Features
Former Winnipegger Jack Tadman a veritable international pinball wizard
By MYRON LOVE Jack Tadman has had a lifelong passion for gaming – pinball games in particular – a passion that he continues to pursue both professionally – as one the few lawyers in Canada specializing in serving clients involved in the gaming industry – and in his private life as one of the world’s top-ranked pinball competitors.
Yes, pinball competition is a thing and, last June, the son of Shelley and Marty Tadman finished in 44th place in a field of 80, competing in the annual Flipper Pinball Association World Championships which were held this year in Germany.
“We play eight rounds,” he reports. “After the fifth round, I was in third place – but I had a tough time in the next three rounds.”
Now, finishing 44th may not sound that impressive but, when you consider that the IFPA ranks 100,000 players and only the top 80 players worldwide are invited to participate in the world championships – well, that puts Tadman’s accomplishment in a whole new perspective. His best finish was in 2019, when he finished in 12th. He is currently ranked 62nd in the world, and 3rd in Canada.
The pinball champ notes that he has been manipulating pinball machines since he was four years old. “Growing up (in River Heights), I would spend Saturdays with my dad and his best friend, (long time University of Manitoba law professor, the late) Barney Sneiderman,” Tadman recalls. “Barney had a pinball machine in his basement.. While dad and Barney visited, I was downstairs standing on a step-stool, playing with pinball.”
The graduate of Ramah and the University of Winnipeg’s Collegiate program (he also attended Joseph Wolinsky from junior high through Grade 10) became a fixture at pinball arcade,s such as the Pirate’s Den at Grant Park Shopping Centre and spent a lot of time in the summers at Playland and SilverCity on the boardwalk at Winnipeg Beach.
Tadman left Winnipeg after high school – attending university, first at Simon Fraser in Burnaby, later earning his law degree from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. He began his practice of law in Toronto in 2011.
In that practice, he has built up an international stable of clients in the gaming industry, ranging from casino operators to equipment manufacturers and other suppliers. He reports that there are very few law firms in Canada engaged in his area of expertise – a few in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, and that is about all.
While Tadman never lost his enthusiasm for pinball, it was only in 2012 that he first dipped his toe into competitive play. A friend who knew Tadman enjoyed pinball told him about the Canadian Pinball Championships being held in Toronto. Much to his surprise, he finished second.
Later that same year, while on a trip to Ottawa, he entered a second pinball competition in the capital city and won. It was that early success that persuaded him that he might be good enough to compete on a larger stage.
In order to move up in the international rankings. Tadman explains, you have to do well in as many local and regional competitions as you can get into. That means that he travels at least once every two months to participate in larger tournaments outside of Toronto.
Fortunately, he notes, his wife Leanne is also a pinball enthusiast – sometimes they travel and compete together – and she fully supports her husband in his pastime.
While Tadman notes that there are cash prizes for the top players in the sport, you aren’t going to strike it rich from pinball games. The largest prize pool for a pinball tournament ever was $150,000, which was divided among the top players in various divisions.
“The most I have ever won,” Tadman reports, “is $2,500.”
At home, the pinball gamester has seven machines to practice with. He says that he puts in as many hours honing his skills as time allows after he sees to his business and family commitments. He and Leanne are parents to three children – an eight year old and four-year-old twins.
Incidentally, last year, Tadman and his family moved back to Winnipeg for a year so that his children could get to better know their family here, in particular, his grandmother Laya Bramer, who recently celebrated her 97th birthday.
“I was able to work remotely,” Tadman says. (He works with a couple of colleagues in Toronto.)
The family is back in Toronto now and Tadman is looking forward to next year’s Flipper Pinball Association World Pinball Championship, which is scheduled for June 7-9, 2024, in California.
