Category Archives: Roulette

Chelsea are back in Premier League action this lunchtime as they take on Leeds United at Elland Road.

Thomas Tuchel's men are now 12 unbeaten and in fine form as they look to strengthen their grip on a top four spot with a win against Marcelo Bielsa's men.

The Blues are currently fourth and three points behind Leicester City in third, and a win here would take them level on points with the Foxes until Brendan Rodgers' men play on Sunday.

In their way is a Leeds United side currently in 11th and enjoying a very respectable first season back in the top flight, but they have lost each of their last two games.

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That could make Leeds a dangerous prospect here as they look to return to form, but Chelsea are still very much favourites, and they are not likely to be in the mood to alow their unbeaten record to slip.

And ahead of the game, Tuchel has confirmed his starting XI with Christian Pulisic returning to the starting lineup having been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge recently.

Pulisic has seen limited action since Tuchel's arrival but the head coach has said the American is part of his plans and eh has backed that up here.

Hakim Ziyech also gets a start with Kai Havertz remaining in the striker role and Ben Chilwell returning to defence.

Here's how the Chelsea fans have reacted to the team news.

In full, Edouard Mendy starts in goal for the Blues in what could well be a back four and not the usual back five, consisting of Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Ben Chilwell.

N'Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mason Mount start in midfield with a front three made up of the aforementioned Pulisic, Ziyech and Havertz.

That appears to be a 4-3-3 from Tuchel, moving away from the usual five at the back.

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'Tuchel roulette' - Chelsea fans react to starting XI to face Leeds United as Pulisic returns - Football.London

Not all casino games are equal in winning chances. You have higher chances of winning in some casino games than others. There is a saying that the house always wins. True, casinos design their games to have a slight edge over gamblers so that they can remain profitable. The edge differs from game to game. You can try out free casino games to see how house edge works in different games.

A casino uses a Random Number Generator in both online and offline games in which the player bets against the house, for example, roulette or slots. These are unlike card games like poker where the player takes on fellow human players. The Random Number Generator is configured to give the casino a slight advantage in the long run.

A casino knows that a casino who loses heavily is unlikely to come back. The casino will set an advantage of 0.50% to 25%. In a game with a 0.50% house edge, a player can expect to lose $0.50 for every $100 played, while in a 25% game the casino expects to keep $25 from every $100 played.

Online casinos have the lowest house edge, meaning you are more likely to win in playing in an online casino than a land casino.

Some online casino games with the lowest house edge include:

Blackjack, or 21 as it is popularly known, has the lowest house edge. Different casinos have different table rules, the most popular being blackjack pays 3:2. Other rules like 2:1 and 1:1 bring down the house edge to 0.50% meaning you can expect to win 99.5% of all the games you play.

Pontoon is notable for its low house edge among blackjack variants. You can bring the house edge down to 0.34% by using a good strategy.

Shooting craps can win you good money depending on the type of bet you make. Craps is one of the most popular games because it does not have complicated strategies like Blackjack or Pontoon. You enjoy a low house edge depending on the type of bet you make. The best bets are pass line bet, come bet, dont come bet, and dont pass bet. The house edge in these bets is lower than 1.4%. The house has nil edge in an odds bet.

However, avoid proposition bets at the craps table. The house edge is greater than 10% in these bets, going up to 20%.

Most gambling fans have heard that video poker has a low house edge. But video poker machines are programmed with different payback percentages. This is the amount that the machine is expected to pay out to winners. Some video poker tables have payback percentages as high as 99.7%. But you must employ optimal strategy and know which table is offering this low house edge.

Baccarat and its variants are very popular in both online and offline casinos around the world. The house edge in this game ranges from 1.06% to 14% depending on your play. The bankers hand offers the lowest house edge while the players hand is on the higher side.

French roulette has a house edge of 1.35% while European roulettes house edge is 2.7%. In the more lucrative French version, you get half the wager if the ball lands on a zero or chance bet. The wager then plays again. If the bet wins, you are paid according to payout rules of the table.

It is good to educate yourself on house edge and how it affects your winning rate in different games. You can then play at games where you are sure of a win.

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Which casino games have the best chances of winning? - fingerlakes1.com

Casinos these days are hardly just about games of pure chance. While luck will always play some role in what happens to you at a casino, there are quite a few titles you can experiment with and even influence to produce slightly better outcomes. Thanks to Roulette77, you can learn everything there is to know about the game of roulette, arguably one of the most rewarding games you will find at any casino.

