Texas legislature may take a temporary casino financial loan

TX is convening a new legislature soon. Legislators will have to address a huge spending budget shortfall. The projected deficit could possibly be up to a billion dollars. Casino interests are attempting to push legalization in that state. Some call this a payday advance to the spending budget, however may nevertheless take it up. Article source – Texas lawmakers considering a payday loan from casino interests by MoneyBlogNewz.

Many interested in gambling in TX

Lawmakers in TX are going to be convening their new session in just a couple weeks. A spending budget deficit of $20 billion or more is exactly what the legislature has to worry about. While meeting in Fort Worth, lawmakers may have to increase revenue or decrease spending through program cuts — neither of which will be easy or popular. In order to help the spending budget deficit get batter, gambling might be legalized with pressure from gambling interests.

Prior tries to legalize TX gambling

TX has had legalized gambling on the line previously for lawmakers to consider. Gambling interests tried to get the bill passed last time too. In fact, gambling would have been lawful in the state if it had worked. The bill was defeated though even though some of the bill would have gone to college scholarships. Many lawmakers say that casinos are more than a short term installment loan to the spending budget. With increases in law enforcement and social services, the casinos and gambling might not really be helpful as they’d be like a cash advance that has to be paid back.

About the TX gambling

There wouldn’t be an instant change if the Texas legislature passed a bill legalizing gambling. First, the Texas constitution would have to be changed. Gambling would then have to have some way to contribute to higher education. That could be part of the funding it would do. A public vote with individual municipalities only for instance Irving and Tarrant County would have to happen with the gambling. Legislature might never allow the Texas gambling bill to pass. There is a chance though considering there is such a high need for short term installment loans with the budget deficit.

Articles cited

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2010/12/26/1989474/gambling-interests-hope-texas.html

Kroger recalls pet food for aflatoxin threat

After locating the toxin aflatoxin, Kroger has recalled its animal food. 19 states are included in the Kroger animal food recall. If eaten, the recalled animal food could trigger liver damage. This effect is rare, however possible. Source of article – Kroger recalls pet food for aflatoxin risk by MoneyBlogNewz.

Pet food recalled by Kroger in 19 states

There were several stores recalling animal food due to safety risks. These contain Scott's, Pay Less, Owen's, Hilander, Jay C, Baker's, Dillons and Gerbes, Dillons, Food 4 Less and Kroger. The states affected by the recall were Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, OH, SC, Tennessee, TX, VA, West VA and Arkansas. The pet food recall is something Kroger stores are trying to look after. In fact, they’re trying to get a hold of consumers who bought it.

Recalling 3 manufacturers of Kroger pet food

There are 3 brands involved within the Kroger pet food recall. Merchandise involved in the recall are:

• 3.5 lb packages of Cat Food. These may have the UPC code 1111088128
• Cat Food 18 lb packages with UPC code 1111071357
• Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food 3.5 lb packages with UPC code 1111071357
• Then there are the tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food 18 lb packages that have the UPC code 1111074580
• Kitten Formula Food 3.5 lb packages with UPC code 1111071903

Within the Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food, the Kroger pet food recall consists of:

• Packages with UPC code 1111074566 that are 22 lb
• 50 lb packages with UPC code 1111074563

There could be pet food from the Kroger Value brand. This includes:

• The UPC code 1111000018 on 3 lb packages of Cat Food
• The UPC 1111071559 on Chunk Dog Food that comes in 15 lb packages
• The UPC 1111000108 on Chunk Dog Food in 50 lb packages

Kroger recall on pet food because of Aflatoxin

Aspergillus fungus is where Aflatoxin comes from. The fungus grows in cereal grains. Corn is one example. Aflatoxin can be found in several foods, such as peanut butter, but becomes dangerous when consumed in large doses. When consumed by pets, Aflatoxin can trigger liver illness, which isn’t directly treatable. If you have any of the pet foods recalled by Kroger, you can return it to the shop where you purchased it.

Articles cited

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aflatoxin

Kroger

kroger.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Recalls/Kroger%20Recalls%20Pet%20Food%20FINAL%2012-18-10%20%282%29.pdf

Legal team balks as Assange law enforcement official's statement leaked out to United Kingdom press

Thanks to an ever-inquisitive media, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s sexual assault case might have taken a dark turn. Julian Assange’s police statement has released to the press, and the British paper The Guardian was pleased to print the alleged information. Based on accounts, not only was the statement meant to be confidential, however the sexually visual facts leaked are apparently incriminating towards Assange.

Turnabout: Julian Assange law enforcement officials statement leaked out

Julian Assange's camp is working to make sure free info and transparency are available when releasing private intelligence cables. The legal team does not think that a turnabout has happened with the recent law enforcement official’s report that was allegedly leaked.

