Struggles with Donkeys

I wrote in July about the law passed by the Forida legislature allowing higher buy-ins for poker games in Florida.

Now allowed are 2/4 limit and 1/2 NL games with a max buy-in of 100. The games would almost certainly be more lively, considering the reputation of no-fold-em-hold-em.

I got my first taste tonight, at the Seminole Hard Rock. I sat at a 2/4 for about 90 minutes, and saw some crazy things.

Capped pre-flop, flop, and turn betting - with 4-7 people in play - and the winning hand being the fourth-nuts.

Hands such as 9-3 calling two and three bets, preflop, and somehow winning.

Basically, the strategy is to see a lot of cheap flops and start playing after the flop if you hit it hard, and don't bluff. Ever.

The best hand I saw all night was pocket nines - which lost to a pair of queens with a crap kicker on a Q-5-4 flop.

However, I did have some nice takedowns. A queen-high straight, aa nine-high straight (from a suited connector) and wueens up managed me to leave with double my buy-in.

So, the winning streak of live poker wins continues. Five, and counting. I just wish I lived closer to a poker room so I could make it a more regular occurrence, since it's the only thing earning me decent money nowadays.

The Reinfather

Merry Christmas.

Blogging will be light for the next week, for obvious reasons.

Kudos

Congrats to jeciimd for winning the BBTwo TOC.

Go kick some ass down under at Aussie Millions!

Dark Knight Trailer

Something seems ........ off. It doesn't seem right, but I think I'm comparing it too much to Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero, wihch isn't quite right given the desired darker nature of this set of films.

It still doesn't seem right, though.




(Click into original post for embedded clip if it doesn't feed through)

Northern Invasion

Sometime next year, it will happen.

I don't know when, but it will happen.

We will be in New York in 2008.

I don't know when.

I don't know how.

I just know we will.

While we are there, we will be sure to hit Yankee Stadium, Coney Island/Astroland (both closing in 2008), the Central Park Zoo, and the Statue of Liberty.

I didn't say I was the one setting the itinerary.

Those are the places Alex wants to see, along with the subway. The wonders of television and animation can amaze and inspire a three-year old sometimes.

We'll probably fit in the Museum of Natural History, given his love of dinosaurs and animals.

I'm not sure if we'll go to the old haunts. Depending on when we go, we might visit the Upper East Side for a certain building. I already amazed Alex by showing him how large Georgia State's campus was, so I'm not sure what he would make of the building on 55 E. 84th St.

But we are definitely going.

MLB just needs to hurry up and put out the 2008 schedule.

No, really.

HURRY UP.

Bizarro World

I don't run this well, normally.

I did a piddly little freeroll on Absolute on Saturday and saw $1.40 get posted into my empty account.

Whee.

Since then, I've played 13 SnG's, all at the micro 50-cent level, all Hold Em., and cashed in seven, winning five.

I also won a PLO8B SnG.

Something is very, very wrong when I dominate any tourney in what is easily my worst game, and in Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - equivalent to the crystal meth of the poker world.

WTF???

I won with three flopped and two turned straights, two rivered flushes, and an occasional pair at showdown. I played about as badly as I could, and ended up with the wire-to-wire chip lead.

Pot-limit Omaha Hi/Lo = crystal meth of poker, because the play and the players are CRAZY (and probably missing a bunch of teeth and brain cells).

Perhaps I should try a Ferguson experiment of my own. I'm hesitant to do so on Absolute, but considering the way Full Tilt's RNG has treated me like a prison roommate, it might be worth it to stay on AP.

Up to $10.87. I hope to run it to 50 this week and cash out/bonus whore on other sites, or crash spectacularly.

I'm tired of spectacular crashes, though.

Carny Terror

On Friday night, we went out to Lake Lanier for their Magical Nights of Lights.

We decided it would be a good way to kick off our winter break - I'm home with the kids until the new year, maybe as long as the 7th. I'm hoping to keep my sanity, but I'm not too worried - I'm writing this with one child sleeping on me and another playing with his new Nativity set (thanks to Uncle Joe for that early present)

There were many more things this year than in previous years, in addition to the seven miles of lights. There was a live Nativity scene, which captivated Alex and Samantha. Alex even tried to climb through to pet the sheep and cow in the scene.

There was a tent with hot chocolate - and Samantha got her first taste of chocolate. She loved it. Alex doesn't like sugar and chocolate very much, but Sammie loved it.

