Let your mouth speak archive

The government of the U.K. recently published a draft of the controversial Communications Data Bill, which aims to allow unparalleled interception of data about UK citizens' online communications and voice calls. This has many users of the internet very upset because they feel it is an unprecedented invasion of personal privacy.

Data protection and privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office is struggling to distance itself from growing controversy over the government’s plans. If adopted, the proposals would grant the GCHQ access to online communications and calls data. Such a move would risk putting a further strain on business at a time when European data protection regulations are already difficult and complex. This Bill might also undermine the ICO's role as guardian of data protection and privacy standards.

Read More: Online Users Upset With Draft of U.K. Communications Data Bill

Whether you love them or hate them, and there is no in-between, the Kardashian family has turned themselves into a reality-television juggernaut, spawning three shows focusing on the family’s trials and tribulations. Kim is obviously the star of the show and her relationship with musician Kanye West usually lands her on the front page of magazines and tabloid sites, but sisters Kourtney and Khloe have carved out their own lane in this wild ride. However, Khloe may be the only one who has had a successful marriage.

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After Kim’s 72-day embarrassment with basketball player Kris Humphries, next in line is Kourtney’s relationship with Scott Disick, which is reportedly on the rocks after news that he allegedly used to steal from girls he would meet and also videotape them having sex. Bovada Sportsbook odds makers aren’t giving their relationship that much credit, with odds for “yes” at +110 that Kardashian and Disick will break up in 2012, and -150 for “no”, which isn’t that much confidence. Kardashian just had their second child, a girl named Penelope to go with son Mason, who is almost three, and the two have had various problems in the past, so things seem to be on shaky ground perpetually.

Will Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian breakup in 2012?
Yes +110
No -150

There are also rumors that Disick has had his eye on Kim, notoriously flirting with her, as well as other hip-hop celebrities such as Christina Milian. He’s clearly got his eye on many other women than just Kourtney, so that could be problematic. We’ll have to keep an eye on the situation to see what happens.

The "Global Online Gambling and Betting Report 2012" by yStats-com – Hamburg-based secondary market research specialist – gives an overview of the global online gambling and betting market, followed by a separate analysis of 20 regions and countries worldwide. The report also includes a ranking of the top 20 online poker websites and news for 22 companies in the online gaming and betting environment.

Read More: Situation in Online Gambling and Betting Markets Differs Worldwide - PR-com

Australia’s Tabcorp Holdings has recently reported that as much as 20% of all its online wagers were placed via mobile devices. The recent demerger of its casinos was blamed for Tabcorp’s net profit decline. Reporting $340 million in 2012, down from $534.8 million in the 2010/11 fiscal year. Responsible for underlying earnings growth and lower interest expenses following the casinos demerger and based on the current operating conditions profit was 12.7 per cent higher than the $301.6 million recorded in 2011/12.

Online operations created $2.16 billion in turnover gaining 14.5 percent advantage over last year’s returns. Call center betting underperformed by 6.8 percent as well as on site betting which came in down by 6.3 percent. Tabcorp received a 100% rating for promoting responsible gambling. It has received this rating for the past five years and was recognised as the overall global leader in the gambling industry in 9 out of the last 10 years.

Read More: Tabcorp Holdings Reports 20% Online Bets Made On Mobile Devices

The Spice Girls are expected to be among the diverse array of stars performing in Sunday's Olympic Games closing ceremony, entitled "A Symphony of British Music".

George Michael, Muse and Ed Sheeran have broken the ring of silence surrounding the event and confirmed they are among the acts taking part in the spectacle that brings the curtain down on the London 2012 Games.

Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham last week tweeted a picture of a microphone, saying "Look what I found!", while pictures of the 1990s girl group rehearsing on top of five London taxis have appeared in the British press.

The show at the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium will feature more than 4,000 performers, including 380 schoolchildren.

"We want it to be the best after-show party there has ever been," its artistic director Kim Gavin said on Saturday. "Any more than that and we would spoil the surprise," Gavin told a press conference.

The ceremony will see London hand over to the Rio 2016 Games, and the Olympic flame — which has been alight at the east London stadium for two weeks — will be extinguished.

The ceremony's pre-show entertainment begins at 1900 GMT, with the main ceremony, from 2000 GMT, scheduled to last up to three hours.

