Most of the posts I have read seem to imply that this applies to all casino games, including poker, blackjack, etc. From the research I have done, current federal law only prohibits betting on sporting events. This is part of the Wire act, of which the applicable portion is: "Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
In February 2001, Judge Stanwood Duval of the US District Court in New Orleans ruled "'in plain language' [the Wire Act] does not prohibit Internet gambling 'on a game of chance.'"
On November 21, 2002, the US Fifth Circuit Federal Appeals Court upheld Duval's ruling, stating: "The district court concluded that the Wire Act concerns gambling on sporting events or contests... We agree with the district court's statutory interpretation, its reading of the relevant case law, its summary of the relevant legislative history, and its conclusion."
The Appeals Court further states: "Because we find neither the Wire Act nor the mail and wire fraud statutes may serve as predicates here, we need not consider the other federal statutes identified by the Plaintiffs... As the district court correctly explained, these sections may not serve as predicates here because the Defendants did not violate any applicable federal or state law."
The Appeals Court specifically cites Duval's statement: "[A] plain reading of the statutory language [of the Wire Act] clearly requires that the object of the gambling be a sporting event or contest." This is very explicit language. You would have to jump through a lot of mental hoops to consider the playing of online poker to be "a sporting event".
Finally, in November 2004, the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda won a World Trade Organization ruling that United States legislation criminalizing online betting violates global laws. In April 2005, the WTO Appellate Body affirmed the principal conclusions involved. What effect this will have on the U.S. morality police has yet to be seen, probably none, but at least it gives the online poker players and gamblers some glimpse of hope.
Personally, I don't really care about sports betting and related things being illegal, as that isn't my area of interest. But I do see a long slippery slope ahead if things like this continue.
Just out of curiosity, what country are you from? Here in the U.S., the Federal excise tax for gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon, with an additional 18 cents per gallon state tax (California.) So, total for my state is 36.4 cents per gallon... since I'm paying $3.27 cents a gallon, 36.4 cents is considerably less than 50%.
(3.27-0.364 = $2.906 per gallon, pretax.
0.364 / 2.906 = 12.5% tax rate, approximately.)
(from businessweek.com) - "Net income is the difference between a company's total sales and its total costs and expenses."
So, in other words, this is the money Microsoft has left over after paying all of those other bills, and paying the fine over 10 days would not put them behind on any other payments.
When I initially read your post, I was confused as to what your point was. I read it a couple additional times, and was still lost. I thought briefly about going to RTFA, but that just seemed like too much work, especially since I had just finished opening up the article, looking at the pictures of the female physicist (I could go look for her name again, but again... too much work), and closing the article again. So, I took my Monday afternoon nap in my office, and, feeling somewhat more rested, read the post again. I understand now:)
My point? Always take an early afternoon nap, especially if you are at work.
I have noticed that Call of Duty 2 has different damages for some helmet shots vs unprotected head shots. It's pretty funny shooting the helmet off of an enemy and watching the expression on his face as his hands shoot up to where his helmet just was... very nicely done!
Actually, I now feel a need to be pedantic as well. By saying that you need to see a PC that is 60% cheaper, you are saying that you need a 60% discount, not that the cost is only 60% as much.
Example: PC costs $1000, Apple is 60% more expensive, so it costs $1600.
60% of $1600 = $960 $1600 - $960 = $640
Clearly, having a PC that is 60% cheaper would be quite excessive.
You actually need to ask for a PC that is 37.5% cheaper.
Don't worry!
Microsoft will come to the rescue with DirectX 11... all you will have to do is write the physics engine using the DirectX API, and Microsoft's trusty software will interface with whichever hardware you have.
Don't worry... it'll be bug free and secure, too!
Slashdot Mirror
no, the "pirate" part is just TPB's way of trying to fight global warming. Long live the FSM!
Most of the posts I have read seem to imply that this applies to all casino games, including poker, blackjack, etc. From the research I have done, current federal law only prohibits betting on sporting events. This is part of the Wire act, of which the applicable portion is: "Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
l /
In February 2001, Judge Stanwood Duval of the US District Court in New Orleans ruled "'in plain language' [the Wire Act] does not prohibit Internet gambling 'on a game of chance.'"
