Las Vegas -- It's a Trap

•I mentioned Atlantic City in yesterday's entry, which reminds me that Las Vegas just keeps getting more dangerous as its fortunes sink amidst the financial crisis, and the accidental creation of a "death ray" there in the form of light powerfully reflected from an unfortunately-shaped hotel façade is the latest evidence.  (I wonder if the hotel leaves notes with guests saying "Sorry about the death ray, but we hope you enjoyed etc.")

•One fellow who knows when he's up against a death ray trap, of course, is Admiral Ackbar, and I was pleased to hear about the ongoing campaign to make him the official mascot of Ole Miss.  (And remember, though I'm not visiting Ole Miss anytime soon, I am at Georgetown this coming Wednesday at 7:30pm on a panel at White-Gravenor Hall, Room 201A.)

•One practical way to avoid the trap of Las Vegas is to just stay at home and win millions in the lottery twice, which some oddly-lucky fellow apparently did recently.  I'm so used to thinking of the lottery as an irrational expenditure probability-wise that for a moment I was surprised to hear that the guy kept playing after winning the first time, but I shouldn't have been, of course.

•Speaking of schemes to avoid work, unions look awful in this Daily Show clip pointed out to me by Chuck Blake.  Already, the vile teachers unions are writhing over their depiction in the documentary Waiting for Superman, the film that redeems the existence of the guy who directed An Inconvenient Truth.  Thanks to him, we may have to live in a world without carbon, but at least it will have charter schools. 

•And in other video news, Christine Ames informs me that Jared Harris, who she thinks resembles me, will play the evil Moriarty in the Sherlock Holmes sequel.  I will admit he has the look of a genius about him, but surely not an evil one.