Hi, Gang. 

I started a new blog on Las Vegas Weekly.com. It's called Cleverboy, and you can read it by clicking RIGHT HERE, or HERE, if you would prefer. The choice is yours and yours alone. 

-Ricky

I spend a lot of my time in bookstore cafes, and over the past few years, I've noticed that the most frequent topic of conversation is Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). I think the topic is fascinating....but for a different reason than everybody else: I think it's fascinating because for the life of me I can't figure out whether NLP is bogus or not. 

I suspect that it's rooted in truths and that the claims are exaggerated after that. But here's my big question: if NLP supposedly gives you such advantages in life (i.e., the ability to control people's thoughts and decisions), then why are so many people NLP proponents I meet aimless, directionless, unemployed "businessmen"/"entrepreneurs"?

NOTES FROM MY WYNN STAYCATION

3:30PM: As I type this, I’m wearing a bathrobe, which, according to its label, was designed specifically for the guests of Wynn Las Vegas. Behind me is a flat-screen TV showing a montage of nature photographs and playing “Clair de Lune.” I’m 52 stories up, and I’m peering over the top of my laptop at the Wynn golf course. Intellectually, I knew the course was big, but didn’t really understand how big it was until this moment. It’s huge.

2:OOAM: I’m sitting in the parasol Up bar. I’m drinking a “Pear-A-Sol,” a cocktail that combines Absolut Pear Vodka with pear liqueur and pear puree. I really like pears, so the drink works for me. Now I’m drinking an Acai & Kiwi Smash (kiwi vodka, acai liqueur, agave nectar). And now I’m doing a shot of tequila, Granny Sour Apple Schnapps, and Goldschlager. And now I’m doing a shot of Grand Marnier 150 Year Anniversary.

If you want to read about the rest of my calorie-packed staycation, you can do so by clicking HERE.

I have no clue why I waited so long to get Netflix. Worst mistake of my life—waiting so long. I’ve already watched movies about extraterrestrial ghettos, Japanese schoolchildren killing competitions, and tiger thefts…and I’m still on my free trial membership. Life changing.

When I told the worker at Blockbuster that I just got Netflix he admitted to me that he got Netflix too. 

This is a photo of the lobby of Aria on opening night, right after they let the public in. Before they did, they had a private opening gala. You can read my notes from the Aria opening gala by clicking HERE.

I haven't been kicked out of a club...yet. But I've seen it happen a lot of times. Sometimes I agree with the kick out, other times I don't. I wrote a story about the 'real' reason people get kicked out of clubs, and you can read it by clicking HERE.

PS, thanks to my fantastic friend Sheena for posing for the picture!

I went Hanukkah shopping at CRYSTALS MALL in CITYCENTER last week. Didn't find much within my price range, but I did find a $440 paperclip. I mean, technically it was a paperclip shaped money clip...but doesn't that just make it a paperclip? The mall was very pretty, though, and the space was unlike anything I've ever seen. Kinda reminded me of an MC Escher picture. Anyway, you can read my REVIEW OF CRYSTALS MALL by clicking RIGHT HERE. 

Alright, kids, the time is here. Aria opens tonight. My roommate is working the opening gala as a model/hostess, and I'll be covering the event for Las Vegas Weekly.

In other news, I'm finishing up the third draft of my deception book, and working on a bunch more stories for LVW, and I've got a lot of friends and family visiting in Dec/Jan, and also I'm putting the finishing touches on this perpetual motion machine...so...yeah...this'll be a busy couple weeks.

PS, just did a google image search of ARIA and the first ten images to come up were of some porn star named ARIA.  I have a feeling the page rankings will change in the next few days... 

I just don't get it. Why do some companies purposely misspell their own names? Will somebody with Kraft or Tastee Freez please explain to me how the misspelling increases business? 

Last week I saw the live Glenn Beck movie. Cost me twenty freakin' dollars! Anyway, here's my review:

One ticket for the live Glenn Beck movie,” I said.

“Twenty dollars,” the girl behind the glass replied.

“One ticket,” I repeated, thinking the girl must have misheard me.

“Twenty dollars is how much one ticket costs,” she said.

I frowned, gave her my credit card, walked into the Regal Village Square multiplex, found theater No. 9 and took a seat next to a married couple named Chris and Christina. They told me that they watch The Glenn Beck Program, that they read Beck’s book Common Sense and that they “went through parts of” Beck’s latest book, Arguing with Idiots.

“Did you guys know tickets were going to be 20 bucks?” I asked.

Chris said he didn’t, and then he frowned, too.

I met a second married couple, Art and Debbie, who told me that they also watch Beck’s show. Every single day.

“I like that he encourages people to do outside research into what’s really going on in the world,” Debbie said. “I like that he teaches people how they can protect their liberties and freedoms.”

“So where do you, personally, go to do your outside research?” I asked

“Random Internet sites,” she replied, demurring and adding, “I should probably do more…”

Fifteen minutes before showtime, with the theater lights still on, Beck appeared on screen and welcomed everybody to the show via pre-taped message. He was sitting before a bookshelf filled with books, and every last one of ’em was The Christmas Sweater, by Glenn Beck.

Cut to a shot of a theater stage on which a choir of children sang Christmas songs. Maybe two of the 20 kids were white. Contrast that with the people at Regal Village Square; everybody sitting in the theater was white.

(You can read the rest of the story by clicking HERE or at LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM).