14′ Casino Style Craps Table | Custom Manufacture of Table

casino quality craps table for sale

casino quality craps table for sale - win

Bar-Top Arcade Game with 2,200+ Video Games in One Machine!

Bar-Top Arcade Game with 2,200+ #Video #Games in One Machine!
Includes every Road Competitor game ever made!
IN THE NEW AGE
http://InTheNewAge.com
Yes, this is seriously, this small car-top arcade games consists of over 2,200 of one of the most popular video arcade games ever before made. Also, out of these 2,200+ games consisted of 20 different Road Fighter video games!
Take not to the listing of Street Competitor#arcade #games:
Street Boxer, Street Competitor Zero, Street Competitor Zero2, Road Fighter Zero3, Super Street Fighter II: NC, Super Street Boxer II Turbo, Super Road Fighter II X, Street Competitor II World Warrior, Street Boxer II Champ, Street Competitor II Hyper Fighting, Street Fighter II Hyper Turbo, Road Competitor II': CE1, Road Fighter II Red Wave, Street Boxer II Tu Long, SF II: Globe Warrior, SF II: Warrior, SF II: Champion Edition,, SF II: Dragon 3, SF II: Champion Edition, SF II: Rainbow, SF II: The Globe Warrior
This is the all new ACTIVE SPIN-BOT bar-top #arcade # game system!
The Arcade Bar-Top machine is out luxurious version and appropriates for 2 players with 19 inches LCD horizontal screen as well as original JAMMA PCB board system.
Our Arcade Bar-top Deluxe is plug-and-play, no configuration needed!
This Arcade Bar-top Deluxe is the most effective social connections maker!
You can put it on the table as well as appreciate a good time with your friends and family. It is likewise ideal for a game room, events, game facility, shopping center and also some other indoor places with lots of people.
Assistance download as well as include new games by yourself, there are no limitations !!!
Main features
- Pandora Box 9D Game Board. Over 2200 renowned arcade games installed, you can locate many childhood remarkable memories!
- Your wonderful arcade games like Street Fighter series, The King of Fighters, Person Kombat, Special-interest Group Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Steel Slug, Killer Instinct, The Avengers, Golden Axe, and so on.
- Please contact us for the full game checklist.
- For 2 Players, it is a good way to promote the partnership with your friends and family.
- One of the most important as well as enjoyable part of the arcade cabinet is the control board. It contains 2 joysticks and also 8 buttons per gamer.
- 19-inch LCD Present
- We just make use of the most effective screens available! Such as LG and Samsung displays. let you play your favored traditional arcade games in far better high quality than ever.
- 2 Hi-Fi audio speakers and Amplifier with innovative control system panel in front
- A crucial facet of gaming is audio. For that purpose, we will need a collection of two great audio speakers and an amplifier that will certainly link straight to the Pandora Box audio.
HDMI/ VGA/ Sound Output
Geared up with VGA, HDMI, and also audio interface for TV/ Projector. Experience the old standards in crisp HD resolution!
We included the High-Quality Marquee Publish with backlight for your arcade
Marquee is a vital part of an arcade machine. It always captures people is eyes and also reveals the title of this machine.
Set up coin acceptor, including coin door, coin box & free play button
The Arcade bar top Deluxe could be used in numerous indoor places like a game center, shopping mall and so forth. It can likewise be used as a fun means of piggy bank for children to conserve money.
LED lights under the cabinet
It produces a distinct and awesome setting in your backyard.
Quality materials and a Deluxe premium
MDF Timber Body 7 centimeters severe ultra-thin, Silver T-molding, 8 mm acrylic with LED lights:
If you choose a full-size arcade machine, we sell the Traditional Arcade System with big 32" LCD screens, 2-plater and also 4-player games. Nevertheless, unlike the Bar-top Hyper Spin-Bit arcade game, the Timeless Arcade System arcade games consist of over 4,000 popular games consisting of yet much from restricted to; Ms. Pac-man, Pac-Man, Frogger, Arkinoid, Dual Dragon, Missile Command, Millipede, Centipede, NBA Jam, Steel Slug games, all Street Boxer game just like the Bar-Top game, and so a lot more!
Additionally, look into the most BAD-ASS pinball machine ever before made! It is called the Vpin virtual pinball machine!
The Vpin #pinball #machine consists of over 2,000 games including 900 traditional pinball games, over 1,000 preferred #arcade #video #games, besides the #pinball #games in the #virtual #pinball #machine.
All game room products available for acquisition are as adheres to but not limited to; Video arcade games, arcade machines, multigame arcade machines with 4,000+ games in one, the Bar-top arcade game with 2,200+ games, pinball machines, video pinball machines, #slot #machines, air hockey tables, foosball tables, dart machines, bubble hockey tables, air hockey tables, as well as Rock-Ola jukeboxes!
Game room product summary:
Bar-Top Hyper Spin-bot arcade game:
Bar-top arcade game consists of 2,200 prominent #video #games ever before made like Street Boxer, King of Fighters, Crouching Tiger, Art of Fighting, Samurai Showdown, Fatal Fierceness Unique, Dual Dragon and more!
Timeless Arcade Game System.
Full-size upright, cocktail, wine barrel, as well as pub-style arcade machines:
Includes game collections of 400+, 1100+, and also currently 4,000+!
Games consisted of are however obviously not restricted to; Pac-man, Ms. Pac-man, Centipede, Missile Command, Room Intruders, Dual Dragon, Arkinoid, Asteroids, Road Boxer games, Defender, and so many more!
Pinball machines:
We market possibly one of the most sophisticated online pinball machine ever made! It plays over 900 popular pinball tables like Road Fighter, Space Capsule, Great Void, 8 Ball Deluxe, Pinbot and also much more. In addition, it includes 1,000 traditional arcade video games like Galaxian, Pac-man and even more!
Slot Machines:
Now you also can set up your very own residence casino with authentic, and also lately used in the Las Vegas casinos; IGT slots, Bally slot machines, and also WMS (Williams) slot machines!
Jukeboxes:
We sell Rock-Ola jukeboxes that play CD's, vinyl-45 documents, and also the popular Rock-Ola Songs center jukebox that shops 1tb (60,000 tracks).
Popcorn machines:
Afterall, what would certainly a home game room lack an industrial quality popcorn machine?
IN THE NEW AGE
http://InTheNewAge.com
arcade game sales,#arcade #games, #videogames, #video #games, pinball machine sales, slot machine sales, #slot #machines, #jukeboxes, jukeboxes available for sale, #arcade #machines
#online #casinos
WIN MONEY HERE
http://winmoneyhere.com
play #slotmachines, #blackjack, #roulette, #poker, #bingo, #craps
submitted by itnaarcade7 to u/itnaarcade7 [link] [comments]

The Dark Side of Direct Response Copywriting (LONG POST)

1. Into the void...

It wasn't til a couple years ago that I realized how much money is in financial and health direct response copywriting.
At first I was like "Holy shit, this is awesome, it's the perfect job for me, I'll make so much money and have fun doing it."
But the more I learned about it, the more I realized it's an extremely...gray area industry.
And in many cases...dangerous.
Not in a fake way either.
More like...copywriting can ACTUALLY kill people, or potentially make them suicide, or otherwise screw up their lives.
Such as by bankrupting their retirement accounts, or discouraging them from seeking life-saving medical treatment by promoting alternative medicines.
It took a couple years to really grasp the implications.
In fact, I suspect lots of aspiring copywriters (and even active copywriters) don't even realize how deepdark it gets.
So in this post we're going to examine the dark side of direct response copywriting.
We'll do it mostly through the lens of unregulated financial copywriting.
Similar themes apply to health and similar niches.
But first...disclaimer...
I'm NOT claiming to be an ethical "gatekeeper" or have some kind of moral high ground.
I think we should all try to find our limits and stick to them...and this is merely my attempt at finding mine.
But to be really clear.
I'm no moral authority, and this post isn't shaming or policing anyone.
I ain't your dad.
He went to get smokes a long time ago.
I'm just trying to follow a line of reasoning and see where it goes.
If it resonates with anyone else—good. If not, that's fine too.
So kindly don't crawl up my ass if you feel attacked, lol.
But make no mistake, direct response copywriting is a loaded gun.

2. Investing crash course

Alpha (the Greek letter α): A strategy's ability to beat the market, or its "edge." Performance on a risk-adjusted basis. An alpha of zero means your returns are exactly proportional to the risk taken. Alpha above zero means you are beating the market, aka getting higher than expected returns in proportion to your risk. Another way to think about alpha: the value that a portfolio manager adds or subtracts from a fund's return.
Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH): States that all assets sell for their true intrinsic value, and that there is "no free lunch." In other words, there is no way to consistently beat the market, because all info is priced into current asset prices. Put another way, consistent alpha generation is impossible unless you are insider trading, regardless of strategy used (fundamental analysis, technical analysis, etc). Thus it is impossible to consistently beat the market by expert asset selection or market timing. The only way to obtain higher returns is to purchase riskier investments.
Technically, the EMH is only a "hypothesis".
The mere existence of market bubbles means it is an imperfect theory. If all assets truly always sold for their intrinsic value, bubbles would never happen. Which they clearly do.
However...
Practically speaking, the EMH is "as good as true" for people like you and me.
And for financial Gurus.
Because even professional fund managers fail to beat the market over long enough time horizons.
This is WELL documented in detail in books like A Random Walk Down Wall Street.
And if Wall Street experts with all the research and resources in the world...can't beat the market...how the fuck do you expect to?
For most investors, the ONLY winning investment strategy is long-term index fund holding.
Anything else is speculation and not investing.
The upshot is this:
wallstreetbets and day traders etc. are operating PURELY on superstition and cognitive bias.
And Gurus are no more able to predict the market than professional fund managers, who on average fail to do so.
Some tiny proportion of daytraders will make money over the long run, due to sheer statistical probability.
For example...Peter Lynch.
However, they incorrectly attribute their success to skill rather than mere luck, thus leading others to the incorrect belief that they can beat the odds.

