Collin County News Online

Tim Hortons National Coffee Day Metaverse – Adweek https://collincountynewsonline.com/tim-hortons-national-coffee-day-metaverse-adweek/ Tim Hortons is the latest fast food company to enter the metaverse with an obstacle course game in the world of Roblox to celebrate National Coffee Day. Enjoying your content? You Have 1 Free Article Left. Register to continue reading!

Stadia Was A Failed Experiment, But Being Able To Jump Into People’s Screenshots Felt Like The Future – TheGamer https://collincountynewsonline.com/stadia-was-a-failed-experiment-but-being-able-to-jump-into-peoples-screenshots-felt-like-the-future-thegamer/ Google announced the death of game streaming service Stadia today, and I will not miss it. Despite having a decent internet connection, at least by the standards of the bandwidth-starved United Kingdom, I simply couldn’t play games on it in 4K. Not only was controller lag a constant frustration in anything but the slowest-paced games, but the image would jitter and freeze as I played too. It was better in 1080p, but then it felt weirdly like playing a YouTube video, with a blurry, compressed image that looked like ass on my UHD monitor. I really tried to like it, and gave it more than a fair shake, but it just wasn’t an enjoyable experience. However, there was one thing about Stadia I did like—and the only time the service felt anything like ‘the future’ to me. In stylish roguelike PixelJunk Raiders, a platform exclusive developed by Q-Games, you can make use of a feature called State Share. Today, recording video clips and taking screenshots is a standard feature on games consoles—but Stadia takes this a step further. A URL is generated alongside captured images and clips, which anyone who owns the game can then click on to instantly play the level featured. Cool idea, right? Not just passively looking at someone’s screenshot, but actually diving inside it. The levels in PixelJunk Raiders are procedurally generated, so if the algorithm spits out something particularly cool you can take a screenshot, share it online, and let other people experience it. A nice little community sprung up around this feature, with like-minded players teaming up and creating big, sprawling spreadsheets with links to fun, difficult, or otherwise interesting levels they found. I found working my way through these user-curated lists of levels much more enjoyable than going through the ones the game was presenting me with. It’s stuff like this that makes (and soon, sadly, made) State Share such an awesome idea. PixelJunk Raiders also uses State Share for one of the most novel implementations of asynchronous multiplayer I’ve encountered in a video game. Jump into a player’s shared state and you can leave helpful gadgets and tools for them: dropping weapons, jump pads, turrets, and other useful stuff. This is a game that is both stingy with loot and punishingly difficult, which makes these player-captured worlds littered with nice gear a godsend. Similar to Death Stranding, it’s great seeing players helping each other indirectly like this. A gesture as simple as dropping a quality weapon you don’t need can make someone’s day. After this, posting a static screenshot for people to just look at with their eyes feels archaic. I’d love to see Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo steal this idea and make it a standard feature in the next wave of consoles. If someone posts a screenshot of a nice view in The Elder Scrolls 6, I want to be able to click on it on my PS6 front-end and be there looking at it myself. When it comes to cloud gaming, this excites me more than just playing a game on someone else’s computer over the internet. Sharing has become such a big deal that Sony even dedicated an entire button on the DualShock 5 to it, and I feel like this is the future of the concept. Next: As A Street Photographer, Umurangi Generation Is The Next Best Thing To Doing It For Real

“Find A Path That Allows For Crypto Innovation”: Coinbase Exec – Decrypt https://collincountynewsonline.com/find-a-path-that-allows-for-crypto-innovation-coinbase-exec-decrypt/ As governments worldwide grapple with whether and how to regulate cryptocurrencies, publicly traded exchange Coinbase is looking to guide policymakers in developing regulations that protect consumers but are beneficial to institutions and crypto-natives alike. “What we’re trying to do is find a path that allows for crypto innovation to continue driving,” Coinbase Head of US Policy Kara Calvert told Decrypt. “We want to make sure that DeFi (decentralized finance) is not killed in its infancy.” Since public awareness around Bitcoin, DeFi, and cryptocurrencies took off during the 2016-2017 bull market, regulators have had to play catch up and attempted to apply decades-old laws to new technology. Many in the space have chafed at government regulation and see know your customer (KYC) policies as an invasion of privacy that creates honeypots for cybercriminals. Calvert said the key to easing these concerns is cooperation. “I think what we need to do is we need to create rules of the road,” she said. “One thing the industry as a whole could do a better job of is getting input from ‘degens’ and DeFi projects to make sure policies work for them and don’t put them in a box or create barriers.” Unpopular Opinion: KYC is an ineffective means to catch money laundering and crime, and creates a moral hazard of all the data of innocent people caught in the dragnet. That data will be stolen and used against innocent people. The paradigm creates more crime than it stops. — Bob McElrath (@BobMcElrath) October 24, 2019 Launched in 2012, Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, went public in 2021. Since then, the company has been under tighter regulatory scrutiny. Calvert says Coinbase welcomes regulation but that “we just want to make the regulation better.” One area of regulation that remains a point of contention for crypto-natives and privacy advocates is KYC policy. See the correct analysis of this news is that AML/CTF and KYC don’t work. They will never work because they try to control the *tool* not the *criminal act*. It’s not the money that is illicit, it’s the use of that money to commit crimes. 2/ — Andreas (@aantonop) September 21, 2020 KYC and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) are financial industry practices that ensure that a client’s identity can be verified and thus used to help prevent or prosecute financial crimes. For example, American banks and regulatory agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) require customers to provide detailed financial and personal information before opening an investment or banking account — something crypto and DeFi firms traditionally don’t do. “There are some folks that will not want to be compliant with KYC, and they’ll go somewhere else,” Calvert said. “I think it speaks to actually wanting to make it safe for the United States to utilize crypto, and because of that, there are rules that will go along with that.” Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

The US Push For Pay Transparency – BBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-us-push-for-pay-transparency-bbc/ Zhao points out there are other potential advantages of pay transparency beyond reducing wage gaps. In hiring, for example, being open about pay eradicates information asymmetries – situations in which a prospective employee’s expectations for pay differs wildly from an employer’s. “Pay transparency can help make the job search more efficient for job seekers and employers, letting both sides skip interviews when expectations about pay are too far apart,” he says.  In the short-term, he believes, increased pay transparency might lead to higher turnover by showing employees what their skills are actually worth on the open market; it might give some workers who discover they are underpaid more confidence to quit. But in the long run, adds Zhao, a less opaque market will likely lead to less turnover and more stability because of higher retention rates, which will benefit all.   No silver bullet  For all the potential upside of pay transparency regulation, however, experts also warn that it should not be considered a panacea for making the labour market overall fairer.  For one thing, publishing pay ranges might still lead to some groups of candidates – like minorities – being offered a salary at the bottom of a stated range and other candidates – like white men – negotiating top-of-the-range pay. In the UK, where since 2017 all companies with 250 employees or more have been obliged to publish an annual gender pay gap report, some institutions have exploited loopholes to understate their wage disparities.  There’s also no conclusive evidence of a causal relationship: that all companies who accurately report their pay gaps are necessarily all more effective at making their workplaces fairer and more equitable. “For organisations, this could be a catalyst for positive change,” says Mabel Abraham, associate professor of business at Columbia Business School in New York City. But the reality, she adds, is that it will not uniformly lead to a closing of all pay gaps and an eradication of inequality. Also, the closing of a pay gap should never be considered a perfect proxy for creating a more equitable labour force.  Abraham’s ongoing research shows that one of the key predictors of whether a company will close a pay gap or not is whether leaders have actually taken the time to understand why a gap exists in the first place. “Those that do are considerably more likely to improve – or reduce – the gap,” she says.  Organise’s Draganova agrees. “[Salary transparency is] a step in the right direction, and may well go some way towards resolving long-standing issues of pay equality and equity among workers,” she says, “[but it’s] just one piece of the puzzle – on its own, it can’t guarantee a good workplace for employees or a thriving business for employers.”

Stock Market News Live Updates: Stocks Plunge As Broad Market Sell-Off Intensifies; Dow Sheds 550 Points, Nasdaq Falls 3.4% – Yahoo Canada Finance https://collincountynewsonline.com/stock-market-news-live-updates-stocks-plunge-as-broad-market-sell-off-intensifies-dow-sheds-550-points-nasdaq-falls-3-4-yahoo-canada-finance/ U.S. stocks cascaded Thursday — with Apple leading the way down — as renewed recession jitters permeated Wall Street and wiped gains from a fleeting relief bounce in the previous session. The S&P 500 plummeted 2.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average erased more than 450 points, or around 1.5%. The Nasdaq Composite sank 2.8%. Technology stocks led the slide lower as heavily-weighted Apple (AAPL) shares erased roughly 5% on concerns around waning demand that prompted a downgrade from Bank of America. Analysts warned in a note out Thursday that BofA’s research team “expects the demand trajectory to worsen.” A report from Bloomberg also revealed one of Apple’s most senior executives was leaving the company after he turned up in a viral TikTok video making an off-color joke. Apple’s declines began Wednesday following a report the tech giant is backing off plans to increase production of its new iPhones this year after demand for the product failed to meet expectations. Elsewhere in corporate news, CarMax (KMX) shares tumbled nearly 25% after the vehicle buyer reported second quarter earnings that missed Wall Street estimates, citing “affordability challenges” that weighed on sales. Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) fell 4% on Thursday after the company posted a wider quarterly loss as persistent merchandising and inventory snafus and inflationary pressures hit the home goods retailer. On the economic data front, initial jobless claims slid to 193,000, the lowest since April, in the week ended Sept. 24 from a downwardly revised 213,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists called for 215,000 claims, according to consensus estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Elsewhere, a third reading from the Commerce Department on gross domestic product (GDP) showed U.S. economic activity contracted at an annualized 0.6%. The renewed risk-off mood places all three major averages on pace to give up gains that came after England’s central bank said Wednesday it would resume bond purchases to help stabilize financial and currency markets. Investors celebrated the shift away from aggressive policy tightening by officials in recent months. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq each rallied roughly 2%. EY Parthenon Chief Economist Gregory Daco said in a note that “the absence of proper policy coordination along with the speed and synchronization of rate hikes” risks an “excessive and disorderly tightening of financial conditions.” “In the UK, the economic outlook has recently taken a turn for the worse with the release of Prime Minister Liz Truss’ budget leading to a market rout, with treasury yields surging to their highest since 2010 and the British pound plunging to its lowest level in 37 years,” Daco said. Following the Bank of England’s intervention Wednesday – the purchase of around 65 billion pounds, or roughly $69 million, of long-dated gilts – British 30-year bond yields tumbled 100 basis points after touching a two-decade high. A man stands outside the Bank of England in London, Britain, September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Meanwhile in the U.S. on Thursday, Treasury yields nudged higher after rising – and then falling – at the fastest pace in decades. On Wednesday, the benchmark 10-year Treasury note — a crucial economic benchmark — briefly hit 4%, hitting an important milestone amid the worst bond sell-off since 1949. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said on Wednesday that the decision by his central bank peers across the Atlantic to return to bond buying did not change his views on U.S. Federal Reserve policy or stoke fears England’s economic faults could pour over. “I would expect growth to be below trend, we would start to see demand for a wider range of products start to soften, and we would start to see labor markets start to be more rationalized,” Bostic said, adding that if job openings fall substantially, officials may contemplate stopping and holding at that level. — Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc Click here for the latest trending stock tickers of the Yahoo Finance platform Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube

Trusted Reviews Awards 2022: Gaming Winners – TrustedReviews https://collincountynewsonline.com/trusted-reviews-awards-2022-gaming-winners-trustedreviews/ It’s been a fantastic year in the gaming category in 2022, with a variety of superb games arriving on the likes of the PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC. In order to celebrate, we’re hosting the Trusted Reviews Awards 2022 where we’ll be picking winners for both games and gaming hardware in a variety of categories. You can check out all of the nominees and winners from the Trusted Reviews 2022 below. Best games console winner Steam Deck Check price here Portable gaming systems have seen a boom in recent years, but few have provided the quality that the Steam Deck offers. It’s powerful enough to play virtually any Steam game in your library, and yet is still light enough that you can game on the go without making your arms ache. You can see the best games console shortlist below: PlayDate Steam Deck Nintendo Switch OLED Best Switch game winner Metroid Dread Check price here The Metroid series had been dormant for a few years, but it’s now back with a bang with the excellent Dread. It offers great nostalgic value for those who played the classic Super Metroid game, while also offering a fresh spin on the series with new horror elements and innovative boss battles. You can see the best Switch game shortlist below: Metroid Dread Pokémon Legends: Arceus Kirby and the Forgotten Land Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Best PlayStation game winner Deathloop Check price here Deathloop is one of the most unique games we’ve ever tested, with a ‘Groundhog Day’ time loop that offers mind-bending puzzles and thrilling shootouts. It’s one of the very best games of this generation so far. You can see the best PlayStation game shortlist below: Horizon Forbidden West Deathloop Dying Light 2 Gran Turismo 7 Elden Ring Best Xbox game Forza Horizon 5 Check price here Forza Horizon 5 achieved a perfect score in our review, as we were floored by the gorgeous Mexican vistas and delightfully fun racing events that should appeal to both casual racers and car enthusiasts. You can see the best Xbox game shortlist below: Halo Infinite Forza Horizon 5 Elden Ring Dying Light 2 Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Best PC game winner Elden Ring Check price here FromSoftware took a huge risk when adopting an open-world format for its successful Dark Souls formula, but boy did it pull it off. Elden Ring offers challenging combat and curiosity-driven exploration, with an astonishing amount of weapons and loot available. You can see the best PC game shortlist below: Elden Ring Football Manager 2022 Halo Infinite Forza Horizon 5 Two Point Campus Best game winner Elden Ring Check price here There have been plenty of good games this year, but Elden Ring stood out as the clear winner. A big reason for this is the huge map you’re able to explore, which is packed full of dungeons, castles and gruesome monsters. The combat and RPG elements are excellent too, while retaining the same punishing difficulty as the Dark Souls series. You can see the best game shortlist below: Elden Ring Metroid Dread Forza Horizon 5 Dying Light 2 Horizon Forbidden West Best online game winner Halo Infinite Check price here We decided to create the Best Online Game category to celebrate games that offer a fantastic and competitive online service. Halo Infinite came out on top, with the excellent shooting mechanics and variety of game modes to keep players hooked for years to come. You can see the best online game winner below. Halo Infinite Forza Horizon 5 Nintendo Switch Sports Mario Strikers: Battle League Football Best co-op game winner Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Check price here It’s dangerous to play alone, so we’ve decided to celebrate the best co-op games where you can play alongside a friend. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga took this accolade, allowing friends to play through all nine Star Wars films together, with hilarious dialogue and super-satisfying puzzles. You can see the best co-op game shortlist below: Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Back 4 Blood Rainbow Six Extraction Mario Strikers: Battle League Football Best gaming mouse winner Razer Viper V2 Pro Check price here The Razer Viper V2 Pro impressed us this year with an astonishingly high DPI and lightweight build. This ensures it’s both responsive and quick, enabling you to shoot down in-game enemies as quickly as possible. You can see the best gaming mouse shortlist below: Razer Viper V2 Pro Roccat Burst Core Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air Razer DeathAdder V2 X HyperSpeed Best gaming headset winner EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Check price here The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid blew us away this year, as not only does it offer top-notch audio quality but also packs multiple high-end features such as ANC. You can see the best gaming headset shortlist below: EPOS H3PRO Hybrid Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Astro A10 Gen 2 Best gaming keyboard winner Razer Huntsman Mini Analog Check price here The Razer Huntsman Min Analog is a dinky keyboard that will save you oodles of desk space, while also featuring cutting-edge analogue for a more immersive gaming experience. You can see the best gaming keyboard shortlist below: Razer Huntsman Mini Analog Corsair K70 RGB Pro Razer Huntsman V2 HyperX Alloy Origins 65 Best gaming monitor winner Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022) Check price here The Samsung Odyssey Ark is a TV-sized gaming monitor that can be flipped upright whenever you fancy. During testing, we were incredibly impressed with the gorgeous 4K picture quality, 165Hz refresh rate and booming speakers. You can see the best gaming monitor shortlist below: MSI MPG Artymis 273CQRX-QD Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 (2022) Samsung Odyssey Ark (2022) Best gaming laptop winner Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 Check price here The Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 hits the sweet spot between price and performance, while also having a slim and portable design so you can continue playing PC games away from home. You can see the best gaming laptop shortlist below: Acer Nitro 5 2022 Asus ROG Flow X13 Alienware x17 R2 Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 Razer Blade 17 (2022)

