LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - May 7, 2014) - In April 2014, the AGEM Index reported a month-to-month decline for the second consecutive month. The composite index score of 181.49 during the month was down 5.20 points (-2.8 percent) compared to March 2014. The AGEM Index has now reported monthly declines in three of the first four months of the year. However, compared to a year ago, it remains up 22.04 points (+13.8 percent). In April, 13 of the 16 global gaming equipment manufacturers reported a decline in stock price, with nine companies witnessing a decline of more than five percent. Ainsworth Game Technology (AGI) was the only company to report a substantial month-to-month gain in stock price during the month.
Reported by Marketwired 8 hours ago.
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Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) Releases April 2014 Index
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EasyTurf Exhibits at National Hardware Show in Vegas
EasyTurf is currently showcasing the Ultimate Synthetic Grass system at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas. More than just artificial grass, the EasyTurf system is adaptable to nearly every surfacing application.
Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
EasyTurf is currently showcasing their industry leading synthetic turf at the annual National Hardware Show today and tomorrow.
The show features an extended Lawn, Garden & Outdoor Living segment, underscoring the rise in outdoor living spaces. The EasyTurf display includes an interactive look at the ingenious engineering involved in the creation of their artificial grass and proprietary MaxxFlow backing.
“As a leader in the synthetic grass industry, EasyTurf is committed to educating consumers of our many benefits and applications,” said Dave Hartman, EasyTurf President. “We’re excited to join the National Hardware Show and show the public how we can improve their home and business landscapes.”
EasyTurf uses the proprietary 100 percent permeable artificial grass backing, MaxxFlow, for unmatched drainage capabilities. Unlike a grass lawn, rain will not turn your EasyTurf surface into a mud pit. Natural grass lawns require regular maintenance, tremendous amounts of water, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, and time.
“EasyTurf’s superior synthetic grass products are matched by a dedication to exceptional craftsmanship and customer service,” Hartman said. “Our commitment to excellence continues to attract homeowners and commercial businesses searching for functional, aesthetic improvements.”
EasyTurf’s durability is also unmatched. World renowned dog whisperer, Cesar Millan recently introduced EasyTurf artificial grass as his turf-of-choice for pet owners. Millan says drainage and durability were crucial in his decision to partner with EasyTurf on the 10,000 sq. ft. installation of artificial grass at his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, Calif.
“We have a lot of land to cover, so it’s important to me that our landscaping is easy to care for, safe for our pack and has proper drainage,” said Millan. “Not only does Easy Turf look just like natural grass, it helps to eliminate common lawn problems associated with pets like brown spots from urine, tracked in mud, grass clippings, and it can even deter your dog from digging holes.”
EasyTurf, the landscape division of FieldTurf, plays an important role in environmentally friendly lawns, recreational fields, playgrounds and energy conservation plans for communities throughout North America.
For the latest in EasyTurf and synthetic grass news, visit http://www.easyturf.com. For more information about the National Hardware Show, please visit http://www.nationalhardwareshow.com/.
About EasyTurf:
EasyTurf is North America's preeminent source for landscaping, offering state-of-the-art synthetic lawns for realistic, beautiful, easy-care residential and commercial landscapes, providing specialty synthetic grasses engineered specifically for military surfaces, commercial and residential athletic and playground surfaces, putting greens, and for pet-friendly landscapes. EasyTurf product advancements in the synthetic grass industry have led to massive growth for the Vista, California-based leader in life-like artificial lawns that stay beautiful year round.
FieldTurf has long been the world leader in synthetic sports field cover; now, just four years after the expansion from its Southern California focus, the EasyTurf brand leads the residential and commercial artificial grass landscaping market throughout North America. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
EasyTurf is currently showcasing their industry leading synthetic turf at the annual National Hardware Show today and tomorrow.
The show features an extended Lawn, Garden & Outdoor Living segment, underscoring the rise in outdoor living spaces. The EasyTurf display includes an interactive look at the ingenious engineering involved in the creation of their artificial grass and proprietary MaxxFlow backing.
