ABC's "Invasion"

Very rarely do horror fans get treated to anything that peaks our interest when the new fall television season lists are released. ABC however is looking to change that,this fall apparently.They're already mulling over whether or not to pick up Stuart Townsend and Gabrielle Unions paranormal series entitled "Nightstalker" which is an updated version of the old 70s Darin Mcgavin series.But one series for us horror/sci-fi fans that has already been added to the fall slate is "Invasion".The brainchild of veteran Writer/Producer Shaun Cassidy,and director Thomas Schlamme(The West Wing),this series deals with the everlasting theory that aliens have already visited earth and are still here,living among us.While also tossing in the small twist that recent natural disasters within a small town,act as a smokescreen to hide their nefarious and insideous plans.

The series stars "TILT"'s Eddie Cibrian,who can also be seen in this summers upcoming horror film The Cave.Cibrian plays a park ranger/family man named Russell Varon who after one of these mysterious storms,suspects something isn't right when his wife is found...well lets just say *not decent*...with no recollection of the storm which took place.After this,he begins to investigate things more and more,and as more wierdness ensues,and Russell gets closer to the truth,our extraterrestrial friends become increasingly unhappy about his recent fits of nosiness."Invasion" also stars Alexis Dziena,and "Dark Water"'s Ariel Gade.So what can we expect from "Invasion",which is set in a suburban small town at the end of the Florida Everglades?Who knows really.Not many shows have come before it dealing with aliens living amongst us."The X-Files" did touch on that aspect,but mainly dealt with two agents,one trying to prove aliens existed,and the other being a skeptic,needing further evidence of his claims in order to be convinced.and Of course there was SCI-FIs brilliant series "First Wave",which was more of a SCI-FI/action series than anything.

So this show basically breaks new ground being that it's a SCI-FI/drama.But can they keep things interesting without revealing too much too early is the key here.If aliens are living amongst this towns populous,what will follow? Weekly episodes of someone being outed and then getting taken down in a hail of gunfire by the sheriff or concerned citizens? Eh...maybe not.Definitely a bit too harsh for an ABC program thats not 'Alias'.The series basic synopsis concerns this family which finds itself at the center of a conspiracy designed to mask an alien takeover that is happening one neighbor at a time.So more than likely,this series will deal with relationships between the towns inhabitants and the paranoia that builds as more and more of the alien storyline comes into play.

Thats just an educated guess,which should it turn out to be true,makes this a very tricky series,seeing as how it will have to give just enough to keep viewers interested without giving away too much at the start and not having anything left to surpass or match that in later episodes.Either way,we will see if this series succeeds or fails this fall,when it airs in the 10/9 pm central slot on ABC Wednesday nights.The series premier has yet to be scheduled for a specific date,but trailers for it have already popped up on ABC and the shows official homepage is already live which contains 3 video clips from the series as well.I myself am looking forward to it.It's been awhile since any interesting alien shows have been on television,network tv even.

New Zealand's best poker player's ready for biggest poker competition

Full House As New Zealand’s Best Vie To Make It To Las Vegas

New Zealand’s best poker players will be chasing a seat in one of Sin City’s biggest poker competitions, when they battle it out at the Auckland Regional Final of the National Pub Poker League (NPPL) on Saturday 21st April.

The NPPL, already firmly established in Australia, was launched in New Zealand six months ago and is now the biggest poker competition of its kind in the country.

The NPPL provides free Jack Daniel’s No limit Texas Hold’em tournaments in participating bars around Australia and New Zealand. Each season is 13 weeks long, and at the end of each season the top players advance to Regional Finals (held in Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and various states in Australia).

The top 16 players from these regional finals proceed to play in the National Final held in Auckland at the end of the year and the grand prize is a place in a world class, high stakes poker tournament in Las Vegas.

Hamish Drury, Jack Daniel’s brand manager for New Zealand, is looking forward to the Auckland Regional Final which he believes will attract some of the best poker talent New Zealand has to offer.

“Poker really has become a world-wide phenomenon over the past couple of years, and the recent spate of celebrity poker television programmes certainly proves how popular the game has become amongst both men and women,” says Mr Drury.

“We are expecting up to 800 people to participate in, or watch, the Auckland Regional Finals, and with a spot in the National Final in Australia at stake, there is certainly a lot to play for.”

No money changes hands during the NPPL. However, there are a range of competition prizes on offer so the league is perfect for first timers, amateurs or ‘pro players’, who want to try bluffing, raising, playing short stacked and multi-table tournament play without risking hard cash.

Source:Press Release: National Pub Poker League

Southeast Asian countries move towards legalized casino gambling

Owners of stocks of gaming giants Las Vegas Sands andWynn Resorts Ltd. are among those watching and wondering about the enormous investments in the Las Vegas of China -- Macau. Questions still exist about the eventual shape of the gaming industry in southeast Asia as other countries move toward legalizing casino gambling and scramble for development.

Singapore is already under development, Taiwan and Thailand are considering opening to the industry, and nowJapan may deal itself in as well. Members of Japan's ruling party are drafting legislation that would permit the development of Las Vegas-style casinos as early as 2012, and early indications are that the bills might be well received.

The question that investors will be asking is to what degree is this a zero-sum game, especially with customers from established democracies like Japan who are already frequent visitors at the Las Vegas tables? How much new development can the Far East support? What would be China's reaction if its new millionaires begin taking their wealth to tables outside the country?

Certainly American companies such as Las Vegas Sands have taken an aggressive path in pushing development in this part of the world, but even they could be stretched thin by so much simultaneous industry-building.

Source:www.bloggingstocks.com