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Peterson, Langford, Colson, Morgan, Zubcic named in BCL team of January – Eurohoops

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Danzig

The final month of Regular Season action in the 2020-21 Basketball Champions League left us with some remarkable individual performances, as teams were jostling for position in the race towards the Play-Offs.

Among the several serious candidates to make Team of the Month for January, in the end Bakken Bears point guard Q.J. Peterson, AEK shooting guard Keith Langford, SIG Strasbourg small forward Bonzie Colson, Pinar Karsiyaka power forward Raymar Morgan and Tofas Bursa center Tomislav Zubcic were the five players who got the nod, as announced by BCL.

One of the above players will be the MVP of the month, and his name will be announced on Monday. Heres a closer look at the performances of the five members of Team of the Month for January 2021 in the BCL:

Q.J. PETERSON (January efficiency rating: 30)

The 2020-21 BCL campaign of the Bakken Bears will not extend past the Regular Season but, during a short window in January, the Danish champions had very realistic hopes of reaching the Play-Offs for the first time in club history and Q.J. Peterson was a huge part of that great run.

The Bakken point guard dazzled fans around Europe with his two performances this month, his 35-point display in the win against Galatasaray on January 5 and his 18-point, 8-assist showing in the victory over powerhouse Iberostar Tenerife two weeks later.

Peterson and the Bears will not be in the Play-Offs but, in what was a milestone European campaign in both the career of the 26-year-old American guard and in the history of the club, they proved to everyone that they will be a forced to be reckoned with the next time around.

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Peterson, Langford, Colson, Morgan, Zubcic named in BCL team of January - Eurohoops

2021 IPPE: How has COVID-19 impacted the US broiler industry? – The Poultry Site

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Danzig

The National Chicken Councils members produce about 95% of the broiler meat in the US, and NCC advances industry policies on Capitol Hill, within the executive branch and the media.

Industry evolution:

In the middle of March, Americans, like consumers in other parts of the world, found empty grocery store shelves, including in the meat case, as consumers hoarded food, toilet paper and other essential items.

About 44% of chicken production goes into food service. Thus, one of many industry challenges was taking products that would normally go to food service and diverting some of that meat to retail.

When we send items to food service, a lot of times they're going in 20-pound bags or 40-pound boxes," she said. "One of the initial challenges the industry had was diverting products, getting appropriate packaging material and getting the appropriate labels to get things to retail in a timely fashion to fill those shelves and feed Americans.

Looking at changes over time in food spending, the blue bar (chart above) shows a drop down in food service. The orange bar shows grocery store spending.

We did see a significant increase in grocery store sales and a drastic decrease in people going out to eat, which wasn't unexpected, she explained. Restaurants closed and you're going to need to start cooking at home, and people are very familiar with cooking chicken, so that was a common commodity that people were looking for.

Chicken and hamburger were the two most sought after proteins. In March and April, there was a drastic increase in grocery store/retail sales. This included an increase in meat department sales and fresh foods, including fruits and vegetables. Over the last few months, there has been a 9.1% volume increase on chicken purchasing, according to Peterson.

Throughout the pandemic, restaurants have worked to diversify, not only their menu, but their carry out options. Some foods don't carry out very well, so those restaurants have struggled a little bit more than others. Restaurants has also learned how to package certain food stuffs in way to ensure that when it gets home, it's almost as it would have been if you could have eaten at the restaurant.

Early on, the US industry had challenges with who was in charge, with direction coming from many different groups.

We would have state health departments who had a different perspective on what our industry needed to be doing with regard to maintaining the safety and health of our employees than did local health departments. The CDC then came out with their set of recommendations in April, she noted.

You have the governor calling on CEOs of chicken companies. You have OSHA with certain standards and coming in and wanting to do inspections at plants. We had USDA and we have the Food Safety and Inspection Service - we have those inspectors in our plants all the time. USDA was working hard to help make sure we had the appropriate staffing available so that we could keep operating. Trying to weave between all of these different groups who had different asks and asks that changed over time as we learned more about the spread of COVID was certainly a challenge.

In late April, the Trump Administration issued an executive order that essentially gave the former US Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Purdue, the powers of the president in order to make sure that meat and poultry processors could continue to operate, provided they were meeting CDC and OSHA guidelines.

While never executed per se, the order was designed to help companies fulfill their contracts and continue providing meat and poultry to consumers, according to Peterson. USDA worked very hard to ensure the industry could keep operating while also maintaining the safety of their workforce.

Of critical importance, Peterson said was ensuring the industry is doing everything they can to protect employees.

One of the things that sets the meat and poultry industry apart is that we already do a lot of things and had done a lot of things to ensure the safety of our employees, she said. Granted, we needed a lot more PPE than we had in the past, but donning PPE with something that you do that when you go into a processing plant.

In April, the CDC and OSHA came out with some interim guidance for the meat and poultry industry focusing on two areas.

Our industry has a unique challenge because if you look at the number of employees per thousand square foot of space, meat processing is at the very top; we have a lot of people within our establishment doing work, she said. We are quite automated, especially in first processing, but in second processing, there are a lot of people, depending on what product you're making, who are cutting up chickens.

"Some of the things that we implemented as an industry and some of the things that we had done well before CDC and OSHA came out with their guidance, was putting barriers in place so that people could come to work on the processing lines and not have to worry about getting sick from somebody next to you or spreading any potential viruses around. The PPE is something that we had already done, but it's been PPE on steroids, I would say.

Taking employee temperatures and extra sanitation focusing on common touchpoints and common areas was also set up. There were challenges procuring PPE that occurred and times when FEMA took product that was allocated to member organizations.

We have a very diverse population within our establishment speaking well over a dozen different languages within one establishment itself, so making sure that we could adequately communicate to everyone has been really, really important, she noted.

Social distancing - maintaining six feet apart because plants have not been set up to accommodate this. However, barriers have been installed to the right and left the employee, and in some cases in front of the employee when people are facing each other, for example in a de-bone line.

Temperature monitoring early on, there were some inaccuracy issues, but its gotten better. When people come in from outside, they're already cold, so it can be difficult to get an accurate reading. Getting an internal temperature is different than an external temperature like a forehead scan. However, temperature monitoring has made employees more comfortable to come to work.

Testing some member companies have made testing mandatory, while others have voluntary testing. There are also differences within people's religion and/or beliefs that may influence whether they want to get tested, so employers are conscious of those differences.

Education - being able to communicate to everyone is very important. CDC has offered resources to assist with this.

With two vaccines approved in the US, there have been 22.7 million doses administered so far.

When we talked to the CDC earlier in December, they had said that meat and poultry workers should be getting their vaccines in late January. We're in late January, and as far as I'm aware, none of our members have gotten the call that says, okay, it's time, she said. One thing we are talking with our members about is preparing for the vaccine.

Food and agriculture workers are essential frontline workers, which is part of the total group of about 30 million essential frontline workers. Peterson is hopeful that members will get access to a vaccine for employees within the next several weeks.

Peterson said 10 months in, the changes that have been made in processing, may become the new norm. CDC and OSHA are expected to update their guidance to the industry. So, time will tell.

Peterson does expect that COVID will change the future of automation, virtual audits and enhanced imaging systems in the industry.

There are is a lot of opportunity to make current technologies better and to help us do some things, so we don't necessarily have to have somebody standing there doing a particular job, she said.

Read the rest here:

2021 IPPE: How has COVID-19 impacted the US broiler industry? - The Poultry Site

Greg Peterson will succeed Bob Bjorklund as Bethel AD – TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Danzig

Greg Peterson, who started at Bethel as a student and later became the schools assistant athletics director and an assistant football and basketball coach, has been named the Royals new Director of Athletics starting June 1, the university announced Wednesday. New Bethel director of athletics Greg Peterson (Courtesy Bethel University)

Peterson, the offensive coordinator for Bethel football, will begin transitioning to his new role on Feb. 15 and officially take over when Bob Bjorklund resigns as the schools AD.

Bethel athletics has been on a steady climb over the last decade and Bob Bjorklund has uniquely positioned our department to continue that trajectory, Peterson said in a statement. Im thrilled to follow someone of Bobs integrity, character, and passion for Bethel University and our student-athletes.

Peterson started at Bethel as a student in 1988, playing football and basketball, and became a part-time assistant coach upon graduation. He currently also serves as the schools assistant athletics director.

