Online Blackjack Now! For Real Money or Free – Wizard of Odds

This is our first blackjack game and trainer and I'm proud to finally add our version 2 with enhanced graphics and the ability to learn how to count cards to my website. The game is mostly self-explanatory. If you make an inferior play, the game will warn you first. I recommend that before you play for real money both online in person that you practice on the game until you very rarely are warned you a making an inferior play. If doubling or splitting is mathematically the correct play, but you don't have enough chips, the game will give the best advice for what you can afford to do. Do not change rules mid-hand. If you do, the change will not take effect until the next hand. The advice is based on my own analysis and basic strategy tables for one, two, and four+ decks. The deck(s) is(are) shuffled after every hand.

If you find any bugs, please contact me. A screenshot would be appreciated if you claim the game is misplaying a hand. I get a lot of incorrect reports that the advice given is incorrect. This usually can be explained by the user not using the correct basic strategy for the rules selected. I have also had many comments about the advice on a player 16, composed of 3 or more cards, against a 10. As a rule of thumb, the player should stand in that situation. However, that is a basic strategy exception. The game only knows basic strategy. Also, please note that it is a standard blackjack rule that split aces get one card each. If one of them is a ten, it is not a blackjack, it is just 21 points. That is how blackjack is usually played.

I would like to thank JB for his outstanding work on this game, and Dingo Systems for the cards.

Q1: What are the rules in online blackjack games?

A: As in land casinos, they vary. Online help files are notoriously badly written and incomplete. The Wizard of Odds, we try hard to keep an accurate listing of rules for every brand of software and live dealers. You may find such rules, for every game, in our Software Review section.

Q2: Generally speaking, are the rules better in land or online casinos?

A: All things considered, I would say they are better online. For one thing, you almost never see a blackjack (ace and 10) pay 6 to 5 only online, while this is becoming the norm in land casinos in the United States.

Q3: What are the typical rules at live dealer casinos online?

A: Live dealer rules are very similar to what you would see in a land casino. The typical rules are:

Be careful double or splitting if the dealer has a ten or ace showing. At most live dealer brands, you will lose everything if the dealer gets a blackjack. Under this "no peek" rule, the only time you should put more money out on the table against a potential dealer blackjack is to split two aces against a dealer 10.

The house edge under the rules above is 0.61%.

Q4: When are the cards shuffled in online blackjack?

A: In a fully electronic game, they are probably shuffled after every hand. In a live dealer game, they are usually shuffled about half way through the shoe.

Q5: Oh really?! Even with only 50% penetration, what is to prevent me from counting cards against a live dealer?

A: I've asked this question of some people in the business. Nobody would tell me exactly how they protect their game against counters, but they assured me that they do. If I ran a live dealer casino, I would run a test of every player to see how their bet size is correlated to the true count. Then I would carefully examine the play of such players with a strong correlation.

Q6: How do "probably fair" casinos accomplish so-called in blackjack?

A: It is rather involved, but here is typically how it is done:

I go into this in greater depth for a particular brand in my page on Blackjack (Encrypted Version).

Q7: I don't want to bother jumping through all those hoops to verify fairness in an encrypted game. Do you think that just the ability to verify fairness is enough to keep the casinos honest?

A: No. Encrypted or not, a casino could cheat the player in any game, except sports betting, any time they wished. In the case of an encrypted casino, the operator could choose a Server Seed that causes the player to lose after the bet is made. If the player catches them in a hash mismatch, which I think very few players bother to check, the casino can simply ignore the accusation or deny it without comment. This is exactly what happened to me at Wixiplay.

Q8: Your story aside, how common is cheating at blackjack, or any game, online?

A: In my opinion, it is quite rare.

Q9: How can I improve my odds of not being cheated?

A: There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Internet casinos out there. In the absence of any serious government regulation, the industry has done a pretty good job of regulating itself. Between legitimate watchdog affiliate sites and some common sense, here are some ways to choose a reputable brand to trust with your hard-earned dollar:

Q10: Any other words of advice before playing blackjack online?

A: Whether playing online or in a land casino, use the appropriate basic strategy for the rules offered. The Wizard of Odds blackjack strategy calculatorwill give the correct basic strategy for almost any set of rules.

A much greater problem than outright cheating is online casinos faulting players on a technicality in the rules and seizing whatever funds they deem appropriate. This is a particularly a problem with bonuses. The terms and conditions for bonuses can be pages long and very restrictive in terms of allowed games, bet sizes, and types of bets. If the player loses, nobody ever checks, but after a win and withdrawal request, suddenly the play may be subject to careful review for compliance. Never assume that because you were invited to play a bonus via Email that you're eligible for it. Casinos typically blast everybody in their list. An easy rule to overlook is when a bonus is eligible for "new money" only. Don't expect the casino to enforce this rule when entering a couple code, but do expect it when you actually make a withdrawal and they look for any reason to deny it.

While bonuses can make your money last much longer and increase your chances of winning, they are a minefield in terms of compliance. Read the rules carefully. If in doubt the way you play is compliant, then don't ask for the bonus in the first place.

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Online Blackjack Now! For Real Money or Free - Wizard of Odds

Online Free Blackjack | Instantly Play Blackjack for Free …

Free Online Blackjack Overview

Looking for a free blackjack game? Look no further -- you can play blackjack for free here! The top-notch quality of our blackjack online game will give you a fantastic casino experience from the comfort of your home, or wherever you are. Learn blackjack strategy and rules to beat the dealer and win as much money as possible!

In order to win blackjack, you have to beat the dealer. If the final combined value of the cards is greater than that of dealer, you win. When you see the value of your blackjack cards and the value of one of the cards of the dealer, you can adjust your bets accordingly. You can "HIT" to add more cards and "STAND" to stop. The dealer always has to hit if the value of their card is 16 or lower, and he must stop hitting when the value reaches 17 or more.

1. The goal of blackjack is not to get as close to 21, but to lose the least amount of money to the house.

2. When the combined value of your blackjack cards is 12,13,14 or 15, you should only hit when when the dealer's face-up card is 7,8,9,10 or A.

3. You should always double your bet if the combined value of your cards is 11.

4. You should always split if you have a pair of 8s.

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Online Free Blackjack | Instantly Play Blackjack for Free ...

Free Blackjack – TOP 7 FREE Blackjack Games at …

Aim of the Game

The aim of the game, as explained before, is to beat the dealers hand. You win by putting together a combination of cards that doesnt go above 21 but still remains stronger than what the house has.

The best way to get enough practice and end up winning in the long-term is to try free blackjack. You can study a number of viable ways to win, but none is better than practising online with a free blackjack version at website.

Once you suspect you have a strong enough hand, you can try and push the amount you bet to claim a bigger return potentially.

Blackjack is a simple card game in which players compete against the dealer. The set-up requires the player to build a hand that is stronger than the dealers one without going over 21 as the total of each hand. You can play for real money or enjoy free blackjack instead.

To help you understand blackjack better, you will find a number of useful resources, including free blackjack online as well as an opportunity to play the game without the need to download any additional software.

We will help you understand the general aim of the game as well as introduce you to basic strategies and tips. The game is not complicated to get into at all, but at the same time, there is a lot of strategic depth that must be practised until you have mastered it successfully.

This is a very simple game in its nature. To win, you need to fulfil the main condition of the game create a hand that is higher than the dealers one, but doesnt exceed the winning condition, i.e. 21.

To understand how you can build the hand you need to win, you have to understand card values, and playing free blackjack will help you. Thankfully, they are simple to comprehend with all cards between 2 and 10 worth their pip value. In other words, a 2 is worth two points; a 3 is worth three points and so forth.

All other cards, meaning J, Q, and K, are each worth 10 points. The Ace has a double function it serves as a 1 and 11, giving you a lot of flexibility. There are specific strategies you can try in free blackjack and see how you can benefit from an Ace.

However, before you do, you must be familiar with the available actions. There are several you can pick from, including Hit and Stand. There is also Bust, which means you automatically lose because you have just gone above the limit.

Free blackjack will give you a very good idea of when you can take a risk and when you might need to choose a more conservative approach. But back to the action, Hit simply means you want another card.

If you choose to Stand, though, it means that you are happy with your current hand and believe that you have a great chance to win. Meanwhile, if the dealer goes bust you win on the condition you hadnt gone bust before the dealer.

Players may also have access to some side bets depending on the version of the game. Similarly, the probabilities will change if you are playing a single-deck or multi-deck. Once again, your best shot to understand the game is to check a free blackjack version.

Most professionals agree that the simpler a version is, the better chance of winning you have. Lets talk strategy now.

Free blackjack is one of the best gaming opportunities you have to put your understanding of this great game to an honest test. To be successful in playing this game, you need to show a deeper understanding of the gameplay than the average player.

