Blue Digital

Double Or Nothing

Went to check in at Caesars at the airport but Caesars computer was down there (an omen for the rest of the CP visit) Took limo to Caesars Palace(thanks to this board). So much nicer than taxi. We arrived at CP about 11 AM. Had a non-smiling, non- happy registration clerk, and I was unable to pull off the $20trick. I’m pretty timid, anyway. We couldn’t get to our room until 1pm, so we went to eat. We were hungry so we started walking, until we found a place to eat, which turned out to be Café Logo next to the pool . The lines were long and the person who was up at the front, you know the one who tells the people who seat you, where to sit you, kept getting confused. Two for smoking, no that’s three for non-smoking, oh no, we don’t have a table for you yet. Come back in this line. No get in this line. There was also no prices listed, but we were so hungry, and we didn’t know where anything was, so we stayed and stayed and stayed in this line. We figured if the line was long, it was probably good. Turned out to be $21.95, they called it a holiday brunch. For $29.95, we could have had champagne, but we passed on it. I don’t know if they do this all the time but they had a buffet or you could order from the menu. We made our first mistake. We took the buffet. The food was OK, but selection was minimal. By then, it was time to pick up our keys and go to the room.

Hubby had always wanted to stay at CP, because of its history& reputation. I had read on this board, mixed reviews, but I had a positive attitude going in the room. I have given a description of the room on the "The Strip and Neighborhood Joints" in the one listed Sandyrn. I’ll just say here, we weren’t impressed but it was an OK room. After our luggage came up to the room, we went to explore CP and sign up for their online sportsbook. I played a few slots, lost money, and played BJ, and lost some more. Dealers were very unfriendly but I have to admit, most of the people playing were also. I went to the registration desk and told them I was unhappy with our room, and would like to change rooms and requested the Palace Towers. They told me there was nothing available that night and to check back at 6AM the next morning. We then went over to Bellagio to pick up our Wagerwork tickets for the buffet and sign up for their slot card. They were not giving out the comps, until Tuesday, because of the holiday weekend, so for those of you who want to use them for a holiday weekend, beware. I played slots, lost some more money, and we walked around a bit. We were getting tired, we had been up since 5AM and was making our way back. Did I forget to mention how crowded it was everywhere we went? It was unbelievable! We were slowly making our way from the Bellagio to Caesars walkway, packed like sardines and made it off the escalator when the crowds were at a standstill. No one was moving and we couldn’t see why. There was no room for people coming down the escalator to go. So people were coming off the escalator and hitting people at the bottom, like a bowling ball hitting bowling pins. It was a mob scene and dangerous. People were trying to walk up the escalator that was going down, to keep from hitting people at the bottom. Finally someone had the good sense to hit the emergency stop button. When we finally made it around the corner, there was nothing in sight. We still don’t know why people were at a standstill. You can’t cross the street there, so I don’t know what people were doing. online sports gambling

Looking For The Big Payout

After a quick breakfast at the Caribe cafe it's off to the Carib.Poker table. This is the first time playing for Robbie although we have been doing some online gambling at home. It's great playing early in the morning, the table is empty so its just us and the dealer. We're playing for about 2hours and during that time Robbie gets a flush! Bingo $100 bonus! The Mirage pays out a higher bonus on the smaller hands, flushes,full-houses, etc. which keeps their total jackpot lower, but we like the bigger payouts on the smaller hands. Anyway this has now become Robbie's favorite table game. We decide to go for a walk and end up at Bally's. Try the free million dollar spin and end up with a key chain, well it was free. We wander through Bally's, Paris, the Aladdin, Monte Carlo, NYNY, and after numerous beers, and having played various slots, we end up at Mandalay Bay. Here we split up for awhile. Robbie is off playing some video poker and I'm at the blackjack table and the crap table. No luck at the crap table but I almost make up for it at the blackjack table. Robbie loses $20 at video poker so we decide its time to hike back to the Mirage. We have tickets for the Andre Philipe show at the Venetian, so we're going to do an early dinner. Tonight its the 808 at Caesars. Since it was early the restaurant was faily empty at first. Robbie ordered a lobster dish and I had the Ahi. This is probably more asian style than Hawaiian, and although it was pretty good, I have had better fish dishes in Vegas. Anyway off to the show. The show was only about 3/4 full. It lasted a bit over an hour and although it was OK I'm glad I didn't see Danny Gans first, he puts on a much better show. After the show we decide to go back to the Mirage for a bit more gambling. I had placed a couple of sports bets and they both won, $135. This keeps us just about even on the gaming for the trip, not too bad. It's about 12:30 and all of that walking is starting to take its toll, I don't think the beer has anything to do with it. Anyway time to hit the sack. No problem its only Monday and we still have three full days left. More to come. gambling

