Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Love how sport has it's own grammatical rules, especially in the USA.

In Motor Racing & Horse Racing they have a straightaway instead of a straight.

I just heard Burch Harmon, during Ryder Cup commentary, describe a golfer as a great holer out.

Feels so wrong, but it works.

[tikay]

Just wanted to share these photos. The other weekend was cycling along the Thames in London near to Millenium bridge and it happened to be low tide on a beautiful sunny day. I've always been interested in "treasure hunting" - think it ties in somehow with a gambling mindset. I was aware of mudlarking from sites like this http://www.thamesandfield.com/ so I went down to the foreshore to see what I could find. By the river you really get a strong feeling for the history of London and the realisation that the river has been used as a dumping ground as long as people have lived here. There are in particular huge numbers of broken clay pipes scattered here.
Unfortunately didn't find any Roman coins, but did find these in a short while:

Click to see full-size image.

A tooth, a clay marble and a lead cloth seal

Click to see full-size image.

These were clamped onto cloth by the makers either as a quality control symbol or to show that tax had been paid
Photo of the shard from riverside

Click to see full-size image.

(In the unlikely event that anyone reading this finds themselves on the shores of the Thames, you need to be very careful of the tides and strong currents it can be a very dangerous place)

Just returning to this, is that tooth from a human, or an animal?

How old do you think it is?

[tikay]

The google Home Page has one of those picture things today, to celebrate it's 16th birthday.

Only 16 years? Incred.

Few companies have changed the world so much, or so quickly. I was over 50 years old when google first started, & now look at them.

50,000+ employees, net assets of $110 billion, annual turnover over $50 billion, & they seem to make 25% profit on that turnover. Not too many companies can manage 25% profit margins on turnover of that enormity. Mr Page & Mr Brin done well.

Back in the day, it took decades to build a big company - think of Ford Motor Co, Coca-Cola, Rolls Royce Aero Engines, Tesco, GE, Berkshire Hathaway, & the petrol giants.

The internet & mobile phones changed everything, now the likes of google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Vodafone, Ryanair, gave them all a lifetime start & have caught up with them in a decade or so. And we have industries like bottled water, who'd have thought that 30 years ago?

Partly because success breeds contempt & jealousy, & partly because many believe that google is overly invasive, it is not without detractors, but google has definitely made my life better simply because I can learn so much, so quickly, compared to 50 years ago.

Even Wikipidea which is a freely available & non-profit think (I think) has grown to be a tool I use at least 10 times a day on average. Who is Derek Jeter? No idea, but I soon will.

Happy birthday Mr google.

Click to see full-size image.

[Tal]

Do you know about Fifty Cent and his bottled water emporium?

Happy wikiing

[tikay]

I am not sure why you give that toerag the time of day.  http://deadspin.com/the-trouble-with-floyd-mayweather-1605217498. 

Most unpleasant viewing this early in the morning. 

I must read the wrong stuff, but all I previously knew about Mayweather was that he is a boxer who is very successful, & every time I see photos, he is brazenly flaunting his money.

Having read that link, yuk. But self-interest from others, who stand to make money from him, & corruption, means he keeps the bandwagon rolling despite that he appears to be a piece of shit.

My fixatiion was HIS fixation, why would you repeatedly post photos like that? Either he is not terribly bright, or his social skills DNA is missing. Notwithstanding that, he's done better than almost any man on earth at accumulating money.

Thought it quite interesting that so many people defend his actions. Money talks.

[tikay]

Do you know about Fifty Cent and his bottled water emporium?

Happy wikiing

I do now......

I never realised how much money he had made, for sure.

I only vaguely knew of his existence, & I'm pretty sure I learned that from a reference to him in an Eminem song.

Now I'll spend half the day trying to see if that is true, & he does feature in an Eminem lyric.

Mr Cent seems to live rather well if his house is anything to go by.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Afternoon Tikay, when you have 13mins & 17secs of free time please check out this link to a HBO feature about the failing world of traditional golf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFEYC4Z44v0

In USA right now a traditional golf course closes every 48hrs and the sport has lost 5m players in the last 10yrs. In this instant gratification society folk simply don't want all that traditional stuffy nonsense. Sure it might be nice and pleasant but the paying public simply don't want it. The video goes on to include a chat with my gaffer Erik Anderson about Topgolf. I can only imagine you will find the concept hideous but I have queues out the door every day. The video also features FootGolf which I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear I'm bringing into my traditional course next spring, would love to hear your opinions about that lol. What's nice and what's commercial are two different things, especially as far as golf goes. Just like Blonde, often you gotta swallow stuff you don't like in order to survive, develop and move with the times.