Chefs For Farmers Food And Wine Festival Returns Nov. 3-6 – Focusdailynews https://collincountynewsonline.com/chefs-for-farmers-food-and-wine-festival-returns-nov-3-6-focusdailynews/ Photo courtesy Chefs for Farmers Chefs for Farmers, the popular food and wine festival that celebrates fresh, organic products and the farmers who produce them, returns to Dallas Nov. 3 through Nov. 6. This year’s CFF benefits McKinney Roots, the Seed Project Foundation’s donation farm aimed at eliminating hunger in Collin County with fresh, organic produce. CFF features an impressive lineup of participating chefs, artisans and farmers, as well as several fun events. Chefs For Farmers originally launched as a farm-to-table dinner concept in 2010. As it grew, the annual festival quickly became Dallas’ premiere multi-day food and wine event known for bringing chefs, restaurants, and local farmers together. “We’re thrilled to partner with Chefs for Farmers as the beneficiary of this year’s festivities!” said Rick Wells, president of the Seed Project Foundation. “The Seed Project Foundation has been supporting our local North Texas farmers for the last six years from our home in McKinney, and we’re very excited to share our mission with Dallas. The funds we raise through Chefs for Farmers will benefit our donation farm McKinney Roots, allowing us to grow and donate more fresh organic produce to feed the hungry in our area.” Chefs for Farmers Events From Dirt to Dish: A Dinner on the Farm with Chefs Andrea Shackelford & Andy Knudson kicks off the festivities Nov. 3. Hosted by acclaimed Chef Shackelford from Harvest Seasonal Kitchen and Knudson from Camp Lucy at Water Boy Farms. This intimate farm-to-table dinner supports The Seed Project Foundation. The multi-course dinner menu showcases the best seasonal products paired with sophisticated wines. Tickets for the 7-10 p.m. Thursday dinner are $150 a person, available online. DEVOUR: The Ultimate Bite Night at The Exchange at AT&T Discovery District. Guests are treated to a variety of Dallas’ best bites from our favorite chefs at The Exchange and beyond, including chic picnic spreads, with live music and other surprises. Tickets are priced at $85 GA or $115 VIP, and include unlimited bites, free-flowing sips and cocktails, and live entertainment. DEVOUR opens for VIPs at 7 p.m. and for GA ticket-holders at 8 p.m., till 10 p.m. Thursday at The Exchange, 208 S. Akard Street in the AT&T Discovery District of Dallas. Farm Tour with the Seed Project Foundation Take an interactive farm tour when some of our favorite family-run farms open their gates to give guests fun, hands-on experiences. Get ready for a fun-filled day of supporting local agriculture with Texas-made drinks and seasonal dishes from three of the area’s best chefs. 100% of ticket proceeds will benefit McKinney Roots, the Seed Project Foundation’s donation farm aimed at eliminating hunger in Collin County with fresh, organic produce. This event is suitable for ages 21 and over. The tour will begin at McKinney Roots, 5595 FM 1461 in McKinney, and the bus will depart to the other farms from there. Photo courtesy Chefs for Farmers The Farm Tour starts at 10 a.m. Saturday Nov. 5, and ends at 4 p.m. Tickets are available online for $125 each. Tour Stops Include: Stop 1: McKinney Roots in McKinney, TX, paired with Andrea Shackelford of Harvest Seasonal Kitchen. Stop 2: N&P Farm and Dairy in Princeton, TX. Stop 3: Profound Microfarms in Lucas, TX, paired with Joel Orsini of Profound Foods. The Main Event at Old City Park Returning for its 11th consecutive year, don’t miss the Main Event at Old City Park, our signature festival celebration, highlighting the best of the best from Texas and beyond. Sample delectable bites, showcasing the very best tastes from The Lone Star State. We curated a collection of the most talented chefs from our own backyard and other favorite culinary destinations across the country, pairing them with an array of local, family farms from the 214 to concoct unforgettable dishes to show you why supporting local is what it’s all about. WINE down with sips from various wineries and spirit brands. Each ticket (VIPs $200, GA $135) is all-inclusive of unlimited food, drinks, live entertainment and more. VIPs enjoy early entry at 2 p.m. Sunday and a Celebrity Cruises Wine Garden. GA ticket-holders enter at 3 p.m. and the event lasts until 6 p.m. Tickets for all events are available online at ChefsForFarmers.com.

In Colorado, A Ranch Getaway Is The Perfect Long Weekend – The Washington Post https://collincountynewsonline.com/in-colorado-a-ranch-getaway-is-the-perfect-long-weekend-the-washington-post/ It’s a stunning autumn day at some 9,000 feet above sea level in southern Colorado. An expansive sky stretches from the sandy dunes over which I’m riding on horseback with my 12-year-old son, Henry, and our guide, Amelia, a wrangler at the nearby Medano-Zapata Ranch (Zapata for short), where we are staying for a three-day fall harvest festival. In the distance, the yellowing leaves of aspen trees illuminate mountain ridges. The sure-footed horses navigate the dunes with ease. It rained last night, and the dense sand is springy underfoot. But Pickles, Henry’s horse, would prefer to dawdle. Amelia offers clear instruction — “shorten your reins, look where you want to go, give her a kick, let her know you mean it” — and Henry talks to his horse in a gentle voice as he tries to propel her forward. Earlier, as we walked through the creek bed to approach the dunes, Pickles stayed stubbornly out of the hoof-deep water, testing the resolve of my kindhearted tween. Zapata’s guided horse rides are nothing like most commercial operations; we’re not expected to ride “nose-to-tail” because that’s boring. Out here, we have the entire expanse of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve at our disposal, which means that Henry will have to figure it out on his own (but with Amelia’s encouragement). I’m tempted to weigh in. After all, I am his mother and a former equestrian, and I know a thing or two about trail riding. But what 12-year-old wants his mom bossing him around on a long weekend vacation where we are supposed to be bonding? Besides, Amelia is the perfect combination of instruction and confidence-boosting, and before I know it, Henry and Pickles overtake my horse and me. We crest the dune, admire the view and descend to the valley floor. When Amelia asks if we want to canter, Henry enthusiastically answers in the affirmative. Soon we’re racing across this iconic western landscape, and my heart soars with exhilaration and gratitude. It wasn’t hard to convince Henry to skip a day of school for a long weekend road trip with me to the San Luis Valley, 260 miles south of our home in Boulder. With the promise of delicious chef-cooked meals, horseback riding, a ranch stay and one night of glamping, he eagerly packed his bag and helped navigate our long drive south over mountain passes and into the stark high desert, a landscape of hardy, prickly vegetation, vast plains, massive dunes created by the combination of wind, water, sand and a mountainous barrier. Amenities are scarce; after leaving Salida, the last town with a grocery store en route to our valley destination, we drove 62 miles before reaching a gas station. Moody clouds gathered as we rolled into the Rustic Rook Resort our first evening. We found our tent — large enough to hold two double beds, a wood-burning stove and an en suite bathroom — and grilled the steaks and potatoes that we had preordered. They were tender and juicy, though I wished our dinner had also come with some leafy green vegetables (Henry didn’t mind their absence). To stave off the chilly night air, we lit a fire in the wood stove and then tucked in for the night. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning I awoke slightly cold and wished for warmer bedding. Instead, I slipped on my fleece and fell back into a deep sleep. A nighttime rainstorm left the landscape wet and fresh, and we grabbed our complimentary burritos and decamped to Zapata. A word about navigating the San Luis Valley: It’s big. Having your own car is essential, as nothing is close to anything else. Though Zapata Ranch was only 11 miles as the crow flies from the Rustic Rook Resort, construction on the connector road mandated that we take a detour that added almost an hour to our drive. Fortunately, once we got to the ranch, we were able to park the car and forget about it. In fact, from the moment we stepped onto Zapata’s grounds, we more or less forgot about anything that did not revolve around ranch life, riding, or eating five-course dinners prepared with locally sourced ingredients, including beef and bison raised on the ranch. Like the other guests who filled the 17-room lodge, we felt as if we had discovered a magical world. I was fascinated with the ranch’s history and mission. The Nature Conservancy bought the 103,000-acre Zapata Ranch in 1999 from a private owner who had embarked on a bison restoration program with the goal of creating a genetically pure herd without any beef DNA. In 2004, the nonprofit organization partnered with Ranchlands, a private ranch management company, to manage the Nature Conservancy’s 2,000-animal bison herd and to restore the property to native vegetation through a concentrated effort that used cattle grazing, pasture rotation and more. In 2009, Ranchlands began hosting guests at the lodge and in the auxiliary Stewart House, where Henry and I stayed. I appreciated that the house was a short walk from the lodge, offering an evening digestif stroll, and he loved that it had a pool table. With a guest season that runs from March through October, Zapata has workshops, series and seminars that last anywhere from two days to a week. Guests are immersed in whatever specialty event they’ve registered for and also learn about the ranch operations through hands-on experience that includes horseback riding, touring the bison operation and interacting with the ranch staff, including Kate Matheson, the busy ranch manager, who patiently answers questions about cattle, bison, the ecosystem and more. Our weekend’s focus was on local food and farm-to-table meals, while events through the rest of the 2022 season include a writing workshop with author Pam Houston and birding with “Birding Magazine” editor Ted Floyd. Next season’s programs haven’t yet been announced but will likely include classics like botanical foraging and wildlife photography, and more specialized workshops. Henry and I ended up at “Harvest Weekend” because it was when the ranch had availability, and from the first bite of my smoked trout salad during our horseback ride, I knew we had won the gastronomical jackpot. This was confirmed multiple times, especially on our first night when we both nearly melted in delight as we ate the chef-made bison-beef sausage course — which came after courses of salad, Mexican street corn and grilled squash, and before the chicken mole and chocolate cake. All of the food was remarkable, prepared in creative combinations and seasoned with local herbs and peppers to deliver a distinctly southwest flavor. We ate and ate and ate, and then we exercised and explored the ranch grounds. One afternoon we hiked seven miles up to a mountain pass in the national park and preserve, and another we slipped through the ranch’s cottonwoods on the short nature trail on the property. Henry was the only kid at the ranch, but the other guests were friendly, and with his easygoing attitude, he fit right in. He also helped me see things through fresh eyes. On a clear, dark night, he paused and pointed overhead to the brilliant Milky Way and the star-spangled sky. He put a finger to his lips. In the distance, a pack of coyotes yipped and howled. Henry’s eyes widened in enchantment, and he looped his arm through mine. Mother-and-son bonding at its finest. Walker is a writer based in Boulder, Colo. Find her on Twitter: @racheljowalker. Zapata Ranch 5305 Highway 150, Mosca, Colo. 719-378-2356 A 103,000-acre working cattle and bison ranch located roughly five miles from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. All-inclusive stays from $350 per person, per night. Rustic Rook Resort 13254 Lane 5 North, Mosca, Colo. 719-270-1356 A dog-friendly glamping operation featuring fully furnished canvas tents on wooden platforms, grills, a nightly campfire with complimentary s’mores and endless views. Located about 20 miles from Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Rates from about $145 per night. Frontier Drive-Inn 105 E. County Rd. 11 North, Center, Colo. A dog-friendly, restored 1950s era drive-in theater that features nightly movies on the original screen, innovative ranch shed lodging and yurts with luxury interiors, and an art installation of enormous, roofless, 3D-printed adobe structures. Rates from $161 per night. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 11999 Highway 150, Mosca, Colo. 719-378-6395 Established as a national park in 2004, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve encompasses 149,028 acres — 107,342 of which are national park and 41,686 acres of which make up the preserve. The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, and the dunes span roughly 30 square miles. No reservations required. Open daily, year-round. Basic entry pass, which is good for seven consecutive days, is $25 per car, $20 per motorcycle/rider and $15 per person for oversized vehicles. PLEASE NOTE Potential travelers should take local and national public health directives regarding the pandemic into consideration before planning any trips. Travel health notice information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s interactive map showing travel recommendations by destination and the CDC’s travel health notice webpage.

