Ouchez: The "Predator" strikes back! And Shuttle Disaster

[Ouchez]

I had an itch that needed to be scratched so I made a visit to my local casino arriving at 2pm.

I had finished my work for the day and while still keeping in touch with the office via. Nextel planned on plunging into Craps, BJ, (using the "JaKal" which my friend had allowed me to read for a small fee) and 7 card Stud.

I was hesitant in playing poker since there are so many Pro's that play at this, gaming mecca, and I did not want to be looked at as easy pickings, having less than ten sessions under my belt.

I ate ahead of time at the very fashionable BG, and headed straight to the Craps table. My patented DC play was really working and I was making win after win, more than expected. I had entered my name on the waiting list for poker, with trepidation, and soon I heard my name called over the PA, "*** * report to the Poker room"!

I did so half heartedly as I was doing so well at craps. I bought in for 2 hundred and sat at a table with some very skilled players, wearing sunglasses, caps, etc. and in a short while my chips were gone, but....I did learn much and afterwards one of the Pro's next to me took me to the buffet to eat with him on his comp.

He was a nice older guy that was as deadly in poker as I am in BJ! And that is pretty damn deadly!

After eating I went back to find a BJ table but the conditions were not good so I soon found another seat on a different Poker table.

When I sat down I realized it was between two blood sucking poker players that were younger than I and were a sorta team. Always traveling here together and playing together.

I was mortified that I again would lose my $200 buy in. I seriously thought about leaving immediately but thought that maybe I could formulate a plan.

I thought about what the Pro had told me while eating and formulated a plan of "Predatory Play". Yes, I would become the "Predator" of Poker! (Or go broke trying).

The first thing I would do is offhandedly let all know that I really did not know how to play Poker, then lay back and wait for the good hands and then, only then, make a move, and keep a close eye on all the cards played, especially suits and aces and faces and not to chase straight or flushes.

The two guys on either side were intimadators always betting into the pot and scaring most out of play after the pot had grown. They were funny and entertaining but also scary. One thing I had done is always trying to raise higher than allowed and by doing this I scared many into folding while also letting the 2 blood suckers thing I was an easy mark that was not afraid to bet.

The loudest of these 2 players had amassed $450 in chips and was feeling pretty cocky and we were all betting into a huge pot when it came down to him and me, and then he told me that I can back raise him if, if, I wanted, like I had tried to do earlier, but this time it was allowed and away we went, on and on and on. I knew he thought that he was now going to suck me dry but when the cards were called he had a straight and I a royal flush!! I had all but cleaned him out on that giant pot!! My chips were spilling all over the table. Now all on the table were mumbling that I was no rookie and had set them all up! One player stood up and said he would not play with me any longer and left that table! I though I should leave, being glad I was not playing at #10 saloon in Deadwood, and even more uncomfortable sitting between these 2 Pros.

I decided to stay and am glad I did because I kept on winning and totally wiped out both the Pros and they left very unhappy. I was very lucky and when I left that table at 7am I had 8 full chips trays at 2 hundred a tray and change.

I had also managed to bluff many pots with as little as a pair of sixes.

Now, on to BJ. The conditions were now much better being early Sat. morn and I found a table and took 3rd base. At the table were 3 other players, 3 of them Naval trainees from Great Lakes Naval Station. They were bad players but nice men and soon I had them playing perfect basic strategy and refering to me as "Sir" and most thankfull that I was at the helm!

I was employing the "JaKal" for the first time and soon found my $200 buyin needed help from my pouch to cover the doubles and splits. I was down but I was winning on the higher counts and most doubles and splits. After a while we moved to another table with a new dealer, as that one was being closed, but at that point I was doing very well.

The new dealer was a nice younger lady that had dealt to me for the first time 6 years earlier when this game was dealt deep and was trackable.

I liked her and she liked me so it was a comfortable table. The "Jakal" seemed to work on this mediocre game and within a few hours I had both racks in front of me, a sit down table, filled with red, green and even several black chips, this was a $5 to $100 table.

I was kicking ass at at BJ too!!!!

The pit boss was tribal and used to be the "House Dealer" and he knew my play well from the old days of the good game. We had been talking and being friendly. I saw the pit boss walk around the ropes and come around to my side of the table and bend over to my ear and he said, ***, I have a steak house comp in my hand and a breakfast comp in my hand, for you, I think you should use the breakfast one..... now.....OK? I said sure, but keep the steak house comp and make a comp out for my 3 Naval friends, also for breakfast, deal??

Done deal!

As we waited in line for breakfast we were shocked to see the news of the Shuttle Disaster.

I had no desire to play any longer and having played almost non- stop from 2 pm the day before I thought I should be on my way, and I knew the pit boss felt that way also.

As to the Shuttle Disaster I have always feared complacency on the part of most managers and technicians as well as engineers. after a time we tend to get sloopy, take things for granted, and worst of all ASSUME, never ASSUME anything!

In my company, a tech company, our watchword is "NEVER ASSume" anything. All systems installed are fully tested after burnin and then programmed. Installation of these systems follows the same demanding pattern. If you don't have the time to do it right the first time how will you find the time to come back and do it right the second time?

I fear assumptions were made by NASA that lead to this sad disaster.

I have great respect for the True Heroes who flew on this Shuttle mission, they deserve great honor.

[Sun Runner]

> I fear assumptions were made by NASA that
> lead to this sad disaster.

Why didn't you just fear that the astronauts themselves made some bad assumptions that lead to this sad disaster? Because it would have been to cold, to callous -that's why.

So you take a cheap shot at the guys with the pocket protectors.

I prefer to assume the people at NASA are paying full attention when they hold the lives of seven individuals in their collective hands. Just because the gang at your tech company have to be reminded daily not to "assume" anything, I imagine the responsibility of you and your work possee pales in to insignifigance of the responsibilty felt by the adults at NASA when a shuttle misson is on going.

SR