Following sexual abuse allegations against casino magnate Steve Wynn, a Massachusetts Gaming Commission investigator said Wednesday information about a $7.5 million settlement was kept from state officials when they were reviewing the suitability of his company for a casino license in 2013.

Basseterre, the capitol of St. Kitts in the Caribbean's Leeward Islands, is a charming city with French architecture, coconut palm trees, cannons, ancient museums and bustling hard-working people who greet each day with a smile.

There is a pizza parlor that makes, frankly, the best pizza I have ever eaten. It is located about two blocks from the pink palace that houses the governmental headquarters. That is where the Prime Minister and his Ministers have their officers.

I worked as editor of The Observer, a weekly newspaper that served the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, for two years before my work permit expired. My publisher was Kenneth Williams, a native of Trinidad who prided himself on printing a politically independent newspaper that kept locals as well as tourists informed on island and world events.

One of my favorite past times in St. Kitts was to wander through the narrow twisting streets. I would pass fruit vendors selling anything from mangoes to passion fruit and sea grapes. There were open-shuttered bars where you could buy a bottle of Carib or Heineken's Beer for the equivalent of .85 cents U.S. And there would always be island food -- roast pork, black beans, plantains, rice and whatever else the cook could conjure.

My days were spent assigning reporters to stories and to interviewing Ministers on the various projects they were involved in to improve the lives of the people. I spent my evenings at the island bars and restaurants and visited the Marriott Hotel's Jack Tar Casino two or three times a week.

There I would play blackjack, video poker or live poker. My foes at the table included business owners, sugar cane laborers and police officers who took their poker seriously.

One of the players was a smiling black man who was a native of St. Kitts. Jerome was a muscular individual who wore a gold cross around his neck. He was a regular reader of The Observer and told me he liked my by-lined stories.

I asked him what he did for a living. He smiled and said, 'I grow plants in my Garden of Eden.'

Really, I said?

'God actually grows the plants but I tend to them to benefit humanity,' he said. 'If you would like, I could show you my garden. You may even be interested in writing a story about it.'

He gave me instructions on how to find the place. The next morning, I walked from the newspaper office and found my way to Jerome's Garden of Eden.

He lived in a small one-bedroom house on the property. There were over 100 different plants in the well-attended garden, including the digitalis plant. My father had suffered a heart attack and was taking digitalis pills for his condition.

'The pills are made from this plant,' Jerome said. He produced a book and showed me the scientific names of all the plants growing in his garden. I borrowed the book and write a story about the Garden of Eden.

One of the plants was used to make Noni, a healthy drink made from the Noni tree. It is packed with anti-oxidants and is used to treat inflamed joints as well as heart disease. The drink was a bit harsh but tasted like grape juice.

I kidded him. 'What about the Blessed Herb?' I asked. 'Do you grow that?'

He gave me a serious look. 'Of course,' he said. 'I am Rastafarian and I believe in the spiritual as well as the healing qualities of Ganja.'

I wrote an article about the Garden of Eden. It is a special place of peace, good health and good karma. If you are ever lucky enough to make it to St. Kitts, be sure to visit the place. It will be a rewarding journey.

Award-winning gambling platform from Microgaming, Quickfire, now features an entire slots collection from Iron Dog Studio, daughter company of 1X2 Network. The agreement includes smash hit titles like Neon Jungle, Blood Queen and Cherry Blast, whereas the software provider announces new editions by the end of March. Among the anticipated releases is also Rainbow Wilds, the company’s long awaited addition to various casino offerings.

Since the entire gaming platform is powered by Microgaming, which started a partnership with 1X2 back in 2015, the new expansion will include an RGS to RGS integration and ETI layer. To put it differently, more than 700 worldwide brands, operators and partners will have exclusive access to Iron Dog Studio’s portfolio.

