New Installment- Smile

The smile is a powerful tool, it disarms them, it renders them powerless, it soothes them, it nathes them in the warm glow of your character; they will never see you coming if you’re smiling. What’s the harm, it’s easy to do and the most deceptive force in the galaxy. Smile and the world will smile along with you as you cleverly collect the cheques from them.

Nobody likes that person with the upside down smile, everyone loves a smiler. Woods and Jordan don't collect those big cheques because of their abilities- their abilities got them noticed, their personalities got them the cash, and the biggest part of their personalities is a wonderful smile.

It doesn't matter if Woods is a jerk or Jordan is a degenerate gambler because people love their smiles and they will smile while explaining to you their setbacks; they will smile while explaining their shortcomings. People love smilers, and they expecially love smilers that they admire- hence the large cheques.

If you don't believe me, think Barry Bonds- who the heck is giving him all kinds of money for the talent he possesses? Nobody! Why...because the man hates to smile, the man never smiles...the dude has got to suck it up, smile and at least pretend to be a nice guy. At that point people will be looking to make excuses for him even if he smiled and said that he is the biggest steroid abuser in history. They won't care if he is smiling. They'll gladly point out that some of the greatest abused drugs such as cocaine that contributed to their performances, etc etc.

Heck, think McEnroe and Conners- two hotheads with an easy smile. Goes to prove that you can scream at people all you want, be a jackass and then fix it with a smile.

Now for the lay person, a smile may not get you a big cheque since you may have no other talent than smiling, but it will win you friends; it will gain you influence. Smile, even when you don't want to. Smile even in your most desperate days. Smile, especially when times are tough- that smile will help you through it.

There is a but though, that smile is not to be your only weapon in the war on influence; remember that you have an entire bag of tricks that also includes the frown, the scowl, the laugh, the funny face, the raised eyebrow, etc. The smile should be your primary weapon but you need to be on the alert for when the time is right to use your other tricks- more on all that later. I just don't want you all out there with a big sheepish grin in the worst possible situations and have people think you are laughing at them- be careful with that damn smile and use it judiciously. :)

New additions to the web family

http://www.allaboutmontreal.com
http://www.everythingconnecticut.com
http://www.allaboutnorthamerica.com
http://www.findalllinks.com

From the world of Ultimate Bet Poker

TABLE OF CHAMPIONS -- DON'T BET LIKE I BET!

By John Vorhaus



As you probably know, last weekend saw the Table of Champions playoff for the second season of the UltimateBet Poker Challenge. As you further know, I continued my role as color commentator/enthusiastic cheerleader for the goings-on. What you probably don't know is I also continued my unblemished streak of picking the winner to lose, and the loser to win. Trust me, campers, if you're ever in this tournament, don't catch my eye. Because if I like your chances to win, YOU WILL LOSE!

Just ask Shawn Rice. Just ask any of them. Throughout the entire season, I have shown an unfailing knack for getting it wrong.


Well, this week, I didn't just get it wrong, I got it spectacularly wrong. See, I figured that Tom McPherson, as our internet qualifier, just didn't have a chance. Granted, he bested a field of 2700 to be there, but unlike the others at the table, he hadn't played on television before and he wasn't familiar with the tournament's super fast structure. I figured he'd play tight, get short stacked, then blinded off, and that would be that. I even went so far as to say, (anti)prophetically, "The biggest longshot Louie at Pimlico wouldn't put a fin on this kid's fate tonight."


So what did he do?


He won.


He crushed.


Granted he caught some luck along the way (but nobody wins these things without luck). But he played great generally and finished strong, knocking out both P.J. Nerozzi and Bob Quann on the last hand. Then he got the big check. You know the big check? It's that presentation check that looks so impressive on TV. Annie Duke gave it to him. I'm not sure which is better, getting the big check or getting it from Annie.


No, yeah, probably getting the big check is better. To the tune of $200,000 better.


By the way, it was great to have Annie around to call the action with Mike Goldberg and me. She really classes up a broadcast booth, let me tell you. And I'm no fool. At one point, Goldy asked me how I'd play a certain player's holding (pocket threes, I think it was.) In an unguarded moment, I blurted, "I'd let Annie play them."


Wouldn't that be sweet? To have Annie Duke as your proxy player.


