Monthly Archives: July 2021

When zealotry tops tolerance as Jewish value – The Jewish Star

Posted: July 2, 2021 at 8:37 pm

By Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

Jewish people teach Jewish values to their children, and to all who wish to be informed about their faith. If one is asked Should I or should I not? we generally respond with clear and certain advice: Yes, you should if the value is a positive one, or No, you should not when the value in question demands inaction.

Strangely, however, there is one positive value in our religion to which we are not to respond Yes, go and do it. I speak of the value of zealotry.

Zealous acts are noble acts in our tradition. This is illustrated in the story begun in the last weeks Torah portion and concluded this week in the parsha named for the zealot Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1).

Pinchas confronted a Jewish prince named Zimri in an act of idolatrous promiscuity with a Midianite woman named Kozbi. He took a spear in his hand and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. For this he is commended by the Almighty Himself, who says, Pinchas was very zealous for My sake. Therefore I give unto him My covenant of peace. Because he was zealous for his G-d, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

Clearly, zealotry is a divinely approved positive value. Yet, I ask you, dear reader, suppose you had witnessed such an immoral and defiant act about to take place and would come to ask me, your rabbi, whether or not you should take up a spear and thrust it through the two sinners. Would I be permitted to encourage you to emulate Pinchas?

The Talmud, in a passage in Tractate Sanhedrin 82a, tells us that Moses himself was uncertain as to whether this act of taking human lives was permissible and Pinchas acted on his own. Indeed, the Talmud clearly states that if someone comes to inquire as to whether or not to commit such an act of extreme zealotry, he should not be instructed to do so. I, as a rabbi, would have to discourage you from taking up the spear and taking the lives of even the most blatant of sinners.

Yet, elsewhere in the Bible and in postbiblical writings, we find others besides Pinchas who performed similar acts of zealotry. One of them is the prophet Elijah whose story is read in other years in the haftarah for this weeks parsha (I Kings 18:46-19:21). Elijah, whom our sages equate with Pinchas, says of himself, I have been very zealous for the L-rd. The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant.

Yet another famous example is the High Priest Matityahu, whom we all recall from the story of Chanukah. Of him we read, Matityahu saw a Jewish man about to offer a sacrifice on an alien altar in the presence of the entire congregation, and he was zealous, and swiftly slaughtered the manand smashed the altar to bits; thereby, he was zealous on behalf of the Torah just as Pinchas had done to Zimri. (Maccabees I: 1:45-50)

What a paradox! Three great heroes of the Jewish people, all praised highly for their zealotry. And yet, if any of us today were to inquire of a Jewish rabbi of the highest rank, or of a Jewish court, as to whether he could emulate them and zealously harm a sinner, he would not receive permission to do so.

It is apparent that such acts of zealotry are limited to those whose motives are of the purest order, and who are moved by their sincere desires to restore the glory of G-d when it is publicly profaned. Zealotry is not for every man.

This is a timely lesson. There are many Jews today who are stirred by feelings of righteous indignation to protest actions and statements that, to them, seem blasphemous, immoral, or just plain wrong. But they dare not act, and certainly not act violently, against those actions or statements. They must first be certain that their motives are as pure and authentic as were the motives of Pinchas, Elijah, and Matityahu. And none among us can be so certain of our motives!

Our times call for a different approach entirely. Today, we must conform to an almost opposite Torah valuenamely, tolerance.

That tolerance is preferable to zealotry is a lesson found in the very text which tells of Pinchas zealotry. After he commits his violent act, the Almighty concludes His statement of approval with the gift of My covenant of peace. Many of our commentaries, notably that of the Netziv, emphasize that this covenant was given to Pinchas as a kind of corrective, as a way of demonstrating that, although zealotry is sometimes warranted, the ultimate Jewish value is peace.

For individuals who are sincerely motivated to be zealous, there is a helpful perspective that encourages us to find holiness buried within heresy, and sanctity somewhere in the midst of sin. When human faults can be seen as transient aberrations which cloud so much that is good and noble, zealotry fades into the background, and kindness and compassion prevail.

This perspective is expressed eloquently in the poetic words of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, in his brief collection, Midot HaRayah. I am indebted to my good friend, Yaakov Dovid Schulman, himself an eloquent and poetic soul, for providing me with a translation of this passage:

Tolerance:

When tolerance of points of view comes from a heart that is pure and cleansed of all evil, that tolerance is not liable to chill the flame of holy feelings containing simple faithwhich is the source of all life. Instead, that tolerance broadens and magnifies the foundation of heaven-directed fervor.

Tolerance is armed with a very great faith. Ultimately, it realizes the complete impossibility of a soul being emptied of all holy life. This is because the life of the living G-d fills all life. And so, even where actions come out in a destructive fashion, where points of view collide into heresy, there still must bein the midst of the heart, in the depth of the soulthe living light of hidden holiness. And this is apparent in the good aspects that we find in many corners, even on those ravaged avenues touched by heresy and corroded by doubt.

From the midst of this great, holy knowledge and faith comes tolerance, which encircles everything with a thread of kindness.

I will assemble Jacob, all of you! (Micah 2:12)

Words to remember, especially today.

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How will demolition order for Meron affect investigation into disaster? – The Jerusalem Post

Posted: at 8:36 pm

Demolition orders have been issued against several structures at the Meron holy site in the wake of the Meron disaster in April, and footage has emerged of work to execute those orders.These developments have given rise to concerns, among families of those who perished in the disaster, that the investigation to be carried out by a state commission of inquiry will be compromised by changing facts on the ground at the site.

