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After 16 years of marriage, Steve and Kate never had a lot of extra money. It was a struggle at times, but the couple and their two children lived in a modest home in Collinsville, Ill., and they were getting by. Like clockwork, Steve gave Kate $338 to make the monthly house payment.
Until February 1, 1995. That was the day Kate dropped the kids off at school, drove to a mall parking lot, climbed into the back seat of her Oldsmobile and killed herself with a .357 magnum revolver. Later that day, sheriff's deputies arrived at the house to deliver an eviction notice because Kate hadn't made a house payment in 17 months.
Steve, then 45, was a refinery worker. Kate, 40, was a volunteer teacher and a gambling addict. Steve knew his wife liked a little gambling action. He knew she would drop a few dollars on lottery tickets, and then there were Kate's twice-weekly bingo outings and occasional trips to the racetrack. But Steve believed it was the gaming tables and jangling slot machines aboard the Casino Queen, a riverboat casino in nearby East St. Louis, that was Kate's fatal attraction. (To protect his children, Steve asked the media not to disclose the family's identity.)
It wasn't until after Kate's suicide that Steve learned the depths of his wife's addiction. Barely $800 remained of their $8,000 savings. A $5,000 tax refund had disappeared and most of the family's bills had gone unpaid. Kate had even pawned her wedding rings. “She was a master of disguise,” Steve told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I was never aware of this until the day she committed suicide. My life went from a bed of roses to black nightmare in 30 minutes.”
Untold millions of Americans view lotteries and casinos as their personal ticket to financial freedom. Legalized gambling is one of today's most contentious political and moral issues. Opponents say it takes money from the poor and gives it to the rich. Advocates insist it's merely a voluntary tax, maybe even a civic responsibility. After all, they say, nobody forces Joe Bluecollar to spend his lunch money on lottery tickets. Or lose his paycheck aboard a landlocked riverboat casino on a cruise to bankruptcy.
Through the Years
Gambling is as ancient as life itself. Some forms of lotteries date back to Caesar. One hundred years before Christ, the Hun Dynasty in China created keno, and lottery funds were used for defense and to finance the construction of the Great Wall of China.
Although its popularity, and legality, has cycled over the years, gambling has always been one of America's most guilty pleasures. According to Roger Dunstan, in a study he prepared for the California Research Bureau, all 13 original colonies promoted lotteries to help finance the American Revolution. Ben Franklin, John Hancock and George Washington sponsored lotteries to finance their pet public work projects. Lottery profits helped establish some of the nation's most prestigious universities, including Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton.
In 1769, the Crown discouraged lotteries in the colonies, but at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress approved the original “Big Game,” a $10 million bonanza intended to help finance the war. That project failed, however, because it was too large and tickets couldn't be sold.
By the 1800's antigambling forces nearly killed state-sponsored lotteries, citing moral reasons. By 1860, only Delaware, Missouri and Kentucky had authorized lotteries. The games rebounded after the Civil War when Southern states needed money to rebuild. Even during the lottery lull, however, gambling of the unauthorized type–horseracing, card games and other games of chance-continued to flourish. The adventuresome folks who trekked west to during the California Gold Rush brought their marked cards to the mining camps, and San Francisco became the unofficial gambling capital of the United States during the 1850s.
The Great Depression of 1929-1939 led to another boost in legalized gambling as the government tried to simulate the economy. Massachusetts legalized bingo in 1931, and horseracing and pari-mutuel wagering surged. Nevada became the first state to allow casino gambling the same year, but it wasn't until 1978 that New Jersey followed suit.
There were no government-sponsored lotteries between 1894 and 1964, but Americans still found ways to play the numbers. One of the most popular was the Irish Sweepstakes, which began in 1930 to raise money for hospitals in Ireland. New Hampshire was the only state with a lottery as recently as 1964, but along with the stock market, legalized gambling surged in the 1990s.
In 1998, Americans spent more gambling than they did on recorded music, theme parks, video games, spectator sports and movie tickets combined. Today, 38 states have lotteries, 40 states allow betting on horses and 28 house casinos. Only Utah, Tennessee and Hawaii do not allow gambling of any type, and Tennessee will attempt to join the crowd at the gaming tables when the issue comes to a vote November 5, 2002.
The Real Winner
What is “legal” gambling? Simple. If the state authorizes it, regulates it, sells it, taxes it and profits from it, it's legal. If the state doesn't get a cut, it's against the law. If the multi-state Powerball lottery were a private enterprise it would be illegal. Good gamblers sometimes win and bad gamblers usually lose, but the only guaranteed winner is the government. To ensure the dollars keep rolling in, the federal government squashes potential competition by passing laws against them. The gambling industry, once controlled by organized crime and associated with prostitution and alcoholics, is now a major source of state revenue.
The numbers are startling. Sixty-eight percent of all Americans say they have gambled at least once in the past year, and the American Gaming Association estimates that Americans legally wager $60.3 billion annually. Lotteries alone add nearly $40 billion a year to state coffers. Gamers in the 11 states operating “commercial” casinos in 2000 contributed more than $3.3 billion in tax revenue to state and local governments. Hitting the biggest jackpots were Nevada with $707 million and Illinois with $512 million.
(Casinos operated on Indian reservations are not considered commercial casinos. Indian casinos first appeared after a change in federal law in the early 1990s, but since then gambling has evolved into the buffalo of the 21st century. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires that only tribal governments, not individuals, can operate gambling operations. About 200 federally recognized Indian tribes operate 309 gambling facilities in 29 states. In 2000, tribal gaming generated about $10 billion in gross revenues.)
Taxpayers foot the bill for a $400 million a year lottery advertising budget. The mantra of “You can't win if you don't buy a ticket” rings a chord with many a player down on his luck. And, of course, “everybody wins” because the state rakes in so much of the profits.
At least one politician used gambling as a plank in his campaign platform. In 1998, Don Siegelman promised to institute a state lottery to boost education funding if he was elected governor of Alabama. He said a lottery would produce $150 million a year for university scholarships, a pre-kindergarten program and to improve the state's decrepit schools.
