Monthly Archives: February 2022

The Nightingale will live forever in her 50,000 songs in 14 languages – Ahmedabad Mirror

Posted: February 7, 2022 at 6:25 am

As the flames leapt up to consume the mortal remains of Lata Mangeshkar, Gulzar's words set to R.D. Burman's music, which the Nightingale immortalised with her ageless voice -- "Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai ..." -- kept swirling in the hearts and minds of her followers around the world.

There couldn't have been more appropriate words to encapsulate the truth that only a few souls are able to stir the consciousness of generations, transcending all boundaries. Lata Mangeshkar was one of those rare souls.

The Nightingale's radiant image seemed to shine above the political and tinsel stars who had converged at Mumbai's Shivaji Park to pay their final respects to the departed soul. More than her smile, that famous twinkle in her eye seemed to assure Lataji's countless fans that she was very much there.

And how can she ever go away? Each of her more than 50,000 songs in 14 languages will ensure her immortality.

As much as her voice is mesmerising, equally her carefully draped saree and tightly held hair with a small round 'bindi' in the middle of her forehead will remain etched in the memory of every Indian. She looked very much like a goddess in 'avatar'. It wasn't without a reason that generations has regarded Lataji as Goddess Saraswati incarnate.

Lata Didi, as the nation fondly calls her, has forever set the standards that perhaps may never be matched. Singing will never be like hers, although clones are in thousands.

Songs for every mood, every age, all seasons, festivals, celebrations, all occasions of happiness or sadness. From spiritually uplifting bhajans to soothing romantic numbers, to racy, pacy tracks, she did them all in her 73-year career as the voice of the nation.

Not a day or hour goes by when her songs are not being aired, sung by talent hunt participants, or remixed by sound engineers. remixed is not being aired or even hummed. Even for the upcoming generation, her songs are the lessons to be learnt and in musical talent shows aired on TV channels or FM radio, it is mostly her songs that are sung.

Lataji continues to live in her songs. She has been immortalised in her songs, and each time a song by her is sung, Lataji will come alive.

All her songs are iconic; each is unique in its own style. There is no one that is the best, because all are the best. Her voice gave that magical touch to Hindi movies that have always been mostly about song and dance.

Lataji is every singer's dream, and for the masses her songs are emotions that they have grown with. Listening to her songs on the radio and TV, seeing them picturised in movies, singing them in school and college competitions, or in 'antaksharis', and dancing to them in wedding sangeet ceremonies, we have lived Lataji's songs for decades. They have been a part of the growing-up years of all Indians. Lata Mangeshkar has always been there, the quintessential diet of our emotions.

"Meri awaaz hi pehchaan hai ... chehra ye badal jayege ... meri awaaz hi pechaan hai ... ghar yaad rahe" (My voice will be my identity even if the way I look changes). Gulzar sahab seemed to have written these words, which Lataji sang with Bhupinder Singh in 'Kinara' in 1977, inspired by her life.

Lata Didi, as the world will always remember her as, her voice and her face radiating magnanimity will never fade away.

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The Nightingale will live forever in her 50,000 songs in 14 languages - Ahmedabad Mirror

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TotalEnergies and Veolia Join Forces to Accelerate the Development of Biomethane – Total

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Paris, February 02, 2022 TotalEnergies and Veolia have signed an agreement to produce biomethane from Veolia waste and water treatment facilities operating in more than 15 countries.

The partners will develop and co-invest in a portfolio of international projects, with the ambition to produce up to 1.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of biomethane per year by 2025. This production of renewable gas made from organic waste will be equivalent to the average annual natural gas consumption of 500,000 residents and will avoid some 200,000 tons of CO2 per year. TotalEnergies will market the resulting biomethane as a renewable fuel for mobility or as a substitute for natural gas in other uses.

As part of this agreement, the partners will pool their industrial know-how in biomethane production. Veolia will provide its expertise in the production and processing of biogas from its facilities, and TotalEnergies will contribute its in-depth knowledge of the entire biomethane value chain.

"We are pleased to partner with Veolia to promote the recovery of waste through the production of biomethane, and thereby the circular economy, one of the pillars of sustainable development," said Stphane Michel, President Gas, Renewables & Power at TotalEnergies. "The development of biomethane is part of TotalEnergies' transformation into a broad energy company, and the deployment of its ambition to be a major player in renewables."

"Our partnership with TotalEnergies is in line with Veolia's strategy to develop solutions for decarbonizing the energy mix, notably with biogas, as part of an ecological transition," said Estelle Brachlianoff, Chief Operating Officer of Veolia. "At the global level, the biogas resources at our sites offer more than 6 terawatt hours of primary energy. With this biomethane production potential and our know-how in biogas management, Veolia intends to become a leading player in the value chain while developing more decentralized and local green energy production capacity."***

TotalEnergies and BiomethaneTotalEnergies is the segment leader in France, with close to 500 GWh of production capacity, and aims to become a major player in biomethane internationally by partnering with market leaders such as Clean Energy in the United States. The Company is active across the entire biomethane value chain, from project development to marketing of biomethane and its by-products (biofertilizers, bioCO2). It aims to produce at least 2 TWh of biomethane per year by 2025 equivalent to the annual consumption of 670,000 French consumers and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 400,000 tons.

About TotalEnergiesTotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

TotalEnergiesContacts

Veolia and biomethaneVeolia is now one of the world's largest producers of energy from biogas, with a primary energy resource of nearly 6 TWh. As a world leader in ecological transformation, Veolia aims to maximize the recovery of biogas in the form of biomethane and to expand its global resource base, in a circular economy approach. The Group's ambition is to become one of the leading players in the biomethane sector and to develop more green energy production capacity to help combat climate change.

