Steve Wynn CEO of Las Vegas' Wynn Resorts Unloads on O'biwan

[Selene]

And I'm saying it bluntly, that this administration is the greatest wet blanket to business, and progress and job creation in my lifetime.

Well, my customers and the companies that provide the vitality for the hospitality and restaurant industry, in the United States of America, they are frightened of this administration.

Well, this is Obama's deal and it's Obama that's responsible for this fear in America.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/wynn-ceo-steve-wynn-conference-call-transcript-obama-2011-7#ixzz1SVFO9o50

[studiodekadent]

I agree with Wynn's rant here, but lets get something straight;

I'm a regular visitor to Vegas and I'm planning on doing my PhD on the gambling industry, just for context, so I've looked at these subjects a lot.

Wynn is amazing at creating and maintaining his own image. However, like most real-world businesspeople (especially those in the gambling industry), he's a Corporatist toady.

Now, this is quite possibly due to necessity; he doesn't work in a free-market sector and he has to make do with the conditions that are in the market. But he, like most big Nevada businessespeople, is a Harry-Reid-supporting type that loves having politicians specifically look out for his own interests.

Phil Ruffin, owner of the Treasure Island, openly said in an interview that he voted for Reid because Harry held a convention at his hotel.

Jim Murren of MGM Resorts is a Republican for his own state but supports Reid for Nevada.

Basically, they all support the guy that brings home the pork (exception for Sheldon Adelson of Las Vegas Sands, but he's still a Corporatist; merely a Republican Corporatist). They suck up to the State (in general) and are NOT acting out of principled dedication to markets.

This sycophantic sucking up to the regime gets even worse when you look at the Macau market (which has Wynn and Adelson as very prominent players). Hearing them fawn over Fascist China (China's economic system is a clear case of hardcore Corporatism) is nauseating. The Chinese market for gambling is massive; they're clearly saying whatever they need to keep their institutions in good standing with the regime.

China does seem to have relatively simplistic regulation, but it does level brutal taxes. This of course shows an important point about creating a business environment; keep regulations simple and minimal and businesses will take a LOT of abuse. Even so, the point I'm making is that Wynn is by no means a Hank Rearden of Casinos.

That said, I have been to Wynn Macau on several occasions; I'm a member of their Player's Club and Wynn Macau is a fantastic resort. I love the place, amazing food, and one of very few casinos in Macau to give free alcohol to gamblers on the main floor. But I'm not going to pretend Wynn is someone he isn't.

[Selene]

I agree with Wynn's rant here, but lets get something straight;

...he's a Corporatist toady.

But he, like most big Nevada businesses people, is a Harry-Reid-supporting type that loves having politicians specifically look out for his own interests.

But I'm not going to pretend Wynn is someone he isn't.

Andrew:

Correct. Precisely why I posted it.

It is "primo" negative evidence.

How are you phrasing your Master's PHD thesis?f This is an area that interests me.

Adam

Edited July 19, 2011 by Selene

[studiodekadent]

Andrew:

Correct. Precisely why I posted it.

It is "primo" negative evidence.

How are you phrasing your Master's thesis?f This is an area that interests me.

My prospective PhD is going to be on my State's gambling market and its regulation. However, I've been a recreational blackjack player for a few years now and I tend to look at the business aspects of the gaming industry a lot.

[Selene]

Andrew:

Correct. Precisely why I posted it.

It is "primo" negative evidence.

How are you phrasing your Master's thesis?f This is an area that interests me.

My prospective PhD is going to be on my State's gambling market and its regulation. However, I've been a recreational blackjack player for a few years now and I tend to look at the business aspects of the gaming industry a lot.

Andrew:

I corrected my post to reflect PHD thesis, sorry for the oops on that.

My understanding is that they use three (3) decks in blackjack to combat, to some degree, the "card counter" player. Is that correct?

Adam

[Rich Engle]

And I'm saying it bluntly, that this administration is the greatest wet blanket to business, and progress and job creation in my lifetime.

Well, my customers and the companies that provide the vitality for the hospitality and restaurant industry, in the United States of America, they are frightened of this administration.

Well, this is Obama's deal and it's Obama that's responsible for this fear in America.

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz1SVFO9o50

[studiodekadent]

Andrew:

I corrected my post to reflect PHD thesis, sorry for the oops on that.

My understanding is that they use three (3) decks in blackjack to combat, to some degree, the "card counter" player. Is that correct?

Adam

Adam,

The number of decks used in Blackjack depends on various factors.

Most commonly, the game played is a multi-deck game. Typically these use 6 decks, some of these use 8 decks. Originally they used 4 decks but they increased the standard number to 6.

Double and Single deck games do still exist, but typically have higher minimums and/or tighter rules.

As for card counting, adding decks CAN help combat card counters. However, most card counters these days can easily count a multi-deck game. What's more important is how much of the cards are dealt before a reshuffle (this is called "penetration" and the deeper the penetration (more decks dealt before reshuffling) the better for a counter).

Some casinos will use lousy penetration ("lousy" being defined as 66% (4 decks dealt) in a 6 deck game) to foil counters.

