Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/181124679?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Baby sitter murder charge in Indiana girl's death (AP)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. ? A trusted family friend who confessed to police that he bludgeoned to death a 9-year-old Indiana girl in his care then dismembered her just days before Christmas was formally charged Friday in the killing.
Michael Plumadore, 39, was charged in Fort Wayne with murder, abuse of a corpse and removing a dead body from the scene in the Dec. 22 death of Aliahna Maroney-Lemmon.
Allen County prosecutor's office chief investigator Danielle Edenfield said the charges will be read to Plumadore in jail, where he was being held without bond. An initial court hearing on the formal charges is scheduled for Wednesday.
Edenfield said she couldn't comment on a possible motive before the case went to trial.
Plumadore had been looking after Aliahna and her two younger sisters because their mother was sick. He had looked after Aliahna's dying grandfather and her family had considered him a trusted friend and neighbor.
According to court documents, Plumadore told police he hit the girl repeatedly in the head with a brick on the steps of the trailer where he had lived with her grandfather. He then put the girl's body inside trash bags and stuffed it inside a freezer in the trailer.
Plumadore told authorities that he later used a hack saw to dismember her body.
She was reported missing Dec. 23, and on Saturday, more than 100 emergency workers searched the rundown trailer park in the north of Fort Wayne where Plumadore and Aliahna's family lived.
Police questioned Plumadore several times over the weekend and arrested him on Monday, at which point he told police that he had hidden Aliahna's head, feet and hands at the trailer and discarded her other remains at a nearby business. Police obtained a warrant to search the trailer and found the body parts.
Allen County Coroner E. Jon Brandenberger has said he won't be able to determine the cause of death until further tests are completed, including microscopic findings and toxicology results.
The prosecutor's office said the investigation is continuing.
Plumadore had earlier faced a preliminary charge of murder, and the Allen County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release that the charges filed Friday do not "preclude the filing of additional charges."
The standard prison sentence for a murder conviction in Indiana is 45 years to 65 years. The other charges each carry maximum sentences of three years in prison.
Allen County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Mike McAlexander told The News-Sentinel Friday that his office had not dismissed the possibility of seeking the death penalty against Plumadore.
Plumadore has a criminal record in Florida and North Carolina that includes convictions for trespassing and assault, and an Indiana conviction for forgery.
The Daily Iowegian reported Friday that Plumadore was accused in November 2010 of making inappropriate phone calls and sending text messages to a 13-year-old girl while he was living with that girl's father in Moravia, Iowa.
Court records obtained by the newspaper state that Plumadore was allegedly "stalking her, sending her explicit sexual text messages and photographs."
Plumadore faced a petition for relief of domestic abuse in that alleged case, but an Iowa judge later dismissed the petition because it didn't meet the relationship requirement for a protective order, the Daily Iowegian reported.
The newspaper also reported that while she was living in Iowa with her mother, Aliahna was the victim of a January 2010 sexual assault in which a 19-year-old man fondled her. That man later pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent contact with a child.
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Associated Press reporter Tom Davies contributed to this story from Indianapolis.
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No snow? Big problem for US ski resorts
The lack of snow this year is creating big problems for ski resorts nationwide. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.
By Elaine Porterfield, today.com contributor
Let it snow: words that skiers and employees of resorts around the country are fervently repeating as flakes resist falling on slopes from California to New England.
?It?s been a slow start for us,? said Ethan Austin, spokesman at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, the largest ski area east of the Rockies. The resort had little snowfall in December, so they?ve been relying on snow-making equipment to keep their slopes open, Austin said.
?Right now we don?t have a whole lot in terms of natural snow, around 25 to 30 inches,? he said. ?That?s quite a bit below average.? The resort currently has 28 trails open; 65 to 70 open trails is typical for this time of year.
Across the country, at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, the snowmakers are on as well, said spokeswoman Joani Lynch. ?We are, safe to say, off to a slow start.?
It?s all the more painful for skiers spoiled by the 2010-2011 ski season?s bumper crop of snow, which broke records at some resorts. ?We have 1 to 2 feet right now, mostly man-made snow,? Lynch said. ?We had a very, very dry December -- just 2 inches. We got 200 inches last year just in December.?
The economic impact of low snowfall may not be significant for many destination resorts, because most, especially in the West, have invested heavily in snow-making machines that do a decent job, said Ralf Garrison, director and senior industry analyst at the Mountain Travel Research Program in Colorado. Most resorts have also worked at expanding non-slope activities such as dining and entertainment options, from spas to ice skating to nightlife, making it easier to entertain guests when snow is low.
?The economic salvation of the mountain resort industry is based on destination guests who travel from afar and make reservations significantly in advance,? Garrison said. ?If there?s an adequate man-made [snow] product, destination guests find that adequate.?
Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association, said that while many resorts are relying on man-made snow, ski areas in Arizona, New Mexico and southern California are doing well, which is almost an inversion of the normal pattern for this time of year. Ski areas in other parts of the country have had four or five years in a row of adequate to great snow, so most will be able to wait for a big dump or two to kick-start the slow beginning of this season, he said.
?This is not the first time nor will it be the last to have this happen,? Berry said. ?We?re a weather dependent industry.?
At Mount Bachelor in central Oregon, a storm forecast for mid-week and New Year's weekend is raising hopes the season might be turning around.
?With this storm coming through, we?re getting rain at bottom and snow at top and accumulating,? said Mount Bachelor marketing director Andy Goggins. ?That?s where we?re fortunate to have the tallest resort peak in the Cascades at 9,000 feet. We?re just crossing our fingers it will cool off more.?
Luckily, they?ve been able to maintain a consistent level of snow, Goggins said. ?We?ve had a 3-foot snowpack for the month of December and only lost a couple of inches. We have a lot of acres open.?
But it?s nothing like last season, he added wistfully: ?We got pretty spoiled last year with all the snow. At this date last year, we had a 77-inch base depth, compared to 32 inches now.?
The lack of a cold winter have hurt retailers trying to sell cold-weather apparel, reports CNBC's Courtney Reagan.
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12 Must-See Skywatching Events in 2012 (SPACE.com)
As the year 2011 comes to a close, some might wonder what is looming sky-wise for 2012? What celestial events might we look forward to seeing??
I've selected what I consider to be the top 12 "skylights" for this coming year, and list them here in chronological order. Not all these events will be visible from any one locality ? for the eclipses, for instance, you'll probably have to do some traveling ? but many can be observed from the comfort of your backyard.
Hopefully your local weather will cooperate on most, if not all, of these dates. Clear skies!