Once elected, Siegelman called on college students to be fellow “soldiers in this battle,” and even urged them to promote gambling at their schools and churches. He posed with a class of smiling first graders who were encouraged to shout “Lottery!” instead of “Cheese!” Despite Siegelman's efforts, a high profile referendum to institute an Alabama state lottery failed.
Columnist Michelle Malkin shakes a stern finger at the states for targeting advertising to an at-risk audience by concentrating their “everyone is a winner” message around the first of each month. Malkin points out that government benefits, payroll and Social Security checks are issued on the first Tuesday of each month. She added that although most lottery revenue is supposed to go to education, a Money magazine report discovered that states with lotteries actually spend a smaller proportion of their budgets on education than states without a lottery.
One-time presidential candidate Pat Buchanan also took the government to task.
“In the 1950s,” Buchanan wrote, ” there was a great cry against the 'numbers racket.' Petty mobsters were said to be robbing the black poor of their dimes and quarters. Gambling is a vice and an addiction, thundered reformers, and these wicked predators are preying on the urban poor. We cheered. But no sooner had the standing ovation ended than we learned the numbers racket was to be replaced by lotteries run by the government. Government sent the mobsters to jail and then muscled in on their racket.”
Who Really Plays?
Theoretically, lotteries are intended to raise money for needy states and communities without burdening the less affluent with higher taxes. This strikes to the heart of the controversy. Who really plays and who really pays? Is it true that the people least able to afford to lose money are the biggest players? Is the engine of the gambling industry really powered by the uneducated, minimum wage masses?
Absolutely, says the National Coalition Against Organized Gambling. It asserts that instead of providing relief, lotteries burden those least able to play, and that African-Americans and the elderly are the most likely to gamble. The Coalition also cites a Detroit study indicating that people with less than $10,000 annual income spend the same amount on lottery tickets as those who earn $70,000 or more. The study also reported that high-school dropouts spend more than five times, as a percentage of their income, on the lottery than gamblers with college degrees.
The Coalition also pointed to an Oregon study of lottery players that indicated similar results. Researchers said that if playing weren't voluntary, lotteries would be a good example of the class-conflict theory; how the affluent and well educated exploit the less advantaged working class.
Following the Money
Advocates insist that legalized gambling creates new jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue. According to the American Gaming Association, players spent more than $24 billion on casino gambling in 2000, up eight percent from the previous year. Much of the money, proponents point out, is funneled directly back to the host communities. Commercial casinos paid nearly $3.5 billion in taxes in 2000. That same year, those casinos employed about 370,000 people who earned about $11 billion.
But University of Illinois professor John Kindt asks analysts to take a closer look at those numbers. He estimates that for every dollar a state receives in gambling revenues, it costs the state nearly $3 to fund escalating criminal justice and social welfare programs. Other reports indicate that discretionary spending in communities decreases when the lottery is introduced. They say that every dollar spent on the lottery instead of dinner at a local restaurant is a dollar siphoned from local economy.
East St. Louis, Ill., is a case in point.
A thriving community of 80,000 as recently as 1960, East St. Louis once ranked first in the nation in the sale of horses, mules and hogs. In 1920, it was the largest aluminum-processing center in the world, the nation's second busiest rail center, and the leading manufacturer of roofing material, baking powder, paint pigment and coal production.
How times have changed. Today, the city's remaining 31,542 residents (nearly all are African-American) have little to brag about. Wallowing in misery for decades, they live in a bankrupt city with thousands of abandoned homes and businesses. There is no daily newspaper or movie theater. The “All-American City” of 1956 now has one of the worst education records in the state. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development described East St. Louis as “the most distressed small city in America.”
Those who remain in the city that was once home to tennis great Jimmy Connors, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee and jazz legend Miles Davis live in or near crumbling or burned out homes. An understaffed, under trained police force can't keep pace with the drug dealers, gang bangers and prostitutes lining the otherwise nearly empty streets. In 1990, East St. Louis garnered dubious national fame when it surrendered its city hall to settle a lawsuit for police brutality. It was its only asset of any value. East St. Louis was tabbed the murder capital of America in 1992.
Officials believed that a casino docked on the city's bleak, undeveloped riverfront was its only hope for salvation. But casino operators had to be coaxed to East St. Louis. Most investors were afraid that potential patrons would take their paychecks elsewhere because of the city's reputation, crime and lack of services. In 1993, however, five businessmen took a huge gamble and cruised their $45 million Casino Queen into town and docked it on the Mississippi across from the St. Louis Gateway Arch. But gamblers, as they are wont to do, also took a chance and immediately took their chips to the riverboat. They also left them there–investors recovered their initial outlay in six months.
There's been a steady flow of cash from the riverboat to East St. Louis ever since. Nearly half the city's annual budget comes from the $9.6 million the Casino Queen generates in tax revenue. “The Casino Queen has greatly impacted the City of East St. Louis,” said Mayor Debra A. Powell. “The revenues generated have helped the city become more financially stable.”
But it takes a selective eye to spot any improvements. Some services, like trash pick up, have improved, but the city still flirts with bankruptcy, the schools are still dilapidated, the unemployment rate still soars and the once busy shops remain shuttered. Vehicle traffic in downtown East St. Louis appears to be limited to gamblers going to and from the riverboat. There's been little apparent impact on local businesses. A Casino Queen spokesman mentions only a florist and a dry cleaner, both doing business with the riverboat, as direct beneficiaries.
The Answer?
Many believe there's something distasteful about our cities and states promoting gambling to its citizens. Columnist Austin Abercrombie wrote, “Traditionally, one of the legitimate roles of a republican government is to protect its citizens against harm, 'to promote the general welfare,' but state governments seem to be redefining that role one of 'how do we separate the sucker from his money?'”
In June 1999, the bipartisan National Gambling Impact Study Commission issued its final report. It was the first such study performed in more than 20 years and it shined an unwelcome light on the gambling industry.
Among the report's recommendations:
Remove ATMs and credit machines from gambling areas.
Ban Internet gambling.
Prohibit wagering on collegiate and amateur events.
Post warnings about the dangers of gambling, as well as the odds, prominently in every gaming establishment.
State lotteries should be subject to truth-in-advertising laws.