About de VeoliaVeolia Group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with nearly 179,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, to preserve available resources and to renew them. In 2020, the Veolia group served 95 million inhabitants with drinking water and 62 million with sanitation, produced nearly 43 million megawatt hours and recycled 47 million tonnes of waste. Veolia Environment (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated sales of 26.010 billion euros in 2020. http://www.veolia.com

Veolia Contacts

TotalEnergies on social media

Cautionary NoteThe terms TotalEnergies, TotalEnergies company or Company in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words we, us and our may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for the acts or omissions of these entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorit des Marchs Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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Our Views: Mindpower is where Louisiana ought to invest – The Advocate

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Without the economic and scientific infrastructure necessary for innovation, it has continued to rely on the colonial development model of resource extraction, which is both unsustainable and largely responsible for its debilitating poverty and aid dependency, write Ameenah Gurib-Fakim and Landry Sign.

Theyre not talking about Louisiana, but the deeply economically troubled continent of Africa. The Brookings Institution scholars Gurib-Fakim is the former president of Mauritius pose a fundamental challenge not only for the African continent but also for Americas Bayou State.

Louisianas economy has been based on extraction, some of which was sustainable with good practices in agriculture and timber, for example. But the fabulous wealth and continuing benefits of oil and gas extraction and refining may not be sustainable in present forms in the 80 years ahead in this century.

And the phrase aid dependency really stings, as Louisiana has required much-needed federal aid after natural disasters, but also for day-to-day funding of medical care and other necessities for our relatively poor population.

What is the answer? No secret at all. The economic and scientific infrastructure necessary for innovation has been here for many years, since LSU and Tulane universities opened their doors in the 19th century.

Louisianas network of higher education institutions, public and private, require strong financial assistance from government to make research viable in a highly competitive world market for scientists and their knowledge.

No one is more aware of that than William F. Tate IV, president of LSU.

When The Advocate and The Times-Picayune convened a panel of state leaders to talk about the economy, Tate pushed research that can lead to new technologies and businesses.

He said higher education research leads to a roughly $600 billion impact on the U.S. gross domestic product annually. LSUs GPD output is about $6 billion each year.

But he noted that LSU is falling behind Southeastern Conference peers such as the University of Georgia and University of Kentucky in reaping the benefits of investing in research.

The newly installed president of the statewide system of LSU institutions, including its medical schools and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, highlighted five areas for research investment: agriculture and biotechnology, cyber security, ocean and coastal science, carbon capture technology and cancer research.

Funding those five areas would really change what is happening here and really keep more people in this state to work, he said.

We dont know what should be the most urgent focus of research investment, but clearly outside fundingof philanthropists and more state government support is necessary above simply growing undergraduate enrollments for tuition dollars.

In a flush budget year, Louisiana is in a position to do more for research funding. Gov. John Bel Edwards proposed and the Legislature has received reasonable plans for a university faculty pay raises and boosted support for research institutions. But those investments have proven in the past to be too changeable, reduced as the budgets fortunes have waned.

If we want to play in the same league as states that have won the mindpower sweepstakes in the last century North Carolina and Texas as well as Georgia among them we shall have to invest in the knowledge economy consistently and heavily.

We need a strongly built foundation of our own economic and scientific infrastructure necessary for innovation.

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Our Views: Mindpower is where Louisiana ought to invest - The Advocate

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The book that shatters the SNP’s economic myths – Spectator.co.uk

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There aren't many whose name becomes part of the mythology of a nation while they are still alive. Gavin McCrone, author of After Brexit: The Economics of Scottish Independence, has inadvertently achieved this status.

McCrone is an academic and a former chief economist to the Scottish Office. In 1974, he wrote an internal briefing paper for Scottish ministers outlining the economic potential of North Sea oil. McCrone thought ministers were underestimating the value of the resource and the positive impact it could have on the economy if extraction were managed successfully. His paper was designed to remedy that ignorance and was framed from a Scottish perspective and in the context of nationalist arguments for independence. As he states in After Brexit:

'There have been suggestions in the press that my paper was suppressed or in some way hushed up. This was not so. It was a confidential briefing for Ministers and never intended for publication, just as other briefing papers for Ministers are confidential.'

When, in 2005, the Scottish National Party (SNP) used freedom of information laws to make the paper public, the myth of the 'McCrone Report' was cemented. This was no bland document designed to chivvy an incoming government into ensuring an impending oil boom was sufficiently taxed. No, this was the smoking gun proof that Scotland had been betrayed through subterfuge and conspiracy.

'For decades Westminster have suppressed and oppressed Scotland in many ways. The McCrone report is just one example,' commented SNP MP Hannah Bardell in 2019, when Scottish independence supporting newspaper the National made a splash of the report.

This kind of preposterous myth-making must be kept in mind when reading McCrone's book. For today's Scotland is a land of many myths, where economic facts not helpful to the nationalist cause are regularly dismissed as either untrue or unimportant. After Brexit calmly and objectively takes readers through the key economic aspects of secession. In doing so, and in the matter-of-fact way it deals with economic reality, it almost feels like an act of subversion.

Written for the lay reader, McCrone presents a post-Brexit update on his 2013 book, Scottish Independence: Weighing Up the Economics. Currency, deficit, debt, pensions, mortgages, the border with England, and the European Union, are all dealt with. The book also provides a state-of-the-nation summary of Scotland's challenges across health and social care, education, and in stewardship of the broader economy. This is a useful summary irrespective of the constitutional question.

