tikay's blog

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks

Thu, 11 May 2006 00:47:22 +0100

Well, the big day arrived, my PNL (Poker Night Live) debut beckoned, and I was unusually nervous about it. I mean, 4 hours is enough time for folks to find out just how much (=little) I really know about poker, and it's hard to 'hide' for 4 hours. Worse, my presenter, in this case Tom Sambrook, knows his onions, so, unlike dear old Jonny Gould, I would not be able to bluff my way out of tight corners. So be it, you can't fail till you give it a whirl.

Odds & Sods

Wed, 10 May 2006 16:12:37 +0100

but let's begin with Dotts

Graeme Dott's recent World Snooker win aroused much comment. Even some comment about his apparently dormant website. But imagine if he had a daughter, and she was called, let's say, err...Dorothy. Would her e-addy be 'dot@dot.dott.co.uk'? Try reading that out loud!

bangers & mash

Well, just bangers actually. I only found out last week that they got their name because years ago, when they had a high water content, they used to 'pop' if you did not prick them. I guess you all knew that.

how far? how young?

The Times reported last week that in India, one Budhia Singh ran 40 miles in 7 hours. Amazing, though hardly world-beating I suppose. Until you consider that Budhia is 4 - that's FOUR - years old... They carried a pic of the toddler, too, and he's coming to London later this month. That must be some paper round he has.

this may come in handy

From a Law Report, also in The Times.
"No passers-by witnessed indecent act in public". "......

The witnessing of a lewd and obscene act by a single observer of a CCTV was not sufficient to satisfy the common-law elements of outraging decency. The foyer of Lloyds TSB in Sheffield University was covered by 24 hour CCTV. On February 2, 2005, an unidentified female performed an act of oral sex upon the defendant. Subsequently, the Manageress of the branch saw the video recording. It was judged that to meet the criteria of 'unlawful indecency' more than one person had to see it.
So, it's OK if only one person watches it. The defendant was acquitted.
Might come in handy, you never know.

bluebells

Bluebells are one of the first plants to bloom every year, why is that? It seems that they tend to be in woodland, and they bloom early otherwise once the trees start to leaf up, they are denied the sunlight they need. There you go, how clever is Mother Nature?

more cuckoos

I had a bit of read up on Cuckoos over the weekend. Did you know that a cuckoo is likely to lay up to 25 eggs per year? Given their nesting habits (see my previous Cuckoo-piece) that's an awful lot of eggs and hatchlings that get killed by cuckoos alone. Tom also told me that cuckoo chicks are enormous buggers, and their usual 'adopted' nests are owned by very small birds. So imagine what the, say, little mummy blue-tit must think when she has to try & feed her almost pigeon sized baby!

one last bird piece

Sorry, but I love birds. I wrote in an earlier blog about the untimely death, at the hands of Angell, of Bertie the Blackbird. But he's been replaced, which is wonderful news for me. When you hear the dawn chorus, as pokerists are wont to do, the most noise comes from blackbirds, they have the most beautiful range of birdsong. Crows and magpies make more noise, but the blackbird has such beautiful song. I wonder why they all sing first thing in the morning?

Oops - one more last last Bird piece

Stood on Crewe station, awaiting Wooly Jumpers much delayed (but no announcement) Preston train, two girls were sat on a station seat, both of them snacking, one on crisps, the other on sarnies. Inervitably, this attracted the attention of two passing pigeons, who decided to clear up the crumbs, as pigeons do. Both girls visibly recoiled as the pigeons were busy pecking the crumbs near their feet. I gently shooed the pigeons away (never miss an opening, me...) and got chatting to the girls, both of whom expressed their thanks fulsomely. I asked why on earth they were frightened of pigeons - they said, "they are horrible things". Now, I know Pigeons rank low in the bird, err, pecking order, and ain't fussy what they eat, but how on earth can anyone be visibly scared of a pigeon? "Woman eaten alive by giant pigeon" is a headline I have yet to see. Nowt weird as folks, but maybe it's me, not them.

It's True, I tell Ya, It's True

Mon, 08 May 2006 19:22:34 +0100

You may have forgotten, but…..

20 years ago, the roof blew off – quite literally – the Chernobyl Nuclear Facility.

Wednesday 26th April

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 15:33:37 +0100

Wednesday, 425 day, and another easy day. Robert Cooper got me out of bed, he's the subject of Poker 425's Caption Comp, he wanted royalties, bless him! He's great fun and a good pal.

Tuesday 25th April

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 18:50:27 +0100

Tuesday, ‘easy day’ (well, they are all easy really....) but after getting up late and promising myself I'd attack the e-mail pile, my indiscipline reared its head, and I decided to play the $250 Freeze on Laddies at 2.30pm. I'm over $10k ahead on Laddies in a short period, and I love their slow-clock jobbies. But I played like a complete numpty, and busted out ingloriously. Next up was the weekly ‘Who's The Daddy?’ affair, a $300 job, and I played bad in that too. Nearly $600 down, how easy the money can go. But the $100 and $200 on Tribeca came to my rescue, I played them on Blue Square tonight (sorry Aaron!) and got 2nd in one and 5th in the other for a combined $1,400, so that squared the day nicely with a bit to spare. An early night was in prospect until Tom reminded me that the Graveyard was about to start, another comp I am well ahead in, so OK, I'm in. Great, great, fun, with Red on my table, as well as 425's Dave Compton (aptly named ‘The Big Kid’). Played a bit silly, and busted out at 4.00am, with a train to catch at 10.00am. Not very bright.

