Category Archives: Roulette

The guidelines will be effective from December 15, and apply to advertisements that are legally permitted.

Come December 15, it will no longer be an easy task for real money online game platforms to woo the Indian consumer. So far some of the platforms have been able to draw eyeballs through ads full of promises of winning a jackpot. The online Rummy Federation (TORF) welcomes this initiative and sees this as a great move which will ensure that legitimate operators like our members who are certified can be clearly distinguished from fly by night operators who will now be forced to operate responsibly, Sameer Barde, CEO, TORF told BrandWagon Online. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Tuesday introduced a set of guidelines for advertisements of online real-money gaming platforms. The guidelines have been developed to ensure that the advertisements make users aware about financial and other risks that are associated with playing online games with real money winnings. The guidelines will be effective from December 15, and apply to advertisements that are legally permitted.

According to the guidelines, no gaming advertisement may depict any person under the age of 18 years, or who appears to be under the age of 18, engaged in playing a game of online gaming for real money winnings, or suggest that such persons can play these games. Meanwhile, every gaming advertisement must carry a standard disclaimer stating, This game involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly and at your own risk. This is expected to be followed for all ads published across mediums including print, television and digital. Further, these ads should not present online gaming for real money winnings as an income opportunity or an alternative employment option. The ad should also, in no way, suggest that a person engaged in gaming activity is in any way more successful as compared to others.

For Manisha Kapoor, secretary general, ASCI, the advertisements are in violation of ASCI code since the ads do not reveal the possibility of losing money and mislead individuals into believing that the platforms provide a source of extra income. We have observed gaming advertisements target youth and families by suggesting that these can become sources of income and livelihood for them. The key fact that is completely suppressed in most of these advertisements is the real possibility of losing money. The frequent use of celebrities in many of these advertisements make them more attractive to consumers. Combined with the fact that these games are highly addictive, these advertisements end up being not just misleading, but also harmful to individuals and society, she elaborated.

The Potential Impact of the Guidelines

As per Pranav Bagai, CEO and co-founder, Poker Sports League (PSL), while guidelines were long due and are essential, responsible gaming is imperative for long term growth and these guidelines can have adverse impact on sustainability of the industry, The guidelines may affect our sponsorship revenue since most of our potential sponsors for PSL are real money gaming platforms, he added.

Similarly, Barde believes that there will be a short-term impact but eventually it will help the industry move in the right direction, This impact will be harder on businesses with weaker brand equity as the obvious call-outs of cash are done away with. In the mid-long run, we believe that it will lead to an improvement in the quality of users acquired as what will appeal to the user is the brand and the value proposition of a skill game and pure entertainment without the call-out of monies to be won, he elaborated.

However, industry analysts believe that there will be no impact on the business on the back of these guidelines. The guidelines may have no significant impact on acquisition of users. Most online gaming already use well known celebrities and users are hooked to their games. These new ASCI guidelines in a sense will have as much of an impact as the Mutual Fund ad disclaimer, Lloyd Mathias, business strategist, stated.

Read Also: ITC ramps up digital presence for its chocolate brand; focuses on expanding reach

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ASCI rolls the advertising code ball on the roulette wheel; will it win the game - The Financial Express

TO DESCRIBE this biography of Graham Greene by Richard Greene (no relative) as straightforward may indicate a certain dullness, given what is known of its subjects extraordinary life. Far from it. The life itself ensures the contrary, which makes this work compulsive reading.

Given Greenes many liaisons, what the author avoids is letting the reader become a voyeur. Instead, he recounts Greenes tortured relationships with a succession of women, often overlapping, with sensitivity and understanding, enabling one to continue to respect him.

Nor is the author concerned with literary criticism. The gestation of the novels, plays, films, and articles is described, as well as the identification of those who might serve as models for characters in the works. But it is not the biographers task to assess their merit: rather, it is to bring to life the identity of their author, complex in so many different ways.

