odiousgambit's Blog
Jun 03, 2011
Groundhog Day in Delaware Part I
Thursday I get up early, managing to beat rush hour traffic enough to avoid any jams and am on my across the Bay Bridge heading to Harrington Delaware and the Racino there to get my fix! This is to be the second time for me, I had been there right after they got table games last June. That time I missed my turn at Denton MD; this means going by a slightly longer route. The directions could be as simple as 'head east to rt 13 mid-state and turn north' and you would have a reasonable route. But in Denton there is a turn you can make and save a few minutes. I distinctly remembered being mystified as to why I missed this turn the last time I went. This time around, I vow to make sure I have good maps to go the smartest way. I pride myself on being able to navigate with good maps and have avoided using GPS. Surely it is just a matter of being alert at the right time, I'm thinking!I planned actually a different route that would take me slightly north of Denton. As I zip through the general area of that turn it becomes clear that another exit is missed; after a bit the signs indicate I am nearing Denton! I can't believe it but there is going to be one thing for sure: a little miffed now, I am absolutely *on it* as far as not missing this next exit! As I proceed along the turn never seems to materialize. What!? Sure enough I am clearly past it; 13 is just a little further, no point in turning around. I wind up taking the exact same route as last time, Hello Brother it's Groundhog Day!
I had to shrug this off as a possible omen. I lost plenty of money for the way I was betting last time around. But I was too close to justify that kind of nonsense, it's Harrington or bust! The whole thing bugged me so much on the way back I turn around at both of these missed exits to see what it was I missed. I predicted that missing signs due to road construction made me miss the first turn, and now I confirm this. Reconstructing the Denton error, I carefully mark the turn whereabouts and actually head back as if I was still going to Harrington and sure enough! The damned highway department has a sign at the exit ramp that points straight ahead instead of indicating you take the exit! Unbelievable.
As for this being a bad omen, stay tuned for part II.
Jun 01, 2011
I have a gambling problem: I don't gamble enough!!
Wife out of town now and it's time to do something about it.I was going to try Charles Town WV but really wound up just not being able to make myself go. I have been inside that casino but didnt gamble then due to no Craps going at the time and high minimums on crowded Blackjack tables. At least some of the problem was a lack of trained dealers, so it is possible this has improved and minimums would be down and Craps would be offered before noon, etc. A very convenient time to head out and go came and went. Maybe I am letting the generally bad reputation this place has influence me too much to check it out again; maybe also an unnecessary few terse words with a Suit I had is pretty hard to forget too.
Unless the car breaks down or work calls unexpectedly on a day off, it's going to be back to Harrington DE Thursday to check that out again. I guess I will try my luck too with the Players Club.
Stay tuned, if I can flatter myself enough to think anyone would be interested!
Comments
I used to ride the train from Baltimore to Charlestown. But now with amtrak it is 8 hours !
OG, I know you know this but Harrington is in Delaware...not MD. I can tell you the last time I was there, all the blackjack tables had auto shufflers. Enjoy your time there and good luck.
>OG, I know you know this but Harrington is in Delaware
yep I knew better thanks for the correction
May 28, 2011
Peppers: True Story
I once put some really hot chili peppers in vinegar, the really small red peppers the Chinese like. This I stored in jars that had been used for okra pickles, which do come preserved in vinegar, so the jars should take just acid OK. Checking a few months later I found the metal lids had been eaten up by whatever off-gassed. The lids were paper thin, crumbling to the touch; you still saw the logo painted on top but 'poof' if you touched it.I always thought it would be interesting to make it an enclosed system for a science experiment. There might be a brief period where it could be shown that this is just possibly an exothermic reaction.
Comments
You do know vinegar is full of acid, right? :P
>You do know vinegar is full of acid, right? :P
that's my point. The preserved okra pickles do not affect the lid and would last like that for decades. The destruction of the metal lid was not caused merely by the acid.
Exactly, it's the acid :P
grrrrr [g]
you should try this yourself. It's amazing!
I saw the Mythbusters ep where they used salsa to corrode an iron bar. Slas is amde with vineagar, water, chiles and salt. now, as far as I know capsacin, the thing in chiles that's actually hot, is an alkaline substance. So you'd think it would be neutralized by the vinegar, an acid. Apparently that's not the case. salt does provide an electrolyte, FWIW.
A snack I eat from time to time are Takis; corn chips rolled like tortillas with a healthy sprinkling of powdred lime and chile. they're very hot. but if you soak them in lime juice, which I do, they get hotter. I love them. [Note to Teddys: I like a new variety called Takis Nitro; they're hotter than the Takis Salsa Brava you've tried]
May 22, 2011
The Hook Explored
So as explained in the last post, I am retreating from a vow not to hit the local casinos 'ever', and conceding to myself that under certain circumstances I am not going to be able to resist. So now I am going to have to say I don't frequent the local spots, but might be seen there once in a blue moon. I can still point with pride to never playing local lotteries, slots, keno, and all that stuff.The newest development is that the wife is now cutting this trip out of town short, not being able to meet up with her brother after all. If I had known that, I wouldnt have even thought much about what I was supposed to do with myself. Something a bit longer would have been fine, I think most of us guys get enough of the 24-7 experience with a spouse and actually my wife confesses the same of me sometimes [such honesty is good for a marriage I think] However, I repeat, the hook is set! I don't see how I can let everyone down now after promising a report (it has nothing to do with scratching the old itch [g])
So how and why did the hook get set?
