Pixoul Gaming To Open On October 28 BroadcastProME.com
Pixoul Gaming To Open On October 28 – BroadcastProME.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/pixoul-gaming-to-open-on-october-28-broadcastprome-com/
The 2.4km waterfront destination at Al Qana aims to attract gamers to the UAE capital by offering something for everyone.
Pixoul Gaming, the virtual reality (VR) and Esports hub, will open on October 28 at Al Qana in Abu Dhabi.
Pixoul Gaming is an integrated, immersive entertainment destination through its elaborate Virtual Reality Gaming Zone. It will also have an esports academy and will host global gaming tournaments in its 800-seat capacity arena. The academy also includes an Esports bar, a gaming community twist on a typical sports bar.
Casual gamers will be able to use consoles, while more serious players will be able to enroll in the certified Esports Academy, a first in the region.
The hub at Al Qana, a 2.4-kilometre waterfront destination, aims to attract gamers to the capital by offering something for everyone.
With its array of VR, retro, console, mobile, and Esports games, Pixoul Gaming will also cater to the entire gaming ecosystem – from game development and education to immersive experiences, from professional solo, multi-player and team gaming to hosting global gaming festivals. The space will also have big screens, bean bags and a choice of consoles to play.
Pixoul Planet VR will offer 10 virtual and augmented reality games, in partnership with Robocom VR, that range from first-person shooters to roller coasters, paragliding and escape rooms. They will last between six and 10 minutes and feature the region’s first fully wireless headsets in an open-world cross-platform metaverse.
As the flagship experience, the Pixoul Planet VR houses 10 different virtual and augmented reality games, including everything from shooters, and virtual roller coasters, to guided spaceship tours of the new intergalactic planet, Pixoul.
Hamlin WIlmot And Sioux Valley Also Record Tuesday Night Wins. Watertown Public Opinion
Hamlin, WIlmot And Sioux Valley Also Record Tuesday Night Wins. – Watertown Public Opinion https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/hamlin-wilmot-and-sioux-valley-also-record-tuesday-night-wins-watertown-public-opinion/
Fifth-rated Sioux Falls Lincoln overcame an early deficit to hold off an upset bid by Watertown in a non-conference high school volleyball match on Tuesday night.
The host Arrows (12-9 overall) won the opening set 25-20 and led 20-16 in the second set before Lincoln (15-7) took over. The Patriots rallied second set 25-23 and took the final two sets 25-23 and 25-15 to take the win.
Emily Tisher and Kendall Paulson each clobbered 16 kills for the Arrows on Tuesday. Tisher also had two block assists and 15 digs and Paulson 14 digs.
Arrow leaders on Tuesday included Grace Corey, 12-12 serving with 30 assists; Emery Thury, 14-14 serving; Paige McAreavey, 12-13 serving; Eve Hauger, eight kills and one solo block and three block assists; Miranda Falconer, 17 assists; and Maddy Rohde, 17 digs.
Watertown hosts second-rated Sioux Falls Washington at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Civic Arena.
Hamlin 3, De Smet 0: The Chargers improved to 18-3 overall and 4-0 in the Lake Central Conference by winning 25-22, 25-17 and 25-11.
Ally Abraham collected 18 kills and Gracelyn Leiseth and Addie Neuendorf each 10. Abraham added four aces and Neuendorf eight digs. Other key contributors included Kami Wadsworth with 39 assists, Ava Prouty 11 digs and Grace Opdahl two aces.
De Smet (9-11, 0-4) got two aces, six kills and 13 digs from Jada Burke; 11 assists from Emma Albrecht; six assists from Megan Dylla; six kills from Mirra Beck; four kills and four blocks from Cori Birkel; six blocks from Hazel Luethmers; nine3 digs from Ella Poppinga; and five digs from Jacie McCune.
Wilmot 3, Waubay-Summit 1: Wilmot (7-14) won 25-20, 21-25, 25-17 and 25-9 over Waubay-Summit (2-16).
Paige Johnson produced eight kills and Kayla Hamman six for the Wolves, who also got four aces from Ashlyn Ebben, 15 digs apiece from Adrienne High Eagle and Mia Foss and two aces each from Addison Heinje and Stacia Redday.
Webster Area 3, Langford Area 0: The Bearcats won 25-19, 25-14 and 25-22 to up their record to 13-9.
Webster Area leaders included Jersey Johnson, 8-8 serving with 21 digs; Kara Kwasniewski, 13-14 serving with seven kills; Gracie Cadwell, 8-9 serving with two aces and 11 digs; Baylie Somsen, seven assists; Katie Braun, nine assists; Elliott Steiner, four kills; and Erin Sannes, five solo blocks and one block assist.
Elkton-Lake Benton 3, Deuel 0: The Elks (21-2) recorded their 12th-straight win with 25-9, 25-16 and 25-16 set victories. Kailyn Drietz recorded seven kills and five digs, Rachael Krog six kills and six digs, Andrea Renkly six kills, Aubree Bales four kills and four solo blocks, Tevan Erickson six aces and 23 assists and Kayla Goetz eight digs.
For Deuel (4-14), Josie Andersen led the way with two aces, five assists, four kills and five digs. Kaitlyn Gubrud added seven digs, Annika Kriz six digs, Emma Hamann six digs, Hope Bjerke three kills and Kayden Russell seven assists.
Sioux Valley 3, Arlington 0: Landree Wilson smacked 13 kills and Kaedyn Sapp 11 to propel Sioux Valley (15-7) to a 25-21, 25-24 and 26-24 win. Sapp also made 20 digs and Wilson 13.
Ashley Bjerke added nine kills, 21 assists and 10 digs; Adison Renkly seven kills, eight digs, one solo block and three block assists; Sunny Hesby 20 assists and 15 digs and Talya Vincent 27 digs for the Cossacks.
Arlington (15-9) leaders were Harley Johnson (eight kills and 23 digs), Tanaya Wiess (33 assists, three aces and 15 digs), Addi Steffensen (15 kills and 21 digs), Morgan Larsen (nine kills and nine digs), Madalynn Bacon (13 digs) and Ava Bunker (three kills and four assists).
Madison 3, Milbank 0: Madison (10-9) won 25-17, 25-21 and 25-22 behind Amanda Vacanti’s six aces, 12 kills, 12 assists and 10 digs. Audrey Nelson added seven kills, 10 digs, two solo blocks and one block assist; Karley Theede 14 assists; Maycee Theede 10 digs; and Karley Lurz one solo block and three block assists.
Leaders for Milbank (12-8) included Rylie Overby, four aces; Addisyn Krause, three aces; Averie Engebretson two aces, four kills and 15 assists; Rachel Schulte seven kills and 17 digs; Hallie Schulte, 14 digs; Emily Wollschlager, 11 digs; and Skyler Skoog and Claire Snaza each two block assists.
Northwestern 3, Florence-Henry 1: Fourth-rated Class B Northwestern (21-8) rallied for the 17-25, 25-12, 25-9 and 25-17 wins.
Jozie Hyatt made 15 good serves, Reese Schmidt 25 assists, Caylin Kelly 18 kills and two blocks, Taylor Watson six kills and 17 digs, Aysia Pahl five blocks and Karli Sharp 27 digs for the Falcons (18-7).
Dell Rapids 3, Deubrook Area 0: Madelynn Henry’s 16 kills propelled Dell Rapids (15-8) to the 25-19, 25-21 and 25-14 win. Kylee Fiddelke added nine kills and two aces; Clara Justice eight kills; Lauryn Kloth six kills, two aces and 2.5 blocks; Sophi Randall 39 assists, two aces and 2.5 blocks; Alaina Wolff 15 digs; and Lexi Ingalls 11 digs.
The Dophins (13-8) got five kills from Miranda Moravetz, four kills from Skyla Petersen, four kills from Zoey Molengraaf, five assists from Ellie Koenig, five assists from Brooke Koppatschek and 15 digs from Delaney Pedersen.
Sanborn Central-Woonsocket 3, Iroquois-Lake Preston 2: SCW prevailed 25-20, 19-25, 23-25, 25-20 and 16-14 to improve to 8-15. ILP slipped to 7-14.
Flandreau 3, Clark-Willow Lake 0: Flandreau (7-16, 2-2) swept the Lake Central Conference match 25-20, 25-22 and 25-20 over Clark-Willow Lake (6-12, 1-4).
Other Tuesday South Dakota Scores
Aberdeen Roncalli def. Mobridge-Pollock, 25-20, 16-25, 25-17, 25-16
Belle Fourche def. Spearfish, 20-25, 16-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-8
Bon Homme def. Scotland, 22-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14
Burke def. Andes Central/Dakota Christian, 25-11, 25-10, 25-8
Canton def. Parker, 25-16, 25-9, 25-13
Chester def. West Central, 25-13, 25-18, 25-15
Custer def. Red Cloud, 25-23, 8-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-8
Dakota Valley def. Lennox, 25-12, 25-14, 25-13
Dell Rapids St. Mary def. Centerville, 25-8, 25-12, 25-18
Edgemont def. Newell, 25-18, 25-15, 26-24
Faulkton def. Herreid/Selby Area, 25-10, 25-22, 25-15
Freeman def. Oldham-Ramona/Rutland, 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 25-18
Gayville-Volin def. Sioux Falls Lutheran, 25-14, 26-24, 25-9
Grant County, N.D. def. Lemmon, 24-26, 25-18, 25-19, 22-25, 15-11
Gregory def. Colome, 25-22, 25-9, 25-18
Harding County def. Carter County, Mont., 25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 25-19
Harrisburg def. Pierre, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23
Hill City def. St. Thomas More, 19-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-20
Howard def. Ethan, 25-15, 25-15, 25-23
Jones County def. Lyman, 25-19, 28-26, 27-25
Kadoka Area def. White River, 19-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-9
McCook Central/Montrose def. Garretson, 17-25, 25-23, 25-27, 25-14, 15-13
Miller def. Platte-Geddes, 25-12, 27-25, 25-20
Mt. Vernon/Plankinton def. Kimball/White Lake, 16-25, 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 15-10
New Underwood def. Lead-Deadwood, 25-19, 25-12, 25-15
Philip def. Wall, 25-16, 25-21, 28-26
Ponca, Neb. def. Vermillion, 23-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-14
Rapid City Christian def. Hot Springs, 25-9, 25-18, 25-9
Rapid City Stevens def. Douglas, 25-17, 25-19, 25-17
Sanborn Central/Woonsocket def. Iroquois/ Lake Preston Co-op, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 20-25, 24-16
Sioux Falls Christian def. Tri-Valley, 25-11, 25-1, 25-10
Sioux Falls Jefferson def. Mitchell, 25-23, 25-16, 25-23
Sioux Falls Lincoln def. Watertown, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-15
South Sioux City, Neb. def. Elk Point-Jefferson, 25-18, 25-17, 25-17
Tea Area def. Beresford, 25-12, 18-25, 25-19, 25-17
Tripp-Delmont/Armour def. Marty Indian, 25-3, 25-8, 25-13
Viborg-Hurley def. Freeman Academy/Marion, 25-15, 25-17, 25-17
Wagner def. Parkston, 25-20, 25-18, 25-21
Warner def. Redfield, 25-10, 25-3, 25-15
Wessington Springs def. Sunshine Bible Academy, 25-5, 25-6, 25-7
Winner def. Chamberlain, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17
Wolsey-Wessington def. Highmore-Harrold, 25-4, 25-20, 25-8
Albuquerque Tourism Is Bouncing Back – KRQE News 13 https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/albuquerque-tourism-is-bouncing-back-krqe-news-13/
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Visit Albuquerque says tourism revenue dropped around 80% during the pandemic. However, those numbers are bouncing back after the city showcased itself to millions.
“People were ready to get out and about and have new experiences, and we definitely benefited from that,” said President of Visit Albuquerque, Tania Armenta.
After being stuck at home for months during the pandemic, people were ready to travel again. Visit Albuquerque wanted to lure those travelers to Albuquerque by launching a million-dollar marketing campaign.
“We wanted to be sure that Albuquerque was going to be able to really capitalize on that travel demand. Thankfully those additional dollars made that really possible for Albuquerque, and our performance over the last year has certainly benefited,” said Armenta.
Tania Armenta says the ads on billboards, commercials, and social media reached nearly 590 million people, setting a new record. Armenta believes a number of things are drawing visitors in. That includes the art, culture, cuisine, museums, and recreational activities the city has.
“One of the things we benefit from is just really that combination of history mixed with the new offerings and that makes for a really special vacation here,” Armenta said.
According to Visit Albuquerque, the city sees more than 6 million visitors in a typical year who contribute more than $2 billion to our city. It says the city has fully recovered from last year to this year.