Be that as it may, season two is history. Looking back on the six weeks of competition I have to tell you how fricking impressed I was with the quality of the field. There was a lot of excellent poker and surprisingly few dondo moves. Nor should we be surprised: Ultimatebet players bring it when they come.


And now... season three. It all starts immediately; why, even as we speak, qualifying tournaments are going on. So what are you waiting for? Jump online now and go for a piece of $250,000. Who knows? By this time next week, you could be ten grand richer, and by some time next month, you could be collecting the big check. Just hope and pray that I pick you to lose.


Because then you'll take it for sure.


-jv

Deaf Ears

Funny how the entire world is open to us but being heard is such a difficult thing to do. All that noise makes the world feel like a lonely place.

OK, Investment needed

So I've managed to put together 3 interesting projects and need investment capital to move ahead:

1. I have a standing offer from a large distributor to place my merchandise throughout their network. The product costs are $.925, the retail price is $4.99, the wholesale price is $2.75 ($2.50). I need to place 18 units in 10k retail locations. The overhead- if I started completely from scratch- is $500000.00 which means we need avg sales of 2.6 units/month per location; which is easily achievable.

2. I am working with a few heavy hitters to put on a million dollar poker cruise.

3. These little web directories seem to be quite popular- I think the 3 that willm be the most lucrative are the ones for:
- everythingmontreal.com
-everythingconnecticut.com
-newautomobilemodels.com

Anyways, if there is anyone out there that can help with investment capital, I am all ears.

Web Pages

Feeling kid of lucky having picked up www.everythingconnecticut.com

www.findalllinks.com
www.everythingconnecticut.com
www.allaboutnorthamerica.com
www.adult.everythingmontreal.com
www.xxx.everythingmontreal.com
www.brewexperts.com
www.articles.garfieldjones.com
www.wine.everythingmontreal.com
www.automobiles.everythingmontreal.com
www.ads.everythingmontreal.com
www.lhs85.everythingmontreal.com
www.everythingmontreal.com
www.speedy.doreenjones.com
www.michele.garfieldjones.com
www.allaboutmontreal.com
www.auntcis.garfieldjones.com
www.silky.garfieldjones.com
www.travis.garfieldjones.com
www.terrence.garfieldjones.com
www.auntb.doreenjones.com
www.brandon.doreenjones.com
www.porsha.doreenjones.com
www.denzel.doreenjones.com
www.our-weddingonline.com
www.campbell.doreenjones.com
www.poker.modianoplayingcards.com
www.hosting.gajventures.com
www.nadine.doreenjones.com
www.garfield.doreenjones.com
www.friends.doreenjones.com
www.electronics.eccuelectronics.com
www.components.eccuelectronics.com
www.vacations.pokervoyages.com
www.trips.pokervoyages.com
www.poker-vacations.pokervoyages.com
www.poker-destinations.pokervoyages.com
www.destinations.pokervoyages.com
www.futureelectronics.eccuelectronics.com
www.future-electronics.eccuelectronics.com
www.poker-trips.pokervoyages.com
www.arrow-electronics.eccuelectronics.com
www.modianoplayingcards.com
www.onlinecharitytour.com
www.pokervoyages.com
www.gajventures.com
www.freerollwhores.com
www.eccuelectronics.com
www.doreenjones.com
www.baerart.com
www.angela.doreenjones.com
www.6six6.net
www.notre-marriages.com
www.newmotorcyclemodels.com
www.newboatmodels.com
www.newautomodels.com
www.newautomobilemodels.com
www.mybirthdayonline.com
www.myanniversaryonline.com
www.my-eventonline.com
www.my-anniversary.com
www.powersquares.com
www.ourwedding-photos.com
www.ourcelebrationonline.com
www.ouranniversaryphotos.com
www.our-anniversary.com
www.notremarriages.com
www.gajhosting.com
www.ezsquares.com
www.critterkillers.com
www.critterkiller.com
www.garfieldjones.com
www.ourmarriageonline.com
www.mybirthdayphotosonline.com
www.mybirthdayphotos.com
www.pixelbuyers.com

Directory Links

Free Directories to add your web links:

http://www.everythingmontreal.com/lma/directory - Montreal related web links
http://www.garfieldjones.com/lma/directory - general topics
http://www.baerart.com/lma/directory - art related
http://www.brewexperts.com/lma/directory - wine related
http://www.gajhosting.com/lma/directory - web related
http://www.newautomobilemodels.com - automotive
http://www.gajventures.com/lma/directory - business/general
http://www.pokerpal.ca/lma/directory - poker related
http://www.thebestdamnpokersite.com/lma/directory - poker related
http://www.pokervoyages.com/lma/directory - travel related
http://www.eccuelectronics.com/lma/directory - electronics related

links are free for now.