“As a leader in the synthetic grass industry, EasyTurf is committed to educating consumers of our many benefits and applications,” said Dave Hartman, EasyTurf President. “We’re excited to join the National Hardware Show and show the public how we can improve their home and business landscapes.”
EasyTurf uses the proprietary 100 percent permeable artificial grass backing, MaxxFlow, for unmatched drainage capabilities. Unlike a grass lawn, rain will not turn your EasyTurf surface into a mud pit. Natural grass lawns require regular maintenance, tremendous amounts of water, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, and time.
“EasyTurf’s superior synthetic grass products are matched by a dedication to exceptional craftsmanship and customer service,” Hartman said. “Our commitment to excellence continues to attract homeowners and commercial businesses searching for functional, aesthetic improvements.”
EasyTurf’s durability is also unmatched. World renowned dog whisperer, Cesar Millan recently introduced EasyTurf artificial grass as his turf-of-choice for pet owners. Millan says drainage and durability were crucial in his decision to partner with EasyTurf on the 10,000 sq. ft. installation of artificial grass at his Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, Calif.
“We have a lot of land to cover, so it’s important to me that our landscaping is easy to care for, safe for our pack and has proper drainage,” said Millan. “Not only does Easy Turf look just like natural grass, it helps to eliminate common lawn problems associated with pets like brown spots from urine, tracked in mud, grass clippings, and it can even deter your dog from digging holes.”
EasyTurf, the landscape division of FieldTurf, plays an important role in environmentally friendly lawns, recreational fields, playgrounds and energy conservation plans for communities throughout North America.
For the latest in EasyTurf and synthetic grass news, visit http://www.easyturf.com. For more information about the National Hardware Show, please visit http://www.nationalhardwareshow.com/.
About EasyTurf:
EasyTurf is North America's preeminent source for landscaping, offering state-of-the-art synthetic lawns for realistic, beautiful, easy-care residential and commercial landscapes, providing specialty synthetic grasses engineered specifically for military surfaces, commercial and residential athletic and playground surfaces, putting greens, and for pet-friendly landscapes. EasyTurf product advancements in the synthetic grass industry have led to massive growth for the Vista, California-based leader in life-like artificial lawns that stay beautiful year round.
FieldTurf has long been the world leader in synthetic sports field cover; now, just four years after the expansion from its Southern California focus, the EasyTurf brand leads the residential and commercial artificial grass landscaping market throughout North America. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
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Southwest Gas Declares Third Quarter Dividend
LAS VEGAS, May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors for Southwest Gas Corporation (NYSE: SWX) has declared the following third quarter cash...
Reported by PR Newswire 9 hours ago.
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The Rainmaker Group Names LuAnne Lambert Director of Sales for ReelREV™
ReelREV™ is a hosted revenue management software and services solution for improving slot performance.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
The Rainmaker Group, a world leader in automated profit optimization software and services for the gaming/hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the addition of veteran gaming account executive LuAnne Lambert as Director of Sales for ReelREV™ – a hosted revenue management software and services solution for improving slot performance.
“With continued domestic expansion leading to greater competition and advancements in technology, and, by extension, creating lots of options for players and operators, today’s progressive operators are recognizing the need for innovative ways to maximize the revenue from all of their assets,” said Lambert, whose sales executive career spans nearly two decades, the last seven in gaming with Paltronics and, more recently, Bally Technologies.
While with Bally Technologies, Lambert gained a breadth of experience in the industry, working with corporate, tribal, and privately owned casinos in several gaming jurisdictions. One of her principal goals was to collaborate with operators to yield the greatest performance out of the capital they invested with her company.
“When I first started considering the Rainmaker opportunity and my experience, I rather quickly determined that I’d been leveraging many of these same principles with my operators for years,” said Lambert, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Health Promotion from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. “ReelREV actually goes a step further, melding the best of the available science, together with the operators’ art and intuition, to help with their strategic execution of the floor.”
ReelREV offers a disciplined approach to yielding profit from slot machines. It transforms slot performance data and combines it with proprietary knowledge to diagnose and prescribe opportunities for continuous improvement of slot operations. Leveraging layered strategies related to price, product mix, product placement, and profitability, ReelREV reaches beyond the science of analysis to the art of execution.
