Monthly Archives: June 2022

Jimmys first roll was an 8, just like youd hope. Next roll looked good out of his hand, but the dice stopped on 4-3. ANOTHER point-7.

I was betting $10 on pass, then $10 on come. I lost all the passes, but won the comes on the 7s.

But I lost my odds. It was a 3x, 4x, 5x table, so I lost $30 in odds on the 4, $40 on the 9 and $50 each on the two 6s and the 8s. In all, I lost $220 in that stretch without a single pass. Awful.

I stuck around to see if I could repeat my good roll. I did make a point to break the streak, but sevened-out right after. Time to leave.

ROSA: I dont usually bet single numbers. Im a red or black, odd or even kind of girl.

But the board at the roulette wheel showed the number was 6 the last two times and three of the last eight. Also, twice in the last 10 the number was 18.

My birthday is 6-18, so I said to myself, Self, if youre ever going to risk single numbers, this is the time.

Instead of $10 on red and $10 on odd, I bet $10 on 6 and $10 on 18.

Six came up right away, so I had a 35-1 payoff. Next was an 18, so I won 35-1 again.

Id never won more than $200 in a session, and here I was with $700. I thought would faint.

I decided to double up for one last bet, $20 each on 6 and 18, and 6 came up again! I won $1,400. I was so nervous, my hands were shaking..

I just couldnt go on. I took the money and ran. I didnt even want to know if the streak went on. I just needed to calm down. I may never play single numbers again, but wow, that was exciting.

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Players find up and down sides of streaks at craps and roulette - Atlantic City Weekly

Is online roulette rigged? In my years of working in the gambling industry, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I have come across.

Everyone who has had a horrible experience playing live dealer roulette online or any other game variant will look for answers. But depending on our mindsets, our responses to those questions might differ greatly.

For example, one might ponder just how they managed to blow through a $1000 bankroll in a matter of minutes and lament their poor execution. Someone else in the same position might blame the casino and claim that all roulette is rigged.

But is all roulette rigged? Or are there other matters at play that could be leading to your losses?

Today, Im looking to expand on why some believe online roulette is rigged and provide a verdict on whether it is or not. Whats more, Ill be explaining why only playing atsafe online casinosis the best way to avoid being stung at the online tables.

Do You Believe Online Roulette is Rigged Against Players?

Before we can look to answer the question of is online roulette rigged, we should first establish our mindset. The easiest way to do this is by asking a question.

If we are sitting down with a beer, I ask, are all online roulette games rigged? What would your natural response be? Think about that for a second.

Now, lets imagine you replied in the affirmative. Yes, online roulette is rigged. If that is the case, Id expect you to provide some examples of why you believe that is.

Specifying where we are coming from in any situation like this is important. It allows others to understand your mindset and beliefs, which you have the freedom to air out. Whether you are committed to the assumption that these tables are designed to clean you out or ready to argue why online roulette isnt rigged, thats your argument to fight.

This might be a glorious generalization, but I cant see many people falling outside its scope. Our entire journey as casino players, or gamblers, in general, is determined by our success.

Blaming Rigged Online Roulette for Your Losses

If we consistently win, were typically less inclined to display antipathy when asked are online roulette games rigged.

On the flip side, if weve just lost our wages on a marathon session at the tables, the chances are that were going to be pissed.

But while some blame poor roulette strategy or personal errors for their flops, others will lean toward other ways to rationalize such a mammoth kick in the nuts. Weve all got to find a way to sleep at night.

Important

Not everyone will feel this way, of course. But again, as someone with years of experience in the gambling industry, I have witnessed plenty of people choosing to hate the game rather than the player, when things go wrong.

And the most common way of dealing with big losses? You guessed it. Its gotta be rigged, right?

Are All Online Roulette Tables Rigged?

The short answer is no. But seeing as were looking to address a bigger question here, I will respond in kind.

Rather than explain all of the reasons why online roulette isnt rigged, lets consider that there are ways to fix games against players. Furthermore, there are some downright dodgy online betting sites to avoid out there.

How do I know that? Well, we have anonline casino blacklistdedicated to exposing companies that dont have their customers best interests at heart.

Now, it would be wrong not to point out that this blacklist is not dedicated exclusively to sites that rig online tables. Most of these sites have not been found to be fiddling with their games. But if a name appears on that list, you can be certain that there is at least one good reason for it.

