2008 December

With O.J. now in prison, it’s safe for Britney Spears to do her first tour in five years.

Her Circus album (which we quite like and is a fitting comeback for her) takes to the streets with a 27-city U.S. tour beginning March 3.

She will appear in Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden arena on April 25.

Tickets are $55 through $275 and go on sale tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster as well as the MGM Grand box office.

Here’s a sample of what you can expect.

She appeared on her 27th birthday this week (Dec. 2) on “Good Morning America” performing live “Womanizer” and
“Circus”.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Presiding Judge Jackie Glass brought down the legal curtain on the criminal affairs of former football great OJ Simpson shortly before noon today. Up to 33 years in prison. Showing little emotion Simpson had a look of “I should have known…” as the long sentence was handed down. If Simpson loses his appeals and does the maximum time he’ll be over 90 years old when he gets out of jail. He must serve 9 years before he is eligible for parole.

Barring any unforeseen man-made miracles, Simpson will likely spend Christmas behind bars after he was immediately removed for incarceration at the NDOC High Desert Prison facility north of Las Vegas. He left in waist chains and cuffs. Co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart received a sentence of up to 27 years and must serve 7.5 years before he is eligible for parole.

Posted by flipchipro at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

O.J. Simpson is scheduled to be sentenced today for a variety of charges related to a host of felony convictions. The crimes took place in September, 2007 at the Palace Station Casino and Hotel when OJ and a group of men rushed a guest room filled with sports memorabilia and some rather questionable sport’s memorabilia dealers with a stash of Simpson collectables from his football days of glory. Simpson was arrested a few days later.

Simpson claimed it had been stolen from his kids and he was there to reclaim the stuff. He also brought along a few friends to help carry it from the hotel. Most of the friends took a deal to avoid jail time in exchange for speaking for the prosecution. One friend did not take a plea deal, Clarence “C.J.” Stewart. He will also be sentenced today.

The sentences can range from a low of 3 years to a maximum of life. Whatever the outcome, short of dismissal, expect an appeal from the defense table along with a request of release during the appeal process. Judge Jackie Glass is considered to have an astute sense of the big picture. You would not use the word “lenient” when describing her typical judgments; and lastly, she is considered to be very fair judge. Court begins at 12 PM ET and should be over in two hours.

More posts published during the trial:

Trial Day 1

More Trial News

Trial Day 2

Goes to Jury

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There are free drinks, and then there are free drinks.

Las Vegas is known as the free drink capitol of the world, but usually you need to be gambling or at least be good at flirting to get the free drinks.

Then there are happy hours, where a bar offers free drinks between certain hours.

Now on Dec. 17 between 7 and 9 p.m., there’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which will go completely open bar.

Yep, all the bars within the casino will be handing out free drinks to celebrate the holiday season.

This includes the Center Bar, AGO, Wasted Space, the bar in Pink Taco, and even the bar in the Poker Lounge.

And no gambling necessary.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We thought it strange that the presumably sold-out fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquaio could not only still have tickets available, but those tickets are half-price.

Maybe the economy is curtailing boxing fans from shelling out $1,500 per ticket (the coveted blue tickets, which are also still available).

The fight takes place Saturday, Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. (with main event at 6 p.m.) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Tickets can be purchased at Goldstar:

Blue section: $750 + $50 fee (regularly $1,500)
Pink section: $500 + $50 fee (regularly $1,000)
Green section: $375 + $35 fee (regularly $750)
Orange section: $250 + $25 fee (regularly $500)

Note that tickets will not be available at the box office but through Nevada Tickets, 5030 Paradise Road #B108. So you’d make your purchase, then head to Nevada Tickets on Saturday beginning at noon.

Incidentally, tickets are still available ringside for $20,000. Those aren’t discounted.

Nevada Tickets is also selling tickets to a closed-circuit live telecast of the fight, with prices ranging from $95 to $149.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This isn’t your daddy’s bus. Now through the weekend you can take a ride on the monster school bus. It’s a $300K jacked-up customized 1956 Chevolet out of Torrance, California. Even those kids that hate to get on the yellow buses will like this one, especially considering it doesn’t stop at any schools.

A five dollar bill will get a ticket to ride. 100% of the profits will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, a most deserving organization that is hard at work searching for a cure to this insidious disease.

