Today, Maryland will open the doors to it's fifth gambling house, The Horseshoe Casino. This latest casino, in downtown Baltimore, is located on Russell Street, a short distance from M&T Bank Stadium and Camden Yards.
It seems just like yesterday, when Bob Erhlich was Governor, Baltimore's former Mayor Martin Owe'Malley described casinos as a "morally bankrupt" way to fund education*. But now he seems to think that they're the best thing to hit Maryland since the steamed crab. Let's face it, casinos are a cash cow. And if a new casino stops Owe'Malley from raising my taxes for a week, I guess I should be OK with it.
The current Mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, has plans on using tax revenue from the Horseshoe to reduce property taxes and to increase funding for school buildings and recreation centers around the city **. Yeah, I think we've heard this story before. Two years from now, Baltimore will have new financial woes and will be raising those same property taxes to fund education, build new rec centers, blah, blah, blah....
Will there be big money flowing through Baltimore's latest attraction? Without a doubt. However, I expect to see a slew of problems follow closely behind. For instance, the Horseshoe is located a short distance from thousands of low-income residents. These are the very people who should not be gambling. But recent studies tell us that these folks will be very likely to get lured into those ever-elusive slot-machine jackpots. And those most at risk for gambling addiction are low-income/low-education, single black and Hispanic males between the ages of 18 and 29. A quarter of Baltimore's residents already live below the poverty line. What effect will the enticement of thousands of brightly lit slot machines have on these people?
The Horseshoe Casino cost almost a half billion dollars to build. And that will likely be a drop in the bucket to the amount of money it will generate.
And as if Baltimore doesn't have it's share of crime problems, the attraction of people walking in and out of the casino with wads of cash will prove to be a bit too enticing for the average street thug. I can already see unsuspecting tourists getting rolled by moped gangs.The new casino will likely turn into another urban babysitting adventure for many of Baltimore's patrol cops.
And let's not overlook to the traffic issue. With the added congestion due to the casino, can you imagine the backups you're going to hit when the Orioles or Ravens are in town? Tonight, the O's have a game at Camden Yards and there is already a strong urging to use to light rail to get downtown.
The location itself is a bit surprising to me. If you've ever driven into the city via Russell Street, I think you agree that it's not exactly the "scenic route". I guess the planners were trying to capture some that Atlantic City spirit?
Personally, I'm not much of gambler. My idea of "high-rolling" consists of putting $20 on a game of Keno at The Greene Turtle. But if you want to throw some money at a craps table or slots machine, be my guest. But just remember, Maryland might be the "Free State", but be sure to bring your wallet...
kw
* http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-08-22/news/bs-ed-maryland-gambling-20120822_1_casino-backer-convenience-casinos-sixth-casino
** http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/with-the-horseshoe-casino-baltimore-adds-to-the-urban-gambling-jackpot/2014/08/25/3b0ae492-28a3-11e4-8593-da634b334390_story.html
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Ferguson Rages On
Watching all of the events unfold in Ferguson, Missouri over the past week has left my head spinning. But as the investigation rolls on, it's appearing more likely that the cop in this case, Officer Darren Wilson, was justified in the shooting death of Michael Brown.
I read a recent report* that stated Wilson suffered a orbital fracture of the eye socket from being punched by Brown. According to the report, Wilson was severely beaten, almost to point of unconsciousness just before the shooting. When Wilson subsequently pointed his handgun at Brown and informed him that he was under arrest, Brown allegedly charged at Wilson. And that's where the party ended for Brown. If this is indeed true, it's going to be hard to sympathize with the "gentle giant", especially if he charged at Wilson after crushing his face. But even if all signs point to a justified police shooting, I suspect that the protests will continue.
I'm sorry folks, the "No Justice No Peace" mantra is sounding more and more like a load of bullshit in this case. If the cop turns out to be vindicated, then what? Do we continue to torch and loot the town because we didn't get our desired outcome? What bothers me about this whole situation is that these protesters had already convicted this cop before the first shred of evidence came in. And the media, doing what they do best, continued to fuel the narrative to combustible levels.
