Ace In The Hole

Beware the one-arsed German belly dancer!

2007-03-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

A German belly dancer who checked into hospital to have her thighs trimmed ended up with just one butt cheek after the plastic surgeon hoovered out her right buttock, Ananova reports.

Julia "Cleopatra" Meyer, 38, of Munich, said of her liposuction ordeal at the Berlin Charité hospital: "I had been unhappy with my saddlebags, the fat stored in the outer thigh area. Because of the local anaesthesia I did not realise what he was doing. When I saw afterwards that half of my bum was missing I almost fainted. It had been completely sucked away."

Unsurprisingly, the matter ended in court, where Meyer was awarded £12,000 damages against the unnamed private plastic surgeon. The court heard her career is dead and the poor woman "does not even dare to go to a swimming pool because she is ashamed of the way she looks".

A consultant at the Berlin Charité hospital chipped in his expert opinion, describing the arse reduction as a "grave error in treatment".

The Register

Men: We’ve become the fat chick of society

2007-03-13T05:15:00.000-07:00

More and more it seems that women are being depicted as the intelligent, all-knowing beings, minorities are being portrayed as the wise and stylish ones, and average Joes are, well, the morons of the operation. What's going on?

This excellent insight is courtesy of Askmen.com

People picket everything. If someone kills a rat in a movie, members of PETA will be outside ready to bark. If a TV ad depicts a woman as helpless, feminists worldwide will gather and boycott the product the ad is endorsing. If any visible minority is stereotyped, you know that the relevant community will take issue. And don't even get me started on what happens if you crack a gay joke -- but all this raises a question: Who defends heterosexual men when they are depicted as hormonal rejects?

Burping, farting, ignorant, and virtually useless; that's how the average man is depicted nowadays. Why? Well, that's easy: Because these men won't raise Cain about it. Advertisers put their money on the men because they're pretty sure that a lawsuit won't follow; we just don't get offended. But should we?

More and more it seems that women are being depicted as the intelligent, all-knowing beings, minorities are being portrayed as the wise and stylish ones, and average Joes are, well, the morons of the operation. What's going on?

Feel the sting
Why is it acceptable for guys to be portrayed as though they can't fend for themselves and need a woman to point out how useless they are? After all, stereotypes do stem from somewhere, so maybe most guys are virtually useless in certain aspects of their lives and need women to come in and rescue them. Yeah, right.

Granted, men have been running the corporate world since the dawn of time, but in matters of pop culture, guys are never depicted in the most glamorous fashion. In every TV commercial I see nowadays, men are controlled by either their cars, their hormones, their need for a brewski, their appetites or all of the above. Do we really have no depth to speak of? Oh wait, big breasts, 12 o'clock... I'm kidding.

Everywhere I turn, men are being belittled and no one is saying a word about it. Maybe we should start protesting every time a woman in a movie says that "all men are pigs" or that "men always think with the wrong head..." Those things just aren't true. But instead of tripping out, we just shrug our shoulders and move on. Well, I'm taking a stand, damn it.

As long as men aren't willing to draw up picket signs that say "Men aren't swine!" and walk in circles in front of movie debuts and corporate buildings, mass media will continue to portray us as though we're Neanderthals. To be clear, anyone can make fun of us because there's no harm in doing so.

You're so insensitive
There are commercials that show women fantasizing about their perfect man, when in reality they're boyfriends are fat couch potatoes. But let's say we turned the tables and showed a commercial where there was a fat woman whose boyfriend was imagining that she was perfect? Man, I could just imagine the drama. It would be the hot topic on Entertainment Tonight and you'd have Rosie O'Donnell speaking out about the injustices against big women.

Would fat guys start tripping on a company because they depicted them as undesirable? No, they face the facts and don't cry out to anyone who will give them airtime. They suck in their guts (as best they can) and take it on the chins. Why? Because they're men -- they're not going to get all "girlie" about it.

It seems that the media has to walk on eggshells when it comes to hurting women's feelings, taking a stab at a gay guy or worse, mimicking stereotypes regarding any minority. But when it comes to men, hey, that's fair play -- take your best shot, it's a free-for-all.

oh my god, that's me
So perhaps I'm contradicting myself right now considering that I'm complaining about the way men are depicted through the media, but perhaps I can open a door that will either make the media more sensitive toward men (which is not my intended goal) or rather, encourage everyone else that walks this planet to chill out and stop taking everything so damn personally (bingo!).

Yes, blond, surgically-enhanced women are typically represented as ditzy, but that's because they usually use their looks and not their brains to get what they want; homosexual men are portrayed as fashionable because the majority of them dress like stars; and members of the black community are shown rapping or playing basketball because they dominate those industries. There's no need to get all emotional about it.

Now that I've brought this issue to your attention, I'm sure you'll start watching TV, movies and advertisements differently. And although I recommend bringing it to people's attention, please don't gather up your buddies and have a bitch-fest in front of NBC. Then again, maybe we should start mocking all these "sensitive" people.

Askmen.com

Better to be the Bully in Poker

2007-03-12T06:38:00.000-07:00

Found this nice article on how to play aggressively to get ahead in online Texas Hold’em.

If you are an online poker player you will find out that aggression usually does well at the poker table. When you are playing Texas Holdem at online poker sites you must be prepared to bully and intimidate the poker table or you may find yourself on the other end of such tactics.

You must learn when playing online poker that intimidation is not being cocky, chatting away at the table, or being full of yourself. A true intimidator at a Texas holdem online poker table simply keeps his poker opponents constantly guessing by betting and constantly applying pressure. That is being a bully at the poker table and it usually works.

An online Texas Holdem poker player that is able to bully and intimidate his opponents into not playing their normal games will gain an immediate advantage and be an immediate force at the table. One of the most important things to remember when playing online Texas Holdem is that when a poker player is able to keep his opponents at the table guessing and unsure of themselves he is able to bully them around. He is dominating the minds of those players and will take their money.
Once you establish yourself at the online poker table as a bully you will get instant respect and you will find that opponents will bet their poker chips defensively and out of fear.

One thing to remember is that being a poker bully is different than a poker maniac. They may seem similar but they are not. A maniac will bet anything at anytime and make stupid decisions. The bully bets aggressively and intelligently. He doesn’t make bad decisions. Keep that foremost in your mind if you are looking at playing aggressive poker. It is one thing to bully the table and win chips, but quite another to just be a maniac and bet everything in sight. The bully will win chips in the long run. The maniac will eventually make a mistake and lose all of his chips as he runs into a bigger hand.

Intimidation is a big part of online poker. Some players are excellent poker bullies and know how to push a table around. It is a skill that can be learned. You can be the poker bully the next time you are playing online poker. Use intelligent aggression and don’t be afraid to exert your stack. Push the table around and win money. That is what online poker bullies do very successfully.

Source: Gambling911

Poker and Drugs – The Reality

2007-03-09T05:11:00.001-08:00

Here is something that isn’t addressed all that often. Of course it’s a reality that drug abuse happens in the poker world. But it’s an interesting take on why poker players take drugs, and when it becomes a problem...

Courtesy of Askmen.com

Long before the game became a celebrated primetime event, poker was considered a vice and frowned upon by moralists. It was a game reserved for wiseguys in smoke-filled back rooms, drinking hard liquor, their mouths were replete with expletives. Today, there are penalties for using the F-word, smoking is banned in most poker rooms and the game has been taken up by many upstanding citizens of both sexes.

However, there are still vices everywhere we look. Booze is served free of charge at most poker games or tournaments, and poker rooms are strategically placed near sportsbooks or at the back of casinos where players face the temptation to wager on a game of chance. The streets of Las Vegas are filled with people who will hand you pictures of busty ladies who offer all sorts of personal services. Buffets feature a decadent array of all-you-can-eat, high-carb, high-cholesterol meals. And finally, many poker players consume volumes of over-the-counter, prescription or illicit drugs.

I’m not here to preach or condemn; rather, I’m here to review the issue of substance use and abuse among poker players, why we find this phenomenon in the poker world, what agents are most often used, and how they may affect the play of poker players. I don’t want to paint the picture as a clear black-and-white issue. All drugs, from cocaine to aspirin, have certain therapeutic benefits, along with clear risks associated with their use, and all drugs have the potential to be abused. It’s the ratio of good versus bad that determines the safety of a drug.
why do poker players take drugs?

To answer that, we need only answer the question of why we play poker to begin with -- we get a thrill out of it. Most of us are thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. We all remember the thrill we felt when we dragged our first big pot, made our first big score in a poker game or made the final table in a major tournament. It’s intoxicating and, in and of itself, addictive for many of us. From there, we are hooked and we strive to experience that sensation again.

Drugs may help a player, but the consequences are heavy too

Increase adrenaline
Drugs like cocaine, crystal methamphetamine and other stimulants affect adrenaline function in the body. I have never personally taken cocaine or crystal meth, but I imagine it simulates many of the feelings that I experience when I have a win of over $10,000 in a tournament. However, most poker players aren’t fortunate enough to be able to go out and win a tournament. In fact, most tournament players are lucky to win anything over 10% in the tournaments they enter, which require hours and sometimes days of play. For many, the easy shortcut is to take a hit of a stimulant that can artificially reproduce these highs.

Enhance performance
People also take certain drugs to enhance performance. Some people get nervous and use alcohol to calm their nerves. It hides their fears when they are running a bluff with a marginal hand. When I won my first tournament, I started my day at the final table with a double shot of bourbon because I was feeling tense. It made me feel calm and composed, and I went from the smallest stack at the table to the winner. There is no question that I got lucky, but it also gave me the swagger I needed to bully the table when it got shorthanded. TJ Cloutier described Bill Smith, the 1985 World Champion, as the greatest player in the world when he was slightly drunk. However, TJ also said he was about the worst player in the world if he drank beyond a certain point. So there is a balance. Alcohol can temporarily enhance your play, but there is also the danger of going overboard and then diminishing your faculties.

Improve endurance
Poker players may also use substances to improve their endurance or maintain their energy. Caffeine is still the most widely used drug for this purpose. It’s perfectly legal and offered right there in the casino. And it’s no longer limited to coffee and sodas; it’s a key ingredient in many energy drinks. There are also herbal derivatives like ginseng that are making their way into the milieu of stimulants and that are designed to heighten awareness and energy. Other stimulants are also employed for a more profound effect. There are drugs like Adderal, Ritalin and Phentermine, which are prescription drugs for ADD and weight loss, and amphetamines/stimulants that are widely used to keep players awake at the table, even though they are prescribed primarily for other purposes. Finally, there are players who use cocaine and crystal meth not to get high, but as a stimulant to stay up for many hours, if not days, of play.

Relieve depression
Poker players have also been known to turn to drugs for depression. Playing poker is a vocation or hobby that is filled with peaks and valleys. The highs can be pure ecstasy, but the lows can be completely earth-shattering. If depression is treated with the guidance and supervision of a physician, the result can be a positive and stabilizing influence. However, a lot of poker players prefer to save their money for the tables and resort to self-medication. This is when it becomes most dangerous. Cocaine stimulates the opposite of depression, euphoria, which makes it a potent antidepressant. The problem with cocaine is that it is too potent and creates a great high, but leaves the user terribly depressed once it wears off. This cycle increases the demand for that stimulation and ultimately leads to addiction
when is drug use good or bad?

The issue of whether a drug is useful or dangerous comes down to a margin of error. There is very little risk of harm to someone who takes a Tylenol to relieve a headache, even though taking an entire bottle will kill him in about 24 hours. There is much less margin for error with cocaine use. Yes, there is an immediate performance-enhancing component to its use as it increases alertness and allows you to play for days. It may also cover your depression for a few hours, but I would never recommend it as treatment. If you use cocaine, you’re likely to become addicted, lose your good judgment and have an early heart attack. The long-term destruction of lives simply fails to justify a small chance for the short-term benefits.

Finally, I offer another warning: When players get into using stimulants, they are often faced with insomnia. So they will use sedatives to counteract the effects of the stimulants. In medicine, we call that “chasing your tail.” In my own practice of medicine, I do prescribe some stimulants for some patients and sedatives for others, but I try never to prescribe both types of drugs to the same patients, because it creates a dangerous cycle.

Askmen.com

Girl Gaming on the Rise

2007-03-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

More and more girls are getting into gaming.

Good thing or not? Good, because if your girlfriend plays with you, you’ll be allowed to play more without any nagging or whining. Bad, because then you won’t have any “shut down and do boy stuff” time alone any more.

Tough call……

According to research, two-thirds of all guys aged 18 to 34 have access to a video-game console in their home and three out of four boys aged 2 to 11 played on a video-game console for at least a minute during fourth quarter.

But so did half of all teenage girls, according to the latest figures from Nielsen's "State of the Console" report.

Multimedia use
"Seeing the amount of reach gaming has in teenage girls and women 18-34 is pretty impressive," said Nick Covey, marketing analytics and development manager at Nielsen Gameplay Metrics, and author of the report. "Part of that might represent the increasingly multimedia use [of the gaming console]." As a sign the gaming console is beginning to be seen as more of an entertainment hub, the report said more than half of console owners consider their DVD-equipped gaming system to be a DVD player.

The increase in women gamers may also be coming from the growth of Nintendo's Wii console, which wasn't addressed specifically in the survey but will be in a coming one. Added Jeff Herrmann, who heads Nielsen's new video-game-measurement service, "we've seen quite a number of Wiis enter the market, it's consistent with what you hear in the press." For now, Nielsen is just measuring general gaming-console use. Later this year it will begin reporting use by game title and platform.

