Let your mouth speak archive

Airlines in Europe and Asia Thursday said they would keep flying their Airbus A380 fleets after Australian airline Qantas Airways Ltd. (QAN.AU) grounded its six Airbus A380 super-jumbo jets after a mid-air engine failure.

A Rolls-Royce Group PLC (RR.LN) Trent 900 engine failed on a Sydney-bound Qantas flight carrying 433 passengers and 26 crew, forcing it to return to Singapore for an emergency landing. Qantas said it would ground its A380 fleet until it was certain the engines were safe.

Spokesmen for Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EADSY), and Rolls-Royce said the companies would work closely with Qantas to determine the cause of the incident.

However, airlines including Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE), Air France-KLM (AF.FR), Emirates, and Singapore Airlines (C6L.SG) said they would keep flying their A380 aircraft while they await further information on the problems that affected the Qantas plane.

Some A380s are equipped with Trent 900 engines from Rolls-Royce while others use engines made by Engine Alliance, a joint venture between General Electric Co. (GE) and United Technologies Corp.'s (UTX) Pratt & Whitney unit.

The A380s operated by Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa are powered by the Rolls-Royce engines, while those of Air France and Emirates are equipped with the alternative engines.

A total of 37 double-decker A380s currently are in service with five airlines. In addition to Qantas' six planes, Singapore Airlines operates 11, Emirates 13, Air France four and Lufthansa three.

The incident is potentially more bad news for Rolls-Royce, which been in disputes with Boeing Co. (BA) over problems developing new engines for the new 787 Dreamliner. Boeing has blamed problems with the engine development for delaying the whole Dreamliner project.

The European Aviation Safety Agency said Thursday it is in contact with both Airbus and Rolls-Royce regarding the engine failure on the Qantas plane. "If we identify any issue that could affect flight safety then we will of course take immediate action. We take these issues very seriously," a spokesman for the Cologne, Germany-based agency told Dow Jones Newswires.

EASA is involved in the Qantas incident because it certified the plane's Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines as well as the A380 airframe.

The investigation into the cause of the engine failure is being led by the Australian Transport Safety Board.

This wasn't the first mid-air emergency caused by engine problems on an A380, though it was the first to result in pieces of the engine breaking off. In August, pilots of a Lufthansa A380 flying from Tokyo to Frankfurt shut down one engine after sensors indicated an oil-pressure problem. The plane landed safely in Frankfurt. In September 2009, a Singapore Airlines A380 traveling from Paris to Singapore suffered an engine problem, returned to Paris and landed without injuries.

There have been no accidents and no fatalities involving A380s since the aircraft entered into service with Singapore Airlines in 2007.

Airbus has sold a total of 234 A380s to date. Other airlines among the 12 that are awaiting deliveries of A380s with Rolls-Royce engines include Malaysian Airline System Bhd. (3786.KU), British Airways PLC (BAY.LN), China Southern Airlines (1055.HK) and Virgin Atlantic.

At 1105 GMT, EADS shares traded down 3.1%, underperforming the broadly firmer market with the CAC-40 index up 2.3%. Rolls-Royce's shares traded down 25 pence, or 3.8%, at 629 pence, making it the biggest faller in the benchmark FTSE 100 index, which traded up 1.8%

If I had a Million dollars I would _________________________.
Fill in the blank friends. Like to hear what you would do with the million. X

Kill myself,lmao.naw i would take care of my family and buy a toy or two and off to vegas for my first try at one of those big tournaments.maybe some traveling since ive pretty much been stuck in texas most of my life and have lots of fun after making sure my kids were set up .

The state of Iowa has one of the healthiest casino gambling industries in the country, but that does not mean that voters want more. Residents in Wapello County rejected the idea of a new casino on Tuesday, although the vote was a lot closer than some expected.

Wapello is one of the counties in Iowa that does not have a casino, but proponents have been pushing the idea for the past year. Voters were not yet ready to commit, turning away the proposal by a fifty-two to forty-eight margin. It was a defeat, but it also offered hope for the future.

"We may have lost the battle this year, but that does not mean we are going to stop trying," said casino proponent Frank Billst. "Eventually, with the proper exposure and the ability to educate voters on the advantages of having a casino, we will be able to bring a casino to Wapello in the future."