On April 30, 45 men and boys, mostly ultra-Orthodox died in a mass crush on Mount Meron, the traditional site of the tomb of Talmudic sage Shimon Bar Yochai, where tens of thousands of pilgrims had gathered for the annual Lag Baomer celebrations.

Last month, the new government voted to establish a state commission of inquiry into the disaster, and the committee is now being established.

On Wednesday, however, images emerged of demolition notices posted at several structures at the Meron site issued by the Northern District branch of the Authority for Land Enforcement.

The orders were signed by the director of the Northern District David Ohayon, dated June 17, and posted at the site on June 20, the day the committee of enquiry was approved by the government. One of the demolition orders is against a 350 square meter raised balcony, and another against a pathway at the site.

Further images emerged on Wednesday in which large trucks and cranes can be seen at Meron, with workmen dismantling some structures, including bleachers in the so-called Boyan section of the site.

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According to the Finance Ministry, under whose auspices the Authority for Land Enforcement operates, four demolition orders were ordered by Ohayon against structures erected in recent months.

Asked about the images of some structures being dismantled, a ministry spokesperson said the ministry did not know what was being taken down in the picture, but repeated that none of the four demolition orders had yet been executed and needed the approval of the police.

It did not respond to a request for information as to which exact structures were under the demolition order.

A spokesman for the Forum of Families of Meron Victims said that the families were very concerned that the demolition orders were being carried out before the state committee of inquiry had a chance to visit and examine the site.

The spokesman said the families were concerned that the demolition orders were designed to cover up evidence regarding the causes behind the disaster and said the forum might appeal to the High Court of Justice to stop the demolitions.

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Germanys new regulations will finally allow online casino licensing in 2021 – Yogonet International

Posted: at 8:35 pm

G

erman regulators have struggled for years to craft appropriate laws governing online gambling. Finally, in March of 2020, the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling was approved, which will go into effect in July 2021 and allow the licensing of online casinos. But what are the details of the law? Read below to find out.

The upcoming online casino regulations in Germany will be a sea change for the countrys gambling industry, bringing a massive new opportunity for both start-ups and established companies who want to expand into Europes biggest economy. The latest version of the German Interstate Treaty on Gambling, which will come into force on July 1, 2021, will allow licenses to offer online casino games across the entire country for the first time.

Gambling in Germany is regulated at the state and federal level. At the moment, land-based casinos, land-based and online sports betting, and horserace betting are all allowed, but online casino games are only allowed in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. States have a monopoly on the lottery, but can issue licenses to offer state lottery products.

While the new regulations finally allow licensed operators to offer online casino games, they do come with stipulations that some are calling overly restrictive when it comes to deposit limits, product offerings, and other industry aspects like advertising and affiliate marketing. However, Germany still offers a tempting prospect for online gambling business owners.

On March 12, 2020, the prime ministers of the various states of Germany approved the newest edition of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling, which will allow licensed operators to offer online slots, poker, and other casino games throughout the whole country. Operating a sportsbook had already previously been legalized.

The law recognizes four categories of betting products: online casino table games, virtual (online) slots, online poker, and sports betting. Virtual slots and poker will follow an open licensing model, whereas each state will be able to decide whether to have a monopoly on casino table games like roulette and baccarat or to issue licenses. The number of licenses available will correspond to the number of land-based casino license holders in that state.

Sports betting licenses will still be issued, but sportsbook operators will have to follow new restrictions on in-play betting; players will only be able to bet on the final result, the next goal or score, or a similar element of the game. Unlike slots, poker, and casino games, there is an unlimited number of sports betting licenses available. When first issued, licenses for sports betting, poker, and virtual slot machines will be valid for five years; online casino (table game) licenses will be valid for seven years.

To ensure uniformity across the country, different state regulators will be responsible for different issues. The regulator of North-Rhine Westphalia is responsible for lottery and sports betting advertising, sports betting licenses are the purview of the regulator of Hesse, and the regulator of Lower Saxony is responsible for payment blocking measures for illegal gambling that crosses state lines.

Online slot games must be licensed by the official regulator (as yet unformed) and significant changes to the game cannot be made without the regulators permission. Additionally, a new central authority will be established to issue licenses and ensure compliance. As the centralized authority for licensing and regulation has not yet been formed, licensing fees for online casino operators have not yet been announced. When it comes to taxation, Germanys Value Added Tax applies to online slots and casino games, and sports betting operators are subject to a 5% turnover tax.

Player protection

The new law has a series of player safety measures in place, with the aim of protecting vulnerable players, preventing underage gambling, and combating problem gambling. When players register on a website for the first time, they will be required to set a monthly deposit limit for themselves, which may not exceed 1000. If a player decides they want to raise their self-imposed limit, the change goes into effect seven days after the request is made. A request to lower a limit is granted immediately. In addition to the deposit limit, there will be a 1-per-spin bet limit on slot machines. Players must also be unable to access multiple gambling sites at the same time, and will be subject to a 5-second wait period between spins of an online slot machine.

Operators will not be permitted to offer both casino games and sports betting from the same domain unless there is an entirely separate area for each of them and cross-selling will be prohibited for example, they will not be able to advertise sports betting in their casino section. In order to combat problem gambling, a central database of excluded players will also be established.