Couch Kev Causes A Rumpus - Saturday 1st April

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 07:35:44 +0100

April Fools Day, and, coincidentally, Rhow's birthday.

Forum is in great heart and mood, with one or two April Fools' thread. But the Colchester Kev Sponsored Railbird thing has everyone guessing - is it, or isn't it? I actually get 8 PM's - EIGHT - asking me if it's a wind-up!

Disaster Strikes - Friday 31st March

Sat, 08 Apr 2006 01:30:11 +0100

I awake to find there are black feathers all over the bedroom floor, and I know straight away what's happened. Angell has killed Bertie. Bertie is in the bathroom, sans one leg, dead. Angell is laying by the body, looking as proud as punch. I am furious, and sad. No point in chastising Angell, it's an instinct thing for cats to kill birds, but I'm dreadfully upset. Bizarrely, I'm proud too, that Angell is 'normal'. Must be like a Father finding out his Son has got a girl pregnant. Half 'why did you do that?' and half 'that's my boy'....! Poor Bertie, though. The lawn is invaded by a squadron of starlings this morning. A squadron? What is the collective term for starlings, I wonder? A universe? They are very odd birds, unlike blackbirds who are lone creatures, starlings operate in huge packs, the bird equivelant of a crowd of football yobs.

Another Early Exit, Another Win - Thursday 30th March

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 15:32:36 +0100

Shattered today, just too tired to think. E-mails and PM's again, until 2.30pm, then I decide to play the Laddies $250.

That took exactly 2 minutes. Took a flop with QJ hearts, flop was 9-T-4, two hearts. Against AA or QQ I am 55-45 fave, against KK I'm almost even money - all the chips go in, he has KK, I miss, goodbye to $250. Weirdly, my opponent having KK is a worse hand for me than him holding AA in that coup.

425 Day, Plus Media Freeroll - Wednesday 29th March

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 13:36:11 +0100

London today, to record 425. I adore Wedenesdys. A leisurely drive to Derby Station, peruse the rolling stock at the Railway Works - the most eclectic collection of Diesel Locos & Rolling tock in the UK I'd guess - the 12.04 slam-door to London, then the Tube across to Wapping for 2.15pm. I'm increasingly fascinated by the London Underground, it's a miracle of Engineering, largely built a very long time ago. Why are the Circle, District, & Hamersmith and City Line rolling stock so different to the rest of the Network? There must be a decent book about it somewhere, but it needs to be an in-depth jobbie, I need detail..

Cats, Cars, Castles & Contracts - Tuesday 28th March

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:07:29 +0100

I do so miss Charlie (my recently deceased tabby). She was like a dog, followed me everywhere. She was mute until 2 years ago, but after the Vet cured a problem she had with her ears, she became extraordinarily vocal. Almost like a 2 year old child who has learned to speak, she howled and miawed and cried and purred and chirped non-stop. She came to bed with me, slept alongside me all night, got up with me, sat by - or on - the computer all day with me. I love Angell too, but he's more independent, he does not want love or attention, just some company now & then, and his belly rubbed. Bertie was chirping well this morning too. Gotta love birds and animals, and yet I eat meat without batting an eyelid. How the human mind works is a mystery to me. Can't decide whether to get another cat, but after chatting to Tom about it, decided to leave it a while. I'd really like a dog, but I'll have to retire from Poker if I get one, it just won't work otherwise.

Bounty Boy - Monday 27th March

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 15:23:56 +0100

Another good day on e-mails and stuff, then the Laddies $250 at 2.30pm, I cash again - just! Spam the tikay tourney which is tonight at 8pm, I live in fear of no runners, but I'm sure we will get a few.

TV Producer? - Sunday 26th March

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:31:03 +0100

Clocks went forward, so up late, all of a tither, no time even to shave. But pleased to see Bertie is back.

Saturday Off - For A Change - Saturday 25th March

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:58:37 +0100

Tired as hell, & groggy too, I have missed a day on the Forum, and boy, it's all kicked off about the Cardroom payment probs. E-mails & PM's about it galore. Sheesh..... This is bad preparation on our part - we shoulda anticipated these probs. Bugger.

Bad Day At The Vic - Friday 24th March

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 13:04:55 +0100

Back down to London for the 3rd time in 5 days, but an excuse to get the train again - Midland Mainline run from Derby to London every half hour. On the half-hour, they use those poncey new plastic glorified DMU's - "Meridians" - but the top of the hour train is the old Diesel hauled slam-door stock, so evocotive, proper coachwork & British craftsmanship at its best.