Las Vegas Motorist-Is that what that sound was a while back?

Las Vegas Resident-That there's a gamblin' chicken, let's grab it and go play Mega Bucks!

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman-If one of those chickens even thinks they are going to sleep under an overpass I’ll send em' packin' to Utah!

Las Vegas' Steve Wynn-We don't cater to chickens crossing roads at our hotel unless they have a five star Mobil rating.

Las Vegas' Sheldon Adelson (Venetian)  We allow all chickens to have conventions here regularly, especially those who hate Steve Wynn.

Las Vegas Tropicana-We don't want any more problems with poultry or any other culinary enterprise.

Las Vegas Governor Gibbons-Well if the little chick wants to have a drink with me, what's the harm?

Las Vegas Reporter George Knapp-This chicken must have come from an alien craft at a place called " S-4" in Nevada’s Area  51, according to my source Bob Lazar, and actually flew across the road.

Las Vegas’ Water Authority’s Pat Mulroy-If you think that chicken is going to stop us from running this water pipeline to the north of this state, that’s pure chickenshit.

Siegfried & Roy-That chicken would have been safer than our tigers, for sure.

Pamela Anderson-This town has enough strutting breasts, who cares about this one?

Gary Waddell-We’re live with the Channel 8 helicopter and can report that the walk is now over and the casino evacuation has ended.

Nevada Tavern Owners Association-We cater to chickens that want to smoke and cross roads!

Nevada Health District-That chicken will never smoke in our taverns if we catch her, now if she crosses the road and gets hepatitis from a health clinic that’s a different matter.

Nevada Resident Heidi Fleiss-That chicken is welcome on my ranch anytime as long as she produces.

Brian Greenspun-That chicken has been ignored by the right wing fanatics of the media and should be allowed to cross and cross and cross as many roads as she wants.

The Las Vegas Sun-Whatever the Review Journal thinks, we disagree.

City Life Magazine-Unless that chicken wants to do an interactive interview from a brothel, we don’t care how many roads she crosses and stop trying to tell us what to print!

Las Vegas Weekly-We can’t use her unless she’s dripping wet with sexual innuendo and has triple D’s for our weekly cover.

And the now the rest of the country

Pat Buchanan-The chicken must be made to understand our values and morals and produce eggs to be a true American.

 Mike Huckabee-I say if that chicken was here at this NRA meeting today, she'd hit the floor after hearing the shots fired!

Barack Obama-The chicken crossed the road because she was tired of the same old government and knew it was Time For A Change! (Hey did I just hear a shot fired?)

Hillary Clinton-I will not stop until every chicken has crossed the road safely with health care!

Bill O'Reilly-That chicken is flaunting our laws and our way of life and should be eaten!

Al Gore-I don't really care about that chicken, I'm too busy collecting Nobel Prizes.

President Bush-I have seen this chicken and she is a terrorist and will be caught by our military soon.

Nancy Grace-She brought it on herself, the slut, by going out and exposing her breasts to the public, I don't have any sympathy if she made it or not!

Elliot Spitzer-The chicken crossed the line the same way I did and deserves to be left alone.

Bill Clinton-Anything with two legs can cross the line with me.

Newt Grinrich-That chicken is taking American jobs away from our people and should be sent back to the other side of the road immediately.

California Supreme Court-These chickens can marry and then cross the road, and the roosters have the same rights!

New Jersey Motorist-That god damn chicken didn't pay a toll like the rest of us, the son-of-a-bitch! 

The above article can be reproduced with the proper credits given to the author. Thanks Randy!

We had the chance to go to Las Vegas for the weekend for the Jersey Boys Opening. Of course Skippy Prototype got to tag along for the fun!

He had so much fun people watching. He thought the views from up on the over street walkways were the best.

There is so much shopping in that town! Skippy really enjoyed the Caesars Forum Shops.

In the Forum shops he ran into the Trojan Horse of FAO Schwartz. Skippy told him that he should buy handmade toys, of course.

He thought the cranes in the Bellagio Botanical Garden had a pretty good life. All of the beauty of the outdoors, under glass!

There are not many trees in Vegas. Skippy thought the Eiffel Tower at Paris looked like a good place to climb and stash some nuts.

He realized that you can't go anywhere in Vegas without passing at least one set of slot machines. He really wanted to play! Skippy was very disappointed to find out that not only was he not old enough, at just 1 year old, but slot machines don't take acorns.

After all of the excitement of a wild weekend in Vegas, Skippy was very glad to go back home. Besides it was his first trip on a plane. Not many squirrels get to see the world from above the trees!

Door Boris Peters

Tussen de limousines, taxi’s en luxe vans die gasten oppikken voor een helikoptervlucht valt een stoer busje met mountainbikes op het dak enigszins uit de toon. De locatie, een hotel aan de beroemde Strip van Las Vegas, is dan ook geen plek waar veel fietsen worden gespot. Het weerhoudt ons er niet van in te stappen. Na een paar dagen in bars, clubs, restaurants en casino’s zonder klok die 24-uur per dag open zijn, willen we er gewoon even uit. Weg van de airconditioned vermaakpaleizen, goedkope alcohol, verleidelijke showgirls, Elvis-imitators, blackjacktafels en overal aanwezige dollars vretende slotmachines.

“Nee”, zo verzekerde de vriendelijke dame ons aan de telefoon, “dit is geen zware tocht”. De tocht waar we eigenlijk voor belden, een halve dag fietsen door de Red Rock Canyon, was niet beschikbaar maar het alternatief ‘Mount Charleston Downhill’, zou zeker niet teleurstellen. Achttien mijl of net geen 29 kilometer bergaf, is wat ons wacht. Maar eerst rijden we samen met vijftal Amerikaanse bezoekers in Noordwestelijke richting de stad uit. Uitgestrekte nieuwe woonwijken gebouwd op de droge geelrode grond getuige van de sterke groei van Vegas. Waneer de woonwijken stoppen, is er buiten de snelweg nog slechts woestijn met hier en daar wat cactussen en hoge bergen op de achtergrond.