Golf has lost that many players?

I'm staggered. I thought golf would be timeless, one of those activities that would always flourish.

No, I don't enjoy all the instant gratification thing, but I really hope your business - well you really - does well out of it. Who'd have thought?

This instant gratificaton thing whooshes me completely.

Back in the day, Richie Benaud hosted a Test Match "Highlights" Show on BBC, & I soon twigged that every ball you saw bowled would be a wicket or a boundary. That held no interest to me at all.

To me, Test Cricket was all about the first morning at Headingley, with Sir Geoffrey scoring 10 runs in 15 overs. You need that detail to give the bigger picture.

Then came the John Player League - a game that lasted ONE AFTERNOON. What? Cricket is 3 days minumum, 5 days ideally.

Now we have this T20 bish bash bosh shit, but it is watched by enormous crowds who love to see batsmen flinging their bats agriculturally. Back foot full defensive shot - what that?

Snooker, too. I only watch the World Championships, as they play best of 15, 17, 19, 35 or whatever. This one frame shootout shit holds no interest to me at all.

Even in poker, we have a version online where we can fold & insta move on to a new table, completely readless. ZOOMIO! And players seem to love it. When it first began, blonde was full of players who all said "easiest way to make money ever". Guess they must all be very rich now. I cannot begin to imagine why it is so popular, but it is. I like to see & feel the detail, to chat now & then, endure the slow periods to better enjoy the little card rushes. I'll be playing it myself soon I expect, Next Door, if I'm still there then.  

Great game, yeah, great game.

[Tal]

Vitamin water is an incredible thing. It perfectly hit on people's desire to stay young and to keep healthy without effort. It is, I believe, currently subject to a lawsuit for describing itself as being "healthy"

if you ever get the chance, watch the short series "Men who made us spend" on iPlayer. Tremendously insightful.

[tikay]

Vitamin water is an incredible thing. It perfectly hit on people's desire to stay young and to keep healthy without effort. It is, I believe, currently subject to a lawsuit for describing itself as being "healthy"

if you ever get the chance, watch the short series "Men who made us spend" on iPlayer. Tremendously insightful.

Presumably, "Vitamin Water" is just good old water, with a few chemicals added?

What a potent force good marketing is.

[arbboy]

Afternoon Tikay, when you have 13mins & 17secs of free time please check out this link to a HBO feature about the failing world of traditional golf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFEYC4Z44v0

In USA right now a traditional golf course closes every 48hrs and the sport has lost 5m players in the last 10yrs. In this instant gratification society folk simply don't want all that traditional stuffy nonsense. Sure it might be nice and pleasant but the paying public simply don't want it. The video goes on to include a chat with my gaffer Erik Anderson about Topgolf. I can only imagine you will find the concept hideous but I have queues out the door every day. The video also features FootGolf which I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear I'm bringing into my traditional course next spring, would love to hear your opinions about that lol. What's nice and what's commercial are two different things, especially as far as golf goes. Just like Blonde, often you gotta swallow stuff you don't like in order to survive, develop and move with the times.

Golf has lost that many players?

I'm staggered. I thought golf would be timeless, one of those activities that would always flourish.

No, I don't enjoy all the instant gratification thing, but I really hope your business - well you really - does well out of it. Who'd have thought?

This instant gratificaton thing whooshes me completely.

Back in the day, Richie Benaud hosted a Test Match "Highlights" Show on BBC, & I soon twigged that every ball you saw bowled would be a wicket or a boundary. That held no interest to me at all.

To me, Test Cricket was all about the first morning at Headingley, with Sir Geoffrey scoring 10 runs in 15 overs. You need that detail to give the bigger picture.

Then came the John Player League - a game that lasted ONE AFTERNOON. What? Cricket is 3 days minumum, 5 days ideally.

Now we have this T20 bish bash bosh shit, but it is watched by enormous crowds who love to see batsmen flinging their bats agriculturally. Back foot full defensive shot - what that?