Live Stock Market News: U.S. Economy In A Recession After GDP Contracts, Bed Bath & Beyond Hits New Snag, Mortgage Rates Latest| September 29, 2022 – Fox Business https://collincountynewsonline.com/live-stock-market-news-u-s-economy-in-a-recession-after-gdp-contracts-bed-bath-beyond-hits-new-snag-mortgage-rates-latest-september-29-2022-fox-business/ Stocks sink as 2Q GDP remained negative confirming the start of a recession. Hurricane Ian continues to wreak havoc in Florida as damages pile up. FOX Business is providing real-time updates on the markets, commodities and all the most active stocks on the move. incoming update… Dow Jones Averages. $ 29025.7 Symbol Price Change %Change AAPL $142.03 -7.81 -5.21 WBA $31.61 -1.58 -4.77 BA $125.62 -7.82 -5.86 V $179.93 0.75 0.42 TRV $154.46 1.53 1.00 U.S. stocks took another leg down in afternoon trading, erasing all the gains from Wednesday’s session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was off over 600 points as Apple, Walgreens and Boeing led the drop. Visa and Travelers held up. Posted by FOX Business Team The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on companies it accused of involvement in Iran’s petrochemical and petroleum trade, including some based in China and India, pressuring Tehran as it seeks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that Washington designated two China-based companies, Zhonggu Storage and Transportation Co Ltd and WS Shipping Co Ltd, as part of attempts to thwart sanctions evasion on the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products. Blinken accused Zhonggu Storage and Transportation Co Ltd of operating a commercial crude oil storage facility for Iranian petroleum and WS Shipping Co Ltd of being a ship manager for a vessel that has transported Iranian petroleum products. Posted by Reuters Symbol Price Change %Change RIDE $1.84 -0.18 -9.13 Lordstown Motors is lower in Thursday trading. The electric truck maker began production of its Endurance pickup truck. The company said its first two commercial vehicles have rolled off the production line at the Foxconn EV Ohio plant, with the third expected shortly. Lordstown anticipates ending 2022 with approximately $110 million in cash and cash equivalents. The cash outlook is better than the previous outlook by approximately $75 million. The truck maker continues to explore opportunities for capital raising alternatives, including in connection with the initial Foxconn JV program and strategic partnerships.    Posted by FOX Business Team Bed Bath Beyond Inc. $ 6.46 Symbol Price Change %Change BBBY $6.46 0.08 1.25 Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. on Thursday reported a loss of $366.2 million in its fiscal second quarter. The Union, New Jersey-based company said it had a loss of $4.59 per share. Losses, adjusted for asset impairment costs and restructuring costs, were $3.22 per share. The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of $1.59 per share. The home goods retailer posted revenue of $1.44 billion in the period, which matched Street forecasts. Bed Bath & Beyond shares have decreased 56% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P’s 500 index has declined 22%. The stock has declined 72% in the last 12 months. Posted by Associated Press Symbol Price Change %Change NEE $81.00 -1.37 -1.66 Millions of Florida residents are struggling to cope without power as utility crews work around the clock to restore power. NextEra Energy subsidiary Florida Power and Light has restored power to more than half a million customers. Posted by FOX Business Team Initial jobless claims fell to 193,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending September 17 were in Michigan (+6,102), Georgia (+1,837), New York (+1,709), New Jersey (+1,164), and California (+1,130), while the largest decreases were in Indiana (-1,103), Arkansas (-386), Kentucky (-295), Virginia (-288), and Oklahoma (-264).   Posted by FOX Business Team The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.7 percent as of September 29, up from 6.29 percent last week. The 15-year rate averaged 5.96 percent, from 5.44 percent. Posted by FOX Business Team Symbol Price Change %Change RAD $5.80 -1.23 -17.48 Rite Aid plunged as US trading opened Thursday. The drugstore chain reported fiscal second quarter profit that fell short of Wall Street estimates, but topped profit expectations. Revenue for the three months ended August 27 fell to $5.9 billion from $6.1 billion a year earlier. Analysts expected $5.8 billion. Same store sales for the second quarter increased 5.6 percent over the prior year period, consisting of an 8.0 percent increase in pharmacy sales, partially offset by a 0.3 percent decrease in front-end sales. The net loss widened to $331.3 million from $100.3 million. The adjusted net loss per share was 63 cents. Wall Street expected 56 cents. “As we look to the second half of the year, we expect continued pressure on consumer spending and supply chain challenges,” said Heyward Donigan, president and CEO. Posted by FOX Business Team Symbol Price Change %Change KMX $86.42 5.27 6.49 CarMax Inc. (KMX) on Thursday reported fiscal second-quarter profit of $125.9 million. On a per-share basis, the Richmond, Virginia-based company said it had net income of 79 cents. The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.40 per share. The used car dealership chain posted revenue of $8.14 billion in the period, also missing Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $8.75 billion. Posted by Associated Press Dow Jones Averages. $ 29357 U.S. stocks opened lower across the board after 2Q GDP contracted 0.6% for the second consecutive quarter cementing a recession. Bond yields resumed their climb. In commodities, oil was little changed hovering at the $82 per barrel level.  Posted by FOX Business Team Symbol Price Change %Change POAHY $6.78 0.24 3.67 VWAPY $13.65 0.58 4.44 Porsche AG shares made a strong start on Thursday after Volkswagen defied volatile markets to list the sports car brand at a valuation of 75 billion euros ($72 billion) in Germany’s second-biggest market debut. Volkswagen priced Porsche AG shares at the top end of the indicated range and raised 19.5 billion euros from the flotation to fund the group’s electrification drive. By 1035 GMT Porsche AG stock was trading 3% up from the issue price of 82.50 euros. That lifted Porsche AG’s valuation to 77.4 billion euros, close to the market capitalization of Volkswagen as a whole, which is worth about 80.1 billion euros, and ahead of rivals such as Ferrari. It is Germany’s biggest listing since Deutsche Telekom in 1996.Faced with costs in the tens of billions for software and a radical shift towards electric mobility, Volkswagen executives had long considered listing Porsche, a move executives hoped would raise much-needed funds and lift Volkswagen’s own value. The Porsche and Piech families, whose holding company Porsche SE controls Volkswagen, will in turn solidify their control over Porsche AG because they will own 25% plus one ordinary share – carrying voting rights – in the sports car brand. Up to 113,875,000 Porsche AG preferred shares, carrying no voting rights, were sold in the initial public offering. ($1 = 1.0339 euros) Posted by Reuters Hurricane Ian may become one of the costilest storms in U.S. history with damages rising to potentially $40 billion as tracked by the Insurance Information Institute. Posted by FOX Business Team The final revision for 2Q GDP was unchanged at 0.6% cementing the start of a U.S. recession after 1Q growth contracted 1.6%. Posted by FOX Business Team U.S. equity futures are trading lower as a global rally was short lived. The major futures indexes suggest a decline of 0.9% when the opening bell rings on Wall Street. Oil prices edged lower after jumping by more than $3 per barrel the previous day. The strong dollar, demand worries and concerns over the faltering global economic outlook is impacting market sentiment. U.S. crude futures traded around $80.00. Brent crude futures traded around $87.00. The economic agenda includes the third and final reading on 2Q GDP and the latest weekly jobless claims numbers. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury, or the difference between its market price and the payout if held to maturity, was at 3.84% on Thursday, after exceeded 4% on Wednesday, its highest level in a decade. Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher Thursday after Britain’s central bank, moved forcefully to stop a budding financial crisis. The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gained 0.7%, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong jumped 1.3% and China’s Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.3%. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index surged 2% on Wednesday for its biggest gain in seven weeks, after the Bank of England said it would buy bonds over the next two weeks to stop a slide in prices.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 1.9% to 29,683.74. The Nasdaq composite climbed 2.1% to 11,051.64. Posted by Ken Martin Did the U.S. economy actually slide into a recession in the first half of the year? New data that will be released by the government on Thursday morning could shed light on the pivotal question. The Commerce Department is set to post the third and final estimate for second-quarter gross domestic product at 8:30 a.m., along with updated growth figures for the past five years — a process it performs annually.  GDP, the broadest measure of goods and services produced in the nation, officially shrank at a 1.6% annualized pace in the three-month period from January to March and declined ...

Social-Safety-Net Agencies To Share Health-Care Funding – Inside NoVA https://collincountynewsonline.com/social-safety-net-agencies-to-share-health-care-funding-inside-nova/ Two Northern Virginia social-safety-net agencies are sharing in statewide grants totaling $1 million from UnitedHealth Group to expand access to health-care services and programs among uninsured individuals and under-served communities. The Empowering Health initiative will spent $11 million to support organizations in 11 states. The two Northern Virginia organizations to receive funding are: • Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington will receive $200,000 to expand Project SHINE (Staying Healthy through Improved Nutrition and Exercise), which delivers culturally and linguistically appropriate diabetes management, chronic-disease management, healthy-living classes and health promotion. • Capital Area Food Bank will receive $160,000 to incorporate medically tailored food options and information about chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, into the online-ordering system for partners in its food-pantry network. “Social and economic factors have a profound impact on achieving and maintaining good health,” said Tameeka Smith, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Virginia. “We’re working with local organizations in the state to provide Virginia residents with an interconnected system of clinical and social services that can produce better health outcomes and make the health system work better for everyone.” Since launching its Empowering Health commitment in 2018, UnitedHealthcare has provided more than $51 million in Empowering Health grants reaching more than 8 million people through partnerships with community-based organizations in 30 states and the District of Columbia. [https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]

Workforce Reductions Announced At Dunkirk’s ImmunityBio | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer https://collincountynewsonline.com/workforce-reductions-announced-at-dunkirks-immunitybio-news-sports-jobs-evening-observer/ OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen ImmunityBio took over the former Athenex plant in February. Citing “construction needs” at what was described just years ago as a state-of-the-art facility, ImmunityBio confirmed there will be fewer workers at its Dunkirk plant for up to a year and a half. However, at least two sources, one who said he was a worker, said the company laid off all but a handful of employees without prior notice after they were gathered Thursday. News of the employee drawdown came following an ” in-depth review” of the state-funded facility at 3805 Lake Shore Drive, the lease of which was acquired by ImmunityBio in February of this year from Athenex. A spokeswoman for the California-based clinical-stage immunotherapy company said it was determined that the plant “has construction needs that may take approximately 12 to 18 months in order to enable the facility to be used as it has been intended.” She added, in a statement to the OBSERVER, “For this reason, we will need fewer employees during the construction period. That said, we remain committed to the Dunkirk area and the large-scale manufacturing facility.” An employee, who wished not to be identified, said they were gathered Thursday inside the plant’s cafeteria and informed the facility needed work that could last more than a year. The employee estimated that up to 40 were laid off in a variety of departments, including plant services, micro-bilogy and office workers. He also stated that employees were notified Thursday they could re-apply for their jobs after the upgrades were finished. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

Leading Lawmakers Pitch Extending Scope Of AI Rulebook To The Metaverse – EURACTIV https://collincountynewsonline.com/leading-lawmakers-pitch-extending-scope-of-ai-rulebook-to-the-metaverse-euractiv/ The key lawmakers proposed extending the scope of the AI Act to metaverse environments that meet certain conditions. The latest amendments also covered risk management, data governance and documentation for high-risk systems. The European Parliament’s co-rapporteurs Dragoş Tudorache and Brando Benifei circulated two new batches of compromise amendments, seen by EURACTIV, on Wednesday (28 September), ahead of the technical discussion with the other political groups on Friday. These latest batches introduce significant changes to the regulation’s scope, subject matter and obligations for high-risk AI systems concerning risk management, data governance and technical documentation. Scope A new article has been added to extend the regulation’s scope to AI system operators in specific metaverse environments that meet several cumulative conditions. These criteria are that the metaverse requires an authenticated avatar, is built for interaction on a large scale, allows social interactions similar to the real world, engages in real-world financial transactions and entails health or fundamental rights risks. The scope has been expanded from AI providers to any economic operators placing an AI system on the market or putting it into service. The text specifies that the regulation does not prevent national laws or collective agreements from introducing stricter obligations intended to protect workers’ rights when employers use AI systems. At the same time, AI systems intended solely for scientific research and development are excluded from the scope. The question of whether any AI system is likely to interact with or impact children should be considered high-risk, as asked by some MEPs, has been postponed to a later date. In addition, the amendment from centre-right lawmakers that would restrict the scope for AI providers or users in a third country has also been kept for future discussions as it is linked to the definition, the note at the document’s margin says. Subject matter The rules laid out in the regulation are not to be intended only for the placement of the market of AI, but also for its development. The objectives of harmonising the rules for high-risk systems and supporting innovation with a particular focus on innovation have also been added. The amendment from centre-left MEPs, led by Benifei, to introduce principles applicable to all AI systems has been ‘parked’, according to a comment at the margin of the text. Similarly, the discussion on the governance model, if an EU agency or an enhanced version of the European Artificial Intelligence Board, was also put on hold. Requirements for high-risk AI The compromise amendments state that the high-risk AI systems should comply with the AI Act’s requirements throughout their lifetime and consider the state-of-the-art and relevant technical standards. The question of considering the foreseeable uses and misuses of the system in the compliance process has been parked as it will be addressed together with the topic of general purpose AI, large models that can be adapted for a variety of tasks. For what concerns the risk management system, the lawmakers clarified that it could be integrated with existing procedures set up about sectorial legislation, as is the case in the financial sector, for instance. Risk management The risk management system would have to be updated every time there is a significant change to the high-risk AI “to ensure its continuing effectiveness.” The list of elements that risk management would have to consider has been extended to health, legal and fundamental rights, impact on specific groups, the environment and the amplification of disinformation. If, after the risk assessment, the AI providers consider there are still relevant residual risks, they should provide a reasoned judgement to the user on why these risks can be considered acceptable. Data governance The compromise amendments mandate that, for high-risk AI, techniques such as unsupervised learning and reinforcement learning that do not use validation and testing data sets have to be developed based on training datasets that meet a specific set of criteria. The intention is to prevent the development of biases, and it is reinforced by the requirements to consider potential feedback loops. Moreover, the text indicates that validation, testing and training datasets must all be separate, and the legality of the data sources must be verified. Technical documentation Wording has been introduced to give more latitude to SMEs to comply with the obligation to keep technical documentation about high-risk systems in place upon approval from the national authorities. The list of technical information has been significantly extended to include information such as the user interface, how the AI system works, expected inputs and outputs, cybersecurity measures, and the carbon footprint. [Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]

