Arguably the biggest and best dive bar in Vegas is also known as the Happiest Place on Earth, though the kind of entertainment it offers is vastly different than the ol mouse ears!
From the minute you enter the Double Down Saloon you know youre not going to be getting anything froofy. But then what else would you expect from a bar that created the bacon martini and Ass Juice? You only live once, right?
They serve everyone: bums, punks, hipsters, bohemians, rockabilly greasers and regular joes. The atmosphere is, well, dont step foot in the door if youre OCD about cleanliness. The grime and filth are probably authentic but thats okay, its one of the very few spots on the Strip that just doesnt take itself that seriously!
The walls are covered with psychedelic paintings, posters, old and new fliers, stickers, and who knows what else, and the TV screens on the walls show a constant stream of the truly bizarre - from wrestling to old music videos to stuff you dont talk about in polite company.
The music is constant, whether its coming from a live band or the thumping jukebox. Need to use the restroom? Youll do well to remember that patience is a virtue. The bartenders, however, are attentive and fast with the drinks.
The Double Down is open 24 hours a day and has no cover charge. Drink prices are reasonable - $2 for cheap beer, $5 for a bacon martini shot. Go with a designated driver or expect a wait for a cab willing to venture over to pick you up.

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Sometimes when you're playing in a casino, things happen that force you to decide whether or not you want to become a poker or a casino cheat. By that I mean mistakes are often made by dealers or other casino personnel in your favor, mainly that you are paid more money than you should have been on any given bet or circumstance. If you accept the unintentional "favor" and don't say anything, does this make you a cheat...or a "passive cheat" to say the least? In my opinion it does not, as most ordinary people out having a good time in casinos would probably just keep the extra payout and say nothing. After all, no one is getting hurt, especially the casino. What do you think?

I came across an interesting survey in the Chicago Herald about this question. Here it follows:

Every once in a while at the casino, the dealer, or the cashier, or another player will do you a little "favor." Sometimes another customer will receive one of these favors while you look on. There's only one little hitch with all of these "favors" however. They were mistakes - and weren't supposed to happen!

Back on July 25, I asked you, the reader whether you'd accept any or all of these mistakes/favors if they were to happen to you. This is how you replied.

Favor #1: You got paid on a blackjack loser.

Consensus: Keep the money. Over 80 percent of the readers said they would keep a mistaken payoff on their losing blackjack hand. Their reasons were that since the house has a built-in advantage anyway, it's OK to accept a financial favor that results from the casino not doing its job correctly. Very few felt obliged to return the casino's chips and their own to the dealer.

One contrarian however, stated that there are many legal advantages obtainable at blackjack, so why go outside the rules to accept one? Another said it was his goal to "beat 'em" - not "cheat 'em" and would return the money.

Favor #2: Dealer forgot to pick up your losing craps prop.

Consensus: Let it ride. Here too, most readers said they would happily accept a free second chance at winning their craps proposition bet, such as on the "hard 8." The same general sentiments applied as with the blackjack hand above, but there were a few dissenters.

One reader cited how some craps dealers attentively coach the players on how to bet appropriate amounts so as to receive maximum odds on their wagers. This reader felt allowing a proposition loser to remain in action would constitute "stepping over the line."

Favor #3: You found a $100 chip beneath a high roller's feet.

Consensus: Split decision. This seemed to be the stickiest scenario of all. Some said if it looked as if the chip belonged to that player, they would simply point it out to him. Others felt was a simple "finder's/keepers" situation. Still others said they would get security involved and let them decide.

Favor #4: You saw a player receive more chips than his buy-in.

Consensus: Unanimously, "Not my business." Everyone said it is the casino's responsibility to count up the buy-in accurately and give the correct number of chips to a new player.

Some even emphasized that they would remain silent to avoid the possibility of a confrontation with the customer who was buying in.

Favor #5: The wrong poker hand was awarded the pot at your table.

Consensus: Split decision. I was surprised at how many readers said they would sit by and allow the pot to be pushed to a player holding the losing poker hand. Only about half said they would stop the dealer and point out the correct winning hand.

The official rule by the way, is that once the cards are shown down, any player at the table has the full right to point out the winning hand.

Also, the house bears no financial responsibility in this matter, and once the cards are mucked (tossed into the discards), the transaction is an officially done deal.

Favor #6: Cashier at the cage gave you $100 too much.

Consensus: Split decision. About 60 percent of the readers said they would return the overpayment at the cashier's cage for various reasons. Some felt the till would come up short and that cashier might either be docked or fired.

Others simply felt bound by their honor not to accept an overpayment in cash for their chips.

The other side reasoned that the casinos get way too much of the customers' money anyway, and any "refund" the players can get should happily be kept.

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You can save up to $325 when you use priceline.com's Vacation Package service to book your hotel and flight together. The savings figure is based on an internal study comparing the price for travel for two passengers of booking a flight and hotel together using priceline.com's Vacation Packages to booking the same hotel and similar flight itinerary (same travel dates and origin and destination cities) separately on priceline.com. The Vacation Package price yielded a savings of up to $325 over the separate prices of the same hotel and similar flight itinerary. Vacation Package prices shown are per-person based on double occupancy, include round-trip airfare and hotel, and all taxes and fees. Vacation Package prices shown are based on availability over the last 21 days. There is no guarantee that Vacation Package hotels or prices will be available. Requests for same-day travel must be submitted prior to 12:00 PM local time in your departure city. See website for additional details.

