No SiCKO in Southeastern Idaho makes me sick...  

Posted by Jessica in ,

I anticipate Idaho Falls and Pocatello getting it soon, but tomorrow would be nice! SiCKO has gotten really good reviews so far, including from Fox News.

Truly the health insurance crisis in this country affects Republicans and Democrats and the debate boils down to possible solutions. I always get annoyed at the cracks against Canada's system and the comments about all of the Canadians coming to America for health care. Uh, yeah, of course people do, this is the United States, a country with many doctors, many specialists, and a lot of technology. Did you know about all of the people who travel to Canada for lasix eye surgery because it is half as much there? What about all of the elderly folks who drive there for their prescriptions because it is so much cheaper?

You really can't compare any two countries, especially when one of them is this great country. And no one system in any country will fit this country perfectly. Moore has been advocating that we take good ideas from many countries and use what would be best here.

I leave for Vegas Sunday night. I figure driving at night through Utah would be a wise and cool choice. The first few days they will train me, though I anticipate not needing a lot of training. I think the biggest challenge will be acclimating to Vegas, and I mean that in a lot of ways.

It gets hot here in the summer, but never past 100 degrees for more than several days each summer. Pocatello has a population around 53,000 so getting used to a large city will be interesting. And getting familiar with the different groups down there will be challenging for me as well. But I know I will do well and I think it will be a great experience for me.

So, should I change the name of this blog? Temporary change? Can I even change it??? Not necessarily the url, but the name...I think it would be cool to do a strikethrough of Idaho and replace it with Vegas, but I don't know how to do that and if it is even possible.

3 comments

Cameron   says June 29, 2007 at 9:38 PM

Good luck in Vegas, but remember, it doesn't really stay there. :-)

Drive safe, that can be a bad stretch of road through southern Utah.

Unknown   says June 30, 2007 at 8:02 AM

Bad stretch of road? I've never thought so... just plan ahead on gas ... from (spanish/american) fork, south of Provo to Cedar City has a few long, empty stretches.

As for Vegas, I had a project down there that moved me there for 3 months a few years ago. Vegas and consumerism and gambling is not my thing, but I ended up having a lot of fun just exploring it.

I suggest you think of it as a grownup, redneck disneyland. There's some awesome technology behind it all, everything is focussed on separating you and your money, and the whole town is less than 2" deep. Superficiality and glitz.

Having said that, explore and enjoy the free stuff... the light show downtown, for starters. Egyptology stuff downstairs in the Luxor. The holograms in the Caesar's entry. People-watching. Take your own architecture and design walking tours... the piazza in the Venetian almost *feels* like twilight in Venice, and does so 24x7. Bizarre. So, take a book down there and relax like you're a guest if the heat outside gets too much. There are freebies like the fountain show at the Bellagio and Pirates and campier things like Circus acts at Circus Circus or the Trop. There's the light parade at the Rio. There's bizarre architectural tricks to convey wealth and majesty everywhere, that are all the more fascinating by being nothing but facades. And I liked just wandering thru the Luxor and the mall between it and the Mandalay.

Locals know where the sweet deals are for food. The ones I worked with liked:

The Orleans has a *wicked* prime rib restaurant hidden up and in the back. The english cut (3 thin slices) was delish.

The Luxor has a sushi restaurant open after 10pm. I was surprised at how *few* non-fastfood restaurants were open after 10pm.

Fry's electronics is AMAZING.

In the downtown, around 8th south, there is a delicious little italian dive... Chicago Joe's, perhaps?

Coworkers loved Hikari, a sushi / tepanaki place in the strip-mall on the sw corner of Buffalo & Flamingo. Free soy pods (edamame) as an appetizer, decent stir-fry for the non-sushi types, and a $24 all-you-can-eat sushi-oriented menu that was full of surprises (tea ice cream, fried softshell crab, etc). Find some sushi fanatic friends to go with, then collectively just keep eating and ordering more and etc. It's also open until something like 3am.

Vegas has In-n-Out Burgers's only stands outside of California. In-n-Out's a everything-fresh burger joint. I liked mine done low-carb (wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun). Fresh french fries, wicked shakes. Mmmmm-mmmm. I was speechless at the huge crowds at midday at the one on Tropicana just west of the strip -- and they had a gift shop.

Performances are stupid-expensive, but I splurged a few times while I was there. Penn & Teller, a one-nighter by comedian Steven Wright, Blue Man Group. I kinda regret I never found a chance for Sunday Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues. Loved the House of Blues itself.

I *almost* went to the impressionist exhibit (in the Bellagio, I think?).

As you meet locals, some of 'em can hook you into their favorites.

There was good radio, one venue that did bands I'd never see in Idaho (Death Cab, ICP, etc.).

Oh, and dawn is Vegas's little sweet secret. No touristas are awake, the streets are almost empty, and it feels like twilight here in Idaho. Dry warmth, no hot sun, and just the locals, headed in to work.

There are hiking/biking trails, you're a long drive from the north rim or Bryce or other national parks, a park near where I stayed would come alive after the sun went down (little league baseball and soccer seemed to just be getting going 9pm!).

Jessica   says June 30, 2007 at 10:16 AM

Thanks, Cameron!

Sage, Wow! Thank you for all of that info. A friend of mine from high school lived in Vegas and emailed me something similar, with little tidbits of info that I will find very useful.

I'm excited to explore Vegas. Only been to the airport before. I have family coming in August for 4 days and that will be nice!

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