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U.S. Treasury Seeks Three-Phased Russian Fuel Price Cap – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-treasury-seeks-three-phased-russian-fuel-price-cap-reuters/ GENEVA, Oct 4 (Reuters) – New sanctions by G7 countries on Russia will target its oil and products in three phases, senior U.S. treasury official Ben Harris told the Argus European Crude Conference in Geneva on Tuesday. Harris, the Treasury’s assistant secretary for economic policy, said G7 sanctions will target Russian crude oil, while later ones will focus on diesel and finally on lower value products such as naphtha. The Group of Seven is trying to find ways to limit Russian profits from exporting oil following its invasion of Ukraine. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Many countries have banned imports of Russian crude and fuel, but Moscow has largely maintained revenues through increased crude sales to Asia, particularly China and India. The price at which Russian oil sales will be capped has not been decided, Harris said, adding it will be high enough to provide an incentive to maintain output and above the marginal production cost for Russia’s most expensive oil well. Sanctions from both the G7 and the European Union are set to begin on Dec. 5. The EU will ban seaborne shipments of Russian oil from Dec. 5 and of products from Feb. 5, cutting the trade off from financial services and potentially halting it worldwide. The proposed new EU sanctions aim to match the oil price cap agreed by the G7 powers, three EU diplomats said. Harris said the G7 sanctions should be seen by the industry as way to continue trading, and that the aim was to ensure Russian oil continued to flow. “The price cap can be considered a release valve on the (EU) sanctions package,” he said. “It transforms the ban from an absolute ban to a conditional ban.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting By Julia Payne; Writing by Noah Browning; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Barbara Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Asset Servicing Technology News | Hg Gains Majority Ownership Of TrustQuay – Asset Servicing Times https://collincountynewsonline.com/asset-servicing-technology-news-hg-gains-majority-ownership-of-trustquay-asset-servicing-times/ Image: spainter_vfx 04 October 2022 UK Reporter Lucy Carter Share this article Hg gains majority ownership of TrustQuay Software and services investor Hg has become the majority owner of technology provider firm TrustQuay. Under this new ownership, the current TrustQuay management team will continue in their roles. TrustQuay provides software for trust, fund, and corporate service providers, covering areas including entity management, client accounting, and practice management. With 11 offices spanning key jurisdictions, the firm has more than 26,000 users worldwide. The company is soon to release TrustQuay Online, a software as a service (SaaS) solution. Commenting on the transaction, Richard Earnshaw, director at Hg, says: “At Hg we focus on SaaS and technology businesses that are leading their sector towards change and a better way of working. TrustQuay is an exciting business which is applying this vision to the trust, corporate services and fund industry, having developed a quality, modern product and with ambitious future plans.” Keith Hale, executive chairman of TrustQuay, comments: “Our mission is to automate and digitalise the trust, corporate and fund services software sector – offering our customers the combination of best functional capabilities with the most modern, up-to-date technology. “Hg has an amazing track record of supporting technology software providers to financial markets and we are excited about what this new tech expertise and resource will deliver for our customers, our team and our industry.”

Inside Mars And Unilever’s Campaigns To Tap Into Gaming – The Drum https://collincountynewsonline.com/inside-mars-and-unilevers-campaigns-to-tap-into-gaming-the-drum/ Last month, the nominees for The Drum Awards for Digital Advertising in APAC were announced. Here we take a closer look at campaigns that are up for the Best Use of Gaming award. Gaming in APAC attracts more than 1.48 billion active users per year, with this number expected to grow by 1,519.5 million users by 2027. The region has dominated the industry for years now, growing at an exponential rate and attracting higher demands for content including the metaverse, web3 and cloud gaming. Ahead of The Drum Awards for Digital Advertising in APAC later this year, we’ve taken a closer look at the shortlist for the Best Use of Gaming category, which saw FMCG giants such as Unilever and Mars Wrigley enter. 5 Gum and Twitch In Australia, Mars Wrigley’s 5 Gum brand was looking to reach 25-year-olds and under as they are the biggest chewers of gum. But the brand found that they are increasingly hard to reach through traditional media channels. Armed with the insight that chewing gum helps people to focus, 5 Gum partnered with Twitch to help bring its ‘life happens in 5’ identity to life through gaming. Together they launched Team Clutch, an elite squad made up of Australia’s favorite Twitch streamers. The 26 hours of streams were full of moments as the campaign exceeded performance, topped the Australia charts of Most Viewed Stream, Highest Reach and Total Minutes Watched, and saw an uplift of 14% in gaming association and 9% in purchase intent. Unilever, Closeup and Digital Turbine Third-party cookies are on the way out, and to address this Unilever-owned Closeup – a leading toothpaste brand in the Philippines – was searching for a new way to gather fully-consented opted-in consumer information to develop its new customer retention and rewards program Ucoin. Closeup also wanted to activate in the gaming space. With the rise of mobile gamers across the globe, the brand recognized the potential of gamification as a platform to engage and strengthen its connections with its consumers. Closeup collaborated with Mobile Legends Bang Bang, whose reach of 23 million monthly active users in the Philippines was a cut above the rest. Powered by Digital Turbine ad technology, Closeup would collect user data from MLBB gamers and enroll them to Ucoin, where they would then be rewarded with in-game MLBB 10-diamond coupons they could immediately use. With a Value Exchange strategy powered by a robust promotional plan, the Closeup DAD Collection campaign with Mobile Legends was hugely successful and broke new ground in data acquisition. The Closeup DAD Collection initiative provided a blueprint for data collection – a combination of the intuitive user journey, technology-driven data collection and a relevant reward for consented data opt-in – and is now a proven formula for success for Unilever brands. Paddle Pop, Unilever and InMobi During the pandemic, while most brands were struggling to maintain business, Paddle Pop grew while staying true to its brand value of promoting “wholesome and playful moments between parents and kids.” During this time children had limited outdoor activities and classes to keep them occupied, meaning parents were struggling to find ways to build productive habits for their kids while trying to spend quality time with them. Paddle Pop leveraged mobile in a creative way. A ‘game plan’ was charted to drive full-funnel efficiencies and significant impact across awareness, consideration and conversion stages. The brand highlighted a short video to grab users’ attention to the Choco Magma Land, a game that needed no downloads, to drive consideration. The game had three levels with exciting challenges, giving both parents and children an immersive and adventurous ice-cream-making gamified experience. Supporting consideration, Paddle Pop re-engaged users with rich media banners to drive conversions, and then went on to accurately measure the campaign performance with a brand lift study. The campaign CTR was six times the industry benchmark and led to a massive lift in store visits – over 50% of the audience visited a store near their homes. The post-campaign brand lift study showed that 86% of respondents took positive action after watching it. Market penetration increased by 60+ basis points and market share increased by 50+ basis points for the brand. For more information about the awards and how you can attend/watch the results, head over to the dedicated site.

Sherlock Breaux In The Creaux’s Nest – The Record Newspapers – TheRecordLive.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/sherlock-breaux-in-the-creauxs-nest-the-record-newspapers-therecordlive-com/ BUM BORN HERE 99 YEARS AGO “BUM” NFL Coach Never Forgot His Roots O.A. “Bum” Phillips was born Sept. 29, 1923, at home on John Street in Orange, Texas. “Bum” the most popular and well known native to ever come out of Orange County would be 99 years old this week. All of Bum’s children were born in Orange, including son Wade, who started his coaching career at Stark High. He has been a longtime successful NFL head coach and defensive coordinator. The Phillips family roots run deep in Orange County. Bum’s parents and grandparents are buried here. Bum’s uncles were Sammy and Monroe Parrish, his mother’s brothers. As a youngster Bum worked cattle with his grandfather at several ranches in the county. Regardless of where Bum traveled in the country, when asked where he was from, he would proudly say Orange, Texas. His folks are buried here and at one time I heard him say, “That is where I’m from and that’s where I will be buried.” However he instead is buried at his Goliad ranch. Bum still has relatives in Orange County. It continues to amaze me that with all the recognition Bum and Wade brought to Orange County that nothing has ever been done to recognize them here. Other places, including Houston, recognize the Phillips contributions but at home no service organization, municipality or community leaders have made any effort to pay Bum the tribute he deserves. Even Mid-County has a street named for Bum. Maybe next year, to mark what will be his 100th birthday, he will finally be recognized in the county of his birth. One thing I’ve noticed for a long time is that Orange County is about absent when it comes to recognizing their own and there are several stars from this area who deserve recognition. Before his death on October 18, 2013, Bum published his most famous book titled Coach, Cowboy, Christian. That literally summed his life up. TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL PAXTON FLED TO AVOID SUBPOENA COURT RECORD SAYS Texas Attorney General  Ken Paxton fled his home in a truck driven by his wife, state Sen.  Angela Paxton, to avoid being served a subpoena Monday, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. Ernesto Martin Herrera, a process server, was attempting to serve the state’s top attorney with a subpoena for  a federal court hearing Tuesday in a lawsuit from nonprofits that want to help Texans pay for abortions out of state. When Herrera arrived at Paxton’s home in McKinney on Monday morning, he told a woman who identified herself as Angela that he was trying to deliver legal documents to the attorney general. She told him that Paxton was on the phone and unable to come to the door. Herrera said he would wait. Nearly an hour later, a black Chevrolet Tahoe pulled into the driveway, and 20 minutes after that, Ken Paxton exited the house. “I walked up the driveway approaching Mr. Paxton and called him by his name. As soon as he saw me and heard me call his name out, he turned around and RAN back inside the house through the same door in the garage,” Herrera wrote in the sworn affidavit. Angela Paxton then exited the house, got inside a Chevrolet truck in the driveway, started it and opened the doors. “A few minutes later I saw Mr. Paxton RAN from the door inside the garage towards the rear door behind the driver side,” Herrera wrote. “I approached the truck, and loudly called him by his name and stated that I had court documents for him. Mr. Paxton ignored me and kept heading for the truck.” Herrera eventually placed the subpoenas on the ground near the truck and told him he was serving him with a subpoena. Both cars drove away, leaving the documents on the ground. Paxton has been under indictment for securities fraud for seven years and faces a  whistleblower lawsuit from former top deputies who accused him of abuse of office. Texas Supreme Court Justice  Eva Guzman and Land Commissioner  George P. Bush, tried to unseat him. But Republican voters chose him over his intra-GOP challengers, who criticized his legal and personal scandals on the campaign trail. He faces Democrat Rochelle Garza in November. TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME 10 Years Ago-2012 The talk now for the next few days will be Wednesday night’s first presidential debate between President Barrack Obama and Willard Mitt Romney. Historically the challenger makes more points and often is seen as winning the first debate. The reason for that is the incumbent is mostly on defense, having to defend his policies. Unless one of them really stumbles. The vice-presidential debate scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 11. A lot of ‘Right Wing’ pundits like to make VP Joe Biden out to be a clown. Anyone who writes off the old man’s intelligence is making a big mistake. Con. Paul Ryan can’t carry Joe’s water when it comes to experience and qualifications. Biden has forgotten more than that young Wisconsin congressman will ever know. VP Biden has served under six presidents and is an expert on foreign policy.*****Our buddy Clarence Dale Newton, the boy from Post, Texas, died Sept. 26. His story would make for good reading. Dale had fought COPD for years. He died of double-pneumonia when both of his lungs collapsed.*****Our Orange County boys in the NFL: Bridge City’s Matt Bryant had another game winning day for his Atlanta Falcons. With time running out Matt kicked his third field goal of the day. The final 40-yard kick gave the Falcons a 30-28 win over the Panthers. Atlanta is undefeated 4-0. Matt had a lot to do with that. He’s 9 for 9 in field goals.***Orange native Coach Wade Phillips and his Houston Texan defense continues to dominate. The Houston offense is ticking and Wade’s defense is holding the score down. Sunday they beat Titans 38 to 14.***Meanwhile, the youngster from West Orange- Stark, Earl Thomas, and his Seattle Seahawks came up short, losing 19-13 to the Rams. Earl had his usual good outing.*****Paris, Texas named a boulevard for hometown country singer Gene Watson. That guy has a rich, smooth voice.***Did you know that Gene Autry Drive runs through Tiega, Texas, honoring the singing, cowboy actor. The Autry Museum is also there in Gene’s hometown.***Austin turned Second St. into Willie Nelson Boulevard and of course the big street in Lubbock carries Buddy Holly’ name.***Carthage promotes itself as the hometown of country crooner Jim Reeves.***Dallas has a street honoring native son Stevie Ray Vaughn.***A portion of Texas 288 is named for Nolan Ryan. ***A boulevard is named for Coach Jimmy Johnson in Jefferson County and a street is named for Coach Bum Phillips in Mid-County. Bum is an Orange native; Johnson is a Port Arthur native. As of yet no Orange County locations are named for any of our super stars.*****Marlene, Keith and the Lion’s Club bunch have been preparing for the grand opening of the Lions Club Carnival on Wednesday.*****I stayed up and watched the Dallas-Chicago game. Coach Lovie Smith, an East Texas boy from Big Sandy, brought his Bears to Dallas and totally destroyed the Cowboys, 34-18. Quarterback Tony Romo tied his own record, throwing five picks in the same game, two returned for touchdowns. I’m not sure Dallas will ever again be America’s team. In fact, right now they are not even Texas’ team. If the Cowboys don’t find a running game, and that starts with the offensive line, they will win very few games. I like being a Cowboy fan when they had all the great players and were America’s team. To pour salt on the wounds of this Cajun boy, the New Orleans Saints are sinking like a rock. 50 Years Ago-1972 It was 1:05 p.m. Sunday afternoon, Sept. 15, when Phyllis and Roy Dunn received word that their daughter, Karen, had been involved in an auto accident while a passenger in a car that hit a pine tree. It was an accident that could have easily taken her life. After extensive surgery, the Dunn’s are thankful that their little girl’s life was spared. (Editor’s note: It’s hard to believe that it’s been 50 years.)*****Judge Sid Caillavet has spent 13 days in the hospital after suffering a slight stroke. When the judge was confronted he said, “I just had a couple of gas pains and everyone got excited.” The judge’s eyesight is still good. He can pick out the pretty nurses from the not-so-pretty.*****Jo and D.J. “Ace” Amodeo have moved into their new home at 380 Quincy in Bridge City.*****Joe Martin sells Gulf oil dealership to Don Campbell, the boy from Shelby County.*****Lee Brown, your hearing aid man, says he saw a tombstone in an old cemetery near Palacios that read, “I expected this but not just yet.”*****“Hop-A-Long Cassidy” Billy Boyd, 74 the best cowboy anyone ever saw at the picture show for eight cents, died this week.*****Bernice Granger passed away last week. She owned Granger’s Seafood on Roundbunch in Bridge City.*****Entertainer Johnny Carson and former wife, Joanne, are free to marry again, but if she does, it will cost her $100,000 a year in alimony. She also got $200,000 cash and art work valued at $200,000.*****Reginald K. Drake, son of Betty and Earl Drake, is selected to attend leadership school at Allen Academy in Bryan. Only cadets demonstrating great leadership receive an invitation to attend.*****The first entry from the Sabine area is the second annual Baytown Kiwanis Club Pilot Air Race is Richard Turkel of Orange. His co-pilot in the Sept. 30 race is Doyle Fleming of Bridge City. The 300-mile course is an exercise in fuel management and ability to get the most miles per gasoline consumed. (Editor’s note: I bet Richard could squeeze the last drop of fuel. He’s not known for being wasteful.)*****Three Orange teenagers attend the GOP convention in Dallas as special delegates. They are Tab Finchum, Frank McCollum and Corbin Rinehart.*****The Bridge City Cardinals hold Stake Jesuit scoreless in a 34-0 win. In the last two...

