vpFREE2 Forums

XVP: Please understand, it's not the water we drink ...

#1

In a message dated 12/6/2003 3:27:12 AM Pacific Standard Time,
vpFREE@yahoogroups.com writes:

···

Date: Sat, 06 Dec 2003 00:16:52 -0600
   From: Bill Velek <billvelek@alltel.net>
Subject: Re: gamblers bill of rights

adr wrote:

At 07:12 PM 12/5/2003, you wrote:
>Want I want to do is write a California initiative for limiting the
>amount casinos can rape from the public. What I want is a 10 percent
>limit on horse racing, 99.5% minimum payback for video poker, 95%
>minimum payback for slot machines, 99.3% payback for blackjack and
>table games. If we can get like 100,000 signitures it will be on the
>ballot.

I don't live in California and am not likely to visit, so I don't care
what you all do out there; just don't get your initiative started in any
state close to Arkansas. I'd hate to see your efforts backfire and you
screw up what we already have.
Bill, that last paragraph, I was laughing so hard it took me a while to
recover. You evoke a feeling (pity & fear?) that others have towards Californians.

General reaction when you tell someone you're a Californian:

First they look at you as if you're wacko then they back off slowly as if
you've got a communicable disease. It used to be that people wanted to visit our
beautiful state but now "California" is associated with earthquakes,
landslides, power crisis, fires, fiscal crisis, in short it's a disaster. And if you
stay, you've got to be wacko.

It's OK. I've got a gleam in my eye for all of you -- like Jack Nicholson in
"The Shining".

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

TedChee@aol.com wrote:

In a message dated 12/6/2003 3:27:12 AM Pacific Standard Time,
vpFREE@yahoogroups.com writes:
   Date: Sat, 06 Dec 2003 00:16:52 -0600
   From: Bill Velek <billvelek@alltel.net>
Subject: Re: gamblers bill of rights

snip

{Bill Velek wrote ...)
I don't live in California and am not likely to visit, ...

snip

Bill, that last paragraph, I was laughing so hard it took me a while to
recover. You evoke a feeling (pity & fear?) that others have towards Californians.

snip

I did not mean to imply anything about Californians, one way or another. It's just that California is a long way from Arkansas, I have already seen the place (my wife and I lived there for two years while I was stationed at Vandenburg Air Force Base), and we have no relatives or friends living there, .... therefore no reason to ever visit. That's all I meant.

Cheers.

Bill Velek

#3

I did not mean to imply anything about Californians, one way or
another. It's just that California is a long way from Arkansas, I have
already seen the place (my wife and I lived there for two years while I
was stationed at Vandenburg Air Force Base), and we have no relatives or
friends living there, .... therefore no reason to ever visit. That's
all I meant.

···

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 08:22:20 -0600, Bill Velek <billvelek@alltel.net> wrote:
--

  Well, I lived there for 40 years and still didn't see the place. Oh, I saw many great things, such as most of the incredible national parks. I have visited national parks in other parts of the country and believe that there are none that compare with the collection of parks in Calif.

  I have driven up and down the coastline from the Mexican border to the Oregon border and stayed at some of the really beautiful areas such as Monterrey and Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara and so on. I spent time in San Francisco (although not enough) and vacationed on Northern San Diego's Pacific Beach and dined on the water in Newport Beach and Redondo Beach and numerous other beach cities.

  I visited Big Bear Lake and Lake arrowhead many times as well as Clear Lake and Lake Shasta (Mount Shasta is incredible) and others, but most memorably Lake Tahoe, which along with Yosemite valey are no doubt two of the most beautiful places on earth. I not only want to visit them again, it just tore my heart out every time I left.

  I spent time at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and Universal Studios and other places like that, some that don't exist anymore. I watched the premiere of Alien at the incredible Grauman's Chinese theatre. I Worked downtown for while and waved at Tully Savalas as he circled around and around the block while they were taping an episode of Kojak (which was set in New york, I believe).

  I went to 30 Dodger games one year, catching at least one game of each home series. I was there when Tommy John snapped that tendon in his arm. I missed every koufax no-hitter (and Nolan Ryan's also - was never much of an Angels fan). But I got to see him pitch, and Drysdale too. I once had second row seats at a Lakers game. I rooted for the Trojans but I was also in Westwood at a UCLA frat house watching the game the night Jonny Wooden won his first championship at UCLA. And most of all I rooted for the Rams. A knife in my heart, Georgia.