Advertising and affiliates

The Interstate Treaty on Gambling will have dramatic effects on gambling advertising and affiliate marketing. Advertising for the gambling industry will face certain restrictions, and affiliate marketing payment models will have to be adjusted.

Advertising for sports betting will not be allowed during sporting events, similar to the UKGCs whistle-to-whistle ban in the UK. However, unlike the UK, sportsbooks operating in Germany will not be allowed to advertise during the run-up to the sporting event to be bet on. Advertisements for online casino, slot, and poker games will be prohibited between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Revenue share payment models, the most common method of rewarding affiliates, will be forbidden. Operators will have to find other means to reward affiliates for directing high-quality traffic to their site, and cost-per-click and ost-per-acquisition will likely take the place of the revenue share model.

In anticipation of the upcoming changes and to provide a roadmap to licensing, a transitional regime was approved on September 9, 2020. During this period, operators could offer their services, providing they had proven to be in compliance with the upcoming regulations.

Operators who were not in compliance but continued to offer their services during the transition period would be ineligible for a license when they are offered in July 2021, and operators who were compliant during the transition period will have a track record proving their reliability. However, the amount of time operators had to prepare for the transition period was not very long; on October 1, it was announced that the transition period would begin on October 15.

By October 15, potential license applicants were expected to have removed roulette, baccarat, and other table games from their platforms. By December 15, operators are expected to have introduced a 1 betting limit on slots and a five-second waiting period between spins, both of which will be permanent fixtures of the law.

However, the rules of the transition period were heavily criticized, as operators were left only two weeks to become fully compliant. Also, during the transition period, advertisements are entirely banned. Further complicating player outreach, the use of the word casino for the purposes of marketing online gambling is banned forcing a number of affiliates with the word in their name to quickly rebrand.

The Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association, Maarten Haijer, has harshly criticized the upcoming regulatory changes. In his opinion, the wagering and time limits, as well as continued restriction of products will severely limit the ability of licensed operators to meet the needs of the market, giving a leg up to black-market operators who arent subject to the same limitations.

In addition to the limitations that will be in place, objections have been raised to the licensing process itself. In April, Austrian bookmaker Vierklee brought a lawsuit to the German courts, alleging that the licensing process, in particular the aspects involving the Federal Council on Games of Chance (Glcksspielkollegium), lacked sufficient transparency. The lawsuit froze the licensing process until it was eventually overruled in October, at which time 15 sports betting licenses were immediately issued by the Darmstadt Council in the state of Hesse, Germanys sports betting regulator.

However, despite the criticism and the short preparation time for the transition period, Germany remains a highly desirable target market. The German gambling market could be worth as much as 3.3 billion by 2024, making Europes biggest economy a worthwhile opportunity despite the deposit limits and other restrictions. Several large, international operators, such as GVC, have already snapped up sports betting licenses, with many more on the way.

If youre looking to start an online casino or create an online betting site facing the German market but dont know where to start, Slotegrator has everything you need to get going.

Among the opportunities for your business is a Turnkey platform that has all features operators need for a successful start or a White Label casino that not only provides a technical framework but also comes with every tool needed for compliance. Contact our managers to learn more about the opportunities for your business.

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GLI to Provide Expertise to Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board of Uganda – European Gaming Industry News

Posted: at 8:35 pm

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Affilka by SoftSwiss is excited to announce the integration with brand-new client Captainsbet Casino. Captainsbet Casino, is a casino brand, operating on a Curacao licence. Now the online casinos very own affiliate program will run on Affilka by SoftSwiss, providing its users with secure and reliable affiliate marketing service. The affiliate management solution will be able to deliver comprehensive analytics and insights on the online casino brands performance, affiliates, and all campaigns.

Captainsbet Casino is currently available in Kenya, with plans to soon expand to Asia and Europe.

By being powered by Affilka, the Captainsbet Casino affiliate partner program will be able to offer its users a convenient and extremely easy-to-use interface, a highly responsive operator support team and extended range of features including a unique set of postbacks initiated by multiple events, elaborate commission constructor, as well as detailed reporting.

Affilka is a young, yet fast-developing software solution, which began operating under the Affilka brand name in 2020. Its mission is to aid iGaming brands in building their own customised affiliate programs tailored to their unique needs.

Anastasia Borovaya, Product Owner of Affilka, comments on the new partnership: Were super happy to be welcoming our brand-new client Captainsbet, which makes us even closer to the golden 100 clients milestone! We cannot wait to begin our work together and are thankful for Captainsbets trust in our affiliate marketing solution. Heres to many great achievements and fruitful cooperation!

Zipporah Kemunto, Country Manager of Captainsbet, comments on the integration: Affilka by SoftSwiss was a top runner for us due to a number of factors their incredibly convenient and flexible affiliate management system, commission constructor as well as in-depth statistics and reporting. Another benefit is the Affilka teams willingness to modify and customise the solution to our needs. They quickly respond to any queries we had throughout the integration process and post-launch. We are glad to have partnered with Affilka!