*For one thing, I am under-budget for my gambling, meaning I set aside so much and this keeps growing. This even though it has been a while since I came out a winner. That says I have a gambling problem: I don't gamble enough!!
*DJ Teddybear is also partly responsible [g]. If you search my other blog posts you will see he said I need to give the locals another chance. I think he is right, plus if nobody else is going to review these places I will.
*My craps game has me going. Last time out I was doing well with setting the dice, so it seemed. This even though I am telling myself the good results mean nothing due to a quite ridiculously small number of trials, without actual data but merely this impression, plus a sober assessment leading always to not really believing it possible, I mean really guy! Yet it eats at me, I want to get back at it, I need to play this thing out to my satisfaction.
*Blackjack is new for me, my first time out in real conditions didn't encourage me much, losing a small amount with it. However, clearly this needs more of a chance, I have no doubt that there should be times I walk away a winner. The local games seem to have decent rules.
*I am still experimenting with the Comp thing. So far not so good, that'll be a future post perhaps.
You never know, I might get busy and see the window of opportunity close, but stay tuned and we shall see if this little jaunt takes place.
Comments
This might surprised you, but, we'll get over it.Quote:I don't see how I can let everyone down now after promising a report
"Letting us down" would be going, and failing to give a report.
You don't have to answer to anyone here.
HEY!! I made that comment almost a YEAR ago! Don't be blaming me!Quote:DJ Teddybear is also partly responsible
>You don't have to answer to anyone here
oh, no, you aren't getting off the hook. If I come away a loser you *all* are getting the blame. Remember how your mother always blamed the kids you were hanging out with for your bad behaviour? bad influence was purely to blame ! [ignoring evidence you were the ringleader?] Well, that's going to be what I have to say too! Unless I win big, then it was my idea. [g]
May 16, 2011
The Hook is Set
My wife is going to spend a couple of weeks out of town visiting relatives at the end of the month. It wouldn't be a good time for me to take off from work. Thus it's quite a bit of time to have to myself, so there seems to be no doubt that a day trip to some of the local casino action is in order. I'll do a review I guess, so stay tuned.I had debated with myself about this; the very local action now available is a bit disappointing in many regards, and too close at hand now perhaps for comfort. I had found I could pretty much leave it alone and had been happy with myself about that. So now I have to theorize as to why I have changed my mind. One thing that changed for sure is my spouse being gone for an extended time. But I think there are some other reasons and I will honestly explore them in a future blog post.
Why gamble at all? I've really been thinking about this. Expanding on something the WoO touched on at some point, clearly the reason to offer a bet is because you think you have the edge, a good bet he likes to say. The reason to accept one is because you believe the person offering it is wrong, and that you have the edge instead by accepting it. A casino offers action because it has the edge, and those who patronize that place are doing so do it for various reasons that seldom meet the above condition. Even if comps totally cover someones action, that to me still doesnt meet the condition. For those who can be sure that they have real player advantage, then they have to deal with not being welcome; I need not go into that here I think? In any case, player advantage or evidently even just being smart about being comped does not seem to be in the near future for me, so truly the only reason for me to go violates all the better reasons and instead is just to play for the fun of possibly enjoying short term favorable luck. Prior to now, for the most part I had reserved that kind of entertainment for vacations, times that I could justify such expense better, and frankly justify where I am finding myself better. So I think I am surprising myself a little bit here. But there is absolutely no doubt I am going to do this. The hook is set! Stay tuned.
Comments
A sports bettor might make a wager based on a difference of opinion but a casino gambler knows the wagers are not fifty:fifty. Its simply Lady Variance may favor me in the short term and I can therefore walk away from the table a winner.
A sports bettor might make a wager based on a difference of opinion but a casino gambler knows the wagers are not fifty:fifty. Its simply Lady Variance may favor me in the short term and I can therefore walk away from the table a winner.
>Lady Variance may favor me in the short term
exactly. If not for that the last reason is gone!
Comments
OG:
From Route 404, go North at Route 313, (exit right, and left at the stop sign, and cross under the highway) Turn right at the sign for "Oil City" (MD Route 317-East)about 3/4 mile up the road.
No signs saying "this way to Harrington". But that is the shortcut.
SFB
Check it out carefully sometime, the sign at that exit indicates you go stay on 404 to reach 313 with an arrow that points straight ahead for 313. So that sign evidently screwed me twice!
That sign is for South 313, that seperates from 404 about 4 miles east of this exit.
I live about 12 miles from this intersection....
I once tried desperately to find the Harrington casino after a trip to Ocean City MD, and couldn't find it anywhere. Not a sign to be found and the locals I asked were clueless.
>couldn't find it anywhere. Not a sign to be found
that's particularly ridiculous as they quite clearly expect the Ocean City action to be what makes it for them