I thought that earth-shaking explosions were a thing of the past for Las Vegas–there haven’t been any nuclear detonations at the Nevada Test Site since 1992 (according to the LV Sun, anyway), and above-ground testing stopped way before that. And it’s not as if the federal government is detonating a weapon of mass destruction a […]
Vegas is the bomb, again! Read More »
life in vegasHypocrisy regarding gambling is nothing new–as a historical phenomenon, it’s a few thousand years old. But people and organizations keep finding new ways to contradict their stated principles in search of a buck. Don’t believe me? Ask the Boston Globe: Red Sox fans who play the state lottery now have a chance at the ultimate
Baseball embraces gambling Read More »
gambling & cultureit’s been a while since I looked at the amazon.com page for Cutting the Wire. According to something called the Fog Index, it’s pretty hard to read–only 6% of books are harder. But at 5,247 words per dollar, it’s a huge bargain. I also manage to use the word “gaming” 724 times, and “fight” 61
It’s an exciting time to be a buffet devotee in Las Vegas, that’s for sure. First, VegasResource has revealed its list of the Top 20 buffets in town. I wish more people were as honest with their titles as “billhere” of VR: THE TOP 20 BUFFETS IN LAS VEGAS, IN MY OPINION, ARE: 1. Wynn
More about more food Read More »
life in vegasDoing my job at the Center for Gaming Research, I run across all sorts of interesting facts. For example, take this gem, pulled from the 1979 Form 10-K for Golden Nugget, Inc.: The Registrant’s hotel provides luxury accomodations and facilities. Management emphasizes courtesy and service to its customers and attempts to maintain a high standard
A look at the past Read More »
news about gamblingI’ve been out of the office for two days, so of course my inbox is filled with all sorts of campus announcements including, for some reason, a blatant advertising for the DaVinci Code. And then there’s this: Could the next “Apprentice†also be a Rebel? Find out… when NBC brings the search for Donald Trump’s
Apprentice opportunity Read More »
life in vegasI saw something really neat on the news yesterday, and I just knew I had to share it with the assortment of regular readers, online gamblers, and people looking to buy casino carpet who visit my site. This story is covered virtually everywhere, but I particularly like First Coast News‘s package, which includes audio: Piper
Lotteries have been put to many uses over the millennia. In Ancient Rome, for example, the Vestal Virgins were chosen by lottery, as were several government posts. (All this, by the way, is in Roll the Bones) And, of course, plenty of states and nations use lotteries to get revenues. But the Georgetown Hoya has
A different kind of lottery Read More »
gambling & cultureOne of the challenges of being an academic who’s asked to comment on history for the media is being able to share my ideas about history in a way that is accessible to all. The articles I write for the Business Press, for example, have a different tone than purely scholarly articles that I write.
For some reason, I get a “CityAtlantic” email newsletter. Usually, it’s just a bunch of shilling for whatever big events are coming up, but this issue has a real gem: an unsigned manifesto about one man’s aborted journey to greatness. From CityAtlantic.com: Being overweight comes with a lot of baggage… and I’m not just talking
Anyone from Atlantic City knows why that’s a funny title–or at least they should. In any event, there will be an epic buffet unfolding at the Las Vegas Hilton in two weeks. From the Hilton Hot Sheet: Alka-Seltzer, in celebration of its 75th anniversary makes an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the
Last night and today I’ve been deluged with comment spam. As a result, if you don’t already have a comment posted, your comment will only be posted after I approve it. If you have already commented, you can see your comments instantaneously. Over at gaming.unlv.edu, I’ve got my hands full. The relaunch isn’t exactly going
Two websites, two problems Read More »
what's newThere is an interesting debate in American Interest between Francis Fukayama and Bernard-Henri Levy “over American virtues and vices, neoconservatives, religion, the future of American muscular internationalism, and the role of intellectuals in a free society.” Interesting, it starts in Las Vegas but, as the title suggests, goes pretty far afield. In this first couple
Vegas and the End of History Read More »
life in vegasA while ago, I got an email from someone who had a site (or at least a page) dedicated to the famous Boardwalk Cats. But, like so much else, the page was writ in water–I checked my link yesterday and saw it was down. Bummer. Looking for more information on the Boardwalk Cats online, I
Science is great. You have an idea, you write for a grant, and then you get to test the idea. Sometimes, you get a big breakthrough. Other times, people misrepresent your conclusions. Take, for example, this story, which suggests that running alone is hazardous to your health. From Forbes: Many runners contend that jogging alone
Running alone is bad? Read More »
haphazard worldBetween working on Roll the Bones, writing four articles a month, and doing all sorts of other peer review things (plus living in Las Vegas), I’ve really had my fill of gambling. So yesterday I decided a little vacation of sorts was in order. Of course, I’m not about to quit my job (which I
Gambling-free week Read More »
what's newCourtesy of Sue Schneider of the River City Group, here’s an update on the attempt to ban Internet gambling proposed in the US Congress: Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., who has been trying to ban online wagering for about 10 years, had planned to introduce an online gambling prohibition amendment today by attaching it to S2349
Update on net gambling ban Read More »
gambling & cultureI never watch those red carpet shows where someone critiques what people are wearing at various awards shows, but I’ve gathered that they just make all kinds of catty comments and allow people sitting at home shoveling down Ben and Jerry’s ice cream feel aestetichally superior to professional actressses with teams of designers, hair, and
I spend most of my time researching and interpreting the past. I think this has some relevance for us today, and it interesting on its own merits as well. But I usually get asked to prognosticate about the future: where will Las Vegas be in fifty years, which new casino will be most successful, etc,
I got an email from Professor Rohan Miller of the University of Sydney asking for my help in publicizing a study he is doing on Internet gaming. Here’s how you can help advance our knowledge about this growing phenomenon: If you have ever contemplated making or have made any financial transactions over the Internet, your
Internet gaming study needs your help Read More »
what's new