Collin County News Online

It Brings Them Joy: Two-Thirds Of Americans Play Video Games – WATE 6 On Your Side https://collincountynewsonline.com/it-brings-them-joy-two-thirds-of-americans-play-video-games-wate-6-on-your-side/ NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Did you know two-thirds of Americans play video games regularly? The latest gaming industry report revealed roughly 215.5 million Americans play video games. The report is commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and showcases a world where people of all ages, races, genders and backgrounds game. “The video game industry has really blossomed over the past 40-plus years, from the games we played at home, like Pong and Atari, and then the arcades, to now these lush storylines on photorealistic screens,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, the President and CEO of ESA. Pierre-Louis said those leading the pack in play aren’t teenagers. “There are more people 45 and older playing than under 18.” According to the report, the average age of a video game player is 33. The majority of those who play are male but not by much. “48% of gamers are women, which we found to be a growing and steady number,” he said. The most popular reason adults give for gaming – it brings them joy. “They might come in for the nostalgia. They might stay a little bit longer for the visuals and the sound effects and the great storylines, but they’re going to really stay because they’re part of a community,” he explained. Connection was especially key during the COVID-19 pandemic’s peak. Those polled expressed overwhelming affirmation for the friendships and relationships they developed through group play. “There’s nothing more we want today than really feel like we belong,” Pierre-Louis said. A majority foster that finding. 92% of players ages 18 to 34 play with others. 89% for those ages 35 to 44. And, 56% for those 65 and older. “The AARP, for example, reports that the most popular page on their website is their video game site,” he pointed out. Linking people from around the world in gaming brings purpose and pleasure. “97% of Americans, whether they play games or not found that video games can really add benefits to our lives. And it really showcases where games are today in the American mind and in the American heart that people view it as a force for good,” he said.

Yankees Vs. Guardians Weather Forecast: ALDS Game 5 Delayed During Rainy Night In New York – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/yankees-vs-guardians-weather-forecast-alds-game-5-delayed-during-rainy-night-in-new-york-cbs-sports/ Getty Images NEW YORK — Monday night, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians will finish up their ALDS matchup with Game 5 at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. The Yankees won Game 4 on Sunday night to force the winner-take-all Game 5. The winner will take on the Houston Astros in the ALCS. The loser goes home. Here’s how you can watch Game 5. Due to rain in the forecast, however, the start of Game 5 has been delayed. A rescheduled time for first pitch has not yet been announced. MLB makes all weather-related decisions in the postseason and the league has been meeting every hour or so since 6 p.m. ET. First pitch was originally scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET.  “I think everybody was on the same page when we spoke,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said about MLB’s afternoon calls with the two teams. “As long as we can play the game and not have it look like it’s going to get interrupted and have that force a little bit of an outcome, (we’d) like to play.” Game 2 of the ALDS was postponed due to rain, forcing the Yankees and Guardians to play Games 2-5 on four consecutive days. The current forecast indicates a Game 5 postponement is unlikely. From CBS News New York: There is rain in the forecast for ALDS Game 5. CBS News New York In the event Game 5 is postponed, it would be played Tuesday, during what is currently a scheduled off-day between the ALDS and ALCS. That could very well be an afternoon game since the winner has to travel to Houston for Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday. The Yankees will start righty Jameson Taillon (14-5, 3.91 ERA) in Game 5. The Guardians will counter with righty Aaron Civale (5-6, 4.92 ERA). Both starters are expected to be on a short leash. Here’s how each team’s bullpen is set up for Game 5.

North Texas Counties Prepare Poll Workers For Early Voting – WFAA.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/north-texas-counties-prepare-poll-workers-for-early-voting-wfaa-com/ Monday marks exactly one week away from the start of early voting. DALLAS COUNTY, Texas — Monday marks exactly one week away from the start of early voting. Below are poll worker updates from our county elections offices:  COLLIN COUNTY “Going into the week before, we feel pretty good about where we are,” elections administrator Bruce Sherbet told WFAA Monday. Collin County election officials said they expect about 700 poll workers will be working this election. Sherbet said they only have about half a dozen spots left to fill. “We have people in line. We’re just getting everyone placed. We’re moving some people around last minute,” Sherbet said. “But we have all intentions on having everyone in place in time.” Voting equipment is being delivered and training courses are being held this week, according to the elections administrator. “All the equipment’s been prepared. All the supplies are in place,” Sherbet said. “So these are the last minute things you do when you’re getting ready for voting to start.”  For more information on becoming a poll worker in Collin County, click here. DALLAS COUNTY Two weeks ago, numbers showed Dallas County only had about half of the 3,000 poll workers it needed to run the polls. Now, the Dallas County Elections Department says it has 2,831 poll workers confirmed, which includes 520 student workers. “If (the election) were today, we would already have more than enough people to run the election,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. “Kudos to the elections department, the Republican Party, and the Democratic Party, who all work together to fill these important positions.” For more information on becoming a poll worker in Dallas County, click here.  DENTON COUNTY Denton County elections officials told WFAA Monday they need 200 more poll workers to reach their desired total of 1,300. So far, they have 1,100 poll workers confirmed. “We have a ton of applications so filling the last couple hundred will not be a problem for us,” elections administrator Frank Phillips said in a statement. For more information on becoming a poll worker in Denton County, click here. TARRANT COUNTY  We’ve reached out to the Tarrant County Elections Office for an updated number of poll workers and are waiting to hear back.   For more information on becoming a poll worker in Tarrant County, click here.

Michelle Lewis Flying High With Her Kearney Travel Business – Kearney Hub https://collincountynewsonline.com/michelle-lewis-flying-high-with-her-kearney-travel-business-kearney-hub/ MARY JANE SKALA Hub Staff Writer According to a WalletHub study of the 182 largest cities in the US, these are the safest and least safe cities in the country. KEARNEY — Once upon a time, Michelle Lewis was a bored housewife. Married and the mother of three, she signed up for a class on interior design at the community college near her home in Derby, Kansas, but the class was canceled. On a whim, Lewis replaced it with a five-month class on travel careers. “It sounded interesting,” she said. Now, 34 years after she graduated from the travel careers division of what was then the Climate Institute offered at the community college, she has become one of the top 500 agents with ALG Vacations (Apple Leisure Group), based on productivity, in the U.S. Lewis owns Independent Travel Service at 816 E. 25th St. in Kearney. This map of the U.S., comprised of license plates, hangs on the wall outside Michelle Lewis’ office. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB “I loved that class. At first, I just liked intermingling with people, but as we got into the systems and booking trips, it got more and more interesting,” she said. One week after she completed the class, the family moved to Crete. Within four days, she found a job as an issuing agent at a travel agency in nearby Lincoln. She earned $3.46 an hour. “Those online agencies like Expedia and Cheap Tickets all use a travel agency to have tickets issued,” she said. One year later, the family moved to Kearney. Since no travel agency jobs were available here, she worked in the office of Paul Younes. “That was a great experience learning about the hotel business. Hotels are the fastest way to move up the chain in this field, but I still loved booking airline tickets and travel packages,” she said. Lewis finds nearby places as fascinating as distant destinations. This is the covered bridge in Madison County, Iowa. MICHELLE LEWIS, COURTESY A few years later, she became an agent with the now-closed Adventure Travel. At the same time, she and a friend launched Expression Wear, an embroidery business, in the same building. During this period, she also got divorced and became a single parent. “I was running up and down the hall every day and raising three kids on my own, but my parents always told me, ‘Remember: There’s nothing you can’t handle,’ so I took a deep breath and just did it. I didn’t think about it. You do what you have to do,” she said. She worked hard at Adventure Travel, but decided she could make more money if she went out on her own, so she did. She founded Independent Travel Service. In 2017, with the travel industry booming, she sold Expression Wear. “The travel industry was my first love,” she said. Michelle Lewis does 90% of her business over the phone, with the assistance of her computer. Mary Jane Skala Pandemic slow-down Like all travel agents, Lewis’ toughest period was March 2020 when the world shut down due to COVID-19. “The cancellations started coming in, and it felt like 9/11 all over again. I said, ‘I hope it’s not as bad as that,’ but it was much, much worse,” she said. For the next 10 months, she didn’t earn a dime, but she came into the office every day. “People weren’t out and about, but 90% of my business is done over the phone,” she said. “I had to cancel clients’ upcoming trips, but I had to get in line to get on the phone with the airlines. December 2020 was the first time I issued a ticket where I made money,” she added. By January 2021, people were eager to travel, and Mexico was a popular pick because “it’s a prime spot and easy to get to,” she said. By the third week in January, people could go in and out of Mexico without being tested for COVID, but the U.S. required tests for Americans returning to the U.S. Those who tested positive had to stay in Mexico, “so that put the skids on things,” she said. The Caribbean required testing, too, as did Jamaica and Costa Rica, “so people shifted their destinations,” she said. By the summer of 2021 (“a long summer”), people were tired of COVID and began resuming travel in larger numbers. By now, most countries have lifted testing requirements. Lewis returned from the Bahamas on Sept. 24. She had to have a test going in, but testing was lifted when she came back. “That was relaxing,” she said. This sign describes Michelle Lewis. It hangs on the wall outside her office. MARY JANE SKALA, KEARNEY HUB Airline trouble Lewis, who was born and raised in Litchfield, said the airlines are still recovering from their drastic losses during COVID. “It’s tough,” she said. “There’s a pilot shortage. Airlines want pilots to come back, but many found other jobs in other fields or decided to stay retired. Some got jobs with smaller airlines,” she said. Flight attendants, too, found other jobs or changed careers. Today’s air passengers may notice quite a few older flight attendants for that reason, she said. She has seen other changes: “In the middle of Nebraska, travel insurance has never been a big deal, but cancellation insurance has gotten popular now,” she said. She’s also concerned about the damage done by Hurricane Ian in late September on Florida’s southwest coast. She has been unable to contact some hotels and resorts she regularly deals with, but she applauds airlines that have changed vacation locations for some passengers without a penalty. “Maybe that was due to COVID. You can now cancel most flights without a penalty,” she said. Happy customers Lewis is the last travel agent with an office in Kearney. Others have relocated to Grand Island and beyond, but she believes in keeping her presence here even though she does 90% of her business over the phone with people she has never met personally. She has formed lasting friendships that way as well. She handles a wealth of business travel and conventions, too. She is excited about the new Denver Air Connection air service that begins in Kearney Nov. 1. Lewis sits on the city’s Air Transportation Committee, and she was at a reception at the Kearney Regional Airport Oct. 5 when DAC unveiled its planes. SkyWest Airlines, the airline that previously served the city, is pulling out of Kearney and 28 other cities in 14 states due to chronic pilot shortages. “Lots of cities were affected, but we got lucky because air connections wanted us,” she said. “We were fortunate. Kearney is a wonderful community.” Her favorite part of her job? Her customers. One Pleasanton couple took a tour across Canada in August and came in a few weeks later to show Lewis their pictures. “They said that was the best trip they ever had,” she said, beaming. She heard the same thing from a Cozad couple who recently took a fall foliage trip to New England. “That’s what keeps me going,” she said. “These have been trying times, but for the most part, I’ve had wonderful opportunities, and I’ve met a lot of wonderful people.” Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

