h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm not sure what bothers me about gambling. Could be that it reminds me too much of the stock market

Thanks, Phil! I did that graphic ages ago, and had quite forgotten that it hadn't yet been published... Last night, after that render finally finished, I rebooted the machine to clear RAM (even though MJW is very well-behaved in that respect) and went into Painter to finish off another graphic that's due tomorrow for blobbing.

Very irritatingly, the app couldn't seem to make circles to the dimensions I wanted. I would make a selection 88x88 pixels and transfer it to my template border only to discover that the selection was something more like 87 x 89.5. So I'll fire it up this morning and try to make it behave.

Horses are measured at the withers. This has interesting consequences when transporting them to events which are categorized by height, the official division being 14.2hh (hands high). Horses (and ponies) don't have anything but connective tissue between the tops of their shoulder blades (the bump called withers) and their backbone, unlike other animals that have collarbones. So, very often, in the rigors of road transport, the animal comes out of the van taller at the withers! I'm not making this up. They need to be walked down before they're measured in to classes.

The distinction between horses and ponies is greater than height, however. Completely different temperaments, much more independent-minded, the little beasties.

Has anyone here ever been to at least the cross-country phase of a 3-day event, one of the big ones like Burghley or Badminton? Erm, I assume they still have 3-day events at those places.

It's so nice to have a day unexpectedly voided of appointments. But I suppose I ought to go out and get the weekend shopping done before the holiday falls on me.

[mt] contemplating the atkins diet, since weight watchers does NOT seem to be working.

[MTG]

GO ANNIKA! After six holes, Annika Sorrenstram is only two shots out of the lead at the Colonial tournament.

So, was keeping women out of the PGA men's tournaments about women not being able to play golf at the men's level, or men's fearing they'd get their butts kicked?

I felt that the whole women playing on the PGA tour was a tempest in a teacup.

Personally, I think it is fantastic that she is looking to stretch her game. She isn't asking for any preferential treatment, and as long as she is playing by the same rules as everyone else, I think its FANTASTIC.

I hope she makes the cut, and I hope that she has a decent showing with her best game.

Courtesy

I hope she qualifies for next year's Masters. Wouldn't that make Hootie apoplectic?

i wish the weather would brigthen up around here

I cannot stand to watch golf in any form. I think that it inhabits a spot in the top ten most boring games. Baseball, curling, golf, football(gridiron) and bowling top my list of "sports" that I won't watch on television for boredom reasons.

This is not to say that I do not respect the various athletes that perform these sports, but I cannot stand to watch them do it.

Lil, Burghley and Badminton are still going.

Pattern-Chaser, Castle White indeed . For my hootoo name badge for the meet ups Amy did a wonderful image based on the White Tower (that was the closest I could find) with a hootoo flag on top. I shall be getting it out of it's resting place for 28th June.

Never quite got the idea of golf but if it's what some people want to do then I'll not stop them, as long as they don't try stopping me doing what I want to do for my recreation.

I know someone (MR!) who likes to watch golf on television as a way to facilitate a good afternoon nap. And I say Go Annika! too. Its about time we settle the barroom bet that women can play golf as well as the men *with* the men.

As for gambling, I feel it should be legal and available to those who are interested. (I don't know if kids were allowed on the floor, Witty, but I sure as heck wandered around unimpeded) But personally, I think its a complete and utter waste of my money. Like Hypatia, I don't even buy lottery tickets. As I heard someone once say "gambling is taxation for the stupid".

And I've become somewhat acquainted with the world of racing. I finised Laura Hillenbrand's wonderful book Seabisuit last week. I can't wait for the movie this summer with Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper ( him!) and Tobey Macguire.

I'm ok at golf for the first couple of holes. Then I start thinking about it and it all goes horribly wrong .

Caer's badge design: http://www.amytheant.co.uk/temp/caer_badge_sm.jpg

Some forms of gambling are a tax on the idiotic. Others involve a great deal of skill. I admire professional poker players. I am not adverse to pumping a few dollars into a slot machine, but I won't play them till I am broke, the way my slumlord does.

[BB]

I find gambling to be an extremely cost effective way to enjoy yourself. I will go play $.25 craps, start off with $20, and play for as long as I want. I will get free drinks, and the entertainment of the other crap players.

Courtesy

Annika finished at one over par, as did most of the field. She's only 6 out of the lead!!!

I took golf as my PE elective in college. The first day of class the instructor, an insufferable , looked at me and said, "Why are you in this class. You'll never be a golfer." "Why is that?" I innocently asked. "Because you're too short. All good women golfers are tall," he replied. So he told me that he wasn't going to waste his time or mine trying to teach me to play a game I was bound to do poorly at. So he told me that if I promised not to attend any classes he would give me a B. Sounded like a deal to me. But I didn't trust him to actually do it, so I withdrew from the class and took bowling instead. I figured I was tall enough to bowl. And the instructor was much nicer.

What a nasty man!

The secret to gambling is to do it for fun. Think of the casino as an amusment park, the amount you loose is your price of admission. It'll cost you and a friend $50 to get into a high end theme park, that's not a bad stake to take to a $5 limit table. Then pick a game you enjoy - craps is my game, you get to throw those bones and your more likely to have friendly chatter than at any other table. Play until you have spent your "admission price." Then go home.