Investment Guru Recommends Oryen Network Polygon Ripple And Chainlink Cryptonews
Investment Guru Recommends Oryen Network, Polygon, Ripple, And Chainlink – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/investment-guru-recommends-oryen-network-polygon-ripple-and-chainlink-cryptonews/
An investment guru who already made his fortunes with other cryptos has recently selected his best picks for the coming months. Those picks are Oryen Network, Polygon, Ripple, and Chainlink. He thinks they all have the strength to succeed and could be precisely what your portfolio needs to elevate it to a new level.
While the market might be in a bear run, experts still think there’s money to be made in crypto. And at current prices, they believe now might be the time to buy. A recommended strategy right now focuses on the long-term rather than worrying about hourly charts, and with the following cryptos, your portfolio could be primed for long-term success:
Oryen Network (ORY)
Oryen helps eliminate the barriers to entry that have been preventing many mainstream investors from putting money in crypto, thanks to the groundbreaking Oryen Autostaking Technic (OAT). With OAT, newcomers to crypto don’t need to understand or manage staking and don’t have to move their tokens elsewhere to start earning. A massive 90% APY is paid directly into your wallet from holding the token at hourly intervals. This makes Oryen the most straightforward way to earn in crypto, and it’s an investment that could therefore be due considerable gains in the future.
Polygon (MATIC)
While many other cryptos have struggled in the bear run, MATIC has remained relatively strong. Polygon made some gains off the back of news of mainstream adoption of its technology, which gave the market confidence for future growth. MATIC could still be a credible investment, so now might be the time to invest.
Ripple (XRP)
XRP was once regarded as one of the best crypto investments, but prices have struggled over the last few years because of growing regulatory issues and it being delisted on certain exchanges. While it’s harder to buy XRP right now, it could be a wise investment if it manages to put these troubles in the past and start being listed again.
Chainlink (LINK)
As one of the most popular smart contract platforms in the crypto space, LINK has long been one of the cornerstones of the altcoin world. But experts still think it has room to grow and that current prices may be considered an absolute steal when looked back on in the future.
Conclusion
Investment experts highly recommend LINK, ORY, XRP, and MATIC. And they could all fire your portfolio into success. It’s ORY which experts like the most, as it gives you strong price potential and massive passive gains along the way.
Find Out More Here:
Join Presale: https://presale.oryennetwork.io/register
Website: https://oryennetwork.io/
Telegram: https://t.me/OryenNetwork
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/jSvaXmb2cB
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oryennetwork
Action Plan Evolved To Take Benefits Of Embryo Transfer Technology To Farmers In Prakasam Of Andhra Pradesh The Hindu
Action Plan Evolved To Take Benefits Of Embryo Transfer Technology To Farmers In Prakasam Of Andhra Pradesh – The Hindu https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/action-plan-evolved-to-take-benefits-of-embryo-transfer-technology-to-farmers-in-prakasam-of-andhra-pradesh-the-hindu/
Doctors in the 50 km radius of Chadalawada farm have been entrusted with the task of roping in farmers for production of Ongole breed of cattle using the advanced technology
Doctors in the 50 km radius of Chadalawada farm have been entrusted with the task of roping in farmers for production of Ongole breed of cattle using the advanced technology
The Ongole breed of cattle, flourishing between Gundlakamma and Musi rivers in Prakasam district for centuries, now face the threat of becoming endangered in the land of origin.
To reverse this trend, the Andhra Pradesh Livestock Development Agency(APLDA) has evolved an action plan to proactively take up In Vitro fertilization(IVF)/ embryo transfer(ET) technology in and around the State-run Chadalawada farm to produce high-yielding dairy animals, according to the agency’s Chief Executive Officer M. Srinivasa Rao.
Accordingly, veterinary doctors in the 50 km radius of the farm have been entrusted with the task of roping in farmers for production of Ongole breed of cattle using the advanced technology for multiplication of superior female germplasm at a much faster rate, he said.
“The government farm at Chadalawada will act as the nodal farm with a view to build confidence among farmers to raise superior calves swiftly,” its Deputy Director B. Ravi says in a conversation with The Hindu on Sunday.
Fresh or frozen semen of High Genetic Merit(HGM) Ongole bulls will be arranged from the State-run farms in the region, including Chintaladevi in neighbouring SPSR Nellore district.
The Assembly constituencies selected for promotion of the technology are Ongole, S.N. Padu, Kondepi, Chirala and Parchur in undivided Prakasam district.
Each of the veterinary doctors in the region should facilitate production at least one heifer of high genetic value through the ET programme within their jurisdiction in an year’s time.
The technology will be used also to produce high yielding Murrah buffalo calves in the next phase, he adds.
Semi-Truck On Fire Causing Traffic Delays On I-82 Westbound NBC Right Now
Semi-Truck On Fire Causing Traffic Delays On I-82 Westbound – NBC Right Now https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/semi-truck-on-fire-causing-traffic-delays-on-i-82-westbound-nbc-right-now/
Benton County, Wash. –
Update:
As of 11:25 a.m. Washington State Patrol released a statement saying that the semi-truck will still remain on the side of the road most likely for another day or so. WSP says this crash was a head on collision between a truck and a semi-truck. WSP says that the truck is the one at fault after driving into the semi-truck. Both drivers are being life-flighted to nearby hospitals for their injuries. The truck driver was life-flighted to Kadlec in Richland and the semi-truck driver was life-flighted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. WSP says traffic delays may still be an issue until they can fully clean up the crash.
__________________________________________________________________________
As of 10:30 a.m. Sunday the left lane has reopened to westbound traffic. The westbound right lane remains closed at this time. Drivers should expect delays through the area.
__________________________________________________________________________
Traffic is being delayed on I-82 westbound after reports of a semi-truck crash. Officials were notified around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, after reports of a semi-truck on fire on the side of the road. According to Washington Department of Transportation, traffic eastbound on I-82 near the crash has been reduced to one lane and they don’t have an estimated time as to when westbound traffic will be open again. Multiple different agencies are on scene to quickly put out the fire and move traffic along. We reached out to Washington State Patrol for more information but have yet to hear back.
4 Ways I Made Friends As A Single 73-Year-Old Woman In A New Town TravelAwaits
4 Ways I Made Friends As A Single, 73-Year-Old Woman In A New Town – TravelAwaits https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/4-ways-i-made-friends-as-a-single-73-year-old-woman-in-a-new-town-travelawaits/
“You’re doing WHAT?” was the typical response following news that I was moving from Chicago to Coastal South Carolina. As I was reminded repeatedly, I would have no friends or family closer than a 10-hour drive. At 73, wasn’t I too old to pull up stakes? No, I explained. At 73, it was time to live my dream. In Chicago, my friends were three traffic jams away and my family had busy lives. The year my youngest grandchild got her driver’s license seemed the perfect time to trade in my aging granny-mobile for a more reliable car and find my dream place on the ocean.
After selling my house, packing, buying a condo, and unpacking, I lay across my bed in my new condo, exhausted and depleted. “I could never do this again,” I moaned. I looked out my sliding glass doors at waves crashing on the sand and knew that if this was it, it was an “it” that suited me.
After 30 years of living alone, I cherish my single life, but everyone needs friends. In the friendly South, I figured that making friends would be easy. It turned out to be a project that took commitment and the ability to handle rejection without pouting. Here are my suggestions for making friends in a new town.
Your local library offers more than books. See what activities they host.
Photo credit: Carol Stigger
1. Get A Library Card
In addition to borrowing books, movies, music, and museum, park, and event passes, libraries offer activities for a wide range of interests. I checked the library’s calendar of events.
Craft lessons: Not for me.
Book club: Not a fan of their selections.
Line dancing: Why not!
I made some fun acquaintances, but no solid friendships. Two years later, I found a meaningful way to fit into the library scene. I schedule writers for their monthly “Meet the Author” event. To do this, I have coffee with candidates, read their books, promote the events, and introduce the authors. It’s a great way to meet people who share my interest in books and writing.
Houses of worship are good places to meet people, but you may need to shop around.
Photo credit: Carol Stigger
2. Visit Places Of Worship
These are known to be friendly places, and you don’t have to be religious to participate in their activities. I chose the first church I visited because their sign said “The Friendly Church.” It should have said, “We will make you feel like wallpaper.”
I am sure members are friendly among themselves, but they didn’t have a handle on “hospitality.” I signed up for one of their Bible studies and met some narrow-minded people, a few absolute jerks, and a woman who asked me if my Coach handbag was a knock-off. I told her the truth: “I shop at consignment stores.” Gasps were audible.
The next church I visited is the one I joined, thanks to a woman I met at a fellowship dinner. “I live alone, too,” she said scrawling her name and phone number on a napkin. “Call me anytime you need to talk or a bowl of chicken soup. I don’t care if it is 2 a.m.”
Her friends were just as hospitable, and I quickly made several friends I can depend on. In addition, the church has a near-professional music program with frequent, free concerts in the sanctuary and on the lawn.
Pro Tip: Stay away from churches whose belief systems set your hair on fire. You don’t need those kinds of friends.
3. Hand Out Business Cards
How many pounds of paper scraps with phone numbers scrawled on them are in landfills? I wouldn’t take a stab at that one, but I envision scraps with my phone number filling a yard waste bag. Now, I hand out business cards with my name, phone number, website, and motto: “Not all who wander are lost.” The line for “job title” was a puzzle. “Retired” sounded like I had given up. “Retired Teacher” would provoke controversial conversations I did not want to have. I settled on “Journalist,” which is a good conversation starter that I can steer in a comfortable direction.
Sometimes I’m a travel journalist (people love to talk about their travels). With receptive people, I’m a microfinance reporter, which opens the door to talking about my favorite way to help families in poor countries work out of poverty. You can leave that line blank or get a little personal. “Aspiring Golf Pro,” “Kitchen Magician,” “Star Gazer,” and “Globe Trotter” are a few ideas. Consider your interests and boil your favorite down to a few words.
Pro Tips: Include a headshot on your business card. Don’t get glossy cards, because you can’t write on them.
A dog is a great ice breaker with humans and other dogs in local parks.
Photo credit: Carol Stigger
4. Consider Adopting A Rescue Dog
Doctors advise, “Walk your dog every day, even if you don’t have a dog.” I’ve always had dogs, but I downsized from my beloved labs to a 10-pound Yorkie mix rescue dog named Harley (like the motorcycle). Such a little dog deserved a big name.
I have not made one friend walking Harley up and down the beach, through parks, around lakes, and shopping centers. But, I’ve gathered hundreds of smiles and engaged in many casual conversations thanks to Harley. A cute, little dog is hard to resist. As I live in a vacation area, most people I encounter are happy, and their cheer is contagious. When I set out for a walk with Harley, sometimes I’m in low spirits. Thanks to exercise and cheerful greetings, I usually come home with a spring in my step and a smile on my face.
If having a dog is incompatible with your living space or lifestyle, many animal shelters welcome volunteer dog walkers. You get all the benefits of walking a dog with none of the responsibilities.
Harley uses his porch potty after dark when I’m asleep.
Photo credit: Carol Stigger
Pro Tip: I live in a condo with no elevator, so yard access requires navigating 30 stairs. Midnight doggie nature calls are hazardous for elderly people using stairs while half asleep, but I found a solution. A Porch Potty is perfect for a small dog, but I would not recommend it for a large dog. Harley’s porch potty has artificial grass and a plastic fireplug.
A year after my move, I had an interesting group of friends: a retired traveling nurse who scuba dived around the world; a cloistered nun who walked out of the convent after 10 years and married a Jewish man; a horse whisperer; a successful, imaginative entrepreneur; and several writers, to name a few.
Before I had friends, the sticker shock in travel was not the plane fare, it was airport parking and dog boarding. A friend and I dog-sit for each other and time our trips accordingly. Because I need some sort of schedule, I joined a weekly brunch group on Tuesdays and Rummikube (gin rummy with tiles not cards) players on Saturday. My writers’ group meets weekly. Now, my calendar never has a bleak, blank look but allows enough time for that leisurely pace I dreamed of before I retired.
Each person has their own social needs and finding that personal balance takes time and effort. It’s an enjoyable project and the rewards are satisfying.
%
BBB: Pick The Right Insurance Policy For Your New Small Business Insurance News Net
BBB: Pick The Right Insurance Policy For Your New Small Business – Insurance News Net https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/bbb-pick-the-right-insurance-policy-for-your-new-small-business-insurance-news-net/
Business insurance protects your small business, both financially and legally. However, if you are just starting out, navigating insurance policies can be tricky. Some kinds of insurance are required by law, others by your clients, and other types are optional.
How do you know what policies you need for your business? BBB offers the following tips to help you make a good decision.
HOW TO CHOOSE SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE
Check your requirements. Before you start considering plans, find out what kind of insurance you are legally required to have. If you have employees, federal government requires your company to carry unemployment, disability, and workers’ compensation insurance. Also, check your regional government website to ensure you meet state or province-level requirements.Assess your business risks. Think about what risks your business may run. Do you work in an area where natural disasters or accidents could affect your business? Are you at risk of lawsuits? Do you have a physical office that could be damaged? Do you sell physical products that could be lost, broken, or stolen? These factors will help you determine what kind of insurance you need.Know types of insurance and what they cover. These types of business insurance are the most common. However, depending on your type of business, you may need more specialized policies. For example, if your company manufactures something, product liability insurance will protect you in case a defective product injures someone. Here are different types of insurance:
General liability insurance: This insurance policy protects your business against financial loss in many situations, such as a customer injury at your business, property damage to your business, or defending your business against a lawsuit.
Errors and omissions insurance. This policy, also called professional liability insurance, protects you in case of business error. This type of insurance is common in service-based businesses, such as consulting.
Business interruption insurance. This insurance covers expenses and lost income that occurs during a covered incident. For example, this would cover a shop that had to close due to flooding.
Workers comp insurance. Required by law for businesses with employees, this policy covers medical costs or lost wages if an employee gets injured at work.
Get help from a licensed insurance agent. If you can’t decide how much coverage you need or what kind of policy to purchase, a licensed insurance agent can help. However, keep in mind that agents receive a commission when they sell a policy. Ask for recommendations and check online reviews to make sure you find a reputable agent that will do what’s best for your business.Consider bundling insurance into one policy. A business owner policy (BOP) combines several types of business insurance into one bundle. This bundling is a good way to simplify your insurance purchase and get a better price.Compare prices and companies. Benefits and costs, as well as customer service, will inevitably vary from company to company. Get several offers and compare the rates, terms, and benefits before you choose.Reassess your needs on a regular basis. As your business grows and changes, your insurance needs can shift. Every year, reassess your business to ensure your insurance policy still protects you. If need be, discuss any business changes with your insurance agent to see how they might affect your coverage.
MORE NEW BUSINESS INFORMATION
Want more tips to help you grow and protect your new small business? Check out the BBB business news feed at www.bbb.org/us/news/business and BizHQ at www.bbb.org/all/your-business-hq.
Read more about BBB Accreditation Standards at www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards and BBB Standards for Trust at www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust. Find out how to get BBB Accredited at www.bbb.org/get-accredited when your business is six months old.
Yuma-based is community development director of the serving the Pacific Southwest. Contact him at [email protected] or 928-919-7940.
Uncollected Solid Waste Posing Health Hazards To Multanites Pakistan Today
Uncollected Solid Waste Posing Health Hazards To Multanites – Pakistan Today https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/uncollected-solid-waste-posing-health-hazards-to-multanites-pakistan-today/
MULTAN: Solid waste management is getting tougher in the fifth largest metropolitan of the country adding to environmental pollution and endangering hundreds of thousands dweller to serious health hazards.
With an urban population of just over 2.1 million, the city daily generates around 1300 tone solid, industrial and hospital waste of which the local authorities have the capacity to only collect only 700 tone waste.
The only landfill site used by Multan Waste Management Company (MWMC) since 2013 is now filled up to the brim, leaving MWMC staff with no option to identify another place to dump the waste.