Snooker, too. I only watch the World Championships, as they play best of 15, 17, 19, 35 or whatever. This one frame shootout shit holds no interest to me at all.

Even in poker, we have a version online where we can fold & insta move on to a new table, completely readless. ZOOMIO! And players seem to love it. When it first began, blonde was full of players who all said "easiest way to make money ever". Guess they must all be very rich now. I cannot begin to imagine why it is so popular, but it is. I like to see & feel the detail, to chat now & then, endure the slow periods to better enjoy the little card rushes. I'll be playing it myself soon I expect, Next Door, if I'm still there then.  

Great game, yeah, great game.

Interesting thoughts.  I certainly agree with you on snooker and cricket.  I don't watch any snooker now apart from the big events over the longer distances.  Cricket the same.  Not remotely interested in this low grade hit and slog style.  With golf i have never got the game at all to play or watch tbh so i have always been surprised how it has always had this huge boom which lasted so long given how expensive it is to play it and how much time it takes up to play it.  I think Tiger must have been a huge part of bringing golf to different social and economic groups than is tradition and helping extend that boom period in the last 15 years.  I know the viewing figures for golf when tiger plays are quite incredibly different to when he doesn't in the USA.

[RED-DOG]

Afternoon Tikay, when you have 13mins & 17secs of free time please check out this link to a HBO feature about the failing world of traditional golf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFEYC4Z44v0

In USA right now a traditional golf course closes every 48hrs and the sport has lost 5m players in the last 10yrs. In this instant gratification society folk simply don't want all that traditional stuffy nonsense. Sure it might be nice and pleasant but the paying public simply don't want it. The video goes on to include a chat with my gaffer Erik Anderson about Topgolf. I can only imagine you will find the concept hideous but I have queues out the door every day. The video also features FootGolf which I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear I'm bringing into my traditional course next spring, would love to hear your opinions about that lol. What's nice and what's commercial are two different things, especially as far as golf goes. Just like Blonde, often you gotta swallow stuff you don't like in order to survive, develop and move with the times.

Golf has lost that many players?

I'm staggered. I thought golf would be timeless, one of those activities that would always flourish.

No, I don't enjoy all the instant gratification thing, but I really hope your business - well you really - does well out of it. Who'd have thought?

This instant gratificaton thing whooshes me completely.

Back in the day, Richie Benaud hosted a Test Match "Highlights" Show on BBC, & I soon twigged that every ball you saw bowled would be a wicket or a boundary. That held no interest to me at all.

To me, Test Cricket was all about the first morning at Headingley, with Sir Geoffrey scoring 10 runs in 15 overs. You need that detail to give the bigger picture.

Then came the John Player League - a game that lasted ONE AFTERNOON. What? Cricket is 3 days minumum, 5 days ideally.

Now we have this T20 bish bash bosh shit, but it is watched by enormous crowds who love to see batsmen flinging their bats agriculturally. Back foot full defensive shot - what that?

Snooker, too. I only watch the World Championships, as they play best of 15, 17, 19, 35 or whatever. This one frame shootout shit holds no interest to me at all.

Even in poker, we have a version online where we can fold & insta move on to a new table, completely readless. ZOOMIO! And players seem to love it. When it first began, blonde was full of players who all said "easiest way to make money ever". Guess they must all be very rich now. I cannot begin to imagine why it is so popular, but it is. I like to see & feel the detail, to chat now & then, endure the slow periods to better enjoy the little card rushes. I'll be playing it myself soon I expect, Next Door, if I'm still there then.  

Great game, yeah, great game.

Not a fan of the quickie then I take it?

[tikay]

Afternoon Tikay, when you have 13mins & 17secs of free time please check out this link to a HBO feature about the failing world of traditional golf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFEYC4Z44v0

In USA right now a traditional golf course closes every 48hrs and the sport has lost 5m players in the last 10yrs. In this instant gratification society folk simply don't want all that traditional stuffy nonsense. Sure it might be nice and pleasant but the paying public simply don't want it. The video goes on to include a chat with my gaffer Erik Anderson about Topgolf. I can only imagine you will find the concept hideous but I have queues out the door every day. The video also features FootGolf which I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear I'm bringing into my traditional course next spring, would love to hear your opinions about that lol. What's nice and what's commercial are two different things, especially as far as golf goes. Just like Blonde, often you gotta swallow stuff you don't like in order to survive, develop and move with the times.

