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Former Supermodel, Tyra Banks is taking time for her hit show “America’s Next Top Model” Season 16, to make a dramatic change in her life – she’s going back to school. Tyra, who has created somewhat of a media empire, has enrolled in Harvard Business School to help give her some background on running a sound business. Do I smell another reality television series Tyra?

According to CBS, the media queen reportedly earns $30 million a year which stems from not only “America’s Next Top Model” but also from “True Beauty” and her Emmy-winning talk show the "Tyra Show," among many other business ventures. Many of her efforts aim at empowering young women to become confident and successful and that’s one of the main reason she is going back to school.

The Harvard Business School program called the Owner/President Management Program is an elite program focusing on helping business owners who are major equity stakeholders in companies grossing at least $5 million, establish long-term strategies and assistance in all aspects of their business.

She told EOnline, “I think I could've leaned on all of my advisers. I have accountants, and lawyers, and investment bankers. But I don't want to be that girl when I'm meeting with them, where I'm like, 'Uh-huh, great.' I now can say what's the net present value on that? What's the discounted cash flows of that? And that's because of Harvard."

The girl has done very well for herself so far but imagine how much further she could really go with a little help from Harvard….Will the cameras follow her as she goes back to school?
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Back online, you can find me on the merge network under BeepTown usually. Been doing well live, won a 10k gtd tourney for a 109. buy in, 6k was nice, had a hot streak on carbon by winning a 66 coupon, then entering the 8k gtd where I couldn't add on or rebuy but won the whole thing. $2250 then won a few smaller ones for 500 and 600 wins respectively.

With the success, why play freerolls? All big ones can withdrawn immediately and I treat my family to some nice surprises, so I never have a bankroll unless it's live. So here I am, starting all over again 😋
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Has anyone heard of this new version of NL TH?

I heard a guy ran a POWER tourney in BC Canada last month but can't find any info on it or anyone who played it.
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tendeuce wrote: Back online, you can find me on the merge network under BeepTown usually. Been doing well live, won a 10k gtd tourney for a 109. buy in, 6k was nice, had a hot streak on carbon by winning a 66 coupon, then entering the 8k gtd where I couldn't add on or rebuy but won the whole thing. $2250 then won a few smaller ones for 500 and 600 wins respectively.

With the success, why play freerolls? All big ones can withdrawn immediately and I treat my family to some nice surprises, so I never have a bankroll unless it's live. So here I am, starting all over again 😋
Hello and welcome 😁
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LOLWME32 wrote: Has anyone heard of this new version of NL TH?

I heard a guy ran a POWER tourney in BC Canada last month but can't find any info on it or anyone who played it.
It’s poker night and you’re naked. Again. Everyone at the table is laughing at the size of your…uh… chip stack. It’s time you learned a thing or two about Texas Hold ‘Em strategy. While there is no silver bullet for winning at Hold ‘Em, being selective with the hands you play can drastically improve your game.

Your hole cards will come in three different types:

1. Pairs: cards of the same rank, like two Aces (abbreviation–AA)
2. Suited: cards of the same suit, like a King and Ten of clubs (abbreviation–KTs)
3. Offsuit: cards of differing suits and ranks, like a K of spades and 7 of hearts (abbreviation–K7)

The type of pocket cards you are dealt and their respective ranks drastically affects if and how you should bet. Obviously, you know that you are in a much stronger position when you have AA in your pocket versus having 22. But what about KQs versus 77? Or JJ versus A9s? A good means of comparison is to use the following Power Tiers:

* Tier 1: AA, KK, QQ, AKs, JJ
* Tier 2: TT, 99, AQs, AK, AJs, KQs
* Tier 3: 88, 77, ATs, AQ, KTs, QJs
* Tier 4: A9s, AJ, QTs, KQ, JTs

As you may realize, there are more combinations of cards than those listed in the Power Tiers. Until you’ve gained more experience playing Hold ‘Em and know how to bluff, slow play, etc. you’ll want to stick to playing the hands seen above—and ONLY the hands seen above.

