A Curiosity

Somehow the notion held by some that gambling is wicked, while "investing" is righteous, doesn't hold much water these days.

Not to brag, but I've won more money through playing poker, fantasy football, and sports betting over the last year than I would have been as the most astute of day traders.

An Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Yes Man trailers hit my TV this week. It has been declared frequently and vociferously that I cannot stand Jim Carrey's brand of comedy. The film also features Zooey Deschanel who, beside being a real cutie, played good roles in Weeds and Almost Famous. I like her.

Sitting through a Jim Carrey movie is as tedious as balancing a checkbook to me. [ Man on the Moon being the lone exception ]. . . . And isn't this movie very similar to the one where he couldn't lie anymore?

This one looks like a DVR special after it hits HBO. I can watch the Zooey D. scenes and go X60 though the rest of the picture. If they're both on the screen at the same time I'll be able to weigh whether I like Zooey Deschanel more than I dislike Jim Carrey.

A Lost Art and An Unlikely Fan

Way back when, in the days which free range kids were abundant, the South Bend parks department set up recreation centers. Kids could come and go as they pleased and take advantage of the free activities. I was on the baseball team*, they had table tennis, quoits, dances, shuffleboard, and crafts. I enjoyed braiding plastic cord. You started with flat braiding and moved up to square braiding, and as an expert you could take on round braid. Boys and girls alike enjoyed the activity. It bordered on being a fad in my neighborhood. I mentioned this to Patti and she vaguely remembers, if at all, what this craft was all about. Obviously everyone else has too. I found very little about it online.

* Hardly any adults. A road trip involved hanging your mitt on the handlebars, wedging your bat under your bike seat and peddling across town to another park.
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Tim Gunn is one of my favorite TV personalities. His new show is every bit as good as his stints on Project Runway. He's a genuine dandy, but a perfect gentleman. I love his little huzzah fist pump when he says "Make it happen. " His pointed criticism is effective, yet kind, and he has a magic touch when it comes to motivation.

Craps

Craps is a game of chance. Pure and simple.

I am well aware that each roll of a pair of dice is an independent event. The roll before has no bearing on the current roll. One shooter is not more skilled than another. There is no such thing as a craps expert. Once one understands the odds on all the possible bets and manages their bankroll, it's all up to Mr. Mathematics, in Lady Luck drag. Make the right bets and you almost have an even chance vs. The House.

The game is frantic, chips are flying everywhere. It has the atmosphere somewhere between a cock fight and the floor of a commodities exchange. Probability be damned, the game is rife with superstition, mojo, the occult, and even religion. We (our poker club) were talking about this the other night, discussing all the omens, curses, and blessings that seemingly affect the dice.

Bad:

The dice leave the table
Black guy under 30 years old shooting.
Box man selling chips to a newcomer in the middle of a hot run.
A tear in the felt.
Stick man soliciting C&E and Hard Ways
Shooter playing from the dealer side of the table
Somber and empty table.
Newlywed male shooter
Having a friend stand behind you when you're on a hot streak
2 way tips when YOU are shooting.
Any interruption (shift change, pit boss ruling)
Green Dice

Good:

Lady shooter - first time only.
Boisterous drunk guy shooting.
Spinning die
Newlywed female shooter
Loud and crowded table.
Shooters with entourages.
Red Dice
Asian stick man.
Wrong way bettor has dice
Cigar smokers.

Refusing a free drink.

In addition, some casino's tables are cursed: O'Sheas, Bally's, Ceasars, Mandalay Bay, Monte Carlo. Mirage. Some are enchanted: Harrah's, Flamingo, Imperial Palace. Slots-O-Fun, Casino Royale.

This is what makes the game fun.

Blow it Out Your Ass

Everyone is an economic expert these days. The shit storm over a crisis that few can define, let alone solve, continues. Talk. Talk, Talk. Talk is cheap. I don't want to hear what you think, and please don't ask me what I think. I'm as partially informed as the next guy.

Economic ruin? Loss of my savings? Not good. I will be madder than a burning pit bull if I have to cover for a bunch of deadbeats who don't pay their bills and can't manage their money.

If this is so bad; if everyone is as pissed or afraid as they seem to be , then why aren't torch carrying mobs gathering on the mall in Washington D. C.? Mobs do not need to understand anything , they just need to be angry. A baboon war mentality is in order. Nothing like a violent uprising to get the attention of the government.

Hell, I need the exercise. Chucking the traditional rocks and bottles at targets of opportunity should provide a good workout. Walking while chanting revolutionary mantras can cleanse the soul.

Take to the streets, brothers and sisters! Go 60s on their asses. (or just shut up.)