According to Kevin Reid, CCO at 1x2 Network, the agreement with thriving iGaming suppliers is a successful continuation of growth and a strong acknowledgement from esteemed brands such as Microgaming. The supplier recently announced a new slot edition of Playboy, which is to launch on March 7th. Its live version will represent the first branded live dealer game in the world!

Furthermore, adding innovative development achievements to the platform will strengthen the interconnection between partnering companies, whose content represents an astonishing addition to the industry. Quickfire offers instant access to a large portion of premium casino games, which are available on every device.

In conclusion, the platform is extremely popular thanks to its progressive jackpot network, easy integration and a selection of contemporary games with intelligent design. Provider specializes in casino, poker, bingo, live dealer and mini games, whereas Iron Dog Studio carries a large database of players and unique content – a commodity rarely seen for startups.

Source:

“Iron Dog Studio Live on Mirogaming's QUickfire Platform”, irondogstudio.com, January 26, 2018.

Our regular readers and fellow LCB'ers already know that the annual ICE Totally Gaming conference and exhibition will be held from February 6th to 8th in London – we've covered this bit of info in previous news. What we have to share with you today is that the world-famous developer BetSoft Gaming Limited will be making their appearance at the event, at stand, S3-312.

There, BetSoft, who is renowned for delivering high-quality content to the most popular online casinos around the world, will be debuting some of their latest innovations and inventive solutions. Some of the content that will be making its official debut include the Egyptian-themed, Legend of the Nile video slot, utilizing the cutting-edge Shift platform as well as the Sugar Pop sequel.

Legend of the Nile promises unparalleled graphics, as the developer has been cited commenting that it will come with, “beautifully rendered scenery.” We can also expect to see “revolutionary game mechanics, a great example of how form and function work hand in hand.” What this means exactly, remains to be seen, but we're impatient to find out. What we can also expect to see for the first time is the new trail system that lets players “collect Gods during play,” in order to gain special awards.

Sugar Pop video slot will receive its long-awaited sequel – Sugar Pop 2: Double Dipped. It will boast new features such as the Candy Bomb event, Sweet Hammer and Jelly Bean Cannon.

Another thing that could make its debut during the London event is the announced “evolutionary gaming technology that will open the industry up to entirely new demographics.”

Prior to BetSoft’s spot at this year’s ICE event, the company's Chief Technology Officer Dan Cooper said: “BetSoft [Gaming Limited] believes in a game’s flow; the way the mathematics function, the sounds and animations, the speed in which things happen and the order in which things happen. All of these various elements play a synergistic part in the creation of a game. The closer to perfection each element becomes, the better the resulting game performance can be.”

Source:

“BetSoft Gaming Limited coming to ICE Totally Gaming”, Morgan Adam, worldcasinodirectory.com, January 28, 2018.

Fallout over sexual misconduct allegations and the resignation of Wynn Resorts Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn as Republican National Committee fundraiser mounted Sunday as calls increased for lawmakers and groups to return contributions and disavow support.

The world of cryptocurrencies just got another huge boost within the online gambling industry. Bitcoin.com, the number one info portal for all things Bitcoin, has had their own casino gaming platform called Bitcoin Games for a while now – it was launched in September 2017. Now, it's been significantly enhanced and broadened in that it also has a gaming portal that uses Bitcoin Cash (BCH). The sheer lightweight nature of BCH which makes transactions way faster and less expensive will make many players happy to hear this news.

BCH Games – much like its parent domain - requires no registration (so you can play anonymously if you prefer), has an expected RTP of 99%, provably fair games and instant payouts! Look forward to choosing between a hefty selection of games, too, as players are faced with a gaming catalogue containing video poker, Blackjack, Craps, Keno, Roulette, Dice and, of course, a slice of slot games for your spinning pleasure. Each game can yield instant high-stake jackpots, so it's not just fun and using revolutionary monetary technology – it can also get pretty fruitful.