Others will go so far as to use a Continuous Shuffle Machine (CSM) to do this. These actually lower the house margin very slightly, BUT they speed up the game by eliminating the need for reshuffling. The increase in game speed is worse for the player than the decrease in house margin.

That said, I'm not a counter, so I am happy to play against a CSM in certain circumstances (i.e. in Macau where the house edges on the blackjack are very low relative to Vegas). However, in general, I prefer a hand-shuffled game.

[PDS]

Wynn apparently like Picasso and votes Democratic.

He will never make a decent Objectivist.

[studiodekadent]

Wynn apparently like Picasso and votes Democratic.

He will never make a decent Objectivist.

Well, you don't HAVE to be a decent Objectivist to run a fantastic casino.

My favorite casino in Vegas, though, is actually Aria. It was designed by Cesar Pelli, who's architecture (think hyper-modern with an art-deco influence here and there) practically screams Howard Roark. Its run by MGM, who can be criticized for their share of screwups but they have fair blackjack rules at reasonable minimums with lots of free booze!

[Selene]

Wynn apparently like Picasso and votes Democratic.

He will never make a decent Objectivist.

Well, you don't HAVE to be a decent Objectivist to run a fantastic casino.

My favorite casino in Vegas, though, is actually Aria. It was designed by Cesar Pelli, who's architecture (think hyper-modern with an art-deco influence here and there) practically screams Howard Roark. Its run by MGM, who can be criticized for their share of screwups but they have fair blackjack rules at reasonable minimums with lots of free booze!

Damn this is one great looking complex Aria!

I will definitely be dropping in there when I go out west next spring or fall.

Thanks!

[studiodekadent]

Damn this is one great looking complex Aria!

I will definitely be dropping in there when I go out west next spring or fall.

Thanks!

No problem! Its gorgeous huh? Its actually more striking from the inside than the outside, if you believe me.

If you are there for Lunch, I must recommend eating at Julian Serrano (their Tapas joint). If dinner, either Serrano or Sage (Sage is a fantastic restaurant too).

Oh, and there's a casino if you like gambling.

[Selene]

Damn this is one great looking complex Aria!

I will definitely be dropping in there when I go out west next spring or fall.

Thanks!

No problem! Its gorgeous huh? Its actually more striking from the inside than the outside, if you believe me.

If you are there for Lunch, I must recommend eating at Julian Serrano (their Tapas joint). If dinner, either Serrano or Sage (Sage is a fantastic restaurant too).

Oh, and there's a casino if you like gambling.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions. Additionally, I would not go to Vegas without dabbling at the tables.

[studiodekadent]

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions. Additionally, I would not go to Vegas without dabbling at the tables.

Good. Well, learn blackjack Basic Strategy (www.wizardofodds.com is a great resource). Make sure you have a blast!

[tjc999]

My favorite casino in Vegas, though, is actually Aria. It was designed by Cesar Pelli, who's architecture (think hyper-modern with an art-deco influence here and there) practically screams Howard Roark.

Not to get off-track here, but excellent point! Yes, it's very Roarkian in its form-follows-function aspect, with a touch of the Vegas architectural extremism thrown in. Hmm... perhaps Vegas is one of the few places where an architect's vision can really run wild.

[Selene]

My favorite casino in Vegas, though, is actually Aria. It was designed by Cesar Pelli, who's architecture (think hyper-modern with an art-deco influence here and there) practically screams Howard Roark.

Not to get off-track here, but excellent point! Yes, it's very Roarkian in its form-follows-function aspect, with a touch of the Vegas architectural extremism thrown in. Hmm... perhaps Vegas is one of the few places where an architect's vision can really run wild.

When I was looking at some of Pelli's works and any link to Roark, I ran across this charming piece!

<div class="post">

OPP: Objectivist Pre-Postmodernism, or Masculine Erections

Friday, December 26th, 2008 <div class="entry"> It seems sometimes like one out of every ten times somebody finds out that you are an architect, they bring up Ayn Rand’s the Fountainhead. Well, under the theme of Hubris, it was the perfect time to explore the book/movie’s relation to the profession. I definitely didn’t say all I could about it, but here’s what I wrote in 2006.

The Fountainhead (1949), 114 minutes

“King Vidor turned Ayn Rand’s preposterous “philosophical” novel into one of his finest and most personal films, mainly by pushing the phallic imagery so hard that it surpasses Rand’s rightist diatribes and even camp (“I wish I’d never seen your skyscraper!”), entering some uncharted dimension where melodrama and metaphysics exist side by side.”

– Dave Kehr, The Chicago Reader

“Any move I would make against such grossly abusive caricature of my work by this film crew would only serve their purpose. They belie the one decent thesis of The Fountainhead, the inalienable right of the individual to the integrity of his idea. It is best to laugh.”

– Frank Lloyd Wright

This book (and by proxy, this movie as adapted by Ayn Rand herself) may be the saddest, most infantile, pretentious, illogical, asocial, wrongheaded, and just plain nonsensical thing ever associated with the architectural profession. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Ms. Rand’s book has remained in print for decades, during which time it has sold millions of copies and may have (frighteningly) held sway over almost as many people. It is also no stretch to say that the conception of the architect as depicted by this book and movie has pervaded our collective self-image, even if it just mans a post on the far side of that spectrum.

