Daily Archives: August 3, 2020

SpaceX: Crew Dragon is returning to Earth here’s when to hold your – Astronomy Magazine

Posted: August 3, 2020 at 6:22 am

Importantly, the missions primary purpose is to test and demonstrate the vehicles capability to safely carry crew to and from Earth orbit, as the first step in the plan of commencing regular ISS missions and commercial space flights.

The extreme velocities and temperatures the vehicle must endure present a major challenge to engineers and makes reentry the most perilous part of a mission.

The danger starts with finding the right angle of the trajectory as the spacecraft enters the upper atmosphere. If it is too steep, the astronauts will experience potentially fatal g-forces, and the friction of the air drag could cause the spacecraft to explode. If it is too shallow, the capsule will instead catastrophically skip off the atmosphere and back into Earth orbit.

The spacecraft will enter the upper atmosphere at 27,000km/hour. That is 7.5km/second, or more than 20 times the speed of sound. In whichever units you prefer this is fast. At these velocities, a very strong shock wave forms around the front of the vehicle, compressing and superheating the air. Managing the immense thermal load is a huge reentry engineering challenge.

At the most extreme stage, the temperature of the air in the shock layer exceeds 7,000C. By comparison, the temperature at the surface of the Sun is around 5,500C. This makes the vehicles heat shield so hot that it starts to glow a process called incandescence. SpaceXs new and advanced PICA-X material heat shield has managed to protect the capsule in test flights, later being recovered in a very charred state.

The air molecules around the vehicle also break down into positively charged atoms and free electrons a so-called plasma. When some of the molecules recombine, excess energy is released as photons (light particles) giving the air around the vehicle an amber glow.

This plasma layer may be beautiful, but it can cause radio blackouts. When an electron travels along a conductive wire, we have electricity. Similarly, when free electrons move through the plasma around the vehicle, we have an electric field. If the electric field becomes too strong, it can reflect and attenuate the radiowaves trying to reach the spacecraft.

Blackout not only leads to a loss of connection to on-board crew and flight data, it can also make remote control and guidance impossible. The Apollo missions, the Mars Pathfinder and the recent, failed 2018 Soyuz rocket launch all incurred communications blackout on the order of minutes. NASA mission control are anticipating a nervous six minutes of blackout during the peak heating phase of Crew Dragons return if anything goes wrong during this time, its in the hands of the astronauts.

Another risky stage is the parachute-assisted landing. The Crew Dragon will deploy four parachutes upon the final stage of reentry, as the vehicle descends toward a gentle splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. This manoeuvre has been tested by SpaceX 27 times prior to next weeks crewed landing, so it should work.

A successful landing will have huge implications lowering the cost of space exploration through the use of reusable rockets and enabling private space exploration. While SpaceX engineered the Crew Dragon vehicle under contract to NASA, the company is free to use the spacecraft for commercial flights without NASA involvement after operational certification.

SpaceX has a partnership with commercial aerospace company Axiom Space, which has the ultimate goal of building the worlds first commercial space station. The proposed commercial activities for the station are broad: from in-space research and manufacturing to space exploration support.

Then there is space tourism. Private citizens are already queuing for their ticket to space, and with a successful Crew Dragon splashdown, they wont be waiting long. American space tourism company, Space Adventures (partnered with SpaceX), are planning to offer zero-gravity atmospheric flights, orbital flights with a spacewalk option and laps of the Moon by late 2021.

Whether the costs, environmental impact and dangers of spaceflight is justified for space tourism is debatable. As this articles shows, the required safety briefing for Space Adventure ticket holders will be much more comprehensive than your regular please take a moment to read the safety card in the seat pocket in front of you.

Heather Muir, PhD in Computational Physics, University of Cambridge

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Caribbean Observes 186th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery – caribbeannationalweekly.com

Posted: at 6:22 am

GEORGETOWN-Guyana -The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will observe the 186th anniversary of the abolition of slavery on Saturday, with the chairman of the regional integration movement, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves saying that this years observance is taking on a greater international significance.

Gonsalves said that all, all but two of the CARICOM countries commemorate and celebrate Emancipation Day on August 1st .

The overwhelming majority of the population of CARICOM member-countries are of African descent. Joyously, people of all ethnicities in CARICOM join in commemorating and celebrating Emancipation Day; all rightfully claim this historic day as their own.

Gonsalves said the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement has gone global in a massive way consequent upon the popular resistance in the United States of America to racism, racial inequality, racial injustice and oppression and the uplifting fight for liberty, justice, and equality in every material respect.

He said the world is half-way through the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015- 2024), which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in a Resolution (68/237), adopted on December 23, 2013; and focused on the theme People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice, and Development.

The gathering pace of the international movement for Reparations for Native Genocide and the Enslavement of Africans in the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America, Europe and North America, to provide appropriate recompense for the legacy of under-development consequent upon native genocide and

The joinder of the struggle for reparations with the quest for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, and designed as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030, he said.

He said the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has adversely affected, disproportionately, poor communities and countries, especially those already ravaged by developmental inequities and distortions, traced substantially to the legacy of under-development to native genocide and the enslavement of Africans.

Gonsalves said he was urging all in CARICOM to focus on reparations for the enslavement of Africans on Emancipation Day.

In our region, and elsewhere, we need to have a more thorough-going public education programme on the meaning and significance of reparatory justice for the Caribbean. Further, our governments must ramp up the political, diplomatic, and international legal struggle for reparations. All hands are required on deck as a matter of urgency.

He said CARICOM has established a Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparatory Justice headed by the Prime Minister of Barbados. CARICOM has set up, too, a CARICOM Reparations Commission, chaired by Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies.