That Greene lived to 86 is itself a triumph. Traumatised at school, diagnosed as manic depressive, constantly searching for excitement in dangerous parts of the world, promiscuous, hard-drinking, experimenting with drugs, he also had continually to resist the nagging option of suicide. It was as an undergraduate that he had first played Russian roulette with his brothers pistol, and survived: It was like a young mans first successful experience of sex.

One of the strengths of this biography is the authors ability to sum up succinctly the political situation in the hotspots that Greene sought out, excitement and risk being central to his life. It can be assumed that throughout he kept in contact with MI6, with whom he had worked in the war under Kim Philby whom, to the bafflement of some, he would never condemn: Who among us has not betrayed something or someone more important than his country?

AlamyGraham Greene (second from left) with his daughter Lucy (left) meet the film producer David Lewis and the star Deborah Kerr on the set of the 1955 film of Greenes novel The End of the Affair. Kerr played a married woman who gives up her lover because of a promise to God, who, she believes, answered her prayer when she pleaded for her lovers life to be spared in an air raid. She makes regular visits to an atheist polemicist in an effort to be argued out of her growing faith

Nowhere was Greene more influential in his active commitment to social democracy than in Central America. He was neither nave nor uncritical, recognising that, sometimes, one had to opt for the lesser of two evils.

It will, though, be Greenes Catholicism that will most interest readers of the Church Times. Rejecting the idea that he was an apologist, Greene described himself as not a Catholic writer but a writer who happens to be a Catholic. But his faith inevitably shaped his novels, particularly on the theme of the mercy of God.

While, in his biographers words, Greene felt that unbelief requires a certainty that cannot be justified, he none the less struggled with doubt for the whole of his life. Yet, wherever he was in the world, he sought out priests, and welcomed the sacraments.

Throughout his life, he distinguished between belief and faith, and, in a 1940 article in the Saturday Review of Literature, he admitted that only faith kept him from committing suicide. Edith Sitwell, who thought that he would have made a splendid priest, said that he understood sin and redemption in a way that the clergy did not.

Greenes Catholicism also enabled him to see an authentic religious consciousness in the spiritual practices of the indigenous people of Mexico, the oaths and rituals of the Mau Mau in Kenya, and the voodoo ceremonies in Haiti. Not surprisingly, he trusted mystics more than theologians; for they were on the side of faith, while theologians stood for belief.

Summing up his own position, Greene wrote: I would call myself at worst a Catholic agnostic. Not a bad position in which to find oneself, and one in which, through his writings, he has challenged generations of his readers.

Canon Anthony Phillips is a former headmaster of The Kings School, Canterbury.

Russian Roulette: The life and times of Graham GreeneRichard GreeneLittle, Brown 25(978-1-4087-0397-7)Church Times Bookshop 22.50

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Russian Roulette: The life and times of Graham Greene, by Richard Greene - Church Times

The Eagles are set to field their tenth offensive line combination in eleven games in a season that has been absolutely disastrous on all fronts. Injuries have ravaged the offensive line for what feels like the millionth year in a row, and with Lane Johnson now out for the season, were set to see another attempt at putting the bandaid over a huge leak.

The Eagles have given up more sacks than any other team in the NFL (40) and are averaging 4 allowed per game. Carson Wentz, as bad as hes been, has hardly had a fortress to throw behind this season and it shows. But if theres ever a silver lining to take, its the development of depth players.

Halapoulivaati Vaitai was once a pivotal piece of the Eagles offensive front. The TCU product played in 476 snaps last year, grading out at 72.8 per PFF (25th out of 87 tackles). After playing in 1,681 snaps since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft (playing in at least 31% of snaps in each season) and never growing into a full-time starter, Vaitai earned himself a tasty $50M contract in Detroit. Its one hes ultimately struggled to live up to, but the point stands.

With Vaitai gone, Dillard injured, Peters being Peters, and injuries across the board, the speed on the conveyor belt has picked up considerably.

Former TCU teammate of Vaitai, Matt Pryor, will start at right tackle this weekend in place of the injured Lane Johnson. Pryor has seen playing time at both guard and tackle already this year and has started the last 3 games. Hes allowed 2 sacks and given up 3 penalties on 479 snaps.