3. Free will

When philosophers discuss free will, it's typically in the context of determinism.
In other words, are our thoughts and actions pre-determined by physical events on the quantum/atomic level?
Or, is consciousness supra-physical or meta-physical and therefore we really DO have free will?
In my opinion, all that matters is that we ACT as if we have free will, so practically speaking the answer is yes.
However, it is far more interesting to ask the question from a psychological point of view, rather than philosophical.
Which almost never happens.
When you do that, you realize most people don't really have free will.
Because they go through life ruled by their unconscious desires.
Repeating the same destructive behaviors over and over, as if in a trance.
For example, when you piss away hours scrolling through Reddit...and wonder where the time went, and vow you'll get your shit together tomorrow.
Or when you guzzle a sleeve of Oreos and be like "That wasn't worth it" but then you do it again next week...and the week after that...
When you repeat destructive behaviors and only "snap out of it" and regret it afterwards, you acted unconsciously.
And when you act unconsciously...you do not actually have free will.

4. What direct response copywriting REALLY is

It is the weaponized opposite of psychoanalysis. (Think Freud)
Psychoanalysis aims to make more of the unconscious...conscious.
By increasing your awareness of your unconscious desires, you increase your ability to overcome them.
Whereas direct response copywriting aims to provoke action by actively manipulating unconscious desires and complexes.
You try to get the prospect to enter the trance-like state where they buy based on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking,_Fast_and_Slow#Two_systems](Kahneman's System 1), bypassing or overcoming the more rational system 2.
You are basically trying to put them into an Oreo-guzzling state of hypnosis...except with the goal of them buying your product rather than eating a sleeve of Oreos.
You are basically reducing their free will.

5. Why does direct response copy seem scammy?

Three reasons.
  1. Since direct response copywriting is "weaponized anti-psychoanalysis", it is only natural that profit-seeking copywriters target people's deepest and most personal insecurities and desires. Because those desires have the highest profit potential. That is why the biggest direct response niches are Health, Wealth, and Relationships/Sex. Everyone knows that real personal change is not possible in these areas without grueling self-work. There are NO shortcuts to true self improvement. But what sells best? Easy, fast, and effective shortcuts! Therefore, the most profitable direct response niches inevitably entail selling the most implausible "shortcuts" to fix people's deepest personal problems. In other words the profit motives PERFECTLY incentivize selling the solutions LEAST likely to succeed.
  2. The other thing direct response copywriting is, is a tool of value creation. The perceived value of a product or service is equal to its real/intrinsic value PLUS the value created by its marketing. This is why people pay more for Smart Water than Walmart water. So what happens when a bunch of direct response copywriters build a business? They aim to create as MUCH value as possible through marketing because that is their area of expertise. And correspondingly, they put as little resources and money as possible into product development. Therefore nearly all the value has to be created through marketing, because the actual product has no intrinsic value.
  3. Furthermore...ask yourself which professions people are preconditioned to perceive as esoteric, secretive, authoritative, and awe-inspiring? The answer is doctors in white coats, and slick finance guys in suits, driving Ferraris and handling big bucks. Medicine and finance. Health and Wealth. We are programmed to trust these authority figures...which direct response marketers know, and exploit. Truly an fortunate coincidence, for marketers, that our social programming in this regard perfectly lines up with the most profitable niches!
If you want to read more about advertising from a psychoanalytic perspective, check out [https://www.reddit.com/Jung/comments/cehud7/jungian_analysis_of_advertisements_propaganda](another of my posts.)

6. What financial newsletters USED to be

Let's switch gears.
In this section I'll mainly quote material from an old blog called Green Laser Reviews.
It was written first-hand by a guy who worked in the industry, and saw it change over time.
Up until the mid-1990′s, the financial newsletter industry was a true niche sector. The product lines of most publishers incorporated anywhere between one and a few dozen monthly newsletters that were direct-marketed to a limited “universe” of newsletter buyer names. They cost anywhere between $39 and $79 dollars, “discounted” from “published” prices of $59-129...newsletter budgets were built around the assumption that each new subscriber was worth $6 in renewal revenues a year, $6 in advertising, and $6 in list rental income.
[In those days], financial newsletters provided you with well-reasoned, non-mainstream insights into how the markets work, what under-observed trends might provide opportunity, and which of the hundreds of thousands of publicly traded companies has a fair shot at going up in value.
I’d even go as far that most of the financial coverage breakthroughs of the 1990′s and early 21st century were trail-blazed by newsletter editors: International investing, high-technology investing, and even the bubblicious popularity of junior mining stocks were standard newsletter fare at a time when you had to subscribe to the Asian Wall Street Journal to find out how Tokyo closed the previous day...
Unless you hit the promotional jackpot, it was a by and large risky and hardscrabble way to make money. You hoped to break even on your direct marketing cost via your promo revenues (one- and two-year subscription offers), hoped to cover overhead with list rental and advertising income, and made a modest profit on renewals.
This all changed in 1995 when XX...launched a fax service called Rim of Fire.
It cost $5,000 a year and leveraged the speed of information transmission. Even the most efficiently timed printed newsletter took 3 days to a week to make it from the editor’s desk into the hands of the subscriber. Much could happen to share prices in between… which forced a responsible editor to limit his picks to medium-to long-term recommendations.
The fax service promised to alert investors to short-time opportunities. It appealed to the more venturesome and active “traders,” rather than investors. Customers who knew what they were doing and didn’t mind spending a few thou on new sources for trading ideas.
Even though they represented just a small percentage of a newsletter’s readership, the new sales they generated through these high-priced trading services went straight to the bottom line of each newsletter business. A “file” of 40,000 newsletter subscribers spending $59 on an annual subscription (and yielding $18 a head in secondary revenues) might yield 1,000 trading service members paying $2,500 per year. Most of it pure profits to the publisher.
The model was so successful that by 1999, everyone with a smidge of an idea regarding investing, a kitchen table, and a fax modem had entered the newsletter business. By the time the Internet bubble popped in 2000, this model had run its course.
Luckily, there was a magic cure for publishers. The harnessing of email as a push marketing tool.
In summary, financial newsletters were more or less legit, once upon a time.
There was a period when financial newsletters were at the cusp of financial information. We blazed a trail for retail investors to recognize and profit from international investing… played an influential role in the democratization of capital.

7. A Slippery Slope

From 2000 to 2010, the industry increasingly found new ways to upsell customers to higher and higher priced services and grow its margins.
At the same time, the value of publishing regular, unhyped information declined due to the rise of the Internet. It was no longer possible to attract subscribers with pure information. Selling opportunities became even more crucial.
Then publishers made one key breakthrough. In earlier years, services were developed by:
organic processes that used to underlie the development of a legitimate trading service...[which could] take more than a year of testing, back-testing, beta-testing until someone started writing a promo
Green Laser Reviews credits one particular promo with establishing this new paradigm:
In August 2010, however, the launch of MicroQuake Alert marked what perhaps may be the most questionable service—marketed with the most misleading and intentionally deceptive promotional copy and data...
Essentially, publishers realized that short-circuiting the expensive and slow R&D process...meant they could now fire out as many promos as their copywriters could write!
In other words, they could decouple—and even entirely reverse—the normal process of the guru developing and testing a hypothesis, and then a copywriter promoting it.
Now, the copywriter developed an idea first, and the guru would retroactively find investments which fit the idea.
And this led to the popularity of "backtesting" as a form of proof.
The problem is...anybody who has taken statistics class knows the concept of "overfitting" a model to past data.
Which is exactly what "backtesting" is.
You can always find patterns in data if you try fitting enough different models. But backtesting doesn't mean patterns have any predictive value.
Past behavior is no guarantee of the future.
Yet, that's exactly what most system promos are now.
Conceits based on the fundamentally worthless premise of backtesting.
So the "old" way of thoroughly beta testing and validating an investment system was thrown out, along with whatever meager chance it brought of actually identifying a true alpha opportunity—however short lived it may have been.

