New Continental international baggage policy

Greg Mossman wrote:
> "Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1123634682.704807.24020@o13g2000cwo.googlegro ups.com...
>
> > I'll be going to Lost Wegas this weekend, playing as a minature minnow,
> > probably averaging no more than a few "nichels and dimes" (red chips)
> > of those minnows, a hand, unless the conditions at the blackjack tables
> >
> > are occasionally suitable for a few Green "nichols" and black "dimes".
> > Though I've bet more than a black "dime" on one hand many times, the
> > most I've lost in one hand was 4 black dimes (split and double down
> > looking a dealer's 6), and the dealer got lucky.
> >
> > Let's see what your nichols and dimes might be ...
>
> Mine seem the same as yours. All the fancier Vegas casinos are $25 minimum
> now, or just have a token one or two $10 tables that never have open seats.

At peak hours perhaps. But not quite that bad. But minimum $10 dime
is pretty much the rule than the exception.

> I used to stay at the Mandalay a lot and their new "The Hotel" addition is
> very nice, especially when you can get a midweek $130 rate for a fraction of
> the regular $300-400 a night they normally want.

I used to get COMPS for my stay and meals by the hotel across the
street,
ExCalibur. But comps are much harder to come by now. I phoned the
ExCalibur just to see what kind of deal they have for a former regular
comp customer. They said they'll give me a special rate of $119 per
night -- when I'll be staying at the Hilton at $75 for TWO nights.
That was a casino related promo of course. They offered free nights
when I entered their Million Dollar Blackjack tournament -- whose
"free nights" cost me effectively $333 a night. But in the
long run, I've been ahead in Lost Wages, since I play the only game
that I can play with infinitesimal better odds against the House.

It reminded me the one time I tried to get a COMP at the Venetian, and
after playing for several hours averaging $60 a hand or so, I got a
"free meal". Upon asking the casino host what it would take to get
a comp for ONE night (this was several years ago), he said, average
$100 a HAND for 12 hours. That was the permanent end of THAT comp
for me. But I've stayed at their biggest 1400 sq ft Piazza
Suit for an upgrade from their promotional $99 a night rate because
when I arrived at 1 am, they had sold out all their regular suites.

>
> But I've been staying at the Aladdin the past few times since Starwood took
> it over since they automatically upgrade me to a "Strip Suite" complete with
> jacuzzi regardless of my gambling activities and I get points and accumulate
> stay credit for next year's "elite" status. They have plenty of $10 tables,
> so it's easy enough to go from multiple black chips to two red chips when
> the cards are down.

I may have to check them out. That must be the new Aladdin hotel and
resort in LAS.

> I got yelled at by a pit boss my last time there,
> though. I have a habit of cashing in small piles of green chips, when I'm
> lucky enough to accumulate them, for black chips which I promptly stick in
> my pocket so I can pretend I'm not too far ahead and keep my betting sane.
> Unfortunately, this last time, the pit boss told me I couldn't do that
> anymore and demanded I keep all my chips on the table.

That pit boss is FOS! I walk off with black chips in casinos ALL over
the world ALL the time, from playing tables. I seldom play more than
15 or 20 minutes at a time. Just stick the chips in the pocket
whenever
I please.

The dealers always yell to the pit boss when you sit down to start
play where you're using black chips from previous sessions to cash in
smaller chips. So, to give them the IMPRESSION they may be taking
my cash, I periodically change the black "dimes" between tables into
bills and plunk down my Franklins instead of black "dimes" when
I sit down at the next table.

But basically they don't care whether you win or loss, as long as
you are not caught cheating. You FOB pit boss just wanted to
estimate better (for HIM) how you did. BUt the astute ones know
anyway whether you put it into your pocket of laundrer it through
the casino cage.


> I thought it weird
> and of course I started losing at that point and we finally left before I
> could give them all their money back.

The second hardest thing for most undisciplined gamblers is to walk off
a table LOSING. The hardest thing for them to do is to walk away
WINNING (not trying to make a KILLING). That's why most of them
lose what they won and more before they quit.