S. Korea ̔s Online Shopping In August Spikes On Travel, Grocery Shopping Demand – Arirang News https://collincountynewsonline.com/s-korea-%cc%94s-online-shopping-in-august-spikes-on-travel-grocery-shopping-demand-arirang-news/ S. Korea’s online shopping in August spikes on travel, grocery shopping demand Updated: 2022-10-04 15:17:07 KST As we return to normal life coming out of the pandemic, the amount of online shopping done in Korea rose in August to the second-highest amount since data were first complied in their current form in 2017. Statistics Korea says online shopping transactions rose by 16 percent compared to a year earlier to more than 12.four billion U.S. dollars. The agency attributed the increase to the easing of coronavirus restrictions during the summer vacation season as well as demand for gifts and groceries to prepare for the thanksgiving holiday Chuseok. In particular, online shopping for transportation and travel rose by a staggering 133 percent, while grocery shopping rose by more than 27 percent. . 본 저작물 중 본문에 해당하는 뉴스 스크립트(텍스트)는 공공누리 제1유형-출처표시 조건에 따라 이용할 수 있습니다.

Q&A: Megamigs – The Biggest Industry Event In Canada – Business News – MCV/Develop https://collincountynewsonline.com/qa-megamigs-the-biggest-industry-event-in-canada-business-news-mcv-develop/ MEGAMIGS is the biggest industry event for game developers over in Canada, and has been for over 15 years. It’s going back to being an in-person meet up this year, and as developers around the world pack up their suitcases and get ready to enjoy their time at the show, Vince Pavey sat down with Émilien Roscanu from La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec to find out all about the upcoming 2022 event. What is the focus of the MEGAMIGS event? MEGAMIGS is Canada’s number one B2B2C event. It aims to bring together industry professionals as well as the public in the charming and welcoming environment that is the city of Montreal, Quebec. The focus is to be an event that is of a more human scale than big conventions, where you can reach and meet with everyone present, and you don’t have to stand in line to get your name out there. What you see is what you get: an event that is not only great for business, but that is also a great showcase opportunity for getting your project out there. Why is the games industry becoming increasingly smitten with Quebec? Quebec is the third largest video game hub in the world, and it is renowned around the world as a creativity powerhouse with a tax friendly environment. Our talents are the heart of our industry, and we have a strong ecosystem that helps circulate talent around triple-A studios and indie startups, and anywhere in between. This ecosystem of nearly 300 studios is closely held together by camaraderie and a wish to help the next generation of game developers. MEGAMIGS is organised by La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec, Quebec’s Game Developers Association, who regroups and represents over 300 video game companies from around the province. How did the event come together? Tell us about the history of the show. Initially, MEGAMIGS was two separate events. The Montreal International Gaming Summit (MIGS) started in 2004 and brought our international community together. Then came the Montreal Expo Gaming Arcade (MEGA) in 2017, a B2B focused event for the general public. They both came together in 2019 to form what is today known as MEGAMIGS. What were the most notable things to happen during previous years of MEGAMIGS? Since this form of MEGAMIGS is quite new, and it has had to hold two of its events online in the last couple of years, I would say that the strongest aspect of MEGAMIGS is that it brings people together in such a way that everyone that comes once always wants to come back to the next show. How has MEGAMIGS changed this year? MEGAMIGS is coming back fully in-person after a two year virtual parenthesis. We are glad to welcome back the whole gaming community and all the developers from around the world to come and meet with the local and international talent. What highlights can we expect at the 2022 MEGAMIGS show? The highlights of the 2022 show will be the presence of several gaming developers from around the world. We expect around 4000 business visitors to attend the B2B conferences, talks and hold meetings and networking events. Our guest speakers include Daniel Dociu (NCSoft), Johan Eile, (Kabam Montréal), Julian Maroda (Norsfell), Shum Singh (Agnitia Capital), TQ Jefferson (Survio) and Trent Oster (Beamdog) to name a few. We will be discussing many newsworthy subjects during talks, like working on the spectrum, tenacity of mothers in the global games industry, recovering from workplace issues and women in games IT. We are also holding the MEGAMIGS Awards, where indie talent will be celebrated. The global publishers fill most of the high-rise office space, but what interesting studios work in their shadows that the world might not be aware of? We often talk about hidden gems that can rise above the crowd and become a success story. We have a lot of those gems out there, and one of MEGAMIGS missions is to help them become known to the industry and to the general public. We also have an area called the Indie Zone during the event, where indie studios from around the world have the chance to participate for free on the expo floor with a kiosk. Those studios, who for the most part are making their first game, have this great opportunity to be known by the industry, but most importantly by the gamers. The way to self-publishing success stories is through building strong communities around your project, so networking is important. What have been the difficulties of organising the event this year? Organising an event is always difficult, even more so when you are coming back from a two year hiatus alongside so many in-person events. The hardest part was to find a suitable venue when there has been such a huge amount of events coming back from the pandemic’s imposed torpor. MEGAMIGS is normally held mid-November, but has had to be held earlier because of those constraints this year. Is there anything different this year compared to years past? Bringing everyone together is no small feat and that is a big difference after two years of uncertainty. We will be located in a new and modern venue at Hotel Bonaventure in Montreal. Our talks and panels are modern and are rooted in current affairs. This year’s focus is on “discoverability and playability”. Why? How are you achieving this? This year’s focus is really linked to MEGAMIGS’ DNA. What we want for this event is to be able to bring together the industry, the studios, the publishers and the service providers, all in a cosy and accessible atmosphere here in Montreal. This is where discoverability is key, for the B2B side of things. We want our guests to be able to meet, talk and have a fun time together. This is where opportunities are created, where ideas are born, and the setting is key for that to happen. Playability is for the gamers out there as well as from within the industry. What better way is there to explain what we do than to show it to the people, to let them experience it with their senses themselves? What are the expectations for success this year? What we have seen is that the interest for live gaming expos and B2B events is more alive than ever. We have already seen great interest from the industry to be there and to meet the public, as our kiosks were almost sold out 6 months before the event. We expect to welcome 10,000 guests over the course of four days, and for this to be our biggest version of the event yet. MEGAMIGS takes place this year between October 19th and October 22nd. If you’d like to purchase tickets, you can find them over at https://megamigs.com/en/