Greg has worked full time at Bethel for the last 23 years and brings an in-depth understanding of Bethel athletics, a passion for Christ, and a desire to support and serve student athletes to his new role, Dr. John Addleman, Bethel vice president of student experience, said in a statement.

Read this article:

Greg Peterson will succeed Bob Bjorklund as Bethel AD - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Taschen Sale, 2831 January 2021, Art and Design Book Sale – We Heart

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

With reductions of up to 75% across coveted titles, the TASCHEN book sale is a wonderful opportunity to acquire some cracking titles at equally cracking prices; the hefty discounts applying to select books across the world of art, photography, music, architecture, film and more. Taking place online and in-store from 2831 January, make some space on your bookshelves, sit back, browse, hit add to cart (or hoot foot it to your nearest shop) and treat yourself to some choice documents of momentous cultural importance.

Marking the launch of this rapid sale, and to get you started with some early inspiration, We Heart was asked to hand-pick five essential titles from the celebrated publisher. From pop culture to pivotal moments in global architecture, heres five brilliant bargains that deserve to be snapped straight up.

10 ( 30) | Buy it Now

From candid images of Winehouse performing in Paris to playing the drums at her home studio in Camden Town, London; lovingly composed portraits of the artist at ease on paradisiacal St. Lucia to carefree vamping for the camera. Amy Winehouse by Blake Wood is an intimate and emotional visual diary of a soul diva at the height of fame, and a testament to the bond that she and American photographer and filmmaker Wood shared after their meeting in 2007.

With 85 colour and black-and-white photographsmost of them never published beforealongside text by acclaimed pop culture critic Nancy Jo Sales, the images here capture a rare and lighter side of the infamously troubled prodigy; exhibiting Amy as Amy, a typical young London girl enjoying her life to the fullest, Woods document is a touching reminder that pop idols are real people at heart.

***

15 ( 40) | Buy it Now

Starting her career as a photojournalist for Rolling Stone in 1970 while still a student at the San Francisco Art Institute, Annie Leibovitz went on to establish herself as Vanity Fairs foremost rock music photographer before a move to Vogue which saw her taking culture-defining photographs of actors, directors, writers, musicians, athletes, and political figures, as well as fashion; her portraits imprinted on our collective consciousness by both the singularity of their subjects and Leibovitzs inimitable style.

In this publication, Annie Leibovitz. The Early Years. 19701983, the reader is taken on a journey from artistic revelation to a meticulously and personally curated collection that includes contact sheets and Polaroids, providing an insight into Leibovitzs development as a young artist, and that of a pivotal era. With many portraits linked to images of cars and driving, this book is a celebration of life on the road, a tribute to an earlier time a female photographer immersed in a culture that was itself adapting.

***

20 ( 30) | Buy it Now

With hundreds of iconic images by photographers including Margaret Bourke-White, Berenice Abbott, Ruth Orkin, Allen Ginsberg, Bruce Davidson and Joel Meyerowitz, immerse yourself in the charisma, glamour, and grit of the worlds greatest metropolis; the City that Never Sleeps enticing and exciting readers over 560 pages.

A photographic journey of New Yorks remarkable rise, reinvention, and growth, this tome comprises moments from the building of the Brooklyn Bridge to the immigrants arriving at Ellis Island; the slums of the Lower East Side to the magnificent art deco skyscrapers; the urban beach of Coney Island and the sleaze of Times Square; the vistas of Central Park and the crowds on Fifth Avenue. Paying homage to the indomitable spirit of those who call themselves New Yorkers, whilst capturing the chaos and energy of the frenetic city, this stunning publication is a sort of bible for anyone who has had their heart captivated by this iconic city.

***

30 ( 40) | Buy it Now

Genius or madman? (Gaud had become such a disheveled recluse by the time of his death, that passersby to an accident with a tram would assume he was a vagrant.) One thing that is truly undeniable is there are few more internationally noted architects; the Catalan having overseen some of the worlds most whimsical and unforgettable buildings in his 73 years.

From Gell Park and Gell Palace to Casa Calvet, Torre Bellesguard, Casa Batll and La Sagrada Familia, the complete works of this revered and epoch-making architect are catalogued in impressive style in Gaud. The Complete Works; an XL, 368-page hardback showcasing how his aesthetic put Barcelona on the global architecture map. A comprehensive appendix and biography as mesmerising as many of the images of his creations themselves, when TASCHEN say the complete works, they mean it. And then some.

***

20 ( 40) | Buy it Now

From the beginning of the 1970s through to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the USSR experienced an entirely singularfrequently bizarreperiod in architectural reform. Taking advantage of the nations crumbling control, architects pushed the boundaries of design. Beyond the modernism of the world at large, these Soviet experimentalists would dot the nation with expressionist works that defied any kind of traditional convention.

Fascinated by what he considers to be the fourth age of Soviet architecture, Frdric Chaubineditor in chief of French lifestyle magazine Citizen Khas captured these spectacular feats of otherworldly architecture in CCCP. Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed; an inspired document of a new dawn that is still an outlier in contemporary architectural aesthetics.

@taschen

Dash Shaws Sophomore Effort Cryptozoo Fascinates on the Surface – Film School Rejects

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

From 2016 to 2020 in Richmond, Virginia, writer-director-animator Dash Shaw and animation director Jane Samborski hand drew Cryptozoo with a small team of artists. On the surface, so what? The age-old tradition of meticulously hand-drawn animation isnt a modern-day spectacle simply because the practice is almost extinct. But the married couple isnt just bringing hand drawn animation back to cinema. Theyre revolutionizing it. Of course, thats a loaded statement.

The film follows human cryptozookeeper and cryptid (an animal whose existence is disputed or unsubstantiated) rescuer Lauren Gray (Lake Bell) and her new cryptid understudy, Phoebe (the cleverly cast Angeliki Papoulia), a gorgon from Greek mythology (think: Medusa) who must tranquilize her snakes (read: hair) and hide them to fit in. She also has to cover and disguise her eyes to keep from turning others into stone.

Lauren and Phoebe are searching for the ethereal Japanese Baku, a pig-elephant-esque cryptid that emits hundreds of little smoky, pearlescent blue spirals and is known for its omnipotent ability to steal dreams a truly mindboggling creature. They intend to bring the Baku back to the cryptozoo, where it will be safe from deep state lackeys who want to capture it in order to mine its power for military use against the rising 1960s counterculture.

The stacked cast also features a unicorn-meddling hippie voiced by Michael Cera, a wheeling and dealing dive-bar Mr. Tumnus of sorts voiced by Peter Stormare, and more natural and supernatural oddities voiced by Grace Zabiskie, Jason Schwartzman, Thomas Jay Ryan, and Louisa Krause. They bring to mind acid-induced dream logic adventures like Belladonna of Sadness, Fantastic Planet, Yellow Submarine, and that banned Mormon cartoon from the 80s.

Its difficult to land on a lone descriptor that accurately captures the breadth of animated expression in the mythological menagerie that is Cryptozoo. However, any number of words would suffice to describe the experience as a whole: kaleidoscopic, hallucinatory, inventive words that could also apply to John Carroll Kirbys terrific score. The animation is, in Shaws own words, exploiting what drawing can do that live-action cant: depict[ing] what we cant see.

With inspiration from early 20th-century cartoonist Winsor McCay and other pioneers in the field, Shaw and Samborski took a new thin-line approach to Cryptozoo. From the first scenes skinny ribbons of red-blue forestry laid like neon over black slate, the animation of the couples second feature is very different from their 2016 debut, My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, the thick-black-lined subjects of which looked more like newspaper comic strip characters. Here, outlines are hardly traceable and sometimes invisible to the naked eye.

The near-absence of densely lined barriers between different styles of animation creates a flattening effect that miraculously renders everything on the same plane at once. It allows characters and settings to exist in a fluid transition of color from top to bottom and heightens the gorgeous, trippy aesthetic of the film. Rocks are painted like Pollocks, strewn globs of oil protruding from the surface. Cryptids and humans alike are painted with watercolors (almost all of them done by Samborski herself). Settings are comprised of wild patterns, texture swatches, pencil sketches, impressionistic creations, and so much more. Its insanely impressive, a full-force imagination. But where that nebulous energy thrives in the vast imagination of the animation, it sours in the stale narrative.