This is where following a few tested strategies and tips prove really handy. Here are some practical tips that you can put to good use even today, without any previous understanding of the game, or test in a free blackjack version now:

These tips are just some of the good ones every player can put to its everyday gameplay. If you are still unsure about any of the aspects of the gameplay, remember free blackjack will always offer a timely and reliable solution. The best way to learn is through testing.

To win at blackjack, you must understand the game. Dont hesitate to test each game with the help of free blackjack before you commit real money. Play smartly and stick to the best practices and time-tested strategies.

Deal players one card face down and finish by dealing one card face down to yourself. Deal another card to each player this time the card is face-up and so is yours. Continue dealing cards as long as players choose to Hit. Test free blackjack game online to see how its done.

Insurance is a bet that the dealer is going to hit blackjack. You place an insurance bet if the dealer has an Ace face up and then win some amount back although you lose your original wager. This type of bet is considered a waste of money and not recommended.

There are many free blackjack and real money versions of the game available for mobile. All you need to do is find casino that supports mobile play and join it. Each game of blackjack these days is mobile, so you can rest assured you will find sufficient opportunities to play.

This depends solely on your cards. There are long and detailed reference sheets that cover each possible situation, and its highly advisable to consult them. You can also test them in free blackjack games before you commit any real currency, which is often the best thing to do when trying to understand when to Hit and when to Stand in this game.

Double Down is an option that allows you to just double your bet in the game if you believe you hold a winning hand and want to make the best out of a great situation. You will be able to use free blackjack across websites to test many situations and even then, its always smart to treat the experience as real blackjack, doubling down when you see a good opportunity.

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Play Online Blackjack | USA Today

Online Blackjack Overview

Blackjack, which can also be called 21 Blackjack, is the most commonly played casino game in the United States. Our free blackjack game will keep you entertained all day. You can play blackjack for free and don't have to worry to lose a penny. The blackjack rules are simple: You win if your combined value of the cards is greater than that of dealer. You have to make a choice to either hit or stand based on the value of cards in your hand. This blackjack online game is not only about your luck but also your about your strategic thinking.

1. Blackjack was established the late 16th century in Spain, and is mentioned as one of the oldest gambling games.

2. The house edge (the average amount you are expected to lose per bet) is less than 1%, making blackjack the most popular casino game.

3. Blackjack games are offered n casinos in 140 different countries.

4. You are really unlucky if you get 16 in a hand -- this is the worst hand in blackjack.

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Play Online Blackjack | USA Today

Online Casino Table Games – Are They Better Than Land-Based Games – BestUSCasinos.org

Land-based casinos have been offering table games for centuries. Baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette, and Three-Card Poker are among the most popular table games today.

You used to have to visit a brick and mortar casino to enjoy these games. Nowadays, though, you can play them in online casinos as well.

Of course, land-based casinos hold a decided advantage in the atmosphere department. They give you the chance to visit a gambling establishment and socialize with your friends and other players.

However, online casinos also boast notable advantages when it comes to table games. Below, you can see seven reasons why online table games are superior to their land-based counterparts.

Some casino games, such as baccarat, feature uniform rules that dont change from one casino to the next. Therefore, you dont gain any advantage by switching casinos.

Other games, however, feature varying rules depending upon where you play. Blackjack and roulette are perfect examples of this.

Real money blackjack rules differ wildly from casino to casino. One establishment may only pay 6:5 on natural blackjacks, while another delivers 3:2 payouts (lowers house edge by 1.39%).

Roulette, meanwhile, comes in different variations that have an impact on the house edge. You stand a far better chance of winning with European Roulette (2.70% house edge) versus the American version (5.26%).

Both brick and mortar and online casinos can offer favorable blackjack and roulette rules. But youre more likely to find player-friendly rules at gaming sites.

European Roulette is the standard in online casinos. At land-based establishments, you never know whether youll find a European or American wheel.

3:2 natural payouts and other desirable rules are the norm in online blackjack. Many brick and mortar venues, in contrast, slip in 6:5 natural payouts and other rules that benefit themselves.

You should always look at the info screen when playing an internet table game just to ensure that the rules are favorable. But on average, youll benefit from better rules online.

Return to player (RTP) refers to how much money you can expect to win back from casino games on average. If a game offers 99% RTP, for instance, then youll win back $99 for every $100 wagered.

Better rules help raise the RTP for any game. Blackjack payback, for example, can range from 98% to 99.5% (or better) with the best rules in place.

Meanwhile, you can look forward to 97.3% RTP with European Roulette. Contrast this to the much-less desirable 94.74% payback with American Roulette.

Again, nothing prevents brick and mortar casinos from offering the top blackjack rules and more favorable roulette variations. But youre more likely to find the best variants and highest RTP online.

You used to be able to find $5 gambling tables throughout Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and other major casino destinations. Nowadays, casinos act like theyre offering a huge deal when they do provide $5 tables.

Common minimum bets range between $10 and $25 per hand/round. Sure, you win back a lot of your wagers through games like baccarat and blackjack. But you could be hurting if you go on a cold streak with $25 wagers.

I dont blame land-based casinos for requiring larger minimum bets. They have more overhead costs than gaming sites due to the dealers, utility bills, and necessary equipment.

The fact of the matter is, though, that you can play at internet casinos for much cheaper. Most table games only require a $1 minimum bet.

You can sit at cyber blackjack or baccarat tables for hours with a relatively small bankroll. Heres an example to illustrate this point:

Of course, you may feel like betting more so that you can potentially win more. But you also have the option to play for cheap as well.

You may see the social environment of a brick and mortar casino as one of the main benefits of playing live. On the other hand, you do need to travel to enjoy this advantage.

This aspect might not be such a big barrier if you live down the road from the casino. But if you have to drive or fly to the nearest gambling destination, then youll be facing a major inconvenience.

Internet casinos are the complete opposite in this regard. You can play table games online virtually anywhere via your smartphone or tablet.

The only things that you need are a working internet connection and a device. Provided you have these, youll be able to play baccarat, craps, Caribbean Stud, or virtually anything else on the go.

Mobile gaming is perfect for when you want to log a quick gambling session on the couch or out and about. You dont have to fly, drive, or worry about parking garages when playing on your smartphone.

Table games present an intimidating environment for new gamblers. They feature specific rules and, in some cases, etiquette.

You definitely dont want to start out with something like craps if youre new to gambling. After all, craps features many different bets and superstitions.

For example, youre not supposed to say seven at the table. You also dont want to touch a hot shooter unless your goal is to anger other players at the table.

A more general piece of etiquette is to act in a timely manner no matter what game youre playing. The dealer and other gamblers will become annoyed if you take a minute on every decision.

Luckily, you dont have to worry about time constraints, etiquette, or complex rules with online table games. You can take all the time you need to master everything at internet casinos.

Assume, for example, that youre new to blackjack and want to learn the proper strategy. You can use a strategy chart and refer to it as long as you want to for every decision.

You could theoretically review your chart every time in a land-based casino. Again, though, the dealer and fellow players will become annoyed if you do so.

Real money online casinos offer large deposit bonuses as a means of encouraging you to join. These deals are based on a match percentage of your deposit amount.

Slots bonuses are the most common at gaming sites. However, you can also find table game bonuses in many cases as well.

Heres an example of one of these offers:

Of course, you dont get to cash out the $250 right away. You need to satisfy terms and conditions before doing so.

Playthrough (a.k.a. rollover) is one of the most important terms. It refers to a multiple of the bonus amount that you must wager before withdrawing the money.

Heres an example:

You can see that many wagers are required before youre able to earn a table game bonus. But the key is that you at least have a chance to earn serious bonus funds.

Land-based casinos dont offer any such thing as a deposit bonus. Instead, they only give you loyalty rewards.

Many casinos give you free drinks when you gamble long enough. But they stop the comps here until you actually join the players club.

Many new gamblers dont realize that they need to sign up for the players club before getting serious rewards. They miss out on extra benefits as a result.

Fortunately, you dont have to worry about this at online casinos. The average gaming site automatically enrolls you in their VIP program after you complete registration. Therefore, you immediately begin earning loyalty rewards on real-money bets.

Most casinos feature a website page dedicated to loyalty program information. You could refer to these pages to figure out how many points youll get for each table game.

In any case, youre going to collect rewards right away. You can exchange these points for cashback, free slots spins, and more.

You may opt to play table games in brick and mortar casinos for the social element. Land-based establishments give you the opportunity to gamble amongst friends and others.

However, online table games feature several big advantages. They offer better rules, higher RTP, lower minimum bets, convenience, and big bonuses.

You dont have to leave the house to enjoy online table games and their many benefits. Instead, you can enjoy all of their perks through your smartphone.

The one thing that internet table games are missing is the social aspect. But if youre just in the mood to gamble alone, then you cant do any better than an online casino.

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Online Teen Patti – The Basics – Techstory

Undeniably one of the more popular games played by the Indian audience, Teen Patti is by far and away a game that has adapted well to the online, virtual format.

