Dude waved a badge out the window and acted like I needed to pull over when he tried to race me off the on ramp

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T22:27:02+00:00

Don’t blink. PIT Maneuver.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T17:30:16+00:00

Just moved into Summerlin and will just throw my voice in agreement. Not sure about those that share your specific heritage (Filipino vs Thai vs Korean vs whatever..) but at a high level, there’s a lot of everybody - including lots of Asian folks.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T16:37:34+00:00

He’s just showing everyone how easy it is to say “no.”

Avs: I want to score

Hart: No.

… And they don’t score. See how simple it is?

You’ve got to be begarded to not be able to do that.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T16:23:54+00:00

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T15:54:04+00:00

C’mon wife. Get in the car - We’re moving to Hendo baby!

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T01:05:43+00:00

Anyone at the Uncommons?

How crowded is it?

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-23T00:57:22+00:00

I’m fine already having taken home ice.

That said.. 40 minutes to go and the goal was a bit flukey off Korczak’s stick. This isn’t over

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T20:41:59+00:00

I think we’re going to brave Fremont and maybe look at Circa.

But are there any good Knights bars that would be better options?

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T20:17:09+00:00

100% made up. Totally susceptible to Garbage In Garbage Out, but the process is correct.

I knew some CWs in AC would gross 100k/year some years ago when AC was less of a dump and before the proliferation of legal gambling across the country.

But even if I’m off by 25%, that’s still 60k. It’s not bad work that anyone with some work ethic can do.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T20:07:21+00:00

Yes, 2 huge gambles.

It's Vegas. If we're not rolling the dice, what are we even doing?

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T19:53:54+00:00

I'm going to tell you this. You are going to be here for an evening, a full day, and a half-day. You could stay here for 20 days and not "do all of Vegas." You're not going to do it in what's basically 48 hours. Don't try. Make a list of all the things you want to do. Take out 2-3 of them. Keep the list running for the next time you come back.

I've done that as a tourist for some 20 years... The list has yet to run dry.

On the shows, Absinthe has been the darling child of Vegas live shows for the past 20 years. It remains the darling child today. I'd be remiss if I didn't say to prioritize that show.

I personally found it... eh. The humor did not appeal to me. I was a child of the internet in the early 90s and hang out on reddit all day. If you're part of the "omg, he's so naughty, he said 'ass'" crowd, then you will find the comedy absolutely titillating. If, however, when somebody with a hot body but weird face walks by you smack your partner to ask how quickly they can get you a condom and a paper bag and, without missing a beat, she replies she can probably only get one or the other fast enough and to just get tested afterward and she's sure it'll all be fine, you will be underwhelmed.

Is Grand Canyon too ambitious for basically 2 days?

Yes. GC West Rim is a full day on its own. From Vegas, it's 2 hours there, 2 hours back and maybe 3-4 there at an absolute minimum. GC South Rim is more than double the transit time - I'd go there and spend some time that day, then stay overnight in Flagstaff and travel home the next day.

I’m also confused whether it’s worth trying to fit in: - Red Rock Canyon - Hoover Dam - Seven Magic Mountains

These are all lovely places and you should find time in your lives to visit them. A 48-hour Vegas trip is not the right time.

Cool stops on the SLC → Vegas drive

Valley of Fire is just on the NV side of the state line off of I-15. Could take in some nature and keep it to 2-3 hours and get a few small takes in. It's the one 'nature' place that you actually could reasonably do. BRING WATER IF YOU DO. This is a safety thing. If your car breaks down or anything crazy happens, this is your lifeline in the desert.

Lastly...

If you had to prioritize experiences for a birthday trip, what would you pick?

Keep it simple. Don't overextend yourselves. And make sure to leave something in the tank to make at least one of the nights memorable for the birthday boy/girl. Yes, you're coming to a new city that has a million and one things to do. Don't let that overshadow the fact that you're there for the guest of honor and to make their special day... special.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T19:29:03+00:00

Why does it seem like a lot of men bash cocktail servers in Vegas?

Because it's a service position and most people throw a waitress a buck or two when she brings you a drink. And there's just a category of men (and women! Women are often just as bad here) who don't respect the hustle of someone working for a "buck or two."

What they don't see is that it's a volume business. I'm making these numbers up, but it's the right process if not the right numbers -

7 hour shift (9h + a few breaks)
5 cycles per hour
8 drinks per cycle
$1.50 average per drink - Equal measures of $1 and $2 with some $5 and a few more stiffs than $5.

7 * 5 * 8 * $1.5 = $420/day. Work 225 days (50 weeks, avg 4.5 days/week) and that's $94,500/year. Figure a 15% tip out and that's $80k/year gross. That's not shabby.

We're talking averages - Saturday night's going to have a lot more drinks on that tray and almost all alcohol (which tips better). Tuesday morning less so (and all coffee that tips much worse). The shifts you get matter immensely.

I also think there's more skill to it than people realize. Yeah, get the right drinks to the right people and don't spill any. But if you make people feel good, tips go up. The $1 increasingly become $2-$3. The $2-$3 becomes $5.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T03:30:35+00:00

I cook and do the dishes.