Na zo’n 45 mijl (of iets meer dan 72 kilometer) verlaten we de snelweg en rijden we een weggetje in dat naar de Lee Canyon leidt. Het is begin oktober en er is praktisch geen verkeer. We stoppen op een rustige plek op een hoogte van ongeveer drieduizend meter en laden de mountainbikes van het dak. De hoogste top hier, Mount Charleston op de achtergrond reikt tot 3632 meter. Hoewel de zon inmiddels hoog staat, is het hier aangenaam frisser dan in Las Vegas. Tijdens de hete woestijnzomers bedraagt het verschil regelmatig een graad of vijftien Celsius .

Op het vertrekpunt, waar in de winter geskied wordt, groeien bomen. Het zijn Bristlecone dennen, een soort die niet alleen hier in Nevada, maar ook in Californië groeit. Bristlecones zijn de oudste bomen ter wereld. De Latijnse naam luidt dan ook Pinus Longaeva, langlevende den. Tijd om op de fiets te stappen. Het busje zal ons op gepaste afstand volgen. Dit is fietsen voor luie mensen. Trappen is vrijwel overbodig. De verharde maar praktisch verlaten weg maakt het verleidelijk om in volle vaart naar beneden te racen. De natuur, die de afnemende hoogte volgend geleidelijk van karakter verandert, weerhoudt ons ervan.

In een mooi landschap met op de achtergrond de bergen rijden we naar beneden. Sommige stukken snel als ware coureurs, dan weer remmend om de omgeving niet te missen. Gele bordjes geven zo nu en dan de hoogte aan. Om de paar kilometer stoppen we even om wat langer te genieten van het weidse uitzicht en de steeds wisselende landschappen. De Bristlecone dennen, wat grove dennen met veel ruimte tussen de takken maken plaats voor struiken. Nog lager zijn er geen struiken meer maar een soort lage rotsbegroeiing in tinten die uiteenlopen van geel/groen tot grijs en roodbruin. Slechts een handvol auto’s en een grote Amerikaanse truck passeren tijdens de tocht. Steeds meer cactussen duiken op. Terug bij het beginpunt wacht tenslotte slechts woestijn: een droge zinderend hete vlakte met slechts hier en daar wat begroeiing.

PRAKTISCH
De Mt Charleston Downhill tocht vanaf Vegas neemt een halve dag in beslag. Prijs inclusief pick-up vanaf een van de Striphotels en water onderweg 139 dollar. Meer info en boeken: www.lasvegascyclery.com

"I get really excited about a fight like this because I know it can't be anything but great," Arum said. "That's why we're calling it 'The Battle.' It's a tough-ass fight. Two real men fighting. There won't be any playing around. No ducking or dodging. These are two guys who will go at it. That is their style. And don't forget the element that it is Mexico vs. Puerto Rico, which is the great rivalry in boxing."

The fight matching two of boxing's most exciting fighters has been on track since April 12, when they both knocked out opponents on the same card.

Cotto (32-0, 26 KOs), of Puerto Rico, stopped "Contender" star Alfonso Gomez in the fifth round to retain his 147-pound belt for the fourth time and Margarito blew out Kermit Cintron via sixth-round knockout in a rematch.

"These guys both have great chins, great determination and great power," Arum said. "It's going to be some battle. I just hope that they are not ruined from a fight like this."

Mexico's Margarito (36-5, 26 KOs) won a world title from Cintron, but he will relinquish it in order to face Cotto rather than fight Joshua Clottey in a far less lucrative mandatory match. Arum said Margarito would officially renounce his title "within the next week."

Before Margarito, 30, defeated Cintron, he had already agreed to terms for the Cotto fight as long as they both won on April 12, Arum said. Cotto, 27, was also committed to the fight, but did not sign until Wednesday night, Arum said.

"Margarito signed off before his fight with Cintron," Arum said. "Cotto wanted the fight but we were going over terms and minutia, and finally Miguel and his team agreed on everything last night."

Arum would not divulge their purses, which will eventually be public when the contracts are filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. However, Arum said each would receive "by far the biggest purse they have ever gotten." Besides the purse, each fighter will receive a percentage of the profits from the pay-per-view revenue.

Cotto's biggest purse was $3.2 million for his November victory against Shane Mosley. Margarito earned a $1.2 million purse when he lost a version of the title to Paul Williams last summer.

The fight will officially be announced during a four-city media blitz next week. They'll kick off the promotion with a news conference Monday in Mexico City followed by a stop Tuesday in Los Angeles, Thursday in New York and Friday in San Juan.

The fight will mark Cotto's first bout in Las Vegas since he knocked out Randall Bailey in a junior welterweight title defense on the December 2004 undercard of the Vitali Klitschko-Danny Williams heavyweight fight.

Since then, Cotto has fought either in Puerto Rico, New York or Atlantic City, N.J. Arum said he felt it was important to establish Cotto on the West Coast, where Margarito has a following.

"Based on Cotto's fights with Zab Judah and Mosley, he has established a good East Coast base on pay-per-view," Arum said. "We felt his base would be loyal and we needed a big West Coast presence. We think the great Mexican fans will come out for Margarito, so it made sense to do the fight in the West rather than the East. We couldn't do it in Las Vegas until they changed the rule on the gloves."

A few weeks ago, the Nevada commission amended its rule on glove size. It had in place a provisional rule that mandated welterweights wear 10-ounce gloves rather than the traditional 8-ounce gloves worn in virtually every other jurisdiction in the world. Cotto and Margarito both prefer the 8-ounce gloves and Arum refused to put the fight on in Nevada until the temporary rule, which was up for review, was changed.