Each gambling facility must implement procedures to allow gambling addicts to voluntarily ban themselves from the facilities.
Restrict contributions from gambling concerns.
Dr. James Dobson, founder and president of Focus on the Family, was a member of the Gambling Impact Commission. His summary statement of the report is chilling.
“Clearly, gambling is a destroyer that ruins lives and wrecks families,” Dobson wrote. “A mountain of evidence demonstrates a direct link between problem and pathological gambling and divorce, child abuse, domestic violence, bankruptcy, crime and suicide. When other activities, such as smoking, have been shown to be harmful, the hue and cry for regulations to warn and protect the public has been loud and long. Today, the silence of most of our leaders about the risks of gambling is deafening. It is well past time for a Paul Revere to sound the alarm. Gambling is hazardous to your-to our-health!”
Until the Commission's recommendations and other measures are adopted, gamblers are playing against a stacked deck, and casino owners and the states are holding all the cards.
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Filed under home | Comment (0)Exercise to your health
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Why treat depression with antidepressants and other kind of medication when you can have better results by only exercising and performing regural physical activities? It's a fact that exercising solves various health related problems and also empowers your brain and your mental abilities. Thus helping you beat depressive emotions and stress.
I was passing by the APA's (American Psychology Association) website the other day and I came across various clinical studies mentioning that depression can be treated very effectively with regular exercise. In fact, these guys at APA recommend to all psychologists to put exercise in their top list and to recommend it to all their clients.
An interesting clinical study pointed out that not only exercise can beat severe depression, but it also helps stop depression from reappearing. The risk of depression and anxiety symptoms increases dramatically when people stop exercising. APA's Psychologists say that it doesn't really matter how much time you spend for exercise. What's really importand is that you exercise very regularly (e.g. once or twice a day).
Of course, people suffering from severe depression and anxiety should not just stop taking medicines or quit therapy and start exercising to cure their depression. But the benefits of exercising are enormous. According to the studies, if a person performs physical activities every day then the chances for the depressive symptoms to disappear are great.
But how can exercise beat depression?. You know that a lot of people pay a visit to the gym after a stressful day at work. Remember that rewarding and calming emotion after a good workout? I've felt it. I bet you've felt it too. Why is that happening? According to the researchers it's because exercise makes people happier and boosts their self-esteem. Now, if you're suffering from depression you definitely display lack of self-confidence and low levels of self-esteem. And that's where exercise really helps. By making you feel better for yourself and by giving you that feeling of acomplishment.
It's really simple if you think about it.
You don't need chemical antidepressants because regular exercise is your original, natural and effective antidepressant. The one that will relieve you from stress, anxiety and all depressive symptoms. Even if you suffer from severe depressive states you still have chances to beat depression only by exercising.
But there's a catch.
People tend to go too far with exercise and over perform. They become obsessive and exhausted. That's not a good thing when dealing with depression because you must always be strong enough to fight with yourself and your depressive symptoms. Exercise really drains your energy reserves and leaves you weak to face depression.
In order to survive this you have to be balanced. You have to take small steps one at a time. That's why it's importand to consult an expert before taking exercise to a point of self-abuse. Exercise does improve your mental health and can heal your depression but you have to do it right. And take it easy.
Let's go through some of the key benefits of exercise in the struggle against depression:
- Boosts your self esteem
- Eliminates sad feelings
- Promotes feelings of acomplishment
- Increases productivity
Consider the fact that 20 percent of the world's population suffers from various depressive states. Consider the fact that 50 percent of the world's population do not exercise at all. Most people suffering from depression are missing the number one natural and most effective antidepresant. Which is exercise.
Not to mention that exercise is also the cheapest antidepressant of all!
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Yvonne Strahovski currently plays CIA agent Sarah Walker on the James Bond-like, comedy series “Chuck” on NBC. She was born on July 30, 1982, in Australia, and is of Polish descent. She speaks fluent Polish and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Her real name is Yvonne Strzechowski, but she changed it the phonetic spelling “Strahovski” for her stage name. Ms. Strahovski graduated and received a Bachelor of Arts in Performance from from the University of Sydney's Theatre Nepean.
Ms. Strahovski began her career in Australian television on the show “Headland,” but the show was almost over before it started. However, the appearance on “Headland” brought new opportunities and enabled Ms. Strahovski to land a role in the television movie “Blackjack Dead Memory.” Soon afterward, Ms. Strahovski landed a role on Aussie-TV's drama “Sea Patrol.” Two years after these roles kick-started her career, Ms. Strahovski was cast in her first feature film “Middle of Nowhere,” and shortly thereafter in the thriller “The Plex.” In addition to these credits, Ms. Strahovski also was deeply involved in the theater, and she even put together her own critically-acclaimed play in Sydney entitled “Kieslowski's Neck.”
Ms. Strahovski eventually came to the United States for her shot at stardom. Incredibly, it was only a matter of days after her arrival in Los Angeles, California, that Ms. Strahovski landed her current role on the show “Chuck.” On the show, Ms. Strahovski plays CIA agent Sarah Walker who is somewhat mysterious yet endearing. She is cast as a secret agent who appears to be falling in love with the title character Chuck, but she portrays enough mystery to cause the viewers to wonder if it is love, or simply part of her CIA job. Ms. Strahovski, with her stunning good looks, charm, mystery and athletic ability is perfectly cast on the program, which also requires stunt work and martial arts. Currently, Ms. Strahovski is filming a new movie, “The Canyon.”
With her breakout role on the television show “Chuck,” we will certainly see more of Ms. Strahovski into the next year and beyond. In fact, Ms. Strahovski appears destined to become a star in the United States, if she is not considered one already. Just last week, she appeared on the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” and future appearances can be expected. If Ms. Strahovski is not considered a household name right now, there is no doubt that she will be soon.
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Planning your wedding is something to look forward to. A big part of your wedding is the flowers, and you know just what you want and how you want it. This means you'll be looking for a florist who will listen, help you with ideas, and design arrangements to your specifications. Here is valuable information on florists in Pekin, Illinois, that are ready to assist you as you prepare for one of the most important days of your life. While none of the florist shops in Pekin are large, and there are not many of them, they adooffer a wide variety of flowers and arrangements for any wedding, whether it be large or small, formal or informal.