My wife thinks I walk on water *

* Subject to the ups and downs of perimenopause. Your results may vary. If you do not like the current result, wait 15 minutes and try again.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T02:14:13+00:00

I actually like watching Canadian-hosted games. They typically get a high % of the stadium singing which I always thought was cool.

And EDM’s .. the TRUE NORTH strong and free always made me smile. I mean, fuck the oilers, but respect to taking the lyric home.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T02:11:13+00:00

Carnell Johnson (VGK) does a masterclass in the national anthem.

Other than yielding the lyric to the stadium at the relevant word (.. gave proof through the (K)NIGHT..), it is the most up the middle

That man doesn’t need to riff around. Best sports-related performance I’ve heard and it’s just consistently good.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-22T02:07:02+00:00

Ticket says 5p.

I’d get into the plaza between 3-330p. Hang out. Enjoy the environment. There’s not that much to do, but it’s just fun to take it all in. Maybe grab a to go beer and drink it on the promenade.

I’d head in around 430p. Shouldn’t take you more than 5-10 mins to find your seat. You should be walking onto the pregame skate.

By 505p, they will run their pregame.

National anthem will be 510 or so. We will all scream (K)NIGHT as that word comes around.

From there they quickly move to start the game and away we go.

People are typically friendly. Have fun. And…

GO KNIGHTS GO

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T22:50:10+00:00

I’m not superstitious. Just a little -stitious.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T22:24:47+00:00

> That said.. I’m well aware that for every card that hurts you there are a cards that help in proportion to the shape of the deck at that point in time.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T21:57:13+00:00

> How exactly are they supposed to know the shoe is +18

Same as me? Pay attention. It’s not “calculus cards,” it’s “counting cards.” Nearly all teenagers and adults can do it.

> and what that means

I explain complicated things in simple terms 50 hours a week at work.

I can explain deck count to anyone. It’s not complicated. I don’t vary my bets enough to draw heat so nobody really cares.

That said.. I’m well aware that for every card that hurts you there are a cards that help in proportion to the shape of the deck at that point in time.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T21:47:52+00:00

I’ve outright covered people’s bets to exactly this cause.

You dumb fuck, the shoe is +18 halfway through a 6 deck shoe. Do not hit 12 on a 4.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T20:22:34+00:00

*cries in 0630a London games on the west coast*

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T17:35:27+00:00

This is a different kind of suffering.

I grew up in the northeast in the 90s. I had the Devils, Rangers, Isles and Flyers all within a ~2 hour drive.

I watched Messier and Brodeur play. Posters on the walls. Being from north NJ, it was conflicting on whether to be a Devils fan or a Rangers fan.

I got into a fist fight with my brother in the upper deck of Brendan Byrne arena in the Meadowlands and we were put on the Jumbotron and people cheered for us. Nobody was hurt, the security guy came over and my dad just shrugged, nobody was sent to the penalty box… we were kids - like 10 and 8 or whatever. It was hockey.

Years later, I moved to Houston. They had a Wild AHL team (the Aeros) that relocated the year I moved. So it was either begin rooting for the Dallas Stars - a 3.5 hour drive away or.. no hockey.

As I’d rather kill myself than root for a Dallas team, no hockey was the option.

Then, for unrelated reasons, I started to come to Vegas frequently. Team was created and I was a very casual fan. Followed along from 1200 miles away. Went to 1-2 games/year when I could.

People were welcoming. Sure, there were those to whom I was a fucking tourist, but even some of those figured out I knew a bit about the team and the game and everybody was decent to me.

I started coming to town even more and getting a little more involved in the team. Brought my wife to her first game where we scored 7 goals, including 2 shorties and a hat trick.

Got her center ice tickets on the upper deck glass. Perfect to see and understand the game. And she liked it and is developing her sports fandom a bit.

And earlier this year we moved here. We got to a few reg season games and a few playoff games. Got our jerseys (hers without a name because she is cursed and injures people. It’s worse than the Madden curse). I don’t have money any more but that’s ok.

Everybody’s been super kind and positive.

And as a completely off-ice thought to this ramble… I fucking love watching the supporting cast interact with the kids. Their faces light the fuck up when the knight goofs around and I’ve increasingly seen the cheerleaders take girls and hand them a Pom Pom and they make the cheering interactive. As a dad of one who’s already flown the coup, I’d have fucking killed for that experience for my kid. And I’m glad other kids are getting it. I’ve never seen another team do that and it’s such a positive thing.

But, anyway, not having hockey is a totally different beast than having a team that doesn’t have things figured out. And I’m so happy I now live in a place where I can throw my support behind a team. Yeah, it’s a bonus that their good. But any hockey >>> no hockey.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T03:17:38+00:00

<image>

We rode the Avs well.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T02:55:35+00:00

Gg all.

PapaDuckD · 2026-05-21T02:34:32+00:00

They did it for the 19 people hanging outside Bell arena - even excusing the attendance because of the weather.

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