June 2009

The Pros & Cons of a Casino in Iowa

l3wis June 28, 2009 10Comments

casino

There was two very well written letters in the Gargoyle Leader yesterday about the pros and cons of a large scale casino in Larchwood.

In the letter that was against the casino I found this statement encouraging, not negative;

The report goes on to say that “Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) are located in bars and bar/ restaurants throughout South Dakota, including a total of 1,551 VLTs in Minnehaha County, which is the Sioux Falls area. These VLTs in Minnehaha generated net win of more than $66 million last year, or about $500 per adult resident. From this data it is clear that the propensity to gamble among Sioux Falls area residents is already quite high, although a relatively small proportion of this gaming flows to area casinos due to their distance from Sioux Falls.”

GVA Marquette Advisors believes that a new Iowa casino will shift gaming patrons from VLTs in Sioux Falls to the new casino. The company says: “From our analysis, we would expect a new casino at Lyon County would have a significant impact upon VLT revenues in south[eastern] SD, particularly in the Sioux Falls area, as more of those gaming dollars would be spent at the casino, which would offer a much more appealing facility and overall gaming experience.”

While beauracrats and development big wigs see this as a bad thing, I think it is a very positive thing. Video Lottery is a horrible way to fund government, not to mention all the crime and other social costs it brings. Anything to reduce the number of VL casinos in Sioux Falls is a move in the right direction, for society. Pierre might not like it, but who gives a shit what they think? It might finally force them to get rid of the awful funding source once and for all.

As for the pro-casino letter, I found this statement at the end of the letter very telling about how South Dakota and Sioux Falls politicians like to do business; their way or the highway;

We need to look at every so-called threat and find the opportunity. I would like to personally extend a hand across the river to the economic development team representing Sioux Falls to meet in person to work together in making our area within 100 miles of Sioux Falls the best place to work, live, play and raise a family.

Good luck with that Iowa. Our city council and county commissioners can’t even work together, what makes you think you will be able to work with them? Don’t get me wrong, I agree 100%, we should work together. Instead trying to create stupid legislation and denegrating Iowa in the media, Sioux Falls should embrace this casino, and make it a partnership effort. Sour grapes won’t help either of us.

But I’m not holding my breath. Now excuse me while I bang my head against the wall.

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Oh, by the way, a REAL icon died yesterday

l3wis June 26, 2009 12Comments

RIP Farrah

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Thoughts on Michael Jackson

michael-jackson-mugshot

I hadn’t seen anything on here about Michael Jackson’s death. So, I thought I’d add my two cents from Misery…

Thriller was the first album I experienced as an album. What I mean is that besides wearing it out on the turntable, I read the liner notes from cover to cover, sought out any reviews or insights into the album’s back story, and studied the lyric sheet to the point of obsession. I credit much of my love of the album to Michael Jackson.

But that’s where it ends.

I outgrew Michael Jackson. As transcendent a performer as he was, I could not continue to follow the silly cartoon circus that was Michael Jackson’s life. Of course, I had no idea of the turn his life and career would actually take.

I’m not even going to get into the weird here. We all know about the plastic surgery, the ridiculous spending sprees, and the odd names he gave his children. Michael Jackson did enough over his fifty years to make Latoya look sane. Now that’s starting something.

What I can’t get over is how everyone has conveniently ignored his pedophilia. Sure, Jackson was never convicted of a crime, but charges and lawsuits were brought against him several times. He bought off some of the accusers. There’s a lot of evidence that suggests he sexually abused young boys. He was just rich enough to get away with it.

I still think it’s OK to love his music or reminisce about our days in grade school, moonwalking in our living rooms. However, this admiration should be tempered with the fact that the man was a pedophile. One does not go without the other.

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