What a frustrating day...again!

Date: Thu, May 1, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

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Lost weekend...lost time

Date: Mon, Apr 28, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

I was a casualty in the latest battle of the war against Jack Daniel's. But my friends didn't leave me behind. I guess the no man left behind motto holds true. It was Saturday night... at the Eagles. Prior to getting there, Big Red and I and the Brothers headed to Don Emilo's restaurant. Unfortunately, only Teresa had food along with her alcohol. That fact becomes important later. Anyway, Chris and I put down a pitcher of beer, while the girls opted for some Italian Margaritas, on the shhtrong side! We left there and headed up to enjoy the band and continue the evening of debauchery. Our favorite bartender "hooked" us up immediately with her special Jack and Diet mixture. I'm not sure there's much in the way of ice...or any cola at all thinning down the alcohol. "SMOOTH!" The night continued on that way.

Eventually, a poker game started up. I remember that part. I remember buying in for $20. Beyond that are merely factoids and blurbs of consciousness. In short, I lost time. I'm told I rebought into the game. I'm told that my eyes appeared glassy, and focus was a thing of the past. I checked the wallet the next day, and discovered that I was really only down $8 for the night. I guess the rebuy worked out to some degree. Frankly, I couldn't tell you a hand I played. All I really know is that I awoke on my couch the next morning. Tired, still vaguely drunk, but remarkably without a headache of any sort. Maybe if I'd eaten (remember I said that was important) there would be a bit of recall to be had. But hey, that's what friends are for. They served as my memory for the night. They following afternoon, we all headed over to the Wolfe's for a cookout. He grinned when he tried to offer me a beer, "a little of the hair of the dog that bit ya!" I had suspicions that I'd gone over the edge of drunkenness, Frank served to confirm that. He reminded me that there had been a porcelain visit in the late night. I was informed of the drunk talk I had with him on the way home, by the way he drove me. I'm not sure about all that but hey, he got me home, so I can't be complaining. I also found out that I had a bit of a partner in drunken crime... Laura! Atta Girl!!!

Anyway, it sounds like I must have had a great time. The parts I remember, were a lot of fun and I hope to do 'em again. I hope to remember more of them next time. But hey, it's not often that I tie one on that tight. I got to blow off some steam. Thanks all for putting up with me. I'll return the favor some day.

So, in this weekend's battle, Jack Daniels won out. I was beaten. But I'll redouble my efforts for next time. And yes there will be a next time. I will be avenged!

But if I'm planning to play cards... I'll stick to beer, and only a very few of them.

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AC Audio\Video WINS

Date: Sat, Apr 26, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

The first baseball game of the year for AC Audio\Video gets recorded in the WIN column! The boys played GREAT baseball today. We scored 7 runs in the first inning, and held them to NONE. Vienna #1 returned the favor in inning 2 though, BUT we gave up only one run to them. The 3rd inning we caught fire again and chalked up another 7 runs. Vienna needed to score 4 runs to keep from being mercied! They gave us run for it, but when the dust settled, they loaded the bases but only got 2 across home plate. Despite the win... we decided to play on for another inning, just for the practice and to change things up a little. We were still doing great and we even got to put in some of the lesser experienced of our pitching staff. They were all doing great. We ended up scoring another 5 runs before we headed off the field. Great job boys, fantastic victory!

Not to blow the horn too loudly for my own son, but Cole stole home plate TWICE! He was really proud of that, and so was I... and YES, I told him so!

In that respect baseball is a lot like poker. It's A LOT more fun...when you're winnin'!

Whew... had to get the poker reference in there.

Regards,

cheer_dad

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Tri C Opening Day

Date: Sat, Apr 26, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

It's Opening Day for Tri-C Baseball folks!