Read more: Spice Girls tipped for closing ceremony - Entertainment - JamaicaObserver-com

Like an addicted gambler, we believe the next card will make us a winner, and we no longer even consider "standing pat." Apparently, expanded gambling in Maryland is inevitable.

Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch says the legislature aims to put the best possible law before voters, but he no longer questions the need, value or risks of additional gambling in Maryland. Del. Sandy Rosenberg tells constituents he is working to make new gambling legislation as good as it can be, but he dismisses the idea that additional gambling could be voted down.

Read More: Maryland gambling legislation - Baltimore Sun

Creating online games is big business all over the world and sometimes smaller and hungrier companies do a bang up job of being innovative and skilled at creating something new. Social gaming has become the new trend and companies are specializing in mobile platform applications to satisfy the growing need.

Plumbee, a specialist social casino game studio founded by former Electronic Arts Playfish execs, launched its first game on Facebook recently. Mirrorball Slots is a AAA social casino game with truly global appeal and a strong emphasis on high production values and rich, story-led gameplay. “We are strong believers in social games and specifically the remarkable growth in the social casino vertical has caught our attention. We're very excited to back the Plumbee team, with its extensive experience and proven track record in both social games and online gambling.” Said a spokesperson for the firm. The introduction of an in-house development team was announced recently by developer Plumbee, which confirmed that it has engaged former NextGen manager Peter Stathis as lead mathematician and game designer.

Read More: Plumbee To Develop Online Social Gaming Offerings In House

A former S.C. Hospitality Association accountant who embezzled money to support a gambling addiction was introduced to video poker at Columbia bars and restaurants in the late 1990s.

When video poker was banned in South Carolina stores and gaming halls in 2000, Rachel Duncan turned to the Internet.

“Scratch-off games also became a hobby, but nothing fueled her more than the secret life she lived through online video poker gambling,” Columbia attorney Greg Harris wrote.

The details of what drove Duncan to steal from her employer come from documents filed in anticipation of her sentencing Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Her attorney told The State newspaper she is expected to agree to repay $367,508 to the restaurant, bar and hotel lobbying group.

Read more here: COLUMBIA: Admitted SC embezzler tells her side | News | Rock Hill Herald Online

With a little British pomp and a lot of British pop, London brought the curtain down on a glorious Olympic Games on Sunday in a spectacular, technicolor pageant of landmarks, lightshows and lots of fun.

The closing ceremony offered a sensory blast including rock 'n' roll rickshaws, dustbin percussionists, an exploding yellow car and a marching band in red tunics and bearskin hats.

The Spice Girls staged a show-stopping reunion, and Monty Python's Eric Idle sauntered through 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' - accompanied by Roman centurions, Scottish bagpipers and a human cannonball.

It all made for a psychedelic mashup that had 80,000 fans at Olympic Stadium stomping, cheering and singing along. Organizers estimated 300 million or more were watching around the world.

What a way to end a games far more successful than many Londoners expected. Security woes were overcome, and traffic nightmares never materialized. The weather held up, more or less, and British athletes overachieved.

It all came with a price tag of US$14 billion - three times the original estimate. But nobody wanted to spoil the fun with such mundane concerns, at least not on this night.

"We lit the flame, and we lit up the world," said London organizing committee chief Sebastian Coe. "When our time came, Britain, we did it right."

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge declared the Olympics over with praise for the athletes.

"Through your commitment to fair play, your respect for opponents, and your grace in defeat as well as in victory, you have earned the right to be called Olympians," he said, adding: "These were happy and glorious games."

But the night was about splash more than speeches.

Read more: Stars shine at Olympic closing ceremony - Story - Entertainment - 3 News

A fun, festive and fast-moving Olympic closing ceremony got off to a rocking start Sunday with a shout-out to Winston Churchill and a celebration of the Union Flag.

Pop bands Madness, Pet Shop Boys and One Direction kicked off a star-studded extravaganza that promised to keep a worldwide audience entertained well into the night – and dancing all the way to Rio.

Just a few minutes in, the show, put together by artistic director Kim Gavin, already featured a sensory blast including rock 'n roll rickshaws, dustbin percussionists and an exploding yellow car and a marching band in red tunics.

There was also a pageant of monochrome recreations of London landmarks covered in newsprint, from Big Ben’s clock tower and Tower Bridge to the London Eye ferris wheel and the chubby highrise known as the Gherkin.

