 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
|
NOVEMBER 2003 October was one hell of a fast month but the Horse did have a chance to get out his Igor mask, put up the haunted house at the entrance to the Hotel La Casa and scare lots of kids while giving out a bunch of candy. It is something I always enjoy doing and hope I never get too old to participate. Now, in just one more month I will be donning my Santa Claus outfit and appearing at different functions in order to collect canned goods, rice, candy or money for my Christmas Eve visits to two hospitals in town. After 17 years the hospital staffs still do not know who that Santa is that comes every year but that is another event I hope I can do for many more years. So, it is now gobble, gobble time and Priscilla the Horse will be getting out her cook book to mix up another Thanksgiving feast and this year, once again, I will be thankful for my good health that has allowed me to keep writing and thanking each of you for your readership and compliments when I get to meet you. Regretfully, because of a few physical ailments I am not sure how long it will be before I put the horse out to pasture, it has been a long run, but my bones are getting weary. There will be many, many parties and special events scheduled in town so buy those tickets and get over here now, Nov, Dec and Jan are great months weather wise and fun wise - join us on Fields Ave and Perimeter Road, NOW! CHEETAH'S CLUB
The old G-Spot had its share of problems with its reputation for hiring underage girls and being closed down but forget the old and welcome with open arms Cheetah's Club, recently opened after undergoing a complete facelift. Where the G-Spot was a bit tacky and cavernous, Cheetah's is the complete opposite. The renovation, under the supervision of Robert Sullivan, is nothing but class. The exterior view is well done as one just wants to stop and admire the glass facade before entering the club. The interior is absolutely well done with every bit of space being used. There is a feeling of intimacy as the environment seems to envelope ones sense. There is a section for the pool table, the bar is to the side and anyone sitting there has a clear view of the entire club. The seating fronting the stage where the ladies show off their talent is comfortable with plenty of space but yet maintaining the intimacy. Actually, this club reminds me of some of the better lounges found in Las Vegas. The dancers are average but there are some that are much better looking than those pictured here, it was just that it was difficult to get the ladies to cooperate and the better looking ones begged off. The manager is a Filipino by the name of Noy-Noy and the very good looking lady in the picture is the very sweet Mamasan Delma who is considered one of the best looking ladies in town working in that position. The music is not overly loud and the lighting is fantastic, especially the laser effects. Only one small suggestion in that the air-conditioning could be a bit better. There were not many customers present on this particular night yet it felt a bit warm. I won't get into the details of their lady take out system as it is a bit complicated and maybe, not well received. Suffice it to say, one should definitely visit Cheetah's for its comfort, music, pool, foozball table, drinks, atmosphere and the fun ladies, but go elsewhere for a much less complicated EWR policy.
THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS ROBERT SULLIVAN'S (SULLO) CLARIFICATION ON THE NON EWR POLICY TO BE FOLLOWED IN CHEETAH'S AND KANGAROO JACKS. IT IS NEW TO ANGELES CITY SO IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT. Both Ayers and Cheetahs have adopted a new policy. Firstly it is NOT in the best interest of the Clubs for the girls to go barfine, the clubs are 100% better off offering a full stage of girls and selling drinks. This said however, the girls are free to go out with a customer if they want to, its simple arithmetic that if your best girls leave early the bar suffers by not having her pretty face and sexy body up dancing and hence we don't sell ladies drinks to the several guys that may come in through the night and we also miss out on selling the customers drinks, if all the best girls are gone early. (That's news to me - never heard an owner/manager seriously complain about a large percentage of his ladies being out on EWR - if that is the case, then just make it a definite policy, no EWR's or purchasing of a bottle of champagne before midnight Would hate to see Sullo crying because he sold too many bottles of Champagne before midnight). Further the face of Angeles is changing (Particularly since the Agnew case) and will change ultimately as elections draw nearer, officials don't want bad media ie,prostitution abounds in Angeles and at the same time champagne funds are being sort so extortion is possible by some unscrupulous campaign managers. (Sullo has "champagne" on his mind, I do believe he meant to write "campaign funds" here). There were two early customers at our opening staff meeting who misheard what was said; (It's been reported that Cheetahs new BF price is P1,200. In addition, girls are instructed to inform punters that no boom boom is included in the deal. So if a punter returns, seeking a refund, he's told to get lost.). Each girl is free to leave work if they sell a bottle of "baby champagne" they are free to go drink it anywhere with the person that buys it, up until midnight the cost of a bottle of champagne is P1,200. After midnight every customers bill has a 10% discount taken off it so the Champagne is P1,100 (The bottle costs around P100). Let me advise the girl gets her bar share 50%. What