Aging audience
The gaming audience appears to be growing older as well. The median age of a console gamer was 17 for that quarter, compared to 16 for the year-ago period and 15 in third quarter of 2004.

Read more

The weirdest deaths in history

2007-03-07T00:53:00.000-08:00

Feeling a bit morbid today, so was quite pleased to rediscover this article on the weirdest deaths in history.

I’m not sure which is better, going out with a bang or just slipping away unnoticed. But I guess it doesn’t really matter, since we don’t really get to choose…

Here it is:

Death is the only thing none of us can avoid, but every now and then someone goes out with a bang. A real one.

Throughout history, many unlucky individuals have – often not by choice – shuffled off this mortal coil in the most amusing of ways.

While countless have died heroically for country or cause, others have gone out in a less than honourable fashion, often making the history books for entirely the wrong reasons.

Here are some of the weirdest ways people have died throughout history. And rest assured, these sudden demises will make Elvis’s death on the porcelain throne look positively elegant by comparison.

Fatal hilarity
Next time you crack up in uncontrollable fits of laughter, take some time to consider poor old Chrysippus, a Greek stoic philosopher who spent his last few moments on earth racked by hysterics.

After feeding his donkey wine, he watched the drunken beast attempt to consume wild figs, and found this sight to be so hilarious, he laughed himself – literally – to death.

It’s called fatal hilarity, and there have been at least two recorded cases in history. Death is usually brought about by asphyxiation or heart failure. In some of the cases, the victims have laughed throughout the night, and late into the next day. Talk about a killer punch-line.

Peritonitis
Sometimes we put things in our mouths that we aren’t supposed to. And other times, we swallow these things. Basic rule of thumb – if it’s not food, don’t eat it.
Take Mr Sherwood Anderson, for example, who swallowed a toothpick at a dinner party in 1941. This fairly successful writer later developed a case of peritonitis and his life and career came to a grim and painful end.

Peritonitis is the inflammation of the serous membrane which lines the abdominal cavity, leading to infection, internal bleeding and a long and painful death. Mr Anderson, what have we learnt?

Blood poisoning
Greed has been said to be one of man’s greatest evils, and Mr Jack Daniels (yes, that Jack Daniels) learnt this lesson the hard way.

Mr Daniels’ rather embarrassing death is never shown on any of the patriotic advertisements, but rest assured if it were, there’d be a lot more ‘Walkers’ on the earth.

In 1911, Jack went up the proverbial hill and didn’t come back after kicking the living daylights out of his safe for which he couldn’t remember the combination (been swimming in the vats again, Jack?). He developed a rather juicy toe injury, and died of blood poisoning shortly afterwards.

Autoerotic asphyxiation
Many people would agree that dying during sex would be an excellent way to go – but what if it's while having sex with yourself? In 1994, the British Journalist and Conservative Party politician, Stephen Milligan, died as a result of autoerotic asphyxiation, or commonly known as ‘scarfing’.

This potentially fatal method of masturbation involves cutting off oxygen to the brain during the act, to experience heightened pleasure and a more intense orgasm. Death often occurs when the participant loses consciousness, and thus loses control over the strangling mechanism, which eventually kills them.

A freak accident
Every now and then, someone gets a really raw deal. Like Isadora Duncan for example, who some have dubbed the ‘Mother of Modern Dance’.

This talented young woman died in a freak accident in Nice, France, in 1926. She was known to wear long, flowing scarves that would often be seen fluttering behind her in the wind, but this time, the fluttering became fatal.

That day, her friend picked her up in his open-roofed car, and as they sped off, her scarf became lodged in the open spoke wheel of the vehicle, and wrapped itself around the axle. Isadora was yanked from her seat, and dragged for several metres behind the car before the driver realised what had happened. She died instantly from a broken neck.

Self-induced cannibalistic masochism
Inviting a friend over for dinner is one thing, but turning that same friend into the main course is a completely different sack of potatoes, especially when said friend enjoys the meal too.

Such was the case with Bernd-Jurgen Brandes, who posted an internet advertisement in 2001 stating that he was looking for someone with whom to eat his penis with, and then for that person to eat him.

Armin Meiwes eagerly replied to this ad, and they got together. For starters, they both dined on Brandes’s now severed penis, after which Meiwes killed Brandes by stabbing him several times in the neck, and then ate him. Gravy, anyone?

Death by computer games
Computer games have evolved dramatically since the days of the octopus-chomping Pacman. In fact, it is now possible for anyone to create a virtual character online, and interact with millions of other ‘people’ from around the world.

Throw in a couple of dragons, a massive sword and quest or two, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Just ask Lee Seung Seop of Korea, who is no longer with us.

This 28-year-old man died of dehydration and heart failure after a 50-hour straight session of World of Warcraft, a massive multiplayer online role-playing game. Throughout this period, he had very little water and practically no food, and eventually collapsed from exhaustion, dying shortly afterwards.

An online funeral was held for him, where more than 2000 players gathered at a memorial site, and observed a minute of virtual silence. There’s nothing more to say here.

Spontaneous human combustion
Everyone knows the story about the little old granny who somehow suddenly disintegrated into ashes on her rocking chair. And although there have been recorded cases, SHC still remains an unsubstantiated scientific hypothesis.

In 1951, Mary Hardy Reeser, aka ‘The Cinder Lady’, was reduced to nothing more than a smouldering pile of ash in her living room. All that remained of this unfortunate pensioner was her left foot (with slipper still attached), and her skull (which had apparently shrunk).

The most popular explanation for SHC is known as the ‘wick effect’, which states that once the body catches on fire, it has enough fat and combustible solids to be completely incinerated. In Mary’s case, it is believed that she passed out having taken sleeping pills – at the time she was smoking, set her blanket on fire, and eventually ignited herself.

Experiments have shown that a body can burn in this way for up to seven hours. Strangely, these fires are often so centralised that the surrounding furniture is hardly damaged by the flames. Ashes to ashes, huh?

The end is nigh
Although any of these freakish endings could happen to you, the chances are slim. Many of us will go out with little fuss, so no need to get paranoid about the end. Besides, it’ll be a difficult task indeed to top any of these deadly finales.

source

PartyPoker Pulls Out of France: Fears Norway, Netherlands as Well

2007-03-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

The climate in Scandinavia and the Netherlands is not good right now for online poker. And France is definitely not good. While PartyPoker considers limited advertising exposure in the aforementioned countries, they were forced to pull out of France entirely this past week.

Mitch Garber, CEO of PartyPoker, decided the regulatory environment in France right now is way too unstable.

French authorities have called a number of Garber's colleagues in for interviews about the legality of their marketing operations in France, most notably the spam-heavy 888.com.

Amid the uncertainty, an unidentified PartyGaming shareholder sold 123m shares on Monday - four days after the company told its marketing affiliates it was closing to French business overnight.

A message on PartyGaming's official affiliate web page said: "With effect from 23 February 2007, PartyGaming will no longer accept wagers from customers based in France. Customers resident in France or accessing our servers from France will no longer be able to access our real money gaming services ... They will be able to cash out their present balances if they wish."

PartyPoker was forced to leave the US market last October following the passage of a law that would make banking with online poker rooms difficult, though not impossible.

But unlike the US market, which represented approximately 80% of PartyPoker's business, Garber insisted that France was no more than 2%.

Despite leaving the US, PartyPoker has remained the second largest online poker site in the world, a testament to its growth over the past five years.

Gambling911.com

Your own private MySpace – in less than 10 minutes

2007-03-01T03:39:00.000-08:00

San Francisco - A new internet company backed by Netscape Communications co-founder Marc Andreessen launched a free service that enables people to make their own social-networking websites.

After a brief shutdown to fix a glitch caused by "burning the midnight oil," Ning.com began letting people use simple online tools to create their own websites in the spirit of Internet superstars MySpace or Facebook.

"Ning gives everyone the opportunity to create their own social network for anything," company chief executive Gina Bianchini said while demonstrating the streamlined website-building process in an online video.

Using templates and a guided step-by-step process, Bianchini designed a social networking website featuring pictures, video, e-mail and weblogs in less than ten minutes.

"All the social networks on Ning are internationalised and can be easily localised in any language," Bianchini said.

Advertising can be personalised
Creators can make websites public or members-only.

The service is free, but Ning reserves the right to post ads on people's websites.
"If you want to buy that right from us, you can," Bianchini said. "It's $19.99 a month to run your own ads."

Website creators could also pay premiums for personalised domain names or to increase available storage and bandwidth.

Ning chief technology officer Andreessen predicted that millions of social websites would blossom as people tailored online communities to church groups, sports, hobbies, films, games and other interests.

Ning said that users registered from 176 countries and more than 30 000 customised websites were built during a test period that preceded the formal launch.

Source: AFP

How Does It Feel? A 5-Bottle Vodka Hangover

2007-02-27T23:47:00.000-08:00

Doctors in Belarus have treated a man who was more than 22 times over the drink driving limit.

Yuri Kherkov, 29, was found unconscious outside a pub in the town of Buda-Koshlevo after drinking the equivalent of five bottles of vodka.

He was taken to hospital where tests revealed he had 1170 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood - more than twice the limit at which doctors say a person would normally die.

A doctor who treated him said: "He was unconscious for two days and when he woke up had a huge headache.

"But the level this man had in him was what we would expect after he had drunk five bottles of vodka, one straight after the other. I am amazed he is still alive and seems to have made a full recovery."

Ananova

Man Loses Mind, Daughter in Poker Game

2007-02-27T05:56:00.000-08:00

Fifteen years ago, a Pakistani man racked up a poker debt to his opponent of about 10,000 rupees (about $151).

Unable to pay the debt, the man told his friend he could ‘have his daughter’ when she grew up. The father is deceased, but the opponent is very much alive, and has now shown up to collect.

The opponent, whose name is Lal Haider, wants the 17 year old girl, named Rasheeda, to marry her off to his son.

While the issue is not resolved, a tribal policeman has come out and said that they will not ‘make the girl do anything against her will’.

Pokernews.com

Online Poker Cheat Software takes centre stage

2007-02-23T06:07:00.000-08:00

According to the makers of PokerRNG v4.0, you can view upcoming cards, your opponent’s pocket cards, upcoming community suits and more, while you make $2,397 every single day at poker.

AND they claim it’s all 100% legal.

Yeah right. I have a major problem with players trying to cheat the system instead of just learning and earning their way up the ranks. Sure, we’d all like to earn as much money playing online, but that’s just the point. Earn it. Not buy it.

Granted, if it does all it claims to be able to do, then it’s an amazing piece of software. Here’s a list of the purported features:

See opponents’ Pocket Cards
View Community Cards Pre-Flop
View Dominant suit pre-flop
99.9% accurate guaranteed
Use of virtually all poker rooms
Instant download – up and running in seconds
Live advice tells you to bet, fold, raise, etc.
Hole card evaluator provides hole card advice
Tracks statistics for total wins, losses etc.
Generate profile hand report histories
Unlimited profiles allows use with multiple sites
100% legal to use and own guaranteed
Free software upgrades for life
24 hour dedicated email support
Easy to use for beginners

Impressive and Immoral. Make your choice.

Source

Online Poker: Doyles Room Bails Out of US

2007-02-20T06:04:00.000-08:00

Doyles Room has confirmed that they will no longer be taking on US customers.

According to Gambling911.com there is already an interruption in service for US customers at this time following Doyles Room's poker network and software provider's decision to block all US customer IPs.

Source

Sex in fast lane halts traffic on Israeli road

2007-02-19T05:19:00.000-08:00

JERUSALEM - Israeli police investigating why a car was blocking traffic in the fast lane of a major highway on Sunday found a couple inside having sex.

A police spokesman said the female driver and her male passenger gave in to their passions without pulling over to the side of the road, causing congestion and leaving other motorists having to swerve to dodge their stationary vehicle.

A patrolman gave the woman a ticket for holding up traffic.

Reuters

The Urinals Are Talking to Me

2007-02-14T04:25:00.000-08:00

Bars in New Mexico install talking urinals with anti-drunk-driving messages. I’m not sure how I’d react if I had to come across it in a half-pissed state.

Here’s one guy’s take on it.

The Urinals Are Talking to Me

Another Saturday night, and you and your buddies have been drinking and playing pool in your local New Mexico bar. You go to the men’s room, but you’ve barely unzipped your pants before the urinal starts talking to you.

In a women’s voice.

The urinal says, “Hey there, big guy.” (Let’s be honest, it’s always nice to be addressed as a big guy when a talking urinal is checking out your package.) “Having a few drinks? Then listen up.”

That’s right, a company named Wizmark, is manufacturing an “interactive urinal communicator” as a means of advertising products and policies (like the “don’t drink and drive” message in New Mexico bars). The interactive part refers to the fact that the device will talk, sing or play sound effects either when someone is close enough to activate the system or, yes, pees on it.

Since women never drink (and only a few—most notably Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson—are known to follow the advice of talking toilets), Wizmark has concentrated solely on the lucrative urinal market at this point in time. As they put it, the communicator “effectively assures your ad will attract the attention of, and be read by, the ever elusive targeted male audience you are constantly aiming for.”

I don’t know, though. The drunk driving thing sounds pretty bizarre. If I was having a few beers with my friends and went to the restroom, being confronted by a female talking urinal would probably be enough to make me run out of the restroom screaming and send me straight to my car to escape.

