Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

That's all rather sad & depressing, & I don't like this Diary to be that sort of place, so we need an upbeat post from someone now.

Something really nerdy & geeky. Where's Tighty when you want him?

My current book does not exactly look exciting, but it's a real belter.

 

[tikay]

This woman - Robin Saunders - featured in the book.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Saunders


Described here as "A beautiful thing" she's is anything but. Something of a financial engineering investment banker who loves securitisation. No ta.   

[Rod Paradise]

Last minute work trip down south tonight and back tomorrow night, guess where I'm staying....



I quite enjoy it, faded glory, but the rooms are clean & breakfast plentiful.

[tikay]

Looks like Manchester's finest hotel to me.

I was on the 5th floor, & walked up & down all those stairs, far quicker than waiting for those oh-so-slow & rickety lifts.

[hector62]

Morning Mr T.

This little story may add some of your wished for levity. I noticed your post about Walter Swinburn on the horse thread and I heard this on the radio shortly after his death. Someone told the story about after his retirement he went to Regents Park with his teenage daughter, or maybe it was his niece, and they decided to hire a couple of horses for an hour. The lady in charge was far too young to recognize, and probably had never heard of him anyway. She asked him if he had much experience of riding horses and he replied "  Yes, a little bit " he failed to mention the Derby win. She instructed him to mount up and then spent 5 minutes telling him his posture was wrong and he needed to be more upright, before she let him loose in the park.

I am in the process of making Chelsea Buns for the first time, if you were in the vicinity I would invite you over in a couple of hours to be the first to try them.
 

[BigAdz]

Hector   

[nirvana]

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

[Lucky]

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

So no chance of a loan then Glenn?

[hhyftrftdr]

Only met the guy in question once, at DTD (I vaguely knew him from next door). It was towards the start of his heater (it was in no doubt a heater as he's not a very good poker player whatsoever). All he could talk about was his golf betting and how so and so cost him X or if Y did this then he'd win a large sum (I don't give a flying fuck about golf so was stood there like a zoned out lemon)

I just had him down as a dull, gambling, 'poker player', ten a penny type, didn't think for a minute that he would be capable of such deceit, but I guess this is how they get people onside to part with their cash in good faith.

Really hope the people involved get at least some of their £££ back.

[nirvana]

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

So no chance of a loan then Glenn?

It's quite interesting you posting Alan.

I know you through poker and we're friendly. I enjoy your company and I feel able to talk to you on a range of subjects. I know your line of business and I know you are successful at what you do and have accrued the monetary benefits that go with that. If you were mugged outside the G but still wanted to play poker - I'd gladly lend you £100 or so.

If you sent me an email telling me how well you'd run at poker and other forms of gambling over the last year or so but would like to borrow 5 or 10 large due to some short term business cash flow issue, there's an approximately zero percent chance of me thinking - aah poor Alan, let me see what I can do for him.

I'd wander out to the garden, crack open a bottle of Black Stump, light a fag and then muse on the first world problems some people have to deal with.

[Lucky]

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

So no chance of a loan then Glenn?

It's quite interesting you posting Alan.

I know you through poker and we're friendly. I enjoy your company and I feel able to talk to you on a range of subjects. I know your line of business and I know you are successful at what you do and have accrued the monetary benefits that go with that. If you were mugged outside the G but still wanted to play poker - I'd gladly lend you £100 or so.

If you sent me an email telling me how well you'd run at poker and other forms of gambling over the last year or so but would like to borrow 5 or 10 large due to some short term business cash flow issue, there's an approximately zero percent chance of me thinking - aah poor Alan, let me see what I can do for him.

I'd wander out to the garden, crack open a bottle of Black Stump, light a fag and then muse on the first world problems some people have to deal with.

Nice reply, and don't worry, I wasn't asking, only joking. I'm pretty firmly in the "never a borrower or lender be" category.  I've only once lent a poker acquaintance £100 and I was only 50/50 expecting it back. When it came back in a few days, I was half expecting him to ask for another loan soon after,  but he never has. 

[tikay]

Morning Mr T.

