Collin County News Online

Bosome Freho DCE Suspended Over “galamsey” Activities – Ghana Business News https://collincountynewsonline.com/bosome-freho-dce-suspended-over-galamsey-activities-ghana-business-news/ Yaw Danso President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has suspended Mr Yaw Danso, District Chief Executive (DCE) of Bosome Freho, over his alleged involvement in illegal mining “galamsey” activities in the District. This comes after the leaking of a video in which he was allegedly encouraging “galamsey” activities in the area. The suspension is contained in a letter from Mr Dan Botwe, Minister for Local Government and Regional Organisation, which asked the DCE to step aside for investigations into the audio. The Minister stressed in the letter that the suspension was to pave way for investigations to verify the authenticity of the tape. President Akufo-Addo in his resolve to address the illegal mining menace, has called on all stakeholders, including government officials, chiefs and community members, to join in the fight. The President, at a recent meeting with traditional leaders and Metropolitan, Municipal, District Chief Executives, among other government officials, warned that persons caught in the act would face full rigours of the law. Source: GNA

MCCRACKEN: U.Va. Must Provide More Nutritious And Affordable Dining Options – University Of Virginia The Cavalier Daily https://collincountynewsonline.com/mccracken-u-va-must-provide-more-nutritious-and-affordable-dining-options-university-of-virginia-the-cavalier-daily/ “Eat your vegetables” is a phrase we have heard since we were children. And though your parents or doctors might have bothered you by repeating this saying, it is absolutely true. Vegetables provide the body with vitamins, fiber and other nutrients essential for life. And while some of these nutrients can be gathered from other sources, it is often difficult or expensive to obtain supplements in high enough quantities to ensure the same benefits. At the University, not only is healthy eating often expensive, but it is incredibly difficult to come by. Through advertising on the U.Va. Dining’s website, it claims that it is committed to “empowering you to make the healthy choices you’re looking for,” as well as passionate about “dining programs that make it easy to eat well.” After reviewing its practices, there is little evidence that holds up that mission statement. Simply put, more needs to be done to ensure that students can make healthy choices at low or no additional cost, and at the moment, there is only minimal progress. The University and its dining company, Aramark, took a monumental step towards achieving healthy and sustainable eating on Grounds in 2019. Aramark chose to reinvent “the Castle,” a restaurant option adjacent to Bonnycastle House on McCormick Road. The Castle upgraded its meal options and earned itself a Green Restaurant certification by pursuing sustainable and increasingly plant-based practices and menu items. The reasoning for this pivot was students’ requests for more nutritious foods that had vegetarian or vegan options. The University and Aramark responded with this change to the Castle, hoping to address concern over the availability of plant-based and healthy options. But with 18,000 undergraduate students on Grounds and limited hours, the Castle is not prepared to stand alone in supporting the University’s pledge to dining programs that make it easy to eat healthy. And according to the University’s dining website, while all three dining halls have a Green Restaurant certification, only two out of the nine meal locations coined “restaurants” have that credential. Of course, there are other options to eat healthy on Grounds. One extremely popular location is The Juice Laundry, a smoothie and juicery that boasts locations at Newcomb Hall, the Aquatic and Fitness Center and an off-Grounds location on Preston Avenue. The store’s mission is to ensure transparency in their ingredients by listing them in large lettering and having an open, visible prep area for customers. Some might ask — at what cost? It certainly is not pocket change to purchase a bottle of juice at The Juice Laundry, with costs starting at roughly $11 per bottle. The University’s inclusion of The Juice Laundry on dining plans shows that it may be committed to empowering students to make healthy choices, but these choices come at a cost. Not every restaurant on Grounds requires money for its food. Students with a meal plan have the option of using meal “exchanges,” which allow them to choose from pre-set menu options that come at no additional cost. But upon examination of the menus for each of these places, I find that healthy options are sparse. At West Range Cafe, the two meal exchange choices that could be considered healthy — a salad and a caesar wrap — often sell out by the middle of lunch time. The other options are chicken tenders and fries, a grilled cheese or a NoBull burger — not exactly the most nutritious foods that college students might be searching for. The reality of the situation remains that, no matter where students live, they spend most of their time on Grounds and either have to pay an excessive amount of money, eat exclusively at dining halls or drive to a grocery store themselves to get food containing fresh fruit and vegetables. That is, of course, unless one wants to eat at the Castle every day of the week — albeit not on the weekends, when the restaurant is closed. For first-year students without cars — or upper-class students without meal plans — this means an even more complicated search for healthy options. It is impossible to notice a striking contradiction to the statement made about health and wellness on the University’s dining website. Does the University empower students to eat well? By providing meal exchange options that feature fried or vegetable-absent food, the answer is a definite no. As for the other part of the statement, the dining service claims it is passionate about “dining programs that make it easy to eat well.” Based on the evidence reviewed, it is anything but easy to eat well while living on Grounds.  If the University wants to commit to its mission statement about health and wellness, it need not look any further than current establishments. There is no need to build new restaurants, just take the same approach it took at the Castle and revamp its menus. With a mission and a method already in place, the University simply needs to follow through. Ford McCracken is a Viewpoint Writer who writes about University administration for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Cavalier Daily. Columns represent the views of the authors alone.

Braves Vs. Phillies Score: Live Updates From NLDS Game 4 As Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto Strike With Home Runs – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/braves-vs-phillies-score-live-updates-from-nlds-game-4-as-brandon-marsh-j-t-realmuto-strike-with-home-runs-cbs-sports/ The Philadelphia Phillies’ dreams of the National League Championship Series are holding strong Saturday with a dominating lead over the Atlanta Braves, thanks to a three-run home run from Brandon Marsh, an in-the-park solo shot from catcher J.T. Realmuto and contributions from both the position players and pitchers. The Phillies lead the best-of-five series by a 2-1 margin, and will host Saturday’s game. If the Phillies do advance, they’ll play the winner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres series for the pennant. The Phillies started righty Noah Syndergaard, who threw an inning in relief in Game 2. Syndergaard made 25 appearances during the regular season, both starts and out of the bullpen, and tallied a 103 ERA+ and a 3.06 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He throws five pitches 10 percent of the time or more, including his sinker, slider, and changeup a combined 70-plus percent. The Braves countered with veteran Charlie Morton, himself no stranger to October baseball. He started 31 times in the regular season and had a 94 ERA+ and a 3.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Morton relies heavily on his curveball and his heater. You can follow along below with all of CBS Sports’ live coverage of Game 4. See New Posts Pinned Phillies up 7-3 going into the bottom of the eighth And that gives them a 98.9 percent chance of winning Game 4 and advancing to the NLCS. Pinned Pinned The Braves’ dilemma They need at least four runs in a span of six offensive outs. Needless to say, that’s hard to do.  Pinned d’Arnaud HR His second of the series and he also had an RBI single in Game 2. He could use more help. It’s 7-3 Phillies.  Pinned Phillies in control They’re now at 97.9 percent to win Game 4 and thus the series. Pinned 7-2 Bryce Harper takes a low and out pitch to left field for an RBI single.  Pinned Catcher wheels!  Realmuto with an infield single and it’s now 6-2.  Pinned Pinned Phillies tack on With runners on first and third (common for the Phillies today), Rhys Hoskins dropped a blooper in front of Acuña in right and it’s now 5-2. Here’s Realmuto looking for more Pinned Nine outs to go for Phillies Hand is burnt. Alvarado might be able to go another inning. There’s Eflin and Dominguez. That might be all they need, but Ranger Suarez has come in relief plenty of times in his career before. They have good options.  Pinned Phillies up 4-2 after five This game is deceptively close. Feels like the Phillies should be up 6-2 or 7-2, but it’s only 4-2 with a lot of game left. Pinned Pinned Pinned Eflin up in the bullpen He’s been the Phillies closer so far in the playoffs, but he’s getting ready now. They don’t really have a set closer anyway, but it’s interesting.  Pinned Pinned JT’s inside the park home run I’ve done my own research … it was the first ever by a Phillies player in the playoffs AND first ever by a catcher.  Pinned Rough series for Austin Riley. Pinned Olson home run trims lead Matt Olson with a solo home run cuts the lead to 4-2 Phillies. Pinned Pinned JT Realmuto inside the park HR That was amazing. No notes.  Pinned Pinned Pinned Morton is done Morton stayed in the game last year after a broken leg. This time he was hit with a line drive and stayed in the game. He came back out and took his warmups for the third inning, but then pulled himself. He must be hurt again. Terrible luck. Pinned Pinned Pinned Thor through three Given that the Phillies had action in the pen, and given that Syndergaard has now faced 10 batters, I think his day may be over. We’ll see. Pinned lol Pinned Braves get one back Orlando Arcia homers. It’s the Braves’ second HR of the series after they led the NL (by a healthy margin) in the regular season. Pinned October Orlando Arcia puts the Braves on the board with a solo shot. He had some randomly amazing postseason series with the Brewers. Pinned See More

Zuckerberg Bet Big (And Maybe Got The Metaverse Very Wrong) – Gwinnettdailypost.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/zuckerberg-bet-big-and-maybe-got-the-metaverse-very-wrong-gwinnettdailypost-com/ Business News Get the latest business news delivered to your inbox every weekday. Coronavirus News Get the the most recent coronavirus news delivered to your inbox daily. Gwinnett contests, promotions, special deals, and more Get Gwinnett Daily Post contests, promotions, special deals and more delivered to your email inbox. Gwinnett Eats (for the Foodies) Sign up for Gwinnett Eats, a weekly email newsletter with the latest on eateries in Gwinnett County sprinkled with recipes. Local and State News Get Gwinnett County and state news headlines delivered to your inbox every day. Local Events Keep up with local events in Gwinnett County. Find a list of upcoming events in your email inbox every Monday and Friday morning.  Local Weather Get our expert short-term forecast, summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather in Gwinnett County. Most Popular Get the most popular posts on GwinnettDailyPost.com from the previous week emailed to you every Monday morning. News Alerts Get news alerts and breaking stories from the Gwinnett Daily Post delivered to your email inbox.  Obituaries Get the latest obituaries delivered to your inbox every morning. Print replica e-Edition Get the Gwinnett Daily Post e-edition delivered directly to your email inbox every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday morning. Sports News Get daily sports headlines from across Gwinnett County, including high school, professional and college news delivered to your email inbox daily.

