Let your mouth speak archive

Chess is a beautiful game. Strategic, challenging, easy to play yet difficult to master.

Chess is one of the oldest forms of recreational warfare, and as such provides the perfect analogy to the current push-and-shove battle that surrounds the topic of gambling reform in this country. From the moment Julia Gillard and Andrew Wilkie shook hands and moved their pawn two squares forward, it was game on.

The intervening months have seen a series of moves and counter-moves from both sides, made all the more fascinating by the fact that each side is in reality an alliance of disparate forces united under a common banner. On the one hand we have the Federal government, the loosely-defined anti-gambling lobby, community groups, academics, health care professionals and a largely concerned public; on the other we have the industry coalition of pubs, clubs and casinos, the Federal opposition, state and territorial governments, shock jocks and libertarians.

Two sides, each shuffling their pieces around the board and trying to gain the upper hand while staving off the advances of the other.

We saw the establishment of a Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform, which was tasked with making recommendations for the government to implement; in response, we had Coalition members of the committee publicly decrying the reforms and resisting every step of the way. We had the Clubs Australia and AHA "Un-Australian" campaign, a near-disastrous move that almost completely backfired; in response, we got Nick Xenophon's Big Fat Lie website, my own rival Un-Australian website, and a wave of public hostility to the machinations of the gambling industry.

For every newspaper story detailing the need for reforms, there were two that shouted that jobs would be lost and businesses shut down. Move, counter-move, retreat, regroup, attack... there have been lulls in the game, but it rolls on regardless.

The strategies employed by both sides would be fascinating to watch, were it not for the fact that the stakes are so high. For the major players there's the right to form and hold government as opposed to the right to continue to make billions of dollars with little or no regulation, but there's far more to it than that. Both of these pale into insignificance when focus shifts away from the political manoeuvring and rests on those at the heart of this matter: the tens, even hundreds of thousands of Australians who have poker machine-related gambling problems, and the million Australians who are directly affected as a result.

These are the reasons reforms are so important; so too is our country's reputation as a nation of gamblers, a nation that spends and loses far, far more per person on gambling every year than any other country on the planet. That's not an enviable reputation to have, but it's the truth.

There is one other aspect to this game of chess that makes the game play so much more intriguing, and that is that there are some who have not yet decided which side they favour. Key players whose support will be pivotal to the outcome, and who are still hedging their bets. They are Katter, Windsor, Oakeshott and Crook, the Independents whose votes will be crucial to the success or failure of any proposed legislation, and they are being wooed and pressured relentlessly by both sides.

Almost as one they have expressed their concern about problem gambling, yet also about the impact any reforms could have on the wider community. They've been inundated with tales of woe from the Clubs industry, and the impact that these reforms will supposedly have on their constituents... yet the reforms have been tailor-made to address many of their concerns, including concessions for the small clubs that their electorates contain. Still no definite response. It's been a studious exercise in fence-sitting, but sooner or later they are going to have to state their intentions.

With that in mind, the latest moves in this game of chess have been made. They weren't obvious, and seemingly have little to do with poker machines, but they may prove to be the moves that swing the game in favour of gambling reform. Firstly, in the past week the Federal government moved to ban the promotion of live odds during the broadcast of sporting events.

This has been seen by many as long overdue, and the first step towards tackling the growing sports betting culture that is being pushed onto our society. And secondly, as the Australian Federal Police lend their assistance to the FBI in their investigation of online poker fraud that may be worth billions of dollars, the Federal government has announced a review of the Interactive Gambling Act. Not only that, but Senator Nick Xenophon announced that the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform would be expanded to include online casino sites.

What do these two actions have to do with poker machines? It's simple. One of the criticisms being levelled at the proposed poker machine reforms by the Independents is that they do not tackle other forms of gambling, such as online or sports gambling. The Clubs industry has also been particularly vocal in its criticism, saying that the reforms will send poker machine addicts online to gamble (a view which is not supported by research, by the way).