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Manila. Maynila. Metro Manila. I experimented the name whimsically several times to myself to get familiar to the phonetic resonance of this far-off place that had captured my imagination for quite some time. Doing Manila had been on my to-do-list ever since the aquamarine waters and emerald islands had caught my imagination in the travel magazine sitting patiently on my bureau. Time was passing by and I had to live my turquoise dream.
The nila in Manila is actually Sanskrit for blue and perhaps the indigo business of yore has something to do with it, I guess. With my itinerary set it was a comforting thought that I would generally be around the Roxas Boulevard that overlooks Manila Bay, close to the districts of Ermita and Malate. The International Airport just thirty minutes away from my hotel, sounded good to me, just as much as the fact that English is the lingua franca! I had bookings and other reservations done through Downtown Manila hotel site to make sure I would be on familiar ground. Even so I memorized the phrase - Hain iton or where is, always to be rewarded by a friendly finger pointing in the right direction.
The City of Manila is the chief seaport in Philippines and the Port of Manila is an important base in South East Asia. Metropolitan Manila is located on Manila Bay in the South China Sea with the Pasig River flowing through it. Manila is as modern as any contemporary city with a past that has a unique history - three centuries of Spanish rule thats evident to this day! The main roads of the Metro are organized around a set of radial and circumferential roads that radiate and circle in and around Manila proper. Roxas Boulevard, the best known street here lines the southern shores of Manila with Manila Bay.
Theres nothing quite like watching the sky turn from blue to orange to pink to purple, with the sea reflecting all the hues, that I get to see from my hotel room. A stroll down the bay walk will have you marveling this everyday vision that people enjoy here. Manila has a cosmopolitan atmosphere and great cultural diversity. This openness is mirrored in the freedom of worship that allows the diverse population to follow their religious inclinations. And so you have Christian churches, Buddhist temples, Jewish synagogues, Hindu temples, Sikh Gurudwaras and Islamic mosques.
The city is filled with museums, shops, parks and churches, plus a nightlife that remains lively until the wee hours. I started with the popular walled area called Intramuros, that had been the capital during Spanish times. Intramuros retains some old dungeons and gunpowder rooms but has ingeniously added art galleries and theaters. This area is most magical in the afternoon light, when taking a leisurely tour on foot can be a very rewarding experience. More so, if you get aboard the old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage that appears very romantic.
As I moved about I discovered that Philippines has large unexplored destinations. It appears to be an ideal place for those wanting to avoid the mass tourism of other over-hyped resorts. Here I found unspoilt terrain lapped by the tropical waters of the warm and clear South China Sea. I was happy that I made it here before it all became maddeningly popular and crowded.
The islands are home to beautiful and undamaged coral formations with incredible marine life. The inland areas have dramatic landscapes of rainforest and mountainous regions housing rich varied wildlife. Philippines has a rich culture and the people here are very hospitable and incredibly welcoming. Although the rich poor divide is fairly obvious, even so the bustling atmosphere fascinates visitors.
There are colorful, vibrant markets, parks, bars and restaurants in Manila. While here, I  got into the habit of starting my day with Chinese breakfast consisting of congee - rice porridge soup and dimsum. Very fulfilling indeed! I was glad of the many affordable restaurants and bakeries around as also the fruit vendors offering fresh fruits. However it was the Indian strip near the Sikh temple that allowed me to sample some of the best lamb curry I had ever tasted. The savory dish had me scouring the place for the aromatic spices on sale here.
A trip to Manila is quite incomplete without visiting some of the lovely islands located near by. Boracay boasts of sparkling white beaches, and is one of the best spots for sailing, wind surfing and snorkeling. Cebu island has historic significance with Fort San Pedro and the Santo Nino Church from the 16th century, and Magellans cross standing tall in testimony to the Spanish conquest. The Mindoro Islands  with extensive sugar cane plantations and forests are noted for their white beaches and crystal clear water and multi-hued coral reefs. A popular diving spot is near Puerto Galera on the northern coast.
However for the best diving spots in the Philippines, one should head for El Nido on Palawan Island. Apart from good diving sites, a visit to the St. Paul Subterranean National Park is an amazing experience with its underground river, that is actually a long meandering network of caves. Also on my itinerary were the Chocolate Hills on Bohol Island, that got the name due to the fact that the perfectly rounded hills look like large chocolate drops in summer. Pangalo Island nearby has good resorts and beaches, while Bantayan Island with its untouched beaches is a better choice for loners.
If youve heard of the pithy saying that when life hands you lemons you learn to make lemonade, it has never been truer than in the case of Philippines. It has started a new trend – Volcano tourism. The hottest tourist destination in Luzon are the eco-tourism groups visiting the devastation around Mt Pinatubo. Actually it is the Mayon volcano thats more beautiful but it still has minor eruptions. So be warned! Yet the hiking and camping in green forests is great and there are tourist places near the volcano itself. It makes for a great story to carry back home that you actually climbed up a volcano!
Modern day Manila faithfully retains pockets of its colonial past. The rich tapestry is clearly evident through the 16th century monuments and Churches and the museums reminding you of its Spanish influences. But what really amazed me were the Jeepneys, the most popular means of public transport in the Philippines. Originally US military jeeps left over from World War II, they are now dashingly decorated to run helter skelter with overflowing passengers. They can leave you aghast but I really found them symbolic of present day Philippine culture.
Nothing is cheaper than shopping in the Divisoria Malls. Here you will find everything imaginable at incredibly low prices. Although you should be prepared for big crowds and the occasional pickpocket. Days-end are best enjoyed on the streets of Manila.  I would often hit the local streets and restaurants at Malate. For a taste of some local flavor nothing like mingling on the streets. Life is Short! Traveling, meeting people and enjoying experiences on the road enhances a trip like nothing else. Go for it – Manila gives you a splendid time – both the hustle and bustle of a city and the tranquility of the Islands. Maraming Salamat! Thank you Manila.

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Subsurface watering systems will deliver only what is needed, eliminating waste. Watering systems will never use potable water, which in our climate should only be for drinking, cooking and bathing anyway. Gray water will be processed on-site through simple filtration systems and then used for both indoor and outdoor plants. Buildings and landscapes will capture rainwater using underground cisterns, maximizing the value of every drop.
Toilets will not use any water at all since wastes will be safely processed locally in composting systems that produce clean, healthy and valuable soil nutrients. These nutrients will help build local soils, enhancing plant growth. This will come to be viewed as much more desirable than the current practice of mixing human waste with industrial toxins as we send them back into our source of clean drinking water. The toxic sludge from waste treatment plants across the country is already being used as fertilizer on industrialized food crops, though most folks are unaware of this dangerous practice. Local processing of human waste turns a liability into an asset.
Thus new communities will no longer require expensive sewer infrastructure. Pollution levels in local water supplies will plummet. These localization strategies will save money for homeowners, developers and local governments, ultimately reducing the tax burden currently needed for the expensive maintenance of centralized sanitation systems.
By reusing every gallon of water at least once and perhaps more, energy-intensive water pumping and treatment also will be greatly reduced, saving homeowners money and further reducing pollution.
Every home will become very energy efficient. Older homes will be improved through affordable energy-efficiency programs implemented by local governments. Eventually our homes will produce more power than they need and the excess will charge electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids, from bikes to full-size cars and trucks. Gasoline consumption will drop by 80 percent or more.
A smart energy grid will evolve that will function interactively, somewhat like the Internet does now. As localized efficiency improvements are implemented in business and industry, our power needs will drop enough to close the Reid Gardner coal plant in Moapa, the dirtiest in the nation, without having to build additional fossil or nuclear energy facilities. Old plants will remain online to provide the reduced amount of base load power needed until the full transformation to geothermal and other renewable sources is complete.
Every step in this journey of localization will result in protecting valuable natural resources while also reducing pollution. It will create a more resilient and self-sufficient community while improving and diversifying our economy. It also will provide incredible economic opportunities as businesses adapt to deeper shades of green.