Unfortunately, and quite shockingly, another set of less desirable words would also suffice to describe the Cryptozoo experience: tiresome, aimless, strained. I want to be clear: these words do not apply to the animation, which remains wondrous throughout, but to the story at the center. But why? We travel from California to Florida to Kentucky and back with a pursuant sinister military head on our tail and a seemingly infinite cast of newly minted cryptids. On paper, it sounds like a rollercoaster. A seminal tarot card reading sequence stands out as one of the films most compelling. Yet, its those few compelling moments down the road that awaken the realization that, while transfixed with the morphing of colors and unfolding of textures that define Shaws idiosyncratic direction, the story is missing an emotional core.

Racism is paralleled through the tangled relationship between humans and cryptids. The sickening effects of capitalism on non-profit-pursuits-turned-profitable sit center stage thematically as Lauren begins to question the function of the cryptozoo/sanctuary/theme park and its effect on the cryptids on display after Phoebe expresses concerns. Theres no shortage of ambition in what Shaw tries to address in the story, but it feels inert and lacks a sense of navigation when it comes to tackling, or even just touching on, themes like racism, capitalism, and captivity. They fall woefully short of the gripping standard set by the animation.

The spoon-fed themes and narrative predictability can be summed up in an interaction between the naked free spirits that stumble onto the cryptozoo in the opening sequence. There could be magic here, or a utopia, the man says, already scaling the fence to see whats behind it. Utopias never work out, the woman replies in an all too heavy-handed, foreshadowing tone.

Films arent often fascinating and tedious at the same time, but consider the nature of the work, which feels more like wandering through a great museum than watching a movie at times. How often do you stare at your favorite artworks for ninety-five minutes uninterrupted? Or even thirty minutes? Barring outright obsession or a research initiative, it sounds a bit dull, no?

However, it would be ridiculous of me not to recommend it. At the end of the day, its a fever dream unlike any youve seen. It makes Fantastic Planet look tame. And in 2021, dreams are more important than ever. They form the collective imagination that drives us toward change. It is a singular vision such as this even if that singularity only occupies certain aspects of the film that draws out the real-world meaning at Cryptozoos core: Without dreams, there can be no future. And that is a nightmare.

Dash Shaws Sophomore Effort Cryptozoo Fascinates on the Surface - Film School Rejects

Makabayan bloc wants more heads to roll over red-tagging – Philstar.com

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

(Philstar.com) - January 28, 2021 - 5:34pm

MANILA, Philippines Unsatisfied with the firing of the militarys intelligence chief, lawmakers in the leftist Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives want more heads to roll over red-tagging.

Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela party-list) said Thursday that it is not enough for Maj. Gen. Alex Luna to be sacked as Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and the militarys southern Luzon commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. should also be fired.

"More heads must roll over this persistent and shameless red-tagging by the Duterte regime. Luna cannot be just a sacrificial lamb," she said.

Rep. Ferdinand Gaite (Bayan Muna party-list) backed this, adding that if Lorenzana is serious in exacting accountability over red-tagging, then he should dismantle the anti-communist task force created by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017.

Their spokesperson Parlade has been repeatedly making such blunders. He's been wrongly accusing anyone including activists, church leaders, celebrities and other personalities, and several academic institutions," Gaite said. They should have long been sacked.

Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers party-list), meanwhile, said red-tagging will persist despite Lunas firing unless the governments anti-communist task force is abolished and the highly-contested anti-terrorism law junked.

Lorenzana announced Thursday that he has fired Luna over a list of University of the Philippines students who were supposedly captured and killed by the military as communist rebels published on the Armed Forces of the Philippines Information Exchange Facebook page.

The list turned out to be false as those identified to have been captured or killed surfaced in a press conference to disprove the claims.

Lorenzana called the publication of the list an unforgivable lapse.

The Makabayan bloc has been repeatedly accused by government officials, including Duterte himself, as being fronts of communist rebels, despite not showing proof.

The six lawmakers in the bloc have routinely denied the accusations. Xave Gregorio

Originally posted here:

Makabayan bloc wants more heads to roll over red-tagging - Philstar.com

Stoke City bosss message to Tom Edwards as he heads to New York Red Bulls – Stoke-on-Trent Live

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Michael ONeill will be keeping watch of Tom Edwards progress at New York Red Bulls in hope that he can come back ready to fulfil his potential at Stoke City.

Edwards has returned from a loan at Fleetwood Town ready to head over to the United States for the rest of 2021, trying to make sure a career which started so young is going in the right direction.

The right-back, who has just turned 22, made his Premier League debut at 18 and is under contract at Stoke until 2024 and there is hope that this move and the chances and tests it presents will be a big step in his development.

O'Neill said: I spoke to Tom yesterday and I think its a good opportunity for him. He had a loan spell at Fleetwood which went relatively well although there was a bit of upheaval with the manager leaving just before the Christmas period.

This presents a different opportunity for Tom. Hes spent most of his career at Stoke, coming through the club as a local boy. This gives him an opportunity to see a different side of football away from Stoke and Stoke City.

Hes still on a lengthy contract and this is an important opportunity for him and one he should grasp with both hands.

Young Potters defender Nathan Collins is attracting plenty of transfer interest ahead of Monday night's deadline.

Arsenal, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Manchester United have all been touted as possible destinations.

In our daily Stoke City bulletin, we'll be bringing you any updates on Collins' future as well as other news, transfer features and comment pieces.

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Edwards had been the first of a star-studded Stoke youth team to make his senior breakthrough but while Tyrese Campbell and Harry Souttar are now first team regulars, he has not found it plain sailing over the last couple of years.

ONeill said: Young players have dips for various reasons. Tom was in the side when I came to the club but lost his place in the team.

I think at this stage of his career its very important for him to play.

Sometimes when players get to 28 or 29, sometimes that isnt the only factor and they make decisions based around their lives as much as anything, but in Toms situation he can make a purely football decision.

If he takes his opportunity and does well, well continue to monitor him in the MLS and hopefully he can come back and try to reignite his career here at Stoke City.

Edwardss exit this month follows his old Academy teammate Thibaud Verlinden and there could be more to come.

But, with four new signings in, there are not likely to be any coming the other way before the 11pm deadline on Monday.

ONeill said: I dont think well be adding to the squad in that period. Our main focus is on players leaving the club and players on the periphery of the team looking at opportunities elsewhere.

Thats something were only in control of to some extent and hopefully players will get the opportunity to kickstart their careers elsewhere.

Continued here:

Stoke City bosss message to Tom Edwards as he heads to New York Red Bulls - Stoke-on-Trent Live

Totally Not Fake News: The Force Behind It All – Battle Red Blog

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

PANDEMONIUM - Amid the sprawling fields of rocky terrain, with few distinguishing landmarks or features, there sits a massive stone complex, equivalent to the great fortresses of old. The exact features are tough to make out due to the haze, smoke and the interplay of fiery light and excessive darkness. It is here that we at Totally Not Fake News came to speak to the apparent power behind all the pratfalls that keep bedeviling the Texans as of late.

Funny that you used that word, noted our host, Lucifer. I dont know if I would quite say that, but ok, I get the literary turn of phrase. Despite our protests that we hadnt even thought of our writing, Lucifer chuckled Dont worry, it will be ok. I wont sue for libel just because you went with the unintentional pun.

Once we got our future editing out of the way, we started in with our questions about what role, if any, this entity had related to the chaotic situation associated with the Houston Texans, how a team that only 12 months ago held a 24 point lead in a divisional round playoff game, primed to host the first NFL conference title game in Houstons history. As we observed to our host in the midst of our research, we kept coming across some interesting names, such as Mephistopheles, Beelzebub and a Mr. Diabloespecially when looking at some very unique correspondence about deals where noted sports figures entered into unique contracts. Can you explain this?

Sheesh, this again? Alright, alright, Ill play along. So, as you know, I am a negotiator. Im always out to make a bargain, offering whatever you wantand usually for a relatively small, insignificant bit of personal collateral. Im no different than your usual rug merchant/car salesman, and way, way less pushy. So, I guess you would like some information?

After we presented him our research/documents for review, he then threw his head back in a hearty laugh Oh yes, I do love me some Houston-folk! Especially some of their owners/fans. Always love doing business with them! How many keep coming to me asking for my help, and all for my usual, small-ish terms? At this point, it is way too numerous to count. Ok, so I think I see where you are going with thisbut I will allow this line of questioning to continue.

Despite getting a little unnerved, we forged on So, what role do you have with the current situation with the Texans?