Golf has lost that many players?

I'm staggered. I thought golf would be timeless, one of those activities that would always flourish.

No, I don't enjoy all the instant gratification thing, but I really hope your business - well you really - does well out of it. Who'd have thought?

This instant gratificaton thing whooshes me completely.

Back in the day, Richie Benaud hosted a Test Match "Highlights" Show on BBC, & I soon twigged that every ball you saw bowled would be a wicket or a boundary. That held no interest to me at all.

To me, Test Cricket was all about the first morning at Headingley, with Sir Geoffrey scoring 10 runs in 15 overs. You need that detail to give the bigger picture.

Then came the John Player League - a game that lasted ONE AFTERNOON. What? Cricket is 3 days minumum, 5 days ideally.

Now we have this T20 bish bash bosh shit, but it is watched by enormous crowds who love to see batsmen flinging their bats agriculturally. Back foot full defensive shot - what that?

Snooker, too. I only watch the World Championships, as they play best of 15, 17, 19, 35 or whatever. This one frame shootout shit holds no interest to me at all.

Even in poker, we have a version online where we can fold & insta move on to a new table, completely readless. ZOOMIO! And players seem to love it. When it first began, blonde was full of players who all said "easiest way to make money ever". Guess they must all be very rich now. I cannot begin to imagine why it is so popular, but it is. I like to see & feel the detail, to chat now & then, endure the slow periods to better enjoy the little card rushes. I'll be playing it myself soon I expect, Next Door, if I'm still there then.  

Great game, yeah, great game.

Not a fan of the quickie then I take it?

Good Lord no.

I like a nice meander, no rush, half the pleasure, more maybe, is the journey.

I assume you meant a quick car trip, of course.

[Marky147]

Afternoon Tikay, when you have 13mins & 17secs of free time please check out this link to a HBO feature about the failing world of traditional golf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFEYC4Z44v0

In USA right now a traditional golf course closes every 48hrs and the sport has lost 5m players in the last 10yrs. In this instant gratification society folk simply don't want all that traditional stuffy nonsense. Sure it might be nice and pleasant but the paying public simply don't want it. The video goes on to include a chat with my gaffer Erik Anderson about Topgolf. I can only imagine you will find the concept hideous but I have queues out the door every day. The video also features FootGolf which I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear I'm bringing into my traditional course next spring, would love to hear your opinions about that lol. What's nice and what's commercial are two different things, especially as far as golf goes. Just like Blonde, often you gotta swallow stuff you don't like in order to survive, develop and move with the times.

Golf has lost that many players?

I'm staggered. I thought golf would be timeless, one of those activities that would always flourish.

No, I don't enjoy all the instant gratification thing, but I really hope your business - well you really - does well out of it. Who'd have thought?

This instant gratificaton thing whooshes me completely.

Back in the day, Richie Benaud hosted a Test Match "Highlights" Show on BBC, & I soon twigged that every ball you saw bowled would be a wicket or a boundary. That held no interest to me at all.

To me, Test Cricket was all about the first morning at Headingley, with Sir Geoffrey scoring 10 runs in 15 overs. You need that detail to give the bigger picture.

Then came the John Player League - a game that lasted ONE AFTERNOON. What? Cricket is 3 days minumum, 5 days ideally.

Now we have this T20 bish bash bosh shit, but it is watched by enormous crowds who love to see batsmen flinging their bats agriculturally. Back foot full defensive shot - what that?

Snooker, too. I only watch the World Championships, as they play best of 15, 17, 19, 35 or whatever. This one frame shootout shit holds no interest to me at all.

Even in poker, we have a version online where we can fold & insta move on to a new table, completely readless. ZOOMIO! And players seem to love it. When it first began, blonde was full of players who all said "easiest way to make money ever". Guess they must all be very rich now. I cannot begin to imagine why it is so popular, but it is. I like to see & feel the detail, to chat now & then, endure the slow periods to better enjoy the little card rushes. I'll be playing it myself soon I expect, Next Door, if I'm still there then.  

Great game, yeah, great game.

