Infant Days Sleepless Nights

Menus

2009-12-21T00:36:00.004-06:00

Christmas Eve Dinner
Appetizer
Baked Brie

Dinner
Baked Ham
Butter Nut Squash
Asparagus
Crescent Rolls

Desert
Baklava

Beverages
Milk
Iced Tea
Schlafly Christmas Ale
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Boulevard Nut Cracker
Prosecco

Christmas Dinner
Appetizer
Mushroom Puff Pastry Turnovers

Dinner
Corn Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Horseradish Sauce
Yorkshire Pudding
Prime Rib Roast * changed back to use the old recipe

Desert
Pumpkin Pie
Cheese Cake TBD

Beverages
Milk
Iced Tea
Ommegang Hennipen
Trader Joe's Vintage 2009 Ale (hey, it's brewed by Unibroue and is $4.99 for 750ML so back off. seriously go buy some and cellar it, I am)
Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon

The Journey - Winter Classic 2009

2009-12-13T22:08:00.001-06:00

Dear friend-

I am 90 minutes into a 3 hour flight and already finished my book. I am surrounded by cowboys and degens on Air Greyhound flight 2884 back to my life.

I am writing this on my blackberry. There are 4 ibuprofen on the tray in front of me, waiting for their diet coke. I am listening to Steve Miller as that is the only music I had that was a remotely appropriate companion to John's wonderful collection "Returning the Favor". Sorry John, they wouldn't let me read it aloud on the plane and I couldn't let it just sit there. "The Christmas Lights" gets me every time.

My ibuprofen are swimming now. The music is now Violent Femmes. My head doesn't hurt, my knees do. I am an old man made temporarily melancholy by a cocktail of exhaustion and a good read.

2009 is the year I barely played poker. I hung out more, tried to be myself as much as possible. Tried to have real conversations. The funny thing is I played as well as I could have expected to in the tourney. I stole timely and tried to keep my decisions simple. I busted on the 2nd hand of the final table. Al made it 25k from the button and I was sitting at 7 bb and had a pp. Al's bet had me covered. Al ran out broadway. The slow death.

So what has changed since the summer of 2005? A lot of the faces, even the ones that are the same. In some ways I wish I would have stayed with my normal M.O. In other ways this was the better experience.

The depravity and disgustingness that Pauly always writes about stood out to me for some reason this time. Maybe its because of Casino Royale craps, or maybe because I paid attention. I wonder if that is what the town does to you or if they are already like that and its why they end up here.

I went to a show and I left the strip. I played craps. I went deep in the tourney. I was basically sober. I drank but not much. I didn't get stuck the first night. I didn't bang Iggy in the ass, he was double teamed by two 2 Eurotrash grad students named Hanz and Franz. All firsts for a WPBT trip for me.

I always have regrets while flying home. Being Nardi free sucked. Bobby always brings a party and BG always has the right words to make someone get off their metaphysical plane and return to the floor of the Geisha Bar. That was less a regret than an observation. Regrets were more around not doing a better job of saying goodbye as I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this.

No I am not retiring or any bullshit like that its just my life is crazy now. I have three kids and a house that needs more work than Iggy's tranny hooker. I can't promise I'll be back.

It makes me sad because a few of you know the difference between the IRL me and the "good" me. I'd like to share that with a few more, but suspect we are stuck in a rut and will never have that chance.

-Chilly

P.S. In case I don't make it next year, Iggy will do ATM if you let him reverse cowboy.

For the Luckbox

2009-11-23T09:23:00.001-06:00

Read the link, then read my revision of the math. Look, an argument I support with numbers. Did I wrinkle your brain?
Royal Poker Blog: Belichick Was Correct

The linked post shows the calculation in favor of going for it as:
(0.60 * 1) + (0.40 * (1-0.53)) = 0.79 WP

I actually calc this as:
(0.75 * 1) + (0.40 * (1-0.65)) = 0.89 WP

based on the Pats 4th down conversion % against the Colts of 75% as told by ESPN and my own assessment of how likely the Colts are to score from the 28.

Additionally I'd say 30% chance that Colts make a TD after the punt is low. I'm not sure how low, but I am sure the Colts are at least 1 Standard deviation from the mean, so in the case of punting the Pats WP is probably more like .60 or .55.

That being said, if it works he's a genius, if it fails he's a goat.

GOAT Belicheat!

Maybe Schlafly will have a Santa?

2009-11-23T09:07:00.001-06:00

Fuck you INBEV, fuck you. Its the little things like this that are the reason the Busch family legacy in STL is now shit. Take your money and get the hell out of town.

I don't begrudge you your business decisions or making of money. You made a choice to trade your status as the kings of St. Louis for shiny rocks. Take your shiny rocks and get the hell out of town. We don't want you here pretending that things are the same as they ever were.

Always a Santa, even after layoff - STLtoday.com
ST. LOUIS — Not even Santa Claus could escape the troubled economy.
bullet VIDEO: See more of this Santa with a calling

The Grant's Farm Christmas spectacular, where the jolly old elf sat front and center for three holiday seasons, was not making money. It had to go.

The man in the red suit got a pink slip.

So did the reindeer, the sleigh piled high with gifts and the gold throne on which Santa held court as children climbed onto his lap. The thousands of holiday lights that transformed The Bauernhof into a winter wonderland were switched off.

The news made its way through the popular tourist attraction in the summer of 2008 as Anheuser-Busch, the owner of Grant's Farm, was about to be purchased by brewer InBev. Santa will tell you that ending the young but popular holiday tradition hurt. Right there in his jelly belly.

Little did he know redemption was just around the corner.

He says the decision at Grant's Farm had to do with Anheuser-Busch positioning itself for a corporate buyout. Trimming the fat, if you will. The head of Grant's Farm says it was more about the weather. Outdoor events held during St. Louis winters are always a risk, and this one was not paying off.

As Santa says, everything happens for a reason. Especially when it comes to the holiday season.

Earlier this month, the former Grant's Farm Santa flew — by plane — to Virginia, to prepare for a new Christmas program at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. He is working for the same man who came to St. Louis in 2005 to help set up the Grant's Farm program.

Santa takes the stage in Williamsburg on Friday. He has spent the last three weeks perfecting his telling of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." The theme park wanted Santa to tell it without a script.

For Warren Moellenhoeff, it is a second chance to be Santa, although this south city resident might argue that he never stopped. Even out of the fur-trimmed suit and cap, Moellenhoeff embodies Santa.

"I get recognized wherever I go," Moellenhoeff said. "That's why my voice and demeanor has to be Santa Claus-like, because I might be overheard. And I can't be rash or angry or become upset — which isn't my way. I have to maintain that character."

It's the stance he took shortly after he was approached early in 2005 by Grant's Farm general manager Andy Elmore while Moellenhoeff was working in the farm's milk house.

Grant's Farm, typically closed during the winter, was going to open for the Christmas season with its "Magic of the Holidays" program, Elmore said. We want you to be Santa Claus, he told Moellenhoeff.

"He has a great demeanor with people. We learned that very quickly. And frankly, he does look like Santa," Elmore said. "It's amazing. Add to that the good fortune that he has a theatrical background."

That background in local theater includes roles ranging from Julius Caesar to God. With his white hair and beard and wire-rimmed glasses, he was well on his way into the new role of Santa.

Elmore recalls that when he suggested the idea to Moellenhoeff, the response was, "I've been waiting for you to ask me."

Moellenhoeff embraced the role, growing his hair and beard. He even stopped wearing his name tag at Grant's Farm while working at the milk house or one of the four gift shops.

"If they come up and ask, I will admit to being Santa Claus," Moellenhoeff said. "I'm not going to tell them I'm Santa Claus, and then they see another name on me."

CHRISTMASES PAST

Moellenhoeff lives in a 120-year-old farmhouse in the Boulevard Heights neighborhood. When he was a child, the house on Sharp Avenue was surrounded by 40-plus acres. The land has since been subdivided and filled with brick bungalows.

Moellenhoeff had no intention of living here at the age of 73. He remembers back in the 1950s when his dad offered to save him a plot of land next door.

"Why on earth would I want that?" Moellenhoeff recalled thinking.

An only child, Moellenhoeff was soon ready to explore the world. He headed for college in 1953, graduating from what is now Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Ill., In 1957 he married. He worked as a middle school teacher for more than a decade in Plymouth, Wis., and Springfield, Ill., before he and his wife moved to St. Louis in 1969. He was hired as a manager by Robert Wehmueller, who owned a chain of local jewelry stores. Wehmueller was a longtime family friend who became like a second father to Moellenhoff, especially after his dad died 40 years ago.

Moellenhoeff remained close to his mother. She would often ask him: "What would you ever do with this house?"

"I would always blow her off because I didn't know," he recalled.

When she died in 2000, he was forced to answer his mother's question. He retired and moved into the childhood house that he had not lived in for 47 years. Looking out a window of the house, past his red Jaguar convertible, he wishes that he'd taken his father up on that offer to keep the plot of land next door. He now owns the house with his partner, Windell Shanley. (After 27 years and three children, Moellenhoeff was divorced in 1984.)

When Moellenhoeff was a boy, his family would gather down the street at his grandparents' house for holiday dinner. Dad would inevitably make an excuse to leave, saying he had to check on the furnace or let the dog out. In reality, he was turning on all the holiday lights, making sure the presents were arranged just right, creating a magical Christmas for his family.

"There are so many wonderful, wonderful memories in this house. My father was a Christmas nut."

Moellenhoeff inherited that holiday passion. Typically, he puts up a Christmas tree in each room. It takes weeks to decorate the house and even longer to take it down.

This year, Moellenhoeff is saving his holiday cheer for Christmas Town, the new holiday affair at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. He will be the featured attraction in Santa's Fireside Feast, a dinner theater.

When the theme park was looking for a Santa for its new Christmas program, Scott Gasparich, vice president of entertainment, said he immediately thought of Moellenhoeff. He had seen him work when Gasparich was in St. Louis helping set up the Grant's Farm holiday program.

"We knew we had to come up with a unique Santa, and Warren certainly fit the bill," Gasparich said.

CELEBRATED CHOICES

It was the week before Moellenhoeff left for Virginia, and on the kitchen table, where he used to serve dinner to his mother when she could no longer care for herself, sat a copy of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." He had it memorized long before Busch Gardens asked him to. It's his favorite reading next to the first chapter of Genesis.

Mom would be proud, he said. Of his choice to move back in the house. To embrace the role of Santa. To make children believers in a cynical world.

And to live his life as he pleases.

On his bedroom wall, he has a framed quote from Henry David Thoreau.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

Moellenhoeff, dressed in a plaid sweatshirt, jeans and tennis shoes, became animated.

"This is me. This is me," he said, pointing to the frame. "That sums up my life."

One Month

2009-10-27T14:42:00.001-05:00

Portraits 10 27 09
Originally uploaded by good43.