Explaining the provability of their games, the portal states as follows: “The reason that we can guarantee provably fair gaming is that your web browser supplies a random number that we must incorporate into the random number generator in a provably consistent way (…) Our server first shuffles the deck, and your computer then gives us a random number that we must use to repeatedly cut the deck. Since our servers do not know what random number your computer will send, we have no way of knowing how the shuffle will look in the end.”

The games are open for players all around the world, “except for the US and few other destinations,” due to regulation restrictions. However, the portal goes on to explain that, “US residents can still play the games with test credit.”

Bitcoin Games, launched in fall of 2017, was envisioned as an, “ultimate destination for playing classic casino games with Bitcoin,” that harks back to the days of old and classic game consoles, which is somewhat stated with the very elemental looks of the website. You can easily switch between Bitcoin Games and BCH Games platforms with a clearly visible dropdown menu at the top-left side of the page.

What do you think of the new platform? Will you be using it or are you just glad that further recognition has been given throughout the gambling industry mechanisms? Shout it out in the comments below...

Source:

“Bitcoin Cash Games Arrives – Play Your Favorites Faster With BCH”, bitcoin.com, January 25, 2018.

A week of extraordinary offers and tournaments are instore at two of the most popular online casinos, followed by monthly specials and staggering cash prizes! If you fancy additional spins, reload bonuses and relatively small wagering, navigate to Liberty Slots or Lincoln Casino and choose between this week’s favorite deals.

Whether you seek good deposit boosts or additional rounds on favored slots, Lincoln has got you covered. To get things started, place a symbolic deposit upon login and use the promo code, LCCWSPIN, for an extra 20 spins on Cash Cow. Of course, the party does not end there. Get an additional 40 rounds on Dynasty by using the promo code, LCDXV54, and play from January 22nd to January 29th - winnings can reach up to 5,000X the initial bet!

To wrap it up, the casino is throwing a Ground Hog tournament with $2,000 USD in prizes. Win your share or the whole amount by playing the Fat Cat video slot from the industry’s leading development company, Amaya Gaming. This unique offer is available only until February 4th, and it requires a $5 USD buy-in.

At the same time, Liberty is keeping its loyal customers happy with fresh boosts, promotional rounds and a big money tournament. Players can start betting by making a solid deposit, which grants them a promo code, AUSTRALIADAY, and 20 spins on Triple 10X Wild. This tantalizing offer is available from January 26th to January 28th.

Furthermore, enthusiasts can get their hands busy on Dolphin Reef, which brings another 40 spins via special code, LSPHD92. Finally, 25 supplementary spins await everyone who prefer City of Gold, but only after using, LSCGSPIN as code.

Take the opportunity and use all of the casino’s specials before Cleopatra’s Pyramid Month Long tournament winds-up. Available only until January 31st with a $5,000 prize in real cash, it represents a truly grandiose event. Buy-in and rebuy are only $5 USD, so get in line and start exploring the pyramids. Good luck…

Steve Wynn stepped down Saturday as Republican National Committee finance chairman amid allegations of sexual misconduct, according to a statement from RNC chair Ronna Romney McDaniel.

Las Vegas’ business elite gave the bad and the good of expectations for 2018 and beyond.

Players are in for a big suprise at Slotastic this month, as the renowned, full-featured gaming platform gets ready to launch Fu Chi video slot from Realtime Gaming. To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the operator is giving away 50 free spins on the new Asian-themed game, but only to real money depositors. The promo runs until February 4th, as well as the additional bonus.

The national holiday is otherwise called the Lunar New Year, and it represents the largest festivity in the country. Since it announces the next season, it is also known as the Spring Festival. Starting on February 16th, and accompanied by the Lantern Festival, 2018 will be the Year of the Dog. It is believed that people who are born in this year will be honest and loyal.

