Once again for today’s Friday Funny I have to depart a bit from the theme of travel. I apologize, but I came across ths video over at Revver and I was just too impressed and blown away NOT to bring it to the attention of a wider audience. So, dear Gadling readers, take a look at this wonderful soda symphony, the wonderfully entertaining efforts of several geeky looking fellows who take two simple ingredients: Diet Coke and Mentos, and come up with one of the finest fountain scenes this side of Ocean’s Eleven. Talk about giving new meaning to the term soda fountain.
Celine Dion returns to performing
If
you’ve been distraught that you haven’t been able to catch Celine Dion performing at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, never
fear, happy days are here again: Dion has resumed performing at the famous casino after recovering from a viral
infection that caused her to cancel six shows last month.
"I felt very bad," said Dion, in an
interview with the
Associated Press. "When you come back, you’re afraid. You’re scared and you’re like, kind of ashamed.
You’re like, `I’m sorry, you know?’ Then you talk to yourself and say, `You’re a human being, it can
happen.’"
Dion will be performing her 500th show at Caesars Palace on Sunday. It is a benefit
production to raise $1 million for 10 local charities.
GM "Autotainment" Park
The good folks over at Autoblog (who must have their hands full today on
the New York auto show) sent me a link to a new park concept coming out of Las Vegas. General Motors (who has been
struggling lately) is opening
a new outdoor "autotainment" park called "The Drive," in sunny, slimy Las Vegas. The driving
experience is opened at the Sahara Hotel & Casino on April 10, and promises the opportunity to drive two separate
driving courses on the 11-acre site. Speedsters can take on the high-performance loop, and the more adventuresome who
like a good bump in the road can try the off-road adventure.
Autoblog quotes Steve Tihanyi, GM’s director of
marketing and entertainment alliances, as saying that "‘The Drive’ represents a significant marketing
opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled
time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas." Yes, I can see this having very wide appeal. But I
would hope that they offer a breathalyzer test before you drive…free drinks, Vegas and vigorous driving don’t really
mix well. Oh, and if you’re curious about which cars you get to drive, autoblog lists them: Chevy Corvette coupe
and convertible, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac Solstice roadster, Cadillac STS-V, Saab 9-3 convertible, and
Chevy SSR on the performance track, or the HUMMER H2, HUMMER H2 SUT, mid-size HUMMER H3, 2007 Cadillac Escalade, 2006
Chevy Silverado Diesel and the 2007 Chevy Tahoe on one of the two dirt tracks.
I confess, I’d do this.
Making It in Vegas
We all have our opinions of Las Vegas. For some it
is the promised land, a place to escape to and experience exhilarating freedoms from sometimes stifling the puritan
culture in much of the rest of the country. People these days go to watch shows, to amble he illuminated streets, to
meet friends, and to do other, shall we say less savory things. Oh, and did I mention gambling? Yeah, they do that too.
Personally…and this is just my opining on the matter…I think Vegas is a sh*thole. I loathe the place with every
fiber of my being. I was there recently for the Consumer Electronics Show and nothing I saw or experienced much changed
my opinion. But again, that’s just me. I’m no puritan, but I just get my kicks from piles of snow rather than piles of
chips…especially since my chip piles always seem to get smaller rather than larger in Vegas.
Well, let me
offer you another opinion on Vegas. travel writer and friend of gadling Jen Leo
lived there for a spell, and was bitten by the gambling bug. In this very enjoyable piece over at Tim Leffel’s
Perceptive Travel magazine, Leo rhapsodizes about the gabling life, and sheds some light on a game called Pai Gow that
I confess I’ve never played. But the story is about more than just gambling, and makes for a very enjoyable read. So
give it a looksee and tell me if my thought on Vegas are out of bounds.