the girls were told is that if a customer wants them to go with him and they have no intention of staying the entire night or if they have menstruation they MUST advise the customer before they leave. The bars policy is they customer and the girl MUST agree their intent prior to leaving. G-Spot was closed because a "customer" (Set Up) was given a refund which the court construes as selling sex,(Shucks, and here I thought it was for having underage girls working!) yes it is illegal still in the Philippines. Both NBI and Immigration use expats who have been jailed to set up clubs by acting as clients. The only way we can see to avoid being set up is to make it very clear to customers we are NOT selling sex, however a girl is free to escort you around town or to your hotel and what happens between two consenting adults happens. If we offer a refund for no sex that says we sent her out Knowingly to partake in sex and bang its up to 25 years in the slammer for the manager and the bar is closed. (OK fine, now this shady guy from the jail talks to the employee, he gets her to agree to leave the bar for sex, asks her how much is the bar fine, she says no bar fine but the owner has policy that if you buy me a bottle of champagne, then I can go and we can boom boom but if I change my mind, don't complain to management because they do not employ me to go with customers, it is my decision alone to screw you out of your money, by the way, it is only 10 PM, can you just buy me ladies drinks until after midnight? Oh, yes, by the way, if you complain, management will just tell you "to get lost") This has and will happen again so we are NOT going to take the risk there are some folks in town that would love to be part of a sting to again close Cheetahs and/or Kangaroo Jacks, not going to give them the chance. If an extra P200 before midnight or P100 after midnight breaks your bank sorry but in Cheetha's you gotta buy the Baby Bubbly and in Kangaroo Jacks it's a T-Shirt. Cheers Sullo. (Wow, is Sullo paranoid or is there really a bunch of folks lined up to get Cheetahs and Kangaroo Jacks closed down? Will these people identify themselves so we know for sure and can tell them to bugger off as Cheetah's is one nice place to go). HEALTH INSURANCE For those many folks that have been asking whether they can use various health plans at the new PIH hospital it appears, from information received from the hospital administrator that positive steps in that direction are being taken. The following text from PIH is for your information: eligible folks, is now available in Angeles City. The Point of Contact is the McGuire Insurance Agency, on Perimeter Road next to the Oasis Hotel complex entrance. (045) 892-6220 We are working with several insurance companies to set up arrangements for their clients here to use PIH. Our goal is to provide the care and bill the insurance company directly. The companies to date cover inpatient care only and require Pre-Authorization in the form of a Letter of Approval or Guarantee. The patient will have to sign a document acknowledging that he or she is responsible for any other expenses. We have also inked an agreement with BUPA International, a UK insurance company, to treat their clients in PIH. This company insures many expat workers, such as those on oil rigs. The BUPA International policy covers inpatient care only. Once the required pre-authorization is approved by BUPA International, the patient can be treated, and we will bill BUPA directly. The patient will only have to pay the expenses not covered by BUPA International. We are also almost ready to sign a Letter of Agreement with the Australian company "Consumer Care" which represents Cover More Insurance, Harvey World Insurance, MBF Insurance, Chubb Insurance, ACE Insurance, Health International and others. We are also in contact with Master, Mates and Pilots Plans. If anyone has another company of interest, please get me the information and, if available, a contact e-mail or phone number. Of note, Philippine HealthCare will not participate with a facility until it has been open three years. GOOD SAMARITAN This was taken from the AC2 message board as I felt it should be shared with as many people as possible. For sure, finding such a person is rare, regardless in which country one might live, but here, in a town where we are inundated with negative stories about the locals it is wonderful to read something so positive. It would have been nice to know his name as this is one tricycle driver I would seek out to give business to. I have no idea who wrote this report as everyone using the message boards uses nick names. I was entering a Trike outside Kokomoz, I felt Dizzy and really fucked up, Not due to Alcahol because I dont drink, and Not Drugs because Im drug free, I felt terrible, I started to sweat like crazy and my vision got blurry, I told the Trike Drver: I dont feel well, I dont feel well, Then I passed out. All I remember is waking up in a Hospital with IV dripping in my vein. They had me pumped up with drugs. They were bringing down my blood pressure which sky rocketed to 260. I never before had high blood pressure. I have no idea why or how it happened. All I know is, my wallet was intact, He took Nothing, I had over 10,000 Pesos in my wallet. I found him earlier today and he refused any money, He just asked if I was okay. Unbelievable, I still argued that he must take at least 500 Pesos and he said No, God will reward him for what he did. Can you guys believe this? In Sin City a Trike Driver saves the life of a Kano and wants nothing in return. KEEP THOSE GUNS? I thought this message from Australia was a bit interesting especially since so many politicians in the