Gonsalves said the Commission has advanced a 10-point CARlCOM Reparations Agenda which has been adopted by the CARICOM leaders and that in each country, a National Reparations Commission has been established with broad-based representation.

Solid ground work has been done thus far, but we must not lose any momentum or be side-tracked. The circumstances are now propitious for escalating a coordinated push for reparatory justice. And CARICOM must engage the African Union fully on this.

He said recently, several CARICOM member-states have been strengthening their links with Africa in profound ways; so, too, CARICOM and the African Union.

Much more is required to be done, and urgently, too. At the United Nations Security Council, a new institutional linkage of much consequence has been forged known as the A3 Plus One (the African 3: Niger, South Africa, and Tunisia, Plus St. Vincent and the Grenadines) ; this represents a collaboration between the regions of continental Africa and a representative country (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) of the sixth region of the African Union, namely the African diaspora.

Gonsalves said that a high quality of abundant research has been done and published, on Reparations for Native Genocide and the Enslavement of Africans.

More is still required to be done, but there is more than enough for us to proceed upon in our many-sided struggle. So, let us highlight reparatory justice on Emancipation Day, 2020, even as the individual countries in CARICOM engage in commemorative and celebratory activities of a cultural, social, political, and religious nature, he added.

He also urged the Caribbean to remember that June 13, this year was the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Guyanese-born academic, Walter Rodney.

No one has yet been brought to court for the killing of Walter. The next government of Guyana must address this matter fully; it is a gaping wound in our collective consciousness which must be healed, Gonsalves said.

CMC

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60-year-old man arrested in connection with Oakland Co. professional poker player’s death – WXYZ

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OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) A 60-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of a well-known professional poker player in Oakland County.

On July 30, detectives from the White Lake Township Police Department secured search warrants regarding Susie Zhao's homicide investigation. The detectives and FBI task force began searching for a suspect vehicle named in one of the search warrants.

The next day around 9 a.m., investigators were notified by the FBI task force on the location of the suspect vehicle. Police say the vehicle was stopped in the area of I-275 and Michigan Ave. and the search warrants were executed.

A 60-year-old white male resident of Pontiac was taken into custody, according to the White Lake Township Police Department. The complaint will be forwarded to the Oakland Co. Prosecutors office review.

Susie Zhao's body was found badly burned in a parking lot at the corner of Maceday and Cross roads in White Lake Township the morning of July 13.

The 33-year-old was a professional poker player who most recently lived in Los Angeles but came home on June 9. Her mother and step-father live in northern Oakland County.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI or submit tips online to tips.fbi.gov.

Susie Zhao Poster - Hotline Number by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd

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Bahamas PM Assesses Isaias Damage on US Coast Guard Aircraft – US Embassy in The Bahamas

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A U.S. Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry takes off from Odyssey Aviation in Nassau, The Bahamas, on the way to an overflight of areas affected by Hurricane Isaias | August 2, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Public Affairs Sectionhttps://bs.usembassy.gov+1 (242) 322-1181 ext. 4220Nassau, The Bahamas | August 2, 2020

Less than 24 hours after Hurricane Isaias passed over The Bahamas, the United States provided aircraft support so that Prime Minister the Most Honorable Dr. Hubert Minnis could assess the damage, and the humanitarian needs of those in the storms wake.

Charg dAffaires Kevin OReilly accompanied the Prime Minister on the overflight, along with U.S. Coast Guard District 7 Commander Rear Admiral Eric Jones. The Honorable Desmond Bannister, Minister of Public Works; Captain Stephen Russell, Director of the National Emergency Management Agency; and Leader of the Opposition, Philip Davis also joined the overflight.

As Hurricane Isaias was still roaring over The Bahamas on August 1, the U.S. Embassy was putting in place a plan to provide a U.S. Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry so that the Prime Minister could fly over affected areas to assess the damage from the storm. Based out of Air Station Miami, the overflight went over Andros and the Berry Islands, before returning to New Providence due to prevailing weather conditions.

In the coming weeks the United States will continue to work with Bahamian partners at every level of government to strengthen disaster response in The Bahamas. Before Isaias struck, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) activated a team of 11 Bahamas-based disaster experts to liaise with NEMA and humanitarian partners, and to help assess impacts and humanitarian needs, if required.

Long before Isaias had formed in the eastern Caribbean, the United States works year-round to reduce the riskand impactof disasters in the Caribbean. The USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance has provided training to NEMA staff and other national and local emergency responders in The Bahamas, including courses on disaster risk reduction, school safety, shelter management, risk program management, and damage assessment and needs analysis. NEMA staff are now certified to teach the courses to others first responders, ensuring the wide implementation of the information and protocols across The Bahamas, thereby strengthening the entire countries ability to respond to a disaster.

By U.S. Embassy Nassau | 2 August, 2020 | Topics: Press Releases

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Man, 60, in custody in connection to death of professional poker player Susie Zhao – Detroit Free Press

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Susie Zhao(Photo: (Meredith Rogowski, Special to the Free Press))

A 60-year-old Pontiac man was taken into custody Friday in connection to the death of professional poker player Susie Zhao.

White Lake Township Police Department took the Pontiac man into custody around 9 a.m. Friday after locating the suspect's vehicle, the department said in a news release. Police stopped the suspect nearI-275 and Michigan Avenue and executed the search warrant, White Lake Township Police Detective Lt. Christopher Hild said.

Zhao's body was found badly burned July 13 at a state land park area on Maceday Lake and Cross roads in White Lake Township. Authorities believe she was killed at the recreation area then her body was set ablaze, although her cause of death has not yet been released.

The professional poker player, 33, had recently moved to live with her parents in Waterford after living in California and Las Vegas for more than 10 years.

