Five Tips to Avoid Being the Victim of a Crime

Borrowed from the blog "Surviving in Argentina" - http://www.ferfal.blogspot.com/ and a hat tip to "GM Joe".

Someday, I will write about what I witnessed while in China on business. A young woman from Argentina - also working in China - realized her nation's banking system had collapsed at home. Stranded in China with no credit cards, no money and no way to get money. Well, there was a way, but you know what I mean.

Her company was frozen closed, as were all assets in the nation. She sat there at breakfast - quietly and involuntarily shaking head to toe.

It's not a pretty site. But don't worry. A few more months of Obama and the Democrats and you too will know what she went thru. Be sure to thank your favorite liberal for this. On to the article:

"Women, children and elders are favorite victims chosen by predators. A scumbag looking for an easier victim might not go after me, but my 100 lb wife, hitting her and snatching her purse is not much of a challenge for one of these animals.

As the economic crisis continues, it’s a given that this sort of thing will become more and more common even in places and countries where it didn’t happen before. That’s where people that aren’t used to it get caught off guard. This is not about egos or being the biggest, meanest son of a gun. Its about applying a common sense approach to problems people may not have a lot of experience with. This goes for everyone, tactical guys that pack heat on daily basis, ladies that don’t carry a gun or any other weapon, or my 87 year old grandmother.

I’m making this clear because the internet commandos are quick to remark that they would have shot the guy at least ten times, then do a ritual to enslave their undying souls.

Truth is that even people that have been into dozens of gunfights will tell you the same thing: Avoid the conflict whenever you can. It’s only in movies where people get into senseless gunfights all the time. 'Lethal Weapon' would have been a very boring movie if after killing the first guy the weapons are taken away from the lead characters, they are suspended until the shooting is cleared, then they get sued by the “victims” family, and then you spend the rest of the movie watching Mel Gibson and Danny Glover going through their accounts seeing how they will afford the legal expenses after getting fired from the police department.

Even in “good” self-defense shootings you may spend a night or two in jail and that’s only the fun part, the real nightmare begins when you have to pay for your legal defense. Avoiding the use of force and escaping is always the best alternative when such a thing is possible.

If my wife was Anne Oakley and she had shot everyone that every tried to rob her, we’d be broke by now. By this I don’t mean that you shouldn’t fight when you must. Your life is priceless and indeed it’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by 6, when you had no other choice that is.

We talk plenty about fighting, for a change lets talk about not making any mistakes and learning how to avoid the problems in the first place.

1) Not looking rich. This is clear enough but there’s more to it than it seems. Of course having all the gold all over you is an open invitation for criminals but there are more subtle considerations too. You shouldn’t dress like a dirt bag, but you can still dress like ordinary Joe or Jane that is making a honest effort to make it to the end of the month like most people these days.

2) Minimizing exposure. How often do people go willingly into “bad parts of town”, dark streets, places they don’t know well enough? How many times people confess they knew they were walking into the mouth of the wolf? Avoid these situations whenever you can, try getting home while there’s daylight.

The time it takes you to enter or exit your home or garage is a window of opportunity for criminals. While not going nuts about it and living life, still try to minimize this sort of situation as much as possible.

3) Being aware of your surroundings. This is probably the most important trait. Shooting 3 bad guys in 5 seconds is a nice ability to have, but it’s better to avoid them entirely in the first place. Your chances of getting hurt or killed drop to zero, so does the financial cost.

4) Assessing people around you. So notice people in your surroundings, and could they be a threat to you? The actions and body language often speak more than clothing. Criminals are known to dress well, even wear suits to look less conspicuous. You cannot dismiss females either. More and more women are seen committing crimes, either on their own or with other partners.

5) AAA: Assess, Analyze & take Action Assess your situation. Who’s around you? Analyze. Are any of these individuals a possible threat to me? Most of all and much faster and easier to assimilate, is any of this out of place? If your gut feeling tells you something is wrong, then you probably instinctively picked up something you didn’t register on a conscious level.

