Congress in a race with states to pass online gambling law

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - States racing to legalize online gambling may soon be overtaken by the federal government, as efforts to pass a national bill begin to come together.

Legislation in the House is likely to be introduced this spring. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada), whose long-advocated federal legislation never got introduced last year, is working behind the scenes to form a coalition to support the measure.

"I think the states' passage gives some incentive to the federal government to act," said Representative Joe Barton (R-Texas), who introduced an online poker bill in 2011 that failed. He plans to introduce a bill this spring.

"Whether you're for or against Internet gambling," said Barton, "you don't want 50 sets of state laws. You want uniformity."

Similar efforts by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and former Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), backed by the casino industry, fizzled last year. The Reid-Kyl bill faced stiff opposition from Republicans and several states' governors and others who felt it unfairly favored Nevada by giving it too much regulatory clout and a cut of the regulatory fees.

Congressional efforts have picked up as more states move forward with their own bills. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed legislation on February 27 authorizing online gambling in an attempt to help the state's struggling casino industry and generate casino tax revenues.

New Jersey is the most populous state to approve online gaming, following Delaware and Nevada. Many others are considering it. An Illinois senate committee filed a bill earlier this week that could authorize online gambling there.

Several states are also trying to figure out how to band together to attract more gamblers.

Proponents of a federal law say it would create uniformity and impose safeguards against fraud, while opponents say it would usurp states' power and siphon off badly needed revenues.

Prior federal efforts have also drawn steadfast opposition from religious groups such as the National Association of Evangelicals and the Southern Baptist Convention, which blasted the draft legislation circulated last year.

That effort was sidetracked as both parties concentrated on the election, gambling executives and political officials said. Reid and Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada) say they intend to try it again.

"We should have done it on a federal level ... we are going to try to figure out a way forward," said Reid at a recent press conference.

"Senator Heller believes federal legislation for online poker is crucial, and will continue to work with Senator Reid and like-minded colleagues to get a bill passed," said Chandler Smith, Heller's communications director.

To date, proposed federal legislation has sought only to regulate Internet poker and prohibit other forms of online gambling.

New Jersey's legislation allows for a broad array of games, including online slots, blackjack and other table games. The state plans to take 15 percent of the amount won by online casinos from players within its borders. Nevada intends to keep 6.7 percent.

Nevada is expected to be the first state to go live with online gaming, likely by summer, according to regulatory and industry experts. The state will only allow poker.

Draft federal legislation over the past few years would divide tax revenue between the federal government and states where the bettors reside and the state where the legal website is located. Some proposals allow the federal government to take 5 percent to 10 percent of the tax revenue.

According to the American Gaming Association, about 85 countries have legalized online gambling and an estimated $35 billion is being bet worldwide online each year, including by millions of people in the United States.

AGA projects the U.S. market to reach $10 billion a year by 2017 from about $4 billion in unauthorized gambling in 2011.

Caesars and other large casino operators like MGM Resorts International Ltd have long promoted federal legislation, as it would offer a larger, more uniform and liquid market.

"We will be prepared with our offerings for Nevada and hopefully New Jersey," said Seth Palansky, a spokesperson for Caesars Interactive Entertainment. "But there is still time for Congress to step in and provide a federal solution."

(Reporting by Susan Zeidler; editing by Prudence Crowther)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/congress-race-states-pass-online-gambling-law-012116011--sector.html

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Bob Hope's iconic estate listed for $50 million

Erika Riggs , Zillow ? ? ? 19 hrs.

Palm Springs, Calif.
For sale: $50 million

Actor Bob Hope owned a collection of homes in Palm Springs and the L.A. area, and two have hit the market ? both snagging buyers within a month of listing. But the real prize of Hope's homes is the John Lautner-designed property, an architectural treasure that hit the market in late February for $50 million.

Architect John Lautner was well-known for his dramatic designs, and his biggest piece was a custom home for Bob and Dolores Hope. Perched in the private neighborhood of Southridge, the estate dominates a corner lot with sweeping views of the Coachella Valley.

Hope's 23,366-square-foot home was designed in 1973 by Lautner to resemble a volcano. The modernist structure is built of concrete and glass, with an undulating copper roof that rises to an open semi-circle at its center.

The home was used primarily as a second residence for the Hope family and was where they entertained most often, inviting friends such as crooner Tony Bennett and country music singer Glen Campbell to enjoy the views from the house.

Listed by Ann Eysenring of Partners Trust in Beverly Hills along with Patrick Jordan and Stewart Smith of Windermere Real Estate in Palm Springs, the home has six bedrooms and 12 baths. Outdoor spaces include a pool, pond, tennis court and outdoor fireplace.

The Lautner home is just the latest of the Hope estates to be listed; the final property, a custom home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles used by the Hopes as their primary residence, has yet to be listed.

