The crux of the biscuit !

10 days. That's the time the Governor has to veto or sign the Gaming Bill before it becomes law. 10 crazy, insane, silly season days is what I'm sure we will most likely experience. All this madness over slot machines at race tracks and the invitation to everlasting grifter logic in three of our state's communities due to legalized "gaming", which is a polite way of referring to destroyed lives and blunted community growth.

I don't know about you folks, but I have this feeling that the only people Fall River nervously awaiting the end of the next ten day period are anyone involved in union construction trades, who I do feel badly for, "degenerate" (as Tony Soprano would say) gamblers, and a certain budding three person law firm currently masquerading as public officials (Flanagan, Fiola and Torres, aka DEWEY, CHEATEM and HOWE!-  mom was wrong...all those Saturday mornings watching the Three Stooges finally paid off!). In fact, that vast sucking sound you hear is undoubtedly the noise made by three sets of rear ends puckering up at the same time! That's right, you guys wanted to live by gambling, so you better know what the other side of that bargain is all about too! Feast or famine. Opps, there goes that sound again. Not quite a Dyson, but definitely in the Oreck category!

10 days. The Good Lord only took 7 days to create the earth and the heavens, or so the Bible tell us. But look what these next 10 days could bring us:

(click on map for full size)

Lookie here! Just let your mind wrap itself around this map and what it says about the rapaciousness of the gaming industry and it's plans for the Commonwealth. My oh my, there's plenty of slot machines to go around, because as we all know, the crux of the biscuit (thank you, Frank Zappa), even in casino's, is that phalanx of social security check stealing one armed bandits. Get the old timers and modern day Ralph Cramdens, looking for yet another get rich quick scheme, in the gambling halls early and often. And for those of limited mobility, let's make it easy for them to drop the rent, food and medication money into the adjusted algorithm machine boxes marked "La Cosa Nostra". After all, everyone knows people over 65 need fun things to do!  So let's make almost everyone travel eligible to visit your friendly neighborhood slot parlor. It's enough to make you vomit!

This map only shows the locations that have been formally proposed. There are just as many gaming sites lobbyist's will not reveal until the bill is signed into law! But hey, it's all about revitalizing the state economy, right? Actually, it sounds a lot more like the Mafia's way to accomplish middle and lower class income redistribution to the wealthy (ahem, to THEM). Then again, you didn't need David Stockman to tell you they were supply siders all along. (If you don't know who David Stockman is, you are either from Fall River, are younger than 25, or both. In any event do a Google search on the name. THIS HAS BEEN THE chowmeinsammich HISTORY LESSON FOR TODAY!)

It's funny - almost. It took God 7 days to create the universe. It will probably take less than 10 days for the Big Guy's #2 man on earth, Mr. Speakah DeLeo (if you ask him at least) to forever alter the face of humanity here in Massachusetts. But since this is DeLeo's universe and we are only allowed here if he wants us to be here, we all have to buckle up for this crazy carnival ride the next 10 days promises to deliver. Hold on Governor Patrick, hold on for all our dear lives.

All you idiots had to do was cut the slot parlors down to a measly "1" so DeLeo's pals had jobs. That's the infuriating thing and the sad thing about this entire contrived controversy.

I'm ashamed to be a resident of this state right now. We all should be