8. Present Day

In 2019, it's probably safe to say that MOST financial promos are the same type as "MicroQuake."
What was considered an ethical lapse and aberration in 2010, is now business as usual.
“At this level of the industry, you nod and clap and pretend copywriters are geniuses no matter what fraudulent schemes they cook up… or you find yourself sidelined. Another former editor I discussed this with hit the nail on the head when he said: ‘XX (as you know) and the rest of these publishers, have no interest in a long-term relationship with the reader, or if the reader makes money. Their entire business model is designed around churning the readers and no concern for readers' profits. If a trader does well, all the better. If not, they can make him look good anyway. It’s awful.’
“It didn’t used to be that way. We worked our rear ends off for decades to turn a snake-oil industry into a viable alternative information source. So I take it very personally when I see third-rate, no-talent grifters pushing non-products, fantasy track records, criminally overblown promises.
Furthermore, efforts to rein in overblown promises backfired in an ironic way.
Publishers adopted rules and hired legal editors to enforce ethical standards—but these rules were almost immediately co-opted into exact guidelines on skirting the limits of what is legal!
While these (and other) internal regulations and processes were originally implemented by publishers, holding companies, and their legal departments to introduce higher ethical standards to their businesses, individual publishers, marketers, and copywriters have by now adapted to the restrictions by circumventing what you may consider the spirit of the law and the internal regulations (“provide honest products and marketing”) by literally applying the letter of the law.
And structural factors within the publishers themselves, keeps the cycle going:
the reliance on paid-up-front, instant-gratification, multi-thousand-dollar products to generate double-digit profit margins has created extreme pressure to come up not only with ever-new promotions, but with ever-new products....the cash-flow dynamics themselves are such that each successful campaign contains the seeds of next fiscal year’s profit disaster (due to carry-over refunds and profit-based bonuses). That means the potential and frequently very real cash outflows have to be replaced with ever more shrill and fraudulent copy.
So essentially, what was once an industry selling a contrarian worldview and relatively harmless investment ideas, is now...
KNOWINGLY selling a jumble of buzzwords and unrelated, untested track record as a PROVEN “program” to make ANYONE a millionaire in a year or less
[it] not only bespeaks of mere disrespect… but utter disdain for the customer, his or her dreams and fears.
These days, using the letter of the law to circumvent the spirit of the law is extremely profitable. But there’s no honor in it. It’s bad juju. It’s bad for your soul.
And copywriters are square in the middle of it. It is now business as usual for copywriters to generate the initial investment idea, regardless of how little financial knowledge they have.
More than ever, this has created a kind of corporate tunnel vision that puts the creator of cash flow, the rainmaker, the copywriter, at its epicenter.
Recommended reading True Confessions of a Copywriter.

9. Arguments For

The picture is grim, but let's list all possible arguments which could justify the current state of affairs.
This post is already long as fuck, so I am leaving out detailed analysis of each argument.
  1. Fat Tails: At the tail end of statistical distributions, there are "bumps" where outlier events occur more often than probability says they will. Therefore if you pursue unlikely investment strategies, sooner or later you will get some "alpha" by hitting upon a fat-tail event. Therefore copywriters are justified in advertising unlikely or even fabricated investment ideas.
  2. It's not actually a lie or scam, as long as all legally necessary hedging language is included.
  3. Newsletters are mitigating damage. Even though people would make more with index funds, they want to actively trade. Following a guru will help them lose less than they otherwise would.
  4. Libertarian argument: People are adults and can make up their own minds. You are merely giving people a choice they did not have before, and nothing is wrong with choice.
  5. People aren't idiots. They know full well these types of predictions are unlikely to come true.
  6. Copywriters don't decide what has value, customers do. If they don't like what you're offering, they don't buy.
  7. Copywriting is about describing a product in the best possible light, similar to how you wouldn't put shitty photos of yourself on Tinder. And there's nothing wrong with that.
  8. Trading is a hobby for old dudes. They want to do it, and it gives their life significance, even if they lose some money.
  9. Sell them what they want, give them what they need. In other words, hyped up ads could be OK...if the actual advice delivered is good quality.
  10. Many people do not want to wait 20 or 30 years to see results. They know that greater potential reward carries greater risk.
  11. It's a matter of autonomy over one’s investments vs. paying a financial advisor.
  12. If you promise a lower magnitude of results (e.g., 150% instead of 28,393%) it's less bad.
  13. Financial publishing is entertainment, or alternative press. Newsletters serve more purpose than just giving hot stock picks. They also are about philosophy, government policy and personal advice.
  14. It's like running a casino or a liquor store. You're just providing a product in the free market. You can't be responsible for what people do with it.
  15. If you accept the EMH and "no free lunch" theories, then isn't financial copywriting just the "smart" way of participating in the market? i.e., you realize timing the market is impossible, so you profit from those who haven't come to the same conclusion.
  16. Publishers need repeat customers to survive, and their continued existence is a testament to the value customers are getting.
  17. Most traders' real problem is making poor, emotionally-charged decisions. Following a guru can help with this, leaving them better-off than they'd otherwise be, even if the picks aren't great.
  18. Refunds are (usually) available.
  19. Copywriters are "just" writers providing a service to the publisher, and therefore excused from moral culpability.
  20. If you read the surveys and testimonials carried out by the marketing teams, you’ll see literally thousands of positive stories. It’s not always “I made xyz money”... it’s often “I love guru xyz because he’s so informative.”
Personally, I think #4 (and possibly #15) is strongest, although it seems more like a testament to the limitations of a libertarian ethical system, rather than a real justification for a copywriter to write this sort of copy.

10. Arguments Against

  1. Summarizing the earlier discussion, Gurus and "analysts" barely do anything anymore. They rarely if ever write the newsletters, the emails, the trade alerts, or the special reports. Often they only pick companies based on what sales copywriters think will sell the most subscriptions (or the copywriter picks the companies). And backtesting is a load of crap.
  2. If you wouldn’t want a certain scam sold to you, don’t sell it or promote it to others. It can't be right to sell advice that the copywriter himself wouldn't take, or cancer cures which he wouldn't use himself. The intent is to profit the seller at the expense of the customer, in a zero-sum way. If the whole economy worked like this, civilization would collapse. So if you're doing it, you are a detriment to society.
  3. Some significant % of profits must be from old guys with Alzheimers and dementia.
  4. What is legal is not necessarily ethical.
  5. Anyone who truly believed in his or her money making idea would implement it himself, not sell the idea. If financial journalists were actually able to predict the market...they'd be running investment funds...not newsletters. (more on this later)
  6. You might literally kill someone or make them suicide.

11. Why is the industry bigger than ever in 2019? Haven't people learned their lesson?

The answer is human nature...is a bitch. Humans are rational actors...in the service of irrational goals.
  1. We are pattern-seeking creatures and predictions create the illusion of certainty, which we DESPERATELY desire. Even when it's illogical to do so. So financial publishing offers a feeling of certainty and protection against loss.
  2. Financial publishing helps people see the world the way they want to. It vindicates and comforts them.
  3. Financial publishing offers a personal relationship with confident leaders who share the reader's world view, which people want.
  4. Financial publishing offers an alternative to the establishment, which people distrust.
  5. Financial publishing tells people what to do. Simply put, people want and NEED to be told what to do, and will always seek it out.
  6. People like to gamble.
  7. Financial publishing offers unusual ideas you can't get elsewhere. After all, people know you can't get rich doing what's mainstream.
  8. Failure in logical reasoning. No single money manager has been able to beat the market consistently. But the masses still believe that a man wearing a designer suit sitting in a nice office can bring them great returns and is justified to charge high fees to do so. They are simply unaware of the data that shows passive investing in low cost index funds is far superior than active management in the long run. Think Madoff.
  9. Belief that they’re the exception. People truly believe that they can find those the tiny X% of funds which can beat the market.
  10. People are driven by greed and fear.
  11. People like to look for an edge and are lured by promises of greater returns.
  12. At the end of the day, people JUST AREN'T RATIONAL. People often just don't do what's best, and they can't help themselves. It's human nature.
Perhaps the most undeniable and ironic proof of this...is the site StockGumshoe.com.
It is a site which exists solely to "sniff out" which stocks are being teased in financial promos.
Its users are skeptical enough of the publishers to NOT spend their own money on the promos...
In other words they "know" it's all made up by the copywriters...
Yet they simply cannot suppress their own curiosity. They can't help themselves!
the very existence of the gumshoe illustrates how effective they are: The con has worked its magic, the mark has swallowed the promise hook, line and sinker, and the only thing that keeps him from buying into it with his own money is his avarice and desire to get it for free
IMO, the Stock Gumshoe is a true testament to human vulnerability.
And what's even more shocking...
Is the fact that financial publishers succeed in spite of NEVER disclosing their track records.
People continue buying, even though the track record is conspicuously absent.
You'd think sooner or later, the public at large, would be like "Hold up. Where's the proof?"
But it never happens.
Believe me, if publishers could actually generate alpha, they would be RAMMING IT YOUR THROAT IN EVERY PROMO.
I'll let you guess why they don't.
Year after year, people's fear and greed continues to trump their better judgment.
In fact the industry is bigger than it's ever been.
The lesson has not been learned.
And I suspect never will be.
Hope springs eternal.