FOX News Digital Finishes Third Quarter As Number One With Multiplatform Minutes And Views – Business Wire https://collincountynewsonline.com/fox-news-digital-finishes-third-quarter-as-number-one-with-multiplatform-minutes-and-views-business-wire/ NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–FOX News Digital finished the third quarter of 2022 as the top-performing news organization in the competitive set in multiplatform minutes and views according to Comscore.* FOX News Digital closed out the quarter delivering over 8.5 billion total multiplatform minutes, over 4.3 billion total multiplatform views, and averaged 80 million monthly multiplatform unique visitors. For the month of September, FOX News Digital was number one in the competitive set with over 2.7 billion multiplatform minutes.** Additionally, FOX News Digital saw over 1.4 billion multiplatform views and nearly 82 million multiplatform unique visitors in September. FOX News Digital remained the most engaged brand on social media in the competitive set for the quarter, with 104 million total social interactions, notching the 32nd straight quarter (97th consecutive month) FOX News Digital has placed on top, according to Emplifi. Specifically, FOX News Digital drove 46 million interactions on Facebook, 46.3 million interactions on Instagram and 11.9 million interactions on Twitter. Notably this was the 26th quarter in a row (77th consecutive month) FOX News placed first in Instagram interactions and 33rd quarter leading Facebook interactions (97th consecutive month). FOX News also placed first with YouTube video views among news brands for the 5th straight quarter (20th consecutive month), garnering over 848 million video views, according to Shareablee. For the quarter, FOXBusiness.com drove 425 million multiplatform views, an 18% increase year over year, besting CNN Business for the second consecutive quarter.*** Additionally, the business network delivered 754 million multiplatform minutes (+25% versus the prior year) and averaged 19.8 million monthly multiplatform unique visitors for the quarter. FOX Business was number one in the business news competitive set with YouTube video views with 164 million video views for the quarter, up 77% over last year, according to Shareablee. THIRD QUARTER 2022 FOX NEWS DIGITAL VS. CNN.COM AND NYTIMES.COM Multi-Platform Total Views FOX News Digital – 4,365,000,000 (down 16 percent vs. 3Q 2021) CNN.com – 4,024,000,000 (down 9 percent vs. 3Q 2021) NYTimes.com – 3,850,000,000 (up 18 percent vs. 3Q 2021) Multi-Platform Total Minutes FOX News Digital – 8,506,000,000 (down 20 percent vs. 3Q 2021) CNN.com – 6,935,000,000 (down 5 percent vs. 3Q 2021) NYTimes.com – 3,834,000,000 (up 42 percent vs. 3Q 2021) Average Multi-Platform Monthly Unique Visitors FOX News Digital – 80,016,000 (down 16 percent vs. 3Q 2021) CNN.com – 117,271,000 (down 12 percent vs. 3Q 2021) NYTimes.com – 81,889,000 (up 5 percent vs. 3Q 2021) SEPTEMBER 2022 FOX NEWS DIGITAL VS. CNN.COM AND NYTIMES.COM Multi-Platform Total Views FOX News Digital – 1,405,000,000 (down 8 percent vs. August 2022) CNN.com – 1,407,000,000 (up 3 percent vs. August 2022) NYTimes.com – 1,283,000,000 (down 3 percent vs. August 2022) Multi-Platform Total Minutes FOX News Digital – 2,743,000,000 (down 6 percent vs. August 2022) CNN.com – 2,394,000,000 (up 2 percent vs. August 2022) NYTimes.com – 1,260,000,000 (down 6 percent vs. August 2022) Multi-Platform Unique Visitors FOX News Digital – 81,658,000 (up 5 percent vs. August 2022) CNN.com – 122,491,000 (up 5 percent vs. August 2022) NYTimes.com – 85,409,000 (up 2 percent vs. August 2022) FOX News Media operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Digital, FOX News Audio, FOX News Books, the direct-to-consumer streaming services FOX Nation and FOX News International and the free ad-supported television service FOX Weather. Currently the number one network in all of cable, FNC has also been the most watched television news channel for more than 20 consecutive years, while FBN is the top business channel on cable. Owned by Fox Corporation, FOX News Media reaches nearly 200 million people each month. *Source: Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, Total Digital Audience, Custom-Defined List including CNN.com, NBCNews.com, ABCNews.com, CBSNews.com, Fox News Digital, WashingtonPost.com, NYTimes.com, NYPost Network, Wall Street Journal Online, Insider Inc., and USAToday.com, September 2022, U.S. **Source: Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, Total Digital Audience, Custom-Defined List including CNN.com, NBCNews.com, ABCNews.com, CBSNews.com, Fox News Digital, WashingtonPost.com, NYTimes.com, NYPost Network, Wall Street Journal Online, Insider Inc., and USAToday.com, September 2022, U.S. & Comscore Mobile Metrix®, Mobile App Only, [FOX News Mobile App and CNN Mobile App], September 2022, U.S. ***Source: Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, Total Digital Audience, Custom-Defined List including FoxBusiness.com, Bloomberg.com, CNBC.com, CNN Business, Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, HuffPost Business, MarketWatch, Motley Fool, MSN Money, TheStreet.com, USA TODAY Money, WSJ Online, Yahoo! Finance, September 2022, U.S.

Here’s How To Make Pumpkin Spice Mix At Home | Healthy Living With Megan Evans – ABC10.com KXTV https://collincountynewsonline.com/heres-how-to-make-pumpkin-spice-mix-at-home-healthy-living-with-megan-evans-abc10-com-kxtv/ Make this homemade pumpkin spice mix to use in things like pumpkin recipes this fall. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — We’re officially in pumpkin season which means lots of pumpkin recipes! Make this homemade pumpkin spice mix to use in things like a pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes and more. Ingredients 2 tbsp Cinnamon 4 tsp Ground Ginger 2 tsp Cloves 1 tsp Nutmeg Instructions Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Store in an air-tight container to use all pumpkin season long! ABC10: Watch, Download, Read ABC10 Stream ABC10 live newscasts and on demand video with our app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV.

On Air Today: Michael Koh’s Sports Weekend – Chapelboro.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/on-air-today-michael-kohs-sports-weekend-chapelboro-com/ 97.9 The Hill’s Michael Koh and Andrew Stuckey discussed the UNC sports weekend, including new basketball rankings, football’s victory over Duke, women’s soccer, and field hockey. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: RSS

Top Brands In Web3, NFTs And The Metaverse – CoinDesk https://collincountynewsonline.com/top-brands-in-web3-nfts-and-the-metaverse-coindesk/ Ekin Genç has written for Bloomberg Businessweek, EUobserver, Motherboard, and Decrypt. Despite being in the midst of a “crypto winter,” major companies are still investing and announcing plans for Web3 growth, from Warner Music and Disney staffing up for Web3 expansions to Starbucks announcing its non-fungible token loyalty program, Odyssey. Many brands have already been launching NFT collections and pursuing Web3 strategies and investments such as buying digital land in the metaverse. The companies betting on Web3 are from various industries, with apparel, drinks or luxury sectors the most represented. We took a look at the top revenue from NFTs on Ethereum and also included brands that’ve chosen to utilize other blockchains to drive their Web3 growth. Here’s some of the brands already making big waves – and big money in Web3. Using data from a dashboard on Dune Analytics that tracks big brands’ NFT revenue, CoinDesk looked at what was driving these brands’ success. We combined Budweiser and Bud Light, below, into one that encapsulated most of what AB InBev, the parent company, is doing in Web3. “NFT Brands Revenue Tracker” by kingjames23 (Dune Analytics) Before the more mainstream Web3 push began, Nike was making moves, receiving a patent for “CryptoKicks,” a blockchain-linked sneaker. Nike also ran a blockchain trial with Macy’s and Auburn University’s RFID Lab in March, 2020, to better share product data across the retail supply chain. But it was in December 2021, when Nike acquired NFT sneaker studio RTFKT Studios, that marked Nike’s major move in Web3. RTFKT is behind the 20,000-piece CloneX NFT collection, with a trading volume of 436 ETH ($584,240) as of this writing. In February 2022, RTFKT gave commercial rights to CloneX NFT holders, allowing them to create derivative projects, mint fan art and make and sell merchandise featuring their avatars. Continuing its Web3 push well into the bear market, in April 2022, Nike launched a metaverse sneaker line called RTFKT x Nike Dunk Genesis CryptoKicks. Fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana’s September 2021 NFT collection titled “Collezione Genesi” includes nine NFTs including “The Impossible Tiara,” a rare tiara adorned with diamonds and red emeralds. It launched on UNXD, a luxury marketplace on the Polygon network, where the two-day bidding for the collection fetched approximately $5.65 million. “The Doge Crown” NFT sold for the highest amount – 423.5 ETH, or around $1.3 million at the time. Since the successful launch, D&G and UNXD have teamed up to create the DGFamily, an NFT community “for digital luxury and culture.” Considered one of the most classic luxury brands, Tiffany entered the Web3 world with what, relatively speaking, is one of the most classic NFT projects, CryptoPunks. In August 2022, Tiffany unveiled 250 digital necklaces for 30 ETH each (about $50,000 at that time) – available exclusively to the holders of CryptoPunk NFTs. These diamond-encrusted pendant NFTs allowed holders to redeem them for physical necklaces. One user flipped a Tiffany CryptoPunk necklace for almost double the price, 55 ETH, which remains the highest sale so far. Italian luxury fashion brand Gucci has a multi-faceted Web3 strategy, from NFTs to metaverse land to investing in a DAO and allowing cryptocurrency payments. In the realm of NFTs, Gucci turned its Aria fashion collection into an NFT video In May 2021, which sold for $25,000 at auction house Christie’s Proof of Sovereignty sale. It followed with the launch of 1,000 NFTs in collaboration with the toy brand Superplastic in February, 2022. Each NFT, which sold for 1.5 ETH, or approximately $2,623 at the time, can be redeemed for a ceramic sculpture handmade in Italy and co-designed by Gucci. The company also bet on the future of the metaverse around the same time as the Superplastic collaboration, buying an undisclosed amount of virtual land on The Sandbox to create themed experiences in its digital space dubbed Gucci Vault. Gucci also bought $25,000 worth of RARE tokens in June 2022 to join the SuperRareDAO and launch a digital “Vault Art Space.” Finally, some Gucci stores in the U.S. started accepting several cryptocurrencies including bitcoin and dogecoin as of May 2022. Ass of August 2022, that also includes apeCoin. Adidas started putting some stakes in Web3 in November 2021. The brand acquired land in The Sandbox, though how it got the land remains unclear: The company either paid for it off-chain or was simply gifted them. In the same month, it also partnered with Coinbase, though it gave no details as to why and as of writing, no further information has been provided. Then came a big splash. In December 2021, Adidas made a whopping $23.4 million in one afternoon with the debut of its “Into the Metaverse” NFT drop in collaboration with the Bored Ape Yacht Club, PUNKS Comic NFT creator Pixel Vault and private NFT collector gmoney. In January 2022, Adidas and Prada launched an NFT project called the “adidas for Prada re-source” on the Polygon network, which allows fans to contribute with their own designs. As of writing, it has made 474 ETH (or about $616,000) in trading volume. Time Inc., the publisher of more than 90 magazines, has had its feet dipped in the cryptocurrency world for quite a while now. It started accepting bitcoin for select properties in December 2014. In the latest bull market, Time released 3 NFTs of its red-bordered magazine covers, selling for $446,000 ETH. The company also partnered with artist collective FOTO and took in 12-year-old NFT creator Nyla Hayes as its first artist in residence, to help propel their careers and develop a collection for Time’s Build a Better Future drop. AB InBev: Budweiser and Bud Light The world’s largest brewing company, AB InBev has gone big with two of its American-born brands, Budweiser and Bud Light. Budweiser has flirted with crypto for years. In May 2014, Budweiser teamed up with Coinbase on a bitcoin payments initiative for concert goers. In June 2019, Budweiser invested an undisclosed amount in blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) startup BanQ to assist unbanked workers. The company’s strategy took a Web3 turn in August 2021, when Budweiser bought the beer.eth domain for 30 ETH ($95,000 at the time) and a rocket NFT for 8 ETH ($25,00 at the time). In November 2021, Budweiser released its first set of NFTs, Budverse Cans: Heritage Edition, which consists of 1,936 NFTs, a reference to the year the company released beer in cans. In January 2022, Budweiser partnered with 22 emerging artists and dropped a collection of 11,00 NFTs, with a mint price of $499 per NFT. In February 2022, Bud Light took things to IRL: It aired a Super Bowl commercial featuring Nouns NFT. Later in that month, it released 2,000 NFTs in connection with its new beer brand, N3XT. Each NFT sold for $399, and each NFT holder could claim a pair of Nouns-inspired glasses. In June 2022, Stella, and later Budweiser, partnered with Ethereum-based NFT horse racing game Zed Run to release in-game horse skins based on its Clydesdale mascots, among other things. In April 2022, tennis tournament the Australian Open (AO) released a collection of 6,776 AO Art Ball NFTs in partnership with Sweet.io. AO also teamed up with metaverse design firm Run It Wild to create the metaverse version of its Rod Laver Arena. Interestingly, the NFTs are not just a static art. Each ball tracks match metadata and was linked to a 19 cm x 19 cm section on a tennis court. A winning shot that lands on any section of the court is linked to an owner’s NFT. If one of the 11 championship points landed on the plot, the owner of the connected NFT was rewarded with a physical ball used in the game, encased in a custom handcrafted case. Each ball sold for around 0.07 ETH (about $90 at the time). Finally, French fashion brand Lacoste ventured into Web3 with the launch of its NFT collection in June 2022. The 11,212-piece NFT collection is a reference to its polo shirt called L1212. Before its foray into a true Web3 venture, Lacoste also worked with Minecraft to feature its clothing line in the popular world-building game, which is often talked about as part of the metaverse with similar open-world games like RoBlox. Top brands on other blockchains The National Basketball Association’s partnership with Dapper Labs to launch NBA Top Shot in 2020 is a success story in the NFT collectibles space. Dapper Labs shared with CoinDesk that since the launch, the secondary sales have netted over $1 billion in sales through over 22 million transactions. Of course, not all of that money goes to the NBA, but the 5% fee users pay is split between Dapper and the NBA so that’s a cool $50 million between them. In September 2022, the NBA announced an additional partnership with Sorare as its official fantasy partner, and has also filed for NFT trademarks as well as registering two .eth domains – it’s clear the NBA’s game plans for Web3 are growing. The National Football League is also worth noting for working with Dapper Labs to launch NFL All Day, another NFT collectibles marketplace. While the figures shared with CoinDesk are not as exceptional as for NBA Top Shot, $65 million in secondary sales is still a significant number. The NFL has also partnered with Polygon to send “Virtual Commemorative Tickets” as NFTs to Ticketmaster wallets, and gave out unique NFTs to every fan at Super Bowl LVI. In May 2022, the NFL announced a partnership with Mythical Games to launch a play-to-earn game in 2023, which will make the NFL the first American league to kick off a play-to-earn venture. This article was originally published on Oct 17, 2022 at 9:19 p.m. UTC Sign up for Crypto Long & Short, our weekly newsletter featuring insights, news and analysis for the professional investor. B...

