Poker Media Mid Life Crisis

[DaveShoelace]

We have this really weird thing at PokerStrategy. We have these different loyalty tiers for our members. There is the usual stuff - gold level, platinum and diamond. The top status, which is our version of Supernova Elite, is 'Black Member' status. If you have this status, you are probably a pro, and you get all sorts of benefits including luxury trips away and a tailored suiit. The 'Black' thing is kind of like 'black tie'.

I think it makes sense in all the countries we operate in, but for English natives it sounds weird. Martin Finger, who won a super high roller yesterday, has this status, and I have had to refer to him today as a 'Black Member Martin Finger'. He is the whitest bloke you will ever see, so it sounds really strange. I remember at a TV thing we did a couple of years back, a poker channel crew interviewed another one of our players, Thomas Tiroch, who also has this status. He is very pale, very blonde and from Austria, and referred to himself as 'the first black member at pokerstrategy' and the camera crew were suitabily confused.

Then today, my colleague Matt Perry reminded me that 'member' is also a euphemism for penis over here. So now calling our most loyal customers 'black members' is even more befuddling.

[Tal]

MGM went with Noir, despite nothing else being in French

[AndrewT]

[Tal]

Love that film.

Out of interest, have you seen these 5 second movies things? Have only just stumbles across them. A few very good ones.

[DaveShoelace]

Good stuff

If you want to lose a day, search for 'Honest Movie Trailers' on Youtube

[Tal]

That is impressive.

[dino1980]

Not to be a pedant, because this thread has Tal for that, but can you not get round it by saying: 'Martin Finger, who has achieved the elite Black Member status on PokerStrategy, (or something similar)

Or is it in the PokerStrategy style guide, similar to having to say Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody on the PokerStars Blog for instance. When doing a 'who's here' or 'who played' post at an event I always used to write (for example) UKIPT Champion Max Silver. But now I usually write Max Silver, who won UKIPT1 Dublin...A journalist far better than I convinced me that not only was it correct to do it the latter way but also it flowed better.

Also what the chess bloke said re: The Matrix trailer.

 

[DaveShoelace]

Yes you can, and yes thats what we do, but its still bloody daft.

If you liked the matrix, then










And hundreds more where those came from

[pleno1]

what about just the icon?

[DaveShoelace]

what about just the icon?

We still need to promote it, it is one of our big offerings, and I don't think it sounds as daft to non English natives

[Tal]

I LOVE translation and language stories (being the incredible, Peter Ustinov-esque dinner party guest that I am...)

Millions of these things about



But I particularly like ones with accidental meanings, like the Ikea slitbar:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/brentalfloss/10-ikea-product-names-that-dont-quite-translate-969r?s=mobile

There was famously a sign in (St Petersburg..?) at I think a conference of some form that said "If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it"

Last one for now (always leave em wanting more, eh) was in a Japanese zoo. It rightly advised patrons:

NEVER CLOSE YOUR FACE TO THE MONKEYS

[DaveShoelace]

i enjoyed this little musing about trying to consume less information.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/10/01/the-low-information-diet/

Thoroughly agree. I don't actually think the human brain was designed to consume anywhere near as much of the data that we are all consuming with the interwebs and smartphones. I'm actually trying to actively consume less useless information for the rest of the year, as I am working on a fun little side project (more on that soon) and find that not only is it easier for me to concentrate when I narrow down how much mental stimulation I have, I also tend to have more energy too.

Also going to (semi) take the advice in the piece and stop watching news from a commerical broadcaster (ie. Sky News) and stick to the good old beeb instead.

[RED-DOG]

i enjoyed this little musing about trying to consume less information.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/10/01/the-low-information-diet/

Thoroughly agree. I don't actually think the human brain was designed to consume anywhere near as much of the data that we are all consuming with the interwebs and smartphones. I'm actually trying to actively consume less useless information for the rest of the year, as I am working on a fun little side project (more on that soon) and find that not only is it easier for me to concentrate when I narrow down how much mental stimulation I have, I also tend to have more energy too.

Also going to (semi) take the advice in the piece and stop watching news from a commerical broadcaster (ie. Sky News) and stick to the good old beeb instead.

Well at least now I'm better informed about consuming less information.

[DaveShoelace]

I was toying with putting this in the man skills thread, but will try here first.

Looks like it is going to be an awful winter ahead, what blokey things should I be doing now to prepare?

I have a big ass snow shovel already.
I have some really good crampons for my dog walks.
Probably get a big bag of sand.
Preservable food, for when the shops are shut/we cant be arsed to shop.
I'm getting a brand new boiler installed tomorrow (that was always happening, just bought the new house and it was the first big to do)
aaaaaand we are getting a log burner installed, simply because my missus works for a company that sells them and we can get installation and the hardware for a ridiculous reduction.

What else? I'm thinking I'll need some sort of weaponary to fend off moutain lions, zombies and other end of the world stuff.

Click to see full-size image.

[JamieJ73]

Probably need the basics, couple of sticks to rub together in times of failed (new) boiler, no power etc....