On August 21, the Department of Health and Human Services issued proposed regulations that would clarify and enforce existing laws that afford protection to members of the health care community who have moral or religious objections to the practice of abortion. The proposed regulations also include accountability measures which would require recipients of federal funding appropriated through the Department of Health and Human Services to certify compliance with laws protecting the right of conscience.

These regulations have not yet taken effect and are open for public comment for a period of thirty days. Following the comment period, the Department of Health and Human Services will consider the comments before issuing the final regulations. The deadline for public comment is September 25, 2008. You can comment on this issue in one of three ways:

1. Official comments may be submitted at www.Regulations.gov. Enter key word provider conscience and click on the link Comment or Submission. You can submit your entry in the space provided or add an attachment (Attachments should be in Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, or Excel; Microsoft Word is preferred). The subject line must read Provider Conscience Regulation.

2. Official comments may also be submitted via email at consciencecomment@hhs.gov. The subject line must read Provider Conscience Regulation.

3. General comments may be submitted to the blog for the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at http://secretarysblog.hhs.gov.

The core issue underlying these regulations is conscience protections and they must be codified in order to enforce existing federal law and ensure that health care professionals have the right to refuse to perform services due to moral, ethical, or religious objections.

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I speak dubli, so allow me to translate: You are responsible for return shipping costs if the item costs 40 Euros or less than 40 and more than 40 Euros no matter what. Otherwise, they are free of charge.
The other two deceptive reverse auctions.
Are not reverse auctions. They are lotteries. Thus, they are unable to operate in California, and technically neither PayPal nor any U.S. Bank is allowed wire funds to DubLi. Thats very unfortunate because any money you invest in DubLi cannot be efficiently tracked by the U.S. Federal Government.
If internet gambling were treated consistently, the Federal Government could prevent DubLi from money laundering and its other deceptive practices.
DubLis scam
Skim off the top in every transaction, including the gambling chips (credits).
DubLi takes 40% off the top before you even begin gambling.
When you win a game, you still have to pay up to 400 Euros in shipping.
If you win the unique lowest price lottery, you dont win the price; instead you win an option to purchase the price.
There is absolutely no way to know what the results of the lotteries actually are. They could be rigged by the operator, and according to the shady disclaimer, they reserve the right to ban you off, even if you have remaining gambling credits.
When youve lost money gambling at DubLi (you are essentially guaranteed not to make a profit), you can pay 499 Euros to join their pyramid scheme, which is a copy of Andy Bowdoins AdSurfDaily Ponzi. The difference is you have to pay a yearly fee of 199 Euros to advertise for DubLi. Furthermore, if you want to place an ad on your DubLi site, you have to pay another 150 Euros.
Now that you have been scammed, its time to get desperate and harass your family and friends to join the useless program. Since you have given your family and friends nothing of value, except the means (gimmicks) to perpetuate a scam, youve effectively turned them into criminals, who are forced to pass on the debt to more innocent people.
If you break any rules or laws in managing your DubLi site (such as marketing something else) you are banned. If you dont break any rules, you can still be banned according to the disclaimer.
DubLi can expell you from their system for engaging in illegal activities. Since internet gambling laws vary in the United States, if you are in California, you have broken U.S. Laws. Therefore DubLi (despite conspiring with you) can ban you under that clause, and keep all your money.
DubLi also reserves the right to change all their General Business Terms and Conditions without warning you. As their history shows in Spain, and Denmark, and their collective numerous scams, the trend is to make a buck (Euro?) and dissappear.
A little more math on the option-lottery scam by DubLi
Each player you add to the game decreases your chances inversely on average.
So with you against 1, 2, 3 players your chances are 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and so on, respectively. More realistically, youll be competing against several hundred players.  Your chances then are (1/x) or 1/100.
But each player can play more than once, and there wont be any way to know how many times others played.
Oh, and if nobody guesses the lowest unique number, you lose all your money.
How to identify a scam
Really easy. Who is involved? If it is a scam artist with a history like Andy Bowdoin, then its safe to assume that past behavior is a good guide for future behavior. Of course, Andy Bowdoin created a deceptive marketing campaign to change his image. It was claimed that he was a very successful and respectable businessman, who even received a medal from the President. In reality, he got an ordinary marketing token, and not from the president, but from the Republican National Comittee. And he didnt get it for being a good person. He simply got it because he donated a little bit of money to the RNC, like everyone else who got one.
The saddest thing is outraged victims all over the internet still worship Bowdoin. They cannot understand how a person like him did anything wrong. Of course, Bowdoin keeps deceiving them by making references to God and pretending he is a martyr. Here is the Secret Services take on Thomas Andy Bowdoin, Jr.
Another way to identify a scam is to determine if any legitimate value is being exchanged. In the case of DubLi its difficult to ascertain because they hide as much technical information as possible, by using vague and misleading wording.
In that case, if you are desperately harassed by a friend who wants you to be rich, and he is selling you a that allows you sell other licenses, and no other value, its probably a scam. Nobody who is your friend needs to sell you anything so you can be rich. If they are really your friend, they wouldnt make you pay for it; unless they were desperate for money. And if they are desperate for money, then their proposition cant be any good.
One pretty neat way to identify a scam is the following: How did the sell the first license? What would it take to do it?
Well, in the case of AdSurfDaily, you can spend 300 dollars on a website, spam the internet for two weeks by advertising yourself as successful, for a total of 200+ articles. They dont all have to be different; they just need to be called press releases. Then you approach someone and you tell them youll sell them an advertising packet for their website. But they dont have a website, so you can charge them 50 dollars a month to make it for them. 50 dollars is 10 times the monthly price of standard webhosting. You find another victim and do the same, but you give them a rebate if they click on other members ads. You need to appear to have more members, so you fake a few extra sites with the new investment. Then you announce that you are a high-yield investment program, and that you pay comissions for recruiting people. Since the fake websites have no market value, the only reason people will join is for the money. Since the recruits are clicking your ads, the clicks are also worth nothing.
So if you are selling nothing, its a scam. Good job DubLi. Oh, and good luck on Opening Day. Apparently you are worth something on GetAFreelancer: 482 US dollars. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, maybe you can reverse-bid this one and give the poor guy a discount. How about 0 Euros.