Jan. 4: Quadrantid meteor shower peaks
This meteor shower reaches its peak in the predawn hours of Jan. 4 for eastern North America. The Quadrantid meteor shower is a very short-lived meteor display, whose peak rates only last several hours.?The phase of the moon is a bright waxing gibbous, normally prohibitive for viewing any meteor shower, but the moon will set by 3 a.m., leaving the sky dark for a few hours until the first light of dawn; that's when?you'll have the best shot at seeing many of these bluish-hued meteors.?
From the eastern half of North America, a single observer might count on seeing as many as 50-to-100?"Quads" in a single hour. From the western half of the continent the display will be on the wane by the time the moon sets, with hourly rates probably diminishing to around 25 to 50 meteors.
Feb. 20 to March 12: Best evening apparition of Mercury
In February and March, the "elusive" innermost planet Mercury moves far enough from the glare of the sun to be readily visible soon after sunset. Its appearance will be augmented by two other bright planets (Venus and Jupiter), which also will be visible in the western sky during this same time frame.
Mercury will arrive at its greatest elongation from the sun March 5. It will be quite bright (-1.3-to-0 magnitude) before this date and will fade rapidly to +1.6 magnitude thereafter. Astronomers measure the brightness of objects in terms of magnitude, with lower numbers corresponding to brighter objects.
March 3: Mars arrives at opposition
On March 3, the?Earth will be passing Mars?as the two planets wheel around the sun in their respective orbits.?Because?Mars reaches aphelion ? its farthest point from the sun ? on Feb. 15, this particular opposition will be?an unfavorable one. In fact,?two days after opposition, Mars will?be closest to Earth at a distance of 62.6 million miles.
Compare this with the August 2003 opposition when Mars?was only 34.6 million miles away.? Nonetheless, even at this unfavorable opposition the fiery-hued Mars will be an imposing?naked-eye sight, shining at magnitude -1.2, just a?bit dimmer than Sirius, the brightest star, and will be visible in the sky all night long. ? ?
March 13: Brilliant "double planet"
The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, team up to make for an eye-catching sight in the western sky soon after sunset. They will be separated by 3 degrees on this evening, Venus passing to the northwest (upper right) of Jupiter and shining nearly eight times brighter than "Big Jupe." Although they will gradually go their separate ways after this date, on March 25 and 26, a crescent moon will pass by, adding additional beauty to this celestial scene.
May 5: Biggest full moon of 2012
The moon turns full at 11:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and just 25 minutes later it will arrive at its closest point to the Earth in 2012, at a distance of 221,801 miles.?Expect a large range in ocean tides (exceptionally low to exceptionally high) for?the next few days.?[Photos: 'Supermoon' of 2011]
May 20: Annular eclipse of the sun
The path of annularity for this eclipse starts over eastern China and sweeps northeast across southern and central Japan.?The path continues northeast then east, passing just south of Alaska's Aleutian Island chain. The path then turns to the southeast, making landfall in the western United States along the California-Oregon coast. It will pass over central Nevada, southern Utah, northern Arizona, the extreme southwest corner of Colorado and most of New Mexico before coming to an end over northern Texas.
Since the disk of the moon will appear smaller than the disk of the sun, it will create a "penny on nickel" effect, with a fiery ring of sunlight shining around the moon's dark silhouette. Locations that will witness this eerie sight include Eureka and Reading, Calif.; Carson City, Reno and Ely, Nev.; Bryce Canyon in Utah; Arizona's Grand Canyon; Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico and just prior to sunset for Lubbock, Tex.
A partial eclipse of the sun will be visible over a large swath of the United States and Canada, including Alaska and Hawaii, but no eclipse will be visible near and along the Atlantic Seaboard.
June 4: Partial eclipse of the moon
This partial?lunar eclipse favors the Pacific Ocean; Hawaii sees it high in the sky during the middle of its night.?Across North America the eclipse takes place between midnight and dawn. The farther east one goes, the closer the time of moonset coincides with the moment that the moon enters the Earth's dark umbral shadow.
In fact, over the Northeastern United States and eastern Canada, the only evidence of this eclipse will be a slight shading on the moon's left edge (the faint penumbral shadow) before moonset.?Over the Canadian Maritimes, the moon will set before the eclipse begins.?At maximum, more than one-third of the moon's lower portion (37.6-percent) will be immersed in the umbra.
June 5: Rare transit of Venus across the sun
The passage of Venus in front of the sun?is among the rarest of astronomical events, rarer even than the return of Halley's Comet every 76 years. Only six transits of Venus are known to have been observed by humans before: in 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, 1882 and, most recently, in 2004.
The next one will occur in the year 2114. When Venus is in transit across the solar disk, the planet appears as a distinct, albeit tiny, round black spot with a diameter just 1/32nd of the sun. This size is large enough to readily perceive with the naked eye.? HOWEVER ... prospective observers are warned to take special precautions (as with a solar eclipse) when attempting to view the silhouette of Venus against the blindingly brilliant solar disc.
The beginning of the transit will be visible from all of North America, Greenland, extreme northern and western portions of South America, Hawaii, northern and eastern portions of Asia including Japan, New Guinea, northern and eastern portions of Australia, and New Zealand. The end will be visible over Alaska, all of Asia and Indonesia, Australia, Eastern Europe, the eastern third of Africa, and the island nation of Madagascar.
Aug. 12: Perseid meteor shower
Considered to be among the best of the annual displays thanks to its high rates of up to 90 per hour for a single observer, as well as its reliability. Beloved by summer campers and often discovered by city dwellers who might be spending time in the country under dark starry skies. [10 Perseid Meteor Shower Facts]
Last summer a bright moon wrecked the shower by blotting out many of the fainter streaks, but in 2012 the moon will be three days past last quarter phase on this peak morning ? a fat waning crescent presenting only a minor nuisance for prospective observers.?
Nov. 13: Total eclipse of the sun
The first total solar eclipse since July 2010. Virtually the entire path of totality falls over water. At the very beginning, the track cuts through Australia's Northern Territory just to the east of Darwin, then across the Gulf of Carpentaria, then through northern Queensland, passing over Cairns and Port Douglas before heading out to sea.
The rest of the eclipse path, including the point of the maximum duration of totality (4 minutes, 2 seconds) is, unfortunately, pretty much wasted by falling over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Dec. 13-14: Geminid meteor shower
If there is one meteor display guaranteed to put on a very entertaining show it is the Geminid meteor shower. Now considered by most meteor experts to be at the top of the list, surpassing in brilliance and reliability even the August Perseids.
