Megabucks is the most famous progressive slot jackpot around, with machine in over a dozen cities. It tends to hit here in Sin City, of course, we also have most of the machines. Megabucks last hit at the Fremont Casino on the 19th of May... it was at 10.7 million dollars.

According to the Megabuck-O-Meter over at IGT it was at 10.62 million as of 10:00am Vegas time today.

Meaning it's ripe to hit again, so to help Vegas visitors and locals alike find the nearest chance to hit this sweet prize I give you my Las Vegas Megabucks Locator Map.

You can also see a listing of all the Casino's with Megabuck's machines in the extended text.

CineVegas is giving away free passes to the movie Talk to Me starring Don Cheadle playing DC radio host Ralph Petey Green.

The screening is tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Century Theatres inside The Orleans casino (take the escalator up).

To get your pass, stop by between 1 and 5 p.m. at the CineVegas office, 4300 E. Sunset Rd. #E3, Henderson.

The first 50 people to pick up a pass will also receive a free Talk to Me poster.

Each pass is good for two and like all movie passes, does not guarantee a seat, so show up early!

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Print the above coupon for $1 off admission to the Crossroads of the West gun show at Cashman Field Center this weekend, Aug. 4 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Aug. 5 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

The expo will have hundreds of tables offering wares for the collector as well as the hunter.

Last year, over 400,000 people attended, making it the largest attended gun show in the nation.

We're not sure if that makes us feel more or less safe.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ever want to play on Liberace's rhinestone-covered Baldwin piano?

Auditions for The Liberace Piano Competition begin next month, and in addition to a piano competition it also includes a showmanship competition.

Amateurs as well as professionals are welcome to participate. Classical competitors will perform on a Bosendorfer Imperial Concert piano and Liberace play-a-like showmanship comeptitors will play on Liberace's piano.

Auditions begin at noon on Aug. 12, with the competitors showcase on Sept. 9. Both take place at the Liberace Museum (Tropicana/Spencer), where there's a free shuttle to and from Strip casinos Tuesday-Sunday. Auditions are live and the public is welcome to attend for free.

Then on Sept. 16 at the Community Lutheran Church (3720 E. Tropicana), the finals will be held and the public is invited at $10 each or $5 for children 12 and under.

All proceeds will go toward the Liberace Foundation Scholarship Fund, the Liberace Adopt the Collection Fun, and Family Promise.

For more information, emal Shirley Swift at the Liberace Museum or call (702) 798-5596 x16.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last Thursday, the Nevada Gaming Commission approved Bally's Pong slot machine that contains a game of Pong during the bonus round.

You may remember Atari's quaint black-and-white table tennis video game from the early 1970s where you used a paddle to volley a white square across a dotted line.

We jumped at the chance to take a trip to a super-secret location to preview this seminal game, the first non-trivia slot machine to incorporate skill into a game of chance. It only makes sense to have that game be the same game that launched Atari (ironically, Bally had the first stab at producing the original Pong game).

The bonus round is activated by three Pong logo symbols in the regular game that contains other colorful retro Atari symbols. The bonus itself occurs about 1 out of every 70 spins.

Once in the bonus, you switch from pressing buttons to the familiar paddle joystick that felt oh-so-comfortable and nostalgic in our hands. You then play a game of Pong against the computer, as the ball is volleyed faster and faster back and forth. Each bonus round lasts about 45 seconds.

And yep, it looks and sounds and plays exactly as we remembered it.

Drawing on years of slacking, we easily beat or tied the computer each time.

When we moved the paddle away from the ball to intentionally lose, we were still awarded consolation credits.

This apparently was the stipulation for adding that element of skill to a slot machine -- the amount won needed to be a small amount. And in fact, that amount can be no more than 7 percent. The difference between winning and losing is equivalent to dropping a couple quarters into the old arcade machine to play a regular game of Pong.

Another stipulation to getting it approved in Nevada was that there be notices on the machine specifying skill was involved only in the bonus. The regular game is still random and played with five video reels.

