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Summer Reading List: 9 Books That Will Help You Understand The Covid Crisis
So summer is finally here, but not the way we thought it would be. Although most places have opened up, we still need to be careful and keep our distance. Some places, unfortunately, are having second waves and may have to shut down again. Life in the age of Covid is never normal or easy.
Yet we can still enjoy ourselves. Pools and beaches are opening, albeit with restrictions, and even a global pandemic can't stop the warm weather. That's what makes summer such a great time to catch up on reading, hours of lying in the sun with nothing better to do than spending time with a good book.
When I'm anxious about something, I usually try to learn more about it. Although the facts aren't always pleasant, I find that once I understand something, I'm able to follow events in a more constructive way and that, at least, gives me a feeling of calm. That's why this summer, I'm focusing my reading list on books that will help you understand the Covid crisis better.
The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee
A virus isn't a living thing in the same way that bacteria and protozoa are. It is, essentially, a bit of genetic code wrapped in a protein shell, which invades our cells and hijacks our own genetic machinery to make more copies of itself. Most viruses are harmless and can even play a constructive part in evolution. Others, of course, are more nefarious.
Siddhartha Mukherjee is one of the premier science writers in the world today, having won the Pulitzer Prize for his earlier book, The Emperor of all Maladies. In The Gene: An Intimate History, he offers a surprisingly accessible account of the past, present and future of what we know about our genetic blueprint.
If you want to understand the pandemic on a basic level, you can do no better than this book!
A Crack In Creation by Jennifer Doudna
The key to ending the crisis is to develop a vaccine. Historically, that has been a painfully slow process, which took years — and sometimes decades — to complete. There still isn't an AIDS vaccine, for example. However, due to advances in synthetic biology and in particular a new technology called CRISPR, we can expect a Covid-19 vaccine to be developed in 12-18 months.
In A Crack In Creation, Jennifer Doudna, the discoverer of CRISPR, tells her personal story of how she came across an obscure mechanism in bacteria that revolutionized our ability to edit genetic material. It is a surprisingly personal book in which she shares her hopes and fears about the power of the technology she unleashed.
Generally speaking, I find the accounts from the scientists who make great discoveries much more fun to read than those written by journalists and this is a great example. If you want to follow all of the "sciency" talk about developing a cure for Covid, this book will definitely help.
The Half-Life of Facts by Sam Arbesman
One of the most frustrating things about the Covid crisis is how the facts seem to change over time. At first scientists thought that it was primarily a respiratory disease, but now they believe that it works mostly by clotting our blood and gumming up our organs. There has been confusion about whether or not to wear masks and so on.
As chaos theorist Sam Arbesman explains in this fascinating book, that's not unusual. Our understanding of the world evolves over time and, as it does, what is considered to be factual changes as well. In that sense, the seemingly moving target of Covid "truths" is a measure of how quickly we're progressing, as early theories are discarded in the face of new data.
Read this book and your understanding of science will never be the same.
The Beautiful Cure by Daniel M. Davis
It's hard to believe but before around 1970, we really knew very little about the immune system and how our body fights diseases. It is, without a doubt, the most wonderfully complex system in our bodies. In fact, it isn't one system but a number of different systems built on top of one another, all trying to identify and destroy threats to our bodies.
The author, Daniel M. Davis is a leading immunologist himself and writes gracefully about a subject he knows well, brings alive not only the science, but the scientists themselves, many of whom he knows personally. The beautiful cure will give you a new appreciation for the marvels of our biology.
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
One of the things that is so insidious about viruses like Covid is that they constantly mutate. By hijacking our genetic machinery to copy themselves, they are constantly making mistakes and changing their genetic code. Most of the time, these changes kill the virus, but sometimes it results in mutation that makes the virus even more deadly. That appears to have happened with Covid.
Richard Dawkins' classic, The Selfish Gene, changed our conception of how life evolves. Rather than a dull analysis of genes and chromosomes, Dawkins asks us to think of evolution as a set of gene survival strategies, with us as mere vehicles. So as Covid keeps changing so that it can avoid detection by our immune system, our immune system keeps adapting so that we can better pass our genes along.
This is one of those books that will forever change how you think about the world around you.
The Year Without Pants by Scott Berkun
One of the most difficult aspects of the Covid crisis for many people is learning how to be productive working from home. There are some definite advantages, like not having to commute and spending more time with family, but for many people the number of distractions and lack of structure can be difficult. From a management perspective, leading a remote workforce requires developing new skills.
Although written seven years ago, Scott Berkun's The Year Without Pants provides a fun and insightful account of his year working remotely for WordPress.com. Far ahead of its time, it will give you great ideas about how to manage yourself and others in the era of Covid.
The Doctor's Plague by Sherwin Nuland
Long before the Covid crisis or even the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, there was childbed fever, which killed as many as a quarter of all women giving birth. As it turned out, it was the doctors themselves who were causing it, by delivering babies directly after operating on patients without washing up.
A young doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis identified the cause and brought infections down dramatically at Vienna General Hospital by implementing a strict regime of hand washing. However, due to a combination of resistance from the medical establishment and Semmelweis's own stubbornness, he was ostracized and later died in disrepute.
One of the bright spots of the Covid crisis is that we're accelerating science in unprecedented ways and will undoubtedly discover important cures. Hopefully, we've learned something since Semmelweis's time.
The Lives Of A Cell by Lewis Thomas
This one is an absolute classic. Lewis Thomas was a towering figure in medicine for decades. He was Dean of Yale Medical School and New York University School of Medicine, and President of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute and wrote a regular column for the New England Journal of Medicine. Lives of a Cell, which won a National Book Award, is a collection of those columns.
Although published nearly half a century ago, the short essays in this book will permanently alter your perspective. For example in the title essay, he asks us to look at viruses like the one that causes Covid-19 as more than just "single-minded agents of disease and death," but as a "mechanism for keeping new mutant DNA in the widest circulation among us."
Each essay is only a few pages long, so you can read it in small bites but be inspired nonetheless!
The Plague by Albert Camus
More than 70 years after it was published Camus' The Plague, for which he won the Nobel Prize, is hauntingly relevant. On the surface, it is a simple story of an epidemic in the town of Oran, which goes under strict quarantine. However, on a more visceral level, it is about human struggle and how we all adapt to it in different ways.
In Camus' view, the pestilence is always under the surface, lying dormant but waiting to rise up again. When it does it brings out heroism in some, greed and selfishness in others. In the end, he concludes, "to simply say what we learn in the midst of plagues : there are more things to admire in men than to despise."
Let's hope he was right.
So that's my list for this summer. If you would like to add a suggestion of your own, please feel free to do that in the comments section.
– Greg
Image: Pixabay


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None of the 42 teams targeted by Major League Baseball in its proposed minor league overhaul and contraction plan are pleased. Thirteen, in particular, have reason to be even more distressed: They are targeted for complete elimination.
According to an industry source, the list that Major League Baseball presented to Minor League Baseball in March had 13 teams — two each in Iowa, Tennessee, Florida, and Maryland, one apiece in Washington, California, Kentucky, Oregon, and West Virginia — slated to cease operations.
The remaining 29 would be stripped of their Major League Baseball affiliations, MLB toying with the idea of newly created independent leagues, a designation minor league owners believe will drastically reduce the value of their franchises as well as offer a lower quality of play for fans.
Eleven, including the Red Sox-affiliated Lowell Spinners, would be placed in an MLB-supported independent "Dream League." The others would be split among, presumably, two independent wooden-bat leagues modeled after college summer leagues. One based in the Rocky Mountain states would comprise much of the current Pioneer League (advanced rookie level), the other all but one member of the current 10-team Appalachian League (advanced rookie).
No changes to the list have been put forth by MLB since it was presented to Minor League Baseball in March, according to the source. The next face-to-face bargaining session is scheduled for Dec. 6 in San Diego, prior to baseball's annual Winter Meetings.
The contentious negotiations over a new Professional Baseball Agreement — the current one will expire at the end of September next year — spilled into the public eye last month. MLB said it is seeking a smaller minor league setup, with better facilities and salaries, less travel, and closer proximity to major league affiliates.
Among Minor League Baseball's complaints is that MLB is acting without sufficient regard for the economic impact the changes will make in communities.