(Lucifer) So direct. No subtly, no build-up to establish reparteeI guess the modern media has gotten out of hand. Ok, well, the direct answer isI dont have ANYTHING to do with the current state of the team. Their poor record, the fact that they couldnt stop a decent high school offense, that their front office is a cluster[kitten] of a $hitshow in a raging dumpster fire (I believe the right way to use such terms)no, I didnt MAKE that happen. That is all your teams leadership.

Yet, we kept pressing. Well, can you help us understand? You see, there is this one document here from [total name illegible], but it basically says Can you help us? We are so close to being a Super Bowl winning team, so close to sticking it to Dallas. We just need a franchise quarterback. Help us, and I will pay your bill.

Replied our host, Oh, that one? Well, that DID come from someone in the Texans organization. Yeah, that was back sometime around 2017 I thinkyep, definitely 2017, so we made the deal, and I obliged. Did the Texans not get that franchise quarterback?

(Totally Not Fake News) Well, yes, they did draft Watson and he has played pretty well for the team. However, it feels like nothing has gone right since then. We are pretty sure that the individual in question wanted to actually WIN a Super Bowl!

(Lucifer) Did they? You see, they only asked to get a franchise quarterback. They never asked for an ACTUAL championship. So, the team had a franchise quarterback. Now, as for everything else

(Totally Not Fake News) So, are you saying that you are behind all of the failures since 2017?

(Lucifer) Do I look like the GM, the Head Coach, the owner, for the Texans? No, I am notbut now that you mention it, I kinda recall a few things back some time ago, maybeoh, thats right, 2019. This one guy comes in, one of those preachy types, my personal favorites. Anyway, he tries to challenge me, saying that he can withstand me, casting me out or whatever. Well, I am generally a live and let live type of guy. Unless you ask, and I am always willing for others to ask, I tend to stay out. Well, this guy just kept calling me out. Day after day, minute after minute. Sometimes, it just gets too much. So, I place a call towelluh, I dont really like to talk about that. Very, very sore subject, my relations with myuhcounterpart. Im like Hey [name redacted at request of interviewee], you remember that bet thing we did some time back, to test that one dudes faith and allwell, anyway, do you want to give it another go? Got this one guy, a real bloviating douche who will NOT SHUT UP about me! Look, I know we have the whole free will thing, but cmon, this guy is just asking for it.

Lucifer continued Now, I didnt expect an answer fromHim, but yet, I actually got word back the next day. Interestingly enough, [Name redacted at request of interviewee] indicated that he was actually getting tired of that one team, and wanted to start shaking things up for them, so hes like Ok, hes yours. Have fun. Gotta lesson or three to teach some folks up north. So, game on!!!

As we processed this information, the Morning Star noted Well, it was really quite easy. I only had to just trigger a little bit of temptation, getting this guy to think Hey, Ive been around football players. I can do this. Heck, I can do the Coach/GM job. I can do this all. Once I set that in motion, it has been working like a charm. Of course, the real work was by this guy. Ya know, it is not quite as fun as I would hope. I suppose I should have let the Texans get further along in their adventures before sparking the preachy guy, but they were so small time in their asks. Besides, this holy guy was really so small potatoesnot really worthy of an epic fall.

Small time? we asked.

(Lucifer) Sure. You see, Houston has not shortage of folks ask for my help. Most however just dont know how to ask the right questions. I need to know exactly what you really want. Except that one guy for the recent Astros. He at least had the wherewithal to ask for an actual championship. Most just ask for something, like just get the Astros to their 1st World Series appearance or Just give the Rockets home-court advantage against the Warriors or even Just give the Oilers the chance to forget that botched game in Denver/Buffalo and after they make the deal, I give them that. I dont say what happens after that fact. I am an entity that fulfills his contract. Nothing more, nothing less.

Interesting we noted.

(Lucifer) Now, I have answered all of your questions? Me, Stalin, Hitler and Mao have a tee time at Trumps new Styx Doral Course in 30 minutes.

(Totally Not Fake News) Well, we actually have quite a few. For one, we kinda thought you would, ya know, have three heads or some-

(Lucifer) [KITTENING] STOP RIGHT THERE!!! That mother[kittener]! Ever since that Florentine jerk came down here, he has made my life Hell. Ya see, if you force me to reference him, I turn into a three-headed beast, forced to chow down on a few arch-traitors. You know how bad that tastes? Especially after you have to do that over the centuries? Even after I spat out those Roman guys and got Benedict Arnold and Jeff Davis, it is still vile. Plus, it takes forever to change back. I tend to like the Milton version. Not quite as painful on the body (or the pallet).

(Totally Not Fake News) Milton? You mean like The Devils Advocate?

(Lucifer) No, you idiot! Milton, the English poet. And while I admire Pacino, he is way too yell-y for me. Actually, I think I like the TV series a bit more. Always seem to make better deals when people think I look like that.

(Totally Not Fake News) Interesting. So, you must see a lot of folks from Houstons past. Say, would you happen to know if a certain ex-owner

(Lucifer) MaybeWhats is worth to you to find out if he is or is not here? I only as a simple price.

(Totally Not Fake News) On second thought, maybe not. Well pass for now.

(Lucifer) You sure? Well, suit yourself.

As we rapidly left our hosts residence, which somehow started to look more like a snakes den as we left, we continue to try to understand what transpired. Perhaps it is true that divine forces are at play behind the struggles of not just the Texans, but of the general situation for Houston sports. Normally, we at Totally Not Fake News subscribe to facts and logic and do not give credence to the spiritual world (especially since our prayer entreaties and live chicken sacrifices did not yield that billion-dollar jackpot last weekend). However, there is so much happening that mere logic is at a loss to explain. Perhaps it is the case. Still, we will continue to monitor the situation and determine just what is at the cause of the issues with the Texans and hopefully, what can be the cure.

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Totally Not Fake News: The Force Behind It All - Battle Red Blog

Online Poker Launches In Michigan Friday Morning – CardPlayer.com

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Online poker launched in Michigan Friday morning after state regulators approved a gaming license for the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians.

The tribe, which runs Odawa Casino in Petoskey, partnered with PokerStars to operate online poker in Michigan. With the Michigan Gaming Control Board officially giving them an online license, PokerStars launched its Michigan platform at 11 a.m., according to a report from The Detroit News.

Along with the tribe, the board awarded licenses to Detroits Greektown Casino, which partnered with Penn Gamings Barstool Sportsbook & Casino to offer online gambling. Fox Bet, PokerStars sports betting platform, also launched with the license given to the Odawa Indians.

Michigans online gambling market launched last week, but the operators who received licenses did not have an online poker platform or a partner with one, leaving the initial launch reserved for other online casino games and sports betting.

PokerStars is the only operator in Michigan so far. BetMGM Poker, which has an obvious partnership with the MGM Detroit, could be the second to launch.

PokerStars now has operations in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania. With the recent ruling on the Wire Act, which allowed for most forms of interstate online gambling, and Gov. Whitmer signing a bill that would allow for online operators to join shared player pools, it opens a very real possibility for Stars to combine its player pools in all three states.

That law has not gone into effect yet, however, and would also need an agreement from the other states involved before it is launched.

Pennsylvania regulators were reportedly awaiting a ruling on the Wire Act before allowing operators from its state to join shared player pools. Some media outlets have reported that Michigan regulators are already in talks with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and could see a compact between the states by the end of 2021.

Kevin Mathers, the information coordinator for PokerAtlas, tweeted screenshots of the sites platform shortly after the initial launch.

About an hour after its rollout, there were no-limit holdem cash games running at the $.01-$.02, $.25-$.50 and $.50-$1 stakes. Tables were available all the way up to $25-$50, but nobody was sitting. There were also several tournaments scheduled for the first day of operation, with buy-ins ranging from $3 to $30.

Continued here:

Online Poker Launches In Michigan Friday Morning - CardPlayer.com

Is There A Future for Nationwide Online Gaming and Poker in the US? – Poker News Daily

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

With the complete changeover in the federal government in Washington, D. C., many have begun to float the trial balloon that there could be changes in the way online gaming and poker are viewed by the government. Added into this fact is the recent passing of one of online gamings most vocal opponents, the late Las Vegas Sands Corporation founder Sheldon Adelson. There are many moving cogs in this machine, however, and to think that there will be any immediate change in the situation might be just wishful thinking.

Despite Appearances, No Change in Federal Stance

At this point, the U. S. Department of Justice is working off the premise that online gaming is against the law because of the Wire Act of 1961. That law, initially established to prevent the Mafia from using phone lines to transmit sports bets, was used for 50 years as an explanation for preventing online gaming from taking place. But that was changed, reversed, and reversed again in just the last decade.

In 2011, the Office of Legal Counsel for the DoJ ruled that the Wire Act only applied to sports betting, which threw the floodgates open for the creation of intrastate online gaming. Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware quickly jumped on this bandwagon in 2013, but thats where the rush stopped. It would take four long years before another entity joined in with those three states the state of Pennsylvania and the Chinese Water Torture has continued since.

But the last presidential administration tried to throw cold water on the issue of online gambling. In a 2018 ruling from that administrations Office of Legal Counsel, the Wire Act was once again introduced as the standing law, overriding the previous decision. Now, that decision has been overturned.

Earlier in January, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned that viewpoint, ruling that the New Hampshire Lottery Commission could continue to sell lottery tickets. With the ascension of Joe Biden to the Presidency, it is unknown as to whether the DoJ will continue to pursue the issue regarding the enforcement of the Wire Act. What is known is that, for the moment, the 2011 decision by the Office of Legal Counsel is the standing opinion of the legal profession.

Continued Fluctuations and Bigger Issues

The continued fluctuations in the legal opinions are one of the reasons that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hasnt pursued a compact with any other operations. The law, as it was interpreted by the previous administration, made it illegal to even conduct online gaming. As it is allegedly interpreted now, there are still questions as to the legality of online gaming compacts, or the ability of states to partner together to offer gaming across borders, which would be crucial for the success of online poker.

Even with that said, however, the drive to push for online gaming regulations on the federal level just isnt there. Opposition to the federal efforts might have been removed with the passing of the anti-online gambling Adelson (the company now allegedly is looking into getting into the online gaming market in Nevada themselves), but there are still several strong opponents that would try to prevent online gaming and poker. Supposed family organizations (Focus on the Family prominently) and freedom oriented groups (Let Freedom Ring comes up in the anti-online gaming camp) are still against the industry, while Adelsons Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling is still out there, despite Adelsons death.

Then there is the simple fact that the Biden Administration has several more pressing issues on the table than whether people can put a bet down online. The continued COVID pandemic, financial and medical assistance for those affected by the virus, international relations and a highly wounded nation (especially after the insurrection of January 6) all might take a bit more precedence than my being able to check-raise an opponent while I hold the nuts. And this doesnt count the potential problems lurking in the future.

The federal government just needs to let the issue of online gaming be arbitrated by the states. They should also allow for these states to be able to reach business decisions between each other without threat of federal action (much like the feds have done with marijuana laws on a state-by-state basis). Even though there have been some changes for the positive, dont expect massive changes such as a bill for the federal regulation of online gaming to happen, even under the Biden Administration.

Originally posted here:

Is There A Future for Nationwide Online Gaming and Poker in the US? - Poker News Daily

4th Annual Ace of Hearts Poker Run benefiting the American Heart Association – WKRG News 5

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

The annual WKRG News 5 Ace of Hearts Poker Run. Choose your route, start at either Harley Davidson of Pensacola or the Main Event Club in Theodore. All bikers meet up at the Flora-Bama for the after party. All of the money raised stays local for the American Heart Association.

REGISTRATION: Saturday February 20th at 9AM CST at either The Main Event Club in Theodore or Harley-Davidson of Pensacola

KICKSTANDS UP BY 11 AMLAST BIKE IN AT Flora-Bama 3 PM

ALL VEHICLES WELCOME, NO MOTORCYCLE NECESSARY!$25 to register

Pre-Register Below and Get a Free Patch:

Alabama Side

Florida Side

Alabama Stops: Starting Point: The Main Event Club, Theodore

Stop 1: Richs Car Wash, Dauphin Island ParkwayStop 2: Baldwin County Victory PolarisStop 3: Wacked Out Weiner, FoleyEnding Point: Flora-Bama

Florida Stops: Starting Point: Harley Davidson of Pensacola

Stop 1: Detail Garage PensacolaStop 2: Richs Car Wash, PensacolaStop 3: Costellos Italian DeliEnding Point: Flora-Bama

Online poker in the cards for North Dakota? – INFORUM

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, introduced on Jan. 14 House Concurrent Resolution 3012, which would put a measure to allow the internet game on the 2022 general election ballot. If the measure is approved by the Legislature and gets a simple majority from voters, the state Constitution would change, and the process of how to bring online poker to North Dakota would begin.

The country is just going more and more into gaming online, Kasper said Thursday, Jan. 21. Lets not leave North Dakota as one of the few states that doesnt allow it.

Kasper said he played poker as a kid, but he became interested again when he saw the World Series of Poker on TV in 2003. It wasnt the typical five card draw he knew. Instead, it was Texas Hold em, which became increasingly popular in the 2000s.

After playing himself, he read in a magazine about the prospect of internet poker. That led to him drafting legislation in 2005 that would have legalized online poker in the state through a constitutional amendment.

The poker industry worldwide was watching my bill, he said.

The amendment passed the House but got a bad flop while in the Senate. The U.S. Justice Department opined that internet gambling of any kind was illegal, thanks to the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 that prohibited betting or wagering over wire communications.

The constitutional amendment was busted when the Senate voted it down 43-3.

The Justice Department has flipped in its opinion on whether online card gambling is allowed, with the latest stance in 2019 stating the Wire Acts ban applies to all forms of internet gambling, and not just sports.

The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week against the Justice Department, saying the Wire Act does not apply to nonsports betting.

At least five states Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan have legalized online poker. Kasper said he wanted to introduce the legislation again to see where it goes.

The legislation in North Dakota does not give details on how the game would be taxed or managed. It simply would allow voters to decide if online poker can occur in the state and if North Dakota would license and regulate the game.

Details on taxation and management would come later. The Legislature would set up a committee in 2023 or future sessions to figure out the details if voters approve the measure.

Its possible the state could join a group of states, he said.

There would be a lot of work that goes into it, he said.

Its unclear how much income online poker would draw from North Dakota. The poker industry estimated the 2005 legislation would have stacked up $500 million in annual taxes, with 80% going to reduce property taxes, Kasper said. Annual property taxes back then averaged about $400 million, he added.

Typically, proceeds from gambling in North Dakota go to "educational, charitable, patriotic, fraternal, religious or other public-spirited uses," according to state law.

Kasper said he hasnt been able to gauge support in the Legislature, but the proposed measure has sponsorship from both Republicans and Democrats.

Its just a game I enjoy, I think other people should have the opportunity to play it as well, he said.

Fed Needs a Poker Face to Avoid Taper Tell – The Wall Street Journal

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

The first rule of tapering is dont talk about tapering anytime soon.

Federal Reserve policy makers probably think the prospects for the economy in 2021 look significantly better than they did when they gathered mid-December. For now, though, the economy is facing the surge in Covid-19 cases that began last fall, along with the related stepped up caution and restrictions. Following their two-day meeting Wednesday, they focused on the downside.

They noted in their post-meeting statement that the recovery in the economy and job market has slowed. They again committed to keeping rates near zero until the labor market is tight and inflation has obviously cleared its 2% target rate, and to keep buying $80 billion in Treasurys and $40 billion in mortgage bonds per month until substantial further progress has been made toward those goals.

Yet though the economy has weakened in recent months, economists have been raising their growth forecasts. Following the Feds December meeting, for example, economists at JPMorgan Chase reckoned that in the fourth-quarter of 2021, gross domestic product would be 3.4% above its year-earlier level. Since then, they have raised that forecast to 5.4%.

There are multiple forces driving the improved outlook. First, there is the Covid-19 relief package that was passed late last year. Its extension of jobless benefits, renewed support for small businesses and the direct payments it provided to many Americans assuaged concerns that GDP might actually contract in the first quarter relative to the fourth. Second, with Democrats gaining control of the Senate, another round of fiscal support is looking likely in the months ahead. Throw in expectations that enough people will be vaccinated for life to take on some semblance of normal later this year, and things start looking pretty rosy.

Continue reading here:

Fed Needs a Poker Face to Avoid Taper Tell - The Wall Street Journal

Is online poker in the cards for North Dakota? – The Dickinson Press

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, introduced on Jan. 14 House Concurrent Resolution 3012, which would put a measure to allow the Internet game on the 2022 general election ballot. If the measure is approved by the Legislature and gets a simple majority from voters, the state Constitution would change, and the process of how to bring online poker to North Dakota would begin.