By taking serious steps to tackle both sports betting and online gambling, the Federal government has made its move and is saying to the Independents, here you go. You want it? We're doing it. Now get on board.

It remains to be seen whether or not this latest move will prove to be the winning one. Each side still has many pieces on the board, and a range of pressures and tactics to draw upon. Either way, it was a bold and almost brilliant move, showing a commitment to gambling reform that is not tied to the need to maintain power in Canberra, but at the same time enhancing their prospects of long-term success.

What does seem to be certain is that whatever happens next, this game of c

If you miss those Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches – good news, Fear Factor is rumored to be coming back in 2011, but whether or not Fear Factor Joe Rogan will be hosting, may hinge on the success of the reboot.

R0gan, now a staple in the UFC world as well as a stand-up comic, was the face of Fear Factor for years when Fear Factor premiered on NBC back in June 2001 and ran until September of 2006. Although the show has been off the air for five years, rating of it’s re-runs were so high that NBC has already ordered ten new episodes.

Endemol North America chairman David Goldberg said, “Joe was a great host. I think his brand and his personality is associated with this show. This has all happened fairly fast. We’ll sit down with Joe and see if something he even wants to do. He’ll certainly be very high on the list.”

For his part, Rogan told his 363,000 Twitter followers: “To answer all the Fear Factor tweets, I’m not exactly sure what’s happening. Nothing is concrete at the moment. Should I do it again? … To answer the #1 concern, I’ll NEVER stop doing the podcast. No worries about that. It’s one of my favorite things to do.”

The new show promises more to be daring, death-defying and disgusting and will come to you in HD so you can really get a look at the crickets, maggots and cockroaches being consumed by contestants.

The show broke new ground in 2001, when contestants were seemingly unaware of what kind of reality show they'd signed up for, until Joe Rogan busted out a blender and threw in some cow testicles. Then, word got out and people started watching.

During the first award of the night at the night, with millions of 14-year-olds watching, Justin Timberlake grabbed the breasts of Mila Kunis, while she grabbed his package. They stood awkwardly before announcing the winner for Best Male Performance. Then Timberlake joked, "I think we just found that out." If anyone cared after that introduction, the award went to Robert Pattinson.

Friends with Benefits co-stars Timberlake and Kunis sent the rumormill into a tailspin when they both ended their long-term relationships around the same time – Kunis with Macaulay Culkin and Timberlake with Jessica Biel. Thus, Justin and Mila groped each other at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards to prove once and for all that they are not dating – though we here at the Bodog Beat don't get their logic.

Mila explained that she thinks of Timberlake like a brother which is why he was apparently allowed to grab her breasts. To prove how good of friends they are, she went in for a crotch grab.

Meanwhile, Jessica Biel was off licking her wounds with renowned womanizer Gerard Butler. The two were spotted motorbiking along PCH, with Biel tightly clutching those famous 300 abs.

Back at the MTV Movie Awards, other dramas included a slapdown to Kim Kardashian via Reese Witherspoon, who, upon accepting her "Generation Award," said, "I just wanna say to all the girls out there, it's cool to be bad, I get it … but its also possible to make it in Hollywood without a reality show. When I came up in this business, if you made a sex tape, you were embarrassed and you hid it under your bed and if you took naked pictures of yourself on your cell phone, you hide your face."

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Let's get this straight: Virginia hates gambling.

No, it loves gambling.

How can this be? Easily: In the Neverland of Richmond, contradictory policies happily coexist and mutually exclusive stances flourish side by side.

Consider this: On one hand, Virginia outlaws wagering on any game, contest or event whose outcome is uncertain or a matter of chance. Gambling is a misdemeanor; running a gambling operation is a felony.

On the other hand, Virginia spends big money on advertising to entice people to wager on the games it runs, the Mega Millions and Pick 3 of the state lottery.

On one hand, Virginia didn't just welcome Colonial Downs, where much of the action isn't on the track where the horses run but at the window where the bettors line up. It allowed the operator to set up off-track offices so people could bet on the races without driving to New Kent.