The 2013 launch of ReelREV earned Rainmaker a spot on the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG’s) prestigious Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia.
Meet with LuAnne at the Indian Gaming 2014 (NIGA) in San Diego, Calif., June 11-14, for a demo of ReelREV and in-depth information on its operations and benefits.
About Rainmaker
The Rainmaker Group is the market-leading provider of automated Revenue Management and profit optimization software solutions for the Gaming, Hospitality and Multifamily Housing industries. An innovator and thought leader in the highly specialized revenue optimization field, Rainmaker leverages cutting-edge research in order to bring clients the most sophisticated systems. Whether GuestREV®, TribalREV®, GroupREV® or ReelREV™, all Rainmaker solutions for Gaming & Hospitality provide clients a strategic advantage in achieving the highest profitability from their assets. Rainmaker solutions are used to manage over 150,000 rooms for companies such as Atlantis The Palm Dubai, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Wynn Las Vegas, and many others, and they support the operations of leading tribal clients such as Viejas Casino, Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Seneca Gaming Corporation, Agua Caliente, and more. Rainmaker is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner headquartered in northern Atlanta, GA, and has for three years running ranked on the Inc. 5000 list among America’s top fastest growing, privately held companies. For more information, visit http://www.LetItRain.com. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
The Rainmaker Group, a world leader in automated profit optimization software and services for the gaming/hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the addition of veteran gaming account executive LuAnne Lambert as Director of Sales for ReelREV™ – a hosted revenue management software and services solution for improving slot performance.
“With continued domestic expansion leading to greater competition and advancements in technology, and, by extension, creating lots of options for players and operators, today’s progressive operators are recognizing the need for innovative ways to maximize the revenue from all of their assets,” said Lambert, whose sales executive career spans nearly two decades, the last seven in gaming with Paltronics and, more recently, Bally Technologies.
While with Bally Technologies, Lambert gained a breadth of experience in the industry, working with corporate, tribal, and privately owned casinos in several gaming jurisdictions. One of her principal goals was to collaborate with operators to yield the greatest performance out of the capital they invested with her company.
“When I first started considering the Rainmaker opportunity and my experience, I rather quickly determined that I’d been leveraging many of these same principles with my operators for years,” said Lambert, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Health Promotion from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. “ReelREV actually goes a step further, melding the best of the available science, together with the operators’ art and intuition, to help with their strategic execution of the floor.”
ReelREV offers a disciplined approach to yielding profit from slot machines. It transforms slot performance data and combines it with proprietary knowledge to diagnose and prescribe opportunities for continuous improvement of slot operations. Leveraging layered strategies related to price, product mix, product placement, and profitability, ReelREV reaches beyond the science of analysis to the art of execution.
The 2013 launch of ReelREV earned Rainmaker a spot on the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG’s) prestigious Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia.
Meet with LuAnne at the Indian Gaming 2014 (NIGA) in San Diego, Calif., June 11-14, for a demo of ReelREV and in-depth information on its operations and benefits.
About Rainmaker
The Rainmaker Group is the market-leading provider of automated Revenue Management and profit optimization software solutions for the Gaming, Hospitality and Multifamily Housing industries. An innovator and thought leader in the highly specialized revenue optimization field, Rainmaker leverages cutting-edge research in order to bring clients the most sophisticated systems. Whether GuestREV®, TribalREV®, GroupREV® or ReelREV™, all Rainmaker solutions for Gaming & Hospitality provide clients a strategic advantage in achieving the highest profitability from their assets. Rainmaker solutions are used to manage over 150,000 rooms for companies such as Atlantis The Palm Dubai, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Wynn Las Vegas, and many others, and they support the operations of leading tribal clients such as Viejas Casino, Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Seneca Gaming Corporation, Agua Caliente, and more. Rainmaker is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner headquartered in northern Atlanta, GA, and has for three years running ranked on the Inc. 5000 list among America’s top fastest growing, privately held companies. For more information, visit http://www.LetItRain.com. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Greenpeace Co-founder Patrick Moore to Speak at 9th International Conference on Climate Change
Joins “World’s Biggest Gathering of ‘Skeptic’ Scientists and Policy Experts” Taking Place in Las Vegas on July 7–9
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore will give one of the keynote addresses at the 9th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC9) from July 7–9 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Moore, who helped found Greenpeace in 1971 and served as its president and international director, left the organization in 1986. He wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Earth Day 2008 that he could not remain with Greenpeace, because “the environmental movement is not always guided by science.” Moore wrote, “Greenpeace has evolved into an organization of extremism and politically motivated agendas.” Good environmental stewardship, he concluded, “requires that science, not political agendas, drive our public policy.”
