December 6th, 2005

I am hoping to have the American Casino Guide offer in Friday’s newsletter. I will also include it with the notification email.

I also shoud have my Trip Report ready next week.
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LUCKY WINS !!!!!!

“Lucky” has won the Cat Of The Month Contest.
Check out his story here:
http://www.petendipity.com/november2005.htm
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Las Vegas Top Ten Values form the Las Vegas Advisor
December 2005

1. Room Rates - Stardust et al. - December - $0-$40
Every December, Las Vegas gives its faithful a big holiday present in the form of rock-bottom room rates. This year, though prices continue to creep upward, is no exception, as our annual survey turned up 30 options for rooms with rates below $40.

2. Complete Steak Dinner - Ellis Island - 24 hours - $4.95
Now in its sixth year, Ellis Island’s $4.95 complete steak dinner (#2), served round the clock with salad, potato, and green beans, is not only the top dining bargain in Las Vegas, but probably in the country. An LVA staffer recently paid $27 for a similar meal in Reno and it wasn’t as good—at more than five times the price.

3. Shrimp Cocktail - Golden Gate - 11-3 am - 99¢The Ellis Island steak’s longevity in the Top Ten is impressive, but the Golden Gate’s 99¢ shrimp cocktail (#3) has occupied the list roughly three times longer over LVA’s history, having last been left off for a few months in the fall of 1999 due to competition from a huge cocktail at Joker’s Wild (which, of course, didn’t last). A case can be made that this shrimp cocktail is more iconic to downtown than Vegas Vic.

4. Ham & Eggs - Arizona Charlie’s Decatur - 24 hours - $2.49
Arizona Charlie’s $2.49 ham-and-eggs breakfast (#4) is the best breakfast value in town. The ham steak is slightly smaller than Delaware and you can substitute a side of biscuits and gravy—almost a meal in itself—for toast. You can also get a first-rate steak and eggs, as well as a big hamburger and fries, for $2.99. All of these specials, and others, are available 24 hours a day.

5. Souvenir Photo - Imperial Palace - noon-8 pm - Free
For a free photographic keepsake from your trip to Sin City (#5), head to the little studio set-up in front of the Imperial Palace and pose for your snapshot. Walk to the back of the casino to pick up your photo at the slot club booth. It’s fast, fun, free—and forever.

6. Funbook - Stratosphere - Daily - Free
The expected value from the Stratosphere funbook’s (#6) lucky bucks adds up to just under $20, making it the best casino coupon package in Las Vegas. This means that the combined EV for a couple making a single stop at the Strat is more than the cost of an online subscription to the Advisor. And you can get a new book once a week.

7. Casbar Lounge - Sahara - Daily - Free
The Sahara’s old-style Casbar Lounge (#7) hosts a rotating schedule seven days a week. There’s no admission charge, no cover charge, and no drink minimum. Get a line on the current schedule at www.saharalasvegas.com.

8. Buffet - Mirage - Daily - $12.50-$22.50
The Mirage’s Cravings Buffet (#8) retains its best-in-Vegas ranking with a consistently extensive and high-quality selection of cuisines served in a high-tech and aesthetically pleasing environment—not to mention the best prices of the gourmet buffets in its class.

9. Mac King - Harrah’s - Tues.-Sat. - $7.99/$21.95
Mac King’s comedy and magic act, staged in the afternoons at Harrah’s (#9), is a must-see show on any bargain-vacationer’s itinerary. The hard-working King will take only a brief (one-week) vacation during the holidays, but his replacement, Michael Holly, is an adequate substitute.

10. Prime Rib Dinner - California - 5-10 pm daily - $6.99
The top prime rib play in Las Vegas remains the downtown California’s evening special (#10). The big prime, plus potato, veggie, and roll, also comes with a complete salad bar and cherries jubilee for dessert. There’s no way you leave this one hungry, and it’s just $6.99.
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/topten.cfm
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Vegas Values Report for 12/4/05

The below information is supplied by Scot Krause, our roving reporter, who supplies us each week with information on the best Las Vegas promotions. It’s only available here on the americancasinoguide.com web site so be sure to come back each Monday morning to find out about the best values in Las Vegas. Hello to all! Welcome to “Vegas Values.” Here’s what we found this week:
http://www.americancasinoguide.com/Promotions/VEGAS-VALUES.shtml
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New Year’s Eve at the Imperial Palace
Celebrate With a Variety of Entertainment, Dining Activities.

There’s something for everyone at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino for New Year’s Eve:

LEGENDS IN CONCERT

7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows regularly priced at $39.95, $49.95 and
$59.95.

Dinner and show packages available at $69.95, $79.95 and $89.95

Choose from salmon with dill Chablis, chicken breast Veronique or
roast prime rib of beef entrees.