The concerned authorities have described the shortage of staff and resource constraint behind uncollected waste as the situation is getting tougher with every passing day due to population influx as well as proper mechanism of waste segregation and treatment.
“We have the capacity to collect only 700 tone waste daily against a daily bulge of 1300 tone,” said Manager Operations MWMC Anwar-ul-Haq. “The company is covering 68 urban Union Councils housing over two million people with only 2200 staff including 1500 sanitary workers.”
“Expecting 100 percent results with such staff strength was unjust,” the Manager Operations said, revealing that no recruitment of workforce or acquisition of new machinery was made since 2013.
‘The Hospital Management Rules’ were introduced in 2005 necessitating yellow-bagged waste to be disposed by burning and then dump it at a landfill site or dispose it of through any other method approved by the concerned Federal or Provincial agencies.
In 2012, the Punjab government had established Waste Management Companies in big cities for swift cleanliness arrangements in the major cities but the objective is yet to be fully achieved in case of Multan due to certain factors despite MWMC fully operational since 2014.
Keeping in view the urgency, the Manager Operation said that the company Board of Directors (BoD) recently approved recruitment of 500 workers and procurement of over 100 vehicles at a cost of Rs 170 million in first phase. “These measures would help evolve a swift sanitation system to ensure proper waste disposal.”
Although, the officials are busy locating an alternate place to use landfill site, yet there are other issues like hazards of dumping waste in open, proper segregation of house, industrial and hospital waste and having different landfill sites for it.
Lack of professional human resource to collect and properly dump or treat solid waste is yet another reason contributing to environmental degradation and hazards to human health.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) MWMC Muhammad Farooq Dogar said that international standards require a sanitary worker deployed for every 1000 persons for proper sanitation and waste management. “This is missing in our case. To fill the gap of company’s limitations, special campaigns are launched periodically targeting specific areas to cover maximum, if not 100 per cent.”
Moreover, he said, there was no practice of solid waste segregation to manage different kinds of waste properly. “Waste segregation would ensure proper management and disposal in accordance with the nature of waste.”
Officials are busy these days, in searching a new landfill site and locations including 17-Kassi, Labar Morr and Head Muhammad Wala are in focus. A plan is also under consideration to develop a park at Habiba Siyal landfill site to avoid environmental pollution.
Talking of equipment, Farooq Dogar said the waste collection containers have completed their life span running for nine years instead of three years specific period.
He pleaded to raise the workforce number to 3500 besides procurement of more machinery to cover maximum area of the urban population.
He also proposed to enhance the number of present 12 transfer stations to 20 where primary waste is gathered for onward transportation to dumping site.
“It is our utmost endeavor to collect maximum waste generated daily,” he said. “Our mission is to provide healthy living conditions and better environment to Multanites.”
Assistant Director Environment Hameed Akhtar said, environment should be made part of curriculum to raise awareness on the issue right from primary level.
He said, since there is no mechanism in vogue in the city to segregate waste, there is always risk of diseases outbreak due to dumping infectious and hazardous industrial and hospital waste in open.
Meanwhile, the residents have called upon the civic agencies to ensure proper collection and disposal of waste also urging residents to cooperate with Waste Management Company.
“It is our collective responsibility to keep our city clean. The people should cooperate with sanitary workers and throw the waste only into the containers or places designated by the company,” said a citizen Shafiq Bhatti.
Another citizen Tanvir Shakir suggested community participation in the whole exercise. “The waste management company should divide city into wards and engage local notables to educate people in their respective area in cleanliness.” He said that citizens should also hand over the waste to sanitary workers instead of throwing it on roads or streets.
Yankees Vs. Guardians: Five Things New York Must Do To Come Back And Win ALDS CBS Sports
Yankees Vs. Guardians: Five Things New York Must Do To Come Back And Win ALDS – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/yankees-vs-guardians-five-things-new-york-must-do-to-come-back-and-win-alds-cbs-sports/
The New York Yankees are one loss away from going home for the winter. Saturday night the Yankees blew a 5-3 ninth inning lead in a 6-5 walk-off loss to the Cleveland Guardians in Game 3 of the ALDS. Cleveland leads the best-of-five series 2-1. One more win and the Guardians will take on the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
“Move on,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said when asked how you deal with a loss like Game 3. “It stings right now and it’s raw. You know, you’re frustrated because you’re so close to the end there, but we got to turn the page … We got Gerrit [Cole] going [Sunday]. We expect to come out here and win.”
The Yankees are certainly capable of coming back from the 2-1 deficit — six years ago they erased a 2-0 ALDS deficit against Cleveland — though it won’t be easy, and they’ll need a few things to fall into place for it to become a reality. Here are five things that must happen for the Yankees to mount an ALDS comeback.
1. Get a dominant start from Cole
This almost goes without saying. Gerrit Cole will start Game 4, and thanks to the unusual ALDS schedule, he will be on normal rest following his Game 1 outing last Tuesday. Cole was very good in Game 1 and a repeat performance will be necessary in Game 4. The Yankees need Cole to keep the Guardians in check and also chew up innings because the bullpen is both taxed and shorthanded due to injury. At least Clay Holmes will be available in Game 4.
2. Judge builds on Game 3
Aaron Judge looked about as bad as a hitter can look in Games 1 and 2. He went 0 for 8 with a walk and seven strikeouts in the two games, then in Game 3 he hit a towering 449-foot two-run homer to center field that tied the contest at two in the third inning.
Judge hit another ball to the warning track later in the game. Needless to say, the Yankees need Judge to continue walloping the baseball and carrying his team like he did during his MVP-caliber regular season. There were times during the summer when New York’s lineup was so decimated by injuries that Judge was a one-many army dragging his team to wins. They need that guy again.
Also, the Yankees badly need Giancarlo Stanton (1 for 9 in the ALDS), Gleyber Torres (2 for 12), and a few others to wake up at the plate. Rookie Oswaldo Cabrera went went 0 for 8 with five strikeouts in Games 1 and 2 before breaking out with a double and a two-run homer in Game 3. The supporting cast definitely needs to step up as well.
3. Someone else picks up big outs in relief
The Yankees have used righty Jonathan Loáisiga and lefty Wandy Peralta in all three games this series, including Peralta for an extended seven-batter outing in Game 3. I can’t imagine they won’t be available with the season on the line in Game 4, though both will be pitching for the third straight day, which could compromise them. They may not be at their optimum level of effectiveness should either need to take the hill.
In that case, the Yankees need someone else — preferably someones else — to come out of the bullpen and get important outs at some point. The offense can help by giving the pitching staff breathing room, but you can’t expect an avalanche of runs in the postseason. Here is New York’s ALDS bullpen:
Closer: RHP Clay Holmes
Setup: RHP Jonathan Loáisiga and LHP Wandy Peralta
Middle: RHP Miguel Castro, LHP Lucas Luetge, RHP Clarke Schmidt, RHP Lou Trivino
Long: RHP Domingo Germán and RHP Jameson Taillon
Castro, Germán, and Luetge have not yet pitching in the series — Castro and Luetge haven’t even warmed up — and Taillon only faced three batters in Game 2. The career starter entered into the tenth inning of a tie game, so he was in the Circle of Trust, though he allowed two runs that inning and the Yankees may not want to throw him back into the fire if they can help it.
Point is, Loáisiga and Peralta can’t do all the heavy lifting out of the bullpen the rest of the series. Whether Boone likes it or not, he’s going to have to ask someone else to get big outs at some point. Maybe it’s Taillon, maybe it’s Castro, maybe it’s someone else entirely. It has to happen though. The Yankees have at least 18 innings to cover if they plan on winning this series.
4. Clean up the defense
The Yankees led all teams with 129 defensive runs saved during the regular season — the Dodgers were second with 84 — and their .720 defensive efficiency was second-best behind the Dodgers’ .729. I’m not sure I trust those exact numbers, but I buy the Yankees being one of the best defensive teams in baseball during the regular season. They revamped their roster with that goal in mind.
That top notch defense has not been evident in the ALDS thus far. Josh Donaldson made a costly throwing error on José Ramírez‘s bloop double in the decisive tenth inning in Game 2, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa botched two players at short in Game 3. Both plays led directly to runs and forced the pitchers to throw more pitches. Extra outs are always bad news, but they’re especially costly in the playoffs.
Cleveland puts the ball in play so much that playing sound defense is imperative. They’re going to test you and, if you don’t make the play, they’re going to take the extra base and force the issue. The Yankees have to clean up the defensive mistakes and stop giving the Guardians so many extra outs and extra bases.
5. Get lucky
It’s better to be lucky than good, but it’s best to be lucky and good. A little luck — a favorable call, a fortunate bounce, etc. — wouldn’t hurt the Yankees at this point. They could use a break (or two or three) to turn the tide and begin to shift the series back in their favor. There’s no shame in getting a little help along the way.
Toward An Inclusive Metaverse: Meta Supports Research Project MIXED Reality News
Toward An Inclusive Metaverse: Meta Supports Research Project – MIXED Reality News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/toward-an-inclusive-metaverse-meta-supports-research-project-mixed-reality-news/
Image: RODNAE Productions (Pexels)
The metaverse should also work for people with disabilities. Meta supports a research project that aims to advance the inclusive metaverse.
The “Social Virtual Reality” project is concerned with increasing accessibility in VR for people with disabilities, senior citizens, or those impaired by illness. In particular, the group looks at social VR apps such as VRChat, Rec Room, or Horizon Worlds.
Social VR can improve quality of life
“The buzzing world of SVR has the potential to open up a wide array of opportunities for disabled and older people to engage with life and improve its quality,” explains project leader Dr. Vanja Garaj.
The Brunel Design School research director sees great potential in social VR apps. In addition to simple entertainment, for example, social VR combats loneliness. Improving employment prospects for people with disabilities through VR training or VR online education is also possible, she says.
A framework for an inclusive metaverse
The research team aims to develop a “Social Virtual Reality Inclusion Framework” within the next three years. This will include tools and guidance on how to make the metaverse more accessible for elders, people with vision or hearing loss, dexterity or mobility issues, mental illness, cognitive impairments, or learning disabilities.
One such approach is already offered by the VR app WalkinVR, which makes current VR hits such as Beat Saber or Job Simulator accessible to people with physical disabilities. The VR fitness app FitXR also focuses on inclusion, offering workouts for people with mobility impairments, for example.
Kündigung jederzeit online möglich
ab 2,80 € / Monat
Meta supports research for more inclusion in the metaverse
Other organizations involved in the project include Cambridge University and tech giant Meta. According to Dr. Garaj, Meta played a decisive role in the realization of the project.
Meta’s support helped justify the project at the proposal stage, he said. It is unclear what the group’s involvement was in concrete terms. However, it is likely to be mainly advisory and offering technical support, as the project is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to the tune of just under $1.1 million.
“We see Social VR as a significant step towards the ‘full-blown’ metaverse and Meta is leading the efforts to establish this new global network,” Garaj said.
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED (UX9702): Fascinating Foldable Laptop Of The Future Tech Edt
ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED (UX9702): Fascinating Foldable Laptop Of The Future – Tech Edt https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/asus-zenbook-17-fold-oled-ux9702-fascinating-foldable-laptop-of-the-future-tech-edt/
ASUS’ innovative Zenbook 17 Fold is here to prove that folding gadgets are the way of the future. ASUS has built the device of choice for gadget enthusiasts by allowing the converting of a powerful 17″ tablet into a 12″ compact laptop that is smaller than a sheet of photocopier paper. It’s almost similar to a supersized Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 running on Windows 11, which is quite intriguing.
Its folding design should inform you that this isn’t your average laptop but rather the most advanced look at the evolution of the ordinary laptop.
The cool aspect is evident, but knowing what you’re getting is critical. Folding laptops are no longer a revolutionary futuristic concept, but they nevertheless draw attention in public, something you’ll have to accept if you’re traveling or commuting.
CPU: Intel® Core i7-1250U Processor 1.1 GHz
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
Display: 17.3-inch, 2560 x 1920 FOLED 4:3 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 500nits HDR peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
Storage: 1TB SSD
Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Battery life: 75WHrs (ASUS website)
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Dual band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5
Dimensions: 37.85 x 28.76 x 0.87 ~ 1.29 cm
Weight: 1.50 kg
Premium build redefined
Zenbook 17 Fold OLED redefines the idea of premium, from its exclusive color and high-tech materials to its exquisite finish. You’ll never have to settle for less in a laptop because it has everything you need. The glass panel is also embossed with an ASUS logo that looks quite Star Fleet-esque, completing the futuristic image.
The Zenbook 17 Fold opens and closes like a book, thanks to a patented hinge mechanism that runs down the center of the tablet. At first glance, it appears to be the same as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, but upon closer inspection, some differences make the laptop the more sophisticated version. The hinge is easy to open and close and is not prone to damage due to the high build quality of the frame and display.
Despite its large screen, the ZenBook 17 Fold OLED is quite portable. When unfolded, it measures only 8mm and weighs 1.50 kg. In terms of ports, there are two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. In addition, the battery has a large capacity of 75Whrs.
As a laptop with the keyboard folio positioned over the lower portion of the display screen and magnetically attached to the Fold. The integrated ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard has a good 1.4mm key travel and does a fantastic job for typing. This connects to the Fold via Bluetooth, eliminating the need to physically connect to the laptop and making it more adaptable.
However, when you go closer to the center, you’ll notice a higher amount of flex. This is less of an issue when the keyboard is placed on a table, but when used on the notebook itself, the flexing is fairly noticeable.
Finally, at the top of the display screen, a 5MPx digicam is flanked by microphones. The visual quality is noticeably greater than on standard computers, and the microphones are adequate for your daily Zoom calls.
Superior visuals due to its OLED display
The 17.3-inch screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 2560 x 1920 pixel resolution. If that seems strange, it’s because it folds into two 1920 x 1280 pixel monitors. The display has a maximum brightness of 500 nits, supports 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, is Pantone-approved, and is certified for display HDR 500 True Black. In a nutshell, it’s a fantastic display.
Because this display screen is designed to fold in half, there is a crease in the center. Nonetheless, while the crease is visible when the display screen is turned off, it is barely discernible while in use. That is essentially true of all folding units.
ASUS has increased the radius of the hinge so that the display screen does not rip up in the middle over time. When shutting this up for transport, the keyboard folio can be sandwiched between the two display screen components.
Because the laptop has a screen-to-body ratio of 87%, the bezels may appear slightly thicker when compared to recent flagship notebook screens. The increased bezel area, on the other hand, can be very useful when unfolding the notebook.
Last but not least, despite having a touchscreen display, the ZenBook 17 Fold is not compatible with any form of digital smart pen, which appears to be a limitation of the panel in this size, according to ASUS.
Solid audio with Harman Kardon-certified quad-speaker Dolby Atmos audio system
The ZenBook 17 Fold contains Harmon Kardon speakers on both sides of the chassis, although the audio experience will vary depending on the angle. The two speakers face left and right when completely unfolded and on its kickstand, providing good audio separation and balanced loudness. However, when in laptop mode, the two speakers are at the top and bottom, with the top firing upward and the bottom-firing toward you. This results in an unusual floating auditory experience. At higher volumes, the bottom speaker bounces off table surfaces fairly aggressively, creating an unnatural shrillness.
Meanwhile, the speakers are quite crisp and detailed. They may also produce a lot of loudness but don’t anticipate much bass response. For casual viewing, the dialogue is clear and crisp, but if you want to listen to music, you should probably put on your headphones.
Decent performance for everyday work
The Zenbook 17 Fold performed nicely for typical work duties, web browsing, and light Photoshop use, thanks to its ample memory and fast storage. However, don’t anticipate a high-performance computer from this; it’s powered by the Intel i7 1250U, a low-wattage chip built for small and light notebooks.
This processor will provide more than enough horsepower for many folks. However, this is not ideal for heavy content creators or gamers looking for a work-play laptop.
