2/5/2024
My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,
How are things in Las Vegas? I just saw the good news that the Culinary Union made a deal with the Downtown Grand Hotel so the workers don’t have to strike. Now you don’t have to decide whether to join them on the picket line. How do you feel about that?
I am not a fan of Las Vegas. It brings out the worst in people. The cityscape is totally unnatural, especially all the fountains, canals & waterfalls. I’ve been to a few conferences there & can’t stand walking through the gaming areas where addicts play the slots with a cigarette in one hand & a drink in the other. They don’t even crack a smile when they hit a jackpot. They just pull on the arm again because the masterminds who program the machines employ a sophisticated schedule of variable reinforcement to reward that behavior. According to the Haynes Clinic, “The slots are set up to perform a massive 500 spins or more each hour.” The lack of clocks or daylight makes players lose all sense of time. They get mesmerized by the machine & the false belief that eventually their investment will pay off. What a nightmare!
Speaking of nightmares, I was disturbed to see that the WSJ ran a piece with the headline, “Welcome to Dearborn, America’s Jihad Capital.” Thanks for calling them out on that!
Do you think we are perpetuating a “Forever War” by our attacks on Iraq, Syria & Iran? According to the WP, “Analysts are skeptical that the U.S. strikes will achieve any considerable strategic goals.” Let’s stop bombing the Houthis now. Otherwise, we are like the slot machine addicts who keep thinking we are going to win, but never will.
As my Friends say, in war EVERYONE always loses. Please keep that in mind.
Speaking of which, I hope you heard that the Burmese Border patrol in the Rahkine state, fled into Bangladesh’s Bandarban district because the conflict between the junta & Arakan Army has gotten so bad. Please continue to monitor the situation.
BYBS,