A great Indian alternative to more traditional card-based offerings such as poker and blackjack, Online Teen Patti is easy to pick up and long been a staple among avid players. Whether it be free, or real money Teen Patti, it is a great way to link up online for a game with friends.

The Basics

The Teen Patti game is a simplified variation of the popular game of poker. Often a mainstay in Indian households, the game is a familiar sight for many. However, for those of us looking to get in on the action, its an easy game to grasp.

Played with a standard 52-card deck, and without the use of jokers, the game usually involves 3 to 6 players, each dealt 3 cards. Players then begin to bet, based on their chances of winning, dependent on their cards. Much like poker, the winner is usually decided based in whether they carry a set (three cards of the same kind), pure or straight sequence, flush (cards of the same suit), or pairs.

An ante, or forced bet is decided before the game in order to ensure that a player loses money in case he/she repeatedly folds each round. Players may also be blind or seen players depending on whether or not they are aware of their own cards. This also dictates the minimum amounts required to be bet by players in order for them to stay in the round, which me be equivalent to, two times, or four times the stake amount.

The game continue until only two players remain, or all other players fold, at which point the player with the highest ranking cards, or the last player remaining, wins, respectively. An easy game to dive into, with the possibility of large pay outs, its easy to see why this game has gained popularity.

Getting Started Online

You would be hard-pressed to find an online casino not offering some form of a Teen Patti online game. Whether it be live tables, or gambling softwares, it is a staple on most popular websites. However, it is important to deal with operators boasting a solid reputation for fairness, safety and security. 22Bet is one such popular title offering trusted gambling services perfect for a sporting Teen Patti game.

Games may either be played live, or virtually. Whereas the live format allows the player to interact with real-life dealers situated in special studios, streaming in real time, the virtual format relies on a fraud-free software capable of randomly generating cards on a virtual 2D or 3D table. Both formats allow you to play along with friends who can join the same lobby, or try your luck with gamers from across the globe

Whether youre an amateur looking for a fun way to pass the time, or a seasoned veteran, theres a range of lobbies to choose from, all offering an attention grabbing game of luck and skill thats sure to scratch your gambling itch.

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Online Teen Patti - The Basics - Techstory

Women Who Made Their Money in the Casinos – FemaleFirst.co.uk

28 July 2020

Forever dominated by droves of men testing their luck, the casino floor and the activity of gambling are often considered to be a game for the boys. However, anyone can accumulate the skill and knowledge needed to beat the casinos and the dominant players, with several women proving that.

Here are the women who gate-crashed the scene and earned their fortunes in casino games.

Alice Walker TV Champion

Las Vegas is famed the world over for the stars who take up residencies, like Lady Gaga, and its extravagant gambling houses. For three of the shows four seasons, Sin City was the host of the big-money World Series of Blackjack Tournament, which ran from 2004 to 2007.

The series was of such great intrigue because blackjack is a game of great skill and, as youll find when you learn about all the variations here, online blackjack has enough versions and facets that anyone can find a form that they enjoy and are good at playing. Whether you prefer something a bit different like crazy blackjack or more classic like pontoon, anyone can learn the game and build up their skill to conquer the tables.

WSOBs final season was likely the best, featuring celebrities like Shannon Elizabeth, Caroline Rhea, and Tiffany Michelle, but it was Alice Walker who would walk away as the champion. Having already won the Three-Card Poker Championship, which was also shown on television, Walker took the crown to remain as the final champion of the WSOB, landing a cool $500,000 in doing so.

Vanessa Selbst G.O.A.T

When it comes to the best female poker player of all-time, there isnt any doubt that the crown is worn by Vanessa Selbst. She would put in thegrind at tables all over the world and is now using her penchant for gambling on Wall Street.

The Brooklyn-native currently stands 68th on the all-time money list with a massive stack of $11.9 million in live poker earnings. Selbsts biggest live haul tallies at $1,823,430, which she landed on the Partouche Poker Tour in Cannes at the No-Limit Holdem Main Event. Her next-highest prize came by winning the No-Limit Holdem High Roller event in Barbados in 2013, reeling in over $1.4 million.

Jane Willis Ledgendary Team Member

While gambling is often a theme relayed in movies, one of the most notable films based on a true story is that of 21, which follows the story of the MIT Blackjack Team in Las Vegas.In the movie 21, Willis is portrayed by famous actress Kate Bosworth, who recently discovered a bear in her pool, but she says that her takings from the blackjack table have meant more than the money. Now, shes a successful litigator, putting her professional triumphs down to the mindset installed by training for the blackjack tables.

Alice Walker, Vanessa Selbst, and Jane Willis have all earned a fortune from conquering casino games, with poker and particularly the many forms of blackjack being their games of choice.

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Women Who Made Their Money in the Casinos - FemaleFirst.co.uk

Raytheon Technologies Reports Robust 2Q Results, Maintain Buy Rating – Forbes

(Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

On July 28, 2020, Raytheon RTX Technologies Corporation (NYSE: RTX, $56.68, Market capitalization: $86.59 billion), a leading aerospace and defense company, reported robust 2Q20 results, beating the consensus revenue and Adjusted EPS comprehensively. The Company reported an adjusted sales of $14.3 billion in 2Q20 compared to $11.3 billion in 2Q19. However, the 2Q20 sales include legacy Raytheon business sales totaling about $6.9 billion. The Company reported an operating loss of $3.7 billion in 2Q20 versus an operating profit of $1.4 billion in 2Q19. The decrease in operating profit was primarily due to $3.2 billion in goodwill impairments in the Collins Aerospace business. The adjusted operating profit declined to $0.9 billion in 2Q20, down 46% YoY, as against $1.7 billion, while adjusted operating profit margin decreased by 840 bps to 6.2% in 2Q20. The Company reported a net loss of $3.9 billion as against net income of $1.2 billion in the prior-year period. In 2Q20, Raytheon reported an adjusted net income of $0.6 billion, down 44% YoY, as against $1.1 in 2Q19. The Company reported adjusted EPS of $0.4 per share, down 68% YoY, as compared to $1.24 per share in 2Q19.

Raytheon Technologies and Price Performance

Spin-Off Details

Valuation and Recommendation

We value Raytheon Technologies at $66.00 (Previously: $67.50) per share based on 2021e EV/ EBITDA multiple of 12.0x (Previously: 10.8x) for Pratt & Whitney (at ~2% premium to its peer median multiple), 12.8x (Previously: 9.5x) for Collins Aerospace (at ~2% premium to its peer median multiple), and 12.0x (Previously: 10.0x) for Raytheon legacy businesses (Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense) at ~6% premium to its peer median multiple. We retain our Buy rating on the stock with an implied upside of 16.4% from the current market price of $56.68 as on 7/31. The current valuation factors in the slowdown in the aerospace industry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are likely to affect the business in the near future. Nevertheless, with its strong balance sheet and ample liquidity, we believe RTX continues to be well-positioned to deliver value over the long term.

Key Data and Top 5 Shareholders

FY20 Outlook

Raytheon Technologies did not provide a traditional outlook due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding COVID-19. However, for Collins segment, the Company expects commercial OE sales to be down in line with OEM production levels and aircraft delivery schedules, and commercial aftermarket sales to be down in line with expected RPM declines and the impact of the ADSB mandate headwinds. For the Pratt segment, the Company expects commercial OE sales to be in line with the main OEM customers, similar to Q2, and commercial aftermarket sales to be down given the more than 50% decline in legacy shop visits. For the military portion of Collins and Pratt, the Company expects to see strength in military sales in mid-single-digit growth. In RIS and RMD segments, the Company did not change the outlook given in the first quarter and still expects RIS and RMD combined sales in the range of $22.1 22.6 billion and operating profi t in the range of $2.4-2.5 billion for the remaining of FY20.

For EPS, the Company expects Q3 to generally be in line with Q2 with some puts and takes, and then a gradual recovery beginning in Q4, as demand begins to return and more of cost actions are realized.

The Company still expects pro forma FY20 free cash fl ow for the full year of roughly $2 billion. This includes an outflow of $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion for merger cost restructuring and cash taxes on dispositions. Also, the Company expects capex spending in the range of $1.5-$1.7 billion. Overall, the Company expects the rest of the year to be challenging for the commercial aerospace segments. However, it continues to expect growth from the defense businesses and positioning the Company for a healthy recovery in the long term.

Other Business Updates

Bookings and Orders - Backlog at the end of 2Q20 was $158.7 billion, of which $85.6 billion was from commercial aerospace and a record $73.1 billion was from defense.

Notable defense bookings during the quarter included:

i) $2.3 billion on the Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance-Model 2 (AN/TPY-2) radar program for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) KSA at Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RMD)

ii)$1.4 billion on a number of classified programs at Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RIS)

iii)$299 million for Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and an international customer at RMD

iv) In addition, during the quarter RMD was selected by the U.S. Air Force to develop the Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO).

Cost-cutting Plan - The Companys cost-cutting plan is on track. During 2Q20, RTX reported $600 million of $2 billion planned cost reduction and $1 billion of $4 billion planned cash conservation targets.

