International Herald Tribune, 25 Dec 2008, Mark McDonald
MACAO: Things have gone so snake-eyed in Macao, the tiny gambling mecca on the southern coast of China, that the Venetian resort fired half its gondoliers two weeks ago. And only two of its 51 custom-made gondolas are now needed to ferry tourists along the Venetian's indoor "Grand Canal."
"They called us all in for a meeting, gave people two days' notice and handed them a plane ticket home," said one of the surviving gondoliers, an American, who asked not be identified lest he lose his job.
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