Yakima Chief

Just a pretty Christmas scene

Yakima Chief  - not an Indian tribe (that I know of) but a grower owned company in Washington, and Idaho.

We had home brew club last night The Sun Prairie Worthogs and a representative was there to talk about hops, the cultivation and all things hops. It was rather fascinating but I won't bore you with the tiny geeky details.

Many people do not know that hops and cannabis are in the same family.  When I was in Denver and lifted a tub of cannabis to take a wiff . . . .it smelled EXACTLY like hops.

Cascade hops picked at The Hop Farm

Yakima has 5 farms which produce a total of 110 million pounds of hops a year.  What interested me was that it was rather like harvesting grapes for wine.  Each variety of hops has, on average, about a 10 day window for picking and pelletizing but like grapes it varies.

The farms are rather calm for 11 months of the year and then BAM - it's controlled chaos as varieties near harvest time.  If they are lucky each variety will be ready at separate times but it varies.  Some years it's a 2 day window for 3 or 4 varieties and on the west coast where they get the REALLY good beer, hops are picked and trucked immediately to the brewery.

Literally picked and put in a truck for freshness. Most breweries use hop pallets like home brewers but a beer with fresh hops is OUTSTANDING.

Each year I try to brew a batch with fresh hops and it truly is a different, wonderful beer. It's something very special and very messy to brew as each cone is like a sponge and sucks up the wort. M E S S Y but magnificent.

So last night we were able to experience the same hop from all 5 farms and see the miner differences in each farm.

   
You have to take some and rub it in your palms to heat it up.  Like cannabis heat is needed to activate the oils.  Thus you boil the hops. The round plugs come from a sample from each bale and is tested for seeds, stems and water content before they are pelletized. 

MAN I bet those workers wreak wonderfully of hops when they get home. Yet another great meeting for our 10th?? year?  I'm one of 3 founding members and the club is still going strong with about 40 members. 

One member will be a brewer at One Barrel, one is opening a brewery in Sun Prairie and another is brewing at a new brew pub in Beaver Dam which has fantastic water for brewing.  Madison has so much magnesium in their water it's like a laxative.  Sun Prairie is OK, very very hard water.

At the club meetings we all bring whatever we have been brewing and pass it around. If we have nothing we try to find some exotic beer just so we can check it off as "tried it".   My records have me at 592 unique beers but that is half of what some members have.

I brought something that I discovered and fell completely in love with.  Viking Blod (HEY - I did not spell it wrong) .

 it's actually a mead with hops.  I was at a place that had 5 different mead (honey wine)  and the first four all tasted sort of the same and then this one knocked my socks off.  WOW - WHAT IS THIS!!

OMG - this is the best mead I had ever had.  But was it me?  So I purchased a bottle (about $30 at HyVee) and passed it around.  The group LOVED it.  I kept seeing people picking up the bottle to get the last drop.

A couple reviews from Beer advocate

One of the most incredible experiences. I love beer, not wine, but I idolize this gift from the gods. I've had it on tap and out of the bottle. I absolutely canNOT wait for my next encounter!


Look: light amber, no carbonation, and obviously no head
Smell: Honey, Peach, Floral
Taste: Absolutely amazing! While I like mead on occasion, I have never particularly liked sweet mead. That changed today. Tastes like it smells but better. The alcohol is present, but not at all overwhelming. Simply delicious. 
Mouthfeel: nothing surprising here...slightly syrupy with a mild astringency from the alcohol.

and as I was looking at reviews I read one that I totally agreed with. And then I see I wrote it a last year LOL 

Purchased October 2017 in Door County. Amazing mead that does not taste 19% ABV but does have a little boozy bite (but not a 19% bite). Sweet as a after dinner drink like a port I suppose. Lots of honey and molasses(?) in this. I wonder what hops are used. A little expensive even for Door County in the off season but love this. Certainly NOT a beer

So if you want to give a booze present or share an amazing after dinner wine go to HyVee. They now have it next to the beer by the single bottles.  I know some club members are going to buy some.

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In the NFL - ratings are up 5% along with scoring.  I think fantasy football is changing the real game as they continue to change the rules to get more scoring.

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The average age of death in America is falling. The reason is drug overdoses yet no one in government seems to want to fix this problem.  Don't get me on the anti-opiates rant but with personal experience CBD is so amazing.

At DOJ in Madison MOST workers are on some sort of anti depression drug like Prozac.  DJ was on Prozac but now is totally free after weening off the drug to a totally safe and legal CBD oil.  This oil has zero psychoactive THC (actually THCA - you really cannot measure THC because THC is created with heat.  THCA is what THC is before it is heated and you can measure that).

If anybody out there has anxiety issues and are on anti-depressants - check out CBD and talk to your doctor. The CBD you can get is from hemp which is why it is legal in Wisconsin.   REAL issues can be fixed with REAL CBD.

Scientists have concluded that for CBD to be PERFECT it needs ALL of the other oils and so for kept in.  It's why cigarette smokers who also smoke cannabis have a lower chance of lung cancer. It's an amazing cure for so many things. 

Anyway - Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death for adults under 55.

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Giant frosted Mini Wheats 

   

Esoteric Astrology - What? Me worry?

I'm not a big believer in astrology, it seemed vague and just never really caught on with me.  YET - I was turned on to Esoteric Astrology which is astrology on steroids.  It takes into account not only month of your birth but the TIME you were more born and not just one planet but where ALL the planets were at that moment.

It's all rather hocus pocus - ANYWAY - I had a "reading" done and got the 22 small typed pages that tell me about myself and why I do what I do and so forth.

ONE WORD - CREEPY!!

So I'm reading this bit by bit and it is so right on it's crazy.  I read one part and even Michael Clark will  agree (he called me Joe Liberman once and hurt my feelings). There was one paragraph that told me I was pretty darn liberal EXCEPT every so often I would have a conservative view on things.

YEA - I have noticed that also WTF!!

Little things like

Mars in opposition (within 3.5 degrees) with Ascendant
The planetary energies are polarized; outer events stimulate their interaction; integration is the challenge. 