Quarterly Cash Dividend - On 6/8, RTXs Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.475 per share, payable on September 10, 2020, to shareowners of record on August 14, 2020.

Collins Aerospace - Collins Aerospace Systems has developed and introduced the only Cabin Air Recirculation high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter installation kit for use on Dash 8 aircraft. The HEPA filter kit mounts inside an aluminum enclosure along with a prefilter and together trap at least 99.97% of the harmful airborne particles that have a diameter of 0.3 micron. These include bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust, mites and other microscopic airborne contaminants in aircraft environmental control systems.

Pratt & Whitney - P&W-powered helicopters, by Pratt & Whitney Canada engines, have proven to be critical assets during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing key support in emergency medical operations and transportation missions.

Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RIS) - Raytheon Intelligence & Space will build two prototype sensor payloads for DARPAs Blackjack program, under a new contract awarded by DARPA. Blackjack is a low Earth orbit satellite constellation program that aims to develop and demonstrate the critical elements for persistent global coverage against a range of advanced threats. It seeks to track multiple threats simultaneously for the faster and earlier warning for national security.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RMD) - Raytheon Missiles & Defense shipped the first three arrays for the Air & Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), to the U.S. Navy during the second quarter. AMDR, part of the SPY-6 family of radars, will provide significantly enhanced range and sensitivity for U.S. Navy Flight III destroyers.

2Q20 Results Review

In 2Q20, adjusted sales came in at $14.3 billion versus $11.3 billion in the 2Q19. The total sales comprise of $3.6 billion from Pratt & Whitney, $4.3 billion from Collins Aerospace, $3.3 billion from RIS and $3.6 billion from RMD. The Company reported an operating loss of $3.8 billion in 2Q20, as compared to an operating profit of $1.4 billion in 2Q19. However, the Company recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $3.2 billion in 2Q20. In 2Q20, adjusted operating profit declined to $0.9 billion, down 46.5% YoY, as against $1.7 billion, while adjusted operating profit margin decreased by 840 bps to 6.2%. In 2Q20, the Company reported a net loss of $3.8 billion as against net income of $1.2 billion in the prioryear period. In 2Q20, the Company reported an adjusted net income of $0.6 billion, down 44.4% YoY, as against $1.1 in 2Q19. The Company reported adjusted EPS of $0.4, down 67.7% YoY as compared to $1.24 in 2Q19.

2Q20 Results Review

1H20 Results Review

In 1H20, sales increased to $25.4 billion, up 14.1% YoY, as compared to $22.3 billion in the 1H19. The total sales comprise $8.8 billion from Pratt & Whitney, $10.6 billion from Collins Aerospace, $3.3 billion from RIS, and $3.6 billion from RMD. In 1H20, adjusted operating profit declined to $2.6 billion, down 22.2% YoY, as against $3.3 billion, while adjusted operating profit margin decreased by 480 bps to 10%. In 1H20, the Company reported a net loss of $3.4 billion against net income of $1.9 billion in the prior-year period. In 1H20, the Company reported adjusted net income of $1.7 billion, down 19.5% YoY, as against $2.2 in 1H19. The Company reported adjusted EPS of $1.42, down 43.7% YoY as compared to $2.52 in 1H19.

Segmental Information

Pratt & Whitney

In 2Q20, Pratt & Whitney adjusted sales declined to $3.6 billion, down 30% YoY, as compared to $5.2 billion in 2Q19, primarily due to the pandemics impact on OEMs and operators. Commercial OEM sales were down 42% YoY, and commercial aftermarket sales were down 51% YoY, partially offset by military sales, which were up 11% YoY. The decrease in commercial sales was due to a significant reduction in shop visits and related spare part sales and commercial engine deliveries principally driven by the current economic environment. The Company recorded an adjusted operating loss of $151 million for 2Q20, compared to an adjusted operating profit of $452 million in 2Q19. The decrease in adjusted operating profit was due to lower commercial aftermarket sales volume and unfavorable mix.

Pratt & Whitney Adjusted Sales 2Q20

For 1H20, adjusted sales declined to $8.9 billion, down 10% YoY, as compared to $10 billion in the prior-year period. In 1H20, adjusted operating profit recorded at $0.4 billion, down 61% YoY, as against $0.9 billion, while adjusted operating profit margin decreased by 540 bps to 4.1%.

Collins Aerospace

In 2Q20, Collins Aerospace adjusted sales declined to $4.3 billion, down 35% YoY, as compared to $6.6 billion in 2Q19, primarily due to the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on the aerospace industry. Commercial OEM sales were down 53%, and commercial aftermarket was down 48%, partially offset by military sales, which up 10%. The decrease in commercial sales was due to the current economic environment, which has resulted in lower flight hours, aircraft fleet utilization, and commercial OEM deliveries. The Company recorded an adjusted operating proft of $24 million, down 98% YoY, from $1.3 billion in 2Q19. The decrease in adjusted operating profit was due to lower commercial aerospace OEM and aftermarket sales volume.

Collins Aerospace Adjusted Sales 2Q20

For 1H20, adjusted sales declined to $10.8 billion, down 18% YoY, as compared to $13.1 billion in the prior-year period. In 1H20, adjusted operating profit was $1.3 billion, down 48% YoY, as against $2.5 billion, while adjusted operating profit margin declined by 700 bps YoY to 12.2%.

Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Raytheon Intelligence & Space includes legacy Raytheon Companys Intelligence, Information, and Services segment and Space and Airborne Systems segment. In 2Q20, the RIS segment reported sales of $3.3 billion. The segment reported an operating profit of $311 million, with a margin of 9.4% in 2Q20. 2Q20 results do not include the RIS pre-merger stub period from March 30, 2020, to April 2, 2020, which had an estimated $200 million of sales and $20 million of operating profit.

Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Raytheon Missile & Defense

Raytheon Missiles & Defense includes legacy Raytheon Companys Missile Systems segment and Integrated Defense Systems segment. In 2Q20, the RMD segment reported sales of $3.6 billion. The segment reported an operating profit of $397 million, with a margin of 11.1% in 2Q20. 2Q20 results do not include the RMD pre merger stub period from March 30, 2020, to April 2, 2020, which had an estimated $200 million of sales and $25 million of operating profit.

Valuation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services under four industry-leading businesses - Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

EV/EBITDA Valuation: We value Raytheon Technologies at $66.00 (Previously: $67.50) per share based on 2021e EV/ EBITDA multiple of 12.0x (Previously: 10.8x) for Pratt & Whitney (at ~2% premium to its peer median multiple), 12.8x (Previously: 9.5x) for Collins Aerospace (at ~2% premium to its peer median multiple), and 12.0x (Previously: 10.0x) for Raytheon (at ~6% premium to its peer median multiple). Our valuation also takes into account net pension and post retirement obligations of $14.97 billion. We retain our Buy rating on the stock with an implied upside of 16.4% from the current market price of $56.68 as on 7/31. The current valuation factors in the slowdown in the aerospace industry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and which will continue to affect the business in the near future. However, RTX has a diversified portfolio, and its defense business is expected to offset near term commercial aerospace headwinds. Nevertheless, with its strong balance sheet and ample liquidity, we believe RTX continues to be well-positioned to deliver value over the long term.

2021e EV-EBITDA Raytheon Technologies

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Company Description

Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises four industry-leading businesses - Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense. The Company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The Company, formed through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation UTX aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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Raytheon Technologies Reports Robust 2Q Results, Maintain Buy Rating - Forbes

Salsa Technology and Atomo Gaming form partnership bond – iGaming Business

Salsa Technology and Atomo Gaming have joined forces to form an exciting content exchange partnership.

Atomo Gaming, a joint venture between ESA Gaming and Italtronic, will now have access to Salsa Technologys library of video bingo games. Candy Bingo, Super Zodiac Bingo and Farm Bingo are just a few of the popular games included in the deal.

The partnership will also see ESAs EasySwipe games portfolio integrated onto Salsa Technologys Game Aggregation Platform (GAP) and made available to operator partners in Latin America and beyond.

ESA Gamings EasySwipe product is a lightweight HTML5 mobile-first game family that integrates seamlessly into sportsbooks, allowing users to easily swipe in and out to enjoy the best-quality casino games without disrupting the sports betting experience. Games include traditional roulette and blackjack as well as the popular fruit-themed slot Fruit Staxx.

Commenting on the announcement, Salsa Technologys CEO, Peter Nolte, said: We are thrilled to partner with Atomo Gaming and to be able to offer ESA Gamings exciting portfolio of games to our platform partners.

Cross-selling is becoming increasingly more important and with ESAs product, operators can easily offer fun and easy to understand casino side games to bettors within their betting experience. Our proprietary games exchange will be of great benefit to both parties.

Zorica Smallwood, CEO at ESA Gaming, followed: Partnering with Salsa Technology will enable us to reach a wide new audience and is an important step for us as we focus on expanding in the Latin American region and beyond.