After two autopsies had already been conducted, Attorney General Eric Holder, called for a third one by federal medical examiners. My first question is.....How do you effectively do a third autopsy? It seems that after the first one, the evidence would have already been "tampered" with. And if all the autopsies are telling us the same story, at what point do we accept the results and move on to the next step?
Speaking of Eric Holder, here's another related tidbit. When it was discovered that a video existed of Michael Brown robbing and bullying a convenience store owner shortly before the shooting, the Justice Department urged the police department not to release it**. They said that it might "inflame tensions". Inflame tensions? How? By showing that this kid wasn't the choirboy that they wanted you to believe? So, we now have the man who initially tried to squash the facts is now in charge of the federal investigation. What could possibly go wrong?
I wonder why anyone would want to become a cop these days. They go out and put their lives on the line everyday only to be thrown to the wolves when they're forced to defend themselves. It's kind like soldiers who are thrown into a war zone only to have their hands tied behind their backs with the "rules of engagement". Speaking of which, it will be interesting to see what will happen in Ferguson now that the National Guard has moved in.
A Grand Jury will begin to hear testimony today to determine if there's enough evidence to bring charges against Officer Brown. If they decide not to indict him, watch out because all hell's gonna break loose.....
kw
* - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/20/missouri-cop-was-badly-beaten-before-shooting-michael-brown-says-source/
** - http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/feds-urged-police-not-release-michael-brown-robbery-video-n182346
I read a recent report* that stated Wilson suffered a orbital fracture of the eye socket from being punched by Brown. According to the report, Wilson was severely beaten, almost to point of unconsciousness just before the shooting. When Wilson subsequently pointed his handgun at Brown and informed him that he was under arrest, Brown allegedly charged at Wilson. And that's where the party ended for Brown. If this is indeed true, it's going to be hard to sympathize with the "gentle giant", especially if he charged at Wilson after crushing his face. But even if all signs point to a justified police shooting, I suspect that the protests will continue.
I'm sorry folks, the "No Justice No Peace" mantra is sounding more and more like a load of bullshit in this case. If the cop turns out to be vindicated, then what? Do we continue to torch and loot the town because we didn't get our desired outcome? What bothers me about this whole situation is that these protesters had already convicted this cop before the first shred of evidence came in. And the media, doing what they do best, continued to fuel the narrative to combustible levels.
After two autopsies had already been conducted, Attorney General Eric Holder, called for a third one by federal medical examiners. My first question is.....How do you effectively do a third autopsy? It seems that after the first one, the evidence would have already been "tampered" with. And if all the autopsies are telling us the same story, at what point do we accept the results and move on to the next step?
Speaking of Eric Holder, here's another related tidbit. When it was discovered that a video existed of Michael Brown robbing and bullying a convenience store owner shortly before the shooting, the Justice Department urged the police department not to release it**. They said that it might "inflame tensions". Inflame tensions? How? By showing that this kid wasn't the choirboy that they wanted you to believe? So, we now have the man who initially tried to squash the facts is now in charge of the federal investigation. What could possibly go wrong?
I wonder why anyone would want to become a cop these days. They go out and put their lives on the line everyday only to be thrown to the wolves when they're forced to defend themselves. It's kind like soldiers who are thrown into a war zone only to have their hands tied behind their backs with the "rules of engagement". Speaking of which, it will be interesting to see what will happen in Ferguson now that the National Guard has moved in.
A Grand Jury will begin to hear testimony today to determine if there's enough evidence to bring charges against Officer Brown. If they decide not to indict him, watch out because all hell's gonna break loose.....
kw
* - http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/20/missouri-cop-was-badly-beaten-before-shooting-michael-brown-says-source/
** - http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/feds-urged-police-not-release-michael-brown-robbery-video-n182346
Monday, August 18, 2014
Ferguson On Fire
The other morning, I turn on the TV as I'm taking my first sip of coffee. My mind was still in a bit of a slumber. As the television came to life, it greeted me with a scene of total chaos. Smoke was bellowing through the crowded street as police in riot gear dodged Molotov cocktails and other projectiles from the angry mob. I assumed it was just another violent clash between the Israelis and Palestinians halfway across the world.
But as the news caption appeared on the bottom of the TV screen, I saw that this clash was actually in our own backyard, in Ferguson, Missouri. The recent violence is a reaction from a recent police shooting in which an unarmed black teenager was killed by the police. The details from the investigation are still coming in.
