TCL's fall lineup of HDTVs includes a 50-inch 4K model for $999

If you're yearning for a super high res HDTV and the usual suspects' products are just a bit too pricey, there's a new challenger about to join: China's TCL. Its fall lineup of televisions leads with a 50-inch 4K model (shown above) due in September priced at just $999. It joins Seiki as a Chinese manufacturer bringing budget priced Ultra HD panels to the US with this 120Hz edge lit LED model that packs 4 HDMI inputs with MHL support. If the 7E504D's 3,840 x 2,160 resolution screen isn't a must-have for you, it does have some more traditional HDTVs on the way in the form of its 5510 series.

They include 40-, 46- and 55-inch 1080p models, priced at $399, $499 and $799, respectively. The largest one includes built-in WiFi with Smart TV features including Netflix, YouTube and Yahoo Apps, and all go on sale in August. So far, reviews of the Seiki UHDTVs have suggested resolution isn't everything even at these prices (and especially at this screen size) -- we'll be waiting to see if TCL's scaling, contrast, motion processing and other qualities can match up with the big guys.

Gallery: TCL 4K TV, 5510 HDTV

Filed under: HD

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/25/tcl-4k-50-inch-999/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Royal news: London School of Samba choose their Queen for Notting Hill Carnival

The Notting Hill Carnival is five weeks away, which seems like ages unless you are preparing your food stall, practicing in a band, perfecting your dance moves or covered in feathers and sequins making costumes for the thousands of dancers all shaking it along the Carnival route.

Carnival veterans The London School of Samba are right on track this year and are shortly nominating their 2013-2014 Queen of the Bateria. Their Queen holds one of the most important positions in the Samba and will dance ahead of the band at Carnival and other events in their all-year-round-busy calendar.

If you want to witness this Carnival tradition, the London School of Samba will be at Floripa on Wed July 24 from 9pm as their performers dance head to head along with their Bateria to compete for the crown. After the competition DJ Cliffy of Batmacumba will continue the Brazilian vibe into the early hours of the morning.

The perfect antidote if you are finding all the current royal news distinctly lacking in glitter and feathers. Jude Brosnan

London School of Samba Queen of the Drums Competition 2013-2014, Wednesday July 24 , Floripa, 91-93 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3HZ

Find out more about this year?s Notting Hill Carnival.

Tags: Carnival Queen, dance, floripa, Jude Brosnan, London School of Samba, nhc, notting hill carnival, samba

Source: http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2013/07/24/royal-news-london-school-of-samba-choose-their-queen-for-notting-hill-carnival/

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Speck Smartshell for MacBook Pro review: Protects your laptop, looks great

You spend all that money on a shiny new MacBook Pro, but what about taking care of it when you take it out of the box? A clip-on case for a laptop is not something I've personally ever considered before, but since all manner of gadgets and gizmos go into my gear bag along with my MacBook Pro Retina, I'm terrified that one of these days something's going to dig a scratch into that gorgeous Aluminum body. And, since I already carry it in my gear bag, a sleeve or full on laptop carry bag didn't seem appropriate. The Speck SmartShell however, did.

It isn't the lowest priced accessory in the world at $49.95 for regular MacBook Pro and Retina versions, and for your money you essentially get something that resembles a smartphone case, but much, much bigger. The SmartShell comes in two pieces that individually clip to your MacBook Pro; one for the base and one for the lid. The piece for the base has all the necessary cut-outs to access the various ports on the sides, and one at the front where you lift the lid. It also comes with some rather large, and rather grippy feet that do a much better job of preventing the MacBook sliding around than the stock feet do. The SmartShell is so thin too, that it adds almost nothing in the way of bulk to your MacBook.

It's the same simple, clip-on affair for the lid too. Just line it up and snap it into place. The neat thing about the lid is that it's ever so slightly translucent, so you're not covering up the glowing Apple logo when the lid is open. That said, when closed it isn't immediately noticeable as a MacBook, another element I'm quite fond of. Close the lid and it looks more like a run-of-the-mill plastic laptop. Much less desirable to wannabe miscreants.

The good

• Thin enough not to add unwanted bulk
• Tough enough to prevent scratches to your precious MacBook
• Doesn't hide that beautiful, glowing Apple

The bad

• At $50 it's easy to pass it by

The bottom line

Yes, at $50 it isn't the cheapest accessory in the world, but can you really put a price on protecting your precious MacBook? The SmartShell looks good, adds practically zero extra bulk, and keeps all those nasty scratches away. And it looks pretty swell too. Regular MacBook Pro owners needn't feel left out either, because you can get one to fit your laptop too. It's even available in a selection of different, and wilder colors than black, should you be in for that sort of thing.

• $49.95 - Buy Now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/UQAXBb5OcbA/story01.htm

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Nexus 7 Hands On: A Giant Leap for Google-Kind

After Google's Nexus 7 announcement today, we had the opportunity to put the new device through its paces and it did not disappoint. The new unit is noticeably lighter than its predecessor and its narrower form factor makes it easier to fit in a back pocket without busting seams.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/RHr7KYzKsY0/nexus-7-hands-on-a-giant-leap-for-google-kind-897562461

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Internet Pioneers Discuss the Future of Money, Books, and Paper in 1972

Imagine a world where nearly every book ever published could be delivered to you electronically in the blink of an eye. Imagine a world where all of your banking is done without having to visit a bank teller. Imagine a world where paper doesn't need to be shuttled around to exchange ideas. I know, I know, I'm basically describing right now. But in the year 1972, when the ARPANET (the precursor to our modern internet) was just beginning to take its first baby steps, these ideas were all a fantasy. In the minds of these men, specifically.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Zh4eV-K5WMk/internet-pioneers-discuss-the-future-of-money-books-a-880551175

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Modern-day or Vintage Fence - Home Improvement Blog

Written by frank k. soliman

A fantastic fence ought not only provide privacy and security. It should also serve to increase the beauty and charm of a house. Nowadays, folks are needs to give more importance around the aesthetic worth of a fence. Ahead of the appearance of a fence wasn?t considered, today the style of a fence could make or break the overall impact of a home. That is probably why increasing numbers of people are seeking out the expert opinion of designers and architects with regards to the kind of their fencing contractor .

Fences come in different designs to suit every type of home. It could be manufactured from wood, steel, stone, brick, vinyl or a combination of these. You can customize your fence so as harmonize it along with the rest of the home or make it stick out. It?s all regulated dependent on choice. Fence design is normally classified under two categories- classic and modern.

Exactly what is a modern fence? There isn?t any standard definition of such a modern fence is. The concept of modern fences has resulted through the evolution of fences, design, and art. Developing a fence is not really solely entrusted to carpenters, inspire the joint effort of designers, architects, and fence contractors. Modern fences are a mixture of design and functionality. It is usually made out of numerous materials like wood, steel, or even glass; along with unique patterns, lines, and color. Modern fences are usually up-to-date with technology boasting features like automated gates in case you can afford the luxurious.

