<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><default:channel xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/"><title>High Stakes</title><link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/</link><description>I play High stakes poker all night, every night.</description><dc:language xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">en-EU</dc:language><admin:generatorAgent xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" rdf:resource="http://www.blog.co.uk"/><sy:updatePeriod xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">hourly</sy:updatePeriod><sy:updateFrequency xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">8</sy:updateFrequency><sy:updateBase xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">2000-01-01T12:00+00:00</sy:updateBase><image><title>High Stakes</title><link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/</link><url>http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/74/01b0a91e202f41922653962360e079_160x200.jpg</url></image><items><rdf:Seq><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/11/06/a-look-at-street-cricket-of-pakistan-7319320/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/09/25/famous-european-soccer-clubs-7036264/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/playing-poker-with-the-family-4488125/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-wsop-is-about-to-begin-4488108/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/21/to-watch-or-not-to-watch-movies-4479201/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/01/omega-4389593/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/30/las-vegas-med-pojkvaauml-nnen-4384020/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/11/ok-the-first-post-4301509/"/></rdf:Seq></items></default:channel><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/11/06/a-look-at-street-cricket-of-pakistan-7319320/"><default:title>A Look at Street Cricket of Pakistan</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/11/06/a-look-at-street-cricket-of-pakistan-7319320/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2009-11-06T14:17:43+01:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;Every day during the last sixteen summers, our streets were the playground for some fantastic games of cricket. Each day at noon, when elders took their rest inside their homes, players and avid spectators rushed to the very dead end of our street all geared up to start a game of cricket. The perfect spot was the dead end, because that is where the players placed the wickets, as this game did not have a wicket keeper or a slip or a fine leg or not even a third man.&lt;br&gt;
This form of street cricket has only one rule and that is to strike the ball with the bat as hard as possible and the rule for the bowlers is to deliver the ball as fast as possible. However, other rules and a few tricks are instilled in the blood of these street legends. You will never witness even a single ball that is pitched up to the batsman and you can never ever see any straight or elegant drives. This form of cricket is played all through the year till the players get the news about the annual Summer Gala. The best players are selected at this time and are sent to play in a ground. That’s right...a real &lt;a href="http://www.sportspundit.com/cricket/"&gt;cricket&lt;/a&gt; ground!&lt;br&gt;
The 2009 annual Summer Gala was absolute fun. The number of teams that competed in this gala equaled the number of streets and that totaled to about 110 teams! Just imagine the sheer number of players and the amount of organization that is needed to put together such a mammoth function every year. 10 matches were set to be played each day and each match was to be played with only 8 overs. To my infinite delight, the team that participated from my street entered the finals after continuous matches that were played for 20 days. These enthusiastic players, who were exhausted after competing in so many matches, were not given any rest even before their final match. The average score that is usually achieved in these matches is approximately 100 to 130 runs.&lt;br&gt;
The final match is obviously the mega event of the whole Summer Gala. Usually some MPA is invited to preside over the match and to distribute the prize to the final winner of the annual Summer Gala. Even the usually boring prize distribution is a total fun event here. The final prizes are predetermined and fixed. The fun starts when the game starts to go one way. The instance when the game starts to dip on one side, someone will declare a significant prize for a player in the opposite team. This declaration of prize will act as a catalyst to add more spirit in the already tense match. Most often, winners gain huge amounts of prize money and those who sponsored the prizes unofficially will also get immense publicity.&lt;br&gt;
