By Barnini Chakraborty Published March 13, 2013 FoxNews.com
While the Transportation Department warns that the sequester will lead to cutbacks causing snarled lines at airports across America, the agency is still considering a massive $5.5 billion government gamble on a high-speed train from suburban California to Vegas.
The total cost of the XpressWest project is $6.9 billion, with 80 percent potentially being fronted by the federal government. It would create a train that runs from Victorville, Calif., to Las Vegas and, if green-lighted, would be the largest loan of its type issued in America.
But there are severe roadblocks, which skeptical lawmakers are once again drawing attention to at a time when the government is supposed to be looking for savings.
“We are deeply troubled by the prospects of subsidizing another costly, wasteful and risky high-speed rail project, particularly when our nation is facing a debt crisis that threatens the well-being of the current and future generations of Americans,” Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., wrote in a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on March 6.
The so-called train-of-the-future’s success depends on sunny ridership projections, which would be four times the ridership of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Acela, says Heritage Foundation visiting fellow Wendell Cox. The chances of that ridership being achieved aren’t likely. Last year, Amtrak clocked its best year ever with more than 11.4 million passengers on that route. Read more…
This Video narrated by Amy Nieskens is from The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
From The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
Full Moon Names
February’s full Moon is traditionally called the Full Snow Moon because usually the heaviest snows fall in February.
Hunting becomes very difficult, and so some Native American tribes called this the Hunger Moon.
Other Native American tribes called this Moon the “Shoulder to Shoulder Around the Fire Moon” (Wishram Native Americans), the “No Snow in the Trails Moon” (Zuni Native Americans), and the “Bone Moon” (Cherokee Native Americans). The Bone Moon meant that there was so little food that people gnawed on bones and ate bone marrow soup.
This Video narrated by Amy Nieskens is from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
From The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
Historically, the Native Americans who lived in the area that is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to the recurring full Moons.
Each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred.
These names, and some variations, were used by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.
The Moon for January, 2013: The Full Wolf Moon
This full Moon appeared when wolves howled in hunger outside the villages. It is also known as the Old Moon. To some Native American tribes, this was the Snow Moon, but most applied that name to the next full Moon, in February.
Yes there will be another Full Moon – September 29, 2012 at 8:18 P.M. Las Vegas time.
From The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
The Full Corn Moon corresponds with the time of harvesting corn. It is also called the Barley Moon, because it is the time to harvest and thresh the ripened barley.
This month, we also celebrate what we call a Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon nearest the autumnal equinox. It can occur in September or October and is bright enough to allow finishing all the harvest chores.
The Full Harvest Moon is different than all our other full Moons. Around this date, the Moon rises at almost the same time for a number of nights in our northern latitudes. Learn more in our article, Shine on Harvest Moon
From Western Washington University:
American Indians gave names to each of the full moons to keep track of the passing year. The names are associated with the entire month until the next full moon occurs. Since a lunar month averages 29 days, the dates of the moons change from year to year. Here are titles most closely associated with calendar months. [Two of those names are mentioned here]
Back East
Mohawk, Eastern Woodlands
According to WWU: in the Mohawk language the word for this months moon is, seskhoko:wa (time of much freshness)
Out West
Tlingit, Pacific Northwest Coast
According to WWU: in the Tlingit language the word for this months moon is, dis yádi (big moon)
Shine on Harvest Moon, Ruth Etting
“This song was first introduced by Nora Bayes and songwriter-husband, Jack Norworth in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1908. Ruth Etting’s performance of the song in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1931 was a tribute to Nora Bayes. The 1931 production of the Follies was the last to be produced under the direction Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.; he died shortly thereafter in 1932. It’s interesting to note that Nora Bayes recorded this song for Victor in 1910 but it was never released.”
I’ll be out there at the appropriate time looking at the Moon, will you?
There will be yet another Full Moon Aug 31, 6:57 A.M. Las Vegas time.
“The August 31 Blue Moon will not be blue in color. This August 2012 Blue Moon will be called Blue because it is the second full moon of a month.”
The following article is from Earthsky.Org
According to modern folklore, a Blue Moon is the second full moon of a calendar month. Learn how this name came to be, in this post. The next Blue Moon is August 31, 2012.
August 2012 is a month with two full moons. And, by popular acclaim, that means it’s a Blue Moon month – but it’s Blue in name only. That’s because a Blue Moon is sometimes defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. The first full moon is August 1. The second full moon is August 31, 2012.
