U.S. Department Of State Launches Partnership With Google In Indonesia And Vietnam Pilots Media Literacy And Google Startup Academy Programs At American Spaces United States Department Of State Department Of State
U.S. Department Of State Launches Partnership With Google In Indonesia And Vietnam, Pilots Media Literacy And Google Startup Academy Programs At American Spaces – United States Department Of State – Department Of State https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/u-s-department-of-state-launches-partnership-with-google-in-indonesia-and-vietnam-pilots-media-literacy-and-google-startup-academy-programs-at-american-spaces-united-states-department-of-state-d/
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and Google announced today a new partnership to support education, training, and upskilling in Southeast Asia, with pilot projects in Indonesia and Vietnam getting underway in the coming days. This public-private partnership, which was initially announced by the White House at the recent U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit, underscores the continued emphasis on the valuable role the U.S. private sector plays in international diplomacy and media literacy, as well as the United States’ ongoing commitment to Southeast Asian nations.
From October 3-7, 2022, at the American Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Google’s Startup Academy will host entrepreneurs in technology for a four-day bootcamp-style curriculum that supports early-stage technology startups in addressing local challenges, such as building a business, accessing capital, and more. American Spaces are open-access learning and gathering places around the world that promote interaction with local communities and the United States.
Additionally, on October 7, 2022, with support of Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, the ASEAN Foundation and its local partners will launch an initiative focused on youth engagement and media literacy at @America in Jakarta, Indonesia, one of the 12 American Spaces in Indonesia. The initiative will educate locally underserved communities, especially young leaders, on media literacy, how to combat online misinformation, and navigate the internet. The goal is to equip more than 1,000 trainers with new skills and materials, enabling them to provide training for more than 100,000 people of all ages and internet experience levels over the next two years.
For more information on public-private partnerships with ECA, please contact the Public-Private Partnership Unit at ECApartnerships@state.gov. Follow @atamerica, American Spaces on Twitter and Educational and Cultural Affairs on social media for updates and highlights of the programs.
Supreme Court Takes Up A Divisive Issue: Should Tech Companies Have Immunity Over Problematic User Content? NBC News
Supreme Court Takes Up A Divisive Issue: Should Tech Companies Have Immunity Over Problematic User Content? – NBC News https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/supreme-court-takes-up-a-divisive-issue-should-tech-companies-have-immunity-over-problematic-user-content-nbc-news/
The Supreme Court on Monday stepped into the politically divisive issue of whether tech companies should have immunity over problematic content posted by users, agreeing to hear a case alleging that YouTube helped aid and abet the killing of an American woman in the 2015 Islamic State terrorist attacks in Paris.
The family of Nohemi Gonzalez, one of 130 people killed in a series of linked attacks carried out by the militant Muslim group, argued that YouTube’s active role in recommending videos overcomes the liability shield for internet companies that Congress imposed in 1996 as part of the Communications Decency Act.
Nohemi Gonzalez.Cal State via Facebook
The provision, Section 230 of the act, says internet companies are not liable for content posted by users. It has come under heavy scrutiny from the right and left in recent years, with conservatives claiming that companies are inappropriately censoring content and liberals saying that social media companies are spreading dangerous right-wing rhetoric. The provision leaves it to companies to decide whether certain content should be removed and does not require them to be politically neutral.
The stakes of the case could be enormous because recommendations are now the norm for online services, not just at YouTube. Apps such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter long ago began to rely on recommendation engines or algorithms to decide what people see most of the time, rather than using chronological feeds.
NetChoice, a trade group for tech corporations, said the industry needs as much flexibility as possible to decide what to take down or leave up.
“Without moderation, the internet will become a content cesspool, filled with vile content of all sorts, and making it easier for things like terrorist recruitment,” said NetChoice counsel Chris Marchese.
In a separate move, the court on Monday said it would hear a related appeal brought by Twitter on whether the company can be liable under a federal law called the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows people to sue people or entities who “aid and abet” terrorist acts. The same appeals court that handled the Gonzalez case revived claims brought by relatives of Nawras Alassaf, a Jordanian citizen killed in an Islamist attack in Istanbul in 2017, who accused Twitter, Google and Facebook of aiding and abetting the spread of militant Islamic ideology, which the companies deny. In that case, the question of Section 230 immunity has not yet been addressed.
Twitter’s lawyers said in court papers that the company provides “generic, widely available services to billions of users who allegedly included some supporters of ISIS,” and that it has regularly enforced policies preventing terrorists from using its services. The ruling in the Twitter matter will also affect the claims against Facebook and Google in the same case.
Gonzalez was a 23-year-old college student studying in France when she was killed while dining at a restaurant during the wave of attacks, which also targeted the Bataclan concert hall.
Her family is seeking to sue Google-owned YouTube for allegedly allowing ISIS to spread its message. The lawsuit targets YouTube’s use of algorithms to suggest videos for users based on content they have previously viewed. YouTube’s active role goes beyond the kind of conduct that Congress intended to protect with Section 230, the family’s lawyers allege. They say in court papers that the company “knowingly permitted ISIS to post on YouTube hundreds of radicalizing videos inciting violence” that helped the group recruit supporters, some of whom then conducted terrorist attacks. YouTube’s video recommendations were key to helping spread ISIS’s message, the lawyers say. The plaintiffs do not allege that YouTube had any direct role in the killing.
Gonzalez’s relatives, who filed their 2016 lawsuit in federal court in northern California, hope to pursue claims that YouTube violated the Anti-Terrorism Act. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit but it was revived by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a June 2021 decision that also resolved similar cases brought by the families of other terrorist attacks against tech companies.
Google’s lawyers urged the court not to hear the Gonzalez case, saying in part that the lawsuit would likely fail whether or not Section 230 applies.
The Supreme Court has previously declined to take up cases on Section 230, although conservative Justice Clarence Thomas has criticized it, citing the market power and influence of tech giants.
Another related issue is likely heading to the Supreme Court concerning a law enacted by Republicans in Texas that seeks to prevent social media companies from barring users who make inflammatory political comments. On Sept. 16, a federal appeals court upheld the law, which the Supreme Court in May prevented from going into effect.
Lawrence Hurley covers the Supreme Court for NBC News Digital.
David Ingram covers tech for NBC News.
Flower Mound Mourning Death Of Firefighter The Cross Timbers Gazette
Flower Mound Mourning Death Of Firefighter – The Cross Timbers Gazette https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/flower-mound-mourning-death-of-firefighter-the-cross-timbers-gazette/
The Flower Mound Fire Department announced Sunday that Firefighter/Paramedic G. Wade Cannon has died after a battle with occupational colon cancer.
He was 33.
Cannon served the town of Flower Mound for over six years.
“It truly is a somber day in Flower Mound as we mourn the loss of our brother with Flower Mound Fire Department Wade Cannon,” the Flower Mound Police Department said in a statement. “Wade served our town faithfully and was an inspiration to us all as he bravely fought cancer over the past several years. Wade was a shining example of service and leaves a legacy for us all to follow going forward.”
Additional details regarding a Line of Duty memorial service will be released later. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that people make donations in Wade’s name to the Brent Lewis Bridges Foundation and Michael’s Memories, two organizations that were near and dear to them during Cannon’s cancer battle.
Mark Smith
Mark Smith is the Digital Editor of The Cross Timbers Gazette.
RIES Beauty Is Going To Change How You Travel Forever Refinery29
RIES Beauty Is Going To Change How You Travel Forever – Refinery29 https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/ries-beauty-is-going-to-change-how-you-travel-forever-refinery29/
RIES Beauty is a brand that is so simple and obvious, it’s shocking that it didn’t exist before.
When founder Megan Graham explained the concept — “the first made-for-beauty collection of reusable, refillable, washable travel-size toiletry containers” — it took a few moments of pause to realize that this product absolutely should exist and it’s bonkers no one else came up with it. In fact, I was livid I didn’t think of it myself.
Inspired by the word ‘toiletries’, travel beauty brand RIES was a member of the 2021 Sephora Accelerate program, launched in February 2022. It soon became the first reusable travel bottle partner (airless bottles, that is) to make it into Sephora in August. Oh, and it would be remiss not to mention that Graham is a Black woman.
“When I was creating the product, it was white men who were the gatekeepers,” Graham explained to me. “I was literally being told, ‘Go slap your name on [bottles] from Alibaba,’ or ‘It already exists.’ I was having to continually say, ‘No, it does not.'”
Even as a beauty writer, I struggle when it comes to decanting my ‘big’ beauty products, like shampoo and conditioner, into small containers for travel purposes. I also have a deep hatred for those semitransparent, flimsy and overpriced travel bottles. Not only are they hideous, but they are near impossible to clean and leak everywhere. It’s very far from a perfect user experience, and the only other option is to hope and pray that brands make my favorite hair products in a travel size. Even that comes with the added element of excess waste, though, not to mention a serious price tag. Anyway, I have too much hair for travel-sized products, so RIES is giving me (and others) a level of access we only dreamed of.
Those tiny, flimsy bottles are the standard at drugstores, said Graham, who added that we’ve accepted them as the only go-to. But that’s a layered problem. “To call RIES just a bottle just diminishes so much of what we’re trying to go up against,” said Graham. You see, traveling with textured hair comes with an unrecognized element of need. Our hair does not (and never will be) able to be condensed into a few products. RIES Beauty advocates for many unrecognized people in the travel space — and we’re screaming for it.
I know how hard it is for brands to get funding, especially Black female founders. Graham had to convince people it was necessary, particularly white businessmen. “They truly didn’t understand,” said Graham. I thought, okay, you expect me to go to an Airbnb or a hotel and be able to use [the products which are] available there? That’s not what works for my hair type — or my skin.” Graham was also told to head to Target, Walgreens or CVS. She asked, “And buy whatever is available on the three inches of shelf that [they] give [my] hair type? It’s almost impossible to respond in that scenario, so I had to break it down.”
The entire goal of RIES is to return control to the traveler. “Often, [traveling] is the only time we get to be ourselves and experiment with our hair since we can’t really do that thanks to work and other commitments,” said Graham. She added that we place a great deal of importance on our hair since it has a significant impact on our vacation mood. “When it comes to traveling and hair, we have to take a lot into account, since we are unable to travel the same way other races may. As a Black woman, having a leave-out during a trip will be nice, but you also might consider not swimming as it will mess up your hair and be time consuming to fix on vacation. We are constantly faced with these challenges.” Everything requires multiple levels of steps, and RIES Beauty exists to try to at least make our lives easier.
The brand is all about thoughtful consumption and knowing you deserve everything you need, so it’s much more than a simple bottle. Traveling itself is already anxiety-inducing enough. On top of this, traveling with textured and curly hair requires a whole arsenal of products — something many lament. “If I plan to swim while on vacation or if I’m traveling for a long period of time,” said Black travel influencer, Wande Akin, “I need more products than usual. If I don’t have my hair in a simple protective style like braids, I have to pack heat tools, more hair products, spray bottles, brushes, combs and so on. This could take up the majority of my suitcase.”
Personally, my hairstyles require at least six weeks of advance planning, so I feel Akin on this. When I’m traveling, the last thing I want to be fretting about is how good or bad my hair looks. Truly.
“I’ve been in four different states in the last four days,” Graham told me. “I feel grimy, I’ve been hiking. But I have my own conditioner with me and my hair feels good. Hair is such a part of my identity and it’s a part of people’s first [impressions] of me. Being able to take care of it and truly have things that I know will make me feel good makes me want to travel more.”
The public response to RIES’ travel-friendly containers has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly from the curly hair community. Many people have thanked Graham for creating the smart airless bottles, while others mention that the brand gives them freedom. RIES isn’t just for hair and body products, either. It’s a chic way to travel with your prescriptions, too.
It’s not like the RIES travel containers have cured everything about traveling with curly and textured hair. But the brand has ignited a conversation people didn’t even realize was necessary. “One of the most frustrating parts of traveling with textured hair is drying it,” said curly hair coach Barbara Kurmlavage, the CEO and founder of Curlvitality. “Almost all hotels have blow-dryers in the rooms, but why don’t those blow-dryers also have diffuser attachments?” Kurmlavage’s dream for the future is that it becomes mandatory for hotels who carry hair dryers to provide diffuser attachments — “for all rooms to make the amenity inclusive to all.”
Curly-haired travel influencer Hiba Stouhi agrees: “My struggle when traveling with textured hair is that I need a lot of products to wash and style my curls. Some of the bottles are big, others are okay, but I can’t fit all of them in my bag, especially if I’m taking a carry-on only.” Stouhi wishes hotels would provide more texture-friendly products in the room, like a diffuser as well as sulfate- and silicone-free products. “That way I wouldn’t have to worry about taking all my products with me. Travel-size products are available, but they are not available to everyone.”
Sadly, mass retailers often overlook specific markets when it comes to travel-size products. But catering to only one type of person is not only dangerous, it’s boring. “Traveling while Black is very different from traveling while white,” Graham emphasises, “and for so many more reasons than anyone could understand, anticipate or scratch the surface with.”
She concludes, “RIES is a way for people to start thinking about what that means, because beauty is truly the gateway into that conversation.”
Like I said: this is so much more than just a bottle.
Refinery29’s selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with affiliates; if you directly purchase something from a link on this article, we may earn a small amount of commission.