More:

Mystery deepens in death of professional poker player found burned

White Lake Twp. police: Pro poker player's death may be tied to her travels

The investigation into Zhao's death is ongoing and police ask anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1-800-2255-324 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Free Press reporter Emma Dale contributed to this report.

Meredith Spelbring is a news intern with the Detroit Free Press. Reach her at mspelbring@freepress.com or on Twitter @mere0415.

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Marchers in Toronto call for end to systemic anti-Black racism on Emancipation Day – CBC.ca

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At least 100 people marched in downtown Toronto to celebrate Emancipation Day and to call for an end to anti-Black racism in government institutions in Canada.

Emancipation Day, markedevery year on Aug. 1, commemorates the abolition of slavery across the British Empire.

Marchers called for an end to anti-Black racism in such areas aschild welfare, policing, the criminal justice system, arts and culture, education and health care.

Yvette Blackburn, a spokesperson for theGlobal Jamaica Diaspora Council, said people marchedto celebrate freedom but also to demand that real change take place to improve the lives of Black people.

"What is freedom? Freedom comes at a cost. And right now, it'sthe cost of the lives and the interactions that we, as Black people, have to deal with every day in society," Blackburn told reporters.

"With the push of anti-Black racismand the recognition of our value and our work, we must be here to walk on this day to say that changes have to be implemented so that we get rid of anti-Black racism and the institutional discrimination that has been happening."

The march began at the Children's Aid Society of Toronto, 30 Isabella St., and ended at the Ontario legislature.

Along the route, marchersstopped at a number of points, including the Toronto Police Service headquarters, 40 College St., and the Ontario education ministry, 438 University Ave.

"It is our children thatare being impacted at a greater rate, at being institutionalized, at being displaced from families, having to deal with the educational system. The bonds and chains are no longer holding us, however, we are still bridled by the fact of discrimination and racism that exists in the institutions and the systems. We have to break those," Blackburnsaid.

"By being here on Emancipation Day, it's to say thatwe need to look structurally into the frameworks of discriminationand racism that are impacting us across the board."

Blackburn said activists arecallingonPrime Minister Justin Trudeau to apologize to Black people in Canada for slavery.

"There's never been an apology issued. I think it's time. Emancipation should be everywhere," she said.

Bishop Ransford Jones, lead pastor at the Destiny Gospel Centre in Markham, said that Emancipation Day is a historic day in Canada.

"Today is a very significant day. It is a solemn day. It is a sacred day for the abolition of slavery," he told reporters during the march. "We have to come to ensure that we use ourfreedom of today toensure the freedom for people oftomorrow."

Jones said he wants his two young children to live in a fair, free and equitable society.

"The key messagetoday is that we want to ensure systemic institutionalized racism in Canada is dismantled so that all people can live free."

Jones added that the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which sparked street protests around the world,has led to a "greatawareness" and a new momentum against anti-Black racism.

"People are recognizing that the systems that have been entrenched over time donotservemarginalized, racialized, especially Black people. We want to ensure that those systemsare torn down and that things will change for the betterment of our people and society in general,"he added.

At a rally before the march, he told the crowd: "We are appealing to those in authority today that you must take your knees off people's necks and let them breathe in our spaces and in our places so we can all enjoy all this great country of Canada."

Jacqueline Edwards, president of Association of Black Law Enforcers, said Black people who work in law enforcement are trying to change the system from within. Edwards works for Correctional Service of Canada.

"We want the community to know that while there are problems within our systems, there are a number of us as well that are part of that system that arecarrying ourselves the right way and that are acknowledging the needfor change," Edwards said.

What is new in the anti-Black racism movement is the collaboration for change, not the recognition that change is necessary, she added.

"Everybody needs to take an active role in stomping out racism," she said.

Marchers chanted "No Justice, No Peace!" and "Peace on the left, justice on the right!" and "When Black lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!"

The Slavery Abolition Act received royal assent on Aug. 28, 1833 and the legislation cameinto force across the Empire and its colonies onAug. 1, 1834.

Since that time, Canadian communities have staged events to celebratethe abolition of slavery.

Organizations that supported Toronto'smarch are: A Different Booklist Cultural Centre, Black Artists' Networks In Dialogue, Black Health Alliance, Black Medical Students' Association at University of Toronto, CareMongering-TO, Destiny Gospel Centre, Global Jamaica Diaspora Council, Jamaican Canadian Association, Ma'at Legal Services, Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators, Unifor and Zero Gun Violence Movement.

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What Site Offers the Best Online Poker Bonus in 2020? – PokerNews.com

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Are you looking for the best poker bonus to play online for real money and challenge other players in games of Texas hold'em and Omaha poker? You are not alone.

This page doesn't list all the online poker bonuses under the sun. We are PUMPED to announce that this new collection of poker offers features only the best poker bonuses to play online and access the most exciting real money games out there.

Continue reading to discover:

In other words, if you are looking for the best online poker bonuses in 2020, you'll love this page.

Right now, GG Poker provides a bonus of up to $100 in tickets for World Series of Poker satellite events. You can deposit at least $20 to get up to $100 in tickets. The site offers a 100% match bonus on your first deposit.

The tickets will be released to your account in a few days. If you have $100 in free tickets, $60 will be released over the first six days on your site. You can earn the remaining $40 in your bonus by completing challenges in the All-in or Fold games on the GG Poker website.

These include points where you have to win enough matches, or you have to attain certain things while you are playing. The site will provide details on what you need to do to meet these bonus requirements.

PartyPoker is one of the oldest online poker sites around. When you register to play here, you get a first deposit bonus where if you add $10 to your account, you get $30 in free play tickets.

