Alright Kids, It’s Time For The Slideshow (AAC)

So I’m listening to the new improved version – help whats the difference?

jimmymac I’m interested but when I tried to join it put up an error.
Is it because I is Brit?

Nice butts Admin!

jimmymac, do you want us to mail the $20 to you?

Also, how was the golf in Primm? I’ve heard they are excellent courses but have never stopped there on the way to Vegas. Are they worth the drive from the strip?

On picture 15 Jimmymac rocks! – was that the after party?

I totally own this thread

Ace, you have to enter the group number “13810″ not the name.

TrustNo1 – thanks thats the answer – now anybody want to help me pick a team that wont leave me bottom of the heap

Jimmymac I’m in. Now how would you like me to pay – bearing in mind I am in the UK so I guess I will have to post whatever we choose

I’m the wrong guy to ask Ace. I’m planning on being a “donator” as we say in the poker world. It looks like there will be some tools to check the odds and expert picks.

I’m half way through the show. Wow, best show ever. I love the slideshow. I couldn’t get it to work with the iPod, but I’m following along with iTunes. Great job TAI team!

Warning: Excessive post below

I find myself with a bit of unexpected time, so I am answering the question addressed to me in the Aug 15 message board:

Brian’s Post: “What about our show do you find most appealing? I’m not being sarcastic, it’s a legitimate question. …Just something I wonder about. Is it possible that Tommy and I operate at a higher level without even knowing it?”

Answer: First, Brain’s hypothesis that the show operates at a higher level than the hosts realize is, in my opinion, not true. In fact, it is actually a twist on that logic. Part of the reason the show works is that it is an uncommon example of a broadcast media program (or even print media) where the host or authors do not try to sound like they are smarter than they really are. At the same time, they do not, in my opinion, give themselves enough credit either.

My personal reasons for listening are:
· General entertainment
· To gain a sensing of opinion and information on topics which interest me
· To observe (and participate in) a non-border restricted community form from scratch
· It is good to hear an uncensored, uncontrolled media

With regard to the general entertainment aspect, it is a good listen and generally beats the sports talk I might otherwise listen to on my work commute every few days. The material (sports, Vegas, pop-culture, ground level social commentary, and general story-telling) is a good intersection for my interests.

BMO and TD make themselves out to be only semi-competent, but it is not true. BMO’s professional speaking and hosting skills are strong. I believe BMO could easily host a 4-hour daily talk show and he has hosted UPC on WGN, not as small of feat as he portrays it to be. It cannot be easy to guide a flowing and cohesive discussion for an hour. Listen to many other podcasts and this becomes apparent.

TD brings thoughtful opinions to common topics. One example from a prior show is about Mike Vick. TD pointed out Vick has done very horrible things and deserves to be punished severely for those, but this is also an example of a person’s celebrity actually working against them. TD is good at seeing both sides. (I personally can’t see past the cruelty element.)

Another example is TD describing Vegas’s interest and role in limiting corruption in sports betting The opposite of how thing might appear on the surface Both Tommy and BMO had intelligent perspective on the Teen Pageant. Both would be quick to deny it I suspect.

Unlike BMO, TD probably is less suited to fluidly drive discussion on a topic on which he has little genuine interest or passion (that’s a skill and a compliment BMO – don’t over-analyze and convert it to ‘BMO can blab endlessly’ in your head), but TD does come across very well when articulating opinion, perspective, or knowledge. It’s a good combination.

It is also interesting to me to hear what the hosts and the message board contributors are saying on any particular topic. In other words the content is generally good both in the podcast and the posts. It is pure, uncensored, and reasonably non-commercial. I include humor as content. Sure there are topics I don’t think add much value, five weeks of ‘poop on floor’, ‘lists of curse words’, but others get into it a bit so my prerogative in this environment is just to bitch a little and let it go. I’m not sitting with my arms crossed and lower lip out about it, I’m actually smirking a bit myself. It’s all good.

I found the Podcast early on and it is particularly interesting to see this media grow organically. The preverbal Web 2.0 in action. Trainfan is probably much better positioned than I to articulate what is happening, but I appreciate the opportunity to see it unfold as a case study and even surface elements of what I see for application in my own work in a large corporate environment.

It has been interesting to find a podcast that came up on both of two searches: ‘Vegas’ and ‘Iowa State’. I downloaded it out of curiosity only to hear two idiots with PCs and Microphones (make that one idiot with a PC and a microphone and one with a bad cell phone). All pieced together by an apparently genius producer half a world away. It has been interesting to see the show and community symbiotically develop

Seeing the rise of a reasonably holistic, though male-dominated, community including including medical professionals, teachers, strippers, students, and ejection-seat experts that spans the globe emerge, all with no advertising, centered around a strange kernel of interest intersections has a lot of lessons.

