Loren's News

Me at the WSOP again.

web@lrf.net — 2009-09-02T10:56:09-04:00

Wow, Is it possible that I haven't blogged since May? So much has happened. Twitter and Facebook. They are to blame.

Well, here is the really short version.

I played in a charity poker tournament that was run by Poker4Life and I came in first place, winning a seat to the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. I lasted 2 days, and got to play with Greg "FBT" Mueller and Mike "The Mouth" Matasow. I was doing well until my AA got cracked by QQ (all in pre flop) but what can you do.

At least, this time I got a little bit better TV coverage than I did back in 2006...

So close and yet so far...

web@lrf.net — 2009-05-11T11:47:44-04:00

Last night I played for 6 hours in an online poker tournament. I came in 57th place out of 954. Unfortunately, only the top 48 got the $12,000 World Series of Poker prize package. Still, I got $650 for my trouble, but if I survived through 9 more people it would have been much nicer.

Oh well. There is always next time.

My feelings about the New York Choral Society Chamber Chorus

web@lrf.net — 2009-05-11T11:46:44-04:00

I was in the chamber chorus way back during it's last incarnation in the early 90's. After it stopped, every year I would ask at the annual meeting "when are we going to have a chamber chorus again?" It was almost a joke that I would repeat every year. And, finally this year, thanks to our assistant conductor, Michael Ciavaglia, we got a chamber chorus again.

However, to be honest... after 15 years, I suddenly realized that I no longer had the driving desire to be in a chamber chorus. I had been asking every year out of habit. But I am at a different place in my life and, at this point, I really didn't need to give up another night of my week. But, since I was such a pest about it all those years, I figured I had to at least give it a go.

Rehearsals were fun, and during our first concert I was filled with overwhelming joy. It was such a pleasure to make such beautiful music. I love singing with the big chorus, but that first concert with the chamber chorus I felt so much more involved in the making of the music. It was spectacular.

Then, during this last concert, I swear to god, there was a moment during the Frostiana while the women were singing, when again, I was suddenly overwhelmed with pride and joy at being part of a group that could create such beauty. I hate to over use the word "Overwhelmed," but that is the word that most accurately describes the feeling. Literally, my eyes started to tear up.

Anyway, this is just a long way of saying, thank you. It is an honor to sing with everyone in the chamber chorus, and in the big chorus as well, and I am very grateful for the reminder of how much I actually love what we do.

President Obama's Blackberry

web@lrf.net — 2009-01-13T11:50:39-05:00

The question has come up of whether or not President Obama should be allowed to keep his blackberry when he is in office.

The issue, I believe, is that all the president's communications are supposed to be documented and recorded. Now, it would be very easy, technologically, to allow him to keep his blackberry and make such recording and documentation happen. However, I have a different take on the issue.

It's not a question of whether he should be allowed to keep his blackberry, or not. The reality is, he shouldn't need it anymore. The purpose of a blackberry is to help keep a person organized and in touch. President Obama will have a staff that will keep him more organized than just about anyone in the world.

I want him to have whatever he needs to do the job to the best of his ability, and that should be his choice. But, I think he'll find that he doesn't need the blackberry nearly as much as he did when he wasn't president.

Most people who have and use PDA's couldn't live without them, but saying a sentence to a team of real live assistants will probably be much more efficient for the man himself than actually using a digital assistant himself.

New York Choral Society Holiday Concert with Peter, Paul & Mary

web@lrf.net — 2008-10-07T09:46:31-04:00

Hey all. Got a concert coming up with the New York Choral Society. Contact me for tickets.

Cutest "We're Expecting" announcement EVER!!!

web@lrf.net — 2008-09-16T15:04:32-04:00

Holy Cow! Cori won another Emmy

web@lrf.net — 2008-09-16T14:57:07-04:00

Dr. Horrible...

web@lrf.net — 2008-09-02T09:44:21-04:00

I don't think I ever posted about Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog.

It's a project by Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.

It's a musical released on the web in 3 15-minute parts. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day and Nathan Fillion And it's absolutely wonderful. If you liked the musical episode of Buffy, you will love this.

The show is available on iTunes.

And so is the soundtrack.

And the liner notes are here...

NYCS Rehearsal Schedule

web@lrf.net — 2008-08-29T12:05:55-04:00

For anyone in the chorus, I put the rehearsal schedule into iCal and published it for anyone to subscribe to, or download.

Facebook addict.

web@lrf.net — 2008-08-29T09:49:56-04:00

If you aren't on Facebook, you don't know what you are missing. I resisted it for a long time, but it's the most fun I have had online in ages. It's a great way to re-establist contact with old friends. I have been having a blast chatting with friends from High School, my job at the Route 4 Tenplex, and even some friends from grade school.

The older you get, the more important it becomes to have friends who knew you when you were young. I don't know who said that, but I definitely agree with the sentiment.

And look, it even inspired me to dig up some old photos... See if you can spot me in this one...

Still singing...

web@lrf.net — 2008-08-29T09:41:15-04:00

Last night I had my quadrennial re-audition for the choral society. It's hard to believe that I have been in the chorus long enough to have auditioned 5 times now. And still love it.

This should be a fun season. Check it out at nychoral.org.

And, if you haven't seen em yet, also check out all my pics and videos from our recent trip to China...

Funny Font Video

web@lrf.net — 2008-08-07T10:18:15-04:00

I've been Facebooking and Twittering a lot lately, but here is a really funny video. Made me actually Laugh Out Loud, and not just type LOL.

Thanks to Your Mac Life for making it the web site of the week, which is how I found it.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

I love the Muppets - Beaker's Ode to Joy

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-24T15:48:10-04:00

I've decided we need a new candidate.

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-16T17:03:17-04:00

Anyone using Loopt

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-14T12:30:07-04:00

Loopt is a social networking site based on your location. You put in updates (like Facebook Status, or Twitter) and your location. It puts you on a map that only your friends can see. It also updates your Twitter and Facebook feeds, if you want.

I don't want to send out a blanket invite to everyone. That's annoying. So, if any of my friends are on Loopt, let me know.

Bryant Park is a swamp...

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-14T12:28:02-04:00

They might show the movie tonight to people sitting in chairs along the side, but our group won't be there.

Seems like it rains every Monday, doesn't it?

See you next week.

Cruising to Music

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-11T10:28:24-04:00

My cousin, Steve, asked me to forward this to my friends. His company is organizing a music cruise. Here's the skinny...

It is a February 2009 Caribbean Cruise with concerts, autograph/photo and Q&A sessions with Blood Sweat and Tears, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The Return(a Beatles Tribute band), etc.

The price for the week long cruise is just $699 and the details can be found at www.cruisingtomusic.com.

To make things sweeter, if someone books, and they mention the BSTDEAL, they will get to have a VIP cocktail party with all the bands, plus some commemorative items.

Surprise musical.

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-09T17:08:43-04:00

This is really funny to me. I love those Improv Everywhere folks.

Added photo page for china pics.

web@lrf.net — 2008-07-03T12:26:36-04:00

I have put the flickr pictures of the China trip into the photo section here.

Very brief update from China, with links to pics and vids.

web@lrf.net — 2008-06-24T14:22:19-04:00

Having a great time. Wish you were here.

Pics on Flickr. Continuing to come.

One video on YouTube. A backstage view of an amazing 15 year old acrobat.

More to come...

PokerRoad is rocking the content.

web@lrf.net — 2008-06-17T11:39:00-04:00

Poker Road is a relatively new website, set up by Joe Sebok, and I have to say that their content is phenomenal. Great podcasts, both audio and video.

If you follow poker at all, it's definitely worth checking out.

Monday Movie Canceled

web@lrf.net — 2008-06-16T17:00:58-04:00

It rained as I was headed over. We canceled. Then the sun came out. But once the grass is wet, it ain't no fun.

And it will rain again.

I'll be gone for the next 2 movies, but they'll still happen, so go and have fun...

Dr. No in Bryant Park tonight.

web@lrf.net — 2008-06-16T15:59:08-04:00

It's not raining (yet) so we are still planning on going to the HBO Bryant Park Film Festival.

We'll eat, drink and be merry, until it rains, at which time we'll make like bat's out of hell.

I am going to China. Here's how to reach me...

web@lrf.net — 2008-06-16T12:42:38-04:00

As you probably know, I sing with the New York Choral Society.

We are going to China for a concert tour on Friday.

The best way to reach me while I am gone is e-mail. I should have internet access in the hotel.

I'll have both my work cell phone and my home iPhone with me. If you have the work number that should work fine. It's the number that starts (646) 739... (I am not crazy enough to post my number here. :-)

If the work phone doesn't work, and you really, really need to reach me, then there is the iPhone.

Now, here's the deal with the iPhone. Calls are $1.99/minute, and it turns out that even if I don't answer, I pay that the entire time that it rings and while you leave a message. So, please, keep it short. That's the number that starts (646) 256...

However, it's free to receive text messages. 50 cents to send em, but free to receive. So, feel free to text me, just don't expect a response, unless it's important.

Finally, if I can, I'll but a sim card in China for use in another phone. If that works then I'll have another number to share. We'll see.

Karen will be here in NY, so you can reach her all the normal ways.

The speed of audiobooks.

web@lrf.net — 2008-06-11T10:07:46-04:00

One of the cool features of the iPod is it's ability to play audiobooks either speeded up, or slowed down, without affecting the pitch. There are ways to convert podcasts into official audiobooks so they can take advantage of this feature as well.