But on the other hand, a neighborhood bookie can't open up a place where people can bet on other competitions.

On one hand, some local governments — including Newport News — decided they are OK with a kind of Internet café where people folk over money in exchange for time on a computer, where the credit from that cash plunked down is wagered on games of chance.

On the other hand, the General Assembly decided that Internet gambling is bad and outlawed those locally approved emporiums.

Never mind that the state blesses Internet gambling run by Colonial Downs. With its EZ Horseplay, just set up an account, remember your PIN, and you can bet on horse races all over the world from your phone or home computer or, if you're the social type, at an EZ Horseplay kiosk in a restaurant or club. They're popping up all over.

On one hand, Virginia bans games of chance unless they're free and everybody has an equal chance of winning regardless of whether they put any money up.

On the other hand, it lets organizations run pay-to-play Bingo games and raffles so long as 10 percent of the revenue goes to a charity. If you don't believe that it's a big business, drive by the Knights of Columbus hall on Nettles Drive on Bingo night.

So let us summarize what we have here:

It's OK to wager on contests involving four-legged creatures, but not those in which two-legged creatures compete.

didnt even know th mtv movie awards happened yet, guess i'll catch it on replay. thanks for th info manne

Says decision belongs to voters, not lawmakers

Governor Paul LePage threatened yesterday to veto two gambling bills working their way through the Maine Legislature if they wind up on his desk, saying voters, not lawmakers, should have the final say on the matter. Both citizen-initiated bills have received favorable votes so far, setting the stage for possible legislative approval. A bill to allow racinos in Biddeford and Washington County has won a 94-to-49 vote of support in the House. The other bill, which would allow a casino with slots in Lewiston, has won a 78-to-61 endorsement in the House. Both measures awaited further votes in the House and Senate.

Their defeat would automatically send the bills to voters in November. But legislative passage would avoid the statewide referendum, and the gambling enterprises could go forward.

LePage said in an interview yesterday that supporters of the two bills need to do what past gambling promoters have done: Get voters’ approval first.

“If you want a casino in Maine, you’ve got to do what Oxford did; you’ve got to do what the racino did — you go to the people and get permission,’’ the Republican governor said, referring to Black Bear Entertainment’s successful initiative to build a casino in Oxford and the voter-approved racino proposal that brought about Bangor Slots. Other gambling proposals, notably one in 2003 in Sanford and another in 2008 in Calais, were rejected by voters. Both plans were backed by Maine Indian tribes.

“Maine people voted for one casino and one racino, and that’s what they’re getting,’’ LePage said. “I think the Legislature, quite frankly, has got a lot more important things to do. Let this go to the people.’’

He said he has no special stake in the gambling issue, which he observed has been contentious in the past.

“I don’t gamble,’’ he said. “The only gambling I do is I get up in the morning and go to work and hope I get home safely. That’s my biggest gamble.’’

Asked if he wants voters, rather than the Legislature, to decide on the two pending proposals, he said: “Absolutely. . It’s got to go to the people. . It’ll be a veto, no question about it.’’

In another matter, LePage vetoed a bill barring the Department of Conservation from permitting timber harvesting on land under its jurisdiction by people employed under the federal H2 bonded labor program. The program is used by employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic labor for up to a year.

In his message to the Legislature, LePage said the bill runs afoul of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees due process and equal protection under the law.

“This veto has nothing to do with the policy outlined in the bill,’’ LePage wrote.

The Democratic sponsor of the bill said he was disappointed with LePage’s action.

“It’s unfortunate that a governor who says he’s all about jobs is actually more interested in giving jobs to Canadians, rather than Maine workers,’’ said state Senator Troy Jackson of Allagash. “The governor’s veto encourages government to use foreign workers to work on our lands and harvest a Maine product. This is not good for jobs. It’s not good for people. And, it’s certainly not good for the Maine economy.’’

didnt even know th mtv movie awards happened yet, guess i'll catch it on replay. thanks for th info manne

OKIDOKI :dirol

Nicolas Cage's son, who was recently married, freaked out and has now been placed on a possible 5150 hold.