It’s very rare that you would see a blue-colored moon, although unusual sky conditions – certain-sized particles of dust or smoke – can create them. Blue-colored moons aren’t predictable. [So don’t be misled by the photo above.] The sorts of moons people commonly call Blue Moons aren’t usually blue. For more about truly blue-colored moons, click here.
Now on to folklore’s Blue Moons. Every month typically has a full moon (although sometimes February doesn’t). In fact, our word for “month” comes from the word “moon.” Most of the time, the names for full moons coincide with particular months or seasons of the year. So whether you define a Blue Moon as the second full moon in a month – or the third full moon of four in a season – the name Blue Moon accounts for times when there are more full moons than is ordinary.
Blue moon as second full moon in a month.[sic] In recent decades, many people have begun using the name Blue Moon to describe the second full moon of a calendar month.
“There are two more definitions for Blue Moon. It can be the third of four full moons in a single season. Or, someday, you might see an actual blue-colored moon.” read more from Earthsky.Org
From LasVegasBuffetClub.Com:
“Blue Moon” is a classic popular song. It was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934, and has become a standard ballad. The song has been covered as a released single by artists such as Billie Holiday, Mel Torme, Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard. In popular culture, the song has featured in musical films such as Grease and “Blue Moon” is sung by Crewe Alexandra fans, whilst also being regarded as the anthem of Manchester City Football Club read more from WIKI…
There will be yet another Full Moon Aug 1, 2012, 9:27 P.M. Las Vegas time.
From the Old Farmer’s Almanac:
“Historically, the Native Americans who lived in the area that is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to the recurring full Moons.”
August’s moon is called The Full Sturgeon Moon
“Each full Moon name was applied to the entire month in which it occurred. These names, and some variations, were used by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.” read more about The Full Sturgeon Moon
“In August 2012, we will also enjoy a second full Moon on the 31st! The second full Moon in a month is commonly called a Blue Moon. This occurs about every 2.5 years.”
“Each month, we explain the names of the full Moon—plus, fascinating Moon facts:” The following video from The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
OUT WEST
Shoshone
Great Basin, Nevada, Wyoming
According to Western Washington University, the Shoshone word for August’s Moon is “guuteyai-mea'” meaning, “hot.”
BACK EAST
Mohawk
Eastern Woodlands
According to Western Washington University, The Mohawk word for August’s Moon is “seskehko:wa” meaning “time of freshness.”
“This artist rendering provided by Caesars Entertainment shows an artists[sic] rendering of a planned 550-foot-high observation wheel on the Strip in Las Vegas. The wheel is expected to be the largest in the world. The Caesars Entertainment is part of a planned $550 million development on the Strip. (AP Photo/Caesars Entertainment)”
Associated Press
By KEN RITTER
“LAS VEGAS — Caesars Entertainment Corp. announced Wednesday that it obtained a key county permit to build the world’s tallest observation wheel in a more than half-billion dollar retail, dining and entertainment complex it is developing on the Las Vegas Strip.”
“The Ferris-style wheel, dubbed the High Roller, is expected to stand 550 feet tall. It is the centerpiece of a planned $550 million development, dubbed LINQ, expected to open next year between the company’s Harrah’s Las Vegas, Imperial Palace and Flamingo Las Vegas casinos.”
“The height would eclipse the nearly 443-foot London Eye, which opened in 1999, and the 541-foot Singapore Flyer, which opened in 2008. Both were the tallest observation wheels in the world when they opened.”
“The Caesars project would also be taller than a 500-foot wheel called SkyVue currently under construction about 3 miles south on Las Vegas Boulevard. That wheel is also expected to open in late 2013″ read more…
“Support structures are now about 200 feet high for the rival SkyVue wheel, being built by developer Howard Bulloch and Compass Investments across the Strip from the Mandalay Bay resort, near McCarran International Airport.”
by Jersey Boys AKA Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
Quite simply stated, Jersey Boys is one of the best audio/visual things I’ve ever experienced. The way more than apt individual who wrote/programmed the set-design/lighting hit a bases-loaded, home-run with me. The set design itself, in terms of walls, furniture, stage-lighting etc. was gorgeous, if not remarkable, but there’s another facet to the design. Large 1/4-stage size? planes of light at the back of the stage changed colors and danced to the music, in fact the phrase that came to mind was that the planes of light were the fifth instrument. For those of you – and you know who you are – the fifth instrument refers to 50s – 60s rock and roll groups that usually had only four instruments: Drums, bass-guitar, lead-guitar and rhythm-guitar. Often the planes of light were big blocks of artist’s blue.
