So what does a person do if they go to Vegas and don’t gamble?
Grand Canyon Moran Point 2006 09 08 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You know already that you can take a drive to the Grand Canyon. Approximately 2 hours, and 120 miles including 10 (I think they count wrong) of dusty rutted gravel before you top out to some native american hospitality and wonderful views.
But that’s all a daytime destination right?
At night you can see a show and that’s what I did. You can buy tickets for half price the day of the show or the day before. We bought tickets for Vegas the Show – general admission tickets. Lucky us, just before the lights went down – some empty seats down in the VIP section beckoned, and harken we did. Like a bolt of BC lightning we filled those seats and almost front and centre we enjoyed a lively family show.
If you go to Vegas, grab a show as part of the memory!
Here I am on the last day of a seven day jaunt to Las Vegas, Nevada. The city of outlandish facades all designed to lure locals and tourists alike.
Last Saturday night I stepped into the airport, arrived in Las Vegas. The first thing I saw was slot machines as soon as I entered the airport from the tube that connects from the plane.
Everywhere you go in Las Vegas, whether you are buying gas or groceries – the slot machines are everywhere. Some are clever with huge video screens and others are simple with electronic spinning wheels.
The only way to not lose money on slots is simply not to bet slots, and the only betting on slots I did this week was with the free $5 credit I was bribed with at a casino in Needles, Arizona yesterday. I lost the $5 credit and promptly stepped away from the machine. No loss. No gain, but no loss.
I have had ample opportunity to view the gamblers in this city and if they are betting slots for entertainment; they should quit because I have not seen any happy faces. I have seen lots of people though almost mindlessly hitting the button to spin the wheels again, and again.
Gamblers everywhere, to win at slots, and have a smile on your face. Don’t bet the slots or be like my daughter and just bet $5. If you win – take your money right away and walk away with a smile on your face. If not, walk away when the $5 is gone and at least you only lost the price of a Starbucks coffee.
Didn’t even know I had a bucket list but maybe we all do but haven’t written it down like in the movie.
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Two days ago, Klaus and I drove from Las Vegas to the west rim of the Grand Canyon. Sunny day for trip into the desert in a Crown Victoria (horse with no name) rental. Trip is about 120 miles each way and about 10 miles is rutted, dusty, gravel road. We looked at flying but this way we enjoyed the drive and shared philosophies of life.
Gravel roads aren’t that bad if you are the first one in line driving down one, unfortunately everyone left the reservation about the same time so the road on the way back was like clouds of white fog, dust permeating everything – heaven help the lungs of the poor guy we saw in a convertible.
The west rim is part of the Hualapai Indian reservation who are running the skywalk, and selling various trinkets and jewellry charging all and sundry to enter the area. You can also fly over and into the canyon by helicopter, and plane – I should have tried the helicopter, would have been a whoop. Anyway I have lots of pictures from a fun day, spent probably 45 minutes or so on the skywalk (still have my slippers!) and found it quite relaxing on the glass walkway. If it can hold a loaded 747 it can probably hold me, and it did.
Right beside the skyway I and others were clambering onto the open rock to take pictures. That was way more risky than the skywalk, no obstacles to going over the cliff there, and going over the edge there you are 4000 feet up, and no slowing down until you smack bottom. If I get 25 likes to this post I will consider myself bribed to try and upload my video from edge.
You probably haven’t given Conrad Black much thought as he has mostly been out of the newspapers and media but he came to mind to me again today.
Conrad Black, taken in 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Rich people don’t get much sympathy except maybe from their lawyers but in my opinion Conrad deserves some. I don’t claim to know everything about his court case for which he was convicted but based on what I have read the only true conviction is the obstruction of justice. I suspect that even Conrad Black would agree that his style is – take action and apologize later if proven wrong; his history certainly indicates that he is action oriented. He started comfortable but his gains are the result of his risks and action. But Conrad is not only a man of finance, he is also a scholar, and one who continues to share his opinion and views to Canadians via his regular posts in the National Post. Conrad challenges Canadians via those posts as his views invariably are insightful and demand extensive use of the dictionary.