The country is just going more and more into gaming online, Kasper said Thursday, Jan. 21. Lets not leave North Dakota as one of the few states that doesnt allow it.

After playing himself, he read in a magazine about the prospect of Internet poker. That led to him drafting legislation in 2005 that would have legalized online poker in the state through a constitutional amendment.

The poker industry worldwide was watching my bill, he said.

The amendment passed the House but got a bad flop while in the Senate. The U.S. Justice Department opined that Internet gambling of any kind was illegal, thanks to the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 that prohibited betting or wagering over wire communications.

The constitutional amendment was busted when the Senate voted it down 43-3.

The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week against the Justice Department, saying the Wire Act does not apply to nonsports betting.

At least five states Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan have legalized online poker. Kasper said he wanted to introduce the legislation again to see where it goes.

Details on taxation and management would come later. The Legislature would set up a committee in 2023 or future sessions to figure out the details if voters approve the measure.

Its possible the state could join a group of states, he said.

There would be a lot of work that goes into it, he said.

Typically, proceeds from gambling in North Dakota go to "educational, charitable, patriotic, fraternal, religious or other public-spirited uses," according to state law.

Kasper said he hasnt been able to gauge support in the Legislature, but the proposed measure has sponsorship from both Republicans and Democrats.

Its just a game I enjoy, I think other people should have the opportunity to play it as well, he said.

Readers can reach Forum News Service reporter April Baumgarten at 701-241-5417 or follow her on Twitter @aprilbaumsaway.

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Is online poker in the cards for North Dakota? - The Dickinson Press

This Week in Poker Podcasts – Pokerfuse

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

242 Mike and Steve

We have a brand new guest on the In it to Win it podcast, Mr. Mike Sneideman! Mike has extensive experience in hosting podcasts due to his endeavors with a popular poker podcast which aired until late 2020. Steve and Mike are discussing the latest happening, which, as usual, includes a review of Mikes life choices. The dynamic duo are trying to make sense of this crazy world and bringing in a mix of pozitivity and cynicism into 2021. You can get in touch with Steve Barton on Twitter here!

View the complete archives of Heads Up Poker Podcast in the directory

Our first episode of 2021 stars Italian high stakes crusher Mustapha Kanit. We welcome Grosvenor pro Katie Swift. In strategy corner, we welcome back our good friend and newly crowned WPT champion Soheb Porbandarwala. Paul Seaton joins us to talk about 'Poker On Screen. Weve got guest news-lady Kat Arnsby with all the news and results!

View the complete archives of The Chip Race Poker Podcast in the directory

This week, Jim Reid leads the panel through a forum post by @Michael about a tricky spot with JJ. While battling it out against each other in the nightly home game, the panel discusses calling versus raising, stack sizes, preflop shoving ranges, and how there is no 'right way to pay JJ preflop!

View the complete archives of Rec Poker Podcast in the directory

Jennifer Shahade invites a longtime friend on a very special episode of Ladies Knight: US Chess Creative Director Frankie Butler. The talented designer and art director talks to Jennifer about her expanding role at US Chess and her passion for design and graphics. Jennifer and Frankie even reveal how their own friendship predates their work

View the complete archives of Ladies Knight in the directory

On this episode of the Tournament Poker Edge Podcast, Clayton discusses the current online series running on WSOP.com, shares some news about some positive good news from the courts regarding online poker, give a quick update on Polk vs. Negreanu and of course reviews a recent hand in the strategy segment.

View the complete archives of The Tournament Poker Edge Podcast in the directory

Todays guest on the Chasing Poker Greatness podcast is WSOP gold bracelet winner and high stakes crusher/degen Alex Thallo Epstein.Thallo and I recently met while providing commentary in the Polk vs Negreanu challenge over on the Solve For Why YouTube, and it quickly became obvious to me that I had to get this dude onto the podcast.Hes a hilarious and high intelligent human being who has absolutely no fear in speaking his mindWhich means youre about to hear some amazing behind-the-scenes high stakes poker stories.

View the complete archives of Chasing Poker Greatness in the directory

Show Notes for this episode: https://www.smartpokerstudy.com/pod323 Hosted by Sky Matsuhashi, poker player, coach and author. Check out my YouTube Poker Training Channel Enable my Daily Poker Tips Alexa Skill for a daily 30-second poker tip in your Flash Briefing.

View the complete archives of Smart Poker Study Podcast in the directory

This week, Jack Hardcastle is locked in and hiding out in what looks like a church for this controversial episode of 'The Lock-In.

Joining our hosts Dara and David, Jack fires lots of shots, not least in the direction of Unibet Ambassador and 'The Chip Race newsman Ian Simpson. Of course, thats right after the fresh-faced assassin does a little bit of bragging about his recent $270,000 score in the Blowout Series. (Ambassador material, Unibet?)

The trio say goodbye to billionaire casino magnate, Republican mega-donor and online pokers public enemy #1 Sheldon Adelson. They pay their actual respects to Chris Moneymaker as he departs Pokerstars after 17 years and chat about the rumour that he is bound for ACR.

The conversation then switches to subject of coaching as both Dara and Jack weigh in on what qualities and skillsets are required to be a good coach in the current paradigm. There are some quick takes on Tony Gs imminent return to poker, his role in the poker media landscape and the news that MGM Resorts have made an $8.1 Billion offer for Entain plc, the parent company of Partypoker.

The lads finish up with not one but two nuggets of strategy, one thats particularly pertinent to the upcoming Unibet PKO Series.

View the complete archives of The Chip Race Poker Podcast in the directory

In the latest edition of the PokerNews Podcast, Jeff Platt, Chad Holloway, and Sarah Herring welcome 15-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth to the show to talk NFL Playoffs. He talks about his favorite sports bets, makes picks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills Kansas City Chiefs, and shares why hes been so successful with his Pick of the Week this season.

View the complete archives of PokerNews Podcast in the directory

JAN. 22 POKERCAST RECAP: The World Poker Tour gets sold yet again; Michigan launches online gaming, sans poker for now, and Mike Postle is back in the news. We have one poker room reopening, a new OMallys Move and Paul Garritsons second Hand of the Week is 10-10.

View the complete archives of Ante Up! Pokercast in the directory

In the first episode of 2021, Joe talks openly and honestly about the ongoing issues with his voice and his need for surgery and his demand that people dont send him messages of sympathy! On a more positive note, he reveals that hes been running well in box breaks (and explains what a box break is for Jamess benefit). The primary focus of this weeks podcast is the #BlowoutSeries, as the boys look back at their series of live streams covering the High Rollers and Big Blowouts.

View the complete archives of Poker In The Ears in the directory

Late in an EPT, a pro finds himself in a precarious spot against an unpredictable player. Is high variance the way to go?

FLOP: 2h 6d 9d TURN: 2s RIVER: 4h

Dietrich: AhKd Kolkowicz: KsQd

For access to exclusive Poker Guys freerolls and other tournaments on Nitrogen Sports Poker Room, use this link to sign up: http://www.nitrogensports.eu/r/632610

***Our Book is NOW AVAILABLE! Get How Can He Fold??? here: http://www.thepokerguys.net

View the complete archives of The Breakdown Podcast with The Poker Guys in the directory

Todays guest on the Chasing Poker Greatness podcast is high stakes mixed-game player Mike Noori.You may remember Mike from a bet that went viral on poker Twitter a few years back where he bet he could eat more than $1,000 worth of McDonalds food in 36 hours which, as Jimmy Fricke pointed out, would have been 66,000 calories.

View the complete archives of Chasing Poker Greatness in the directory

Jennifer welcomes WSOP bracelet winner Alex Epstein aka Thallo Poker to the poker GRID to discuss a thrilling hand with nine-six offsuit. This hand comes from the 2019 10K short deck event, which Alex won for $296,000. It was the first World Series of Poker Event that used the short deck, or a 36 card

View the complete archives of The Grid in the directory

On episode #21 of the CardsChat podcast we have the pleasure of welcoming Kara Scott. A longtime veteran in poker broadcasting, presenting, and hosting, Kara has also represented numerous brands as an ambassador, and shes currently with 888poker. Whats certain is that no matter what camera shes in front of, patch shes sporting, or microphone she holds, shes always a wonderful representative for our game. During this show, well get to know her a little better.