Yaber Pico T1 Projector Review – GSMArena.com News – GSMArena.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/yaber-pico-t1-projector-review-gsmarena-com-news-gsmarena-com/ Introduction You want a projector to take everywhere with you or just one that doesn’t take space in your living room? Thanks to the magic of LED and DLP technology, projectors come in many sizes. The smallest of these are generally referred to as Pico projectors, and the Yaber Pico T1 is certainly among the most exciting prospects in the category. It is one of the most pocked-friendly projectors we’ve seen to date, measuring just 0.52″ in thickness. The limitations to performance are inevitable tradeoff of a pico projector. The Yaber Pico T1 advertises 110 ANSI lumens of brightness and 540p resolution. Despite its powerbank-like form factor it lacks an onboard battery, but what it does have is Android TV on board, making it a nifty self-contained multimedia player that only needs external power to function. Yaber Pico T1 specs at a glance: Dimensions: 150x75x13.1mm, 150 grams. Optical parameters: DLP projector; 540p (960 x 540 pixels) optical resolution; 16:9 aspect ratio; 350:1 contrast ratio. Projection parameters: 110 ANSI lumens (advertised); 10~100-inch screen diagonal; 0.3 – 2m projection distance; 1.2:1 throw ratio; 30,000 hours RGB LED light source life; luminance uniformity 85% (advertised). Optical adjustment: Automatic vertical keystone correction; manual focus. Audio: 1.5W single speaker. Internals: HiSilicon Hi3751V350 (4xCortex-A53 @ 1.0 GHz); Mali-450 GPU; 1GB of RAM; 32GB storage. Hardware video decoder: H.264, H.265, MPEG1, MPEG2, VP6, VP8, VP9; AAC_LC, HE_AAC, HE_AACV2, LPCM, MP3, APE. I/O: 2xUSB Type-C port: one for power (Quick Charge only, Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi ac; Bluetooth 4.2; IR remote control. Software: Android TV 9. Other features:Remote control in box; Wireless projection support (Miracast, Apple AirPlay, Eshare); Wired Android phone mirroring through proprietary app. Other highlights include a compact yet very functional remote control on top of integrated touch controls on the unit itself. And the Yaber Pico T1 can do automatic vertical keystone correction, which is not something we would have expected out of a projector of this size. But can the little guy impress us in practice? Follow along for our review to find out. Unboxing and accessories The Pico T1 comes in a pretty non-descript box. Inside, you get a USB Type-C 20W QC wall charger along with two USB cables – one Type-A to Type-C and the other Type-C to Type-C. There’s also a nifty compact tripod that attaches magnetically to the projector as well as a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable. The $28 more expensive IndieGoGo special pack also nets you a 10,000 mAh power back with integrated cables, including a Type-C one to use with the Pico T1. The IndieGoGo crowdfunding page for the project also shows a nice carrying case, but that’s not a part of any of the currently available product bundles. Controls and connectivity The Yaber Pico T1’s right-hand side houses a power button and volume rocker, much like a smartphone would. Above that, we find a manual focus wheel. The left frame of the Pico T1 is bereft of control. The front of the unit houses the optics of the projector, as well as a vent. The small fan here seems to only have one speed, and it’s about as loud as a laptop fan going full steam. There is also a mysterious sensor here, likely some sort of laser or TOF, that is in charge of the automatic vertical keystone correction. The rear side of the Pico T1 has a 1.5W speaker as well as a trio of ports – two Type-C ports and a mini-HDMI port. Of the two Type-C ports, one is just meant to power the device. The Pico T1 supports Quick Charge power with rated inputs of 5V@3A, 9V@2A and 12V@1.5A. The total power rating for the projector is 9W. The other USB Type-C port is a data port. It has USB Host functionality and can take things like a standard HID device like a mouse or keyboard and attach storage mediums. This port can also be used to mirror an Android phone’s display, but only by using a proprietary eShareLine app. It is important to note that this USB lacks any standard video over USB functionality like you would find on, modern external monitors. The Pico T1 can either be controlled through the touchpad, and capacitive combo on the top of the device or the included mini remote control. Built-in Android TV and features The Yaber Pico T1 is a 110-lumen pico projector with an HDMI input and built-in wireless casting functionality, which is already intriguing. However, the built-in Android TV guts make it special beyond that. Let’s quickly go over what is included here and what limitations and issues we encountered. Yaber has its own TV launcher of some sort, which looks and works decently. It revolves around a vertical menu with some self-explanatory options. Smart TV launcher There is a basic file browser right on the main menu to browse local media and quick access to a wireless streaming app that supports Miracast and Apple AirPlay, as well as a proprietary Eshare communication scheme. There are also options for wired streaming from both Android and iOS phones. Yaber has a proprietary app store as well, but that has a very limited selection of apps. Proprietary app store The settings menu is very simple. All of the basic options like display rotation, keystone adjustments, brightness, language and input methods are convenient to access. Basic settings There is a more advanced settings menu as well, which brings you to the standard Android TV settings menu. This is where we ran into our first major issue, though. The regular Android TV settings menu just crashes regardless of what option we selected. This made it impossible to set up some apps like a button remapper or any additional app stores since we were unable to enable the accessibility access and install privileges, respectively. Hopefully, this is just an early software bug with our unit, which will be ironed out. Advanced settings menu and broken Android TV settings Speaking of installing things, we are happy to say that the Yaber Pico T1 has functioning Google Play Services. That means access to the Google Play Store and its pretty substantial collection of Android TV apps. At least, that’s great to see since the proprietary app store is barren. Google Play Store We might not have the ability to easily sideload apps, but at least the Google Play Store has a few nice Android TV launchers, like our personal favorite – the ATV launcher. Alternative Android TV launchers Once you install it, you can even set it as the default by pressing the home button on the Yaber Pico T1. However, you will be stuck with your launcher selection without proper access to the Android TV settings until you install another launcher to get the selection menu again. It’s a clunky limitation to deal with. Performance Let’s now talk about how well the Yaber Pico T1 performs when you are done setting it up. The Yaber Pico T1 isn’t particularly bright. The advertised 110 lumens match reality. With brightness on this scale, you can only expect a vaguely pleasurable experience in a light-controlled room or at night and at a diagonal of no more than about 60 inches. The 960 x 540-pixel resolution is also a bit too low for most text in modern UIs to be legible. You can get away with a large font presentation, but forget about activities like browsing the web. The Yaber Pico T1 is best suited for very casual movie watching in a pinch. What can you expect out of the tiny Android TV internals? Well, here are some screenshots from Aida64 and DRM Info to check on its specs. Hardware specs The Yaber Pico T1 packs a HiSilicon Hi3751V350 chipset, which has just four Cortex-A53 cores at its disposal and a Mali-450 GPU. It is paired with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. That’s a pretty anemic chipset you would probably find in a set-top-box rather than an Android TV device. If you really want to get into the nitty-gritty, you can head on over to the official chipset specs page. The most important specs, arguably, are related to the hardware video decoder. The Hi3751V350 can handle H.264, H.265 (HEVC), VP6/8/9, MVC, MPEG1/2/3/4, AVS and VC-1 at up to 1080p@60fps. That’s plenty to saturate the 540p resolution of the Yaber Pico T1 projector. We did some performance testing and can verify that the UI runs pretty smoothly. Also, 1080p video from YouTube runs just fine without hiccups or stutters. YouTube and Plex testing We pushed the Yaber Pico T1 further still by installing Plex on it. Its UI ran very smooth as well, and we even managed to get some 4K streams working at around 20 Mbps with minimal stutter. Not that you would even need to push quality past HD or FullHD as this is a mere 540p projector. We had some jellyfish bitrate video test files lined up for testing as well on an external USB SSD, but the Yaber Pico T1 failed to read the drive. Failing to read an external drive It mounted it without issue but then failed to read the exFAT file system. We tried an NTFS drive as well, with no luck. Again, we hope that this is just an early software issue with our unit that will get ironed out. We tried running some benchmarks on the Yaber Pico T1 as well. The only thing that actually managed to run was the old T-Rex test in GFXBench, which scored under 10fps on screen. Running benchmarks It is safe to say that you won’t be gaming on the Yaber Pico T1. Though that being said, GeForce Now ran just fine on the little projector. Final thoughts The Yaber Pico T1 is a cool gadget that mostly delivers on its promises to be a very slim portable projector with solid built-in smarts. It’s just that you need to know this class of device’s limitations. One hundred ten lumens is pretty dim, and 540p resolution, while good for a pico projector, is too low for most fine UI elements and ...

3 Emerging Crypto Trends To Keep An Eye On While Bitcoin Price Consolidates – Cointelegraph https://collincountynewsonline.com/3-emerging-crypto-trends-to-keep-an-eye-on-while-bitcoin-price-consolidates-cointelegraph/ This week, Bitcoin’s (BTC) price took a tumble as a hotter-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) report showed high inflation remains a persistent challenge despite a wave of interest rate hikes from the United States Federal Reserve. Interestingly, the market’s negative reaction to a high CPI print seemed priced in by investors, and BTC’s and Ether’s (ETH) prices reclaimed all of their intraday losses to close the day in the black.  A quick look at Bitcoin’s market structure shows that even with the post-CPI print drop, the price continues to trade in the same price range it has been in for the past 122 days. Adding to this dynamic, Cointelegraph market analyst Ray Salmond reported on a unique situation where Bitcoin’s futures open interest is at a record high, while its volatility is also near record lows. These factors, along with other indicators, have historically preceded explosive price movements, but history will also show that predicting the direction of these moves is nearly impossible. So, aside from multiple metrics hinting that a decisive price move is brewing, Bitcoin is still doing more of the same thing it’s done for the past 4.5 months. With that being the case, it is perhaps time to start looking elsewhere for emerging trends and possible opportunities. Here are a few data points that I’ve continued to be intrigued by. New rotations will emerge ETH’s price has lost its luster in the now post-Merge era, and the asset now reflects the bearish trend that dominates the rest of the market. Since the Merge, ETH’s price is down 30% from its $2,000 high, and it’s likely that a good deal of the speculative capital that backed the bullish Merge narrative is now in stablecoins looking for the next investment opportunity. Aside from ETH being an asymmetrical performer in the last four months, Cosmos (ATOM) also defied the market downtrend by posting a monster rally from $5.40 to $16.85. As covered thoroughly by Cointelegraph, oversold conditions, along with the hype of Cosmos 2.0, backed the bullish price action seen in the altcoin, but this chart continues to capture my imagination. ATOM emissions schedule (old vs. new). Source: Cosmos Hub According to the revised Cosmos white paper, the current supply of ATOM will dynamically adjust based on the supply and demand of its staking. As shown in the chart above, when Cosmos 2.0 “kicks in” for the first 10 months, issuance of new ATOM tokens is high, but after the 36th month, the asset becomes deflationary. ATOM/USDT 3-day chart. Source: TradingView From the vantage point of technical analysis, ATOM’s price appears to have hit a local top as the months leading up to Cosmos 2.0 were a “buy the rumor, sell the news” type of event, but it will be interesting to see what transpires with ATOM’s price as the market approaches month 20 in the diagram above. Related: Price analysis 10/14: SPX, DXY, BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, ADA, SOL, DOGE, MATIC Keep an eye on Ethereum Network activity Ether emissions plummet post Merge. Source: Delphi Digital Since the Ethereum Merge, Ether emissions have dropped by 97%, and while the price has pulled back significantly, over the coming months, investors might keep an eye on Ethereum network activity, developments with ETH staking across decentralized finance (DeFi) and institutional products, along with any spikes in gas (connected to network activity). Ether supply dynamics. Source: Delphi Digital While the price could succumb to bearish pressure in the short term, if the market begins to turn around if new trends trigger increased use of DeFi products, it’s possible that ETH’s price could react positively to those developments. Post-Merge, BTC price action will likely remain king While new trends across various altcoins may emerge, it’s important to remember the wider context in which crypto assets exist. Global economies are on the rocks, and persistently high inflation remains an issue in the United States and many other countries. Bond prices are whipsawing, and a looming debt crisis makes its presence known on a daily basis. Risk-on assets like cryptocurrencies are incredibly volatile, and even the strongest price trends in crypto (whether backed by fundamentals or not) are subject to the whimsy of macro factors such as equities markets, geopolitics and other market events that impact investors’ sentiment. Keeping this in mind, Bitcoin remains the largest asset by market capitalization within the crypto sector, and any sharp moves from BTC’s price are bound to support or suppress the micro trends that might be gaining traction in the market. There is still the possibility of a sharp downside in Bitcoin’s price, so traders are encouraged to calculate investment size according to their own appetite for risk, and while multiple metrics might support opening long positions in various crypto assets, it still seems too early to fully ape in. This newsletter was written by Big Smokey, the author of The Humble Pontificator Substack and resident newsletter author at Cointelegraph. Each Friday, Big Smokey will write market insights, trending how-tos, analyses and early-bird research on potential emerging trends within the crypto market. The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph.com. Every investment and trading move involves risk, you should conduct your own research when making a decision.

Vehicle Crash Closes US 1 South In Cary – CBS17.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/vehicle-crash-closes-us-1-south-in-cary-cbs17-com/ by: Rodney Overton Posted: Oct 15, 2022 / 04:40 PM EDT Updated: Oct 15, 2022 / 05:03 PM EDT CARY, N.C. (WNCN) — One person died in a wreck that has closed U.S. 1 southbound in Cary Saturday afternoon, officials said. The wreck was reported around 4:10 p.m. on U.S. 1 southbound near mile marker 97 between Tryon Road/U.S. 64 and Ten Ten Road. U.S. 1 South is closed just south of the U.S. 64/Tryon Road exit. The wreck happened when a car was hauling a trailer of kayaks, according to Cary spokeswoman Carolyn Roman. A motorcyclist was behind the trailer along U.S. 1 south. Some of the kayaks came loose from the trailer and fell into the road, Roman said. The motorcyclist swerved to avoid the kayaks, but crashed into a guardrail and died, she said. An NCDOT traffic camera is showing all southbound lanes just south of the U.S. 64 interchange are closed. Several emergency vehicles, including two fire engines, are at the scene near exit 98B. Traffic from U.S. 1 is being diverted onto U.S. 64. Southbound traffic is backed up to Cary Parkway and northbound traffic is moving very slowly in the area. Roman said the highway “probably will be closed for the next few hours.” NCDOT image There were no other injuries in the crash.