We have seen a lot of interest in our innovative products and were excited to launch our games with Salsa Technologys platform partners and its players.

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Salsa Technology and Atomo Gaming form partnership bond - iGaming Business

Do Not Ignore These Points if You Want To Win at Online Casinos – GameIndustry.com

The online casino has become one of the important sources of entertainment in the last few years. Apart from just the entertainment factor, the casino will help you to boost your bankroll. Depending on the casino playing skill level that you possess, you will opt for the casino games. If you are a beginner, you should opt for the ones that are easy to play. On the other hand, if you are pro in casino gaming, you can choose the ones that are tougher and complicated. However, card games are mostly good for experienced players.

Moreover, if you have experience in playing the cards and the other types of table games, you can try out the casino games as like Casino winner and a wide range of poker, Blackjack and so on.

Before you start to play the online casino, make sure that you have chosen the reputed and trusted casino. There are so many casino platforms to choose, and you might get confused to choose the best one for you. For this, you can check out the reviews or testimonials of the players who have previously played the casino games from that particular platform. The choosing of the online casino will largely depend on the type of casino game that you liked.

SELECT THE GAMES THAT YOU LIKE TO PLAY

If you want to boost up your bank balance or want to you feel comfortable while you are playing, the best thing to do is to choose the game that you like to play. Whether you like to play the Blackjack, poker or the newly launched casino game mystino, it is very important to know the game in details and also know to play the game and earn money. It is very important to learn the game as it will increase the chances of winning the game.

START LOW WITH THE HELP OF LOW STAKES

If you are an experienced casino player, you must know that the online casinos have the house hedge. It is generally lower than the land-based casinos. But still, the house edge exists. No matter whether you are totally new to the casino game or you have some knowledge about the game, do not go fast.

Get to know the rules of the game start with the low stakes and slowly build the way up in the game. This will help you to boost the chances of winning the game.

AVOID THE UNREALISTIC CASINO GAME SITES

Yes, as I told earlier, there are various casino sites available, and some might claim to offer the best gaming experiences, but do not fall on the trap. Some of the casino sites online are fake and give unrealistic claims. As you are giving your personal details and the bank details, be sure to choose the one that is legal.

Apart from these, you should not avoid the free play option in the casino gaming portal. You should do not keep away from the bonuses and promotion. Hence from the points, you can know how to win casino online.

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Do Not Ignore These Points if You Want To Win at Online Casinos - GameIndustry.com

Learn About the Best Starting Hands in Blackjack – COED

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Blackjack is by far one of the most crowd-pleasing casino games that can be played in nearly all casinos, be it brick-and-mortar or interactive ones. Aside from its great availability, what further adds to the appeal of blackjack is that it is relatively easy to master its rules and become a whizz.

Something important some gambling aficionados often overleap is that unlike most other casino games, blackjack is much more mathematically-oriented. Since in every situation, there is just one correct play, casino enthusiasts should ensure that they have a good understanding of the maths behind the game.

If playing blackjack is your scene, but you do not have that much experience under your belt or it has been simply a while since you last played it, you should certainly make sure that you have proper knowledge of all intricacies of the game, including the best starting hands.

For beginners, the first two cards they will be dealt with are referred to as their starting hand, and as soon as they pay attention to its value, they will be able to determine what the appropriate action in the specific situation will be. In other words, depending on the value of their initial starting hand, gambling aficionados should decide whether to hit, stand, split, or double down.

If you are looking to add up to your knowledge about blackjack, you can read up on the guides available across the Internet or watching this video.

If you are enthusiastic about the game of 21, you might already know that the blackjack is the most valuable of all starting hands players can potentially get. In other words, this is a hand that is made up of a ten-valued card such as Ten, Jack, Queen, or King and an Ace. As long as you get such a starting hand, you should not get overly excited and make sure that the dealers facing card is not an Ace or a ten-valued one.

Such hands are known also as natural, and in the event that players hand remains untied with the one of the dealer, they will get paid out at the rate of 3:2.

It is important to note that if the dealers upcard is not an Ace or a face card, this renders it impossible for a tie to occur. If this happens, however, gambling aficionados will simply have the staked amount returned.

Another starting hand players should pay special attention to is the Hard 20, or in other words, a hand that consists of two cards that count as 10. What casino enthusiasts need to know is that this is an exceptionally advantageous blackjack hand, and it becomes even more valuable on the occasions when the upcard of the dealer is an 8.

Perhaps, you already know that if you have a Hard 20, the only occasion on which your wager will become a losing one is when the dealer succeeds in getting a total of 21 by drawing extra cards. The good news is that the combinations that make such a total are thin on the ground.

The mathematical value of such hands is 77.32% against 79.18% for the above-mentioned hands. In the event that the face-up card of the dealer is a 7, this situation can turn out to be rather advantageous for gambling enthusiasts due to the fact that if the total of the dealers hand is 17, he/she will not be permitted to draw extra cards.

The likelihood of this to take place is rather high because the ten-valued cards are the most numerous ones when compared to all other values the deck contains.

It is worth mentioning that the dealer can still draw extra cards and get a total of 20, which will be a tie, or get 21, which means beating the player, but the chances any of these scenarios to take place are exceptionally poor.

If you are determined to learn the ins and outs of blackjack, you should make sure that you are conscious of which the worst and some tricky hands in blackjack are. Something important casino aficionados should be aware of is that hands number 12 or 13 rank among the trickiest because players chances of going bust exceed 30%.

As long as you are making your first steps in playing blackjack, you need to know that this is the worst possible scenario you can see for the simple reason that the 16 is a total with a negative expectation. What this means is that with such totals, it is inevitable for gambling enthusiasts to lose over the long run.

The most likely development of the game would be the player drawing a weaker card or the dealer getting bust.

This is one more unfavorable scenario for players because the values that can make for a win are scarce. Yet, this does not refer to the card of the dealer because the ways in which a hand can be formed are the most plentiful. This is precisely the reason why such starting hands have a negative expectation to casino enthusiasts.

This is one more total that puts players at a disadvantage due to the fact that the values that allow them to make a hand are very few. As long as the dealers upcard is a 9, there is a good chance that his/her hole card might be any of the ten-valued ones, because as we mentioned already, they are the most plentiful. Therefore, the dealers chances of scoring a win with a standing total of 19 are pretty high.

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Learn About the Best Starting Hands in Blackjack - COED

Best Live Gambling Websites to play Blackjack K – Tunf News – Tunf.com News

Designed by Evolution Gaming, Blackjack K has been one of the most popular card games this summer. Played on the casinos worldwide, this wonderful game is meant for up to 7 players, and its minimal bet is 35. High-rollers and experienced gamblers love it, yet the game is not made particularly for them, even rookies can play it. Blackjack K includes special bets too, and you can win up to 1,500 per game.In this article, we are going to talk about three casinos that offer this wonderful game, along with lots of other Evolution Gamings products. To play it, just log in to one of these venues and let the games begin!

It is natural for a site rich with so many diverse games to include Blackjack K in its offer. Fruity Casa has been working with Evolution Gaming for so long, there are countless titles made by this company being stored here. Besides cards, Fruity Casa also features roulette and slot games. Its portfolio is huge and packed with the good stuff. The site also includes many other neat features, things like bonuses, promos, and a superb VIP program.

Not many sites boast so many awards as Trada Casino. This venue was awarded multiple times for being one of the most hospitable gambling venues on the internet. Trada Casino cares so much about its players needs, it even orders games that users desire to see here. Its portfolio is vast and rich with assorted goods. Many big companies (Evolution Gaming is one of them) store their games here regularly. When you decide to pay it a visit, make sure that you take your time and surf through the site slowly, there are lots of good things that you can overlook there!

Always welcoming, Fun Casino treats all of its players like a family. The site is known for its friendly demeanor and fair treatment of players and because of that, users simply love it! Fun Casino is a well-stocked site, rich with games of all types and genres. Its live games department is particularly renowned, only the best variants of poker, blackjack, baccarat, and roulette are being offered here. Besides that, the site also offers many neat bonuses to its players and it boasts a superb customer support service too!

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Best Live Gambling Websites to play Blackjack K - Tunf News - Tunf.com News

Celebrities Who Love to Gamble – CelebMix

No ones immune to gambling. The availability of online casino games and slots have allowed people to gamble from the comfort of their own home and celebrities are not excluded. Many of Hollywoods greatest athletes and movie stars have been known to spend thousands at a table or other games.

Whether its real money slots, blackjack, poker, or roulette, heres a list of the biggest celebrities who cant scratch their gambling itch.

The basketball GOAT relations to gambling go deep. The former NBA superstar has denied allegations linking him to big-money blackjack tables early in his career, but later he admitted to it. The Chicago Bulls legend was so much into gambling that he played cards on planes with fellow players and staff members.

His Vegas exploits are legendary, with Jordan allegedly having spent millions on golf bets. Jordans gambling habits have been well documented over the years, with many media outlets claiming he lost millions on gambling tables.