Just One Day

2009-09-18T10:19:00.001-05:00

A significant event is looming for my family. Our third child will arrive sometime in the next seven days. As per our usual M.O the house is torn apart and covered in demolition/construction debris, the cameras have been downloaded and flickr has been getting a workout. As I sit here I am wistful,thinking of the past, waves of nostalgia and sadness are alternatively engulfing my being.

When I was a kid there were two people who were very important in my life. I love them dearly even though they have been gone for over a decade. My grandparents meant the world to me. My parents were very young when I was born. Looking back I think my grandparents were so involved because they were still raising my mom and her husband (my dad, duh) as much as they were lending a hand an helping raise me. There are all of these movies about going back in time and re-living high school, about getting a second chance. My fantasy would be one day with my grandparents. One day to let my kids meet them, one day to let them beam with pride over their great-grandchildren.

That's a screen play to pitch. Just One More Day.

Then

2009-09-11T10:29:00.001-05:00

I rolled over and hit snooze. Ten minutes later Bob and Tom came back to life on my alarm clock. The wife was at work and I had a conference call in a couple of hours. As I laid there contemplating getting out of bed I started paying attention to the words on the radio. "We're not sure what happened", "these pictures are unreal" "this is surely a tragedy". This was not the inane banter or female genitalia parody songs I usually get from KSHE between 7 and 8 am.

I fell out of bed and stumbled into the living room. My recollection is that I turned on CNN and was watching Geraldo Rivera talking. I watched the second plane hit. I sat there stunned, dumbfounded even. A few minutes later Geraldo or whomever it was that Geraldo has usurped in my memory started freaking out and screaming. A news, police or traffic helicopter was flying in the vicinity of the now burning towers. I thought the guy was a fucknut. A little while later there were photos of the Pentagon on fire, then reports of another plane crashed in a field.

My boss called somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00. He wanted to go over strategy for our call with a client. It was a sales call, we were trying to sell them another project. I suggested that we cancel the call. He called bullshit and said he didn't see a reason to cancel. A while later I am watching people leap hundreds of feet to their death, the towers fall, the Pentagon burning while my boss is trying to get people to get on a call so we can sell them a project. We never had the call and we never sold the project.

Its no wonder that 18 months later the company was busto.

A lot has changed for me and my family over the last 8 years. I've had three different jobs, gone from zero to (almost) three kids. In 2001 I had never been to Vegas and now I have been something like 10 times. We moved and had two cars stolen. My wife has had three out four grandparents die. Her father survived a severe industrial accident.

We have had five family members serve in the middle east and thankfully all have come home safe. There has been a lot of hand wringing as two career military and three bright faced kids informed the family that they were being deployed. A lot of panic hearing the phone ring in the middle of the night. A lot of tears, lost nights of sleep and more tears.

All of that seems trivial when you reflect on some other facts. On September 11, 2001 2,993 people died as a result of four hijacked airplanes. As a result of the 4 hijackings the U.S. invaded both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since March of 2003, 7,762 military, contractors and journalists have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. The toll on the civilian lives in Iraq and Afghanistan is estimated by some to be well over 1 million.

I am neither a peacenik nor a war hawk. I will not belittle the memories of all the dead by espousing a political or social agenda. I just want you to contemplate all of the deaths today.

I was a pleb on that death star

2009-09-01T08:50:00.001-05:00

This article on the Consumerist brought back some memories. Consumerist - Academic Publisher Pays Professors For Shill Amazon Reviews - College.

One of the comments on the original article seems to be more in line with my recollection of working for the ~~Empire~~ company:

News: Elsevier Won't Pay for Praise - Inside Higher Ed
Elsevier's PR spin is stopping well short of the truth. This campaign email is part of a bigger marketing campaign orchestrated by the entire marketing team for every publication. At minimum, there's a marketing manager who manages the list, a marketing director that s/he reports to, plus a marketing assistant who makes the coffee and sends out these emails based upon the decisions the other two make. These marketing assistants have absolutely no say-so in budgetary matters; they are junior employees learning the ropes and doing what they're told. So there's no way this marketing assistant just up and ran a $25/review campaign without sign-off from above. Despite what Elsevier is saying here, this trail leads all the way up to the Marketing Director, who certainly was happy to NOT take responsiblity on this and instead push it off on a "rogue employee." Folks, this is like the head basketball coach who lets the $25k/year assistant take the fall. It's a shame Elsevier not only won't own up to this, they continue to propogate lies ...
I was fairly high up in the org and couldn't have shipped $25 to anyone without my manager's approval and possibly not without her manager's approval. Of course I wasn't in marketing, so maybe they have more latitude? Also, "Jeff" is either a current or former editor or an author for Elsevier. The lingo/description of the organization is too spot on.

In terms of full disclosure I now work for a company that competes with Elsevier, but I work in a division that doesn't compete with Elsevier, got that?

Fiji Water Exposé

2009-08-18T12:10:00.002-05:00

And this is what it can look like. Even with that there is no clear attribution where I snaked it from, (Serious Eats) only a hyperlinking of the the title back to the original article. My other complaint is that I shared this on google reader with a note and then I did the "send to" from the shared with note version and my note doesn't "sent to". Like I am supposed to copy/paste my snark.

Fiji Water Exposé: "

From an interesting article on Mother Jones by journalist Anna Lenzer, who visited Fiji in an attempt to get the lowdown on Fiji Water outside of the typical press junkets the company normally brings reporters in on:

'Shut up!' he snapped. He rifled through my bags, read my notebooks and emails. 'I'd hate to see a young lady like you go into a jail full of men,' he averred, smiling grimly. 'You know what happened to women during the 2000 coup, don't you?'
Eventually, it dawned on me that his concern wasn't just with my potentially seditious emails; he was worried that my reporting would taint the Fiji Water brand.

Fiji Water Exposé

2009-08-18T12:07:00.000-05:00

And with the addition of the "send to" button, Google makes pirating too easy.
This is what it should look like.

Fiji Water Exposé: "

'Shut up!' he snapped. He rifled through my bags, read my notebooks and emails. 'I'd hate to see a young lady like you go into a jail full of men,' he averred, smiling grimly. 'You know what happened to women during the 2000 coup, don't you?'
Eventually, it dawned on me that his concern wasn't just with my potentially seditious emails; he was worried that my reporting would taint the Fiji Water brand.

[via The Awl]

Another devestated genration?

2009-07-25T10:04:00.001-05:00

I can't help but think about the attitude my grandfather had towards his military decorations. He never came out and said it, he just let you know that nothing pinned to his chest or written about him in the paper would make up for the horror he endured or the friends he lost. It took him at least 25 years before he would talk about his war experience openly. Death is a known, understandable consequence of war. PTSD is becoming more well accepted and understood.

The opportunity cost is never given a thought. The lives of the men and women that are now devastated and may never live up to the potential due to death, PTSD or simply years lost to war. The impact on the soldier's children. There was a photo essay at this site, but it seems to be down at the moment.

The war is still going on. American's are still dying. Others are coming home with less of themselves than they took into battle. Please don't forget.

White House: Soldier to receive Medal of Honor posthumously - CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An Army staff sergeant will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor after he sacrificed his own life in an effort to save another soldier in Afghanistan, the White House said Friday.

Dear Dr. Phil:

2009-07-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

Dear Dr. Phil,

When I retired, I could hardly wait to spend time enjoying my favorite pastime -- bass fishing. I got my own little fishing boat and tried to get my wife to join me, but she just never liked fishing.

Finally, one day at the Bait & Tackle Shop, I got to talking to Sam, the shop owner, who it turned out loves bass fishing as much as I do. We quickly became fishing buddies. As I said, the wife doesn't care about fishing. She not only refuses to join us, but she always complains that I spend too much time fishing.

A few weeks ago, Sam and I had the best fishing trip ever. Not only did I catch the most beautiful bass you've ever seen, only a few minutes later Sam must have caught his twin brother!

So I took a picture of Sam holding up the two nice bass that we caught and showed the picture to the wife hoping that maybe she'd get interested. Instead she says she doesn't want me to go fishing at all anymore! And she wants me to sell the boat! I think she just doesn't like to see me enjoying myself. What would you do? Tell the wife to forget it and continue my hobby or quit fishing and sell the boat as she insists?

Thanks,

Fishing Fool

P.S. Enclosed is a picture of Sam with the two bass we caught.

Dear Fishing Fool,

Get rid of that narrow-minded wife.
That's a couple of really nice bass!

Dr. Phil

Blueberry Pie

2009-07-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have been spending some time with cheap, in season blueberries. I have been eating them raw, making pie, making muffins, putting them in and on pancakes, waffles, ice cream. The blueberry has long been my favorite fruit. Here is a pie recipe that I have been working on. I was inspired by this recipe, but it didn't quite cut it for me.

3/4 cup white sugar for 4 cups blueberries, add 1/8 cup if you go to 5 cup BB.
1 TBS cornstarch for each cup BB. Plus 1 tbs if you use a full cover in lieu of lattice top.
1/8 teaspoon salt for every 2 cups BB
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon for every cup BB
5+ cups fresh blueberries
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie. I use two Pillsbury refrigerated crusts (1 package). Make sure its fresh, only buy what you need at the time, this doesn't keep well. (My preferred pie pan is a 9.5 inch glass)
1 tablespoon butter (or a bit more)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, (i use a sifter a couple of times to combine) and dump over blueberries. To combine dry mix a bb's, pour the mixture from bowl to bowl until all BB's are evenly coated.
Line pie dish with one pie crust. Pour berry mixture into the crust and scrape the remaining goop out of your bowls onto the berries.
Dot berries with butter.
Cut remaining pastry into 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide strips, and make lattice top. Crimp and flute edges.(or cover with crust and add vents).
Bake pie on middle shelf of oven for about 50 minutes covered loosely with foil
Remove foil and cook until crust is brown and pie is bubbling throughout, about another 10-15 minutes.

Douchbags eat pizza

2009-07-18T18:43:00.000-05:00

She doesn't have on pants, just his dress shirt. He is a white boy with his pants hanging below his ass. Fun in the CWE.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

TSA SNAFU

2009-06-23T09:45:00.001-05:00

This is getting a lot of press in St. Louis as it happened here. How much coverage is this getting in the rest of the world?

Consumerist - Traveler Detained For Carrying "Too Much" Cash Sues TSA - Tsa

Steve Bierfeldt sues TSA over detainment for carrying cashBack in March, Steve Bierfeldt was pulled aside while going through the security line at Lambert-St. Louis (Missouri) International Airport, taken to a room, and questioned for half an hour about the box of cash he was trying to check through. Bierfeldt, who works for a Ron Paul organization, recorded the conversation. Now with the help of the ACLU he's suing the TSA.

Adios very soon.

2009-06-18T13:49:00.001-05:00

While not as large a Iggy's lunker, this was my son's first Largemouth Bass.

Its almost vacation time.