12. Alpha revisited, aka the nail in the coffin

Point 5 from the "Arguments Against" section deserves more elaboration. It's a point which many people fail to grasp.
Here is a great explanation - I lost the original source, I believe it was a Quora topic.
Let's say that I have a seemingly sustainable track record of constructing and maintaining portfolios that generate true alpha (that is, returns in excess of expected risk adjusted returns).
This is an extremely valuable skill - how do I monetize it to get the most for it?
  1. The most direct way is to use it for myself. Since I'm generating true alpha, I should be able to use a little financial engineering to construct a portfolio the hedges away market risk and levers up the alpha - basically free money. Of course, I don't want to tell many people about my picks (maybe my dad after he signs a NDA), because if big money gets a hold of it, they'll go long the same stocks and erode my alpha. I certainly don't want to sell it to the general public because they would erase my returns and I expose myself to liability by holding positions in the equities I'm promoting.
  2. Maybe somehow I'm this good at stock picking but my portfolio is still small. I can just take my audited returns to a hedge fund, family office, or mutual fund and sell my talents for quite a lot of money. Since they're best equipped to monetize my information, I should be able to get more from them than selling "hot tips" newsletters.
So who would sell their stock tips to the general public? People that aren't consistently generating alpha. It's still easy to sell your "skills" by recommending high beta stocks, and then as long as the market is up, you can claim your picks have beat the market! Of course, they really haven't on a risk adjusted basis, but most people that buy stock picks don't even understand how to calculate alpha or beta, so they're safe.
Green Laser agrees:
An editor who regularly turned $10,000 into $1.6 million wouldn’t bother writing flimsy newsletters—just as a lottery announcer who could pocket a mill would be auditioning for a role in a soap opera, not “help” you to become a millionaire… He’d be hired away instantly by hedge funds and investment banks. Heck, some of my editors were!

13. Conclusion

What's the upshot of all this?
It's hard to say.
Ultimately each copywriter has to follow his or her own truth.
In the final analysis, the problem comes down to this:
No one can predict the future, and any newsletter which purports to do so, is claiming the impossible.
But the financial incentives encourage doing EXACTLY that.
The more puffery and exaggeration you are willing to publish, the richer you get.
There is a perpetual incentive away from honesty.
So it's not too surprising the direction the industry went.
In fact, I doubt it could have gone any other way.
That said, there are a handful of smaller companies which IMO are basically ethical.
In fact they are so small, I didn't even realize they existed until very recently.
These are the only ones I would write for, in the current environment.
It's mostly publishers which sell to a more knowledgeable tier of investor.
Because I think something like "informed consent" has to be the standard.
If an investor is knowledgeable enough to know no one can predict the future, then I wouldn't feel particularly bad about selling them opportunities, even if I am skeptical about them and they are somewhat hyped.
Because presumably he is smart enough to use the information to make up his OWN mind, and less likely to blindly follow recommendations which ruin his life.
(For Cancer cures...I admit I struggle to understand who's willing to write those under any circumstance. Although I'd love to hear a spirited defense by a health copywriter...)
Of course, it's far more profitable to target newbie and clueless investors who really believe the "S.U.P.E.R. system" will make them rich.
A sucker is born every minute.
The bummer is...
When I was a kid, I used to read Boardroom and Bottom Line magalogs...
I know it's nerdy but...the copy was fun and magical.
My Grandma always had them at her house. It seemed harmless.
I've always had a weird affinity for direct response copy.
But like many things...the reality is grimmer.
The truth is...
There's nothing I'd like MORE than to go write financial copy for a big publisher.
You might have guessed, part of my motivation in thinking this out in so much detail, is to decide how far I'll go for money.
Finance is super interesting. Copywriting is super interesting. I love the libertarian environment they promote, and how they reward competence and results.
If it were 30 years ago, I feel like I could.
Today...my conclusion is that I have to limit myself to the handful of smaller publishers I mentioned earlier.
Even though the opportunity is much smaller.
For now at least.
Because if you've read Breakthrough Advertising, you know about Eugene Schwartz's Level of Market Sophistication...
So one of these days, the market is going to blow up and "reset."
Whether it's organically or through some kind of Federal crackdown, who knows.
These companies operate under First Amendment protections which are pretty strong, but...if the Feds target you...your ass is grass.
I guess we'll see how things turn out.

P.S.

If you really want a mind-fuck...
Smoke a fat joint and watch a financial promo...
And tune into the guru's microexpressions...
Lol.
submitted by ConsciousPermission to copywriting [link] [comments]

Lessons learned from my first Vegas trip

Some friends of mine got married in Vegas last weekend. This was my first trip so here are some of the lessons I’ve learned after 6 days 5 nights. This is a long post, but hopefully someone will find it helpful.
Transportation
Spirit Airlines: this is a cheap way to get to/from Vegas. Expect that they charge a-la-cart for food, drinks, checked bags, overhead bin space, extra legroom and they don’t provide wifi or inflight entertainment. The luggage limit is 40 pounds. If you don’t print your boarding pass at home, it will cost you $10 a ticket to have them do it at the airport. The ticket prices for my wife and I were such that we got the first row upgrade (lots of extra leg room) one checked bag and still came out ahead. If you are tall buy additional leg space or prepare for an uncomfortable flight.
Shuttle from Airport to Hotel: This was $11 per person, if I had it to do over again… I would have just used UbeLyft
Walking: Wow, I walked a lot. My watch and phone both confirm about 60 miles of walking. (Did a lot of exploring on my first trip to Vegas). Wear REALLY comfortable shoes and/or carry flip-flops
Monorail: At one point I just didn’t want to walk back to the hotel and took the monorail to nearby. $5 a person. The view was OK, I am sure it is by far the fastest way to get around, but my hotel was still a bit of a walk from the nearest stop.
Ride Share: I had never used UbeLyft before this trip. This makes your life so much easier. My first trip was with the “GOOGLE_MAPS” code that I got when looking to see how far a walk I had to meetup with some friends. It ended up being a free ride (before tip). I had gotten a Lyft coupon handed to me on the strip for $10 off my first 5 rides…so these all ended up being less than $2 (again before tip, I gave every driver a $5 tip).
I preferred Lyft over Uber mainly because the price was about the same, but a driver that had placards for both said that Lyft took a little less of a commission.
Once I used all of my Lyft rides, I got a code for my wife $5 off 10 rides from a driver (who also gets a little something every time their code is used)
Finally, I sent an Uber invite to my wife… we got a $20 credit on her account and another $20 on mine.
Hotel
Hotel #1 Circus Circus: This was the cheapest place to stay. Absolutely do not stay here if you are over 6’5” … the light fixtures in the hall are very low hanging. Expect that you will be approached constantly by time share representatives (more on that latter) and good luck not getting offered a free sample of face cream. This hotel just kind of made me feel sad. From parents ignoring their kids to gamble to generally being run down. If you are going to spend time in the heart of the strip, it is a bit of a walk
Hotel #2 Balley’s: We spent the last two nights at Balley’s. Everything was cleaner. This was more centrally located on the strip. I liked it much better than Circus. There were timeshare reps here too, but I think there was only one stand and they were nowhere near as aggressive.
Food My wife had been playing a cell phone game that earned rewards. We ended up with 3 buy-one-get-one on various buffets
Circus Circus Buffet: At par with standard buffet places (Old Country Buffet, Golden Corral, etc…). I might be a bit soured on this because there was a screaming 4 year old for most of the meal.
Aria Buffet: Best buffet by a long shot. The food was amazing (especially the desert bar with the white chocolate mousse cake pops and gelato) and by far the best selection. Don’t bother with the “all you can drink” upgrade, the drinks are so weak I think you would hit water intoxication before you would get tipsy from their rum punch.
MGM Grand buffet: This was better than Circus, but in fairness I was a bit buffet’d out by this point. (But with a BOGO it is hard to beat a good dinner for two for $45)
McDonalds: (OMG I am so lame, I went on vacation and ate at the golden arches)… This was a quick easy breakfast when running out and about for less than $5 for the two of us.
Walgreens/CVS: I keep seeing people complain about $10 bottles of water (which I never saw)… but seriously there is a Walgreens on nearly every block; prices may be slightlyhigher than at home but much cheaper than hotel
Ellis Island: Expect a bit of a wait, this is a great value (probably why it is called out in the FAQ) and everyone knows. I was with a group of 5 that ate their late night and the bill was $35 (including 2 orders of steak and eggs). The food is a bit better than most generic casual dining. (Also, be careful how much money you light on fire in the casino waiting for your table. It can quickly turn an amazing deal into a less than amazing deal)
White Castle: I’d never eaten at a White Castle before… now I have. Perhaps this is better after drinking but I am not a fan
Mexi place in Circus: Chimichanga FTW!
Vince Neil Tatuado at Circus: Nightly karaoke and good appetizers (drinks were quite weak)
Taco Bar in Balley’s: WTF $18 for Nachos!!! Oh crap that is a lot of food. Wow, this was assembled by someone that understands how to make nachos without having you end with a pile of dry chips. Ugggg too full. Huh, that’s all this cost! This was a great deal.
Firefly Tapas: Get the bacon wrapped dates (everything was good but seriously, get the bacon wrapped dates)
Herbs and Rye: Awesome little bar (the first non-watered down drinks I had)
Boarder Grill (at Mandalay Bay): The most expensive meal I had in Vegas… but also the best quality food. The Banh Mi sliders were amazing
Must See: We only made it to one show “Vegas the show” which was amazing. Fountains are the Balagio are great but I almost preferred the very small one by the Wynn (you are right by it, the music is classic Vegas rat pack, if it is hot and windy you get the coolness of mist from the fountains). Freemont at night: this is a $8-12 Lyft from the strip and if you have any promo… it costs little more than the tip to get to/from.
Timeshare: We ended up getting to Vegas about 12 hours earlier than expected, giving us an extra day. The moment (literally) I walked into the hotel I was approached by someone trying to get me to go to a 90 minute timeshare presentation. And offering us two tickets to a show, $100 in dining/gambling vouchers, and about another $100 in various incentives. My thought was for the two of us together, we don’t make $100 an hour… might as well go to augment our experience.
First of all ~90 minutes is more like 4 hours Expect a very hard sell Expect sales people that have been exceptionally well coached on how to overcome any objections Expect that if you are contemplating but can’t buy now (for whatever reason) that there is always another product to sell you
Make sure that you take your phone and look at reviews (and figure out if the product they are selling is worth its value to you).
Several of the hotels/casinos had timeshare representatives looking for customers. They do everything they can to get you to their presentations. They look like hotel employees “welcome to , are you just getting to Vegas? Let me get your welcome kit”
TL;DR Use Sprit Air is cheap… but will nickel and dime you for everything, UbeLyft, Circus Circus is cheap but sad, My Vegas Rewards can save you a little money, watch out for timeshare reps
submitted by skot123 to vegas [link] [comments]

