Friday, August 18, 2006
McSherrystown Mayor to Compete in Humorous Speech Competition
Hanover - The Hanover Area Toastmasters will hold a "Humorous Speech" and "Table Topic" competition at it's next meeting, beginning at 6:30PM on Monday, August 28 at Bay City Restaurant in Hanover, PA.
The winner of each judged competition will move on to a regional competition.
If you are interested in attending to watch or paritipate in the competition, contact:
Phone: 717 637 6344 carbooters@aol.com
Hanover Area Toastmasters
http://hanoverarea.freetoasthost.info/
http://www.toastmasters.org/find/zoomclub.asp?ClubNumber=790787&x=10&y=7
Bay City Restaurant, 110 E Eisenhower Dr., Hanover, Pennsylvania, 17331
http://www.baycityrestaurant.com/
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The winner of each judged competition will move on to a regional competition.
If you are interested in attending to watch or paritipate in the competition, contact:
Phone: 717 637 6344 carbooters@aol.com
Hanover Area Toastmasters
http://hanoverarea.freetoasthost.info/
http://www.toastmasters.org/find/zoomclub.asp?ClubNumber=790787&x=10&y=7
Bay City Restaurant, 110 E Eisenhower Dr., Hanover, Pennsylvania, 17331
http://www.baycityrestaurant.com/
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Thursday, August 17, 2006
PLCB - You Are Stretching Your Logic Thin, Poker is a Game of Skill
The state says:
BLCE: Poker/Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments: "Poker/Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments
"Texas Hold 'Em" (also known as "Hold 'Em") is a seven-card poker game where players wager money against each other on the strength of their hands by placing bets into a common pot, which is won by the player with the strongest hand at the conclusion of play."
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First Off, the article is specifically titled "Poker/Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments", so I will address their definition of a tournament:
In a (Texas Hold 'Em) Poker Tournament, players wager money on themselves and their skill and ability to play and win continuous hands of (Texas Hold 'Em) poker, until primarily the most skilled players, and ultimately only one player, remains.
A very good overview of the subject is available here:
https://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/commentary/CABOTA2PDF.pdf
The ability to win one hand of poker at a random machine, for example Video Draw Poker, is not good, even for a professional poker player. However, in Texas Hold 'Em, you are not ALWAYS in the forced betting position (blinds), and often get free cards to fold.
Even professional poker players can play, over time, Video Draw Poker to 99.54% payout.
Like Backgammon, which is a game with dice recognized LEGALLY as a game of skill, Poker is a game of skill that should be recognized as such - and left otherwise alone - NOT burdened with regulation and legislation.
In my opinion, Poker, and Gin, and other such games are games of skill, not a game of chance.
Now who wants to play Chess?
The legalities of hosting poker events in Pennsylvania has led many hosts to request Advisory Opinions from the Liquor Control Board. The LCB has responded repeatedly that self-hosting Hold-Em tournaments with no buy in is legal with prizes of up to $500.
Advisory Opnion 2006-63
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/legal/PublicAdvOpnDisplay.asp?opinion_year=2006&opinion_sequence=63
Third Parties (leagues) can not conduct or sponsor events. "However, retail liquor licensees, may permit events on the licensed premises which are sponsored by groups constituting a league..."
The continuing confusion about contradictory opinions like these create a steady level of requests for clarification:
2006 Advisory Opinions on Texas Hold Em for Liquor Licenses from the PA Liquor Control Board
Two decisions have been cited repeatedly by the PLCB in their Adivisory Opinions:
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd. v. PPC Circus Bar, Inc., 96 Pa. Cmwlth. 115, 506 A.2d 521 (1986)
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd. v. Kehler, 114 Pa. Cmwlth. 310, 538 A.2d 979 (1988)
From these, the PLCB state:
"The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has held that poker playing for money on a licensed premises is gambling, within the definition cited above."
So does that mean if you play for anything BUT money, you're not gambling? Or am I just being a smart-alec?
I've requested the text of these decisions from the PLCB and will post them.