Pryor may not be perfect, but this is invaluable in terms of both experience and securing a long-term home on a team that invests heavily in offensive line starters, leaving a very clear ceiling for depth players.

On Saturday, Doug Pederson spoke about Pryor and the other young guys all benefitting from the exposure to regular season snaps.

He is playing right tackle. Again, I think guys like him, guys like Mailata, I think of [G] Nate Herbig, I think of the guys weve had to move in and out of different positions, theyve handled it well.

Its hard to take a guy thats playing, say, guard all week, then on Friday, Saturday or even game day you got to go, You got to go play tackle. He did it in the game last week. He went from guard to tackle. Now hes gotten all the tackle reps this week. Hes settled in. Hes comfortable there.

I dont foresee any real issues, mentally or physically, from him. Hes had a good week.

Jordan Mailata may be the best example of all. The former Rugby star who was drafted in the seventh-round three years ago had a torrid start to the Summer. He ended up being one of the teams most pleasant surprises, not only filling in for an injured Jason Peters admirably but playing extremely well all things considered. The Aussie held his own against top pass-rushing talent in losses to Batimore and Pittsburgh and had a great game against San Francisco. Hell get another shot to show his potential this weekend as the starting LT against Seattle.

Nate Herbig could easily be mentioned in that same conversation. He played in every single snap during the opening half of the season, giving up only two sacks when splitting reps between each guard spot. Seeing him benched for Opeta (who today landed on IR) didnt make any sense whatsoever, but the good news is that Herbig should be back in action.

Rookie tackle Jack Driscoll has also been exposed to significant action. In 11 games so far and without any preseason experience to his name, the Auburn product has allowed two sacks and three pressures in 404 snaps.

The Eagles might be battered and bruised on the offensive front, but this season has turned into an expanded preseason for young players, who get valuable opportunities to go up against proven NFL talents and hone their craft. Its the way of the world and would eb the same for any team, but for a franchise that puts so much stock in the development of its offensive line, knowing that some of the youngest, rawest prospects can at least keep their head above water and are getting better as time goes on, has to be seen as a silver lining.

Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire

Liam is a 24-year old sports journalist from the UK and founder of the Philly Sports Network. In just five years he turned a hobby into one of the fastest-growing Philadelphia sports sites in the world, amassing 7,000,000 views and writing over 3,000 articles. Drawing attention from the likes of CSN, NJ.Com and Bleacher Report in the process, Liam is set on changing the way Philadelphia sports teams are reported on forever.

You can contact him here: Phillysportsnetwork@gmail.com

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The silver lining in the Eagles never ending game of offensive line roulette - Philly Sports Network

Welcome to VR Roulette! This is our LIVE weekly game show on YouTube thats streamed (usually) on Wednesdays. We select a list of weird, quirky, and/or bizarre VR games and take turns spinning the wheel to see what weve all got to play next. Tune in with us live on YouTube at 10am PT today! Read our announcement article for more details.

We know, we know, its been a minute since we last did an episode. But! Were back! Can you ever forgive us?

Well, were mostly back anyways. No David, but Jamie and Zeena here to fend off the worst of what SteamVR has to throw at them yet again. This week were taking duck hunt to a whole new level in Duckpocalypse and, uh, cutting in line in Line Simulator. We personally cant think of anything more exciting, but then again were not very exciting people.

Catch up on our previous VR Roulette episodes:

Episode 6: Halloween Special In DreamsEpisode 5 Punching Pigs, Quidditch & DoritosEpisode 4 Ratbois & RoastingEpisode 3 MARSHMALLOW MURDEREpisode 2 Ski Doom, Cute Idols & Quest 2 Q&AEpisode 1 MOMO, Sharks of Mars, And More!

Let us know below what you think of VR Roulette! You can also join ourDiscordand send suggestions into our VR Roulette chat so Jamie, David & Zeena know what you want to see.

Are you a developer wanting to get your game on the show?Email us!

Want more? Make sure tosubscribe to our Youtube channelfor plenty of coverage on all things VR!

