Las Vegas/Los Angeles Pics (not for 56kers!)

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-07-21 03:31pm

So basicaly, every theme park (Disney, Universal, etc.) that can be found in Florida has a carbon copy in Los Angeles as well?

And life jackets in a swimming pool? I can understand for babies, but kids?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-21 03:55pm

2000AD wrote:So basicaly, every theme park (Disney, Universal, etc.) that can be found in Florida has a carbon copy in Los Angeles as well?

I've been to both the Florida Universal Studios and the Los Angeles Universal Studios, and the LA one is vastly better. As for Disneyworld, I'd say that Disneyland in LA is nicer in some ways (largely because it's smaller and cozier) but the one in Florida has its advantages too.

But having compared the weather in California vs Florida, I can say that I vastly prefer California. It's far less humid, without the great clouds of insects that dogged my every move in Florida.

And life jackets in a swimming pool? I can understand for babies, but kids?

Matthew's actually at Level 5 in his swimming class and spent some time swimming without it, but they both use their lifejackets as pool toys, sort of like the way adults use inner tubes.

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2004-07-21 04:42pm

I am the first to ask, where did you get that SAW?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-21 04:51pm

Agent Fisher wrote:I am the first to ask, where did you get that SAW?

http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com/ (it was only a rental for use on their premises, mind you). Their rental list, copied from their site:

Colt M16 Carbine .223
M249 Minimi .223
AK47 Assault Rifle .223
H&K MP5 SMG 9mm
Colt M16 SMG 9mm
UZI SMG 9mm
Thompson M1A1 SMG .45
STEN MKII SMG 9mm
Madsen M50 SMG 9mm (suppressed)
MP40 "Schmeisser" SMG 9mm
Stemple "K" SMG 9mm
M3A1 "Grease Gun" SMG .45

Next time I go to Vegas I should try out some of the other models

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2004-07-21 05:05pm

I must go to vegas, if for nothing else than that.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-07-21 05:32pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Agent Fisher wrote:I am the first to ask, where did you get that SAW?
http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com/ (it was only a rental for use on their premises, mind you). Their rental list, copied from their site:
Colt M16 Carbine .223

M249 Minimi .223

AK47 Assault Rifle .223

H&K MP5 SMG 9mm

Colt M16 SMG 9mm

UZI SMG 9mm

Thompson M1A1 SMG .45

STEN MKII SMG 9mm

Madsen M50 SMG 9mm (suppressed)

MP40 "Schmeisser" SMG 9mm

Stemple "K" SMG 9mm

M3A1 "Grease Gun" SMG .45
Next time I go to Vegas I should try out some of the other models

holy fucking kalishnikov batman! are they full auto???

Robert Treder · Post by **Robert Treder** » 2004-07-21 06:09pm

2000AD wrote:So basicaly, every theme park (Disney, Universal, etc.) that can be found in Florida has a carbon copy in Los Angeles as well?

Uh, think "vice versa." Disneyland came long before Disneyworld, and Universal Studios came before Universal Studios Orlando.

They carbon copied their parks to Florida because people on the East Coast don't like crossing the country, but for some reason don't mind spending time in drenchingly humid Florida.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-21 06:14pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:holy fucking kalishnikov batman! are they full auto???

The SAW definitely was.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-07-21 06:36pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:holy fucking kalishnikov batman! are they full auto???
The SAW definitely was.

SAW's fun as long as there is enough lub in the system. Did you hit anything?

I see you went to M&M land. Did you let your kids go nuts in the arcade in the basement.

Looks like you had a gooooooood time.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-21 09:17pm

Knife wrote:SAW's fun as long as there is enough lub in the system. Did you hit anything?

That was actually quite interesting. With the M16, my very first shot was a dead-on bullseye in the centre of the target, but subsequent shots were less and less accurate, so it ended up looking like a pretty wide scatter pattern. One of the shots was actually off the man-silhouette's shoulder. It didn't help that it was my very first time firing a gun and I was getting eager. With the SAW, I expected a similar pattern but it was weird; there was very little vertical scatter, but it was bouncing all over the place horizontally, so the target ended up having a basically horizontal band of holes through it. I suppose someone with more experience would be better at controlling the thing, but I still had a lot of fun.