Cigarnival 2014 Review Thread

So I meant to post this yesterday but I did not have time I had to quickly set up my fridgeador in order to accommodate the massive amount of cigars I brought back from cigarnival.
For those of you who don't know, Cigarnival is hosted by Famous Smoke in Easton, PA. It is a 2 day event held this year on June 27th and 28th, however I only went on Saturday so that is what I will review. Also, please note this was my first ever cigar event so this will be a fresh eyes review.
Pre-Entry
Since I only had a one day pass but wanting to get the lay of the land, I arrived about an hour and a half early before the 1pm check in. Depending on the type of pass you had, you could get in earlier. First of all I must say the restaurant/bar The Leaf is really really beautiful. A really nice bar inside and a good amount of outdoor seating where I grabbed a beer and just relaxed. Inside I scouted out the store and saw some of their event box prices which were pretty solid deals. I didn't want to buy any boxes yet until I went through the tent and to see if there were any other deals going on. There was a Xikar rep inside who I talked to and ended up buying a xikar Vitara g2 lighter from since I was in the market and it was 20% off and I got a free can of butane. Alec Bradley was also running an event inside but I didn't buy anything since I just got some from a previous event the month before. He did hand me a nica puro cigar though which would be the first of many.
Event Entry
Around quarter of one I headed over to the tent to start lining up for the main event. I filled out the release and was handed a beer by one of the many girls serving at the event. It was a local beer and quite refreshing. They started ushering us in a little before 1 as the line grew as busses arrived from hotels. I was given a wristband, handed a nice bag, 3 chips for the DE casino, along with a booklet that had a checklist of the vendors for them to mark when they give you a cigahandout. A very solid system and I can see how that helps prevent abuse. Now I was in the tent and holy crap it was big. 40+ tables all around the outside edge full of cigars. After the first couple tables I immediately was drawn in to the La Gloria Cubana table. I have smoked one before and knew they were a solid smoke. The rep there had a table of boxes and was selling. I got a box of Gilded Age Toro's for 75 plus a really nice tin sign/platter and a jersey. However, to me it was weird that they were the ONLY vendor selling any boxes or anything for that matter inside. Everyone else was directed back inside the store to make purchases minus a few samplers they had in the tent at the store booth. I was sold on a box by talking to the rep and getting a feel for it. I felt if others did that there would be even more sales. Not sure if that was by request of famous or by the reps themselves. Now as I made my way through the tent it seemed like pretty much a procession, move to table, hand checklist, get cigar. Someone described this as a robot line and I couldn't help but agree. It was a little disappointing but I also understand it has to be this way to get through 1000 people. However, while the initial move through was just okay GOOD LORD the amount of cigars I got was insane. I think it had to be close to 50 sticks many of which I haven't tried but also some quality ones as well. DE gave me a choice of a MUWAT and an Undercrown. There was live music playing which while loud was really good and enjoyable. After we moved through the tables I talked with my local Ashton rep a bit, got a free t-shirt. One thing did surprise me was that some vendors ran out of giveaways really early. I was one of the first in from the 1pm check in and Vector was already out. They ended up having me come back to get a free can of butane but I heard other reps saying they had to go buy wholesale from Famous because they were out of supplies. This seemed really strange since you know how many people are at this event.
I sat down at the table still kind of in awe that I had a bag full of cigars and was already 1 box in. I brought a travel herf with a couple sticks from home because I wasn't sure about the ones I would be handed out during the event. I enjoyed my cigar, and grabbed some food from the buffet they had in the middle of the tent. Standard grill food for lunch, I had a hot dog and some sides. I got a water and a beer from the beer stand(free) which had a surprisingly decent selection. I went with a Lemon Shandy. After the initial rush died a little I went up and entered the raffle which had a ton of prizes from Xikar, DE, Oliva, Gurkha, etc. Raffle tickets were relatively cheap, and I bought 1 entry for the Run through the Warehouse. As the day went on they did live interviews with major industry players who were at the event, Rick Rodriguez from CAO, Jonathan Drew, etc. I actually got to meet and talk with these guys during the event as well which was really cool.
Cigar Rolling, Dinner, DE Casino, Raffle's
Starting around 3:30 or so they started the raffles, where they came on stage, pulled about 10 tickets for the prizes from that vendor. The raffles ran about every hour for each of the (7?) groups. At the end of each Vendor they pulled 3 tickets for a Minute to Win It challenge between 2-3 people for a big prize. CAO had an beautiful Toolbox humidor that I was insanely jealous of. The challenges were silly but fun and the host seemed to be having fun with the players. It was a nice mix up to the day. I also got to try my hand at rolling a cigar which was insanely hard but a lot of fun!
The dinner again was buffet style in the same location as the lunch but with a delicious pork and additional sides. The food was solid and better than I was expecting.
At 5 the Drew Estates casino opened. I have never been to one before and I must say it was fun but a bit too hard to get anything. Each person came in to the event with 3 chips. To win the lowest level of prizes, you needed 25 chips. That was for a 6 cigar sampler and a hat/torch. You could also earn chips by buying DE product. Before I sat down to play, I went back to my car to drop some stuff and to the store. I bought a box of Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta because I enjoy a good medium smoke and a pack of 10 KFC Chunky because I have never had them but been dying to try. This got me 30 additional chips. It also got me a DE sampler and torch lighter. I was supposed to get a 6 pack sampler and cutter but they were out so they gave me a 12 pack instead and a torch lighter which was really awesome of Famous! I went back to the casino, played some blackjack and made enough chips to get to 50. That got me 2 6 pack samplers, 1 hat and another torch lighter. I really really wanted one of the crystal ashtrays but 100 chips was just not going to happen. To me it seemed like for some people that I talked to, it seemed like they were disheartened at the chance of winning anything without buying product. I realize this isn't something DE does to just give away product but I also think people should have at least a shot at earning the minimum level of prizes with what they start out with(3 chips).
The raffles continued on into the night, and I actually won during the last round which was by DE. I got a 20 pack sampler which was really amazing considering I rarely win anything and I spread my tickets around a lot. I must point out Jonathan Drew is insane in a good way. During the Cigar for Warriors raffle and his own he kept throwing in boxes of undercrowns and even ligas. He was very into it and I also must say he was really heartfelt going on about Cigar for Warriors. It was nice to see and everyone should donate to their organization, super nice people and a good cause.
By 10pm they did the raffle for the Run through the Warehouse. I didn't win, was 3 off!! but I couldn't stay any longer I was exhausted and it was an amazing day. I know the organizers are on here so I wanted to leave a couple other thoughts with them.
Wrapping up thoughts
Please consider adding some speakers in the store and in the casino. No one had any idea when things were happening and I know I missed a couple raffles because of it. For the prizes no big deal because they were kept upfront, but for the challenges it kind of stinks because who knows if your number was called.
Fans, I was surprised there wasn't any fans at all in the tents. We were lucky it was a nice day but it did get kind of warm in there during the afternoon.
Try to find a way to encourage people to talk to vendors beyond getting a stick and moving on. I am not sure if that's possible due to the size but I know I would be much better informed and could enjoy more of the sticks I got if I had any clue from the vendor. This may not be possible and I understand but it's something to think on.
Same goes for vendors selling in the tent, I am not sure who's call that is, but I think it would be a lot cooler to deal with the vendors there than to break it up back to the store and back to the tent.
Finally, I must say thank you to Famous for putting on an excellent event and really your staff and event runners were some of the friendliest and most helpful people ever. It was really smooth and well done.
Okay, one more thing. This is a small story I want to add because it shows what a great community this is. I came to this event alone because I got a ticket of craigslist(below face value which made this even more crazy of a deal). I figured I would be bored since I would know no one at this event. Well early on in line to get in, I got to talking to a guy who also came alone(his wife was poolside back at the hotel). Well we got to talking, shared some cigar stories and ended up at the same table during the day. I told him about cigarbid and /cigars and he was blown away. We exchanged emails and I think we both came away from this event with a new friend. Pretty awesome I must say.
submitted by talltree2011 to cigars [link] [comments]

[Table] IamA long time employee of the tourism industry, from cruise ships in the Caribbean to Alaskan wilderness lodges. Ask me anything about the industry or the chaotic and debauched lives of it's employees.

