Stiffs and Georges

“Good writing is economical. I try to keep it as simple, witty and civilized as possible.” — Sir Dirk Bogarde, actor, author and journalist.

For a couple of days I’ll be busy on the USA Today front, doing the first quarterly update of my online travel guides (Evil Dead the Musical out, Taylor Hicks in). I’ve not made any earth-shattering discoveries in my research, although I’ve discovered some upward price creep at rm Seafood. The morning was occupied with [...]

“It was not clear to me that the symbols that I have tattooed on my chest could have any connotations or even by used by Nazis and neo-Nazis.” — swastika-tattooed baritone (and world’s stupidest man, apparently) Yevgeny Nikitin, who was sacked by Germany’s Bayreuth Festival when Aryan-supremacy tramp stamps were discovered on his chest … [...]

“But there is surely something here: the notion that being privileged and conformist requires actual punishment of the marginalized and under-privileged; that you pick on younger, weaker boys, not older ones; and that you psychologically traumatize the victim by permanently marking his body.” — Andrew Sullivan, on a societally condoned activity [...]

Let’s start on the sunny side of the street. Voters in Kentucky, as expected, returned Gov. Steve Beshear (D, right) to office, clobbering two opponents. Given the probability that there will be a renewed push for casino gambling in Beshear’s second term (and sooner likelier than later), the big question is how Beshear will go [...]

“I have since decided that you can teach ethics … but you can’t teach behavior. People will do what people will do. And so it behooves us to pay attention to our employees’ beliefs and values. Because that is where their behavior comes from.” — Raving Service President (and resident tobbaconist) Steve [...]

“Everything is an ugly battle, and it’s sickening. We need to be spending money on education to get people jobs, not just saying no to everything. I want someone to come in with a plan, with some ideas. I don’t hear any of that anymore.” — unemployed foreclosure victim Rodger Moller, who’s [...]

Morgans Hotel Group may have skedaddled out of Las Vegas, tail firmly between legs, but it’s not free of trouble linked to its calamitous Sin City sojourn. During Morgans stewardship of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, it offered $300,000 a year (plus pricey perks) to Paris F. Hilton, for the sake of promoting the [...]

“I don’t know of an American president who’s resigned. There may have been one.” — radio host Michael Savage. Uhhh … ever hear tell of a fella called Richard Nixon? (I’m one of those Americans who made the mistake of believing Nixon was innocent, rendering the memory doubly fresh. Savage is 20 years my senior, [...]

“Smell of pot from chimney leads to record bust” — Philadelphia Inquirer
… and to a record buzz, no doubt.

“Usually it takes people a few days after they know me to not like me.” — Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn, in response to near-riot conditions at his Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board hearing.

Skies are back to battleship gray in Sin City, as we’re pelted with another round of rainstorms. However … last week’s four-day deluge may ruined the week for locals and conventioneers but weekenders reaped the benefits in the form of stunning, wraparound vistas of snowcapped mountains circling the Vegas Valley. I have no idea if [...]

“[Steve] Wynn on Switch renovation: ‘There’s nothing worse than a dead porte cochere.’ I often think this, don’t you?” — Steve Friess, from his Twitter feed.

“I really believe it is not a casino-hotel. I really would not be upset at all if people never visit Aria that live here.” — MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren, appearing on Jon Ralston’s Face to Face program.

“I have so much to do that I am going to bed.” — old Savoyard saying, to say nothing of my present state of mind.

Given the tremors that are coursing through the financial cosmos, due to the Dubai World restructuring, here are a few relevant paragraphs from J.P. Morgan’s recent rundown of the situation:

We think the direct implications of DW’s actions last week on CityCenter and MGM [Mirage] are de minimis. Dubai World has already fully funded its entire [...]

“Some of the worst things that happen in life are some of the things that turn out in a very positive way.” — Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), explaining why his extramarital shenanigans are, in fact, a Valuable Teaching Moment.