And as for advertisements, I can’t think of a product in the world that I would want to purchase after peeing on it in a urinal in a men’s room in New Mexico.

Some things are just not meant to have voices. It’s too late to silence George W., but surely it’s not to late to make the bathrooms of our fine country free from talking urinal devices. Surely we can agree on that!

Point of view blog: Confessions of an Amateur Queer

Valentines Day ideas that won’t cost a fortune

2007-02-12T06:01:00.000-08:00

It’s time to fork out for gifts AGAIN. And December’s credit card bills aren’t allowing anything fancy.

You know that if you’re going to get ANY loving on Valentine’s you better make it count. Love it or hate it, you have to make at least an effort, or you’re in the dog box for many weeks to come.

So I’ve come across these ideas to “celebrate the ‘day of love’ in a meaningful way that won’t break you financially. “ It's cheesy, but it might just work!

Think of all the great sex coming your way!

1. Get creative when it comes to dinner.

Forget an expensive dinner at a restaurant. The service will be poor, the restaurant will be over full and you’ll be charged a fortune. Why not have a nice candlelit dinner at home? You could even get all dressed up for it. If you don’t have time to cook after work on Wednesday, order a special meal ahead of time and pick it up on your way home.

2. Enjoy a little ambiance.

If you both really want to go out on the town together, you could have coffee or a drink and dessert at an expensive café or restaurant or a dark, romantic bistro. This is a way to savor the atmosphere — and your date — without emptying your wallet.

3. Play hooky.

OK, do NOT follow this tip if your job or your partner’s job is hanging in the balance. But if you’ve racked up some vacation time, or if your employer allows you to take personal days from time to time, why not see if you can take the day off together on Wednesday? Depending on where you live, the two of you could stroll through a park, walk on a beach, go snow-shoeing, take a rowboat or paddleboat out on a lake, or catch a matinee movie. You also could drive to a small town near your home or through neighborhoods you’ve never visited before and search for small, out-of-the-way places to eat or find public parks and open spaces for walks.

4. See some live music.

Check to see whether a university or college in your area is offering any potentially enjoyable concerts on Feb. 14. Performances by the college music department would likely be free or cost a fraction of the price charged by professional orchestras and opera houses.

5. Seek out some silence.

Here’s a potential date idea if you’ve both been stressed out lately: You could wander through libraries and bookstores with coffee shops that encourage browsing. Rediscover passages you love from your favorite books, and enjoy the quiet. (Cautionary note: Be careful not to go nuts buying $25 paperbacks! That could defeat the whole purpose of this tip!)

6. Have low-cost fun with food on Feb. 14.

You can pull out the cookie cutters and make heart-shaped cookies and even cut your lunch sandwiches into hearts. You also can make heart-shaped cupcakes by placing a marble inside each muffin tin on the outside of the paper cupcake cup.

7. Give thoughtful gifts.

Most people stick to the same general gift themes on Valentine’s Day: flowers, chocolates, cards, maybe a piece of jewelry. Can you think of something different that might mean a whole lot more — and maybe even cost a whole lot less? What about making your own gifts? Such gifts could include cakes, cookies or gift certificates for your services. The gift certificate idea might be just the ticket for you if you’re short on cash but high on love this Valentine’s Day. You could offer to run errands for your loved one, make a nice dinner, clean the house, repair the car or give a massage.

How far are you prepared to go??

Source

Ode to Anna Nicole

2007-02-09T05:25:00.000-08:00

Anna Nicole I’ll miss your breasts
They were above all the bests
Although you were not the brightest star in the sky
I’ll miss your curves – why did you have to die??

The upside of the tragedy is that we can all look forward to lots of Anna Nicole expose’s and ‘Best of Anna Nicole” soft porn documentaries.

Forget hard work - women would rather flirt their way to the top

2007-02-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

It’s been confirmed. Something that men all over the world have suspected for a very long time.

The majority of working women would rather have a male boss and flirt their way to the top.

Despite the fact that women often complain of inequality in the workplace, new research reveals that women will don high heels and rely on their feminine charms to get what they want.

Too much assertiveness can ruin the sauce

Rather than combining strength with fellow female workers, they in fact see other women as the main competition.

As a result three out of five women would rather work directly for a man than a woman while a further 86 per cent would happily flirt with a male colleague if it meant they got their own way.

The survey, commissioned by magazine Harper's Bazaar, questioned 500 professional women with top jobs in finance, newspapers and healthcare about their attitudes to their office environments.

It found that while women continue to reach high-powered positions in the workplace, they are still prone to indulging in what could be described as typically female behaviour.

Crying in the loos was a common confession with 85 per cent of women admitting that they had locked themselves in the office toilet for a quick weep.

Despite striving for equality at work a third of women admitted to pretending to be less intelligent than they actually are to flatter a male ego and get ahead.

Seven out of ten women said that simply by wearing a pair of high heels to work they automatically felt more powerful and confident in their ability to deal with the working day.

Although only 58 per cent of women thought there was gender equality in the office, one in 25 admitted to selling out a female colleague for their own career gains.

Nearly 70 per cent confessed that they would secretly revel in seeing another colleague fail while one in five have taken the credit for someone else's work.

According to the research there is conflict between mothers and childless women in the workplace.

More than half of women thought that women with children held more power in the office to the disadvantage of those without.

Although many women may prefer working with and for men they still find themselves excluded from typical networking opportunities.

While 70 per cent of women thought that socialising outside office hours brought them more influence at work two in five women had not been invited to traditional male bonding activities such as a round of golf or a game of poker.

Source

YouTube told to remove clips

2007-02-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

New York - Viacom has demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 video clips after they failed to reach a distribution agreement.

Viacom said it sent a notice to YouTube asking the popular video-sharing site to remove clips from Viacom-owned properties including MTV Networks and BET.
The media company said its pirated programmes on YouTube have generated about 1.2 billion video streams, based on a study by an outside consultant.

A YouTube spokesperson said it would comply with the request and added, "It's unfortunate that Viacom will no longer be able to benefit from YouTube's passionate audience, which has helped to promote many of Viacom's shows." The company has historically removed clips at the request of copyright owners within hours.
"Filtering tools promised repeatedly by YouTube and Google have not been put in place, and they continue to host and stream vast amounts of unauthorised video," Viacom said in a statement.

Viacom's move also runs counter to the strategies employed by other media companies, such as the Warner Music Group, Vivendi-owned Universal Music Group, and General Electric controlled NBC Universal, which have all landed deals with YouTube to test the service.

Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt told analysts on Wednesday YouTube was in "various stages" of introducing technology, such a digital "fingerprinting", to identify copyrighted material.

"That is an area of big research in the computer science community and also a significant investment here at Google," Schmidt said after Google's quarterly results.

Source: Reuters

Bookies Flee Costa Rica after report

2007-02-01T07:13:00.001-08:00

Online bookies are reportedly running scared all over the show following a cryptic message that appeared on the eGaming Review Magazine. The publication unraveled already frayed nerves by suggesting that the US Department of Justice would not apprehend more internet gambling operators, perhaps even turning the tourist playground of Costa Rica into Club Fed.

The latest rumor going around Bookie Central is that some four dozen FBI agents have descended upon the Central American hamlet and plan on rounding up about two dozen rogue bookmakers (two agents for every rogue). Costa Rica will cooperate, according to these rumors, because of a $200 million US loan that has been forgiven.

The rumor further goes that the plane with the FBI agents on was half full on the way to Costa Rica, but that they have booked a full plane for the trip back home…

Source: Gambling911

Shrek roped in to help kids fight obesity

2007-01-31T06:41:00.000-08:00

Poor Shrek.

It’s not enough to be ridiculed for being green and an ogre. Now he’s being used in a campaign to fight children's obesity.

The DreamWorks Animation's green ogre -- whose promotional efforts for a sugary General Mills cereal named in his honor were pummeled by a U.S. senator ("We got rid of Joe Camel. We've got to get rid of Shrek," Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin once said) -- is becoming a spokesman for good health.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council are expected to announce that Shrek will be a featured addition to their Small Step obesity-prevention campaign, which encourages children and families to lead healthy lifestyles.

The switch comes as McDonald's and Mars ready promotions tied to the May release of "Shrek 3." Mars will offer a Snickers candy bar featuring green "Shrek filling" and "ogre-sized" peanut-butter M&M's. McDonald's in July 2005 announced a two-year marketing and promotional relationship with DreamWorks that begins with the new movie. McDonald's has said it will use Shrek to promote more-healthful offerings such as Apple Dippers.

Growing controversy over the marketing of unhealthful food products to children prompted the Walt Disney Co. in October to announce it would rein in its licensing efforts, including those of DreamWorks rival Pixar.

Disney unveiled new licensing guidelines that limit most of its characters to foods low in total fat, saturated fat and sugar. Disney also moved to make fast food in its parks more healthful.

Advertising Age

Bodog boots out WSOP champion

2007-01-26T05:21:00.000-08:00

In a strange turn of events, Bodog has terminated the membership of WSOP 2006 winner, Jamie Gold.

Bodog.com entered into a deal with Gold before the WSOP in 2006 to sponsor him for the Main Event. After he went on to win it, the online poker room also signed him on as a full member of Team Bodog.

As of today he is no longer a member. Bodog.com released this statement about the matter:
"In light of our decision to cease all offline marketing initiatives in the U.S., and instead refocus our efforts on growing our entertainment brand in Europe and Asia, Bodog has ended our business relationship with Jamie Gold. Bodog has enjoyed its association with Mr. Gold and wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors."

However, Bodog.com is continuing to sponsor pro players Josh Arieh, David Williams, and Evelyn Ng who all also reside in the United States.

Gold is the first of the last five winners of the WSOP Main Event to not have a sponsorship from an online poker site.

Jacknoir.com

Google and Yahoo bend over and take it from the US Department

2007-01-25T02:29:00.000-08:00

Google has decided to bend over and take it from the “greatness” that is the US Justice Department by imposing a global ban on casino ads.

This follows a warning by the department to Google and Yahoo for allowing online casino advertisements and promoting gambling indirectly to an underage audience through advertising pop-ups.

Yahoo is applying this to the US only, while Google plans to extend the ban globally. Mmm… Those Google employees are probably too shit scared of losing their cushy, benefits-overdosed jobs.

US online gambling site owners will probably all be found one day – hiding out and having a smoke with Bin Laden.

Anyway,

read more

Online Poker Inches Closer to Exemption From Gambling Law

2007-01-24T06:22:00.000-08:00

According to the Poker Players Alliance, they are very close to introducing a bill to Congress that would ultimately have online poker exempt from recently passed legislation.

According to the President of the PPA, Michael Bolcherek, he’s spent a good portion of January in Washington, D.C., meeting with lawmakers and others to get support for legislation that would provide a “skill game” exemption for poker.

He hopes to have a bill introduced very soon and then bring to bear the voice of more than 135,000 members of the PPA to push Congress to do the right thing and accept the bill.

He further said that while they are working toward the short-term goal of a poker exemption, the PPA will also be laying the foundation for the eventual U.S. regulation of online poker.

Read the whole statement

U.S. Internet gambling deposit options shrinking

2007-01-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

While Click2Pay is still allowing existing customers to conduct business as usual with Internet gambling sites, as of last Friday, they are reportedly no longer opening new accounts for U.S. customers.

Online Casino City reports that Click2Pay would not comment on whether it would change its policy or if it has a timeline in which to do so.

Wii good for health - Man loses weight playing Wii Sports

2007-01-22T06:13:00.000-08:00

A North American man has found the ultimate answer to: “You’re always playing on that stupid machine and never spend time with me!”.

He claims that Nintendo’s Wii games help you lose weight. 25-year old Mickey DeLorenzo claims he played Wii Sports for 30 minutes each day for six weeks. He ate and drank as normal during the test.

Indeed, his lifestyle remained unchanged from the period before the experiment. The only modification was the addition of the 30-minute gaming session.

The results: DeLorenzo claims his weight fell from 181lbs (82kg) to 172lbs (78kg), and his Body Mass Index (BMI) fell from 25.2 to 24.0. With the aid of a fitness specialist, he measured a two per cent body-fat loss over the period.

So there you have it. Finally there’s proof - Gaming is good for you!

Read it

InstaDebit follows NETeller out of US

2007-01-19T04:17:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it that InstaDebit has ceased ALL US transactions. This applies to Money-In and Money-Out. Money Transfer will be pulled globally.

The reason for this is reportedly because Money Transfer transactions are initiated on Western Union.com and there is no control over who sees it. In order to prevent US customers using it, it will reportedly be pulled from all gambling sites immediately.

This follows in the footsteps of NETeller and Citadel who earlier withdrew from the US market.

Neteller, Citadel Shut Down Internet Gambling Transfer Service

2007-01-18T01:02:00.000-08:00

Neteller has withdrawn from the US market, effective immediately.

In a statement it said:

"Due to recent US legislative changes and events, effective immediately, US members are no longer able to transfer funds to or from any online gambling sites.

All US members will continue to be able to use their NETELLER e-wallet account to safely transfer funds to and from non-gambling merchants and are not required to close their account or withdraw their funds."

Earlier, Citadel announced that it has shut down Financial processing for non-domestic internet gaming merchants for USA consumers.