The issue has become politicized. US Representative Lori Trahan, whose Massachusetts district encompasses Lowell, and US Representative David McKinley (R-W.Va.) co-authored a bipartisan letter with 104 signees to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, beseeching him to reconsider the plan. Trahan and McKinley will announce the formation of a "Save Minor League Baseball Task Force" next Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
Bernie Sanders is the only presidential candidate to speak out against the plan. The Vermont Lake Monsters, who play in Sanders's hometown of Burlington, are slated to be placed in the "Dream League."
"This has nothing to do with what's good for baseball and everything to do with greed," Sanders tweeted on Monday. "It would destroy thousands of jobs and devastate local economies."
Targeted teams
Listed with level and current affiliation in parentheses.
Burlington (Iowa) Bees (Single A, Angels)
Chattanooga (Tenn.) Lookouts (Double A, Reds)
Clinton (Iowa) LumberKings (Single A, Marlins)
Daytona (Fla.) Tortugas (Single A, Reds)
Florida Fire Frogs (Single A, Braves)
Frederick (Md.) Keys (Single A, Orioles)
Hagerstown (Md.) Suns (Single A, Nationals)
Jackson (Tenn.) Generals (Double A, Diamondbacks)
Lancaster (Calif.) JetHawks (Single A, Rockies)
Lexington (Ky.) Legends (Single A, Royals)
Salem-Keizer (Ore.) Volcanoes (Single A, Giants)
Tri-City (Pasco, Wash.) Dust Devils (Single A, Padres)
West Virginia Power (Single A, Mariners)
Auburn (N.Y.) Doubledays (Single A, Nationals)
Batavia (N.Y.) Muckdogs (Single A, Marlins)
Binghamton (N.Y.) Rumble Ponies (Double A, Mets)
Connecticut Tigers (Single A, Tigers)
Erie (Pa.) SeaWolves (Double A, Tigers)
Lowell (Mass.) Spinners (Single A, Red Sox)
Mahoning Valley (Niles, Ohio) Scrappers (Single A, Indians)
State College (Pa.) Spikes (Single A, Cardinals)
Staten Island (N.Y.) Yankees (Single A, Yankees)
Vermont Lake Monsters (Single A, Athletics)
Williamsport (Pa.) Crosscutters (Single A, Phillies)
Billings (Mont.) Mustangs (Rookie, Reds)
Bluefield (Va.) Blue Jays (Rookie, Blue Jays)
Bristol (Va.) Pirates (Rookie, Pirates)
Burlington (N.C.) Royals (Rookie, Royals)
Danville (Va.) Braves (Rookie, Braves)
Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins (Rookie, Twins)
Grand Junction (Colo.) Rockies (Rookie, Rockies)
Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers (Rookie, White Sox)
Greeneville (Tenn.) Reds (Rookie, Reds)
Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Royals)
Johnson City (Tenn.) Cardinals (Rookie, Cardinals)
Kingsport (Tenn.) Mets (Rookie, Mets)
Missoula (Mont.) PaddleHeads (Rookie, Diamondbacks)
Ogden (Utah) Raptors (Rookie, Dodgers)
Orem (Utah) Owlz (Rookie, Angels)
Princeton (W.Va.) Rays (Rookie, Rays)
Rocky Mountain (Colorado Springs) Vibes (Rookie, Brewers)
Quad Cities (Davenport, Iowa) River Bandits (Single A, Astros)
Michael Silverman can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeSilvermanBB

subset: commoncrawl


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Archiving | Heritage | Oral History | Storytelling | Drama | Exhibitions | Research |
Narratives of IdentityThe stories that we collect from the LGBT community, and the research that uses our material, can make a significant contribution to theories of identity and to academic studies of the ways in which the identities of marginalised people are named, narrated and represented. In publications and at conferences and workshops, OurStory Scotland has presented papers on the theme of narratives of marginalised sexual identity. For example, at Common Work, a conference on socially engaged arts practice (Glasgow 2007), an initial review of the work of OurStory Scotland was presented in a paper on Untold Stories of Life and Love with the 'Wrong' Gender. The paper looked at the ways in which our collected stories challenge fixed and stereotyped identities and reveal the centrality of storytelling to leading our lives. This paper was developed into an article on Relating Our Selves: Shifting frames of identity in storytelling with communities marginalised through sexuality and gender. The article considers how we are not as narrow and fixed as others may make us out to be. Our fluid and variously bounded selves depend on context, performance and narrative. Stereotypes can be subverted, and boundaries of identification undermined, through the recognition of shifting frames of identity. The article, exploring the practices developed by OurStory Scotland in relating our selves, can be viewed and downloaded here: see the article >> Relating Our Selves |
© Copyright OurStory Scotland - Scottish Charity No: SC035729 (SCIO) |


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Following incidents of intolerance on various University of California campuses last year, the UC Office of the President is striving to create a more inclusive learning environment.
The UC All Campus Consortium On Research for Diversity recently awarded ten grants to nine graduate students and one faculty member who conducted research on schooling inequalities, with the hopes of closing the gap in access to higher education. Additionally, the UC plans to implement its first widespread campus climate assessment project.
UCSB linguistics professor Mary Bucholtz and Gevirtz Graduate School of Education professor Jin Sook Lee received the UC ACCORD faculty grant to fund the initial stages of their project, which employs a demanding linguistics curriculum to heighten college opportunities for high school students of diverse backgrounds.
Luliana Alonso, a UC ACCORD graduate student researcher, said the $10,000 grant is a coveted prize.
"Applicants go through a rigorous process to get to the interview stage," Alonso said. "Less than half of applicants even get an interview."
Additionally, UCSB Ph.D. student Brianne Davila was one of nine graduate students to obtain a $20,000 fellowship for her dissertation focusing on gender and race in the special education system.
According to Nancy Acevedo-Gio, a UC ACCORD graduate student researcher, obtaining the grant is no easy feat.
"It is almost a year-long process to find the people we fund," Acevedo-Gio said. "It says a lot about the work and type of research that they do to have received these prestigious dissertation fellows."
To further aid campuses grapple with issues of tolerance, the UCOP has commissioned a study to assess the university's level of diversity in a more comprehensive manner than in years past.
By encouraging diversity, Interim University Diversity Coordinator Jesse Bernal said the survey will enhance students' educational experience.
"There is a huge body of research showing that diversity enhances the university experience for everyone," Bernal said. "It creates better critical reading and diverse skills, and therefore employers will be more inclined to hire students."
Although the research required to produce the survey will be expensive, Bernal said the project will make higher education more enjoyable for students of all backgrounds.
"The idea is to have diversity and inclusion interwoven into all the work you do in a campus so that it becomes a part of the everyday activities," Bernal said. "The ultimate goal, however, is to create an inclusive campus."


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Segal NA, Hein J, Basford JR. The effects of Pilates training on flexibility and body composition: an observational study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1977-81. Objective To assess claims regarding the effects of Pilates training on flexibility, body composition, and health status. Design An observational prospective study. Setting A community athletic club. Participants A sample of 47 adults (45 women, 2 men) who presented for Pilates training. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Fingertip-to-floor distance, truncal lean body mass by bioelectric impedance, health status by questionnaire and visual analog scale were assessed at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 months (±1wk). Results Thirty-two of 47 enrolled subjects met the protocol requirements of missing no more than 1 weekly 1-hour session Pilates mat class during each 2-month period. Investigators were blinded to measurements from previous time points. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) fingertip-to-floor distance improved from baseline by 3.4cm (1.3-5.7cm), 3.3cm (0.3- 7.8cm), and 4.3cm (1.5-7.6cm) at 2, 4, and 6 months, respectively (paired nonparametric analysis, all P<.01). There were no statistically significant changes in truncal lean body mass, height, weight, or other body composition parameters. Self-assessment of health also did not change in a statistically significant manner from its baseline median (IQR) value of 77mm (69-85mm). Conclusions Pilates training may result in improved flexibility. However, its effects on body composition, health status, and posture are more limited and may be difficult to establish. Further study might involve larger sample sizes, comparison with an appropriate control group, and assessment of motor unit recruitment as well as strength of truncal stabilizers.
Original language | English (US) |
Pages (from-to) | 1977-1981 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
Volume | 85 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2004 |
- Body composition
- Exercise
- Flexibility
- Health status
- Rehabilitation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation


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Hey, the trio is all decked out in this spring's hottest fashion style! (I swear I didn't draw this just to make everyone groan and roll their eyes, hahah! I wrote the script for the chapter over two months ago!)
Anyway here in Finland we have at last joined rest of Europe in country lockdown today (schools closed, gatherings of 10 people and up banned, borders being shut down etc) so I guess it's gonna be an interesting month for all of us. Prayers to everyone, may you all have enough toilet paper for your daily business and I'll see you all on Thursday for the next page!


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Admittedly, at this time of year, this is a hard theme to tackle. However, a fair amount of people were able to find a WILD ANIMAL. The challenge gets harder and harder as the weather gets colder and colder.
This week's submissions:
Micky Augustin
Time to reveal this week's theme:
I don't know that I need to define this one, I think everybody knows the definition of portrait. I think everybody knows what a face looks like. So this is a portrait that doesn't include a face.
No other real news to share. No new subscribers this week. The website is undergoing a metamorphosis, if you haven't noticed. It isn't there yet, but it almost is, so feel free to check the website's new look out. Including new headers! New logo! My Snapcode! Same great content!
As always, good luck this week to you and your faceless victims… um… subjects!


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DMCA | 2257 | Parental Control | Abuse | Privacy Policy


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Tunisia: Ministry claims progress in fight against terrorism
Tunisian forces on Monday clashed with a group of militants in the Gabes region killing at least two of them and suffering one casualty.
The confrontation took place during what the Interior Ministry calls "counter-terrorism operations" as the country is at grips with mounting terrorism since Libya became a training ground for Tunisian terrorists.
Tunisia's security forces are on a campaign against Islamist militants who have targeted military checkpoints and patrols in outlying areas.
A young man, allegedly affiliated to the Islamic State group, was arrested by the counter-terrorism unit on Monday in Monastir province and according to the interior ministry he is helping to crackdown on other members of a terrorist cell.
The Ministry didn't point out how many alleged terrorists have been arrested but claimed that the cell was planning to attack key state installations, hotels, security centers and politicians in order to destabilize the country.
It is to be recalled that the fall of the Ennahda-led coalition Government which led to early elections and paved the way for Nidaa Touness to win these polls was provoked by the assassinations of opposition figures Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahimi in 2013 by suspected terrorists. In 2015, Tunisia suffered three major attacks, all of which were claimed by the Islamic State group.
Most members of the ISIL cells dismantled in Tunisia were trained in Syria and Libya.
To stop the flow of terrorists, Tunisia is building a wall along its border with Libya.


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NICOLE: I was devastated. That was the hardest time.
JONATHAN: That was almost like, that was almost like a breaking point.
NICOLE: It was definitely not almost - it was the breaking point.
That's Nicole and Jonathan Smith. Jonathan is a graduate of the Prison Fellowship Academy. You met him in Episode 5.
Just as he thought he was ready for parole, Jonathan found out he had to go through the 18-month program first. For Nicole, the delay in Jonathan's release could not have come at a more difficult time.
NICOLE: So, during that 18 months, my child had, you know, a very, very horrendous accident. Almost lost her life. My mom was fighting for her life. At that time.
Her mom and daughter survived. But Nicole struggled through the ordeal practically alone—cut off from programs inside the prison and unaware of support systems outside.
NICOLE: My faith wavered the entire time. [54:03 -] It just it wavered. I had no [LONG PAUSE] strength …
For every one inmate there are countless family members abandoned and left to hold together what's left of their broken lives.
Providing families with incarcerated loved ones the personal and spiritual essentials of Effective Compassion is fairly straightforward. But how does a ministry challenge people who are already challenged—fighting to maintain relationships with inmates.
Giving up would be so easy.
As it turns out, selflessly giving personal and spiritual care goes a long way in encouraging—or challenging—families to stay the course. Showing them that God, who created the family, cares about theirs and they are not serving time on the outside alone.
From WORLD Radio and the creative team that brings you The World and Everything in It, this is Effective Compassion.
I'm Bonnie Pritchett.
Support Effective Compassion today at wng.org/donate. Additional support comes from World Help, a Christian humanitarian organization working to deliver food and Bibles to starving, persecuted Christians in North Korea, one of the most dangerous nations for Christians. A gift of $20 sends a Bible and a week's worth of food to a North Korean brother or sister. More at worldhelp.net/podcast/.
Jonathan and Nicole Smith met while he was an inmate. She was a college student working as a correctional officer. She quit her job when she realized Jonathan had become more than a friend.
They married while he was still behind bars and counted the days until they could be together. In the meantime, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice revoked her visitation rights without explanation. After repeated appeals failed, they gave up trying.
So, for five years, Nicole could not visit her husband.
JONATHAN: She'd drive by the window. I could wave. And see her while we're talking on the phone. She would drive by. I'd say 'Hi… Sometimes she would drive by and I didn't even know. She would tell me later. Why weren't you in the window?
NICOLE: Three or four times a week. Yeah. I would do it a lot. You're going to make me cry. I would do it a lot…
Just when Jonathan's release seemed so close, his enrollment into the Prison Fellowship Academy pushed it off another 18 months. While Jonathan eventually recognized his need for the program, he grieved not being able to be with Nicole when she needed him the most.
JONATHAN: And I found myself many times, having conversations with God asking Him, "Why? What's going on? Clear my thoughts. So, I can see whatever it is, you're trying to show me because in and of myself, I can't see it…
What God showed him was a band of praying brothers.
NICOLE: Because he had everybody praying. [ JON OFF MIC Oh, yeah.] Everyone praying for for us. And I definitely felt it. I will tell that to anyone that will listen, I felt it. Because I remember feeling like I could not pray. I couldn't even talk to God. And I was I had gotten that low.
Those prayers helped carry the couple through to Jonathan's release on parole in 2017. He'll remain on parole until 2027. He works as a safety professional at a natural gas liquids plant and is pursuing an MBA in project management. The couple is doing well now, but the difficulty of those five years apart remains a painful memory.
Nicole Smith knew—or at least had an idea of—what she was getting into when she married someone in prison. But most families are thrown into the situation with little to no warning.
REPORTER: ABC 13 Eyewitness News tonight. Now, breaking news. Now at 10, police lead on another chance…
Behind the crimes on the evening news are so many untold stories. Like La Tonya Burkett's.
She was busy at work on June 13, 2012 when she received a frantic call from a close family friend.
LATONYA BURKETT: Mine basically started with CPS. I was called by the mother at the time…
CPS is Child Protective Services, the state agency that investigates cases of child neglect and abuse.
BURKETT: I'm like, wait, till I get off work. When I get off work. I come to you. So, I go to her and I pick her up. I take her to my house. We sit there and talk about everything for two hours. And then all of a sudden, her phone rings and she's like "I'm here." And like why she's saying I'm here. And then next thing I know is she was like "The man from CPS." "The man from CPS?" Like, I didn't know anything. I would like to say I didn't know. I was caught off guard.
CPS showed up at Burkett's home to determine if she was willing and eligible to care for the mother's 6-year-old. The boy's father had been arrested. And his mom couldn't care for him or his three younger siblings.
BURKETT: So, when she came to me, I was like, "My baby." Cuz he'd been knowing me since he was born. I've been nanny his whole life. So, I was like, my baby's not going anywhere with any strangers. I will take them.
That was nine years ago. He's 15 now and still lives with Burkett. And while those years have had moments of joy, they've also brought plenty of challenges.
On a Friday evening last October Burkett met with four other women at Second Church Baytown, east of Houston, to discuss the tumultuous effect of a relative's incarceration.
LAQUESHA ST. JULES: It really did turn their lives upside down, especially my oldest…
That's Laquesha St. Jules. Her father played an important role in her life, and that of her children. They took his arrest and incarceration especially hard.
ST. JULES: And that broke my household entirely seeing him leave and knowing that what he had the potential to be in to see him go down that road…
Her oldest daughter had trouble forgiving him.
That's a common theme—for kids and parents.
The Prison Fellowship Angel Tree program at Baytown Second Church brought these families together. Melinda Garcia coordinates the program for the church.
GARCIA: And so, we have been a host church for Christmas outreach, I would say probably going on 15 years…
Most people are familiar with Angel Tree for the gifts it collects for inmates' children at Christmas. But Garcia says her church's annual project became more than a one-and-done present distribution campaign.
GARCIA: And so, we not only now do just the Christmas event, but we go beyond Christmas now. And so we felt a need and a calling to reach out to the families all year round. And so we have now a program called Angel Tree Year Round and that's where we have special events throughout the year and we minister to the families on a monthly basis.
The program's been going strong for seven years. Monthly meetings include Bible study and fellowship for the adults and Bible-based activities for the kids.
While the women appreciate the biblical teaching material, they said much of what their kids learn isn't found in books. Roberta Langley who took in her incarcerated son's seven children explains.