Excitement is building both for me and the kids. I thinks the wife's excitement is tempered by the thought of 15 hours in the car (each way) while 28 weeks pregnant. Fishing, swimming, boating, swimming and maybe a little casino time. I can't forget duck racing, turtle racing and fireworks. Ice cream, cake, pie cookies and possibly come of that beer called Surley.

Driving to work last Thursday....

2009-06-16T12:44:00.001-05:00

I am sitting at a stoplight. A maroon Chevy Blazer comes around the corner. The driver loses it and bam flips over. Didn't hit anything, didn't even squeal the tires that I heard.

I pulled into the parking lot and a couple of other guys came over and we extricated the lady from the SUV (Suddenly Upside down Vehicle). She was shaken, but not visibly hurt, no severe bleeding or anything.

The cool thing was she flipped it right off the road and into a parking lot. Traffic continued to flow with a minimum of lookylous.

CK Cleaners

2009-06-16T12:34:00.001-05:00

I drive by the CK Cleaners everyday. Everyday I think I should stop and take a pick for BWOP. I did just that last week. How does one become the 39th best O8/S8 player in the world?

So back in 1989...

2009-06-12T15:22:00.001-05:00

I was alone in a hallway at my high school and this girl chucked a McDonald's Cheeseburger at me from about 50 feet away. It landed short, because, although she did play the tuba, she did not have the strength to get it all the way to me. The cheeseburger hit the ground and skidded towards me, but remained wrapped in its yellow waxed paper.

I don't know why I was alone in the hallway of my school.
I do know why she threw the cheeseburger at me.
I wonder what sort of cheeseburger ninja wrapped that thing.
It just dawned on me that her and her friend that showed up 5 seconds later were stoned to the bejessus.

Almost exactly 20 years later and that episode pops into my head and I figure out she was stoned.

Sometimes your brain is a weird fucking thing.

Watch both videos. The Roots Cook.

2009-06-11T22:37:00.001-05:00

THE GHOST OF ELECTRICITY: Jimmy Fallon and Mos Def get all 'Tricky' on the Roots

Lifehacker=handhacker

2009-06-11T21:40:00.002-05:00

Not the best tutorial I have ever seen on this topic. First, you want a FILLET knife. The hatchet that guy is using works, but if you are cleaning fish repetitively, get the right tool for the job. If you like cool knives, get one like mine here. Also pick up this bad boy while you're at it.

The fillet knife needs to be flexible, not rigid and strong. Sharp and flexible. A good flexible blade lets you feel the bones easily. A thinner blade lets you use a little finesse.

The overall technique is good, but I see a couple of critical errors.

0:24 - you don't need to gut your fish. If its live, fillet it without gutting. If its dead it prolly should have been gutten already. If you want to use the remainder for stock, gut later. If you bought it at the market its probably gutted and clean. You do not want to rupture the intestines which you can do gutting. Don't do it filleting either. The bile is gross and makes the meat spoiled, IMO.

1:27 Uhm, yeah, do that only if your health insurance is paid. That guy is going to cut his thumb off. You make the cut that he makes at 0:32 and holding onto the head with your left hand turn the knife to the tail. I like to make the cut that he makes at 0:32, separate the majority of the fillet from the back/spine and come back and cut from the incision made at 0:32 toward the tail with my left hand holding the head. Seriously, that is a serious cut he's making at 1:27 towards his hand and he is going fuck up some day and slice himself. Also, if you do it my way with a proper fillet knife, you leave the ribs on the carcass.

In summary, wrong knife, good overall technique, but be careful not to cut your thumb off. Maybe I'll shoot a video when I'm at the lake this summer, cause this is some low rent instruction. But there are several videos with good technique on youtube.

Also, if you have a fillet knife, a good one, you can easily skin the fillet if you desire. We like to batter and fry or batter and bake fillets, making skin removal a requirement.

Lifehacker - How to Filet a Fish Like a Pro - How To

We asked a chef to show us how to filet a fish, and we filmed it for good measure.

Why ask why?

2009-06-11T17:13:00.001-05:00

Downtown St. Louis Business: Arch Rivalry Series Cancelled

Said Illinois Athletic Director Ron Guenther:

The Illini are basically a bunch of scared weenies. We're tired of M-I-Z-Z-O-U beating the crap out of us over and over again. We're like weak defenseless little girls, babies even. You measure our manliness in inches, where as M-I-Z-Z-O-U is teeming with so much testosterone that our side is petrified, unable to function. What we make in TV rights doesn't come close to paying for the psychiatric treatment we need to recover from the PTSD after getting it handed to us by M-I-Z-Z-O-U. We should drop the Illini moniker and call ourselves the Nancy-boys.

A source from M-I-Z-Z-O-U was quoted as saying "FUUUUUUCKKKK, now we have to find some no name ~~1-AA school~~ championship division team to pound on early in the season. Someone call Northern Illinois and see if they'll man up!"

Why ask why? Fuck the Illini.

Drugs?

2009-06-11T15:56:00.001-05:00

If I ask, "did this guy rob this bank for drug money" am I going to start a Raul Ibanez-esque episode on the tubes?

Man arrested in U.S. Bank robbery - STLtoday.com

Check your ammo

2009-06-11T11:25:00.001-05:00

Mystery shell in deputy's gun blamed for Iowan's death | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register
A mysterious hard-plastic shell that was mixed in with Polk County sheriff's deputies' "less-than-lethal" ammunition was blamed Wednesday for the death of an Urbandale man whom authorities had tried for more than three hours to save from a threatened suicide.

Justin Schleuning, 21, died 30 hours after suffering a wound Monday that was caused by a shell the sheriff's office neither stocks nor issues to deputies.

The shell was fired by Deputy Dale Petersen, an 11-year veteran, who believed he had loaded his shotgun with less-than-lethal ammunition commonly called "beanbag rounds," which are designed to stun rather than kill a suspect. How the mystery round made it into Petersen's ammunition cache puzzled authorities Wednesday.

And so it begins...

2009-06-10T10:34:00.001-05:00

Fight night at the casino! Lifting the cap on gambling will lead to more and more events like this. The casino is across the street from the dome and now is having fights. I am salivating at the juicy games when STL hosts the final four.

Lumière Place to host sporting events - St. Louis Business Journal:

The inaugural Fight Night at the downtown casino features World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Welterweight Champion Brandon Baue defending his title against Keon Johnson.

GM Scuttlebut

2009-06-09T16:32:00.001-05:00

GM's new chair is rebuilder | Reuters

Two years after riding off into the sunset, former AT&T Inc Chairman and Chief Executive Ed Whitacre finds himself back in the saddle again.

SBC Communications Inc.: Information from Answers.com

In February 1993 SBC moved its headquarters from St. Louis to San Antonio, Texas. It joined a local group of businesses to acquire the San Antonio Spurs basketball team for $75 million. It also became the first regional Bell telephone company to acquire a cable television company outside of its service area when it paid $650 million to Hauser Communications for two cable systems in Maryland and Virginia.

Dinner at the Club, Darling? - St Louis Magazine - June 2006 - St. Louis, Missouri

In recent years, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan has mischievously pointed out all the revenue St. Louis lost when SBC chief Edward E. Whitacre Jr., blackballed by SLCC, picked up his headquarters and went to San Antonio.

Good luck with that, GM.

****UPDATE****

Whitacre plans to stay planted in San Antonio as GM chair - St. Louis Business Journal:

Because of those deep South Texas roots, and despite his new role, Whitacre says he will not leave San Antonio for Detroit. Whitacre retired from now Dallas-based AT&T in 2007.

“This is my city,” Whitacre said of San Antonio. “I’m not moving.”

That said, Whitacre does hope to help restore faith in an historic company.

Gotta get this one out asap

2009-06-08T22:50:00.000-05:00

Tonight on Letterman, Dave made a joke about Sarah Palin's daughter getting knocked up by ARod.

I think Dave crossed the line.

No way Lil Palin sleeps with a minority. No Way.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Poker

2009-06-08T12:02:00.001-05:00

Played in a home game last week. Dropped first buy in set over set. Clawed back to get 5.55% over even for the session. Sold my FTP bankroll so I could buy home repair stuff online. Big Wally's Plaster Magic, if you must know. Hadn't wanted to play online for a couple of weeks, now have the itch since I liquidated my funds.

Would like to get to Vegas with end of July or mid-August, don't know if I can make that happen. I haven't been to the boat for a couple of weeks. Last session there was brutal. Dealer error screwed me out of a huge pot. I can take the suckouts, but a tweeky dealer turning and burning before the action is complete is unacceptable. I was setting directly across from him and yelling "wait, WAIT!" as he was burning, but he turned anyway. The would be river card didn't fill any of the draws. My two pair good. The new river card filled the flush.

Mistakes happen, but forgeting the last guy to act, especialy when that guy is a "play every hand to the river" donk is unforgivable.

Hopefully will get to a card room while on vacation. 4/8 or 2/10 spread. The 3/6 game is soft, but always full fromw what I hear.

I think that my 3 star status at the boat is in jeporady. I might have to lose my card so I can retain my parking privledges.

Uranus

2009-06-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

We had a Saturn for about 8 years it was the cheaper of the SL1/SL2. A four speed auto with a four cylinder. It needed oil and brakes and stuff. The PCV valve went out (clogged) twice. Paid for one, got the other for free. It was a good little car. The stuff on the lot now looks like crap.

Toyota has been ascendant for at least three decades, and GM declining, for a simple reason: Toyota built cars that worked ("bulletproof," as they say) at a time when GM built cars that didn't work.

In my life I have driven/owned the following domestics and they has met the demise listed in parenthesis.

1981Mercury Cougar X-R7 (transmission failed at 60,000 miles)
1991 Dodge Spirit (transmission failed at 80,000 miles)
1995 Saturn SL (sold to neighboor's retired dad)
1999 Dodge Stratus (stolen and wrecked) Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep can be stolen with nothing more than a standard screwdriver.
1997 Mercury Sable (stolen, was never the same, traded was a great car and I would still be driving it if I would have remembered the club)
1999 F150 (Own) the club is on whenever I park it.

Kausfiles

Yes Exactly

2009-06-06T12:08:00.001-05:00

The main problem, he says, is that local food is seasonal. For example, avocadoes grow in California during the summer months. Same with grapes. "What happens if you want some grapes during the month of December?" says Equihua. "What are you going to do? Not eat grapes?"

Yes, exactly. You eat what you have on hand that's fresh the best you can. Americans having to have "grapes" 24/7/365 is the fucking problem.

Michelle Obama's organic garden and its discontents. - By Christopher Beam - Slate Magazine

Ghosts

2009-06-05T13:24:00.001-05:00

I was in the grocery store yesterday. I did one of those hard blinks because my subconscious mind recognized the person pushing the cart coming toward me. In the split second that it took me to realize that my mind thought that my grandmother was at the grocery store I went from a normal after work trip to the grocery to depressed. My grandmother has been dead for 10 years. The woman that I saw at the store looked a lot like my grandmother from 30 yards away.

