Happy Anniversary Michigan - (belated)

On Tuesday, January 26th, Michigan celebrated it's 173rd anniversary of being admitted into the Union. The 26th State, admitted in 1837, its population grew to the size required for Statehood largely because of the opening of the Erie Canal, which made Great Lakes travel more accomodating.

We have the third most registered boats in America and more lighthouses than any other state. Our residents (Michiganians or Michiganders, if you like) can show you where they are by pointing with their left index finger to spots on their upright right hand. If you practice, you can also mimic both of Michigan's peninsulas by using both hands.

Do you have a fun fact about Michigan? Make a comment.

WBCOOP Ticket Won!

After my first experience, detailed in numerous blog entries, and trying to get one of the 'spot' awards for online blogging during the event, I tried again - and got a ticket.

I did not try to blog while playing (a smart move), played tight and aggressive and at my peak made it to 20th of 148 players. I went all in with Q's and got hit by K's to finish 145th. Oh well, into the prize pool and I still have one entry left. I'll see if I can improve on the last attempt with my final ticket.

How Much Is A Billion?

How about a little LESS SPENDING???

In the USA, a BILLION is a thousand million, or 1,000,000,000. In England, it's a million million or 1,000,000,000,000. Americans define this second figure as a trillion. Using the American system for a billion:

• If we wanted to pay down a billion dollars of the US debt, paying one dollar a second, it would take 31 years, 259 days, 1 hour, 46 minutes, and 40 seconds.
• To pay off a trillion dollars of debt, at a dollar a second, would take about 32,000 years.
  About a billion minutes ago, the Roman Empire was in full swing. (One billion minutes is about 1,900 years.)
• About a billion hours ago, we were living in the Stone Age. (One billion hours is about 114,000 years.)
• About a billion months ago, dinosaurs walked the earth. (One billion months is about 82 million years.)
• A billion inches is 15,783 miles, more than halfway around the earth (circumference).
  The earth is about 8,000 miles wide (diameter), and the sun is about 800,000 miles wide, not quite a million.

attributed to: http://uspolitics.about.com/od/politicaljunkies/l/bl_how_much_billion.htm

According to the U.S. National Debt Clock, the National debt has been increasing by $3.89 billion per day since September 28, 2007!

attributed to: http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

WBCOOP - final post

2 hrs 17 minutes, finished 268th.Better luck next time.

WBCOOP - almost over

I just dodged a huge bullet. Down to 32 chips, now at 1382 in about 5 hands. One bad decision crippled me and I have to climb out of a deep hole.

WBCOOP - Second Break

OK, at the end of the 2nd hour there are 343 players on 39 tables. I've increased my chip stack significantly with measured aggression. As the blinds and antes go up, we'll see a lot more desperation moves, especially from players with less than 3000 chips.

If the loss of 12 players/minute holds steady, I need to hang out for another 20 minutes or so to get in the prize pool. Ideally, I'll make it to the final table. We'll see.

Just checked on the chicken soup (home made) that I started just as the tourney began - it's WONDERFUL!!!

WBCOOP 2nd round update

Full Box just took over 5000 chips from cctruckee.

I'm floating between 3rd & 4th at this table, it's been a good round so far.

We're down to 415 players on 47 tables, pays go out to first 153. Break in 8 minutes.