Classic fences, alternatively, are more traditional with regards to design. A common illustration of a well used fence will be the traditional white picket fence. Unlike modern fences, classic fences are usually simpler with regards to design and color, automated gates aren?t commonly incorporated. Many people prefer classic fences due to the comfort and stability it represents. Even though it could possibly be simpler than its modern counterparts, classic fences put in a certain allure and feeling of romanticism with a home. There are tons of fencing companies which give you the setting up fences with classic designs this sort of interested. Classic fences can be seen on older plus more traditional varieties of houses, whereas modern fences are more popular for newer varieties of residences.

No matter which design that suits you which is dependent on personal taste. Attempt to know what you need along with what you would like before having one installed.

Source: http://shrednwmagazine.com/modern-day-or-vintage-fence/

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93% The Hunt

All Critics (76) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (71) | Rotten (5)

[A] harrowing but flawed study of an innocent man accused of pedophilia.

It leaves us not only with an unforgettable final image, but also the troubling thought that witch hunts, like war, will always be with us - all the more so in the modern era of instant communication.

It is a devastating film to watch, a heedful one, and a tragic reminder that no matter how well a life has been conducted, the mere whiff of such scandalous behavior is condemnation enough.

[A] quietly devastating drama about a soft-spoken, bespectacled and devoted kindergarten teacher whose life is upended by a false accusation from one of his students.

This is filmmaking of a high order, even though the production's scale is modest and the climax is not without its facile contrivances.

Unsettling, forthright and thought-provoking, The Hunt is also brilliantly titled.

Although the scenario is exaggerated for dramatic effect and it stumbles somewhat in the final act, the unsettling film is a provocative and timely examination of persecution and the perils of public perception.

An uncommonly thoughtful, and thought-provoking, entry in the social-issue drama subgenre, anchored by Mikkelsen's gripping performance.

A subtle piece of moral drama crowned by a truly beautiful performance from Mikkelsen, The Hunt puts every one of us in the crosshairs.

Child molestation is indeed horrific. Sometimes, the response to same can be equally disconcerting. The Hunt argues that all too well.

Mads Mikkelsen displays remarkable range as a subdued kindergarten teacher confronting sex-abuse charges in a small Danish town.

Mikkelsen and a terrific ensemble navigate complex emotions and moral quandaries in a terrain where a satisfying resolution is as hard to come by as a child who never tells a lie.

...incredible acting by Mikkelsson, (but) what is unforgettable is the acting of the young girl who makes the allegation, Annika Wedderkopp. It's remarkable that someone so young could give such a performance.

The characters... are not symbolic. They're real people, leading imperfect lives... but we can relate to their feelings, and their actions at every turn of this searing drama.

Vinterberg's best filmmaking since his Dogme '95 entry "The Celebration."

Mikkelsen, one of his country's finest actors, in collaboration with Thomas Vinterberg, one of its finest directors, delivers what may be his strongest performance yet.

A nuanced portrait of a fundamentally decent man grappling with a world that has decided to treat him indecently.

The innocent man wrongly accused is something that everyone can identify with - what if it happened to me?

No quotes approved yet for The Hunt. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunt_2013/

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Company to inspect Texas coaster where woman fell

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? A German roller coaster maker is sending officials to a North Texas amusement park to inspect a ride after a woman fell to her death.

Tobias Lindnar, a project manager for Gerstlauer Amusement Rides in Munsterhausen, Germany, told The Dallas Morning News that the company will investigate what led to Friday's fatal accident at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.

Witnesses said the woman expressed concern about the Texas Giant roller coaster's safety bar not completely engaging as the ride was starting. The coaster is touted as the tallest steel-hybrid roller coaster in the world.

"I'm sure there's no safety bar that is broken," Lindnar told the newspaper by phone Saturday night from Germany.

Lindnar said Gerstlauer has never had problems with car safety bars on any of the roughly 50 roller coasters it's built around the world over the past 30 years.

"We will be on site and we will see what has happened," he said.

Park spokeswoman Sharon Parker confirmed in a statement Saturday that the victim died while riding the 14-story Texas Giant, but wouldn't give specifics about what happened. Arlington Police Sgt. Christopher Cook told The Associated Press on Saturday that police believe the woman fell from the ride and that there appeared to have been no foul play.

Arlington police have referred information about the woman's identity to the medical examiner's office in Tarrant County, which hadn't disclosed her name as of Sunday night and didn't respond to phone messages left by the AP.

Lindnar wouldn't address the hydraulic bar's operation or whether park employees should be able to determine if a person's body is too close to the front of the train car to prevent the bar from being effective.

"At this time I don't want to speak about the technicals," he said. "It's not so easy. It's some special equipment."

But he said once the ride began, there was no chance of opening the safety bar.

"We are committed to determining the cause of this tragic accident and will utilize every resource throughout this process," Parker said in her statement. "It would be a disservice to the family to speculate regarding what transpired."

Police, fire and emergency medical services responded to the park around 6:45 p.m. Friday after calls about a woman who fell from a car while riding a roller coaster. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Texas Department of Insurance spokesman Jerry Hagins told the AP on Sunday that Six Flags was in compliance with state regulations requiring amusement ride operators to have $1 million liability insurance on each ride and provide proof of an annual safety inspection by a certified engineer.

Six Flags received a state-issued sticker, like an auto inspection sticker, for the Texas Giant in February. Hagins said the ride now will remain closed until it's inspected again and certified to be safe.

"It's the ride owner's responsibility to keep it closed, to fix it, then prove to us that it's safe to start back up again," he said. "If for some reason they can't figure it out, no safety inspector is going to sign off on it."

Because no foul play is suspected, police are not involved in the investigation, officials said.

The ride first opened in 1990 as an all-wooden coaster and underwent a $10 million renovation to install steel-hybrid rails and reopened in 2011. It can carry up to 24 people.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/company-inspect-texas-coaster-where-woman-fell-230404944.html

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Scientists identify key brain circuits that control compulsive drinking in rats

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Scientists have identified circuitry in the brain that drives compulsive drinking in rats, and likely plays a similar role in humans.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/RsX1FWKgtug/130722202654.htm

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Zimbabwe: Monitors foresee more polling chaos

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) ? An independent Zimbabwe election monitoring group said Wednesday many of the nation's 6.2 million voters will not be likely to cast their ballots if elections are not delayed.

Less than 10 percent of police and officials eligible for a special vote ahead of crucial national polls managed to cast their ballots in early polling "fraught with irregularities," the Election Resource Center said. About 80,000 police, soldiers and officials will be on duty during the July 31 vote.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state commission said in a statement it apologized to the uniformed forces, state officials "and to political parties and the nation at large" and acknowledged "substantial numbers" of voters were turned away during the special voting on Sunday and Monday that spilled into Tuesday.

"All persons who were deprived of the opportunity to vote will be able to vote on July 31 when the rest of the electorate votes," it said.

Voting papers and equipment were not delivered in time at most of the 210 voting posts, and the resource center blamed delays in printing the materials. Zimbabweans are scheduled to vote at 9,600 polling stations for countrywide vote that is two weeks away.

The resource center said the nation faced "further shame and embarrassment," if polls were not delayed. It said Nigeria in 2011 postponed elections twice for logistical reasons and went on to have a fair poll.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party, in a shaky coalition with longtime President Robert Mugabe since the last violent and disputed elections in 2008, said in a separate statement the special voting exposed the commission's inability to hold a credible election at the end of the month.

