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Myths and Facts About Playing Slot Machines

Freddie Holloway
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Myths and Facts About Playing Slot Machines

There is a huge percentage of people worldwide that love gambling; it’s enjoyable and very lucrative that people can’t get enough of it. There are so many ways and game variations for them to choose from, and all they have to do is choose the best one; most of them tend to go to the famous slot machines. But there are several misconceptions about slot machines that it’s important to look at some of the myths and facts surrounding it.

1. Myth: The Coin’s Temperature Affects the Machine’s Payout

Some people believe that if the coin is too hot or too cold then your winnings might be higher or lower; what isn’t exactly clear is whether or not it has to be hot or cold to get the best payout.

Fact:

This is far from the truth because the slot machines are just machines; these devices are not affected by how hot or cold the coin is, and it doesn’t matter if it’s an old or new coin either. The payouts are based on pure luck and are random. There is no way that a machine can be programmed to give big winnings depending on the coin’s temperature.

2. Myth: It’s Frequent for Online Gambling Platforms to Cheat

This is a misconception that is quite common, stating that online slot websites are always manipulating who can win and how many should lose. Assuming that the system needs to keep a bigger percentage of people losing so the companies can make money.

Fact:

This is far from the truth. The companies that own Online Slot platforms have no power over who wins and loses; they use the RNG system that generates everything randomly, and it’s impossible to cheat with that. In addition to the fact that they would lose their license and all credibility if caught doing so. Cheating happens only if the site is being hacked, which is handled and monitored accordingly to avoid in the first place.

3. Myth: Someone Won a Jackpot from the Machine You Just Left

One of the most widespread and probably ridiculous myths is that if you had just stayed and kept playing on the machine you have been on, then it could have been you that won the jackpot. However, as soon as you leave, someone else will get your chance.

Fact:

As frustrating as that is, it’s not true at all. All machines have the RNG computer chip installed in them, so whoever won was just extremely lucky, and it has nothing to do with you.

4. Myth: You Shouldn’t Use Your Slot Club Card

Some people believe that using your card would increase your losses or minimize your winnings, so you shouldn’t use it at all.

Fact:

This is a false belief, and the system isn’t manipulated whether you use your card or not. In fact, you’re better off using it as you would miss out on a lot of bonuses, valuable comps, or cash backs from the casinos that you can earn through your slot card.

There will always be gamblers worldwide trying their luck at slot machines, and while the chances of getting decent winnings might be random, it can be extremely worthwhile.

Don’t pressure yourself or worry too much about the myths and falsehoods; just enjoy your time and play the games you like.

How To Become a Successful Teacher

Freddie Holloway
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How To Become a Successful Teacher

Whether you’re hoping for a career change or considering your options for university, becoming a teacher is sure to be a career step that changes your life. The thing is that getting a degree in education isn’t the only way to up your chances of securing yourself a job, and there is more to go once you’ve completed your masters. With new options on the horizon, there are more ways than ever to improve these prospects further.

Issues to consider

Aside from Brexit news dominating screens and newspapers in recent months, there have also been some key issues highlighted which reflect on the teaching profession. Namely, the changes to grade systems and the effects of austerity have affected teachers all around the country.

Studies have revealed that teachers are not getting paid what they should in the current economic climate; combined with the fact that teaching is listed as one of the most stressful jobs someone can enter into, there is plenty to consider before you begin your next educational journey.

Despite these obstacles, teaching is still considered to be an incredibly rewarding career path. Every day, teachers can educate children from all kinds of backgrounds with the skills they need to make it in further education and beyond.

Teachers are the people that children end up looking up to, and valuing for the rest of their lives. They can have a profound effect on vulnerable children, and make a huge difference to their confidence levels.

This isn’t to say that these challenges are not very real, but for many, this is precisely what makes teaching so worth it. Although these challenges cannot and should not be ignored, if teaching still sounds like something you’d love to do, you can go into work each day knowing you’re doing something to help the local community.

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Getting hands-on experience

When you are applying for teaching roles after university, it always helps to have some teaching experience on your CV. This kind of experience is valuable, as it shows potential employers the kinds of skills you have picked up over the years. It may also prove to highlight the kind of passion and integrity many teachers need to succeed.

