My New Friend on the Strip
November 19, 2009 by The Vegas Tourist
One of the fun things about the being on the Strip is that you just never know what you are going to see or meet.
In this case, it was a very large and somewhat photogenic lizard. He was photogenic until I stepped up to get a picture. Then he wanted to just go play on the ground.
The Vegas Tourist would like you to meet Mr Vegas, the iguana… Or something like that. I am sure Sazzy will correct me if I got the breed wrong. The owner told me what exactly he was and I do know it is part of the iguana family and Mr Vegas is about 7 years old.
In between the smut peddlers and the toothless guys hustling nightclub passes between the Paris and Planet Ho, you will find him and his handler, posing for pictures. Just step up and ask. Both are very friendly and happy to meet new tourists…. He does this in hopes that you will tip him for the honor of the picture. (that was a courtesy hint folks : Don’t forget to tip the talent… OK??)
I am not sure if one has anything to do with the other… But that area is like a gauntlet made up of porn peddlers… Except around the iguana. not a one to be found. Did he keep the porn peddlers at bay? If that’s the case, I say we arm every tourist on the Strip with one and let them walk…
Monday with Frank
November 16, 2009 by The Vegas Tourist
My Monday Morning?? Not your typical Monday morning. Nope, I spent mine with a mobster. Not just any mobster, but our favorite one, Frank Cullotta.
Frank was in town to do a little business and he invited me to tag along as he did a radio interview on the ever-popular Heidi Harris morning talk show. Ok, I asked to be his shadow as I have never met Heidi and thought it would be interesting. It was…
A quick background. Nevada Senator Harry Reid is running for reelection. Harry is running a series of heart touching ads touting his roots. They are about a man who came from extreme poverty to become the hard working, respectable man that he is today. Yea, ok…
Some of these ads claim that in his early days as a lawyer and Gaming Control Board member, the mob tried to take him out by rigging a car bomb to the family station wagon. A wire was discovered that went from the distributor to the gas tank. Yea, a wire… how professional…
Heidi is catching flack because she doesn’t remember this “murder attempt” on Harry’s life. Even though she has lived here all her life, this bit of earth shattering news escaped her some how. So today she got to ask the one man who would know for sure if the mob ever tried to take ol’ Harry out.
Frank’s answer: “If we had done the job, he’d be gone.” You gotta love a man who has a way with words. Short, sweet and so full of truth you could feel it in the air.
Frank did go on to explain that the mob had no beef with Harry Reid. That the wire was found on the family car, not his personal vehicle. The mob never targets the family, they’re innocent!
Ok, nice to know that….
The Lesson of the Day:
One thing Heidi did learn from the interview with Frank Cullotta: If you think you are a target for a mob hit… Start your car with the driver’s door open. That way when the bomb goes off, the blast should send you out of the car!