LANGLEY: So, with the kids, we have men roles, and, you know, more role models in here. And my boys look up to them. You know, we got Mr. Floyd, Mr. Mike, Mr. Rowland. I mean, we got role models in here that my boys look up to. My girls, they got teachers in here that teach them because they are growing up to be ladies. you see what I'm saying?..
Melinda Garcia is a social worker who began her career assisting victims of violent crime. She witnessed the trauma these families endured. That work spurred her passion to prevent similar crimes.
GARCIA: So, then I worked in the field of prevention, because, you know, I wanted to see how many people we could protect, before it ever got to, you know, to an incident…
Her Angel Tree kids are some of the victims of those incidents.
GARCIA: And so, our focus in Angel Tree is really the children. Our focus is to really to try to break those generational curses of into you know, of constant generations dealing with incarceration over and over again. So we believe that by faith that it once individuals and families come in contact with Christ, that it it is impactful, and that it does change lives and behaviors. And, you know, and they do start new lives. And so and that has been our hope with, you know, these women's children has is a testament to how God can intervene and break those cycles…
The women nod in agreement.
They were introduced to the Angel Tree program by friends, family members or even incarcerated family members. Most of them willingly signed up to participate.
Tamika McKenzie was skeptical. Her daughter's incarcerated father was involved in the ministry in prison and wanted McKenzie and their daughter to participate.
MCKENZIE: And then all of a sudden, he reaches out to me concerning this Angel Tree thing. And I'm like, what is what is this about? Or I'm thinking? Is he trying to scam me for something…
I didn't want to do it at first. I was hesitant. And I'm like, I don't I don't know what this is. And I don't want people feeling sorry for me. We don't need any handouts. We're fine. We're fine…
She signed up … but with one condition. If she didn't feel a pull in her heart for the program, she was out.
MCKENZIE: So, I came to the very first meeting, my child was snatched out of my arms by Mr. Mike, but we love Mr. Mike. He took care of her the entire meeting that I was here, so I don't have to worry about my baby. My two older children were being loved on and taken care of. I was being ministered to. And just from that one meeting, I know that we were hooked and we had to keep coming back…
The moms weren't the only ones hesitant to attend. McKenzie's daughter, Makiyla, didn't want people feeling sorry for her because her dad was in prison.
Monica Pierre's daughter felt the same.
PIERRE: And I was going through the same thing that she was going through when her daughter didn't want to open up. And my son's father is incarcerated still...
A friend urged her to attend. The kids might open up. They might like it.
PIERRE: And we went from there. And I've been coming. Cedric's he's 22. And he's in Boston, [OFF MIC in college], in college.
[OFF MIC: He's in school to do what?]
PIERRE: A doctor.
GARCIA: And he still checks in on us when he's in town. He comes and checks in with volunteers.
A doctor. The son of an inmate is going to college to become a doctor.
Tamika McKenzie's daughter joined the Navy. She shipped out for the first time, the day of our meeting.
These children's lives are a testimony to the fact that they're not doomed to repeat the sins of their parents. But the emotional and economic struggles unique to inmates' children make it harder to keep them from that path.
McKenzie's daughter Mikayla, learned that years ago. She was just 2 and a half when her father went to jail. Through the years her relationship with her dad grew in fits and starts.
Eventually, she discovered the key to reconciliation and told her mom.
MCKENZIE: I think I'm ready to forgive Dad. I think I'm ready to have a conversation with my father. And I have a long list of questions that I want to ask him. So that right there proved that Angel Tree has to be doing something because Mommy's here and can talk to you all day long and it'll go in your left ear and come out of your right. But you're here with other children your age, some of the volunteers are also close to her age. And now she wants to have a relationship with her father. And you could not tell that she's not a daddy's girl. Like you would think that he's been there since birth...
Phone calls help keep them in touch. But because phone use in prison is regulated, communication is not as timely as father and daughter would like. So, Mom acts as the go-between. That was especially true in the days leading up to Mikayla's deployment.
MCKENZIE: They're tag teaming me. He's calling me while I'm in the Angel Tree meeting, wanting to know about his daughter. And because she shipped out or she was about to ship out, she shipped out today. And then she's texting me. Hey, Mom, have you heard from my dad? The tag team me! I'm the middleman. I'm just here. Yeah, I'm just here. But he wants to know, yeah, he wants to know how his daughter's doing what she's doing. Mama, have you heard from my dad? I haven't talked to dad. He hasn't called me. Your father's fine. I'm in a meeting. Your daughter's fine. I'm in a meeting. But I mean, Angel Tree. They did it. They were the glue.
Mending broken relationships between inmates and the families they hurt is hindered by the fact that some families can't or won't discuss the incarcerated family member. Shame keeps the truth stuffed deep down inside.
Michelle Edwards knows how that feels. She also knows it eats away on the inside.
EDWARDS: Women, we don't talk about it. And I had the same thing that happened with my brother when he was inside. We didn't talk about it. The family didn't ask. We they never asked how he was. It, you just don't talk about it. I've met mothers who ... How many children do you have? Oh, I have I have one son? Well, no, you have two sons. Remember the other ones serving life in prison and you don't talk about him? But you learned to cover up and you learn to be quiet. So, you lie by omission…
Helping women share their stories and move beyond the shame of guilt-by-association is the work of Kairos Outside. It's part of Kairos International, a ministry serving prisoners and their families. Like ministries featured in Episode 5, Kairos programs equip volunteers from the prison's surrounding churches to serve inmates and their families. They facilitate a 3-day introductory course to Christianity and long-term, weekly discipleship programs that help inmates live out their faith in prison and upon release.
Edwards is state director for Kairos of Texas Outside, a weekend retreat for women.
EDWARDS: But we do some special things with them. To make them feel like they are queens, like they are they are royalty. And we treat them like they are fragile, delicate beings in that we want to help - not fragile as in a mindset - but fragile as in we want to handle you with care. We want to love on you. We want to show you what the love of Jesus Christ looks like.
That's most important because many of the women who attend the Kairos Outside retreats have been hurt by the church.
Edwards understands that. A committed Christian raised in the church, she felt the sting of judgment after her husband of 20 years left her and their two children.
Then she met and married Craig Edwards, an inmate. He was released in 2016 only to be immediately extradited to Oregon to serve time for an unrelated crime. As of January, he won't be up for parole review for another five years.
That's not a story she readily shared. At least not at first.
EDWARDS: And what was unique about my situation, at least I thought it was unique but I learned it wasn't unique, was I was married for two years and I did not tell a single solitary soul other than my children who knew. My mother knew. And my brother who was incarcerated at that time knew. So, four people knew my secret for two years. And remember, I was a church-going Christian, and like keeping that lie was literally destroying my mental status…
The Kairos weekend retreats revolve around small-group conversations prompted by Bible-based presentations.
The event is covered in prayer. A paper chain—each link with a written prayer—is strung around the meeting hall.
EDWARDS: And it's like you just walk in and like it takes your breath away when they see these hundreds, if not 1000s of prayer chains that come together. And what we do is all the white ones are from someone who's inside our prison unit. And the colored ones are from people all over the world… And they're going wow, like, yeah, all these people are praying for you…
Some women are dealing with anger. They resent having to raise the grandchildren they love because mom or dad is in prison. At one point during the retreat, organizers take the chains down from the walls and drape them over the women as a physical reminder of the power of prayer and God's love.
Kairos Outside participants are encouraged to join a SWAP accountability group—that stands for Share, Witness, Accountability in Prayer. They can meet via zoom or in person. Edward's group meets once a month in her home.
EDWARDS: And we do that, we share, we witness how God's God worked in our life that we were held accountable. Well, last time you said that you were going to do this. So how's that going for you? And we pray together.
Caring for families includes maintaining or in some instances establishing relationships between children and their incarcerated parents. That's the idea behind Day with Dad, a two-day event that brings together kids and their fathers on the grounds of the Memorial maximum-security prison in Southwest Houston.
Sugar Creek Baptist Church pastor Gary Hill heads up the multi-church effort. You also met him in Episode 5, when he explained how his encounter with a desperate inmate drew him and, ultimately, his church into ongoing ministry at Memorial.
GARY HILL: And then they the day with Dad is the same way. We've got eight or nine churches that all pitch in and help fund and bring a total of 175 volunteers for that two-day event to the unit…
Once an inmate meets the participation standards, he is allowed to invite his children.
