Video of 345KV switch arcing

This is a switch in one of our high voltage stations. At the end of the video you can see how close we have to be to operate the switch. This day the arc wasn't that bad. When the air is damp the arc is louder and longer.

As you crank the handle, you can't look up at the arc. All you can do is listen as it seems to get louder and louder while you're hoping that the arc breaks. This is one of the few switches I don't like to operate. I'm going to try and get more videos of different switches that put off a good arc.

Ohio Casinos

Ohio's controversial casino issue passes

Issue 3, which was proposed through an initiative petition in March of this year, was passed by Ohio voters by a 53 to 47 percent margin on Nov. 3. The issue, which garnered roughly 1.7 million votes in its favor, will amend the Ohio constitution to authorize a single casino to be built within each of four Ohio cities: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Toledo.

It finally passed! Ohio has had 5 issues on the ballot since 1990, two in the last two years. The amendment stated exactly where the casinos would be located, however, Columbus has vowed to fight if the casino is built in their Arena District as the amendment was written. The Casino company has agreed to pick another location, but any change and it has to go on the ballot again in May. This casino will be about an 45 mins away from me. The closest casino to me now is over 2 hours away.

This isn't the best deal for Ohio but it was the best proposal so far. The licensing fees and tax rates aren't as high as other states'. After the issue failed two years ago and the economy tanked, a lot of people changed their minds about casinos and it appeared headed towards passing. The opponents were complaining that the deal is so bad for Ohio, but were unwilling to compromise and even discuss other options, assuming it would fail again. Now that it has passed they want to complain about the issue's terms. What bothers me is that it was just a matter of time before this issue passed, so why didn't the state come up with their own proposal with better terms for Ohio? The state wants to keep pushing the state lottery and recently made keno available in bars, but wants to keep casinos out. So while not the best deal, it will be nice to have a casino within an hour's drive.

Multi-Accounter

Evidently this guy has about 1000 accounts on Full Tilt and plays them simultaneously.

Back in the Game

It's been quite a while since my last post. I have still been following blogs and watching some bloggers at their tables but just haven't had the time or the motivation to post myself. I've been busy with work, kids and trying to build my bankroll back up. I have been playing mostly low stakes tournies and sngs with a lot of success in the Super Turbo single table and 45 man's, but then I turn around and spend my profits on tournies.

Last night I went against my better judgement and bought into a Tier 1 token sng. I have always had a lot of success in these but the buy-in was about 20% of my BR. I have been running extremely bad the last couple of weeks and lost almost everything that I had won in early December. I was able to convert my $8 into a token and entered the 28k gtee. The first two hours of the tourney I won a couple small pots I entered but played very few hands. Before I knew it the blinds were at 200/400 and I was down to 3600 chips in the BB. At this point I knew if I had any kind of hand I was all in. The cards are dealt and I see AJ and figure this is it. However, there is a raise and a reraise and a call. If I fold I have 8 bbs left but my table has a lot of big stacks and I'm pretty sure they will call with a wide range when I push. I fold and enter a 5$ horse tourney since I'm sure to be out of this soon. Next hand in the small blind I have nothing and plan on pushing if folded around to me, but there is a raise and I throw it away. The next hand I'm down to 2800 or so and get a double up with AJ and double again on the next hand to about 13k. I get my stack up to about 35k in the next few hands when I raised with 7d8d in late position and get 1 caller. The flop comes A78 and I get it all in against his AQ and just know he's gonna hit another A or Q to beat me, but my hand holds and now I have around 70k with blinds at 300/600 and I am able to keep increasing my stack to the final table. At the final table I am fourth in chips and go totally card dead. I am able to get a couple steals and one player goes out pretty quickly. We play 8 handed for a long time. Still card dead, I'm on the button and 3bet the cutoff's raise w/9cTc to pick up a nice pot. We lose another player and I can't keep from looking at the payouts. I really hate the way that affects my game. I tell myself not to let it affect my decisions but one place is almost a $500 jump. I raise w/kq in mp with about 18bbs left and sitting 5th of 7. The big stack BB puts me to a decision for my stack and I fold. This is a spot where I normally would just push my whole stack in pre-flop. We lose another player and I get down to about 8BBs when my A8 doubles against A5. Another 2 players go out before I play another hand and my 89 is all in against the BB's KJ and I'm out.

The last few days I have been on serious tilt and was doubting my game. Everything I was doing was wrong. I couldn't win a race no matter what side I was on. One win like this and it makes you feel like you are back. Last year was my worst year since I started playing online and my Vegas trip was horrible. Hopefully I can keep this up and increase my bankroll for this years' Vegas trip.