Meanwhile, Gambling911 reports that with the announcement that NETeller will be leaving the US market for good, a number of online poker rooms have been left with their pants down.

Gambling911 says that over the past few years many online poker rooms and gambling sites in general have become increasingly dependent on third party payment processor, NETeller.

For Full Tilt Poker that dependency was somewhere around 75% according to records obtained by Gambling911.com. The number three online poker site was in danger of losing out to other poker venues less reliant on NETeller.

For the largest poker site, PokerStars, the dependency on NETeller was quite a bit less, hovering around 60%, though the site is double the size of Full Tilt. On Wednesday, PokerStars had 2 1/2 times the amount of real cash players than Full Tilt.

Source: Gambling911

Former Neteller Execs Charged With Money Laundering

2007-01-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

Former Neteller directors Stephen Lawrence and John Lefebvre have been charged with conspiracy and money laundering in connection with illegal gambling.

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Garcia says in a prepared statement that Lefebvre and Lawrence were charged in connection with the creation and operation of an Internet payment services company that facilitated the transfer of billions of dollars in illegal gambling proceeds from U.S. citizens to the owners of overseas Internet gambling companies.

The two men, who are also major shareholders in the company owning as much as 35 percent in outstanding shares, were arrested on Monday while traveling separately.

The complaint cites Neteller's 2005 annual report, alleging that Lawrence and Lefebvre enabled the company to provide payment services to more than 80 percent of worldwide gaming merchants.

Further, the complaint says that Neteller in 2005 alone processed more than $7.3 billion in financial transactions, 95 percent of which was derived from money transfers involving Internet gambling.

Lawrence and Lefebvre could face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted.

Source: Interactive gaming news

NETeller Founders Arrested at Their Homes

2007-01-16T00:15:00.000-08:00

More information is slowly surfacing regarding the arrests of two NETeller founders. The company is the biggest third party money processing company catering to the online gambling industry.

John LeFevre, founder of NETeller, was reportedly taken into custody at his Malibu home during the early morning hours yesterday, Monday January 15.

LeFevre started the hugely successful company with Steve Lawrence in 1999 but retired in 2002 in Costa Rica. Steve Lawrence served as Chairman of Neteller until October 13, 2005.

According to Gambling911.com, both founders have houses in the USA, which is why they spend a great deal of time there.

Meanwhile, online gamblers who have become dependent on NETeller, fear for the worst. NETeller was one of the few publicly traded internet gambling related firms to continue doing business with US citizens.

Source: Gambling911.com

Sergeant in trouble for Playboy spread and a 'Porn MySpace'

2007-01-12T05:35:00.000-08:00

SAN ANTONIO - An Air Force staff sergeant who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been relieved of her duties while the military investigates.

In February's issue, hitting newsstands this week, Michelle Manhart is photographed in uniform yelling and holding weapons under the headline "Tough Love." The following pages show her partially clothed, wearing her dog tags while working out, as well as completely nude.

"This staff sergeant's alleged action does not meet the high standards we expect of our airmen, nor does it comply with the Air Force's core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do," Oscar Balladares, spokesman for Lackland Air Force Base, said in a statement.

Manhart told Playboy that she considers herself as standing up for her rights.
"Of what I did, nothing is wrong, so I didn't anticipate anything, of course," Manhart, 30, told The Associated Press. "I didn't do anything wrong, so I didn't think it would be a major issue."

Manhart, who is married with two children, joined the Air Force in 1994, spending time in Kuwait in 2002. She trains airmen at Lackland

And talking about x-rated

'Xpeeps is a porn MySpace'

Las Vegas - Porn makers at the world's largest sex trade show in Las Vegas were taking a page from internet superstars such as YouTube by tapping into the power of social networking.

Fresh young start-ups at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo weren't just saucy women in scanty outfits; they were fledgling internet companies putting erotic spins on YouTube, MySpace and reality television show websites.

A pornographic version of MySpace called xpeeps.com went online in a beta test format eight months ago, said spokesperson Daniel Fairchild.

It has proven a success and the finished version will go live this week, he said.
Like its mainstream role model, xpeeps has chat rooms, forums and even job listings for people with adult entertainment in mind, said Fairchild.

"Xpeeps is a porn MySpace," Fairchild told AFP.

"Take out the drama; take out the children and add sex and you have xpeeps. It's cool for adults, obviously."

The website is an online community for porn industry professionals, amateurs, and fans.

'We opened it up'
The North Carolina company also launched a "porn version of YouTube" called PornoTube six months ago, said Fairchild.

PornoTube has rocketed into the top 20 websites when it comes to the number of online visitors, according to statistics from industry research firm Alexis.
"YouTube turned off anything naked," said Fairchild. "We opened it up."

Relaxx Entertainment recruited young women from MySpace to be in a "MySpace Invaders" interactive porn CD that also links viewers to the performers' pages on the popular social website.

"We invaded MySpace to do it, thus the title," said Tom Ashley of two-year-old Relaxx.

"It took a while for the girls to think it was real. They get this kind of stuff all the time."

The 20 women in the video were paid from $150 to $500, depending on what they did on camera, said Ashley.

The CD will be sold internationally via the internet beginning in two weeks, he added.

A trio of estate agents turned online reality porn entrepreneurs founded the company Wink and got their website going just two days before the start of the expo.
Cashing in on exploding market

"The property market went soft so we went for something hard," said Wink co-founder Brian Kavanagh.

"It's a site where girls troll around, pick up guys, throw them on a bed and take care of business."

The men and women pictured in the streaming video are people who were found on the internet and hired by Wink for performances, said a co-founder who went by the name "Mr N."

"We try for an amateur reality kind of thing," Mr N told AFP.

Wink charges a monthly subscription and was expanding into selling "porn clothes for porn people" online, said Kavanagh.

Shirtless men with chiselled frames encouraged promised attendees that scintillating male action video was streamed in broadband glory at www.NakedSword.com.

MovieMonster and U-Rent were among the array of websites peddling online sales or rentals of adult videos, and a service that mailed people porn-movie DVDs rented online dubbed itself "the NetFlix of porn".

PPV Networks used the opening day of the expo to unveil a new platform for pay-per-view video-on-demand (VOD) websites to cash in on the exploding market.

"The trend is to online distribution and VOD," said a representative from adult VOD website firm Yappo.com. "The brick-and-mortar stores are out of it."

Source: AFP

Cisco sues Apple over iPhone name

2007-01-11T03:35:00.000-08:00

AFP reports that US computer network giant Cisco has announced that it has sued Apple Inc. to stop it from naming its versatile new cellphone iPhone. According to them, it has owned the trademark for several years.

Cisco's announcement came a day after Apple chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone with great fanfare, calling it a "revolutionary product" that can also be used to listen to music, browse the Internet and take pictures.

Cisco said in a statement it had obtained the trademark in 2000 after acquiring Infogear, which owned the iPhone name and had been selling products bearing that name for "several years."

"Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco's iPhone name," Mark Chandler, senior vice president and general counsel at Cisco, said in a statement.

"There is no doubt that Apple's new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission," he said.

The lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to prevent Apple from "infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco's registered iPhone trademark," Cisco said in a statement.

"With its lawsuit, Cisco is seeking injunctive relief to prevent Apple from copying Cisco's iPhone trademark," the company said.

The next best thing…Apple iPhone

2007-01-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

If it’s a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching, combined into one small and lightweight handheld device you want – look no further.

And there’s still time to save up…!

Check it out

The Simpsons New Year’s Resolutions

2007-01-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

For those of you who (like me) don't really believe in New Year's resolutions, here are some very wise ones from the Simpsons cast.

Oh wait...

I DID make some resolutions... It goes something like: Worry less, play more poker, win more money and drink more beer.

Words to live by!

Click to enlarge

The Price of using Credit Cards to gamble online

2007-01-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

HSBC Raises Card Fees for Online Gambling Transactions

Online gamblers possessing an HSBC credit card will soon feel the full force of the bank’s planned increase in card fees across all online and telephone gambling, to bring it in line with its financial service competitors.

From 1 February HSBC customers will be charged the cash advance rate rather than the normal purchase rate, meaning that they will immediately pay interest at between 21.9 percent and 27.8 percent instead of between 15.9 percent and 22.9 percent.

However, customers will not be charged a one-off fee, which is applied to other cash transactions such as buying foreign currency.

'This is one of a number of changes we have made to our credit card offering recently to bring us in line with the competition,' an HSBC spokeswoman said.

There is currently no uniform policy on charging for gambling across the UK credit card industry, with providers such as Barclaycard and Lloyds charging such spending at their lower purchase rates, whilst MBNA (Bank of America) and RBS/NatWest and Egg charge at the cash advance rate.

In 2004, the US bank Citibank decided to stop processing any internet gambling payments at all by UK holders of its credit cards.

One potential loophole in HSBC's strategy is that any payments channelled via the online payment service Paypal will be charged as a retail purchase, attracting a lower rate of interest.

HSBC said neither it nor any other banks could tell what the ultimate destination of a Paypal transaction money might be.

Source: IGaming Business

111 Wussiest songs of all time

2007-01-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

What the big boys cry to when no-one's looking...

Read it and weep

An Ace of a Festive Season

2007-01-02T00:46:00.000-08:00

Spent the Festive Season brushing up on my poker skills again. So not so much mistletoe and wine as pairs, straights and flushes...

But the Season treated me well and I ended over 2 grand up after playing in some online tournaments at my online haunt of choice, the Gaming club poker room (go check it out if you feel like playing).

I've said this before, but playing online really improves your game, and the fact that it's so easily accessible also helps!

New Year's Resolution: Play as much poker as possible online, and maybe earn an entry into the World Cup of Poker?

Wouldn't that rock...

Lessons From Mob Movies

2007-01-02T00:32:00.000-08:00

Almost every guy I know, at one time in his life, has been fascinated by the Mob and the way they take care of business. Nobody fucks with you if you’re part of The Family.

And that rocks.

Ya talkin’ ta me? Uncle Vinnie’ll feed you to the fishes, capisce?

So here’s a guy who seems to know a bit about The Mob and the way they still operate (or don’t).

It’s called: Lessons From Mob Movies, and it’s written by Mr. Mafioso

Ever been to the circus? Ever see a whole pile of clowns get inside a tiny little Volkswagen? Well, Hollywood is kind of like that, except that those clowns don't have red noses; they have cameras and no clue.

I get all sorts of e-mails from you guys asking me about Goodfellas and The Godfather. One guy says, "I love the part when Pesci shoots Spider in the foot over a drink," and then I don't even have to read what comes next. The guy writes: "Does that kind of stuff really happen, man?"

Of course, the guy hopes that I will respond as follows: "Oh yeah! We have guys shooting each other in the foot all the time. I once stabbed a guy for breaking wind at the dinner table. Boy, if I had a nickel for every time I..."

Come on guys, get serious. We don't shoot each other every few hours. We want to apply pressure to our customers, not gunshot wounds. I got news for you: These mob movies are entertaining and cinematically satisfying, kind of like a good cigar, but there are a few flaws in the logic, capisce? As much as the Hollywood babbos get wrong, though, here's a few of the things they got right.

Whack the boss and you’ll get whacked
In Goodfellas, Pesci kills a made guy and later gets killed for his insubordination.

That's right: Bosses bite back. Tommy whacks Batts, Tommy gets whacked. Gross insubordination rarely goes unpunished. I don't care what organization you're in; if you take out a top guy without it being sanctioned by the management, expect retribution. We love guys who break the rules, as long as it happened 30 years ago. As for those in the present who disrespect the status quo, just read a newspaper: The world hates them.

Keep a low profile
In The Untouchables, Capone thinks he has the world on a string, and Costner snips his fantasy.

You can't fight City Hall. Capone tried to run Chicago, and he almost did. But there's always a Dudley Do-Right growing up somewhere, some little bugger who had too much baseball and apple pie. I'm talking about Eliot Ness. Guys like him restore the world to a plausible degree of corruption. This happened in New York not that long ago, with guys like Rudy Giuliani taking down the Gotti boys. If you're a wiseguy, you have to stay under the radar and not attract the attention of chattering newsmen. The world appreciates a certain amount of underground; problems only arise when the underground starts peeking into the daylight. Unless the thugs expect a revolution, they need to check their ambition and be content to rule quietly.

Always be skeptical
Pacino backs out of a billion-dollar deal because it doesn't smell right.

Talk is cheap. Remember The Godfather? Sure you do -- your e-mails are testimony to that. When Michael Corleone goes to Cuba, he's about to enter a billion-dollar deal with a bunch of glad-handers who say, " Havana is it, baby, we're gonna be filthy rich." Michael is skeptical, and they say, "Hey, don't worry, it's all worked out. Have a drink!". A day later, the government falls to a young man named Castro. The lesson here? Get the information. Don't get sweet-talked without seeing every angle. Do your homework and don't let a room full of clever suits outweigh common sense.

You have no friends
In Miller's Crossing, Gabriel Byrne says very coldly to a friend, "Friendship's got nothing to do with it."

And he's right. In many adult situations, decisions have to transcend friendship; otherwise, you get bogged down in mediocrity. Good organizations rely less on friendship than on impartial rules of order. When the time comes for a promotion, there's a good chance you'll be pitted against a friend, and as you step on his head to climb the ladder, remember to say, "Sorry, pal, it's nothin' personal."