This aspect gives a rash personality with a quick temper. You lack patience and tend to be argumentative.

WHAT?  ME?  argumentative?  Could this be why I have so many lifetime bans on forums? Why a Columbus facebook group  kicked me off the group (don't get me started on the anti-vax anti fluoride people in Columbus).

 You can definitely "hold your own" in a dispute. You are sometimes hard to talk with, seeming to take your own position at the expense of others, and you should beware of abrasive behavior towards them, such as bragging or pushing yourself too much.

WHAT?  Me? brag?  I don't see it :-)

I have 22 pages of small type telling me how good AND how bad I am.  big ego?  naaaaaa!  I need to find the good stuff again.

This aspect gives a personality with a tremendous drive for power and transformation of self. You are strong-willed almost to the point of ruthlessness, and you have enormous energy and endurance at your disposal. You may appear timid or unsure of yourself, since the power urge is commonly repressed, but then there is the potential for sudden bursts of anger due to the repressed emotion finally exploding to the surface.

OK wait - DJ has been a calming person in my life - I only explode once every 6 or 7 years now.  It used to be more but then I had cancer and I realized life is WAY WAY to short to be angry . . so I suppress it.

It does say that my profession might be one in music as I am passionate about music (I was 1st chair cello in school and in the Wisconsin Youth symphony) and a profession in art, particularly painting (most people call my art work "paintings")

BUT - enough about ME!  sorry - I just got this and it was on/in my mind. 

Esoteric Astrology - SEEMS to be right on.  DJ says it is.

The Moon in Libra gives a gentle and refined personality. You constantly strive for balance between opposing points of view. You like to please everybody, and should beware of a tendency to be all things to all people.

Sidewalks (only a few will understand)

Notice I left off all the wonderful things about me (page after page after page and how wonderful I am) - I didn't want to brag.  KIDDING KIDDING - not that wonderful.


DAMN IT!

Music and art combined

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On other random coffee filled thought and revelations

There is Amazon.  If you have ever registered in their baby register be warned. They are allowing advertisers to ALSO put things in your register without you knowing it.  Seems legit right?

And all of you old people saying social media is bad?  I guess not.  In a survey of kids that spend a LOT of time in social media . . . .they also spend a LOT of time with those people face to face.  So in reality kids that spend a lot of time are getting MORE social then people who do not.

It seems that social media crates MORE face to face interaction then people NOT on social media.

The land formally known as Oklahoma. Seems the Feds forgot to disestablish Creek Nations reservation in 1907 before they created the State. The 10th Circuit Court has declared because of this 44 counties are ACTUALLY in the Creek Nations jurisdiction.

This will go to the Supreme Court at some point and will need to be overturned.

NOTE - I was an American Indian for 60 years so am on their side  . . . . . . Well, I was an american Indian before I got my DNA checked!  Of course this photo of my grandfather did not help.  He was full blooded Menominee and honorary Chief.  My dad was adopted as a baby as he was left at a hospital as an infant. 

Gas - Madison has had cheaper gas for almost 2 weeks compared to Columbus. It's been 10 cents cheaper.  There are now 20 states where you can get gas for less then $2.
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In other fun facts - a new study says woman like temperatures 5 degrees warmer then their male counterparts.
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This whole Nancy Pelosi vote thing. COME ON - she will retired soon anyway.  SHE WILL BE 80 in two years!  I think 80 is the new 60 . . . . .no wait is that backwards?  is 60 the new 80?  That does not sound right either.  I'm so confused.  Yea  60 is the new 80. 
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I think every time Darvin calls me a name I sell a photo. The last couple days have been nice.  HOWEVER - I will ALWAYS thank Darvin for turning me onto Fireball.  I had my first taste at Badger Motor Car and if for no other reason he gets a virtual hug from me every year.  Thanks buddy.

BTW - Costco has Fireball for $20 for one of those BIG jugs ($3 cheaper then Hyvee).  Merry Christmas to me!

OK OK - coffee is taking over.   

enough blithering - more coffee

Columbus vs. Port Washington and the Christmas Lights fiasco

A lot of complaints about Columbus Government from people that have never been in government and have zero understanding of what can and what can not be done in government.

I was one of those once.  In this blog I was a Darvin-lite complaining about city government and how it did not care about our downtown.  I accused and ranted and stomped my feet and then was told "Put your money where your mouth is, stop complaining and DO SOMETHING".   So I ran for office, won and now understand ALL the freaking obstacles of what city government CAN and CAN NOT do.

Then I hear - "Look at Port Washington, look at Baraboo, look at Oshkosh, look at Hartford" and the list goes on and on about awesome downtowns and what THEIR government did.   

To the people that keep telling me of the GREAT downtowns, maybe it's time they get off THEIR asses (I say that with a sly smile).  Each of those city's with awesome downtowns have a BID District.

A BID district is when downtown building owners get together, tax their buildings, and use that money to create a FANTASTIC downtown.  Like Port Washington.

I was looking at Port Washington's BID District minutes. Each building owner in their downtown is taxed by the BID District, in addition to property taxes, $2.01 per $1000 in valuation, capping at $3250 a year. That money is used to clean and beautify their downtown.  The downtown business owners all work together.  How amazing is THAT!

If you see a beautiful downtown, they probably have a BID district OR at least building owners that care about there property.  Sandye Adams was just starting to create a BID District before they left.

SO - you want a magnificent downtown?  It's not up to the city, it's up to the building owners of the Columbus downtown.   

But you know - this whole Darvin thing got me thinking.  Darvin and many long term, never lived anywhere else residents REALLY have good reason to not trust city government. First of all they do not understand government and what it can and can not do - I CERTAINLY DID NOT.  But look at the past shenanigans that have happened in the last two or three decades in Columbus.  FUBR

Just a crap load of stupid stupid things.

When I became an alderman the city was being run by right wing cronies that were anti-business and from what I have been told by MANY long term residents when walking door to door  - it had been that way for a long long time. 

So of course residents do not trust the government.   When I was elected the one thing I learned was  that the people that run things in a 5000 person town are just normal people. HELL - I got on City Council. 

