Thursday, May 23, 2013

Another Vegas trip

Wandered into Vegas yesterday to help Number One Daughter buy a new tablet computer.  We don't know anything about them but we do know enough to ask a few questions:  like, will this run X software.  Actually I skipped out on the computer shopping to do other stuff.  I just had to make a run over to Harbor Freight for a couple things.  I know most of their stuff is crap but some things work out ok even if they are somewhat shoddy.  In this case I was looking for 24" wood clamps; they are $5 each at Harbor, $35 each at Home Depot.  If I were an actual woodworker I'd need the good ones.  In this case I'm going to use these things once and maybe again if 5 or 10 years if I'm lucky.  I just can't afford having an extra $60 sitting in the garage until I die! We have a table with a minor crack that I need to glue and clamp.  I can't imagine the next time I'll need a clamp this big but at least we'll get the table back to where it doesn't snag the table cloth! 

High point of the day for me was getting to see one of the cars Google uses for all those photos they have in Google Earth and Vpike.com.  It was a little Ford, I think, with this 3 foot (1m) pole coming out of the top of the roof with a ball of cameras on top that looked like a demented soccer ball.  Honestly, it had about that many lenses!  How do I know it was Google's car; well, it had a big sign on the side.  You can't fool me with tricks like that.  I was way too slow to get a photo though. 

I had lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  The cheeseburger was pretty good; a bit greasy and the fries were quite good, better than most for sure.  My big problem isn't the $6 for the burger but thought the fries and coke were somewhat overpriced.  Also between the hard surfaces, the loud music and the customers talking, you couldn't hear yourself think.  Much less hear when the guy behind the counter called your number to hand over your order.  Will I return?  Meh, don't know but I kind of doubt it.

Got back to rejoin the ladies for a beer while they ate their late lunch.  Daughter bought the MS Surface.  In her business she uses a lot of MS products and this thing will run them.  Kind of expensive at $1100 not including the keyboard that they have backordered but if it does the job she will be all set up.  At least until the 'next thing' comes along. 

Gotta go.  It's feeding time at the zoo and I'm getting in line.  Have a good one.

2 comments:

Croft said...

The hype about the MS Surface was that it was going to be a lot cheaper than the competition. It looks like that didn't happen.

I like Harbour Freight for the same reason as you. Their stuff is not professional grade but neither am I. For my purposes, cheap is good enough. I inherited a lot of my dad's tools that he used almost every day in his job. He died 16 years ago and the tools are still going strong

JoeinVegas said...

I thought those things went for under $600? wow