I listen to a ton of podcasts, so being able to listen a little faster is invaluable to me. There aren't enough hours in the day for me to listen to everything that I want to, so every little bit helps.

When the iPhone came out I noticed that the books played even faster. There is no fine control over the playback speed. Your choices are Normal, Slow or Fast. But on the iPhone the fast setting is significantly faster than on the iPod. I didn't realize it until I went back to the iPod after using the iPhone. Even speeded up audio seemed almost painfully slow. So, I am a junkie for speeded up audio books and podcasts.

Now, I wanted to get an iPod Nano with h2audio.com waterproof case so my morning swim wouldn't be so boring, but I was curious if the Nano would play at the faster iPhone speed, or the slower iPod speed (which is still faster than normal). I looked, but could not find an answer to that question. So finally I decided to just get the Nano. Even if the speed wasn't what I hoped, it would still be less boring than swimming laps with nothing to listen to. And, it helped that my wife gave it to me for my birthday. :-)

So, here are my results.

The iPod and the Nano play at the same speed as each other. Playing the exact same podcast, in 10 minutes of real time, the Nano and the iPod played 12:30 of content (25% speed increase), while the iPhone played 15:00 of content (50% speed increase).

So, in an hour I can listen to 75 minutes of content on an iPod or 90 minutes of content on the iPhone. Kinda cool.

Anyway, since I couldn't find this information anywhere, I decided to post it here, in case it helps someone else.

The Monday Movies schedule is up...

web@lrf.net — 2008-05-27T16:11:34-04:00

Come join us as HBO Kicks off the Bryant Park Summer Film Festival with Dr. No on June 16.

It's My Birthday!!!

web@lrf.net — 2008-05-22T00:53:15-04:00

Come and celebrate with me at the 10:30pm show of Indiana Jones, playing at the Ziegfeld Theater in NYC.

Cori Abraham To Head Development at Bravo!!!

web@lrf.net — 2008-05-21T18:02:36-04:00

My sister is sooooo cool.

Check it out...

Great speech about teachers.

web@lrf.net — 2008-04-04T16:56:33-04:00

Long overdue update...

web@lrf.net — 2008-04-04T16:44:32-04:00

Hey all. Sorry for the lack of posts. Work has kept me busy and I've been substituting twitter for blogging.

But, you all deserve better than that, so here is a quick update.

I've been traveling a lot for work. I have to visit all our remote offices as we switch users from one network to another, replacing every computer. In the past month or so I've been to Miami, Atlanta and North Carolina. In 2 weeks, it's LA, which is great because I get to spend Passover with Cori and family. Then, in the beginning of May is the big New York migration. Replacing 150 people's computers in 1 weekend should be a lot of fun. And, it's concert weekend with the chorus, just to add to it all.

Poker is been going OK. I still haven't completely recovered from the bad week that I last blogged about, but I've been moving in the right direction. I have been considering what it would take to make playing a career choice. A bad run like I had wasn't discouraging. And it's a good thing, because it happens to everyone and if I can't deal with adversity, then it's definitely not a good career choice for me. In any case, I have some specific goals that I need to reach before I would consider going pro. First, I need to built my bankroll to a very healthy level. I am looking for around 50 buy-ins. Second, I need to win as much as I make in a year, but do so in less than a year. If I can't do that, then clearly I am not ready for such a life change. So, we'll see how I do over the next few years.

I mentioned the upcoming concert. It's the Berlioz requiem. I am very excited. It was one of the first pieces I sang with the chorus, back when I joined in '92. I really love it and have been enjoying the rehearsal process immensely. And, maybe I can get the big New York project team from work to come... Here is the website with details.

Ok, that's all for now. For much shorter, but more regular bursts of info, check out my twitter page.

Sometimes you are the windshield, and sometimes you are the bug.

web@lrf.net — 2008-03-05T22:22:15-05:00

This has been a bad week for poker. I don't think I have been playing bad, but I have been on a bad run. Some examples, just from 3 hours today...

With 44 I flop a set on a rainbow board, and someone calls bets on the flop and then the turn to hit runner runner flush.

With 10 10, heads up, I flop a set on a 10, Q, K board. He has A J for a straight.

I raise from the button with KQ suited, and the flop comes QQ2. Someone called my pre flop raise with Q2.

I call a loose aggressive players raise with A2. An A comes on the flop. He bets, I call. Blank on the turn. We both check. The river brings a 2, and puts a 3rd spade on the board. Of course he has a flush.

I can handle bad luck and bad beats, but that's a lot in a very concentrated period. And it's the 2nd time this week. :-(

And, no, this was not online. People all expect those kinds of things online. This happened in a real place, with real cards, and real money.

Battlestar Galactica Recap

web@lrf.net — 2008-02-29T10:56:52-05:00

If you are a BSG fan, this 7 minute recap is hysterical.

Today is Karen's birthday!

web@lrf.net — 2008-01-31T09:44:05-05:00

Happy Birthday!!!

Everyone call her and sing!!!

Home from west coast visit.

web@lrf.net — 2008-01-22T09:35:13-05:00

Got home from my vacation last night. Expo was fun. The show it self was disappointing. Aside from the new Macbook Air, there wasn't anything that grabbed my attention. I did have a great time with my friends though.

And then I got to spend a great weekend in LA with my sister & her family. There are new pics of both of my nieces here...
Dylan
Albany

Welcome to the world, Albany Scarlett Abraham.

web@lrf.net — 2008-01-04T23:43:05-05:00

My sister and brother-in-law did it again. Brand new baby to fuss over. Albany Scarlett, born Jan 3rd at 11:30 am in Los Angeles. 7lbs 7oz and 21" of joy.

Mother, Father and big Sister are all doing well.

Albany has her own page here and pics will be forthcoming...

Good Luck J...

web@lrf.net — 2008-01-02T10:40:58-05:00

My friend, J. Curtis, is starting 2008 by going to Macworld Expo on is Motorcycle. From Tennessee. He starts the trip today and will be journaling it on his blog. Good luck and easy riding...

Celebrate the holidays by coming to my concert...

web@lrf.net — 2007-12-17T09:54:36-05:00

We have our holiday concert coming up, this Thursday. Order your tix online...

Fun holiday A Cappella...

web@lrf.net — 2007-12-07T10:42:50-05:00

Ippazzi on iTunes...

web@lrf.net — 2007-12-06T13:15:30-05:00

My friend, Akil's, band is now on iTunes. Check it out...

Balance Between

Future iPhone feature seen on Chuck...

web@lrf.net — 2007-12-05T11:18:52-05:00

I was watching the TV Show, "Chuck" this week and Chuck received a photo on his iPhone.

It came in like a MMS photo, and he got the message:
"Incoming Photo from Morgan. View - Ignore"

It looked just like when text messages come in, and it looked really good. Does the TV studio have access to a beta of a future iPhone feature, or is it a really nice job of video fakery?

AC Results

web@lrf.net — 2007-12-05T11:17:51-05:00

Placed 5th in the $500 tourney for $2300. Didn't cash in the others. After the cash games, just about broke even for the weekend. Was up, maybe $100. But had fun and saw a lot of friends from NYC poker community.

Headed to AC for a weekend of Poker.

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-29T16:35:20-05:00

Instead of just cash games, I'll be playing in some tournaments too.

$500 on Friday.
$800 on Saturday
$1100 on Sunday (But I won my seat to that one.)

Hopefully, I'll remember to keep the world updated on my Twitter page.

Won a seat in a Satellite...

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-26T13:08:47-05:00

Went to the Borgata this weekend to play in a super satellite. Cashed in it and won a seat into next weeks "THE ULTIMATE SUPER SATELLITE"

Wish me luck.

A great new poker media site brings back an old friend.

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-12T14:55:56-05:00

Another favorite poker podcast of mine has been through many different incarnations. It started as The Circuit, and then became PokerWire radio. Now, finally, it is running under it's own steam, rather than on someone else's site.

That's right. Joe Seebok, Gavin Smith and crew are back, broadcasting from the tournament circuit on PokerRoad Radio. These guys are fun and really do a great job of both covering the event and providing great strategic advice. The new site, PokerRoad.com, created by Joe Seebok, also has a lot of other great podcasts including Barry Greenstein's Blog, and also a section of Tips from him.

If you are into poker, definitely check out some of the podcasts from this site.

Thanks to Chris Cosenza of Ante Up

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-12T14:49:34-05:00

Ante Up is one of my favorite podcasts. I've been listening to it for years. Chris and Scott are funny, entertaining and educational.

Well, this weekend, Chris came up from Tampa to cover the World Poker Tour event at Foxwoods and I got to meet him and play with him at a home game for some of the local listeners. It was a 4 hour drive thanks to NYC traffic, but totally worth it. I had a great time and he said some amazingly nice things about me in his blog.

Thanks to everyone involved. It was terrific.

Damn, that kid is cute...

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-12T14:48:27-05:00

My sister has been sending me some new pics of Dylan. Check her page regularly to see them.

Shooting at local poker club...

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-12T14:43:30-05:00

There was a shooting at a local poker club a few weeks ago. The club was being robbed and one of the thieves shot and killed one of the players when they dropped their gun, or so I have heard.

The player, Frank, was a normal guy just playing some poker for fun. If playing this card game was legal, then these clubs could operate in the open with real protection, rather than having to hide from the police where stuff like this can happen.