The verdict: ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED
While the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED’s form factor is intriguing and futuristic, there is still work to be done to make it a more aesthetic and functional solution. However, the concept has its advantages, and we are excited to see what the future holds for this area.
ASUS holds the title of the finest foldable laptop with the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold, and this isn’t simply because there isn’t much competition right now. You get a more durable build, better multitasking, and a better display. Opening it like a book to reveal the stunning, huge interior screen is still magical, as is shutting it with a snap to put it into standby.
In terms of a workhorse notebook, where productivity and value are important, the ASUS ZenBook 17 Fold OLED will deliver the kind of performance you’d expect from a standard Ultrabook. This machine may be able to run some video games, although it is not intended for that purpose.
Furthermore, the Fold is a first-generation design that must pass the test of time before we can draw conclusions about its dependability and sturdiness. With a folding screen, that is the type of machine that requires a lot of care and is never a carefree ultraportable like typical laptops.
Heres What Crypto Traders Are Doing With Volatility Gone | Mint Mint
Here’s What Crypto Traders Are Doing With Volatility Gone | Mint – Mint https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/heres-what-crypto-traders-are-doing-with-volatility-gone-mint-mint/
3 min read . Updated: 16 Oct 2022, 08:50 PM IST Bloomberg
Premium
A volatility gauge for Bitcoin has dropped in recent days to its lowest level since April (REUTERS)
Besides dangling the opportunity to get rich quickly, one of the biggest attractions for crypto traders was the ability to profit from wild price swings. Now with volatility all but gone — at least for now — both professionals and amateurs are altering their strategies as the crypto winter drags on.
Besides dangling the opportunity to get rich quickly, one of the biggest attractions for crypto traders was the ability to profit from wild price swings. Now with volatility all but gone — at least for now — both professionals and amateurs are altering their strategies as the crypto winter drags on.
A volatility gauge for Bitcoin has dropped in recent days to its lowest level since April, reaching 61 on Friday. That’s a far cry from the 140 it hit in May amid the collapse of the Terra stablecoin ecosystem. After surging to an all-time high of almost $69,000 in November, the largest digital asset by market value has been trading in a narrow range of around $20,000 since June.
Which begs the question: what exactly are crypto traders and investors, accustomed to the twists and turns of the asset class, doing now to make money?
Bloomberg News talked to a number of investors and traders about what they’ve been doing to survive the chill. Here’s a by no means complete list of recent strategies:
Selling Options
Julian Koh, co-Founder and CEO of Ribbon Finance, a structured investment products protocol for DeFi, says his firm’s seen “increased demand to sell options,” which can make money in a sideways market. Ribbon over the past month reached $100 million in total value locked (a crypto term to denote funds deposited in a project) from $70 million, and its options vaults are “doing well in this environment,” Koh says.
“Basically it’s a way for people to express the view that markets will continue to be flat and still make money,” he added.
Staking
Steven McClurg, co-founder and chief investment officer at digital-asset fund manager Valkyrie Investments, has been risk-off for most of the year. But he says Bitcoin’s a buy whenever it hits between $17,000-$18,000. “That’s when we’re buying. We’re waiting for those opportunities,” he said in an interview. But he’s also seeing “good opportunities” with staking certain assets. Avalanche, for instance, is a token he favors because it took a big hit earlier in the year. Buying it and staking it can earn 8% currently.
Still, given how uncertain things have been, McClurg has moved some of his firm’s assets into cash. “Sometimes doing nothing is a great strategy,” he says. Some of his strategies are more than 50% in cash. That could mean straight-up, old-fashioned cash, though it could also include a stablecoin like USDC or Gemini token.
Playing the Long Game
With where Bitcoin’s currently trading, it makes sense to go long, according to Zaheer Ebtikar, portfolio manager at crypto fund LedgerPrime. “The market factors I look at tell me that a lot of people are positioned in the opposite way, so I think the expected value is for me to go long,” he said.
He’s noticed the “vol crush” in the market, which he likened to Bitcoin’s last halving event in 2020. But at some point, volatility will get “super attractive, the range will break and vol will surge again.”
“This makes it pretty attractive to get long volatility because then you can make money if the range breaks if you think there’s another catalyst,” he added.
‘Distressed-Asset Market’
One of the side effects of the crypto downturn has been that lots of DAOs — decentralized autonomous organizations that allow holders to vote on different proposals — sitting on treasuries that are “in distress,” says Michael Safai of proprietary trading firm Dexterity Capital, meaning that their prices are beneath their treasury value.
“The game then is, Hey, can I convince the rest of the DAO to liquidate the treasury and then pay it out? And if I do that, the liquidation value is going to be greater than the price I’m paying of the token,” he said on a recent episode of Bloomberg’s “What Goes Up” podcast. “And that’s because crypto prices are sometimes irrational,” he said, adding that he’s seen this happening recently, though his firm has not done anything like this.
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Trump Attacks U.S. Jews In A Truth Social Post The Washington Post
Trump Attacks U.S. Jews In A Truth Social Post – The Washington Post https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/trump-attacks-u-s-jews-in-a-truth-social-post-the-washington-post/
Former president Donald Trump attacked American Jews in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying Jews in the United States must “get their act together” and show more appreciation for the state of Israel “before it is too late.”
American Jews have long been accused of holding secret loyalty to Israel rather than the United States, and Trump’s post leaned on that antisemitic trope, suggesting that by virtue of their religion, American Jews should show more appreciation to Israel.
Trump also complained in the post that “no president” had done more for Israel than he had but that Christian evangelicals are “far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the U.S.”
It was not the first time that Trump has suggested that American Jews, who traditionally have more often aligned with the Democratic Party on domestic policies, should be more supportive of him because of how he dealt with Israel.
“Jewish people who live in the United States don’t love Israel enough. Does that make sense to you?” he said in an interview last year with an Orthodox Jewish magazine, adding that it seemed “strange” to him that he did not have more Jewish support.
At a Hanukkah event at the White House in 2018, he drew criticism for referring to Israel as “your country” while speaking to American Jews. He was also rebuked when he said during an Oval Office meeting in 2019 that “any Jewish people who would vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
Trump’s latest diatribe about Jews came as Republican candidates have made overt appeals to racial animus and resentments in the closing weeks of the midterm election campaign.
It also comes as leading Republican figures have failed to disavow musician and sometime-Trump supporter Ye, the rapper and fashion designer formerly known as Kanye West. Ye earlier this month tweeted that he wanted to go “death con 3” on “JEWISH PEOPLE,” an apparent reference to Defcon, the U.S. military defense readiness system. Instagram and Twitter removed posts by the artist, who had been featured on conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show.
Trump has long been frustrated that he has not drawn more support from American Jews, particularly when as president, he moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, helped negotiate new treaties between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors.
In Sunday’s post, Trump wrote that his support among people living in Israel is “a different story.” “Highest approval rating in the World, could easily be P.M.!” he wrote, contrasting his popularity in the foreign country with his support among American Jews.
Trump’s post drew quick criticism.
“We don’t need the former president, who curries favor with extremists and antisemites, to lecture us about the US-Israel relationship,” Anti-Defamation League chief executive and national director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “It is not about a quid pro quo; it rests on shared values and security interests. This ‘Jewsplaining’ is insulting and disgusting.”
On her personal Twitter account, Neera Tanden, a senior adviser to President Biden, wrote, “We should all stand against what feels like a growing chorus of anti-Semitism. There should be no quarter for it in our politics or culture.”
The Best Hiking Technology For Your Autumn Adventures Metro.co.uk
The Best Hiking Technology For Your Autumn Adventures – Metro.co.uk https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-best-hiking-technology-for-your-autumn-adventures-metro-co-uk/
‘Let’s do a 25-mile hike in the Scottish Highlands and stay overnight in a shepherd’s hut. It’ll be great!’ This was the ‘fun’ suggestion of my best friend.
For context, I had never hiked. She has a geography degree. But she also gets lost between our local pub and the school where we train martial arts. These two buildings are less than 25ft apart.
It’s a good job tech was on hand to save the day and prevent us from becoming a missing persons statistic…
Route tracking
The Garmin eTrex 32
Mobile phone mapping is reliable for urban areas. But you need a back-up in more remote areas and you’ve forgotten to download your maps. Or not taken a paper map and a compass and learned to use them.
The Garmin eTrex 32 is a handheld unit, about the size of a packet of tissues, which comes pre-loaded with TopoActive Europe maps. Powered by two AA batteries, it provides up to 25 hours of continuous use.
You can plot and upload your own routes as GPX files, so you can check whether you’re on track. You can also programme in specific landmarks (or waypoints) into the journey that reassuringly ping when you pass them. Connecting to GPS and GLONASS satellites, you can discover where you are in the most far-off places.
Controlled by a mini joystick and side buttons, this device took a bit of time to get used to. And the 2.2in screen doesn’t provide the biggest of views. That is the trade-off for such pocket portability. It was amazingly reliable in keeping us on track and, once we became familiar with its other functions, it was the tech find of the trip.
Buy for £239.99 from Garmin.
Mobile marvel
The Nokia XR20
If your route’s less remote, a mobile will do the trick. But you obviously want to take something that can survive being dropped on a rock or in a stream.
The Nokia XR20 is tough enough to handle knocks and stylish enough to take on a night out, like dating an MMA fighter who understands fashion. Its polymer composite casing meets MIL-STD-810H military standards, which means it’s built for more extreme environments.
It can be submerged in 1.5m of water for an hour and can survive a drop of 1.8m. The screen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which is well hard.
It delivers on power, too. Its 4,630 mAH battery survived two days of regular use without a recharge. Alongside its robust build and long battery life, another selling point of the XR20 (pictured above) is its 6.67in screen that makes map reading much easier than on smaller handsets.
While costlier phones may boast faster display refresh rates and fancier cameras, the XR20 is reliable and robust. It’s also 5G-enabled and comes in at less than £350.
Not only that, it survived a soaking when I fell into a mountain stream with it in my pocket. It’s fair to say that the phone returned in better shape than I did.
Buy for £349 from Nokia.
Wearable wonders
Polar Grit X Pro
If the idea of handheld mapping devices is not for you, the Polar Grit X Pro is a rugged beast of a watch containing all manner of training and health tracking data, plus navigational capabilities.
A 1.2in Sapphire Glass, scratch-resistant touch screen sits in a bezel with compass points. Stainless steel housing has five buttons around the edges and users operate the device via a combination of these buttons and the touch screen.
Also boasting military-grade durability, it’s water resistant up to 100m and has a seven-day battery life that translates as 40 hours of continuous use in GPS tracking mode.
Planning routes is a bit fiddly as these need to be plotted in an allied app, in this case Komoot, then saved as a GPX file. There’s a charge for Komoot maps, too. Your route is uploaded to the Polar Flow app, then uploaded to the watch.
Once done, it’s a matter of starting your trek and following the turn-by-turn directions on the watch screen. It also has a feature to guide you back to your starting point if, like us, you hit a mountain river you can’t cross and you need to retrace your steps. It’s a SatNav on your wrist and very good.
Buy for £429 from Polar.
Fenix 7 Solar Edition
The Fenix 7 Solar Edition is a pricier offering, but you get more tech bang for your buck. It includes the usual advanced heart rate and activity tracking you’d expect on a high-end wearable from Garmin, and the allied apps (Garmin Connect, Garmin Explore) present data concisely. Watch operation is via five button and the touch screen.
Its military-grade toughness is tested for thermal, shock and water resistance, and the 18-day battery life can be stretched to 22 days thanks to solar charging built into its Power Glass touch screen. I made 21 days without it needing a recharge and was regularly using its tracking metrics.
Its GPS mapping offering impresses. The watch comes with pre-paid TopoActive Maps that you download via a wi-fi connection, your computer and the watch’s inbuilt map manager function. Download pre-planned routes as GPX files, and the GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellites kick in when you’re out of mobile signal range. It’s a comprehensive offering with easy-to-use allied apps. But there is a price to pay for that.
Buy for £689.99 from Garmin.
Picture perfect
GoPro Hero10
You can’t go yomping through the breathtaking Highlands without taking pictures to make your friends on Instagram jealous. The GoPro Hero10 can not only take 23MP photos but also shoot 4K or 5.3K video. It can also capture action using time-lapse and slow-motion functions, and features stabilisation technology for filming on the move.
All this is packed into something smaller than a medium-sized Post-it note and thinner than a Mars bar. It takes up less space than three protein bars in my rucksack!
I packed 47 of the latter. My hiking partner said this was excessive. She didn’t say that when the weather meant our trip was aborted after five miles and she was hungry on the way back. Everyone’s a critic.
Buy for £349.98 from GoPro.
Power banks
Anker 325 Power Bank
If you’re taking tech on a long hiking trip, you need to pack a back-up power source.
The Anker 325 Power Bank is slim enough for a rucksack and light enough to carry long distances.
Users get up to five full mobile phone charges out of its 20,000mAh battery.
Buy for £39.99 from Amazon.
Quechua Solar Panel 50W
If you’re returning to a camp site and spending daylight hours there, the Quechua Solar Panel 50W is a pretty good option. In carrying mode, it has the footprint of an A3 piece of paper.
Once folded out to twice its size and propped up to face the sun, it charges whatever needs power.
Buy for £129.99 from Decathlon.
This article contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links but this never influences our experts’ opinions. Products are tested and reviewed independently of commercial initiatives.
MORE : The best European hiking trails – from Madeiran mountains to spooky German forests
MORE : Granddad walking world’s circumference is on track to finish aged 90
Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
Oregon 4th: Alek Skarlatos Val Hoyle In Their Own Words KOIN.com
Oregon 4th: Alek Skarlatos, Val Hoyle In Their Own Words – KOIN.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/oregon-4th-alek-skarlatos-val-hoyle-in-their-own-words-koin-com/
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The race to represent Oregon’s 4th District features two well-known candidates, one who became internationally famous in 2015 and the other a familiar presence in state politics for years.
Republican Alek Skarlatos is making his second attempt to win the seat held for 36 years by Democrat Peter DeFazio, who announced his retirement for the end of this term. Skarlatos, 29, lost to DeFazio in 2020. He has not held an elective office yet. But in 2015 he and two friends stopped a terrorist attack on a train from Amsterdam to Paris. Skarlatos played himself in the Clint Eastwood movie, “The 15:17 to Paris,” and later appeared on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Democrat Val Hoyle was elected Oregon Labor Commissioner in 2018. She previously served in the Oregon House of Representatives and garnered DeFazio’s endorsement to replace him in Congress.
Though they are the major candidates in the race, there are others on the November ballot: Jim Howard of the Constitution Party, Levi Leatherberry of the Independent Party and Michael Beilstein of the Pacific Green Party.
The 4th District includes Eugene, Corvallis and Coos Bay.
Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, 2022 (Ballotpedia graphic)
Skarlatos and Doyle
Alek Skarlatos and Val Hoyle each appeared for an extended interview by KOIN 6 News’ anchor Ken Boddie for “Eye on Northwest Politics.” They each answered similar but not the same questions and their answers to those questions are below.
Campaign Website: Alek Skarlatos for Congress
Campaign Website: Val Hoyle for Congress
Why they’re running for Oregon’s 4th District
Skarlatos: “My main goal in running is to help Oregon’s 4th Congressional District. As I said, we are the poorest congressional district in the state. We’ve had leadership from Peter DeFazio for 36 years. We have abundant natural resources. We’ve been Democrat, like I said, on the state level for almost 40 years in the governor’s mansion, and we are not better off for it. I will work with anyone who can help Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, help improve our economic outlook and that will include Democrats. This is still a Democrat-leaning district. I’m not going to be able to ignore Democrats and still be able to win. We need to win people in the middle, We need to win Democrats and if I’m going to actually get anything done in Congress or be there for very long I’m going to need to represent the entire 4th Congressional District. And that’s exactly what I plan on doing.”