The referendum has taken years to reach the ballot in the county. County Supervisor Steve Siegal has been an integral part of the process, and he said he will no longer pursue the issue. Siegal believes the voters have spoken and that the answer was no, a different take then Billst and other supporters who are hoping for another shot.

The past couple of elections in the US have been filled with gambling proposals. In states such as California and Florida, casinos have been expanded through tribal compacts. Other states, such as Ohio, have watched voters legalize casinos for the first time in their history.

Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Colorado have made significant changes to their gaming industries, including longer hours of operation, additional games, and higher loss limits. Florida did away with their poker limits completely this Spring.

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Former teen idol and star of 1970s musical TV show The Partridge Family, David Cassidy has enjoyed a full career until last night, when he was busted for DUI. Once a heartthrob donning the walls of teenaged girls across America, the now 60-year-old Cassidy was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol when he was spotted weaving on Florida's Turnpike around 8:00 p.m.

TMZ reports that when he was pulled over, Cassidy told police that he'd only had one glass of wine around lunch time – though he added that he'd taken a hydrocodone painkiller as well. The trooper cites in his report that when he asked Cassidy to step out of his vehicle, the singer was "swaying while standing."

Things didn't go better for Cassidy after cops busted out the brethalyzer. Apparently he blew over the legal limit, hitting a 0.139 and 0.141. Then they found a half empty bottle of bourbon in the back seat. Cassidy was booked for DUI and released this morning at 3:22 a.m.

Cassidy has been married and divorced twice and is currently married to Sue Shifrin, whom he married in 1991. He has two children: daughter Katie Cassidy, born in 1986 to former model Sherry Benedon, and son Beau Devin Cassidy, born in 1991 to Shifrin. Incidentally, Katie, who has a role on the new version of Melrose Place, was arrested for DUI back in 2007.

He wasnt driving the partridge family bus was he:1orglaugh

If you live in the land down under and have yet to experience gambling online, why not check out a few of the Australian online casinos that are in operation today? Even though the government in Australia passed the IGA or Interactive Gambling Act in 2001 which prohibits customers physically present in Australia to take part in interactive gambling services, it is perfectly legal for Australians to gamble on the internet and millions of them are doing it everyday.

So this means that you can legally play online pokies, blackjack, roulette, poker and all of the other great games the typical Australian casino offers. It’s a well known fact that Aussies like to gamble. Every large city in the country boasts at least one big casino and cities everywhere abound in pokey machine parlors. Pokies or slot machines are most definitely a big part of the Australian culture and the slot action online rivals any pokie parlor or land-based casino in the entire country. Today’s innovative and cutting edge casino software is nothing short of amazing. The graphics are crystal clear and colorful and the sounds make you feel just like you are sitting inside your favorite brick and mortar casino. You may find it interesting to know that the Australian poker machines and slots are known to be more profitable than other games. Generally speaking 10 to 20 percent of all money taken in is returned to the players which is considerably higher than what American poker machines and slots return, which is normally around 6%.

Another interesting tidbit of information regarding Australia and casino gambling in general is the presence of Aristocrat. This is an Australian company that designs and supplies casinos with gaming machines, gaming systems, services, electronic tables and ancillary equipment. This means that Australians are credited with being on the cutting edge of the gaming industry, both offline and on the web. Casinos the world over feature Aristocrat gaming machines and if you’re in doubt, check it for yourself the next time you drop into your favorite casino. The chances are high that you’ll see the Aristocrat name on a few of the machines there. These machines are so highly regarded that most of those you find in bars and land-based casinos have been copied online.

There are tons of websites and loads of information out there about all of the online casinos that offer services to Australians. When you start looking for an online casino to use, be sure that you are allowed to play in AUD. This will make it a lot easier for you to keep an eye on your bankroll so you don’t spend more than you win. Be sure too that there is a support service in place twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You also will want to make sure that the Australian online casinos you choose to play at accept Australian online banking methods. And last but not least, be certain that all of your favourite casino games like Australian pokies is offered. Have fun and enjoy the experience!