Assange has a Swedish lawyer named Bjorn Hurtig. He plans on filing a complaint formally because of the leaked out police report.

"It is with great concern that I hear about this because it puts Julian and his defense in a bad position,” Hurtig said.

Press involved in litigation

Jemina Khan, Michael Moore and Bianca Jagger were all those who helped pay the £275,000 ($432,305) bail by celebrity backers for Julian Assange. Nevertheless, sexual assault charges still face Assange in Sweden. The Assange law enforcement official’s report being released has been characterized as a "smear campaign" meant to bring the 39-year-old journalist/provocateur before the judging eye of the press and circumvent due process.

What The Guardian is calling a "brief summary" of the sex allegations towards Assange, his lawful team calls an unbridled try to convict their client in the court of public opinion.

The conspiracy with Swedish and Americans allegedly

After the details of Julian Assange's sexual assault claims came out, the United States and Sweden have been working together. Julian Assange believes they are trying to punish him for the various United States intelligence cables that he released. Assange lawyer Mark Stephens is reportedly confident the legal team can prevent Assange from being extradited and tried under United States treason laws. Julian Assange is not a United States citizen meaning this likely could be the case. He is actually Australian. It should be interesting to see how the U.S. reacts to this thinking about Australian PM Julia Gillard did announce that Assange did not break any Australian laws.

Data from

The Australian

theaustralian.com.au/news/world/lawyers-cry-foul-over-leak-of-julian-assange-sex-case-papers/story-e6frg6so-1225973548657

Julia Gillard says Assange broke no Australian laws

youtube.com/watch?v=IqaRK_STjdw

Less individuals are under water on home loan bank loans

In recent months, the number of mortgages and bank loans going underwater has slowed. Underwater is when an individual ends up owing more to the home loan company than the home is worth. However, portion of it’s as a result of the number of foreclosures.

Not as several underwater financial institution loans

Owing more in bank homes than the property is worth is called being underwater with the home loans. USA Today reports that less individuals are having this problem. Several American homeowners got home loans just for their property values to drop a ton which makes underwater home loans a severe problem. Florida, AZ and Nevada were all places that had really bad real estate value drops and foreclosures. This is because they’re recreational and retirement spots. In some urban areas, for instance Chicago, the level of foreclosures hasn't been as bad as in other cities, especially in metro areas that are nevertheless heavy industrial centers.

Getting a whole lot worse with the foreclosures

There was only a 0.5 percent decline in underwater mortgages. Many mortgages have just been taken off the books as they have been foreclosed on which is a big part of the reason why people are paying less in personal financing for the property. It has been hard for the government to try and use incentives to get this reduced, however lenders do not like the idea of reducing debt while still struggling.

Property values likely to stay down

For a while it’s expected the housing market will not go up. There have been a ton of foreclosures recently. Between that and individuals either not confident enough to purchase a home or unable to get one due to credit, it is likely that the housing industry won't get back up anytime soon. There will most likely be a slow recovery if it happens at all. The slow growth will help a lot though.

Data from

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2010-12-13-underwater-mortgages_N.htm

Free Shipping Day 2010 meeting holiday delivery due dates

If you’re Shipping gifts, instead of yourself, you can conserve money with Free Shipping Day. Free Shipping Day is a day for Free Shipping that will come by Christmas from a large number of internet retailers. With Christmas Shipping due dates for 2010 looming close, today is the day to get Shipping.

2010 Free shipping day happening

2010 Free Shipping Day is a third annual conglomeration event. About 1,720 online merchants registered at freeshippingday.com to celebrate. By ordering from these merchants, you will get free shipping. Not only that, but before December 24 you will get your gift. Free Shipping Day can also conserve you some cash if you’re going to be ordering online.

The 2010 Holiday Chipping Deadlines are strict

Make sure you meet Christmas shipping deadlines for 2010 if you have gifts to mail for Christmas but want them to arrive by December 24. You will find different deadlines depending on what you are shipping and where you are shipping it to.

USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

The type of shipping you choose will determine your shipping if you are sending your Holiday packages through the United States Postal Service.

• Any Express Mail Military Service needs to be in by December 18
• First Class (standard) mail: Dec. 20
• Priority mail has to be in by December 21
• Express Mail: Dec. 22

Listing the FedEx Christmas Shipping Deadlines for others to see

Holiday shipping deadlines for 2010 for FedEx are almost here. You might be cutting it close if you use them. FedEx can help you for those who have to ship something on Xmas, although it's going to cost you a lot. Retailers in Free Shipping Day are using FedEx. Most are anyway.

