I don’t know quite what to make of this story, except for an admonition to my readers: if you are a male securities analyst, do not superimpose your face on the body of a woman being carried over the threshold on the cover of a major research report.
Just plain strange Read More »
haphazard worldOne of the most important things in journalism is to grab the reader with a strong first paragraph, or lead. Well, a story in today’s Las Vegas Review-Journal proves this. If you think like me, you can’t help but click through the read the full story after reading this lead-in: OVERTON — This whole town
I always tell my students that history has three components: source documents, without which we would have nothing to write about; historical writing, which puts the raw material of the past into context and makes it relevant; and readers, without whom the whole exercise would be fruitless. You write books because you want people to
If you care to see your humble correspondent on television (maybe), watch Vegas Whales Tales tonight on the Travel Channel. You can watch me narrate whacky and improbable, and possibly illegal stories of Las Vegas high rollers run amok.
“Is it logical to believe in any form of luck? Before an event–no. After an event and the result is known–yes. In other words, there is no way to predict whether you will be lucky or unlucky before playing a game of chance, but after you have finished, the result will only then show whether
Daily quote, 01.13.05. Read More »
gambling & cultureGRUB STREET. A street near Moorfields, formerly the supposed habitation of many persons who wrote for the booksellers: hence a Grub-street writer means a hackney author, who manufactures books for the booksellers. Read more: 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Captain Grose
1811 slang, 01.12.05. Read More »
writing“I’ve been using the computer for so long, and command-Z works for undo in all the software programs. So whenever I find something in my life that I want to undo, I reach for the command-Z keys and I find it weird that it doesn’t work.” — Lisa Hoffman, graphic designer, who probably spends too
Daily Quote 01/11/05 Read More »
haphazard worldI found something neat on gutenberg.org while looking for a few older texts–a complete dictionary of vulgar underworld slang from 1811. Since it’s a slow news day, I’m going to regale you with a few words: FAT CULL. A rich fellow. TO VOWEL. A gamester who does not immediately pay his losings, is said to
It’s Vegas Week on the Travel Channel, which means that they’re going to be having lots of shows giving you the inside scoop on Vegas. Kind of like they do the other 51 weeks of the year. Since I live in Vegas, I don’t think I’ll be watching much, but if you like this kind
I’m always reading that casinos in Mexico are just around the corner. Then, like a will o’ the wisp, they aren’t there when I turn the corner. According to one writer, we should expect more of the same in the future.
Mexican casinos? No time soon Read More »
news about gambling“We’re on the verge of one of the greatest booms in the country.” — New Jersey State Senator Bill Gormley, describing the incorporation of a new House of Blues into the Showboat expansion. Is it all right if I’m embarrassed to be born in a city where a casino expansion gets this kind of gushing
Quote of the Day, 01.07.05. Read More »
atlantic cityWant to get a gift for that special someone? Why not hop on the latest commodity bandwagon and get them something with the World Series of Poker logo on it?
First racetracks added slot machines. Now, they may be one step closer to becoming full-blown casinos.
Evolution of racinos Read More »
news about gambling“We need to educate international tourists before we get to the branding or experience of Las Vegas because if they don’t know what Las Vegas stands for it will fall on deaf ears.” –Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Read the whole story here: Las Vegas
Quote of the Day, 01/04/05 Read More »
news about gambling“It’s like this place is haunted by the images of this city in its glory days.” –Curtis Bashaw, head of Atlantic City’s Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, on seeing black and white photos of the old boardwalk in casino executives’ offices. Actually, Curtis, I think it’s called an appreciation of history, and most thinking people display
Quote of the Day, 01/03/05 Read More »
atlantic cityAs an Atlantic City native who wrote a book on the evolution of the casino resort, I’ve got some definite thoughts about the role of casinos in urban redevelopment. Now, a year and a half after the publication of Suburban Xanadu, some people in my hometown might be starting to see the light.
Like I’ve been saying… Read More »
atlantic cityJust in time for the end of ’04, I’ve added a new photo gallery–Macau–and added images to “Casino Fun.” The challenge is to see if you can find my picture of boxing cats somewhere else on this site. It will not disappoint. Have a great New Year’s. I’ll probably be w/out fireworks here in Las
Happy New Year’s Eve Read More »
life in vegasIf you work as a female bartender for Harrah’s Reno, that is. The supposedly ultra-liberal US 9th Court of Appeals recently decided that Harrah’s had the right to fire a bartender who refused to wear makeup.
Court says makeup is mandatory Read More »
news about gamblingIf you read the New York Times, you might have read yesterday’s edition (Sunday, 12/26/04). If you read yesterday’s edition, you might have read the business section. If you looked at the front page of the business section, you might have started reading a below-the-fold story entitled, “Is there Life After Blackjack? Ask MGM.” And
China is cracking down on porn, gambling, and “religious cult” sites, and I don’t have too much in the way of innovative analysis. Still, I thought this was a catchy headline: China Versus Porn: Round 2
An interesting headline Read More »
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