Players are welcome to explore others as well right at https://roulette77.in/live-roulette. In this write-up, we focus on guiding you through those worthwhile options that will really make your day and let you have a great time playing games that dont take just sheer luck but also a bit of skill!

Roulette

Roulette is definitely one of the games that you can adjust to your own tastes. The best versions to try are American, European and French. They offer the most rewarding gameplay, which will make every session worthwhile.

The payout percentage actually differs for each game, but this is nothing that you should worry about. In fact, you can just as well embrace the game with the best payout percentage, the French version, and enjoy some pretty attractive overall payouts.

Players are welcome to explore different strategies and put this skill factor into play. Now, your payouts will depend on chance and luck once again, so you cannot eliminate the games randomness, but by sticking to the right strategies, you can make sure you dont have as much to worry about in the first place.

Blackjack

Blackjack is actually a game where you can let yourself shine. The title allows you not just to make sure you deploy some time-tested strategies, but even better count cards. Card counting is an actual skill that you can put to good use at land-based casinos.

Please note that online casinos use randomizers after each card dealt, which means that you cannot really count any cards, as the cards are coming in no specific order you can pinpoint. However, there have been many successful players who have mastered the game of blackjack and card counting.

Alright, but what if a casino catches you counting cards? Thats okay, a casino may just ask you to leave the table or the premises, but by that time, you would have won a pretty penny in most cases.

Poker

Poker is the ultimate casino game of skill, and there is no denying that. While you will certainly depend on the luck of the draw, there are many factors you ought to consider. Statistical probability and mathematical prowess are just two of the skills that would allow you to excel as a poker player. To find proof of just how skill-based poker is, we will remind you that the game is continually evolving, which means that the lessons you have learnt today wont hold true tomorrow.

This is an interesting thing to observe in any game, and poker really shines as a perfect example of a true game of skill in a casino setting.

Craps

Craps is another game where chance clearly plays such a huge and important role that you would not be able to play without factoring in the dices randomness and the rolls.

Yet, where there are numbers, there is always a mathematical constant to help you out no matter how long the odds are. Craps can be played optimally and to statistical probability rules. Now, does this help you win?

Lets say it certainly helps you lose less! With a bit of luck and a lot of knowledge, skill and understanding, you can actually make Craps work in your favor. Its also great to consider that the game attracts a niche audience, so more room for you!

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The Casino Games of Skills That Give You Edge - UnderScoopFire

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

Tomorrows the big day. Take a breath. Its that time again. Survey 1 of a new calendar year.

In Survey 1 of 2020, there were some notable numbers movements the ABCs duo of Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck, for example, had a bigger share in 10+ than Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O, an unusual, if unsustainable, phenomenon. In Melbourne, Christian OConnell got back on top of FM Breakfast, and Robin Baileys revival at 97.3FM in Brisbane wasnt enough to get the station to the top.

Despite the milestones, the survey wasnt game-changing, and it was the disruption which would come later in the year which would define radio ratings in 2020. COVID-19 led to changes in consumer behaviour, job losses and stand-downs across the industry, and the pause of radio ratings.

When surveys returned, it was an historic moment for the industry, as Melbourne faced a survey reliant 100% on ediaries, and hit music stations faced a downturn in numbers.

While 2020 was historic, survey 1 in 2021 marks an important turning point for so many shows, stations and networks. We should, in theory, have eight surveys again this year, providing consistency, trends and fewer Get out of jail free cards for execs looking to spin a sub-par set of results.

Plus, Australia is largely COVID-free at the moment, so whether this resets or confirms changed consumer patterns will become apparent as the year rolls on.

And then theres the myriad changes in lineups which has reset the competition for 2021.

Heres what you need to look out for when the numbers start rolling in tomorrow.

The Drive battle has shifted in recent years, with an increasing focus on the 3pm hour.

On Australian Radio Networks (ARN) KIIS, the 3PM Pick Up has nabbed Kate Langbroek to replace Bec Judd. Langbroek is a radio stalwart who could have reunited with Dave Hughesy Hughes as part of the 2DayFM Morning Crew lineup in Sydney, but instead chose the much more palatable early afternoon option.