This is also thankfully a relatively easy way to increase your chances of becoming a teacher. Whether you ask for some work experience at your local school, or run sports workshops out-of-hours for kids, every bit of experience only serves your dream job better.

Just make sure you’re able to draw out the benefits of this experience when it comes to completing job applications. While this kind of experience will look great on your CV, it is also a great way of preparing you for what your future in teaching will entail.

Remember that attending university isn’t for everyone, and studying online is a credible option. You could choose to study the likes of a masters in education, UK distance learning if you’re keen to get your career off to a good start.

Your course will also require you to complete at least a few hands-on hours in the classroom as part of your degree, so you won’t miss out on vital practice.

Refreshing your skills

Becoming a teacher goes far beyond completing an education masters or taking part in Teach First. With the constant changes being made to the education system, you’ll need to keep your skills fresh.

This can be tricky when you are already dealing with lesson planning and marking, but it is not impossible. For example, maths teachers can bring new developments in the maths world into lessons. Not only will this cement your knowledge of the new specifications, but you will also be preparing your students for the same changes,

While teaching observations are not looked upon favourably by teachers, they can in fact be helpful with refreshing your skills. The next time you are to be observed, actively seek out feedback from your superior. This way, you will be able to learn exactly how you can hone your skills to become the most successful teacher you can be. This doesn’t just mean in delivering lessons, but by inspiring students too. Participating in peer observations may also give you ideas on how to run your lessons, based on how your peers are delivering theirs.

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Managing stress at work

There’s being a teacher, and then there’s being a successful one. With the current pressures of teaching today, it can be difficult to overcome stress and deliver inspiring lessons every hour of every day.

With 75% of teachers feeling stressed in their jobs, you will likely not be alone in feeling like this. It also means that there are more tips and tricks out there to help you manage this stress and keep your passion for teaching burning.

The only problem involves filtering through the suggestions to find ones that can actually help. With tried and tested results, here are some stress management techniques you can always rely on:

● Find out what makes you stressed. There will be some parts of teaching that don’t stress you out, and some that do. Figuring out what these are will enable you to recognise your triggers, and then you can work to implement helpful coping strategies. Popular examples include frequent observations, marking work, and preparing for exams.

● Talk to a professional. There is no shame in admitting that your stress levels may have turned into something more serious. The priority is making sure you have someone on your side to help you get through it. Many professionals will offer talking therapies as a way of helping you let go of stress, so you can go back to doing what you do best.

● Make time for yourself. One of the best parts of being a teacher is the amount of holiday you get each year. While you aren’t spending this time marking, make the most of it by taking care of yourself. Going on long walks, indulging in weekend breaks- there’s plenty you can do to keep yourself calm. Some of these tricks you could even try during your regular working week.

October 31: Yesterday Was the Day That Never Was

Freddie Holloway
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October 31: Yesterday Was the Day That Never Was

Today, November 1, 2019, we should have triumphantly as a nation come out of the EU after 40 years of servitude and abject slavery. Instead, because of a corrupt parliament and a PM who did not have the guts to take Britain out on Emergency terms, we are now facing an electoral precipice where Labour by some freak voting accident could win an election.

Unfortunately, Boris Johnson failed, and his advisor Dominic Cummins failed, and the real winners are the remainers in parliament, including the biased Speaker of the House, who retired with a big smile on his corrupt face having thwarted Brexit for his high paying friends.

Today is a terribly sad day for a Britain that has been effectively defeated not only from without but from within by treacherous EU agents working day and night to stop Brexit.

The Conservative PMs so-called withdrawal bill is something that will not allow proper global trade deals because it is aligned too closely with the EU rules and regulations. President Trump, himself has said so today during a radio interview with Nigel Farage.

If we had left the EU yesterday, we would not have had to pay the EU £39 billion for nothing, we would have been able to make our own global trade deals, laws and control our borders.

Instead, Britain is now stuck in a terrible circle of death, doomed to be tied to the EU for eternity, and an election gamble that could lose to a Communist Labour party that would eviscerate the UK for decades.

We still won’t be free to trade as we see fit.