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An invitation sent by Microsoft Game Studios to a number of Xbox Live users names new title Full House Poker. Much like the company's heralded take on 1 Vs 100 (which was cited by Microsoft as a test for the live game format, the upcoming Full House Poker is designed to be a game show where players (and their avatars) sit around a virtual poker table and compete for XBox points and prizes. Much like playing in an online poker room, players are going to work their way up in an ongoing tournament.

Players will earn experience points and chips for their bankrolls as prizes. According to the beta invite, Full House Poker will make full use of the Xbox 360 Avatar system, with “unique tells and accessories” and more being used to further personalize the experience. One website has connected this game a game called Avatar Superstars Poker, which was rated by the multiple gaming bureaus a few months ago, but never fully announced.

No word yet on whether or not the game merely uses Microsoft points or if there is a legitimate real-money version of the game to be played.

In this troubled economy, a good job is hard to find. Now try finding a job where you get to travel the world while rubbing elbows with the hottest people at the hottest events. Well, now you can as Bodog Founder Calvin Ayre is on the hunt for the next CalvinAyre.com iGaming reporter, launching a contest to help fuel the search.

Bodog's reporters jet-set around the world interviewing icons and celebrities like poker legend Doyle Brunson, Oscar winner Matt Damon, NFL Linebacker Ray Lewis, and Heavyweight Champ Evander Holyfield. Yes, the winner of the CalvinAyre.com reporter contest will be whisked around the globe to cover the coolest events while hobnobbing with top executives in the iGaming industry.

So where will this gig take you? Some past events covered by CalvinAyre.com reporters include the Asia Casino and Gaming Conference held at the beautiful Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, the Budapest Affiliate Conference in Hungary, Super Bowl XLIV in Miami Florida, World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and, of course, Calvin’s legendary birthday party in Prague – an event that will go down in the history books as one of the biggest parties of all time.

Want to work for the biggest online gambling brand in the world? If you think you're ready to join a seriously exciting reporting team, upload your audition videos to YouTube before December 2. Complete and submit a contest entry form along with the YouTube link. Audition videos will be featured on CalvinAyre.com and will be open to viewer voting. Good luck!

While most of us our gearing up for the Breeders' Cup Classic today, Lil Wayne just got served a mighty blow – and not the good kind. The rapper, who was recently released from prison after serving eight months of a one year sentence for illegally carrying weapons on his tour bus, was just handed down an order not to consume any alcohol for the next three years as part of his probation.

Wayne is also prohibited from knowingly associating with a criminal record or who have engaged in criminal activity. Lil Wayne is also required to submit to drug and alcohol testing and if he violates any of the terms of his probation, he could be sent back to the clink to finish his year-long prison term.

This might put a damper on Wayne's plans to party, according to Mack Maine, the president of his label.

Oh cheer up, Lil Wayne. You may not be able to drink, but at least you're still on President Obama's Ipod.

Obama once said, "My rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I've got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff."

Think Lil Wayne has his Breeders Cup picks? Get your Breeders Cup betting in the Bodog Racebook before the races continue today!

The first round of negotiating in Kentucky did not go well for those in the state that wanted additional gambling at horse tracks. Governor Steve Beshear pushed slots for the tracks, but he could not gain enough support in the legislature to pass any laws for gambling expansion.

Now, with the industry still struggling, they may turn to a constitutional amendment to change the current laws. Video lottery terminals are what the tracks are seeking, and lawmakers in the House are open to the idea. The House has already passed gambling expansion legislation, but the Senate has not signed off on the law.

The Senate will be where even an amendment may have a hard time passing. Two lawmakers that would have helped advance a gambling bill, both lost on Tuesday. Those losses have all but ended any chance the Senate pushes new laws. Senate President David Williams, however, has suggested the Senate would consider an amendment passed in the House.

"If they are interested in advancing gambling, that appears to be the only avenue left for them," said Williams, as reported by The Associated Press. "I've heard that there might be some folks in the Senate that may be supportive of that. Personally, I'm not."

Governor Beshear has been back and forth on the gambling issue. He supported the movement to authorize slots at the tracks, but also went after online gambling when he attempted to seize 141 online gambling domain names. Beshear has no problem with the online gambling taking place in the racing industry.