Verified? (This bot cannot verify AMAs just yet)
Date: 2013-09-08
Link to submission (Has self-text)
Questions Answers
As time goes by, you become specialized, the pay gets better, but all the while your friends ashore have moved on with their lives and you were not there, so your connection with them fades. Instead you make new friends in each boat you're in, but it's people that perhaps you will never see again. Every time I get finished with a contract I'm like well fuck all that noise. I'm out. I've retired from the industry about 10 times.
The last thing she told me was that all the people on the boat are constantly bitching that they want to return home. But when they're home they immediately get on another boat, because for them, there is no "home". Then after a few months, you're bored. Normal jobs are monotonous. People are dull. You wake up in the same place every day. You just feel stimulated.
Any comments? The joke is that in October we all hate our jobs, and we're done forever. By December we're thinking it wasn't so bad, and by May we're back on the fucking boat.
Okay, so, when I was on a cruise to Alaska, they had signs on the ship saying not to into the crew area even if you're invited. Does this happen a lot? Do the crew and guests occasionally hookup? But this is one of the first things you're told. If you do it, you're done. No exceptions. You can not slap meat with a guest. Does it happen? Of course. People will always find a way. But it's discrete.
Have you ever seen this happen to a coworker? Getting fired for having sex with a passenger, that is. Several. Folks in the massage department were particularly prone to getting fired that way. And as for what happens then, it can vary based on offense. If you've really fucked up they'll get your shit for you and disembark your ass at the next port.
Edit: How does firing work on a cruise ship in the middle of a voyage? Also depends on citizenship, of course.
Does the passenger get punished in any way? Yeah, with a long list on STDs.
I'm about to go on my first cruise. what is something you wish all passengers would know but you could never tell them? Say hello and smile. That's the same thing they tell employees, but it's what I tell my friends when they go on cruises. Don't just walk up to employees and yell drink orders or take hor d'oeuvres off their trey like they're not there. Say hello, smile, and make your requests. It makes our lives better, and that makes your trip better.
We're only human. If you're going to treat employees like garbage they're not going to be overly eager to tend to your desires. If you're friendly and talkative, they'll seek you out and do their best to make sure you're having the best time possible. Trust me.
Where you at? I mean, specifically what city and bacoffee shop? My guess, The Viking in Juneau. I literally just walked past the Viking. Get out of my head.
As a Juneauite and longtime tourism worker, I know crew seems to LOVE the Viking...but the Alaskan's WAY better. I'm Princess all the way, that's all I'll say. Because it is likely, I know just about all the local operators.
Also this is a surreal reddit experience, as it could be very likely I've seen you before. The only question is...Coral Princess or Millennium? Also the Alaskan is full of hippies.
Not waiting for verification due to the eloquence of your other comments on the subject. I've heard that some (many?) cruise employees are actually highly educated individuals from countries that have fallen on hard times. This may only apply to crew in EMEA regions. What's the general make-up of crew you've worked with? There was a famous incident of a musician taking charge of a rescue operation after a cruise ship ran aground and the captain basically avoided all responsibility. (I'll find the reference and post it. It's Link to www.oceanossinking.com - Thanks FuctUp!) Would you? What's the feeling amongst crew about running into trouble? You spoke of our being unable to believe the limits of human stupidity of passengers and their antics. Can you supply some best-of stories and why you think they leave their brains on shore? Absolutely true. Most of us are very educated people who just couldn't find work in our chosen careers. At least the people guests deal with are. The general make-up of people I've known is evenly divided between people who are just working what they see as an odd job before their real life begins. Other people are just lifelong wanderers who can't stomach the idea of a real job or commitment to anything. It's perfect for them.
It varies. To be honest, most of us really dislike them. Because 70% of them are rude and hostile. I've seen guests doing incredibly inhuman shit to my co workers. We get defensive of eachother, honestly a bit cliquey, and tend to see the situation as us and them. However, that's not the full situation. There's that 30% of guests that really make it all worth it. Most of us are really in the industry because we love meeting new people and getting to know them. If we reach out to guests and they reach back, then that makes all the difference. But we can't be the only ones to do it, we can't make them enjoy themselves.
We're all trained. Over and over again. And we're always trained to help guests first. The staff is always going to do the bulk of the rescue work because we're the ones trained to do it. If it came down to reality, who could truly say what would happen. But that's the situation.
You mention the guests are often rude and hostile. Are some routes worse than others? Or are types of people worse than others? The Alaskan route is the worst, simply because it's mostly elderly people from New York with little patience for the laid back nature of things up here. Caribbean is easiest, because people just like to sit around and drink on the open sea. Alaska has few sea days. People are restless and cold.
What's the worst thing you witnessed on the ship? Well that would depend on how dark we want to go.
Probably the single worst thing I've witnessed as far as something in the public eye was a particularly bad outbreak of the Norovirus in the midst of a cruise tour a few years back. Up around 20 people wandering around firing volleys of dull coloured liquid out every hole on their bodies at the speed of sound.
Of course they were quarantined and kept away from everyone else, as usual. But still, when the breakout was in full swing it was horrible. People would just be hanging out on deck or in the casino and then it'd hit them like a freight train. And the quarantine rooms after they left...oy.
If someone dies do you guys carry the body around or just leave it at a random port? Generally we'll take the body on board with us unless a relative requests otherwise. Frequently the dead are cruising with family and they typically just want to get off as soon as possible and take care of the corpse personally.
Give us something really good and dark. :) We desire to see the dark heart of the souls of men! The story I was telling earlier in morbidreality was an incident where a teenage girl met a guy she fancied on the boat. They discovered later that they were roomed right next to each other. Anyway, later that night she wanted to go to his room but couldn't leave through the main door or else wake her parents.
So she opted for the balcony. Tried to climb over and leap to his balcony. Slipped, and fell about 16 stories to the ocean below. She was never recovered.
That was a pretty dark event.
What legal rights do you have in terms of quarantining someone? Surely they could say it was a form of kidnapping? Captain is God at sea. We're not generally under anyone's laws, but that's not to say we don't follow them. We quarantine for the good of the guest and those around them. It'd be utterly irresponsible and dangerous not to quarantine them, no government would try to pressure us in another direction.
Saw in the other thread that you said cameras are always watching. I snuck into the spa area where the massage table was on several nights with girls I met on the cruise. Made a lot of mess. Are you saying they had this on video? Gulp. Most likely. And we're proud of you. Get 'em tiger.
This is one of the more interesting AMAs; thanks. Honestly I got into this because I love people. I love meeting people from strange places and getting to know them. I love hearing stories and having conversations. I'vealso always loved traveling, so a career that combined those two loves seemed natural. On the boats I was always part of the Shore Excursion staff. The people who build, sell, and plan the tours. Sounds dull but being the guy who sells your product makes the operators kiss your ass pretty hardcore. On my 23rd birthday I was flown up to the top of Alaskan glacier with a bunch of friends by helicopter. For free. We sat high up over the world getting wasted and having snowball fights. That's something I'd never have gotten to do otherwise.
What got you started in the tourism industry? Did you study hospitality management, or work in the restaurant industry? What kind of jobs did you work within the tourism industry (specifically on the cruise lines). Who did you work for; and if you worked for multiple companies, who were the better employers? As for companies, my favourite has always been Holland America and Princess. Princess being my choice.
As someone who has worked a variety of jobs in the restaurant industry who has recently transitioned into sales, I have thought about working on a cruise line - specifically bartending. If you have comparable experience as a landlubber, what are your thoughts on the two? If I decided to pursue this for a year or two, how should I prepare stateside? Give up my apartment, throw my shit in a storage unit, and just go with the flow? Or does some serious planning help? Planning always helps. But not too much. Understand what you're getting into, beyond that it is a good idea to give up what you can. Have as few bills as possible. That's always been my strategy. Otherwise go with the flow.
What kind of debauchery takes place? The normal get drunk fuck the waitress on a sack of potatoes in the walk-in, or some crazy shit like a circle jerk at the poker table while the chef is cutting lines of coke on the bar with two guests giving him a double bj? I can't even begin to describe. All the stereotypical wild west crap is present in this industry. We end up in very sketchy places. I'm talking waking up in brothels with a nose bleed from all the coke, and playing the adult easter egg hunt. Frantically searching for your pants, keys, and wallet before sprinting back to the ship. If there is a vice, we've got it. And we've got it down to a science.
How scared should I be? You shouldn't be scared. Cruise ships are more like floating villages than anything. They've all got very ample medical provisions and facilities, and everything is planned and coordinated very well.
Have you ever seen a cruise line get the justice they deserved? I said it in that thread earlier, but i'll say it again for measure. Literally millions of people sail with us every single year, and we only ever have a few incidents in any given season. It's safe.
Do they EVER lose a lawsuit? As for the lines getting some comeuppance from the law, I've heard of a few, yes. There's times when something happens that is clearly our fault, like when those boats recently died in the water. Or when that idiot ran his ship aground in Italy. It happens all the time, we're actually under a lot of scrutiny. Rightfully so.
How many passengers have you slept with? Officially? None. Unofficially? Many to a lot.
Please say more about that? I was actually dating a girl from back home when I first came aboard. If you're unaware, tourism work is a fuck fest. Everyone is humping everyone. But for the first two years I was dedicated to my girlfriend and didn't cheat. After that went to hell I went off on a pretty decent tangent.
I've never banged a guest on the boat. That's risky and will get you fired. On my days off or when I was working on the pier...that was a different story. I've met more than a few guests off the boat for drinks/quickies in the tour shack.
After a while it all got pretty gross. I checked out on the casual pound fest before I dick started growing mushrooms on it.
Were you not using a condom? I've double wrapped and still ended up pouring listerine on my dick.
It ain't a fuck fest if you go with your girlfriend and her family -_- Not with that attitude.
There's your problem. Double bagging causes tears in the condom. Where were you 3 years ago to tell me that? What good are you?!
Most annoying customer? I've been staring at this question for about 10 minutes trying to choose one specific guest. I really don't know. I've been choked, spit on, harassed and insulted. Looking back and trying to choose just one of those people to throw overboard would be impossible.
Jesus, choked? What caused that kind of reaction? Some other employee giving bad directions. I just happened to be walking by with a name tag.
How did you respond? I really couldn't do anything. His arm looked like it snap like a stale tortilla chip if I moved it. I just kinda stood there.
I'm not the dramatic type. Not like he could actually hurt me. Guy was as old as the Parthenon.
Could you elaborate on the amount of cameras? Are they inside the rooms? Whats the worst thing that your ship has caught on camera? If you're not in the bathroom or in your stateroom, we're watching. That's a reality. But no, if you're in your room you're not on camera. Otherwise they're hidden everywhere. The ones you can see are the tip of the iceberg.
As for the worst thing we've seen as the girl I mentioned in the other thread. Falling off the ship 16 stories into the black down below. That was supposedly pretty surreal to watch.
Other than that we've seen some people piss all over the place and old ladies giving handjobs. You know, the regular.
Old ladies giving handjobs? To whom? Old men, I assume. Maybe a banana platter if their vision is bad.
Did you ever get stowaways? Never had one on my boat, but it does happen. If they're caught they're booted off at next port.
We also have guests with a lot of money who book rooms for months or even a year and just ride our ship all over the place. They basically live on board.
