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Healing Old World Wounds


[Content Disclosure: 0% Poker; 100% Pondering Existence]

"Sleeping or waking, we hear not the airy footsteps of things that might have been."

A few years ago a storm passed through my life. Twas not a random storm, I followed its path and it followed me. Slowly, after it had finally passed, I rebuilt and recovered. We all do that. We rationalize and temper; we forgive and forget; we go on. Wounds heal, memories fade. We also adjust our view of life and the world near and far. I behave differently today when hints of similar storms kiss the horizon. Do we protect ourselves from another turbulence or do we shake off the lingering memories and dance in the pelting rain again? Some things are easier to say than to do.

This past week that storm rumbled once again in the distance. It was as if a long tendril of the wildly spinning maelstrom had passed through me like a cold steel whip. Yet it was tantalizingly warm and stirring. I did not follow the attraction, I know the light and warmth are reflected from a painful and cruel place. In this respect I am saner now, but am I happier?
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Thoughts on that Wall Street Thing


[Content Disclosure: 45% Economy; 32% Greed; 12% Criminal Greed; 6% Ayn Rand; 3% Journalism; 1% Poker]

Let me begin by saying that I am not a fan nor a follower of the philosophy of Ayn Rand. I did enjoy her books and recognized them for what they were and therefore what she was. However, she has some great quotes. This comes via The New York Times and methinks is apropos to all that noize you may or may not be following on MSNBC.

“The verdict you pronounce upon the source of your livelihood is the verdict you pronounce upon your life. If the source is corrupt, you have damned your own existence. Did you get your money by fraud? By pandering to men’s vices or men’s stupidity? By catering to fools, in the hope of getting more than your ability deserves? By lowering your standards? By doing work you despise for purchasers you scorn? If so, then your money won’t give you a moment’s or a penny’s worth of joy. Then all the things you buy will become, not a tribute to you, but a reproach; not an achievement, but a reminder of shame.”

The NY Times op-ed piece was titled: Diagnosis: Greed and was, of course, about the machinations on Wall Street and in Washington, London, Bonn, Tokyo et. al. My only comment is that laying all of this economic mess at the feet of one of the seven deadly is much too lenient. There were and continue to be criminal failures by those in power on Wall Street, Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Like the dictators throughout the world, they will be deposed but not before that have transferred their stolen billions to a safe haven of their own creation. Here's hoping Ayn is right and they will suffer the pangs of guilt and remorse from the decks of their yachts.
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Where Have You Gone Joe DiMaggio

[Content Disclosure: 32% Poker; 89% Life; 9% Time, Space, Mostly Time]

Even though I got up five posts here last month, I acknowledge that they were all about poker. The absolute truth about life is that the deadline for the book now looms over the world as I know it. On the positive side of the equation there has been a lot of progress in the past month or so. I am actually going to have two long sessions with Mike tomorrow and Tuesday to read him six complete chapters. Part of our process is to read Mike the final draft of each chapter to get his input and to pick up any missing pieces of the story. After we incorporate whatever we get from Mike this week, that will bring us to 13 complete, done, finished chapters. As soon as Mike returns from his next poker tournament in Niagara Falls, we will read the last 3 chapters to him and then we turn the beast over to the publisher and at some point begin the editing process with them.

My plan is to work a Bay Area trip into the interregnum between turning in the book and beginning the work with the editor. So, all things being equal and The Earthquake doesn't separate California, I hope to be in San Francisco and Sonoma for all or a major part of November. Bay area residents are duly given notice of my impending arrival.
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Ladies Triumph in RunGood Challenge

[Content Disclosure: 99% Poker, 16% Sexist Gibberish]

I would be remiss and subject to severe pummeling if I did not acknowledge that of the 12 starters in the PokerListings RunGood Poker Blogger Challenge, there were 8 men, 3 women and Dan invited. After three weeks of preliminary competition, the field was down to three of each. But the final results show once again the superiority, strength, skill and guile of the stronger gender. Amy finished 3rd, Michelle took home runner-up honors and Kristin pocketed the big cash.

For the others of us, appropriate bowing and scraping has ensued.

Artistic Note: The final RunGood photo selection was not my choice, complaints should be sent to: mcpig@pokerlistings.com
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Party Has Brand New Software

[Content Disclosure: 98% Poker, 8% Life, 3% Waiting for Barney]

As many of my loyal and all of my disloyal readers know, I write for several websites. My two biggest jobs are PokerBlog.com and the Beginner's Blog at OnlinePoker.com. These sites are operated by Party Gaming and in a strange twist of governmental bureaucracy, I cannot play poker on the Party Poker site. Since the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, U.S. based players cannot access Party Poker. Besides driving many of us a bit nutso over this strange act of governmental restriction on personal freedom, there is also the plain truth that for many poker players Party Poker was our favorite site.

Well here is the current good news/bad news for U.S. players and the good news/great news for every other poker player on the planet. First, there's new Party Poker software, which now makes the Party Poker site one of the most amazing player interfaces anywhere on the web. The tables are faster, more intuitive and just easier to use. The Party Poker lobby also has a new, completely updated design. Play is more fun for all the poker players with Party access. Great job tekkies!

On the other side of the coin, the U.S. Congress after nearly two long years has made its first move to quash the draconian restrictions of the UIGEA. Representative Barney Frank's House Finance Services Committee has reported out a piece of legislation, which begins the slow march back to full access for all U.S. poker players. Once this legislation works its painfully slow way through the legislative process, we will all have access again to the party at Party Poker.


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Run Good, Run Bad and Walk Away

[Content Disclosure: 99% Poker, 1% whining]

The first RunGood challenge from the gang at PokerListings will have its grand finale next Saturday. I will be there cheering on some of my poker buddies but alas, it will be from the rail. I finished up a perfect 3 for 3 in goose eggs when I busted early in yesterday's third round of qualifying. To save me from the ignominy of reporting the disaster, anyone interested can read the report from Matt of PokerListings. Some big bucks will be on the line Saturday and I intend to be there for serious sideline harassment as would be appropriate for this great finale.

There is rumor of a second RunGood event coming later this year and I have been told there may be "Mercy Invitations" for those of us who played like guppies in this tournament. Thanks again to the Good Run staff at PokerListings for a fun series of events.

Another Saturday, Another Saturday

[Content Disclosure: 67% Poker, 54% Exceptionally Poor Poker, 3% Random Commentary on Life]

I want to thank the boyz at Poker Listings both for the RunGood tournaments and for the cool picture on the right. I like good pictures and I like well funded freerolls like the RunGood blogger tournament. Unfortunately, I seem to currently...

Hmmm, how to phrase this exactly...

Well, I guess it would be....

I SUCK AT POKER!

Yes, I believe that covers it. Fortunately, that means I get more free moments to continuing on the deadline for the Matusow book. I have a couple of ancillary interviews for the book this week, which should get me out of the writing cave.
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