Geoff Schumacher. Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia, and Palace Intrigue. Las Vegas: Stephens Press, 2008. Hardcover, 292 pp. More than four dozens books about Howard Hughes have been published since the 1960s. It would seem that there’s little more we can learn about his life. Why, then, should you bother to read another book about Hughes? […]
Book review: Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia, and Palace Intrigue Read More »
book reviewsYou might be familiar with Cost Plus World Market–they sell vaguely exotic home furnishings and foods. And you might have heard of the World Market Center–the big furniture “mart” in downtown Las Vegas that’s adding a new building every month. They’re not getting along. Now, the World Jewelry Center is jumping into the fray. From
…on those 3 signed copies of Roll the Bones that KNPR is auctioning. Better yet, buy it now for a mere $120. It’s rare that you get the chance to a) buy a comprehensive history of gambling and b) support public radio with one click of the mouse. In fact, this is the first time
I could write a book about the short-sighted/self-defeating things that have kept Atlantic City from becoming a truly great resort. Knowing me, I probably will some day. If I do, there will be a chapter about the NJ legislature’s baffling failure to approve sports betting before the feds closed the window in 1993. Back then,
Sports betting do-over in AC? Read More »
atlantic cityRadio stations aren’t cheap to run, particularly public radio stations dedicated to quality programming. Nevada’s Public Radio, KNPR, is hosting an online auction that’s live right now, and among the items up for bid are three priceless signed copies of Roll the Bones. Interestingly, the book isn’t in the crowded “Books and Music” category (89
Support KNPR! Buy stuff Read More »
what's newThere’s a proposal floating around–at the state level–to drug test candidates for public office. I say, this is long overdue. From WLTX (South Carolina): People filing for public office would also have to submit to drug testing under a proposal pitched by a state senator. Senate Republican Leader Harvey Peeler filed his bill a day
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haphazard worldThe headline is actually a lie: I’m not reviewing Geoff Schumacher’s new Howard Hughes book…yet. I’ll get to it as soon as I’ve gotten a few other pieces out of the way. But it sounds pleasant and I’m short of time. But I wanted to tell everyone that the book is out, and it’s worth
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life in vegas, writingBad news from the Las Vegas literary scene, as the Reading Room at Mandalay is closing. From the LVRJ: MGM Mirage is retooling some of the offerings inside Mandalay Place, the 100,000-square-foot shopping mall that connects Mandalay Bay with Luxor. Among the casualties will be the Reading Room, an upscale bookstore popular with the local
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life in vegasBetting on propositions–or prop betting–has long been a staple of wagering on the Big Game That Concludes The NFL Season. Here’s a quick KLAS recap: This year, Nevada bookmakers are hoping for a record $100 million handle on the biggest sports betting event of the year, and have set up hundreds of similar side bets
Prop betting gone wild! Read More »
gambling & cultureThe Cosmopolitan Las Vegas will be an impressive resort when it opens…but who will own it then? From the WSJ: The developer of Cosmopolitan Resort Casino on the Las Vegas Strip is negotiating for a rescue from two of his partners in the $3 billion project, people familiar with the matter said. One scenario under
Cosmo needs a rescue? Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingI’m up in Reno today with very little time to post, so I’ll just continue to urge you to vote in my Gaming Hall of Fame contest. I still don’t know what the winning prize will be, but that’s why they call it gambling, isn’t it?
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what's newAfter posting that item yesterday about betting on the news, I got to thinking about hosting a competition on this site. Here’s the deal: try to predict who will be inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame this year, and win an unspecified prize. It might be a load of Schrute bucks, it might be
Predicting the Gaming HoF 2008 Read More »
gambling & culture, news about gamblingIf you’ve got tremendous insight into current events, a new site can help you blow off some steam and earn virtual money based on your predictions of unfolding news stories. From Wired: Nigel Eccles, a news junkie and former online betting site employee, wanted to try pursuing both interests at once. Thus was born Hubdub
This is really serious, awful news: the Monte Carlo casino in Las Vegas is currently on fire. From KLAS: There is a 3-alarm fire on top of the Monte Carlo and evacuations are underway. The fire started around 11 a.m. at the Las Vegas Strip hotel which is near Tropicana. The fire is burning on
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life in vegasI’ve explained, opined, asserted, declared, and suggested, but at last I’ve reached the stage in my career where I can quip. From the Daily Review: After defeat at polls in 1974, a gaming referendum in New Jersey succeeded two years later thanks to an alliance between gaming interests and the Roman Catholic Church, explained David
Faith-based gaming Read More »
gambling & culture, news about gamblingAtlantic City has an important decision to make: how to sell the last big piece of casino-developable land (at least until the zoning is changed). Right now, the Casino Redevelopment Agency is planning to take bids on the 140-acre tract at Bader Field, but Penn National wants to do an end-run around the process by
Penn National offer…stupid or savvy? Read More »
atlantic cityI’m back from the Winter Getaway, transitioning from creative non-fiction back into gaming archives and analysis. So why not plug my recent column in the LVBP prognosticating on the coming year? The massive consolidation that left Harrah’s and MGM Mirage as the world’s largest casino companies likely won’t return, but developments on the ownership front
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writingNo, the Tropicana didn’t sign Celine Dion. Instead, in the best AC tradition, the casino is launching a new advertising campaign to convince visitors that there’s no place for squalor and surliness in the court-appointed conservator-run casino. From the AC Press: Tropicana Casino and Resort is overhauling its battered image with the help of a
A new day at the Trop Read More »
atlantic cityIf you’ve ever wanted commit to something but need online peer pressure to make you go through with it, check out stickK.com (via the Undercover Economist): On stickK, you draw up an official commitment contract that binds you to achieving a personal goal, be it big or small. By agreeing to this contract, you publicly
In a few days I’ll be heading the the Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway in Cape May, NJ to lead a workshop in creative nonfiction, so don’t expect too much from me the rest of the week. You might have noticed that I’ve gotten away from straight-up gaming news stories in the past few weeks.