Past Movie Scratches: Guardians-- Strange-- Casino-- Con-- Halloween-- Halloween

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2020

121.  GUARDIANS OF THE UNIVERSE--  9-23--   "I am Groot."  Do you suppose Groot can replace Chief Wahoo in Cleveland?

122.  DR. STRANGE--  9-25--  All those alternate lives and universes.  Talk about your kaleidoscopes.

123.  CASINO--  9-26--  Living the high life in Vegas.

124.  AIR CON--  9-28--  Messing up Las Vegas.  All he wanted to do was to go home to his daughter.

125.  HALLOWEEN--  10-1--  This will always be the Wendy movie for me.  Warning.  Do not sit next to her in a scary movie.  

126.  HALLOWEEN 4--  10-1--    Who would you rather guard?  Hannibal Lechter or Michael Myers?

--RoadDog

THINGS YOU' LIKE TO SAY:  I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.

Past Movie Scratches: Vacation-- Animal-- Amigos-- Caddyshack-- Vegas-- Nerds

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies seen on TV in 2018.

The numbers after the title are the date I saw these movies on TV or VCR.

73.  VACATION--  11-5--  The Griswolds overcome everything that can go wrong on a family vacation.

74.  ANIMAL HOUSE--  11-5--  "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"  Classic line from my all-time favorite movie.

75.  THE THREE AMIGOS--  11-6--   Movies get real.  Talk about three guys without a clue.

76.  CADDYSHACK--  11-6--  It's Bill Murray vs. that Groundhog.  Who wins?

77.  VEGAS VACATION-- 11-6--   Poor Clark can't win.  Rusty can't lose and Ellen gets a boyfriend.

78.  REVENGE OF THE NERDS--  11-6--  It's kind of another A"Animal House."  Nerd power!!

These Are Some of the Funniest Movies Ever Made.  --RoadHaHa

DID YOU KNOW:  "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt."

Navigating a Buffet

From June 28, 2013, Yahoo! by Shawn Smilie, executive chef of buffet at Aria in Las Vegas. What you should do at one of those buffets:

** Scope it out, especially new ones to you.

** Don't pile plate too high, take smaller amounts.

** As you go back for seconds, your body is digesting round one.

** Buffets put the cheaper, more filling foods at the beginning of the line.

** The healthier, more expensive foods are at the end.

** He hates people who take a whole portion and just take one bite out of it. (Me too.)

** Eat the foods that you eat at home.

**  Don't eat everything at the dessert buffet.

Essentially My Ideas As Well. --RoadDog

Winter Arrived Yesterday, Time to Fire Up the Snowblower

We started getting snow flakes about 10:45 after rain. Lots of wind and cold. Standing out at the Veterans Day ceremony at the Fox Lake train station wasn't much fun. Went to some downtown stores afterwards to warm up and dry off.

Decided to go to see the new movie "Last Vegas" which was one of the funniest I've ever seen. Leave to some old farts to show Vegas how to have some fun. By the time I got out, I had to clear off the truck windows. Driving home was not great with all the ice still on the windows. Fortunately, it didn't stick on the pavement, but we ended up with close to two inches on the ground and nature did her "painting" on the trees and bushes.

I guess later today I'm going to have to fire up the old snowblower and hopefully it will work.

Always Hate to See Winter's Arrival. --RoadDog

For Buddy Coz Out in Vegas-- Casino Tricks

My buddy Coz is out in Las Vegas right now and evidently behaving himself as there have been no calls to collect money.

Back on Feb. 8, 2010, List Universe had their list of Ten Tricks Casinios Use On You. Again,they have more info, I just list them.

10. No clocks
9. No windows
8. Mucho lights, sounds and activity (owners love it when people ar the craps table get to yelling)

7. Ambience
6. Bathrooms, cashiers and restaurants located way in back so you have to pass all those temptations.

5. Nearly winning. Smaller payouts tempt folks to gamble more
4. Freebies and cheap stuff
3. Alcohol

2. Keep big-rollers happy

1. Labyrunth design with giant mazes.

Coz Won Locally Before He Went. Wonder How Much He'll Have When He Returns? --RoadDog


QUESTIONABLE HEADLINE-- Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide. (Didn't they just say that?)

Las Vegas= Too Expensive For Me

Back in the 80s and early 90s, Liz and I used to go out to Vegas at least once a year, and sometimes twice. But, that was in the good old days of cheap rooms and food. There were even some casinos on the strip that weren't catering to the wealthy.

But those days are gone. The last time we were there, back in 2006 on our way back home from our Route 66 end-to-end trip, there were only one of our favorite gambling spots left on the Strip, Slots o' Fun.

They still had the cheap jumbo dogs and Corona and Heineken, now $1.50, up from 75 cents. Even the old Vegas standby, the 99 cent shrimp cocktail was present, although now at $1.50.

What brings this up is that I had an e-mail from Priceline today advertising really cheap rooms at some of the Hotels. These were all from prices: Flamingo $67, Bally's $80, Imperial $60, Golden Nugget $74, Caesar's $121, and Rio$110. The newest place, and I forgot to write down the name, started at $199.

Where are these people getting all the money? Must be stockholders and brokers.

Now, I have to admit, I'm going out there with some old teaching buddies for nine days in February, but we'll be staying with a friend and going on side trips, but even then...

Come on Vegas, Cater to Those of Us Who Aren't Super Loaded. --RoadDog

Bunch of OLD Teachers Get Together Last Friday

I meet Kip for breakfast on most Fridays. He was at Magee a year before I got there in 1973, after having taught a couple years in Minnesota. He taught wood shop for many years, until the district dropped the program and he was transferred over to the high school where he taught a REAL subject, social studies, until he retired about four years ago.

We've remained good friends though and continue meeting at Dino's in Fox Lake (near me) and the Triangle Restaurant in Grayslake (near him). It's good to keep up with old colleagues.

He had a surprise for me when I showed up at the Triangle last Friday. An old buddy of mine from the high school, John, was in from Nevada where he has been living for seven years after his retirement. He says he can't believe how fast the area where he now lives is building up. His subdivision in Henderson was way out in the sticks when he moved there, but Las Vegas has grown out to it and past it.

They need teachers very badly and often try to get him back into the profession. But he has resisted. Why work when you can collect 75% of your pay? AND, do exactly what you want to be doing.

Then, Paul dropped by from Kenosha. He has been retired for three years and lives in Kenosha, Wi, about 40 miles away.

Everyone agrees that retirement time really goes by fast and that you just don't get as much accomplished as you thought you would. There's that, "I'll do it tomorrow mentality." I know I have barely scratched the surface of what I wanted to do this past year.

We had a great time talking about the old days and have a tentative plans to get-together out in Las Vegas in early December.

Kip and I usually get to breakfast at 8:30 and leave by 10. I had planned to do some shopping at nearby Gurnee Mills since I was in the area. We ended up staying until noon.

Here's to Good Times, Here's to Good Friends. --RoadDog