Cole and I just got back from our pictures session. But we have to be back down in less then an hour to get ready for our first baseball game of the season. We will be playing Vienna Team 1. I think if we can keep the boys focused we will do fine, and hopefully win our first outing for the year. The big thing is to get the pitchers just tossing across the plate in this league. More often than not, the batter is scared out of his wits and doesn't want to get hit by the ball. I can't tell you how many times I've watched in our scrimmage games so many batters stepping out of the batter's box as soon as the pitcher releases the baseball. This kid pitch thing will take some getting used to. So the trick to taking advantage of it is to pitch 'em right down the middle and if a couple of 'em hit it we just have to let the fielders take 'em down. By and large the strikeouts will be because the pitcher clinches up and doesn't swing. Cole I don't think will have that much trouble. He's been swinging...he just has to connect. When he does it'll be in the grass, if he can just drive it instead of launching.

Whitney also had tryouts for Southern Belles for the past two days. She's not overly confident that she'll make it. There are only like 4-5 spots available. All other past members are returning. They've ALL worked really hard, and I'm proud of Whitney for guttin' it out. Despite popping her hip out of place yesterday...she continued on. She was able to do that by popping it back into place herself! She's a friggin' animal. She's into that whole "pain is just weakness leaving the body" thing! Like I said...friggin' animal!

Anyway, not much time left now, maybe I'll have a chance to give another update, who knows. Later this evening a bunch of the NDPT crew and etc... will be heading to the Eagles to see the band Slammed 6, (Nikki's family's band.) We're also getting together to celebrate Laura's birthday. Happy B-day Pookie!!!

I might even bring along a deck of cards. See you all soon.

Regards.

cheer_dad

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Treasury and Federal Reserve officials have been warned!

Date: Tue, Apr 22, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

I stumbled across this remarkable article over at TheHill.com, which told a story I had not yet heard from the front lines of the fight against the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.) According to the author, Susan Crabtree (as of 04/22/08 03:45 PM EST,)

"A bipartisan group of House Financial Services Committee members have warned U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve officials not to waste any more time trying to implement a ban on online gambling."

Yes, I recognize that is a direct quote (hopefully cited sufficiently)but what an opening line for an article! I don't want to have to quote the whole article, but it's really tough because it's just chock full of facts that I'd like to re-iterate. But suffice it to say that Representatives Barney Frank, Luis Gutierrez, Ron Paul, and Pete King sent a letter putting the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve on notice NOT to proceed with developing regulations which would be used to enforce the provisions of the much debated UIGEA. They didn't pull punches with the letter sent Tuesday and the recipients were Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke!

I acknowledge the fight that Rep. Barney Frank has put up in his efforts against the UIGEA, but this move seems quite bold. I think it demonstrates his commitment to the effort and I for one applaud him for it! I'm currently trolling around looking for the letter that was sent in its entirety. As soon as I find it...I'm posting it or at least the link. Basically what I gather from the article is that the lawmakers involved believe there are much more pressing issues with which to deal than waste time and effort on establishing policy for enforcement of the UIGEA, which Frank and his colleagues plan to actively oppose.

Sorry blog dwellers, I'm struggling for words to write here, without plagiarizing the whole article. Just go read all about it RIGHT NOW! Right HERE! Hopefully you'll be as excited about it as I am.

I'll stop rambling and head out looking for the elusive letter now!

***REVISION***
Ha, armed with an internet connection and the forces of Google on my side I found the smoking gun (errr letter) that was sent to Bernanke and Paulson... Here you go: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/financialsvcs_dem/press042108.shtml

Make sure to read BOTH of the letters that were sent out, which are for the most part identical except for the following passage in the letter sent to Chairman Bernanke:

"We realize this is not a task you requested. We also appreciate the candor with which your representative answered our questions. In fact, her honest answers and the testimony of the other witnesses confirmed our view that this is an impossible task."