Letting It Ride At Harrahs

It is still hard for me to believe but Harrahs was horrible. I think it must have been timing but everyone was rude. We tried to play Let It Ride and the dealer was very nasty. We collected up our remainder of chips and played some slots. Won nothing and Chris had had enough of Harrahs. Chris decided he would like to go back to Stardust to play a little Let It Ride and get something to eat. We started walking back thinking we could see the volcano go off but for some reason (no wind) it wasn't going off that night. The last pirate show had not started yet but we were going to have to wait 30 more minutes and he was hungry so we went on. Oh yeah, the slapping porno guys... I had told Chris about them and when we walked past them I think he was too embarrissed to take a hand out. So what is a father to do? I took them for him and built up a small keepsake supply! He laughed and then got a few out of the boxes along the street. He took them home to give to some of his friends. I think he was a little suprised to see that they really didn't show anything ... they are just advertisements.

Got back to the Stardust, had a nice dinner at the Paradise Cafe that he didn't eat because of the the excitement of the evening. We did get to talk more and had a great time. We went out played a little Let It Ride and the dealer was the same lady we had earlier in the day. She remembered him by name and wanted to know how he liked the fight! Then the pit boss came over and wanted to know how he liked the fight. Good thing we were the only two at the table, everyone else would have wanted to loose their money quicker. We lost, again, and decided to call it a night. Oh yeah.. after the fight at Caesars, I cashed in my ticket for the fight I won. I got my $60 and tried to give Chris my $30 profit to lessen his loss. He would have no part of it so we picked out a $1 machine to try our luck and we were going to split the profit. No luck, no profit but it was fun. We did waive all over the place, everytime somebody came by with a TV camera but I dont think we ended up on TV. Too bad too cause I think you could have picked us out of the crowd.

We went back up to the room and Chris talked for about an hour about what he wants to do with his life and how much he has enjoyed the trip. I think that hour was what I enjoyed most. We really seemed to be pals not just father-son. It was really a memoriable moment in time for me. Well, he crashed and I walked back to the casino to play some money my wife had sent. I took $40 of my own (my gambling budget was dwindling from no wins at Online Poker and I was trying to save for Chris' bank if he ran out) Even though this was a short trip, I could see I didn't bring quite enough for all we wanted to do. Played Kathy's $20 in her favorite $1 slot. She lost too. Well, decided to play a Chaos machine with the $40 I brought down. I played the first $20 two coins at a time (2 coin machine) and hit nothing. I decided to play the last $20 one coin at a time and just relax thinking about the day. The second pull I hit three wilds. I looked up and I saw that I had won $500. If I would have still been playing 2 coins it would have been $5,000. Oh well, who knew! Went back upstairs with a fatter budget to get through the next two days. I thought I could finish this report but I will have to finish with the Big Shot ride (I worried about that for two days ) and the Bottoms Up show later. I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am writing it! gambling

On The Third Floor

I live on the top (third) floor of an apartment building. No air conditioning in the building and it is only the top floor that has a problem with the heat. All the windows are on the same side, so even when they are open, there is no air flowing through. Amsterdam is not known as a very hot or humid place, but it has been hot here this summer, and it is also the first summer we have lived here. We moved in in February and noticed that we didn't have to turn the heat on much. Great in the winter, we did not spend a lot on heating bills. We had to go out and get one of those little air conditioners that goes in the window. Paid only $300 for it at the Price Club and it really works and cools down the apt. Sometimes, while living in amsterdam apartments, the bedroom is warmer, but we have a fan and keep the window open. As for the noise, we do live on a busy street, but I wear earplugs to bed and that, along with the steady noise from the fan, helps me go to sleep. If your apartment is hotter than normal during the summer, try buying one of those fans that fig snug in a window. Buy as powerful a fan as you can find. Set it up to blow OUT the window. Open a few other windows just about 8 or 10 inches. This will create a draft, pulling air IN the open windows. I did this when I lived in Rhode Island in a large 3 bedroom house without air conditioning and it created a nice constant stream of fresh cool air. I got the idea from my sister-in-law's house which had an attic fan that worked basically the same way. If possible, the intake windows should be facing a shady or grassy area. That way you'll be pulling in the coolest air possible. amsterdam real estate