“We are happy to welcome Patrick Moore to his first International Conference on Climate Change,” said Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute, which is hosting the conference for the ninth time. “He will find a welcome audience of open-minded scholars and civic and business leaders who are eager to hear his insights on the modern environmental movement.”
Hundreds of the world’s most prominent “skeptics” of the claim that human activity is causing a climate crisis will be at the conference to review the latest climate research and discuss the policy implications of government energy and environmental policies.
To learn more about ICCC9 and register for media credentials, visit the conference Web site.
The conference will feature 10 plenary addresses and 21 break-out sessions featuring nearly 60 speakers.
Other confirmed speakers include:· Dr. Roy Spencer, principal research scientist for the University of Alabama
· Dr. Habibullo Abdussamatov, Space Research Sector of the Pulkovo Observatory
· Joe Bastardi, chief forecaster at Weatherbell Analytics
· Hon. George Christensen, member of the Australian Parliament
· Sonja Boehmer-Christiansen, editor of Energy & Environment, a peer-reviewed science journal
· Dr. Patrick Michaels, director of the Center for the Study of Science at the Cato Institute
· John Coleman, founder of The Weather Channel
· Dr. Craig Idso, founder and former president of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
· Dr. Anthony Lupo, professor of atmospheric science, University of Missouri
· Dr. S. Fred Singer, emeritus professor of environmental sciences, University of Virginia
· William Kininmonth, climatologist, Australasian Climate Research Institute
· Dr. Jennifer Marohasy, biologist, Centre for Plant and Water Science, Central Queensland University
· Lord Christopher Monckton, former science advisor to Margaret Thatcher and chief policy advisor to the Science and Public Policy Institute
· Dr. Hal Doiron, a retired NASA rocket scientist who worked in the Apollo Program
· Anthony Watts, chief meteorologist for KPAY-AM radio and publisher of “Watts Up With That,” the most-read climate blog in the world
Visit the Web site for the conference for more information on speakers and a preliminary schedule.
The Economist magazine in 2012 called Heartland “the world’s most prominent think tank promoting skepticism about man-made climate change.” Heartland has organized and hosted eight International Conferences on Climate Change since 2008. These events have attracted extensive international attention to the debate taking place in the scientific community over the causes and consequences of climate change.
Heartland’s ninth climate conference will coincide with the release of the fifth volume of the Climate Change Reconsidered series by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC). The third volume, "Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science," was released in September 2012. The fourth volume, "Climate Change Reconsidered II: Biological Impacts," was released in April. The fifth volume, "Climate Change Reconsidered II: Human Welfare, Energy and Policies," will be released digitally prior to the conference and publicly released there.
Visit ClimateChangeReconsidered.org for extensive background on all five reports.
Previous Heartland climate conferences have featured 187 scientists, economists, and climate policy experts from around the world and attracted more than 4,000 participants. Nearly 300 videos of presentations can be found at the archive site for the conferences. Among the conference cosponsors this year is FreedomFest, which is holding its annual gathering in Las Vegas from July 9–12 at Planet Hollywood.
For more information about The Heartland Institute and the 9th International Conference on Climate Change, contact Director of Communications Jim Lakely at jlakely(at)heartland(dot)org or 312/377-4000.
