the Away does offer one thing that Monos, and most other competing brands, don’t: Away Carry-on suitcases are equipped with a removable battery for charging gadgets.  Away luggage shipping and returns Away offers free UPS Ground on all orders (suitcases and accessories) and returns within the contiguous United States. The company also offers rush shipping for an additional fee. According to our shopper, the luggage ships out fast. “Shipped on the 13th, arrived on the 14th fast,” she notes. While ultra fast shipping might be a great perk for most people, it complicates canceling your order or changing your shipping address. “Once you hit the buy button, there really is no going back,” said our shopper, who struggled to get in touch with customer service to intercept the suitcase. “There is zero wiggle room. No chat option, no easy way to change an address if you accidentally got it wrong. And because items ship so fast, there’s a good chance that if you get the address wrong you won’t be able to change it in time.” So do that double-check before you hit the buy button! “Our team moves quickly to get your order shipped out ASAP, which means that we aren’t able to cancel or make any changes to an order once it’s been placed,” explains Away in the Q & A section of the website. “If you’re traveling soon, we recommend that you place a new order for the color or size you would prefer, and we can assist with a return of the original order.” Away offers a 100-day trial period for all luggage. If you aren’t happy with your purchase, returns are accepted for items within the warranty period with the exception of personalized items. All you need to do is fill out a return request to start the process. You will be refunded the full amount of your order, minus any shipping charges. In order to exchange an item, send your original order back as a return and place a new order online. Away luggage warranty  Away suitcases are guaranteed by a limited lifetime warranty covering any functional damage to the shell, wheels, handles, zippers, or anything else that impairs your use of the luggage. The battery is covered by a two-year warranty, while other ...

Cryptoverse: Trading Names In A Mind-Boggling Crypto Craze – Kitco NEWS https://collincountynewsonline.com/cryptoverse-trading-names-in-a-mind-boggling-crypto-craze-kitco-news/ Oct 4 (Reuters) – A new NFT trading craze where names are bought and sold for eye-popping sums is providing a multi-million-dollar lifeline for speculators shivering in the bleak crypto winter. “Domain” names such as coin.crypto (which has sold for $100,000) and beer.eth (which fetched $39,000) are a new breed of NFTs that owners can use to replace the jumble of 16 random numbers and letters that form their digital wallet addresses. It might seem a lot of money for the crypto equivalent of a custom car plate, yet backers say these names could become valuable real estate in the years to come with the advent of Web3, a much-hyped vision of a future internet built on blockchain. Right now the trading market for these alternative assets is providing rich – and risky – pickings for some investors who are scooping up buzzy domains with the aim of flipping them for a profit in the secondary market on NFT platforms like OpenSea. “We have domain names starting at as little as $5, we’ve had some sell for as much as $100,000,” said Matthew Gould, CEO Unstoppable Domains, which sells names ending in .crypto, .nft and .wallet on its website. “The range is because there’s a definite perceived value difference between different words and lengths.” The company has seen some bumper deals of late: for example wallet.crypto sold for $250,000 and earn.crypto went for $100,000, both in April. Meanwhile the .eth names generated by the Ethereum Name Service (ENS), the biggest domain seller, were the fourth-most traded type of NFT on OpenSea in September, with total volumes rising 75% from a month ago to the equivalent of $12.5 million. ENS domain names were topped by only NFTs (non-fungible tokens) from well-known collections such as CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club. Trading in the comparatively new assets has grown apace even as the crypto winter has battered the NFT market. Monthly registrations for .eth domain names jumped to over 433,000 in September, the highest in the past 12 months and a 5,000% surge from a year ago, according to Dune Analytics. The domain names which command the highest value are often those with simple and short English words, terms referencing pop culture or Web3, and number sequences, according to experts, such as crypto.nft or 000.eth. Reuters Graphics WHAT’S A NAME WORTH? Crypto domains are still in their infancy, though. There is no guarantee they, or Web3, will live up to their promise, while the highly volatile nature of cryptocurrency and NFT markets suggest perils for the unschooled trader. Questions also abound on the scalability of the technology, and the potential for confusion as competing domain providers issue similar names, potentially leading to the misrouting of funds, a report by Block Intelligence said. Sasha Fleyshman, portfolio manager at investment firm Arca in Los Angeles, said domain names were likely to grow in popularity as crypto became more mainstream. The 16-character alphanumeric addresses used for digital wallets “are not exactly user friendly, especially for non-crypto native people”, he added. In an indication of some investor confidence that digital assets linked to .eth domain names will grow in value, the ENS project’s crypto token soared nearly 90% in the third quarter to $15.92 – though still a far cry from the $40 it was trading at the beginning of the year. Bitcoin ended the quarter mostly flat, struggling to stay above $20,000. Yet many market players warn that it’s tough to value a domain name as it amounts to a speculative bet on what might be in demand in the future. This weakens the case for institutional investment, Fleyshman said. “From a fund perspective, it’s rather hard to make a fundamental investment into specific domain names,” he added. “It’s just not our wheelhouse to say which domains are going to accrue value and which ones are not.” (1 ether = $1,330.20) Reporting by Medha Singh and Lisa Pauline Mattackal in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Wilson and Pravin Char Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

Gold Extends Best Gain Since March As US Data Shifts Sentiment – Bloomberg https://collincountynewsonline.com/gold-extends-best-gain-since-march-as-us-data-shifts-sentiment-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.