On the whole, an annual Summer Gala is a time to have fun and this year it was even more enjoyable. A lot of players won significant amounts of prize money and the others had the time of their lives. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/11/06/a-look-at-street-cricket-of-pakistan-7319320/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>Every day during the last sixteen summers, our streets were the playground for some fantastic games of cricket. Each day at noon, when elders took their rest inside their homes, players and avid spectators rushed to the very dead end of our street all geared up to start a game of cricket. The perfect spot was the dead end, because that is where the players placed the wickets, as this game did not have a wicket keeper or a slip or a fine leg or not even a third man.<br>
This form of street cricket has only one rule and that is to strike the ball with the bat as hard as possible and the rule for the bowlers is to deliver the ball as fast as possible. However, other rules and a few tricks are instilled in the blood of these street legends. You will never witness even a single ball that is pitched up to the batsman and you can never ever see any straight or elegant drives. This form of cricket is played all through the year till the players get the news about the annual Summer Gala. The best players are selected at this time and are sent to play in a ground. That’s right...a real <a href="http://www.sportspundit.com/cricket/">cricket</a> ground!<br>
The 2009 annual Summer Gala was absolute fun. The number of teams that competed in this gala equaled the number of streets and that totaled to about 110 teams! Just imagine the sheer number of players and the amount of organization that is needed to put together such a mammoth function every year. 10 matches were set to be played each day and each match was to be played with only 8 overs. To my infinite delight, the team that participated from my street entered the finals after continuous matches that were played for 20 days. These enthusiastic players, who were exhausted after competing in so many matches, were not given any rest even before their final match. The average score that is usually achieved in these matches is approximately 100 to 130 runs.<br>
The final match is obviously the mega event of the whole Summer Gala. Usually some MPA is invited to preside over the match and to distribute the prize to the final winner of the annual Summer Gala. Even the usually boring prize distribution is a total fun event here. The final prizes are predetermined and fixed. The fun starts when the game starts to go one way. The instance when the game starts to dip on one side, someone will declare a significant prize for a player in the opposite team. This declaration of prize will act as a catalyst to add more spirit in the already tense match. Most often, winners gain huge amounts of prize money and those who sponsored the prizes unofficially will also get immense publicity.<br>
On the whole, an annual Summer Gala is a time to have fun and this year it was even more enjoyable. A lot of players won significant amounts of prize money and the others had the time of their lives. </p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/11/06/a-look-at-street-cricket-of-pakistan-7319320/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/09/25/famous-european-soccer-clubs-7036264/"><default:title>Famous European Soccer Clubs</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/09/25/famous-european-soccer-clubs-7036264/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2009-09-25T09:38:53+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;In this article we will outline some of the very famous European soccer clubs. If you are a soccer fanatic then you would obviously know the famous teams also to include their management profile and soccer players. With no doubt, these famous teams are known worldwide and they have drew a great crowd for soccer passion.&lt;br&gt;
The World cup incorporates the European soccer as one of the biggest group organizations. It has got the most popular clubs and European soccer is the most popular soccer which is watched in the entire world. &lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;We will briefly outline four famous teams that have got the most wins.&lt;br&gt;
Manchester United – It is one of the most successful clubs in the English Premiere League and they have won the Premiere League 10 times and they have some of the great renowned soccer players with the likes of Edwin Van Der Sar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, and many others.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;AC Milan – This is one of the very aggressive soccer club and they have won several titles in the European Super Cup.  They are always qualifying in the UEFA cup and also to include reaching at the finals most often.  The renowned players include Cafu, Kaka, Alessandro Nesta, Dida, and also to include Gennaro Gattuso.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.allsportspeople.com/soccer/team/Chelsea"&gt;Chelsea&lt;/a&gt; – They have won several league titles and they have also appeared in the UEFA Champions League finals and the team has been known to be one of the strongest with one of the best line up of players.