Beyond The Booth « Conventions

Las Vegas: National Grocers’ Association (NGA)

February 10-12, 2013. NGA is the National Grocers’ Association. President Obama recently signed H.R. 2750, the Food Safety Modernization Act, into law, thus ushering in the most significant overhaul of U.S. Food Safety laws in decades. The bill gives the FDA mandatory food recall authority, directs the FDA to establish science-based standards for safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables, increases inspections at high risk facilities, and requires food facilities to have written food safety plans. Accordingly, food safety has become a hot topic for this industry. Effective and credible representation of independent retailer grocers and wholesalers is the primary goal of NGA’s Government Affairs team. This includes enhancing and creating new relationships with elected officials and their staff, identifying opportunities for NGA and its members to testify before Congress, and making NGA the “go to” organization for Congressional leaders looking for information and resources on the independent grocery industry. It’s all food for thought…

Trade Show Tip Thursday: 10 Women to Avoid in Vegas

Since we are in the height of trade show season with SEMA looming upon us shortly, we are sharing a post from Vegas Chatter Blog:

We’ve told you the things Not to Do in Vegas but sometimes a trip isn’t classified by what you did, it’s who you did. And if you do…er meet the wrong people, that exciting weekend in Sin City can go south real fast.

So if you want to avoid being the butt of your friends jokes for years to come and having your first name be substituted for a noun referring to an embarrassing act (“You just pulled a Dave”) –read this before you go to Vegas — our list of 10 Girls to Avoid in Las Vegas.

1. Vegas Cougars
You want the cougar? You can’t handle the Vegas Cougar. She is more than likely late thirties to late fourties, may or may not look like she is in the middle of a skydive thanks to her wind tunnel look from too much plastic surgery, and she will definitely buy you dinner and a drink.

Wed Night is Cougar Night

Wait, free dinner and a drink so what is the issue? Vegas Cougars travel in packs, may or may not be divorced and will be ultra aggressive with younger men. The real issue is the Vegas Cougar is the queen of the follow up text, call, email, facebook friending — so if you want to spend the next five years hearing about her marital issues, by all means join her for dinner and a drink, otherwise, walk away.

2. Hot Girls Looking Lonely & Lurking Around Casino Floors at 4 AM
Dude, she is not *that* into you. She looks way to good and way to put together for 4 AM — why? Quite possibly because she is just starting her night, and her job. She is probably looking for a drunk guy counting his winnings and looking for someone to go upstairs with.

Where can you find these natural looking and acting girls? Well, every casino floor really, leave it to Kid Rock to point out one of their favorite hang outs — Mandalay Bay.

We said it before and we’ll say it again, prostitution is illegal in Clark County. If you need help, study the women on this list before you go.

3. The Smoking Granny at the Slots.
We don’t mean the smoking Granny as in cougar. We mean the smoking Granny as in smoking butts until she hits jackpot on the penny slot machines. Granny will sit there for hours and hours all the while smoking some old brand of cigarettes that she stocked up on at BJ’s Warehouse before it was discontinued due to its direct link with lung cancer. Spend five minutes near Granny and you will be sick the next day with smoke inhalation injuries.

4. Bachelorettes
Some dudes probably seek out bachelorettes because they are easy targets and you can’t blame them for that. These are girls walking around in special “I’m the Bride” outfits and weighted down with penis paraphernalia, shotglass necklaces and always-overfilled drinks. They’re also sizing up the guys on the dance floor saying to themselves, “He could be the last man I ever have sex with/make out with/bump and grind with.”

Hangover for Girls

But dude, have you seen the amount of alcohol that the bachelorette has been knocking back? Chances are, once you get that bride-to-be back to your hotel room, she’ll be too drunk to “hang out.” You also risk a sloppy, drunk sobfest over the near act of cheating on her fiancee. A night full of deep meaningful relationship talk with a stranger — is that what you want out of your trip to Sin City?

5. The Cooler Woman
Yes, coolers can come in the male variety too but we’ve often found that women coolers are the cruelest. Once you start hitting it big, the ever-vigilant pit boss will let you win a few more hands just to let you think you are invincible. Then he’ll bring in a severe-looking woman to slow your roll. Even if it’s 4:30am, she’s still sharp as a tack, ready to do her job which is to make you lose.

She will either remain completely silent or feign that she doesn’t understand English — cause you know, idle chatter equals winning hands for the players. Every once in a while, in between her relentless run of Aces and Jacks, she will throw you a wry smile, acting like maybe if you stick around long enough you will win your money back.

Wrong, before you know it you will be curled up in the fetal position crying in your room. Ditch her and the pit boss she rode in on.

6. The Not-a-Woman Woman
Like any night out in the big city, you have to be careful about who’s got the real goods and who’s got the cleverly hidden goods.

