Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan Appoints New Chief Technology Officer And Public Affairs Director Federal Trade Commission News
Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan Appoints New Chief Technology Officer And Public Affairs Director – Federal Trade Commission News https://collincountynewsonline.com/federal-trade-commission-chair-lina-m-khan-appoints-new-chief-technology-officer-and-public-affairs-director-federal-trade-commission-news/
Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan announced the appointment of two new senior agency leaders: Chief Technology Officer Stephanie Nguyen and Public Affairs Director Douglas Farrar.
“I’m excited to welcome Stephanie and Doug to the FTC’s senior leadership team,” Chair Khan said. “Their knowledge and experience will strengthen the FTC in two key areas, ensuring that we keep pace with the latest developments in technology and that we’re communicating clearly with the public about the critical work of the agency.”
Nguyen has been named Chief Technology Officer, after having served in the role in an acting capacity since October 2021. She brings over a decade of leadership building and designing technical products and services across government, academia, civil society, and the private sector, specializing in human-computer interaction design and user experience research. Prior to her tenure at the FTC, Nguyen worked at the U.S. Digital Service at the White House and as a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Nguyen holds an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School, where she studied as a Gleitsman Scholar, and earned her B.A. in Digital Media Theory & Design from the University of Virginia.
Stadia Shutdown Forces Q-Games To Again Try To Rescue A Game Axios
Stadia Shutdown Forces Q-Games To Again Try To Rescue A Game – Axios https://collincountynewsonline.com/stadia-shutdown-forces-q-games-to-again-try-to-rescue-a-game-axios/
Developer Dylan Cuthbert has rescued one of his team’s video games from an online death before. And he’s about to have to do it again, thanks to the pending January 2023 closure of Google Stadia.
Why it matters: Online-connected games face extinction regularly now.
It was less of a problem in the old days, when most games ran off cartridges or discs.
But games that players can only get via downloads or, as is the case with Stadia, can only be played over streaming connections, can blink out of existence when companies shut off the servers offering them.
Details: Cuthbert, who runs Kyoto, Japan-based Q-Games, is hoping to salvage PixelJunk Raiders, a March 2021 exclusive for the Stadia service, and is actively seeking a publisher to bring it to other platforms.
Until there are any takers, Raiders will become unplayable anywhere when Stadia shuts down.
Cuthbert has reason to be hopeful. He is fresh off the successful salvage of Q-Games’ The Tomorrow Children, which launched as a Sony-published online-connected game in 2016 but became unavailable when Sony shut off its servers in 2017. In 2021, Q-Games announced that they’d secured the rights to the game and re-released it with updates last month.
What they’re saying: “History is littered with online games you can no longer play, and it is a shame,” Cuthbert tells Axios over email.
“It’s almost as if not only do you need emulators for the hardware itself to run older games, but you also need emulators for the state of the internet and server hub technology as it was at that time.
“I think we as an industry will need to find a way to solve this problem.”
Cuthbert would like to see contracts with developers include a clause that reverts the game’s rights to the studio if or when their servers are shut down. “I think this kind of guarantee should be required going forward,” he said. “I was lucky and diligent enough to get the rights to The Tomorrow Children back, but it was hard work and took many years. Other titles simply aren’t as lucky and disappear into a publisher limbo forever.”
What’s next: Even if Raiders is rescued, there are a handful of other Stadia-only titles at risk of disappearing.
The deactivation hazards don’t end there, not even for Q-Games.
The studio released a wave of download-only games for the Nintendo DS in late 2009 and 2010. Those games have remained available through the online store for the DS’ successor, the 3DS, but will no longer be purchasable when the 3DS store is shut down in March 2023.
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Once Far-Flung Dallas-Fort Worth Communities Are The Next Boomtowns The Dallas Morning News
Once Far-Flung Dallas-Fort Worth Communities Are The Next Boomtowns – The Dallas Morning News https://collincountynewsonline.com/once-far-flung-dallas-fort-worth-communities-are-the-next-boomtowns-the-dallas-morning-news/
Once far-flung Dallas-Fort Worth communities are the next boomtowns The Dallas Morning News
This Egyptian App Introduces Co-Ownership To Face Soaring Vacation Home Prices Egyptian Streets
This Egyptian App Introduces Co-Ownership To Face Soaring Vacation Home Prices – Egyptian Streets https://collincountynewsonline.com/this-egyptian-app-introduces-co-ownership-to-face-soaring-vacation-home-prices-egyptian-streets/
This Egyptian App Introduces Co-Ownership to Face Soaring Vacation Home Prices
Image Credit: El Gouna
As inflation skyrockets, many struggle to purchase homes in Egypt’s current economic climate, and even fewer are left with the privilege of owning a vacation home on the side.
Seeing an opportunity in innovating the real estate market, Partment, a proptech (property technology) startup, is hoping to revolutionize the way Egyptians purchase vacation homes.
Their solution to high market prices: co-ownership, like buying shares in a company.
Founded in 2022, Partment has already closed its pre-seed round – a round of funding done prior to a startup operating – at EGP 29.2 million (USD 1.5 million) on 28 September, enabling it to streamline its platform and fully launch its services.
“Partment is a new concept in Egypt, and we believe it will change how people buy and use real estate in the local and international market,” commented Nadim Nagui, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Partment, in a press release.
Nagui is joined by co-founders Ahmed Raggal and Chinmaya Das, who serve as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Technical Officer respectively – both bringing years of senior experience after working for behemoths such as Uber, Amazon, and Booking.com
The company’s innovative methodology is already gaining support in the venture capital world. Its pre-seed funding was received from Nclude, a leading venture capital platform focused on investing in fintech (financial technology) and fintech-enabled start-ups in Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa, and Plus Venture Capital (VC+), a Middle East and North Africa (MENA)-focused venture capital firm investing in pre-seed and seed tech startups.
Through the company’s digital platform and smart booking system, users can explore, research, purchase, and co-own second homes at a fraction of the price.
Once limited by high market prices, Egyptians now have the agency to purchase homes in prime locations. For example, a two-bedroom chalet in the coastal town of El Gouna would normally sell for EGP 3.5 million (USD 180,000) – but with Partment, individuals can co-own it for around EGP 600,000 (USD 30,000).
Marassi, an upscale compound in the North Coast, offered 230 square meter chalets at a price of EGP 3.1 million (USD 387 thousand at the time) in 2015.
In 2022, seven years later, a fully-finished chalet of the same size could sell for up to EGP 20 million (USD 1 million).
Over on the Red Sea, in the affluent town of El Gouna, a 128 meter, three-bedroom apartment in the G Cribs compound was priced at EGP 1.4 million (USD 205 thousand at the time) in 2013. Today, that same apartment could cost up to EGP 5 million (USD 256 thousand).
Partment positions itself as a solution to the rise in demand for second homes, as well as the rising costs of the market.
Co-owners are allocated over 40 nights per year to use the property, divided based on the number of shares owned and travel seasons. The startup also guarantees home management and maintenance on all properties listed.
The idea of shared ownership in Egypt has been previously explored, primarily through timeshare – a method to purchase the use of a property (often vacation homes) for a period of time. However, the timeshare system was heavily criticized, and often shied away from due to its reputation for being a scam.
While timesharing is often the purchase of a timeslot to use up in certain properties, Partment offers equity and ownership in the real estate itself.
The pre-seed round also featured a group of angel investors ranging from leading tech executives to real estate industry veterans.
Both officials at Nclude and VC+ hailed the startup as an opportunity to “disrupt the real estate sector” in Egypt, as citizens continue to grapple with inflation and an increasing cost of living.
The disruption in question hopes to innovate the industry, but also serves as an indicator that bubbling housing prices could prompt citizens to split up ownership.
Egypt’s cost of living has soared over the past six years. Commodities as basic as fast food have become a luxury for some Egyptians. The same sentiment is reflected in the real estate sector, particularly vacation homes.
The question remains: Is Partment a salvific innovation for the housing market, or merely an indicator that inflation is pushing customers to unconventional compromises?
Though this concept is not unique to Egypt; vacation home prices are appreciating rapidly across several countries. A 2022 study on vacation homes in the United States witnessed a 20 percent year-on-year price increase in certain locations. The United Kingdom witnessed a 10 percent increase.
The key difference is that while demand for vacation homes abroad has decreased, Egyptians’ demands for vacation homes continue to increase, even amid a rapidly rising cost of living.
Partment may not act as a permanent solution to Egypt’s staggering real estate inflation, but, if done right, has the potential to change up the way prices are handled.
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Latest Business News India Today 4 October 2022 | News Headlines Tentaran
Latest Business News India Today 4 October 2022 | News Headlines – Tentaran https://collincountynewsonline.com/latest-business-news-india-today-4-october-2022-news-headlines-tentaran/
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Here’s today business news, the latest business news India today 4 October 2022
The government to raise Rs. 2,500 crores through the capital market for 3 road projects.
PayU has called off $4.7 billion deal to buy Billdesk.
Suzion Energy is to go ahead with its rights issue on 12th October for Rs. 1,200 crores.
Buy Online Women’s Kurta Pant Palazzo and Kaftan Dress at Wholesale Price – Shop Now
Must Read: 4 October in Indian history
Limited Offer – Buy Online Books in India – Buy Deepshikha Books Online at Best Prices In India – Buy Now
Latest business news India today 4 October 2022 – business news headlines today
The collections of gross GST in September surged by 26% y-o-y to Rs 1,47,686 crores along with a jump in revenue from import of goods by 39%.
The levy of additional Rs 2/ltr of excise duty on petrol unblended with ethanol has been deferred by the center by one month to give more time to industries to implement oil import-cutting measures.
According to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, the unemployment rate in India has dropped to 6.43% in September as against 8.3% in August due to a rise in labor force participation in both urban and rural areas.
The volume of the domestic passenger vehicles industry rose by 91% to 3,55,946 units in September due to robust festival demands, better production, and ease in supplies of semiconductors.
Must Read:4 October 2022 ke Mukhya Samachar
Latest business news India today 4 October 2022 – business news India today
The telecom industry has vowed to roll out speedy 5G services across the country at reasonable rates with a technology that has the potential to revolutionize various sectors of education, farming, and telemedicine.
The jet fuel prices have been cut off by 4.5% and the rates of LPG used in hotels and restaurants have been slashed by Rs 25.5 per 19 kg cylinder.
The Monetary Policy Committee of RBI has raised the repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.9% due to the persistence of high inflation.
Reliance Jio to launch a new 4G enabled budgeted laptop priced at Rs 15,000 to replicate the success of the low-cost JioPhone in the sensitive market of India.
Must Read:News Headlines of India today 4 October 2022
Must Read:Today Current Affairs 4 October
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Psychotic Kids Spaced Out On Drugs Being Recruited By Lads As Young As 15 Yorkshire Live
‘Psychotic’ Kids Spaced Out On Drugs Being Recruited By Lads As Young As 15 – Yorkshire Live https://collincountynewsonline.com/psychotic-kids-spaced-out-on-drugs-being-recruited-by-lads-as-young-as-15-yorkshire-live/
The grim reality of life for some Huddersfield teenagers has been laid bare by a former boxer who has worked with some of the town’s most vulnerable young people.
Mark Reynolds has spent countless hours talking with and mentoring young people in schools, youth clubs and sporting organisations, and through his boxing club, RABC based in Milnsbridge, Huddersfield. He says that society as a whole has lost values such as respect, while the coronavirus pandemic has left some young people battling mental health problems.
Mark believes that the tragic death of teenager Khayri McLean, 15, outside a Huddersfield school should be a ‘lightbulb’ moment for every parent worried about knife crime. Khayri, who was described as a ‘wonderful student’ by his school’s headteacher, was attacked in the street and died after being taken to Leeds General Infirmary. Friends described him as the ‘kindest boy’.
Read more : Fearful Huddersfield residents blame ‘druggies, alcoholics and idiots’ as men left in pool of blood
Mark, 54, a former boxer, has used boxing as a tool to encourage young people to stay fit and healthy and to develop self-confidence and maturity. He says boxing is useful because it has the kind of ‘street cred’ that helps him to get through to young people.
He talks to children and teenagers about a range of issues, from knife crime and the risks of grooming, to drugs and exploitation. “I am very passionate and I wear my heart on my sleeve,” he told YorkshireLive. “I have been helping young people for 25 years. In those 25 years I have never known society like it is now. Values like respect have gone.
Balloons, flowers, cards and messages were left at the roadside where Khayri Mclean was attacked
“Years ago we would never talk to teachers like they do now. I work with schools to promote healthy living and get young people fit for life.”