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VR Roulette Episode 7: Obliterating Ducks And Saving The World! - UploadVR

Leonard Bagley says waking from a coma to learn his wife had died was like someone taking his heart and breaking it.

It was incredibly painful to not say goodbye, he said.

Leonard, wife Emma and their two children were in the family car on a suburban Invercargill street when they were t-boned by a car travelling at 121kmh on December 7, 2018.

Taine Reupena Tata Bryn Edwards, 22, who was a passenger in the car that hit the Bagleys vehicle, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for being a party to manslaughter and concurrent 18-month sentences for each of three party to reckless driving charges when he appeared before Justice Cameron Mander in the High Court at Invercargill on Wednesday.

READ MORE:* Invercargill passenger guilty of party to manslaughter in fatal crash* Crown prosecutor says pair were 'driving dangerously for a rush'* Police officer heard car 'rocket past' his house before fatal crash in Invercargill

The Crown prosecutor read Leonard Bagleys victim impact statement, as he stood next to her.

I have lost the love of my life, and my children their mother, due to the selfish actions of someone else.

He felt it was a blatant disregard for human life, one he could not forgive.

His own injuries from the crash were extensive and included a fractured and dislocated spine and shoulders, a fractured pelvis and tailbone, ruptured diaphragm, collapsed lung and a large bleed into his chest cavity.

Dejay Rawiri Kane, 21, who was the driver of the vehicle, admitted to manslaughter and four charges of reckless driving and was sentenced to four years and eight months in jail in 2019.

Robyn Edie/Stuff

The intersection at Newcastle and Clifton streets, Invercargill, where the serious crash happened in 2018.

Edwards was found guilty at trial in September this year.

During Edwards trial and Kanes sentencing, the courts heard both men were intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Justice Mander said Edwards as the passenger and Kane, as the driver, played chicken or Russian roulette as the car sped through give way signs before the crash.

Vehicular manslaughter involving alcohol, speed and dangerous driving was an all-too-common offence, Justice Mander said.

It was often young men who did not appear to appreciate the grave risk of mixing alcohol and motor vehicles, the judge said.

Robyn Edie/Stuff

Taine Reupena Tata Bryn Edwards at his sentencing in the High Court at Invercargill on Wednesday.

Edwards presence in the car was a persistent encouragement for Kane to drive the way he did, Justice Mander said.

The car went through a series of give way signs before it hit the Bagleys at the intersection of Clifton and Newcastle streets in Windsor, Invercargill.

The Russian roulette ended, almost inevitably, with the death of an innocent person travelling with the right of way down a connecting street, Justice Mander said.

Edwards lawyer, Fiona Guy Kidd, said not a day went by when he did not think about the Bagleys.

Edwards had offered to withdraw all the $12,000 in his KiwiSaver account as a reparation payment.

He had done a driving programme which exposed repeat drink, dangerous and disqualified drivers to confronting material, Guy Kidd said.

Stuff

The scene of a crash in Windsor, Invercargill, that claimed nurse Emma Bagleys life in December 2018.

Wednesday was the second time in two years that Emmas father, Bruce Duncan, stood in court and read a victim impact statement on behalf of his family.

His daughter and her husband made law-abiding decisions that night; Kane and Edwards did not, Duncan said.

Emma and Leonard were sober, licensed and doing the speed limit.

Some individuals continue to make very poor, dangerous choices, with scant regard for the consequences as a result, Duncan said.

Emma died in the critical care unit at Southland Hospital the day after the crash.

Duncan held his daughters hands, surrounded by Emmas colleagues.

To think, this could all have been so different. If only you had made a more responsible and law-abiding decision on the seventh of December 2018.

Justice Mander also disqualified Edwards from driving for three years and ordered a $12,000 emotional harm payment.

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Invercargill husband heartbroken to not say goodbye to wife after crash - Stuff.co.nz

The Southern District Health Board plans to develop two new birthing units in the Central Lakes area, after more than a year of calls for action, and a series of births in ad-hoc conditions and with no pain relief.