This is the good stuff folks... : )

Regards,

cheer_dad

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fd's Flickr Toys

Date: Mon, Apr 21, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

I struggled today with trying to come up with something to blog about. Nothing poker related came to mind, nothing insightful or earth shattering. And not that this post is going to live up to any of those things, but I started drifting. I got a little click happy and ended up out on Flickr where I found a link to the following site:

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/

There I found some of the coolest photo manipulation tools ever! Maybe lots of you know all about it and didn't need me to be telling you about anything on the internet. If so, sorry... but get over it. I thought it was great. The image above was created from a single photo that was lurking in "My Pictures" folder of the spaceship looking thing at the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. There's your loose gambling/poker/vegas tie in to keep the blog on topic. : ) Anyway, the photo above was "Hockneyized" as they called it. There were a number of other useful/creative tools on the website for creating cool photo calendars, id badges, stamps, billboards and even jigsaw puzzles. Go out and take a peak at all the site has to offer.

Remarkably I found this on a Monday, a day which up til now I've had very little use for! : P

Regards,

cheer_dad

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Last night at the Wolfe's

Date: Sun, Apr 20, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

Thanks to Frank and Julie for taking on the hosting gig for this month's tournament. It was great to see you all, and hope everyone had a nice time. My tournament life was short lived when I hit a rough patch. The first hand I shoved a chunk of my stack pre-flop with pocket 7's and ran into Frank's rockets. Oops! Then, in an effort to re accumulate some semblance of a stack I had to make some moves that weren't characteristic of my typical game. I even shoved all in with my least favorite hand, in the effort, the ole J-K off! Unfortunately I didn't scare anybody all that much, and picked up two callers. I was in trouble... when I saw Del turn over A-Jos, yeah I'm dominated here. I've only got 3 real outs. So, let's just say I didn't get there. : )

I lost a little more in the cash game too, although I'm not really sure on what. I think it was to the guy who looked a lot like the lead singer of Rascal Flats. (Sorry, I've forgotten your name.) But lucky for me the lovely and talented Big Red had my back for the night. She took down the top spot on the night! She and Vince battled out heads up briefly then finally chopped it, but Teresa will get the top billing for the night in the points race. So, once again, she has to bail me out of my losing ways! : ) Congratulations baby!

I'm pretty sure, Vince took over the points lead last night. I "think" I'm still in 2nd place, but a few others are beginning to get too close for comfort. I guess I better start bringing the A-game. Might help if I wasn't suckin' down more than my fair share of the keg last night, I suppose. But then again... I do love beer.

Regards,

cheer_dad

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Brandi... and the weekend

Date: Sat, Apr 19, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

Sadly according to this article over at Wicked Chops Poker, it has been confirmed that Brandi Hawbaker is dead at the age of 26. Apparently I've been very behind in my reading, as it appears that this occurred on Sunday. Still what a waste... so very disturbing. Rest in peace Brandi.

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Brandi Hawbaker found dead, at 26

Date: Fri, Apr 18, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

After a long day, which still isn't over I sat down to catch up on some of the days news from the blogs. The first article to greet me was the sad news that Brandi Hawbaker had been found dead in Playa Del Rey, California. Read the original article here:

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/article/11758/cult-poker-personality-brandi-hawbaker-found-dead

According to the article her death was an apparent suicide. How very sad for such a lovely young woman.

Regards,

cheer_dad

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Ricin...and Roger Bergendorff

Date: Thu, Apr 17, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

I really thought this case would just fade away into the nothingness of the Internet, but it keeps popping back up. Recall back in February that the poison "ricin" was found in a Las Vegas motel, 2 weeks after a man was hospitalized with difficulty breathing. That man later lapsed into a coma, and was identified as Roger Bergendorff. The toxic biological agent ricin was only discovered later when a relative of Bergendorff went to the motel to retrieve the man's belongings which had been left behind. It was at that time that he discovered the vials which contained ricin. The authorities were notified and the room was also found to contain additional vials, castor beans (necessary in ricin production) firearms, and obscure manuals like the "Anarchist's Cookbook." All the comforts of home.

