I just came back from Seattle and was surprised to find out that gambling is legal in the State of Washington. I mainly played just south of downtown Seattle in Renton, Tukwila, and SeaTac. I played Spanish 21 (blackjack with sucker bets), played in a holdem tournament with a $40 buy in and played Ultimate Texas Holdem Table Game.
In short, I came back up and the casinos are much smaller in general - but all over. Think of an Applebee's sized casino. In the tournament I played I went out mid-pack when my quad 4's were beaten by quad Q's. I was behind all the way and never knew it. That is fine though because I then went to the Ultimate Texas Holdem Table and hit quad 10's with a bonus and made over 3x my initial investment on one hand.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Surprising Seattle
I spent the last weekend in Seattle, Washington and was surprised by the experience. Maybe we should start with what I expected and why I went. I went to join some friends for a Celebri viewing of Corteo by Cirque Du Soleil - for those of you that know me you know I am a big Cirque fan. What I expected to find was granola thrown at my feet by a grunge rocker as soon as I stepped of the plane, but I found the Greater Seattle Area to be a very beautiful area with a great mix of water, hills, mountains, trees and lots of aviation related industry.
I arrived on Thursday and after checking into my hotel in Renton headed north to Everett. I took a tour of Boeing's Everett Manufacturing facility where they build the 747, 767, 777, and the 787 and visited the Future of Flight Exhibit. I can describe this in one word - amazing. If you get to the Seattle area this is a must do for anyone. I am an aviation buff, but most of the people on the tour I took were not and they were in complete awe of what we saw. I also visited the Museum of Flight next to Boeing Field just south of downtown Seattle and it was one of the best aviation museums I have been to ranking right up there with the Smithsonian and the Museum at Wright Patterson in Dayton, Ohio. For dinner I took Mike Spencer's advise and went to the Metropolitan Grill and had one of the top 10 dinners of my life.
Friday I went to downtown Seattle and saw the usual sites - Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, the Duks, the floating bridges, athe waterfront and then spent some time taking a second tour around the Reston Airport where Boeing assembles the 737 before realizing that gambling is legal in Washington State and finding a casino in Tukwila to play a bit of blackjack before joining some friends for dinner at Teatro Zinzanni where I learned the bald mans handshake. If you ever get to San Francisco or Seattle I would recommend going to Teatro Zinzanni - it is a bit pricey, but the food is good and the entertainment is great!
On Saturday morning I got up early and went to the Silver Dollar Casino at SeaTac and played in a Holdem Tournament where I went out mid-pack on what I thought was a good hand, but 4 4's loses to 4 Q's anytime in anyplace and I got mine at a bad time. I then went across the casino to their Ultimate Holdem Table and made back my $40 investment and hit quad 10's for a huge payoff more than doubling my money. I then went back to my hotel and got ready to head to my friends house for a "wake" - that is a pre-show party for Corteo. The show portrays a clowns funeral. My friend, Rich Alford, went way out and created a pre-show party that featured lavish hours devours, great adult beverages, and good camaraderie. We left there and went directly to the show which was a spectacle in itself and after the show I headed back to my hotel to rest my weary self.
On Sunday I just got up and leisurely took my time packing and got some breakfast before heading to the airport for my return to Atlanta.
So on a trip rating of 1 to 10 this trip ranked about an 8. I like Seattle and found there was much more to do there than drink coffee, wrangle with environmentalists or slip on left over granola. Seattle turned out to be a diamond in the ruff with nice people and lots to do and see.
Maybe I wasn't so much surprised and misguided.
I arrived on Thursday and after checking into my hotel in Renton headed north to Everett. I took a tour of Boeing's Everett Manufacturing facility where they build the 747, 767, 777, and the 787 and visited the Future of Flight Exhibit. I can describe this in one word - amazing. If you get to the Seattle area this is a must do for anyone. I am an aviation buff, but most of the people on the tour I took were not and they were in complete awe of what we saw. I also visited the Museum of Flight next to Boeing Field just south of downtown Seattle and it was one of the best aviation museums I have been to ranking right up there with the Smithsonian and the Museum at Wright Patterson in Dayton, Ohio. For dinner I took Mike Spencer's advise and went to the Metropolitan Grill and had one of the top 10 dinners of my life.
Friday I went to downtown Seattle and saw the usual sites - Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, the Duks, the floating bridges, athe waterfront and then spent some time taking a second tour around the Reston Airport where Boeing assembles the 737 before realizing that gambling is legal in Washington State and finding a casino in Tukwila to play a bit of blackjack before joining some friends for dinner at Teatro Zinzanni where I learned the bald mans handshake. If you ever get to San Francisco or Seattle I would recommend going to Teatro Zinzanni - it is a bit pricey, but the food is good and the entertainment is great!