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You know how you have good friends in your life and then you have best friends. Best friends to me are friends that you have kept in contact with most of your life, like a brother or a sister.
My friend Ben was one of those friends and we kept in contact all the time.
Ben lived in Minnesota where we knew each other the longest and I have lived in Las Vegas for 7 years now. Ben was one of these types of people that was very strong willed, nothing could bring this guy down. And he was very intelligent.
I haven't visited Minnesota now for almost 4-5 years and it seems like yesterday when I moved away from there to come to Las Vegas. The last time I had talked with Ben he was going to move out to Las Vegas with his wife Deb.
Before I went on my trip to Myanmar (Burma) in May, I kept calling Ben.use totalk about every weekend, but for some reason he wouldn't return my calls. I would leave messages all the time before my trip, I wasn't very happy about him returning my calls. Ithought maybe he was mad at me.
coming home from my visit to South East Asia, I triedcalling Ben several times and nothing. I became very angry anddeleted his phone number out of my cell phone and told myself I wouldn't call him anymore.
One weeklater Ben's wife Deb called me and told me Ben had committed suicide, she found him hanging in the garage. The phone number that I had been calling was his old cellphone number that he had canceled the service on.
Deb had told me two weeks before he passed away that he kept telling her that he was going to call me . The weekend beforeBen passed Deb told me that they were at the lake over the weekend were having a great time.Deb did not see any signs of depression, except that there bills had been piling up and they had been late on their rent. Deb also mentioned that Ben had been laid off from work for four months.
When Deb had called me I could not believe that Ben was gone. Deb mentioned to me that they were soul mates, that she didn't care if they lived in a cardboard box. Deb really loved Ben and it is so sad to have your best friend pass away without saying goodbye!
Ben was only 28 years old, he had his whole life ahead of him and he left his wife Deb, son Daughter for what?
This blog was very hard for me to post, but I am posting it to my family at the Rain.
Ben - This ones for you.

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Some travelers just can not distance itself from its technology, many will also lead the computer on vacation. And the checks are not tender, particularly in the U.S. and European airports. The procedures require removing the laptop from the care to do pass-ray. And so I discover that about one third of passengers carrying the computer and that every day lost 4,800 laptop. A beautiful figure especially considering that there are no statistics indicating how many of these are recovered.

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The song is called "Video Killed the Radio Star" and was performed by a British New Wave band called the Buggles. The song was written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley before the band was formed. However by the time the Buggles as a band came into existence, only Messr. Horn and Downes remained. Mr. Woolley was no longer with his two songwriting partners by then, having decided to pursue his own music interests.

Mr. Horn did the vocals and played bass guitar on the song while Mr. Downes played the keyboards. Two ladies, Debbie Doss and Linda Jardim, provided the backup vocals.

The song was no longer new by the time MTV made its debut in 1981. The song was originally released in October 1979 and became an immediate number one hit in the United Kingdom. Although the song got a lot of airplay and gained quite a bit of following in the United States, its sales were not strong enough to crack the Billboard Top 40.

Given the song's title, one could say that the folks at MTV were quite cocky but prescient when they decided to use it as their debut music video. At the dawn of MTV, no one could have predicted save for the visionaries at MTV that the music channel would revolutionize the music industry. It provided a new channel (no pun intended) for music artists, old and new, to be introduced to music fans.

I was already a freshman in college when I got introduced to the music videos shown on MTV. At the time, cable television was pretty much non-existent in the Philippines. People's television sets were powered by antennas then and thus, tv programming was obtained from the five Filipino TV networks that were in operation (or were allowed to operate by the Marcos Dictatorship) at the time namely, BBC 2 and RPN-9 (both stations operated by the Benedicto family), PTV-4 (operated by the government), GMA-7 (owned by Menardo Gimenez), and IBC-13 (also government-operated).

There were hour-long television shows then that featured the latest MTV videos. It was through those music video shows where I first saw new and rising recording stars such as Madonna, Duran Duran, Boy George and the Culture Club, Tears For Fears, and Wham among many others. Unfortunately, my memory is failing me at the moment for I can't recall what those shows were. Sigh. Can anybody recall what they were?

As a group, the Buggles were a one hit wonder. However, members of the band, specifically Mr. Horn, found success afterwards as a record producer for acts such as Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Lisa Stansfield, Yes, China Crisis, LeAnn Rimes, and Seal. Mr. Horn was also a co-writer of Seal's hit "Kiss By A Rose".

Let me leave you then with the lyrics of the song that helped usher in a music channel that forever changed the music industry.

I heard you on the wireless back in Fifty Two
Lying awake intent at tuning in on you.
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through.
Oh-a oh

They took the credit for your second symphony.
Rewritten by machine and new technology,
and now I understand the problems you can see.

Oh-a oh
I met your children
Oh-a oh
What did you tell them?

Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Pictures came and broke your heart.

Oh-a-a-a oh

And now we meet in an abandoned studio.
We hear the playback and it seems so long ago.
And you remember the jingles used to go.

Oh-a oh
You were the first one.
Oh-a oh
You were the last one.

Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone to far
Oh-a-aho oh,
Oh-a-aho oh

Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.

In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone to far.
Pictures came and broke your heart, put the blame on VTR.

You are a radio star.
You are a radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.

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Anthony Graziano, associate managing director of Integra Realty Resources, wrote an article recently for CIRE Magazine titled Making Sense of the Market: Investors who know where to look can find opportunities. In it, Graziano reviews the current market and how experts and investors alike are feeling about this year's commercial real estate prospects. A survey of industry experts and analysts point to four current trends that are affecting lenders, investors, brokers, and owners in the commercial sector: general economic malaise, investors wait-and-see attitude, lack of available capital, and buyer-seller price disconnect.
The current climate does not point to long-term fundamental value declines because the analysis of supply and demand indicates balance in most markets and sectors, observes Graziano. So the situation represents good investment opportunities in 2008 and 2009 for those investors who arent waiting for the pack to tell them where to look.