The board today approved a recommendation to establish a primary birthing unit at Dunstan Hospital, near Clyde, and a second in Wnaka.

The Wnaka facility, and in fact the entire proposal, is dependent on the DHB working with local midwives to ensure the units are supported.

If the proposal is unfeasible the Southern DHB may still opt for a single birthing unit, either at Dunstan Hospital or in nearby Cromwell.

The decision comes after months of consultation, much of it centring on the lack of suitable facilities in Wnaka.

At present there are units in Queenstown and Alexandra, supported by hubs in Wnaka and Ranfurly, but it's clear the situation is no longer working for expectant mothers and residents of the area.

It is estimated about 380 births occur in the area, with 160 of those in Wnaka.

At a public meeting in September, Wnaka mother Kristi James said the delays meant Russian roulette was now being played with the lives of mothers and their children in the area.

"I had my baby on the floor of my midwife's office... nobody should have to do that. It's just so wrong. That's so, so wrong," she said.

"So many women are suffering. They've had their babies in places that aren't fit for purpose and what's it going to take. It's Russian Roulette, how much longer are we going to let this happen? We have to do something; it's not good enough, it's not fair and it's not sustainable.

"Let's make a change... please don't let somebody die."

At today's board meeting, it noted establishing two units for the area would require an operating model of collaboration with local midwives, to ensure the units were sustainable with the number of projected births in the region.

The board agreed it was worth exploring, given the distance women and families in Wnaka need to travel to the nearest birthing unit in the region, currently 85km away in Alexandra.

Southern DHB general manager primary and population health Mary Cleary Lyons said the Central Otago-Wnaka area was unique in New Zealand when it came to the provision of maternity services, given its distance from secondary services in such challenging geography.

"This has meant we have needed to explore creative solutions, as we find the right balance between providing more facilities, and ensuring those facilities are well utilised and sustainable," she said.

The details of any arrangement were yet to be agreed, but one option could involve collaborating with a community trust or Wnaka health care provider, and lead maternity carer midwives collaboratively, working as a team to deliver care.

Southern DHB director of midwifery Heather La Dell said establishing a primary birthing unit at Dunstan Hospital gave an opportunity to develop a purpose-built, modern facility with immediate access for helicopter transfer.

"We appreciate the enormous contribution of the team at Charlotte Jean maternity [Hospital, in Alexandra], over many years, and heard that many women appreciated the supportive environment there. We sincerely thank their team for their professionalism as we have worked through this consultation process with the community," she said.

"We now have an opportunity to design services for the future. We believe that developing these two units in these locations better meets the needs for the community in relation to the priorities that have been identified."

The DHB received more than 500 written submissions and survey responses during the consultation period, which started in February.

Continued here:

Birthing units approved after months of 'Russian roulette' - Otago Daily Times

C

ould you share an overall description of ClusterTech business today, mostly in terms of products and markets where you currently have operations? In how many jurisdictions, gaming properties can we find your automated roulette wheels?

ClusterTech International's products are marketed under our brand King Roulettes. Our automated roulette wheels that we sell on B2B basis are integrated into tens of worldwide gaming devices' brands, including some of the global industry leaders'. Novelty under King Roulettes brand are less known premium traditional wheels with or without an integrated ball reading system, intended for and users.

How is ClusterTech adapting to the new landscape brought on by the pandemic; which are the changes, key moves and strategies to leverage different resources, technologies to drive the fastest possible recovery? What is the current approach and status of your manufacturing and development areas?

With almost two decades in the narrow niche of the gaming industry, we learned to live with unpredictability. Currently, our manufacturing activities are scaled down, but with retained full operability and readiness to answer to the demand increase once the industry starts to recover. At the same time, we see this as an opportunity for the development which we are currently focused on.

Many jurisdictions have allowed casinos to reopen worldwide but under strict limitations, in some cases with a ban on live roulette. In which stage of the reopening process would you say we are in today, and what are your outlooks for the coming months? What is the current feedback from your customers and partners about the effects these restrictions are having? What role is pent-up demand playing?