KIIS is not the only network focusing on the earlier Drive hour. The 3pm hour is particularly competitive for the networks as they offer up brand-safe environments for advertisers.

2DayFM has also played in the space in recent years with the brand-friendly Carrie & Tommy. Head of the Hit Network, Gemma Fordham, recently told Radio Today that the show is the perfect demonstration of the networks mantra of A safe place for little ears, and full of fun for big ears.

Fordham also noted the trend towards Drive spiking in the 3pm hour which is so different to what it was 10 years ago.

Across the Hit Network, it will be the first ratings for Carrie & Tommy as the sole drivers of the slot. Previously, the duo were on between 3pm and 4:30pm, with Hughesy & Ed taking over the later segment.

Nova, meanwhile, has Tim Blackwell doing a lead-in hour to the Kate, Tim & Joel show, while Triple M plays highlights from the new Melbourne Breakfast offering The Marty Sheargold Show.

On Triple M, it will also be the first solo survey for what is now known as the Molloy show from 4pm, following the departure of Jane Kennedy.

It will also be the first survey for the latest 2DayFM Breakfast crew of Hughesy, Ed & Erin. Reigning FM king Kyle Sandilands may have slammed the show (many times), but the Hit Networks Fordham says the criticism rolls right off her.

She wouldnt be drawn on a ratings figure for tomorrow which would tick the success box, however she noted the show is already succeeding in other ways.

In 2021 weve come off the back of a year that was a strange year for all of us And peoples habits have changed in the world out of last year, and peoples routines have changed, so I just dont know if success can be measured the same way. And everyone interprets success in different ways, she told Radio Today recently.

So of course you want success to be ratings, but were already seeing revenue success with that show So of course ratings matter, I mean, its the metric that we have to use at the moment, but is it the only measure of success? No. Its not.

In the last survey of 2020, 2Day had a 4.2% share, to Kyle & Jackie Os 11.3%. No ones expecting The Morning Crew to take the fight to KIIS Kyle & Jackie O immediately, but to silence the critics and justify the spend on talent once more, it will need to deliver more than its previous music format.

Ben Fordhams ongoing performance in 2GB Breakfast will also be scrutinised, as while he has thus far maintained dominance in share, Nine Radio has flagged its disappointment with radios commercial results.

Greg Byrnes, Nine Radios head of content, however, backs Fordham completely, noting hes a good bloke who people want to listen to and connect with.

Last year, the ratings in Melbourne indicated 3AWs decision to instal Russel Howcroft into Breakfast had paid off, as audiences turned to AM during the citys extensive and exhaustive lockdowns.

3AWs owner Nine Radio insisted this trend would be ongoing, as many of the consumers who sampled the station throughout COVID were likely to come back for more, and then stick around, even if the city was no longer locked down however the contemporary hit music stations will be hoping it was an anomaly.

It will be the first survey for a solo Marty Sheargold, fronting the Triple M Breakfast show, aptly titled The Marty Sheargold Show. Head of the Triple M Network, Mike Fitzpatrick, recently told the Mumbrellacast the numbers would come, but its very unlikely the show will deliver in Survey 1. Similar to Fordham, he wasnt super keen on only looking at the overarching 10+ figure.

Fitzpatrick (pictured) is backing Sheargold to deliver long-term results

The 10+ is a bonus, you know? Its an ego number, really. Its nice to be able to say Were #1 in 10+, but its not what we judge the show on, he said on the Mumbrellacast. Can Marty deliver on that? Absolutely. Otherwise we wouldnt have put him in there. Is he going to do it straight away? No. I would be surprised, and happily surprised, if that happens on survey day, but I think we need to give shows time.

Fitzpatrick did acknowledge there would be audience churn, as those accustomed to Eddie McGuires delivery style and content offering adjusted to Sheargolds new direction.

There was also a shake-up on Fox FM, with Nick Cody joining, transforming the Fifi, Fev & Byron show into Fifi, Fev & Nick.

Cody has form delivering solid ratings for Triple M in Brisbane alongside Marto & Margaux as part of The Big Breakfast, and Fordham is confident Cody is Melbourne enough, and funny enough to translate that success into Victoria.

She said the show is sounding the best it has in a long time.

It will of course be worth keeping an eye on OConnells performance on GOLD 104.3, as well as the Nova offering of Chrissie, Sam & Browny which recently celebrated 1,000 shows, and in its most recent survey had a 6.3% share.