Kentucky race tracks have been steadily losing revenue and customers in recent years. The Breeders' Cup was held at Churchill Downs this weekend, but even that will not be enough to carry the industry. For decades, Kentucky has had one of the leading racing industries in the country, and now that racing fans have declined, Kentucky tracks have been among the worst hit in the US.

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The Ohio casino gambling industry will be up and running in a couple of years, and as is the case with any industry, there will be a need for regulation overview. Governor Ted Strickland has started the process of empowering the group that will regulate the industry, and has nominated seven people for the posts.

The problem now is that those seven will not face as easy an approval process as they would have had Strickland remained the governor. Strickland was defeated on Tuesday by Republican John Kasich, and that may shift the playing field.

Of the seven nominees Strickland has offered, four were Democrats and three Republican. The new Republican leadership may want to shift the balance of power on the regulating group in their favor, although they have so far claimed that they will go through a normal hearing process for the nominees.

Ohio voters approved casinos for Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo last November. It was the first time in history that voters approved a gambling initiative pertaining to casinos, and it showed the desperation for new revenue and job creation in the state.

Many states have turned to casinos to help with their struggling economy's. Even states such as Maine have approved casino gambling. Other states that have already had casinos such as California and Florida, have expanded their gambling options even farther. There are not many states left in the country that do not have some form of casino gambling.

Ohio, along with Texas, had always been the strongest opponents of casinos. In Texas, lawmakers are now considering proposals that would end their ban on casinos. The first attempt, however, of pro-gambling lawmakers, was denied earlier this year. Now the process will be again in the Lone Star state after the new lawmakers take office early next year.

Dina Lohan will once again reprise her role as "mother in denial" on the Today Show. After Matt Lauer publicly skewered the self-prclaimed "momager" back in August, when Dina openly lied to Lauer about how many times Lindsay has been in rehab. Lauer then went on to list the four clinics Lohan has been to. Bam. Now, Dina has accepted another round in the ring with Lauer and will appear on Today on Monday morning, presumably to brag about Lindsay's progress.

Reportedly, Lauer called Dina himself to invite her onto the show.

During her last scuffle with Lauer, after listing the four rehabs (not two, Dina) that Lindsay had stayed at, Lauer told Dina, "That's a lot of times to be in and out without some sort of success."

"What do you mean by 'success'"? Dina asked.

Ha. Well how about not getting arrested? And how about not writing "************************ You" on her fingernails during her hearing?

Will Lindsay Lohan find "success" during this latest stint in rehab? Bodog has recently posted celebrity rehab odds as well as other killer entertainment props. Will Jake Gyllenhaal impregnate Taylor Swift? Will Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson secretly wed? Will Charlie Sheen get arrested before the end of the year? Get all your odds in the Bodog Sportsbook now!

The US mid-term elections are over and the results are not what online gamblers in the United States were hoping for. With a Republican, ousting of the majority of residing Democrats giving them the numbers they needed to take over the House spells nothing but trouble for the online gambling industry, or does it? While some major Democrats have lost their bid to be re-elected or newly elected some big backers for online gambling are staying put, players like Barney Frank and Harry Reid have both managed to keep their seats and will be back in January when the “Changing of the Guards” take place. But will their strength in Congress be enough to get Barney Frank’s HR2267 passed in a House of Republicans that have been totally against licensing and regulating online gaming in the US.

Some of the Republicans are the same group of sneaks that pushed through the UIGEA bill in the middle of the night on the back of another bill that was certain to be passed because they feared there was a chance the online gaming bill at the time might have had a chance on its own. So now with these same people taking over the House of Representatives, what hopes do we have of HR2267 passing and the repeal of UIGEA actually taking place?

Harry Reid who just in the past year started backing online poker regulation in the US is a driving force now which has helped Las Vegas become more online gambling friendly. Harrah’s owners have even taken the next step and created their own online poker and casino, which is being marketed over seas as we speak. With Harry Reid and Las Vegas Casinos backing Barney Frank and his bill, the online gambling industry has a better shot at pushing HR2267 through in 2011. With any luck, Barney Frank will be able to take advantage of the Democrat run House as it is now until January and get the billed passed now instead of having to wait until 2011.