States are pushing for more and more gun control. This type of result kind of leaves one to wonder who really benefits from a ban on gun possession. From: Ed Chenel, A police officer in Australia ORCHID INN At times management changes within a company are necessitated for various reasons, some times to reward an employee and sometimes to correct a rather delicate situation. Such is the case with past General Manager Ms. Rossella P. Breckenridge who no longer actively represents the Orchid Inn. Known simply as "Rosselle" to the many customers of Orchid Inn she has been a loyal employee and popular with guests for many years. Regretfully, this loyalty has been JUST A THOUGHT Over the 24 years that I have lived in the Philippines I have learned three things that are written in stone, one, never lend money, two, never trust verbal contracts and three, be ready to be disappointed when having partners in a business. Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule and I guess I could add one more for folks like me, try to remember that there are always two sides to a story. After living in the Philippines for 22 years there are times I am reminded of certain incidents I have witnessed in the past. Many years ago, while visiting in the province I met an old, gentle, man that had a pet dog that he loved a great deal; the two of them were inseparable and the best quality of this dog was its dedicated loyalty to the old man. One day, regretfully, the dog bit the old man rather savagely and showed no regret for doing so. After so many years of loyalty the faithful dog had changed overnight and the old man was quite sad. The solution to this problem was that the town fiesta was in two days and when I joined the family for their afternoon feast the favored dish was Aso (dog) Kalderata (stew). When I figured out where the dog came from I was a bit put off and asked my old friend how he could do such a thing to an old pet. He replied, simply "well, once that dog bit me, his loyalty was questionable and once bitten, you can never trust that dog not to do the same damn thing again and by God, no one else wanted him either. The next best thing was to enjoy his company one last time over a good meal and a drink!" I passed on the stew but did enjoy the drink. There are many folks reading this that will remember being "bitten" at one time or another and by God, all too often it hurts like hell. CHICAGO PARK HOTEL Regardless of the controversial circumstances surrounding the acquisition of this hotel the fact is that a newly renovated hotel will be opening in a month or so and by the looks of what I have seen so far, it appears that it will be a welcome addition to the Fields Ave area. The rooms are large enough and comfortable and there is not much difference in price between the Premier and Standard rooms, USD $30 versus USD $25. Travelers looking for a clean, comfortable room at a reasonable rate could care less about internal problems as long as the service is good and security is tight. The location of the Chicago Park is a plus factor but that little thing they call a swimming pool might as well be filled in or just call it a "dipping pool". I will check to see if there is any work being done on the old restaurant/bar, for sure there will be but the last time I checked the priority was being given to the rooms and lobby. My goodness, between the Orchid Inn, Chicago Park, MOtel, and the new restaurant/hotel under construction just beside the Chicago Park there are a hell of a lot of rooms being offered in the Real Street area. The constructions on the Korean owned hotel opposite the Flaming Bar has been on hold for a few months now but whenever that is completed, add on a bunch more rooms. I wonder if there will be enough business to keep all these rooms fully occupied throughout the year? Maybe with the gradual increase of International flights at the DMIA (Clark) over the next few years current investors can maintain an optimistic outlook. UPDATE: I noticed that a slight renovation of the pool has been made at one end where there used to be a small Jacuzzi of sorts; there are no definite plans for what used to be Cuddles other than there is a good chance it will open to lease from interested parties. Initially, a limited menu will be available while construction of a full kitchen continues beyond the opening date. EURO TOUR HOTEL INTERNATIONAL
The opening of this new hotel on Fields Ave, located above the Chow King restaurant near JJ's and Margarita Station took me by complete surprise. I had no idea that a hotel was being constructed at this location. It is Filipino owned and the rooms are geared more to Filipino size or medium built expats. All the rooms are standard Air-conditioned with some having a double bed and others having twin beds. The price is P2,000 plus 10% service charge per night and includes breakfast (0600-0800). Each room has a refrigerator, telephone facilities, private bathroom with shower and a mini bar. A small dining room is available and also at the far end of the hall is a very small area set aside for those diners that like to smoke. Despite its location on Fields Ave I could not hear any sounds from the street and you only have to walk a few feet to get to the major jeepney stations. They opened, without any fanfare, on 25 Oct and did not have any business cards to hand out except for handwritten bits of paper with three numbers, 63-45-892-6913, 1021, 3496, 15 rooms are available. It takes a bit of stair climbing so it is not disabled friendly but its location might appeal to some of you. The three person staffs that I encountered late at night were very friendly and more than pleased to show me around. I wish them luck!