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Betsey Johnson Flash Heels in red are not those shoes. Covered in a pattern of white polka-dots on blazing pink these shoes set out from the start to attract as much attention as possible. The uppers are fabric over a backing of pink leather so they should be durable and have a smooth feel against your feet. The front is an open crossover design with a peep toe and the full ankle strap has an adjustable buckle for a custom fit. The insole is covered in a colorful floral-patterned fabric and the outsole is purple leather with a silver bow tie on the bottom of the arch. The front platform is ½ inch thick and has a bit of a curve to make walking easier while the wide heel is a full 4 ½ inches long.

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Walmarts new slogan starting in 2007
I think thats the position that Walmart is in.
Walmart is a unique company in that its both loved and hated by a lot of people, yet the reason its loved and hated is usually a contradiction - some people only do their shopping at Walmart, due to its low prices and high selection, some people refuse to shop at Walmart because they feel Walmart doesnt treat their employees fairly, and that WalMart does more harm to the economy than helps it - via running mom and pop shops out of town, to forcing major manufacturers to lower prices, forcing them to lower wages or look for alternative means for produce the goods. And some people dislike Walmart, yet shop there anyway because there is no other choice where the live! (Anyone remember back in the late 80s early 90s when Walmart was all about Made In America? You cannot find one single solitary sign in Walmart anymore about Made In America That should tell you something)
What I think is the ultimate contradiction of Walmart are the stores located in the rural areas of America. Since Walmart offers products so inexpensively, they have forced a lot of the mom and pop, smaller chain stores and out of business. But what happens to the residents worked at those mom and pop stores? Now their only option is to work at Walmart - the place that caused them to lose their job. Only there are two problems.. #1 Walmart doesnt need that many employees, and #2 Walmart pays less than their former job, and offers less benefits.
So tell me - who wins? Walmart does more harm than good in that case - and its something thats been repeated throughout America.
Walmart is currently on the cusp of still being thought of as a cheap place to shop, cheap meaning the quality is poor, and the service is poorer so in order for them to take the next step in their growth - they need to get rid of that stigma, to reach new, higher wealth customers.
The first way to do that is to make the brand more inviting, by making an individuals first interaction make everyone feel warm and comfy inside. There is no scientific method as to how this is achieved, its simply a a lot of feedback, alterations and a lot of back and forth. Which font is used, what color is used, will there be a graphic, will it offend people, will it remind people of either another brand, or symbol? Theres a lot too it.
I know my question about the new logo is what exactly is that on the right? Supposedly its a sunburst, but why? Why add a symbol that really doesnt have anything to do with what your company is or does.