Lastly, we went to the Holiday Village, which is the inspiration for the title of the post. There was a marshmallow roasting pit, a gift area (which Sammie also loved) and a carnival area. Alex loved the funhouse and mini-coaster, and went on the ferris wheel for the very first time. Sammie, on the other hand, was not enjoying the noisy rides or the people working the rides.

Right now, she does not enjoy carnivals.

But, she enjoys chocolate and shopping for Christmas decorations.

Puss In Boots Christmas

We just find this incredibly funny. Hilarious, especially to a three year old (but to us as well).

APBT2 Recap and Atlanta Drivers

Yesterday, Skidoo hosted a bunch of us local degenerates for a nice little game. Butch, Surflexus, Kajagugu, Surly Poker Gnome, and others whose links I don't have readily accessible or don't exist.

But first, the traffic story:

We finally went out to celebrate Samantha's 1-year birthday yesterday - just going out to dinner. We went to Orient Express, because we figured the kids would really enjoy the show, which they did. Alex was amazed when the chef lit the hibachi on fire, and everone loved their food.

I think we caught the place by surprise, though, when we brought in the cake and cupcakes so that Sammie could dig into it. She made a mess, but not nearly as bad as feared. It was almost...dainty.

Anyway, after we cleaned up (and got pushed out by the restaurant, since they wanted the table and there was a big mess from the cake) I headed north to the game. It was raining heavile, which means Atlanta drivers become even more retarded and go either 30 or 95 on the highway with nothing in between. I arrived right at 8, about 20 minutes later than planned, but thankfully a few other people were still en route so we hadn't started up yet.

It was going well, and I sat with an average sized stack with 9 left. BrainMc raised it to 700 (100/200 blinds). I see pocket jacks, and re-pop it to 2000. After a minute, he pushes back all-in, so it would be another 3600 to call.

I was misdirected by seeing him raise and push earlier with nada, and thought it might be the same thing. It was not, as he flipped up rockets which held up (so we know it wasn't a normal home game). I was crippled down to 900 and was out a couple hands later.

I was able to recoup some later on in a ring game, but it was a really bad idea for me to call that bet.

Upon getting home, Samantha has let me know she wasn't happy with me being out. She has been cuddling with me all night and all day and refusing to leave my side, which is really sweet. She's even tried to help type this post for me while we watch another Falcons blowout.

For the Rocket

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

Dedicated to all of these folks disclosed yesterday and the many more not listed who probably used steroids as well.

Honestly, we probably shouldn't be too surprised at the names that came out, or the clubs that had a high concentration of names.

If nothing else, bang your head a little this afternoon.

Foo Fighters-The Pretender
Uploaded by lechacal

AAARRGGHH

It is for reasons like this that I don't play much at Full Tilt.

I was in a points token tourney, and we were down to 24 remaining with the top 6 getting a $75 token, which I would be using for the final BBTwo event, Miami Don's Big Game on Sunday night.

Well, once again, in the middle of a tournament, Full Tilt's servers crashed. It probably killed the Riverchasers event, too, if it was still running.

Between bad server experience and lousy beats not seen much on any other site, it's why I haven't playe dmuch on Tilt lately. I'm hoping it's made right in the end, as there were probably a LOT of people logged in at the time it crashed and, well, I was probably getting that token with a spot near the top at the time of the crash.

Anyone else have crapola with FTP tonight?

So that's why they traded him

Yesterday, Miguel Tejada was traded from the Orioles to the Astros for four prospects.

He was just named in the Mitchell Report, along with Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Paul Loduca and about 80 other players.

Developing...

UPDATE: Well, I have time to kill before heading to school. Let's live-blog:

2:04: Mentions of BALCO, 7% positive tests, widespread, affecting every club, dangers of steroids, influencing youth which is really, really bad. Stuff you already knew.

2:06: We should be shocked, SHOCKED!!!! about the widespread use of drugs. Well...not really, but I'm a cynic.

2:08: Discussing Radomski's role (former attendant in Mets clubhouse) and other information sources including former players and strength coaches' testimony.

2:11: 11 players admitting use, and a lot of cancelled checks, statements, shipping records, and other corroborating evidence.

2:12: PDF now available - click here.