And there was much more to come.

The Who, the surviving members of Queen and the Spice Girls took to the stage at a heaving Olympic Stadium during a three-hour paean to British pop and to the country’s triumphant turn hosting the games.

Prince William’s wife, Kate, and Prince Harry took seats next to Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee. They sang along to “God Save the Queen.”

Perhaps the best seats were for the 10,800 athletes, who began marching in as one – the flagbearers first, in a brilliant show of color – to form what Gavin called a human mosh pit on the field.

The ceremony had something for everyone, from tween girls to 1960s hippies. George Michael, Muse, Fatboy Slim, and Annie Lennox all performed. What a way to end a Games far more successful than many expected. Security woes were overcome and traffic nightmares never materialized. The weather held up, more or less, and British athletes overachieved.

Britons, who had fretted for weeks that the Games would become a fiasco, were buoyed by their biggest medal haul since 1908. The U.S. edged China in both the gold medal and total medal standings, eclipsing its best performance at an Olympics on foreign soil after the Dream Team narrowly held off Spain in basketball for the country’s 46th gold.

Read more: THE DAILY STAR :: Sports :: Olympics :: Thank you London ... See you in Rio
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USA Wins Most Olympic Overall Medals and Golds

The last day of the 2012 Olympic games ended with America on top of the medal standings, winning 104 overall, including 46 gold.
China's finished second with 87 medals that included 38 gold. Russia finished third in overall medals, while Britain was in fourth. However, Britain won five more gold medals than Russia, VOA informs.
The day's biggest surprise came as Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich won gold in the men's marathon. The race through the streets of London was expected to be a showdown between runners from Kenya and Ethiopia. But Kiprotich surged ahead with less than 5 kilometers to go to take a lead he never relinquished.
His winning time of two hours, eight minutes, and one second was 26 seconds ahead of silver medalist Abel Kirui of Kenya. Another Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich, won the bronze .
In men's basketball, the United States' so-called Dream Team clinched a gold medal by defeating Spain 107-100. Russia beat Argentina to win the bronze.
Women's modern pentathlon was the last competition at the 17-day extravaganza of sport. Lithuania's Laura Asadauskaite won the gold medal and Great Britain's Britain's Samantha Murray took silver.
The closing ceremony is being billed as “A Symphony of British Music,” highlighting one of the country's strongest cultural exports. Artists scheduled to appear during the three-hour celebration include Adele, Elton John, George Michael, Annie Lennox, and the Pet Shop Boys.
Brazil, the host of the 2016 Games, will create a Rio-style carnival, featuring drummers, dancers and women in elaborate carnival costumes.

He is just one man gambling alone, his face lit by the pink glow of a slot machine in a dark neighborhood bar, but 69-year-old Pedro Rodriguez represents a threat to one of Puerto Rico's most important money makers – legal gambling.

As Rodriguez robotically punches buttons on a video slot machine, barely drinking the warm beer in his left hand, he explains why he places wages at a bar in a seedy section of the capital, and not at one of the glitzy hotel casinos that line the island's coast, where he once regularly contributed to the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue the government badly needs each year.

"The probabilities are always in favor of the house," he said. "They don't like to pay."

Growing numbers of people appear to prefer their odds with illegal slot machines set up everywhere from bars to bakeries in this U.S. territory. That's become not only a problem for the hotels running the bulk of legal casinos but for the government, which is already struggling with gaping budget shortfalls. As is, Puerto Rico will see two casinos close by the end of the year, with five other smaller casinos on the verge.

Particularly hurt has been the government agency that manages tourism, which received $61 million from gambling taxes this past fiscal year, representing 72 percent of the agency's revenues. Another $71 million of the $156 million in annual gambling revenue received by the government went to the University of Puerto Rico, the island's largest public university.

Read More: Puerto Rico Casino Industry Under Threat From Proliferation Of Illegal Slot Machines

Our State has missed a trick. Online gambling is a growth industry, with potential to create jobs and boost taxes

BINGO, THAT one-time staple of fundraisers, might seem as far removed from the cutting edge of social media as one can get, but it is about to become Facebook’s latest revenue-raising wheeze. Just days ago, the company launched a new application that will allow users in the UK to play the game for money.