Nic Cage's 20-year old son Weston Cage was at The Farmer's Kitchen in Hollywood yesterday, when his trainer told him he couldn't eat something on the menu. "No soup for you!"

Weston, a black metal singer, abruptly began violently pushing the trainer, but as everyone probably knows, trying to beat up your personal trainer never ends well. Naturally, the trainer took Weston down, and a good samaritan tried to get Weston to calm down, but he jumped back up and continued his flip out.

It remains to be seen whether or not Weston is certifiable, or whether he was on something, but restaurant workers say he appeared to be under the influence of something. When cops showed up, they told Weston that if he didn't get on the ground they would tase him. Weston got up but he was handcuffed and strapped to a gurney for good measure.

TMZ reports that Weston's famous father, Nic, has arrived at the hospital and plans to stay in town as long as it takes.

There are also rumors that before his public meltdown, Weston got in a huge fight with his new wife, Nikki Williams. The pair had recently been married in a private ceremony in New Orleans.

For his part, Nicolas Cage had his own meltdown recently after he was arrested for assaulting his wife outside their rental home in New Orleans, and was bailed out by none other than Dog the Bounty Hunter himself, Duane "Dog" Chapman. After being tossed in the clink for domestic violence and disturbing the peace after an alleged argument with his wife Alice Kim as well as taunting cops when they arrived at the scene, Cage dodged a legal bullet when the New Orleans District Attorney's Office claimed investigators did not have enough evidence to move forward with the case.

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In August of last year, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Announced that it would launching its own online gambling website. Since then, the company has spent months deciding how to execute its plan of action, which seems to include enlisting in the help of a wide range of experience gambling operator to help with the construct of the site. Sports Gaming Limited will be the first company to assist the OLG, consulting with the corporation about the launch of the new government-regulated online casino.

This will make Ontario the third country in Canada to offer regulated online gambling to its residents. It will be taking a cue from Loto Quebec and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which have entered into an agreement to offer online poker to residents of both provinces.

The OLG plans to obtain suggestions from a wide range of external gambling companies in order to determine the best approach to offering regulated online gambling. There are five main issues that the company is currently focused on: responsible gambling, prevention of underage gambling, protection of personal information, detecting crime and gaming integrity.

The OLG will also partner with public sector organizations, such as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. Together, many organizations, businesses and associations will work towards creating a safe online gambling environment for Ontarians. The website is planned to be launched in 2012.

After Flo Rida partied at a Miami nightclub, he got in his red and black 1.7-million Bugatti and promptly got a DUI.
Police apparently observed the rapper swerving in his lane and pulled him over around 3:30 a.m.

Flo Rider, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, flunked a field sobriety test and didn't perform very well, with a crowd watching and offering to give him a ride home. For his part, Dillard was also trying to convince the cops that he could make it home. However, since Dillard blew more than twice the legal limit, cops hauled him off to the clink.

TMZ reports that during a test where he had to walk in a straight line, Dillard told the cop, "Officer I can't do this. I don't feel I can walk a straight line. I had a few drinks. Let's try another test."

Making matters worse for the rapper, when cops ran his license, they found that he'd been driving on a suspended license for failing to pay a traffic violation. Dude can afford a 1.7-million car but can't pay a traffic ticket?

The rapper known as Flo Rider released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008, with his debut single "Low", sustaining the #1 hit for ten weeks. In 2009, his second album R.O.O.T.S. was released with its most successful single "Right Round" at the top of the Hot 100 for six weeks.

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For months as a gambling bill moved through the state legislature, swarms of lobbyists alternately charmed lawmakers and twisted arms.

Now, they are working on Gov. Pat Quinn, who controls the fate of the bill.