Similar posts: gambling internet

New York Times:
Senator John McCain was on a roll. In a room reserved for high-stakes gamblers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, he tossed $100 chips around a hot craps table. When the marathon session ended around 2:30 a.m., the Arizona senator and his entourage emerged with thousands of dollars in winnings.
A lifelong gambler, Mr. McCain takes risks, both on and off the craps table. He was throwing dice that night not long after his failed 2000 presidential bid, in which he was skewered by the Republican Party’s evangelical base, opponents of gambling. Mr. McCain was betting at a casino he oversaw as a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and he was doing so with the lobbyist who represents that casino, according to three associates of Mr. McCain.
The visit had been arranged by the lobbyist, Scott Reed, who works for the Mashantucket Pequot, a tribe that has contributed heavily to Mr. McCain’s campaigns and built Foxwoods into the world’s second-largest casino. Joining them was Rick Davis, Mr. McCain’s current campaign manager. Their night of good fortune epitomized not just Mr. McCain’s affection for gambling, but also the close relationship he has built with the gambling industry and its lobbyists during his 25-year career in Congress.
As a two-time chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, Mr. McCain has done more than any other member of Congress to shape the laws governing America’s casinos, helping to transform the once-sleepy Indian gambling business into a $26-billion-a-year behemoth with 423 casinos across the country. He has won praise as a champion of economic development and self-governance on reservations.
“One of the founding fathers of Indian gaming” is what Steven Light, a University of North Dakota professor and a leading Indian gambling expert, called Mr. McCain.
As factions of the ferociously competitive gambling industry have vied for an edge, they have found it advantageous to cultivate a relationship with Mr. McCain or hire someone who has one, according to an examination based on more than 70 interviews and thousands of pages of documents.
Mr. McCain portrays himself as a Washington maverick unswayed by special interests, referring recently to lobbyists as “birds of prey.” Yet in his current campaign, more than 40 fund-raisers and top advisers have lobbied or worked for an array of gambling interests — including tribal and Las Vegas casinos, lottery companies and online poker purveyors.