ANYWAY - I got into it with Darvin about the whole debacle about Christmas Tree Lights but while I loath his technique to get things done and believe it hurts more then helps Columbus I do admire his passion for the city.  I like Darvin when he is being calm, he has great ideas.

If he REALLY wants to help Columbus, organize a BID District.  It's how things get done in real life.

SO now the Christmas Light fiasco.  From talking to people yesterday my understanding is exactly what I thought. With the absence of a DPW manager and a vacuum on who really is in charge of those lights and brand new poles, the government dropped the ball.

The Water and Light people never thought about it because it was DPWs job, DPW didn't think about it because the person who did it every year is missing in action, the city government didn't think of it because it was automatically done every year and the Downtown Beautification Committee who SHOULD be in charge did not think of it.

There is blame for EVERYBODY.

NORMAL PEOPLE DO THINGS AND SOMETIMES NORMAL PEOPLE MESS UP!

Add to the fact that the decorations we HAD no longer fit the new poles and I bet it takes a year to get a brand new design, purchase the lights and all the logistics that go with it. PLUS - where will the $10 to $15,000 come from for new lights.  Should we raise taxes?  A Bake Sale?

Heck - knowing all the obstacles just to get a design for a freaking railing in front of a bar so drunk people won't break their ankles was a pain.  We had conference calls to Minnesota and all sort of headaches.  I learned that Government runs on island time - everything takes MUCH MUCH longer.

So there is no Deep State Conspiracy to get rid of Christmas, the sky is NOT falling.  R E L A X

There is a group already working on lights, there have been meetings about the lights - shit happens, get over it. ONE year without lights will not ruin Christmas for generations.

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Meanwhile - I sold this piece to yesterday to a lovely Columbus resident - remember when we used to have thing thing called FALL? 

This is Dix street in Columbus

And just to get you in the Christmas mood. City Hall.

One more image.  I now can put my images on all sorts of things - I have an entire line LOL  I ordered a pillow with a photo I took in Las Vegas a few weeks ago -  it came out GREAT.

MEANWHILE - contractors hired by Trumps FEMA are rebuilding Puerto Rico which includes purchasing bathroom sinks that cost $666, the same ones that cost $226 for Americans.

$3,700 Generators and $666 Sinks: FEMA Contractors Charged Steep Markups on Puerto Rico Repairs

Meanwhile #2 - Trump has said he will shutdown he government if he does not get $5 BILLION for his wall (which Mexico will pay for?).  remember Ammon Bundy? The head of the group that led the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

He said all of this Mexican border is all GOP led fear based.

Ammon Bundy breaks with Trump on anti-migrant rhetoric: ‘It’s all fear-based’

SURPRISE!!

One last thing - just to see if anybody read this far.

1. There is a rumor that Mullins will open a free clinic for legal problems AND fighting crime out of his office.  I see NETFLIX giving Kelly a call soon!

2. and a shout out to Michael Clark who volunteered his time to be on city council.  Now we all know that him and I do not get along at times, we just rub each other the wrong way every so often, that's fine, disagreeing is normal but anybody that ACTUALLY puts his money where his mouth is in an adult manner has my admiration.

I put in those many many hours of tedium every week to tried to help the city and I thank ALL of the basically non-paid city council members who spend the time never getting thanked for all their work.

From me - THANK YOU!  It really truly is a thankless job.     

Have a great Wednesday.

Telling the world how horrible a place is is NOT love.for that place.

So I got into an argument with Darvin (which is ALWAYS a mistake) about the lack of Christmas lights in Columbus.  Not a clue what is ACTUALLY happening but I could have guaranteed you there would be no Christmas lights THIS year downtown.

Brand new poles, no Christmas light committee, a missing DPW director (it seems) who would put them up and since we could not even get bike racks downtown what are the chances.

Of course then he got all pissy and said I have done nothing for Columbus and spend all day getting high which . . . . would be nice,  but not a reality at all.  (I'm pro decriminalizing cannabis but still on the fence on legalization).  I would rather close EVERY bar in Columbus.

Heck - I'm more miffed at having the holiday parade NOT downtown. I think THAT is a crime and would have voted 100% against THAT!   Want to boost downtown? get people down there, not AWAY from downtown. 

I actually agree with MANY of the complaints Davin has but life is way way too short to be angry.  I guess he has never had cancer and does not understand how short life can be ALL OF A SUDDEN.  Enjoy what you have because it can go away so so quick. Move on. Do what you can and move on.

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Meanwhile - Anybody watch Outlander?  We watched The Spy Who Dumped Me last night - a campy dumb-ass comedy that was pretty darn funny IF you appreciate Kate McKinnon's outlandish over the top personality and appreciate Jamie's (Outlander) good looks, you will like this movie.

https://youtu.be/CXkUaaVrB_s

We loved it.  BUT it's perhaps not for children.  Some adult violence - not gory but it's there. A large body count.

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The average American replaces their TV every 6.9 years.  Sort of like a computer or camera now.

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Hidden Barn in Columbus

What gets me is that Darvin CONSTANTLY tells the WORLD how Columbus is such a horrible place but then says he loves the town. 

If you love your wife but constantly tells the world how she is so horrible . . . is that really love? 

Three stores closing, Line Riders the death of football in WI

WELL - now that football season is officially over for Wisconsin with the Badgers fading away to a minor bowl game (NOTE - what Bowl game will have their first cannabis sponsor - "The Cannabis Bowl")  and the Packers just fading away to meaningless games,  now we can concentrate on . . . . the NHL?

NO - The Chicago Black Hawks screwed Wisconsin with their NO TEAM in Wisconsin law in the NHL (Chicago is too close to Milwaukee it seems).

hmmmmmm - Championship bowling?    How about THE NBA!!

OK OK - I gotta say it.  Remember LAST Monday I said my system was 10-2 picking O/U in NBA games and I would not mention it again?

