THE MORMON MUSEUM, LAS VEGAS

Here a photo of a re-enactment where Confederate meets a Union soldier. All in fun.

Women played their part. In fact we all costumed up and learned much about the Civil War period as it affected the Mormons at this museum.

Frontier women were very feminine, but able and ready to protect themselves in a clinch.

Jim, with his New England accent could only play the part of  a Yank.

Most people visit Las Vegas to gamble. The one-armed bandit was present at this museum.

And, neon signs? An R about seven feet tall.

And this wagon and livery stables? Amazing.  Right in the middle of the city. People who visit Las Vegas don’t see it in the colorful brochures that abound. This picture is worth clicking to enlarge for detail.  We were there in 2010. A great shift from all the glitz. I believe the re-enactors volunteer on Saturdays if memory serves. Great fun!

Still no fix on my Picasa photo uploader. Its time to get working on my taxes, anyway.

DISCOVERIES ALONG THE WAY

Travel is a varied and unpredictable activity.    Normally, when I return to Murphys, I blog whatever I’m doing on the way home. I stopped in Las Vegas to visit my son and daughter and their families, took pictures and tried to blog from their computers as I’ve done before. Nope! Not this time. I’ve discovered that the new electronics security measures refused me admittance to my own email and blog even though I have the  passwords. This time security wanted the type of internet service I pay for, (POP account)  and the ISP numbers to go with it. Wha?  Is anybody likely to carry around POP account ISP numbers when they travel?  No!  When I was in Thailand, I was able to get my mail, but not from a private computer in Las Vegas?  Annoying.

I arrive home and my home computer claims it doesn’t recognize me. It puts me through the identification process as well, but, at least I didn’t have to provide my ISP Numbers. I believe it is time to buy an Ipad that is lightweight and easy to carry back and forth to the Motor Home.  Maybe.  Don’t yet know how many pictures I can store on it. Gotta find out exactly how it works.

While in Vegas, I,  and my grandsons and daughter-in-law,  attended the Bodies Exhibit. I had seen the ads on a previous visit in 2011 but was never tempted until a woman on the plane told me she took her son and how much they enjoyed it. As many drawings in my science and health books, brochures from doctor’s offices I’ve seen over the years, I was quite amazed by this exhibit. How can you, on a real dissected body, see everything, including the nerves, the veins, the capillaries; the  inside and outside of the intestines?   You see every gland, how every muscle works. I had no idea how small my pituitary glad is, nor how small my appendix is, and so on.  Many surprises about exactly how everything fits in the body cavity. They had bodies showing how artificial shoulder and hip and knee joints  attached to them work. How lungs, kidneys, liver and hearts look with various tumors, and diseases compared to their healthy counterparts. A smokers lung and a brain after a stroke are not pretty nor artful as the amazing healthy body. It was very educational, interesting and surprising.   I’d recommend it especially for families with children.

So, now, I’m reading my mail which includes the John Hopkins Health After 50 Newsletter;  The University of California Wellness Letter, and the Public Citizen’s Health Letter.  All have great information with a particular slant. The two university letters will deal with such things as Can coconut oil treat Alzheimer’s?, Why is liver cancer on the rise?; The Colossal colstrum claims.  What supplements work and which are bogus?  Studies on the The Fast and Feast Diets.

The Public Citizen Health Letter is more political and valuable. You get the real poop from them about what goes on in the medical community.  They give a list in each issue of  drugs and dietary supplements by class that have had recalls and field corrections by brand name and company.   The recalls are often due to the incorrect dosage information indicated on the bottle and the outside carton labeling.  Often it is incorrect expiration dates; adulterated materials or impurities in the tablets, or lack of the significant ingredient in supplements; wrong amount of inert ingredients in a tablet and so on. They also publish recalls on products that prove dangerous to consumers, from chain saws to  baby toys. But, most importantly they give you detailed information about the relationship between the FDA and the drug companies; fraud and scientific studies and laws that weaken consumer protections in the medical field. My most recent letter deals with Medical Devices. It kind of makes you sick to read:  Industry Lobbies to Weaken Medial Device Oversight.  Or, Inadequate FDA Monitoring;  Rising Recalls For Medical Devices. Scientific Fraud On The Rise. Controversy Over Cognitive Behavior Therapy Solutions. Or, how about this little factoid:  In just the third and fourth quarters of  2011, at least 225 lobbyists lobbied members of Congress or executive branch officials on issues related to medical device regulation.  Of course, the industry does not want you to know that some of these devices are unsafe; they injure and even kill patients.  Doctor’s who oppose this approach to regulation have been know to be threatened and slandered.  Hmmm!  Interesting. After reading the honest poop, you need to read those other health newsletters to read stuff like Eat well be well, and A diet that builds brain health,  to counteract the terror after learning our Food and Drug Administration is bought and paid for along with our congress.  Dang I hate it when the news is bad. In this case, ignorance may hurt or kill you.

