Pipelayin' Autumn 07

Woke up in (an Edmonton) Doorway, Policeman Calling My Name
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Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 5:46am | Edit Note | Delete
Well okay it wasn't a doorway, it's the Edmonton Greyhound Station, and it wasn't a policeman, but a security guardd. Anyways it's been more than a decade and a half since I've had law enforcement personell kick me awake. Ahhhhh memories :) Just got off the bus from Saskatoon and I now have an hour long wait for my connection to Leduc and work. I'm running on about 90 minutes of tossing and turning on a Greyhound seat instead of sleep with a 14 hour work day ahead of me and I'm thinking this bussing overnight instead of driving idea was stoooooopid. And I thought I'd be less tired this way. Pff! Whateva! The good news is there is this little coin op internet thing and all the facebook junkies of the Edmonton night have scrounged loonies and toonies and stand hollow-eyed and half mad, pale skin almost translucent under the flourescent glare waiting for their chance to check their inboxes and comments. Well fuck them, I was here first. They live here after all. Anyway, only 3 minutes left, going to check all my other internet related shizzle. L8a.
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Flatland Grinder Episode V: Return of the Jedi-like Poker Master.
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Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 9:06pm | Delete
Here's the latest. 2000 hands in to the new game for me and I'm still plus EV to the tune of 5bb/100 hands. Pokertracker is telling me that with a multitabling ratio of 2 tables I'm earning $10.60/hr. This at once exaggerated and underestimating. I believe it's exaggerated because a REALLY strong limit player will come in with a bb/100 rate of about 4, so I think my bb/100 is probably a little high. The hourly rate however is grossly underestimated thus far, since I will usually be playing between 4 and 6 tables. I grew my bankroll enough to quad table today and saw some really positive results, so I'm optimistic and enthusiastic. Of course none of these numbers mean anything until I have about 20000 hands or 10 times what I already have, but they are encouraging nonetheless. I'll keep everybody posted on my progress. It's funny; I have the money to just deposit online and move up limits right now, but I have and always have had a very strong aversion to playing with my own money (i.e. never done it!). There's also a really strong appeal to being able to start with nothing TWICE and make a living off of it. For the next 2 or 3 days however I'm back in Alberta working however, so I won't be playing at all until Friday or Saturday anyway. Until then I'm going to be brushing up on my pot odds since I seem to have forgotten quite a bit of the math since my hiatus. Ken Warren Teaches Texas Hold Em is the book I'll be revisiting initially; it was the first book I ever read on poker, and I still consider to be the most useful. That's all for now. Peace dawgz!
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Flatland Grinder Episode IV: A New Hope
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Monday, October 1, 2007 at 9:25pm | Delete
Today's update. Once again I went out today to arrange a payment solution for getting money on and offline, but the line up at the freaking bank made me postpone again. Which is okay. My free $25 from Party poker seems to be carrying me pretty well. I'm having fun challenging myself to build a roll from scratch again. All I need is about $300 online and I can make a living off of poker again (or start making a living anyway). I've managed to get my free Partypoker cash up to $100 now playing 6max limit which is a new game for me. Pokertracker is telling me that I currently manage to play 1.5 tables on average and earn $8.50 (US) doing so. I know, that's not even close to making a living, but the key here, is that this is playing 1.5 tables at a time. I generally play 6 tables at a time (just don't have the roll online for that yet), so I think that 6 max may prove to be quite lucrative. Currently my player status earns me about $1/hour extra in bonuses, but as I play more and more this will double, triple, possibly even quadruple depending on my volume of play. My bb/100 rate is a little exaggerated, and I barely have enough of a sampling of hands to make any firm predictions about the future, but if current trends hold I should do very well. I think I'll move up the limits quite quickly once I start putting in the time at the virtual felt. I also think I've decided to stay at Party. The points plan isn't quite up to Ongame's bonuses, but the fish factor is huge. Configuring pokertracker to work with PokerAce is a really complicated procedure at Party too, and a guy needs to be a bit of a computer expert and an information ferret to find the how tos out there. Consequently it seems that there are far fewer HUDbots out there. Couple that with the drought on poker lit for the 6max game and it seems to be some easy fishing with donkeys flailing in almost every pot. I can't believe I never tried this game before. I'll keep you posted. I also import this blog to Facebook, so I'm going to start throwing Flatland Grinder into the title of every post here. Facebookers take note...if poker bores you, skip the Flatland Grinder notes.
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Germany's shame.
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Monday, October 1, 2007 at 5:22pm | Edit Note | Delete
I forget what triggered it this morning, but something made me start looking up the history of the Zeppelin. It was absolutely fascinating to read about really. In World War 1 the Germans were actually flying over London and bombing it from Zeppelins (big ol' blimps but I'm sure you all knew that). The British and the French responded with biplanes, and they would shoot these huge airships out of the sky. The Germans responded by defending the airships with their own biplanes, and by designing their airships to fly higher and higher. Near the end of the war they had designed a trio of huge high altitude long range airships. These 3 airships were sent to bomb London, which they did successfully. Shortly after the raid all 3 of them were destroyed in battles on the way home, which altered the course of history. The next mission for the 3 was to cross the Atlantic and bomb New York.
One of the greatest airmen to emerge from World War 1 was of course the Red Baron. And this is Germany's shame, as mentioned in the title line. Baron Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was credited with 80 confirmed kills of allied aircraft. He became one of the most hunted men in history by the allies. And history marks that it was not a duke or a nobleman or even a landowner that was to conquer Germany's pride. It was a lone beagle, not even human, known simply as Snoopy that struck down Germany's greatest fighter.
Baron von Richthofen, killed by a mere beagle.
Famed American Aviator 'Snoopy'
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Let there be light!
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Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 10:39pm | Edit Note | Delete
I hate winter. I loathe and despise winter. I'm hardwired into the seasons; my emotions and metabolism and desire to live cycle with the sun. In the winter I practically lose my will to live and I have to do all kinds of goofy things just to keep myself sane. For the past few years going to the gym and getting out for a few km of running every day has sort of done the trick, but it's still a fight. This year I'm trying something new. I bought a full spectrum lamp today (simulates full daylight) and I'm going to sit with it blazing down on me whenever I'm by the computer (which is pretty much whenever I'm home). Hopefully it helps to keep my circadian clock from going into hibernation mode. I should have stayed in Mexico when I had the chance grumble grumble.
If that's what I have to do...
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The big buck and the criminal underworld.
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Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 1:16pm | Edit Note | Delete
First of all I don't consider myself a criminal, but as an online poker playa I do fall into a grey area somewhere between the light and the dark. The recent rise in the Canadian $ has screwed me out of about 25% of my poker income, which is a bit frustrating. Of all the times for it to hit the highest point it's ever reached in my entire life, it figures that it would peak when I'm partially dependent on a favorable exchange rate for a few extras. However, it's not hurting me as much as it's hurting actual criminals in the real criminal underworld, as indicated by the following article:
(disclaimer: I am a drug free person and have been for about 14 years. I stumbled across this article at http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=a60144ca-f720-42f9-b8ce-b7bab8899f86 and thought it was interesting)
VANCOUVER -- The strong Canadian dollar has hit the illegal marijuana sector just as it has other industries that export to the United States, one of Canada's best known legalization advocates said on Thursday.
But western marijuana growers have also benefited from Canada's strong economy, especially the booming Alberta oil patch, which has increased domestic consumption, according to Marc Emery, a founder of the British Columbia Marijuana Party.
The Canadian dollar touched parity with the U.S. dollar last week, topping a rise of some 60% over the past five years.
A stronger loonie has cut the profit of selling potent "B.C. Bud" marijuana in U.S. markets at a time when producers in Canada struggle with tighter border security and competition in the United States with pot from other sources.