Reuters Science News Summary – Devdiscourse https://collincountynewsonline.com/reuters-science-news-summary-devdiscourse-7/ Following is a summary of current science news briefs. SpaceX capsule splashes down, returning 4 astronauts from Space Station The fourth long-duration astronaut team launched by SpaceX to the International Space Station (ISS) safely returned to Earth on Friday, splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida after nearly six months of research aboard the orbital outpost. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Freedom, carrying three U.S. NASA astronauts and an Italian crewmate from the European Space Agency, parachuted into the sea at the conclusion of a five-hour autonomous flight home from the ISS. Archaeologists unearth eight colonial-era mummies in Peru Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed eight centuries-old mummies at a site in the country’s capital, an important find that experts say could point a colonial-era cemetery. Archaeologists on Tuesday were hard at work in Lima’s Park of Legends on the coast of central Peru, carefully cleaning the ancient preserved corpses found under the site, including the remains of children. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Paris District Road Report For October 17, 2022 – KSST https://collincountynewsonline.com/paris-district-road-report-for-october-17-2022-ksst/ Paris — Here’s a look at work planned in the district for the week starting Oct. 17, 2022. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Motorists are advised to remain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems. Sherman Area (Fannin, Grayson Counties) Contacts: Sherman Area Office (903) 892-6529; Grayson Co. Maintenance (903) 893-8831; Fannin Co. Maintenance (903) 583-7566. SH 56 (Lamar Street) at the Post Oak Creek bridge has been reopened to traffic. The remaining work will be completed using occasional daytime lane closures. US 75, Grayson County: from FM 1417 to SH 91 (Texoma Parkway). Watch for shoulder closures and lane shifts on the northbound and southbound US 75 main lanes between SH 91 and FM 1417 as crews work on building new main lanes, bridges, and retaining walls. Watch for lane closures on the frontage roads between FM 1417 and SH 91. A reduced speed limit of 60 mph on the US 75 mainlanes has been set for this construction project. The southbound lanes for SH 91 are closed at the US 75 underpass for crews to begin construction on the new overpass. Motorists traveling southbound on SH 91 will be detoured along the northbound US 75 frontage road to Taylor Street where they will make a left on Taylor Street and another left on the southbound frontage road. This closure is expected to last until Oct. 25, weather permitting. The northbound and southbound US 75 frontage road intersections with Center Street have been converted to an all-way stop condition. Traffic on the frontage roads is asked to pay attention to the advanced warning signs and new stop signs, and approach the intersection prepared for a stop there. Lamar Street and Houston Street under US 75 are closed to through traffic with detour signs in place to guide motorists around these intersections. Eastbound Lamar Street traffic will turn right on the southbound US 75 frontage road, turn left on Center Street, and turn left on the northbound US 75 frontage road to return to eastbound Lamar Street. Video animation of this detour can be seen at the following link. https://youtu.be/5LrCpdOA8OQ Westbound Houston Street traffic will turn right on the northbound US 75 frontage road, turn left on Washington Street, and turn left on the southbound US 75 frontage road to return to westbound Houston Street. Video animation of this detour can be seen at the following link. https://youtu.be/7jCatnI3Oq4 These switches will allow crews to reconstruct the proposed US 75 mainlanes and the bridge over Lamar and Houston Streets. The US 75 northbound frontage road traffic is reduced to one travel lane, but two travel lanes remain for northbound US 75 mainlane traffic. A concrete barrier separates the northbound frontage road and mainlane traffic. Video animation of this alignment can be seen at the following link. https://youtu.be/y_uO0UmpCzk For southbound US 75 the frontage road traffic is reduced to one travel lane, but two travel lanes remain for southbound US 75 mainlane traffic. A concrete barrier separates the southbound frontage road and mainlane traffic. Video animation of this alignment can be seen at the following link. https://youtu.be/k2EG2W9rFJY US 75, Grayson County: at the US 82 intersection. Watch for shoulder closures on the northbound and southbound US 75 main lanes between South Loy Lake Road and Lamberth Street as crews work on building new exit and entrance ramps. Watch for shoulder closures and lanes shifts on the eastbound and westbound US 82 main lanes between FM 131 and Loy Lake Road while crews work on building new exit and entrance ramps. Watch for lane closures and lane shifts for the frontage roads at the US 75 and US 82 intersection as crews work on construction of new frontage road lanes. FM 1417, Grayson County: from US 82 to SH 56. Watch for lane shifts and shoulder closures between US 82 and SH 56 while crews construct the new roadway pavement. The ultimate roadway will be a four-lane divided section with turn lanes. A reduced speed limit of 45 mph has been set for this construction project. The West Cypress Grove Road intersection on the east side of FM 1417 will be closed to through traffic to work on paving at the intersection beginning Oct. 17. During the closure, traffic wishing to use Cypress Grove Road is asked to use Mimosa Drive and Redbud Trail as a detour route. A traffic switch is planned for Oct. 26 where mainlane traffic will be switched to the new concrete section between Lamberth Street and SH 56. South Travis Street, Grayson County: in Sherman at Post Oak Creek. Construction is underway for the South Travis Street bridge over Post Oak Creek. During construction, the bridge will be reduced to one lane with traffic signals controlling traffic through the project, while the new bridge is built in phases. Business US 377B, Grayson County: in Whitesboro from Randy Street to Walnut Street. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews work to construct sidewalks and curb ramps. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone. Business US 377B, Grayson County: south of Whitesboro at the railroad underpass near US 377. Watch for lane closures with signals controlling traffic while crews work to upgrade the bridge railing. US 75 full depth concrete repair, Grayson County: Crews will be working on US 75 each week from Sunday night through Friday morning during the overnight period. Lane closures will be present at night for crews to replace failed concrete sections. Lane closures will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night and should be reopened to traffic by 6 a.m. This work will extend from the Collin-Grayson County line to the Oklahoma State line. FM 1753, Grayson County: from FM 120 to FM 1897. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews work to rehabilitate and overlay the roadway. FS 121 (Grayson Parkway), Grayson County: from the Collin County line to FM 121. Construction is ongoing on this new-location roadway which is west of SH 289 approximately four miles. The new roadway will be two lanes with shoulders and will be an extension of the frontage road of the Dallas North Tollway. Local traffic on CR 60 (Marilee Road) and Stiff Chapel Road should expect occasional road work at those intersections, with flaggers present to control traffic. Work on FM 121 at the FS 121 intersection (formerly Scharff Road intersection) is ongoing as crews work to widen the pavement to add turn lanes. Motorists on FM 121 should expect daytime lane closures while crews widen the pavement and install a culvert. US 377, Grayson County: Willis Bridge at the Oklahoma State line. Watch for occasional lane closures on the existing bridge as workers pour concrete for the new bridge structure. US 75 debris pickup, Grayson County: from Collin County line to Oklahoma State line. Watch for mobile lane closures as workers pick up debris from the roadway every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday during the nighttime. US 69, Grayson County: from US 82 to Spur 503. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews perform spot milling on the roadway. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone. FM 121, Grayson County: from US 377 to SH 289. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews perform base repairs and blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone. SH 34, Fannin County: from FM 64 to FM 1550. Watch for occasional daytime lane closures as workers build the new SH 34 bridge over the future Lake Ralph Hall as well as the approaches to the bridge. FM 824, Fannin County: from SH 56 in Honey Grove to the Lamar County line. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway. FM 1550, Fannin County: from County Road 3330 to SH 34. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway. SH 121, Fannin County: from the Collin County line to SH 56. Watch for temporary daytime lane closures and shoulder closures as workers install sloped end treatments on pipes and install guardrail. FM 100, Fannin County: from US 82 to FM 2216. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone. FM 409, Fannin County: from FM 2029 to FM 100. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone. FM 2029, Fannin County: from FM 1396 to FM 273. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway with hotmix. Motorists should expect delays as flaggers and pilot cars direct traffic through the work zone. Sulphur Springs Area (Hopkins, Franklin Counties): Contacts: Sulphur Springs Area Office (903) 885-9514; Franklin Co. Maintenance (903) 537-4976; Hopkins Co. Maintenance (903) 885-4031. FM 1536, Hopkins County: from SH 19 to FM 71. Watch for lane closures and short delays as crews rehabilitate the roadway. Paris Area (Delta, Lamar, Red River Counties) Contacts: Paris Area Office (903) 784-1357; Delta Co. Maintenance (903) 395-2139; Lamar Co. Maintenance (903) 785-4468; Red River Co. Maintenance (903) 427-3561. SH 37, Red River County: from US 82 to Texas-Oklahoma state line. Watch for temporary lane closures while crews resurface the roadway. US 271, Red River County: from SH 37 to Titus County Line. Watch...

The Travel Planners – The World Winning Inbound Tour Operators – The Asian Age https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-travel-planners-the-world-winning-inbound-tour-operators-the-asian-age/ The Ayur Villa is a Boutique luxury private retreat for a family vacation or private stay with Ayurveda, Yoga, and meditation People today are delving into nature to overcome social isolation and mental anguish following Covid. Since people want to reconnect with nature, enjoy the lush green scenic landscapes and crystal clear beaches once again make Kerala being the god’s own country, a sought-after destination. In such a circumstance a perfect travel planning agency that knows better travel deals and trip itineraries can only provide conveyance and accommodation to individuals and groups scheduling trips. Choosing the ideal tour operator isn’t an easy business. There’s a lot of research and understanding required since the success of your trip depends on it. Hence arrives, The Travel Planners – the one-stop solution for all your travel needs. The Travel Planners In Detail The Travel Planners is South India’s leading ISO 9001-2000 certified tour operator providing tailor-made holidays to the state. It was founded in 1999 by the strong visionary Mr. Anish Kumar P. K, the present CEO of the agency. The Travel Planners has grown to become one of the leading and most respected operators recognized by the Ministry Of Tourism, Government of India for their uninterrupted services for the last 22 years. They are the fastest growing tour company in Kerala with the mission of providing unique tours and are best known for their personalized and professional tour services. They run all their trips in a socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally responsible manner. The 5 Awesome Holiday Packages Offered By The Agency For Kerala. Times magazine chose Kerala, ‘the queen of Malabar’ as one of the greatest places to visit in 2022 and there is a tremendous increase in Holiday Package bookings to South India says the CEO Anish Kumar P.K. The 5 major holiday package offers in Kerala: KERALA HONEYMOON PACKAGE The CEO said that the newlyweds would like to spend their honeymoon in Kerala, staying in the luxury pool villas of resorts in Munnar and Kumarakom. There are a variety of entertaining honeymoon packages available extending to a week. Here travelers can choose between standard and luxury honeymoon packages. The backwaters of Kerala with a romantic houseboat accommodation, the cool hill stations of Munnar and Wayanad, the wildlife of Thekkady, beaches of Kovalam and Marari give the honeymooners in Kerala to explore and discover the wonders of nature. MADURAI-KODAIKANAL-RAMESHWARAM TOUR PACKAGE A Temple tour of Madurai Rameshwaram and a leisure stay at Kodaikanal are the highlights of this tour. The tour covers Madurai, one of the most famous pilgrimage centers in India. The best thing about Madurai is its Meenakshi Amman Temple, which not only becomes a holy experience for visitors but also proves itself to be an architectural marvel with its thousands of statues and carvings. The city of Madurai has a lot to offer to tourists, as is evident by its nickname ‘Thoonga Nagaram’, which means ‘the city that never sleeps’. The Madurai experience is followed up by a grand entry to ‘God’s Own Country’, the State of Kerala, via Kovalam, its most famous beach destination. KERALA TOUR PACKAGES People ask for short-duration trips as well as long-duration trips with budget-friendly and luxury hotels. The five nights and six-day tour covers destinations like Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, and Alleppey. The 4-night and 5 days tour can also cover those four destinations mentioned above within a shorter duration. With the Best of Kerala package, you can cover popular destinations like Trivandrum, Kovalam, Houseboat cruise, Thekkady, Munnar, and Cochin. The Kerala Family Tour package covers destinations like Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom, Houseboat cruise, and Kovalam. You can visit Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey, and Poovar in six night and seven-day tour with the Kerala package tour offer, and with a Wayanad Coorg Tour package, you can cover Calicut, Wayanad, Coorg, and Kannur in four nights and five days term. AYURVEDIC RETREAT The Ayur Villa is a Boutique luxury private retreat for a family vacation or private stay with Ayurveda, Yoga, and meditation to rejuvenate body, mind, and soul. The package offers luxury food and accommodation, a doctor’s regular consultation, daily Ayurveda therapy, yoga practice, a refreshing pool, proximity to the beach, etc. With Ayur Villa, travelers will get the best possible rejuvenating experience and an opportunity to improve both mentally and physically. KERALA HOLIDAY PACKAGES The Travel Planners give special stress on providing a better cultural experience to the travelers along with sightseeing. They customize their holiday packages according to the needs of travelers. They have different tour packages from different Indian cities including Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. They also organize Kerala tour packages from 3 to 6 days. Trivandrum Tour Package, Tour Packages for Corporates, Kerala Package, Mysore Coorg Tour Package, Coorg Ooty Tour Package, Ooty Wayanad Package, etc are some of the famous packages offered by the company. Disclaimer: No Asian Age journalist was involved in creating this content. The group also takes no responsibility for this content.