Fu Chi comes with five reels and amazingly beautiful symbols such as lotus blossoms, money bags and ancient calendars. As one might guess, the Lucky Dog represents the Wild. All winning combinations are doubled when this icon kicks in. Correspondingly, scatters trigger an avalanche of 50 free spins and wins are tripled if no wilds land on the reels during this period. There are also two jackpots available; a minor capped at $250 and a major offering a whopping $1,000 USD as a prize.

New year casino promos are available between January 24th and February 4th, so if you want to grab the bonus, use code, SLOTMANIA, and win up to $555 USD in reload cash. To get fifty free spins on the new title from RTG, place a $25 deposit and use FUCHI50 right afterwards.

Nobody said it would be easy, so prepare yourself for an additional challenge as moderate wagering requirements are mandatory. The good side of it all is that there are no limits on cashouts!

Two more Asian-themed slots from the same supplier will be introduced in February, so stay tuned when new promos for Shanghai Nights and Fantasy Mission Force go live.

A dedicated solar array 375 miles away near Fallon will supply renewable energy to power the $1.5 billion development soon to begin construction on the site of the former Desert Inn Golf Club, just east of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.

LCB Shop welcomes all sorts of hopefuls - we are not too picky, as long as they are honest and do a GOOD job. Over the years, we've had variously different casinos joining in, but never this cute! If you're familiar with Quesino, then you know all about their little minion Q. The cutest creature, Q defies definition - it's mysterious, friendly, and mostly blue. But we'll tell you this - the offer prepared for us speaks volumes about its generosity.

Quesino is the latest addition to our Shop, giving away an exclusive no-deposit bonus! Every month, members can grab as many as 50 extra spins on some of Net Entertainment's all-time slot hits: Gonzo's Quest, Dead or Alive, Piggy Riches, Planet of the Apes, Scruffy Duck, Steam Tower, and Wild Wild West: The Great Train Heist.

Before you start lamenting NetEnt's limited game availability, wait a moment, the site came up with a solution to fix the issue and you will love it. Players restricted from NetEnt software will receive 100 spins on games from other providers.

Launching in 2017, Quesino is a large platform licensed by Curacao, available in 8 languages and offering reel and table games, jackpots and live casino powered by over a dozen popular providers - Amaya, Thunderkick, BetSoft and Microgaming to name a few. They are Bitcoin-friendly, mobile supported, provably fair, and most importantly, promise fast payments in a variety of currencies and payment methods.

If this brand new free chip sounds good to you, check it out in the ''New!'' section of the Shop, and don't forget to read the T&C for more details on the requirements. Good luck members!

The Culinary union will ask Las Vegas casinos and hotels to supply guest room attendants with so-called panic buttons amid growing national attention to the issue of workplace sexual harassment.

Basic training in the U.S. Military does strange things to a person. The Army likes to boast that it brings out the best in a young person. Perhaps it does on a physical level. But it can also bring out the worst.

Before I reported for basic training at Ft. Ord, CA. in October 1960, I was not a drinker. They served 3.2 beer at the base and the stress of going through daily military maneuvers, physical training and dealing with officers caused many recruits to turn to alcohol as a temporary way of coping with life.

Our evening hours and weekends were also spent gambling. We had a regular poker and blackjack game in the day room that attracted a lot of action. I wasn't an expert at blackjack or 21, but I knew the rules of the game and I felt I was lucky enough to try my skills against the other players.

One of the blackjack players was Luther, a quiet, solidly built young man who wore glasses. Luther had grown up on a farm in Iowa. He loved physical labor -- he was built as strong as a bull -- and somewhere along the way, he had learned how to play blackjack.

I mean, Luther could play blackjack.

Who knows what was lurking in his mind when he sat down at the table? He could have been counting cards or use a basic strategy. But when he played blackjack, he played to win and he took a lot of money from the other GIs and me during our eight weeks of basic training.

I would joke with him about his abilities and told him I knew he was too honest to cheat. He seemed genuinely hurt by the suspicion that he was cheating.

