Republican Platform:
The first published draft of the 2008 Republican Party Platform originally included anti-internet gambling language which read, in part, "We support legislation prohibiting gambling over the Internet ...." This was the same language that had been in the party's 2000 and 2004 platforms. On a recent Tuesday, in the early afternoon, it was reported by CQPolitics and other sites that a "Working Draft to Platform Committee Members" issued the day before did not include this anti-internet gambling language, with some outlets reporting the language had been pulled to broaden the appeal of the platform. However, a mere four hours later, CQPolitics issued an update stating that the antigambling language had been reinstated back into the Republican Party's platform, albeit in a slightly different form.

South Carolina Judge Just Fine With Antiquated Law:
Friday, South Carolina Judge J. Lawrence Duffy Jr. refused to throw out charges against five South Carolina poker players, including a 78 year old grandmother. The charges stem from a raid on a home game in Mount Pleasant, a suburb of Charleston, in 2006. In the raid, police in full tactical gear entered a house with guns drawn, to stop what was essentially a family home game. The law being enforced has been on the books for 200+ years and the judge noted that it had been reviewed by lawmakers nine times during those 200 years, and was still appropriate and enforceable.

Ben Affleck Wins PPA Denver Charity Event:
Ben Affleck, who has disdained poker in recent years as he chose to focus on his family life, proved he still has a little game in him. At the Poker Players Alliance recent poker fundraiser at Coors Field in Denver, one of many events scheduled in conjunction with the ongoing Democratic National Convention, Affleck won the tourney, which generated about $60,000 for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Andy Bloch finished second, of course, while other stars in the field included Montel Williams, Barry Greenstein, Sarah Silverman, Richard Dreyfuss and Seth Meyers.

A Vegas Classic Reborn: $1 Million Back At Binion's:
Back in the 1960's and 70's, one of the more popular downtown Las Vegas attractions was the $1,000,000 cash that was on display at Binion's Horseshoe. The display was in place from 1954 to January 2000, when a private collector offered a huge sum for the ultra-rare $10,000 notes that made up the million dollar display. As of last week, the million is back on display at Binion's-this time in notes from $1 to $100-housed in a Plexiglas pyramid and set on, naturally, a poker table.

Timing Is Everything:
Mohegan Sun recently opened its Casino of the Wind, which features a new poker room. The Mohegan Sun last dealt a hand of poker on September 1st, 2003-exactly 100 days after Chris Moneymaker helped start the poker boom. The casino replaced the poker room with slot machines. The room reopened with 42 poker tables spreading hold 'em, Omaha, and 7-card stud among other games.

John Caldwell is the Editor-In-Chief of PokerNews.com, a leading poker information portal. He spent 15 years in music artist management, working with Stone Temple Pilots and Hootie and the Blowfish. Contact him at john@pokernews.com.