Tendai Biti, the third ranking official in Tsvangirai's party who is also the finance minister, alleged "a chaos faction" in Mugabe's party was trying to derail election procedures to sow confusion across the country for their own gain at the polls.

"This election is illegitimate and unfair. We are participating because the people are tired and want change. We are going to soldier on," Biti said in the statement.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zimbabwe-monitors-foresee-more-polling-chaos-153514124.html

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Cyclospora infection from eating raw fruits and vegetables is spreading through North Texas

The number of North Texans sick with cyclospora, a rare infection spread through raw fruits and vegetables, is growing.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Tarrant County had seen the most cases with 10 people sick. There were nine cases in Dallas County. Six people had been infected in Collin County and Denton County reported five cases.

The infection leaves victims with serious gastrointestinal discomfort, which can last for weeks.

The parasite cyclospora leaves its waste on the leaves and skin of vegetables and fruit.

Health authorities are urging citizens to thoroughly wash and clean their produce. Local organic grower Tom Spicer suggests soaking fruits and veggies in warm water and scrubbing them with a firm brush.

"So when you go to scrub it, whatever is on it is loosened up, and rinse it again. Dry it off," said Spicer.

Babies, children and the elderly are particularly susceptible to the cyclospora infection. People with weakened immune systems are at risk too, mainly because of the risk of dehydration from severe diarrhea.

According to the Mayo Clinic, lettuce, fresh basil, and imported raspberries have all caused cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. in the past.

Unfortunately, even careful washing may not guarantee the removal of parasites from uncooked fruits and vegetables. However, public health officials say cooking or heating vegetables will kill the cyclspora infection.

Source: http://www.sott.net/article/264089-Cyclospora-infection-from-eating-raw-fruits-and-vegetables-is-spreading-through-North-Texas

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SUV, family heirlooms, guns stolen from Beach home | WTKR.com

Posted on: 11:59 pm, July 10, 2013, by Marissa Jasek, updated on: 10:16am, July 11, 2013

Virginia Beach, Va. ? Anna and Kelly Haupt feel violated.?When thieves broke into their home in the 1800 block of Tree Line Rd Tuesday, not only did they steal guns, priceless family heirlooms, and thousands in cash, they also took off in the couple?s SUV.

?Questioning how someone could do this and feel somehow justified,? Kelly says.??Right in the middle of the day.?

?Nobody heard or saw anything,? Anna says.

Somewhere between noon and 2:30 in the afternoon, burglars smashed their way in through a back door. Rummaging through drawers and under cushions, the thieves were not picky.

Among the loot were several family keepsakes, including an 1800?s Edison home phonograph, and jewelry handed down to Anna?they even took her wedding ring.

?I have an uncle that emailed me after he heard what happened and he said those memories are still in your heart,? she says. ?So that?s I guess going to I guess get me through.?

While ransacking a closet, the thieves found keys to the couple?s 2005 Honda Pilot, which was parked in the garage. Including the car?s value, the criminals got away with nearly $50,000 worth of loot.

However, Kelly says they?re lucky.? It could have turned out much worse.

?There was nothing that was busted up,? Kelly says. ?They came and they took some stuff from us. In that regard it?s just stuff.?

The thieves also stole a large safe with more than $6,500 in cash, a BB gun and 32-caliber-bereta handgun. If you have any information, call Virginia Beach Police or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

Source: http://wtkr.com/2013/07/10/suv-family-heirlooms-guns-stolen-from-beach-home/

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Saudi princess accused of holding Kenyan servant captive in California

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES | Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:08am IST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Prosecutors in Southern California charged a Saudi Arabian princess on Wednesday with human trafficking and accused her of bringing a Kenyan woman to the United States and holding her against her will as a servant.

The accused woman, Meshael Alayban, 42, brought the Kenyan to the United States in May and paid her $220 a month while holding her passport and keeping her confined to an apartment complex in Irvine, California, where Alayban lived, Orange County prosecutors said in a statement.

The servant, whose name was not released, had to wash dishes, cook, clean, do laundry and iron without a day off, prosecutors said.

Authorities said they found four Filipino women in the Irvine home who also may have had their passports seized by Alayban's family, and an investigation is under way into whether others were involved in the alleged human trafficking scheme.

Police arrested Alayban early on Wednesday at her apartment, a day after the Kenyan woman escaped and flagged down a bus driver, the statement said. Alayban is charged with one felony count of human trafficking.

"The laws of our nation and California do not tolerate people who deprive or violate the liberty of another and obtain forced labor or services," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said in a statement.

The only occasion when the Kenyan woman was allowed to leave the Irvine apartment complex was when she carried the bags of Alayban's family during an outing, prosecutors said.

The Kenyan also attended to other people linked to Alayban who lived in the same complex, according to the statement.

Alayban had first hired the Kenyan woman as a domestic servant in March 2012 in Saudi Arabia in her family's palace, prosecutors said. She is accused of holding the woman's passport then as well and forcing her to work every day for 16 hours.

Orange County prosecutors said the Kenyan woman originally came to work for Alayban by signing a two-year contract with an employment agency that promised her $1,600 a month to labor for eight hours a day, five days a week.

Irvine Police Chief David Maggard Jr. said in a statement that his officers were "gratified to have been able to help" the Kenyan woman "find her freedom."

Alayban is a wife of Saudi Arabian Prince Abdulrahman bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz al Saud, the Orange County prosecutors said in their statement.

Alayban's attorney, Paul Meyer, said in an email that "the complaints were about hours worked and wages paid."

"We intend to fully investigate this matter, and expect that the truth will resolve it," he said.

Alayban appeared in court in Orange County on Wednesday and a judge set her bail at $5 million. She remains in custody at a women's jail, according to a website for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Prosecutors have expressed concern Alayban could try to flee if released on bail, and the judge ordered her to wear a GPS device and stay in Orange County if she is let out.

Alayban faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INworldNews/~3/lDIDJhfa1bE/story01.htm

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Undefined roles: Private security guards come under fire for murky ...

Eight securi?ty compan?ies issued show-cause notice?s for involv?ement in crimin?al activi?ties.

Rs53 million were stolen from a bank and according to the staff at the scene of the crime, the private security guard posted at the bank was part of the gang of robbers carrying out the heist. PHOTO:FILE

KARACHI:?Already considered public enemies by some, private security companies are now under the watchful eye of the Sindh home department which has issued show cause notices to at least eight companies for their involvement in bank robberies and criminal offenses.

Following this development, a committee comprising officials of the home department was also constituted for inspection of the private security companies? compliance with the Sindh Private Security Agencies Rules 2001. According to an official of the department, seven security companies were found violating the Rules 2011 and action has been initiated against them.

The show cause notices issued on Tuesday come as a positive development for those who have been demanding action against the ?guard culture? following a bank robbery and the murder of a 16-year-old boy ? both in April.

Rs53 million were stolen from a bank and according to the staff at the scene of the crime, the private security guard posted at the bank was part of the gang of robbers carrying out the heist. At the end of the month, on April 27, Hamza Ahmed was allegedly shot dead by the security guard of another boy, Mohammed Shoaib, in the Defence Housing Authority, for which the trial has already started.

Hiring and training private security

Private security guards provide security as bodyguards, night watchmen and gatekeepers to individuals, commercial entities and neighbourhoods.