I also enjoy the personalities on the message boards. Long-timers Patch, Fenn, Train, Brad, Steve WP, Fobes (I’m missing many) and more recently the likes of Scott J, English Bob and others have always had interesting posts. Many semi-regulars like Bigbadbob, Rasin Bran etc also chip in.

The ebb and flow is also curious. There is recently less from Piagow Pete and KGB than I would like, and others such as Devildog seem to have disappeared. At least Lady Grey Phoenixed back. Some of the newer active listeners Ace, Richie, Whit, come in a bit strong and abrasive at first and but than turn out to be excellent additions to the virtual group with consistently good and entertaining comments. Shows never to judge quickly based on the written word I suppose. Others like Yo, Dipper, JR, pmac, j-mac and Mungus TWH come in solid from the start. E Karros still has work to do though.

Incidentally, I am glad there are very few calls played on the show. All have been good and some (Fennville, Trainfan) classics, but I have seen other good shows (five hundy by midnight when I listened) suffer badly from way too many boring low quality drunk calls. The periodic gems from Fennville, ‘Trainfan! Checking In!’, and segments from Steve AKA and Fobes have been perfect. Interview with Fyregirl was good as well (but the guy who won the midnight poker tournament on New Years– not so good).

Bottom line, TAI just a bit of fun entertainment that allows me to embrace the inner degenerate.

So that is why I listen.

I’m sure BMO has used the phrase “F**king Manifesto” and just skipped to the end by now. Apologies for the length.

Thanks for answering the question Slash. I figured that was it, just wanted to hear you say it.

Slashdog – great take on the show and I think I share many if not all of your takes.

Now quit hogging the message board.

By the way slash – if you got that post in under the wire – we can expect the Friday show to be nothing but self-congratulating love fest between the hosts. That might make me do a Mofobes on the Patio. Thanks.

“Mofobes on the Patio”!!

I plan on using that in my daily life… even though no one else will understand what it means.

nice one, Train.

on that note,

i wanted to give a recommendation to everyone. i just went to the new burger joint at the north end of Fashion Show Mall (across from Wynn) called Strip Burger. it was excellent and i would recommend it to anyone who wants a step up from In-N-Out & Fatburger. the whole restaurant is outside, but they have misters & heaters to keep thing under control. they also have a full bar with seating or you can sit at the high tables and watch the crowds go buy. open ’til 1 am during the week and 2 on the weekends.

burgers are priced in the $7-9 dollar range and were excellent. i had the bleu cheese burger, fries, & a shake. all of it was good. the basket of skin-on fries was $3 with plenty to share, and hot-fudge sundae shake was thick & rich.

just something i thought you guys might enjoy after or during a night of drinking.

Am I in? It only sounds like the best birthday ever!

I agree w/ Tony and go one up: I vote that the Wii is the official video game system for TAI. Or at least put this up as a new poll.

It’s by far the best drunken party system out there. Nothing better than 4 people getting pissed at one another over a game of virtual cartoon tennis/golf/bowling.

Mofobes, I’ll try to get out there but there’s just something about walking to Fatburger after closing the bar near the poker room @ MGM Grand.

Here are my NCAAF picks (aka, give me the biggest fucking number you got, I don’t care)…..

Rutgers -32
WVU – 23.5
Nebraska -21.5

p.s., you guys didn’t talk about 2 key rules changes in NCAA (moving the kickoffs back 5 yards and not starting the clock on change of possessions). Some people say this may increase the number of plays in a game by 10-15 and will have a huge impact on score.

I really like a lot of the overs (especially in the first week before all the handicapers get a hold of these new rules).

Raisin Bran, I have played Bali Hai a couple times and really like the course. I think they did a good job with the South Pacific theme, and it is a very playable course, not too difficult, but with some interesting, challenging holes. It is not a target golf course, you can usually find your misses and play them. Also, you can’t beat the location, right on the south end of the strip.

On the negative side, it is noisy, as the planes coming into McCarron fly directly overhead, and it is pricey, around $300 during peak season. Although I like the course, it is definitely overpriced.

AMAZING job Tony. i was listening while eating lunch and never looked at my Ipod and totally missed everything. i just looked back thru it and loved all your pics, especially the editorial ones like the thong shot – AWESOME.

also, when did the text box on this forum start including spell check? I keep getting the red line on misspelled or unrecognized words. or maybe it is the update for Firefox, that i installed yesterday.

Just listening to show 65 – the guys have just gone three days a week and are looking forward to a much more stream lined message board with maybe 40 posts a show doh!

Jimmy Mac

Im gonna sign up for the pickem as soon as im home from work (cant access fantasy site but get access to this one???? go figure)

Like Ace asked, whats the deal with money from the UK… should we just send you a few pence??? that should cover the $20 with the nice exchange rate!!!!

Ah, I see. I’ve got an iPod but didn’t try listening to the AAC version. Considering I was running a flash column while listening to the podcast, I pretty much just skipped through all the picture talk, what with no access to a computer (and, to be honest, pretty much no interest in the pictures.)