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Question: For those who dont already know you, give us a quick summary of your broadcasting career.
Answer: Well, at the moment, Im under contract with ESPN and basically I do the sport of tennis year-round, and then I call whatever major college sport is in season, such football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, softball, etc. Then I also do some work for the Tennis Channel, and that basically keeps me busy year-round.
Q: It would be a mistake to think you started at ESPN. Everyone has those steps that they take. What steps did it take to get to this point?
A: Im a play-by-play guy, and basically a major network doesnt want their play-by-play guy until theyre between 35 and 40 years old. If you watch a major sporting event, youll see that the play-by-play guy is usually an older gentleman or woman in the booth. You cant just come out of college and go to work as a play-by-play guy at a network. What I did was I got a job in the insurance industry working for a company that insured auto dealerships all over the country, which allowed me to have flexibility, and I started calling sports however I could. I did a lot of work in the south at UNC-Wilmington. I called all their basketball games for several years, which then led to regional coverage. Its just a snowball effect, until finally in 2004 I had a big enough resume and had made enough contacts that ESPN decided they wanted me as part of their family, so I signed a contract, left the insurance business for good and have been a fulltime ESPN commentator since 2004. If you want to be a play-by-play guy its usually a pretty long road to get to the network level.
Q: A lot of times, broadcasters are associated with one sport or another, but in your case is it fair to say youre associated with a particular network, which gives you the freedom to have a broad range of events?
A: Yeah, I like doing different sports year-round. Obviously, I do the tennis throughout the year thats just sort of been my niche but I also like doing any sport. Im the kind of guy they will call and say, Hey, heres mixed martial arts. Do you want to do it? So then I learn all about that sport and try to call it. I love the variety of calling different sports, which is why Ive been so excited to get involved in this bull riding. Its something that at the start of the year I had no idea I would be involved in. When I was asked I was like, Great, I would love to do it.
Q: How did you come to be involved with the Team Shootout?
A: Basically it sort of came together like everything else in television, it seems like its who you know. A good friend of mine was part of the company producing the events for the P
and they were looking for the announcers and I popped into his brain because I was the right look and the right style of commentator that he knew he wanted on this sport. I basically have a reputation of approaching every sport I do with a lot of passion. I love what I do and I consider it a privilege, not a right. Therefore, when Im involved in a sport, they know theyre going to get 100 percent. I think when youre involved in a sport like bull riding, typically, people who watch that sport are passionate about it too. You need your commentators to be as into it as the fans, and not just picking up a paycheck. Thats why I popped into the producers mind when it came time to pick the play-by-play guy, just because he knows Ill enjoy whatever sport Im calling.
Q: You and I spoke before about, should I call it, your and you had an interesting response which I thought was a huge compliment for the P
. Care to share those thoughts?
A: Normally when I get asked to do a sport, its a done deal. They will say we need you to call this volleyball match or we need you to call this college football game. This, however, was a different situation. What impressed me was that the P
, when selecting the announcers, wanted to approve those announcers. When this particular producer contacted me, he said I have something I want you to do, but I have to get them to sign off on it. I think youre the right guy, but ultimately its their decision. So what I had to do, basically, was submit tapes of my work in the past, and because I really enjoy bull riding and this was something I wanted to do outside of what I normally do, I wrote Randy Bernard a letter along with my tapes. I told him about me and the passion I would have for the sport and what I thought I would bring to the shows, and thankfully whatever he saw was good enough for him to give me the thumbs up.
Q: Having never announced a bull riding event, how did you go about preparing for this assignment? How much time does that take, and where do you even begin the process?
A: Fortunately, my process began at home I married a Texan. I know that bull riding is not considered rodeo at the P
level, but my wife grew up in Texas and rodeo was a team sport in her high school, so when she found out I was going to be calling bull riding she jumped right on it. She got me fired up even more and started telling me all about her experiences with bull riding growing up in Texas. So basically what I did was I just started the research process. I would contact people that I knew that were involved in the sport, every night I would just read as much as I could, I had the people that were going to be producing the events send me as many of the Versus shows as they could just so I could saturate myself with watching the sport and not only watching it but seeing how its called by other commentators. That was my process I just tried to saturate myself with bull riding for about a month until I felt like I had a good enough handle that I could go on air and sound at least like I know what Im talking about. Hopefully this is going to continue into next year and J.W. has already set me up with a couple of guys to try to go visit on their ranch at the end of the season just to be around them. Thats my next step to go to a couple of ranches and hang out with these guys and find out firsthand about the sport, not just through talking with people.
Q: Thats a great point, and one that Im sure not everyone thinks about. Not only do you have to familiarize yourself with the sport, but you also have to develop chemistry with your partner in a relatively short period of time. Talk about your working relationship with J.W. Hart.
A: I think as a play-by-play guy in any sport one thing Ive learned is that if you can go to an expert like J.W. Hart and you humble yourself before them and say, look, Ive been given this opportunity to be involved in your sport. Its a sport that I greatly admire, and one that I think I would have a lot of passion for, but I need the knowledge. I need you to tell me what not to say. I need you to tell me what to say and I need you to just educate me in the sport, and Ive never had an athlete in a particular sport be offended by that or say they dont want to take the time to do it. Most people who are at the professional level are passionate about that sport and want everyone else to be. When you humble yourself and say, look I dont know it all but I want to know it all, then a guy like J.W. Hart is going to jump in there and educate you as well as he can. J.W. in particular is great to work with because hes very laidback. He doesnt have a quick temper and hes not impatient. Hes just a dream, really, to work with, especially for someone who is trying to become an expert in a sport like the P
where your fans are I dont want to compare them to another sport, but I would say theyre probably similar to NASCAR in that the people that watch this sport have been watching it for a long time and are very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of it.
Q: Once it was time to do it for real, how did it go?
A: It went great. Fortunately I had learned enough in the time I was given before we started taping the shows that I felt like I had a command on what was going on and why it was happening. J.W. is so knowledgeable that its easy for a play-by-play guy like me to set him up, because I dont have to go into a lot of detail setting him up. I can sort of ask a leading question and then he takes it and runs with it. It worked out very well and I thought we had very good chemistry. I look forward to working with him a lot in the future.
Q: You already spoke about the passion of our fans. What do you do to win them over or to be accepted?
A: If I had the magic answer for that I think I would probably be doing something else. The important thing you do as a commentator is love what youre doing. If youre really into the sport that youre calling, your fan base that is a part of that sport is going to know that, and theyre going to pick up on that. I try to call sports and bull riding in particular with the idea that Im sitting on the couch at home with a friend, what are we talking about? Its just a couple of guys or my wife and I, what do they want to know that I can tell them? Hopefully the P
fans will see the passion I have for the sport and that my knowledge will match that.
Q: Of all the sports youve covered and all the events youve been to, its kind of ironic that you can share this experience bull riding with your wife.
A: Yeah, its been great. Its really allowed her to feel like shes not just supporting me in my career, but also helping. I really did have to lean on her with this assignment.
Q: Thanks again.
A: One thing I wanted to point out thats been so refreshing is that Ive called sports at the professional level and the collegiate level, and the thing that has sort of set the P
apart for me has been the integrity of the riders. Ive been blown away by the type of men they are. You see these guys out there riding bulls and youre thinking these guys are crazy, but when you talk to them theres a lot of substance with these guys. Theyre very full of integrity and character. Thats really impressed me because, I guess, Im used to dealing with professional athletes that are pampered and handed everything. These guys are not at the beginning stages of the sport, but I think theyre on the cutting edge of this sport going huge and it makes me very happy to see a sport with good people in it, and thats whats sort of set this sport apart is just the depth of people that are riding these bulls. Its so unique and refreshing to me that if you dont perform, if you dont win, then youre going home with an empty pocket. I mean, these guys are riding for their paychecks, and if they dont make their ride, placing in the event, then theyre not making any money. You dont find that in too many professional sports these days. Its fun for me to see a sport that still does it that way. You would think it would be a cutthroat sport its every man for himself but Ive been impressed with the fact that they have to show up and they have to perform to get paid, but at the same time theyre in the chute with each other, pulling their ropes, theyre helping each other out, and theres just a lot of old-fashioned camaraderie and character.

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Back from my latest Vegas vacation. I was there over the July 4th weekend, staying at the Mirage Hotel. I did not take any photos this time. The Mirage is currently in the process of renovating their rooms. I was in a tower deluxe room on the 26th floor. But the room had not been renovated yet. One of the secure features of the tower deluxe rooms is your room key is needed for the elevator to operate. The room was very nice, but in need of some repair and upgrade. The Mirage was trying to have all the rooms done by August. Not sure if they will make it by then.

Of course it was very hot. But that is what you expect in the middle of summer. Just stay out of the sun and it is not too bad. Cool drinks and air conditioning work quite well to make you forget the scorching heat.

This was my first time staying at the Mirage, been in the casino many times. Never had great luck at the casino, but I do like the variety of slots and many table games. Did have some good luck on this trip. The "White Lilly" and dollar version of "Deal or No Deal" were fun to play and did hit for some modest gains. Always much more enjoyable playing the slots when you get to play the bonus games. I prefer the new dollar version of "Deal or No Deal" to the penny and nickle slots. The bonus round is much more like the tv show. The "White Lilly" is a penny slot. I had good luck with frequent hits for thousands of credits and the bonus spins a few times. On one spin I hit for 32,400 credits!! That is the best one spin I have had on a penny slot!!

I also had some luck on another penny slot called " Lil Ladybug". Had some hits there for thousands of credits. But only made the bonus round once. Did well at Caesars Palace on the dollar slots and at MGM on their dollar slots. But with all this good luck I still came home a loser. But I had more than half the money I took in my pocket. Being there for six days, I think it was not too bad.

I had my usual meals at the Bellagio and Mirage buffets. My two favorite buffets. I had a few meal at the "Caribe Cafe", the Mirage 24 hour coffee shop. The food was good, I really liked the soups for a quick light meal. Service was good, never seemed too busy. A new restaurant, the "BLT Burger" at the Mirage opened July 1. Burgers, fries and shakes are the main dishes here. But I tried the chili, was very good. and the chocolate milkshake was very good. It cost about $15 for the burger, fries and drink. It was very busy at dinner and night. It was a good place and fun atmosphere for a casual meal.