I see you went to M&M land. Did you let your kids go nuts in the arcade in the basement.

Just for a short time. I figured we didn't travel thousands of miles to play arcade games when we could do that at Playdium in Toronto.

Looks like you had a gooooooood time.

Yeah, although the credit-card bills haven't come in yet

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-07-21 09:37pm

That was actually quite interesting. With the M16, my very first shot was a dead-on bullseye in the centre of the target, but subsequent shots were less and less accurate, so it ended up looking like a pretty wide scatter pattern. One of the shots was actually off the man-silhouette's shoulder. It didn't help that it was my very first time firing a gun and I was getting eager.

Sounds about normal, really. Your first shot was relaxed and pretty much natual. So you made a good shot. After that, you probably got excited and yanked on the trigger hard. That tends to give you a horizontal spread and usually to the left.

With the SAW, I expected a similar pattern but it was weird; there was very little vertical scatter, but it was bouncing all over the place horizontally, so the target ended up having a basically horizontal band of holes through it. I suppose someone with more experience would be better at controlling the thing, but I still had a lot of fun.

Letting loose with large bursts tends to let the recoil get at you too. Some of that could be stance. But without actually seeing the target you shot, I really can't speculate too much on what you did.

General rules-

Breathing= vertical spread along the point of aim.
Scared of the recoil= low shots
hard trigger pull= left of center shots
Letting recoil get out of hand= god knows where those shots are going.
Long automatic bursts= high of center.

Yeah, although the credit-card bills haven't come in yet

So did you end up getting the platinum or backstage passes for Universal, like I suggested?

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-07-21 09:42pm

I hate echoing the same words, but that hotel looks AMAZING!

I don't even want to hazard a guess at the price of accomadation. Although, I will say this; I always thought of Canadians and Australians in the northern hemisphere, seeing as you haven't already begun initiating your children to become champion swimmers (or doll bludging surfers), perhaps there are some differences after all!

PS Welcome back.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-22 12:36am

Crown wrote:I hate echoing the same words, but that hotel looks AMAZING!

Seriously, you don't even know the half of it (note: the following pictures are stock pictures and were not actually taken by me, but that is indeed what the place looks like):

This is the main lobby, where you check in:

This is the hall attached to that lobby:

This is the exterior of the place, where you can get gondola rides:

This is the Grand Canal Shoppes area, which is an indoor mini-Venice shopping centre built into the hotel. The sky is actually a painted ceiling, and they have gondola rides in the indoor canal (as well as "living statues" and live musical performers).

And finally, to the left is a (small) view of the living-room part of the hotel suite. The open area at the back is the private terrace which Rebecca used for her morning yoga every day and which opened out onto the courtyard pool.

I don't even want to hazard a guess at the price of accomadation.

No need to guess. It was $300 US per night.

Although, I will say this; I always thought of Canadians and Australians in the northern hemisphere, seeing as you haven't already begun initiating your children to become champion swimmers (or doll bludging surfers), perhaps there are some differences after all!

Australians live on the ocean coast. Some Canadians do, but in Ontario, we live on the inland Great Lakes. And you do not want to swim in Lake Ontario if you know what's good for you.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-07-22 12:42am

$300 for all that...now that does kick butt.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-07-22 12:48am

Ghost Rider wrote: $300 for all that...now that does kick butt.

There is a definate age difference going on here, I am a budget traveler. When I was in Instabul, I was spending $4 (US) a day on accomadation (bed and meals).

But then again, I'm not the patriach of a family like Mike is, am I?

Oh I have got to say though, if I ever wanted a definition of 'decadance' I bet there would be a picture of the hotel lobby/hallway next to it!

EDIT :: I would like to add though that the appartment (did show up the first time), looks absolutely briliant. It must have been a wonderful place to stay.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-07-22 12:52am

Crown wrote:
Ghost Rider wrote: $300 for all that...now that does kick butt.
There is a definate age difference going on here, I am a budget traveler. When I was in Instabul, I was spending $4 (US) a day on accomadation (bed and meals).