________________________________________
The Heartland Institute is a 30-year-old national nonprofit organization headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore will give one of the keynote addresses at the 9th International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC9) from July 7–9 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Moore, who helped found Greenpeace in 1971 and served as its president and international director, left the organization in 1986. He wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Earth Day 2008 that he could not remain with Greenpeace, because “the environmental movement is not always guided by science.” Moore wrote, “Greenpeace has evolved into an organization of extremism and politically motivated agendas.” Good environmental stewardship, he concluded, “requires that science, not political agendas, drive our public policy.”
“We are happy to welcome Patrick Moore to his first International Conference on Climate Change,” said Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute, which is hosting the conference for the ninth time. “He will find a welcome audience of open-minded scholars and civic and business leaders who are eager to hear his insights on the modern environmental movement.”
Hundreds of the world’s most prominent “skeptics” of the claim that human activity is causing a climate crisis will be at the conference to review the latest climate research and discuss the policy implications of government energy and environmental policies.
To learn more about ICCC9 and register for media credentials, visit the conference Web site.
The conference will feature 10 plenary addresses and 21 break-out sessions featuring nearly 60 speakers.
Other confirmed speakers include:· Dr. Roy Spencer, principal research scientist for the University of Alabama
· Dr. Habibullo Abdussamatov, Space Research Sector of the Pulkovo Observatory
· Joe Bastardi, chief forecaster at Weatherbell Analytics
· Hon. George Christensen, member of the Australian Parliament
· Sonja Boehmer-Christiansen, editor of Energy & Environment, a peer-reviewed science journal
· Dr. Patrick Michaels, director of the Center for the Study of Science at the Cato Institute
· John Coleman, founder of The Weather Channel
· Dr. Craig Idso, founder and former president of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
· Dr. Anthony Lupo, professor of atmospheric science, University of Missouri
· Dr. S. Fred Singer, emeritus professor of environmental sciences, University of Virginia
· William Kininmonth, climatologist, Australasian Climate Research Institute
· Dr. Jennifer Marohasy, biologist, Centre for Plant and Water Science, Central Queensland University
· Lord Christopher Monckton, former science advisor to Margaret Thatcher and chief policy advisor to the Science and Public Policy Institute
· Dr. Hal Doiron, a retired NASA rocket scientist who worked in the Apollo Program
· Anthony Watts, chief meteorologist for KPAY-AM radio and publisher of “Watts Up With That,” the most-read climate blog in the world
Visit the Web site for the conference for more information on speakers and a preliminary schedule.
The Economist magazine in 2012 called Heartland “the world’s most prominent think tank promoting skepticism about man-made climate change.” Heartland has organized and hosted eight International Conferences on Climate Change since 2008. These events have attracted extensive international attention to the debate taking place in the scientific community over the causes and consequences of climate change.
Heartland’s ninth climate conference will coincide with the release of the fifth volume of the Climate Change Reconsidered series by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC). The third volume, "Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science," was released in September 2012. The fourth volume, "Climate Change Reconsidered II: Biological Impacts," was released in April. The fifth volume, "Climate Change Reconsidered II: Human Welfare, Energy and Policies," will be released digitally prior to the conference and publicly released there.
Visit ClimateChangeReconsidered.org for extensive background on all five reports.
Previous Heartland climate conferences have featured 187 scientists, economists, and climate policy experts from around the world and attracted more than 4,000 participants. Nearly 300 videos of presentations can be found at the archive site for the conferences. Among the conference cosponsors this year is FreedomFest, which is holding its annual gathering in Las Vegas from July 9–12 at Planet Hollywood.
For more information about The Heartland Institute and the 9th International Conference on Climate Change, contact Director of Communications Jim Lakely at jlakely(at)heartland(dot)org or 312/377-4000.
________________________________________
The Heartland Institute is a 30-year-old national nonprofit organization headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.
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What to Expect When Melco Crown Reports
Heading into earnings, some investors are probably wondering what to do with shares of Melco Crown. After rivals like Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts posted better-than-anticipated results, can Melco keep up the trend? Or will its release show signs that the company's future is in doubt?
Reported by Motley Fool 8 hours ago.
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Diablo Technologies Presents Memory Channel Storage at EMC World
OTTAWA, Canada, May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --Diablo Technologies today announced that it will present on Memory Channel Storage' (MCS') at EMC World 2014 in Las Vegas. Experts at Diablo will demonst...