With the price of gas, I think paying $6 for the airport shuttle bus is the way too go. The taxis will charge at least three times that for a strip hotel. And depending on the traffic and driver, can be more. You might take a few more minutes to arrive at your hotel, but your saving money and not wasting it as soon as you arrive.

As always, it was a fun vacation, and always ready to go back!! Good luck too everyone!!!.

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"Tropic Thunder"
Director: Ben Stiller
Fien Print Rating (Out of 100): 64
In a Nutshell: When critics are raving that "'Tropic Thunder' is the best comedy of the year!!!!" what are the really saying? Are they saying that Ben Stiller's Hollywood-action-satire is a fantastic comedy or are the complaining that the year's comedic pickings have been so slow and so unimpressive that *this* is what we've resorted to calling the year's best comedy?

If it's the latter, I can't necessarily disagree. I mean, I preferred "Pineapple Express," but that's sort of a personal preference and I'd acknowledge that I probably laughed out loud many more times at "Tropic Thunder." But, if I'm being completely honest, I've been so starved for big screen laughs that I found prolonged moments of pleasure watching the remarkable Anna Faris strut her stuff in the decidedly less-than-remarkable "The House Bunny."

But that doesn't mean that I'm not already getting the strong sense that "Tropic Thunder" is on the verge of being the most overrated, overhyped comedy in some time. But that's not a blurb they'd put on a poster.

The full review -- none of that stinkin' capsule review stuff -- is after the bump...

Click through...

Don't get me wrong. I'm not prepared to resent "Tropic Thunder" until the hype builds just a bit more. It's nice to see that more than 15 years after the premature cancellation of "The Ben Stiller Show," Ben Stiller has been able to go back to that sketch comedy well. Because "Tropic Thunder" is basically just a 100 minute version of a "Ben Stiller Show" action movie parody skit, expanded with a few fake trailers, a fake commercial and an awful lot of filler. And that filler was obviously so plentiful that the trailers and commercials are full of scenes and dialogue that aren't in the movie. "Tropic Thunder" is probably going to have a heck of a DVD.

The capable cast of stars are going through a series of bits and many of the -- heck, most of them -- are tremendously funny. The movie sets itself up perfectly with spot-on parody trailers for three movies featuring the stars of movie-within-a-movie "Tropic Thunder." Ben Stiller is the action guy, whose franchise has suffered from diminishing returns in its seventh installment. Jack Black is the low-brow comic promoting a makeup-heavy fart-driven comedy and Robert Downey Jr. is basically Russell Crowe, a temperamental Aussie Actor gunning for Oscar recognition in a movie about forbidden love.

All three actors, plus rapper-turned-actor Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and young-star-on-the-rise Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) find themselves in a tropical jungle shooting a Vietnam movie.

What kind of movie is "Tropic Thunder" (the movie within the movie)? I'm not really sure. It's based on a best-selling war memoir by a crazed no-handed veteran (Nick Nolte, flawless cast), but it's being directed by an incompetent dolt (an amusing Steve Coogan) and micromanaged by Tom Cruise's bald, fat studio chief. As director and co-writer, Ben Stiller never commits to the aspirations of the meta-"Tropic Thunder." Are they making a bad movie? Are they making a movie they know is a bad movie? Do they think they're making a good movie, but it's a bad movie? The reverse? I have no idea. Because the movie-within-a-movie lacks focus, "Tropic Thunder" begins to lack focus when the movie becomes real for the actors. Stiller and fellow screenwriters Justin Therous and Etan Cohen are so invested in mocking the generic action movie that you want the overall picture to be a bit more self-aware when it becomes a generic action movie in and of itself.

"Tropic Thunder" absolutely has Hollywood's number, capturing the superficiality of the entertainment industry and its stars, poking fun at the illusions produced by the dream factory. "Tropic Thunder" has its pulse on Hollywood in a way that few fictional productions have, assuming you somehow haven't watched "Action," "Gross Pointe," "The Larry Sanders Show," "Singing in the Rain," "Network," "My Favorite Year" or several dozen industry satires. Hollywood likes laughing at itself, seemingly content that audiences outside of New York and Los Angeles don't actually give a shit about the behind-the-scenes machinations at the sausage plant.

Because of a well-crafted trailer and a group of A-list stars, "Tropic Thunder" is likely to be more successful than many of its inside baseball predecessors. The movie's been marketed broadly, so broadly that some audiences might not even know what they're laughing at. Is it enough to find it funny that Downey is playing a character playing a black character? For some viewers, it will be. Is it enough to find it funny to watch Jack Black twitch his way through drug withdrawal? For some viewers it will be. And Ben Stiller going native? Funny. Ben Stiller playing a mentally handicapped character? Well, for some viewers, that'll just be funny all on its own. Those are the viewers, incidentally, who advocates for the mentally handicapped are concerned about.

How much to most moviegoers actually care about the hilarity of an agent freaking out that his most important contract rider wasn't being fulfilled? How many viewers will be able to spot the eight or 10 different suits/producers/agents Cruise seems to be channeling? And as smart and self-aware as it is for Downey to lecture Stiller on how if you want an Oscar, you never go "full retard," how many casual viewers will be going through their favorite disabled Oscar-winners and how many will just be giggling at the use of the word "retard"? I'm not sure.

My biggest complaint with "Tropic Thunder" -- so sue me -- is that I wanted it to actually MEAN something. I wanted it to be more than witty, glib, meta-Hollywood snarkiness. I understand that I shouldn't be in any position to question or devalue a movie for going no deeper than meta-Hollywood snarkiness. I'm supposed to love and respect snarkiness in all of its forms.

But at the end of the movie, after the giggles had passed, I stopped and wondered: What does "Tropic Thunder" actually say about Hollywood other than that movies are full of artifice and actors are ego-driven jerks (who can actually be humans if you watch them under duress for long enough)? What does it actually say about Hollywood's artifice? What does it say about the people who construct the fiction? What does it say about the audience who consumes the fiction? What does it say about war? What does it say about Hollywood's construction of war? Given that the movie-within-a-movie is basically a parody of a half-dozen war movies that were made 10 or 15 or 20 years ago, what does it say about contemporary Hollywood? It doesn't say ANYTHING.

At every point, "Tropic Thunder" settles for finding laughs on the surface and turns away from making any sort of more challenging statement.