About SoftSwiss

SoftSwiss is an international tech brand supplying widely acclaimed, certified software solutions for managing iGaming operations. SoftSwiss holds a number of gaming licenses, providing a one-stop-shop white label casino solution by taking care of all technical, legal, and financial processes on behalf of its customers. The company has a vast product portfolio, which includes an Online Casino Platform, Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, an Affiliate Platform, and a recently launched sportsbook platform. In 2013 SoftSwiss was the first in the world to introduce a bitcoin-optimized online casino solution. The company has thus been regarded as the leading technical expert when it comes to the use of cryptocurrencies in online gaming.

About Captainsbet

Captainsbet is a casino brand that operates under a license issued by the Government of Curacao. The brand offers a large game lobby and a great bonus system for new and existing players. Not only that, but Captainsbet also has extremely fast and friendly customer support if players stumble on some issue that needs to be resolved fast they are always there to help players. Fast and efficient withdrawals is another great approach of what makes Captainsbet a welcome brand on the market.

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Making the most of digital transformation | Tech & innovation – iGaming Business

Posted: at 8:35 pm

Head of Media Managed Services (MMS) at GiG Mads Birch Jespersen spoke with IGB on the power of digital transformation, and some of the common pitfalls for online casino operators trying to make their mark on the industry

Mads Birch is currently Head of Media Managed Services at GiG, having been in the industry since 2009. Mads has been self-employed and worked on the affiliate and operator side, and in turn, gained an in-depth understanding of igaming across different areas.

The Covid-19 pandemic has supercharged the popularity of igaming, providing new and much-needed revenue opportunities for land-based operators despite the risk of delving into the unknown. For those that were already in the online casino business, it means dealing with even more competition on the digital front.

This uncertain new landscape means that many land-based operators are actively seeking new opportunities to expand their offering. However, moving into the online casino business is not without challenge this is why managed media services are transformative. So, even for land-based operators with no experience, managed services present a unique opportunity to make this transition.

Online casinos have become integral to the offering of more land-based operators during the pandemic. According to a figure released to iGB by the European Casino Association for a forthcoming iGB report, 63% of its members now operate an online casino.

So faced with this increasingly competitive landscape, how can operators give themselves the best chance of success by maximising engagement levels with their digital offering?

Mads Birch Jespersen, Head of GiGs Media Managed Services which supports operators with their digital campaigns, argues that to really hit the ground running, operators need a digital strategy in place that is conducive to long-term growth..

GiGs MMS is defined by our broad knowledge from every aspect of the online casino business acquiring affordable players, but also making sure that the players acquired are well-converted and have a good lifetime value.

Media Managed Services address the two most important values when running an online casino which are acquisition and retention.

With constantly changing regulatory requirements and ever-evolving customer habits, even the most talented in-house marketing teams can struggle to keep up and align their marketing campaign accordingly.

With its rich industry knowledge, GiGs Managed Services have the infrastructure to swiftly respond to key market trends: We respond to any changes going on, whether its to do with regulation or a change in a specific market, its something that we can adapt to quickly. With an in-house team its much harder to adapt to the changes that are going on as youre locked to that existing structure.

We work back and forth on both sides of the table over the years, meaning MMS has experienced both being a traditional affiliate, but also from the operator side of things, which leaves us with a huge amount of knowledge about player acquisition and also how to create amazing player value.

Creating player value starts with targeting the right traffic. With GiGs Media Managed Services, four main channels are targeted to provide the biggest reach including PPC, SEO, Social Media and Affiliation.

The proven acquisition model tracks player journeys, providing real-time insights to operators. This not only enhances acquisition, but provides a robust strategy for retention as operators can better understand the needs of their customer base. This has the added benefit of supporting companies overall brand strategy, providing the insights and the tools necessary to better understand their customer base.

We follow these players through with our other managed services to make sure that they are some of the most valuable players on the market.

Using the data provided, operators can make more informed decisions around their digital marketing and campaigns more widely, achieving a truly seamless experience.

Birch highlighted that its much faster to implement changes to your online casino than it is for a land-based site, and the data provided gives a swift and accurate overview of player behaviour. This also allows a closer relationship with casino users, as operators can engage with users more easily, with a better understanding of their needs. With improved brand recognition and a better understanding of the customer journey, these insights can then help to drive decisions on the land-based side.

Being able to rely on managed services to drive acquisition and retention saves operators and their marketing teams valuable time. This doesnt mean eliminating their input though, as the process is very much a collaborative one.

Flexibility also remains focal to MMS, reflective of the huge variety of scale, needs and creativity of the businesses that make up todays igaming space. There is certainly not one solution that fits all.

For land-based operators with little to no igaming experience, this gives them the opportunity to have as much or as little support as they need.

Every service that we deliver is 100% transparent. We have operators that we speak to once a month and some that we speak to daily, depending on the type of approach they want some prefer a hands-on approach, we also have some that have their own media teams and we function just as some added support to that, but combine our knowledge with the strength of the people that they have hired, he says.

While some operators opt for more involvement than others in their digital campaigns, MMS empowers online casinos to increase their online presence effectively and efficiently.

One of the main advantages for operators using managed services in general is that theres an established team right there, who are ready to start up your project from day one. You have the tools, you have the strategies, you have the industry knowledge.

Mads concluded by highlighting the power of MMS used in conjunction with GiGs operations and CRM services. To make the most of their services, we do recommend that they have the right combination between the managed services to support their online casino. With the combination of managed services, they work together to make a full manageable and trackable player experience.

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Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction overturned by court – Reno Gazette Journal

Posted: at 8:35 pm

MaryClaire Dale| Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA Pennsylvania's highest court overturned Bill Cosby's sex assault conviction Wednesday after finding an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged in the case.