If the little red light in your brain is blinking, then pay more attention. Take action, DO something. My wife told me of a time when, while in a store, a suspicious looking person walked in. Since she makes sure to stay near the door when in a store, as he walked in she walked out before even noticing what she was doing. Such fast reaction to situations your gut instinct tells you they are wrong is the kind of reaction you want to achieve.

One time while waiting to cross the street I heard a loud bang that sounded like a gunshot. Without thinking I took a step forward, putting a large cement column between myself and the source of the sound. This part is important, all of the above means nothing if you don’t DO something.

Freezing is the only thing you’re not allowed to do here. Freeze and you are game. Run, fight, cry out for help but do something.

It is not my intention to scare anyone with all this. Life just goes on, and an ounce of prevention has always been a great investment.

Take care everyone."

The Royal Game – A Friend for Life

My father taught me this game of chess when I was 5 years old, and it has been a friend to me my entire life.

Before internet and on-line poker, my chess set kept me from going stir crazy when on the road in hotel rooms. It was my only friend in the world during my 6 – week business trip to China. How it was able to do that will be apparent as the chess segments of this blog are posted.

Chess is a game where there are no coin flip flops-turns-rivers. No referees, umpires, funny ball bounces, wind, ruts in the ice or even a divot in the fairway. Everyone starts completely even and you have no one to blame but yourself when you lose.

Of course, the opposite is also true. If you win, you were the better player that game – period! I believe this factor, and this factor alone, stops chess from being more popular than it is. There are no breaks to score a victory - or excuses for losses.

But this rough fact aside, a game of chess is at once a ballet and a war. Chessmen (and women) dance across the board to a silent symphony, only to eventually clash in a life and death struggle. The Director, who plans, choreographs and performs the music for the dancers correctly, wins the war.

Although the beginnings of the game of chess started much earlier, the pieces used today resemble the Medieval or Renaissance times in our history.

The set up of the chess board is derived from the class system of that day.

The King and Queen are the absolute rulers and thus are at the center. And as always been the case throughout history, the Queen (woman) is the most powerful piece in the world!

The Bishops (the church) is next in line, follow closely by the Knights (and noblemen). These folks all lived inside Castles (or Rooks), while the soldiers and serfs (pawns) lived outside of the castles.

The only other rules to setting up a chess game correctly is that a white square is always in the right-hand corner and the queen’s dress matches the square she starts on. Simple.

I think a good looking chess set placed on an attractive chess board is as a beautiful site as a painting or a statue.

If you already know how to play the game, play and follow along as we enjoy this game together.

If you don’t know how to play, look up the instructions on line. Faldo is available for lessons if you want some instructor time. Trust me, it will be a skill you will learn to cherish.

If you always carry a chess set, you will always have 32 friends. Thirty-three if you count your opponent.

Enjoy!

The Community Card Review - The Treachery and Treason of the Democrats

The debate over the USA raising their debt ceiling is an absolute red herring.

The definition of a red herring is a discussion or argument over something trivial to hide the real issues in a negotiation. At the proper moment, the side demanding the red herring trades it for what they REALLY want in the negotiations.

The Democrats want tax increases of course. But they really want to keep spending. And they claim that if we don’t raise our debt limit, our nation will default and collapse.

Truth: If this country does not stop spending, we will default and collapse. The red herring is the talking point and cover used by the main stream liberal media to cover for the Democrats destroying our country.

The USA telling the world we are willing to go deeper into debt (raising our own debt limit) will not impress anyone. In fact, it will do the opposite. If you go to a bank and tell them you are raising your own debt limit, do you think they will be impressed?

The Republicans claim they want to stop the spending and really don’t want tax increases. And the Republicans are willing to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for spending cuts.

The Democrats scream that the Republicans are willing to let the USA collapse in order to protect the rich and starve the poor.

The Democrats know that tax increases decreases jobs (they admitted such just a month or so ago – see past Community Card posts here at NPP).

The Republicans say “No we don’t! Watch this! We will let you raise the debt limit and continue spending, if you don’t raise taxes! Deal?”

Obama and the Democrats, who never proposed or produced a budget in the two and a half years they spent this nation into complete bankruptcy, say “NO! See America, the Republicans will not be bi-partisan to protect the rich!” The media repeats the mantra.