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The Rev. Greg Hogan flew from Ohio to Maryland to tell the story of Greg Hogan Jr., his 19-year-old son, who had won an international piano competition and was president of his sophomore class at Lehigh. One night a student came into his room and claimed he won $120,000 by Internet gambling.
Within minutes, he posted a link on Gregs computer. That began Gregs gambling through the $8,000 he came to college with. He began borrowing from friends, but could never pay them back. As he told Good Morning America, I felt pressure to come up with the funds.
So he robbed a bank! I thought if I could pay off my debts, I would stop gambling forever. However, if I had more money, my addiction would probably not have let me stop, he confessed to a national TV audience.
Greg was asked, Why didnt you ask your parents for help? His father answered, We learned he had a gambling addiction the summer before, and got him help. He went to Gamblers Anonymous. I didnt realize how firm a grip addiction had on my son.
Within hours of the robbery, he was arrested as he arrived to play cello in an orchestra. He served 22 months in prison, and is out now but with a ruined life.

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Next Tuesdays resumption of debate on the legality of the attempt by the state of Kentucky to seize control of 141 international online gambling domains (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa reports) continues to generate significant interest both within and outside of the industry.
Judge Thomas Wingate of the Franklin Circuit Court, who had earlier signed off on a temporary seizure of domains through registrars at the behest of outsourced lawyers working for the state, faced a platoon of legal representatives from online gambling companies, trade associations and public interest groups supporting freedom of speech and the Internet at the initial hearing last week.
Lawyers for both sides argued legal technicalities centered on the legal standing and identification of domain owners and claims that the action against 141 domain names took place “under cover” and with no notice to their clients. They sought a continuation to brief Judge Wingate on matters of law which they contended will demonstrate the court has no jurisdiction and should dismiss the action.
Judge Wingate gave all involved until October 7 to submit detailed legal briefs on their positions and qualifications for legal standing. The judge pointed out that the case was a complex matter in law where decisions reached could set precedents and have far reaching consequences outside the online gambling industry . It was therefore appropriate that those with the right to be heard submitted their arguments for debate and examination.
However, the judge sounded an ominous note when he told lawyers representing the domain names at issue: “You are going to have to eventually pony up and say who these people are.”
In the meantime the judges temporary seizure of the domains remains in place.
The October 7 hearing looks likely to be even more crowded as opponents to the Kentucky states action, which officials have admitted is aimed at forcing operators to bar Kentucky online gamblers and pay unspecified compensation to state coffers, present their arguments in a case that is already attracting wide mainstream publicity.
The states lawyers, employed on a contingency no win no pay deal, have claimed that online gambling falls within existing legislation which prohibits gambling devices because domain names can be classified as such devices, a point that will no doubt be hotly contested. Online gambling is not specifically declared illegal in Kentucky, where Governor Steve Beshear has proved to be a staunch supporter of land-based casino and horseracing activity.
Among those who will have legal representatives present are the Internet Gaming Counsel, The Poker Players Alliance, iMEGA, the Internet Commerce Association and the Americans for Tax Reform, and it is understood that an open press conference is planned for the day before the October 7 hearing where a diverse range of representative bodies will make relevant statements.
The executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, John Pappas is driving the press conference and urges all interested parties to discuss participation with him by using the PPA website.