Live News: UK Chancellor Kwarteng Vows To Outline Fiscal Plan shortly Financial Times
Live News: UK Chancellor Kwarteng Vows To Outline Fiscal Plan ‘shortly’ – Financial Times https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/live-news-uk-chancellor-kwarteng-vows-to-outline-fiscal-plan-shortly-financial-times/
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Queens Lawmaker Partners With Grubhub To Donate Meals To Seniors At Commonpoint Queens In Little Neck QNS.com QNS
Queens Lawmaker Partners With Grubhub To Donate Meals To Seniors At Commonpoint Queens In Little Neck – QNS.com – QNS https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/queens-lawmaker-partners-with-grubhub-to-donate-meals-to-seniors-at-commonpoint-queens-in-little-neck-qns-com-qns/
Council Member Linda Lee joined Grubhub’s ‘Serving the City’ program to deliver meals to seniors at Commonpoint Queens in Little Neck and homebound seniors at Deepdale CARES NORC. (Photo courtesy of Council Member Lee’s office)
Councilwoman Linda Lee on Sept. 29 joined Grubhub’s ‘Serving the City’ program to deliver 250 meals to seniors at Commonpoint Queens in Little Neck and homebound seniors at Deepdale CARES NORC in honor of Senior Appreciation Month.
Lee thanked Senator Leroy Comrie, Commonpoint Queens, Grubhub and Holy Schnitzel for their partnership during Senior Appreciation Month, as they work to close hunger gaps among the older adult communities and address the specific needs of eastern Queens.
(Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Lee’s office)
“Eastern Queens is a transit desert with no rail service and limited access to bus lines that have always made it difficult for our seniors to travel to even the closest supermarkets and restaurants to obtain fresh food and produce to support their health and well-being,” said Lee, chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addictions. “As the weather gets colder, we must ensure that our communities have all the resources necessary to support healthy living and combat the rising threat of food insecurity in our neighborhoods.”
(Photo courtesy of Councilwoman Lee’s office)
Danielle Ellman, CEO of Commonpoint Queens, said the organization is thrilled to partner with Lee and Grubhub to get food to older adults in their community.
“With more than one in 10 seniors facing food insecurity, programs like these are literally saving lives by getting healthy meals to our most vulnerable. Thank you to Grubhub and Council member Lee for their support in helping older adults age with dignity,” Ellman said.
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent rise in grocery prices have increased food insecurity across the nation, impacting nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers, including one in four children. To help combat this issue on a local level, Grubhub is leveraging its vast restaurant network to support underserved communities in Council District 23 and eastern Queens.
“This is a first-of-its-kind program for Grubhub and launching in New York City — touching all five boroughs and partnering with every single City Council member — is the perfect way to leverage our resources and address food insecurity for those in need,” said Brett Swanson, Grubhub’s senior manager for Community Affairs and Social Impact. “To have the greatest impact, we’re going hyper-local, working with the City Council members to understand specific needs in the community and then partner to address them.”
ADs Explore Options Aiming To Create Leverage In Future Restructuring Of College Football Basketball CBS Sports
ADs Explore Options Aiming To Create Leverage In Future Restructuring Of College Football, Basketball – CBS Sports https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/ads-explore-options-aiming-to-create-leverage-in-future-restructuring-of-college-football-basketball-cbs-sports/
Last month, the professional organization representing FBS athletic directors issued what amounted to a veiled ultimatum. The “overwhelming majority” of those ADs at a Lead1 Association meeting in Washington D.C. had a “strong preference” the NCAA continue running major-college football if the association “can be more streamlined and less bureaucratic.”
Or else … what?
The answer has opened the door to perhaps not a breakaway of major college football and basketball but at least a forming picture of what a new structure would look like. A growing number of those ADs believe they have a unique and powerful hammer as leverage if the NCAA doesn’t clean up its act.
“If not,” a Lead1 executive said. “We would explore other options.”
Among those implied options, CBS Sports has learned, is leveraging schools’ participation in the NCAA Tournament. While a separate basketball tournament operated outside of the NCAA isn’t likely anytime soon, the ADs’ realization they could create such an event provides a picture as to how the NCAA’s two biggest sports will be run in the future.
A football breakaway has long been discussed — it is more likely than one in basketball — as the NCAA’s power diminishes as membership has demanded a reorganization of the 117-year-old organization.
Approximately 80 FBS ADs traveled to Lead1’s mid-September meeting in person. Another 20 participated virtually, putting 100 out of 131 total in attendance. They saw two compelling presentations made by former West Virginia AD and NCAA executive Oliver Luck and North Carolina associate professor of sports administration Erianne Weight.
One presentation was a model with college football continuing to operate inside the NCAA. The other showed the FBS going “completely independent” of the NCAA, according to a source.
“It was about as unanimous as it could get,” Lead1 CEO Tom McMillen said of his membership’s reaction to football governance. “It was, ‘Fix it or we will seriously consider move options.'”
Basketball is involved in the discussion because the revenue from the NCAA Tournament is used by the association to essentially run major-college football.
The NCAA does not sponsor an FBS championship. Meanwhile, the tournament is the mother’s milk of the association itself bringing approximately $800 million per year. Approximately 80% of that goes back to the members.
McMillen compared more oversight of major-college sports by his members to a “discharge petition.” In parliamentary procedure, such an act means bringing a bill to the floor for a vote without a report from a committee.
In this case, that “committee” represents the bureaucracy of the NCAA.
“If the ADs stand together, they can almost accomplish anything,” McMillen said.
Lead1 is essentially an advisory group when it comes to NCAA matters, but change has to start somewhere.
Ohio State AD Gene Smith raised eyebrows last summer when he suggested to ESPN that the College Football Playoff take over FBS. He was not alone. In December 2020, the reform-minded Knight Commission essentially suggested the same thing.
Lead1 and its members hope to gain more power over major-college sports as the NCAA remakes itself through a rewritten constitution that will give more power to the schools.
To that end, Lead1 was encouraged to see its views were taking hold recently when the NCAA adopted seven of its 11 recommendations. Among those was the abolition of the much-criticized Independent Accountability Resolution Process.
The future of basketball was not discussed formally last month. Various college officials came out of that Lead1 meeting contending there is no grant of rights between the Division I schools and the NCAA that binds them to play in March Madness. The grant of rights is most commonly known as a document schools sign that assigns their television rights to their conference. Lead1 executives and other ADs confirmed to CBS Sports that there is no such binding document.
“It’s not ironclad,” said McMillen. “That’s my quote. It’s just not ironclad [that they participate].”
When asked what binds those schools to the tournament, NCAA general counsel Scott Bearby referred CBS Sports to Bylaw 31.2.1.1 It states: Eligible members in a sport … will participate [if selected] in the NCAA championship or in no postseason in that sport.
“I don’t know the consequence, for instance, if a team that qualified for a conference automatic bid, their choice [was] to not participate,” Bearby told CBS Sports. “I don’t know what that would mean.”
While there is no overt movement for Division I to stage its own basketball tournament, the National Association of Basketball Coaches is on record as saying it would like to establish a governing board of the game but within the NCAA structure. (NABC president Craig Robinson provided no comment when contacted.)
Most importantly, for the first time during that Lead1 meeting, a price tag was put on what it would take to run the FBS: $65 million annually. That figure was revealed during a slide presentation by Kathleen McNeely, the NCAA’s former CFO and currently a Lead1 consultant. (McNeely did not comment but gave a Lead1 official permission to describe her presentation in detail with CBS Sports.)
An outside entity taking over the FBS would be less about affordability and more about liability. That $65 million represents 10% of the current annual CFP payout ($600 million) and even less (about 4%) of the projected annual payout in an expanded 12-team CFP field.
However, the NCAA has long been target practice for attorneys seeking retribution for clients with catastrophic injuries. The association also spends millions annually defending itself in lawsuits aimed at the NCAA and conferences.
As mentioned, building a tournament outside of the NCAA structure would be a massive lift. And there is little indication that college presidents, who have the ultimate say, are dissatisfied enough to make such a dramatic move. However, acknowledging the fact that they could reflects some of the dissatisfaction.
“I wouldn’t worry about the basketball tournament falling apart, yet,” said a source at the meeting. “I think there is widespread acceptance of the tournament as the place to be if you’re a college basketball team.”
Football remains key because its presence within the system was a significant reason the NCAA generated a record $1.16 billion in revenue last season.
Division I is made up of 351 members, many of whom derive a large part of their budget from NCAA revenue distribution, a large portion of which comes from the tournament.
But as part of the massive NCAA reorganization that’s in progress, Power Five schools hope to have more input into how the NCAA is run.
That’s where the streamlining of governance comes in. Short of a breakaway, football and basketball could be parceled out into different pieces split between the NCAA and the schools.
“If FBS football says, ‘We don’t want to have NCAA enforcement. We want to have our own enforcement and all we’re going to enforce recruiting,’ that could be a model,” said one person in the room.
One source suggested getting rid of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee, which is responsible for kicking legislation upstairs to the NCAA Council. The composition of the committee is part of the problem for Power Five administrators. Only five of the 18 members are from Power Five schools.
The new FBS governing board for the entire sport could be half that size.
For example, NCAA eligibility and amateurism are largely dead discussion points. Name, image and likeness rules have wiped out whatever was left of the collegiate (amateurism) model. Initial eligibility is largely being left up to schools.
There is a movement within Lead1 that would mimic what the Knight Commissioner has proposed: establish a board that would at least oversee the sport and answer to what was termed a commissioner or CEO of major-college football.
CBS Sports took a deep dive into a potential football breakaway in June.
The $65 million needed to make such a move is believed to be the first time a number has been attached to the FBS. That’s where the conflict emerges. Over the years, bowl games, the BCS and the College Football Playoff have been stewards of major-college football. The NCAA basically set play and practice rules and provided catastrophic insurance while overseeing the sport with its enforcement department.
As the NCAA became less relevant and powerful in recent years, many questioned why the association should oversee the FBS at all.
For any entity to take over the FBS, it would inherit the legal liability estimated by McNeely to be at least $10 million annually. That is not counting any massive legal settlement that might impact the NCAA’s legal exposure in any given year, she warned.
The advantage of that arrangement is the NCAA remaining a “legal shield” against all incoming litigation.
“They are the first line of defense,” McMillen said. “Whoever would take this over not only would have to pay the current legal bills of $10 million a year, but [McNeely said] you’d have to have a substantial reserve — $20-plus million per year in case you had settlements.”
There is also health and welfare, insurance, officiating and rules oversight involved in that $65 million. All of it makes it unlikely a third party would take over the entirety of the FBS.
The Knight Commission continues to argue that FBS schools receive NCAA revenue and have a weighted voting advantage in governance despite being a sport that, again, the association basically didn’t sponsor. The commission pointed out the NCAA “received $0 in revenue from FBS football,” but assumes legal liabilit...
Digital Momos: Wow! Momo Set Up 3 Shops In The Metaverse Indiaretailing.com India Retailing
Digital Momos: Wow! Momo Set Up 3 Shops In The Metaverse – Indiaretailing.com – India Retailing https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/digital-momos-wow-momo-set-up-3-shops-in-the-metaverse-indiaretailing-com-india-retailing/
Wow! Momo, a homegrown quick service restaurant (QSR) chain, has said it has set up three shops in the metaverse, becoming the latest brand in a legion of global and Indian brands that expect metaverse to become the next frontier of e-commerce.
The Tiger-Global backed firm said its digital outlets have come up on metaverse platform called Festemverse and the service is currently available for Android users and will soon be available to iOS users.
Metaverse is a digital world where users interacts and conduct businesses using their digital avatars.
Wow! Momo aims to start trading from their Metaverse stores of Wow Momo, Wow China and Wow Chicken by the festival of Dhanteras and the company said consumers can trade on their Metaverse stores and convert their non-fungible tokens(NFTs) and redeem them at Wow’s physical outlets.
“ It’s imperative to stay relevant and stay up to speed today; Metaverse is an investment for the future,” Sagar Daryani, CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! Momo Foods. “Whilst we are launch partners for Festemverse today; our aim is to grow this and at the same time also be part of all the popular metaverse platforms.”
Wow! Momo currently operates 3 brands: Wow! Momo, Wow! China and Wow! Chicken had raised INR 125 Crores at a staggering valuation of INR 2125 Crores.
Metaverse is becoming a buzzword nowadays, and it is also getting a lot of attention among netizens. Industry experts believe that with this new world, there is a great opportunity with the retailers to give a unique experience to their customers. International brands like Puma, Benetton have already invested in the metaverse world. Indian companies like Mahindra and Mahindra, Tanishq and Makemytrip have ventured into this digital space and are looking to create a storm.
Homegrown Company Lava Is Set To Compete With 5G Phones In Market With Its Blaze 5G The Tech Outlook
Homegrown Company Lava Is Set To Compete With 5G Phones In Market With Its Blaze 5G – The Tech Outlook https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/homegrown-company-lava-is-set-to-compete-with-5g-phones-in-market-with-its-blaze-5g-the-tech-outlook/
Lava India has a huge market, almost every brand strives to compete in the Indian market. But it’s not up to the mark until India is itself not producing phones that can compete in the international market. Though India does have a lot of brands that can compete but still they need to work harder than they are doing.
Lava, a homegrown smartphone company, finally unveiled its new budget smartphone during India Mobile Congress 2022. This phone was unveiled by Ashwini Vaishnav, Union Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronics. This is one of the most affordable 5G phones on the market. Currently, this phone Lava Blaze is in the lineup of Lava. It would be introduced in the market with a price cap of just Rs 10,000. This would be available for users during Diwali.