As well as working with young boxers, Mark has spoken with vulnerable children in pupil referral units, high schools and junior schools, as well as pupils within more affluent areas. He believes the pandemic has led to a rise in young people suffering with mental health problems. Cannabis smoking and alcohol have added to the mental health crises, he says.
“Because I am an ex-boxer they listen to me. I usually have their attention. But I do want to do more. Schools don’t have the funding. We have a purpose built boxing club in a mill but that needs funding. We have put £200,000 in. I feel embarrassed asking for funding all the time.”
Mark says recent events in Huddersfield have left students and parents in a state of shock. He is hoping that it will lead to more conversations about what is happening on the streets.
Asked about knives, and why some people carry them, he says: “They carry knives because they need to feel protected – that is what they think. But seven out of 10 knives will be used on themselves, so there is naivety.”
Rawthorpe Amateur Boxing Club’s new premises at Bridgecroft Mill, Tanyard Road, Milnsbridge. Boxing coach Gabor Voros (left) with club founder Mark Reynolds (Image: Huddersfield Examiner)
Mark believes young people have been ‘desensitised’ to violence by video games and films, and that drug taking can lead to them becoming ‘psychotic’. His message about the dangers of knives is only a small part of the story. “Drugs, gangs, exploitation and County Lines – they are all related. Knife crime is only a small part of the message,” he says.
And he says social media can sometimes amplify and worsen disputes between people that would once have blown over in a short period of time. He says adults have, in some cases, got involved in their children’s disputes and made things worse by issuing their own threats.
Mark says that children now seem to be using ‘street language’ as a matter of course which he described as worrying. On the subject of drugs, he says: “Young people are getting roped into it younger and younger – girls and boys.” He adds: “Young people want to feel part of something, a group. These gangs are clever. They can identify vulnerable people. There are more and more vulnerable people.”
Some parents and social workers turn to Mark for help, but he admits that he isn’t a ‘Pied Piper’ and cannot always provide the help that is needed. “Parents are crying out for help and social workers are getting in touch with me,” he said. “Young people are lost in the system and dads are pleading with me. Their children are knocking around with the wrong people. Young people won’t listen to mum or dad but we have got a chance with them.”
Rawthorpe Amateur Boxing Club founder Mark Reynolds. (Image: Huddersfield Examiner)
Mark has seen many disruptive young people who ‘kick off’ in order to be ‘cool’. “They have low self-esteem, are shy and are bullied. I work with the naughty kids but what about the good kids? I have known kids being naughty just so they can come into my sessions. I don’t have the magic answer but I try to befriend these young people. They call me ‘baldy’.”
Mark often gives older teenagers a very blunt message which he hopes acts as a wake-up call. “I say ‘it could be you’. Your family ruined… I tell them to change their mindset. Be safe and think about your families.
“I tell them the things that can happen to you. Prison and life in prison. Beaten up or raped in prison. Or dead.
“And I tell them one thing that is worse than that. I tell them to put their hands up if someone loves them or if they love someone. Imagine that person hurt. They will threaten or hurt your family.”
Mark says the violence has to stop and everyone must play their part. He says County Lines drug gangs are now targeting younger children to do their dirty work. “Older kids in schools are trying to get younger ones involved with County Lines.”
And those who take drugs can end up mentally ill, he says. “They can be psychotic…A lot of young people are on weed and skunk. It is making these young people psychotic. They are seeing things, having hallucinations. It’s not just Huddersfield it is across the country.”
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Ravens Charlie Kolar: Wont Practice This Week CBS Sports
Ravens’ Charlie Kolar: Won’t Practice This Week – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/ravens-charlie-kolar-wont-practice-this-week-cbs-sports/
By RotoWire Staff
Oct 3, 2022 at 2:50 pm ET • 1 min read
Kolar (sports hernia) won’t return to practice this week, Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Kolar was placed on injured reserve shortly before the start of the regular season and is eligible to return as early as Week 5. However, the rookie fourth-rounder will need additional time to recover, and it’s not yet clear when he’ll be able to return to action.
More News
Ravens’ Charlie Kolar: Placed on injured reserve
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Ravens’ Charlie Kolar: Set to undergo surgery
07/28/2022 • by RotoWire Staff
Ravens’ Charlie Kolar: May have sports hernia
07/26/2022 • by RotoWire Staff
Ravens’ Charlie Kolar: Joins Baltimore
04/30/2022 • by RotoWire Staff
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Apple CEO Tim Cook Doesnt Like The Metaversehe Predicts A Different Technology Will Shape The Future CNBC
Apple CEO Tim Cook Doesn’t Like The Metaverse—he Predicts A Different Technology Will Shape The Future – CNBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/apple-ceo-tim-cook-doesnt-like-the-metaverse-he-predicts-a-different-technology-will-shape-the-future-cnbc/
Tim Cook is the latest big name in tech to pour some cold water on the industry’s excitement over the concept of a metaverse.
“I always think it’s important that people understand what something is,” the Apple CEO told Dutch publication Bright on Friday. “And I’m really not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is.”
Unsurprisingly, Apple hasn’t yet publicly touted any plans for the metaverse, a term typically used to describe virtual reality (VR) platforms where people can interact, work, shop and play games using immersive technology like a virtual reality headset. These virtual worlds already exist, in some form, but many of the biggest names in tech are working to develop the hardware and software necessary for people to spend significant time — and money — in the metaverse.
Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are heavily invested in the concept of the metaverse. Companies from Microsoft to Disney have laid out metaverse plans.
But some experts suggest that any metaverse hype partially exists specifically because people don’t understand what it’s going to be. In June, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt summed up the general confusion over the concept, noting that “there’s not an agreement on what the metaverse is.”
Similarly, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel has called the idea of the metaverse “ambiguous and hypothetical.” Instead, he’s pushed his company’s plans around augmented reality (AR), where virtual elements and images are superimposed onto the real world.
Cook is also a big proponent of AR, and Apple is reportedly developing an AR/VR headset that could hit the market in 2023, according to Bloomberg. The future of AR “will go much, much further” than today’s applications, Cook told Bright on Friday.
“I think AR is a profound technology that will affect everything,” Cook said. “Imagine suddenly being able to teach with AR and demonstrate things that way. Or medically, and so on. Like I said, we are really going to look back and think about how we once lived without AR.”
Cook’s comments on the metaverse came amid a European tour that saw the Apple CEO visit the U.K. and Germany before speaking at the University of Naples Federico II’s commencement ceremony last week. In a Q&A session at that ceremony, Cook suggested people might eventually think of AR as they do the internet: ubiquitous and difficult to live without.
“Zoom out to the future and look back, you’ll wonder how you led your life without augmented reality,” Cook said. “Just like, today, we wonder: ‘How did people like me grow up without the internet?'”
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Don’t miss:
‘This is creating more loneliness’: The metaverse could be a serious problem for kids, experts say
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12 Wicked Books To Keep You Warm This October Nerdist
12 Wicked Books To Keep You Warm This October – Nerdist https://collincountynewsonline.com/12-wicked-books-to-keep-you-warm-this-october-nerdist/
Welcome back to the Nerdist Reading List. Each month I curate book recommendations that’ll delight, charm, and terrify. Basically, this is the place to find the best fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and romance books and comics to add to your books-to-read pile. To make things easier, each month will include a selection of already released books you can grab instantly. We also have new books you’ll definitely want to pre-order or add to your library holds. For October books we’ve got epic trans led YA fantasy, a reimagining of a classic Chinese novel, a clutch of spooky horror reads, and even a saucy Holiday romance! Basically there’s something for everyone.
Fantasy October Books
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas – Available now
Feiwel & Friends
One of the best books I’ve read all year, The Sunbearer Trials has already become an indie bestseller. This immersive fantasy is filled with vibrant queer characters stunning action and a central set of trials as engaging as The Hunger Games. In this Mexican-inspired fantasy young every ten years teen semidioses must battle through a series of dangerous challenges to protect their world. Teo is a Jade, one of the “lesser” semidioses who lives in the shadow of the Golds. But when Teo is selected for the trials along with another Jade his world is thrown into turmoil as he gets the chance to shape and save the home he loves so much.
Eternally Yours by various authors – Available now
Viking Books for Young Readers
This stunning paranormal romance anthology edited by the brilliant Patrice Cauldwell is a perfect spooky season treat. Featuring YA stories from many of our favorite writers, this collection features romantic tales about angels, demons, merpeople, vampires and more. And the list of authors is just as exciting as the concept. Kalynn Bayron, Kendare Blake, Kat Cho, Melissa de la Cruz, Sarah Gailey, Hafsah Faizal, Chloe Gong, Alexis Henderson, Adib Khorram, Anna-Marie McLemore, Casey McQuiston, Sandhya Menon, Akshaya Raman, Marie Rutkoski, and Julian Winters. What more could you want from an anthology this month??
Blood Moon Prophecy (Legend of the Nyx, #1) by Dilani Kahawala – October 11
Cedar Street Press
Tilly Nyx is living in the shadows of her own mistakes. Her mother’s death and exile haunt her every day. Now after over a decade living undercover in New York city she has the burning desire to return home, though she has no idea where that is. It’s here that her unbelievable quest begins sending Tilly into an uncanny world of magic, fleets, and potions. Will she be able to find her family and the truth about who she is? Or is it too late to turn back the clock on what happened so many years before?
The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith- October 11
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
The highly-anticipated sequel to The Witch Haven drops this month continuing the story of Frances and her fellow witches. Now living a peaceful life in the cozy halls of Haxahaven Academy, Frances feels like her woes are behind her. But when her magic begins to act strangely and she’s suddenly called to France, her adventures begin once again. It’s in the cobbled streets of Paris where she learns that her actions from the first book have had dire consequences. So, now she has to rectify her wrongs in this lovely fantasy yarn.
Strike the Zither by Joan He – October 25
Roaring Brook Press
We adore the writing of Joan He here at Nerdist. From her daring mystery debut Descendant of the Crane to her sophomore sci-fi masterpiece The Ones We’re Meant to Find she never disappoints. Her newest book reimagines the classic Chinese novel Three Kingdoms, but replaces its predominantly male cast with a roster of brilliant complex women. Our story centers on Zephyr, a startlingly intelligent strategist for a ruthless warlord. After she’s forced to infiltrate an enemy camp Zephyr is drawn into an unexpected adventure and quest for survival in this must read historical fantasy from one of the most exciting authors working today.
Horror October Books
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson – Available now
Ace Books
Alexis Henderson’s The Year of the Witching was one of the standout novels of 2020. She’s back to follow up that searing debut with this stunning gothic novel. Marion answers an oddly worded advertisement to take a position working for the upper echelons of society in a far off part of the country. Soon she’s enmeshed in the strange happenings of the House of Hunger. Rich aristocrats who hire “bloodmaids” in order to drink from them at will. It’s a shocking arrangement that becomes even more dangerous when some of her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing, pitting Marion against Countess Lisavet, the powerful woman at the center of it all.
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson – October 4
Redhook
A queer reimagining of Dracula told through the eyes of his first bride? You can sign us up just based on that description. And that’s before we get to the complex, dreamy, and lyrical style that S.T. Gibson brings the world of Constanta and her new paramour to life. Soon though she realizes her husband is capable of terrible things, putting her new life into question. Originally released in 2021 through the independent publisher Nyx, Redhook acquired the title and are rereleasing it in October in perfect time for the spookiest of seasons. So if you need some gothic polyam / bisexual romance in your life then make sure to add this to your pre order list.
The Witch in the Well by Camilla Bruce – October 4
Tor Books
Camilla Bruce broke onto the scene with her atmospheric chiller You Let Me In. And her followup The Witch in the Well looks to be just as darkly delightful. Elena and Cathy grew up together but as so many friends do grew apart with age. But when they’re flung back together, both inspired to write about a terrible tragedy centuries before their worlds collide. The past and the present weave a treacherous puzzle as the pair try to find the truth about the witch hunts that had hundreds of years before torn apart the idyllic summer paradise they once visited. But soon their story begins to echo that of the women that came before with deadly consequences.
You can check out a ton more spooky reads on our Halloween Reading List!
Comics
The Best of 2000AD by Various Creators – Available now
2000AD
You’ve likely heard of Judge Dredd, but did you know he comes from a brilliant British comics series called 2000AD? In this new quarterly graphic novel series from editor Owen Johnson collects some of the best and most iconic stories from the publisher and pairs them with thoughtful essays from some of comics criticism’s best minds. The first volume has a gorgeous cover from Jamie McKelvie, stories by icons like Alan Moore, John Wagner, and Alan Grant. And it features an incredible essay from comics editor and historian Adam Karenina Sherif.