Ukraine And Russia Work To Gain Advantage In Annexed Regions – 69News WFMZ-TV https://collincountynewsonline.com/ukraine-and-russia-work-to-gain-advantage-in-annexed-regions-69news-wfmz-tv/ ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Regions of southern Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed saw more heavy fighting Saturday as Ukrainian soldiers pressed a ground campaign to recapture one, and Russian forces exploded long-range missiles and Iranian-made drones in another. A missile strike also seriously damaged a key energy facility in Ukraine’s capital region, the country’s grid operator said. Following mounting setbacks, the Russian military has worked to cut off power and water in far-flung populated areas while also fending off Ukrainian counterattacks in occupied areas. Dmytro Pocishchuk, a hospital medic in the Zaporizhzhia region’s capital who has treated dozens of people wounded during Russian attacks in recent weeks, said people sought safety outdoors or in his building’s basement when the familiar blasts started at 5:15 a.m. Saturday. “If Ukraine stops, these bombings and killings will continue. We can’t give up to the Russian Federation,’” Pocishchuk said several hours later. He put a small Ukrainian flag on the broken windshield of his heavily damaged car. Russia has lost ground in the nearly seven weeks since Ukraine’s armed forces opened their southern counteroffensive. This week, the Kremlin launched what is believed to be its largest coordinated air and missile raids since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Kyiv region Gov. Oleksiy Kuleba said the missile that hit a power site Saturday morning didn’t kill or wound anyone. Citing security, Ukrainian officials didn’t identify the site, one of many infrastructure targets the Russian military tried to destroy after an Oct. 8 truck bomb explosion damaged the bridge that links Russia to the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Ukrainian electricity transmission company Ukrenergo said repair crews were working to restore electricity service, but warned residents about further possible outages. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, urged residents of the capital and three neighboring regions to conserve energy. “Putin may hope that by increasing the misery of the Ukrainian people, President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy may be more inclined to negotiate a settlement that allows Russia to retain some stolen territory in the east or Crimea,” said Ian Williams, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a policy organization based in Washington. “A quick look at history shows that the strategic bombing of civilians is an ineffective way to achieve a political aim. ” This week’s wide-ranging retaliatory attacks, which included the use of self-destructing explosive drones from Iran, killed dozens of people. The strikes hit residential buildings as well as infrastructure such as power stations in Kyiv, Lviv in western Ukraine, and other cities that had seen comparatively few strikes in recent months. Putin said Friday that Moscow didn’t see a need for additional massive strikes but his military would continue selective ones. He said that of 29 targets the Russian military planned to knock out in this week’s attacks, seven weren’t damaged and would be taken out gradually. The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank based in Washington, interpreted Putin’s remarks as intended to counter criticism from pro-war Russian bloggers who “largely praised the resumption of strikes against Ukrainian cities, but warned that a short campaign would be ineffective.” In the Zaporizhzhia region, Gov. Oleksandr Starukh said the Russian military carried out strikes with kamikaze drones from Iran and long-range S-300 missiles. Some experts said the Russian military’s use of the surface-to-air missiles may reflect shortages of dedicated precision weapons for hitting ground targets. The neighboring Kherson region, one of the first areas of Ukraine to fall to Russia after the invasion and which Putin also illegally designated as Russian territory last month, remained the focus of a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Kyiv’s army has reported recapturing 75 villages and towns there in the last month, but said the momentum had slowed, with the fighting settling into the sort of grueling back-and-forth that characterized Russia’s months-long offensive to conquer Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. On Saturday, Ukrainian troops attempted to advance south along the banks of the Dnieper River toward the regional capital, also named Kherson, but didn’t gain any ground, according to Kirill Stremousov, a deputy head of the occupied region’s Moscow-installed administration. “The defense lines worked, and the situation has remained under the full control of the Russian army,” he wrote on his messaging app channel. The Kremlin-backed local leaders asked civilians Thursday to leave the region to ensure their safety and to give Russian troops more maneuverability. Stremousov reminded them they could evacuate to Crimea and cities in southwestern Russia, where Moscow offered free accommodations to residents who agreed to leave. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman, said the military destroyed five crossings on the Inhulets River, another route Ukraine’s fighters could take to progress toward the Kherson region. Konashenkov claimed Russian troops also blocked Ukrainian attempts to make inroads in breaching Russian defenses near Lyman, a city in the annexed Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine that the Ukrainians retook two weeks ago in a significant defeat for the Kremlin. To the north and east of Kherson, Russian shelling killed two civilians in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Gov. Valentyn Resnichenko said. He said the shelling of the city of Nikopol, which is located across the Dnieper from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, damaged a dozen residential buildings, several stores and a transportation facility. Fighting near the nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, has been an ongoing concern during the nearly eight-month war. The power station temporarily lost its last remaining outside electricity source twice in the past week, fueling fears the reactors could eventually overheat and cause a catastrophic radiation leak. International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi reported that such fears were somewhat eased late Friday, because Ukrainian engineers had managed after several weeks to restore backup power lines that can serve as a “buffer” in case of further war-related outages. “Working in very challenging conditions, operating staff at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are doing everything they can to bolster its fragile offsite power situation,” Grossi said. “Restoring the backup power connection is a positive step in this regard, even though the overall nuclear safety and security situation remains precarious.” Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Grocery Shopping To Level Up Your Diet Game! – The Daily Star https://collincountynewsonline.com/grocery-shopping-to-level-up-your-diet-game-the-daily-star/ It is often hard to wave goodbye to the sugary and high fat containing foods that filled the void inside you for a long time. However, the primary step in achieving a healthy lifestyle is to adopt a healthy diet, and that originates from the choices you make while shopping for your groceries. Therefore, we have sorted a well-designed plan for your next grocery shopping that will guide you in filling your cart with nutritious items.  Pre-plan your menus to avoid getting off-track Before heading to the store, decide on the menu first and prepare a list accordingly. Doing so will direct you in the right direction and prevent unnecessary and unhealthy purchases. Since your monthly menu will be planned to form a balanced diet, i.e., the right proportions of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy; the list will help you pick up the groceries you need to cook nutritious meals.  Shopping on an empty stomach is a big no Have you ever wondered why you get extra starry-eyed and hover longer than usual around the candy section when you shop on an empty stomach? That is because you are running low on sugar. Hunger weakens your defences and makes you crave things you normally would not. Hence, from next time onwards, remember to eat something before starting your grocery shopping so as not to get distracted from your goal. Limiting within the perimeter  Mostly, grocery stores have the fruits, vegetables, and meat sections adjacent to each other. Once you set a perimeter around that particular side of the store, it will guide you to purchase three of the five main food groups that make up a balanced diet. Later, you can move on to the carbohydrates and other essential ingredients like oil and spices.  Wholegrain and lean meat for higher health benefits While buying bread, oats, rice, etc. make sure they are made of wholegrains. They are rich in fibre. Alongside multiple other benefits, wholegrains help keep you full and maintain a healthy body weight.  Some types of meat contain high levels of saturated fat which can develop cholesterol in our bodies, causing heart diseases. However, they are also loaded with nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins and are a good source of proteins in our diet. Since its health benefits cannot be ignored, ask your butcher for a lean cut. This will get rid of unnecessary fats while preserving their meaty goodness.  Healthy fats within the acceptable range are welcome  While fats are known to be responsible for coronary diseases, healthy fats have a key contribution to a balanced diet. Unsaturated fats and omega-3 rich fats are major mood boosters; they sharpen your cognitive skills, lower bad LDL cholesterol levels and increase good HDL levels. They make your skin and hair glow, all while maintaining your waistline. So, do not forget to add olives, walnuts, avocados, fatty fish, and dairy products like milk and yoghurt, etc. to your grocery cart.  Do remember that good or bad, fats have comparatively high calories and according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, its intake should not exceed 20 to 35 per cent of daily calories to stay within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range.  Read nutrition fact labels for making wiser decisions It is a necessary step in healthy grocery shopping to read the labels on the products for nutritional information. Ingredients and nutrient content of a product can vary a lot from brand to brand and comparing the labels for the one with the lowest amount of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars is a wise choice.  Check expiry dates for freshness Always be meticulous about the expiry dates on packaged foods otherwise you can fall ill once bacteria start to grow in them. Not only for packaged foods but the freshness of groceries also needs to be considered even for produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season will bring out the best results in your diet.  Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed Styling: RBR

College Football Picks, Schedule: Predictions Against The Spread, Odds For Top 25 Games In Week 7 – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/college-football-picks-schedule-predictions-against-the-spread-odds-for-top-25-games-in-week-7-cbs-sports/ The official midway point of the 2022 college football season has arrived with Week 7 or, if you prefer, Separation Saturday, is underway. With six games between ranked opponents on the slate, there is no doubt that College Football Playoff dreams will be crushed a couple weeks ahead of the first CFP Rankings being released. The Big Ten East will begin to sort out early as No. 10 Penn State visits No. 5 Michigan with the Nittany Lions hoping to continue their strong season, while the Wolverines look to prove 2021 was not an aberration. The featured game of the day, though, is No. 3 Alabama entering Rocky Top to take on No. 6 Tennessee with the Volunteers as confident as ever welcoming the rival Crimson Tide to town. Is this the year the Vols get over the schneid and become legitimate CFP contenders, or will quarterback Bryce Young return to set the Crimson Tide right entering the second half of the season? No. 8 Oklahoma State also visits No. 13 TCU in another meeting of Big 12 unbeatens that should clear the field in the league, while No. 7 USC travels to No. 20 Utah in a key Pac-12 game. Will the Utes reclaim their dominance of the conference and make a case for winning back-to-back league titles, or will the Trojans continue thriving under first-year coach Lincoln Riley with Caleb Williams under center? By the time Saturday’s action concludes, numerous conference title pictures will clarify and there may even be notable changes to Jerry Palm’s bowl projections (look for those on Sunday). Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 7. Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern No. 3 Alabama at No. 6 Tennessee Featured Game | Tennessee Volunteers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide 3:30 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Take Tennessee and the points, but you might want to consider a moneyline sprinkle on this one. Even if Bryce Young plays for Alabama, it’s unlikely that he will be 100%. If Bama’s offense bogs down, or even if it has just a few empty possessions, the Volunteers will have a chance to win this one outright. That is exactly what I think will happen. Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker will make a massive Heisman Trophy statement in what will be the biggest win for the Vols in a generation. Prediction: Tennessee +7.5 — Barrett Sallee No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 13 TCU Featured Game | TCU Horned Frogs vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys 3:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — TCU has been one of the best stories this season, but Oklahoma State is a different kind of challenge. The Cowboys are deep, physical and equally as well-coached. Oklahoma State’s defensive line is good enough to cause problems for a shaky TCU offensive line, especially against the tackles. It will be a close game, but Oklahoma State will pull off the betting upset. Prediction: Oklahoma State +3.5 — Shehan Jeyarajah LSU vs. Florida Featured Game | Florida Gators vs. LSU Tigers 7 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — While technically not a top-25 game, this SEC rivalry showdown is always one of the most anticipated of the year. Florida and LSU bear similarities as both teams are 4-2 in their first seasons under new coaches. Both are reliant on mobile quarterbacks who have been inconsistent throwing the football, and both endured some intense highs and lows over the season’s first half. LSU’s defense looks better on paper, ranking 29th nationally in total defense as opposed to Florida’s 99th ranking, but that’s misleading as the Tigers surrendered 438 yards against lowly Auburn two weeks ago before giving up 502 yards at home against Tennessee last week. With such a narrow spread in this game and little seeming to differentiate the teams, Florida gets the nod due to home field advantage. The Swamp should be rocking for a night game against a SEC rival. Prediction: Florida -2.5 — David Cobb No. 7 USC at No. 20 Utah Featured Game | Utah Utes vs. USC Trojans 8 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) —  There should be some real concern with Utah’s inability to get pressure on Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the loss to UCLA. There is going to be plenty for Lincoln Riley and his staff to work with in terms of looking to exploit Utah’s defense in a similar manner, and the recent success of the Trojans defense is a welcome sign when that side fo the ball was thought to be a weakness coming into the season. Utah will play better than it did against UCLA, but things aren’t quite clicking at the championship level we expected coming into the season. I give USC a decent chance to win, so I think taking the points is the right play. Prediction: USC +3.5 — Chip Patterson Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 7, and which top-15 favorite will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,000 in profit over the past six-plus seasons — and find out. No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan Featured Game | Michigan Wolverines vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Noon | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — While I can’t be sure what I know about either of these teams just yet, my inkling is that the defenses remain stronger than the offenses. The Michigan offense has been too reliant on Blake Corum for big plays in recent weeks, and Penn State’s improved offensive line hasn’t been tested the same way it will be this week. We’re much more likely to see a lower-scoring game than a high-scoring affair (none of the last four meetings crossed the 50-point mark). Prediction: Under 51.5 — Tom Fornelli

How Dubai Is Developing Its Metaverse Strategy – Acceleration Economy https://collincountynewsonline.com/how-dubai-is-developing-its-metaverse-strategy-acceleration-economy/ The public sector is discovering the Metaverse’s potential. The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has announced Dubai’s Metaverse strategy. In a tweet, he attached the following infographic. Fostering Innovation In many ways, it’s not surprising that innovative governments like Dubai‘s are starting to consider the Metaverse. Dubai has a history of embracing innovation, having already attracted 1,000 companies in the blockchain and Metaverse space, which makes it more inclined to understand that building the necessary infrastructure and fostering a healthy ecosystem around this emerging industry can pay off well in terms of the city’s overall economy. Citi released a report that estimated the Metaverse market’s size to be between $8 and $13 trillion — that means there are many companies and jobs that may exist in Dubai. Just as the Bay Area became the physical epicenter of the personal computer and the internet, Dubai’s leaders intend for it to become the internet’s next evolution center. The strategy is meant to foster innovation in blockchain and Metaverse technologies, as well as set standards for investors and users. Dubai’s state news agency WAM also emphasized its mission to provide education for developers, creators, and users looking to transition into the Metaverse and Web3. This is critical to creating the experiences needed to draw users to (and enable them to use) new platforms. Determining Regulations Part of this mission also revolves around putting the right regulations in place to help in the creation and adoption of new technologies and services. Determining which regulations are right, however, has been one of the main debates, especially around cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. If there’s too little regulation, then investors are at harm — this was the argument made after LUNA’s crash in May. If there’s too much regulation, then the space can’t grow. This is what most crypto-enthusiasts believe is holding innovation back. In March, Dubai established the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and passed its first law dealing with such assets. The city has already granted licenses to many large crypto exchanges like Binance and the European subsidiary of FTX. Faced with increasingly restrictive regulation by other governments, exchanges and blockchain companies are strongly incentivized to set up shop in crypto-friendly locations like Dubai. Bybit has announced that it would soon open its global headquarters in Dubai. Other players in the space like Crypto.com said they would establish a presence in the city. Incorporating Metaverse Tech for Smart Cities Major companies based in Dubai are starting to incorporate the Metaverse and blockchain-based technologies into their businesses. Notable examples include airline company Emirates; business conglomerate Damac Group; fashion house Roberto Cavalli; and UAE health care firm Thumbay Group, who plan to release a “Metaverse hospital” in the fall where patients can consult doctors virtually. Dubai’s Museum of the Future in September hosted the Dubai Metaverse Assembly, which saw more than 300 experts and 40 organizations come together to discuss the Metaverse and its opportunities. Hamdan bin Mohammed also recently announced the establishment of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy, which will play an integral part in Dubai’s mission to spearhead the Metaverse and Web3. Dubai’s government has many options to integrate Metaverse technologies besides just fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. While the promise of “smart cities” has long remained only in the hype-based vocabulary of tech enthusiasts, the improvement of AR (augmented reality) hardware may finally allow us to move closer to intelligent cities. As AR technology improves, cities like Dubai can incorporate immersive experiences into public infrastructure. Facilities like bus stops and public bathrooms may be marked in a user’s field of view. The government may decide to build a low-resolution digital replica of the city and overlay storefronts, roads, and historic landmarks with important information or educational content that may explain the landmark’s history, for example. In some ways, public sector officials, particularly city officials, can contribute more to the Metaverse than large corporations and national governments. There are many ways immersive technology and blockchain can deliver value to the public and through public infrastructure; they can help shape the regulation necessary for industries to grow. Projects can start small, like adding a QR code to a public art installation that leads to a mobile AR experience, or end up big, like switching the national monetary system from a fiat currency to a cryptocurrency. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see what the cities of the future will look like. Dubai is well on its way to achieving that vision. Want to compete in the Metaverse? Subscribe to the My Metaverse Minute Channel:

See Who Wins The Battle Between Motorola Razr And Samsung Galaxy S22 – The Tech Outlook https://collincountynewsonline.com/see-who-wins-the-battle-between-motorola-razr-and-samsung-galaxy-s22-the-tech-outlook/ There are a lot of brands in the smartphone industry but choosing the best can be tedious. Samsung and Motorola are second to none in any terms. Both of the brands have been trying to give cutthroat competition and this article will take you through the specs and features of Motorola RAZR and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Motorola Razr Motorola Razr has got a lot more for you than you can imagine. The market first saw its launching on the 13th of October 2019. Its screen is 6.20inch wide and offers a resolution of 876×2142 pixels and an aspect ratio of 21;9. It has got more than this in its screen because it has a second screen also that is 2.70inch wide with a resolution of 800×600 resolutions. It packs with 2.2Ghz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. One of the features that makes it cool and hassle-free is its 6GB of RAM. It is powered by 2510 mAh non-removable memory. Rear side packs a 16MP autofocus f/17 aperture camera. The selfie camera is 5MP with f/2.0 aperture. When it was launched in the market it came in a noir black color. It measures 172×72×6.90 mm and weighs 250 grams. It is based on Android 9.0 Pie and comes with 128GB of inbuilt storage. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra This phone has surpassed all the limits and has brought the best thing for you. It has a round design, flat screen, and sleek design. An inbuilt S Pen adds up the plus point like its predecessor. If we talk about the screen it has got a 6.8-inch wide display that makes it a bit bulky. But if you can handle it will enhance your viewing experience of movies and gaming. The Super premium feature of this phone has made it slim and lightweight that only weighs 228g. It is available in two variants of 6GB and 12GB RAM. As far as the camera is concerned it has a quad camera setup that features a 108MP camera, two 10MP cameras, and one 12MP camera. A selfie camera of 40MP will take care of your selfies and vlogs.

