Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Bad Science is a brilliant book.  Ben Goldacre is also very good live, the Uncaged Monkeys tour was fantastic, a nerdgasm.

I sat and watched the Parliament Live Webstream last night for 30 minutes (A phrase I never thought I'd say!) where Ben Goldacre pretty much schooled two representatives from the multi-billion pound companies GlaxoSmithKline and Roche.

From about 19:08 onwards.

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=13017

I read about that.

I'm not sure I agree with the media & Parliamentary hate for Corporations doing what they are absolutely obliged to - making as much money, within the law, as possible.

Every time a City Big Cat gets hauled before Parliamentary Committees about whatever, the MP's on the Committee seem intent on being as rude & sarcastic as they are able, knowing full well that the witnesses cannot respond in kind. That is pretty low class stuff imo. Hit them whilst their hands are tied, well done lads. I get that next door, as you know, where some guys regularly & deliberately abuse my colleagues & I knowing full well we cannot respond in kind, or bite back. Such is life the other side of the fence.

The (ex) Barclays geezer, to be fair, did seem to flaunt it a bit, & I do think he may have kept a lower profile, & been a little more discrete, & show some empathy in a difficult spot. And his name! You can't make that stuff up.

Rich Ricci.

Bit provocative naming his horse the way he did, though. I can't really defend that.

FatCatInTheHat

The weird thing is, he looks quite normal, & businesslike, in his day job (OK, EX day job) gear.

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[tikay]

My post reminds me of two more books I recommend you add to your list and read at the earliest opportunity.

Both by Ben Goldacre.

Bad Science - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Science-Ben-Goldacre/dp/000728487X/?tag=bs0b-21

Bad Pharma - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0007350740/ref=nosim?tag=bs0b-21

Thanks Aaron.

Added to the list, though Gods knows how I will remember them all.

I've upped my daily reading time from 1 hour to 2 of late. I almost WANT to go to bed early, so I can enjoy an hour or two with a good book.

I really do need to trim some stuff from my daily routine though, I simply don't have time to do all the things I enjoy.

 I've been thinking about a Kindle thing, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy it. Nothing beats the smell & feel of a proper book. To be fair, a Kindle makes buying books so much easier I suppose. Think I'd soon go busto if I started perusing AmazonBooks.com, I'd be buying so much stuff.

[tikay]

There is also the matter of the Thread that Cos started, for the Main Event, which included Red-Dog. I find that one a little awkward, embarassing, to discuss, or even broach. It may seem rude & ungrateful that I have not commented on that Thread, but I don't really know what to say.......

What do you want to say Tony? I am sure nobody thinks you're rude and ungrateful, those that know you know you find that sort of stuff tough.

For what's its worth, I would bet my life that everyone who made a commitment on that thread would love to see you play; it's bucket list stuff - and many of those guys would get a buzz from knowing you'd played.  If you want to play, do it is my advice. You could even add a bit of a charity angle like I did if it makes you feel a bit more comfortable.

Anyway.... See you in Vegas old boy

Ha, thanks Shaun.

More & more it is looking like I may be able to clear the obstacles & got to Vegas this year. Hope so, anyway.

Magic moments last year, winning a Tourney (only an ickle one, but a thrill all the same), cashing 6 or 7 times, & most of all that WSOP PLO8 thing. The latter might just have been the most enjoyable Tourney of my entire poker "career". People in PLO8 are different, we are on the same table for hours on end, & the same bunch play them all. Late on last year Flushy came to my Table, & I thought, "uh-oh, he'll run me over now", but instead, I ran good & he ran dreadful, & I outlasted him.

Down to 2 or 3 Tables, I even had my own little Railing Crew, several of the lads next door (who are, in the main, very decent lads), you, & Sam Razavi doing Celone Dion impressions. Thankfully we stopped short of Shoe Bombs, it was more "another cocoa old chap?" sorta thing.

In truth, I should never visit Vegas again, it can only be an anti-climax after that.

Hope you have enjoyed your round the world adventure thing. Proper Michael Palin, you.

See you soon bud, or I hope so.

[tikay]

Vegas Staking Interest.

Ralph 5%

Aaron 5%

Doobs, amount to be agreed.

Fat Welsh Bloke 5%.