You can’t be Mr. Nice Guy
In Casino, De Niro compares two muffins, one with a lot of blueberries and one with very few. He calls the cook onto the carpet and says, "I want the same number of blueberries in every muffin." The cook argues, "Do you know how long that's going to take?" De Niro says, "I don't care."

Somebody's got to be the asshole. In Casino, De Niro plays an anal-retentive jerk who is obsessed with perfection in his work. He seems to go overboard, but unfortunately, running a tight ship requires a disciplinarian. Take a look at sports teams and classrooms or just go into a McDonald's; it's easy to tell where the management is working. In a perfect world, we'd have nice, soft conversations, and everyone would work hard for eight hours and go home to a family meal. The truth is, people shirk, they screw around, and they like to eat out. On a side note, it's good to have a complimentary manager to offset the "cruel" manager. Giving the underlings someone they can talk to will help morale. Nobody wants to be a doormat.

Never believe you’re invincible
In Road to Perdition, Tom Hanks is a mob enforcer on the run. Just when he thinks he's safe, he gets smoked.

What goes around comes around. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. That punk kid you roughed up way back when? He will remember you until the day he dies. There's a good example of this in Road to Perdition, when the enforcer gets a taste of his own lead medicine. Treachery never goes out of style. No matter how strong you feel, there is always someone stronger or someone who knows where the chink is in your armor. Domination never lasts forever, so it's best to keep that in mind when you have power and control. That's what they called the "wheel of fortune" before it became a game show. Things change, often much faster than you'd like.

Keep your home in order
In Goodfellas, Henry Hill goes off snorting coke with his mistress while his home falls to pieces.

If you live a secret life and expect to have an orderly homebody wife to put up with it and wait back at the ranch to serve your every need, then in addition to "in sickness and in health," you might as well add "crazy" to your wedding vows. It's one thing to stray -- as any man may do. It's another to outright neglect your responsibilities to your home.

You have to gain people’s trust
In Donnie Brasco, Pacino puts his trust in someone who seems like a stand-up guy, but is really a narc.

You are who you say you are. Trust is something that is earned, and usually the best liar is the most trusted person. That's why guys like Donnie Brasco can infiltrate their enemies. Think about it: How do you gain trust? Really, all you have to do is make a sequence of consistent appearances, and pretty soon people will start to believe you’re the real deal. How else would a politician get elected?
the streets ain’t hollywood.

Enjoy the movie, but never forget: It's a movie. Life on the street consists in a lot of rejections and hard knocks, but Hollywood likes to soup up the life, make a Cadillac out of a Chevy. I'd love it if I had as many pay days and naked babes as Tony Soprano. Come to think of it, maybe I should have been an actor.

Source

Bloggers attack fake Sony blog

2006-12-21T04:33:00.000-08:00

The blogging community is in outrage over the fake Sony blog, pretending to be set up by two teenagers wanting PSP’s for Christmas.

It shamelessly plugs the product and all the features, all the while trying to achieve a juvenile feel.

According to Cherryflava, Spoofers have now climbed all over the thing, and plan to work the Japanese gadget maker over for their poor judgment.

Check it out

How to Throw a Keg Party

2006-12-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

So you’re home for the holidays.

It’s the perfect time to start planning your first keg party of the new year!

Never attempted this daunting task? Don’t fear! Here’s all you need to know on

How to Throw a Keg Party

Click here!

How To: Cure A Hangover

2006-12-18T05:58:00.000-08:00

While other people are beating off old ladies in a xmas shopping frenzy, you’ve got your own problems to worry about….

A banging, splitting headache courtesy of those last 7 tequilas you downed even thought you knew you were going to pay the next morning.

In aid of this terrible time in any young person’s life, the kind people at Askmen.com have provided a guide.

How To: Cure A Hangover.

Before going to bed after drinking ad nauseam , there are ways for you to prevent the symptoms of a hangover, besides not drinking in the first place.

Quality h20

Drinking a lot of water before going to bed is an effective way of preventing the symptoms of dehydration experienced the morning after. Water before bed will also help wash out your system from the alcohol.
Drinking water between drinks is also a great way to prevent the ailing morning-after effects.

Crunch and munch

To help avoid a hangover, try to eat or snack before or while drinking.

Now if these suggestions didn't work or if you didn't follow these tips, here's how to handle the morning-after hangover:

Water

The symptoms you're feeling post-drinking are signs of dehydration caused by the alcohol. That's why you must rehydrate yourself by drinking a lot of water when you get up.

Rehydrating your body is the key to recovering from the hangover, and this cannot be stressed enough. You can even put some lemon in your water, it'll help soothe your stomach and will add vitamin C.

When drinking water, avoid water that is extremely cold or hot; drink water at room temperature.

coffee

Even though you're extremely tired and a cup of coffee seems like the best way to wake you up, try to stay away from it.

Caffeine will only dehydrate you more, and since it's also a diuretic, it will not help your stomach. Milk and other dairy products are also not a good idea; they may make you feel more queasy.

Ginger ale

If you don't want to drink water, try a glass of flat ginger ale, which helps soothe your stomach.

Juice

Juice is also a good idea; vitamin C will help give you the energy you'll need.
obey your thirst

Sports drinks such as Gatorade have been known to work for some people.

Feels like honey

Have some tablespoons of plain honey, or add some honey to your water or cup of tea. It'll help soothe the dryness in your throat.

Make a toast

After drinking to just about every toast that could be made the night before, some slices of plain toast could be a good idea - avoid putting jam or butter on them.

Fruity fixes

Eating some fruit is also a good idea. It'll be refreshing and give you the vitamins and energy you'll need to replenish your body.
vitamins

If you're not having fruit or drinking juice, take vitamin C or another type of multivitamin.

Pills

Have an over-the-counter painkiller such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to help ease the headache. Do Not have acetaminophen-based pills; these can be dangerous when mixed with the alcohol in your system. Take the pills in the morning, not before going to bed when the alcohol is still prominent in your system.

Sleep

Either sleep in, or wake up and take any of the above-mentioned measures and go back to bed. This is assuming, of course, that you have the luxury of sleeping in for that particular day.

Wash cloth

Another effective way to alleviate the pain is to lie in a dark room, with a cool compress on your head.

Remember that these are all ways to alleviate the symptoms usually associated with a hangover. If there seems to be a more serious problem as a result of alcohol consumption, go to a doctor.

These are things that have been known to help treat that dreaded feeling that comes after a night of drinking and partying. They all work differently for everyone, and you may discover your own method to help you overcome a hangover.

Enjoy the night, know your limits, and if you have one drink too many, you may want to try these quick remedies so that you don't end up staring at ceramic all day long.

'Poker' the Most Searched Term on the Internet

2006-12-15T05:51:00.000-08:00

Lycos just released its list of the top 50 Internet search terms for 2006, and the word ‘Poker’ topped the list.

Poker beat out stalwart search engine celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton to nab the top spot. The big mover for the year was the term 'My Space', the white hot social networking site saw a 568% rise in searches on its name to finish in the # 2 spot.

The top ten most searched terms were 1) Poker 2) MySpace 3) RuneScape 4) Pamela Anderson 5) Paris Hilton 6) Pokemon 7) WWE 8) Golf 9) Spyware and 10) Britney Spears.

Source: Pokernews.com

What you're like when you're drunk...! Hilarious

2006-12-14T04:56:00.000-08:00

The Department of Defense’s latest project to eradicate excessive drinking among young servicemen, focusing on binge drinking and the effects it has on family, friends, sex etc.

I found it quite entertaining, reading about the different stages of drunkeness like Drunkus Obnoxious, MotorSkills NotWorkMuch, Projectus Vomitus. I definitely recognize myself and friends’ behaviour after having way too many!

Not so sure if the campaign will work, but it’s very entertaining…

That Guy

Special Christmas Warning: Don't drink and SMS!

2006-12-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

Ever been unable to fight a desire to send flirty SMSs while drunk? You probably had a case of "intextication"...

Sending an SMS while under the influence can lead to major headaches, especially over the festive season when drinks flow freely.

Ask anyone who sent a racy SMS to a partner, which landed up on the cellphones of parents, or even in-laws.

In a survey by Virgin Mobile, 63% of cellphone users admit failing prey to this embarrassing form of "crossed lines".

And a whopping 72% say they have suffered from intextication.

About 33% of cellphone users have discovered the morning after that they sent an SMS to an ex, and 31% regret having aired their feelings via text messages.

Virgin Mobile reports its findings on intextication:
• 42% of men engage in festive flirting by sending a text message to someone they secretly fancy when they are drunk;
• Women are not so forward, with only 19% admitting to doing the same;
• 30% of women are struck by 'ex-texting' - sending a message to a former partner;
• 82% of 18-29-year-olds admit to sending saucy text messages whilst drunk;
• 4% of men admit to sending a text to the boss when drunk.

Don't be a victim this Christmas!

Beating impotence has never been this much fun!

2006-12-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Source: kottke.org via CherryFlava

Should Wii come with a safety warning?

2006-12-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

Web sites report damage caused by the console's controller

SAN FRANCISCO - Nintendo Co. Ltd. has some cautionary advice for players of its Wii video game console: when waving the controller, use the wrist strap, keep your palms dry and, whatever you do, don’t let go.

Although the controller comes with a wrist strap, reports of damage caused by snapping straps have been cropping up on video game Web sites.

There is even one site, Wiihaveaproblem.com, dedicated to chronicling tales of Wii-related carnage. On Wednesday, the site’s damage toll included reports of 13 broken straps, 7 televisions and 2 laptop computers.

In an e-mail sent to Wii customers and posted on various Web sites Wednesday, Nintendo said extreme motion could snap the strap by causing players to lose their grip on the remote.

Copies of the e-mail were posted on sites such as Joystiq.com, and a company spokesman confirmed it was authentic.

“Hold the remote securely and avoid excessive motion during game play. If your hands become moist, stop and dry your hands,” the company recommended.

Nintendo also cautioned players to stay at least 3 feet away from the TV and to make sure people and objects were safely outside their range of motion.

Last week, Nintendo America chief Reggie Fils-Aime told Reuters that many gamers were using big, sweeping motions where smaller ones would do.

“We literally have consumers letting go of the remote like you do a bowling ball. You can’t do that!” Fils-Aime said of a bowling game in its “Wii Sports” title.
Nintendo also gives tips on safe gameplay on its Web site, at www.nintendo.com

Source: Reuters via MSNBC

'Beer goggles' effect explained

2006-12-05T05:56:00.001-08:00

I knew it! It’s all a big conspiracy to help ugly chicks get laid. And believe me, I’ve helped quite a few in my day….

"Scientists believe they have worked out a formula to calculate how "beer goggles" affect a drinker's vision.

The drink-fuelled phenomenon is said to transform supposedly "ugly" people into beauties - until the morning after.

Researchers at Manchester University say while beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder, the amount of alcohol consumed is not the only factor.

Additional factors include the level of light in the pub or club, the drinker's own eyesight and the room's smokiness. The distance between two people is also a factor.
They all add up to make the aesthetically-challenged more attractive, according to the formula."

Click here to check out the formula.

'Beer goggles' effect explained

2006-12-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

Comic book titles you’re not likely to see…

2006-12-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

Check it out!

Get ready for action - The spray-on condom's here!

2006-12-01T05:58:00.000-08:00

Just in time for World Aids Day…..

Berlin - German sex educators plan to launch a spray-on condom tailor-made for all sizes.

Jan Vinzenz Krause, from the Institute for Condom Consultancy, a Singen-based practice that offers advice on condom use, said the product aimed to help people enjoy better and safer sex lives.

"We're trying to develop the perfect condom for men that's suited to every size of penis," he said. "We're very serious."

Krause's team is developing a type of spray can into which the man inserts his penis first. At the push of a button, it is then coated in a rubber condom. "It works by spraying on latex from nozzles on all sides."

Krause added that the plan was to make the product ready for use in about five seconds.
- Reuters

Counting Cards at Blackjack Has Never Been Easier

2006-11-29T00:52:00.000-08:00

Worth checking out if the poker cards just aren’t working out for you…

Blackjack is unique among casino games in that the odds fluctuate with every deal. Depending upon which cards have been dealt and which remain, the advantage which the house wields over players changes constantly. At times it's greater, at other times less, sometimes even tipping toward player advantage.

Not so long ago it was practical only for professional players to invest the hundreds of hours of time necessary to learn a complicated card counting system in an attempt to capitalize on casino blackjack's vulnerability.

Recently, however, two of the most respected gambling authorities in the country have released ultra-simple card tracking methods that are so easy to learn that casual and recreational players no longer have an excuse not to take their game to the next level.

The first method is available free of charge on Michael Shackleford's marvelous gambling Website, www.wizardofodds.com . Shackleford, a.k.a "The Wizard of Odds", is an actuary by profession whose passion is analyzing casino games using pinpoint mathematical accuracy.

When you log on to the site, click on "blackjack" under "Game Info & Strategies" and scroll down to Appendix 17, "The Wizard Ace Five Count". It's a method founded on the importance of five-value cards first revealed in the 1961 landmark gambling book Beat the Dealer by Edward O. Thorp, who discovered through mathematical analysis that fives are the most powerful cards in the deck for dealers.

Another component is keeping track of aces, the card that makes it possible for players to be dealt a two-card 21 (blackjack) and receive a 3 to 2 payoff. Fewer aces remaining to be dealt translates into a diminished chance of capitalizing on this huge player perk.

