At least it isn't hot
Sep. 28th, 2006 04:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peterbirksWell, it isn't hot if you don't count 90 degrees as hot, which, in LV terms, it isn't.
I wish I could say that the delay in posting was due to boring admin things such as unpacking, but it wasn't; in fact, I haven't unpacked yet. I have managed 11 hours sleep and six hours poker. Good news, the Harrah's Total Rewards Program can now be used in the Flamingo cardroom. Except they can't get the software to work yet, so they are scrawling down the hours on your "white card" (i.e., a box file 6x4 card) from which they will upload the number of hours you have played when the software is functioning properly. I aim to persuade the relevant shift manager that I am owed 138 hours.
As usual I used my Virgin flights to catch up on movies that I meant to see, but failed so to do because I never go to the cinema these days.
Thank You For Smoking comes in at 90 minutes. People say how "clever" it is by making you feel sympatetc for the lead character, who is a lobbyist for the smoking industry. In fact the trick is simply to make nearly everyone else (apart from his son and his wife) more venal than he is. Even a lobbyist for the tobacco industry looks "decent" when compared with William Macy's politician, Kate Holmes' superb unscrupulous journalist, and an opportunist boss. It's a lightweight movie (for some reason I expected more), but it passes the time.
The Da Vinci Code was better than I expected, perhaps because I thought the book so awful. I suppose that Jean Reno, Ian McKellen, Tom Hanks and Audrey Taotou could save most films, but I think that they did a decent job of the roduction, including some CSI-patented "drill-downs" to the internal workings of machines, or contents of sealed crypts.
However, highlight of the three was a US indie movie - Brick. This was an update of 1940s film noir to 2000s high school. And, yes, I suspect that you, like me, if brought this idea by a scriptwriter, would show them the door. But it works dazzlingly well with a cast of almost complete unknowns (Richard Roundtree as the vice-priincipal is the only 'name'). It has all the right Chandleresque ingredients - a hero who keeps getting knocked down, but keeps getting back up, a femme fatale, plot twists and a conclusion where everything is explained, but you still aren't quite sure that you have kept up with it all.
Of course, it's a bit hard not to chuckle when part of the conclusion to a truce of a gang war is "you owe me six C's", or just about the size of a decent pot at 15-30. Hardly worth dying for.
But, well acted, well plotted, fun to watch.
++++++++++
The Stardust looks set to close on November 1. They had originally meant to shut it at the end of the year, but they have lost so many staff that they can barely keep the place running.
So, I'll pop up there to take some pictures of the place before it dies. And this time I have to get some chips.
++++++++++
I had the NY Steak and eggs at the Barbary Coast for lunch (my time) or breakfast (Vegas time). It's always pleasant to get steak, eggs, hash browns, buttered toast and unlimited cups of coffee, all for roughly the price of a Burger King and Fries at Charing Cross Station ($10.72, to be exact). You tip $3 out of guilt. "How can this food be so cheap? I insist on paying more!" Needless to say there was one old guy paying for a meal with his player's card, arguing about whether he should pay for the bacon he had been served with, but which he claimed he hadn't ordered. Marvellous.
Profit so far, modestly in the black. Two hands I was a gutshot away from a high-hand straight flush (EV $450). Just a couple of those in a week at the Flamingo is all you really need. The Flamingo 10am and 6pm tournaments are now even harder to bust, being $50+$7+$3 dealer's tips. Except of course the dealers expect something from the winners as well. That makes for about a 22% fee. Mind you, the opposition at these games is so bad that it might be positive EV. But I'm in no rush to find out. I'm gonna wander over the Bellagio instead. Thursday is the worst day for $8-$16, so I will probably stick to $4-$8 for the moment.
I'll try to upload some pictures tonight (tomorrow morning UK time).
