Back Online, Poker, And Red Turf Part 1

We're back after a spat of technical difficulties, able to get GCP back up and running and updating. We had a smattering of problems the last few weeks and we wish you our sincerest apologies. Note to self, just because a beach place says Wi-fi doesn't mean you'll be able to load a page any faster than one of those modems that used to sound like a rusty R2D2. Sorry to those of you that missed us, and for those of you that didn't notice, check in more often. I've been able to get in a few sessions of Texas Hold'em poker with some success, mostly online. While in Pensacola I wanted badly to hit the Greyhound race track to see what things were like and unfortunately didn't get the chance. Maybe next go round I'll check in there, does anybody know if the run poker tournaments?

I'll catch up with some back posts that I haven't loaded up to the blog in the last week or so in a little bit but first a little bit of a link dump about what I've been reading.

--But do the drapes match the carpet? First there was grass, than there was astro turf, later there was smurf turf, and now there is a field bathed in blood colored synthetics. Eastern Washington, a school in Eastern Washington, is going Red. This is sure to start a trend of people turning the channel when this school gets its few games on air. Really, red? Blue I get? Light shades of other colors might work, but in your face, flame throwing red? Don't think so. Alabama and Nick Saban will not be signing up for this any time soon. Want to see more pics? Of course you don't, but if you just like clicking hyperlinks, here's another one to click.

--Vodka does not put out fires. I feel bad for the Moscowites and a large portion of Russia. I think some of this fire related toxic smog was kind of the worst case fears after the oil spill in the gulf so I have a lot of sympathy for what they are going through. 700 people a day are dying Moscow (apparently double their 350 a day average). What's worse is some of the denizens have even given up smoking because of the terrible conditions made worse by their worst heat wave in 1000 years. Read here for more.

--Water puts out fires but can get you arrested. In better tasting news, a woman went to a water park, wearing a tee-shirt, got wet, got kicked out of the park, got arrested and is now suing the water park. The mother was wearing a bra so it's not like she was showing everything. While her mug shot could be mistaken for somebody arrested for running a meth lab, drug addled skin while offensive isn't an arrestable offense (...but looking at other photos it was probably poor lighting). Go here for the mug shot and video.

--Walking is overrated. A dude hiked the entire length of the Amazon, taking two years to complete the feat (lazy bastard). For the last 20 months he was accompanied by a guide that was supposed to take him five miles down the river. He did it to bring attention to the deforestization of the rain forests. The guide did it because the dude kept saying "Just a little bit further." I have a friend that dipped his back wheel into the Atlantic Ocean to start his bike ride across the United States which he finished when he dipped his front wheel in the Pacific Ocean. Panamians weren't that impressed. He asked me if I wanted to go with him on this trek. I thought about it and decided ultimately, "No F'ing Way."

To be continued...