…doesn’t have to stay there. Here’s a news story you rarely see in Las Vegas, despite the fact that many of its 37 million visitors each year spend much time in casinos: A woman gave birth to a son inside a Russian casino.
What happens in Novosibirsk… Read More »
news about gamblingWhile double checking the list of new arrivals from the Gambler’s Book Club against the UNLV catalog, I came across a singular title:Casino Cafeteria. This gem has the alternate title: What you always wanted to know about casino gambling but were to [sic.] intimidated to ask. It is allegedly “a smorgasbord of standard and unusual
I read an article about the president’s proposed changes to Social Security that got me thinking about the great debate over whether investing in the stock market is or isn’t gambling. Within the past week, I’ve written a draft of the section of Roll the Bones covering several stock bubbles of the 18th and 19th
Gambling or investing in the future? Read More »
gambling & cultureSteve Wynn has seen the future, and it’s spelled R-F-I-D. When Wynn Las Vegas opens in April, it will have the latest in casino chips–high tech checks with radio frequency ID tags inside them.
RFIDing the future Read More »
life in vegasThe Internet is great. Today I learned that if I designed a cyborg avatar with my name, it would look like this, according to the Cyborg name generator: The Cyborg Name Generator: DAVE Go ahead, make your own! Actually, since they appear to be all metal, these might be more properly considered androids, but who’s
Not only is he a brilliant casino builder, he’s also self-deprecating. Commenting on the ad that ran during The Big Game On Sunday, Steve Wynn said: “The humor is central — it’s what saves it. I’m just another schmuck.” The story of the ad, if you didn’t see it, is quite interesting.
Just another schmuck…who’s redefined gaming Read More »
life in vegas“I don’t want to be the one to call it the dumbing down of Britain, but I think its the dumbing down of Britain.” –Warren Lush, chief oddsmaker at Ladbrokes, on the huge upswing in novelty betting on everything from televised talent shows to whether someone will live to be 100. You can read the
Daily Quote for 2/7/05 Read More »
gambling & culture, writingIt was nice to see an actual football game in the midst of all the commercials, but as a lifelong Eagles fan I’m naturally downcast at the outcome. Still, can anyone from the Delaware Valley honestly say that they expected any better? I think Philly has just internalized low expectations, and that losing is now
If you like the casino carpet gallery and are in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace tomorrow morning at 10, stop by the Samurai room. I’m giving a talk entitled “Art for Gamblers’ Feet: Casino Carpet from Coast to Coast” at the 17th annual meeting of the Far West Popular Culture Association. I’m not on
Casino carpet unleashed Read More »
life in vegas, what's newA few months ago, I spoke to Mali Finn Casting about a prospective movie about poker players, Lucky You. Today I got a follow-up email, which might give you–yes you–your big break: Casting is underway on Warner Bros./Director Curtis Hanson’s “Lucky You” to star Eric Bana (Troy, The Hulk) and Drew Barrymore. We’ve set up
Lucky you…in movies? Read More »
life in vegasNOTE: I stole that headline from the lede (or lead) to Liz Bentsen’s article, which seems to be the most complete coverage of the story that confronted me as I straggled into work late this morning. The story is: Landry’s Restaurants is buying the Golden Nugget from Tim Poster and Tom Brietling.
Fish and chips in downtown LV Read More »
life in vegasI really need to get some reading for Roll the Bones done, but this story was just too good to pass up. Add martial law to the things that will not stop the wheels from spinning in a casino. Plus, the page has the coolest ad I’ve ever seen.
No problem in Nepal Read More »
news about gamblingIt seems that the Tropicana in Las Vegas has something called the “Showgirl Showdown,” which from its name suggests showgirls staffing casino games. Either that, or The Price is Right has a new segment. There’s a picture from the Sun that shows the showdown in progress. I just thought that this was a great opportunity
Adelphia Communications is going to start offering triple-x hardcore porn to its Southern California video-on-demand customers. I’m not posting about this because of any personal interest in hardcore porn, or just because I want to get lots of hits from people searching for “casino hardcore porn” or similar terms. Rather, I want to salute the
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Corey Fuller did not, according to jurors, run a gambling house, even though prosecutors said he presided over games “like a pit boss.” Did the state fail to make its case, or are juries unwilling to convict people for the “victimless” crime of running a private casino?
On the bottom-line crawl of this morning’s news, I noticed that a $700 million Foxwoods expansion is national news.
Foxwoods getting bigger Read More »
news about gamblingThe Rat Pack doesn’t play casinos anymore. Well, unless you count Rat Pack imitators. Instead, you might see the Doobie Brothers. Is this progress? If you like the 1970s, yes.
Times are a-changing Read More »
news about gamblingBen Mezrich’s Bringing Down the House, the story of the MIT count team, has sold a lot of copies. But, it seems, it’s not that popular with high school librarians. Still, kids in one Oregon high school will still be free to read the book for an assignment.
Bringing down the school district Read More »
writingI once thought that The Island of Dr. Moreau was nothing more than a cinematic masterpiece. Now, it seems, it may be a view not of the future, but the present, where scientists create human/animal hybrids with only their imaginations to stop them.
Chimeras gone wild! Read More »
haphazard worldRecently, North Korean television began a bold new initiative aimed at conquering a threat to national supremacy: bad hair.