Stupid mind. That head snap, adrenaline rush followed by crestfallen depression was something I could do without tyvm. It does get easier, but not as fast as they say. My grandma died about 18 months after my grandpa. Grandpa died about 3 months after my wedding. Its true, grandparents love their grandkids more than anything in the world. Parents see the imperfections of their children. Parents see the poor choices, the flaws. Grandparents only see the good, the awe, the perfection. That's not to say grandparents won't set you straight, because they will and should. But grandparents set you straight with a root beer float and a threat to tell your parents. Parents set you straight with a belt or a grounding.

So when I read Dawn's post about her grandpa today I could relate. I tend to think of my grandparents when things are going well. When something happens are I want to tell them all about it.

Clareified » Blog Archive » Song of the Day

Wimps.

2009-06-05T10:44:00.001-05:00

That figures.

STB is pussy. This confirms it.

Conservatives Are More Easily Disgusted - Yahoo! News

The Thing Is...

2009-06-01T22:38:00.001-05:00

The thing is that you just don't get it until you get it. Until you are there, and you realize that you are on your way to the Emergency Room with them in your arms you don't get it.

You don't understand why your parents were (or are) that way. You don't understand why your formerly dependably drunk drinking buddy suddenly is home by 6 more often than not. You don't get what they (we) mean when we say your life will change. Yes there will be 3am feedings followed by 4am diaper changes followed by 5am puking followed by 6 am diarrhea. That change is obvious and is the scared straight part of teenage abstinence programs that everyone takes for granted. Everyone gets the part where you don't sleep and show up to work with multiple stains of disgusting origin on your clothes.

The real way your life will change is indescribable. Its not a feeling or an emotion, its a state of being. About 12 hours after our first of three (or is it 4?) ER visits I was talking to my mom and she said "now you get it don't you?" Yep, now I get it.

This is a photo I took after the ER doctor put about 4 stitches in outside corner of my daughter's eye for the second time, as the first time they pulled through and had to be redone, and repaired the inside corner with surgical glue. We had just received confirmation that no,she didn't permanently damage her eye, yes she will see fine and binkies are good for narcotics, not just ecstasy.

For the rest of my life I will be transported back to that night in the ER everytime I look at her and see that scar. When she's 13 and its the worst thing that ever happened to her I will feel guilt. And I will always remember that feeling I had in the pit of my stomach when I was certain that she was going to lose her eye.

In the last week or so I have delt with a bloody nose and a blood clot
that looked like a slimy gummy worm, a busted toe nail and a lost
finger nail. Kids will be kids. I am now mostly bald and graying. Each emergency comes with a little less panic and little better grip on my stomach. But everyone touches me in a way that only a parent feels.

Knowing that the Otis family is dealing with doctors and ERs brought this all to the surface. As did some other, better news about kids that I came across today. To the Clan Otis, best of luck. Sounds like all will be better soon, I hope it is.

To those of you thinking about parenthood, brace yourself. It will change your life.

Buhbye

2009-06-01T13:02:00.001-05:00

The Rams are surely going the way of the football Cardinals. This just isn't a football town.
What about Rush Limbaugh? In interviews last year, the
prominent and influential talk-radio host has expressed a desire to
purchase the Rams and a desire to keep them here.

June 1: Kroenke is Best Hope for St. Louis Rams | Bernie’s 5 Minutes | STLtoday

Justice

2009-05-31T21:19:00.002-05:00
I first encountered these wackjobs about 4 years ago when I accompanied my wife to a medical conference. There were several protest groups there. Some that I sided with (the anti male genital mutilation group) and some that were outright scary (the anti abortion nut jobs AANJ). The AANJs held several signs stating that abortion is bad and some that had photos of aborted fetuses. Standard fare if you've ever driven by a planned parenthood clinic.

The sign that stopped me dead in my tracks was the on that had a list of doctors on it. Only the names of the doctors were crossed off. The names were of abortion doctors that had been murdered. These people are domestic terrorists. Plain and simple. Only they aren't hiding, they are right out in the open, protected by their righteous indignation. If I murdered a minority and wrote down somewhere that I hate minorities I would get hit with a murder charge and a hate crime charge. Where is the extra penalty for these people? Where is the RICO warrant and federal investigation? These people are organized, funded and committing felonies. Where is the FBI task force?

Pizza

2009-05-27T23:05:00.003-05:00

A few months ago BG linked to Slice. Since then I have been studying up on my pizza. Last night was my first go after the studies. The results: superb. Basil and fresh moz on one. Pepperoni and black olive, shredded moz on the other. I made the crust myself the night before using a fairly simple recipe. I also made a third pizza using a bag of dough from the refrigerator at Trader Joes. That crust sucked ass, was unworkable and cooked like shit. I don't yet have a peel but found that my airbake cookie sheets worked quite well. Pizza stone set me back $10.

This is the first step on the path to the wood fired oven that I'm going to put in my back yard one day. Lets just say that if the pizza was this good my first time out, man have I been living a sheltered pizza life for a long time.

Pork Rind Fail

2009-05-06T12:43:00.001-05:00

My almost two year old

2009-03-20T09:27:00.001-05:00

Your toddler can probably hum and sing songs such as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and make three-word sentences like "Cup fall down." She can probably follow a two-part request, like "Come here and turn around so I can comb your hair." Many kids this age also have fun identifying opposites like tall man, short man, or big block, little block. But if your toddler isn't doing all these things, don't worry. Children learn to speak at different rates, and your child may still be working her way up to this stage.

My daughter can sing most of the ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle without missing a beat. She also know the words to Weezer's Buddy Holly and Undone. She follows instructions like go to your room and get the wipes. She does love to point out things like "this is a big one" referring to her blueberries or raisins or such. As far as speaking goes, she rips off sentences like "Mommy, come to my room and play with me. Sit on the floor and play".

She also follows her brother around and does everything he does. Earlier this week the boy ran up to the top of a hill and she followed. He was wearing a backpack. We he reached the top he had to take a couple of backwards steps to steady himself as the backpack caused an unusual center of gravity. When my daughter reached the top she looked over at her brother and took two backwards step to perfectly mimic his assent of the hill.

I prolly should mention that she has a tendency to three bet from the button with suited connectors and will check raise all in with 12 clean outs. My son, on the other hand, plays tighter and is more willing to try and jam the hammer home based on his tight image than to get real creative with medium strength hands.

Speed

2009-03-15T10:32:00.002-05:00
Its interesting to note that the core to the impact of the printed word is not just the word itself, but the speed at which information is distributed. The article linked notes how impactful the distribution of the printed word was in the 1500's with the advent of the printing press. Information no longer had to be replicated by hand utilizing scarce resources (paper, pen, ink and a literate transcriber) but now could be replicated by machine. The speed of distribution of information increased exponentially.

In today's world the distribution of information not measured in days, hours or minutes. Not even seconds. The race is in milliseconds. A reporter can submit a story and literally distribute it world wide in milliseconds. The power of information isn't just who has vs. who has not. It is also who has first and can react first.

Finally, eventually trusted sources in journalism will be the individual authors editors and contributors. The distribution mechanism will be source agnostics.

I will come back later with a few more thoughts.

When Tony Comes to Town: Saint Louis

2009-02-02T10:52:00.004-06:00
I just asked Otis a question and thought that I'd attack it myself here as well. If Anthony Bourdain came to your town and you were his host for the day, where would you take him? What would you eat, drink, see experience, but mostly eat and drink.

I assume that he'd arrive in the morning and swing by my house in some sort of elegant conveyance such as a limo or a '69 Charger. We'd speed off through the alley and head straight for a jolt to get us through the next 20 hours. We'd go get a coffee at The Coffee Cartel.

We'd then swing south looking for breakfast. While torn up about not going to Uncle Bill's I have to defer and head to the Courtesy. Breakfast is served and it will be a Slinger. Not a stretch, a Slinger.

With a good base applied I think we head to Maplewood for a tour of the Schlafly Bottleworks and samples of some actual Missouri Beer. Not that imported Belgium/Brazil crap.

We should have had several beers at this point and the Slinger will be wearing thin. We will need lunch pronto. If its Wednesday, we'll head to Saint Raymonds, where the power is brokered and the local glitterati hold court.

If its another day of the week then we'll head to the BBQ place I drive by everyday during the summer and always want to stop but never do. The guys are outside with the Q everyday. Or We'll hit Crown Candy for the cliched touristy visit to the Saint Louis staple.

After lunch, we'll need an activity. Its on the beaten path, but its still the best, we will head to The City Museum. We will see all there is to see and end up thirsty.

For an afternoon refresher we would head to The Stable for some house brewed beer and house distilled spirits. After we were refreshed we may need a few more activities. Or we may just need more booze. We could cover both as we make our way to:

BB's Jazz Blues and Soups and The Broadway Oyster Bar. Live Jazz, Blues, good cooking - the classic Saint Louis.

For the night cap: we can head to anyone of many 3:00 bars but my preference would be for the Cheshire. Word on the street is that the Cheshire is closed for the time being so we'll have to find another spot. I don't have another 3am spot outside of the casino, so I'll let someone else find one for us.

The Sensitive Type

2009-01-04T21:20:00.002-06:00
My son is extremely sensitive in every definition of the word. He doesn't like bright lights, they hurt his eyes. He breaks out in a rash at the slightest change to detergent or humidity. Today he showcased his emotional sensitivity.

My son was born on 12/26/04.

So not long after he was born we found out about the story of Owen and Mzee. My wife read the book to my son this morning. He's read it before but its been a while. He cried. Literally shed tears. He said "I want to jump into the book and find his mommy for him". They had to stop reading the book.

She told me about it later. I sort of blew it off.

This afternoon mom and sister were taking a nap and the boys were playing/watching football. In the middle of s scrum my son stopped, looked up at me and said "I want to help Owen find his mommy. Everyone needs their mommy. I want to jump in the book and find his mommy."

I tried to explain to him how Owen the Hippo lost his mommy but that is why Mzee made him his friend. To no avail. He bawled and insisted that I find a way so that he could find the hippo's mom.

I cried too. The thought that an animal, much less a person, could grow up without a mommy was devastating my son. His reaction was simple and pure.

I can't help but think that a small part of my son's innocence was lost today. He realized a little bit about pain and started to have thoughts about mortality.

My cart

2008-12-30T15:56:00.000-06:00

Ofallon 5 day ipa(12)
Sierra nevada pale ale(6)
Left hand milk stout(12)
Flying dog classic ale (2)
Odell brewing 5 barrel ale (2)
Left hand jackmans american pale ale (2)
2006 Avalon Cab (2)
Prosecco (1)
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Resolute

2008-12-30T14:02:00.001-06:00
1. Lose weight. Target is 225.
2. Get my mug from growlers.
3. Finish 2 bathrooms.
4. Trim out interior of house.
5. Finish poker room.
More to come.......
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

FFF Quiz Answers

2008-12-18T10:24:00.004-06:00
Dawn states that she only missed 12 out of 57. Shows that the randomness of the pool aspect of the quiz worked in her favor.