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Free, a simple little word, but simple or not it evokes powerful emotions in all of us. The hope of actually getting something for nothing. But is free the best way to go or should we resign ourselves to the simple fact that everything in life has its price and if we truly want free do we have to sacrifice our privacy to get it.When taking advantage of a free offer or free trial do you ever stop to think why you are being offered this supposedly world encompassing, awe inspiring product for free or do you just dive in blindly simply because it is free, which begs the question, do you really value anything you are given as opposed to products for which you have to pay.On the Internet, to receive anything for free you generally have to part with some personal information and its the divulging of this information which mostly allows the companies involved to not only send you details of their own products but to sell or rent your information to other companies for the same purpose. This can cause so many problems with your email account, resulting in a never ending flood of unwanted offers that miraculously start to appear in your inbox. You go from a trickle of emails from friends and aquaintences to a tsunami of offers for anything from free porn to stocks and shares trading advice. All unwanted, all invasive, but there day after day all the same.How do we avoid falling into this trap and how, if we do want free offers or trials, do we protect ourselves from the companies that use our personal information in this way. Its a simple problem to solve. The first step is don't so eager to receive free stuff that you neglect to take a few minutes to read the small print before you give up your personal information. Free offers will normally direct you to a site where you are required to sign up or register in order to receive the offer. Familiarize yourself with the site and particularly the sites privacy policy. If the privacy policy allows the site owner to sell your information this will result in a flood of unwanted offers and most do wish to sell or rent your information. Some sites however, and these are the sites whose offers I consider it safe to proceed with, only wish to send you details of their own products which they feel may be of interest to you. Don't be misled here, you still receive offers that wont interest you but you can rest assured that at least now your email address should not be all over the Internet and you wont be receiving offers that, if like me you use a shared email account with your partner, can sometimes be a little embarrassing and difficult to explain.Free can be paramount for a great product or service and in some cases you are offered a free trial or product by a site as a prelaunch offer. If you ignore free simply because you are afraid of the prospect of an inbox of unwanted mail you will no doubt miss out on some of the best new products and innovations available on the Internet. This would be crazy, especially if you are trying to make your living online. There are some excellent products out there and with a little due diligence on your part you can take advantage of these services and products without the usual ensuing problems.So, get out there and take advantage of what's available for free but be a little more discerning in your choice of offer and a little less eager to part with your contact information.

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I once asked a friend in the Bush administration, who liked the guy and worked directly with him, "Is Bush as stupid as he seems?" The response was that Bush is very intelligent, however, he is only concerned with what is right or wrong at the moment. His major weakness is that he doesn't consider history to see the likely repercussions of his current decision, and he frequently used the quote, "Laura's the librarian.

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Most auto financing companies require potential buyers to possess reasonably good credit before approving applications for car loans. The process for buying a new or used vehicle really begins long before a buyer reaches the car lot. Finance companies want to lend money to individuals who have a good credit history with a proven record of faithfully making payments on time. Car buyers who have a small amount of debt, long term employment, and collateral, such as home ownership, savings accounts, or retirement funds are considered the best credit risks. Creditworthiness will be reflected in a buyer's credit score, which is based largely on a past history of paying bills on time. Even something as insignificant as making timely payments to a utility company can affect a consumer's credit score and influence car dealers and auto financing companies to take a risk on lending tens of thousands of dollars for a new or pre-owned vehicle. Consumer credit reporting agencies consult one or all of three credit bureaus to determine borrowers' scores. Excellent credit ratings are at a scale of 700 or more, while less than perfect credit is around 600. High-risk borrowers have credit scores of 550 or less, and the chances of getting auto financing without forking paying higher interest rates are slim to none.

Before taking a trek out to the car lot, savvy buyers will want to do some homework and count up the costs of owning an automobile. "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish" (Luke 14:28-20). Auto financing companies will need an accurate assessment of a buyer's current indebtedness to determine whether borrowers can handle financing a new or used vehicle. Consumers should take a good look at the family budget, weighing income and expenses to determine if buying a car is a wise choice. Outlining a budget is simple: just add up total monthly income, including salaries for the husband and wife and monies accrued on a regular basis, such as disability insurance or alimony. Savings and long term investments should not be included as income, since a buyer should be able to handle auto loan payments without dipping into a nest egg.

After income, add up monthly expenditures, such as mortgage or rental payments, food and utilities, clothing, insurance, education expenses, gas and vehicle maintenance, outstanding credit card or loan payments, and medical or dental expenses. Subtract the total expenses from the total gross income and the net amount is all that's left for a car payment. If the net amount is less than $300, that's cutting it mighty close. Used vehicles might need additional repairs and cut into the budget, while auto insurance, car tags, and the high cost of gas can easily make auto ownership an expensive undertaking. Borrowers should also leave room for contingencies and entertainment. Auto financing companies will want to be assured that borrowers can commit to a four- to five-year loan without discovering that there's more month than money when it comes time to repay the loan.