The 10 Best Cruises For Teens 2023 – U.S. News & World Report https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-10-best-cruises-for-teens-2023-u-s-news-world-report/ When planning a vacation for the whole family, a cruise can be one of the best options to consider, especially when traveling with active teens. While parents escape to an adults-only venue on the ship and have a quiet dinner for two, teens can mix and mingle with others their age in teen-only clubs, play games, listen to music, or grab a pizza and a movie under the stars. And if your tweens and teens need more action-packed fun to keep them entertained, some cruise ships act like floating amusement parks with zip lines, racetracks, roller coasters, ice skating rinks, laser tag, waterslides and more. If you’re considering a family getaway or a multigenerational vacation, these top cruise lines offer some of the most exciting and entertaining options to keep teens and tweens – and their parents – happy and engaged at sea. (Note: Some of the following activities, programs and amenities may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. New policies may be in place, including capacity restrictions, reservation requirements or mask mandates; in addition, certain cruise offerings may be temporarily suspended. Check with your chosen cruise line, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of State before traveling.) MSC Cruises (Courtesy of MSC Cruises) MSC Cruises offers plenty of family fun and activities for teens on its ships, including sports tournaments, waterslides and a family disco. On select ships, you’ll also find a full-size MSC Formula Racer, interactive XD cinema, a virtual reality experience, zip lines and an arcade room. The line’s Young Club programming offers daily activities for 12- to 14-year-old kids while teens 15 to 17 can participate in sports and dance competitions and video game tournaments at the Teen Club. Older kids can also take part in fun themed events, karaoke and even flash mobs – and there’s a teen-only disco. On the new MSC Seascape (set to debut in December 2022), teens can stay busy in three new concept spaces. “Future” features a state-of-the-art technology area with the latest generation consoles, VR and video screens for hours of entertainment. “Chill out” is just as it sounds – a place to hang out, chat, and play foosball and table tennis. Meanwhile, “Music” is a dance club where kids can choose their own tunes and dance the night away with cool lighting and sound effects. And if that’s not enough, ROBOTRON, the first of its kind at sea, is an amusement park-like ride that combines the thrill of a roller coaster with personalized music and lighting. MSC Seascape also has a VR 360-degree flight simulator, VR motorcycles and high-tech gadgets for teens. MSC World Europa – another new ship debuting in December 2022 – boasts the largest and most engaging kids area in MSC Cruises’ fleet with an impressive 8,245 square feet of action-packed space. The new TEENS LAB features a completely immersive, technologically advanced and modern area for teenagers with more than 20 of the latest consoles, seven VR stations and dozens of video games. Drone Academy 2.0 is a high-energy relay race where youths have to navigate through 15 obstacles with POV cameras, VR and glow effects. There’s even more onboard fun at Z Active, a new sports program that offers basketball, football and zorb ball alongside two firsts for the line – pickleball and hoverboards. [Looking to plan a cruise on MSC Cruises? See the top cruises on GoToSea, a service of U.S. News.] Norwegian Cruise Line (Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line) Norwegian Cruise Line boasts a teen-only venue, Entourage, that caters to young adults 13 to 17 years old. This supervised space – available on 15 of the line’s 18 ships – keeps teens busy in an adult-free lounge that’s filled with video games, movies, music, arts and sports. Teen counselors plan the activities and challenges to keep kids entertained throughout the cruise – and host the events that take place in Entourage. A list of detailed activities is available on embarkation day so teens can plan out their schedule for the cruise. The line’s newest ship, Norwegian Prima, the first vessel in the Prima class, features many first-at-sea innovations perfect for entertaining families and energetic teens, including a three-level racetrack called Prima Speedway. The new racetrack is 22 percent longer than the racetrack on Norwegian Encore and the speedway now passes through the funnel of the ship. With 14 nail-biting turns – and cars reaching up to 30 miles per hour – the racetrack is one of the highest-rated attractions on the ship. Adventurous teens will also want to check out The Drop & Rush: Billed as the fastest slides at sea, these chutes offer thrill-seekers a heart-pumping 10-story freefall plunge. If that’s not enough action, teens can also play Bull’s Eye, a classic game of darts that uses a video tracking system, or check out Tee Time for a pumped-up version of mini-golf set against a Las Vegas backdrop where you can compete for prizes. In The Galaxy Pavilion, an indoor gaming complex, you’ll find 14 attractions, including four immersive simulator experiences, two escape rooms and the Topgolf Swing Suite – all of which are unique to Norwegian Prima. When it’s time to cool off, the Tidal Wave waterslide is another first for the brand, letting guests ride inner tubes to catch the surf and ride out the wave. Norwegian Viva, set to launch in 2023 as the second vessel in the Prima class, will also feature these exciting new high-tech attractions. The line’s Breakaway class – Norwegian Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore – are also popular with families as these ships offer plenty of activities and attractions well suited for active teens. [Want to cruise with your family on Norwegian Cruise Line? See the top cruises on GoToSea, a service of U.S. News.] Disney Cruise Line (Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line) Disney Cruise Line features two cool spaces dedicated to teens and tweens, who can hang out on comfy couches, watch shows or movies on large screen televisions, and play video games. These hangouts, called Edge (for ages 11 to 14) and Vibe (ages 14 to 17), are available on all Disney ships. On Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream, the space at Vibe also features a private outdoor deck with chaise lounges, wading pools, foosball and more. While indoors, teenagers can order sodas and smoothies from the fountain bar, mingle with others their age, or just kick back and relax in individual nooks. There’s a dance club area for karaoke contests, talent shows and dance competitions. The trendy indoor/outdoor space – at almost 9,000 square feet – is accessible with a “teen-only” card. On the new Disney Wish ship, Vibe has a French twist inspired by a French artists loft with neon signs and funk pop art. For tweens sailing on Disney Fantasy or Dream, Edge is a bright, loft-style gathering spot – located in the funnel – that has individual computer stations for gaming and a massive video wall for screening television, movies and games. There’s also a lighted dance floor for dance parties and a photo booth with green-screen technology. Two nifty features of the space – and its location – are views of the pool decks below as well as three portholes that allow for glimpses of the riders on the water coaster, AquaDuck, as they zoom by. On the first night of the cruise, kids receive information on what activities and events will be available during their vacation so they can curate a personalized entertainment itinerary. Some fun options throughout the week may include “The Wild Side” (a teen-only excursion on the cruise line’s private island, Castaway Cay) and “Gotcha”: a game of elimination where one teen will become the ultimate victor. For a special treat – and a bit of pampering – don’t miss an afternoon at Chill Spa, located inside Senses Spa & Salon. Here, guests ages 13 to 17 can book indulgent specialty spa treatments like an Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure, a Hot Chocolate Wrap or an organic Fabulously Fruity Facial. [Searching for a cruise with your family on Disney Cruise Line? See the top cruises on GoToSea, a service of U.S. News.] Adventures by Disney Adventures by Disney offers river and expedition cruises for the whole family; the itineraries span many choices and experiences for tweens and teens with a focus on culture, history, gastronomy and adventure. The river cruises are operated in partnership with AmaWaterways, while the expedition cruises are a collaboration with luxury French cruise line Ponant. If you’re sailing on the Adventures by Disney Rhine River Cruise itinerary, for example – and docked in Strasbourg, France, for the day – guests can choose between various exciting excursions. Teen-friendly options include a tour of the Black Forest, complete with a toboggan run and a visit to a woodworking museum, or zip lining through the Black Forest combined with a hike to the Triberg Waterfalls. In Melk, Austria, on the Danube itinerary, families can go for a bike ride along the Danube River, hike to the castle in Dürnstein or visit a family-run apricot farm. Another great feature of these cruises is that teens can opt to have dinner and evening get-togethers with same-age cruisers, so they don’t have to dine with their parents or younger siblings every night. Adventure Guides also curate special activities for teens like game shows and pool parties. In destinations like Antarctica, the Arctic and the Galápagos Islands, expert naturalists lead tours during these bucket list trips. You might even find a bit of Disney storytelling woven into the presentations by the Adventure Guides. Keep in mind if you have younger kids as well as teens that children need to be 5 or older to sail on the river cruises. For the Galápagos Islands expedition cruises, the minimum age for Junior Adventurers is ...

Coinbase Embodies ‘Predatory Junkyard That Is Crypto’: Enron Short-Seller Jim Chanos – Decrypt https://collincountynewsonline.com/coinbase-embodies-predatory-junkyard-that-is-crypto-enron-short-seller-jim-chanos-decrypt/ Famed short seller Jim Chanos had some cutting words about Coinbase’s business model, calling the crypto exchange “symptomatic of the predatory junkyard that is crypto” in an interview with CNBC. He highlighted the high costs in the industry as being a serious issue going forward, saying “this is a really high-cost industry that needs lots of activity and needs really high commission rates to make money.” “If you’re losing money now, charging retail customers 2.5% a round trip, that’s not a good business model,” he added. The conversation came as part of a wider discussion about the impact of higher interest rates on the U.S. economy.  The American investment manager, who heads up Kynikos Associates, has built a reputation for making bold predictions since his career kicked off in the early 1980s. He’s perhaps most well-known for taking a short position on Enron prior to its 2001 bankruptcy. Chanos pointed to how Coinbase controls “about 10%” of the global crypto market and burns through “around $1.5 billion” a quarter. Chanos said if this is representative of the economics of the broader crypto industry then “the crypto universe has a cost of between $50 to $60 a billion on a 1 trillion notional,” he argued. Coinbase shares take a hit Chanos’ comments weren’t the only bit of bearish news for Coinbase. Shares in the firm dropped more than 9.3% as NASDAQ opened, following a profitability warning from Wells Fargo, which alleged rising competition and macro pressures could hurt the company.  Coinbase was also hit hard by the ongoing crypto winter, and its stock has yet to recover from the wider plunge in digital assets of early this year. The company’s market cap currently sits at around $13.88 billion, a stark contrast to its peak of over $75 billion in January 2021.  Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

No. 2 U.S. House Democrat Noncommittal On Stock-Trading Bill, No Vote Soon – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/no-2-u-s-house-democrat-noncommittal-on-stock-trading-bill-no-vote-soon-reuters/ WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) – The No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives declined to say if he would hold a vote on a bill restricting members of Congress and other government officials from trading in stocks, saying lawmakers needed more time to think about it. The bill had been listed by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s office late last week as possibly coming up for a vote this week, just before the House of Representatives begins a six-week recess to allow members to campaign for re-election on Nov. 8. With the legislation being unveiled just this week, Hoyer told reporters that rank-and-file members still had to review the details of the bill. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “People have to look at it. It’s an important issue,” Hoyer said, adding that he wanted to ensure that “if and when we do something we do it right.” The bill would impose the restrictions on not just members of Congress, but also congressional staff, U.S. Supreme Court justices and other senior officials. The goal is to tamp down potential conflicts of interest in Washington. Currently, lawmakers can engage in trading but are not allowed to use non-public information in making investment decisions. They also are required to promptly disclose their transactions. There have been concerns about Congress members trading stocks of companies, especially those in which the committees they serve on have oversight. The debate over whether to ban members of Congress and other government officials from making trades has been simmering for a while. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi initially voiced skepticism of taking such steps, but has since allowed a bill to advance toward consideration by the chamber. Lawmakers’ spouses and dependent children would be included in provisions of the bill as well. In July, some stock trades executed by Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, drew attention when he sold his shares of chipmaker Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) days before the House was expected to consider legislation providing subsidies and tax credits worth over $70 billion to boost the U.S. semiconductor industry. Paul Pelosi sold 25,000 shares of Nvidia for about $4.1 million, suffering a loss of $341,365, according to financial reports. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Richard Cowan Editing by Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Six Key Blockers To Achieving CMMC Compliance – ChannelE2E https://collincountynewsonline.com/six-key-blockers-to-achieving-cmmc-compliance-channele2e/ by Egnyte • Sep 29, 2022 With next year’s anticipated  deadline for DoD contractors to comply with CMMC, many in the Defense Industrial Base are scrambling to understand how to comply, the tools they need, and how much it will cost them. Author: Neil Jones, director of cybersecurity evangelism, Egnyte Big-picture, your customers will need to comply if they want to continue to do business with the DoD. And while it’s essential for them to know what they should do, it’s also important to remember what they shouldn’t do. Based on Egnyte’s experience working with firms that are tackling the CMMC 2.0 requirements, we’ve assembled the following list of common blockers that you and your clients will likely encounter. ‍ 1. Thinking “This Project Can Wait” Many MSPs assume that CMMC compliance can be achieved in a short time period, because they (and/or their customers) already have cybersecurity policies and practices in place. However, the business reality is that even the most sophisticated organizations can take months to achieve and document their compliance efforts. This is because CMMC compliance is way more than an IT exercise or a quick technical fix. Detailed planning is required, often leading to add-on technological decisions, and that’s just the beginning. All employees need to be trained and new processes and procedures need to replace the old ones. Most importantly, the initiative can’t succeed without executive level engagement, which extends well beyond budgetary approvals.  ‍ 2‍. Including Everything But the Kitchen Sink  Security engineers tend to be extremely inclusive when they define the scope of the infrastructure that could fall under CMMC. This is usually because they generally don’t know where all of their Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is housed. That can lead to the unnecessary inclusion of multiple repositories, including associated infrastructure and network capabilities like Identity and Access Management (IAM) services across numerous systems.  Likewise, engineers sometimes target a higher CMMC level than the company requires; for example, striving for CMMC Level 2 when Level 1 is sufficient for their Federal Contract Information (FCI) data. Similar to scoping the infrastructure too broadly, that approach multiplies cost, complexity, and resource requirements. Even if Level 2 compliance is necessary, it might be more practical and less disruptive to target Level 1 compliance prior to attempting Level 2 compliance. Another scoping issue is not considering the impact of partners and supply chain participants on your CMMC compliance efforts. For example, unique specifications that you send to a supplier may contain CUI data. Therefore,your partner should be informed that they may also need to comply with CMMC requirements. At the very least, the information needs to be passed to supply chain partners in a secure manner, with employees trained on proper handling of the data.  ‍ ‍3. Having an Incomplete SSP According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the System Security Plan (SSP) “..describes: the system boundary; operational environment; how security requirements are implemented; and the relationships with or connections to other systems.” In other words, it is a formal, written plan that documents the infrastructure, associated risks and security controls that are in place to mitigate those risks. The SSP is where auditors begin their review. Auditors need to review complete documentation on the systems that are under the company’s control. Almost no small- or medium-sized company produces documentation to the depth and complexity that’s required by these auditors. And frequently, major components of the architecture are outsourced, and/or no formal documentation exists. which is why your clients need a comprehensive inventory of exactly what falls into CMMC’s scope.‍ ‍4. Producing Too Little Documentation When working through checklists, companies often don’t spend enough time documenting the details on key focus areas in their requirements. For example, logging should be documented to show not only that logs are collected, but also to reflect how often they are collected, how they are stored, and most importantly, how often they’re reviewed and analyzed. Likewise, access controls are often neglected in detailed documentation because they are complex and cross many different internal system boundaries. Finally, many security engineers overlook documentation on key procedures, including details about the administrators who configure and monitor the company’s systems and users who manage its  CUI data. ‍ ‍5. Becoming Complacent with CMMC Compliance Many organizations work hard to achieve CMMC compliance, only to relax and become complacent when they’ve done so. CMMC requires ongoing executive engagement, technical reviews, controls monitoring and process improvement. The best way to achieve that is through tools and architecture which allow you to automate as much of your ongoing monitoring and maintenance as possible. ‍ ‍6. Viewing CMMC Compliance with a “Checklist Mentality”  CMMC compliance is not a one-time event. Users may require significant training, business culture may need to be modified, new processes and procedures may need to be implemented and the company’s workflows and technological decisions may need to change. Over time, your business will evolve, which ultimately impacts your risk profile and the size of your cyberattack surface. Meanwhile, new security risks will emerge, and cybersecurity solutions will evolve with them. Therefore, your SSP will need to be reviewed frequently and updated to meet the new risks. That’s why the DoD plans for CMMC audits to be performed on a routine basis rather than as one-off engagements.    ‍ Start Your CMMC Compliance Journey Most  organizations cannot navigate the CMMC compliance journey on their own. They often engage consultants and contractors to supplement their own internal expertise. They also work with industry groups and forums to understand standards and regulations. They may even combine efforts with partners to build compliant solutions. Importantly, Egnyte has deep expertise in the space, including conducting CMMC Workshops with customers to discuss their compliance journeys.  Join Egnyte’s CMMC Community: As such, Egnyte has assembled a CMMC Community of practitioners, security engineers, business leaders  and thought leadership contacts, to encourage information exchange about CMMC. Egnyte provides educational documentation, solution details, discussion opportunities with industry experts, and other resources that enable community members to keep informed. For additional information on CMMC and to join the community now, click here. Webinar Invite: If you are interested in getting ready for CMMC, we have a webinar coming up on June 22nd where we will be covering: The basics of CMMC – who is impacted, what’s required, when are the deadlines; Pro tips to limit the scope of the auditable environment; What makes Egnyte’s “CMMC in a box solution” the most cost-effective and comprehensive solution for MSPs in the market today. Register here Guest blog courtesy of Egnyte. Read more Egnyte guest blogs here. Regularly contributed guest blogs are part of ChannelE2E’s sponsorship program.