How is the food stored and prepared on a cruise ship? i work in fast food, and i was wondering if it was better or worse than how we prepare it there. I honestly didn't work in that department, but it is effectively stored and restocked at every new sailing. At the very worst, the food can occasionally be left out a bit too long at the buffet. But not often with the way guests eat.
What happens when a passenger is discovered to be missing? Security checks camera footage, calls are made to the most recent port to see if they've been left behind. Frequently someone just missed their boat and it's all well and good, but then there's the few times where something has actually happened. At that point the footage comes into play.
Were you higher up or just a day to day worker? I have heard that the 'average' employees don't really make any money other than enough to get by on cruise lines, is that how it is? It's true that the pay is...not so great for day to day guys. I was in a middle to upper level position. I'm in a supervisor position now in shore operations.
I've always felt bad for the day guys. They do 90% of the work for jack shit while my coworkers and I sat up top and browsed the web all day.
I'm in a supervisor position now in shore operations. I had to work my way up. I started as a local operator working with the boats in Alaska. I just busted my ass. Made myself known. Took cruise staff out for drinks, never was late. Never panicked or got stressed. After 2 seasons of showing that I had it in me, offers came in quick.
Did you have to work your way up for that, or were you originally placed in a mid-level position because of schooling or something? What kind of stuff do you have to do when you're not redditing with a fierce passion? After that I got offered my position simply because it suited my skill set from shore.
Thanks for your answers - I didn't expect this AMA to be so interesting. It really is all about who knows your name in this industry. Make friends.
What is the biggest thing you would watch out for if you were a passenger instead of an employee? Norovirus. Don't fuck with the walk. Sanitize.
In /morbidreality you wrote that death/people going overboard wasn't uncommon. Does any of these incidents still haunt you or were you just used to it at some point so that it doesn't affect you any more? I've been faced with mortality a few times over. In a way they've all affected me in a certain way, but it's not really something I can do much about. Sometimes it's weird. Like there was a particular incident where I man slipped on the gangway and died due to a head injury. A week later I was back there watching that same gangway go down on that same pier. Blood was gone, guests were having a great time. Everyone blissfully unaware. But I still look at that spot and think about it.
Honestly, I'm perhaps a bit too used to seeing death. I grew up in Northern Ireland and saw plenty of it there as well. It doesn't haunt me anymore so much as it just gives me pause for thought.
I swear, almost every accident I hear with people on cruises always has something to do with the gangway. The gangway is the most deadly predator native to cruise ships. Don't underestimate it.
Sorry, what's the gangway? The ramp/stairs set up along the pier to allow people off the boat.
Whats a massage gig like there? Dirty. Fruitful, as well. You'll get paid and tipped well.
Just be prepared to get some fucked up requests. Old people are not as sweet as you think..
Example? I mean, I never dealt with it. But if you ever ask one of those poor girls about the shit they hear...my God. One girl was telling me the guy offered her like $500 for a happy ending and said he could get her a greencard (she was Estonian)
Like I said, fruitful.
When you confiscate people's alcohol/drugs brought onboard either at the start of the trip or from port--where does it go? What's the craziest way you've seen someone try to sneak alcohol/drugs onto the ship or from room to room? Any deaths related to the attempts made? I'm honestly not at all familiar with security. I know it's mostly just "disposed of". How exactly that happens is honestly out of my department.
I've never heard of a death due to attempted smuggling, but there's always crazy ways people are trying to smuggle booze and all that back on after porting. I've heard of people trying to bribe, putting booze in unsavory places, trying to force their way through. It's all very bizarre, because we really don't generally care that much.
A common argument is that people want to buy this exotic onshore booze and take it home, so they smuggle. Fully unaware that we'll check any amount of booze for you and give it back at the end of the cruise, and you're actually allowed to bring on a bottle of booze yourself.
What is the worst part of working on a cruise ship? The isolation. You're gone for months at a time lumbering along on this oversized hotel that you can't really leave.
My first two contracts I had a girlfriend back home. I had an apartment. A whole real life, but no way to access them outside my floating bubble. It's like the world doesn't exist outside the boat. It's just all there is.
I'd imagine cruise life makes having any sort of relationship with someone not on the ship extremely difficult, eh? It does. I've never been one to cheat so infidelity wasn't an issue. But being apart is. I've essentially given up on dating due to my job. Dating on the boat is folly. It ends badly. So I just accepted that I can't really date and will probably die alone face down on the wet floor of a pub toilet.
I was thinking about getting a degree in sound engineering (or something in that field) then doing contract work on cruise ships either in the main theatre or the clubs. Application sites outlined very good pay and it is something I would enjoy... Would you recommend this as an option? Absolutely. I always recommend pursing work on cruise ships. It can be tough and chaotic, but it's also the best time I've ever had. If you like to party, you'll party hard. If you like travelling, you're getting paid to do it. It's worth the hard work.
Greatest night of your life? Craziest thing you or someone you saw get away with? The craziest thing I've ever gotten away with was going to a brothel with a guest while on the clock. To be fair, I didn't know what was going on. I may or may not have been the one to lead him there.
What was the most frightening thing that you saw in the wilderness lodges? And the cutest animal that you encountered out there! Cutest animal? Some little moose calves along the road near Denali. Most frightening thing? The Grizzly who came out of the woods and tore them to shreds 20 seconds later.
What is the average salary for a regular crew member? It totally depends on what you're doing. It can get as shitty as $800 a month to well over $8,000. The housekeepers, cooks, and cleaning staff make fuck all. It's sad really, but given that most are from pretty disadvantaged countries $800 a month is probably decent.
Is it true theres a baclub for employees only deep within the bowels of the ship? What happens if you try to bring a non-employee to it? Of course. The employee bar is the real world Mos Eisley. Drinks are dirt cheap, it's filthy and unsupervised. Guests can't go there, though. Probably a good thing.
Thanks for doing this AMA! Now I know that this may not be answerable but is there any cruise line that someone should completely avoid? For really any myriad of reasons (can be the treatment of employees, or the food cleanliness, etc.). I have a bit of a distaste for Celebrity and Carnival. Just for employee conditions, I've not heard any true horror stories from any line. Still, when it comes to food and cleanliness it's like a hotel. You get what you pay for. Holland America, Regent and those luxury liners are going to have the best quality. Princess is my personal choice, a good mix of down to earth environment and quality.
Is he cute? Adorable.
How did you get your job, what qualifications (if any) did you need, and would you recommend it to a random young person? I got the job through a process. I had prior guest service experience and spoke a few languages, though that I got employment with shore operations. Worked my ass off abd made my name known to those on the ships, and when I applied I was already a front runner. It's all who you know, and who knows you.
What kind of drugs did you guys have on board? Interested in a "employment opportunity" you could say lol. Cocaine and Molly were the most widely consumed. Pot wasn't really an option due to the smell. I tried Mushrooms on the deck one time and nearly had a mental breakdown. Stuck with Molly after that.
If the staff are all hooking up with each other and the passengers, do STDs become a problem? Do the medical facilities handle a lot of that? Yeah..lot of shots in the ass going around.
Has your ship ever had any lifestyle cruises on board? How decadent do these get and do the employees ever secretly partake? They're usually pretty normal. We have a LGBT cruise that I've worked on before. That one was just hilarious. All the women book ATV rides and the men book garden tours and tea parties. It's great.
Hey, is this the type of job a married couple can do? Do they get the same crew quarters? Is this even possible? It's certainly been done. It's possible. It also frequently ends in divorce.
This is probably going to get buried with the rest of the other questions... But I should ask it because it was my thesis in college. Conservation is near and dear to my heart. Especially as an Alaskan who wants to keep this place beautiful. My honest opinion is that I wish we could turn down the volume of cruises and land tours here and elsewhere. The pollution that these boats leave behind is staggering, especially with the guests who frequently litter. Not to mention the infrastructure built to accommodate them. I think tourism needs to change. We can't keep flooding these beautiful areas with pollution and commercialism if we want our kids to be able to enjoy them. ss beautiful as they are, they're fragile. I know that didn't really answer your question. I really can't claim to know much on that topic. I just know that I love nature and with that love comes respect. We can't just turn everything into a tourist destination with shops and car parks. Sometimes we need to leave it alone.
How do you feel about the current status and the future of the ecotourism industry? (Biologically, economically sustainable tourism with money that goes towards all parts of the community, including the lower class.)
My family and I are avid cruisers, so thank you very much for what you have done. I've heard horror stories from some of the crew members I've talked to, and yet all of it goes unnoticed by the passengers. In the previous thread you stated that cameras are EVERYWHERE. How extensive is the network of cameras really, and who has access to the (live and recorded) footage? It's very extensive. I'm not exaggerating that at all, they're everywhere. As for access, only authorized security personell. Nobody else was even allowed near the security room. Even I would have been sacked had I gone in there.
How are the sleeping conditions? Do you sleep in a room with a bunch of other people? Or is it like a dorm where you bunk with another person or two and have a communal bathroom? Depends on your job and the boat. I often had my own room, but others may have had to share with multiple people.
Also how many hours of the day do you work and how do your days off work? Again, depends on the job. Cleaning staff works ridiculous hours. To the point that they're not scheduled to work, they get schedules for sleeping. I was pretty standard 8-10 days with two days off a week.
Is there a job on the ship you'd rather do or that you think would be the most fun? I dunno. I like my job. There's some guy up on the bridge that has a giant cut out human hand and gets to dance around and wave it at people below. I'd do that. That sounds cool.
How does one get in this business? I don't live near the water, but have always thought it would be a very interesting way to live for a few years. Just apply. This is a huge industry and not many people are willing to sign their life for 6 months. There's more opportunities than you think.
How many times have you shit your pants due to norovirus? If pants were alive, they'd try me at the ICC for genocide.
What can you say about the safety training that people receive who run cruise ships? Are they prepared? Rigorously. We train constantly for emergency situations.
Im from Argentina and I'm curently studying english and portuguese, also I will learn french, I want to specialize in languange, and I really don't know what to do with my life, I guess Ill be a teacher, but Working on a cruise is something I can see myself doing, I don't care if I have to start from the bottom, I really don't care about the money and I have no obligations ... So, How do I get a work into a cruise from let's say Buenos aires, or RIo de janeiro, or Venezuela, to the caribbean... Do I have privileges over the others applicants because I having a speaking, reading, or writing knowledge of several languages?? You definitely get a preference for being multi lingual. That's partially what got me on board. And strangely, Argentines are very prevalent in the industry. I've known dozens. Maybe they actively recruit there.
Tldr; how can I get a job on a cruise? and do I get extra possibilities because I know English-spanish-portuguese.. etc? Unfortunately I'm not much use anymore with applications and recruiting. I'm not sure how it works these days. It sounds incredible basic but just try applying online. With your skills and some service industry background, your application will be seen.
Drugs ? going on your quote before when talking about law "Captain is God". What is the general consensus about drug use ? As long as you're not on the Lido Deck trying to eat a chair, they just generally try not to see it.
How often do people fall off? And what's their chance at being recovered alive? Rarely. It'd pretty much have to be intentional. We do everything we can. Boats are in the water and spotlights shine within minutes of the call. If the person is alive and wants to be found, they generally are.
Last updated: 2013-09-12 15:38 UTC
This post was generated by a robot! Send all complaints to epsy.
submitted by tabledresser to tabled [link] [comments]