Boris boasts of leaving the EU customs union. Yet the Political Declaration states any future free trade agreement with the EU must ensure ‘a level playing field’ (PD, paragraph 17, 77) and ‘deep regulatory and customs cooperation’ (para 21). This means sticking to EU rules. It will be hard for the UK to reduce tariff barriers to cut the cost of living and make trade deals with other nations. The PD also requires we pursue ‘ambitious customs objectives that are in line with the Parties’ objectives and principles’ (para 22) – another restrictive EU customs union in all but name.

 

Britain remains under EU rules but with no vote, no voice, no veto.

During the Withdrawal Agreement’s extendable ‘transition period’ (which lasts until at least the end of 2020 and almost certainly years longer), we won’t withdraw from the EU at all but become non-voting members. We will still be trapped in the EU customs union and single market, subject to all existing EU laws and any punitive new ones they might pass (Articles 4.1, 4.2, 6, 41, 95.1, 127). And we’ll be under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) (Arts 4.4, 4.5, 86, 87, 89, 95.3, 131, 158, 163). The difference is we won’t have any say (Arts 7.1, 34).

EU judges can still override our laws.

The ECJ – a foreign court – governs the Treaty and EU law takes precedence. Future British parliaments will be bound to obey ECJ rulings, and UK judges will be obliged to overturn laws passed by our Parliament if the ECJ says they don’t comply with the Treaty or the EU laws it enables (Articles 4.4, 4.5, 86, 87, 89, 95.3, 131, 158, 163). In some cases, the ECJ will rule for years even after the transition ends.

We won’t control our fishing.

The dreadful Common Fisheries Policy continues in UK waters during the extendable transition period, but we will have no say in it (Article 130). That means huge foreign trawlers plundering our waters at the expense of our coastal communities. After the transition, the Political Declaration (PD) signs us up to sharing ‘access to water and quota shares’ (PD, paragraph 73) – which equals continued EU exploitation of UK fishing grounds.

We won’t have control of our tax or state aid policies.

EU law applies to the UK during the transition period (WA, Article 127), and beyond that the Political Declaration obliges the UK to adopt EU rules on state aid rules and ‘relevant tax matters’ (PD, para 77). This all means we can’t change tax rates to be more competitive and can’t assist a strategic industry such as British Steel.

Britain can’t pursue an independent foreign policy.

The Treaty restricts UK sovereignty by preventing us taking ‘any action likely to conflict with or impede’ EU foreign policy (Article 129.6) – despite having no say in policy making. The UK will be signed up to all EU treaties, including new ones, throughout the transition period, and must ‘refrain… from any action… which is likely to be prejudicial’ to EU interests within international organisations such as the United Nations Security Council and the WTO (Art 129 points 1 and 3).

Britain can’t pursue an independent defence policy.

The Political Declaration commits us to security integration through the European Defence Agency and the European Defence Fund (PD, paragraph 102(c)). We will fund the EU’s military plans during the transition period at least, and British troops in EU battle groups will be under foreign command (WA Articles 128.2, 129.7, 156, 157).

The United Kingdom will be divided.

The Treaty creates a de facto customs and regulatory border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Britain. Goods moving between NI and Britain will be checked. Citizens living in NI would effectively be staying in the EU, without any say in their laws, for at least four years after the transition and quite possibly forever. In other words, the UK gives up part of its sovereign territory —for what? (“Backstop” Protocol Articles 5 and 6.2).

We pay the EU billions and get nothing in return.

The Treaty commits us to pay a sum to be decided by the EU (WA, Part Five). The £39bn payment demanded is likely to be just the start, with billions more to follow.

PC Activists Want to Ban the Word “Night” For Racism

Freddie Holloway
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PC Activists Want to Ban the Word “Night” For Racism

Socialist student activists at Berkeley College USA, are calling for the English word ‘night’ to be banned from the language because it is racist.

Speaking at a rally on Thursday outside Sproul Hall, Marxist activist, Joel Staller, told a group of students and lecturers that the word must be banned from common usage and purged from all dictionaries. Staller is tipped to join Congress as a Democratic party candidate next year.