Establishing a common sense budget and being realistic about an ability to repay will show auto financing companies that a borrower is both conscientious and committed to making timely payments. Once a reasonable payment is established, buyers should shop around for affordable cars. Check out the Blue Book value on used vehicles to make sure sales prices are in keeping with current markets. It's a good idea to go car shopping after hours when car salesmen can't haggle over the price or hassle budget-conscious buyers. Consumers can leisurely shop for vehicles and check out models, makes and car stickers to find the best deal. Classified ads, automotive magazines and tabloids, and online vehicle vendors are all great places to find bargains and compare prices without making an on-the-spot commitment. Consumers with cash or trade-ins are at an advantage when it comes to bargaining. A couple of thousand dollars cash or a good used vehicle offers great leverage for negotiating the best payments on new or pre-owned vehicles. Auto financing companies and dealers love dealing with cash, but a high quality, well maintained trade-in is like money in the bank. Used vehicles are the bread and butter for dealers who can resell models in good condition for a profit. Dealers usually offer to pay off remaining loan balances on trade-ins, giving buyers a fresh start with a newer vehicle and hopefully, a better loan package.

Many auto financing companies offer online applications to pre-qualify customers, which saves time and embarrassment if borrowers don't meet qualifications. But when it comes to financing, auto loan companies can be flexible. Less than perfect credit, repossessions, and slow payment histories can be forgiven; and dealers can usually shop around for financial institutions that are willing to lend to high-risk borrowers. However, for the privilege of borrowing in spite of bad credit, high-risk borrowers may be required to either come up with hefty down payments or higher monthly notes to ride in style. Other creative financing may come from buy here pay here car dealerships, which specialize in selling to high-risk borrowers. As with major auto financing companies, the vehicle serves as collateral and lienholders always have option of repossessing autos if borrowers default. However, if buyers take time to count up the cost of owning a new or used vehicle and accurately assess their ability to pay, rebuilding credit for the future will be well within reach, without the worry of repossession.

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I once asked a friend in the Bush administration, who liked the guy and worked directly with him, "Is Bush as stupid as he seems?" The response was that Bush is very intelligent, however, he is only concerned with what is right or wrong at the moment. His major weakness is that he doesn't consider history to see the likely repercussions of his current decision, and he frequently used the quote, "Laura's the librarian.