Bi-partisan to Democrats is letting the Democrats drive this nation into complete and utter collapse and declare Marshall Law and a dictatorship.

All of Obama’s spending – raising this nation’s debt 30% in two and a half years - to his union bosses and world banker buddies, times are worse than ever and moving down. Believe it or not, it was done on purpose.

The Republicans think negotiating, compromising and then caving to the Devil will keep them safe. It won’t.

My fellow citizens first voted for this destruction, and now think voting still will solve it. It won't. The collapse will happen, sooner than later.

Of course the media and the educational system thinks helping the Democrats will keep them safe. The banks think working with the government will keep them safe.

When Stalin and Castro took over, the next groups killed after their political enemies, were the media, the teachers and the bankers.

I wish I would be able to see the looks on their faces as they are rounded up. It would almost make seeing our country destroyed worthwhile.

I’m not making stuff up. Just looking at history.

How To Get Ready For a Date

Faldo El Puro (Cigar) Page – a New Addition to NPP

I love this painting and am considering purchasing it! To me it shows what cigars are all about. Too bad this picture is also a reminder of lost freedoms. But I digress.

My introduction to cigars started on the golf course. The guys were lighting them up primarily as something to do while waiting to tee off. Golf can be a slow day behind the wrong foursome.

I hated the cigars I was given! They were strong, bitter and made me nauseous and dizzy all at the same time. And my mouth felt like an ash tray for two days after smoking (trying to smoke) one. I never smoked anything before in my life, and I now knew why.

But since I had been the recipient of some cigars, I wanted to return the favor to the guys. So I headed to a cigar shop in Plymouth to buy a box in order to have some to pass out. I entered and grabbed a box that was one of the popular cigars the guys were smoking and headed to the cashier.

The gentleman stated that I took very little time picking my purchase and asked if that was my favorite, and if so, he had some others on sale like it that maybe I might like to try?

I kind of shocked him when I said, “Well, I don’t even like these. In fact I think they taste terrible”, and explained why I was purchasing them in the first place.

He laughed and said, “Well, they kind of started you off on the wrong foot with cigars. Those cigars are way too strong for a beginner.”

He reached behind him and grabbed two cigars with a yellow band on them and said, “Here, give these a try. If you like them come back and buy a box from me.” I said I would.

Off I went with my purchase and my two freebies. I was back less than a week later to buy a box of Licenciados. I loved them!

Going back to make my promised purchase, the gentleman gave me a crash course on cigars and their care. He talked me into a humidor to keep my cigars fresh. And of course I needed a proper lighter and cutter in order to enjoy my cigar. Oh, and some butane for the lighter. And a travel pouch to carry a couple cigars in, so they don’t get crushed before being smoked.

Now it was I being smoked - by a cigar seller! But the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys, so what the heck. As usual, if Faldo is in for ounce, he is in for a ton! I don’t do anything half-speed (twss).

Armed with my new “hobby” I delved into researching cigars.

I needed to know why I liked the hard to find Licenciados and hated the popular brands. (PS: I don’t dislike those brands now. My palate has changed. But they are still not my favorites.)

I wanted to know why the humidor has to be kept a 70% humidity and not higher or lower.

Why do they come in so many different lengths, thicknesses and colors (twss)?

I now build my own humidors and make them for friends. Davethedog will vouch for their usefulness, quality, effectiveness and efficiency.

I will explain this and all the other knowledge I picked up (and continue to) in future puro posts.

Mid-year Report Card on Poker and Golf - 2011

Yes, this is one of the reasons I LOVE summer!

Poker Activity – Not so much. Matchy had his usual fine poker game a few weeks back. Faldo lost a buy-in, but had a great time.

I was quite card dead that night - if you throw out the fact that I hit at least ten runner-runner nut hands for big pot wins AFTER I correctly folded. The action was there, but I never took advantage. I needed more gamble in me (and money) than I brought that night.

On-line poker right now is just a time filler and practice. Every tourney and SNG is easier early but just as tough as a money game later. Ego is a big part of poker and I have found that a lot of players don’t like losing their play chips almost as bad as they don’t like losing their cash chips. This fall, I will go back to cash play – when poker will be king for my leisure time again.