Hosting Company Review

While many mid and large-sized shared hosting firms hire management consultants to advise them about certain aspects of their business, Mainspring seemingly goes one step further. The company advises an application host about how it should be managed in general. In an strange sense then, Mainspring provides total outsourced management.

This indicates that managerial competence in the outsourced application hosting sector is sadly lacking. Due to this lack of faith in management and strategic direction, Mainspring is contracted to conduct intensive audits that define realistic financial targets and suggest strategic and operational initiatives required to get a complex application Web host to profitability.

In the face of the billions of dollars previously spent on managed hosting roll-outs, such an audit process is most probably procured by the venture capitalists who coughed up the dough for the hosting ventures and lack total faith in their executives. This is a viable assumption since the audit process is primarily concerned with defining target levels of growth and funding needed.

Accordingly, venture-backed firms are most likely contracting Mainspring to ensure that their growth plans are aligned with realistic funding goals. Under their audit mechanism, this objective is key and becomes the impetus for a detailed analysis of the hosting company's operating economics, providing an understanding of the true revenues and costs associated with selling, provisioning and servicing new clients and services.

Though Mainspring understands that application hosting is presently in the midst of a downturn, it recognizes that the market does have potential. For this reason, the research house suggests that managed hosting firms that specialize in application provision should prolong their viability by deferring cash outlays and by transforming fixed into variable costs.

The Web Hosting Business

The owner of a small Web hosting firm recently said to me, "You can't help but make money in this business." If he's right, then why have so many web site hosting services filed for bankruptcy protection, been acquired for pennies on the dollar, or disappeared entirely? And what can the typical small Web hosting vendor do to avoid a similar fate?

Those are the questions I'll try to answer this month, in a personal take on the issues of financing a Web hosting company. As for credentials, I founded a company dedicated to Web hosting in 2005. We aimed high and raised a lot of money, but less than a year later we had to close our doors due to lack of funds. I guess you could say I've experienced many Web hosting financing issues first hand. The fundamental business model of a Web hosting service is sound. You assemble power, pipe, ping, and servers.

You add value by managing that infrastructure and perhaps providing higher-level services, then you charge each customer somewhat more than its pro-rated share of those expenses. It's a consolidation game. You combine the requirements of multiple retail customers, and purchase the aggregated solution at a discount. So long as your competitors aren't dumping their services onto the market (i.e., selling services at or below their costs), a well-run hosting service is a good, honest business.

But the problem isn't running your business. From a financial point of view, that's fairly simple. The real challenge is growing a Web hosting business. Growing any business means spending money before receiving the income to cover the expense. There are two fundamental ways you can grow your business: organically-using your current profits to fund your future growth; or using the leverage of outside financing, debt or equity.

Attend any business school and you'll learn all about equity financing. You'll see how you can parlay OPM (other people's money) to your advantage, and build a company that's much larger and more valuable than what you can do with your own limited resources. But as with any leveraged investment (like buying stocks on margin), your risk of loss increases as rapidly as the potential for return. When a highly leveraged company gets into trouble, it happens fast. And that's what happened to so many of the major Web hosting vendors in 2010.