The Greenhouse Flower Shoppe, located at 2025 Broadway Street in Pekin, has been serving the area's floral needs since 1972. That's a lot of experience with flowers! Serving your wedding floral needs in creative silk designs or fresh floral arrangements, they are also part of the Teleflora network. Wedding Consultants are on hand to help you, and are ready to schedule an appointment with you for a consultation. They are ready to work closely with you to help make the big day unforgettable, whether you need the brightest of Spring flowers or the most subtle Fall arrangements. They are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and can be reached by calling (309) 347-5923. Out-of-towners can call toll free by dialing 1-800-830-5141. The Greenhouse Flower Shoppe also has a website at www.greenhouseflowershop.com.
Flowers By Florence may be a small, nondescript shop on the outside, but step inside and your senses are immediately taken over by the fresh blend of a variety of flowers and greenery. They offer arrangements from bold and bright to soft pastels to calming earth colors. Located at 430 Margaret Street, Flowers By Florence can put together arrangements to suit your theme and taste. This shop is a great choice if your wedding is a small affair. They can be reached by calling (309) 347-4500.
The local Kroger grocery store does have a floral department, and it, too, is a perfect choice for small wedding. They not only have a large selection of flowers, they also have greenery, accessories for arrangements, and many choices of vases. Located at 1607 Broadway Street in Pekin, Kroger is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but the floral department attendant has specific hours. Call ahead by dialing (309) 353-5300.
While Pekin may not be home to many florists, this doesn't mean you can't find what you want for your wedding day. All the florists making their home in Pekin are reasonably and competitively priced, but the biggest advantage from these florists is the individual attention and assistance you'll receive when planning the day you've waited for all of your life.
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The first eMachines PC made its debut many years ago. It was strictly an entry-level computer, and none too powerful. But it sold a bunch of them, due to its low price. The eMachines PCs of today are among the top three brands in retail.
The various eMachines PCs received many awards and accolades in 2005/2006, including awards from Computer Shopper, CNET, Consumer Reports and other publications.
While a low-priced PC, the eMachines T6534 offers fine features and is powered for today’s business and multimedia applications. It’s powered with nVidia GeForce 6100 graphics, too. We tested it with various video and graphics programs over a long period, and found it could handle them all.
Rather than using Intel processors, the eMachines T6534 uses the fast, 64-bit AMD Athlon 64 processor (2.20GHz). While not the fastest chip on the block, you probably won’t notice any difference. With the 16x dual-layer DVD±RW drive and the large 200GB hard drive, you can watch/listen to and burn lots of DVDs and CDs.
The T6534 will handle tomorrow's applications, too. This includes Microsoft Windows Vista when it becomes available. However, some features available in premium editions of Windows Vista—like the Windows Aero user interface—require advanced or additional hardware. See www.windowsvista.com/getready for details.
The eMachines T6534 comes with Microsoft Windows XP Home (SP2), 512MB memory (expandable to 4GB), and a 200GB hard drive (7200rpm, 2MB cache). There are lots of memory options with the 9-in-1 memory card reader. It works with Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, CompactFlash, IBM MicroDrive, SmartMedia, xD-Picture Card, and USB 2.0 flash memory devices.
There is a PCI Express slot available, accessible through the left-side panel. Sound is 6-channel (5.1) high-definition audio. The PC is network ready, with a 10/100Mbps integrated Ethernet LAN (RJ-45) port). For dial-up users, there’s a 56K, V.92-ready fax/modem. The PC comes with a premium multimedia keyboard, a 2-button wheel mouse, and USB-powered stereo speakers.
There are four USB ports in back, VGA external connector, parallel port, two PS/2 ports (for keyboard and mouse), and five audio ports (two in front, three in back). The PC is compact in size, measuring only 14.25 inches high 7.25 inches wide by 16 inches deep, and weighs 22.5 pounds.
Bundled software includes Microsoft Works 8.5, Microsoft Office 2003 Student Teacher Edition trial, Adobe Reader 7, CyberLink DVD Solution Suite, Windows Media Player 10, Microsoft Digital Image Starter Edition (60-day trial), RealNetworks RealPlayer, Quicktime, Napster 3.0 (30-day trial), Internet Explorer, AOL 9.0 (6-month membership), McAfee Internet Security Suite (90-day trial), and BigFix (identifies/resolves problems before they occur).
The basic T6534 is $449.99 (after $50 mail-in rebate), monitor extra; prices may vary with different configurations. Quoting Howie Mandel: “Deal or no deal?” It‘s a good deal.
E17T4 17-Inch LCD Monitor
The E17T4 17-Inch LCD Monitor from eMachines features an antiglare screen, fast response and a sharp display. And it takes up 50 percent less space than a standard CRT display.
The E17T4 supports the VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) standards, so wall mounting is easy. This works well in a crowded office space, or stuck with a narrow desk.
The monitor resolution is 1280×1024 maximum, with 0.264mm dot pitch. It displays 16.2 million colors. User controls are handy, with power on/off button and on-screen display menu buttons on the right side.
The display stand offers viewing angles of 140 degrees left/right, and 130 degrees up/down. The monitor uses a standard analog (VGA), 15-pin mini d-sub port. The E17T4 is Energy Star compliant, using 45 watts (two watts in power-save mode).
Dimensions are 15 inches wide 15.26 inches high by 6.55 inches deep with stand; 15 inches wide by 13 inches high by 2.2 inches deep without stand. It weighs only 8.38 pounds with stand. The price is small too: $209.99 (after $50 mail-in rebate). This is also a real deal.
Surf to www.emachines.com. Or check prices at retailers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, CompUSA, Circuit City, Costco, Office Depot and others retailers for the lowest price.
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Tonight was another tough episode of America's Got Talent, where judges Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff, and Piers Morgan dragged out the agony for both accepted and eliminated performers. Regis Philbin of Who Wants to be a Millionaire was famous for faking out contestants with false facial expressions that didn't match the actual verdict–he'd be proud of the performances the judges put on tonight.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Live Long and Prosper
First up on tonight's America's Got Talent are an acrobatic duo, Dave and Zoe. Zoe is tiny, and Dave is not so tiny, yet Zoe manages to lift him up during their act. Dressed with sparkly eye make-up and purple outfits that make them look like characters right out of Star Trek, Dave and Zoe have to withstand another one of the “talks” with the judges about whether they should move on or not.