'I never cheat,' he said quietly. 'Blackjack is just a game I know how to play well. You're not a very good player. I hate to take money from you, but if you insist on playing...' He simply shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. I smiled and shook my head. We both laughed.

There was a corporal who played in the game who didn't like Luther. He especially didn't like the fact that Luther was taking all the money in the blackjack game.

One Saturday the corporal had been drinking. He sat down at the table and peeled out some folding money. Luther already had a stack of cash in front of him.

'I'm going to carve you a new a--h---,' the corporal snarled, sipping his beer.

Well, he didn't. Luther's skill and the inebriated condition of the corporal spelled disaster and he just started losing like the rest of us. Finally, the corporal couldn't take it any longer. He staggered to his feet and lunged across the table, making a round-house swing at Luther.

Luther's glasses flew off his face, but he rose to his feet and simply wrapped his powerful arms around the corporal, rendering him as helpless as a chicken in the clutches of a butcher.

The corporal flailed his arms but all his efforts were useless. He finally stopped struggling.

'Do you give up?' said Luther quietly. 'I don't want to hurt you.'

'I give up,' the corporal mumbled. Luther released him and he left the day room and returned to his barracks.

When we graduated from basic training, I was given my new orders and waited for a military train to transport me to Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, CA. My assignment would keep me on a Nike-Hercules missile site for the duration of my two years in the Army. I asked Luther where his new assignment would take him.

He shrugged and handed me the assignment sheet.

'Somewhere in the Mideast,' he said. 'Vietnam.'

Time flies when you’re having fun! Can you believe it’s been 20 years since the launch of Omni Casino? Yep, the highly LCB rated brand has been around long enough to have raised a child and send him or her off to college – sheesh! You guys have raved about everything from the modern design to the promotions and the stellar customer service. Speaking of customer service, we stole a few moments from Omni Casino COO Matthew Kelemen to chat about many things including the brand’s VIP program and the importance of rolling out the red carpet for players. Enjoy and here’s to 20 more years of success.

Q: Omni Casino has a long history in the industry. In fact, the brand recently celebrated its 20th birthday. Walk us through the early days up to now and the reasons for its success in such a competitive market.

A: Well, where do we begin! Back in the early days of the internet, everything that could be thought of to put online was being started. Everything from online bill payments to where to buy a car. Of course, it took all of two minutes for people to think up the idea of online gambling. Thinking up the idea vs. actually doing it was, of course, a whole other ballgame. In November 1997, we understood the challenged. Back then nobody really knew what the internet really was and what it could really do. To be honest, we did not have a clue about what we were doing! Who did? We were at the forefront of this new entertainment concept and even though we were trying to figure out for weeks a way to get an email to automatically send to a new member sign up, we knew that we could do it…eventually. Our biggest challenge was not so much the technology (we figured that out as we went), but rather it was to prove that online gaming could be done fairly, honestly and safely. So, with a handful of staff members in a one-room office overlooking a parking lot of a food store, we set out to make Omni Casino prove just that!
Our first focus in everything we did is providing our members a pure casino entertainment experience as the #1 most trusted, secure and entertaining casino. As we grew throughout the years, our high standards for absolute integrity, transparency and service standards have always been at the forefront of our success and legacy. It took us years of proving our honesty and reliability to our members and partners. In the end, we become the most trusted and secure casino and being 20 has proven that. 

Q: Let's talk about promotions. What have you got planned for 2018?

A: 2018 will be a massive year for our members and affiliate partners. Being 20 is not just a milestone, it’s an event. Throughout the year-long celebration, we plan to roll out several slot tournaments, cash giveaway promotions, new website and new mobile gaming just to name a few. Our biggest promotion is still on the drawing board, but let’s say it will be an event not to miss.

Q: Players are rewarded for their loyalty as members of Club O. Describe the program and its benefits.