Features
Why Fitness Routines Fall Apart — and How to Rebuild Yours
Every spring, gyms see a flood of hopeful faces. New shoes, fresh playlists, unwavering intentions, by mid-summer? Half of them vanish into the fog of abandoned routines. The story repeats year after year until it starts to feel almost scripted. Why does enthusiasm evaporate? The easy answer involves willpower but that explanation misses the point. Habits don’t fail because people are weak. Life stress, boredom, and monotony ruin routines. Timely lever pulls can change narratives. The hardest part is persevering when motivation wanes.
Mistaking Motivation for Momentum
Most chase that opening surge, the lightning strike of motivation, but then stop searching once enthusiasm fizzles. A scroll through sites like PUR Pharma (pur-pharma.is/) or a glimpse of an influencer’s progress triggers a burst of action: new workout gear ordered, plans scribbled in planners destined for dusty drawers. Yet momentum fades when small setbacks pop up (a late meeting here, rainy weather there). Real progress comes from building systems stronger than any fleeting pep talk. Those who frame fitness as something owed to motivation end up back at square one every time life interrupts, which it always does.
Overcomplicating Everything
It’s tempting to turn wellness into a science fair project with spreadsheets and specialized equipment lined up on day one. This is the allure of complexity disguised as seriousness, a new diet paired with seven types of supplements and four color-coded bottles. Simplicity gets lost in the noise almost instantly. Most successful routines rely on two principles: keep it simple and keep showing up even when everything else is chaos outside those gym walls. Anyone insisting that perfection is required before taking step one has already constructed an excuse not to begin at all.
Forgetting Fun Completely
Who decided exercise must hurt or look like punishment? Somewhere along the line, fun got swapped out for grind culture and “no pain, no gain.” That isn’t just unappealing, it’s unsustainable over months or years. If sessions feel like torture devices borrowed from medieval times, nobody should be surprised when commitment falters fast. Seek activities that actually spark some joy or curiosity, a dance class instead of yet another treadmill session, maybe, or play a pickup game rather than slogging through solo circuits again and again.
Ignoring Recovery (and Reality)
Sleep deprivation, disguised as discipline, fools anyone, except perhaps uncritical Instagram followers. Ignoring recovery turns ambition into tiredness faster than any missed session. Because bodies break without rest, routines must breathe with owners. Cycling, real leisure, and honest self-checks regarding weekly goals build endurance, not continual pushing.
Conclusion
Change rarely arrives by force alone but usually grows quietly from patterns repeated imperfectly over time, even if last month looked nothing like this week so far. Drop the hunt for nonstop inspiration. Instead of breaking behaviors at the first hint of stress or boredom, build habits that last. People who rebuild methodically after every stumble or detour make progress, not those who peak and then fall.
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How DIY Auto Repairs Can Help You Cut Costs—Safely
Regular maintenance and minor repairs are the greatest approach for many car drivers to save money without sacrificing dependability. DIY repairs can save you a lot of money over the life of your car since most of the expense is in the labour. DIY helps you learn how things work and notice tiny issues before they become costly ones. Every work requires planning, patience, and safety.
Test Your Talents with Safe Limits
DIY solutions succeed when one is honest about their talents. Wiper blades, air filters, and occupant filters are beginner-friendly. With the correct equipment, intermediate owners can replace brake pads, spark plugs, coolant, and brake fluid. Pressurized fuel, high-voltage hybrids, airbags, and timing components are risky. Only professionals should manage them. Limitations protect you and your car. Drivers trust sources like Parts Avenue to find, install, and schedule manufacturer-approved work.
Set Up a Reliable Workspace and Tools
Good tools pay for themselves quickly. Ratchets, torque wrenches, combination wrenches, heavy jack stands, and wheel chocks are essential. It is advisable to engage specialists for specific tasks. A clean, flat, well-lit, and open space is essential. Please take your time. While working, keep a charged phone nearby to read repair instructions or write torque patterns.
Find the Problem before Replacing the Parts
It may cost more to replace something without diagnosing it. Instead of ideas, start with symptoms. OBD-II readers detect leaks, sounds, and DTCs. Simple tests like voltage, smoke indicating vacuum leaks, pad thickness, and rotor runout might reveal failure. A good analysis saves components, protects surrounding parts, and fosters future trust.