Well - This will be the last time I mention it but that record is NOW 21-5 (I have been emailing balderdash picks just to make sure I have a record of it SOMEWHERE). I know what you are saying - Grinder!  you were 11-3 last week - MUCH worse then 10-2.  Yea - I will try to do better.

BTW - "Grinder" comes from my black jack days.   I did some research trying to get back up to speed on BJ. I was looking at rules and how they effected the bottom line.  MOST rules really are insignificant in the scheme of things - for instance - dealer hitting on soft 17 instead of standing you only lose 0.2%.

HOWEVER the big dog is what you win on a blackjack.   The difference between getting a 3 to 2 payout and a 6 to 5 is a whopping 2%.  A player can go from a 0.48% disadvantage to a 2.48% disadvantage.  Good reason to look for 3 to 2s. 

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Meanwhile - on Facebook a USS Indianapolis friend posted that Costco had a certain Mac and Cheese on sale that she thought it was the BEST EVER.  Then about 30 people posted saying it's AMAZING.

WELL - we went to Costco to see WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE BETTER THEN KRAFT.

On Saturday Elweed was over and I introduced him to The Old Rock just outside of Columbus for the BEST burger in the area. And he agreed. almost as good as Eddies in Sun Prairie but ZERO dark beer.

We eat a large lunch.  Then about 5:00 we have subs while the Mac and Cheese is in the oven.  45 minutes later it's done and NOBODY is hungry.  DJ is not hungry, I'm not hungry and Elweed is not hungry.  But there is is.

OMG - it was SO good.  I was on my 2nd bowl saying I could not stop and Elweed was on his 3rd.  DJ was exclaiming it was fantastic. 

Their is a tiny spice that tweaks the taste buds just enough to make it a party in your mouth on EVERY bite and you don't get bored.  I was truly surprised as I have had many home made Macs that I'm told are great but after 3 or 4 mouthfuls it all tastes the same.

Bravo Costco.

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In Columbus three stores announced they are closing in downtown are closing.  The Capri Steak House is closing with the death of Doc

 Sharrows Downtown (used to be Sharrows Drug until ShopKo and insurance companies screwed them over) is closing due to a lack of business and insurance companies will not deal with small town mom and pop drug stores. You might remember Sharrows being in the movie Public Enemies

And Cardinal Comics will be closing because . . . well . . just because.  They were a great store that brought people downtown but the owner is moving a different direction with his time.  SAD

And speaking of the downtown.  It's been over a year now and STILL, no bike racks, no new benches, no beautification downtown even after we had a plan and money ear marked for the fixtures.  OVER A YEAR!  The job is STILL not complete.

At least I got my damn trees put in!  Disappointed.

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Trump continues to divide America and has become The Great Divider.  Split ticket voting is now at an all time low.

I LIKE to call myself and Independent but I suppose if I never vote for a Republican I can't really say that.

I WOULD if there was a reason.  There are Republicans I WOULD vote for if I had too.  The Senator from Nebraska (Ben Sasse) is a REAL Republican.  I disagree on many things but I DO agree on many other things.  I'm not closed minded, I'm just concerned about the shear amount of lies that the GOP force upon us every day and that people that the GOP harm keep voting for them for some weird reason.

There are two Republican parties now.  The smart fiscally responsible ones (which Wisconsin has none of ) and the alt-Right ones that want to divide America and are just ignorant and are only in it for the power.

And of course Trump the snot nosed brat that hates America and thinks he is a King and not a President.

SO Russian, North Korea and Saudi Arabia have all figured out that they can do anything they want as long as they flatter, and or enrich Trump and the GOP just go along with it.  Is this making America great again?  I think not. 

SADLY - Trump does not believe farmers are part of making America great again as farm bankruptcies are way way up in the Midwest - double the number from 3 years ago.

Moving on.

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This is outstanding AND fun - I have yet to see somebody watch this and NOT smile

https://youtu.be/vcBn04IyELc





And a quick personal note to Ralls, Stacey and Leslie - that black thing you forced on us after Thanksgiving - WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!!  it was scary. 

have a great Monday

WS Ag Center - BEST peanuts ever.

Now that I'm over the shock of watching Aaron Rodgers miss a 3 yard pass and after listening to Dan Patrick and what he had to say about the Packers  . . . I agree.  It's not just McCarthy that should be taking heat. It's also Rodgers who missed open receivers and was showing frustration with McCarthy.  NOT what you want out a QB.

OH - McCarthy has gotten stale and has mismanaged a number of things and add to the equation of just not fielding a team that can compete.  The Packers are NOT a well oiled machine.  

THE GOOD THING is that the Bears look like they will win the division but not at the expense of the Packers.  We can watch them from afar as the Vikings are the ones on the hot seat (how much was Cousins?)   For ME the Packer season ended in the first quarter of game #1 with The Injury.  

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Meanwhile in the NBA I have a little system that I started last week and it's now 10-2 picking the O/U in NBA games.   Tonight The 76ers OVER 223 and The Pelicans OVER 222.   Pretty easy system of just looking at the past.  NBA teams you would THINK change a lot every year but in reality they don't.  They might have different players but the same general theme is always there.

It's like saying Wisconsin football has different players every year but . . . they still play the same way.  Same with the NBA (of course the Bucks have changed significantly).   

This is the last I'll mention of this as I'm sure it will crash and burn but until then . . . . . .

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Watched half of a new Coen Brothers movie on Netflix and I DO NOT recommend it. It put both of us in a foul mood and is rather disconcerting in a violent way.  It's actually 6 stories of the old west.  The first is very comical but the next to are  . . . depressing with #3 just leaving a VERY bad taste.  

We were really looking forward to this but it was an evening ruining event which is a rarity for a movie. 

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There is a whole lot of complaining about Columbus Water and Light raising rates.  Get over it.  There has seen no rate increase for 6 years.  Once CWL gets near the 2% profit margins (which it gives to the city to pay for city employees) it must apply for a rate hike.  

With the city doing SO much road work that includes UNDER the street maintenance of course rates will rise.  If you want new streets you have to pay for them right?  There is well #1 that is on it's last legs and everything is just more expensive.  

