NationStates Jolt Archive

I was in Las Vegas last week and went to the Stratosphere tower to ride the scaeiest rides on the planet.

I found out that they have fairly radical security including metal detectors and what have you brfore you can go up into the tower. Worse than courts have almost as bad as airports. They took my pocket knife away. This struck me as odd but meh people are overly cautious these days.

Then when I got back home I was looking at Las Vegas on google earth and they have deleted and photoshopped virtually the entire tower from google earth. You can see maybe 50 feet of one (of three) tower legs. The rest of the 1100 foot tall tower is gone save the shadow of the tower on the ground.

I dont know why this was done, possibly for clarity of the surrounding area. I just think it is odd.

Since Google Earth is cobbled of multiple satellite photos, it's possible that the image was taken at different angles, and by virtue of that fact the tower got cut out, basically the sat-rec equivalent of giving the tallest person in the family a haircut when taking a picture..

I was in Las Vegas last week and went to the Stratosphere tower to ride the scaeiest rides on the planet.

I found out that they have fairly radical security including metal detectors and what have you brfore you can go up into the tower. Worse than courts have almost as bad as airports. They took my pocket knife away. This struck me as odd but meh people are overly cautious these days.
It's been like that for a while, namely because casinos ALWAYS have had tight security, even if you don't notice it.

Since Google Earth is cobbled of multiple satellite photos, it's possible that the image was taken at different angles, and by virtue of that fact the tower got cut out, basically the sat-rec equivalent of giving the tallest person in the family a haircut when taking a picture..

The bit they cropped in is indeed from another angle. It also has shadows pointing in different directions. Las Vegas is one of the best resolution areas I've seen on google earth. However the bit that was inserted to hide the tower is only a tiny bit from another angle that is surrounded on all sides by the angle that would show the tower.

It's been like that for a while, namely because casinos ALWAYS have had tight security, even if you don't notice it.

No I walked through every casino unfettered including the Stratosphere casino without any hindrance. The only real guilty-until-proven-innocent security I experienced was in entering the Stratosphere tower

No I walked through every casino unfettered including the Stratosphere casino without any hindrance. The only real guilty-until-proven-innocent security I experienced was in entering the Stratosphere tower

Casino security is kind of "hands off", but very tight. They won't touch you unless you do something bad, but it's safe to assume they know where you are and what you have at all times.


And it's possible that they cut it off the map for security. I've looked for all the bases I've lived on or near, and they're all scratched off/whited out...

No I walked through every casino unfettered including the Stratosphere casino without any hindrance. The only real guilty-until-proven-innocent security I experienced was in entering the Stratosphere tower

Thats cause those objects are a significant safety consern. They have a tendancy to pop out of the rider's pocket.

Thats cause those objects are a significant safety consern. They have a tendancy to pop out of the rider's pocket.

Nope. They let me take all the crap I had in my pockets with me save the knife. Even lrt me keep a camera which is far heavier and more deadly than a small Victorinox when dropped from 900 or 1000 feet. it was the weapon potential of the knife and not the mass which they disliked. I'm certain of that.

Nope. They let me take all the crap I had in my pockets with me save the knife. Even lrt me keep a camera which is far heavier and more deadly than a small Victorinox when dropped from 900 or 1000 feet. it was the weapon potential of the knife and not the mass which they disliked. I'm certain of that.

On the casino floor they have guards all around to stop you from stabbing people. On the ride, not so much.

No I walked through every casino unfettered including the Stratosphere casino without any hindrance. The only real guilty-until-proven-innocent security I experienced was in entering the Stratosphere tower
Oh trust me, you were watched before you got INTO the casino. They don't screw around, at all.

On the casino floor they have guards all around to stop you from stabbing people. On the ride, not so much.

Not true. There are many more uniformed guards visible at the rides than there are anywhere else. Virtually all of them look and sound like they are from Hawaii as it goes. Freindly but there are plenty of them. I even got to see them move once when some drunk didnt hear the PA telling him to quit sitting on the rail.

Oh trust me, you were watched before you got INTO the casino. They don't screw around, at all.

I believe you. But they dont metal detect me or screw with me unless my actions desperately require it. It's a town who's gargantuan economy depends upon people feeling free to run wild. Despite the reality of the situation if Las Vegas starts feeling like you are under scrutiny and suspicion at all times then Las Vegas is dead.

I believe you. But they dont metal detect me or screw with me unless my actions desperately require it. It's a town who's gargantuan economy depends upon people feeling free to run wild. Despite the reality of the situation if Las Vegas starts feeling like you are under scrutiny and suspicion at all times then Las Vegas is dead.
Oh I know, believe you me. I was born and except for the last 2 years of my life, lived in Nevada. But the security is there, you just don't see it. The casinos are very, VERY good at making sure you do feel that everything is free and that luck rules the place.