CurtFletcher.com
"If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it." – Lucy LarcomYou never get a second chance to make a good first impression
Usually when I return from one of my trips to a casino I am all excited to do a blog post about the fun I had and share photos of all of the great things to see. I certainly did have a great time at the Mohegan Sun over the past few days and can’t wait until the next time I return.
It is always tough to leave a really nice place like the Mohegan Sun. The rooms are luxurious, there are many unique and delicious food offerings, people treat you with respect, and anything you want is available by making a phone call. It is kind of fantasy land but I eat it up. The reason I tell you this is I want you to feel the rough transition for what happened later as I was driving back home to Portland, Maine.
The trip is a very easy 200 miles that avoids most congested areas. From the Mohegan Sun you take 395 to 290 to 495 to 95. Even I can handle those simple directions. I think somewhere along 495 is the halfway point so I wanted to take a break. I was happy to see a few signs for the Massachusetts Visitor Information Center in Chelmsford. When I think of a Welcome Center or a Visitor Information Center I imagine a nice welcoming building and maybe a smiling representative or two of the state asking me how my day is going. I expect to see different pamphlets and tourist information that will explain to me the various options for fun and relaxing in their state. I expect their state to step up to me, engage me in a conversation, treat me with respect, and thank me for visiting. There would be a fireplace going, it would feel like a lodge, and I would be left with a positive vibe and be happy I was in the new state.
As you may have guessed this was not the case. The following are photos I took with my cellphone to give you a feel of the Northbound Massachusetts Visitor Information Center in Chelmsford. I sat in my car stunned at the scene. I watched businessmen, little old ladies, and others walk up to the building that was closed and then proceed to a portable toilet. Each one was visibly pissed off when they arrived at the door.
As I was leaving I wanted to take a photo of a mountain of broken beer bottles but I had cars behind me who were now growing on the road rage scale because of this visit!
I have emailed this blog entry to the Town Manager of Chelmsford Paul Cohen and the Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick. We’ll see if that helps clean up this disgusting eyesore that ruined my visit. I will let you know if either responds. I throw around the term “Thunderdome” often trying to make a point. This area truly is worthy of my favorite adjective.
Less spin Les, Please!
Last fall I was made aware of a claim that Les Otten, a candidate for the Governor’s race in Maine, had a very similar web site to the very successful site that Barack Obama used during his campaign. Even the letter O had many similar features. Below is a graphic that shows both of them and how they almost fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
While the conversation about the web site was interesting, I was willing to give a pass to Otten (as I am in the preliminary stages of learning about all of the candidates.) After all many web sites these days are templates. I know my blog is a template and is probably used thousands of times across the internet.
When I was first at Otten’s site I watched a video he had on his home page. He focused on three different areas mostly, his success as a skiing executive, his time as a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox, and his current involvement developing alternative fuel. After watching this I decided to hit the internet and see what I could find out as the claims he was making sounded a little too much.
1) Ski executive successes/failures
In the video all that is mentioned is how he was the youngest ski executive in the country and how American Skiing soared with all of his innovative marketing and expansion. What is not mentioned is that the stock of American Skiing today after years of pain and suffering under crushing debt is under $1 today. “Les Otten borrowed millions to build one of the premier ski-resort chains, then left with his company buried in debt. Now New England skiers are paying the price,” is how one article put it. Another states that “Despite Otten’s grand plans, the company’s debts mounted in the face of poor skiing weather. Visitors stayed at home, ticket sales slumped and sales of slopeside condominiums stagnated.” On the internet you can slalom but you can’t hide from the truth.
2) Minority ownership in the Red Sox
If you viewed Otten’s video the images of him being a minority owner in the Boston Red Sox are dramatic. He was an “owner” when they won their first world championship in 2004 in 75 years. He is holding the World Series Trophy. He is running the bases and being interviewed in the dugout. What is not known and is difficult to find out is what percentage did he own? Was it only 1% or 2%? If it is such a small percentage is it accurate to portray that he had anything to do whatsoever with the success of the 2004 Red Sox team? Or 2007? Can he be blamed for seasons in between? Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive in 2003 for performance enhancing drugs. Should Otten be blamed for this, after all, he was involved with the team and seems to be taking credit for the success of the Sox? Shouldn’t he have known about this behavior, after all, he was an “owner?”
I am just making the point that if you are going to take credit for the success you also have to take blame for any failures.
3. Maine Energy Systems
In May of 2008 Otten announced he was investing $10 million in a new venture called Maine Energy Systems to try to capitalize on wood pellets as a new source of home heating. This company would be created to manage all facets of the energy conversion. On the video on his web site he says he is “working intelligently to help solve Maine’s energy crisis.” Again, these statements just seem to stretch the truth somewhat. Is making an investment trying to receive a healthy profit the same thing as solving Maine’s energy crisis? If I invest $10 million in a biotech company am I “working intelligently to help cure diseases globally” or am I just trying to make money from my investment? I wouldn’t be asking this question if he donated this money to a cause. Here is the web site.
I will finish by highlighting a quote I found that pretty much sums it up….
“It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.” ~Henry Louis Mencken
An anonymous person felt kind of the same way I did, at least with the American Skiing information, and made this YouTube video recently.
Les can always work on his golf game if this election season goes downhill for him…
Trip to Tunica
I recently took a fun little trip to Tunica, Mississippi in mid-January. The flight was about 3 hours direct from Portland. Tunica is about 20 minutes away from Memphis (which I did not get to see, maybe next time.) I stayed at Harrah’s which was very nice. There is a main casino/hotel and two other hotels where you have to take a shuttle that runs 24/7 to get to the casino. This never bothered me because I prefer to be away from the casino when not gambling.
I found the southern hospitality to be incredible. Never once did any casino or hotel employee ever show me disrespect, even for a second. The reason I bring this up is that it isn’t unusual in Atlantic City or Las Vegas to get an attitude from an overworked and tired employee. Not in Tunica, it was 100% southern charm. This is very big to me. The only negatives I can think of when compared to the larger gambling destinations would be a lack of shows in comparison. Again, this isn’t anything I really focus on that much so that didn’t bother me.
Here are a few photos of my trip. I can’t wait to make it down there again, maybe when the weather gets warmer. I want to try the Mississippi River Cruise.
You will notice a number of photos of Paula Deen. She is everywhere in Tunica! She has a buffet at Harrah’s that is loaded with authentic southern dishes – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was so good! My favorites were the fried green tomato eggs Benedict, hoecakes, grits, and cheese biscuits.
One thing I found very interesting is that Harrah’s owns a place called Willows Sporting Clays & Hunting Center, a place where you can practice target shooting. Maybe they don’t own it and just have a relationship with them. Either way I find it great that Harrah’s promotes this. Can you imagine them doing this in Atlantic City?