Dinner will be served in the Plaza Room 90 minutes before each
show.

KABUKI LOUNGE

Linda Angeline will perform 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. – no minimum
SongSmith will perform 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Two-drink minimum starts at 10:30 p.m.

TEQUILA JOE’S

Karaoke from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. – two-drink minimum
Nightclub with DJs from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Admission $20 – tickets sold at Show & Tour Desk

FIFTH FLOOR DINING PLAZA

Ming, Seahouse, Embers and Fireside will open at 4 p.m.

NOMIYA LOUNGE
Greg Bowers plays piano 6:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
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Las Vegas Hilton Signs Reba McEntire to Multi-Week Engagement in 2006.

The Las Vegas Hilton has signed Reba McEntire to a multi-week engagement in 2006, it was announced today by Las Vegas Hilton executives. The superstar begins the first part of her engagement on Wednesday, May 3, 2006, with tickets going on sale Saturday, December 3, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.

“The Las Vegas Hilton, home of Barry Manilow, now welcomes another legend to our resort, continuing entertainment as a key element for this classic property,” said Ken Ciancimino, executive vice president of the Las Vegas Hilton. “This agreement with Reba McEntire, a superstar with great crossover appeal, enhances our outstanding entertainment lineup for 2006, solidifying the Las Vegas Hilton brand and the Resorts International brand overall.” The formal announcement of the agreement was made today at a news conference at the property featuring McEntire. The concert series, “Key to the Heart” is presented by Whirlpool to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Reba has helped to raise awareness for Habitat on a personal and professional level for some time.

From “Can’t Even Get the Blues” in 1982 to “Somebody” in 2004, Reba has been delivering number one songs for more than 20 years, winning, among other honors, 15 American Music Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, 7 Country Music Association Awards and 2 Grammy’s. Reba was the first country female artist to sell five million copies of one album since Patsy Cline, and has sold more than 49 million albums in her career. Her self-titled TV show, “REBA,” reigns as the WB’s top rated sitcom in hits fifth season, and has landed Reba a Golden Globe nomination and a People’s Choice Award.

Her new album, Reba #1’s, is a collection of the songs country music fans have known and loved for over two decades. It is currently #3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.

Reba will perform Wednesdays through Sundays (over nonconsecutive weeks) at 9 p.m. (Sundays, 8 p.m.) in the legendary Hilton Theater beginning May 3, 2006. Tickets are $138 (plus tax and service charge), $124 (plus tax and service charge) and VIP seating, which includes a meet-and-greet with Reba McEntire, priced at $225 (plus tax and service charge). Tickets can be purchased at the Las Vegas Hilton box office or by visiting http://www.lvhilton.com or calling 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361. Tickets go on sale Saturday, December 3 at 10:00 a.m. The Las Vegas Hilton ranks among the world’s most famous and popular resort destinations, located blocks from the Las Vegas Strip and adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center, offering 3,000 luxurious rooms and suites situated on 59 acres. The property is one of the largest hotels in the world and features top-name entertainment, 14 distinctive restaurants, a full-service health club and spa, Star Trek: The ExperienceO and much more.
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HYPNOTIST MICHAEL JOHNS’ COMEDY IS HYPNOTIC
By Jerry Fink

These days they’re serving up laughter, not meals, at the Stardust’s new Hypnotic Lounge.

Once a Mexican restaurant and then a dinner theater, the venue is now home to hypnotists Michael Johns, Terry Stokes and Michelle Van Ree.

“It’s a nice, intimate theater that seats about 200,” Johns said.

That’s almost twice the seating capacity of Johns’ former showroom, a cubbyhole at the defunct Bourbon Street.

Johns and Stokes worked at Bourbon Street until it was bought by Harrah’s, which then closed the property a couple of months ago.

It didn’t take long for the hypnotists to find a new location, the Stardust’s former Ba-Da-Bing Theater.

Ree is the star of the theater’s early show, “Hypnolarious,” at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Johns and Stokes rotate as hosts of the adult “Hypnolarious XXX — Hypnosis Gone Wild,” a late show that begins at 10 nightly.

“We switch back and forth,” Johns said. “When one of us is on the road performing, the other does the show at the Stardust. That way we’re open seven nights a week. We never go dark.

“If both of us are in town at the same time, sometimes we’re a two-man tag team with one trying to outdo the other.”

Johns, a native of Bolivar, Mo., started out as a stand-up comic noted for his adult humor.

“It’s always been on the adult side,” he said. “A lot of comedians out there say they need to work clean. I don’t care if it’s clean or dirty, as long as it’s funny.

He’s been in Las Vegas, off-and-on, for 10 years.

“The first time I came here was on vacation,” he said. “I didn’t know what the place was all about — I thought it was just gambling and drinking.

