Gamblin' Ramblin$

Follow the Leader

Here's a first for me. I'm the Demo Leader for the Blue-tip, Blue, and Purple Belts at the next belt-testing the occurs in mid-May. While it's quite an honor, I have no idea what I'm going to do. Fortunately I have a co-leader who will be taking care of the music.

I have a few ideas, it just depends on how many people will be participating. Maybe I'll get Mary Beth to shoot the action with her new camera.

New chips for Gold Spike

New Release

Gold Spike New Rack Chips $5, $25, and $100
03-25-04

What do the Gold Spike and Plaza have in common? They are both properties of Barrick Gaming Corporation. Check the writing on the outer portion of the inlays of both sets of chips. Actually I think it makes the chips look better. Anyway it seems that new rack chips are in the works, let's see what other BGC outfits(if any) retool their offerings.

Once again, a common theme throughout the set, but with less contrast in the inlays. This could cause some mixups during busy times on the tables. I don't know if this design will last. They're not bad looking chips just not practical.

Plaza's goin' old school

New Release

Plaza New Rack Chips $1, $5, $25, and $100
03-25-04

Wow, look at these new chips! I love the style and inlays. All the chips share the same artwork (except the $1, the image wasn't available from Pete when I made this post so I'm assuming) while the coloring is different. The $5 is red, the $100 is black. If Derby chips weren't just around the corner, I would have to snap up one of these.

And the rich get richer...

Station acquiring locals casinos in Henderson
Liz Benston
benston@lasvegassun.com

Station Casinos Inc. announced an agreement Friday to buy two small casinos in Henderson, a deal that gives the company six locals casinos in the region.

What I really, really want

This is a gorgeous chip that I don't have...yet!

It's the Asian Moon Festival $5 from the Stateline Casino in Wendover. Isn't it awesome? I nominated this chip for Chip of the Year for 2002 and while it made the finals, it did not win. I'll bet if it was from Vegas it would have won...hummph!!

Anyway, this chip has eluded me for about a year and just recently one was upon eBay, but I was outbid (sniped) and was unable to get it. I will remain ever vigilant.

Sorry for the scan, I obtained it from Reno Casino Chips.com. The chip is much nicer than the pic.

Going the way of the Beanie

Lots of stuff in the news.

Apparently there are some new regulations concerning the issue of Limited Edition chips. I'll post more as I find out. The Four Queens has discontinued its LE program. That's huge as it produced a bunch of chips. It seems the Gaming Commission is requiring that at least half of all LE's be released to the tables instead of simply having an event to release the chips to collectors. I see the biggest problems at the Hard Rock and Palms.

Hey, chips were meant to be played right?

I'm on vacation this week so that means I'll scan some recent acquisitions...really!!! Trust me! I've got Cal Neva's and Golden Nugget's and lots more to do.

How about that pic of me and Conor throwing side-kicks? Cool huh?

I'm too old for this...

I'm wiped out! Tonight was supposed to be sparring night but we ended up doing a bunch a targeting practice, which is just as good but even more strenuous. I arrived about 15 minutes early for my class and Grandmaster had me join the ongoing class and they were sparring. I had to take it easy as I had no pads on but it was cool. I fought a couple of new people so I just circled them a bit and shot long range kicks at them to keep them at bay so I didn't need to go to fists. That worked well.

Ok, I got the cool pics that Conor and I had made, and Grandmaster had me show them to everyone at class (that was embarassing!). I'll scan one and post it but in the meantime I have a shot taken during our exhibition demo. I'm in the center and we've just "defeated" the "bad guys" and we're keeping them down. That was so much fun! The pic is a bit dark but it came out all right.

March Madness

New Release

Rio $5 March Madness Shoot Out
03-17-04
Limited to 500

It's Game Time and the Rio (and Harrah's) have released their tourney chips. A pretty simple design and as usual the artwork is the same for the two casinos. Looks like they are the only ones with March Madness chips too. Maybe the other casinos are simply raking in more money on bets.

Ramble On

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!

I mean c'mon...I've got the Stairway to Heaven studio sessions on vinyl stashed away in a closet.




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Happiness is a full Mailbox

A good chip day, eh?

Indeed, a day with chips in the mail is a good day! March 22nd arrivals included:

The $5, $25, and $100 Golden Nugget "owner" chip set...very nice!
The Kentucky Fried Chicken chip, also very cool...I dunno Charlie, I may have to hang on to this one!

Perhaps I'll get off my butt and scan some chips tonight after Leadership Class. I need to see what kind of pics MB got from the exhibition too! All in good time

Win some, lose some

!@#$%

I bid, and got beat out, on a $5 Stateline Asian Moon Festival 2002 chip.

I don't have pic of it but it is/was a beautiful chip and a finalist for Chip of the Year for 2002. Maybe I'll get another shot at one in the future.

A long but fun day

Saturday was our Exhibition at Bellarmine College. There were over 10 different teams competing for a coveted trophy and a $500 prize. After all of teams had finished, the winner was announced...

The HMA II Adult Leadership Team!!!!

WooHoo!!!

That was quite cool as there were some awesome teams, especially the Valor Tradional School and HMA Paducah. I'm not sure how these are judged but I can only assume that we won because we were right on with our music, there was constant action, and we told a story.

The other teams did sophisticated breaking routines but their demos did not "flow" and if you're going to add breaks to a routine, you have to nail them. There were a few misses and that may have cost them.

We, of course, donated the $500 to the Crusade for Children. We raised over $10,000 for the Crusade this year, what a wonderful cause!

Then there was the "after demo" party...yeah baby!

There were 3 escorts this time and we diligently performed our task until about 8:30. We joined the rest of the partiers and wha a great time we had! At first we were greeted at the door by a string trio, but that gave way to the live DJ. Keep in mind we were at a house for the party, not just any house but a house in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Louisville. My house could fit in the garage of this place!

Anyway, we enjoyed sushi, roast pig (165lbs worth!), lots of veggies and beer...lots of beer! Mark and Alex kept everybody's cups full, a difficult job.

Grandmaster was his usual self, pulling people to the dance floor and making sure that everyone participated and had a good time. I was selected to escort him and his wife and the rest his guests to their car, that was an honor.

We got everyone out by about midnight and cleaned up. Not much damage considering the number of people and the equipment. I'm a bit worn out and I have to help with a birthday party today...I need a nap!

Oh well, we did beat Kentucky

College basketball season is over for me...*sigh*

A fitting end for such a strong finish to the regular season. Where in hell was Garcia in the 2nd half? C'mon Rick...that's 2 years in a row that your (our) team had World Beater status in Nov, Dec, and Jan...but whoa!!! Here comes February...we forgot how to play. Ok, I'll give you guys a break with the injuries and illnesses, but once you were to full strength...nothing but a fraction of the team I watched early in the year. And then that awesome meltdown against Xavier tonight. You were up 14 points! You got blown out in the last 15 minutes!

BTW...I've been a Cards fan for over 20 years...through thick and thin, so I've earned the right to bitch.

We'll be back...right now it just hurts.

Good luck Luke, you define the word warrior.

73 years ago today

A big day for casino chip collectors!

Today is the Anniversary of the Legalization of Gambling in Nevada in 1931.

Woohoo!

Someone send me a chip to celebrate!

Down but not out

Still feeling rotten, but it's running its course quicker. I guess that quitting smoking is paying off in more ways, eh? I'm waiting on a few chips to arrive, the Golden Nugget set and a nifty...yes I said nifty...Kentucky Fried Chicken promotional chip. I picked that one up for Charlie as he is into promo and unidentified chips. I'll scan'em when I get'em!!