Golf - as usual, consumes most of my summer. I’m not called Faldo for nothing.

It was a struggle getting the golf game back together this year. Every year it gets tougher, but this was the hardest yet (twss).

My heart procedures, trials and tribulations got me into the worse physical condition of my life. Weight down (good thing), but my endurance and strength were at an all-time low. At the start of golf season, I literally could not do one push up or sit up! So I had some rehab to do right there, just to be able to carry my clubs to the cart!

Then of course this atrophy was no good for my back, which also gives me problems from time to time. Advil, stretching and exercise would fix that, but Mother Nature decided to kick Faldo - where usually only first dates of Faldo - end up kicking Faldo.

A cold and rainy spring gave Faldo no chance to really work on golf. Chances to play were hit and miss. Big gaps between rounds don’t help.

The course was under water and the conditions were a bad as they could be. The cold weather did not help my back, in spite of playing in a heavy shirt, a vest, a sweat shirt and a wind/rain jacket. I looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy and swung the club with all the motion and speed of a retirement home bingo game.

Add all this to the fact I was hitting a new set of irons! What more could I do to throw roadblocks in front of myself?

But the warm weather finally arrived and I started to get the feel of the new irons. Now the specifications of the new clubs were as close to identical to my old clubs as I could find. I was hoping the “new technology” would make a shot or two improvement in a round.

Uh…….no. The new clubs were not as good. I hit them 10 to 20 yards less. And instead of my usual slight draw ball flight, I was getting a dead right ball flight. Now I am not talking an “into the woods” dead right, but enough to where I was not hitting greens near as often. And I had to hit a 6-iron into a green where I used to use an 8-iron! That makes a huge difference too.

I first chalked up the loss of distance to my weight loss and weakened state. But as my driver yardage off the tee returned to normal, my iron distance did not - with the new clubs.

I had to figure out why. Another problem with my golf game this year was I could not hit my 3-wood, 5-wood or 7-wood consistently this year. Last year they were great clubs for me. This year they were a disaster. So, for a weekend, I took them out of my bag and added my old 7, 8 and 9 iron to my bag. Rule wise, you are only allowed to carry 14 clubs. So something had to go, and those woods were no longer performing.

Lo and behold, the distance and the draw ball flight returned with the old clubs! Since the old and new clubs are nearly identical for lie, loft and weight, the only thing that makes sense is the shaft difference (twss) in the clubs. With my strength returned, I still hit the new clubs 10 to 15 yards shorter than my old clubs.

I was taught in club building school that the shaft is the engine of the club. The new clubs had lighter and weaker shafts in them. That explains the less distance and the fade ball flight. With the new clubs, my swing speed is bending the shaft slightly and opening up the club face.

But since this change to all irons in my bag, upping my 150 to 100 yard club choices from 4 clubs to 6, my handicap has returned to where it was last year. It took two months longer to do it, but Faldo is back!

I am returning to my old clubs starting this week, and use a few of the new clubs to fill in gaps. Right now it is the other way around. Maybe this will give me that shot or two improvement. I’ll let you know.

Random Questions Answered by Faldo – Part VII

What is your dream date?

See picture.

Actually, dinner and a sports event. Movies are too loud and have too many commercials. And you cannot chat during a movie.

What are three tips you can give men concerning women?

1) With men it is “yes” or “no.” With women, it is “maybe,” “maybe not” or “not if he was the last man on earth.” If she is talking to you at all, you are a maybe.

2) You are the means to THEIR end. Period. Women are survivors. They can handle pain, misery and survival much better than men. It’s genetic.

3) If you saw it, she wanted you to see it. It is almost never an “accident”.

What is or what was your favorite dance craze?

Total nude strip clubs in Canada.

What is the last thing you do before you go to bed?

Pray…for better flops, better putting and cigar sales on-line.

Who do you have a celebrity crush on?

Nobody. But once upon a time, Susan Saint James, Raquel Welch and Stevie Nicks. I also had man love for John Wayne, Dean Martin and Paul Newman. They were a man’s man.

What do you watch on TV at 2 in the morning?