Courting Controversy

Today, while reading Dan Gardner’s cynical, sarcastic, yet amusing piece in the Montreal Gazette, I found myself thinking that this whole cartoon situation is out of control. Now for those of you who do not know anything about these cartoons you can find the whole controversy here. Now I could publish these cartoons on my own site, but I will not because when I first looked at them, I found a few of them amusing, but more than a few outrageous examples of bigotry towards Islam. So I have chosen to simply give you the link so you can make that determination for yourselves.

Dan Gardner writes about the official UN position of finding the cartoons and the violent reaction to them equally offensive and he is tongue in cheek flabbergasted that they could apply the term equally to both sides. I am flabbergasted that he- and millions more- cannot accept the heights of offence to which these cartoons rise.

The western reaction to these cartoons is itself offensive; blowing them off as just cartoons, and that for freedom of speech to survive then people must be free to write and publish offensive material without fear of reprisal. The idealist in me agrees with this position, the realist in me says that when I speak, there might be consequences I have to deal with. For this reason, the pragmatist in me agrees that shouting fire in a crowded theater is not only morally wrong, but also legally reprehensible.

This is not a new position, but one codified in western legal systems to varying degrees. Canada goes further than most by actually having statutes to protect people against hate speech- something with which I don’t necessarily agree, since it unduly muzzles free speech.

The truly horrifying part about this entire controversy is not the Muslim reaction, but the Western reaction. While I do not condone rioting and death threats, it is not hard to fathom why they are occurring, and why some Muslims feel that they are the proper tools of protest. The western reaction is far more sinister. The western media in particular has very few examples of outright condemnation of these cartoons, unless they are showing a Muslim doing it. As a matter of fact, if I were to take my cues from the media, I would be believing that this controversy no longer has anything to do with the cartoons, but with how Muslims react to them.

On the one hand you have the bad Muslims rioting, protesting, killing, burning down buildings- all in an effort to take away our free speech. On the other you have other Muslims condemning the reaction. I say hogwash to both and let us focus on the real issues at the center of this controversy, the offensive cartoons.

What makes the western reaction disingenuous is how we would react to cartoons and other forms of free speech if they degraded, if they debased, if they insulted those ideals that are precious to us. The “official” (and by official I mean government and the media) reaction is one of glorious incredulity by an army of hypocrites. They are mystified that this reaction could occur and they are hypocritical for not condemning the original message that these cartoons convey. I would be ok with this if it actually meant freer and safer speech for all; but let’s face it that is not the intention of the reaction. The reaction is intended to cower Muslims into a position of subjugation to the will of the western world; much like blacks who way back when, were forced to endure the weight of bigotry with a smile- think Jackie Robinson.

Let us call these cartoons what they are, examples of western bigotry towards Islam. We in the west protest cartoons that do not rise to this level- the level being highly offensive to God, to Muslims, to their Holy Prophet Mohammed and to Islam. We stopped NBC from airing a television program, the Book of Daniel, because we thought it might be offensive and insulting to Christians. People do not draw cartoons making fun of the holocaust because most would find them highly offensive.

We do not condone cartoons that depict people in the most offensively negative ways (stereotypes) for fear of the reactions. Imagine Aislin drawing offensive cartoons of Blacks, Latinos, and Asian: the predictable response would be one of outrage, of protests, of violence, especially if the government did not condemn these depictions as wrong. Imagine if Aislin drew cartoons of Jesus in various homosexual situations or as having made a deal with the devil to fool the world…sorry the blasphemy just leaked out of my pen unto this page.

The point is, that the western reaction of counter-protesting that these cartoons were merely exercises in free speech is a dangerous one. It now opens the door to cartoonists to lampoon, debase, ridicule and culture they see fit, which is something they presently, legally have a right to do in some western nations. The danger is that we westerners can now only react to them as exercises in free speech and endure them half-heartedly as just cartoons, anything but would be hypocritical. You should be out there protesting with the offended and not merely sitting back laughing and/or condemning their reaction to being offended. The least you can do is agree that the material, even as a cartoon, is offensive.