He has denied these allegations as well, but security cameras and photos from lush Vegas tables tell the truth.

Hollywood star Ben Affleck has a well-documented history of gambling too. He has participated in a number of legal and illegal high-stake blackjack tournaments with millions in rewards. In one particular tournament, Affleck allegedly won $145,000. The former Justice League star allegedly gave all the earned cash to casino staff.

He certainly doesnt need the money for it after signing an HBO contract recently to appear in Zack Snyders Justice League.

The Die Hard star enjoys reveling in casinos and has a serious relationship with gambling. His Vegas exploits went so far as losing $100,000 at a poker table. Of course, he has the money to burn, so were not exactly worried about his bank balance.

In the past, Willis was frequently seen at the Mint Lounge, a room at the palms frequented by big-name Hollywood stars.

Another NBA big-shot, Charles Barkley was a regular guest at Vegas gambling establishments. He claims he has lost $1-2 million 10-20 times, and his gambling problems have been well documented. At one point, Barkley is said to have taken a $400,000 credit at the Wynn and failed to return it on time.

Thats the time when the media learned about his gambling problems. He has been quite open about it and has promised not to set foot in Vegas casinos again.

The late, great Hugh Hefner never denied his love for gambling. During his lifetime, he played at the most lucrative Vegas casino tables for big money. He even had his own Vegas institution the Playboy Club & Fantasy Tower where Woody Allen and the Beatles frequently visited during the 1960s.

Hefners love for gambling never ceased. He could be seen at his own casino late in his life. The Playboy owner sure had money to burn, regularly placing bets worth millions on any table he found suitable in his own and other Vegas casinos.

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Every Time Claire Fraser Was a Historical Health Icon on Outlander – SheKnows

If Claire Fraser could bring Outlander into 2020 you can bet your Sassenach that Jamie, Claire, Brianna, Roger, Jemmy, Marsali, Fergus and all the Frasers Ridge residents would be wearing masks probably with a shot of self-dispensing penicillin to boot. And the #WearADamnMask hashtag would be tattooed on Jamies butt. (What?! Claire has injected his bum for the sake of medicine and science, shed do it again and we see his bum enough that its a smart place for a PSA.) Claire would also figure out a way to wear a mask, whilst she throws back a whisky. Yes, whilst! Because shes a savage, classy, bougie, ratchet. (Sing that, you know you want to).

Caitrona Balfe has played this doctor role to perfection for so long that she sometimes thinks, by her own admission, that she can perform quick and easy kidney surgery or an appendectomy. So if you see Balfe headed your way: Run.

From the moment we first meet Claire, a WW2 war nurse, shes in med mode, donning a bloody apron while drinking a bottle of champagne to celebrate the end of WWII. And then she falls into a rock and accidentally time travels back 200 years to the middle of another war, where she is almost attacked by Blackjack Randall (an ancestor/doppleganger of her not-yet-born husband). Not the best luck. But there she meets a bunch of Highlanders and one with a dislocated shoulder. Hello, James Fraser.

As a WW2 nurse to 1700s healer to 1960s surgeon who goes back to the 1700s, her challenge is to use 20th century medicine with 18th century items. Spoiler alert: herbs and bitter cascara. No matter what century shes in, Claire will try to save you, and it will be extremely painful, since whisky was the preferred anesthetic in the 18th century. Claire can do it all. The only thing she cant do it seems is cook. (Insert Jamie eating a PB&J sandwich with a fork and knife here). But if Claire puts on her headband, watch out. She did not come here to play.

And who has she saved the most? Jamie Fraser. Shes been his on call doctor since the second he met her. And what else makes Claire a health icon? Sex. Sex is good for your health! It is! And Jamie and Claire have a lot of it. Shes taught Jamie a lot about science and sex and made science sexy. Like his very own personal sex scientist. She once showed Jamie his own sperm under a microscope. Ahh, shes not a regular wife, shes a superhot, nerdy wife. So here we go, here are all of Claire Frasers best medical moments in 200 years.

Obviously, there are spoilers for Starz Outlander ahead. If You dont want to be spoiled, check out the books by Diana Gabaldon or get started on the series:

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Every Time Claire Fraser Was a Historical Health Icon on Outlander - SheKnows

Small Tactical UAS program office at NAS Pax River changes leadership – The Southern Maryland Chronicle

News Release, NAS Pax River Public Affairs Officerdata-ad-format="auto">

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md The Navy and Marine Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems program office (PMA-263) welcomed a new program manager during a change of command ceremony July 23 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland.

A small ceremony took place for the family to witness the transfer of leadership from Col. John Neville to Col. Victor Argobright. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, co-workers, extended family, and friends joined the ceremony virtually via a Livestream.

Advancements in unmanned systems over the last few years allow our warfighters to move around the battlespace with unprecedented capability and agility to really handle a very adaptive set of threats, said guest speaker Rear Adm. Brian Corey, who oversees the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. One of the most important reasons that they can do that safely is unmatched situational awareness that gives the warfighter the capability and the confidence to know what is in front of them. That situational awareness is attributable to the leadership of Col. Neville and the efforts of the PMA-263 team over the last three years.

During Nevilles tenure, he expedited the fielding of 800 InstantEye Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) systems in response to the Commandant of the Marine Corps Quads for Squads directive to provide every infantry squad with a quadcopter for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) capability.

He spearheaded the opening of a new SUAS training facility for Marines stationed in the Pacific region, the third Training and Logistics Support Activity (TALSA) of its kind. The establishment of the TALSA Pacific provides the ability to train Marines to effectively employ SUAS capability while conducting operations across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.

Neville successfully guided the RQ-21A Blackjack program through its final system deliveries to the Marines at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, and Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 3, located in Hawaii, completing squadron deliveries. His leadership saw the production phase of the RQ-21A program come to a successful conclusion and he expertly maneuvered the team into the sustainment phase for the fleet maintaining a focus on system readiness, affordability, and capability improvements.

Neville, a native of Pompano Beach, Florida, also celebrated his retirement after 28 years of military service as part of the change of command ceremony.

Team PMA-263, Im extremely proud of your accomplishments, Neville said during the ceremony. But most importantly, I am grateful for the relationships you build with the fleet and working to get them the capabilities they need.

A native of Ohio, and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Argobright received his commission in May 1994. He graduated from U.S. Navy Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River in 2001 and was assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron two one (HX-21) as a developmental test pilot and AH-1Z platform coordinator.

In 2009, Argobright was designated as an Aviation Acquisition Professional and in 2012 he received the Marine Corps Aviation Association John Glenn Squadron Acquisition Officer of the Year. He recently served as Commanding Officer, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) for Bell Textron.

In his new role, Argobright will manage a complex portfolio of 13 different unmanned systems that are fielded globally and will lead training operations for all service branches.

I am incredibly humbled to become part of the PMA-263 team. The products and services that you all provide have a daily impact on the warfighter and to our national defense, Argobright said. This is an exciting time as we look to what the future holds for unmanned systems and to the expansion of their roles in our military operations.

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How Fred Smith rescued FedEx from bankruptcy by playing blackjack in Las Vegas – Fox Business

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro says his mission is to make sure Americans get gloves, goggles, ventilators and other materials they need.

Within a few years of starting FedEx, Fred Smith made a realgamble to keep the company afloat.

Smith founded the Federal Express in 1971 and it began operations in 1973. The company was based on an idea he wrote about in a term paper in 1965 while he was an undergraduate student at Yale.

In his paper, he explained how companies could deliver items faster if they changed their shipping strategies, according to the FedEx website. However, Smiths professor didnt think the idea was possible, so Smith's paper was only given a C, Entrepreneur magazine reported in 2008.

HOW JEFF BEZOS HELPED AMAZON OVERCOME A MAJOR COMPETITOR TO BECOME AN E-COMMERCE GIANT

Smith wasn't deterred. After he graduated from Yale and served in the Marine Corps for two tours of duty in Vietnam, Smith bought controlling interest in Arkansas Aviation Sales in 1971, the FedEx website said.

With his new company, Smith realized how difficult it was to ship items within a few days, so he decided it was time to try to put his Yale term paper to use.

According to Entrepreneur, Smith raised $80 million in loans and equity investments by the end of 1972.

FedEx founder and CEO Fred Smith is also a part owner of the Washington Redskins. (Redskins.com)

FedEx began operations in April 1973 and quickly grew. However, rising fuel costs eventually caught up with the young company, putting FedEx millions of dollars in debt, Entrepreneur reported.

Investors declined to give FedEx more money and Entrepreneur reported that "bankruptcy was a distinct possibility."

When the company had only $5,000 left, Smith pitched General Dynamics for more funding, but the board refused.

HOW JPMORGANS JAMIE DIMON WENT FROM BEING FIRED TO BECOMING A TOP LEADER IN BANKING

On his way home, Smith took a detour to Las Vegas and won $27,000 playing blackjack, which he wired back to FedEx, Forbes reported.