> It still paid for the room, dinner,
> gas there and back, and left me a few hundred toward bankrolling my next
> visit, so I'll probably return to the same place again. Supposedly it's now
> the Planet Hollywood Hotel and I'm curious to see what they did with all the
> middle-eastern decor that, in this day of anti-Islamic "patriotism", was
> costing them their American customers.

I looked at the web picture and didn't recognize it, and not even sure
where it is relative to the Strip.

Come down this weekend and and I'll buy you a drink there, while
I get all my perks at the Hilton.

-- Bob.

Thus spake "Ross Garrett" <frederickrossgarrett@hotmail.com> :

>
>"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
>news:11fhsfnal7kfl9b@corp.supernews.com...
>
>> But as U.S. airport security measures have grown stricter and the airlines
>> have become more restrictive, I've noticed the skycaps aren't always as
>> eager to help passengers bend the rules even with a sizeable tip.
>
>I cannot say that has been my experience. I have never seen a Skycap working
>a curbside check-in kiosk weigh a bag. And I fly a considerable amount.
>
>And now that the airlines are talking about dissolving the contractual
>relationship they have with Skycaps and instead moving them to gratuity
>workers I doubt sincerely any Skycap at any American airport has the
>interests of the airline or airport in mind when a decent tip is being
>proffered.
>
>
I believe it was United who just started charging for curbside check
in. How long before they start charging if you don't use self check
in?

--
dillon

Pain is Nature's way of saying "that was stupid"

Thus spake "Grumman-581" <grumman581@gmail.com> :

>Greg Mossman wrote:
>> You bring a firearm on international flights?
>
>Yeah, sometimes I'm forced to fly outside of Texas...

I even took a rifle to Canada. A Marlin in .444, to hunt bear. Never
did see one.

--
dillon

Pain is Nature's way of saying "that was stupid"

In article <1123641387.001839.220190@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
Reef Fish <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote:


€
€ > I thought it weird
€ > and of course I started losing at that point and we finally left before I
€ > could give them all their money back.
€
€ The second hardest thing for most undisciplined gamblers is to walk off
€ a table LOSING. The hardest thing for them to do is to walk away
€ WINNING (not trying to make a KILLING). That's why most of them
€ lose what they won and more before they quit.
€
€ > It still paid for the room, dinner,
€ > gas there and back, and left me a few hundred toward bankrolling my next
€ > visit, so I'll probably return to the same place again. Supposedly it's now
€ > the Planet Hollywood Hotel and I'm curious to see what they did with all the
€ > middle-eastern decor that, in this day of anti-Islamic "patriotism", was
€ > costing them their American customers.
€
€ I looked at the web picture and didn't recognize it, and not even sure
€ where it is relative to the Strip.
€
€ Come down this weekend and and I'll buy you a drink there, while
€ I get all my perks at the Hilton.
€


Fascinating. Really.

Now, after this long-winded essay on gambling tactics, cross-posted to
both rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations, are you still going to give
folks a hard time for making off-topic posts?

Oh, and I don't gamble. By your own rules of drinking, etc., doesn't
this make all us non-gamblers morally superior to you? (you do know
that gambling is often considered a tax on people who are bad at math,
don't you?).

"Dillon Pyron" wrote in message
news:duuif19ivadg6d557ufeavlujqmobpu0h2@4ax.com...
> I even took a rifle to Canada. A Marlin in .444, to hunt bear. Never
> did see one.

