Latest news with #Jayson
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Gambling is the ultimate money drain
The thrill of winning money captures us, but there's a smarter, safer, and more sustainable place to put your money – just not on a roulette wheel or fantasy sports app. I remember a friend, Jayson, who was a homeschooled senior who couldn't wait to turn 18, not to vote, but to hit the casino in Nevada. He worked long hours at a grocery outlet to save every paycheck for what he hoped would be a lucky streak. Many teenagers, like Jayson, get into gambling with the hopes of making a fortune without effort. At the same time, I see how games and products around us, like mystery Pokémon card packs and slot machine apps, glorify chance-based rewards. Flashy gambling advertisements target users with the promise of excitement and easy money. The line between gaming and gambling becomes blurred. However, we need to consider the full situation before deciding to invest so much money in it. What to fear Gambling isn't always just a game. Online betting apps like PrizePicks, DraftKings, and bet365 allow people to participate in sports betting anytime, anywhere. What begins as casual entertainment can quickly spiral. According to DSM-5 , gambling disorder is a recognized behavioral addiction, and it disproportionately affects people with lower incomes. The World Health Organization estimates that around 9% of people globally have experienced harm due to gambling . For people with severe gambling addiction, frequent usage can lead to irreparable harm to their lives. Money is a leading cause of divorce , and gambling addictions only exacerbate the issue. Consistent losses lead to an inability to pay bills, feed the family, or provide for children. An additional cause for concern is that these apps have little to no security measures to prevent youth from accessing them. Anyone with a bank account attached to their app store account can purchase tokens with few barriers. Many of my friends at school have gravitated toward the app PrizePicks, some using their parents' money without permission. In real life, casinos attract customers with flashy lights and promotions promising the idea of making it big. Casinos are designed to feel like mazes of opportunity, keeping you comfortable at any hour of the day. But make no mistake: the house always wins. Yes, there are exceptions, but the rule prevails most of the time. According to a paper in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, gambling games on computers have a positive effect on happiness. But fun shouldn't cost a future – nor a fortune. A better alternative There is a more thoughtful way to make money work for you. In The Little Book of Common Sense Investing , John Bogle talks about the power of long-term investments in index funds like the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Fidelity 500. Index funds are excellent for investing extra money we might have from part-time jobs, allowances, or even gifts. These index funds track the weighted average value of the stock market, so we get the gains of innovation without the risk of any individual company collapsing. In the book, he describes the failure of stock picking and how even investment experts have failed to reliably beat the market. He advises that, instead of stock picking, put all your money in the S&P 500 and hold it until retirement or a large down payment. The S&P 500 has generated an average inflation-adjusted return of 7.8% in the past two decades. So, if you put $100 into the S&P every month starting at age 15, you'll have contributed $62,400 by age 67, yet will have $750,000 in the investment account (adjusted for inflation). Meanwhile, 96% of gamblers don't break even, and especially don't realize any gains. So, while it may be fun to throw money at a slot machine or bet on your favorite soccer team, think about where that money could be better spent. Gambling thrives on impulsivity. Investing rewards patience. One drains your future. The other builds it. Choose wisely. Related
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Jayson Tatum gives first update on Achilles tear rehab
Jayson Tatum has a grueling road ahead after undergoing surgery for an Achilles tear last month. However, the Celtics star gave a brief optimistic update on his recovery in a post on X Saturday. 'Day 25…days starting to get a little easier,' Tatum wrote in a X post. Advertisement Tatum underwent surgery for his right Achilles tear on May 13 after suffering the injury in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks. His only other public comment since the injury has been an Instagram post on May 14 thanking everyone for their support following the injury. Tatum underwent surgery on his torn Achilles less than 24 hours after suffering the Achilles tear. However, the fast turnaround with the surgery may end up proving to be beneficial according to Brad Stevens. 'Super hard for Jayson, more than anybody,' Stevens said last month about the aftermath of the injury. 'As has been well documented, he loves to play, and I think even missing two games has been grueling for him. So we know that there is a long road ahead and that there's going to be several steps that he'll have to take before he ultimately gets back out on the court, but the positive was we were 15 minutes away from Dr. O'Malley, who is a terrific surgeon, who has done a number of these. '[Team doctor] Dr. Schena was on the phone with him before we left the building on Monday night, and he was out of the MRI and consultation and done with surgery by the time we had an injury report the next day, because there was real benefit to doing it early. So as tough as that injury is and as tough as that was that night, just an amazing set of circumstances, and an amazing thank you from our organization to Dr. O'Malley, the nurses at HSS and everybody there, the hotel that we were staying in and the accommodations they made Jayson feel comfortable in. I thought it was about as good of a transition in about as bleak of a feeling as you could have.' Advertisement In a follow up interview with Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston last month, Stevens elaborated on the potential impact of Tatum's quick surgery on his recovery. 'Blood supply and different swelling benefits early on in those first 72 hours was the timeframe we were talking about,' Stevens said. 'We were fortunate to be there at HSS. I thought they did a great job. Our team doc did a great job of helping organize it. We were there with Brandy and Jayson and Jeff Wexler, his agent and everyone was quick to make that call. I think there's real benefit to that.' The Celtics have not commented on a timetable for Tatum's recovery but Tatum's father indicated to Marc Spears of ESPN that the Celtics All-Star expects to return in 8-9 months. Players who have returned from an Achilles tear in the NBA in the past year have need anywhere from 8-18 months for their recovery before returning to the floor. The Celtics will try to retool their roster around Tatum this summer in the aftermath of a disappointing second round exit this past season. Advertisement 'I mean, I think anytime you're talking about an injury like that,' Stevens said. 'It's another piece of information that you have to ingest and figure out how that affects you moving forward for next year and into the future.' More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