Let’s talk about its features. Lava Blaze 5G has a .5-inch HD+ LCD screen with a screen resolution of 1600 × 720 pixels. Its 2.5D curved display with a 90Hz screen refresh rate makes it work and look cool. Blaze 5G is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor with up to 2.2GHz clock speed and the chip is built on a 7nm fabrication process. the phone comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS storage.
Here are the complete specs of Lava Blaze 5G
NETWORK
Technology
GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
LAUNCH
Announced
2022, October 3
Status
Coming soon. Exp. release 2022, October24
BODY
Dimensions
–
Weight
–
SIM
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
DISPLAY
Type
IPS LCD, 90Hz
Size
6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~81.6% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution
720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)
PLATFORM
OS
Android 12
Chipset
MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 (7 nm)
CPU
Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU
Mali-G57 MC2
MEMORY
Card slot
microSDXC (dedicated)
Internal
128GB 4GB RAM
eMMC 5.1
MAIN CAMERA
Triple
50 MP, (wide), 0.64µm, AF
2 MP, (macro)
VGA
Features
LED flash
Video
[email protected]
SELFIE CAMERA
Single
8 MP, f/2.0, (wide)
Video
Yes
SOUND
Loudspeaker
Yes
3.5mm jack
Yes
COMMS
WLAN
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, hotspot
Bluetooth
5.0, A2DP, LE
GPS
Yes, with A-GPS
NFC
No
Radio
FM radio
USB
USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go
FEATURES
Sensors
Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity
BATTERY
Type
Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
MISC
Colors
Green, Blue
Price
Around Rs 10,000
Why You Should Avoid These 10 Typical Mistakes In Crypto Marketing Cryptonews
Why You Should Avoid These 10 Typical Mistakes In Crypto Marketing – Cryptonews https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/why-you-should-avoid-these-10-typical-mistakes-in-crypto-marketing-cryptonews/
Disclaimer: The text below is an advertorial article that is not part of Cryptonews.com editorial content.
Top 10 Common Crypto Marketing Mistakes That You Should Avoid
Gaining visibility is one of the aims many crypto startups find difficult to achieve. Irrespective of how promising your project is, failure to earn the right exposure is detrimental to its success. In fact, you could have a stellar marketing strategy but be poor in execution. This does not necessarily mean you’re not making any efforts; you’re not just getting the desired results.
What then are you supposed to do? Of course, evaluate your crypto marketing strategy! There might be some mistakes you are repeating. Discover where you’re missing it and do the needful.
As a crypto marketing agency, we’ve seen a lot of common faults among the cryptocurrency projects. Let’s look at ten typical mistakes in marketing you should avoid and why.
What Are These 10 Marketing Mistakes?
1.You Send Misleading Messages
It is understandable you want to create hype around your project, but why not acceptably do that? Some projects even portray themselves as the next Bitcoin or Ethereum killer, “OGs” in crypto would most likely perceive this as a scam. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from using such phrases in your marketing campaigns.
Moreover, some other phrases might put your project under the watch of financial regulators, especially the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Therefore, you should avoid using such words that depict your project as an ideal or risk-free investment.
Although law enforcement works differently from country to country, cryptocurrency’s borderless nature could quickly get you in trouble. And aside from that, you should endeavor to build trust around your project by not misleading your audience about the risks involved in investing in your crypto project.
2. Choosing Irrelevant Channels
Choosing the wrong channels for your crypto marketing activities would definitely waste your efforts. You should target crypto-based communities when launching your marketing campaigns.
Of course, telegram is a common channel many crypto projects use for promotions. Most of them use it for ask me anything (AMA) sessions. The unfortunate thing about this channel is that many telegram groups are botted (filled with bots). Conducting promotions on such groups is nothing but a waste of time.
However, getting your project featured on popular crypto blogs like Cointelegraph, CoinDesk, BitcoinMagazine, et cetera, with a large audience could be problematic. You can still get the coverage of smaller media easily. In fact, many projects underestimate the power of forums like Reddit or Quora and social media platforms like Twitter and focus on irrelevant ones.
In essence, you should ascertain the presence of your target audience on any platforms you choose to use for marketing campaigns. If possible, request relevant data from telegram groups before going ahead with your AMAs.
3. Inexplicit Messages
Another mistake many projects make during their marketing campaigns is not being explicit when explaining certain aspects of their project. You include certain things in your promotional or marketing materials that regular crypto users won’t understand.
For example, saying your technology has a throughput of 7,000 TPS might sound confusing to that user category. You should at least make relatable examples and express yourself better during marketing campaigns.
Below are some ways you can help your readers understand your messages better.
Figures: should have clear titles and subtitles that are easy to understand or grasp at first glance.
Images: These should be consistent, simple, and visually appealing to your audience. For consistency, you could use your brand colors.
Facts: bring in relevant and valuable attributes to bolster your points.
4. All Style and No Value
Many projects do not have any value they want to offer their audience. Suppose your project is aimed at serious investors who take their time to assess the feasibility of whatever they invest in; you should be ready to show them value, not promises and styles.
Even those who are not seasoned investors would take their time to go through what you’ve got. Therefore, by delivering value all through, you should ensure the proper use of your marketing materials or media, including whitepaper, blogs, and social platforms.
5. Poor Use Of Keywords
Some projects don’t even take search engine optimization (SEO) seriously. Adopting best SEO practices makes it easy for potential users of your crypto product(s) or services to find you online. Of course, doing that requires the identification of relevant keywords and their usage.
Aside from that, you should also be able to monitor the performance of your target keywords. Are they generating any traffic at all? If so, how much traffic? You should also be able to tell if you are getting any leads from them.
6. Your Strategies Are Not Segmented
For every crypto marketing strategy, various audiences would most likely respond differently. In that case, you may only captivate a group; in another, you might not be able to attract any. Below are the categories of audience you will likely be targeting in your marketing activities.
Active Owners: This category of individuals are active crypto users who believe in the future of the underlying technology. They are pretty optimistic about crypto replacing fiat in years to come. They tend to partake in industry events, try new technology, and probably be brand proponents.
Passive Owners: This set of individuals are involved in crypto and perceive it well. In most cases, they invest long-term in cryptocurrency.
Curious: They’ve researched or always find themselves researching crypto but haven’t made any purchases yet. Because they’re aware of crypto, you could easily persuade them with proper marketing.
Skeptics: These ones are probably influenced by the information they obtain from the news, like SEC banning crypto. They obviously see crypto in a bad light.
Unengaged: They know about crypto and are not as much aversed as the skeptics. They could be easily persuaded depending on how good your promotions are.
7. Not Tracking Marketing Results
Many crypto projects juggle different marketing strategies together, which could make tracking results very difficult. As such, you don’t know the best traffic source and might keep channeling efforts to the wrong place.
While trying to be aggressive with your marketing activities, it is necessary to do it in a way that will make tracking results easy. For example, some projects would run AMA sessions on various Telegram groups and assume traffic comes from the current group, which might not be accurate. Therefore, endeavor to space such sessions or avoid running multiple AMAs in a row.
Another scenario is running advertisements simultaneously on different channels. Tracking results across those media might be uneasy, making your marketing efforts ineffective.
8. Poor Website Design
Your website is part of your marketing resources, and having a poor website design could be detrimental to your project. A poorly designed website is not appealing to your target audience and would scare them away. In fact, it could give your visitors an impression of a scam.
Visitors believe legit projects would invest in their website by creating something classic but less complicated. A well-designed website has a good call-to-action (CTA) placement and a good landing page. Moreover, it is informative as it helps with lead generations.
9. Poor Customer Service
Marketing activities do not just involve posting your content online; it goes way beyond that. For new members on your channels or new users to your products, you should expect them to ask even the basic questions, and you must be ready to address them.
They will definitely ask questions before, during, and after using your crypto products or services. However, you should avoid ignoring them as that will give wrong impressions about you. Moreover, some users will back out from investing in your project.
10. Poor Communication/ Ignoring Your Product
Having poor communication with your community members reduce your chances of success. Ensure you regularly communicate relevant information, updates, or announcements to your community members. You should also endeavor to update your blog periodically; this can significantly contribute to your organic traffic through exposure on search engine result pages (SERPs).
Conclusion
As a project, which of these mistakes are you guilty of? If you are aguilty of any of these, it is advisable you make the necessary amendments so you won’t kill your project thrrough your flawed marketing activities.
Iranian Supreme Leader: US And Jews Behind Mass Protests Washington Free Beacon
Iranian Supreme Leader: US And Jews Behind Mass Protests – Washington Free Beacon https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/iranian-supreme-leader-us-and-jews-behind-mass-protests-washington-free-beacon/
National Security
Ali Khamenei / Getty Images
Adam Kredo • October 3, 2022 1:05 pm
The United States and the “fake Zionist regime” are orchestrating nationwide anti-regime protests in Iran, the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, claimed in a Twitter screed Monday.
“I openly state that the recent riots & unrest in Iran were schemes designed by the U.S.; the usurping, fake Zionist regime; their mercenaries; & some treasonous Iranians abroad who helped them,” Khamanei wrote on his official Twitter account, which routinely disseminates anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
Protests have swept across Iran since the regime’s morality police murdered a 22-year-old woman for not properly wearing her head covering, which is required by law under the theocratic regime. Since her death, Iranians across the country have been protesting Khamenei’s government and threatening to topple it.
“The young girl’s death was a tragic incident that saddened us too,” the supreme leader wrote. “But the right reaction to it wasn’t for some to create insecurity for [people], burn the Quran, Mosques, banks, and [people’s] cars, & to pull off women’s scarves. These weren’t normal acts. They were planned.”
U.S. and Israeli intelligence services planned and directed the protests, according to Khamenei.
“Some individuals are against stating that certain events were designed & carried out by the enemy. They stand up to defend U.S. & Zionist intelligence services, & they use fallacious analysis & rhetoric to deny it was the word of the enemy,” he wrote.
The protests are not even about head coverings, Khamanei wrote, claiming that his country does not actually persecute women who do not wear a hijab. All factual evidence, however, contradicts this claim.
“This is not about Hijab in Iran,” he wrote. “Many Iranian women who don’t observe the Hijab perfectly are among the steadfast supporters of the Islamic Republic. It is about Islamic Iran’s independence & resistance. The U.S. cannot tolerate a strong, independent Iran.”
Khamenei also used his platform to criticize the U.S. government for not supporting protest movements that erupt in Europe.
“Many riots take place around the world. Especially in France, massive riots occur every now and then, but has the U.S. president ever supported European rioters, issued a declaration or said we stand with you? Is there any record of U.S. media supporting them?” he asked.
Khamenei’s government has met the country’s protesters with violence and arrests.
Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotels Deploys Shijis Infrasys Cloud POS Across Its Sunway Resort Sunway Hotel Pyramid And Sunway Hotel Clio F&B Outlets | Hotel Technology News
Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotels Deploys Shiji’s Infrasys Cloud POS Across Its Sunway Resort, Sunway Hotel Pyramid And Sunway Hotel Clio F&B Outlets | – Hotel Technology News https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/sunway-city-kuala-lumpur-hotels-deploys-shijis-infrasys-cloud-pos-across-its-sunway-resort-sunway-hotel-pyramid-and-sunway-hotel-clio-fb-outlets-hotel-technology-news/
Shiji Group and Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotels have successfully grown their partnership as the hospitality technology company has completed the implementation of its product Infrasys Cloud POS in all the F&B outlets within Sunway Resort, Sunway Hotel Pyramid and Sunway Hotel Clio, which includes Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill.
The cluster of hotels located within Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, managed by Sunway Hotels & Resorts, the hospitality division of Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group, was seeking new technology solutions, a committee was created by its directors to evaluate what would be the best option to upgrade their point-of-sale system.
After analyzing different solutions, the group decided to implement Shiji’s Infrasys Cloud POS because of the experience the hospitality technology company has in the region and because of its wide variety of solutions to hotel companies.
Established in 1974, Sunway Group is one of Southeast Asia’s leading conglomerates with 13 business divisions across more than 50 locations primarily in Asia. Our 16,000-strongteam is committed to sustainable development and socio-economic progress through our diverse businesses including core interests in real estate, construction, education, healthcare, retail and hospitality.
Sunway Hotels & Resorts operates 11 hotels and resorts in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam, representing a collection of close to 4,000 guestrooms, suites and villas.
Founded in 1998 as a network solutions provider for hotels, Shiji Group today comprises over 5,000 employees in 80+ subsidiaries and brands in over 23 countries, serving more than 91,000 hotels internationally, 200,000 restaurants and 600,000 retail outlets.
“Working with Sunway Hotels has been an excellent experience, they understand how technology will be the driver for better guest experiences and have been selecting their technology partners accordingly. We share similar visions on how technology needs to help both staff and guests make experiences smoother.” said Nikkie Singh, SVP Shiji Asia Pacific.
Does your company have news it would like to share with our readers? If so, we invite you to review our editorial guidelines and submit your press release for publishing consideration.
Trump Allies Probe For Election System Weaknesses In Texas And Other Key States San Antonio Current
Trump Allies Probe For Election System Weaknesses In Texas And Other Key States – San Antonio Current https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/trump-allies-probe-for-election-system-weaknesses-in-texas-and-other-key-states-san-antonio-current/
Retired U.S. Army lieutenant general Michael Flynn at a campaign rally for Donald Trump at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix. Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore” href=”https://media2.sacurrent.com/sacurrent/imager/u/original/30000142/screen_shot_2022-10-03_at_9.21.23_am.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-30000136″ title=”Retired U.S. Army lieutenant general Michael Flynn at a campaign rally for Donald Trump at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix. – Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore” click to enlarge
Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore
Retired U.S. Army lieutenant general Michael Flynn at a campaign rally for Donald Trump at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix.