Perhaps the most often discussed independence topic is currency. It is now widely accepted that Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon made a tactical error in 2014 by assuming an independent Scotland could be part of a formal monetary union with the remaining UK. When London rejected that proposal for sound economic reasons, the nationalists were snookered. Having learned that lesson, the SNP's current currency position is to unofficially continue to use sterling outside the formal sterling area, much in the same way Montenegro uses the euro without the agreement of the eurozone or the European Central Bank. It is envisaged this 'sterlingisation' arrangement will last a considerable period. The SNP would then plan to launch a new Scottish currency if the economic conditions merited it.

McCrone sees the danger in this. Figures show that an independent Scotland would start life with a classic twin deficits problem. The country would be importing more than it is exporting and spending more money than it is generating in tax. It would therefore have unsustainably large current account and budget deficits.

'In the short term, even if taxes were raised or public expenditure cut, Scotland would have to borrow to finance both of these deficits,' notes McCrone. But as a new borrower with no long record of credibility like the UK, Scotland would 'have to pay considerably more on its borrowing'.

'Interest rates would be in danger of constantly increasing in a vicious circle, resulting in eventual collapse,' he warns.

McCrone therefore believes an independent Scotland would need its own currency, which should float freely at first. The new currency would almost certainly devalue heavily against the pound sterling, thereby making the economy more competitive and alleviating the deficits problem. Once the new currency has established its own market rate reflective of the needs of the economy, McCrone recommends it is then pegged to either the pound or the euro for stability purposes.

This could create other difficulties, however. The higher interest rates that secession would lead to would, of course, be reflected in Scottish mortgage rates. Not only would that debt be more expensive, but if a new currency were introduced then hundreds of thousands of households with mortgages would suddenly have foreign exchange risk to deal with. And with the new currency most likely to fall substantially against the pound in response to the state's macroeconomic imbalances, the result would be people's monthly mortgage payments shooting up.

One criticism of the book is that it could provide more depth on some of these topics. For example, McCrone's advocacy of a currency peg leads naturally to thoughts of what level of reserves would be required to maintain that peg, and how those reserves would be built up, but that discussion is missing. That said, the punchy way in which McCrone skips across the key concerns makes for a lively read, which more than compensates for the lack of additional enquiry.

On the EU, McCrone is not a fan of an independent Scotland applying for membership, and makes the case instead for becoming part of the European Economic Area (EEA). Critically though, this would still require a hard border with England. With the vast majority of Scottish trade tied to the rest of the UK, this would be a repeat of Brexit's economic damage but on a larger scale.

There is a sense in reading McCrone's book that, in the aftermath of a Brexit he clearly disagrees with, he would like to warm to the idea of Scottish secession. His propensity for rational, evidence-based analysis however prevents him from going there. In his conclusion, he states:

'The upheaval caused by leaving the UK would undoubtedly be major and costly it might well result in a fall in living standards for several years and significant inflation. It is not clear that this is understood even by those who seek independence.'

Indeed. Scotland's economic myths are plainly not for McCrone. His book should be a must-read for those susceptible to the carefully contrived post-truth narratives of Scotland's current party of government. Instead, McCrone's non-partisan analysis will likely see him subject to personal attack and his valuable work disparaged. Such is the way in modern Scotland.

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Narube has been proven wrong time and time again and is selective about the data Sayed-Khaiyum – Fijivillage

Posted: at 6:25 am

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Unity Fiji Leader Savenaca Narube.

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Unity Fiji Leader, Savenaca Narube who is rolling out his credentials saying he is correct as he is an economist, has been proven wrong time and time again and is selective about the data that is readily available on the International Monetary Fund and Reserve Bank of Fiji websites, however Narube says no amount of rhetoric by Sayed-Khaiyum will diminish his economic and financial qualifications and experience.

In a press conference yesterday, Sayed-Khaiyum said that Narube has simply come back with his qualifications as he has got his projections wrong.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Narube initially ignored the uncertainty posed by COVID-19 and was quick to pick the downward revision of the growth forecast from -4 percent to -21 percent from 2020 but did not talk about an upward revision of the 2020 growth from -21 percent to -15.2 percent.

The Minister for Economy says Narube has questioned the independence of the RBF and the Macroeconomic Committee who produced the forecast.

Sayed-Khaiyum says when it suited Narube, he used the forecast and when it didn't, he said they were not independent.

The Minister for Economy then said that Narube has been saying that he is the only Permanent Secretary for Finance to have a surplus budget.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the surplus budget in 1998 was only because the Government sold ATH shares to the FNPF at an inflated price and based on IMF definition, it was not a surplus but a one off sale of an asset.

He says it was a year where there was an underlying deficit.

Sayed-Khaiyum stresses if the Macroeconomic Committee made a projection of 22 percent contraction against an actual outcome of 15 percent contraction, it clearly shows the committee is independent.

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Meanwhile, Narube says he wants to urge the Minister for Economy to stick to the evidence.

He says projections are never spot on but as one can see, the trend in the Ministers forecasts is like a roller coaster and his is stable and closer to the actuals.

According to Narube, the Governments original forecast for 2020 was -4 percent and later revised to -21 percent while the actual contraction was -15 percent.

Narube says his original forecast for 2020 was -10 percent and the actual contraction was -15 percent. He says the Governments variation from its original forecast was -11 percent while his variation was -5 percent. He says for 2021, the Governments variation from its actual forecast was -9.1 percent while his variation stood at 0.9 percent.

Narube says Sayed-Khaiyum did not specify where he was wrong and perhaps because he does not even know himself.