How many Superbowls have the Patriots played? Six
How Many Superbowls have the Patriots won?Three
What was the name of the Patriots previous Stadium? Foxboro Stadium
How many NFC championships have the Patriots won?Zero, they play in the AFC.
Name any Patriots head coach other than Belichick. John Mazur, Phil Bengtson, Chuck Fairbanks, Ron Erhardt, Ron Meyer, Raymond Berry, Rod Rust, Dick MacPherson, Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll.
What Patriot player was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008?
Andre Tippett
Who did Tom Brady usurp to become starting QB for the Patriots?
Drew Bledsoe.
Who was the last/most recent player in NFL history to successfully complete a drop kick? Doug Flutie in 2005.
What was the name of the team's former logo, found on helmets prior to 1993? (Pat Patriot)
Name two of the three teams that have defeated the Patriots in the Super Bowl (Giants, Packers, Bears)
Where did the Patriots compete before joining the American Football Conference of the National Football League? (American Football League)
Who holds the Patriots franchise record for career receptions? (Troy Brown)
What non-football injury nearly ended Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi's career in 2005? (he had a stroke)
Who is the Patriots' all time leading scorer? (Adam Vinatieri)
How many offensive players must be on the line of scrimmage at the snap? Seven.
There are more than 19 infractions that result in a 15 yard penalty. Name 5.
1. Chop block. 2. Clipping below the waist. 3. Fair catch interference. 4. Illegal crackback block by offense. 5. Piling on. 6. Roughing the kicker . Roughing the passer. 8. Twisting, turning, or pulling an opponent by the facemask. 9. Unnecessary roughness. 10. Unsportsmanlike conduct. 11. Delay of game at start of either half. 12. Illegal low block. 13. A tackler using his helmet to butt, spear, or ram an opponent. 14. Any player who uses the top of his helmet unnecessarily. 15. A punter, placekicker, or holder who simulates being roughed by a defensive player. 16. Leaping. 17. Leverage. 18. Any player who removes his helmet after a play while on the field. 19. Taunting.
How long is a NFL football field? 120 yards
On what yardline is the ball placed for kickoff? 30 yard line.

How many players is each team allowed to field for a play? 11
What's different about a kick after safety (safety kick) compared to a kick after a touchdown or a field goal (kickoff)? (a punt may be used for a safety kick; also acceptable - safety kick is from the 20 yard line, kickoff the 30)
When can a team attempting an onside kick gain possession? (when the ball goes 10 yards or is touched by the receiving team)
From what yard line is an extra point or two point conversion attempted? (two yard line)

How many players are on an NFLregular season roster? 53, with 45 dressing for a game.

There are seven named positions for NFL game officiants. Name 2 of them.
Referee, Umpire, Head Linesman, Line Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge, Back Judge.
Name 6 defensive positions.
Nose tackle, guard, tackle, end, linebacker (Inside, outside, middle), safety, corner back.
Name 7 offensive positions
Quarterback, running back (includes halfback and fullback), tight end, wide receiver (includes wideout, flanker, split, slot), tackle, guard, center.
How many team make the playoffs each year? 12 (6 NFC 6 AFC)
Who won the first Superbowl? Green Bay Packers over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Which teams have won the most superbowls? Dallas, San Francisco, Pittsburg with 5 each.
What prize is awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl? (Lombardi Trophy)
Prior to the 2007 Patriots, what was the last NFL team to have an undefeated regular season record? (1972 Dolphins)
What division do the Patriots play in?
AFC EAST
Name the teams in the Patriots division.
Bills, Dolphins, Jets and yes, Patriots
Who is the owner of the Patriots?
Robert Kraft
Who was the Patriots first draft choice in 2007?
Brandon Meriweather
Who was the Patriots first draft choice in 2008?
Jerod Mayo
Where did Tom Brady play college football?
Michigan
How many Superbowl MVP's has Tom Brady won?
Two
Name any two current assistant coaches. There are 15.
Dante Scarnecchia, Josh McDaniels, Ivan Fears, Bill O'Brien, Pete Mangurian, Dean Pees, Pepper Johnson, Matt Patricia, Dom Capers, Brad Seely, Mike Woicik, Harold Nash, Josh Boyer, Brian Flores, Shane Waldron.
Who do the Patriots play week 16? Arizona
Who do the Patriots play week 17? Buffalo
Name the 5 teams that the Patriots have lost to this year. Miami, San Diego, Indianapolis, NY Jets, Pittsburg
As 12/10 the Patriots were in second place, although the top three teams in the division have the same record. What tie-breaker puts the Patriots in second place? Divisional record. The Jets split the season series with the Patriots, but the Jets have a better division record.
What two teams did the Patriots defeat in the 2007 playoffs? Jacksonville and San Diego.
Who was the MVP of Superbowl XXXIX? Deion Branch
In what category did Wes Welker lead the NFL in 2007? (receptions, tied with T.J. Houshmanzadeh)
What was the penalty for "Spygate", where the Patriots were found to have to have illegally videotaped signals used by the New York Jets? (forfeited first round draft pick, also technically accurate: fines for team and Belichick)
Who is the Patriots' leading rusher so far in 2008? (Kevin Faulk)
Name the/a 2008 starting center. Dan Koppen

Name two 2008 running backs.Morris, Jordan, Faulk, Green-Ellis, Evans

Name a 2008 cornerback.O'neal, Hobbs, Sanders, Wilhite, Richardson.

Name three wide receivers. Welker, Aiken, Slater, Moss, Gaffney, Washington

Name the 2008 punter. Chris Hanson

Name the 2008 left guard. Logan Mankins

Where did the current starting QB play college football? USC
What position does Vince Wilfork play? Nosetackle
What position does Lonie Paxton play? Long snapper

The FFF Quiz

2008-12-17T09:28:00.003-06:00
So going from what I called "Guiding Principals" which were CK's points in the original challenge, the committee create, reviewed, critiqued and put forward to Alceste a list of 60 questions. 3 were cut and the remaining 57 were placed into a pool for a random draw to create the 25 questions.

Here are the guiding principles:

1. If you haven't made it through a full season as a fan of your adopted team, then you are not a REAL football fan.

2. If you don't understand the game, then you can't be a REAL football fan. We're not talking about being able to break down the Tampa 2 defense. Just the basics. Like the names of the positions and whether or not they are offensive or defensive positions. Or whether a false start penalty is 5 yards or 10 yards.

3. If you can't name the key personnel of your team, then you are not a REAL football fan. If you only know the name of one player, then you are a fan of that player, not the whole team. (So that means that if your player gets knocked out during Week 1 with a season-ending injury, you have NO football team to root for.)

4. If you don't understand some of the key points in your team's history, then you are not a REAL football fan. You can't claim your team's history, yet know absolutely nothing about it.

Here is the entire pool of questions:

How many Superbowls have the Patriots played?

How Many Superbowls have the Patriots won?

What was the name of the Patriots previous Stadium?

How many NFC championships have the Patriots won?

Name any Patriots head coach other than Belichick.

What Patriot player was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008?

Who did Tom Brady usurp to become starting QB for the Patriots?

Who was the last/most recent player in NFL history to successfully complete a drop kick?

What was the name of the team's former logo, found on helmets prior to 1993?

Name two of the three teams that have defeated the Patriots in the Super Bowl

Where did the Patriots compete before joining the American Football Conference of the National Football League?

Who holds the Patriots franchise record for career receptions?

What non-football injury nearly ended Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi's career in 2005?

Who is the Patriots' all time leading scorer?

How many offensive players must be on the line of scrimmage at the snap? .

There are more than 19 infractions that result in a 15 yard penalty. Name 5.

How long is a NFL football field?

On what yardline is the ball placed for kickoff?

How many players is each team allowed to field for a play?

What's different about a kick after safety (safety kick) compared to a kick after a touchdown or a field goal (kickoff)?

When can a team attempting an onside kick gain possession?

From what yard line is an extra point or two point conversion attempted?

How many players are on an NFLregular season roster?

There are seven named positions for NFL game officiants. Name 2 of them.

Name 6 defensive positions. (not players, positions)

Name 7 offensive positions (not players, positions)

How many teams make the playoffs each year? 12

Who won the first Superbowl?

Which teams have won the most superbowls?

What prize is awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl?

Prior to the 2007 Patriots, what was the last NFL team to have an undefeated regular season record? (1972 Dolphins)

What division do the Patriots play in?

Name the teams in the Patriots division.

Who is the owner of the Patriots?

Who was the Patriots first draft choice in 2007?

Who was the Patriots first draft choice in 2008?

Where did Tom Brady play college football?

How many Superbowl MVP's has Tom Brady won?

Name any two current assistant coaches. There are 15.

Who do the Patriots play week 16?

Who do the Patriots play week 17?

Name the 5 teams that the Patriots have lost to this year.

As of December 10 the Patriots were in second place, although the top three teams in the division have the same record. What tie-breaker puts the Patriots in second place?

What two teams did the Patriots defeat in the 2007 playoffs?

Who was the MVP of Superbowl XXXIX?

In what category did Wes Welker lead the NFL in 2007?

What was the penalty for "Spygate", where the Patriots were found to have to have illegally videotaped signals used by the New York Jets?

Who is the Patriots' leading rusher so far in 2008?

Name the 2008 starting center.

Name two 2008 running backs.

Name a 2008 cornerback.

Name three wide receivers.

Name the 2008 punter.

Name the 2008 left guard.

Where did the current starting QB (Cassle) play college football?

What position does Vince Wilfork play?

What position does Lonie Paxton play?

High on Poker Free Roll!!

2008-12-09T16:06:00.003-06:00

I want my mobneys.

NOW!!!

Full Tilt. Good43.

Picture time

2008-12-04T22:32:00.001-06:00

_MG_9601
Originally uploaded by good43.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T15:25:00.001-05:00

IMG_0026.JPG
Originally uploaded by good43.

Dawn Summers........

2008-10-18T18:46:00.001-05:00
Your ass is mine.

AIG is the symptom

2008-10-08T09:21:00.001-05:00

Detonation is the cure.

"This is why the fucking companies that managed themselves into oblivion should be allowed to fail and not propped up. The consequences of the decisions being made about the economy will stick with us longer and with far more negative repercussions than the New Deal could ever have. With the new deal we socialized benefits for individuals. Now the Fed and the Treasury are essentially Medicade/Social Security Disability for corporations. But not all corporations mind you, just the largest ones with the most political clout. Don't think for an instant that Google, Microsoft or Intel would get these bailouts. They aren't a.) connected to the inner workings of the Treasury dept or b.) Blue collar like Ford or GM.

Oh, they are also pretty well managed and wouldn't ever need this kind of bullshit.

I can take the multi-cavity search at the airport, but the outright thievery of my tax dollars to line the pockets of piss poor managers with golden jet packs just pisses me off.