HILL: It's highly coveted, to be able to get involved because the entire unit talks about it all year long, and how well it's conducted and the benefits that they get from them and their kids…
Due to space limitations, only 40 men are accepted into the program.
On the day the kids arrive, well, get out the tissues.
HILL: You cry the whole day on Saturday, just seeing, you know, the kids. I mean, there's all kinds of stories where, you know, dads who maybe have been sending letters to their kids, but they weren't allowed to visit them, to physically see them…
That can be intimidating for a dad who hasn't had much, if any, experience parenting.
HILL: But, you know, we try to train them on Friday, the dads trained them on Friday of what to expect and what to do. Here's some things you can say, here are some questions you can ask your children to get them talking.
For some dads the day is especially memorable.
HILL: One man who got approval for their child to come in, he had never met his child. The child was born as he was being incarcerated. And the child, I believe was 8 or 9 years old, never met the child who's a little girl. She came in, it was very emotional…
Mingled in with the goofy games and father daughter dances are times for the dads and kids to just sit and talk. And hug. There's lots of hugging.
Day with Dad is just one out of several ministries that introduce the inmates to Christ, disciple them and hold them accountable to God in all areas of their lives—even as fathers. Some men may never be released from prison, but Hill said that does not release them from their responsibility as a parent.
HILL: Every child from birth to 99 wants the approval of their dad, whether you hate your dad or you hadn't seen your dad in forever, you still have that God-given desire for approval, and acceptance. And so that's a time for them to demonstrate that, to show that you love your child, you tell them that you're proud of them, that they're doing great, you're encouraging them, you're telling them how God's working in your life as as their father, and the door just swings wide open. And those children are ready to receive that because they want to receive that.
Part of what makes Day with Dad participation possible is that it's free. Families pay nothing. Those who travel from out of town are put up in a hotel. The ministry also helps pay gas or bus fare.
And that's a vital need for families who want to visit their incarcerated loved ones. Texas covers almost 270,000 square miles, and the state prisons are scattered across that expanse. A mom in Brownsville wanting to visit her son in an Amarillo prison would have to travel 800 miles—about 13 hours—one way.
That's just not in the budget for many families.
PEOPLE TALKING: Thank you. Love y'all. Be careful
That's Debra McCammon. She manages Hospitality House, a place for prisoner's families to stay, for free, when they visit.
DEBRA MCCAMMON: Alright. Be safe.
MITZI WOOD: Yes, mam!
DANNY WOOD: Tell Joe good-bye.
MCCAMMON: I will. I'll tell him. Sorry he had to run off [PEOPLE TALKING OVER EACH OTHER] I'll tell him you called him a rascal. Sorry he had to run off so early for work this morning. But glad y'all got to see him last night…
Today's she's helping Miztie and Danny Wood pack their car for their drive home to Divine, Texas. It's five hours from McCammon's place in Huntsville.
Mitzie Wood is already planning their next visit.
MITZI WOOD: I need to make plans just to come up and say okay, come to the house here. And we may see Jeff or we may not - depends on what we're doing. [MCCAMMON: There you go.] Just travel during the day.
MCCAMMON: Just come on out and we'll play 42.
ALL TALKING: Sounds good, you guys. Thank you all to be safe. Okay, be safe. Thanks for putting up with her…
The Woods and McCammon talk like old friends. But it's not the Woods' relationship with McCammon that draws them to Huntsville every few weeks. It's their son, Jeff. He lives in the Polunsky Unit about 45 minutes east of Huntsville.
Before they left for home, Mitzie Wood told me his story.
MITZI WOOD: His name is Jeffrey Wood. He is on death row. And he's been there – that's what we're trying to determine last night - he's been there 23 years on death row… Jeffrey was involved in a shooting… He was the driver of the vehicle but he didn't have a gun. He didn't have anything. But his passenger went in to pay for the gas and killed the guy. So long and short. He got got the same sentence as the one that did the shooting…
And for most of those 23 years the Woods have been staying at Hospitality House when they visit their son. The non-profit ministry serves as a respite for families visiting inmates incarcerated in one of the nine East Texas prisons. Similar, independent houses serve other units across the state.
The stay is free. And some morning and evening meals are included. Weekends are the busiest. All the guests who stay overnight live more than two hours from the prison they are visiting.
McCammon says women and children make up the majority of her guests visiting the all-male units.
DEBRA MCCAMMON: We house women and children, to keep them from sleeping in their cars, and that's why the house was built. Men in the local Baptist churches had begun hearing about the women sleeping in the cars. Children, families, digging in dumpsters for food, putting knives and guns in their laps in case someone should break in. Mothers for fear of their life and their family, But they wanted to make a visit but they can't afford the hotels here in town… In fact, a recent lady who just started coming, she's been sleeping in her car for months...
She had been visiting her son. He read about Texas Hospitality Houses in the prison newspaper and told his mom.
MCCAMMON: So, she came walking in that night. She said my son told me about this. Can I really sleep here for free? I've been sleeping in my car for months. And so she is now regular. We see her every other weekend. And she's come four times now. She loves cleaning the kitchen. She won't let me wash a dish. I do cooking but just say Miss Debra, you sit down you sit down. I got this…
Albert and Yolanda Balditt express their gratitude in the same way.
ALBERT BALDITT: We'd like to give back. Also not just, you know, not just take or be here. You know, we want to want to help around too.
MCCAMMON: Albert's is an amazing help. He always asks my husband, Mr. Joe, what can I do to help?
For 30 years, the couple has traveled from San Antonio to Hospitality House to visit Yolanda's brother.
MCCAMMON: The majority of our families, in fact all the families, are hourly wage earners. We don't have any that are salaried or have jobs that are like a salary. So, if they take off, it's all okay. When they take off, they miss work, they lose money…
The help from guests and a regular volunteer crew is much appreciated. Three staff and a small band of volunteers help run the 7000-square-foot, 17-room home. It can accommodate 64 guests. McCammon's husband, Joe, is a retired pastor-turned-public-school-teacher and helps where he can.
MCCAMMON: Pre-COVID we were feeding about 50 to 60 people per night on Friday, Saturday nights…
A tour of the house begins at its heart—the combined kitchen and dining area. Specifically, the table.
MCCAMMON: A lot of it takes place around the kitchen table, when we're eating a meal. That's when they're most relaxed. So I've always told my volunteer group, sit down with them, listen to their stories. They really just want someone who will listen to them. Don't judge them… And then when they're talking about the challenges of jobs or life or children or worrying about their sons, I'll just say, Can we pray with you? You know, we're sitting around the table, and everybody'll go, Can I join? Can I join, it will have people on the far table or up in the kitchen getting food and let's say just a minute, just a minute. And they'll come over and we join hands…
Her prayers of intercession are filled with the gospel. And she takes the opportunities God gives to share it with the guests in the short time they have together. Guests are also invited to participate in a Friday evening Bible study in the small chapel.
While McCammon does not judge her guests for the sins of their loved ones, she readily acknowledges the men are in prison for a reason. They violated the laws of man—and God—and are paying the price.
But so, too, are their families.
MCCAMMON: So, there's a lot of hurt and anxiety there that these families go through. Which is why we say we're sharing God's grace with the other victims of crime. They're on the other side of the crime. No, their home wasn't burgled. No, they didn't have a family member murdered. But because of the crime that their loved one did, the choice he made - an adult choice that he made - then their family will suffer from now on even once he's out, you know. That lingers and stays on. That stigma does…
The kids are especially affected by their parents' criminal behavior.
MCCAMMON: And this is our Art Against the Odds building… [42:48 – 42:55 keys in a door]
Recognizing that the children of offenders were struggling emotionally from their circumstances, Hospitality House added a special element to the ministry, just for them—art therapy each Saturday evening.
MCCAMMON: We have an art professor from Sam Houston who's been with us nine years. And she teaches the children how to paint, express their feelings through clay, rolling paper… allowing them to express their anger, their frustration, that bitterness at having a father in prison, brother in prison…
One artistic expression lingers with McCammon.
MCCAMMON: You know, one of our young people that drew a picture of a hand, almost touching the other hand, and it was black all around it, she had Joe lay his hand down and had her brother lay his hand down. But they weren't quite touching. And she just started scribbling everything black around it. And we were asking her…what is going on? You know, tell me about your painting, you know, tell me about your picture. And, and she saw this as my hand and and this is my dad's hand. And we've not been able to touch in three years. I haven't been able to hold his hand, I haven't gotten a hug. And then she just launched into full blown anger...