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.allsportspeople.com/soccer/team/Real_Madrid_CF"&gt;Real Madrid&lt;/a&gt; – This club has made a name has the richest club and it is also known for buying the well renowned soccer players at a very high price. It is also well known for its strong line up with the likes of renowned players like Raul, Casillas, Van Nestilroy, Robinho, and many more. This is one of the clubs which has a great number of fans and also having won 31 league titles.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;European soccer has become so popular worldwide and I bet you have one of your European soccer clubs that you like. The European clubs are keeping on rising to the top and this has made a great impart to the world of soccer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/09/25/famous-european-soccer-clubs-7036264/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>In this article we will outline some of the very famous European soccer clubs. If you are a soccer fanatic then you would obviously know the famous teams also to include their management profile and soccer players. With no doubt, these famous teams are known worldwide and they have drew a great crowd for soccer passion.<br>
The World cup incorporates the European soccer as one of the biggest group organizations. It has got the most popular clubs and European soccer is the most popular soccer which is watched in the entire world. </p>
	<p>We will briefly outline four famous teams that have got the most wins.<br>
Manchester United – It is one of the most successful clubs in the English Premiere League and they have won the Premiere League 10 times and they have some of the great renowned soccer players with the likes of Edwin Van Der Sar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, and many others.</p>
	<p>AC Milan – This is one of the very aggressive soccer club and they have won several titles in the European Super Cup.  They are always qualifying in the UEFA cup and also to include reaching at the finals most often.  The renowned players include Cafu, Kaka, Alessandro Nesta, Dida, and also to include Gennaro Gattuso.</p>
	<p><a href="http://www.allsportspeople.com/soccer/team/Chelsea">Chelsea</a> – They have won several league titles and they have also appeared in the UEFA Champions League finals and the team has been known to be one of the strongest with one of the best line up of players.</p>
	<p><a href="http://www.allsportspeople.com/soccer/team/Real_Madrid_CF">Real Madrid</a> – This club has made a name has the richest club and it is also known for buying the well renowned soccer players at a very high price. It is also well known for its strong line up with the likes of renowned players like Raul, Casillas, Van Nestilroy, Robinho, and many more. This is one of the clubs which has a great number of fans and also having won 31 league titles.</p>
	<p>European soccer has become so popular worldwide and I bet you have one of your European soccer clubs that you like. The European clubs are keeping on rising to the top and this has made a great impart to the world of soccer.</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2009/09/25/famous-european-soccer-clubs-7036264/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/playing-poker-with-the-family-4488125/"><default:title>Playing poker with the family</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/playing-poker-with-the-family-4488125/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2008-07-23T13:32:01+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;I don’t believe that gambling can be dangerous for children, though it is of course important to not let it go too far. Raising kids into competition is never healthy, naturally. But it is a good way to activate the family in my opinion.&lt;br&gt;
In my family we play once a week, if not more often. Everybody likes it and are looking forward to the game day when we gather in the kitchen for some &lt;a href="http://www.rakebacklovers.com"&gt;poker&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;
My husband and I have two sons and one daughter, which are all very skilled in poker. We play Texas Hold’em most of the time, since that is the most famous kind of poker. Then it becomes more fun to watch it on TV as well.&lt;br&gt;
It is such a joy to see my children develop their strategies and me and my husband are doing all we can to encourage them in their game. They aren’t bad losers and the atmosphere is always good.&lt;br&gt;
Apart from the thrill of playing, it is a good opportunity to get some insight in their lives and ask them how their day has been. It is crucial that you, as a parent, take each chance you get to have dialogues and discussions. So we talk about school and their class mates, what is coming up during the week or simply how everyone feels.  It is of course also good fun to talk about the actual poker game with my children to see how they think strategically and make up their own game plans. I think it is good practice for them in terms of thinking mathematically, training their memory and keeping a straight face when they have to.&lt;br&gt;