Could this open the door to future skill games in slot machine bonus rounds? With the small percentage at risk, we're not yet convinced they would be successful, but at the same time, we won't need the assistance of a 21-year-old by our side to take over when we hit the bonus round in a Warcraft slot machine.

Bally is already at work on their next skill-based slot machine -- Breakout.

Pong is expected to be lab and field tested before appearing in Nevada casinos.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Britney Spears' bodyguard wrestles with a photogrpaher at the Wynn

Britney Spears causes all sorts of trouble is a must read from the Superficial.com. There was plenty of drama involving Britney Spears who showed up in Las Vegas a few days ago. Not only was her ex-husband Kevin Federline pissed off that she took her kids out of state without permission, one of her bodyguards rumbled with a photographer. According to the Superficial.com...

The photographer was shooting Spears when her bodyguard shoved him in the chest and the photographer accidentally hit Sean Preston in the process. The bodyguard then tackled the man to the ground and started punching him. Wynn security asked everybody to leave and the Las Vegas police were brought in to take statements.

Photo Source: US Magazine

Posted by Dr. Pauly at 4:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Beginning at 10 a.m. today, own a piece of Las Vegas history.

The New Frontier is being auctioned off to the public piece by piece, and you can bid on everything within the 65-year-old hotel-casino.

Items include everything within the restaurants, hotel rooms, and gaming areas. Even vehicles, carpet, generators, framed pictures, and entire bars (pictured above).

For a list of complete items with photos, visit this link.

For our money, we'd jump right in if we could bid on the Gilley's mechanical bulls.

You can show up in person with cash or a cashier's check, or you can bid online at Great American.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Purchase 1 ticket to Jon Lovitz this weekend and get 1 free.

Lovitz performs July 27-29 at 8 p.m. at The Orleans' showroom.

Regular ticket prices begin at $39.95.

To purchase, use code LOVITZ and call 1-888-365-7111 or (702) 365-7075. Or purchase online at this link.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This Halloween, the third annual Vegoose Festival will take place once again at Sam Boyd Stadium with headliners Rage Against the Machine (pictured above) and Daft Punk.

Spread across Oct. 26-28, other bands include Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, The Shins, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Umphrey's McGee, Thievery Corporation, STS9, Ghostface Killah & The Rhythm Roots Allstars, Blonde Redhead, Gogol Bordello, U.N.K.L.E., Ghostland Observatory, Pharoahe Monch, Battles, and more to come.

Iggy and the Stooges will also perform their entire album "Fun House" from start to finish.

Tickets and two-day passes ($146.50) go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. at vegoose.com.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tonight beginning at 10 p.m., celebrate the birthdays of Playboy Playmates Lauren Anderson and Stacy Fusion.

The party takes place at the Tangerine Lounge and Nightclub at Treasure Island.

Cost is $20 for men and $10 for women. Local women and hotel guests are free.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been a topsy-turvy post-rehab time for Lindsay Lohan. And all within the span of one week.

After she completed her 45-day stint at Promises rehab, she voluntarily (and demonstrably) wore a SCRAM ankle monitoring device, she drank Red Bull at PURE (Caesars Palace), she was seen holding hands with a Cameron Diaz-less Criss Angel in Las Vegas, and she was dumped by Calum Best because she was "too boring" while sober.

Apparently "too boring" caused Lohan to be involved in a car chase last night, ultimately landing her in the slammer with an arrest for suspicion of DUI and possession of cocaine.

She was released on $25,000 bail (costing almost as much as rehab), and her assistant also bailed.

We suspect jailtime is almost a certainty.

We would normally joke that the next step would be for her to shave her head, but we'll refrain because like Britney Spears, Lohan is in serious need of help.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Improv group Second City offers a teen camp Aug. 7-10 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is improvsation. Using the same fundamentals of its workshops, the camp for teens will develop skills including self-confidence, listening, brainstorming, team building, and creative thinking -- all under the guise of laughter.

From 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. is sketch comedy. Second City scenes will be studied, and students will use improv to create original sketches.

