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Best back to school laptops under $1000

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

It's back to school season, which means you might be looking for a new laptop.While tablets are great, laptops offer more power and productivity for getting work done.Recently, I spoke with Wirecutter laptop expert Kimber Streams on the Rich on Tech radio show to get their top recommendations for budget laptops and Chromebooks under $1000."Right now, a lot of manufacturers are actually discounting models and having sales because they have excess inventory after so many people bought laptops during the pandemic and they aren't buying them right now," said Streams, who has been reviewing laptops since 2014.If you're looking for a Windows laptop under $500, aim for at least 8GB RAM, a solid-state drive, and a 12th or 13th generation Intel i3 or i5 processor or a 7000 series AMD Ryzen 3 or 5 processor."The best Windows laptop under $500 is the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14. It's typically about $430, but right now it actually happens to be on sale for $350, which is kind of a steal for how good...

Acyan Examines MASCULTURE

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

Acyan Examines MASCULTURE: Emerging Fort Collins electronic artist Acyan got his start I music production during his freshman year of high school.“I ended up going to a different high school than all my friends in middle school, and I didn’t entirely fit in with the community, so I had time to dedicate to a new craft,” Acyan says. “During that time I was also doing animation/editing for Minecraft YouTubers. A lot of those videos were synced up to audio in some way, like Call Of Duty montages and that’s where I started getting invested in how the music was made. I started to make my own music for those videos and a couple years into that I enjoyed making music a lot more than Minecraft content, so I eventually dedicated all my time to it.”When asked to consider his sound today, Acyan describes it as “an aggressive and rhythmic take on the trap sound developed by RL Grime and his contemporaries. That Minecraft YouTube intro sound was heavily inspired from...

Is THC-O The New Delta-8?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

Just as we’re trying to figure out the unique properties of delta-8 THC, hemp companies are flooding the market with yet another THC-related compound: THC-O. Interestingly, scientists have known about THC-O for longer than delta-8 THC, and there are rumors the US government had a hand in developing it.According to initial reports, THC-O offers the most “extreme” legal hemp experience—but just how accurate are these reports? Is it safe to take THC-O, or should customers be cautious around this cannabinoid? If you’re contemplating giving THC-O a go, you need to read the findings below.The Basics On THC-O — Where Does This Crazy Cannabinoid Come From?There are many rumors surrounding THC-O-acetate, but most reports claim it was developed by a team of scientists in the mid-20th century. Apparently, the US military wanted to use this compound to incapacitate enemy soldiers, but there’s no official documentation of using THC-O as a weapon. As laws relaxed around hemp, more researchers and...

California welder moved to Maui for new job 2 days before disaster struck

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

Matt Mattera had just moved from San Pedro to Maui on Sunday, Aug. 6, where a new job at a chassis repair shop awaited the 29-year-old welder.He had lined up four roommates — all strangers — who would be sharing a house in Maui that had been arranged through a family real estate friend.All seemed fine shortly after he’d arrived.“He’d gone to Costco to get a mattress and a TV set,” his mother, San Pedro resident Susan Mattera, said. “That was the last communication I had with him a few days ago.”Then, the unthinkable happened.On Tuesday, Aug. 8, a wind-whipped fire swept through the beloved coastal tourist spot, destroying nearly everything in its path.Susan Mattera called her son. His cell phone went straight to voicemail.“Every time I turned the TV on, it looked like a war zone,” Susan Mattera said. “I would just start crying, ‘Where’s my kid?’”AT&T told her they did spot activity on his phone, which provided a glimmer of hope.Finally, he sent a text message that got thro...

High school football 2023 preview: EBAL Valley Division

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

East Bay Athletic League Valley Division(Predicted order of finish)No. 1: AMADOR VALLEYCoach: Danny Jones 2022 record: 5-6What to expect: Dons’ coach Danny Jones is coming into this season fired up. “The next two years will be my best two teams I’ve had in (my) 8-year tenure,” he wrote in a Bay Area News Group survey asking coaches about their teams. The Dons are returning to the Valley Division after two years in the Mountain. It means no more De La Salle, Clayton Valley and San Ramon Valley during the regular season. Junior QB Tristan Tia “will be one of the best in Northern California over the next 2 years,” Jones wrote. The 6-2, 190-pounder will miss the first five games – all non-league – after transferring from Granada. The schedule is brutal with the first four opponents being El Cerrito, Campolindo, Acalanes and Monte Vista , but Tia will be eligible when league play begins. Seniors Jake Goldsworthy (RB/LB) and Nate Jetter (WR/DB) will take up some of the slack while Tia sit...

