Old San Francisco, which is the San Francisco of only the other day, the day before the Earthquake, was divided midway by the Slot. The Slot was an iron crack that ran along the centre of Market Street, and from the Slot arose the burr of the ceaseless, endless cable that was hitched at will to the cars it dragged up and down. In truth, there were two slots, but in the quick grammar of the West time was saved by calling them, and much more that they stood for, “The Slot.” North of the Slot were the theatres, hotels, and shopping district, the banks and the staid, respectable business houses. South of the Slot were the factories, slums, laundries, machine-shops, boiler works, and the abodes of the working class.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once synonymous with steel. But after the factories closed, the city bet its future on a new industry: casino gambling. On the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant, thousands of flashing slot machines and digital bells replaced the fires in the blast furnaces and the shift change whistles of the industrial workplace. From Steel to Slots tells the story of a city struggling to make sense of the ways in which local jobs, landscapes, and identities are transformed by global capitalism. Postindustrial redevelopment often makes a clean break with a city’s rusted past. In Bethlehem, where the new casino is industrial-themed, the city’s heritage continues to dominate the built environment and infuse everyday experiences. Through the voices of steelworkers, casino dealers, preservationists, immigrants, and executives, Chloe Taft examines the ongoing legacies of corporate presence and urban development in a small city—and their uneven effects. Today, multinational casino corporations increasingly act as urban planners, promising jobs and new tax revenues to ailing communities. Yet in an industry premised on risk and capital liquidity, short-term gains do not necessarily mean long-term commitments to local needs. While residents often have few cards to play in the face of global capital and private development, Taft argues that the shape economic progress takes is not inevitable, nor must it always look forward. Memories of corporations’ accountability to communities persist, and citizens see alternatives for more equitable futures in the layered landscapes all around them.

Think all slot machines are the same? If so, that's why you're losing money. "Slots Conquest" will teach readers all the nuances of slot machines to improve the odds of winning. Written by one of the most experienced professional gamblers in the profession, "Slots Conquest" opens up the secret world of slot machines to everyone so that readers can learn how to identify the machines that will give the best odds to win. Different machines offer different odds of success, and this book explains how to identify the best machines to play in the casino to guarantee walking out a winner. Whether you're a longtime fan of the one-armed bandit or brand new to slot machines, "Slots Conquest" will change your approach to slot machines instantly.

In order to earn money for college, fourteen-year-old LaVaughn babysits for a teenage mother.

A national map of legalized gambling from 1963 would show one state, Nevada, with casino gambling and no states with lotteries. Today's map shows eleven commercial casino states, most of them along the Mississippi River, forty-two states with state-owned lotteries, and racetrack betting, slot-machine parlors, charitable bingo, and Native American gambling halls flourishing throughout the nation. For the past twenty years, the South has wrestled with gambling issues. In How the South Joined the Gambling Nation, Michael Nelson and John Lyman Mason examine how modern southern state governments have decided whether to adopt or prohibit casinos and lotteries. Nelson and Mason point out that although the South participated fully in past gambling eras, it is the last region to join the modern movement embracing legalized gambling. Despite the prevalence of wistful, romantic images of gambling on southern riverboats, the politically and religiously conservative ideology of the modern South makes it difficult for states to toss their chips into the pot. The authors tell the story of the arrival or rejection of legalized gambling in seven southern states -- Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, and Alabama. The authors suggest that some states chose to legalize gambling based on the examples of other nearby states, as when Mississippi casinos spurred casino legalization in Louisiana and the Georgia lottery inspired lottery campaigns in neighboring South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee. Also important was the influence of Democratic policy entrepreneurs, such as Zell Miller in Georgia, Don Siegelman in Alabama, and Edwin Edwards in Louisiana, who wanted to sell the idea of gambling in order to sell themselves to voters. At the same time, each state had its own idiosyncrasies, such as certain provisions of their state constitutions weighing heavily as a factor. Nelson and Mason show that the story of gambling's spread in the South exemplifies the process of state policy innovation. In exploring how southern states have weighed the moral and economic risk of legalizing gambling, especially the political controversies that surround these discussions, Nelson and Mason employ a suspenseful, fast-paced narrative that echoes the oftentimes hurried decisions made by state legislators. Although each of these seven states fought a unique battle over gambling, taken together, these case studies help tell the larger story of how the South -- sometimes reluctantly, sometimes enthusiastically -- decided to join the gambling nation.