If you hadn't had it with you, you would have encountered one... <evil-grin>

Alan Street wrote:
> In article <1123641387.001839.220190@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
> Reef Fish <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> €
> € > I thought it weird
> € > and of course I started losing at that point and we finally left before I
> € > could give them all their money back.
> €
> € The second hardest thing for most undisciplined gamblers is to walk off
> € a table LOSING. The hardest thing for them to do is to walk away
> € WINNING (not trying to make a KILLING). That's why most of them
> € lose what they won and more before they quit.
> €
> € > It still paid for the room, dinner,
> € > gas there and back, and left me a few hundred toward bankrolling mynext
> € > visit, so I'll probably return to the same place again. Supposedlyit's now
> € > the Planet Hollywood Hotel and I'm curious to see what they did with all the
> € > middle-eastern decor that, in this day of anti-Islamic "patriotism", was
> € > costing them their American customers.
> €
> € I looked at the web picture and didn't recognize it, and not even sure
> € where it is relative to the Strip.
> €
> € Come down this weekend and and I'll buy you a drink there, while
> € I get all my perks at the Hilton.
> €
>
>
> Fascinating. Really.
>
> Now, after this long-winded essay on gambling tactics, cross-posted to
> both rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations, are you still going to give
> folks a hard time for making off-topic posts?

I NEVER give folks a hard time for making off-topic posts. That's
why you don't see me in ANY of the guns and politics threads telling
them not to discuss it.

I pulled tis topic off the international baggage thread, and labeled
it "OT" and specifically on gambling in LAS "Tips on Lost Wages",
so people know we were discussing an OT subject that branched
off the main subject discussed in those groups.


That was ENTIRELY different from the kind of NOISE you were making
in butting into my DIVING topics, or even OT topics, for having
nothing of substance to say other than making noise.

There is a big difference between having an OT discussion, in
whatever subject, and just being a pest, a gnat, in making
one-liner, or many liner NOISE for the sake of noise making.

The latter was/is YOU, Alan Street.

Finally, my OT discussions do not detract from the FACT that I
have made much more ON TOPIC discussions in scuba and scuba
locations, in substance, compared to all your posts put
together (97% in noise, and non-scuba OT topics; 3% on
something scuba related).

Is that too much math for you to understand?

>
> Oh, and I don't gamble. By your own rules of drinking, etc., doesn't
> this make all us non-gamblers morally superior to you? (you do know
> that gambling is often considered a tax on people who are bad at math,
> don't you?).

The only thing "superiority" or "inferiority" that comes into play
in ANY discussion, on or off topic, is that of "substance" in
the discussion.

In the case of Alan Street, besides the complete ABSENCE of
substance in a discussion, which make him infinitely "inferior"
to everyone, his mental capacity of comprehension is clearly
inferior too, because he has shown no comprehension of the
substance of ANY discussion, scuba or non-scuba, On Topic
or OFF topic.

Alan Street only babbles and make incomprehensible noise, as
he has done in this and every post in which he intruded.

Of course I can't expect Alan Street to understand any of
what I've just said. But OTHERS clearly do, except Scott and
a couple others of the same mental deficiency.

Now make yourself scarce, and babble in those OT threads in
which I do not engage in, because I choose not to engage in
because I have nothing I wish to contribute.

-- Bob.

"Dillon Pyron" <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
news:6suif1pk2lvd9t024lrs6n3covs9mlrlav@4ax.com...
> Thus spake "Ross Garrett" <frederickrossgarrett@hotmail.com> :
> I believe it was United who just started charging for curbside check
> in. How long before they start charging if you don't use self check
> in?

I'm sure Ross can just slip the machine a fast $10.

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:DpgKe.169916$s54.140790@pd7tw2no...
>
> "Dillon Pyron" <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:6suif1pk2lvd9t024lrs6n3covs9mlrlav@4ax.com...
>> Thus spake "Ross Garrett" <frederickrossgarrett@hotmail.com> :
>> I believe it was United who just started charging for curbside check
>> in. How long before they start charging if you don't use self check
>> in?
>
> I'm sure Ross can just slip the machine a fast $10.

I think it will be funny when Ross slips 'em a fast $10 before they take his
bags and they come back asking for $25 per overweight bag. It's a new
world.

