Suddenly it’s all over the news – on TV and in newspapers: Maybe Sin City should try being a little less sinful?  

 Metro Makes Prostitution, Drug Arrests at Rio's Topless Pool 

Regulators to casinos: Clean up act 

County to Prive: Time to call it a night 

Hummmmmm. All this after my July 6th rant about debauchery at the Hard Rock’s Rehab Pool party.   Do the city fathers or gaming regulators (are they the same?) read my blog? 

Aw…probably not!

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Yesterday I was at the Hard Rock and I felt sorry for my daughter, the Frugal Princess, and anyone else who is trying to raise a girl to be a lady with class and high standards. 

Such a lack of class at the Hard Rock’s Sunday pool debauchery called Rehab. I can take the bikinis at a pool or on stage at a beauty contest. But since when is it appropriate to strut around a public place (like in a casino or a restaurant) in a swimsuit without a cover-up. And just what is the new fashion statement girls make when they unzip their shorts or jeans a couple of inches and then fold back the two sides to make an “opening”? I get tired of hearing that a female rape victim is NEVER to blame. There is more than one way to say “Yes” than with words out of your mouth. 

We have noticed many Sunday afternoons that there are always a couple of ambulances standing by when we visit the Hard Rock. But when we were leaving later than usual yesterday, just after 6 p.m. when the pool party was winding down, there were FIVE ambulances in the parking lot.   Would you want your son or daughter to attend a party where it would take that many rescue vehicles to scrape impaired and unconscious people off the beach? 

I used to be able to tell in Vegas when I saw a cheap prostitute by the way she dressed. Now the casinos are swarming with girls dressed like that.  

I guess I am just too old-fashioned!

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From a reader, commenting on my last blog entry: 

Jean: 

“First off, let me say I have enjoyed your writings and cherish your latest autographed book. However…[Oops, I know the other shoe is going to fall]… times change, as we know very well, living in Michigan.  We have had to give up certain benefits to keep jobs for the better of the auto companies.  Las Vegas is in as bad shape as Michigan, if not worst.   Therefore wouldn’t you expect some “benefits” to be changed to allow others to keep their jobs?  Isn’t it better for club members to receive fewer kickbacks rather than let employees lose their jobs?  After all, check the stock market and the price of Las Vegas Sands, MGM or Wynn stock.   These companies are hurting and deserve support not criticism.  You and your following should support and emphasize the positive or Las Vegas attendance will continue to decline.  Remember if you paint a negative picture, why would anyone want to come to Vegas? 

“I look forward to my visit to Vegas, at the end month, and I look forward to reading your POSITIVE comments.” 

First, I must say I always appreciate input from my readers, whether they agree with me or not. However, sometimes I must defend my own views. 

I’m not an expert on the automobile industry, but I do know that if an automobile company doesn’t have any customers, it will go out of business. So if it, for example, decides to raise prices above the competition, it will start losing customers, even those long-time loyal to the brand. The same thing will happen to a casino company; cutting benefits (that’s like raising the price of entertainment) will cause a loss of customers. 

That part of Vegas is negative. But there are many positive things in Vegas right now that make it a wonderful and frugal place for gamblers to visit or live. Many casinos are running the best promotions I have seen in years. Room rates are at rock bottom. Many casinos have not cut basic benefits. 

So to the reader who wrote above and all others, I give this advice: Seek out the promotions. Consider your many options and pick the best!

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Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15th, is the 30th anniversary of the Liberace Museum and it is celebrating by offering admission tickets for only 30 cents. This is a bargain (especially for out-of-towners) since admission is ordinarily $15 for adults and $10 for seniors 65+ and students with a valid school ID. Locals do have one other frugal option: Second Sundays are free to Nevada residents.

The Liberace Museum is located in the Liberace Plaza at 1775 E. Tropicana Ave. (at Spencer Avenue). The Museum occupies two buildings separated by the parking area. It is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from noon to 4 p. m., and is closed Mondays.

Except for the second Sundays mentioned above, admission price includes a one-hour guided tour on Tuesday-Saturday at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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In celebration of National Library Week, the Las Vegas-Clark CountyLibrary District is having an amnesty program beginning Monday, April 13 through Sunday, April 19. The program is intended to encourage the return of library materials by library users whose overdue fines are keeping them from coming back to the library. 

