Fantasy role-playing games such as "Dungeons & Dragons" can help improve students' academic performances as well as social and emotional skills, according to research by professor David Simkins of the Rochester Institute of Technology. The research shows that role-playing games can increase learning and intellectual curiosity in subjects from math and science to critical reading and history, Simkins said.
The US will use its military to close the southern border if Mexico does not stop the flow of migrants from Central America into the country, said President Donald Trump via Twitter today. "The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA," he wrote.
⋅ Politico
Many Democratic candidates running for national and state offices are touting the benefits of free tuition and debt-free college proposals. Some party strategists say the proposals may go too far and could alienate some voters who may see the programs as too expensive.
Chinese economic growth declined to 6.5% in the third quarter from 6.7% in Q2, as an intensifying trade conflict with the US began to affect Chinese companies. The Q3 growth rate is the lowest China has experienced since the financial crisis.
Walmart-owned Sam's Club will offer online shopping and delivery via Instacart from half its US stores by the end of October, the companies said. The deal, which represents an expansion of Walmart's partnership with Instacart, will also allow nonmembers to shop online at Sam's Club.
Canadian researchers found that a prognostic tool with 12 variables, including age, alcohol- or tobacco-related items and worry- or stress-related items, yielded a 0.77 c-statistic and showed good calibration in determining teens likely to initiate cigarette smoking. The findings were published in Pediatrics.
The Coalition Against Ad Fraud has published what it says is the first set of standardized definitions of mobile ad fraud. The document notes the differences between technical and compliance fraud and outlines types of mobile ad fraud such as fake installs, click spam and false impressions.
⋅ CNBC
Amazon will create more than 1,000 research and development jobs in the UK, including 600 at a new office in Manchester. The e-commerce leader will also create new positions at existing offices in Cambridge and in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In a move that mirrors Apple's response to General Data Protection Regulation mandates in Europe, Apple users in the US will now be able to download, delete or change data the company has collected on them.
⋅ Reuters
The cost of two valsartan dosages, used to treat high blood pressure, increased more than any other drug in the US last month after pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals pulled valsartan the US market following discovery of a probable carcinogen. Prices more than doubled over August rates.
⋅ Variety
Hulu CEO Randy Freer recently said that the service may offer smaller bundles of programming that would include news and sports while limiting cable content to on-demand shows. The move could let Hulu eliminate network carriage fees and attract customers looking for cost-friendly options.
The results of 2018 midterm elections could have a significant impact on the construction industry as debates over infrastructure ensue. Issues to keep an eye on are potential construction of a border wall, the California bullet train, the San Joaquin Delta project, the battle between environmentalism and new construction, and whether to raise the federal gas tax to finance infrastructure.
The American energy trade gap has diminished considerably over the past 10 years, with the value of energy imports only about 1.5 times higher than exports in 2017, compared with the 2003-2007 period when imports were running 10 times greater than exports in value, according to the US Census Bureau. Crude oil is still the biggest energy import into the US, while petroleum products represent the primary export at 70% of the total value of 2017's US energy exports.
The airline industry is an example of how offering clear pricing tiers, starting with a cheap option that offers little or no perks, sets customer expectations and helps them decide whether to spend more, write Thomas A. Stewart and Patricia O'Connell. "By creating a class of service many passengers shun, basic economy appears to have made ordinary service seem less bad," they write.
⋅ People
The Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., has holiday trees and garlands that never come down, and the glockenspiel in the lobby pumps out carols twice a day. The most festive guests can reserve the Santa Suite, complete with St. Nicks and a unique gift delivered overnight.