April 2011
5 posts
3 tags
Not on the Same Page as the President Here...
In President Obama’s weekly address, one of the solutions he proposes to lower gasoline prices is:
…to finally end the $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies we give to the oil and gas companies each year.
If you take away the subsidies from oil and gas companies, then wouldn’t they respond by increasing prices to make up for the lost revenue? There’s good moral and pragmatic...
1 tag
Summer Reading List
I’m starting law school this fall, and I’ve consistently been told that the best thing to do to prepare during the preceding summer is to do as much reading as possible. There’s a few books on my list that I’ve been meaning to read for a while, and others that were recently suggested to me by friends. I’ll post a review of each book when its completed.
...
1 tag
Happy Passover!
“Michael Walzer once wrote, ‘Wherever you live, it is probably Egypt.’ Those of us who aren’t oppressed live too close to oppression, or participate in oppression, or are otherwise indifferent to oppression. This Passover, when we tell the story of the Jewish people’s journey from the slavery of Egypt to the freedom of Israel, pause for a moment to contemplate this miracle: This year, in Egypt, it...
4 tags
The Worst Part of the Budget Deal
There’s lots of things in the budget, agreed upon by the White House and Congress, that I would change if I had my druthers, but the only part that I find patently objectionable is the ban on the District of Columbia’s ability to fund abortions with municipal money. My views on abortion have nothing to do with why I think this is so wrong. The residents of the District should be allowed to set...
1 tag
Fun with Scammers
I was browsing through my spam folder, and I noticed that about a week ago I received an e-mail from one of those classic scammers who try to get you to volunteer your personal information with a promise of delivering a large sum of money. I decided to engage with the lady (or gentleman?) who contacted me, and it will hopefully lead to some comedy. Click below to read the e-mail I received in...
March 2011
7 posts
3 tags
We Should Leave This Club
I don’t like that the USA is the lone liberal democracy that still uses the death penalty against our own citizens. I’m personally pretty indifferent about the death penalty. As long as there are stringent requirements that guarantee that no innocent person is put to death, I’m comfortable using the death penalty against the most heinous criminals.
But it’s clear that...
3 tags
Pokerstars and Wynn Join Forces
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-bc-us—caesarsentertainment-onlinegambling,0,3521706.story
I’ve long told friends privately that the only way that the laws regarding online gambling would become more liberal is if significant lobbying was done by the major established casinos. It’s very good news that both Caesar’s and Wynn are actively lobbying for...
4 tags
HORSE at the Horseshoe
On Wednesdays and Fridays, there is a $40-$80 HORSE (Holdem, Omaha hi/lo, Razz, Stud, Stud hi/lo) game at the Horseshoe Casino that I like to play. I usually only go once per week, because it oftentimes ends up being close to a 20 hour session and it’s a little exhausting doing that twice per week. I’ve been working hard on my mixed games for the past year, and HORSE is one of my...
4 tags
More on Libya
James Fallows provides a skeptic’s perspective to the military engagement in Libya. I agree with him that it would’ve been useful to have had a more thorough public debate. But I disagree with him (and Dennis Kucinich) that it’s wrong that President Obama acted without explicit Congressional approval. Per the War Powers Resolution, the President can commit troops for up to 60...
3 tags
Play-in Game Madness
I know that this is about a week old or so, but I can’t stop wondering what decision making process would result in the expanded NCAA men’s basketball tournament including play-in games for an 11th and 12th seed. I get why it’s better to get as many schools as possible into the tourney. More games on TV, more money, more exposure for more schools, etc. But I’m completely...
5 tags
Preempting a Genocide
For a few days, I’ve been struggling to understand precisely why the United States has taken a leading role in the internationally sanctioned attacks against Libya. Muammar Gaddafi’s forces have killed some of the rebels who are attempting to overthrow his government, but similarly deadly force has been used by the governments of Yemen and Bahrain against their respective...
Welcome!
I decided to start a blog for a few reasons. I get a lot of questions about what it’s like to be a professional poker player, undoubtedly a nontraditional profession. I’m going to try to write things that will help illuminate what the lifestyle of a pro poker player entails for the outsiders of the poker world, and will also supply an interesting perspective for those familiar with...