Hotel occupancy rates rose to more than 65 percent. Their revenue per available room was up 10% at more than $67. Business owners say they are seeing an increase in visitors. Tourism supports approximately 45,000 jobs in Albuquerque.
“More so in the last 6 months, I would say we’ve seen an uptick in new faces and new people coming down to check out what we have to offer,” said the Manager of Noisy Water Winery in Old Town, Amanda Rozelle.
While others say they saw some setbacks this summer due to the high gas prices and wildfires scaring away visitors. “Here in Old Town, we do have a significant increase in tourism during the summer months. As far as the summer of 2022, it was a little bit on the light side,” said Robert Lameres, the Owner of Dancing Crow Gallery.
Santa Fe has also seen tourism surge. Their hotel occupancy went up 15%, with prices going up about $42 on average per room.
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Court Jails Two landguards 30 Years For Robbery Ghana Business News
Court Jails Two ‘landguards’ 30 Years For Robbery – Ghana Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/court-jails-two-landguards-30-years-for-robbery-ghana-business-news/
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced two ‘landguards’ to a total 30 years imprisonment for robbery. Each was jailed 15 years each.
Philip Owusu Agyekum, alias “Otanfo” and Armah Boye, alias “Osheen Tilapia” denied conspiring to rob a couple but found culpable after trial.
Meanwhile, Seidu Mahama, alias Mallam Seidu, who was charged with the two was found to be innocent and was acquitted and discharged.
Others are still on the run.
Police Chief Inspector Gulliver Kwabena Tenkorang told the Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah that the complainants were Albert Allotey and Irene Adubea Parker Allotey who were married couple and jointly residing in their private house at Bortianor Red Top.
The convicts, he said were land guards at Bortianor and on January 25, 2017, at about 1830 hours, five masked men all armed with AK 47 and pistols broke into the complainants’ house amidst assault and threat of death.
Chief Inspector Tenkorang said they succeeded in robbing Mr Allotey of his Sea Blue Honda CRV 4×4 car with registration number GE 7997-16, one 42 inches flat screen television set, one Hisense 28 inches flat screen television, one Multi TV decoder, one DSTV decoder, one Hoofer sound system unit, five assorted mobile phones and GH¢550.00.
He said not satisfied, the convicts robbed Mrs Allotey of her blue Toyota Corolla with the registration number GW 686-17 and assorted jewelry valued at GH¢5,000.00 and bolted.
A report was made to the Police and investigation led to the arrest of Mahama per his black Honda saloon car with the registration GR 3126-13, which they used for the robbery.
He said the same car, which was also used to escort the two stolen vehicles of the complainants out of their house was identified by a witness who saw the unusual quick movement of the complainants’ stolen vehicle from their house.
The prosecution said the police traced the identity of the Honda saloon car with the number GR 3126-13 to the house of Mahama at Bortianor and he admitted ownership of the vehicle.
He was subsequently arrested on January 31, 2017.
It said the Regional Crime Officer later organised an identification parade where Mr Allotey identified Mahama as one of those who came to their house to rob them.
The prosecution said on April 04, 2017, Mr Allotey informed the police that he had identified Boye as a member of the gang that had robbed him.
Boye was arrested and after investigation he was charged.
The prosecution said on June 30, 2017, intelligence led to the arrest of Agyekum who was wanted in connection with the robbery.
It said during investigations, Mr Allotey identified Agyekum as the leader of the gang that had attacked and robbed him.
Others, who were in the company of Agyekum before his arrest are on the run.
Source: GNA
Breast Cancer And Your Diet | Lifestyle Jamaica Gleaner
Breast Cancer And Your Diet | Lifestyle – Jamaica Gleaner https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/breast-cancer-and-your-diet-lifestyle-jamaica-gleaner/
Eating healthily is important for everyone, but when you have had breast cancer you may become even more aware of what you eat and drink. A balanced diet has been shown to have a range of health benefits.
However, it is important not to feel guilty if you do not stick to a healthy diet all the time, especially while you are coping with the other physical and emotional effects of breast cancer and its treatment.
Dr Jennifer Griggs, breast medical oncologist, says it is important to eat a healthy diet during and after treatment. General recommendations are to eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in fibre. “Persons should maintain a colourful diet. The micronutrients that you need tend to be found in foods that are colourful, especially preserved vegetables like kale, cabbage, and broccoli regardless of whether or not you have breast cancer,” Griggs said.
During chemotherapy Griggs said your taste buds may become interested in foods that you may not have liked before, and your favourite food may not actually taste good. “Even plain water can taste funny, a little metallic. The way to help with that is to add citrus to your water, a bit of lemon, orange or lime. Try to avoid a lot of juices because they have a lot of calories in them.”
People, she said, normally associate having cancer with weight loss during treatment. However, Griggs said this is not normally the case. “People actually gain weight probably because they are less active, and do a lot more comfort eating. Unless you have a history of a eating disorder, watch your weight quite closely. As well as to see a registered dietician to help maintain a healthy weight during treatment,” she said.
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During treatment, Griggs said you should avoid supplements and antioxidants. “Avoid them as chemotherapy works by oxidation. You are going to decrease the effects of chemotherapy. One exception would be vitamin D. It is important to note that no diet or supplement can treat or cure cancer. Talk to your doctor about vitamins and supplements that you have been on before and whether or not they are advisable during treatment,” she said.
Eating a nutritious diet when you have breast cancer has many health benefits. Not only can it make you feel better faster, but it can boost your immune system and keep you strong. If you are considering trying a new diet or are having trouble sticking to a healthy eating plan, talk to your doctor or a dietitian.
keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com
The following foods are based on general recommendations to maintain overall health while living with breast cancer:
• Whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, protein sources like chicken and turkey, fatty fish like trout or salmon, and plant-based proteins sources like lentils and nuts
• Foods high in healthy fats and protein. If you need to maintain or gain weight, incorporate sources of healthy fat like nuts and seeds, avocados, and olive oil as well as protein sources like eggs, chicken, lentils, and fish. Protein-rich foods are especially important for maintaining muscle mass.
• Blended liquids such as milkshakes, smoothies, juices, or soups for those times when you don‘t feel like eating solid foods
• High fibre foods like whole grains, flax seeds, legumes, vegetables and fruits to treat constipation
Around The Town | News Sports Jobs The Express Lock Haven Express
Around The Town | News, Sports, Jobs – The Express – Lock Haven Express https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/around-the-town-news-sports-jobs-the-express-lock-haven-express/
Good Day
and Happy Belated 8th Birthday to Eva Lyons!
Happy Birthday
to Josie Reed … Abby Barner … Lora Hanley, of Monument.
Word of the Day
Larvate — covered or concealed by a mask.
Quote of the Day
To enjoy a long, comfortable retirement, save more today.
— Suze Orman
Game Night
The next monthly Game Night at Great Island Presbyterian Church, 12 W. Water St., Lock Haven, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6-8 p.m. All ages welcome. Games and cards will be available or bring your favorite to share. Game nights are held monthly on the second Thursday of the month.
Line dancing night
SVRCS invites the public to join them as local native gal, Katie Dotterer, returns to the area for a night of instructing line dancing on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 7-10 p.m. at the SVRCS Multipurpose Room, 236 East Main Street, Loganton. Admission for adults is $10 and kids under 12 are $5 and will include lessons and plenty of dancing! Refreshments will be available for purchase. Contact Dawn Jeffries at 570-367-1351 or djeffries@svrcs.org with questions.
Civil War Round Table
A Civil War Round Table will be held on Oct. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Avenue 209 Coffee House, 209 Bellefonte Ave., Lock Haven. Mike Hubbard will be the speaker. All are welcome.
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An Open Interoperable Metaverse Is Better For Everyone: Metas Mark Zuckerberg Decrypt
An ‘Open, Interoperable’ Metaverse Is ‘Better For Everyone’: Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg – Decrypt https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/an-open-interoperable-metaverse-is-better-for-everyone-metas-mark-zuckerberg-decrypt/
In brief
Meta showcased its latest metaverse announcements at its Connect conference.
Co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that an “open, interoperable metaverse” will be “better for everyone.”
Last October, Meta—the rebranded parent company of Facebook and Instagram—unveiled its grand plan to help build the future immersive internet of the metaverse. Since then, the social media giant’s stock price has fallen by 60%, its growth has stalled, and metaverse buzz has both surged and cooled, drawing backlash in the process.
Despite all of that, Meta is still fixated on building its vision. Today, the company used its annual Meta Connect conference keynote to share its latest advancements for the metaverse, including a powerful new virtual reality (VR) headset to serve as another stepping stone towards more lavish online worlds and interactions.
Some Web3 builders have feared Meta’s role in building the metaverse, expecting the social media firm to develop another “walled garden” or closed ecosystem. But the company has gradually shifted its messaging to suggest a different approach. Today, co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg took his firmest stance yet regarding the potential of an open metaverse.
Zuckerberg talked about the history of open and closed ecosystems across past computing eras, noting that “closed ecosystems focus on tight control and integration” and that such platforms ultimately claim most of the created value. When it comes to the metaverse, however, Zuckerberg made clear that Meta values a different approach.
“I strongly believe that an open, interoperable metaverse built by many different developers and companies is going to be better for everyone,” he said.
Granted, that’s not the same as unambiguously stating that Facebook’s metaverse will be built on blockchain technology, work with NFT assets built on public blockchain platforms like Ethereum and Solana, or support cryptocurrencies. But it’s an acknowledgment that Meta isn’t billing itself as the sole or primary builder of the metaverse.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, shared similar comments in an essay published in May. Zuckerberg also said in a podcast interview at the time that he’s open to interoperability in the metaverse—but didn’t firmly detail the company’s plans in that regard.
Today, Zuckerberg spoke of interoperability for avatar customizations, but that may simply mean that apparel and accessories can be carried over to other platforms that support Meta’s avatar tech, rather than used freely with other types of NFT-based avatars.
Over the past several months, Meta has embraced NFT collectibles from leading platforms like Ethereum, Polygon, and Flow, launching integrations with Facebook and Instagram that let users showcase their owned NFT assets to friends and followers. Will Meta also embrace the existing NFT ecosystem when it comes to building its metaverse platform?
Many Web3 builders have been skeptical.
Last year, Yat Siu of Animoca Brands—a leading metaverse investor—told Decrypt that tech giants like Facebook and Tencent are “a threat” to an open, interoperable metaverse, and others in the space have shared similar concerns.
Zuckerberg’s comments today don’t clearly indicate that Meta plans to build arm-in-arm with Web3 creators and completely embrace open-source tech, but it’s the strongest signal yet that the Facebook firm is attempting a major pivot in how it designs online platforms.
Meta’s latest moves
Elsewhere in the keynote address, Meta made a number of announcements that suggest ongoing progress towards bringing its metaverse vision to life on both the hardware and software fronts.
On the hardware front, Meta revealed the Quest Pro, a much more powerful standalone VR headset that’s targeted at business users and professionals. Unlike the current $400 Meta Quest 2 headset designed for consumers, the Meta Quest Pro will sell for $1,500 and pack considerably more graphical power to deliver robust VR experiences.
The Meta Quest Pro. Image: Meta
But it’s more than a VR-centric headset. The mixed reality device will also support augmented reality experiences, and can overlay digital content on a user’s view of the real world. It uses sharper external cameras to enable that feature, plus it integrates inward-facing sensors to recreate users’ facial expressions and allow for eye tracking functionality.
Meta’s play towards the metaverse is focused on more than just hardware, however: the firm is also developing the software and infrastructure to someday launch its planned unified online 3D platform designed for work, play, socializing, shopping, and more.
The firm’s current Horizon Worlds VR app will be expanded to the web, Meta announced today, with the ability for users to join via a computer or touch device. That may signal Meta’s plan to expand its current VR experience into a multi-platform world that could eventually transform into something matching the demo first shown last year.
Granted, that announcement comes following the publication of a report that suggests that Horizon Worlds has significant bugs and quality issues, and that Meta’s own employees rarely use the platform. There may be significant work ahead to not only improve the experience, but also make it compatible with other devices.
Meta is also working on more detailed avatars that can be used across its apps, including Horizon Worlds, Instagram, and WhatsApp. And in 2023, they’ll even gain legs. Currently, Meta’s Horizon Worlds avatars are simply floating torsos, but the firm is developing A.I. tech to generate digital legs based on predictive algorithms.
Additionally, Meta announced a major new partner in tech giant Microsoft, which will initially bear fruit in a couple of key ways.
Microsoft will bring immersive versions of Windows, Teams, Office, and Xbox Game Pass to the Quest VR platform, while Meta’s avatar system will be integrated into Teams. That kind of cross-compatibility could signal further metaverse moves to come. Meta previously showed how the metaverse could be used for collaborative remote work across virtual screens.
