Trust Not...

I reposted this again on Facebook and Google+ and now on here too, because there are still certain people in this country who need to be hit over the head with this a few more times until they get it. Keep religion out of government and politics!

Humanity

Truer words were never spoken.

Erasure

This was one heck of a concert last Friday evening at the Palms Hotel & Casino. Erasure blew the roof off the place. I've seen Erasure live in concert several times before, and each one was fantastic and elaborate in its own right. But this concert was less show and more about the music. Which was fine by me. The sound mix and accoustics were phenomenal. It always is at the Pearl Concert Theatre inside the Palms.

Andy Bell can belt it out like he did over 20 years ago. And he is singing better than ever. Our little group of friends was dancing, singing and going crazy nonstop. I probably lost 20 pounds by jumping around like a teenager. Who needs a workout? All one needs is a concert like that.

Erasure was amazing!


Here is the concert review from the Las Vegas Sun and more photos:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/oct/02/photos-erasure-brings-bass-and-hits-pearl-palms/

Pressing

Interesting images taken from the press over the weekend.

Good point indeed. Taken during the 'Occupy Wall Street' protests in New York City.



I can see how gay marriage can totally mess up this whole traditional marriage value thingy.



Amen!

Science!

This pretty much sums it up.

Unintelligent Design

I've been asking this question myself many times lately...
via http://joemygod.blogspot.com/

A Not So Laboring Labor Day

We spent a the most wonderful Labor Day weekend with our friends Cobban and his hubby Ray, whom were driving up from Southern Arizona and staying with us for a few days.

We had a great weather, lots of food, a few cocktails and a lot of fun. And we actually accomplished quite a lot of sightseeing. Red Rock Canyon, the Las Vegas Strip, old downtown Las Vegas, a free Howard Jones concert at Fremont Street Experience and Cirque du Soleil's "Love" at the Mirage.

Did I mention that it was one heck of fun weekend?

Below are some impressions.

Cobban, Ray, myself and George at the garden conservatory inside the Bellagio.

The dancing water fountains of the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip.

At Red Rock Canyon, just outside Las Vegas, NV.

The red sandstones of Calico Hills at Red Rock Canyon.

Red Rock Canyon, just west of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ray is educating himself about the natural history at the new visitors center of red Rock Canyon.

I think George and Cobban should stop growing any taller already.

Ray, Cobban and I at Red Rock Canyon.

Cobban is posing as the 'fifth' Beatle at the entrance of Cirque du Soleil's 'Love' at the Mirage. And he is an avid Beatles fan. He really enjoyed the show, which is a feast of amazing visuals and sounds. A must for every Beatles fan.

Am I?

Um...lately not so much.

San Francisco

Life has been really busy with work and too much fun in-between that there hasn't been too much extra time to post anything on here. And I admit that I have been spending way too much time on Facebook. And once again I'm pondering if I should let this blog ride into the sunset since I rarely spend much time on here anymore. We'll see...

But for now, here are some impressions from our wonderful long Memorial Day weekend in San Francisco. It's been over 10 years since I've been to the 'city by the bay' the last time. I love this city and grow even fonder of it with each returning visit. We found amazing restaurants, met with some friends and saw the phenomenal new musical "Tales of the City," based on Armistead Maupin's novel. Everything was perfect. We didn't want to leave.

On our Virgin America flight, nonstop from Las Vegas to San Francisco

Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, one of the countless highlights along the famed 49 Mile Scenic Drive

Like out of some Hollywood movie. One of the many warehouses on the piers along the Embarcadero

On our long walk towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Can you spot the bridge?

Detail of the Palace of Fine Arts

George at Fort Point, with the skyline of San Francisco behind him

Inside the old walls of Fort Point

George and I at Pier 39, with noisy sea lions and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

The Castro, the epicenter of the city's gay life

With our friend Evan at the HRC store. A little historical LGBT tidbit, this used to be Harvey Milk's original camera store on Castro Street.

Beautiful old buildings can still be found throughout the city.

Fort Point's old light tower under the Golden Gate Bridge

Part of the Golden Gate Park, the old Dutch windmill and the Pacific Ocean can be seen from the many hills in the Sunset District

George enjoying food at Japantown

Our main reason to visit San Francisco. The preview of the musical version of Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" at the A.C.T. Theatre on Geary

Bay Bridge, seen from Chinatown

Taking the BART from Powell Street station to San Francisco International Airport was fast and convenient

George relaxing inside the new Terminal 2 at SFO

I wasn't ready to fly back home to Las Vegas

The brand new Terminal 2 at San Francisco Int.' Airport had just opened a few weeks prior. It's very spacious and comfortable. This is Virgin America's check-in area

Opinion vs. Facts

Sometimes a little sarcasm is good for the soul.

Raincheck

Back in March, George and I were planning on going to Six Flag’s Magic Mountain. Due to record rainfall in Southern California at the time that plan literally went down the drain. We opted instead to go see a concert of the L.A. Philharmonics at the Disney Concert Hall.

About three weeks ago we were finally able to cash in that raincheck and spent another fun day at Magic Mountain in Valencia, in the outskirts of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. This huge, green and lush theme park, which is nestled in picturesque rolling hills, is home to some the fastest and wildest roller coasters on this planet. With the opening of a brand-new conceptual coaster, called the “Green Lantern,” later this summer, it will boast the most numbers of coasters in any theme park in the world.

The afternoon and evening before was spent with George’s brother Thomas and his friend at Downtown Disney. We had a wonderful dinner together and were strolling through the Disney resorts and stores afterwards.

Below are some images from that weekend.


We stayed at a hotel on Katella Avenue in Anaheim, CA, in walkable distance to the Disneyland Resort.

Even though we didn’t actually visit Disneyland we took some obligatory pictures standing ‘in front’ of it.

At Downtown Disney, this man worked hours and hours on this sand sculpture, promoting the new Disney Nature film “African Cats.”


George, his brother Thomas and I at a nightly Downtown Disney.

The next day we drove to Magic Mountain. Here is the marquee along the I-5 freeway at Magic Mountain Parkway.

The first few of countless roller coasters in various shapes, heights and forms are visible from the parking lot.

Way up in the hills is the Viper, with its many loopings, corkscrews and other types of twisted inversions.

A interesting view looking upwards the X2, one of the craziest, most wildest rides around. X2 is a so-called fourth-dimension coaster. When I rode it for the very first time a few years ago I didn’t even know what just had happened to me. Too many sensations at once...

The totally awesome Tatsu, a “flying” coaster and the white loop of the “Revolution,” the world’s first-ever looping roller coaster. This one was featured in the 1977 disaster-suspense movie “Rollercoaster,” starring Richard Widmark, George Segal and Timothy Bottoms. We would pass the spot of the curving steel track many times where Timothy Bottom’s character would eventually find his demise at the end of the movie. A ‘historical’ landmark, so to speak.

George waiting in line for Tatsu.

One has an incredible view of the Santa Clarita valley from the boarding station of Tatsu.

Part of the ‘flying’ coaster Tatsu and the Sky Tower, one of the few remaining original attrations from when this park first openend back in 1971.

The sun is setting behind the Southern California hills and “The Riddler,” the world’s fastest standing coaster.