View the complete archives of Cards Chat in the directory

This Week On DAT Poker Pod: Daniel, Adam and Terrence are back with: 0:05 Intros DNegs post match blow up 4:40 Reactions to Sheldon Adelsons death 13:57 Heads Up Feud Update: They both think they run worse! Daniel is willing to bet that he is. (17:20) 35:47 Latest High Stakes Poker Episode Updates $1M Pot 38:25 GG Masters Turns 1 Year Old 42:06 Tweets Astrology Or Trump? DN vs Hellmuth Heads Up Challenge? 51:00 Crazy Hand vs Polk 58:05 How DNegs Would Do Heads Up vs Ivey 1:06:00 Daniels First Chess Tournament 1:13:18 VoiceMail Question Voicemail Line (1.775.434.2932) Send us emails for an upcoming episode: [emailprotected] https://twitter.com/ASchwartzPoker https://twitter.com/@tchanpoker https://twitter.com/@RealKidPoker https://twitter.com/@ProducerRoss

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Lexy Gavin is a professional poker player, coach, and speaker. She was rated the #1 woman player at the WSOP in 2019 and recently the GPI Female Player of the Year for 2020. She will soon be launching her own training site after spending years working with other training sites such as pokercoaching.com

View the complete archives of Rec Poker Podcast in the directory

The guys talk about the death of online poker opponent Sheldon Adelson and pass along the views of long-time poker media guru Nolan Dalla and his battles with the Venetian owner. BIG Dave evaluates the early action of the Lucky Hearts tournament and looks ahead to the start of online poker in Michigan this month

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(Topic begins at 0:14:57 mark): Mike Postles attorney Steven Lowe dismissed by judge as his counsel, Veronica Brill files anti-SLAPP motion.. (0:36:29): Sheldon Adelson dead at age 87. (1:04:05): Netherlands woman releases gender neutral playing cards.... (1:31:26): Annie Duke featured in cringey Forbes article.

View the complete archives of Poker Fraud Alert in the directory

In this weeks (Not So) Tactical Tuesday Coach Brad & Coach Thomas tackle mindset and risk.What does it mean if youre too risk averse or too risk inclined? How aggressive should you be with your bankroll? Can being too nitty actually hold back your progress?Coach Brad & Coach Thomas share their thoughts as well as some behind-the-scenes stories of their personal poker journeys.To join the CPG private community where you can interact with the CPG coaches as well as access exclusive content, visit https://chasingpokergreatness.com/VIP and join the VIP newsletter.

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Four time World Poker Tour Champions Cup winner Darren Elias joins us on the latest episode of First Flag. Darren talks about earning his FF in Melbourne, how he wants to head to Barcelona next and the fact that he didnt know about string bets when he got his start!

View the complete archives of GPITHM Podcast Network in the directory

Bernard Lee brings you part two of his 2020 year in review and also chats with Matt Waxman of Pokerithm.

View the complete archives of Bernard Lee Poker Show in the directory

After starting off with a brief catch-up about their latest activities the hosts, MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach & Educator Dr. Tricia Cardner, turned to answering a listener question about what to do when youre not feeling motivated due to running bad and not being able to play much. T

View the complete archives of Poker On The Mind in the directory

Legendary 500 ZOOM streamer GingePoker shares his insights on what it takes to succeed in the modern climate and recounts some high-stakes Macau cash game stories for you entertainment.

View the complete archives of Carrot Poker in the directory

Lasik surgery is complete and Andrew discusses all the details. Was it painful? How is his recovery going? How is his vision?The post What Laser Eye Surgery Is Really Like appeared first on Tells Podcast.

View the complete archives of Tells in the directory

Bryn Kenney faces a HUGE bet from Rock Solomon on the new High Stakes Poker, and Bryn has a pretty damn good hand. Can Bryn really consider folding to the notoriously erratic Solomon? The guys break it down.

FLOP: 4d 5c 7c TURN: 8c River: As

Bryn: 5h5d Rick: 6c6h

Thrive Fantasy: Use promo code PG50 when you sign up today and you will receive an instant match up to $50 on your first deposit! (with 4x rollover)t

View the complete archives of The Breakdown Podcast with The Poker Guys in the directory

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This Week in Poker Podcasts - Pokerfuse

888 Executive: US Online Poker to Benefit from Latest Wire Act Ruling – Casino.Org News

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Posted on: January 25, 2021, 03:52h.

Last updated on: January 25, 2021, 09:55h.

A recent federal appeals courts decision against a Trump Administration-era opinion on the Wire Act will almost certainly lead to exponential growth in online poker in the US. Thats according to 888 Holdings Yaniv Sherman, who talked with Casino.org after the ruling.

Currently, only Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey participate in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association. That allows sites, such as WSOP.com, to operate in those states to have players play against each other. That connectivity allowed the World Series of Poker to hold the first two days of its COVID-forced hybrid-format Main Event in both New Jersey and Nevada last month.

Theres interest among other states in joining the group. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed a shared liquidity gaming bill into law a couple of weeks ago. Pennsylvanias expanded gaming legislation passed in 2017 would allow the state to enter the multi-state compact. However, Pennsylvania and other states have been hesitant to join. Thats due in large part to the Wire Act opinion the Department of Justice posted for review in 2018.

Before then, the 1961 law had been accepted as having a narrow application for using communications devices to transmit sports betting information across state lines. Trumps Department of Justice sought to expand the scope of the law to apply to other forms of gaming. However, that led to the successful lawsuit filed by the New Hampshire Lottery Corp.

As President Biden was sworn into office on the day of the First Circuit Court of Appeals decision, it seems unlikely that an appeal to the Supreme Court will take place, as the new president was cool to the idea of an expanded Wire Act scope.

Sherman, who serves as a senior vice president for 888 and head of its US division, noted that online poker in New Jersey generated about $38 million in revenue for licensees. In neighboring Pennsylvania, where, for now, players can only compete against others in the state, poker sites made $36 million.

Combined, New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware have a population of slightly less than 13 million. Thats roughly the same size as Pennsylvania. Add in Michigans 10 million residents, and Sherman said the pool of players becomes quite sizeable.

And while the expansion of gaming may have a cannibalizing effect to some extent as other states approve sports betting and consider iGaming, Sherman said that wont happen with online poker.

With poker, its a net positive for everybody because it continues to grow, Sherman told Casino.org. If you have those (five) states, it could be well north of $200-$250 million in the short term.

And if youre looking at the 2025 joint projections that weve seen from Morgan Stanley and other reputable analysts and banks, youre talking about the gaming market being worth anywhere between $10 to $12 billion in 2025. Then I would argue that poker out of that should be well-positioned for about a 10 percent share, he continued.

With the favorable Wire Act ruling, Sherman hopes it will lead to more progress on the iGaming front. It may lead to West Virginia, another state with iGaming, to become part of the multi-state network. Elsewhere, nine operators in Michigan launched their casino apps this past weekend, and other states like Indiana have filed bills to allow online poker and casino gaming.

With more liquidity and more states, we can offer an amazing customer experience across the nation, he said. Were very excited about this. I mean, its been something weve been waiting for for a very long time.

While 888 operates its own online gaming websites, it also serves as a back-end provider platform provider as well.

The day before the Wire Act ruling, 888 and Caesars Interactive Entertainment announced a multi-year extension of their business-to-business partnership. The deal means 888 will continue to provide the platform for Caesars WSOP.com poker room.

With the extension in place, Caesars is looking to expand its online iGaming and poker network into other states.

In addition, 888 plans to roll out its Poker 8 platform in the US because of the deal. Sherman said the new platform will offer benefits across the board for players of all skill levels. That includes more mobile functionality to allow players to play more games on their phone or iPad and multitask easier while playing.

We added a portrait mode, which was important for players, because we realized that they wanted to be able to play with just one hand, he said.

The new platform also includes responsible gaming enhancements to ensure players are playing within their means.

Sherman noted 888 officially launched in Europe in November and said players liked using the new platform.

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888 Executive: US Online Poker to Benefit from Latest Wire Act Ruling - Casino.Org News

Justice Kagan: Poker Shark – Above the Law

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Justice Kagan watching you go all in with a 2-7 offsuit.

A couple days ago on Jeopardy, attorney Stephen Newman, who introduced himself as originally from New Hartford, New York, but currently serving in the Los Angeles office for Stroock, tried his hand at taking down reigning champ, Eimer Stahl attorney Brian Chang.