This coverage is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting access. The article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy.
Two of former President Donald Trump’s most prominent allies in his fight to overturn the 2020 election are leading a coordinated, multistate effort to probe local election officials in battlegrounds such as Texas, Michigan and Arizona ahead of the November election.
The America Project — an organization founded by Michael Flynn, a retired three-star general and former national security advisor, and former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne — has so far interviewed or attempted to interview officials in nearly 200 counties across eight swing states, according to copies of notes, recordings of the interviews and other documents Votebeat found on webpages associated with the organization. The survey questions reflect the same debunked conspiracies and misleading information about elections that Flynn and Byrne have been propagating for years.
The survey questions appear intended to detect potential weaknesses in local election systems and gather detailed information about how elections are run. Election experts say the information could easily be used to fuel misinformation campaigns, disrupt voting or challenge results. In Texas, volunteers have so far interviewed election officials in 18 counties, including Cameron, Collin, Denton and Fort Bend, according to the copies of the documents and recordings. Officials in 11 other counties in the state, including Bexar, Dallas and Harris, declined to be interviewed.
“It seems consistent with their efforts to really understand how to manipulate the machinery of election administration in this country,” said Ben Berwick, counsel at national nonprofit Protect Democracy, a research and advocacy group.
In 2020, Byrne and Flynn were among the Trump loyalists who devised a plan to seize voting machines across the country and dig up enough evidence of fraud to persuade state lawmakers, Congress or the vice president to overturn the election results. Now they are focusing their efforts on the midterm election, with new strategies. A group backed by The America Project, for example, is attempting to purge voter rolls in Georgia ahead of the election.
The surveys are part of The America Project’s latest mission, dubbed Operation Eagles Wings, which is organized on foramericafirst.com, with webpages for each of the swing states the group is focused on. Key to the effort is building relationships with local election officials, according to two manuals for local volunteers on the organization’s websites. The officials are asked their opinions on debunked conspiracy theories, perhaps to determine whether they are likeminded individuals. Interviewers are also marking down which clerks are particularly helpful.
Berwick points out that it’s the mission of prominent Trump supporters to fill positions of power — from governors down to local clerks — with people who believe their allegations of election fraud and improprieties. Noting who does and does not support the cause, he said, may be the group’s way of determining “who will be sympathetic to their efforts in the future.”
Election officials have generally been friendly to their interviewers but have also repeatedly assured them that their elections are fair, voting machines are secure and voter rolls are accurate.
In Harris County, Georgia, an election official repeatedly assured the interviewer that no one voted on behalf of deceased voters in the county.
“In some counties they did,” the interviewer insisted. “They weren’t removed from the rolls. And there have been some reports. It’s down to the proof. Prove it.”
The group interviewed elections administrator Remi Garza in Cameron County in July. Garza sent Votebeat a copy of the email he received from a volunteer coordinator requesting a meeting. It follows a script provided in a manual from The America Project. The meeting was “meant to be a positive experience, with positive outcomes, for both citizens and local clerk’s office,” the email said.
“Our findings will be shared publicly in hopes that it will increase transparency and public confidence in election processes, and to provide the public with the information needed to accurately evaluate the integrity of current processes and procedure,” the email said.
The America Project and its officers did not respond to phone and email requests for comment about the surveys.
Surveys probe officials on debunked theories
The survey questions vary slightly by state, though nearly all ask if counties remove deceased voters from the rolls. They also request contact information for vendors who service voting machines and ask whether the county will consider designating a “neutral” third-party group for “training and support” for poll watchers. Some ask whether voting machines are connected to the internet and if the local election officials are confident that local advocacy groups register voters “without bribery, intimidation or coercion.”
Interviewers asked the officials whether they support counting votes using a “manual process like that used in France.” This is a common talking point of such activists, who routinely praise the country for efficiently hand-counting votes and use it as justification to end the use of vote-counting machines.
“If France can do it, we can do it!” shouted Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House chief strategist, on his “War Room” podcast earlier this year. Mike Lindell, his guest and a prominent conspiracy theorist who is also the owner of My Pillow, agreed. “Terminate the machines!” Lindell yelled. There are several differences between French and U.S. elections that make hand-counting more effective in that country.
Byrne and Flynn have both voiced strong support for these ideas, routinely claiming without evidence that voting machines were manipulated and that left-leaning activists routinely facilitate mass voter fraud. “Our country and its founding principles are under attack by globalists and their allies in government, Wall Street, the legacy media and by others which make-up the political left in this country,” the Georgia for America First website states. “The weapon of choice is our vulnerable election system.”
The America Project was the top funder of the Arizona Senate’s election review, and Byrne supported the now-discredited investigation of voting machines in Antrim County, Michigan. Both have said they’ll continue to work to remake American elections.
“This will be our last shot,” Byrne wrote in his book, “The Deep Rig,” which he self-published last year. The book declares, “If we do not restore election integrity by then, then next election will also be rigged, and we will have tipped our way into a fascist, authoritarian dystopian version of America, run by Goons.”
Operation Eagles Wings
A key goal of Operation Eagles Wings is to create small volunteer teams across the country that observe the entirety of the election process, starting in part with the surveys, according to the manuals Votebeat found.
It’s an expansion of what they have dubbed “the Virginia model,” which refers to the work of Cleta Mitchell’s Election Integrity Network in Virginia to create a network for the state’s 2021 election, according to the manuals. The America Project provided funding for that effort.
The larger Operation Eagles Wings initiative is aimed at educating “election reform activists on everything from grassroots training to election canvassing and fundraising,” according to The America Project’s website. The site claims the group provides training “for Americans who want to make sure there are no repeats of the errors that happened in the 2020 election.”
“We need to do everything in our power to protect the voting process from election meddlers who care only about serving crooked special interest groups that neither respect nor value the rule of law,” the homepage says.
Along with the surveys, the initiative encourages election skeptics to serve as poll workers and observers, perform in-person “voter registration audits,” and visit“large farms, factories, businesses and especially care homes” and ask residents whether anyone is forcing them to vote, according to the manuals.
Election officials’ top concern? Misinformation.
Volunteers have conducted interviews in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, according to copies and audio recordings of the interviews that Votebeat found online. Most of the documents are stored on what appear to be unlisted pages of a site called libertyshepherd.com, which had no active homepage as of Friday, while the Florida documents are accessible from the state’s page on foramericafirst.com.
Election administrators surveyed by the group told Votebeat they weren’t bothered by the questions, inviting them as opportunities to debunk misinformation.
Many election officials told the interv...
Norwegian Cruise Line Drops All COVID-19 Mask Vaccine And Testing Rules USA TODAY
Norwegian Cruise Line Drops All COVID-19 Mask, Vaccine And Testing Rules – USA TODAY https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/norwegian-cruise-line-drops-all-covid-19-mask-vaccine-and-testing-rules-usa-today/
Norwegian Cruise Line will further ease its COVID-19 rules, dropping all mask, vaccination, and testing requirements starting Tuesday.
Passengers will no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result to board, though the changes are subject to local requirements at various destinations. The cruise line previously began welcoming all guests regardless of vaccination status on Sept. 3, but unvaccinated passengers had to take a test prior to embarkation.
“Health and safety are always our first priority; in fact, we were the health and safety leaders from the very start of the pandemic,” Norwegian president and CEO, Harry Sommer, said in a news release. “Many travelers have been patiently waiting to take their long-awaited vacation at sea and we cannot wait to celebrate their return.”
Cruise line COVID-19 rule changes: Disney Cruise Line drops COVID vaccination requirement
How to avoid cruising mistakes: ‘People are not paying attention to final payment dates’
Norwegian still has other pandemic protocols on board related to measures such as sanitation and medical services.
“Comprehensive enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols, using EPA approved disinfectants, have been implemented throughout the cruise experience,” the line said on its website.
Other steps include the installation of medical-grade air filters, and increased medical “staffing relative to capacity,” the line said.
Major cruise lines drop vaccine requirements
The change comes as major cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, and Holland America Line, have dropped vaccine requirements for many sailings in recent weeks.
‘Was it worth the risk? I don’t think so’: What it’s like to cruise with fewer COVID rules
‘Hell of a Cruise’: Highlighting the panic, failures of the COVID early days
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships on July 18, after which many cruise lines that had opted in eased their protocols. The agency currently recommends cruise passengers be up to date with their vaccinations – including their most recent recommended booster dose – and take a test a maximum of three days before embarkation no matter their vaccination status, according to its website.
PA Council On The Arts Unveils Free Innovative Digital Platform For Teaching Artists And Older Adults Pennsylvania Pressroom
PA Council On The Arts Unveils Free, Innovative Digital Platform For Teaching Artists And Older Adults – Pennsylvania Pressroom https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/pa-council-on-the-arts-unveils-free-innovative-digital-platform-for-teaching-artists-and-older-adults-pennsylvania-pressroom/
Harrisburg, PA – Today, Karl Blischke, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), announced the launch of the Academy for Creative Aging, a free, digital platform that offers a certificate of completion for teaching artists and on-demand video lessons for older adults.
Research indicates that working with artists and engaging in creative activities can decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation in older adults. The Academy for Creative Aging, which was developed by a team of industry experts, prepares teaching artists to better understand and support the unique needs of the aging brain. Custom curriculum outlines research in the field and evidenced-based strategies through interactive modules.
“Supporting opportunities for lifelong learning for residents across Pennsylvania is a strategic priority of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts,” said Blischke. “We are excited to launch this innovative platform so that PA teaching artists and older adults have a flexible resource that supports their goals around professional development and quality of life.”
Two tracks are available on the site. The Academy’s Professional Development track provides a module-based, certificate pathway to bolster credentials and deepen expertise and understanding for teaching artists and professionals working with older adults in creative environments. To attain a certificate, users must complete a series of online modules containing interactive videos, reading assignments, and resources. Each module ends with a formative assessment that uses prompts to stimulate critical thinking and reinforce the content.
The platform’s Lessons on Demand track provides individuals and groups with the opportunity to explore and enjoy the Academy’s complete video catalog. Lessons on Demand is an alternative to the Academy’s certificate track and aims to provide users with an entertaining and stimulating creative resource, including videos on Indian classical dance, how to create a still-life self-portrait, storytelling through theatre, and jazz singing fundamentals.
“We commend and support the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts on the development of the Academy for Creative Aging. This online platform will extend the reach and opportunities for more individuals and communities to participate in activities that benefit and enrich the lives of older adults,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “The Department of Aging applauds the Council’s efforts to promote education of different art forms and to foster creative engagement in a social environment that can yield positive physical and emotional health benefits for older adults.”
“For years, we have used the arts as a way to engage older adults socially and recreationally, knowing we were combating social isolation, teaching lifelong learners new mediums of self-expression, and expanding our evidence practices intentionally to improve the health outcomes of those we are serving,” said Jason Kavulich, director of the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging. “This platform not only provides all of us with a consistent catalog of diverse and exciting online programing, but it also gives us the tools necessary to train and support our local professional artists working with Area Agencies on Aging to design evidence-informed programs to offer to the communities we are serving.”
Inspiration for development of the Academy for Creative Aging stemmed from the PCA’s awareness of a critical need for consistent, professionally designed teaching artist training tools. Combining development of evidence-based creative aging training modules for teaching artists with accessible, video-based art lessons to reach PA’s senior population supports strategic goals of both the PCA and PA Department of Aging (PDA).
Since 2015, the PCA and PDA have worked together to develop the PA Creative Aging Initiative, which was founded on the principle that creative aging programs support healthy living for older Pennsylvanians by providing authentic skill development in the arts, while cultivating opportunities for social engagement at PA senior centers.
Pennsylvania has the fifth “oldest” population in the nation with more than 3.3 million individuals aged 60 years and older and more than 2.4 million citizens aged 65 and older. PDA data estimates that by 2030, there will be more than 3.9 million Pennsylvanians ages 60 and older.
ABOUT PCA: The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) is a state agency under the Office of the Governor. PCA’s mission is to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of Pennsylvania’s communities through the arts. By leveraging the immense potential of Pennsylvania’s arts and cultural sector, the PCA supports jobs, builds community, inspires lifelong learning, promotes the commonwealth nationally and internationally, and sparks innovation. For more information about the PCA, visit arts.pa.gov or call 717-787-6883. To explore the Academy for Creative Aging, visit academyforcreativeaging.org/.
MEDIA CONTACT: Norah Johnson, norajohnso@pa.gov
Jack Eilber, agingcomms@pa.gov
City School Meetings Set | News Sports Jobs The Daily News Iron Mountain Daily News
City, School Meetings Set | News, Sports, Jobs – The Daily News – Iron Mountain Daily News https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/city-school-meetings-set-news-sports-jobs-the-daily-news-iron-mountain-daily-news/
By Daily News staff
Florence County Board of Education will hold a curriculum meeting at 4:30 p.m. today, followed by a budget committee meeting at 5 p.m. in Room 259 of Florence High School in Florence, Wis.
Breitung Township School District Board will have a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. today in the media center at Kingsford High School.
Iron Mountain City Council will meet at 6 p.m. today at Iron Mountain City Hall. The agenda includes a developer’s agreement for a planned Kwik Trip at 1010 N. Stephenson Ave. and withdrawal of a Nov. 8 ballot proposal on council member compensation. For more, go to https://www.cityofironmountain.com/.
Kingsford City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. today at Kingsford City Hall. Agenda items include the public works report and a public safety director wage resolution. For more, go to https://www.kingsfordmi.gov/.