But I digress, very Conrad Black of me, (chuckle), because my real thought today was that I think it was wrong, to cause Conrad to forgo his Canadian citizenship in order that he could be a member of the British House of Lords.
Here is the history on this point:
Upon the advice of British Prime MinisterTony Blair, Queen Elizabeth II conferred in 2001 the dignity of a life peerage to Black with the name, style and title of Baron Black of Crossharbour, of Crossharbour in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.[65]Canadian Prime MinisterJean Chrétien, gave the conflicting advice that a Canadian citizen should not receive a titular honour, citing the 1919 Nickle Resolution. The best-known modern application of the Nickle Resolution occurred when Prime Minister Jean Chrétien used it to prevent Canadian publishing mogul Conrad Black from becoming a British life peer. Chrétien held that, in spite of the fact that the British government was honouring Black as a British citizen, and that Black then held dual citizenship of Canada and Britain (allowed since 1977), he as prime minister of Canada had the right to keep Black from becoming a British life peer because he was also a Canadian citizen. In the end, Black gave up his Canadian citizenship in order to accept the British honour.
COME ON!
Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What ever is Ottawa thinking? Since this was a Liberal prime minister’s opinion, perhaps Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a open mind about re-examining that opinion? I hope someone in Ottawa can fix this, it does not seem like heart surgery to me. Ottawa leadership – make it happen and fix this mistake – Conrad Black, born in Canada, was not seeking to join a bike gang, or a cult! I just think that is a wrong that should be fixed, and all it takes is someone in Ottawa to make a phone call. Hmmm, there are open minds there but what it takes I suspect is the willingness to make the correction, and I hope that willingness is there, so he can come back home to his home and native land.
My last word, I think joining the British House of Lords shouldn’t be considered contrary to being a Canadian citizen, regardless of who joins.
Conrad Black has requested his Canadian citizenship returned to him, but still no word as of June 2011.
Come on home to Canada Conrad and visit the Okanagan – I’ll give you a tour of our valley’s wineries, and we can toast to love for Canada together.
One of the many nice things about Toastmasters is discussing different themes. The theme for our last meeting was FACEBOOK.
FACEBOOK is the social phenomena connecting more than 300 hundred million people around the world and making Billions of $$$ for it’s shareholders.
Facebook facts ~ Did you know ?
that close to a BILLION photos are uploaded to FACEBOOK every month?
or that one out of every 13 people on earth is on FACEBOOK?
In 20 minutes 1,587,000 wall posts are written?
Our Toastmaster (Derek) for our Facebook themed meeting , started our recent meeting by describing what he called the “Five Phases of Facebook” – here are my notes.
– What phase of Facebook are you in?
1. Discovery phase – you just created your page, you go online and the world of Facebook is overwhelming and fun. You upload pictures, and enjoy looking up pictures of your friends, and maybe even old ex- friends!
2. Getting to know each other phase – the initial wonder is gone, now you are getting better at using Facebook, you explore and visit pages and tag photos. It’s a fun world, and Facebook is taking a chunk of your life every day but you look forward to it.
3. Bump in the Road phase – something has happened to jolt your romance with Facebook, perhaps someone posted an unflattering picture and tagged you in it, and you are NOT happy.
4. Maybe we shouldn’t be spending so much time together phase – you have facebook jitters if you go too long without checking your page. You check Facebook when you wake up first thing in the morning, and sometimes even in the middle of the night. Facebook is on your phone, and on your desk computer.
5. the “ I don’t think this is working out anymore” phase – that’s it! you had it – it’s the breakup you thought would never happen. You go weeks at a time without Facebook, and can even talk about at Facebook as Toastmaster.
4. 
