December 8, 2008 -- Does is really suck everywhere else?

Atlantic City over the weekend. Not sure how to describe the vibe. True, it does have a bizarre Vegas-ish flavor. Subtract the glitz and the glamour, just add the gambling part with a strong emphasis on aging dealers, lots of smokers and people who actually wear those touristy sweatshirts with names of places like Orlando, Virginia Beach and, obviously, Atlantic City. Everyone is ready to party, drink, take shots of cheesy liquor, hook up and forget about it the next day. One may think he is stuck at some indoor spring break special. The good side of each hotel / casino overlooks the ocean and the boardwalk. The bad side is surrounded by Cash 4 Gold stores that also cash checks without IDs that are "made out to corporations."