Cosby has served more than two years of a three- to 10-year sentence at a state prison near Philadelphia. He had vowed to serve all 10 years rather than acknowledge any remorse over the 2004 encounter with accuser Andrea Constand.

The 83-year-old Cosby, who was once beloved as "America's Dad," was convicted of drugging and molesting the Temple University employee at his suburban estate.

He was charged in late 2015, when a prosecutor armed with newly unsealed evidence Cosby's damaging deposition from her lawsuit arrested him days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired.

The trial judge had allowed just one other accuser to testify at Cosby's first trial, when the jury deadlocked. However, he then allowed five other accusers to testify at the retrial about their experiences with Cosby in the 1980s.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court said that testimony tainted the trial, even though a lower appeals court had found it appropriate to show a signature pattern of drugging and molesting women.

Cosby was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era, so the reversal could make prosecutors wary of calling other accusers in similar cases. The law on prior bad act testimony varies by state, though, and the ruling only holds sway in Pennsylvania.

Prosecutors did not immediately say if they would appeal or seek to try Cosby for a third time.

The justices voiced concern not just about sex assault cases, but what they saw as the judiciary's increasing tendency to allow testimony that crosses the line into character attacks. The law allows the testimony only in limited cases, including to show a crime pattern so specific it serves to identify the perpetrator.

In New York, the judge presiding over last year's trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, whose case had sparked the explosion of the #MeToo movement in 2017, let four other accusers testify. Weinstein was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison. He is now facing separate charges in California.

In Cosby's case, one of his appellate lawyers said prosecutors put on vague evidence about the uncharged conduct, including Cosby's own recollections in his deposition about giving women alcohol or quaaludes before sexual encounters.

"The presumption of innocence just didn't exist for him," Jennifer Bonjean, the lawyer, argued to the court in December.

In May, Cosby was denied paroled after refusing to participate in sex offender programs during his nearly three years in state prison. He has long said he would resist the treatment programs and refuse to acknowledge wrongdoing even if it means serving the full 10-year sentence.

This is the first year he was eligible for parole under the three- to 10-year sentence handed down after his 2018 conviction.

Cosby spokesperson Andrew Wyatt called the parole board decision "appalling."

Prosecutors said Cosby repeatedly used his fame and "family man" persona to manipulate young women, holding himself out as a mentor before betraying them.

Cosby, a groundbreaking Black actor who grew up in public housing in Philadelphia, made a fortune estimated at $400 million during his 50 years in the entertainment industry. His trademark clean comedy and homespun wisdom fueled popular TV shows, books and standup acts.

He fell from favor in his later years as he lectured the Black community about family values, but was attempting a comeback when he was arrested.

"There was a built-in level of trust because of his status in the entertainment industry and because he held himself out as a public moralist," Assistant District Attorney Adrienne Jappe, of suburban Montgomery County, argued to the justices.

Cosby had invited Constand to an estate he owns in Pennsylvania the night she said he drugged and sexually assaulted her.

Constand, a former professional basketball player who worked at his alma mater, went to police a year later. The other accusers knew Cosby through the entertainment industry and did not go to police.

Cosby has a long history with Northern Nevada.

He donated a track to the University of Nevada, Reno, and painted a plate to be auctioned off to raise money for the Northern Nevada affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. He showed up at fundraisers and business openings. He commissioned and donated a bronze bust of casino mogul Bill Harrah.

Three of his accusers say they were assaulted in Reno and at Lake Tahoe.

Cosbys ties to Northern Nevada started with his relationship with Harrah, founder of the Harrahs casino empire. Harrah was often credited with breaking down racial barriers by hosting legendary performers such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Cosby.

He was here a lot because if another performer canceled, he would fill in," Mel Shields, a longtime entertainment writerwho covered Cosby, told the RGJ in 2018, after Cosby was found guilty of assault in Pennsylvania.

Cosby was a frequent guest of Harrah, staying at his homes including Rancharrah. Harrah also had celebrities as frequent guests at his house on Nixon Avenue. Called Interlaken, the house was built in 1967, and was known for being the place where stars stayed when in Reno.

Two of the five accusers in Cosby's retrial allege that they were assaulted in Reno.

Heidi Thomaswas the first to testify at the retrial. She was a 24-year-old music teacher from Colorado who came to Reno to meet with Cosby. She said Cosby forced her to perform oral sex.

Janice Baker-Kinney, a former bartender, said she was drugged and raped at a house party in Reno in 1982.

Former model Janice Dickinson testified that Cosby raped her at a hotel room at Lake Tahoe in 1982.

The three were among 60 women who cameforward with similar allegations.

Siobhan McAndrew of the Reno Gazette Journal contributed to this report.

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A humble billionaire? Elon Musk has all he needs in tiny home next to SpaceX – Austonia

Posted: at 8:34 pm

While he's been playing at an All-Star level on the pitch this season, he's also contributed in bigger ways off of it.

Stuver and his wife, Ashley, actively advocate for the Black Lives Matter and Pride movements.

Most recently, Stuver raised $221 for Playing for Pride, a fundraiser which tallies saves, shutouts and more stats from participating players and donates money to LGBTQ+ causes. He also helped get the word out to supporters' groups like Los Verdes, who raised over $3,000 to the cause.