Hoyle: “We’ve had for 36 years an incredibly strong voice for the 4th District — and for those people that don’t know, that district now includes Curry, Coos County, Douglas County out to Roseburg, Lane County, Benton County and Lincoln County. It’s 250 miles of the coast. And Peter DeFazio has chaired Transportation and Infrastructure, has done tremendous work and been a strong voice for our community, you know, areas of our community that often get overlooked. He decided to retire and I had to look long and hard. I’ve lived, raised my children, worked in this community. I’ve had the great pleasure to represent this community in the (Oregon) House and the entire state as Labor Commissioner. And I feel I have the skill set, understand the community. I earned Peter DeFazio’s endorsement because he feels I’m the strongest candidate with the background to be an effective, strong voice for the 4th Congressional District.”
Climate change
Alek Skarlatos is running for Oregon’s 4th congressional district seat (KOIN)
Skarlatos: “Oregon is already carbon negative and again, one of the best ways we can sequester carbon is by salvage logging. Trees put more carbon into the atmosphere decomposing after a forest fire than the forest fire itself actually puts into the atmosphere. My opponent has also said she believes in no new fossil fuels, which I find absolutely ridiculous when gas is $5 a gallon. I mean, there are ways we can common sense transition to green energy, but it just has to be in conjunction with a healthy economy. Even this giant wind farm going in off the coast of Coos Bay, they want to put it right in the middle of the most productive fishing lands on the Oregon coast and I think that’s an area where we can compromise on. We can still have a wind farm, just move it out of the productive fishing lands. Should be a common sense solution.”
Hoyle: “On climate, we need to urgently transition to a clean energy economy but in a way that doesn’t leave workers and communities behind. And then, finally, infrastructure. There is a great deal of money and investment coming through Biden’s infrastructure bill. It is the largest infrastructure investment we’ve seen since Eisenhower. I want to make sure that money comes to Oregon and comes to the 4th Congressional District, whether it’s building up a levee in Newport or in Springfield or really exciting opportunities for a container port in Coos Bay or offshore wind or upgrading our rail system.” … “Down here we have fire, we have droughts, we have extreme weather. It is right in our face. We cannot continue to kick the can down the road. I think every bill should be a climate change bill. I think we should move as quickly as possible away from fossil fuels. I will work incredibly hard to do that because we live in a beautiful state and I want to make sure we can continue to live here and have a good quality of life.”
Abortion:
Skarlatos: “I would not (support a bill to ban abortion nationally) and neither would the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in that decision just delegated it down to the states. I am pro-life, but in Oregon nothing is going to change because our state legislature, the state senate and the governor’s mansion have all been one-party rule for almost 40 years. … The Supreme Court was pretty clear that abortion rights should be delegated to the states. And that’s exactly what happened. Again, Oregon is already set in statute that it’s going to be allowed. That’s fine. I have no problem with that. I’m not running for the Senate. I’m will not to appoint Supreme Court justices. I’m not running for the state House or the state Senate to change those laws.”
Homelessness/housing affordability:
Hoyle: “I believe the federal government has walked away from its responsibility on housing. Housing down here is a little different than in the metro area. We have less than 1% vacancy rates in many parts of the district, specifically on the coast. So, we need to, Number 1, work with communities to build new housing stock, make sure, I mean there are places on the coast that can’t hire employees because there isn’t enough housing. So it’s not just low-income housing. It’s middle-income housing. We need to ensure that we have the support of services for people that have addictions or mental illness or disabilities are able to stay in their home. So whether it’s fair housing or working with each community because the solutions in a rural community is different than the solutions in an urban community. So the federal government needs to work with each community to invest in projects, to expand housing stock and make sure people can stay housed.”
Inflation, economy, jobs
Skarlatos: “Reduce government spending. We just passed this incredibly large Inflation Reduction Act which is only going to make inflation worse. Of the infrastructure bill which I think was $1.3 trillion, only about $400 billion of that was for actual infrastructure. I mean, we can do things that make sense but bills as big as they are don’t make any sense for Oregon’s 4th District. I think both parties are responsible for this. Both parties add to the national debt at a tremendous rate. But I think the biggest thing we can do is have standalone bills. These massive spending packages that oftentimes are near or over $1 trillion are absolutely not sustainable. I mean, I’m only 29. I’m a younger millennial. My generation is going to have to be the one to deal with this incredible ballooning national debt.”
Val Hoyle in a photo provided by her campaign, 2022
Hoyle: “I think it was a really important step forward and shows that Democrats in Congress actually want to do something about addressing the issue. I think what we see a lot, what the GOP keeps pointing out what the problems are but they don’t want to be part of the solution. The Inflation Reduction Act capped insulin at $35 for everyone. And there was not one Republican that supported it. I think it just shows that Democrats are willing to come forward and bring solutions.” …”I think the first thing is Oregon can be a real major part of solving this problem, is addressing the supply chain issues. We saw this throughout the pandemic and there is a proposal that (Rep.) Peter DeFazio has worked very hard on to have a port in Coos Bay, a container port that would go straight to rail, and that would decrease our supply chain congestion on the West Coast by 10-12%. That is not a small thing. We need to bring manufacturing back to the United States and into Oregon specifically. And that Coos Bay project would create 9000 permanent jobs in Lane, Douglas and Coos counties. And that could help us restore the middle class that we once had when we had a lot of the timber jobs. So, I think it’s supply chain, also job training. I’ve worked very hard on expanding apprenticeships as Labor Commissioner, and we have lots of apprenticeship programs, not just in the building and construction trades, but in health care and manufacturing. So every employer I talk to says they are having trouble finding qualified workers and with our apprenticeship programs — which I would love to take our system nationally — we can connect workers who want a good job with the jobs that are available without a mountain of college debt.”
Election Integ...
Leaf Peeping Sky Bars And Teddy Bear Brunches: The Latest Hotel News For Fall 2022 Forbes
Leaf Peeping, Sky Bars And Teddy Bear Brunches: The Latest Hotel News For Fall 2022 – Forbes https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/leaf-peeping-sky-bars-and-teddy-bear-brunches-the-latest-hotel-news-for-fall-2022-forbes/
La Cantera Resort
Whether you’re traveling close to home or venturing across continents, hotels around the world are spiffing up for the season. Renovations, upgrades, new amenities and even charity events are putting them on the radar of travelers and revitalizing destinations as people finally take the long-awaited trips they have been planning.
Some hotels are even looking to hire some of their most loyal guests. Four Points by Sheraton is looking for someone to take on an epic project becoming its “chief brew officer,” who gets to take a beer-themed vacation. Courtyard by Marriott is running a contest to give someone a sleepover inside the Super Bowl stadium next year.
No matter where you stay, don’t forget to register for this season’s latest hotel loyalty program promotions to earn bonus points and perks along the way. Here is some of the latest hotel news to keep you updated of the latest and greatest in hospitality.
Anantara Veli Maldives completes 9-month renovation
Anantara
Adults-only Anantara Veli Maldives Resort plans to reopen Dec. 1 with a new top room category and an entire remodel following a nine-month closure. Wood, stone and rattan compose the redesigned guest accommodations, but it’s the new 1,593 square-foot Beach Pool Villa category that will most impress repeat visitors. The six villas in this top luxury category comes with a villa host, private pool and direct beach access. Also new is a wellness experience that incorporates light, sound and scent therapy into the villas that changes from day to night as well as a minibar stocked with healthier items like wholefood snacks and smoothies. Guests booking this experience receive a wellness consultation on arrival and can take part in daily yoga or fitness experiences, a healthy cooking class and a spa discount.
W Aspen offers leaf peeping package with BMW test drive
W Aspen
Between now and mid-November, guests at W Aspen can book a special leaf peeping package that includes a leaf-peeping test drive in the resort’s own BMW cars. It includes a scenic journey through the mountains’ beautiful scenery filled with trees and leaves changing colors. At the end of the drive, guests are treated to a gourmet picnic prepared by the hotel’s culinary team. It includes things like sandwiches of roast duck, fig and grain mustard with arugula and brie or grilled tenderloin, horseradish aioli, chimichurri red onion and greens. Sides include Country Scotch egg, Colorado beef chili, and black bean salad, corn, diced pepper, lime and pomegranate vinaigrette. Even better, this fall experience comes with the opportunity to earn or redeem Marriott Bonvoy points during their stay.
Westin Puntacana Resort & Club shows off renovation
The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club
Grupo Puntacana is unveiling a major investment to the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic. This fall, the Marriott Bonvoy property is showing off many new dining options including the remodeling of the existing Brassa and Anani restaurants plus two new options, a steakhouse and an Asian-themed venue. Additional meeting space will also help the resort attract more group business. Guest rooms received substantial touch ups as did the lobby bar and pool area. There is a new gazebo on the beach, which is sure to be popular with weddings. The resort is part of the 15,000-acre Puntacana Resort & Club, which has three miles of beach.
New Carlotta Sky Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City
The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City
The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City now has a shiny new crown at its summit, the Carlotta Sky Bar. On the menu is a variety of wine, beer and craft cocktails that pair well with the shiny views of the city’s glittering skyline from this high, 38th floor vantage point. Live entertainment and DJ sets will take place regularly. The financial area-based Ritz-Carlton is one of the many Marriott Bonvoy properties in the Mexican capital, and this luxury hotel sits along the famous Paseo de la Reforma making it popular with both business and leisure travelers.
JW Marriott Maldives upgrades main pool
JW Marriott Maldives
Dangling over the edge of the aqua blue water, the main pool at JW Marriott Maldives now sports a new look. Colorful mosaic tiles, a refreshed pool deck with cushioned day beds, and the popular bar and Italian restaurant with pizza oven will be back in time for the holidays. The Horizon pool is the main pool, but there is a second option reserved for adults on the other side of the island. Also new this year is an overhaul of the resort’s sustainability efforts including removing single-use plastics. The resort will have its own glass water bottling plant as well as a new waste management system.
La Cantera Resort unveils new chefs and menu; hosts charity ‘teddy bear brunch’
La Cantera Resort
Fresh from winning the title of the best resort in the southwest (and top resort in Texas) from a major travel magazine, La Cantera Resort is launching a new menu at Signature Restaurant thanks to a new culinary team. On the updated menu card are things like hamachi crudo and Spanish octopus, which are specialties of the new, local executive chef, John Carpenter. Asian and Latin American influences are now among the options. The team also includes executive sous chef Jaime Torres and pastry chef Stéphane Leopoldo. On the weekend of Nov. 6, the restaurant will host a charity “teddy bear brunch” (open to the public) benefiting the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas.
Venice’s Gritti Palace leads major preservation project
getty
In partnership with Save Venice, an American non-profit organization focused on preserving art and architecture in Venice, The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice, is a lead sponsor in a major project for the city. The official details will be announced early next year, but the Marriott Bonvoy hotel hopes to cement its role as a former, noble private residence and as a hotel, a major center for social events and patron of the arts. With 61 rooms and 21 suites, several with Grand Canal views and inspired by past guests or visitors like Ernest Hemingway and Somerset Maugham, the hotel and Palazzo Gritti have strong cultural roots in the city. At the moment, Save Venice has more than 40 art and architecture restorations for at-risk pieces and buildings underway. Over the past decade, more than $18 million has been invested to support everything from historic churches to individual paintings, frescoes, sculptures and manuscripts.
Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya opens ‘Family Zone’
Hilton
There’s a new area dedicated to parents and their kids at the Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico. Dubbed the Family Zone, it is divided into three areas with a kids club featuring bean bag chairs, board games, a playground and splash pool and a teens club with a movie theater, air hockey table, billiards and video games. Adults are not left out as there is a bar and adult pool within the same area. The area also includes an all-day Mexican restaurant as well as a churro and ice cream shop. In the kids club, activities will include piñata making, pool float races and a mini Olympics experience.
Longest timber suspension bridge opens in Michigan
SkyBridge Michigan
Boyne Mountain Resort is home to the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge, which opens this month. Named SkyBridge Michigan, the 1,200 foot pedestrian bridge sits between the peaks of McLouth and Disciples Ridge and will be open year-round. Visitors start by riding a chairlift ride to the mountain top before a thrilling open-air walk across the suspended five-foot-wide walking surface, which dangles almost 118 feet above the valley floor. On either side, the bridge is supported by two 52-feet tall timber towers. The resort is also home to Michigan’s largest indoor water park, two golf courses and an 18,500 sq ft spa.
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch plans winter activities
The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch
As people plan their winter vacations, The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is releasing its lineup of activities for the cold season. They include seven snowshoe hike trails designed for the best Rocky Mountain views, stargazing and a village-to-village, four-mile trek from Bachelor Gulch to Beaver Creek. Parents will be happy about the return of the Ski Nanny program that not only looks after young visitors while the parents are skiing, but also helps dress kids for a day on the slopes or playing in the snow. For many parents, that is the most stressful part of the day. Holiday programming starts in December with everything from cookie decorating to arts and crafts that includes making candles and snow globes.
New spa and specialty suites at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet
Four Seasons
Once a prison, but now a 65-room luxury hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet is debuting a new spa this month with a authentic hammam experience. Also new this fall is a series of specialty suites, some with iconic views of Hagia Sofia. The hotel’s outdoor terrace is home to an Anatolian restaurant serving traditional recipes, and Turkish wine and cocktails are served on the property’s rooftop terrace, also overlooking Hagia Sofia.
Vogue magazine and Sofitel develop fashion partnership
getty
The French hotel brand Sofitel Hotels & Resorts and famous fashion magazine are tying up for a three-year partnership focused on “mastering art de vivre.” Sofitel has always been focused on its French heritage, and this ongoing program will include various public festivals, fashion collaborations and beauty-inspired programs. The first event takes place in Paris as the Vogue x Sofitel Festival this weekend. Coming soon are...
Goldman Sachs Sees Deeper UK Recession After Tax U-Turn Bloomberg Reports Reuters UK
Goldman Sachs Sees Deeper UK Recession After Tax U-Turn, Bloomberg Reports – Reuters UK https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/goldman-sachs-sees-deeper-uk-recession-after-tax-u-turn-bloomberg-reports-reuters-uk/
British Prime Minister Liz Truss walks outside Number 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, October 12, 2022. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Oct 16 (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs analysts have downgraded Britain’s economic outlook after Prime Minister Liz Truss removed Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor and reversed a freeze in corporation tax, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday.
“Folding in weaker growth momentum, significantly tighter financial conditions, and the higher corporation tax from next April, we downgrade our UK growth outlook further and now expect a more significant recession,” Bloomberg cited the investment bank’s report as saying.
Goldman revised its 2023 UK economic output forecast to a 1% contraction from an earlier forecast for a 0.4% output drop, with core inflation seen at 3.1% at the end of 2023, down from 3.3% previously, Bloomberg said.
On Friday, Truss said Britain will go ahead with corporation tax rise to 25% next year, making an U-turn on a pledge to freeze it at 19%.
Goldman Sachs did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Reporting by Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru Editing by Tomasz Janowski
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
The Fun Fit 5 Pilot Project: Reaching New Horizons? Times Of Malta
The Fun Fit 5 Pilot Project: Reaching New Horizons? – Times Of Malta https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-fun-fit-5-pilot-project-reaching-new-horizons-times-of-malta/
The European Week of Sport, promoted between September 23 and 30, was launched in 2015 by the European Commission, and was created mainly in response to the rising incidence of sedentary living across all age groups.
Research in the field of physical activity has shown this “crisis” is adversely affecting young children, resulting in reduced quality of basic motor skills and stunted physical literacy development. The latest Malta Childhood National Body Mass Index Study showed that approximately 40 per cent of school-aged children are obese or overweight.
The latest Malta Childhood National Body Mass Index Study showed that approximately 40% of school-aged children are obese or overweight
In light of this worrying statistic, schools have a vital role to play, not only in promoting healthy living and educating students about healthy eating, but also to actively embrace programmes through which children can increase their participation in physical activity within school hours.
It was in this context that the Fun Fit 5 pilot-project was conceived as a branch of the Inħobb il-Futbol Foundation (IFF), spearheaded by Ivan Woods (head of Grassroots Development) and Mark Gatt (Football in Schools coordinator) on behalf of the Malta FA. The terms ‘fun’ and ‘fit’ represent the original fundamental guiding principles underlying the project series, with the number five representing the goal of physical activity participation not less than five days a week.