Arum said he has not set the undercard yet but said he wanted to include rising junior welterweight contender Mike Alvarado on the card.

"Alvarado is one guy I really want on the card in a good fight," Arum said. "After that, we're open. I'll be discussing it with my matchmakers."

For the cheapest rooms and best offers in Las Vegas click on the links below

Excalibur from $51 Luxury at THE HOTEL

Lots of Extras at Luxor

Stay where the fight is Players club special at MGM Grand

MGM Grand free restuarant credit included

Eurpoean stye at the Monte Carlo

Unbelievable value at top rated Mirage

New York New York

Special non refundable rate at Party town TI

There are, of course, the people who have apparently gambled away their fortunes (or their children's fortunes). You can spot them sitting in the food courts with a cup of coffee, staring dumbly at the wall or angrily at their spouses. These people make me sad. These people remind me why I don't gamble.

Then there are the people who are from Wyoming or Kansas but have dressed up in their Vegas best. This often means clothing that is far too tight or revealing for the person wearing it, heels that are impractically high, and - in the worst case scenarios - sequins. These people make me laugh. These people are the reason to sit at outdoor cafes even on hot days.

But then there are the truly dumb ones: the ones who think that crossing Las Vegas Boulevard while the hand is red is a primo idea. This category includes nearly everyone, and these people make me mad.

Okay sure, 80% of the time there really weren't any cars coming. But in every case, the cars did, in fact, have the right of way, and the 20% of the time when there were cars coming, the pedestrians who were in the way got all snarky. One man, after nearly getting run over by a very large van, spouted several profanities that made it clear said pedestrian was pretty sure he was invincible. Poor man. Drunk? Gambling-induced dementia? No, probably just plain old tourist-centricism. "I have spent $200 in your city! You owe me everything!"

(From where this photo was taken, that Eiffel Tower is over a mile away.
Seriously! - 1.1 miles, according to travelocity.)

Las Vegas Boulevard isn't exactly a pedestrian zone. It can't be. Have you ever tried to walk from one end to the other?? You look down the way, think to yourself "gee, I think I'll just hop over to the Paris to see what's there" and four hours later, when you arrive, you realize that their Eiffel Tower might be smaller than the original, but it's a helluva lot bigger than you thought, and a helluva lot farther away. The point is, the cars were there first, and they are bigger and badder than we are.

I am firmly in favor of traffic laws. As a driver, I like to stop for people in crosswalks. (People not in crosswalks? Completely different story. Five points each.) As a pedestrian, I like it when drivers stop for me while I'm in a crosswalk. This makes for a happy traffic world. And don't get me wrong... sometimes I'm that pedestrian who's not in the crosswalk, but I have rules for that too. Here they are:

1. If there's a crosswalk nearby, use it. A block is not too far to go out of your way to be safe and legal.

2. If you're using a crosswalk that is not by a traffic light and a car must slow down for you, acknowledge this kindness (even if he is legally required to do it) with a smile and a wave. Show your appreciation by making some attempt at haste.

3. If you must cross when there's no crosswalk, you may only do so when the coast is completely clear.

4. If you do a bad job determining how clear the coast is and a car arrives and must slow down for you, signal your embarrassment at breaking traffic laws and inconveniencing the driver by waving and scooting your butt just as fast as it will go to the other side. For the love of all things good and decent, do not continue sauntering across the street as if you own it. There are cities in this world where that could get you killed. (See above comment about point value.)

And the world will be a better place.

I just called to check on the status of my "case." It turns out the case is closed - they just neglected to tell me.

So, I told the agent that it is not closed because I still haven't seen my CD case, the CDs or any accountability on the part of Dollar. Wasn't long before I was on the phone with a supervisor.

She asked me to prove that I left the case in the car. I told her that I had a witness - my wife. She said that's not proof. She then said there was nothing she could do.

Argument continued, until I finally asked her if she was a trained customer service professional. She said she is a customer service supervisor (obviously, a by-the-book one).

I said to her "then you must see this as an opportunity to take a current customer and make a long-term one out of him by extending some sort of responsibility, if not gesture of make-good." She didn't seem to understand and replied with "we're not going to reimburse you for the missing CDs."

I told her that would be the extreme goodwill response, but something like a $25 gift certificate on Amazon to start me on my way to replacing the missing CDs would be in the right direction. I then suggested a minimum of a discount on my next rental, which she agreed to.

In the end, the entire situation was handled poorly and left me utterly unsatisfied. I was really looking forward to writing about how well they handled the situation. But alas, having given them every opportunity, they passed and took the old customer service rulebook approach.

So, please pass this on to whomever you can. This can still be a learning opportunity for Dollar, and I'd like to help them.

I can guarantee that there will never be a story like this circulating about NewTunes if I can help it.

I have only been to one other presentation like this and I was given the option to bring home the contract to review it with my family (and lawyer) before committing to buy a unit. The company is the Disney Vacation Club. With other presentations, they want you to decide on the spot. And most people do because they fold under pressure.

If you like the idea of owning a timeshare but do not want to be pressured into buying a unit then consider a few options. There are thousands of timeshare owners who own timeshares all over the world and are willing to sell it for a lower price than what they originally paid for it. Why? What comes with buying a unit is an annual maintenance fee that pays for upkeep of the unit and property. Some existing timeshare owners get tired of paying this fee or their financial picture has changed. Whatever the reason, you get to buy a timeshare unit for a fraction of the original price and you don't have to sit through a high pressure presentation.