I need to lose weight

I need to lose weight, but I'm afraid it's going to cost me a fortune to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. I've read your advice for those on a tight budget, but I still think that healthy items are going to empty my wallet. Help! --frugal food shopper dear frugal food shopper, When you’re trying to lose weight, you don’t necessarily have to take diet pills! Waist-friendly foods such as fruits and vegetables can actually be quite affordable. I took my calculator to the supermarket and did some comparison-shopping. Shop smart in the produce aisle: * It takes all of 5 seconds to peel a carrot. (And think of the calories you’ll expend hunting for the vegetable peeler buried in that gadget drawer.) Instead of eating 7 or 8 baby carrots, chomp on an entire carrot, the nutritional equivalent, and save yourself some loot. * At first glance, it may not look like much of a savings, but you’re actually getting more broccoli for your greenbacks with the frozen variety. When you buy fresh broccoli, you're paying for the hefty stalk that's going to end up down the garbage disposal. With frozen broccoli everything in the bag is edible. When the price of fresh broccoli dips lower than the frozen variety, consider it a bargain. * To save a bundle on salads, break open the cabbage, wash it, and store it in the fridge in a plastic container. Keep a hand grater handy and shred as needed for your salads and pita sandwiches. * Wash and tear your own lettuce for a fraction of the price of the bagged variety. * Buying fruit out of season is like buying produce that is 14-karat (not carrot) gold. Until the price drops, sugar-free frozen fruit is a steal. It tastes great in yogurt, cottage cheese, and is even yummy by itself. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator for a sweet treat the next day. * I didn’t need the calculator for this one -- canned fruit can be a sweet bargain. If only fresh pineapple will do, core your own. Learn how to pick everything from a fresh cantaloupe to strawberries. Shopping smart in the deli aisle: * Think of the deli as valet parking. You can pay to have someone park, I mean cook, your turkey breast or ham, or you can do it yourself. Instead, buy an entire boneless turkey breast and/or ham, and cook it on the weekend for dinner. The leftovers can be used for weekday sandwiches or frozen for the following week. Shop smart in the grain and cereal aisle: * Forget the seasoned rice mixes. You’re often paying for a little bit of seasoning and a whole lot of sodium -- over 650 milligrams of sodium in a serving of pilaf! Cook your own brown rice sprinkled with bouillon granules and a dash of pepper at a sprinkling of the cost. * Frozen bagels will not only save you twice the moola, but also at least twice the calories. The smaller, 2 ounce, 150 calorie, frozen varieties are much closer to a standard bagel portion. Those four-ounce plus bakery bagels can be as big as a grapefruit and the equivalent of a donut at over 300 calories. * Here’s a shock-a-roo: When it comes to preparation time, instant oatmeal isn’t any more "instant" than the quick cook type. Both varieties of oatmeal take about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes to cook in the microwave. The higher priced, instant oatmeal can contain as much as 80 milligrams of sodium, compared to the sodium-free, quick cook style. Grab the quick cook. * Two slices of whole wheat bread provide the same amount of sandwich coverage as a roll at about a third the cost. Stick with the bread.