A: We have not been in business for almost 20 years without knowing how to value our members. Our core management team looks at an internet gambler no different than a player sitting at the Mirage in Las Vegas. When we started Club O, we could have been just as boring as everyone else. The more comp points you earned, the higher your “status.” But, what does going from one level to another really mean? If you look around, not much. At Club O, we tapped into our own experiences of being wined and dined by Casino Hosts. Offering not only gaming rewards but real tangible things that people want! Dinner at your favorite local restaurant? How about a live concert? Absolutely! We may not have a real hotel, 5-start restaurants, glitzy waterfalls or live entertainment in our lounge, but you can ‘get it all’ at Omni. That’s right, we reward our loyal members with REAL comps. Dinner nights out, ladies day at the spa, live concerts and sporting events are routine rewards for Club O members.

Q: In terms of rolling out the red carpet for players, do you think newer brands are missing the mark? 

A: No. When it comes to “rolling out the red carpet”, that’s easy! New brands boast all of the time about how many new sign-ups they were able to get. But, none ever talk about how many of those sign-ups stay and become loyal. Ensuring that your players are always walking on that red carpet, now that’s the key difference! And, yes maybe one or two have the idea. However, after 20 years of trial and error here at Omni, we have it figured out and it will take the new brands a few years to get it figured out too.

Q: What does it mean to be a VIP at Omni Casino?

A: Friendship. We cannot say it anyone other way. We are sure many of the people reading this interview have experienced the direct connection with our VIP Managers. We actually talk to our members as much as possible. We become friends with our VIP members. We listen to them when they are down in their personal life. We celebrate Son’s birthday with them. We cry when they pass this life. The best businesses in the world know their customers, but at Omni we know our FRIENDS.

Q: The operation has made it twenty years in this business, which is no easy feat. What sets the overall Omni experience apart from the others?

A: You are correct. It has not been easy. Sometimes it was. There has always been a stretch of time when things were on cruise control. Then, things change. People change. Games change. Laws change. With every change and evolution, we needed to change as well. It’s hard to change. Everyone knows that. So, our success is rooted in not only how we run our casino, but how we have changed over the years. It’s been tricky and not always perfect.

Two Station Casinos properties reported slot jackpots on consecutive days in January, according to a statement from Station Casinos.

Casino gaming provider and slots developer, Play’n GO, has purchased Proactive Gaming Scandinavia AB. By adding the company’s product range to its vast portfolio, the provider has strengthened its expansion strategy to other markets, thanks to a variety of additional gaming assets, advanced solutions and verticals. Operators in regulated gaming sectors will now have access to a larger selection of keno, scratch cards and instant mini games.

The agreement brings a number of benefits to Play’n GO, as it will be able to offer poker games and use Proactive’s expertise in bingo. However, the biggest asset of the company and its key to success is the technical team, whose proficiency grew a huge database of customers on PAF and Idrottens Bingo – regulated iGaming operators.

Play’n GO has always pushed the boundaries and strived to achieve more, and this acquisition proves the company’s efforts in building a much larger database, says Johan Tornqvist, CEO. Thankfully, Proactive Gaming has put a lot of development expertise into the whole process, which was recognized and rewarded. The transition’s benefits will also be demonstrated at ICE 2018, and these include extended portfolios, back-office enhancements, and improved gaming offerings.

Owners and developers at Proactive Gaming are delighted to have become a part of such an important iGaming organization and look forward to building higher standards in terms of product development. The award-winning supplier will showcase on stand N3-460 at this year’s ICE, which takes place between February 6th – 8th in London. Apart from their omni-channel solutions for specific market requirements and highly advanced HTML5 gaming content, a line of administration and reporting tools will also be presented.

Source:

“Play’n GO expands product portfolio with Proactive Gaming Scandinavia purchase”, news.cision.com, January 18, 2018.

Billionaire casino operator Steve Wynn on Monday heaped praise on friend President Donald Trump for cutting taxes and regulation.