casino quality craps table for sale video

clubs and bars of Tijuana - YouTube Curiosity Incorporated - YouTube How to Win at Casino Every Time - Craps Betting Strategy ... 10 Tricks Casinos Don't Want You To Know - YouTube 1-8 decks Casino Full-Automatic card shuffler - YouTube Doyle Brunson SCHOOLS Cocky Businessman For $204,400 - YouTube Epic Highest Jackpot on YouTube Caught Live! Double ... - YouTube Biggest Flops in NFL History - YouTube

Discover the best Craps Tables in Best Sellers. Find the top 100 most popular items in Amazon Sports & Outdoors Best Sellers. American Table Games 14′ Casino Style Craps Tables are all manufactured as a 4 piece breakdown tub for more convenient shipping. That also allows the table to be transported anywhere for casino parties, tight hallways, basements or upstairs. 14 foot Casino Quality Craps Table Manufacturer American American materials and manufacture Your choice of colors, features & accessories The end legs are crescent moon shaped - this is a TBPS.com exclusive !! Stationary construction or portable design Digital dye sublimation layout printing Your choice of Green, Blue, black or… Quality casino craps table, find casino craps table for sale from China and we provide casino craps table at low price on China.cn - Mobile. This Beautiful Craps Table Has a Sturdy Wooden Frame and Legs, Removable Padded Armrest, Padded Felt Playing Surface, and 2 Mirrored and Rail-Rubber-Topped Walls. The Craps Table is Available in 8, 10, and 12 Foot Sizes. Multiple Vinyl Armrest Colors and Wood Finishes are Available for the Craps Table. Casino Quality Craps Table 10' (132) x 60 w x 40 h (or upgrade to 12') Portable design or stationary construction Legs assemble with (4) acorn nuts Digital dye sublimation printing Replaceable playing surface over vinyl padding Choice of felt color (green, black, blue or burgundy) Solid wood double chip… Craps Table For Sale, USA Made At Affordable Prices Craps Table For Sale, Handmade in our Factory to your specifications. Call 480-983-3315 for more information on our large variety of craps tables. On Sale now with custom options available. $3,500.00. American Table Games 12′ Casino Style Craps Tables can be manufactured in a standard 1 For the person who has everything! Our regulation 12 foot Casino Craps Table is perfect for practice and home parties. Our table is hand-made in our mill shop. With a real Casino Craps Table, you can practice your precision dice shooting any time or just throw a party for your friends. The table is easily put together. Price: Only $4,495 plus Casino Quality Craps Table . Available in 240x120cm, 260x135cm, 280x140cm, With 80cm height. -Casino Grade Playing Surface, flet material is flame and water resistance, with 100% customize dye sublimation . custom design on felt is welcome . deluxe look with high quality PU leather / 10pcs steel cups / wooden race rack / 350pcs chip tray Casino Night Craps Party Table Cover - Green Felt - 3' x 6' - NEW in pkg! C $12.76. C $26.99 shipping. VTG Casino Royale 12"x18" Regulation Cloth Tabletop Official Mini Layout . C $102.17. or Best Offer. CRAPS TABLE COVER LAS VEGAS NIGHT GAMBLING LAS VEGAS. C $19.15. or Best Offer.

casino quality craps table for sale top

[index] [1002] [8145] [437] [9194] [2737] [70] [9216] [8832] [9321] [9956]

clubs and bars of Tijuana - YouTube

Having a flutter 'on red' or playing a few hands of cards can be a great way for your average punter to blow off a bit of steam. But for the casinos, this is... Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. In this episode of the PokerStars big game, Doyle Brunson tangles with a wealthy CEO. The businessman has pocket kings and feels invincible. On the turn he m... Curiosity Inc, an antique and collectibles store, a vintage motorcycle dealer and an adventure! Always out looking for cool new finds and finding creative ways to bring new life to old stuff ... Watch more #poker: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/partypokertv Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/partypoker https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwsW... Follo... Discord Server: https://discord.gg/98YJQffArchive Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_rKK9jvqBf6ugVk9cxsc4wOutro Song: Beat - Highlight Heaven: https... In today's craps betting strategy I will show you how to win at casino every time you play. This is a variation of the iron cross. In this strategy I add a p... This video is dedicated to my AWESOME 5,000+ subscribers! The BIGGEST Jackpot on YouTube caught LIVE for $20/spin on Double Diamond Deluxe! This video was sh... Manufacturer of Casino gaming tables, Poker chips, Roulette wheel, and casino accessories.http://www.hanxingaming.com/Wechat/WhatsApp +86-15999800270Email: k... Walking in Tijuana downtown area by the clubs near the bars a lot of dancing. Tijuana Live

casino quality craps table for sale

Copyright © 2024 m.bking.site