Age range is 13 to 18 years old and cost is $325. Classes are held at the Threshold Dance theater, 4780 W. Harmon (Harmon/Decatur).

For more information, call (702) 697-2653.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two casinos offer free buffets this month for earning a certain number of points in slots, and you get to keep the points.

If you're a local, earn 100 points at Rio within 24 hours and then visit the Total Rewards desk and ask for the locals buffet promotion. Show your local I.D. and Total Rewards card, and they will give you a coupon for a free buffet at the Carnival World Buffet that's valid for breakfast, lunch, or dinner Monday through Friday.

The offer expires Aug. 19 and a maximum of two buffets can be earned.

Like all Harrah's properties, every $5 of playthrough in slots at Rio will earn you 1 point. So two buffets will be $1,000 in playthrough -- not bad at all.

Over at Silverton, which copied Harrah's successful player's club tier model, they've also copied the buffet promotion but have opened it up to everyone instead of just locals.

Earn 1,000 points within 24 hours and visit the player's club desk to receive two vouchers for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Seasons buffet.

Every $1 of playthrough in slots at Silverton is worth 1 point.

Silverton's offer expires July 31.

With both offers being exactly the same, for our hard-earned slot money, we'd pick the Silverton buffet over Rio.

Oh heck, what are we saying? We'll be doing both.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today and every Friday, bottles of wine are 1/2 off at Hannah's, the Asian and sushi restaurant worth driving to Summerlin for.

Straight down West Charleston at 1050 S. Rampart Blvd., Hannah's also holds a Ladies Night every Thursday, where women can be a cheap date and get 1/2 off their bill (up to $50).

Combine that with Hannah's Happy Endings promotion, where sushi rolls are 1/2 price every night from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Heck, we're just happy to know a place serving sushi at 1 a.m.

For more information or to make a reservation, call (702) 932-9399.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The networking mixing scene has new competition. If you went to the mixer last night at VooDoo Lounge, you met models. Now you can go from PDAs to pina colodas with a networking pool party tonight from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Yep, pool party. What's next, a business lingerie party?

No need for dressing business casual; instead, invest in a good swimsuit. Go every week and you may even meet LasVegasVegas' own Carmen doing a pool review.

Five2Nine is a new networking mixer now meeting weekly at TAO Beach's rooftop pool (The Venetian).

Business and social alike, the Five2Nine mixer is sponsored by Edge Events and serves free food and one free drink to all attendees.

To reserve a space for you and a guest, visit this link.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just when you think there can't be any more space on the Las Vegas Strip, a unanimous vote was made yesterday by the Las Vegas City Council to push through real estate development company REI Neon's plans for Pulse, an events center and 22,000-seat sports arena comprising a whopping 85 acres of eight high-rise buildings with shopping, hotels, condos, and casinos.

All at a cost that puts Project CityCenter to shame -- $9.5 billion.

The location would be between the Strip and downtown, north of the Stratosphere.

REI Neon is confident that funding for the project is available, with agreements from 120 businesses in that area already willing to sell.

Pulse could be completed as early as 2011.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tonight's networking mix 'n mingle at VooDoo Lounge (Rio) has the addition of models galore along with photographer Madison Alexander, where you can experience the model life briefly by winning a free photo shoot.

Times are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. admission is free, and so are the appetizers. Your first drink is also free, compliments of sponsor Level Vodka.

To make a reservation, email rsvp@m1network.com or visit their website.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let It Out, a nationwide tour sponsored by Kleenex, aims to visit a city and provide a comfortable forum for its residents to experience strong emotions, particularly laughter.

And if they need something to wipe up all those guffaws, a certain facial tissue will always be nearby.

Sitting on a blue couch is the conduit, and that couch will be at the Bellagio fountains tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

You can sit and talk about anything you want, or respond to one of the questions: "What tickles your funny bone?" or "When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?"

All responses will be recorded for possible airing on their website or television commercial in the form of words, video, and/or photographs.

Current responses to the question "How did you fall in love?" can be seen on Kleenex's website.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The local radio show "Lunchtime with Ira" broadcast live from the Las Vegas Hilton every week will be branching out a bit, going on the road at Las Vegas locations to interview celebrities and entertainers.