The bonus is good for most of the games on the site. You should ensure you use your free tickets soon, as they will expire seven days from the issue. But there are also plenty of games available where you can wager enough funds to cover everything.

The tickets are good for use on SPINS games on the site. The SPINS games are three-handed sit and go tournaments where a wheel will decide the value of the prize pool before the game starts.

You could potentially compete for a first prize total of $1 million depending on how much you spend on your ticket and whether the wheel lands on the 12,000x multiplier.

The next of the online poker bonuses on the list comes from PokerStars. You can choose one of two bonuses when you sign up for the website.

First, you can deposit $20 or more to get $30 in free play tickets. The offer is a traditional welcome bonus for tickets that you can use on many games.

Second, you can choose a different reward that offers a welcome bonus worth 100% of your first three deposits for the first sixty days after you sign up.

You can get up to $600 in free money through this offer. This second choice is for people who are looking to stick around for a while.

You can get up to $400 in free money for use at 888Poker through the first deposit bonus available on the site.

Deposit $10 or more with the promo code WELCOME100 to get a 100% bonus of up to $400. The free money is good for use at freeroll games and poker tournaments.

But you will have to play through the poker games to release the extra funds. You will get $10 from your welcome bonus every time you collect 100 bonus points.

You will get two points for every dollar you spend on poker tournament fees and for every dollar you contribute to a poker ring game. You'll also get a point for every $10 you wager on casino games at the site, provided you are playing these games through your poker account.

Unibet offers an online casino and sportsbook to go alongside its poker room. But the first deposit bonus for the poker room is different from the other rewards available on the site.

Unlike most other first deposit poker bonuses, Unibet provides a no-deposit bonus. You'll get $20 in free money when you create an account. You may be limited as to what games you can play with your free money bonus and how much you can win at a time.

You can then get a welcome bonus of up to $200 depending on how much you deposit. You'll get a 100% match bonus on your first deposit.You can then use your funds to enter various outstanding tournaments. You can enter events for the chance to qualify for the Unibet Open, among other competitions.

The welcome offer at Bet365 Poker is 100% bonus of up to $100 on your first deposit. You must provide at least $10 for your first deposit to utilize this offer. You may also require a bonus code, but that code will vary based on your country or state, if you play from the United States.

You would also have to play through the bonus funds at least fifteen times before you can withdraw anything.

Online poker bonuses are available through many websites that offer poker games. A poker bonus is a reward given to people who sign up to play games on a specific website. Poker bonuses exist to encourage people to play games and showcase the many things a poker rooms offers. Players can use these funds for various assets.

You can enjoy one of many quality poker deposit bonuses while you play online. These are offers that should be noted when you're looking for a great deal.

There are various rules surrounding what is open, so you should be aware of what you might find when looking for something of value. You should also review the rules for whatever you wish to collect, as every site has unique terms to note.

A match bonus is the most common offer you'll find through an online poker room. Deposit bonuses work in that you will deposit a specific amount of money on a site.

You will then get bonus money based on the site's rules. For instance, you could deposit $50 and get a 100% match bonus, thus giving you $100 for play.

You will have to note a few things surrounding a match bonus. These rules should be open on the site you visit, but it does help to see what is open:

The match offer is a reliable choice, plus it gives you a great way to start playing anywhere. Check your website of interest to see what match bonuses are available where you wish to play.

It is one of the best online poker bonus options you can find. This is different from other online poker bonuses in that you don't have to place a deposit on a site to collect the pffer.

You will register for an account and then collect the free money for poker play. You don't have to spend any money on the no deposit bonus. You should review a few points surrounding how you can use your no deposit bonus:

You might also have to provide some payment information to the site to confirm your identity. You would not be charged anything when you do this and you collect your no deposit reward. But the data will be saved, so you can complete a real money deposit in moments when the time comes.

A tournament ticket may be offered among first deposit poker bonuses. A ticket is a voucher that you can use to join a tournament. There are many rules to note for a ticket, including:

The rules for these tournaments will vary by each site. It is possible that you could win a great deal of money in a tournament, although this is all based on your skills and how well things can work.

Reload bonuses occur after the first deposit. You will collect your money off of a deposit you utilize to add more money to your account. The offer is for people who stick around on a site and enjoy playing here, plus it encourages loyalty.

Reload bonuses aren't as substantial as first deposit poker bonuses. Whereas a first deposit bonus would entail a 100% match, a reload bonus might be worth 50 or 75%.

There might also be a limit over how much money you could collect. You might get up to $50 on a reload bonus instead of $100 or so. But a reload bonus will give you a great opportunity to play with more money, especially if you are satisfied with the website.

You can qualify for a VIP bonus if you stick around a website long enough and earn reward points. The offer can be the best online poker bonus for any player, what with it often having better terms than many welcome deposit bonuses.

You would earn a VIP bonus based on one of these factors:

You have to review the VIP bonus rules on your site when seeing what the rules are and that you have an idea of what you can do to qualify for them. Most places will automatically place you in the VIP club, but you might have to put in the effort depending on what you wish to utilize.

You can also utilize a referral bonus through some websites. A referral bonus works with a few steps:

The terms for collecting a referral bonus vary, as your friend would have to deposit enough funds and play through them before you can collect anything. The total you will gather from the bonus will also vary by offer. The website can provide details on what you'll get from your work.

The best online poker bonus may include some playthrough requirements. These are rules where you have to play through your bonus funds enough times before you can withdraw the money.

These rules apply to ensure people who sign up and deposit funds aren't going to take out the free money right away.

The playthrough rule might entail going through the bonus value a few times. The total can vary by site.

Poker bonuses are great for how they provide players with the opportunity to try out different poker sites. These deposit poker bonuses and other offers can help new players get started in enjoying online poker.