Norway City Council will meet at 7 p.m. today at Norway City Hall. For more, go to https://www.norwaymi.gov/.
Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox
How Brands And Advertisers Can Build Kid-Friendly Experiences For The Metaverse The Drum
How Brands And Advertisers Can Build Kid-Friendly Experiences For The Metaverse – The Drum https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/how-brands-and-advertisers-can-build-kid-friendly-experiences-for-the-metaverse-the-drum/
Investing in experiences that are designed with all audiences in mind will help ensure we are collectively creating a welcoming metaverse for all, writes SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins.
The metaverse will be a place where people of all ages meet, compete, create, and take part in events just like they do in the physical world. As the metaverse is built, it won’t just be the work of a single company – but the collective work of many. And, as we build out the metaverse collectively, it’s on all brands, advertisers and companies to work to ensure it is a safe experience for everyone it brings together.
There are many existing and evolving laws and regulations that provide guidance for brands who are hoping to engage young audiences in the metaverse, from COPPA in the United States, to GDPR-K in the EU and the Age Appropriate Design Code in the UK. Brands that focus on compliance with these laws coupled with a curated strategy built on principles of data-minimization and age-appropriate design will be well positioned to create metaverse experiences that are kid, teen and brand-safe.
Kids are becoming increasingly social when going online, with many turning to gaming as a way to hang out and chat with their friends. According to a recent study from SuperAwesome, 90% of children aged 6-16 identify as gamers. And when young audiences go online to game, they are complementing this with other social experiences: according to that same study, 65% of tweens (ages 10-12) are messaging friends and playing games at the same time, and that percentage only grows with the young teen (ages 13-16) audience.
Many brands have already taken notice of this trend, adapting their strategy to include social gaming activations for young audiences across platforms like Roblox and Minecraft. When building for these platforms – especially when focusing on younger audiences – it’s important to implement safeguards from the start that make it possible for kids to play and socialize safely, while designing environments and experiences that take their preferences into account.
Considerations for building kid-safe online experiences
Kids and young teens seek different ways to interact with content, both actively and passively. Beyond the gameplay itself, games can serve as an engine for community building and foster positivity. Technology that minimizes toxicity in environments built for young audiences is also essential. Our research tells us that while kids seek the recognition, excitement, and social experience that gaming can bring them, they want to enjoy these experiences in a safe and respectful environment.
Children also prefer platforms that are designed for them and for their peers. In a 2020 study, 88% of participating kids in the US reported that they preferred social platforms meant only for young audiences. It’s with this in mind that we at SuperAwesome offer PopJam, a social sharing space specifically designed for young audiences. To meet this audience where they are, we’ve created a moderated and welcoming environment that kids are able to enjoy without many of the downsides they encounter on adult-oriented social platforms. PopJam members are not able to share photos of themselves or post personal information, and the platform filters out negative language in order to create safe, non-toxic social spaces.
With PopJam, brands are able to build kid-oriented content, including filters and stickers, quizzes and polls, and fun mini-games – all in a kid-friendly and moderated environment. Brands are already using PopJam to deliver interactive and kid-appropriate content, housed on their own branded channels while building their audience, like Penguin Random House, who was able to grow more followers than any other US publishing channel on PopJam. And while PopJam is one way for brands to deliver kid-safe social experiences, many of these best practices can be applied to any brand activation for young audiences.
Responsible video content and engaging creators
In addition to connecting in games and digital social spaces, children and teens are spending more and more time consuming video and streaming content. While video content is a great way to meet kids where they’re at, it is important for brands and advertisers creating video content to be mindful of what kind of video content they create and promote.
Creating age-appropriate content protects both advertisers and their viewers – and it doesn’t require as much effort as you might think. Brands and advertisers can create content that appeals to all ages by avoiding the use of swearing or inappropriate slang, not promoting unhealthy habits (such as cigarettes, drugs or alcohol) and refraining from using visuals that portray realistic violence and gore.
There are also tech services advertisers and brands can use to ensure your promotional video content is only being shown on brand-safe and audience-appropriate channels. For example, SuperAwesome’s Kid Social Video (KSV) helps brands ensure that when they advertise on YouTube their content is only showing up in videos that are a safe, relevant match for that brand, as well as the kids and families they’d most like to reach. Our human and AI moderation has reviewed over 182 million pieces of youth-oriented media and we apply approximately 65 criteria for vetting content in addition to YouTube’s filters to help ensure age-appropriate digital experiences for your brand.
Brands looking to create kid-safe video content can also follow advertising standards based on the best practices set by self-regulatory and standards bodies like the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), which was created in the US to help companies comply with laws and guidelines that protect children under age 13 from deceptive or inappropriate advertising, or the relevant sections of the CAP and BCAP codes published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK.
There’s no one-size-fits all approach when it comes to young audiences, but keeping these principles and best practices in mind is a good place to start. So whether you’re building a gaming activation to inspire young builders, launching a new way for teens to connect with your brand or creating an influencer campaign for your newest product, investing in experiences that are designed with all audiences in mind will help ensure we are collectively creating a welcoming metaverse for all.
The Best Tech Travel Gadgets Of 2022 – How-To Geek https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/the-best-tech-travel-gadgets-of-2022-how-to-geek/
l i g h t p o e t/shutterstock.com
What to Look For in Tech Travel Gadgets
When shopping around for necessary gadgets to take on your next trip, there are a few things you’ll want to consider.
First, it’s important to think about what’s necessary for your vacation or business trip—whether for work or play, you’ll likely have limited space in your luggage for clunky or heavy tech. Before making any purchases, you’ll want to ensure that it’s something you’ll need while you’re away from home. Our list contains things that may be considered necessary for some, but the ultimate decision will be up to you.
Likewise, size and weight are equally important factors. If you’re planning on packing your tech in a carry-on bag, for instance, you’ll want to stick to pretty compact gadgets such as a portable charger or a tablet. If you play on checking a bag, you may be able to pack larger items such as an instant film camera.
Lastly, you’ll want to consider your budget. If you’re specifically buying a gadget for an upcoming trip, you may not want to drop a ton of cash. However, if you’re a frequent flier or road tripper, perhaps it’s a good idea to invest in something that’s on the pricier side.
Best eReader: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
Amazon
Pros
✓ 32 gigabytes of storage
✓ One charge can last up to 10 weeks
✓ Glare-free display
Cons
✗ Have to pay for a monthly Kindle Unlimited subscription
✗ Wireless charger is sold separately
If you’re a frequent reader, carrying chunky books can take up precious space in your carry-on or checked luggage. However, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, our top pick for eReaders, eliminates this issue through its 32 gigabytes (GB) of storage and the ability to rent up to 20 titles at a time with Kindle Unlimited.
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature is hard to bargain with—you can charge it via USB-C, with one full battery lasting up to 10 weeks. Additionally, its display is something to write home about. The 300 ppi screen is glare-free, while its warm lighting is adjustable. The front light also automatically adapts to the brightness of your surroundings, making it an excellent option for red-eye flights.
Although you can use your Kindle without a Kindle Unlimited subscription (which costs an additional $9.99 a month), the accompanying plan provides a free trial and access to thousands of content with no due dates.
The bottom line? If you’ve been tossing around the idea of buying an eReader, the $200 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is your best bet.
Best eReader
Best International Plug Adapter: EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
EPICKA
Pros
✓ Compact size
✓ 4 USB ports, 1 USB-C port, 1 AC socket
✓ Compatible with most devices
Cons
✗ A bit pricey for an adapter
✗ Doesn’t convert voltage
Planning on diving into international waters? The EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter is essential.
Universal travel adapters allow electronics to power up in different countries. For example, the United States has plugs with two flat vertical prongs, while the United Kingdom has plugs with a top vertical prong and two bottom horizontal ones. A travel adapter ensures you can charge your devices regardless of where you go.
This option from EPICKA functions explicitly as a multifunctional travel plug. However, it doesn’t convert voltage, so you’ll want to make sure your devices support 100 to 240 voltage—especially hair dryers and electric razors, which often don’t.
It boasts four USB ports and one USB-C, all of which can be plugged in simultaneously. It covers more than 150 countries, including the U.S., the UK, Australia, and Japan.
Best of all, this adapter is super compact. You can easily pop it into your carry-on bag for quick access, perfect for unexpected layovers or delays.
Best International Plug Adapter
EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
A great gadget to pack in your international luggage, this travel adapter is small, compatible with USB-C and USB, and can be used in more than 150 countries.
Best Noise-Canceling Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM4
Sony
Pros
✓ Great ratings
✓ Up to 30 hours of battery life
✓ Can fold up
✓ Touch sensor controls
Cons
✗ Some users report the touch sensor controls being too sensitive
Whether you’re traveling via plane, train, or car, noise-canceling headphones are something you won’t want to go without. Our pick? The Sony WH-1000XM4, a powerful set of overhead headphones that feature a ton of awesome traits.
These Bluetooth headphones have a near-perfect rating from more than 38,000 Amazon customers. Aside from that, a single charge can keep them alive for up to 30 hours, and they even fold up, making them all the easier to pack.
Other highlights? There’s speak-to-chat technology, which automatically pauses your music when you talk. There’s also built-in Alexa, touch sensor control that allows you to skip, pause, and play tracks, multiple device pairing, and a durable case with a cable for wired listening.
All of those incredible features come with a hefty price tag, though—at nearly $400, these Sony headphones are a significant investment. If you have the cash to spend, however, and you want a pair of noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones that will last, these are your best bet.
Best Noise-Canceling Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4’s feature ANC technology, top-notch sound quality, and incredible comfort.
Best Portable Charger: Anker PowerCore Slim 1000
Anker
Pros
✓ Affordable
✓ Compact size
✓ Compatible with most Apple and Samsung devices
✓ Lifetime warranty
Cons
✗ USB-C and lightning cables aren’t included
✗ Takes almost 6 hours to fully recharge the device
A portable charger is a necessity for traveling. If you’ve somehow managed to live without one (or you’re looking to upgrade your current model), we recommend the Anker PowerCore Slim 1000. Priced at less than $30, its impressively slim design can provide multiple charges for iPhones, Android devices, and smaller tablets.
Perfect for tucking into your carry-on, this Anker charger features PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technologies, which ensure that your device is receiving the fastest charge possible. It’s also airline friendly and designed to provide optimal charging to low-power devices, such as headphones and Bluetooth speakers.
The Best USB-C Cables of 2022
Anker New Nylon USB-C to USB-C Cable
Amazon Basics USB-C to USB-A Cable
Grtoeud USB-C to USB-C Cable
Anker Powerline III USB-C to USB-C Cable
Best Lightning to USB-C Cable
Anker New Nylon USB-C to Lightning Cable
Uni USB-C to HDMI Cable
Cable Matters Premium Braided Aluminum USB-C to 3.5mm Aux Cable
Spigen DuraSync 3 in 1 Universal Charger Cable
That being said, it does take nearly six hours to charge this gadget to its full capacity, so you’ll want to gear this guy up a day or two in advance. Additionally, while there are both USB-A and USB-C ports, cords are not included, so make sure you have those ahead of time.
Best Portable Charger
Best Bluetooth Tracker: Tile Mate
Tile
Pros
✓ Compatible with Android and Apple/iOS devices
✓ Waterproof
✓ Bluetooth range of up to 250 feet
Cons
✗ Have to upgrade to the premium plan for added features
✗ Battery powered
A Bluetooth tracker is a great gadget, especially when you’re away from home. These handy devices can be latched onto essentials such as your bag or wallet. And if you accidentally lose them, your tracker will help you find or keep an eye on them.
Our favorite? The Tile Mate, a compact little gizmo that can be easily snapped onto travel necessities and features a Bluetooth range of up to 250 feet.
At less than $50 for a pack of two, these trackers are super easy to use and affordable. You download the accompanying Tile app, which will ring your Tile when it’s in Bluetooth range (you can also ask a smart home device, like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, to find it for you). There’s also a custom QR code on each Tile, so you can be reached if someone finds it and scans the code.
We also like that the Tile Mate can be used to find your phone. You can double press the button on your Tile to make your phone ring, even when it’s on silent. And, in cases when your Tile is out of Bluetooth range, you can use the app to see its most recent location on a map.
You’ll have to upgrade to Tile’s premium plan for added features like Smart Alert and item reimbursement. Additionally, the Tile is battery-powered, so you’ll want to ensure it has a fresh battery before jet setting.
Best Bluetooth Tracker
Tile Mate
A handy Bluetooth tracker with an easy-to-use accompanying app that will help you keep track of your absolute necessities.
Best Instant Film Camera: Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic
Fujifilm
Pros
✓ Automatic brightness detection
✓ Rechargeable battery
✓ Double exposure mode
Cons
✗ Expensive
✗ Film can be pricey, and you have to repurchase it
Film cameras are all the rage right now, and this option from Fujifilm, the Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic, is no exception. This easy-to-use film camera instantly develops 2.1 by 3.4-inch (53.34mm x 86.36mm) photos.
In terms of its specs, the Instax Mini 90 is pretty cool. It can automatically detect the brightness of your background or surroundings and will adjust the flash and shutter speed, so you get a great photo every time. Additionally, there’s a double exposure mode you can access by pressing the shutter twice.
While it has great ratings and reviews from buyers, we would only recommend this purchase if it’s something that you’ve had your eye on for a while. The camera itself is pretty expensive, and the price can quickly continue to rack up with the added cost of repurchasing film.
If you’re simply looking for something to take photos with, chances are, your smartphone may do the job just fine.
