Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Snippits from Lost Wages
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]](/2006/07/19/hoade.jpg "That's the Bellagio in the background")
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.]](/2006/07/19/sean.jpg "And there's a bit of a faux Paris in the back ground. Much like Disney.")
Me, in front some Disneyesque European Elegance.
A really large and obnoxious
American is bitching about the
size of the $595 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 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—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.
![[The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades]](https://www.conman.org/people/spc/about/2023/1023.t.jpg "The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades")