Shake Weight for Men

This is freakin' hilarious!!



I couldn't stop laughing, my gut still hurts!! If this concept works, that should mean every man alive should already be ripped!!! :)

Deadhead Corner - DSO

The Darkstar Orchestra. Wow. That's pretty much the only word that comes to mind to describe this band.

As you may or may not know, this band formed out of the Chicago area several years ago as a Grateful Dead tribute band. They more or less, play Grateful Dead concerts song for song. Please be aware that they do not play the songs note for note, as that would be almost impossible as the Dead were an improvisational jam band. I really hate to use those terms to describe the Dead, because the songs were very much structured. If you listen to the album, Workingman's Dead, your listening to a very structured country/rock band.

Therefore, DSO doesn't not play the songs note for note, but they do have the changes down to every song, the lyrics are eerily similar, and well as their playing styles and mannerisms on stage. The result, at least to us Deadheads is wonderful live music experience, very similar to what we're used to.



I've seen them a few times. The first two were in Fort Collins, CO at the Aggie Theatre. It was more than I expected and I was completely blown away both times.



Well, they graced us with their presence and music here in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. They christened the new Hard Rock Cafe stage at the new Hard Rock on the Strip. The room is on the second floor. It's a fairly intimate setting, my guess holding (legally, according to the fire department) about 500 people, tops. There were maybe 200 hundred at this show. Mostly, middle-aged Deadheads who have cut their hair and have since obtained day jobs, including me.

They recreated a Grateful Dead concert that was played on 9/15/72 at the Boston Music Hall, in Boston, Mass. I know it sounds utterly ridiculous to say that their recreation of this concert was better than the original, but, you know what? As a seasoned Deadhead that saw the Dead live over 100 times, I can say this very well could be true. Their performance was fantastic.

I can say this with confidence though, the gal Lisa, that sings the Donna Godchaux vocal parts, is better than Donna was. As most Deadheads know and complain about, Donna often times had a hard time hitting the right notes and staying in key. Lisa, of DSO, does not have that problem.

So, if you like the Grateful Dead, or great music for that matter, go check these guys out. You will not be disappointed. Although, the number of their shows will be limited in the near future, as the lead guitar player, John Kadlecik has been asked by Grateful Dead original members Bob Wier and Phil Lesh to join their band. This was a long time coming, and the prospect is very, very exciting. John's playing style is as close to Jerry Garcia as ever attempted by anyone.

John Kadlecik

WSOP November 9 - Winner

WSOP 2009 Final Table

Jeff Shulman

Call it a feeling, call it whatever, but I'm taking Jeff Shulman to take the bracelet this year. Yep, you heard it here first. Why? I simply like his disposition at the table. Current odds on Shulman are about 6 to 1, I say take it.

And yeah, this is the same guy who said he'd throw the bracelet in the garbage if he won. A remark in response to his (and others) displeasure as to how the tournament has been run the past few years.

Shulman is President and COO of Card Player magazine.

Clean toilets....in public, on vacation?? No way.

A little secret about finding clean, unused toilets in Las Vegas. Shhhh, don't tell anybody about this.

Seriously, I made a vow to myself that this blog will not be a Vegas insider type blog. As a matter of fact, I'm not willing to give out any of my secret places or Las Vegas stuff, because once it gets popular, it's ruined. I'm going to stick to that, but I will however, from time to time, leak some facts about this town that really should be common knowledge anyhow.

Plus the fact that the Poker Grump, (#4) gave away a secret bathroom near the MGM poker room, so I figured what the hell, the whole secret bathroom thing in Las Vegas has been tainted anyway. (lol, just kidding Grump)

So, if any of you are like me, as I'll assume you are, we're all Americans that drink too much and eat bad food, then you find yourself from time to time needing someplace clean to sit down for business purposes. For the guys, I'm talking about finding a nice clean place to take a dump, and for the ladies, well, I guess it's for just about everything that you do in there.

I'll also assume, that most, like me, would rather be at home when this feeling strikes, or at the very least, be in or near your hotel room. But, often times while on vacation or away from the house, this is impossible. So, most of the time, we just have to make due with what's available, and we all know all too well that this sometimes is not pretty, not pretty at all.

Well, in Las Vegas, both on the Strip or Downtown, you're in luck. (Here comes the little secret...shhhh) First, on the Strip. Most major hotels have huge convention areas, ballrooms, banquet areas, etc. These areas of the property are always away from the casino floor, usually on the second floor, or on a completely different wing of the building. And guess what? Yep, all these areas have bathrooms. Nice clean bathrooms too, the ones that only get used when a conference is in full swing or a special event is occurring. The rest of the time they sit empty.

And even if a conference is happening, I'll guarantee you that the bathrooms will be cleaner and not as crowded as the ones on the casino floor.

Here's the second part of the little secret. Now that you know where to go, you have to play the part to get there. First of all, act like you own the place. Follow the signs to the convention areas from the casino floor and just keep walking til you find a bathroom. Don't stop and look around, act confused, etc, as any casino employee will not stop you if you look like you know what you're doing and where you're going. (Just a side note, these area ARE generally open to the public, it's not like you're doing anything wrong, but being prudent about the whole thing can help you avoid any potential hassles, plus, you get to the bathroom quicker!)

The third tip is to always remember to dress nice. This helps you blend in. You should do this while in Vegas anyway. Although, as a local I don't always adhere to this rule. I'm not talking about a three-piece suit or even a jacket, just something, well....nice. Business casual is perfect, but not many people are dressed that way on vacation, of course.


Now, if you're Downtown and the mood strikes, you're options are severely limited. Some of the Downtown properties do have convention/meeting areas, and if you look hard enough you can find them. So, if and when you do, follow the same rules I mentioned above.

But, a big problem with the facilities Downtown (besides lack thereof) is the fact that a lot of homeless and street people use these restrooms on a daily basis, pretty much as their own personal toilets. So, needless to say, some of the even more secluded crappers can be just plain freakin' nasty.

There is a solution, but the downside is, it's not free. But, it's a very viable solution and one I recommend. And that's to simply walk west on Fremont St down to the Plaza or Golden Gate and get a room. Yes, I said get a room. Most weekdays, rooms at these places are $19.99 or slightly more.

So, think about it. For $20 bucks, you get a clean shitter, all to yourself, or you and your wife or everyone in your party for that matter, all freakin' day or night. If you're on vacation (or local) you're dropping 20 dollar bills in the VP machines anyway or spending $20 on this or that the entire time as it is. And, not only is the room great for taking a dump, you can use it to get away from the craziness for a while, take a nap, watch some tv, or to eat in peace.

This is also a good idea for long haul poker players that are Downtown. Getting a cheap room gives you a chance to get away from the table for a while, take a nap, use the bathroom, etc.


So, there you have it. No reason to fret anymore after 15 Budweisers and two deep fried Twinkies. You've got a plan. You're covered.

And, you're welcome.
-TVF

I'm too nice.

I'm too fucking nice.

I usually always try to convince myself this is ok because of one of my all time favorite quotes: "Never confuse kindness for weakness".

But in reality, I'm too nice because I avoid conflict like the plague. I can only debate with someone so long, then it gets ugly. I usually fall prey to my aggressor's baiting.

The Snub

What is the snub? My definition of the snub is being ignored by someone you know or someone you have come in contact with in the past. You know, that quick look away by someone you are about to say “hi” to or acknowledge. The snub is generally a premeditated, purposeful, fearful and disrespectful act. The snub can take place at any physical distance, but the most disturbing snub is the one that takes place within earshot of the perpetrator.

Types of snubs:

The “Co-worker sees you in public” snub.

The “Person you were talking to last night at the bar or party” snub. Apparently, this person is embarrassed by talking to you or ashamed of his/her inebriation or both. This one really bothers me, especially if you’ve talked to this person at length, for several hours the night before. The conversation is usually on a personal level because people generally loosen up after a few drinks.

The “We used to be friends” snub.

The “We used to work together” snub.

The “We have a mutual friend and have been introduced” snub.

The “We had a class together” snub. Classic.

The “I work or you work at someplace either party frequents regularly” snub. Such as a bank teller. He/she is very nice to you while working, then snubs your outside the bank – what?

The “You are friends with my ex” snub. Classic but dumb. We were friends then, right? Or was it just contrived. At least get it out in the air.

The “I used to work for you (former employer)” snub. This one drives me crazy, especially if we parted ways on good terms.

The “I used to rent from you (former landlord)” snub. Another classic.

The “You are a peon (company bigshot)” snub. One of the company bigshots snubs you in the break room. WTF?

There are more. The basic premise is, just don't be a fucking dick.

Adding, "The Linda McCartney" snub, contributed by Wolynski. Described as "The worst snub is by someone who you hung out with and suddenly they married rich or got rich and dropped you like a hot potato - not in their class anymore. It's the Linda McCartney sydrome - once she hooked up with Paul, on more old chums."

Controlled Aggression

I just finished watching the new documentary on Mike Tyson, entitled simply Tyson. It's a good look at the life of a confused, troubled man.



Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending this individual. However, I do sympathize with him and those like him. Simply, you cannot train an individual to be a violent monster one minute, then ask him to shut it off the next minute. Sorry, like it or not, it doesn't work that way.

What happened this past weekend at the end of the Oregon/Boise St game is another good example. Again, I don't condone these actions, but I do understand why they occur.