Related:

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/bob-hopes-iconic-estate-listed-50-million-1C8620900

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Mexico to try top union leader for embezzlement

A judge on Monday ordered Mexico?s most powerful union leader to stand trial on charges of embezzling 2 billion pesos (US$157.2 million) from the teachers? union she led for almost a quarter-century.

The decision means Judge Alejandro Caballero Vertiz found that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to try union leader Elba Esther Gordillo and three assistants who allegedly channeled union funds into private bank accounts.

Vertiz also ordered her to remain in jail ahead of her trial.

?The evidence analyzed is sufficient, at this judicial stage, to indicate that the criminal organization ... presumably transferred funds from several accounts of the National Education Workers? Union into their own accounts,? according to a statement released by the Federal Judiciary Council.

Gordillo was arrested last week and charged with embezzlement and organized crime, because the money was allegedly channeled through a network of accounts.

Prosecutors say she illegally used union funds to pay for purchases at Neiman Marcus department stores, US plastic surgery bills and a home near San Diego.

The charges of her lavish lifestyle rankled sensibilities in a country where teachers are poorly paid and schools chronically underperform.

If found guilty, Gordillo could face 30 years in prison. In the past, government prosecutors have had a notoriously hard time winning convictions in organized crime cases and other politically high-profile cases. The judge?s decision on Monday marked a partial reversal of that trend, though defense lawyers have claimed Gordillo is innocent and the government?s case is weak.

Gordillo started out as a school teacher, then rose to become one of Mexico?s most flamboyant and powerful political operators, displaying her opulence openly with designer clothes and bags.

For years, the 68-year-old union leader beat back attacks from dissidents, political foes and journalists who have seen her as a symbol of Mexico?s corrupt, old-style politics.

However, last Tuesday Gordillo was detained as she landed at the Toluca airport near Mexico City on a private plane from San Diego and whisked away by authorities.

Her support was considered key in giving former Mexican presidents Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon, both of the conservative National Action Party, presidential victories in the elections of 2000 and 2006 respectively, which unseated the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), where Gordillo began her career, but which she later abandoned. The PRI held the presidency without interruption from 1929 to 2000.

The case brought by the administration of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who recovered the presidency for the PRI in last year?s elections, contrasts with the attitude of his predecessors. The two previous National Action Party presidents tolerated Gordillo and even formed alliances with her.

Gordillo?s arrest was widely seen as a warning to the shadowy business interests, monopolies and corrupt union leaders who have long wielded power almost as great as the government?s in Mexico?s national affairs.

Additional reporting by Reuters

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535600/s/293ae130/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Cworld0Carchives0C20A130C0A30C0A60C20A0A3556423/story01.htm

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3 things to consider before upgrading to Windows 8

Windows 8 has been on the shelves for awhile now, but businesses tend not to rush in ?before upgrading to new operating systems. Instead they abide by the ?if it?s not broken, don?t fix it? rule. Upgrading your business to Windows 8 without doing your homework could create more problems than it solves.

Check software compatibility?

Every Windows upgrade presents compatibility challenges, which is why IT departments tend to test new versions of Windows on a few computers before rolling it out across the entire organisation. Regardless of the size of your business, you should dip your toe in rather than jump in.

Whether you?re buying new computers or upgrading old ones, it?s important to check whether all the software and services your staff relies on are compatible with Windows 8.

For MYOB software, here is the list of supported?software versions on Windows 8.

Sort out all your drivers

Make sure you consider important devices such as printers, scanners and USB mobile broadband modems.

If you?re upgrading from an earlier version of Windows it may also be necessary to upgrade each PCs drivers ? the software supporting internal components such as the graphics chip and networking card. Microsoft offers a free Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant, designed to assess your computer?s suitability for Windows 8 in terms of hardware, software and drivers.

If you?re upgrading from Windows 7, your files, applications and settings ?should? easily transfer to Windows 8. If you?re upgrading from Windows XP or Windows Vista, you?ll need to reinstall your applications after you upgrade. Software designed for Windows 7 or Vista ?should? run smoothly on Windows 8. (Note that ?should? doesn?t mean ?will?, which is why you should proceed with caution.)

Once you?ve installed Windows 8 on an old computer, running Windows Update may identify software and driver updates which were overlooked by the Upgrade Assistant. If you still encounter stability issues, it?s worth checking the hardware manufacturers? websites for driver updates.

The PC maker ? such as Acer, Asus or Dell ? could be your one-stop shop for new drivers. Otherwise you might need to check with the individual component manufacturers, such as Gigabyte for the motherboard, NVIDIA for the graphics chip and Realtek for the network card. You can download drivers and install them manually using the Windows 8 Device Manager.