The current show is airing from the new Springs Preserve. Beginning July 23, the show will be at the Liberace Museum. Then the following week, it will be on-location at Cashman Field.

"Lunchtime with Ira" can be seen on Cox Channel 4 as well as some in-room hotel TVs. It can also be seen on www.mediazone.com.

Hosted by Ira David Sternberg, the show normally airs from the Shimmer Cabaret at the Hilton and aims to show viewers a side of Las Vegas not normally seen.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As part of Luxor's $300 million renovation to rid itself of all things Egyptian (except the pyramid and the name), the RA club has been replaced by the Las Vegas version of the Los Angeles-based LAX nightclub. Created by PURE Management (the Cirque du Soleil of nightclubs), LAX also has the investor backing of DJ AM and Christina Aguilera.

Focused on a Hollywood crowd to those California visitors who may miss home, LAX features a design by Thomas Schoos to lure in a younger crowd.

And now, we hear from "Entertainment Tonight" that the grand opening set for Labor Day weekend will be hosted by Britney Spears.

Spears was last in Las Vegas doing her short, not-so-secret lip-synched dance performances at House of Blues under the M+M cover name. Before that, she hosted a New Year's Eve party at PURE (Caesars Palace), which was successful enough that she was asked back despite falling asleep during the party.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Jackson may soon be reunited with some of his belongings.

A court decision made today ruled that Universal Express was in contempt of court and now has to return the items. Universal Express, the Florida company that purchased Jackson's items in another auction, was ruled that they violated court orders to withhold some of the items for sale.

Some of those items include Jackson's personal collection of photos of the Three Stooges.

In May, an auction was held at Hard Rock selling Jackson's personal items to highest bidders.

One more court date is now all that stands between Jackson and his belongings.

As for where he'll put them, Jackson is temporarily homeless, as he moved out of the Las Vegas mansion he was renting. Recent rumors has him scouting Maryland's Eastern Shore and Ireland.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 4:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey Lindsay, you've just finished a six-week rehab, where're you going next?

Did anyone have any doubt the answer would be Las Vegas?

Lindsay Lohan completed her rehab at Promises in Malibu, missing her planned two-day birthday party at PURE (Caesars Palace) where she was rumored to have received $1 million. That was on July 13. She then headed directly to PURE and hung out with Criss Angel and the Pussycat Dolls.

According to People magazine, Lohan was not seen drinking anything but Red Bull. She's voluntarily wearing an alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet as part of an outpatient program.

Her heading to Las Vegas could be seen as appeasing nightclub owners for missing her birthday, which she will raincheck for sometime in the near future.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Golden Nugget spent about $30 million dollars to renovate the pool, they closed it for a year and I was lucky enough to spend my 4th of July laying out relaxing at their new masterpiece.

More ater the jump...

After spreading out my towels (they gave me two when I walked in), I was a little unnerved by how close together the chairs are. You see, even though the pool has been totally remodeled and it's beautiful, you are still working with the same space restrictions. The Golden Nugget is obviously aware of this, so they jammed in as many lounge chairs as possible. Let me put it this way. I barely had enough room to put my beach bag in between my chair and my father's which was next to me. The chairs were great though! They had the nice thick comfy padding that I love so much, they also had nice arm rests and they were adjustable. It's always good to have options.

Once I was settled, I couldn't help but notice the huge shark tank directly in front of me and of course the 3 story waterslide overhead. This is something you don't see everyday. Wow! Who puts an aquarium in the middle of a swimming pool? What an amazing concept. In addition, the Golden Nugget added a number of lounge chairs in the pool, so that you can stay refreshed all day long and never have to dry off. If you don't mind pruned skin, this might be the spot for you.