Despite pushback against its budding metaverse endeavors, it’s clear from today’s presentation that Meta isn’t backing down. And in an interview with The Verge, Mark Zuckerberg reiterated that it will be a deliberate investment and building process, describing it as a “long-term journey” and that it could take several years for the tech to mature.
In fact, Meta also teased some future technologies in the keynote that are intended for the metaverse, including photo-real 3D avatars built from smartphone scans, as well as interfaces and control systems built around subtle finger movements. Those features are still prototypes and may not ultimately be integrated into finished products.
Meta’s plan for the metaverse could still be years away from completion at scale, but today’s keynote provided some notable updates on the tech—and potentially changed the tone around the social media firm’s approach.
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These Were The Top Selling Baby Items From Day 1 Of Amazons Secret Sale! 22 Words
These Were The Top Selling Baby Items From Day 1 Of Amazon’s Secret Sale! – 22 Words https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/these-were-the-top-selling-baby-items-from-day-1-of-amazons-secret-sale-22-words/
Amazon’s secret sale has kicked off, and that means a day’s worth of sales and new top items. One of the hottest sale categories was baby items and we’ve got a list that’s packed full of those top sellers so you don’t have to miss out on something great! Whether you’re looking for yourself, grandkids, or a friend’s baby shower, this list has got something you’ve got to have. Even if you’re not looking for anything in particular you should check it out. You never know what might come in handy.
I don’t even have babies yet and I love to scroll baby things, so that’s not a prerequisite, but if you’re planning to have one or your friends are at that stage of life, you really can’t beat this list. Baby monitors, diaper bags, bottle warmers, and more! Take a scroll and see what you can find.
You will love our editor’s curated product picks! FYI: We are an Amazon affiliate partner and may get a share of the sale of your purchase (at no cost to you).
21% Off! Don’t Let This Deal Pass You By!
Save 21% on this incredible baby monitor! No more sneaking quietly into your little one’s room only to risk them waking up at the sound of the door closing. Now, you can keep an eye on your little gifts from any room of your house and rest easy knowing your eyes are always on them.
Save 30% On Everyone’s Favorite Car Seat
This is one of the most popular car seats and is obviously one of the most popular Amazon baby buys right now. It makes sense that it’s so popular because it’s one of the safest car seats out there, and it looks pretty comfy, too. Grab it now while it’s still 30% off!
This Humidifier is 34% Off!
Humidifiers are a great way to keep your wee ones healthy and happy and it’s pretty affordable too at a whopping 34% off. Not only does it keep the humidity level right where it belongs, it also works as a diffuser and a gentle night light to keep them soothed.
Cover Your Baby Basics
Babies need a lot of stuff, but if you’re scrolling this list, that’s not new info! But some of that stuff is a must and it’s a must as soon as the baby arrives. Fortunately, this terrific kit has everything you need to take care of your little bundle of joy.
35% Off! Create a Pleasant Atmosphere
Babies need a great sleep environment, too, you know. And if you have a difficult sleeper, you’ve got to get this great, and portable, sound machine! Especially now, while it’s 35% off — an unbeatable discount. It plays five different sounds and comes with three light levels so you can create the best sleep environment possible.
Breastfeeding Isn’t Easy But 30% Off Is Great
Breastfeeding is a pain. Sometimes, literally. It can be quite a challenging task and one that doesn’t always work the first time out of the gate. Fortunately, this great breastfeeding essentials box has everything you need to care for clogged ducts, chapped nipples, and sore breasts. Grab it while it’s 30% off!
10% Off! Get Your Crib Looking Right
Can’t forget the crib! You need a sheet and a blanket, bare minimum, but a crib without a skirt just looks sort of sad. Fortunately, you can just get this bundle and you’ll have everything you need in one purchase. Take 10% off now — don’t miss this great deal!
20% Off! Wipe It Down
You can never have too many wipes as a parent. Not just for changing diapers, but for all the other sorts of messes that kids tend to get into as they grow. Don’t even get me started on mealtime messes. Go ahead and stock up on these great water wipes while they’re 20% off and you can thank me later.
Take 59% Off This Must-Have Baby Hack
Give your hips a rest with this absolutely wild hack product. This takes the weight and pressure off your hips but keeps your baby in the right place while you go about your day. This is an awesome option for a sports game or a big event. It even has a phone holder! Grab it now while it’s 59% off.
Keep Your Little Ones Looking Neat
This is the ultimate baby grooming kit. Pretty much everything in this kit is something you’ll need for the baby years. From nail clippers to nose suckers, you’ll find all you need in here to make sure your baby looks neat and put together, even if you’re too busy to do the same for yourself.
The Ultimate Diaper Bag is 45% Off!
Not only is this a cute diaper bag, but it’s also got tons of storage so you can store all of those many baby essentials, and it has a giant, attached changing table. This incredible bag is 45% off and you’ve got to grab this ASAP before the deal ends.
54% Off! Make Tummy Time the Best Time
Babies don’t always love tummy time, but it’s something they’ve got to do, unfortunately. Luckily, though, you can make it something they might actually enjoy with this inflatable, interactive pad that’s currently on sale — 54% off! Your little ones will love smooshing and pushing the little aquatic critters inside.
Make Sure They’re Well-Read
Literacy is so important, and you’ve really got to get it started at an early age. Just kidding! I mean, it is important, but these books aren’t really something babies read. They just chew on them, bat them around, and enjoy those fun, crinkling, squeaking sounds that come from them.
Your New Favorite Bowls
These bowls are pretty much the coolest! They suction to whatever surface they’re on so you don’t have to worry about your kiddos dumping all of the good and delicious food you made them right on the floor. Plus, they’re super easy to clean so your post-mess work is a snap.
20% Off! Warm Your Bottles on the Go
It’s not easy to warm bottles when you’re traveling; hotel bathroom sinks don’t always warm up quickly or completely enough and microwaving can cause those dangerous hot spots. This travel bottle warmer makes the process so much simpler and it can go with you wherever you go, and it is 20% Off.
60% Off! You Can’t Afford Not to Get These Great Teethers
Teething is probably the worst part of being a baby. At least from an outsider’s perspective. It just looks super painful and the babies are so pitiful and sad and no one can do anything to help. Fortunately, these great teething tubes give them something chewy to ease the pain. Get them now while they’re 60% off!
Save 52% Take Care of That Pesky Snot
You’ve got to grab this super popular nasal aspirator while it’s hot. And while it’s 52% off! Babies aren’t capable of blowing their noses, but they do have to deal with snot when they’re sick. This aspirator pulls all that gross stuff out and lets them breathe a little easier at night.
Swaddle Them Up Right for 29% Off!
This swaddle is so dang cute! Can’t you just see your little one wrapped up in this, all snuggled up tight? 29% off makes it just about impossible to resist. Your little one is going to love the tight and secure feeling that comes with being bundled into its fuzzy embrace.
20% Off! Let Them Chew Away
Teethers are a must-have for your little ones. Teething is no fun for anyone involved, but these chewable toys make it a little easier. The silicone makes these toys, now 20% off, soothing to those raw and new gums and helps give them something to chew on that’s not their sweet, chubby little fingers.
The Ultimate Baby Monitor for 28% Less Money
There’s no way to actually keep yourself sane as a parent, but this amazing Owlet monitor sock allows you to keep an in-depth eye on them. This lets you monitor your baby’s heart rate, movement, how many times they wake up, and the temperature of the room while they’re in there. Did I mention it’s on sale for 28% off?
39% Off! Keep Your Baby Close
Baby-wearing is an underrated way to carry your little one around. This sling keeps them close and tucked close and it allows your hands to remain free for errands, work, or whatever else your day brings. Be sure to grab this great, and comfy, sling now while it’s 39% off!
Save 11% and Keep an Eye On Your Bundle of Joy
This awesome car gadget really changes the game on car seat viewing. It’s not your usual car seat mirror, it actually uses a camera to let you know what’s going on back there when you can’t have eyes on your kiddos yourself. And get it now, because you can’t beat this 11% savings deal!
Cardano Price Forecast Can ADA Jump To $10 In 2022? Cryptonews
Cardano Price Forecast – Can ADA Jump To $10 In 2022? – Cryptonews https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/cardano-price-forecast-can-ada-jump-to-10-in-2022-cryptonews/
Disclaimer: The Industry Talk section features insights by crypto industry players and is not a part of the editorial content of Cryptonews.com.
Cardano aims to solve the blockchain trilemma through its sophisticated proof-of-stake (PoS) protocol called Ouroboros. However, its native token has been hard-hit by the bearish waves that have swept through the crypto market.
Is there a chance of a bull run soon?
Vasil Upgrade a Stepping Stone
The Cardano team, led by former Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson, has been deploying upgrades. The latest is the Vasil hard fork, which makes the peer-reviewed blockchain more scalable with minimal user cost.
However, the team is not done yet, with even more scheduled upgrades expected in the future. At the moment, Cardano is reaping the benefits of the Vasil Upgrade, although its native token price has not reflected this.
Since the deployment of the hard fork, the transactions on Cardano’s layer-1 blockchain have doubled. Over 3,445 smart contracts have been deployed on its Plutus V1 Scripts. The figure for its Timelock Scripts has also risen. According to data from the Cardano Blockchain Insights team, there are now 69,670 self-executing commands on the blockchain.
Cardano Only Second Behind Bitcoin in On-chain Transactions
Aside from the recently concluded Vasil Upgrade, the Cardano team has several targets to hit before launching fully into the marketplace. But this delay has not deterred investors and blockchain users, as all indicators show.
According to a recently released Messari on-chain activity log, Cardano is the second most active blockchain network, only behind Bitcoin. The Ouroboros protocol has so far processed $3.09 billion in smart contracts transactions, beating Ethereum’s $1.7 billion figure. This is despite Ethereum’s transition to a full PoS protocol in September.
With Cardano showing strong on-chain activity, the idea of it being a ghost chain is debunked. Other data revealed that over 25% of all blockchain transactions were generated in the past year in a period in which Bitcoin and Ethereum gained the most attention from investors and the media. This shows strong investor awareness about Cardano’s long-term potential and ability to deliver on its promises.
Cardano Trees Pointing to ESG-Minded Investors
The Cardano monthly on-chain stats have shown how far the blockchain has come, with over 3.6 million ADA wallets created.
But its efforts to enable a greener ecosystem are what has gained the attention of environmentally conscious investors. Its Ouroboros protocol requires minimal energy for network transactions to be confirmed. Cardano has been working to create a more sustainable environment with Veritree. According to Veritree and Cardano, the Cardano Trees initiative recently crossed the 35% landmark; they are working towards planting 1 million trees globally.
At press time, the ADA token is trading at $0.39, indicating a downtrend of 5.05% in the past day. However, ADA’s strong fundamentals could see the digital asset hit a new record high in the coming months.
Buy ADA on eToro Now
This Green New Crypto is Grabbing Headlines
ESG-minded blockchain protocols are more prevalent than ever as world governments struggle to keep their greenhouse emissions under check. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) underscores the burning of fossil fuels in industrial processes as a major contributor to carbon dioxide. One of the top projects in the ESG drive is Impact Project, which investors can diversify their portfolios with.
The Impact Project team has built a solution to cut down on the impact of fossil fuels through carbon credits. This solution, the Impact Project protocol, allows users to purchase and burn carbon credits, using non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The project uses blockchain technology to solve greenhouse effects, making it one of the greenest cryptocurrencies in the market.
Impact Project is operational on the recently launched Ethereum PoS blockchain, which has cut its energy consumption by 99%. Investors can buy IMPT tokens now on presale.
Visit IMPT Now
U.S. Scrambles To Prevent Export Curbs On China Chips From Disrupting Supply Chain Reuters
U.S. Scrambles To Prevent Export Curbs On China Chips From Disrupting Supply Chain – Reuters https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-scrambles-to-prevent-export-curbs-on-china-chips-from-disrupting-supply-chain-reuters/
OAKLAND, Calif./NEW YORK Oct 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. is scrambling to tackle unintended consequences of its new export curbs on China’s chip industry that could inadvertently harm the semiconductor supply chain, people familiar with the matter said.
By late Tuesday, hours before a new restriction took effect, South Korean memory chipmaker SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) said it got authorization from the United States to receive goods for its chip production facilities in China without additional licensing imposed by the new rules.
The Biden administration had planned to spare foreign companies operating in China such as SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics Co (005930.KS) from the brunt of new restrictions, but the rules published Friday did not exempt such firms.
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As published, the rules require licenses before U.S. exports can be shipped to facilities with advanced chip production in China as part of a U.S. bid to slow China’s technological and military advances.