These bonuses also make the online poker industry more competitive. Every website will aim to produce the best online poker bonus, giving more rewards to new members. There's no limit as to what these virtual rooms can offer when producing the best bonuses around.

You can use your bonus funds to play real money, although that depends on how much you have. You should review the value of your bonus and how much it would cost to enter a game.

The best online poker bonus is the one that fits your desire. You should look at how great a poker bonus is based on:

Anything that provides entries to specific tournaments is always worthwhile.

Not all poker rooms require bonus codes for when you're claiming a bonus. You can automatically get a bonus off of most places. But others might require a bonus code that you can enter when funding your account.You can review a virtual poker website to see what bonus codes are necessary for an offer. You could also look around third-party sites to see what bonus codes are open, but there's no guarantee that the information you will find is accurate.

You can only collect a signup bonus once. You will have to sign up for the site and provide your contact info and payment data. You cannot establish a second account with the website to collect more bonus money.You could still get a bonus from referring people to the site. Reload bonuses are also available in some places.

The playthrough rules are terms associated with wagering enough money on poker games before you can collect your bonus. You must play through the bonus enough times before it can become real money that you can withdraw later.Gaming websites have these requirements to ensure people don't abuse the free money offers at these places.

You can contact the help desk at the poker website you are on if you did not receive your bonus. Explain to the help desk what happened and provide information on your account and the deposit method. Most cases where people are missing their bonuses come from people forgetting to complete their deposits as necessary.

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Montage To Open Luxury Resort On Private Island In Bahamas – Forbes

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Montage Cay is a 48-acre private island in The Abacos Islands in the Bahamas. Montage Hotels & ... [+] Resorts will develop 50 all-suite guest accommodations and a residential community on the island.

Montage Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in luxury hotel management, will open its first resort in the Caribbean. Located on Montage Cay in The Abacos Islands, the resort will include a five star hotel and a residential community on a 48-acre private island. The property will offer an unmatched resort experience in the Bahamas, with the same level of quality found at otherMontage properties.

Scheduled to open in 2023, the resort will be the first Caribbean-based property for Montage, which currently has a portfolio of hotels, resorts and residences that includes Montage Laguna Beach, Montage Deer Valley, Montage Kapalua Bay, Montage Palmetto Bluff and Montage Los Cabos. Montage is currently developing several additional resort properties, including Montage Healdsburg (opening in November 2020), Montage Big Sky (opening in 2021) and Montage La Quinta (opening in 2022).

Owned in partnership with Nassau-based Sterling Global Financial, the project is the redevelopment and rebranding of the private island of Matt Lowes Cay, re-emerging as Montage Cay, alongside the launch of The Residences at Montage Cay. The Abacos is a 120-mile chain of beautiful islands and cays that are dotted by mangroves and white sand beaches.

Surrounded by calm waters, warm breezes and panoramic beauty, Montage Cay will perfectly combine its breathtaking setting with signature Montage amenities and service, says Alan J. Fuerstman, founder, chairman and chief executive of Montage International. We have designed the resort to take full advantage of the islands natural beauty, setting the stage for one of the finest ultra-luxury resorts in the Caribbean. We are grateful to the Bahamian community for their warm welcome and look forward to bringing Montage to this special part of the world.

Montage Cay features a 46-slip marina that can accommodate vessels up to 110 feet in length.

Pristine Private Beaches And Stunning Views

Located on a private island in the Sea of Abaco, Montage Cay will be unlike other luxury resorts in the Caribbean due to its unique landscape and orientation. The 48-acre island boasts seven pristine beaches while a 46-slip marina will accommodate vessels up to 110 feet, allowing guests and residents of Montage Cay access to an array of world-class boating as well as some of the best fly-fishing, bone fishing, sailing, diving, and nature viewing in the Caribbean.

The island has a varied topography with elevated sight lines for expansive sunrise and sunset views, mature and diverse landscaping including coconut groves, as well as stunning scenery of the surrounding cays.

All-Suite Guest Accommodations, Turn-Key Residences and Custom Homes

The resort will have a hospitality component as well as residential offerings. Each of the fifty all-suite guest accommodations will feature light and airy ocean-view rooms with luxury outdoor amenities including plunge pools, outdoor showers, private gardens and lounge areas.

The Residences at Montage Cay will be a limited number of bespoke fully-furnished oceanfront Villa Residences and Estate Lots that will be developed with semi-custom homes.

We are honored to be partners with Montage International in the development of this spectacular project, says David Kosoy, Executive Chairman & Founder of Sterling Global Financial. I am confident that the combination of Sterlings development expertise and Montages operational expertise will result in an unparalleled private island escape and community that will set a new standard for luxury living.

Situated within private enclaves adjacent to the resort, the Villa Residences at Montage Cay will include stunning ocean views. Estate Lots will feature unique elevations and sight lines offering buyers the opportunity to create their own personalized Bahamian retreat with breathtaking ocean vistas.Residential owners will have access to a private beach and cabana area for their families and guests.

The Residences at Montage Cay are being thoughtfully designed to offer an exclusive opportunity to own a home on a private island with access to all of the amenities and services of Montage, in addition to a dedicated staff, says Fuerstman.

The island has seven pristine white-sand beaches as well as beautiful views of the Sea of Abaco and ... [+] the surrounding cays.

The Residences at Montage Cay will include a Montage Rental Management Program for homeowners who choose to participate. In addition, Montage Residential owners will have access to special privileges and benefits throughout the Montage Hotels & Resorts and Pendry Hotels & Resorts portfolios. Montage residential homeowner benefits include a curated collection of offerings that range from private aviation and home design to other travel and lifestyle offerings as well as benefits at other Montage and Pendry properties.

