Abstract: A method of conducting a lottery wherein lottery participants may choose to purchase insured lottery tickets is disclosed. The insurance purchased with an insured ticket guarantees that if the insured ticket turns out to be a winning ticket, the purchaser is entitled to his share of the jackpot immediately, rather than being forced to accept a smaller amount immediately or the full amount in installments over time. In a particular embodiment, insurance may be purchased that guarantees a winner will immediately be paid, in addition to his share of the jackpot, an additional amount equal to at least a portion of the income or other taxes payable on the jackpot.

Abstract: A method of conducting a lottery wherein lottery participants may choose to purchase insured lottery tickets is disclosed. The insurance purchased with an insured ticket guarantees that if the insured ticket turns out to be a winning ticket, the purchaser is entitled to his share of the jackpot immediately, rather than being forced to accept a smaller amount immediately or the full amount in installments over time. In a particular embodiment, insurance may be purchased that guarantees a winner will immediately be paid, in addition to his share of the jackpot, an additional amount equal to at least a portion of the income or other taxes payable on the jackpot.

Abstract: An improved solar collector pipe that directly conveys fluid to be heated and collects and transfers solar energy efficiently and directly to the internal fluid, thereby maximizing both the amount of energy transmitted to the internal fluid and the peak temperature attainable by that fluid. The solar collector pipe includes a transparent portion for admitting solar energy into the solar collector pipe. Internal to the solar collector pipe is an absorbing portion for absorbing solar energy. A conduit portion is also included and comprises a reflecting surface thereon for reflecting solar energy received through the transparent portion onto the absorbing portion. In embodiments of the invention, the transparent portion, the conduit portion, and the absorbing portion together define at least one fluid passageway for conveying the fluid. In other embodiments of the invention, an internal conduit defines a fluid passageway for conveying the fluid.

Abstract: An improved solar collector pipe that directly conveys fluid to be heated and collects and transfers solar energy efficiently and directly to the internal fluid, thereby maximizing both the amount of energy transmitted to the internal fluid and the peak temperature attainable by that fluid. The solar collector pipe includes a transparent portion for admitting solar energy into the solar collector pipe. Internal to the solar collector pipe is an absorbing portion for absorbing solar energy. A conduit portion is also included and comprises a reflecting surface thereon for reflecting solar energy received through the transparent portion onto the absorbing portion. The transparent portion, the conduit portion, and the absorbing portion together define at least one fluid passageway for conveying the fluid.

Abstract: A lodging facility is disclosed, the lodging facility being configured to enable collection of images of guest activities at the lodging facility. In a first aspect of the invention, a plurality of video/audio cameras are placed in each of a plurality of rooms within the lodging facility and associated with an image control center for collecting images of guests within their rooms. In a second aspect of the invention, the collected images are displayed for the commercial purposes of the lodging facility such as in advertising, on the Internet, to other guests within the facility, or are edited and sold to the public.

Abstract: An improved solar collector pipe that directly conveys fluid to be heated and collects and transfers solar energy efficiently and directly to the internal fluid, thereby maximizing both the amount of energy transmitted to the internal fluid and the peak temperature attainable by that fluid. The solar collector pipe includes a transparent portion for admitting solar energy into the solar collector pipe. Internal to the solar collector pipe is an absorbing portion for absorbing solar energy. A conduit portion is also included and comprises a reflecting surface thereon for reflecting solar energy received through the transparent portion onto the absorbing portion. In embodiments of the invention, the transparent portion, the conduit portion, and the absorbing portion together define at least one fluid passageway for conveying the fluid. In other embodiments of the invention, an internal conduit defines a fluid passageway for conveying the fluid.

Abstract: An improved solar collector pipe that directly conveys fluid to be heated and collects and transfers solar energy efficiently and directly to the internal fluid, thereby maximizing both the amount of energy transmitted to the internal fluid and the peak temperature attainable by that fluid. The solar collector pipe includes a transparent portion for admitting solar energy into the solar collector pipe. Internal to the solar collector pipe is an absorbing portion for absorbing solar energy. A conduit portion is also included and comprises a reflecting surface thereon for reflecting solar energy received through the transparent portion onto the absorbing portion. The transparent portion, the conduit portion, and the absorbing portion together define at least one fluid passageway for conveying the fluid.

Abstract: A method of conducting a lottery wherein lottery participants may choose to purchase insured lottery tickets is disclosed. The insurance purchased with an insured ticket guarantees that if the insured ticket turns out to be a winning ticket, the purchaser is entitled to his share of the jackpot immediately, rather than being forced to accept a smaller amount immediately or the full amount in installments over time. In a particular embodiment, insurance may be purchased that guarantees a winner will immediately be paid, in addition to his share of the jackpot, an additional amount equal to at least a portion of the income or other taxes payable on the jackpot.