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The Unity Fiji Leader says he wants to repeat his earlier statement on whether Sayed-Khaiyum thinks he knows more without any economic and financial experience or qualifications.

Narube says he is not running the economy and Sayed-Khaiyum is and has questioned who is really dangerous to the country.

He further says the country is in grave danger when a person who does not know economics and finance is at the helm of our economy but it is even more dangerous if the person at the helm does not know but believes he does.

Narube says no one is perfect and he may be wrong in his commentary of the economy and will concede when he is wrong, but it is extremely dangerous when the Minister for Economy never concedes that he is wrong.

Narube further states that Sayed-Khaiyum has built economic growth on the unsustainable foundation of Government expenditure and as a result, ran out of fiscal space before the virus hit, wasted scarce taxpayers money on his political expenditure and this wastage would not impact economic growth which would not generate more revenue to help service the ballooning national debt.

Narube adds Sayed-Khaiyum ignored the resource-based sectors which worsened the decline in the economy when the virus destroyed tourism, his incentives to raise demand in its budget in the first wave were ineffective because they were conventional and targeted at tourism, and Sayed-Khaiyum has not helped the private sector by intervening heavily in businesses.

The Unity Fiji Leader adds Government sold TFL in 1998 to ATH but he as the Permanent Secretary for Finance, did not spend the proceeds and instead, applied the proceeds to prepay debt.

Narube says this was why the overall budget balance was in surplus and this is prudent financial management.

He says in comparison, the Minister for Economy has been selling national assets, but he has been spending the proceeds and borrowing more which is dangerous.

Narube adds Sayed-Khaiyum has failed miserably in steering the country economically and financially as 300,000 people are living in poverty and COVID is not the only reason we are in the mess we are in now.

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Narube has been proven wrong time and time again and is selective about the data Sayed-Khaiyum - Fijivillage

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Whats next: The Great Resignation – Newswise

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Newswise On Jan. 4, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. The numbers are staggering: 4.5 million workers quit or changed their jobs in November 2021, the highest number ever recorded in one month. The quits rate the percentage of those who voluntarily left their jobs jumped back up to 3 percent in November 2021, matching the all-time high set in September 2021. Quits increased in several industries, with the largest coming in accommodation and food services.

Ian O. Williamson, dean of UCIs Paul Merage School of Business, is a globally recognized expert in human resource management. We asked him to help explain this phenomenon being called the Great Resignation.

The trend of workers quitting or changing their jobs continues, tying a record-high in November. Why is this happening?

Observers have credited several factors for all the turnover were seeing, from paltry wages and benefits being offered to fear of contracting COVID-19 and complications associated with infections.

Like many advanced economies, the U.S. has been moving away from productive sectors like manufacturing to a service-based economy for decades. The service sector contributed to 79 percent of economic growth and about 86 percent of employment in the U.S. in 2017.

Being successful in many service-based jobs requires generalizable occupational skills such as competencies in communications and computing. Because these talents are easily transportable across companies in a wide range of professions, its relatively easy for employees to move between companies and maintain their productivity in service-based economies.

What are some of the incentives for employees seeking a change?

To complement the obvious factors of increased wages and improved benefits, peoples cultural values and life situation often influence what they want from work. With the U.S. labor market expected to diversify in terms of gender, ethnicity and age moving forward, employers need to provide greater flexibility and variety in their working environment to be able to attract and retain workers.

Between the internet and social media recruitment, employees can find out about new job opportunities all over the world. We have also seen an increase in remote working, meaning some employees no longer need to physically relocate to start a new job. This has removed many barriers and transition costs historically associated with switching employers. Greater options and lower costs to move mean that employees can selectively pick jobs that best meet their personal needs and desires.

How is this trend affecting companies?

A survey in August 2021 found that 73 percent of 380 employers in North America were having difficulty attracting employees and 70 percent expected this difficulty to persist into 2022.

Between finding and training a replacement, the estimated cost to the employer of replacing a departing employee is, on average, 122 percent of that employees annual salary.

These factors combine to incentivize businesses to adapt to the new labor market conditions and develop innovative approaches to keeping workers happy and in their jobs. There is no evidence to suggest this trend will change going forward.

How can companies counter the trend?

A March 2021 survey of employees from around the world found that 54 percent would consider leaving their job if they were not provided some form of flexibility in where and when they work.

With employees placing a higher priority on finding a job that fits their preferences, companies need to tailor the types of financial, social and developmental incentives and opportunities they provide to individual employees preferences. Customizing reward packages may potentially increase administrative costs, but it can help retain a highly engaged workforce.

Companies should also reframe how they approach managing their workers. One way to do this is by investing in external relationships that ensure consistent access to high-quality talent. Enhancing relationships with educational institutions is one option. Adopting alumni programs that recruit former employees to rejoin is another. Former employees are often less expensive to recruit and possess both an understanding of an organizations processes and an appreciation of its culture.

Is there any timeline for when well see the trend change?

The quits rate is likely to stay elevated for some time to come. The sooner employers accept that and adapt, the better theyll be at managing the new normal.

NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTO AVAILABLE AThttps://news.uci.edu/2022/02/01/whats-next-the-great-resignation/

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The race is on to build a casino in New York City – POLITICO

Posted: at 6:25 am

Some are even making the pitch that a new gaming hall could help the nations most populous city repair its pandemic-scarred economy.

I believe in New York City. I think we are going to come back. Gaming has a proven potential to be an anchor in that recovery, Soo Kim, chair of the Ballys Corp. who grew up in Queens, said in an interview.