“But then I saw the names of some big headliners on the Strip, and I thought, ‘Wow, this is someplace I’d like to be.’ ”

Fate led him to merging comedy with hypnotism.

“I was doing one-nighters at comedy clubs all over the country, performing as a headliner,” he said. “One night a club overbooked — it had two headliners, myself and a hypnotist.”

He says he opened for the hypnotist.

“I wasn’t happy, I was a headliner too,” Johns said.

Johns watched the hypnotists call for volunteers and put them under and make them do peculiar things.

“I didn’t believe it was real,” he said. “I thought it was all plants.”

Johns joined in the act to try and make it funnier.

“I woke up an hour later with my shoes off and my shirt off,” he said.

Deciding there was something to hypnotism, he searched for someone to teach him the skill.

“I found a guy in Miami, Gerald Kein, one of the best in the world,” Johns said. “He’s brilliant.”

Johns has been a comedic hypnotist for more than five years.

Some have compared him to the raunchy hypnotist Anthony Cools, who is moving his over-the-top act from Paris Las Vegas to the Excalibur in December.

Johns says there are differences.

“I come from a stand-up background, so there’s a lot of comedy in mine, off-the-cuff stuff,” he said. “And in my show, I never try to embarrass anybody — there’s a line I refuse to cross. Nobody is going to walk off my stage and feel ashamed.”
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Thanksgiving Special Part II: Vegas Things To Be Thankful For.
By Rick Garmen

With Thanksgiving coming up I started thinking about the things I’m thankful for. Of course there’s the obvious – family, friends, health. But what about the smaller things? Those tiny pleasures that on their own may not be worth writing epic novels about but place enough of them side by side and they become a force to be reckoned with. This December I’ll be unveiling the annual Vegas4Visitors.com Top 10 Awards, where I tell you my favorite hotels, restaurants, shows, and more. Those lists are for the big stuff and have no room for the tiny pleasures that often make a Vegas vacation shine.

Marry those two seemingly disparate thoughts and you have this: Things in Vegas to be Thankful For. Last week I gave you my list of 30 things I was thankful for and intended to continue the list this week. But I also put out the call to readers like you to tell me what Vegas things you were thankful for and I got so many e-mails I decided to dedicate the second half of this special report to your responses:

1. Flair bartenders at Carnival Court.
2. Plasma Screen TV’s in the bathroom in the Augustus Tower at Caesars.
3. Being sober enough to pick out the best tattoo.
4. The wheels of your plane touching down at McCarran when you would otherwise be at work!
5. Cheap steak and eggs at 5 am, and realizing it is the first time you have eaten in over 24 hours.
6. $1.00 Michelob at Casino Royale. Nothing like getting drunk on crappy beer for about $5.00!
7. Blackout shades, for those of us that don’t go to bed until the sun is up!
8. That I can see my son, the famous Moon Handbooks Las Vegas writer, more often (that one is from Pauline in Las Vegas, a.k.a.: my mom. Love and a plug for the new book – what more could you ask for?)
9. After walking in 106 degree heat on the strip, walking into an air conditioned casino and getting a nice cold beer.
10. Seeing all the lights ablaze as the plane is nearing Vegas airport at night.
11. Just relaxing and watching the (free) aquariam at the Mirage.
12. No matter how late you stay up there’s always places to go and things to see.
13. Getting all dressed up and having lots of places to go.
14. Doing anything that your heart desires and not have people think you are a little strange.
15. Watching the sun set over The Strip and the neon lights come on from Top of the World at the Stratosphere.
16. The “Welcome to Las Vegas Sign….as it welcomes you to an Adult’s Never Never Land where day is night and night is day and no matter how long you stay you can’t see or do it all.
17. The “Old Vegas” vibe on Fremont Street that brings memories of the Rat Pack.
18. The outdoor misters in July.
Vegas4Visitors Column for November 21, 2005
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Harrah’s Considering Extreme Makeover by Rick Garmen

Word out of the Harrah’s corporate offices seems to indicate the company is considering a massive redevelopment of several of its flagship Las Vegas properties that could wind up being the biggest project in the city’s history. This is all just rumor and conjecture so far based on rather opaque comments from the company’s executives, but what they are apparently considering is taking a wrecking ball to everything between Harrah’s and Flamingo Road all the way back to Audrie Lane and beyond. This would include Harrah’s, the Imperial Palace, The Flamingo, O’Shea’s, the now closed Bourbon Street hotel, and Barbary Coast if they decide to buy it from competitor Boyd. All of this is in addition to consideration being given to revamping or perhaps starting over on the Bally’s property.