Resale timeshares can be as cheap as a few thousands of dollars. For example, you can buy a 1-bedroom unit in the Cliffs at Peace Canyon in Las Vegas for $650 with an annual fee of $446. In return, you get a deeded timeshare which you own forever that sleeps 4 and is available every year in November. Every thing is included in the maintenance fee so you don't have to worry about roof repairs, sewage problems, painting, improvements or utilities. It is like owning a home away from home without the fuss of home ownership.

I have a timeshare unit in Orlando and have visited Disneyworld over 7 times. For the last five years, we have traded our week for more exotic places like Aruba, Grand Cayman and Hawaii. Trading is what a lot of timeshare owners do with their units. They buy it at a location that they enjoy then after a few years, they start trading it for international locations. Family-oriented owners will set up a reunion and make it a same-time-same-place event year after year. Personally, I like the fact that every year, you are promised a one week vacation somewhere in the world for a fixed price equal to the annual maintenance fee. If you bought the unit in Vegas, you would be promised a week vacation every year for $446, regardless of inflation or rising hotel prices. And you know that hotel prices will continue to increase in Vegas.

If you want to take a look at some resale timeshares, google it.

I have only been to one other presentation like this and I was given the option to bring home the contract to review it with my family (and lawyer) before committing to buy a unit. The company is the Disney Vacation Club. With other presentations, they want you to decide on the spot. And most people do because they fold under pressure.

If you like the idea of owning a timeshare but do not want to be pressured into buying a unit then consider a few options. There are thousands of timeshare owners who own timeshares all over the world and are willing to sell it for a lower price than what they originally paid for it. Why? What comes with buying a unit is an annual maintenance fee that pays for upkeep of the unit and property. Some existing timeshare owners get tired of paying this fee or their financial picture has changed. Whatever the reason, you get to buy a timeshare unit for a fraction of the original price and you don't have to sit through a high pressure presentation.

Resale timeshares can be as cheap as a few thousands of dollars. For example, you can buy a 1-bedroom unit in the Cliffs at Peace Canyon in Las Vegas for $650 with an annual fee of $446. In return, you get a deeded timeshare which you own forever that sleeps 4 and is available every year in November. Every thing is included in the maintenance fee so you don't have to worry about roof repairs, sewage problems, painting, improvements or utilities. It is like owning a home away from home without the fuss of home ownership.

I have a timeshare unit in Orlando and have visited Disneyworld over 7 times. For the last five years, we have traded our week for more exotic places like Aruba, Grand Cayman and Hawaii. Trading is what a lot of timeshare owners do with their units. They buy it at a location that they enjoy then after a few years, they start trading it for international locations. Family-oriented owners will set up a reunion and make it a same-time-same-place event year after year. Personally, I like the fact that every year, you are promised a one week vacation somewhere in the world for a fixed price equal to the annual maintenance fee. If you bought the unit in Vegas, you would be promised a week vacation every year for $446, regardless of inflation or rising hotel prices. And you know that hotel prices will continue to increase in Vegas.

If you want to take a look at some resale timeshares, google it.

Wednesday morning Kerrigan delivered, by cesarean, a baby girl. She weighed 6 lbs., 12 oz. The little girl is yet to have a name.  "I think that is the hardest job, to pick a name for somebody," says Kerrigan. "We are not very good at that."  I imagine Tanya is out of the question!

Once home, the new arrival will move into a navy blue nursery, one of four bedrooms in the family's Lynnfield, Mass., home. If navy blue is your color you could go with the Noah's Ark Crib Bedding Set. This set is perfect for a boy or a girl. It will be everyone's favorite right from the very beginning!

This nursery theme has so much potential. You'll just have to have the matching Noah's Ark Toy Chest and the Table and Chair Set. No nursery will be complete without a Personalized Rainbow Wall Hanging, to remind you of how special your little one is.

Congratulations Kerrigan and family. Give that baby a name!

The Daily Reveille themed in shades of purple offers not only offers the latest news, but also additional links setup with college students in mind. With simple tabs that cover a broad spectrum of interests including music, jobs, top national college news, money and books, its simple to see why the Daily Reveille was awarded its 2008 EPpy.

Before the first presenting, judges Jonathan Dube, Director of Digital Media for CBC News, and Mike Blinder, President of the Blinder Group, applauded the effort and dedication put into each award by the 50 judges. Not an easy task, it was brought to light that each judge spends some 20 to 40 hours judging the talent, creativity and overall genius of each category.

The Seoul of Las Vegas wants to congratulate all the 2008 EPpy award winners on a job well done!

This blog post offers advice on hair bleaching safely and effectively to get a true blonde hair color.

This process requires alot of maintenance as the regrowth begins to show within only a few weeks.

If you want a blonde color with a bit less coloring frequency, try foiling hair to add blonde highlights.

Hair Bleaching Tips

Stick with no higher than 20 Volume peroxide for on-scalp bleaching. If you are foiling hair, you can use up to 40 volume peroxide with your bleach powder, but not when it's coming in direct contact with your skin. For very dark hair, bleach may need to be applied in two separate sittings, with a fresh batch each time.

************************************************************************
Insider Hair Bleaching Secret:
As a rudimentary way to reduce the discomfort of bleach on a sensitive scalp, add a packet of "Sweet n' Low" to your bleach mixture. Not sure why it works, but it does seem to alleviate some of the biting effect bleach and high-lift hair colors can have on the scalp. There are also professional products which can be mixed with bleach or hair color to desensitize, but they'd be difficult to get unless you know a pro who might be willing to help you out.
************************************************************************

Getting an unblemished all over blonde hair color can be tricky. Particularly if you're dealing with existing haircolor from past "experiments". To get a consistent color, you need to start with an even slate...meaning root to end the hair strand should be near the same color level before you apply the hair color or toner.

If there is existing color on the hair, read these tips for hair color removal before you bleach your hair.