Not surprisingly, the Wet Seals Bar is up for sale. The husband and wife team (Amy and Miguel) that purchased the rights to this place are nice enough folks and many of us hoped that this bar would be successful. The reason for selling, according to them, is that they are tired of the bar business, for now anyway. No doubt there are many more reasons but this is good enough, hopefully they will get a good price as they sure did put in a lot of effort and have made many new friends who will wish them well. They will both be off to the States shortly, but not permanently. Whoever purchases this bar will have a bit of a challenge in front of them. There is plenty of space to play around with, maybe too much TAPS USAF CMSgt (Retired) Jim Peck passed away in early October. Jim was in charge of the MWR Supply Section when Clark Air Base was here, then moved on to Okinawa when that function was transferred after the base closure. He returned to Angeles City to live with his wife in Villa Sol and was a life time member of the local VFW. Jim was one of the good guys and will be missed. HIDDEN VALE Last month I wondered if I might be able to include photos of the phase one construction that was supposed to take place at Hidden Vale starting in October; sorry, no pictures, no construction and not much business either. Regardless, many remain optimistic that the plans presented at a special meeting in September will eventually begin to materialize. The question in my mind is whether the recent "Final Demand Letter" from PhilSundt Construction seeking monies owed will have any effect on the future plans for this Resort? How Hidden Vale responds to this letter will determine if there is room for settlement out of court or not. If it must be settled in court then further improvements to Hidden Vale may be delayed for some time. The current facilities are still functional and the great swimming pool beckons. The lawn bowlers are kicking butts in their competitions, golfers are hitting that silly white ball around and the restaurant is taking care of any hungry members that show up (but it would be nice to see some new entrees offered). There is no reason to stay away especially with the holidays fast approaching so continue to pay those dues and enjoy, what remains, a nice affordable sports club that members can still enjoy. The future is questionable but let management worry about that, meanwhile, we members can only enjoy while we can and take it on a month to month basis. EUROPHIL Hotel Around the middle of October an American by the name of Don posted the following comment on various message boards concerning his stay at the Europhil Hotel in Angeles City: "I stayed at the Europhil hotel next to the American Hotel 3 weeks ago. I have stayed there many times. The last time I stayed there I thought I was missing money out of my safe deposit box, but could not prove it. This past time it happened again and it was proved by the fact that they broke a lock of mine which is part of my money pouch. The hotel Since this was a rather serious allegation the manager, Alan, was contacted as he was the person who worked the shift in question. While waiting for Alan, I observed two foreigners accessing their safety deposit boxes; the procedure used was to get the key from the desk clerk, access the box and then sign the register book. Two keys are necessary to open the box, the guest has one and the other one is with the front desk, both keys must be presented to open the box. Alan indicated that Don had changed boxes two or three times during his stay and that the lock on the money pouch maintained inside the safe deposit box did not appear to be broken, but simply open. Additionally, Don claimed that $50 dollars was taken from what appeared to be a rather thick bundle of money still contained in the pouch. Alan said that he did offer to call the police and would welcome an investigation but Don told him that he would be back the next day as he had to go to Manila. Don never returned! It appears that Alan took this complaint very seriously and instituted some procedural changes to increase security in this area. Only one person on duty has access to the key and must accompany the customer to the area when opening the box. A register is signed when the transaction is completed and in the future, a card may be included in the pouch that the customer must annotate as to how much money is deposited and then subtract each time an amount is removed, then initial the card and place it back in the pouch. So, two sides of the story are presented. Obviously, Don felt that something underhanded happened to his money and management was not able to convince him otherwise. Alan was embarrassed and at a loss as to how to appease Don but to avoid any recurrence of this incident, more stringent security procedures were instituted. It is felt that if due care is taken by a customer the security procedures in this Hotel should be adequate. We thank Don for bringing this to everyone's attention and Alan is to be commended for taking the matter very seriously and implementing procedures to avoid this type of misunderstanding in the future. Don's advice to "BEWARE" is applicable to anyone using any type of safety deposit box or safe in a hotel, double check any transaction made during your stay. GENTLEMEN'S CLUB