The programme will involve five, 45-minute sessions per week, with Year 4 students, in three Maltese government schools. Researchers will investigate in what ways, if any, the daily physical activity programme affects the children across the academic, physical and psychological well-being domains.
Each physical activity session will be carried out at moderate to vigorous intensity and contributes to 75 per cent of the overall average of 60 minutes per day recommended by the World Health Organisation. The sessions will be delivered by three coaches representing the IFF: Franco Agius, Philip Attard and Nicole Sciberras. Their work will help address the recommendations of the National Audits Office that schools should place greater emphasis on the quality of structured physical activities.
The research team working in conjunction with the IFF is comprised of four researchers from the Institute of Community Services at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology: Melanie Darmanin, Renzo Kerr-Cumbo, Matthew Muscat Inglott and Heathcliff Schembri.
Their research, which is essentially structured as a large-scale experimental study, will test for measurable effects of the physical activity programme on the children physically, academically and psychologically, as well as explore challenges and benefits from the unique perspectives of students, parents/legal guardians, coaches and members of staff themselves. Karl Attard from the Malta FA will be assisting the researchers throughout.
The FF5 pilot-project which was launched at a press conference on October 1, was addressed by the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima, Malta FA general secretary Angelo Chetcuti and MCAST principal James Calleja. Gareth Sciberras, chairperson for Inħobb il-Futbol Foundation, was among the distinguished guests and gave additional details about the FF5 programme, along with the rationale behind it.
The education officer for physical education in schools, Marvin Spiteri, elaborated on the logistics of the FF5 programme, and described the selection process for the three participating schools. Melanie Darmanin finally gave a thorough explanation of the research study itself.
The FF5 pilot programme, which will commence in the selected schools this month, ultimately aspires to bring about “winds of change” through its innovative and evidence-based approach, in the way physical activity is understood, prioritised and organised in Maltese schools.
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.
Support Us
Real Madrid Vs. Barcelona Live Score Updates Highlights For El Clasico As Benzema Valverde Have Los Blancos Ahead Sporting News
Real Madrid Vs. Barcelona Live Score, Updates, Highlights For El Clasico As Benzema, Valverde Have Los Blancos Ahead – Sporting News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/real-madrid-vs-barcelona-live-score-updates-highlights-for-el-clasico-as-benzema-valverde-have-los-blancos-ahead-sporting-news/
El Clasico is back to being a top-of-the-table clash as Real Madrid and Barcelona enter the match tied atop La Liga. It’s the first of two head-to-head battles in league play and the stakes will be high, especially given what transpired in midweek.
Barcelona all but confirmed a second consecutive group stage exit in the Champions League on Wednesday, meaning they will likely begin to prioritize La Liga, which makes this match extra important. Barcelona currently have the edge over Real Madrid on goal differential and at least a draw at the Bernabeu would keep them in first place.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, are charging ahead in Champions League action but will want to maintain control of La Liga given that’s really all Barcelona have left to play for. Los Blancos will be aware that a victory over Barcelona could send their rival’s season into a momentary tailspin.
The Sporting News will be following the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
MORE: Barcelona on the cusp of elimination after Champions League slip at Camp Nou
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live score
1H
2H
Final
Real Madrid
2
0
—
Barcelona
0
0
—
Goals:
12th min — RMA — Karim Benzema
35th min — RMA — Federico Valverde
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live updates, highlights from El Clasico
57th min: Xavi is readying a host of changes. Looks like Ferran Torres, Gavi, and Jordi Alba will come on, with Busquets, Raphinha, and Alex Balde the ones to be withdrawn.
Ole’s ring around the crowd with Madrid pinging passes around the Barcelona half. The Madridistas are loving this.
52nd min: Chance, Real Madrid! Karim Benzema scores an utterly spectacular goal, bursting into the middle of the attacking third and picking out the far corner past a diving ter Stegen. However, the flag is up for offside, and replay shows Benzema is just leaning by inches on the delivery by Vinicius the left flank.
The goal won’t count, but the Barcelona back line is carved to pieces with just one pass yet again. It’s another cross-field run that does them in, completely unaware of runs off the full-back’s back shoulder, and then nobody closes down the attacker at the top of the 18-yard box. The same mistakes from the first half show up again.
Lmao nobody even closing Benzema down just letting him run at goal wth is this man. lucky to be offside
— Abe (@FIFA_Abe) October 16, 2022
Watch in the USA:
This Benzema goal was called off pic.twitter.com/c5KVXGPi6Z
— ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) October 16, 2022
51st min: It’s been a slow start to the second half, and while Barcelona have had the most possession, it’s Real Madrid with the first half-chance. Benzema finds Kroos with a cut-back, but it’s a difficult chance from range at a tight angle, and the German rifles over the bar.
46th min: We’re under way for the second half. Xavi, already under pressure as Barcelona manager after the Champions League calamity midweek, now has a mountain to climb to get the Blaugrana back in this match. No changes yet from the visiting side as the second half begins.
HALFTIME: Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona
It’s a shocking first 45 minutes from Xavi’s side. They were second-best on both ends of the pitch, stifled in the attack and torn apart at the back.
Real Madrid’s big-game players have shown up at the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema opened the scoring, and Federico Valverde doubled the lead. Just how Carlo Ancelotti drew it up after playing the game down as “not life or death” in the pre-match buildup. Xavi wanted his players to get back to “having fun” on the pitch, but Madrid are the ones who look to be enjoying their football.
Karim Benzema has a date with the Ballon d’Or tomorrow, but has had one more say on today’s proceedings before heading to Paris for the ceremony.
Ballon d’Or loading? pic.twitter.com/Cnb6Aw2tIz
— ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) October 16, 2022
43rd min: Barcelona venture forward, and they create a headed opportunity in front of goal for Lewandowski, but he’s double-teamed by Militao and Carvajal and is bullied off the aerial chance. This Real Madrid defense has stood tall at every opportunity.
41st min: Just like the immediate aftermath of the first goal, Real Madrid appear energized by Fede Valverde’s strike. They’re putting the Barca defense under oodles of pressure, and Xavi’s side can’t get out of its own half.
35th min: GOAL! REAL MADRID! It’s all coming apart for Barcelona, as Federico Valverde puts Real Madrid 2-0 up! The visitors had a good last 10 minutes, but it all falls to pieces as the in-form Fede Valverde hits a precise strike from outside the top of the box, beating ter Stegen to the inside of the left post with a low effort. It was a bit out of nothing, as it seemed Barcelona has it covered, but nobody stepped out to Valverde, and he smashes it home.
Watch in the USA:
A GOLAZO FROM FEDERICO VALVERDE pic.twitter.com/f1KnpCXUq6
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 16, 2022
Watch in the UK:
Fede Valverde with a beauty to double Madrid’s lead!
Barcelona had conceded one goal in 8 LaLiga games heading into this one, and they’ve now conceded two in just 35 minutes of #ElClasico pic.twitter.com/8EwiDefQcc
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) October 16, 2022
Watch in Australia:
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) October 16, 2022
30th min: There’s the first yellow card of the match, and it’s for dissent as Vinicius Jr thought he was fouled but it’s not given. Moments later, Barcelona are given a foul in midfield and the official emphatically books the Brazilian for his continued protests.
25th min: Chance, Barcelona! How has Lewandowski missed that??? Barcelona have been purring the last few minutes, and a cross from the right flank is a dangerous one, across the face of goal and not dealt with. It squirts through past a sliding de Jong to the far post where Lewandowski comes flying in. He reaches it, but somehow pops it high up in the air and over the bar, with the entire goal gaping.
Replay, however, does show that Lewandowski may have been offside on the chance, meaning it probably would have been ruled out had he scored. Still, a shocking miss from one of the world’s top strikers.
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 16, 2022
23rd min: The referee stops play for a foul on Busquets by Fede Valverde, coming in late with his studs. No booking yet, however. It’s honestly a bit surprising that no yellow card was shown to Busquets earlier for the foul on Kroos during the build-up to the Madrid goal, as there was a clear drag-back but the referee played advantage.
19th min: Real Madrid have taken full control of this match, and Barcelona look on edge. They’re pinging passes and sliding through-balls, with Barcelona on their heels. The home fans are buzzing.
1 – Karim @Benzema (11:27) has scored the earliest @realmadriden goal against #Barcelona in @LaLigaEN at Santiago Bernabéu since the French himself (5:36) in March 2013 (final 2-1 for the Whites). Or. pic.twitter.com/4Gf8xwW6U0
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 16, 2022
12th min: GOAL! REAL MADRID! It’s an utterly gorgeous goal, built all the way from the back. Off a speculative Barcelona, the hosts built forward through the length of the pitch. Toni Kroos somehow finds Vinicius Jr down the left despite being yanked back by a helpless Sergio Busquets. The Brazilian’s effort is blocked, but it draws ter Stegen out of the net, and the main man Karim Benzema is there to bag the rebound through traffic.
Benzema ends his five-match goal drought, scoring the 12th El Clasico goal of his glittering career!
Watch in the USA:
BENZEMA OPENS THE SCORING IN EL CLÁSICO pic.twitter.com/fhtEms6yjw
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 16, 2022
Watch in the UK:
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) October 16, 2022
Watch in Australia:
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) October 16, 2022
8th min: Chance, Real Madrid! It’s the first chance for Real Madrid to counter now, as Ferland Mendy finds Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian cuts onto his left from a tight angle and lets fly, and the shot takes a deflection, which causes it to bobble agonizingly out for a corner, as both teams can only watch helplessly as the slow-rolling, bouncing ball ends up wide of the post.
A nervy moment for Barcelona, and a bright start to the match on both ends!
7th min: Barcelona with a slick move forward on the counter. Lewandowski finds Dembele streaking down the left who beats Militao, but the Madrid defender recovers and eventually the shot is blocked. Still a solid counter from Barcelona.
5th min: Both teams with a bit of feeling out, and it’s Raphinha who has the first shot of the match, from long distance slightly left of center. It’s easily held by Andriy Lunin, in for the injured Thibaut Courtois.
1st min: Kickoff at the Bernabeu for El Clasico! We’re under way! What a spectacle this match is.
The greatest rivalry in football. #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/3M7IiOehty
— Whistle FC (@WhistleFC) October 16, 2022
Pre-Match: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (kickoff at 4:15pm local CEST)
5 mins to kick: Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema have played a combined 49 matches against today’s opponent, with a combined 17 goals. Will either or both add to their tally?
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) October 16, 2022
11 mins to kick: Carlo Ancelotti has played this match down as “not life or death,” knowing the season is long and this game “has come early” in the campaign. The league title cannot be won or lost in this match, but it can go a long way towards setting the tone for the coming month leading into the World Cup.
#ElClasico – @realmadrid vs @FCBarcelona is live today from 10:15 AM ET on @ESPNDeportes, w...
Increase Your Brand Value Online By Venturing Into The Metaverse Entrepreneur
Increase Your Brand Value Online By Venturing Into The Metaverse – Entrepreneur https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/increase-your-brand-value-online-by-venturing-into-the-metaverse-entrepreneur/
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Innovation is critical for brands willing to break away from the competition and embrace creativity. Businesses are beginning to see the utility of NFTs — digital products with unique IDs. Businesses that integrate NFTs into their branding strategy should consider collaborating with NFT creators, tokenizing events, turning physical products into NFTs, licensing and hosting NFT contests and giveaways. Zipline survey results indicated that 84% of Gen X, 70% of millennials, and 63% of Gen Z would be interested in an NFT from brands they enjoy.
NFTs allow brands to give value to digital products; however, the product must be of value to consumers. Brands such as Gucci have created NFT clothing, and Nike offers digital sneakers that avatars can use in the metaverse. The emerging use of NFTs now allows brands to merge the digital and physical worlds; consumers can purchase or win a digital product such as an image or video, then the business can provide a physically branded product to close the marketing loop. Businesses can design NFTs on their own or utilize a company specializing in NFT creation and NFT platforms. NFTs are a viable option for brands to connect with the consumer and grow brand recognition. Brands that invest in using a premade NFT platform are more likely to experience gains in the marketplace.
Related: Your Brand Can Become Part of the Metaverse. Here’s How.
Design an interactive virtual storefront
In the past, customers visited a website or app to access products offered by a business. With technological advances, brands can create more immersive experiences for customers. Customers might visit a virtual storefront, such as the one created by Nike, to go beyond just looking at products. In the metaverse, customers can engage with digital products by using an avatar to try on clothing and other products. The prospect for brands to elevate the customer experience from a bland website visit to a rich and immersive encounter should be explored. An Accenture consumer survey indicated that 64% of respondents made a virtual purchase with 83% willing to make purchases via the metaverse.
Brands that simulate the convenience and efficiency of a traditional in-store shopping experience are more likely to maintain customer attention. Once the decision is made to launch a storefront in the metaverse, businesses must decide which metaverse platform to use. There are well-known platforms, but brands should consider building their own platform for more control. The design of the storefront could be a standalone app or virtual space. Multimedia companies can help the brand to create and design interaction layers that define the functionality of the storefront and the ability to integrate with third-party tools. Customers can have a 3D experience using wearables such as virtual goggles, haptic gloves, smart glasses and VR headsets. Well-built storefronts allow a high level of interoperability with increased access to data and manipulation of digital objects by the consumer.
Related: 4 Ways to Revolutionize Your Customer Experience in The Metaverse
Create virtual events
Virtual meetups are in thanks to the Zoom boom, and brands can take advantage of the change by hosting custom-branded virtual events. Immersive virtual experiences can engage new business customers for brands that want to expand beyond geographical boundaries. The type and structure of the virtual event are only limited by the level of creativity and allow unlimited customizations. Brands might collaborate with influencers or even create their own virtual influencer.
Businesses can host live or pre-recorded events accessed from a mobile device or laptop. Although 3D events that require VR goggles or headsets are possible, they are not as popular now.
Entertainers are one of the largest groups to harness the metaverse to engage customers with live music, comedy shows and other social events. Virtual event attendees can be present in the virtual world using avatars that allow them to dance with others while listening to their favorite artists. Roblox tapped into the innovative technology of the metaverse with more than 33 million attendees to its virtual concert event. The gaming market, including Fortnite, has successfully used VR games to promote products during customer interactions, demonstrating the power of virtual branding.
Virtual exhibitors can create realistic interactions like traditional conference hall events. Businesses can utilize branded booths to present various content, but high-quality productions are key. Brands can use virtual tokens, badges, avatar upgrades and digital giveaways to convert fans into customers. The metaverse provides the opportunity for more engagement with participants. Brands must make targeted decisions to ensure that potential customers are part of the event, not merely spectators.
Related: 5 Content Ideas to Attract People to the Metaverse
Launch your own metaverse
Having a presence on virtual platforms is good, but it is even better to own your own. Brands should look into creating their own virtual platforms. Although it might initially seem financially risky, the ability to provide brandable and targeted customer interactions will only improve the consumer experience. Businesses that want a successful launch into the metaverse should prepare a market analysis to ensure the project will meet the customer’s needs and outshine the competition. Some companies even offer the ability to create your own secure smart contracts, NFT marketplaces and more.
Related: Back To The Future: What It Feels Like Using A VR Headset For The First Time
Meta Connect 2022 Mega Roundup: ALL You Need To Know In One Single Article! The Ghost Howls
Meta Connect 2022 Mega Roundup: ALL You Need To Know In One Single Article! – The Ghost Howls https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/meta-connect-2022-mega-roundup-all-you-need-to-know-in-one-single-article-the-ghost-howls/
Meta Connect has been the big event of the week, and as it is a tradition of this blog, I’m going to write today for you a super article where you can find inside ALL the news announced during the event! This way, by reading this article, you are sure you have not missed any one of the announcements made there. I truly hope this can be useful for all of you in the XR community…
How to read this post
Just a quick notice before starting. Some years ago, I was used to writing in the Connect roundup article every detail I could find online about the news announced. This year I’m still writing a very long and comprehensive post, but I’m going to skip some details, that anyway you can read in the other articles I’m linking to let you can go deeper on the topics. I’ll do this for two reasons: first of all, there have been so many pieces of news, that if I had to write every detail of all of them, you would need 4 hours to read this post (and ain’t no one got time fo that); and then, I’m currently too busy with my dev work that I don’t have two full-time days to write a post of that kind anymore. I’m sure you will appreciate my choice.