Demon in the Wood, by Leigh Bardugo and Dani Pendergast – Available now
Roaring Brook Press
The GrishaVerse has already inspired a smash hit Netflix show and multiple brilliant books, but now the sprawling fantasy universe has its first comic book. Creator Leigh Bardugo teams up with awesome artist Dani Pendergast to bring to life the prequel story of the Darkling. Centering on the villain when he was just a boy, this tragic and beautiful story adds layers to the villain we know and the scared child he once was. And Pendergast’s art brings a whole new visual language and magic to the world of the Grisha. A must read for fantasy lovers everywhere.
Timothy Dinoman Saves the Cat By Steve Thueson – Available October 4
Graphic Universe
If you’ve yet to discover the vibrant and hilarious works of Steve Thueson then you’re in for a treat. The Philly based cartoonist has long been delighting readers of their self-published works. But in a new Middle Grade graphic novel they introduce us to Timothy Dinoman. Basically, imagine James Bond if they were a cool, kind, anthropomorphic iguanodon. This is one of the funnest books of the year as Thueson brings to life an all-ages friendly espionage adventure. Filled with gadgets, action, and cool disguises, you don’t want to miss Timothy Dinoman’s debut!
Holiday Books…Early
Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone – Available Now
Avon
It’s a bestseller match made in heaven as authors Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone collaborate on this absolutely delightful plus size Holiday love story. Bee Hobbes is already a successful performer when she’s cast in a clean cut Christmas movie on the Hope Channel. The only problem is her other career is as a beloved plus-size adult film star. She has to keep that under wraps as the film begins to shoot and that becomes a lot harder when her childhood crush and co-star Nolan Shaw, discovers the truth and the pair begin a steamy romance. Saucy, fun, and delightfully dirty this is a Christmas romance for adults only, and it’s all the better for it.
Featured Image: Ace Books/Viking Books for Young Readers/Roaring Brook Press
U.S. Plans To Award $221 Mln To Address Mississippi Flooding Risks Reuters
U.S. Plans To Award $221 Mln To Address Mississippi Flooding Risks – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-plans-to-award-221-mln-to-address-mississippi-flooding-risks-reuters/
WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on Monday it will spend almost $800 million to address flood mitigation, coastal storm damage protection and address supply chain resilience.
About $221 million will address flooding for the Pearl River in Jackson, Mississippi, it said in a statement.
The plan, funded by the $1 trillion infrastructure bill Congress passed in November 2021, supports construction of 31 additional projects and 11 previously announced projects.
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The Pearl River funding for a comprehensive flood damage reduction plan is subject to a review of environmental and other criteria. In August, U.S. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency when Jackson, Mississippi, went without reliable drinking water after pumps at the main water treatment plant failed.
The city linked the failure to complications from the flooding of the Pearl River. A boil water advisory was lifted on Sept. 15.
White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu said in a statement to Reuters that funding will be used to ensure “communities across the country can withstand the effects of climate change and extreme weather for decades to come.”
The administration plans more than $250 million in additional funding for the Soo Locks replacement project in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, which is contingent upon passage of separate water resources legislation.
Michigan lawmakers have pushed for years to get federal funding for a new $1.3 billion lock to handle larger vessels and prevent a potential failure of the locks.
It also includes $60.6 million for storm-ravaged Rio Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, to assist with flood damage reduction, and $46 million to address flooding risks in southwest Louisiana.
About $2 million will be used to complete preconstruction engineering and design phases for the eventual replacement of two bridges across the Cape Cod canal in Massachusetts, a project costing more than $1 billion.
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Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Richard Chang
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Does Mask-Wearing Affect Behavior? | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology MIT News
Does Mask-Wearing Affect Behavior? | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology – MIT News https://collincountynewsonline.com/does-mask-wearing-affect-behavior-mit-news-massachusetts-institute-of-technology-mit-news/
Since 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a global increase in the number of people wearing masks to limit the spread of illness. Now, new research co-authored by MIT scholars suggests that, in China at least, wearing masks also influences how people act.
The research, conducted across 10 studies focused on deviant behavior — such as running red lights, violating parking rules, and cheating for money — shows that people wearing masks were less likely to behave deviantly than those who were not wearing them. The researchers say this is not just happenstance, but that in China using masks increases moral awareness and thus spurs some people to be more rule-abiding.
“We found that masks, in China, function as a moral symbol that reduces the wearer’s deviant behavior,” says Jackson Lu, an associate professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author of a newly published paper detailing the findings.
As Lu and his co-authors note, a variety of factors, not just masks, can influence behavior. Overall, they estimate, mask-wearing accounts for about 4 percent of the variance in deviant behavior they observed, when comparing those wearing masks to those not wearing them.
“Mask-wearing explains a meaningful but reasonable proportion of the variance,” Lu says, adding: “We’re talking about likelihoods here.”
The paper, “Masks as a Moral Symbol: Masks Reduce Wearers’ Deviant Behavior in China During COVID-19,” appears today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The authors are Lu, who is the Sloan School Career Development Associate Professor of Work and Organization Studies; Lesley Luyang Song, a PhD student in marketing at Tsinghua University in China; Yuhuang Zheng, an associate professor of marketing at Tsinghua University; and Laura Changlan Wang, a PhD student at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Two hypotheses, one answer
Since the pandemic began at a large scale in early 2020, social scientists have learned a great deal about what makes people inclined to wear masks, but generally have not explored the behavioral consequences of masking. In conducting the studies, Lu and his co-authors tested two competing hypotheses about the effect of mask-wearing on deviant behavior in China.
One hypothesis, Lu notes, is that “masks can disinhibit wearers’ deviant behavior by increasing anonymity,” making people “more likely to engage in” norm-breaking actions.
A competing hypothesis is that masks may be “heightening people’s moral awareness” when worn, Lu says. “If it’s a moral symbol that symbolizes the moral duty and virtue of protecting others and sacrificing one’s personal convenience for the collective welfare, maybe masking can lead the individual to choose the morally right course of action,” he adds.
To examine these ideas, the researchers conducted 10 separate studies in China to tackle the issue empirically. In one study, for example, they analyzed traffic-camera recordings of an intersection, and found that pedestrians and cyclists who were wearing masks were less likely to run red lights, compared to those who were not wearing masks.
Of course, it could be that people choosing to wear masks are more cautious overall than those without masks, and that pedestrian or cycling behavior may reflect this predisposition. To rule out individual differences in risk aversion as an alternative explanation, the scholars conducted other studies. One of their studies shows that even when it comes to bike parking places — a matter that does not bear on an individual’s personal safety — mask-wearers tend to follow the rules and park legally more than non-wearers do.
In another case, the researchers conducted experiments to establish causality. They found that participants randomly assigned to wear a mask (as opposed to those who were not) were less likely to cheat for money. Increased moral awareness partly explained the difference in behavior.
“The common thread is they’re all examples of deviant behavior that could hurt individuals, organizations, or society,” Song says. The research also included survey work showing that Chinese citizens regard masks as a moral symbol.
The 10 studies involved roughly 68,000 observations, a large scale that underscores the reliability of the results.
“We have confidence in terms of different measures of deviant behavior providing converging evidence,” Lu says. “It’s remarkable to see how consistent the evidence is across different studies.”
Results specific to China
To be sure, the researchers acknowledge that while masks have been worn globally over the last few years, the current research only applies to Chinese society.
“We only have data from China, so we are careful not to generalize,” Lu says.
Among other things, Lu believes that in China, wearing masks is not the same kind of political flashpoint that it has become in other countries. That political element could make it harder to disentangle the behavioral effects of mask-wearing elsewhere.
And even in China, Lu notes, the way masks influence behavior could change over time as well. The current research provides a snapshot of a phenomenon, but further work in other times and places could reveal new insights.
“The meaning of masks is probably dynamic, and contextualized,” Lu says. “Right now masks may function as a moral symbol, but … over time, the meaning of masks could change. Future research is needed.”
Study co-authors Song and Zheng received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
Meet Vicky Herr Retired Educator And Dedicated Volunteer At The Storehouse Star Local Media
Meet Vicky Herr, Retired Educator And Dedicated Volunteer At The Storehouse – Star Local Media https://collincountynewsonline.com/meet-vicky-herr-retired-educator-and-dedicated-volunteer-at-the-storehouse-star-local-media/
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Vacation Planners In Destin FL Offer A Limited-Time Special Offer Digital Journal
Vacation Planners In Destin, FL Offer A Limited-Time Special Offer – Digital Journal https://collincountynewsonline.com/vacation-planners-in-destin-fl-offer-a-limited-time-special-offer-digital-journal/
Destin, Fla. — Have Travel Memories, a travel agency in Destin, FL, has many trips available, as well as the ability to plan the vacation of a client’s dreams. Right now, the expert vacation planners at Have Travel Memories are offering a special deal to their travelers.
For a limited time, if a traveler books a vacation with Have Travel Memories, they will receive a free travel bonus. There are many trips available through Have Travel Memories; travelers can choose a cruise, choose a rental property, or choose a specific destination where they desire to travel.
Right now, there are also two different fully-planned vacations available, the most imminent being the 10-Day Holy Land Tour. The destinations in this tour include places such as Nazareth, Jerusalem, Western Wall, Cana, Mount of Olives and Galilee, enabling participants to see many different historical sites. The other fully planned vacation travelers can register for is the 10-Night British Isles Cruise. The ship takes off in London and then makes stops in several countries such as Scotland, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland.
The agents at Have Travel Memories encourage travelers to take advantage of their special deal, as it provides a great way to receive more travel per dollar.
As a luxury travel agency in Destin, FL that provides individuals, couples, families, and groups of friends or colleagues with the trips they desire at the price they want, Have Travel Memories finds joy in helping people see the world, as well as find the excitement and relaxation they need. Because the travel agents at Have Travel Memories stay up to date regarding all details surrounding travel endeavors, their clients can rest easy knowing they will not have any unexpected travel surprises during their vacation. For more information or to book a trip, contact Have Travel Memories today at (877) 428-3041 or visit their website at www.havetravelmemories.com/.
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Live Updates: Russia-Ukraine War | Business News | Wfmz.com 69News WFMZ-TV
Live Updates: Russia-Ukraine War | Business News | Wfmz.com – 69News WFMZ-TV https://collincountynewsonline.com/live-updates-russia-ukraine-war-business-news-wfmz-com-69news-wfmz-tv/
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, said the director general of Ukraine’s and Europe’s largest power plant, Ihor Murashov, has been released from Russian custody after his detention last week.
“I welcome the release,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi tweeted. “I have received confirmation that Mr. Murashov has returned to his family safely.”
Murashov was blindfolded and detained after leaving the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Friday.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
— Ukrainian troops continue offensive, claim new gains
— AP Investigation: Russia smuggling Ukrainian grain to help pay for Putin’s war
— Europe faces ‘unprecedented risk’ of gas shortage, IEA says
— Fleeing Russians follow path of 1917 refugees to Istanbul
— 10 torture sites in 1 town: Russia sowed pain, fear in Izium
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
MOSCOW — The Russian military on Monday acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces have broken through Moscow’s defenses in the Kherson region.
Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in his daily briefing that “With numerically superior tank units in the direction of Zolota Balka and Oleksandrivka, the enemy managed to forge deep into our defenses.”
Konashenkov added that “Russian troops have occupied a pre-prepared defensive line and continue to inflict massive fire damage” on Kyiv’s forces.
MOSCOW — The lower house of the Russian parliament voted Monday to endorse the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia.
The unanimous vote by the State Duma followed the signing of the treaties by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of the four regions on Friday after the Kremlin-orchestrated referendums that were rejected by Ukraine and the West as having no legal validity.
The vote was unanimous on each of the four treaties, but the number of yes votes ranged from 409 to 413, apparently because some lawmakers were slow to push the voting buttons.
WASHINGTON — White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says Ukraine has made gains in the northeast of the country where they are pushing up against the Luhansk region, and he said they are making gains in the south, too.
“They’re absolutely on the move here,” Kirby said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program. “And like you’ve heard President Biden saying, we’re going to continue to make sure we can give them the weapons and capabilities so they can continue that sign of progress.”
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian shelling of eight Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours has killed two civilians and injured 14 more, Ukraine’s presidential office reported Monday.
A missile strike was carried out on the city of Zaporizhzhia, capital of the Zaporizhzhia region, parts of which are under Russian control and which has been illegally annexed by Moscow.
Russian forces fired some 10 S-300 anti-aircraft missiles at the city and two nearby villages, according to the presidential office. The strike destroyed a rehabilitation center for children with special needs; one person was injured.
Cities across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were also shelled. In Nikopol, a frequent target of Russian shelling, power lines were damaged, as were a dozen residential buildings and private houses.