Finding new drivers can be particularly troublesome when it comes to notebooks and tablet PCs. If you encounter too many Windows 8 hardware and driver issues that can?t be resolved by consulting the vendor or your trusted technology advisor, it might be easier to hold off until your next hardware refresh ? when your new computer should come with Windows 8 and all the required drivers pre-installed.

Don?t just take the vendor?s word for Windows 8 compatibility; you?ll want to test software, hardware and drivers yourself before a business-wide roll-out. Moving to Windows 8 could force you to upgrade mission-critical software, which may in turn create new compatibility issues or necessitate extra staff training. It can have a wide flow-on effect, and you may also need to consider your relationships with your customers and suppliers when contemplating Windows 8.

Staff training

Apart from compatibility issues, moving to Windows 8 is now designed around the new tablet-style Modern UI interface, so the move to Windows 8 involves the extra hassle of training staff how to use the new operating system.Modern UI can present a steep learning curve, particularly for staff unfamiliar with touchscreen devices.

It is possible to push Modern UI aside to access the traditional Windows desktop, but it?s not possible to automatically do this when the computer first starts (although you can cobble together a workaround using Scheduled Tasks).

When you do find the desktop you?re in for another shock: the iconic Start Menu has been abandoned ? a change which is likely to flummox a generation of Windows users. It is possible to survive without the Start Menu, but once again it can require extra staff training and time to adjust.

For a smooth transition to Windows 8, it?s important to treat it as a change management project rather than simply drop your staff in the deep end.

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Source: http://myob.com.au/blog/3-things-to-consider-before-upgrading-to-windows-8/

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Emma Stone Just Signed Up For A Movie With Naomi Watts And Zach Galifianakis

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu just announced the cast for "Birdman," his next film, which will star Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, and Michael Keaton. Insane and perfect. Also, find out what happened to the last two Sam Raimi projects in today's Dailies! » What was the first fan film? [Badass Digest] » Trailer for "Rapturepalooza" [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/03/05/emma-stone-zach-galifianakis/

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Congress moving swiftly to avoid government shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress is moving rapidly to pass legislation funding the federal government through September 30, as Senate leaders on Tuesday expressed eagerness to avoid any threat of agency shutdowns when money runs out on March 27.

"I'm cautiously optimistic we're going to reach a solution before we leave here for the Easter recess," which is scheduled to begin on March 23, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters on Tuesday.

Reid's Republican counterpart, Senator Mitch McConnell, gave a similarly upbeat assessment, telling reporters, "There seems to be no interest on either side in having a kind of confrontational government shutdown scenario."

Their comments follow Republicans' introduction of a new funding bill in the House of Representatives that will keep in place $85 billion worth of controversial, across-the-board spending cuts triggered on Friday.

The House measure, expected to win passage on Wednesday, aims to partially shield some defense and veterans' programs from the indiscriminate cuts by including two updated military-related spending bills. It also will shift some funds to security-related efforts such as border and embassy security, prisons and FBI operations.

Senator Barbara Mikulski, the Democrat who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed frustration with the lack of flexibility for domestic programs such as education in the Republican plan.

"It's only guns. We need butter," Mikulski told reporters.

The White House also said it was concerned that domestic agencies would be forced to operate under older, more restrictive spending. In a statement, it said it would work with Congress to "refine the legislation" and would keep pressing lawmakers for a replacement to the automatic sequester cuts.

Next week, Senate Democrats will move their version of the bill for a vote and are likely to add funding flexibility for some domestic programs, party aides said.

Both the House and Senate versions are expected to cap discretionary spending at $1.043 trillion for the full 2013 fiscal year, but this would be reduced to around $982 billion if the sequester cuts remain in place.

PICKING THEIR BATTLES

Over the past couple of years, these short-term government funding bills, called "continuing resolutions," have been used as leverage by Republicans to try to lower spending. Amid Democratic resistance to some of the deeper spending cuts sought by Republicans, there were fears that negotiations would break down, forcing widespread shuttering of government agencies.

With House Republican conservatives feeling more confident now that they have locked in the $85 billion in new savings for the next seven months, the appetite for yet another showdown seems to have waned.

"What remains to be seen is whether this move ... apparently away from a crisis, is truly a shift in strategy for Republicans, or just a short break from extremism that they've had over the last few years," Reid said.

Once the funding bill for the remainder of this fiscal year is enacted, Congress promptly will turn to its next fiscal battle: a budget blueprint for the next fiscal year that begins on October 1.

Republican House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan next week is expected to release an ambitious budget blueprint that aims to achieve balance in 10 years. But to achieve this, he may have to row back on at least one promise he made last year as the Republican vice presidential candidate - that any cuts to the Medicare health program will not affect anyone 55 or under.

He has floated a plan to push the age threshold up to 56 to reap additional savings from the program.