Stuver has friends and family that are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and he's seen the disparities between how they are treated in society.

" I can see that they don't get the same respect and the same opportunities as cis, straight individuals, and I want to be able to use my platform to bring attention to that," Stuver said. "Hopefully one day sport is the most inclusive area of our lives."

This isn't the first cause he's been supporting. For years, Stuver and his wife have also helped raise money for Austinites to do their laundry with The Laundry Project. When Austin FC fan Brad Tillery began requesting the release of the Verde keeper kit, Stuver agreed that he would get a kit of his own if he donated to the project, which raises money for residents to go to laundromats in the area.

The #ReleaseTheKit hashtag went viral in the Austin FC Twitterverse, and over $1,600 was raised for the cause in just 24 hours following its release.

"Austin has just kind of taken on a life of its own," Stuver said. "It's just been amazing to see how receptive our fans have been to me and Ashley's causes that we support and just truly the amount of money that we've raised for so many different causes."

Stuver has also posted videos encouraging children who are dealing with serious illness, including 6-year-old Luke Brooks. For Stuver, it's a no-brainer to take a bit of time out of the day and post a video showing support.

"They're going through such a tough time in their lives that any little bit of support, and any little bit of caring from other people goes a long way," Stuver said. "No matter what, everyone is stronger together."

Stuver credits his parents, Roy and Leeann Stuver, for fostering a sense of community and caring in him from a young age.

"My family was always involved in a tight-knit community, and we always thought of ways to help people out," Stuver said. "My parents were kind of my role models in the way that they were selfless and put other people ahead of themselves. I wanted to emulate that as I got older."

He's not the only Austin FC player to be engaged in community outreach. In February, a GoFundMe by center back Matt Besler started the Austin FC Players 2021 Winter Storm Relief Fund, which helped raise over $45,000 for the city of Austin as its residents lacked resources during the brutal storm. The club teamed up with local restaurants as well and helped bring safe drinking water and free, warm meals to thousands.

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A humble billionaire? Elon Musk has all he needs in tiny home next to SpaceX - Austonia

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Elon Musk living in a prefab house that sells for just $50k | TheHill – The Hill

Posted: at 8:34 pm

The worlds second-richest man is living in a rented home that costs about $50,000.

Elon Musk last month said his primary home is a $50,000 house in Boca Chica, Texas, that he rents from his private rocket company SpaceX. SpaceX operates a launch facility in the small south Texas town and refers to it as Starbase.

Only house I own is the events house in the Bay Area. If I sold it, the house would see less use, unless bought by a big family, which might happen some day, Musk tweeted.

Teslarati, a website that follows Tesla news, reported recently that Musks Starbase home was aroughly 400-square-foot prefabricated home manufactured by housing startup Boxabl, which specializes in easy to construct housing modules.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

On Thursday, Musk, who is worth about $167 billion, provided some more insight about his Texas housing situation.

I do live in a $50k house, but not this specific one, Musk said in response to a tweet showing a prefabricated home from Boxabl.

.@elonmusk may be one of the richest people in the world but he lives in a $50k dollar house that he rents from @SpaceX like this one. pic.twitter.com/dRMbga07QZ

In November, Boxable posted a video showcasing one of its Casitas it had just built for a high-profile client in Boca Chica.

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Elon Musk living in a prefab house that sells for just $50k | TheHill - The Hill

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Rocket Report: Super Heavy rolls to launch site, Funk will get to fly – Ars Technica

Posted: at 8:34 pm

Enlarge / A Super Heavy booster rolled out of SpaceX's production facilities in South Texas on Thursday.

Welcome to Edition 4.05 of the Rocket Report! We have a really big week in small launch: Virgin Orbit confirmed the viability of its LauncherOne vehicle with a second consecutive successful flight. Congratulations to the engineers and technicians who strove to make that rocket a reality.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Virgin Orbit does it again. Virgin Orbit demonstrated Wednesday morning that its first spaceflight in January was no fluke. The company's Cosmic Girl aircraft took off from Mojave Air & Space Port about an hour after sunrise Wednesday and flew about 200 km off the California coast. The 747 carrier aircraft then dropped the LauncherOne rocket, which proceeded to ignite, reorient itself upward, and blast into orbit. Eventually, the rocket deployed seven small satellites into an orbit about 500 km above the planet.

So what comes next? ... Virgin Orbit is hardware rich and had already begun building five new rockets in its Long Beach factory, Ars reports. But this preparedness has come at a cost. Founder Richard Branson has acknowledged that he and others have invested about $1 billion in Virgin Orbit to date, a very large sum for a relatively small rocket. LauncherOne has the capacity to send about one-half of a metric ton into low Earth orbit. The company says it has a variety of strategies underway to bring a return on that investment.

Relativity Space will move into a gigantic factory. The California-based launch company announced plans on Wednesday morning to move into a new factoryits third new facility in three yearsas the startup company continues to scale up its ambitious launch plans. The new factory, formerly a 93-acre Boeing facility that manufactured the C-17 aircraft in Long Beach, California, has 1 million square feet of work space, Ars reports.

New rocket, new factory ... CEO Tim Ellis said the new 3D-printing factory is needed to support the production of the proposed Terran R rocket, a fully reusable booster intended to compete with SpaceX's highly successful Falcon 9 rocket. Relativity is also rapidly growing, he said, and the company now has a total of 400 employees. Relativity plans to add 200 more people by the end of 2021 and then likely double the total by the end of next year. The new factory will accommodate about 2,000 employees.

