Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Geo the Sarge]

Tony,

On your return make sure you look up "Frontline Medicine" on Iplayer

Stunning documentary of the military medical teams in Afghanistan

Geo

[Karabiner]

Tony, please don't think that I'm being facetious but do you have an old record collection?

I'm just curious as to what turned you on musically when you (and I) were growing up in the swinging '60's.

I was a big Beatles and Rolling Stones fan and actually had an original old Beatles album signed by the band which I sold for £250 when I was short of cash in the 1980's. It would be worth at least ten times that now.

[tikay]

Will reply to Ralphy, Glenn, & Geo tomorrow, assuming Virgin Atlantic VS044, McCarron - Gatters, arrives safe & sound.

I'm off now, to board a beautiful 747-400. Ooohhh....

[TRIP5]

Safe journey Pops!!

xx

[JaffaCake]

Yesterday was just one of those odd days. It's not often that the 2 Manchester Teams  - & Manchester teams have a lot of followers, to put it mildly - have such soft opponents on the same day.

City were playing the only other unbeaten team in the league, who are in third place in the league.....they're very, very good but I think the majority of the league would have been 'softer opponents' than Newcastle. I won't mention while Swansea are newly promoted they had conceded one goal at home all season (an own goal at that) before they rolled over 1-0 yesterday against the mighty Mancs because I don't support them! No wonder u switched sides of the counter!

[tikay]

I'm home, & return to work tomorrow, 6am sharp. Can't wait, actually. Weekly Management Meet @ 10am tomorrow, big TV Channel Review (865) Wednesday, Shows on Thursday & Saturday. Might go visit G-Luton on Friday, undecided yet, or may go to DTD & try & get a DC session in. Day off Sunday, no internet, chill day, might just go exploring somewhere interesting.

Coming up next in the next month, work-wise, some new stuff that needs a lot of prepping, SPT Newcastle, Xmas UKOPS, non-work, & a trip up to deepest Scotland, way up in the West Highlands. And Christmas........

The flight home was fine. McCarran was choc-a-bloc, there had been a big Vegas convention on for ladies from Mexico, & there were 6 chartered flights to Mexico from Terminal 2 yesterday afternoon, so the Terminal was heaving. Terminal 2, the one the Brits fly to & from, will be closing next June, so it was my last look at it. I quite liked it, small & intimate, & usually quite comfy, with a nice view of the apron. The new Terminal is going to be pretty neat, I gather.

They communicate stuff really well over there. McCarran is owned by Clark County, & is wholly self-funding & needs no Fed subsidies.

http://cms.mccarran.com/dsweb/Get/Document-300211

[tikay]

There were TWO Virgin Atlantic Flights at the Gate, one to Gatters, one to Manchester, leaving an hour apart. I never even knew Virgin flew to Vegas from Manchester. Both flights were full, so that's 900 people. Add in the BA flights (daily), & the oddbods & inbreds who do not fly direct, & the amount of people flying to Vegas from the UK is quite something, maybe half a million pa? Incredible.

The Virgin flights are excellent, reliable & timely. Just a shame that Wooly Jumper has to reduce his advertising to such a base level, though I suppose some would actually find this humorous. 

[tikay]

Tony,

On your return make sure you look up "Frontline Medicine" on Iplayer

Stunning documentary of the military medical teams in Afghanistan

Geo

I'll take a look tomorrow, Geo, today has been catch-up day.

There seems to be quite a lot of high quality BBC documentaries on the Military of late, & I've tried to catch them all - very good they are, too.

Whilst I was in Vegas, they had two "Vets Days" (as in "Veterans", not animal doctors). Not sure if we do that over here, but it seems that in the USA, a "Vet" is ANY serviceman recently retired. So there were all these American Marines wandering around the Casinos in "full dress", quite an odd juxtaposition.

The Military obsession with cleanliness & tidiness is a thing of beauty, I love to see it, with those shiny shoes & glistening brass belt buckles. All part of instilling discipline, self-esteem, & pride, I suppose, qualities which are vastly under-rated now imo. The Sandhurst documentaries showed that at it's best.

I got a phone message in my Room @ Mirage, some trilly voiced woman in a pre-recorded message, inviting me to partake in "A Walk of Thanks for the Vets".

A "Walk of Thanks"? Seemed a bit cringeworthy in a way, but I went & watched it, & the pride the Americans have in their Servicemen & Women is quite something. Does that level of pride & gratitude towards the Services exist in the UK, do you think?

[Geo the Sarge]

Need to think of a worthy response, gimme a few minutes

Geo

[tikay]

Yesterday was just one of those odd days. It's not often that the 2 Manchester Teams  - & Manchester teams have a lot of followers, to put it mildly - have such soft opponents on the same day.