For the most part, online roulette is 100% safe and fair. But you are rolling the dice, so to speak, when you play at any old site. After all, online casinos operate off the same business model as any for-profit endeavor. And that is, well, to make a profit.

If there is a way to gear the odds in their favor unfairly, some unscrupulous sites will do it. Thats life. But there areUS gambling laws and online regulationsin place to stop these crooks from ripping you off. The only problem is that, sometimes, these companies then circumvent those restrictions and slip through the net.

You might understand a little better why we place so much emphasis on only recommending casino sites that are 100% legal, safe, and above board.

Of course, there are ways to rig games. Some of thebiggest scandals to rock the gambling industryprove that there is always someone looking for an illegal edge.

But rather than finding out the hard way, its much better to stick with sites you can trust. You wont need to worry if a fully-licensed, safe casino site is up to no good. Because if they are, its adios for them.

While there are few ways to tell if online roulette is rigged, I will explain later that its tough to present concrete proof. This is because almost every casino offering players the chance to play roulette uses software to generate winning numbers.

What Is an RNG in Online Casino Roulette?

Never heard of random number generators (RNGs)? Well, its almost certain that you have come across them if you have played roulette online. Whether you were aware of it or not.

In short, RNGs are computer programs that determine the winning number for those playing the electronic variants of the game. Rather than someone sitting behind a computer screen dictating where the ball falls on the wheel, an algorithm carries this operation.

Now, the random bit is a controversial subject. Sure, the numbers are not manually chosen but presented by the program. But some believe that there is nothing random to it at all. The code relies on mathematical equations to churn out numbers, so it cant technically be arbitrary.

Our guide to understandinghow random number generators workdoes a great job of covering the complexities of this system. Id recommend reading it if you want to go further down the RNG rabbit hole.

How are online roulette games rigged if you have RNGs operating? That is a good question.

While RNGs are the standard for online sites, they are hackable. This again emphasizes why it is important to only play at trustworthy casinos. If a site does not have the latest encryption software, firewalls, or a robust defense against hackers, it can be cheated out of a lot of money.

But as for sites rigging online RNGs or pseudo RNGs to rip off players? That is something that would require a whole new level of sh**housery!

In recent years, the emergence ofprovably fair games with Bitcoinhas highlighted some distrust of how RNGs work. If you are skeptical about playing roulette online or believe there is a rigged roulette wheel online looking to take your money, Id recommend looking these up.

So, its tough to rig roulette games using RNGs. Its not impossible, however. There are some shady ones out there that should be avoided, like the plague.

How to Tell if Online Roulette Is Rigged

Its probably easier to point out how to avoid rigged roulette sites, in all fairness. But Ill explain a few things to keep in mind.

Whether you are asking if live online roulette is rigged or are only concerned with avoiding major losses on the video variant, there are things you should look out for. Of course, you dont have to get your pen and paper out and start jotting.

Simply bookmark this page and use it for future reference. But make sure to remember the following.

So, touching back to that question. Are online roulette tables rigged? Well, if a site is shady, there is every chance that they have figured a way to stitch you up.

Its important to remember that you have the power to do as you please when playing online. Well, you know what I mean! You cant go around demanding everything on your terms, but who you choose to play with and where are your say. And no one elses.

As you do that, here are some additional tips for telling if a casino game is rigged or not.

The gambling world is growing day by day throughout the country. A lot of people are wondering if they are rigged or not, which is a fair question. There have been rigged casinos before, but what about most of them? Gambling is something that should always be...

Can Live Roulette Be Rigged to Rip Off Players?

Again, Im more inclined to pay attention to the company offering these games than the game itself.While considered an axiom among some in the gambling industry, live dealer roulette was seen as safer than video roulette.

This is not true if you remember that its the site that matters. Yes, there aredifferences between the live dealer and video roulette, but one doesnt consistently pay out more than the other.

Its important to remember that roulette is a game of chance. While being one that we expect to get a fair shake on, its still a high-risk, high-reward endeavor.

Depending on the different types of roulette variants you play, there are as many as 38 numbers on that wheel. If youre betting on one number per spin, do the math.

When it comes to whether online roulette wheels are rigged in general, some folks prefer the live dealer environment. Of course, the main reason for that is that they get to see a human spin the wheel.