BLCE: Poker/Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments: "Poker/Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments
"Texas Hold 'Em" (also known as "Hold 'Em") is a seven-card poker game where players wager money against each other on the strength of their hands by placing bets into a common pot, which is won by the player with the strongest hand at the conclusion of play."
---
First Off, the article is specifically titled "Poker/Texas Hold 'Em Tournaments", so I will address their definition of a tournament:
In a (Texas Hold 'Em) Poker Tournament, players wager money on themselves and their skill and ability to play and win continuous hands of (Texas Hold 'Em) poker, until primarily the most skilled players, and ultimately only one player, remains.
A very good overview of the subject is available here:
https://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/commentary/CABOTA2PDF.pdf
The ability to win one hand of poker at a random machine, for example Video Draw Poker, is not good, even for a professional poker player. However, in Texas Hold 'Em, you are not ALWAYS in the forced betting position (blinds), and often get free cards to fold.
Even professional poker players can play, over time, Video Draw Poker to 99.54% payout.
Like Backgammon, which is a game with dice recognized LEGALLY as a game of skill, Poker is a game of skill that should be recognized as such - and left otherwise alone - NOT burdened with regulation and legislation.
In my opinion, Poker, and Gin, and other such games are games of skill, not a game of chance.
Now who wants to play Chess?
The legalities of hosting poker events in Pennsylvania has led many hosts to request Advisory Opinions from the Liquor Control Board. The LCB has responded repeatedly that self-hosting Hold-Em tournaments with no buy in is legal with prizes of up to $500.
Advisory Opnion 2006-63
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/legal/PublicAdvOpnDisplay.asp?opinion_year=2006&opinion_sequence=63
Third Parties (leagues) can not conduct or sponsor events. "However, retail liquor licensees, may permit events on the licensed premises which are sponsored by groups constituting a league..."
The continuing confusion about contradictory opinions like these create a steady level of requests for clarification:
2006 Advisory Opinions on Texas Hold Em for Liquor Licenses from the PA Liquor Control Board
Two decisions have been cited repeatedly by the PLCB in their Adivisory Opinions:
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd. v. PPC Circus Bar, Inc., 96 Pa. Cmwlth. 115, 506 A.2d 521 (1986)
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Bd. v. Kehler, 114 Pa. Cmwlth. 310, 538 A.2d 979 (1988)
From these, the PLCB state:
"The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has held that poker playing for money on a licensed premises is gambling, within the definition cited above."
So does that mean if you play for anything BUT money, you're not gambling? Or am I just being a smart-alec?
I've requested the text of these decisions from the PLCB and will post them.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
AMBER ALERT OUT OF LANCASTER
AMBER ALERT
PA State Police out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania has issued an amber alert.
Police are looking for Damian Rios - 3 ft tall, 40 lbs, brown hair, light complexion.
Last seen at 900 East King Street in Lancaster.
Abducted by Tanya Aguasvivas, 22, 5 Feet 5 Inches Tall, Dark brown hair, 140 lbs, dark complexion.
Seen heading East on PA 322 toward Philadelphia in a 1995 Blue Hyundai, Pennsylvania registration FVN5337.
Aguasvivas is Considered Dangerous.
If you see Aguasvivas or Damian Rios, call 911.
If you are in the Mid-Atlantic United States (PA, MD, NJ, DE, NY), Please Consult Your Local News Media for Updates.Updated 12:07AM EDT 08/01/2006 -
PA State Police out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania has issued an amber alert.
Police are looking for Damian Rios - 3 ft tall, 40 lbs, brown hair, light complexion.
Last seen at 900 East King Street in Lancaster.
Abducted by Tanya Aguasvivas, 22, 5 Feet 5 Inches Tall, Dark brown hair, 140 lbs, dark complexion.
Seen heading East on PA 322 toward Philadelphia in a 1995 Blue Hyundai, Pennsylvania registration FVN5337.
Aguasvivas is Considered Dangerous.
If you see Aguasvivas or Damian Rios, call 911.
If you are in the Mid-Atlantic United States (PA, MD, NJ, DE, NY), Please Consult Your Local News Media for Updates.Updated 12:07AM EDT 08/01/2006 -