In fact, it isn’t hard to get the sense that most people still see the architect in the Howard Roark-ian sense: as a hyper-masculine (in the Western, heteronormative sense) Übermensch who has an unyieldingly rigid phallus, err—I mean, sense of right or wrong, a dictatorial relationship to his perceived lessers, and who is generally disdainful of popular aesthetic taste. Potency, in particular the male sexual kind, via the popular image of the architect was extremely well documented in a brilliant essay by Nancy Levinson in the book Architecture and Film (Mark Lamster, ed.). Not only does this raise the issue of the place of femininity within architecture (as it stood in 1949 and today), but it serves as an introduction into thinking about what exactly is the power of the architect. Power, roughly defined, is the ability of a person to change their environment. In that sense, power and architect could be synonyms. This season’s film series, “Hubris,” looks to examine the architect, his power, and the responsibility that comes concurrent.

But, Frank Lloyd Wright, upon whom the protagonist Howard Roark was based, may have prescribed the pithiest advice towards The Fountainhead: “It is best to laugh.” And laugh we shall.

(originally written 9/11/2006)

[studiodekadent]

My favorite casino in Vegas, though, is actually Aria. It was designed by Cesar Pelli, who's architecture (think hyper-modern with an art-deco influence here and there) practically screams Howard Roark.

Not to get off-track here, but excellent point! Yes, it's very Roarkian in its form-follows-function aspect, with a touch of the Vegas architectural extremism thrown in. Hmm... perhaps Vegas is one of the few places where an architect's vision can really run wild.

When I was looking at some of Pelli's works and any link to Roark, I ran across this charming piece!

<div class="post">

OPP: Objectivist Pre-Postmodernism, or Masculine Erections

Friday, December 26th, 2008 <div class="entry"> It seems sometimes like one out of every ten times somebody finds out that you are an architect, they bring up Ayn Rand’s the Fountainhead. Well, under the theme of Hubris, it was the perfect time to explore the book/movie’s relation to the profession. I definitely didn’t say all I could about it, but here’s what I wrote in 2006.

The Fountainhead (1949), 114 minutes

“King Vidor turned Ayn Rand’s preposterous “philosophical” novel into one of his finest and most personal films, mainly by pushing the phallic imagery so hard that it surpasses Rand’s rightist diatribes and even camp (“I wish I’d never seen your skyscraper!”), entering some uncharted dimension where melodrama and metaphysics exist side by side.”

– Dave Kehr, The Chicago Reader

“Any move I would make against such grossly abusive caricature of my work by this film crew would only serve their purpose. They belie the one decent thesis of The Fountainhead, the inalienable right of the individual to the integrity of his idea. It is best to laugh.”

– Frank Lloyd Wright

This book (and by proxy, this movie as adapted by Ayn Rand herself) may be the saddest, most infantile, pretentious, illogical, asocial, wrongheaded, and just plain nonsensical thing ever associated with the architectural profession. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Ms. Rand’s book has remained in print for decades, during which time it has sold millions of copies and may have (frighteningly) held sway over almost as many people. It is also no stretch to say that the conception of the architect as depicted by this book and movie has pervaded our collective self-image, even if it just mans a post on the far side of that spectrum.

In fact, it isn’t hard to get the sense that most people still see the architect in the Howard Roark-ian sense: as a hyper-masculine (in the Western, heteronormative sense) Übermensch who has an unyieldingly rigid phallus, err—I mean, sense of right or wrong, a dictatorial relationship to his perceived lessers, and who is generally disdainful of popular aesthetic taste. Potency, in particular the male sexual kind, via the popular image of the architect was extremely well documented in a brilliant essay by Nancy Levinson in the book Architecture and Film (Mark Lamster, ed.). Not only does this raise the issue of the place of femininity within architecture (as it stood in 1949 and today), but it serves as an introduction into thinking about what exactly is the power of the architect. Power, roughly defined, is the ability of a person to change their environment. In that sense, power and architect could be synonyms. This season’s film series, “Hubris,” looks to examine the architect, his power, and the responsibility that comes concurrent.

But, Frank Lloyd Wright, upon whom the protagonist Howard Roark was based, may have prescribed the pithiest advice towards The Fountainhead: “It is best to laugh.” And laugh we shall.

(originally written 9/11/2006)

What a truly charming piece! Honestly, its the perfect summary of about 85 to 90% of Rand-bashing; smarmy self-satisfaction meets moral denunciation meets vicious innuendos and loaded language, without ever actually levelling a serious proposition against the book.

Oh, except one; the usual "Rand was gender-traditional" criticism, which is half-correct but not entirely true. Rand's men typically had desk jobs and were primarily intellectually competent. Their physical competence only was there as a formality and generally wasn't heavily emphasized. They were Apollonian Masculine rather than "GAAAAAARRR! I EAT BRICKS!!!!"

But, then again, such a smug and idiotic piece would never deal with Rand's ideas in a comprehensive and nuanced, or even honest, manner.