Las Vegas happened to break a record on Independence Day and we hit the 120 degree mark. Needless to say I was in and out of the pool about every 5 minutes. My parents and I finally worked up the nerve to check out the waterslide. I was a little hesitant because I thought that it would be a waste of my time, waiting in line for a little kiddie slide that wouldn't excite me. I was WRONG!!!!!! You wouldn't believe how fast and fun this waterslide is. I'm not kidding when I tell you we waited in line 3 times in a row to go down the slide because it was so fun.

If you find yourself downtown in the near future, you must check out this pool. Did I mention the waterfalls? Yes, the pool has a plethora of waterfalls scattered about. I had the feeling that I was in Hawaii there for a minute.

The clientele at the Golden Nugget is mainly families. You'll see a lot children, locals and tourists. You can come "as is" and there is no need to feel uncomfortable or put on a front. My comfort level was at an all time high. Without a doubt, I will head to the Golden Nugget Pool again and again.

For those of you that are interested in the high roller cabanas the Golden Nugget has something for you. Amenities include large cushioned lounge chairs on individual patios, flat screen T.V.'s, air conditioning, misters, refrigerators and a great view from the 3rd floor.

This isn't the place to go if you want to party like a rock star, but if you want a comfortable and fun day at the pool and especially if you have a family in tow, check out the Pool at the Golden Nugget.

Posted by Carmen at 8:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While the World Series of Poker winds down, today at noon another poker tour begins.

The Small Town Poker Tour Pro Am begins at South Point and will benefit Corps of Compassion, a charity that gives meals to homeless and at-risk Las Vegas children.

Buy-in is $200+60 (with $100 rebuys) for $1500 in chips.

75 percent of the pool will be awarded to the top 10, while the remaining 25 percent will go to the Corps of Compassion.

The mission of the Small Town Poker Tour is to raise awareness and funds for charity. In past events, the STPT has contributed to charities including The United Way, Lions Club International, and Boys and Girls Clubs.

For more information, call 1-866-791-7626.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:33 AM | Permalink

Reminiscent of what happened at New York New York last week, Metro did not hesitate in arresting a man for threatening to shoot women and children at Excalibur with "nuclear lasers."

On Tuesday evening, Robert Barber, 44, continually called the Nevada Gaming Control Board and police throughout the night with threats, until police took him down.

Barber has a 20-year criminal record, has a history of making threats, and may possibly be mentally ill. But because of the incident last week, police did not want to take any chances.

Barber is charged with making terrorist threats and will appear in court on Thursday.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With each new casino erected in Las Vegas, the themed casinos of yesteryear are looking more and more antiquated.

Even for current casinos such as Luxor, the theme isn't what it used to be.

Rumors that the hotel-casino would be renamed The Pyramid may not be far off after all -- MGM Mirage will soon be giving the luxury Luxor a makeover by stripping it of all things Egyptian.

Focus groups and guests have said that they aren't attracted to the Egyptian theme.

We stopped by Luxor the other night and saw lots of construction going on. The club RA is already gone and is being replaced by a new club called LAX. A new bar called Aurora (named after Aurora Borealis) is located in the lobby across from the front desk. Another club will open this fall called Flight, and an ultrabar containing three separate lounges and gaming will be called Liquidity. If that's not enough, a tantalizingly named club called Cathouse will also soon be opening in the fall.

With these changes as well as a spa called Nurture, the pool redubbed Restore, something else called Aspen 702, and a new Cirque du Soleil show featuring Criss Angel in 2008, it looks as if Luxor has long planned this distancing from all things Egyptian.

Full details on the Luxor changes will be announced later today, but expect the pyramid shape as well as the light beam (pictured above) to remain intact.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the spring of 2000, Harper's writer James McManus covered his World Series of Poker finish simultaneously with the trial of the Sept. 1998 murder of millionaire Ted Binion in his book Positively Fifth Street.

The book recounts how Sandy Murphy, Binion's girlfriend from gentlemen's club Cheetah's, and Rick Tabish allegedly murdered the poker guru.

In May 2000, both Murphy and Tabish were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Three years later, their convictions were thrown out and a new trial was ordered because the jurors heard allegations of the extortion, kidnapping, and beating of a man that should have been part of another trial. The jury convicted Tabish based on these charges, and the Supreme Court ruled they were prejudiced in their decision.

