Our society is sex obsessed. Surely you and we know that.

Sex is the drug of choice for television shows, movies, and children’s literature (just kidding) but before you decide to pay for that wicked though quick spasm from some lady of the night (day, morning, dusk, or dawn) you’d better consider the following.

According to a report in the Las Vegas Review Journal about 15 years ago, the street prostitutes you see along the strip and downtown in Vegas have an 83 percent AIDS rate. We’re guessing today the rate is around the same. Ho boy!

These hard-edged women spread out all along the streets of sin city have very active germs from hundreds if not thousands of other men (many of them really filthy slimy pus bags) waiting to ride your relaxed manhood home to your regular life (and, perhaps, regular wife?). Venereal diseases don’t stay in Vegas, despite what the commercials say – these little buggers hop the planes with you while inside you. You are their happy host coming home from sin city with the wages of sin riding in your private parts and bloodstreams.

We have no statistics on Atlantic City but can anyone doubt we are dealing with virulent diseases there too? Come on, you guys; is it worth the itchy, scratchy, burning, deadly impact of such bugs and viruses to have a spasm? We think not.

"Okay," some of you horn dogs might say, "what about the houses of prostitution in Vegas where the ‘girls’ are medically tested every six months?" This is absolute nonsense. Some diseases (such as AIDS) do not show up in the blood tests for six months or more – but they can be caught right off the bat or bang.

We will overlook the moral issues of going to prostitutes (actually that’s your business) but seriously, if you have to pay for sex, isn’t something out of whack with you? Can you really be that hard up?

If you wish to contribute your reports or observations, we need to receive them by the 24^th of the month for the next month. Write to: fscobe@optonline.net

Dear Frank and Alene,

The projected opening date has moved up again. Now planning to open July 2010. All other new building projects are on hold for now.
 
My tip for this month is to take what they give you. A lot of casinos in AC are cutting back on comps. I have also noticed that many places are not even bothering to ask for players’ cards. I’m wondering if pit bosses have been encouraged not to actively seek players’ cards in order to reduce comps offered. This could be a money saver for the casinos, but I welcome the change. I always feel a little funny plopping money down on the table and then saying I don’t want to be comped. Well, if they don’t ask and you don’t tell; then feel free to play more aggressively, spread more aggressively and win more aggressively.
 
I visited the following casinos this month. All reviews are of games on the main floor and not the high roller rooms.
  
Trump Taj: Eight decks, 75 – 80 percent penetration; S17 on 8-deckers outside high roller room, H17 on the rest of the floor.
 
Resorts: A couple of six-deck games outside the high roller room and the tables right outside the high roller room are S17. The rest of the main floor is H17. 75% penetration.
 
Claridge: $10 tables actively advertised. 75% penetration. H17. All eight decks. During the week they are shutting down the blackjack tables late at night and sending everyone to play at Bally’s.
 
Ballys: Penetration was all over the place. Very dealer dependent now. Very much like Tropicana. Some dealers offered 80% penetration and others offered under 70%. H17 on the entire main floor now. All eight decks.
 
Wild Wild West: 75% penetration. H17. All eight decks. During the week they are shutting down the blackjack tables late at night and sending everyone to play at Bally’s.
 
Caesars: 75% penetration. All eight decks. S17 on $25 and $50 tables outside high roller room. H17 on the rest of the main floor.

Trump Plaza: Six and eight-deck games on the main floor. The 6 deck $25 games are the most abundant. 75 percent penetration, S17 on the entire floor.
 

Hope this helps.

  JON 

Yes, they are stopping the comps and that gives us motivation to play doesn’t it? Yeah, that will bring in the regular players, ha! ha! ha! What jerks these casino bosses are. They should go outside and smoke something other than those cigarettes so their heads get turned on straight. Jackasses all!

BIG BEN

* * * *

Frank’s new book, The Virgin Kiss and Other Adventures! is now available in the BJI online store. Frank says, "This is the best book I have ever written!" Get one and see for yourself.