Details about the residential design, plans, layouts and views are in the conceptual phase and will be unveiled in the upcoming months, as well as the various partners and collaborators on the project, adds Fuerstman.

Watersports, Well-Being and Fitness Programs

Guests and residents will have access to incredible amenities including Spa Montage, wellness and fitness programming, unique culinary experiences, as well as days spent on the water exploring the marine life and various outdoor recreational activities.

The full-service Spa Montage will feature private treatment rooms in addition to an extensive health and wellness program. Spa Montage programming will be inspired by nature, using local elements to provide an authentic sense of place.

There will also be a fitness center, several swimming pools, tennis and pickleball courts as well as Montages signature Paintbox Childrens Club.

A robust water sports program and a recreation center will provide guests and residents with endless opportunities to explore some of the most important natural reserves in the Bahamas such as pristine coral reefs that showcase an incredible diversity of tropical marine life.

Food and Dining Programs

Montage Cay will also boast an array of unique restaurant and bar experiences including all-day dining, a signature dinner-only restaurant, two beach bar and grilles, lobby and pool bars, as well as a spa caf and juice bar.

The resort will also offer indoor meeting space, as well as wedding and social-event lawn space with unobstructed views of the clear blue sea.

Montage Cay is remote yet easily accessible as it is located less than one mile off the coast of ... [+] Marsh Harbour.

Getting There

Montage Cay is remote yet easily accessible as it is located less than one mile off the coast of Marsh Harbour. Guests and residents can easily get to the resort via several direct flights offered from major American and European markets to the Bahamas, as well as a modern FBO that welcomes private jets and charters. After arriving on Marsh Harbour, Montage Cay guests and residents will take a brief 10-minute boat ride to the resorts exclusive oasis or dock a private boat at the Montage Cay marina. Sea plane access directly to the Montage Cay dock is also available.

Montage Cay is destined to become one of the most exclusive ultra-luxury destinations in the entire Caribbean, as it will blend the companys award-winning, unparalleled service with the serene, natural beauty of the region.

For more information about Montage Cay, visit this link.

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Clean Up This Mess: The Chinese Thinkers Behind Xis Hard Line – The New York Times

Posted: at 6:22 am

HONG KONG When Tian Feilong first arrived in Hong Kong as demands for free elections were on the rise, he said he felt sympathetic toward a society that seemed to reflect the liberal political ideas he had studied as a graduate student in Beijing.

Then, as the calls escalated into protests across Hong Kong in 2014, he increasingly embraced Chinese warnings that freedom could go too far, threatening national unity. He became an ardent critic of the demonstrations, and six years later he is a staunch defender of the sweeping national security law that China has imposed on the former British colony.

Mr. Tian has joined a tide of Chinese scholars who have turned against Western-inspired ideas that once flowed in Chinas universities, instead promoting the proudly authoritarian worldview ascendant under Xi Jinping, the Communist Party leader. This cadre of Chinese intellectuals serve as champions, even official advisers, defending and honing the partys hardening policies, including the rollout of the security law in Hong Kong.

Back when I was weak, I had to totally play by your rules. Now Im strong and have confidence, so why cant I lay down my own rules and values and ideas? Mr. Tian, 37, said in an interview, explaining the prevailing outlook in China. Witnessing the tumult as a visiting scholar in Hong Kong in 2014, Mr. Tian said, he rethought the relationship between individual freedom and state authority.

Hong Kong is, after all, Chinas Hong Kong, he said. Its up to the Communist Party to clean up this mess.

While Chinas Communist Party has long nurtured legions of academics to defend its agenda, these authoritarian thinkers stand out for their unabashed, often flashily erudite advocacy of one-party rule and assertive sovereignty, and their turn against the liberal ideas that many of them once embraced.

They portray themselves as fortifying China for an era of deepening ideological rivalry. They describe the United States as a dangerous, overreaching shambles, even more so in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. They oppose constitutional fetters on Communist Party control, arguing that Western-inspired ideas of the rule of law are a dangerous mirage that could hobble the party.

They argue that China must reclaim its status as a world power, even as a new kind of benign empire displacing the United States. They extol Mr. Xi as a historic leader, guiding China through a momentous transformation.

A number of these scholars, sometimes called statists, have worked on policy toward Hong Kong, the sole territory under Chinese rule that has been a stubborn enclave for pro-democracy defiance of Beijing. Their proposals have fed into Chinas increasingly uncompromising line, including the security law, which has swiftly curbed protests and political debate.

We ignore these voices at our own risk, said Timothy Cheek, a historian at the University of British Columbia who helps run Reading the China Dream, a website that translates works by Chinese thinkers. They give voice to a stream of Chinese political thought that is probably more influential than liberal thought.

As well as earnestly citing Mr. Xis speeches, these academics draw on ancient Chinese thinkers who counseled stern rulership, along with Western critics of liberal political traditions. Traditional Marxism is rarely cited; they are proponents of order, not revolution.

Many of them make respectful nods in their papers to Carl Schmitt, the German legal theorist who supplied rightist leaders in the 1930s and the emerging Nazi regime with arguments for extreme executive power in times of crisis, Ryan Mitchell, an assistant professor of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, documented in a recent paper.

Theyve provided the reasoning and justification, Fu Hualing, a professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, said of Chinas new authoritarian scholars. In a way, its the Carl Schmitt moment here.

Chinas ideological landscape was more varied a decade ago, when Mr. Tian was a graduate student at Peking University, a traditionally more liberal campus. Censorship was lighter, and universities tolerated guarded discussion of liberal ideas in classrooms.