Reported by FinanzNachrichten.de 8 hours ago.
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Opening arguments begin in lawsuit over death of LPGA Tour pro Erica Blasberg
The 25-year-old golfer's May 2010 letter was read Wednesday to jurors in Las Vegas hearing evidence in a civil wrongful death and medical malpractice lawsuit against the physician who found Blasberg's body.
Reported by Golf.com 8 hours ago.
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Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner: Marriage is Shaky
BEN Affleck and Jennifer Garner‘s marriage has been “shaky” over the past few months. According to a new report from America’s Star magazine, Jen joined Ben on his recent trip to Las Vegas because she doesn’t trust her husband of nine years when it comes to gambling. And when Jen returned to Los Angeles, the actress was seen leaving her... Read the full article here
Reported by Showbiz Spy 6 hours ago.
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Vegas jury hears pro golfer's suicide note blame
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A suicide note left by professional golfer Erica Blasberg in 2010 blames no one, expresses deep personal unhappiness and describes a mixture of drugs kicking in before ending with the words, "love and kisses, eternity, Erica.
Reported by TwinCities.com 5 hours ago.
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Wranglers scrap plan for Plaza casino roof arena
A Las Vegas minor league hockey team that's searching for a new home says it won't pursue a plan to move to a casino roof.
Reported by Miami Herald 6 hours ago.
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Caesars posts larger loss but Vegas a bright spot
LAS VEGAS (AP) Caesars Entertainment on Wednesday reported a wider first-quarter loss as gambling revenue fell and the company's casinos outside of Las Vegas faced stiffer competition and bad weather.The Las Vegas-based company,...
Reported by New Zealand Herald 6 hours ago.
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Gaming Highlights From 1984
Turn back the clock 30 years to 1984. Ronald Reagan was reelected into his second term as president of the United States, the United Kingdom signed an agreement to transfer ownership of Hong Kong back to China, and Mark Zuckerburg, the founder of Facebook, was born.Those events, and many more, made a lasting impact on society for the decades that followed, but 1984 was also a hallmark year for video games. A major hardware manufacturer found itself backed into a corner, while another introduced a console that would forever change the shape of the North American video game industry.
Here's a look at the major events in video gaming that took place 30 years ago, in 1984.
-Atari announces the Atari 7800, sells out to Commodore-
The Atari 7800 was eventually delayed until 1986.
Atari unveiled the Atari 7800 console in 1984, as a follow-up to the failed Atari 5200. The 5200 launched just prior to the North American video game crash in 1983, which saw an oversaturated gaming market decimate Atari's market valuation by almost two-thirds. Unfortunately for Atari, it would be forced into a buyout by one of its competitors, Commodore, in 1984. As a result, the Atari 7800 was delayed until 1986. A total of 59 games were released for the 7800 before the system was discontinued in 1991.
-Nintendo teases its NES prototype, the Advanced Video System-
The AVS was eventually released as the NES in '85.
Nintendo found its footing in North America in the arcades, like many video game publishers of the day. It would eventually break into the home market with the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, but roughly a year earlier, it revealed its breakthrough console as the Nintendo Advanced Video System during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. When the system was eventually released as the NES, Nintendo omitted accessories such as the keyboard and the data storage unit.
* *
-Alexey Pajitnov creates the legendary puzzle game, Tetris-
A screenshot of the first version of Tetris, running on the Soviet Electronika 60 computer.4
The legendary game Tetris was created by researcher Alexey Pajitnov on an Electronika 60 computer while he was employed at the Soviet Academy of Sciences of the USSR. It's one of the most widely played video game in history, having landed on nearly every platform and operating system since its inception. Its success and worldwide appeal inspired some developers to create inventive interpretations of Tetris' simple yet challenging puzzle mechanic, including Tetrisphere, Welltris, and Tetris 64, which featured a mode called Bio Tetris that altered the game's speed based on your heart rate, which was recorded via a biometric ear clip.
