Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Vegas Review Baby!

I am going to provide my review of our recent trip to Las Vegas.  I hope that the others that attended will also chime in with some thoughts.  And don't worry.  I will keep out any information that could potentially get someone in trouble.  Look for pics by Tom or Scott on Facebook or something, I know they have them.


Venetian (The Hotel we stayed at)


Atmosphere


Amazing.  From the marble floors, paintings on the ceilings, and statutes to the indoor canals and restaurants I thought that the Venetian was awesome.  Everyone I came in contact with who worked there was really nice and always eager to make sure we were having a great time.  Also, the room was very nice and spacious for us.  We did the $20 sandwich deal and it worked for the room upgrade (Thanks Fig).  The only down side was the smell in the hallways of the Venetian.  I thought it was a bit overwhelming.  It literally smelled like someone was jamming potpourri down my throat.


Casino


The Venetian's casino was also very nice.  I will break it down into its different parts and compare them to the other casinos we were at.  


Table Gaming Area (meaning table gaming like black jack and craps and slots) = very chic.  It was on par if not better than any other casino we went to (Bellagio, Caesar's, and Mirage).  The only downside was that some of the craps tables were a little more expensive than we wanted to play, so we had to walk to the Mirage (right across the street) to play there.  


Poker Room (Venetian) = tops.  Very well organized and run with $1-$2 tables so schmucks like us could play.  Way nicer than Mirage's.


Sports Betting = so-so.  Don't get me wrong.  You can pretty much see any game you want there, but I thought that Caesar's had a much nicer area to view games (larger and nicer TV's to watch the games on).


Food


Grand Lux Cafe = Quality, variety, relatively cheap food (in Vegas), with large portions.  We ate there twice.  Solid.


Buffet = Didn't eat there, but it was around $29 a plate.  I'm sure its good food, but it was a bit expensive for lunch.


Canaletto = Italian eatery.  Moderately price, decent food (not knock out), but in an amazing atmosphere.  Click the following link and "Virtual Tour" to see the outside dining experience (it's actually inside the Hotel however; pretty cool huh?) 


Canaletto Tour


We did go to Mon Ami Gabi (at the Paris Hotel/Casino) for steaks one night.  That was a really good restaurant.  Pretty cheap for Vegas, especially since we ordered steak.  Mine was $22 and really good.  I would recommend this place for a nice dinner that won't drain your cash.


Other than that, there is a McDonald's, Chipotle, Panda Express, Subway, etc. near by if you want to buy a cheaper meal to save cash a couple times (which I did).


Seinfeld


Hi-lar-i-ous!  He used some old material but sort of reworked it a bit so it wasn't too stale.  His newer material was great.  Also, the guy that opened for him was really funny too.  Worth every penny.


Overall


The experience was so awesome.  Even though I lost $375 gambling, I had such as amazing time, and some really hilarious stories too to boot.  Our hotel was sooooooo nice and there was lots to do in 3 days.  We slept very little because of that.  Time truly does not exist inside of casinos.


RATING for Vegas = 5 out of 5!

Scotty Doesn't Know

In this new segment, I will share stories that I find "topical."



Monday, November 24, 2008

Heisman - Week 13


1) Graham Harrell (previously #1) – QB Texas Tech (Season: 4,438 yds, 39 TD, 5 INT, 6 rush TD)
361 yds and 3 TD in a crushing loss to Oklahoma. This is the problem with college football as it is now. Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma are all 1-1 against each other. All of their Heisman candidates are having great years, but who do you put #1 on the ballot? And who gets to play in the national championship game? Let’s just have a four, six or eight team playoff and get it over with.
Next: vs. Baylor

2) Colt McCoy (2) – QB Texas (Season: 3,134 yds, 30 TD, 7 INT, 527 rush yds, 8 rush TD)
Off last week, but can you move to #1 on this list after not playing? I don’t think so.
Next: vs. Texas A&M

3) Sam Bradford (3) – QB Oklahoma (Season: 3,710 yds, 42 TD, 6 INT, 4 rush TD)
304 yds and 4 TD in the biggest game of the year vs. Texas Tech.
Next: at Oklahoma St.

4) Tim Tebow (4) – QB Florida (Season: 2,114 yds, 22 TD, 2 INT, 427 rush yds, 11 TD)
201 yds, 3 TD, in not quite a full half against the Citadel. If Tebow is playing for a national championship come January 2009, the Heisman is going to have four legit contenders, especially if none of the Big 12 teams make it.
Next: at Florida St.

Dropped out:
Michael Crabtree (5) – WR Texas Tech (Season 84 receptions, 1,072 yds, 18 TD)
A disappointing 6 catches for 62 yds and essentially an elimination from the Heisman race.
Next: vs. Baylor

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Working Out Is Overrated

Hello everyone. This is my first post and it probably sucks, SO BACK OFF!