Many scholars, including Mr. Tians dissertation adviser, Zhang Qianfan, argued that Hong Kong, with its robust judicial independence, could inspire similar steps in mainland China. I had also been nurtured by liberal scholars. Mr. Tian said.

Such ideas have gone into sharp retreat since Mr. Xi took power in 2012. He began a drive to discredit ideas like universal human rights, separation of powers and other liberal concepts.

Dissenting academics are maligned in the party-run news media and risk professional ruin. Xu Zhangrun, a law professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, was detained in July and dismissed from his job after writing a stream of essays condemning the partys direction under Mr. Xi.

The education authorities generously fund pro-party scholars for topics such as how to introduce security laws in Hong Kong. Chinese and foreign foundations that once supported less orthodox Chinese scholars have retrenched because of tightening official restrictions.

More than fear and career rewards have driven this resurgence of authoritarian ideas in China. The global financial crisis of 2007, and the United States floundering response to the coronavirus pandemic, have reinforced Chinese views that liberal democracies are decaying, while China has prospered, defying predictions of the collapse of one-party rule.

China is actually also following a path that the United States took, seizing opportunities, developing outward, creating a new world, Mr. Tian said. There is even a fervent hope that well overtake the West in another 30 years.

Chinas authoritarian academics have proposed policies to assimilate ethnic minorities thoroughly. They have defended Mr. Xis abolition of a term limit on the presidency, opening the way for him to stay in power indefinitely. They have argued that Chinese-style rule by law is inseparable from rule by the Communist Party. And more recently they have served as intellectual warriors in Beijings efforts to subdue protest in Hong Kong.

For them, law becomes a weapon, but its law thats subordinated to politics, said Sebastian Veg, a professor at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences in Paris who has studied the rise of Chinas statist thinkers. Weve seen that at work in China, and now it seems to me were seeing it come to Hong Kong.

For Hong Kong, these scholars have supplied arguments advancing Beijings drive for greater central control.

Under the legal framework that defined Hong Kongs semi-autonomy after its return to China in 1997, many in the territory assumed that it would mostly manage its own affairs for decades. Many believed that Hong Kong lawmakers and leaders would be left to develop national security legislation, which was required by that framework.

But Mr. Xis government has pushed back, demanding greater influence. The authoritarian scholars, familiar with both Mr. Xis agenda and Hong Kong law, have distilled those demands into elaborate legal arguments.

Several Beijing law professors earlier served as advisers to the Chinese governments office in Hong Kong, including Jiang Shigong and Chen Duanhong, both of Peking University. They declined to be interviewed.

I dont think theyre necessarily setting the party line, but theyre helping to shape it, finding clever ways to put into words and laws what the party is trying to do, said Mr. Mitchell, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This is all happening through legislation, so their ideas matter.

A Chinese government paper in 2014, which Professor Jiang is widely credited with helping write, asserted that Beijing had comprehensive jurisdiction over Hong Kong, dismissing the idea that China should stay hands off. The framework that defined Hong Kongs status was written in the 1980s, when China was still weak and under the sway of foreign liberal ideas, he later said.

They treat Hong Kong as if it were part of the West, and they treat the West as if it were the entire world. Professor Jiang recently said of Hong Kongs protesters. Chinas rise has not, as some imagined, drawn Hong Kong society to trust the central authorities.

After protesters occupied Hong Kong streets in 2014, he and other scholars pressed the case that China had the power to impose national security legislation there, rejecting the idea that such legislation should be left in the hands of the reluctant Hong Kong authorities.

The survival of the state comes first, and constitutional law must serve this fundamental objective, Professor Chen, the Peking University academic, wrote in 2018, citing Mr. Schmitt, the authoritarian German jurist, to make the case for a security law in Hong Kong.

When the state is in dire peril, Professor Chen wrote, leaders could set aside the usual constitutional norms, in particular provisions for civic rights, and take all necessary measures.

Professor Chen submitted an internal study to the partys policymakers on introducing security legislation for Hong Kong, according to a Peking University report in 2018, over a year before the party publicly announced plans for such a law.

Since Chinas legislature passed the security law in late June, he, Mr. Tian and allied Chinese scholars have energetically defended it in dozens of articles, interviews and news conferences. Chinese intellectuals, Mr. Tian suggested, will next confront worsening relations with the United States.

We have to choose what side were on, including us scholars, right? he said. Sorry, the goal now is not Westernization; its the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Amber Wang contributed research from Beijing.

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An Open Letter To The WSOP: Why Mixed Games Are Good For Poker Player Development – Poker News – CardPlayer.com

Posted: at 6:22 am

Dear Powers That Be,

When the World Series of Poker Online schedule was released this year, I couldnt help but notice that there was only one, single, mixed-game event. One solitary, lonely, Omaha eight-or-better event that was originally, incorrectly listed as its degenerate cousin with a gambling addiction, pot-limit Omaha.

The schedule didnt even have a stud eight-or-better event, and I know you have the software capacity to run it. I live in New Jersey and have seen your Stud tab. There have even been rumors of the occasional stud cash game running on the site. To say I was disappointed about the lack of mixed games is an understatement.

I implore you to reconsider your sentiments towards mix games. Now, I understand that mix games may not have the allure and big prizes as no-limit holdem. I even understand that the clientele may not be desirable. I know the mix game community has its fair share of complainers, but I promise you they mean well. Since you already muted the chat, you wont have to hear them complain anyway.

The whole point of this open letter is to lay out why I think it is a mistake not to give poker players the opportunity to compete in other disciplines outside of big bet games.

But seriously, are you f#%ing kidding me? Only one mix game? Surely you can do better than this, and heres why you should.