Harrah’s is already the biggest casino company in the world in terms of properties and value but they are behind MGM Mirage in the Las Vegas market, which has more hotels and more revenue. Leveling the block would give Harrah’s more than 150 acres to play with, which by way of reference, is about 2 ½ times the size of the lot on which MGM Mirage is building its $5 billion Project CityCenter, a massive development of hotels, a casino, condos, and more between Bellagio and Monte Carlo.

Expect an announcement on the company’s Las Vegas plans in the first half of 2006.

By the way, speaking of big announcements, word on the street is that Boyd Gaming will make an announcement before the end of the year on what they plan to do with their 60 or so acres of land on the north end of The Strip currently home to The Stardust. Whatever the plans it will almost definitely mean the 47-year-old hotel will not make it to its 48th birthday in 2006.
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/05_11_28.htm
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Las Vegas Q and A by Rick Garmen

Question: What do I do if I get sick while visiting Las Vegas?

Answer: Yes, I’m asking myself a question this week to give readers like you a little bit of guidance for future Vegas visits. Why? Well, last week while in Las Vegas I wound up in the hospital and even while I was hooked up to machines monitoring my vitals I was thinking of how I could use the experience to help educate the people who read my column. How’s that for devotion?

I’m also hoping it’ll allow me a tax write-off on the portion I have to pay for out of pocket but we’ll just pretend it’s all about you.

Anyway, I’m fine, thanks for asking, but I started having an irregular heartbeat while working from my hotel room during the day and decided, during a lovely dinner at Hank’s restaurant at Green Valley Ranch (review coming soon) that a trip to the emergency room was in order.

Lesson number one is to make sure you are carrying your health insurance information with you at all times. Luckily I had my card in my wallet but I know a lot of people will leave everything but cash, identification, and maybe one credit card back in the room while they are out running around in Las Vegas. One extra card is not that big of deal and could save you some hassles if something comes up.

Lesson number two, to paraphrase a Kenny Rogers song, is to know when to walk away and when to run. I know that this is your vacation and the last thing you want to do is spend it getting poked and prodded by doctors but if you’re not feeling well don’t ignore it. I ignored my situation for most of the day until it got to the point where I couldn’t anymore and while I doubt I would’ve really passed out during the dessert course of my meal it sure felt like it for awhile. It’s easy to get distracted by all the flashing everything in Las Vegas but don’t let it distract you from what’s really important like your health and well-being.

Lesson number three is to know where to go. There are hospitals with emergency rooms all over town and if you’re at any major hotel or casino they can direct you to the nearest ones. For reference sake though, Sunrise Hospital on Maryland Parkway at Desert Inn Road and The Desert Springs Medical Center on Flamingo at Eastern Avenue are the closest to The Strip. If you have a problem that doesn’t quite reach the level of an emergency room visit, there is the Harmon Medical Center, a 24-hour urgent care facility just one block off The Strip behind The Aladdin.

Lesson number four is to not overdo it. Las Vegas is a town built on excess, specifically yours. They do everything they can to get you to eat too much, drink too much, smoke too much, gamble too much, and sleep too little. My problem wasn’t really related to any of those things but remember that no matter how old you are, you aren’t as young as you used to be. Moderation will help you avoid a trip to the emergency room and will probably help you have a better time in general (I can say from experience that plane rides home from Vegas with a hangover are not fun).

The last lesson is a general one, not specifically related to Las Vegas: be an advocate for your own health. It’s easy to get intimidated by the surroundings of a busy hospital, especially when you aren’t feeling well. You think that there are people who are sicker than you, you don’t want to be a bother, you can wait. Forget it. Make sure that the people who are attending to you know what is wrong and know that you’re serious about getting it fixed. While I don’t recommend checking yourself out of the hospital against medical advice like I did (long story, later) it’s important to make sure that your concerns, if you have them, are heard.
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/05_11_28.htm

Question: What’s happening in Vegas for New Year’s Eve? By the way, thanks for the nice things you said about New Orleans and encouraging people to visit in 2006 – you’re right, we need the tourist dollars more than Vegas does!!

Answer: My pleasure, Jodi. To reiterate what I said before, for all you folks considering multiple trips to Vegas next year, why not change plans and make at least one trip to New Orleans in 2006. The city is already making great strides toward returning to its former glory and the one thing that will be crucial is getting the tourist trade up and running again.

As far as New Year’s, the annual fireworks show is still the biggest attraction. This year is expected to even bigger than years past, with the pyrotechnics being launched from the roofs of hotels up and down The Strip, under the canopy at Fremont Street, and in locations all over town. They shut down The Strip and by midnight it is packed with hundreds of thousands of revelers so if you’re crowd-phobic, forget it.

All of the hot nightclubs will be having some sort of party that may include some variation on the celebrity host or DJ and will absolutely cost a fortune. Expect cover charges to start around $50 and head up over $200 for the really popular places.