Towns including Rockford and Danville are organizing letter-writing campaigns, hosting rallies and using social networking to pressure Quinn to sign the legislation. Horse racing tracks, chambers of commerce, restaurant owners –even farmers who supply horse hay —are imploring him to keep the bill intact, even though Quinn has said it’s too big.

The legislation approved last month would authorize five new casinos, including one for Chicago, along with slot machines at Chicago airports and race tracks. The bill would allow a new racing facility at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and would permit the state’s 10 existing casinos to expand. If approved, the legislation would represent Illinois’ biggest expansion of gambling since 1990. And for the first time this year, it places Quinn squarely in the captain’s chair.

The bill is a 400-page anthology of political horse trades that supporters, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, say could unravel with too strong a blow from Quinn. The governor has not said he would veto the bill, but he called it “top heavy” and “excessive.”

“It’s a tightrope,” said Tony Somone, executive director of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association, which is counting on the bill to save the horse racing industry and the agriculture jobs that it sustains. “If you eliminate any parts of that bill, you would lose support and the whole thing could go down in flames. Quite frankly, it scares the hell out of me.”

If Quinn amends the bill, the House and Senate must approve his changes. But removing proposed sites in Chicago, Rockford, Danville, the south suburbs or Park City, or dropping the racing components, would reverse support from lawmakers representing those interests.

“I control the bill. I’m the only one who can call the bill, and I’m the only one who moves the bill,” said state Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), whose district includes Park City. “Do you really think I would allow the bill to move forward without mine being in it?”

Multiply Link’s stance by 95—the number of lawmakers who voted for the bill — and you can understand how changes could sink it. It received the bare minimum 30 votes to advance from the Senate.

Link said he plans to meet with Quinn in the next few weeks to discuss the possibility of follow-up legislation to address Quinn’s concerns. The goal would be to convince Quinn to sign the bill on the condition a follow-up bill might later scale down the scope.

“Like any other negotiation, I’m not going to play it out in the media, but we will sit down and talk about it,” Link said.

Some opponents of the bill said it was too big. Some regularly vote against gambling legislation on moral grounds. And others voted to protect existing casinos in their communities that would be hurt by the increased competition.

“It was too much, too soon,” state Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) said of her “no” vote. “I would consider supporting a casino in Chicago, but I don’t see the need for a 50 percent increase in casinos statewide.”

The decision before Quinn is a tough one. Towns like Rockford and Danville represent some of the state’s hardest-hit economies. Rockford, a manufacturing town nestled along the Rock River and bordering Wisconsin, has one of the state’s highest unemployment rates. That’s why Mayor Larry Morrissey traveled to Springfield last month to meet with Quinn, Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).

“As mayor, one of the things I’ve learned since I was elected in 2005 is that if you want to get anything done in Springfield, you have to be there,” Morrissey said. “Economic development doesn’t happen with magic.”

That’s why towns like Danville, near the Indiana state line, created a Facebook page to spur a letter-writing campaign. The town also is hosting a rally to get Quinn’s attention. Residents don’t want Danville to get dumped from the bill.

“I don’t have a feel for what he might do,” Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer said of Quinn. “I’m not sure you can take anything out of the bill. It’s like a house of cards. You remove any card and in the end, the entire bill may tumble.”

Illinois state senators say they are looking for ways to reduce the size of a gambling package they approved just days ago.

Gov. Pat Quinn has threatened to veto the measure unless it is trimmed in size, but its supporters worry cutting some parts of the gambling package could result in its complete collapse, the Chicago Tribune reported.

"The governor has indicated very strongly that he wants to see a reduction, he doesn't want to see it as big," said Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat who sponsored the gambling legislation. "So his message was loud and clear to us, and we have to see how we can do this to appease what his concerns are."

Supporters say it has taken a long time to get so close to passing a gambling plan only to have it collapse because Quinn doesn't like it.

As it stands, the proposal includes a Chicago-owned casino and four others: in Danville, Rockford, Lake County and southern Cook County. Slot machines would be permitted at Midway and O'Hare airports and at the state's six licensed horse tracks.