Being successful at Hold ‘Em requires experience, knowledge of the odds, and–maybe most importantly–patience. The best pros in the world might only see one of every four or five flops. You will find that limiting the hands you play to those found in the Power Tiers will have you sitting out of a majority of the hands, but also increasing your chances of heading home with more than your fair share of the pot (or being the least naked one in the room–it all depends on the stakes).
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Two measures changing the rules of the game for gambling interests in the state passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee on Wednesday, potentially kicking off a new round of gambling fights in this year's session.

It's not clear whether the odds are in favor of either bill; Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, was largely ambivalent about both when asked about them Wednesday, and neither bill's House companion has been scheduled for a hearing yet.

The most fiercely contested of the two bills would remove the requirement that greyhound tracks actually offer live dog races in order to operate a card room. That bill (SB 1594) cleared the panel on a 7-5 vote.

Sen. Maria Sachs, the Delray Beach Democrat who sponsored the measure, said greyhound racing was "a dying industry in this state," and track operators had a better chance at staying in business if they could provide card games while holding fewer races -- or none at all. Sachs also said that dogs were in some cases being treated more poorly as revenues drop off for the races -- and the dogs become less central to the business.

"These dogs are running all the time -- all the time -- in order for the track to maintain a profitable card room," she said.

The bill was opposed by a hodge-podge coalition of gambling opponents and supporters of dog breeders and owners, though critics largely focused on how the changes would affect linked industries.

"I think we're changing rules midstream, and it's going to hurt a lot of people," said Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera.

Jack Cory, a lobbyist for the Florida Greyhound Association, said the bill would prompt track operators to get rid of dog races entirely -- gutting the $50 million-a-year industry and shutting down hundreds of dog breeders and owners.

"If this bill were to reduce it or eliminate (the racing requirement), you would have a very, very difficult situation for the 3,000 Florida families and the greyhounds," Cory said.

The committee also approved a measure (SB 812) allowing intrastate Internet gambling on a 10-2 vote. Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said many Floridians are already using the Internet to gamble; legalizing the games would merely make them safer and allow the state to draw in tax dollars from them.
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A study by the Recreational Gambling Association released Wednesday estimates that Washington could gain up to $380 million per biennium in taxes by allowing "scratch-ticket" machines at non-tribal casinos.

Under current state law, electronic gaming machines are only permitted at tribal casinos. The association says that expanding the availability of what it calls electronic scratch machines could raise more than $150 million next year if the machines are installed at established banked card rooms around the state.

The group's proposal includes installing 125 machines at each of 63 established card rooms and a 30 percent privilege tax on all winnings, to be collected by the state.

Some lawmakers in Olympia have expressed interest in pursuing this option as a way to bring in revenue to the state's cash-strapped budget, but no bill has been filed yet.
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The European Union is a long way from coming to any form of consensus on the e commerce and in particular online gambling issue.
There are two conferences in the works in France that may shed some light on the immense task that the European Commission has in setting a framework up to handle all possible scenarios. The issues are complex and the Commission wants to do the best job it can to satisfy the mandate of the Union.
The two proposed conferences are focusing on the effects of e-gaming liberalization in France. The first March 22 conference is organized under the auspices of François Baroin the French Minister of Budget, Public Accounts, Civil Service and State Reform, and supported by Senator François Trucy and Deputy Jean-François Lamour. ARJEL will be the main topic and it principals, and practices regarding the choosing and licensing of operators in the French jurisdiction.

During the legislation brought in to liberate the online gambling industry in France a review clause was added in order to fine tune the laws and make sure the legal process is working as planned. A full review of the current liberalization will enable better decisions to be made concerning the regulatory and legal framework and the taxation social effects of the new gambling laws.

In order to keep the gambling industry on the same page as the governments top officials the other conference organized by iGaming France for 25 and 26 March deals with executive decision making in the French market. ARJEL president Jean-François Vilotte and representatives from the French Competition Authority will be in attendance for an international discussion with regulators, senior executives, directors, and other top level business people.
There are a lot of interesting developments for the online gambling industry in Europe as the newly liberalized future unfolds in France, Italy and other E.U. member countries.
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After a nude picture scandal traumatized, yes traumatized poor Vanessa Hudgens back in 2007 when she was 16, Vanessa told the media that the experience was "very traumatic, and I am extremely upset it happened." Then, in 2009, new naked photographs of Hudgens hit the web showing Hudgens in various stages of undress. Apparently she took them for her then-boyfriend, Zac Efron.

