Hoy, If you Can't Beat Them and More Enough is Enough

It's hard to believe but I didn't play any poker this past weekend. Oh wait.. I did play 4 SNGs late Friday night. Nothing too exciting. 2 out 4 with a 1st and 3rd. Instead the weekend was all about basketball and spending some time with Mrs Wonka. During kids naps and after they went to bed, we actually watched the whole season of Celebrity Apprentice or at least the whole season up to now. I've always enjoyed the Apprentice; but I was a little leery of this one. I guess that is why the whole season continued to sit on my DVR. After watching them, it has been a very interesting season. I gotta pull for the country star. Not that I'm a country fan. In fact, I had never heard of him before this show; but he seems like a stand up guy and is really giving it his all for his charity. It looks like it might be a good vs evil in the finals. We'll see on Thursday.

I did play in Hoy's MATH tonight for the second time in as many weeks. I really do like the 6 max format. I didn't play quite as long as last week (where I bubbled); but the end result was the same. Zero dollars. DOH!!!! Nothing exciting tonight. I chipped up a little bit and then missed some flops and gave it all back. Ultimately, I raised from UTG with TT and got raised all in by KngOKngs who had a sooooted Big Slick. What would be a pattern for me tonight, I lost the race on the turn when he spiked a King. What I really hate is that he also rivered the unnecessary Flush. Come on now, Enough is Enough. Just kidding. I hope he uses the chips to good use. DOH!!! I just looked, he was out in 26th. That's a fine how do you do although that is a bit better than my 64th. Oh well, there is always Wednesday and the Mook.

I'm continuing to play micro NL cash games (6 max). Nothing real exciting. I've only played about 1,600 hands at about a 9BB/100 clip. I just need to take a break from limit which was handing it to me again this year. I do believe I will get back to limit some time soon. So while I am positive in my results in No Limit my Win $ at Showdown continues to be under 50%. Tonight, as usual was brutal although could have been worse as I ended up splitting 2 pots where I was a pretty big favorite when the chips went in.

Hand #1

I'm in BB with JT. mini raiser and 4 of us see a flop of 9d8cKd giving me OESD. Very LAGgy guy gets it check to him and hi bets pot. This guy had done this over and over again mostly with air. I called. Maybe not the best move with 2 people to act behind. Anyway, they both called. Turn came 7s giving me the nuts. I checked again and this time UTG bet out and got 2 callers. I did the arbitrary wait a bit while I decide. Oh yeah, I'll go all-in. I only get called by one guy who has KsTd making me a 93% favorite. J on the river splits the pot.

There was another hand where I ended up splitting but I can't find it.

The one that hurt was where a I flopped a set and turned a boat only to lose to quads on the river. The chips went in on the turn. Dang!!!

Throw in 3 lost races and there you have it. Of course, I had my share of fortunate events.

So, I have to believe that the appropriate W$SD is over 50% as it is with limit. Cash game players, do you agree? We'll see how it goes.

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More Enough is Enough.

It was funny, my last blog about Exxon was linked on the Google Finance Page for XOM. I got plenty of referral links from there. Anyway, I'm now moving on to excessive Government spending which of course can never be alleviated; but this one case is just way over the top. Let me say this as a preface. I don't know who originated this idea. This is not a political blog or statement against anyone or any political party in particular.

Anyway, having said that, I want to talk about the IRS rebates that we will be getting in May. I have pros and cons as to if we actually need a rebate and will it really stimulate the economy; but that is neither here nor there. My beef is with the letter they will be sending us in the upcoming weeks. See this news story for more info.

The basic gist is that at a cost of approximately $42 million dollars, the IRS is going to send 110 Million households a letter explaining to them that they will be getting a rebate later in the year and apparently explaining the purpose of this check. Here's a bright idea. Send that letter with the darn checks, pass the word to the news stations and newspapers so that they can report on it. We don't need a letter to tell something that we already know. And if by chance there is information that we need to know, again, a letter with the check would surely suffice.

I just keep thinking of the possible things that the government could do with $42 Million dollars. Without much thought about it, how about:

1) Not spending the money at all.
2) Sending $42K to the 100 inner city schools that could really use that money to better educate students.
3) Find some worthwhile charities such as families of fallen American soldiers.
4) Don't spend the money at all. Oh yeah, I said that one already.

OK.. I think you get the point. Our deficit can't continue to take hits like this over and over again. My stomach just gets in knots when I see this (similar to how it felt when I started adding up all the Disney trip expenses.. OUCH!!!) kind of irresponsible spending whether it from our government, family members, friends, myself, etc...

Oh well, what can you do. We'll see what happens.

Have a nice day!!!!