Some of our best markets like the USA and Spain suffered most from this pandemic but our clients there did not give up. On the other hand, as we have clients from around the world there are always some for whom circumstances are relatively favorable. In my view, this crisis will start to fade by mid-2021. Thereafter pent-up demand is something to be expected because of both deprivation of social and amusement activities that people are missing, and deprived governments' budgets.

Which new demands and requirements from operators and players could you mention, and how are you working to meet those demands? Have you seen an increased demand for live streaming; how is your products' performance in that area today? Are you working on new options or technologies to further diversify your offering in that sense?

With many of our clients who are dedicated to steady improvement, we continuously work on the product perfection. Since roulette is after all a rather conservative game, the difference is often up to the subtle nuances, like ball bouncing or even the sound it produces, but also issues related to stability, maintenance, security, RNG, and of course, appearance. True quality in our niche means dedication to details. When it comes to preferences, they wary geographically dependently on the players' habits and so what is desirable in one part of the world may be quite opposite in another. However, with close cooperation on the product development, which considers feedback from tens of partners from around the world, we gather plentiful of information related to market requirements in our niche.

Where is your focus today in terms of markets, and where do you see growth potential? What are the next steps for the company; are you considering expansions to new markets in the mid term?

Currently, we want to feature the live streaming aspect of our wheels usage. Except being extremely robust and reliable, our wheels can very easily be set for standalone operation, and moreover, they can come with some special live streaming friendly features like fast-paced game cycle, matte surfaces, and anti-reflective glass. As for the further growth potential, after almost two decades in business, we are in the process of transition into a mature organization. Hence our concern is growing inwards, issues that are not the priority of younger companies, like internal quality standards and advanced knowledge management. This is something that's not visible on the surface but it definitively makes the difference when it comes to reliability and efficiency.

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'Currently, we want to feature the live streaming aspect of our wheels usage' - Yogonet International

To say the futures market took a bit of a nosedive this week would not be an exaggeration. It has, however, been doing its best to try to recover some of those losses.

Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange says in the latest Beef Market Update that the moves have been very volatile lately.

If you go back and look at the December and February months, for example, you know dropping on the top of $10 US in the space of nine trading days, and now this week back up $5.5-$6 of that. But at the same time, there are certainly implications on that big of a down, and some of the recoveries that has gone on just this week.

The cash markets have lowered in response to those movements in the futures, with the U.S. cash market down two dollars last week. They have since made their way to recovery, and as Wasko notes, they are steady-ish in the south, but not with much volume.

When it comes to packers, bids were lower, sitting at the $220/cwt dressed, with lifting times into later November and December.

From a cash perspective, we are seeing cattle being put onto the set-aside program in Alberta, and weve seen some of the cattle-on-feed reports, so its no secret that there are definitely some high weights out there. As Shaun Haney notes, the market is responding as one would expect, based on some of those basic market fundamentals.

Theres lots of supply. Theres no question about that. Between large processing harvest levels both in the U.S. and here in Canada last week, we had another 59,000 head of fed cattle slaughtered, which is a tremendous number for October. Its well above where we wouldve been say a year ago. But when you add to our carcass weights in Canada, ours was 961 pounds last week, which is a 24-pound increase from the same week last year. So we are going at an all-time high for this year. That means lots of beef. The same kind of scenario is going on in the U.S. From a supply perspective, theres lots of beef on the market, says Wasko, adding that packers are continuing to run at good levels, but still not enough to clear up the numbers.

When there is a bit of volatility in the market, as Wasko emphasizes, obviously the rancher is impacted and when it comes to bringing your cows to the auction mart, it can become a bit of a game of roulette.

Its unfortunate, certainly. The kind of volatility in the live cattle futures market, while at the same time, weve got feed costs with barley prices jumping up the way they have over the past 4, 5, 6 weeks, can cause some stress. Barley prices are up over 38 per cent, in that time frame, she says. Those two things have certainly weighed heavily on the feeder and calf markets in western Canada.