It’s hard to imagine that someone as smart as William Weidner, former president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands and one of the backers of the Lucky Dragon, could have been so wrong about positioning the off-Strip casino that closed its doors Jan. 4 and faces a foreclosure auction on Feb. 6.

Owners of the Hard Rock Hotel are in talks to sell the Las Vegas resort, and plans call for billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels to operate it, two people familiar with the matter said Friday.

It's exhilarating enough to learn about one single big win that marked a significant turn of events in someone's life, but to hear about not one, not two, but a trio of instances of good fortune – now that's something worth reporting about!

Vegas Hero and Casino Cruise are both part of the Genesis Global Limited network of operators and they have shared some fantastic news with us that we are now delivering to you, our readers.

The first case of luck that suddenly came knocking struck one of Vegas Hero's UK punters who wagered a mere £50 on the King Kong video slot, and, with just one single spin, made a hefty profit by winning £58,400, plus a whopping 1350 extra spins!

Another Vegas Hero moment of fortune just goes to prove there is a lot of riches to be scored at the sites of ancient Egypt. A certain Norwegian player, by the name of Ahelvik, was on seventh heaven after winning a progressive jackpot of €86,630 on the Treasure Nile slot. The story becomes even more significant if you add up the fact that Ahelvik was a Vegas Hero punter for only a few weeks and that the fateful jackpot occurred after he wagered €4.50 on a single spin. According to sources, Ahelvik was in his living room, listening to his favorite music when Lady Luck smiled at him. The first thing on the agenda, he later said, is to treat himself to a new car and a nice holiday.

Last, but by no means least, Casino Cruise has the final bit of good news to report – and also the largest in terms of a cashout amount. A player from Finland was playing the jackpot slot game Divine Fortune, wagered a bet of just €3.00 and was instantly gratified with quite the return: a massive €162.596 jackpot! What makes his case so fantastic for us is the fact that, working as a construction worker, he hasn't had a vacation for an entire six years. Now he can afford the long, long holiday he deserves – which is exactly what he plans to do next.

Our fondest congratulations go out to the winners of these great jackpots!

Southern Nevada real estate professionals already have seen indications of an anticipated climb in local land values as a result of Las Vegas’ leap into big-league status.

Dubai, The City of Future, and its government are working on pilot programs to put 20 blockchain platforms into effect in 2018, as part of its Smart City concept. The government has formed a team which is to supervise Dubai’s technological development, including Bitcoin related services and sectors. A strategic partnership between IBM, Consensys and the appointed agency has been made to help the city realize its goals in a short period of time.

The project includes exclusively top-of-the-rank technologies and blockchain is one of our top priorities, said Aisha Bint Buti bin Bisher, director general of Smart Dubai. She welcomes the implementation of cryptocurrency systems which can improve people’s experience and overall quality of life in the Arabian Gulf. She remains convinced that the use of applications in various fields such as health, energy, education and transport will be of great benefit for the city’s residents. A lot of these technologies are already being used for land registry transactions, even though the initial launch is scheduled for 2020.

In like manner, other government sectors have also started using similar pilot programs. The Department of Naturalization and Residency and Dubai Customs are working closely with IBM in developing future initiatives and systems that will improve service delivery and blockchain applicability; more than 25 million hours of productivity will be saved per year, thanks to its modern and practical benefits!

Dubai is both technologically and financially more advanced than any other city in the world, and it is just a matter of time before it becomes a blockchain hotspot and capital of cryptocurrencies, adds Bisher. National technology officer, Ramez Dandan, discussed at the very same conference about an impressive rate of modern crypto-based technologies and said that their full potential for enterprises is yet to be revealed.

Source:

“Dubai Plans To Launch 20 Blockchain-Based Services In 2018”, Blows Nikita, bitcoinist.com, January 16, 2018.

One of the rarest things in life is to find a true friend.

