So I never really have used my blog. I keep getting started but don’t stick with it. So I figured I’d try to use this to track my online poker play.

After the US outlawed some payments to offshore gambling sites I tried to blowout my cash on pokerroom.com. I didn’t have much luck and ended up turning about $100 to $492 in about 3 weeks of sporadic play figuring my online poker days are over. But I just found that Full Tilt Poker has a mac client and is still allowing play from US. Players. So I signed up, deposited $95 and figured I’d track how the money goes.

First game was a $10+1 sit and go, 9 player table of No-Limit hold em. (So $10 buy in and $1 goes to the house.). I ended up winning and picking up $45. So my current total is $129. (95 -11 + 45). One night down and up $29! Woohoo!

My plan is to try to build up to about $200 bones and then go up to the $20 game. I also want to play more of the cash holdem games to improve my skills there. I can play pretty consistently winning poker at the sit and go. Also want to try to get in more of the larger 100+ tournaments to see if I can pick up some real cash.

Today I was listening to Science Friday on NPR and they were having a discussion about embryonics and restoring neural pathways to cure paralysis. Suddenly the guest was talking about proteins and growth agents needed and one was called “Sonic Hedgehog”

Sonic Hedgehog??? what is that?

I was utterly convinced that I either misheard or the guest was pulling one over the unsuspecting audience. But apparently not.   There seems to be a class of genes called “hedgehog” genes found in fruit fly embryoes, which are covered in pointy bumps.   In mammals there are three equivalents the desert hedgehog, the indian hedgehog and the sonic hedgehog.

Who knew geneticists were so silly?

BTW there’s also the tiggywingkle hedgehog in zebrafish.

So I still remember as a kid going to the pinewood derby workshops where we would build our cars for the upcoming race. Ah the smell of sawdust as we cut out the shapes on the band saw, the bubbling lead used to get back to regulation weight .

And the victory of winning. That’s right I had the joy of being the winner of our pack’s Pinewood derby one year. Unfortunately I had to send a proxy to run my car at the regional competition because I had to be somewhere else.

But sweet memories to be relived. Apparently there’s going to be a pinewood derby fundraiser in early August. Time to bust out the bandsaw and paint

Tyler (scroll down) won the amazing race.

Very cool!

So today on Slashdot someone posted a story about Cox Communications doing some surveying of satellite customers wondering if Cox offered Tivo service whether they’d switch from satellite to cable.
Perhaps the most “uh duh” comment posted was this gem:

Cox is more interested in getting folks to switch from satellite to cable than they are in replacing their current DVRs with TiVos.

In case someone didn’t realize it the only way for cable operators to get more customers is to A. Buy more cable systems B. Move people from satellite. Granted the companies can make more money by increasing premium services such as DVR services, but this revenue stream already exists. Now that DirectTV has moved away from Tivo with it’s adoring fans then implementing Tivo software on thier DVR’s can be a real switching point.

Interestingly, as much as Tivo opened the door to the DVR revolution, what distinguishes their product isn’t their hardware but their software. I think most in the cable industry see Tivo running a race against time. As a hardware product Tivo is no longer that viable. It’s got zero IP protection and it adds an additional box to an already cluttered home entertainment center.

Their UI however is brilliant. I have friends who appreciate the integrated DVR from Comcast at home who have threatened to go back to the Tivo simply because it’s so easy to use. This may be what Tivo’s business model turns into, Developing the premier software for DVRs. Maybe the service model by taking a bit from the cable operators. Hey it ain’t all roses but at least they can keep their niche.

Can’t help but follow on that long winded China Post without mentioning this in today’s NYTimes Business section

Labor Shortage in China May Lead to Trade Shift

Ah the boy’s are back in town. April 3rd 2006 San Francisco Giants Opening mid-afternoon (Come on what the heck is with a 4:00pm start time?) I think this year is going to be a telling one for my Giants. Love him or hate him I’m not sure Barry’s going to make it back for a final year in a Giants uni. If he plays next year I have to believe it’s going to be in an American League team as the designated hitter since Barry refuses to allow himself to be hidden over at first.

Apparently some people are already want Barry traded.

Ah screw em. I just want the weather to get back to normal so I can actually feel like it’s baseball season. Not to mention those dulcet tones of Kruk and Kuip on the mic. Krukow Quote of the day

No one can hit that pitch I’d throw it all day. You can’t hit that pitch with a boat oar.

And now for something completely different.

In the last few months there have been a couple of high profile incidents involving Google, Microsoft and the Chinese Government. Google has been forced to censor certain sites from their Google China search portal and Microsoft has been forced to remove some blogs at the forceful request of the Chinese Government (do it or we block access to these sites). Many have railed againts these two for the actions they have taken, they’d prefer that these companies accepted censure in order to send a moral message to China.
This of course would never happen. Even relatively benevolent companies such as Google can’t afford to not be in the Chinese market right now. From a business perspective China is the last frontier of untapped consumers and it’s impact in international business is growing at a rapid pace. The corporate world can’t afford to ignore it and those that control these companies (ie. their boards) won’t let them. Not only that but these types of actions would be counterproductive in the intent of those who would like them to ignore these demands. The revolution will occur in China but it’s going to happen with a whisper. Globalization Capitalization and the growth of companies such as Lenovo will do more to turn the tide of democracy in China than any protest.

(more…)

One of my favorite SF local bands back in the day was a band called Motherlode who did kick as alt-country rock, one of my favorite songs off of their demo was called Texas. I can still remember the hook;

Caught a two-inch nail on a road in Texas
spent the next two days hungry and restless
I ain’t never going back to Texas.

Well personally I’m going to do my best to limit my time in Texas to a couple of hours in the airport on a stopover because the land of the drive through liquor stores is now Arresting people in bars for being drunk in public.

It reminds me of comedian Ron White’s joke about being arrested in NY for being drunk in public.

Your honor I wasn’t trying to be drunk in public, I was trying to get drunk in a bar.
They threw me into the publick [sic]