Its more empowering or at the very least, realistic to see the gameplay out that way.

Rather than an animated video roulette wheel circling, you can keep an eagle eye on things.

Some players disagree, of course. They would opt for the RNG version any day of the week and might put that down because its a program. Remember, some of the earliest roulette scams ever recorded were carried out way before the advent of computers.

For instance, take theinfamous scam carried out by Monique Laurentand her accomplices in France in the 1970s. Using a magnet and a transmitter inside a cigarette box, Laurent, a dealer, and her sister defrauded a casino out of almost $1 million.

How to Scam Live Dealer Roulette Games

A better way of putting that would be, Can live dealer roulette be rigged?

Well, the obvious answer is yes. They can. If you have ever had the, erm, pleasure of ending up in a dodgy casino before, youll know this is a possibility.

When I was still a fresh-faced lad, I ended up in such an establishment in Europe while looking for a late-night drink with some friends. Needless to say, we didnt hang around very long. Not only was it obvious that there was some manipulation of the roulette wheel in action, but the beer was also awful.

In a live dealer environment, it would be much more difficult to get away with underhanded scams like this. Remember, thebest live casinosand sites would never risk their business with shady tactics of this ilk. Why would they if they already make enough money?

Effectively, any sites caught using a rigged roulette wheel online would be shamed and treated as pariahs in the betting world. And for what? Are you cleaning up on a few bets that would be nothing more than loose change in the long run?

But thats just the reputable ones with more to lose than paying out on their bets. For the unlicensed, untrustable rogue casinos? Well, youre not going even to entertain those, so avoid them and, if possible, deter anyone else from handing over their hard-earned cash.

The Verdict Is Online Roulette Rigged?

Although there are players out there convinced online roulette is rigged, I cant say I agree.

Having considered all of the information above, my conclusion is gamescanbe rigged. But are online roulette wheels rigged? Well, some of them might be. For the large part, however, online roulette is safe and fair. It all depends on where you play.

Look, any service or product you trade money for online is the same. Lets say I decided to buy a new pair of Air Jordans from some guy off Craigslist rather than from a reputable store. If fakes turned up, or nothing was received at all, who is at fault?

While that guy is a complete asshat for ripping me off, its partly my responsibility to ensure that Im only dealing with trustworthy sellers online. I cant run in the rain without getting wet.

Im not entirely blaming myself. Yet, I would take most of the responsibility in such a situation.

Others may differ, and I understand that, too. The bottom line here is that I paid for something and should have received a fair deal. But had I dealt with a reputable company, would I have been in such a position in the first place? Nope. Also, I wouldnt accuse all Air Jordans of being fake because I got stung.

So, why dont we apply that logic rather than ask, is online roulette rigged? Instead of chancing our arms with sites that dont pass the smell test, we make a point of only playing with reputable casinos. That way, if we lose, we can work on avoiding errors and mistakes that cost us dearly.

Maybe these following tips can help you attain better success next time around!

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Is Online Roulette Rigged? Why Some Believe it is a Scam - Gambling Sites

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) News 2 took an inside look at the drug epidemic thats plaguing the Music City. Illicit drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, are getting into the hands of residents, and some of them are ultimately carrying a deadly dose.

Undercover detectives are on the front lines, come face to face with these dealers and say the most shocking part is the human toll drugs are taking.

The busy sounds of downtown pull people in, with music, lights and entertainment. However, theres something dangerous lurking in every corner in the form of drugs and undercover officers see it all.

Its a deadly game of Russian roulette, you never know what youre going to get, said an undercover officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Its a deadly game with high stakes. The players include street drugs like cocaine, meth, and the king of them all, fentanyl.

In a sit-down interview with an undercover officer, News 2 asked him if there was a fentanyl problem in Nashville. He responded, absolutely there is.

The white substance fentanyl packs a deadly punch.

These streets drugs that are often being possed as one thing, but is actually fentanyl are being mixed in crude machines like blenders and coffee grinders, explained the undercover detective.

Those working as undercover narcotics detectives, an operation by Specialized Investigations Division, work to blend in and come face to face with dealers. Suprinsgly, dealers are eager to sell them the product.

It just shows me how willing they are to make a dollar on somebody who could potentially be a fatal overdose victim the next day, said an undercover detective.

This is all part of the Metro Nashville Police Departments continued investigation into drug sales downtown.