Bitcoin Price Prediction – Is BTC About To Surge 20%? – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/bitcoin-price-prediction-is-btc-about-to-surge-20-cryptonews/ Bitcoin price prediction remains neutral to slightly bullish, as technical indicators indicate investor indecision. The BTC/USD pair is trading in a narrow range of $19,210 to $19,000. The cryptocurrency market is devoid of volatility, and investors appear to be waiting for a solid fundamental reason to trigger breakouts.  BTC Sideways Range – Source: Tradingview Let’s start with the news highlights, and then I’ll go over the technical outlook to determine price prediction. War-Driven Crypto Activity in Russia and Ukraine As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine worsens, so does the volume and intensity of cryptocurrency activity.  New York-based blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis released a report on the rapidly expanding use of crypto, the vast majority of which is illegal in origin, in Eastern Europe as a preview of its forthcoming 2022 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report. Residents of both countries began engaging in significantly more activity shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Economic conditions deteriorated during the height of the conflict, resulting in suffocating price increases. Chainalysis found that people in Russia suffering from the economic sanctions imposed by many countries as a form of criticism for the invasion were more likely to hold stablecoins than any other type of digital asset. According to the research organization, Russia’s volume of stablecoin transactions rose from 42% in January to 67% in March. Overall, crypto activity in the country has increased since then.  Elliptic, a blockchain analytics business, found that the country received $63 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency donations in the two weeks following the invasion. According to a story published by the Financial Times in 2022, cryptographic assistance to Ukraine has already surpassed the $100 million mark.  To cut a long story short, there has recently been increased adoption of Bitcoin and altcoins, which is likely to have a positive impact on Bitcoin price. Stronger US Dollar Keeps BTC Lower One of the reasons behind a slowdown in Bitcoin’s upward movement could be associated with a stronger US dollar. A day before, the University of Michigan reported consumer sentiment figures that showed a significant improvement. Consumer sentiment increased in October 2022 to 59.8, the highest level in six months, from 58.6 the previous month and higher than market predictions of 59. Alongside, after an upwardly revised 0.4% increase in August, the Commerce Department reported Friday that sales were flat in September. There was a correction made to the August sales figure, which revised the growth to 0.7%.  Despite the fact that the data is flat, the market views it positively, and it will encourage the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by 0.75 percentage points at its November policy meeting. Bitcoin Price Prediction – Is BTC About to Surge 20%? The current Bitcoin price is $19,168, and the 24-hour trading volume is $28 billion. Bitcoin has fallen over 2% in the last 24 hours. CoinMarketCap now ranks first, with a live market cap of $367 billion.  Bitcoin has found immediate support near $19,135 and has also crossed below the 50-day moving average, indicating a bearish trend. A break below $19,135 may cause BTC to fall to prior triple bottom support near $18,709, while another breach may cause BTC to fall to $18,246. On the upside, resistance is still located near $19,958. If the price goes below $19,135, investors are likely to consider selling. A bullish breakout of $19,960 and $20,458 on the other hand, has the potential to drive a price uptrend of up to 20%. New Crypto Presales One way to combat the bearish cryptocurrency market and extreme volatility is to invest in a new token presale.  We’ve been keeping an eye on the IMPT token presale, a new cryptocurrency that recently raised over $4.6 million in a seed round. Visit IMPT Site Find The Best Price to Buy/Sell Cryptocurrency

The Era Of NFT Reservations And Paywalled Restaurants Is Upon Us – The New York Times https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-era-of-nft-reservations-and-paywalled-restaurants-is-upon-us-the-new-york-times/ As long as there have been high-status, celebrity-studded restaurants, there have been people clamoring to get into them, working contacts, making phone calls, greasing palms. Lately, though, it can seem like every restaurant in New York is that kind of restaurant. In the pandemic era — with hours cut back in many cases, and a public eager to eat out once again — the competition for tables has reached a frenzied pitch on electronic reservation platforms. “Without over-embellishing, within five seconds basically all reservations are taken,” said Steve Saed, who started #FreeRezy, a free electronic forum where people could swap reservations among themselves. “It’s like winning the lottery to eat at these places,” he added. But a new generation of tactics have emerged to help would-be diners jump the line, including latter-day concierge services, NFTs granting holders special privileges, members-only credit card perks and private “clubstaurants.” What they all have in common is that they will cost you. “However many years ago, it was slip the host or hostess $20 and bypass the line,” said Alex Lee, the chief executive of Resy and vice president of American Express Dining. He runs the companies’ Global Dining Network, a program that offers a select group of Amex members (Amex owns Resy) access to certain restaurant perks through the reservation platform. The program, he suggested, is just the natural evolution of that furtive $20. For an annual credit card fee in the hundreds or sometimes thousands, Global Dining Access members can obtain priority reservations at hot restaurants across the United States. “The first thing customers want is access, right?” Mr. Lee said. But at certain members-only restaurants, a reservation alone is not enough. Haiku, a private sushi restaurant in Miami, makes a slightly different calculation. The restaurant accepts members by invitation only, for an annual fee, and asks them to commit to at least four reservations for a 10-to-12-course kaiseki-inspired omakase menu annually. The restaurant declined to discuss either the application process or the price. Jeff Zalaznick, a partner at Major Food Group, was only slightly more forthcoming about plans for the New York debut of ZZ’s Club, which will feature a members-only Carbone. Like the first ZZ’s in Miami, which offers members access to a Japanese restaurant, a sushi bar, a bar and lounge and a cigar terrace, ZZ’s Club New York will bring the Major Food Group experience to the financial and social elite. (Like Haiku, Major Food Group would not disclose the fee or the application process.) Image Carbone, run by Major Food Group, is one of New York City’s most difficult reservations.Credit…Daniel Krieger for The New York Times But given that the original Carbone — which recently lost its Michelin star — is already impossible to get into, is it really necessary to have an even more exclusive version just two miles away? “One of the great things about being a private member’s club, is the fact that you really can tailor everything on the food and beverage side to your customers at an even higher level than you can, obviously, when you’re just a public restaurant,” Mr. Zalaznick said. This means knowing what members want, and how exactly they want it: How do they take their steak? Do they prefer still or sparkling water? What is their standing order, and with which modifications? Diners can have all those things at the London import Casa Cruz, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, but for a stratospheric price tag. The top-floor dining room there is reserved for the 99 members of the restaurant’s “investor group of partners” who have paid between $250,000 and $500,000 to join. “I think there’s a demand for curation,” said Noah Tepperberg, the co-CEO of Tao Group Hospitality, which next year is opening a private club in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, in collaboration with the restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You. In the grand tradition of private clubs — from New York City’s Union Club to San Francisco’s Bohemian Club to the recently rebranded ’Quin House in Boston — these exclusive clubstaurants require not only cash but status. Image At Lilia, the Brooklyn Italian restaurant from the chef Missy Robbins, reservations are routinely booked solid a month in advance.Credit…Vincent Tullo for The New York Times “Restaurants began as places to show off status,” said Andrew P. Haley, an associate professor of history at the University of Southern Mississippi. Generally, this took place in public, where discerning diners could be seen demonstrating their discernment. The members-only clubstaurant, on the other hand, confers another kind of status, suggested Megan J. Elias, the director of the gastronomy program at Boston University: “You can be a connoisseur among a very small number of connoisseurs.” Mr. Saed said he’s not surprised that access is being monetized. “Part of it tracks to the types of people that are renting in New York now,” he said. “With rents pushing over $4,000 to $5,000, I think that the proportion of people that are living here that have the discretionary income to spend are kind of more here.” Still other restaurants — the public kind — are leaning into patronage-style programs, aiming to give certain customers premier access, while remaining open to the rest of us. Under normal circumstances, it can take weeks or months to get into Dame, the West Village fish-and-chips sensation. But there is a workaround: Front of House, a platform designed to help restaurants sell “digital collectibles,” also known as NFTs, that grant holders special access. Instead of lining up at 4:30 p.m. on a Monday, the one day Dame takes walk-in diners, a devoted diner could pay $1,000 dollars, which buys them the ability, with at least 24 hours notice, to book a table once a week through the end of 2022. (20 such tokens have been created; 11 have been sold so far.) Stephanie Dumanian, a cosmetic dentist in Manhattan and a fan of the restaurant, was trying without success to make a reservation for her husband’s birthday when she found Front of House. She bought a token in July, and has been three times since. “It’s been great,” she said. “I feel like I’m supporting a local business.” Image Dame, in Greenwich Village, only takes walk-ins one day a week.Credit…Evan Sung for The New York Times Image It can take weeks or months to get an opportunity to try Dame’s fish and chips.Credit…Evan Sung for The New York Times Colin Camac, a co-founder of Front of House, said the platform is simply expediting intimacy. “I think one of the best things in the world is going into a place just like Cheers, where everybody knows your name, where they know what you like, where your martini is sitting there as soon as you walk in,” said Mr. Camac, who is also a regional director at Resy. “It’s an easier way to be part of that community if you don’t have the time to really invest in it.” In other words, anyone can be a regular, for a price. “It’s kind of a trade secret in the concierge space that you have to build relationships, and spend a lot of time doing it, in order to deliver these very hard to get reservations,” said Peter Adams, the founder of Table Concierge. His start-up is for people with money but not time, and a would-be diner doesn’t actually have to be a regular to get treated like one. “You could do this on your own,” he said, but he streamlines the process “so you don’t have to wake up at 8 a.m. or book at midnight.” For a price — usually $50 per reservation per person, but it depends on the difficulty — Mr. Adams works his connections to open doors that appear closed to the rest of us. (White glove service means he will go as far as going to a restaurant in person to negotiate on a client’s behalf.) With a week or so warning, he puts his success rate at 90 percent. You want Lilia? He’ll get you Lilia, nevermind what Resy says. “We can get you in anywhere other than Rao’s,” he said of the exclusive Italian restaurant in East Harlem. Though he added: “But if you want to give me $10,000, I can find a way to get you into Rao’s.” /

SHAREHOLDER ACTION ALERT: The Schall Law Firm Encourages Investors In International Game Technology PLC With Losses Of $100000 To Contact The Firm – Business Wire https://collincountynewsonline.com/shareholder-action-alert-the-schall-law-firm-encourages-investors-in-international-game-technology-plc-with-losses-of-100000-to-contact-the-firm-business-wire/ LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against International Game Technology PLC (“IGT” or “the Company”) (NYSE: IGT) violations of §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors who purchased the Company’s securities between March 16, 2018 and August 29, 2022, inclusive (the ”Class Period”), are encouraged to contact the firm before December 13, 2022. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm’s website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at bschall@schallfirm.com. The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. IGT overstated its ability to remain in compliance with gaming and lottery laws. The Company and/or its subsidiaries engaged in gambling operations that broke applicable laws. Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about IGT, investors suffered damages. Join the case to recover your losses. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

These Three McKinney Chamber Of Commerce Events Aim To Keep The Community Informed In The Face Of Change – Star Local Media https://collincountynewsonline.com/these-three-mckinney-chamber-of-commerce-events-aim-to-keep-the-community-informed-in-the-face-of-change-star-local-media/ Allen American Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every morning so you don’t miss out on updates. Allen American e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Allen American Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Carrollton Leader Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Carrollton Leader e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Carrollton Leader Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Celina Record Daily Headlines Daily Headlines from Celina Record Celina Record e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Celina Record Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Coppell Gazette Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Coppell Gazette e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Coppell Gazette Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Flower Mound Leader Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Flower Mound Leader e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Flower Mound Leader Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Frisco Enterprise Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Frisco Enterprise e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Frisco Enterprise Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Lake Cities Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Lake Cities e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Lake Cities Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Lewisville Leader Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Lewisville Leader e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Lewisville Leader Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Little Elm Journal Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Little Elm Journal e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Little Elm Journal Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! McKinney Courier Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. McKinney Courier e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. McKinney Courier Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Mesquite News Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Mesquite News e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Mesquite News Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Plano Star Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Plano Star e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Plano Star Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! Rowlett Lakeshore Times Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. Rowlett Lakeshore Times e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. Rowlett Lakeshore Times Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports! The Colony-Courier Leader Daily Headlines Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don’t miss out on updates. The Colony-Courier Leader e-Edition Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. The Colony-Courier Leader Local Sports Get the latest headlines on local sports!