Bundle warmly against the winter chill; you can start observing as soon as darkness falls on the evening of Dec. 13 as Gemini starts coming up above the eastern horizon and continue through the rest of the night. Around 2 a.m. when Gemini is almost directly overhead, you might see as many as two meteor sightings per minute ? 120 per hour! And the moon is new, meaning that it will not be a factor at all.
Dec. 25: Christmas evening and Jupiter
On Christmas, many will be looking skyward and wondering what that brilliant silvery "star" is hovering just above the waxing gibbous moon. It's not a star (or Santa returning to the North Pole), but the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, serving as a sort of holiday ornament with our nearest neighbor in space to cap off a year of interesting and predictable sky events that we all can enjoy!
Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.
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New Destination for Rich Chinese Tourists: Wales?
America will end up as an also-ran if it can't reinvigorate its economy
(NEWSER) - America used its financial clout to knock the British Empire into second place last century and it's in danger of receiving the same treatment from China in the not-too-distant future, writes Zachary Karabell. China is the American government's biggest creditor, much as the US was to Britain in 1946, Karabell notes, and while the arrangement works fine for both parties now, it gives the Chinese the power to deliver a knockout blow to the US economy and the American dollar should the two nations' interests diverge. More?
Source: http://www.newser.com/story/136417/britain-plans-pantglas-resort-for-chinese-tourists-in-wales.html
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Camera at nature reserve spies panda eating meat (AP)
BEIJING ? A camera at a Chinese nature reserve has spied a wild panda eating meat.
Pandas spend most of their days eating bamboo.
Staff at the Wanglong Nature Reserve in southwest Sichuan province set up the camera after noticing dead animals with chew marks. It was not known if the panda had killed the animals.
The Pingwu County forestry bureau says the panda appears to be healthy and strong.
Conservation group WWF says only about 1 percent of a panda's diet is meat or plants that aren't bamboo.
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Friday, December 30, 2011
Missing fingers + talking umbrellas + Co-GM wanted!
In this era of magic and politics, of man and monster, we are heroes; we are scum.
WHOAKEY, confusing intro aside, I'm guess you're here for the umbrellas. Bad Hands is, essentially, a mythological mafia roleplay based primarily on Asian lore. Players would assume the role of either man or monster in the Takano Clan, working the mob life just as things are starting to go to hell. Races such as oni, tengu, and kappa would be available, as well as a host of others in the vast Japanese bestiary. I'm planning an open-world where writers would be welcome to engage in all sorts of shenanigans, with an arc-based story and missions available for various positions of the yakuza hierarchy. Yeah. Because this was in such high demand.
We are bad hands of society, tied to the same fate.
Hope you don't mind a little red on those shoes.
Once, we were blind. We heard the devils arrive, heard them ravage and plunder and eat their fill, but you'd be lucky to catch hair, club, or third eye of them. They're crafty beasts. They got a few eras' worth of experience behind 'em, and all logic says they've got the upper hand. You start panicking. It's natural.
Ever invited a demon into your home? Not voluntarily, at least. But they're persistent creatures; they have their awkward methods of socializing, and they do enjoy tea with their flesh. You need to take action, but the samurai wanderin' ain't so noble no more. You want to play the village hero, but your blade is "broken," conveniently enough. So you call the Demon Queller, of course?you call Shoki. And Shoki takes his big ole boomin' voice, waves that sword round, and your demon infestation is naught more but cause for boys' festivals.
Shoki was special, see. He was also uglier than shit. He got evil on his side, turned it good. The yokai, as the demons were called, behaved themselves. They say the Demon Queller is reincarnated every hundred years or so, and our current savior just so happens to be a woman who, not knowing any better, gave her heart to a devil. A real troubled fellow. He heads the yakuza, just a bunch of men who get their kicks from racketeering, gambling, extortion, real gangster stuff. No big deal.
Once, we were blind, but you'd be hard pressed to miss the creatures of myth in this day. The yakuza? They got a whole lot of them in their ranks, became one family in the process. It's been about half a century of peace?nail-bitingly unstable peace, but peace no less. As stories go, however, things gotta change. And in this case, change can be a scary, violent thing.
WHOAKEY, confusing intro aside, I'm guess you're here for the umbrellas. Bad Hands is, essentially, a mythological mafia roleplay based primarily on Asian lore. Players would assume the role of either man or monster in the Takano Clan, working the mob life just as things are starting to go to hell. Races such as oni, tengu, and kappa would be available, as well as a host of others in the vast Japanese bestiary. I'm planning an open-world where writers would be welcome to engage in all sorts of shenanigans, with an arc-based story and missions available for various positions of the yakuza hierarchy. Yeah. Because this was in such high demand.
This is a large project, and because my first GM'ing experience was marred by the absence of a friend, I'd adore having someone to help plot and keep track of things. I apologize if this seems a bit vague; I've a wealth of information I'm setting up for people unfamiliar with the folklore, so consider this an abridged version of what to come. Comments, questions, send 'em all in. I'd be ecstatic to hear from at least one of you.
Happy holidays~ Hope you'd like to spend your new year with the losers.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/aNzfsBAiMV0/viewtopic.php
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Local Buzz, Dec. 30: Chamber golf tournament set
GLENDORA
Accounting firm wins award
Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman, a Glendora-based accounting and business consulting firm, was recently presented with the Public Service Award given by the Inland Empire Cal CPA Society.
The recognition is typically given to an individual CPA for contribution to the community. VLS is the first firm to receive the award collectively. Linda Saddlemire, a partner, and Jonathan Fitzhugh received the award on behalf of the firm.
Vicenti Lloyd & Stutzman has a long history of service to the communities of the Inland Empire. The purpose of the firm "is to make a positive difference in our world. This is done by providing exemplary services to our clients while caring for people, our community and the world in which we live."
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PASADENA
Chamber golf tournament set
The Pasasdena Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament will be held April 13 at Brookside Golf Club, 1133 Rosemont Ave. in Pasadena
Scramble play will begin at noon with a shotgun start. Anyone wishing to play or help sponsor the tournament can call the chamber at 626-795-3355 or e-mail leanne@pasadenachamber.org.
Golfers of all abilities are welcome.
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From staff and wire reports
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Source: http://www.whittierdailynews.com/business/ci_19640274?source=rss
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Daily Deals Sites Offering Cheaper Healthcare For Uninsured Americans
NEW YORK -- The last time Mark Stella went to the dentist he didn't need an insurance card. Instead, he pulled out a Groupon.
Stella, a small business owner, canceled his health insurance plan more than three years ago when his premium rose to more than $400 a month. He considered himself healthy and decided that he was wasting money on something that he rarely used.