No longer up at 2am. If I am, I’ll be passing out soon. But if I still awake at that time, I would hunt for a good old movie or sit-com. Ok, I lied, porn. Actually, the first answer is true. I want to be fully awake for porn.

What is the definition of sexy to Nik Faldo?

Short skirts and dresses. I’m a leg man.

What are you emotionally allergic to?

Hypocrisy and ignorance, meaning liberals.

Are cows a friend or foe?

Just asking me that would have me worried about the person who asked me that (see allergy above). A cow is a friend, a very good friend. Especially cooked medium with a baked potato, a blue-cheese wedge salad and a Guinness.

Douge's Humor Corner - LXIX

This is something to think about when negative people are doing their best to rain on your parade.. So remember this story the next time someone who knows nothing and cares less tries to make your life miserable.

A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:

"Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty. You're crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. "That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's Tiber River called Teste."

"Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks it will be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump."

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant.

Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome.

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot..

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me.

Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really! What'd he say?"

He said: "Who fucked up your hair?"

Community Card Review - Clinton Dissed by Left, Country Dissed by Obama

The Clinton Law of “Don’t Ask – Don’t Tell” was repealed by the Democrat Congress and hailed as a great and historic civil rights moment.

Does that mean that Bill Clinton and his Administration were really bigots against gay men? Does Bill Clinton even realize how this repeal is a total slam on his presidency – by his own party?

Now openly gay individuals can serve in the military. Does this mean Hilary will finally get to join the Marines?

Didn’t Obama promise his loony left base that he was going to close Guantanamo Bay? He didn’t because he knows his voters are crazy and have no concept of the dangers to this nation in the world.

Remember the left’s insistence that we close the Guantanamo Bay prison because it was used as a recruiting tool by radical Muslims? Well what does the Left think will happen when the Muslims learn that their enemy can have sanctioned homosexual activity on a Middle East battlefield?

Think about this: The left – who’s base of whackos loathe the US military – are celebrating the fact that gays can now openly serve in the military. So if you hate US military but like a change to the US military - then by definition - that change must be extremely damaging to the military – correct?

If the old law was called “Don’t Ask – Don’t Tell”, is the new law called “Show and Tell”?

And if straight men soldiers are now forced to shower with gay men soldiers, then women soldiers should have to shower with the straight men soldiers. After all, equal is equal and fair is fair. If sexual orientation means nothing, then let’s be consistent.

Oh, it is a real big stretch to guess that women might get special rules on this!

Michael Moore’s movie “Sicko” has been banned in Cuba. Why? Because the movie portrays the US healthcare system as terrible and communist Cuba’s Obamacare healthcare system as the best in the world.

Castro previewed the movie and banned it immediately because it would raise the expectations of his prisoners…sorry, citizens…to impossible expectations of good health care.

The truth is that the communist Cuban health care system is a shambles and Moore’s movie is a complete lie. But Michael Moore still wins awards from the entertainment left.

Everything the left says is a lie, and the best liars are rewarded. Usually with Nobel Peace Prizes.

Eric Holder of the Obama Administration not only shut down the internet poker in the United States, but used Obama’s Union Stimulus Slush fund to buy assault rifles and sell them to Mexican drug dealers.

One of the weapons sold by Holder/Obama was used by drug dealers to kill a US Border Agent.

Holder said the plan was to track the guns and follow the flow to the top guys.

Of course the lie is exposed as the FBI, ATF and the CIA publicly stated that they already had this information. Memos smuggled out of the Justice Department showed that the real plan was to make the “uncovered US assault rifles found in the hands of Mexican drug dealers” as a reason to push for tighter gun control and the elimination of the 2nd amendment.

Why is Holder not up in front of Congress explaining his actions, his reasons and his lies?

To cheer you up further, we had a budget deficit of $458 billion when Bush left office after eight years of over-spending. And the conservatives were furious and the left pretended they were.

The deficit after a little over two years of Obama is now $1.65 TRILLION! For those of you in Ann Arbor, this means the debt was tripled in 2 years under Obama and a Democrat Congress.