A real friend is someone who is closer to you than a brother or sister. He is someone you can confess your deepest secrets to and never fear betrayal. That was the friendship I had with David George Molina.

Molina was a Hispanic and editor who was a native of West Texas. His father had been a 'coyote' transporting Mexican citizens across the Rio Grande River into the United States for pay.

He had an older brother, Carlos, who was a gambler and a good one. Carlos played in the illegal dice and poker games in Texas and New Mexico and occasionally traveled to Las Vegas to buck the tiger in his favorite casinos.

Dave and I first met when I was hired to work as a reporter on the Clovis News-Journal in Clovis, N.M. Unbeknownst to me, the editor who had hired me had been fired by the publisher Charlie Fisher who moved Molina up to editor, the first Hispanic ever hired for that position.

Molina was nervous at the promotion but was determined to make good. When I walked into the newsroom and told him I was their new reporter, he gave me a chilling look and assigned me to a desk and typewriter.

That afternoon I found a room in a local hotel. After having Mexican food at a restaurant, I discovered a bar about four blocks from the newspaper. Mexican music drifted into the street and I decided to have a cool one to celebrate my new job.

A group of strolling Mariachis greeted me as I entered a bar. Several men were seated at two tables, well into their cups. One was Molina and to say he was drunk would be an understatement.

'Hey, Amigo,' he roared. 'Welcome to my favorite bar!'

He introduced me to his friends. They included his brother, Carlos, along with a young man who worked at the post office. They were all friendly and welcomed me to Clovis.

That night I carried a nearly passed out editor to his home. There I met his pretty wife and their two children. She gave Molina a disgusted look as she half carried me to bed.

During the year I spent with the News-Journal, Dave and I traveled a lot, from Las Vegas to Reno. We spent time in Mexico sipping tequila and beer, and we gambled at the tables in Glitter Gulch. We were simpatica.

After his wife, Terri, decided enough was enough and left Dave, taking her children to her family's home in Texas, Molina gloomily asked me to find him a date. H had been dating out a redhead and she had a friend. Molina and I took the girls to a bar, Smiling Jack's Hangar, which had half an airplane pushed through the wall -- the owner was an airline pilot -- and spent the evening dancing and drinking champagne.

At midnight when the girls had gone to the restroom, Dave removed his glasses and gave me an owlish look.

'I am going to marry that girl,' he said. And he did three months later.

I left the News-Journal and moved to Phoenix where I went to work for another newspaper. There was an opening for an editor and I called Molina and asked him if he wanted the job.

'Things are dull without you, pardner,' he said. 'Why not?' He and his second wife were separated so he arrived in Phoenix alone and started editing copy for our newspaper. I knew a girl in town who owned a large house. She was between boy friends and invited Dave to be her house guest.

Six months later, after a tumultuous relationship, they were married.

The newspaper wasn't doing well and Dave was finally fired. A few weeks later I got a phone call from him. He was in Los Angeles and had been hired as a copy editor on the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner.

'I edit Walter Winchell's column,' he boasted. 'There's an opening for a general assignment reporter. Would you care to make the move?'

I called the managing editor Don Goodenow and was hired over the phone.

I loved working for the Herald-Examiner. My city editor Tom Caton was a Hearst legend who had written the first stories on the Black Dahlia murder case. He was tough but fair with his reporters and we would have gone through a wall of fire for him. I stayed there four years.

Bonnie and Dave had broken up over his drinking and one day he casually asked me if I knew any women.

'Dave, I am afraid to introduce you to another female,' I said. 'You'll end up marrying her and that will be another blight on my conscience.' But I did and, yes, they fell in love and got married. I served as best man at the wedding.

Dave and I talked a lot about our friendship. He also said if I died first, he wanted to be a pallbearer at my funeral. And he said if he died first, he expected the same favor from me. Unfortunately Molina passed away from a heart attack while working in Nogales, AZ. He is buried in a cemetery in Clovis where his family lives.