Comments on: Constant Viewer: 21 http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:49:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: DavidS http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html#comment-639490 DavidS Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:15:41 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html#comment-639490 Wow. I don't know if the book is accurate either but (1) The counters are doing it because they like easy money, not out of any difficulty making tuition. Some of them wreck their employment prospects by wearing themselves out travelling and screwing up their grades/day jobs, at which point they need to keep gambling, but none of them start that way. (2) Many of the members of the gang are socially awkward and not particularly attractive. (They are also almost all Asian.) Part of what they enjoy about the Vegas life is that no one calls you a geek when you tip in $100's. Spacey's character (who is an unemployed ex-postdoc, not a professor) in particular is described as quite awkward and unfashionable. (3) The counters lived in apartments with each other, not in dorm rooms, so it isn't quite as amazing that they kept the cash in their bedrooms. Nonetheless, the author portrays this as a stupid call, and the cash gets stolen and misplaced at several points. It still might not have been the way it actually happened, but it is reasonable enough that it doesn't make you scream from the stupidity. Wow. I don’t know if the book is accurate either but (1) The counters are doing it because they like easy money, not out of any difficulty making tuition. Some of them wreck their employment prospects by wearing themselves out travelling and screwing up their grades/day jobs, at which point they need to keep gambling, but none of them start that way. (2) Many of the members of the gang are socially awkward and not particularly attractive. (They are also almost all Asian.) Part of what they enjoy about the Vegas life is that no one calls you a geek when you tip in $100’s. Spacey’s character (who is an unemployed ex-postdoc, not a professor) in particular is described as quite awkward and unfashionable. (3) The counters lived in apartments with each other, not in dorm rooms, so it isn’t quite as amazing that they kept the cash in their bedrooms. Nonetheless, the author portrays this as a stupid call, and the cash gets stolen and misplaced at several points.

It still might not have been the way it actually happened, but it is reasonable enough that it doesn’t make you scream from the stupidity.

]]> By: AMW http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html#comment-639349 AMW Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:03:34 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html#comment-639349 I haven't seen the movie, but <i>Bringing Down the House</i> is a pretty good read. It's followup, <i>Busting Vegas</i> is reasonably good, but, like most sequels doesn't measure up to its sibling. The books are, to my understanding, much more closely tied to reality than the movie. I haven’t seen the movie, but Bringing Down the House is a pretty good read. It’s followup, Busting Vegas is reasonably good, but, like most sequels doesn’t measure up to its sibling.

The books are, to my understanding, much more closely tied to reality than the movie.

]]> By: Isaac Bartram http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html#comment-637804 Isaac Bartram Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:29:22 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2008/03/constant-viewer-21.html#comment-637804 Thanks. From what I'd seen of the trailers on the teevee I suspected this was a bomb. I think I'll pass. Thanks. From what I’d seen of the trailers on the teevee I suspected this was a bomb.

I think I’ll pass.

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