Chang prevailed over second-place Newman, but the L.A. lawyer left us with an anecdote about playing poker against Justice Elena Kagan while she was a professor at the University of Chicago Law School. Jess Bravin cuts to the chase of Newmans story:

Unfortunately, that video appears to be gone, but you get the gist of the story.

Kagans poker acumen isnt news to me. A friend of mine who was very good at calculating odds himself told me years ago that while he went to Princeton, he played in a regular poker game with fellow students Elena Kagan and Eliot Spitzer. And while the latter preferred to take different gambles in his career, the players were apparently fairly accomplished back then so its unsurprising that Kagan is still whipping people today.

So remember, if youre ever arguing before the Supreme Court, dont read too much into one justices poker face.

Joe Patriceis a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free toemail any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him onTwitterif youre interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

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Justice Kagan: Poker Shark - Above the Law

The FIVES Poker Podcast: WPT in the Headlines, Polk Tilts Negreanu – PocketFives

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Hosted by Lance Bradley and Donnie Peters, The Fives Poker Podcast runs each week and covers the latest poker news, preview upcoming events, and debate the hottest topics in poker.

A busy week in the poker world gives Lance and Donnie plenty to discuss on this episode of The FIVES Poker Podcast.

For the first time in nearly a year, the World Poker Tour crowned a new champion in a live venue with a nearly record-sized field turning up for the Lucky Hearts Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock. That wasnt the only headline that the World Poker Tour found itself in this week. The company was sold to an investment firm for more than $78 million and they also announced a new online series with a brand new partner.

The Doug Polk vs. Daniel Negreanu Challenge is nearly 80% complete with Polk bringing a new strategy to the table that seems to have tilted his opponent. Polk maintains his position as the leader but a big win by Negreanu has given his fans and backers some hope.

The guys also discuss the ending of the Phil Galfond vs. Chance Kornuth match in the Galfond Challenge, the Winamax Team Pro who qualifies for dumbest multi-accounter of all time, and give American online poker players some hope for a brighter future.

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The FIVES Poker Podcast: WPT in the Headlines, Polk Tilts Negreanu - PocketFives

Partypoker US Network Posts Big Online Poker Revenue Gains in New Jersey During the Final Quarter of 2020 – Pokerfuse

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

Online poker revenues in New Jersey for the month of December have been released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, and that means we have the full-year data for 2020.

Combined, the three online poker operators generated just over $3 million in revenue in December, marking a 74% increase over 2019 and an all-time high for December in New Jerseys seven-year history.

It continues the ten-month streak of year-over-year growth of at least 50% following the outbreak of COVID-19 which has helped fuel New Jerseys online poker market which otherwise had been declining since 2016.

All combined, the three online poker rooms namely WSOP.com operating on the 888poker network under Caesars license, PokerStars NJ under Resorts and the partypoker US Network under the Borgata license brought in nearly $40 million in 2020.

This is by far the most revenue reported in a single year, beating the previous record of 2014 when online poker rooms collected $29 million in revenue.

All operators enjoyed gains year-over-year, but the partypoker US Network which recently has been the smallest of the three was the standout in 2020.

Of all three operators offering online poker in New Jersey, the partypoker US Network comprising three skins: partypoker NJ, BorgataPoker and BetMGM saw the best growth in 2020.

Particularly, in the last quarter of 2020, the online poker rooms under the Borgata license reported the biggest annual increase in revenues, going up by 101.5%.

In comparison, WSOP.com saw growth of 53%, and PokerStars NJ grew by 46% in Q4.

Online poker under the Borgata license exceeded $1 million in monthly revenue for the first time since May and only the third time this year.

In fact, it did so well it not only leaped over Resorts in absolute revenue but also almost surpassed Caesars to take the pole position in the market.

It ended up accounting for 35% market share which is by far its largest in a long period and the closest it has come in leading the market. In November, it represented only 29% of the market.

The upward trajectory was primarily bolstered by the WPT Online Poker Open held last month boasting a record-breaking $1 million in guarantees. The $3500 buy-in tournament ended up attracting 395 entries to build a prize pool of $1,264,000 the largest in the history of the partypoker US network.

In fact, pretty much throughout 2020, the partypoker US network ramped up promotions, running cash game promotions and a tournament series every month. It reported $9.7 million in 2020 compared to $5.1 million in 2019 a 92% increase year-over-year.

Caesars on the other hand, with its WSOP/888 network sharing liquidity between New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware, retained the top position in December yet again, bringing in $1.17 million in tournament fees and rake which was just $100,000 more than Borgata. It held a market share of 39%.

It was the same month that saw WSOP.com host the $10,000 WSOP Main Event for US players. 705 players participated, generating $6.8 million in prize money unprecedented for any segregated online poker network in the world.

It even ended up drawing a bigger turnout than the international leg held on GGPoker open to players in most parts of the world.

Meanwhile, PokerStars NJ under Resorts saw a big dip in market share in December, going down to 25.6% from 30.7% in November.

It reported $774,039 in online poker revenue in December much lower than its competitors but still representing an annual increase of 36%.

Unlike its competitors, PokerStars NJ has slowed down in promotions. It did run a cash game promotion and hosted a $100,000 New Jersey Classic tournament, but those events were significantly smaller compared to the offerings on the partypoker US Network and WSOP.com

The lack of big-sized promotions by PokerStars in New Jersey is surprising, to say the least. PokerStars is the market leader in almost every other jurisdiction it operates in. The operator has little experience in playing the underdog.

Although PokerStars NJ generated $12.6 million in 2020, over the last few months, the gap between the online poker giant and the partypoker US Network has narrowed.

In fact, in Q4, the partypoker US Network generated more revenue in rake and tournament fees than PokerStars NJ.

However, with the Federal Appellate Court rejecting the Trump administrations Wire Act reinterpretation, the Pennsylvania online poker market (which currently consists of just PokerStars PA) is expected to join the Multi State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).

Adding the liquidity of a state with a population of nearly 13 million would likely propel the PokerStars US Network to pole position in New Jersey.

The partypoker US Network and WSOP/888 have yet to launch online poker in the Keystone State, though, the scenario is expected to change in 2021 especially with the Wire Act out of the picture.

The rest is here:

Partypoker US Network Posts Big Online Poker Revenue Gains in New Jersey During the Final Quarter of 2020 - Pokerfuse

Los Angeles Poker Rooms Given Green Light to Reopen this Week – CardsChat.com

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Danzig

California Governor Gavin Newsom gave Los Angeles poker rooms the green light to reopen this week for the first time since November. But, the card rooms will be forced to operate under strict guidelines that may not be appealing to some poker players.

Newsom on Tuesday lifted regional stay-at-home orders across the state, relieving bans on in-person dining, live poker, and other activities. Los Angeles County has the most coronavirus cases (1,085,044) and COVID-19 deaths (15,592) of any county in the country, by a wide margin. As a result, Newsom had taken extreme measures to limit the spread of the virus.

The Democratic politician, however, is hopeful the county, and the state as a whole, can turn things around. As such, he is now permitting restaurants and card rooms to begin accepting customers outdoors. That means if youre looking for a legal card game in Southern California, youll have to play outside.

There are some additional restrictions imposed by the governor, including seating capacity. Card rooms are only permitted to operate at 50% of their maximum allowable room capacity, as determined by fire code. So, it would be wise to call ahead to put your name on a wait-list. Otherwise, you may end up waiting for hours. As soon as the doors open, you can rest assured hundreds of poker players will be excited to play.

Its been nearly two months since a legal poker game ran in Los Angeles County. The area is home to some of the biggest and best card rooms in the world, including Commerce Casino, which boasts more than 200 poker tables. Gardens Casino and Bicycle Casino (The Bike) also have more than 180 tables.

But, the number of tables available will be limited for quite some time due to COVID-19 restrictions. Each of the Los Angeles poker rooms will offer seating outdoors in makeshift, covered rooms. Thats been the norm in most California casinos since the coronavirus struck last year.

Newsom initially forced poker rooms to close statewide in March. He then briefly permitted Los Angeles card rooms to reopen in June before ordering them all to close again a couple of weeks later. They were allowed to reopen for a second time in early October before getting shut down again just after Thanksgiving.

Is the third time a charm? Thats what poker players in the area are hoping for, but it all depends on if businesses reopening across the state leads to another spike in COVID-19 cases.

Written by

Jon Sofen

Semi-pro poker player with 17 years experience on the felt and more than five years working as professional poker media.

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