And as of midnight Tuesday, vendors also cannot support, service and send non-U.S. supplies to the China-based factories without licenses if U.S. companies or people are involved.
As a result, even basic items like light bulbs, springs, and bolts that keep tools running may not have been able to be shipped until vendors are granted licenses. And without the minute-by-minute support the foundries need, they could begin shutting down, one source said.
“Our discussions with the Department of Commerce led to an approval to supply equipment and items needed for development and production of DRAM semiconductors in Chinese facilities without additional licensing requirements,” SK Hynix said in a statement.
The company said the change would help avoid disruptions to the supply chain and that the authorization is for a year.
Another source said the temporary fix was until a longer-term solution could be worked out.
At least one other non-Chinese company received a similar authorization, a third source said.
A U.S. Commerce Department spokesperson did not directly respond to a request for comment on the authorizations, but said the department hopes to get input from stakeholders about the rule and may consider changes.
A White House spokesperson also did not respond to a request for comment.
“Unless the authorization was issued, a variety of equipment and other suppliers would have had to pull their personnel from the fabs in China,” one of the sources said.
The U.S. planned to review licenses for non-Chinese factories in China hit by the new restrictions on a case-by-case basis, but even if approved that could create delays in shipments. Licenses for Chinese chip factories were likely to be denied.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.(2330.TW) and Intel Corp (INTC.O) also operate chip factories in China.
The Chinese chip facilities are not expected to get any reprieve.
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Reporting By Jane Lanhee Lee and Karen Freifeld; Editing by Kim Coghill and Richard Pullin
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Tech Help For Refugees Exciting | News Sports Jobs Alpena News
Tech Help For Refugees Exciting | News, Sports, Jobs – Alpena News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/tech-help-for-refugees-exciting-news-sports-jobs-alpena-news/
Technology can be an amazing thing.
Just ask seventh-grader Arsenii Kiselov and his sister, sixth-grader Daiana Kiselova, who arrived in Alcona County with their mother about a month ago from Ukraine, thanks to a group of families in the area sponsoring Ukrainian refugees.
While the children only speak Ukrainian, Christie Thomas, Alcona Middle School/High School principal, told News staff writer Julie Riddle for a recent story that technology is helping them thrive at school.
To communicate with the Ukrainian students, their teachers use earbuds that translate words of a speaker, sending them into the hearer’s ear in a different language with only a few seconds delay.
The teachers also make use of a translation app that turns spoken English into written Ukrainian words, and vice versa and Google Translate technology to help translate websites and documents for the kids.
A whole world of difference shrunk to nothing by software and hardware, right here in Northeast Michigan.
We say thanks to the families sponsoring the Ukrainian refugees fleeing the horrid war there, and we say well done to the staff in Alcona Community Schools who are using technology to make sure the kids have a chance at succeeding in class.
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OHSAA Unveils Week 9 Prep Football Computer Ratings | Football | Richlandsource.com Richland Source
OHSAA Unveils Week 9 Prep Football Computer Ratings | Football | Richlandsource.com – Richland Source https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/ohsaa-unveils-week-9-prep-football-computer-ratings-football-richlandsource-com-richland-source/
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Contiki Hails The Return Of retro Travel In Latest Trends Report Travel Weekly Travel Weekly
Contiki Hails The Return Of ‘retro Travel’ In Latest Trends Report – Travel Weekly – Travel Weekly https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/contiki-hails-the-return-of-retro-travel-in-latest-trends-report-travel-weekly-travel-weekly/
Marking the 60th anniversary of the youth travel operator, new research from Contiki and Pureprofile has revealed the best parts of travel are timeless.
The research showed that sightseeing remains the most loved part of travel with over half (54 per cent) of Aussies agreeing. It also revealed that Aussies love to travel to immerse themselves in new cultures (42 per cent) and new experiences (40 per cent).
The youth travel operator discovered that a holiday fling is no longer on the agenda for Aussies, with only 1 per cent saying they were looking for love when travelling. Friendships are a much more important part of travel, with one in six Aussies (16 per cent) travelling with friendship in mind, while women (41 per cent) are more likely than men (30 per cent) to travel to make new memories with old friends.
71 per cent of respondents said they feel like a better version of themselves after a holiday, and 64 per cent of travellers who headed to Europe, with Italy, Greece, Britain and Ireland and Spain as the top European destinations for 2022, said they will likely head there again for 2023.
There was also a reported uptick in travellers’ mental health following their holiday with 60 per cent ready to dive back into their day-to-day routine and 57 per cent overall happier with life. Dancing on the tables in Mykonos or a refreshing dip in Lake Como resulted in:
● One in four (28 per cent) feeling less anxious or depressed.
● One in eight (12 per cent) feeling loved and supported by their new friends.
● One in 20 (6 per cent) feeling finally ready to go after their dream job.
Feeling refreshed after a vacation isn’t a new thing, but young Aussies are the ones who feel it the most. Over four in five (82 per cent) 18- to 29-year-olds – compared to three in five (60 per cent) over 50s – feel like a better version of themselves after a holiday.
One in three Aussies (38 per cent) wish they could travel how they did in the 1960s. Retro travel is most desired by those who’ve done it, more than four in five (82 per cent) Aussies that are keen to throwback have travelled at some point in the 1960s to 1980s.
To remind people of the everlasting moments of travel and the importance of friends along the way, Contiki partnered with Aussie TikToker Millie Ford for the Sixties Suitcase Challenge. Armed with a Polaroid, a retro radio and some Swinging Sixties fashion, Millie experienced a Contiki Tour straight from 1962.
Millie Ford and friends travelling in 60s style
“Travelling with minimal technology and only the 60s-style essentials was definitely a challenge,” Ford said.
“In the early days I found myself reaching into my pocket to check my Instagram or find my way on Google Maps, but what this 12-day tour made me realise is I don’t need a phone or internet connection to meet new people and form a strong bond with one another.
“Socially, travel hasn’t changed much – I imagine back in the 60s you were still meeting people and making friends, and this is what made my trip such an unforgettable experience.”
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Cybercrime Is The Biggest Threat Facing Corporate Australia Today Tech Business News
Cybercrime Is The Biggest Threat Facing Corporate Australia Today – Tech Business News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/cybercrime-is-the-biggest-threat-facing-corporate-australia-today-tech-business-news/
Why latest guidelines spell danger for Australia’s Cybersecurity
Cybercrime is the biggest threat facing corporate Australia today, costing the economy more than an estimated $3trillion.
With the sophistication, agility, and frequency of attacks increasing (one every 8 minutes in Australia), it’s encouraging to see the federal government implementing new legislation in response. However, while the intention is to better protect Australia’s critical infrastructure, this new cybersecurity framework could do the opposite.
Originally designed in 2018 the reformed ‘Critical Infrastructure Protection Act 2022’ came into effect in July this year. With an improved framework for handling cyber threats, it includes an array of measures to which Australian businesses and services must adhere.
In theory, the new act is imperative for safeguarding a modern Australia. Its existence provides a benchmark for IT and OT professionals across a greater variety of industries, and ensures security is a collective responsibility.
The importance of addressing this responsibility cannot be overstated in an environment of increased cyber threats to essential services and businesses over the past few years – including federal parliamentary networks, the medical sector, universities, and key software businesses.
Take the most recent attack on Optus’ network as an example, which has seen millions of customers potentially affected, with full names, date of births and contact details stolen.
While Optus was covered by insurance, it’s a reminder that sufficient scenario planning and risk mitigation is integral to preventing these increasingly sophisticated attacks. Potentially one of the largest attacks Australia has seen to date, it’s a warning to us all that cybersecurity has never been more critical.
The introduction of the new act then is a positive sign that Australia is taking cybersecurity threats more seriously. However, some of the amendments foreshadow an evolution of increasingly stringent rules that could become unrealistic and unachievable – ultimately threatening system effectiveness and integrity.
One such update is the change to incident reporting deadlines. In line with the new law, organisations are now required to notify the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASCS) within 12 hours of becoming aware of an incident. Failure to comply can result in fines starting at $11,000.
Not only could this have implications for smaller businesses, which often have fewer resources to identify and manage attacks on their assets, it detracts from what should be the priority of risk management.
The standard 12-hour reporting deadline also doesn’t take into consideration the challenges and processes of different industries – finance vs the food sector, for example.
The sophistication and complexity of cybercrimes mean that, in many instances, the time it takes to correctly identify an attack and potential solution is also difficult to predict.
On a global scale, reporting time for incidents was previously around 72 hours, meaning deadlines have reduced from three days to one. The risk in this continued reduction of reporting times is that requirements may get so low – potentially to immediate notification or ‘zero hours’ – that it’s simply unsustainable.
Organisations must have adequate time to identify a breach, investigate the incident and produce an accurate report without fear of potentially devastating legal, cost and brand ramifications.
While the latest guidelines hint at a stricter framework in future, the current requirements are achievable for organisations that are prepared. For any organisation, whether 300 or 30,000, the key to effectively managing cyber-security is understanding responsibilities and having a clear plan.
To implement the most effective cybersecurity, you must first have visibility over all your systems. At Schneider, we work with businesses daily to understand their unique challenges and ensure open lines of communication. We also have dedicated cybersecurity leads to ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
To practice what we preach, we upskill our people through mandatory annual cybersecurity certification, and we have a customer-facing Cybersecurity Virtual Academy, an online resource providing educational cybersecurity content, as well as opportunities to engage with industry experts through webinars and Q&As.
We also partner with other leaders in the cybersecurity space to help our customers best leverage the investment they’ve made in their existing IT environment.
Whether you’re a start-up, SME, or global enterprise, the new guidelines are an important reminder that investing in cybersecurity is not just the right thing to do, but critical for your business.
Nikki Saunders
Nikki is the cybersecurity EcoSystem Program Manager, Pacific, Schneider Electric
Suzan Schoelen Riggs – Kingfisher Times https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/suzan-schoelen-riggs-kingfisher-times/
Suzan Kaye Schoelen was born Dec. 31, 1946 in Kingfisher, the oldest of six children to Edward J. Schoelen and Edna (Soudek) Schoelen.
She passed away Aug. 26, 2022, in Euless, Texas.
Suzan was a 1964 graduate of Kingfisher High School.
Following graduation, she went to cosmetology school and later opened Suz’Anns Salon.
She worked very hard to have a successful business while making many lasting friendships.
In 1991, Suzan married Chas Riggs in Oklahoma City.
Chas took a job in Texas in 1994 and Suzan continued her career as a hairstylist.
By moving to Texas, she would be close to her son Patrick and wife Shana and their children Kendal and Konlan.
She was able to get back and see her family in Oklahoma as much as possible. She was very proud of her sons and grandchildren.
Suzan was a lifetime practitioner. She attended Celebration of Life and the Dallas Center for Spiritual Living.
In the last several years, Suzan faced multiple health challenges related to kidney and heart problems, yet she maintained her signature positive attitude through it all.
Suzan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; brothers Dennis Schoelen and Neil Schoelen; brother-in-law James Lombardo; and nephews Brian Schoelen and Brad Schoelen.
She is survived by sons Patrick McKinley (Shana) and John McKinley, all of Texas; brothers Norman Schoelen and Terry Schoelen (Marcy); sister Penny Lombardo; sisters-in-law Eddie Schoelen (Dennis), Susie Schoelen (Neil); grandchildren Kendal and Konlan McKinley; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life service will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Center for Spiritual Living, 4801 Spring Valley Road, Suite 115, Dallas, Texas.
Sports Look | News Sports Jobs Marquette Mining Journal
Sports Look | News, Sports, Jobs – Marquette Mining Journal https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/sports-look-news-sports-jobs-marquette-mining-journal/
Subject to change
——————-
Today
——————-
High school boys soccer
Houghton at Marquette, 6 p.m. — rescheduled from Sept. 14
——————-
Thursday
High school cross country
Marquette at Great Northern Conference Championships, Escanaba, 4 p.m.
Negaunee, Ishpeming, Westwood, Gwinn, Houghton, Calumet, Hancock, West Iron County at West PAC Championships, Negaunee Township, 4 p.m.
Baraga, Dollar Bay, Jeffers at Copper Mountain Conference finals, site & time TBA
——————-
High school volleyball
Hancock at Ishpeming, 6:30 p.m.
Westwood at Calumet, 6:45 p.m.
Manistique at Marquette, 7 p.m.
Newberry at Cedarville, 7 p.m.
Munising at Superior Central, 7:15 p.m.
Baraga at Lake Linden-Hubbell, time TBA
——————-
Friday
——————-
High school volleyball
L’Anse at Dollar Bay, 6:30 p.m.