Ok, enough with this boring premise, let’s dig into the Connect!
Meta Quest Pro announcement video
Meta Quest Pro was what everyone was expecting from this event, and Zuck has not disappointed us with this point. It has especially not disappointed the analyst Brad Lynch, because basically, the device is exactly as it was leaked by him. In fact, for all of us in the XR ecosystem, the announcement was not a surprise at all, because it was exactly how we were expecting it to be.
Specifications
Let me list here the full specs of the Quest Pro, courtesy of Road To VR:
Quest Pro Specs
Resolution
1800 × 1920 (3.5MP) per-eye, LCD (2x)
Refresh Rate
72Hz, 90Hz
Lenses
Pancake non-Fresnel
Field-of-view (claimed)
106ºH × 96ºV
Optical Adjustments
Continuous IPD, contiguous eye-relief
IPD Adjustment Range
55–75mm
Processor
Snapdragon XR2+
RAM
12GB
Storage
256GB
Connectors
USB-C
Weight
722g
Battery Life
1–2 hours
Headset Tracking
Inside-out (no external beacons)
Controller Tracking
Inside-out (headset line-of-sight not needed)
Expression Tracking
Yes (eyes, face)
On-board cameras
5x external, 5x internal
Input
Touch Pro controllers (rechargeable), hand-tracking, voice
Audio
In-headstrap speakers, dual 3.5mm aux output
Microphone
Yes
Pass-through view
Yes (color)
MSRP
$1,500
The specifications are more or less as it was leaked, with two exceptions:
The displays were rumored to be 2K*2K, but it has not been the case
The device was supposed to have a depth sensor, which would have helped a lot in implementing on this device advanced environment scanning and understanding features. Meta has not explained why it was removed: some people suspect it was because it could have been used “to see through some clothes”, but I don’t know if the truth is actually some software/hardware incompatibility.
More Info
Quest Pro specifications (Road To VR)
Quest Pro won’t ship with a depth sensor (Upload VR)
Features
Pico 4, which costs one-third of the price of the Pro. Headsets anyway have not to be just evaluated on paper: Quest Pro introduces a lot of innovations and polishes, which all together create a headset that is for sure not revolutionary, but a noticeable step forward from the Quest 2.
Talking about visuals, the display resolution is 1800 × 1920 per eye, which is even less than the one of the Quest 2, but here there are two displays, one per each eye, so there are fewer “wasted pixels”. Plus the lenses are not Fresnel ones, but pancake lenses studied to give you a bigger eye box. This means that on the Quest Pro you can actually move your eyes and read a text in a normal way, by just scrolling the text with your eyes without having to rotate your head. The clarity is much more on this device, with “more pixels” concentrated into the center of vision, that is exactly where your eyes perceive better. This has been reported by all the reviewers. According to Meta, Pro has a 25% improvement in sharpness at the center of the field-of-view, and a 50% improvement across the periphery. The field of view is just a bit wider than the one of Quest 2, but enough so that it is noticeable. Meta also claims Quest Pro includes a 500-element (Mini-LEDs) local dimming backlight which enables improved contrast up to 75% compared to Quest 2, while also allowing for a 1.3 times larger range of color. This means that blacks are “more black” than in a standard LCD display, but still not as black as in a OLED one. Refresh rate tops at 90hz, and it is unlikely it will go at 120 after launch.
The chipset is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+, which moves slightly the RAM on the chip: XR2 has the RAM stacked on top of the chip, whereas XR2+ has the RAM to the side to enable better thermal dissipation and thus higher sustained performance. It offers 50% more performance than its predecessor… but most of this performance boost is used by the additional sensors this device mounts, so very little arrives to the final application. So, don’t expect a huge bump of performance of your application on this device.
Quest Pro is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+
As for the comfort, the device is lightweight (722g), compact, and comfortable, with the battery on the back which guarantees a good balancing of the weight . Pancake lenses help in making it smaller and lighter than Quest 2. The only disadvantage of the Pro reported by the reviewers is that it uses a halo design for the headband for which is usually difficult to find a perfect fit on the head. It’s good news by the way that there is continuous IPD adjustment (and with a wider range than before) and that thanks to eye tracking sensors, the headset can tell you if you have positioned it well on your head. There is also an eye-relief dial, so you can put the lenses very close to your eyes, for added field of view.
Talking about eye tracking, there is another feature that it brings to the table: dynamic foveated rendering, so that the headset can render in full resolution only the part of the screen you are looking at. I was pretty excited about this, but John Carmack clarified that it doesn’t bring a massive performance boost with regard to the fixed foveated rendering of Quest 2 (less than 2x, which is anyway good, but not impressive). Anyway, at least it makes the presence of foveated rendering less visible: with FFR, you can see the visuals at the border of the lenses becoming jagged, while here, wherever you look at, you see that part of the scren in full resolution.
Notice how the pose of the index, including the exact position of the finger tip, is detected by Quest Pro controllers (Image by Upload VR)
More Info
Quest Pro official launch article (Oculus blog)
Quest Pro specifications (Road To VR)
Quest Pro specs in detail (Upload VR)
Oculus Link and Air Link work on Meta Quest Pro (Road To VR)
Quest Pro vs Quest 2 comparison (Road To VR)
Impressive Face Tracking demo on Quest Pro (Road To VR)
Quest Pro and the performances of XR2+ and foveated rendering (Upload VR)
Another article on foveated rendering performances (Upload VR)
Quest Pro lets you open the browser while you use apps (Upload VR)
Upgrades in Controllers tracking and haptics (Upload VR)
Face and eye data not available via Oculus Link (Oculus Forums)
Privacy
Face and eye tracking introduce obvious privacy concerns. Meta has clarified that the images of the tracking cameras never leave the device and that the user is free to enable and disable these sensors whenever he wants, so it should be safe privacy-wise. BUT if you read the privacy policies of these two services, you can discover that Meta can send some of your eye tracking data to Meta servers, and while this may just be to guarantee the correct visualization of expressions on your avatar face in multiplayer experiences, it opens a backdoor to Meta to get some precious data about our eyes. I think we need better clarifications on this side.
More Info
Meta privacy policy for eye tracking (Meta website)
Meta privacy policy for face tracking (Meta website)
Mark Zuckerberg’s interview (The Verge)
Doubts about privacy of Quest Pro (Wired)
Battery
App Lab…
Jokes apart, the duration is a bit small, so I envision that 3rd-parties power banks are going to be announced soon for this device.
In the meantime, the company advises recharging the device often by leaving it on the dedicated charging dock which is provided together with the whole Quest Pro set.
More Info
Battery life on Quest Pro is 1-2 hours (Road To VR)
Battery Life of Controllers is up to 8 hours (Zimtok + Boztank Twitter feeds)
Battery Life of Pro Controllers (Upload VR)
Hands-on reviews
The hands-on reviews have highlighted more or less what we could imagine. The device is very good, but not a huge jump forward if compared with Quest 2. Reviewers were usually impressed by the wide eye box and the clarity of the visuals even at resolution parity with Quest 2. Even the peripheral part of the screen has increased clarity if compared to similar headsets. Anyway, Ben Lang said that the text on the device is readable but still not perfectly readable.
Also, the controllers were reported to be great. Ben Lang said that the handles feel comfortable like the ones of the Rift CV1 controllers (which are the most ergonomic controllers I have ever tried), and David Heaney of Upload VR reported the haptics to be so well defined that they were be even better than the ones on PSVR 2!
More Info
Ben Lang’s hands-on Quest Pro (Road To VR)
Ben Lang’s technical analysis of Quest Pro (Road To VR)
David Heaney’s hands-on Qu...
The State Of Crypto In Western Europe: Swiss Powerhouse And French Unicorns Cointelegraph
The State Of Crypto In Western Europe: Swiss Powerhouse And French Unicorns – Cointelegraph https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-state-of-crypto-in-western-europe-swiss-powerhouse-and-french-unicorns-cointelegraph/
Despite the turbulence that broke out in the crypto market this summer, there is an important long-term marker that should be considered in any complex assessment — the combination of adoption and regulation. The latest report by EUBlockchain Observatory, named “EU Blockchain Ecosystem Developments,” tries to measure this combination within the European Union, combining the data on each and every member country from Portugal to Slovakia.
As the original report counts more than 200 pages, Cointelegraph prepared a summary with the intent to capture the most vital information about the state of crypto and blockchain in Europe. We started from a group of countries that are usually labeled as “Western European.”
Austria
Numbers: 50 blockchain solution providers, $48.72 million (50 million euros) in total funds raised
Regulation and legislation: A registry for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) was established by the Financial Market Authority a year later, in 2020. Regulators have adopted an “overall non-restrictive approach” toward crypto and blockchain and crypto mining remains largely unregulated.
Taxes: As is the case in most European countries, digital currency exchange is VAT-exempt. Capital gains from the sale of crypto are subject to a progressive income tax that amounts to up to 55% for individuals and 25% for corporations, but digital taxation policies may apply if the digital currency generates interest income and thus qualifies as an investment asset.
Notable initiatives: In November 2019, the Austrian Blockchain Centre (ABC) was created to explore blockchain applications in the fields of finance, energy, logistics, public administration and the Internet of Things. ABC, currently involving more than 21 institutions and 54 companies in its public-private partnership model, aspires to become the world’s largest blockchain research center. Blockchain is also a key facilitator of the Smart City Vienna and Open Government Data initiatives.
Local players: Bitpanda, a Vienna-based trading platform, which market value exceeded $4 billion in 2021, Blockpit, a digital assets investment platform responsible for more than $500 million traded in 2017, and Conda, a crowd-investing platform for Austrian startups.
Belgium
Numbers: 47 blockchain solution providers, 992 blockchain professionals.
Regulation and legislation: According to the report, there are currently “no specific laws or regulations” in Belgium. In 2017, Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) published a communication on an overview of the legislation and regulations that may apply to Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and crypto assets.
At the same time, FSMA maintains a red list of fraudulent crypto companies. Nevertheless, utility token offerings are considered “a regular option” to raise capital. The FSMA characterizes crypto assets as investment instruments given that they may provide rights to revenues or returns, a means of storage and exchange given their convertibility into other assets or a utility token if they provide access to certain products or services.
From May 2022, registration for VASPs and custodial wallets is obligatory. The providers must fulfill certain conditions including status as a legal entity and maintaining minimum capital of 50,000 euros.
Taxes: Tax stands at 33% on any cryptocurrency income, depending on how the individual is investing. A mere increase of value over time escapes taxation, but the investor is obliged to prove their holding strategy. There is no specification on the required holding time.
Notable initiatives: “Blockchain for Europe” represents international blockchain industry players at the EU level, with a primary focus on participation in the regulatory debate. HIVE Blockchain Society is a nonprofit blockchain association whose aim is to promote the understanding of distributed ledger technology and to inform the Belgian and international community about its developments.
Local players: Keyrock, a company that develops crypto-asset financial infrastructure by means of scalable, self-adaptive algorithmic technologies, Credix, a decentralized credit marketplace powered by Solana blockchain technology, and Delta, a Bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrency portfolio tracker app.
France
Numbers: 160+ blockchain startups, $175.4 million (180 million euros) of fundraised revenue
Regulation and legislation: France established a friendly legal framework for ICOs in 2016, allowing issuers to register cash vouchers directly into the blockchain. In 2017, the Financial Market Authority (AMF) launched the digital-asset fundraising support and research program UNICORN. France also authorizes the registration and transfer of unlisted securities using blockchain technology.
Taxes: The country’s highest administrative court reduced the tax burden on profits coming from cryptocurrencies and set a flat rate tax of 30%.
Notable initiatives: The public Deposits and Consignments Fund makes direct investments in crypto projects. The fund has invested $292.3 million (300 million euros) in blockchain and AI in the European Commission’s Investment Programme for the Future.
Community self-organization: The French Digital Asset Association (ADAN) operates as a professional lobbying group on behalf of the industry.
Local players: Ledger, leading global cryptocurrency hardware wallet provider, Coinhouse, a crypto asset management and transaction services company, providing staking, saving and custody services, and Sorare, a fantasy football gaming platform that uses blockchain technology based on Ethereum.
Germany
Numbers: 343 blockchain startups
Regulation and legislation: Since 2013, virtual currencies have been the “units of account.” In 2020, Germany introduced the concepts of “crypto asset” and “crypto custody.” The latter requires a license from the supervisory body BaFin. Virtual currencies are not considered legal tender in the country and are generally treated as investment assets or so-called “substitute currencies.”
Taxes: In May 2022, Germany’s Finance Ministry has released new cryptocurrency tax guidelines with no tax payable on gains from BTC and Ether (ETH) sold 12 months after acquisition.
Notable initiatives: In September 2020, the Deutsche Energie-Agentur announced the launch of the Future Energy Lab. It involves, among other things, the pilot projects related to the application of blockchain technology in the energy sector, such as the Blockchain Machine Identity Ledger (BMIL) and the Smart Contract Registry. The BMIL is a digital and decentralized directory for device identities.
The same year one of the four electricity transmission system operators in Germany announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Energy Web that will focus on testing and validating the technological promises of blockchain-based solutions.
Community self-organization: Established in 2017, the Blockchain Bundesverband is a non-profit association with more than 60 members. The association’s initiatives focus on education for decision-makers and the wider public. Based in Munich, the European Blockchain Association provides an independent, neutral platform for blockchain-related communities and organizations to discuss, develop and elaborate on shared work.
Local startups: Iota Foundation develops an open-source protocol that supports data and value transfer between devices and humans, and BitsCrunch, a crypto-analytics company.
The Netherlands
Numbers: 160+ blockchain startups, $360.5 million (370 million euros) of raised funds.
Regulation and legislation: The central bank and the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) maintain a one-stop shop for regulatory information for startups called InnovationHub. There is also a regulatory sandbox for emerging technologies with a principles-based (rather than a rules-based) approach. Compliance is determined based on the intent of laws and regulations rather than their letter. A practice of partial authorizations, when a startup does not need to meet all the banking license criteria to obtain a license, is rather common.
Notable initiatives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tymlez launched a project to support the government’s transparency in medical supply chains through blockchain technology. There are projects in agriculture such as Blockchain for Agri-food, financed by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to improve supply chains.
Community self-organization: The report mentions meetup groups such as Blockchain Talks, Blockchain Netherlands, Food Integrity Blockchained, Permissionless Society Blockchains and Bitcoin Wednesday Amsterdam, as well as Ethereum Dev NL and Hyperledger Netherlands.
Local players: Bitfury provides mobile Bitcoin mining data centers, Aurus, a gold-backed cryptocurrency on the Ethereum blockchain, and Finturi, a blockchain-powered trade finance platform.
Switzerland
Numbers: $247.48 billion (254 billion euros) of the total valuation of the top 50 companies in 2021, 877 blockchain solution providers.
Regulation and legislation: In 2019, the Federal Council updated the existing framework conditions in relation to blockchain and crypto. In 2020, the Swiss Parliament passed the DLT blanket act, which selectively adapts 10 existing federal laws. In 2021, a license for DLT trading facilities was introduced.
According to the Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), digital currencies are categorized based on their function and purpose as payment tokens, utility tokens and asset tokens.
Taxes: Tax rules vary between the individual cantons. Digital currencies are generally treated as foreign currencies for the purposes of wealth taxation. Their exchange value is determined by the Fed...