Similar posts: gambling internet

As the online gambling industry fights to gain its legal stature in the United States through a challenge waged by the The Interactive Media Entertainment Gaming Association, the New York Times has hit the stands with a story that McCain may have ties to the land-based casino sector.
A lifelong gambler, Mr. McCain takes risks, both on and off the craps table, according to the New York Times. He was throwing dice one night not long after his failed 2000 presidential bid, in which he was skewered by the Republican Partys evangelical base, opponents of gambling. Mr. McCain was betting at a casino he oversaw as a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and he was doing so with the lobbyist who represents that casino, according to three associates of Mr. McCain - that would be Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut.
The visit had been arranged by the lobbyist, Scott Reed, who works for the Mashantucket Pequot, a tribe that has contributed heavily to Mr. McCains campaigns and built Foxwoods into the worlds second-largest casino. Joining them was Rick Davis, Mr. McCains current campaign manager. Their night of good fortune epitomized not just Mr. McCains affection for gambling, but also the close relationship he has built with the gambling industry and its lobbyists during his 25-year career in Congress.
As a two-time chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, Mr. McCain has done more than any other member of Congress to shape the laws governing Americas casinos, helping to transform the once-sleepy Indian gambling business into a $26-billion-a-year behemoth with 423 casinos across the country. He has won praise as a champion of economic development and self-governance on reservations.
One of the founding fathers of Indian gaming is what Steven Light, a University of North Dakota professor and a leading Indian gambling expert, called Mr. McCain.
As factions of the ferociously competitive gambling industry have vied for an edge, they have found it advantageous to cultivate a relationship with Mr. McCain or hire someone who has one, according to an examination based on more than 70 interviews and thousands of pages of documents.
The Indian casinos have not exactly embraced the online gambling sector, however, though McCain has gone on record as saying that prohibition of Internet gambling and online poker is not a priority of his.
It is really Sen. Jon Kyls deal, McCain told a Las Vegas reporter when pressed about the subject. Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl was a co-author of recently past Internet gambling prohibition - the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act - and has been among the industrys most aggressive foes over the past decade. Strangely, Kyl has not taken center stage on the issue in recent months at a time when bills have been presented in the House by Democratic Congressman Barney Frank. Fellow Republican Spencer Bacchus has taken the lead in his place.
But McCain insists online gambling prohibition is far from his mind.
I havent thought about the issue, McCain said when pressed further by the Vegas-based reporter.
The Indian casinos, like Las Vegas, have been casting a keen eye on the multi billion dollar Internet gambling sector. Vegas has profited from the industry indirectly via the World Series of Poker, which draws throngs of players to Sin City during its hottest months of summer. The online poker rooms have been credited for building the WSOP.
And the Indians have not been left out of the equation. Kahnawake, a tribe outside of Quebec, Canada, is among the most prominent enterprises involved in online gambling today, overseeing such businesses as BodogLife.com and UltimateBet Poker.
The New York Times questions McCains classification as a based on his relationship with the Indian casinos and those lobbyists who represent them.
Mr. McCain portrays himself as a Washington maverick unswayed by special interests, referring recently to lobbyists as birds of prey. Yet in his current campaign, more than 40 fund-raisers and top advisers have lobbied or worked for an array of gambling interests - including tribal and Las Vegas casinos, lottery companies and online poker purveyors.
Mr. McCain declined to be interviewed by the New York Times. In written answers to questions, his campaign staff said he was justifiably proud of his record on regulating Indian gambling. Senator McCain has taken positions on policy issues because he believed they are in the public interest, the campaign said.
Just two weeks ago, Democratic running mate Joe Biden announced that his son would no longer engage in lobbying efforts. Bidens son, Hunter, worked on lobbying efforts for the online poker sector.
Federal lobbying records show that Hunter Biden’s firm was hired in June by lawyers for J. Russell DeLeon and his wife, Ruth Parasol, billionaire expatriates who founded a Web site called PartyPoker, according to a New York Times report. Their company, PartyGaming P.L.C., which later went public in London and was the single largest IPO on the London Stock Exchange in 2004, stopped doing business in the United States after President Bush signed a bill into law in 2006 aimed at curbing online gambling.
Wyeth Wiedeman, a lobbyist hired by Mr. DeLeon and Ms. Parasol, said Mr. Biden helped put together a lobbying campaign to persuade Congress to pass a law that would clarify the question about whether online gambling was legal prior to 2006. Mr. Wiedeman said the Justice Department has been examining the couple and others involved with the PartyPoker site.
PartyPoker was forced out of the US market thanks to Jon Kyls co-authored UIGEA. At the time, 80 percent of Partys customers were originating from the US. And in an ironic twist, one time Iowa Republican Congressman and another co-author of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, Jim Leach, is now vocally endorsing Democratic Senator Barack Obama for President.

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![CDATA[VANCOUVER,
ITISH COLUMBIA eMediaWorld - Sept. 29, 2008) - Golden Oasis Exploration Corp. (TSX VENTURE:GOT) has received results from a 6 hole RC drilling program totaling 3,250 feet at its Toiyabe Property located in Lander County, Nevada. Two holes targeted expansion of the Courtney B Fault mineralization and the remaining holes targeted postulated northwest trending feeder faults in the Courtney West area. Drill holes T-801 and 802 intersected the first high-grade gold discovered along the Courtney B Fault zone. As shown in the table below T-801 included 5 feet (4.0 feet true width) averaging 0.427 oz/ton gold and T-802 included 5 feet (4.0 feet true width) averaging 0.268 oz/ton gold. These gold intercepts are shallow and could be extracted via an open pit. A NI 43-101 compliant resource study has been initiated to determine the current extent of the near-surface resource at Toiyabe. Drill holes T-803 through T-806 have identified major offsets in the stratigraphy and several +0.