Time Factor

So much to write about so little time. Anyways, I just created a bunch of targeted directories for people to link to.

http://newautomobilemodels.com/lma/directory- automobiles

http://gajventures.com/lma/directory/- business and general topics

http://brewexperts.com/lma/directory- wine and wine making

http://www.everythingmontreal.com/lma/directory/- everything about Montreal

http://www.pokerpal.ca/lma/directory- Poker

http://www.pokervoyages.com/lma/directory/- vacation related

feel free to go on in and add your links to any or all of these directories.

Soon, I'll be updating the book and adding more articles on politics...so much going on, Gretzky, cartoons...I'm not sure where I am going to begin once I have finished creating all my directories.

A bit busy

Hi ya folks. Been a bit preoccupied updating other web sites that I forgot about my favorite- this one. Anyways, just finished www.brewexperts.com and just finished adding rss feeds to a bunch of other sites.

Tomorrow, I will be adding a new entry into the anti-Dale Carnegie principles so stay tuned.

new entry for book

Become genuinely interested in other people;
Smile; Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language;
Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves;
Talk in terms of the other person’s interests;
Make the other person feel important-and do it sincerely.

In a perfect world I would love these principles- especially smile; everyone loves a smiley face. But even in Carnegie’s world these principles are, for the most part, impossible to implement, simply because if everyone followed them then no one would be saying anything, and if they did, all they would say is:

Person 1: you’re great!
Person 2: No, you’re great!
Person 1: No, really you’re the great one!
Person 2: No, I insist, you’re the truly great one!

Then they would fight to settle the issue.

I would agree with Carnegie on a few of these and here are MY reasons why:

Become genuinely interested in other people

This one makes sense but your interest does not have to be genuine. As long as you can mine someone for information that you may be able to use at some point for good or for ill, then it's not like you really need to like them or care about them. Sometimes you may have to actually remember a birthday or two in order to schmooze someone. But the main thing is that in order to beat them, you have to know them. Whenever you have a chance to probe for their weaknesses grab it!

Some people are “genuinely” interested in finding out about someone, but we usually refer to them as stalkers and hit them with a restraining order. You know the ones that know exactly when you wake up, where you go, how you get there, they know all your friends, they know all your friends birthdays, they know what you eat and when you eat it...these are the people that are genuinely interested in you, and who the hell wants that kind of attention. Mind you, some people end up referring to these people as 'my wife' or 'my husband' or 'my mistress'. In any case, it's not a healthy situation if you are on either end of this genuine obsession.

Also, you don’t want to get too close to your subject if you have to whack them over the head with a well-placed lie later. If you have a conscience, you’re not going to feel good about it. If you have kept the proper distance emotionally, physically, psychologically, then you should have no problems having to use the information you have gathered about them to influence them ( cough cough, clear throat...I mean manipulate them) at some point.

Think about the real world and how you get sucked into doing things that you don't want to do, definitely hate to do, and just simply have no choice about; how did someone get you to do it? They mined you for info, found that weak spot and exploited it. Do you think these people had a genuine interest in you? Do you believe they actually ever really liked you? Come on, wake up, play the game!

There are going to be very few people you meet that you are going to be genuinely interested in, but everyone you meet can either potentially hurt you or help you; it's in your best interest to figure them out and identify which potential is more likely. So yeah, show them some interest but the person you should be most genuinely interested in, is yourself.

Posted at CU

In trying to demonstrate that the Muslim reaction to those cartoons are not completely irrational, I wrote this:

Burn the freaking embassy down. Bomb Mecca, roast Medina, crush the Pentagon into a freaking mass of molten metal; slam planes into buildings, invade countries with bombs and b-52's; protest Maines, protest abortion, protest abortion clinic bombings; protest racism, protest lack of free speech, protest rigged elections, protest fair elections;arrest t-shirt wearers, wear protest t-hirts, destroy Moore, Baldwin and Sarandon; fire bomb a synagogue, burn down a church, level a mosque...that's right people, let it all out! We reserve the right to act in ways that are rational to usfor the same kind of hurt we go through when we are offended...you, be meek, be mild, be easily manipulated, be pliable, be loving, be caring...Our God, our troops, our homes, our families are sacred, yours are expandable, your children are collateral damage, your homes are valid targets...we in the west are peaceful;we in the west take humor with a hearty laugh if we find it funny, we in the west do nothing about what we find offensive, everything and anything that can be passed off as humor goes in the west, and we have no reactions- we do not protest, we do not object;we say it is a right, we call it free speech and let it slide;ours is the example you should be following,ours is the way, the true way, the way you should be; so my good Muslim friends, don't be angry that your prophet was depicted as bomb wielding terrorist; don't be angry that your religion was depicted as a hate-filled horde of killers rampaging throughout the world, unjustifiably killing everything...no my friends, you should choose the gentler, friendlier, loving, forgiving western Christian way, when you are offended turn the other cheek, smile gracefully; say you understand that it was all in good fun, and then organize an embargo, organize a boycott; march through the streets, call on the government for rapid action; close a business, destroy a life, ruin a career;and if all that fails, then blow something up and burn something down.