Reserved by PM (Liverpool fan...) 2.5%.

sharplea, 2%

I'm going to reserve 1% for Irene (TRIP5) too, as she had some the other night, & has not been paid her return from last year yet, as she asked me to look after it for her.

Supernova 1%.

Flushy wants to buy some of my action in any WSOP PLO8 Events, I play, too, (yes, incred! but true!) though he has not suggested how much yet. Think he suggested a meaty %.

Someone asked the question via PM, so I'll nail the rumour here & now - all action sold will be at spot, or "face value", there is nil mark-up.

The WSOP Events have the Reg Fee built into the Entry Fee, but at Binions, Nugget, Caesars & Venetian, it is added on top, seperately, I think. In those cases, I will absorb the Reg fee myself, which seems right & reasonable to me. After all, I get all the fun.

There is also the matter of the Thread that Cos started, for the Main Event, which included Red-Dog. I find that one a little awkward, embarassing, to discuss, or even broach. It may seem rude & ungrateful that I have not commented on that Thread, but I don't really know what to say.......

I am sure we agreed for me to have 1% too. I only pop on here every now and again (as I am busy trolling next door), so not sure where it was written down, if at all, but I am still up for contributing to your Vegas latte package.

Found it now.

Quote from: Knottikay on March 18, 2013, 02:00:13 PM
Staking??

1 % if still available please.

If no, no worries....
If yes, I will ship whenever you need me too.

Cheers.

Some folks never learn......

Of course you can Alan, thank you, I'll add you to the List shortly.

Hope you & yours are well. How old is your son now? Please don't tell me he is a Stoke City fan?
[/i]

Thanks Alan, & yes, apologies, I saw it at the time but I've become a bit if a scatterbrain & I clean forgot to reply.

I'll Edit the Staking list now, & you have 1% BOOKED.

PS - This Diary is a Coloured Font Free Zone, please! Does my little bonce in. Hope all is good with you & the family.

[tikay]

Vegas Staking Interest as @ 23rd April


Ralph 5%

Aaron 5%

Alan P, 1%.

Doobs, amount to be agreed. (May only be WSOP PLO8 Event(s)).

Fat Welsh Bloke 5%.

Reserved by PM (Liverpool fan...) 2.5%.

sharplea, 2%

I'm going to reserve 1% for Irene (TRIP5) too, as she had some the other night, & has not been paid her return from last year yet, as she asked me to look after it for her.

Supernova 1%.

Flushy wants to buy some of my action in any WSOP PLO8 Events, I play, too, (yes, incred! but true!) though he has not suggested how much yet. Think he suggested a meaty %.

[Tal]

Silly question, if you don't mind...

...what is "next door"?

Is it Sky News or Sky Sports or something altogether unSkyey?

[tikay]

Silly question, if you don't mind...

...what is "next door"?

Is it Sky News or Sky Sports or something altogether unSkyey?

Ahh, apologies Spurs Bloke.

It is sort of code for Sky Poker. I have to use a bit of a Chinese wall thing, but it is so much a part of my life at present, & I've been there nearly 7 years now. It occupies almost all of my mind, but I can't really, & should not, discuss it too much here, it causes all sorts of complications. I never try to drag people from their Forum to here, but inevitably, they come across. Bit awkward in many ways, especially as it pleases me on a personal level, as I'm actually, & for the most part, quite proud of blonde. I see stuff Posted here about next door which is so wrong, too, but I just have to turn the other cheek. 

I do some pretty exciting stuff sometimes, too, if only I could openly Diary some of it. I now get to give tuition to various Sky Sports Celebs, or sort of Mini-Celebs, & I love it to bits. Teaching complete newbies the basics of poker - the only poker level I can teach - is incredibly satisfying. I've helped so many of them, who, truly, had no idea, to play better & on occasion, win a little money. Really, I'm not fussed if they win money or not, the pleasure comes from helping people enjoy poker. Some folks take it all a bit serious, imo. When recreational players playing micro-stakes start doing Level 5 stuff, it really does make me think - do they really enjoy it?