A "racino" would be built at the state fairgrounds in Springfield and existing riverboats could add more gambling and move to land.

Quinn said he doesn't want any gambling at the fairgrounds, saying it is for families.

Supporters of the plan said the state desperately needs the thousands of jobs it would create and the tax dollars gambling would generate.

Singer Jack White and his wife, model and singer Karen Elson can now be classified as game changers after instead of taking the route of bitter divorcees will be throwing a big bash to commemorate their separation where close friends and family will join them tonight in Nashville in what they call a “positive swing bang hum dinger.”

After six years together, the couple has decided to go their separate ways but will remain good friends and partners in raising their two children. The couple released a statement making the announcement where they expressed their feelings concerning their split. “We feel so fortunate for the time we have shared and the time we will continue to spend both separately and together watching our children grow.”

According to the invitation, the party will include dancing, photos, memories and drinks with alcohol in them. They also let invitees know that it’s only for close personal friends and family so please no plus ones or dead beats.

Jack is no stranger to the lets-remain-friends-after-breaking-up movement since he still shares a close relationship with his ex-White Stripes band mate and ex-wife Meg White who remains a close friend of the family. Talk about a grown up approach to relationships, when will you write a book about your pearls of wisdom Jack?

It is not even on his desk yet, but state senators who passed a major casino expansion bill don't want to gamble on Gov. Pat Quinn vetoing it.

Gov. Quinn fears there is too much packed into the bill. The plan lawmakers approved includes a Chicago casino and four others: in Danville, Rockford, Lake County and southern Cook County.

Slots would be allowed at Midway and O'Hare airports and the state's six licensed horse tracks.

A "racino" would be added at the state fairgrounds in Springfield, and existing riverboats could add more gambling spots and move to land.

Since the bill was passed, Quinn has played his cards close to the vest when it comes to what he would like to see come out of the package.

He's expressed support for a Chicago casino "if it's done the right way" but has turned a thumbs-down to a "racino" at the state fairgrounds, saying it's a family event and should remain that way.

To allow more time for negotiations, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, put a hold on the measure, effectively stopping the clock.

Talk of altering the proposal so soon after its narrow passage has some lawmakers concerned.

Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat who sponsored the measure in the House, said he was surprised to hear his colleagues were considering changes when Quinn has yet to weigh in with specifics about what he would sign off on and what he wouldn't.

Lang said it's "premature" to start nixing parts of the plan, noting that negotiating such a large deal requires weighing many interests. He said peeling away some portions in an attempt to bring Quinn on board could put the whole thing in danger.

In the meantime, Quinn is facing intense lobbying from supporters and opponents alike. In the nearly two week since lawmakers voted on the plan, his office has received 739 phone calls, e-mails in letters against the proposal, and 799 in support.

Communities and industries who would benefit from the bill are attempting to up the pressure by painting the gambling issue as an economic one.

Supporters say it will create thousands of jobs and help revitalize a struggling horse racing industry while also pumping needed dollars into various parts of the state's agriculture infrastructure.

Former Hairspray actress, talk show host, and at-home-birthing guru Ricki Lake is being sued for a fire that occurred at her rented Malibu home in 2010.

Lake is being sued because apparently, she single-handedly caused the fire by making a critical error while refilling a portable space heater when she spilled the oil on the hot heating coils, causing the oil to immediately burst into flames.

The fire ravaged the entire property. The homeowner, Hovsep Kousouyan, claims that when Lake spoke with emergency personnel, she admitted the whole thing was her fault and therefore he has a slam dunk case, entitling him to recoup the cost of the damage done to the home, which could fetch into the millions.

In the 911 call, a panicked Ricki tells the dispatcher, "The couch is on fire … please hurry," she then tells her kids, "Mommy had a mistake."

L.A. County Sheriff's arson investigators have concluded the whole thing was an accident and thankfully, there were no injuries and Lake, her kids, and her dog, who all made it out of the blaze unharmed.