We are finding that a lot of the dealers are local to Davidson County, to Nashville, but obviously the drugs have to come from somewhere. So, its part of our relentless pursuit to figuring out where these drugs are coming from, and to chase those drugs as far up the chain as we possibly can, he said.

They are taking a hard look at whats being sold on the street.

In May, the Metro arrested 14 men as part of this initiative. All of them are accused of selling undercover officers drugs.

For one example, was presenting a drug saying it was cocaine and it tested positive for fentanyl and negative for cocaine and it absolutely could have been a fatal dose, he explained.

The most common form of drugs police are finding, are disguised as prescription medication.

Upwards of 40% of those counterfeit prescription pills contain a lethal dose or double, or triple a lethal dose of fentanyl for the average-sized adult, he explained. It would be very difficult for me to believe that they didnt know what was in the product that they were selling. I believe they either know of or personally did mix the drugs or blend the drugs themselves.

While nationally the country is trying to combat the drug epidemic, Nashville is in no way immune from its toll, which is why Metro police are trying to end it at the source.

The most shocking is the human toll that its taking on our city. Last year, in 2021 725 people died from drug-related overdoses in Nashville, Davidson County alone, 725, and just to know behind every one of those victims that has passed away, theres a family thats grieving them, there are children that have lost parents, there are mothers who have lost sons and daughters, he said.

For those seeking treatment for drug addiction, the Community Overdose Response Team (CORT) can help. CORT is a free and confidential resource to help find drug and alcohol treatment for individuals who are at risk of an overdose. The service is offered free of charge regardless of health insurance status. The team works with an individual to determine the appropriate level of care. You can call CORT at 615-687-1701.

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Its a deadly game of Russian roulette: Undercover detectives work to put an end to drug operations in Nashville - WKRN News 2

Letters

By Gail Travers | on June 01, 2022

To the Editor:

Were coming out from the COVID-19 pandemic. You may choose to continue to wear a mask or not. Its up to you. You can decide your level of risk, but as you come out and decide to go to a movie, a concert or sports event, the mall, grocery store and especially when you pack the kids off to school, wear your battle armor! The helmet, bulletproof vest, face shield and a bullet shield will also be useful because we are no longer the U.S.A.; we are the NRA No Rights for Americans.

Guns and money now have all the rights in our country. Guns have the right to exist anywhere at anytime to shoot off their mouths and spread bloodshed all over this land. Money has the right to collect itself in the pockets of the soulless greedy without any limit.

Weapons of mass destruction make the most money in sales so we can never put safety measures in place to protect the innocent. That might limit their sales and put less into the pockets of the gun manufacturers who then put it into the greedy, soulless organization that gives it to the corrupt politicians, who have security paid for by our government to protect them from the roulette wheel of life in this country that ends in death when your number comes up.

Last week it was 21 innocent, beautiful Americans who won this horrific game of chance we all live every day. It was a massacre in a school in Texas where they love and protect guns a hundred times more than they protect Americans. Nineteen of them were our children. None of these victims had any rights to live a life free of the threat of sudden death out of nowhere.

My only comfort when I talk to my traumatized children and grandchildren is that we live in New Jersey, where weapons of war are banned. Where our governor is fighting to put more safety measures in place to give my family some hope for our right to life. We are not a whole country, however, and those weapons of war can cross over into our state from the less free states that offer no safety.

Im not a gambler. I hate the stock market. I go to the casinos in Atlantic City just for the shows, but I gamble every day when I walk out my door to go anywhere in this country. We have no freedom in this country since gun lovers and sellers decided guns and the profits they make need freedom above all of us. Never mind the total and shameful incompetence of the political leaders of Texas.

I want my right to life. It has been stolen and replaced by the NRA (No Rights for Americans).

V. Vaughn

Little Egg Harbor

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I Want My Right to Life Back - The SandPaper

Stefano Melani has worked as croupier for nearly 30. He has worked in top London casinos, super yachts, stayed in seven-star accommodation and helped everyone from kings to the destitute to have a bet. Here the 50-year-old reveals the secrets of his trade.

Ive been working as a croupier since 1991. My motivation for becoming one was basically that I liked to travel, and that I didnt want the normal routine of a regular office, or being closed in some specific place.