?They [private security guards] act like puppets and have no idea of how to react in a critical situation,? said Anwar Hameed Khan, the manager of a private bank on II Chundrigarh. ?Most of them don?t even know how to use the gun they carry,? he said while pointing to a guard in blue uniform standing outside the entrance of the bank?s building.

The general secretary of the All Pakistan Security Agencies Association (APSAA), Col. (Retd) Tauqir Islam, however, does not favour a vigorous, long period of training. ?We don?t mean to train soldiers. A private security guard merely performs the services of a chowkidaar [gatekeeper],? said Islam.

Currently, around 243 private security companies are registered with the Sindh government and 170 of them are the members of APSAA.

Explaining the recruitment process of a private security guard, Islam said that applicants are asked to provide a copy of their national identity card along with proof of residence. APSAA then verifies the CNIC with NADRA. ?In case the given residential address is outside Karachi, it is verified from the respective city,? explained the general secretary.

The recruits receive a 15-day training during which they are taught how to behave with clients and react in certain situations, in addition how to use the weapon they carry.

A group of trainees from different companies are taken to the Rangers? firing range near the Super Highway to practice firing during their training period.

Jawed Khalil, 41, from Rahimyar Khan, who has been working as a security guard for the last 12 years, said that the guards are required to renew their training each year. According to Khalil, the guards are trained for three different scenarios ? fire in the air to scare a miscreant, shoot him in the leg and if there is a threat to their life, shoot to kill in self-defence.

Safety first: How to open a security company?

Private security companies in the country are operating under an administrative order issued by the Ministry of Interior in 1988, according to Masood & Masood (Corporate and Legal Consultants).

After getting approval under the said law, they are required to be registered with the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan under the Companies Ordinance, 1984. Following the registration, they obtain a no objection certificate (NoC) from the home ministry and then approach the concerned home department to operate in the province.

The general secretary of the All Pakistan Security Agencies Association (APSAA), Col. (Retd) Tauqir Islam, said that only those companies that have an NoC from the government and are registered with the SECP, receive the APSAA membership.

But their performance, by law, has to be monitored by the concerned police stations. Senior Superintendant of Police (SSP) Jam Zafarullah said that the concerned police stations were well informed of the security companies operating in the area and also maintained their record.

To a question on the legal status of security guards, he said, ?The clearance (NoC) given by the home ministry is? proof enough for us of their legal status.?

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2013.

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Source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/575292/undefined-roles-private-security-guards-come-under-fire-for-murky-business/

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Jagged graphene edges can slice into cell membranes

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Researchers have shown how tiny graphene sheets can be big trouble for cells. Sharp corners and jagged edges on the sheets puncture cell membranes, allowing the sheet to enter the cell and disrupt function. The new understanding of how graphene interacts with cells could lead to safer production of this important nanomaterial.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/eLl8adSfU_A/130710142010.htm

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Amid In-App Purchases Controversy, SuperAwesome Launches ...

SuperAwesome, the U.K. discovery platform for kids and teens that grew out of the recent acquisition of Swapit by Dylan Collins? newest venture Box Of Awesome, is launching a mobile ad network aimed at ? yes, you?ve guessed it ? ?premium? kids content creators. Dubbed Kids Mobile Network (KMN), it?s being positioned as a way to help mobile content creators that target kids, such as mobile free-to-play games, move away from (or at least have an alternative to) funding their wares with controversial in-app purchases.

Claiming that its existing properties ? the online ad network, Kids Network, Box Of Awesome, its ?free Birchbox for kids,??and Swapit, the site that lets kids and teens trade unwanted items ? already means the company has a reach of 8 million U.K. kids per-month, SuperAwesome seems extremely well-positioned to launch a mobile ad network targeting the same hard-to-reach demographic. It also comes at a time when, says SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins, content creators are looking for alternative ways to generate revenue beyond the tried and tested method of in-app purchases, which is seeing a backlash, not least on its home turf.

?There has been a huge amount of criticism and scrutiny about monetizing mobile kids content via IAP,? says Collins. ?Everyone has read a story about parents getting ?1000+ iTunes bills after their child started playing a free-to-play game. Unfortunately there is little viable alternative in the market. After repeated requests from many of our clients, we have launched a premium mobile network to help approved kids content creators generate revenue as an alternative/complement to IAP.?

To that end, SuperAwesome already works with some of the biggest kids entertainment brands, including Hasbro, Warner Bros, Disney, and Topps, though it isn?t able to say which advertisers are already signed up to use KMN. In terms of the types of mobile content or apps that will monetize via KMN, Collins says that the company has ?about 20 clients? already live on the ad network ranging across games, education, quizzes and magazine content. ?We?re expecting game content to become a leading category for us,? he says.

Meanwhile, citing its own research ? the company has a well-regarded research arm called Swapit Research ? SuperAwesome says that 55% of UK kids aged 8-16 have smartphones. It therefore seems apt to launch a dedicated niche mobile ad network to serve up that demographic.

Also of note, SuperAwesome hasn?t raised any external financing to date. I wouldn?t be surprised to see that change as it scales.

SuperAwesome is the leading discovery platform for 6-16 kids in the UK. Founded by a track record team responsible for some of the top games and technology brands in Europe, our reach now extends across physical (Box of Awesome, Box of OMG, Swapit), digital (our display and mobile ad networks) and research (our award-winning Youthscape reports) The 6-16 generation is hard to reach, being highly fragmented across multiple channels and multiple platforms. It needs a discovery platform to match. At...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/11/kmn/

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Mixed open on Wall Street ahead of Fed minutes

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks are little changed in early trading on Wall Street as investors look ahead to the release of minutes from the latest policy meeting of the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 15 points, or 0.1 percent, at 15,315 after the first few minutes of trading Wednesday.

The Dow has risen for the past four days. The Dow hasn't had a streak of five gains or more since mid-March.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down a point at 1,651. The Nasdaq was up two points at 3,507.

Family Dollar Stores reported earnings that beat the estimates of Wall Street analysts. The stock rose 4 percent to $66.43.

The market's gains were being held back by weak trade figures from China.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mixed-open-wall-street-ahead-fed-minutes-135323223--business.html

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HBT: Precedent flimsy to give Braun 100-game ban

The news came down yesterday that MLB is, at least according to some sources, on the verge of handing out suspensions in the Biogenesis case. These sources continue to say that MLB is intent on giving Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez 100-game suspensions despite the fact that neither has previously served a PED suspension and despite the fact that the Joint Drug Agreement clearly states that 100-game suspensions are second-time discipline.

This is a pretty extreme approach. Maybe it?s just bluster, intended to scare players into copping to their PED use and accepting a 50-game suspension (if so, that?s pretty clever actually). But MLB may actually level a 100-game suspension. The question I have if they do this is what possible basis do they have for making it stick?

The ESPN report says that, at least in Braun?s case, it would be the result of both an association with Anthony Bosch and for lying to investigators. ?Which is interesting considering that the same report says that Braun did not answer investigators? questions. Maybe it was his lyin? eyes, I dunno. ?Or, more likely, maybe the real basis for double discipline is Braun?s alleged lack of cooperation with the league. That could make more sense.