MOSCOW — The Kremlin says no final decision has been made on the territory of two of the four regions it plans to incorporate into Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Donetsk and Luhansk regions would join Russia as defined by administrative borders that existed before a conflict erupted there in 2014. He noted that the issue of the borders of the two other regions – Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – remains open.
“We will continue to discuss that with residents of those regions,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties on Friday to make the four regions part of Russia in a move rejected by Ukraine and its Western allies. The lower house of Kremlin-controlled parliament is set to ratify the treaties Monday and the upper house will follow Tuesday.
Russia controls virtually all of the Luhansk region and about 60% of the Donetsk region that together makes Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. In the south, Russia controls most of the Kherson region and a significant part of the Zaporizhzhia region.
WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday to protest to protest Russia’s illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions last week. The Polish Foreign Ministry said it’s a coordinated action across Europe Union countries.
Russian Ambassador Sergey Andreev defended Russia’s annexation of the territories. Speaking to reporters after the meeting Andreev said the four former territories of Ukraine “will forever remain Russian territories. This is by no means a breach of international law, it is an act of self-determination.”
He was also asked about the large numbers of Russian men fleeing the country. He replied: “Yes, there are people who are fleeing, but this is how our society cleanses itself of those who are not part of our nation.”
___ LONDON — The Joint Expeditionary Force group of northern European nations will meet Monday to discuss the safety of undersea pipelines and cables after blasts ruptured two natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said.
Wallace said the virtual meeting has been called by the U.K. and the Netherlands. The force brings together troops from 10 countries, including the Baltic and Nordic nations, and has seen its importance increase since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Wallace also said Britain will acquire two specialist ships to protect undersea cables and pipes, with the first “multi-role survey ship for seabed warfare” operational by the end of next year.
BELGOROD, Russia — Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia’s Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, reported Monday that Ukrainian shelling of a village near the border killed a 48-year-old woman.
The shells, Gladkov said in a statement posted on Telegram, hit the center of the village of Golovchino, damaging several buildings. It wasn’t immediately clear if there were other casualties, according to the statement. ___
MOSCOW — Russia’s top diplomat Monday compared Western military support for Ukraine to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.
Addressing the lower house of the Russian parliament before it voted to ratify the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of rallying allies to counter Russia in Ukraine just as Nazi Germany relied on European resources when it invaded the Soviet Union.
“The U.S. has mobilized practically all of the collective West to turn Ukraine into an instrument of war against Russia, just as Hitler mobilized military resources of most European nations to attack the Soviet Union,” Lavrov said.
Presenting the treaties with the four regions to lawmakers before the vote, Lavrov said they marked “the logical continuation of the process of reunification of Russian lands.”
___ MOSCOW — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says criticism of Russia’s military leadership by Chechnya’s regional leader was driven by emotions.
Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, scathingly criticized the Russian military command over the weekend, saying that the Russian retreat from the city of Lyman in eastern Ukraine was a result of incompetence and nepotism.
Kadyrov also called for the use of low-yield nuclear weapons in Ukraine to reverse the tide of the conflict in Russia’s favor.
Asked about Kadyrov’s statements, Peskov said they were driven by emotions.
“Even in difficult moments, emotions must be excluded while making assessments,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters Monday. “We prefer to stick to well-balanced, objective assessments.”
Responding to Kadyrov’s comments on nuclear weapons, Peskov said conditions for their use are outlined in Russia’s security doctrine, adding that “there could be no other reasons” for their deployment.
___ Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Queens Lawmaker Partners With Grubhub To Donate Meals To Seniors At Commonpoint Queens In Little Neck QNS.com QNS
Queens Lawmaker Partners With Grubhub To Donate Meals To Seniors At Commonpoint Queens In Little Neck – QNS.com – QNS https://collincountynewsonline.com/queens-lawmaker-partners-with-grubhub-to-donate-meals-to-seniors-at-commonpoint-queens-in-little-neck-qns-com-qns/
Council Member Linda Lee joined Grubhub’s ‘Serving the City’ program to deliver meals to seniors at Commonpoint Queens in Little Neck and homebound seniors at Deepdale CARES NORC. (Photo courtesy of Council Member Lee’s office)
Councilwoman Linda Lee on Sept. 29 joined Grubhub’s ‘Serving the City’ program to deliver 250 meals to seniors at Commonpoint Queens in Little Neck and homebound seniors at Deepdale CARES NORC in honor of Senior Appreciation Month.
Lee thanked Senator Leroy Comrie, Commonpoint Queens, Grubhub and Holy Schnitzel for their partnership during Senior Appreciation Month, as they work to close hunger gaps among the older adult communities and address the specific needs of eastern Queens.
(Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Lee’s office)
“Eastern Queens is a transit desert with no rail service and limited access to bus lines that have always made it difficult for our seniors to travel to even the closest supermarkets and restaurants to obtain fresh food and produce to support their health and well-being,” said Lee, chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addictions. “As the weather gets colder, we must ensure that our communities have all the resources necessary to support healthy living and combat the rising threat of food insecurity in our neighborhoods.”
(Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Lee’s office)
Danielle Ellman, CEO of Commonpoint Queens, said the organization is thrilled to partner with Lee and Grubhub to get food to older adults in their community.
“With more than one in 10 seniors facing food insecurity, programs like these are literally saving lives by getting healthy meals to our most vulnerable. Thank you to Grubhub and Council member Lee for their support in helping older adults age with dignity,” Ellman said.
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent rise in grocery prices have increased food insecurity across the nation, impacting nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers, including one in four children. To help combat this issue on a local level, Grubhub is leveraging its vast restaurant network to support underserved communities in Council District 23 and eastern Queens.
“This is a first-of-its-kind program for Grubhub and launching in New York City — touching all five boroughs and partnering with every single City Council member — is the perfect way to leverage our resources and address food insecurity for those in need,” said Brett Swanson, Grubhub’s senior manager for Community Affairs and Social Impact. “To have the greatest impact, we’re going hyper-local, working with the City Council members to understand specific needs in the community and then partner to address them.”
ADs Explore Options Aiming To Create Leverage In Future Restructuring Of College Football Basketball CBS Sports
ADs Explore Options Aiming To Create Leverage In Future Restructuring Of College Football, Basketball – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/ads-explore-options-aiming-to-create-leverage-in-future-restructuring-of-college-football-basketball-cbs-sports/
Last month, the professional organization representing FBS athletic directors issued what amounted to a veiled ultimatum. The “overwhelming majority” of those ADs at a Lead1 Association meeting in Washington D.C. had a “strong preference” the NCAA continue running major-college football if the association “can be more streamlined and less bureaucratic.”
Or else … what?
The answer has opened the door to perhaps not a breakaway of major college football and basketball but at least a forming picture of what a new structure would look like. A growing number of those ADs believe they have a unique and powerful hammer as leverage if the NCAA doesn’t clean up its act.
“If not,” a Lead1 executive said. “We would explore other options.”
Among those implied options, CBS Sports has learned, is leveraging schools’ participation in the NCAA Tournament. While a separate basketball tournament operated outside of the NCAA isn’t likely anytime soon, the ADs’ realization they could create such an event provides a picture as to how the NCAA’s two biggest sports will be run in the future.
A football breakaway has long been discussed — it is more likely than one in basketball — as the NCAA’s power diminishes as membership has demanded a reorganization of the 117-year-old organization.
Approximately 80 FBS ADs traveled to Lead1’s mid-September meeting in person. Another 20 participated virtually, putting 100 out of 131 total in attendance. They saw two compelling presentations made by former West Virginia AD and NCAA executive Oliver Luck and North Carolina associate professor of sports administration Erianne Weight.
One presentation was a model with college football continuing to operate inside the NCAA. The other showed the FBS going “completely independent” of the NCAA, according to a source.
“It was about as unanimous as it could get,” Lead1 CEO Tom McMillen said of his membership’s reaction to football governance. “It was, ‘Fix it or we will seriously consider move options.'”
Basketball is involved in the discussion because the revenue from the NCAA Tournament is used by the association to essentially run major-college football.
The NCAA does not sponsor an FBS championship. Meanwhile, the tournament is the mother’s milk of the association itself bringing approximately $800 million per year. Approximately 80% of that goes back to the members.
McMillen compared more oversight of major-college sports by his members to a “discharge petition.” In parliamentary procedure, such an act means bringing a bill to the floor for a vote without a report from a committee.
In this case, that “committee” represents the bureaucracy of the NCAA.
“If the ADs stand together, they can almost accomplish anything,” McMillen said.
Lead1 is essentially an advisory group when it comes to NCAA matters, but change has to start somewhere.
Ohio State AD Gene Smith raised eyebrows last summer when he suggested to ESPN that the College Football Playoff take over FBS. He was not alone. In December 2020, the reform-minded Knight Commission essentially suggested the same thing.
Lead1 and its members hope to gain more power over major-college sports as the NCAA remakes itself through a rewritten constitution that will give more power to the schools.
To that end, Lead1 was encouraged to see its views were taking hold recently when the NCAA adopted seven of its 11 recommendations. Among those was the abolition of the much-criticized Independent Accountability Resolution Process.
The future of basketball was not discussed formally last month. Various college officials came out of that Lead1 meeting contending there is no grant of rights between the Division I schools and the NCAA that binds them to play in March Madness. The grant of rights is most commonly known as a document schools sign that assigns their television rights to their conference. Lead1 executives and other ADs confirmed to CBS Sports that there is no such binding document.
“It’s not ironclad,” said McMillen. “That’s my quote. It’s just not ironclad [that they participate].”
When asked what binds those schools to the tournament, NCAA general counsel Scott Bearby referred CBS Sports to Bylaw 31.2.1.1 It states: Eligible members in a sport … will participate [if selected] in the NCAA championship or in no postseason in that sport.
“I don’t know the consequence, for instance, if a team that qualified for a conference automatic bid, their choice [was] to not participate,” Bearby told CBS Sports. “I don’t know what that would mean.”
While there is no overt movement for Division I to stage its own basketball tournament, the National Association of Basketball Coaches is on record as saying it would like to establish a governing board of the game but within the NCAA structure. (NABC president Craig Robinson provided no comment when contacted.)
Most importantly, for the first time during that Lead1 meeting, a price tag was put on what it would take to run the FBS: $65 million annually. That figure was revealed during a slide presentation by Kathleen McNeely, the NCAA’s former CFO and currently a Lead1 consultant. (McNeely did not comment but gave a Lead1 official permission to describe her presentation in detail with CBS Sports.)
An outside entity taking over the FBS would be less about affordability and more about liability. That $65 million represents 10% of the current annual CFP payout ($600 million) and even less (about 4%) of the projected annual payout in an expanded 12-team CFP field.
However, the NCAA has long been target practice for attorneys seeking retribution for clients with catastrophic injuries. The association also spends millions annually defending itself in lawsuits aimed at the NCAA and conferences.
As mentioned, building a tournament outside of the NCAA structure would be a massive lift. And there is little indication that college presidents, who have the ultimate say, are dissatisfied enough to make such a dramatic move. However, acknowledging the fact that they could reflects some of the dissatisfaction.
“I wouldn’t worry about the basketball tournament falling apart, yet,” said a source at the meeting. “I think there is widespread acceptance of the tournament as the place to be if you’re a college basketball team.”
Football remains key because its presence within the system was a significant reason the NCAA generated a record $1.16 billion in revenue last season.
Division I is made up of 351 members, many of whom derive a large part of their budget from NCAA revenue distribution, a large portion of which comes from the tournament.
But as part of the massive NCAA reorganization that’s in progress, Power Five schools hope to have more input into how the NCAA is run.
That’s where the streamlining of governance comes in. Short of a breakaway, football and basketball could be parceled out into different pieces split between the NCAA and the schools.
“If FBS football says, ‘We don’t want to have NCAA enforcement. We want to have our own enforcement and all we’re going to enforce recruiting,’ that could be a model,” said one person in the room.
One source suggested getting rid of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee, which is responsible for kicking legislation upstairs to the NCAA Council. The composition of the committee is part of the problem for Power Five administrators. Only five of the 18 members are from Power Five schools.
The new FBS governing board for the entire sport could be half that size.
For example, NCAA eligibility and amateurism are largely dead discussion points. Name, image and likeness rules have wiped out whatever was left of the collegiate (amateurism) model. Initial eligibility is largely being left up to schools.
There is a movement within Lead1 that would mimic what the Knight Commissioner has proposed: establish a board that would at least oversee the sport and answer to what was termed a commissioner or CEO of major-college football.
CBS Sports took a deep dive into a potential football breakaway in June.