I'm no longer on Water and Light (I wish I was) but the rate increase is totally justified.  If I was I would go for the water mains ABOVE the city streets (sort of a steam punk vision). It would save money and the over head pipes would shade the cement which would take longer to break down.

PLUS - having the water mains ABOVE the street would be a tourist attraction. WIN WIN!   

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There is a study out about self driving cars and now much safer they are then human driving cars. 

The problem with humans is they re BAD drivers.  They tailgate and then hit the breaks too hard, then the guy behind them overreacts and its a domino effect.  

One study had 14 cars in a figure eight.  all 14 drivers were human.  Take one human out and replace it with a self driving car.  The average speed DOUBLED

Watch just a few self-driving cars stop traffic jams

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The camp Fire fire has destroyed 10,500 homes.  The head of the GOP blames the liberals.

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What is the WORST YEAR EVER?    How about 536.  The entire European continent was dark from a volcanic eruption in Iceland and the plague hit.

 Why 536 was ‘the worst year to be alive’   

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Remember - when ordering something online.  When you get to the last page that says BUY - wait . . until the next day. You will get deals like free shipping.   Also - make sure you have HONEY on your computer.  It has saved me a BUNCH of money looking for and applying coupons.  Heck I saved $20 on a $80 purchase last Friday.

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WS Ag Center has the best price for thistle seed for birds - very inexpensive bird seed and good stuff AND they finally have their peanuts in.  They have the BEST peanuts (for humans)  fresh from Georgia. a little late this year because of the hurricanes.

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BTW - I post photos in Instagram if anybody is looking for images.

And also - I ordered this from myself on FineArt America - this lovely 16x16 throw pillow = perfect for your lumbar support in your car or couch. 

If you want to see ALL thing you can but go here - I have a shower curtain that is great! and am always looking for other suggestions.

https://rod-melotte.pixels.com/

Black Jack and the stock market.

Back in da day when I was a card counter I played a system called Red 7.  It was developed by Arnold Snyder and was developed for 6 deck shoes. You would watch the cards as they appeared and count in your head.  When a  2,3,4,5,6,and RED 7 appeared you would count +1. When a 10, face card or Ace appeared you would count -1.  Pretty simple.  When your count was +2 times the number of decks in the shoe you had a slight advantage.

This advantage was very small but it was an advantage. If your average bet was $10 using Red 7 you could expect to earn $8 an hour.  This profit is typical of all card counting systems.

The thing is that you would actually WIN when the count was increasing . . NOT when the count was already high.  It was the momentum that brought the profits.

I mention this in regards to the current stock market.

The reason we are in this holding/sinking pattern is not that companies are not making profits. It's because companies are making SO MUCH profits they cannot make MORE.  Like a black jack counting system, the money to be made is when companies are INCREASING profits.

Right now people who buy and sell stocks do not believe a company can make MORE profits, they cannot INCREASE their profits and thus they are not purchasing MORE stocks because there is no where to go but down.

The count is high and cannot go any higher.  Any bad news is a good reason to sell.

The good news is the "tax break for the rich" companies are using their new money to buy back stocks (rather then giving their workers bonuses) which helps the market from tanking on bad news.

Fascinating.

One odd note - I was doing some cleaning (also called stacking) and counted 37 BJ and Poker books . . .anybody need some? LOL   I also still have 25 decks of cards.  I used them for practice. I had cards in every room and my car.  Whenever I was sitting (bathroom) doing nothing I would flip through cards counting. 

It became such a habit that I would start counting ANYTHING.  At a stop light cars going left to right were +1 and cars going right to left was -1.  Then you needed to count AND talk at the same time or else you would be banned (Miss Marquette) if caught.

I was almost caught at The Hole in the Wall casino up north (more of a trailer then a casino actually) when I had The Golden Shoe and won $400 in 15 minutes sitting next to a VERY loud guy playing poorly.   I had to wait for 10 minutes at the cashier before they paid me. NERVOUS!!

ANYWAY - when I was reading an article last night about the market the black jack analogy popped into my head.

Ever since the Las Vegas trip counting has been on my mind.  I got to play at my first single deck table in 2 decades.  I'm pretty sure a woman was counting at our table as she was showing off her memory in a fun way.  Casinos don't hate card counters as long as they make the table a fun place.

One person winning keeps other players from leaving. It's a love hate thing. As long as you don't over stay your welcome and don't win a TON they are fine as long as you make the table enjoyable . . and she did.           

Something I THINK we were doing wrong was not taking advantage of Insurance.  Something you don't see in Wisconsin. Although I have one book of basic strategy that lists when to take insurance and my Red 7 books says NEVER.  I'll have to do some research before next year.

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Speaking of Fox Con - did you know  Wisconsin offered Foxconn more than Virginia and New York did for Amazon  

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WEATHER - Be looking for snow starting about 11PM - pretty tricky forecast but Columbus is right smack dab in the middle of the forecast area so any movement probably won't be felt by Columbus/Madison area.  Looking at 3-4 inches in the middle area and 1 to 3 on north and south sides of the band.  If I had to guess I would say a solid 3 inches.

It will cool off slightly until Wednesday when we get back into the 40s. Lots of sun and melting but rain and drizzle NEXT weekend.     

This weekend - clean up on Saturday with peeks of sun later in the day and sunny Sunday.

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I saw these stools  at a restaurant and vowed NEVER to sit on one

Triazolam is so . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Wednesday I had part two of a tooth implant.  My second one in my life. It's no a big deal physically, financially? yes.

Part one is the extracting of a tooth from a 30 year old root canal fail. Normally they gave me a relaxing pills called Triazolam which is not really needed as I'm not worried or nervous but I take it anyway and nothing really happens. No big deal. Maybe I'm calmer then before but who knows.  They put the laughing gas on (LOVE IT) and in an hour I'm done.  LITERALLY not a big deal.

DJ drives me home and I sleep for a couple hours.  NORMALLY!