Google Retires Cloud Gaming Service Stadia, Offers Refunds – Win.gg https://collincountynewsonline.com/google-retires-cloud-gaming-service-stadia-offers-refunds-win-gg/ Google is ceasing activities on its cloud gaming Service, Stadia, after an underwhelming response from the gaming community.  In 2019, Google unveiled its streaming service in Stadia, which looked promising initially. The new player in the cloud gaming services allowed users to play video games on compatible screens with minimal lag instantly. However, the tech giant’s gaming products failed to hold out against the likes of PlayStation Plus cloud streaming, Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming, and similar.  Mere three years after the launch, Google has decided to unwind the product to shed costs.  Google shuts down Stadia  Stadia will be turned off for good on January 2023, which means players still have plenty of time to wrap up their unfinished missions. Those who spent big bucks on the products will get their refunds by the middle of January 2023, Google has announced.  “Players will continue to have access to their games library and play through January 18, 2023 so they can complete final play sessions. We expect to have the majority of refunds completed by mid-January 2023,” Google said.  Google is now offering refunds for all Stadia hardware purchases, including Stadia Controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, and Play and Watch with Google TV packages. Unfortunately, Stadia Pro subscriptions are not eligible for a refund. However, users will be able to continue playing their games in Pro without further charges until the final wind down date. Why is Stadia shutting down? Stadia was Google’s take on cloud gaming services to help modern gamers tap into their saved progress without downloading a game. While the idea was tempting, the release product didn’t differ much from existing products. In fact, Stadia was surprisingly underwhelming. Stadia Pro membership cost $9.99 per month in the US, giving users up to 4K HDR gameplay. However, players still had to buy the majority of games on top. Google later loosened the restrictions, making Stadia available for all Gmail users for the first two months.  Stadia shutting down isn’t precisely a shocker. Google’s gaming product has been in hot waters for a year now. In 2021, the company retracted its internal game development studios to focus more on bringing third-party games to the gaming cloud service. Later, the project staff shed like leaves after vice president Jade Raymond left Stadia. All of this pointed at an imminent failure. However, Google is still making the best out of the collapse. Stadia’s underlying technology will now be applied across other parts of Google like YouTube, Google Play, and Augmented Reality.

Missions Commitment Links Ukrainian Refugees With Illinois Church • Biblical Recorder – Biblical Recorder https://collincountynewsonline.com/missions-commitment-links-ukrainian-refugees-with-illinois-church-biblical-recorder-biblical-recorder/ Contributed photo The FBC O’Fallon mission team had a busier schedule than usual, teaching English to Ukrainian refugees, utilizing Lifeway’s mission trip VBS with children, and offering another English class for Polish workers in the evening. Donn and Joni Schaefer have organized 10 mission trips to Russia since 2008. They taught English in Siberia as a way to open discussions about the gospel. But when the invasion of Ukraine shut down trips into Russia for Americans, the Schaefers looked for other avenues to use their unique skills. The Illinois couple turned their focus a little west, to Ukrainian refugees flooding into Poland. “English is always a draw wherever you go,” Joni said, “because it’s the language of commerce and of travel.” And for a mission team of nine from First Baptist Church of O’Fallon, it was the language of love — three classes per day. “Things never turn out on a mission trip the way you think they’re going to,” Joni said. In this case, the schedule was busier than ever, with classes for Ukrainian refugees in the morning, Polish adults in the evening after work, and a Bible club much like Vacation Bible School for children in the afternoon. “We used to take six months to prepare the team; this time we had eight weeks.” The Schaefers scouted out the trip a month before their July 15-26 expedition. “Leading mission trips to Siberia gave us an edge,” Donn said, “because we knew how to teach English to people who speak Russian.” The Belleville residents had a proven curriculum that Donn thought would adapt well to other Slavic languages, but the effect of the war was another matter. “In our little world in Illinois, the war had affected us because it shut off ever seeing the Russian people again,” Joni said. “We had to go through a grieving process.” A 72-word email produced funds in six hours to help refugees immediately. Southern Baptists need to know this. The missionaries just can’t say enough good things about Send Relief. Joni Schaefer This experience helped prepare the couple to embrace refugees. Donn contacted Mark McCormick, a counselor from Illinois’ Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services, to ask for guidance for their new field. “I wanted to make sure we knew how to deal with women and children who were experiencing trauma,” Donn said. “He said the men should hug the boys, which may sound a little strange,” Joni said, “because their fathers are still back in Ukraine—” “Or, dead,” Donn interjected. “So the kids just hang onto you.”  International connections  Back home in Illinois, members of FBC O’Fallon prayed for the team day by day. Using a creative method they’d used once before, the team created and distributed paper chains with prayer requests, one per day, featuring the team members and their photographs. Each day, one prayer link was removed and that person prayed over. “We mixed up the links, so everyone was prayed for every day,” Joni said. The last link included instructions to text the team as they returned home. “We knew the church was praying for us,” Joni said. “We’ve asked people to pray for us before, and they say, ‘OK, we will, but we don’t know what to pray for.’ This way the church has specific prayer requests.” Commitment to missions, and to mission trips, is characteristic of this congregation. And so is a commitment to Poland. “My first international mission trip was to Poland just before I came to FBC O’Fallon,” Pastor Doug Munton said. “In fact, it was there that God confirmed for me that I was to come to FBCO. That trip was life changing for me as I saw God’s work in the world in a larger way than ever before.” Munton has served the church 27 years and engaged in multiple mission trips. “It also caused me to desire to see FBCO become deeply involved in missions around the world,” he said. “We have had long term partnerships in Uganda, Cuba and another country.” The connection to Poland extends beyond Munton and this recent mission team. “The IMB missionaries that we worked with in this recent trip to Poland, Chuck and Vikki Franks, have family in our church. They have been to FBCO many times over the years. When it became impossible for us to go back to a particular country, we got connected with the Franks and God opened doors for us to go,” Munton said. “Willingness met need and opportunity.” The missionaries in Ilawa had wanted to employ English classes as witnessing opportunities for 13 years, Donn said. They reported after the team returned home that they will start a family English class in January. Of their work over a week in central Poland, Donn said, “It looks very chaotic, but it’s amazing to see what happens.” The three-a-day classes culminated in “Party Day” that included both Poles and refugees from Ukraine in their sessions. That produced an unusual gospel presentation. Donn shared his testimony in English, which an IMB missionary translated into Polish, and a bi-lingual person from Ukraine translated into their language. In addition to the mission team’s work, Joni credited Send Relief for life-sustaining work among refugees. “Send Relief has been doing amazing things for Ukraine,” she said. The joint venture of the IMB and the North American Mission Board has become a rapid response agent in times of crisis, even abroad. “One missionary we worked with received an email asking what they needed” soon after the flight of refugees into Poland began, Joni said. He thought it might take months and “a bunch of red tape.” But a 72-word request produced funds in six hours to help refugees immediately with food and housing and support ongoing work to convert an office complex into living quarters. “Southern Baptists need to know this,” she said. “The missionaries just can’t say enough good things about Send Relief.”    And for Pastor Munton, “I would love for every IBSA pastor and church to consider a personal connection to international missions. Maybe churches could consider sending their pastor or a team on a trip as well as supporting our career missionaries through prayer and finances.” That includes Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. “It can change how they see evangelism and discipleship both globally and locally,” Munton said. It has for the Schaefers and their mission teams who are characteristically humble about their work. As Donn said, “We’re just normal people who go on mission trips.” “There is something powerful and life changing about a mission trip,” Munton said. That applies to the people hearing the gospel, the team members, and the church at home.” (EDITOR’S NOTE – Eric Reed is editor of IBSA media.)

Oreo Introduces Snickerdoodle Flavor – Food Business News https://collincountynewsonline.com/oreo-introduces-snickerdoodle-flavor-food-business-news/ CHICAGO — Nabisco, a division of Mondelez International, Inc., is launching a snickerdoodle flavored Oreo cookie for a limited time this fall and winter. Made using snickerdoodle flavored Oreo biscuits, the interior of the classic cookie sandwich will be filled with cinnamon flavored crème blended with crunchy red and green sugar crystals. The company initially announced the flavor through a social media strategy designed to engage Twitter users. When put together, the first words of the last eight Tweets from the Oreo account spelled out, “Our Next OREO Cookie Flavor Is Snickerdoodle.” Available nationwide Oct. 17, the LTO snickerdoodle Oreos will be on shelves as long as supplies last.