Best Instant Film Camera
Best Ha...
Matt Homer Cryptocurrency Investment Leader And Former Executive Deputy Superintendent Of The Research And Innovation Division At The New York Department Of Financial Services Becomes Senior Advisor To Tusk Strategies Crypto FinTech Pract Business Wire
Matt Homer, Cryptocurrency Investment Leader And Former Executive Deputy Superintendent Of The Research And Innovation Division At The New York Department Of Financial Services, Becomes Senior Advisor To Tusk Strategies’ Crypto + FinTech Pract – Business Wire https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/matt-homer-cryptocurrency-investment-leader-and-former-executive-deputy-superintendent-of-the-research-and-innovation-division-at-the-new-york-department-of-financial-services-becomes-senior-advisor/
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Building off a decade of guiding the world’s fastest-growing start-ups through major regulatory, communications and public affairs challenges, Tusk Strategies today welcomed Matt Homer as Senior Advisor to its expanding Cryptocurrency + FinTech Practice. Matt will advise on the rapidly developing state and federal political landscape impacting the crypto, blockchain, and the financial services ecosystem.
Matt becomes Senior Advisor to Tusk with unparalleled public and private sector experience. Prior to entering the venture capital space full-time, Matt founded and ran the Research and Innovation Division at the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), where he led efforts involving fintech, crypto, insurtech, and regtech. He also chaired the Conference of State Bank Supervisor’s FinTech Steering Group. Before that, Matt was Head of Policy and Research at Quovo, which was acquired by Plaid during his tenure. Earlier, Matt was with the FDIC and launched two innovation programs with USAID, promoting cashless payments and regtech knowledge-sharing among regulators. He has also been an advisor to the U.N., World Bank, Aspen Institute and Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance.
Tusk Strategies also announced that Eric Soufer, the Head of the firm’s Crypto + FinTech Practice, has been promoted to partner.
Matt Homer, Senior Advisor at Tusk, said “I’ve long admired the impact Tusk has had tackling difficult public policy issues to enable innovation and entrepreneurship. Bradley has been an example in my career and Eric is one of the most thoughtful and effective policy and political strategists operating in fintech and crypto. I’m excited and honored to serve as an advisor to the Tusk team as they continue to influence and shape the policy landscape for fintech and crypto.”
Eric Soufer, Partner and Head of the Crypto + FinTech Practice at Tusk, said “We’ve all been fans of Matt for a long time and so we are thrilled to formally welcome him to the Tusk Strategies network. His experience navigating novel and complex regulatory challenges in crypto, DeFi, and financial technology will be a tremendous asset to our team and our clients.”
Matt is currently Executive in Residence at Nyca Partners, a venture capital firm focused on connecting innovative companies to the global financial system. Matt also recently joined the Board of Managers at Gemini Trust Company, a leading crypto-native finance platform.
Tusk Strategies has been advising some of the biggest names in crypto, blockchain, fintech and NFTs since 2014. In recent years, Tusk Strategies has advised industry leaders such as Paxos, Zero Hash, Genesis, Circle, eToro, Tezos, Apex Crypto, Sorare, Moonpay, the Crypto Council of Innovation (CCI), and the Proof of Stake Alliance, among many others.
The addition of Matt comes on the heels of a major expansion at Tusk Strategies in 2022. New senior team members include Shontell Smith, previously chief of staff to the New York State Senate Democratic Majority, and Cristóbal Alex, the former White House Deputy Cabinet Secretary under President Joe Biden and current MSNBC contributor, who opened Tusk’s Washington, DC office. Jackie Zupsic also recently launched a new Los Angeles office to deepen Tusk’s national communications and policy capabilities.
About Tusk Strategies
Tusk has led successful interdisciplinary campaigns for dozens of the world’s leading disruptors in tech, finance, mobility, healthcare, and countless other industries, helping them build their brands with thought leadership and earned media; gain market share with cutting edge commercial strategies; and solve complex “bet the company” regulatory challenges in markets across the globe. Tusk Strategies was founded by venture capitalist, philanthropist and political strategist Bradley Tusk and is now led by CEO Chris Coffey.
www.tuskstrategies.com
@tuskstrategies
U.S. Supreme Court Opens New Term With A Fresh Face And Environmental Case Reuters
U.S. Supreme Court Opens New Term With A Fresh Face And Environmental Case – Reuters https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/u-s-supreme-court-opens-new-term-with-a-fresh-face-and-environmental-case-reuters/
WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court opened what promises to be an eventful new term on Monday, hearing arguments in an environmental dispute, taking up some new cases to be decided over the next nine months and welcoming a history-making justice to the bench.
The court’s 6-3 conservative majority has become increasingly assertive, as evidenced by its rulings last term overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide and expanding gun rights.
President Joe Biden’s appointee Ketanji Brown Jackson – the first Black woman justice – joined its liberal bloc after being confirmed by the Senate in April to replace now-retired Justice Stephen Breyer.
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Jackson, who heard arguments as a justice for the first time on Monday, became the sixth woman ever to serve on the court. For the first time, four women serve on the court together – Jackson, Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.
It is on the first Monday in October annually that the court gets back to work hearing cases. Before hearing its first arguments, it announced a series of new cases to hear during the term and turned away other appeals.
The court agreed to hear a challenge to federal protections for internet and social media companies freeing them of responsibility for content posted by users in a case involving an American student fatally shot in a 2015 rampage by Islamist militants in Paris.
It also agreed to hear Turkish state-owned lender Halkbank’s (HALKB.IS) bid to avoid criminal charges of money laundering, bank fraud and conspiracy for allegedly helping Iran evade economic sanctions in a case that has strained American relations with NATO ally Turkey.
The justices declined to hear a challenge to a federal ban on devices called “bump stocks” that enable semi-automatic weapons to fire like a machine gun – a firearms control measure prompted by a 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting.
They turned away a Ukrainian government bid to avoid paying a $173 million judgment to Russian oil and gas company Tatneft (TATN.MM) as ordered by a Paris-based arbitration panel.
The court also rebuffed a Republican former congressman’s challenge to a map charting Pennsylvania’s U.S. House of Representatives districts that the state’s highest court adopted in place of one drawn up by Republican lawmakers.
They justices declined to hear a challenge by Missouri and nine other states – mostly Republican-led – to Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for workers in healthcare facilities that receive federal funds.
Mike Lindell, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump, must face a $1.3 billion lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems Inc accusing him of defamation for pushing false claims that its voting machines rigged the 2020 presidential election, with the justices turning away his appeal.
The court heard arguments in a case that could limit the scope of a landmark federal environmental law – the Clean Water Act of 1972 – as they consider for a second time a married Idaho couple’s bid to build on property that the U.S. government has deemed a protected wetland.
Chantell and Mike Sackett, who planned to build a home on their property in Priest Lake, Idaho, are appealing a lower court’s ruling favoring the government. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2007 determined that the property was part of a wetland and that the Sacketts were required to obtain a permit under the Clean Water Act before beginning construction, which they had failed to do.
There has been litigation and political debates over how much of a connection with a waterway a property must have in order to require such a permit. A 2006 Supreme Court ruling led to further uncertainty. The new case gives the conservative majority an opportunity to embrace an approach favored by business groups, with a ruling due by the end of June.
On the term’s second day on Tuesday, the justices are set to hear arguments in an Alabama case that threatens to cripple the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting.
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Reporting by Andrew Chung and Nate Raymond; Editing by Will Dunham
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Nate Raymond
Thomson Reuters
Nate Raymond reports on the federal judiciary and litigation. He can be reached at nate.raymond@thomsonreuters.com.
Hodei Technology Partners With Vuzix To Support Its New Klabra Platform And Places Initial Volume Purchase Order PR Newswire
Hodei Technology Partners With Vuzix To Support Its New Klabra Platform And Places Initial Volume Purchase Order – PR Newswire https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/hodei-technology-partners-with-vuzix-to-support-its-new-klabra-platform-and-places-initial-volume-purchase-order-pr-newswire/
, /PRNewswire/ — Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), (“Vuzix” or, the “Company”), a leading supplier of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology and products, today announced that it has received and shipped against an initial volume purchase order from Hodei Technology, an Indiana-based developer and seller of secure, enterprise collaboration solutions designed for a global, connected, and remote workforce, to support the company’s newly launched Klabra platform.
Hodei Technology will use Vuzix Smart Glasses in its Klabra platform
The partnership struck with Vuzix provides broader customer access to Hodei’s Remote Support Platform called Klabra, a proprietary secure web platform that will seamlessly integrate Vuzix M400, M4000 and Blade 2 smart glasses to offer an innovative, collaborative WebRTC solution. This platform is positioned for use by companies to more effectively provide remote customer support, coaching, troubleshooting, work oversight or training. Hodei customers will now be able to go to one place to purchase their Vuzix smart glasses and have the Klabra Remote Support App pre-loaded. Klabra is a subscription-based solution that is easy to use, easy to deploy and, with an open API architecture, easy to integrate and scale, offering OEMs, field service organizations, construction companies, and healthcare systems the flexibility and customization desired.
Klabra’s intuitive interface provides multiple participants a unique real-time first-person point of view from the smart glasses wearer. The Vuzix user simply logs into Klabra.com, scans a designated QR Code with the smart glasses and joins the session live, enabling everyone in the meeting to see everything they see while working hands-free. Session participants talk to and freely share information with the remote smart glass user.
“We see our relationship with Vuzix as another important piece in our mission to develop and deploy the best-in-class hardware with our Klabra solutions, which are tailored for the emerging “Connected Worker” Industry 5.0 environment. The team at Vuzix has been great in their partnership efforts with Hodei and we look forward to that continuing to strengthen and grow over time,” stated Guy Mascaro, CEO and President of Hodei Technology.
“We are excited to be partnering with Hodei Technology and supporting its Klabra platform, a robust enterprise solution that is ideally suited to work with Vuzix smart glasses,” said Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix. “We look forward to supporting their efforts to help their expanding list of customers improve productivity and gain competitive advantages within their respective industry verticals.”
About Vuzix Corporation
Vuzix is a leading supplier of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the consumer and enterprise markets. The Company’s products include personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality. Vuzix holds 252 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field. The Company has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2022 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in Rochester, NY, Oxford, UK, and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, visit the Vuzix website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
About Hodei Technology
Hodei Technology develops and deploys secure, enterprise collaboration solutions designed for a global, connected, and remote workforce. Incorporating assisted and augmented reality technologies since 2014, Hodei has continued to innovate its solutions to meet the connection, collaboration and creation needs of today’s connected worker. Its latest product, Klabra by Hodei Technology, is a secure, easy-to-use, always available collaboration platform featuring a choice of smart glasses and devices and the functionality required to get work done.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
Certain statements contained in this news release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking statements contained in this release relate to Vuzix Smart Glasses, our business relationship and future opportunities with Hodei Technology and its customers, and among other things the Company’s leadership in the Smart Glasses and AR display industry. They are generally identified by words such as “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “should” and similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based upon the Company’s beliefs and assumptions as of the date of this release. The Company’s actual results could differ materially due to risk factors and other items described in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Reports and MD&A filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian securities regulators (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). Subsequent events and developments may cause these forward-looking statements to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation or intention to update or revise these forward-looking statements as a result of changed events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by applicable law.
Vuzix Media and Investor Relations Contact:
Ed McGregor, Director of Investor Relations,
Vuzix Corporation
[email protected]
Tel: (585) 359-5985
Vuzix Corporation, 25 Hendrix Road, West Henrietta, NY 14586 USA,
Investor Information – [email protected] www.vuzix.com
SOURCE Vuzix Corporation
Walker County Arrest Report For Sept. 26-Oct. 2 The Chattanoogan
Walker County Arrest Report For Sept. 26-Oct. 2 – The Chattanoogan https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/walker-county-arrest-report-for-sept-26-oct-2-the-chattanoogan/
Here is the Walker County arrest report for Sept. 26-Oct. 2:
WESTBROOKS BRIAN LEE W/M 48 FELONY OFFICER FERGUSON PROBATION VIOLATION, FTA (M)
STRINGER NIKOLAS BRIAN W/M 22 FELONY OFFICER REYNOLDS WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION
DEMERRITT RICHARD THOMAS H/M 38 MISD OFFICER LEAMON THEFT OF SERVICES
JOSEPH DESHON BRENDAN B/M 26 FELONY OFFICER YOUNG BATTERY FVA, CRUELTY TO CHILDREN 1ST DEGREE, CRUELTY TO CHILDREN 3RD DEGREE
PAYNE DAMON MATTHEW W/M 36 FELONY OFFICER YOUNG CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY 2ND DEGREE
HENNINGER DUSTIN WAYNE W/M 42 FELONY OFFICER YOUNG PROBATION VIOLATION
HENDERSON DENNIS DEWAYNE W/M 41 FELONY OFFICER MCBEE CONTEMPT OF CIVIL COURT
BERRY SAMANTHA SHAWN B/F 42 FELONY OFFICER COKER POSS.