  I spent many a day (and evenings) at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita (what a beautiful place) and have far too many stories and memories from there to relate here.

  For years Marie and I would often just take off and go driving around the greater L.A. area after I'd get home from work. We'd drive through an incredible variety of neighborhoods and towns and often would end up at the beach somewhere and watch one of those incomparable sunsets.

  We finally visted Susanville and Lassen last year, and on a trip early this year drove up around Marysville/Oroville. We have driven through the "Gold Country" area a number of times. It's a great drive.

  So I have seen a lot of Calif, but there's a lot more that I have missed. We'll probably move back there one of these days. Smog, fog, fires, landslides, earthquakes, wierdos and all, I love it.

  Sorry to wax off-topic for so long.
  Thanks,
Skip

#4

Skip Hughes wrote:

I did not mean to imply anything about Californians, one way or
another. It's just that California is a long way from Arkansas, I have
already seen the place (my wife and I lived there for two years while I
was stationed at Vandenburg Air Force Base), ...

snip

Well, I lived there for 40 years and still didn't see the place. Oh, I saw many great things, ...

snip

Point well-taken, Skip. Maybe I'll be fortunate enough in my retirement years to be able to cruise all over the country in an RV. I just meant that, having lived in California a couple of years, I've probably seen more than most tourists see, and therefore have no dying curiosity about the place. There is absolutely no doubt that I haven't seen much of it, just as I haven't seen much of Arkansas yet, which is considerably smaller than California. ... and I've just scratched the surface of Missouri, and Texas, and Tennessee, etc. So if I were to start close to home and really try to see alot, I'd probably never live long enough to reach California anyway. :frowning: But I sure did enjoy the diversity of the area -- wearing a T-shirt in the desert and in an hour needed a winter coat while playing in the snow; wonderful weather out there, and I never did feel any quakes either. But my heart is in Arkansas.

Cheers.

Bill Velek

···

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 08:22:20 -0600, Bill Velek <billvelek@alltel.net> >wrote:

#5

Exactly. We had planned to explore much of this country by car, starting in the west. Did a pretty good job in CA, but the west is
vast and time goes by so fast. Arkansas is a beautiful state in it's own right. When I was a young man we would take fishing vacations
down along the MO/Ark border in white river/Bull Shoals lake/Mountain home area. What a beautiful country this is. Man this is
getting too far off-topic! When are they going to get video poker up in Branson, MO?<g>
Skip

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Bill Velek <billvelek@a...> wrote:
>Point well-taken, Skip. Maybe I'll be fortunate enough in my retirement

years to be able to cruise all over the country in an RV. I just meant
that, having lived in California a couple of years, I've probably seen
more than most tourists see, and therefore have no dying curiosity about
the place. There is absolutely no doubt that I haven't seen much of it,
just as I haven't seen much of Arkansas yet, which is considerably
smaller than California. ... and I've just scratched the surface of
Missouri, and Texas, and Tennessee, etc. So if I were to start close to
home and really try to see alot, I'd probably never live long enough to
reach California anyway. :frowning:

#6

skip_vphomepage wrote:

When are they going to get video poker up in Branson, MO?<g>
Skip

I'd love it. We go to Branson a lot. Wife and daughters are going this weekend to shop ... and if they had a casino there I'd be going with them. :slight_smile:

Bill

#7

It ain't gonna happen! Branson had the wholesome "family friendly"
image and will not be receptive to gambling.

Rick

skip_vphomepage wrote:

> When are they going to get video poker up in Branson, MO?<g>
> Skip

I'd love it. We go to Branson a lot. Wife and daughters are going

this

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Bill Velek <billvelek@a...> wrote:

weekend to shop ... and if they had a casino there I'd be going with
them. :slight_smile:

Bill

#8

Rick & Lucky Lucy wrote:

It ain't gonna happen! Branson had the wholesome "family friendly"
image and will not be receptive to gambling.

<sigh> ... I'm afraid you're probably right.

Bill