Apparently, Hudgens was embarrassed then too. But hey, guess what? Photos have surfaced yet again of the former High School Musical star.

In the most recent pics, Hudgens is seen sucking face with actress Alexa Nikolas from Nickelodeon’s former show “Zoey 101″ and who is slated to appear in the upcoming films "LOL" and "Red State."

Her lawyer, Christopher Wong, is claiming that someone malicious is slowly leaking the same batch of photos of the Disney star over a long period of time in an attempt to drive her nuts.

Wong says, "Vanessa is deeply upset and angered that these old photos, which were taken years ago, continue to resurface… It is particularly disturbing that whoever got hold of these private photos seems to be intent on illegally leaking them out over a long period of time. We are actively working with law enforcement to determine who is responsible and hold them accountable for their actions.”

In 2009, Hudgens told Allure magazine, "It's so aggravating and frustrating, and whenever anybody asks me, would I do nudity in a film, if I say that it's something I'm not comfortable with, they're like, 'Bullshit, you've already done it,' " she said. "It's screwed up that someone screwed me over like that. … At least some people are learning from my mistakes."

Think more pictures of Hudgens will leak? You can get all your celebrity betting in the Bodog Sportsbook now. Meanwhile, Bodog's got all your American Idol odds and Dancing with the Stars betting in the Sportsbook. Get them while they're hot today!
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As expected, group of House lawmakers Thursday reintroduced legislation that would legalize online gambling and set up a regime for regulating the activity.

Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., introduced the measure along with House Financial Services ranking member Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Reps. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo. It would essentially overturn a 2006 law that prohibited most online gambling and barred banks, credit card companies and other payment processors from processing payments for online bets.

The legislation mirrors a bill, sponsored by Frank, that was approved by the Financial Services Committee last year.

Supporters of such legislation argue that the 2006 law has done little to deter those Americans who want to gamble from seeking out online gaming sites based outside the United States. They say the United States should legalize online gaming and set up a regime to tax and regulate it to ensure consumers are better protected. They say tax revenues from online gaming could raise billions of dollars over the next decade.

"Clearly, Americans want to gamble on the Internet, and policymakers need to provide both the freedom to do so, as well as ensure that appropriate consumer protections are in place," Campbell said in a statement. "Regulating online gaming and making certain that these sites are operating legally in America will also create economic growth through generated tax revenue and the possibility of attracting foreign players to U.S. sites."

The bill is expected to be referred to the House Financial Services Committee, where it will likely face stiff resistance from Chairman Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., who strongly opposed Frank's bill last year.
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There are about 500 online gaming operators that are based in the Latin American country of Costa Rica. The online gaming industry in that country generates about $14.5 billion, making it the third largest market in Latin America. One of the reasons why Costa Rica attracts online gambling operators and software providers is that there is no online gambling regulatory framework legislated by the government. Normal commercial licences that apply to all industries are used to regulate and tax online gambling companies.

The Research and Markets (R&M) organization has just released a detailed report on the country titled "Costa Rica Gaming and Gambling 2011". The report begins by providing an overview of Costa Rica with information on location, population, the economy and the political environment. There is a detailed section on the supporting infrastructure available for the gambling industry such as communications, foreign investment and payments. And since the report covers land based gambling as well it discusses the infrastructure available for tourism. The focus of the report is on Costa Rica's gambling market. Specific gaming activities like casinos, lotteries, bingo, betting and online gaming are discussed in detail. The report ends with a study of all advertising regulations that affect the gambling industry.

An R&M spokesman highlighted some of the figures from the report. He said, "It is believed that if both the legal and illegal gaming activities were combined in Latin America it is likely that the region would generate over $150 billion a year." He pointed out that the twelve principle gambling countries in this region generate combined revenues of over $33 billion in legal gambling. Of this local Latin Americans contribute about $10 billion a year and it is estimated that on average each inhabitant spends US$250 a year on gambling. Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Panama and Venezuela are the more prolific gambling countries in the region.