No, I wanted to discover the world, and to have the opportunities of a career because, in Italy, where Im from, we have the wrong mentality towards careers. But in England, in a sector like this, which is linked to tourism and the entertainment industry, and is very well organised, theres lots of opportunity.

Ive worked all over the world, but have spent a lot of time in London. The basic training is fast you learn within six to eight weeks and then you get your licence from the Gambling Commission, and then you can work in any casino.

Its dynamic, itinerant and unconventional work. For example, in London casinos are open 24 hours a day, so there are three shifts: 6am to 2pm, 2pm to 8pm, 8pm to 4am. In London, Ive worked in casinos in Leicester Square, South Kensington and Mayfair, which is where the biggest casinos are, and which are dedicated to VIPs, and to sheiks.

While of course you will always have some gambling addicts, youll find that everybody likes to gamble from time to time. I would see VIPs alongside people coming back from the market, from work, people with some change in their pockets. You can play roulette for 50p, for a pound, so its not just for the rich.

We have very strict rules to constrict the financial movements of our customers. If a player is not yet a member, the maximum [they can bet] is 1,400 before the checks are triggered. If theres any suspicion of money-laundering, we make a report immediately, and the gambling stops. More generally, a normal gambler might play 100-200 a night, but for rich people, it can be 3m, 4m, or 5m.

The croupier is trained to stay as neutral as possible. We cannot show excitement. But I do enjoy it when I see the customers win, because they transfer to you very good feelings, their excitement. We also stay neutral when the customer loses. Its never nice to see a customer lose money. If they lose big, they dont come back, and the casino loses a customer.

I remember a man coming in once, he looked very poor, perhaps homeless. He took out his last 5 note, and placed it on black on roulette. He won! It was only 20, but he was so happy, and I was happy for him because I understood what it must have meant.

At the opposite end, I saw an American lose $50m (40m) at the poker table in one night. That was 16 hours gambling. But he left the table singing and smiling; it was almost as if he had won. Hed enjoyed himself, and now he had a fantastic memory. More importantly, he could afford it; for him, this was just recreation. Another time not at my casino, unfortunately an Arabian princess tipped casino staff $1m after a good night at poker.

Its a much healthier workspace now than it used to be, the casino: theres no smoking any more, for starters. But its something you have to get used to. You have to have a different metabolism, because youre eating at night. In my spare time, I like to be outside. I play a lot of sport; its my dream to become a motorbike racer.

During summer months, Im often hired to work on superyachts that have private casinos on board. The clientele here are sheiks, kings and VIPs, and they want a personal casino for privacy reasons, mostly. All of them are high rollers, and can spend up to 10m on poker. For us, its a lot of fun and very comfortable: the accommodation is seven star.

The only aspect of my life [thats disappointing] is that Im always single and without a family, perhaps because theres so much shift work involved? But I work in fascinating places, Ive been around the planet, in castles, on boats, and Ive got to know many people of all nationalities, and learn from other cultures.

Do I gamble, myself? Occasionally, but only for fun. I dont like to go to the casino, because I know the risk. I know how to spend my money in other ways.

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Secrets of a Croupier: 'I saw an American lose $50 million at the poker table in one night' - iNews

Michelle Heath has warned people who travel to Turkey for cosmetic surgery are playing Russian roulette with their lives.

he 40-year-old feared she'd lose her leg and almost lost her life after an op went wrong last year in Istanbul.

And she's hit out a list of accredited surgeons in Turkey shared on the Foreign Office website.

Michelle, who's part of a Facebook group for victims of botched surgery which has more than 8,000 members, says the government site gives people the wrong impression.

"I could see 12 surgeons on that list straight away who I knew from the Facebook group had botched operations," she says.

"There are pages and pages of names and people will look at that and think all the surgeons on there are safe, but you have no idea what you're getting."

The Foreign Office website states that 17 British nationals have died in Turkey since January 2019 following medical tourism visits, before referring the public to a list of accredited Turkish facilities.

"It's still Russian roulette. When I went to hospital two days after coming back from Turkey, I was two days away from a coma. If I hadn't gone when I did, I would have lost my leg," says Michelle.

"I'm now scarred for life."

Belfast Trust surgeon Graeme Macaulay revealed last week that patients from Northern Ireland have been airlifted to London for life-saving treatment after bariatric weight loss surgery in Turkey.

He warned of patients who were left unable to eat solid food, who had developed fatal conditions like sepsis or had to undergo multiple complex surgeries to fix the damage done to them.