 

Do You Oovoo???

Even though I’m an ex-engineer, I’m slow to be up-to-date on the latest electronic happenings. I guess that’s because I haven’t seen or read the news in 13 years…plus I watch NO television at all with the exception of movies that Mary and I like. We have about 100 movies on board our motorhome. So…I guess what I’m saying is that I’m disconnected from the real world…which is just fine with me. It’s just the way I like it.

Thanksgiving Day Mary and I were at her youngest daughter’s home. While there, we communicated with Mary’s oldest son in Las Vegas, NV via video chat. A new experience for me. It was kind of neat and made for a nice family visit despite the fact we were all not at the same location.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to do a video chat with my son, his wife and my three grandkids, Jocelyn age 16, Eric age 14 and Jaime age 11 back in southeastern Connecticut. My grandkids know how to do all this video chat stuff and told me to use a system called Oovoo. So I downloaded it a few days back and yesterday enjoyed a nice 1/2 hour video visit with my family.

I tried to take some photos with my camera, but because of reflections reflections off of the screen of my computer…they were not very satisfactory…

Right near the end of our conversation, my grandson Eric showed me how to click a button on Oovoo to take a photo which works much better…

Most likely you are already video-chatting. You know how much nicer it is than a regular phone call.

But if you are not and want to consider Oovoo, here’s a link…

http://www.oovoo.com/home3.aspx?vc=2783&utm_source=sem2783&utm_medium=display&utm_content=home3&utm_campaign=media&gclid=CNCDi8-p6awCFYpY7Aod2WUkLQ

Try it…you’ll like it!

In other news…

Today is my 71st birthday. That’s was the reason I got my busy family in Connecticut to slow down for a visit with me yesterday via Oovoo. I’ll spend today quietly reading, walking, visiting with friends and chatting with friends via telephone. It’s supposed to be 63 and sunny here in Thousand Palms, CA today.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

The Weather Wimp Says It Was One Degree Too Hot…

Yesterday was the first day of Summer and here at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington it was 76 degrees and sunny. Here was the view the looking west down the Skykomish River from my campsite about 8:30 PM last evening…

Meanwhile where Mary is, in Las Vegas, Nevada, for her grandson’s high school graduation, it was 100 degrees, supposed to be 105 today and 108 tomorrow on her day of departure! In Mary’s hometown in Central California yesterday it was 91 degrees.

If you are a regular follower of my Blog you know that my life-partner Mary calls me the weather wimp because if the temperature gets below 65 degrees or over 75 degrees…the weather wimp (that’s me) starts to complain.

Anyways, with yesterday’s temperatures described above, you now know why I’m in Washington for the Summer instead of those other places. As I’ve said before about the full-time RVing lifestyle…it’s a lousy job but somebody’s got to do it! 

In other news…

Yesterday my friend and mechanic Mike put in another two hours on my Ford Bronco II preventative maintenance/repairs. Two more hours are scheduled for today which should complete the job.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

MISSING BIRDS

One of the nice things about living on the road in parks is that birds are a constant. Treed areas, bushes, grass attracts them. Yesterday, Laurie and I walked the dogs in the early cool of the day and came upon a small park and the cheerful tune of birds. I’d forgotten how much I miss that in this harsh climate. I read the local paper and people love their town, but I find it a great place for a short visit only at this time of year.  The pool is wonderful, but it doesn’t make up for the inability to enjoy the wide open spaces and wildlife. Unless you count scorpions and lizards as wildlife.

This peacock lives in Yuma, AZ. It gets pretty hot there, too.

This beauty lives near a lake in Massachusetts. Seven year old grandson Austin described to me a bird he saw that looked like a turkey but with blue and green and pink feathers.

Even a common gull is an elegant bird. This one lives on Marthas Vineyard.

Springtime in Hershey, PA.

A Texas owl on a fence post.

Louisiana Pelicans.

Burrowing owls from Davis, CA.

And a little songbird from Vineyard Haven.