Lifestyle And Fitness Leader, Life Time, To Reveal New Luxury Residences In Green Valley With Exclusive Concierge Team Focused On Resident Wellness – PR Newswire https://collincountynewsonline.com/lifestyle-and-fitness-leader-life-time-to-reveal-new-luxury-residences-in-green-valley-with-exclusive-concierge-team-focused-on-resident-wellness-pr-newswire/ Life Time Living midrise tower comes together with Life Time Athletic Resort and Spa in Green Valley as one village that embraces Life Time’s ethos for healthy living Tweet it: Life Time Living joins Life Time Athletic Resort and Spa in Green Valley as one village that embraces @LifeTime’s ethos for healthy living. #LuxuryLiving #GreenValley , /PRNewswire/ — Life Time ( NYSE: LTH), the nation’s premier healthy lifestyle brand, is debuting its first luxury leased residences, Life Time Living, in Henderson, Nevada’s upscale Green Valley neighborhood. Located at 2460 E. Serene Ave. just north of I-215 off Green Valley Parkway, the striking new residential midrise tower shares a campus with Life Time Athletic Resort and Spa, creating a 16.5-acre village for residents and members. Life Time Living Green Valley in Henderson, NV reveals its 149 luxury residences featuring an exclusive concierge team to support all things healthy living. Life Time’s premier athletic resort is adjacent to create a complete healthy way of life village. “Life Time Living was envisioned to foster a healthy, socially connected and environmentally conscious lifestyle with our new luxury residences and our athletic resorts and spas as part of one vibrant campus,” said Eric Padget, vice president, Property Development. “This lifestyle is made possible through what is now one Life Time community; a village that embraces the ethos of our brand to inspire a holistically healthy lifestyle.” The stunning seven-story residential midrise provides impeccably designed community spaces and residences, including 105 one-bedroom and 44 two-bedroom units ranging from 914 to 1,727 square feet. Prices start at $2,980 and residences come with full-access Signature memberships to the adjacent Life Time Green Valley – and all of Life Time’s more than 160 destinations across North America. Unique to Life Time Living is the innovative Resident Concierge programming, which connects residents’ at-home and in-club lifestyles to make healthy living easy and fun. The Concierge team assists residents with: Weekly meal prep from the LifeCafe, including meal deliveries to residences or Life Time Living’s refrigerated package room. Meals can even be tailored to meet individual Healthy Way of Life goals. Personal training session and group fitness or studio class bookings, as well as personal wake-up calls and reminders when requested. Securing appointments with Life Time’s nutrition coaches for grocery shopping with residents, plus Life Time’s chefs are available to cook for parties or for intimate dinners at home. Recommending and scheduling treatments with LifeSpa estheticians and massage therapists for personalized treatments and at-home consultations. Designed from top to bottom with the modern resident in mind, Life Time Living offers inspired community spaces for everything from working from home to hosting special events and lounging by the pool. In addition to the Resident Concierge programming, building highlights include: A grand staircase inside Life Time Living’s main entrance leads to 8,000-square feet of amenities and entertainment on the second floor. An enhanced work lounge featuring a coffee bar to offer the ultimate comforts. Reservable private dining room with a full catering kitchen and indoor and outdoor bar areas. Entertainment area furnished with leathercraft sofas and seating areas, along with games and entertainment including a pool table, oversized Scrabble game and shuffleboard. Inside the residences, full-length windows offer views of Green Valley’s rolling hills and welcome an abundance of natural light into every residence. Open floor plans offer spacious kitchens equipped with stainless steel appliances and custom soft-touch cabinetry and living rooms designed for optimal comfort. Bedrooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows with walk-in closets constructed with custom storage systems. State-of-the-art sound proofing and black-out shades ensure a comfortable environment for sleeping. Stunning bathrooms are designed with custom floating vanities with under-cabinet lighting, granite countertops, LED mirrors and seamless floor-to-ceiling porcelain tiles. And, dogs are treated like royalty with their own stylish spa for grooming and an outdoor obstacle course for playing.  Life Time Living residents will have full access to the adjacent 171,000-square-foot Life Time athletic country club experience complete with a pool deck, lap pools, waterslides, bistro, and tennis and pickleball courts outside and an entire wellness experience inside with studios for any type of class imaginable, indoor pools, tennis court, full-service spa and salon, fast-casual restaurant, Kids Academy, regulation-size basketball courts and more. Additional information, pricing and availability are available at Life Time Living’s website or by calling (702) 805-2208.  About Life Time®, Inc. Life Time ( NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through its portfolio of nearly 160 athletic country clubs across the United States and Canada. The company’s healthy way of life communities and ecosystem address all aspects of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment for people 90 days to 90+ years old. Supported by a team of more than 30,000 dedicated professionals, Life Time is committed to providing the best programs and experiences through its clubs, iconic athletic events and comprehensive digital platform. For more information, visit www.lifetime.life. SOURCE Life Time, Inc.

Boston Startup Aims To Become ‘hospital Of The Metaverse’ – The Boston Globe https://collincountynewsonline.com/boston-startup-aims-to-become-hospital-of-the-metaverse-the-boston-globe/ So, in 2016, Orr made the leap and launched XRHealth, in hopes of offering physical therapy to patients through “extended reality,” which includes augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. It works like this: People in need of certain types of physical or recovery therapy — those with chronic pain, autism spectrum disorder, or Parkinson’s disease, for example — can meet with XRHealth’s team of clinicians virtually for a one-hour screening session. After determining a diagnosis and treatment plan, XRHealth ships a virtual reality headset (made by HTC Vive) programmed with various applications, developed by XRHealth, to the patient. Get Innovation Beat Boston Globe tech reporters tell the story of the region’s technology and innovation industry, highlighting key players, trends, and why they matter. But what makes physical therapy in virtual reality better than standard treatment options? According to Stephanie Quigley, who used XRHealth to treat a back injury in 2020, the convenience of being home was a selling point. “I don’t think I ever would have gone to a physical therapist as often as I saw this physical therapist because it was virtual,” Quigley said. “I did two sessions a week for a while. And I don’t think I would have gotten in my car, driven somewhere, done the program, and come home twice a week. It was so convenient to just be in my home, turn on the camera, and go.” Quigley is one of about 5,000 patients who have used XRHealth so far. Each VR program is tailored based on the needs of the patient. Someone with chronic shoulder pain might use the “balloon popping” program — think Fruit Ninja, but your arms do the slicing — where users move their arms in ways that can be customized by the clinician. Someone recovering from post-traumatic stress might find the deep-sea meditation application helpful — it prompts meditation while you’re underwater, surrounded by virtual fish, in an effort to calm the user. One of the XRHealth headsets, provided by VIVE, programmed with physical therapy applications for patients to use.XRHealth The programs developed by XRHealth are monitored by clinicians when patients are undergoing therapy. Some clinicians opt to watch the patient through a video call as they play games, meditate, or use other apps. It’s not for everyone, though. Some might need more rigorous or intense therapy options that require close, in-person monitoring. Others might be at risk of motion sickness or dizziness. Others may prefer to be physically present with their therapist. But patients who fit the bill say the benefits go beyond convenience. “It just made it so fun,” Quigley said of the technology. “And then afterwards, I realized I felt actually a lot better.” One of the challenges facing XRHealth is ensuring public trust. The company recently published a study that demonstrates that “virtual reality technology is viable in treating upper limb dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients,” according to a release. The study observed 30 individuals using VR training solutions and found that “virtual reality training would be viable” for 26 of the 30 patients. As virtual and augmented reality technologies expand, Orr thinks the use cases for health care will grow. “I think we have the potential to become – let’s call it the hospital of the metaverse,” Orr said, referring to the virtual world. “What we’re trying to build is a platform that enables the clinician to treat the patient in the metaverse, but not just as a gimmick, but as a real modality of care.” Collin Robisheaux can be reached at collin.robisheaux@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ColRobisheaux.

The Best Home Security Systems | Reviews – National Today https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-best-home-security-systems-reviews-national-today/ Knowing that your home is safe is intrinsically related to your peace of mind. You can sleep better and perform better, and even take long vacations knowing that your home is safe. With modern home security systems, you don’t even have to worry about fires, floods, temperature swings, and other hazards that could sneak up on you. An added advantage is that when these security systems are integrated into your phone, control of your home is at the touch of a button. You might be calculating the expenses attached to making your house secure. The good news is, you don’t have to be as wealthy as Bruce Wayne to use his technology. Our review of the best home security systems provides you with the best and most cost-efficient options. So, make your pick and watch your home come alive with smart security technology. How We Picked Cameras with Additional Features Security cameras that record, zoom, track motion, and take snapshots are excellent choices for home security. We based our choices on these qualities. Motion Detection We considered the motion detectors that came with each security system and how well they worked, along with their ability to only send notifications for what they were intended. Power and Battery Life How long the security system lasts and how it functions in the event of a power outage was something we put into consideration, along with the life of the backup battery. Cost-Effectiveness We chose the best security options while prioritizing those that were affordable for almost all classes of people, ensuring that their least expensive packages met the requirements of both quality and affordability. Our Top Picks Our Top Pick ADT Blue Get protection on your terms. This do-it-yourself home security package includes 12 components that may be used to protect any home or apartment and can be easily relocated if necessary. Everything necessary to secure a 3 to 4-bedroom home or apartment is included in the 12-piece set that comes with one base system, 6 entrance sensors, 2 motion detectors, a keypad, a flood and temperature sensor, and a yard sign. Buy Now for $349.99 ADT has both wireless and hardwired options, making it a highly adaptable system. Smart home features can also be added to any of their indoor, outdoor, or doorbell cameras. Our Runner-Up Vivint Smart Home Security System Smarter security, professionally installed. Vivint’s cameras are set apart from the competition by features like video analytics and 4K image sensors (as well as more standard fare like motion detectors, two-way audio, and night vision). With Vivint home security, you can automate everything from the locks on your doors to the lights by your bed. They also offer comprehensive smart home support and professional installation. Buy Now This smart home security system is a state-of-the-art wireless solution that includes indoor and outdoor cameras. You also have complete control over your home with their smartphone app. Most Cost-Effective SimpliSafe Security System Keeps watch outside; keeps you safe inside. The Essentials package, which includes a single base station, a keypad, a motion sensor, and three entry sensors, is the most popular choice for installing a SimpliSafe system. There are various customizable options, including cameras, doorbells, key fobs, and “build your own” packages for the do-it-yourself types. Buy Now for $183.99 SimpliSafe is the best option if you need great security at an affordable cost and is also an excellent security option if you’re a renter. Who This Is For A security system is helpful if you want to feel more at ease about the protection of your loved ones and your possessions and if you want the assurance that someone will contact emergency services if they are needed. It’s important to remember that security systems have other uses besides keeping the public safe. Most now come upgraded with sensors that detect fire, water, and temperature to further ensure your family’s safety. You may also use them to monitor your elderly parent’s or grandparent’s activity levels and see whether they’ve left any doors or windows open with the help of certain sensors. Not only that, but a lot of these setups are compatible with other smart home technology as well. Home security vs. burglar alarms A burglar alarm and a security system are two distinct pieces of equipment. While burglar alarms are excellent at notifying you of a break-in, they do not provide absolute safety. You need a security system if you want comprehensive and failsafe safety from harm. As an example, a burglar alarm is rudimentary compared to a full-fledged security system and provides less than 50% of the service provided by a security system. In addition, a traditional burglar alarm also lacks the extensive use of cutting-edge technology provided by home security. Finally, unlike a single-purpose burglar alarm, home security is multipurpose and consists of multiple parts that all work together. Are home security systems a waste of money? It’s important to note that security systems do make a difference in terms of loss prevention from burglary. Research has shown that homes without security systems are, on average across the country, three times as likely to be burglarized. The research showed that eighty-five percent of convicted thieves claimed they check for alarms before breaking into a home and that if present, they move on to properties without any kind of security system. How many elements compose a full home security system? Motion detectors, indoor and outdoor cameras, glass break detectors, door and window sensors, yard signs and window stickers, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms are all parts of a comprehensive home security system. Each part of your security system contributes to its overall effectiveness in protecting your family from various forms of potential harm. Why You Should Trust Us To make our recommendations, we compiled reviews and ratings from reputable expert and consumer review websites. We then asked ourselves the questions you would need to guide you on your journey to purchasing a security system, such as is it easy to contact the company when you need help? What kind of quality can we expect from their products? If power outages are prevalent where you live, do they provide battery backups? We also searched for the pros and cons of each security system and the company, so that you can be aware of which disadvantages you may expect and make your purchase according to which ones you can deal with. Overall, we tested each system to make sure that it was worth the cost and interviewed users of each with several subscription packages to provide us with deeper insight before making our recommendations. How We Picked Cameras We considered the type of cameras that the security system provides and how many there are. You should know that, for optimum safety, cameras should be set up both inside and outside the house. Cameras installed indoors can be equipped with infrared lighting and motion sensors to notify the owner immediately of any suspicious activity. Many outdoor cameras also feature motion-activated floodlights and are designed to withstand all types of weather. Some models can even capture hours of footage and stream it in real-time. Added to that is the fact that the mere presence of a camera is sometimes enough to deter a would-be intruder. Nightvision In addition to being able to see during the day, a camera should also be able to do so at night. There are two types of night vision technology: infrared, which uses LED sensors and generates black and white footage; and color, which uses powerful white illumination. We checked out various options to make sure that the cameras, which are the core of your security, are capable of all-around vision. Number of cameras The size of your property and the level of protection you feel you need will determine how many security cameras you should install. It is advised that you install a camera at your home’s ground-level entry as a bare minimum. Extra security cameras should be installed on the ground floor and in any rooms used frequently or used for entry and exit. Main halls on the second and third levels are also ideal locations for security cameras. However, due to privacy concerns, we do not advise installing cameras in private spaces like bedrooms or bathrooms. Quality of picture We checked the quality of pictures provided by the security cameras and found that most state-of-the-art surveillance cameras now offer full 1080p HD quality, an upgrade from the standard 720p HD. The resolution of modern cameras, at 2K or 4K, is double that of 1080p HD, allowing for a much clearer and more detailed image. Therefore, we made sure that our picks were upgraded systems that provided pictures of high resolution. Storage and recording capabilities Local storage and cloud storage are the two main types of data storage. A micro-SD card or an external hard drive provides local storage for most cameras. The film is recorded locally on a card or hard disk, while in the cloud, it is uploaded to a server and stored there, which may or may not require a subscription. We recommend cameras that can store data in the cloud as well as on the device itself, just in case. Motion detection For maximum coverage, these are typically installed in the upper corners of the ceiling in a room. Motion detectors can be set to alert you to any suspicious activity even when you’re not there. These can be adjusted to disregard individuals or objects below a given weight, such as your pets. Connection to smart devices We also considered the security system’s ability to connect with smart devices to provide you with a fully integrated security system and allow you to control your ...

