"Say it ain't So-sa". What a great headline about Sammy's recent problems about using a corked bat. I think it's kind of funny that millions of people are talking about using a corked bat when they couldn't hit a fast pitch if their life depended on it. All of his other bats were x-rayed and nothing was found. But they find cork in his batting practice bat and everyone thinks it's a scandal. What a joke. Personally, I think that if they were to xray some of his accuser's heads they would also find cork.

Vegas was great. I saw four shows in three days; George Carlin, Jeff Foxworthy, and "Legends in Concert" which had impersonators of Richie Valens, Tom Jones, Janet Jackson, the Temptations, Cher, and Elvis. I was only about eight feet from the mike, so I had a great view of everything. Elvis was particularly realistic and Janet Jackson danced as well or better than the real thing. I also saw a vaudeville type show called "Bottoms Up" at the Flamingo which was hilarious. I spent a lot of time walking between the various casinos which are incredible. Most of them have large shopping malls based upon some theme. For example, the Alladin is based on an Arabian marketplace with jugglers, belly dancers, etc. They even have the sky painted overhead so it seems like you're walking outside. Thunder and lightning occasionally light up the sky. Caesar's Palace went so far as to recreate the Colliseum for some of it's shows, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, and New York, New York has the Statue of Liberty and part of the New York skyline. I didn't make to the Luxor, but it has a pyramid and a Sphinx out front and Mandalay Bay recreated a beach with a huge wave pool in the back.
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I didn't win any money, but I came close to a Royal Flush while playing video poker which would have paid $4,000. I had the ten, Jack, King and Ace of spades on the deal. Unfortunately, I drew the Queen of diamonds instead of the Queen of spades. Oh, well. Maybe next time.
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The temperature was 109 degrees one day. It didn't feel as bad as it sounds, though. It really is a dry heat, which makes it more bearable than a lot of summer days in Chicago or St. Louis when the humidity is high. Even so, I wouldn't want to be stuck in the desert for long without a lot of water.