Flying under the flag of Bingo Friendzy, it has the fluffiest branding possible, while Facebook is making all the right noises about responsibility and regulation and is stressing it is introducing the application only in a jurisdiction where it is legal. However, there is no getting away from the fact the social network wants at least some of its customers to part with their cash in a game of chance.

Gambling is the disreputable relative in the internet family. Players such as Facebook are not keen to acknowledge him in public but privately they would all like a share of his revenue. That revenue is thought to be big but it’s hard to say just how big. PricewaterhouseCoopers’ last report on the sector pointed out that it consists of regulated and unregulated areas across the globe, making it hard to come up with a realistic estimate.

In 2010 the American Gaming Association estimated total revenue in jurisdictions where gaming is legal was $30 billion. In an Irish context, the recent Indecon review of the racing industry estimated €1.7 billion was wagered online in the Republic last year. That is in a country that accounts for less than 1 per cent of the EU population.

Read More: Regulating online gaming could be a winner for Ireland - The Irish Times - Mon, Aug 13, 2012

With almost a billion users, a $100bn valuation and a Hollywood film to its name, Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook looked to have the world at its feet.

But, a disastrous stock market flotation, diminished growth in the US and the problem of turning mobile domination into a profitable business all mean the future for Facebook is little less bright -as what began in a Harvard dorm room tries to grow up and become a profitable business.

Facebook's most recent update to its 10-Q filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) states that growth in the US is down by 10 percent. To overcome this, Facebook needs to make some changes.

Read More: The Future of Facebook: Market Saturation, China, Mobile Revenue and Gambling - International Business Times UK

Her representative, Stephen Huvane, confirmed Sunday night that the actress is engaged to her boyfriend of more than a year, Justin Theroux. “Justin Theroux had an amazing birthday on Friday, receiving an extraordinary gift when his girlfriend, Jennifer Aniston, accepted his proposal of marriage,” said Theroux’s rep in a statement to People, which first reported the engagement.

Theroux, 41, and Aniston, 43, have known each other for years, but started dating more than a year ago after working on the comedy Wanderlust. Though that film disappeared quickly from movie theatres after its release earlier this year, the relationship clearly proved to have more staying power.

A panel of Maryland lawmakers on Monday lowered the amount of taxes that a casino in Anne Arundel County and a planned casino in Baltimore would have to pay under a measure to expand gambling and bring a new casino to the Washington area.



The legislation was approved Monday night by the House Ways and Means Committee.



The vote was 13-7.



The changes were made by the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Financial Resources, as the House began work on a bill passed by the Senate last week to allow table games such as blackjack at all casino sites and a new casino along the Potomac River in Prince George's County. Lawmakers are meeting as part of a special session on gambling issues.



The House amendments relate to extra money that the Maryland Live! casino in Anne Arundel and a planned casino in Baltimore would be able to keep in order to offset increased competition from a future Prince George's casino.



Under the Senate bill, the two casinos would have paid 5 percent less in state taxes. In the changes made by the House subcommittee, Maryland Live! would pay 8 percent less, and the Baltimore casino would pay 7 percent less.



Delegate Frank Turner, a Howard County Democrat who chairs the subcommittee, said the changes were made to better adjust to the increased competition.



"Remember now, this is going to be a very competitive market we have here now, not only inside the state, but outside the state, too," Turner said. "We want people to come to the state of Maryland."



In addition, Maryland Live!, which is the state's largest casino, would get an added tax advantage. If the casino takes over ownership of slot machines there, it would have its tax rate reduced by 8 percent more. In the Senate bill, larger casinos in the state would have received a 6 percent reduction for taking on the expense of owning the machines.



Maryland now has a 67 percent tax rate on slot machine proceeds, an unusually high amount. The gambling legislation before the General Assembly is resetting the tax rate to varying degrees based on competitive circumstances.



The committee meetings that were suppose to start early this afternoon were delayed as House leaders and Governor Martin O'Malley were meeting with lawmakers to try to get support for the bill.

Baltimore City Delegation Chairman Curt Anderson says the Senate bill is unacceptable to many members of the delegation, because the sixth casino would take business away from the Baltimore City casino.

Anderson also criticized all of the state senators from Baltimore City who voted for the bill on Friday.

"They were present, but were they awake," Anderson told WBAL News.