OF SCHEDULE IV, POSS. OF SCHEDULE II
LOCKHART MICHAEL EDWARD W/M 42 MISD OFFICER CAPEHART HOLD FOR OTHER AGENCY
PUTMAN KIMBERLY LATEESE B/F 52 MISD OFFICER GAYLON FTA- ROSSVILLE
BROWNING KELLY LYNN W/F 40 — OFFICER BLESCH HOLD FOR OTHER AGENCY
HILL WILLIAM ANTHONY W/M 49 MISD OFFICER CARTER VIOLATION OF TPO
TUCKER STEPHEN RICHARD W/M 42 MISD OFFICER CARTER DUI, DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED, FAILURE TO OBEY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE, FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE
HARTLINE AMANDA LEIGH W/F — — OFFICER MARTIN RETURN FROM DOCTOR APPOINTMENT
CARROLL BENNY LEE W/M 43 FELONY OFFICER FOUTS DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED, FALSE STATEMENTS
COX TIMOTHY DEWAYNE W/M 43 FELONY OFFICER FOUTS CRIMINAL TRESPASS, FALSE STATEMENTS
WALKER PATRICIA MARIE W/F 31 FELONY OFFICER FOUTS CRIMINAL TRESPASS, POSS. OF METH, POSS. OF SCHEDULE III
CARROLL MARK LEE W/M 62 MISD OFFICER HERPST CRIMINAL TRESPASS
COGGINS JOHNNY ANDREW W/M 45 FELONY OFFICER MILLER PROBATION VIOLATION
CARLTON JOHNA RAHE W/F 33 FELONY OFFICER WILSON POSS. OF SCHEDULE II, CROSSING THE GUARD LINE WITH DRUGS
WEAVER JAMES MYRICK W/M 40 FELONY OFFICER BARKLEY TERRORISTIC THREATS, WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION, CRIMINAL TRESPASS-DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, PROBATION VIOLATION
DENTON BRITTANY NICOLE W/F 33 FELONY OFFICER THOMASON POSS. OF METH, DUI, NO INSURANCE, FAILURE TO OBEY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE
MCCARTY CASSIDY LEE W/F 28 FELONY OFFICER BROWN PROBATION VIOLATION
HUEY DARLEN HUNDLEY W/F 57 MISD OFFICER THOMASON DUI, FTML
MORROW JASON NMN W/M 40 FELONY OFFICER RUSS SUSPENDED LICENSE, POSS SCH III
LADUKE CORA JOAN W/F 25 MISD OFFICER CARTER PERMITTING DUI DRIVER TO OPERATE VEHICHLE
HAMMOND PATRICIA MIRANDA W/F 28 MISD OFFICER CARTER DUI, FTML
SAVENTINI ARENEOUS LEVITICUS W/M 62 OFFICER DOOLEY BACK FROM TRANSPORT
SHELTON JABOC LEE W/M 30 FELONY OFFICER CAMP PAROLE VIOLATION
WHITE TERESA GOODRIDGE W/F 54 MISD OFFICER PHILLIPS THEFTY BY SHOPLIFTING WARRANT
BALLARD RYAN CHASE W/M 25 MISD OFFICER SIMPSON FTA
CARTER TABITHA DENISE W/F 48 MISD SELF BATTERY – WARRANT
BRADDEN DOMINIC CHAY B/M 22 MISD OFFICER MITCHELL SUSPENDED LICENSE, SPEEDING
ALLEN MISTY NICOLE W/F 44 MISD SELF THEFT BY DECEPTION
ROARK CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL W/M 39 MISD OFFICER SURRELL SUSPENEDED LICENSE, NO TAG
NORVILLE JOSHUA DEWAYNE W/M 43 FELONY OFFICER MILLER PROBATION VIOLATION
DENNIS BRAD DESHUN BM 42 FELONY OFFICER YOUNG FORGERY 3RD X6
KINSEY BRENNAN LEE W/M 21 MISD OFFICER WORLEY POINTING A GUN AT ANOTHER PERSON
STULTS MATTHEW COLE W/M 38 FELONY OFFICER FOUTS AGG. ASSAULT- FVA, POSS. OF FIREARM BY CONVICTED FELON, FALSE STATEMENTS
THOMAS LISA RAE W/F 38 MISD OFFICER YOUNG ENDANGERING SECURITY INTEREST
SULLIVAN SHANNON ELIZABETH W/F 45 FELONY OFFICER WILLETT PROBATION VIOLATION
MCCONNELL QUINCY DEON B/M 26 FELONY OFFICER BARKLEY PROBATION VIOLATION
VEAL ANTHONY DEWAYNE W/M 26 MISD OFFICER DURHAM STALKING, SIMPLE ASSAULT-FVA, CRIMINAL TRESPASS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
LAWRENCE JACOB ANDREW W/M 42 MISD OFFICER CARTER DUI, POSS. OF DANGEROUS DRUGS, PILLS TO BE KEPT IN ORIGINAL CONTAINER, FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE, NO INSURANCE, NO LICENSE PLATE
PETREE NICOLE DELYNN W/F 34 MISD OFFICER SARRELL DUI, SPEEDING
BROWN DASHA MARIE W/F 23 MISD OFFICER THOMASON DUI, FAILURE TO OBEY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE, NO TAILLIGHTS
VASQUEZ JORGE VERDERGE H/M 23 MISD OFFICER AGREDANO DUI, DRIVING WITHOUT A VALID LICENSE
COFFMAN JOSEPH LEE W/M 30 MISD SELF WEEKENDER
JORDAN TONY LAMAR W/M 64 MISD OFFICER BLESCH BATTERY-FVA
STAPLES DEXTER LEBRON B/M 51 MISD OFFICER SARRELL DRVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED
SMITH JONATHAN LEE W/M 36 MISD OFFICER RUSS DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED, SUSPENDED REGISTRATION
QUARLES TERRI KESHA W/F 27 FELONY OFFICER CARTER DUI-DRUGS, FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE, POSS. OF SCHEDULE I
JARRELL DANIEL LEE W/M 43 FELONY OFFICER SPROUSE AGG ASSAULT (FVA)
ANGUIANO ASCENCION GONZALEZ H/M 32 MISD OFFICER THOMOSON DUI, FAILURE TO MAINTANE LANE, WRONG SIDE OF ROAD
COX LEATRI POINTER B/F 50 MISD OFFICER GAYLON DRIVING ON SUSPENDED, SPEEDING, FAILURE TO APPEAR
MORGAN HAILEY NICOLE- LEE W/F 20 MISD OFFICER DURHAM FTA
NCL Removes All COVID-19 Vaccination & Testing Requirements – Travel Market Report https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/ncl-removes-all-covid-19-vaccination-testing-requirements-travel-market-report/
Effective October 4, Norwegian Cruise Line will no longer have any COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements, except where mandated by a destination visited (such as in Bermuda and Greece). For the majority of cruises, however, guests will not need to be vaccinated or undergo testing, regardless of vaccination status.
“Health and safety are always our first priority; in fact, we were the health and safety leaders from the very start of the pandemic,” said Harry Sommer, NCL president and CEO. “Many travelers have been patiently waiting to take their long-awaited vacation at sea and we cannot wait to celebrate their return.”
Exceptions
Bermuda
All guests on NCL cruises to Bermuda will need to complee a Bermuda Travel Authorization within 30 days of sailing and provide proof of either a COVID-19 NAAT test (PCR, LAMP or TMA) taken up to four days (two days for unvaccinated passengers) before embarkation or proof of a supervised antigen test taken up to two days before embarkation.
Central Islip Office Complex Trades For $21.5M Long Island Business News
Central Islip Office Complex Trades For $21.5M – Long Island Business News https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/central-islip-office-complex-trades-for-21-5m-long-island-business-news/
Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications!
320 Carleton Ave. Central Islip
By: David Winzelberg October 3, 2022
An office property in Central Islip has sold for $21.5 million.
Lawrence-based Bosfa Properties purchased the 168,000-square-foot Courthouse Corporate Center on 11.05 acres at 320 Carleton Ave.
The nine-story office building was constructed in 2003. The property is 90 percent occupied.
Bosfa Properties, founded by the father and son team of Daniel and Aron Goldstein, focuses on acquisition of investment properties and development opportunities. The company plans major upgrades to the Central Islip property.
Peter Wolf of Select Real Equity Advisors represented the buyer, while Jack Bick of S. Charatan Realty represented the seller, The Benjamin Companies, in the sales transaction.
“The buyers are extremely excited to close on this transaction and they see this as an ideal value-add opportunity,” said Wolf.
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Sugar Free Jude By Merck Foundation Storybook Launched By African First Ladies In Three Languages To Raise Awareness On Diabetes Business Wire India
Sugar Free Jude By Merck Foundation Storybook Launched By African First Ladies In Three Languages To Raise Awareness On Diabetes – Business Wire India https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/sugar-free-jude-by-merck-foundation-storybook-launched-by-african-first-ladies-in-three-languages-to-raise-awareness-on-diabetes-business-wire-india/
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in partnership with African First Ladies launched a new children’s storybook – ‘Sugar Free Jude’ to promote healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection, prevention, and management of Diabetes for children and youth across Africa in English, French and Portuguese.
Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation expressed, “I am very happy to bring to you Merck Foundation’s new children storybook– ‘Sugar Free Jude’ in partnership with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies which is currently available on our social media and websites and will be distributed soon in our partner countries. Through our new children storybook, we want to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection, prevention, and management of Diabetes, from a young age, to remind all of you that together we can fight diabetes every day and that health is our only wealth. ‘Sugar Free Jude’ is a story of a young school-going boy, Jude, whose daily life is affected when he is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Jude was able to manage his health condition with help from his family, friends and teachers at school and he became the advocate to fight diabetes in his school and community”.
Read ‘Sugar Free Jude’ storybook here:
https://merck-foundation.com/merckfoundation/public/uploads/digital_library/1656412954_b2be045662b6b261026a.pdf
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 70% of the African population living with Diabetes is unaware of their condition and about 45 million adult population have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) which places them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“Jude symbolizes the many young men and women in Africa who suffer from Diabetes but are unaware of their condition. Early signs and symptoms of Diabetes such as frequent urination, increased thirst, feeling tired and hungry, vision problems, slow wound healing, and yeast infections must not be ignored. In case one experiences any of these symptoms, one must consult a doctor and get tested. Diabetes management is a lifestyle change, those living with this condition have to eat healthy, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and limit alcohol, sugar and salt intake,” explained Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej.
Merck Foundation has also released three Songs in three languages named ‘NO more Diabetes, Sugar Free’ in English, ‘Dites non au Diabète’ in French and ‘Chega de Diabete’ in Portuguese. And recently has released the remix of the three languages.
Listen to the remix diabetes song here: https://youtu.be/1Witk3k9ykE
These songs have been sung by Cwezi from Ghana for English Version, Laura Beg from Mauritius for the French Version, and Blaze from Mozambique for the Portuguese Version. The songs talk about promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness on the early detection and prevention of Diabetes.
Click here to listen to ‘NO More Diabetes, Sugar Free’ English Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC6VpDVoE-k
Click here to listen to ‘Dites non au Diabète’ French Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXvL88X62DQ
Click here to listen to ‘Chega de Diabete’ Portuguese Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMJO4JHTPZM
Moreover, through “Merck Foundation Diabetes Blue Points Program” in partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, and Medical Societies, Merck Foundation has provided more than 720 scholarships for doctors from 45 Countries, of one-year Post-Graduate Diploma and two-year Master degree in both Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, and 3 months Diabetes Mastercourse.
Merck Foundation together with African First Ladies, has also introduced Awards for Media, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, Musicians/ Singers, and new potential talents in these fields from African countries to Promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Details of the awards:
1. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here to view more details.
2. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here to view more details.
3. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here to view more details.
4. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2022 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.
Submission deadline: 30th October 2022. Click here to view more details.
Entries for all the awards are to be submitted via email to:
[email protected]
Merck Foundation in partnership with African First Ladies has also released 7 inspiring children’s storybooks in three languages and over 30 songs on breaking infertility stigma, supporting girls’ education, and women empowerment, in English, French and Portuguese language. To listen to the Merck Foundation songs and read the Merck Foundation storybooks, please visit: https://merck-foundation.com/our-programs/Merck-Foundation-More-Than-a-Mother/Local-Songs-and-Children-Stories
What I Heard (Read) This Weekend.Oct 3 2022 Press Pros Magazine
What I Heard (Read) This Weekend….Oct 3, 2022 – Press Pros Magazine https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/what-i-heard-read-this-weekend-oct-3-2022-press-pros-magazine/
Halfway through the high school football season, there’s a reality to what we’re watching that few admit to publicly. That the empty seats we wrote about recently have nothing to do with the football, itself. Rather, it’s the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
I realize that there are many who believe like my grandmother, who always said, “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all.”
She was talking about people, of course…that if you can’t say something nice about someone keep your thoughts to yourself. But it’s not always people, and I dare say that there’s many who believe…if there’s anything you don’t like you just suffer in silence! We learn from birth, for instance, that you don’t talk about religion and politics.
But there’s another realization that does beg discussion as to why so many kids are choosing not to participate in sports this fall – why schools are leaking athletes, and the culture of thinking that promotes it. I wrote about it in our recent September 19 column on empty seats under the Friday night lights. Readers responded, some of which we shared in last week’s ‘Reader Speaks’ post.
And this past weekend – this past week – there was more response from readers who were more than a bit concerned about how, and if, we get the numbers back – kids playing sports, and people in the seats to watch them.
A reality! A lot of them question the current culture – inflation, the economy, and a general change in social priorities. Some ask…are we even giving kids a chance to just be kids?
“I’m sad about things that I didn’t used to feel,” said one writer, from here in Miami County. “I played sports to have fun. It was encouraging. But it’s not encouraging now when you see barely enough kids to have a team.”
Some point to the topics we hear daily on the evening news. The cost of things, and fear about whether it’s safe to even leave the house, even in the smallest communities.