Four Leaf Introduces Innovative Slim Can Cooler Which Is The Perfect Blend Of Durability, Functionality, And Aesthetics To Keep Beverages Cold – Digital Journal https://collincountynewsonline.com/four-leaf-introduces-innovative-slim-can-cooler-which-is-the-perfect-blend-of-durability-functionality-and-aesthetics-to-keep-beverages-cold-digital-journal/ The Four Leaf Can Cooler is an innovative addition to the world of home essentials products as it combines durability, functionality, and comfort in a single product In recent years, the demand for drinkware products has risen, especially among women. Due to the rising popularity of hard seltzers and sparkling water, more and more female customers are choosing those drinks over other carbonated beverages. As a result, there has been an increase in the consumption of those beverages. In addition to that, new brands are constantly appearing on the market which makes it difficult for shoppers to choose what brand is reliable and trustworthy. Women want to drink in style but they also want products that are durable and reliable. Among the many home essentials brands in the United States, Four Leaf is one company that is exceptional in its approach towards the manufacturing of drinkware as they make sure their products meet the needs and desires of their customers in every way. Today, the company is excited to announce the launch of its Slim Can Cooler For 12 Oz Slim Cans. Speaking about the new drinkware, a spokesperson for Four Leaf had this to say, “At Four Leaf, we believe that durability, functionality, and comfort should go hand in hand with beautiful design. The result is our instantly recognizable products in bold designs catering to any taste. We are confident our customers will love it, especially the ladies. Our products are designed to be aesthetic and functional. They are an instant conversation starter for any occasion.” The Four Leaf Slim Can Cooler is a standout among can coolers in terms of flexibility. Its holder provides a snug fit for most 12oz cans, making it great for beverages like beer, hard seltzer, or energy drinks. Koozies are loved for their portability and Four Leaf’s Slim Can is not an exception. With Grip-Lock technology, users can easily push their cans in one smooth motion, which also makes it easy to remove. The silicone gasket creates a tight seal that keeps beverages cold for hours. Another noteworthy feature of the Slim Can Cooler is its aesthetic and ergonomic design. Most koozies on the market have the normal vertical, straight design. Unlike them, this product focuses on having an ergonomic shape with a curve design for a much more comfortable experience while holding. This to avoid repetitive strain injuries caused by holding an unnatural position for too long, or by repeating the same motion repeatedly. Four Leaf Slim Can Coolers come in fun designs to express a lady’s unique personality. Whether she’s alone or hanging out with friends, she loves to enjoy moments with her favorite beverage and a product that allows her to keep her drinks chilled from the first sip to the last is a delight. Additionally, with their affinity for drinking in style, these can coolers help ladies to hide the boring drinks logo and instead let them show off their styles through various designs. The product is available in many vibrant designs, and additional options are expected to be added soon. “This slim can cooler surprisingly keeps my hard seltzers colder longer in the crazy heat,” explained Anna Brooks, a user in the United States. “Fits nicely, awesome color, easy to hold and use. I first bought one to begin with and ended up buying some more for my besties. They also love it!” The Four Leaf Slim Can Cooler is an essential piece for any occasion whether it is an outdoor or indoor event. About Four Leaf Four Leaf is a US-based home essentials products manufacturer. The company thrives on the belief that durability, functionality and comfort should go hand in hand with beautiful design. This is why they offer quality home products at affordable prices that are durable, cool, and functional. The company started from the idea that style and flair can be added to everyday products. If catching designs are used in creating tech gadgets, fashion wears, and other luxury items, Four Leaf believes the same system should be upheld in the production of home essentials products. There is a rich lineup of quality, stylish, and durable home essentials products at Four Leaf. Please visit www.fourleaf.so for more information. Media Contact Company Name: Four Leaf LLC Contact Person: Anna Myers Email: Send Email Country: United States Website: https://fourleaf.so/

Kanye West To Buy Crypto-Friendly Social Media Platform Parler – Decrypt https://collincountynewsonline.com/kanye-west-to-buy-crypto-friendly-social-media-platform-parler-decrypt/ Move over, Elon. Ye is getting his own social media platform. Kanye West, the controversial entertainer and supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has agreed in principle to purchase the right-leaning social media platform Parler, according to Parler. Parlement Technologies is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement in principle for Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to acquire the Parler platform. The acquisition ensures Parler a future role in creating an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome. pic.twitter.com/KXdhV71prl — Parler (@parler_app) October 17, 2022 No stranger to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, Ye sang the praises of the technology during an October 2020 appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience. “The bitcoin guys have a perspective on what the true liberation of America and humanity will be,” he said. More recently, a photo of Ye wearing a “Satoshi Nakamoto” hat made the rounds on social media. The move to purchase Parler comes in the wake of West’s Twitter and Instagram accounts being suspended for what the platforms called “antisemitic comments” earlier this month—something he won’t have to worry about with his own platform.  According to Parler, the agreement is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2022. It will include ongoing technical support from Parler’s parent company, Parlement Technologies. Launched in September 2018, Parler has long touted itself as a free-speech Twitter alternative. Following the January 6 capital riot, Parler was removed from the Google Play and Apple App stores. Parler was also removed from Amazon Web Services (AWS) for what the tech giant called its lack of policing of questionable and violent content. Parler resumed service on February 15, 2021, with added content filters. The app returned to the Apple App Store on May 17, 2021, and Google Play on September 2, 2022. That same month, Parler announced the raise of $16 million in Series B funding. Parler had 1.3 million visitors to its website in August, according to analytics website SimilarWeb. In contrast, there were 9 million monthly visitors on Trump’s Truth Social, 6.8 billion on Twitter, and 18.2 billion to Facebook. In March, Parler launched its NFT marketplace DeepRedSky. The first launch featured a line of digital art, “CryptoTRUMP Club,” featuring Trump’s image. Later collections include the Babylon Bee, Brandon Tatum, and the POTUS TRUMP NFT collection headed by former first lady Melania Trump, Melania Trump made waves of her own after launching a separate series of NFT collections on the Solana blockchain. The Solana foundation quickly distanced itself from the project. “I wanted to inform you, to avoid any confusion, that her choice to use the Solana blockchain was completely organic, and this project is not part of any Solana-led initiative,” a representative told Decrypt. Non-fungible tokens, better known as NFTs, are cryptographically unique tokens linked to digital and physical content or memberships that provide proof of ownership. Parlement Technologies is optimistic about the prospect of West’s ownership. “This deal will change the world, and change the way the world thinks about free speech,” Parlement Technologies CEO George Farmer said in a blog post. “Ye is making a groundbreaking move into the free speech media space and will never have to fear being removed from social media again. “Once again, Ye proves that he is one step ahead of the legacy media narrative,” Farmer continued. “Parlement will be honored to help him achieve his goals.” Representatives for West and Parler have not yet responded to requests for comment from Decrypt. Stay on top of crypto news, get daily updates in your inbox.

