A Slot Player's Opinion

Left: (Sacramento Bee caption) Jessica Tavares, United Auburn Indian Community chairwoman, stands in the bear paw tribal symbol embedded in the floor of the multimedia room of her tribe's new school in Auburn. Funding for the school, new homes, and millions in community contributions comes from Thunder Valley casino profits. (photo - Sacramento Bee/Lezlie Sterling)


I knew this article would tick E. off:

Last spring, two police helicopters landed in a field outside the Thunder Valley Indian casino: the Placer County sheriff's Vietnam-era model and the CHP's state-of-the-art Eurocopter.

The choppers were met by Chief Jessica Tavares, chairwoman of the United Auburn Indian Community, and four tribal council members.

Sheriff Ed Bonner led Tavares over to the sleek, $3.8 million blue-and-gold Eurocopter. Turning on the charm, he made his pitch: "What would it take to put you behind the wheel of this baby?" he asked. "I'm going to ask you to buy us one just like it."

A crazy request? Not for Tavares, whose tribe runs one of the three most profitable casinos on earth, and annually gives away millions from casino profits estimated at $350 million to $400 million.

...The tribe's metamorphosis from poverty to philanthropy, from outcasts to angels, is due in large part to Tavares, 58, a high school dropout who became a world-class diplomat. "She's very eleganté," enthused Bonner, whose department already gets $1.2 million a year from the tribe.

...They're planning a major expansion that includes a 650-room resort, a 3,000-seat performing arts center, more restaurants, slots and a poker room. This in a county that voted against casino gambling when state voters legalized it in 1998.

...The once-impoverished tribe now gives away more than $1 million a year to local organizations, including the Placer County Food Bank. "They used to give us food at Christmas," Tavares said.

The county projects its deal with the tribe will yield $121.4 million over the next 20 years.

E.'s opinion?:

Believe it or not, they have self-greediness in money!

In gambling, there is no friends; there is no relatives.

When did you ever hear of a casino executive becoming a philanthropist? That is what they are doing! Which means we are going to be poorer....

One day, one way or the other, with the cops and the authorities, she is going to get it!

Americans are so blind. They sleep at their duty. That's why they had Pearl Harbor! The second-biggest mistake they ever made was allowing themselves to be attacked by terrorists. With all the high-techs and all the CIAs, how could that happen? Americans are so trusting. And that plane crash in Scotland, where all those students got killed, even though they had warnings. (ed.: Lockerbie)

She is buying the cops' honesty!

It is implemented in their minds that they were pushed out from the good lands. Part of this revenge is of 250 years ago when they were pushed out from the good land. They were shoved to the swamp, where it is almost impossible to grow crops. It is part of their revenge!

How can I meet her in person? That might be scary. Like in the old days, she might scalp your head!