When It Comes To Healthy Eating, We Are Kidding Ourselves – The Telegraph https://collincountynewsonline.com/when-it-comes-to-healthy-eating-we-are-kidding-ourselves-the-telegraph/ Judging by our cultural obsessions, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Britain has become a nation of foodies. We watch the cookery shows, buy the accompanying books, visit farmers’ markets, and invest in expensive kit (bread machines, blenders, slow cookers and so on). We also apparently care about health and nutrition. By 2020, the UK’s health and wellness industry was worth more than £20 billion. We measure our calories and count our steps using fancy wearable tech. Yet our diets have barely improved in the past 30 years. A global study led by researchers at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, has found that countries around the world are now only slightly healthier than in 1990, and the UK is no exception. Using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index, which ranks diets on a scale of zero to 100, with zero denoting heavy consumption of sugar and processed meats and 100 representing the optimal balance of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, the study found Britain had improved by just 1.5 points, to 42, by 2018. This despite a series of healthy eating campaigns – most memorably the state-backed exhortation, since 2003, to eat our five-a-day. Why, then, do unhealthy diets remain so deeply entrenched? Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey suggests only a third of adults aged 19 to 64 were meeting the five-a-day target for fruit and vegetable consumption by 2019. And while last month’s study examining dietary changes since 1990, published in the Nature journal, found higher education was generally linked to greater consumption of healthy foods, it was not always linked to lower consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and red or processed meat. Separate studies published last month found more than 80 per cent of the UK population will be overweight or obese by 2060, at a cost to the economy of £142 billion a year, and cancer cases among under-50s are rising rapidly, with ultra-processed or junk food believed to be the main culprit. In Scotland, life expectancy at birth has now fallen to 76.6 for boys and 80.8 for girls, according to new data published in September, compared with 79.3 and 83.1 respectively in England. “The conversation I have repeatedly [with patients] is that people are aware [of the need to eat well] but it just doesn’t fit in with their lifestyles,” says Dr Gero Baiarda, clinical director at GPDQ healthcare services and a member of MyGP. “They find it inconvenient. Whether it’s lunch or dinner time, people say, ‘I’m busy and it’s easy to stay at my desk and get a Deliveroo.’ ” Patients at his practice in Windsor also report exhaustion as a demotivating factor when it comes to cooking healthy meals from scratch. Even if some of those meals purport to be healthy, the true story is often different. “I think there’s ignorance about what is actually in food and I’ve been blown away sometimes by the calorie counts on things I’ve considered healthy,” says Dr Baiarda. The vast majority of convenience foods are low in protein and fibre and high in salt, sugar and fat. Even baby foods have been found to contain alarming amounts of sugar. In July, a British Dental Association survey of 109 food pouches aimed at children under 12 months found more than a quarter contained more sugar by volume than Coca-Cola. Instead of a nation of foodies, we have become a nation of addicts, hooked on sugar and salt before we can even walk. “We are becoming a sugared nation from the moment we’re born,” says Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum. “First foods for children are stuffed full of sugar and that’s what they’ve come to expect from a very early age. Shifting that is an absolutely impossible task.” Another problem, suggests consultant dietitian Helen Bond, is a continuing lack of knowledge of how to go about cooking meals from raw ingredients. “People don’t have the know-how,” she says: “People know they should be eating more fruit and vegetables and fibre, but what we’re missing is [knowledge of] how to put that into practice.” In 2016, a study by Lurpak found Britons spent more than five hours a week consuming “food media”, but only four hours actually cooking. Psychologists have come up with various theories to explain why we bother watching these shows if we’re not actually home cooks ourselves, including the reality element that makes us feel connected to those on screen, and the programmes’ ability to emotionally transport us. Home-made food has become aspirational, it seems. Evidence suggests that cost – or at least the perception of it – is often a factor when making suboptimal food choices. “Cost is a barrier for about a third of people who don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables,” said the Association of UK Dietitians in 2019. “Some say they simply can’t afford them whilst others say they can’t buy as many fruit and vegetables as they would want to.” Plenty of cooks will counter that it’s entirely possible to eat well on a budget, as long as you’re willing to try. Indeed, the World Cancer Research Fund has reported previously that you can in fact eat your five-a-day for about 42p. (Granted, this price has no doubt risen amid recent inflation.) It’s arguably easier to make the right choices in some parts of the country than others. A Social Market Foundation report on the barriers to eating healthily found access to food may be a barrier for those living in so-called “food deserts” – areas poorly served by food stores. Some households, said the authors, “may find it difficult to easily access a wide range of healthy, affordable food products”. Its analysis suggested eight per cent of deprived areas in England and Wales were food deserts, with an estimated total of 10.2 million people in Britain living in places where healthy food was harder to come by. Rural communities were overrepresented in this category. For the rest of us, even with our easy access to supermarkets, it still undeniably takes longer to cook from scratch. While we might be willing to spend our time (and money) on food in restaurants, the number of which has grown dramatically since 1990, we’re perhaps less keen to spend it at home, where meals have become quicker and less communal. Instead of a nation of foodies, we have become a nation of sugar addicts Credit: Jamie Grill “Historically, we ate more around the table,” says Bond. “Now, more people eat on the go or in front of the television.” Unpicking the lifestyle changes that got us here might be a tall order. But, argues Fry, ministers can and should act to curb the freedom of the food industry to keep us locked in unhealthy habits. “Successive governments have failed to get the food industry to get its act together,” he says. There are so far few signs Liz Truss will be the prime minister to change this. She already hopes to scrap the sugar tax on soft drinks and is reviewing other anti-obesity measures, which could potentially lead to the ditching of the ban on high-sugar products being displayed at supermarket checkouts and the requirement for calorie counts on menus. It has been pointed out many times that failure to step up intervention costs the taxpayer dear when the NHS is left to pick up the bill, down the line. In the meantime? “We need to provide practical advice that appeals to different socioeconomic groups, depending on people’s budgets,” says Bond. “And we need to make sure we’re choosing the right foods when we go shopping – buying in season – and cooking from scratch. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but we’ve got to help people make those choices. It’s about giving people confidence.” Five surprisingly healthy foods Credit: Getty 1. Peanut butter At face value, it seems as though peanut butter is an unhealthy choice as it’s high in calories. But spread on whole grain toast or sliced apple, it makes for a snack that will keep you fuller for longer. That is thanks to its high protein and healthy fat content; it also provides a source of fibre, vitamins and minerals (such as Vitamin E and potassium). Almond butter is another good choice, as it’s a source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. 2. Popcorn Make your own version with a bit less salt and sugar for a high-fibre snack that’s surprisingly healthy. When popped at home, rather than in a vat of oil, popcorn is relatively low in calories (around 120 calories per 30g serving). Most people don’t consume enough fibre – only one in 10 Britons reaches the recommended 30g per day –  so homemade popcorn could be a good way to boost your wholegrain intake. 3. Cheese You may think of cheese as an end-of-dinner-party indulgence but, when consumed in moderation, it can be a valuable source of protein and calcium for maintaining bone health. While most cheeses are relatively calorie-dense, research has actually shown that dairy intake is associated with a reduced risk of childhood obesity and, in adults, improved body composition. 4. Red meat (in moderation) A steak a day would be overdoing it, but red meat has multiple health benefits provided you choose the right source. It’s rich in iron, zinc and B vitamins, as well as being one of the main dietary sources of vitamin B12, which helps with the production of red blood cells and the maintenance of the nervous system. A healthy, balanced diet can include up to 70g of red meat per day, according to NHS guidelines. Opt for unprocessed, lean sources of red meat, like a pork tenderloin or skinless duck breast, to reap the nutritional benefits with less saturated fat. 5. Dark chocolate Cocoa-rich dark chocolate contains antioxidant compounds called flavanols, which have been proven to protect against the buildup of cholesterol as well as slightly lowering blood pressure. Another study found that dark chocolate can even improve...

Today’s Birthdays | News, Sports, Jobs – The Steubenville Herald-Star https://collincountynewsonline.com/todays-birthdays-news-sports-jobs-the-steubenville-herald-star/ Emily Lamatrice, 27, Toronto. Marianne Kane, Weirton. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Jefferson County Sheriff Shouldn’t have: A 16-year-old girl who had taken her grandmother’s car without … Emily Lamatrice, 27, Toronto. Marianne Kane, Weirton. Jefferson County Sheriff Drove away: Someone left a Tiltonsville gas station without paying the $62 they owed … The following marriage applications have been filed in Jefferson County: Alexander Michael Garan and Maria … Ashley Platko, 37, Toronto. Toronto Police Charged: Asia Powell, 28, 3912 Hanlin Way, Weirton, disorderly conduct, Sept. 23; Amber S. …

PDAX, YGGA Brings DLSU To The Metaverse – Manila Bulletin https://collincountynewsonline.com/pdax-ygga-brings-dlsu-to-the-metaverse-manila-bulletin/ PDAX, YGGA brings DLSU to the Metaverse DISCLAIMER: The statements in this article do not constitute financial advice. PDAX does not guarantee the technical and financial integrity of the digital asset and its ecosystem. Any and all trading involving the digital asset is subject to the user’s risk and discretion and must be done after adequate and in-depth research and analysis. This is not going to be your usual “online” conference. Philippine Digital Asset Exchange (PDAX), in partnership with Yield Guild Games Alerts (YGG Alerts) and De La Salle University (DLSU) will kickoff the De La Salle Interactive Entertainment and Gaming Innovation & Talent Expo (DigitX) in a first-of-its-kind virtual showcase to take place in the Decentraland metaverse this October 3 to October 9. DigitX is a talent and innovation showcase, featuring webinars, exhibits, and guided tours which will take place in a completely virtual environment. Using the Decentraland platform, participants can create their own personal avatars and engage with other attendees in exploring a 3-D virtual rendition of the DLSU campus. Student works from DLSU’s first-ever graduating batch of BS Interactive Entertainment, Major in Game Design will also be exhibited within the Archer’s Building in the virtual campus.  For visitors to make the most out of their campus visit and field trip, PDAX has created a special promo for $MANA, Decentraland’s currency and an NFT shirt for visitors’ Decentraland avatar.  DigitX is a glimpse into the fast-emerging world of NFTs and the Metaverse, which is ushering in the age of Web 3.0 for Filipinos. As blockchain-based technologies, they help create not only greater financial opportunities, but are also aimed at creating more inclusive virtual spaces for everyone and to take learning and communication to an entirely new level in the near future. For DigitX, DLSU makes for an ideal venue being one of the handful of campuses in the country offering degrees in game design. Metaverse technology has its roots in video gaming, from the concept of virtual reality, to programming and hardware development.   The event will also feature a 3-day series of talks from some of the most notable names in the crypto industry in the country, covering a range of topics from the emerging applications of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the implications of cryptocurrencies and Web3 technology on the future of the Philippine digital landscape.  SIGN UP TO DAILY NEWSLETTER CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP YOU MAY ALSO LIKE 2022-10-04 14:04:04 [“tech-news”,”technology”,”technology”] [3100385,3100463,3100443,3100437,3100432,3100423,3100417]