Reef Fish wrote:
> Jer wrote:
>
>>Reef Fish wrote:
>>
>>>Jer wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Reef Fish wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Greg Mossman wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>They done did it just like I said they would. Note that the policy is
>>>>>>effective immediately, but is "waived" for tickets purchased through 9/7/05:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.continental.com/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Summary of Continental's International Free Checked Baggage Allowance
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> b.. OnePass Elite members: Two pieces of free checked baggage up to
>>>>>>a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) each; Maximum linear dimensions: 62
>>>>>>inches (157 cm) each
>>>>>> c.. BusinessFirst or First Class customers: Three pieces of free
>>>>>>checked baggage up to a maximum weight of 70 lbs. (32 kg) each; Maximum
>>>>>>linear dimensions: 62 inches (157 cm) each
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>The new policy is no different from the current one, on Elite members.
>>>>>Just fly 25K miles to be a Silver Elite, and you'll be able to check
>>>>>two bags of 70 lbs, in Pauper Class.
>>>>>
>>>>>Just another FF perk.
>>>>>
>>>>>-- Bob.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Or stop quibbling about nickels and dimes and eat the extra cost.
>>>
>>>
>>>Haven't you heard, "A dollar saved is a dollar earned?" Or is it
>>>10 dollars?
>>>
>>>The Qantas bahstards charge something like $40 per kilo for
>>>overweight bags. Even if the Aussie dollar is only about 80 cents
>>>USD, if you carry that amount in nickels and dimes, you'll be
>>>overweight in the carry-on department.
>>>
>>>-- Bob.
>>>
>>
>>Obviously, the nickel and dime comment is provided figuratively in my
>>feeble attempt to press a point...
>
>
> In Las Vegas currency, a nichol and dime mean very different amounts
> depending on the TABLE in which your play. For the "whales"
>
> OB scuba:
> http://www.bestreadguide.com/lasvega...od_whale.shtml
>
> *> A source familiar in dealing with "The Whales of the World"
> *> confirmed that it usually takes a minimum credit line of $5 million
>
> *> to even be considered. "They have to average a bet of at least
> *> $100,000 a hand!"
>
> a "nichol", the smallest denomination chips they use is $5,000. USD.
>
> The cocktail waitress in Lost Wages love whales!
>
> I'll be going to Lost Wegas this weekend, playing as a minature minnow,
> probably averaging no more than a few "nichels and dimes" (red chips)
> of those minnows, a hand, unless the conditions at the blackjack tables
>
> are occasionally suitable for a few Green "nichols" and black "dimes".
> Though I've bet more than a black "dime" on one hand many times, the
> most I've lost in one hand was 4 black dimes (split and double down
> looking a dealer's 6), and the dealer got lucky.
>
> Let's see what your nichols and dimes might be ...
>
>
>>AU$40/kilo? That does seem excessive, but if I gotta go, I gotta go.
>
>
> At the current exchange rate, an AU$ is $0.761 USD, so AU $40 per kilo
> works out to about $13.84 USD per lb. For my 140 lb excess weight in
> checked baggage, it would come to $1,973 USD, which would have been
> more than 4 times the cost of the ticket.
>
> I don't care WHAT you call them, but I ain't paying no 20 black LAS
> "dimes" to any airline for excess checked baggage!
>
> -- Bob.
>

Well, yeah, with those airline rates, DHL flies my friendly skies.

And thanks for the Whale insight. Clearly, that's one pond I'll never
swim in.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:11fj5afn0vf3a69@corp.supernews.com...
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:DpgKe.169916$s54.140790@pd7tw2no...
>>
>> "Dillon Pyron" <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
>> news:6suif1pk2lvd9t024lrs6n3covs9mlrlav@4ax.com...
>>> Thus spake "Ross Garrett" <frederickrossgarrett@hotmail.com> :
>>> I believe it was United who just started charging for curbside check
>>> in. How long before they start charging if you don't use self check
>>> in?
>>
>> I'm sure Ross can just slip the machine a fast $10.
>
> I think it will be funny when Ross slips 'em a fast $10 before they take
> his bags and they come back asking for $25 per overweight bag. It's a new
> world.

To think one could actually wait until receiving the desired service before
handing over the tip How much better would life in this world be if LA folks
shared all their keen insights with us :^)

I'll assume this was an opportunity to show solidarity with chilly.
Otherwise I'm left only to conclude you are as brilliantly dopey as she
often seems.