So when a deal popped up on daily deals site Groupon for a teeth cleaning, exam and an X-ray at a nearby dentist, Stella, 55, bought the deal ? which the company calls a "Groupon" ? for himself and another for his daughter. He paid $39 for each, $151 below what the dentist normally charges.
Daily deal sites like Groupon and LivingSocial are best known for offering limited-time discounts on a variety of discretionary goods and services including restaurant meals, wine tastings, spa visits and hotel stays. The discounts are paid for upfront and then it's up to the customer to book an appointment and redeem a coupon before it expires. Merchants like the deals because it gives them exposure and a pop in business. Customers use them to try something new, to save money on something they already use, or both.
The sites are increasingly moving beyond little luxuries like facials and vacations and offering deals that are helping some people fill holes in their health insurance coverage. Visitors to these sites are finding a growing number of markdowns on health care services such as teeth cleanings, eye exams, chiropractic care and even medical checkups. They're also offering deals on elective procedures not commonly covered by health insurers, such as wrinkle-reducing Botox injections and vision-correcting Lasik eye surgery. About one out of every 11 deals offered online is for a health care service, according to data compiled by DealRadar.com, a site that gathers and lists 20,000 deals a day from different websites.
"I was accustomed to going to the dentist every six months," said Stella who owns SmartPhones, a store and wholesale business in Miami that sells mobile phone covers and accessories. "This filled the gap."
The deals are popping up across the nation. In New York, a full medical checkup with blood, stool and urinalysis testing sold for $69 in December on Groupon ? below the regular price of $200. In Seattle, a flu shot was offered on AmazonLocal for $17, down from $35. In Chicago, LivingSocial sold a dental exam, cleaning, X-rays and teeth whitening trays for $99, a savings of $142.
About 9 percent of all offers on daily deal websites in November were for dental work or some kind of medical treatment, up from 4.5 percent in the beginning of 2011, said Dan Hess, CEO and founder of Local Offer Network, which runs DealRadar.com. The growth in health-related deals is good news for millions of Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 46.3 million Americans under 65 have no health coverage.
The number of health care deals began rising as copycat websites attempted to get a piece of the market. Search leader Google and shopping site Amazon.com have recently gotten into the game.
Not all have been successful. In August, social networking site Facebook dropped its plan to start a daily deal business, and Yelp, a site that allows customers to write reviews of restaurants and other businesses, scaled back its daily deal efforts. Many smaller sites have closed. But the shakeout in the industry hasn't hurt the number of health deals being offered since the industry leaders, like Groupon, are offering more deals and are moving into more markets, Hess said.
The health care deals may be attractive for people with gaps in their coverage or no insurance, but jumping from one health care provider to the next isn't ideal. Visiting the same doctor or dentist makes it easier to monitor how a patient's health is progressing, said David Williams, co-founder of medical consultancy group MedPharma Partners and author of HealthBusinessBlog.com.
Also, it's important for patients to do their own research before buying a medical or dental deal, Williams said. "A referral from someone you trust is the best path," said Williams.
Dental deals are the most popular among users of local deal websites ? likely because even more people lack dental insurance than health insurance. Among the 172 million people under 65 who have private health insurance in the U.S., about 45 million don't have dental coverage, according to the CDC.
Dentists have traditionally offered deals by mailing out coupons, but paper coupons have a low redemption rate, Williams said. Local deal sites are more attractive to doctors and dentists because they get paid up front and they reach new clients.
"We reached a whole new demographic who otherwise wouldn't find us," said Dr. Gregg Feinerman, an ophthalmologist who runs Feinerman Vision Center in Newport Beach, Calif. He offered a 58 percent discount on Lasik eye surgery through Groupon. "It's a better way to market," he said.
He used Groupon as a way to bring in patients under 30-years old with the hope that they would recommend his services to friends and rate him on review website Yelp. A good review might persuade someone else to visit his office, Feinerman said. He charges $5,000 for the surgery on both eyes; a price that he said can be "overwhelming for 20-to 30-year-olds."
Feinerman approached Groupon about listing the eye surgery for $3,000. Groupon, which is based in Chicago, pushed him to lower the price to $2,100.
Feinerman got exactly the type of patient he was looking for in Thomas Cho. Cho, 29, bought the offer and after the surgery wrote a review on Yelp. He gave the vision center five stars ? the highest rating on the website.
Cho said in an interview that his health insurance plan only covers 20 percent of the regular price of Lasik since it is considered a cosmetic procedure. He would have paid about $4,000 if he had used his insurance discount.
Cho decided to buy the Groupon, paying $2,100 initially. After consulting with the doctor, he upgraded his surgery to an all-laser procedure for $1,000 more. At the time, Cho's credit card issuer was offering a 20 percent cash back promotion on Groupon purchases. In all, he saved more than $1,300.
"I had my post-op checkup and I am seeing 20/20," Cho wrote on Yelp. "I couldn't be happier."
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Analysis: U.S. online poker ruling at risk in future (Reuters)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? While the Internet poker world salivates at the prospect of its business coming back to life thanks to an Obama administration ruling, a future president could reverse that decision and send the industry back to drawing board if it is not codified into law.
Late on Friday, the eve of Christmas weekend, the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel issued a legal opinion stating that the 1961 Wire Act prohibited online betting only for sporting events and contests, not Internet games such as poker or lotteries.
That opens the door to online poker and leaves it to each state to decide whether to legalize the multibillion-dollar industry. Pressure likely will mount on the Congress to address the issue too.
A Justice Department memorandum can be withdrawn and a controversial decision can be reversed. Courts can intervene and render it void. One way to assure the future of the ruling is for Congress to codify it into law.
"This is just an opinion of the Department of Justice and only reflects what the Obama administration would bring charges on. Future departments of Justice could interpret the Wire Act differently," said Greg Gemignani, a lawyer and expert in Internet gaming with the Las Vegas firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins.
It seems hard to imagine a future U.S. administration pulling back should many states go ahead and approve online poker. But there is precedent for reversing a president.
At the beginning of President Barack Obama's term in 2009, the Justice Department took the rare step of withdrawing opinions that the Office of Legal Counsel issued during the Bush administration related to interrogations of terrorism suspects by the Central Intelligence Agency.
STAGE SET
"An opinion of the Office of Legal Counsel can be withdrawn or changed, although it is not often done," said Linda Shorey, a partner at K&L Gates LLP in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who focuses on gaming laws and regulations.
"Under the U.S. Constitution, only the courts have the authority to determine whether the Wire Act applies to poker wagers," she said. "The Department of Justice memo is not binding on the courts."