This little story may add some of your wished for levity. I noticed your post about Walter Swinburn on the horse thread and I heard this on the radio shortly after his death. Someone told the story about after his retirement he went to Regents Park with his teenage daughter, or maybe it was his niece, and they decided to hire a couple of horses for an hour. The lady in charge was far too young to recognize, and probably had never heard of him anyway. She asked him if he had much experience of riding horses and he replied "  Yes, a little bit " he failed to mention the Derby win. She instructed him to mount up and then spent 5 minutes telling him his posture was wrong and he needed to be more upright, before she let him loose in the park.

I am in the process of making Chelsea Buns for the first time, if you were in the vicinity I would invite you over in a couple of hours to be the first to try them.
 

Great to see you Charlie.

If the  Walter Swinburn story is true, I love it. I do love to see humility, modesty & understated people, specially when they are or were giants of their profession. 

I was more familiar with his Dad, Wally Swinburn. He must have been very proud of Walter. I can't imagine what it is like when a son dies before the father. 

How is Phoebe? (spelling?).

How did the Chelsea Buns pan out? I'm more a fan of iced Chelsea buns, & you'd do well to beat the Tesco ones.

Unforch, I'm back in hard-diet mode again after my weight spiralled before & during Xmas, so it's all tinned toms, grapes, Ryvita & all that shite at the moment. It so sucks to have weight problems, but I guess there are far worse things to suffer from, & a little self-denial is actually quite satisfying.

[tikay]

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

So no chance of a loan then Glenn?

It's quite interesting you posting Alan.

I know you through poker and we're friendly. I enjoy your company and I feel able to talk to you on a range of subjects. I know your line of business and I know you are successful at what you do and have accrued the monetary benefits that go with that. If you were mugged outside the G but still wanted to play poker - I'd gladly lend you £100 or so.

If you sent me an email telling me how well you'd run at poker and other forms of gambling over the last year or so but would like to borrow 5 or 10 large due to some short term business cash flow issue, there's an approximately zero percent chance of me thinking - aah poor Alan, let me see what I can do for him.

I'd wander out to the garden, crack open a bottle of Black Stump, light a fag and then muse on the first world problems some people have to deal with.

Nice reply, and don't worry, I wasn't asking, only joking. I'm pretty firmly in the "never a borrower or lender be" category.  I've only once lent a poker acquaintance £100 and I was only 50/50 expecting it back. When it came back in a few days, I was half expecting him to ask for another loan soon after,  but he never has. 

Me too, Alan, but the thing is, now & then we get caught short for cash - in Vegas, say, when we need dollars & can't easily access our bank account - so lending folks a few bob when necessary is often a way of making sure we have a credit line if needed in the future.

[tikay]

Only met the guy in question once, at DTD (I vaguely knew him from next door). It was towards the start of his heater (it was in no doubt a heater as he's not a very good poker player whatsoever). All he could talk about was his golf betting and how so and so cost him X or if Y did this then he'd win a large sum (I don't give a flying fuck about golf so was stood there like a zoned out lemon)

I just had him down as a dull, gambling, 'poker player', ten a penny type, didn't think for a minute that he would be capable of such deceit, but I guess this is how they get people onside to part with their cash in good faith.

Really hope the people involved get at least some of their £££ back.

Talking of weight struggles, here's Percy Plump, right on cue.

Mr Strike was always telling everyone that he won £40k on some golf bet, for sure.

And I was thinking if he can get £1k bets on with any of the bigger FO Betting outfits, then he must be a pretty big loser.

I never for a moment thought he was capable of deception on such a grand scale though.

Where is he now, what's the score, is he in hiding? I assume it will end up in Court, & he'll do a bit of time.  

[tikay]

Own up, did anyone send, or receive, a Valentine Card?

The supermarkets must make a fortune from sales of flowers today, I was in Tesco this morning & it was rammed with flowers & Valentine Day gifts.

Flowers used to be a real luxury, & florists were where we got them.

Now the flowers are grown all over Europe, shipped to Amsterdam where they are bundled, long-life-ified, & sent to the UK cheaper & better than we can do with home grown flowers. It's  a whole industry now, & we can buy a beautiful bunch of roses for a fiver. But not today, obv.