No hugs. No hand holding. No contact. Never.
At least not for the most serious offenders. About an inch of plexiglass separates inmates from family during the no-contact visits. They talk over a two-way phone.
Death row inmates never have contact visits. Mitzie and Danny Wood haven't touched their son Jeffrey in 23 years.
That barrier is removed only after the offender is released. Or after he is executed.
MCAMMON: And then the same chaplains will escort them then to view his body where it's been taken to a site here in town, a local church where they're able to view his body for one last time before it's taken to the funeral home…[They can touch him then?] They can touch them then. They can lay down on them, can hug them. They can give them final kisses. They can do all that they can hold their hand. According to the families, the body is still warm… I've now been here for, I don't know, 130-something executions in these 12 years…
Those are the hardest days at Hospitality House.
The inmate requests who he wants to witness his execution. Those who agree, must stay at Hospitality House. That's the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's rule. Not McCammon's.
The days leading up to the execution and, especially the day of, are tightly scripted by prison officials. Chaplains explain the entire process and remain with the family the day of the execution.
That day is an emotional rollercoaster.
Some families are calm and cling to hope of a last-minute stay of execution. For others, the turmoil is too much.
MCCAMMON: Others come in and we've had mothers have panic attacks, I had one start having a heart attack. We had to call an ambulance. We've had other women, sisters and cousins, who I found hidden in the bedrooms, in a corner crying. I found one under a bed, one under the puzzle table crying her heart out…
And all of that is before the execution.
One mother didn't want to watch her son die but knew he wanted her to be there.
MCAMMON: I saw her when they pulled the car back up. And as she got out of the car, she was just staggering up our ramp holding the rails and just weeping and crying. So, I jumped up from the chair and got to the front door just as she got to the door and she fell into my arms as I opened the door. And as her head hit my shoulder and just weeping and crying. She said, Debra, I know what he did was wrong, but he's still my baby…
McCammon has also witnessed the mark of profound faith.
MCCAMMON: Then also remember another lady and her two sisters there for the execution of her son… [1:56:49 -] And they were just they love Jesus. And man, they talked about Jesus the whole time they were here. And they were praising the Lord and talking about him. And, and, yeah, he's going to stay and they just had such faith and such hope that everything was going to be okay…
There was no stay.
MCCAMMON: But then after the execution, watching them come back in, more quiet of spirit, and more resigned to what went on. But it hadn't hindered their faith. And he had said he was ready to go, he would rather go sit at the feet of Jesus, then continue to be in prison. And that was so healing and helpful for his mom and those aunts, to hear him say he was okay with it. He was at peace with it. And he'd rather do that, you know, then stay in prison, and stay in a small cell. And so watching their response afterwards was really powerful.
The shared Christian faith of a mother and son transcends prison walls. And even death itself.
Most prison ministries focus on the inmates themselves. But the families they leave behind need Christ just as much. Some are facing a forever separation. But others are waiting expectantly for their loved one's release.
Ministering to inmates' families, and healing broken relationships, helps lay the groundwork for a smooth transition to life on the outside. Every year, more than 600,000 men and women will be released from U.S. prisons. Without extra support, as many as two-thirds of them will end up back behind bars.
Next week, we'll meet Christians who are doing everything they can to keep that from happening.
Effective Compassion is produced by the creative team at WORLD Radio. I'm Bonnie Pritchett. Leigh Jones is the producer. Paul Butler is our technical producer, and Rich Roszel is our engineer.
WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.


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gambling age in Japan. The process of identity verification is easy: you simply have
to provide a photo ID or some other document proving your identity to the casino.
This can be done using a document uploader tool or by speaking with a live
customer support agent.
In a recent survey, a Tokyo-based group called the "international casino institute"
surveyed 1,000 Japanese aged between thirteen and 18. It found that 2.3 percent of
the Japanese had participated in online gambling at least once. That translates to
2.88 million people nationwide. The highest proportion of gamblers, however, was
among those aged forty and older. In this group, 8.4 percent of men had gambled
within the last year. The study also showed that forty-one percent of respondents
knew that online gambling in Japan is illegal, while 18 percent said that it is in the
gray area.
Legality of online gambling in Cyprus
The Betting Law of 2012 regulates online and land-based gambling activities in
Cyprus. It also establishes a National Betting Authority, which is responsible for
issuing licenses and performing audits. A Cyprus company may only operate sports
betting online; all other types of online gambling are prohibited. To apply for a
licence, a company should have a share capital of EUR 500,000 and prove that its
primary activity is the provision of betting services. In addition, it should
demonstrate that it has sufficient resources to pay players' winnings.
Cyprus has long had a gambling tradition. In 1960, the country introduced a State
Lottery, which still operates today. These activities are constantly regulated by the
Government. The net proceeds from lottery activities are transferred to the
consolidated budget of the country, which funds the state budget.
Legality of online gambling in France
France is one of the few nations to have legalized online gambling. The French
Gaming Act was enacted in 2001 and allows operators to obtain licenses and
operate legally in the country. As a result, France has become one of the largest
markets for online gambling companies. Some experts have even called France "the
home of online sports betting." Legal gambling activities generate around 60% of all
gaming industry revenue in France.
There are different regulatory bodies for different forms of gambling in France. The
Francaise des Jeux (FRANJEL) regulates land-based betting and horse racing, and the
Autorite de regulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL) regulates online sports betting and
gambling activities. The ARJEL was created in 2010 to oversee all aspects of online
gambling. It is responsible for issuing gambling licenses and overseeing gambling
websites, as well as fighting gambling addiction and money laundering.
Legality of online gambling in the United Arab
Gambling is strictly prohibited in the UAE, as it is in most Muslim countries around
the world. UAE has made a few exceptions in recent years, however, notably
allowing gambling in some luxury hotels. Unlike other countries in the region,
however, online gambling is still illegal in the UAE.
Despite the restrictions on internet gambling in the UAE, there are several online
gambling websites which accept players from the UAE. Organizing an offline casino
is a crime and any organisers can face hefty fines and even years in prison. Luckily,
some local players have found ways around these legal restrictions.
How to Get a Casino Online Bonus
How to Get a Casino Online Bonus
If you're new to online casino games, you may be wondering how to get a casino online bonus.
These bonuses are designed to encourage new players to join the platform and stay for a long
time. In order to redeem the free money online casino Malaysia, players must follow the platform's requirements.
Typically, these requirements include downloading the authentic application from Google Play
Store, playing for at least five days in a row, and adding 50 new friends per day. While it's
certainly nice to get a free influx of money, players should learn about the requirements of each
bonus and how to redeem them.
No deposit bonus
No deposit casino bonuses are an excellent way for new players to try out a casino. Most casino
sites offer this type of offer to lure newcomers to their sites, but not everyone can claim them.
This is because no deposit bonuses are intended for new customers jdl ewallet. Some casinos have strict
restrictions on who can and cannot claim them, such as residents of certain countries. However,
experienced players will understand what bonuses are best suited for them. Listed below are
some of the most popular types of no deposit casino bonuses.
Deposit match bonus
The deposit match bonus is a type of promotional offer offered by online gambling sites. It is
designed to lure new customers and retain existing customers. Online casinos do not want you
to use these bonuses until you have reached a certain amount of funds or have made a certain
number of deposits. Moreover, this bonus is only valid for one deposit and does not apply to
subsequent deposits. As a result, the match bonus is only available for new deposits made at
online casinos.
150% initial deposit bonus
The first time you play at an online casino, you might be interested in getting a 150% welcome
bonus. These bonuses are usually in the form of a match on your initial deposit, or free spins on
slot machines. They are also worth taking advantage of if you find a welcome promo code that
will give you a bonus in addition to the deposit match. This type of bonus is worth taking
advantage of if you're interested in winning huge profits.
Crypto bonuses
A crypto casino online bonus is the same as any other bonus, and the best part is that you don't
have to meet any wagering requirements to take advantage of it. There are several kinds of
crypto bonuses, but the most common is a free spins bonus. This is an incentive for players to
make their first deposit, or it can be a non-deposit bonus. Another type of crypto casino bonus is
the no-wagering bonus, which has no wagering requirements and allows players to withdraw the
bonus amount as soon as they win it.
Free spins offer
The free spins casino online bonus is a common form of casino online bonus that offers players
the opportunity to try their luck at a slot game without paying anything. These spins can be
redeemed for real money, and the value of them varies with each casino. Unlike free cash, a
player can choose to wager anywhere between $0.10 and $10 on a slot machine. When placing
a free spins bet, a player must bet the minimum bet in order to claim the bonus.