Except for one thing: Melky Cabrera.

Last year Melky Cabrera famously ? and quite ridiculously ? attempted to pass off a phony website as an excuse for his positive PED test. It caused MLB to actually have to conduct an investigation into the phony company, purchase phony products and, at least according to some reports, travel to the Dominican Republic. This, apart from its hilarity, was blatant lying, deception and fraud. And yet, at the end of it, Melky Cabrera was given only a 50-game suspension.

If what Melky Cabrera did wasn?t worthy of double discipline, how on earth could Braun offering denials or, more likely, not saying anything, justify it?

If your answer is ?Braun really made them mad last year and they want to get even? well, therein lies the bulk of my objection to what?s been going down in the Biogenesis matter.

(h/t to Kyle Kaestner for pointing out the Melky analogy on Twitter yesterday)

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/10/if-melky-cabreras-phony-website-didnt-warrant-a-100-game-suspension-how-can-ryan-braun-get-one/related/

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Footballer John Terry's father charged with racist attack in London

Two other men, Tudor Musteata, 47, of London, and Stephen Niland, 36, of Romford, were also charged following the scuffle at 8pm on March 22.

A spokesman said: ?As charges have now been brought we are unable to comment further on the nature of the incident.?

All three men, who were released on bail, will appear at City of London Magistrates' Court on July 23.

The Terry family has had previous run-ins with the law, with former England captain John Terry cleared of racially abusing fellow footballer Anton Ferdinand last year.

The defender had denied making the comments to the Queens Park Rangers player during a match at Loftus Road the previous year.

The verdict came after the footballer was stripped of the national captaincy and England manager Fabio Capello resigned in protest.

John Terry had previously been arrested following a fight at a nightclub in 2002, but was later cleared of four charges, including affray and wounding with intent.

John Terry?s mother Sue, 55, and mother-in-law Sue Poole, 59, were cautioned for shoplifting from Tesco and Marks & Spencer in 2009.

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568303/s/2e6f0ab1/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cuknews0C10A170A3360CFootballer0EJohn0ETerrys0Efather0Echarged0Ewith0Eracist0Eattack0Ein0ELondon0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Installing Ubuntu on Compaq CQ5110F PC Desktop w/ Windows Vista Home Premium

I have an old desktop computer that currently runs fine with Windows Vista. I would like to move over to Ubuntu but do not know if it is possible.

Here are the specs:

Compaq CQ5110F PC

• Processor: AMD Athlon X2 7550 Dual Core Processor
• Hard Drive: 320gb
• Memory: 3gb
• Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium

Since this is an old computer, I am not sure if Ubuntu will run on this. I do not want to risk ruining the computer, instead I want to create a better experience for users of the computer.

Thanks

Source: http://askubuntu.com/questions/318296/installing-ubuntu-on-compaq-cq5110f-pc-desktop-w-windows-vista-home-premium

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For women: What's your personal health and fitness story?

When you read articles about fitness and nutrition, are you looking for your story? You know, the woman who is ?just like you? ? same age, same concerns, same interests?

It?s often hard to find your own story?reflected in the fitness media; where it?s all beauty pageants, decimating body fat, and uncovering washboard abs.

At Precision Nutrition, we take a different approach.

Instead of foisting some fat-hating, ab-loving ideal on everyone, we actually talk to our clients. By interviewing them, asking questions, and really listening, we find out their stories. Who they are and what they really want.

In these interviews, one question always leads the way:

?Why are you here, working with Precision Nutrition??

We hear many different ? and sometimes?surprising ? answers. And, today,?I?ll share them with you.

Below are short, paraphrased summaries of the hurt, the struggles and even the seemingly unspeakable thoughts of the women in our Lean Eating coaching program. So many of our clients come to us thinking that they?re the only ones who feel or think these things. They wonder whether they?re crazy to think them. Why can?t I manage this, when it everyone else seems to do it just fine?

But all those other people, the people we assume are perfect? As you?ll read below, they?ve got their own struggles.

Just remember, these are raw, true, authentic emotions, paraphrased from the real responses we get from our clients. They?re what people share when they?re ready to admit they need a change.

We share them because it?s important to know for certain that you?re not crazy, and you?re not the only one. We share them there?s something beautiful about being open, honest, and finally asking for the help you need.

Why are you here?

Story 1: Somewhere along the way ? I woke up fat.

I wasn?t fat growing up. I was fit. But something happened to me.

I don?t know when or where it happened. I?m not even completely sure what it was. But the weight crept up on me.

It makes me so unhappy to see what I?ve become.

Story 2: I feel powerless.

I want to take charge of my life. But something is in my way.

I can?t seem to meet a good partner / find a good job / get a great apartment / figure out how to include fitness as part of my everyday life.

Other people seem to manage this. How?

The time slips away from me. Where does it go?

Story 3: I feel doomed.

I?ve given up. I?ve tried so many diets and programs. And nothing works.

I feel like I?m getting fatter and fatter and nothing seems to be stopping me.

What?s the point of trying?

Story 4: I hurt.

My ___ hurts. My ___ hurts. Even my damn ___ hurts!

How can I possibly exercise when I feel this way?

And how can I give up my favorite foods? Food is the only comfort I know.

Story 5: First I?m ?good.? Then I?m ?bad.?

I try to be ?good,? but it?s so hard. It makes me feel deprived.

Where?s the joy, the juice, if you have to give everything up?

I don?t want to live like some kind of monk. So eventually, I rebel.

And then I feel bad. Really bad.

Story 6: The wheels come off the bus.

I eat normally in front of others. But when I?m alone, I can go a little crazy.

I?ve never really told anybody before, but sometimes I even binge. My eating gets totally out of control.

I?m so ashamed. I need to talk to somebody about this.

Story 7: I know it, but I can?t do it.

I?m smart. I?m educated.

I know how to eat healthy and/or exercise, but I can?t seem to stick with it.

I?ll get started, and do really well for a couple of weeks, and then it all falls apart.

Am I the only person this happens to? What?s wrong with me?

Story 8: Waiting for the perfect moment.

School. Work. Kids. My wedding. Travel.

Life?s so full and busy and there?s always something in my way.

I keep waiting for the perfect time to get in shape, but the perfect time never comes.

And I?m beginning to wonder if it ever will.

Story 9: I really want to be part of the hardcore badass? / ?living pure? club, but I am scared I don?t belong.

I?m very much into Paleo, but I had a hard time sticking to it as soon as?

I?d like to become fully vegan but?

I?m hoping to compete in triathlon / marathons / Crossfit. But it seems so out of reach for me.

Jeez, it looks so easy for those women to be effortlessly lean and fit.

What the heck is wrong with me?

Story 10: Aging sucks.

Nobody told me that middle age would be so hard!

Peri-menopause. Menopause. Hormones. Arthritis. Gravity.

What happened to my boobs? What happened to my butt? What happened to my energy?

And what?s next? Is it really all downhill from here?

I don?t want to feel like this for the rest of my life.

Story 11: I used to be? who am I now?

I used to be an athlete / a size 2 / full of energy.

But ever since I had kids/ got this crazy job / got married / got divorced, I haven?t felt like myself.

I wish I could just turn back the clock and be the person I used to be.