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans, has ruled in favor of the poker industry on the Wire Act, saying it only applied to sports betting, but a federal judge in Utah has ruled against it.
That could put pressure on Congress to address the issue. But with elections due in November, lawmakers are typically loathe to do anything controversial that could spark the wrath of their constituents.
"With the (conservative) Tea Party in such a powerful position (in the House of Representatives), that just seems to me impossible" that legislation would pass anytime soon, said I. Nelson Rose, a professor and leading gambling consultant and expert for states and the industry.
The ruling by the Justice Department hands the states the power to make decisions about what forms of online gambling, if any, are legal, he said. If they permit it, then states could reach pacts to allow their residents to play online in each other's jurisdictions as well, Rose said.
Republican Representative Frank Wolf, head of the panel that oversees the Justice Department's annual budget, was puzzled by the decision to reverse the long-standing position and planned to ask for an explanation, his spokesman said.
The casino industry is eager for Congress to pass legislation that would ensure uniformity in regulating the industry.
"If there is not a federal bill then you will see individual states each passing unique sets of rules," Caesars Entertainment Chairman Gary Loveman told Reuters. "It's obviously a far less rational way to proceed and it runs the risk of not addressing the illegal operators in any way."
PROSECUTIONS UNTOUCHED
While the Justice Department decision will likely have far-reaching ramifications for the gaming industry, one area it leaves untouched is pending prosecutions against individuals and companies facing charges over online poker businesses.
Federal prosecutors may still come after online gamblers using state laws that prohibit such activity and they could always add federal fraud, conspiracy and other charges.
They did exactly that in New York when prosecutors charged a dozen people and their online poker businesses this year with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, money laundering and violations of a 2006 law banning most Internet gambling.
Because they were not charged under the Wire Act, the new legal memorandum will have no impact on that case, said a Justice Department source who declined to be further identified.
The prosecutors appeared to carefully avoid using the 1961 law in making the charges, knowing that this controversy over the Wire Act was brewing, according to Rose.
"It's actually quite startling that they're charging people with money laundering and illegal gambling and yet never mention the major federal statute," he said, adding that they likely did so "because they knew they were in trouble with the Wire Act."
A Justice Department spokeswoman said online poker did not constitute betting on a sporting event under the Wire Act, but said that other state and federal laws will still apply to online gambling.
"In states that ban various forms of gambling -- including Internet poker -- the department will be able to investigate and prosecute those gambling businesses under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and other sections of the criminal code," said Justice Department spokeswoman Alisa Finelli.
In the New York case, last week an executive for Absolute Poker, one of the three largest Internet poker companies, pleaded guilty to deceiving banks over the processing of gambling proceeds and conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud. Another individual pleaded guilty in May to similar charges.
As part of the prosecution, the U.S. government seized the Internet domain names of the three biggest online poker companies: Absolute Poker, Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars.
Lawyers for the defendants did not respond to requests for comment.
(Additional reporting by Basil Katz in New York, Nanette Byrnes in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Edwin Chan in Los Angeles; Editing by Howard Goller and Steve Orlofsky)
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Dalian Re-instates Caps on Social Insurance Contributions | China ...
By Adam Livermore
Dec. 29 ? On December 27 the Dalian Social Insurance Fund Management Centre released a document stating that the caps on contributions by employers to the various social insurance funds are to be re-instated (as they had been removed from September 2011) and that the previous method for the calculation of bases for contributions would also be re-adopted (this was also changed as of September 2011).
This is fantastic news for companies based in Dalian, who have been paying higher social insurance contributions on behalf of their high-earning employees compared to companies in other cities. From January 2012 the employer burden for each individual employee will again be limited to a maximum of RMB3,503 per month.
It can be assumed that heavy pressure on the government from large employers in Dalian ahead of the Chinese New Year has had an effect on the government?s decision. If the cap had not been reinstated, it would have been very difficult for companies to pay reasonable bonuses to their staff. This is because they would have had to pay 31.2 percent?social insurance contribution on top of the entire salary (including bonus) paid to all employees in January. Now their burden will be considerably lightened.
Despite this sudden announcement, the Dalian social insurance system remains quite exceptional in a couple of respects.
- Foreigners are still included and required to make contributions. The definition of foreigners still includes people with Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwanese citizenship. This is in contrast with national regulations recently issued relating to contributions to social insurance funds
- The government is only collecting contributions for pension from foreigners, and is not requiring individuals or their employers to make contributions to any of the other funds. Although there is nothing in writing stating this, companies that have started to contribute are finding (to their pleasant surprise) that they are only having to contribute to this one fund for their foreign staff
- People with German nationality in the Development Zone area are finding that they are considered totally exempted from making such contributions, as are their employers. This presumably is because of the bilateral treaty in place between China and Germany which specifically mentions this matter. However the Dalian government is extending the exemption to all Germans, not just those that can prove they have made contributions already in Germany. The large German population in Dalian is quite pleased about this
- The document stresses that employers are still required to meet obligations for the period between September and December of 2011 when the cap was not in effect. Many companies did not register their foreign employees during this period due to the prohibitive extra cost involved in doing so. It remains to be seen how the government will react to the widespread non-compliance from many employers during this period
Adam Livermore heads up the Payroll Services Division for Dezan Shira & Associates in China. Please contact the firm if in need of advice or input concerning planning for 2012 payroll overheads. Kindly email payroll@dezshira.com or visit the firm at www.dezshira.com.
Related Reading
A summary of some of the key points in the newly implemented Social Insurance Law, which covers a great deal more than just incorporating foreigners into the system. We explain the costs and benefits of participation by foreign employees to both companies and individuals as well as take a look at some of the trends across the country relating to the implementation of the law.
Specifically designed to cover the most important issues relating to managing a Chinese workforce, this guide details the HR issues that both local managers in China and investors looking to establish a presence on the mainland should be aware about.
Cap on Employer Portion of Welfare Contributions May Be Removed
Social Insurance Law Implementation Differences across China
Foreigner Participation in China?s Social Insurance System Now Mandatory
Dalian-based Employers to Face Higher Social Insurance Costs. Other Cities to Follow?