-Space simulation games blast off with Elite-
Elite is one of the earliest space sims, but it's still regarded as one of the best examples of the genre. The co-founder of CCP games, Thorolfur Beck Kristjansson, cites it as the primary influence in creating the successful massively multiplayer online role-playing game EVE Online. The Elite series is currently making a comeback in the crowd-funded Elite Dangerous, which is in beta.
-Namco debuts the life bar in Dragon Buster-
Dragon Buster may not be familiar to a lot of people, but it's notable for being the first game to feature a life bar, which has become a mainstay feature of modern games.
-Atari releases Paperboy, makes delivering newspapers fun-
Newspaper delivery may not sound like the most compelling model for an arcade game, but Paperboy was popular enough to justify a sequel, and was subsequently ported to nearly 20 platforms, including iOS and the Xbox 360.
-King's Quest jump starts an adventure game renaissance-
Sierra Entertainment is known for creating numerous PC adventure games in the '80s and '90s, but its reign began with the success of King's Quest: Quest for the Crown in 1984.
-Current president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, gets his first break-
Balloon Fight is responsible for launching the career of Nintendo's current president and CEO, the affable Satoru Iwata, who is credited as a programmer on the game.
What do you remember about gaming in 1984? Let us know in the comments below. Reported by GameSpot 3 hours ago.
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Our Top Five Casino Movies: Perhaps They're Ben Affleck's Too
Who knew that Ben Affleck was a wicked smart card counter? Well, it turns out that Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas suspect that he is! The casino have...
Reported by ContactMusic 6 hours ago.
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Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood to duet for Billboard Awards
Two of country music’s biggest female stars -- Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood -- will team up for a performance May 18 at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. The singers, who often compete with one another on awards shows for top female country vocalist honors, will...
Reported by L.A. Times 5 hours ago.
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Caesars Entertainment Corp. Earnings: Is Vegas Coming Back?
The domestic casino giant lacks the international exposure of its peers, but could Las Vegas finally be emerging from its long deep-freeze?
Reported by Motley Fool 3 hours ago.
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All-Cash Share of U.S. Residential Sales Reaches New High in First Quarter Even as Institutional Investor Share of Sales Drops to Lowest Level Since Q1 2012
All-Cash Purchases Climb to 42.7 Percent of All Sales in First Quarter; Institutional Investor Share Increases Annually in Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas
Reported by Marketwired 2 hours ago.
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Methes Energies Finalizing Arrangements to Supply up to 40 Railcars of Biodiesel per Month to U.S. Clients
LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - May 8, 2014) - * *Methes Energies International Ltd. (NASDAQ: MEIL), a renewable energy company that offers an array of products and services to biodiesel fuel producers, today announced that it is finalizing arrangements with a large national aggregator and a downstream distributor in the United States to supply up to 40 railcars of biodiesel per month or the equivalent of up to 1 million gallons per month for the rest of 2014 and beyond.
Reported by Marketwired 10 hours ago.
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Sex Sells: How Nevada is Confusing the Hell Out of Little Girls
This week's poll from the Lester & Charlie Institute of Forward Thinking!
A few weeks ago, we told you about the insane things going on in Mississippi schools -- where teachers are complying with a law requiring sexual education by teaching girls that "anyone who has sex before marriage is no better than a used piece of chocolate." Yuck. What could be worse than that?
Well, death, for one.
Not to be outdone by the lunatic slut-shamers in good ol' Mississippi, police officers (yes, police officers!) in the great state of Nevada are trying excruciatingly hard to teach young girls that pre-marital sex leads directly to dismemberment, drug use, prostitution, rape ... even death. (Really! They have video of slutty girls being zipped into body bags to prove it!)
These "Choose Purity" events, which are co-sponsored by the North Las Vegas Metro Police and attended by parents and children alike, seem to have one goal: confuse the hell out of kids about sex. How? By throwing just about everything imaginable at them. They're showing videos of prostitutes dying from grisly STDs and girls who drop dead after abusing diet pills. They're playing interviews with pimps and prostitutes and drug addicts -- including a woman who lost limbs in a meth lab explosion and a man whose face got partially eaten by a drug addict. On a more chipper note, they also have a beauty pageant winner on hand to let girls feel "empowered" by trying on her crown.
