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Posted by on Nov 27, 2012 in Blog, Movie Reviews | 1 comment

Movie Review: “Life of Pi”

Life of Pi Movie

 

Life of Pi is a difficult movie to review.

Certain to be one of the year’s most widely-discussed films, in part because it’s open to multiple interpretations, this is a bold cinematic achievement by a master craftsman — namely Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain).

Yet, it’s also fundamentally flawed, its most puzzling script gaps camouflaged by extraordinary special effects and first-rate performances by three actors who portray the lead character at different stages of his life.  Indeed, the varied imagery and wide range of emotional demands upon the actors are so compelling that one might actually overlook the glaring contradiction within the film’s most intriguing question — which deals with the storyteller’s relationship with God.  The film is such a powerful visual spectacle that the audience deserves an equally consistent storyline — and ultimately just as satisfying a payoff — which compliments the arduous endurance test of sitting through feels like an overly-long 2 hour and 20 minute epic journey across the world’s biggest ocean.

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Posted by on Nov 26, 2012 in Blog, Las Vegas, Personal | 2 comments

Remembering Poker Writer Barry Tanenbaum (Video)

I loved Barry Tanenbaum.

I miss Barry Tanenbaum.

He passed away a year ago, this week.

For those who don’t remember Barry, he was probably best known for his widely-read column in Card Player magazine which ran for nearly ten years.  Barry also authored two excellent poker books — both on Limit Hold’em, which was his specialty.

Barry was a real poker pro.  He spent most evenings playing at the Bellagio, where the $30-60 Limit Hold’em game served as his office.  Barry’s contemporaries included highly-respected player-writers — including Roy Cooke, Mason Malmuth, Jim Brier, Dr. Alan Schoonmaker and others who wrote about the game as they played it for a living.

But Barry was so much more than just a poker writer and colleague.

He was one of the most decent men I ever met.  He was a genuinely good person.  He was both an intellectual and emotional mentor to those who were fortunate enough to know him.

Please take a few minutes to watch this short 11-minute video I made last year as a tribute to Barry.  The video was shown at his funeral.

A few notes about this video:  Special thanks to Betty Tanenbaum and Lupe Soto for providing many of the photos which appear.  Also, thanks to Ashley Adams, the excellent writer and radio personality who provided the two-minute audio clip of Barry which is heard during the middle of this video.

The first part of the retrospective shows Barry’s personal life.  The second interlude highlights his career in poker.

 

 

 

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Posted by on Nov 24, 2012 in Blog, Sports Betting | 0 comments

NFL Plays — Week 12

Bad Weather Football

 

NOLAN DALLA:  2012 POSTED NFL SEASON RECORD

69 WINS – 54 LOSSES – 2 PUSHES —– (+ 75.85 units / 1 unit = $100)

STARTING BANKROLL:  $10,000.

CURRENT BANKROLL:  $17,585.

BEST BETS OF THE WEEK:  9-3-0

 

On Thursday, I posted two wins and one loss, for a net gain of +7.7 units.  Once again, it’s a positive sign we’re winning the large-unit games.  

Last week’s record was 5 wins and 4 losses.  Most important, the net gain was +9.3 units.  

If there’s one thing I’ve improved this season over the last many years I’ve been posting plays at various public forums (which started in 1997), it’s been with weighing picks and better money management.  

It took me many many years to realize that flat betting gives way too much away when there are stronger than average plays on the board.  Moreover, a pick may be worth playing, but for a smaller amount based on the line or total.  Hence, I strongly recommend varying your bet sizes.  I have more work to do and much more to learn in this area.  But I do want to say that if you only get half your picks right, but weigh the games accurately, you might still be able to produce a nice profit.

Here are Sunday’s plays (11 wagers).

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Posted by on Nov 21, 2012 in Blog, Sports Betting | 1 comment

NFL Plays — Week 12 (Thanksgiving Day Only)

 

Billy Kilmer 1960's

NOLAN DALLA:  2012 POSTED NFL SEASON RECORD

67 WINS – 53 LOSSES – 2 PUSHES —– (+ 68.55 units / 1 unit = $100)

STARTING BANKROLL:  $10,000.

CURRENT BANKROLL:  $16,855.

BEST BETS OF THE WEEK:  9-3-0

 

 

Last week’s record was 5 wins and 4 losses.  Most important, the net gain was +9.3 units.  

If there’s one thing I’ve improved this season over the last many years I’ve been posting plays at various public forums (which started in 1997), it’s been with weighing picks and better money management.  

It took me many many years to realize that flat betting gives way too much away when there are stronger than average plays on the board.  Moreover, a pick may be worth playing, but for a smaller amount based on the line or total.  Hence, I strongly recommend varying your bet sizes.  I have more work to do and much more to learn in this area.  But I do want to say that if you only get half your picks right, but weigh the games accurately, you might still be able to produce a nice profit.

I’m making three wagers on Thanksgiving Day games.  Sunday’s plays will be released at the customary time.

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Posted by on Nov 20, 2012 in Blog, Essays, Personal | 1 comment

Listening to Your Inner Voice

 

Thanksgiving 2012 at South Lake Tahoe

 

Writer’s Note:  Tonight I had the great fortune of enjoying yet another extraordinary dinner and deep discussion with friends and colleagues.

Steve Schorr, Race and Sportsbook Manager at Harveys Lake Tahoe (pictured standing at center in photo) made the mistake of including me in his good graces, an invite that’s always sure to result in an assault on the liquor cabinet, several off-color comments, and a sink full of dirty dishes. 

Gracie, his longtime companion and our host extraordinaire for the evening (standing with Steve in the photo) served a dinner that would have made Henry VIII bust his pants. The only thing more pleasing than the fresh salmon and glazed lamb chops was the company.

On second thought, while the company was indeed wonderful, those smoked lamb chops served with a reduction sauce were pretty damned good. Sorry Steve, you’ve been upstaged by a slaughtered lamb.

Naturally, with good friends and wine comes interesting conversation. The following essay was prompted by our discussion.

 

 

Another dinner.

Another epiphany.

If we have a sixth sense beyond the known five, it’s probably instinct.

Think about that for a moment.

Instinct.

An inner voice.

A feeling.

Were I to define instinct, it would be perception which cannot be measured nor transposed.  But it’s real.  Just as touch is a tangible sensation — a neurophysiological process of transmission from body to brain — it’s not necessarily defined in the abstract.  After all, we see objects, we hear sounds, we taste flavors, we smell odors.  But touch isn’t quite the same.  Accordingly, isn’t it quite possible – even probable — that all the evolutionary tools we’ve come to master over hundreds of thousands of years are now manifested in a greater awareness of our surroundings and a dominion as to how to optimally react to stimuli?

Alas, this is what I call instinct.

It’s taken me most of my life to erase what amounts to fifty years of ignorance or indifference to instinct.  I’m hardly alone.  We’re all inundated with second-guessing and self-doubt.  Killers of human instinct.  Assassins of truth.  Which gradually leads to loss of confidence — and ultimately to sadness and depression.

Why is this so?

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