Interesting thoughts.  I certainly agree with you on snooker and cricket.  I don't watch any snooker now apart from the big events over the longer distances.  Cricket the same.  Not remotely interested in this low grade hit and slog style.  With golf i have never got the game at all to play or watch tbh so i have always been surprised how it has always had this huge boom which lasted so long given how expensive it is to play it and how much time it takes up to play it.  I think Tiger must have been a huge part of bringing golf to different social and economic groups than is tradition and helping extend that boom period in the last 15 years.  I know the viewing figures for golf when tiger plays are quite incredibly different to when he doesn't in the USA.

I was always the same with Golf, until I started punting on it, obviously

Can watch the Ashes, and the World Cup, but beyond that you won't get me near a cricket match.

Obv watch the proper Snooker tournaments, but not really arsed with any of the bollocks Hearn has implemented recently.

[arbboy]

Afternoon Tikay, when you have 13mins & 17secs of free time please check out this link to a HBO feature about the failing world of traditional golf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFEYC4Z44v0

In USA right now a traditional golf course closes every 48hrs and the sport has lost 5m players in the last 10yrs. In this instant gratification society folk simply don't want all that traditional stuffy nonsense. Sure it might be nice and pleasant but the paying public simply don't want it. The video goes on to include a chat with my gaffer Erik Anderson about Topgolf. I can only imagine you will find the concept hideous but I have queues out the door every day. The video also features FootGolf which I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear I'm bringing into my traditional course next spring, would love to hear your opinions about that lol. What's nice and what's commercial are two different things, especially as far as golf goes. Just like Blonde, often you gotta swallow stuff you don't like in order to survive, develop and move with the times.

Golf has lost that many players?

I'm staggered. I thought golf would be timeless, one of those activities that would always flourish.

No, I don't enjoy all the instant gratification thing, but I really hope your business - well you really - does well out of it. Who'd have thought?

This instant gratificaton thing whooshes me completely.

Back in the day, Richie Benaud hosted a Test Match "Highlights" Show on BBC, & I soon twigged that every ball you saw bowled would be a wicket or a boundary. That held no interest to me at all.

To me, Test Cricket was all about the first morning at Headingley, with Sir Geoffrey scoring 10 runs in 15 overs. You need that detail to give the bigger picture.

Then came the John Player League - a game that lasted ONE AFTERNOON. What? Cricket is 3 days minumum, 5 days ideally.

Now we have this T20 bish bash bosh shit, but it is watched by enormous crowds who love to see batsmen flinging their bats agriculturally. Back foot full defensive shot - what that?

Snooker, too. I only watch the World Championships, as they play best of 15, 17, 19, 35 or whatever. This one frame shootout shit holds no interest to me at all.

Even in poker, we have a version online where we can fold & insta move on to a new table, completely readless. ZOOMIO! And players seem to love it. When it first began, blonde was full of players who all said "easiest way to make money ever". Guess they must all be very rich now. I cannot begin to imagine why it is so popular, but it is. I like to see & feel the detail, to chat now & then, endure the slow periods to better enjoy the little card rushes. I'll be playing it myself soon I expect, Next Door, if I'm still there then.  

Great game, yeah, great game.

Interesting thoughts.  I certainly agree with you on snooker and cricket.  I don't watch any snooker now apart from the big events over the longer distances.  Cricket the same.  Not remotely interested in this low grade hit and slog style.  With golf i have never got the game at all to play or watch tbh so i have always been surprised how it has always had this huge boom which lasted so long given how expensive it is to play it and how much time it takes up to play it.  I think Tiger must have been a huge part of bringing golf to different social and economic groups than is tradition and helping extend that boom period in the last 15 years.  I know the viewing figures for golf when tiger plays are quite incredibly different to when he doesn't in the USA.

I was always the same with Golf, until I started punting on it, obviously

Can watch the Ashes, and the World Cup, but beyond that you won't get me near a cricket match.

Obv watch the proper Snooker tournaments, but not really arsed with any of the bollocks Hearn has implemented recently.

I think Hearn could actually hurt snooker longer term with his more more more approach.  It's a tough spot because it's a dying game in the UK but is booming in China etc so he has to do something to jig it up somehow.  I don't think it's going to be as easy a project as darts was for him.

[tikay]

We can't argue though, "fast" cricket, snooker, darts, even poker with the current fad for "hypers" and Zoomy stuff are all extremely popular.

The world wants fast, in sport, wifi, food, personal relationships, everything.

Hurry hurry hurry!