Biden Will Act methodically In Re-Evaluating Saudi Relationship Reuters
Biden Will Act ‘methodically’ In Re-Evaluating Saudi Relationship – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/biden-will-act-methodically-in-re-evaluating-saudi-relationship-reuters/
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. President Joe Biden meet at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will act “methodically” in deciding how to respond to Saudi Arabia over oil output cuts, but options include changes to U.S. security assistance, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday.
Sullivan, speaking on CNN, said no changes to the U.S.-Saudi relationship were imminent as Biden re-evaluates it.
“And so the president isn’t going act precipitously. He is going to act methodically, strategically and he’s going to take his time to consult with members of both parties, and also to have an opportunity for Congress to return so that he can sit with them in person and work through the options,” Sullivan said.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
A day after OPEC+ oil producers last week announced output cuts over U.S. objections, Biden vowed to impose “consequences” on Saudi Arabia for siding with Russia in supporting the cuts. The OPEC+ move undermines Western countries’ plans to impose a cap on the price of Russian oil exports in response to Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for a halt to most U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia after the OPEC+ move.
Biden’s options “include changes to our approach to security assistance to Saudi Arabia, but I’m not going to get ahead of the president. What I will say is there’s nothing imminent,” Sullivan said, adding that there was time for Biden to consult with Congress.
Sullivan said Biden has no plans to meet with Saudi Arabia’s de-facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at a G20 leaders summit in November in Indonesia.
Asked whether Biden would view Russia’s use of a small tactical nuclear weapon or detonating one in the Black Sea as less serious than a larger bomb, Sullivan said it was “dangerous” to draw such distinctions, and the president would not do so.
“The use of a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine is the use of a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine. We’re not going to slice the salami,” Sullivan added.
He said it was incumbent upon NATO allies and other responsible countries, including China and India, to “send a very clear and decisive message to Russia that they should not contemplate the use of nuclear weapons in this conflict.”
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Lisa Shumaker
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Utah Opens 2022-23 Season At Home Against Denver The Associated Press En Español
Utah Opens 2022-23 Season At Home Against Denver – The Associated Press – En Español https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/utah-opens-2022-23-season-at-home-against-denver-the-associated-press-en-espanol/
Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz
Salt Lake City; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EDT
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Jazz -8; over/under is 218
BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Jazz host the Denver Nuggets in the season opener.
Utah went 49-33 overall and 33-19 in Western Conference play last season. The Jazz averaged 113.6 points per game last season, 47.8 in the paint, 14.7 off of turnovers and 10.1 on fast breaks.
Denver finished 48-34 overall and 29-23 in Western Conference play during the 2021-22 season. The Nuggets averaged 7.2 steals, 3.7 blocks and 13.8 turnovers per game last season.
INJURIES: Jazz: Udoka Azubuike: out (ankle/foot).
Nuggets: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Clark County Council Will Have New Look After Election The Columbian
Clark County Council Will Have New Look After Election – The Columbian https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/clark-county-council-will-have-new-look-after-election-the-columbian/
Political novices in hunt for three of panel’s five seats
Published: October 16, 2022, 6:04am
6 Photos
Chartisha Roberts Photo Gallery
With three of the Clark County Council’s five seats on the Nov. 8 ballot, and most of the candidates for the District 1, District 2 and District 5 seats being relative political newcomers, the council convening in January will undoubtedly look and function differently than the current council.
“It depends on who’s sitting in the seats. It depends on how they behave, on how they communicate, on how much they actually want to serve the community or serve their own self-interests or the interests of a few,” District 1 Councilor Julie Olson said in an interview.
While the business of the county will go on no matter who is elected — primarily due to the qualified staff who “know what they’re doing,” Olson said — the actions of the council will impact residents.
“The business of the county will continue. It’s just a matter of whether Clark County will be respected in our legislative community, be respected around the state, if we can actually be productive and professional as the work gets done,” Olson said. “And that all depends on the individuals and how they operate on a day-to-day basis.”
Here are the races:
District 1
Olson announced she would not be running for reelection in April, less than two weeks after District 2 Councilor Temple Lentz made a similar announcement. Like Lentz, Olson said she would remain on the council through the end of the year but wasn’t interested in serving for another term.
The race is between Vancouver residents Glen Yung and Hector Hinojosa. Candidate Doug Coop was eliminated in the primary.
Although both candidates have prior experience working with nonprofits and community organizations, and neither has served in an elected office, they offer different approaches to similar issues.
Hinojosa, who is perhaps more widely known as one of the founders of the Southwest Washington League of United Latin American Citizens, says the county needs to do more to address homelessness.
“Vancouver has been leading the way with that type of funding,” Hinojosa said during The Columbian’s editorial board meeting in July.
Yung, who owns a residential remodeling company, said the county needs a holistic approach that incorporates homelessness, housing, law enforcement and more.
Hinojosa’s top priorities include preserving agricultural lands, transportation and infrastructure needs, racial equity and climate change. Yung lists affordable housing, public safety and preserving the county’s natural resources as his top issues.
District 2
Two former contenders for Vancouver Public Schools’ board are facing off in the race for the District 2 seat. Michelle Belkot and Chartisha Roberts, both of Vancouver, took the top two places in the August primary. Neither candidate has been elected to office previously. A third contender, Kim Hamlik, lost in the primary.
Belkot is a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force and works as a civil servant. Roberts has worked in human resources for the past 13 years, primarily in the health care and transportation industries.
Although both are working mothers, any similarities between the two candidates ends there.
Belkot was a vocal critic of mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported a mini-initiative to “ban discriminatory health mandates,” such as mask and vaccine requirements, that was ultimately voted down by the council in January.
Belkot said there is a disconnect between residents and the county council. She lists public safety at the top of her priorities, along with homelessness and transportation. The top priorities for Roberts are homelessness, affordable housing and transportation.
Both candidates put public safety among their top concerns, but they have different approaches. Roberts said her chief concern is making sure the sheriff’s office is adequately funded, but she also wants to make sure those funds are spent wisely, especially the newly passed public safety sales tax.
Belkot was opposed to the public safety sales tax but does support increasing sheriff’s deputies’ pay, which she said lags behind the pay in other jurisdictions.
District 5
Of all the candidates running for a county council seat, perhaps the two most dissimilar candidates are District 5’s Sue Marshall and Don Benton. Current District 5 Councilor Richard Rylander Jr. and former law enforcement officer Rick Torres were eliminated in the primary.
Benton is certainly the more well known of the two. A former state lawmaker, state campaign manager for former President Donald Trump and one-time head of the U.S. Selective Service, Benton is now semi-retired and works for McKeon Group, a consulting and lobbying firm based in Alexandria, Va.
While still serving in the state Senate, Benton was appointed as the county’s director of environmental services. His lack of experience in the field and bypass of the county’s civil service hiring process led to sharp criticism of both Benton and the county council.
Benton was let go in 2016 following a departmental restructuring but later won a wrongful-termination lawsuit against the county.
Marshall and her husband own and operate their family farm in rural Ridgefield. While she may live in a rural area and is a political newcomer, Marshall said she’s been involved in county business, especially land use and planning, for many years.
Benton has made protecting property rights, rural economic development, reducing crime and addressing homelessness the cornerstones of his campaign. He has also pledged to never vote to raise property taxes and said raising taxes should always be a last option.
With Clark County soon to begin updating the Comprehensive Growth Plan, due in 2025, Marshall has focused much of her campaign on land-use policies, but she also wants to address public safety and affordable housing.
On the web
For more information about all of the candidates, check out The Columbian’s election coverage at www.columbian.com/elections.
What Is Sleep Tourism & Why It Is Not Only For Sleepy Travelers? TheTravel
What Is Sleep Tourism & Why It Is Not Only For Sleepy Travelers? – TheTravel https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/what-is-sleep-tourism-why-it-is-not-only-for-sleepy-travelers-thetravel/
The ability to get a decent night’s sleep seems to be getting harder to accomplish, especially in recent years. Approximately 35% of individuals report getting less than 7 hours of sleep in a normal 24-hour period, and 50 to 70 million US adults now suffer from a sleep problem, with insomnia being the most prevalent.
Sleep tourism, or vacation locales and programs focused on a good night’s sleep, is therefore anticipated to become a major travel trend. Although the idea is not totally new, sleep-related services have appeared on hotel packages and spa services over the years, industry experts are observing a greater interest on the part of tourists in engaging in activities and treatments that promote restful sleep.
It can seem like a strange approach to try to change someone’s sleeping patterns to take a vacation. However, during the past several years, sleep tourism has become increasingly popular, with more sleep-focused stays appearing in resorts and hotels all over the world.
What Is Sleep Tourism, And Why Is It Beneficial For Everyone?
Since the epidemic, interest has surged, and some well-known institutions are now concentrating their attention on sleep-deprived persons.
A unique and vast room at Park Hyatt New York was introduced last year named the Bryte Restorative Sleep Suite. Moreover, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a line of getaways called the Alchemy of Sleep that is intended to encourage relaxation.
The world’s first Hästens Sleep Spa Hotel was constructed in the Portuguese city of Coimbra a year after Zedwell, London’s first sleep-centric hotel, which offers rooms with cutting-edge soundproofing, opened its doors in early 2020.
Sleep has suddenly taken center stage in the tourism sector. This change, especially about hotels, according to Dr. Rebecca Robbins, a sleep expert, has been long overdue.
When it comes down to it, tourists hire hotels for a place to sleep, before pointing out that, in the past, the hotel sector has mostly been focused on things that actually interfere with sleep.
People frequently link travel with indulgent meals, later bedtimes, and activities that are virtually exclusively done at the expense of sleep.
Now, Dr. Robbins believes that there has just been a significant seismic change in society’s understanding of and emphasis on health and well-being. This appears to have been importantly influenced by the worldwide pandemic.
40% of 2,562 people who participated in the study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine said that their sleep quality has declined since the pandemic’s beginning.
Here Are Some Hotels That Offer Sleep Tourism
Book A Room At Hotel Figueroa
Hotel Figueroa is a historical landmark in the heart of Los Angeles that was first opened to women only in 1926.
After a well-publicized refurbishment in 2018, the property now boasts a stunning fusion of the original Spanish Colonial style from the 1920s with modern accents.
The hotel just introduced a Rest & Recovery Suite in response to the disruptions to sleep caused by COVID-19.
It will give its guests a pillow test two to three weeks before their trip, compliments of Pluto Pillow, a woman-owned business that makes pillows specifically for each guest’s body type and sleeping habits.
The adjustable Pod mattress from Eight Sleep, which learns guests sleeping habits and modifies the temperature depending on their biometrics during the night, is another partnership between Hotel Figueroa and this company.
Location: 939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Price: $314 per night for 2 adults in a bedroom suite with a king bed
Sleep at Castle Hot Springs
Natural hot springs were the go-to choice for vacationers even before they could completely arrange a trip with a sleep theme. It turns out that this approach still performs admirably.
Hotel guests in Arizona’s Castle Hot Springs may soak in geothermally-heated springs that were carved out of the ground over 13,000 years ago. With the special mineral composition of the water, sleep enters the picture.
After a treatment in one of the outside cabanas that look out over a stream that is shaded by palm trees, a bath in potent chemicals will prepare guests for a sound night’s sleep.
First, magnesium, a sleep super element, promotes relaxation and blood flow. Then calcium helps to promote muscular performance and control cardiac rhythms.
Later, sodium relieves arthritic pain and joint pains. Finally, lithium can improve people’s moods, which will make it easier for them to fall asleep.
Location: 5050 N. Castle Hot Springs Road Morristown, AZ 85342, United States
Price: $1750 per night for 2 adults in a Sky View Cabin
Spend A Night At Six Senses Ibiza
Ibiza is not the first place that comes to mind when thinking of somewhere to go for a good night’s sleep, but that has been changing in recent years as hotels like Six Senses have positioned the island as a health destination.
The hotel’s sleep program combines suggestions from its Sleep Doctor with Yoga Nidra, meditation, therapies, massages, nutritional guidance, and low-intensity exercise.
On this enchanted Balearic island, guests have the option of 3, 5, or 7-night sleep stays, which include health tests and consultations, yoga Nidra, a dream catcher massage, a cryotherapy treatment, and sleep tracking the whole time.
Location: Carrer Camí de sa Torre, 71, 07810 San Juan Bautista, Illes Balears, Spain
Price: $756 per night for 2 adults in a deluxe room
Other hotels around the world: Hotel de Crillon – Paris, Mystique Hotel – Santorini, The Shelbourne – Dublin, Cliveden House – England, and many others around the world.
%
Court Adjourns GFA And Ashantigold Case To October 20 Ghana Business News
Court Adjourns GFA And Ashantigold Case To October 20 – Ghana Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/court-adjourns-gfa-and-ashantigold-case-to-october-20-ghana-business-news/
An Accra Human Rights High Court has adjourned the case between Ashantigold SC and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to Thursday, October 20, 2022.
The betPawa Ghana Premier League (GPL) was suspended a fortnight ago after Ashantigold placed an injunction on the continuation of the league which heading towards its fourth week.
The Miners are challenging the decision of the GFA to demote them to second division after being found guilty of match-fixing together with Inter Allies.
The betPawa GPL would remain suspended until the next hearing of the case next week.
Ashantigold have applied to file a supplementary affidavit for next week’s hearing as they argue that the GFA’s Disciplinary Committee ruling infringed on their rights.
Some players who received various suspension after their involvement in the match fixing scandal have had their suspensions temporarily lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
Source: GNA
Innovative Childcare At The Nest Schools Expands With Newest Houston-Area School Opening In November Community Impact Newspaper
Innovative Childcare At The Nest Schools Expands With Newest Houston-Area School Opening In November – Community Impact Newspaper https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/innovative-childcare-at-the-nest-schools-expands-with-newest-houston-area-school-opening-in-november-community-impact-newspaper/
With three successful schools under their belt and one more on the way in the Houston area, The Nest Schools has continued to provide childcare that goes above and beyond the norm. The newest school, located at 18150 Park Cypress St., Houston, is set to open in late November and serves infants all the way up until elementary school.
Along with the new school, the childcare provider also has locations in Katy, Cypress and Houston, as well as schools across the country. When choosing where to expand next, another Houston location seemed like the perfect next step as the area continues to grow and attract many new families. One thing stands above the rest in how they operate—The Nest Difference.
According to their website, The Nest Difference focuses on five key aspects of excellent childcare: health and safety, Nest Play curriculum, parent communication, top teachers and outdoor play spaces.
“Our outdoor play spaces are one of the many things that sets us apart from other early childhood programs,” said Brittany Madonna, senior vice president of marketing and communications. “Our play spaces consist of a variety of natural elements and features, and are uniquely designed for each school. They are treated as an extension of our classrooms where children can learn and grow.”
In terms of health and safety, all spaces feature state-of-the-art air purifiers that aim to reduce the chance of anyone contracting COVID-19 and other illnesses. Weekly and monthly safety checks are completed on the inside and outside of the school, and observance cameras are also installed throughout.
When it comes to the curriculum taught at the school, their daily lesson plans support the development of the whole child and incorporate play-inspired learning opportunities. In addition to the lesson plans, three different enrichment programs, Paints and Pianos, Fit Buddies, and Art of Living, are included as a part of the children’s regular routine.
Fit Buddies focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle from the beginning of a child’s life. Different lessons include dancing, bean bag tossing and dribbling a soccer ball.
When a child participates in Paints and Pianos, they get to express themselves through different art forms such as painting and drawing using a variety of mixed mediums.
With the Art of Living, children are taught different life skills like having a conversation, caring for pets and writing a thank you note.
“Our director of education does all our curriculum planning for our schools. She incorporates the most current research on how children learn to develop the best approach for our students,” Madonna said. “How we educate our students centers around a play philosophy. Through playing and creating hands-on experiences, children become much more engaged and involved in the learning process.”
The school is still working on receiving some of these elements, such as the outdoor play spaces, as they prepare for their grand opening. Interested parents can schedule a virtual tour of the school, and in person tours will be available soon.
