Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Dingdell]

I have to say I need to get out more and get fresh air - these pics are fantastic!  I may have to buy a dog just so I can legally go out in the country - sad reflection on society that it's not safe (or deemed not to be safe) to go walking in the english country side alone.

[boldie]

I have to say I need to get out more and get fresh air - these pics are fantastic!  I may have to buy a dog just so I can legally go out in the country - sad reflection on society that it's not safe (or deemed not to be safe) to go walking in the english country side alone.

who deems it not safe?

[matt674]

I may have to buy a dog just so I can legally go out in the country

Is it illegal now to go out for a walk without a dog?

[tikay]

I have to say I need to get out more and get fresh air - these pics are fantastic!  I may have to buy a dog just so I can legally go out in the country - sad reflection on society that it's not safe (or deemed not to be safe) to go walking in the english country side alone.

There you go Tracey, more pics from my part of the world. This is Dovedale. Magnificent on a summers day.

[The_duke]

In the superb Prague EPT Update, Chili mentions the oddity of being able to smoke in publc places.

We encountered this in Paris at the weekend, where smoking is freely allowed everywhere, even in restaurants. It seemed so odd to see folks smoking at the dinner-table in the magnificent ACF restaurant, & even though I fell off the waggon, I could not bring myself to smoke where others were eating. Plenty did, though. Very odd indeed.

It seems so rude & ill-mannered, not to say self-indulgent. Which is odd, because the French are such sensitive, caring, polite & well-mannered people.......

In France since 1st Feb 2007, people lighting up in airports, railway stations, hospitals, schools, shops and offices can face fines. But strangely enough restaurants and bars have until the end of December 2007 to comply.

[tikay]

And here's the supremely magnificent Durham Catherdal. Few Cathedrals in the world dominate the town beneath them as Durham does. And they don't charge for entry, unlike most "Tourist" Catherdals.

Only in England are sites such as this almost commonplace.

[vegaslover]

I detest all this claiming of copyright to generic phrases and generic images.

I heard that Adidas were due in court somewhere in Europe recently trying to gain complete control of the use of vertical stripes. Ridiculous. Three stripes, fair enough. But two or four stripes are not the same as three stripes.

The campaign starts here - DON'T GIVE THEM THE STRIPE!

Same thing with the heinlich maneuver. Someone wanted royalties for everytime the name was used in first aid books. Therefore it's now called an abdominal thrust!!!!!

[tikay]

In the superb Prague EPT Update, Chili mentions the oddity of being able to smoke in publc places.

We encountered this in Paris at the weekend, where smoking is freely allowed everywhere, even in restaurants. It seemed so odd to see folks smoking at the dinner-table in the magnificent ACF restaurant, & even though I fell off the waggon, I could not bring myself to smoke where others were eating. Plenty did, though. Very odd indeed.

It seems so rude & ill-mannered, not to say self-indulgent. Which is odd, because the French are such sensitive, caring, polite & well-mannered people.......

In France since 1st Feb 2007, people lighting up in airports, railway stations, hospitals, schools, shops and offices can face fines. But strangely enough restaurants and bars have until the end of December 2007 to comply.

Ah, well that's good news then.

[tikay]

Or try this, which is in Scotland - the breathtaking Pass of Glencoe. It's impossible not to stop & gaze in awe when driving along this piece of road.

Only in Scotland.

[MANTIS01]

Posted by: tikay

The way we handle defeat - in Poker or anything else I suppose - is interesting

I not only agree that this is interesting but I really do believe that hidden deep beneath all the obvious stuff of winning, losing, out-playing etc...it is how you handle yourself at the table that is actually the true test of your poker ability.

There is no doubt that your personal relationship with the poker gods will be a varied one and how you come to terms with that relationship truely defines whether you are a winner or looser. It shows your character. The mark of who you are. Your reaction to winning and loosing is the ONLY thing in a poker game that is not affected by luck and as such you are in complete control of the outcome. If you are unable to show control then you will never be as good a player as you could be. The poker gods will have the ability to play with your emotions like a puppet on a string and this is not good.

I took a trip to Star City last Thursday for their £20 rebuy. With 14 players left and the blinds at 1000/2000 the sb moved all-in on the bb for another 30k. The bb (who thought he was the daddy) called all-in like a shot. Did he have Aces or Kings? No...he had a very mediocre A-J. The sb tabled 9-6 for an exposed steal attempt. When the 6 arrived on the river the bb promptly squared-up to the sb and offered him outside for the "disrespect" he had shown him. The bb looked like a pathetic spoilt child and however much he thought he could play poker the reality was that poker was playing him.

With 4 left I had almost half the chips in play. I lost the whole stack in 2 hands and 2 minutes. My pre-flop all-in with A-10 called by a winning A-6 and the next hand my all-in pre-flop with A-K called by the same player's winning K-10. Now that really is the nature of the game we play and my reaction to it is the only thing I can control. So why spoil this guys game and make myself look like a twat just because I lost?

The poker gods and I have a very complex relationship. I have a lucky points bank and every bad beat I take is credits in the bank....I'm feckin loaded in that bank. However, they will only allow me access to the funds when I'm in a very big comp and really need them and only if I behave with dignity along the way.

When all is said and done poker is a test of character, nothing more and nothing less.

[Snatiramas]

Or try this, which is in Scotland - the breathtaking Pass of Glencoe. It's impossible not to stop & gaze in awe when driving along this piece of road.

Only in Scotland.

Ahhh..........Glencoe. A long time ago when I was young, slim and had hair I spent some time withmy mates up in Glasgow and to celebrate my birthday we went touringf round the highlands including Glencoe.........

The whole area is gob smackingly beautiful

[RED-DOG]

The whole area is gob smackingly beautiful

I have often thought that smacking your gob would be beautiful.

[TightEnd]

The whole area is gob smackingly beautiful

I have often thought that smacking your gob would be beautiful.

you'd lose your hand in the dark chasm from which he speaks

[tikay]

Mantis alludes to luck in poker, & how we handle it. So very few are equipped to handle it well, only remembering savage outdraws, which they receive, & forgetting those they impose on others.

I imagine my quota of luck in poker, & in life, to be a pendulum. It swings one way, & then the other. Nothing on earth can stop it swinging both ways. Equally, over time.

If I suffer a run of "beats", the more I get, the happier I am - because I KNOW it'll swing the other way very soon. I could not be convinved it works any other way.

But it cuts both ways. My life has been idyllic of late...........oops.

I'd better stay indoors, & wrap-up warm. Mr Reaper could call at any time now. That's the way it works, I'm utterly convinced of it.

Oh, & one more thing. Will folks STOP telling me their bad-beat stories. I honestly don't give a shit.

[tikay]

The whole area is gob smackingly beautiful

I have often thought that smacking your gob would be beautiful.

you'd lose your hand in the dark chasm from which he speaks

Speaks? BOOMS more like. I've never heard him speak, he roars.

Chasm? Bellmouth I'd call it.