A cheaper alternative is to consider the hotel lounges, most of which will feature live bands and probably more than their fair share of noisemakers and Auld Lang Syne-ing.

Most of the major shows will be having special New Year’s Eve productions that start later so you can ring in 2006 with the Blue Man Group (for instance).

The headliner shows aren’t as plentiful as they have been in years past although there could be more announcements coming after Thanksgiving. So far the only ones worth noting are David Copperfield at the MGM Grand, Dame Edna at Luxor, The Goo Goo Dolls at the House of Blues, Kanye West and Fantasia at The Aladdin, Matchbox Twenty at the Hard Rock, and Hootie and the Blowfish at the Silverton.
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/05_11_21.htm
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Men of Chippendales lure the ladies
By Nina King

Chippendales The Show
Where: Rio
When: 8:30 p.m. Sun. - Tues., Thurs.; 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. Fri. - Sat.
Cost: $49.45
Info: (702) 992-7970 or (866) 80-SHOWS

Many people live by that old mantra: Find a need and fill it. And the men of Chippendales: The Show have filled a need very … well.

Designed to excite the imagination of the ladies, the costumes and choreography of the high-energy production, not to mention the nearly perfect bodies of the performers, leave nearly nothing to the imagination. Thongs go popping away right and left (and center, too, if you must know).

Highlights of the hotter-than-hot show include the slightly otherworldly performance by a talented aerialist whose contortions in a large suspended ring call attention to his very worldly charms; “Chipp Shot,” a game show with suggestive questions for the contestants (who are willingly pulled from the audience); and “Tender Torture,” another interactive bit with a medical “examination” taking a twisted turn.

An ensemble number features the classic song “Big Spender,” with the word sex substituted for fun (Sing along!). Men in uniform have always held a special lure for ladies, and it’s even better when the uniforms come off.

The men of Chippendales combine friendly demeanors with fierce sex appeal, and it’s a combination that stay with you well after the show is over.
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature2.html
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Group finds new meaning for the holidays
By Thom Wise

Plaid Tidings
Where: Gold Coast
When: 7:30 p.m. Tues. - Sat.; 3 & 7:30 p.m. Sun.
Cost: $29.95, $34.95
Info: (702) 367-7111 or (888) 402-6278

Holy cannoli! Anyone in the mood for mirthful entertainment?

Plaid Tidings gives everyone a healthy dose of holiday cheer. If you’re not quite in the mood yet, there’s also enough “other-than-the-holidays” wit happening so that you might not even notice you’ve just encountered a basketful of December madness.

As with its counterpart, Forever Plaid, this special holiday fare begins with some mumbo-jumbo (fully intended mind-benders, mind you) about a higher need for some heavenly balance after the Plaids meet their untimely demise in 1964. But this show goes deeper when the “auras” start receiving some seasonal static, followed by a few love notes from Rosemary Clooney who insists that the guys must perform their holiday plans. Every show needs a purpose, and this one works as good as any.

A hallmark of the Plaid shows has always been the musical arrangements, and these, by James Raitt, are no exception. The parodies are excellent, and yet the medleys are even more exceptional. How that many tunes can be crammed into one show, I’ll never know.

If you’re worried that this might be an excess of holiday mirth, have no fear. There’s a judicious mix of nonseasonal songs, and much of the remainder has a tongue-in-cheek quality to it so that you don’t even realize you’ve been “holidazed.” Stay alert for the “Rudolph Rap,” however, along with the three-minute Perry Como holiday show and the most clever commercial ever: for “Cheeses of Nazareth.”
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature3.html
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HYPNOSIS AT ‘THE DUST’ From Vegas4Locals.com

Hypnolarious, starring Michelle VanRee, and Hypnosis Gone Wild are pleased to announce their new home in the “Hypnotic Lounge” at the Stardust Resort and Casino.

Hypnolrious is a five night per week PG-13 rated show starring Michelle VanRee and Deogee, the hypnotic puppy. Michelle, who is the only female hypnotist in Las Vegas, wows her audiences with her unique perspective and sparkling personality.

The show has tremendous family appeal and has enjoyed a very successful 4-year run at the Bourbon Street Casino. Michelle states, “I am so excited about this change, and am please to call the ‘Hypnotic Lounge’ my new home!”

Hypnosis Gone Wild is an adults-only version of the Terry Stokes touring show. Terry’s career spans over 25 years and is considered the top show in the industry. With the addition of hypnotist Michael Johns (who alternates with Terry) Hypnosis Gone Wild is able to run 7 nights per week. Michael Johns is quickly becoming known as one of the most dynamic stage hypnotists in the country.

Hypnolarious performs at 8:00 pm, Wednesday through Sunday. Hypnosis Gone Wild performs at 10:00 pm, 7 nights a week.