Naturally, the gambling culture can be a dangerous world, and I would never allow my children to take part of those dangerous things (like betting or lending money). If they would ask for my permission to go to Las Vegas for example, they know very well what my response would be!&lt;br&gt;
I don’t want my kids to be interested in the way of living they have there, and neither does my husband. Also, I don’t think that it is healthy for young people to have to much stress, so we try to make it clear that it really doesn’t matter that much who wins, as long as everyone has fun.&lt;br&gt;
All in all, I am happy that we have this tradition in the family, and I hope for us to have it a long time!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/playing-poker-with-the-family-4488125/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>I don’t believe that gambling can be dangerous for children, though it is of course important to not let it go too far. Raising kids into competition is never healthy, naturally. But it is a good way to activate the family in my opinion.<br>
In my family we play once a week, if not more often. Everybody likes it and are looking forward to the game day when we gather in the kitchen for some <a href="http://www.rakebacklovers.com">poker</a>.<br>
My husband and I have two sons and one daughter, which are all very skilled in poker. We play Texas Hold’em most of the time, since that is the most famous kind of poker. Then it becomes more fun to watch it on TV as well.<br>
It is such a joy to see my children develop their strategies and me and my husband are doing all we can to encourage them in their game. They aren’t bad losers and the atmosphere is always good.<br>
Apart from the thrill of playing, it is a good opportunity to get some insight in their lives and ask them how their day has been. It is crucial that you, as a parent, take each chance you get to have dialogues and discussions. So we talk about school and their class mates, what is coming up during the week or simply how everyone feels.  It is of course also good fun to talk about the actual poker game with my children to see how they think strategically and make up their own game plans. I think it is good practice for them in terms of thinking mathematically, training their memory and keeping a straight face when they have to.<br>
Naturally, the gambling culture can be a dangerous world, and I would never allow my children to take part of those dangerous things (like betting or lending money). If they would ask for my permission to go to Las Vegas for example, they know very well what my response would be!<br>
I don’t want my kids to be interested in the way of living they have there, and neither does my husband. Also, I don’t think that it is healthy for young people to have to much stress, so we try to make it clear that it really doesn’t matter that much who wins, as long as everyone has fun.<br>
All in all, I am happy that we have this tradition in the family, and I hope for us to have it a long time!</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/playing-poker-with-the-family-4488125/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-wsop-is-about-to-begin-4488108/"><default:title>The WSOP is about to begin</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-wsop-is-about-to-begin-4488108/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2008-07-23T13:29:18+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;In a few weeks the World Series of Poker finally begins.&lt;br&gt;
I am so excited, there is no competition that is so fun for me to watch. If it hadn’t been aired I am pretty sure that I would have headed off to Las Vegas to follow the whole ordeal from there. Now I can sit safely in my coach instead with crisps and beer to see the whole tournament from beginning to end. Thank god for cable-tv!&lt;br&gt;
It has been about seven years since I first saw WSOP. Back in those days I wasn’t very interested in poker, it was just a nice way of making the times pass. I wasn’t well aware of the rules and the culture behind it, but after having seen the WSOP final in 2001 my attitude changed a lot! My friends couldn’t believe their ears when I evening after evening suggested poker playing instead of video games or going to the pub. But soon I had made them like poker as much as I do and when the WSOP of 2002 began we were all ready by the biggest television that was available in our posse.&lt;br&gt;
Since then, we (and particularly I) have been following the competition. Every new year you learn something new about the culture, the rules, the strategies and the psychology around poker.&lt;br&gt;