Murphy was released in Dec. 2003, and Tabish is still in prison for unrelated extortion charges.

In the new trial, both were found not guilty of the murder, with the jury finding enough reasonable doubt.

Yesterday, a wrongful death lawsuit against Murphy and Tabish by the Binion family accusing them of a secret sexual relationship while plotting Binion's death was dismissed because Nevada law states once a case is begun, it must be brought to trial within five years.

Murphy's lawyer will now be trying to get Murphy items that Binion left her in his will, which includes $300,000 and his 6,000 square-foot house on Palomino Lane.

McManus may want to add another epilogue.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:38 AM | Permalink

Local filmmakers are being sought for the 48 Hour Film Project beginning Aug. 3.

Teams will receive a character, a prop, a line of dialogue, and a genre. They will then have 48 hours to direct and shoot their film, then see all the films on the big screen. Pictured above is a scene from last year's Las Vegas entry by team Monkey Sac, Patty O'Brien is a Dead Douche Bag.

To register your team, visit this link. If you aren't part of a team, you can also join one at this link.

The film that wins in Las Vegas will then go on to participate in the project's national screening, which could then go on to Cannes.

Movies will be screened at Galaxy Theatres at Neonopolis beginning Aug. 6.

For more information, call (702) 229-4611.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:12 AM | Permalink

Currently running for President, Democratic hopeful Sen. John Edwards hosts a town hall meeting today at noon at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 88 (2560 Marco St. at E. Carey/Nellis).

Edwards will answer questions and talk about topics including his plan to raise the minimum wage to $9.50/hour and decisively end the war in Iraq within a year.

The event is free and open to the public. RSVP at this link.

For more information, call (702) 434-3978

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:57 AM | Permalink

This summer through Sept. 30, Cirque du Soleil, that juggernaut of spectacle, has a special discount and sweepstakes offer through Ticketmaster.

First, the discount. A limited amount of $50 tickets are available for every Cirque show in Las Vegas except for "O." Just click this link and then click "Find $50 tickets" under the show you'd like to see, then click the date and number of tickets. Note that this offer is available to everyone, not just locals.

And the sweepstakes. For every ticket you purchase, you'll be entered into a contest to win roundtrip airfare, 5-night accommodations, and tickets for two to any Cirque show in the world. The lucky winner will also receive flights, hotel, and tickets to the opening of the new Cirque magic show at Luxor with Criss Angel next year.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 4:09 PM | Permalink

The Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) is now the College of Southern Nevada (CSN).

Not for the lack of a community, but "community" in the name was too much of a mouthful of negativity that a petition containing over 10,000 signatures was organized to strike the word from the name of the school.

The college currently offers associate degrees and is building a roster of bachelor's degrees. A community college traditionally is a school with two-year degrees.

Signers of the petition believe dropping the "community" in the name will raise the prestige of the school.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:50 PM | Permalink

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

In an apparent act of despair a Las Vegas local man is charged with firing 16 shots from an 9mm handgun into the casino crowd from the top of an escalator at the New York New York Casino striking 4 patrons and creating panic on the floor below. Although non of the injuries were life threating the victims, two more were injured when the crowd dived for cover, were transported to a local hospital where all were treated and have been released.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Stephen Zegrean was tackled by two off duty Metro police officers on the walkway over the Las Vegas Strip outside of the New York New York. Las Vegas Metro Police and paramedics quickly arrived at the shooting scene. He has been charged him with a variety of crimes. Neighbors of Zegrean said he had recently been divorced and had just lost his home. Some believe this was an apparent 'suicide by police' attempt by the 51 year old man.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Posted by flipchipro at 12:25 AM | Permalink

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Wondering how hot it is in Las Vegas? Flipchip, neither mad dog nor Englishman but a fool nontheless, was out with the camera looking for proof that Las Vegas is hotter than Hell. Check out the recent list of hottest spots for rankings:

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Posted by flipchipro at 3:52 AM | Permalink

Named by Playboy as the sexiest swimsuit model in the world, Joanna Krupa appears this afternoon at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.