In some cases, a high lift blonde hair color will do the trick, but not if there's already color on the hair...too unpredictable. And some high-lift colors can leave your hair with a brassy hue, making it difficult to achieve a platinum blonde shade. If that's the case, hair bleaching and toning is necessary.
Hair Bleaching Application Tips

Methods for applying bleach to hair vary widely depending on the existing state of the hair and the desired result. A few rules of thumb that apply in every case are...

* Don't overlap bleach on previously colored hair. It'll either cause a banding effect or, worst case scenario a "chemical haircut".

* Apply to the darkest areas first so they process the longest.

* Clean up any spills promptly, whether on hair, clothing or furniture.

* Have all supplies on hand and ready before you begin.

* Work quickly...but carefully! ;o)

Start applying bleach in the back of the head where hair is usually darkest, working you way up to the front in half inch sections. Apply bleach quickly and thoroughly...oh, and carefully too!

If it takes you too long to get through all the hair, let the bleach process until the lightest section is at the right stage, rinse, then re-apply starting from the other side (in the darkest area) and cover only the hair that needs more lightening.

Bleach loses its effectiveness if it dries out, so cover the hair with a plastic cap, and if it's a particularly difficult head of hair to lighten...apply some heat. If you use a blowdryer to apply heat, add a diffuser attachment to spread that warm air around evenly or you could end up with "hot spots". Yes, hair bleaching is finicky, but well worth the effort when done correctly!

Processing

All bleach processing times differ depending on your desired end result. Successful bleach lightening is a visual thing, watching for the underlying pigment to be lifted high enough that your finished color can be achieved.

If you're going for a very light blonde color, the underlying pigment must be raised up to a pale-yellow stage. However, if you're pre-lightening very dark hair to create warm golden highlights, the yellow-orange stage would be the time to rinse off the bleach and tone the hair. If you're bleaching hair, you must have a good grasp of the chemistry goin' on behind the scenes.

CryStyle
HottieHair.com
Master Hair Stylist in Las Vegas

For more info about my hair salon work in Las Vegas,
directions to the hair salon or to make an appt with me
visit my homepage.

  So later that evening me and a friend made our way to the pub and, a little later than promised due to a motorway accident, two gentlemen arrived and set up a table top poker table and counted out chips.  Now the pub was dead and after thirty minutes of pleading with local drunks me and my friend were the only two registered, so we decided to play a 4 way £10 sit 'n' go, winner takes all, with the points for the league up for grabs between three of us.

  the two poker guys had driven from Manchester, one was a North West manager for the league, and so was not eligible to play for points, and the other was a previous season winner who now helps out and plays as well, they proved great company and really made me think about what you miss out on when you play online compared to live.

  We played for a few hours, I was first out with few playable hands I decided to push wid AQ to be called by JK and for my opponent to flop a straight! Never mind, unlike at home where i might have been tempted to throw my laptop across the room, a hearty handshake, a few words of commiseration and a trip to the bar for a pint set me straight and i settled in to watch the rest of the game, my friend was next out and the two from Manchester played Heads-up for the money.

  During the game we found out that the league was hugely popular, despite the turn out last night, and that the Grand final usually consisted of around 150 players.  However due to new gaming commision rules they were no longer able to offer the WSOP and instead this years winner would get a £3000 GUKPT seat and there would also be a prize pool to be shared between the rest of the final table thanks to Blue Square.

  All in all it was a really good night, hopefully more people will turn up next time but if not there are other venues locally that we were told got between 15-20 players a week.  So if you're looking for a good poker night out without breaking the bank then check out their website for your local venue and good luck!

www.englandpokerleague.co.uk

WiseGuy

Sammy Davis, Jr. was an all-around entertainment who could wow audiences with his singing, dancing, comedy, impressions and his skills on the vibraphone, trumpet and drums.  And if that weren't enough, he was and Emmy and Academy Award winning actor.  Closely associated with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, or the Rat Pack, he exemplified all that was cool in the '60s.  And in spite of the poor treatment he as an African American received from casinos and nightclubs, he rose to the top, with devoted friend Sinatra coming to his defense whenever necessary.  In 1954, Davis was in a serious car accident that resulted in his the loss of his left eye, which was replaced by a glass one.  It was around this time that Davis became romantically involved with actress, Kim Novak.  It has been reported that then head of Columbia Pictures, Harry Cohn, who was afraid the relationship would negatively impact the career of his most valuable starlet, arranged for the mob to kidnap Davis in order to scare him out of the relationship.   In spite of all the setbacks thrown at him throughout his career, Davis continued to be one of the hardest working entertainers over the next three decades.  But his toughest obstacle came in the form of throat cancer.  Discovered in it's early stages, the doctors told him that he could saved with surgery, but Davis opted against it, saying he would rather die than lose his voice.  Davis sadly did die as a result of throat cancer on May 16, 1990.  I am honored to have attended his funeral.

The 46-year-old was arrested at a hotel April 30 after Gina Peterson called hotel security. Police say she suffered injuries to her arm.

Rodman spokesman Darren Prince says Rodman had had too much to drink when he got into an altercation with Peterson. Prince says the couple are still dating.
 
Former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Dennis Rodman walks after a basketball game during The Bad Boy tour in Manila in this May 1, 2006 file photo. Rodman has been arrested for hitting a woman at a Los Angeles hotel, police said on May 1, 2008.REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo/Files (PHILLIPPINES)

Read the rest:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080516/ap_
on_sp_bk_ne/bkn_rodman_charged_1
*************************

Charles Barkley Owes Casino Strip Bar $400,000

LAS VEGAS (May 15) - Charles Barkley acknowledged he owes a $400,000 gambling debt to a Las Vegas Strip casino and promised Thursday to repay it after a prosecutor said the retired NBA star faced criminal charges. "My mistake," Barkley said in an interview at a pro-am golf tournament in Hoover, Ala. "I'm not broke, and I'm going to take care of it."