I play Online a goodly bit still, & some of the stuff I see in the chat boxes makes my toes curl. Kids playing micro-stakes saying THE most outrageous stuff in the chat-box when they take a two-bit standard beat. God knows how they would react to a proper life beat. Maybe they are an "only child", but jeez, we were taught to show a little character & backbone in adversity, it was deemed a shocking weakness to take defeat so badly & "tilt" at the drop of a hat. Now its a badge of honour to tilt, almost like kids tend to brag after a night on the piss that "I drunk so much I can't remember a thing".

Ooh-er, bit of a ranty wanty there. Pardon me, I go off on one sometimes.

Back to Chinese Walls then. I was reading abut this beauty recently. What an extraordinary thing!


It is over 5,000 miles long (say, 6 times from Lands End to John O'Groats?), & was built around 2,000 years ago. How the hell did they manage that?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Reminds me of the Howard Hughes Vegas story:

On November 24, 1966 (Thanksgiving Day), Hughes arrived in Las Vegas by railroad car and moved into the Desert Inn. Because he refused to leave the hotel, and to avoid further conflicts with the owners, Hughes bought the Desert Inn in early 1967. The hotel's eighth floor became the nerve center of his empire and the ninth-floor penthouse became Hughes' personal residence. (Wiki)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/15/how-vegas-went-mob-corporate/

I have several books about Howard Hughes, he was a quite extraordinary man, but he went a bit doo-lally eventually, all rather sad really.

Did you know he was very big into Aviation?

A pilot, he held several air-speed records, & designed many planes, via his Hughes Aircraft Corp, & he even owned most of the TWA stock, which he purchased covertly.

I really would encourage you to read up on him. A quite extraordinary individual.

He completely lost the plot eventually, & came up with the idea of the Hercules H-4, aka "Spruce Goose", which was faintly riduculous, it was so damn big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules


HOW MANY engines?

Click to see full-size image.

[redsimon]

Reminds me of the Howard Hughes Vegas story:

On November 24, 1966 (Thanksgiving Day), Hughes arrived in Las Vegas by railroad car and moved into the Desert Inn. Because he refused to leave the hotel, and to avoid further conflicts with the owners, Hughes bought the Desert Inn in early 1967. The hotel's eighth floor became the nerve center of his empire and the ninth-floor penthouse became Hughes' personal residence. (Wiki)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/15/how-vegas-went-mob-corporate/

I have several books about Howard Hughes, he was a quite extraordinary man, but he went a bit doo-lally eventually, all rather sad really.

Did you know he was very big into Aviation?

A pilot, he held several air-speed records, & designed many planes, via his Hughes Aircraft Corp, & he even owned most of the TWA stock, which he purchased covertly.

I really would encourage you to read up on him. A quite extraordinary individual.

He completely lost the plot eventually, & came up with the idea of the Hercules H-4, aka "Spruce Goose", which was faintly riduculous, it was so damn big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules


HOW MANY engines?

Click to see full-size image.

Big into Las Vegas too, owned several hotels. THink he ended his days living in one, can't quite remember which (scurries off to wiki)

[tikay]

He lived in - owned eventually - The Desert Inn.

He was a complete recluse there eventually, before quietly slipping away in the night eventually, so to speak.

The Desert Inn slipped away one night, too, though not so quietly.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

He was into the anti-Commie thing, too, big time, & his shipping yard (yup, he had one of them, too) bullt this thing, to salvage a Commie Submarine which had plumbed the depths, never to re-surface.



Note the idea was to secretly salvage the sub. Good luck with that.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

20 mins is to the Rio from a room at Palms Place. Gold Coast room to Rio Press room about 8 minutes. Very easy and probably about the same as a Rio room in yardage.

 It wins on price and being a good budget option. Not great if you do all the money saved on cabs back and forward from downtown and to the Venetian.

 Aren't the PLO and PLO8 cash games better at The Rio than The Venetian?

 Is it good that all the Europeans go to The Venetian to play? Is it good that anyone goes to that place when the owner is a horror who hates poker?

Morning Neil.

I've no idea if the PLO8 & PLO games at The Rio are easier, I've played both, though I admit, I found a wonderfully soft PLO8 Game at The Rio last year.

The Venetian, I'm not as mad about it as many seem to be, though of course by European standards it is stunning.

I actually enjoy Caesars as much as any, but their Tourney Range has moved away from the stuff I play these days, so I don't get there as often as I used to, or would like. 