High Demand For Luxury All Inclusive Resorts In Los Cabos – The Cabo Sun https://collincountynewsonline.com/high-demand-for-luxury-all-inclusive-resorts-in-los-cabos-the-cabo-sun/ Last Updated 2 seconds ago Over the last 30 years the fastest growing hotel category in Mexico are 5-star luxury resorts. Through the pandemic many of these resorts realized that opting for an all-inclusive package for their guests was a better economic alternative. According to research conducted by the renowned Jones Lang LaSalle real estate firm tourists now are looking for stress free vacations that require a minimal amount of planning. This has led not only to luxury resorts offering all inclusive packages in Los Cabos, but to the construction of more luxury resorts throughout the region. Carolina Lacerda head of hospitality of JLL’s Mexico branch had this to say about tourist tendencies,  “The new travel preferences, after the pandemic, include the need to have a stress free vacation, with little planning, and a relaxing destination. No COVID restrictions also factor into the decision.”  Hotels Are Also On Board With The All Inclusive Trend             According to the research by JLL it’s not just tourists who are looking for all inclusive packages. Hotels that normally didn’t offer all inclusive packages are finding out that they are actually able to obtain higher profit margins from this concept. One of the reasons why profit margins are higher is because guests at an all inclusive resort are more likely to stay on resort property for a larger portion of their stay. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip! The Cabo Sun Recommends These 5 Fast and Easy Travel Insurance Plans To Sign up For Now Plans starting at only $10 per week For resorts that means more opportunities to sell their guest add-ons to their packages or charge extra for a variety of amenities. Carolina Lacerda would go on to say. “With all inclusive tariffs the economic model is turning out to be interesting for large hotel chains. These hotel chains are able to tap into different markets that they maybe hadn’t been able to access before. Also, these hotels are very interested in getting guests into their reward points schemes.”  Why Los Cabos Has Become A Pioneer In This Trend Throughout Mexico     There are a couple of key elements, at least according to JLL, that have allowed Mexican destinations like Los Cabos to become a popular spot for hotel chains to open up new luxury all inclusive facilities. The first thing that these hotel chains were looking for was a beach destination that had competent air connectivity. Besides Cancun, and Mexico City, the Los Cabos airport is one of the busiest facilities in the entire country. It receives flights from all over the globe.  Another important factor that makes Los Cabos a perfect destination to adopt this trend is the fact that there’s still plenty of land to develop. Carolina Lacerda mentioned that hotels couldn’t just adapt their current facilities to feature all inclusive packages. Most of the infrastructure of these luxury hotels with all inclusive packages is being built to be brand new. That’s evident in the number of hotels that are currently under construction throughout Los Cabos. Carolina Lacerda claims that in most cases it’s actually cheaper to build new hotels than to adapt existing facilities.  Current Cabo 5-Star Resorts That Offer All Inclusive Packages   Despite these claims that building new facilities to feature all inclusive packages in hotels is easier, there are certain Cabo hotels that have adapted their existing facilities and currently offer all inclusive packages to guests.  Barceló Gran Faro Los Cabos The Barceló brand are no strangers to all-inclusive deals at their hotels. They currently offer one of the cheapest all inclusive deals at a luxury resort in Los Cabos. Staying at the facility in San Jose del Cabo will set tourists back around 350 dollars a night for two people before taxes.    Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos – All Inclusive Hyatt is one of the hotel brands that is building new facilities in the region. They’ve also added all inclusive packages to some of their existing Cabo properties. A nightly stay with all inclusive privileges at this resort will cost right around 1000 dollars for two adults.   Grand Velas Los Cabos Luxury All Inclusive Grand Velas are going all out to provide unique experiences for resort guests. They recently launched a unique dining experience as well as an ocean safari trip available exclusively to guests. A night at the resort on an inclusive deal can go for over 2000 dollars.

Why Meloni’s Win In Italy Not Sitting Well With Berlusconi – 69News WFMZ-TV https://collincountynewsonline.com/why-melonis-win-in-italy-not-sitting-well-with-berlusconi-69news-wfmz-tv/ ROME (AP) — The honeymoon is finished even before any marriage of political convenience in Italy could be formalized. The resounding victory by far-right leader Giorgia Meloni in the Sept. 25 general election isn’t sitting well with 86-year-old Silvio Berlusconi, the former three-time conservative premier who, four decades her senior, fancies himself the elder statesman of Italy’s political right. Meloni is expected to be asked next week by Italy’s president to try to create a governing coalition with campaign allies Berlusconi and right-wing leader Matteo Salvini and become premier. Behind-the-scenes divvying up of ministries in what would be Italy’s first far-right-led government since the end of World War II started after her Brothers of Italy party took 26% of the ballots cast, more than those won by the forces of Salvini and Berlusconi combined. The knives carving out those Cabinet posts are proving particularly sharp. Salvini on Saturday issued a sort of call for a truce between Meloni and Berlusconi so that three allies’ bid to rule Italy isn’t derailed. “I am sure that even between Giorgia and Silvio that harmony, which will be fundamental to government, well and together, for the next five years, will return,” Salvini said in a statement released by his anti-migrant League party about the escalating post-election tensions. A spat between Berlusconi and Meloni turned ugly when the former premier and a media mogul scrawled a list of derogatory adjectives about her on stationery emblazoned with the name of his villa near Milan. He positioned it in the Senate in plain view for photographers covering the election on Thursday of the upper parliamentary chamber’s president. “Giorgia Meloni,” wrote Berlusconi, jotting down that her ways are “presumptuous, bossy, arrogant, offensive.” A fifth adjective, “ridiculous,” appeared to have been scribbled over, said Italian media, who magnified the image. As much as political differences — Berlusconi bills himself a staunch champion of the European Union, while Meloni has said national interests should prevail over any conflicting EU priorities — their spat seemed patriarchal. “In Berlusconi’s etiquette, the woman is courted and maybe even venerated, but a true male cannot take orders from her, let alone accept that she says ‘no,’” wrote Massimo Gramellini in the daily Corriere della Serra, in his front-page fixture that takes aim at political foibles. By all accounts, Meloni had vetoed a ministry for a close political aide of Berlusconi who is one of his several female political proteges. With his self-described weakness for young women, Berlusconi has launched the political careers of female lawmakers from Forza Italia, the center-right party he created three decades ago. Reflecting Berlusconi’s pique, nearly all of his senators refused to vote for Meloni’s pick for Senate president, Ignazio La Russa, a long-time fascist nostalgist who helped Meloni, now 45, establish Brothers of Italy in 2012 as she forged her far-right political ascent. The Forza Italia boycott delivered a stiff rebuke to her. Meloni, known for her spunk and sharp tongue, wasn’t blinking. “It seems like a point was missing among those listed by Berlusconi — that I can’t be blackmailed,” Meloni told private Italian TV La7. Meloni already stood her ground during the election campaign. When opinion surveys indicated that she was by far the front-runner over Berlusconi and Salvini, those two unsuccessfully tried to wiggle out of long-standing pact that the top-getter in campaign coalitions would become premier should their forces prove victorious. Together, the leaders’ three parties command a comfortable majority in the newly seated Parliament. Still, Meloni needs the forces of Berlusconi and Salvini for any viable coalition. Salvini chafed for days when it appeared Meloni wouldn’t let him become interior minister, a post he held in 2018-2019 and used to crack down on migrants arriving by the tens of thousands on smugglers boats or rescue ships. On Friday, Meloni’s forces backed the election to the presidency of the lower Chamber of Deputies of a League lawmaker, Lorenzo Fontana, an ultraconservative who, like Salvini, has openly admired Russian President Vladimir Putin. Late Friday, the five-pointed star symbol of the Red Brigades, the extreme left group which terrorized Italy in the 1970s while extreme-right militants were also launching attacks, was scrawled along with La Russa’s name on a Brothers of Italy neighborhood office. It is the very office where Meloni cut her political teeth as a teenager in the youth wing of a neo-fascist predecessor of her own party. Meloni on Saturday retweeted her party’s description of the vandalism as “clear reference to the dramatic years that we don’t want to live through again and vowed in a tweet to “unite the Nation, not divide it as someone is trying to do.” Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Cattlewomen Campaign: “Save A Life, Squeeze The Teats” – Hernando Sun https://collincountynewsonline.com/cattlewomen-campaign-save-a-life-squeeze-the-teats-hernando-sun/ The National Breast Cancer Foundation reports that one-in-eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. And this disease has touched the life of Amy Harper, president of the Hernando County Cattlewomen.”I have had two close friends diagnosed with breast cancer,” she revealed. “One is a survivor. One passed away in her 40s.” As president of an association of strong women, one whose mission is dedicated to promoting the beef industry in our county through public relations, educational and promotional projects and supporting our youth’s agricultural endeavors pertaining to the beef industry, Harper and her officers launched a campaign two years ago to join the fight against breast cancer–and in their own inimitable style. This year, the group is selling pink t-shirts emblazoned with the phrase, “Save a Life, Squeeze the Teats,” with ten percent of the t-shirt sales going to the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation. Last year, the group’s shirt was printed with the slogan, “Save the Udders.” “We like to keep a sense of humor with our campaign, to keep it light,” said Harper. “And it fits with our mission. You can’t have beef without mama cows.” Behind the light-hearted messaging of these shirts is a serious message about breast cancer awareness. “We want to give back,” she said. “And we want to spread the message that we need to pay attention and monitor our health. Early detection, education, healthy living, those are the keys to fighting breast cancer.” Many of the Cattlewomen are also participants in the City of Brooksville Parks and Recreation Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, which this year took place Oct. 8 at the Jerome Brown Community Center. At the association’s next general membership meeting at 7 pm on Oct. 13 guest speaker Rebecca Finley, an officer of the Florida Cattlewomen, will be on hand to discuss her own experiences as a breast cancer survivor. “Breast cancer is never easy for women to discuss,” said Harper. “But once you introduce the subject, they start to tell stories–their own, or of family members and friends.” Harper hopes that women everywhere “saddle up” for the Hernando County Cattlewomen’s breast cancer campaign. “To do the job of a cattle woman, you have to have good health,” she said. “We want to help keep all women healthy and strong.” For more information about or to order a Squeeze the Teats T-shirt, visit https://www.facebook.com/Hernando-County-Cattlewomen-167509813912501.

Michigan Vs. Penn State Score: Live Game Updates, College Football Scores, NCAA Top 25 Highlights Today – CBS Sports https://collincountynewsonline.com/michigan-vs-penn-state-score-live-game-updates-college-football-scores-ncaa-top-25-highlights-today-cbs-sports/ Season Leaders passing S. Clifford1030 YD, 9 TDS, 2 INTS S. Clifford1030 YD, 9 TDS, 2 INTS J. McCarthy1152 YD, 9 TDS, 1 INTJ. McCarthy1152 YD, 9 TDS, 1 INT rushing N. Singleton63 ATT, 463 YD, 5 TDSN. Singleton63 ATT, 463 YD, 5 TDS B. Corum118 ATT, 735 YD, 11 TDSB. Corum118 ATT, 735 YD, 11 TDS receiving P. Washington20 REC, 285 YDP. Washington20 REC, 285 YD R. Bell30 REC, 390 YD, 1 TDR. Bell30 REC, 390 YD, 1 TD See New Posts Pinned Pinned Third time the charm for Michigan The Wolverines stalled in the red zone on their first two possessions of the day, but finally broke through on the third. Blake Corum finds the crease and hits paydirt from a yard out to make it a 13-0 game. It’s a 13-play, 70 yard drive. Michigan has dominated this game, even if the scoreboard doesn’t look that way. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Another three and out for Penn State My biggest question about the Nittany Lions coming into this game was if the improvement I’d seen on the offensive line was legit, or if it was a byproduct of the schedule. Auburn’s defensive front was the most talented it has seen, and there’s a lot of quit in that team right now. Well, the OL isn’t doing too well against Michigan today, and it’s another three and out even after an offside on 3rd and 9 gifted Penn State five yards and a second chance. Pinned Pinned Pinned Michigan settles for another field goal The Michigan offense outside the red zone? Awesome. Moving the ball in a variety of ways, getting dang near everything it wants. Michigan’s offense inside the red zone? Not having nearly as much fun. The Wolverines put together their second long drive in two possessions, going 77 yards in 13 plays, but can’t go anywhere after getting a 1st and goal. If you look at the box score, Michigan is dominating this game. If you look at the scoreboard, it’s only 6-0. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned It’s a three-and-out for the Nittany Lions The Nittany Lions complete an 8-yard pass to Parker Washington on second down, but Michigan’s Mike Morris blows up the run on third and short, stuffing Nick Singleton in the backfield for a loss. Penn State punts, Michigan gets the ball back at the UM 17. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Impressive opening drive for Michigan stalls in the red zone The Wolverines offense marches 64 yards in 11 plays, with JJ McCarthy looking sharp and Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards finding space in the run game, but Penn State stiffens in the red zone. The Wolverines settle for a 29-yard FG to take a 3-0 lead. Pinned Pinned We’re underway in Ann Arbor! Michigan starts with the ball at the UM 25 following a touchback on the opening kickoff. A top-10 battle between undefeated teams begins now. Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned

Meta Documents Show Main Metaverse Is Losing Users And Falling Short Of Goals, Report Says – CNBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/meta-documents-show-main-metaverse-is-losing-users-and-falling-short-of-goals-report-says-cnbc/ Horizon Worlds, Meta‘s flagship metaverse for consumers, is failing to meet internal performance expectations, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reviewed internal company documents. Meta initially aimed to reach 500,000 monthly active users in Horizon Worlds by the end of the year, but the current figure is less than 200,000, according to the report. Additionally, the documents showed that most users didn’t return to Horizon after the first month on the platform, and the number of users has steadily declined since spring, the Journal said. Only 9% of worlds are visited by at least 50 people, and most are never visited at all, according to the report. The report comes as the company’s stock falls, user numbers decline and advertisers cut spending. Meta shares are down 62% so far this year. Meta rebranded from Facebook last year in order to reflect the company’s ambitions beyond social media. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has specifically been interested in building out the metaverse, which is a virtual world that allows users to work and play together. As a result, Meta created Horizon Worlds, which is a network of virtual spaces where users can engage with one another as avatars. Individuals can access Horizon through Meta’s Quest virtual-reality headsets. In an effort to drum up some excitement around the metaverse, Zuckerberg unveiled his company’s newest virtual reality headset, dubbed the Meta Quest Pro, at Meta’s Connect conference Tuesday. The device costs $1,500 and contains new technologies, such as an advanced mobile Snapdragon computer chip. A Meta spokesman told The Wall Street Journal that the company continues to make improvements to the metaverse, which was always meant to be a multiyear project. Representatives for Meta didn’t immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. Meta has said it will release a web version of Horizon for mobile devices and computers this year, but the spokesman didn’t have any launch dates to disclose. Read the full Journal report here.