Shackleford recommends starting a running count at zero at the start of a new shoe. For every five you see dealt, add one. For every ace you see dealt, subtract one. If the running count is at zero or in negative range, make your minimum bet. Otherwise gamble twice your minimum bet multiplied by the positive running count number. All playing decisions are to be made according to basic strategy.

He says the strategy is designed to give players positive expected value in six-deck games where the dealer stands on soft 17.

The second simplified card counting system is detailed in gambling guru Frank Scoblete's new book, Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution published by Research Services Unlimited (www.rsucasinobooks.com).

Scoblete's "Speed Count" is an easy-to-learn method based on tracking small value cards, the essence of which takes up only a few pages. But it's the supporting chapters along with the free blackjack training CD included with the book that makes this treatise an all-inclusive, information-packed tutorial covering all aspects of the game.

Although neither of the methods gives you the accuracy of a card-by-card count that the pros use, used in conjunction with basic strategy they will improve your blackjack game immensely and permit you to take advantage of the game's mathematical fluctuations.

Source: RGT Online

Unlike the US, The UK embraces gambling

2006-11-27T06:05:00.000-08:00

U.K. Pubs to be Allowed to Host Poker in 2007

The gambling reform currently happening in the U.K. is having widespread impact. Starting next year, any pub will be able to host a poker event (currently, it takes a special permit). Indidvidual players losses will be 'capped' per night (probably at about 10 British Pounds), and the pubs will not be allowed to profit directly from the poker. Expect a lot more poker in pubs in the U.K. next year.

Source

Turkey Terminator!

2006-11-24T05:28:00.000-08:00

I'm so sick of turkey it felt good to shoot the shit out of them.

Try it

Holiday gobbling leaves students waddling

2006-11-24T05:19:00.000-08:00

Sigh… As if female college students don’t have enough things to worry about, like having enough booze money, sneaking out of the men’s dormitory without being noticed, staying awake in class and not getting labeled as Campus Slut.

Now they have to face weight issues too.

It can’t be fun to hear that students gain an average of 1.1 pounds over Thanksgiving holiday. And the worst part is that it translates to an extra 320 daily calories, which would be about a slice of pumpkin pie per day.

Oh, the pressure….

Read it

Top Ten Things that Sound Dirty at Thanksgiving but Aren't...

2006-11-23T05:22:00.000-08:00

10. "Just reach in and grab the giblets."

9. "Whew...that's one terrific spread!"

8. "I am in the mood for a little dark meat!"

7. "Tying the legs together will keep the inside moist."

6. "Talk about a HUGE breast!"

5. "And he forces his way into the end zone!"

4. "She's 5000 pounds fully inflated and it takes 15 men to
hold her down."

3. "It's cool whip time!"

2. "If I don't unbutton my pants, I am going to burst!"

. . . and the number one thing that sounds dirty at
Thanksgiving but isn't . .

1. "It must be broken 'cause when I push on the tip, nothing

Courtesy of: Jokecenter

Online poker prohibition could be overturned

2006-11-22T05:09:00.000-08:00

Maybe there is something to be thankful for, after all…..

The Poker Players Alliance and executives for the American Gaming Association (AGA) say they are hopeful that the recent political changes in the U.S. Congress will help them overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA).

The Act, while not making online poker illegal, did made it illegal for banks and financial institutions to process transactions for online gambling sites from U.S. customers when it was signed into law on October 13. Regulations that banks need to comply with have yet to be defined. A Government board has until July 2007 to define them.

AGA President Frank Fahrenkopf said the AGA previously opposed online gambling, saying, "Our policy changed back in April when we took a position that we thought the best way to go was to have an independent commission look at it."

Many analysts around that timeframe noted how online gambling actually lead to previously hesitant players coming to the physical casinos, swelling the number of overall casino visitors, which likely helped change AGA's perspective.

So the AGA board of directors will meet December 6, said Fahrenkopf, to consider whether "to support legislation in the new Congress calling for an independent study of Internet gambling to see if it can be properly regulated, controlled, taxed and licensed here in the United States."

Fahrenkopf pointed out, "My guess is that they are going to say let's go ahead and do it."

Read more…

Bodog new owner of Betcorp

2006-11-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

Following shareholder approval at the its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), which was held in Melbourne yesterday, Betcorp has completed the sale of its gaming operations and operating infrastructure in Antigua and Toronto to Bodog Entertainment Group SA.

The announcement will see the transfer of BetWWTS customer balances to Bodog.com, whilst BetWWTS.com’s Canadian customers will now receive their service from Bowmans.com, due to Bodog’s non-operation in the Canadian market.

Bowmans.com was reportedly given the green light to take over the BetWWTS customer base due to its established and favourable track record in Canada and the similarity of its product offering.

Sara Waller, Marketing Manager at Bowmans.com, said, “From today Bowmans.com would like to extend a big welcome all our new Canadian customers from BetWWTS.com.”
At the Betcorp EGM, shareholders also approved the cancellation of the Company's AIM (Alternative Investment Market) listing which will take effect from 7am GMT, on 23 November 2006.

Source: iGaming Business

KFC billboard visible from space

2006-11-16T05:58:00.000-08:00

Even aliens will now be able to see the Colonel…

Yum! Brands, the world's largest fast food company with more than 34,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, today unveils its latest marketing stunt - an image of Colonel Sanders on a horizontal billboard that is visible from space.

Source: The Guardian

Could the iPod and MP3 player face extinction?

2006-11-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

The latest in mobile greatness, Fonpods, transforms your cellphone into a mobile entertainment and information system.

Fonpods is a free, on-demand service that brings podcast listening to any phone. There's nothing to buy and no computer downloads to worry about.

Previoulsy, podcast access was limited to listening at your computer or downloading content into special devices like iPods and MP3 players. Fonpods sends podcast programming directly to your phone without any downloads.

That means you can listen to podcasts wherever and whenever you like and you don’t have to buy any additional equipment.

Impressed? I would’ve been if I hadn’t just bough a new iPod!

Read more

Air guitar geeks to turn their riffs into real music

2006-11-14T00:26:00.000-08:00

Scientists have developed a way to make ultra un-hip teenagers and sad middle-aged men become an even bigger embarrassment to their families: A t-shirt that transforms air guitar riffs into real ones.

The ‘wearable instrument shirt’ interprets the movements of the wearer's arms (one picks and the other creates cords), wirelessly sends the information to a nearby computer that then interprets the riffs. In the end, you’ll actually be able to drive the neighbors to drink with your renditions of old classics.

Read more

Top 10 Dirtiest Names in Sports

2006-11-13T05:56:00.000-08:00

I received this stinker on email. Too good not to share...

10. Gregor Fucka
The countdown begins with Italian basketball player Gregor Fucka. When Fucka's mother gave birth to Gregor in Slovenia on August 7, 1971, she could not have imagined that one day her little Fucka would be an Olympic athlete. Mother Fucka's husband, Gregor's father, is of Italian ancestry which allowed Gregor to become an Italian national and move to Trieste at the age of 19 to play in the Italian league. The 7-foot Fucka represented Italy at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney and won the fucking 2003 Spanish National Cup while playing for FC Barcelona.

9. B.J. Johnson
B.J. Johnson was a standout wide receiver for the Texas Longhorns from 2000 to 2003. While at Texas, Johnson set 7 freshman receiving records, underperformed as an upper-classman and was signed as a free agent by the Denver Broncos after graduation. In two seasons with the Broncos, 2004 and 2005, B.J. did not play in a single game. It is fair to say that B.J. Johnson sucks. Johnson, who is currently signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has a name composed of dual dick references.

8. Pete LaCock
Speaking of dick, Pete LaCock played 9 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals from 1972 to 1980 (although this card is from 1981, LaCock retired before the season began). Born Ralph Pierre LaCock in Burbank, California, Pete was a utility player who never quite packed any punch with the bat. Interestingly, LaCock's father, Peter Marshall, was the host of "Hollywood Squares" from 1966-1981. The elder LaCock, born with the LaCock name, changed his name to Marshall to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. His baseball-playing son kept the old name, LaCock, which, in French I believe means "the penis."

7. Danny Shittu
This Nigerian footballer currently plays for Watford F.C. in the English Premier League. The 26-year-old defender has become a crowd favorite and the Watford faithful have given Danny his own chant. They chant "Dan" a whole bunch of times and then in the middle of it say, "And when you turn, you'll see he's black dynamite. And his name is Dan Shittu!" Interesting that a guy called Shittu is nicknamed "black dynamite." Actual black dynamite describes something dark, cylindrical and explosive. Sorta like shit. And an aside, are English soccer fans ever going to cut the racist shit out? Shittu joins #6 and #3 on this countdown and Albert Pujols and Assol Slivets on the first dirty name list in the scatological subcategory.

6. Harry Colon
Harry Colon played 6 NFL seasons from 1991-97 with the Patriots, Lions and Jaguars. The safety holds the Jaguars record for interceptions in a season with three. More notable than Colon's football career is his very dirty name, one that elicits some terrifying imagery. The colon is the portion of the intestines that extracts water from outgoing feces. And imagining that already foul tube lined with hair makes me want to gag.

5. Lucious Pusey
Aw man. This isn't a fake either. Lucious Pusey is a linebacker for the Division I-AA Eastern Illiois Panthers. What on earth were Lucious's parents thinking when they signed the birth certificate? Lucious is the only Pusey I've ever seen with dreadlocks. According to Deadspin.com, Luscious Pusey has legally changed his name. His new name is Lucious Twatstein. Just kidding. It's Lucious Seymour. But I think he should have gone with Lucious Seymour Pusey.

4. Dick Pole
Sometimes I wish I could write using a Butthead impression. "Uh, huh-huh, Dick Pole." But I can't so I won't. Dick Pole, born Richard Henry Pole was a pitcher with the Red Sox and Mariners in the 70s. Currently, Pole is the pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds. Despite having the ultimate porn name, Pole chose a career in baseball and also chose to go by Dick, which seems quite imprudent if you have the surname "Pole." If there weren't enough penis allusions already swirling around this pitcher, he became most famous for getting hit by a line drive in the head. That's right, Dick Pole sustained a head injury. The ball broke his jaw and Dick lost 90% usage of the vision in one eye. And what's a Dick without his eye?

3. Dean Windass
Finally, a flatulence-related name. I was getting sick of all the dick stuff. Dean Windass is a striker for Bradford City. The Englishman is known around soccer for his foul play. And with a name like Windass, foulness can only be expected. In November 1997, while playing against Dundee United, Windass earned himself 3 red cards. And in September 2006, Windass was accused of grabbing Cheltenham Town player John Finnigan by the nuts during a game. Windass, which I thought was the medical name of a condition I have from time to time, aims to be the all-time goal scorer in Bradford City history. Though maybe a dirty player, he certainly isn't a stinker.

2. Misty Hyman
Could there be a better name for a female swimmer than Misty Hyman? Since she was a little girl, Hyman was always in the water dreaming of swimming for the U.S. at the Olympics. Hyman broke out at the 2000 Sydney Olympics when she won a gold medal in the 200m butterfly. However, after her improbable victory, Hyman dropped off and failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens games. Hyman has since disappeared from Olympic swimming. She now teaches young swimmers proper stroke technique and has released a DVD called "Go Swim Butterfly with Misty Hyman." Just tell me the time and the place.

1. Rusty Kuntz
And finally, the #1 Dirtiest Name in Sports (the second time around) is Rusty Kuntz. Kuntz played outfield for the White Sox, Twins and Tigers from 1979 to 1985. Interestingly, the #1 name on the first dirty sports countdown was Chubby Cox which is the male equivalent of the name Rusty Kuntz. Both names feature adjectives modifying the plural form of a dirty word for a sexual organ. With regard to the name Rusty Kuntz, the adjective has dual meanings. The word "rusty" can mean "covered by or affected by rust" or, the definition I prefer in this case: "having lost agility or alertness; out of practice." And any guy reading this who has been married for a while or who is dating a girl who has been single for a while, knows about this phenomenon. As it is common to hear people say, "I'm a bit rusty on the tennis court" or "My Spanish is kind of rusty", this former major leaguer gives rise to an entirely new usage.

Make free internet calls

2006-11-10T03:19:00.000-08:00

San Francisco - Yahoo and Linksys has rolled out a new telephone in the United States that lets people make free internet calls as well as traditional analogue calls.

The dual-mode cordless telephone made by Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems, used Yahoo Messenger software to access internet services including digital online calling.

"Yahoo Messenger and Linksys are giving consumers the flexibility to make and receive free internet calls from the same phone they use for their home line," said Yahoo Real Time Communications director Jeff Bonforte.

The telephone also lets people search the internet for the telephone numbers of local restaurants or businesses using their US Postal Service zip codes and then get instantly connected.

Internet calls between Yahoo Messenger voice service users anywhere in the world are free, which has been the standard for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services from industry stalwarts including Skype, Google and Microsoft.
Charges are incurred for "calling out or calling in" to mobile phones or analogue landlines, but rates are significantly less than those charged by telecommunications companies, according to the companies.

The popularity of VoIP calling has inspired hardware makers to begin marketing telephones tailored to the service.

"We share the same vision with Yahoo of not just improving the experience of internet phone calling, but also offering a valuable combination of internet-enabled features and services that customers will use and really want," said Linksys marketing director Tarun Loomba.

The telephone is priced at $99.99 and is being sold online by Amazon. It will be sold through other internet stores by the end of November.