• December 17 is the day for Home Delivery and Ground
• December 21 is for if you’re using Express Savor
• December 22 is for 2day
• December 23 is for All Overnight Service
• If you need SameDay shipping, it needs to be in on the Morning of December 25
• December 23 if you need it to Puerto Rico
• December 23 is the deadline for Canada

All of the UPS Shipping Deadlines for Xmas

Shipping your Christmas packages using UPS needs a bit of pre-planning. The UPS Christmas Shipping Deadline for standard packages depends on how far away you are sending the package.

• Standard Delivery: Dec. 18 – 22
• Second Day Air: Dec. 22
• December 23 for Next Day Air

Citations

Free Shipping Today

freeshippingday.com/

Geminids meteor shower said to be the very best of the year

The Geminids, a yearly meteor shower recurring each Dec., reach their peak tonight. Other meteor showers typically do not reach the degree of brightness and intensity of the Geminids meteoroids. Of the many things that make the Geminids unusual, their origin from the path of a nearby asteroid enhances the visual impact of the meteor shower. Source of article – Geminids meteor shower said to be the best of the year by MoneyBlogNewz.

Looking for the Geminids meteor shower tonight

The Geminids meteor shower can be at its finest after midnight. You may see a ton of meteors every hour. Up to 120 meteors per hour can be seen during the shower. The constellation Gemini called the "radiant" is the location where the shooting stars will appear in the sky which is why the shower is called the Geminids. Meteors within the Geminids shower could be observed earlier than most other meteor showers because the Geminids radiant is above the horizon throughout the night. Start by looking low in the northeast. This is within the early evening time. At 1 a.m. EST the radiant could have moved. It could be right overhead then. Look in the low west around 6 a.m. EST. This is when the peak is reached by the Geminids.

The Geminids really make a difference that could be observed

The Perseids in August and the Leonids in Nov are more like regular meteor showers that take place when the Earth is in its orbit around the sun. All the dust particles a comet leaves behind are exactly what the Earth is going through. The Geminids, however, are specks of debris left behind by the asteroid Phaethon. About 21 miles per second is how fast Phaethon's particles hits the atmosphere at which is a very low velocity compared to other meteor showers. The Geminid meteors are easier to see because of this since bright trails are left within the air a little longer than normal while the particles vaporize. The early morning of December 15 will continue to see the Geminids peaking. That means that even if clouds ruin the view Tuesday, watchers might be able to get another change Wednesday before dawn.

Exactly what the source of the Geminids is

The asteroid Phaethon is appropriately named after the son of Helios, the sun god in Greek mythology. Phaethon loses control after going for a joyride in his father's sun chariot. He then makes a threat to burn up the Earth in time. A lightning run is thrown at Phaethon getting him killed. The world is then saved thanks to Zeus. Phaethon’s orbit takes it from the asteroid belt all the way inside Mercury’s orbit and back again in 524 days. Typically a comet has a tail. Experts are confused as Phaethon has not tail yet is still has a stream of particles behind it.

Citations

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/40530733/ns/technology_and_science-space/

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/science/2010/dec/13/starwatch-geminids-meteors

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pha%C3%ABton

Jeopardy champions to face off with AI

The technological idea of AI has sparked the human creativity for many years. In useful terms, AI could change the way such fields as medicine operate. Now the Associated Press reports that "Jeopardy" producers and International Business Machines want to test the service of a supercomputer in opposition to 2 game show champions. In the event the computer is victorious do you think they are going to register for a cash until payday loan to cover her or him? Post resource – Jeopardy champions to face off with artificial intelligence by MoneyBlogNewz.

Will ‘Jeopardy’ have Jennings and Rutter in it?

Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, the 2 most successful champions in the history of the "Jeopardy" game show, will play 2 games against "Watson," an artificial intelligence program created by the exact same department of IBM that created the software for Deep Blue, the supercomputer that defeated chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. There could be three days of machine-versus-man matches that happen in 2011. From February 14-16, they will occur, according to the "Jeopardy" producers. $1 million will go to the winner.

Challenge differs

When Deep Blue went up in opposition to Garry Kasparov in chess, logical computation was paramount. There could be more needed in comprehension of puns, riddles and rhymes in "Jeopardy" though with man-versus-machine. It can be more about which contestant can use their mind better to determine the answer rather than just recalling who or what the answer is.

IBM founder Thomas J. Watson is who Watson is names after while International Business Machines is preparing on it winning. Watson winning can be really great for IBM. It plans on donating the money to charity. Half the winnings could be given to charity for both Jennings and Rutter if they are to win, said AP.

Rutter and Jennings making game show history

2 of probably the most successful champions in "Jeopardy" could be participating. That is what Jennings and Rutter are. During the 2004-2005 season of "Jeopardy," Jennings won 74 straight games while about $3.3 million was won by Rutter on the same show.

Details from

Star Tribune

startribune.com/science/111842464.html

Watson in action

youtube.com/watch?v=FC3IryWr4c8