2:15:Want names? Here ya go:

Larry Bigbie
Brian Roberts
Jack Cust
Tim Laker
Josias Manzanillo (that explains the manslaughter charge)
Todd Hundley
Chris Donnels
MArk Carreon
Hal Morris
Matt Franco
Rondell White
ROGER CLEMENS starting in 1998 (hmm, he had a good year in 1998)
David Segui
Chuck Knoblauch
Andy Pettitte
Jason Grimsley (we knew this one)
Juan Gonzalez
Gregg Zaun
David Justice (uh oh) with the Yankees (whew)
F. P. Santangelo
Glenallen Hill
Mo Vaughn
Denny Neagle
Ron Villone
Ryan Franklin
Todd Pratt
Kevin Young
Mike Lansing
Kent Mercker
Adam Piatt
Miguel Tejada

2:21: More than half the players are out of baseball, please do not punish the players named wxcept in the most egregious examples. This is not a complete report, there is much they don't know.

2:24: Closing up: The use of steroids is widespread. Baseball's reaction was slow and ineffective and the players' association is also to blame.

More names:

Jason Christiansen
Mike Stanton
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Paul LoDuca
Fernando Vina
Kevin Brown (I knew there was a good reason I didn't like him)
Eric Gagne (another big one)
Matt Herges
Jim Parque
Brendan Donnelly
Nook Logan
Dan Naulty (admitted, testified)

2:28: Mitchell turns the podium over.

Even more names:

John Rocker (Like you didn't see THAT one coming)
Troy Glaus
Rick Ankiel
Paul Byrd (heard about this one in the ALCS)
Jay Gibbons
Darren Holmes
Gary Sheffield (beyond what was already reported)

There sure seem to be a lot of 21st century Yankees on this list.

Frisco Christmas Lights - Wizards in Winter

An even better light display.

Hand of the Day

Finals are done, I've finished my reading, let's fire up a small $2 tourney for some ****s and giggles.

This was fun, and I retook the chip lead.

Stage #1014340538 Tourney ID 1934308 Holdem Multi Normal Tournament No Limit $100/$200
Seat #7 is the dealer
Seat 1 - H2O_MAN ($5890 in chips)
Seat 2 - MOUNAKI222 ($4540 in chips)
Seat 3 - SHEEDHAPPENS ($4255 in chips)
Seat 4 - SAMSIT ($3510 in chips)
Seat 5 - FERKLSEPP ($385 in chips)
Seat 6 - HUNDREDAIRE ($1927.50 in chips)
Seat 7 - DOC999 ($4040 in chips)
Seat 8 - AXHANDLER1 ($8762.50 in chips)
Seat 9 - APOSEC72 ($7915 in chips)
AXHANDLER1 - Posts small blind $100
APOSEC72 - Posts big blind $200***
POCKET CARDS ***Dealt to APOSEC72 [Ks As]
H2O_MAN - Folds
MOUNAKI222 - Folds
SHEEDHAPPENS - Folds
SAMSIT - Folds
FERKLSEPP - Folds
HUNDREDAIRE - Folds
DOC999 - Raises $800 to $800
AXHANDLER1 - Folds
APOSEC72 - Calls $600 (let's see how it goes, I don't think it's a race, I think I'm way ahead)
*** FLOP *** [10c 5s 6s]
APOSEC72 - Bets $3600
DOC999 - All-In $3240 with AK of hearts (guess the push didn't work but I still have the nut flush draw and at worst, a chop)
APOSEC72 - returned ($360) : not called
*** TURN *** [10c 5s 6s] [10s] GIN!
*** RIVER *** [10c 5s 6s 10s] [Jd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DOC999 - Shows [Ah Kh] (One pair, tens)
APOSEC72 - Shows [Ks As] (Flush, ace high)
APOSEC72 Collects $8180 from main pot

Started with 382 runners.
Break 1: 1 of 166.
Break 2: 12 of 71.

Christmas Lights Gone Wild

I'm posting this to see if I can post videos directly without having to copy/embed, and to make sure the Facebook feed works again.

And you thought HORSE would test your skill

The 2008 WSOP schedule was released today. Public events begin May 31, with the main even to begin July 3.

There will be 55 events again, but this one looks to be absolutely insane:

June 4, Event #8: Mixed event (3 days), $10,000 buy-in.

Games will include:

(Limit Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Razz , Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, No-Limit Holdem, Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball)

That's eight different games in one event.

Wow.

4.0

I mentioned that it took me a long time to write up my take-home final exam on Monday.

It was worth it.

One down, three to go. I think one other grade will be a 3.3, and I'm still not sure about the other two classes, but this is definitely a good start.