The logic of the police officer who orchestrated the event was straightforward: Abstinence = crime prevention.
Not everyone agrees. "I don't know what is real about linking purity with those things," said a local health educator who attended the event and objected to the messages being sent to girls. Even worse, she pointed out, having all this disturbing information delivered by armed and uniformed cops made her wonder "if anybody came away with the idea that premarital sex is criminal."
In the interest of fairness, perhaps, the cops are planning a different event for boys: "Choose Courage." For girls, purity; for boys, courage. Well, we suppose it's too late to hope for any consistency here. And speaking of consistency, in case any of the girls in attendance weren't confused enough, the Southern Nevada Health District was also there to hand out condoms. What in the world are they thinking in Nevada?
All of this enormous effort by the Nevada cops probably won't even work to encourage abstinence. A study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says that kids who take "virginity pledges" are just as likely as those who don't to have sex before marriage. Except the ones who take the pledge are less likely to have safe sex. Oops.
So clearly the cops in Nevada are going to have to up the ante if they want fear and confusion to keep their girls "pure." So how are they going to do it? What do YOU think?
"What's the next thing Nevada cops will tell girls to confuse the hell out of them about sex?"
Click here to take the poll!Subscribe to the Lester & Charlie Weekly Newsletter
Follow Lester & Charlie on Facebook Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.
A few weeks ago, we told you about the insane things going on in Mississippi schools -- where teachers are complying with a law requiring sexual education by teaching girls that "anyone who has sex before marriage is no better than a used piece of chocolate." Yuck. What could be worse than that?
Well, death, for one.
Not to be outdone by the lunatic slut-shamers in good ol' Mississippi, police officers (yes, police officers!) in the great state of Nevada are trying excruciatingly hard to teach young girls that pre-marital sex leads directly to dismemberment, drug use, prostitution, rape ... even death. (Really! They have video of slutty girls being zipped into body bags to prove it!)
These "Choose Purity" events, which are co-sponsored by the North Las Vegas Metro Police and attended by parents and children alike, seem to have one goal: confuse the hell out of kids about sex. How? By throwing just about everything imaginable at them. They're showing videos of prostitutes dying from grisly STDs and girls who drop dead after abusing diet pills. They're playing interviews with pimps and prostitutes and drug addicts -- including a woman who lost limbs in a meth lab explosion and a man whose face got partially eaten by a drug addict. On a more chipper note, they also have a beauty pageant winner on hand to let girls feel "empowered" by trying on her crown.
The logic of the police officer who orchestrated the event was straightforward: Abstinence = crime prevention.
Not everyone agrees. "I don't know what is real about linking purity with those things," said a local health educator who attended the event and objected to the messages being sent to girls. Even worse, she pointed out, having all this disturbing information delivered by armed and uniformed cops made her wonder "if anybody came away with the idea that premarital sex is criminal."
In the interest of fairness, perhaps, the cops are planning a different event for boys: "Choose Courage." For girls, purity; for boys, courage. Well, we suppose it's too late to hope for any consistency here. And speaking of consistency, in case any of the girls in attendance weren't confused enough, the Southern Nevada Health District was also there to hand out condoms. What in the world are they thinking in Nevada?
All of this enormous effort by the Nevada cops probably won't even work to encourage abstinence. A study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says that kids who take "virginity pledges" are just as likely as those who don't to have sex before marriage. Except the ones who take the pledge are less likely to have safe sex. Oops.
So clearly the cops in Nevada are going to have to up the ante if they want fear and confusion to keep their girls "pure." So how are they going to do it? What do YOU think?
"What's the next thing Nevada cops will tell girls to confuse the hell out of them about sex?"
Click here to take the poll!Subscribe to the Lester & Charlie Weekly Newsletter
Follow Lester & Charlie on Facebook Reported by Huffington Post 9 hours ago.
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Mets to call up Flores
The New York Mets announced that they will recalled infielder Wilmer Flores from Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday.
Reported by Miami Herald 9 hours ago.
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