Dogecoin Price Prediction 2022 – 2030 – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/dogecoin-price-prediction-2022-2030-cryptonews/ One of the most popular meme coins, Dogecoin (DOGE), disrupted the cryptocurrency scene after delivering explosive returns to investors in the last few years, finally topping out during the 2021 crypto bull run when Elon Musk appeared on SNL.  Currently trading at a price far below its all-time highs after a deep correction, internet searches for ‘Is Dogecoin Dead‘ and ‘Should I Sell My Dogecoin‘ are now common according to keyword data. This Dogecoin price prediction guide will analyze the potential future of this popular cryptocurrency – should holders sell DOGE, or will Dogecoin recover? Dogecoin Price Prediction Summary  Launched in 2013, Dogecoin is the 10th largest cryptocurrency with a market cap of nearly $8 billion. The sections below briefly summarise the Dogecoin price prediction for 2022 – 2025.  End of 2022 – If Dogecoin can close above $0.06 in the coming few weeks, a price increase to $0.09 is possible by the end of 2022. As the cryptocurrency markets start performing stronger, DOGE could increase by the end of the year.  End of 2023 – Despite being known as a meme token, Dogecoin’s competitive transactions per second and low cost per transaction can make it a strong asset to hold. We expect the token to trade between $0.09 to $0.1 by the end of 2023.  End of 2025 – One of the largest cryptos, Dogecoin, has been adopted as a payment method by over 1,300 merchants. A strong bull run in the next few years could help the token retake its previous highs of $0.7 by 2025.   Buy Dogecoin on eToro Cryptoassets are highly volatile and unregulated. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply. History of the Price of Dogecoin Still regarded as one of the best meme coins, Dogecoin (DOGE), has regularly attracted high levels of volatility. Built on the Ethereum network, Dogecoin is an ERC-20 token released in 2013.  Tokenomics & Launch According to CoinMarketCap, Dogecoin was first released in December 2013 at $0.0005588 per token. Dogecoin is an inflationary token with a live token supply of more than 132 billion tokens. With 100% of the tokens circulating right now, DOGE increases by approximately 5 billion in supply annually.  Created by Billy Marcus and Jackson Palmer, the token was originally launched as a fun cryptocurrency token and an alternative investment to Bitcoin. The logo replicates the popular Shiba Inu dog meme, becoming the first of many new doge-themed meme tokens.  Before becoming one of the best cryptocurrency assets to purchase, Dogecoin traded sideways for nearly 7 years. Between 2013 to 2020, the token increased from $0.00055 to $0.0046 – a price increase of 736%.  Doge Crypto Price Increase  However, the fate of the DOGE crypto price changed in 2021 after receiving mainstream appeal. Dogecoin grew in popularity after Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, started releasing a series of tweets supporting this investment asset. In April 2019, Musk tweeted, saying, ‘Dogecoin might be my fave cryptocurrency. It’s pretty cool’.  However, the token began to escalate throughout 2021 after Musk’s tweets got more frequent. Between January 1st to May 8th 2021, the Dogecoin price increased from $0.004 to an all-time high (ATH) of $0.73 – a staggering 18,150% price increase.  Dogecoin Price Correction However, the price dropped significantly after Elon Musk went on Saturday Night Live as a guest host. After the world’s richest man made a series of jokes about the token, the token corrected to 44 cents by the 10th of May – a 44% price decrease.  One of the most volatile cryptos to trade, Dogecoin further corrected to $0.17 by the end of 2021. Dogecoin traded at $0.17. However, 2022 turned out to be a bearish year, as the DOGE price plummeted. From January to March 2022, Dogecoin plummeted from $0.17 to $0.11 per token.  After briefly rising to $0.17 in April, uncertain economic conditions following the Ukraine-Russia conflict and rising inflationary numbers sent the crypto markets into a downfall. The current DOGE price is $0.06 – 91% below its ATH. However, the token has still provided a return on investment (ROI) of more than 10,500% since its 2013 launch.  With a live market cap of $7.9 billion, Dogecoin is the 10th largest cryptocurrency in the world.  Doge Price History: Summarized With a circulating supply of 132 billion tokens, DOGE launched in 2013 at $0.0005588 per token. The token increased by over 700% between 2013-2020.  Backed by Elon Musk, Dogecoin soared by 18,500% to an ATH of $0.7 in  2021.  The token collapsed throughout 2022, following uncertain market conditions.  The Doge price today is $0.06, with a market cap of $7.9 billion.  Dogecoin Price Prediction 2022 One of the best shitcoins in the cryptocurrency markets, DOGE, has lost over 90% in value since its ATH of $0.7 in November 2021. However, the token’s price correction has coincided with the widespread crypto market performance.  Like DOGE, some of the best altcoins like Ethereum, Cardano and Solana have lost more than 60% of their valuations in 2022. The 1-month Doge price chart shows that the token has experienced high levels of volatility. To gain momentum in the short-term, investors will hope that the cryptocurrency can close above the $0.06 resistance barrier.  If the DOGE crypto price stabilizes above this price point, the token can increase to $0.09 by the end of 2022. The $0.09 levels acted as a resistance point for DOGE in May and August 2022 – as the crypto failed to stay above this mark.  If the cryptocurrency successfully gains support at the $0.06 level, it is likely that the token could once again test the $0.09 level by the end of 2022. The short-term performance of Dogecoin will also depend on the overall crypto market’s performance.  Should Bitcoin begin trading upwards, investors may experience a similar occurrence among the top altcoins in the coming months.  Dogecoin Price Prediction 2023 To better understand Dogecoin’s medium-term price prediction, investors should get a better idea of how Dogecoin works. Like Bitcoin, Dogecoin leverages the Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus to mine new tokens regularly.  However, unlike Bitcoin, DOGE is an inflationary asset. This means the token has no maximum supply, as the new DOGE can be minted regularly. Originally forked from the Litecoin protocol, Dogecoin works on the Scrypt mining algorithm. While mining is more complex on this algorithm, DOGE manages to process a maximum of 40 transactions per second (TPS) – higher than the numbers of Bitcoin and Ethereum.  With a low average network fee of $0.15 per transaction, Dogecoin does provide some significant benefits to investors. Thus, Dogecoin is one of the best proof of work coins, providing certain benefits beyond its social media appeal and celebrity backing. Due to rising inflation, few have a strong conviction on crypto assets at the moment. However, investors like Elon Musk are still holding their assets. In March 2022, Musk tweeted stating the importance of holding physical assets such as houses or stocks in companies manufacturing physical goods. But, the billionaire also noted that he is holding onto his Bitcoin and Dogecoin holdings.  Historically, meme tokens tend to provide better returns when the cryptocurrency markets are bullish and spending increases. Therefore, a strong 2023 performance in the cryptocurrency markets may push the price of Dogecoin in the coming year.  Dogecoin has been unable to gather support in the 1-year price chart. The token has continuously corrected from $0.4 to $0.05 per token. Therefore, investors will hope the cryptocurrency can rebuild momentum and trade above $0.1 by 2023. On the other hand, further bearish continuation in the global markets may hinder the token’s chances of breaking the $0.1 barrier.  Doge Price Prediction 2025-2030  The Doge forecast in the long-term will depend on multiple factors beyond the historical price charts. Firstly, Dogecoin has earned the reputation of a volatile cryptocurrency offering investors uncertain price movements.  However, cryptocurrency has provided value in different forms over the years. In 2014, Dogecoin was used to raise over $3,000 to support the funding of the Jamaican bobsleigh team for the Sochi Winter Olympics. More than 25 million DOGE was donated to the Dogecoin foundation – a charitable organization created by one of the cryptocurrency’s founders.  In January 2022, Dogecoin again became the town’s talk after Elon Musk’s new tweet. The Tesla CEO wrote that his company would accept payments in DOGE to purchase Tesla merchandise. The price announcement led to an instant 14% price increase.  As of September 2022, an estimated 1,300+ merchants are accepting Dogecoin as a payment option. Due to Dogecoin’s low cost and high throughput, the token is being leveraged by popular brands such as the Dallas Mavericks, Kronos, SpaceX and more.  Potentially one of the best long term cryptocurrency investments if it can recover to its highs, Dogecoin has one of the strongest social media profiles in the space. The token’s popularity is unmatchable, with over 3.4 million Twitter followers and 2.3 million Reddit subscribers. Thus, the token has remained the 10th largest cryptocurrency, despite the price correction in 2022.  Due to these factors, our analysts expect Dogecoin to regain momentum throughout the decade. As the cryptocurrency sector expands and we once again see a revival in the markets, DOGE has the potential to reach its original ATH of $0.7.  Other sources, such as Priceprediction.net, an AI trading algorithm, are also bullish on the long-term price of Dogecoin. Priceprediction.net expects the popular cryptocurrency to trade at an average price of $0.23 by the end of 2025 – 283% more than the current levels.  Visit Dogecoin Now Cryptoassets a...

U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Hit Five-Month Low; Economic Picture Darkening – Reuters.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-weekly-jobless-claims-hit-five-month-low-economic-picture-darkening-reuters-com/ Weekly jobless claims drop 16,000 to 193,000 Continuing claims decrease 29,000 to 1.347 million Second-quarter GDP contraction unrevised at 0.6% rate Gross domestic income revised down towards GDP WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) – The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell to a five-month low last week as the labor market remains resilient despite rising headwinds from the Federal Reserve’s stiff interest rate increases and slowing demand. The weekly unemployment claims report from the Labor Department on Thursday, the most timely data on the economy’s health, also showed jobless rolls shrinking to their lowest level in just over two months in mid-September. That raises the risk that the unemployment rate will drop this month, keeping the Fed on its aggressive monetary policy tightening path. “The Fed won’t be slowing the pace of their rate hikes yet with 75 basis points in November and 50 basis points more in December a virtual certainty,” said Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at FWDBONDS in New York. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “The Fed is going to go until something breaks, but so far, nothing is breaking besides the stock market and early signs that home prices are starting to fall.” Initial claims for state unemployment benefits decreased 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 193,000 for the week ended Sept. 24, the lowest level since April. Data for the prior week was revised to show 4,000 fewer applications filed than previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 215,000 applications for the latest week. While there have been reports of some companies laying off workers, economists say most employers are hoarding labor after experiencing hiring difficulties in the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic forced some people out of the workforce, in part because of prolonged illness caused by the virus. They expect companies to pull back on hiring before resorting to widespread job cuts. Hurricane Ian, which slammed Florida on Wednesday, could distort claims in the weeks ahead. “The message here is still a historically tight labor market, with companies holding on to workers,” said Conrad DeQuadros, senior economic advisor at Brean Capital in New York. Unadjusted claims declined 12,642 to 156,060 last week. There was a sharp drop in applications in Michigan, as well as notable decreases in New Jersey, New York and Missouri. They more than offset increases in Massachusetts and Ohio. Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics The Fed wants to cool labor demand in order to bring inflation down to the U.S. central bank’s 2% target. The oversized rate hikes are heightening recession risks. Stocks on Wall Street were trading lower. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury prices fell. TIGHT LABOR MARKET The Fed bank last week raised its policy interest rate by 75 basis points, its third straight increase of that magnitude, and signaled more large increases to come this year. Since March, the Fed has hiked its policy rate from near zero to the current range of 3.00% to 3.25%. There were 11.2 million job openings at the end of July, with two jobs for every unemployed person. The claims report showed the number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid fell 29,000 to 1.347 million in the week ending Sept. 17, the lowest level since July. The so-called continuing claims data, a proxy for hiring, covered the week that the government surveyed households for September’s unemployment rate. Continuing claims dropped by 65,000 between the August and September survey periods. The unemployment rate rose to 3.7% in August from 3.5% in July. The Fed last week raised its median forecast for the unemployment rate this year to 3.8% from its previous projection of 3.7% in June. It boosted its estimate for 2023 to 4.4% from the 3.9% projected in June. Despite labor market strength, the economy is struggling. A separate report from the Commerce Department on Thursday confirmed that gross domestic product fell at an unrevised 0.6% annualized rate in the second quarter. The economy contracted at a 1.6% rate in the first quarter. Details of the third estimate of GDP were mixed. Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, was stronger than previously estimated. But corporate profits, wages and proprietors’ income were revised lower. As a result, growth in gross domestic income (GDI), which measures economic activity from incomes earned and the costs incurred in the production of GDP was revised sharply down to a rate of 0.1% from the previously reported 1.4% pace. In principle, GDP and GDI should be equal, but in practice differ as they are estimated using different and largely independent source data. Historically, GDP has been revised towards GDI, and this year marked a reversal of the trend. The average of GDP and GDI, also referred to as gross domestic output and considered a better measure of economic activity, was revised lower to show it falling at a 0.3% rate instead of rising at a 0.4% pace as previously reported. It declined at a 0.4% rate in the first quarter, revised down from a the previously reported 0.1% growth pace. The government also revised GDP data from the fourth quarter of 2016 through the end of 2021, which showed the gap between GDP and GDI was only -0.6% of GDP in 2021. The so-called statistical discrepancy was previously reported at -2.3%. The revisions also showed the economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was much stronger than initially thought, but the recession remained the deepest on record. In addition to rising borrowing costs, inventories are also casting a pall over the economy. A sharp slowdown in the pace of inventory accumulation from the first quarter accounted for the weakness in GDP in the April-June quarter. But businesses are sitting on a larger stockpile of goods than previously estimated. “Inventories are financed with short-term borrowed money, making them most sensitive to Fed policy,” said Chris Low, chief economist at FHN Financial in New York. “Companies have a growing financial incentive to trim them. They have not even started to cut back and when they do, if they cut them quickly, the recession will be deep.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Paul Simao and Andrea Ricci Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Tech News You May Have Missed: Sept. 22 – 29 – TechRepublic https://collincountynewsonline.com/tech-news-you-may-have-missed-sept-22-29-techrepublic/ on September 29, 2022, 8:02 AM PDT Tech news you may have missed: Sept. 22 – 29 Malicious 2FA attacks, account takeovers on the rise and how to dictate text on your iPhone lead this week’s tech news. Image: arthurhidden/Adobe Stock In a week of security breaches and product releases, these are the top stories you may have missed on TechRepublic for Sept. 22 – 29, 2022. Jump to: Account takeover attacks on the rise, impacting almost 25% of people in the US How to dictate text on your iPhone Malicious OAuth app enables attackers to send spam through corporate cloud tenants Why 2FA is failing and what should be done about it How to find and install the new Windows 11 22H2 update Account takeover attacks on the rise, impacting almost 25% of people in the US Image: BillionPhotos.com/Adobe Stock The fraud management company SEON found that 22% of adults in the US were affected by account takeovers. Over half of these attacks took over social media accounts, and nearly a third were bank accounts, reports Lance Whitney. TL;DR: 60% of victims used the same password for multiple accounts, a practice that can be mitigated with password management software. Read the full article here. How to dictate text on your iPhone Image: Tada Images/Adobe Stock iOS 16 brings updated dictation features that allow users to provide more nuance and detail in their dictated messages than in previous versions of the mobile OS. Included in the new features are phrases that quickly all-cap, start a new paragraph or line, and add simple emojis. SEE: BYOD Approval Form (TechRepublic Premium) TL;DR: Lance Whitney provides a quick overview of the new dictation capabilities, as well as detailed instructions on how to enable and use the new features. Read the full article here. Malicious OAuth app enables attackers to send spam through corporate cloud tenants Image: Feng Yu/Adobe Stock Experienced attackers used credential stuffing, takeover of the Exchange Online PowerShell module, and app-authentication permissions via OAuth and removal of transport rules to cloak high volumes of spam emails, said Microsoft in a recent report. TL;DR: Cedric Pernet reports that by setting up app-authentication permissions, threat actors could continue to access accounts via OAuth even if the account owner changed password permissions. These types of attacks show the increased need for organizations and individuals to adhere to strict security guidelines. Read the full article here. Why 2FA is failing and what should be done about it Image: THAWEERAT/Adobe Stock Jack Wallen breaks down why two-factor authentication is failing consumers and making business data less safe: The short term compromises that companies are making to appease consumers who still use “password123” for all their apps are hobbling long-term security gains. TL;DR: By adhering to strict 2FA guidelines for all apps and all users, we steepen the security learning curve and get fewer successful hacks in the long term. Read the full article here. How to find and install the new Windows 11 22H2 update Image: sdx15/Adobe Stock For those who can’t wait for Microsoft to push the new Windows 11 22H2 update, Lance Whitney details how to find, download and install the new version of Windows from the Microsoft website. TL;DR: The Windows Installation Assistant requires only a couple of clicks to install and confirm your update, while downloading the Disk Image ISO file takes a few more steps. Read the full article here. Also See ATS: The best applicant tracking systems (TechRepublic) Remote work policy (TechRepublic Premium) Hybrid work policy (TechRepublic Premium) Latest tech news, tutorials and tips (TechRepublic on Flipboard) After Hours

