The Consumers Electronics Convention... Page two
   
Like all great shows it is important to bring in celebrities to promote products and bring a sense of importance to an event and CES was no exception.  At exactly 11:00 AM promptly, Jackie Chan made an appearance at the Xavax booth to promote their new games. the Magic Raven pushed and shoved to the front of the crowd and got a shot of Jackie Chan.  Actually two shots.

 Jackie Chan steps up to the podium

Close of Jackie Chan
The celebrity ploy worked.  We stopped at the Xavax booth and we were impressed by the virtual golf and tennis games demonstrated by their representatives.                          

                                   

   Note:  This space is empty.   The batteries in my digital camera went dead and I never got this shot.  Read below to find out what happened.
                            Conan O'Brien at the show.  He's really tall                       Bill Gates, the ultimate computer geek
It was approaching 11:30 AM and the Magic Raven's feet were starting to hurt.  Mrs. Magic Raven was also tired. As we worked our way back to the show entrance after missing the Bill Gates shot, Mr. and Mrs. Raven had a decision to make. Run back up to the storage check in room where my camera bag contained fresh batteries or continue on to the free media lunch.  We opted for the free media lunch.  We headed back, the equivalent of three city blocks, to the main lobby, and up to the second floor  press room and joined the other 500 or  so free loaders for a free meal. 
 

                 I wonder how all these people got a press pass ?                                  Note Mrs. Magic Raven (3rd from left with red shirt)  chowing down
   
The Ravens felt better after lunch but were dismayed to discover that the batteries we needed to get the camera working (two cr123's)  were not in the camera bag.  This should not be a major problem at the Consumers Electronic Show.  There were at least fifteen booths representing battery manufacturers.  Surely one would have a pair of cr123's for sale or would be willing to loan the Raven a set to finish out the day. 

Here are just two of the numerous digital camera battery booths. (taken the next day)  None of them could or would sell the Magic Raven batteries.  When I asked if they would loan me a couple in exchange for pictures on this web site they told me they actually had no real batteries at the show to demonstrate.  Every battery you see in the display towers were fakes, or dummies.  By this time it was 3:30 in the afternoon and we were both exhausted.  We headed back to the hotel via the tram, bought replacement batteries at the camera store near our hotel, had dinner at the Outback Steak House and prepared ourselves for the next day. 

                                                                                            Click here to go to page three of my CES review