It has been more than a year since I last visited the Gentlemen's Club on Perimeter Road and after checking it out last month I decided it was too bloody long to stay away from this rather interesting establishment. Many of the Expats living here are well aware of the good times that can be had and by all appearances; many tourists take the time to get off Fields Ave to check it out as well. Opening time is 3 PM with happy hour until 5 PM but there is only a five peso difference on local drinks after 6 PM (P45). Manager "Big" Todd is congenial and like many big men is easy to get along with and will go out of his way to ensure that each customer is treated like a VIP. One feels like they are sitting in their living room at home with the ladies dancing in front of them and believe me, the word "shyness" is not known in this club. The ladies are not aggressive but their friendliness is so catching that there are not many customers that sit alone for too long. Intermittingly during the afternoon and night one dancer partakes in some acrobatic gyrations on the dance floor that makes you cringe and start to wonder how great she would be in her off time. For that customer who had a few too many drinks or feels stressed out there is a room available in which one can rest for a few hours or less until capable of driving home or safely take a jeepney, the price is only P750. FATHER AND SON
It seems that more and more Dads are bringing their young sons to Angeles City for them to experience the unique opportunities available here. I ran into four lads enjoying themselves at the Gentlemen's Club hailing from Clearwater, Florida; there was Joe (the father), his son Jack (20 yrs old), Joe's brother Derrick and then their friend Dave (who did not want his picture taken). Dave is single, and is the only one that did not have a girl sitting with him. He told me that he wanted his two ex-wives to know that he is very happy when visiting the Philippines. Joe was enjoying watching his son but for the most part, remained fairly reserved as he is married to a hot blooded Columbian lady from New York and believe me, you don't want to upset one of those ladies. They were staying at the Orchid Inn and their favorite bar was Club Lancelot with Gentlemen's Club coming in a close second, well, maybe third. Regardless of which Club was their favorite, they were having one hell of a good time right up to when I had to leave. Jack looked particularly happy and I am sure there are many of us that wish our Dads had treated us to a trip to Angeles City when we were 18, 19, or 20. My son visited me here when he was sixteen and my ex-wife still complains about it, but back then places like the Fire Empire could have a lasting effect on any young man.
NEW SPORTS BAR OPENS
The Sub Delicious Sports Bar, located on the 2nd floor of the Jade Cool building has opened to the public and by all accounts is fast becoming a popular gathering place. It features eight televisions located behind the bar, and one big screen TV in the lounge area. I believe owner Tom indicated that there are plans for five more in different locations around the very large room. Two pool tables are on hand, a foozball table and later on, an area for one dart board. It is open 24 hours a day and food from the Sub Delicious kitchen can be ordered and consumed at the Sports Bar. Dennis and Irene are pictured here with the cake designed by Irene who patiently, for one hour, explained to the baker at Mother's Cake house what she wanted. The end result was fantastic and Irene was proud of her idea, receiving many compliments from the crowd on hand at the opening.
FEELING BLUE? There is no reason to feel "blue" when visiting the Blue Fox bar, in fact, the opposite will be true as you enjoy the company of owner Greg and his bevy of ladies, all of whom are anxious to make you smile. I promised Greg that I would mention the Blue Fox logo airbrushed on the entrance wall. It seems that airbrushing takes a bit of talent and patience as the artist started the project at 0800 and did not finish until 1730 hours that evening. The effort was worth it as the pictures really stand out and catch the eye of passersby. The picture I titled "untouchable" is employed at the Blue Fox and I was informed that she is very popular but never goes out and, so far is untouched. Regretfully, I could not find her name in my notes so you will just have to go there, ask Greg her name, and then meet one of the better looking ladies doing the "Foxy shuffle" on stage.
COOL TRIKE The lads at the Swagman Hotel have come up with a cool transportation idea for their guests; an oversized tricycle that comfortably sits four or two if you are the XXXXXXL size. This ride is available all day and until around two in the morning to take you to different locations around town, particularly to the Fields Ave area. Too bad some of the tricycle owners in town don't adopt this style of tricycle that would be able to cater to the foreign tourists in town that generally, are a bit larger than the locals. Another nice feature is that the muffler has not been removed so it is still rigged for silent running
MEET THE TOURIST
I caught Bill Sadik (San Diego) while relaxing with his favorite during the Voodoo Club's Christmas in September festivities. His domicile during this trip was the Orchid Inn and his favorite bar, of course, is the Voodoo. The lady he is holding on to is employed at Voodoo as well so Bill is definitely under the Voodoo spell. It was fun talking to Bill as he has a very interesting job in San Diego working with folks I would enjoy meeting as they hail, originally, from New York. One of his bosses there is of the opinion that I am Jewish because I write under the name of "Harry". Well Bill, tell your friend there that I am and I am not Jewish but that is a long story I'll pass on to you during your next visit.