All done

I finished my finals at approximately 8:40 PM tonight.

My first final finished at 6:36 PM. At least, I think it was 6:36 PM. That's what the time-stamp on my e-mail to my professor says.

Unfortunately, I was still at home at 6:36 PM. My second final began at 7:15, by Oglethorpe, 23 miles away.

I still had trouble writing after getting up today. I don't know why I had so much trouble putting all my thoughts together for this first final exam. I didn't have nearly this much trouble with the mid-term - same format and everything, and I had no trouble.

Finally, I got it done - seven pages later. I put together my links, and my evaluation, and sent it off along with my final.

I had hoped to get in another hour for the Accounting final, but it didn't happen. So, I don't think I did as well as I'd hoped on the second final. I got there at 7:20, so Atlanta traffic was nice to me for once. Perhaps I would have been able to study more if I hadn't been knocked out by a quick bug that knocked me out for about 24 hours - Sammie brought it home, and I got it, and now it's flying around the house.

If I end up with an A- in both classes, I'll be quite happy. It took a lot of work over the last week, but I feel decent about all of my exams. I might end up with a 3.5 or 3.6, or as low as a 3.1. I really don't know, and won't know for another 11 days. Dammit.

However, I shudder to think about how badly I would have performed on those exams if I had been with about 110 of my fellow degenerates in Vegas this past weekend. Just starting to read the trip reports makes me a little jealous for not being there. Not too jealous, but a little jealous.

I guess I'll have to wait until June. Besides, I like it a bit warmer anyway. Hopefully I'll have some miles or points back to make it possible.

Because I'm going to bed

I believe I will be able to write better when there is daylight instead of at 1:40 in the morning. I've done my notes, but for some reason I can't put it all together.

Time for some sleep. And yes, I know, the picture is old.

50 First Dates in Atlanta

With no repetition at all!

50 Fun Things To Do In Atlanta

It's a bit of cheating, because within the links you might find several other items. However, I have not been to:

• The Atlanta Ballet
• A Falcons Game (but I have been to the Georgia Dome)
• The Atlanta Opera (ok, so I'm not a culture snob...)
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Center for Puppetry Arts - but the rest of the family has been here, I think.
• Chateau Elan - because I prefer to get drunk cheaply.
• Georgia State Capitol - even though my classes are only a couple blocks away.
• High Museum (I SAID, I'M NOT A CULTURE SNOB. I'M THE OPPOSITE.)
• City Segway Tour - Only counts if you're counting wanting to knock them down with a baseball bat. Otherwise, no, and will NEVER happen.
• Yellow River Game Ranch/Kangaroo Conservation Center - Because we need to preseve those native species of the South.....ern Hemisphere? Actually, this might be the next one we all visit.

So, 40 out of 50. I don't think they do a lot of sites justice by lumping them together.

One example - the "Find Theater At Its Best" link lumps together a bunch of theaters which wildly vary in size. Dad's Garage is slightly different than the Fox Theatre.

Ditto on "Festivals Galore" - several deserve their own links and descriptions - Dogwood Festival is the best example of one festival that could use its own link.

Same goes for the Civil War Links - I don't think any further explanation is needed.

I don't think including shopping is really something great about Atlanta. Woo-hoo, a fancy mall! Malls and discount tickets are not what make a city great.

Of course, this post was written mostly because I've gone into brain lock on my take-home exam at 1 in the morning.

The Decision

I mentioned yesterday that I've made a decision on my concentration. I've decided to concentrate within my MBA enrollment on the field of Information Systems.

This was definitely not an easy decision for me, as it means I'm completely changing my career path instead of developing along the path I've taken for the past eight years.

I've been mulling it over ever since I started this journey last Fall. In the end, it really came down to what I would enjoy more in the long-term. While I enjoy working in tax anf finance and banking, I'd been getting the feeling over the last couple of years that conventional opportunities might be somewhat limited, both within the department at the time and within the industry as a whole.

It also seems that all of my interests/hobbies over the last few years have had some technical bearing. Between blogging here, developing websites for APO, designing flyers/graphics for other reasons, or other non-poker related endeavors, I always seem to keep coming back to technical interests in my spare time.

It's been a looooooooong time since I've done any sort of hard-core programming, so it may take me a little while to get up to speed within those classes. I'm scheduled for my first CIS class in the Spring, along with several other classes. I'm not sure how many hours I will take next term - it could be anywhere between 9 and 18 credits. I have 36 credits to go, so if I take a full load in the Spring, I will probably be DONE by the end of 2008, a semester ahead of schedule.