"The $27,000 wasn't decisive, but it was an omen that things would get better," Smith said about the gamble, according to Entrepreneur.

"I was very committed to the people that had signed on with me, and if we were going to go down, we were going to go down with a fight,"he said. "It wasn't going to be because I checked out and didn't finish."

Fedex CEO Fred Smith is pictured at a business roundtable meeting in 2012. (REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo)

After his blackjack win, Smith was able to raise another $11 million, the magazine reported. And by 1976, FedEx's revenue had reached $75 million, according to Forbes. The company went public two years later.

According to the company website, FedEx reported $1 billion in revenue in 1983. Though it was hit hard by the 2008 recession, the company has bounced back.

According to Forbes, the company made $69.7 billion in revenue last year.

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Smith, who is still the CEO and chairman of FedEx, is estimated to be worth $3.9 billion, according to Forbes real-time net worth calculator.

Though gambling FedExs last $5,000 was a risky choice, Smith doesn't appear to regret his decision, according to a quote from an essay by Smith that Forbes published in 2017.

"No business school graduate would recommend gambling as a financial strategy, but sometimes it pays to be a little crazy early in your career, Smith wrote.

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Giant Panda Slots and Blackjack Added to Spearhead – Golden Casino News

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Spearhead Studios, a fast-growing online casino game maker recently released two more gaming titles on its platform. The titles are a part of its Super July campaign under which it plans to launch a total of five games.

Giant Panda and Blackjack were two of the most recent additions to the Spearhead portfolio. The game library of the studio contains 13 titles already and is available in several jurisdictions via major online gambling operators and content aggregators. Blackjack will be the second table game of the platform. They already have a European Roulette offering for the users. The Blackjack game will be the studios own version of the classic table game. It is designed to be used on both mobile and desktop and provides an intuitive experience to the users.

Giant Panda is a 5-reel, 4-row slot game with an Asia-focused theme. It is designed for people looking for a relaxing and calming gaming experience. The game comes with a scenic bamboo background and features peaceful music that could transform the gameplay and provide a soothing pleasure to the player. It comes with numerous features and a free spin feature as well. A user can win in 1024 unique ways which will provide ample opportunities to win combined with the base model and free spins.

Both the titles were added to the Spearhead platform as part of the firms Super July campaign. The studio plans to bring forth five new gaming titles to its users this month. The first two games of the series- Royal Crown and Dark Joker were launched on July 7 and July 14. On July 28, it will release the final release of the month- the Super 7 Deluxe.

Managing director of the studio, Mathias Larsson commented on the release and said,

its not very often to have two game releases in just one week, so we are super proud of that achievement.

Spearhead is the game development wing of EveryMatrix, an online gambling provider. It was launched last year and currently provides its services in Lithuania, Denmark, Sweden, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Colombia.

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Blackjack Spooking – What Is the Legality of Blackjack Spooking – BestUSCasinos.org

Blackjack is the most popular game among advantage players. It can be beaten through a variety of ways, including card counting, shuffle tracking, ace sequencing, and hole carding.

The casino will throw out any players whom they catch successfully using any of these techniques. However, each of these methods is at least legal and wont get one sent to jail.

Other strategies for beating blackjack are more questionable. Spooking, for example, falls into the murky category.

Unlike marking cards or colluding with the dealer, spooking doesnt come off as being blatantly illegal. Ill discuss more on this technique along with if its ultimately legal to use in blackjack.

In a real money blackjack game, the dealer receives two cardsone up card and one face-down cardto start each round. You can use the up card in combination with your cards to determine whether to hit, stand, split, or double down.

Youre not supposed to know the value of the dealers face-down card (a.k.a. hole card). Therefore, youre dealing with incomplete information when making decisions.

Spooking Is a method of finding out the dealers hole card so that you have more information to act on. It involves two people, including one who sits at a table and plays hands, and another who tries seeing the face-down cards value.

The latter person stands off to the side of the game, in a position where they can better spot the dealers face-down card. They use hand signals or gestures to relay the information to the gambler.

Spooking can also involve a dealer who colludes with a gambler. The croupier must peek for the hole card value whenever they have an ace or 10 up card.

They can make an indiscreet gesture to let the player know their hole card. Dealer-player collusion is obviously illegal, so Ill avoid discussing it throughout the rest of the post.

Spooking bears many similarities to hole carding. The latter also involves trying to figure out the dealers hole card.

However, here are the key differences with hole carding:

Simply put, hole carders always sit and play a blackjack game. They dont need an accomplice who watches the dealer from afar, because they look for the hole card values themselves.

Spooking might sound like an easy way to make money. You just need somebody who can sit stand in a way that they can see the dealers hole cards, right?

Actually, spookers must not only be good at seeing the face-down card but also evading detection. They need to be extremely discreet about looking at the hole cards and also when signaling the player.

Casino surveillance is very adept at catching skilled gamblers. They have no trouble spotting transparent hand signals and obvious attempts to see cards.

Those who dont practice and work out infallible techniques beforehand risk being discovered. Therefore, any good blackjack team has to hone their skills before hitting the casino.

The person who is monitoring the dealer especially must be on top of their game. They should be adept at seeing the hole card from afar and properly relaying the value without drawing attention to themselves.

In answer to the original question posed at the start, no, spooking is not legal. Casinos have the right to kick you out and also prosecute you afterward.

Now, you may wonder why hole carding is legal and spooking isnt. The answer lies in where the participants are located.

All hole carding takes place at the table. Gamblers rely on their own skills and observations to figure out the hole card and make money.

Spooking, meanwhile, mainly relies on somebody whos not even at the blackjack table. Instead, the person watching the dealer is considered a cheater.

Youre not going to spend years in prison as a first-time offender who gets busted for spooking. However, youll definitely face legal repercussions of some kind when caught.

Spooking certainly isnt desirable from a legal standpoint. Therefore, you might wonder why one doesnt just opt for a safer way of beating blackjack.

I definitely suggest going to the legal route if you want to win profits in the casino. But spooking does have its merits when compared to other strategies.

You do need skill to properly pull off this technique. However, you dont have to be as skilled as, say, a hole carder or shuffle tracker.

The latter pursuits involve putting countless hours into winning. Spooking also requires some preparation and practice, but it doesnt demand the same amount of dedication.

Moreover, the watcher is the only person who really needs to be skilled. The player at the table, meanwhile, just needs to read the signals or gestures and act accordingly.

Spooking is also a very successful technique when properly pulled off. You dont have to wait for a dealer who flashes their cards. You just need somebody who can spot the dealers hole card when they check for a natural blackjack or pluck the card from the shoe.

Again, spooking is an extremely risky technique that could put you behind bars for a short while. But its also fruitful and relatively easy to manage when compared to more complicated strategies.

You likely arent thrilled about risking prosecution to beat blackjack. Therefore, you might consider the following legal advantage gambling methods instead.

Card counting is by far the most popular way to beat the casino. Gamblers have been using this strategy for decades to win profits.

It involves watching each card as it comes out of the shoe and assigning a point value to it. Here are the card groups along with their associated point values:

The goal is to determine when theres a positive count and increase your bets at this point. You also benefit more when the count is positive later in the shoe.

With more deck penetration, you can have more confidence in your accounts. After all, a +3 count is more trustworthy 75% of the way through the shoe versus just 10%.

Many different card counting systems exist. But you should definitely start out with the simple and reliable Hi-Lo, which is explained here.

Shuffle tracking begins with card counting. You count cards until the dealer stops the game to shuffle.

The point of card counting in this situation is to determine which part of the shoedealt or undealt portionfeatures a positive count:

Heres an example:

Shuffle tracking brings an added element to card counting by calling on you to visually track favorable card piles. With enough skill, you can track the favorable clumps and bet more when these slugs are dealt.

This strategy has an advantage over card counting, because its harder to detect by pit bosses.

I briefly covered hole carding earlier, but Ill go over it again in this section. This technique involves trying to see the dealers hole card.

The biggest step toward successful hole carding involves finding a dealer that accidentally flashes their face-down cards. These dealers are rare and usually only show hole cards due to a lack of experience and/or skill.

After finding such a croupier, you need to sit in a way that allows you to see the dealers hole card. Here are the seats you would take in a blackjack game:

Basically, you just need to be where the croupier would logically flash their hole card. For example, theyre more likely to show it to third base when theyre left-handed.

You also need to be discreet when looking at the dealers hole card. This matter involves slouching so that youre lower to the table without making it obvious what youre trying to do.

Unlike the advantage play methods covered here, spooking isnt legal. Its an underhanded technique that relies on somebody whos not even at the table.

One might think that theyre being clever when looking at the dealers hole cards from a distance. But theyre actually breaking gaming laws in any jurisdiction.

Spooking will still remain a popular strategy to beat the casinos thanks to its ease of use and success rate. However, it also requires taking a considerable degree of legal risk.

