What was interesting about this day last year is that I have the most notes (a full twenty pages) from today, but that Hoade and I really didn't do anything today. We hung around the hotel room for several hours, then went out to visit a bunch of casinos the in the area.
[That's the Bellagio in the background] [1]
Hoade in front of Disneyesque European Elegance.
Guy sleeping in the doorway of > the unused entryway of the > restaurant. Dad and I had > breakfast.
> * * * * *
The waitress was a bit snarky.
> * * * * *
Kid on a leash. What is that > telling the kid? What does that > say about the parent? Why > would parents bring kids to > this place [Las Vegas —Editor] anyway?
> * * * * *
Plane after plane after plane > is landing at the airport. > I've seen a dozen planes in > a few moments.
“Notes from page 45 of the “Viva Lost Wages” notebook”
I think we were both getting burned out by this point, as we had already done everything we wanted to do on this working vacation (Hoade came to Las Vegas as research for a book he was writing. Since he's never been and I had, he tagged me to come along with him).
[And there's a bit of a faux Paris in the back ground. Much like Disney.] [2]
Me, in front some Disneyesque European Elegance.
A really large and obnoxious > American is bitching about the > size of the $5^95 prime rib. > He is about as tall standing as > he is lying down.
> * * * * *
I may have to write a simulation > of Keno, just to get a feel for > the odds. Although the payouts > are probably the odds.
> * * * * *
Hoade and I pretended to play > Keno. 20 # out of 80 are selected > the player can select up to 15. > There is a variation where you > win quite a lot for getting > 0 #s. Hoade and I still > lost.
“Notes from page 46 of the “Viva Lost Wages” notebook”
Most of the notes I took today were personal in nature, observations about Las Vegas, the band [3] playing at the Hôtel San Rémo that night, that type of thing.
Thoughts on Vegas:
> * Heard that Lake Meade > * is 40′–75′ below normal. > * How much longer can Vegas > * survive? Once Lake Meade > * Hoover Dam go, there goes > * Vegas (unless they go > * nuclear, but they better go > * soon, and that only solves > * the electricity problem, > * no the water problem.)
* Casino revenues are going > * down, even as they build > * more and more casinos. > * Is Vegas dead even before > * Lake M. goes?
“Notes from page 60 of the “Viva Lost Wages” notebook.”
That last note reminds me of Easter Island [4]—the natives built larger and larger heads to bring favor back from the gods as their habitat slowly died around them.
Yup, this day was a rather depressing day in Las Vegas.
[1] /boston/2006/07/19/hoade.jpg
[2] /boston/2006/07/19/sean.jpg
[3] http://www.groovekitty.net/
![[1] /boston/2006/07/19/hoade.jpg](/gemini.conman.org/boston/2006/07/19/hoade.jpg){kind=link}
![[2] /boston/2006/07/19/sean.jpg](/gemini.conman.org/boston/2006/07/19/sean.jpg){kind=link}