• Anti-gambling prick Rep. Steve King (R-IA) may find himself under investigation. Unfortunately, he’s not being investigated for being an anti-gambling prick. But it might remove one more obstacle to online poker.
• The online-gambling world wet its panties last weekend over the (dubiously sourced) prospect of the U.S. Department of Justice OK’ing a Full Tilt Poker buyout of PokerStars, theoretically enabling Full Tilt to re-enter the U.S. market. This was fueled mainly by chat-room chaff and a self-serving statement by PokerStars spokesman Eric Hollreiser. Supposedly, Full Tilt will pony up $420 million for PokerStars plus $330 million to cover unpaid winnings. “[C]ustomers will see their monies well in time for Christmas shopping,” trilled reporter Wendeen Eolis. (Note that the $330 million payout would still leave $60 million worth of winnings hanging in the breeze.)
While there is no truth to the rumor that I was present at the Battle of the Marne, I do recall something about World War I being “over by Christmas.” And that’s also what they said just before a little skirmish we like to call the Battle of the Bulge. Even Eolis herself appeared to be backpedaling yesterday. “Temperance” has been encouraged among online punters … like that’s gonna happen.
Elsewhere in town … I hear terrible things about the new Michael Jackson “tribute” show at The Rio, MJ Live. My wife and niece saw it and were alternately convulsed and appalled. Among the listed failings: terrible makeup, lots of crotch-grabbing before an audience full of kids and inept lip-synching. And, as my niece said, “His shirt looked like it was from Walmart — and it had stains on it!” Stay classy, Rio.
The Spiral Staircase. No sooner had I singled out The D‘s Vue Bar as an excellent people-watching spot in USA Today, but owner Derek Stevens had to go and rip the place to shreds. The already small balcony will be further truncated to make room for a winding staircase up from Fremont Street (maybe not such a good idea if you’re ever seen the size of a Saturday-night mob on Fremont). And if the (incredibly affordable) beer prices go up, Mr. Stevens, you might be off the list altogether.
As inevitable as yesterday’s sunrise, the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge bypassing Hoover Dam has become a suicide magnet. Now, at four fatalities in two years, it’s nowhere near the actuarial risk posed by the Golden Gate Bridge (21 suicides per year, on average). However, everyone should have seen this coming and the idea of a 54-inch-barrier constituting a sufficient deterrent would be comical were it not so tragic.
As for the Tillman Bridge fix, just remove the walk way and make it a long (monitored) walk up to the bridge … this is why we can’t have nice things.
The walk way on the Tillman Bridge was one of our trip highlights, truly amazing and scary. When you cross the actual bridge by car, you can’t see anything. People who want to die badly enough will figure out ways no matter what.