The $65 million needed to make such a move is believed to be the first time a number has been attached to the FBS. That’s where the conflict emerges. Over the years, bowl games, the BCS and the College Football Playoff have been stewards of major-college football. The NCAA basically set play and practice rules and provided catastrophic insurance while overseeing the sport with its enforcement department.
As the NCAA became less relevant and powerful in recent years, many questioned why the association should oversee the FBS at all.
For any entity to take over the FBS, it would inherit the legal liability estimated by McNeely to be at least $10 million annually. That is not counting any massive legal settlement that might impact the NCAA’s legal exposure in any given year, she warned.
The advantage of that arrangement is the NCAA remaining a “legal shield” against all incoming litigation.
“They are the first line of defense,” McMillen said. “Whoever would take this over not only would have to pay the current legal bills of $10 million a year, but [McNeely said] you’d have to have a substantial reserve — $20-plus million per year in case you had settlements.”
There is also health and welfare, insurance, officiating and rules oversight involved in that $65 million. All of it makes it unlikely a third party would take over the entirety of the FBS.
The Knight Commission continues to argue that FBS schools receive NCAA revenue and have a weighted voting advantage in governance despite being a sport that, again, the association basically didn’t sponsor. The commission pointed out the NCAA “received $0 in revenue from FBS football,” but assumes legal liabilit...
Digital Momos: Wow! Momo Set Up 3 Shops In The Metaverse Indiaretailing.com India Retailing
Digital Momos: Wow! Momo Set Up 3 Shops In The Metaverse – Indiaretailing.com – India Retailing https://collincountynewsonline.com/digital-momos-wow-momo-set-up-3-shops-in-the-metaverse-indiaretailing-com-india-retailing/
Wow! Momo, a homegrown quick service restaurant (QSR) chain, has said it has set up three shops in the metaverse, becoming the latest brand in a legion of global and Indian brands that expect metaverse to become the next frontier of e-commerce.
The Tiger-Global backed firm said its digital outlets have come up on metaverse platform called Festemverse and the service is currently available for Android users and will soon be available to iOS users.
Metaverse is a digital world where users interacts and conduct businesses using their digital avatars.
Wow! Momo aims to start trading from their Metaverse stores of Wow Momo, Wow China and Wow Chicken by the festival of Dhanteras and the company said consumers can trade on their Metaverse stores and convert their non-fungible tokens(NFTs) and redeem them at Wow’s physical outlets.
“ It’s imperative to stay relevant and stay up to speed today; Metaverse is an investment for the future,” Sagar Daryani, CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! Momo Foods. “Whilst we are launch partners for Festemverse today; our aim is to grow this and at the same time also be part of all the popular metaverse platforms.”
Wow! Momo currently operates 3 brands: Wow! Momo, Wow! China and Wow! Chicken had raised INR 125 Crores at a staggering valuation of INR 2125 Crores.
Metaverse is becoming a buzzword nowadays, and it is also getting a lot of attention among netizens. Industry experts believe that with this new world, there is a great opportunity with the retailers to give a unique experience to their customers. International brands like Puma, Benetton have already invested in the metaverse world. Indian companies like Mahindra and Mahindra, Tanishq and Makemytrip have ventured into this digital space and are looking to create a storm.
The Coolest New Stuff From The Last Week – GQ https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-coolest-new-stuff-from-the-last-week-gq/
Every now and then, we take a break from tracking down the best menswear on the web and direct our finely-honed shopping acumen elsewhere: to the best non-menswear releases of the last few weeks. From nifty kitchen upgrades to headache-saving tech, this is all the new gear worth your time and hard-earned dollars.
Want more menswear, grooming, and lifestyle selects? Sign up to receive the GQ Recommends newsletter and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive editor picks in your inbox every week.
All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Herman Miller x Hay Eames molded plastic armchair
When it comes to mid-century modern furniture, few pieces are as iconic (or as frequently knocked off) as the Eames lounge chair. Herman Miller is the only brand that can legally call its molded chair an Eames, but now Hay can lay claim to the Ray and Charles Eames branding thanks to the Scandinavian furniture brand’s collab with Herman Miller. The collection finds a number of Eames pieces—like the dining table or Hang-It-All rack—getting a Hay-appropriate makeover in six eye-catching colors.
Victrola Stream Carbon turntable
If there was ever an indication of vinyl’s resurgence, it’s this: We’re genuinely excited about the release of a turntable in 2022. Victrola is more known for its all-in-one-record players, but the new Stream Carbon is not that—it’s a high-end turntable for audiophiles, especially if that audiophile has a Sonos home sound system. The new turntable is the first to allow users to stream records through WiFi to their Sonos speakers, which means no need for extra cables, gadgets, or gizmos. It’s a premium turntable decked out with key elements like luxury materials and an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge—and an excuse to buy even more Sonos speakers.
Burrow Union 4-seat sectional
Burrow didn’t invent the modular sofa design, but it sure as hell helped popularize it. Since its launch, Burrow has expanded outside of sofas into all kinds of furniture, but its latest release doubles down on the genre that put it on the map. According to the brand, the Union line of sofas offers the “biggest, deepest, plushest and widest” modular sofas to date. Get this if you want the RH Cloud sofa but can’t stomach the sticker price.
Why You Should Avoid These 10 Typical Mistakes In Crypto Marketing Cryptonews
Why You Should Avoid These 10 Typical Mistakes In Crypto Marketing – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/why-you-should-avoid-these-10-typical-mistakes-in-crypto-marketing-cryptonews/
Disclaimer: The text below is an advertorial article that is not part of Cryptonews.com editorial content.
Top 10 Common Crypto Marketing Mistakes That You Should Avoid
Gaining visibility is one of the aims many crypto startups find difficult to achieve. Irrespective of how promising your project is, failure to earn the right exposure is detrimental to its success. In fact, you could have a stellar marketing strategy but be poor in execution. This does not necessarily mean you’re not making any efforts; you’re not just getting the desired results.
What then are you supposed to do? Of course, evaluate your crypto marketing strategy! There might be some mistakes you are repeating. Discover where you’re missing it and do the needful.
As a crypto marketing agency, we’ve seen a lot of common faults among the cryptocurrency projects. Let’s look at ten typical mistakes in marketing you should avoid and why.
What Are These 10 Marketing Mistakes?
1.You Send Misleading Messages
It is understandable you want to create hype around your project, but why not acceptably do that? Some projects even portray themselves as the next Bitcoin or Ethereum killer, “OGs” in crypto would most likely perceive this as a scam. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from using such phrases in your marketing campaigns.
Moreover, some other phrases might put your project under the watch of financial regulators, especially the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Therefore, you should avoid using such words that depict your project as an ideal or risk-free investment.
Although law enforcement works differently from country to country, cryptocurrency’s borderless nature could quickly get you in trouble. And aside from that, you should endeavor to build trust around your project by not misleading your audience about the risks involved in investing in your crypto project.
2. Choosing Irrelevant Channels
Choosing the wrong channels for your crypto marketing activities would definitely waste your efforts. You should target crypto-based communities when launching your marketing campaigns.
Of course, telegram is a common channel many crypto projects use for promotions. Most of them use it for ask me anything (AMA) sessions. The unfortunate thing about this channel is that many telegram groups are botted (filled with bots). Conducting promotions on such groups is nothing but a waste of time.
However, getting your project featured on popular crypto blogs like Cointelegraph, CoinDesk, BitcoinMagazine, et cetera, with a large audience could be problematic. You can still get the coverage of smaller media easily. In fact, many projects underestimate the power of forums like Reddit or Quora and social media platforms like Twitter and focus on irrelevant ones.
In essence, you should ascertain the presence of your target audience on any platforms you choose to use for marketing campaigns. If possible, request relevant data from telegram groups before going ahead with your AMAs.
3. Inexplicit Messages
Another mistake many projects make during their marketing campaigns is not being explicit when explaining certain aspects of their project. You include certain things in your promotional or marketing materials that regular crypto users won’t understand.
For example, saying your technology has a throughput of 7,000 TPS might sound confusing to that user category. You should at least make relatable examples and express yourself better during marketing campaigns.
Below are some ways you can help your readers understand your messages better.
Figures: should have clear titles and subtitles that are easy to understand or grasp at first glance.
Images: These should be consistent, simple, and visually appealing to your audience. For consistency, you could use your brand colors.
Facts: bring in relevant and valuable attributes to bolster your points.
4. All Style and No Value
Many projects do not have any value they want to offer their audience. Suppose your project is aimed at serious investors who take their time to assess the feasibility of whatever they invest in; you should be ready to show them value, not promises and styles.
Even those who are not seasoned investors would take their time to go through what you’ve got. Therefore, by delivering value all through, you should ensure the proper use of your marketing materials or media, including whitepaper, blogs, and social platforms.
5. Poor Use Of Keywords
Some projects don’t even take search engine optimization (SEO) seriously. Adopting best SEO practices makes it easy for potential users of your crypto product(s) or services to find you online. Of course, doing that requires the identification of relevant keywords and their usage.
Aside from that, you should also be able to monitor the performance of your target keywords. Are they generating any traffic at all? If so, how much traffic? You should also be able to tell if you are getting any leads from them.
6. Your Strategies Are Not Segmented
For every crypto marketing strategy, various audiences would most likely respond differently. In that case, you may only captivate a group; in another, you might not be able to attract any. Below are the categories of audience you will likely be targeting in your marketing activities.
Active Owners: This category of individuals are active crypto users who believe in the future of the underlying technology. They are pretty optimistic about crypto replacing fiat in years to come. They tend to partake in industry events, try new technology, and probably be brand proponents.
Passive Owners: This set of individuals are involved in crypto and perceive it well. In most cases, they invest long-term in cryptocurrency.
Curious: They’ve researched or always find themselves researching crypto but haven’t made any purchases yet. Because they’re aware of crypto, you could easily persuade them with proper marketing.
Skeptics: These ones are probably influenced by the information they obtain from the news, like SEC banning crypto. They obviously see crypto in a bad light.
Unengaged: They know about crypto and are not as much aversed as the skeptics. They could be easily persuaded depending on how good your promotions are.
7. Not Tracking Marketing Results
Many crypto projects juggle different marketing strategies together, which could make tracking results very difficult. As such, you don’t know the best traffic source and might keep channeling efforts to the wrong place.
While trying to be aggressive with your marketing activities, it is necessary to do it in a way that will make tracking results easy. For example, some projects would run AMA sessions on various Telegram groups and assume traffic comes from the current group, which might not be accurate. Therefore, endeavor to space such sessions or avoid running multiple AMAs in a row.
Another scenario is running advertisements simultaneously on different channels. Tracking results across those media might be uneasy, making your marketing efforts ineffective.
8. Poor Website Design
Your website is part of your marketing resources, and having a poor website design could be detrimental to your project. A poorly designed website is not appealing to your target audience and would scare them away. In fact, it could give your visitors an impression of a scam.
Visitors believe legit projects would invest in their website by creating something classic but less complicated. A well-designed website has a good call-to-action (CTA) placement and a good landing page. Moreover, it is informative as it helps with lead generations.
9. Poor Customer Service
Marketing activities do not just involve posting your content online; it goes way beyond that. For new members on your channels or new users to your products, you should expect them to ask even the basic questions, and you must be ready to address them.
They will definitely ask questions before, during, and after using your crypto products or services. However, you should avoid ignoring them as that will give wrong impressions about you. Moreover, some users will back out from investing in your project.
10. Poor Communication/ Ignoring Your Product
Having poor communication with your community members reduce your chances of success. Ensure you regularly communicate relevant information, updates, or announcements to your community members. You should also endeavor to update your blog periodically; this can significantly contribute to your organic traffic through exposure on search engine result pages (SERPs).
Conclusion
As a project, which of these mistakes are you guilty of? If you are aguilty of any of these, it is advisable you make the necessary amendments so you won’t kill your project thrrough your flawed marketing activities.
Court Hears Of torches And Pitchforks Message In Oath Keepers Jan. 6 Riot Trial Reuters
Court Hears Of ‘torches And Pitchforks’ Message In Oath Keepers Jan. 6 Riot Trial – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/court-hears-of-torches-and-pitchforks-message-in-oath-keepers-jan-6-riot-trial-reuters/
WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Prosecutors urged members of a jury to convict Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four others for their roles in storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, saying they formed an “armed rebellion” to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.
“They concocted a plan for an armed rebellion to shatter a bedrock of American democracy,” prosecutor Jeff Nestler said on Monday in an opening statement at their trial in federal court in Washington.
Rhodes told his followers during the planning stage that “it will be torches and pitchforks time if they (Congress) don’t do the right thing,” according to a message he sent to his followers that was shown to the jury by prosecutors.