It is hardly surprising therefore that online gaming operators and software providers are looking for local partners in Latin America in order to secure a foothold there. Software provider Offsidegaming has announced an agreement with Latin American marketing partner Tristar International to launch a number of online sports betting, casino and poker sites. Offsidegaming has delivered a complete range of gaming products, along with back office operations and customer services facilities. It will also help Tristar International in the development of a dedicated player acquisition strategy. Tristar International has a great track record in gaming and considerable local Internet marketing experience.
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Ryan Phillippe, 36, who already is a father to two children with his ex wife Reese Witherspoon, could now become a parent once again. Twenty-one-year-old actress Alexis Knapp says her baby, which due in June, is fathered by Phillippe but he hasn't helped her out with anything. Reportedly, the pair dated last summer but Phillippe has been dating actress Amanda Seyfriend, 25, since October.

According to TMZ, Ryan Phillippe is aware of the pregnancy and wants to take a DNA test once the baby is born, but unlike what Alexis has been saying, Ryan claims he has been paying her pre-natal expenses. Sources also say that there was an agreement attached to Ryan paying her expenses – that she not tell the media of her condition. Now Ryan is steaming mad, since he's been publicly outed as the father of her unborn child.

Meanwhile, "Reese has been really supportive," an insider told Us magazine. "She knows that Ryan is a good dad and she respects that."

Knapp claims that she's in a bind since she can't work and Ryan hasn't been supporting her financially. According to IMDb, Knapp had a small role in the Vince Vaughn flick Couples Retreat. She has two upcoming movies – Project X slated to come out this Thanksgiving as well as a Miley Cyrus flick, So Undercover.

"He's a good guy," a source told Us. "He loves being a dad and takes being a dad really seriously."

Phillippe has recently been seen with current girlfriend Seyfriend at the premier of her new movie Red Riding Hood, as well as at the opening of his movie The Lincoln Lawyer on Thursday.

Think you can channel your inner Maury Povich to know whether Phillippe is really the father? You can get all your celebrity betting in the Bodog Sportsbook now. Meanwhile, Bodog's got all your American Idol odds and Dancing with the Stars betting in the Sportsbook.
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Let the games begin, again! On Thursday a few lawmakers brought renewed legislation for legalized online gambling to Congress which is essentially the same as the past legislation but with some tougher amendments. Those bringing forth this renewed hope of success include Rep. John Campbell of California, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, Representatives Peter King from NY and Ed Perlmutter of Colorado. The purpose of this new bill would be to overturn UIGEA which was passed in 2006 and banned credit cards and financial institutions in the US from processing online gambling transactions.

Representative Campbell stated recently that he feels this renewed bill needs to be passed because it’s clear that Americans want to gamble on the internet, and lawmakers need to supply the freedom for them to do so as well as protecting them with appropriate laws. Regulating online gaming will not only protect Americans from illegal gambling operators that do not register in the US or abide by operating regulations but will also contribute to the economic growth of the United States which is sorely needed.

This new bill will be sent to the House Financial Services Committee which will not welcome it with open arms, the Chairman Spencer Bachus from Alabama is strongly opposed to anything that suggest legalization of online gambling and proved this last year when Barney Frank brought forth his popular H.R.2267 bill.

As usual we will stay on top of this renewed bid to legalize online gaming at a federal level and look forward to part II of this fight to go numerous rounds!
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Fame has ruined his family – this according to Billy Ray Cyrus.

Now he and wife Tish Cyrus are reportedly trying to work things out after she allegedly slept with Bret Michaels. Billy Ray filed the documents to withdraw his divorce in Williamson County, Tennessee, with the papers stating, "The parties are attempting a reconciliation."

Aside from the alleged affair, another rift that tore the family apart was Miley Cyrus being caught smoking salvia from a bong, as well as an article published by GQ where Billy Ray had opened up about how the Hannah Montana franchise, which shot Miley to stardom and made the family millions, is one of his deepest regrets.

"I’ll tell you right now—the damn show destroyed my family," Billy Ray Cyrus told GQ. "And I sit there and go, ‘Yeah, you know what? Some gave all.’ It is my motto, and guess what? I have to eat that one. I some-gave-all’d it all right. I some-gave-all’d it while everybody else was going to the bank. It’s all sad.”

Miley was reportedly "furious"and said that it’s "unforgivable" that her father would go to the media and say such personal things about their family.

When asked if he wished Hannah Montana never happened, Billy Ray had also said, “I hate to say it, but yes, I do. Yeah. I’d take it back in a second. For my family to be here and just be everybody okay, safe and sound and happy and normal, would have been fantastic. Heck, yeah. I’d erase it all in a second if I could.”