The easiest way to keep up with Eric Berger's space reporting is to sign up for his newsletter, we'll collect his stories in your inbox.

Blue Origin adds Wally Funk to first New Shepard flight. This is a pleasant surprise. On Thursday, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos invited Wally Funk, a member of the privately funded "Mercury 13" program that sought to fly women into space in the 1960s, to join him as a guest on the July 20 launch of New Shepard. Although they underwent tests similar to male astronauts, none of the Mercury 13 women ever went to space.

Oldest person to go to space ... "No one has waited longer," Bezos said of Funk, who will be 82 years old when the mission launches. For the 10-minute flight above 100 km, Funk will join Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, andthe winner of an auction who paid $28 million to join the flight. The company has yet to disclose the name of the auction winner. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

But waitBranson will attempt to beat Bezos. As noted above, Jeff Bezos is going to space on July 20. But later on Thursday, Virgin Galactic said its founder, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, will attempt to go to space on July 11. Dubbed the "Unity 22" mission, this flight on the VSS Unity spacecraft will carry two pilots (Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci) and four mission specialists, including Branson, Ars reports.

Battle of the billionaires ... Branson is clearly keen to be the first to space, and Virgin Galactic has changed its flight plans to accommodate his trip. Originally, the company's plan next called for a test flight with four employees in the passenger cabin. That test was supposed to have been followed by Branson's mission. Questions will be asked about whether Branson and Virgin Galactic are rushing things by putting him in space. For example, responding to the news Thursday afternoon, former flight director and space shuttle program manager Wayne Hale tweeted, "Talk about schedule pressure! Hope nobody cuts any corners."

Gilmour Space announces significant funding. The most prominent Australian launch company, Gilmour Space, said Wednesday it has secured $47 million in Series C funding to support development of its launch technology. This pyramid of cash suggests the company has a real shot at developing an orbital-class rocket.

Growing the team ... Company CEO and co-founder Adam Gilmour said the company remains on track to attempt the first orbital launch of its Eris rocket in 2022. The funding will allow the company to expand from 70 to 120 employees as it scales up to meet these ambitions. Founded in 2016, Gilmour is developing a hybrid rocket to launch small satellites. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

bluShift announces launch deal. The Maine-based small launch company bluShift has signed its first commercial deal, and Virginia STEM company MaxIQ Space is its dance partner. "This is a good omen of what's to come for bluShift," Sascha Deri, bluShift's CEO and founder, said during a virtual investor call last week, MaineBiz reports. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, so it's not clear how much, if any, money has changed hands.

Starting small ... bluShift uses a biofuel-based propellant for its rocket design, and the company recently launched a prototype rocket to an altitude of about 1 km. Future plans call for suborbital flights. Frankly, it's difficult to take the company too seriously, because bluShift's crowdfunding has so far raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it ultimately will need a lot more than that to reach space. (submitted by Telemark154 and Ken the Bin)

Roscosmos explores crew flights from French Guiana. The Russian space corporation is looking into the possibility of launching spacecraft from the Guiana Space Center in South America, Parabolic Arc reports. Those launches would carry cosmonauts to the new Chinese space station.

Need a better inclination ... The Russian Soyuz vehicle currently launches from Kazakhstan, which is an ideal location to reach the International Space Station. But reaching the Chinese space station at an orbital inclination of 42.8 degrees would be strenuous. Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said he discussed the possibility of crewed launches from French Guiana during a recent video conference with Philippe Batista, the president of the French space agency, CNES. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

A Falcon 9 flies eight times a year. SpaceX launched its 20th Falcon 9 rocket of the year on Wednesday, and the booster lofting the Transporter-2 mission completed yet another successful flight to orbit. This rocket core, named B1060 (booster number 1060), had previously flown into space seven times. Its first launch was a GPS III satellite mission for the US Space Force on June 30, 2020. With Wednesday's flight, the rocket has now flown eight missions in a calendar year, Ars reports.

Before and after photos are something ... That is a rate of one mission every 1.5 months. However, since early January, this same rocket has flown five missions, so B1060 is approaching a rapid cadence of one launch per month. This is unprecedented for the Falcon 9 rocket or any other orbital spacecraft in history. The rapid reuse of the Falcon 9 rocket also makes for some stellar visuals, and Ars photographer Trevor Mahlmann was able to get excellent images of both the launch and landing.

Super Heavy rocket rolling to launch site in South Texas. On Thursday, engineers and technicians at SpaceX's production facilities in Boca Chica rolled a large Super Heavy booster out of the high bay. This titanic rocket is bound for a test stand at the nearby launch site for ground tests. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said this rocket, which was built in just six weeks, will not fly.

Next rocket will fly ... According to Musk, the current plan involves testing this booster and launching the next one, which itself is currently being built. This next Super Heavy rocket will be mated with a Starship for an orbital launch. SpaceX sources have told Ars they are reasonably confident this flight will occur in July or August, but the company has yet to obtain regulatory approval for such a flight launching from the "Starbase" site in South Texas.

China will use superheavy rocket for solar power satellites. China plans to use a new superheavy-lift rocket currently under development to construct a massive space-based solar power station in geostationary orbit. Numerous launches of the upcoming Long March 9 rocket would be used to construct space-based solar power facilities 35,786 kilometers above the Earth, according to Long Lehao, chief designer of China's Long March rocket series, SpaceNews reports.