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Rhodes and his co-defendants Kelly Meggs, Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins and Kenneth Harrelson are accused of plotting to forcefully prevent Congress from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory in a failed bid to keep then-President Donald Trump, a Republican, in power.
Nestler said that on Election Day, Meggs had told his wife Connie, who is criminally charged in a separate case, “I’m gonna go on a killing spree. Pelosi first.” It was a reference to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress.
Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol after Trump falsely claimed the election had been stolen from him through widespread fraud. Five people died during and shortly after the riot, and about 140 police were injured.
The five on trial face numerous felony charges, including seditious conspiracy – a Civil War-era statute that is rarely prosecuted and carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors have said the five defendants trained and planned for Jan. 6 and stockpiled weapons at a northern Virginia hotel outside the capital for a so-called “quick reaction force” that would be ready if called upon to transport arms into Washington.
As lawmakers met on Jan. 6 to certify Biden’s election victory, some Oath Keepers charged into the Capitol building, clad in paramilitary gear. They are not accused of carrying firearms onto Capitol grounds.
The government has characterized the Oath Keepers as a far-right anti-government group, some of whose members have ties to militias. Some of the members include current and former military and law enforcement personnel.
Rhodes, a Yale-educated attorney and former U.S. Army paratrooper, has disputed that government’s characterization, saying it’s a non-partisan group whose members have pledged to defend the U.S. Constitution.
Philip Linder, one of Rhodes’ attorneys, promised the jury his client, whom he described as “extremely patriotic,” would take the stand to explain his side of the story.
He said the “real evidence” in the trial will show that the defendants were in Washington on Jan. 5 and 6 to provide security to a variety of speakers at political rallies.
‘WILLING TO DIE?’
In opening statements on Monday, however, federal prosecutors painted a different picture. They showed videos, texts and other posts by defendants from before, during and after the Capitol attack.
Watkins told members of her local Ohio chapter that “I need you fighting fit by (inauguration),” while Meggs told followers from the Florida Oath Keepers that “the time for talk is over. The real question is who’s willing to DIE?” according to text messages shown by the prosecution.
On the day of the assault, Nestler said Watkins led a group of seven Oath Keepers toward the Senate side of the Capitol.
As she stormed down the hallway with the “power of the mob with her,” Nestler said she yelled “Push, push, push!”
He said that Watkins added: “They can’t hold us.”
Meggs and Harrelson, meanwhile, led a group of seven Oath Keepers toward the House of Representatives side of the Capitol where Nestler said they looked specifically for Pelosi.
Although Trump’s shadow will loom large over the trial, he is not expected to be a central figure in the case.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who is presiding over the trial, previously restricted the defendants from using a “public authority” defense, meaning they cannot claim they stormed the Capitol at Trump’s direction.
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Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Chris Gallagher, editing by Ross Colvin and Grant McCool
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
One In Tech Foundation Providing More Than 100 Scholarships This Year To Advance Tech Careers And Education Business Wire
One In Tech Foundation Providing More Than 100 Scholarships This Year To Advance Tech Careers And Education – Business Wire https://collincountynewsonline.com/one-in-tech-foundation-providing-more-than-100-scholarships-this-year-to-advance-tech-careers-and-education-business-wire/
SCHAUMBURG, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cybersecurity and IT audit are among the fastest growing fields with the most opportunity, but there is a talent gap that continues to spread as needs increase. One In Tech, an ISACA Foundation, is addressing this by providing access and support to individuals who are currently underrepresented in the industry to pursue these career paths. The Foundation seeks to bridge the gap in diversity and build a talent pipeline through its scholarship program.
The One In Tech scholarship program removes barriers to ensure equitable access to and advancement within tech careers. Through partnerships with corporations, academic institutions, and ISACA chapters, One In Tech will be awarding more than 100 scholarships this year, with 25 awarded so far.
The Foundation’s scholarships provide long-term support through academic tuition assistance, career-building resources, mentoring, training, networking, apprenticeships with corporate partners, discounted ISACA certification resources, job opportunities, and more.
Chosen from hundreds of applicants, the first scholarships recipients illustrate the great need for that support. “As a Black, Muslim woman, I believe that my identity is extremely underrepresented in the tech industry,” notes one of the scholarship recipients. “Finding resources and breaking into spaces has been difficult given my identity, but it’s opportunities like this scholarship that encourage me to continue pursuing my passion for a cyber career.”
“One of the major barriers to a diverse cyber workforce is the lack of access to academic pathways leading into these careers,” says Ginger Spitzer, executive director of One In Tech. “Globally, individuals in marginalized communities have experienced forms of bias and challenges leading to under-representation within the workforce, and One In Tech’s scholarships help counter that by supporting students through the university experience and additional training opportunities.”
One In Tech is awarding more than 90 scholarships in the second application cycle this October. To learn more and apply for a scholarship, visit https://isaca.secure-platform.com/a/page/oitscholarship/aboutscholarships. Hear from scholarship recipients and partners about the impact of these awards in this video.
To support marginalized, underrepresented students in their education and career pathways through One In Tech’s scholarship program, visit https://oneintech.org/take-action/donate/.
About ISACA
ISACA® (www.isaca.org) is a global community advancing individuals and organizations in their pursuit of digital trust. For more than 50 years, ISACA has equipped individuals and enterprises with the knowledge, credentials, education, training and community to progress their careers, transform their organizations, and build a more trusted and ethical digital world. ISACA has more than 165,000 members in 188 countries, including 225 chapters worldwide. Through its foundation One In Tech, ISACA supports IT education and career pathways for underresourced and underrepresented populations.
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Hurricane Ian Poised To Strike Charleston | Hurricane Wire Charleston Post Courier
Hurricane Ian Poised To Strike Charleston | Hurricane Wire – Charleston Post Courier https://collincountynewsonline.com/hurricane-ian-poised-to-strike-charleston-hurricane-wire-charleston-post-courier/
Deadly Hurricane Ian spun out of Florida into the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, leaving a trail of devastation behind while forging anxiety ahead as it moved toward a second U.S. landfall near Charleston on Sept. 30.
Free from land, fueled by the mighty river in the ocean, Ian regained momentum lost during its grinding trek over the Florida peninsula. It returned to hurricane status off Daytona, the storm’s quick intensification another hallmark of a rapidly warming world.
At 11 a.m. Friday, the storm was 60 miles south of Charleston, moving north at a 12 mph-clip and packing 85 mph winds. Hurricane-force winds extended at least 70 miles from its center. Weather buoys off Charleston were seeing 60 mph gusts, and Lowcountry rain gauges had already seen three inches of rain since midnight.
The re-energized storm is expected to hit South Carolina in the afternoon, most likely between McClellanville and Myrtle Beach. Its huge spiraling arms are expected to bring 80- to 90-mph winds. A 4- to 7-foot surge could flood vast swaths of the Lowcountry, depending on the storm’s timing and the tides. Ferocious downpours from its ocean-fed bands may bring up to a foot of rain in some areas.
“We need to prepare for a high-end tropical storm or low-end hurricane,” said Ron Morales, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston.
Charleston police officer Jose Bordallo erects a barrier where the tide has covered Hagood Avenue on Thursday, Sep. 29, 2022. Even higher tides are forecast as Hurricane Ian makes it’s way toward South Carolina. Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff
Hurricane mode
Its approach toward South Carolina followed a horrific path across Florida. The storm pummeled barrier islands with a 10-foot storm surge, flattened homes and tossed cars and boats around like pool toys.
A man steps out and looks down King Street towards the intersection with Queen Street in Charleston as traffic backs up with residents looking for a spot in downtown parking garages sheltered from the approaching storm on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Henry Taylor/Staff
By Henry Taylor htaylor@postandcourier.com
Power outages often hint at the scale of damage, and Ian left 2.6 million customers without power.
But days of somewhat reassuring forecasts for South Carolina created a different sense of urgency here. There were no evacuation orders, and commuters streamed into Charleston as winds on Sept. 29 built across South Carolina’s coastal plain. Gusts fluttered store awnings, rustled palmetto fronds and sent loose trash skittering through the streets. But a weakening cold front, not Ian, drove these winds — and made the area unseasonably cool.
By early evening, Ian’s outer bands replaced that cold front as the area’s primary weather maker. Corduroy creases formed in the leaden skies, and the orderly and swift march of clouds signaled that a tropical storm was upon us.
Across the state, people shifted into hurricane mode. At Costco in West Ashley, cell phones suddenly broadcast emergency tones: Charleston was now under a hurricane warning. Shoppers took a break from filling carts with cases of bottled water, sets of lanterns and packages of paper towels to read the message.
State health officials closed down shellfish harvesting beds because of the predicted onslaught of rain. Charleston County Council declared a state of emergency and opened shelters. At 3 p.m., seven people were at the Matilda Dunston Elementary shelter, and one at the pet-friendly facility on Leeds Avenue.
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Thursday Tidal Flooding Walking Sandbags to Door.JPG
Allen Wells, foreman for the Streets and Sidewalks division for the City of Charleston, walks sandbags to the front door of Ms Vivian Johnson at her home on America Street in Charleston on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Henry Taylor/Staff
In Columbia, Gov. Henry McMaster said he had spoken with about 15 of the state’s coastal mayors and other state and federal leaders. He warned that the worst part of the surge would be Friday around noon. “If you can’t see the pavement, don’t drive on the roads,” he said.
In downtown Charleston, a crew on South Battery erected a bright orange bladder around one mansion, creating a dam that can hold back about 2½ feet of water. Nearby, on Water Street, residents built their own dams with sandbags and plastic, wondering whether this storm might rival Irma in 2017 or Matthew in 2016.
Crews work on a flood management system for a home on South Battery in Charleston, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Grace Beahm Alford gbeahm@postandcourier.com
Like Ian, Irma also cut through Florida. And as Ian is expected to do, Irma brought a powerful surge to South Carolina: Waves crashed through the dunes of Charleston’s barrier islands; floodwaters poured over The Battery’s walls, covered roads and turned the city’s medical district into an island. Irma’s tide peaked at 9.9 feet — which is 4 feet above normal. It brought the worst flooding since Hurricane Hugo’s record 12.5-foot tide in 1989.
With Irma’s lesson in mind, along with Matthew’s 9.2-foot surge in 2016, Mayor John Tecklenburg urged city residents to consider staying elsewhere if their homes flooded during those two storms. He warned that Ian likely would send water over the Low Battery sea wall, which is being raised but has sections that are still under construction.
“We’re going to have some water in the city tomorrow, folks,” Tecklenburg said.
Residents pack sandbags at a site on America Street as high tide peaks at 7.65 in Charleston on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Henry Taylor/Staff
By Henry Taylor htaylor@postandcourier.com
Prelude
Earlier in the day, a mini-prelude took place at high tide. Water pooled in low spots around the medical district and the flood-prone City Market. By 11:30, high tide peaked at 7.7 feet, a height that causes moderate flooding whether it is raining or not.
A few businesses had prepared for the swollen tides by boarding up windows and stacking sandbags outside their front doors.
Will Jackson of Rapid Repairs stood on a ladder around 7:30 a.m., screwing plywood across the front windows of IT’SUGAR, a candy store on North Market Street. He and his fellow workers already had several calls out from businesses seeking similar protection ahead of Ian.
“I hope it doesn’t get too busy,” he said. “I have my own stuff to do to get ready.”
Tides peaked just before noon around 7.7 feet, causing moderate flooding in downtown Charleston while the area prepared for Hurricane Ian on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022.
By the evening, winds were fierce. Weather stations on buoys off shore registered 50-mph gusts. Forecasters in Charleston watched closely as Ian’s path took an ominous turn into the Gulf Stream, the major current that flows about 60 miles off the coast of South Carolina. It carries huge volumes of warm water from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic. Hurricanes feed off this heat, and the Gulf Stream has been likened to a hurricane turbocharger.
Ian also fits in with a pattern of stronger and larger hurricanes, a trend driven by global warming, said Norman Levine, director of the Lowcountry Hazards Center at the College of Charleston.
“Ian’s large footprint is one of those climate change signals — storms that are getting bigger because warmer air holds more water,” he said, while driving to his home in West Ashley to get his house ready. “I was planning for a tropical storm, not a Cat 1.”
Rodrigo Cuevas cuts plywood as he prepares a home on South Battery for tropical storm Ian in Charleston, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Grace Beahm Alford gbeahm@postandcourier.com
Damage to come
The National Weather Service defines a Category 1 hurricane as a storm with winds between 74 mph and 95 mph.
Under these conditions, the agency says, well-constructed frame homes could see damage to roofs, siding and gutters. Trees will snap, causing extensive damage to power lines and outages that last from a few hours to several days.