Sometimes I rent or download old poker tournaments from the ‘80s and ‘90s. To watch legends such as Stu Ungar and Jonny Chan deliver the way they did is extraordinary. They were really skilled and disciplined. I barely understand how they keep the kind of poker faces that they did. Even if I by now is a fairly experienced player myself, I still have a hard time hiding triumph or disappointment. There are so many details in your body language to expose your secrets. Even if you are totally still and try not to do anything particular at all – then that in itself is a tell!&lt;br&gt;
Yes, I have a lot to learn from the big poker legends. That is why I am happy that the competition is being aired so that it is available for anyone that has Internet or a video player.&lt;br&gt;
And now it is only a matter of days until the WSOP starts again.&lt;br&gt;
I don’t know how I will be able to wait! I guess I will have to play some &lt;a href="http://www.chilipoker.com"&gt;poker&lt;/a&gt; in the meantime, just to calm myself…&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-wsop-is-about-to-begin-4488108/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>In a few weeks the World Series of Poker finally begins.<br>
I am so excited, there is no competition that is so fun for me to watch. If it hadn’t been aired I am pretty sure that I would have headed off to Las Vegas to follow the whole ordeal from there. Now I can sit safely in my coach instead with crisps and beer to see the whole tournament from beginning to end. Thank god for cable-tv!<br>
It has been about seven years since I first saw WSOP. Back in those days I wasn’t very interested in poker, it was just a nice way of making the times pass. I wasn’t well aware of the rules and the culture behind it, but after having seen the WSOP final in 2001 my attitude changed a lot! My friends couldn’t believe their ears when I evening after evening suggested poker playing instead of video games or going to the pub. But soon I had made them like poker as much as I do and when the WSOP of 2002 began we were all ready by the biggest television that was available in our posse.<br>
Since then, we (and particularly I) have been following the competition. Every new year you learn something new about the culture, the rules, the strategies and the psychology around poker.<br>
Sometimes I rent or download old poker tournaments from the ‘80s and ‘90s. To watch legends such as Stu Ungar and Jonny Chan deliver the way they did is extraordinary. They were really skilled and disciplined. I barely understand how they keep the kind of poker faces that they did. Even if I by now is a fairly experienced player myself, I still have a hard time hiding triumph or disappointment. There are so many details in your body language to expose your secrets. Even if you are totally still and try not to do anything particular at all – then that in itself is a tell!<br>
Yes, I have a lot to learn from the big poker legends. That is why I am happy that the competition is being aired so that it is available for anyone that has Internet or a video player.<br>
And now it is only a matter of days until the WSOP starts again.<br>
I don’t know how I will be able to wait! I guess I will have to play some <a href="http://www.chilipoker.com">poker</a> in the meantime, just to calm myself…</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-wsop-is-about-to-begin-4488108/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/21/to-watch-or-not-to-watch-movies-4479201/"><default:title>To watch or not to watch movies</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/21/to-watch-or-not-to-watch-movies-4479201/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2008-07-21T16:37:20+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;I am a bit tired of watching movies in the evening. I used to love watching movies. I don’t know how many hours, days, even weeks, that I’ve spent in front of the TV. But when I look at it from a larger scheme I no longer think that my everyday life is as well planned as I’ve always thought: I get up in the morning and work until it is literally dark outside. Or, in the summertime, at least until most people have had their dinner. After that I go home, which takes about one hour, so the time we’ll be at least eight o’clock for my dinner. If I do watch a movie after that, I will have spent the whole day doing things that don’t actually supply me with any valuable memories.&lt;br&gt;
Sometimes I play poker online, which is more fun than watching movies. But I don’t really like to play poker IRL, and what I lack the most in my life is the social part. So that is no real solution either. Sometimes I think about doing radical things, such as moving away from the country, quit my job and go look for fortune somewhere else. There are so many things that I could do, yet I fear that none of them will ever be done. I would like to travel more, and see Scotland, Egypt, New York, the Indian countryside, the quiet desert and the jungle. There are so many things that I could do, but I know that I won’t have the courage to get my act together. And the worse thing is that all of my friends seem to feel the same about their lives.&lt;br&gt;
