And the phones? What kind of office is this? Ah, it’s OK. Shelly Levine just closed a big deal. None of that will make anything approaching sense if you’ve never seen Glengary Glen Ross, but trust me, it does. All of this is my lead-in to what is surely the casino caper of the decade: […]
They took the leads? Read More »
atlantic city, news about gamblingI and pretty much anyone else who’s ever seriously studied gambling have often said that people will bet on anything. Some proof to support that contention? I offer into evidence the $1.2 billion Indians reportedly bet on monsoons each year. From Online Casino Advisory: Itinerant traders spread the tradition of monsoon betting in the 1800s;
At least that’s what they tell me. I was interviewed for an episode of THS Investigates called “Vegas Winners and Losers.” I’m not sure which one I’m supposed to represent. We did the interview in front of a blue screen, so they could put me in front of any kind of backdrop. I’m guessing that
Jimmy Hoffa, through the lending power of his Central States Pension Fund, had a huge impact on Las Vegas and casino history. I don’t think the definitive statement of that impact has been written yet. That’s not at all a knock on this book: the author’s scope is Hoffa’s whole life, and the Teamster investments
Book review: Out of the Jungle Read More »
book reviewsThat could mean that you’re driving up to Vegas from LA and ran out of gas before you got too far. But in this case, it’s about a group of thousands of admitted problem gamblers who’ve filed a class action lawsuit against the government corporation that owns Ontario (Canada) casinos. From the CBC: A $3.5-billion
I don’t have too much to say this week because I’ve got too much to do. Call it the conjunction of summer session B starting, me returning to work, and too many projects needing my attention. I’ve got big plans, though: one big book review, a huge update to the carpet gallery, and tons more.
My review of Richard Armstrong’s outstanding novel God Doesn’t Shoot Craps.
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book reviewsThere’s a site called blogged.com whose purpose is to help people find blogs they like. Through a process that’s entirely a mystery to me, they have reviewed this humble electronic notebook and concluded that it is “great:” Right now, I’m ranked #48 in the “Recreation and Games” category, right below Paintball Guns and just above
A review of Peter Shrag’s Paradise Lost: California’s Experience, America’s Future.
Book review: Paradise Lost Read More »
book reviewsIf you haven’t heard it, here’s the press release, more or less verbatim: MGM Mirage is naming the big casino resort at its in-development City Center project on the Strip the “Aria Resort and Casino.” I don’t have an inside line on the creative process that led to the choice, but from what I’ve read
I thought this book was corny when I read it, but in a fun way. In retrospect, the title is hilarious. Dice can’t spell, so how they spell murder is beyond me. This is an almost Hinchcliffe/Holmesian Mad Libs: The X spelled (murder, death, fear, evil). I guess having “murder” in the title sold books,
Book review: The Dice Spelled Murder Read More »
book reviewsUnless something derails the deal (and how often has that happened with the Trumpster’s Atlantic City casinos?) the Trump Marina will soon become the Margaritaville casino resort. From the AC Press: Trump Marina Hotel Casino is being sold in a $316 million deal that will transform the poorest-performing property in Donald Trump’s gaming empire into
Wastin’ Away on Huron Ave Read More »
atlantic city, news about gamblingWhat makes Las Vegas…Las Vegas? John Pryzbys (it’s pronounced like “frisbee” but with a “b,” if you’re curious) has an article that asks that question in today’s RJ. And I’m one of the ones who offered some answers. From, naturally, the LVRJ: What is Las Vegas? A place. An idea. A stereotype. And, for those
Why is Vegas Vegas? Read More »
life in vegasI’m fooling around with using ScribeFire to create posts, so this might not work. Hopefully it does, because I really think people should check out this neat feature at Vegas Tripping, a detailed rumination on the evolution of Las Vegas casino logos: But what is it that makes for a successful logo in Las Vegas?
VT takes on casino logos Read More »
news about gamblingHere’s a brand new review for a book that’s only been out a little more than a month! Am I on the ball, or what? And it’s not a random book that I’ve plucked from the shelves at Lied Library–it’s a poker book. And it’s a good one. Read on, and you’ll see what I
Book review: Ghosts at the Table Read More »
book reviewsIt’s hard to believe, but one of the oldest gambling con games is alive and well in the shadow of the Las Vegas Strip. I snapped some pictures of a shell game in action on Monday between the Tropicana and Hooters. Technically that’s not the Strip, but it’s in the Strip tourist corridor, so the
Casinos have been Atlantic City for thirty years, and there are still some people who remember Day One. From the AC Press:
Remembering Day One Read More »
atlantic cityMaybe someday I’ll write a children’s story with that title. It doesn’t have the fanciful longing of My Father’s Dragon, but maybe it’s appropriate for today’s lowered horizons. I just thought I’d fool around with WordPress’s photo uploading and provide some commentary on life in Vegas. You’ve really got to see this–a sociologist could spin
My neighbor’s beanbag Read More »
life in vegasLas Vegas entertainment is usually pretty predictable. You might see a comic, a singer, a revue show, a big production extravaganza, or a headline entertainer, which could mix any of these. But as the Las Vegas Sun reports, a new, seemingly anomalous presence is taking over Strip showrooms: psychics bent on exploiting grief. It seems
Psychics amid the slots Read More »
news about gamblingThis is another paperback I discovered in the catacombs of the UNLV Special Collections stacks. The tagline is what sold me: “The most beautiful girls in Las Vegas couldn’t stop Eddie from winning.” Also, Library Journal called it “a groovy novel.” So, I figured, it’s about a card-counting Greg Brady. This might make for an
Book review: The Fortune Machine Read More »
book reviews