Source: AFP

Embarrassing office party photos? Delete Your Bad Web Rep

2006-11-09T06:19:00.000-08:00

The mistakes you make on the internet can live forever -- unless you hire somebody to clean up after you.

A new startup, ReputationDefender, will act on your behalf by contacting data hosting services and requesting the removal of any materials that threaten your good social standing.

Anyone willing to pay a modest service fee can ask the company to seek and destroy embarrassing office party photos, blog posts detailing casual drug use or saucy comments on social networking profiles.

The company produces monthly reports on its clients' online identities for a cost of $10 to $16 per month, depending on the length of the contract. The client can request the removal of any material on the report for a charge of $30 per instance.

Read more

Microsoft to offer TV shows through Xbox

2006-11-08T00:24:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp. has teamed up with a handful of Hollywood studios to sell TV shows and rent movies that can be downloaded through the software maker's Xbox Live online video-game service and beamed straight onto television sets.

The initial lineup of TV shows available from 22 November, for download to own and feature films available for download to rent will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of content that will be available on the network by the end of year include the following:

* "Robot Chicken" and "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" from Adult Swim
* "CSI," "Survivor" and "Star Trek" from CBS
* Emmy and Peabody award-winning "South Park" and "Chappelle's Show" from COMEDY CENTRAL
* "The Real World" and "Pimp My Ride" from MTV
* "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "SpongeBob SquarePants" from Nickelodeon
* "Skyland" and "The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival" from Nicktoons Network
* "M:i:III," Nacho Libre" and "Jackass: The Movie" from Paramount Pictures
* "Carpocalypse" and "Raising the Roofs" from Spike TV
* "Race Rewind" provided by NASCAR.COM
* Select episodes of the original season of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series and the "UFC: All Access" shows from the UFC
* "Breaking Bonaduce" and "Hogan Knows Best" from VH1
* "The Matrix," "Superman Returns" and "Batman Forever" from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

I think I'll hold on to my TV set for now. This line-up's not doing much for me...yet

Source:Business Week

Promiscuous women to blame for your small brain (and big testes..!)

2006-11-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

According to a study, female promiscuity gives males big testes and small brains.

In bat species noted for female monogamy, males have small testes and big brains; in bat species noted for female promiscuity, males have testicles five times as big, but smaller brains.

Testes in one species are 8.5 percent of the male's body weight. Reason for big testicles: If a female is taking sperm from you and another guy, the best way to pass on your genes instead of his is to deliver more sperm. (This is why chimps have testicles "many times larger than those of gorillas.")

Reason for small brains: Male bats that spent their energy making sperm beat out the ones that spent their energy thinking. Researchers' conclusion: "Size does matter."

GMail Mobile for cellphones

2006-11-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

Google has released Gmail Mobile, a new cell phone client application, for everyone's favorite web-based email service, Gmail.

The Gmail Mobile app, which runs on your Java-enabled phone, is a nice improvement on the previous Gmail Mobile, which just provided a stripped-down version of Gmail optimized for mobile viewing. The new Gmail Mobile client, on the other hand, has all sorts of nifty features.

Google is touting the app as offering a much "faster, more Gmail-like user experience," which naturally sounds great. Also, all email you send and read on your phone will be automatically synced with your browser (should we have expected anything else?). On the more impressive side, you can now view attachments like PDFs, Word docs, and photos, and a bevy of keyboard shortcuts should help you navigate your email more quickly once you get the hang of them.

Check it out

SPOOK-tacular Halloween Jokes!

2006-10-31T03:29:00.000-08:00

SPOOK-tacular Halloween Jokes!

Enjoy these slightly off Halloween jokes, courtesy of Cracked.com

Q: What do witches put on their hair?
A: Scare spray!

Q: When does a skeleton laugh?
A: When something tickles his funny bone.

Q: Why didn't the skeleton want to play football?
A: Because he was probably a homosexual.

Q: What is evil and ugly on the inside and green on the outside?
A: Oprah, if she was painted green.

Q: How can you tell when a witch is really ugly?
A: When she fucks all the wizards to boost her self-esteem .

A: What does a ghost eat for lunch?
Q: A BOO-logna sandwich!

Q: Where do they score heroin?
A: The park.

Q: When does a ghost have breakfast?
A: In the moaning!

Q: When did the ghost fuck your mother?
A: That was uncalled for.
Q: Haw haw haw!

Q: Where do ghosts mail their letters?
A: At the ghost office!

Q: Shouldn't they use the post office?
A: They find it unreliable.

Designer bandages – Let Jesus heal you…

2006-10-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

Demonstrate the healing power of your religion and show your children that Jesus really makes everything better with these Jesus adhesive bandages. (with free toy inside!)

Designer bandages are all the rage, or that’s what the folk from Archie Mcphee would like you to think. So if the thought of putting Jesus, a juicy strip of bacon, raw steak or even sushi on your gash turns you on, go right ahead!

Source: CherryFlava

Beware the Train Defecator. Coming to a station near you.

2006-10-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

A man has been defecating in trains across south-east England, causing damage costing £60,000 to repair.

Apparently the guy waits until the train is empty (thank god) then proceeds to smear his butt nuggets all over the train. This shit stirrer has evidently struck 30 trains.

According to the BBC: "He travels to various areas and at different times of the day and different days of the week." So the next time you happen to catch a train in south-east England, keep an eye out for a dodgy character looking like he’s really got to go, possibly with dark stains under his fingernails.

Police have released a picture of the suspected turd terrorist and urged the public not to approach the guy if they see him.

Wise words… wise words…

Read the whole story

Music sharing goes underground

2006-10-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Music sharing seems to set to break free from the shackles of the Internet.

Undersound is planning a system, which will allow travelers on the London underground to share the music on their cellphones via a bluetooth network. So in addition to a full nostril of smelly body odour, you can also get a new tune or two from your fellow train commuter.

The idea for Undersound is that people can transfer songs via Bluetooth (using public domain, non-copyrighted, royalty-free or creative commons-friendly music, of course) to a "transfer point" at a particular station. Then others can come along with their own mobile phones and pick up some new tunes as well, leaving a trail of metadata behind them, begging to be analyzed -- in a good way.

Check it out

Source: CherryFlava

N.Y. woman driving naked kills pedestrian

2006-10-20T02:38:00.000-07:00

Driver high on drugs strikes man, sending him into electrical wires

Bizarre…..

NEW YORK - A speeding car driven by a naked woman high on drugs hit and killed a pedestrian in the New York City borough of Staten Island, before flipping over and stopping in a parking lot.

The driver, Taliyah Taylor, 24, of Staten Island, was uninjured in the crash and pulled from the upside-down car with no clothes on by employees of a nearby hardware store, said William Smith, spokesman for the Staten Island District Attorney’s office.

She has been charged with driving under the influence of drugs and second-degree manslaughter, Smith said.

The impact of Taylor’s speeding Nissan hitting 41-year-old Larry Simon killed him instantly and sent him flying into above-ground electrical wires, severing his legs, authorities said.

Simon, a lawyer who had previously worked as a prosecutor in the Staten Island District Attorney’s office from 1997 to 2000, was waiting in the median to cross the street and never saw the car, Smith said.

After hitting Simon, Taylor’s car hit a vehicle whose occupants were not seriously injured.

Source

Smirnoff Shakes and Stirs with 007

2006-10-19T03:12:00.000-07:00

Smirnoff is riding the Casino Royal wave, hoping to cash in on James Bond's "shaken not stirred".

Take a look and see if it stirs you....

Click here

Give bad drivers and bad car ads the finger

2006-10-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

Here’s something you don’t see every day. Honest car adverts, being frank about engines guzzling gas, scooters that make you look like Jamie Oliver and sound like a hairdryer and taunting you with the question: “Do you have more income than style?”

Check it out.

Also, check out this must-have for any car owner. It’s a “Flickin the Bird Pump up Finger” is an inflatable hand that sticks to your car window, and when you squeeze the pump, it communicates your state of mind and intention loud and clear.

Click here to get the finger.

I’ll definitely put one of these on my Christmas list!

Congresswoman says Internet gambling bill will not prohibit online poker

2006-10-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

"This (internet gambling) legislation has a loophole big enough to drive a truck through that was designed solely to protect betting on horse racing and lotteries over the Internet," says Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), who went on the record with Gambling911.com to discuss the impact, if any, this bill will have on internet gambling.

Read the interview

Spin the Bottle

2006-10-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

MARK FOLEY'S 10-STEP REHAB PROGRAM.

Ever been caught taking bribes, muttering anti-semantic phrases or exchanging naked fantasies with teenage boys?

There is life after public humiliation. William Saletan put together a 10-step program on how to blame alcohol for your indiscretions and rehabilitate your career after being caught uttering shameful words or performing offending deeds.

We can all learn from masters like Mel Gibson, Rep. Bob Ney and former Rep. Mark Foley.

Read more

So you knocked her up: A child-rearing guide.

2006-10-04T05:21:00.000-07:00

I have to admit. I rather enjoyed reading this. Any article that labels pregnancy an STD, and evidently gets away with it, needs to be applauded.

It’s not that I hate kids or pregnant women or moms or anything like that. Gosh, no. I just enjoyed reading it, and giggled quite a bit doing so, and wanted to share.

WARNING! Hormone-fuelled mommies-to-be, feminists and sensitive people – stop reading now!

So you knocked her up: A child-rearing guide.

Sexual intercourse, we can all agree, is delectable. It is a beautiful and elegant slice of class smothered between two heaving, sweaty college freshmen.

But there is a dark side to the horizontal jog: STDs. Chief among these is a disease known to cause a large, screaming discharge and require nearly two decades of financial support. The illness, known on the street as “pregnancy,” “bun in the oven,” or, in South America, “a flesh tamalé,” CAN be prevented, either through abstinence or an uninterrupted diet of alcohol and prescription medication. Still, nearly ninety percent of Americans will face this horrible affliction in their lifetimes.

Of course, having children isn’t all bad (sorry, we’re required to say that). But now that you’ve crapped out a post-placental want machine, here are some tips on minimizing the detrimental effects your new goblin will have on your heady, go-getter lifestyle.

Read the article

Poker Players Alliance responds to passing of internet gambling provision

2006-10-02T02:46:00.000-07:00

The Poker Players Alliance, a grass root organization consisting of some 50,000 plus members, released a statement Saturday afternoon in regard to the passing of legislation that would severely restrict the ability to play poker online.

In a Congressional back room deal, opponents of Internet gambling have added language to port security legislation that would prohibit online wagering. The port security bill with the Internet gambling prohibition language included was approved by the U.S. House and Senate late on Friday evening and will be sent to the President to be signed into law.

"This last minute deal reeks of political gamesmanship. The American people should be outraged that Congress has hi-jacked a vital security bill with a poker prohibition that nearly three fourths of the country opposes," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance, a grassroots advocacy organization of more than 110,000 poker enthusiasts.

"Allowing this bill to become law would run contrary to public opinion and would damage an already fractured relationship between government and the electorate. The millions of Americans who enjoy playing this great game will have the last voice in this debate come Election Day."

Bolcerek pointed to research which shows that 74 percent of Americans oppose federal attempts to ban Internet poker.

Read the poll

"Congress has an opportunity to regulate and tax online poker leading to potentially billions of dollars in annual revenue for the federal government and the states," said Bolcerek. "If the goal of Congress is to protect people from the possible dangers of gambling, a prohibition is the worst way of achieving it.

All it will do is push poker underground, essentially creating online speakeasies, which will provide no protection for youths, no services for the problem gambler and leave only the most unscrupulous operators in the game."

The whole story

World Gaming Chairman, Board Member Quit

2006-09-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

The chairman and director of Internet gambling company World Gaming PLC have resigned from the company's board.

James Grossman, nonexecutive chairman, and Clare Roberts, nonexecutive director, handed in their notice at a board meeting.

World Gaming had announced earlier this month that it was in the early stage of talks with Sportingbet PLC about being taken over in a deal worth about 56 million pounds ($106.4 million). That announcement came the same day Sportingbet said its Chairman Peter Dicks had been arrested in the U.S. on gambling charges.

Dicks was the second executive from a British gaming company to be detained in the U.S. in recent months, after former BetOnSports PLC Chief Executive Officer David Carruthers was arrested on federal charges in July.

Dicks, who has resigned from Sportingbet, has been released on $50,000 bail. Carruthers remains under house arrest in the St. Louis area awaiting trial.

Source

The most popular virals on the net

2006-09-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

Viral video chart

Virals have taken the world by storm. All those funny video clips, pictures, digitally manipulated images and jokes we receive in our Inbox daily, have probably been around the world millions of times, and will continue to do so.

So to make sure you don’t send a Hoff picture to a friend 6 months after the craze ended, have a look at which video clips are taking the internet by storm, which are the ones being mailed to friends from one side of the earth, to the other.

It’s the world’s most talked about videos…currently tracking the most popular on YouTube, MySpace and Google Video.

Check it out

2 detained Bwin CEOs released on bail

2006-09-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

After lengthy questioning, the two joint chief executives of Austrian betting firm Bwin.com - formerly Bet and Win were released on EUR 300,000 bail, an amount to be paid personally.

Manfred Bodner and Norbert Teufelbergerwere were told they could face up to three years in jail if found guilty of violating gaming laws.

The bail will be used to cover any fines that may be imposed, and to ensure that both Co-CEOs will obey any future summons to appear in court. A verdict is expected within a year.