http://www.conservativeunderground.com/forum/showpost.php?p=611182&postcount=11

Entry 4- Complain

Complain

Don’t complain, ya right! Funny how Carnegie goes on to complain about the complainers, but hey it’s tough not to do. Complaints, let’s look at complaints and all the good they have done.

Complaints brought us the seat belt
Complaints brought us the safety cap.
Complaints brought us a cleaner environment.
Complaints brought us better working conditions.
etc, etc, etc.

Complaining has given us better lives, better products and better government. Companies even encourage people to complain in order to offer better service. When they don’t get them, they assume they are doing a great job even though it may be just fear stopping people from complaining.

As with the other techniques, don’t abuse this one. Choose your moments well, unless you really don’t care about the ramifications. Some people over-complain and while that will allow you to influence people, it will certainly win you no friends. Not to mention that some people really are cry babies and cannot handle legitimate complaints being directed at them.

So I say don't be afraid of complaining, complaining can be extremely effective in winning friends and influencing people provided you complain properly. If it's between friends, be loud, critcize and complain. If you can get a little media attention, be even louder, criticize more, and complain more thoroughly. Remember well, that though some people may be angered by your complaining, if you do it properly, they will have listened to you and you will have at least influenced them.

Humor

As we sat there discussing racist vs bigot- all racists are bigots, not all bigots are racists. Anyways, as we were discussing the differences, my friend asked me to explain the difference between bigot and racists. I told him that racists are prejudiced or discriminatory based strictly on racial factors; bigots on the other hand can hate you for any number of reasons.

My buddy said, "so if I said I hate the Republicans, I would be considered a bigot?" I deadpanned, "No, you'd be considered a Democrat."

Entry 3- condemn

Condemn

Really, don’t condemn? It’s virtually an art form in western society, we can’t give it up now! Once we have finished criticizing, if it happens to be negative, then the only thing to do, is to condemn. Go to a restaurant and hate the food, what do you do? Tell everyone that cares (or at least that will listen) about your opinion, that’s what! You go to a movie that you thoroughly did not enjoy, how many of your friends and associates are going to hear about it? Answer- all of them!

Fact is condemning is crucial to us as a society. It’s strange, but our society is built upon those two principles, we criticize, and then we condemn. What would be the point otherwise? Imagine a world where we are bold enough to let people know what they are doing, wrong and right, but where there are no rewards or punishments. No carrots, no sticks! Goodness gracious, what would generations upon generations of middle-managers have done, how would they have survived. Ever been fired! Enough said!

How would the criminal justice system work without millions of lawyers and judges whose function it is, is to work out how to condemn? Imagine, Mr. So and So, you are guilty, but we do not condemn in this society because it might mean a burned bridge; so go forth and and sin no more. Ludicrous!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I get the nuance that Carnegie is speaking of, and in truth, I believe that the advice he gives is sound, but come on! A well place condemnation can do an awful lot of good. Politicians thrive on condemnations. Countries condemn each other all the time. If the rich and powerful can throw around condemnation like so many little pieces of confettin, then why should us little people?

So please, feel free- liberate your viscious smirk and acidic tongue and let those that truly deserve it (politicians) hear your condemnations. Let those who deserve it (bad bosses) feel the pressure of your wagging little finger critiquing them, and then the power of the pronouncement as you condemn them to a life of misery...then again, maybe that's not such a good idea: it's a bold one, but maybe not a good one. Anyways, trust your judgement, if you feel that someone deserves the benefit of your unique wisdom and impeccable desicion making abilities, then let them have it.