The operators submitted preliminary details in December to the state Gaming Commission on their plans for New York City-area casinos.

They include the Resorts World New York City in Queens, owned by Malaysian conglomerate Genting Group, and the MGM-owned Empire City Casino in Yonkers, just north of the Bronx. Both are horse racetracks with video-lottery terminals and are already among the largest gaming operations in the nation; now they want to become full-scale casinos with table games and slot machines and win two of the three licenses.

We are ready to deliver thousands of new jobs for Westchester and the Bronx while generating $1 billion in new economic activity with a full gaming license, MGM said in a statement. Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts is ready to roar.

In this Oct. 3, 2014, file photo, visitors to the Resorts World Casino at the Aqueduct racetrack play electronic baccarat games, in the Queens borough of New York. It is hoping to become a full-scale casino with live table games and slot machines.|Julie Jacobson/AP Photo

A New York City casino is considered a crown jewel of the U.S. gambling sector the largest untapped market in the largest metropolitan area in the nation, with a population of 20 million people and a steady stream of tourists.

For decades, New York has watched its residents travel to Atlantic City, N.J., or to Native American casinos in eastern Connecticut to gamble, losing out on the tax revenue that would come from gamblers staying closer to home.

But that may soon change and labor unions, real-estate firms and casino giants are eager to go all-in on building out the citys gambling potential.

With a responsible approach to pursuing new casino licenses downstate, we have a unique and timely opportunity to put unemployed hospitality workers back to work while also giving our economy a much needed boost, said Rich Maroko, president of the New York Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, a politically influential labor union thats backing a proposal to turn Resorts World at Aqueduct Racetrack into a full-fledged casino.

In 2013, New York voters approved a referendum to allow seven private casino licenses, and a year later the state Legislature passed a law that ultimately allowed four upstate casinos in the Finger Lakes, Catskills, Albany area and the states Southern Tier, along its border with Pennsylvania. Those casinos were given a five-year exclusivity in New York. The facilities have all struggled since opening, partially due to their limited draw and, now, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But state lawmakers seem receptive to opening up the bids for downstate casinos this year rather than wait until 2023 as a way to bolster the states coffers. They would need to overturn the 2014 law.

Each new license would likely include a $500 million initiation fee, plus the promise of major construction projects that would mean thousands of new jobs as the economy tries to recover from the pandemic.

Its going to happen soon enough anyway. If were ready to do it and all the infrastructure is in place and the regulatory structure is in place, why not do it sooner? said state Sen. Mike Gianaris, the chambers deputy leader and a Queens Democrat.

Resorts World Catskills in Sullivan County is one of four upstate casinos in New York. Now the state is considering downstate casinos, including in New York City, about 90 miles away from Resorts World Catskills.|Seth Wenig/AP Photo

In addition to Resorts World in Queens, which is owned by the Malaysia-based Genting Group, and MGM in Yonkers, there are a number of other suitors.

UE Resorts International Inc.; Las Vegas Sands Corp.; Wynn Resorts; Rush Street Gaming; Hard Rock International; Ballys Corporation and the Water Club in Manhattan also submitted proposals. All the details were redacted by the state Gaming Commission.

The companies are all surveying the city for potential locations for Las Vegas-style casino resorts.

Hard Rock Hotel New York is set to open in Times Square in April, and may be interested in a casino in the heart of the tourist district or another part of the city. The company did not respond to requests for comment.

And the new Hudson Yards development west of Penn Station the largest private real estate project in American history could also be a potential target for a posh new casino resort.

While a casino in Manhattan would appear to be a top draw for developers, it would come with intense scrutiny, regulatory hurdles and likely community opposition, industry officials and lawmakers said.

My concern, representing Manhattan and Times Square is the neighborhoods which would be adjacent to any proposed casino and the impact. Casinos can have negative externalities, to put it mildly, said state Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Democrat.

I oppose them strongly and generally have done so in the Legislature. When it is in my Senate district, it is even a greater concern.

Kim, the Ballys chair, also noted issues with a Manhattan casino, saying it would be hard to access for many visitors, despite the tourists that flock there.

And a Manhattan casino could expedite previously failed efforts to put a casino in northern New Jersey.

Hard Rock, for example, has expressed interest in a New York City casino and one at northern New Jerseys Meadowlands Racetrack, near Metlife Stadium, home to the Giants and Jets NFL teams. New Jersey voters would need to approve such a move.

So some bidders are expected to look to the outer boroughs for a casino, where it would be more accessible by car and could face potentially fewer political obstacles than in heavily congested Manhattan.

Sands has reportedly been eyeing land near Citi Field in Queens, home to the New York Mets, in conjunction with the team owner, Steven Cohen, a billionaire hedge fund manager.

Adjacent Willets Point, an industrial neighborhood long sought for redevelopment, might also be a consideration for bidders, as well as state-owned land at Belmont Park on Long Island, just outside the city borders.

Property next to Citi Field in Queens, home to the New York Mets, is a potential location for a New York City casino.|Frank Franklin II/AP Photo

A decision to allow New York City-area casinos would likely would be part of state budget negotiations for the fiscal year that starts April 1.

If approved, the state Gaming Commission would then set up a bidding process for casino hopefuls to submit their proposals, and the selections would be made by a task force similar to the process in 2014 when the upstate casinos were picked.

Empire City in Yonkers and Resorts World in Queens would appear to be frontrunners to win two of the contracts because of political support, their existing massive footprints and so-called speed to market, meaning they would easily be able to switch to full-scale casinos. A new casino could take as much as three years to build and open, some officials estimated.

The state could also decide to look elsewhere.