No, I think that the solution to the problem lies in the small means: To watch less movies. To try to learn more while at work. To try to connect to more people, and get influenced by them. Maybe the best deal would be if I tried to start to like IRL &lt;a href="http://www.chilipoker.com"&gt;poker&lt;/a&gt;, and then I would meet new people that way…&lt;br&gt;
In that case I would want to do it abroad. I reckon I should just head to Las Vegas and see how that works out! But then again, maybe I would just lose my money on the casinos, and then I’d be back where I started. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/21/to-watch-or-not-to-watch-movies-4479201/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>I am a bit tired of watching movies in the evening. I used to love watching movies. I don’t know how many hours, days, even weeks, that I’ve spent in front of the TV. But when I look at it from a larger scheme I no longer think that my everyday life is as well planned as I’ve always thought: I get up in the morning and work until it is literally dark outside. Or, in the summertime, at least until most people have had their dinner. After that I go home, which takes about one hour, so the time we’ll be at least eight o’clock for my dinner. If I do watch a movie after that, I will have spent the whole day doing things that don’t actually supply me with any valuable memories.<br>
Sometimes I play poker online, which is more fun than watching movies. But I don’t really like to play poker IRL, and what I lack the most in my life is the social part. So that is no real solution either. Sometimes I think about doing radical things, such as moving away from the country, quit my job and go look for fortune somewhere else. There are so many things that I could do, yet I fear that none of them will ever be done. I would like to travel more, and see Scotland, Egypt, New York, the Indian countryside, the quiet desert and the jungle. There are so many things that I could do, but I know that I won’t have the courage to get my act together. And the worse thing is that all of my friends seem to feel the same about their lives.<br>
No, I think that the solution to the problem lies in the small means: To watch less movies. To try to learn more while at work. To try to connect to more people, and get influenced by them. Maybe the best deal would be if I tried to start to like IRL <a href="http://www.chilipoker.com">poker</a>, and then I would meet new people that way…<br>
In that case I would want to do it abroad. I reckon I should just head to Las Vegas and see how that works out! But then again, maybe I would just lose my money on the casinos, and then I’d be back where I started. </p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/21/to-watch-or-not-to-watch-movies-4479201/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/01/omega-4389593/"><default:title>Omega</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/01/omega-4389593/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2008-07-01T15:22:39+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;The time has come for me to finally buy a really decent &lt;a href="http://www.watchonwatch.com"&gt;watch&lt;/a&gt;. I have been looking at the Watch On Watch-site, where the most luxurious brands and watches are listed. I have fallen for Omegas “Seamaster Planet Ocean”, which has water protection down to 600 metres and looks really nice. They sell it for less than they do in most stores.&lt;br&gt;
I love Omegas watches, as does Pierce Brosnan’s Bond, and I have always been a bit interested in it’s status and history.&lt;br&gt;
Omega has existed since 1848 when it was developed in Schweiz. 1903 they got together with Tissot, which was followed by several other collaborations. It feels like Omega is the brand that has the most profound place in modern culture. Look at NASA, for example: they specifically chose the brand to be worn at the Apollo-assignments. The watch’s name was Speedmaster.&lt;br&gt;
The first watch on the moon was an Omega: Speedmaster Professional Chronograph. The James Bond-connection is pretty cool as well. When Bond “turned 40” there was 10007 Seamaster 300M Professionals being made. That is the watch that is worn in Golden Eye. Earlier, James Bond wore a Rolex, but that brand feels a bit too classic and worn out, I think.&lt;br&gt;
Another piece of trivia is that the name Omega originates from the last letter in the Greek alphabet and means “large”.&lt;br&gt;