ARNs chief content officer, Duncan Campbell, has also repeatedly flagged his disappointment with KIIS 101.1s Breakfast ratings, with Jase & PJ sitting on 5.4% last survey.

Perth is one to watch with the introduction of Triple M into the market, complete with a Breakfast show fronted by the citys mayor, Basil Zempilas.

Triple Ms Fitzpatrick recently revealed why he was backing the controversial host to deliver for the new station, while Fordham has spoken about why moving SCA stablemate Mix 94.5 into the Hit Network makes sense.

Mix has some legacy and loyalty in the West Australian capital, so how the shakeup plays out will be interesting not only for SCA, but also for its rivals.

ARNs 96FM briefly got to the top of the ratings last year in Survey 7, driven by Gary Roberts, however the reign did not last long. Its worth watching if it can capitalise on the changes and consumer uncertainty, or if it will get lost in the noise.

The same goes for Nova, which got back on top at the end of last year.

NOVA Entertainments chief programming & marketing officer, Paul Jackson, was confident at the end of last year that all the changes in the market could ultimately benefit Nova.

It just surprises me that there is that much change. Some of the things that are happening, you wonder, but everybodys got their own game plan. And it leaves us weve always been very dominant. Weve had Nathan, Nat & Shaun for a number of years now [who] have been absolutely outstanding, dominant breakfast show. Which is testament to how fantastic they are, but also the rest of the marketplace changing so much around them.

Nova 93.7s lineup of Nathan, Nat & Shaun

I guess were the only radio station playing contemporary hit music now, and in some markets there are two or three stations doing very similar things. Here we are in Perth, the only game in town. So when some of these major artists release new songs moving forward, people are going to gravitate to Nova to hear them. So weve got to come into the new year with a lot of confidence of our chances of leading the Perth marketplace in the coming few years.

Nine Radios 6PR also has a new lineup following the departure of Zempilas and various moves across the day parts.

And down in Adelaide, theres a new lineup on Mix 102.3 with Erin Phillips replacing Jodie Oddy.

Novas relatively new Breakfast lineup of Ben & Liam briefly topped the ratings last year, and will be keen to return to the top, and ARN will be hoping the loss of Oddy doesnt prove too dramatic in the figures.

Erin Phillips & Soda

Speaking at the end of last year, after Survey 8, ARNs Campbell said he had no concerns about the South Australian capital.

I have no concerns about the station, in fact Im very upbeat about whats going to be on offer next year and our ratings next year as well, he insisted.

Ratings come out tomorrow at 9:30am AEDT.Radio Todaywill bring you all the figures and analysis throughout the day.

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Ratings roulette: Who's holding their breath and who's ready to fire in the ratings? - Radio Today (Aust & NZ)

Davidson has goal and two assists for White

KENT, March 11, 2020 Team White beat Team Blue 3-1 Thursday night at accesso ShoWare Center in the annual Blue White Game.

The T-Birds started practices for the 2020-21 season on Saturday, March 6, in a modified Training Camp. The annual Blue White Game concludes Training Camp.

White took a 1-0 lead at 14:39 of the first period on a shorthanded breakaway goal from Jared Davidson. Cade McNelly sprung Davidson in the neutral zone with a crisp pass. Davidson skated in on Thomas Milic and beat the Blue goalie through the legs.

Davidson set up Whites second goal at 8:27 of the second period. Davidson took a shot that Milic stopped but Conner Roulette was on the scene to roof a backhand over the goalies glove. Tyrel Bauer had the second assist.

White went in front 3-0 on a tic-tac-toe passing play from Henrik Rybinski and Davidson that was finished off by Cade McNelly. Rybinksi sent the puck from the left corner to Davidson in the right circle. Davidson quickly found McNelly coming down the slot and he beat Milic over the blocker.

Blue got on the board at 14:09 of the second when Reid Schaeffer beat White goalie Jackson Berry from the right of the net with a high shot. The goal came playing three-on-three as the teams played the last five minutes of the game to simulate overtime.

The teams had a shootout after overtime. Rybinski beat Milic low on the left side on his attempt. Berry was beaten by Blues Keltie Jeri-Leon on the glove side.

In the second round Payton Mount beat Milic through the legs while Berry stopped a backhand attempt by Matthew Rempe.