However, Billy Ray has had a change of heart, appearing on The View yesterday and announcing that he was calling off the divorce.

"I wanted to put my family back together," he said.

He also revealed that he is mending his relationship with his 18-year-old daughter Miley… as well as their former employer, Disney.

"I love Hannah Montana. I love Disney. That didn't tear my family apart," Cyrus said. "Now fame, fame is a different animal, you've got to be careful with that thing because it can … all things considered, hey, it's all good."

Forty-nine-year-old Billy Ray, and Tish, 43, are parents to Miley, 18, Braison, 16, and Noah, 10. Billy Ray also adopted Trace and Brandi, Tish’s children from a previous relationship. They have been married for 17 years, secretly getting hitched just a month after Cyrus’s birth on December 28, 1992 against the advice of Billy Ray’s record label.
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Barney Frank had introduced the anti-UIGEA bill HR 2267 in the 111th Congress. With the end of the two year term of the 111th Congress the slate was wiped clean and HR 2267 was removed from the rostrum without having seen a discussion or a vote on the floor of the House. At that time the bill had about 70 co-sponsors. Now, according to a press release from the House Committee on Financial Services another bill has been introduced in the 112th Congress with the same objective as HR 2267. The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act was introduced in the House on March 17, 2011, by Congressman John Campbell (R-CA) with Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) as a leading sponsor. Congressmen Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and Peter King (R-NY) are also leading co-sponsors. As per the press release this bill is identical to HR 2267.

Referring to the fact that the UIGEA has not been able to prevent Americans from gambling online, Campbell said, "Clearly, Americans want to gamble on the Internet, and policymakers need to provide both the freedom to do so, as well as ensure that appropriate consumer protections are in place." Barney Frank said, "I'm pleased to be working with John Campbell as a cosponsor of the bill. We worked together last year and I think this promises to be one of those unfortunately rare times when bipartisan activity can work."

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) was the first pro online gambling organization to come out in support of the new anti-UIGEA bill. The PPA prefers federal legislation because it feels that state laws will limit the pool of players and serving to only protect the Americans in those states. The statement from the PPA read, "The time is now for Congress to step up and pass federal legislation, like the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act, that allows the entire country to benefit."

The new anti-UIGEA bill, like the earlier one, requires licensed online casino and poker room operators to take appropriate safeguards to prevent fraud, money laundering, underage and compulsive gambling. It prevents online advertising targeted toward underage or compulsive gamblers; prohibits licensees from accepting wagers from persons on the self excluded list; prevents the use of a credit card to make deposits at online casinos; prohibits sports betting; requires that players set financial loss limits and requires a substantial U.S. presence as a condition of obtaining a license.

The HR 2267 had a difficult time and could not even move halfway despite its lead sponsor being chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Now online gambling's staunchest opponent Spencer Bachus chairs the House Financial Services Committee, and one can be assured that there will be no smooth sailing for the new anti-UIGEA bill.
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It seems that Barney Frank’s 2010 proposed legalised gambling bill has been revived and is well and truly alive and kicking. Frank has joined forces with Republican colleague John Campbell to introduce the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. Hopes are high that this time the bill will indeed succeed.

For the past five years, online gambling operators, including of course all UK bingo operators have been unable to accept deposits from US citizens. This of course has stopped US players playing at all of the leading online bingo and casino sites. The situation is somewhat complicated as some operators do in accept US players although most of those who do are not based in the UK or in Europe.

Analysts suggest that the US is losing billions each year in revenue that could be generated from tax imposed on online gambling. With the tough economic climate in the US it now seems many states may well be prepared to offer regulated and legalised online gambling to help boost their budgets.

All proposed bills to introduce some form of legalised online gambling in the states have in reality proved to be a dismal failure. It seems though that now Frank’s proposed bill has a real shot of being approved. Analysts are now predicating that we will see some form of legalised online gambling in some states this year,perhaps with Nevada and New Jersey leading the way.

UK bingo operators must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of millions of US players signing up to their sites which of course would create a new online bingo boom of the likes we have never seen before.

It looks like it may just be a great year for the online bingo world!
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The Dutch government said on Saturday it wanted to grant licenses for Internet gambling services in the Netherlands and lift restrictions that hundreds of thousands of Dutch ignore every year.