Fallout 76, Total War: Warhammer 2 Headline Free Amazon Prime Gaming Titles For October – Dot Esports https://collincountynewsonline.com/fallout-76-total-war-warhammer-2-headline-free-amazon-prime-gaming-titles-for-october-dot-esports/ Amazon has posted the list of free games coming to its Prime Gaming subscription service this October. Prime Gaming’s list of free games next month is spearheaded by Bethesda’s 2018 online action RPG Fallout 76 and Creative Assembly’s 2017 turn-based strategy game Total War Warhammer 2. “Five years after the bombs that ended the world fell, you and your fellow Vault Dwellers emerge into post-nuclear America to explore a vast decrepit wasteland in this open-world multiplayer addition to the Fallout story,” Prime Gaming’s description for Fallout 76 reads. As for Total War Warhammer 2, the subscription service calls it a game where players can immerse “in a breathtaking campaign of exploration, expansion and conquest across a fantasy world” through commanding “real-time epic strategy battles with thousands of troops and monsters.” Other games coming alongside the two previously mentioned titles include Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2014), Glass Masquerade: Origins (2016), LOOM (1990), Hero’s Hour (2022), and Horace (2019). At time of writing, players can still claim the free games for the month of September. This includes titles such as Assassin’s Creed Origins (2017), Football Manager 2022 (2021), Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014), The Dig (1995), Defend the Rook (2021), We the Revolution (2019), Castle on the Coast (2021), and Word of the Law: The Death Mask Collector’s Edition (2022). Other in-game content will also be available through Prime Gaming this October for games such as Fall Guys, League of Legends, and Roblox. You can visit Prime Gaming’s latest blog post to learn more.

Metaverse Marketing Podcast: Rising Above Dystopian Origins – Adweek https://collincountynewsonline.com/metaverse-marketing-podcast-rising-above-dystopian-origins-adweek/ You may know a lot of metaverse skeptics—you might even be one yourself.

10 Inside Jokes Only Diehard Batman Fans Would Understand – Screen Rant https://collincountynewsonline.com/10-inside-jokes-only-diehard-batman-fans-would-understand-screen-rant/ Batman is one of the oldest comic book characters still receiving new books and media, including The Batman, which graced theaters just earlier this year. Batman as a character has been reinterpreted over and over throughout the years in numerous ways. Of course, being a long-lived character, Batman has picked up quite his fair share of fans, that have plenty of jokes and memes they like to share around the fandom. Some of them are from Batman works, but others still were fan-made and made it into the works themselves. These inside jokes are by and for the longtime Bat-fans in the audience. 10 Batman And Prep Time Batman is a pretty strong character, but his real strength lies in his brilliant mind. He’s a master strategist and has the resources to prepare to face almost any problem, which has allowed him to stand alongside superhumans like Superman and Wonder Woman. Of course, this trait has also led to criticisms that the character is invincible. As long as he has time to prepare, he can think of his way out of any problem, meaning he could beat anybody in the DC Universe and potentially beyond. This over-reliance on competent preparation has led some to call the character “Batgod.” Fans have mixed feelings about Batman’s wins against foes out of his league, but they love joking about his love of preparation. 9 Bat Credit Card Batman and Robin is non-stop hilarity from the beginning until the end, although it was definitely not intended to be as campy or corny as it ended up being. Batman and Robin tell corny jokes throughout the film, but there’s one that’s become more legendary than any other. This would be the bit where Batman flashes his Bat Credit Card. It’s a joke on Batman’s gadgets and tools usually have personal branding, but this one went too far for a lot of fans. Batman doesn’t need a credit card, and it makes no sense as it might compromise his identity. It’s definitely the most famous thing in Batman and Robin besides Mr. Freeze’s ice puns. 8 “I’m The God***n Batman!” Frank Miller’s comic book work on Batman is some of the most iconic for the character. His 1980s classic The Dark Knight Returns is often considered one of the best interpretations of the character. The same cannot be said for his mid-2000s work. All-Star Batman and Robin was often criticized for turning the character into a near-lunatic. The comic was criticized for similar reasons to the aforementioned “Batgod.” Batman was always right and justified, even when he acted unhinged and swore up a storm. A lot of fans didn’t like this less sane take on Batman, but it did lead to one of the crusader’s best quotes. He yells “I’m the God***n Batman!” in one scene, and ever since it has become synonymous with Batman’s cool moments. 7 Holy Catchphrase, Batman! Batman ’66 was the most iconic piece of Batman media for a whole generation. Adam West’s take is still highly influential, doing a great job of bringing the characters into the homes of exciting viewers. It also had a lot of corny inside jokes, the most famous which is definitely Robin’s catchphrase. Robin would usually react to different things in a formulaic way. He’d say some variation of “Holy X, Batman!” It could have easily gotten annoying, but Burt Ward’s charisma and the often ridiculous nature of the thing being reacted to made it work. It’s maintained as a catchphrase of Robin’s, although is much less frequently used nowadays. 6 Vanishing Bat Batman is known for his excellent stealth, which is no surprise given his extensive training. He also isn’t very trusting of his allies, so he often uses his stealth training to vanish without announcing his departure. This has led to a lot of hilarious scenes of people being surprised when Batman vanishes. This happens the most to Batman’s erstwhile police companion, Commissioner Gordon. It seems he got frustrated by it, as he sometimes turns it around and leaves before Batman’s ready. He and Superman have both done it to him before. In fact, vanishing is a common trait among all members of the Bat-family, and Bruce often finds himself on the receiving end of sweet irony. 5 Heroes Don’t Do That HBO Max’s Harley Quinn show is hilarious, but also a more adult take on animated Batman. It really leans into its R rating with violence and sexual themes. Nowhere is this better amplified than in Batman and Catwoman’s ongoing relationship in the show. The original plan for season 3 called for a scene of Batman performing oral sex on Catwoman. However, this didn’t make the final cut for the Harley Quinn season. Apparently DC Editorial told the creators that “heroes don’t do that.” The implication that Batman wouldn’t do this because it wasn’t something heroes would do spread like wildfire. Plenty of creators who worked on the character disagreed, which was an awkward but hilarious situation for DC fans. 4 Dick Grayson’s Rear After a career as Robin, Dick Grayson decided it was time to move on. He didn’t want to simply be known as Batman’s sidekick. He struck out on his own as the hero Nightwing. The downside is his new outfit caused him to be known for something else entirely. For whatever reason, Nightwing is always drawn with a defined backside. This isn’t exclusive to certain artists, but rather a near-constant of Nightwing’s character design. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans, and they love to point out Nightwing’s rear whenever it appears and seem to be disappointed when it doesn’t. 3 Russian Batman Hat Superman: Red Son is a great Superman movie and comic. The plot of Superman landing in Ukraine instead of Kansas spins out into an analysis of Superman and Lex’s characters. It wasn’t just the two rivals that got re-imagined, though. Other DC icons like Batman also got re-interpreted. Unfortunately, a lot of fans weren’t fond of Batman’s Russian redesign. While his outfit is mostly unchanged, he now where’s the famous Russian Ushanka over his cowl. A lot of fans found this somewhat silly, but the author pushed back on including “Batman’s nice hat.” As a result, Batman wearing the Ushanka has become a mythology gag. 2 Kite Man, Hell Yeah Kite Man is one of the silliest villains in Batman’s rogue gallery. He comes from an age when all villains had ridiculous gimmicks. The same era created villains like Mr. Freeze, who would be reinvented with a dark twist decades later. Kite Man would also get a reinvention, but it gave him a killer catchphrase instead. Kite Man’s catchphrase is “Kite Man… hell yeah!” It’s somewhat endearing how he describes himself in his own catchphrase, and it lampoons the ridiculousness of his name with genuine enthusiasm for his silly gimmick. This has given Kite Man tons of charm, and his catchphrase is often repeated by fans, especially as he became an unexpected fan favorite in the Harley Quinn series. 1 Baneposting The Dark Knight Rises begins with a tense scene of Bane hijacking a plane. It’s the first time audiences get to see the terrorist who will menace Batman for the rest of the film. It also introduces viewers to Tom Hardy’s strange Bane voice, and this voice ended up becoming the default voice for Bane in parody portrayals like the Harley Quinn show. The voice isn’t the only thing about Rises‘ Bane that gets lampooned. The absurdity of the iconic hijacking scene has given rise to the tradition of “Baneposting”. Fans take the scene and replace scenes and dialogue from other media with the dialogue from the hijacking scene. It’s a bizarre tradition, but it’s one of the most notorious in-jokes in Batman fandom. NEXT: Bane’s 10 Best Appearances In DC Animation

XRP Price In The Green – Can It Reach $0.50 Today? – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/xrp-price-in-the-green-can-it-reach-0-50-today-cryptonews/ Source: Unsplash The price of Ripple’s XRP token is in the green for the past 24 hours, after buyers bid it up from a strong support zone yesterday. And although $0.50 may be a stretch today, the significant price level could be in play once highs from this week are taken out. As of Thursday at 11:36 UTC, XRP traded at $0.44, up 2.8% for the past 24 hours and up 2.7% for the past 7 days. Notably, the token also stands out as one of the best-performing tokens over the past 30 days among the top 100 coins by market cap with a gain of 33.2%. XRP 30-day price chart. Source: CoinGecko The gains today came after the token reached a peak of $0.56 on Friday last week, which was followed by a near week-long sell-off. The selling intensified in recent days, before buyers entered the scene on Wednesday to bid the price up from the $0.42 support zone. The question for traders now is whether XRP will continue to rise after bouncing off the support zone yesterday, or if the downtrend from the past few days instead will resume. Looking at the token purely from a technical analysis standpoint, it’s clear that the short-term trend is now up. This can clearly be seen on the hourly chart, with a series of higher lows since the market bottomed yesterday around 8am UTC. Zooming out to the daily timeframe, however, we can see that a fall towards previous resistance-turned support around $0.385 could be in the cards. It’s also worth noting that the daily relative strength index (RSI) has fallen from “overbought” territory, and is now in the upper half of the neutral zone. To the upside, the first major obstacle would be Wednesday’s high of around $0.45 area. If that level is taken out, further upside towards highs from earlier this week around $0.50 could also be seen within a relatively short amount of time. Ripple court case lingers on As reported by Cryptonews.com on Wednesday, XRP was down 11% over the course of just 24 hours that day as the Ripple vs. SEC legal battle lingers on. The latest news from the case now is that both Ripple and the SEC have filed for the court to make a summary judgment on the case, which would bring it to a close. Such a judgment isn’t going to be made immediately, but the fact that both parties have called for it means that it’s now on the horizon. Ripple has been involved in a legal battle against the US financial regulator since December of 2020, when the SEC brought a suit against the firm for its sale of XRP tokens to investors.

All Prime Gaming Games You Can Download In October 2022: Fallout 76, Middle-Earth & More – Dexerto https://collincountynewsonline.com/all-prime-gaming-games-you-can-download-in-october-2022-fallout-76-middle-earth-more-dexerto/ Get ready and buckle up as Prime Gaming has revealed what’s in store for October. A slew of games and exclusive content will be there to redeem, so here’s everything you need to know. Every month, Prime Gaming gives its users a chance to bag a handful of games and exclusive content for several titles at no extra cost and it’s no different for October. From exploring the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout to diving into the magical land of Middle-earth, the list is extensive. Wondering what’s included in Prime Gaming for October? Here’s a rundown of everything for you to claim and keep in your library. Contents October Games with Prime Exclusive Content How to redeem free games What games will be available with Prime Gaming in October? At the time of writing, a total of seven games have been confirmed for the month of October. We will make sure to update the section as more details start to surface online. Here are all the games that will be included with Prime Gaming in October: Fallout 76 Total War: Warhammer II Middle-earth: Shadow of War Glass Masquerade: Origins LOOM Hero’s Hour Horace With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the exclusive content included with October’s Prime. Exclusive content available with Prime Gaming For Autumn, Prime Gaming has teamed up with Madden NFL 23 and League of Legends to bring some exciting in-game content. Celebrate a New Season with Prime Gaming and Madden NFL 23 – Prime Gaming along with EA SPORTS has more Madden Ultimate Team packs for you, offering the ultimate football experience. Prime members can now claim the Prime Gaming Madden Ultimate Team pack, which will feature Thursday Night Football themes, including a 1x 87 OVR Ultimate Kickoff Program Player and 1x Ultimate Kickoff Program Vanity Uniform. Claim an Exclusive League of Legends Esports Emote During the Worlds Championships – Prime members can claim an exclusive Esports emote during this year’s League of Legends World Championships Knockouts and Finals stages from October 18 to November 5, 2022. Monthly League of Legends Capsules will also be available offering Riot Points, Skins, Skin Shards, and other benefits. How to redeem free games via Prime Gaming Collecting your games from Prime Gaming is an extremely simple process. All you need to do is follow the steps outlined below: Visit the official website Prime Gaming website. Log into your account. Navigate to the games list – click “Claim” on the title you want to claim. So, there you have it – that’s every game and in-game content available with Prime Gaming for October 2022. Be sure to check our Prime Gaming page to not miss out on any content.