GAO Examines U.S. Border Practices In Facing Record Numbers Of Migrants – The Washington Post https://collincountynewsonline.com/gao-examines-u-s-border-practices-in-facing-record-numbers-of-migrants-the-washington-post/ Migrant families who were released along the border last year with instructions to show up later at U.S. immigration offices generally complied with those directives, but most of the addresses initially gathered by the government were wrong or incomplete, an oversight report to Congress said Monday. The findings by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the nonpartisan congressional agency that is the government’s primary oversight body, examined some of the ad hoc practices deployed by the Biden administration to contend with record numbers of border-crossers in U.S. custody. When the number of migrants entering the country illegally soared in the months after Biden took office in 2021, U.S. Border Patrol stations were quickly overwhelmed and detention facilities became crowded beyond their pandemic-rated capacity. The administration responded by issuing some family groups a “Notice to Report” directing them to go to an office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at their destination city within 60 days. The process reduced paperwork for U.S. agents along the border, but it essentially amounted to an honor system for migrants asking them to initiate their own potential deportations. U.S. authorities recorded 1.7 million detentions along the Mexico border during the 2021 fiscal year, and this year’s figure is projected to exceed 2.3 million, the highest ever. In 2021, about 450,000 migrants arrived as part of a family group, and that figure rose to approximately 550,000 during the 2022 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. The GAO found the Border Patrol issued nearly 94,000 Notice to Report documents to migrant family members between March 2021 and September 2021, primarily in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. For the first three months of the new process, about 60 percent of the address info gathered by U.S. agents was often incomplete or invalid, the report said. “For example, officials stated that Border Patrol sometimes recorded the onward destination state but not a street or city,” it said. “These officials also stated that the addresses were sometimes associated with an apartment building, but the apartment number was not included. Or, they stated agents may have misspelled the address in the data system or listed an [ICE] field office as the family unit’s destination.” Border Patrol officials also failed to coordinate the program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose offices in U.S. cities were unprepared to receive hundreds of migrants per day lacking court appointments, the report said. Adding to the confusion, migrants were provided with lists of ICE field offices but not instructed to go to specific locations, so immigration officials at those locations had little idea how many people to expect, the GAO found. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who asked the GAO to evaluate the Biden administration’s Notice to Report process, said the findings reflected a “hurried process to get people into the country faster.” “The administration has created a new process at the border and it’s important to understand how it’s working,” Lankford said, in an interview. “Basically they had a backlog at the border and they just moved it into the interior of the country.” The lack of coordination between CBP and ICE during the initial phases of the Notice to Report process in 2021 generated “significant challenges,” the GAO found, as hundreds of migrants began showing up daily on a walk-in basis at ICE field offices. ICE administrative staff couldn’t handle the workload, and crowds of parents with children were left waiting in long lines in the streets outside agency offices, including one with “a waiting room that can accommodate only six people.” The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the GAO report. U.S. Customs and Border Protection responded to criticism of the Notice to Report process by significantly improving the accuracy of the address collection process after June 2021, the GAO said. CBP phased out that process in favor of a different procedure known as Parole with Alternatives to Detention that allowed the government to keep better track of released migrants using electronic monitoring apps and other technology. Migrants released from custody after entering the United States illegally are typically issued a charging document known as a “Notice to Appear,” which initiates the deportation process. Completing the paperwork for those forms typically takes border agents 2 to 2.5 hours, but the new fast-track procedures launched under Biden only take about 30 minutes, the GAO found. Families have generally complied with the government’s instructions, according to GAO. About three-quarters of the roughly 180,000 migrant family members released into the United States under the new programs between March 2021 and February 2022 have reported to ICE offices. In about half of those cases, ICE has initiated deportation proceedings, which generally allows families to remain in the United States while seeking asylum or some other legal residency status through immigration courts, the report said. To track down the roughly 45,000 migrant family members who failed to show up at ICE offices as directed, the agency has sent notices via mail and attempted to contact individuals by phone, the report said. Migrants who do not respond are referred to ICE fugitive operations for possible arrests. ICE officials told the GAO they are concerned about their growing workload because CBP has released about 100,000 additional migrants using Parole with Alternatives to Detention since the spring. Migrants who arrive as part of a family group and state a fear of persecution if returned to their home countries are generally released into the United States and allowed to seek humanitarian protections under U.S. law. The backlog of unresolved asylum claims has ballooned in recent years, and the cases often take years to resolve, creating what is widely acknowledged to be an incentive for migrants who may not have valid claims to avoid a quick deportation and detention.

Tech News: 5 Things To Know In Australia Today – Gizmodo Australia https://collincountynewsonline.com/tech-news-5-things-to-know-in-australia-today-gizmodo-australia-10/ Good morning, it’s Tuesday and you know what that means? We’ve got some tech news to catch up on. 1. Transfer your Netflix profile with Profile Transfer We knew ads were coming to Netflix with a new promo-riddled subscription costing Aussies $6.99 per month, but now the streaming giant has confirmed that you can bring your profile, and its data, to a new account should you wish stop leaching from your friend’s ex-boyfriend. It’s called Profile Transfer and it does what it says on the tin. 2. Ye to buy Parler, Parler breaches privacy Overnight, news emerged that Kanye West was  buying Parler, the right-wing Twitter clone that bills itself as an “uncancelable free speech platform” and known for its lax moderation policies. The move comes a little more than a week after Instagram restricted West, who legally changed his name to Ye, on the platform and Twitter locked him out of his account. But how did Parler tell its loyalest users? By breaching their privacy via email with CC instead of BCC, of course. Read the official press release about Parlement Technologies’ intent to sell the Parler social media platform to Ye: https://t.co/idUow9bvv6 #parler #news pic.twitter.com/sYcyyEBBQI — Parler (@parler_app) October 17, 2022 3. Riot Games secures Aussie foothold Riot Games, the publisher known for League of Legends and Valorant, is expanding its operations to Australia. The company has acquired Wargaming Sydney, previously part of the Wargaming family and working across online and mobile games like World of Tanks and World of Warships. The studio will now be known as Riot Sydney and will lend development support to ongoing Riot projects. 4. TikTok but 18+ TikTok has announced it’s updating its livestream rules to limit kids from going live and to allow streamers to only reach adults. TikTok will be raising the ‘live’ age limit to 18 from 16 and will block youngsters (under 16) from accessing Direct Messaging and you’ll now have to be 18 or older to send virtual gifts or access monetisation features on the platform. The changes will fall into place on November 23. 5. Apple spatial audio expands to Mercs In a natural progression from the feature being on Apple-only devices, the iPhone maker is bringing spatial audio to Mercedes-Benz cars. Apple Music with Spatial Audio now comes fully integrated through the MBUX infotainment system in Mercedes-Maybach models. Spatial audio, if you’re not familiar, is designed to provide cinema-like sound, adding space, clarity and depth to music. It was previously enabled by default on Apple hardware supported by Dolby Atmos, such as iPhone, iPad, Mac and AirPods. BONUS ITEM: This absolute legend of a physicist made over 1,600 Wikipedia entries for unknown female scientists. Enjoy your day.

H-E-B Plano To Open Early Next Month – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth https://collincountynewsonline.com/h-e-b-plano-to-open-early-next-month-nbc-5-dallas-fort-worth/ H-E-B says they’ll open their second location in Collin County on Nov. 2. The Plano location at 6001 Preston Road will open at 6 a.m. Curbside orders can be placed two days before the store opens for pickup on opening day or up to seven days in advance. “At 118,000 square feet, the H-E-B Plano store will showcase all the quality products and innovative services H-E-B customers have come to love and expect, including a full-service H-E-B Pharmacy with a drive-thru, Curbside and Home Delivery service, fuel station and car wash, and a True Texas BBQ restaurant with a drive-thru, which was named best barbecue chain in Texas by Texas Monthly and a top barbecue chain in the nation by Thrillist,” the company said in a statement Monday. The Plano store will be open seven days a week from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. Last month the grocer opened its first Collin County location in Frisco. Additional stores are planned for McKinney and Mansfield, McKinney is expected to open in 2023. The company plans to break ground in Mansfield early next year but hasn’t said when the store will open. H-E-B currently has North Texas stores in Weatherford, Burleson, Waxahachie, Ennis and Cleburne. For more details on the Plano store, visit HEB.com.

Covid Wave Building In Europe Could Throw Holiday Travel Into Chaos – The Washington Post https://collincountynewsonline.com/covid-wave-building-in-europe-could-throw-holiday-travel-into-chaos-the-washington-post/ The summer of 2022 delivered on predictions it would be the season of “revenge travel,” with countries dropping coronavirus restrictions, passengers filling up long-haul flights and cruise ships, and demand soaring to levels not seen since 2019. With the winter holidays approaching, that demand shows no signs of slowing down. The Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 2.5 million passengers on Sunday, the highest daily figure since February 2020. Still, the coronavirus has remained persistent, scuttling long-awaited plans, straining the travel industry’s workforce and making many summer trips turn hellish. Now, health experts are warning another winter surge could be ahead, with cases already rising in Europe and researchers keeping an eye on new strains of the virus. The uptick comes as many Americans headed abroad will have less protection against the dominant omicron variant because vaccination rates for the new bivalent booster are lagging. As of early October, only about 4 percent of eligible Americans had received the new shot. Here’s what to know if you plan to take a big trip this holiday season. Where is the coronavirus surging around the world? Signs point to a surge in Europe, which could foretell another winter wave in the United States. Cases rose by 104 percent in Portugal and 42 percent in Switzerland over the past week, while the virus has also surged in Germany, France, Italy and Austria, according to The Washington Post’s coronavirus tracker. The World Health Organization and European Center for Disease Prevention and Control warned Wednesday that the continent is likely entering a new covid wave, which will coincide with a resurgence in the flu. In the ECDC’s latest weekly report, it noted “widespread increases were being observed in all indicators,” including cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the continent. Covid cases are also up in parts of Asia, including South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, which have dropped most of their travel restrictions in recent months. In Singapore, which has seen a 44 percent increase in the average number of daily reported cases over the past week, the Ministry of Health said Saturday that an omicron subvariant known as XBB jumped from a 22 percent share of local cases to 54 percent over the course of a week. When cases rise in Europe, it’s often “just a matter of weeks or months” until a surge follows in the United States, said Sanjana Ravi, a visiting assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. “We saw that with the delta variant. We saw that with the omicron variant,” Ravi said. “I think it’s safe to take precautions considering that we’re starting to see those numbers go up again in Europe now.” How will the travel industry be affected? A winter covid wave will likely further strain airports and airlines that were plagued by labor shortages over the summer. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has announced that short staffing will force it to cap the number of passengers it can accommodate per day through at least March 2023. Dutch carrier KLM said it would have to reduce winter ticket sales at Schiphol by up to 22 percent because of the limits. Last winter, U.S. airlines were forced to cancel thousands of flights around Christmas as the omicron variant sickened employees. The following week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention halved the isolation period for asymptomatic coronavirus infections to five days, fearing a breakdown in essential services. Henry Harteveldt, a travel analyst at Atmosphere Research Group, said this year’s bookings for holiday travel both within Europe and between the United States and Europe appear strong. Still, he noted, airline executives are concerned about a number of factors that could dampen travel, including a covid surge and economic uncertainty. “It’s as if right now, the travel industry is standing on a plank of wood that can support its weight … but which may splinter at any moment, possibly with little warning,” Harteveldt said in an email. Should I reconsider my travel plans? For young, healthy people who are fully vaccinated, including with the bivalent booster, most travel is safe, said Henry Wu, an associate professor of medicine at Emory University and director of the Emory TravelWell Center. Elderly and immunocompromised individuals, however, might want to consider shifting their plans to avoid crowded areas and countries without high-quality medical care, even if they are vaccinated, Wu said. Ahead of winter, he recommended travelers look for locales with milder weather that allows them to eat outdoors. “Early on in the covid pandemic, a lot of the outbreaks did occur in ski lodges,” Wu said. “We had a lot of people in indoor spaces which probably seem cozy at that moment, but also probably had less than adequate ventilation.” Ravi recommended postponing all nonessential travel to Europe, especially for those at high risk. If you must travel, she said, test before departing home, wear an N95 mask for the duration of transit, and consider bringing an air filter. Lin H. Chen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Travel Medicine Center at Mount Auburn Hospital, recommended travelers consider travel medical insurance in case they have to cancel their trip at the last minute or get sick abroad. Are covid restrictions likely to return? Over the past year, most of the world has relaxed its covid restrictions for travelers, including vaccination, testing and mask mandates. Europe’s top destinations, such as Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, are fully open for tourism. Mark Fischer, a regional medical director at International SOS, a health and security risk management firm, said he does not expect those restrictions to return, even with a winter surge. “However, I think there’s a key focus on the overall health-care burden of the winter respiratory season,” with governments monitoring how covid and the flu together affect hospital systems, Fischer said. Wu said countries dropping their restrictions does not mean measures such as vaccination and wearing a high-quality mask are not “extremely useful” to individual travelers. “I would advise even travelers who are not concerned with severe illness, covid or influenza can still make you miserable on your trip or your vacation,” he said. Chen recommended immunocompromised travelers consider Evusheld, a preventive antibody treatment, before their trip to “supercharge their protection.” Do I need a flu shot, too? After coronavirus precautions kept the flu largely at bay the past two years, Wu said it is “quite possible” seasonal flu makes a major return this winter. He recommended all travelers get their annual flu shots before departing. “I’ve always told travelers that probably the vaccine that’s most likely to save your life, pre-covid, is the flu shot because the flu is just so common, historically, among travelers,” Wu said. Ravi said it’s easy to get your flu shot and bivalent booster at the same time at your local pharmacy. “Just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic at the moment, it doesn’t mean that other respiratory viruses aren’t still a threat,” Ravi said. What if I test positive while abroad? The most important thing travelers can do is build flexibility into their itinerary so they can avoid travel if they do test positive, Wu said. “When you plan your trip, if potentially getting sick and having to stay somewhere an extra four or five or more days is a big problem, then probably that trip is either not the best trip to take, or it means the travelers really should take those precautions to prevent getting sick while traveling,” he said. Chen, the former president of the International Society of Travel Medicine, recommended travelers use ISTM’s online clinic directory to find reliable medical care if they get sick abroad. You should also speak to your doctor before traveling, especially if you think you might need antiviral treatment due to a preexisting condition, she said. Where can I find more information? The CDC provides recommendations for international travel, which urge travelers to be fully up to date on vaccinations, including boosters; wear masks on public transportation; and test before departure and after arrival. The CDC recently ended its country-specific covid-19 travel designations but still issues travel health notices for countries where travelers would be at extreme risk for contracting the coronavirus. The State Department also issues country-specific travel advisories, which factor in covid-19 risk and other threats. Travelers can also check databases such as Sherpa and Kayak for the latest information on coronavirus restrictions in foreign countries.