It's a very sad time.

Apologies for not posting more often...

web@lrf.net — 2007-11-12T14:32:27-05:00

I have been twittering a bit and have gotten away from posting to my blog, but I will try to do better.

More fame for Dylan...

web@lrf.net — 2007-10-19T09:34:38-04:00

Scary stuff...

Congrats to Sydne and Arden!!!

web@lrf.net — 2007-10-05T12:32:44-04:00

Didn't see Cori win her emmy?

web@lrf.net — 2007-09-24T12:43:15-04:00

The television camera angles made it impossible to see Cori at the Emmy's, but fortunately, there were still camera's at work too.

Twitter is cool

web@lrf.net — 2007-09-21T12:09:50-04:00

I recently started using Twitter with a bunch of friends. It's like a super mini blog. Nice implementation. Kinda handy.

Testing move of site to different server.

web@lrf.net — 2007-09-21T11:47:08-04:00

If you can see this, then it worked.

Emmy Pics...

web@lrf.net — 2007-09-10T10:19:12-04:00

These are from Cori's Kodak Gallery.

Holy Cow! Cori won an Emmy!!!

web@lrf.net — 2007-09-10T09:11:40-04:00

On Saturday night, they held the Emmy Awards for the Creative Arts Categories and "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" won!

My sister, Cori, is an Executive Producer on the show and as such, she is one of the people who gets the award!!!

YAY!!!!

Oh yeah. Congrats to Kathy too. :-)

The awards will be broadcast on E! on Saturday, September 15, at 8pm. Cori's award was towards the end of the evening.

Congrats to Cas Haley & Terry Fater

web@lrf.net — 2007-08-23T13:38:30-04:00

Ok. I admit is. America's Got Talent is my guilty pleasure.

I am happy to say that the 2 guys I have been rooting for since the beginning actually ended up as the 2 finalists. Both Cas Haley and Terry Fater are wonderful entertainers and I couldn't be happier with the result. Terry, the ventriloquist, won. I would be upset for Cas, but he is phenomenal and will definitely be going far with his skill and this exposure.

I was a little surprised by one thing. In addition to the $1,000,000 prize, the show apparently got Terry a job doing shows in Vegas, which he said had been his dream. I can't help but think that they arranged the job as a consolation gift, expecting Cas to win.

Anyway, congrats to both. I wish them both good luck on all their endeavors.

Oh, by the way. Cas Haley is in a band called Woodbelly, and they have a CD available on iTunes. It's pretty good.

Chess Anyone?

web@lrf.net — 2007-08-15T14:01:08-04:00

Dick Chaney video from '94. LMAO

web@lrf.net — 2007-08-14T16:16:51-04:00

I don't have much to say about this, other than DAMN!!!

Happy Birthday, bro...

web@lrf.net — 2007-08-14T08:50:04-04:00

Happy Birthday to you....
Happy Birthday to you....
Happy Birthday dear Kenny....
Happy Birthday to you....

Another David Pogue NY Times Video...

web@lrf.net — 2007-08-02T10:32:23-04:00

Not as much of an appearance as last time, but still, I'll take my fame where I can get it...

Check out this weeks video...

BRAVO'S CORI ABRAHAM PROMOTED TO VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION

web@lrf.net — 2007-08-01T17:57:22-04:00

Reposted from the thefutoncritic.com...

[08.01.07 - 05:57 PM]
BRAVO'S CORI ABRAHAM PROMOTED TO VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
Released by Bravo
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]

BRAVO'S CORI ABRAHAM PROMOTED TO VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION

NEW YORK August 1, 2007 Bravo has promoted Cori Abraham - most recently Director of Development and Production - to Vice President, Development and Production. The announcement was made today by Amy Introcaso-Davis, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Bravo, and Andy Cohen, Senior Vice President, Production and Programming, Bravo.

"Cori has a keen sense of what the Bravo audience wants to see," said Introcaso-Davis. "She develops and produces shows that our fans find addictive."

Added Cohen, "Cori has been a key part to Bravo's popular programming," said Cohen. "Her energy and vibe help make our shows uniquely Bravo."

Having joined Bravo in April 2004, Abraham has developed and executive produced some of the network's more buzzed about programs during her tenure. Shows include the Emmy nominated "Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List," the highly-popular series "Work Out," the recent design competition show "Top Design," Bravo's string of "Funny Girl" stand-up specials with Griffin, Whoopi Goldberg, Joan Rivers, Caroline Rhea and Paula Poundstone, and the much-talked-about series "Hey Paula," following pop icon Paula Abdul.

Prior to Bravo, Abraham was Director of Development and Executive Producer at VH1, where she oversaw creative and production logistics and evaluated program pitches. Her VH1 credits include the series "Totally Obsessed" and "True Spin," as well as specials "Stage Moms" and "Bootcamp: Showgirls."

Abraham joined FX in 1999, spending three years as the Director of Comedy Development. In that role, she developed original scripted comedy and reality programming, and worked with many high profile executive producers including Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Moore and Howard Stern. Her accomplishments there include the Emmy-nominated "Lucky," starring John Corbett and the Howard Stern-produced series "Son of the Beach."

Earlier in her career, Abraham worked at Comedy Central as a Development Coordinator, from 1997-1999, where she read and evaluated program submissions. There, she played a role in the development of the network's two most popular series at the time -- "Strangers With Candy" and "The Upright Citizen's Brigade."

Abraham graduated from University of Wisconsin with two bachelor degrees -- one in Communications Arts and the other in Theatre Arts. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.

Happy Birthday Cori!!!

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-31T10:23:00-04:00

Drat. Now she's only 1 year younger than me again. I have to wait a whole 10 months to make fun of her for being a youngster when, for that brief and shining period, I am a 2 years older than her. :-)

Birth Announcement - Welcome Jackson Rhys Hefler

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-24T15:20:25-04:00

Congratulations to my cousins Maren and Jonathan Hefler who brought my new cousin, Jackson, into the world today.

Born at 10am. Ain't he a cutie?

No Movie Tonight

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-23T11:24:49-04:00

It's raining. If it stops, they might still show the Monday night movie, but we won't be there to sit in the mud.

Tuesday is the raindate, but the park as very poor drainage, so we won't be there either. A shame to miss The Sting, but what can you do. Have a good week everyone.

Dancing inmates.

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-23T11:23:41-04:00

I don't have much to say about this, other than, WOW!

IMAP mail works right on iPhone

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-06T14:15:52-04:00

One of the issues that I mentioned earlier was that the iPhone didn't access the subfolders of my inbox on my IMAP mail server. It turns out that there is a way to fix this.

In the mail settings, after clicking (tapping?) on the account in question, there is an advanced option where I needed to put in "INBOX" as my IMAP prefix.

Works perfectly. Thanks to superg on MacOSXHints.com for this tip.

iPhone: The Music Video on YouTube...

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-05T22:05:17-04:00

iPhone: The Musical

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-05T14:59:38-04:00

From the New York Times.

Recognize anyone?

Monday night movies going strong. (Only a little about the iPhone here...)

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-03T10:34:22-04:00

Last night was Paper Moon at Bryant Park. It was a great time. Here are a few pics taken from the iPhone. More pics here...

Incidentally, under heavy usage in the park, the iPhone went from full charge to 20% battery warning in about 5 hours.

News appearance.

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-02T13:32:15-04:00

Since I was part of the big iPhone release on Friday, I was interviewed a few times. Some family and friends spotted me on NBC news on Friday Night and then there was this...

iPhones Arrive

Correction: Yet another iPhone post.

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-02T06:44:58-04:00

It seems like the iPhone implementation is better than I thought. I just had a bad audio file that was distorting the sound. It's still a little faster than the original iPod's speeded up setting, enough that you can tell it's speeded up, but it's not distorted.

Also, the iPhone doesn't like smartplaylists as much as the iPod did. On my iPod, I had a playlist of "unheard audiobooks" that items would disappear from as I listened to them. On the iPhone, they don't disappear until after a sync.

These are minor points. Don't get me wrong. The iPhone is the greatest piece of technology I have ever owned, and i love it. But I still like to comment on the issues that I find.

More on iPhone.

web@lrf.net — 2007-07-01T22:50:01-04:00

Some other things I have noticed.

1. There is no search feature. If you want to find a contact, you have to scroll to them. If you want to call your friend, JJ, for example, you better remember that his real name is actually Sam (JJ) Smith before you try, cause there is no way to find JJ. Even if you put JJ into the Nickname field, the autofill addresses of SMS don't find it.

2. While the iPhone does support speeded up playback of Audiobooks, the implementation is flawed. On the iPod, the speeded up playback sounded perfect. If you didn't know it was speeded up, you would just think the speakers were speaking quickly. The iPhone's faster setting plays back the sound a little faster than the iPod's on the same setting, but the sound is very distorted. Still understandable, but not very pleasant. I'll try to sample some sounds in the next few days, to illustrate.

iPhone impressions.

web@lrf.net — 2007-06-30T10:34:24-04:00

The iPhone is terrific. Over the next few days there will be tons of posts talking about the good and the bad. I don't want to repeat all the common comments. My impressions that the screen is great and the typing takes getting used to are just a few that match the general opinion. Here are some comments I have that I haven't seen posted yet.