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Sundays column:
FRANKFORT — Monday evening, I plan to sit down with a group of regulars and spend a few hours kicking off the new season of our own little “poker tour.” At least, I hope to last a few hours because, if I don’t, it means I went all in early and lost.
Ours is a low-stakes game ($10 buy-in) where camaraderie and bragging rights take precedence over the opportunity to win big bucks. Actually, with this group, bragging rights trumps camaraderie fairly handily, too.
Over the next several months, we’ll get together on a regular basis to play poker, eat pot luck, sip a libation or two (not so much the head doesn’t remain clear) and generally have a helluva good time.
I can’t imagine having anything close to that level of fun gambling in the faceless, voiceless, impersonal world of cyberspace. So, I don’t go there. Never have gambled on-line; never will — and not just because on-line gambling is illegal while our friendly game is fine as long as no one takes a cut of the pots.
I don’t gamble on-line because, when I call a bet, I want to see the bettor’s face and body language. When I take down a pot, I want the poor souls who lost to know, personally, who won their chips. (Did I mention that bragging rights are important to this group?)
So, Gov. Steve Beshear isn’t stepping on any of my toes by going to court to seize the domain names of on-line gambling sites. Still, I find his approach a bit puzzling for multiple reasons.
For instance, take the question of effectiveness. Say the state wins the rights to the domain name losehere.com, as if anyone would play at a site with that name. Tomorrow, it comes back as losehere.org. or losehere.net or losethere.com.
Secretary J. Michael Brown, of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, took the time the other day to explain to me why the administration’s plan can work. And I understand what he and Beshear hope to accomplish.
But I remain doubtful about the ultimate success of this effort because the potential number of domain names the on-line gambling enterprises can switch to after their current names are seized is infinite, which means this could be an endless process.
And as long as some Kentuckians want to sit in front of their computer screens and bet on the flip of a virtual card, the on-line gambling industry will find a way to accommodate them — from offshore sites out of American jurisdiction.
Even if the administration’s gambit could be 100 percent effective, there are better ways to address the “problem” of illegal Internet gambling than by completely denying Kentuckians this form of entertainment.
After all, Kentucky isn’t exactly virgin territory when it comes to laying bets. As state Auditor Crit Luallen’s office noted recently, the Kentucky Lottery Corp. was a $744 million enterprise last year, while charitable gaming had gross receipts of $489 million and horse racing had $470 million.
And let’s not forget Beshear himself campaigned on the promise to put an amendment on the ballot so voters could decide if they want to have casino gambling provide a new source of state revenue. It seems more than a bit ironic that he’s now trying to keep Kentuckians from playing the same games in the virtual world that he wants them to play in the real world.
Sure, the difference is that on-line gambling is illegal. But why is it illegal? Because it’s unregulated, and because it isn’t taxed. You see, gambling only deserves that bad old “illegal” tag when government isn’t getting its cut of the action.
So, faced with the horrors of  an illegal form of gambling, it seems oddly inconsistent that a governor who’s on the record backing the expansion of gambling opportunities in Kentucky wouldn’t explore the possibilities of  making on-line gambling legal by regulating and taxing it before trying to pull the plug on all of the state’s cyber-gamblers.

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According to news reports, the governor of Kentucky has filed a suit in state court to seize 141 gambling domain names. His claimed authority is a 1974 law against "gambling devices", on the theory that a domain is a "device", and online gambling is taking money away from in-state horse racing and the lottery. The judge sensibly has said that he doesn't understand all the issues, and has given all sides a week to submit briefs. Two domains, highrollerslounge.com and luckypyramidcasino.com have been reassigned to the state, probably by a registrar who didn't understand the issues either.
I have to say that this is a phenomenally bogus case.

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By Chris Green A former headmaster who amassed thousands of indecent images of children on his computer walked free from court yesterday, after a judge.
By Neely Tucker Back in the day, actors Al Pacino and Bobby De Niro could set a movie projector afire. Copyright by The McGraw Hill Companies Inc. Employees installing unauthorized Black cole kenneth is a growing threat to business security and productivity. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found evidence that for some people gambling triggers a chemical reaction almost like cocaine, according to a May story in the Birmingham News. A regular round trip on the ferry is, but because of our partnership with Lion Trailways, a passenger can get a round trip ticket and transportation to a deluxe Atlantic City resort, all for less than.

