Posted on 03/17/2008 11:31:46 AM PDT by rellimpank
Woman sues casinos over gambling problem As a young lawyer, Arelia Margarita Taveras made a name for herself representing the families of victims of American Airlines Flight 587, which crashed in New York City's borough of Queens in November 2001, killing 265 people.
She had 400 clients and earned $500,000 a year. She appeared on TV and radio to discuss legal issues, and wrote a book titled "The Gangsta Girls' Guide To Child Support." In 2000, the New York Daily News named her one of "21 New Yorkers to Watch in the 21st Century."
As an escape from the seven-day-a-week pressures of her law practice, she says she started going to Atlantic City to unwind in September 2003.
And found it hard to stop.
During one five-day gambling jag in June 2005, Ms. Taveras says, she existed on nothing but orange juice and Snickers bars the staff gave her. On the fifth day, she says, a dealer told her to go home because she appeared exhausted and unable to keep track of her cards.
She reports her losses totaled nearly $1 million.
"It's like crack, only gambling is worse than crack because it's mental," says Ms. Taveras, 37, a New Yorker who now lives in Minnesota. "It creeps up on you, the impulse. It's a sickness."
(Excerpt) Read more at lvrj.com ...
Gambling addictions are not hard to find among highly competitive people.
;->
I couldn’t stop myself from reading it. You owe me money.
5 days straight on orange juice and Snickers bars?
probably safer than cocaine or Adderall........
She went from a noble cause to being a scummy person writing literature for the scummy, lazy women of the world to obtain a free paycheck. I am glad she is broke, she tasted some of the misery she unleashed upon many, many innocent men.
Your post made me do this.
You’re breathing.
Of course it’s is your fault.
Viva Lost Wages!
It is well known that casinos encourage and enable people they know perfectly well are compulsive gamblers. While this should not perhaps be illegal, it is in my opinion extremely scummy behavior.
It has been many years since I had been inside a casino and was not aware of the changes.
When I decided I wanted to cash out from the slot I was playing, I heard the familiar sound of the coins falling into the pay out tray, but there were no coins, only a piece of paper.
I had to take the piece of paper to a machine to get my cash.
I was not too pleased with that, but I still had some loose coins in my pocket and was willing to risk them and I made my second discovery, many of the slots did not have a coin slot for you to put coins into the machine. They would only accept bills.
I am at best a casual gambler and they took away the little pleasures that playing the slots did give me.
I guess that is a good thing since I decided I had enough and came home with most of my $100 still in my wallet.
I doubt if I will ever play another slot machine in my life. No great loss.
There you go.
Interesting....I had never thought of that, gambling is highly addictive it a true curse for some. A few family members of mine have destroyed their lives over gambling.
I feel MOST guilty about giving a roll of nickels to my Sainted Wife’s “Aunt Mary”...
Aunt Mary was a rock solid Southern Baptist — with Preachers in her direct family.......
We were traveling together and spent the night at the old Cal-Neva on Lake Tahoe......
She accompanied us to the casino, but refused to indulge..
She watched me play poker for awhile — and wasn’t impressed or interested.
She watched my wife play the quarter slots - and was VERY interested but refused to gamble.
I suggested if she played with MY money, she really wouldn’t be “gambling”.....
BIG MISTAKE — she went nuts!
All evening - she would return and ask for more money to feed the slots.
She was truly memorized!
I felt awful, and my wife STILL hasn’t forgiven me.....
Some folks should NEVER enter a casino or gamble...
Some folks can’t quit...
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