American gamblers who enjoy online gaming have endured years of the government’s invasion into their private lives by dictating what they can and cannot do with the money they have earned by hard work. Americans have high taxes that they have to pay, and most do so diligently but with the rest of their income the government should have no say what it can be spent on or where. How is it ok for US citizens to gamble their money away at land based casinos without government approval but not okay for these same citizens to gamble from their home? If the problem is taxation, then license and regulate the online gaming industry and get out of our homes and find something else to dictate! Good Luck to Barney Frank and HR2267 and all the American citizens who wish to have control over their personal finances and lives.

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Economy minister György Matolcsy revealed the first draft of the government’s 2011 budget on the last day of October. It contained little in the way of spending cuts – besides passive downsising in public administration – but plenty in the way of optimism.

Successfully achieving the government’s stated aim of bringing the budget deficit below three per cent next year is dependent on a sanguine assessment of the economy’s potential for short-term growth. "A growth rate of three per cent is ambitious but realistic," Matolcsy said.

The squeeze

A pay and hiring freeze in the public sector is expected to lead to a reduction of up to 30,000 jobs from the current 690,000. Some 25,000 of these would be down to expected retirement or other departures. Otherwise, the government plans to use interim "crisis taxes" on the banking, energy, telecommunications and retail sectors to fill the hole left by income-tax reductions next year. Also crucial will be the cash harvested through a shake-up of the pension system.

The grab

Another key assumption in the budget draft is that 90 per cent of people who have been paying into compulsory private pension funds will opt to return lock,

In the online gambling industry the concept of bigger is better seems to be the normal way of thinking. News about the world of online gambling does suggest that his is indeed true. Mergers and acquisitions of web sites has become a common practice as the successful web sites are subject possible buy outs by the mega industry leaders. Witness the large aggressive companies such as Bwin and Party Gaming that have made it a priority to get the biggest possible share of the online gambling market. By merging these companies are following a path that only a few start up firms can compete with effectively.

Speculation about the firms that will consolidate or merge next is high on the agenda of prospective investors. Knowing which companies that will combine their assets could spell major profit for those who get there before the other guy or for that matter before the announcements are presented.

Consumer loyalty is another aspect of the consolidation situation where certain jurisdictions are known for customer loyalty mergers may be considered ill advised and risky. France being a good example of a jurisdiction that favours it’s own field over all others. The race for dominance is heating up all over the world to provide the best deal in terms of taxes and regulatory conditions. In order to maintain a fair share of the massive online gambling market developers as well as operators search for a positive and stable places to put their effort and money.

Ladbrokes 888 and other significant firms in the industry make serious financial commitment to the ongoing process of competing for that market share. Staving off the richest and most powerful of operations can be a major drain on company resources. Strategic mergers are costly and they may not be as profitable as everyone may think when adding in the competition and jurisdictional factors. Watching today’s online gambling industry change can be as fascinating to investors as the world of gambling itself.

Lawmakers in the state of New Jersey spent earlier this year holding a series of meetings to try and determine how to expand gambling in the state. The conclusion was to prop up Atlantic City by cleaning up the Boardwalk.

Not all lawmakers were happy with that solution. Senator Richard J. Codey re-energized those who want slot machines at state racetracks on Monday. Codey specifically is pushing for slots at the Meadowlands.

It is true that Atlantic City casinos are the driving force behind the state's gaming industry. The tracks have fizzled out in recent years, with popularity of racing down, and a poor economy. Many tracks all across the country have already closed down their racing.

The Meadowlands, however, is one of the more recognizable names in racing. Much of Codey's defense of his position comes from the millions of dollars that tracks in other states are pulling in from slots. Slot gambling has already been approved for a casino at Aqueduct in New York, and that likely will steal many customers from New Jersey.

Atlantic City casinos have lost thousands of customers in the past couple of years due to gambling expansion in other states. The recent meetings have centered on how to bring gamblers back to AC, but they were not so quick to call for slots at the tracks. Some lawmakers believe that the tracks are a losing proposition even with the slots.