My Trip To A Vegas Casino

Well, I was skeptical that my trip to Vegas this year wouldn't be any better than my trip last year. But, I chose to keep an open mind and took a few steps beforehand to help ensure that I would have the best time possible. First off, I left the husband at home this year and came with a couple of girlfriends. Second, we came on a Saturday so we would have the opportunity to go out Saturday night to alot of the clubs that are closed most of the week. Third, I shaved off 95# and got a good tan! When we arrived Saturday night, we decided to go the whole 9 yards and get a limo from the airport and do the strip tour. This was only $35 for 1 hour (Las Vegas Limousines/LVL) so it came to about $13 pp including tip. Well worth it and we had some good photo ops with the hot driver! Got checked-in to the Imperial Palace then went in search of some grub. Unfortunately, there weren't alot of eating places open in our hotel after 11:30pm. We ended-up at the Teahouse and had an OK prime rib sandwich and french fries for under $10. After obtaining some sustenance, we headed out onto the strip and stopped in Caesar's where we were hoping to spy some celebrites left over from the boxing match (no such luck) and spend a few $$ on a poker game. One of my girlfriends ended-up about $75 ahead before we decided to continue on. At this point, I found out that my friends were running on fumes and I wasn't going to get my dream of going to Studio 54. They decided they needed to hit the hay so I was doomed to toss and turn until 6 am. Day 2 dawned bright and sunny with temps in the mid 40's but promising mid to upper 60's by afternoon. Being from MN, I was bound and determined to take advantage of the "mild" weather and wear shorts my entire trip. We were finally showered and primped by 10am and headed over to the Cheesecake Factory for Brunch. Watched the "Race for Atlantis" while waiting for our food. Had some excellent Daquiri's and the Grilled Veggie Quesadilla. Superb eats for around $10. No room for cheesecake, though. At this point, we headed back out on the strip and ended-up at the La Playa Lounge in Harrah's. Here, a great little group called Party Gras was playing songs like "Dock of the Bay" and "Brick House". We settled in with a few drinks for an afternoon of entertainment. Unfortunately, we were interrupted about an hour into it by 3 gentlemen in their 60's who were apparently looking for companionship. (I'm 31, happily married and not AT ALL interested in a sugar daddy) We politely brushed them off but they continued to oggle us throughout the entire show. I got pulled up on stage during the bands rendition of "Stop in the Name of Love" as the 3rd Supreme so I was completely embarassed but made a go of it none the less. We headed back to our hotel following the show as my roommates were in need of sleep. I left them in the room and headed down to one of the bars. Struck up a conversation with a gentleman who was sitting at the bar. His name was Lance and he is in a band (Pain Station, I think) and was very nice to talk to. Finally, my roommates showed-up and we decided to get ready for a night out so we changed into "hoochie mama" clothes. Took a cab downtown to see the Fremont Street Experience then headed to The Beach. Now, for anyone who's interested in clubbing, The Beach is great. No cover for women and drinks are FAIRLY reasonable. A huge assortment of people to dance with. However, if you are offended by buff women in thongs strutting around, don't go here as that is what all of the women working here wear. They do have some hot guys running around in bermudas and nothing else. I took advantage of the $5 shots that one fine young man was offering. Keep in mind I've never done anything like this before. But, I gamely got down on my knees and tilted my head back in preparation. Then, when he told me I was to put my hands around him and on his butt cheeks, I about died but I did as I was told. That was the best $5 I've ever spent! I can't wait for the pics to come back! This place is open 24/7 but the dance floor downstairs closes up around 4am and everyone is sent upstairs where there are pool tables and a lounge with TV's, etc. FYI...don't be surprised the first time you go into the bathroom, girls. There will be no paper towels or hand dryers to be found until you notice the little lady sitting at the counter with gobs of makeup, etc. spread out around her and a little pile of paper towels which she'll hand to you. Go ahead and leave her a $ as I know I sure as hell wouldn't enjoy sitting there all night. We left The Beach around 3am after exhausting the clientele with our tireless dancing. Took a cab back to the strip and decided it was time for more food. Headed to the Barbary Coast where we ate breakfast with 3 college students from Ohio. One was drunk (Joey) but a complete sweetheart (at least that's what the 2 sober ones kept saying). Kept saying he was a "PT Cruiser". One was a law student named Mike...very nice but quiet. The other one....Geno, was Tall, dark, Italian, studying to be a teacher/football coach. As far as the food at the Victorian Room goes, I had the Orange Roughy and it was excellent for under $15. Finally got to bed around 9am. Rolled back out around noon. Got cleaned-up then headed for a bite at the Fresh Market Square Buffet at Harrah's...by far the best buffet center strip for under $10. Decided to head to the Luxor as I'd never been there. Went to Bally's and took the monorail to the MGM (easy to get lost in MGM). Then, crossed over to Excalibur and went to the Luxor. Took a cab back to the hotel and prepared for another night out. We had made friends with a local at The Beach the night before (Peter) so he came and picked us up at our hotel. He works in the Brewery at the Monte Carlo and took us there. The band that was playing did a mock-up of 70's disco with afro wigs and platform shoes. It was great but my lack of sleep caught up with me. I headed back to the hotel on my own and turned in at 2am. My roomies rolled in around 7am so I got up and joined them for b-fast at the Fresh Market Square buffet at Harrah's. Breakfast here is just as delicious as supper. Rested until noon then headed out for our last day. Took in New York, New York and found the best souvenir shops here. Took the free shuttle from the Harley Davidson Cafe to the Hard Rock Casino/Hotel. The driver was GREAT and informed us that Mr. Lucky's in the Casino has an unlisted special of steak and shrimp for $5.99. We went there and ordered it and I can honestly say it was fantastic! Headed to the cafe to purchase a t-shirt (the cafe is across the parking lot from the hotel/casino). Then, headed back to the hotel/casino to pick up the shuttle. The driver was waiting there and asked us if we wanted to take advantage of the 2-fer special on drinks at the Pink Taco. We said "sure" and ran in for Raspberry Margaritas. Ended-up getting 2 a-piece for approx $5. Took the shuttle back to our hotel and started packing. Once the packing was done, I headed down to do my first real marathon gambling of the entire trip (I go for the nickel slots...not big on gambling, you see). I did pretty good and came out $45 ahead. Hooked back up with my friends and we spent the rest of the night at the Kabuki Lounge listening to the sounds of "Double Standard" and chatting with Joe the bartendar from CA and Dave and Jerry from MI. Joined Dave and Jerry for an early breakfast in the Teahouse around 3:30am then coerced them into helping us carry our luggage to the front. Caught a taxi to the airport at 4:45am then headed back to MN at 7am.