Check out the full conversation with Anne Wasko, and RealAgricultures Shaun Haney, below:

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Beef Market Update: Roulette at the auction mart, as volatility remains in live cattle futures - RealAgriculture

UNLIKE the first Covid lockdown, schools are staying open during the latest England-wide restrictions.

The decision has proved controversial with parents and professionals alike, with an education union calling forschools and colleges to be closed during this second lockdown.

The National Education Unionsays that schools should remain open to the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary, callsschools"an engine for virus transmission".

But what do The Northern Echo readers think?We askedyouon Facebook to tell us whether you think schools should stay open during lockdown, which runs from November 5 to December 2.

More than 300of you had your say.

Chris Thompson says his four-year-old's regular nightmares about "nasty germs" have stopped since she went back to school, which has had no cases.

He said: "From my perspective, schools been left open this time is vital towards her [his child's] mental health and overall wellbeing."

Lynne Brown agreed. She said:"Course they should as it gives them a little bit of normality in their lives, they can see their school friends and try to catch up with schoolwork that was missed during the first lockdown."

Angela Watson says her two boys have been in and out of school like "yoyos" due to cases and the bubble system.

She said: "My12 yr and 10yr old have been in and out like yoyos down to cases in the bubble systems. Everything from classmates, teachers, catering assistants. That also has a huge impact on mental health and wellbeing.

"This isn't a one size fits all situation especially when additional needs are concerned.

"The last lockdown had a huge impact on one of my boys mental health but this time around is worse because we never know what day it will happen again.

"Someone else on the bubble will test positive and that's them off again,how can they concentrate on their learning like that or how can teachers effectively deliver the best education when they are facing this situation... It'snot good for anyone."

But May Sharkey says schools should remain open as "if they weren't at school most kids will be roaming the streets".

She added: "And all the carry on about kids going hungry, at least they are getting one decent meal a day [at school]."

Some parents of children with autism stressed schools should stay open, saying the routine it brings is vital totheir child's mental health.

Children appear to be less susceptible to Covidinfection than adults and their symptoms are generally milder, but some parents say keeping schools open increases the risk of the virus being spread to siblings or grandparents.

Sandra Simpson said: "No, the children may not be at risk but they mix with siblings from other bubbles, can carry the virus home to possibly vulnerable relatives etc."

Caroline Kell Blackburn feels like she's playing Russian roulette every day.

She said: "No but only because I have a vulnerable person at home.

"I feel sick to my stomach every day sending them to school my stress and anxiety is so bad, but then there is the flip side of our children's mental health feel like Im playing Russian roulette every day."

Kayleigh Hope said: "It makes no sense to send children to school whilst we are in a full lockdown, children can still spread it, bringing it home to parents. Younger children are germ magnets by the time December 2nd comes the Rrate will still be as high and will will be in a longer lockdown."

Many of you said schools should be open but parents should be allowed to decide whether or not to send them.

Currently, parents face fines of between 60 and 2,500 for children with lowattendance.

Mel Bacon said: "Yes they should remain open. No, it should not be mandatory. Parents should make the decision if they think it is too risky. Keep them off without the risk of fines. (Not for truancy though... home learning)."

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Covid: Should schools stay open through lockdown? - The Northern Echo

Watch the broadcast on Friday and Saturday,here at WBGO

Jazzfest Berlin has seen its share of changes since first taking flight, as Berliner Jazztage, in 1964.

That inaugural edition is perhaps best known today for an opening address by Dr. Martin Luther King, who declared: Much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music. For some listeners, it may also ring a bell because of a sterling set by the Miles Davis Quintet, recorded and released the following year as Miles in Berlin.

A few years ago, Jazzfest Berlin now one of the most celebrated events of its kind in Europe appointed an intrepid new artistic director, Nadin Deventer, who wasted no time in experimenting with form and function.

In 2018, Deventers initial year as the festivals first woman director, she programmed music in unfamiliar spaces, shaking up expectations, Michelle Mercer reportedfor DownBeat. In 2019, she added, Deventer took the radical next step of interrogating how artists create utopian and practical spaces for themselves, and crafted a related program of immersion and collectivity that extended from audience placement to the music itself.