Promoting the opening of the new Frederick's of Hollywood store, Krupa will sign catalogs from 5-8 p.m.

For the grand opening, the store will also have free champagne, 20 percent off all merchandise, and a free Bridget lace thong panty will be given away.

Music will be provided by DJ Mike.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:39 AM | Permalink

It's almost commonplace now in Las Vegas to hear about human trafficking in prostitution rings, but in Chinese acrobat acts?

Three men are currently being held under an accusation of holding 14 Chinese performers (plus five underage) against their will here in Vegas, where they were "being treated like slaves."

The complaints from federal prosecutors under the U.S. District Court allege that the men were controlling their movements, confiscating their visas, rationing their food, and paying them $50 per month.

One of the performers escaped the house they were being forced to stay in, and notified authorities.

The acrobat act was seen locally at schools and community centers but not on the Strip.

The trial date for the three men is July 13.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:54 AM | Permalink

Earlier this month I was given a room key to the Rio. This key was special because the person that gave me the key knew about my passion for pool hopping. Over the weekend on my birthday, I decided to use my shiny new room key and head over to the pool at the Rio to celebrate.

Initially, I always get a little twinge of fear in my stomach when I enter the pool area because I know that I'm not staying at the hotel, that this room key is no longer valid, and if they try to swipe said key, I will be denied access. As I approached the pool and saw the gentleman in front of me quickly flash his key and walk in, I felt a wave of relief.

Upon exiting the casino and walking out to the pool, a cute towel girl gave me two towels and I quickly scanned the area looking for two seats next to each other, but not too far from the pool because when it's 108 degrees outside, I'm well aware that I'll be in the pool quite a bit, so I'll be needing a close spot.

More after the jump...

The first pool I approached looked pretty normal, but upon further inspection I realized it was mainly kids. Other than all the children swimming around and my fear of kiddy pools and what lurks in the water, it looked just like the other pools scattered about the courtyard.

It was 11:00 a.m. on a Saturday and it was evident that I was going to have to work to find some prime seats. So, I briskly walked way across the yard to the farthest pool. I noticed about 25 stacks of lounge chairs put aside, so I knew I'd be okay. We found two seats and laid out the towels.

First thing I noticed was that the chairs were just normal lounge chairs. They didn't have any special padding, they weren't extra wide, and they all pretty much looked the same. The towels were just normal white beach towels. They were reasonable, but not special.

The pool was packed!! In fact, all of the pools were packed. I saw beer cans, water bottles and lunch trays randomly spread around the area. We tried to flag down a waitress and after about 45 minutes, we decided to walk to the bar to get our energy drinks. Red Bull cost $6.00 for a can and they also had the normal "bar" food that most places serve. When I finally did flag down a pool boy to ask about the cabana prices, he didn't know the answers, but he was very quick to find me someone that could answer my questions.

Unless you are renting a cabana, the pool at the Rio is your run of the mill pool. There isn't anything over the top in the area of amenities and the customer service people aren't falling all over themselves to serve you. If you are just looking for a clean place to lay out, relax and get some rays, this is the pool for you.

For those interested in renting a cabana, the prices are comparable to most pools in Las Vegas. During the week the price of a cabana for the day is $240 and on the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) the cost goes up to $480 per day. What are you getting for your money? Well, you get a bottle of liquor (vodka, tequila, rum etc.), 3 mixers that are refillable all day, 3 sets of condiments (cherries, oranges, etc.), your own food/drink runner, half a case of water, and two pool rafts. That's the part that threw me for a loop. I was wondering where all of those rafts in the pool came from! Most pools don't allow you to bring floatable devices, so you have to be careful when you are in there going for a dip!

Like all pools, the Rio had a D.J. and he was playing a nice variety of music. Speakers were strategically located all over the courtyard to ensure that everyone could hear the tunes. I took a little walk and snapped some pictures and along the way I met some great guys out here on vacation, lounging under the palm trees, and reading a Full Tilt book (I think the book is what actually grabbed my attention). The Rio is home to the World Series of Poker!