House Republicans are also criticizing the bill which they say is being drafted in secret. At least one Republican, who had boycotted the session showed up in Annapolis today.

Harford County Republican Glen Glass told WBAL News that he was concerned about a bill that is before another committee that addresses the liability dog owners for injuries caused by their dog.

Glass insists that the lack of a gambling bill is not an emergency justifying a special session.

According to the Maryland Constitution, any gambling expansion must be approved by voters.

Lawmakers are trying to get this bill to the Board of Elections this week. The board must finalize language for a November ballot question by next Monday.


Read More: House Panels Approve Changes To Gambling, Dog Liability Bills | Baltimore News | WBAL Radio 1090 AM

Loto-Quebec, one of the leading Canadian provincial lottery operators, will begin conducting its long-awaited online lottery ticket sales services later in August, the company recently announced.

From August 27, Quebec lottery players will be able to purchase a range of lottery products online by registering for a new account or using an existing one at Loto-Quebec's Espacejeux Website. This site already provides online gambling and sports betting to residents of Quebec.

Loto-Quebec and retailers paved the way for the introduction of online lottery sales not long ago, when they reached a fresh agreement which will see the retailers pick up a certain slice of the revenues from the Espacejeux-com online sales.

Read More: Loto-Quebec to Commence Online Lottery Ticket Sales - Industry Coverage - Onlinecasinoreports-com

In a modern world where small, handheld devices act as our portals to the rest of the universe, frequent cutting edge technological developments have almost become commonplace.

However, the one huge innovation that remains at the very core of the 21st century app boom is the ability to interact with other people around the globe through a huge variety of mobile applications.

The phone itself has almost regressed through progression. It was once a simple communication tool, then it evolved into a powerful multimedia entertainment centre.

Now, the emphasis has shifted back to communication, but the possibilities are far greater. Almost anything we choose can be shared online through ever-present social media buttons, and anybody at any time can partake in activities that were once so out of reach.

One such pursuit is casino gambling. The bright lights of Las Vegas have seduced millions of hopefuls over the past few decades, mostly due to the city's many famous casinos. However, for many of us the Sin City is just too far away, and local casinos aren't always the most appealing places to spend our hard-earned downtime.

Read More: How is technology changing the mobile phone casino market? - Tech Advertorial - Digital Spy

Today VonChurch, the leading global Digital Entertainment recruiting firm, announced the opening of a new division designed to recruit exclusively for the North American iGaming market. This group will be the first of its kind catering to iGaming in the North American market, a growing part of what is already a $35 billion market globally.

"There are big iGaming opportunities emerging in the free-to-play and social gaming spaces," said Alex Churchill, CEO of VonChurch. "Both are markets where traditional gambling companies are lagging behind and VonChurch is the only firm that understands the talent needs of the companies poised to capitalize on this trend."

Since the Department of Justice opened the way for states to pass online gambling legislation in December 2011, states like California, New Jersey and Nevada have been pushing to pass laws that allow online gambling. Combining the mechanics of social gaming – 68.7 million users in the United States—with the stakes of gambling, iGaming looks to make a huge impact on U.S. gaming.


Read More: IT News Online > - - VonChurch Announces North America's First Recruiting Operation for iGaming

Brad Pitt has apparently phoned Jennifer Aniston to congratulate her on her engagement.

Brad told his ex-wife he was happy to hear she has accepted Justin Theroux's marriage proposal. It has also been claimed he joked about being invited to the forthcoming nuptials.

"Brad gave Jen a quick call to say how pleased he was to hear that she was getting married," a source told British newspaper The Mirror. "He jokingly asked if he should 'save the date', and they both laughed, but told her in all seriousness that he was really happy for her and Justin.

"He wished her luck and told her he hopes they're very happy together."

Last week it was rumoured that Brad was set to marry his long-term partner Angelina Jolie at their home in France. Fresh speculation suggests the pair could tie the knot this Saturday.

During Brad's phone call with Jennifer, she was also happy to wish him well with his impending ceremony.

"Brad and Angelina are due to marry in the next few weeks and she wished him all the best for his wedding, too," the source added.

Brad and Jennifer married in 2000, before they divorced in 2005.

Read more: Brad Pitt 'congratulates Aniston on engagement' - News, Entertainment - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Sorry but i don't like to play with my mobile phone.