The state is going to look to maximize net new revenues and net new job growth in making the decision on where to locate them, said Clyde Barrow, a professor of political science at University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley who specializes in gaming policy.

Barrow warned about the state and casino developers viewing New York City casinos as a sure bet with huge jackpots awaiting. Unlike many casinos that have limited competition for consumers entertainment dollar, the city has more choices than anywhere in the country.

When you put a casino in the middle of nowhere or in a small city, there are limited alternative entertainment venues competing against it, Barrow said.

But when you put a casino in Manhattan or in Queens, you are competing against every other entertainment, amusement and recreation facility in that city, so it is a vastly more competitive market in which people have lots of other alternatives on how to spend their entertainment dollars.

And he cautioned: It will generate hundreds of millions of dollars, but it wont be anywhere near the revenue generation forecasts.

Meghan Brink contributed to this report.

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The race is on to build a casino in New York City - POLITICO

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‘Once in a generation’: Columbus casino project begins to take shape – Lincoln Journal Star

Posted: at 6:25 am

ANDREW KISERColumbus Telegram

Here are things you should know about betting at racetrack casinos in Nebraska.

When City Administrator Tara Vasicek talked about the many good projects coming to Columbus, she had a long list of reasons why thats the case.

These happenings includethe Columbus Community Building, the Columbus Fieldhouse, downtown improvements, new housing additions and what may be considered the pice de rsistance: the upcoming casino and racetrack.

Its an exciting time in Columbus, Vasicek said.

The casino will take a step forward toward completionlater this month.

The Columbus Planning Commission will discuss a redevelopment plan and preliminary plat for the area located off U.S. 81 north of town at 7 p.m. Monday at its regular meeting. The two measures the redevelopment plan and preliminary plat will then be presented to the Columbus City Council on Feb. 22.

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Last July, Columbus Exposition and Racing announced a partnership with Caesars Entertainment Group. The plan is to have a 1-mile horse racing surface, a 40,000-square-foot casino and sportsbook with over 400 slot machines and 20 table games and space for retail and restaurants. A hotel is also planned.

The redevelopment plan will have to be approved so tax increment financing can be used for the project, Vasicek said. TIF, which allows local governments to invest in public infrastructure and other improvements, needs to be utilized because the area is not served by water or sewer, she said.

Also, 63rd Avenue west of the site will have to be paved, Vasicek said. A traffic study will have to be conducted and, more than likely, traffic lights will have to be installed, she said.

So, they will use tax increment financing for all that infrastructure, Vasicek said.

TIF wont only benefit the project, she added. The remaining land, which will be developed by other entities, will be less expensive to develop because it will have the backbone infrastructure, Vasicek said.

Mayor Jim Bulkley said he believes this casino will be a game-changer for Columbus.

Its going to be a huge addition to our community, Bulkley said. Quite honestly, its potentially a once-in-a-generation type opportunity and development thats coming to Columbus. Im excited about what we have. What I have seen so far is the development of a good-looking concept.

The land was the former home of Wishbones and Columbus Event Center, but that building was torn down.

Nebraskans showed they are in favor of allowing casino gambling at race tracks when 65% of voters approved three ballot measures in the November 2020 general election. One of the measures changed the state Constitution to allow gambling at race tracks. The others included setting up a Nebraska Gaming Commission and creating a 20% annual tax on gambling revenue.

Columbus is one of six Nebraska cities to already have a horse racetrack in place, with Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, South Sioux City and Hastings the others.

Support of the casino was seen in Columbus. Vasicek said over 62% of voters in the town were in favor of the measures.

That to me as the city administrator representing the whole community shows me that I need to do my best to make it happen the best way it can happen, Vasicek said.

Bulkley said the project will set Columbus apart from other communities, because it will be one of a select few to have such a facility.

It allows us to grow and bring people to town and offer things that we have never had before, he said.

The Caesars partnership isnt anything to glance over, Bulkley and Vasicek said. The company is one of the biggest bookers of entertainment in the world, they said.

Vasicek said she hopes the Caesars partnership will bring in concerts and entertainment to the area.These are things that we do not have in Columbus right now, she said.

More entertainment has been a major request. Vasicek said the city has conducted surveys that have noted that.

Weve heard over and over again that, We want more entertainment. We want more activities. Were leaving town to go have fun, Vasicek said. So I think this coupled with a lot of good things coming downtown is really going to bring some of that entertainment that our community desperately wants.

The flashing lights, the sirens, the hum of conversation, and the thrill of placing a bet are all part of the allure of casinos. While gambling has been around for centuries, casinos began popping up in Italy in the 17th century. The Casino di Venezia, which opened in 1638 in Venice, is theworlds oldest casino, though it was originally known as Theatre Saint Moses. It offered guests the opportunity to gamble during theatrical production intermissions.

By the 19th century, casinos appeared all over Europe. In the United States, towns like Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada, and Atlantic City in New Jersey, became known for casinos and the infamous ties held to organized crime. Gambling itself had a reputation as a vice that could lead to other bad habits.

Hollywoods own obsession with casinos has a long history as well. Classic film Casablanca features a casino as part of Rick Blaines nightclub. Throughout the next several decades, directors like Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Soderbergh tried their hand at movies about the appeal of gambling and the casinos that supported the lifestyle.

OLBGresearched the history of casinos on screen and put together a list of 20 of the best casino films. To be included, movies had to have important scenes take place in a casino, and the film had to have at least a 6.0 onIMDbor a 65 onMetacritic.