That exalted aim would seem even more critical this year, months into the massive disruption of the global coronavirus pandemic. As Germany contends with a new set oflockdown restrictions, Jazzfest Berlin has converted into an all-virtual affair, with a welcome twist: for the first time in its history, the festival will take place not only in Berlin but also in Brooklyn, home to many of the artists it often features.

Bringing people together, facilitating art and building bridges are key duties of our cultural work, Deventer tells WBGO. More than ever, international exchange is needed in these times, in which the world is falling back into national, regional, local and even personal isolation. Jazzfest Berlin-New York is also a symbolic act of holding on to our transatlantic community by bringing together two of the most thrilling music scenes on both sides of the Atlantic. The music will be streamed viaARTE ConcertandJazzfest Berlin on Demand.

WBGO is also a proud media partner of the event subtitled Jetzt erst recht: Now is the time! It takes place this Friday and Saturday both at Roulette, in Downtown Brooklyn, and the Underground Hall at silent green Kulturquartier in Berlin. Check the festival websitefor a full schedule,and watch this space for a livestream.

Ill be the host and moderator onsite at Roulette for Fridays lineup, which starts at 10 a.m. ET with saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin. Shell be playing music from her new album Pursuance: The Coltranes, with Charenee Wade on vocals, Zaccai Curtis on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Darrell Green on drums. Then at 10:45 a.m. ET, the Canadian trumpeter Lina Allemano will present her band Ohrenschmaus from Berlin; it features Norwegian bassist Dan Peter Sundland and German drummer Michael Griener.

At 1 p.m. ET on Friday, flutist and saxophonist Anna Webber leads her sextet, featuring top improvisers like bassist Christopher Tordini and pianist Matt Mitchell; theyll draw from her acclaimed 2019 album Clockwise. Then at 1:45 p.m. ET from Berlin, Deerhoof drummer John Dieterich collaborates with video artist Il Karata for TRAINING, a festival commission.

The final shift in Fridays lineup begins at 4 p.m. ET with Craig Taborns New Trio, consisting of Taborn on piano, Mary Halvorson on guitar and Ches Smith on drums. The closing set will featureY-Otis Remixed, with Dan Nicholls on keyboards and Ludwig Wandinger on drums, and both making use of samplers.

On Saturday, the moderator and host will be Keanna Faircloth, host of Afternoon Jazz on WBGO. The music begins at 10 a.m. ET with Joel Ross Good Vibes, featuring a lineup much the same as on their new album Who Are You?: Ross on vibraphone, Immanuel Wilkins on alto saxophone, Brandee Younger on harp, Jeremy Corren on piano and Jeremy Dutton on drums. (The bassist will be Or Bareket, filling in for Kanoa Mendenhall.) At 10:45 a.m. the action shifts back to Berlin for MEOW! a project featuring Liz Kosack on synths, Cansu Tanrkulu on vocals, Dan Peter Sundland on bass and Jim Black on drums.

Black, who relocated from New York to Berlin years ago, will play again in the next set from Berlin after a 1 p.m. ET duo hit from Roulette by German saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and pianist Kris Davis. The 1:45 p.m. ET Jim Black Trio will feature Elias Stemeseder on keyboards and Felix Henkelhausen on bass.

Finally, at 4 p.m. ET, Roulette will host Tomas Fujiwaras Triple Double, featuring Fujiwara and Gerald Cleaver on drums, Ralph Alessi and Adam OFarrill on trumpets, and Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook on guitars. Then the German saxophonist Silke Eberhard will close out with a new take on Henry Threadgills music, in a Jazzfest Berlin commission called Potsa Lotsa XL: Silver and Gold Baby, Silver and Gold, with collaborators like Jrgen Kupke on clarinet and Taiko Saito on vibraphone.

For more information about Jazzfest BerlinNew York, visit the festival website.

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Now is the Time! Jazzfest Berlin Streams Live This Week, From Brooklyn As Well As Berlin - wbgo.org