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What, using a 60 year old heater that still needs oil to fill it? In a million dollar house?

The Governor of Nevada has signed an Online Gambling Bill that is designed to ensure the State of Nevada is at the forefront of legalized online gambling. The bill – AB258 gives the Nevada Gaming Commission until January to come up with the regulatory framework to implement Online Gambling within the State.

With US land based gambling companies becoming increasingly involved in the online space it seems a prudent thing for the state of Nevada to ensure that it is at the forefront of any Federal legalization. Companies like International Game Technology (IGT) who already supply land based casino venues with games already boast an online presence. Another giant of the land based industry now taking its first steps into the online gambling arena is WMS. We have reviewed a number of their games including the Star Trek Slots game. All of these companies are preparing for legislation.

A judge on Sunday blocked efforts by casino owner Milton McGregor to subpoena former Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to testify in the government corruption against him and eight others.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Terry Moorer ruled McGregor's lawyers failed to show the relevancy of Riley's testimony. The judge also blocked McGregor's efforts to subpoena three high-ranking state police officials from Riley's administration.

The ex-governor's attorney, Matt Lembke, said the ruling cleared the way for Riley to leave, as planned, on Monday for a motorcycle trip from Alabama to Alaska.

Lembke argued in a court hearing Saturday that there was no reason to subpoena Riley. He said the judge's order Sunday night confirmed that.

"Governor Riley had nothing to do with the Obama Justice Department's investigation of this alleged bribery case," he said.

Defense lawyer Joe Espy told the judge Saturday that he wanted to question Riley about whether there was a connection between the federal investigation and efforts by the ex-governor's gambling task force to shut down McGregor's electronic bingo casino in Shorter last year.

The judge said McGregor's lawyers never showed why the testimony by Riley and state police officials was necessary for his defense. He said the lawyers had not talked to or tried to question Riley and the Department of Public Safety officials and did not know what information they might possess.

The judge left open the possibility that McGregor could try to subpoena the four again later if testimony in the trial shows they might be relevant witnesses.

Prosecuting and defense attorneys chose a jury for the trial Thursday and gave opening statements Friday. Prosecutor Louis Franklin said testimony will begin Monday with Republican state Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale, who wore a recording device for the FBI while talking to some of the defendants.

Actress Lindsay Lohan may be locked down under house arrest but that doesn’t mean the girl can’t party as she did yesterday from the roof top of her Venice, California apartment together with friends and minus the booze as she counts down the days until her freedom.

Last month, Lohan was sentenced by a California judge to 35 days of house arrest together with 480 hours of community service for walking out of a Venice jewelry store with a $2,500 necklace, and while she’s got a couple more weeks to go, she took it upon herself to make the best of her situation by partying down from her roof top. She just had to let the world know that there’s no ankle bracelet in the world that can keep her down or court order for that matter.

Lindsay was in plain view from her million dollar Venice beach condo along with friends who joined her as she enjoyed a relaxing Sunday, so you can imagine the paparazzi fest who couldn’t wait to get an update on the recovering party girl’s current situation.

Lindsay is not allowed to leave her apartment unless she has absolute permission from officials but who needs to when you’ve got a swanky Venice beach apartment. So far, it seems that Lindsay hasn’t broken any rules and as long as she manages to stay indoors for the next couple of weeks then she’ll soon be a free woman.

So under house arrest you can’t go out to find a party but it can certainly come to you, not a bad deal Lindsay.

Former Tijuana Mayor Jorge Hank Rhon's 10-day legal odyssey left him rumpled but with his reputation intact: He is an eccentric gambling tycoon with suspected ties to organized crime who appears to be untouchable by the law.

Wearing a sweat shirt and a smile, Hank Rhon walked free Tuesday after winning two rounds against Mexican authorities as separate judges dismissed federal weapons charges against him, then refused to back state prosecutors' attempts to detain him in a murder investigation.