1. I am disappointed that there doesn't seem to be a manual way to add iPod content to the iPhone. You MUST use the sync features. That is fine for people with one computer, but I have a computer at home, and a computer at work, and I like to add content from both locations. Now I can't. Fortunately, that's a software issue that will hopefully be fixed in an update.

2. On syncing, it recognizes playlists of TV shows, and Playlists of Music, but you have to select movies manually. You can't sync a specific playlist of movies unless they are labeled as TV Shows of Music Videos.

3. When you watch a TV Show on it, at the end of the show the iPhone asks if you want to delete the show to save space. Then when you sync, it doesn't re-add the show to the iPhone, but it does increment the playcount on the computer.

4. Mail accessed my IMAP server without a problem, but only accessed the main inbox and not any subfolders.

5. Speakerphone is so quiet that it's almost unusable.

That's it for now. More as I play...

iPhone Mania...

web@lrf.net — 2007-06-30T10:14:59-04:00

All week people were asking me, "Are you in the line yet?" Of course, they were referring to the line at the Apple Store that formed on Monday, for Friday's release of the iPhone at 6pm. Well, finally, after visiting with friends in the line Thursday night, I showed up at about 8am on Friday for the day. I was number 70 in line and I had an absolute blast.

The friends I was with were Lesa Snider King and Shawn King. They both have blogs...
Lesa's Blog
Shawn's Blog

Everyone on the line was nice and we had a good time, just hanging out all day. Also, Shawn was there working for Macworld.com and we shot a lot of video for the site.

There were tons of press there and I got interviewed on my way out of the store by a few news outlets. I haven't seen it yet, but a few people said they saw me on NBC. I'll keep an eye out. The most common question by the press was "Was it worth waiting on the line?" It was a sort of silly question, because I hadn't been able to turn the iPhone yet, but I have to say, the experience at the Apple Store was definitely worth the wait. Walking in the store they had all the store employees applauding the customers. Screaming, hooting, hollering and making us feel like Rock Stars. It seems a little hokey for the first second and then I got swept up in it and was on top of the world. It was great fun. Bravo Apple for taking the best shopping experience and improving it even more.

Of course, maybe I didn't need to wait on the line. My mom showed up at about 7:30, waited in the line for about 1 minute and got the same treatment. Still, the line was fun too. iPhone impressions coming next...

My Famous Sister.

web@lrf.net — 2007-06-27T14:14:57-04:00

Cori is rocking the entertainment world. Interviews all over the place. Check it out...

Newsday.com

LA Times

Also the June 8th edition of Entertainment Weekly.

Way to go Cori. Now, if only she could get Quantum Leap back on the air...

Monday Night Movies

web@lrf.net — 2007-05-23T14:46:28-04:00

Summer must be coming because they posted the schedule for the Monday Night Movies in Bryant Park. It's always a good time. I hope you can come join us one night.

Hallelujah Nuns

web@lrf.net — 2007-05-21T10:45:37-04:00

I saw this on my friend Grace's Blog.

Pi represented as music.

web@lrf.net — 2007-04-30T11:37:26-04:00

I saw this link on Rocketboom and thought it cool enough to share.

Math Songs

Dylan's Dance Recital...

web@lrf.net — 2007-04-30T09:38:52-04:00

It doesn't get much cuter than this...

Imaginary Johnny hits iTunes.

web@lrf.net — 2007-04-13T09:32:36-04:00

Congratulations to our friends at Imaginary Johnny for getting their live CD No Air: Songs of Imaginary Johnny +1 on the iTunes Store.

Check it out, and their other releases as well.

Teevee.org does a great April Fools Joke.

web@lrf.net — 2007-04-12T10:11:09-04:00

They created an entire site of fake news. Tons of fake articles. Really well done. Must have taken tons of time.

Take a few minutes and read through some of the articles.

The Television City Chronicle

These are the same folks who brought us the brilliant TeeVeePedia last year.

Sad news. RIP, Sam.

web@lrf.net — 2007-04-09T10:03:05-04:00

Sam the snake passed away this past weekend. We only had him for 2 short months, but in that time, we loved him and are very saddened by his passing.

In all the time we had him, he never ate. We tried to feed him several times and brought him in to the vet, but nothing did any good. It might have been a virus that he would have had before we got him, or it may have been something else. We'll never know.

He lived a short life, but I hope he was happy in that time. Farewell, little guy.

A new phone number...

web@lrf.net — 2007-03-14T18:24:54-04:00

GrandCentral.com is a new system I am trying out that gives you a phone number and whenever someone calls you on that number all your phones ring. Cell, work, home, whatever. You can answer wherever you are. They also have cool features like different rings and messages for different callers, and call recording.

Try to call me with the button below.

Sam Cam Still Shots

web@lrf.net — 2007-03-09T10:48:51-05:00

For those who can't access the live video of SamCam I have set up a motion detector to upload a new picture to this page every time the camera detects motion in the habitat. It detects the camera moving. I don't know, yet, if it will dectect him moving. We'll just have to see.

Here is the latest shot from the cam.

And here is the previous one.

SamCam

web@lrf.net — 2007-03-05T11:26:35-05:00

I have set up a web cam to check in on Sam during the day. You can click on the presets to look at different locations in his enclosure. He spends a lot of time hiding in his hideyhole, so if you don't see him right away, give it a little time.

SamCam

Movies vs. Books

web@lrf.net — 2007-03-05T11:23:37-05:00

A saw someone comment in a forum about how movies are never as good as the book upon which they are based. I have a different opinion, and I guess that's what blogs are for, so...

Books are a completely different medium, and shouldn't be compared to movies. It's like saying Stephen King is better than Steven Spielberg. Both are great storytellers in their chosen area's but trying to compare them would be silly.

A book can convey a lot more information than a movie, because it is not time limited. So a movie has to try to tell the same story in a much shorter window. That means conveying things differently and leaving out a lot. If you are expecting a movie to have all the same content as the book, then you will always be disappointed. But if you make a conscious choice to not compare the movie to the book you can appreciate the movie for what it is and perhaps enjoy it more.

Your Mac Life has moved.

web@lrf.net — 2007-02-23T09:17:13-05:00

As many of you know, I am a big fan of the internet radio show Your Mac Life, hosted by Shawn King. Well, they recently moved to a new domain. The new domain is yourmaclifeshow.com

If you have any interest in Macintosh's or Apple products, I highly recommend the show. Each week they talk about all the current news, interview interesting people from all across the tech spectrum and give great tips.

Has anybody seen my snake?

web@lrf.net — 2007-02-16T12:46:59-05:00

Being a snake owner definitely has it's ups and downs.

For instance, did you know that snakes only eat like once a week in the summer and in the winter can go weeks or even months without eating? Well they can. Which makes them a very easy pet to care for, but it's a little nerve wracking when you have a baby snake and you are afraid that he is starving.

They also tend to hibernate in the winter. Even though the apartment is warm, Sam knows that it's winter and has been holed up in his cave for a few days.

Well, he's gotta come out sometime, doesn't he?

Playing with photoshop is fun.

web@lrf.net — 2007-02-09T10:44:50-05:00

This is a picture of my niece Dylan and her godmother, my cousin, Joann. 5 minutes and a little Photoshop know-how can go a long way.

Pictures of Pets...

web@lrf.net — 2007-02-06T09:58:28-05:00

Here are the promised pics of Sam, the Python
.

And, as long as I am here, I don't want the other kids to get jealous. Here is Milty.

And, of course, the glorious Kitty.

New member of the Family.

web@lrf.net — 2007-02-05T12:58:05-05:00

This past weekend, Karen & I went to PA to visit her family. Every time we go, she makes me take her to the puppy mill so she can look at the puppy's and kitten's and cry when I won't let her have one.

Well, this last time, something in both of us snapped.

We looked at all the cute puppy's and kittens.

And then we bought a Python. His name is Sam.

Pics coming soon.

Cool site. What was that song again???

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-31T17:28:24-05:00

Know how a song goes, but not the name of it? Visit Midomi.com and you can sing the song into your computer's microphone and the site will try go figure out what song it is.

And, remarkably enough, it works really well.

Very cool

Mom at the NYSE

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-25T11:20:01-05:00

Mom had a great time and her pic even made the front page of NYSE.com.

Here is a link to the archived webcast.

Update on Mom ringing the NYSE bell.

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-18T10:16:59-05:00

I had the date wrong. It's next Thursday, Jan 25. This is part of Ethan Allen's 75th anniversary. It should be on TV. I'll post more when I know the details.

Mom's ringing the bell...

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-16T17:38:32-05:00

Thursday morning, my mom, with some friends, is ringing the starting bell at the NY Stock Exchange. I don't know how that happened, but it's pretty cool.

I predict a Bull market that day. :-)

Go mom!!!

Dylan's first trip to Disneyland.

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-16T17:36:57-05:00

Cori, Ken, Dylan and I spend a day at Disneyland. Pics on Dylan's page. Who knew she'd develop a crush on Goofy?

Home from Macworld Expo.

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-16T17:34:43-05:00

Had a great time. Saw lots of friends. Made some new ones. Saw the iPhone. Lost my camera.

That pretty much sums it up. I'll have to make due enjoying everyone else's pics. Thanks to the Your Mac Life community for a great time and for the surrogate photography.

Thanks Shawn and David too.

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-05T00:21:35-05:00

Heh. My pal, Shawn King of Your Mac Life is friends with David Pogue. I mentioned to him that I was the uncredited e-mailer from the previous blog entry and the next thing I knew, my name was up in lights.