Dr. No Turns 60: The Quirky Bond Movie – Tilt Magazine https://collincountynewsonline.com/dr-no-turns-60-the-quirky-bond-movie-tilt-magazine/ Dr. No Turns 60: A Retrospective As James Bond says in 2015’s Spectre while ensnared in Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s Moroccan lair: Tempus fugit. October 5th, 2022 marks the 60th, yes, the 60th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise. Few series’ can claim to have lasted as long as that started by American producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Canadian-born Harry Saltzman when they agreed to translate Ian Fleming’s novel, ”Dr. No,” from novel to screen. Many rivals have lasted a long time, but a significant portion of them, especially in the past couple of decades, go dormant for several years, only to resurface after an extended hibernation. Bond, on the other hand, consistently produces content. Dr. No (DN) premiered at the London Pavilion and started the series that as recently as one year ago saw its 25th outing, No Time to Die, roar across movie screens internationally.  The logical thought process when looking back at the relatively modest franchise premier is to highlight the ingredients that would eventually become series mainstays. Directed by Terrence Young, starring Sean Connery as Bond, Ursula Andress as Honey Rider, and Joseph Wiseman as the eponymous antagonist, the original 007 cinematic adventure is certainly infused with stylistic and storytelling decisions that make up tried, tested, and true Bondian DNA. The suaveness, the international intrigue, the women, the guns, the action, etc. Since it was the filmmaker’s first effort at adapting Ian Fleming’s literary hero, they hadn’t honed a style. Furthermore, given that DN is from 1962, it stands to reason that some filmmaking techniques differed back then.  Credit: EON/DANJAQ To celebrate Dr. No’s 60th anniversary, Tilt Magazine looks back at the film’s more peculiar and unique qualities. What are some of the things that make it stand apart, either because the template hadn’t been ironed out or simply because movies were different back in the 60s? Starting With a Bang Pre-title Sequence Bond fans, casual and ardent alike, love watching the first few minutes of a new 007 adventure. After James Bond walks across the screen in a while little dot (a graphical representation of a gun’s barrel, hence the terminology of “gunbarrel scene”) and shoots in the audience’s direction, blood trickles down and viewers are whisked to an undisclosed mission. From there, audiences are treated to some action and fun before the film’s proper story begins. In Bond parlance, this is referred to as the pre-title sequence (as in: “rank the Bond pre-title sequences”). Credit: EON/DANJAQ DN plays its cards differently, if only because director Young and company had no template to work from. Simply put, there is no pre-title sequence. Seconds after the blood starts oozing from the top of the screen, the famous James Bond theme erupts and the credits are showcased in colourfully kaleidoscopic fashion courtesy of Maurice Binder. It wouldn’t be until the next movie, From Russia with Love, that 007 films would begin with a thrilling action scene. Two Actors Playing Bond? That’s right. There are two actors seen on screen playing James Bond in DN. In fact, Sean Connery is the second actor in the movie to play the part. This isn’t a cheat. The man portraying Bond in the aforementioned gunbarrel scene is not the famed Scotsman. Rather, his stunt double Bob Simmons walks right to left before firing at his would-be assassin.  Title Song Singer Traditionally Bond films get a popular music artist to belt out a ballad or rock tune that accompanies the opening credits, making the experience feel like its own music video of sorts. As previously established, it is the main Bond theme everyone knows that blasts on the soundtrack. If that wasn’t enough, there are no fewer than three tracks that play over the credits. The Bond theme eventually fades out, replaced with some Jamaican dance music, which itself fades into a calypso rendition of Three Blind Mice! Soak in the Local Flavour Jamaican Rhythm In the laundry list of ingredients that should feature in a Bond adventure is travel to exotic, sexy locations, or very dangerous locations. Missions of the past few decades have taken the British super spy to multiple locations per film. The last time Bond went head-to-head with his foes in as few as two places was in 1989’s Licence to Kill. That was 32 years ago.  Back in the franchise’s youth, the filmmakers took 007 to a single international territory. For DN, the adventure is set in Jamaica, which was where Fleming had set the novel’s story, in addition to where the author spent his winters writing the books. This lends the early movies a different tone and especially a different pace from the ones that followed in the 80s onwards. Can anyone really attest to having a solid feel for Bregenz after watching Quantum of Solace? The same cannot be said of Jamaica, which is where 80% of the first movie takes place. Keeping the British End up It’s not only the fact that viewers get to soak in the warm Jamaican sun and its beaches when enjoying DN. The country earned its independence in August of 1962, even though it’s still officially a member of the Commonwealth. Keep in mind that the film was shot in the winter of ’62. When Terence Young and his crew completed their on-location work, Jamaica was still months away from its big day. As such, there are plenty of references to the island’s status as a British colony. People play bridge at the Queen’s Club, and Bond’s contact at the Governor’s House is a typically polite, astute, Caucasian fellow who speaks in the Queen’s eloquent English.  The Home Team The Quartermaster Few scenes in Bond movies are as beloved as those when the protagonist and his famous gadget man, Q, banter back and forth as the exasperated Quartermaster (hence, Q) tries his best to make Bond concentrate and understand how to operate his newfangled weapons. All the 007 actors have had tremendous chemistry with their respective Q counterparts, including Daniel Craig with Ben Wishaw. First-time viewers may be surprised to discover that no character dubbed “Q” appears in DN. Instead, there is an armourer played by Peter Burton. At M’s request, he hands James the now famous Walther PPK, replacing the secret agent’s preferred Beretta. There is no banter between the two. In fact, the scene plays out very much as if the weapons specialist and 007 hardly know each other at all.  Credit: EON/DANJAQ Working for MI7 Which fan of the series does not know that James Bond, agent 007, works for His Majesty’s Secret Service, aka the Secret Intelligence Service, aka MI6? Well, apparently that’s not the case in DN. Bernard Lee’s M very clearly states that he is head of MI7 while briefing Bond on his Caribbean-bound mission. Very little information is available to us that would explain exactly why the number 7 is used instead of 6. Of note, there was, at least for a brief while, such a department as MI7 in British Intelligence.  Bond, James Bond You Know My Name Ah yes, the famous line that marked in cinematic history. Few character introductions are as iconic as the strange way in which agent 007 introduces himself. Surname, then given name followed by surname once more. The way in which it’s said for the first time ever is not only superbly cool for its 1960s, smoky casino setting (with the Bond theme playing), but for the context in which the line is delivered.  It’s a detail one might not realize until they’ve seen the film multiple times or have it pointed out to them. Everyone gets so excited when Sean Connery says “Bond, James Bond” whilst lighting his cigarette, many forget he is replicating the way his soon-to-be girlfriend says her name. The woman seated across the chemin de fer table, played by Eunice Gayson, is told by un unseen Bond that, given her losses, her courage is admired, Ms…? “Trench, Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr…?” You know the rest.  Credit: EON/DANJAQ Absent Aston It seems like in nearly every new film agent 007 gets to ride his beloved grey 1964 Aston Martin DB5. The brand and that model are synonymous with the film franchise to the point where, as beautifully crafted as the luxury vehicle is, few would complain if Bond drove something else in the next iteration. Bond doesn’t do much driving in DN. The one time he’s behind the wheel, he evades pursuers in a 1961 Alpine Sunbeam. A sporty, cool-looking little car with an open roof, it’s a great machine to joyride Jamaica in. It doesn’t hold the iconic status of the DB5, nor is it tricked out with any optional extras, unless one considers Bond’s extraordinary driving skills as a gadget.  A Super Spy’s Living Quarters Few of the films take viewers into the hero’s personal home in London. After all, Bond is a man of action, someone constantly called upon to save Britain and civilization as we know it. Given that most of the films open with 007 mid-mission, then a briefing with his chief M, followed by international intrigue and explosions, it is forgivable for not even thinking about what Bond’s home looks like.  Credit: EON/DANJAQ Of the 25 canonical entries, the protagonist is seen in his London living quarters only three times, the first being in DN. It’s a handsomely decorated flat, at least from what viewers are privy to. The scene comes early in the film after Bond leaves M’s office. Only the entrance hall and what looks to be a living room are visible, but they have a relatively homely feel about them.  Gadget Counter Some people can’t get enough of 007’s arsenal of gadgets, while others prefer films in which the secret agent relies on his wits more so than easy technological cheats. The latter group can rest easy with the original 1962 picture, as Bond is equipped exclusively with a Geiger counter. Not even one hidden in his wat...

Crypto Better Days Coming: UN Urges Federal Reserve Not To Hike Interest Rates | Bitcoinist.com – Bitcoinist https://collincountynewsonline.com/crypto-better-days-coming-un-urges-federal-reserve-not-to-hike-interest-rates-bitcoinist-com-bitcoinist/ Crypto prices immediately came crashing down after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced they are increasing interest rates during an economic summit on September 21. Now, in a not-so-delayed reaction, the United Nations is calling on the U.S. central bank and other large western regulators not to continue raising their interest rates, a UN agency says. The Fed and other central banks worldwide raised their interest rates with the objective of containing the onslaught of inflation.  The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warns, however, that this could trigger a worldwide economic crisis. JUST IN: United Nations says the FED and other central banks risk pushing the global economy into recession if they keep raising interest rates. — Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) October 3, 2022 Better Days Ahead For Crypto? UNCTAD published its Trade and Development Report 2022 on Monday, in which it expressed concern about the possibility of a global economic calamity brought on by the Fed’s rigid monetary policy, the effects of which would be felt most severely in developing nations. “Any belief that they (central banks) will be able to bring down prices by relying on higher interest rates without generating a recession is… an imprudent gamble,” the agency said. The market immediately reacted negatively to Powell’s reiteration that the Fed must maintain its fight against rising inflation by further increasing interest rates. As has been the case over the past few months as the prices of Bitcoin and Ether have been increasingly tied to the stock market, the Bitcoin price and the larger crypto market followed suit. Current Fed Policy Hurts Vulnerable People Globally “Current policies are harmful to vulnerable populations everywhere, especially in developing nations. Rebeca Grynspan, the UNCTAD secretary-general, made these remarks at a press conference in Geneva. Market analysts at Bitfinex, a cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, have issued the following statements through email: “The cryptocurrency market, like other risk assets, is extremely sensitive to comments made by the Federal Reserve, and it has been recently impacted by the Fed’s rate hikes.” As of this writing, Bitcoin is trading at $19,603, up 3 percent in the last seven days, data from Coingecko show, Tuesday. A Recession Would Benefit Crypto? Meanwhile, predictions on how cryptocurrency prices would behave during a recession are all over the map. While the consensus is that the value of crypto assets will plummet in the event of a stock market crash, an opposing viewpoint is gaining ground. A recession, which American investor Stan Druckenmiller believes will happen next year, would be good for the cryptocurrency sector as a whole, he says. Druckenmiller pointed out that a growing lack of trust in governments and their central banks could be good news for cryptocurrencies. Because Bitcoin is decentralized, market watchers believe it will likely diverge from the pack and increase in price. Some analysts believe that as Bitcoin rallies – whether the Fed hikes its rates or not – so will other major cryptos like Ethereum, Tether, and Dogecoin. The Fed easing its current stance on interest rates could have a healing effect on the overall health of the crypto markets. When the Federal Reserve meets again on November 4, they will decide if interest rates will be allowed to climb again. And with the UN now breathing heavily down its nape, the Fed must get back on the drawing boards and chart its next move. BTC total market cap at $376 billion on the daily chart | Source: TradingView.com Featured image from BGR, chart from TradingView.com