This means that the Obama government borrows $189 million every hour of every day to run our nation. This money is borrowed against your GRANDCHILDREN”S earnings as yours are all spent already.

Our “spenders’ in Congress are arguing over a debt ceiling that means nothing. When the rest of the world turns off the tap, the United States of America will collapse. Our money will be worthless - all cash, savings and investments.

So, have a beer. Smoke a cigar. Sleep tight. And don’t let the Democrats have your guns. You are going to need them.

Great Golf Outing Coming Up August 13!

Sorry for the length between posts. Golf, BBQ's, parties and bar time is cutting into time available for blogging. My life is rough isn't it?

I'll post it on the side of NPP to remind you, but do yourself a favor and make the Rebels Hockey Team Golf Outing at Hartland Glen on August 13th at 1:00pm.

Check in starts at 11:30 (warm-up the drinking elbow), announcements at 12:40 and then a ride out to the holes for a shotgun start!

It's $400 per foursome and that includes the 18 hole scramble with free beer!
Prizes for the top teams.
Men and women's closest to on a par 3
Men and women's longest drive
Door prizes
Steak dinner after play
and optional events like Team Skins, Auctions, and Raffles!

Be there or be square. Faldo's team is back:
Faldo
Bigbrimar
Bronco76
Davethedog

Beerhog is your host - and on another team!

A good time. Be there!

Community Card Review - Obama Copies Reagan-Bush to Try and Get Re-elected

“Tax rates for every American were poised to automatically increase on January 1, 2011. Had that come to pass, the average middle class family would have had to pay an extra $3,000 in taxes next year. That would not have just been a blow to them. It would have been a blow to our economy, just as we are climbing out of a devastating recession.

I refuse to let that happen. Because I acted, it is not going to. In fact, not only will middle class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will open their first paycheck in 2011 and see that it is larger than the one they get right now.” – Barack Hussein Obama, December 19, 2011

If this is all so wonderful, why didn’t Obama make this statement two years ago to boost everyone’s confidence that no tax hikes were coming? Now this was not really a tax cut, but just a short term continuation of the Bush Tax Cuts (BTC).

Matter of fact, since the Bush Tax Cuts were passed, the Democrats have claimed that these “breaks for the rich” were responsible for all the government debt and the “recession” under Bush. That is $30,000 (ten years of hating the BTC for those of you in Ann Arbor) more taxes the middle class would have paid if the Democrats had their way. Since you Democrats have hated the BTC for so long, why extend them now if they are so bad for the country?

Or… if it is wonderful now, why not make them permanent? The answer is of course that Democrats do not want you keeping your money. All money is theirs, and you only have what they let you keep. That is how Democrats look at your income.

I know it is confusing to read, but following Democrat speak always is. That is all they have is contradiction, lies, distortions and hypocrisy. Democrats can never be truthful about their true intentions.

This extension of the BTC is driving the communist left voters bonkers and even turning the stomachs of the Democrats in government. But what can they do? A tax increase now would destroy the already weak US economy further and guarantee a further Democrat annihilation in the elections of November 2012.

On Sunday, December 18th, David Gregory on “Meet the Press” asked Vice President Joe Biden, “Why wait until 2012? Do you really expect in an election year that no one is going to vote to extend the tax cuts even longer? What is going to be different then than now?”

Gregory, a certified media member of the loony left decrying the continuation of the BTC. What a tool.

VP Bite Me said, “We won’t be in a position where the economy will be as shaky as it is right now. We had to make a deal where we can grow the economy.

If we would have not made a decision until next year (2011), it would have created so much uncertainty, and there were a number of economists that said it would create a double dip recession.

So we not only avoided it getting worse, we made the prospects much better for the economy.”

What Bite Me admits to without realizing it, is that following Democrat policies (of raising taxes) would lead to a double dip recession. He’s right on that. He also is admitting that Reagan-Bush policies of tax cuts help the economy –which is also true. So why do Democrats insist on raising taxes all the time?

Gregory then followed that up with this; “Obama wrote in his book that he found the Bush Tax Cuts morally troubling. Is that still his belief?”