Tickets for either show are only $39.95, plus tax. For more information and ticket purchases call (702) 360-5419.
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Learning Blackjack Basic Strategy by Bill Burton

Blackjack basic strategy is based on the mathematics of the game. It has been tested and refined through computer simulations. When it is followed correctly it reduces the house edge to the minimum, which is usually about one-half of a percent. Minor adjustments are made to basic strategy depending on certain rule variations that the different casinos can chose to use. For example some casinos will allow you to double down after splitting (DOS) and some do not allow it. There are also some changes made to basic strategy for single and multiple deck games.

More Here:
http://casinogambling.about.com/od/blackjack/a/bjbasic.htm
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Las Vegas On TV from the Las Vegas Advisor

Bravo
Tuesday, 12/6, 2:30 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Tuesday, 12/6, 1:30 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown: Winner’s Round 2
Wednesday, 12/7, 3 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Thursday, 12/8, 2 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Thursday, 12/8, 1 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Friday, 12/9, 2 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Saturday, 12/10, 2 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Monday, 12/12, 1 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown: Winner’s Round 3

CMT – Country Music Television
Friday, 12/9, 1:30 am, Man vs. Vegas

E! Entertainment Television
Saturday, 12/10, 9:30 pm, Girls Next Door: It’s Vegas Baby!

ESPN
Wednesday, 12/7, 12:30 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event

ESPN2
Tuesday, 12/6, 2 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 12/7, 2 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 12/11, 3:30 pm, World Series of Poker: No-Limit Hold’em
Sunday, 12/11, 4:30 pm, World Series of Poker: Pot-Limit Hold’em
Sunday, 12/11, 5:30 pm, World Series of Poker: No-Limit Hold’em
Sunday, 12/11, 6:30 pm, World Series of Poker: Seven Card Stud
Sunday, 12/11, 7:30 pm, World Series of Poker: No-Limit Hold’em
Sunday, 12/11, 8:30 pm, World Series of Poker: Pot-Limit Omaha
Monday, 12/12, 2 pm, World Series of Poker: No-Limit Hold’em

ESPN Classic Sports Network
Tuesday, 12/6, 7 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Wednesday, 12/7, 7 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Thursday, 12/8, 7 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Friday, 12/9, 7 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Saturday, 12/10, 12 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Saturday, 12/10, 1 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Saturday, 12/10, 2 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event
Saturday, 12/10, 8 pm, World Series of Poker: 1993
Saturday, 12/10, 9 pm, World Series of Poker: 1994
Saturday, 12/10, 10 pm, World Series of Poker: 1995
Sunday, 12/11, 12 am, World Series of Poker: 1997
Sunday, 12/11, 1 am, World Series of Poker: 1998
Monday, 12/12, 7 am, World Series of Poker: Main Event

ESPN-HD
Wednesday, 12/7, 12:30 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event

Food Network
Tuesday, 12/6, 11 am, Top 5: Big Bites

FX
Thursday, 12/8, 2 pm, Fear Factor: Las Vegas Pairs Show

GSN – Game Show Network
Tuesday, 12/6, 1 am, Celebrity BlackJack II

INHD
Tuesday, 12/6, 5 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Tuesday, 12/6, 2:30 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Tuesday, 12/6, 11 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Thursday, 12/8, 5 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Thursday, 12/8, 2:30 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Friday, 12/9, 1 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Friday, 12/9, 11 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Friday, 12/9, 11 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Saturday, 12/10, 8:30 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Sunday, 12/11, 4 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Sunday, 12/11, 11 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge

National Geographic Channel
Wednesday, 12/7, 1 pm, Beating Vegas

TLC
Thursday, 12/8, 9 pm, City Cops: Off the Vegas Strip
Thursday, 12/8, 10 pm, City Cops: Vegas Law and Order
Friday, 12/9, 12 am, City Cops: Off the Vegas Strip
Friday, 12/9, 1 am, City Cops: Vegas Law and Order

Travel Channel
Tuesday, 12/6, 5:30 pm, Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo: Las Vegas Extravagant Buffet; Biggest Hamburger; Wedding Cakes
Tuesday, 12/6, 8:30 pm, Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo: Las Vegas Extravagant Buffet; Biggest Hamburger; Wedding Cakes
Wednesday, 12/7, 9:30 am, Great Hotels: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Wednesday, 12/7, 6 pm, World Poker Tour: Mirage Poker Showdown
Wednesday, 12/7, 9 pm, World Poker Tour: Mirage Poker Showdown
Saturday, 12/10, 2:30 pm, Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo: Las Vegas Extravagant Buffet; Biggest Hamburger; Wedding Cakes
Saturday, 12/10, 3 pm, World Poker Tour: Mirage Poker Showdown
Monday, 12/12, 7 am, Vegas Christmas
Wednesday, 12/7, 5 pm, American Casino: High Limit Expansion
Wednesday, 12/7, 8 pm, American Casino: High Limit Expansion
Saturday, 12/10, 11 pm, American Casino: High Limit Expansion

WGN
Saturday, 12/10, 12 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/vegastv.cfm
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Brett’s Vegas Views

The irascible monologist Jackie Mason, whose career has spanned nearly five decades, will appear at the Stardust in the 900-seat showroom, Feb. 7-26. Tickets are $49.95, plus tax, call 702-732-6325.

