Backgammon - SAGBRAW

 WELL - I have now played 11 games of backgammon on  eXtreme Gammon and it's rating me as an "advanced player" taking the best 8 of my 11 rounds (I had 2 "distracted" games.  eXtreme Gammon, from my research, is the goto software for improving your game as you can go through (or during) a game and it will tell you your errors AND blunders. 

I seem to have an issue with hitting a checker on the #1 blot which I thought was a waste but it's a blunder early in the game BLUNDER!!    
I put the idea of a get-together on Facebook for backgammon just to see if there was ANY interest at all.  We never played with a cube back in the day but I have no issues with using it.  I did have to look up things I had never heard of like the Jacoby Rule which seems common (no gammons or backgammons UNLESS the Cube has been used).  and I'm still confused of what a Beaver Raccoon is. 

 PLUS I can't win a damn game LOL   The software tells you EVERYTHING and my dice have been unlucky 67% of the time against a "Beginner" (which is a pretty good player with a 1600 ELO).

I have 28 Hold'm books collecting dust and 1 BG book which is fascinating.  Backgammon From basics to badass     When did educational books get so expensive.    I saw the author of the book explaining double match point games (also called 1-point matches) and the different strategy when you cannot get a gammon or backgammon and really liked how he explained things.   Love his book. 

So that is my backgammon spew.  Gotta keep the brain working on relearning and learning new things.  Can't get stagnant! 

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I talked to the organizer of SAGBRAW yesterday and they will be coming to Columbus for the next few years.  I told him NEXT year Columbus will be a little more ready with more things to do and see. 

I've seen first hand how other small towns really help the riders on these long rides although nothing like what I saw on RAGBRAI.  What I saw in Iowa was AMAZING.  Can you see Columbus with 13,000 riders in the middle of town?   The money to be made was amazing.  SADLY this year SAGBRAW only had 50 riders down from the 500 I was on but Covid killed a lot of clubs and rides.  

I've already started to form a small group (2) for next year's ride to promote Columbus.  HEY - it's a start!   Columbus seems to never want to be seen or heard when it comes to advertising ourselves.  shhhhh! Don't tell anybody we have a awesome great town.  Let's keep it a secret.  

For instance - The Columbus Historical Museum should be open today (not blaming them), The farmers market SHOULD have been at Fireman's Park where the riders are.  Any local food carts in the area?  Maybe a hotdog and brat stand?   These guys need 6000 calories a day and will eat ANYTHING!!!  

A movie in the pavillion last night or tonight selling popcorn from the popcorn cart would have been great?  Carriage rides around town?   sigh!       

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Leaving The Oaks last night the sky was orange and check out the mammatus clouds to the left. 

I scored poorly but it was cart path only and I swear I got more walking in then the walkers.  If the ball was on the left side of the fairway my cart was on the right  and vice versa.  Knee hurt a little after the round.  Too much "jogging" back and forth across the fairway.      

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1 acre of hemp produce 25% more O2 than 1 acre of forest. One acre of hemp grows in 6 months while a forest takes decades.  MAYBE use hemp to produce paper?  It would save millions of acres of forest every year . . . .just saying.   

OK OK - seems many communities are wanting to decriminalize psychedelics. WHAT?   I'm still not up to speed on this.  OH - I have taken my share of psychedelics way way back in the 70s. MDA, windowpane, purple and cherry haze, shrooms and so on and so forth but back then things were pure.  But now? decriminalizing? - I need a LITTLE more information.  But frankly, I'm not THAT interested.  

Been there, done that - moving on. 

A study of mice "highlighted the prosocial effects" of nonpsychotropic cannabis.   You know - it seems mice are all getting the good shit. To be honest I went to the link and got bored REALLY fast! 

Colorado sold $187 million in cannabis in June adding $54 million to their State coffers.  The Republicans in Wisconsin don't want that money I guess.  Most of the cash goes to Police and education.  

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Who wants to buy a stadium!  

The National Stadium is for sale in Tokyo for only 1.4 billion.  Build for 68,000 people and has only hosted the Opening and Closing of the olympics and will only cose 22 million a year for maintenance. There are no plans to ever use it again!  

PERFECT for you fantasy drafts, backgammon tournaments. 

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Most animals actually like to work to get their food.  Give an animal a puzzle to get food and they will gladly try to figure it out . . . . .except house cats!  In an experiment they just laid there and whined.

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OH - lastly (getting long) The Golf industry has had its best year EVER.  Rounds are up 22% from last year which was also arecord.  Callaway and Taylormade had over 100% increase in sales and golf instructions at courses are seeing a record number of new golfers taking lessons.

Cheers