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OK, gotta go. An oddly exciting day lies ahead.

And on top of my hedonistic lifestyle in retirement, there's the "News". Has reading/watching/listening to the News ever been more fascinating? It's the best show on TV, not even close.

And more & more, I come to the realisation that (almost) all politicians are corrupt.

What happened to the "real" politicians, like Tony Benn & Mrs Thatcher? OK, we don't have to agree with their views, but they were both honest, & straight talkers, with the courage of their (sometimes wrong) convictions.

[yet entirely inherently unintelligent]

 
Ahh bless, the old Cos still lurks just beneath the surface....


Then there were a few guys like Mantis. Still adamant that he was one of the most eloquent, yet entirely inherently unintelligent people on the forum. I should have just ignored him but quite enjoyed our back and forth at times - like i said, just because i had nothing better to do.



Can't really agree with that. I think most of it was tongue-in-cheek, mischievous stuff. Seemed to me to be a very bright chap, & - like you - writes & punctuates wonderfully.

I'd say you & he are bound to bang heads as you are both Alpha Males.

PS - post more, tell us about your Dog Project.

Beauty of the forum!

Anyway, I wish everyone well.

I even bumped into Mr Flushy a few times doing his thing with Triton. He was someone I looked up to a lot when this forum began. He seemed very happy in his role there.

While I was posting yesterday, I thought of so many posters that added to the forum and its community in one way or another. I think the internet has become a worse place now in this sense. There's no sense of community anywhere. There's just garbage everywhere. Have to be very careful with my kids as to what they can or can't be exposed to. Little things like youtube 'shorts' designed exactly for them are so bad for them. Teaches them to not focus on anything for more than 3 seconds.

What is Tighty upto now? Are there still forum mods?

Have there ever been efforts or strategies over the years since blonde quitened down to either get it busier again or move it on commercially in any way?

Yup, "beauty of the forum".

Interesting to note you seem to have forgiven everyone except Rob & Mr MANTIS, but also that "new" Cos wishes everyone well.

Tighty? He still looks in regularly, but he's moved on with his life I think. Writes a lot for Mr Channing & Beevers Betting Emporium - & writes beautifully, works for Party last I heard, & has a home life & a dog he dotes on. He's earned his break from blonde, nobody did more than he did for us. Remember his Live Updates? Fabulous, just fabulous.

I agree as to what "the internet" has done to life generally, & by extension, to blonde. Pleased to hear the line you take with your kids, too.

Efforts to rev blonde up again? None really. In my personal case, I was 100% busy with my life, whilst with Sky I gave them 100%. Then I got back into golf, & then started pokering again, plus Gill & I like to travel at every opportunity. Not much room for anything else, tbh.

It's sad really, but there are only 24 hours in a day, & we don't live forever, & I have a lot of boxes that still need ticking. I still love blonde to bits though.

Internet life has changed though, hasn't it? WhatsApp is great, even though I alternatively love & loathe it, but really, it is SO good for communicating & bants with mates.

I do miss writing this Diary though. I love writing. There's a downside though. A few weeks ago, some old articles I wrote for Bluff Magazine popped up on my 'phone in the random way they do. OMG, I've never cringed so much at my style of writing or attempts to inject a little humour. It's a little like when you look back at the clothes we used to wear 40 years ago, or the hairstyles we had. Cringe City.

[Users Online: 12261Most Online: 18293 - January 02, 2025, 04:55:49 PM]

I was looking through the forum stats:

Total Members:   16784
Total Posts:   2263849
Total Topics:   66633
Total Categories:   3
Users Online:   12261
Most Online:   18293 - January 02, 2025, 04:55:49 PM
Online Today:   14563

Online today and most online must be wrong, surely? Or is there some way it matches IP address with registered user ?

Morning Reformed Bloke.

I would hazard a guess that those stats are a function of AI, which searches differently to the traditional way. They certainly bear no relation to reality.

On the topic of blondes from back in the day, I had a lovely surprise over the weekend when I bumped into redsimon (Simon Lawler) during the APAT do at DTD.

I'd not seen Simon for 10 or 15 years. He used to run with "Old King Cole" (?) who I think has now sadly passed, & they were a fixture in Vegas every summer, especially at The Orleans. He had a smattering of cashes at the old-style Rooms - Binions, Nugget, etc & more lately I gather he's an APAT stalwart, with a dozen money finishes over the years.

It was no secret that Simon was unwell, right back to the Gala Notts days, with kidney issues. Well somehow, 20+ years on, he's still doing fine & does not look much different. He's on the transplant list, but it does not seem to be getting in the way of enjoying life, although it can't be much fun being a Forest fan.

It's so good to hear from, or bump into, poker pals from back in the day. I'm not sure why it's so pleasing, but it is. Similar with golf really, it's helped me to re-connect with the original poker crew from 20-25 years ago, including Tom, Ralph, The Moany Twins Jamie Moult & Trevor Pearson, Mr Giblin, Jac & many others.

Meanwhile, not long ago I was chirping about playing golf every single weekday. Guess I tempted fate there, the incessant rain means that I doubt I've played 3 rounds so far in 2026. Every day I wake up hoping, & every day the rain just keeps on coming. Meh.

  

great to see you looking so well on Saturday, you must be enjoying Brentford's current form, have you been to the new stadium much?

Morning Simon, good to see you looking so good too, all things considered. Well done.

Back in the day, I was a proper football supporter, & went to every Bees match, home & away, but except for occasional corporate freebies at Old Trafford & The City Ground, I've not been to a game for best part of 50 years.

I know football fans are not supposed to switch allegiance (God knows why), but I've been an armchair Arsenal fan pretty much since the say Arsene walked in the door. I think they are a Club with good values. And they way that Arsene worked with the Board to prioritise paying for the new Stadium over buying players/running up a huge debt was exactly the right thing to do.

Worth noting that Arteta had a poor start, but they stuck with him, & it's paid off. In stark contrast, if I may say so, to the farcical scenes at Forest, who are about to appoint their 4th Manager in less than two dozen games. Forest created (& missed) 35 shots/chances last night, hard to blame the Manager for that, imo.

Hi all,

I'd like to invite the forum members to play poker VS AI GTO bots at , Link Removed and see who gets the best score.
I imagine this as a competition that would last until the end of february.
The best scores may win a poker solver.

post your username in this thread to see who is who...

GL

James

Lovely pics Tom.

The cherry blossom tree outside my living-room window should start coming to life in the next couple of weeks.

Spring is definitely coming as it's only a month until Cheltenham, swiftly followed by The Masters.

Cheers lads, its not till late in the year but hopefully will remember and get a few good pics.

Agree Ralph can't think of one I've not really enjoyed and you can hardly move up here for Braid courses. My club is one and I know there is the association where you can get reduced fees but we generally are playing opens when we go somewhere else so have never used it to see if it works well.

That looks like an excellent trip Eck. Have a great time.

I love playing new courses. I have a couple of trips in April and May with my son in Killarney and Kent. Will post them when they happen.

Incredible isn't it? This grew 4" while I was leaning on it.

Click to see full-size image.