Codey threw out a staggering figure of a projected $800 million in revenue that would be generated annually if the Meadowlands gained the right to the slots. That figure has been disputed by those who are against expanded gambling at the Meadowlands, or any other track in the state.

With over 60 years in the publishing business, Playboy has made the decision to auction some of their most memorable artwork spanning decades. If you’re looking to own a little piece of Playboy history, you can look forward to bidding on photographs from Marilyn Monroe to one of Hugh’s most prized possessions – the painting of a nude by Dali – which he hung in his bedroom for years. The auction is expected to take place on December 8, through the famous auction house, Christie’s in New York City.

Playboy’s famous founder, Hugh Hefner, claims that Playboy Magazine helped to blur the lines between pop art and fine art. “Before Playboy and a few other places, commercial art was essentially Norman Rockwell, very realistic. And we introduced into commercial illustration the whole notion of everything from abstract to semi-abstract to stuff that you found on a gallery wall,” he told the American Press.

According to CBS News, Playboy Magazine owns over 5,000 works of art plus 20,000 famous photographs and this auction doesn’t even scrape the surface of the multi-million dollar collection they house. For those that attend the auction, they should expect to see fine art as well as some of Playboy’s top-selling ladies including Pamela Anderson, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, Jenny McCarthy as well as a 1960’s picture of the French seductress, Brigitte Bardot.

So how much could you expect to spend at this auction? You’re looking at $5,000 for a picture of Hugh in his famous smoking jacket to $3 million for Wesselmann's famous picture of a woman’s open mouth with bright red lipstick. Here’s a good chance for Bodog players to invest their winnings in iconic artwork.

Across the US, a movement is taking place to urge US lawmakers to change the current online gambling laws in the country. Representative Barney Frank has led the movement in Congress, but as of yet has had no success in changing the laws.

In the past year, individual states have come to the forefront of online gambling expansion. California, New Jersey, and Florida all have legislators that are attempting to convince their peers that Internet gambling regulations would be beneficial, and also what people of their states want.

This week, New Jersey senators have met with gambling being their top issue. The senators have already passed two bills that would help the racing industry in the state, and now they may set their sights on a vote on Internet gambling, specifically online poker, before the end of the year.

Senator Ray Lesniak has been the driving force behind the legislation in New Jersey. The state, under Lesniak's plan, would authorize already existing casinos to start offering their services online for customers. This would help in several different ways for the state.

Residents would not have to spend money on gas, food, and drinks, all expenses that currently have to be accounted for when traveling to land-based casinos. The additional revenue generated by the casinos would be in the millions, and the state would receive a portion of those winnings in tax revenue.

The casinos, specifically AC casinos, would also benefit. The AC casino industry has been ravaged by the economy and competition from neighboring states. Lesniak sees online gambling as a way to answer the recent table game expansion that took place in Pennsylvania.

Sri Lanka's parliament is Wednesday set to pass a controversial law to legalise gambling, which the opposition opposes on the grounds that it will increase prostitution.

The government is rushing through legislation that will empower President Mahinda Rajapakse, who also acts as the minister of finance, to grant licences to set up gambling establishments in specified areas.

Casinos and horse-racing bookies have been operating in Sri Lanka for decades, exploiting loopholes in the law to avoid an official ban on gambling.

The government is now proposing to outlaw gambling outlets completely after 2012 unless they obtain a licence. Violators will be subjected to a fine of 45,000 dollars and a five-year jail term.

The opposition is nevertheless opposed to the bill, saying it will lead to de facto red-light districts because of the association of prostitution and gambling.

The bill is likely to be passed, as the government has a comfortable majority in parliament.

The bill, which will be taken up for debate later Wednesday, aims to "provide for the designation of areas in which persons intending to start the business of gaming can set up their establishments."

Sri Lanka's booming tourism industry is keen to set up more entertainment to attract high-spending fun-seekers. Some casinos in the city are also known as pick-up points for foreign and local prostitutes.

The government has recently banned billboards showing scantily clad women, following protests by Buddhist monks, but the country has a vibrant nightlife.

The number of tourists visiting the island has risen sharply after nearly four decades of ethnic conflict came to an end in May last year.