How to Play Online Casino Games
How to Play Online Casino Games
Before you play online casino games, you should first understand what they are and
how they work. Video poker is one popular game casino games types, but if you're new to casino games,
Roulette, Craps, and Blackjack are the most popular options. Here's a brief overview
of each. Once you know which ones you prefer, you can play them with real money.
If you can't decide, try playing free games first. They may even be more fun!
Video poker
If you want to win big, you should try playing Video Poker online free casino games. This game, played
on a computer, has been around since the 1970s, but it is only now experiencing a
huge revival in UK online casinos. Here's how video poker works:
Once you have signed up to play a blackjack online casino game, you will need to
choose how much you want to bet. Once you have chosen your wager, you need to
drag your chip to the bet area on the table. The value of your chip will be displayed
on the table. You can keep your current bet amount or increase it if you wish. Some
online casino games don't allow you to increase your bet, but some do and you can
try it out with no risk at all.
If you want to enjoy playing roulette games on your computer, there are a few
important factors you should consider. First, your internet connection must be
stable. Then, you should choose a casino that is licensed and has a stable regulatory
structure. Then, make sure to check out additional settings, such as multi-camera
angles, and other options to enhance your gaming experience. And finally, don't
forget about the quality of the software. Roulette games require excellent technical
specifications to ensure a smooth gaming experience.
A simple example of this game is Craps. Craps is a dice game with a huge variety of
bets. The dice are rolled repeatedly to determine the outcome of the game. There
are dozens of different types of bets to make, each with its own strategy. For
example, you can place a pass line bet on the pass line and hope that you get a
seven. However, the house edge increases as the player continues to place bets on
that number.
The massive growth of online poker has coincided with the recent COVID-19
pandemic, which has shut down many live gaming venues across the world. Many
unlicensed gaming venues have also closed their doors due to the virus, resulting in
an abrupt lack of live entertainment options. With this in mind, many casual players
have turned to online poker as an alternative to live games. As a result, many
operators have reported double or triple their regular traffic volumes.
Choosing an Online Casino
Choosing an Online Casino
Before you choose an online casino, it's important to check out some reviews and
see what other people have to say about it. These sites will show you the ratings
that people have given different online casino malaysia. This will help you find the best
online casino for you. Also, you should check out the bonus and licensing offers.
When choosing a casino, players should pay attention to the fairness of the games.
The most fair casinos are transparent, licensed, and responsive to complaints and
queries. They also work with reliable online casino malaysia game developers to provide fair
games. In addition, you should check whether the casino has a registered business
address and the names of its directors. You should also make sure that it is licensed
to offer gambling games in your jurisdiction.
Online casinos must also have an RNG that is audited by third-party agencies. These
agencies are independent of the casino and can conduct further checks. If you
cannot find such a certificate, then you should avoid using that casino. Also, make
sure that the online casino you choose has a clear and concise privacy policy.
The reliability of online casinos can be determined by a number of factors. One of
the most important factors is the availability of customer support. This can come in
the form of live chat features, where a representative can answer your questions
instantly and in different languages. If live chat is not an option, then you need to
choose an online casino with telephone support.
In addition to customer service, reliability is also determined by the gaming platform.
You need to look for a software platform that is reputable and uses trusted software.
Choosing a reputable platform will ensure that your money is safe and secure.
Most online casinos offer some sort of bonus to lure new players. These are often
called welcome bonuses. They are provided as percentages of the amount deposited
by the player. The first deposit bonus is usually a match on that first deposit.
However, a first deposit bonus doesn't always mean free money. You need to know
what you're getting into before playing at an online casino.
Online casino bonuses come in many different forms and are tied to specific game
types. Understanding the different types of bonuses and what requirements are
required to claim them is an important first step. This guide will help you choose the
right bonuses for your needs. It will also suggest the top online casinos offering the
best bonuses.
Online casinos need a license to operate legally. There are several types of licenses.
Some are general, covering many countries, while others are specific to specific
countries. For example, a license issued to an online casino by the UK Gambling
Commission allows it to operate legally in the UK market. Other licensing options
include the Malta Gaming Authority, which allows it to operate in many European
countries, and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Governments around the world regulate online gambling to protect both players and
regulators. This allows for a level of trust that can help protect consumers. In
addition, online gambling companies that have a license are more likely to be
legitimate than unlicensed competitors.
Customer service
In the growing world of online gambling, customer service is an integral part of
online casinos' success. A well-trained support staff is crucial for providing the best
possible service. They should be knowledgeable of the different customer concerns
and have the ability to effectively respond to each one. Efficiency and a positive
attitude should be the first considerations when selecting support representatives.
Customer service can come in many forms, including email or live chat. Frequently
asked questions, or FAQs, are helpful resources for gamers, but many prefer to
speak with a live person. A toll-free customer support number is a must-have. Email
is another popular method, as it documents the contact. Live chat, on the other
hand, is a quick and direct way to communicate with the casino's support team.
The Best Ways to Win Money at an Online Casino
The Best Ways to Win Money at an Online
Many people have concerns about playing games at an online casino Malaysia. They believe that the
games are fixed, or that the casinos use a secret formula to get the biggest payouts. However,
this is not true, as there are plenty of people who win money playing at an online casino. This
article will discuss some of the important things you should consider when playing at an online
casino. Read on to learn more. After all, what are the best ways to win money at a casino?
Unibet is a trusted online casino
Unibet is a licensed online casino in the state of Pennsylvania. The company has also been
certified by the Remote Gambling Authority of Gibraltar and holds a license to operate in many
regions. Players can be assured of their security as the site offers SSL encryption and is fully
monitored by iTech Labs. The company also offers a reputable platform and a friendly live
support team. So, if you're looking for a trustworthy online casino, Unibet is one of the best
Unibet uses a 128-bit Secure Socket Layer encryption system for its website. This SSL certificate
is issued by Trustwave, a leading cybersecurity firm in data protection. The Unibet system
protects personal information, and the company does not share this information with any third
parties. As a result, players can play games without fear of losing their money or privacy.
However, players may have trouble registering for an account. To ensure your security, you may
want to sign up using an exclusive link. The site will ask you for your email address, a unique
username and a password.
BetMGM offers a generous 100% deposit match sign-up
To lure new players to its online casino, BetMGM offers a generous 100% deposit-match sign-up
bonus of up to $1,000. The bonus is valid only for your first deposit and comes with a 15x
wagering requirement. The bonus is worth up to $100, but you have to wager it 15 times before
you can withdraw your winnings. If you make a qualifying deposit within five days of registration,
you will get an extra bonus of $500.
To qualify for this bonus, you must be a resident of a state where online gambling is legal. This
bonus is only available in states where gambling is legal. In the U.S., online casinos are legal in
five states and online poker in six. Nevada, however, does not allow online gambling. While it is
legal to place a wager on sports in some states, online casinos are not.
Bet365 is the world's largest online sportsbook
As the world's largest online sportsbook, Bet365 is a major player in the world of sports betting.
With over four million customers, Bet365 has grown from humble beginnings in the UK to an
industry leader with a $4 billion annual turnover. Bet365 offers betting markets across all major
sports, including many international leagues, and has an unrivaled in-play section. A wide variety
of betting options is available on Bet365, including multiples, parlays, and futures markets.
Bet365 was founded in 2000 by Denise Coates. The company now employs over 2,000 people
in offices in the UK, Gibraltar, Malta, Bulgaria, Australia, and New Jersey. While most of its
business is focused in the UK, Bet365 is also making significant inroads into Asia. The sports
betting market in New York is highly sought-after by Bet365. Because the population is affluent
and sports-loving, the company is virtually guaranteed entry to the market.
How to Get a Free Bonus in Casino
How to Get a Free Bonus in Casino
Free casino bonuses attract new players and keep existing ones loyal. They allow players to
play more games and earn more money e-wallet slot game. Free money also helps casinos maintain infrastructure
and games, and makes it easier to navigate the casino website. In the end, a free bonus at a
casino is a win-win situation for everyone! So, take advantage of these offers and win big!
Whether you're new to online casinos or have played at a few before, free casino bonuses are a
great way to try them out.
No deposit bonuses
No deposit bonuses in casinos are a great way to learn how to play a particular game before
spending your own money. These offers can be obtained throughout the week at online casinos.