——————-
High school football
Iron Mountain at Ishpeming, 7 p.m.
Midland at Marquette, 7 p.m.
Bark River-Harris at Westwood, 7 p.m.
West Iron County at Gwinn, 7 p.m. — CANCELED (forfeit to Gwinn)
Negaunee at Houghton, 7 p.m.
L’Anse at Manistique, 7 p.m.
Munising at Cedarville, 7 p.m.
Superior Central at Engadine, 7 p.m.
Newberry at Pickford, 7 p.m.
——————-
NMU sports
Women’s soccer: vs. Purdue Northwest, NMU Soccer Field, 1 p.m.
Men’s soccer: vs. Davenport, NMU Soccer Field, 3 p.m.
Hockey: at Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind., 7:30 p.m.
Volleyball: at Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover, opponent, site & time TBA
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Meet The Metaverse Creators: 3D Artist & Art Director Malloy NFT Plazas
Meet The Metaverse Creators: 3D Artist & Art Director Malloy – NFT Plazas https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/meet-the-metaverse-creators-3d-artist-art-director-malloy-nft-plazas/
The first time I heard about the creator Malloy was when I was digging in Decentraland data sheets. According to the stats, Malloy is one of the most successful creators in Decentraland, especially if we were to count how many items he has sold over his time here.
All the people I talked to have recommended Malloy as someone who can do incredible things. He is a 3D artist and art director. He has worked in-house in the games industry during the new console gold rush frenzy (first games to market) and has been an outsource artist, indie game developer, and design consultant since then. I am talking to him today, not for the first time!
Tell us a little about what has changed since you learned about the Metaverse and what you can do here.
I entered the Metaverse space in March 2021 before the insanity of the “NFT Summer” was ramping up. The attraction was the concept of scarce digital assets that the artist could not only be a manufacturer but also a distributor and publisher.
The evolution of that attraction is now how to embolden the value of the game asset regardless of the “hype” social factors that play into it. An asset should sell itself without the need of populism, and I don’t think NFTs in games have even scratched the surface of their potential.
Creating digital fashion does sound like a challenge. So why did you choose Decentraland as a platform?
I came across Decentraland a long while before I created my first asset and what drew me to it was the concept of the project and the ideology.
You are one of the most successful creators in Decentraland. Please share your thoughts about it. Did you have a goal when you published your very first wearable?
I find that statement a little jarring due to my work being mainly uncredited and for 3rd parties. Although I was only made aware of the numbers involved in the trading of my wearables recently, I am humbled.
I think the most accomplished feeling I’ve had is making assets for myself, but the most joy I have had making wearables has been in collaboration with my business partner, Sam, making wearables enjoyed by many citizens of Decentraland over various events that have gone on over the last one and a half years.
Ironically my goal when I started out was to see if, as a 3D artist, it was possible to not be at the mercy of traditionally established dependencies (working for middlemen or studio producers). However, increasingly, we see the rise of the “metaverse consultant” charging ridiculous fees for their services and subcontracting to the real talent for peanuts.
The long and short of it, my goal was to see if the technology/platform could be used to fight the swathe of abusive business practices conducted in established industries. It appears it can! But collectors should be vigilant in regards to whom they part with their hard-earned money. The profiteering middleman or the talent?
Starting something on your own can be overwhelming. What would you advise for someone who is still in doubt?
Share your “work in progress” with the community. It reveals the authenticity of you as an artist and establishes rapport. It is what I did, and I was approached by multiple people (including the Foundation, of whom I am very grateful for subcontracting myself and Sam to create wearables for their outstanding events!).
You never know who is looking in Discord or on Twitter, don’t be afraid of people stealing your ideas at the expense of people not knowing your worth as an artist.
Do you remember your very first Decentraland experience? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
I think it was like for many others, Wonderzone & Tominoya Casino, haha, but I then went to Discord and found super cool scenes like the Puzzle Museum, etc.
I know that the community in Decentraland is very strong. Have you ever met any of them IRL, and how do you feel about your anonymity in the space?
I am pretty open. I think anonymity helps to feel a sense of protection from abusers. For others, it serves as a protection to abuse others. So I figure I’d rather be transparent as I have no intention to abuse anyone, but I respect others’ needs for privacy.
I have had the joy of meeting many DCL citizens in person at the NFTxROADS event in Valencia. I can’t wait to meet up with people again and chat about nerdy/art stuff!
What is your inspiration, and how do you manage your creative process?
My creative process is often at the mercy of my ambition. Luckily I have a great business partner who keeps me anchored.
I am inspired by many things, including the historical repertoire of game art styles, but mainly I am inspired to push boundaries, not just be the first to execute something like a silly badge of honor to gloat about, but something that utilizes NFTs to give power to the collector other than to just sell it. Digital fashion inspires me in that capacity, also.
If you could say just one thing about what is the key to digital creativity? What would it be?
Think about the technology and how it can be utilized in new dynamics and not in a gimmicky way to make quick cash. But a way that digital assets can be enjoyed by people in a way where their purchases aren’t just a weak excuse for wealth extraction.
How do you see the future of digital wearables?
I believe in the future. Maybe this is naïve and even a little pessimistic, but people will prefer to tune into the digital worlds over the real one (it’s already been happening for the last 20 years), but with digital asset scarcity and certificate of ownership, digital wearables will be highly coveted items that not only give people a sense of identity and social status but also affect their experience within these digital worlds.
The expanse of experience is highly desirable in any circumstance. It’s why folks enjoy roller coasters or partake in various mind-altering state drugs. Decentraland is ahead of the curve on this by means of decentralized application of utility to digital wearables.
Newer flashy projects with stock assets will crop up, but the infrastructure of Decentraland takes time and an organic democratic process that other projects haven’t even started to conceive. Most other “metaverses” are still trying to monopolize at the expense of the digital wearable buyer to appease VC expectations.
How do you see the future of the Metaverse(s)?
I see the future of Metaverses being like a street of 100 coffee shops. People will try each of them out now and again but will ultimately stick to their favorite one until it goes out of business. Then move on to the next.
The real question will be, can they redeem the loyalty card they’ve fully stamped in the previous shop, and who funds these franchises? Does the retail user’s money go back into an ecosystem that serves them (in this hilarious parallel, the coffee bean growers?) and the project or increasingly pays out to a series of individuals who happened to be early (investors at the expense of every worker in the hierarchy)?
Go decentralized and fight for it 3
Listen to the Twitter Spaces talk with Lina and Malloy Here
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*All investment/financial opinions expressed by NFT Plazas are from the personal research and experience of our site moderators and are intended as educational material only. Individuals are required to fully research any product prior to making any kind of investment.
Fashion editor, founder of an online magazine Abstract Stylist and global tech PR for cybersecurity companies.
Solana-Based Decentralized Finance Platform Mango Hit By $100 Million Exploit CoinDesk
Solana-Based Decentralized Finance Platform Mango Hit By $100 Million Exploit – CoinDesk https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/solana-based-decentralized-finance-platform-mango-hit-by-100-million-exploit-coindesk/
Sam is a reporter at CoinDesk focused on decentralized technology, DeFi and DAOs. He owns ETH, BTC and MATIC.
Mango, a decentralized finance platform hosted on the Solana blockchain, has been exploited for over $100 million.
The exploit was initially reported on Twitter by blockchain auditors OtterSec, who say “the attacker was able to manipulate their Mango collateral.”
“The [MGNO] governance token was valued for far more than it should be,” OtterSec’s Robert Chen told CoinDesk. “With that, [the attacker] was able to take out large loans against it and then drain Mango’s [liquidity] pools. It’s like a lending-borrowing race: if you have overvalued collateral, you can then borrow against that collateral, and that’s what they did.”
According to Chen, it remains unclear how, exactly, the attacker managed to inflate MNGO’s value in the eyes of the Mango protocol, though there are already several theories floating around on Twitter suggesting how the heist could’ve been pulled off.
Mango confirmed the exploit in a Tweet on Tuesday, stating that it was “investigating an incident where a hacker was able to drain funds from Mango via an oracle price manipulation.”
The drained funds remained, at press time, on the Solana blockchain. In similar cases, centralized exchanges like Coinbase, Binance and Kraken – the only entities with enough liquidity for someone to cash out amounts this large – have blacklisted offending addresses.
In its initial statement, Mango said it was “taking steps to have third parties freeze funds in flight” and “disabling deposits on the front end as a precaution.”
Mango is a decentralized crypto exchange on the Solana blockchain that offers users the ability to make spot trades and loans. Mango’s MNGO token was down over 42% in the past 24 hours amid fears that the platform may have been exploited, according to price data from CoinMarketCap.
CoinDesk has reached out to Mango for comment.
Tuesday’s exploit was the second major decentralized finance attack in less than a week, coming hot on the heels of an $80 million hack last week of Binance’s BNB blockchain.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
UPDATE (Oct. 11, 2022 23:30 UTC): Adds tweet from Mango.
UPDATE (Oct. 11, 2022 23:42 UTC): Adds MNGO price information.
UPDATE (Oct. 12, 2022 00:30 UTC): Adds quote from OtterSec’s Robert Chen.
UPDATE (Oct. 12, 2022 00:50 UTC): Adds additional tweet from Mango.
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Sam is a reporter at CoinDesk focused on decentralized technology, DeFi and DAOs. He owns ETH, BTC and MATIC.
Sam is a reporter at CoinDesk focused on decentralized technology, DeFi and DAOs. He owns ETH, BTC and MATIC.
U.S. Weighs Allowing Venezuelans To Apply For Special Humanitarian Entry -Sources Reuters Canada
U.S. Weighs Allowing Venezuelans To Apply For Special Humanitarian Entry -Sources – Reuters Canada https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/u-s-weighs-allowing-venezuelans-to-apply-for-special-humanitarian-entry-sources-reuters-canada/
WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) – The Biden administration is considering allowing some Venezuelans seeking humanitarian entry into the United States to apply from Venezuela or a third country to reduce illegal border crossings, two U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials said on Tuesday.
The program, if implemented, would resemble a similar effort announced in April to bring Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine into the United States. Venezuelans caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in the past five years would not be eligible, the officials said, requesting anonymity to discuss internal matters.
The White House and DHS declined to comment.
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Republicans have spotlighted illegal immigration ahead of Nov. 8 midterm elections, arguing that U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, is not doing enough to secure the border. There have been a record number of migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border since Biden took office in 2021.
The number of Venezuelans caught crossing the border illegally has spiked in the past year amid political turmoil and economic instability under President Nicolas Maduro.
More than 150,000 Venezuelans were picked up at the U.S.-Mexico border between October 2021 and August 2022, according to U.S. government data.
Many border crossers are expelled immediately to Mexico or their home countries under a pandemic-related order known as Title 42. But Venezuelans generally cannot be expelled, as Mexico will not accept them, and they are difficult to deport due to frosty diplomatic relations with their government.
As a result, most migrants from Venezuela who cross into the United States are allowed to stay and pursue asylum claims, which can take years to resolve.
Last month, Reuters reported that the Biden administration has quietly pressed Mexico to accept more migrants from Venezuela, as well as from Cuba and Nicaragua, under the COVID-19 expulsion order that the White House has publicly sought to end. read more
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Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Kristina Cooke and Gerry Doyle
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Partners With INTELITY To Enhance The Guest Experience With Mobile App And Smart-Room Tablets | Hotel Technology News
Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Partners With INTELITY To Enhance The Guest Experience With Mobile App And Smart-Room Tablets | – Hotel Technology News https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/potawatomi-hotel-casino-partners-with-intelity-to-enhance-the-guest-experience-with-mobile-app-and-smart-room-tablets-hotel-technology-news/
INTELITY’s cloud-based platform will further Potawatomi’s effort to provide a more digital connection and personalized guest experience.
10.11.2022
INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s leading guest experience and staff management platform, announced today a new deal with Potawatomi Hotel & Casino to implement the INTELITY platform throughout the property. Selected for its robust digital offerings, Potawatomi plans to deploy the complete suite of INTELITY’s strong staff and guest management tool.
INTELITY’s cloud-based platform will further Potawatomi’s effort to provide a more digital connection and personalized guest experience. The mobile app and smart-room tablets provide an unparalleled level of convenience; guests can check-in pre-arrival, use a mobile key, request room service, order in-room dining, and make restaurant and activity reservations. Additionally, the INTELITY platform’s back-office system, GEMS®, will equip Potawatomi’s facility to streamline service, better communicate with guests through guest messaging, and deliver business insights to the management team, to help provide a personalized guest experience.