And yes, I just coined the term "Golden Jet Pack", chew on that."

********Update Here***********

They spent how much on 100 people? Wow. It didn't occur to them to cancel in light of recent events?

Why the bailout is bad

2008-09-25T10:19:00.001-05:00

I do not want the bailout. I want the companies that made bad decisions to fail. I want the shareholders to take the risk that they signed up for. I want the boards of the failing companies held responsible for the lack of oversight. The bailout is a life line from one group of rich white guys to another group or rich white guys on the backs of average Americans. Bailouts to the airlines, banks, or any company are wrong. These companies fail for a reason. The bailout of Wall Street marks the impending failure of the market economy. The simultaneous privatization of gains and socialization of losses is not a fundamentally sound model and it will lead to acceptance of ridiculous levels of risk that at some point can't be bailed out.

Here is the poker equivalent of privatization of gains and socialization of losses. Its called a freeroll in a rebuy. A player gets a backer with the following arrangement - backer pays all entry fees and rebuys, player keeps all gross winnings i.e. doesn't pay the backer at all. That's what the bailout is and it is not a sustainable model for our economy. Bad decision makers have to be allowed to bust just as good decision makers should be rewarded.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

2008-09-16T11:44:00.001-05:00

The guys over at U4P are getting all sentimental and reliving the glory days. I really liked the concept of the listing/describing the most memorable hands play against/with other WPBT'ers.

So here are mine.

1. This is actually a hand I didn't play, just on I financed. I am playing 1/2 NL at the the MGM. It is a Friday and and per tradition there is a mixed game going on. I have a deal with Maigrey. I'll play RAZZ and she'll play my NL stack. I piddle away about $20 in a round of 2/4 LHORSE. When the game moves past RAZZ I return to see pile of redbirds in my stack. Apparently Daddy fell victim to underestimating a chick in a poker game. Daddy flopped two pair and Maigrey flopped 15 outs twice and got all my money in. Daddy got stacked and proceeded to bitch about it for the next hour. When I sat back down the dealer freaked because he had just pushed a huge pot to Maigrey and I was now playing the stack. Much to STB's chagrin I had to tell the dealer we were married so that he would shut up. The dealer actually called the floor over. Me and Maigrey married, not me and STB, btw.

2. Playing $25 NL on Party I used the finder to see if G-Rob was playing. Back in the day I used to give G-Rob a lot of shit. But that was because my bald head was jealous of his luxurious locks. I find G-Rob at a table and within the first few hands I find AK. This is how I remember the action. He opens, I raise and we see a flop of AKx. He bets, I raise, he calls and the turn is a J and we get it all in. I bust G-Rob and he doesn't rebuy. The best part of this hand is me imagining him cursing and throwing things and wishing that I lived closer so that he could seek me out and nut punch me.

3. Playing 1/3 NL at Caesar's waiting for the Saturday tournament to start. At the table were me Drizz, Otis, Dr. Jeff and a bunch of really awful players. This hand is memorable because it occurred at what I consider to be the pinnacle of my skill. I was in a groove and playing a lot. I cleaned up on cash games that weekend, as I remember. I look down and KK and raise it up. Drizz is to my left and smooth calls. Flop comes down and I bet and Drizz raised. I call and the turn is a blank. I check fold to an uncoordinated board that included a J. Drizz shows JJ.

4. Otis stacked me at the Excal during Marty's bachelor party. He smooth called my PFR with J9 or J8. Flop came J8/9x and I led out. He flopped two pair and I made his all-in raise for a bluff to move me off the pot. I had flopped TP with JT and could really only beat a bluff. Otis was trying to be a nice guy and let me know to get the fuck out of his pot. I was a dumb ass.

5. Sitting at NL table at the Excal with Soxluver and Donkeypuncher I am card dead as a mofo. The UFC is later that weekend and the testosterone charged frosted tipped fruits at the other end of the table are pissing me off. I am in full fold mode. I pick up 43, my very favorite hand and raise and jam the whole way, getting the tuckfard UFC'er to fold on the river. SHowing my bluff and raking his chips was pleasing. Playing the hammer and cracking his AA later in the session still makes me giddy.

Bonus
6. I limp reraised with 33 playing 3/6 at Caesar's. In a three way pot we cap pre-flop and flop. I flop a set and crack the AA and KK (sorries to Marty and his KK). I get all of my money in less $1 and no one will raise the river to try and take my last $1. It was rather early on Saturday and the guy with AA was in for his first trip to Vegas due to a bachelor party. That hand left him bitter.

Caulk

2008-09-01T22:28:00.001-05:00

So I am working on the bathroom and one of the final steps is is to caulk various joints. I have seen tools like this on TV for $19.99. I thought to myself, self, that looks a lot like this that you already own. Sure enough the Pampered Chef Nylon Scraper makes the perfect caulking tool. At 3 for $2.25 it kicks the crap out of $19.99. Also I cut one of the corners to make it a triangle. The smallest rounded edge worked best.

Also, why don't I get invited to Pampered Chef parties? My wife always gets invited and I do 95% of the cooking. Also the stand mixer is mine and nobody else is allowed to touch it.

Rails

2008-08-28T16:41:00.002-05:00

18 years ago I lived a scene that looked just like this. I practiced on that same field. The school is in the background. There isn't a single thing that I can see that has changed.

Except my gut and hairline, of course.

18 years have really flown by. 15 years from now my son will be on his way to college. That is both a lot and not enough time.

Nostalgia can be a bitch.

Brace yourself

2008-08-28T13:07:00.001-05:00

I am preparing to whore. Feel free to avert your eyes or delete from your RSS.

Consider this fair warning.

Fw: You need to blog that since i...

2008-08-24T02:23:00.000-05:00
Marty cashed out 632 american from the fucking 3/6 game tonight. I fucking felted.
Marty says up your's heather.
------ SMS Text ------
From:
Sent: Aug 24, 2008 2:12 AM
Subject: You need to blog that since i...
You need to blog that since i can't. That was fucking unreal.
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2008-08-23T20:40:00.000-05:00

Pee. Wee half time fb
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Lux box at rams game

2008-08-23T18:46:00.000-05:00

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STB's new drinking buddy

2008-08-19T21:20:00.003-05:00

Death Comes in an Electronic Box

2008-08-19T09:26:00.003-05:00
POKERTEK INSTALLS POKERPRO AT EXCALIBUR HOTEL AND CASINO IN LAS VEGAS

Matthews, NC – August 18, 2008: PokerTek, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTEK), the industry pioneer and
worldwide leader in automated poker tables and related software, is pleased to announce that Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is installing 12 PokerPro tables. Excalibur is both the first casino in Nevada to install automated poker tables and the official field trial site for PokerPro in the state. Pending final regulatory inspection and approval, Excalibur plans to open the new room Friday, August 22 at 6 p.m.

"We are delighted beyond words that an operator of Excalibur's quality is opening a 100% PokerPro poker room on the strip. It is commentary on how far PokerTek and automated poker have come in such a short time," said PokerTek's CEO Chris Halligan. "The acceptance of the game has grown substantially in the last year and continues to grow as our footprint expands."

"We continue to hit major milestones," continues Halligan. "We've opened a successful 20-plus table room in Montreal, a beautiful 12 table room in Michigan, a high-end 12-table room in Atlantic City and now 12 tables in the gaming hub of the world, Las Vegas. With more than 230 PokerPro tables currently installed worldwide, we are ready for the Nevada market."

"I've run poker rooms for 20 years, and I can't wait for players to see what Excalibur and PokerPro
will offer them," said Vito Casucci, PokerTek's Western Regional Director and former poker room
manager. "We're going to have a great daily tournament schedule, tremendous player promotions and, more than that, we'll be laying down games that manual rooms just can't. For example, our Pot Limit Omaha games will be getting out 30 hands per hour. That is unheard of for a game as popular as PLO, and only PokerPro can offer that kind of speed."

"I am so excited that automated poker is finally going to exist in Vegas," said professional poker
player Clonie Gowen. "PokerPro is an amazing way to play the game. The speed and accuracy beats
any manual table. You will find me in the Excalibur's poker room from time to time and I challenge all poker players to try this."

Excalibur Hotel and Casino, which opened in 1990, is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM
MIRAGE™ (NYSE: MGM). The property provides an inviting atmosphere of hospitality through a
myriad of entertainment, fine food and comfortable accommodations. The resort features 3,981 guest rooms, five themed restaurants, the Tournament of Kings Dinner Show, the all-male revue Thunder From Down Under, the "Larger than Life" comedy of Louie Anderson and more than 100,000 square feet of gaming excitement. The convention area provides more than 12,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space."

Hellllllloooo Poker

2008-08-15T12:57:00.003-05:00
So I don't post as much as I used to, nor do I post as much as I'd like too. I spend too much time with twitter, via Twitterfox.

So the WPBT twitter addy. Feel free to send me things to put up there. If you would like to broadcast a tourney or something I am more than willing to assist. Also for those of you with friends that don't care that you just flopped quad Aces and lost to Lewis-Wilbanks straight flush you can send messages to @wpbt and then only those who might care would get the message. Especially useful for utilizing Twitter in lieu of yahoo chat or other, more pedestrian means (that I just noticed some people are using again and didn't tell me).

So I have been playing quite a bit online lately. Mostly limit during happy whore on full tilt. Break even for the most part. But noticeable improvement in my limit game. Well not improvement really, just rediscovering where the raise button is located. That and better hand selection. I moved up in limits because that seems to be the universal cure for the "wtf its only $xx. Which was my easiest most identifiable leak. My next leak I am trying to solve is relying on a tight image and a hand that is beat to ram through a win against someone that I think I can get to fold.

I did this live the other day and it wiped out 25% of my profit on the session.

Until next time, go fuck yourself.

A Prayer to Iggy

2008-08-12T10:15:00.001-05:00

Poker, our Father, You redeemed us and made us Your children in Chips.
Through Iggy You have saved us from WoW and given us Your Divine life of flops.
By becoming more like Iggy online, may I come to share His glory in Vegas.
Give me the peace of Your bankroll, which this world does not give.
By Your loving care protect the rockets You have given me.
Open my eyes to the wonders of the hammer that I may serve You, with a check raise.

Dennis Phillips on the STL Radio

2008-08-04T22:55:00.000-05:00
Dennis Phillips on the STL Radio

2008-07-29T16:47:00.001-05:00

The last few weeks have been eventful. No single event has been overshadowing my life, but the culmination of several events are weighing me down. Its like waking up and stubbing your toe every day. Or when I was a kid and I had that nasty road rash on my knee and then proceeded to knock the scab off 12 times until there was just a big hole. Each individual event can be taken no problem. It is the death from a thousand cuts that might do me in.