How To Watch The James Bond Movies In Order – IGN – IGN https://collincountynewsonline.com/how-to-watch-the-james-bond-movies-in-order-ign-ign/ Throughout the decades of film that audiences have been blessed with a classic and often re-visited sub-genre is that of espionage. These days, many different characters come to mind but no spy is quite as iconic as Bond… James Bond. One of the most famous characters of all time to hit the silver screen, James Bond has been a recurring character from his beginnings in 1962. Played so far by 6 different fortunate actors, each film honors the classic Bond tropes but to each their own flavor of James. Do you like it shaken or stirred? As any fan of Bond knows, there is only one right answer. To celebrate 60 years of Bond, we’ve cultivated a list of each and every film in order of the actor that played the role. Though a Bond marathon may seem a daunting task, any fan of spy movies should consider it worthwhile to see every Bond movie at least once. With no defined end in sight for this timeless movie series, it’s quite possible that a new Bond timeline will open up in the near future. Due to this, it’s best to know exactly where to begin your James Bond film education from beginning to present. How to Watch the James Bond Movies in Order With 6 different actors and 26 movies in the series, watching all of the James Bond movies is a rather daunting task. If you’re hoping to watch the films in chronological order, your best bet is to stick to the actors and work your way down the list. You can also watch the movies by release order, but the timeline gets a bit thrown off due to Sean Connery coming back multiple times. Jump to: Sean Connery Bond Movies in Order George Lazenby Bond Movies in Order Roger Moore Bond Movies in Order Timothy Dalton Bond Movies in Order Pierce Brosnan Bond Movies in Order Daniel Craig Bond Movies in Order How to Watch By Release Date Sean Connery Bond Movies in Order Starting our list from the first sign of Bond in 1962, Ian Fleming’s James Bond character gets a strong start with the help of Sean Connery: who many find to be the best Bond of them all. Starring in 7 Bond films, Connery takes the lead with most Bond movies combined. Connery’s stint as Bond is also unique in the way that not all 7 were chronological. He paved the way as Bond from 1962 to 1967 with his first 5 films, came back for another in 1971, and then even another in 1983. This, among other things, is evidence that people simply loved Connery’s Bond. 1. Dr. No (1962) In the very first James Bond installment, Dr. No strongly kicks off the saga with style and grace. Though this film was an iconic beginning, the Bond formula was only in it’s beginning stages. Despite this, the regular tropes already began to take shape: the clever quips, the assassination attempts, the fancy spy gadgets, and more importantly: the Bond girl. Played by Ursula Andress, Honey Ryder began the tradition of the Bond girl to play alongside Bond in his exploits. 2. From Russia with Love (1963) In the second Bond installment, From Russia with Love capitalizes on the success of Dr. No in a great way. In what some would consider to be a step up from the last film, this film jumps right into the dreaded criminal organization called SPECTRE, which re-appears periodically throughout the 60 years of Bond and was introduced already in Dr. No. Among other things, this is something that helps to make this a strong filim, as well as its references to the Cold War. 3. Goldfinger (1964) Just when audiences thought it couldn’t get any better, Goldfinger hits the screen and blows everyone away. Raved about for being the most Bond of all the Bond films, Goldfinger takes the blueprints of the Bond movie formula and absolutely perfects it. Between the dastardly villain that turns victims into gold and the evil sidekick Oddjob that throws a bladed hat, this was the true beginning of the Bond movie style that became so re-useable. This was also the first Bond film that introduced the ‘Bond Song’ (by Shirley Bassey) and the accompanying intro sequence as well as the legendary performance by Desmond Llewelyn as Q, who would continue this role for decades. 4. Thunderball (1965) Taking a slight dive in overall quality, Thunderball was not received so well by critics as the first three films were. Despite this, this fourth Bond film in four years still acts as a great addition to the saga. With it’s entertaining action sequences, varying settings, and continuation of the battle between Bond and SPECTRE, this is a logical and enjoyable film that’s a whole lot of fun. 5. You Only Live Twice (1967) In his fifth and seemingly last Bond film, Connery reprises the role of Bond once again in You Only Live Twice. Though it is not rated as his best Bond film, it still holds up as a fun and worthy classic in the lineup. Set in Japan, we get some creative set designs, costuming, and themes that make this a somewhat unique Bond film. 6. Diamonds Are Forever (1971) Due to the initial bad taste that Lazenby left on critics tongues with On her Majesty’s Secret Service, the studio pined for Connery’s return. Desperate for the commercial success of the first 5 Bond films, they offered Connery a then record breaking salary of $1.25 million to return as Bond along with Goldfinger director Guy Hamilton. Though this movie was cautiously designed for commercial success–to regain the promise that the series once ha, Diamonds Are Forever is a fairly run-of-the-mill addition to the saga. Checking all the boxes to make this film everything a Bond film should be, it still does so with noticeably less gusto than the previous Connery films. This is not said to disparage the film, as it is still a fun action movie that is everything one would expect it to be. 7. Never Say Never Again (1983) To everyone’s surprise Sean Connery comes back again to play the slick spy more than ten years later. Although Connery had promised to never return as Bond again, the plot for Never Say Never Again is basically a re-imagining of Thunderball but the version that Kevin McClory wanted to make. Fleming went on to novelize the other version of the plot that we are more familiar with, not sharing any writing credit with McClory or co-writer Jack Whittingham. McClory filed for a successful copyright claim and was given the right to act on his version once ten years had passed. It was difficult to secure Connery for the role, but his $3 million contract sure helped to seal the deal. Though most would consider this to not even qualify as a Bond film (first non-Eon production), Never Say Never Again contains everything it needs to be considered a Bond film: a Bond song, Bond girls, spy gadgets, Q, M, a plot revolving around SPECTRE, and most important of all: Sean Connery. Taking on the look and feel of a 1960’s Bond movie, the results turned out surprisingly well. This is also partially due to the supporting role by Kim Basinger as Domino Petachi: a Bond girl that still wouldn’t pass the Bechdel test but is a big step above the previous leading ladies. George Lazenby Bond Movies in Order The only actor to portray Bond in only one film, George Lazenby had an extremely short-lived career in the Ian Fleming inspired saga. Collectively jeered at by critics in his time, the Australian model was an odd choice for Bond as his acting experience was minimal and his performance a bit rigid at times. As the second actor to portray Bond, the expectations were very high for Lazenby. Because of this, critiques of George were arguably a bit too harsh. After all this time, his presence in the Bond saga has become hailed as one of the staples. 1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) Lazenby’s mark on the Bond saga, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service feels as though we’ve jumped into another universe, one that rubbed many the wrong way. This film was special in the way that it focused on Bond as a human, not just as the rugged, charming spy he is. Though the plot, action sequences, villains, Bond girls, and Bond song are all quite solid and enjoyable, poor George was the target of criticism for this film. This film was considered the fourth worst Bond film in terms of commercial success. Roger Moore Bond Movies in Order One of the more skeptically received Bond actors by audiences, Roger Moore begins his stretch as the sharp-tongued, quick-witted action-hero. Employing quite a bit more of a tongue-in-cheek comedy style, Moore consistently delivered as Bond with a campy nature that audiences would come to enjoy. Leaving his stamp firmly on the saga, many agreed that his newer style and way of speaking turned Bond into a lighter, less rugged version of himself that was an accepted change of pace. 1. Live and Let Die (1973) Starting off from a decent place, Moore landed mostly on his feet in his new role that audiences had come to love so much. Though it was hard to see someone other than Connery in the role, critics and audiences agreed that it was at least better than Lazenby’s appearance – at least at first. Securely placed in the top three of Moore’s films, Live and Let Die was an overall success that promised a bright future for the lovable character. This movie also features one of the most iconic Bond songs to date performed by Paul McCartney and Wings. 2. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) Taking a significant dive in overall movie quality, The Man with the Golden Gun was ammunition for Roger Moore critics. It is known that there were many variables that caused this film to be so badly received, which says that there was likely a lack of spirit from many departments for the creation of this film. Despite this, the mere inclusion of Christopher Lee as the villain makes it worth the watch, towering over our protagonist with an expectedly sound performance. 3. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Hailed by critics as the best of the Roger Moore Bond films, The Spy ...

Binance Announces $500 Million Funding For Bitcoin Mining – Cryptonews https://collincountynewsonline.com/binance-announces-500-million-funding-for-bitcoin-mining-cryptonews/ Source: AdobeStock / Iryna Budanova Binance Pool, the crypto mining services arm of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, aims to support Bitcoin miners to weather the crypto winter with a $500 million loan.  The ongoing bear market has had deep impacts on almost all industry participants, particularly miners. Amid rising fuel and electricity prices and the crypto market downturn, this cohort has been hit the most, with many miners proceeding to shut down their machines as profitability becomes negligible.  In a bid to help miners and in turn, help the broader crypto market from further damage, Binance Pool, one of the world’s largest crypto mining pools, has decided to offer a $500 million loan to support Bitcoin miners, the company said in a Friday blog post.   “Binance Pool has a responsibility to help maintain a healthy digital asset ecosystem,” the post read. “In light of current market conditions, Binance Pool is launching a $500million lending project to support crypto miners and digital infrastructure providers.” The report detailed that both “public and private blue-chip bitcoin (BTC) mining and digital asset infrastructure companies globally” would be able to secure debt through this initiative and finance their services.  Some terms of the loans include “an 18 to a 24-month term,” interest rates ranging from 5% to 10, and “offering security, either physical or digital assets, satisfactory to Binance.”  Aside from Binance, other major industry players have also taken measures to support struggling crypto miners. For one, Jihan Wu, the founder of crypto mining rig-maker Bitmain, plans to set up a $250 million fund to purchase distressed assets from mining firms. “There are opportunities in every cycle,” Matt Kong, chief executive officer of Bitdeer, reportedly said. “If you can time the market and enter at the bottom, come out at the top, then you will make money. It works especially well for mining.”  Bitcoin Hashrate Hits New ATH On Tuesday, the total hashrate of the Bitcoin network reached a fresh all-time high, suggesting that miners are now more optimistic about the bitcoin price as they have become online despite consistently low BTC prices. The Bitcoin hashrate is a measure of the amount of computing power that is dedicated to mining BTC and securing the network. An increasing hashrate means that more mining machines are coming online, which could signal rising optimism among miners about bitcoin prices going forward. Data from Blockchain.com shows that the total Bitcoin hashrate hit 241.88 Ehash/s last week, up significantly from this year’s low of 168.2 Ehash/s in early January. The all-time high was reached when looking at the data on a 7-day moving average basis, an often-used way to smooth out shorter-term fluctuations in the hashrate on the Bitcoin network.