The above story was produced by Community Impact’s Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched and written by our journalism department.
Leeds United Vs. Arsenal Live Score Updates Highlights & Lineups From Premier League Match At Elland Road Sporting News
Leeds United Vs. Arsenal Live Score, Updates, Highlights & Lineups From Premier League Match At Elland Road – Sporting News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/leeds-united-vs-arsenal-live-score-updates-highlights-lineups-from-premier-league-match-at-elland-road-sporting-news/
Arsenal will aim to make it nine wins out of 10 in the Premier League this season when they travel to Leeds United on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the table, a point ahead of Manchester City as the champions prepare for a showdown with Liverpool at Anfield.
The Gunners defeated Jurgen Klopp’s side in a thriller last weekend, with a Leeds team who last won in August presenting a more straightforward task on paper.
Jesse Marsch’s side did beat Chelsea at Elland Road to hasten Thomas Tuchel’s demise earlier in the campaign and will again have the backing of a raucous home crowd hoping for a big scalp.
The Sporting News is following the match live and providing live score updates, and commentary.
MORE: Leeds United vs. Arsenal: Time, TV channel, stream, betting odds for Premier League clash at Elland Road
Leeds United vs. Arsenal live score
1H
2H
Final
LEE
—
—
—
ARS
—
—
—
Goals:
Leeds United vs. Arsenal live updates, highlights from the Premier League clash at Elland Road
Don’t really know what minute it is at this stage: Nope, we’re still not playing. Both teams’ goalkeeping coaches are out keeping Meslier and Ramsdale warm.
6th minute: There’s no quick fix here. Now both sets of players are over at the dugouts for a drink.
4th minute: It must be said, Kavanagh’s struggles are not being treated with much sympathy at Elland Road. Both teams are keeping warm by playing some keep ball with some extra balls on the field. Marsch called Kristensen over for a chat.
2nd minute: Interestingly, Jack Harrison appears to be lining up at centre-forward for now. There’s also a break in play as referee Chris Kavanagh is having problems with his headset.
2 mins from kickoff: The teams are out. The atmosphere is crackling at Elland Road. We’re ready to go.
20 mins from kickoff: So if Arsenal win today, they will open up a four-point advantage at the top before Manchester City kick off at against Liverpool. City have won once at Anfield in the Premier League since 2003. This could be a day when Arsenal’s title ambitions really begin to crystalise.
30 mins from kickoff: Leeds are out and going through their warm-ups. We’re bathed in sunshine at Elland Road, although it is the first jumper and big coat day of the season for me, if anyone is keeping tabs on autumn press box wardrobes.
55 mins from kickoff: Here’s what the Leeds team looks like. Luis Sinisterra is back, having been sent off in the 0-0 draw against Aston Villa at Elland Road. Patrick Bamford drops to the bench.
Your #LUFC Starting XI… pic.twitter.com/mXuZvTtWyE
— Leeds United (@LUFC) October 16, 2022
1 hour from kickoff: The teams are in. Gabriel Jesus is back at centre-forward for Arsenal after resting up for the Europa League trip to Bodo/Glimt.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 16, 2022
1hr 15 mins from kickoff: Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal a flying start in their statement 3-2 win over Liverpool last weekend. The Brazilian is on his longest run of consecutive Premier League starts for the Gunners (10) and has chipped in with five goals and three assists during this period. Leeds right-back Rasmus Kristensen can expect to have his hands full today. That’s if they’re both playing, of course – team news will be with us in about 15 minutes.
It’s Leeds vs Arsenal and I’m ready!! #COYG #MOT @Arsenal @LUFC pic.twitter.com/uuCQFrXyCD
— David Seaman MBE ~ SafeHands (@thedavidseaman) October 16, 2022
1hr 40 mins from kickoff: Leeds are unbeaten at home this season but winless in five games, having claimed just two points since August. They lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace seven days ago, a result lamented by Jesse Marsch in his programme notes. “In my opinion, the first half was one of the best since I’ve been at the club, we were on top and we should have scored further goals from the chances we created,” he said. “We take a lot of pride in set-pieces, so we were disappointed to concede from one just before the break and it allowed Crystal Palace to change things at halftime. The group is still learning and we have a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be, but everyone remains committed to the process.”£
1 hr 50 mins from kickoff: When Arsenal came to Elland Road last December, Mikel Arteta’s team had lost their previous three away Premier League games. A 4-1 win helped to quell some doubts around the Gunners’ boss and he returns to West Yorkshire in a very different predicament, with his team sitting pretty at the top of the table after eight wins from nine matches. Incidentally, each of the previous four teams to win nine of their opening 10 have gone on to lift the title.
2 hours from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ coverage of Premier League leaders Arsenal’s latest assignment against Leeds at a sold-out Elland Road.
What a moment. What a player. @BukayoSaka87 pic.twitter.com/zMxzk1teH1
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 9, 2022
Leeds vs. Arsenal lineups
Luis Sinisterra returns from suspension to bolster Marsch’s attacking options after he was sent off in the 0-0 draw against Aston Villa. The Colombia international’s inclusion means Patrick Bamford drops to the bench
Leeds lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier (GK) — Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk — Adams, Roca — Aaronson, Rodrigo, Harrison — Sinisterra
Oleksandr Zinchenko remains out due to a calf problem, with Takehiro Tomiyasu starting at left-back again after a bravura performance against Liverpool.
Gabriel Jesus rested up in midweek and comes back in to lead the attack. Arteta’s midfield options are still lacking Emile Smith Rowe (groin) and Mohamed Elneny (hamstring).
Arsenal lineup (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale (GK) — White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu — Partey, Xhaka — Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli — Jesus
MORE: Next Premier League manager sacked: Updated odds
Leeds vs. Arsenal TV channel, live stream
UK: The match is not being broadcast live in the UK, with Sky Sports airing Aston Villa vs. Chelsea in the same time slot. Highlights will be available post-match from rights holders Sky, BT Sport and BBC. Live commentary will be broadcast by BBC Radio 5Live
USA: Leeds vs. Arsenal will be streamed via NBC’s Peacock Premium service.
Canada: Every Premier League game streams live and on demand exclusively via fuboTV.
Australia: Fans in Australia can stream matches live and on demand on Optus Sport.
Metacryp: An Emerging Metaverse Like The Sandbox You Should Not Miss Tekedia
Metacryp: An Emerging Metaverse Like The Sandbox You Should Not Miss – Tekedia https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/metacryp-an-emerging-metaverse-like-the-sandbox-you-should-not-miss-tekedia/
MetaCryp Network is a metaverse platform built on the Binance Smart Chain that aims to provide its users with an ecosystem where they can unwind from daily stress.
The project will use blockchain technology to create a virtual space for community members to work, play, and socialize. Although it is not the first metaverse platform, the team aims to solve five problems associated with blockchain projects.
Firstly, MetaCryp wants to address the issue of lack of transparency and lack of trust familiar with some blockchain projects. Why do those projects lack transparency? Some do not provide details about their token allocation, reward system, and governance mechanism.
However, MetaCryp will ensure that it will account for all its operational processes. Also, the project will use smart contracts to document its reward system. In turn, MetaCryp will be an open-source platform trusted by investors and users.
Also, MetaCryp is removing procedures of blockchain games that discourage new people from entering the industry. These procedures include KYC registrations, payment of commissions, or other costs.
To solve this, MetaCryp will ensure that its users won’t need to provide their details when joining its metaverse. Instead, users only need to connect their crypto wallets and authorize as many transactions as possible.
Meanwhile, some blockchain games charge users recurring fees to play games. At the same time, they remove hidden charges like wallet maintenance fees.
On its part, MetaCryp does not charge entry fees, and the necessary deductions will be low in comparison to other platforms. Regarding wallet maintenance, it will be unnecessary since MetaCryp is adopting a peer-to-peer payment method via a crypto wallet.
In addition, rigorous transaction processes and delayed settlement time will not exist in the MetaCryp metaverse. Its users can quickly move crypto assets to their public wallets through a free in-game wallet.
Furthermore, GameFi projects sometimes restrict their communities from participating in governance. On the contrary, MetaCryp will put its community first. Its users can always submit proposals and possess the right to provide opinions and vote on decisions that MetaCryp will make.
MetaCryp token MTCR
The MTCR token will function as both the utility and governance token of the MetaCryp ecosystem. MTCR will let users gain access to the metaverse platform and serve as a reward to those using the virtual space.
MetaCryp Vs. The Sandbox
Like MetaCryp, The Sandbox is a metaverse platform where you can invest in virtual lands. After buying a land parcel or estate, you can develop and build a gaming experience and sell or store it.
Apart from a full-blown metaverse, The Sandbox offers three other products: VoxEdit, an NFT marketplace, and a game maker. VoxEdit and The Sandbox Game Maker help create digital artwork that you convert into NFTs. Moreover, those NFTs are permanently yours until you decide to sell them.
The Sandbox uses SAND, an ERC-20 token, to operate its GameFi economy. SAND is a utility token that allows you to perform all transactions within the game ecosystem.
MeteCryp Vs. FTX Token
FTX is among the leading centralized exchanges. The crypto platform is based in the Bahamas after moving from Hong Kong. It has a separate company FTX US, running mainly in the United States. Although a joint management team runs both, their capital structures and trading products differ.
On September 5, 2022, FTX US president Brett Harrison stated on Twitter that he had resigned. Meanwhile, he will continue to work with FTX US by taking on an advisory role.
How to buy MTCR token
Set up a cryptocurrency wallet and add BTC, ETH, BNB, or MATIC.
Proceed to the MetaCryp presale website by clicking here.
Create an account and fill in the quantity of MTCR tokens you plan to buy.
Deposit crypto to complete your purchase.
MetaCryp will reward you with a 32% bonus of the amount you purchase for the first time.
Final Words
MetaCryp Network is a metaverse project that creates a virtual home for everyone.
Learn more about MetaCryp (MTCR)
Presale: http://presale.metacryptoken.io/
Website: http://metacryptoken.io/
Telegram: https://t.me/MetaCrypOfficial
The Coolest Indoor Lighting Gadgets You Can Add To Your Home Before Halloween Gadget Flow
The Coolest Indoor Lighting Gadgets You Can Add To Your Home Before Halloween – Gadget Flow https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/the-coolest-indoor-lighting-gadgets-you-can-add-to-your-home-before-halloween-gadget-flow/
Want cool lighting for your Halloween celebrations? Then today’s digest is for you. From smart string lights to a cosmos-inspired projector, these gadgets create a spooky atmosphere.
Jazz up your Halloween parties with the coolest indoor lighting gadgets around. Sure, the right lighting can transform your interior. But did you realize that most smart and decorative lights already have party-worthy colors and features? We’re highlighting some of our favorites today.
Related: Winterize your house with these useful smart home gadgets
Add a colorful glow to your living room with the Govee LED Strip Light M1. With RGBIC+ tech, it brings bright, natural colors to your interior. Choose from 17 moving effects and sync the lights with your music.
The Twinkly Strings are also a fun option, offering 16 million different colors. So go ahead and cover your windows with slime-green or pumpkin-spice colored string lights. The choice is yours.
Set a festive atmosphere this Halloween—and anytime—with these cool lighting gadgets.
1. The Govee LED Strip Light M1 smart lights add advanced color and natural tones to your ceilings, walls, home theater, and any other room.
Govee LED Strip Light M1 in a music studio
Add festive lighting to every corner of your home with the Govee LED Strip Light M1 smart lights. Their 4-in-1 RGBIC+ technology offers richer color performance and more natural tones than most LEDs. Decorate your home with preset scene effects and get hands-free control with Alexa.
Get them for $99.99 on the official website.
2. The Moonside Lamp One brings an eerie glow to your side tables and corners. Set the light to your preferences with the mobile app.
Moonside Lamp One on a table
With its oblong shape, the Moonside Lamp One looks like a modern jack-o-lantern when you choose the orange color. An incredibly versatile lamp, it can set any mood you want at parties. Control it with Alexa, Google Home, and more.
Get it for $69.90 on the official website.
3. The Twinkly Strings LED string lights jazz up your indoor holiday decorations with multicolor effects and 16 million different colors.
Twinkly Strings inspiration video
Add decorative string lighting to your indoor and outdoor Halloween displays with the Twinkly Strings LED string lights. With 16 million colors, music syncing, and lighting effects, they can create any spooky look you desire. They’re some of the coolest indoor lighting gadgets we’ve seen.
Get them for $79.99 on Amazon.
4. The Gingko Smart Galaxy Lamp appears to levitate, adding a mysterious vibe to any interior Halloween party decoration.
Gingko Smart Galaxy Lamp on a desk
If you’re going for a wizard-themed Halloween, consider adding the Gingko Smart Galaxy Lamp to your display. The sphere gives the illusion that it’s floating while integrated magnets slowly rotate it.
Get it for $199 on the official website.
5. The Philips Hue Tap Switch smart dial easily dims or brightens your Philips Hue smart lights. Use it as a remote, mount it to the wall, and more.
Phillips Hue Tap Switch in use
Adjust your smart lighting system throughout Halloween night and all year with the Philips Hue Tap Switch smart dial. Use it to switch a room’s light scene or get better lighting depending on the time of day. You won’t need to use your phone or tablet.
Get it for $49.99 on the official website.
6. The Cync 2022 Smart Bulb Collection elevates your Halloween celebrations with full-color decorative lighting options in various shapes and sizes.
Cync 2022 Smart Bulb Collection in a home theater
Kick your Halloween celebrations up a notch with the Cync 2022 Smart Bulb Collection. This series includes decorative color bulbs that can add ghostly light to any hanging or floor lamp. They’re some of the coolest indoor lighting gadgets.
Items in this collection start at $11.99. See a list of retailers on the official website.
7. The Govee RGBW Bluetooth Bulb String Lights dress up your indoor and outdoor spaces with festive and durable color-changing string lights.
Govee RGBW Bluetooth Bulb String Lights outdoors
Add a fun atmosphere with the Govee RGBW Bluetooth Bulb String Lights. They boast RGBIC tech, a DIY mode, music syncing, 8 scene modes, and more. Personalize each bulb to create the haunted celebration of your dreams.
Get them for $69.99 on the official website.
8. The Gingko Smart Book Light (Linen Fabric) adds to any indoor Halloween scene and makes a beautiful lamp for the rest of the year.
Gingko Smart Book Light video
Add a supernatural look to your desk this Halloween by covering it with cobwebs and illuminating it with the Gingko Smart Book Light (Linen Fabric). It looks like a book but opens into a multifunctional linen fabric lamp. You could even make it look like a spell book!
Get it for $49 on the official website.
9. The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance gradient light strip adds ambiance to any room of the house. You can even install it outdoors.
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance and a buffet
Light every corner of your home with the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance gradient lightstrip. It extends up to 10 meters and has preset themes, which is why it’s on our list of the coolest indoor lighting gadgets to buy before Halloween.
Get it for $179.99 on the official website.
10. The BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 LED laser star projector adds stars and galaxy-like clouds to your walls and ceilings, creating an otherworldly vibe.
BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 with Halloween decorations
Immerse your Halloween guests in the cosmos with the BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 LED laser star projector. It shines brilliant laser stars and colorful nebula in any room. Even better, its companion app lets you control the effects from your tablet or phone.
Get it for $34.99 on Amazon.
With lighting gadgets like these, your Halloween get-togethers will put everyone in a festive mood. Will you use any tech gadgets in your Halloween decor? Tell us about them in the comment section.
Want more news, reviews, and guides from Gadget Flow? Follow us on Apple News, Google News, Feedly, and Flipboard. If you use Flipboard, you should definitely check out our Curated Stories. We publish 3 new stories every day, so make sure to follow us to stay updated!
The Gadget Flow Daily Digest highlights and explores the latest in tech trends to keep you informed. Want it straight to your inbox? Subscribe ➜
Lauren has been writing and editing since 2008. She loves working with text and helping writers find their voice. When she’s not typing away at her computer, she cooks and travels with her husband and two daughters.