Top quality Canadian pot is selling for $3,500 a pound in the United States, compared with $2,400 in domestic markets, according to Emery, who is also editor of Cannabis Culture magazine and fighting extradition to the United States.

"When you factor in all the risk and transportation, that [higher export price] is not a big deal anymore," said Emery, adding that when the Canadian dollar was weak exporters could double their money selling into the United States.

U.S. authorities seized 26,414 kilograms of marijuana in northern border states in 2005 compared with 11,546 kg in 2001, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's latest National Drug Threat Assessment.

A study in 2004 estimated the street value of British Columbia's annual marijuana crop at more than $7-billion, which would make it one of the western Canadian province's largest industries.

Simon Fraser University economics professor Stephen Easton, who authored the 2004 report, said there has been no specific study of the impact of currency on drug exports but it should be the same as with legal exports.

"Basically, what happened is the cost of producing the stuff went up in U.S. dollar terms," said Easton, who is planning to further investigate the issue.

Emery said Canadian marijuana is also facing price competition in the United States from Mexican-grown pot, which has benefited from a relatively weak peso, as well as increased domestic production in the Western U.S.

The U.S. anti-drug agency said in its 2007 report that large scale cultivation of marijuana by Mexican criminal groups was expanding beyond California and into the Pacific Northwest, and that the potency of the pot available was rising.

"What's happening is that they're producing tons and tons of marijuana this fall. It will considerably add to the U.S. total [supply] and bring their outdoor pot price down," Emery said.

But a healthy Canadian economy has allowed marijuana producers to sell more at home. "They're making a lot of money on those oil rigs, and everywhere Canadians are making decent money they are doing a lot of drugs," Emery said.

Canadians have the highest rate of marijuana use in the industrialized world, according to a United Nation's study released in July.

Emery was arrested in Vancouver in August, 2005, at the request of U.S. authorities, who have accused him of breaking U.S. drug laws by illegally exporting marijuana seeds to the United States.