“It’s hard to trust. You don’t know if you’re safe, even out in the country,” wrote a reader from Gallia County.
The economy, gas prices, and the feeling that things are generally upside down are making people speak up…who have NEVER before spoken!
“Kids got a job during Covid and got out of the habit of playing sports,” from an email following that September 19 column on empty seats. “They want money.”
It’s true. Some now choose to work because they have a car and a phone, and the household budget can no longer support that. Parents say…get a job. So kids are working because there’s plenty of jobs, particularly in some smaller, rural districts. They make money instead of playing football – different priorities. Not every community, of course. But enough that you notice.
Barcodes needed on phones to get into the games make it inconvenient for many senior citizens.
That person wrote. “Cash spends. Standing on the sidelines and waiting for a chance to play doesn’t put gas in the car.”
Traditional priorities are on trial, with uncertainty over what comes next. While some preach renewable energy…most favor renewing strong communities and traditional values; of how do we get back to a predictable standard of living and a predictable future?
“I can’t raise a family and run my house the way we’re headed,” a neighbor shared recently. “Progress doesn’t make sense when you can’t make progress at home.”
Other issues would make you sad, as that writer suggested – forgiveness for college loans that means sharing the cost of paying back money you didn’t borrow; progress that doesn’t make sense when it stands in the way of progress at home.
All of this casts a shadow on things taken for granted – traditions, even sports and the people who used to watch.
“I don’t go to games because I can’t buy a ticket at the ticket booth,” wrote another to last week’s ‘Reader Speaks’ post. “If you’re a senior citizen it’s not that simple to go to a football game – not that easy to buy a ticket with your phone.”
But it is to a teenager, who’s choosing whatever means necessary to pay for that phone. Culture has won them over…which only adds to the fear, and uncertainty for the future.
Grandma wouldn’t like it. People with little good to say.
And they’re more willing to say it…than they’ve ever been before!
Nobody Knows What The Metaverse Is And We Wont Live In It Argues Apple Boss Tim Cook Daily Star
Nobody Knows What The Metaverse Is And We Won’t Live In It, Argues Apple Boss Tim Cook – Daily Star https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/nobody-knows-what-the-metaverse-is-and-we-wont-live-in-it-argues-apple-boss-tim-cook-daily-star/
After spending an estimated £8.9billion ($10bn) on the metaverse last year, you’d think Mark Zuckerberg‘s big idea for the future of the Internet would have caught on by now.
However, Zuckerberg’s pitch for an immersive virtual reality Internet hasn’t quite captured the attention of his wealthy Silicon Valley colleagues, not least Apple.
Apple‘s CEO Tim Cook has poured cold water all over the metaverse, claiming that it is badly defined and that people are unlikely to spend most of their time in.
READ NEXT: ‘Hardcore’ Steve Jobs fan travels 3000 miles to buy an iPhone
In an interview this month, Cook said: “I always think it’s important that people understand what something is. And I’m really not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook argued people wouldn’t want to spend all their time in VR (Stock image) (Image: Getty Images)
Cook told Dutch magazine Bright that people won’t want to spend their whole lives in virtual reality, in stark contrast to Zuckerberg’s claims that users will one day spend the majority of their time in the metaverse.
Cook said: “[VR is] something you can really immerse yourself in. And that can be used in a good way. But I don’t think you want to live your whole life that way. VR is for set periods, but not a way to communicate well.”
Mark Zuckerberg thinks his company is facing a ‘deep’ competition with Apple over the metaverse (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Cook’s comments come in stark contrast to what Zuckerberg himself believes. The Meta CEO reportedly told his staff earlier this year that the firm is in a ‘very deep, philosophical competition’ with Apple over building the metaverse.
It has been rumoured for some time that Apple is investing in its own augmented reality headsets for release in 2023, and Cook has advocated for the technology for some time.
However, unlike Meta, it seems that Apple and other tech giants are unwilling to bet the farm on something that still doesn’t have a clear definition.
READ MORE:
CIA invests in woolly mammoth resurrection
‘Metaverse’ children to replace real kids by 2050 and ‘help with overpopulation’
AI image of what Princess Diana would look like today sparks outrage
Invisibility cloak tech could ‘become reality’ thanks to new camouflage jacket
Beijing bus drivers to have their emotions ‘tracked’ by government
16 Kitchen Products You Need For Cooking Holiday Dinner Bustle
16 Kitchen Products You Need For Cooking Holiday Dinner – Bustle https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/16-kitchen-products-you-need-for-cooking-holiday-dinner-bustle/
Cooking a multi-course meal for the holidays in a tiny kitchen might seem like a feat that requires absurd amounts of precision and finesse. But it is possible with some clever use of your space — and a plan for cooking your dishes in the right order so you’re not rushing at the last minute to serve your guests.
“Holiday cooking can be a bit hectic, but if you have a list of the dishes you are preparing you can organize a well-executed holiday meal,” says Patti Delgado, executive chef at Vibrant, a restaurant in Houston, Texas.
The good news is that you don’t have to leave all the cooking for the day of your occasion and can use some time leading up to your event to get things started. Read as: procrastination has no place here.
“I always leave the main dishes (or protein dish) and also fresh items such as salads or pickled herbs for the day of the event,” Delgado says. “But I give myself a head start with sauces, vinaigrettes, and casseroles because they tend to develop deeper flavor [over time].” For these, she says you can make them three days in advance.
For side dishes like compotes or pickled veggies, Delgado says you can make them five days in advance — just be sure to keep them fresh in an airtight container.
On the day of the event, Delgado advises you cook the proteins first before any other dishes so that they have some time to rest before you carve them up and serve.
Now that you’ve got a kitchen plan, here’s a list of space-saving gadgets that will make your small kitchen seem more spacious.
A cute canister for spoons, spatulas, and whisks might seem tidy but it takes up valuable counter space that you’ll need when preparing a holiday meal. Attach a pair of these rotating hooks to the underside of your cabinets to reclaim space and keep instruments at the ready.
Top Review: “I like it, they keep the utensils up out of the way. Great for keeping clutter down.”
If you’re running out of counter space and need to put a hot pan or a platter out to rest, try this silicone mat as a heat-resistant trivet. When you’re not cooking up a storm for the holidays, you can also use it as a regular dish-drying mat.
Top Review: “I bought this to protect the edge of my black granite at the sink. But it has so many uses. It is a drain for dishes, a hot plate, and a workspace. Silicone is a wonderful product.”
Whether you’re baking up multiple pies or batches of cookies or simply need another place to store a hot dish until it gets to the table, this three-tier cooling rack does the job. Set it up on a table or countertop and you can stack three dishes or pans without taking up a ton of space — you can also use just one rack if that’s all you need.
Top Review: “I love that they are stackable and if you only need one then you don’t have to have all three out. Ideal for cooling cookies and cakes.”
Your stove is the workhorse of the kitchen. Put it to good use even when the burners are off with this bamboo stovetop cover. Simply place the board over cool burners — it works on gas and electric stoves — to convert your appliance into more prep space.
Top Review: “This adds a nice amount of counter space for our apartment’s smaller kitchen.“
Cutting boards are a key tool for any at-home chef. If you’re working on multiple courses, you’ll likely have several boards going at once. This over-the-sink cutting board lengthens your counter space while also giving you easy access to washing vegetables and dumping peels into the sink or disposal for quick cleanup.
Top Review: “Chunky, well made and durable…yes it’s [a] chopping board but this is a good one compared to others I have owned.”
Even with various digital devices with timers, an old-school kitchen timer makes it easy to keep you and your food on a schedule. This two-pack digital timer helps to keep track of multiple dishes, plus it’s magnetic — just pop it on your refrigerator and it’s go time.
Top Review: “This is a handy set of digital timers that work well in cooking.”
Annoyed by the gap between your cabinets and appliances? This slimline rollout shelf unit gives you practically a whole other cabinet’s worth of storage. Use it to store dry goods, spices, cooking oils, utensils, and more. Slide it out when you’re cooking and slide it right back in when you’re done to make the most efficient use of your kitchen space.
Top Review: “[T]his is perfect! it turned this awkward space into a usable space.”
Clear up the clutter on your counters with this multi-tiered corner bamboo shelf. You can adjust the shelves in the direction you want to quickly organize oil, bottles, spices, kitchen utensils, and more.
Top Review: “This is perfect for the corner of the counter in my tiny kitchen. I have so much more room now!”
You’ve likely seen the Always Pan pop up in your social media feed — we’ve even spotted it in a cameo in Hulu’s hit show The Bear. This multi-use cookware also deserves a spot in your kitchen. The Always Pan replaces a frying pan, sauté pan, steamer, and skillet, among others. Plus, it comes in beautiful, bright colors that you won’t mind leaving out on your stovetop when not in use — even though you will be able to fit it comfortably in your cabinets, too.
Top Review: “Love it! So far it’s my go-to pan for almost everything.”
It’s natural to want to have your go-to spices within easy reach when you need a pinch of this and a dash of that. This magnetic spice rack sticks right on your refrigerator so you won’t have to clog up the cabinets or countertop with bottles — plus there’s a hook so you can hang a spoon, cooking mitt, or another small utensil.
Top Review: “Very pleased with the strength of the magnets on these shelves. They can hold a lot of weight, no problem.”
Why have five utensils when you can have this one that works as a slotted spoon, solid spoon, spatula, turner, and slicer? You just cleared out your utensil caddy thanks to this handy kitchen gadget.
Top Review: “The best kitchen utensil I never knew I needed.”
If you’re dishing up pasta, you know that a traditional colander can take over your sink. This pot strainer does all the work of a regular colander with only a fraction of the size. It’s good for pots, pans, and bowls — just snap it on and pour out the liquid. You could even get a couple of these handy gadgets if you use them often and they still wouldn’t take up as much space as a regular colander.
Top Review: “Clips easily to all of my pots and works perfectly as it should.”
Your kitchen backsplash isn’t just for decoration anymore. Put it to use with this elegant-looking magnetized knife holder that can hold up a butcher block’s worth of knives. Your countertop will thank you for the breathing room.
Top Review: “Not only is the wood a beautiful addition to my kitchen, the magnet is powerful enough to securely hold a 10-inch, three-pound chef’s knife and four other heavy steel knives with zero wobble nor give.”
If your utensil caddy is stuffed to the point that it’s hard to reach that ladle or spatula, try this compact standing tool set. This sleek set of five nylon utensils nestles into the ladle, which is magnetized to an upright stand that takes up minimal space.
Top Review: “This ended up being perfect for my small student apartment with minimal counter space. They are durable, easy to clean, and look great.”
This over-the-sink colander makes it easy to wash vegetables and fruit and even drain cooked pasta. You can even use it to dry kitchen utensils after you’ve washed them to relieve clutter from your dish drying rack.
Top Review: “This product is great! It’s super easy and versatile.”
This silicone-coated stainless steel gadget doubles as an over-the-sink dish drying rack and a heat-resistant trivet, so you’ve got yet another place to put that hot pot of food as you’re preparing your meal. Roll it up when you’re finished and stow it in a drawer until next time.
Top Review: “This roll-up dish drying rack has become a necessity in my kitchen! I don’t have a lot of counter space so turning a portion of my sink as a drying space for large items has been wonderful.”
Source:
Patti Delgado, executive chef at Vibrant.
Indian Crypto Exchange WazirX Lays Off 40% Of Workforce Cryptonews
Indian Crypto Exchange WazirX Lays Off 40% Of Workforce – Cryptonews https://dentoncountynewsonline.com/indian-crypto-exchange-wazirx-lays-off-40-of-workforce-cryptonews/
Source: Adobe/sdx15
Major Indian crypto exchange WazirX has laid off about 40% of its employees, citing a fall in trading volumes due to the bear market and the regulatory climate in India.
Local news outlet the Economic Times reports that the figure equates to around 50 to 70 employees of the exchanges around 150 employees. WazirX said in a statement that the move will help it maintain financial stability and continue to serve its customers.
“The Indian crypto industry has had its unique problems with respect to taxes, regulations, and banking access. This has led to a dramatic fall in volumes in all Indian crypto exchanges… As India’s No 1. exchange, our priority is to be financially stable and to continue serving our customers. To achieve this, we’ve had to reduce our staff to weather the crypto winter,” the statement read.
WazirX further noted that it is not new to crypto bear markets as it lived through the 2018 cycle. At the time, it doubled down and built its innovative peer-to-peer engine. This is one reason it is confident that it will come out stronger when the market inevitably turns bullish.
The affected employees have already been contacted and will be compensated with about 45 days’ pay as well as other support, the report notes. They cut across several departments including customer support and HR where managers, analysts, and associate managers/team leaders were among the axed personnel.
WazirX facing other troubles amid the crypto bear market
Added to the global crypto market downturn and India’s tax laws which have caused turmoil for WazirX, the company is also in other controversies. The exchange’s co-Founder Nischal Shetty has been embroiled in an online battle with Binance CEO Changpeng Zhou (also CZ).
CZ took to Twitter to state that Binance is not linked to WazirX as is commonly believed as a purchase transaction was never completed. Nischal has debunked the claim, pointing to WazirX’s terms of service. He also stated that Binance owns the exchanges domain name, has root access to its AWS servers, and owns all its crypto assets and crypto profits as well.
Meanwhile, the exchange also just emerged successful from a dispute with the Enforcement Department (ED) – India’s financial crime-fighting agency – which froze its accounts for more than a month. Reuters reports that following an investigation, the ED has unfrozen assets worth up $8.16 million which it previously linked to suspicious transactions.