- Director: George Hickenlooper

- IMDb user rating: 6.2

- Metascore: 51

- Runtime: 108 minutes

This fictionalized retelling of a true story stars Kevin Spacey as Jack Abramoff, a corrupt Washington D.C. lobbyist motivated by greed and power. Abramoff and his partner Michael Scanlon stole funds from Native American casinos all while twisting laws for their convenience. In a nod to the 1996 film Jerry Maguire, one scene finds Scanlon and Abramoff screaming, Show me the money! Actress Kelly Preston who plays Abramoffs wife in the film played Maguires former girlfriend as well.

- Director: Steven Soderbergh

- IMDb user rating: 6.5

- Metascore: 58

- Runtime: 125 minutes

The sequel to Oceans Eleven finds Danny Ocean adding a partner to his band of thieves as they work together to pull off several European heists. Steven Soderbergh directed not only this second film in what would be a trilogy, but all three Oceans installments. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Elliot Gould, and Bruce Willis not only starred in the film, but they also had another thing in commonthey were all guest stars on the sitcom Friends.

- Director: Lewis Milestone

- IMDb user rating: 6.6

- Metascore: 57

- Runtime: 127 minutes

Featuring the Rat PackFrank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey BishopOceans 11, focuses on 11 men who pull off an unbelievable Las Vegas heist. Danny Ocean, played by Sinatra, leads his former World War II buddies in a plan to rob multiple casinos in a single night. This classic film would be remade in 2001 with George Clooney taking over the role of Danny Ocean. Angie Dickinson played Danny Oceans ex-wife in the 1960 film, while Julia Roberts stepped in for the updated version in 2001.

- Director: Guy Hamilton

- IMDb user rating: 6.6

- Metascore: 59

- Runtime: 120 minutes

The seventh film in the James Bond film franchise, which was based on the novels by Ian Fleming, stars Sean Connery as 007. The spy jets off to Las Vegas to investigate diamond smuggling and discovers a wealthy tycoon and a nefarious plot. Connery was the first actor to play James Bond and starred in seven of the films. The Oscar-nominated film was shot on location in Las Vegas at several casinos including The Riviera, Tropicana Las Vegas, and Circus Circus Las Vegas.

- Director: Barry Levinson

- IMDb user rating: 6.8

- Metascore: 80

- Runtime: 136 minutes

This film chronicled the life of notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel and his significant role in building modern Las Vegas. Starring Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, the two would fall in love during filming, marry soon after, and go on to have four children together. The film was nominated for an astounding 10 Oscars and won two. While Bugsy lost for best picture at the Oscars to The Silence of the Lambs, it did manage to take home the Golden Globe Award for best motion picturedrama.

- Director: Robert Luketic

- IMDb user rating: 6.8

- Metascore: 48

- Runtime: 123 minutes

Under the tutelage of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, six MIT students were trained to become card counters and made a killing in Las Vegas in this film, which is loosely based on the novel Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. While many filming locations were in Boston, including the Public Garden, Boston University, and Newbury Street, Las Vegas was also an important filming locale for 21. According to the Nevada Film Office, shooting took place in many Las Vegas casinos, including Planet Hollywood, The Venetian, Caesars Palace, Hard Rock Hotel, and Red Rock Casino.

- Director: Wayne Kramer

- IMDb user rating: 6.9

- Metascore: 69

- Runtime: 101 minutes

An unlucky man is used by the mob to cool things down for high rollers who are on a winning streak at a Las Vegas casino until he gets lucky in love, changing his own luck at the casino. Maria Bello, William H. Macy, and Alec Baldwin star in this film that was primarily shot in Reno, Nevada. Baldwin received both an Oscar and a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor for his role as casino boss Shelly Kaplow.

- Director: Steven Soderbergh

- IMDb user rating: 6.9

- Metascore: 62

- Runtime: 122 minutes

The final film in the Oceans Eleven trilogy, Oceans Thirteen finds the gang getting together to pull off another heist after one of the original 11 is double-crossed by casino owner Willy Bank, who is played by legendary actor Al Pacino. One of the lines in the film, You shook Sinatras hand, is a reference to Frank Sinatra who played Danny Ocean in the original version of Oceans 11. The phrase is meant as a sort of moral code or gentlemans agreement.

- Director: Ben Younger

- IMDb user rating: 7.0

- Metascore: 63

- Runtime: 120 minutes

When Seth Davis father, a judge, catches him running an illegal casino from his apartment, he isnt happy. Davis, played by Giovanni Ribisi, goes out and gets a job as a broker in a boiler room, which according to Dictionary.com is, a place where illicit brokers engage in high-pressure selling, over the telephone, of securities of a highly speculative nature or of dubious value. The film was loosely based on the story of Jordan Belfort who was the subject of the 2013 Martin Scorsese film, The Wolf of Wall Street, which was also the title of Belforts memoir.

- Director: Richard Kwietniowski

- IMDb user rating: 7.1

- Metascore: 70

- Runtime: 104 minutes

At the heart of this film is a tale of gambling addiction. Based on the true story of Brian Molony, Owning Mahowny tells the tale of Dan Mahowny, a bank manager, who has access to multimillion dollar accounts that he used to feed his gambling habit. The real-life Molony committed bank fraud by embezzling $10.4 million from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The film, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Mahowny, was filmed in Toronto and Atlantic City, where Molony actually dropped $1.4 million at a New Jersey casino just before his arrest in 1982.