On Saturday morning I got up early and went to the Silver Dollar Casino at SeaTac and played in a Holdem Tournament where I went out mid-pack on what I thought was a good hand, but 4 4's loses to 4 Q's anytime in anyplace and I got mine at a bad time. I then went across the casino to their Ultimate Holdem Table and made back my $40 investment and hit quad 10's for a huge payoff more than doubling my money. I then went back to my hotel and got ready to head to my friends house for a "wake" - that is a pre-show party for Corteo. The show portrays a clowns funeral. My friend, Rich Alford, went way out and created a pre-show party that featured lavish hours devours, great adult beverages, and good camaraderie. We left there and went directly to the show which was a spectacle in itself and after the show I headed back to my hotel to rest my weary self.
On Sunday I just got up and leisurely took my time packing and got some breakfast before heading to the airport for my return to Atlanta.
So on a trip rating of 1 to 10 this trip ranked about an 8. I like Seattle and found there was much more to do there than drink coffee, wrangle with environmentalists or slip on left over granola. Seattle turned out to be a diamond in the ruff with nice people and lots to do and see.
Maybe I wasn't so much surprised and misguided.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Hillary -vs- Obama Fight Night
Here is a great game from the New York Post for all you Hillary and Obama fans. Pick your candidate and then throw your punches.
http://www.nypost.com/spsections/hill_vs_obama/
http://www.nypost.com/spsections/hill_vs_obama/
Is Hillary Pushing Wright?
As published by the New York Daily News - found on the Drudge Report.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted.
Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling, angry, sarcastic remarks at the National Press Club Monday, Wright sat next to, and chatted with, Barbara Reynolds.
A former editorial board member at USA Today, she runs something called Reynolds News Services and teaches ministry at the Howard University School of Divinity. (She is an ordained minister).
It also turns out that Reynolds - introduced Monday as a member of the National Press Club "who organized" the event - is an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter.
For the entire article click here. To go to the Drudge Report click here.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Groundings Explained: MD-80 Wiring
Thanks to a recent posting at Landings.com by a poster named Larry I can explain to you why the FAA grounded many of American Airlines MD-80 fleet over the last month.
First, the MD-80 series of airliners was initially produced by McDonnell-Douglas and production was continued by Boeing after they acquired McDonnell-Douglas in 1997. The planes were based on the DC-9 and succeeded by the Boeing 717. Production of all DC-9, MD-80, and Boeing 717 aircraft has ceased with the end of 717 production in May 2006. All of these aircraft are still operated by several major carriers including:
Northwest: DC-9's
Delta: MD-88 / MD-90
American: MD-80
AirTran: Boeing 717
The issue that grounded the MD-80 series of planes had to do with an FAA issued maintenance directive sent to the airlines over 1 year ago that directed the inspection of wire ties on all MD-80 series aircraft to insure 1 inch spacing. In the case of American Airlines, they measured and found the wire ties
to be "within specification", but as you can clearly see below 1.5" is not 1" and the FAA grounded all of American Airlines MD-80's until the inspections were redone and corrected because their tolerance was +/- .125". Larry mentions that some of the aircraft came from the factory with wire ties spaced 4" to 6", but forgets to mention it was on "new" aircraft. Not aircraft with 20 years of use on them and multiple pressurization's.
The writer of the posting on Landings seems to believe that the FAA did this as a thumb in the eye to the airlines and congress because of recent congressional hearings on FAA inspections, and I partially agree with him. The point I think he misses is that most of the aircraft disasters in the last 10 years have been attributed to wiring that was degrading and with the average age of the U.S. commercial airline fleet rising preventative maintenance and inspection of wiring is beyond reasonable to insure the safety of the flying public. The FAA published an entire report on aircraft wiring practices in February of this year and cited the 1996 crash of TWA flight 800 off the coast of New York, the crash of Swissair flight 111 just southwest of Halifax, and numerous other in-flight/ground fires in MD-11's and MD-80's.
So in the end Larry is bitter and you are safe. It makes me feel much better.
First, the MD-80 series of airliners was initially produced by McDonnell-Douglas and production was continued by Boeing after they acquired McDonnell-Douglas in 1997. The planes were based on the DC-9 and succeeded by the Boeing 717. Production of all DC-9, MD-80, and Boeing 717 aircraft has ceased with the end of 717 production in May 2006. All of these aircraft are still operated by several major carriers including:
Northwest: DC-9's
Delta: MD-88 / MD-90
American: MD-80
AirTran: Boeing 717
The issue that grounded the MD-80 series of planes had to do with an FAA issued maintenance directive sent to the airlines over 1 year ago that directed the inspection of wire ties on all MD-80 series aircraft to insure 1 inch spacing. In the case of American Airlines, they measured and found the wire ties
to be "within specification", but as you can clearly see below 1.5" is not 1" and the FAA grounded all of American Airlines MD-80's until the inspections were redone and corrected because their tolerance was +/- .125". Larry mentions that some of the aircraft came from the factory with wire ties spaced 4" to 6", but forgets to mention it was on "new" aircraft. Not aircraft with 20 years of use on them and multiple pressurization's.The writer of the posting on Landings seems to believe that the FAA did this as a thumb in the eye to the airlines and congress because of recent congressional hearings on FAA inspections, and I partially agree with him. The point I think he misses is that most of the aircraft disasters in the last 10 years have been attributed to wiring that was degrading and with the average age of the U.S. commercial airline fleet rising preventative maintenance and inspection of wiring is beyond reasonable to insure the safety of the flying public. The FAA published an entire report on aircraft wiring practices in February of this year and cited the 1996 crash of TWA flight 800 off the coast of New York, the crash of Swissair flight 111 just southwest of Halifax, and numerous other in-flight/ground fires in MD-11's and MD-80's.