MY NOV LADY Her name is Irma and, yes folks, she is my "I would if I could girl" this month. She is one of the three vocalists appearing nightly at the Black Jack bar, single, 26 years old, has a son 4 years old and hails from Surigao, Mindanao. She is not a dancer or GRO but a lady that would be a fine catch for some lucky lad and she has a fine sweet voice to go along with her pleasing personality.
BLACK JACK BAR
Fun, Fun, Fun - that is how I describe my visit to the Black Jack bar. The entertainment was provided by a fantastic singer by the name of Walter who told me that he has been on stage since he was a teenager and that is quite some time ago. He has a stage presence that grabs your attention and molds each song around each listener in the audience. Follow his performance up with Long Hair Alex and then the lovely Irma and you find that hours pass without even noticing it. Of course, one must not forget the dancers on hand but as Atlee told me, "all too often the customers forget to notice the girls because of the singers" and I must agree with him. When I did take the time to notice my old eyes were treated to the sight of quite a few lovelies that deserve further attention but I will leave that to the energies of younger lads. Bottom line - don't forget to visit Black Jack when in town, you won't regret the time spent. For a more complete evening go upstairs and visit the Black Jack Swiss restaurant. It has been a while since Priscilla the horse and I have been there but this month we will reserve one evening for dining and then listening to Walter downstairs for a complete evening of dining and listening pleasure. See you there? By the way, the owner of the upstairs Swiss restaurant will be moving over to the new building being built by Gerard as he has leased the entire building to include two floors of hotel rooms. Right now he is optimistically looking to a December opening.
SWAGMAN WET T-SHIRT CONTEST
The Swagman had its Wet T-Shirt contest on 21 Oct featuring 31 ladies from various clubs in town (In past years as many as 60 participated) and there was a decent crowd on hand to enjoy a day of "bird watching", food and drinks. The VIP section customers were able to enjoy a whole day of fine food and top shelf drinks for their P1750 tickets. No cameras or videos were allowed because one video outfit purchased exclusive rights for the event and believe me, they were keeping a close eye out for anyone with a camera. They will be selling the video to the public but the film will not be as entertaining as past videos because of the restrictions put out from the City Government, i.e., no topless displays, and for sure, no accidental dropping of the bikini bottoms, and get this, no touching of the judges by the contestants. In fact, the judge's area was roped off and one lady who did get carried away and sat on a judge was immediately disqualified
from the event. There were three watchdogs from the Mayor's task force on hand to make sure that the entire show was G rated, by golly, it could have been held at Disneyland under those conditions. The Bunny Ranch had two ladies in the final three, Lorina, 19 yrs old and Lonalisa, 19. The winner was Roxanne from the Blue Nile but did not get time to ask her age. My old eyes did not function properly as my favorite did not make it to the top three. The addition of the Bar-b-q stand was well received as they were putting out some great food for the masses and the new Shaggers bar provided a good view from a nice cool air-conditioned
room with some good looking ladies on stage. This provided great relief from the boredom of waiting for the judges to do their thing. All in all it was a great day and is still an event to look forward to each year; has it been better in the past, you bet! But what can you do when the folks who issue licenses for these events are tightening up the rules of play and then send monitors to watch every move all day long. The Swagman management made the best of it and I think those present did enjoy themselves and thought of it as money well spent.
By golly it is time for me to sign off already. Rumor has it that Mo will be having a very special birthday/pool party on or about 6 November, keep an ear out for that one. The Orchid Inn has installed a travel desk and Josie is the new "officer-in-charge" that you will be looking for to answer many of your questions. Hey, guess what, the Sphinx (Cleopatra) is closed for renovations, again! See, never a dull day in this town - see ya in December - oh yes, remember, be kind to horses, share a turkey leg! |
Health Plans International (HPI), the long awaited HMO for non-TRICARE 
The first year results are now in: Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)! In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. (Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not ! and criminals still possess their guns!)
denied it, but it appears to be an inside job as someone had key access to the box. The manager talked me out of calling the police, and then I realized he worked that shift. Just BEWARE of that hotel and its so called security". 
 |