I wish I could say that the delay in posting was due to boring admin things such as unpacking, but it wasn't; in fact, I haven't unpacked yet. I have managed 11 hours sleep and six hours poker. Good news, the Harrah's Total Rewards Program can now be used in the Flamingo cardroom. Except they can't get the software to work yet, so they are scrawling down the hours on your "white card" (i.e., a box file 6x4 card) from which they will upload the number of hours you have played when the software is functioning properly. I aim to persuade the relevant shift manager that I am owed 138 hours.
As usual I used my Virgin flights to catch up on movies that I meant to see, but failed so to do because I never go to the cinema these days.
Thank You For Smoking comes in at 90 minutes. People say how "clever" it is by making you feel sympatetc for the lead character, who is a lobbyist for the smoking industry. In fact the trick is simply to make nearly everyone else (apart from his son and his wife) more venal than he is. Even a lobbyist for the tobacco industry looks "decent" when compared with William Macy's politician, Kate Holmes' superb unscrupulous journalist, and an opportunist boss. It's a lightweight movie (for some reason I expected more), but it passes the time.
The Da Vinci Code was better than I expected, perhaps because I thought the book so awful. I suppose that Jean Reno, Ian McKellen, Tom Hanks and Audrey Taotou could save most films, but I think that they did a decent job of the roduction, including some CSI-patented "drill-downs" to the internal workings of machines, or contents of sealed crypts.
However, highlight of the three was a US indie movie - Brick. This was an update of 1940s film noir to 2000s high school. And, yes, I suspect that you, like me, if brought this idea by a scriptwriter, would show them the door. But it works dazzlingly well with a cast of almost complete unknowns (Richard Roundtree as the vice-priincipal is the only 'name'). It has all the right Chandleresque ingredients - a hero who keeps getting knocked down, but keeps getting back up, a femme fatale, plot twists and a conclusion where everything is explained, but you still aren't quite sure that you have kept up with it all.
Of course, it's a bit hard not to chuckle when part of the conclusion to a truce of a gang war is "you owe me six C's", or just about the size of a decent pot at 15-30. Hardly worth dying for.
But, well acted, well plotted, fun to watch.
++++++++++
The Stardust looks set to close on November 1. They had originally meant to shut it at the end of the year, but they have lost so many staff that they can barely keep the place running.
So, I'll pop up there to take some pictures of the place before it dies. And this time I have to get some chips.
++++++++++
I had the NY Steak and eggs at the Barbary Coast for lunch (my time) or breakfast (Vegas time). It's always pleasant to get steak, eggs, hash browns, buttered toast and unlimited cups of coffee, all for roughly the price of a Burger King and Fries at Charing Cross Station ($10.72, to be exact). You tip $3 out of guilt. "How can this food be so cheap? I insist on paying more!" Needless to say there was one old guy paying for a meal with his player's card, arguing about whether he should pay for the bacon he had been served with, but which he claimed he hadn't ordered. Marvellous.
Profit so far, modestly in the black. Two hands I was a gutshot away from a high-hand straight flush (EV $450). Just a couple of those in a week at the Flamingo is all you really need. The Flamingo 10am and 6pm tournaments are now even harder to bust, being $50+$7+$3 dealer's tips. Except of course the dealers expect something from the winners as well. That makes for about a 22% fee. Mind you, the opposition at these games is so bad that it might be positive EV. But I'm in no rush to find out. I'm gonna wander over the Bellagio instead. Thursday is the worst day for $8-$16, so I will probably stick to $4-$8 for the moment.
I'll try to upload some pictures tonight (tomorrow morning UK time).
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no subject
Date: 2006-09-28 05:34 pm (UTC)My only Vegas advice. Mirage Buffett.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-28 07:02 pm (UTC)Now I'm hungry.
Dining Options
Date: 2006-09-29 08:30 am (UTC)I have tipped 40-50% in some circs where breakfast for 4 for was stunning, filling and coming to $18-20. The best way to do this is to stop at some random town, go to some random diner and 9 times out of 10 you'll get something that's pretty good. Even if you want to go dine in a Denny's or similar chain places, it's pretty reasonable.
Envious - although it's still 70+F in Britain.