interop conference, day 4

Jake and I parted ways today, conference/training-wise. I opted to continue the security track of the conferences, while he took a whole-day workshop on mobile security. Another set of keynote speeches today, this time from the executives of Nortel, Microsoft, and Avaya. Again, they focused on (surprise surprise) interoperability, and how their products can achieve that.

Things I've learned at the conferences today? Er... not much really. Again, the topics are not really new, and even with fresh insights I feel I could have gotten into those realizations myself say, next month, when I research for topics for the AV newsletter. Maybe because the topics are about security in general, so of course the speakers tried to cram as much concepts (e.g., physical security, network security, etc.) as possible in an hour. Discussing about malware or Web threats as possible security breach just a part of that hour.

During lunch (Mexican buffet), we chatted a with Filipino guy based in Seattle. We exchanged business cards and he promised that he'll catch up with us in Manila by November/December, just in case he goes there for the holidays. *shrugs* Let's wait and see, I guess...

I spent the rest of the afternoon checking out the Interop Expo. To get the free stuff, all I had to do is sit out a 10-minute presentation of an exhibitor's product/s (I don't really care about hard disk, networks, and redundancy), have my badge scanned, and answer some survey or agreeing to receive any information via email. I had my company email registered anyway so what the heck. HAHAHAHA! I just hope they don't call me. I do not have any purchasing power, after all.

I almost won an iPod in one of the presenter's booth. As consolation prize I got a 128MB flash drive instead. Ugh. I already have 2GB's worth of drives okay... Oh well, it's still free stuff.

After the day ended Jake and I bought tickets to see Mamma Mia! at the Mandalay Bay Theater tomorrow. Then we're off to eat dinner before Zumanity starts. We decided to walk to the nearest In 'N Out Burger -- which is not a walking distance at all (it's kinda like walking The Strip... in the Interstate) but what the hell, the fries are freshly-cut potatoes and the burger's not at all bad. Hehe.

Zumanity rocks! It is indeed the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil, with topless dancers/slash acrobats and delicious hunks gyrating in their underwear (read: jockstrap -- well, most of them anyway). It's less circus-y and more cabaret, though, so no breathtaking props (like those in Ka, for instance, with that vertical wall of sand).

After the show, we went back to Caesar's Palace so that I can buy those tickets to Celine's Friday show. Good thing it's not sold out yet. :) Yay!

I missed the American Idol finale, by the way. Whatever. Jordin won anyway.