A cardholder must pay their outstanding balance in full in order to take advantage of the program. Fines and fees for lost, damaged or overdue materials owned by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District will be waived up to $25, upon payment in full of any remaining balance on the account. Simply stop by any of the Library District’s 24 convenient branches to take advantage of amnesty week.   Fines and charges will not be waived over the telephone.

Lost library cards will also be replaced free of charge.

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From the Road Warrior column: “Motorists can expect delays and lane restrictions through September on Tropicana Avenue, from Paradise Road to Interstate 15.” We experienced this first-hand, an almost-an-hour crawl going east on Trop from Valley View to the east side of the Strip. This construction delay is a 24-hour event. And switching to Flamingo isn’t a good alternative if it’s after 9 p.m. since there is lane closure there all night. Thank goodness for the DI Arterial, which is the best way to avoid traffic jams crossing the Strip. 

From Norm’s “Vegas Confidential” column, quoting Bill Maher: “The Federal Reserve says Americans last year lost $11 trillion dollars in household wealth. You know, that is our own stupid, greedy fault for putting money in banks. If we’d lost it in Las Vegas, they would have at least comped the room.”

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http://www.videopoker.com/ – Play all the IGT video poker games, including new ones like Quick Quads Poker and Ultimate X Poker.   Practice when there is no risk to your gambling bankroll. 

http://savelv.com/ - “Save Money on Las Vegas Hotels, Entertainment, Dining & Fun Things To Do.” You can subscribe to get daily updates by e-mail. 

www.lasvegasgamblingedge.com - Charles Lund has always been good at collecting information and putting it into lists that are helpful to gamblers who want to play smarter, especially video poker players. After being on various sites on the Internet, he now has his own Web site and information you might not find anywhere else, at least in such an organized fashion. As well as lists about casino promotions and benefits, he also has categories for detailed Las Vegas information, like Free Attractions.   I have added it to my “Favorites.” 

And if you want a comprehensive list of links to video poker information, subscribe to vpFREE at vpFREE-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

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Seen recently in the Las VegasReview-Journal, an ad for the newly-opened party place at the Santa Fe Station: “Stoney’s North Forty, A New Place to Sin in the Northwest.” 

Never mind that I didn’t ever like my hometown referred to as “Sin City.” And in my book, sinning is not a major goal that makes a life worthwhile -  but if it is done, it is best to keep it as private as possible. 

But I have tolerated the emphasis on public sinning in Vegas for a couple of years, like you tolerate the wild behavior of teenagers. You figure they will eventually outgrow such childish and superficial behaviors. 

But suddenly advertising like the aforementioned is getting to me. GROW UP, Las Vegas!!

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I get a lot of e-mails from players suggesting I speak to casino executives and see if I can get them to change things that they don’t like – the downgrading of video poker paytables, the cut in comps, the decline in customer service. I am flattered that they think, albeit mistakenly, I have that much influence – and in the past on occasion I have gone to bat for some player and helped right a wrong they suffered. But it was always a “little” thing. 

Today the problems casino customers are having are the result of mammoth casino problems brought about by the world economic meltdown. It is no longer as effective as it used to be for a customer to write to a casino executive about some complaint. He has much bigger things to worry about than the unhappiness of one player. 

If you are unhappy with the deep cuts at Harrah’s properties – and the gambling forums are full of the awful details of this “surgery” – you might find a recent article from the Wall Street Journal enlightening. I think many of us feel that casinos have a “license to steal” so they would never run out of money. “Harrah’s Changes Its Game” describes a company that is in desperate straits. 

I soak up as much information as I can about the casino side of gambling because that helps me figure out how I can be more successful on the player side. I realize that moaning and groaning about the cuts wastes my time. I find it is a better use of my time to constantly evaluate the situation.   Sometimes that means changing games, or changing casinos. It means always being flexible, not bemoaning what I used to be able to do but looking for new opportunities.

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People often ask me if there is any time you might NOT want to insert your casino players card when you are playing a slot machine. There are few of these times but here is a big one: DON’T USE THE CARD WHEN YOU ARE FEEDING IN COUNTERFEIT BILLS! 

I am hoping these less-than-brilliant crooks didn’t tell the judge that they were only following the advice of the Frugal Gambler.

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