“We are always trying to figure out ways to provide our guests the best experience possible and this cutting-edge technology will be a fantastic amenity for hotel guests,” Potawatomi Hotel & Casino CEO and GM Dominic Ortiz said. “We aim to make big and bold changes to our guest amenities, and this INTELITY platform will help us do just that in our hotel.”
Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino provides guests with endless entertainment options. With 500 guestrooms, multiple restaurants, and a full casino, this property requires the industry’s top technology to manage the fast-paced logistics more efficiently.
“INTELITY is excited to implement the complete system to Potawatomi. Our all-in-one platform will provide guests with a seamless experience with the Hotel and Casino. From messaging guests their hotel stay information including their mobile key to ordering food, guests will get a high-tech experience with INTELITY’s platform. Not to mention the benefits for the staff to track, manage and service guests at a high frequency” says Benjamin Keller, SVP of Sales & General Manager.
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Kennewick Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Obstruct An Official Proceeding Lying To The FBI And For His Role In A Staged Accident Scheme Department Of Justice
Kennewick Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Obstruct An Official Proceeding, Lying To The FBI, And For His Role In A Staged Accident Scheme – Department Of Justice https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/kennewick-man-pleads-guilty-to-conspiracy-to-obstruct-an-official-proceeding-lying-to-the-fbi-and-for-his-role-in-a-staged-accident-scheme-department-of-justice/
Defendant Attempted to Make the Case Go Away by Falsely Accusing an FBI Agent and Another Individual Defendant Suspected was an FBI Informant of Soliciting a $20,000 Bribe
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Ali Abed Yaser, age 52 of Kennewick, Washington pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, making false statements to the FBI, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and two counts of mail fraud. Yaser faces the following possible maximum statutory sentences: 20 years for each count of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings; 10 years for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud; and 5 years for making a materially false statement to the FBI. The court also may impose a fine up to $250,000, the payment of restitution, and a 5-year term of court supervision. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Yaser is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. in Richland, Washington.
U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “Staging an automobile accident to enrich yourself negatively impacts the entire community by raising insurance rates for law-abiding drivers. Worse still, after learning he was under investigation for staging an automobile accident and defrauding insurance companies, Mr. Yaser repeatedly chose to obstruct official proceedings and conceal his violations of federal law by lying to investigators, falsely accusing an FBI agent of soliciting a $20,000 bribe, threatening a potential witness, and tampering with evidence. Yaser’s corrupt conduct threatened the integrity of the proceedings and was designed to prevent his criminal activities from ever being uncovered.”
According to court documents, in February 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) opened an official investigation into allegations that several individuals were involved in a scheme to defraud insurance companies by staging automobile accidents, and filing false and fraudulent claims with insurance companies, in violation of federal criminal laws. As part of the investigation, the FBI used a confidential human source (CHS) who covertly recorded conversations with individuals suspected of being involved in the staged accident scheme. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Washington later convened to further investigate Yaser and his co-defendants’ scheme.
During the investigation, the FBI discovered that on May 28, 2019, Yaser staged an automobile accident on County Route 12 in Benton County, Washington. The staged accident involved a Hyundai Sonata, driven by another individual being purposely driven into a Lexus IS driven by Yaser. At the time, a credit union had a lien of approximately $30,018.78 on the Lexus. Yaser subsequently filed fraudulent insurance claims representing that he was involved in an accident and suffered bodily injury and wage loss. Yaser was never injured because he was not even in the vehicle at impact. An insurance company paid Yaser and others approximately $126,990.
In May 2020, the FBI executed warrants to search several residences in Washington and California for evidence of federal crimes. Afterward, Yaser held a meeting at his residence because he suspected someone was providing information to the FBI and warned the CHS to be careful of that person.
In August 2020, Yaser told the CHS that he learned that the individual Yaser suspected was an FBI informant recently visited the CHS. Yaser admonished the CHS for not calling him when the suspected informant visited the CHS. Yaser told the CHS that he would have come over to his residence, closed the garage door, shut off the security system cameras, and killed the individual he suspected was the FBI informant. Yaser told the CHS “they would not have recognized his face from his foot.”
Yaser further encouraged the CHS to call the person Yaser thought was the FBI informant and to convince the person to meet with Yaser at his residence. Yaser directed the the CHS to send an audio-recording of a conversation between the CHS and the suspected informant. Yasir told the CHS, “the recording, you know, will not go to the government.” A few days later, Yaser met with the CHS and discussed plans to file a false, fictitious, and fraudulent complaint against the FBI case agent and the suspected FBI informant. Yaser also sought to persuade others to support this plan to make false allegations against the FBI case agent and the suspected informant. Specifically, Yaser wanted an audio recording of the suspected informant that Yaser could exploit and use to discredit the FBI agent in the case against Yaser.
In late August 2020, Yaser discussed fabricating a story to communicate to the local police and the FBI in furtherance of the scheme to discredit the FBI case agent and the individual Yaser suspected was an FBI informant and to make them unavailable as witnesses. Yaser’s ultimate goal was to have the FBI agent removed from the case. Yaser stated in sum and substance, “We will file a complaint with the police and the police will forward it to them [FBI]” and “[t]he police will turn it upside down on them, it won’t take half an hour and it would reach them.”
In September 2020, when interviewed by the FBI, Yaser tried to make the case against him go away by falsely accusing the FBI case agent, and the individual Yaser suspected of being an FBI informant, of soliciting approximately a $20,000 bribe from a third person. In doing so, Yaser engaged in misleading conduct toward the FBI agents with the intention of hindering, delaying, and preventing communication to these officers and a judge of the United States, of information relating to the commission and possible commission of federal offenses. He also attempted to corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding, that is, a federal grand jury proceeding and a criminal proceeding before a judge and court of the United States.
“Yaser and his co-conspirators went to great lengths, not only in committing crimes, but also covering them up and attempting to impugn the integrity of agents and the judicial process,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “There are no victimless crimes. This fraud creates a financial burden for insured drivers as their rates increase from staged accidents.”
“Yaser’s deceitful actions violated laws spanning the jurisdictions of several federal agencies. The fraud the defendant perpetrated, in part, exploited federal health care programs,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency diligently, working alongside fellow law enforcement agencies, pursues bad actors who target HHS programs.”
“Mr. Yaser took assertive actions to thwart this investigation, but, those actions ultimately failed thanks to the diligent efforts of the case agents, who investigated this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Bret Kressin, IRS Criminal Investigation, Seattle Field Office. “Mr. Yaser even lied and bullied others in hopes he could make his crime disappear. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Yaser learned that our law enforcement team does not back down when it comes to holding fraudsters accountable for their actions.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This case is being prosecuted by George J.C. Jacobs, III, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Cruise Vancouver: Sail Roundtrip To Hawaii At A Steal Vancouver Is Awesome
Cruise Vancouver: Sail Roundtrip To Hawaii At A Steal – Vancouver Is Awesome https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/cruise-vancouver-sail-roundtrip-to-hawaii-at-a-steal-vancouver-is-awesome/
This sailing includes all of your drinks, meals, entertainment, and transportation on a luxury ship. Best of all, you never have to take a flight as the cruise sails you there and back.
Vancouverites looking to visit the Hawaiian Islands this year can enjoy a two-week vacation at a steal — but most of it won’t be on land.
Princess Cruises is currently offering a round-trip sailing out of Vancouver to Hawaii that allows locals to travel to the tropical destination without spending big bucks on hotel fees or flights.
While hotels and resorts on any of the islands cost hundreds of dollars each night for accommodation alone, the cruise works out to just over $150 CAD per day and includes all of your meals, transportation, and entertainment, too.
The 15-day Hawaiian Islands cruise departs the Canada Place terminal on Oct. 18 and spends five days at sea before visiting its first port of call, Honolulu, Oahu, on Oct. 24. The following day, guests will visit Kahului, Maui. After that, the cruise stops in Hilo, Hawaii on Oct. 26 and makes its final stop in Kona, Hawaii on Oct. 26.
Guests spend five more days on the lavish vessel before disembarking in Vancouver on Nov. 2.
Date
Port
Arrive
Depart
Tuesday, October 18
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 19
At Sea
Thursday, October 20
At Sea
Friday, October 21
At Sea
Saturday, October 22
At Sea
Sunday, October 23
At Sea
Monday, October 24
Honolulu, Oahu, HI
7:00 a.m.
11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 25
Kahului, Maui, HI
8:00 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 26
Hilo, Hawaii, HI
8:00 a.m.
5:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 27
Kona, Hawaii, HI
7:00 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
Friday, October 28
At Sea
Saturday, October 29
At Sea
Sunday, October 30
At Sea
Monday, October 31
At Sea
Tuesday, November 1
At Sea
Wednesday, November 2
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
7:30 a.m.
Cruise from Vancouver with Princess Cruises to Hawaii
The total for two guests in an interior stateroom works out to $5,046.30 CAD including all taxes and fees, which works out to $2,523.15 CAD per person. Since the cruise is 15 days long, this works out to a per diem cost of $168.21 CAD.
Not only does that cost include your transportation on a beautiful five-star vessel, but it also includes meals, entertainment, snacks, and lodging. The only thing it doesn’t factor in is alcohol, but you may opt to purchase a drink package that can reduce the cost of your spending.
The cruise ship is the five-star Crown Princess, which offers four swimming pools, seven hot tubs, a live theatre, tennis, mini-golf, renowned spa treatments, movies under the stars, a jogging track, a video arcade, and much more.
Photo via Princess Cruises
Book your cruise with Princess Cruises online.
Early this year, I sailed on another cruise line’s first voyage to Vancouver since the onset of the pandemic. Read my experience sailing from San Diego in April.
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Is The Small Business Surge In The US Sustainable? BBC
Is The Small Business Surge In The US Sustainable? – BBC https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/is-the-small-business-surge-in-the-us-sustainable-bbc/
Image source, Janie Hayes
Image caption,
Business grants, offered through pandemic relief programmes, helped Janie Hayes get her shop off the ground
By Natalie Sherman
Business reporter, New York
Fashionista Janie Hayes always wanted to be her own boss. She finally managed it last year, when the clothing boutique she opened in Boise, Idaho during the pandemic started to take off.
Months after opening, the 33-year-old finally managed to quit her waitressing job and focus on the business full-time. Now she is planning to open a second location, and considering adding another person to her staff of three.
“Our growth is better every month,” she says. “At this rate, I think it’s just going to continue to get better.”
Ms Hayes is part of a surprising surge in new business activity that the US has enjoyed since the pandemic hit.
The number of new business applications jumped 24% in 2020, then another 23% last year. And while filings have come down this year, they remain elevated compared to levels before the pandemic.
The gains counter a decades-long decline in start-up rates that had worried economists. Now the question is whether this burst of entrepreneurialism will be sustained or fade into memory as another quirk of the pandemic-era economy.
“It was extremely surprising,” says Kenan Fikri, director of research at the Economic Innovation Group, which has long pushed for policy changes aimed at boosting start-up rates.
“Now, things can go two ways,” he says. “Do we revert back to the pre-pandemic state of affairs where markets remain very concentrated, it’s hard to compete against big companies and it’s hard to get loans and the financial services that you need? Or have we experienced a step change in the background entrepreneurial energy in the American economy?”
Small Business USA
If it’s true to say the US is the engine of the world economy, then small and medium-sized businesses are the fuel that drives that engine.
Small businesses create nearly two-thirds of new jobs in the workforce and account for 44% of US economic activity. So what’s the secret to their success? What challenges do they face and which are the best cities and regions for them to thrive?
Young firms, those in business for less than five years, are typically quite small, employing less than 10% of the private sector workforce in the US.
Despite their size, they play a vital role in the economy, accounting for a disproportionate share of job creation and innovation.
Prior to the pandemic, new companies represented just 8% of America’s firms in 2019, compared with more than 12% in the early 1980s.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Janie Hayes says her business got a boost from the growth the Boise area experienced during the pandemic
Analysts have blamed the long-term decline in new businesses on a range of factors – everything from an ageing workforce to high property prices and the proliferation of anti-competitive practices, like non-compete clauses, raising barriers for would-be entrepreneurs.
Many feared the pandemic would only make things worse.
Instead, the disruption appeared to jolt US entrepreneurialism out of its slump – both by creating new needs for firms to meet, like online workouts, and by giving would-be business owners a bigger financial cushion, as the government provided unusually strong economic support in the form of extended unemployment benefits and stimulus cheques.
The UK, which had faced a similar decline in entrepreneurialism, also saw a surge in start-up activity, which analysts have credited in part to furlough support.
“To me, one of the biggest lessons is that financial security opens the door to entrepreneurship,” Mr Fikri says.
Ms Hayes, who was working as a waitress when the pandemic hit, says she got the confidence to strike out on her own after her savings got a boost thanks to stimulus cheques from the government.