Take the Robert Downey Jr. character. Here's a guy who's in black-face for almost the entire movie. Is it racist? Heck no, because the joke is on the character and the absurdness and the superficiality of his gesture. But is there any sort of meaningful commentary on Hollywood's overall treatment of race? For all intents and purposes, the black character Downey's character is playing is a shameful stereotype and would be whether he was played by a white guy or Denzel Washington. But Brandon T. Jackson's Alpa Chino is only upset about the black-face and not in an interesting way, just in a "You're not black" way. Downey's character and the black-face could have been a gateway for all sorts of exploration of the functioning of an industry that would rather employ an Aussie actor in black-face than a strong black man. But no. Nothing. I might, in fact, have liked a plausible explanation for why Downey's character would have wanted this role in the first place other than the opportunity to play black.

And what about Stiller's "Simple Jack." Should it be taken as an affront on the mentally challenged? Heck no. The joke is completely at the expense of a brain-dead actor who sees this sort of broad and embarrassing characterization as his path to Oscar glory. But he doesn't get his Oscar and the movie fails. His decision is mocked and negatively sanctioned at every turn and the only people who are fans of "Simple Jack" are the isolated drug cartel who don't have access to any other movies. But as apt as Downey's lengthy speech about going "full retard" may be, it's just a rehashing of a joke that award-spotters -- they're a cottage industry out here -- have been making for years. There isn't a bold statement or a perceptive commentary being made.

You know who *should* probably be offended? Asians. The film's drug pushing villains are just out-of-nowhere caricatures. I think there was a way to actually handle the characters within the realm of parody. If, for example, the adversaries were mountain men who thought for some reason that they were still at war with the United States, then you could say that they were meant to mock the way Hollywood productions have traditionally treated the Vietnamese characters in Vietnam movies. I guess we're supposed to think they're even broader versions of the sort of Asian baddies Rambo or Chuck Norris used to dispatch, but again, it's a commentary on a genre that's been out-of-fashion for 15 years.

With the main actors, there's a certain familiarity from two of the three leads, which takes away from the pleasure. While obviously Ben Stiller has probably been considered too short and too Semitic to be an action lead, but he's played the blustery Alpha Male enough times that there are few surprises to how he plays Tugg Speedman. Similarly, Jack Black does the sort of even more uncomfortably intense Chris Farley thing that he does in his less subtle roles. I happen to like Black more when he underplays, but that doesn't mean that viewers won't love his character here. In fact, viewers will probably be content with the familiarity that both Stiller and Black bring to the table.

But I almost never found myself watching Black and Stiller. Forget the silly people suggesting he might be up for an Oscar for this performance. Downey is just having a lark here, as he -- an occasionally over-mannered actor himself at times -- has to imagine the way an Australian would imagine an African-American would look and sound. There are several scenes where I swear Downey breaks character and seems to giggle at what he's getting away with, but he's so good that you can't decide if he's breaking character as Downey or as Kirk Lazarus.

The other person who will be generating buzz out of the movie is Tom Cruise, whose part will eventually become central to the ad campaign, or at least as much of the part as they can show. I've seen several of the more zealous over-praisers try claiming that Cruise is unrecognizable. That's ridiculous. You never forget you're watching the former biggest movie star in the world in a bald-cap and a fat suit. What's important for Cruise is that you forget that the media has been training you to dislike and even fear Tom Cruise in recent years. He's in on the movie's joke and his engagement is infectious. Cruise's role is being presented as a cameo, but it's a pretty full-fledged supporting role. He's a contributor.

The movie I guess I wanted "Tropic Thunder" to be is Richard Rush's
"The Stunt Man," a satire of Hollywood so bitter and black that it still feels ahead of its time. For some reason, "The Stunt Man" is a relatively lost classic, but I'd urge readers to check out the DVD. "The Stunt Man" is funny. It's inside baseball. It's got one of Peter O'Toole's very best performances. And it has a lot to say about the movies, things that are still true, things that are more current than anything in "Tropic Thunder.

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Loose Slots, Single Deck Blackjack, 100 Times Odds On Craps, 99% Payback Slot Bank, Full Pay Video Poker - If you've been visiting Las Vegas more than five years, the odds are that you saw similar advertisements and signs in various casinos on The Strip and Downtown. Then, Las Vegas got hot. Happening. The hip place to go. The Travel Channel seemed like The Las Vegas Channel because they showed so many Vegas-related programs. Any news out of Las Vegas made newspapers world-wide. This brought record numbers of new visitors to town. So many first time visitors that the casinos thought Let's tighten up the slots, remove full pay video poker, and get rid of traditional blackjack and liberal craps rules... these newbies won't know the difference. Side Note: You can still find single deck blackjack, but not usually paying the traditional 1.5 times your bet on a blackjack. Well... many of those first time visitors over the past five years were simply checking out Las Vegas like they would check out South Beach or Cabo or the Cayman Islands. They thought Vegas is nice, but really expensive and we couldn't win to save our lives and didn't come back. In the meantime, regular visitors who love Las Vegas and visited as often as time and finances would permit really got a sour taste in their month. I know... we get the feedback loud and clear here at AccessVegas.com. (Please understand we aren't owned or run by a hotel, casino, or other major media company. We had nothing to do with the changes other than reporting on them). As the old saying goes, The chickens are coming home to roost. The soft U.S. economy and high airfare have people re-thinking their Las Vegas visits. Oh sure, many would have come to the Vegas of the past come hell or high water. But not this new, expensive, harder to win Las Vegas of the present. I'm here to say: All Is Not Lost! You can visit Las Vegas and actually get even with the major powers who made the changes you didn't like. How? Simple: Stay Downtown. With minor exception, the downtown hotels are owned by smaller concerns. Not by the major casino companies that own huge properties up and down The Strip. Downtown slots are historically looser, table game minimums lower, and rules often better for the player. I.E. Your gambling money will last longer and you might actually win more.

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$1.43 million, Seven Hills Henderson Real Estate, 7,106 square feet, 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, casita, courtyard entry, full upper-length patio, theater, outdoor fireplace, gorgeous golf course and Henderson mountain views.
$1.1 million, Turnberry Place Luxury Condos, 2,805 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 18th floor condominium, granite counters, marble floor, beautiful city and Strip with Strip and city views.
$1.25 million, Quail Ridge Estates in Las Vegas, NV, 7,975 square feet, 7 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, private, manicured grounds, huge loft, large master suite, outdoor kitchen near pool.

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But we represent the market players is so great and so many manufacturers and distributors looking for new avenues of business that we increasingly find products less strange gamer who come to graze the absurd.
The market is saturated with hardware and peripherals that appeal to our side to arouse our interest and seek other distributors differentiating products ranging from neoprene gloves to hold the mouse peripherals, to soldiers in gold towards an alleged reduction latency. Undoubtedly each product, which is extreme, find their small piece of the market and we will analyse them in our position as objectively as possible.
But now we find some products that deviate from the current trend and are placed in a field as uncharted as risky. And just because we say risky appoint the terna adolescents / pills / videogames for the self-proclaimed serious means to find a good beta that explode with doses of yellow, and alarmism great unfamiliarity with the environment that have already demonstrated on countless occasions.
Just remember the controversy created with the Diazepan Metal Gear 2 and it was only then that solid snake which virtually consumed the tablets. For our part will try to be as objective as possible and establish the knowledge base necessary to address properly the arrival of these new products. Above all flee the sensationalism of some that we have seen headlines like Viagra for players or doping gamer which is exactly the approach we want to fight.
We have concluded most logical and we could have extracted from the very beginning of this interview; yields of each player in his 90%, are marked by their training. Leave extra 10% for other factors such as the hardware used, the configuration of the game and, most importantly, motivation. The best player is one who has the best means (and here we include the mouse, keyboard, headphones and micro, a good graphics card and a large monitor), which is motivated to win and, above all, that knows the game to perfection.
Thus, advise the consumption of such products. We do so based on three arguments. The chemistry comes into play.
1. There is no product that best express our performance in the games. Yes there are those that increase the speed of our body, we take away the dream, we excite, but none to ensure more The chemistry comes into play
2. The improvement in the game depends on many parameters and left in a place virtually testimonial which could make a better assimilation of vitamins, some more dilated capillaries, increased more muscle or any of the supposed advantages of these products . If someone wants to improve in a game, that play, that goal hours. Thus did notice a real progression in their performance remains for us the only way to become a better player. The chemistry comes into play
3. Lastly and perhaps most important, as players understand that having that extra edge does take pills which may lose much of its meaning to the game itself. Playing is a way to have fun, an activity that either individual or community must help us to enjoy, for having a good time. Playing supposed to win and lose. That is its essence, is Play Pills to play is to be a cheater?
Chris Jensen is a contributing author of Jetfly Blog. For more related articles and views visit Jetfly Video Gamer Blog now.

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You can save up to $325 when you use priceline.com's Vacation Package service to book your hotel and flight together. The savings figure is based on an internal study comparing the price for travel for two passengers of booking a flight and hotel together using priceline.com's Vacation Packages to booking the same hotel and similar flight itinerary (same travel dates and origin and destination cities) separately on priceline.com. The Vacation Package price yielded a savings of up to $325 over the separate prices of the same hotel and similar flight itinerary. Vacation Package prices shown are per-person based on double occupancy, include round-trip airfare and hotel, and all taxes and fees. Vacation Package prices shown are based on availability over the last 21 days. There is no guarantee that Vacation Package hotels or prices will be available. Requests for same-day travel must be submitted prior to 12:00 PM local time in your departure city. See website for additional details.

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Hits harder with each listen...
"Hard Candy" comes alive more and more with each listen. There are so many different sounds on so many of the songs, I can't help but be more and more intrigued each time I hear them.

Despite featuring routine Neptunes' production and clichéd lyrics comparing candy to dancing/sex, "Candy Shop" is a solid, sparse dance tune; "4 Minutes" also pulls through in the end thanks to its horn sections, though it too features a setback: at times, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland's busy production practically take over the song from Madonna.

Things really start getting interesting at track 3. "Give It 2 Me" is a fantastic celebration of not only dance music, but the Queen of Dance Music as well. The Neptunes' production builds gloriously throughout, and Madge is more than capably along for the ride. The same can be said for the next song, "Heartbeat." This song stands out as one of the best on the album; you can practically feel your heart banging along with the Madonna's. It's another wonderful celebration of a night out at the club.

"Miles Away" is the best Timbaland/Timberlake production here. There is such longing in the soundscapes, in Madonna's voice, in lines such as "You always love me more, miles away." This is another standout and one of the more emotional songs on the album.

The same degree of emotion is found in the next two tracks, "She's Not Me" and "Incredible." The former hits its peak at the end of the song, with a hyper, throbbing beat and Madonna's warped, resounding vocals. The latter hits its stride at the beginning, with its lighthearted production and bittersweet vocals. These are challenging tracks for their whole durations, though, with the entire musical direction of the songs changing throughout them.

"Beat Goes On" and "Dance 2Nite" are both incredibly fun and retro odes to the freedom found on the dance floor. "Beat" features a pretty good rap from Kanye West, and on "Dance," Madonna and Justin vocally meet in the middle in a much more satisfying way then they do on "4 Minutes." By hiring the new kings of hip-hop and pop, respectively, it's obvious Madge still has her killer pop instincts intact.

The album's low point is the dull "Spanish Lesson." It's a nice idea in theory to have a Latino-flavored song on one's album, but Pharrell and Madonna don't pull it off in reality. Its lyrics are pretty much nothing more than a literal Spanish lesson (like, "I say something lusty in Spanish," "Now I'll translate it for you in English"). The best part of the song is the elastic rhythms at the end, and it's telling that there are no lyrics to be found here.

"Devil Wouldn't Recognize You," is moody and clever. However, it shows obvious influences from Timberlake's/Timbaland's "Cry Me a River" and "What Goes Around...Comes Around." It's a good song, but originality is lost.

The final track here is "Voices." It is probably the most philosophical song here and would not totally be out of place on her deeper albums like "Ray of Light" or "American Life." Its tune swirls around you like voices beckoning from all sides, and it includes the provoking question "Who is the master, who is the slave?" Madonna's answer to that is found on "Hard Candy." She is a master of dance music, but she is not beneath making herself a slave to it either if her art is made better for it. Throughout her career, that philosophy has paid of in spades, and "Hard Candy" is no different. The beats didn't hit me in the gut as immediately as they did on "Confessions on the Dance Floor," and the lyrics didn't hit me in the heart like those on "Ray of Light" did. But there are still great rewards to be found here for the patient listener who can give an album, no, a work of art, time to kick off its shoes and groove for them.

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Oh my God i was so shock when i first heard the another combine Zara Phillips a Landrover, I am preety sure that an advert for Eventing will be very successful. The great Zara Phillips has teamed up with Land rover to produce an advert in support of British Eventing, as seen below. Zaras horse teaches the football playing scamp a lesson he wont forget in the ad for Landrover. Horsing Around Zara has been the face of Landrover for 2 years now doesnt have any lines in the advert. What will be the new talking. See the ad here, So exciting.

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