“The shameful word ‘night’ is racist because it contains ‘nig’. This word was derived from the Latin word for ‘black’ or ‘darkness’ and is a form of hidden racism used by billions of people every day and night. When you say ‘goodnight’ to your mum and dad at night, or your kids, you are committing an act of racism and you need to stop. Don’t snigger at me you racist piece of shit.” (pointing at a girl giggling in the crowd)

As a result, the college has now banned the words “night”, “goodnight” from usage in the campus and anyone heard saying the word could be expelled from the college immediately

There are as yet no suggestions for a replacement of the word ‘night’ but some are supporting changing the word to ‘ight’. The word ‘goodnight’ would therefore be ‘goodight’.

Black Lives Matter activists and ANTIFA have all supported the changes on social media.

October 31 2019: Brits Celebrate Brexit Independence Day Across the Nation

Freddie Holloway
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October 31 2019: Brits Celebrate Brexit Independence Day Across the Nation

Across England and Wales street parties were organised for today, as the bunting fluttered in the gentle autumn breeze, there were excited cheers as the children were allowed a day off school on this special day of October 31, 2019, which also happens to be Halloween.

The Royal family were also on display as they held an impromptu appearance on the Buckingham palace veranda much to the delight of the waiting crowds all cheering ‘God Save the Queen’. The flypast of Spitfires was duly appreciated by the cheering crowds.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson was solidly celebrated for sticking to his guns and realising that the only real way out of the EU, who had treated Britain despicably during the so-called negotiations, was to leave with a Clean Brexit.

Tonight, there will be firework displays across the country, Halloween masks and a massive display has been arranged around the London Eye. Revellers will also be given free drinks, compliments of the British government who will be keeping the £39 billion they would have otherwise thrown away into the budget black hole of the EU.

On the other side of the fence, many Remoaners who are still angry that their beloved soviet super-state, the EU, was rejected by the people, were paraded in front of the crowds through Trafalgar square on a convoy of trucks where they will be taken to Dover and shipped to Romania.

President Trump was immediately on the phone to Downing Street and offered Britain lucrative deals worth trillions of pounds, and many other countries were jostling for their place to trade with the UK. Britain stands to make a whopping £180 billion within the first two years of sovereign independence from the EU prison it has languished in for over forty years.

Fishermen across the country took to the sea to fish in grounds which were previously prohibited despite being in British waters. They were flanked by the Royal navy who protected them from the angry French fishermen who threatened violence. For years, UK fishermen have had to deal with EU quotas where the French and other EU fishermen effectively steal British fish. This will not happen again.

Construction has already begun on thirty new NHS hospitals across the country, and schools have seen immediate budget increases.

Once again Britain can make its own laws, and enjoy true parliamentary sovereignty. Businesses also cheered as British independence has opened up trade in the globe, which was once restricted by EU regulations.

Here is to a great future for a Great Britain. Huzzah!

Election 2019: Let the Purge of Remainer MPs Begin

Freddie Holloway
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Election 2019: Let the Purge of Remainer MPs Begin

The people who value democracy have seen, they have watched the daily parliament sessions where dishonourable MPs have sought to deny and dishonour the EU Referendum vote of 2016.

These same MPs who at the time of the EU Referendum promised with all their hearts to honour the vote of the EU Referendum whatever the result and who voted in parliament to invoke Article 50, were now actively working day in, day out to stop Brexit. The Liberal Democrats, whose name ironically suggests something to do with democracy, were now actively seeking to revoke Article 50 and completely erase the votes of 17.4 million people in an anti-democratic instant.

We watched the debates, and we saw the liars lying, we saw the Speaker of the House, John Bercow give the upper hand to those who wanted to stop Brexit, we saw the so-called Conservative MPs who turned rogue against their own party and attempted to stop Brexit. We the people never forget what we see, and we will never forget the names and faces of those parliamentarians who were meant to protect our democracy, actively destroying it with their every evil actions.

Brexit suddenly was not just about leaving the EU, it was much more than that, it was a statement on our democracy and our right to have our vote respected and honoured. Those MPs should be ashamed of themselves who sought to kill off our vote, they should be stripped of their jobs in parliament, because they do not represent the people any more, they are far removed from the honest citizens who placed their votes on June 23, 2016 in the EU Referendum, innocently thinking that their vote would count for something.