A U.S. Geological Survey coastal change forecast predicted that Ian’s surge would inundate 11 percent of South Carolina’s beaches, washing over dunes and “causing significant changes to coastal landscapes and blocking roadways.”
The marquee at the American Theater on King Street in Charleston references Hurricane Ian on Thursday, Sep. 29, 2022. Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff
As the evening wore on, forecasters tweaked their predictions, shifting the expected track north toward Georgetown. That’s bad news for the Grand Strand but could put Charleston on the weaker side of the storm.
Small changes in the track and timing could “make a huge difference in our impacts,” said Morales of the National Weather Service. If the brunt of the storm arrives at high tide, the storm surge could be devastating. If it hits at low tide, the effects will be much less.
If the storm tracks north, areas south of Charleston will likely see minimal impacts.
On Hilton Head, people seemed to be heeding the Beaufort County sheriff’s message to stay inside. Shops at Coligny Plaza were either closed or deserted. A man staggered out of the Earle of Sandwich, and two women chatted in a barber shop, but the usual crowds of tourists were gone.
Stacey Weismann, owner of Millie Lynn Boutique, fills up sandbags to blockade her shop’s front door as pedestrians walk by in Charleston on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Henry Taylor/Staff
By Henry Taylor htaylor@postandcourier.com
Dried palm fronds rolled down the streets of North Forest Beach like tumbleweeds. Except for a few people tucked into their hoodies, the most significant sign of life was a flock of white birds struggling to fly against the wind.
Collin and Kate Pruett didn’t let the pre-storm wi...
Rural Arizona Fire Districts Could See Boost From Ballot Measure The Arizona Republic
Rural Arizona Fire Districts Could See Boost From Ballot Measure – The Arizona Republic https://collincountynewsonline.com/rural-arizona-fire-districts-could-see-boost-from-ballot-measure-the-arizona-republic/
Arizona voters will have the option to implement a small tax increase to fund fire districts across the state with a new ballot measure this November.
Proposition 310 would establish a Fire District Safety Fund through a sales tax increase of one-tenth of 1%, or an extra dime for a $100 purchase, which is expected to generate more than $100 million over the next two decades. If passed, the state would distribute money each month to about 150 fire districts covering tens of thousands of square miles in Arizona, many of those areas being rural and unincorporated.
“[Fire districts have] significant constraints on their revenues and many of them are operating with revenues that are dramatically less than pre-recession levels,” said Bryan Jeffries, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona.
“We don’t have enough people and enough equipment to get to people when they need us most, and in our business, minutes and seconds count dramatically,” he said.
Right now, fire districts are funded primarily by personal property taxes within the district’s boundaries. In many small cities and towns, the amount that is currently collected can leave some districts lacking resources, staffing and training.
‘Order from chaos’: As wildfire behaviors change, these experts work behind the scenes
While the majority of Arizona’s population may live in more urban centers like Phoenix and Tucson, that doesn’t mean that the status of these rural fire districts is irrelevant to them, said Will Humble, former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. Considering how many people travel across the state for work and vacation, the fire districts that serve countless remote areas along the highways are critical.
“When you drive through those fire districts and EMS districts, if something happens to you, your life is in their hands,” Humble said. “And the level of professionalism, training and equipment is directly related to whether you will survive or not, so you have a personal interest in professionalizing the rural services.”
Citing a lack of accountability and transparency around how the money will be distributed, The Arizona Free Enterprise Club urged its members to vote no on the measure in its official opposition statement submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Similarly, The Republican Party of Arizona is against the measure, claiming it “discourages fiscal responsibility in these fire districts and incentivizes each one to increase spending now that they are given access to a statewide pool of taxpayer funds,” in their opposition statement.
Both groups did not respond to requests for comment.
A series of virtual Town Hall meetings will be held to educate voters on the statewide ballot propositions. The first meeting is on Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. followed by meetings on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, and the Zoom link can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
Contact northern Arizona reporter Lacey Latch at llatch@gannett.com or on social media @laceylatch. Coverage of northern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America and a grant from the Vitalyst Health Foundation in association with The Arizona Republic.
Live News: Russia Confirms Ukraines Breakthrough In Kherson Region Financial Times
Live News: Russia Confirms Ukraine’s Breakthrough In Kherson Region – Financial Times https://collincountynewsonline.com/live-news-russia-confirms-ukraines-breakthrough-in-kherson-region-financial-times/
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Sugar Free Jude By Merck Foundation Storybook Launched By African First Ladies In Three Languages To Raise Awareness On Diabetes Business Wire India
Sugar Free Jude By Merck Foundation Storybook Launched By African First Ladies In Three Languages To Raise Awareness On Diabetes – Business Wire India https://collincountynewsonline.com/sugar-free-jude-by-merck-foundation-storybook-launched-by-african-first-ladies-in-three-languages-to-raise-awareness-on-diabetes-business-wire-india/
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in partnership with African First Ladies launched a new children’s storybook – ‘Sugar Free Jude’ to promote healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection, prevention, and management of Diabetes for children and youth across Africa in English, French and Portuguese.
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://merck-foundation.com/merckfoundation/public/uploads/digital_library/1656412954_b2be045662b6b261026a.pdf
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://youtu.be/1Witk3k9ykE
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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC6VpDVoE-k
Click here to listen to ‘Dites non au Diabète’ French Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXvL88X62DQ
Click here to listen to ‘Chega de Diabete’ Portuguese Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMJO4JHTPZM
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 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 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 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 to view more details.
Entries for all the awards are to be submitted via email to:
[email protected]
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://merck-foundation.com/our-programs/Merck-Foundation-More-Than-a-Mother/Local-Songs-and-Children-Stories
What I Heard (Read) This Weekend.Oct 3 2022 Press Pros Magazine
What I Heard (Read) This Weekend….Oct 3, 2022 – Press Pros Magazine https://collincountynewsonline.com/what-i-heard-read-this-weekend-oct-3-2022-press-pros-magazine/
Halfway through the high school football season, there’s a reality to what we’re watching that few admit to publicly. That the empty seats we wrote about recently have nothing to do with the football, itself. Rather, it’s the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
I realize that there are many who believe like my grandmother, who always said, “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all.”
She was talking about people, of course…that if you can’t say something nice about someone keep your thoughts to yourself. But it’s not always people, and I dare say that there’s many who believe…if there’s anything you don’t like you just suffer in silence! We learn from birth, for instance, that you don’t talk about religion and politics.
But there’s another realization that does beg discussion as to why so many kids are choosing not to participate in sports this fall – why schools are leaking athletes, and the culture of thinking that promotes it. I wrote about it in our recent September 19 column on empty seats under the Friday night lights. Readers responded, some of which we shared in last week’s ‘Reader Speaks’ post.
And this past weekend – this past week – there was more response from readers who were more than a bit concerned about how, and if, we get the numbers back – kids playing sports, and people in the seats to watch them.
A reality! A lot of them question the current culture – inflation, the economy, and a general change in social priorities. Some ask…are we even giving kids a chance to just be kids?
“I’m sad about things that I didn’t used to feel,” said one writer, from here in Miami County. “I played sports to have fun. It was encouraging. But it’s not encouraging now when you see barely enough kids to have a team.”
Some point to the topics we hear daily on the evening news. The cost of things, and fear about whether it’s safe to even leave the house, even in the smallest communities.
“It’s hard to trust. You don’t know if you’re safe, even out in the country,” wrote a reader from Gallia County.
The economy, gas prices, and the feeling that things are generally upside down are making people speak up…who have NEVER before spoken!
“Kids got a job during Covid and got out of the habit of playing sports,” from an email following that September 19 column on empty seats. “They want money.”
It’s true. Some now choose to work because they have a car and a phone, and the household budget can no longer support that. Parents say…get a job. So kids are working because there’s plenty of jobs, particularly in some smaller, rural districts. They make money instead of playing football – different priorities. Not every community, of course. But enough that you notice.
Barcodes needed on phones to get into the games make it inconvenient for many senior citizens.
That person wrote. “Cash spends. Standing on the sidelines and waiting for a chance to play doesn’t put gas in the car.”
Traditional priorities are on trial, with uncertainty over what comes next. While some preach renewable energy…most favor renewing strong communities and traditional values; of how do we get back to a predictable standard of living and a predictable future?
“I can’t raise a family and run my house the way we’re headed,” a neighbor shared recently. “Progress doesn’t make sense when you can’t make progress at home.”
Other issues would make you sad, as that writer suggested – forgiveness for college loans that means sharing the cost of paying back money you didn’t borrow; progress that doesn’t make sense when it stands in the way of progress at home.
All of this casts a shadow on things taken for granted – traditions, even sports and the people who used to watch.
“I don’t go to games because I can’t buy a ticket at the ticket booth,” wrote another to last week’s ‘Reader Speaks’ post. “If you’re a senior citizen it’s not that simple to go to a football game – not that easy to buy a ticket with your phone.”
But it is to a teenager, who’s choosing whatever means necessary to pay for that phone. Culture has won them over…which only adds to the fear, and uncertainty for the future.
Grandma wouldn’t like it. People with little good to say.
And they’re more willing to say it…than they’ve ever been before!
How Brands And Advertisers Can Build Kid-Friendly Experiences For The Metaverse The Drum
How Brands And Advertisers Can Build Kid-Friendly Experiences For The Metaverse – The Drum https://collincountynewsonline.com/how-brands-and-advertisers-can-build-kid-friendly-experiences-for-the-metaverse-the-drum/
Investing in experiences that are designed with all audiences in mind will help ensure we are collectively creating a welcoming metaverse for all, writes SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins.
The metaverse will be a place where people of all ages meet, compete, create, and take part in events just like they do in the physical world. As the metaverse is built, it won’t just be the work of a single company – but the collective work of many. And, as we build out the metaverse collectively, it’s on all brands, advertisers and companies to work to ensure it is a safe experience for everyone it brings together.
There are many existing and evolving laws and regulations that provide guidance for brands who are hoping to engage young audiences in the metaverse, from COPPA in the United States, to GDPR-K in the EU and the Age Appropriate Design Code in the UK. Brands that focus on compliance with these laws coupled with a curated strategy built on principles of data-minimization and age-appropriate design will be well positioned to create metaverse experiences that are kid, teen and brand-safe.
Kids are becoming increasingly social when going online, with many turning to gaming as a way to hang out and chat with their friends. According to a recent study from SuperAwesome, 90% of children aged 6-16 identify as gamers. And when young audiences go online to game, they are complementing this with other social experiences: according to that same study, 65% of tweens (ages 10-12) are messaging friends and playing games at the same time, and that percentage only grows with the young teen (ages 13-16) audience.
Many brands have already taken notice of this trend, adapting their strategy to include social gaming activations for young audiences across platforms like Roblox and Minecraft. When building for these platforms – especially when focusing on younger audiences – it’s important to implement safeguards from the start that make it possible for kids to play and socialize safely, while designing environments and experiences that take their preferences into account.
Considerations for building kid-safe online experiences
Kids and young teens seek different ways to interact with content, both actively and passively. Beyond the gameplay itself, games can serve as an engine for community building and foster positivity. Technology that minimizes toxicity in environments built for young audiences is also essential. Our research tells us that while kids seek the recognition, excitement, and social experience that gaming can bring them, they want to enjoy these experiences in a safe and respectful environment.
Children also prefer platforms that are designed for them and for their peers. In a 2020 study, 88% of participating kids in the US reported that they preferred social platforms meant only for young audiences. It’s with this in mind that we at SuperAwesome offer PopJam, a social sharing space specifically designed for young audiences. To meet this audience where they are, we’ve created a moderated and welcoming environment that kids are able to enjoy without many of the downsides they encounter on adult-oriented social platforms. PopJam members are not able to share photos of themselves or post personal information, and the platform filters out negative language in order to create safe, non-toxic social spaces.
With PopJam, brands are able to build kid-oriented content, including filters and stickers, quizzes and polls, and fun mini-games – all in a kid-friendly and moderated environment. Brands are already using PopJam to deliver interactive and kid-appropriate content, housed on their own branded channels while building their audience, like Penguin Random House, who was able to grow more followers than any other US publishing channel on PopJam. And while PopJam is one way for brands to deliver kid-safe social experiences, many of these best practices can be applied to any brand activation for young audiences.
Responsible video content and engaging creators
In addition to connecting in games and digital social spaces, children and teens are spending more and more time consuming video and streaming content. While video content is a great way to meet kids where they’re at, it is important for brands and advertisers creating video content to be mindful of what kind of video content they create and promote.
