When it comes to folks ignoring the obvious, there are times when the image of an elephant in the living room doesn’t cover it.
    Like a turd in the punchbowl of life may come closer to nailing it.
   This is certainly the case when it comes to the popular notion that Florida’s tourist based economy is better than Manna from God.
    Because it ain’t.
    Facts are, the tourism industry’s addiction to disposal income makes it one of the most volatile and anemic engines driving a regional economy.
    Thus, when the United States’ economy was slammed by the Great Recession in 2008, Las Vegas – with an economy driven by mega resort gambling – became an instant epicenter of mortgage foreclosures and bankruptcies as the community’s historic stream of tourism dollars went from river to trickle.
   Anyhow….
   Last week, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel sponsored a forum on the pros and cons of mega casino resort gambling in Florida.
   The major question raised in the debate:
   Would two or three mega resort casinos help or hurt Florida’s tourism industry?
   Which was like pondering the impact of a new whore house on $20 blow job street hookers.
   But then like most print media today, the Sun-Sentinel is more about the party – as opposed to what’s in the punch bowl.
   However…
   For the record:

  Average Annual Wage  
        (US  Workers - 2010)                         
     All Industries           $44,410
    Gambling                $29,000
    Amusement
       Parks                   $27,910
    Hotels, Resorts      $27,220
    Other Recreation    $24,480
    Food Services &
       Drinking Places    $21,560       

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics