New Year’s Fireworks return to Las Vegas rooftops

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

The fireworks are back! The fireworks are back!

Not that they actually went anywhere, but New Year's Eve last year was decidedly unspectacular because of the decision to move the fireworks to the ground instead of their usual hotel rooftop location.

Based mostly on Monte Carlo's burning rooftop earlier in the year, extra safety precautions led switching the pyrotechnics away from the rooftops and onto the tops of parking garages -- making it difficult to see unless you were overhead.

But now they're back, with seven hotel-casino passing new safety guidelines in order to launch synched fireworks from their rooftops: Planet Hollywood, TI, The Venetian, MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, the Stratosphere, and the new Aria at CityCenter.

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Stripper mobile no longer running

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

We didn't think we'd live to see the day where a Las Vegas promotion was deemed to risque.

A couple weeks ago, a truck for the Dejà Vu gentlemen's club was refurbished to include windows on the sides, along with a pole in the middle.

The traveling vehicle would drive in traffic between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., and it contained strippers dressed in bikinis on that pole, dancing along their merry way.

We honestly can't think of a better promotion for a strip club.

It was somewhat of a safety hazard, but Dejà Vu was cleared because it acted as transportation for hire, and the women could hold onto the poles.

The stripper truck drew a lot of publicity (both good and bad) but ultimately was deemed a safety risk, not just for the women but because of passersby who may be drawn to the truck at the risk of a red light, for example.

To see a video of the truck in happier times, visit this link.

Living in Las Vegas Podcast VIRTUAL VIDEO MeetUp (Beta): Tonight at 5:30PM Pacific

“Scott, are you planning a listener meetup any time soon?  We’re going to be in Las Vegas next week, and would love to meet other listeners to your show!”

From time to time, I get an email like the one above.  Melissa and I think it’s great that listeners to the show are interested in getting together, like we’ve done in previous meetups.  And while there’s nothing like seeing folks in person, there’s still many more people who’d like to attend but are unable to because their either busy, out of town, or not Las Vegas locals.

I’ve been trying to figure out a way to create a Virtual Video Meetup—where any of our listeners could join in for free, regardless of their location, and have some fun talking among each other.

After some preliminary testing, I think I’ve created such an environment on the Living in Las Vegas Podcast website!

Announcing the LiLV LIVE VIDEO CHAT ROOM

If you look on the Home Page of the Living in Las Vegas Podcast website, you’ll see a new graphic in the right-side column.  It takes you to our brand new LiLV LIVE VIDEO CHAT Room!  In it, we all can:

1. Host an unlimited number of participants
2. See and hear up to 12 Live Video Feeds from those participating in the meetup.
3. Add content to the real-time textual chat window
4. Engage in private text-chats with any participant

In our preliminary testing, we had five video feeds running at one time.  I’d like to push that a bit farther this evening, if you’re up for it!  So tonight I’m going to run a “beta” test of our new webpage: http://www.LivingInLV.com/VideoChat

Tonight at 5:30pm Pacific, you are invited to test out our new Live Video Chat Room.  I’ll be there with a lovely beverage hoping to talk with listeners from all over the place.  If you have a camera and microphone, come join the fun.  And even if you don’t, stop by anyways.  We had fun during our testing talking with people who just used the chat window provided for all participants.

Date: Today (11/13/09)
Time: 5:30pm Pacific
Where: http://www.LivingInLV.com/VideoChat
Why? Because I’m all about the Kumbaya, my friend!

Hope to see you tonight!

WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack Folds

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

After four years of success running the world's best known poker tournaments, Jeffrey Pollack, resigned his position as Commissioner of the World Series of Poker on Thursday and will leave the Harrah's organization at the close of business today. Pollack is generally credited with taking the WSOP from the confines of Binion's in downtown Las Vegas to the Rio Resort's huge convention facilities.

Additionally, Jeffrey Pollack, negotiated lucrative sponsorship contracts with national and international corporations. He also worked closely with ESPN Sports TV to provide the world a ringside seat at the WSOP poker events and is credited with creating the 4 month break between the summer tournament and the Main Event's November final table.

Jeffrey Pollack said he has no definite plans for the future, but will pursue other interests and business opportunities. Harrah's stated they have no immediate plans to fill the Commissioner of the WSOP position.