The greatest, and easiest, advantage-play method ever developed for beating blackjack – SPEED COUNT – can be found in Frank Scoblete’s new book, Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution! book comes with a CD so you can practice. $24.95 plus $5 for shipping.

And now: Golden Touch Speed Count DVD is available! Check out this issue.

* * * *

***********************************************************************

If you’re going to play blackjack, why not play with an advantage? The Golden Touch Blackjack class will give you the easiest method for getting an advantage at the game. You’ll learn it in 10 minutes, practice for two days, and be able to go into the casino and have a verifiable edge! Learn Speed Count and the new optimum basic strategy in this class. Call 1-800-944-0406 to sign up or for more information.

Or buy our book The Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution! or DVD and learn the easiest advantage-play method ever developed for blackjack.

************************************************************************

Here are our ratings for November 2008. We thank many of our readers for helping us to stay as updated as possible. There may be some disagreements in ratings among our correspondents but all these reports are based on individuals’ experience. A word to the wise: it’s always best to check out the casinos for yourselves.

Rating system:

***** = Excellent

**** = Very Good

*** = Good

** = Fair

* = Poor.

BALLY’S PARK PLACE: Night time is the right time if you wanted to play at Wild Wild West – they now send you over to Bally’s. This place is packed with fewer blackjack tables than in the past. A lot of carnival game players here. This used to be a premium property but it now seems to be a Harrah’s after thought. No mid-shoe entry in high roller room and on a few of the main $50 tables in casino. Mixed reviews about how deep the penetration is but we found it in the 75 percent area. All 8-deck games except for the high roller room action. The hitting on soft 17 is now a fact all over the place. For craps players, this is a good casino for the game. All tables are now 5X odds, with a range of minimums. Crews are friendly. Tables are somewhat high so short shooters get your platform shoes. Some correspondents disagree with this statement but we are guessing they are all over 6-feet tall! There are many more carnival games than ever before. Looks like Three-Card Poker rivals blackjack! Hotel has declined a lot. One and one half stars: * ½ *

BORGATA: No change from last issue. One of the three casinos that are not hitting soft 17 and thus deserves our respect. Penetration is much better now too. Casino is all six-deck games, which is great – for AC, that is. Penetration is almost 80 percent which is also an improvement. Craps has long tables, 14-footers, and very bouncy, and not worth playing unless you like to see dice flying off the tables or gaze upon beautiful cocktail servers. Go elsewhere for craps, except for Taj which has mimicked Borgata’s craps tables. This is a happening place and caters to a swinging young crowd. Good casino for Golden Touch Blackjack. Four stars: * * * *

CAESARS: No change from last issue. More tables with hitting soft 17 now. That brings this casino down a big notch. Directly across from Caesars is The Pier, which is a pleasure to walk through – a must see attraction in AC with some of the finest restaurants and views. Caesars itself also has excellent restaurants but you have long walks to find them. Cheerful place and worthy of the name it bears. Hotel/casino rating is A. They are going deeper at blackjack too but that H17 detracts from this somewhat. You can expect about 75 percent penetration with most of the dealers. The main floor of eight-deckers has some of the upper-limit tables ($25 and $50) with no mid-shoe entry. All the games in the high roller pit are also no mid-shoe entry with $100 and higher minimums. Table game action has improved and that is very noticeable in the blackjack pits – which are all 8-deck games. Six-deck games in high roller room have 80 percent penetration, as do the eight-deckers on the main casino floor. The craps games here are good with 12-foot tables and friendly crews. The tables are high so smaller controlled shooters should wear their "special shoes." Two and one-half stars: * * ½ *

CLARIDGE: No change from last issue. Has many $10 games; otherwise a D-U-M-P according to reports from our readers. The new talk is that this place is closing as a casino but now that talk has quieted down. One and one half star: * ½ *