- Director: Mike Hodges

- IMDb user rating: 7.1

- Metascore: 75

- Runtime: 94 minutes

Aspiring writer Jack Manfred gets a job as a croupier, someone who works the tables at a casino and handles bets and payouts. While Jack does not gamble, his father does, and it is he who gets Jack the job at a London casino. Portrayed by Clive Owen, Jack gets caught up in a love triangle and a plot to cheat the casino before the films end. The casino in the film was actually created on a set in Germany.

- Director: Karel Reisz

- IMDb user rating: 7.2

- Metascore: 65

- Runtime: 111 minutes

James Caan stars as high-stakes gambler and English professor Axel Freed, who gets so caught up in gambling that he offers a loan shark his life for collateral against a loan. This crime thriller earned Caan an Oscar nod for best actor. Screenwriter James Toback has plenty of experience with gambling and based the films screenplay on his own addictionthough Freeds gambling appears to be an addiction to the rush and danger rather than to the act of gambling. A 2014 remake of the film starred Mark Wahlberg in the lead role.

- Director: Robert Altman

- IMDb user rating: 7.2

- Metascore: 84

- Runtime: 108 minutes

A casual gambler and a professional become friends and dig themselves deeper into the world of betting in this film starring Elliott Gould and George Segal. In a final desperate attempt to win big, the two characters head to Reno, Nevada, for the poker game to end all poker games. California Split was the first non-Cinerama film to use the eight-track sound system for dialogue, allowing for the recording of eight separate audio channels. The use of this technology solidified Altmans use of overlapping dialogue, which became one of his trademarks as a director.

- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

- IMDb user rating: 7.2

- Metascore: 78

- Runtime: 101 minutes

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'Once in a generation': Columbus casino project begins to take shape - Lincoln Journal Star

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MATCH52 The Most Entertaining Casino Game You’ll Ever Play! – European Gaming Industry News

Posted: at 6:25 am

Reading Time: 2 minutes

MATCH52 is the new buzz in the world of iGaming. This hot new casino game provides players with the excitement of Craps, the anticipation of Texas Holdem, and its simple to play like Roulette. With payouts as high as 725 to 1 and safer bets offering higher chances of winning, MATCH52 is a game for everyone. There are ten sports themed games including MATCH52 Baseball, MATCH52 Football, MATCH52 Basketball and MATCH52 Boxing. MATCH52 expects to turn the heads of gamblers everywhere. High Rollers call it The Roulette Killer.

Casinos everywhere are looking for the next big thing and MATCH52 is just that. We are a brand-new game with tons of excitement and easy access for all players. MATCH52 is not a side bet or an add-on, its an entirely new experience. Ask any gambler MATCH52 is EPIC! Thank you Jasper and Hipther Agency for recognizing MATCH52!

MATCH52 is for every type of player. Casual players enjoy the ease of understanding and game play, while experts appreciate the elegance and exponential payouts. Conservative players might wager on MATCH52s Red/Black or Suit bets, and risk-takers can shoot for the Gamblers Row King the payout is 725 to 1!

Imagine the excitement you feel when before the next card is turned in Hold Em, or the electricity you feel when a Craps player is on a run and about to roll. MATCH52 creates the same emotion every time a card is drawn. Its like nothing else at the casino.

We recently launched our Keno/Bingo alternative: MATCH52 Kingo. We have several new game themes including MATCH52 Cocktails, MATCH52 Yoga, MATCH52 Conspiracy Theory plus dozens of others- theres a MATCH52 game for everyone!

Head to http://www.MATCH52.com You can play MATCH52 online and see Tournament Play videos including New Orleans Saint Juwan Johnson and his social media star wife Chanen having a blast! You can download our iOS or Android App. MATCH52 is also available on the Infinity Game TableTM by Arcade1UpTM.

Place your wagers and watch the cards turn!

When will it MATCH?

The anticipation is thrilling!

MATCH52 THE KING OF CASINO GAMES!

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MATCH52 The Most Entertaining Casino Game You'll Ever Play! - European Gaming Industry News

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Everett casino ready to move on nearby development – WWLP.com

Posted: at 6:24 am

BOSTON (SHNS) Encore Boston Harbor and its parent company Wynn Resorts will be ready next week to brief the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on its scaled-back plan to develop the land across Broadway in Everett to include an entertainment venue, restaurants and parking garage, a commission official said Wednesday morning.

Three weeks ago, the Gaming Commissions chief of community affairs was prepared to brief commissioners on the plan that was set to include an 1,800-seat entertainment venue, about 20,000 square feet of restaurant space and a garage with about 2,200 spaces. But he said he heard from casino officials early in January that they had decided to pause the permitting process for this development so that they can do some reevaluation on whether the development as proposed is the best use for the site.

Joe Delaney, the community affairs chief, said Wednesday that he got a call recently from Jacqui Krum, Encore Boston Harbors senior vice president and general counsel, saying the casino company was now ready to go. She had indicated to me that they had reduced the size of the theater, the entertainment venue, to under 1,000 seats whether thats 900, 950, 999, I dont know, well be finding that out very shortly with that they said they intend to keep the pedestrian crossing across Broadway and so on, and the exact location of that will depend on whether or not the venue is considered part of the gaming establishment. So well talk about all of those things.

The Gaming Commission was planning to take up that question of whether a development across the street from the casino would be considered part of Encores technical gaming establishment footprint and therefore subject to the commissions regulatory oversight and the provisions of the states expanded gaming law when Encore officials opted to hit the pause button last month.

The presentation at the commissions Feb. 10 meeting will be followed by a commission staff report on the issues at play and a question-and-answer period for commissioners. A public hearing to allow community members or others to present verbal testimony on the development is being planned for later in February and a commission decision is expected in March.

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Everett casino ready to move on nearby development - WWLP.com

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