Engineering Professor Joins U.S. Soybean Export Council Discussion With Chinese Ambassador – University Of Arkansas Newswire https://collincountynewsonline.com/engineering-professor-joins-u-s-soybean-export-council-discussion-with-chinese-ambassador-university-of-arkansas-newswire/ Photo Submitted Marty Matlock, professor in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at the U of A and research professor in the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, was invited to join the United States Soybean Export Council on Sept. 16 in St. Louis as they hosted Qin Gang, the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. The Agricultural Experiment Station is the research arm of the U of A System Division of Agriculture. The participants joined in a roundtable discussion focused on sustainable and climate smart agricultural practices. The group included U.S. Department of Agriculture Acting Deputy Under Secretary Jason Hafemeister, as well as Chinese delegates and leaders from the U.S. and China’s food and agriculture industries. Matlock has worked with the council for 15 years to develop goals, metrics and assessment tools for sustainability. His work covered interests and impacts that include soil resilience, water use efficiency, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and land use impacts. In response to discussion of the role of U.S. soybean producers in leading innovation in sustainable production, Ambassador Gang said, “Agriculture is a key contributor to China’s green development. We (China and the U.S.) have a common responsibility to promote sustainable agriculture and food security for future generations. “Our market will remain open, and we will continue to collaborate with U.S. farmers, companies and entities who want to advance green development of China’s food and agriculture,” Gang said. Jim Sutter, CEO of the council, said, “We all have a responsibility to act for consumers, our children and our grandchildren.” China is the world’s leading soy consumer and the largest importer of U.S. soybean products, including edible oil and soy foods for people as well as feed for Chinese pork, egg, aquaculture and poultry production. U.S. soy has collaborated in China since 1982. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and on Instagram at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. About the Division of Agriculture The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system. The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Virginia Tech Receives $5 Million Gift – Cardinal News https://collincountynewsonline.com/virginia-tech-receives-5-million-gift-cardinal-news/ Here’s a roundup of education briefs. Want more education news? There’s no full-time education reporter west of Richmond. You can help change that. Help us fund this position. * * * Virginia Tech receives $5 million to expand sustainable land development initiative A Virginia Tech alumnus has committed $5 million to the Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to expand learning initiatives in sustainable land development, the university announced Monday. The Bowman Sustainable Land Development Program, named for Gary Bowman, a 1980 graduate, will encompass the undergraduate and graduate academic components of sustainable land development, including a master’s program that’s now in its second year, according to a news release. Gary Bowman. Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech. The program also will encompass the Land Development Design Initiative, which will be renamed but will continue to serve as a portal through which individuals and organizations in the land development industry can provide input on curriculum and engage with students.  The Land Development Design Initiative, which was created around 2005, began as a collaboration between the Via department and professionals across the land development industry. In addition to providing mentors inside the classroom, the initiative works to acquaint students with career opportunities within the industry, including municipal engineering, real estate and specialized areas of sustainability. Bowman, who graduated from Tech with a degree in civil and environmental engineering, founded Bowman Consulting in 1995 as a small firm focused on the planning and design of residential communities throughout Northern Virginia. It has grown into a 1,700-person publicly traded design and consulting firm with offices throughout the U.S. Bowman has served on the College of Engineering Advisory Board and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Board. He also is a member of the Via department’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni. During the Land Development Design Initiative’s early years, Bowman served on the program’s leadership board. Bowman’s wife, Terri, and son Greg are both graduates of the Pamplin College of Business.  “The program has withstood the test of time and has blossomed into a mature program educating a tremendous number of students,” Bowman said. “My hope is that this gift will be the beginning of a new level of support for the program that will ensure its long-term durability and provide resources to enable it to continue to grow and evolve.”  * * * UVA Wise students to present at Marshall Two students at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise will pitch their entrepreneurship business projects at the first Appalachian Social Enterprise Summit at Marshall University on Tuesday. Zachary Cunningham, a business administration major from Farmington, Missouri, will share his vision linking eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia nonprofits called Appalachia Social Capital Bridge. Isaias Martin Gutierrez, a business major, will present his solution to help feed Appalachia called Hungry to Serve Appalachia. He hopes to tackle chronic hunger in the region though a non-profit that aims to reduce food waste and better utilize natural resources. Martin Gutierrez is from Huelva, Spain.  * * * University of Lynchburg will host 2 history seminars The University of Lynchburg will host two history seminars this fall, one focusing on archaeology at Historic Sandusky and the other on wolf eradication in the U.S. and Finland. The first presentation, “Archaeology in Action: New Insights from the Kitchen Excavation at Historic Sandusky,” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 17 in Hopwood Auditorium. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. The presentation provides an overview of archaeological work currently being undertaken at Lynchburg’s Historic Sandusky, a house museum owned and operated by the University of Lynchburg since 2016. In a partnership with the university, engineering firm Hurt & Proffitt’s cultural resources department is leading the kitchen house renovation. The presenters will be a mixture of H&P staff and students from the university. They include Jessica Gantzert, H&P’s laboratory director and conservator and the principal investigator on the kitchen house project; Randy Lichtenberger, archaeologist and director of cultural resources for H&P; and three Lynchburg history majors, Emma Coffey ’23, Haley Sabolcik ’23 and Abby Gonshorowski ’24. Greg Starbuck, director of Historic Sandusky, said in a statement that “excavations have taken place sporadically over the years, but starting in early 2021, continuous work has been done on the property focusing on the side work yard,” which includes the detached kitchen and smokehouse. Work is also being done to research the enslaved people who lived and worked in those areas. These undertakings, Starbuck said, have provided archaeologists with new and previously unknown insights into what daily life looked like in Lynchburg in the 19th century. The second presentation will be given by a University of Lynchburg history professor, Adam Dean. “Wolf Eradication in the United States and Finland” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in Hopwood Auditorium. Admission to the lecture is free and the public is invited. The lecture will begin by exploring an extremely rare wolf-predation incident in Finland between 1879 and 1882, when two gray wolves killed 35 children. * * * Danville Community College opens registration for 2022 Idea Fair Danville Community College is seeking students to participate in its annual Idea Fair, which will be held in the Temple Building on the DCC campus from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 15. The fair is conducted each year on National Entrepreneur’s Day, which honors people who have built an empire from absolutely nothing. The Idea Fair is meant to ignite innovation and creativity in students and seeks to address disparities, such as the lack of entrepreneurial programming for women and people of color, an underdeveloped pipeline for youth entrepreneurship and a lack of support for entrepreneurs facing isolation, according to a news release. To participate, students submit an original entrepreneurial ideas to be judged by a panel of volunteers from local high schools, universities and businesses. Projects will be judged on originality, creativity, project design, presentation, innovation, diversity, economic impact, sustainability and how well the project solves a relevant problem. Participants must be present to explain their projects to the judges and other attendees. Winners will be awarded for their submissions: First place prize for a high school senior attending DCC next year – $1,000 First place student – $300 Second place student – $200 Third place student – $100 Each additional participant – $50 To register, visit www.danville.edu/ideafair2022. For questions about the Idea Fair, contact Willie Sherman at 434-797-8470 or willie.sherman@danville.edu. The fair is open to students from Pittsylvania County Schools, Danville Public Schools, Caswell Public Schools, area private schools, DCC and the community. It is hosted by the college in partnership with Dan River Region Entrepreneur Ecosystem, Longwood Small Business Development Center, River District Association, Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce and The Launch Place.

Mobile Games Based On SpongeBob And Narcos Are Coming To Netflix Gaming – GameSpot https://collincountynewsonline.com/mobile-games-based-on-spongebob-and-narcos-are-coming-to-netflix-gaming-gamespot/ Netflix is adding even more new games to its gaming section, with the latest announcement involving a partnership with indie mobile publisher Tilting Point. The publisher has announced that cooking game SpongeBob: Get Cooking is available now on Netflix, with Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited joining it in fall, as well as a third unnanounced game due for a 2023 release. SpongeBob: Get Cooking is a cooking game based off Nickelodeon’s hit show, which sees players exploring the world of Bikini Bottom to cook dishes for familiar characters. Based off Tilting Point’s existing mobile game SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off, Get Cooking is exclusive to Netflix subscribers. Players can download SpongeBob: Get Cooking here. Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited is a base-building strategy game based off Netflix’s popular series. Players take the role of a cartel kingpin, deciding along the way how they want to build up their power and reputation. Cartel Wars Unlimited will be available through Netflix this fall. The third game Tilting Point is bringing to Netflix is still unnamed, but the publisher has said it’s being developed by Emerald City Games, and will be “based on a popular Netflix series.” The game will arrive on Netflix’s gaming platform in 2023. The Netflix Games catalogue currently contains over 30 titles, with indie hit Oxenfree one of the most recent games to be added. Netflix’s focus is on mobile gaming with no ads, no hidden purchases, and no microtransactions, and it currently has a roster of both third-party titles and Netflix original games–including some based on its popular original TV shows. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site. Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Man Charged In Toddler’s Hit-And-Run Death Was Out On Bond For Another DWI, Court Documents Show – KHOU.com https://collincountynewsonline.com/man-charged-in-toddlers-hit-and-run-death-was-out-on-bond-for-another-dwi-court-documents-show-khou-com/ At a bond hearing, prosecutors said Rene Alfredo Alvarado Lopez, 22, admitted he drank five 32-ounce beers before running over the toddler. HOUSTON — The suspect charged in the hit-and-run death of a 2-year-old boy was out on bond on a DWI charge in Collin County, north of Dallas, according to court documents. Houston police say Rene Alfredo Alvarado Lopez ran over the toddler at an apartment complex over the weekend and then tried to leave the scene. Alvarado Lopez, who turned 22 the day of the accident, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid.  The El Salvador native appeared in court Monday where the prosecutor said he admitted drinking five 32-ounce beers before the accident.  The judge said  Alvarado Lopez also didn’t show up in court on the Collin County charge so there was a warrant for his arrest. She set his bond for each charge at $100,000 for a total of $200,000. According to HPD, Alvarado Lopez was speeding through the parking lot of an apartment complex in a Dodge Ram pickup when he hit the toddler. Police said he kept driving and tried to leave, but witnesses stopped him until first responders arrived. It happened Saturday on Nairn Street, near South Gessner Road and Bissonnet Street, shortly after 4 p.m. Sean Teare with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said responding officers reported that Alvardo Lopez showed signs of intoxication. A drug recognition expert evaluated him at the scene.  Intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid are second-degree felonies and carry a possible penalty of up to 20 years in prison. — Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 3, 2022 In a separate weekend tragedy, a 6-year-old boy was run over multiple times, allegedly by a 52-year-old man.   According to court documents, Pedro Hernandez is a repeat offender with DWI charges in three different counties since 2015. KHOU 11 on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Abolish Fall Break – The Chronicle – Duke Chronicle https://collincountynewsonline.com/abolish-fall-break-the-chronicle-duke-chronicle/ The idea of Duke’s fall break has always perplexed me. Spring break makes sense; even though it isn’t usually positioned around Easter or another holiday, it marks pretty evenly the middle of the second semester, and gives a long enough pause from classes and assignments to do something. Whether that be to go somewhere, get ahead on your work or just relax for a while, spring break at least lets you breathe. Inherently, fall break isn’t a horrible idea, but in practice it falls rather short. For whatever reason we only get off about one total week of classes per semester, so the presence of a fall break makes Thanksgiving break shorter, giving students and faculty two mediocre pauses rather than one good one. Fall break’s justification is also its side effect: midterms. We have fall break to recover from the preceding midterms, but we have these midterms all at the same time because fall break is a natural barrier between segments of course material. With such a short break, even if you leave, your assignments don’t really pause. There’s a difference between having no class and having a break. Last year I stayed on campus for both fall and Thanksgiving breaks, because of COVID concerns and travel costs, and it looks like the same will be true of this semester. Staying on campus was obviously not as nice as visiting home or going on a short vacation might have been, but the actions of the university only made things worse. For example, there were not any on-campus dining options throughout Thanksgiving day, and very limited ones for the rest of the break. This year, I imagine there will be more of the same. On the First-Year Dining page, it says that freshmen will not get Marketplace swipes for dinner Friday, October 7th through breakfast Tuesday, October 11th, nor breakfast Wednesday, November 23rd through breakfast Sunday, November 27th. While this is nice for the Marketplace workers for getting a bit of a break as well, freshman staying here will have to figure out what to do about those missing meals; with the massive food inflation across campus, relying on food points won’t be a perfect solution. Here’s the thing: if you’re staying on campus for the breaks, there’s a reason for it. Maybe home is too far, maybe you can’t afford to go anywhere or maybe you just want a mental health break instead of a stressful half-week of travel. Not only can you not go anywhere while seeing many of your peers on fancy weekend trips or flying home to California for a long weekend, but you have to plan ahead for how to get food and navigate campus with limited facility hours and bus routes. Not to mention that every conversation before and after a break revolves around what you’re planning to do or did do. The icing on the cake is that parents’ weekend is a week after fall break, and I imagine there’s a lot of overlap between people staying here for the break and also not having their parents visit the next weekend. It’s a further reminder of the amount of privilege at Duke for the students whose families can’t justify visiting. The negatives of not leaving for breaks are compounded on the students who are already disadvantaged—the setup of the fall semester breaks is classist, to say the least. Since coming here, the whole academic calendar situation has confused me. Last summer was absurdly long—there were about seventeen weeks off, practically the entirety of May through August. All through that time, Duke was able to host, in addition to summer session, a wide variety of camps and programs for high schoolers willing to shell out whatever money Duke wanted to charge. The more time us students spend on campus, the less time anyone else can. I don’t know if this is why Duke tries to minimize the total time us students are here for the academic year, but it seems a tad suspicious. Why can’t we have two weeks off during the semesters and a fifteen-week summer? Staying here for fall break isn’t horrible—it is a piddly two days off, after all—but Thanksgiving is another story. Perhaps if we had a week-long Thanksgiving break—or even one week off for fall break and another for turkey day—it would feel worth it to fly home for the holiday, but it’s really hard to justify spending upwards of $400 to fly home for maybe three full days with my family. Especially since the majority of students at Duke do not live in North Carolina, the presence of such a short break doesn’t make the same amount of sense it does at a state school, like UNC, at which students could a lot more easily drive home for an extended weekend. Perhaps it’s a lazy institutional attempt to provide the appearance of caring about giving students a mental break, by implementing a practice that some other colleges have. I might understand the odd length more if it overlapped a holiday—perhaps Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as a guest column suggested—or if they were days in addition to rather than subtracted from Thanksgiving break. Perhaps we could have a couple of random long weekends sprinkled throughout the semester, or start earlier, having winter break begin at Thanksgiving and end at New Years, with a week long fall break in the middle (although, knowing us, I fear too long of a break would lead to the necessity of “winternships”). Duke undeniably lives up to its work hard, play hard culture, but the presence of two tiny breaks goes a bit too far. We get time off, but nowhere near long enough to actually relax. If you travel, you’ll probably end up farther behind work-wise than you started. If you don’t, you feel the effects of a campus that doesn’t really want you there. If Duke wants to stick with the presence of two tiny breaks in the fall, they should provide resources for the students who don’t have much of a choice but to be here; at the very least they shouldn’t add to the food insecurity that so many students already feel. Otherwise, let’s make fall break an actual break or abolish it entirely. Heidi Smith is a Trinity junior. Her column runs on alternating Tuesdays. Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.