Live News: Bank Of England Refrains From Buying Gilts Under Intervention Scheme – Financial Times https://collincountynewsonline.com/live-news-bank-of-england-refrains-from-buying-gilts-under-intervention-scheme-financial-times/ Choose your subscription Trial Try full digital access and see why over 1 million readers subscribe to the FT For 4 weeks receive unlimited Premium digital access to the FT’s trusted, award-winning business news Digital Be informed with the essential news and opinion MyFT – track the topics most important to you FT Weekend – full access to the weekend content Mobile & Tablet Apps – download to read on the go Gift Article – share up to 10 articles a month with family, friends and colleagues Print FT print edition delivered Monday – Saturday along with ePaper access Delivery to your home or office Monday to Saturday FT Weekend paper – a stimulating blend of news and lifestyle features ePaper access – the digital replica of the printed newspaper Team or Enterprise Premium FT.com access for multiple users, with integrations & admin tools Group Subscription Premium Digital access, plus: Convenient access for groups of users Integration with third party platforms and CRM systems Usage based pricing and volume discounts for multiple users Subscription management tools and usage reporting SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) Dedicated account and customer success teams Or, if you are already a subscriber Sign in Are you a student or a professor? Check if your university has an FT membership to read for free. Check my access

Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:EGLX) Short Interest Update – MarketBeat https://collincountynewsonline.com/enthusiast-gaming-holdings-inc-nasdaqeglx-short-interest-update-marketbeat/ Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:EGLX – Get Rating) was the target of a large growth in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,210,000 shares, a growth of 8.3% from the August 31st total of 2,040,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 297,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 7.4 days. Currently, 1.8% of the company’s shares are sold short. Analysts Set New Price Targets 3 Stocks Under $10 With Two-Bagger Potential Several analysts have commented on the stock. HC Wainwright dropped their target price on shares of Enthusiast Gaming from $6.00 to $4.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 22nd. B. Riley dropped their target price on shares of Enthusiast Gaming from C$11.50 to C$7.25 in a report on Tuesday, July 19th. Enthusiast Gaming Stock Up 2.3 % Shares of NASDAQ:EGLX traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $0.83. The stock had a trading volume of 3,233 shares, compared to its average volume of 334,166. Enthusiast Gaming has a 12 month low of $0.78 and a 12 month high of $4.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 1.00. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $1.41 and its 200-day simple moving average is $1.91. Enthusiast Gaming (NASDAQ:EGLX – Get Rating) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 15th. The company reported ($0.07) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.01. Enthusiast Gaming had a negative net margin of 26.78% and a negative return on equity of 19.24%. The business had revenue of $40.06 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $38.82 million. As a group, research analysts predict that Enthusiast Gaming will post -0.22 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Enthusiast Gaming A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in Enthusiast Gaming by 7.2% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 524,817 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,270,000 after purchasing an additional 35,068 shares during the period. Credit Suisse AG lifted its holdings in shares of Enthusiast Gaming by 182.3% during the second quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 511,496 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,304,000 after buying an additional 330,310 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its holdings in shares of Enthusiast Gaming by 22.8% during the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 498,099 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,087,000 after buying an additional 92,585 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Enthusiast Gaming by 3.6% during the first quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 431,906 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,045,000 after buying an additional 14,831 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Enthusiast Gaming by 15.4% during the second quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 258,900 shares of the company’s stock worth $512,000 after buying an additional 34,500 shares in the last quarter. 12.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Enthusiast Gaming Company Profile (Get Rating) Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc engages in the media, content, entertainment, and esports businesses the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company operates an online network of approximately 100 gaming related websites; owns and operates Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, a video-gaming expo; provides management and support services to players involved in professional gaming; owns and manages esports teams for various games comprising Call of Duty, Madden NFL, Fortnite, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros., Rocket League, and Valorant; and produces and programs approximately 30 weekly shows across AVOD and OTT channels, and represents approximately 500 gaming influencers on YouTube and Twitch. Featured Articles Get a free copy of the StockNews.com research report on Enthusiast Gaming (EGLX) 3 Safe Earnings Plays for a Risk-Off Market Tyson Foods Takes a Lickin’ and Keeps on Tickin’ Lower Small-Cap Catalyst Pharma Is Among Market’s Best Price Performers 3 Stocks Growing Their Businesses for 2023 China-Based EV Maker BYD Set For Big European, Japanese Expansion This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat’s editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com. Should you invest $1,000 in Enthusiast Gaming right now? Before you consider Enthusiast Gaming, you’ll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street’s top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on… and Enthusiast Gaming wasn’t on the list. While Enthusiast Gaming currently has a “Buy” rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here