Regardless, I think there will be much more of an opportunity in this path than there would be along the Finance path.

Besides, what's one more major life change?

I just hope I don't screw it up.

As for my classes this term - I might come out of this with anywhere from 3 A's and a B+ to 2 A-, 1 B and 1 C+. I think three of my classes are pretty much set and will all be either A or A-, but one exam today could put me anywhere on the map. The grading style has been a bit harsh for everyone in the class, so it's hard to pinpoint where it would go. I've been studying for a week solid now (which most people know is unique for me) and I'm still quite nervous about it.

In a worst case scenario, I have a 3.3 GPA this term. Considering how poorly I did as an undergrad, I'll still take it. I'd much rather hit a 3.8, if I do well on this exam tonight and my exams Monday. I'm expecting around a 3.5 for the term, which is pretty good for my first full-time semester in eight years.

Be as vapid as Tila Tequila

OK, maybe not THAT much, but this is still interesting, in a way.

I'm called FranCASE for a reason

H/t Kaja

94%DRUNKARD

Wichita Dating

Ummm

Is it bad that I found this the same day I picked my concentration?

Chocolate Rain?

I don't get it. But I'm well behind the curve anyway.

I'm not sure why this clip has 11,814,247 views.

Anyone want to clue me in?

What Should Have Been

Let's say we had a 16-team playoff. Let's say the BCS was used for seeding 1 through 16. Let's go further and say they weren't manipulated much by human error or pressures/lobbying.

Here would be your matchups.

Round 1:
(1) Ohio State 11-1 v. (16) Florida Atlantic 7-5
(2) LSU 11-2 v. (15) Central Michigan 8-5
(3) Virginia Tech 11-2 v. (14) Central Florida 10-3
(4) Oklahoma 11-2 v. (13) BYU 10-2
(5) Georgia 10-2 v (12) Florida 9-3
(6) Missouri 11-2 v. (11) Arizona State 10-2
(7) USC 10-2 v. (10) Hawaii 12-0
(8) Kansas 11-1 v (9) West Virginia 10-2

Three teams from the Big 12 and SEC, two from the Pac-10, and one from the other eight conferences. Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan won their conferences in upsets for automatic bids under this system. The top two games might belopsided, but the other six would be very competitive (and 1-16/2-15 matchups are normally lopsided.)

I would rather see these games next weekend. I also happen to like that 5-12 matchup. Can't imagine why.......

Wouldn't you?

A time-waster

I can only get to Level 11. When I break from studying, I'll try to get to 12 again.

Geography time-waster...enjoy.

Not a surprise

Come one, don't tell me you were surprised by

Pittsburgh beating Wes Virginia
Oklahoma beating Missouri
Washington beating Hawaii (at the moment, by 3 TD's)

and Georgia poised to maybe go to the title game without winning its conference?

Hey, I'll be happy if it happens for two reasons:

1) GO DAWGS!!!!!
2) It might finally force a playoff system.

You might as well put LSU, USC, Ohio State, UGA, Kansas, Oklahoma, Hawaii (if they come back) and Virginia Tech in a hat and draw two out for the title game.

Wait a minute...eight teams with an equally good shot.......nah, that's TOO crazy.

Another quiz

If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man
You win some, lose some, it's -all- the same to me
The pleasure is to play, it makes no difference what you say
I don't share your greed, the only card I need is
The Ace Of Spades
The Ace Of Spades

You Are the Ace of Spades

You are ambitious, slow and steady, and at times, self serving. You aim high, and you're willing to be brutal to get what you desire. Highly dominant and controlling, people are intimidated by your presence. Yet while you are a bit scary, you are scarily charming. People are driven to please you. You crave the best in life, and you enjoy the spoils of your success. You live a charmed life, and you're enjoying every moment of it. A gamble you should take: Playing poker Your friends would describe you as: Hard working Your enemies would describe you as: Ruthless If you lived in Vegas, you would be: A student by day, a stripper by night

What Playing Card Are You?

Quiz Time - I Belong WHERE?????

Interesting...H/t to Mellow Cotton

You Belong in Greenwich Village

Avant garde and bohemian, you're quick to adopt new ideas and lifestyles. And while you're a bit less weird these days, you still have a "live and let live" philosophy.

Where Should Your Inner New Yorker Live?