Creating age-appropriate content protects both advertisers and their viewers – and it doesn’t require as much effort as you might think. Brands and advertisers can create content that appeals to all ages by avoiding the use of swearing or inappropriate slang, not promoting unhealthy habits (such as cigarettes, drugs or alcohol) and refraining from using visuals that portray realistic violence and gore.
There are also tech services advertisers and brands can use to ensure your promotional video content is only being shown on brand-safe and audience-appropriate channels. For example, SuperAwesome’s Kid Social Video (KSV) helps brands ensure that when they advertise on YouTube their content is only showing up in videos that are a safe, relevant match for that brand, as well as the kids and families they’d most like to reach. Our human and AI moderation has reviewed over 182 million pieces of youth-oriented media and we apply approximately 65 criteria for vetting content in addition to YouTube’s filters to help ensure age-appropriate digital experiences for your brand.
Brands looking to create kid-safe video content can also follow advertising standards based on the best practices set by self-regulatory and standards bodies like the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), which was created in the US to help companies comply with laws and guidelines that protect children under age 13 from deceptive or inappropriate advertising, or the relevant sections of the CAP and BCAP codes published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK.
There’s no one-size-fits all approach when it comes to young audiences, but keeping these principles and best practices in mind is a good place to start. So whether you’re building a gaming activation to inspire young builders, launching a new way for teens to connect with your brand or creating an influencer campaign for your newest product, investing in experiences that are designed with all audiences in mind will help ensure we are collectively creating a welcoming metaverse for all.
The Best Tech Travel Gadgets Of 2022 – How-To Geek https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-best-tech-travel-gadgets-of-2022-how-to-geek/
l i g h t p o e t/shutterstock.com
What to Look For in Tech Travel Gadgets
When shopping around for necessary gadgets to take on your next trip, there are a few things you’ll want to consider.
First, it’s important to think about what’s necessary for your vacation or business trip—whether for work or play, you’ll likely have limited space in your luggage for clunky or heavy tech. Before making any purchases, you’ll want to ensure that it’s something you’ll need while you’re away from home. Our list contains things that may be considered necessary for some, but the ultimate decision will be up to you.
Likewise, size and weight are equally important factors. If you’re planning on packing your tech in a carry-on bag, for instance, you’ll want to stick to pretty compact gadgets such as a portable charger or a tablet. If you play on checking a bag, you may be able to pack larger items such as an instant film camera.
Lastly, you’ll want to consider your budget. If you’re specifically buying a gadget for an upcoming trip, you may not want to drop a ton of cash. However, if you’re a frequent flier or road tripper, perhaps it’s a good idea to invest in something that’s on the pricier side.
Best eReader: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
Amazon
Pros
✓ 32 gigabytes of storage
✓ One charge can last up to 10 weeks
✓ Glare-free display
Cons
✗ Have to pay for a monthly Kindle Unlimited subscription
✗ Wireless charger is sold separately
If you’re a frequent reader, carrying chunky books can take up precious space in your carry-on or checked luggage. However, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, our top pick for eReaders, eliminates this issue through its 32 gigabytes (GB) of storage and the ability to rent up to 20 titles at a time with Kindle Unlimited.
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature is hard to bargain with—you can charge it via USB-C, with one full battery lasting up to 10 weeks. Additionally, its display is something to write home about. The 300 ppi screen is glare-free, while its warm lighting is adjustable. The front light also automatically adapts to the brightness of your surroundings, making it an excellent option for red-eye flights.
Although you can use your Kindle without a Kindle Unlimited subscription (which costs an additional $9.99 a month), the accompanying plan provides a free trial and access to thousands of content with no due dates.
The bottom line? If you’ve been tossing around the idea of buying an eReader, the $200 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is your best bet.
Best eReader
Best International Plug Adapter: EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
Pros
✓ Compact size
✓ 4 USB ports, 1 USB-C port, 1 AC socket
✓ Compatible with most devices
Cons
✗ A bit pricey for an adapter
✗ Doesn’t convert voltage
Planning on diving into international waters? The EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter is essential.
Universal travel adapters allow electronics to power up in different countries. For example, the United States has plugs with two flat vertical prongs, while the United Kingdom has plugs with a top vertical prong and two bottom horizontal ones. A travel adapter ensures you can charge your devices regardless of where you go.
This option from EPICKA functions explicitly as a multifunctional travel plug. However, it doesn’t convert voltage, so you’ll want to make sure your devices support 100 to 240 voltage—especially hair dryers and electric razors, which often don’t.
It boasts four USB ports and one USB-C, all of which can be plugged in simultaneously. It covers more than 150 countries, including the U.S., the UK, Australia, and Japan.
Best of all, this adapter is super compact. You can easily pop it into your carry-on bag for quick access, perfect for unexpected layovers or delays.
Best International Plug Adapter
EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
A great gadget to pack in your international luggage, this travel adapter is small, compatible with USB-C and USB, and can be used in more than 150 countries.
Best Noise-Canceling Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM4
Pros
✓ Great ratings
✓ Up to 30 hours of battery life
✓ Can fold up
✓ Touch sensor controls
Cons
✗ Some users report the touch sensor controls being too sensitive
Whether you’re traveling via plane, train, or car, noise-canceling headphones are something you won’t want to go without. Our pick? The Sony WH-1000XM4, a powerful set of overhead headphones that feature a ton of awesome traits.
These Bluetooth headphones have a near-perfect rating from more than 38,000 Amazon customers. Aside from that, a single charge can keep them alive for up to 30 hours, and they even fold up, making them all the easier to pack.
Other highlights? There’s speak-to-chat technology, which automatically pauses your music when you talk. There’s also built-in Alexa, touch sensor control that allows you to skip, pause, and play tracks, multiple device pairing, and a durable case with a cable for wired listening.
All of those incredible features come with a hefty price tag, though—at nearly $400, these Sony headphones are a significant investment. If you have the cash to spend, however, and you want a pair of noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones that will last, these are your best bet.
Best Noise-Canceling Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4’s feature ANC technology, top-notch sound quality, and incredible comfort.
Best Portable Charger: Anker PowerCore Slim 1000
Pros
✓ Affordable
✓ Compact size
✓ Compatible with most Apple and Samsung devices
✓ Lifetime warranty
Cons
✗ USB-C and lightning cables aren’t included
✗ Takes almost 6 hours to fully recharge the device
A portable charger is a necessity for traveling. If you’ve somehow managed to live without one (or you’re looking to upgrade your current model), we recommend the Anker PowerCore Slim 1000. Priced at less than $30, its impressively slim design can provide multiple charges for iPhones, Android devices, and smaller tablets.
Perfect for tucking into your carry-on, this Anker charger features PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technologies, which ensure that your device is receiving the fastest charge possible. It’s also airline friendly and designed to provide optimal charging to low-power devices, such as headphones and Bluetooth speakers.
The Best USB-C Cables of 2022
Anker New Nylon USB-C to USB-C Cable
Amazon Basics USB-C to USB-A Cable
Grtoeud USB-C to USB-C Cable
Anker Powerline III USB-C to USB-C Cable
Best Lightning to USB-C Cable
Anker New Nylon USB-C to Lightning Cable
Uni USB-C to HDMI Cable
Cable Matters Premium Braided Aluminum USB-C to 3.5mm Aux Cable
Spigen DuraSync 3 in 1 Universal Charger Cable
That being said, it does take nearly six hours to charge this gadget to its full capacity, so you’ll want to gear this guy up a day or two in advance. Additionally, while there are both USB-A and USB-C ports, cords are not included, so make sure you have those ahead of time.
Best Portable Charger
Best Bluetooth Tracker: Tile Mate
Pros
✓ Compatible with Android and Apple/iOS devices
✓ Waterproof
✓ Bluetooth range of up to 250 feet
Cons
✗ Have to upgrade to the premium plan for added features
✗ Battery powered
A Bluetooth tracker is a great gadget, especially when you’re away from home. These handy devices can be latched onto essentials such as your bag or wallet. And if you accidentally lose them, your tracker will help you find or keep an eye on them.
Our favorite? The Tile Mate, a compact little gizmo that can be easily snapped onto travel necessities and features a Bluetooth range of up to 250 feet.
At less than $50 for a pack of two, these trackers are super easy to use and affordable. You download the accompanying Tile app, which will ring your Tile when it’s in Bluetooth range (you can also ask a smart home device, like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, to find it for you). There’s also a custom QR code on each Tile, so you can be reached if someone finds it and scans the code.
We also like that the Tile Mate can be used to find your phone. You can double press the button on your Tile to make your phone ring, even when it’s on silent. And, in cases when your Tile is out of Bluetooth range, you can use the app to see its most recent location on a map.
You’ll have to upgrade to Tile’s premium plan for added features like Smart Alert and item reimbursement. Additionally, the Tile is battery-powered, so you’ll want to ensure it has a fresh battery before jet setting.
Best Bluetooth Tracker
Tile Mate
A handy Bluetooth tracker with an easy-to-use accompanying app that will help you keep track of your absolute necessities.
Best Instant Film Camera: Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic
Pros
✓ Automatic brightness detection
✓ Rechargeable battery
✓ Double exposure mode
Cons
✗ Expensive
✗ Film can be pricey, and you have to repurchase it
Film cameras are all the rage right now, and this option from Fujifilm, the Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic, is no exception. This easy-to-use film camera instantly develops 2.1 by 3.4-inch (53.34mm x 86.36mm) photos.
In terms of its specs, the Instax Mini 90 is pretty cool. It can automatically detect the brightness of your background or surroundings and will adjust the flash and shutter speed, so you get a great photo every time. Additionally, there’s a double exposure mode you can access by pressing the shutter twice.
While it has great ratings and reviews from buyers, we would only recommend this purchase if it’s something that you’ve had your eye on for a while. The camera itself is pretty expensive, and the price can quickly continue to rack up with the added cost of repurchasing film.
If you’re simply looking for something to take photos with, chances are, your smartphone may do the job just fine.
Best Instant Film Camera
Best Handheld Gaming Machine: Nintendo Switc...
Kim Kardashian Pays $1.26m Over Crypto pump And Dump BBC
Kim Kardashian Pays $1.26m Over Crypto ‘pump And Dump’ – BBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/kim-kardashian-pays-1-26m-over-crypto-pump-and-dump-bbc/
Image source, Getty Images
Kim Kardashian has agreed to pay a $1.26m (£1.12m) fine for advertising EthereumMax on her Instagram page.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission said the reality TV star had received $250,000 for advertising the cryptocurrency, without disclosing she had been paid to do so.
She also agreed not to promote crypto asset securities for three years.
Her lawyer told BBC News: “Ms Kardashian is pleased to have resolved this matter with the SEC.”
The lawyer said: “Kardashian fully cooperated with the SEC from the very beginning and she remains willing to do whatever she can to assist the SEC in this matter.
“She wanted to get this matter behind her to avoid a protracted dispute.
“The agreement she reached with the SEC allows her to do that so that she can move forward with her many different business pursuits.”
Ms Kardashian, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr, basketball player Paul Pierce and EthereumMax’s creators were sued by investors in January.
The legal action alleged they had collaborated to “misleadingly promote and sell” the cryptocurrency in a “pump and dump” scheme designed to inflate the price before selling to investors.
EthereumMax disputed the allegations at the time.
In spite of its name, EthereumMax has no legal or business connection with the Ethereum cryptocurrency.
Anyone can create a crypto coin.
All you need is a few pounds, a YouTube tutorial and a funky name.
This month alone, dozens of new tokens will be launched, with creators promising their coin will be the next big thing.
With little intrinsic value to the product, marketing is key – and as in many modern industries, celebrities can be the make or break.
EthereumMax put a huge amount of money into snapping up celebrities such as Kim Kardashian – and at first, it seemed to be working out.
But as with many crypto coins, the fall was as dramatic as the rise.
Even if EthereumMax had retained the value it gained after the celebrity pump, regulators both in the US and UK were extremely uncomfortable about the marketing of the coin.
The crypto industry is still largely unregulated – but Kim Kardashian joins a growing list of people and companies being punished for promoting these highly risky products.
‘Highly speculative’
Gary Gensler, who chairs the SEC, called the case a “reminder” celebrity endorsement did not necessarily make a product worth investing in.
“Ms Kardashian’s case also serves as a reminder to celebrities and others that the law requires them to disclose to the public when and how much they are paid to promote investing in securities,” he said.
Later, in a YouTube video about crypto investment, he added: “Celebrity endorsements… don’t mean that an investment product is right for you or even, frankly, that it’s legitimate.
“Even if a celebrity endorsement is genuine, each investment has its own risk and opportunities.
“When it comes to crypto, remember many of these are highly speculative assets.
“You may be wondering if it’s right for you or even if it might be a scam.”
Figure caption,
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