I am so embarrassed on what happened on New Years Eve, I can't decide whether to blame the economy, withdraw my status as a citizen of this city, or write an editorial. Maybe if I just vent here and ask for help, things will get better.

I had the opportunity to see a few fireworks from the ramp at the airport and catch the 3 stunts from the comfort of my desk at work. If any of you saw any of those events, feel free to chime in.

First, the stunt with the guy in the truck. He was to do a back flip in a truck. He tried it last year and almost killed himself when the truck landed upside down. This time wasn't a lot different. This time, the truck did a back flip, landed on 4 wheels, and had enough momentum to roll over. The driver is claiming a success. I'll give him a D for a grade based on improvement and the not idiot left behind laws.

Second, an Aussie named Robbie. When the truck guy failed last year, he was the back up plan and jumpped a blank piece of land on a motorcycle. Oooh, Ahhhh. It was advertised as a football field, and it was a pretty long jump. This year, he was to jump up on top of the Arch du Tromph (or whatever it's called) at Paris, then go back down the ramp. Even though the up ramp went almost all the way to the top, with the actual jump part not being that far, it looked dangerous. IMHO, going back down had a much bigger pucker factor. The whole stunt appeared to be a success. He did get some significant hand injuries out of the deal. This guy gets a B+ because I have to grade on a curve. It's a good stunt. It's not my opinion on how to ring in the new year.

The fireworks? I hope they were good from the strip. I was further back and didn't see much. Las Vegas has proven to have much more potential than that.

And last, former Las Vegas resident and full time alcoholic, Kaptain Robbie Knievel. Yes, he can't spell either. Besides being a phoney, he barely got the job at the Mirage. His last event there found him so drunk, Mirage officials didn't want him back. I think maybe someone decided bad press is better than no press at all so the new volcano got a lot of air time. In this particular stunt, Robbie was billed as to get some air over the volcano. His slurred speech before the jump was probably written by Brittney Spears or one of her kids. It rambled about nothing and included him being a Kaptain, something about how he prayed his father would be with him on the jump and needed his help as there was a curve in the motorcycle pathway, something about the troops in Iraq (I think he said that, but it rambled so much I got lost), and it said something about how brave he was. Fast forward to after the jump and he had another tear jerker that said something about how much he loves Las Vegas and may never return, and it's off to the Snake River Canyon.

Sorry I got ahead of myself, now let's backtrack to the jump. I was surprised that as late as New Years Eve day, the ramp wasn't even put up. I was really confused on how he could jump the volcano. Maybe come down off the parking garage, and have a run off through Caesars? Darkness fell on New Years Eve and they were still putting the ramp together. The actual jump didn't happen on cue. Or maybe the TV announcers weren't ready. But when the jump happened, all of my questions were answered. Robbie is a fake. Coming down the ramp, Robbie was in line with the sidewalk down the strip which is what, 100 feet east of the volcano? Then he jogged east a little more from the sidewalk to the strip. Then he came to the up ramp on the strip, at least 20 feet further from the volcano than the sidewalk, and jumpped over nothing, and landed on a ramp on the strip. In short, he did a very short jump, all on the strip, with the volcano as a background.

Putting it all together, yes there was a turn in the ramp...to get him further away from the volcano. They never built the ramp in advance...because it was on the strip were cars drive every day. He calls himself Kaptain...which shows how bright he really is. He may never come back to Las Vegas...because nobody will invite him.

Yes Las Vegas needs to reinvent itself. I think they could start with New Years. This town still has the backing to do just about anything their imagination can come up with. The best they could do this year was fireworks on the down low and 3 attention whores.

Here's where I need your help. If you fly out to Las Vegas for New Years, stay in a hotel at 5 or 6 times normal rate, commit to the weather and the crowds of the strip, is this what you want for entertainment? So maybe you plan on indulging to excess on adult beverages and you don't want to have to have to think real hard. You just want to see something and say wow. If this doesn't get protested, it will get worse. Remember the definition of stunt is something about big expectations and little results.