She rented a small shop in May 2020. Business grants, offered through pandemic relief programmes, helped the boutique through its first year, as she fine-tuned the brand and figured out her target customer.
“It definitely helped knowing at the beginning of this that I didn’t have to get a loan. I had the money,” says Ms Hayes, who had been toying with the idea of a store for several years, even launching a website in 2018. “It wasn’t like I was having to go into debt to start something.”
As well as a bigger financial cushion, she says the pandemic also created a bigger market for her products, as a wave of new people moved to the Boise area, in part due to the geographic reshuffling spurred by remote work.
“It’s a lot more people coming in to shop,” she says. “It’s also a lot more style.”
Anne Marie Hamner quit her job running clinical trials in June 2020 to open her own wellness coaching business in Raleigh, North Carolina. She says she had contemplated starting a business long before the pandemic, but she couldn’t have done so without savings and a supportive partner.
Image source, Anne Marie Hamner
Image caption,
Anne Marie Hamner launched a wellness business in 2020, taking a big income cut
“Not everybody can do this and it’s not because people can’t do it, but just the financial freedom in order to be able to do this is huge,” she says, noting that she took a 75% pay cut to strike out on her own and has picked up some work as a nanny.
“I hope that this is what I can do for the rest of my life. I really hope that financial considerations don’t push me back into clinical trials.”
Filings are only the first sign of a new business. Data on how many have gotten off the ground is still being collected.
But for now, monthly applications for new businesses, which peaked last year, continue to come in at a faster rate than they were in 2019, which is a promising sign.
Still, Kenan Fikri warns that many of the underlying forces long blamed for driving down start-up activity remain unchanged. Much of the government support has also ended.
“There’s reason for both optimism and pessimism on this front,” he says. “All of the forces that were weighing down the vitality of the US economy are still there. We just now have some very strong countervailing forces pushing back.”
MyMichigan Health Adds To Sports Medicine Team Radioresultsnetwork.com
MyMichigan Health Adds To Sports Medicine Team – Radioresultsnetwork.com https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/mymichigan-health-adds-to-sports-medicine-team-radioresultsnetwork-com/
As part of MyMichigan Health’s ongoing commitment to bringing comprehensive sports medicine care to athletes of all ages and levels of competition, MyMichigan recently expanded its experienced sports medicine team to include fellowship-trained Primary Care Sports Medicine Specialist Richard Giannotti, Jr., D.O., and Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon Teresa Hall, D.O.
With this team expansion, additional sports medicine coverage is being offered at MyMichigan Medical Centers in Alma, Clare and Mt. Pleasant. MyMichigan also offers comprehensive sports medicine care services in both Bay City and Midland.
As sports medicine specialists, Drs. Giannotti and Hall are dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of injuries, disorders and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They enjoy collaborating to help people attain their goals, whether that’s returning to sports or exercise after an injury, reaching the next level of athletic performance, or simply living life as pain-free as possible.
Dr. Giannotti completed his medical degree from Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis. He went on to complete his residency in family medicine at Munson Medical Center and a fellowship in primary care sports medicine at Auburn University.
Dr. Giannotti’s philosophy of care in sports medicine can be traced back to his father and his godfather. “From a young age, my father instilled in me the importance of practicing what you preach,” he said. “With that in mind, I strive to always live out the counsel and advice I give patients, which is to lead an active and healthy lifestyle rooted in physical activity, nutrition, and proper recovery and rehabilitation.
“From childhood, my godfather would recite the parable of “The Lion and Gazelle,” which ends with – it doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or gazelle when the sun comes up you’d better be running. My goal is to do everything I can to ensure patients can “wake up running,” which to me is participating in physical activities that bring joy, happiness and health to their lives.”
Dr. Hall completed her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She went on to complete her residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Michigan Health-West and a fellowship in orthopedic surgery sports medicine from the State University of New York at Buffalo, also known as the University at Buffalo.
Dr. Hall’s philosophy of care is to listen closely to her patients to understand what is afflicting them and to create relationships built on mutual trust. “I take time to understand my patients’ goals of treatment and plans for the future and then customize a treatment plan based on their individual wants and needs,” she said. According to Dr. Hall, the most satisfying part of her job is using her hands to diagnose and treat patients and then helping them get back to their desired activity, at any level. “I really enjoy working with athletes through high school and following their career into collegiate sports,” she added. “I’ve worked with professional athletes in football, hockey and lacrosse, as well as NCAA division 1 athletes.”
In addition to treating recreational athletes of all ages, MyMichigan Health currently has sports medicine collaborations with Central Michigan University Athletics, Alma College, Northwood University, Mid Michigan College, the Great Lakes Loons, as well as more than 13 local high school athletic programs.
MyMichigan also assists with sports medicine coverage during the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, the Dow Tennis Classic, many and other local events. It also boasts WellSport, the area’s only primary care sports medicine program.
Those who would like additional information about Drs. Giannotti and Hall or MyMichigan’s comprehensive musculoskeletal services may visit www.mymichigan.org/msk.
Former Angels Staffer Eric Kay Sentenced To 22 Years In Connection To Pitcher Tyler Skaggs Death CBS Sports
Former Angels Staffer Eric Kay Sentenced To 22 Years In Connection To Pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ Death – CBS Sports https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/former-angels-staffer-eric-kay-sentenced-to-22-years-in-connection-to-pitcher-tyler-skaggs-death-cbs-sports/
Getty Images
Former Angels communications director Eric Kay was sentenced to 22 years in prison in connection to the drug-overdose death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs in 2019. Kay was found guilty in February for the distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The 27-year-old pitcher was found dead in his hotel room in Southlake, Texas on July 1, 2019 with traces of fentanyl, oxycodone, and alcohol in his system. Kay was accused of obtaining oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl and distributing them to players. The trial included testimonies from current and former MLB players who said they had received opioid pills from him. These players included Matt Harvey, C.J. Cron, Mike Morin, and Cam Bedrosian. According to testimony and court documents, Kay also used the drugs himself.
CBS News Forth Worth reported that Judge Terry Means said he was “dreading” the sentence for Kay, because he thought the 20-year minimum was excessive. However, the judge changed his mind after recorded phone calls from prison and emails allegedly showed Kay disparaging the jury, Skaggs, his family and prosecutors. Means added two more years to the sentence for the “refusal to accept responsibility and even be remorseful for something you caused,” as reported by the Washington Post.
“We are very grateful to everyone who worked so hard to investigate and prosecute Eric Kay. Today’s sentencing isn’t about the number of years the defendant received,” read a statement released by Skaggs’ family after the sentencing.
“The real issue in this case is holding accountable the people who are distributing the deadly drug fentanyl. It is killing tens of thousands of people every year in our country and destroying families along with it. We will continue the fight to hold responsible those who allowed Kay to provide a deadly drug to Tyler. But for their actions, Tyler would still be with us today.”
Minting Supercars In The Metaverse | Video CoinDesk
Minting Supercars In The Metaverse | Video – CoinDesk https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/minting-supercars-in-the-metaverse-video-coindesk/
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If Ministers Wont Offer You Energy Saving Tips WE Will! This Is Money
If Ministers Won’t Offer You Energy Saving Tips… WE Will! – This Is Money https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/if-ministers-wont-offer-you-energy-saving-tips-we-will-this-is-money/
A £15 million energy saving awareness campaign was controversially scrapped by the Government last week.
It was supposed to help households shave up to £300 a year off their energy bills by making small changes in their homes. But Prime Minister Liz Truss has ruled out any Government-backed advice for now.
Reports suggest many struggling middle-class families have taken matters into their own hands by investing in heated throws, air fryers and one-pot cookers.
Scrapped: A £15m Government awareness campaign was supposed to help households shave up to £300 a year off their energy bills by making small changes in their homes
But how much do these ‘energy efficient’ appliances actually save?
Here, Money Mail has compiled your go-to guide of energy-saving tips so you can keep a lid on rising bills this winter…
Recipes for success in the kitchen
Changing your cooking habits could save you more than £100 each year.
The amount of energy you use is measured per kilowatt hour (kWh). One kWh costs 34p and is the equivalent of running a standard oven for 30 minutes.
In the kitchen, ovens are one of the least energy-efficient products so it is worth looking into alternative ways to heat your food.
Air fryers have rocketed in popularity in recent months due to their speed and low running costs.
It costs just 27p to bake a potato in an air fryer, according to energy efficiency site Sust-it.net.
It would be 10p more expensive to cook in an oven. Yet a microwave is even cheaper at 7p.
Air fryers have rocketed in popularity in recent months due to their speed and low running costs
Slow cookers can also cut bills. Cooking a chicken in one would cost just 50p. This is almost half the £1.02 it takes to roast a chicken in an oven.
And just changing your kitchen habits can have a big effect.
For example, if you batch-cook meals and reheat them in a microwave throughout the week you can save £112 a year, claims Utilita Energy.
And simmering vegetables rather than boiling them can slash your annual bills by £48.
And when it comes to washing-up, it all depends on how long you leave the tap running.
An average dishwasher load would cost 26p to run, according to personal finance site nimblefins.co.uk.
But someone who ran a tap for 15 minutes to handwash the same number of dishes would spend twice as much — 52p. However, using a tap for three minutes would cost only 10p — and anything less than seven-and-a-half minutes would be cheaper than the dishwasher.
Pull the plug on vampire devices
Televisions, music speakers and other gadgets — so-called vampire devices — all use vast amounts of electricity when left on standby.
But turning these appliances off at the plug can cut your bills by £55 a year, according to comparison site Uswitch.
Utilita Energy says leaving a TV on standby for eight hours costs the average household 23p. Meanwhile taking a laptop off charge can save 6.8p over the same time period.
Pulling the plug on a digital radio will also save 14p over 24 hours. Hiring a tradesman to draught-proof doors, windows and cracks in the floors would cost around £225 — but save you £125 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
However, fabric draught excluders are on sale for as little as £3 on eBay.
Installing thermostatic radiator valves, which ensure rooms are kept at a constant temperature, can save £75 a year, according to the EST.
And if your radiator starts to gurgle it may need bleeding to increase its efficiency and reduce bills. Most energy suppliers publish instructions on how to do this on their websites.
Some households use radiator reflectors to prevent heat escaping through their walls. Radflek, which sells reflectors from £21.99, claims its products save £2.75 per radiator per year.
Sweet dreams at bedtime
Drawing the curtains before it gets dark can help retain more heat in your home.
But when it starts to really cool down it might be worth investing in an electric blanket, which will typically set you back between £30 and £60.
A 100W electric blanket costs just over 5p to run at full power for an hour. So if you leave it on for two hours before bed, you’ll only spend 10p.
Keep cosy: A 100W electric blanket costs just over 5p to run at full power for an hour. So if you leave it on for two hours before bed, you’ll only spend 10p
And investing in an electric heater could help cut down on bills if you just want short bursts of warmth in a particular room while your heating is off.
They can cost as little as £20, but bear in mind that they are best used sparingly — they cost around 68p an hour to run.
Every 50W halogen bulb that is swapped to an LED alternative can also save you £3 a year, USwitch says.
It may not seem like much on its own, but it adds up when you think that there are more than 12 bulbs on average in every home.
Remembering to switch the lights off when you leave a room could also save you £20 a year.
Clean up in the bathroom
The easiest way to save money in the bathroom is by reducing the amount of water you use.
A typical household could save £70 a year by reducing their shower time to four minutes, according to USwitch.
And swapping one bath each week for a four-minute shower could save £12 a year.
Insulating your hot water tank and pipes with an 80mm-thick jacket could also save you £35 a year by reducing the amount of heat they lose.
If you have a hot water tank, make sure it isn’t warmed constantly, so you only heat as much water as you need at certain times of day.
Getting a water meter installed could also be worthwhile if you don’t already have one.
As a rule of thumb, if there are more bedrooms in your house than people who live there, a water meter will save you money.
This is especially important as the average water bill went up by 1.7 pc for the year from April — though this varies across the country.
Tiny changes, big returns
Make sure your boiler and central heating system are working efficiently so you’re not wasting money.
According to the EST, the idea that it is cheaper to leave the heating on low is a myth.
It is best to turn it on only when you need it, and installing a timer on your thermostat will help you control this.
Turning down your thermostat by just one degree can save as much as £145 a year — and you are unlikely to feel the difference in your home.
The EST recommends setting it between 18 and 21c.
Dial it down: Turning down your thermostat by just one degree can save as much as £145 a year – and you are unlikely to feel the difference in your home
Independent consumer adviser The Heating Hub also says you can make instant savings if you have a combi boiler by lowering the flow temperature — which is how hot the water gets before being sent off to your radiators.