These free spins allow players to test out the casino's games and win some free cash without
having to make a deposit gambling online Malaysia. Unfortunately, the free cash cannot be withdrawn as real money and
must be spent within a specified amount of time before it expires.
No deposit bonuses are not limited to free cash, though. Many sites offer extra promotions
based on certain game types, or even cash prizes based on special draws. Although not all
websites offer these promotions, many of them rely on players donating items or money to help
raise funds for specific causes. While no deposit bonuses are beneficial to new players, they're
also good for casino operators looking to attract more high rollers. Therefore, players should
always check out the terms and conditions of any new casino they join to avoid wasting their
money or time.
Free spins
The best part of getting a free spins in casino free bonus code is that you can use the money to
play the newest slot machines without risking any of your own cash. You can even try the
newest online slot machine games without having to spend any of your own money. Our team of
experts has taken the time to research free spins offers across the web and found the best
ones. Here are some tips for choosing free spins casino offers.
– Play free games. Free spins can be used only once per casino, and you must wager the money
won from the free spins to win real money. You can play slots that have a high return-to-player
(RTP) to maximize your chances of winning. The best slots to play with free spins are those with
high RTP. It is important to understand the game rules before playing with free cash.
The Benefits of Playing Casino Online
The Benefits of Playing Casino Online
There are several benefits to playing casino online. It's always available, faster than
land-based casinos 新加坡线上赌场, and it gives you a lot more rewards. It's also safer since it has
self-exclusion periods. However, there are some things you should be aware of
before you start playing. This article discusses some of them.
It's faster than land-based casinos
There are a number of advantages to playing at online casinos. For one, you won't
have to leave your home or office to play your favorite games 新加坡合法网上赌场. Online casinos are
open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This gives you the opportunity to
play anytime and anywhere, while land-based casinos have limited operating hours.
In addition, online casinos are a more social environment.
If you have a problem, you can contact the casino's support team. In land-based
casinos, you might have to call the casino to get a response, which can take time.
But, when it comes to online casinos, you can contact customer support through live
chat or email.
It has self-exclusion periods
Self-exclusion periods are a legal mechanism that allows online players to stop
gambling for a certain period of time. These periods vary according to country
regulations, but typically they are one to six months. Depending on the country, the
self-exclusion period can also be extended to a lifetime.
Self-exclusion is a legal requirement for all New Jersey internet gambling sites. There
are several reasons why a person may self-exclude, but essentially, the individual is
actively changing their behavior and implementing a harm-minimization strategy.
This strategy is used by problem gamblers who are actively attempting to change
their ways.
How to Register Casino Online
How to Register Casino Online
There are some key steps to registering for an online casino. They include verifying
your phone number, providing an active email address, and checking for a
registration code. Before you choose an online casino sports betting malaysia, be sure to read the terms and
conditions of the site. If you are new to online casino gaming, be sure to read the
terms and conditions before you make a deposit.
Verification of your phone number
Verification of your phone number when registering at an online casino is an
essential part of the registration process. This is required to receive promotions and
special offers. You can receive these messages via text or SMS. When you register at
an online casino, you will need to enter your mobile number and confirm that you
wish to receive text messages and promotions. If you're unsure whether or not to
provide your number, simply check with the online casino's terms and conditions to
see if the casino requires verification.
Some mobile casino offers have a time limit, while others can last up to 7 days. It all
depends on your preference – you might want to use your bonus right away or
slowly, or a combination of both. There's no shortage of offers available on mobile
verification at online casinos. SMS marketing tactics are becoming increasingly
popular with online casino operators.
Providing an active email address
When registering at an online casino, it is important to provide an active email
address. This will allow the online casino to send you verification emails if necessary.
However, this could slow down the registration process, especially if an
unscrupulous person manages to intercept your email. To avoid this, it is best to use
a nickname related to the casino games you are most interested in.
It is important to remember that your casino email is a personal account, so it is
important to protect it. Make sure that the password is different from other
accounts, and change it frequently. At least once a month, this will ensure that your
personal information is secure.
Checking for a registration code
When playing casino online, you must check for a registration code and verify your
account before you play. This registration code can be found on the official website
of the casino. Usually, you will need to provide some common details like name,
residential address, pincode, date of birth, favourite money deposit/withdrawal
method and username. After you enter all the necessary details, you must wait for a
verification code.
Choosing an online casino
There are a few key factors to consider when choosing an online casino. First of all,
you should make sure that the site has SSL encryption. This is important as it
protects your personal information. A good online casino should also have good
customer support and a wide range of games. It should also offer a good welcome
Another important consideration is the licensing of the site. An online casino that is
licensed means that it has passed all necessary requirements to operate, including
fair gaming. Fair play means that games are random and fair, and a licensed casino
will have laws and regulations that protect player information.
Live Dealer Casino Games
Live Dealer Casino Games
Live dealer games are very popular and available at many online casinos. There are
two types of live dealer games: traditional live casino games and virtual games.
Which one is better? There is no right or wrong answer, as there are numerous
benefits to both. Microgaming and Evolution Gaming live dealer games both offer
the same quality of live games casino live Malaysia. Moreover, you can try them both out to see which
suits you best. Here are the benefits of playing live dealer games.
Evolution Gaming
A popular live casino game is blackjack, a game which Evolution Gaming has created
that features real-life dealers, and an abundance of different side bets and
variations. Blackjack is one of the best known games of chance, with 7 seats per
table. This game also offers a number of different side bets, including a perfect pairs
bet and a bet behind feature, which allows players to bet on someone else's hand. In
addition, Evolution Gaming live dealer games have lower betting limits, so the
players can enjoy the games without sacrificing their entertainment level.
In addition to standard casino games, Evolution Gaming also offers novelty games
that appeal to a variety of players. Its unique games include Live Lightning Roulette,
a spin-off of classic roulette that features a zany twist. Players also have the
opportunity to participate in a top-card game that involves betting on the color of a
card. These games are popular with online casino enthusiasts and have helped
Evolution Gaming become one of the top providers of live dealer games.
Live dealers on Evolution Gaming live casino games have a wealth of experience
and knowledge in the field. The quality of the video stream is surprisingly high, and
players are treated to incredible sound and a variety of control options. Evolution
Gaming also employs professional, experienced dealers who attend training courses
and speak the language of the casino game. They're able to communicate with the
players, ensuring that the experience is authentic. You can also play blackjack
games against real dealers without having to pay any money upfront.
If you're a fan of casino games, you may have already tried Microgaming live dealer
games. These games stream live from studios in Canada, Philippines, and Argentina.
In many cases, you can record the game session and play it again later. You can also
play Microgaming's branded Playboy live casino. Microgaming is a leading software
provider for live dealer games and is a founding member of eCOGRA, a non-profit
organization that ensures fair gaming to casino players.
Microgaming live dealer games are played with real money, and players can play for
as little as EUR0.5. Microgaming's games have fixed betting limits, and the
maximum stake is EUR360. The Microgaming live dealer games are available in 20
languages, making them accessible to a global audience. Despite their popularity,
some players have complained about stiff dealers. Microgaming has responded by
making the dealers' jobs more attractive by using playboy-branded studios.
Moreover, their dealers are polite and humorous, and they also share some of their
favorite stories.
The company is known for its rich collection of casino games, and has a long history
in the industry. It is also well-known for its partnership with Playboy, where it
released the first Microgaming branded games. Players also love Microgaming's bug-
free content, and its reputation for responsible gambling has won it many awards. If
you're looking for the best casino games around, make sure to check out the
Microgaming live dealer games!


text:
Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto do not like each other. Their animosity is not a part of the age old process of two guys pretending to have "bad blood" in hopes it generates a few more buys and draws a slightly bigger gate. This is real, genuine hatred.
The two men met with the press for the final press conference and we have some video of the event:
More Cotto-Margarito Coverage From SBN
Bad Left Hook | MMA Mania | MMA Nation | Bloody Elbow
Some Highlight quotes (credit to Bad Left Hook for transcribing):
I've been called a criminal by this man next to me. I don't know why he calls me a criminal. I am not a person that beats up on his own family. [note: this is in reference to Cotto getting into a fight with his uncle and former trainer]
He says he's not going to have mercy for my eye. He can hit my eye as many times as he wants. He hits like a little girl. A super flyweight hits harder.
He can do whatever he wants. He's not going to beat me. Never.
If you don't know what criminal means, you can look it up in the dictionary. Someone that uses a weapon.
You're an embarrassment to boxing, OK?
This Saturday night, you're gonna see what this little girl is gonna do to you.