Digital Transformation Series – Human Resourcing Cloud Software – Business News Wales https://collincountynewsonline.com/digital-transformation-series-human-resourcing-cloud-software-business-news-wales/ To support businesses in Wales, Superfast Business Wales have created a new digital toolkit designed to help businesses improve efficiency, streamline operations, boost security, and often reduce costs. Listing over 100 cloud-based solutions, the digital tool kit directory will help you find software and services you can rely on. All products listed are presented for information and research only, and any recommendations are not designed to be comprehensive or act as a specific endorsement from Superfast Business Wales. DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE DIRECTORY HERE In the second part of this series, we look the Human Resources sector and the benefits of using cloud based software. HR software is now the preferred solution for many businesses, replacing outdated paper-based HR methods, filing cabinets and disjointed systems, such as spreadsheets and word documents. In today’s digitally connected world, businesses are moving towards cloud based systems on the internet for many business functions, and specifically HR. The benefits of cloud-based HR systems There are many reasons to use cloud based software within your HR functions, from maintaining and tracking personal information (including: pay, skills, training, and achievements), to providing self-service options for leave of absence requests. Dedicated HR software can also reduce the burden on HR staff, letting them focus on the people they’re serving. Compliance Management: Ensuring your team is up to date with HR and employment laws is essential and cloud solutions make this process efficient as you can adapt your procedures and features when you need to. Data Insights: All your data and information is effectively stored in one place, enabling you to have a more detailed analysis of each employee. Efficiency: Embracing online software helps to cut down on the amount of admin tasks, as cloud-based software manages much of this for you. Centralisation: Everything is in one location with cloud-based HR software. Meaning you can access essential data from wherever you are. All your data is hosting in one central depository meaning, nothing gets lost. Cost Effective: Some legacy software systems can be expensive, whereas many cloud based HR services offer a range of budget options and in some cases can make significant savings for your businesses. HMRC Responsibilities: Payroll software can make it easier to account for any staff payments, including submitting PAYE information to HMRC accurately and automatically. While you can buy standalone payroll packages, you may be better off buying this as a bundle with your financial reporting software. In April 2019, Making Tax Digital for VAT came into force and this requires registered businesses with a taxable turnover above £85,000 to keep records in digital form and file their VAT Returns using software.

Elvis Furniture Stolen In Bedford County | News, Sports, Jobs – Altoona Mirror https://collincountynewsonline.com/elvis-furniture-stolen-in-bedford-county-news-sports-jobs-altoona-mirror/ A duplicate Elvis Presley Jungle Room furniture set was reported stolen in Broad Top Township, Bedford County. According to state police, the furniture valued at $5,000 was taken sometime between Sept. 17 and 19 from a home along Raystown Road owned by a Morrisdale resident. According to police, a door valued at $100 was damaged during the burglary. Anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 814-623-6133. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox A duplicate Elvis Presley Jungle Room furniture set was reported stolen in Broad Top Township, Bedford … Doctors have a message for vaccine-weary Americans: Don’t skip your flu shot this fall — and seniors, ask for a … Grant applications are being accepted from area nonprofits that promote healthy living for youth and the community. … HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County jury took about 45 minutes on Monday to convict an Altoona man of three … Altoona police are searching for a city man who allegedly stole a vehicle. Travis James Pfahler, 36, is wanted by … A state prison sentence imposed on a former Huntingdon County contractor charged with home improvement fraud has …

PREP SOCCER | News, Sports, Jobs – Morning Journal News https://collincountynewsonline.com/prep-soccer-news-sports-jobs-morning-journal-news/ Columbiana clips East Liverpool COLUMBIANA — The Columbiana girls soccer team beat East Liverpool, 8-1, at the Ward Athletic Complex on Monday. Annabel Fitch scored the Potters’ goal with 40 seconds left. East Liverpool (1-10-1) will play at John Marshall today. United ties Ursuline HANOVERTON — The United girls soccer team earned a draw against Ursuline at home on Monday Night. Rachael Rhodes scored the Golden Eagles’ only goal of the contest, while Katie Dees had 19 saves in goal. United (7-5) will host Newton Falls Thursday. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Columbiana clips East Liverpool COLUMBIANA — The Columbiana girls soccer team beat East Liverpool, 8-1, at the … ZANESVILLE — East Liverpool’s Nathan Kelly came up short in his quest for a Div. II state golf tournament berth … WHEELING, W.Va. — Prior to Saturday’s OVAC Championship match, Weir High head coach Chris LeFever told his team … ST. CLAIRSVILLE — In the break between the end of regulation and the start of overtime, Oak Glen head coach Bill … McDonald 3, Columbiana 0 MCDONALD — McDonald bested Columbiana 25-15, 25-20, 25-15 on Saturday. Columbiana …

UAE’s Ministry Of Economy Opens Office In The Metaverse – CoinGeek https://collincountynewsonline.com/uaes-ministry-of-economy-opens-office-in-the-metaverse-coingeek/ The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Economy has opened an office in the metaverse that will be accessible to everyone globally. The building in the metaverse is the exact replica of the Ministry of Economy in Abu Dhabi with the same services offered to visitors. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the country’s Minister of Economy, made the groundbreaking announcement at the Dubai Metaverse Assembly during a panel discussion with industry stakeholders. Al Marri noted that the latest development forms part of the UAE’s efforts to be a hub for Web 3 technology in the Gulf and the wider world. Visitors to the virtual office of the Ministry of Economy can hold meetings and network with other visitors through their avatars, Al Marri stated. Furthermore, legally-binding agreements can be signed in the metaverse, and 24/7 customer care support can be accessed at the virtual office. “Our digital address represents the full building of the ministry. Each floor can serve different purposes. A visitor will get a virtual ticket/token and a notification will be sent to our customer happiness center to let the visitor enter our office in the metaverse,” Al Marri said.  The virtual office will allow users to hear audio from customer service representatives instead of the usual two-dimensional interaction on the website. Al Marri stated that the metaverse is a step in the right direction for efficiency because a person with business with the Ministry “no longer has to come to the UAE to sign an agreement.” The announcement ended with the unveiling of the office in the metaverse, including areas for conferences and hallways for personal interactions. The new virtual office will complement the other two offices that the Ministry currently operates in Abu Dhabi. The UAE is marking its turf in the metaverse The UAE is making significant strides in the metaverse, with local jurisdictions forging their own paths in the sector. Dubai’s government unveiled a metaverse masterplan in July with the lofty aims of creating 40,000 virtual jobs by 2030. The metaverse plans are not an isolated affair as they align with the plans of regulators to make the country a digital asset hub. The development comes on the heels of a bevy of virtual currency service providers like Binance and FTX setting up offices in the country. The UAE’s ambitious metaverse plans pitch it in direct competition with South Korea and China, whose governments have equally laid down grand ideas for virtual worlds. Watch: The BSV Global Blockchain Convention presentation, Masters of the Metaverse New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeek’s Bitcoin for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoin—as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto—and blockchain.

Airthings View Plus Review – Pickr – Pickr https://collincountynewsonline.com/airthings-view-plus-review-pickr-pickr/ Not sure if the rooms in your home are the right temperature or need clearer air? The Airthings View Plus could help, though we’re not sure how much. What is the Airthings View Plus? Designed to monitor the air for nasties that might cause you or loved ones harm, the Airthings View Plus is an air monitor with the ability to track and check the air you leave the gadget in. One of a few models found in the Airthings range, the View Plus is basically the premium model that can do it all, and even shows you results on a small display. Ovular in design, the View Plus is very much a passive device that you just leave on, connected, and to do its own thing, with a small electronic ink screen up front that can be configured to show the measurements you need most, with a hand wave in front of a sensor telling you whether the air is good with a happy face, or less good without. You can have it run on batteries for up to two years, or even keep it plugged into a USB Type C power source if need be. All up, it’s a fairly simple design made for use inside the home, though works for one room at a time. What does Airthings View Plus do? Air monitoring information on the View Plus includes tracking dust particle levels in the air (PM), excess CO2 from when we breathe out or cry, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, airborne chemicals known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that emerge often from the paints and treatments used on furniture, and even potentially slight forms of radioactivity called radon. There’s also an app that can talk to your phone, compiling the results of previous days to let you know whether you have issues in the immediate, or if they’ve been building for some time. It’s the sort of technology that might be handy if you have loved ones with a respiratory illness or some form of immunodeficiency, as it can provide a glance as to what the air is doing inside your home and their room, reporting in either the app, the gadget’s screen, or even popping up on your wearable. Does it do the job? If you’re looking for a way to check what the air is like in a room, the Airthings View Plus definitely provides that, with a quick read out on the small e-ink display on the device, plus a little more with some data over an extended amount of time. Helpful data like an increase on VOC levels might make you rethink your furniture choices, or even go out and buy a purifier that can cut back on the levels of airborne chemicals, such as when you touch a piece of furniture. It’s a similar situation if you’re intending to work out if a room is too hot or too cold, and whether that drives you to turn on a fan or the AC. That can be super helpful, because those insights could calm air levels in a room in the following ways: Too much CO2? Open a window. Easy. Too many VOCs? Consider a purifier and switch it on. Temperature too high? Turn on the AC or switch on a fan. Makes sense. The issue of temperature has been quite useful through our time reviewing the View Plus, simply because it provided a good understanding of the warmth for the newborn’s room. With temperature being tracked on the floor with a heater and up top in a baby monitor, the Airthings View Plus provided a position in the middle of each that was able to more accurately cite what our baby would have been feeling the temperature to be, which was always a degree or two cooler than the gauge in the camera. Unfortunately, insights like this need to be interpreted by you, the user, and worse, can’t be triggered in an automatic way, at least not at the time of publishing this review. What does it need? We live in a world where many things can connect. Grab some smart lights and they can be triggered and controlled remotely, and the same is true for many appliances, fans, air conditioners, and so on and so on. The world of the smart home is upon us, and things can talk. They can trigger from each other and play nice. But Airthings doesn’t appear to have gotten that memo, at least not in a remarkably complete kind of way. You can connect Alexa to your Airthings account and get it to check a sensor reading in a room, and you can have that talk to IFTT or Amazon Alexa in the smallest of ways. But it’s not a simple logic of “if temperature equals this, then do something else” sort of affair. It would be great if an increase in temperature detected by Airthings could trigger Alexa or IFTTT to turn on a compatible fan, or even if the View Plus picked up on increased humidity, if it could turn on the power switch for a smart power point connected to a dehumidifier. These should all be technically possible, but none of them are at present. In fact, almost every attempt we had at making a smart home action for the Airthings View Plus didn’t result in success. The most we could seem to do was ask Alexa what the temperature was, which wasn’t exactly our idea of using the View Plus to improve our smart home, and just came back to that overall problem of lacking any immediate action inside the smart home. Is it worth your money? You’ll likely find a few insights here and there with the View Plus, but at $399, it’s hard to call it a compelling purchase, especially given where aspects of the technology can be found. Comparatively, Dyson’s Purifer Cool Link fan range has the ability to monitor temperature, VOCs, and particulate matter, and adds in a way to treat it, too. Granted, it comes in a little more, fetching a good $300-400 on top, but it provides the “action” part of the insight, which is what Airthings lacks. Yay or nay? Simply put, the Airthings View Plus is all insight, no action, and that makes this one a difficult choice. There are some suggestions at times — open a window — but for the most part, this is insights with little action, something that itself is frustrating, to say the least. You can make your own calls, of course, but if there was a little more in the way of joining the dots, the roughly $400 spend for the View Plus would make sense for more people. If you have someone that you care for who needs to have these details checked, the View Plus could be a handy addition. However, Airthings really needs to sort out its smart home connections and capabilities, because that lets down the package overall. It means you can get the information, but you’ll need to work out what to do with it, because there’s no too much help here, automatic or otherwise. Airthings View Plus The good Works without much intervention Provides data without an app on its on-screen eInk display Offers more data for use over time in the app The not-so-good Doesn’t give you many actionable insights Connecting to the rest of the smart home isn’t as seamless or easy as it could be