Diamond’s Panmure Gordon Plots Merger With Listed Rival FinnCap – Sky News https://collincountynewsonline.com/diamonds-panmure-gordon-plots-merger-with-listed-rival-finncap-sky-news/ The City stockbroker controlled by Bob Diamond, the former Barclays chief, is plotting a merger with one of its listed rivals as a slowdown in corporate activity drives a search for bigger cost savings. Sky News has learnt that Panmure Gordon, in which Mr Diamond’s Atlas Merchant Capital took a majority stake in 2017, has approached FinnCap Group about a potential tie-up. Discussions between the two companies are said to be at an early stage, and there was no certainty on Monday evening that they would result in a deal. A merger of Panmure and FinnCap would bring together two of the best-known players in the area of the London stockbroking industry that focuses on advising small and mid-cap companies. FinnCap has endured a difficult period, losing Sam Smith, its prominent chief executive and one of relatively few female City bosses, during the summer. Its shares have slumped by nearly two-thirds during the last year. At Monday’s closing share price of 13.5p, it had a market capitalisation of just £24m. Panmure itself also used to be listed on the London stock market, and it was unclear whether a deal would see it launch a reverse takeover of FinnCap that would see it return to being a listed company. Mr Diamond’s move to take control of Panmure in 2017 came five years after he stepped down as Barclays chief executive just days after it was fined for manipulating the Libor interbank rate. Since then, he has parachuted in Rich Ricci, a former Barclays colleague, as Panmure’s chief executive. Its other shareholders include a vehicle backed by the Qatari royal family. Panmure reported in May that it had turned a profit for the first time since Mr Diamond took control. A dearth of initial public offerings and takeover activity in the City this year have forced investment banks to begin cutting their cost-bases. At the weekend, it was reported that FinnCap was making 10 of its 150-strong workforce redundant, while The Sunday Times said that Numis, Peel Hunt and Zeus Capital were also trimming jobs. Other broking firms are also expected to participate in industry consolidation, including WH Ireland, which is under siege from an activist shareholder. Atlas Merchant Capital and FinnCap both declined to comment.

JobSeeker Has Kept Recipients Below The Poverty Line For Years, But Advocates Say They’ve Never Been Worse Off – ABC News https://collincountynewsonline.com/jobseeker-has-kept-recipients-below-the-poverty-line-for-years-but-advocates-say-theyve-never-been-worse-off-abc-news/ Australia is in the grips of a ballooning cost-of-living crisis — and Leigh is literally paying for it with his health.  Key points: As cost of living pressures bite, there are no plans to increase Centrelink payments such as JobSeeker  Advocates say they’ve never seen JobSeeker recipients struggling to this degree The government says next week’s budget will include “responsible cost of living relief with an economic dividend” The 39-year-old Adelaide resident is a type-two diabetic and was diagnosed in 2019 while on placement for aged care qualifications. He’s now on the $334-per-week JobSeeker payment — widely considered to be below the poverty line — and is struggling to keep up with rapidly rising prices. The jump in food prices means Leigh can’t afford to buy healthy food — and that’s not good for his disability. “Because I can only afford the cheaper food and processed stuff, it’s really bad for my diabetes,” he said. “My blood glucose level spikes immediately. It’s just making my numbers go up. Numbers going up are not good. “If I continue the way I am, it’s going to become unmanageable.” Leigh says he can only afford to buy cheaper, processed foods.(ABC News: Norman Hermant) Pre-COVID, Leigh said he was spending about $100-120 fortnight on food. “Now, I’m spending around $180 a fortnight,” he said. Leigh said being on JobSeeker while the cost of living surged has been detrimental to his health. “Because of the type of food I’m able to afford, I believe it’s [having] a direct impact on exacerbating my diabetes,” he said. Leigh isn’t the only Australian on income support who’s been struggling in poverty, and it isn’t just healthy food they’re going without. Survey results released last month by the Australian Council of Social Service showed a majority of respondents had been skipping meals, medication and taking fewer hot showers due to the skyrocketing cost of living. ‘Way below the poverty lines’ Social services advocates have been calling for a more substantial increase to JobSeeker for years. While the rate of JobSeeker was technically increased last month, it wasn’t an increase in real terms. Most social security payments are adjusted automatically twice a year to account for inflation, under a process called indexation. Last month’s indexation bumped JobSeeker for someone who is single and over 22 up by 4 per cent, according to government figures. But according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ inflation measure, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prices actually rose by 6.1 per cent between June 2021 and 2022. Because the indexation didn’t match the cost-of-living increase, the purchasing power of JobSeeker recipients declined. Some experts argue the cost-of-living crisis and inflation is actually hitting those on low incomes harder than those on higher incomes. CPI tracks increases in a basket of goods and weighs them all equally. But it doesn’t account for the fact that low-income households spend a greater percentage of income on essentials such as food and housing — expenses that are now rising the fastest. Elise Klein, an associate professor at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy, said it would be better for recipients if JobSeeker was indexed to wages rather than CPI. But more than that, Ms Klein said, “it just needs an increase” in real terms. “JobSeeker is extremely low compared to the various poverty lines circulating,” she said. The Henderson poverty line, one of the most commonly used metrics, had the poverty line, as of June 2022, for a single adult at $616 per week. The base JobSeeker rate for a single adult with no children is currently $334 per week. Other payments such as the Disability Support Pension ($468 per week for a single adult) and Youth Allowance ($265 per week for a single adult living away from home) also remain below the Henderson poverty line. “People’s payments are way below the poverty lines that we have here in Australia,” Ms Klein said. The only real-term increase JobSeeker has seen since the mid-1990s was a $3.57-per day lift in 2021. It was temporarily increased to $550 per week by the coronavirus supplement at the onset of COVID lockdowns in 2020, before reverting back to its original level the following year. Leigh says cost of living increases can be seen in his blood sugar readings.(ABC News: Norman Hermant) On the day the ABC visited Leigh, he returned a blood glucose score of 16 millimoles per litre, which he said was “very high”. “Ideally, I’d like to get it under 10.”  He said when he has more money to spend, he buys better quality food, which means he returns better blood glucose scores. “When I was on the coronavirus supplement I was able to get under 5 some days,” he said. ‘The worst I’ve ever seen’ Pas Forgione, a coordinator at Anti-Poverty Network SA, has spent over a decade in the advocacy space. He said JobSeeker recipients are struggling now more than ever. “I’ve never come across more people on JobSeeker who are in crisis or who are a couple of bad weeks away from being in crisis,” he said. “This is absolutely the worst that I’ve ever seen.” Pas Forgione says JobSeeker recipients are struggling now more than ever.(ABC News: Norman Hermant) Next week’s federal budget comes after weeks of political debate focused on whether to maintain legislated tax cuts for Australians on some of the highest incomes. “Those stage three tax cuts, those billions of dollars there could change lives overnight for folks who find themselves on JobSeeker,” Ms Klein said. The government, which released a number of promotional election materials this year with the motto “no one left behind”, has ruled out any further increase to social security payments. Mr Forgione said raising JobSeeker should be more of a priority. “We’ve been told by the government that it’s not going to happen this year, and that’s going to mean that people are going to continue to be … skipping meals [and] fresh fruits and vegetables.” Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth acknowledged those on JobSeeker are “doing it tough”.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore) Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said next week’s budget was about “difficult decisions in difficult times” and would include “responsible cost of living relief with an economic dividend”. “We always want to provide as much support as is financially responsible for people who are doing it tough, and we recognise that people on JobSeeker are doing it tough,” she said in a statement. “Australians understand that we didn’t create these challenges, but they elected us to take responsibility for addressing them — and we are.” Ms Klein said social security had been unfairly weaponised, and its recipients demonised, by a number of governments in the last few decades. “The face of social security today are single mums, older women, people with disabilities and First Nations people living remotely. “An increase is not so people can go on lavish holidays or anything like that — people don’t even have enough for food at the moment.” That’s something Leigh knows all too well. “It makes me feel angry I can’t support myself in a way that I need for my condition,” he said. Loading form… Posted 2h ago2 hours agoMon 17 Oct 2022 at 5:56pm, updated 10m ago10 minutes agoMon 17 Oct 2022 at 7:57pm

Sports World Reacts To Big ‘Inside The NBA’ News – The Spun https://collincountynewsonline.com/sports-world-reacts-to-big-inside-the-nba-news-the-spun/ CLEVELAND, OH – FEBRUARY 19: NBA on TNT analysts, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson Jr.,Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley talk with CJ McCollum #3 of the New Orleans Pelicans during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, February 19, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Austin Janning/NBAE via Getty Images) Austin Janning/Getty Images The “Inside the NBA” crew is here to stay! On Monday, TNT announced that Shaq, Kenny, Chuck and Ernie will all be staying together for many years to come after coming to terms on long-term contract extensions with the network. Fans reacted to the NBA on TNT team’s big news on social media. “The absolute best part of basketball for me,” tweeted Simoni Lawrence. “God is good,” another user replied. “This is awesome,” another said. “I thought Barkley was gonna retire but money is a crazy thing.” “Today is a great day.” “Best news of the month,” another replied. “Me right now:” “The best sports show! Especially in basketball.” “I jus shed a tear omg Chuck ain’t leaving,” another viewer commented. “Best group in the business,” tweeted Marcus Phelps. Ernie and the guys will be back in-studio for TNT’s 2022 Kia NBA Tip-Off coverage on Tuesday night as the Celtics host the 76ers and the Warriors take on the Lakers.