On November 21, 2002, the US Fifth Circuit Federal Appeals Court upheld Duval's ruling, stating: "The district court concluded that the Wire Act concerns gambling on sporting events or contests... We agree with the district court's statutory interpretation, its reading of the relevant case law, its summary of the relevant legislative history, and its conclusion."
The Appeals Court further states: "Because we find neither the Wire Act nor the mail and wire fraud statutes may serve as predicates here, we need not consider the other federal statutes identified by the Plaintiffs... As the district court correctly explained, these sections may not serve as predicates here because the Defendants did not violate any applicable federal or state law."
The Appeals Court specifically cites Duval's statement: "[A] plain reading of the statutory language [of the Wire Act] clearly requires that the object of the gambling be a sporting event or contest." This is very explicit language. You would have to jump through a lot of mental hoops to consider the playing of online poker to be "a sporting event".
Finally, in November 2004, the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda won a World Trade Organization ruling that United States legislation criminalizing online betting violates global laws. In April 2005, the WTO Appellate Body affirmed the principal conclusions involved. What effect this will have on the U.S. morality police has yet to be seen, probably none, but at least it gives the online poker players and gamblers some glimpse of hope.
Personally, I don't really care about sports betting and related things being illegal, as that isn't my area of interest. But I do see a long slippery slope ahead if things like this continue.
Source: http://www.playwinningpoker.com/online/poker/lega
Just out of curiosity, what country are you from? Here in the U.S., the Federal excise tax for gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon, with an additional 18 cents per gallon state tax (California.) So, total for my state is 36.4 cents per gallon... since I'm paying $3.27 cents a gallon, 36.4 cents is considerably less than 50%. (3.27-0.364 = $2.906 per gallon, pretax. 0.364 / 2.906 = 12.5% tax rate, approximately.)
The key term is NET INCOME, which is profit.
(from businessweek.com) - "Net income is the difference between a company's total sales and its total costs and expenses."
So, in other words, this is the money Microsoft has left over after paying all of those other bills, and paying the fine over 10 days would not put them behind on any other payments.
I did... that was sarcasm above. Poorly transmitted online, apparently.
For a good laugh call (202) 456-1414
Damn, I really didn't want to talk to the Whitehouse!
When I initially read your post, I was confused as to what your point was. I read it a couple additional times, and was still lost. I thought briefly about going to RTFA, but that just seemed like too much work, especially since I had just finished opening up the article, looking at the pictures of the female physicist (I could go look for her name again, but again... too much work), and closing the article again. So, I took my Monday afternoon nap in my office, and, feeling somewhat more rested, read the post again. I understand now :)
My point? Always take an early afternoon nap, especially if you are at work.
I have noticed that Call of Duty 2 has different damages for some helmet shots vs unprotected head shots. It's pretty funny shooting the helmet off of an enemy and watching the expression on his face as his hands shoot up to where his helmet just was... very nicely done!
Very cool indeed
Al Gore definitely knows a lot about technology... he invented the Internet!
Actually, I now feel a need to be pedantic as well.
By saying that you need to see a PC that is 60% cheaper, you are saying that you need a 60% discount, not that the cost is only 60% as much.
Example:
PC costs $1000, Apple is 60% more expensive, so it costs $1600.
60% of $1600 = $960
$1600 - $960 = $640
Clearly, having a PC that is 60% cheaper would be quite excessive.
You actually need to ask for a PC that is 37.5% cheaper.
37.5% * $1600 = $600
$1600 - $600 = $1,000
</Pedanto-nerd mode>
It's not our fault they were on our land before we got here!
s/seing/seeing
Why do people always give cockroaches such an unfair "lifeform" to compare against? Cockroaches actually serve a useful ecological niche.
Don't worry! Microsoft will come to the rescue with DirectX 11... all you will have to do is write the physics engine using the DirectX API, and Microsoft's trusty software will interface with whichever hardware you have. Don't worry... it'll be bug free and secure, too!
Soon