WELL - yesterday the appointment is at 9AM.  I take my 2 (they gave me 2 for some reason)  relaxing pills at 8AM and DJ is driving me to the dentist in Madison. We get onto 151 and WAIT.  I cannot STOP seeing double.  For the life of me I see two of EVERYTHING - I can't NOT see two of everything unless I close 1 eye.  I try and try but there are 2 cars that look identical in front of us. 

We park and I wobble out of the car and I almost fall out of my chair waiting - I THINK (I have been told) I was pretty much out of it.

They call me in and I almost miss the dentist chair.  I don't think I EVER saw the Doc.  I get the shots they put the gas on . . . . . and the next thing I know I'm waking up in bed at 4:30 in the afternoon.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO WEDNESDAY! !       

I have no recollection of the procedure and I'm sad I missed the laughing gas part.  SAD! 

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A couple of wrap up images from Las Vegas - This is the so called City Center Complex near the end of The Strip.

OH - Monday night was another early night as I need to wake up at 3AM for the flight back to Madison.  I leave Balderdash and Mr. Electric as they have found another Willy Wonka machine.

Yea - they won AGAIN.  All told they took in about $1300 on a penny machine (playing max bet) .

Now that I know the routine of this LV thing I have some ideas of my own that I want to do next time  . . . if I go out there with The Gang.

MEANWHILE - It seems little Gus was curled up in a fetal position for 4 days as his daddy is gone.  DJ sent a photo of what Gus did for the weekend!  He was so sad.

My daddy left

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Meanwhile - in the real world - remember that homeless guy that helped the woman with $20 and then they started a Go Fund me page and the woman and husband kept all the money?

Total 100% hoax by all three.  Seems they were all in on to keep the money.

**********

Remember the authors of the Republican bogus tax break for the rich giveaway to win votes?  Half of them will not have a job in January.  There really was a blue wave with blue looking to gain more then 35 seats (most since Watergate) in the house and picking up 9 new governors.  Yea - some things got away but it was more like they missed a couple Home Runs but got 37 doubles and 8 triples instead.
+++++++
One person REALLY happy Brad Schimel (the world wide embarrassment for Wisconsin Justice Department) is gone is Steve Avery from the Netflix show "Making a Murder".  The guy is totally innocent but the former AG  Brad Schimel, even at the request of the Feds will not release him for reason unknown (perhaps because Wisconsin owes him $32 million for false imprisonment?)

The entire world is saying "What the hell is going on in Wisconsin".  Their is not one speck of evidence and it's been proven that there is/was a massive cover up in the Wisconsin Justice Department.  Evidence was planted, cars were moved by police to make it look like he did it and all sorts of shenanigans.
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Meanwhile - in Japan - the newly elected minister of cyber security has NEVER used a computer.      Sounds like something Trump would do doesn't it?
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Newest numbers are saying FoxxCon will cost Wisconsin taxpayers $500,000 for EACH employee hired.  GREAT JOB Republicans!
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Sadly the Capri is closing after 26 years of being in downtown Columbus.
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So . . . .where is the Mexican scaravan now??  We have a few thousand troops guarding the border but nobody is talking about them since the Midterms.  Yet more GOP scar tactics.  How can people be so frightened by the the GOP puts out, I just can not fathom.

I used to believe that the GOP were smart with finances but pretty anal about social problems.  NOW, they are just dumb on finances and even worse on social problems.   The American deficit increase 17%
+++++++++++
Watched Black Panther - blah.  Did not really go for it.  Sort of boring actually.  Watched Ready Player One.  it was OK. Better then I though but not GREAT.

   

Las Vegas - It's all muddling together

Just so you know - Nov, Dec, Jan are suppose to be warmer then normal.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are 10-4 and have only played 3 teams that are under .500 and are 5-1 against teams that are over .600.

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We are killing time and SportsGuy and I sit at a BJ table with a couple.  The woman is drunk and the guy is just being a total dick.  He is pushing out chips and his girlfriend goes broke.  So he tosses a red chip her direction and it rolls around and the dealer has to pick it up and place it.

He does this 3 or 4 times and is just an asshole kind of guy.  SportsGuy gets pissed with the BS and leaves.  I stay for a few more hands and the dick pulls out eight one hundred dollar bills when he loses again and say "YOU HAVE AWAKEN THE DRAGON" and he says it like 10 times and throws the money all over the table.

Again - the dealer who has hate in her eyes has to gather it up.  He puts out a $150 wager and loses. Then he pushes out the other $650 and says YOU HAVE AWAKEN THE DRAGON and sadly wins.

He cash's in and leaves.  The pit boss comes over and asks "are they gone?"  yes . and he takes a big broom and wipes off that side of the table.  LOL  THAT was funny!

We tram it over to the WestGate.

TheWestGate Casino has a huge auditorium full of screens.  Games start at 10AM

AWESOME - except the only beer they serve is Rolling Rock and some other weirdo brand AND they come in a big plastic football thing.

By 10:30 I'm sipping my first Jack and Coke out of a plastic cup that cost me $10.50.

We skip the later games and just go on a casino tour of Las Vegas.  I continue to lose my first 10 hands at every BJ table (it seems) but there is always hope.

Balderdash and Mr. Electric find another penny Willy Wonker later that day and AGAIN  (SERIOUSLY) with about $400.  UNBELIEVABLE!!!  And it does not stop there for Willy!

We're killing time as the Packer game is at 5PM.  I think we take a walk to the New York New York casino (NOTE - I'm getting my days mixed up but since I can't blog tomorrow there is some condensation  :-) . . . actually we head to the Bellagio I think.

AHHH HECK - screw the story - The Bellagio is amazing of course as we pass through

 
on our way to the New York New York.

Inside it looks like the streets of Brooklyn

We find out that The Negotiator ahad a good night in Poker

Heading back it's sunset

The Excalibur 

City Center that has the new Aria hotel Casino 

Unknown casino - MGM I'm thinking 

Gotta post this - I had back to back Full Houses on two different machines. 

We were waiting for a light to change . . SOMEONE is having a party!! 

We end up back at Harrahs after the Packer game and SportsGuy and I are still ready to roll but he needs to get warmer clothing as it's cooling off.  We head to his room and I hand over the rest of his gummies . . . NOT knowing he' is going to eat a couple.   he says if I see him playing bad black jack let him know.  

