Once again Jeff and Lauri put out a sensational spread for their 3/6 HOHE game. Yeah, sure, there was poker involved, but more importantly there was excellent company and homemade food (something I rarely experience these days). The highlights in my opinion were the chicken noodle soup and the chocolate pudding. Despite the tough lineup of players, I’m a sucker for all this culinary goodness, and as long as Jeff and Lauri keep feeding me, I’ll keep showing up.

Several of us decided to play a badugi prop during the O/8 rounds. Jeff started things off well by scoring a badugi on the very first god damn hand. My only badugi was a king-high that was beaten by Mike’s queen-high. That pretty much sums up my night of poker. More pudding, please!

The first new workaround for the Port Security Act has arrived in my gmail inbox. Yes, Ultimate Bet has emailed me a way to buck the system and use my credit card to fund my online poker account. You can check it out here.

This system may not be new, and I’m not entirely sure it will work in the US regardless of what UB says. After reading through the FAQ, it does seem like a viable option. Could this mean the illustrious return of hotcookie42 to the world of online poker?? Or could it give the government the excuse it needs to start tracking the activities of online gamers…

Regardless of its viability, this system is inconvenient and also involves annoying fees. I likely will not be opening one of these accounts. My hiatus from online poker has afforded me opportunities to do other things – things which I have enjoyed more than online poker and which potentially provide a source of steady income free from government micromanaging. (DOES ANYONE WANT A WEBSITE?!?) Still, every once in a while I long for a 180 sng on Stars…

Sorry for lack of poker content. I’m just not playing lately and don’t have anything more to say about the absurd fallout from the Port Security Act (involving online poker sites and now even casinos like the Rio).

What I do want to know is who out there can help me with the following issues:

1. I want to be a digital and web designer. I need training and practice with Adobe CS2 and web applications. If you have any projects that need doing (no charge of course) or if you can suggest any steps I should take for becoming a designer, please let me know.
2. Monopoly fans, let’s talk. I mean, I’m so, so close.
3. Looper has a ring and David Wright doesn’t. Please help me rationalize this tragedy.

Those of us in the New York metro area are honored to welcome visiting friend Matt Maroon this weekend. We’re going to try to show him a good time, but I’m not sure New York can measure up to his exacting standards.