Barkley was responding to comments by Clark County District Attorney David Roger, who said prosecutors would file a criminal complaint if he did not pay the debt cited by the Wynn Las Vegas resort.

"He'll have an opportunity like anybody else to make restitution to the hotel," Roger said.

The casino alleged in a civil complaint filed Wednesday in a Nevada state court and first reported by the Las Vegas Sun that Barkley failed to repay four $100,000 casino markers, or loans, received last Oct. 18 and 19.

Read the rest:
http://sports.aol.com/nba/story/_a/barkley-to-pay-
400000-gambling-debt/20080515132409990001

Odd as that sounds, it's part of an original approach to understanding consumer behavior.  I'm working through a fascinating experience called Camp Organic as both observer and participant in the surreal surroundings of Las Vegas.  Exceptional experiences are grounded in understanding the decision-making process and psychological baggage each of us has acquired through our lifetime.  Camp Organic is a a three-day ethnographic exercise to help people truly understand and experience customer empathy firsthand.  Will post more on the process and debrief after I've completed them later on today.

Question: I have three children from 9 to 18 in age. I would like to fly to Vegas stay in a hotel where the kids can enjoy a great pool with slides, etc. Also, I would like to go and see the Canyons, etc. I have tried researching hotels to drive to in UT, but they weren't available. This would be in June. Can you suggest a sightseeing option or itnerary? This would probably be a 7 day trip. Thanks.

Answer:

June is a good time to go to Vegas hot but not too hot but it can get a bit crowded as you may or may not be aware room rates in Vegas go up hugely at weekends so your room that costs say $90 on Thursday night could cost $200 on Friday or Saturday night with that in mind you may wish to try to avoid staying in Vegas over the weekend.

I am not sure that any pools have any decent slides, I know that there is a small one at Mirage but that is certainly not a resort that I would recommend to take Children to as there is nothing aimed at them.

The two normal choices for taking children to is Circus Cirucs and Excalibur but both have very poor and boring pools, Circus Circus though has an indoor theme park that represents good value and an arcade but the hotel itself has seen much better days and it’s a long way down the Strip whilst the walk to the other resorts is not dangerous at night it can feel lonely and dark I would not advise anyone to stay there. Excalibur again has a concrete block with a hole in it that they fill up with water and call a pool (they are meant to be updating this)ah a quick check shows that they have updated this but I cant imagine that its all that as the area they were putting it was not very big. Excalibur does have the Tournament of Kings which is great for kids and also a Midway section that caters for them. My personal choice with a family would be MGM Grand the pools are great OK there are no slides but there is a huge lazy river and raft hire, there are the lions to look at and there is an arcade as well as screening rooms for new TV shows (which is free). I am making the assumption that you are all sharing a room and with the MGM offering some of the largest standard rooms in Vegas they also allow rollways so you will be able to get at least 3 beds in there maybe even 4. The other advantage of the MGM is that its just across the way to Excalibur so you can use all of the child friendly stuff there and walk to Luxor (without going outside) where there is floor with simulators and amusements for kids. Please don’t get me wrong Vegas is not aiming at kids and whilst what I list above seems that these are in abundance they are not either as large or as varied as say reports in Florida. Luxor could work its exciting for kids to stay in a pyramid the pool is OK its quite big but has no slides or anything, but you have direct access to the floor mentioned above and easy access to the Excalibur, MGM and NYNY.

I am not sure how long you want to stay in Vegas and how long on the road so this is really more of a guess if you want something more in-depth please let me know you thoughts.

Well for me the Grand Canyon is the biggest must see close to Vegas forget the West Rim and the Sky Walk, South Rim is where you want to be I made it last time in a bout 4.5hours but I drive fast I think its worth staying the night there so you and the kids can experience sunset and sunrise, there are a group of motels at the entrance to the park but we always stay on the Rim it seems daft to come all this way and then not be as close as possible this is the official link to the lodging in the park http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/ . My suggestion here would be to leave Vegas in the morning and take a lazy drive you can stop at Hoover Dam and or Laughlin if you like and travel back in time along the old Route 66 we have done it before where we drive out in the morning stop at Hoover Dam (there is a hotel just before where you can take real cheap helicopter rides over the Dam and Lake Powell then drive on to the GC watch the Sun go down, watch it rise in the morning and drive back as far as Laughlin and stay the night there and back to Vegas in the morning. Whilst in Vegas you can make easy day or half day trips to Mount Charleston or Valley of Fire, you can also do Red Rock canyon but I was disappointed doing that.

My parents did a road trip for a week last year from Vegas - Mesquite - Page - Kingham - Laughlin but they found it a bit much and wished that they had just stayed in Vegas.

Cheers and have a good trip

Simon

No mês de Junho, estas são as novidades do canal principal do grupo FOX International Channels.

Family Guy - 6ª Temporada - Os Griffins estão de volta com novos episódios na FOX. Devido à greve dos guionistas, a temporada foi encurtada, e apenas foram produzidos treze episódios, mais um episódio especial de comemoração do centésimo episódio. Ainda que reduzida, a temporada conta com clássicos instantâneos, nomeadamente os episódios de duas partes Stewie Kills Lois/Lois Kills Stewie no qual Stewie finalmente consegue matar a mãe e onde temos um pequeno crossover com American Dad, série do mesmo criador de Family Guy; e Blue Harvest, no qual os habitantes da Spooner Street interpretam personagens do episódio quatro da Guerra das Estrelas. Peter é Han Solo, Lois é a Princesa Leia, Chris é Luke Skywalker, Brian é Chewbacca, Quagmire é C-3PO, Cleveland é R2-D2, o pedófilo Herbert é o sábio Obi-Wan Kenobi e como não podia deixar de ser, Stewie é Darth Vader.