Made me feel cooler just cruising through some bird photos.

LAS VEGAS DEFENSE

While my daughter worked, grandson, Austin and I repaired to Laurie and Ken’s house for an afternoon of leisure around their beautiful swimming pool. In Las Vegas, it isn’t necessary to heat the pool and the water was heavenly. Laurie threw pool torpedoes in the water for Austin to dive after. He likes to outfit himself like a skindiver with mask and fins.

Little boys are inventive and love to play shark. Grandma was the shark, of course.

For a little guy, Austin is very adept in the water and we had a good game of pool ball catch. I had to drag myself out of the pool, but we snacked, and played ping pong before heading back to Kristanne’s for dinner and a movie.

Austin’s only brother is 18 and he tends to enjoy older kids. His buddies came over for a sleepover after a picnic and swim in the neighborhood.  Here, there is no need for blankets. The boys giggled and squealed until after 10 p.m. This is what they looked like this morning.

Monroe, Washington

Yesterday Mary and I arrived at Thousand Trails Thunderbird RV Resort in Monroe, Washington. I’m here for a two-week stay and on Monday I’ll drive Mary, the about 50 miles, to Seattle/Tacoma International Airport. She’s heading first to Southern California for a grandson’s high school graduation…then she’ll drive with her oldest daughter to Las Vegas, Nevada for another grandson’s high school graduation. Then she’ll fly to her home in Central California for a family reunion and also attend to lots of miscellaneous business. I’m hoping to get her back with me on July 13th.

In the meanwhile, I’ll hang out here in Monroe for two weeks. I have a life-long friend who lives just up the road from our campgound…so I’ll get a chance to visit some with him. In addition, my cracker-jack mechanic friend Mike also lives here in Monroe. I’ve got several items for him to attend to on our Ford Bronco II. All together I’m expecting a couple of days working with Mike.

I have always really liked Monroe and always look forward to returning to this area. After my two weeks here are up, I’ll move the motorhome about 75 miles northwest to the Thousand Trails RV Resort in LaConnor, Washington…another of my favorite places! As I’ve said a number of times in the past…it’s a lousy job, but someone’s got to do it!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

COUNTRY SINGER GEORGE JONES-LAS VEGAS

Texas Station in North Las Vegas featured country singer George Jones who is soon to be 80 years old. We were surprised to learn they do not forbid you to take pictures. The theater seating has no risers so visibility isn’t the best.

Giant screens mounted on both sides of the theater project stills of Jones, his career, family life, as here with his fourth wife Nancy, and many other great performers he has come to be included among.

The Jones Boys band is very good with a notable drummer and young fiddler. Singer, Britany Allen, does a good job and compliments Jones voice.

Jones fans hooted and hollered for him when he came on stage. His voice is long past its peak but occasionally the old Jones mournful bass came through and you had to admire him for keeping at it when retirement would certainly be more comfortable.

His music spans 6 decades and hes done some great stuff  that will never be forgotten. They sell “I Saw No Show Jones” message T-shirts that poke fun at his rampant alcoholic days when he’d simply not show up for his scheduled appearances.  We were glad we went and will play his hits this week on the old CD’s we have and remember George Jones…
…he stopped loving her today….

The Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas Sign…

Jim says:

Two days ago when Mary and I visited the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, we drove about one mile further south on Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as “The Strip”, in order to view this famous sign…

This is what to sign says as you are leaving town…

This sign has been welcome visitors to Las Vegas, Nevada since 1959.

Here’s a vegas.com website link about the sign…
http://www.vegas.com/attractions/on_the_strip/welcomelvsign.html

Here’s a Wikipedia informational link about the sign…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Fabulous_Las_Vegas_sign

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

Jim says:

Yesterday Mary and I spent a couple of hours wandering around the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard (“The Strip”) and Tropicana in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. Click the below link to find out all about the MGM Grand…<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGM_Grand_Las_Vegas

The purpose of our visit was two-fold. First, we have tickets for Cirque De Soleil – Ka, next Tuesday evening and we wanted to get a general feel for the layout, parking, etc…rather than a first-time visit at night.

The second reason was to see the Lion Habitat with live lions behind thick glass in the casino area. The photography conditions were terrible. First lots of people, then trying to shoot the lions behind glass with lots of reflections and finally the casino was very dark. The following photos are the best I could do under these conditions…

The read about the Lion Habitat, click this link…

http://www.vegas.com/attractions/on_the_strip/lionhabitat.html

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com