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92% Take Shelter
It's rare that I get to take some local pride and puff my chest about a movie being shot in Ohio. Take Shelter, a small, suspenseful character-piece, was filmed in Loraine County, near Cleveland. Several of the actors in the production are local actors, including Tova Stewart, the adorable seven-year-old who plays the onscreen deaf daughter. The young gal, who is also deaf in real-life, is from Columbus and was in attendance at the theater I saw Take Shelter at. And I can beam with even more local pride at the fact that Take Shelter is unwaveringly magnificent. It's a remarkably tense movie, deeply realized, expertly crafted, and one of the best films of the year. Curtis (Michael Shannon) is a working-class family man in rural Ohio. He works as a manager of a two-man drill team, scouring the earth for valuable deposits. His wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), cares for their recently deaf daughter, Hannah (Stewart), and sews pillows and embroidery on the side. They are making ends meet to save up for Hannah's cochlear implant surgery. This family tranquility is interrupted when Curtis begins having strange visions. He sees dark, ominous storms that no one else seems to see. He hears loud cracks of thunder during clear skies. He feels the dark rain fall on his person. He wakes from frightful dreams detailing friends and family turning on him. What does it all mean? Curtis feels compelled to remodel the storm shelter in the backyard. He even purchases a cargo container and buries it in the yard, collecting some end-of-the-world provisions. Could Curtis just be crazy? His mother has been in a psychiatric home since she abandoned Curtis as a child. She began having schizophrenic episodes in her mid 30s, and Curtis is now 35. Is he being warned of what lies ahead or is he succumbing to the pull of a hereditary mental illness? This is very likely the most nerve-racking, tense, dread-filled film I've watched since 2009's Oscar-winner, The Hurt Locker. Writer/director Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories) masterfully lays out the particulars of his tale. Even the family drama has some nicely constructed tension. Curtis' family is living paycheck to paycheck, so his backyard project is a real financial setback. By borrowing equipment from his work, Curtis is even risking losing his job, the only way he can afford his child's cochlear implant. Not only do we dread stormy weather and strange flocking patterns for birds, we dread the everyday struggles of keeping afloat. Curtis following his visions can very likely put his family into financial ruin, but is that a risk worth taking? Nichols nicely creates an authentic small-town setting. There are small, acute character touches that enrich the story, like when Dewart (Shea Wigham) concludes that the best compliment a man can give is that "he's lived a good life." When Curtis and Samantha watch their daughter sleep, they share behavior they are still trying to kick in adjusting to having a deaf child ("I still take my boots off not to wake her," he confides. "I still whisper," she returns). These people and their troubles feel believable, and their reactions to Curtis' strange behavior feel extremely believable. Whispers begin to spread and people start to treat madness like it's a communicable illness. Religion seems like a natural landing zone when discussing anything apocalyptic and/or prophetic, but Nichols sidesteps this discussion. There could have been some interesting theological room to explore here, considering a Biblical prophet would likely be derided as mentally ill in our modern age. Nichols keeps things secular. Curtis is admonished for missing church again, but that's about the extent of religion in the man's life. He does not seek out spiritual advice. He seeks out psychiatry, at least if he could afford it he would. There are some terrific standard thriller moments, like some well-calculated jump scares and many nightmare fake-outs, but the film's real skill is drawing out tension to the point where you want to shout at the screen. This is a deliberately paced thriller knotted with unbearable tension. We become conditioned to start doubting the onscreen imagery after Curtis' series of nightmares. Every time there's a storm now the audience, too, fears the validity of what we witness. What is the significance of these portent signs? There's a moment toward the climax, where a storm door needs to be opened, and I simultaneously was dreading every second leading up to that door opening and silently screaming in anticipation. Every part of me wanted to see what was going to happen next and I could not guess where Nichols would take us. I was a nervous wreck. The dread was so heavy, so all consuming, and not just from an apocalyptic standpoint. Curtis understandingly thinks he may be nuts, especially since his own mother is a paranoid schizophrenic. The threat isn't just the strange apocalyptic signs but also Curtis himself unraveling and lashing out. He worries that he'll become a danger to his own family, and if he cannot discern the difference between reality and fantasy it's only a matter of time before he jeopardizes his loved ones. He fears he'll be ripped away from his family. He wants to be better, he wants to be "normal," but he can't trust his own senses. Take Shelter is also so effective thanks to Shannon, a talented actor who always seems to be on the brink of freaking out. The bug-eyed, crazed, monotone actor has planned plenty of nutcases in the movies. He was nominated for an Oscar in 2009 for Revolutionary Road for playing such a nutter. He's a live wire of an actor, simmering, waiting for the final cue to explode. Shannon uses this intensity to his great advantage, wonderfully mirroring the movie's compounding dread. Shannon's character is troubled, that's for sure, and worries about slipping into insanity. His performance is simply riveting, searching for answers amidst the desire to keep his family safe at all costs, even if that eventually means his removal. When he has to confront his central dilemma, the legitimacy of his visions, Shannon is racked with fear, eyes glistening with tears, terrified to go on faith, and your eyes are glued to the screen, completely taken in by the depth of the performance. I hope Shannon gets some due recognition come awards season because I doubt I'll see few performances more compelling. Chastain has had quite a breakout year for herself with lead roles in Tree of Life, The Help, and The Debt. She has a remarkable vulnerability to her, radiating an ethereal vibe (no doubt why Terrence Mallick chose her), and both aspects are put to fine use in Take Shelter. She's much more than the oft underwritten put-upon wife, silently enduring her husband's foibles. She's desperate for an answer to explain her husband's actions and motivations. She's alert, angry, compassionate, and deeply concerned. Chastain holds her own with Shannon, and the two elevate each other's performance subtlety, making their supportive relationship even more believable. Take heed movie lovers, and make sure to find Take Shelter, an intelligent, expertly constructed, suspenseful drama with powerful performances and a powerful sense of dread. Shannon's coiled intensity nicely fits the mounting tension. Nichols has created a taut thriller, a fiercely felt human drama, and an involving character-piece attuned to the talents of its cast. Take Shelter is a commanding, unsettling film that puts the audience in the unreliable position of the main character's point of view. You may almost hope for some actual apocalypse just to validate the guy's struggle. When was the last time you secretly hoped for the end of the world just to give one person a sense of relief? Take shelter from inferior movies and find a theater playing this tremendous movie. Nate's Grade: A
November 6, 2011Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/take_shelter/
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Engadget Primed: What is aperture, and how does it affect my photos?
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. You can follow the series here. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com.
Last week I wrote a piece for Engadget Primed on image sensors, a critical device of any digital camera you own, one that affects final image quality. In a completely different way, another component that controls and changes the look of your photographs is the aperture.
To create amazing photos with impact takes much more than the will to capture them; and simply being Ashton Kutcher at a party overrun with models doesn't always work, either. It's a multifaceted process; to have the desire to work for a shot, to make the effort to put yourself into position, and to know how to utilize the equipment you have in the best way possible. None of these skills are easy to master, yet similar to a painter who knows how to use their brush, learning the photographic tool that is your camera increases the opportunities to plaster your Google+ page with shots you're proud of.