Independent Singapore
01-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
53-year-old retrenched Singaporean dad launches indoor air quality company after his toddler kept falling sick
SINGAPORE: A 53-year-old Singaporean dad, Jay Choy, who had worked for 26 years at a Japanese multinational company, was retrenched in December 2022, with no job in sight. Around the same time, his 15-month-old son, Jayson, had just started infant care and was often unwell with high fever and a runny nose. Little did he know that looking for something more sustainable for his son's health than just relying on medication would lead to the launch of his own company. Mr Choy then remembered an air purification technology he had previously promoted in his former job, called BioZone Photoplasma™. After installing the unit in his son's room, he said 'the air felt noticeably fresher within days', and his son's symptoms began to ease. Over the next month, his son's health gradually improved. Motivated by his own experience, Mr Choy started reviewing lab reports, real-world studies, and client testimonials about indoor air quality. By February 2023, he had set up FJ SafeSpace Pte Ltd—a business focused on improving indoor air quality in homes, schools, offices, and industrial spaces. The company offers complimentary indoor air quality audits using uHoo advanced air sensors, which are certified by the Singapore Green Building Council. They also benchmark clients' indoor environments against Green Mark 2021, an internationally recognised green building certification scheme tailored for the tropical climate. In addition, they provide solutions using BioZone Photoplasma™ technology to deal with viruses, bacteria, fine dust, volatile organic compounds ( VOCs), and odours. Since its launch, the company has conducted over 140 indoor air quality audits, working with families, childcare centres, offices, F&B outlets, and industrial sites. Mr Choy, who shares audit results (with consent) on LinkedIn to raise public awareness, found this often led to referrals and client collaborations. One success story was when printing and packaging company KPP Packaging faced lingering food smells and frequent staff sick days in their office. After working with FJ SafeSpace, the company reported fewer sick days among staff and improved productivity. They later added more units on the production floor. See also Singapore trader stocking 3,000 swimming pools of sugar! In early 2025, Mr Choy enrolled in the Corporate Environment & Sustainability Executive Programme at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). He had already completed the Green Mark Associate course by the Singapore Green Building Council in 2023. His wife, who works in finance, has been a steady support throughout the journey, while their son, Jayson, remains his daily reminder of why the work matters. Mr Choy said, 'I want all children to grow up in a world where clean air is the norm, not a luxury. That means protecting both the spaces we live in and the planet we live on.' /TISG Read also: Singapore women entrepreneurs find global success through Amazon Global Selling
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Do I need to come home?" - Tatum's dad offered to leave his job because he was worried about his son's mental well-being after suffering a serious injury
Head coach Justin Tatum was on his way to Mongolia with his team for a game in the Indonesian Basketball League last Monday while the Boston Celtics played the New York Knicks in Game 4 of their best-of-seven second-round playoff series. While on a stopover in South Korea, Justin grabbed his tablet and thought he would watch the game live. His son, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum, was cooking and well on his way to dropping a 50-piece on their opponents. Suddenly, JT fell on the floor and grimaced in pain. Advertisement As a former professional basketball player himself, the elder Tatum knew right away that, based on what he saw, his son tore his Achilles tendon. A few minutes later, Justin's phone rang. It was Jayson, and the two ended up having an emotional conversation. "They cried on the phone together, and Jayson was asking him, 'Why me, dad? Why me? Why does this have to happen to me?' And he said, 'Son, this is God's will. You're young, you're gonna get through this,'" said ESPN's Marc Spears, who spoke with Justin. Justin offered to come home for JT Justin went on to remind Jayson that his childhood idol and hero, the late Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant, also suffered an Achilles injury late in his NBA career. Even at an advanced age, KB went on to successfully recover and continue playing for the Los Angeles Lakers until 2016. Advertisement The 2025 NBL champion head coach, who has accepted a gig for Indonesian league's Pelita Jaya team while Australian basketball is in its offseason, then told Spears that based on his conversation with his son, he was more worried about Jayson's mental well-being than his physical ability to recover from the injury because he's never dealt with an injury as serious as an Achilles tear before. And so Tatum's dad offered to quit his job to be by JT's side in the United States. "He asked Jayson, 'Do I need to come home? I'll leave Asia right now and go home right now.' And Jayson said 'No, dad, stay there and coach," added the Hall of Fame NBA reporter. Related: "When I needed cash, he said, 'how much?'" - John Salley says Shaquille O'Neal loaned him $70,000 when he was broke and didn't want it back Jayson is in high spirits after surgery Meanwhile, the Celtics wasted no time. Immediately after tests confirmed the ruptured right Achilles tendon, they sent Tatum to the New York-based Hospital for Special Surgery, where the No.3 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft went under the knife in a procedure led by Dr. Martin O'Malley. Advertisement O'Malley has successfully operated on more than 150 professional athletes, including Kevin Durant's bone graft surgery in 2015, Rudy Gay's 2017 Achilles tear, and a 2023 operation on both of Tiger Woods' feet after his 2021 car accident. "Jayson Tatum today underwent successful surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon," the Celtics said in a statement. "No timetable is currently available for his return, but he is expected to make a full recovery." A day later, Jayson shared a photo from his hospital room after the surgery, and by the looks of it, he is in good spirits, and Justin does not have much to worry about. Looking positive and upbeat, he gave a thumbs-up sign in an Instagram post thanking his well-wishers. Related: Barkley says JT should call KD for advice in light of his Achilles tear: "The best experience is somebody who's already experienced it before"