In the third round Roulette was stopped by a Milic poke check. Kai Uchacz had a chance to tie the shootout but hit the post on his attempt.

Rosters For The Blue White Game

The T-Birds roster for the 2020-21 season is 15 forwards, seven defenseman and two goalies which were divided into two teams. The Blue White game consisted of two 20-minute periods with a shootout at the end. The teams wore white and blue T-Birds game jerseys.

The first game of the season is Friday, March 19, at 6:05pm against the Spokane Chiefs at 6:05pm at accesso ShoWare Center.

There will be four games in March broadcast on JOEtv.

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Team White Beats Team Blue 3-1 Behind Three Points From Jared Davidson Seattle Thunderbirds - seattlethunderbirds.com

Items that once filled Antonio's Nut House in Palo Alto, which is now closed, will be auctioned off on March 21. Embarcadero Media file photo by Sammy Dallal.

In the latest Around Town column, news about an upcoming auction of items that once filled Antonio's Nut House, residents concerned about how the enforcement of the city's 72-hour parking limit has impacted people living in RVs and Santa Clara County waiving permit fees for small businesses that have been financially challenged during the pandemic.

BIDDING FAREWELL ... Antonio's Nut House may have permanently closed after four rowdy, peanut-strewn decades on California Avenue, but you can still take home a piece of dive bar history. Clars, an auction gallery in Oakland, is auctioning off a collection of Nut House items on Sunday, March 21, including a neon "Pabst Palo Alto" sign, the famous nut-shaped tables, bar stools and a roulette wheel. "It's an honor to represent this collection at auction," Cristina Campion, associate director of the Furniture and Decorative Arts Department at Clars, said in a press release. "There's a wide range of treasures that will certainly appeal to those who have fond memories of the Nut House." The one popular item that won't be up for auction is the fake gorilla that stood in a cage that was stocked with roasted salted peanuts for bar patrons. The beloved figure was accidentally taken to the gallery along with other items from the dive bar. It was rescued last month by resident Jeff Day, who hopes to include the gorilla in the future Palo Alto History Museum. Bidding for the online auction is available by phone, absentee bid and online at Live.Clars.com.

Palo Alto police issued 16 parking violations and towed three vehicles (two RVs and one trailer) between Jan. 1 and March 10. Embarcadero Media file photo by Veronica Weber.

FORCED OUT ... Palo Alto's efforts to enforce its 72-hour limit on parking got some pushback this week from numerous residents, who urged the city to show some leniency when it comes to residents who live in recreational vehicles along El Camino Real. While the trend of people living in RVs along the main thoroughfare precedes the COVID-19 pandemic, critics contended at Monday night's City Council meeting that the city should suspend its enforcement during the health crisis. Angie Evans, a Crescent Park resident, argued that by notifying residents that their RVs will be towed if they don't move them, the city is depriving these residents of a safe place to live and pushing them into the streets or shelters. "It's not OK to push people onto the streets ever and it's really, really heinous to do that in the middle of a global pandemic," Evans said. Ebru Haritaoglu, a junior at Palo Alto High, agreed. "So many people are losing their jobs. ... Let's not make this tough time worse for them by removing them from their homes and towing the RVs," she said. While numerous speakers referred to the city's actions as an "eviction" of residents, City Manager Ed Shikada rejected that characterization. "That is a regular recurring activity that our Police Department undertakes," Shikada said at the meeting. The city has, however, stepped up its enforcement efforts since January. According to a March 10 blog post from the city, the Police Department had placed tow warning flyers on 450 vehicles between Jan 1 and March 10. The majority of those who received them have voluntarily complied and moved within the 72-hour period, according to the post. The department had issued 16 parking violations and towed three vehicles (two RVs and one trailer), all of which were unoccupied and were not "actively lived in," according to the city.

