My 100th post

[Warning: no poker or bridge content -- mostly photos.]

It seems like only yesterday that I started my blog and made my first post. (It was May 13, by the way.) I play bridge and poker, and wanted to write about both. Most people want to read about one or the other, so I didn't expect to have a blog that was read by very many people, but I didn't care. I decided to do it because I wanted to, and, well you know, just for fun.

Along the way, I've made some new friends, especially among poker players. Poker is its own little world, and bloggers are a separate (and elite) part of the millions of poker players that are out there.

This is my 100th post. I can't really think of anything exciting to write about, so, instead, I'm going to post some leftover photos that I took this summer, but (for whatever reason) were not posted. The photos are high resolution and I encourage you to click on them to enlarge.


This shot is actually on the Goldstrike's property, but you can see the Horseshoe Casino in the background.


This is the Horseshoe Casino by night. It was a pet project of Benny Binion's son Jack Binion. It's now owned the Harrah's Entertainment Group.


The Goldstrike Casino is seen from three or four miles away. You may not believe this, but many of the casinos have cotton fields (or soy beans or occasionally sorghum) growing next to them. This is surely different than Las Vegas or Atlantic City! I'm just sayin'.


Two of the hotels at Harrah's Casino are located on a lake.


When the powers wanted to build casinos in Mississippi, there was a problem. It is in the Bible Belt and many people didn't want gambling (and all the other sins associated with casinos) in their state. Gambling was legal on riverboats, however, and that gave legislators an idea. They approved casinos if they were built on the Mississippi River (and, later, in the Gulf of Mexico). So, canals were constructed and all the casinos are "on the river," or at least sort of. This scenario is a perfect example of how people rationalize and bend rules to suit themselves. Shown here is a photo of the canal that goes between Harrah's Casino and the Mississippi River.


This is another photo of the canal at Harrah's Casino. The Mississippi River has a system of levees to protect nearby land from Spring flooding. It is maintained by the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers. All the casinos in Tunica are built on the river side of the levees. That gives me an idea. I'll take a photo of a section of the levee and post it in my blog later on.


The ACBL building is where I work. It's located on Airways Boulevard in Memphis, and is my home five days a week. Can you see the four flags? We serve the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico and Bermuda.


Memphis' Beale Street has plenty of vibe on a late Saturday afternoon in August.


Memphis Botanic Garden is an oasis in the middle of an urban environment. If you haven't guessed, I'm a sucker for flowers and interesting plants.


Radar up! Downtown Memphis has carriage rides. It's customary that a dog accompanies the driver. Isn't this one awesome?


Just a walk in the park: This man and his dog enjoy a trail that runs alongside the Mississippi River near downtown Memphis.

I spent nearly two weeks in Las Vegas in July. I was mostly working, but I did sightsee the last two days I was there.


Hoover Dam is an American icon.


Hoover Dam creates electicity for millions of homes in Nevada, California and Arizona. This image shows the giant turbines that the water pours through.


The Valley of Fire is a Nevada state park that is amazing. If you go to Las Vegas, skip Red Rock and take a trip here. You'll thank me later. Is it me or does this look like a red, giant iguana?


This is another photo taken at the Valley of Fire.


Downtown Las Vegas has the Freemont Street Experience. I won't try and describe it, but it's fun. Just go and see it.


This is another photo of Freemont Street.


I planted this bed of Knock Out Roses along my driveway one year ago. They are low maintenance, and this works for me. It gives me more time to play bridge and poker! Why is this photo here? The answer is that it's my blog and I can do what I want, ha, so there. Also, did I mention that I'm a sucker for flowers?