Triller Takes The Battle With TikTok To The Metaverse – NFTgators https://collincountynewsonline.com/triller-takes-the-battle-with-tiktok-to-the-metaverse-nftgators/ Quick take: Triller has jumped on the metaverse train with a platform called Metaverz. The short-video social platform looks to take on industry stalwarts TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. The company claims its app has been downloaded more than 350 million times and is on track to breach the $100 million revenue threshold this year. Triller has announced the launch of its metaverse platform, Metaverz powered by Epik. The short-video sharing app is joining the web3 race that has seen its biggest rivals and industry stalwarts, TikTok, Meta (Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories), and YouTube shorts have all launched their web3 campaigns that indicate plans for the metaverse. Triller claims to be on track to cross the $100 million revenue threshold this year, three years after launching. The company also indicated in a recent publication that its app (available on Android and iOS), has been downloaded more than 350 times. In its own description of the metaverse, Triller said its Metaverz platform “provides virtual spaces where users can gather to watch live music and sporting events, such as Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship or the Triller Fight Club, and interact with artists and other fans.” The company will debut its first metaverse event on October 22, with DJ Sam Feldt performing an electronic set from the Netherlands. He will also join the Metaverz audience in the virtual nightclub as an avatar to interact with guests. The company has planned 2,000 live events over the next year, with a majority taking place both in the physical world and on its Metaverz platform. Commenting on the announcement, Christopher Taurosa, head of Metaverz said: “We’re carefully curating all our events and experiences so people understand what they’re doing. “It’s not like you walk around aimlessly … You get to engage around an event.” Triller spent the best part of the last two years building its metaverse platform. The company shared short videos showcasing various experiences that users will be able to engage with including “a sports arena, beach houses surrounded by rippling water and palm trees and a nightclub with projection screens, laser lights and marble floors.” Source: Metaverz/YouTube Although Triller faces an uphill task in competing with the likes of Meta and TikTok, the company has already demonstrated its ambitious plans after cancelling a $5 billion merger with video content provider SeaChange in favour of an initial public offering (IPO) scheduled to take place during Q4, 2022. Although Triller is yet to break even amid a tough start to the year, the company expects to cross into profitability in 2023 according to CEO Mahi de Silva. The company last week revealed the appointment of Prem Parameswaran to head the corporate finance and investor relations department. Parameswaran has strong industry experience, having most recently worked for Eros International, a leading Indian film and entertainment company. Stay up to date: Google News Twitter Telegram LinkedIn Facebook TikTok

Woman Slashes Grocery Bills By Getting ‘freezer Full’ Of Free Tesco Shopping – RSVP Live https://collincountynewsonline.com/woman-slashes-grocery-bills-by-getting-freezer-full-of-free-tesco-shopping-rsvp-live/ A major issue for households across Ireland is the rising prices of foods and other grocery items during the cost of living crisis. As supermarkets struggle to maintain the prices of their products, people have seen everything becoming more expensive, from meat and vegetables to toilet paper and toothpaste. However, one woman has shared her incredible tip to cutting back on her shopping bills. Read more: You shouldn’t use washing machine or dryer during two specific hours to cut energy bills She posted her massive grocery haul to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK. After using the app Olio, she was able to get her hands of a “freezer full” of free items. Olio is an app that helps to reduce food waste by connecting those with surplus food, such as supermarkets, to those who need or want these extra items. People can find food that is nearing its expiration date on the app. The woman wrote: “Olio… I’m in shock. Picked all this up for free as it’s going off soon – that’s my freezer full!!! Not all of this is for me, we’ve shared with neighbours.” The poster explained that a local man collected all the bits from Tesco, with the supermarket offering everything from bread to pastries through Olio. “Everyone getting their knickers in a twist, I’m not the food waste hero person. “I got this from a guy who obviously collected from Tesco himself – it was just lucky timing I got all this!” Woman slashes grocery bills by getting ‘freezer full’ of free shopping (Image: Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK) People can volunteer to be Olio’s food waste heroes and pick up a load of items. They can then list all the surplus food on Olio for people in the surrounding area to pick up. Lots of commenters were blown away with the idea, with one person sharing: “Wow well done!” A second group member wrote: “Wow brilliantly timed, enjoy.” A third person added: “Wow, must give it a try!!” Irish shoppers can also benefit from the deal as Olio paired up with Tesco Ireland in Dublin in April 2021. However, they have also spread out to the rest of the country since then. People can complete different actions via the app, including borrowing items such as books and requesting things from their fellow users using the ‘Wanted’ feature. Get the latest RSVP headlines straight to your inbox for free by signing up to our newsletter READ MORE The most up-to-date headlines and stories on our site rsvplive.ie We tried the bed sheet hack and it dried our clothes in half the time Social welfare Ireland: Dates confirmed for seven lump sum payments before Christmas Mum goes viral showing shoppers how to cut down grocery bills with ‘better’ products Clever mum uses money-saving trick to dry clothes outside without a tumble dryer

This Will Be Record Year For Crypto Hackers, Over $3 Billion Already Looted – Kitco NEWS https://collincountynewsonline.com/this-will-be-record-year-for-crypto-hackers-over-3-billion-already-looted-kitco-news/ (Kitco News) With crypto hacking headlines now making regular appearances in mainstream media, this year is looking to be a new record year for hackers, according to a report by Chainalysis. Year-to-date, hackers have already managed to steal more than $3 billion across 125 different hacking attempts, the blockchain analysis firm headquartered in New York City said in a report released mid-October. October, which is not even over, was the best month for hackers in 2022, with $718 million stolen in eleven different hacks. Decentralized finance protocols (DeFi) were the main targets this year. This is a shift that began in 2020. DeFi protocols use software-based algorithms that allow users to trade, borrow or lend crypto without a central intermediary. 2/ At this rate, 2022 will likely surpass 2021 as the biggest year for hacking on record. So far, hackers have grossed over $3 billion dollars across 125 hacks. pic.twitter.com/vgT3pz2iOu — Chainalysis (@chainalysis) October 12, 2022 “Back in 2019, most hacks targeted centralized exchanges, and prioritizing security went a long way. Now a vast majority of targets are DeFi protocols,” the report said. “Cross-chain bridges remain a major target for hackers, with 3 bridges breached this month and nearly $600 million stolen, accounting for 82% of losses this month and 64% of losses all year.” 3/ Back in 2019, most hacks targeted centralized exchanges, and prioritizing security went a long way. Now a vast majority of targets are #DeFi protocols. pic.twitter.com/efSKCkhnm2 — Chainalysis (@chainalysis) October 12, 2022 In another report, Chainalysis estimated that North Korea-affiliated groups got their hands o $1 billion worth of crypto in various hacking attempts on DeFi protocols. One of the biggest hacks from October involved Binance’s native blockchain, BNB Smart Chain (BSC), which was hit with a bridge exploit. The hack triggered a network suspension for a brief period. Reports said that a hacker took advantage of an issue with a cross-chain bridge, escaping with an estimated $80 million in BNB tokens, the native currency of the chain.  Another big hack involved Solana-based decentralized finance protocol Mango Markets (MNGO). In this instance, a hacker manipulated the price data of its native MNGO token and exploited under-collateralized cryptocurrency loans. The attack managed to wipe out $100 million.  Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

U.S. Export Controls On China Semiconductors Force Suppliers To Cut Ties – The Washington Post https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-export-controls-on-china-semiconductors-force-suppliers-to-cut-ties-the-washington-post/ Western suppliers have started cutting ties to some Chinese chipmakers in response to new U.S. export controls, in another sign of the partial technology divorce the Biden administration is mandating to stymie China’s military development. One large supplier of chip-making equipment, ASML, told U.S. employees to stop installing or servicing equipment at any Chinese chip factory while it sorts through the new rules. Another equipment provider, Applied Materials, said the export restrictions will prevent it from making sales of roughly $400 million in the fourth quarter. It is common for Western companies to broadly suspend exports in the immediate wake of new U.S. restrictions, and then resume some later, once they decipher the rules, lawyers say. But national-security experts say the new restrictions, which aim to stop China from producing advanced chips, are among the toughest the United States has enacted. “I see these export controls as being hugely consequential. It goes straight to the heart of Beijing’s efforts to create a domestic world class semiconductor industry,” said Martijn Rasser, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. In particular, a new rule preventing “U.S. persons” from supporting certain Chinese chipmakers “won’t just freeze China’s abilities in place, it will actually lead to a degradation over time,” Rasser said. The trade curbs could also have unintended consequences for the United States, cautioned Willy Shih, a Harvard Business School professor who specializes in technology and manufacturing. Depriving China of the ability to make the highest-tech chips could cause it to pump out even more low-end chips, driving down prices and making it hard for U.S. and Western factories to compete in that segment, he said. That in turn could leave Western buyers of such chips dependent on Chinese suppliers. “It’s a little bit of a blunt instrument,” he said of export controls. “The thing you have to worry about is collateral damage.” The export controls, announced Oct. 7, aim to slow China’s ability to produce high-end semiconductors that have dual uses in commercial and military technology. For now, China still lags behind Taiwan, South Korea and the United States in manufacturing the most high-tech chips. The controls essentially bar exports to China of American-made manufacturing equipment needed to produce advanced chips. They also bar export of any U.S. tools or components to Chinese factories capable of making high-end semiconductors. In a novel step that appears to have prompted some companies to broadly suspend trade with China, the rules also bar “U.S. persons” — including American factories, and Americans and U.S. green-card holders who work in foreign factories overseas — from providing support without a U.S. government license to the development or production of such chips for China. ASML, a Dutch manufacturer of high-end semiconductor manufacturing tools that has U.S. offices and many U.S. employees, immediately instructed its U.S. staff to freeze their interaction with Chinese customers. “ASML U.S. employees must refrain — either directly or indirectly — from servicing, shipping or providing support to any customers in China until further notice, while ASML is actively assessing which particular fabs are affected by this restriction,” the company told employees in an internal letter last week, an ASML spokesman confirmed. The company said the freeze applies to U.S. citizens, green-card holders and foreign nationals who live in the United States.

5G Network Rollout: Nokia, Ericsson Bag Jio’s $3-Bn Contracts – The Indian Express https://collincountynewsonline.com/5g-network-rollout-nokia-ericsson-bag-jios-3-bn-contracts-the-indian-express/ Reliance Jio, the country’s largest telecom service provider, on Monday awarded long-term contracts to global gear makers Ericsson and Nokia to roll out its standalone 5G network. Though the value of the contracts was not disclosed by the companies, industry estimates have pegged the total value around $3 billion, divided equally between the two vendors. In August, Bharti Airtel had awarded similar contracts to Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung for rolling out its 5G network. The value is estimated to be similar. Going ahead, Jio is likely to award one more contract to South Korean major Samsung, which has built its 4G network. The developments conclusively show that Chinese vendors like Huawei are not going to be part of the country’s 5G network. As per the contract, Ericsson will deploy its energy-efficient 5G radio access network products and solutions for Jio’s 5G network rollout, whereas Nokia will supply equipment such as base stations, high-capacity 5G Massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas, and remote radio heads to support different spectrum bands, and network software. Ericsson and Nokia would be paid upon achievement of certain milestones laid down by the telecom service provider. The structure of the contract involves building, operating and maintaining the network. Jio’s core network is already up and running, built by the company itself. Once these radios are put on the towers, the 5G coverage will get enhanced. Jio has already started beta trial of its 5G services in four cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi. It has said that its 5G services will be available on a pan-India basis by December 2023 at a total outlay of $2 trillion. “Jio transformed the digital landscape in India with the launch of LTE (4G) services in 2016. We are confident that Jio’s 5G network will accelerate India’s digitalisation and will serve as the foundation for achieving our nation’s ‘Digital India’ vision,” Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio, said. Unlike its peers Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, Jio is deploying its 5G network on standalone architecture, which it calls a ‘true 5G’ solution. In standalone 5G architecture, the network deployed is independent of the 4G network. According to experts, the standalone architecture does not have a developed ecosystem at present but every telco would have to switch to this architecture eventually to unleash the varied use cases of 5G and give an optimum experience of the new technology to the users. According to Jio, its standalone 5G network deployment represents a major technology leap as it modernises the network infrastructure to deliver a transformative 5G experience to consumers and enterprises with advanced features. For Ericsson and Nokia, India is one of the top markets in terms of business opportunity. “India is building world-class digital infrastructure that will drive innovation, job creation and entrepreneurship across the country. We are happy to partner with Jio in those ambitions, through Ericsson 5G standalone connectivity, which will be a major catalyst in meeting those digital transformation goals across society, enterprise and industry,” Borje Ekholm, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Ericsson, said. “This (deal with Jio) is a significant win for Nokia in an important market and a new customer with one of the largest RAN (radio access network) footprints in the world. This ambitious project will introduce millions of people across India to premium 5G services, enabled by our industry-leading AirScale portfolio. We are proud that Reliance Jio has placed its trust in our technology and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with them,” Pekka Lundmark, president and CEO at Nokia, said. Currently, only limited users are able to use 5G services as handset makers are yet to launch the required software updates on the 5G-enabled devices. Simultaneously, the telecom operators are working to extend the coverage of 5G network across the cities. FE