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November 22, 2010
WASHINGTON D.C. (Routers) - The family of a Greek-Australian writer facing 15 years in jail for allegedly defaming NewAmericas newly-crowned Monarch Barack Obama have appealed to Canberra to intercede after he was refused bail for a second time, his lawyer said on Friday.
James Dean, a Melbourne-based lawyer for 47-year-old William Yekvolaides, said judges at D.C.s Criminal Court deemed it to be a very serious offense and regarded him as a flight risk.
His family is very concerned about his welfare, Dean told Routers.
His relatives had written to Obamas royal household, Dean said, apologising for any offense caused by his 2009 novel , billed on the Amazon.com website as an uncompromising assault on the leftist values of the new monarchy.
In newspaper interviews from the prison where he has been held since his Sept. 3 arrest, Yekvolaides said 50,000 copies of the novel had been printed and only seven sold.
He also admitted to feeling suicidal in prison, and feared being beaten up by the 900 men with whom he shares a cell because they had found out about his alleged misdemeanor.
Lese-Obamajeste, or insulting the Obama monarchy, is a very serious offense in NewAmerica, where many people regard 50-year-old King Barack Obama as semi-divine. It is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Critics of the law say it is open to abuse since a complaint can be filed by anybody against anybody, no matter how minor the alleged disrespect.
Even though Monarch Obama Himself has said he should not be above criticism, the American police feel obliged to investigate every complaint that lands on their desks, fearful that dismissing apparently trivial cases might itself be disrespectful.
Yekvolaides was a regular, long-time visitor to Washington and had been teaching writing at the now-closed Catholic University of America, and writing the occasional article for regional newspapers and websites.
He was arrested at Wright International (formerly Ronald Reagan) Airport as he tried to leave D.C., unaware of a warrant issued in March, police said.

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Theres lots of gambling news hitting the headlines this week, probably more than normal but weve brought you the highlights from a busy week. The growth of internet gambling is coming on in leaps and bounds creating most of this weeks titbits of information with new products, gambling sites and poker tournaments. Its all happening in London next week as the EPT London takes place, followed by theWorld Series of Poker Europe event reach its climax and if youre not already there then your too late, but theres always next year. Visit our online poker pages for more information about whats on offer and where to play. Anyway, on with some more big stories from this weeks gambling news headlines.

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The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steve Beshear, may rid the state of internet gambling if all goes as planned at a forfeiture hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday according to the Associated Press. Judge Thomas Wingate will preside over the hearing, which if successful may block access to internet gambling sites by Kentucky residents.

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Thursdays planned forfeiture hearing before the Franklin Circuit Court has been postponed until 3.30 pm today, Friday 26th September. No reason was given for the delay. The hearing is set to decide whether Kentucky can seize 141 online gambling related domain names, however as of this morning, 22% or 31 of the 141 domains have either undergone a name change or have been seized.

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The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steve Beshear, may rid the state of internet gambling if all goes as planned at a forfeiture hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday according to the Associated Press. Judge Thomas Wingate will preside over the hearing, which if successful may block access to internet gambling sites by Kentucky residents.

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1) Location - Is the studio a convenient distance from your home? Remember that you may well have to go there at least three times. You will need to get the picture made, then perhaps have to return to select a pose, and then, of course, pick up the final product. Ask too, is the building easy to access in terms of traffic and parking?
2) Facility - A family with several children got up early on a Saturday morning to be on time for their appointment for a family portrait. But once they arrived, they learned that the studio was too small to get everyone in. Is the studio a store front or an established facility that is prepared to photograph whatever size group you have?
3) Punctuality - If you have made an appointment, are they on time? Are you allowed sufficient time to get the picture right? They will promise that the proofs and/or final prints will be done on a certain date. Are they? Perhaps you will want to check their reputation in this area with others who have gone there before you.
4) Personality - Do the employees handle themselves professionally? Are they friendly and personable? Do they treat you with the respect you deserve? How do they manage with small children and babies? Are they able to accommodate special needs people? Often portraits can be stressful times to get everyone clean and dressed and in the car on time. Smaller children will not hide their tiredness or irritation. A good photographer should be able, under most circumstances, to handle these everyday occurrences.
5) Skill - The poorest part of home photography is usually lighting. Is their lighting professional? Is the photographer skilled at arranging the scene so key people are highlighted, the picture is balanced, and everyone can be seen clearly? A skilled photographer should know how to set the scene quickly so that the picture will be attractive.
6) Choice - A good photographer will take ample pictures so that you have plenty of choices. Are the proofs ready to view immediately or will you have to return? Will they make recommendations that are in your best interest and not just their pocketbook? Are they able to present the various packages without putting you under pressure?
7) Integrity - Is the company honest? If they promised you one free picture or your unchosen proofs, do they keep that promise? Do they have the pictures ready when they promised? How would you estimate your overall experience in working with them.

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