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Uraniun235 wrote:I remember using fanny packs...



...when I was eight!

You're older than eight?

No, I was recounting a previous lifetime.

RogueIce wrote:
Does the LA one have that too? The stunt boat thingy?

LA has the Waterworld spectacular. I remember because a shipmate got into a fight with one of the actors during a MWR trip there.

(I was standing ten feet away when it happened, priceless)

The pictures of the Venitian don't do the hotel credit, you really have to be inside these places. If you are the type to enjoy seeing little details and what not your first trip to Vegas will be spent walking around with your jaw open.

I was not as impressed the the scenery the second time there, but it still looks cool. Mandalay Bay has a nice water park if you like to swim.

As for Vegas trying to get away from family oriented entertainment I did not notice too much of a difference from 2 years ago when I first visited. There are a few more "adult" themed shows but thats about it. I've also heard that they are trying to get away from the "family" image but that is a major mistake in my opinion.

Vegas is a destination for both sin seekers and family fun. You can do both it just takes proper planning. With so many Indian Casinos coming on line all over California there is little reason to go all the way to Vegas for "pure gambling".

The whole family oriented thing is really a myth. It was started in the early and mid 90's when the new construction boom started after the Excalibur with heavy theme casinos. Creasers started the whole theme trend and it went from there with the Excalibur, Luxor, Circus Circus, Treasure Island, MGM so on.

When MGM opened their theme park seems to be about the time this got started. It wasn't so much on the part of the casino developers but the non gaming oriented venues that gave the idea of a shift. The M&M museum, the coke store, all the stuff really on the east side of the strip. The casinos primary concern has been and always will be gaming.

Sega used to have a huge game hall in the luxor but there wasn't enough traffic and it was sold off back to Mandaly Resorts. The arcade in the Excalibur is more of a converted basement than anything. Same goes for the ever popular motion rides. The company's added these in as an after thought buying into the family hype. And about 2 years later it was almost all ripped out and replaced either by more restaurants or gaming stations.

The newer casinos main attractions other than gaming at this point lie in shopping and shopping alone. Vegas isn't a bad place for family's but the Major companies could care less.

Sorry if its off topic but its one of the few things I can speak about with any confidence, other than section 42 of IRS tax credit code.

Zed Snardbody wrote:The whole family oriented thing is really a myth.

It's a misstatement. The term "family oriented" makes people think of Disneyland, which is, of course, not remotely close to what Vegas is. A more accurate term would be "no longer family-hostile".

Darth Wong wrote: It's a misstatement. The term "family oriented" makes people think of Disneyland, which is, of course, not remotely close to what Vegas is. A more accurate term would be "no longer family-hostile".

That would be more correct. For about 15 years now its been an alright place to take a brief vaction. Stay any longer than maybe 2 weeks without family in town and you fast run out of things to do with the family.

BTW, here are some other pictures that I didn't develop right away because the roll of film wasn't done yet:


All of us on the beach.


Rebecca and the boys with my cousin Daphne, who lives in Los Angeles (she's the one on Matthew's left, wearing the wide-brimmed hat).


Yes, it's Lord Poe and me! Behold our fashion sense!


All of us posing next to some of the decor in the Venetian. This one didn't turn out that well because of poor lighting and the use of a cheap camera. Oh well.

^^ I took a picture of the dome directly above the fountain. I hope it turns out OK. Especially since it's on a disposable. When it comes to " eye candy" I think the Venetian and Cesars Palace tops all the hotels on The Strip.

Darth Wong wrote:At least we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi...
Yes, it's Lord Poe and me! Behold our fashion sense!

Who ever thought two Sith Lords could look so unassuming?


And nice shirt DW.

Wicked Pilot wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:At least we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi...
Yes, it's Lord Poe and me! Behold our fashion sense!

Who ever thought two Sith Lords could look so unassuming?

The Force is our ally.

And nice shirt DW.

Thanks. Personally, I think that the F-15 is the most beautiful plane ever. But I have a fondness for angular lines in aircraft while I know a lot of others don't, so there are undoubtedly many people who would strongly disagree with me.

Darth Wong wrote:Thanks. Personally, I think that the F-15 is the most beautiful plane ever. But I have a fondness for angular lines in aircraft while I know a lot of others don't, so there are undoubtedly many people who would strongly disagree with me.

I dunno, I think there is a beauty to the A-10 and it certainly does not win any awards for being purdy. I don't think you are alone in liking the F-15.

Wicked Pilot wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:At least we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi...
Yes, it's Lord Poe and me! Behold our fashion sense!

Who ever thought two Sith Lords could look so unassuming?

Hey, you know how many hours it takes to look like that?

I have my "preacher's bible" in my hand. Actually, its this cool distressed brown leather bible book cover that even has a cross on it! I had "Down and Dirty Pictures" in it, which I was reading while waiting for Darth Wong to find the right hyperspace lane back to the hotel!

Boy, those white tennis shoes look disturbing on me. I usually wear huge black Frankenstein work shoes!

Lord Poe wrote:I have my "preacher's bible" in my hand. Actually, its this cool distressed brown leather bible book cover that even has a cross on it! I had "Down and Dirty Pictures" in it, which I was reading while waiting for Darth Wong to find the right hyperspace lane back to the hotel!

Please note that the prefix "hyper" and Los Angeles highway traffic are used together in this context only for the purpose of extreme irony.