Turning this down from 80c to 60c can cut £112 off the average annual energy bill.
And you can adjust these settings yourself using your boiler controls so there is no need to call an engineer.
A boiler insulation jacket can also improve its efficiency.
The materials cost only £25 and it could save you up to £150 a year.
Households can also shave £100 off their bills by ditching their tumble dryer, according to USwitch.
A tumble dryer uses 3kWh per cycle — costing around £1.03. Drying two loads of washing a week on a radiator or clothes horse instead would save you £106 a year.
A plug-in drying rack, known as a heated airer, is also a good alternative. Turning one on for two hours uses 300W of energy, costing only 20p.
The cheapest on offer are £40, so you would end up saving £44 overall compared to using the dryer.
moneymail@dailymail.co.uk
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Crypto Investor Newsletter: Disney Australia And Chinas Digital Yuan TheStreet
Crypto Investor Newsletter: Disney, Australia, And China’s Digital Yuan – TheStreet https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/crypto-investor-newsletter-disney-australia-and-chinas-digital-yuan-thestreet/
We also interview David Rubenstein, author of ‘How to Invest: Masters on the Craft.’
We also interview David Rubenstein, author of ‘How to Invest: Masters on the Craft.’
Welcome to the Crypto Investor.
Last month, Do Kwon, the disgraced co-founder of Terraform Labs, resurfaced in the news with claims he was not a fugitive on the run. Without revealing his present location (which is of great interest to law enforcement authorities), the poster boy for the perils of algorithmic stablecoins took to Twitter to casually announce that he was, unsurprisingly, a law-abiding citizen fully cooperating with authorities – just with an Interpol red notice targeting him worldwide and South Korea initiating a request to cancel his passport.
Earlier this year, Kwon oversaw the spectacular collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin, which wiped out $60 billion from investors’ bank accounts. Since then, the developer has stunned Twitter audiences with his risible explanations of how he spends his time: “I go on walks and [to] malls,” Kwon claims. He’s also making light of the Interpol red notice, tweeting: “For something that has notice in the name, it sure gives no notice.”
The elusive founder might be able to joke on Twitter, but with South Korean prosecutors eager to use every tool at their disposal to bring about accountability and justice, Kwon is probably not going to be able to shake off legal action much longer.
In this newsletter, stay tuned for a round-up of this week’s crypto developments, including a look at what’s happening with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) around the world and the metaverse. We also have an interview on crypto investing and how the war in Ukraine impacts crypto holdings with the Carlyle Group’s co-founder David Rubenstein, the billionaire author of the new book How to Invest: Masters on the Craft.
Let’s rewind this week in crypto news:
Alex Mashinsky, the CEO and founder of the bankrupt crypto lender Celsius, has stepped down amid legal action against the embattled crypto company (which still owes thousands of creditors). Other crypto firms, too, have seen their top people head for the exits, including the CEOs of crypto exchange Kraken, the crypto brokerage Genesis, and the president of digital assets exchange FTX US.
But despite a string of high-profile departures across the crypto industry, there’s one bright spot this crypto winter: the metaverse is still growing, and Chief Metaverse Officers are all the rage.
Although everyone’s hiring one to avoid missing out on the next big tech trend, some critics are asking: Is it all hype, just like the metaverse itself?
Disney doesn’t think so. It’s on the hunt for a new lawyer to address transactions related to the metaverse, NFTs, and blockchain tech. With a quarter of people predicted to spend at least an hour a day in the metaverse in the future, according to Gartner research, and McKinsey forecasting that metaverse-related spending might add up to $5 trillion a year in less than a decade, it’s no surprise why there is so much investment in the space.
Further afield, Australia is on track to finish its first central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot by mid-2023, which will reveal whether or not the country will pursue a digital currency known as an “eAUD.” Although nearly a quarter of Australians have adopted crypto, it’s not clear if the country’s government is equally enthusiastic about stablecoins and all things blockchain. Right now, the study’s goal is modest: to “explore innovative use cases and business models” for CBDCs.
Elsewhere, China first began allowing foreigners to use its own CBDC, the digital yuan, during the Olympic Games in February. They were able to buy everything from ice cream and popcorn to chewing gum at the self-service counter of Family Mart with the popular new currency.
The government says the digital yuan already has 260 million users, with 4.5 million merchants across China accepting it as a payment method. And the average transaction? Around $40. If that sounds paltry, Beijing says there have been roughly $12 billion worth of transactions since the digital yuan program was first unveiled in May 2020. No doubt popularity has been helped by integration with the popular messaging app WeChat, along with Alipay and JD.com.
U.S. observers are more hawkish about the e-CNY’s adoption, however, with the conservative think tank the Hoover Institution going so far to say that the digital yuan might even be used to “circumvent U.S. sanctions” and create “an alternative channel for cross-border transactions.”
In fact, many point to China’s dominance – and apparent success – in the CBDC space as reason enough for the U.S. to accelerate its own CBDC push, citing fears that the rival Chinese economy might displace the U.S. in global competitiveness. To that end, several people on the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services this month voted to move forward with an American digital dollar during a hearing, partly to counter China’s digital yuan.
The Ask: David Rubenstein, Co-Founder, the Carlyle Group
Crypto Investor recently talked to David Rubenstein, billionaire investor and co-founder of one of the world’s largest private equity firms, the Carlyle Group. Rubenstein is the author of the new book How to Invest: Masters on the Craft (Simon & Schuster), which came out this month and imparts time-tested advice for how to invest long-term in crypto and other assets.
Although the book has an entire section devoted to investing in crypto, Rubenstein warns readers to exercise caution when placing a bet on who might win in the nascent industry, as the task might be a fool’s errand: “Trying to pick the ultimate winner, or winners, is an extremely difficult task,” Rubenstein says.
The businessman once saw crypto as a risky bet, and subscribed to a belief that it lacked any underlying value. But today, Rubenstein believes that even the current bear market and war in Ukraine cannot stop the growth of crypto as an emerging industry. “Today, I believe crypto is more likely to be around longer than I initially believed,” he tells Crypto Investor. Take a read:
Sabrina Toppa, Crypto Investor: You’ve mentioned the war in Ukraine as one reason to stay optimistic about crypto. Tell me why that is.Rubenstein: My view is that many Russian oligarchs put their assets in very visible forms of wealth (homes, boats, art) which are easily confiscated by governments.. [But] crypto is less easily confiscated, as governments may not know what is owned or how to access it. Therefore, those who want to hedge their bets may put increasingly larger amounts of their net worth in crypto assets which, theoretically, cannot be as easily confiscated by governments.
We are currently in a period of economic turmoil for crypto. How do you diagnose the current moment, and what do you see as the next step for investors holding on to — or worrying about — their crypto assets?Rubenstein: The biggest mistake investors make is selling when asset prices are down and buying when asset prices are up. Right now, prices for cryptocurrencies are down compared to their heights, and it’s likely many investors are shedding those assets. History shows investors are better off buying more when asset prices are lower, or not selling when they think a market is near a bottom. It is better to hold on and benefit from a rebound that may be inevitable.
What do you think is important for investors to understand about the promise — and threat — of regulation?Rubenstein: Members of Congress are putting modest pressure on regulators right now. Supporters of the crypto industry are lobbying members of Congress to ease up on excessive regulation. Therefore, I do not expect a large number of new regulations, as there is not much pressure to regulate. Until there are large scandals, or massive multi-billion-dollar lawsuits brought by average investors, I do not believe Congress is likely to do anything that will upend the current regulatory apparatus.
This conversation has been condensed for length and clarity.
This Crypto Investor newsletter was originally published on.
Welcome to the Crypto Investor.
Last month, Do Kwon, the disgraced co-founder of Terraform Labs, resurfaced in the news with claims he was not a fugitive on the run. Without revealing his present location (which is of great interest to law enforcement authorities), the poster boy for the perils of algorithmic stablecoins took to Twitter to casually announce that he was, unsurprisingly, a law-abiding citizen fully cooperating with authorities – just with an Interpol red notice targeting him worldwide and South Korea initiating a request to cancel his passport.
Earlier this year, Kwon oversaw the spectacular collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin, which wiped out $60 billion from investors’ bank accounts. Since then, the developer has stunned Twitter audiences with his risible explanations of how he spends his time: “I go on walks and [to] malls,” Kwon claims. He’s also making light of the Interpol red notice, tweeting: “For something that has notice in the name, it sure gives no notice.”
The elusive founder might be able to joke on Twitter, but with South Korean prosecutors eager to use every tool at their disposal to bring about accountability and justice, Kwon is probably not going to be able to shake off legal action much longer.
In this newsletter, stay tuned for a round-up of this week’s crypto developments, including a look at what’s happening with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) around the world and the metaverse. We also have an interview on crypto investing and how the war in Ukraine impacts crypto holdings with the Carlyle Group’s co-founder David Rubenstein, the billionaire author of ...
California Expands Largest US Illegal Pot Eradication Effort KPBS
California Expands Largest US Illegal Pot Eradication Effort – KPBS https://bentoncountynewsnow.com/california-expands-largest-us-illegal-pot-eradication-effort-kpbs/
With California’s 4-year-old legal marijuana market in disarray, the state’s top prosecutor said Tuesday that he will try a new broader approach to disrupting illegal pot farms that undercut the legal economy and sow widespread environmental damage.
The state will expand its nearly four-decade multi-agency seasonal eradication program — the largest in the U.S. that this year scooped up nearly a million marijuana plants — into a year-round effort aimed at investigating who is behind the illegal grows. The new program will attempt to prosecute underlying labor crimes, environmental crimes and the underground economy centered around the illicit cultivations, said Attorney General Rob Bonta.
He called it “an important shift in mindset and in mission” aimed at also aiding California’s faltering legal market by removing dangerous competition.
“The illicit marketplace outweighs the legal marketplace” Bonta said. “It’s upside down and our goal is complete eradication of the illegal market.”
In keeping with the new approach, the annual Campaign Against Marijuana Planting ( CAMP ) program started under Republican Gov. George Deukmejian in 1983 will become a permanent Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC) task force, Bonta said.
CAMP began in “a very different time, a different era, a different moment during the failed war on drugs and (at) a time when cannabis was still entirely illegal,” Bonta said.
The seasonal eradication program, which lasts about 90 days each summer, still will continue with the cooperation of other federal, state and local agencies. They include the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, National Park Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks and the California National Guard, some of which will also participate in the new task force, he said.
The task force will work with state Department of Justice prosecutors, the department’s Cannabis Control Section and an existing Tax Recovery in the Underground Economy ( TRUE ) task force that was created by law in 2020, all with the goal of filing civil and criminal cases against those behind illegal grows.
Federal and state prosecutors in California have long tried, without much success, to target the organized crime cartels behind the hidden farms rather than the often itinerant laborers hired to tend and guard the often remote marijuana plots scattered across public and private land.
The laborers frequently live in crude camps with no running water or sewers and use caustic pesticides to kill animals that might otherwise eat the growing plants. But the pollution they leave behind has spread into downstream water supplies and the pesticides can spread up through the food chain.
The workers are victims of human trafficking, Bonta said, “living in squalid conditions alone for months on end and with no way out. These are not the people who are profiting from the illegal cannabis industry. They’re being abused, they’re the victims. They are cogs in a much bigger and more organized machine.”
For example, about 80% of the 44 illegal grow sites found on and around Bureau of Land Management properties this year were connected to drug trafficking organizations, said Karen Mouritsen, the bureau’s California state director.
“It’s clear that there are big challenges with respect to organized crime,” Bonta said. But he said he expects better results this time because the new year-round effort by multiple agencies “will make a big dent, a bit splash and lots of noise about our common priority to address the illicit marketplace, including at the highest levels.”
Bonta is running to keep his job from Republican challenger and former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman in next month’s election. He is taking a familiar recent approach by Democrats nationwide in concentrating on dealers who provide illegal drugs rather than the users who support the underground economy. President Joe Biden last week said he is pardoning thousands of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law, while San Francisco officials announced a new effort to curb open drug dealing.
The year-round approach “is long since overdue,” Hochman said. “Only by hitting illegal drug growers where it hurts, by seizing their plants and their proceeds, will California be able to help the legal cannabis industry survive and thrive.”
For those trying to exist under the legal market approved by California voters in 2016, the problem has been falling pot prices, restricted sales, high taxes despite the recent repeal of the cannabis cultivation tax, and the fact that buyers can find better bargains in the booming underground marketplace.
Aside from the nearly 1 million plants that Bonta valued at about $1 billion, this year’s eradication program seized more than 100 tons of processed marijuana, 184 weapons and about 33 tons of materials used to cultivate the plants, including dams, water lines and containers of toxic chemicals including pesticides and fertilizers.