In this Primed installment, we'll define the mechanism, explain the concepts, and share ways toward conveying better messages in two-dimensional still images. Ready to dive in? It's all after the break.
Continue reading Engadget Primed: What is aperture, and how does it affect my photos?
Engadget Primed: What is aperture, and how does it affect my photos? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/27/engadget-primed-what-is-aperture-and-how-does-it-affect-my-pho/
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Ancient Rome will try 2 turns in Gulfstream Derby
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Source: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/article.cgi?id=25841
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
OtterBox Defender Case for Apple iPad for $10 + free shipping via Prime
OEM Planet via Amazon offers Amazon Prime members the OtterBox Defender Case for Apple iPad, model no. APL2-iPAD1-20-C4OTR for $9.99 with free shipping. (Non-members can spend $25 or more to qualify for free shipping; otherwise, shipping costs $9.32.) That's $4 under our mention of a similar case from two weeks ago and the lowest total price we could find by $8. The multi-layer case protects from dust, scratches, and bumps.
Amazon Prime membership is $79 per year; however, Prime is free for college students for six months, and free for parents and caregivers for three months. (Note that currently there's a waitlist for Amazon Mom.)
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Italians Cut Spending in Worst Christmas in 10 Years; Debt in Spanish City of Gandia 50% Higher than Previously Reported; Harsh Times Ahead for All Europe
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Six Predictions for Digital Business in 2012 - Andrew McAfee ...
Andrew McAfee
Andrew McAfee is principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business in the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is the author of Enterprise 2.0.
George Eliot observed that "among all forms of error, prophesy is the most gratuitous." Yogi Berra is said to have said the same thing in less adorned language: "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." So a lot of what's below will be off-base or dead wrong. But predictions are both fun for writers and popular among readers, so here goes. My crystal ball devoted to the intersection of business and digital technology brought forth six predictions for 2012. They are:
1. The iPad will gain some worthy adversaries.
When Amazon's Kindle Fire came out I wrote that the tablet wars were starting in earnest, and when I hear Eric Schmidt promise a "highest quality" Android tablet in 2012 I get excited to see what's coming. Thanks to tablets and smartphones we're moving past the PC's longstanding WIMP interface paradigm (windows, icons, menus, pointers [i.e. cursors]) into one I'm calling VEST ? voice, eyes, speech, and touch ? that will change what computing devices we use most often, and how we interact with them.
2. A Fortune 500 company will move its productivity and collaboration apps to the cloud.
Berkeley has just explained why it chose Google for its campus-wide email and calendaring apps, so some pretty large organizations are starting to move into the Cloud. I predict at least one big-company CEO will walk away from the on-premises status quo in 2012. If so, it'll be a fascinating experiment to watch.
3. A web-native bank will appear and inspire fanatical devotion among its customers.
OK, this one is more of a blind hope / cry for help than a prediction. But I'm thoroughly tired of the way incumbent financial services firms treat their customers and neglect their web environments. I want this old, sleepy cartel upset by an online newcomer who cares about what customers want and knows how to deliver it to them.
4. There will be at least one instance of a science fiction technology becoming reality.
I don't know what this is going to be ? exoskeletons for the disabled? working brain control of real-world objects? ? but I'm very sure it's coming. The past couple years have given us cars that drive themselves and computers that win at Jeopardy! Anyone think those are the last of the amazing digital innovations? Me neither.
5. Job prospects and wages will not improve much for the average American worker.
Unfortunately, any honest list of my predictions for 2012 has to include this one. The two forces of trade and technology are combining to create a tough labor market for lots of workers in the U.S., particularly those without specialized skills. I deeply wish things would get better for them, but I don't think they're going to. If you want to learn more about why I think this, check out Race Against the Machine, the ebook I published this past fall with Erik Brynjolsson.
6. The material conditions of life will continue to get better for most people, in most countries.
This prediction might seem incompatible with the previous one, but it's not. Even U.S. workers facing grim job prospects are benefitting from technology's ability to lower prices and improve quality over time. And freedom, trade, and technology have combined over the past generation to improve conditions for literally billions of people around the world. These happy trends will continue. I am sure of it. Sharp-eyed readers will have realized that the wording of this prediction is not mine; it comes from the late economist Julian Simon, and it ends with the words "most of the time, indefinitely." He's right.
What do you think? Which of these predictions do you think are spot on? Which miss the mark, or are flat-out delusional? Leave a comment and let us know.
Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/hbr/mcafee/2011/12/six-predictions-for-digital-bu.html
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paulstpancras: RT @This_is_Europe: #Roma's #Colosseum collapsing stone by stone while awaiting long-delayed restoration. http://t.co/Okdo4NjS #rome #it ...
's collapsing stone by stone while awaiting long-delayed restoration. Source: http://twitter.com/paulstpancras/statuses/151743856973582336
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Philippine storm death toll goes down to 1,249 (AP)
MANILA, Philippines ? Philippine disaster management officials say the number of people who died in massive flash floods in the southern Mindanao region a week ago was smaller than earlier reported.
Civil Defense chief Benito Ramos said Tuesday that he has corrected an earlier death toll from the health department of nearly 1,500 to 1,249 based on an actual count of identified and unidentified bodies recovered by soldiers, police, firemen and other rescue workers.
He says the exact number of missing could no longer be determined but the search for bodies will continue.
He says rains overnight Monday over the eastern provinces of Mindanao have forced the evacuation of thousands of families, many by helicopter.
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Holiday rumors: Beyonce ready to give birth?
By Courtney Hazlett
One of the "gifts" we receive each holiday season is that of a slow news cycle. Which in turn, lets the rumor mill have its place in the spotlight (even more than usual). Today, we've got Beyonce maybe giving birth as we speak; Katy Perry and Russell Brand maybe checking out of Hotel Married Bliss; and Steven Tyler maybe thinking about checking in (again). Read on?for details.
Evan Agostini / AP file
Is Beyonce on the brink of giving birth?
- In a "world exclusive," website Media Takeout is reporting that not one but two overly chatty nurses at New York's St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital are saying that the staff is on "alert," and that Beyonce was checking in to give birth to her baby. According to the totally unconfirmed report, Beyonce would be giving birth in the same suite that Alicia Keys used to deliver her own baby. The reserved area has enough space, reportedly, to deliver three babies, and can host up to a dozen people overnight.