He is fighting extradition and faces a January court hearing.
A recent rally attended by an estimated 7% of area marijuana users. The other 97% were just going to 'stay home and hang out'.
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They'll have me suicidal...
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 7:20pm | Edit Note | Delete
So a few weeks ago I posted a resume on Monster in order to apply for a job I actually wanted (didn't get it btw). Since posting I've had a few unsolicited job offers come my way from them, jobs that would probably be pretty good if I actually wanted to work (perish the thought!). I just arrived home and checked my e-mail, and I have another offer that really has me quite disgusted. If I wasn't suicidal from the shitty weather and impending winter and demise of summer, I'm sure the Hell a lot closer to it now. They think I would be 'perfect' for this position. Jesus if I'm perfect for this position I deserve to be executed, never mind suicide. Here is the e-mail;

Dear Andy Tait,
CIM is excited to tell you about a position we think may be a perfect opportunity for you!
We are currently hiring for a In-Store Cheese Ambassadors - Let's Get Cooking!!!! in your area, and our recruitment system has identified you as a potential match for the role.
We invite you to check out the details of the position on-line here http://clients.njoyn.com/CL/xweb/Xweb.asp?tbtoken=ZlhbRBNQQ204awF2MVRSHVNUBhIodExYdVxXTikJe2BFX0JoXTYfAhEDBTchGQ%3D%3D&chk=dFlbQBJY&page=jobdetails&CLID=99726&jobID=J0907-0098
and, if you are interested, apply for the job.
Recruiters will be reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates for this role in the next few days/weeks.
Don't wait. Apply today!
Seriously people, the only thing even remotely appealing about being a Cheese Ambassador would be getting the opportunity to confront Bush at the UN.
"The Cheese Ambassador would like to address President Bush on the Iraq War."
Some of my favorite highlights from the job description;
"- Must be comfortable wearing a uniform" apparently there will be a Cheese Ambassador uniform, befitting of this high office.
"- A dynamic environment to apply your skills, and learn new ones" apparently sampling in a grocery store constitutes a dynamic learning environment.
I'm thinking of writing back to them and asking if I'll be able to speak freely to the media as a Cheese Ambassador or if I'll be restricted to cheese talking points handed down by the cheese spin doctors (those same spin doctors that refer to a table of samples in a grocery store as a dynamic learning environment).
That's all folks. I'm going to go re-evaluate my life now.


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Dammit!
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 4:24pm | Delete
So I was on my way out to the bank, ready to wire some money off to Frankfurt to fund my new Moneybookers account and deposit to my site when I came across this thread at 2+2. http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=12216654&an=0&page=2#Post12216654 My post is the one by JKoff (get it, Jack King off- jacking off!!!!!!!!!). Alright, maybe the name isn't so clever. Anyway I'm in a holding pattern, reconsidering sites again. Stoooopid Bill Frist and his stooopid security bill ruining my poker world.
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Almost back in the game.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 9:33am | Delete
First off, Facebook automatically imports my blog entries, so you facebook people already know that I'm playing poker again. But for those of you Flatland Grinder followers that have been wondering where I disappeared to...I'm ashamed to say that I've been committing the most heinous of sins...I've been working (shields himself from the stones and rotten vegetables and boos and hisses of the poker crowd). But I'm back now. Today I'm off to the bank to put some money online. It's been a bit of a runaround trying to get cash on and offline since Neteller left the Canadian market, but I think I have finally worked it out. I'm going to use a bank transfer to fund an e-wallet. I could just use a credit card to deposit at a poker site, but doing so would mean that I would have to cash out via cheque, and I've heard enough horror stories about playaz waiting for cheques that I ain't going to play that game. Better some short term headaches and delays setting up an e-wallet to facilitate easy withdrawals than waiting for a cheque at Christmas time. Let me tell you something people. I probably am not going to get rich playing cards. I may even struggle from time to time to make ends meet. But after this summer of slavery I've come to realize that you can't put a price on the kind of freedom that playing poker for a living delivers. I've missed 7 months of my family's life this year. On my death bed I will be cursing myself for having done this. After travel expenses and childcare etc, I probably made the same or less than I did playing cards. I won't be working out of town again after this job I'll tell you that. And no more 70 hour weeks either. Anyway, I'll be playing cards again 5 or 6 hours a day (targeting for 30hours/wk) beginning sometime next week. In the meantime I'm building up a free $25 that Party poker gave me. I have it up to $75 so far. J2 thinks my odds of busting out starting with only 1 buy in are pretty high, and I agree. On the other hand, it was a free $10 a few years ago that financed my poker career this far :) So here's the long term plan, and it's the same as it's always been. I'm starting out with only 10 buy ins at the $25pl games on the Ongame network next week. They're really soft games, and with the deposit and reload bonuses they are the best bet out there as far as bankroll building goes. Whenever my bankroll reaches the 30 buy in mark I will move up to the next limit. I want to be playing at least 100nl, hopefully 200nl ($6000 bankroll) by April/08. Wish me luck.
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Poker is a complicated game.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 8:59am | Delete
For those of us that play cards regularly that statement is painfully obvious. But a lot of people seem to think that it's as simple as getting 2 cards and hoping they win. One of the guys I work with mentioned kind of skeptically that he had heard poker could be just as complex and challenging as a game of chess. I told him it can be even more complicated, because in chess you have only 1 opponent and you can see his pieces, in hold em you have 9 opponents and 40% of their pieces are hidden. Anyway, I recently downloaded some hand evaluation software called pokerstove, and one of the articles on their site illustrates pretty well just how complicated Texas Hold Em can get. Here's the link http://www.pokerstove.com/analysis/zealots.php
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