The only iffy thing for me was that there was not one out of four, of the lead-actors in the show, with an Italian surname. In fact I recall only two or three Italian names in the entire cast of 20-30. And this is a musical about basically five or six American Italians from New Jersey. Having said that, the players that played the Jersey Boys couldn’t have been better. Not attempting to mimic or copy Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons’ voices, they just did their own thing, and their thing was good, very good.
The music was loud – good loud – and was note perfect. There was a drum set center-stage, rear and it was working throughout the night. It was difficult to determine what other – if any – instruments were plugged in as most of the soundtrack was prerecorded. If I’m wrong please let me know. It was a bit unsettling to discover the recorded soundtrack, but I got over it and really enjoyed the show.
All the great recordings from Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, starting with SHERRY were performed with great skill and expertise. And maybe, with great respect – I’m speaking of the viewpoint of the story writers.
“Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock ‘n roll groups, the Four Seasons. The musical opened on Broadway in 2005, and has since had a North American National Tour, along with productions in London’s West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney, Philadelphia, Auckland and currently in Brisbane. Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical.’
Marshall Brickman
“was a member of the folk trio The Tarriers in the late 50s, with Eric Weissberg and actor Alan Arkin. He played Bluegrass guitar on the 1963 album New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass with Weissberg;” “this was later reissued as Dueling Banjos, a pseudo-soundtrack album for Deliverance in 1973. (The title track was the only piece that was actually used in the film.) IMdB;” “he sang with John Phillips and Michelle Phillips in The New Journeymen before they split off to become 1/2 of the Mamas and the Papas He was an American screenwriter, best known for his collaborations with Woody Allen. He is also known for playing the banjo with Eric Weissberg in the 1960s, and for a series of comical parodies published in The New Yorker.” – Wikipedia. Makes you wonder!!!
Rick Elice
“Elice earned his BA from Cornell University, his MFA from the Yale Drama School and is a Teaching Fellow at Harvard. He was the salutatorian graduate of Francis Lewis High School in Queens, New York (class of 1973). He is a charter member of the American Repertory Theatre. His partner is actor Roger Rees.”
Bob Crew comes out as the big winner/mover and shaker, record producer/song writer, ain’t it always so.
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“Times for ‘Jersey Boys’ are at 7:30 PM from Tuesdays to Sundays. Matinee performances are at 2 PM on weekends with a special matinee on August 9, Thursday, at 2 PM.”
Box Office, Theatres, Seawell Grand Ballroom Speer & Arapahoe
Drop off location 14th & Curtis St.
I was just invited to see Jersey Boys at the *Buell Theatre in Denver. I mentioned to the inviter that there is a Denver connection to Jersey Boys.
“Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock ‘n roll groups, the Four Seasons. The musical opened on Broadway in 2005, and has since had a North American National Tour, along with productions in London’s West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney, Philadelphia, Auckland and currently in Brisbane. Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical” more from WIKI
The Denver connection is a Green Eyed Lady. Denver’s own Jerry Corbetta (born September 23, 1947, in Denver, CO was a founding-member of Boulder, Colorado’s, 70s psychedelic-rock-band, Sugarloaf. Sugarloaf’s, Green Eyed Lady reached #3 on Billboards Hot 100 in 1970. Don’t Call Us We’ll Call You was another national hit by these inovative musicians. In the 80s, Jerry Corbetta joined the Four Seasons‘ line-up and the group became a sextet. “He [Jerry Corbetta] co-produced Frankie Valli’s critically acclaimed album “Heaven Above Me“, then was asked to join The Four Seasons for their Twentieth Anniversary Tour.” read more…
*Buell Theatre is located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex which is the second largest of its type in the world to New York’s Lincoln Center. The DPAC is located at 1031 13th Street on 12 acre site including ten performance venues connected by a tall glass roof. Buell Theatre Tickets used to be known as the Temple Buell Theatre.[sic]
This post is for those who may have missed the seemingly, seamless shift from Las Vegas Hilton to Las Vegas Hotel. Seems it was just a matter of a few letters, right Vanna White…
LVH AKA Las Vegas Hotel
The hotel left Hilton at the end of 2011 and was renamed LVH – Las Vegas Hotel & Casino on January 3, 2012.
The LVH – Las Vegas Hotel & Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton) is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Paradise, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent.[1] It has 2,956 hotel rooms and 305 suites. Located on 64 acres (26 ha), it has a 74,000 square feet (6,900 m2) casino and is also home to the largest sports book in Las Vegas read more from WIKI…
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