Well mine is clouded by going to hordes of conventions and staying in hotels for $200 with a setting that's barely a tenth of that.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-07-22 02:54am

Completely unrelated question: Does anyone else see Mike's last post as having some wacky quoting going on?

Hamel · Post by **Hamel** » 2004-07-22 02:59am

Kek~ Never went into the Venetian while I was there. The Lux0r had enough eye candy to suit me, though I stayed at The Stratosphere.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-07-22 03:27am

Howedar wrote:Completely unrelated question: Does anyone else see Mike's last post as having some wacky quoting going on?

I think he just inlined the pic left, I'll fix it.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-07-22 08:58am

holy shit, the mini- Venice at the Venitian looks nicer than real Venice!

And what's so bad about Lake Ontario? Lake Erie is nasty, i'll gice you that, but Lake Ontario looked clean last time i was there.

J · Post by J » 2004-07-22 11:05am

Col. Crackpot wrote:And what's so bad about Lake Ontario? Lake Erie is nasty, i'll gice you that, but Lake Ontario looked clean last time i was there.

Think about it. Where does all the water from Lake Erie go? That's right, Lake Ontario, different lake, same water. You can swim in it, just not during the summer, and you'll want to shower off cause that water ain't good for you.

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2004-07-22 12:26pm

Heh... y'know your Hollywood shot? The sign in the background? "Mulholland Drive 1 mi."? You should driven along it... one o' the best drives in the world.

Deign to peek into the Valley at all?

Post by **Rob Wilson** » 2004-07-22 01:10pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Knife wrote:SAW's fun as long as there is enough lub in the system. Did you hit anything?
That was actually quite interesting. With the M16, my very first shot was a dead-on bullseye in the centre of the target, but subsequent shots were less and less accurate, so it ended up looking like a pretty wide scatter pattern. One of the shots was actually off the man-silhouette's shoulder. It didn't help that it was my very first time firing a gun and I was getting eager. With the SAW, I expected a similar pattern but it was weird; there was very little vertical scatter, but it was bouncing all over the place horizontally, so the target ended up having a basically horizontal band of holes through it. I suppose someone with more experience would be better at controlling the thing, but I still had a lot of fun.

Firing from the prone position (laod down) or from the standing supported position?

Anyway nice shooting, don't worry about the groupings for now as you weren't with a qualified coach and firing for the first time.

If you ever need coaching you have a huge pool of Servicemen available

I surprised you never tried a pistol while you were at it and destroy the myth about how hard they are to shoot as well.

Anyway, glad you and the family had a fun time. Hope Rebecca got some rest during that trip.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-07-22 11:09pm

Stravo wrote:Mike, the last time I was in Vegas about 2 years ago it was definately a family oreinted place for kids, etc. I hear that alot of old time Casino owners are complaining about this emphasis on family vacations and the fact that gambling revenues have been steadily declining because of parents spending time with their kids instead of at the tables. There is supposedly a shift going on in Vegas away from the family oriented atmosphere but from the pictures I don't much see that happening yet. Did you notice any of that shift? (Aside from the horde of illegals handing out porn fliers on the strip)

Vegas is the fastest growing American suburbia, so I doubt that strongly.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-07-22 11:34pm

That was actually quite interesting. With the M16, my very first shot was a dead-on bullseye in the centre of the target, but subsequent shots were less and less accurate, so it ended up looking like a pretty wide scatter pattern. One of the shots was actually off the man-silhouette's shoulder. It didn't help that it was my very first time firing a gun and I was getting eager. With the SAW, I expected a similar pattern but it was weird; there was very little vertical scatter, but it was bouncing all over the place horizontally, so the target ended up having a basically horizontal band of holes through it. I suppose someone with more experience would be better at controlling the thing, but I still had a lot of fun.

Target shooting is not nearly as fun as say, trap shooting or target shooting (shotguns! yay!) but I imagine using fully automatic military-grade machine guns would improve the experience greatly. Hell, I got excited shooting a fully automatic BB gun at Knoebbel's.

There is a definate age difference going on here, I am a budget traveler. When I was in Instabul, I was spending $4 (US) a day on accomadation (bed and meals).

That's awesome; how'd you do it?

Also, that apartment is nicer than my house. Holy shit.