So in the end Larry is bitter and you are safe. It makes me feel much better.
The "API" Rat Pack
Somewhere along the line someone (I believe it was Jon Atkins) nicknamed the group of guys I run with "The Rat Pack". We all came to know each other through the API Poker league and over time have forged solid friendships.
Most of us are too young too know who made up the original pack so here is a short history lesson from Wikipedia:
"The Rat Pack is the nickname given to a group of popular entertainers most active between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s. Its most famous line-up featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, who appeared together in films and on stage in the early-1960s. Despite its reputation as a masculine group, the Rat Pack did have female participants, including movie icons Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, and Judy Garland."
If you'd like to know more about "The Rat Pack" click here.
The API Rat Pack is Mike Perry, Mike Spencer, Eric Meadows, Dale DaCruz, Jerry Donovan, and sometimes Jon Atkins.
Most of us are too young too know who made up the original pack so here is a short history lesson from Wikipedia:
"The Rat Pack is the nickname given to a group of popular entertainers most active between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s. Its most famous line-up featured Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, who appeared together in films and on stage in the early-1960s. Despite its reputation as a masculine group, the Rat Pack did have female participants, including movie icons Shirley MacLaine, Lauren Bacall, and Judy Garland."
If you'd like to know more about "The Rat Pack" click here.
The API Rat Pack is Mike Perry, Mike Spencer, Eric Meadows, Dale DaCruz, Jerry Donovan, and sometimes Jon Atkins.
Friday, April 25, 2008
My 2008 Travel Fun List
I am an avid traveler that travels because I enjoy it and like seeing and doing things I don't normally get to do. Here is a list of some of the things I would like to do this year or next.
Close to home:
Zorbing in Tennesse - So you may ask what is Zorbing? Zorbing is a popular activity in New Zealand in which you tumble down a slope while inside a plastic bubble with a bit of water in it. Like white water rafting without rocks! Don't have time to go to New Zealand to try it...then just head to Pigeon Forge, TN and from $37 per ride you can experience just what it was like to roll head over heals down a hill when you were a kid.
Grand Canyon Skywalk - 1 mile above the jagged canyon floor in Arizona you can defy your fear of heights at the Grand Canyon Skywalk. All you have to do is brave the 14 miles of unpaved road to get there and you too can cling to the railing or jump up and down on the 70 foot U-shaped glass structure. The cost - $60.
Aquatica - Anyone that knows me - really knows me - knows how much I like Orlando and now I have one more reason to like it thanks to Sea World. They just opened a park called Aquatica where they successfully combined a water park and marine habitat. $39 gets you in the rest is up to you.
Not so close to home:
The Edge in Australia - I have always wanted to go down under and I am just cataloging the reasons to go there. Add one more - The Edge. In Melbourne's Eureka Tower there is a part of the observation deck that slides out of the building and then the walls and floor turn transparent accompanied by the sounds of shattering glass. Sounds like someone has a sense of humor - crazy Australians. The cost is $25.
Close to home:
Zorbing in Tennesse - So you may ask what is Zorbing? Zorbing is a popular activity in New Zealand in which you tumble down a slope while inside a plastic bubble with a bit of water in it. Like white water rafting without rocks! Don't have time to go to New Zealand to try it...then just head to Pigeon Forge, TN and from $37 per ride you can experience just what it was like to roll head over heals down a hill when you were a kid.
Grand Canyon Skywalk - 1 mile above the jagged canyon floor in Arizona you can defy your fear of heights at the Grand Canyon Skywalk. All you have to do is brave the 14 miles of unpaved road to get there and you too can cling to the railing or jump up and down on the 70 foot U-shaped glass structure. The cost - $60.
Aquatica - Anyone that knows me - really knows me - knows how much I like Orlando and now I have one more reason to like it thanks to Sea World. They just opened a park called Aquatica where they successfully combined a water park and marine habitat. $39 gets you in the rest is up to you.
Not so close to home:
The Edge in Australia - I have always wanted to go down under and I am just cataloging the reasons to go there. Add one more - The Edge. In Melbourne's Eureka Tower there is a part of the observation deck that slides out of the building and then the walls and floor turn transparent accompanied by the sounds of shattering glass. Sounds like someone has a sense of humor - crazy Australians. The cost is $25.
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