Commercial power by midcentury ... The project, according to Long, would begin with a small-scale electricity generation test in 2022, leading to a megawatt-level power-generation facility around 2030. Commercial, gigawatt-level power generation would be realized by 2050. This would require more than 100 Long March 9 launches and around 10,000 tons of infrastructure, assembled in orbit. This seems like an aspirational plan, but it reveals the scope of China's space ambitions. (submitted by pv and Ken the Bin)

SpaceX defends South Texas activities. In a letter to the Cameron County District Attorney, Starship Operations Senior Director Shyamal Patel responded to criticism of SpaceX's closure of two county roads near its Boca Chica rocket build site. (Discussed here, two weeks ago, in the Rocket Report). Last month, the DA said, SpaceX security barred access to public roads Remedios Avenue and Joanna Street, which are located just off of the main thoroughfare through the region, State Highway 4.

Will conduct more training ... Patel's response, first reported by Courthouse News, affirms that SpaceX does not seek to bar access to these public roads. The company is also providing "comprehensive training" to its security personnel to ensure that guards will not prevent members of the public from entering or remaining on these roads. "SpaceX continues to be committed to improving and bringing positive opportunities to the community," Patel wrote on June 17. (submitted by DanNeely)

July 3: Long March 2D | Jilin-1 satellite | Taiyuan, China | 02:50 UTC

July 4: Long March 4C | Fengyun-3E satellite | Taiyuan, China | 23:15

July 30: Atlas V | Starliner OFT-2 | Cape Canaveral, Fla. | 18:53 UTC

Listing image by Elon Musk

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Rocket Report: Super Heavy rolls to launch site, Funk will get to fly - Ars Technica

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How virtual reality may help explore the role of fear in youth at risk for violence and crime – VCU News

Posted: at 8:33 pm

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Conduct disorder often characterized by aggression, theft, vandalism, violations of rules and lying is one of the most prevalent and debilitating psychiatric disorders that emergesduring childhood and adolescence.

There is a subgroup of those with conduct disorder who are more likely to engage in chronic violence and criminal behavior. These individuals display severe behavioral and personality symptoms, called callous-unemotional traits, that include callousness toward others, lack of empathy or guilt for their harmful behaviors, and shallow or diminished emotional expression.

Nicholas Thomson, Ph.D., an assistant professor in theDepartment of Surgeryin theSchool of Medicineand theDepartment of Psychologyin theCollege of Humanities and Sciences, has received a five-year $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study conduct disorder. He aims to shed new light on the mechanisms that underlie callous-unemotional traits, thereby allowing for a more targeted approach in treating young people who exhibit them.

Youth with conduct disorder and callous-unemotional traits are more likely to engage in chronic criminal behavior and develop mental health problems into adulthood, said Thomson, director of research and forensic psychologist for theInjury and Violence Prevention Programat VCU Health Trauma Center. Therefore, understanding what contributes to the development and stability of these traits is beneficial for guiding treatment and prevention programs.

Thomson will lead a study, Distinguishing Youth with Conduct Disorder with Callous-Unemotional Traits using Cardiovascular Psychophysiology During Virtual Reality Fear Induction: Testing for Sex Differences, that focuses on the roles of fear and fearlessness among youth with callous-unemotional traits.

It has long been theorized that because youth with callous-unemotional traits often do not feel fear, they also fail to recognize fear in others. That fear deficit may disrupt typical social development, increasing the stability and development of callous-unemotional traits.

Because fearlessness is associated with punishment insensitivity, it may inhibit the socialization process, learning and the internalizing of guilt and empathy, Thomson said. If youth with high levels of callous-unemotional traits do not feel fear, they are more likely to engage in risky behaviors (i.e., aggression) as they do not fear the consequences (i.e., being injured or punished) and are less concerned about the harm it causes to others.

While there is research that supports this theory, Thomson said, it mostly comes from survey data, past event recall or non-fear-inducing scenarios, such as pictures of fear expressions.

This new study aims to test the low-fear hypothesis by precisely defining and measuring fear.

Participants will use an immersive virtual reality system while researchers measure their biological responses.

With support from the [VCU Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Researchs Endowment Fund], we have developed a virtual reality fear assessment battery, which provides youth with an immersive but mild exposure to common phobias, Thomson said. For example, the youth will get to experience a VR roller coaster. While experiencing the roller coaster, we record parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system activity with facial [electromyography]. This will provide us with a more complete understanding of the relation between callous-unemotional traits and physiological threat sensitivity.

While the study explores serious questions around conduct disorder, it is actually a pretty fun and novel experience for participants, Thomson said.

Past research on conduct disorder has generally neglected the study of females, Thomson said, so it is unknown if the fearlessness theory is true for both boys and girls. The new study will seek to explore sex differences, if any.

Along with Thomson, the study will involve VCU researchersJames Bjork, Ph.D., associate professor in theDepartment of Psychiatry;Roxann Roberson-Nay, Ph.D., associate professor at theVirginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics; andScott Vrana, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychology; as well asJames Blair, Ph.D., director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Research in Children atBoys Town National Research Hospital; andKostas Fanti, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cyprus.

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How virtual reality may help explore the role of fear in youth at risk for violence and crime - VCU News

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