IN THE BEST INTEREST ... Small businesses that have faced financial hardships in Santa Clara County during the COVID-19 pandemic were given some relief Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors, which approved a proposal to waive or reduce their permit fees for one year. It applies to restaurants, personal care services, gyms or fitness facilities, grocers and retailers that have less than 50 employees, according to a staff report. County staff also noted that businesses owned by minorities have been challenged by the pandemic. "Small businesses have payroll, bills and fixed debts so every fee we can reduce or waive as we begin to economically recover from the pandemic will help," said Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who worked on the proposal with Supervisor Susan Ellenberg. "Their stability means the economy's broader stability," Ellenberg said at Tuesday's board meeting. Eligible businesses can expect to see the waiver applied on their next invoice. County administrators plan to transfer $5.5 million from the General Contingency Fund to cover funds the Department of Environmental Health would lose from the waiver. Small businesses could also be eligible for temporary permit and license fee waivers from California under a legislative package Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last month.

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Around Town: Collection of Antonio's Nut House items set for auction - Palo Alto Online

In response to the rampaging vulture capitalism that was threatening to destroy their newspaper, union employees at the Hartford Courant last year launched a campaign to find a nonprofit organization that would save their jobs and the journalism their community depends on.

Not only did they fail, but the situation at the Courant, the oldest continuously published newspaper in America, just got infinitely worse.

Meanwhile, 300 miles to the south, a similar effort was under way to save The Baltimore Sun. It paid off big-time, as the Sun and several sister papers are now on the verge of being acquired by a nonprofit foundation that will operate them in the public interest.

No doubt youve read a lot here and elsewhere about the local news crisis, and about the role of hedge funds and corporate chain owners in hollowing out once-great newspapers that were already struggling.

Yet what we dont talk about often enough is the sheer random nature of it all and why we assume theres nothing that can be done about a hedge fund destroying a paper here or a nonprofit or benevolent billionaire saving a paper there. We have been so conditioned to thinking that the untrammeled forces of the market must be allowed to play out that weve lost sight of what were losing. It shouldnt be this way.

Last week was a particularly fraught moment in the collapse of local journalism.

First we learned that the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, the most avaricious newspaper owner in the country (dont just take my word for it; as Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post puts it, Being bought by Alden is the worst possible fate for the newspapers and the communities involved), was making a $630 million bid to increase its share of Tribune Publishing whose holdings include the Courant from 32% to 100%.

The announcement came with at least a little bit of good news: Alden would spin off The Baltimore Sun to a nonprofit. Even better, Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times and The San Diego Union-Tribune, was in a position to block Alden if he so chose.

Rick Edmonds of Poynter speculated that wouldnt happen. But hope springs eternal or at least until last Friday. Thats when Lukas Alpert of The Wall Street Journal reported that Soon-Shiong himself might be looking to get out of the newspaper business less than three years after he got in. Worse, Soon-Shiong was said to be looking at offloading his papers to a larger media group. Though neither Alpert nor his soures said so, Alden would be the most likely buyer.

Soon-Shiong, fortunately, denied hed lost interest in newspapers. But Alpert is a good reporter, so its hard to believe that there isnt something to it.

Call it Mogul Roulette.

So lets survey the landscape, shall we? Tribunes papers, which include the Chicago Tribune, New Yorks Daily News, the Orlando Sentinel, the Courant and others, will be gutted if the Alden deal goes through. In fact, the Courant is already operating with neither a printing press nor a newsroom.

On the other hand, The Baltimore Sun has been granted a new lease on life. We dont know whats going to happen in L.A. or San Diego. And, here and there, large regional papers with either strong private ownership (The Boston Globe, the Portland Press Herald, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, The Seattle Times) or nonprofit control (The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Salt Lake Tribune, the Tampa Bay Times and, soon, the Sun) are providing their communities with the news and information they need, even if they still face challenges.

This situation is unacceptable. Reliable news is vital to democracy, and though we dont necessarily need legacy newspapers to deliver it, they remain the most widespread and efficient means for doing so. As the media scholar Alex Jones has written, newspapers continue to produce the overwhelming share of accountability journalism that we need to govern ourselves what Jones calls the iron core. We shouldnt be dependent on whether the newspaper in our community is owned by someone who believes in journalisms civic mission or who simply sees it as a piggy bank to be depleted before moving on to the next victim.

Several years ago I had a conversation about newspaper ownership with Victor Pickard, a scholar at Penns Annenberg School; he would later go on to write Democracy without Journalism?, a call for (among other things) greatly increased funding for public media. Why, I asked him, should communities have so little control over who owns their local newspaper?

We didnt come up with any answers that day, although Pickard did suggest that antitrust laws be used more aggressively. These days, unfortunately, we are dealing with the antitrust legacy of Robert Bork, who developed a theory that any amount of monopolization is just fine as long as it doesnt drive up prices.