I've had the minority opinion before so I'm not afraid to say that these events did absolutely nothing to entice me to the strip next year. I don't feel like I missed anything. Even if there are 10 people jumping different landmarks on the strip, I don't want it. Those guys that run 4 or 5 motorcycles inside of that round cage are a semi permanent exhibit downtown. I don't know what I want out of a New Years Party. I know I want the fireworks on the roofs. I know I don't want snake oil salesmen selling me a stunt.

I still don't feel better now that I got this off my chest. At least not yet.

at least the guy at paris did what he said he would do. mr kaptain is an out n out fraud.people love this stuff so they can see him crash like his old man did at caesars and be in a coma for a month and break all the bones in his body.vids at the lvrj web site.M2C it was free

I was there one time for New Years. I have no desire to return for that event again. NONE!
JMT, I don't know what, if anything would make me want to visit for the new year again. Don't get me wrong, I had a good time, but why do it again, I can have that same good time at so many places and not have to deal with the crowds, or the high prices. M2C

Local buzz is pretty upset about the fireworks. I don't know if they realized what the Kaptain did/didn't do, or if they just wrote him off a long time ago and I never got the memo.

I'm thinking the fireworks might be rooftop next year.

If you can find a video of the FSE fireworks, it was kinda cool and kinda different and probably about as good as could be expected. Shooting off the fireworks was just a video done on the high def canopy screen, but the explosion was a white sunburst of real fireworks.

Mayor Oscar said it was the biggest New Years crowd in Las Vegas so far. I don't know if he was talking about the FSE which is the city of Las Vegas or if that included the strip. I guess the good deals lured people in. There were many people interviewed on TV that said they wouldn't come back next year for new years because this year was so disappointing.

I have a friend that was on the strip on new years eve and said it was very crowded. He bought some kind of huge 96 ounce beer in a really big glass. He said it was so crowded that he couldn't turn the glass up to drink out of it, except along the barricade edges.

To me, the coolest thing about the strip on New Years is how fast and efficient they clean the place up and open it up for traffic. It's a sight to see.

But Lee, aren't you glad that you had the experience of New Years on the strip?

JMT - thank for the New Years Eve review. I didn't know about any of those stunts that were going on!

I've never had any desire to be in Las Vegas on New Years Eve. I really dislike crowds. They were streaming in as I was leaving on my recent trip and I was glad to be getting out of town!

JMT,
Oh yes, I'm glad I went, and it first hand. But after that one time, I don't really need to do it again. I have much more collective fun times, going when it's not cheek to cheek to cheek on the strip and side streets.
I do believe if I found myself in a position of a New Years trip to vegas, I think I'd rather enjoy being out at either one of the satellite properties off the strip like Red rock or green Valley Ranch, or even anyone of the Canneries. If that was to pricey, I could always stay downtown and stay inside at my favorite machines at the Cal and MSS.

Joe, I'll tell you how much I want to be in Las Vegas on new years. The casino host at the Monte Carlo sent me an invite for 3 comped nights, attend their new years eve dinner and dance and $300 in promotional chips and I respectfully declined. Our friends went and said they had a great time but never ventured outside until it was time to come home.

On another note, I am coming on the 22nd with my son to spend three days of father/son bonding time. Staying at Paris. Can I expect 60 degree daytimes?

have tried for years to get the wifey to do nye in vegas.trying the ole ya gotta do it once in your lifetime routine.her responce has always been,"that would be one to many"

The weather channel thinks 60 degree highs are good for the 22nd.

60 degrees sounds wonderful!

I think the average on the Jan 22 is 58 or 59, so a 60 degree temp is not that much of a reach.

63 on the banner,at the top of the page.i will be in town 2/17-2/20 so keep that temp rising!!

Wifey or solo?

solo-the wife started it by going to the state capital for three days to beg for money,to run the city,which happens to fall over my school winter break, so i am outta here!! i have multible deals,none free,will probable stay at the point on a bogo deal and 50 bucks comp food or orleans 29 bucks a nite.that is a tues thru fri stay,leaving on fri.booked alaska air two hundred rt thats with taxes but had to book those days to get that rate.so i am guessing that is smack dab in the middle of your work week?

No freebies? I have a new schedule, I only work weekends.

I got Mrs LVC to do NYE in Vegas once...after that she refused to do it again. So I solved that problem I put in for a transfer to Vegas and presto, she has been here with me for 18 straight NYE's. LOL!!!