I mentioned in yesterday's blogging that Bergendorff had awakened from his coma, not long ago, and was presently being charged with possession of the substance among other charges. Today Mr. Bergendorff was in court and denies that he was involved in any "poisoning plot" according to this article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/17/ricin.arrest.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories on the CNN website. Of course, seeing as said crime carries a hefty penalty (30 years in federal prison and a $750,000 fine) I can see not really wanting to be associated with any such matter.

Bergendorff's attorney Paul Riddle asserted to the federal court judge that his client's, "...poor health is not a result of exposure to ricin..." Instead he submitted that his client "fell ill with pneumonia and kidney failure, resulting from a mental and emotional downturn after his older brother died in January."

Ah... well since you put it like that. The deadly poison played absolutely no role in Mr. Bergendorff's health issues. Sheesh, how could we have ever thought otherwise. Hmmm...

Do they think we're ALL this stupid? Or are we really just this stupid?

Regards,

cheer_dad

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What glass ceiling?!

Date: Wed, Apr 16, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

The poker gods have smiled on me tonight on Bodog, allowing me to redeem last night's poor performance AND more importantly break through the $200 ceiling, that seems to have plagued all previous ventures on the virtual felt. Account now sits at $205.45...! Thanks to a VERY nice little run of cards. There was one point near the end of tonight's session when I had pocket Aces on BOTH tables! And actually won on them both. A decent pot on one, and an All-In and a call on the other. Poor guys Queens never knew what hit 'em. Okay, I'll stop my gloating and simply relish the moment.

Remarkably my play was no different tonight. Much the same, and my stats are actually very much the same between the nights and frankly for my overall playing style. We'll see what the next session brings.

Calling it a night...

Regards,

cheer_dad

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Remember the RICIN incident in Las Vegas?

Date: Wed, Apr 16, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

The following article from CNN details follow up from the incident where "ricin" was discovered in a Las Vegas hotel room, back in February:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/16/ricin.arrest/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Suffice it to say that the man, Roger Bergendorff who was first hospitalized when he experienced trouble breathing back on February 14th, and was the victim of ricin poinsoning, awoke from his coma on March 14th. Today, he was arrested for among other charges the possession of the deadly biological toxin, ricin.

Check out the article for additional information, but my only question is what was Mr. Bergendorff planning to do with the ricin in the first place. I would think (or at least hope) that poisoning himself was not the intended usage. Then again what do I know.

Only truth is stranger than fiction.

Regards,

cheer_dad

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You can't make this stuff up

Date: Wed, Apr 16, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

There are times playing online that you just "feel" it's the wrong table, the wrong time, and that something bad is going to happen. We should each pay more heed to those feelings. They're not quantifiable, but when you have that wary, uneasy feeling you ought to listen to what your gut is telling you and move on. I say this all now, because (of course) I did not pay attention when that still small voice was speaking. Okay, it's not as bad as all that, but I do tend to make me some mountains out of life's little mole hills from time-to-time. Let me set the stage...

After a full/busy day at work I head home and immediately start on mowing the lawn. The neighborhood is thick with the sounds of push mowers and weed eaters. Oh, it did take me a bit of time to get started mowing because I had to wage a wasp killing campaign before I could reach the mower in the storage building. But flash forward to a lawn well done, weed whacking, and grass clippings gathered and street swept. I head inside to clean up, then grab a bite to eat. Following this, I help Cole out with his homework, try to decide if the teen Whitney even has any school books this year, "AIM," and phone(s) house and cell, interrupt the conversation and I trail off into wasted attempt.