XRP Might Be Recharging For Another Spike Up, Following 25% Rally: Crypto Market Reivew, October 3 – U.Today https://collincountynewsonline.com/xrp-might-be-recharging-for-another-spike-up-following-25-rally-crypto-market-reivew-october-3-u-today/ Arman Shirinyan Altcoins are back in green after negative weekend Disclaimer: The opinion expressed here is not investment advice – it is provided for informational purposes only. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of U.Today. Every investment and all trading involves risk, so you should always perform your own research prior to making decisions. We do not recommend investing money you cannot afford to lose. Despite ending the last week in the red, altcoins are showing some positive dynamics at the beginning of this week as most assets show mild gains. However, the low volatility and trading volume are signs of the weakness of bulls, and any negativity will most likely push the market to a correction. One of the strongest gainers on the market today is Cosmos (ATOM), with a more than 2% price increase in the last 24 hours. However, the positivity on the asset does not come without negativity, as it broke below the important support level of the 50-day moving average. The lack of a foundation beneath ATOM might be a worrisome sign as the asset’s movement in  the downtrend might accelerate from here. Source: Coin360 In contrast to ATOM, Shiba Inu is battling with a 50-day moving average resistance level and trying to break through with the poor support of SHIB bulls. The low trading volume and lack of inflows will most likely cause a continuation of the consolidation around the current price. A breakthrough is still possible but will most likely have almost no effect on the token’s volatility. Bitcoin is moving on strong foundation The $18,000 support seems to be one of the strongest levels Bitcoin has faced recently as bulls are unable to push the price of the first cryptocurrency below the fundamental threshold for almost a month now. The current price level of the first cryptocurrency seems to be the lower border of the consolidation channel Bitcoin has been moving in for the last few months. The upper border, according to the performance of the first asset, is at approximately $24,000. However, the lack of trading volume and inflows into the asset shows that it will most likely continue to move sideways, as no major events are upcoming on the cryptocurrency or financial market in general. The only thing that may shake up both markets is the potential default of one of the biggest investment banks in the world, Credit Suisse. The story behind the potential $1.5 trillion market crash has been covered by U.Today. XRP is recharging Success in court was the main fuel for the XRP’s unusual 55% rally, but as the dust settled, the cryptocurrency quickly reversed, losing almost 50% of what it gained previously. However, the bulls were able to push it back up. As for now, XRP’s price performance is forming something similar to a symmetrical triangle – a common indicator for volatile assets that go through short-term and volatile rallies. After the asset tops out and consolidates, bulls and bears start pushing the asset in their own ways, which then creates a volatility spike in either direction. It is hard to tell which way XRP will go after it reaches the end of the triangle, but the descending volume suggests that the cryptocurrency will most likely continue to drop further unless unusual buying activity appears on the market, following Ripple’s success in court against the SEC.

U.S. Calls North Korea Launch ‘dangerous’; Pledges To Defend Allies – Reuters https://collincountynewsonline.com/u-s-calls-north-korea-launch-dangerous-pledges-to-defend-allies-reuters/ WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – The United States condemned North Korea’s firing of a ballistic missile over Japan as “dangerous and reckless” and pledged to defend South Korea and Japan with all America’s power, but said it remained open to dialogue with Pyongyang. “This action is destabilizing and shows the DPRK’s blatant disregard for United Nations Security Council resolutions and international safety norms,” White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in statement, referring to North Korea by the initials of its official name. She said U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts to discuss “appropriate and robust joint and international responses.” Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Sullivan reinforced the “ironclad” U.S. commitments to the defense of Japan and South Korea and said Washington would continue efforts to limit North Korea’s ability to advance its prohibited weapons programs. The missile fired on Thursday was the first to fly over Japan in five years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover and a temporary suspension of train operations in northern areas of the country. read more Daniel Kritenbrink, the State Department’s assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said China needed to do more to fight sanctions evasion by North Korea in its coastal waters. He added that Beijing and Russia should work to shut down Pyongyang’s procurement networks. “The failure of the PRC and Russia to fully and completely fulfill their obligations … has only, we fear, emboldened the DPRK in undermining the U.N. Security Council, the international rules-based order and global non-proliferation regime,” he said. Kritenbrink said that persuading North Korea to denuclearize ought to be an area of cooperation with China, but that there were some in Beijing who want to use the issue as leverage in the broader strategic rivalry with Washington. He reiterated that Washington remained open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions and called Pyongyang to “commit to serious and sustained diplomacy, and refrain from further destabilizing activities.” “Unfortunately… the only response we have seen thus far is an increase in the number of ballistic missile launches and other provocative actions,” he said. “This is not a productive path forward, neither for North Korea or for any of us.” Kritenbrink reiterated a U.S. assessment that a resumption of nuclear testing by North Korea for the first time since 2017 was probably just awaiting political approval. He said such a “dangerous” act would represent “a grave escalation that would seriously threaten regional and international stability and security.” “It is in the international community’s best interest to ensure the DPRK knows that such an action will be met by unanimous condemnation, that the only path towards long-term peace and stability is through negotiations,” he said. Kritenbrink said Washington would “respond resolutely” to the growing North Korean threat and “take all necessary measures, involving all elements of American national power” to defend treaty allies South Korea and Japan. “I don’t think anyone should doubt our result in terms of pursuing sanctions and other authority to impose a cost on these actions,” he added. Decades of U.S.-led sanctions have not stemmed North Korea’s increasingly sophisticated missile and nuclear bomb programs, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown no interest in returning a failed path of diplomacy he pursued with U.S. President Donald Trump. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Gerry Doyle Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Why Crypto’s Big ‘merge’ Is Causing Big Headaches – Dunya News https://collincountynewsonline.com/why-cryptos-big-merge-is-causing-big-headaches-dunya-news/ Technology Why crypto’s big ‘merge’ is causing big headaches Ethereum faces bitter opposition from those who lost out from the merge. PARIS (AFP) – The biggest software upgrade in the short history of crypto has fulfilled its promise to wipe out more than 99 percent of the electricity used by the second-biggest cryptocurrency, experts have told AFP. That is no mean feat, given that the Ethereum blockchain was burning through about as much electricity as New Zealand. Sceptics had expected glitches with the upgrade, known as “the merge”, but it ended up being a “rather boring event”, according to Alex de Vries of the Free University in Amsterdam. De Vries, whose Digiconomist website models the energy use of Bitcoin and Ethereum, said consumption had indeed plummeted by more than 99 percent on Ethereum. Moritz Platt, a researcher specialising in crypto at King’s College London, said the 99 percent estimates were realistic and heralded a positive step towards “cryptocurrency sustainability”. So the Ethereum blockchain, which supports billions of dollars of trading in games, tokens, art and the ether currency, has cleaned up its act. But there are complications. Ethereum faces bitter opposition from those who lost out from the merge and it could also get greater scrutiny from regulators. – ‘Astronomical’ growth – The old system, known as “proof of work”, relied on people and firms to “mine” new coins — an industry worth $22 million daily before the merge, according to de Vries. The miners used vast power-guzzling computer rigs to compete with each other to solve complex equations, and the winner was awarded the prize of adding entries to the blockchain and generating coins. The merge wiped out their business model overnight. “Those rigs do not magically turn back into invested capital,” said a crypto-miner known only as “J” who operates between Singapore and Hong Kong. He said it was costing him between $30,000 and $40,000 a month to keep his staff and equipment idling while he thinks about his next move. Plenty of miners have sold off their kit, while others are putting their rigs to work on less profitable blockchains that still use the old system. A miner who uses the name Leon Ravencoin, for example, has been tweeting non-stop about the “astronomical” growth of Ravencoin, one of the currencies to get a boost after the merge. The combined computing power used by these coins is around one-fifth of the pre-merge Ethereum blockchain. However, de Vries said they generated only about $500,000 in daily revenue so only the most energy-efficient machines with the lowest energy costs would be able to make a profit. As a result, one-fifth of the computing power would work out far less than one-fifth of the electricity use. – ‘Designed to be centralised’ – Aside from the problem with miners, the new system, known as “proof of stake”, has several issues baked in. Anyone willing to stake a large amount of ether can now “validate” new entries on the blockchain. The more you stake, the more chance you have of updating the chain and earning coins. The system gives an advantage to the biggest players, and just three companies now account for more than half of “validators”, according to research by Dune Analytics. Cryptocurrencies were envisaged as a decentralised alternative to the banks, corporations and governments that failed so spectacularly during the global crash of 2008. But crypto-miner J said the new Ethereum was “designed to be more centralised” and suggested it no longer had a real purpose. Regulators have also begun to pay attention, with US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler suggesting proof-of-stake looked like a securities market that would fall under his remit. The disaster scenario for Ethereum would be that enough disgruntled purists switch to one of the gas-guzzling proof-of-work alternatives, with Ethereum Classic being the main one. “There is nothing capping Ethereum Classic prices,” said de Vries, meaning that miners could potentially make good profits if the market shifted their way. A rush from the greener blockchain was “theoretically definitely possible”, he said. ‘ ; var i = Math.floor(r_text.length * Math.random()); document.write(r_text[i]);

Oasis Gaming’s Kurtesy Leads CSB’s Romançon Gaming In AllG VALORANT Opener – INQUIRER.net https://collincountynewsonline.com/oasis-gamings-kurtesy-leads-csbs-romancon-gaming-in-allg-valorant-opener-inquirer-net/ The second split of the AcadArena Alliance Games (AllG) just started last Saturday, October 1, 2022, and leading the charge in the VALORANT play-ins for CSB’s Romançon Gaming is no other than Oasis Gaming’s initiator Kurt Francis “kurtesy” Cinco. #ALLG? HERE COMES THE PARTY! Our VALORANT campus teams are ready for the opening day! Watch the Alliance Games LIVE this Saturday, OCTOBER 1 Co-presented by @enjoyglobe Powered by @logitechg#NotJustPlay pic.twitter.com/V4pKhHvvqr — AcadArena (@acadarena) September 30, 2022 With AllG’s VALORANT Play-Ins kicking off with their match first, Romançon Gaming took down the MGS Clubs at Ascent 13-9. The Romançon squad started their AllG conquest looking dominant as ever as they took the opening pistol round and sprinted to claim seven rounds for themselves in the first nine rounds of the game. However, the Club started reclaiming rounds late in the first half to eventually end it 7-5. With a two-round lead at halftime, Romançon lost its foothold as the Clubs quickly won some rounds to equalize the game. Fortunately, Romançon pushed back and reached double digits first and eventually won the game. Other VALORANT Results Romançon’s match wasn’t the only game that got streamed for Week 1. Here are the results for the rest of the week’s streamed matches: Zephyrus (Technological Institute of the Philippines – Quezon City) – Pewpew (Central Philippine University) Zephyrus blew away the 9-3 curse in order to win Fracture 13-7. Calayo (Central Mindanao University) – USTP Trailblazers (University of Science and Technology of the Philippines) Calayo made an impressive comeback on the back of Sayonaraa‘s 4K to end the game on Bind 13-9. Panthera Esports Orion (Systems Plus College Foundation) – Grayhawks (Technological University of the Philippines – Taguig) Panthera Esports Orion squad shot down the Grayhawks as they won the close game on Bind 13-11. Teletigers (University of Santo Tomas) – Khrysomallos (Asia Pacific College) The UST Teletigers pounced on their prey as they domineeringly won on Haven 13-4. For more collegiate VALORANT action, tune in at AcadArena’s Alliance Games live on their Facebook page. Read Next Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000. For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.