The proposal, by a new coalition government that took over last October, represents a major policy overhaul for the Netherlands, which has defended an online gambling ban all the way to the European Union's highest court.

"It is a big shift (in policy), but this is a new government with a more liberal approach," said Jaap Oosterveer, a spokesman for the Dutch ministry of public safety and justice.

In a letter sent to the Dutch parliament on Saturday, Fredrik Teeven, state secretary of security and justice, wrote that hundreds of thousands of Dutch defied a ban by gambling online, and so a change in the law would allow more oversight.

Several European countries such as France, Italy, Austria, Britain and Sweden already regulate online gambling, and the Netherlands should also be offering licenses for online games such as poker, bingo and sports betting, Teeven wrote.

A number of online gambling companies have launched legal challenges against several European countries in an effort to break into lucrative markets but have found the going tough.

Ladbrokes, Britain's biggest bookmaker, and Betfair, the world's largest online gaming exchange, both challenged Dutch gambling policy unsuccessfully last year at the European Union Court of Justice.

In his letter, Teeven wrote that consumers should have an appropriate and attractive range of gambling options but that it was very important that there are safeguards against risks such as gambling addiction and fraud.

The licensing system for lotteries in the Netherlands should become more transparent, while competition in the gaming industry, which is dominated by state monopoly casino operator Holland Casino, should also be explored, Teeven added.

The Dutch government expects the auctioning of Internet gambling and lottery licenses to generate at least 10 million euros ($14.1 million) per year for its coffers starting from 2012, Teeven wrote.
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Illinois lawmakers are off to the races to save the state's gambling industry.

House Bill 3107 would allow horse race tracks in the Chicago area to have slot machines. A similar bill died last year, and the same sponsor, State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), is at it again. Lang said the plan would create up to 1,500 jobs and rake in up to $400 million for the state.

“We should not have limits on our gaming operations,” Lang said. “We should let them grow like every other business grows, but that has not been the way or the direction the General Assembly has gone.”

Lang said the horse racing industry is dying, putting at least 40,000 jobs in peril.
“We can save those jobs in Illinois if we can pass this bill,” Lang said.

Money brought in from Illinois horse tracks has been on a steep decline in the past decade. During the past five years, the state's revenue from horse racing decreased by 36.9 percent, bringing in only $74.4 million in 2010, according to the Illinois Racing Board.

Businesses and jockeys are riding away to neighboring states.

“Over the last many years because states like Louisiana and Delaware have authorized slot machines at their race tracks, we've lost some of our best horse breeders, trainers, and drivers and jockeys, and owners to their states,” Lang said. “If we bring them back, jobs would come back with them.”

But not everyone supports the bill.

Tom Swoik, executive director of Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said horse tracks would be competing with Illinois riverboat casinos.

Jay Keller, a lobbyist for Penn National Gaming, agreed with Swoik.
“I do not see it being an economical benefit to the casinos in Aurora, Joliet or Alton for that matter,” Keller said.

Anita Bedell, executive director for Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems, said additional electronic gaming would increase gambling addiction.

“It also allows racing on Sundays, the House would allow 'racinos' to be open seven days a week, not only when the horses are racing, but people could gamble all the time,” Bedell said.

Casino revenue in Illinois has gone up in smoke since an indoor statewide smoking ban was implemented in 2008. The riverboats are losing its customers and have lost up to $400 million, according to the state's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. That translates into a $193 million loss in the state's take from fiscal year 2008 to FY 2010, according to COGFA.

Penn National Gaming's Keller said gamblers choose to smoke, and some choose to go to Indiana, where they can smoke while they gamble.

House Bill 171, sponsored by State Rep. Andre’ Thapedi (D-Chicago), would require casinos to have designated rooms where smoking would be allowed.

“First of all, this bill does not encourage or promote smoking. Those that choose to smoke will smoke,” Thapedi said. “Employees cannot be assigned to work in the smoking-optional room. New hires and existing hires must apply to work in the smoking-optional room separately.”

Both bills passed through the House Executive Committee, and are on their way to the House floor.
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Every year Playboy rounds up the hottest ladies from the entertainment industry for their annual “Sexiest Celebrities List” and this year, you’ll find that many of last year’s winners didn’t lost their sex appeal because you’ll find them on this year’s list as well plus a few new fresh faces.