City were playing the only other unbeaten team in the league, who are in third place in the league.....they're very, very good but I think the majority of the league would have been 'softer opponents' than Newcastle. I won't mention while Swansea are newly promoted they had conceded one goal at home all season (an own goal at that) before they rolled over 1-0 yesterday against the mighty Mancs because I don't support them! No wonder u switched sides of the counter!

I'm surprised you fell for my little bit of ground bait, Jeff.

I don't really do football debates, it's so tough to debate with one-eyed fans, but I really felt that was a banker, & that the Mags bubble was way overdue to burst. Whoops, there goes some more ground bait......

I'm really fascinated by how fickle footie fans are though, & Newcastle is a classic example. Last season, Messrs Ashley & Pardew were almost universally mocked, this Season they are (to many, though not all, in fairness) Gods. Gotta love football fans & short memories.

A Premiership club only has to lose 2 on the bounce, & the fans & Media are all "the Manager is under pressure". A month ago, it was "Wenger OUT", now he's a legend again.

Imagine yourself in Ashley's shoes. Invested all that cash, & then being ridiculed by people who have invested nothing, but believe they have the right to abuse him. If I had made that investment, I know what I'd tell those fans. It'd be, I think, the Rob Yong approach.

I actually love the Premiership, what a product, though I can think of several improvements to make it even better. Arbitary timekeeping by Officials for one, how daft is that? The NFL style clock works so much better. And Video technology for iffy situations, makes no sense not to have it, even Tennis has it.

I think the enjoyment I get from the Premiership is helped because I don't particularly "support" any Team, & as I don't bet, I don't see the game through my pocket, either. I can derive enjoyment from pretty much any result, in fact. Sad to see Chelsea struggle so yesterday, but thrilled for Dalglish. Did not wish to see either Wigan or Blackburn lose, Premiership life is such as struggle for both, so pleased with the draw. Good to see Arsenal's string of results continue, but sad for newbies Norwich, etc.

I do like to see the smaller Teams - Wigan, Swansea, Norwich, Blackburn, Newcastle, make a decent fist of it.......

PS - I assume you'll play most of the GUKPT Fessie @ The Vic? Good luck if you do. I may even donate a night or two, in the Omahas, if the diary permits.

[pokerfan]

Tony,

On your return make sure you look up "Frontline Medicine" on Iplayer

Stunning documentary of the military medical teams in Afghanistan

Geo

I'll take a look tomorrow, Geo, today has been catch-up day.

There seems to be quite a lot of high quality BBC documentaries on the Military of late, & I've tried to catch them all - very good they are, too.

Whilst I was in Vegas, they had two "Vets Days" (as in "Veterans", not animal doctors). Not sure if we do that over here, but it seems that in the USA, a "Vet" is ANY serviceman recently retired. So there were all these American Marines wandering around the Casinos in "full dress", quite an odd juxtaposition.

The Military obsession with cleanliness & tidiness is a thing of beauty, I love to see it, with those shiny shoes & glistening brass belt buckles. All part of instilling discipline, self-esteem, & pride, I suppose, qualities which are vastly under-rated now imo. The Sandhurst documentaries showed that at it's best.

I got a phone message in my Room @ Mirage, some trilly voiced woman in a pre-recorded message, inviting me to partake in "A Walk of Thanks for the Vets".

A "Walk of Thanks"? Seemed a bit cringeworthy in a way, but I went & watched it, & the pride the Americans have in their Servicemen & Women is quite something. Does that level of pride & gratitude towards the Services exist in the UK, do you think?

Deep down yes i think it does, the US are just more public with it. The people and visitors of Wooton Bassett for the repatriations is a fine example.

[tikay]

Tony,

On your return make sure you look up "Frontline Medicine" on Iplayer

Stunning documentary of the military medical teams in Afghanistan

Geo

I'll take a look tomorrow, Geo, today has been catch-up day.

There seems to be quite a lot of high quality BBC documentaries on the Military of late, & I've tried to catch them all - very good they are, too.

Whilst I was in Vegas, they had two "Vets Days" (as in "Veterans", not animal doctors). Not sure if we do that over here, but it seems that in the USA, a "Vet" is ANY serviceman recently retired. So there were all these American Marines wandering around the Casinos in "full dress", quite an odd juxtaposition.

The Military obsession with cleanliness & tidiness is a thing of beauty, I love to see it, with those shiny shoes & glistening brass belt buckles. All part of instilling discipline, self-esteem, & pride, I suppose, qualities which are vastly under-rated now imo. The Sandhurst documentaries showed that at it's best.

I got a phone message in my Room @ Mirage, some trilly voiced woman in a pre-recorded message, inviting me to partake in "A Walk of Thanks for the Vets".

A "Walk of Thanks"? Seemed a bit cringeworthy in a way, but I went & watched it, & the pride the Americans have in their Servicemen & Women is quite something. Does that level of pride & gratitude towards the Services exist in the UK, do you think?

Deep down yes i think it does, the US are just more public with it. The people and visitors of Wooton Bassett for the repatriations is a fine example.