Because of these vile MPs who have effectively created a toxic parliament where nothing apart from an anti-Brexit bill can be passed have run riot over the institution, Boris Johnson, the PM, has tried to get an election to clean the fucking place out. He was thwarted numerous times by the MPs who knew, that if it came to an election they would be voted out. Eventually, somehow, Johnson pushed through an election through immense resistance especially from the duplicitous opposition party led by a former Soviet spy, Agent Cob, otherwise known as Jeremy Corbyn.

The election that will take place on December 12, 2019 will bring justice. People are fed up with the Remainer MPs, people are fed up with the anti-Semitic communist party run by Corbyn, and most of all people are fed up of being denied democracy, denied their right to see their vote honoured.

Those treacherous MPs will never see the inside of the parliamentary chamber again, they will be cast aside for their anti-democratic actions, and their pitiful careers will be over. It will be a day of reckoning to see these swine getting their just desserts and a good dose of karma, because it is we the people who put you in your place, not the other way round.

Time for the purge to begin.

 

LINES OF WORK: TV/VIDEO PRODUCER

Freddie Holloway
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LINES OF WORK: TV/VIDEO PRODUCER

From pre-production, to hiring, supervising scripts, tracking deadlines and budgets, not to mention editing and sound, TV and video producers need to know the ins and outs of every campaign for which they’re responsible. To get a better sense of the crucial role they play, we spoke with three experienced producers.

Arlene Steinwald is an Executive Broadcast Producer at Havas New York. Matt Marty is a senior producer in Sid Lee’s Los Angeles office. Juliette Desmarescaux is an executive producer and co-founder of Parisian production house Grand Bazar. Here’s what they had to say about getting started out and what the field is like today (answers have been edited for length).

What does a TV/Video Producer do today ?

Arlene: A producer brings creative ideas to life on time and on budget. We start with a script and some references, and work to find the best mix of partners like directors, editors, actors, musicians and various artists. A great producer assembles and manages a team of partners that elevate the final creative output. Social media has changed the role significantly. Deliverables must be tailored to more platforms, adhering to best practices, with less time and smaller budgets than traditional commercial productions.

Matt: A TV/Video producer’s job today is much broader than in years past. Brands aren’t making 30 second video commercials as sole entities. When a brand and agency move into production, producers are typically making a mixture of TV spots, online films, unique Instagram/Facebook films, print and outdoor key visuals. It’s imperative for a producer to understand the nuances of social media platforms, how paid media will be affected, and how assets will be used.

Juliette: TV ads build brand image, creating an emotional link between the viewer and the brand. It’s not just about selling a product or a service, it’s about behaviour and being human in a responsible way. Telling stories that touch the audience needs careful treatment, with a lot of attention, and requires talented clients, creatives and directors, especially today since viewers are more mature and demanding. It’s imperative for a producer to understand the nuances of social media platforms.

Production was a natural fit because it takes both an appreciation for creative and the ability to lead a process.

 

tv producer2

How did you get your job? What was your career path?

Arlene: I started my career as a designer, but was drawn to the production department. I was able to transfer and learn on the job. I studied fashion design in college, then graphic design at the Corcoran School of Art, Parsons and the New School. My portfolio landed me a junior design job at Cliff Freeman and Partners. They famously won tons of creative awards for television campaigns, and I wanted to be part of the excitement. Production was a natural fit because it takes both an appreciation for creative and the ability to lead a process.

Matt: After I graduated from the University of Colorado, I began as an Interactive Production Intern at Modernista! in Boston. I worked on web builds and experiential productions for Showtime. I moved to 72andSunny LA, and from there to 72andSunny Amsterdam where I transitioned to a TV/Video producer. In the last year, I started at Sid Lee LA, working on The North Face and Dickies.

Juliette: I started as a journalist, presenting the best commercials on the French TV show “Culture Pub”, a program which gave the audience a way to understand and appreciate good ads. Today I always think about creativity, not awards, and try to deliver the best execution, choosing concepts and scripts that I think are good, honest and clear.

What sort of qualifications and experience do you need for the job?