Among some of the veterans of the list include sexy singer Beyonce who has wowed audiences by shaking her “jelly” on stage and the woman whose sex tape seemed to have launched her career as a reality TV star, Miss Kim Kardashian. Others who graced this list in the past include actress Angelina Jolie, True Blood Star Anna Paquin and former Playboy model Holly Madison, who made headlines recently for being ‘too fat’ by an employer, but definitely not for Playboy. Check out the rest of Playboy’s Sexiest Celebrities list:

1) Halle Berry
2) Jenni Farley “JWoww” from Jersey Shore
3) Kendra Wilkinson
4) Natalie Portman
5) Megan Fox
6) Christina Hendricks
7) Olivia Wilde
8) Scarlett Johansson
9) Sasha Grey
10) Pamela Anderson
11) Crystal Harris (Playboy’s Miss December 2009)
12) Candice Boucher
13) Michelle Williams
14) Tara Reid
15) Brooke Burke
16) Amber Heard
17) Kelly Brooke
18) Sophie Monk
19) Hope Dworaczyk ( Playboy Playmate of the Year 2010)
20)Adrianny Celeste (UFC Octagon Girl)
21) Claire Sinclair (Playboy’s Miss October 2010)

Did Playboy get it right? Who would you like to see added to this year’s list? Let us know and we may just put together our own list of sexiest celebs.
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Manne wrote: Illinois lawmakers are off to the races to save the state's gambling industry.

House Bill 3107 would allow horse race tracks in the Chicago area to have slot machines. A similar bill died last year, and the same sponsor, State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), is at it again. Lang said the plan would create up to 1,500 jobs and rake in up to $400 million for the state.

“We should not have limits on our gaming operations,” Lang said. “We should let them grow like every other business grows, but that has not been the way or the direction the General Assembly has gone.”

Lang said the horse racing industry is dying, putting at least 40,000 jobs in peril.
“We can save those jobs in Illinois if we can pass this bill,” Lang said.

Money brought in from Illinois horse tracks has been on a steep decline in the past decade. During the past five years, the state's revenue from horse racing decreased by 36.9 percent, bringing in only $74.4 million in 2010, according to the Illinois Racing Board.

Businesses and jockeys are riding away to neighboring states.

“Over the last many years because states like Louisiana and Delaware have authorized slot machines at their race tracks, we've lost some of our best horse breeders, trainers, and drivers and jockeys, and owners to their states,” Lang said. “If we bring them back, jobs would come back with them.”

But not everyone supports the bill.

Tom Swoik, executive director of Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said horse tracks would be competing with Illinois riverboat casinos.

Jay Keller, a lobbyist for Penn National Gaming, agreed with Swoik.
“I do not see it being an economical benefit to the casinos in Aurora, Joliet or Alton for that matter,” Keller said.

Anita Bedell, executive director for Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems, said additional electronic gaming would increase gambling addiction.

“It also allows racing on Sundays, the House would allow 'racinos' to be open seven days a week, not only when the horses are racing, but people could gamble all the time,” Bedell said.

Casino revenue in Illinois has gone up in smoke since an indoor statewide smoking ban was implemented in 2008. The riverboats are losing its customers and have lost up to $400 million, according to the state's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. That translates into a $193 million loss in the state's take from fiscal year 2008 to FY 2010, according to COGFA.

Penn National Gaming's Keller said gamblers choose to smoke, and some choose to go to Indiana, where they can smoke while they gamble.

House Bill 171, sponsored by State Rep. Andre’ Thapedi (D-Chicago), would require casinos to have designated rooms where smoking would be allowed.

“First of all, this bill does not encourage or promote smoking. Those that choose to smoke will smoke,” Thapedi said. “Employees cannot be assigned to work in the smoking-optional room. New hires and existing hires must apply to work in the smoking-optional room separately.”

Both bills passed through the House Executive Committee, and are on their way to the House floor.
The Government is just way too invasive. No toys in Happy Meals is just one example of stupid proposed legislation that our elected representatives came up with. Sheesh! Pretty soon they'll be confiscating our computers because we won a 15 cent pot in .01/.02 NLHE! :confused:
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