The media, once again, inflamed emotions as they initially reported that the teenager was basically a college-bound choirboy. A few days later, however, a video appeared which showed the 300-pound choirboy shoving a small convenience store owner around as he walked off with his stolen goods. This reporting is similar to the way the media initially reported the Trayvon Martin incident.
As a result of the all attention and racial tensions in Ferguson, media whores Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson quickly entered the scene. These two guys are absolutely worthless in these situations. Instead of helping to calm racial tensions, they only them inflame them. If these two assholes really wanted to do something for blacks, maybe they should address the widespread black-on-black violence that occurs in inner cities all over America. But, of course, there's no one to shake down for a profit in most of those situations.
The name of the cop involved in the Ferguson shooting was initially withheld for concern of his safety. Although the cop's name was eventually released, there haven't been any photos that I'm aware of. Since this story has been spun as "another white cop shoots an unarmed black man", wouldn't it be ironic is the cop happens to be black? I wonder what Super Jesse's response would be to that?
Speaking of the identity of the cop, some irresponsible media outlets went as far as showing the cop's home. If something happens to this cop as a result of this, these media sources should be held directly responsible.
With more looting occurring over the weekend, police were, more or less, told to stand down and try to "keep order" by let the looters do their thing. Meanwhile, most store owners had to stand back and let their businesses be ransacked. Some store owners, however, picked up their own guns and stood in front of their stores, refusing to become the next looting victim.
What is the purpose of all the looting anyway? A unarmed teenager gets shot by the police. Ok, I get why that would produce a reaction. But does it really make sense to steal from and vandalize the local businesses that had absolutely nothing to do with it? And let's be honest here. Most of these looters couldn't care less about the shooting victim. Instead, they're just using this unfortunate incident to get some free stuff.
As a result of the escalating violence in Ferguson, a curfew has been implemented and the National Guard has been called in.
The rioting is a by-product of the "No Justice No Peace" mantra that we've seen before in these situations. Is the reaction justified? I don't know, maybe we should wait and see if the shooting was justified first?
No doubt, to be continued........
kw
The media, once again, inflamed emotions as they initially reported that the teenager was basically a college-bound choirboy. A few days later, however, a video appeared which showed the 300-pound choirboy shoving a small convenience store owner around as he walked off with his stolen goods. This reporting is similar to the way the media initially reported the Trayvon Martin incident.
As a result of the all attention and racial tensions in Ferguson, media whores Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson quickly entered the scene. These two guys are absolutely worthless in these situations. Instead of helping to calm racial tensions, they only them inflame them. If these two assholes really wanted to do something for blacks, maybe they should address the widespread black-on-black violence that occurs in inner cities all over America. But, of course, there's no one to shake down for a profit in most of those situations.
The name of the cop involved in the Ferguson shooting was initially withheld for concern of his safety. Although the cop's name was eventually released, there haven't been any photos that I'm aware of. Since this story has been spun as "another white cop shoots an unarmed black man", wouldn't it be ironic is the cop happens to be black? I wonder what Super Jesse's response would be to that?
Speaking of the identity of the cop, some irresponsible media outlets went as far as showing the cop's home. If something happens to this cop as a result of this, these media sources should be held directly responsible.
With more looting occurring over the weekend, police were, more or less, told to stand down and try to "keep order" by let the looters do their thing. Meanwhile, most store owners had to stand back and let their businesses be ransacked. Some store owners, however, picked up their own guns and stood in front of their stores, refusing to become the next looting victim.
What is the purpose of all the looting anyway? A unarmed teenager gets shot by the police. Ok, I get why that would produce a reaction. But does it really make sense to steal from and vandalize the local businesses that had absolutely nothing to do with it? And let's be honest here. Most of these looters couldn't care less about the shooting victim. Instead, they're just using this unfortunate incident to get some free stuff.
As a result of the escalating violence in Ferguson, a curfew has been implemented and the National Guard has been called in.
The rioting is a by-product of the "No Justice No Peace" mantra that we've seen before in these situations. Is the reaction justified? I don't know, maybe we should wait and see if the shooting was justified first?