The one-man comedy concert the irreverent humorist will bring to Las Vegas is called, “Jackie Mason: Freshly Squeezed, Direct From Broadway.” Mason’s current tour de force is the latest in a series of celebrated concerts that began in 1984 with a compendium of his classic routines labeled “The World According To Me.” The show ran two-and-a-half years on Broadway and won Mason a Tony Award and Critics Circle Award.

Mason eventually returned to Broadway four times, each time with an entirely new show fashioned from his seemingly limitless storehouse of comedy material. The live performances inspired an HBO special that enabled Mason to add an Emmy to his trophy case.

Mason has authored several best-selling books on comedy and hosted a nationally-syndicated radio show. Two albums based on his Broadway shows have earned Grammy nominations.

“Desperate Housewives” star James Denton, who is best known for his role as Mike Delfino on the hit ABC series, will host the 2006 “Miss America Pageant” live from the Aladdin on Saturday, Jan. 21 on CMT. In addition, Nashville native Denton has signed a first look development deal with cable television CMT, which over the past two years has been America’s most popular country music network.

Renowned restaurateur Chef Joseph Keller plans to preview the menu of his latest dining concept, Bistro Zinc, during a block party to benefit the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. Donations of $20 per person will be accepted at the event. Bistro Zinc is set to officially open January 2006. It will be the cornerstone of Monte Lago Village at Lake Las Vegas with its prime location overlooking the lake and introduce a little bit of Bayou flair and the sounds of Zydeco.

Bistro Zinc will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night menus from 6:30 a.m.-1 a.m., daily. Keller also owns a few other restaurants including Como’s, which is another eatery located within Monte Lago Village at Lake Las Vegas.

Guests will be walking in a “Winter Wonderland” at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens this holiday season, but not before thousands of hours have been spent on the transformation. More amazing than the display is the story of how 10,000 blooming plants, 500 shrubs and 40 trees come together to create an amazing winter display for millions of visitors to enjoy.

On Nov. 27, the “change-out” process began for the holiday show that opened weekend. With more than 13,500 square feet of display to convert, a staff of 100 horticulture employees work for 24 hours a day for a full seven days to ensure every detail is implemented. Using five cranes located under the landscape, the thousands of flowers, plants and trees needed for the display are assembled like a puzzle. To assist workers in the strategic placement of every flower, plant and tree, a tunnel system under the Conservatory is used. In addition, the Conservatory is brought to life by its sound-system, coordinating lights and cascading fountains, creating mini-shows for guests to enjoy throughout the day.

The holiday show features three Arctic polar bears ranging in height from six to 12 feet frolicking in the “snow banks.” The polar bears white coats are made from more than 25,000 white carnations. Giant ice-crystals reflecting the sunlight are suspended from above, and across the water a spectacular arrangement of giant holiday ornaments and magnificent stars will ignite the sky. The true centerpiece of this amazing display is a majestic holiday tree extending 45-feet tall and decorated with sparkling mirrors and gold and red ornaments.

The Rio’s Holiday Show in the Sky has returned this year with its uplifting seasonal theme. The special shows, which are free to view, will run though Dec. 25. Shows are daily at 4, 6, 8 and 10 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, there’s an extra show at 7 p.m. If you want to ride in an aerial float during the show, the cost is $12.95.

The $650 million Pinnacle twin-tower condominium project will be built on 12 aces on Tropicana Avenue just west of the Strip. Pinnacle’s 410-foot, 36-story towers will have 1,095 units, including 31 separate two-story townhouses that will wrap around the pool deck and five sky-bridge residences suspended between the two towers. Prices start in the high $300,000s for the lower floors and go up to $5 million for the penthouse suites.

The $28 million Onyx will be a 63-unilt luxury low-rise condo going up on two acres on Reno Avenue behind the new Hooters Hotel, formerly the San Remo. It will be on the site of the former Tropicana Inn Hotel and has already sold 57 of its 63 units. Every unit will have 10-foot ceilings, stone floors, granite counters and no upgrades.