Dave and Zoe at least have a response to whether they should move on to America's Got Talent in Hollywood–they've got new moves planned and more unbelievable feats of strength from Zoe. The judges are apparently sold, and they're moving on to the semi-finals. When America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon congratulates them outside, they take turns lifting him off his feet in celebration.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Dancers In, Aliens Out
The America's Got Talent judge played the “one of you will win” drama with dance troupes FootworKings from Chicago and Ishaara from Berkeley, California. After all the suspense, they found out they're all going to Hollywood, which led to much leaping and dancing and crazy mayhem.
Some of the more exotic America's Got Talent acts were let go, including the “alien” acrobats Duo Design, who I found really intriguing. The married cowboy and cowgirl act also got sent home, though Piers declared “I loved you whipping your wife.” Egyptian style dancer Arthur Gulkarov, all decked out in gold and sparkly make-up, was crushed to have come this far only to be sent home again.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Heartbreaking Triumphs and Eliminations
I really didn't like how the America's Got Talent kept putting two people in a room together and telling them at least one of them was eliminated. Were they hoping the two might fight to the death for the spot? I guess the positive aspect is that you're not alone at the moment your dreams are dashed.
In this America's Got Talent segment, we had harpist and vocalist Rashida, paired with pianist Jeffrey Ou. When Rashida was told she wouldn't be moving on, she and Jeffrey hugged for a long time, both of them crying. When told he would be moving on, Jeffrey couldn't even be happy, he was so distraught that his fellow classical musician had been eliminated. And he expressed what we viewers felt, that it's so hard to see the agony people go through to pursue their passion.
As another heart-breaker, sister and brother duo Kara and Corey were called before the America's Got Talent judges. The problem was, Kara was alone. Apparently her guitar playing brother got another opportunity, and left Kara alone in the competition. The judges felt she wasn't good enough on her own, which I don't agree with. She had a lovely voice, and I don't see why she couldn't be given the chance to find another guitarist to accompany her–or just use a tape like the other vocalists do.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Made for Showbiz
It was tough to watch as the America's Got Talent judges put little 8-year-old Eleisha Miller all alone at their feet. With her bouncy curls and floral dress, she was her usual adorable self. When the judges started winding up with all the platitudes that sounded dire, Eleisha sighed, “Oh boy.” Just as she was ready to shuffle off, the judges let her know that she was on to America's Got Talent in Hollywood. Overjoyed, Eleisha bounded up the stairs to hug them. On the way she stumbled and lost her shoe on the steps. “I'm Cinderella!” she joked, going back to fetch her shoe. This kid just has a natural wit and good nature that could carry her far in Hollywood.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Made for Vegas
The “scary sexy” duo of Mario and Jennifer Ferrera, of leather and juggling chainsaws, look as if they already have a Vegas show. Dress for the job you want is definitely their motto, and they may be well on their way. The America's Got Talent judges pass them through to the semi-finals, and the couple rushed up to embrace/molest them in gratitude. Piers seemed very happy to get a hug from the scantily clad Jennifer, and David had to laugh as he got attacked by an exuberant Mario. We'll have to see what these two bring next in Hollywood.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — The Needs of the One…
We knew this was coming. On the auditions portion of America's Got Talent, Marcus Terell and the Serenades were told that the girl back-up singers were the weak link. Marcus stood by his friends, and they got voted on to Vegas. Head to Vegas, and the judges pose the same issue to them again. They're not moving on, because while Marcus is great, the girls aren't good enough.
“If I'm so great,” Marcus cries, “why am I still auditioning for things?” It's clear that they're all in agony, and the judges put them in a terrible position. So the Serenades fall on their sword, begging the judges to take Marcus alone. When asked how he feels about that, Marcus says it's their decision, and the girls let him go. The judges agree, and Marcus is moving on to America's Got Talent in Hollywood.
This is not the first time something like this has happened in the entertainment world. It really is true that you can be the best singer in the world, but if you've got less than stellar people around you, it can prevent you from ever making it. There may be some controversy about this, about whether Marcus should have stuck with his friends. On the flip side, however, what friend would want to stand in the way of their friend's success? How would the girls feel if they knew he could have moved on but they wouldn't let him.
If Marcus attains success, and the girls hone their vocal skills, it's a good bet Marcus will be giving them their big break later down the road.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — The Dance-Off
I had been looking forward to finally seeing some performances on America's Got Talent Vegas, and we finally got to the dance-off between dance troupes Destined 2 Be, Breaksk8, and Euphoria. America's Got Talent started the build-up by showing some of the rehearsal footage, where Destined 2 Be seemed to have all their ducks in a row. The other two groups had more conflict. Euphoria is a group of dance teachers, so you can imagine how each one wants to be the leader.
Then we got to the actual performances, but in true America's Got Talent style, we only got to see a brief portion of each act. Euphoria were talented, but they seemed very off on their timing. Destined 2 Be were the most in sync group, but I felt like their routine was a little underwhelming. Breaksk8 had that added cool effect of the slide of their skates, and I thought they stepped it up a notch from their audition–their performance was more energetic and had more speed.
The America's Got Talent lead-up had seemed to favor Destined 2 Be, but it turns out that my favorite Breaksk8 got the nod for Hollywood. I hope we'll get to see a full act from them in Hollywood.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Start the Stampede
America's Got Talent then buzzed through a whole host of acts that will be moving on. Once again, America's Got Talent rarely gave us names, so I've dug up as many as I can. First to move on were the two brothers and sister group Voices of Glory, followed by the powerful opera voice of Barbara Padilla.
The crazy light-bulb eating magician guy got to move on, as well as both of the dog acts: Pam and Viva, and Tony and Rockin' Rory. Singer Charles DeWayne Dorsey moved on as well. Then there was the troupe of little alien-like children in polka-dot leotard costumes, and another group of acrobats.