Assuming you want to avoid being busted for cheating, you should use a legal advantage gambling strategy. Enough of the latter exists to where you dont need to cheat.

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Advantage Gambler Tommy Hyland – Blackjack Card Counting Teams – BestUSCasinos.org

Blackjack has produced many legendary professional gamblers. From Ken Uston to Jeff Ma (MIT Blackjack Team), a number of blackjack players have won serious profits through the game.

However, few of these advantage gamblers have lasted as long as Tommy Hyland. In fact, Hyland presides over what is currently known as the longest-running blackjack team in history.

Who is Hyland and what are his secrets? You can find out below by reading more on this legendary gambler, how he got started, and what keeps him going.

Tommy Hyland has been interested in games of chance since childhood. Once he became of age, he started visiting Atlantic City and Las Vegas casinos.

He didnt initially set out to become an advantage player. However, Hyland later took up this pursuit in the late 1970s and hasnt looked back since.

He started an advantage gambling team around the same time. Hes somehow managed to keep his unit going for over four decades.

Hyland is widely regarded as one of the firstif not firstplayers to use ace sequencing to beat blackjack. Ace sequencing involves tracking aces throughout play and predicting when they come out of the shoe.

His longtime success and contributions to the game earned him a spot in the Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2003.

Again, Hyland didnt initially set out to be a professional gambler. He played real money blackjack for fun and learned strategy along the way.

In 1979, though, he changed his focus after reading Lawrence Reveres book Playing Blackjack as a Business. Afterward, Hyland recruited a blackjack team with four members.

Each player put $4,000 towards funding the teams bankroll ($16k total). They also chose Atlantic City as the initial stomping grounds for their efforts.

Hylands team specifically targeted Atlantic City casinos after they began offering early surrender. This rule lets you surrender a hand before the dealer checks for a natural blackjack.

It lowers the house edge by 0.63% when compared to no surrender option. Early surrender has an even bigger effect on the house advantage than the number of decks (+0.59% when going for 8 decks to 1 deck).

Team Hyland used its blackjack knowledge combined with the friendliest rules at the time to become a fast success. They quickly booked a $50,000 profit after just weeks of playing in Atlantic City.

Most blackjack teams have trouble sticking together for a monthlet alone 40+ years. They quickly run into a number of unforeseen problems before having a real chance to bond.

First off, advantage teams need a large enough bankroll to survive variance. They should start with at least $20,000, although Team Hyland began with slightly less than this.

Second, teams need a completely skilled unit. Most groups usually have 1-2 members who arent quite on par with the others.

Finally, they need to play a consistent schedule as agreed upon by all members. Given that most beginning blackjack teams have fulltime jobs, they often dissolve due to an inability to regularly play together.

Problems can spring up when teams do become successful. Even the best teams can fall apart when members argue over a cut of the action.

Tommy Hyland and his squad have somehow overcome the typical problems that have dissolved other teams. His success isnt just the result of tracking aces or card counting.

Hyland also has a unique ability to rally his team to the cause. Everybody trusts one another and continues working towards the same goal of beating casinos.

Of course, this isnt to say that Team Hyland hasnt dealt with its share of struggles too. His original group became disillusioned when Atlantic City instated worse rules to combat card counters.

They travelled to Asian gambling destinations in hopes of finding softer games. Hyland couldve easily given up at this point.

Instead, he formed a new team with some friends that he played golf with. Hyland has continued the tradition of replacing old members with new to constantly keep the team going.

Additionally, hes also mastered other forms of advantage play beyond just card counting, such as ace sequencing and shuffle tracking. These techniques give him a leg up on the average pro player, who only relies on card counting.

The latter usually makes it easier for casinos to spot advantage gamblers. A pit boss often looks for players who raise bets later in the shoe as they gain more deck penetration.

Shuffle tracking and ace sequencing, meanwhile, create more difficulties in catching professionals. They allow gamblers to find favorable situations at any point in a shoenot just towards the end.

Tommy Hyland and his team became notorious for a 1994 incident involving Casino Windsor (Windsor, Canada). The casino caught three members of the team counting and wanted to prosecute them.

They found that two of the female spotters were using pop-off bead bracelets to keep track of aces. Theyd pop off a bead for each ace that came out of the deck.

Casino Windsor attempted to say that this method amounted to using an illegal cheating device. Gamblers arent supposed to use devices that manipulates the game flow to win.

However, the casino was unable to prove that the beaded bracelets were truly a cheating device. Famed player Arnold Snyder also provided testimony that using ace sequencing and bracelets does not constitute cheating.

The judge ruled in Team Hylands favor. They got to keep over $100,000 in winnings and avoid any kind of legal repercussions after the ruling.

Certain blackjack squads have rivaled the longevity of Team Hyland. The latter, however, is typically known as the longest-running blackjack team in history.

Most advantage gamblers dont even last for five years before flaming outlet alone run a team that long. Hyland has managed to both play professional blackjack and keep his team going for the same amount of time.

Of course, members come and go much like with rock n roll bands. But Hyland always finds replacements for those who leave.

His greatest challenge was perhaps replacing everybody else after the initial Atlantic City run in the late 1970s and early 80s. He recruited and trained his golfing buddies to do the job.

No evidence exists that any other team has enjoyed quite the same longevity as Hylands unit. The MIT Blackjack Team had a lengthy stint that lasted from the late 1970s into the early 2000s. But they eventually called it quits when casinos identified almost every member.

Snyder has also put together some good teams. However, no sources mention him as currently running the longest-lasting blackjack squad.

Tommy Hyland began playing blackjack at a time when advantage play methods were still being mastered. Hes one of the pioneers of such techniques as shuffle tracking and ace sequencing.

Todays gambling world still offers plenty of potential profits. However, the winnings were better when Hylands team was terrorizing casinos.

For starters, ace sequencing and shuffle tracking were quite revolutionary when Hyland began using them. Casinos had little recourse for catching such players.

Of course, pit bosses still have trouble spotting those who use these advanced methods today. But theyve become better at it.

Therefore, youre unlikely to find as much success if you became an advantage player today and tried lasting 40+ years.

Another problem is the sheer act of keeping such a team together. Again, many blackjack teams dont even make it months before drifting apart.

Through a combination of trust and highly skilled play, Hyland has kept his team running for over four decades. Hes a total anomaly in the modern gambling world.

You can still have plenty of success if you develop your skills and find good teammates. But youre unlikely to last anywhere near as long as Team Hyland.

Tommy Hyland is one of the most-experienced advantage gamblers in the casino world today. His skills have enabled him to make a living through gambling since the late seventies.

But as good as Hyland is at blackjack, hes even more adept at team management. The legend has avoided all the pitfalls that sideline other blackjack teams to keep his unit going for more than 40 years.

Will Team Hyland be able to make it another decade or two? I imagine that Hyland and his team will eventually retire at some point before this. But whenever he does quit, Hyland will remain a gambling legend for all time.

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‘Beyond the Dugout’: Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona reveals what he would change if he could rule the world – WKYC.com

An in-depth conversation with the Tribe skipper that was filmed back in the spring, before COVID-19 shut everything down.

CLEVELAND Get to know more about Terry Francona, as 3News' Dave Chudowsky goes "Beyond the Dugout" with the Indians Manager.

NOTE: This interview was conducted during Spring Training in Arizona, before the coronavirus pandemic shut things down. This is why social distancing measures were not being practiced.

Dave Chudowsky: Terry, [Beyond the Dugout] can get a little dicey at times, but I feel like last year you were fantastic. Are you nervous at all?

Terry Francona: Yeah, I have some anxiety over this, yeah definitely.

Chudowsky: Because you never know what will come your wayDo you love to win or hate to lose more?

Francona: You know, I try to love to win more. When you get in that mode where you're just relieved, you know, that you didn't lose, I've been there. We've all been there, and that that's not healthy, so you try not to define yourself by your record.

Sometimes that's hard to do. I mean, sometimes things don't go well, and that trying to be even keel, like I said, or not define yourself, that can be challenging.

Chudowsky: Favorite thing to do in Cleveland?

Francona: Actually, my favorite thing is to go to the ballpark. I love to go to the ballpark. Now I do, and I think I told you this last year, I feel an obligation to give back to the community so I go to the casino and I'm really good at giving back (laughs).

Chudowsky: Favorite game in the casino?

Francona: The only thing I do there is play blackjack. If I was with a bunch of buddies in Vegas or something, I might roll the dice. But when I'm by myself, or with Barney or somebody, I just go sit and play blackjack for an hour. It's really relaxing, and like I said, I'm really good at giving back to the community.

Chudowsky: That's fantastic! If you could rule the world what is the first change you would make?

Francona: Three-batter minimum. We're not doing it! Then we'll have world peace or whatever comes that's a distant second (laughs).

Chudowsky: I think on that note we end, that was a fantastic! Tito youre off the clock.

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'Beyond the Dugout': Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona reveals what he would change if he could rule the world - WKYC.com