Bite Me, “It is still his belief. And mine too. But we have to compromise to save people who are drowning. There are people out there drowning. There are two million people out there who cannot afford to go out and get a Christmas tree, let alone buy any gifts. Because their unemployment has run out because they have been unemployed for over two years. But in two years we will come back at the BTC’s again.”

Where to start???? Bite Me, and Obama STILL want to repeal the BTC even though they admit it will hurt Americans. They are just not going to do it until after they are re-elected. They will continue the “immoral” BTC, hoping it will keep the economy strong enough to get them re-elected, and then they will lower the boom on the middle class.

Bite Me also admits since Obama and he took office, millions more have lost their jobs. Bite Me admits that after the next election, he and Obama won’t care if two million people will be able to buy a Christmas tree. Biden admits that after the next election, he and Obama will drive millions more out of work as millions more have their unemployment run out.

Joe Biden, telling the truth about the Democrats by accident. Hussein copying Bush and Reagan - temporarily - to get re-elected.

Faldo is Retiring From “Friendly” No-Limit Games

Maybe I should go to the beach instead.

I am NOT retiring from friendly no-limit tournaments, just no-limit ring play. I will still play in home “limit” ring games, without the "burn" game features.

It might be my age, but I don’t think so. I still like a challenge and I still like competition. I will still play at casinos when I want to do so.

It might be the money involved, but I don’t think so. Our money will probably be worthless soon anyway. And at the stakes I play, the money is not a life changer – win or lose.

The problem for me is I don’t consider No-Limit a “friendly” game. The purpose of the “no-limit game” is to empty your opponent’s stack and hopefully empty the wallet or purse. All means – fair and unfair – excluding cheating and angle shooting of course – can and should be used. It is not a ‘friendly’ situation.

Limit Holdem is a very difficult game to win a lot of money at. I know this from years and years of playing it at home games and at the casino. Like most of you, I started playing $.25 - $.50, and graduated to $2-$4 at the NPP tables, and the $10 - $20 at the casinos. It’s fun, but difficult to be consistently profitable. That is the point of why limit is better for home games.

At limit holdem games, jokes, food, stories, and drinking takes precedence over profit making. The swing variances are such that any player on any given night can win or lose. But their wallet probably will not be emptied.

Ring limit is a total grind with devastating variances due to the luck factor. A decent player should make about 1BB/hr (one big bet per hour) on average, with a pretty large standard deviation. That is an awful positive profit equation for a serious player at a low – limit game at a casino. The rake and dealer tips make any profit long-term a tough proposition.

But a no rake (except for beer and food costs) low-limit limit home game is great fun! Variance should be part of the fun for a group of friends’ playing cards and usually playing almost every hand!

A good no limit player has so much more control over the outcome of a game. If he has a good hand, he can make a large enough bet to discourage players from chasing a draw hand. Of course, if he has nothing, heavy betting causes constant pressure that makes weak players crack like cheap cement. There is nothing friendly about that.

This is almost impossible to do in the low stakes limit game where everyone just calls all the way down to the river, and they are usually justified to do so because of the pot odds (the size of the bet compared to the size of the pot.

In the game of No-Limit Texas Holdem, you can win pots by semi-bluffing or stone cold bluffing. There is more opportunity to play the person as opposed to just playing the cards. At any point, you could potentially end the hand with a crushing bet.

Even a “friendly” no-limit game becomes a game of “stacks” at some point. You tournament players know how hard it is to fight the big stacks. Unless unlimited buy-ins are allowed at the “friendly” home game, as time goes on, short stacks are at a big disadvantage. This is not the case in a limit game. Stack sizes don’t affect the way the hand plays out.

Let me put it this way, quoting from another site: “Limit Texas Holdem is all about tiny, slight edges that you exploit from lesser skilled players. No limit Texas Holdem is about monster edges that you exploit from lesser skilled players.”

Tiny is better for a friendly game.