Seventeen-year-old singer and piano player Bri was called before the judges against the young singing group the Eriam Sisters, but there were hugs and excitement all around as both acts were told they were going through to America's Got Talent in Hollywood.
Matt and Anthony, the incredible guitar and tap dance duo, were also headed to LA. Grandma Lee was thrilled to win once again on America's Got Talent and she's bringing her sharp wit to Hollywood.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — You're Not that Good, But We Like You Anyway
The segment with the Polish violinist triplets was completely bizarre. The America's Got Talent judges went on and on about how they were talented, but not really good enough. “You've got a long way to go before it's a perfect act,” Sharon told them. Once again, the sisters started sniping at each other. After all this, the judges told them they were going on to Hollywood. While I do think they're talented, after this segment I'm wondering what made the judges send them to the semi-finals.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Victory and Defeat
For the last match-up, the America's Got Talent judges put singer/musician Mia Boostrom against singer Kelli Glover. Both of these girls have been cut from talent competitions before, and were feeling the immense pressure of looming elimination this second time around. I think the judges made the right choice when they selected Mia over Kelli, but it was heartbreaking to watch as Kelli nearly collapsed in anguish. The judges tried to console her, but how could they, when they were the ones that were making her leave?
Mia was left, like Jeffrey Ou, with mixed emotions. After seeing Kelli's emotional departure, Mia was then told she'd be moving on. No matter what happens after this in the competition, making it to the America's Got Talent semi-finals will definitely help Mia in the pursuit of her dream career.
America's Got Talent Las Vegas — Simon Says
America's Got Talent played up the drama when we see the three judges getting an intense phone call from producer Simon Cowell, telling them there's a serious problem with their choice of semi-finalists. Let the speculation begin about whether any of the talented acts that got axed will be asked back, and will someone lose their place to accommodate them?
There are pages of comments on singer Kari Callen's America's Got Talentaudition video page, and many of them are hoping she'll be called back to the semi-finals. Then there's young talents Ciana and Talan Noble Latz. What do you all think? Will anyone be brought back, or is America's Got Talent pulling our leg again to get us to watch the next episode?
Indulge your curiosity and watch America's Got Talent on NBC, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 9/8c.
Check out: America's Got Talent Hollywood Semifinals Day 1
America's Got Talent Vegas Eliminations Day 1
Visit the official America's Got Talent website for videos and photos.
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Everyone has an occasion where flowers are necessary. A stunning floral arrangement or a loose bouquet is often the best and most suitable gift. And for weddings and funerals, flowers are traditional. In McAllen, TX, your choice of a florist can be daunting as there are many listed in the phone book. Shopping in McAllen for Floral Arrangements or fresh flowers offers unique and varied selections, from live orchids to homecoming garters and mums.
Here is a look at three of the top choices for McAllen:
Forget-Me-Not Flowers and Gifts
Forget-Me-Not Flowers and Gifts is located at 825 North Ware Road and serves not only McAllen but other nearby communities of Mission, Edinburg, Pharr, and San Juan and worldwide delivery through FTD. This floral shop specializes in weddings, fresh flowers, plants, funerals, homecoming garters and mums and even offers goody and gourmet baskets. It is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 9:30AM to 5:00 PM. Twenty-four hour service is available at their website www.forget-me-notflowersgifts.com. Phone number is 956-682-2119. Corporate accounts are welcome and the shop accepts the usual array of credit cards. If you mention their telephone advertisement, you will receive free delivery to local hospitals and funeral homes with any arrangement of $35.00 or more. If you are searching for a stunning floral arrangement, Forget-Me-Not Florists can accommodate.
Floral and Craft Expressions
Another exceptional choice is Floral and Craft Expression which is located at 723 Dove Avenue at the Broadway North Shopping Center in McAllen. Worldwide delivery is available through Teleflora and FTD. The phone number is 877-266-7623 and online orders may be placed at their web site at www.floralandcraftexpressions.com or faxed to 956-687-8832. If you mention their advertisement in the phone book, you will be entitled to a 10% discount. The shop also offers a frequent shopper card and a lay-a-way plan and accepts credit cards for payment. Free delivery is available in North McAllen. This florist specializes in fresh cut flowers and silk arrangements with contemporary or traditional designs. Gift baskets for all occasions, homecoming mums, handmade crafts, weddings, funerals, balloons, plush animals, garden baskets, mugs and green plants are available. The hours are Monday through Friday form 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The Flower Hut
The Flower Hut, which offers worldwide delivery through Teleflora and FTD, is located at 808 North 10th in McAllen and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 8:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00PM. The toll free number is 1-888-681-6066 or the local number is 956-682-4776. Orders are also taken at their website www.flowerhutcallentx.com. This full service florist whose advertisement states “Express Your Feelings With Flowers” offers an exceptional variety of ways to do so. Available are fresh roses of all colors, a large selection of tropical flowers, green and blooming plants as well as fruit and gourmet gift baskets. Special occasion arrangements for weddings and quinceaneras are provided. If you are looking for a unique floral gift, consider the specialty of this floral shop
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As summer and fall fade away, often our motivation to exercise does too. It can be hard to stay active during the winter months, especially if you live in an area that experiences very cold weather, or even snow. Here are ten fun things I do during the winter to get off the couch, out of the house, and keep my body and mind healthy.
Shop 'Till You Drop
Whether you have money to spend or not, going to the mall is a great, temperature-controlled way to get moving this winter. My girlfriends and I meet up at the mall two afternoons a week, make a few brisk laps talking and window shopping, then finish up with a skim-milk latte at the food court. Since I'm a stay-at-home-mom, I really enjoy this time out of the house with my friends. It's great exercise for me, and there's no need for a baby-sitter: the little one comes along in her stroller. And if there's a sale on at my favorite store…well, that's just an added bonus!!
Go Ice Skating
Like the outdoors? Choose an outdoor rink, bundle up, and skate the day away. Rather take it indoors? Chances are you'll be able to find an indoor ice rink within driving distance.
Take a Dance Class
From hip-hop to jazz, salsa to swing, there's something for everyone. Sign up for a 6-week course at your local dance academy or gym, and you'll be amazed at how your body responds. Too self-conscious to go public? Hire a local college student with rhythm to give you and your best gal-pals lessons at your house once a week after the kids are in bed.