Michelle travelled to the International Clinic at the BHT Clinic in Istanbul last August to have excess skin removed from her back and thighs. Sunday World contacted the clinic for a comment about her claim of poor treatment, but it did not respond.

The Dundonald woman, who owns the Tanning Emporium in Belfast, had lost several stone and was left with folds of skin which she wanted to have removed.

"A friend of mine had it done here, and it was 15,000. That was not within the realms of what I could afford. I looked at a number of clinics in Turkey and this was the only one where I didn't have to haggle about the price of 5,000. It doesn't seem very professional to me to haggle about the price of surgery."

The mum of one was adamant that she only wanted the excess skin removed, and that she did not want liposuction.

When she came round from her surgery, she claims she discovered she'd had a Brazilian bum lift, the transfer of fat to the buttocks, which she hadn't asked for. Despite booking a two-day stay in hospital she was discharged the next day and spent a week in a hotel room in agony.

Back at home she went to her parents' house and asked a nurse friend to come and check her wounds.

"She came into the house and said all she could smell was rotting flesh. My wounds on my leg were two centimetres apart and they were rotting. She wanted me to go to hospital, but I asked to wait until the next day. By then the wounds were further apart, and I ended up going to hospital with blues and twos.

"My legs were full of blood clots and they had to debride my wounds to clear out all the dead tissue."

Michelle had worse in store when the wound on her back ruptured a week later.

Too much skin had been removed during the surgery and instead of following the contour of her body it went straight down.

"It would never have healed," she says.

"It was tacked closed with a couple of stitches, and when I fell in the shower it ruptured. I had to have a skin graft from my thigh.

"Even now when I lean forward or bend down it feels like it's going to burst.

"I will be scarred for the rest of my life."

Since the surgery in Turkey she can no longer enjoy gym sessions which had become a huge part of her daily routine.

Michelle also blamed herself for making the decision to go there in the first place and has spent her recovery time trying to persuade other people not to make the same mistake.

"People ask me what clinic I went to and say, 'I won't go there then.'

"It makes me so angry when I read about people from here having to be airlifted to London after coming back from surgery in Turkey.

"That's a group of people who all went together and all got butchered together."

Mr Macaulay, a consultant upper gastrointestinal surgeon, warns that people travelling abroad for surgery are taking a huge chance.

"I think the message is you have no idea what you're going to get.

"This is complex, major surgery and the people in the UK who provide it have to undergo specialist training and fellowship training.

"You don't necessarily have those same guarantees when you go abroad," he says.

roisin.gorman@sundayworld.com

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Co Down mum left with rotting flesh and days from death after Turkey cosmetic surgery trip - Sunday World

The celebration of Pride monthhighlights the LGBTQ+ community and honors the pioneers of LGBTQ+ rights. This month emphasizes the voices of themovement and paves the way for future generations ofLGBTQ+ groups.

Members of the Lubbock drag community spoke on the LGBTQ+ community in Lubbock and what Pridemeans as a drag queen.

Yeah, in Lubbock, it's really great, Brady Collings, also known as drag queen Maggot, a graduate art student from Tylersaid. I started drag six years ago in the Denton-Dallas area. It wasn't terriblebut you can tell that thing progressed and its very kind of surprising to find a city in Texasthat's so accepting and so open to this. Because what I do isn't necessarily what some of the other kind of queens do; the way that I presentmy body, I do not like to really remove hair and stuff like that. I kind of gota little bit of flackand pushback when I started somewhere else. Coming to Lubbock and everyone just being so embracing, it'sbeen amazing.

Maggot finds inspiration from David Lynch films with her drag aesthetic.

Collings saidcombining hisart as a student and drag as a performer creates an authentic performance and allows him to convey a unique perspective on drag shows.

Yeah, so much of the art that I have been making within the last two, three years has been intertwined with drag,"Collings said. It is an interesting little balancing act because I am getting to, at one end, talk about drag in a way that is within like academic terms and approaching it more from like a theoretical aspect. I think it's been a nice balance because if I were to not be doing the performing as well, I think some of the talking and theorizing about it would feel a little disingenuous. But I think I need both of them to kind of comfortably pursue both things.

Drag queen and Texas Tech graduate student Maggot displays her unique artistry in full drag.