Pack up the kids and head to the Home Depot parking lot at the corner of Charleston and Lamb on the east side of town for a truly unique experience and it’s only $5.

Posted by flipchipro at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Daredevil Robbie Knievel will soon jump a volcano.

A Las Vegas volcano, that is.

Knievel will take to his motorcycle on New Year’s Eve and attempt to jump over the new volcano at the Mirage (the new volcano will begin erupting again on Dec. 8).

The stunt will be broadcast live on FOX.

On New Year’s Eve 1967, Knievel’s father Evil Knievel had his famous but unsuccessful jump over the water fountain at Caesars Palace.

In 1989, Robbie Knievel later accomplished what his dad couldn’t do.

The jump attempt over the “erupting” Mirage volcano will be at 6 p.m., enough time to move aside for hundreds of thousands of revelers expected on the Strip for Las Vegas’ biggest night of fireworks.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the next 10 days, get ready for boot-stompin’ and 40-gallon hats, because the rodeo’s in town!

Las Vegas celebrates the beginning of the 50th annual National Finals Rodeo today, which like other years, continues for 10 days of competition amongst riders.

Roping, bull riding, bareback, steer wrestling… all will vie for over $5.5 million in prizes.

Many of the tickets have already been sold out, but you can go to select casinos such as Mirage to watch live simulcasts for free.

Along with the live feed (get it, feed?) at Mirage, they will also host live entertainment for free:

Dec. 4, Amanda Henkel and Cody McCarver
Dec. 5-6, Derry Perry
Dec. 7-10, Jason Meadows
Dec. 11, Susie Dobbs
Dec. 12-13, Katie Armiger

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 22nd Annual Downtown Hoedown begins tonight!

Stop by Fremont Street Experience starting at 6 p.m. and running through 11 p.m. for the official kickoff party for the National Finals Rodeo.

Free musical entertainment includes:

1st Street Stage
Lady Antebellum, 6-8 p.m.
Heidi Newfield, 9-11 p.m.

3rd Street Stage
The Road Hammers, 6-8 p.m.
Mark Chesnutt, 9-11 p.m.

Don’t forget to wear your boots!

For more information, call (702) 678-5600.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Next Tuesday, Dec. 9, Mayor Oscar Goodman will flip the switch to light up the Las Vegas Christmas tree.

The 50-foot tree will be in the Fremont Street Experience, beneath 12 million lights from the Viva Vision screen.

The free ceremony takes place at 6 p.m., and will follow at 6:30 p.m. with a performance by the Holiday Lights ice skating on the 1st Street Stage.

Holiday Lights on Ice will perform Dec. 9 through 20 at 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hash House a Go Go (6800 W. Sahara), our favorite place to stuff ourselves silly, has a special 25 percent off deal in the form of gift cards.

Purchase $100 in Hash House gift cards and receive a $25 gift card for free.

Then you can turn around and use the whole $125 on a giant meal.

The offer is good through Dec. 31.

Hash House a Go Go also has their restaurant available for any holiday parties you may hold, between 12 and 45 people.

Special menus begin at $7.95 per person.

And best yet, they’ll do all the clean up.

For more information, call (702) 804-4646.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Having grown up in the high country I remember Thanksgivings spent with family gathered around the fireplace watching the Dallas Cowboys and wondering how long it would snow. After relocating to Las Vegas the snowy cold turkey days are nothing more than a memory. Now we sit on the patio watching the Dallas Cowboys and wondering if a long sleeve shirt would be too warm. Until this year.

Admittedly, the temperatures weren’t very cold but the low clouds, misty rain and fog swirling around the great resorts on the Las Vegas strip provided a rare photo opp. Fog in most other places usually comes in shades of gray; but not Las Vegas. No Sir. Our fog comes in living color — MGM Grand green, Flamingo pink, IP blue, Venetian gold, Ceasars Palace ivory and the coppery hues of Encore/Wynn Las Vegas.

Flipchip’s Thanksgiving HDR photos were all taken on Thanksgiving eve from a point on the west side of the Las Vegas strip. Click anywhere on a photo for a large high quality image. Visit our HDR Gallery for more Las Vegas HDR photos.