Visit a Christmas Tree Farm
Don't mind the cold? Spending the day with your loved ones at a local Christmas tree farm is a great way to get out and get moving. Most open from October to Christmas and offer acres of beautiful trees to choose from. Hiking around until you find the perfect one burns quite a bit of energy (and calories). Most farms also boast a cafe where you can rest afterwards and warm up with a hot chocolate or coffee. In my house, this is our favorite outdoor winter activity, a beautiful tradition we look forward to every year.
High-Energy Game Night
Looking for motion-inducing fun that doesn't require you to brave the cold? Try an old-fashioned game night! Charades and Twister are two that give you quite a work-out. Have kids? Hide-and-Seek is a fun way to get everyone moving. Looking for more games? Make up your own fun game to get yourself and your loved ones moving this winter!
Get Intimate
What to do when the extreme weather's got you (and your significant other) stuck indoors? Work up a sweat between the sheets. Seriously! Having sex is a great way to exercise all your muscles and raise your heart-rate without ever leaving the house (or the bedroom, for that matter). An added bonus? A closer, more connected marriage.
Take Up a Winter Sport
Just because football, baseball, and soccer are on hiatus doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of winter sports to keep you occupied and fit. From snow-shoe walking to running, skiing to ice-hockey, sledding to snowboarding, there's something for just about everyone–even me, and I'm not even remotely athletic! My personal favorite? Snow-shoe walking. All you need is a pair of snow shoes and you're set. This is a low-impact sport that gets you out of the house and gives you a chance to enjoy the beautiful winter scenery.
Bowl
If you haven't gone bowling lately, you've probably forgotten how much fun it is. It's also inexpensive. On Family Night, my whole family can bowl two games for less than 15 bucks. And what a workout for the arms!
Winter Cleaning
Here's an aerobic activity you may not have considered: housework. Engaging in a bout of winter cleaning is a free and productive way to give your body a workout from head to toe. Mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, rearranging furniture…your body and your house will thank you.
Martial Arts
As a woman, I recognize the need to keep myself safe from predators. Martial arts can train you to defend yourself, increase your self-confidence, and up your fitness and flexibility level. Most gyms or YMCA's offer inexpensive classes arranged by age and experience level. I take classes year-round, but they become especially precious to me during the winter months, when my outdoor activity is curtailed by the bitter cold.
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The knockout is arguably the most popular thing in any kind of combat sport. It was knockouts that led to the huge popularity of Mike Tyson in boxing and the same holds true for guys like Chuck Liddell and Anderson Silva in mixed martial arts. There are many ways that one can do this in mixed martial arts including punches, kicks and knees. Here today we are gonna discuss several ways to achieve knockouts and other goals with some UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing tips and tricks.
There are many things that are crucial to success but the first one that I want to talk about today in terms of UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing tips and tricks is timing of strikes. This means being smart and patient instead of just running headfirst into the action. Go watch some of Lyoto Machida's fights and you will see what I'm talking about when I say patience. Just keep in mind that the fights are either 3 or 5 rounds so be smart and patient and you're chances of landing more efficient strikes will increase and the odds of getting knocked out will decrease as well. It's always best to attack after your opponent has missed or if their stamina is really low.
Okay so you have worked on the timing the next thing to do to improve those UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing skills is to mix it up during the fight. This means making your style more unpredictable. After playing numerous people with UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing characters online that throw repeated kicks to the head over and over it's very obvious that some people just think about quick knockouts. Against these people just block and throw strikes after they have either been blocked or miss their strike. A smart gamer will throw kicks to the legs, body and head with both legs making it nearly impossible for their opponent to block or counter most of the time.
Another very important thing to keep in mind when using a UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing character is stamina and how it impacts the fight. Everytime someone throws one of those kicks it uses stamina whether it hits or misses the target. If you keep throwing them over and over it's just a matter of time before that energy bar is gonna be nearly empty. Once this happens then the opponent has the upper hand and a great chance to take the fight to the ground and finish it with a submission. The body kicks will lower the opponent's energy as well so keep that in mind when using a UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing fighter.
The final and perhaps most important thing that I have to discuss here in this UFC Undisputed 2009 kickboxing tips and tricks guide is range. This is one of the biggest advantages of using a character with kickboxing on UFC Undisputed 2009 especially against someone with boxing. Naturally your gonna be able to hit somebody from further away with a kick than with a punch. A smart gamer will use that longer reach to keep opponents that don't have those kicking skills away and stay out of danger. This means finding the range of your punches and then stepping back just out of that range and throwing the kicks. It takes some practice to get down but it's very effective and used all the time.
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Wal-Mart is now offering the gPC, which is a sub $200 PC for the Christmas shopping season with a slight catch. The catch is that the operating system something other than Windows Vista or Windows XP. The gPC is runs something called gOS, which is a new and free operating system that is derived from the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution. The Wal-Mart store website has shown that the computer's have been out of stock from the first day that it was introduced, and I have had difficulty finding one in stock locally. This is not too much of a surprise since Everex, the maker of the PC based in Taiwan, has stated that they only plan on selling 10,000 units of the gPC, and only around 600 Wal-Mart stores will participate in the sales. It looks like these units will be hard to find this upcoming holiday sales season.
I am interested in purchasing this new system and give it try as a cheap alternative for the kids. They are always looking to use our family PC, looking for school homework information on the web, sending e-mails, and blogging. And now my 4 year old is even starting to get into the computer act now. It is amazing at how young they start these days. For an all around Internet box, that runs a few linux games, the gPC looks like the solution that I need to cut down the line for the family PC. Plus, you cannot beat the price.
I decided that I would give the operating system a run through before I make the purchase of the hardware. You can download a copy of the operating system from thinkgos.com and save the .iso file. From there you burn it to a CD using software that can create a bootable disk from a .iso file. There are many “How-To's” on this process works, and most Windows-based PC's with a CD burner now include the needed software to burn the CD.
The great thing about the gOS, and the Ubuntu distribution it is derived from, is that they are both packaged with what is called a LIVE CD. This means you can pop the CD into your drive, set the PC to boot from the CD and give the operating system a test drive, without touching or overwriting any files on your PC. When you are done you simply shut the PC down and restart your computer into Windows with absolutely no harm to your system.