Four years, 40 cities and six countries after its world premiere, “Menopause The Musical®” celebrates its international success with a new Las Vegas cast production at the Las Vegas Hilton in the Shimmer Cabaret beginning Feb. 1, 2006.

Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, writer / producer Jeanie Linders created the show as a celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived “The Change.”

Tickets are $49.50 plus tax and service charge, call 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361. Show times are: Mon.-Tues. and Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Wed. at 2 p.m.; Sat. at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sun. at 2 and 5 p.m.

The Mirage is beginning its dining transformation with the opening of Fin, a high-end Chinese restaurant featuring authentic Chinese dishes in a contemporary setting by award-winning design firm Yabu Pushelberg.

Chef Chi Choi, a master with a Hong Kong-style wok, began his career in Hong Kong at age 14 and moved to the United States in 1993. In 1994, he came to Las Vegas and has worked at Pearl in the MGM Grand, Shanghai Lilly at Mandalay Bay and most recently, Moongate at The Mirage. Fin will feature authentic Chinese dishes, live seafood and a product-driven menu, according to availability.

Creating an edgy yet elegant design with traditional Chinese themes, Pushelberg’s contemporary restaurant design is dominated by color schemes of gold and jade, accented with dark finishes creating a regal and sophisticated aesthetic. Décor is largely centered around elegant glass designs and a water feature gracing the back end of the dining room. The main dining room seats 76 and is divided by floating translucent spheres hanging strategically in sheets from the ceiling. The spheres provide privacy amongst and between the tables in the open dining room.

Two private dining rooms each seating eight guests occupy opposite sides of the main dining area. On the left side, silk screens painted with traditional Chinese imagery veil a chrysanthemum-shaped dining room. On the right side, the area is enclosed by a translucent curtain using three layers of material: laser-cut acrylic, copper wire mesh and a painted mural.

Nevada has a total of three restaurants and three hotels on the travel club AAA Five-Diamond list and all the properties are on the Strip.

Wynn Las Vegas’ Alex, a French restaurant with prix-fixe menus starting at $120 per person, gained the recognition after less than seven months in operation. The other two Five-Diamond restaurants are both at Bellagio, which is the only hotel in the country with two Five-Diamond restaurants. Picasso landed on the list for the fifth time and Le Cirque is now a three-time recipient of the ranking. AAA recognized a total of 48 Five-Diamond restaurants in 20 states.

The three Five-Diamond hotels were all repeat winners. Bellagio made its fifth appearance on the list, while the Four Seasons at Mandalay Bay appeared I the lineup for the seventh time. The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Las Vegas earned the rating for the third time. A total of 77 hotels in 23 states earned the Five-Diamond Award.

http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/index.htm
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Tournament Of Kings At King Arthur’s Arena

One of the last true dinner shows in Las Vegas, Tournament of Kings, is a live production adapted from the tale of King Arthur. Performed in a 900-seat theater-in-the-round arena, the show engages the audience through its tale of valor and treachery. Mighty horses and feats of skill, special effects and pyrotechnics further add to the unique appeal of the production. Throughout the performance, a hearty three-course meal is served in the spirit and tradition of the medieval period – sans utensils.

Performances are daily at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. There will be 6 p.m. shows only on October 26 and October 31. Tickets are $55 (inclusive). Tickets may be purchased at Excalibur’s Ticket Booth, at other participating properties or by phone at
(702) 597-7600.
www.casinotravelnews.com
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“Love Is A Pain” Musical Comedy At Riviera

“Love is a Pain”, a hilarious new musical comedy, headlining at the La Cage Theatre, at the Riviera Hotel & Casino Box premieres December 26. It is produced by New Splash Productions LLC, an East coast conglomerate. The production is a unique, fun and irreverent musical farce poking fun at the life of a divorced couple as they continue to live under the same roof. Show times are 9:30 p.m. Dark on Tuesday. Call the Riviera box office at 794-9433.

“Love is a Pain” is directed by Raymond Homer who has produced and/or directed over 45 movies starring some of the major actors of all time including Orson Wells, Yul Brenner, Anthony Quinn, Ray Milland and Rod Steiger. Homer has been active in the movie business for 50 years, starting as an assistant to the legendary John Ford. Homer began directing features for MGM/UA in his early twenties. He also produced and directed several Broadway and off Broadway plays and musicals.

Shel Shine, a popular actress from China who has starred in many films, has written “Love is a Pain” and will also perform in the musical comedy in the role of Fortune Cookie.

“Love is a Pain” will feature some of the newest cutting edge technology seen in Las Vegas theatre. Showgoers will enjoy a stunning visual treat on stage including “virtual sets” and electronic wizardry developed by the technical crew.
www.casinotravelnews.com
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I hope you enjoyed this issue. Please feel free to post a comment,

Steve

Posted on December 6th, 2005 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Uncategorized