HARRAH’S: Harrah’s has ruined more good casinos in this country than hoof-and-mouth disease has ruined more things with hoofs and mouths. Hitting soft 17 now. Penetration now ranges somewhat below the 75 percent area. Resplitting allowed except aces. No midshoe entry in the high roller room of 6-deck action, with the rest of the casino being 8-decks. But we must warn you; this is a big slot place. Sadly, Harrah’s properties in Las Vegas and in Tunica are getting awfully bad reports about how some of the boxmen treat customers who practice a careful shot at craps and there is overwhelming paranoia at the blackjack games as well. So beware when outside AC. Harrah’s prefers their slot customers and all their casinos tend month after month to be adding more machines. One and one-half stars: * ½ *

HILTON: No change from last issue. The hitting of soft 17 brings this place down a peg. Resplitting allowed except aces. High roller room is 6-decks; rest of the casino is 8-decks with a few $25/$50 6-deckers on occasion. No mid-shoe entry on the six-deckers. High table minimums, especially on weekends, a lot of $25 tables, rare $10 tables. Penetration about 75 to 80 percent or higher. Good casino for Golden Touch Blackjack. For craps, we are dealing with 14-foot tables and a couple of 12 footers. Four stars: * * * *

RESORTS: No change from last issue. Just so-so after a good start a while back. Now some tables hitting soft 17. Not worth playing. Two stars: * *

SHOWBOAT: No change from last issue. High roller room got some good reports but the rest of the casino is becoming one big slot machine. We used to like this casino but Harrah’s has changed it into a slot joint. Where are the table games? Had been one of the best and now is one of the worst blackjack games in AC. Great rooms; good restaurants and that about sums it all up. One star: *

TROPICANA: Not hitting soft 17 and so we go up somewhat in our rating of this casino. Penetration around 70 percent. Is it still open? Two stars: * *

TRUMP MARINA: This place is hitting soft 17. This place’s tone has become somewhat strident. Six-deck games in high roller room and eight-deck games on the main floor have penetration of 75 percent mark, but you won’t find any dealers going much deeper. Games are mostly $15/$25 and up, especially on weekends. No mid-shoe entry on the 6-deckers but you can jump in and out on the eight-deckers. Craps tables are 12-footers with 2X odds. Pit is getting a little paranoid and nutty on the craps games. Foolish ploppies. One star: *

TRUMP PLAZA: Blackjack? Paranoid. Craps? Paranoid! I don’t think the management really understands their games based on our experience in the past two months. Big Ben said it a few issues ago; seems every lowlife street creep now parades with his baggy under-the-ass pants through this place acting tough. Who needs that when you have a lot of cash on you? Just about all 6-deck games with somewhat low penetration of penetration of 70-75 percent, depending on the dealer. No midshoe entry on games outside high-roller pit but you can find $25 (a few) to $50 minimums on these. Allows resplits, except aces. All tables are $10 and higher. Craps tables are 12-footers. Very friendly crews but a dark casino with a real smattering of low-lifes. Good casino for Golden Touch Blackjack. Three stars: * * *

TRUMP TAJ MAHAL: Now they are hitting soft 17. First they screwed up the craps tables so the dice go flying off the table every third roll and now they have decided to give the blackjack games a wicked colonoscopy. Two stars: * *

WILD, WILD WEST: No change from last issue. Smoke gets in your eyes. Lacking the spark it used to have. All 8-deck games with most offering H17 games – insane. This is a part of Bally’s Park Place and Harrah’s is looking to sell this complex like a pan of gold. Penetration is about 75 percent on all games. For craps this is a fun place to play with one 5X odds table and one 2X odds table. I remember when this place had many more tables. Crews are very friendly. One star: *

THE BEST BLACKJACK IN ATLANTIC CITY: Borgata and Hilton

The Best Craps in Atlantic City: Resorts

The Best Hotel/Casino in Atlantic City: Borgata, Taj Mahal