Manfred Bodner and Norbert Teufelberger were detained for questioning by French authorities on Friday over alleged breaches of French gaming laws and were held in custody over the weekend.

They were arrested on Friday as they prepared to give a news conference outlining a sponsorship deal with French Football Club Monaco. The football club confirmed at the weekend that it would maintain its sponsorship arrangements with the Austrian company.

Top 10 Pickup lines for International Talk Like a Pirate Day

2006-09-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Pickup lines for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day (19 of Sept)
(We came up with these in an effort to interest The Other Dave (Letterman) in TLAPD. His staff liked 'em, but alas, his show was"dark" the week of Sept. 19.)

10 . Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?

9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?

8. Come on up and see me urchins.

7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.

6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.

5. Pardon me, but would ya mind if fired me cannon through your porthole?

4. How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?

3. Ya know, darlin’, I’m 97 percent chum free.

2. Well blow me down?

And the number one pickup line for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day is …

1. Prepare to be boarded.

Bonus pickup lines (when the ones above don't work, as they often won't)
They don’t call me Long John because my head is so big.

You’re drinking a Salty Dog? How’d you like to try the real thing?

Wanna shiver me timbers?

I’ve sailed the seven seas, and you’re the sleekest schooner I’ve ever sighted.

Brwaack! Polly want a cracker? … Oh, wait. That’s for Talk Like a PARROT Day.

That’s the finest pirate booty I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Let's get together and haul some keel.

That’s some treasure chest you’ve got there.

Top Ten Pickup Lines for the Lady Pirates

By popular demand ...

10. What are YOU doing here?

9. Is that a belayin' pin in yer britches, or are ye ... (this one is never completed)

8. Come show me how ye bury yer treasure, lad!

7. So, tell me, why do they call ye, "Cap'n Feathersword?"

6. That's quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard!

5. Aye, I guarantee ye, I've had a twenty percent decrease in me "lice ratio!"

4. I've crushed seventeen men's skulls between me thighs!

3. C'mon, lad, shiver me timbers!

2. RAMMING SPEED!

...and the number one Female Pirate Pick-up Line:

1. You. Pants Off. Now!

It's Talk Like A Pirate Day!

2006-09-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

Tuesday September 19 is: Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Aaaaargh!

Don't believe me? Click here to check out how other wannabe pirates celebrate the day and drive other (normal) people batty with shouts of Aaaarrrgggg! and by ending all their sentences with "matey"....

Nissan develops anti-drunk driving cars

2006-09-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

Nissan Motor is developing cars that will not start if the driver is intoxicated as Japan steps up action against drunk driving.

Nissan said it is considering installing a straw-like tube on the driver's seat, which the driver would have to blow into to start the car. The engine would not start if the machine shows the driver is intoxicated.

Nissan is also studying a device that requires drivers to enter personal identification numbers of many digits, which may be a difficult task if they are drunk, Nissan spokeswoman Ikue Matsuura said.

"No specifics have been decided yet but we are considering developing models that would prevent car accidents, including drunk driving," she said.

The move comes amid a growing movement in Japan against drunk driving after an intoxicated driver killed three children in the southwestern city of Fukuoka.

Following the incident, 21 local governments out of the nation's 47 prefectures and 15 major cities are considering tougher penalties on drunk driving, said a survey by the Sankei Shimbun newspaper published Wednesday.

Fukuoka Mayor Hirotaro Yamazaki has said the city is considering heavier punishments for its employees if they drive after drinking, even if they are not arrested.
The government of Kanagawa prefecture, bordering Tokyo, has already decided to dismiss employees who drink and drive or who ride in cars knowing the driver is drunk.

What I’ve learned – by Homer Simpson

2006-09-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

Priceless quotes by good old Homer!

Some of my favorites include:

Be generous in the bedroom -- share your sandwich.

And

Sometimes I think there's no reason to get out of bed . . . then I feel wet, and I realize there is.

More Homer truths

Phone and Save the Future of Online Poker!

2006-09-12T04:32:00.000-07:00

Today, Tuesday September 12, 2006, concerned online poker players, online gamblers, and anyone interested in seeing their personal freedoms protected should call 800-289-1136.

PocketFives.com, representing the voice of the online poker player, and the Poker Players Alliance have teamed up for a Phone March on Washington. With this effort, the groups hope to keep online poker alive in the United States.

When you call the above number, a toll free system will ask you to enter your zip code. You’ll then be connected, free of charge, to the appropriate Senators’ offices.

“This is an easy way to send a message,” says PocketFives.com President Cal Spears. “If everyone voices their disapproval for this legislation on the same day, we will send a clear signal to the Senate that America does not support banning internet gambling and online poker.”

“The threat to online poker is real. We need everyone possible to make their voice heard on September 12th from 9:00am to 5:30pm ET,” says Poker Players Alliance Spokesperson John Pappas.

On www.pocketfives.com, callers can find a complete background on the bill itself, including a story concerning the arrest of Sportsbook.com CEO Peter Dicks. In addition, PocketFives.com also has talking points for the Phone March on Washington: “It is extremely important that we all send the same message to our Senators,” stresses Spears. “Please read the talking points on PocketFives.com before placing your call so that we are all have the same arguments. From there, your job is free and easy: just dial the 800 number and you will be connected directly to your Senators’ offices.”

Online games help develop your social skills - experts

2006-09-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

New York - Video games involving multiple players serve as informal gathering places akin to old-time pubs and coffee shops, and can thereby boost the players' social connections, researchers argue in a new study.

I'm definitely saving this one for if my (future) girlfriend should ever complain that I spend too much time playing games...

Don’t believe it? read more.

Another Gaming Exec Detained by US Authorities

2006-09-08T00:34:00.000-07:00

The United States has detained a second Internet gaming executive, adding to fears it is cracking down on the lucrative industry and sparking share price falls that wiped over 800 million pounds off the market value of the sector.

According to Sportingbet, their non-executive chairman Peter Dicks was detained by US authorities while visiting the US on non-Sportingbet business.

Dicks' detention follows the arrest of BetonSports PLC's former chief executive David Carruthers earlier this year and the subsequent 22-count indictment served on BetonSports, alleging various charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud, including breaches of the 1961 Wire Act.

Read about it

GoldenPalace stinks it up with Britney's half-eaten egg sandwich

2006-09-05T02:23:00.000-07:00

How much would you pay for Britney’s half-eaten sandwich…?

WTF??

I freaking hope you didn’t actually contemplate an amount after that ridiculous question. Your answer should be a resounding, unwavering, crystal-clear “What the $^%@ is wrong with you, or anyone that would steal a half-eaten piece of bread??”

Sadly, there are attention-craving lunatics that really get off on these types of things, and (lucky for them) there is always someone willing to supply. Like GoldenPalace.com. They thrive on sad media-fueled buys (think William Shatner’s kidney stone) to try and drive like-minded lunatics to their casino. Which is why they bought Britney's half-eaten egg-salad sandwich and Kevin Federline's corndog on eBay.

Perhaps they should rather focus on being a proper online casino, and lay off the theatrics. I’m sorry if I come across a bit strong, but I’ve had bad experiences with them once too often.

If ridiculous paraphernalia is your bag, then I guess these types of things would appeal to you. However, if, like me, you prefer to have a decent game at a decent casino or poker room that doesn’t try to dilute its service with utter crap – there really is no appeal.

PartyPoker player arrested while playing at home

2006-09-04T01:46:00.000-07:00

Police raided professional poker player Richard Lee's Shavano Park house in San Antonio last week. They referred to his residence as the "nerve center" of a suspected Internet gambling operation, and police confiscated a money-counting machine, five Lexus cars, plasma screen TVs and a large amount of cash.

But Lee, who recently won more than $2.8 million in the 2006 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, hasn't been charged with a crime, said Sandy Gutierrez, spokeswoman with the San Antonio Police Department.

Lee denied operating an Internet gambling Web site but said he was taking part in an online poker tournament on partypoker.com when police arrived.

Read more

Swimmer trapped by (his) beach balls

2006-08-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

Haaahahahahahaha!!

A man got a nasty surprise when he tried to get out of his deckchair and found his testicles had become stuck between two slats of wood. Mario Visnjic had been swimming naked off Valalta beach in Croatia and his testicles had shrunk in the cool sea. When he sat down they slipped through the slats and then, as he lay in the sun, expanded back to the normal size. He was freed after he called beach maintenance services on his mobile phone and they sent a member of staff to cut the deckchair in half.

Trojan horse attacks cellphones via SMS

2006-08-30T03:48:00.000-07:00

Cell phone users have been warned to be careful of text messages containing a website link, which, when prompted, downloads a Trojan horse.

The messages would typically say that you’ve signed up for a certain service, which you didn’t do), and say that you’ll be charged a certain amount a day, unless you click on the URL to unsubscribe.

That’s where the Trojan horse is downloaded, that could allow a web-enabled phone to be controlled by hackers.

Read the full story

Be careful what you say… It could cost you $6 million.

2006-08-28T03:52:00.000-07:00

WSOP winner Jamie Gold won’t be able to touch his $12 million winnings at least until Sept 1, when he’ll be appearing in court.

Gold is being sued by Bruce Crispin Leyser, who claims Gold made an informal agreement to split his winnings with him.

Leyser had asked the court to keep Gold from claiming the money or spending it until the dispute is settled because he's worried that Gold will spend it all before he gets his share.

Read more

Gamble less - Go out and drink more?

2006-08-24T00:25:00.000-07:00

Increasing Number Of College Students Have Gambling Addictions

Sob....

Here's another sad-ass story about a college student who just could not say NO to gambling and became a poor, debt-ridden recluse with no friends. How sad.

Maybe if she made friends, went out and got drunk every once in a while she wouldn't have these problems. (refer to My Responsible Gaming tips for more).

Get real, people - gambling online doesn't mean you're going to become a social misfit. For every sad little student who couldn't hack it in college and subsequently became a gambling recluse freak, there are thousands, if not millions who gamble responsibly, do it for fun and come out fine. We even win some money along the line.

So please, lay off the crappy soppy stories. Most of us are doing quite allright, thank you.

In case you're still interested in reading the dreaded article, here it is.

Deadly rattlesnakes released at theatre showing "Snakes on a Plane"

2006-08-23T03:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not ashamed to say that I would've crapped myself...

Two live diamondback rattlesnakes were released in an Arizona movie theater during a showing of the new film "Snakes on a Plane."

Read more

Is it easier to bluff in the buff?

2006-08-23T02:29:00.000-07:00

The World Series of Strip Poker?

Yes Please!!

Following short on the heels of the WSOP, a bunch of former Playboy Playmates and other Average Joe’s hoping to catch an eyeful, got together to, well…. bluff in the buff for a $500,000 pot.

Genius, I say. The only problem with this event is that I MISSED IT!

Roughly 200 players of both sexes from over 12 countries took it off for the “Gold Fig Leaf” trophy and the prestigious title of World Strip Poker Champion.

Each player started the match by wearing five items of clothing supplied by the organizers.

Each contestant were also given a towel to sit on and to cover themselves when naked, but only after they have stripped completely. Spoilsports!

I guess the only thing left to say is: Make sure you choose your opponents well.
No one likes to see a poker granny naked…..

Irish firms sign up to anti-lap dancing charter

2006-08-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

A nation mourns.... This used to be the only reason the poor sods dragged their tired assess to work every day...

Nearly 50 companies in Ireland have signed up to a charter pledging not to spend corporate cash at lap dancing clubs.

Read it and weep

Top 10 Casino scenes

2006-08-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Like many gaming lovers I love to watch movies about the glamorous, yet slightly seedy world of casinos and dark poker rooms.

So check out what some say are the 10 greatest Casino scenes in movie history.

Top 10 Casino Scenes

Goodbye porn! Hello poker secrets on pay-per-view

2006-08-17T04:18:00.000-07:00

Start looking out for the first-ever pay-per-view Double Feature called "Gamblers Guide to Online Poker and Blackjack" on DISH Network Pay-Per-View.

It sucks that you have to pay for it, but according to The Players Network, Inc., viewers who purchase the Double Feature will get double their money's worth, learning the ultimate strategies, secrets, and tactics for playing both winning poker, and winning blackjack, from respected experts in both disciplines.

Read more

Don't know if the "Gamblers Guide" will be worth digging into the pay-per-view dirty movie budget for, but I'll keep you posted.

Poker players aren't terrorists - let them play!

2006-08-16T02:45:00.000-07:00

"The whole internet gaming ban is a joke...."

U.S. movie producer Philip Ittleson is following the ethos of his poker documentary "No Limit" this week by publicising his Let The People Play.org website to help educate and unite the millions of poker players in the United States who are against legislation that would ban online gambling, including poker.

Click here

The (Online) American Army Wants You!

2006-08-11T02:08:00.000-07:00

Poker fanatics across the US are joining in unison to defend their game in reaction to the recent clampdown on Internet gambling, which has seen many online casinos and poker rooms avoiding the US market due to the uncertain legal issues surrounding the ‘Wire Act’.

http://www.onlinecasinonews.com/ocnv2_1/article/article.asp?id=11206

'iMsoLucky0' set for the big time

2006-08-11T00:38:00.000-07:00

Jordan 'iMsoLucky0' Morgan Becomes the Youngest Player to Join InterPoker's Team of Thrill Seeking Professional Card Players

http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20060809/LAW08809082006-1.html