Arlene: Willing to learn, hard-working, able to juggle multiple work-streams and pay attention to details. A basic understanding of video and post-production helps as a junior, but the more you shoot or shadow a producer, the more you learn. It helps to have a passion for storytelling, film and art. Get to know as many directors, editors, animation companies and music houses as possible.

People who work in production generally enjoy making the puzzle as much as the final result

Matt: A proclivity for “making”. People who work in production generally enjoy making the puzzle as much as the final result. Outside of that, production is a team sport. As the producer, it’s important to be able to ebb and flow with different work environments, people, companies and processes.

Juliette: There is such a variety of backgrounds for executive producers. Some studied philosophy at university while others come from finance, political science, art school, even football, and many didn’t do advanced studies at all.

Don’t stress.

What key skills are required?

Arlene : Problem-solving. Communication. Organization. Planning. Budgeting. And evaluating creative.

Matt: Production is a combination of hard and soft skills. There are hard skills, problem-solving, organization, time management, negotiation, project management, and of course, calm under pressure… But the softer skills have been areas of focus for me in recent years – learning how to work with creative teams to understand a creative vision and achieve it through production rather than simply “executing”, or smoothing out friction within a production team in tense situations.

Juliette: Don’t stress.

Crew in TV Broadcast Gallery

What are some different ways you can improve and advance in your career?

Arlene: Watch and dissect great films, shows and commercials across genres. Break them down to evaluate why they are great. The casting. The director. The script. The performances. The editing. The music. The art direction. Have an opinion on how all the elements came together. Also, keep up with culture and use social media channels to understand native behaviours. How do the platforms work, how does content appear, what works and what doesn’t work.

Have an opinion on how all the elements came together.

Matt: The first thing is to jump on as many productions as you can, especially as a young producer. Advancing in production is about having experience…I was able to gather a lot of production experience through smaller jobs – picking up a day shoot for an art producer, managing post-production, reconciling a budget for someone who was ill, or simply managing wardrobe.

The second way is to find a good production mentor. Producers often work alone, but if you ever have a chance to work with another producer, take the opportunity. It’s an easy way to learn some new tricks of the trade.

Usually, the satisfactions and challenges are two sides of a coin.

What are the challenges and satisfactions of the job?

Arlene: Some of the biggest challenges of the job have to do with managing the many moving parts, the many parties, adjusting continuously to feedback and obstacles, all the while working to protect the final creative output. In the end, wrapping successful shoots, working with editors to pull out the stories and finally seeing your spot on TV is very satisfying.

Matt: In general, late-night edits, next-day flights, and fast turnarounds can prove challenging. But working closely within a small team for an extended period creates a strong kinship. Usually, the satisfactions and challenges are two sides of a coin. Often times, the wind is in your face on production and it doesn’t seem like you can catch a break, but then there will be a turn, and everything will begin to click into place. I’ve always enjoyed that moment when it all comes together, despite adversity.

Juliette: My best satisfaction is the long term relationship with directors: growing with them, constantly being challenged by them, and challenging them. Developing long term relationships with advertising agencies is also a challenge and a great satisfaction for a producer.

Americans Kill ISIS Leader For the Tenth Time

Freddie Holloway
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Americans Kill ISIS Leader For the Tenth Time

Looks like the ISIS leader, Al-Baghdadi’s nine lives may have finally expired as the Americans are sure they wiped him off the face of the earth this time.

According to a triumphant Trump, mirroring his predecessor Obama, with a massive announcement on Twitter, the ISIS leader was taken out by a team of special forces dudes choppered in to Idlib, Northern Syria.

The death of Baghdadi has been ongoing for many years with announcements given once in awhile of his death just for the heck of it.

“We kill this guy once every few years, but this time they’re going to do a verification. I think the other times they killed Baghdadi it was from a drone attack from 18,000 feet, and you can’t tell shit from up there unless we have credible intelligence on the ground to back up a kill,” a CIA operative revealed on Sunday.

How will the supposed death of Baghdadi affect ISIS? Probably not that much, because ISIS is an organisation run by many administrators who operate autonomously to the hierarchy, and these elements are scattered around the world.

The real question is – did Baghdadi’s $13,000 Rolex survive the assault from the American special force’s mission?