- Katy Perry was photographed swimming in the Pacific Ocean off Kauai, without her wedding ring, while husband Russell Brand was snapped in his London-area hometown for the holidays. Obviously, this means they are on the brink of divorce. "They had a massive fight," according to an "insider" who spoke to Us Weekly. "'She was like, 'f--k you. I'm going to do my own thing.' Russell replied, 'Fine, f--k you too."?
- Dude, looks like a fiance? If you equate sizable diamonds on the ring fingers of longtime girlfriends of rock stars as a betrothal, then it looks like Steven Tyler might have popped the question to Erin Brady, who he's been dating since 2006. TMZ has the photos, and also reports that the Tyler family isn't rushing to buy gifts. "She's been mean to the family," the website says.
Related content:
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Free on iTunes: 2 Free iPad Games for The Adventurer
If I had to name a game genre that I?m attracted to most it would be dungeon crawlers, the cooperative sort like Gauntlet and Diablo. If I had to choose I?d pick Diablo, hands down. Whereas Gauntlet was designed to keep your trigger finger well exercised, Diablo gave you a bit more to do. Rooting around dank dungeons and dark caves, smacking up all manner of beasts, collecting stuff and building up your in-game alter ego from a wimp to an absolute badass was just part of the fun. The game took on a whole new shine when you enlisted help from other players, and they could be anywhere in the world from sleepless in Seattle to wide awake in Kuwait.
Much fun was had playing Diablo. Much fun.
There are installments in the Diablo franchise and fans eagerly await Diablo III, which promises to provide a more immersive, interactive environment. While waiting, many iOS users have sated their dungeon rooting desires in the Diablo-esque game, Dungeon Hunter.
The original Dungeon Hunter lacked the sophistication and the graphics of Diablo. After all it was designed to be played on mobile phones with small screens and limited control options. Still it managed to provide much of the feel of Diablo and it was a helluva lot of fun to play.
Dungeon Hunter 2 introduced co-op gameplay and better graphics. Dungeoneers rejoiced. The hours spent hacking through legions of dungeon denizens with virtual comrades racked up, and soon, just with the Diablo series, gamers hotly anticipated the next installment of Dungeon Hunter.
Now, Dungeon Hunter 3 is available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. It?s over 400mb, it?s pretty, and, perhaps best of all, it?s free. However, if you?re looking for a game similar to the previous two versions, look elsewhere, Dungeon Hunter 3 is something else.
Gone is the the co-op adventuring, the exploration, the quests, and the classic battles. It?s all been replaced by a system of arenas where waves of bad guys come after you. Clear an arena by dispatching these beasts and the arena boss, do that and you move on the another arena. There are 20 arenas in each of four worlds.
You pay real money for fake dough
There is character building, but it is tightly interwoven with a new in-app purchase system, and to advance you either pay to learn new skills or repeat the arena until your character gains enough cash to upgrade. In fact, advancing in the game seem to rely heavily on purchases of upgrades.
After playing a few rounds I decided this isn?t for me. The fighting system gets repetitive quickly, which would be ok if there was a goal or story to complete, but really, there isn?t.
That gonna hurt in the morning!
Whoever said, ?good things come to those who wait,? never played Dungeon Hunter 3. Some may like it, but true dungeoneers will likely want to pass this one by. Frankly, I?d rather pay six to ten buck for a game I like then get nickeled to death in a game I don?t like.
Luckily, here?s one I do like. Lord of the Rings: Middle Earth Defense is not a dungeon game and never claims to be. No pretense here. It?s a themed tower defense game with a bit of something extra from the movies of the same name to make it interesting.
In each level you place your defenses to halt, or at least greatly thin the number Sauron?s minion who bent on running rampant through Middle Earth. You have at your command various types of defense elements.
For instance, Legolas is great at close-in combat, the Hobbits (Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin) are range fighters, throwing rocks and such. As levels advance and you earn more gold you can dispatch more powerful units into the fray such as elvin archers, dwarves, and even elvin magic! Some characters have special attacks as well. You?ll need all of it and more because there seems to be no end to Sauron?s evil.
As you progress the story also moves along, which enriches the experience. The graphics are adequate. The controls, especially for using the special attacks, are a little confusing, but once you get through it a few times you get the hang of it.
You don?t have to be a fan of Tolkien, the Ring movies, or tower defense games to enjoy this, but if you are then Lord of the Rings: Middle Earth Defense is a must.
That?s a wrap for this week. More free quest games below with direct links.
Vern Seward is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He?s been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.
Source: http://www.pheedcontent.com/click.phdo?i=3f70749869bfb8f1762d59060bb5a91f
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
8,000 Staff Strike at LG Display's Chinese Factory over Bonuses
By: Ian Mansfield |
?Around 8,000 staff at a Nanjing factory owned by LG Display have gone on strike over claims that South Korean staff were offered larger bonuses than local Chinese workers.
According to China Labor Watch, the Korean workers at the plant received a year-end bonus equivalent to six months' salary while Chinese workers only received a bonus of one month's salary.
Reportedly, the strike is still ongoing, despite threats made by management to close the plant entirely and prosecute the leaders of the strike. The factory made an offer to double the year-end bonus for Chinese workers to two months' salary, but it was rejected by workers who are pushing for absolute equality in the bonus system.
Initially, only the workers from the number four factory building took part in the demonstration, but they were soon joined by workers from the complex's four other factory buildings. Before long, the protest had completely shut down approximately 80 different assembly lines.
According to the workers, the factory has played host to several smaller strikes in the past.
Workers at LG's factories in Guangdong Province have also reported on Chinese websites that they have been subject to the same unfair treatment as their Nanjing counterparts.
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Tags: [nanjing]? [lg display]? [China ]?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cellular-news/LmiX/~3/phpOTVAmeLs/52407.php
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Child Craft London Euro Stationary Crib, Jamocha, 1 ea
London Euro Crib (Item # F10031):?
This classic, European style crib will blend perfectly with your nursery d?cor and has clean, simple lines.?
The European style crib features stationary sides.? Crib converts easily into a toddler bed with the removal of the front side assembly.? Optional Toddler Guard Rail (F09524) offers extra security to the child transitioning from the crib to toddler bed.? Limited, Lifetime Warranty.? All necessary parts for conversion from a crib to a toddler bed are included.?
Made of all wood construction with non-toxic Jamocha finish.? 2 position mattress height adjustment.? (Crib mattress sold separately).? All assembly screws fit into metal bushings so you may safely convert this bed as many times as necessary without sacrificing structural integrity.?
Compliant with all mandatory and voluntary standards including 16CFR 1219, ASTM-F1169, ASTM-F966 and ASTM-F1821.? JPMA certified.? Assembly required.? All hardware and assembly instructions included.
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