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People always tell you how much they win in Vegas, not how much they lost....
ALOHA FRIDAY
September 30
It's Aloha Friday.
The 9Th Island
Some years back people from Hawaii started referring to Las Vegas as the ninth Island.
That seems appropriate in many ways. The Hawaiian population in Las Vegas has grown, and continues to grow. The weather can be hot, very much like Hawaii . . . but at times it can be quite cold causing Hawaiian visitors to pack a jacket or a sweater that, unless they live up by Mauna Kea or up by Haleakalau, they rarely have use for at home. And, Las Vegas is an island. An island surrounded by sand and desert rather than ocean.
Several of the casinos and hotels in Las Vegas have learned which side of their Portuguese sweetbread their guava jam is on. They cater heavily to Hawaiians. They're the place to go for saimin, kalbi, ox-tail soup, etc etc. These are the places where aloha shirts look totally at home.
Every-time the issue of permitting gambling in Hawaii comes up, rumors fly that the casinos in Las Vegas are contributing heavily to make that issue disappear. Well, why not? Tons and tons of money flies over to Las Vegas each year as Hawaiians go to play Wheel of Fortune and other one-arm-bandit type games. Flights are kept cheap from the original eight islands to the ninth island. Hawaiians return home, pockets a little lighter, but suitcases stuffed full of pipikaula. And they also bring back the stories of how they just missed the big jackpot. Or of how they did hit a big one, "but put 'em all back".
The ninth island needs to stay just where it is. If it's attractions were brought to the other eight islands, people would lose even more money. Right now the ninth island is a dreamland. A place Hawaiians look forward to going to each year. A place where they wander the streets and casinos, take photograph after photograph to post on their Facebook or Flickr pages, and chow down on the grinds at the buffets. And when they return, they can start dreaming about their next visit. And on that one maybe they'll finally hit the Big One.
Much aloha.
check out Michael's website at http://www.michaelherr.com/ buy all six books for only $18
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4 comments:
via Facebook;"I'm no big fan of gambling (my best machine in Vegas is the ATM where at least I always break even), but I'm also no fan of prohibition.
Most people who gamble a bit do so responsibly and the losses are the price of entertainment (if that'...s their thing; I'd much rather sip a Mai Tai on one of Kauai's premier North Shore beaches).
I'm not in favor of Big Government outlawing vices for everyone because of the few who can't handle it and can't take personal responsibility for the consequences."
Doug, I totally agree, prohibition just doesn't work... Hawaii doesn't even allow Bingo or have a state lottery, yet cockfighting for money is overlooked by the authorities because it's a "cultural thing."
via facebook;"Yeah, Kimo, agreed.
I personally can't imagine going to a tropical paradise like Kaua‘i to gamble when there are beaches and razorback cliff trails to enjoy and explore -- much better left to a desert wasteland like Nevada where there is no...thing else to do -- but I am a big believer in personal freedom and making sure that government is restricted to PUBLIC policy (but insisting that it not abdicate its legitimate public policy roles)."
Doug, Kauai can't even have church bingo! But chicken fights happen all over underground....actually a good future blog will tell of the underground killing of chickens, just place your bet.
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