Rugby World Cup: England Beats All Blacks

Freddie Holloway
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Rugby World Cup: England Beats All Blacks

From haka to a Manu Tuilagi England try in 96 seconds, this was proof that this was going to be a game of reckoning. The smirk of England captain, Owen Farrell said it all during the haka, as his team lined up in a defiant V formation.

The New Zealand All Blacks are brutal adversaries, and this 19 – 7 victory by England put the Kiwis on the back foot from the beginning, bringing the team up to only their second win against the All Blacks in seventeen matches, and New Zealand’s first World Cup defeat in twelve years.

Despite more forward passes than a football match and thankfully no hospital passes, England breezed forward with brutal elegance, converting phenomenal kicks over the black dot, and amazing box kicks — England kicked 37 times and made 882 metres, while New Zealand kicked 28 times but made just 577 metres, assuring a dominance over the game from the get-go.

Tactically, England’s kicking technique dominated New Zealand, who were left floundering kicking off the back foot and under pressure. England won the territorial battle because by kicking off the front foot they dictated where the New Zealand back three had to go.

Overall, England were a tour de force, speed throwing, line breaking, pop passing, tactical kicking extravaganza that kept the All Blacks guessing throughout the game. No doubt, the finals, hopefully against Wales, will display another stellar performance.

Stu Ungar: A Self-Destructive Genius

Freddie Holloway
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Stu Ungar: A Self-Destructive Genius

Stu Ungar nicknamed “The Kid”, is highly regarded in the world of poker as the best No-Limit Hold’em player.

Throughout his career, he won an impressive total of 5 World Series of Poker brackets and came first in 10 poker tournaments. An impressive feat considering he only ever entered 30. And, to this day, his percentage record has yet to be beaten.

But who really was Stu Ungar, the self-destructive genius?

Early life

Born 8th September 1953, Stuart Errol Ungar was brought up in the Lower East Side of New York. He was quickly introduced to the world gambling by his father, a bar owner, bookmaker and loan shark.

Through the guidance of his father’s shady gambling associates, Stu quickly learnt that he had an affinity with numbers. It wasn’t long until he knew the rules of the gin rummy game like the back of his hand, dropping out of school in 10th grade to play gin rummy full time.

Soon after this, his father died, and his mother had a stroke. To earn enough money for his mother’s care, he continued to gamble.

It wasn’t long before he was well-known for being the best Gin Rummy player in New York.

As a result, no one wanted to play him, so he turned his focus to another game instead.

Poker wins

Stu made the move to Las Vegas in 1977 and began to play poker. Within two years, he was considered a high roller and had been introduced to cocaine to help him play longer hours. However, with his mother dying in 1979, his cocaine use became more severe, using the drugs to escape his reality.

Despite his addiction, he won the World Series of Poker Main Event in both 1980 and 1981. But as his gambling career soared, he continued on a personal downward spiral. Alongside his drug addiction, he was always craving more high risk and began losing a lot of money on sports betting.

Downward spiral

It wasn’t long until his cocaine abuse led to the collapse of his nose. And with his wife filing for divorce followed by the suicide of his stepson, Stu’s addiction wasn’t getting any better.
He eventually re-entered the WSOP Main Event in 1990. On Day 3, he was a no show and was later found having had a seizure in his hotel room. The health scare paired with his embarrassment for not being able to care for his daughter encouraged him to attempt to get clean.

Unfortunately, he could only manage sobriety for two weeks at a time.

The ‘Comeback Kid’

In 1997, fellow poker player Billy Baxter staked Stu back into the WSOP Main Event for the final time. He went on to win again, earning him the title “The Comeback Kid’ and an impressive $1 million cash prize which was split with Baxter.

But within days, he lost a majority of his half on drugs and horse racing. And, the following year, he wanted to defend his title but decided not to enter due to his bad physical health.
With continued drug abuse, an arrest and his daughter saying she no longer wants contact, Stu had hit rock bottom. He was found dead in November 1998 aged 45 with just $800 to his name.

Stu Ungar’s rise and fall

It’s undoubtable that Stu Ungar was a genius. Within two days, he could pick up any card game and play better than his teacher. Yet, his personality was simply too destructive, leading to his unfortunate, early demise.

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