I'm really not that needy. At least I don't think I am. But thanks to Shawn for looking out for me, and to David for the mention.

See you both at Macworld next week.

I made David Pogue's blog...

web@lrf.net — 2007-01-04T13:36:55-05:00

Ok. Sort of. David Pogue is the technology columnist for the New York Times. I e-mailed him a question and he posted it to his blog.

He didn't name me, but trust me. It was me.

Take a look.

The Gordon Pair Principle

web@lrf.net — 2006-12-07T13:17:55-05:00

I am a big fan of Phil Gordon. I think he does a great job of simplifying concepts and calculations to help me make better decisions at the tables.

Got a pocket pair and want to know the chances that someone behind you have a bigger pair? Here's a quick way to figure it out.

The Gordon Pair Principle.

Thanks Phil.

Mack The Halls

web@lrf.net — 2006-12-04T14:37:04-05:00

Karen's doing a holiday show.

Here are the details from her mailing, if you aren't on her list...

Hello again! 'Tis the season for the gift of entertainment to be re-gifted
close to a hundred times over!

And, not to be left out of that mix, I'm doing something new this year - my
first solo evening in a long LONG time!

Some holiday tunes, some cool songs having absolutely NOTHING to do with the
holidays, some originals, great arrangements thanks to Steven Ray Watkins,
who'll be joining me at the piano. Sincerely hoping that if you're in town
the weekend of the 14th you'll join us - it promises to be a very fun show!

Karen Mack in
MACK THE HALLS
With Steven Ray Watkins on piano, Matt Wigton on bass, and Marshal Rosenberg
on percussion

December 14th - 17th at The Metropolitan Room
Thursday, Friday, and Sunday at 7pm, Saturday night at 8pm
34 W. 22nd St. (btw 5th & 6th Aves.)
Reservations: (212) 206-0440 (or email me here)
$20 cover ($15 for MAC/UCB/AEA and other such starving artists)
2 drink minimum - Credit cards cheerfully accepted

Happy December and hope the new year brings you every good things!

Christmas at Carnegie Hall

web@lrf.net — 2006-11-29T11:43:50-05:00

Want to come and hear me sing in the most amazing Hall in Carnegie Hall?

On Monday, December 4, 2006 at 7:30pm, I (along with 150+ fellow members of The New York Choral Society) will "Celebrate Christmas at Carnegie Hall" with the Young People's Chorus of New York City under the baton of John Daly Goodwin.

Those who have come before know how much fun it is to experience a full orchestra and big chorus on stage, including the extraordinary Young People's Chorus of New York City. They sing, they weave, they bop!

For over 5 years the New York Choral Society has been delighting family audiences with its popular Christmas at Carnegie Hall concert. From jingling bells to jubilee to jazz, this is a concert with something for everyone. The program includes the ever popular Gloria by John Rutter, Freedom Trilogy by Paul Halley, Libby Larsen's Ringeltanze with handbell choir, a medley of traditional carols by Conrad Susa, the Hallelujah Chorus and excerpts from jazz legend Dave Brubeck's La Fiesta de la Posada.

Adapted from Mexican Christmas tradition and influenced by Mexican folk music La Fiesta de la Posada tells the story of Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging on the eve of her giving birth. Paul Halley's Freedom Trilogy uses the folk music traditions of South Africa and American Gospel and Jazz. It celebrates the season with the timely themes of "peace on Earth" and freedom for all.

Please join the NYCS family on December 4 for an evening we promise will put you in the holiday spirit!

Seats range from $20 to $75.

Holy Cow! The original Star Trek is back.

web@lrf.net — 2006-11-29T11:39:50-05:00

Someone decided that since the original Star Trek was a 5 year mission that only lasted 3 seasons, they wanted to make 2 more seasons. It's a new cast, but the same characters, same set and better effects. Very high production values. Cheezy, but in the right way.

I've only seen the pilot episode so far, but I like it. It really feels like the original Trek. Bravo. A must for any Trekkie, Trekkor or whatever you might call yourself.

Star Trek New Voyages

Jack Ten - Good hand or not?

web@lrf.net — 2006-11-28T11:26:00-05:00

On one of the Poker forums that I follow, someone posted the question "Is Jack Ten a good or bad hand in NL holdem."

Lot's of people love this hand, and the person asking the question sited Amarillo Slim's book saying that it is the best hand.

So, I replied with my own feelings on that hand. Here is what I said...

Jack Ten is one of the best hands, provided that you can fold when you hit it. I mean, if you don't make a straight, then get ready to get out.
Remember these things about Jack Ten
1. Making top pair is not good. No matter which one you pair your kicker is likely out kicked.
2. Making a pair, with a straight draw does not give you pot odds to call any bet. I have seen people call huge bets because they were up and down with a pair. Assume someone else has a set and then count your outs remembering that some of your "outs" give them a boat.
3. If you have 2 pair then someone else either has the straight already, or is drawing to it. Be ready to lay it down if any of the following cards is on the board or hits the board. 7, 8, 9, Q, K, A
3b. Don't count on your boat redraw. You only have 4 outs.
4. If they are suited, a Jack high flush is not invincible. If the flush comes and someone is pushing hard, they might be bluffing, but they might have a suited A-rag.
So, as I said before, you pretty much want to flop a straight with Jack Ten, or maybe see a flop like JJT, but otherwise, let it go.

So, naturally, a few hours later I was playing and I got dealt Jack Ten of spades. The flop was 9 T J rainbow, and I completely ignored my own advice and doubled up the guy who had K Q and flopped the straight. In my own defense, I had recently taken a few hits when I didn't bet enough to stop people from chasing their draws. So, with top 2, I bet aggressively to prevent any draws from calling. My oppenent made a small bet on the flop and then called my pot sized re-raise. Both of which made me think draw, maybe with pair. On the turn, I made another pot sized bet (now for about 200) and this time he went all in for another 20. Obviously, I had to call 20 for 400 pot. In that case I did have odds to chase my boat. I don't think there is any way this could have played out differently. I can't flat call his small bet on the flop, because if he is drawing (which is more likely than his flopping the straight) I can't let him see a card cheaply. And, even if I made a smaller bet on the turn, say half the pot, when he re-raises me all in there are enough hands that I can put him on that I can beat to give me odds to call anyway.

However, I found the irony of this happening the same day that I made my above post particularly amusing.

Run run run!!!

web@lrf.net — 2006-11-06T15:24:59-05:00

Congrats to my cousin Matt Sosnow who ran in the New York Marathon yesterday. It was his first time and he did great. Finished in about 4 and a half hours and felt very positive about the whole experience. Way to go Matt!!!

Next time, it's you and me, Nancy! ;-)

New video of Dylan posted.

web@lrf.net — 2006-11-01T15:32:45-05:00

Happy Halloween

OJ did it. Hypothetically.

web@lrf.net — 2006-10-24T09:41:55-04:00

If you can believe the gossip, OJ is writing a book, tentatively titled, "If I Did It."

Can you believe the balls on this guy?

Increase your vocabulary. Use the word Megagaltastic

web@lrf.net — 2006-10-20T13:25:32-04:00

On The Show, Ze Frank mentioned that a friend of his, named Gal, realized that there is no adjective meaning "having an extensive vocabulary" and is trying to get a new word, Megagaltastic, put in the dictionary. Apparently, a word has to be in use for at least 5 years and there must be 5 published instances of the word before Oxford will include it in their dictionary.

I think it would be kind of cool to have a word based on my name, so in support of this, I recommend that the next time you are describing someone with a big vocabulary, call them "megagaltastic".

Watch Heroes!

web@lrf.net — 2006-10-17T13:13:30-04:00

Heroes is one of the best new shows I have seen in a long time. Granted, I am exactly the target market, but still, I think it's phenomenal. Every week it gets better and better.

It's so good that I expect it to be cancelled at any minute. That's my history. However, my pal Jason told me today that NBC already picked it up for at least the rest of the season! Woo hoo!

If you miss it on TV, it's available on iTunes - Heroes

Interview with Jack Goodwin of the New York Choral Society

web@lrf.net — 2006-10-13T13:33:41-04:00

Shawn King interviewed Jack Goodwin of the New York Choral Society about our upcoming holiday concert.

Check out the interview

Bash at the Boathouse

web@lrf.net — 2006-09-25T15:06:04-04:00

I went to the

Bash at the Boathouse this past weekend and had a terrific time.

AlCantHang did a great job organizing the event and I believe they raised over $12,000 for charity. Woo hoo!

And I even got a picture of me playing with Gavin Smith. Gavin was a lot of fun. A real gentleman and the amount of charity work that he does is an inspiration.

Please. No comments on the picture. ;-)

it was also really cool meeting Justin Shronk from the Circuit and all the bloggers that were there too.

Phone March on Capital Hill

web@lrf.net — 2006-09-12T09:30:37-04:00

U.S. Senate is Seeking to Ban Online Poker - PPA Phone March on Capitol Hill Scheduled for September 12, 2006

Your urgent action is needed! On September 12th, 2006 the Poker Players Alliance is teaming up with many online poker card rooms, poker blogs, and forums to organize a "Phone March" on Capitol Hill.

From 9AM ET until 5:30PM ET on Tuesday, September 12th, we are asking anyone interested in defending poker to call this toll free number - 800-289-1136 - and be patched through to one of your two U.S. Senators in Washington D.C.