U.S. President Joe Biden To Visit Philadelphia Month-End – White House – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-president-joe-biden-to-visit-philadelphia-month-end-white-house-reuters/ U.S. President Joe Biden attends a meeting of the Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 4, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Philadelphia on Oct. 28 for a reception hosted by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, the White House said on Saturday. Biden would be accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris. There were no further details. The visit would come ahead of the high-stakes Nov. 8 mid-term elections that would determine control of the U.S. Congress. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting By Lucia Mutikani; editing by Diane Craft Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BioNTech: Could Covid Vaccine Technology Crack Cancer? – BBC https://collincountynewsonline.com/biontech-could-covid-vaccine-technology-crack-cancer-bbc/ By Fergus Walsh Medical editor They are the husband and wife team behind one the most successful Covid vaccines, yet in the UK they are barely known. Professors Ugur Sahin and Ozlem Tureci co-founded the German company BioNTech in 2008, exploring new technology involving messenger RNA (mRNA), to treat cancer. When the pandemic struck they partnered with Pfizer to use the same approach to create a Covid vaccine. Now the doctors are hopeful it could lead to new treatments for melanoma, bowel cancer and other tumour types. BioNTech has several trials in progress, including one where patients are given a personalised vaccine, to prompt their immune system to attack their disease. The mRNA technology being used works by sending an instruction or blueprint to cells to produce an antigen or protein. In Covid this antigen is part of the spike protein of the virus. In cancer it would be a marker on the surface of tumour cells. Media caption, BioNTech founders say they have had a “number of breakthroughs” in cancer trials This teaches the immune system to recognise and target affected cells for destruction. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Prof Tureci said: “mRNA acts as a blueprint and allows you to tell the body to produce the drug or the vaccine… and when you use mRNA as a vaccine, the mRNA is a blueprint for the ‘wanted poster’ of the enemy – in this case cancer antigens which distinguish cancer cells from normal cells.” Harnessing the power of mRNA to produce vaccines was unproven until Covid. But the success of mRNA vaccines in the pandemic has encouraged scientists working with the technology in cancer. BioNTech’s mRNA cancer trials started long before the pandemic, and have shown some early encouraging signals. “Every step, every patient we treat in our cancer trials helps us to find out more about what we are against and how to address that,” Prof Tureci, BioNTech’s chief medical officer, said. “As scientists, we are always hesitant to say we will have a cure for cancer. We have a number of breakthroughs and we will continue to work on them.” Caution is needed. Many promising cancer trials end in failure. It may be several years before we know if BioNTech’s treatments for bowel cancer, melanoma and other tumour types really do live up to the hype. Legal fight There is no doubt though that Covid mRNA vaccines have been highly successful and made billions for BioNTech, Pfizer and Moderna. But a huge legal tussle is under way surrounding the innovation behind mRNA vaccines. US firm Moderna has started legal action against Pfizer and BioNTech for patent infringement – in essence claiming key elements of their mRNA technology were copied. Prof Sahin, BioNTech’s chief executive officer, says the company will vigorously defend against the allegations. “Our innovations are original,” he said. “We have spent 20 years of research in developing these type of treatments and of course we will fight for this, for our intellectual property.” These patent disputes will not stop the roll-out of Covid vaccines – all booster jabs used by the NHS are mRNA vaccines. It is a technology that came of age in the pandemic. The question now is can it take on cancer? On this week’s show: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds and vaccine firm BioNTech founders Ugur Sahin and Ozlem Tureci Guests on the panel are Unison union general secretary Christina McAnea, Tesco chairman John Allan and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock Watch live on BBC One and iPlayer at 09:00 on Sunday 16 October Get live updates, reaction and analysis from 08:00 on the BBC News website

Megachurch Takes Unusual Disaffiliation Route – UM News https://collincountynewsonline.com/megachurch-takes-unusual-disaffiliation-route-um-news/ Key points: St. Andrew United Methodist Church, the second largest congregation in the North Texas Conference, has decided to leave The United Methodist Church. The decision was made by the church’s executive committee, not through a congregational vote.  North Texas Conference Bishop Michael McKee said churches wanting to disaffiliate are expected to follow Book of Discipline Paragraph 2553, which has a number of requirements, including a two-thirds congregational vote to leave. St. Andrew’s leadership said its property is not subject to The United Methodist Church’s trust clause. The church leadership says the church will have a better future outside The United Methodist Church but will not be joining the Global Methodist Church.   A Dallas-area megachurch has announced it is leaving The United Methodist Church, but without taking a congregational vote or in other ways following the denomination’s approved path for churches that want to disaffiliate.  St. Andrew United Methodist Church of Plano, Texas — the second largest church in the North Texas Conference, with about 6,500 members — went public with its plans late last month. “Everyone involved has a deep love for the denomination that birthed us; but the fractures and flaws of the institution are too deep to ignore,” said the Rev. Arthur Jones, senior pastor, and Kathy King, the church’s executive committee chair, in a statement. Many United Methodist churches in Texas and across the U.S. have in recent months disaffiliated or explored doing so under Book of Discipline Paragraph 2553. Though The United Methodist Church has a trust clause — meaning local church properties are held in trust for the denomination — Paragraph 2553 offers a pathway for local churches to depart with their properties. But the provision has detailed requirements, including a two-thirds vote for disaffiliation by church members. St. Andrew reported that its executive committee made the decision to leave after extensive study and votes by other key church committees. Leadership described the congregation to UM News as “overwhelmingly supportive.”  The church’s move caught many in the North Texas Conference by surprise, including Bishop Michael McKee. “I was not aware of what St. Andrew was considering; they only contacted me to inform me of their decision,” he said in a written response to questions from UM News. McKee said the North Texas Conference expects clergy and churches to uphold the Book of Discipline, including following Paragraph 2553 for disaffiliation. “The process by which St. Andrew made this decision is unique in the history of our Wesleyan tradition, which requires congregational votes on major decisions,” McKee told UM News. “I mourn the fact (that) the members of St. Andrew were denied both voice and vote on the most consequential decision their church has ever made.” Others in the North Texas Conference also spoke out. “I find it alarming that they made this decision without a congregational vote,” said the Rev. Don Underwood, pastor emeritus of Christ United Methodist Church, another large congregation in Plano. “The protection for church members that is provided by open meetings, dissenting voices and congregational votes is a cherished Methodist tradition, and it is required by the Discipline.” St. Andrew’s leaders stressed that the church’s trustees, staff parish committee and finance committee worked together in advising the executive committee. “Given the complexity of the research and challenges, it was decided that in the best interest of the congregation, the executive committee would ultimately make the decision of our future denominational affiliation,” King and Jones said in their statement. St. Andrew does not consider itself out of the denomination yet, its leadership telling UM News that the “technical disaffiliation date” is still to be determined. But the church has announced its name is changing to “St. Andrew Methodist Church.” It also has amended its articles of incorporation and bylaws to remove references to the Book of Discipline and specifically the denomination’s trust clause. Subscribe to our e-newsletter Like what you’re reading and want to see more? Sign up for our free daily and weekly digests of important news and events in the life of The United Methodist Church. Keep me informed! “These amendments project our claim to the ownership of our church real estate, regardless of affiliation,” said Greg Greene, chair of the trustees, in a statement to the church. While McKee expressed deep concern about St. Andrew’s approach to disaffiliation, he did not respond to UM News’ request to know whether the North Texas Conference will go to court to challenge St. Andrew’s actions.  McKee and St. Andrew’s leadership separately confirmed to UM News that they are in communication. The church’s leadership told UM News that they are willing to meet with the North Texas Conference “to exit our relationship with the integrity our church has always exhibited including discussions relative to apportionments and unfunded pension liability.” Paragraph 2553 requires departing churches to pay two years of apportionments — shares of church giving — and pay its share of the conference’s unfunded pension liabilities. The provision also has a number of other requirements that require close cooperation with the annual conference — something that hasn’t happened in St. Andrew’s case.  The United Methodist Church has faced internal division for decades, with LGBTQ inclusion a flashpoint.  Traditionalists have expressed frustration that the denomination’s bans on same-sex weddings and ordination of “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy have often not been enforced by bishops and other conference leaders. Centrist and progressive leaders have decried the restrictive policies toward LGBTQ people, and defiance of those policies has been widespread in some areas.  Recognizing the divide, the 2019 General Conference approved Paragraph 2553, which carries the title “Disaffiliation of a Local Church Over Issues Related to Human Sexuality.” The provision expires at the end of 2023. In January 2020, a diverse group of church leaders proposed a formal split of the denomination. But General Conference, the denomination’s law-making assembly, has been postponed until 2024 due to the pandemic.  Annual conferences have approved the disaffiliations of roughly 700 churches since 2019, according to a UM News review of U.S. annual conference actions. The General Council on Finance and Administration also is reporting church disaffiliations. But the finance agency’s tally of 505 lags behind UM News’ data because it must wait for annual conferences to submit their official reports.  Others are poised to leave, but the total going or about to go still represents a small percentage of the more than 30,000 U.S. congregations. St. Andrew’s leadership said the divide over homosexuality did not factor in their move to disaffiliate. “Our evaluations and ultimate decision had nothing to do with sexual orientation or related matters and less than 1% of our conversations even mentioned this,” Greene said in his statement. Instead, church leaders stressed that the church’s best future will be outside The United Methodist Church. “The UMC has offered many services during the decades of our affiliation,” King and Jones said in their statement. “However, as one of the largest churches in the system, we realized how independent we are, already providing many of our own services. The fact is we can protect our finances, our property and our pastors by going in a new direction.” St. Andrew’s leadership noted that the Rev. Robert Hasley, the church’s founding pastor and senior pastor for 36 years, initiated discussions about the church’s future a few years back. Shortly before his death on July 21, Hasley recorded a statement favoring disaffiliation for St. Andrew, the leadership said. St. Andrew’s leadership also said the church will not be joining the Global Methodist Church, a new, traditionalist denomination, or any other existing denomination. But the church doesn’t want to stay independent long.  “We will be looking to create affiliations with those who also desire greater accountability with more efficient systems and structures than we have had with the UMC,” Jones and King said in their statement. St. Andrew’s leadership confirmed to UM News that two recent cases influenced their disaffiliation decision.  One involved the former Blue Ridge United Methodist Church, now Christ United Church. That church in Blue Ridge, Texas, sought to disaffiliate under Paragraph 2553, but leaders felt the North Texas Conference was not cooperating. When the church — after a unanimous congregational vote — decided to change its name and organizing documents and leave on its own, the North Texas Conference filed suit, arguing the trust clause prevented such a departure.  The conference met with unfavorable rulings from Judge John R. Roach Jr., of Texas’ 296th Judicial Court. This summer, the conference and the church reached a confidential settlement, ending the case. Roger Little, chair of Christ United’s trustees and its lay leader, described the conclusion as amicable. “Closing the case was part of us moving forward,” he said. “We wish the bishop and The United Methodist Church well. Our focus needs to be in the community and helping those in need and doing what the good Lord wants us to do.” In response to a UM News query, St. Andrew’s leadership said they “looked closely at the methodology used by Blue Ridge/Christ United Church as well as the decision by a Collin County District judge recognizing a nonprofit corporation’s legal rights to amend its governing documents and property documents.” St. Andrew’s is also i...

Travel News: Asia Is Reopening, And So Are Its Coolest Neighborhoods – CNN https://collincountynewsonline.com/travel-news-asia-is-reopening-and-so-are-its-coolest-neighborhoods-cnn/ (CNN) — This week in travel: some of the destinations in Asia with the most strict Covid policies are finally reopening, an annual ranking of the world’s coolest neighborhoods provides inspiration for your upcoming vacation plans, and Fat Bear Week weathers a cheating scandal in order to crown a new winner. Hippest hoods Time Out has released its annual list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods. Colonia Americana in Guadalajara, Mexico, is the world’s — and North America’s — epicenter of cool. The neighborhood is “home to a boundary-pushing creative community, a growing number of amazing places to eat, and some of the best nightlife in the western hemisphere,” said Time Out’s James Manning. The eclectic group also includes a classic foodie quarter in Montreal, an emerging neighborhood at the base of a temple in Siem Reap and a seaside arts hub in England. Find out if your own city — or your future vacation destination — made the cut. If you’d like to get even more micro, Time Out also shared a list of the world’s coolest streets earlier this year. The new “world’s coolest neighborhood” is located in Guadalajara, Mexico, capital of the state of Jalisco. Chema GoV/Adobe Stock Opening bells Although it may seem like the pandemic is so last year, there are still destinations — primarily in Asia — that have been slow about reopening to tourism. These Covid-related restrictions are one of the reasons that Asia-Pacific is losing its title as the world’s biggest travel market. Change is finally coming, though. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan are finally welcoming visitors back after two-plus-year closures. However, there’s still one major player in the region that still has a Closed sign up in its metaphorical door: China. And while we’re on the topic of China… 32 flavors and then some When you say “I’m hungry for Chinese food tonight,” what does that mean? China has 20-something provinces, not to mention regions and municipalities. So what does it all boil down to (pun intended)? This guide to Chinese food includes 32 essential dishes, from Cantonese-style steamed fish to Chaozhou’s best cold crab and Nanjing’s famous duck blood soup. You could spend your whole life eating and never run out of new things to try. The downside: China is still mostly closed to tourists. The upside: your nearest Chinese restaurant’s doors are open. Stanley Tucci talks with Christiane Amanpour about his time in Calabria, his ancestral homeland, and his upcoming film. All-new episodes of “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. Tasting the world It’s impossible to watch CNN’s “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” (Sundays at 9 p.m. ET) and not want to plan a big Italian feast. In case you’re dreaming of your own Italian getaway, we’ve compiled a list of restaurants Tucci recently visited on the hit series. And here’s another list of restaurants he stopped at in past episodes. Among the mouth-watering destinations in the region of Calabria: La Collinetta, located in the mountain town of Martone, where lamb is cooked in wet clay; family-run Il Principe di Scilla, which specializes in Calabrian swordfish; and Qafiz, a Michelin-star winner with a signature dessert of meringue flavored with charcoal, sliced apple and white chocolate foam. And the food is only part of the show’s appeal. The actor visited his family’s ancestral homeland of Marzi, Calabria, where nearly half the residents share the last name Tucci. He tells CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that the experience — which he shared with his aging parents — was “very emotional.” Un-bear-lievable Katmai National Park in Alaska is running its annual Fat Bear Week, a March Madness-style competition where you can vote for the bear you think best exemplifies fatness. Check out some of the top contenders. The first few weeks of fall 2022 have been rocked by cheating scandals in places you might not expect — competitive fishing, Irish dancing and chess have all made headlines for allegations of unfair play. And one of fall’s most adorable traditions — Alaska’s annual Fat Bear Week — wasn’t safe either. The contest, which follows brown bears in Katmai National Park & Preserve as they pork up ahead of their winter hibernation, was hit with a suspicious flood of spam votes. Luckily, the mess was sorted out in time, and bear 747 sailed to an honestly deserved win. To mark his victory, let’s all celebrate with a salmon dinner and a nice long nap. In case you missed it Michelin has an updated guide to New York City. Saying chiles are important in New Mexico is an undersell. There’s a Ghostbusters firehouse for rent in Portland. Food at altitude But our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, can make sure you never eat a bland dinner at 35,000 feet. With help from award-winning chef Nina Compton, they have put together a list of carryon-friendly items that will improve your eating experience in the air.