We can't find any tables that are not packed and settle for video poker to end the night.   

At some point I look over and his eyes are little squinty things and he is playing the worst video poker I have ever seen.  He's just pounding away . . .I'm not sure he even is looking at the cards LOL 

We call it a night!  

The next day I ask how he is and he said he went to asleep in 2 minutes.  

Nuff for today!  

A wrap up Thursday

Game Day Las Vegas - Saturday

Last Wednesday (6 days after we arrive at the SAME time) about 10:30PM in Las Vegas at McCarran International Airport there was a situation that REALLY could have been bad.  Seems there was ONE aircraft controller and she was incoherent and blacking out for 45 minutes.

Pilots in the air were refusing to land and pilots waiting to take off were refusing to move. The now unemployed controller was slurring her words and apologizing for saying things like "take off on 762" when she meant 262 and so forth. YIKES!   Then the pilots took control and called for a medical emergency in the tower. . . .this went on for 45 minutes until the OTHER controller came back 45 minutes later.

EXCITING!! 

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SO - more photos and less yacking right?

It's Saturday morning about 7AM and we are cramming into a limo that seats 7 people MY size comfortably (165, 5'8') but alas, there are 8 of us and 7 are larger and I.

We take a ride that seems more like we are going into the desert to be dumped!  Vast stretches of garbage strewned (sp?)  wasteland but we make it to the Big Dogs Brew House which has a sign welcoming us for the 30th year

Big Dogs Brew House is owned by a former Wisconsin Badger who also owned The Holy Cow casino and brew house. It used to be one of the few places on The Strip that offered craft brew, now it is Essence, a legal cannabis shop (where I went).

We spent a few hours at Big Dawgs (Dog?) eating and drinkingand then drinking more and then about noon took the limo to Fremont Street.

Fremont street is "downtown" Las Vegas and is more like a carnival or circus.  There are more boobs, buns and balls then you really need to see and some things I just can not unsee.  It's really "fun" in it's own sodom and Gomorrah way (if I'm using that correctly) 

The Negotiator quickly finds the black jack tables with the sexy dealers and the rest of us move towards the back of Binions for cards.   And this is where I start my consistent card play.

NOTE - we find him later VERY LOUD and happy.  The tables loves The Negotiator and he has a lot of chips. 

I put $200 on the table (as I do) and immediately lose $50.  I then spend the next hour hovering between $130 and $170 before I move to a new table and start that whole process over.  I Swear if I could get rid of the first 10 minutes of a any new table I would have been up.  BUT NOOOO!!

After a while we go across the street to the Fremont and as we look for tables we go farther and farther into the casino and the patrons keep getting older and older.  NO REALLY.

Mr. Electric comments we will be in this area in 10 years and we look around and OMG everybody in this section is over 80.  SportsGuy texts us and is looking and meet up.  He flew in Saturday morning.

Fremont is actually outdoors but covered.  The casinos have no walls.  When we got married 22 years ago in Las Vegas DJ and I were here and it as 110 degrees.  No walls but AC was cranking away - CRAZY!

   
  At night the "ceiling" has billions of lights that play like a movie.   In day time there are two layers of zip lines that fly above your head.

  We decide to go . . . somewhere,  and get an Uber.  Then it's to the tram where you can get a 24 hour pass for $13 that goes up and down The Strip and to other places just off. 

One problem - we could not GET to the tram and found ourselves UNDER it. The only way to get to the escalator was to sun across 6 lanes of street like squirrels - what could go wrong right? 

The lights have everything stopped and the coast is clear. I think there are 7 of us and as SOON as we all take that first running step into the street  . . . . . . . an ambulance comes FLYING out of a driveway with all lights flashing and siren blasting.  We all FREEZE and wait.  As it passes now the lights have all changed and it's every man for himself.   We made it. 

The best photos were from the tram area and I could get some closer up shots of the worlds tallest Ferris wheel the High Roller.

The High Roller is taller then the Singapore Flyer and reaches 550 feet. Each pod has it's own bartender and it seems drinks are free. Each pod will hold 40 people comfortably and costs $40 for the 30 minute ride.

Pretty tough to get a full photo of this giant.

At SOME point SportsGuy as showed up and a couple of Sour Gummies are in his belly.  He is saying he cannot tell if he is drunk or stoned and I ASSUME it's both.  His eyes are little slits and he will not get glaucoma THIS trip.  Me?  I don't do edibles. Not enough control and frankly I just don't care for them.  I do not get a coffee buzz even after 3 cups of Starbucks and have found edibles are just a waste on me. 

and then there is Willy Wonka - One of my BIG regrets was not getting a photo of Balderdash and Mr. Electric playing a 1 cent WILLY WONKA slot machine.

It's one of those where you have no clue HOW you win. . ."it will tell you".  The two put in a BUNCH of money and are playing it with all sorts of fun things happening . . . . . bottom line?

The won about $400!  SERIOUSLY!!  $400 freaking dollars on a penny machine - BUT WAIT!  That is not the end of THAT story.  More on Sunday.

I will not talk about the collage football bets which were disastrous.  nuff said.

I will mention betting on the plastic ponies.

  
You sit down and before you is a betting guide for each plastic pony, what he has done the last 5 races and all sorts of information.  Then you can bet $1 to a larger amount with each odds posted or a quinella where you bet 2 horses will come in 1st or 2nd.  Balderdash won the first 4 quinella. CRAZY.

A fun little game where you don't lose as fast as other fun little games. 

We wander around from casino to casino and about 8PM the crew is wearing down and SportsGuy who flew in this morning is dragging.  I'm FINE!! as I have been drinking Jack and Cokes all day
thinking they were Capt'n Morgan and Cokes . .HEY!  Isn't  Jack a pirate? Captain Jack?   No wonder Las Vegas rum tastes weird!

 
 But as we part ways I get to my cubby hole with no heater room and almost dead batteries in my remote and fall asleep in minutes. 