Maintenance That Pays off is Most Crucial
Jobs compensate for time and tools differently. Prioritize returns and maintenance. Change the oil and filter, rotate the tires, evaluate the air pressure, replace low brake fluid, clean the coolant with the right chemicals, and replace belts and filters before they fail. These items extend automotive life, stabilize fuel efficiency, and reduce roadside towing issues that can take months to resolve.
Do as Instructed, Utilize Quality Parts, and Follow Torque Requirements
Understand the service. Set the jacking points, tighten the screws in the appropriate order, and use threadlocker or anti-seize as suggested by the maker. Rotor wear can cause leaks, distortions, or broken threads. Choose components that meet or exceed OEM requirements and fit your car’s VIN, engine code, and manufacturing date. Cheap parts that break easily cost extra.
Test, Record, and Discard Carefully
Safely test the system before patching. Check under the car for drops, bleed the brakes again, and check fluid levels after a short drive. Note torques, parts, miles, and repair date. Photo and document storage for car sales. Properly dispose of oil, filters, coolant, and brake fluid. Controlling hazards protects your community and workplace.
Know When to Seek Professional Help
Self-employed individuals recognize their constraints. If a task is challenging, requires special instruments, or involves safety, consult an expert. Collaboration makes cars safer, cheaper, and more efficient. Selecting, planning, and implementing processes properly improves performance, lowers costs, and ensures safety.
Features
What It Means for Ontario to Be the Most Open iGaming Market in Canada
Ontario is the most open commercial iGaming market in Canada, having been the first province to open up to commercial actors in the online casino and betting space since 2022.
Since gambling laws in Canada are managed on a provincial level, each province has its own legislation.
Before April 4th, 2022, Ontario was similar to any other Canadian province in the iGaming space. The only gaming site regulated in the province was run by government-owned Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, also known as OLG. However, when the market opened up, numerous high-quality gambling companies established themselves in the province, quickly generating substantial revenue. As the largest online gambling market in Canada, it’s now, three years later, also one of the biggest in North America.
The fully regulated commercial market is run under iGaming Ontario and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. These licensed casinos and online sportsbooks are thus fully legal and safe for players to play at, while at the same time, the open market allows companies to compete and offer different products and platforms as long as they all fit within the requirements set up by the state of Ontario.
This means that Ontarians have a wide choice of licensed sites, whether they’re interested in sports betting, live dealer games, or slots – all with strict consumer-protection rules that keep them safe while exploring the many options. (Source: https://esportsinsider.com/ca/gambling/online-casinos-canada)
There are many benefits to online gaming, especially in a country that’s as sparsely populated as Canada, leaving physical venues often few and far between for those living outside the biggest cities.
Even before Ontario launched its own gambling sites, online gambling had been common among Ontarians. Regulating the market and offering alternatives regulated by the province has often added safer and more controlled options.
Since 85% of Ontarians now play at regulated sites, the initiative of opening up the market seems a clear win in more than one way.
Despite the huge success of the Ontario market, most provinces in Canada haven’t changed much in the iGaming sector in the past few years. Some provinces keep Crown-run monopolies, while others limit activity to a single government-run platform. This often leads Canadians to seek offshore alternatives instead, since the options are so few in their own province.
But 2025 marks an important change. The provinces seem to have noticed that Ontario picked a winning strategy, and Alberta has clearly been taking notes.
While the province of Alberta has previously opted for controlled gambling through one government website, the province is now opening up the commercial online gambling market. The Alberta iGaming Corporation will be in charge of licensing and inspecting actors that operate in the province. This will mean many more options for players, coupled with consumer protection and a high level of safety.
Meanwhile, the Ontario iGaming market continues to prosper, grow, and develop. Now that a second province is following in its footsteps, it seems more likely that other provinces will also start following the trend.