The Ante Up for Africa charity is an excellent cause and something a lot more poker players should get involved in or then start their own project.  So much is said about the wrongs and rights of playing poker on the internet, gambling laws and responsible gambling etc.  But if poker players were seen to be doing even more good, than what some of them are already, then maybe people would keep quiet.

Ante Up raises funds for much needed charity work in Darfu.  Then theres also the Enough Project which raises awareness about genocide and crimes against humanity.

Ante Up gets great coverage through the WSOP who have been great at promoting it.  Poker players have raised lots of money by doing something they all love doing, playing poker.  The added bonus is they have made people more aware of some of the humanitarian crisis taking place around the world and have actually done something to help, instead of just talking about how terrible it is.

I get a bit tired of all the comments calling players donkeys.  Sure, there are some dumb moves sometimes, but we also can make mistakes and mis-read hands… even good players get it wrong sometimes and that is what is so great about poker – everyone has a chance of winning!

Inside real casinos, people hold back on their comments but it seems they get braver in online poker rooms.  Most likely because they don’t have to face the person face to face.  Its a bit like road rage, people’s characters change when they are in their cars, they get all aggressive.  But put them out on the street, without the protection of their car and they become more timid.

We all had to learn poker somewhere and we have all played the game at different levels.  To progress to the top you have to push yourself and jump into a bigger pond and play with the big fish.  Along the way we all make mistakes.

Give the donkeys a break!!  Quietly take their money, snigger to yourselves, but there is no need to go out braying about your victory (sorry… couldn’t help myself….).

I don’t pretend to be an economist, and nor a politician.  But this cash for clunkers program where the government subsidizes you buying a new car, just doesn’t make sense to me.  I mean, I know that they are trying to boost car sales and keep the car industry going, so that manufacturing and sales continue and people keep their jobs.  Sure that makes sense to me.  And to consumers it looks like good deal that you wouldn’t want to miss.

But isn’t this just another way of propping up an inefficient industry with money that we don’t have?  Aren’t we just getting deeper and deeper into trouble?  Surely the money has to come from somewhere, will they start taxing us more now?

I realize that if the government does nothing, then the GDP will shrink further, people will lose jobs, less will be spent and the whole thing becomes a vicious circle.  So they try and stimulate the economy by pouring money in and making credit available, making it attractive to buyers and keeping companies afloat.  But shouldn’t these companies also try and improve and innovate to get themselves out of trouble.

Are we really in a free market still?  Or is it owned and controlled by government?  I just don’t get it anymore?