I don?t even recognize myself any more. Who am I?

Story 12: It?s complicated.

I have so many food allergies or intolerances. It?s so difficult to eat nutritiously and lose weight.

I suffer from some chronic medical issues. I am afraid that no program would be able to help me deal with those.

Fitness programs are for people who are healthy, not people like me.

Story 13: It?s complicated (Version 2).

My living arrangements are so confusing.

I live with three roommates / my family / my crazy parents / my huge menagerie of animal companions.

I?m not sure how to cope with all of that and focus on fitness, too.

My fridge and my cupboards are not my own.

Story 14: It?s complicated (Version 3).

My life is nuts. I can?t even count the things that have gone wrong.

I?m coping with so much stress, all the time.

How can I add yet another complication?

But still? even with all that? I really want to try.

Story 15: I?m busy and I don?t have time.

What with the kids / shift work / demanding career / care of aging parents / grandparents / my volunteer work / my dog, plus the housework/ car repair/ gardening/ commuting?

?not to mention the hobbies, and the conferences, and the social life.

I don?t have time for anything else.

I?d like to find a way to regain my health and fitness. But there are only 24 hours in a day!

Story 16: I?m a freak.

I feel like I?m the only one who suffers from this disease / injury / eating behavior.

I?m weird, and nobody understands me.

Nobody.

Story 17: I?ve never liked my body.

I hate my legs / boobs / butt / belly / muffin top.

I wish I didn?t have this mesomorph frame.

I have peasant genes.

Why am I so short / tall?

I don?t like being pear-shaped.

Other people have perfect bodies.

Why can?t I look like those people?

Why can?t I accept myself?

Story 18: Exercise worked, until it didn?t.

I like working out. Heck, I used to over-exercise.

Now it?s getting me nowhere.

I?m gaining fat even though I am eating less!

And nobody believes me.

Story 19: I?ve tried everything.

Some stuff worked. Some didn?t.

It didn?t seem to matter. Because it didn?t work for long.

I couldn?t sustain it.

Here I am, still the same as before.

Story 20: I?m frustrated.

I did everything ?right!?

I did what I was supposed to do!

This has all been a lie!

Story 21: I?m overwhelmed. It?s too much.

I read all the literature on fitness and weight loss and nutrition.

It?s just overwhelming and confusing. Enough already!

Story 22: I?m overwhelmed. It?s too much (Variation 2).

I try to juggle all my responsibilities and just end up crashing.

Story 23: I?m overwhelmed. It?s too much (Variation 3).

I don?t know how to cook, and learning how just seems impossible.

I know I can never get healthy unless I figure out what to do in the kitchen.

How come everybody else seems to manage?

There must be something wrong with me.

Story 24: I don?t feel sexy.

I don?t want to have sex.

Other people don?t want to have sex with me.

And even if they do, I can?t believe them.

I ask my husband to turn out the lights.

Story 25: I?m sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I?m tired all the time.

Worn to the bone.

I feel like crap.

Is this the best I can expect from life?

Story 26: I?m a walking pharmacy.

I want to get off all these medications.

I want to know what it feels like to face the day without them. I?m not even sure they?re helping me any more.

Is that a drug reaction, or is that just normal for someone with my health condition?

Story 27: I?m a road warrior.

I travel all the time.

It?s hard to maintain healthy routines when you?re always on the road.

I live in a foreign country where they eat strange stuff and I can?t get fresh vegetables or find a decent gym.

Story 28: I?m isolated and alone.

I?m a military wife. A single mom. An exchange student.

I don?t know anyone else who is into eating healthy. No one!

I don?t know anybody who actually exercises.

I don?t know any other strong / sane women.

Withdrawing is less painful than reaching out. In the past, I?ve always been rejected anyway.

I?ve always had to do everything on my own. Nobody has ever helped me with anything.

I can?t believe it?s okay to ask for support.

Story 29: Had a baby, and?

My body went south.

I just couldn?t get my weight back to where it was before.

What with the late night feedings and the sleep deprivation, I?m a mess.

I hate those ?after? photos of celebrity moms. I don?t have a personal trainer!

Story 30: My family helps.

I want to be a good role model for my kids.

My kids are my motivation for getting into better shape.

I want to have the energy to play with my grandchildren.

I don?t want to die young, before my kids grow up.

Story 31: My family hinders.

It?s hard to convince everyone else in my household to eat better.

My husband keeps buying junk and I always break down and eat some.

My kids give me such an argument if I try to change our diet.

I struggle to make myself a priority.

I?m always putting other people?s needs ahead of my own.

It?s selfish to focus on myself.

Story 32: Hormones.

I?m dealing with thyroid / adrenal problems.

Peri-menopause. Menopause.

Birth control and HRT.

IVF and fertility treatments.

Everybody knows this makes it really, really, really hard to lose weight or get into better shape.

Story 33: I?m so ashamed.

Nothing fits me.

I won?t let anyone take photos.

I don?t even want to leave the house.

Story 34: I fail at rules.

I just wanted someone to tell me what to do? but I didn?t want more rules?

But right now, rules are all I know? but rules didn?t work.

What can I do, where can I turn, how can I get control over this situation?

Story 35: F*** that guy.

My husband can eat whatever he wants! He never gains weight.

It?s not fair!

And he keeps all his goodies in the house.

I can?t keep eating like he does!

Story 36: F*** that guy (Variation 2).

I just kicked that no-good loser to the curb.

I?m ready to bust it out and bring sexy back.

I just need to lose a few pounds first.

Story 37: I?m a fraud.

I?m a fitness pro. Why can?t I be lean?

I feel like an imposter and a charlatan.

I?ll bet my clients are laughing at me. No wonder they don?t listen to me.

I want to be a fitness pro, but I can?t ? not in this body.

Who would ever hire me?

Story 38: I?ve punched my card. It?s time to take care of ME.

The kids are gone, or more independent.

Work is settling down. I?ve just retired.

My husband is over his health difficulties or his job stress.

I have fewer responsibilities. Things are running smoothly.

Now it?s my time. I?m ready!

So, how did these stories end?

We hate to spoil the secret plot twist at the end?

But all of these people went on to succeed in our Lean Eating coaching program.

They got leaner. Fitter. Healthier. Happier.

No matter where they began, or what baggage they brought to us, by the end of the program, they felt more in control. More in charge of their lives.

They had better relationships. Better workouts. Better choices.

They became better fitness pros. Better parents. Better partners. Better friends.

Sometimes they even got better jobs!

How? Well first they got real with?themselves, reaching out for help.

Then came the magic of careful, empathetic?coaching.

• We listen to our clients??needs and what they want to accomplish.
• We learn how they live.
• We discover?what?s really important to them.
• We work together to create the right?approach;?personal?and?unique, based on their goals and lifestyle.
• And then we?coach them through the process; helping with the inevitable roadblocks along the way to success.

Ready to re-write your own story?

If you need help ? and are ready to receive it ? we?d love to work with you. On July 17th we?ll be taking new clients in our Lean Eating program for women.

The program typically sells out in hours. However, those motivated enough to put themselves on the presale list get to register 24 hours before everyone else. Plus, they receive a big discount at registration.

So put your name on the list below ? because, as always, spots are first come, first served, and when they?re gone, they?re gone.