Finally, things are relatively in order and I finally sit down to enjoy some down time. After checking email and reading a couple blogs I fire up Bodog. Several tables available so I belly up to two of them and am confident that at long last tonight, playing at my micro limits I'll finally take this account through the glass ceiling and go above the $200 mark. I've made mention a long time ago, that I've got some sort of mental block when it comes to that figure. I can't account for it, it's just there. Anyway, those of you who know me, know that online I play very micro limits. Call it stupid, call it mind numbing, whatever you want. But it just became so difficult to move money around online that they seem to be worth more in cyberspace, at least to me. Couple that with my unfortunately reading Chris Ferguson's account of how he turned $0 into $10,000 online and well you have the recipe for what has become my online poker playing experience. I revisited the Bodog account a while back and found it below the $100 mark, this of course after having cashed out a paltry sum somewhere in between the Neteller and UIGEA debacles... I'd play only every once in a while, two tabling at NLHE, max buy-in $10 (blinds .05/.10.) Go ahead... call me some names, I'll wait. Okay, do you feel better now? Good, I'm here for ya.

So, I've got my two tables setup on screen just the way I like 'em. Table action seems kinda fast. Oh look 8 players see the flop, and 7 to the turn over on this other table. Hmmm. Oh there's an all-in... and oh there's another... Here's where that uneasy feeling comes in. But I'm above it, I'm up to the challenge. Before one full cycle of the table I look down at AKos from late position, and pop it to a whopping .45 pre-flop. It goes back to the BB, who without pause, pops it an additional $8.00-ish all-in. You know the old 18X preflop reraise. Many folks wouldn't have flinched here and would have mashed the call button. But I'm just getting started here. I don't have a feel yet, or a read, and I'm just too Zen for all this. (Translation, at times I'm just a pussy.) So, I fold this drawing hands. Then I proceed to watch a succession of blackjack double down hands. 9-2os, 6-4os, 8-3os, etc... You know the ones. I go through that rocky phase of noticing that the hand I have at the first table is actually the nuts hand on the second table, and vice versa. All the while that little voice in the back of my head is growing ever louder. (Pipe down you!) Then, frustration sets in. From late position I look down at a J-10os, and I "just" call. The flop comes J-2-J, and I'm in position! Then again... bent over is a position. The SB bets pot. I double it. He obliges with an all-in and our hero calls. Then, before I even see his cards, realize I've succumb to all the emotion that's been building since I got home. I get the warm squishy feeling as he sticks his A-Js to some of my more tender orifices. More checks on table #1 please! The guy's decent enough about it, and tosses me an "ouch" in the chat window, to help sooth the sting. It doesn't... Anyway that's how most of the session went. And as my laptop battery is about to give up the ghost, I'm prepared to take my losses like a man. But I'm down like $13 here people. I was only shooting to make $6 tonight, to put me over the $200 mark, now I'm in worse shape. As the blinds come back around, I close down table one, and am left waiting for the round to end on table two. I look down at 9-10s. The BB annoyingly makes it .20 to go pre flop after I call the .10. I hate-hate-hate min-raisers! The flop comes 7-8-K rainbow. I'm open ended here, the BB bets out .30. Sure why not...and the turn is a blank (a two I think.) BB, again with the .30 bet. Sure, why not... The river brings one of my 8 outs, the Jack. This time the BB goes for broke and bets .60 this time. I pause briefly and then mash the Pot button. Here's where my tension headache and my temper flares! Simultaneously, three things happen on my laptop. The BB, reraises all-in, my "low battery" alert starts to flash like the world's coming to an end, and my fracking touchpad goes haywire. OMG... nothing's working here, I've got the nuts here folks and I can't get my pointer over the Call or the All-In buttons long enough to click. My wife stares from across the room as I gnash my teeth and spew obscenities!

FINALLY, I'm able to get the mouse coaxed over (pixel by pixel) to the all-in button and get the damn thing clicked! The BB insta calls. He proudly displays his hole cards "KK." Which for those of you keeping score at home, gave him a set on the flop. My Jack high straight sends him to the rail. And after all that stress on a single hand, I close out the game myself. (Incidentally now my fucking touchpad is working just fine!!!) So for the night I'm down only $7-ish. I regained some ground from the previous trip jacks fiasco. But who knows what the rest of the week will bring? Will I ever break through the $200 mark? Do any of you even care? Am I a complete NOOB for donking around at these micro stakes? Do you secretly laugh at me?