Uma animação PARA ADULTOS absolutamente imperdível.

criada por: Seth MacFarlane

produzida por: Seth MacFarlane e David A. Goodman

realizada por: Dominic Polcino, Cyndi Tang-Loveland, Julius Wu, John Holmquist, Greg Colton, Pete Michels, Zac Moncrief, Brian Iles

escrita por: Seth MacFarlane, David A. Goodman, Alec Sulkin, Steve Callaghan, John Viener, Andrew Goldberg, Kirker Butler, Chris Sheridan, Tom Devanney, Danny Smith

com: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis e Mike Henry

ainda com: Lori Alan, Nicole Sullivan, Phil LaMarr, Danny Smith, Alec Sulkin, John Viener, Alexandra Breckenridge, Lisa Wilhoit, Ralph Garman, Rachael MacFarlane e Patrick Warburton

participação especial de: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Amanda Bynes, Willem Dafoe, Chevy Chase com Jennifer Tilly como Bonnie e Patrick Stewart

participação de: Carrie Fisher, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Phyllis Diller, Jamie Farr, Beverly D'Angelo, Camille Guaty, Chace Crawford, John Brennan, Steve Callaghan, Christa Campbell, Jason Thornton com Barry Manilow e Adam West

Episódios: 13 (98*/125#)

Estreia: Sábado 1 de Junho às 13h40
Emissão: Sábados e Domingos às 13h40
Repetições: Sábados e Domingos às 08h45

Las Vegas - ÚLTIMA TEMPORADA - A FOX estreia a derradeira temporada de Las Vegas, composta por dezanove episódios. No primeiro episódio da temporada, o Montecito está em pleno caos, devido às vidas pessoais dos homens e mulheres que lá trabalham. Ed Deline (James Caan; O Padrinho) tem a difícil tarefa de tentar descobrir quem roubou o Montecito, e se foi um trabalho interno. Danny (Josh Duhamel; Transformers) teme que Delinda (Molly Sims; Starsky & Hutch) não tenha sobrevivido à explosão. Sam (Vanessa Marcil; O Rochedo) continua no jacto de Vince Peterson (participação de Richard Burgi; Hostel 2), uma "Baleia" do Montecito, e que a raptou no final da passada temporada. Os Delines tomam uma decisão que irá mudar para sempre a vida de todos em Las Vegas. E Mary (Nikki Cox) saiu de Las Vegas depois do homicídio do pai, terminando um capítulo doloroso da sua vida, mas deixando a pergunta no ar: Quem matou Frank Connell?

E como se não bastasse tudo isto, o Montecito recebe A.J. Cooper, o misterioso novo dono do Casino, interpretado pelo ícone dos anos 80 Tom Selleck, protagonista da famosa série Magnum P.I., que juntar-se-á ao elenco principal da série. Camille Guaty (The Nine; Prison Break) também se juntou ao elenco de Las Vegas nesta temporada, no papel de Piper Nielsen, uma nova colaboradora do Montecito, e que pode ter um passado em comum com Cooper.

criada por: Gary Scott Thompson

produzida por: Gary Scott Thompson, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Matt Pyken e Kim Newton

realizada por: Gary Scott Thompson, Robert Duncan McNeill, Milan Cheylov, David Straiton, John Badham, Paul Michael Glaser, James Whitmore Jr., Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Peter Weller, Bethany Rooney, Steven Robman, e Timothy Busfield

escrita por: Gary Scott Thompson, Matt Pyken, Jill Cargerman, Rob Wright, Nikki Toscano, Vince McKewin, Steve Blackman, Kevin Garnett, e Kim Newton

com: James Caan, Josh Duhamel, Vanessa Marcil, Molly Sims, James Lesure, Camille Guaty e Tom Selleck

ainda com: Mitch Longley, Suzanne Whang, Malaya Rivera Drew, Anna Pheil

participação especial de: Roger E. Mosley, Larry Manetti e James Blunt

participação de: Richard Burgi, Kathryn Joosten, Jon Polito, Ernie Hudson, Cutter Garcia, Bart Johnson, James Eckhouse, Marika Dominczyk, Christopher Wiehl, Charlie Koznick, Amanda Gallo, Brooke DeBetties, Jason Alan Smith, Michael B. Silver, Michael McGrady, E.E. Bell, Gigi Rice, Ron Perkins, Erin Cardillo, Camille Anderson, Cassius Willis, Jillian Armenante, Jason Lopez, Vik Sahay, Julie St. Claire, J.C. Chasez, com William Forsythe e Cheryl Ladd como Jillian Deline

Episódios: 19 (87*/106#)

Estreia: Quarta 4 de Junho às 21h30
Emissão: Quartas-Feiras às 21h30
Repetições: Domingos às 15h20; Terças-Feiras às 23h50

Dead Zone - 4ª Temporada - Na ante-penúltima temporada de Dead Zone, Johnny (Anthony Michael Hall) continua a explorar todas as potencialidades das suas habilidades, ainda que possam causar um futuro Armageddon. No primeiro episódio, que conclui o final da terceira temporada, Johnny deve lutar contra o Destino, de forma a evitar que Rebecca (Sarah Wynter; 24) assassine Stillson (Sean Patrick Flanery; Os Reis do Crime), visto que ela acredita que este seja responsável pela morte da sua irmã. No decorrer da temporada, Johnny conhece Alex Sinclair (Jennifer Finnigan; Close to Home - Perto de Casa), uma jovem mulher com capacidades extraordinárias, e que se revela como uma temível vilã.