When you call the 800 number, you will hear a recording from PPA member Greg "Fossilman" Raymer and then you will be prompted to enter your five digit zip code so you can be directed, free of charge, to your Senator's office.

Once you reach your senator's office, please let them know you support online poker, and make the following key points in your message:

* I am voter in your state
* I strongly oppose any legislation that would prohibit online poker and urge the Senator to vote against such legislation
* Poker is a skill game enjoyed by 70 million Americans
* The Senator should seek to regulate online poker much like the government regulates other forms of gaming, like lotteries
* Prohibitions don't work - Any legislation that tries to ban online poker will only drive those players underground
* Again, I urge the Senator to oppose any attempts to prohibit me from playing the great American game of poker on the Internet

The threat to poker is real. Please forward this information to everyone you know who cares about poker and an American's freedom to use the Internet. We need everyone possible to make their voice heard on September 12th!

Note: The 800 number will only be active between 9AM ET and 5:30PM ET on Tuesday September 12th.

How to write a fugue

web@lrf.net — 2006-09-07T10:50:01-04:00

I saw this on YouTube and thought it was really smart and really funny, so I wanted to share it.

Me at the WSOP on TV.

web@lrf.net — 2006-09-01T10:04:16-04:00

This week ESPN aired the day of the Main Event that I played in. Now, I never tangled with a celebrity pro, and I didn't last long enough for any real face time, but they did catch me in some of the room shots.

Now, I know what you are thinking. What a narcissist he must be to have gone over the broadcast with a fine tooth comb to find these shots. But, I swear, I was actually watching it in the background while I played online and I happened to glance at the TV at exactly the right moments.

And yes, it's really me. For the first 2, I can tell by the placement, the shirt and the hat. In the "closeup" it's the watch that gives it away. :-)

Thursday is a great night for Poker.

web@lrf.net — 2006-09-01T00:19:19-04:00

Tonight I played in 2 tournaments on Full Tilt Poker that both started at 9pm.

1. The Ante Up Invitational ($5 + $.50), which is for listeners of the phenomenal poker podcast Ante Up.

2. The Gavin Charity Satellite ($0 + $25) all proceeds go to charity and the winner gets to play in a charity tournament hosted by Gavin Smith at the Bash at the Boathouse.

I managed to come in 2nd in the one where 2nd paid something and first in the one where first was the only place that mattered. Definitely a good night for poker. :-)

It was a lot of fun. Because both of the tournaments were made up of specific communities it was better chat than your average tournament, Of course I didn't chat much because I needed to concentrate on getting hit by the deck. I must have had AA six or seven times over the course of the evening. I think I played fairly well too. I did, at one point, get all my money in with the worst hand and then got lucky to hit it, but who hasn't? I had plenty of bad beats myself, so I'll take the good ones when they happen. :-)

And I guess, as long as I am talking poker, I did win a double shootout on PokerStars yesterday. Just a small $11 buy in with the first prize being a seat in the Sunday Million Dollar Guarantee Tournament.

Now, I just have to switch my strategy so instead of winning the $5 and $10 tournaments, and losing the $200 ones, I lose the little ones and win the big ones.

Well, maybe soon. :-)

Added some new pics of Dylan

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-30T12:09:51-04:00

Cori sent me a some new pics of Baby Dylan. Take a look at 15 months old, 16 months old and current.

Took out a pro!

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-28T10:31:58-04:00

Last night I played in Full Tilt's $200,000 tourney. I didn't win, but I did manage to bust one of the Full Tilt pros. Keith Sexton. I didn't realize it, but there was a $200 bounty on him, so I am getting a nice little bonus, and a t-shirt for it.

Big or small. Every win is a good one.

Me in the NY Times

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-22T11:19:00-04:00

Here is a photo that was in this article in today's Metro Section, about the last Monday Movie of the summer. Notice the handsome fellow with the blue sheet on the left. :-)

My first "big" cash on Full Tilt Poker.

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-17T01:15:13-04:00

Just took second in a $24+2 tournament on Full Tilt Poker. About $2400. Was 1 bad beat away from the $4000 first, but I'll certainly take 2nd for my $26 investment.

My decision to stick to tournaments when online definitely seems like the right one. I am almost caught up to my losses from the ring games. For now, while I'll play cash games live, online is tournaments and tournaments alone.

One interesting observation. I am cashing somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of the time. That is pretty good, but it can definitely be frustrating the other 80 to 90 percent of the time. I can see why they say poker is a tough way to make an easy living. Definitely keeping it in the hobby stage.

For now. :-)

Never saw a dog with saddle bags before...

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-15T11:11:58-04:00

Big moneyless poker win.

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-07T13:21:41-04:00

I didn't play any online poker the whole time I was in Vegas. Was doing the live thing, after all. Well, yesterday I started playing online again. Played in 3 big tournaments. The PokerStars Sunday Million and the Full Tilt 200k guarantee were the big money ones. I didn't cash in those. But I also played in PokerStars Moneymaker Millionaire freeroll. Out of over 9500 players, only the top 50 won a ticket to the next level event. I was one of those.

Heh, if I had made top 50 in any of the other tourney's it would have been a nice money win. So, my timing is just a little off, but I'll keep trying.

Home again...

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-06T13:19:56-04:00

Got back from Vegas on Saturday night. I didn't get to play in that Thursday event. It was sold out. So I just played at the cash games. had a lot of fun, and came home with more money than I left with. Can't ask more than that. Looking forward to trying again next year.

WSOP - The Main Event

web@lrf.net — 2006-08-01T02:54:31-04:00

I was in, and I was out. I lasted until 10pm on the first day. Sure, I would rather have lasted until I was rich beyond my wildest dreams, but I'll have to settle for having had a good time.

I slept well and went over to the PokerStars breakfast at the Rio. I was a little nervous, but not much. Made my way to my seat.

Here was my first dealer.

Here was my starting chip stack.

And here is the guy who knocked me out.

No hard feelings. I had been doing pretty well, but ran into 1 hand that crippled me. I had 6 8 in the big blind and the pot was unraised. The flop came K 6 2. I decided to take a stab at it with bottom pair. Got 1 call from a very aggressive player. If he had anything good, he'd have raised preflop. The turn was Jack. I decided to try once more. I bet, and he called. I was done. But then the river came and it was an 8 giving me 2 pair. I checked, he bet, and I called thinking he had a K. He did, but his J with it gave him a better 2 pair than I had. :-(

That put me on life support with about 5000 chips when the blinds were 100/200. I survived that way about 4 hours, looking for a way to double up. Stealing just enough pots to stay steady. Finally, in the end, I made a move against a loose aggressive player who made a button raise into my small blind. I had A J of spades, and he called my all in with A K of diamonds. The flop gave me 2 spades, but those were the last ones, and that was all she wrote. The fat lady had sung.

I have no regrets. I think I played fairly well, and I had fun. There is one more WSOP tournament while I am here on Thursday. A 1000 buy in event. Maybe I'll try to win a seat to that one too. As long as I am here. Otherwise, there is always next year. But now, I am going to sleep.

Saturday & Sunday - Went to LA. Happy Birthday.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-31T00:48:53-04:00

I went to LA for the weekend to surprise my sister, Cori, at her surprise party.

She was completely surprised. :-)

Pics here...

Now I am back in Vegas and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow is my big day. Think good thoughts...

Friday T-minus 3 days

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-31T00:36:41-04:00

I don't start until Monday, but I went to the Rio to see the first first day begin. It was crazy exciting. James Garner, who is playing in the event for the first time kicked it off.

I also got to see Wil Wheaton, who has been blogging the series for PokerStars. If you don't read his blog, you should.

And then there was this guy.

Joe Hachem, the current world champ is a class act. He was signing autographs for hours and never had anything but a smile and a nice word for the people who came to see him. Not bad for someone who won over $7 Million just one year ago.

Arrival in Vegas T-minus 4 days.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-28T18:17:45-04:00

I made it to Vegas. No problems. I went to check into the hotel and they had a special counter for PokerStars folks. I was on their list, so it looks like this is real.

After checking into the hotel, I headed over to the Rio to check in for the event.

They have an expo going on there. A bunch of booths representing many sites and tons of poker products. And lot's of cute booth babes. Much better than Macword Expo on that account.

Now for the really cool part...

I am playing in the 4th first day which is Monday. Did I explain that? They have so many players this year that they split em into 4 groups of about 2000. Group A plays Friday. Group B on Saturday. Etc. Each "first" day the groups play down until there are 800 people. Then the Groups A and B meet on Tuesday, and Groups C&D meet on Wednesday. Both "second days" they play down to 700 people. Everyone had Thursday off and Friday the whole remaining field continues.

Update. They have even more people than expected. They have "alternates" waiting for people to bust out so that that can take their seat. I have heard that means the first day plays down to 900 instead of 800. It's madness.

See some cool people like Kenna James

And Ron Jeremy???

Loren at the World Series of Poker FAQ

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-26T10:36:42-04:00

Several friends have been asking me about my entry to the World Series of Poker, and I have realized that not everyone is the poker freak that I am, so I thought I would post the answers to some of the questions I have received.

Will you be on TV? When?

Sort of. ESPN will be covering the Main Event. It will be aired in a few months. Of course there are expected to be 8000 people playing, so the only way I'll get air time is if I am playing at the same table as some famous pro, or if I last a while. I prefer option 2. While I look forward to meeting all the pro's, I don't want to face em early in the tournament. ESPN will air the edited version of it all in a few months, but the final table will be broadcast live on PayPerView on August 10.

