One of the special treasures of living in Los Angeles or San Diego is knowing that the adult amusement park of Las Vegas is only a brief road trip away. While I’m waiting with bated breath for them to build a high-speed train through the desert, the trip up I-15 and over the mountains is still decidedly bearable, considering the array of illusionary delights that waits on the other side.
I don’t make it up there too often these days, but when I do I generally limit my debauchery to the cheapest craps table I can find. I used to play blackjack with a simple high-low counting system, but after I had a magical night and won enough to pay off a good chunk of my student loans, the game lost its appeal. I’ve always been a terrible poker player because I have a tendency to fall in love with any good hands I get and completely discount that it’s possible other players have even better hands. Last year was a great one for sports gambling, so good in fact that this fall my computer (I call him Gamblor) and I will be hosting a weekly column of football picks. Stay tuned!
With my condolences, this week’s Song-Off is dedicated to a couple of card sharps I shared a dorm with ages ago who just this week tested their mettle at the World Series of Poker Main Event: Joe Pelton and Frank Grigsby. I was hoping I’d be able to trumpet their success, but unfortunately they’ve both gone bust and are out of the tournament. Frank flamed out in pretty spectacular fashion: after starting the day fourth in overall chip count he was gone by the end of the afternoon; Joe held on a little longer, but it looks like he just barely missed the money bubble. Sorry, guys. Better luck next year.
Electric Light Orchestra, “Poker”
Burt Bacharach, “Casino Royale”
Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Spinning Wheel”
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Last week voters chose the combination of Michael McDonald’s music and McDonald’s hamburgers as their favorites, beating out Concrete Blonde and Wendy’s by a single vote. Stay tuned for next week’s battle of true heavyweights, as we tackle the subject of magical modes of transportation.
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