But on the bright side, I must make at least some of you feel better about yourselves and your superior poker playing abilities! And if that's the case, well then I'm glad that I can help make a difference in the lives of others. Stay tuned for the next riveting episode of "A Fool and His Money" and see how we are parted.

Regards,

cheer_dad

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My wallet shudders

Date: Tue, Apr 15, 2008 Internet Live Tournament

While Cole and I were trying to stay warm last night down at Tri-C Baseball fields, my wife and daughter were out shopping on a whole other scale. The subject of a new car has been breached in the "casa de cheer_dad" and it's been brought up in casual conversation. Now that Whitney is of driving age (she has her permit now) she's eventually going to have to take the driving portion of the test. None of us were particularly looking forward to her taking the test in either my Dodge 1500 pickup extended cab, or Big Red's Durango for that matter. Frankly the friggin' Hemi is just not something that I think she'd find conducive to the stress of the test, and don't even think about the parallel parking portion of the test. And I'm not real interested in having her drive either of our current tanks out and about in the teenage world. Let's not even get into my blood pressure here folks. Suffice it to say we're wanting to go smaller, yet comfortable. Miles to the Gallon of gas is also a HIGH priority here people. My meager poker earnings just aren't covering the cost that OPEC keeps shoving down our throats. ANYWAY I've gone around the block with my story. So my wife and daughter go to "look" at cars last night. When I return home, nearly frostbitten, and aching from a baseball to each shin, and one to the ribs... out comes the new car brochure for the Toyota Camry. Suddenly I'm gettin' chatted up, something fierce. I know where this is all headed. I know yet another major purchase is looming on the horizon for me. So, I humor her and let her talk, not letting on that I've already spotted the pricing sheet that's already been worked up with her "Jane Hancock" clearly visible at the bottom. Folks what we have here is a done deal. It's all over but cheer_dad's crying. There's a Toyota Camry in my future. This has been further confirmed as of today, when I went down to visit my lovely wife at work (Credit Union) downstairs in my building and find her pouring over the paperwork, finalizing loan forms, a fax coversheet all but sealing my fate.

Okay, I'll quit my whining about it now. Much of this has been in jest after all anyway. I don't particularly like the Durango. My truck on the other hand is like my mostest favoritest vehicle ever! Although I offered to part with her... I wasn't looking forward to having to give her up. Luckily (I think) a compromise has been reached! Whew! And honestly this is a good looking car, that I think we can all be happy with. Now I know some of you way in the back are wondering in your male chauvinistic way about how I could let a "woman" go pick out and buy a new vehicle without having me around. Those of you who would even think it have never really gotten to know my beloved Big Red! Salesmen beware... you've bitten off more than you can chew. Go huddle at your friggin' sales tower and beg for the help of the Sales Manager. She'll take him on too. I wasn't present for the purchase of my last 3 vehicles. Once I showed up just to sign a paper and then left the showroom. The last time I did get to opt for the color that I wanted... and signed the papers and once again left the showroom floor. Trust me, I know my place. I bow to her supremacy in these matters. I just hope the poor salesman eventually recovers. So anyway, I'm sure by the weekend we will have completed the deal.

Like I said it looks to be a beautiful car. I'm sure my wife and daughter will enjoy driving it. I'll never even get close to the steering wheel. : ) Of course I haven't even factored in the exponential increase that I'll be seeing soon in my insurance premiums, thanks to having a new young driver in the family. Ain't parenthood grand.

Guess I better get back to the poker tables and improve my game by at least 10 fold or I'll never be able to afford it.

You there in the back!!! Stop laughing at my misery!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

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