The exposure of drag in mainstream media creates a standard of drag that he hopes to break out of with his art, Collings said. Implementing emotional performance into his shows gave him an advantage in standing out and being true to himself as a drag queen and a student.

I think that there has always been a long history of drag being kind of emotional and such but just within the last couple of years with drag race and all of that, that wasn't the kind of drag that was forefront in the mainstream media, Collingssaid. "Andfor me, I could move around, but I can't really like dance like some of these other girls too. So, it was a way to combine kind of things that I was interested in already. I have aBFA in studio artfrom the University of Texas at Tyler and I am doing my Master's in painting right now at Tech. I took some aspects I was already interested in within art history and kind of mashed them together with drag to celebrate more of the subversive aspects of drag."

Ruben Torres,dragpersonaReddRoulette, isa local performer in Lubbock nightclubs. Torres said the support from the community outweighs the negativity that drag performers are often confronted with in a relatively conservative city.

Oh, we definitely get backlash,but to me, it doesn't even matter, Torressaid. "Because for me, I can get 101 negative messages, but the one person that is there supporting me showing me love, they're taking the time out of their lives, that they'll never get back to spending their money that they worked hard for. I'm there to give them the show."

Redd Roulette poses in a local nightclub where she hosts the weekend drag shows.

Torres describes his transition as a retail manager to his persona Redd Roulette as a transformation into confidence and artistry that is emphasized through his drag.

It'sdefinitely astruggle. I'ma retail manager so typically, I'm getting off like six, seven o'clock. I get home and I lay outwhat I'mgoing to wear, what I'm going to do and start listening to my music. I start doing my makeup and by the time my makeup is done with--I'm fulfilling my fantasy already," Torres said. "I'm likeshe's here, the dolls here and if you ever do your makeup with me and see that I spend at least an hour and a half in front of the makeup mirror just looking at myself. Just like 'oh my god, she's pretty.'

As a young gay kid, Torres said watching drag queens and seeing the confidence exhibited in their performances inspired him to push himself to follow the same path and become a drag queen.

Local performer Redd Roulette sits down for a conversation about what Pride month means as a drag queen.

From being one myself, I watched queens before I started doing drag. Torressaid. "I used to sneak in as a minor and have friends pick me up over the gate so I could watch the shows. I really just kind of adored everything they did, and they always had like the same kind of like confidence, it wasmagic that came out of it. I told myself one day, I'm going tobe in that same position. I just happened to push myself to make that come true.

Alazae MoNy, real name Michael Hicks-Piedra, a visiting drag performer from Hobbs, New Mexico, said communicating to the younger LGBTQ+ generation that they have support from the drag community is important in spreading positivity between one another.

I think my message would be don't wait till it's too late to fully embrace who you are. Hicks-Piedra said. If you need somebody to help, don't hesitate to reach out to me or anybody else that is part of the LGBTQI+ community because more than likely, everybody's willing to help, especially drag queens. They're the top tier of the queer community. We're the face of it all. And we want everybody to feel the love and success and the positivity that is surrounded the LGBTQI plus community

Alazae MoNey visits Lubbock from New Mexico to perform in drag shows.

Hicks-Piedra said the current drag representation and shift into a more progressive society gives more opportunities and resources to the current youth compared to the past.

It took me since I was 14 years old to finally start understanding, no matter what you do people are going to love you, especially the ones that are around you daily, Hicks-Piedrasaid. "Ifyou need somebody to be there for you, there are always people to reach out to. I wish I would have understood that. A lot of kids nowadays do not understand that. There aremore resources nowadays than there were whenever we were growing up being those little queer kids sitting in the back of the class, quietly trying to just blend in and get through the day. Just because you are in this small crappy town, does not mean that you cannot be you. And it took me a while to learn that

Pride month is a time to be proud of who you are and drag allows him to feel empowered as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Hicks-Piedra said.

To me, it's about embodying everything that I can embody; embodying the confidence, the power, any vibe that you can give as a gay man in a conservative town, Hicks-Piedrasaid. "Itis more of being proud of who you are. Not everybody gets that opportunity to be who they trulyare. Thatis something that I wish that I had learned a long time ago. Be proud of who you are because you cannot change it. There is a ton of people that love every aspect of you, no matter what you do. That is amazing."

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Local drag community explore the meaning of Pride month - The Daily Toreador