Dashiell Hammett and William Vollmann are just two treats in this stellar sequel to the smash-hit original volume of San Francisco Noir.

Tired of losing at the slots and going home with empty pockets? Let Mike show you a process with rules and techniques for improving your slot play. A proven way to manage your money better and to make sure you leave with your winnings. In the 2014 edition you will find material that covers the new multi-play, multi-game machines. The material has also been expanded to include maxi-line slot machines that only let you play the maximum lines. Tips on how to extend your play and winnings on these machines have also been updated. Mike will explain how slot machines really work and using this information he will show you how you can be a better slot player. The book will not guarantee that you will win at slots but it will show you how to extend your playing time. It will also focus on techniques to make sure you keep more of your winnings. The book is easy to read and understand. It makes an excellent gift for anyone you know who loves to play slot machines.

Slot machines are the backbone of most casinos. They earn the most money and determine the physical layout of the casino floor. The management of slot machines, which includes overseeing employees, selecting machines, designing the playing space, resolving customer disputes, and conducting analyses to improve operations, is a challenging field whose complexity has grown as the machines themselves have become more sophisticated. To better document the current issues in slot management--and the change the field has seen over the past four decades--the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Center for Gaming Research conducted an oral history project. Those interviewed were at all stages of their careers. Drawn from these interviews, Tales from the Slot Floor features slot managers discussing several of the most important issues in today's casino world, including: the optimal layout of a slot floor; the qualities demonstrated by both good and bad managers; what customers want from their visits to the casino; the vendor/casino relationship; appealing to millennials; and what the future holds. In addition, those with long careers share their views on the changes they have seen, and all subjects offer their advice to those embarking on a career in slot management. For those interested in becoming slot managers, or those just curious about how casinos work, Tales from the Slot Floor gives you the inside story of slot operations, from those who do it.

Performance art is a major contemporary art form and California is recognized internationally as a pivotal area for innovative performance art activity. This updated edition of Performance Anthology offers an extraordinary documentation of California performance art from 1970 through 1989. The anthology provides a chronicle of the literature of artists' publications, art journals, major books, and catalogues; introductions and original essays by artists and leading historians and critics of performance art in California; and photographs illustrating major works by California artists. Through the documentation of the literature, a framework is established of the artists, events, organizations and spaces that have been instrumental in launching and sustaining the performance art scene in California.

Eleven-year-old Arcade Livingston has a problem. Several, actually! The Tolley twins are making Arcade’s move to a new city harder than it needs to be and bullying him into doing their homework. And then there’s the magical Triple T Token that keeps whisking him away on adventures across time and space. Arcade and the Triple T Token?is the first book in the humorous and imaginative Coin Slot Chronicles series by?New York Times?bestselling author, former NFL running back, and Dancing with the Stars champion Rashad Jennings. While at the library—Arcade’s favorite place to be—a mysterious old woman gives him a golden arcade token that grants him a unique gift. A gift that allows him to time travel between different places, including his own future. From sitting in the dugout with Babe Ruth to hanging on to the back of a bucking bull to performing life-saving surgery on a dog, Arcade has no shortage of adventure! Together with his older sister, Zoe, Arcade explores life’s biggest thrills and challenges, and the two also have a big mystery to solve. Who is the rightful owner of the incredible Triple T Token that leads to such astounding adventures? Written and designed for reluctant readers, with shorter chapters and illustrations throughout the book, Arcade and the Triple T Token teaches children ages 8 and up: How to deal with tough questions of “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and “Where will you go next?” How to accept oneself while facing tween/teen issues, peer pressure, and bullying About fitness, faith, and friendship If you enjoy?Arcade and the Triple T Token, check out the rest of the series:? Arcade and the Golden Travel Guide (Book 2) Arcade and the Fiery Metal Tester (Book 3) Arcade and the Dazzling Truth Detector (Book 4)