INTERESTING TIMING!!!!!!!!



RTTNews) - Monday, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (HET) confirmed the receipt of offer from Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group to acquire all of its outstanding common stock for $15.05 billion or $81.00 per share in cash.

The offer is a 22% premium to Harrah's Friday's closing price of $66.43. Following the news, the stock is trading up by more than 14%.

The Harrah's Board has formed a Special Committee consisting of all non-management directors to review the proposal. The Special Committee has retained UBS Securities LLC as its financial advisor and Kaye Scholer LLP as its legal advisor to assist the Special Committee. Harrah's operates about 40 casinos, including Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, its namesake chain, Bally's, Horseshoe, Showboat and other brands throughout the country. The Las Vegas-based company boosted its portfolio through Caesars Entertainment acquisition in last year.

However, the company's shares have declined over the past year, amid concerns among investors about volatility in Las Vegas, missed opportunities overseas and higher competition in Atlantic City.

Harrah's shares on Friday closed at $66.43, down from their 52-week high of $83.33. Last month, JP Morgan downgraded its rating on Harrah's shares from an "Overweight" to a "Neutral.

In a separate release, Harrah's said it entered a deal with a unit of Boyd Gaming Corp. (BYD) to exchange about 24 contiguous acres that Harrah's controls on the Las Vegas Strip for Boyd's Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino. Financial terms for that deal were not disclosed.

The addition of the Barbary Coast to Harrah's holdings in the area considerably strengthens the company's ability to create a destination experience within the Las Vegas market.

The real-estate transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2007, subject to customary closing conditions. Boyd said it expects to see a non-cash gain of about $280 million in the quarter the deal closes.

In August, Harrah's revealed the terms of cash offer to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of London Clubs International plc for GBP 1.25 per share, or about $530 million. If successful, Harrah's expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2006.

For the recently concluded second quarter, Harrah's net income increased 22% to $128.6 million from $105.8 million in the last-year quarter. On a per share basis, net income declined to $0.70 from $0.86 in the year-ago quarter.

Adjusted net income from continuing operations rose 10.5% to $0.95 per share from $0.86 per share in the last-year quarter.

Revenues for the quarter climbed 67% to $2.37 billion from $1.42 billion in last-year quarter. Wall Street analysts estimated revenues of $2.36 billion for the quarter.

Harrah's stock is currently up by $9.47 or 14.26% and trading at $75.90, after opening at $75.42.

The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional. Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that difficult. But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!



1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
























The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe,
And close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple
Things in an overly complicated way.




2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?





















Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close
The refrigerator?

Wrong Answer.

Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put
in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through
the repercussions of your previous actions.









3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend... except one. Which animal does not attend?















Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator.
You just put him in there. This tests your memory. Okay, even if you did
not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more
chance to show your true abilities.


4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles,
and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?



























Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you
Not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting.
This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the
professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many
preschoolers
got several correct answers. Anderson Consulting says this
conclusively
disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a
four-year-old.

Send this out to frustrate all of your smart friends.

Nope its when you get to 35 that it hits u
EEEEK

35 isn't old either.  Age is something in your mind, you don't look 35 ( Not sure of your age, but I assume it is 35 because you mention it ).  Whatever age you feel is your actual age, remember the calender is an invented thing so you can be however old you want to be.  If you want to be 21, then you are 21 

LOL  .......21  I wish .....my mind and my body have been of a different opinion since I hit 40....but the thing is I dont care as much now.

Was never a club monkey either.

I much prefered a trio or maybe a penguin..............

There are days when I really worry about your state of mind........

I dont know if anyone is aware but the POKERFACE2007 competition that is running on Tribeca also has a free trip to Vegas for the best design of the new site and logo. The details can be found at www.pokerface2007.com.

The best advice I can give you is to play some live games. It sharpens your game and because it is slower gives you more time to study other players moves. Even if it is a £5 buy in at your local casino I believe that live poker makes you a better on line player.....Good luck

I am proof that Banana's don't work, I have 2-4 a day on this sodding diet and I don't feel any different!

I am sure you don't need to diet....but be carefull 4 a day !!!! damn thats a lot .... matt674 is proof that anything done to excess can be dangerous  even eating bananas

 

I just know matt is going to post a reply to this !!!!!!

No i'm not!!

After reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

I never look at it anyway - it just goes straight into the vacuumous cavern that is my mouth!!



LOL  ....I new couldn't resist....but I dont think the Brain power section applies 

I just know matt is going to post a reply to this !!!!!!


After reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration have just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
 

Anything that adds credibility to poker is ok by me. With everything that is going on in the US we need as much positive press as possible. Our pokerinthepub league is meant to be fun and entertaining and is structured to be for more new or recreational players (though no player should ever be charged ). I am sure it is not as well structured as a real poker tourney,though Dave Cain is extremely professional in his approach to his nights he also recognises that we need to educate new players to the fun side of the game. I hope the other leagues continue to portray poker in a positive manner and that they don't charge players (which is illegal).

The next 12 months is vital for the growth of poker with the new laws coming in next September and super casinos being built this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to put poker in the same corporate arena as golf. So if 2 Dragons say Steve Bellis is worth investing thats good news for all of us....I still would have gone with Bannatyne though

I'm often down the pub and if I put up a web page with 2 affiliate links do you think they'd give me £130K?

lol  .....I wish

Yep, Ballantyne took a shine to the guy which is RARE. Dropped him sharpish tho when he saw the guy was swayed with such ease. Richard Farley looks like a class act.

I agree not doing his homework on the dragons could cost him. Bannatyne is tough to work with but would really have made it work.I am so glad he went with the others as I don't think when they look deeper that they will persue this, whereas Bannatyne has a lot of cross promotional benefits that the others do not and would have really ran with this.
I welcome the competition, pokerinthepub will surpass them within the next month so any publicity in this area is good news for us....news on the regional finals will be up within the next 2 weeks
 

I am sooooooo happy

We are already nearly as big as his league after only 6 weeks and we have had 40000 hits.

It also adds credibility to pokerinthepub

I could not have afforded such great publicity.

We also are now sponsored by Card Player Europe .....so lets hope that this is good news for poker for once.

I wonder if anyone from the gaming board was watching that though .

Sorry I meant a typo in the magazine not me. Honest.

 

to be honest if I had enough money to buy shares I would be piling all my money on these companies- they will recover- poker is still huge business and its still not going to change

this is a consolodating industry...but until the USA decides which way it is going to go with on line gaming it is a very risky investment. I agree there is huge growth to come, but there will also be many failures. Be carefull if you are going to invest in any