Gotta get up EARLY by 6:30AM for the Packer games at WestGate Casino. They have an auditorium that holds 800 people to watch all the games on mammoth screens. 

A few random images

The high clouds will come in REAL handy later in the day at sunset

talk at ya tomorrow

Friday - or - the warm up day for gambling

Here is the tip of the day - if you have ever lost your phone it's panic time right?  Want to get it back?  It's easy.  Put this (or some other message) on your lock screen.

On an iPhone take a background photo - then EDIT that photo.  Click the circle with 3 dots / then MARK UP / then the circle + sign  / click TEXT but do not change the size as it will get bigger and then put this on your lock screen.

CBS tested this with ten phones. Five had the above and five were normal.  Then they placed them all around the NY.  All five of the above phones got called and were found.  The five others?  unknown.

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Meanwhile - back in Las Vegas the day starts "cool" upper 50s and sunny.  We go to the breakfast buffet at Harrahs. An "OK" buffet, nothing outstanding but it's $20 and a normal breakfast will cost $20 anyway so . . . . The weird thing it does not open until 8AM.

After Mr. Electric, Balderdash and I take a walk north towards the Stratosphere.  It's a ways and as we walk it's gets a little warm.  The day ended up to be about 80 degrees.

We pass all the local dive casinos like The Winn and The Venetian and soon are in the waste land.

Large chunks of nothing as it seems "The Strip" is moving south towards the airport and the City Center complex.   Blocks and blocks of boarded up vacant land.  In the distance we can see the Strat but it's far far away yet. MUCH farther then you think.

 The big blue building on the right is vacant and was never completed as money ran out and if you look closely you can see windows have fallen out.  Construction stopped about 6 years ago.

This photo does not convey the massive size of this building, it's HUGE! We walk and walk and I see MY first stop. Essence a legal cannabis store.

OK - if you have never been to one here is what to expect. Typically nothing fancy.  Think of The Club LeMark, or remember Lake Street Station in Madison?  An old house, a square building. Never anything SUPER fancy . . . YET. . .  I have heard Las Vegas has plans to open a 50,000 square foot cannabis super store.

Anyway - you walk in and there is a security guard and you hand your drivers license to a guy behind the window and they do something with it.  After a few minutes you are let into another room that unlike Denver is a little more fancy - almost like a bright sports book with prices and so forth and a budtender waits on you.  If you are new they explain everything and ask what you like and it's really helpful.  In LV it's all cash unlike Denver where you can use cards.

I was told I needed to get some gummy bears and I also picked up a small disposable cartridge of concentrate for a vape thingy of sativa. Cannabis has two main strains - Sativa is grown outdoors and is invigorating, mood lifting, everything seems more colorful and happy and is a good daytime strain.  Indica (Id Da Couch) is grown indoors and is a night time strain where you get STONED and is very calming and relaxing and you can watch all 12 season of Golden Girls in a row before falling asleep.  Both have their uses.

Think of Sativa and Indica in beer terms as an IPA and a Stout and then inside those two are many many different kinds and flavors that all give you different feelings.

SO - I get what I'm looking for and go to the Strat where the other two are already playing Black Jack.

We play for a while and then start our way back south walking past the vacant land.  The below photo there is maybe a quarter mile of nothing.

The only real event I remember is stopping at Treasure Island for more black jack and the three of us played for an hour and walk away with a combined $700.  I think that was the last time I won at black jack.  NO - I KNOW it was the last time I won at black jack.

Thankfully I have played over 100,000 hands of BJ when I was an online black jack bonus whore in the early 2000s.  When online casinos were just emerging they would pay you to play.  Give them $100, they will GIVE you $100 and all you have to do is play 4000 ( or some big number) hands.

Crunching the numbers playing perfect BJ after the number of hands you would lose about $30 out of the free $100.  They would ASSUME you would keep playing.  But Elweed and I would cash out and not play ONE hand extra.  We kept track of every penny and we did this about 20 times casinos.

Elweed had about the same results. 12 times we actually made MORE then what they gave us. 7 times we cashed out with about $150, a $50 profit.  Once I lost and cashed out with about $50 a once I was down to about $20 and was pissed off so I played a video poker and got a Royal Flush - BAM $2000.

ANYWAY - I know that black jack is BASICALLY a slightly worse break even game . . .in the long run.

We get back to Harrahs (or wherever, it was all becoming a blur and I had no clue where I was AND I was sober).

We walked past this break in buildings and saw this image. I think this is farther south actually but it's a cool shot.

Big ass Ferris wheel 

That afternoon more and more of the gang of 10 or 12 are flying in and we meet up at a bar where you do not pay for drinks. All you do is play video poker. I ask a few questions on how this works without ACTUALLY ASKING how it works and figure out that if you play one hand every 10 seconds, on average, you can continue to drink and ask for drinks for free.

I have two big jack and cokes and walk away with an EXTRA $1.50.

It's meet and greet time and I'm talking to a guy that fly's in from KC every week. He places bets and fly's back to KC. It's what he does for a living and he is my hero.  We start talking about systems and all things sports betting and Balderdash calls over to me calling me "Grinder" a nick name I was given by Stanford Wong and friends (not his real name) on his forum in the late 90s. ( I was actually on a card counting team at one point). 

The other guy goes "WHAT?  THIS IS THE GRINDER?" and shakes my hand again and he says "I" am HIS hero. And we talk more.

There is a story that goes back a decade and it seems they were playing my picks and winning every thing. I THINK I was 9-1 that week and there were chants at Harrahs GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER as thousands of dollars were being won.  I believe that was the last year for that Linebreaker system.

The rest of the night is rather a blur.  All I really remember was about 8PM people were starting to crash.  YEA - Las Vegas, 8PM and we are getting sleepy!  Now remember - Up at 6AM, start drinking and gambling by 10AM and it's constant for 10 hours.

As we are parting ways Balderdash says - everybody meet up at 6:50PM for the limo to Big Dogs Brew House for the Badger game that starts at 9AM. 

YEA - then things get real on Saturday - Friday was just a warm up.

OH - The Limo!