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Suspension and disbelief — Curious case of NHLer accused of domestic violence attracts the braying mob

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After the outrage, a stunned silence.

No admission that maybe, sometimes, the instant assumptions are wrong. Or wrong-ish.

A professional athlete, in this case, accused of domestic violence against his girlfriend. A league, the NHL, lambasted for a punishment — reduced from 27-game suspension to 18 by an arbitrator on appeal — perceived as a limp response.

Unlike Major League Baseball, the NHL has no formal domestic violence policy, with every alleged incident decided on a case-by-case basis.

Criticism of the NHL — and there was plenty of it, from a whole lot of folks with a media pulpit — was further fuelled when it was learned that the arbitrator who’d ruled “soft” on Nashville Predator forward Austin Watson had been fired by MLB in 2012, three months after overturning Ryan Braun’s 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. Shyam Das had been the league’s longest-tenured arbitrator.

So there was Watson, on the ice at Bridgestone Arena in full uniform last week, for pre-game ceremonies before the team’s home opener against Calgary, although he didn’t play and will not be eligible to play until Nov. 15. His inclusion did not go over well. The suspension adjustment had been jointly announced by the NHL Players’ Association the previous day.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had called Watson’s behaviour “unacceptable” when he handed down the original suspension a month ago. And the league was clearly unhappy about the trim. “The NHL remains committed to do what we believe is right,” the league said in a statement. “And, in this regard, we intend to continue our steadfast efforts to ensure everyone in our League is adequately educated and sensitized to the importance of this serious social issue. We will not hesitate to adhere to and enforce — through firm discipline as necessary — the standards of professional conduct we feel are appropriate for our League.’’

But there was a sting in the tail of this particular story.

On Saturday, Watson’s girlfriend, Jenn Guardino, released a statement of her own in which she took blame for the incident that had occurred at a Nashville gas station in June. A witness had reported Watson “pushing” Guardino to police. Officers noted the woman had red marks on her chest. Watson acknowledged he’d shoved his girlfriend, was charged, and pleaded no contest to domestic assault on July 24. The legal definition of “no contest” — nolo contendere literally means “I do not wish to contend’’ — is an alternative plea to guilty or innocent whereby the defendant neither disputes or admits to the crime.

“The incident that took place on June 16 … was not an act of domestic violence,” wrote Guardino. “Austin Watson has never and would never hit or abuse me.’’

She was the one who had been intoxicated at the time, Guardino asserted.

“I have struggled with alcoholism for many years,” said Guardino, adding that she is actively involved with Alcoholics Anonymous. “I am fortunate to have Austin’s continued support with my treatment. We handled matters poorly on June 16 and know that we need to make better decisions going forward.

“I take full responsibility for my actions on that day. I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone involved for the negative attention that followed this incident, including the Nashville Predators community and the city of Nashville.”

Many of those most familiar with domestic violence would read an unspoken subtext into Guardino’s statement. Victims often assume blame even when they’re not remotely blameworthy. There are a myriad of reasons for this: shame, pressure, a wish to absolve the perpetrator, an overriding desire to keep the family intact. Fear. Love.

I fundamentally disagree with the stark Believe Survivors credo. There must always be some corroboration and a weighing of credibility, whether in court or a quasi-judicial forum. Every accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt. But if you do subscribe to a Believe mantra, then so must Guardino be accepted at her word.

Public education about domestic violence, undeniably a social blight, has been immensely effective. It has taken far too long for partner-upon-partner assault to be recognized as harmful, not just to the individuals involved and children who witness it but to broader society as well.

But crime and punishment are not solely about denunciation. A just system gives equal consideration to rehabilitation and reform. This is especially important in damaged, fractured families where there is a mutual willingness to heal together.

These days the braying mob has little patience for that. Nor is there much tolerance for nuance, interpersonal dynamics, context and where a minor assault falls on the continuum of violence. It is easier — certainly the approved messaging — to come down hard on offenders with one-size-fits-all revulsion. The courts, quite properly, don’t do that, though, which is why Roberto Osuna gets a $500 peace bond and admits nothing but MLB imposes a 75-game suspension and the loss of $2.54 million (U.S.) in salary (and traded by the Blue Jays). For God’s sake, drunk drivers who kill aren’t held to that kind of financial account.

Watson will forfeit $241,000 of his $1.1 million salary. His league resolution also includes 26 weeks of a “batterer intervention” course, despite his girlfriend’s assertion that he’s never physically raised a hand against her.

Professional sports leagues may genuinely believe they are doing the right thing. And, of course, professional sports are not democratic institutions. It’s a privilege to play, not a right. Owners set the rules, with or without collective bargaining accord.

I don’t think sports leagues or individual franchises are competent to make these decisions. Internal investigations, privately adjudged — details of the alleged infraction often never revealed or held up to public prosecutorial scrutiny (unless there’s a parallel criminal investigation) — are an intrinsic contradiction of due process and fairness.

But that doesn’t matter when there’s a righteous cause to champion.

It won’t matter either, what Jenn Guardino has to say. Austin Watson will forevermore be the hockey player who hit his girlfriend, mother of their baby. The virtue of accusation becomes the fact.

Even if he isn’t.

Rosie DiManno is a columnist based in Toronto covering sports and current affairs. Follow her on Twitter: @rdimanno

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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