No doubt, to be continued........
kw
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Passing Out & Catching Fire - Games Kids Play
Just when you think you've heard it all, another tale of idiocy smacks you right across the forehead. Apparently, there are some new games that the kiddies are playing these days. Let's start out with something they call the "pass-out game".
Now, when I first heard about the pass-out game, I figured it was just some teenagers who were experimenting with alcohol. Hey, most of us remember that cheap thrill of downing a 16-ounce can of malt liquor. But this is way beyond that. Apparently, in a twisted attempt to get high, kids are now strangling themselves! Yes, that's right. They're finding creative ways to cut off the blood supply to the brain with the ultimate goal of losing consciousness. Although the asphyxiation is usually self-induced, in some cases, "friends" will assist in putting you to sleep. These are probably the same friends who will draw all over your face with a Sharpie while you're passed out.
Using popular social media sites like Facebook and YouTube, teens are video-recording their pass-out adventures and posting them online. As a result, the game is gaining popularity. Peer pressure is a contributing factor as some kids view the game as a rite of passage. Remember the good ol' days when Little League was considered a rite of passage?
In some cases, the kids will pass out and wind up cracking their head on the floor. I heard of one girl who passed out and fell through a glass table. She wound up severing an artery in her neck and ultimately died. There have been over 80 reported deaths from this insanity since 1995. By the way, if this "game" has been around for almost 20 years, why am I just hearing about it? I guess I need to start paying closer attention to the news....
As if this wasn't crazy enough, I've also read about another group of Darwin Award candidates who are participating in something called the "fire challenge". The object of this game is to pour a flammable liquid onto your skin and then light yourself on fire. No, I'm not making this up. In most cases, the kids are able to quickly extinguish the flames before any major damage is done. But some unfortunately fools aren't so lucky and wind up with serious burns. As with the pass-out game, teens are quick to post their flaming exploits online. A recent YouTube search on the term "fire challenge" brought up up tens or thousands of videos.
Fire prevention representatives are asking parents and teens to sit down and talk about the consequences of the fire challenge. So, we now have to sit down with teenagers and explain that fire is hot? Are you kidding me? I guess while we're explaining the dangers of fire, we should also inform them that food and water are essential to sustain life. No sense in assuming anything here.....
kw
Now, when I first heard about the pass-out game, I figured it was just some teenagers who were experimenting with alcohol. Hey, most of us remember that cheap thrill of downing a 16-ounce can of malt liquor. But this is way beyond that. Apparently, in a twisted attempt to get high, kids are now strangling themselves! Yes, that's right. They're finding creative ways to cut off the blood supply to the brain with the ultimate goal of losing consciousness. Although the asphyxiation is usually self-induced, in some cases, "friends" will assist in putting you to sleep. These are probably the same friends who will draw all over your face with a Sharpie while you're passed out.
Using popular social media sites like Facebook and YouTube, teens are video-recording their pass-out adventures and posting them online. As a result, the game is gaining popularity. Peer pressure is a contributing factor as some kids view the game as a rite of passage. Remember the good ol' days when Little League was considered a rite of passage?
In some cases, the kids will pass out and wind up cracking their head on the floor. I heard of one girl who passed out and fell through a glass table. She wound up severing an artery in her neck and ultimately died. There have been over 80 reported deaths from this insanity since 1995. By the way, if this "game" has been around for almost 20 years, why am I just hearing about it? I guess I need to start paying closer attention to the news....
As if this wasn't crazy enough, I've also read about another group of Darwin Award candidates who are participating in something called the "fire challenge". The object of this game is to pour a flammable liquid onto your skin and then light yourself on fire. No, I'm not making this up. In most cases, the kids are able to quickly extinguish the flames before any major damage is done. But some unfortunately fools aren't so lucky and wind up with serious burns. As with the pass-out game, teens are quick to post their flaming exploits online. A recent YouTube search on the term "fire challenge" brought up up tens or thousands of videos.
Fire prevention representatives are asking parents and teens to sit down and talk about the consequences of the fire challenge. So, we now have to sit down with teenagers and explain that fire is hot? Are you kidding me? I guess while we're explaining the dangers of fire, we should also inform them that food and water are essential to sustain life. No sense in assuming anything here.....
kw