30+ festivals, fairs and things to do in the Bay Area this fall

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

With fall fast approaching, there’s no shortage of Bay Area happenings to add to your calendar.Farm-to-Fork Festival 2023: Sept. 7-23, various venues in downtown Sacramento. This beloved annual festival features a wide array of local food, wine and beer vendors, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, interactive exhibits and special events. Prices vary. farmtofork.com/Russell City Blues Live: 7 p.m. Sept. 8, Morrisson Theater, 22311 N. Third St., Hayward. Uncover the history of Russell City, a lost Bay Area community, through on-stage interviews and storytelling. A live band will take you back in time, honoring the musical legacy of the town where the blues thrived until the bulldozers rolled in. $18. kqed.org/event/3394Flower Piano 2023: Sept. 8-12, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Flower Piano will again transform the San Francisco Botanical Garden into the city’s own alfresco concert hall where everyone is invited to play and listen. Explore global living plant collect...

Summer rolls keep it light — and fresh — on a warm-weather dinner table

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)If the past few weeks have taught us anything, it’s that the best meals in the dog days of summer come together quickly, without heating up the kitchen.Summer rolls are a terrific option for warm-weather cooking and dining, as they’re made from rice paper wrappers rolled around cold proteins — shrimp, pork or tofu — plus fresh herbs and a colorful array of crunchy vegetables. Add some chewy rice, cellophane noodles, soft lettuce leaves or baby spinach for extra heft, and don’t be afraid to get creative with the dipping sauces.The basics: Preparation is essential. You’ll want to have everything gathered, prepped and ready to go, before you start rolling. Cut your vegetables into thin slices, matchsticks or a fine dice. If the recipe includes rice noodles, make sure they’ve been properly soaked and drained. Separate herbs and lettuce into individual leaves or small, bite-sized pieces.Ready to rol...

Avoid school traffic and let your kids walk the last block, advises reader: Roadshow

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

Q: My mother was driving by a very slow car on the freeway recently and said, “They must not read Mr. Roadshow about being a road boulder.” She actually quotes you very often.Some recent columns addressed safety around schools. A great reminder for students and parents is that everything moves slower as the school year starts, so leave 10 minutes early to give yourself plenty of time. Parents, please don’t block the drop-off lane or intersection to watch your darling walk all the way into the classroom. Children are capable of walking, so you don’t all have to stop exactly in front of the school. Often, it is faster to let kids walk the last block to school. Many of us walked many blocks as children and were healthier for it. Instead of doing an illegal U-turn, drop your kid off a block early and drive legally.Thanks for making the roads safer!Julie Ludwig, SunnyvaleA: Thanks for these reminders.Q: I read your columns on safety around schools with considerable interest because I liv...

NAACP says rise in crime due to firing of Oakland police chief

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

(KRON) -- The local NAACP says crime is surging in Oakland because Mayor Sheng Thao fired former Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong back in February.In a letter released over the weekend, the organization points out that the mayor wants to get to the root causes of crime in the city, but they say the mayor needs to look in the mirror to do that. Community to protest outside ICE office in San Francisco Data from the Oakland Police Department shows crime is up 28 percent overall this year compared to the same period last year. Violent crime is up 17 percent while slayings are down 8 percent. Mayor Thao had no comment on Tuesday following the letter from the NAACP.

Community to protest outside ICE office in San Francisco

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:30 GMT

(KRON) -- Community organizers are planning to protest outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office Thursday morning in San Francisco.The agency is currently under investigation for alleged retaliation and abuse on inmates. According to community organizers, it has been over a year since people detained at Mesa Verde and Golden State Detention Centers began an ongoing labor strike to protest low pay for involuntary work. San Francisco high school faces teacher shortage as new school year starts Six months have passed since they launched a hunger strike to protest the involuntary work and abuse, organizers said. Protestors want the two detention centers in California closed permanently.