criada por: Michael Piller e Shawn Piller

produzida por: Michael Piller

realizada por: James Head, Michael Robison, Mike Rohl

escrita por: Michael Piller, Shawn Piller, Michael Taylor, Adam Targum, Steven D. Binder, Michael R. Perry

com: Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole de Boer, John L. Adams, David Ogden Stiers e Chris Bruno

participação de: Martin Donovan, Edward Asner, Ben Foster, Jennifer Finnigan, Dedee Pfeiffer, Patrick Bauchau, Lourdes Benedicto, Danny Masterson, Laura Harris, Don S. Davis, Kristen Dalton, Michael Cudlitz, Andrew Airlie, Gina Holden, Bill Mondy, Spencer Achtymichuk, Johanna Olson, Jim Francis com Sarah Wynter e Sean Patrick Flanery

Episódios: 12 (44*/80#)

Estreia: Quinta 5 de Junho às 16h55
Emissão: Segunda a Quinta às 16h55
Repetições: Segunda a Quinta às 9h45 e 13h30

- Em Junho são inauguradas três novas slots na programação da FOX, destinada a séries de animação, adicionando sensivelmente quarenta minutos à emissão diária. A emissão da FOX entre Segunda a Sexta começa agora às 8h15, com dois episódios de American Dad. Às 20h15, novamente um episódio de American Dad. Aos fins-de-semana, a emissão arranca ainda mais cedo, às 8h00, com a exibição de... mais American Dad. Parece que alguém no Grupo FOX gosta muito de Stan Smith.

- Repetições: Primeira temporada de E-Ring Centro de Comando às 15h30, no lugar da segunda temporada de Close to Home - Perto de Casa ; Segunda temporada de Close to Home - Perto de Casa às 19h25 no lugar da primeira temporada de Shark - A Lei do Mais Forte; Terceira temporada de House às 18h40 no lugar da segunda temporada da mesma.

* - Número de episódios exibidos até à data.
# - Número de episódios produzidos ou com produção assegurada até à data.

Imagens: FOX International Channels Iberia

1. Drag racing

Foot to the floor and before you can say 'Jack Robinson' you've crossed the finish line having attained a speed in excess of 300mph in a quarter mile! Doug Foley's Drag Racing School offers several dates at Atco, New Jersey with options in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Or you could go for the Super Comp Dragster package, a two-day program that includes safety instruction and step-by-step familiarization with your car before you hit the track.

2. Gorilla safari

JK Safari run a 4-day safari to the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Africa which is the best place to see these gracious and gentle giants - estimated to have a worldwide population of no more than 700. You are also likely to visit the Karisoke Research station, the inspiration behind the film 'Gorillas in the Mist' and where Dian Fossey was murdered and is buried.

3. Heli-skiing
Why not try your hand, or should I say your skis, on the virgin slopes of Alaska's Chugach Mountain. You have to have almost represented your country in the Olympics at skiing - only joking - but this is definitely not one for beginners, but it will give you a unique experience on the slopes and something you will be able to talk to the grandchildren about. Valdez Heli-Camps operates tours to the Chugach mountain range and offers acc4.

4. Mountain climbing
Stand on top of the world - yes I'm talking about conquering Everest, the world's highest mountain and something that you will need to sign a disclaimer against as Everest still claims lives every year, but it can be done if you're an accomplished climber, Adventure Consultants offers summit expeditions from Nepal with no guarantees of either making it to the summit or getting back - alive!

5. Sandboarding
Because its sand doesn't mean its not extreme and this rush will take you to Cerro Blanco near the Andes mountain range in Peru to find the world's tallest sand dune. Carving your way down the dunes will challenge even those dudes who think they have done it all on the colder and whiter mountains.Peru Adventure Tours runs this very alternative boarding trip.

6. Shark diving
Of course it cannot be guaranteed that the only shark you will see is the Blue shark and the Mako shark - I seem to recall that the Great White is sometimes seen in these waters, but if that's your fix then Apex Shark Expeditions runs day trips into False Bay , near Cape Town, South Africa, between November and June. Its in these waters that I always wished for another set of eyes in the back of my head!

7. Space travel

The final frontier for the brave and super rich, already possible on a Russian rocket and as offered by Virginia-based Space Adventures for a cheek sucking $25 million or you can wait for the Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson's suborbital space probe which will set you back a paltry $200,000 and which is due to blast off in 2009. My guess is that like computers the price will only come down.

8. Spelunking

This is your chance to meet an Orc, or if you're really lucky Gandalf and/or Frodo, for in the Waitomo cave system in New Zealand you can rappel down the side of limestone cliffs, squeeze through damp crevices covered with luminescent glow worms, leap from a subterranean waterfall, and go "black-water rafting" in the underground rapids at Ruakuri Cave, where you may even find Gollum! The five-hour Black Abyss adventure is offered by The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. and is the most challenging of the region's guided tours.

9. Stunt vacations

Another extreme challenge is offered with this vacation package courtesy of Thrillseekers Unlimited, who in a five day course, called appropriately enough the 'Stunt Experience', will teach you under the instruction of SAG professionals all you need to know to enable you to be part of the action in burning building scenes, car chases and other stunts including a bungee jump from the AJ Hackett Tower on the Strip in Las Vegas.

10. Titanic dive

And finally for those fanatics of the movie Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet head for Newfoundlad where The Great Canadian Adventure Company will take you to a depth of 2.5 miles to see the final resting place of RMS Titanic, where the infamous vessel lies broken and twisted on the ocean floor. A surreal experience if ever there was one.

For sure they are extreme..... and they will get you away from the madding crowd - either because there are not that many people crazy enough to try these crazy vacations, or is it just that they are financially out of the reach of us mere mortals! If you are one of those crazy guys all I can do is to wish you luck and ask that you let all us mortals know of your adventure when you return. Enjoy!

]]>