The Bork doctrine makes no sense in the shrinking newspaper business. At one time Tribune Publishing, then known as tronc, proposed uniting the L.A. Times, the Union-Tribune and, in the middle, the Orange County Register, whose previous owner, Aaron Kushner, had steered into bankruptcy. Soon-Shiong could have been the savior of all three papers instead of just the two he bought from tronc. Instead, a federal judge ruled that such a combination would violate antitrust laws because it might drive up the price of ads. (Your honor, we need to drive up the price of ads.) Yet, paradoxically, Bork's theories say nothing about giant chains stretching across the country and destroying local newspapers.

What comes next? Maybe Soon-Shiong will step forward and outbid Alden for the rest of Tribune, placing the entire chain in much better hands. Or maybe hell sell to Alden. In any case, its unacceptable for the fate of local journalism to be left to the whims of unbridled capitalism. We need to start thinking about what alternatives to that model might look like.

GBH News contributor Dan Kennedys blog, Media Nation, is online at dankennedy.net.

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'Mogul Roulette,' Or The Totally Random Destruction Of Local News - wgbh.org

"Resurgence will happen really fast, so this is the time to be vigilant against the variants. We need to really be very cautious about easing public health measures at this time while vaccination is just beginning to accelerate."

Canadas Chief Public Health officer Dr. Theresa Tam

Mixed messages continue to plague governments across Canada as public health officers caution on variants of COVID-19 while government officials set out to ease restrictions.

Provincial governments need to get behind the data its public health officers are bringing forward from around the globe where the variant is concerned.

With at least three provinces confirming community spread of the variants as of last week and more than 450 cases of the COVID variant in Canada to date, it would seem that public health officers are correct in stating that its not the right time to be easing up on restrictions.

Some provinces, such as British Columbia, are extending restrictions indefinitely, while in other provinces public health officers are urging caution on opening up more businesses or relaxing measures that are in place.

On Tuesday, Dr. Theresa Tam warned of relaxing restrictions too quickly as we start to see variants outpacing the original novel coronavirus in infection rates.

"Though we may feel tired and have all sorts of losses, collectively we cannot afford to take the brakes off," she said.

Canada shouldnt be playing Russian roulette with the virus, and need only look to countries such as Denmark or the U.K. when deciding the best course of action for Canadians.

The Winnipeg Free Press reported on Friday that just last week, researchers in Finland had discovered a variant they believe may evade conventional testing unless labs modify genetic protocols.

And we are seeing more and more mixed messaging as more businesses open up across the country while public health officials update what we understand about exposure times for variants.

Ontario had previously defined exposure as anyone whod been within two metres of an infected person for at least 15 minutes who wasnt wearing a mask. That province is now counting exposure for contacts with or without a mask and, with variants on the rise, some individual Ontario public health units are counting any contact of any duration as a possible exposure.

Torontos top public health official, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said Wednesday that she has "never been as concerned about the threat of COVID-19 to your health as I am now.

"By the time the confirmed case counts are big enough to shock us, it will be too late."

Over the past month, the science has shown that the variants are more infectious and spread faster than the original SARS-COV-2. However, there doesnt appear to be much of a change in the symptoms or death rates.

The world isnt unfamiliar with mutations in viruses. Each year, theWorld Health Organization co-ordinates globally to determine which influenza immunization will be distributed to vaccinate against a particular strain, and the same will likely happen as vaccines are adjusted for COVID-19.

It is of utmost importance that countries across the globe co-ordinate to ensure outbreaks are controlled through restrictions, and continued adherence to health recommendations such as mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing and limiting the amount of time in public spaces.

However, federal warnings dont seem to be making a difference to how the Manitoba government is making decisions.

Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitobas deputy chief provincial public health officer, insisted at Fridays COVID-19 update that Manitobans were doing a great job respecting the rules, even though it was reported that an international traveller infected with the B117 strain had 27 contacts to be traced.

"Just like our first cases of COVID-19, we need to learn to live with the virus and the variants of concern," Atwalsaidon Friday, warning that if a variant did take hold, measures would be ramped up.

The province is doing some of the right things in response to the variant. It has strengthened isolation rules for suspected variant cases with a 24-day isolation for all household contacts.

We are all growing tired of the restrictions that have held us hostage this past year. However, Manitobans need to be prepared for the long haul while Canada plays catch-up with rapid testing should the variant take hold in the province.

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Playing Russian roulette with restrictions, variants - The Brandon Sun

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How to choose the best casino to play online?

Currently there are more than 2000 online casinos. To be sure to make the right choice, it is advisable to:

Choose a casino that accepts players from your country. In some countries, online casinos are banned from operating in the country. Although this does not apply to all countries, it is still important to check this before playing and spending money. Nobody likes having the tax service sniffing around their private funds.

Choose a casino that has a good reputation. In practice, you will only know whether an online casino is reliable after you have won money and received the transfer. Unfortunately, there are many documented cases, where casinos have directly scammed players There are many documented cases where online casinos have directly scammed players. These scams can take the form of refusing to pay out money, with the winnings being marked as a software error. It can also involve unlicensed gambling offers that are manipulated with a very low payout rate. Fake games are difficult to discern because they are made by real game developers.

Choosing a casino thatcomplies with regulations.All online casinos are operated from one country, so each online casino must follow a jurisdiction specific to that country or fiscal region. The country in question must have a favourable policy on online gambling or betting. These licences are issued by the state that regulates and taxes online gambling and betting or by a jurisdiction that allows online casinos to do business abroad. This is for example the case of Malta or Gibraltar. These countries have a favourable stance on the export of online gambling.

Choosing a casino with your favorite games This advice is fundamental before you start playing. You will also have a better chance of winning with a game you know well. Not every online casino, much like land based casinos, offers the same amount and variety of games.

Choose a casino with fast and reliable customer service Check that the customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to make sure you get a quick response if you have any concerns. The best ones offer online chat or even a multi-language helpdesk that can be reached by phone.

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Find The Best Online Casino In The USA - LA Canyon News

The 49ers are 22-8 with Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback.

From the moment he took the field in a lost season in 2017, he injected the franchise with hope. There was excitement for the 49ers because of how he led the team to five consecutive wins to close out the year. Ever since Garoppolo did that, there has been this notion that he is the 49ers' best option at quarterback.

That could not be further from the truth.

The reality is that the 49ers need to upgrade at quarterback.

Garoppolo is serviceable. He is not terrible, but isn't relatively profound in anything as a quarterback. Garoppolo cannot do anything better Ryan Fitzpatrick, and I mention Fitzpatrick because he is a free agent. The 49ers could cut Garoppolo and sign Fitzpatrick without much of a drop off.

If anything it will be an improvement because Fitzpatrick can maneuver around in the pocket unlike tap-dancing Garoppolo. Not to mention all the massive salary cap relief the 49ers would get to take care of their other players.

Actually, scratch that. I'd like to amend a previous statement. There is one thing Garoppolo is profound at and that is missing games. Garoppolo has missed more regular season games (23) than he has won (22).That should make any sensible person who pays attention to the NFL pause.

Why is it whenever his glorious winning record as the 49ers' starter gets thrown out that his games missed gets coincidentally left out?Availability is crucial for a quarterback. A team can overcome time missed from other positions, but once the quarterback starts consistently missing games, being successful becomes almost impossible.

When Garoppolo is healthy, the 49ers' offense starts to function. But therein lies the issue -- "when Garoppolo is healthy." Anytime that needs to be said about any player, especially the starting quarterback, the team has a MAJOR issue. When the quarterback misses time, all of a sudden a lot of flaws start to emerge around the team. The quarterback is supposed to help mask those flaws.

Unfortunately, it is Kyle Shanahan that has to cover up for Garoppolo.

Then again, in order for Shanahan to cover up for Garoppolo, he would need to be healthy. And the odds of that happening feels like winning a round of roulette. The 49ers need to upgrade at quarterback because Garoppolo is only a part-time starter. And even when he is out there, he does not uplift the team around him.

That is just the reality and given how his contract is holding the salary cap hostage, he is hurting the 49ers more than helping. When the draft comes around, you can bet your bottom dollar the 49ers are going to have their fingers crossed that a top prospective quarterback such as Justin Fields falls so that they can trade up for him.

Otherwise, Garoppolo will undoubtedly be the starter in 2021, and everyone will cringe when he gets hit.

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Why the 49ers Need to Upgrade at Quarterback - Sports Illustrated