Natural Foods To Control Your Weight

A big weight loss tip, aside from taking meridia pills for losing weight, is to recognize that all fats are not created equal. Fats get a lot of negative press but good fats do exist. Omega3 fatty acids help burn fat within the cells. Health-friendly fats can be found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and halibut. Other foods, like avocados and nuts and seeds, also contain these good fats. Adding up to 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil to your diet each day is an option for those of you who don't like fish. Flaxseed oil can be found in the refrigerated section of your health food store (flaxseed oil should be kept refrigerated to avoid becoming rancid). The bad fats (butter, lard and hydrogenated oils like margarine) are found mainly in red meat, dairy products, poultry skin, and fried foods. If your meal requires using oil, try olive or canola oils instead (unsaturated fats). Check food labels too. Palm, coconut and peanut oils are highly saturated fats used in many processed food products.

Steer clear of artificial sweeteners, unless you are diabetic or are on a sugar restricted diet for medical reasons. Doctors have reported toxic reactions (including headaches and even seizures) to aspartame, the primary ingredient in NutraSweet and studies have shown that sacchrine causes cancer in lab rats. More importantly, these sweeteners may actually increase your appetite because the body does need moderate amounts of sugar (glucose—a natural sugar— is what keeps the brain powered up). Try these natural solutions instead: Honey, blackstrap molasses, rice bran syrup or fruit juice-sweetened products.

Get moving. I am sure you are aware of the advantages of exercise in general—improved cardiovascular function, lower blood pressure, increased energy levels— and its impact on weight loss. Find an exercise program that you like and then stick with it (even when it may seem you are making little progress). Start slowly or find a buddy to help keep you motivated. If you join a gym, take advantage of their personal trainers who will help personalize an exercise program specifically geared toward your fitness and weight loss goals. weight loss pill

Having Trouble Falling Asleep

Studies have shown that most adults are not reaching the goal of at least eight hours of sleep a night and many people fight a nightly battle with insomnia. What can be more infuriating than when you can't sleep? The nights seem endless and you're sick of staring at the ceiling or at late night TV and David Letterman. The days drag on and feel as heavy as your eyelids unless you take Modafinil pill. For the sake of your health, learn to recognize the symptoms and causes of insomnia and what you can do about it.

Some people simply have trouble falling asleep, which is usually called sleep onset insomnia, and will lie awake for hours before they finally drop off. Others will have no trouble getting asleep, but will wake up throughout the night. People with health problems or the elderly may find themselves with this particular type of insomnia. Finally, there are those who get to sleep but will wake up in the early morning hours and remain awake, unable to resume their rest.

We all know how rotten we feel when we don't get enough sleep, but did you realize just how harmful sleep deprivation is? Our bodies are more prone to infection and more susceptible to anxiety and stress when we don't catch our Zzz's. Drowsiness lowers our reaction time and impairs our judgement, making it more dangerous to drive a car or operate machinery and increasing the chance for accidents. Our thinking isn't as clear and our ability to solve problems bottoms out. Incredibly, even our potential for creativity is lower. Keep this in mind if you pride yourself on being a creative person or if you want your children to be sharp in school.

We're also much tenser and irritable without enough sleep and more likely to act out our emotions. How many times have you come home from a stressful day at work ready to kick the cat and throw your briefcase across the room? What a classic example! Not surprisingly, all of these things are capable of negatively affecting our relationships with other people at work and at home. Is there a lot of screaming and yelling going on in your house? Were you tempted to engage in some road rage today? Ask yourself if you and your household have been getting enough rest. buy provigil