Date sent: Thu, 6 Nov 2003 17:22:18 -0800
www.vphomepage.com"
I am going to respond with ONE e-mail to this Forum, as the
administrator has suggested, since the original e-mail on this topic
was posted here - and then if everyone wants to discuss this subject
among themselves on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FREEvpFREE/ that is
fine. I don't promise to read all the posts on that site - I am far too
busy to read more e-mails.
Which brings me to the subject at hand: I personally was very sorry
when vpFree started up - not because of the personalities or issues
involved - I am very neutral about those - but because it makes TOO MUCH
e-mail reading for me when my body is barely able to keep up with all
the things that my mind wants to do as it is. I have tried not to "take
sides" and tried to be "fair" in my dealing with these 2 groups and I
continue to post on both. However, it is very hard for me (and others)
to keep up and I am constantly having to decide where to post what
information or whether to clutter up everyone's e-mail Inbox by mailing
to both, plus Lodestone, so I will be sure that everyone gets what I
think is important information. Sometimes I just don't post at all
because of all these decisions - or I can't remember what was posted
where in the first place.
I DO post more information on Skip's list, especially if it is about
specific casinos, because I figure there are fewer casino people on that
list. I'm not sure if this is true, but it would seem that they might
choose a free VP site rather than a pay one. Actually I wonder if ANY
casino executive has the time to wade through all the e-mails of either
one!
I DO feel a loyalty to Skip's website - this forum has been my "vp
family" for many years - but it has nothing to do with economic issues.
The items I sell on my website are very carefully chosen. I don't put
the "frugal stamp of approval" on very many things - and when I do I
truly believe they are extremely valuable to many gamblers.
I detect a sour attitude here about commercial endeavor. I'm not sure
why people are so critical of this. Is it jealousy? Is it a lack of
understanding that people who charge for gambling information usually
work very hard and are not "getting rich" from this. I often say that I
probably get minimum wage for all the writing I do - and far less than
that if you factor in all the writing and speaking I do for free. Skip
had his site free for a long time until the hours it took to keep it up
became overwhelming. This burden became so heavy for John Kelly that he
chose to give it up completely so he could take care of his family
responsibilities.
Some people enjoy the responsibilities of a website and choose to give
of themselves - their time and money - in this way. I think that is
wonderful and I admire them for it. But that doesn't mean those who
aren't able to financially give this much time and money to a website
effort are mean old capitalists if they feel the need to charge to
continue providing useful information. "A worker is worthy of his due."
So with that as a background - I want to discuss a few things about the
information I put in MFG. First, I am surprised when people start
analyzing my motives and assign to me all sorts of "reasons" why I wrote
what - BEFORE they had simply asked me why? I have always been very
open to questions and have patiently answered them at length in the
past. I have developed thick skin down through the years since Frugal
1, and I am not upset by negative input. But when it comes from people
on these two lists, people who have known me for years, I am
disappointed that they don't at least give me the chance to explain when
they know I would do so if I were just asked.
Now, to MFG. First, as many who know me have written, I did write this
book over many years. That did influence my organization of material -
although I did update it considerably just before I gave it to
Huntington Press. However, that was well over a year before it
actually came out in print.
Second, what opinions I write in MFG are not necessarily "God-given"
truths - they are my OPINIONS. (If you read the beginning part of
"Resources," you will notice that I say these are the resources I use,
not the ones I think you have to use.) If you have different opinions,
you are quite welcome to put them in a book you write.
Third, I think sometimes a lot of gamblers on this list forget that not
everyone is experienced, has a goal to make a profit in casinos, or
lives in or comes to Vegas often. I choose Skip's site as a primary
recommendation because I think his site has more valuable information
for the broad spectrum of players all over the U.S. His full-pay chart
is the first one I go to when we are going to another gambling venue.
No, I didn't make mention of the price - but I didn't for any other
resource in that section that cost money either. Someone who went to
the site would soon find out that information. Frugal does NOT mean the
cheapest. Frugal means getting good value for your money - and I feel
Skip's website gives most people good value for their money. That's my
OPINION.
I am really sorry I got the wrong website URL for vpFree - actually this
is the only error that readers have found in the book so far. And it is
corrected in tomorrow's Frugal Fridays AND will be in the next printing
of MFG. I just read over my write-up of this site on page 396. It did
mention it was free, good for Vegas players, and gave a couple of
things I liked about it or I thought were valuable. More and more
"stuff" is being added to vpFree all the time - and I do mention it in
Frugal Friday from time to time.
I am not mad at anyone. I just want both of these lists to be valuable
resources to VP players - and not get side-tracked with petty arguments
and personality clashes. I applaud Tom for taking this and other such
subjects to another forum.
···
To: <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com>
From: "Jean Scott" <QueenofComps@frugalgambler.biz>
Subject: Re: [vpFREE] "More Frugal Gambling" recommends
____________________
Jean $cott - "The Frugal Gambler"
MORE FRUGAL GAMBLING can now
be ordered, autographed, at
http://www.FrugalGambler.biz