We returned from a vacation that in the tomes of history will be rated a merely average. Both kids were sick meaning that activities had to be reduced and oversight increased. We had a good time and the break from work/home was needed and welcomed. Upon our return it was discovered that our A/C air handler was leaking a lot of water into the floor. This isn't a huge problem when your air handler is located in the basement. This one is located on the second floor above a 100 year old plaster ceiling. I took the first shot at fixing the problem but soon discovered my feeble skills we no match. The experts were called. They were able to diagnose the problem but it took them a week to get the correct parts. During the interim I was manually collecting and removing water. I did manage to set up an auto siphon rig that was pretty cool, except for when my wife moved the exit end of the siphon out of the shower onto the floor thus flooding the bathroom for a few minutes.

Last Monday I was on my way home at lunch to check on the A/C. My car lost a belt. My car only had one belt, a serpentine belt that drives like 8 pulleys. Frick. I just drove the sucker the remaining 10 miles home in the 90+ heat. Two days later I replaced the belt in about 30 minutes. I started the car and heard a horrendous noise. The Idler Pully had thrown all its ball bearings. That was what caused the belt to go bad in the first place. Back to the parts store. And evening shot in the arse, but the car runs. Of course the front end is giving out and there is no way I want to drive that thing much.

Later in the week I get a call to go get my daughter from school. She has pink eye.

My computer had a blue screen of death. I managed to recover and back up files. Waiting for it to return.

My son is sick. He started feeling bad last Saturday.

My daughter was sent home again with pink eye.

I have whatever my son has which seems to be sore throat and body aches.

To top it all off the stuff on the woot off today is all carp. Of course I bought some.

My DSL is still not working. AT&T bunk.

Death

2008-07-24T07:53:00.000-05:00

This is what electronic death looks like.
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HOF Class of 2048

2008-07-20T09:49:00.001-05:00

IMG_0083.JPG
Originally uploaded by good43.
He stepped into the throw and snapped his wrist. Carnival games today, lighting up the Big 10 in 16 years.

Ice cream

2008-07-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

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My Take?

2008-07-18T12:14:00.001-05:00

Time to get out of the WSOP bunker folks. Nobody in the real world gives two shits about TifMic, UB and PS. Ohh pretty girl is dumb and makes bad business decisions. Really? You mean the part time singer, actress, poker stringer doesn't know shit about whats best for her? Huh. And here I figured she had it all worked out.

I guess its a short road to Captain Tom, Newhizing, The Pole and an untimely demise.

Sheep

2008-07-11T13:18:00.000-05:00

These are the lemmings getting iphones.
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Poison effing ivy

2008-07-10T15:21:00.000-05:00

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8.5 inch monster

2008-06-28T14:23:00.000-05:00

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Don't get the red ass

2008-06-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

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Family truckster

2008-06-21T07:46:00.000-05:00

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Vacation is coming

2008-06-17T10:18:00.001-05:00

IMG_0021.JPG
Originally uploaded by good43.
If we can paddle our way through the flooded plains of Iowa we are headed for a much needed vacation. We'll swim, boat, fish and rest. We'll trek a bit so that the kids can walk across the Mississippi. We might even go for a bike ride.

We'll be there a bit longer than in past years. So I might even be able to break free and hit the casino that is a mere couple of miles up the road.

Turtle races, fishing derby's (picture from last year) and probably fireworks.

The boy will be full on independent explorer this year. I bet he want to take off through the woods. I'll have to watch him like a hawk. The girl wasn't even crawling last year and this year she is running.

Aunt Betty will have a different dessert every night and cookies to pass down time during the day. There will be ducks to feed, frogs to chase and turtles to spot.

No word on how many Loons are on the lake this year.

Gp in space

2008-06-15T11:42:00.000-05:00

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It was a little less than solo and not quite a rager

2008-06-13T10:07:00.001-05:00
Thanks to technology I used my Crackberry and tinytwitter to journal most of what I did this weekend. I also used LoudTwitter to email the summary of my updates to my personal email account so that I have them easily indexed and available to use as a recap. So here is my twitter time line with the gaps filled in and some stories expanded upon.

Friday
9:00 AM LV - Hit town and cab it to the hotel, Bally's. No one is even at the front desk, so much for early check-in.
9:30 AM LV - Walk into IP poker room and take a seat at the 2/4 LHE table. Grind with the leather ass grinders that are all there for the 8 AM to 11 AM $100 Aces $50 Kings cracked. Playing against leather ass grinders is exactly less than zero fun.
At some point I try to call Easycure. We eventually connect and walk down to PH for PF Changs. Then we continue on to MGM for LHE donkiness.
Hands of note. I took down a very large pot with KK. Capped 5 ways pre-flop and 3 callers. My KK was good on its own, but the four flush left me wondering what everyone else had. Easy's QQ was no good. Couple from LA via Birmingham England to my right. He's a former jockey and looks like F-Train's dental challenged brother, she's a hottie tilting me with her THREE runner/river suckouts.
5:00 LV round up STB and Easy and take train to IP. I stop at Bally's to check in and we meet group in lobby of IP.
6:00 PM LV Falstaff, April, STB, me, Easycure, Zeem, blinders? and a total of 12 meet up at the Hofbrahaus for beers and sausage and cleavage and Jagergirl ass paddling.

21:32 STB says "stop tweeting" #
21:54 To drunk to teweet? Not in vegas #

22:21 @pbsnotinvegas pffft #
8:30 PM LV Crew leaves via limo to hit MGM. 2/4 Mixed gets set up but I get on list late. #5 on list has 0% chance of being called.
11:30 PM LV I am at 2/4 LHE table and my eyes go red bloodshot and eyelids feel like sandpaper. Dry desert air and casino AC are likely culprits. I walk home put wet wash rag on face and sleep.

Saturday
6:00 AM LV I am awake. Screw around watch TV.
8:30 AM LV Back to the IP for Leather Grinding and cracked Aces. Local at my table gets $250 in AA and KK cracked money.

11:14 Ip poker room #

12:50 Still ip poker room, heading out at 11 #
13:15 Where is every1 watchint the race and where are my picks from BG? #

11:00 AM LV I head to Burger Palace and have a gut bomb. I leave and sit with Zeem and Easycure in the Tea House.
12:00 PM LV Easy and I walk to Venitian. Pick April up at Panda Express.
12:30 PM LV Sit next to Donkey Falstaff at 4/8 LHE table.

17:36 Glad I didn't bet the lock #

Watch the Belmont at the poker table.
Say hi to Miami Don and introduce myself to CK.
Leave and eat dinner with similar crew as the night before. Makers, Tuna and bread pudding. No willing to offer me food or eating related prop bets. These guys are smarter than I gave them credit for.
18:57 Plans for tonight rio people? #

We are 8 strong for mixed games at the IP.

F-Train make appearance at IP. Wins a pot against me in Razz.
1:30 AM LV I leave to hit the MGM for 1/2 NL.
03:27 Headed to mgm for last hurrah of trip #

09:38 Still at MGM #
I have a 6.5 hour session at the MGM. Courtesy double up in first half hour from guy holding K8 on a KK4 board. I have KQ. Guy at my table has $3000 in front of him. Turns out he is a calling station and the rest of the table keeps trying bluff him. Mouth waters.

Table breaks and Mr. BigStack Calling Station decides to leave. Bummer.

I hover around $400 for 5 hours. Finally flop a set of deuces. Get it all in on the flop against TP Q with K kicker from a guy from Manchester, England who is drinking Budweiser like he lives in a trailer in Spanish Lake. K on the turn and I have to sweat 4 outs. Blank river and I move above $500.
Guy sitting 2 to my left broaches subject of backing me because he thinks I am a local and likes my play. Flattered, I guess.
09:51 @Eleven_Teen MGM poker room cracking up over your last tweet #

10:04 Cashed out of 1/2 at. MGM 331 to the good. Vegas trip concluding #
Table breaks and I count up. $533. $2 to the dealer (Lani, I think) and $1 to the cage (Issac) and I walk out with and extra $330 in my roll. G-Rob's assessment of the MGM is spot on.

Loss

2008-06-10T15:45:00.003-05:00
A friend and former blogger lost someone near to him today. He was supposed to have joined me in Vegas last weekend but had more important things to do. I am not an eloquent writer and I can't capture my feelings, much less his. However below is something he wrote a while ago that I hope he rediscovers here, because memories like this are important.

Shortly thereafter I called my dad. We talked for a bit. He told me he'd been playing all his life and had once hit the pin and left it about three feet off target, but that was as close as he'd been. He was clearly proud of me. I can't say that I didn't like the way it felt. Sometimes it takes something so trivial as dropping a small white ball into a hole to remind us that life is just silly sometimes. My dad gets off on that kind of stuff. He likes to be proud of his kids. Even when it is just for stupid things.

I'll sleep well tonight if for no other reason than I know I'm just lucky sometimes.

A diff kind of blogger table

2008-06-06T21:56:00.000-05:00

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Beer, in Vegas

2008-06-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

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I am the anti-BG

2008-06-05T12:07:00.001-05:00
I don't really like most Jazz.
I prefer my meat smoked not stewed.
I am married.
I have no clue about horse racing.
I have urinary tract problems, not colon problems.
I don't have a beard.
I think HR is evil.
I don't have a sibling.
I am going to Vegas.
I own.
I think Human Head is on the fringe.
I have never been to Atlantic City.
I no write so well.
I am bald.
I don't wear glasses.
I play poker.
I have never been to Pennsylvania.

to be continued.............

The Birthday Present

2008-06-05T11:53:00.001-05:00
For her birthday this year I bought my beloved her very first iPod. Silly me I bought a 3G 8 Gb Nano. Silly because I have (had) a 1ghz PowerBook with 256mb Ram running 10.3.x. 3G iPods require 10.4.x. So I thought, wth I'll upgrade to 10.5 (animal names are dumb).

10.5 requires at least 512 Mb Ram. Frick, so I get online and discover that Ram isn't nearly as expensive as I thought it was so I decide to max that bitch out and by a gig stick for less than $100. Now I have a G4 1GHz PowerBook with 1256 MB Ram.

Short story shorter - Birthday present cost me an additional $200 and about 4 hours of sinking around to make it work.

But my wife now has 7.36 GB of her music at her disposal. That's a whole lot of No Doubt, Van Morrison, U2 and Poison.

Dumb White People

2008-06-05T11:03:00.001-05:00

Sent to you by good43 via Google Reader:

STLtoday - Peculiar deception rattles small town

via www.stltoday.com on 6/5/08

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Hippos at the zoo

2008-06-02T13:06:00.001-05:00

MVI_0018
Originally uploaded by good43
Went to the zoo last week and the hippos were really active.

Meat Mania

2008-05-25T21:17:00.001-05:00
Final update:

Once I set the porch on fire I decided to stop taking pictures.

The steaks were great, the ribs are for tomorrow.