Don't miss out! Get on the Lean Eating Coaching presale list today!

On Wednesday, July 17th, 2013, we?re taking a small group of new clients and getting them in the best shape of their lives. Spots are first-come, first-served and typically sell out in minutes.

Get on the presale list to register at a discount 24 hours before spots open to the general public.

Source: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/womens-health-stories

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Tiny Chinese enclave remakes gambling world, Vegas

Published: July 8, 2013 8:43 AM
By The Associated Press ?HANNAH DREIER (Associated Press)

Photo credit: AP | In this Sept. 20, 2012 photo, Croupiers sit at a baccarat gaming table inside a casino during the opening day of Sheraton Macao Hotel at the Sands Cotai Central in Macau. Macau is in the midst of one of the greatest gambling booms the world has ever known. To rival it, Las Vegas would have to attract six times as many visitors essentially every man, woman and child in America. Wynn Las Vegas now makes nearly three-quarters of its profits in Macau. Sands, which owns the Venetian and Palazzo, earns two-thirds of its revenue there. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

LAS VEGAS - (AP) -- Most people still think the U.S. gambling industry is anchored in Las Vegas, with its booming Strip and 24/7 action, a place where years of alluring marketing campaigns have helped scrub away the taint of past corruption.

Yet in just a decade, the center of gambling has migrated to the other side of the world, settling in a tiny Chinese territory an hour's ferry ride from Hong Kong. The gambling mecca of Macau now handles more wagers than all U.S.-based commercial casinos put together, and many of those bets end up swelling the balance sheets of U.S. corporations.

But as U.S. gambling companies have remade Macau, Macau has also remade them.

Chasing riches, these companies have been hit with allegations of improper conduct, prompting investigations and serious questions about how closely U.S. authorities are watching the corporations' overseas dealings, and what, if any, real repercussions they could face. Could these corruption claims revive the specter of gambling's bad old days, when Sin City casinos kept mobsters flush?

"There are some countries where you either have to pay to play and break the law, or you have to not do business there," Indiana-based casino consultant Steve Norton said. "I think the jury's still out on Macau."

A few hours' flight from half the world's population, Macau is the only place in China where gambling is legal. Each month, 2.5 million tourists flood the glitzy boomtown half the size of Manhattan to try their luck in neon-drenched casinos. Most of them are nouveau-riche Chinese who sip tea and chain-smoke as they play at baccarat.

The former Portuguese colony has long been known for its gambling but used to offer a seedier experience, with small-time gambling dens crowding up against textile factories and gangs, prostitutes and money-launderers operating openly in the cobblestone streets. That was the scene in 1999 when China assumed sovereignty of Macau and opened it to outside gambling operators.

"It was a swamp," said Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sands, as he looked back on his early venture in an obscure city where Chinese officials envisioned conventions and resorts. "Everybody thought that I was crazy."

Nevertheless, he and the two American competitors that tried their luck there succeeded spectacularly. Adelson's first casino opening there caused a stampede that ripped doors off their hinges. Now operating four booming casinos in Macau, he described Sands as "an Asian company" with a presence in America. He makes far more in China, a culture in which notions of luck and fate play integral roles, than in Las Vegas.

"This industry is supply-driven, like the movie 'Field of Dreams:' Build it and they will come." he said. "I believe that."

If Adelson's words and jack-o'-lantern smile suggest all is right in the globalized casino world, consider where he made these statements -- on the witness stand in a Vegas courtroom this spring, defending his company against one of his former Macau consultants.

A jury in May found against Adelson, awarding the consultant $70 million for helping Sands secure a lucrative gambling license in Macau. Sands immediately appealed.

But the lawsuit may be the least of Adelson's worries. His firm is also accused of making improper payments to a Macau lawmaker and collaborating with the Chinese mafia. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating. The company says it's done nothing wrong.

It's not just Sands facing legal and regulatory troubles connected with Macau. Two of the other three major U.S. gambling enterprises are, too: Wynn Resorts Ltd. and MGM Resorts International. Both Sands and Wynn are facing related lawsuits from shareholders who claim Macau mismanagement has damaged the companies.

-- Wynn is being investigated by the Justice Department and the SEC over a $135 million donation to the University of Macau Development Foundation in 2011. Wynn co-founder Kazuo Okada characterized the donation as "suspicious" in a 2012 letter to the SEC. He noted that the Development Foundation's lead trustee is also a member of the Macau government, and said that the donation coincided with Wynn's request for land to develop a third casino.

"I am at a complete loss as to the business justification for the donation, other than that it was an attempt to curry favor with those that have ultimate authority for issuing gaming licenses," said Okada, who is now under Department of Justice investigation himself for possible bribery in the Philippines, and has fallen out with his former Wynn colleagues. Okada denies wrongdoing.

If his claim is true, the Wynn payment could violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA -- a law that bars U.S. companies from paying off officials to win business overseas. Wynn says it acted properly and had no need to buy-off authorities. Nevada regulators, in a separate investigation, found no wrongdoing.

-- MGM got into trouble with New Jersey regulators when the company opened a Macau casino with Pansy Ho, the daughter of a gambling kingpin allegedly linked to Chinese gangs. The state found the partnership "unsuitable" in a 2010 report, and forced MGM to sell its stake in an Atlantic City casino. MGM denied that there was anything inappropriate about the relationship, began the process of selling its stake, and did not cut ties with Macau.

Two years later, MGM CEO Jim Murren stands by that choice. "The Macau market is now larger than the entire U.S. gaming market. Unfortunately for Atlantic City, it's gone the other way. It's smaller now than when we entered it. The fortunes of the two couldn't be more different," he said.

Last winter, New Jersey agreed to consider MGM's application for a renewed license.

-- The Sands inquiries stem from a pending wrongful termination case brought by former Sands executive Steve Jacobs in 2010. Jacobs claims that Sands' China subsidiary did business with known gangsters, tacitly condoned prostitution and made inappropriate payments to an attorney who was also a Macau lawmaker. Jacobs claims Sands paid the lawmaker to help settle various regulatory issues in Sands' favor.

Sands has denied all claims, but recently said in an SEC filing that an internal audit had found possible breaches of a section of the FCPA that requires public companies to file proper financial statements and maintain a system of internal controls. In April, Sands' auditor declined to stand for re-election.

Justice Department spokesman Michael Passman declined to comment on the probe. Sands says it is cooperating with federal prosecutors. Spokesman Ron Reese said the company's dealings in Macau attract more scrutiny because it's the world's largest gambling market, but Sands is diligent wherever it operates.

Sands opened for business in Macau in 2004, at the beginning of a massive boom in China's economy that has lifted incomes for hundreds of millions of people, allowing them to afford upscale pleasures like gambling in casinos. Today, the former backwater is in the midst of one of the greatest gambling booms the world has ever known. To rival the money it takes in, Las Vegas would have to attract six times more gamblers each year than it does now-- essentially every adult in America. Wynn Resorts now makes nearly three-quarters of its revenue in Macau. Sands, which owns the Venetian and Palazzo, earns two-thirds of its revenue there.