Learning More Games Opens Up More Opportunities

At the beginning of my career, my goal was to be able to play whatever the best game in the room was. That meant any game, whether it be $50-$100 no-limit holdem or $400-$800 stud. At the time, I only knew how to play limit holdem. Thats only 20 percent of H.O.R.S.E., let alone any game in the room. I knew I had a long way to go. but I was determined.

Fast forward five years. I learned eight more games and was on my way to being able to accomplish this goal. I was always playing in the best game on the right side of Borgatas poker room, but that side of the room was dedicated to the limit games. I still was unable to play any game.

I started coming in on my days off to play $2-$5 no-limit holdem. I needed experience to learn the game that would one day allow me to play with one of the biggest celebrities on the planet. Fast forward another few years and now its 2018. I was playing on the right side of the room when I heard that Kevin Hart was on his way to play no-limit holdem. I quit my game of $80-$160 OE to secure a seat at $10-$25.

I had to wait. And wait some more. But sure enough, in walked Kevin Hart, along with four security guards. This was it, the moment I had been waiting for. I could without a doubt say that I was playing in the best game in the room.

The game escalated quickly. It started out with blinds of $10-$25, but it wasnt long before half the table had blinds out and we were playing $10-$25-$50-$100.

I wish I could tell you I crushed this session or even that I booked a win, sadly I cannot. While being able to play the best game in the room is making the most positive expected value decisions for your bankroll, it doesnt guarantee youll come out a winner

Mix Games Are Good For Development

I could very easily make the argument that mix games prepare players for the future of poker. Every year a new game comes out that threatens the stronghold no-limit holdem has on poker.

If there is even the slightest chance that players will like the new game, you learn it. I know its tough to remember because the internet wasnt really around back then, but there was a time when limit holdem was the most popular game in poker rooms. Before that, it was stud. You cannot stop poker evolution, you can only grow with it.

Right now, the game of choice is clearly no-limit holdem. Its been like that for nearly two decades. Thanks Moneymaker. Maybe try winning a limit tournament next time. However, there is no reason to believe no-limit holdem will reign supreme forever. At some point, you either learn the new game or watch the game pass you by. Youll still have solitaire though if nobody wants to play no-limit with you.

Each new game expands a players perspective on poker. Even after 15 years of playing professionally, I still find spots Ive never seen. I truly believe that learning these games has allowed me to develop my overall poker strategy into a profitable creative one.

Learning on the fly and being prepared to take on new challenges is a life skill that not many poker games offer.

Mix Games Develop Reliable Poker Instincts

Mix game players are forced to evolve with the game. We are constantly challenged to not only learn new games but learn them faster than everyone else. Kids these days are spoiled by solvers and charts. In some of the newer, more complex games, equities are almost impossible to calculate. I can find a basic no-limit holdem odds calculator with a simple google search. I dare you to find one for badeucy.

As games become more complex games as specialists evolve, players must trust their natural poker instincts. With no answer in the back of the book, poker becomes a battleground for heuristic math and poker intuition.

Playing one game becomes monotonous and players become complacent. No one wants to be that person who used to be good but got passed over by the game. If you play mixed games, fear not this fate.

Mix Games Develop Self Awareness

All players that excel in poker, will do so in at least one variant. The specialists, however, learn that one game and stick with it. They become the best player in the game and they grind out a solid win rate.

Few will ever know how it feels to be out-classed. They study all the different spots in one game and they make sure that their game is solid. They will be very hard to exploit in their game of choice.

Mixed games, on the other hand, can and will humble almost any player. No mix is created equally. If you get a seat at a table that is playing a mix of games, instead of just one, you will sometimes find yourself in a mix that is not your best but is still favorable.

Three other players will have more experience and more volume in 70 percent of the games. The two fun players bring the game to an acceptable level of profitability to play, but still, you will find yourself in gross spots versus the professionals. It is a feeling of humility that is arguably necessary for a player to truly reach their potential.

Mix Games Build Character

Live mix games players are forced to overcome obstacles other players will never face. There is no ladder to move up and hone your skills while building a bankroll. If you want to play bigger, you must either take shots at bigger games or build a bridge between stakes.

To build a bridge between stakes means you must bring players together and form a new limit. Building a bridge between stakes requires networking and hard work. It requires focus and determination. Mix games teach you at an early age that a good personality and some polite manners will get you into the games you want to be in.

There are no micro-stakes for mix games. To be perfectly honest there arent even mid-stakes for mix games. It takes a certain amount of fortitude, character, and just enough gamble to get to the top with that landscape. The players that are able to get to the top had to take huge risks along the way and certainly deserve to be there.

Promoting mix games online can provide another avenue to players who are interested in learning mix games. Online poker allows players to play more hands per hour, thus allowing them to gain experience faster than in a live environment. No-limit holdem has already shown that this path of volume leads to the breeding of new legends every day.

WSOP, please. I fear for the future of poker players. Please consider shifting a minimum amount of focus to mix games. I promise it will be good for both your bottom line and the poker world.

Every renowned poker room has a big limit mixed game. If you are trying to become the premier online poker site that boasts WSOP bracelets and prestige, wouldnt you want to follow the same business model?

Lastly and certainly not least, mix game players have a vicious reputation for being degenerates. No one peels cards harder than a 2-7 triple draw player holding 2-3-4-5 and peeling a three spotter (6-7-8) on the third draw. If you run more online events, we might go off in your casino. Think about it.

Sincerely,

Melissa Burrrrrberry Burr

Melissa Burr is a seasoned high-stakes mix game professional. In her spare time she enjoys the occasional 30-minute craps roll, sports betting, and short reasonable walks on the beach. Find more adventures on her twitter @burrrrrberry.

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An Open Letter To The WSOP: Why Mixed Games Are Good For Poker Player Development - Poker News - CardPlayer.com

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