Seen at Drink & Drag (Clue!)

Hell these days even Lady GaGa is subject to web rumors about her private parts. That means it isn’t always easy to tell, especially under club lighting and the influence of booze. If you are questioning the femininity of any club goer it is best to just move along instead of declaring, “It’s a man baby!”

7. Hitler’s Woman
Avoid this crazy woman who yelled “Heil Hitler” at a Jewish man during one of those fiery Town Hall meetings over health care. Members of the Aryan nation need not heed our warning.

8. The Thief
Anytime some beautiful girl starts talking to you when there is a “Sexiest Man Alive” celeb sitting nearby (Pitt, Clooney, DiCaprio, Pattinson, maybe Efron), it is too good to be true. It’s not because you’re in Vegas and you must be feeling lucky. Don’t fool yourself. It’s because you’re sitting in the high roller section at Encore and she noticed your new Panerai watch. And you’re blessedly bodyguard-free.

This woman is also thinking that you might have some other goodies in your suite upstairs and wouldn’t it be fun if you brought her up there and ordered some champagne and caviar before she dropped a roofie in your drink and made off with all your expensive possessions? Do your best to shoo her away unless you want to leave Vegas thousands of dollars poorer. Hmm…that will probably happen anyways. So really, it’s up to you.

9. The Sex at Rehab Woman
If you meet a girl at Rehab, the Hard Rock’s raunchy pool party, and she wants to have sex with you, you should first consider this: This girl is pretty crazy to want to have sex with you in public. Still, that’s not so bad. After all it’s Vegas and that’s what a few drinks in 100+ degree weather will do to anyone. What’s worse is that this girl wants to have sex with you at Rehab where several other folks have already had sex in the very same water you’ve been swimming in. Condoms don’t work in water, do they?

10. Elvis Cross-Dressers
That’s just some kinky stuff we are not ready for yet.

Beyond the Booth Vegas: Greek Food Fest

Las Vegas has a food fest for just about every cuisine you can imagine: San Genaro, Mexican Independence, 9th Island (Hawaiian), Asian (covers all the Pacific Rim), Octoberfest and our collective favorite: Greek.

Las Vegas: CAALA

Sept. 6-9, 2012. This one’s for attorneys, law firm staff, jurists and law students. CAALA’s annual Las Vegas Convention is supposed to be the largest gathering of trial attorneys in the USA. It featured three and half days of educational sessions presented by the nation’s most prominent trial lawyers, jurists and legal consultants. The convention attracted 2,000 attendees and over 100 legal service exhibitors. Sessions on offer included advanced trial skills, “What very trial lawyer should know about medical imaging, electronic and diagnostic testing” (for effective proof of medical damages), and “Taking it to the Max: basic tips to maximize auto accident cases”, which included “Nuts and bolts for seatbelts and airbags — rules of the road for product liability cases”. A case of buckle up, we’re the law….

Las Vegas: Vision Expo

Sept. 6-8, 2012. The International Vision Expo and Conference was all about eyewear. The scope of education, products, trends and solutions at the show was designed to expand visitors’ field of vision and keep everyone updated on best practice for the care and treatment of patients needing glasses. The Continuing Education Program for Vision Expo West was divided into four areas of interest: Business Solutions, Medical/Clinical, Optical Technology, and Contact Lenses. Vision Expo Education provided opportunities to learn best practices for disease diagnosis, treatment and management, clinical application of products and technology, and healthy business solutions. One panel explored the effects of UV damage, product solutions to guard against exposure, and ways to get the UV protection message to patients and the community. Kind of getting the glare out of glasses….

Las Vegas: Gentlemen’s Club Expo

Aug. 28 – Sep. 1, 2012. The Annual Gentlemen’s Club Owners Expo tells us it’s the only national convention and tradeshow for the multi-billion-dollar adult nightclub industry. EXPO attendees could count on three days of workshops and panel sessions geared toward club owners, general managers and other key club personnel; two days of a 300-booth tradeshow with vendors showcasing their latest products and services; two evening parties that were equal parts networking and fun; and the Annual ED Awards Show honoring the industry’s top adult nightclubs and entertainers. There were more than three thousand attendees, discussing topics as varied as alcohol sales, club sound, lighting, renovations, and employee relations. Rule one for the employee relations session: keep your hands to yourself.

Beyond-The-Booth Las Vegas: AFAN Black & White Ball #BWParty26

A few pics from about the festivities of the annual Black & White ball held at the Hard Rock hotel on August 25. Money raised from this event goes directly to the Las Vegas Chapter of AFAN, a non-profit set up to assist those with HIV & Aids. In typical Las Vegas fashion, anything goes from tuxedos & ball gowns to body paint.