Douge's Humor Corner - LXVIII

Never Judge Too Quickly

Some Great Sports Quotes

“I’ve been big ever since I was little.” – William “Refrigerator Perry

“Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.” – Fast Eddie Felson – The Color of Money

“Let’s put the women and children to bed, and let’s go looking for dinner.” – Joe Kane – The Program

“I didn’t hear the comments Jeremy Roenick said about me….because I have my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears.” – Patrick Roy, Hall of Fame goaltender

“Be…the ball.” – Ty Webb, Caddyshack

“You throw the ball – you hit the ball – you catch the ball.” – Skip, Bull Durham

“You are going to eat lightening and crap thunder!” – Mickey, Rocky

“Juuuusst a bit outside.” – Harry Doyle, Major League

“I pity the fool!” – Mr. T, Rocky 3

“We talkin’ bout practice.” – Allan Iverson

“Playoffs????” – Jim Mora

“Show me the money!” – Jerry Maguire, Jerry Maguire

“There’s no crying in baseball!” – Jim Dugan, A League of Their Own

“Float like a butterfly, sting like at bee.” – Mohammad Ali

“Cut me Mick.” – Rocky Balboa, Rocky

“It ain’t over til it’s over.” – Yogi Berra

"Nobody goes there anymore....it's too crowded." - Yogi Berra

“Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” – Red Sanders

“Touch them all, Joe!” – Joe Buck

“Today, I consider myself, the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” – Lou Gehrig

“I don’t believe what I just saw!” – Jack Buck

“Down goes Frazier!” – Howard Cosell

“Do you believe in miracles? Yes!!!” – Al Michaels

Our Tax System Explained in Beer

Leave us at least the shirt on out backs!

Let us imagine that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.

The fifth would pay $1.

The sixth would pay $3.

The seventh would pay $7.

The eighth would pay $12.

The ninth would pay $18.

The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the
arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers,' he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. 'Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes.

So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).

The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).

The seventh now pay $ 5 instead of $7 (28%savings).

The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).

The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).

The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

'I only got a dollar out of the $ 20,'declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!'

'Yeah, that's right,' exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a Dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!'

'That's true!!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!'

'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, this is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.

In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.

For those of you in Ann Arbor who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

Hope Everyone Had a Happy 4th of July

Faldo celeberated with just an evening of watching fireworks....with a few guests.

Faldo's Thoughts on 4th of July Weekend Eve

Random musings:

Full Tilt finally admits they are broke. The mis-management of this poker site is so corrupt and inept it is ...quite frankly...Democrat-esque.

How do you take a pure cash cow and turn it into a complete disaster - and in the process - destroy the faith in an entire industry for millions and millions of people across the globe? Again, sounds like the work of the Democrats on the United States of America. The analogy fits perfectly.

Full Tilt hired too many bloodsuckers that donated nothing to the overall growth of the poker site. Full Tilt had far too many internal expenses that sucked the life blood out of the company. Full Tilt did not look out for the customer in their dealings, but simply how to enrich themselves. Again, see Democrats in government versus taxpayers for the same body of work.

I wait now for the drop of the "other" shoe - Ultimate Bet/Absolute Poker - to fold leaving US poker players in the lurch. I won't blame the new owner(s) of UB/AP. They did their best but were cut down at the knees by the Obama Administration Justice Department.

But the "super-user" (the true story we may never know) debacle is the main reason this site can't recover. I don't expect the 'new' owners to make whole the cheated (this time by the US government) yet again, after paying off the "super-user" scandal cheated.

Changing subjects:

I am so glad the Tigers are in the playoff race. It certainly makes summer more interesting.

My golf game has almost returned to the place I was at last year before the heart issue. Feels good.

I have got to get some fishing in this weekend!

Poker, I hate to say it, is on the back burner. I am not even playing for money at all on line. I will return to BoDog eventually, but just not feeling it right now.

Matchy is considering re-opening NPP as a limit game! That sounds like a winner to me. Limit Poker is a much better "social" poker game. No-limit is the real deal, but it hard to stay "social" when your wallet is empty - in my opinion.

The NFL is locked down and the union de-certified. Why is the union figureheads still talking and negociating??? The NBA is being locked down and the union is not de-certifying. So what?

On a sane planet all would see how totally useless unions are. What bloodsuckers they are. What communists they are. What degenerate crooks they are. But, on a sane planet, a muslim-communist never employed idiot would not be president of the United States.