What duration to you intend to spend at the WSOP this year? Villa, or Hotel?

[tikay]

Nice to meet, good luck to your chaps still in tomorrow.

Thanks LilPatrick.

Kept meaning to reply to this properly, but met & chatted with so many people up at DTD last weekend.

Our Team? We did not run too good, we got two into Day Two, of which one cashed, a chap the same age as me. Who'd have thought?

Think we will do it again though, it ticked a lot of boxes both for our players, & the Business. The worst part about it - for me - was selecting 6 of the Team. Playing God is fun, but it has its drawbacks, as I got mullered by all & sundry on Social-Media. But there was a bunch of really nice stuff, too. Ying & Yang I suppose.

Meeting you was a real eye-opener. I could write half a book about this, but I'll try & be brief, & please don't be offended, I'm trying to be honest.

I - we? - form opinions of virtual friends & acquaintances, (all, or most blondes are, I suppose, mutual acquaintances), but the written word rarely portrays us exactly as we are.

You have been here a goodly while, & I guess could be considered a Senior Member.

You are not always.....exactly supportive of our Mods - your right, of course - & you do talk a lot of high-level poker stuff, the majority of which is right over my head. Not much in common there, then.

You are a young man who is full of confidence in himself, too. You state stuff as fact, not opinion. A lot. Self-confidence I like, arrogance not so much. Misplaced arrogance is the nut worst thing. How the hell do we know the difference?  We don't, we make assumptions, we do the books by covers thing.

Anyway, read between the lines, you are plenty bright enough, & you'll see I was not quite sure what to expect.

And what I found was something completely unexpected. You did the firm handshake & good eye-contact thing, & then, when I expected you to go off on some triple range merge bollox with added checkboxes & hashtags you started discussing beach life in Spain, your girlfriend, Romanian dogs, Romanian people, love of animals, da de da. We even ruminated about dear Barry Carter, for who we seem to share a Mutual Admiration Society. (He's a tosser in real life). And poker did not get a look in.

So there you have it. I was going to re-label the box I had you in, but I decided I needed to put you in a different box completely.

All that make any sense? I think it will.

I'd rather enjoy hooking up again. We won't have many common interests, & I don't do alcohol, parties, flips or all that stuff, but I think we'd be just fine.

Quite a surprise to me, you really were. And I think you have the ability to go a long way in the poker business. Behind the scenes I mean, moving & shaking, not playing.

Ladbrokes go 4/5 you take all that the wrong way. I love beating the bookies.

PS - You are definitely VERY deceptive in your writing style, you write like a bloke much much taller. Great bluff.

[outragous76]

Nice to meet, good luck to your chaps still in tomorrow.

Thanks LilPatrick.

..........I think you have the ability to go a long way in poker [sic]................. behind the scenes I mean, moving & shaking, not playing.

 

far to much of an incredible line not to knowingly mis quote in true journalistic style, Barry would be proud!

[Tal]

Reminds me of the Howard Hughes Vegas story:

On November 24, 1966 (Thanksgiving Day), Hughes arrived in Las Vegas by railroad car and moved into the Desert Inn. Because he refused to leave the hotel, and to avoid further conflicts with the owners, Hughes bought the Desert Inn in early 1967. The hotel's eighth floor became the nerve center of his empire and the ninth-floor penthouse became Hughes' personal residence. (Wiki)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/15/how-vegas-went-mob-corporate/

I have several books about Howard Hughes, he was a quite extraordinary man, but he went a bit doo-lally eventually, all rather sad really.

Did you know he was very big into Aviation?

A pilot, he held several air-speed records, & designed many planes, via his Hughes Aircraft Corp, & he even owned most of the TWA stock, which he purchased covertly.

I really would encourage you to read up on him. A quite extraordinary individual.

He completely lost the plot eventually, & came up with the idea of the Hercules H-4, aka "Spruce Goose", which was faintly riduculous, it was so damn big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules


HOW MANY engines?

Click to see full-size image.

Big into Las Vegas too, owned several hotels. THink he ended his days living in one, can't quite remember which (scurries off to wiki)

Simon, was the wiki page you then found the one I linked in the quoted text above?!

You'll give us Simons a bad name