Denton Rent Ranks Cheaper In North Texas, But It’s Still A Struggle – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth https://collincountynewsonline.com/denton-rent-ranks-cheaper-in-north-texas-but-its-still-a-struggle-nbc-5-dallas-fort-worth/ Although rent costs have flattened in North Texas, renters are still paying some of the highest prices our region has ever seen. But there’s one spot where some are finding a little relief – even if it may not feel like it. A new report ranked Denton with some of the cheapest rent prices in North Texas for a one-bedroom. Listing site Zumper ranked some other cities with cheaper rent, including Arlington and Fort Worth. Plano, Richardson and Frisco topped the list as the most expensive. But Denton is unique. John Baen, UNT real estate professor within the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, says Denton is essentially in its own bubble and has been for years. “Our market is very, very strong because the university is the primary employer and draw for apartment dwellers,” he said. “The University of North Texas has a very large housing department. And we have apartments, we have dormitories, etc. and we’re not trying to make a profit on it necessarily, because it’s part of our service to grow the university.” Local The latest news from around North Texas. Its distance from the metroplex and the college town culture to focus on affordable housing for students has made it that way. “We also have a lot of parents of UNT students. They actually buy houses to house their kids and then rent out rooms. There’s a bunch of that going on, which also puts a lid on what people can charge on their rent,” said Baen. “[The students] also get their parents to cosign. So the risk of default is a lot less in Denton than it is in other places. So there’s an assurance that our occupancy rate is going to stay fairly level.” Baen said overall, the culture in Denton is far different from its neighbors just miles down the road in Collin County. “We don’t have the Fortune 500 companies like Frisco and Plano does – those high-paid executives. And we don’t have high-rise apartment buildings that are 20 stories high, that are luxuries, we don’t have the condo market that they do,” he said. “We don’t have the housing market averaging $900,000. So we’re still pretty laid back. And we’re still Denton.” Because of the proximity to such demand, there’s concern the Denton bubble won’t last forever. “People from Frisco are commuting from Denton because of the price differential. So I don’t think the price differential is going to is going to stay for very long, because the demand is growing so much,” he said. “It’s not that Denton has grown out to the metroplex. The metroplex has grown to Denton.” Cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean affordable. Rents have risen 15 percent in Denton year over year. Cities like Carrolton, Plano and Grand Prairie saw bigger increases. We can blame it on demand for housing in general, inflation, a dramatic increase in property taxes, and Texas’ lack of rent control. It’s especially hard for those living paycheck to paycheck, with CNBC reporting earlier this year that 64% of residents across the country are living that way due to increased cost of living expenses. Additionally, a recent report by the United Way of Denton County shows more than 45 percent of households can no longer afford to live in the area, with the poverty rate also exceeding the rate of other Denton County communities as well as the national average. Homelessness has also increased exponentially in Denton County over the past year. These types of occurrences in this unique housing market are a potential learning tool for the real estate program at UNT. Right now, UNT’s business school is looking for partners to establish a real estate center to study these housing trends.

Epic Trips To Book: Desert, Sea, Mountain, Sky – AFAR Media https://collincountynewsonline.com/epic-trips-to-book-desert-sea-mountain-sky-afar-media/ What a thrill, to travel vicariously through the words and images of my colleagues over the past six months, as they journeyed to some of the farthest reaches of the globe—and their imaginations—to tell these stories. This series of Epic Trips began with a pitch from AFAR photo editor Michelle Heimerman, who proposed a trip to one of the world’s greatest archeological sites in the historic region of Mesopotamia, along the northern edge of the Fertile Crescent (aka Türkiye). At a glance, we were sending her to the middle of nowhere, but as she so astutely points out in her photo essay on ancient Göbekli Tepe, “You’re actually squarely in the middle of somewhere, circa 9500 B.C.” With the help of doctors and professors at the top of their field, she experienced “the places of our ancient ancestors, to allow space for the unanswered. To use travel as a way to think about who we once were.” That got my mind racing. What if we could cross deserts, journey up mountains, raft sea and roiling river rapids, and even touch the edge of space to better understand our past—examining the impact humanity has had on the planet, from different angles—and a future where we can see the world’s most stunning environments responsibly? Led by expert local guides, AFAR editors and contributors . . . Cycled among the kangaroos and koalas of Kangaroo Island, the Galápagos of Australia. Here is a story of regeneration following terrible 2020 bushfires that scorched more than half of Australia’s natural wonder. Cruised to Svalbard in the High Arctic, where polar bears roam—for now. But seeing this fragile relationship up close is the ultimate lesson in conservation. Helped with the preservation of jaguars in the world’s largest wetland in Brazil and learned how to tread softly in the tracks of local guides on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Took a 25-day, 9-country, 1,959-mile train trip across Europe to better understand the meaning of slow travel, citizenship, and neighborliness in the wake of Brexit. Looked to the future of space tourism—via hot air balloon That’s just for starters. We also traveled with companies like Lindblad, Modern Adventure, a certified B Corp, and Exceptional Kangaroo Island, an essential local business, to be sure these trips were about more than personal discovery. We wanted these trips to matter—to be more than just a vacation. How’s that for a modern definition of epic? Read on for this year’s collection of Epic Trips to the Arctic, Australia, Brazil, British Columbia, western Montana, the Nile in Uganda, Peru, Türkiye, across Europe, and up to the rim of the atmosphere. 25 Days, 9 Countries, 1,959 Miles: Seeing Europe by Train On a Cruise to the Remote Arctic, Where Polar Bears Roam (for Now) Chasing Adventure on Kangaroo Island, the Galapagos of Australia “Hold On!” White Water Rafting on the Nile Visiting One of the World’s Greatest Archeological Sites in Türkiye 13 Years Later, Seeing Machu Picchu in a Completely New Way Bears, Trees, and Zero Coffee: What a Week-Long Wilderness Retreat Is Really Like Safari in Your Time Zone In Montana, an Adults-Only Treehouse Adventure Awaits The Promise and Peril of Space Tourism Laura Dannen Redman is the digital content director of AFAR based in Brooklyn, New York. She’s an award-winning journalist who can’t sit still and has called Singapore, Seattle, Australia, Boston, and the Jersey Shore home.

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Eating Disorders In Colorado Teens, Young Adults Rose During Pandemic – Colorado Springs Gazette https://collincountynewsonline.com/eating-disorders-in-colorado-teens-young-adults-rose-during-pandemic-colorado-springs-gazette/ As the pandemic enveloped the globe in 2020, Emma Warford used her newly acquired free time to laser in on a destructive hobby — scrutinizing her caloric intake. Over the course of the next year that obsession, coupled with stressful activities, such as taking advanced placement and college classes, having a job and extracurricular hobbies, landed her in the pediatrician’s office. She was deemed severely underweight, diagnosed with anorexia and placed in outpatient treatment, where she saw a dietician and therapist weekly. Several factors coalesced to create a perfect disordered eating storm. “Being at home and also I am definitely a perfectionist,” said Warford, 17, who attends Rock Canyon High School in Highlands Ranch. “I have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) that contributes a little bit. I’ve never had coping skills. I was never taught how to prioritize mental health.” Warford wasn’t the only one. The pandemic, with its double whammy of isolation and fear of getting sick, changed the way many people related to their bodies and contributed to a rise in eating disorders for kids and young adults. According to a recent study, in 2020 those disorders increased by 15.3% in children and adults 30 and younger. It’s a serious statistic about an issue more dangerous than many might believe. Even if someone isn’t losing a massive amount of weight, the consequences can be harsh. Depriving the body of nutrition can cause a wealth of physical problems, such as impaired memory, the ability to learn and even death. Malnourishment can lead to increased rigid and obsessive thinking. And this, added to a potentially fraught time of life, when teens and younger people are already perseverating on their bodies and image, can be detrimental. “People think we die more by depression,” said Jenna Glover, child psychologist and director of psychology training at Children’s Hospital Colorado, “but because of the complications that come with an eating disorder, like cardiac arrest, malnutrition and death by suicide, it’s a very serious disorder.” About eight months into the pandemic 17-year-old Colorado Springs student Shelten stopped playing football due to fears of getting COVID-19. After he stepped away, his mind began to play tricks on him and lured him into a tricky relationship with food. “I worried I wouldn’t stay fit physically and mentally,” he said. “I thought if I changed the way I ate it would do that, but it didn’t help. It made it worse. I just ate things that didn’t have a lot of calories or small portions.” People restrict their eating for a few reasons, Glover said. In Western culture, with its emphasis on beauty ideals — muscular men and thin women — body image is a looming factor. Social media hasn’t necessarily made it worse, she said, but it has provided more opportunities for comparison. An eating disorder also can grow out of trauma. Restricting what someone eats can give a sense of control or help change their body in such a way that others won’t be interested in it. There’s also orthorexia, an obsession with healthy living. “We talk about being on the paleo diet,” Glover used as an example about the diet that promotes eating the same foods eaten by humans during the Paleolithic era. “We elevate what wellness looks like and take it to the extreme. It can become an obsession, when it’s not healthy anymore and it’s the extreme.” After being diagnosed, Warford’s health continued to decline. After an EKG revealed her heart rate was plummeting last year, she was rushed to the hospital where she stayed for a few weeks until she got medically stable. She went home, but wound up requiring residential care. A facility in Washington took her in when the waiting list for such a place in Colorado was too long. Warford spent four months recovering before coming home and resuming her junior year. “I’m doing well,” she said. “Physically I’m 100% better. There are still some mental aspects I’m working on because the physical comes first. I still see a therapist and dietitian occasionally. A lot of it I do by myself, navigating and trying new things, like being more comfortable around food and accepting myself as I come.” After being admitted to the hospital on Christmas two years ago, Shelten, who also learned he had OCD after getting sick, spent the next five months in recovery, four of which were at an eating disorders center. After returning home in the summer of 2021, he’s faring well, spending time at football practice and working two jobs. “I’m doing amazing,” he said. “I still have some problems with my emotions, but I’m getting helped by doctors. I have medicine to help with that.” Warford and Shelten are lucky. In the majority of cases, it takes an average of seven years from when a child develops an eating disorder until they’re diagnosed, Glover said. It can live under the surface for a long time before anybody else notices. The good news is recovery is possible. If it’s caught early in teens, they can be treated on an outpatient basis. Others, who have lived with disordered eating for a long time and are malnourished, might need intensive programming and possibly residential treatment. “You can’t just refeed someone immediately. It will cause damage,” Glover said. “After a course of treatment it’s a lifelong maintenance of recovery for some, but they can recover and live their lives without an obsession of food and body image.” While there might be a few kids who tell their parents they’re struggling with disordered eating, they’re the exception. Kids either refuse to believe they have an issue or they use it as a coping strategy, Glover said. “It makes them feel better temporarily,” she said. “Or they know it’s a problem, but they don’t want anyone to take it away from them. They’re highly secretive about it — this is helping me and I don’t want to change it or I’m highly ashamed and I don’t want anyone to know.” Signs to watch for include significant changes in eating habits; suddenly caring about calories; refusing certain foods or eating at a restaurant if they don’t know the calorie count; sudden interest in grocery store outings or what the family is eating; excessive amounts of time looking in the mirror or their phone; checking body parts, such as wrist size; negative comments about their body; over-exercising; and withdrawing from mealtimes or in general. “One thing wouldn’t be concerning, but multiple things warrant a conversation with your child and pediatrician,” Glover said. “If a parent suspects or has a child who is diagnosed and suffering with an eating disorder, they should also get their own support. This is a chronic medical condition, the same as if a kid had cancer.” Warford did try to tell her mom a few times something was wrong, but it took a while to register. “I had no idea. An eating disorder is hard,” said Chris Hendrickson, Warford’s mother. “How can you not eat? … You want to say just eat, what’s the problem? But you’re not addressing what’s going on in their head. Something is going on that is so strong and turning off their eating cues.” Though the increase in eating disorders is holding steady, doctors are still seeing more mental health problems in kids and young adults. “They’ve lost time with friends and learning opportunities,” Glover said. “There’s more stress to get back into everyday life. If chronic stressors exist for a long time, it takes a long time for kids to get back to normal, even though their daily schedule looks like normal.” She advises parents to develop healthy language and habits around food, such as talking about food in a nonjudgmental way. So often in society foods are deemed good or bad, or people make comments like, “I was bad today so I can’t eat dinner tonight.” “We don’t want to model that for our children,” she said. “Food is medicine for bodies and energy. There is no good or bad food. It’s just food. And don’t make negative comments about your body. Talk about your body in a way that is neutral and positive: I love my legs, they take me everywhere.” Contact the writer: jen.mulson@gazette.com