They were also the first watch manufacturer that was timekeeper in the Olympics. Sports and Omega has gone hand in hand through the decades in general. That also means that few watches have been tested so much – and passed those tests. I can’t imagine an authority as careful and accurate when it comes to “test-driving” their equipment as NASA is. Not that I will spend too much time in outer space in the near future, but it feels wicked to know. &lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;Another nice example from the Watch On Watch-collection is the Seamaster Aqua Terra. It can only take water pressure down to 150 metres, but has a very, very nice design. It would look splendid together with black shirts, but if I want that I would have to spend a little more money than on the Seamaster Planet Ocean. I have a hard time deciding if I like the bracelet in steel or in dark leather the most. It feels like steel bracelets are more suited for the younger generation, while later in life one will look more handsome in a discreet leather bracelet. &lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;I guess that that is what I like the most with Omega: that their collection holds so many different types of watches, but all of them come with the same air of dignity and strength. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/01/omega-4389593/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>The time has come for me to finally buy a really decent <a href="http://www.watchonwatch.com">watch</a>. I have been looking at the Watch On Watch-site, where the most luxurious brands and watches are listed. I have fallen for Omegas “Seamaster Planet Ocean”, which has water protection down to 600 metres and looks really nice. They sell it for less than they do in most stores.<br>
I love Omegas watches, as does Pierce Brosnan’s Bond, and I have always been a bit interested in it’s status and history.<br>
Omega has existed since 1848 when it was developed in Schweiz. 1903 they got together with Tissot, which was followed by several other collaborations. It feels like Omega is the brand that has the most profound place in modern culture. Look at NASA, for example: they specifically chose the brand to be worn at the Apollo-assignments. The watch’s name was Speedmaster.<br>
The first watch on the moon was an Omega: Speedmaster Professional Chronograph. The James Bond-connection is pretty cool as well. When Bond “turned 40” there was 10007 Seamaster 300M Professionals being made. That is the watch that is worn in Golden Eye. Earlier, James Bond wore a Rolex, but that brand feels a bit too classic and worn out, I think.<br>
Another piece of trivia is that the name Omega originates from the last letter in the Greek alphabet and means “large”.<br>
They were also the first watch manufacturer that was timekeeper in the Olympics. Sports and Omega has gone hand in hand through the decades in general. That also means that few watches have been tested so much – and passed those tests. I can’t imagine an authority as careful and accurate when it comes to “test-driving” their equipment as NASA is. Not that I will spend too much time in outer space in the near future, but it feels wicked to know. </p>
	<p>Another nice example from the Watch On Watch-collection is the Seamaster Aqua Terra. It can only take water pressure down to 150 metres, but has a very, very nice design. It would look splendid together with black shirts, but if I want that I would have to spend a little more money than on the Seamaster Planet Ocean. I have a hard time deciding if I like the bracelet in steel or in dark leather the most. It feels like steel bracelets are more suited for the younger generation, while later in life one will look more handsome in a discreet leather bracelet. </p>
	<p>I guess that that is what I like the most with Omega: that their collection holds so many different types of watches, but all of them come with the same air of dignity and strength. </p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/07/01/omega-4389593/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/30/las-vegas-med-pojkvaauml-nnen-4384020/"><default:title>Las Vegas med pojkvännen</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/30/las-vegas-med-pojkvaauml-nnen-4384020/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2008-06-30T12:37:01+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;Jag åkte till Las Vegas med min pojkvän för ett par veckor sedan. Vi hade sparat under en tid så vi hade en hel del pengar att spendera om vi ville. Vi anlände mitt på dagen på fredag och åkte till hotellet. Det var riktigt fint, med balkong, ett stort badkar, tjocka mattor och en stor säng. Vi lämnade våra väskor och gick ut för att luncha och handla lite kläder. Jag köpte en underbar klänning för kvällens aktiviteter och min pojkvän köpte ett par skjortor. Efter shoppingen åt vi en fin middag på en restaurang i ena änden av The Strip, med tända ljus och magnifik mat. Eventet som vi skulle till hölls på Bellagio och var arrangerat av en välgörenhetsorganisation. Det var väldigt välarrangerad med liveband, tight schema och vackert folk. Jag tror att de hade lyckats samla ihop runt tio gånger sina utgifter i slutet av kvällen.&lt;br&gt;
Dagen efter tog vi en lång sovmorgon och gick ut och åt en sen lunch på eftermiddagen. Det var lite regnigt, men vi var på väldigt gott humör efter eventet. Dessutom hade vi den antågande kvällen att se fram emot. Vi shoppade lite mer och åt en lätt middag vid sex innan vi åkte tillbaka till hotellet och bytte om till våra aftonkläder. Det var dags för lite kvalitetstid på kasinot…&lt;br&gt;
