Thanksgiving in Vegas:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

I guess the profit margin in "appealing to families" was crap, so we're back to "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." (Translation: welcome all drunken whoring degenerate gamblers!) That is the official slogan and ad campaign, perhaps you've seen the commercials on TV.

Buffets etc. are getting more expensive, but "regular restaurants" and other tourist trap attractions are getting to be insanely expensive, IMO. Seems to be a big chance from a few years ago the last time I was there.

I enjoy the insane glitz, but to me the casinos have a sort of generic character. They mostly have the similar flat, L-shaped or 3 wing architecture designed to give the maximum number of rooms a view of the Strip. They all gotta have a high end steak house, a sushi and Chinese place to cater to those Asian tourists. A buffet. A generic "cheaper" American cafe/restaurant. The same damn slot machine chatter as you walk in.

There's a definite trend in favor of Chinese speaking tourists as opposed to Japanese. Noticeable to me both in observing the actual tourists, and the Chinese pop singers appearing at some of the lounges.

Casino gambling is an expensive entertainment/vice.

More poker table action now cashing in on the Texas hold'em TV craze.

Some of the acts married to some of the casinos I just don't get. Namely Rita Rudner headlining at NY, NY. I never thought she had too much show biz mojo at the peak of her career, whenever that was. Saw some of her stuff on HBO in the past, the Betty Boop kind of voice shtick just doesn't work for me and besides I just didn't think she was very funny.

Cirque du Soleil is metastasizing all over town, they have at least 4 different shows at different hotels and are apparently doing a new one at the Mirage to replace Siegfried and Roy's old show. Opportunity knocks I guess.

Saw George Carlin, a great show. As crusty and funny as ever. Bashed the emperor and his war pretty good too as well as the current state of the American electorate.

I like Vegas, but the hypocrisy of America is just unbelievable anymore. People where I live in TX like to thump their Bibles but they just love their sin in Vegas! The folks where I live LOVE coming out here. What happens, stays, indeed.

[soothsayer]

1. Wish I wuz there....

[stopbush]

2. Thanks for visiting us.

If the rest of the country was as open and uninhibited and non-hypocritical as Vegas, we'd be in good shape.