HokieSports Weekly: Oct. 17-23, 2022 – VT Hokiesports.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/hokiesports-weekly-oct-17-23-2022-vt-hokiesports-com/ See what’s coming up this week and get the latest news from Blacksburg.   UPCOMING HOME EVENTS   Tuesday, Oct. 18 Men’s Soccer vs. Princeton – Thompson Field @ 6 p.m. ET (free admission) (Student Hokie Club Night)   Thursday, Oct. 20  Women’s Soccer vs. Notre Dame – Thompson Field @ 7 p.m. (free admission) (Throwback Thursday: Y2K)   Sunday, Oct. 23 Women’s Soccer vs. Syracuse – Thompson Field @ 1 p.m. (free admission) (Youth Soccer Day)   HEADLINES FROM LAST WEEK A goal in the final minute gives women’s soccer the tie 3-3 against UVA on Thursday. Tech found themselves down 3-1, but two goals from forward Taylor Bryan in the final ten minutes earned them the tie.    Men’s soccer fell to Pitt 1-0 on Friday. Tech recorded an ACC season-high five shots on target in defeat.    Volleyball traveled to Louisville Friday and fell to the No. 2 Cardinals 3-1. Outside hitter Cera Powell led the team with 12 kills while libero/outside hitter Maddie Slagle earned her 1,000th career dig.   Volleyball fell to Notre Dame 3-1 on Sunday. Outside hitter Ava Francis led the Hokies with 10 kills while Tech had three players reach double figures in digs.    LAST WEEK’S SCOREBOARD   Thursday, Oct. 13 Women’s soccer at UVA — T, 3-3   Friday, Oct. 14 Men’s soccer vs. Pitt — L, 1-0 Volleyball at Louisville — L, 3-1   Saturday, Oct. 15 Football vs. Miami (Fla.) — L, 20-14   Sunday, Oct. 16 Volleyball at Notre Dame — L, 3-1

Facebook’s ’empty’ And ‘sad’ Metaverse Is Suffering – Washington Examiner https://collincountynewsonline.com/facebooks-empty-and-sad-metaverse-is-suffering-washington-examiner/ October 17, 2022 12:29 PM Facebook parent company Meta’s attempts to create a “metaverse” have floundered and failed to attract enough interest from users to succeed despite founder Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the technology. The Big Tech company’s main metaverse, Horizon Worlds, has reported a low user base and struggles to keep users coming back, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported underwhelming new user numbers just a week after Meta Connect, at which the company hyped up the next version of its virtual reality headset and advocated a multiyear endeavor to build the future of the internet in the metaverse. While the company initially proposed getting 500,000 monthly active users on its virtual reality platform Horizon Worlds by the end of 2022, the company revised the goal to just 280,000 MAUs, according to internal documents. There are only 200,000 MAUs as of October. Only 9% of worlds created by creators have been visited by at least 50 people, according to internal data. PARLER GAMES: KANYE WEST ENTERS AGREEMENT TO BUY SOCIAL MEDIA APP The company has also struggled to maintain a user base around the main metaverse interface, the Meta Quest. While the Quest is considered one of the bestselling virtual reality headsets on the market, it does not maintain its product value for long with most users. More than half of Quest headsets are not in use six months after being purchased, according to people familiar with Meta’s internal data. The Facebook parent says that the project is a multiyear endeavor and is improving it, but believes the presented vision is the future of computing. Employees have also complained that the vision is unclear. Several have said that the company’s strategies related to the metaverse have regularly shifted and changed depending on Zuckerberg’s whims rather than a forward vision for the company, according to the New York Times. Other executives have clashed over the vision, with one senior leader stating that the amount of money invested into the company’s metaverse-related projects makes him “sick to the stomach.” Meta announced the latest version of the Quest on Tuesday, including a display of its virtual reality avatars with legs. The legs were later revealed to be animated independently and would not reflect the product provided to users. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The company also has frozen hiring and rescinded several internship offers to cut costs. The company reported its first profit decline in its last quarterly report.

Jackson Roloff Shows Off His Genius With New Gadget – TV Shows Ace https://collincountynewsonline.com/jackson-roloff-shows-off-his-genius-with-new-gadget-tv-shows-ace/ Little People, Big World star Jackson Roloff is showing fans just how smart he is. The five-year-old boy is growing up quickly and learning a lot these days. Keep reading for all of the details about his new gadget. If you follow Tori Roloff on social media, you might have seen her post videos of Jackson playing or learning at home. It looks like he enjoys hands-on activities. And because Tori was a kindergarten teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom, she is often playing educational games with Jackson at home. The five-year-old also started going to kindergarten this year. He turned five in May and began school in August. Even on the weekend, however, he’s putting his knowledge to good use. Jackson Roloff shows fans how smart he is On her Instagram Stories this weekend, Tori revealed that she got some quality time with her son, Jackson. As she recorded a video of him, he showed off his genius. In the videos, Jackson is sitting at the kitchen table. He’s using a kids’ writing tablet, which automatically erases with the touch of a button. As the video begins, Tori encourages her son to write all of his numbers. He starts writing the numbers one through five and says them out loud as he does. When he gets to number four, he asks his mom which kind of four he should write. She instructs him to write it however he wants to. In another short video, Jackson Roloff continues showing off his genius. He ended up writing all of the numbers up through 14. Then, he starts writing on the tablet once again. Tori wrote to fans, “I love that these are a perfect way to get my kids away from screen time!” It looks like Jackson is a big fan of it too. She also shared the link to the product so fans could buy it for their own kids. It’s possible that Tori earns a commission for the products sold because she promoted it on her Instagram Stories with Jackson’s help. Maybe his genius is a good strategy to help sell the writing tablet. So, can you believe how smart Jackson Roloff is? What do you think of his cool gadget? Sound off in the comments section below, and come back to TV Shows Ace for more LPBW news. Plus, don’t miss Jackson and the rest of the family on Little People, Big World Season 24, which premieres on TLC on Tuesday, November 1. Author Recent Posts Aubrey Chorpenning has been a freelance writer since December 2016. She enjoys writing, researching, spending time with her cats, and of course, watching TV! Latest posts by Aubrey Chorpenning (see all)

Why Are So Many Crypto Execs Leaving? – CoinDesk https://collincountynewsonline.com/why-are-so-many-crypto-execs-leaving-coindesk/ Daniel Kuhn is a features reporter and assistant opinion editor for CoinDesk’s Layer 2. He owns BTC and ETH. Management shake-ups are hitting crypto in what some are calling crypto’s “great resignation.” On Monday it was announced Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss – twin of Tyler – is stepping back as a director of Gemini Europe. The news, announced in a U.K. regulatory filing, comes as the wholly owned Gemini subsidiary maps out its expansion into known tax haven Ireland. This article is excerpted from The Node, CoinDesk’s daily roundup of the most pivotal stories in blockchain and crypto news. You can subscribe to get the full newsletter here. No formal reason was given for Winklevoss’ move, but it comes amid a wave of C-Suite shuffling across the digital asset industry. Growing regulatory challenges as well as a multi-month long market rout have led to a number of resignations. Among the most notable departures or downsizings, for very different reasons, are Genesis CEO Michael Moro, MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, Kraken CEO Jesse Powell, all announced in recent weeks. Alameda Research co-CEO Sam Trabucco also stepped down, as did FTX.US President Brett Harrison. Then there’s Celsius’ Alex Mashinsky and Daniel Leon, who served as the now-bankrupt crypto neobank’s chief executive and chief strategy officer, respectively. The crypto lender is going through a difficult Chapter 11 restructuring, and it seems likely that Mashinsky could face lawsuits. The reasons for these exoduses vary on a case by case basis. In many instances it seems like individual attempts to save face after making bad business decisions, or a result of pressure from a company’s board or owners. Moro threw in the towel, for instance, after Genesis got in bed with the overzealous and potentially criminal hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which apparently lost the institutional-facing lending firm Genesis a whopping $1.2 billion. Genesis, like CoinDesk, is owned by Digital Currency Group. Michael Saylor, the long-time CEO of business intelligence company MicroStrategy, directed the firm’s first bitcoin purchase in 2020 and essentially transformed the firm into a BTC investment trust. MicroStrategy’s BTC buys seemed prescient in 2020, ahead of the bull run – and was even said to catalyze other corporate entities into holding bitcoin “on the balance sheet” as a hedge against inflation – but are now deeply in the red. Saylor kept buying, even as the market turned against him, while most other publicly listed firms have not. He remains at MicroStrategy as executive chairman. Kraken’s Powell founded the exchange in 2011 and has long been known as one of crypto’s most ideologically driven executives. This year, the libertarian-leaning former CEO was accused of fostering a toxic workplace culture after making offhand remarks and setting “anti-Woke” policies. Powell, like Saylor, said he’s stepping down as CEO to continue focusing on crypto advocacy. In some cases, these shifts work out. David Marcus, who oversaw the Libra project at Facebook, before both were renamed, has emerged as a thoughtful industry commentator and CEO of Bitcoin Lightning-focused Lightspark. Like the broader tech industry, several crypto firms have put hiring-freezes in place and started rounds of layoffs. Bear markets, where the goal is to merely survive as users and capital flood out, require an entirely different set of managerial skills than bull markets, where growth and market dominance seem to be all that matters. The tricky thing with crypto, however, is that management can be hard to hire. Many companies, particularly Coinbase, have relied on hiring from within due to the complexities of the industry. Decent managers need to have an understanding of crypto’s technicalities as well as the gumption to lead in such a volatile market. Sign up for State of Crypto, our weekly newsletter examining the intersection of cryptocurrency and government By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk product updates, events and marketing and you agree to our terms of services and privacy policy. DISCLOSURE Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated . The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG . Daniel Kuhn is a features reporter and assistant opinion editor for CoinDesk’s Layer 2. He owns BTC and ETH. Daniel Kuhn is a features reporter and assistant opinion editor for CoinDesk’s Layer 2. He owns BTC and ETH.