The rapid-fire developments — he was freed around dawn from federal custody, held by state prosecutors in the afternoon at a hotel and home safe by dinner — dealt a blow to Mexico's attempts to fight organized crime and fueled claims that the strike against the controversial magnate was politically motivated.

"I'm free, I'm in my house with my family," Hank Rhon, 55, said late Tuesday through his spokesman, Francisco Ramirez.

While Hank Rhon was reveling in his newfound freedom, federal authorities were smarting after a judge ruled that the story of his arrest during an army raid last week just didn't hold up.

The man U.S. authorities have long suspected of ties with money laundering had supporters demonstrating in the streets for his freedom, and Roman Catholic bishops calling for his speedy release. He has strenuously denied ties to organized crime.

Federal prosecutors said they would appeal the judge's ruling, while the state said it would continue the investigation into his possible links to three homicides, including that he ordered the 2009 killing of his son's former girlfriend.

Assistant Attorney General Patricia Bugarin said that on June 8, the judge had ruled the arrests were legal.

"I don't know what reasons she had to change her mind," Bugarin told Milenio television. "I don't think the evidence was adequately analyzed."

Hank Rhon was Tijuana's mayor from 2004 to 2007, when he staged a failed run for governor. He has long figured large on the national political scene, and not only because of the wealth amassed from his Caliente gambling empire.

His father was one of Mexico's best-known politicians, leader of a faction in the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that ruled Mexico from 1929 until 2000. National polls indicate that the man with the best chance to oust Calderon's National Action Party and recover the presidency for the PRI in 2012 is Enrique Pena Nieto, who has political ties to Hank Rhon.

Federal Judge Blanca Evelia Parra Meza ruled early Tuesday that there wasn't enough evidence to order Hank Rhon and eight others to stand trial on charges of possessing weapons restricted to military use, according to a statement from the court office. Parra said that the story told by soldiers about the pre-dawn raid in which they found weapons at Hank Rhon's home didn't hold up.

Soldiers raided his elaborate compound, which includes a racetrack, a casino and a private zoo in the early morning of June 4, seizing 88 weapons and nearly 10,000 rounds of ammunition during the raid.

Federal prosecutors said only 10 were licensed and two were traced to two other Tijuana murders, of a security guard in December 2009 and an alleged car thief in June 2010.

Hank Rhon's lawyers said the raid was illegal because soldiers didn't have a search warrant.

The army had said the soldiers didn't need a search warrant to enter the house because they got a tip about weapons being stored there, saw armed men at the residence and followed them inside. But Parra, the federal judge, said, "There was evidence of several inconsistencies, in regard to the times, distances and places referred to in the soldiers' report," according to the statement.

Hank Rhon was then turned over to state prosecutors, who announced they were investigating his link to the August 2009 killing of 24-year-old Angelica Munoz after the assassin testified that he acted under orders from Hank Rhon.

A state judge then refused to order him held for 40 days without charges while prosecutors completed the investigation.

Prosecutors' spokesman Marco Vinicio Blanco said a Baja California state judge cited a lack of evidence in deciding not to hold him in the killing, in which the woman was shot in the head.

U.S. authorities have long suspected Hank Rhon of links to money laundering, but no accusations have been documented. Two of his bodyguards were convicted of killing investigative journalist Hector Felix Miranda in 1988, but they denied the attack was linked to their boss, and no charges were filed against him.

Despite the accusations, Hank Rhon's reputation for generosity won him support in Tijuana.

Bertha Guadalupe Diaz, a 66-year-old street vendor who regularly attends Hank Rhon's massive, free parties on Mother's Day and other holidays, recalled being summoned to City Hall when Hank Rhon learned she couldn't afford a hearing aid. He offered to pay the bill.

"Thanks to him, I hear," she said.

Virginia Mora, 66, said she met Hank Rhon in her hardscrabble neighborhood when he campaigned for mayor and stopped by for two servings of homemade soup. He paid her with a huge delivery of cement and other building materials.

"He likes to help people out, give gifts," said Mora, 66.