You won a seat. Do you still have to bring money to play with, or do they give you money to play with?

This is a tournament. For the $10,000 entry fee I get 10,000 chips that have no cash value. I keep playing until I have run out of chips, or won them all. The prize money is then given out based on how long I last.

How much can you win?

I think the top 10% get paid. Here is the payout structure from 2005. First place got $7,500,000 and that was with 5600 players. This year they are expecting at about 8000, so, it could be as much as 10 Million. And, of course, it could be no money at all. But either way, I'm gonna have a great week in vegas.

How did you win your seat?

I played in an online tournament on Pokerstars.com. This was what they call a double shootout, which means that there were 81 people playing at 9 tables. Each table played like a single table tournament, down to 1 player. Then, the remaining 9 played another single table tournament down to 1. That was me. Entry fee was $160. Prize package was $12,000.

So you play online?

Yes

For real money?

Yes

Aren't you worried about that?

No. I play on well known/reputable sites, and I only play with money I have set aside for poker. Not my savings, nor my mortgage payments.

Do you play live too?

Yes. I play at a few of the clubs in Manhattan, and occasionally make my way to a casino.

Are you any good?

I think that I am better than average. Most poker players lose money. A small percentage wins. I am pretty much break even, which puts me ahead of the curve. And I am still learning. I tend to do better at cash games live. Online I try to stick to tournaments.

Did you say clubs in Manhattan? Is that legal?

The New York District Attorney has been quoted in the papers after one such club was raided as saying that they were just there for the people running the clubs, and that the players were not doing anything wrong and therefore had nothing to worry about. I have been at a few of these clubs during such a raids and it was fine. The police took all the money, but left the players alone. I hated losing my money to the police, but I could just as easily have lost it playing and this is a better story. I think we should take a lesson from LA, where they recognize Poker as a game of skill and make it legal.

What to you place your chances at?

50-50. Either I win, or I don't. :-)

Not doing the monday night movie tonight.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-24T11:13:15-04:00

The weather is nice today, but the park has poor drainage and it is a swamp after last weeks deluge. So, Ungie and I have made the executive decision to not sit in the mud. Sorry to cancel on everyone, but it is what it is.

Catch you next time...

I won a seat in the World Series of Poker!!!!!!

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-24T09:55:27-04:00

Last night I played in a double shootout tournament. The format is 81 people at 9 tables. Each table plays down to 1 player and then each of those 9 goes on to the final table. For $160 entry fee, first place was a $12,0000 package to the main event of the World Series of Poker.

And I did it!!! I had been playing pretty exclusively online for the past few weeks trying to win a seat, and this was my last chance. Literally. This tournament started at about 11 and the final table didn't start until about 12:30. PokerStars was ending these satellites at midnight, so this was it.

I was pretty confident that I was the best player at the final table, but luck is a factor, and I was the short stack when we got down to 3, but I stayed calm, kept breathing, and didn't do anything stupid. And the next thing I knew it was over and I was the winner.

I went in to wake Karen up. It was about 2 in the morning, but how could I not? You should have seen her pop out of bed when I said "I'm going to Vegas!" :-)

Ok. Now I gotta actually make my travel arrangements. Wish me luck!!!

Yet another nice tournament finish...

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-22T01:44:39-04:00

I played in that same 180 person tournament again tonight.

Well, I played in it twice. Missed the money the first time, but came in second place for $720 the second time.

That's first or second place 3 out of the 4 times I played in it. I gotta say, I'm feelin' pretty good.

Added some "Baby pics" to the site.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-21T15:41:20-04:00

I have added this page of pictures from my youth to the site.

Another online Tournament win.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-20T09:26:35-04:00

A few weeks ago, I blogged that I won a 180 person $20 tournament on PokerStars. Took $1080 for first place.

That was the first time I played in that particular tournament.

Last night I played in it again, and won again. It was crazy. I was destined to win this one. I got crazy lucky. Cracked Aces twice, had Aces, Kings and Queens a number of times. And most of the time they held up. But the time of the final table I had half the chips in play. Eventually, another player took some from me and we traded 1st place back and forth, but in the end, my A5 beat his A4 when a 5 came on the river to prevent a chop.

Man winning feels good. :-)

The Bris

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-18T00:20:40-04:00

Congrats again to Malinda and Sabi who's son is now named Josh. He's a cute little guy. I went out the Brooklyn for the Bris (yes, I really did venture to one of the other boroughs) and had a terrific time. It was great to see the Smolen clan again. Everyone looked great and they were all really excited that Cid and I were able to come out.

I didn't take a lot of pics. There was a photographer for that. But here are the few I did take.

Mazal Tov to Malinda and Sabi

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-17T09:55:59-04:00

New baby born on Monday, July 10. Going to the bris tonight, which is why you won't see me at the Monday Movies. Hopefully I'll have some pics to post shortly.

Cool music animation video.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-17T09:48:02-04:00

This is really cool. Both visually and musically.

http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/178495/what_a_clip.swf

From these folks...

http://www.animusic.com

Flickr for online photos.

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-13T01:29:43-04:00

I've had a flickr account for a while, but have barely used it. Today I discovered that, with rapidflickr, I can incorporate my flickr pictures on my RapidWeaver built website.

My photo albums will still look pretty much the same, but now you can click on the icon below the pictures to access then on flickr and order prints, and such. I have moved some of the albums over already and should have the rest done in the next few days.

Home again...

web@lrf.net — 2006-07-09T21:32:57-04:00

I had a phenomenal time in Venice. Didn't get into blogging it, so you'll have to settle for the pictures. It was a great time.

Internet access is just about a complete no go here in Venice.

web@lrf.net — 2006-06-30T16:18:15-04:00

There are a few Internet cafe's around, but I have to use their computers rather than my own, which means I can't really update the site. I'll see if I can find some solution, otherwise you will be reading all of this after I am back.

First place in a poker tournament... Woo Hoo...

web@lrf.net — 2006-06-29T14:30:54-04:00

Last night I took first place in a 180 person SNG on PokerStars.
Cost: $22.
First place money: $1080

Winning is fun.

I am headed to Venice until July 10th.

web@lrf.net — 2006-06-29T14:43:06-04:00

Don't know what kind of internet access I'll have there. Look at my Venice Blog page for any updates and pictures.

Monday Movie Rained out

web@lrf.net — 2006-06-26T10:01:53-04:00

Hey all. It was a rainy weekend, and it's raining now. Even if it stops by this evening and they decide to show the movie, it will be a muddy mess. So, I spoke with Ungie and we are officially canceling for tonight. I will be out of town next week for M*A*S*H, but the crew will be there, so enjoy, and I'll see you all in 2 weeks for Bullitt.

Bunny's re-enact Superman.

web@lrf.net — 2006-06-21T11:21:35-04:00

I love these guys...

Check out the bunny re-enactment.

If it's Monday, I must be at Bryant Park..

web@lrf.net — 2006-06-19T14:52:19-04:00

Tonight we kick off the season of the Monday Night Movies in Bryant Park with The Birds. I am there almost every week, and even when I am not, my friends are. Some grab whatever you need for a picnic and come hang.

It ain't about the movie. :-)

Many new Dylan pics posted.

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-31T12:45:18-04:00

Cori hooked me up with a bunch of new pics and even a video of little Dylan.

Recently added...
13 Months Old
14 Months Old
15 Months Old (The current main Dylan Page)
Video at the Zoo

GeekBrief.TV

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-25T10:10:54-04:00

I recently discovered a new video podcast that I really like. GeekBrief.TV (here's an iTunes link)

Essentially, it's a cute geek chick talking about the latest in tech for 5 minutes a few times a week. The format is great, the content is interesting and Adam Curry described her as Grrrrrrrrrrr. How do you go wrong with that?

Plus, they put me onto this link for do it yourself laser eye surgery. How do you not like that?

It's my birthday!!!

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-22T09:34:21-04:00

Survived 36 years. Who knew that would happen? :-)

Happy birthday shoutouts also go to my friends Sheila Winterbottom, Sherrye Dobrin, Farell Marblestone and Michael Anthony.

How funny is it that, in my calendar, the date that has the most birthdays on it is my own.

Thanks to Cori, Ken and Dylan.

Add your own subtitles.

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-15T10:04:03-04:00

Saw this site on Rocketboom this morning. Very funny.

Here is one that I did...

Congrats to Imaginary Johnny for getting on the iTunes Music Store.

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-15T09:57:18-04:00

Our friends, Imaginary Johnny have gotten their album "Painting Over the Dirt" on the iTunes Music Store.

Please check it out.

They also have a gig coming up this Friday, May 19 at 9pm at Sin-e in NYC, located at 150 Attorney Street at Stanton.

Poker with the pros...

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-08T11:49:24-04:00

Yesterday, I played in a charity poker tournament for Fence Magazine.

It was a lot of fun, for a good cause, and I got to meet and chat with Howard Lederer, Annie Duke, and some cool literary types like Myla Goldberg.

I didn't end up at the same table as the pros, but I did get to chat with them and listen to some of the poker advice they were giving. Even in just 30 minutes of talking to a crowd of complete newbies, they were clearly excellent teachers.

