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After 15 concussions, Quesnel cowboy takes his final ride

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In an alternate universe where cowboys don’t get concussions, Matt O’Flynn’s rodeo career would never end.

« I wish I could ride bulls until I was 90, » he says, speaking from his hometown of Quesnel.

Quesnel bull rider Matt O’Flynn has been a bull rider for 20 years. (submitted)

But this weekend, the 28-year-old will saddle up one last time at the Bull Riders Canada final in Lloydminster, Sask., following through on a decision made in a moment of mortal reckoning brought on by the suicide of friend and fellow B.C. bull rider Ty Pozzobon.

« I was reading an article about Ty done one year after he passed…and I just knew at that second I had to quit, » said O’Flynn. « I just started to cry and I don’t consider myself an emotional person. »

O’Flynn and Pozzobon first met riding junior steers on the B.C. rodeo circuit and both grew to become full-time professional bull riders. Pozzobon reached the major leagues of the sport, but in January 2017, the 25-year-old took his own life in his hometown of Merritt. 

Concussion related depression

The death made little sense until the Pozzobon family revealed he had been suffering from concussion-related depression related to the numerous head injuries he had sustained in his career.

post mortem revealed Pozzonbon had CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy in his brain, a condition that has also been detected in deceased football and hockey players who experienced repeated head trauma.

CTE can alter brain function. Common symptoms are loss of memory, cognitive ability and personality changes.

15 concussions, maybe more

The story was a wake-up call for O’Flynn, who figures he’s had at least 15 concussions over his career.  

His first response was to make a pact with travelling mate Lane Cork, also a bull rider from Quesnel.

« As soon as we figured out what was actually part of the reason that Ty committed suicide, we went from taking three days off after a concussion to taking over a month off every single time, » he said.

Matt O’Flynn figures he’s sustained at least 15 concussions in his bull riding career. (submitted)

« We talked about it and said we’re going to make a commitment to each other as buddies to say something if it needs to be said. »

Remarkably, O’Flynn has no lingering symptoms from all those concussions, which commonly manifest in headaches, irritability and light sensitivity. 

But typical of the injury, he started suffering them in increasing frequency — four this year alone — making retirement the smart thing to do knowing the next one could be the game changer. 

« ​If I hit the ground hard enough now on my butt, I’ll get knocked out, » he said. « So maybe I can get away from this with 15 concussions and still have all my wits about me. »​

Besides all the concussions, O’Flynn has twice sustained severe facial injuries that required reconstruction surgery. (submitted)

The decision to retire is bittersweet but it helps that there’s a new life waiting that doesn’t revolve around rodeo.

O’Flynn and a brother have just taken over the family roofing business from their retiring father. And he’s engaged to be married next June. 

On Saturday he’ll climb aboard his last scheduled ride, a bull named Sweet Baby Ray. If things go well, O’Flynn will advance to the championship round Sunday which would make for a most fitting farewell.

Whatever happens, he leaves with no regrets, a sense of gratitude, and the memory of a friend in his heart.

« I feel very much that if it wasn’t for Ty, I wouldn’t have had this realization to take a step back and say maybe this isn’t worth my life, especially how good my life is right now, » he said.   

« But I wouldn’t trade any part of this — the concussions or bashes over the last 20 years … It’s been amazing. »

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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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