And sometime this summer, Congress and President Barack Obama will be engaged in yet another fight over the need to raise the U.S. Treasury Department borrowing limit.

It is unclear whether either of these measures will bring Democrats and Republicans together on a long-term deficit-reduction deal.

(Editing by Jackie Frank)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/congress-moving-swiftly-avoid-government-shutdown-224138984--business.html

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S. Korea military says it is ready to strike back if N. Korea attacks

(Updated 3 p.m.) - SEOUL/UNITED NATIONS - South Korea's military said it will strike back at North Korea and target its top leadership if Pyongyang launches a threatened attack in response to what it says are "hostile" drills between US and South Korean forces.

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One of North Korea's top generals, in a rare appearance on state television on Tuesday, said Pyongyang had torn up its armistice deal with Washington and threatened military action against the US and South Korea if the drills went ahead. The military exercises began on March 1.

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Tensions have ratcheted higher across the Korean peninsula since the North, under youthful leader Kim Jong-un who took office just over a year ago after the death of his father, launched a long range rocket last December.

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He followed this with a third nuclear test on Feb. 12, triggering the prospect of more UN sanctions that are due to be formally announced on Thursday after the United States and China, the North's one major diplomatic ally, struck a deal to punish Pyongyang.

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At the same time, North Korea has stepped up its military threats against South Korea and the United States, prompting the terse warning from Seoul on Wednesday that it would not stand idly by if its territory was attacked.

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"We have all preparations in place for strong and decisive punishment, not only against the source of the aggression and its support forces but also the commanding element," Major General Kim Yong-hyun of theSouth Korean army told a press conference.

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North Korea's bellicose rhetoric rarely goes beyond that, although in 2010 it sank a South Korean naval vessel, killing 46 sailors and in the same year shelled a South Korean island, killing civilians.

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Stung by criticism it took too long to respond to the island shelling, South Korea's military has relaxed its rules, allowing commanders on the ground to respond to aggression instead of needing permission from top military brass.

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South Korea's new President Park Geun-hye had pledged to engage with the North if it dropped its nuclear plans but now faces the prospect of a hostile challenge early in her 5-year term.

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No more yachts and racing cars

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The proposed fresh sanctions would explicitly ban the sale to Pyongyang of items coveted by North Korea's ruling elite, such as yachts and racing cars, a UN Security Council diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

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In 2009, Italian authorities blocked the sale of two yachts worth more than $10 million that they believed were headed for Kim Jong-il, the current Kim's father, who enjoyed copious amounts of luxury brandy and fresh sushi in a country where a third of the population is malnourished.

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The new sanctions will target North Korea's financial transactions, which often involve using cash couriers that make them hard to trace, and its criminal activities such as drugs and counterfeiting.

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The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said the new sanctions would target "the illicit activities of North Korean diplomatic personnel, North Korean banking relationships, (and) illicit transfers of bulk cash".

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North Korea was slapped with sanctions in 2006 that banned the import of a range of luxury goods from jet skis to Fenders and Harleys following its first nuclear test in a bid to hit the high-life of the Kim family and its hangers on.

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The impoverished country, whose economy is smaller than it was 20 years ago, has been subject to sanctions of some kind from the United States for almost all of its existence and since 2006 has seen United Nations sanctions imposed for its long range rocket and nuclear tests.

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Despite the sanctions Pyongyang now has a nuclear stockpile sufficient for around half a dozen warheads, has made substantial progress in developing a long-range missile and is working towards miniaturizing a nuclear warhead for an intercontinental ballistic missile.

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China backs sanctions, drills a flashpoint

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China has backed all rounds of sanctions and fell into line with the latest move in the Security Council, risking relations with its prickly ally.

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Its UN ambassador, Li Baodong, told Reuters the 15-nation Security Council was aiming for a Thursday vote on a draft sanctions resolution, which was agreed to by Washington and Beijing after three weeks of negotiations.

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It remains unclear what concrete action North Korea will take. It abrogated the Armistice deal that ended the 1950-53 Korean War once before and is seen as unlikely to stage any significant military attack on South Korea.

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"The regime's threats are consistent with previous North Korean behavior and are meant to intimidate theUnited Nations Security Council as it deliberates on additional sanctions against Pyongyang for its February nuclear test," said Bruce Klingner of The Heritage Foundation.

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North Korea has frequently bridled at large-scale military drills staged on South Korean soil, especially those involving the US military, which acts as Seoul's guarantor of security.

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About 200,000 Korean troops and 10,000 US forces are expected to be mobilized for their "Foal Eagle" exercise, under the Combined Forces Command, which goes until the end of April. Separate computer-simulated drills called "Key Resolve" start on March 11. ?Reuters

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/297932/news/world/s-korea-military-says-it-is-ready-to-strike-back-if-n-korea-attacks

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