My favorite part of the pool at the Rio was how it made me feel. The word "comfortable" comes to mind. There were a lot of families playing, a lot of tourists on vacation and a general feeling of happiness. I wasn't worried about how my hair looked, or if anyone was checking out my butt or even if I was being judged. I wish I always felt that way when I went to the pool, but some pools cater to a wealthier, prettier and more successful crowd. Sometimes those pools can be intimidating. This wasn't the case with the Rio. I will go back to the Rio again because even though the staff wasn't quite large enough to take care of everyone, they were certainly friendly and welcoming. To me the attitude is number one and everything else can be improved upon.

Posted by Carmen at 8:30 PM | Permalink

Kirk Douglas will be in town tomorrow between 2-4 p.m. to sign copies of his new memoir Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving And Learning.

Douglas will be signing books at The Reading Room at Mandalay Place, at the lower level entrance of Mandalay Place, across from Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce (inside the casino, it's closest to House of Blues).

For more information, call (702) 632-9374.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:40 PM | Permalink

Video poker guru Bob Dancer has set up shop at the Silverton Casino and not only is he teaching classes, but near the main entrance he has a few banks of Dancer-approved video poker slot machines.

Free beginner classes are every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Then stay for free intermediate classes every Tuesday at noon.

Players who show up before 10:20 a.m. and stay through the end will be entered into a drawing for free gifts.

Remaining classes:

July 10 at 10 a.m.: 9/5 Super Double Bonus
July 10 at noon: 8/5 Super Aces Bonus
July 17 at 10 a.m.: 9/6 Jacks or Better Multi Strike
July 17 at noon: NSU Deuces Wild Multi Strike
July 24 at 10 a.m.: Triple Pay Deuces Wild
July 24 at noon: NSU Deuces Wild Multi Strike
July 31 at 10 a.m.: Two Pair Joker Wild
July 31 at noon: 8/5 Super Double Double Bonus
Aug. 7: Kings or Better Joker Wild
Aug. 14: insider tips on slot clubs to the video poker player
Aug. 21: secrets of a video poker winner

Classes are held inside the Seasons buffet or Twin Creeks.

While you're at Silverton, they're celebrating their 10-year anniversary with a $20 for $40 slot freeplay offer for new players - just go to the Player's Club, sign up for a Discovery card, give them $20, and they will add $40 in slot credits to your card. You can then play through 1x before cashing out. Table game players will be given a $20 matchplay coupon.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:26 PM | Permalink

On Saturday, the local TV stations were abuzz with news of the terrorist attack at the Glasgow airport and... a strip club losing its liquor license.

Now granted, it's the alleged mob-run Crazy Horse Too, so it's more noteworthy, but it kind of puts things in perspective.

Crazy Horse Too's liquor license ran out at midnight early Sunday, and the club stayed open while patrons switched to bottles of water and soft drinks... still at the same $8 prices, mind you.

Owner Rick Rizzolo, currently in prison for conspiracy to defraud the government, was forced to hand over the keys as part of his plea to be able to pay fines and restitution the club owed.

Rizzolo sold the club to operator Mike Signorelli, but Signorelli ended up not electing to purchase at the $45 million price, and his deadline and liquor license ran out June 30.

The club is now back for sale, though the next owner would need to obtain a liquor license from the Nevada City Council.

With the heavy competition of area gentlemen's clubs, it's questionable whether Crazy Horse Too can survive on its name alone without liquor.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:17 PM | Permalink

Michael Gaughan's South Point, the little hotel-casino anchoring the South Strip extension (not the official name, but with Silverton's planned expansion across their whopping 100 acres, expect to see that area hopping in the next couple years), has a Pump With Your Points promotion to help ease those gas prices.

From now through Aug. 31, earn $12.50 in points and you can cash out double its value by receiving a $25 gas card good at any Chevron.

Sign up at The Club booth to pick up your free player's card, then earn points by playing slots and video poker between now and the end of next month.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:10 PM | Permalink