The reason I first started playing on Full Tilt Poker was to try to win a ticked to Howard Lederer & Annie Duke's Fantasy Poker Camp. Well, now my interest in that is renewed. It would definitely be a worthwhile experience.

Karen's web site overhauled.

web@lrf.net — 2006-05-02T17:02:23-04:00

Check out Karen's web site. She redesigned the whole think herself using Apple's iWeb. Not bad for someone with no web design experience who thinks that there are leprechauns inside the computer making it work. :-)

Teeveepedia - Now this is funny!!!

web@lrf.net — 2006-04-28T14:47:27-04:00

My friend, Jason, turned me on to this. It's TeeVee.org's April Fools spoof of Wikipedia, but it has taken a life of it's own since then.

I may have to go through it and read all the entries, but that will be difficult as people keep adding new ones...

Teeveepedia

Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth really worked....

web@lrf.net — 2006-04-28T11:20:25-04:00

This could be my favorite bit of trivia ever. I just learned that the guy who created Wonder Woman also invented the polygraph test.

How do you not love that?

Dr. William Moulton Marston

New York Choral Society Concert Flyer

web@lrf.net — 2006-04-11T11:22:54-04:00

Dylan's 15 minute of fame starts...

web@lrf.net — 2006-03-21T15:27:51-05:00

My niece Dylan is starting her 15 minutes of fame pretty early. Only a year old and already she has a TV credit to her name. She was on an episode of Outrageous and Contagious Viral Videos on Bravo. Click here to see her be "Adorable and Deadly."

In the interests of full disclosure, it's worth mentioning that her mom is the executive producer of the show. :-)

Welcome to the world, Rian...

web@lrf.net — 2006-03-20T11:28:56-05:00

Congrats to my cousin Dana and her husband Eric. Last week she gave birth to Rian Luke. A cutie, if ever there was one...

I'm published, baby!!!

web@lrf.net — 2006-03-09T09:17:03-05:00

Check out the April 2006 issue of Macworld Magazine. The feedback section on page 12. I sent in a comment on Chris Breen's video-ready iPod review and it was published.

Here it is, reprinted with permission by the author. :-)

In his review of the new video-ready iPods (Reviews, January 2006), Christopher Breen said that when he ripped his DVDs to one of the new iPods and then watched the video on a TV, the quality was akin to a VCR's. I experienced the same thing when I used the H.264 codec at a resolution of 320-by-240. But then I tried using MPEG-4 at higher resolutions, and I found that doing so resulted not only in relatively small files (under 1GB for a two-hour movie), but also in quality closer to that of the original DVD when the video is viewed on a TV or computer screen.

Like playing poker online? Let your senator know...

web@lrf.net — 2006-03-08T14:11:40-05:00

Thanks to the Poker Players Alliance for encouraging everyone to contact their senator's. I just got off the phone with Senator Clinton's office to say "I am a constituent. I like playing poker, both live and on the internet, and I think it should be legal." However you feel, on any issue, make your voice heard.

Live Action Simpsons opening...

web@lrf.net — 2006-03-05T01:56:43-05:00

I saw this on Wil Wheaton's blog and thought it was hysterical and wanted to share it here.

Check out this video on YouTube.

Apple's new "Hi-Fi" speakers for iPod misses the boat.

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-28T14:53:13-05:00

Today, Apple announced the iPod Hi-Fi speaker system for your iPod.

Essentially, it is an iPod dock with speakers for $350. Big whoop. There are already docks with speakers. Where they went wrong (in my opinion) is that they didn't build Airport Express functionality into it. Not full Airport functionality, but wireless connectivity and AirTunes. Airtunes allows you to send music from your computer to the device over your home network

Sure, you can plug an Airport Express into it, but one of the "selling points" that Apple has on their web site is

"No need to find a place to hide an unsightly power brick, as iPod Hi-Fi houses all power components internally."

That is defeated by needing to plug it into an Airport Express.

My suggestion would be (Apple, are you listening?), if you aren't going to include Airport connectivity and Airtunes by default, offer a second unit with it built in.

I don't mind the extra cost. The Airport Express is $129. Apple could probably build in the functionality and only charge an extra $100 for it. The $29 discount would make sense because you wouldn't need to include the ethernet port, printer sharing or base station functionality. But even if they charged the full $129 extra, it would be better to have the whole thing as 1 unit.

Poker tip for playing multiple tables at once online.

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-28T12:38:14-05:00

I heard this tip on a podcast. Don't remember which one. Maybe Ante Up.

I play on an Macintosh Laptop and even with a resolution of 1440x900 I can't see 2 entire tables at one time. I have to have each table overlap the other.

Using Mac OS X's Expose feature is a great workaround. Hitting F10 shrinks everything down and displays every window for the current application clearly. I can then watch all the games at the same time, and click into the one that requires my attention.

As a test, I opened 4 games on Full Tilt. Here are 2 screen shots. The first is the normal view. The second is the reduced screen from Expose that I watch. (NOTE. The screens are clear as a bell. The screenshots are a little less so, because of JPG compression.)

Click on the images to see the full sized screens.

It's Here!!!

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-27T11:48:09-05:00

Yes, the new MacBook Pro actually arrived a day ahead of schedule. I was a bit busy this weekend, so I didn't get to spend a whole lot of time on it, but my initial impression is "Damn this is nice!"

Universal Binary applications run really fast. Older PowerPC binaries running under Rosetta don't suck. For the most part they are the same speed that they were on my old Powerbook, and I look forward to the updates that will bring them up to "Zippy" status.

I posted some more specific observations in this thread on the Your Mac Life forums.

Congrats to Maren & Jonathan...

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-21T14:30:07-05:00

My cousin Maren Levine married Jonthan Hefler this past weekend. We are all excited. The family really likes Jonathan, but don't tell him I said so.

New computer really almost here....

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-21T10:58:26-05:00

I hadn't reported it, but Apple changed their minds, and moved my shipping date to March 18.

However, today I got notification that it's already shipped, and is due to arrive 2/24. Already an indicator of the speed I can expect from the new computer. :-)

New computer not almost here....

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-14T16:21:01-05:00

Well, good news and bad news... E-mail from Apple...

We have upgraded your MacBook Pro from a 1.83GHz processor to a 2.0GHz processor at no additional cost! We anticipate shipping your upgraded order by February 28, 2006.

So I have a bit longer to wait. I am happy about the speed bump, though and would take that deal any day.

New computer almost here...

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-14T12:18:04-05:00

I ordered a new MacBook Pro when they were announced at the Macworld Expo last month. Thanks to this handy little widget, I can see that it is scheduled to ship tomorrow. Woo hoo!!!

And, hubba hubba! They've decided to ship it with a faster processor than was originally promised. Happy Valentines day!!!

I placed 3rd out of 1502 in an online tournament.

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-12T19:32:54-05:00

This Pokerroom.com tournament was a "Lucky Dollar". That means it was only a $1 entry fee, and it was a turbo, where the blind levels increased every 3 minutes. That pretty much makes it a free-for-all where you just have to get lucky. Still, luck or not, I think 3rd place is a pretty good place to be.

Superbowl Ads

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-06T12:52:44-05:00

Who needs to watch the game, when you can watch all the ads right here...

Yet another site update...

web@lrf.net — 2006-02-03T10:19:19-05:00

Yup. I am still at it. I reordered some of the pages so they wouldn't be embedded within the about me section, and I added my friend, Dan Rosenbaum, to my links page.

Today is Karen's Birthday...

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-31T09:40:59-05:00

Happy Birthday to my wife, Karen. If you know her, call or e-mail her to wish her a happy birthday.

If you don't know her, check out her web site and get to know her...

Got a Royal Flush the other day.

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-31T09:37:56-05:00

Online, playing on Full Tilt Poker. Unfortunately, so did everyone else. Chopped pot...

Need to know a Birthday or Anniversary? I am your man.

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-27T10:02:58-05:00

In the continuing cycle of me playing with the new web site, I have added a Calendar page. It has the Birthdays and Anniversaries of just about everyone I know. If I am missing one, just e-mail me to let me know.

More site updates

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-26T18:37:08-05:00

I have added a Family photo album, and a Favorite Pictures photo album.

The Favorite Pictures are ones in which the composition really appeals to me. Mostly headshots of friends. Some not entirely flattering. :-) But all of them speak to me.

I have also fully moved the site back to the Loren.Finkelstein.Net domain.

Additions to the site

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-22T00:26:42-05:00

I am really loving Rapidweaver. It is so easy to add things to the site. This weekend I have added my brother-in-law Ken's reel to my Pictures and Videos section and a Poker page to the About Me section. Also added the Podcasts page. Of course, I am also working all this weekend, which explains why I am posting this note at 12:30am. :-)

Site redesigned with Rapidweaver.

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-15T13:59:12-05:00

I bought Rapidweaver a few weeks ago. It is a very simple, elegant, web site builder. After years of playing around with HTML in text editors, I decided I wanted to give easy a chance. Thanks to Screencasts Online and their phenomenal tutorials for turning me onto it. Of course, I waited until Apple came out with iWeb before starting to play with Rapidweaver.

Macworld Expo

web@lrf.net — 2006-01-15T14:00:16-05:00

I spent the past week in San Francisco, at the Macworld Expo. I always have a great time at the Expo, but this one was particularly special, because I got to attend the wedding of my friends Shawn King & Lesa Snider. It was a wonderful event and I couldn't be happier for them.

Oh yeah. Also, Apple announced some cool new stuff.