Or as it is now named, "Royal Wooton Bassett"! Bet the cartographers loved that!

[nirvana]

Tony,

On your return make sure you look up "Frontline Medicine" on Iplayer

Stunning documentary of the military medical teams in Afghanistan

Geo

I'll take a look tomorrow, Geo, today has been catch-up day.

There seems to be quite a lot of high quality BBC documentaries on the Military of late, & I've tried to catch them all - very good they are, too.

Whilst I was in Vegas, they had two "Vets Days" (as in "Veterans", not animal doctors). Not sure if we do that over here, but it seems that in the USA, a "Vet" is ANY serviceman recently retired. So there were all these American Marines wandering around the Casinos in "full dress", quite an odd juxtaposition.

The Military obsession with cleanliness & tidiness is a thing of beauty, I love to see it, with those shiny shoes & glistening brass belt buckles. All part of instilling discipline, self-esteem, & pride, I suppose, qualities which are vastly under-rated now imo. The Sandhurst documentaries showed that at it's best.

I got a phone message in my Room @ Mirage, some trilly voiced woman in a pre-recorded message, inviting me to partake in "A Walk of Thanks for the Vets".

A "Walk of Thanks"? Seemed a bit cringeworthy in a way, but I went & watched it, & the pride the Americans have in their Servicemen & Women is quite something. Does that level of pride & gratitude towards the Services exist in the UK, do you think?

Deep down yes i think it does, the US are just more public with it. The people and visitors of Wooton Bassett for the repatriations is a fine example.

TBH, whilst that was all very moving - I lived in Lyneham for a few years into my teens. The squaddies from camp were not exactly revered in the Bassett pubs

[Geo the Sarge]

Tony,

On your return make sure you look up "Frontline Medicine" on Iplayer

Stunning documentary of the military medical teams in Afghanistan

Geo

I'll take a look tomorrow, Geo, today has been catch-up day.

There seems to be quite a lot of high quality BBC documentaries on the Military of late, & I've tried to catch them all - very good they are, too.

Whilst I was in Vegas, they had two "Vets Days" (as in "Veterans", not animal doctors). Not sure if we do that over here, but it seems that in the USA, a "Vet" is ANY serviceman recently retired. So there were all these American Marines wandering around the Casinos in "full dress", quite an odd juxtaposition.

The Military obsession with cleanliness & tidiness is a thing of beauty, I love to see it, with those shiny shoes & glistening brass belt buckles. All part of instilling discipline, self-esteem, & pride, I suppose, qualities which are vastly under-rated now imo. The Sandhurst documentaries showed that at it's best.

I got a phone message in my Room @ Mirage, some trilly voiced woman in a pre-recorded message, inviting me to partake in "A Walk of Thanks for the Vets".

A "Walk of Thanks"? Seemed a bit cringeworthy in a way, but I went & watched it, & the pride the Americans have in their Servicemen & Women is quite something. Does that level of pride & gratitude towards the Services exist in the UK, do you think?

Over the last few years it has improved greatly. The great media resources now available has brought the real horrors of conflict into our living rooms including soldiers on the front line with headcams and as you mentioned there has been a stream of really good programmes recently based on our servicemen.

It hasn't always been like that though. There have been many posts throughout the forum regards discrimination and in years gone by our forces suffered greatly, at times even in their own home towns.

I seen and suffered discrimination towards soldiers and their families during my time. Kids picked on at local schools, not allowed into certain bars (even in Edinburgh where I was born and bred.) Higher Insurance, not being entertained for "normal" mortgages  Wives finding it difficult to be employed etc etc.

3 years ago they initiated Armed Forces Day each year now in June and a different city is chosen to host the main gathering and events. This year was Edinburgh and I proudly took my place with other veterans on the march down the Royal Mile.

Geo

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Tony, please don't think that I'm being facetious but do you have an old record collection?

I'm just curious as to what turned you on musically when you (and I) were growing up in the swinging '60's.

I was a big Beatles and Rolling Stones fan and actually had an original old Beatles album signed by the band which I sold for £250 when I was short of cash in the 1980's. It would be worth at least ten times that now.

Wonderful question, Ralph, & I don't have time to do it justice tonight, I have a streaming cold, + a bad chest (Vegas air-con.....) & I need to get to bed.

I actually mused it for most of the flight home, & intend to reply, I regret to say, at some length......music formed such a big part of my growing up, really, & I lived in the perfect age to experience the changes in how we, the pubic, are able to access music. From Doris Day, to Rihanna, via Pirate Radio & trannys to i-tunes. What a journey, what a change!

Part of my plesure from the holiday was having the luxury of enough time to get the Diary back up & running, which I have been struggling with because of my job. An hour a day would do, & I hope I can keep the discipline now, & find the time.

Been really pleased, & grateful, at the wide array of rare visitors & Posters to the Diary the last few weeks, many thanks to all of them.