But like early Las Vegas, Macau has a long history of ties to crime syndicates -- in this case secretive brotherhoods called triads that first formed on the mainland more than a century ago. Machine-gun shootouts, bombings and even assassinations of government officials were commonplace during magnate Stanley Ho's four-decade monopoly of gambling. (He is Patsy Ho's father.) In the late 1990s, a police official tried to reassure visitors by remarking that Macau had "professional killers who don't miss their targets."

The history and regulations governing the enclave continue to make it tricky for modern casinos to avoid gangs, illegal money transfers and at least the appearance of bribery.

Businesses operating there can expect allegations against them, true or not, said Bill Weidner, who was president of Sands until 2009.

He added: "Macau is their country, not ours, and it's their system not ours, and it operates differently than ours. It's not better or worse, just different."

One contributing factor is China's capital controls, which restrict the amount of money that citizens take out of the country, including to Macau, which like Hong Kong, is a semi-autonomous region with its own financial system. Another is the lack of reliable credit risk information in China, which makes it hard for casinos to figure out whom they should lend to.

So-called junket agents provide an easy fix. They use their networks on the mainland to identify wealthy would-be VIP gamblers, whisk them to Macau's tables, lend them money, then settle up when they get home.

Junket operators often assume management of a casino's private VIP room. Casinos provide the facilities, dealers and chips in return for a cut of the profits. Baccarat played in VIP rooms accounts for two-thirds of Macau's $38 billion in annual gambling revenue.

While many of the more than 200 junket operators active in Macau are law-abiding, some have documented ties to organized crime. Operating off the books, junkets pay out winnings in Hong Kong dollars, widely accepted in Macau, which players can then move to another location. As a result, Macau is seen as a conduit for money flowing out of China, with wealthy individuals and corrupt officials suspected of transferring funds abroad.

The enclave has seen a spate of killings and kidnappings associated with debt collection, including one grisly case last year in which two men were stabbed to death in their four-star hotel room, discovered by a friend who had come to lend them the money they needed.

Today, U.S. companies are tweaking their flagship Las Vegas casinos to look and operate more like Macau-style properties. The biggest casinos have imported Asian pop sensations, Chinese delicacies and baccarat, now Nevada's biggest moneymaker. They've outfitted their hallways in red, a lucky color in Asian culture, and set up Macau-style VIP rooms that employ junket operators catering to high-rollers.

Asian visitors now account for 9 percent of tourists to Las Vegas, up from 2 percent in 2008. And the Strip is preparing to welcome its first Asian-owned casino: a multi-billion dollar Chinese-themed extravaganza called Resorts World, complete with pandas and pagodas.

One reason casino bosses are dreaming up ways to lure Macau customers to Las Vegas is that Nevada imposes one-fifth of China's 39 percent tax on winnings. "They can make a lot more money from a big gambler here," said David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

But some of the problems associated with Chinese gambling halls may be migrating to the Strip as well.

In March, a man police described as an enforcer for the Taiwan-based triad United Bamboo began serving a life term for stabbing a man to death in a karaoke bar near the Strip. Prosecutors said he'd been sent to collect a $10,000 gambling debt.

Last year, the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network warned casinos to monitor junket operators and report suspicious activity. The warning followed media reports that Sands allowed a man named as a triad member in a congressional report to move a $100,000 gambling credit from Las Vegas to one of its Macau casinos.

Unlike some other states, Nevada allows junket operators to work in casinos without the full suitability checks required for key employees. Some Hong Kong operators licensed in Nevada have been found unsuitable by other jurisdictions, including Singapore.

"The reason why we don't do a full giant investigation on them is that they have no control over the casino operations; they are basically travel agents and hosts," Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett said. If another jurisdiction finds fault with a junket operator licensed in Nevada, state regulators will simply ask the operator to submit to a suitability workup, which is tantamount to telling them to get out, Burnett said.

Still, regulators are not blind to the link between junkets and triads.

At a hearing before a congressional advisory panel in June, Burnett said it is "common knowledge that the operation of VIP rooms in Macau casinos had long been dominated by Asian organized crime."

Steve Vickers, who spent 18 years in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and commanded its criminal intelligence bureau, believes that nearly all junkets that cater to Chinese tourists collaborate with organized crime.

"You won't find the triad names listed as the junket operators, but they are behind it, because who is it that can reach into China and enforce the debts, move the money? Only one kind of person can do that," said Vickers, who now runs a consulting company.

In the 1980s, state regulations, along with an FBI crackdown, helped push out the mob bosses who had taken refuge in the gambling world and usher in the industry's modern corporate era.

Today, states can impose fines or revoke licenses if any U.S. companies are found to have acted improperly in Macau. But except for rare instances like New Jersey's action against MGM, regulators have so far refrained from public action, preferring to wait until federal probes are complete.

Nevada's Burnett said that does not mean regulators are sitting idle. "A lot of what goes on is dialogue between the board and the companies that the public doesn't necessarily see," he said.

Conventional wisdom is that no U.S. companies will lose their licenses over the allegations, even if proven true. At worst, they could get fined, said Michael Paladino, an analyst at the credit rating agency Fitch. "They can handle that," he said, noting that the largest FCPA fine to date -- imposed on German engineering giant Siemans A.G. for bribery -- amounted to about $1 billion. That's less than one month's revenue for Sands.

The balance of power between casinos and regulators has shifted as gambling companies have achieved their own version of outsourcing, according to I. Nelson Rose, a professor at Whittier Law School in California who writes a blog called Gambling and the Law.

"Macau forced the casinos to see that they could become like other large U.S. corporations: Set up their plants and operations in other nations and make far more than they can being stuck just in Las Vegas," he said, speaking from his hotel room near Macau University, where he teaches a summer course.

Sands, Wynn and MGM have structured their China operations as subsidiaries that could eventually be spun off entirely.

In any case, public officials aren't exactly clamoring for investigations. Among the ranks of the unconcerned is former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, a one-time lawyer for mob figures. Sitting on an overstuffed green leather couch his living room, Goodman, whose wife is now mayor, said he doesn't worry about Macau because Americans are not paying attention to the murky allegations there.

"You ask people who Sheldon Adelson is, if 10 out of 50 recognize the name, I'd be surprised. If they associated him with the Venetian and the Palazzo, I'd be even more surprised. People are busy," he said.

Of course, within the industry, Adelson is an object of fascination. As the Sands chief appeared in court this spring, a former rival, Phil Satre, who headed Harrah's Entertainment, followed the coverage from his home in Reno. Harrah's, the nation's largest casinos company when Satre stepped down in the early 2000s, was later renamed Caesars Entertainment Corporation.

While Wynn, MGM and Sands have taken off, Caesars, the industry's fourth major player, has been left behind. Caesars did not apply for the finite number of gambling licenses in Macau in the early 2000s for fear of upsetting domestic regulators.

At that time, Satre said, the U.S. gambling industry had at last gained a legitimacy and mundane familiarity that had been unthinkable a generation ago. He said he didn't think American regulators would tolerate any hint of ties to criminal activity in Asia.

"There are some things that still have to play out, but when I look back and think about the opportunity to go back in Macau," Satre said, "I'd probably take a different posture."

___

Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong contributed to this story.

Hannah Dreier can be reached at http://twitter.com/hannahdreier.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/tiny-chinese-enclave-remakes-gambling-world-vegas-1.5643886

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