I am not really sure what my posts are going to be about yet, so just bear with me for now. Anyway, here's my first. It was an assignment that I had to make for my ART 250 class. I've turned it into somewhat of a Podcast so you don't have to read it, because reading sucks balls. It's entitled "This I Believe". Please click on the link below:

This I Believe

Chirp you later,

Betched

Scottimus Maximus

This is my first contribution to this or any blog... should be interesting.

Here are some facts to let you all get to know me a little better. I live by myself, so I've got that goin for me. I am an engineer, so my social skills are highly refined. I enjoy good beer and good food, pretending to be a rock star until I lose my voice, and driving my Dodge Stratus (her name is Betty). Let's get this show on the road.

This is what I got to do at work one day.


You know you're jealous.

Because Charlie Don't Surf Deluxe Edition









Mitt Romney Lays the Wood to Detroit




Sorry for not updating for awhile, I've had a few papers due and Gears of War 2 came out.

Heisman - Week 12



Since we are approaching the end of the season, five guys have stood out pretty much the entire year. I would say any of the five guys below have a chance to win the Heisman, but no one else really does. That’s why I’m trimming my list to five for the remainder of the season.

1) Graham Harrell (previously #1) – QB Texas Tech (Season: 4,077 yds, 36 TD, 5 INT, 6 rush TD)
Off last week, but this is the biggest game of the year for Harrell and Texas Tech against Oklahoma.
Next: at Oklahoma

2) Colt McCoy (2) – QB Texas (Season: 3,134 yds, 30 TD, 7 INT, 527 rush yds, 8 rush TD)
255 yds, 2 TD, 78 rush yds and 1 rush TD against Kansas. McCoy continues to keep Texas in the national championship picture, and he keeps himself in the Heisman race.
Next: vs. Texas A&M

3) Sam Bradford (3) – QB Oklahoma (Season: 3,406 yds, 38 TD, 6 INT, 1 rush TD)
Off last week, Bradford has a chance to move up the list with a good performance against Texas Tech.
Next: vs. Texas Tech

4) Tim Tebow (4) – QB Florida (Season: 1,913 yds, 19 TD, 2 INT, 393 rush yds, 11 TD)
173 yds, 2 TD, 39 rush yds, 1 rush TD against South Carolina. At this rate, Florida is probably going to play for the national championship, so Tebow remains in contention.
Next: vs. Citadel

5) Michael Crabtree (5) – WR Texas Tech (Season 78 receptions, 1,010 yds, 18 TD)
Off last week, Crabtree is clearly the best receiver in the country and the only non-quarterback who has a chance to win the Heisman.
Next: at Oklahoma

Monday, November 17, 2008

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Week 11 Picks


Heisman - Week 10


1) Graham Harrell (2) – QB Texas Tech (Season: 3,621 yds, 30 TD, 5 INT, 6 rush TD)
474 yds and 2 TD against #1 Texas. Last week’s performance gives Harrell the top spot this week, but the schedule is tough from here on out for Texas Tech. They finish the season with Oklahoma St, Oklahoma, Baylor and maybe the Big 12 championship game.
Next: vs. Oklahoma St.

2) Colt McCoy (previously #1) – QB Texas (Season: 2,579 yds, 23 TD, 5 INT, 428 rush yds, 7 rush TD)
294 yds, 2 TD and 1 INT against Texas Tech. The rough part of the schedule is over for Texas, but losing to the guy one spot below you is never a good idea in a close Heisman race.
Next: vs. Baylor

3) Sam Bradford (3) – QB Oklahoma (Season: 3,086 yds, 34 TD, 6 INT, 1 rush TD)
311 yds and 5 TD against Nebraska. I’m beginning to think whoever emerges as the Big 12 champion will be the Heisman winner among Harrell, McCoy and Bradford.
Next: at Texas A&M

4) Tim Tebow (HM) – QB Florida (Season: 1,569 yds, 14 TD, 2 INT, 266 rush yds, 8 TD)
5 total TD at Georgia puts Tebow right back in the hunt. Tebow doesn’t have the numbers of the Big 12 quarterbacks ahead of him, but if Florida wins out and has a chance to play for the title, the award could have its first repeat winner since Archie Griffin.
Next: at Vanderbilt

5) Michael Crabtree (HM) – WR Texas Tech (Season 70 receptions, 921 yds, 15 TD)
10 catches for 127 yds and a TD against Texas. Crabtree probably has the biggest play of the year at this point in the season, and now he’s in the top five.
Next: vs. Oklahoma St.

Honorable Mention:
Chase Daniel (4) – QB Missouri (Season: 2,675 YDS, 23 TD, 6 INT, 146 rush yds, 1 rush TD)
318 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT in Missouri’s win at Baylor. Beating Baylor by 3 points is never a good thing, but Daniel keeps putting up numbers. The problem is the guys ahead of him are doing much more.
Next: vs. Kansas St.

Javon Ringer (5) – RB Michigan St (Season: 1,427 yds, 18 TD, 130 rec yds)
54 yds and 2 TD against Wisconsin. Ringer needs to put up huge numbers the rest of the way to have a chance at the award.
Next: vs. Purdue

Dez Bryant (Unranked) – WR Oklahoma St (Season: 60 catches, 1,054 yds, 15 TD)
10 catches for 171 yards and 4 TD against Iowa St.
Next: at Texas Tech

Jeremy Maclin (HM) – WR Missouri (Season: 63 receptions, 831 yds, 7 rec TD, 1 rush TD, 1 return TD)
5 catches for 31 yards at Baylor.
Next: vs. Kansas St.

Daryl Clark (HM) – QB PSU (Season: 1,652 yds, 11 TD, 2 INT, 190 rush yds, 8 rush TD)
Off last week.
Next: at Iowa

Dropped out:
David Johnson – QB Tulsa (Season: 2,661 yds, 32 TD, 9 INT, 3 rush TD)
322 yds, a TD and an INT in Tulsa’s loss to Arkansas.
Next: at Houston

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Why I voted for John McCain and why I won't be upset if he loses




First let me start off by saying that during the primary season, which seems like forever ago, I supported Ron Paul. While Ron Paul did manage to gather some attention and a decent amount of votes he ended up falling short.

I had always liked and admired John McCain. Most Republicans lost favor with him because of stance on illegal immigration but since I agreed with him my opinion did not change. However, as the primary season began to roll on I was afraid that McCain was going to jump on the party bandwagon right along with the Giuliani’s, Thompson’s, and Huckabee’s. It was in the summer when I told my father and a friend that I was going to vote for Obama as a punishment to the Republican party. However, that all changed September 4th, 2008.

Standing in front of thousands of supporters and millions watching on television, John McCain told me that the Republican party had failed me. The party became power hungry and had abused it. He told me, “we let you down.” I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. John McCain was ripping into his own party at the keynote speech of its national convention. It was that day that I realized he was not falling in line with party policy and thinking.

I also spent the last few weeks looking at issues and stances that I care about and the following are why I voted for John McCain.

Education
John McCain supports competition among public schools and keeping teachers accountable. To this day the teaching profession is probably the only job without any consequences for poor results. Allowing children the option to attend different public schools or use vouchers for private schools will only create better opportunities for a child’s education. We have competition in every other aspect of life so why should education be any different?

Health care
While I am not extremely fond of McCain’s plan I think it is much better than Obama’s alternative. Every Western country that has adopted socialized medicine has seen their overall health care quality drop and also seen their advanced health care’s quality drop, IE surgeon quality/cancer treatment. One of the reasons America has the top surgeons and doctor’s is the competition among hospitals and care centers.

Foreign Policy
John McCain is a veteran and has served in the senate for 22 years. Barack Obama has served in the Senate for 3 years and was doing cocaine at the age McCain was serving his country. It is my opinion that past judgment is the best predictor of future judgment. Obama’s only senate votes were to stop funding the troops and voting against the “surge.” Unfortunately for Obama those votes, along with hundreds of present votes, are all I have to look at. Now I’m not saying Obama has bad judgment, but rather that my view of his judgment is simply incomplete, mainly due to his age.

The following were the most important issues to me.

Abortion
It is my opinion that as a society we should do all we can to promote and encourage life. Last year in America over 1.3 million abortions were performed and of those 98% were done so for social reasons. 1.3 million. I am not going to go into why I believe abortion is wrong I do feel that abortion will become our current generations black mark, ala slavery, women’s rights, internment camps, red scare.

Taxes/Economy
The top 1% of tax payers are paying for 40% of our federal income taxes, where as the bottom 50% are paying 3%. Under Barack Obama’s tax plan, this top 1% will have their taxes raised while others will see their taxes lowered and in some cases actually receive a tax limit up to $1,000. I would have no problem with Obama raising taxes on one part of society but it’s when he lowers taxes for some at the same time do I have a huge problem. This is tantamount to bribery but instead of the person offering the bribe paying, the briber makes someone else pay it.

American corporations are paying the second highest corporate tax rate in the world. John McCain thinks this is too high and Barack Obama doesn’t think its high enough. I simply can not support a candidate that believes in “trickle up economics”. Never in the history of economics has it worked and I have no reason to believe it will.


In conclusion, unlike past elections where I found myself disliking the opposing candidate that does not ring true here. I think that Barack Obama is an extremely intelligent person with altruistic motives to do what’s best for America. I think his ability to inspire people is truly remarkable and that he has come this far is incredible. The pride and jubilation from African Americans in newspapers editorials and TV interviews is something that I will never be able to understand no matter how many text books I read or museums I visit. However his candidacy is the sign that our country has truly come a long way in a very short amount of time.

While electing Barack Obama President will not be the end of race problems in the United States it will mark the day when every child in this country can truly grow up and be anything they want to be, including President of the United States.

Monday, November 3, 2008