Jun
29
To paraphrase late-night talk-show host Craig Ferguson, it’s a great day in Florida.
For those that want to get their gamble on, a new law goes into effect on Sunday raising the betting limits for poker played within parimutuel facilities from $2 to $5 per bet for limit games, and allows no-limit games to be played with a maximum buy-in of $100.
I’m an avid low-limit poker player with a modestly successful poker blog, so obviously I’m in favor of this new law. Opponents of expanding gambling say it increases the potential for compulsive gambling, but the fact is that the data does not support their argument. Harvard just published a study of 40,000 gamblers and found that gamblers moderated their behavior based on losses, amount of time played, and several other factors. In other words, the more people lose, the less they play.
Unlike booze, where the more you drink, the more you drink.
Personal experience: I’m a winning poker player over my lifetime. For a period last year I moved up in stakes and continued to win with an ROI that was as solid as at lower limits. After less than two months, I cashed out a winner.
Why?
Psychologically, I was uncomfortable with the swings. Most people assume that people on win streaks will keep gambling because they can’t help themselves, and people who lose will chase losses to bankruptcy. This is simply not true.
Perhaps they are projecting their own weaknesses and addictive personalities?
I don’t know. What I do know is that no one has ever put a gun to my head and said “Gamble”. Compulsive gambling, like other addictions, has been shown to have medical roots and should be treated as such.
Dopamine agonist therapy was associated with potentially reversible pathological gambling, and pramipexole was the medication predominantly implicated. This may relate to disproportionate stimulation of dopamine D(3) receptors, which are primarily localized to the limbic system.
The argument should be about personal freedoms.
And with personal freedom comes personal responsibility:
Florida Times-Union:
Barlow, who started playing as a way to stay in touch with friends, offered a more blunt suggestion over a round of poker.”Anyone who plays with rent money shouldn’t be playing with cards.
It’s nice to see the government begin treating it citizens like adults, for once. It’s nice to see the “Nanny” mentality amongst our lawmakers dissipate a little.
Make smart choices. Hope to see you at the tables some day. Fun stakes only, of course.
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Jun
28
Getting paid to blog
Filed Under Interesting | Leave a Comment
From time to time I’ve written the occasional sponsored post, and recently signed up with another website that allows me to blog for money. The newest site is called Smorty, and you can get there by clicking the link above.
Smorty has a marketplace that allows advertisers to connect with bloggers to promote their product, service, or website. Blog advertising has long been a method by which companies could get buzz going on the web about their offering. It is only in the last year that this has developed into an above-board formal process. Back in “the day”, advertisers approached bloggers and cur individual deals and these relationships were rarely disclosed. With the introduction of marketplaces like Smorty, advertisers can scale their marketing efforts across many blogs in an efficient way, and lower-ranked bloggers like yours truly can enjoy some minor monetary rewards for writing about things we were already writing about. The disclosure required by most of these marketplaces gives the reader an opportunity to judge the value of the post for themselves.
As for this blog, I plan to continue to keep the sponsored posts to only those that are relevant to Florida - subjects like tourism for which I’ve written paid and unpaid posts in the past. That purposely limits what I can earn, but that’s ok, it means I’ll still have the luxury of giving honest opinions about these things because I don’t count on this blog to pay my bills. I have other blogs where I can write about other subjects, and you can still enjoy the great Florida-centric content I try to spew out.
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Jun
28
Garbage in, garbage out
Filed Under Florida Crime, Florida Education | Leave a Comment
Florida ranks 45th in the US in high school graduation rates
Principal buys crack on camera
Ok, makes sense to me…
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Jun
27
More on dumb politicians: Jacksonville City Council violates Sunshine Law
Filed Under Florida Government, Jacksonville | Leave a Comment
A couple of weeks’ ago, I blogged about local Jacksonville media reporting extensive Sunshine Law violations by the Jacksonville City Council.
Well, guess what? It’s going to the Grand Jury.
Not only that, State Attorney Harry Shorstein is making hay out of this episode, taking the opportunity to confront the Council on their own turf: Shorstein scolds council on meetings
If you want to see something REALLY funny, click through that link and check out the deer-caught-in-headlights looks of Lad Daniels and Michael Corrigan. Brilliant photo by the Times-Union photog, John Pemberton.
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Jun
27
Only in FLA: The Worst Hangover Ever
Filed Under Florida Crime, Only in FLA | 1 Comment
I know I post a lot of stories about Florida crimes… but they’re just so juicy!
Man with headache finds bullet in head
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - A woman was arrested Tuesday after her husband woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible headache and later learned he had a bullet lodged in his head.
Oh, get this: When he woke up, she drove him to the hospital!
Why didn’t she just shoot him again?
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Jun
25
Only in FLA: Stupid Crimes
Filed Under Florida Crime, Only in FLA | Leave a Comment
True Florida crime stories. Sad, but true:
Yahtzee game results in murder
Suspected drunk driver hits deputy
Woman thought she was being courted by Mets pitcher
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Jun
25
Sen. Tony Hill has too much time on his hands
Filed Under Florida Government, Humor | Leave a Comment
Apparently, one of the more pressing issues in Florida, pressing enough to require advocacy by a state senator, is Florida needing a new state song.
I don’t disagree that “Way down upon the Suwanee River” is a song which time has passed by. But, would you want to be the guy to lead this charge?
Folks in District 1 need to keep this guy busy.
Anyway, what would your submission be? I vote for “Fat-bottomed Girls” by Queen. Someone submit it for me, please. These procedures are for people with too much time on their hands.
Edit: Just noticed - the title in the title bar of the browser for the application process page is “Just Sign, Florida - Rules”. Perhaps the music teachers need to take the 3rd grade FCAT test before they’re allowed to post things on the internet.
Jun
25
If you get the death penaly in Florida…
Filed Under Florida Crime, Florida Government | Leave a Comment
… you can be sure we’ll kill you better than we used to.
Jun
25
Poor me…
Filed Under health | Leave a Comment
Sprained my ankle Saturday evening. That’s what I get for walking and chewing gum at the same time. Except, I wasn’t chewing gum. First day with the new feet.
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Jun
23
Poor, sad Judge Larry retiring
Filed Under Florida Crime, Humor | Leave a Comment
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