6th Annual St. Andrew Cars For Community Car Show To Benefit The Storehouse Of Collin County – North Texas E-News https://collincountynewsonline.com/6th-annual-st-andrew-cars-for-community-car-show-to-benefit-the-storehouse-of-collin-county-north-texas-e-news/ Annual fundraiser supports The Storehouse’s mission to feed, clothe, and care as neighbors in one community Plano, Texas — The 6th Annual St. Andrew Cars for Community Car Show, hosted by St. Andrew’s United Methodist Men’s Ministry, is scheduled for Saturday, October 22, at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 5801 W. Plano Parkway, from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Awards presented at 3:00 p.m.) Open to the general public with no admission fee, the event invites car enthusiasts to show off cars while benefiting The Storehouse of Collin County, a nonprofit which provides short-term assistance and long-term transformation to residents of Collin County in need. “We are excited to be back in full force,” said Ron Weaver, organizer. “The car show is not only great fun, but it supports The Storehouse, which is doing incredible work helping so many in need in our community. All proceeds go toward supporting its mission to feed, clothe, and care as neighbors in one community. Your donations help provide nutritious meals, essential clothing items, life-changing resources, and educational opportunities.” The event features raffle prizes and food vendors as well as goody bags for the first 100 entrants. Onsite registration on the day of the event takes place from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and is $25. Online pre-registration is $25. Go to https://give.thestorehousecc.org/event/cars-for-community-car-show/e405948 “We are so grateful to the men of St. Andrew for organizing this annual fundraiser benefiting our neighbors at The Storehouse, said Candace Winslow, executive director, The Storehouse of Collin County. “Both the pandemic and inflation have dramatically increased food insecurity within our community, and we are now serving more than 3,000 families each month – a number that has tripled since March 2020 before the Covid pandemic. Each donation we receive enables us to serve our neighbors holistically, not only meeting their food and clothing needs, but also serving as a ‘conduit of care’ to help with other aspects of their lives.” St. Andrew United Methodist Church began in 1986 in the spirit of its namesake, a disciple of Jesus. The life of the Apostle Andrew embodies the church’s mission, which is to invite the Christian-ish and the unchurched to become passionate servants of Christ. The congregation of St. Andrew follows Jesus, lives in relationship, serves others, and takes risks in faith. Worship includes four services each weekend on a 21.2-acre campus at the corner of Plano Parkway and Mira Vista in Plano, Texas, where more than 2,000 people gather each weekend. Recent renovation allows the Sanctuary to host worship in both Traditional style, with the classic pipe organ, and Contemporary style, with a new LED center screen and lighting technology. Small groups and Bible studies gather on campus and throughout the region every day of the week. Mission opportunities serve our local area, neighboring regions, and global communities. The church has been repeatedly selected as a “Best Place to Worship in Plano” by the readers of the Plano Star Courier. St. Andrew United Methodist Church is located at 5801 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093. Visit www.standrewumc.org; call 972-380-8001. The Storehouse of Collin County provides short-term assistance and long-term transformation to residents of Collin County in need through the Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, Project Hope Neighbor Care, and The Academy Education Program. The nonprofit was founded in 2009 under the name of Seven Loaves Community, which provided food pantry staples and grew over the years to meet a variety of needs. Over 3,000 families on average access Seven Loaves each month. The Storehouse provides clothing at no cost through Joseph’s Coat as well as counseling and case management through Project Hope. The Academy provides free and reduced-cost classes to assist with language, job, or life skills development. Visit www.thestorehousecc.org. The Storehouse EIN: 27-1883333

Online Shopping Up 16 Pct In August On Vacation, Chuseok – The Korea Bizwire https://collincountynewsonline.com/online-shopping-up-16-pct-in-august-on-vacation-chuseok-the-korea-bizwire/ This file photo taken Sept. 2, 2020, shows workers of a department store in Seoul delivering food items. (Yonhap) SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — Online shopping in South Korea rose 16 percent on-year in August on the back of surging demand for travel during the vacation season amid eased COVID-19 restrictions and growing grocery shopping for preparations for the Chuseok holiday, data showed Tuesday. The value of online shopping transactions came to 17.72 trillion won (US$12.36 billion) in August, compared with 15.28 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. It marked the second largest monthly figure ever since 2017, when the agency adopted the current data compiling system. The record high figure was seen in December last year when the value stood at 17.81 trillion won. By item, online shopping of food and beverages advanced 27.3 percent on-year to 2.67 trillion won, also a record high, as an increasing number of people used online platforms to prepare for Chuseok, or the Korean fall harvest celebration. This year’s Chuseok fell on Sept. 10. Online purchases of travel and transportation services more than doubled on-year to 1.87 trillion won in August to hit an all-time monthly high. The growth came as eased virus curbs prompted people to do more outdoor activities, particularly in the summer vacation season. Online transactions of clothing, sporting and other fashion items all grew in August amid eased virus curbs, the data showed. But those food delivery services declined 7.7 percent on-year to 2.23 trillion won in August, as more chose to dine out amid increased outdoor activities, the agency said. Purchases made through smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices grew 17.8 percent on-year to 3.23 trillion won. Mobile shopping took up 74.7 percent of the total value of online shopping, up 1.2 percentage points on-year, the data showed. (Yonhap)

Business Beat: Daily Donut Opens In Spring Hill – Longview News-Journal https://collincountynewsonline.com/business-beat-daily-donut-opens-in-spring-hill-longview-news-journal/ Daily Donut opened in September at 4405 Gilmer Road, in the Spring Hill area. The restaurant is open 5 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, in a space attached to Panther Quick Stop. The restaurant also serves fried chicken, pho — or rice noodle soup — in different flavors, spring rolls and egg rolls, and sides such as fries, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and fried okra. A variety of donuts, including cake donuts and sweet treats such as fried Oreos and fried apple pie round out the menu. LEDCO office in budget Wayne Mansfield Construction of a new office for the Longview Economic Development Corp. is proceeding on budget and without delays. LEDCO President and CEO Wayne Mansfield told his organization’s board of directors on Thursday that construction is “moving along pretty quickly.” Selection of carpet and other interior design elements will start next week, he said.  He said the project hasn’t had any issues getting necessary materials, and move-in will likely take place in the February-March time frame. LEDCO began construction on its new 5,000-square-foot office in May, at Whaley and Second streets, on the site where Longview High School was located from 1933-1976. The project has a $2 million budget. Massage therapy school  Massage tables are set up inside a new classroom for a massage school at Copper Tree Retreat and Med Spa in Longview. (Les Hassell/News-Journal Photo) Les Hassell Les Hassell/News-Journal Photo A new massage therapy school in downtown Longview has started enrolling students. Copper Tree Retreat: School of Massage could start offering classes toward the end of October or early November, depending on enrollment Copper Tree Retreat Massage and Med Spa opened on Fredonia Street in downtown Longview about 3 1/2 years ago. About a year ago, the business moved a few blocks away, into the former Chase bank building at Fredonia and South streets. Owners Hailey and Jason Davis renovated the building, and it opened in late 2021 with a retail boutique and new services. Now, the business is expanding again. “We decided to open a school upstairs,” Hailey Davis said. “We’ve been planning it probably for the last two years …” “There’s actually a big demand for massage therapy and massage therapists,” she continued, explaining that COVID-19 made it harder for students to finish massage therapy school because of all the restrictions when the virus first began circulating in 2020. “There were just not as many coming out of the schools.” For more information, call Copper Tree at (903) 230-1911 or visit the business at 116 E. South St. New owners for Tyler Grand Slam Family entertainment center Times Square Grand Slam in Tyler is now a part of Texas-based EVO Entertainment Group. The 65,000-square-foot center has been a locally owned business owned by the Howard Charba family. The center has been a popular location for birthday parties, with seven theater screens, more than 70 state-of-the-art arcade games, 22 bowling alleys, bi-level laser tag arena, virtual reality entertainment, all-ages ropes course, full restaurants and VIP bar access. — Business Beat appears Wednesday. If you have items for the column, email to newstip@newsjournal.com; mail to Business Section, Longview News-Journal, P.O. box 1792, Longview, TX 75606; or call (903) 237-7744.

Get To Know Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd – Star Local Media https://collincountynewsonline.com/get-to-know-allen-fire-chief-jonathan-boyd-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!

The Big Duck Enjoys Top Billing As A Quirky Roadside Attraction – WTVD-TV https://collincountynewsonline.com/the-big-duck-enjoys-top-billing-as-a-quirky-roadside-attraction-wtvd-tv/ FLANDERS, NY — At the dawn of the Great Depression, Long Island duck farmer Martin Maurer and his wife, Jeule, were on a road trip and enjoyed a cup of Joe inside a big coffee pot. They decided, the story goes, that if the world can have a big coffee pot, then it really needs a big duck, and that they’d be the ones to provide us all with it. And so in 1931 was born one of the quirkiest and most influential roadside attractions in American history. The Big Duck measures 20 feet tall, 18 feet wide, and 30 feet long. It’s held together by a wood frame, wire mesh, white stucco cement – and 91 years of love, courtesy of countless caretakers and visitors. The duck’s red eyes come from the tail lights of a Ford Model T. This was the Great Depression, and it paid to be practical. To say that the Big Duck remains a popular tourist destination is not to do it justice. A visit to the Big Duck isn’t just a stop on a vacation itinerary or a side trip during a weekend stay in the Hamptons. Making your way to the Big Duck on Long Island’s East End takes some doing. It’s a pilgrimage, something people do because they hear about it and resolve to witness it for themselves. The Big Duck was made for bucket lists. That’s what a couple and their daughter told ABC’s Localish recently as they took in the splendor of the Big Duck, on Route 24 in Flanders, New York. They’d seen it in a book years ago, and now, they were finally seeing it in person. The Big Duck is a holdover of a time when the East End had dozens of duck farms. There’s only one left today, and it’s not the Big Duck. The only ducks you’ll find being sold from inside its belly these days are of the souvenir variety, but the main draw at the Big Duck has long been the joyful architecture. Visitors to the Big Duck will likely meet Janice Jay Young, but she’s not just ringing up your T-shirt and mug at the cash register. Young has an encyclopedic knowledge about the Big Duck and is one of its proudest promoters. As visitors come in, and they trickle in all day, from far and wide, she’s ready with a compressed but compelling history of the Big Duck. She talks about the Maurer family, who had the pluck to build the duck. She’ll talk about how this peripatetic Pekin, which first settled in nearby Riverhead, moved a few times over the years, until finally nesting, presumably for good, back in its longtime home of Flanders, at the Big Duck Ranch. She’ll talk about the campaign in the 1980s to save it, after the duck farm closed. She’ll point to a collage on the wall with dozens of photos, postcards and articles about other examples of programmatic architecture – those big coffee pots, big tea kettles, big fish, big ketchup bottles that sprang up across America decades ago, when road trips ruled and plane flights were for the fancy – or were still just flights of fancy. Richard Martin, director of Historic Services at the Suffolk County Parks Department, explains the term “duck” stuck as a way of describing this kind of architecture – buildings designed to look like the product they sold, hoping to lure motorists off the road to spend a few bucks and maybe snap a picture or two. As the owner of the duck, Suffolk County is charged with caring for it, with help from Friends of the Big Duck. The land the duck sits on belongs to the Town of Southampton, and is protected from development. People will be able to visit the duck and the surrounding ranch in perpetuity. Young said the duck means so much more to locals here in Flanders. In this hamlet, The Big Duck is the center of their community. “Flanders is kind of a no man’s land. You know, we’re the western part of Southampton Town. And sometimes we just feel a little forgotten here. So there’s no bank, there’s no post office, there’s no Zip Code. You know, we actually have no grocery store,” Young explains. Flanders does have something nobody else has, she points out. “We do have a Big Duck.” Copyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.