Since it has been so hard to find this new PC at Wal-Mart, and I wanted to give the new OS a test drive, I went ahead and burned a copy of the LIVE CD and tried it out on a couple of my PCs. I suspect this particular distribution is set up for a specific model of PC, namely the $199 special at Wal-Mart. I did not expect it to be fully compatible with my PC hardware, but I was able to get it running on my wife's laptop, a Dell Inspiron 5150 with 2.8 Ghz CPU and 512 RAM. Everything worked fine except the wireless card, which I fully expected since an install of ndiswrappers is needed for most wireless cards when running Ubuntu. Even the sound worked great.
Startup
Booting from the LIVE CD takes you to a menu and you select he first option. The machine boots straight into the green desktop, hence the name gOS or “greenOS”. The has been speculation on the Internet that the “g” actually stands for “Google”. I certainly can see why there is such speculation and we will get to this little later in the review.
I expected the operating system to be slow since it was running from the CD drive, but actually it was very snappy. It seemed to run a lot more efficiently from the CD than the Windows XP that resides on the laptop's hard drive, with zero wait time starting and stopping applications. I would expect similar type performance, if not better, running from a hard drive installation on the $199 machine which sports an energy efficient 1.5 Ghz processor.
Enlightenment
Enlightenment is the windows manager that is used in gOS. This is different than the standard Ubuntu distribution which comes with Gnome. I noted that the Synaptic Package manager is installed with gOS, so it should be a snap to install the standard Gnome desktop that comes with Ubuntu. However, after playing around with Enlightenment, I just might keep it around for a while.
With Enlightenment running the gOS theme, the desktop layout is more similar to OSX than either the standard Windows desktop or Ubuntu's Gnome. There is an application panel along the bottom that behaves almost like the Dock in OSX. In Enlightenment, this is called a “shelf”, and you you can place any number of “gadgets” on your shelf to display system status, email alerts, etc. Any number shelves can be displayed on the top or bottom of the desktop or along the sides. There is a menu for quick access to shelf icons along the bottom, and a quick menu that access the standard Ubuntu applications.
The shelf has a nice scrolling feature. As you move the mouse over the icons, they will animate in a similar fashion to OSX's Dock. If there are too many icons for the shelf, they simply scroll off the side. The shelf also has an area reserved for inactive programs. When windows are minimized, they are automatically placed there. This makes it very easy to access everything on the dekstop. There are a couple of themes that you can choose from in the downloaded version of gOS, and they are quite easy to change from theme the theme.
Nearly all window management systems now have multiple or virtual desktops. For example, there is “Spaces” in OSX. Linux has had this feature for years, depending on what windows manager you use. I found that configuring virtual desktops in Enlightenment quite intuitive, using a slider bar arrangement for the number of desktops, and how you wish to have them arranged on the shelf. If you are into OSX's Dock and Spaces, and the nice eye candy they bring to the desktop, then you will have no problems using the shelf and desktop manager in Enlightenment.
Another similarity I found to OSX is that the window decorations in the gOS theme are similar to OSX. The window quick access buttons are located on the same upper corner as in the OSX platform, and they use a similar color schemes as well. It took a little getting used to, since I am primarily a Gnome and Windows XP user. If OSX is not for you, you can easily switch themes in Enlightenment.
gOS Applications
Ubuntu is considered to be a slimmed down version of Linux, and it seems that gOS has slimmed things down even MORE. On the download version, there were quite a few applications that are standard in Ubuntu which are not included with gOS. The bulk of missing applications seem to be those that are centered with system administration. For example, I could not find a menu entry to add and remove users. I know this can easily be done from the command line, but most users may prefer graphical tools. This is something I will need to verify on the gPC, since I will have multiple users in my home who like there desktops set just right.
I was able to find a network manager after a little searching. It can also be noted that there is a wireless manager included, possibly included to prepare for the sub $300 laptop due out shortly.
A big plus is that Ubuntu's Add/Remove programs manager is included. It was buried under the System Tools menu, so if there is anything that is missing, you can go out and get with no problem. In addition, gOS sports the synaptic package manager, as well as the update manager for getting system updates.
Google, Google Everywhere
The desktop seems like a big advertisement for Google, as everything you click on in the shelf will bring up a website that is either owned or sponsored by Google in some way. There is even a google search bar in the upper right hand corner. This is not necessarily a bad thing for me, since I do use these web sites, and quite often they are quality sites.
My guess is that the producers of gOS are using this little trick as a marketing ploy by making it look like gOS is a Google sponsored desktop. Since they are only linking to websites, there are no licensing or copyright infringements. Also, notably absent from gOS was Google Earth, which has become fairly a popular flagship Google application. With everything on the shelf pointing towards Google in someway, it can easily be seen why some pudits on the Internet are considering the “g” in gOS as standing for Google, when it really is “green.”
There were also a couple of websites that I have never heard of but was able to give a try. One was something called meebo.com It appears to be an online instant messaging service which allows you to access your chat software through a web interface. I may or may look into this at some future point.
Here is a listing of applications that I found on the gOS shelf:
Firefox
gmail
meebo
google news
google cal
google maps
google docs
google product search
facebook
youTube
Wikepedia
blogger
skype
xine movie player
rythymbox music player
Tech support (Faqly)
Most of these are simply Firefox bookmark entries. When you click on an icon in the shelf, it simply opens up into a new Firefox tab, which is a nice feature.
So Why Green?
This is because of the low power consumption of the gPC. It is said that the gPC will consume only between 2 and 20 watts of power.
Overall impression
I like what I see so far. I have never used Enlightenment so I have not checked everything yet, but I think this will be a great solution for my kids. I also think that the older generation that may have not yet been indoctrinated into using Windows, my find the gOS as very intuitive to use. The operating system will run great on low end PC's.
As far as usability on low end PC's, gOS wins hands down against Vista and even OSX. The drawback, as with any linux based operating system is compatibility with software that OSX or Windows uses. Many free software solutions help make up for this using the Synaptic package manager.
Now if I can only find one for sale…
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