Vi mötte upp några bekanta och bestämde oss för att gå till MGM Grand och spela &lt;a href="http://www.pokeroffice.com"&gt;poker&lt;/a&gt;. MGM Grand är mitt favoritkasino i Las Vegas, och min pojkväns också.&lt;br&gt;
Vi hade en bra kväll, faktum är att en av våra vänner vann omkring 790 dollar. Jag, däremot, förlorade alla mina pengar. Det gör inte så mycket dock, jag hade en rolig kväll med spelmaskiner, gott vitt vin, trevligt folk, roulette och förstås: &lt;a href="http://www.pokerloco.com"&gt;poker&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;
Det var många spelare där den kvällen, och det var uppenbart att flera av dem inte spelade för att det var roligt, utan för att vinna. Och de var duktiga på det, överraskande duktiga. Jag iakttog dem en lång stund medan de satt vid pokerbordet med sina likgiltiga, hårda ansikten och vann och vann. Någon gång ibland förlorade de, men de visade ingen större reaktion på det. Ganska imponerande.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;Morgonen efter flög vi hem, efter en underbar helg med god mat, romantiska promenader och rikligt med vitt vin.&lt;br&gt;
Förhoppningsvis är vi tillbaka inom några månader!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/30/las-vegas-med-pojkvaauml-nnen-4384020/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>Jag åkte till Las Vegas med min pojkvän för ett par veckor sedan. Vi hade sparat under en tid så vi hade en hel del pengar att spendera om vi ville. Vi anlände mitt på dagen på fredag och åkte till hotellet. Det var riktigt fint, med balkong, ett stort badkar, tjocka mattor och en stor säng. Vi lämnade våra väskor och gick ut för att luncha och handla lite kläder. Jag köpte en underbar klänning för kvällens aktiviteter och min pojkvän köpte ett par skjortor. Efter shoppingen åt vi en fin middag på en restaurang i ena änden av The Strip, med tända ljus och magnifik mat. Eventet som vi skulle till hölls på Bellagio och var arrangerat av en välgörenhetsorganisation. Det var väldigt välarrangerad med liveband, tight schema och vackert folk. Jag tror att de hade lyckats samla ihop runt tio gånger sina utgifter i slutet av kvällen.<br>
Dagen efter tog vi en lång sovmorgon och gick ut och åt en sen lunch på eftermiddagen. Det var lite regnigt, men vi var på väldigt gott humör efter eventet. Dessutom hade vi den antågande kvällen att se fram emot. Vi shoppade lite mer och åt en lätt middag vid sex innan vi åkte tillbaka till hotellet och bytte om till våra aftonkläder. Det var dags för lite kvalitetstid på kasinot…<br>
Vi mötte upp några bekanta och bestämde oss för att gå till MGM Grand och spela <a href="http://www.pokeroffice.com">poker</a>. MGM Grand är mitt favoritkasino i Las Vegas, och min pojkväns också.<br>
Vi hade en bra kväll, faktum är att en av våra vänner vann omkring 790 dollar. Jag, däremot, förlorade alla mina pengar. Det gör inte så mycket dock, jag hade en rolig kväll med spelmaskiner, gott vitt vin, trevligt folk, roulette och förstås: <a href="http://www.pokerloco.com">poker</a>.<br>
Det var många spelare där den kvällen, och det var uppenbart att flera av dem inte spelade för att det var roligt, utan för att vinna. Och de var duktiga på det, överraskande duktiga. Jag iakttog dem en lång stund medan de satt vid pokerbordet med sina likgiltiga, hårda ansikten och vann och vann. Någon gång ibland förlorade de, men de visade ingen större reaktion på det. Ganska imponerande.</p>
	<p>Morgonen efter flög vi hem, efter en underbar helg med god mat, romantiska promenader och rikligt med vitt vin.<br>
Förhoppningsvis är vi tillbaka inom några månader!</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/30/las-vegas-med-pojkvaauml-nnen-4384020/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/11/ok-the-first-post-4301509/"><default:title>Ok the first post</default:title><default:link>http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/11/ok-the-first-post-4301509/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2008-06-11T13:14:07+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;Well, this is my first post of my brand new first blog. I have never written anything for anyone else to read. Except in school of course. This is my try to get famous on the net &lt;img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"&gt; in a year from now, everyone will be talking about me, I promise.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/11/ok-the-first-post-4301509/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>Well, this is my first post of my brand new first blog. I have never written anything for anyone else to read. Except in school of course. This is my try to get famous on the net <img src="/img/smilies/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" class="middle" border="0"> in a year from now, everyone will be talking about me, I promise.
</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://highstakes.blog.co.uk/2008/06/11/ok-the-first-post-4301509/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item></rdf:RDF>