Cucs and onions

2008-05-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

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We're off

2008-05-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

This method is called indirect heat. The grill acts as an oven and a smoker, so you have to be very careful with the temp. Too much fire and you end up with crispy on the outside and raw in the middle.
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Kitchen

2008-05-25T10:32:00.000-05:00

Lump charcoal, apple and hickory chips and chunks and just a regular grill. 6 hours later these ribs will be insane.
Ribs were dry rubbed and left in the frige overnite. Dry rub is a mix of Emerials original, brown sugar, Viet. Cinn. and a secret.
Got too excited and let the fire get too hot and have to calm it down before I can start.
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Dear BG

2008-05-25T10:26:00.000-05:00

Not spending MDW in STL is not a good decision. 2 slabs of ribs and 5 T-bones.
Stay tuned to my site for updates.
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Brutal Brutality

2008-05-21T10:24:00.004-05:00
In the last hand I got all my money in on the river. I had flopped two pair from the big blind hold Q4o. Having intimate knowledge of the pre-flop raiser's poker game let me call the bet with out guilt. I knew his range. After the flop I hoped that he had AA, KK, AQ. Because that was a hand that would really get him to pay me off. I check raised the flop and led out the turn. The river sealed my fate. My foe had AcJc and led the flop with a continuation bet and called my check raise only to pick up a nut flush draw on the turn. Calling one more big bet on the turn was easy. Catching Lewis-Wilbanks to felt me was karmic revenge. At least when I felt this opponent I do so with the skill of out flopping his KK with two pair and turning a boat. I don't pansy out making shitty calls backing my way into the pot with runner runner.

I dropped $300 at a 3/6 LHE table last Friday night. I'd like to say that I was drunk and had a blast. I was sober and getting my heart ripped out. For all but about an hour of that session I played pretty well. This my friends was the fickle finger of the poker gods reaching down to smite me.

The first hand of the evening was a harbinger of things to come. I flopped top pair top kicker and proceeded to get beat by 92o that went Lewis-Wilbanks for two pair. I can take that. Its really a sign that the table is in my favor. Bad luck, but proof that the table is going to be profitable. All told in the evening I was beaten runner-runner 9 times. Yes Mrs. Bueller, nine times. I had JJ(2) QQ, KK(2) and AA cracked. Plus the Q4 mentioned above and a couple of other hands where I had marginal starting hands but out flopped the competition only to take a kick square in the junk. Lemurs. There were the regular straight up beats too. I flopped TPTK, flush drawing maniac catches a flush draw, I turn trips and she rivers the flush.

Lessons learned:

Get a seat change.
Get a table change.
Quit playing.

I did none of these. Next time I will.

Don't look for me to take up long term residence in the 10 seat again anytime soon. Unless the table LAG is in the 9, then I'll think about it.

Now, my moment of Zen.

More office prop bets

2008-05-19T15:49:00.000-05:00

This is a continuation of the previous prop bet. To date I am +$40 in this bet.

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Bacon

2008-05-15T12:43:00.000-05:00

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WU to honor Phyllis Schlafly

2008-05-14T10:26:00.001-05:00
Yes she is a whack job. I can say she is also a deep pocketed old lady that will likely leave a bundle to WashU when she implodes from hate and goes to hell. As always, follow the money.

Still this is akin to giving a humanitarian award to John Wayne Gacy for advances in population control. Also, talk about offending your base. Without east coast liberals WashU wouldn't have much of a base to draw students from.

As an alumnus of WashU I am deeply disappointed that the university has seen fit to lend credence to her wrong minded, hateful speech. I hope that the graduating class chooses to stand and turn their backs on her as she receives her award. I hope the grads make a mockery of ceremony.

The university is doing a great disservice to its graduating class by turning the spotlight on a bigoted old fool instead of highlighting the great accomplishment of the class of 2008. Having a controversial guest at graduating will ruin the experience for many families and leave a bad taste in their mouths.

Here is a note that was forwarded to me that I took a few editorial liberties with....

Washington University (the good one, in St. Louis) is planning to bestow its highest
honor, an honorary degree, on Phyllis Schlafly at commencement this
week. There have been strong objections raised to this by students,
faculty, staff, alumni, and the families of graduates. While those
objecting believe she is entitled to free speech and would be welcomed
to speak on the campus in that spirit, they are concerned that her
actively promoted beliefs are offensive and injurious to women and
minorities (among others), are strongly and openly anti-intellectual,
and are inconsistent with the values of our campus. (A brief sampling of
her views, collected by Hilltop colleagues, is below.)

Several letters to the Chancellor and Board of Trustees objecting to
conferring this degree (from both men and women faculty and students)
are posted at http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~awf/schlafly-protest.html.
<http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/%7Eawf/schlafly-protest.html> Contact the Chancellor
or Board of Trustees with your views directly. While support of this
kind may not alter the awarding of this degree, the level of faculty
involvement may inform future discussion of such awards.

*EVOLUTION*

Criticism Of Evolution Can't Be Silenced (August 16, 2006)

Liberals see the political value to teaching evolution in school, as it
makes teachers and children think they are no more special than animals.
Childhood joy and ambition can turn into depression as children learn to
reject that they were created in the image of God.

...

Although the liberals spent a lot of money to defeat members of the
Kansas school board members on August 1, they are finding it more and
more difficult to prop up Darwinism by the censorship of criticism. The
polite word for the failure of Darwinism to prove its case is gaps in
the theory, but Ann Coulter's book shows that dishonesty and hypocrisy
are more accurate descriptions.

Evolutionists are too emotionally committed to face up to the failure of
evidence to support their faith, but they are smart enough to know that
they lose whenever debate is allowed, which is why they refused the
invitation to present their case at a public hearing in Kansas. But this
is America, and 90 percent of the public will not remain silenced.

*TORT REFORM AND VACCINATION:*

*Phyllis Schlafly:* Tort reform is badly needed. The awards are
outrageous, especially asbestos and tobacco. Meanwhile, the people who
really need such awards, the kids damaged by vaccines, can't get money
damages (2001). In a January 16, 2008 article she came out again against
required child vaccination programs.

*DOMESTIC VIOLENCE*

Congress should terminate funding for the Violence Against Women Act - a
hate-men law that throws husbands and fathers out of their homes and
deprives them of their children after a very ordinary squabble
masquerading as domestic violence.

Violence Against Women Act money is used by anti-male feminists to train
judges, prosecutors and police in the feminist myths that domestic
violence is a contagious epidemic, and that men are naturally batterers
and women are naturally victims. Feminists lobby state legislators to
pass must-arrest and must-prosecute laws even when police don't observe
any crime and can't produce a witness to testify about an alleged crime.
(San Diego Union Tribune 5/12/06)

*BIRTH CONTROL *(Eagle Forum column)

"It's very healthy for a young girl to be deterred from promiscuity by
fear of contracting a painful, incurable disease, or cervical cancer, or
sterility, or the likelihood of giving birth to a dead, blind, or
brain-damaged baby (even 10 years later when she may be happily married)."

*ACADEMICS*

Many professors are Marxists or other varieties of radicals that hate
America (April 2005)

*NATIVE AMERICANS*:

"Many years ago Christian pioneers had to fight savage Indians. Today
missionaries of these former cultures are being sent via the public
schools to heathenize our children."/ (Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum);/

*ENGLISH MAJORS:* Schlafly article ""Advice to College Students: Don't
Major in English",
http://townhall.com/columnists/PhyllisSchlafly/2007/10/02/advice_to_college_students_dont_major_in_english.,
in which she states: " it was no surprise that Cho Seung-Hui, the
murderer of 32 students and teachers at Virginia Tech, was an English
major."

*HOMOSEXUALITY* (from forum in 2003):

... same-sex relationships are neither exclusive nor permanent...If
personal desire is to become the only criterion for public recognition
of marriage, if equal rights and nondiscrimination require us to be
neutral about who is eligible for marriage, how then can we deny
marriage to those who want to marry a child, or a sibling, or more than
one wife? All those practices are common in some other countries.

*SOCIAL SERVICES AND CHILDREN *(Oct. 1995):

The key to catching most or all schoolchildren in the social-service
web, whether their families request or want such services or not, is the
categorization of children as "at risk," a magic phrase used to
authorize the state to do whatever it wants with children.

The rapidly spreading Parents As Teachers program brings infants and
preschool children under government control by sending government agents
into private homes to tell parents how to raise their children.

"Congress should repeal and/or defund all federal laws that have
anything to do with curriculum, standards, or provision of social
services in the schools. State legislatures should repeal and/or defund
all legislation that has anything to do with changing schools into
social welfare agencies or community service organizations. "

*HARVARD** UNIVERSITY** PRESIDENT LARRY SUMMERS' REMARKS:* "The outburst
by feminist professors simply confirms the stereotype ... that they are
too emotional to handle intellectual or scientific debate."

Watch this Documentary Tonight

2008-05-13T09:20:00.002-05:00

Not Really

2008-05-05T22:25:00.002-05:00
HAHA.

Checking referrals because I am a navel gazing introverted fuckwad.

First, who exactly is constantly googling for Bobby Bracelet? And second how did I get to rank #2?

Office prop bets

2008-04-28T12:18:00.000-05:00

I am a winner.
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Springtime in St. Louis

2008-04-27T21:16:00.001-05:00

IMG_0006.JPG
Originally uploaded by good43.
A good day. Took a train ride to the ball park. Pujols went deep. Cardinals win.

Of course we ate peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

Game Day

2008-04-27T15:17:00.000-05:00

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Do Over

2008-04-25T09:30:00.001-05:00
So this weekend is the big party weekend at my alma mater. I used to get a jones for the flat beer, cold rainy weather and drinking undergrads under the table. Also my friends and I have an in with a bar owner near campus still and drink for a good bargain. My best friend in a fit of nostalgia sent me a "meeting invite" to go to the party next year. I said no fucking way. This is the same guy that I basically beg to drop his skirt and hit Vegas all the time. I told him "no fucking way. if you have time off we're going to Vegas" and "I need to drink beer in the basement of a frat house like I need ass cancer."

I think I just grew up a little. A little part of me died too. But come on. We're both married and have 5 kids between us. Hanging out with undergrads all weekend is only going to get one or both of us divorced.

My take?

2008-04-21T19:35:00.002-05:00
Every last one of you is childish and an embarrassment to yourself.

IMG00066.jpg

2008-04-18T15:27:00.000-05:00

Friday at work
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	"This is why the fucking companies that managed themselves into oblivion should be allowed to fail and not propped up. The consequences of the decisions being made about the economy will stick with us longer and with far more negative repercussions than the New Deal could ever have. With the new deal we socialized benefits for individuals. Now the Fed and the Treasury are essentially Medicade/Social Security Disability for corporations. But not all corporations mind you, just the largest ones with the most political clout. Don't think for an instant that Google, Microsoft or Intel would get these bailouts. They aren't a.) connected to the inner workings of the Treasury dept or b.) Blue collar like Ford or GM. Oh, they are also pretty well managed and wouldn't ever need this kind of bullshit. I can take the multi-cavity search at the airport, but the outright thievery of my tax dollars to line the pockets of piss poor managers with golden jet packs just pisses me off. And yes, I just coined the term "Golden Jet Pack", chew on that."