Five reasons I like Scrabulous more than Scrabble.
- I can check the official word list quickly and easily. This levels the playing field a bit when a beginner like me who was never very good with spelling is playing old pros like my sister
- I don't need to do the arithmetic to work out how much a word is worth
- I can play with family and friends who live on different continents
- I can complete games with my wife. We almost never have blocks of time big enough for a whole game. Leaving the board in place is not an option in a house with two kids
- I can make a move between meetings to break up a work day
Showing posts with label sport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sport. Show all posts
Saturday 28 June 2008
Tuesday 24 June 2008
Geeks, meet the jocks
Michael Medved on the value of an education:
That piece of parchment from New Haven or Cambridge does indicate that you've competed with single-minded effectiveness in the first 20 years of life....the driven, ferociously focused kids willing to expend the energy and make the sacrifices to conquer our most exclusive universities...are likely to enjoy similar success...
Competed, single-minded, driven, ferociously focused, energy, sacrifice - these words could be used to describe sports people. Not gifted amateurs, but the tough competitors who win ugly.
Among my peers, the sportsmen/ games captains have certainly gone on to be as successful as the university toppers. There is something in that old Thomas Arnold belief about sport building character...
That piece of parchment from New Haven or Cambridge does indicate that you've competed with single-minded effectiveness in the first 20 years of life....the driven, ferociously focused kids willing to expend the energy and make the sacrifices to conquer our most exclusive universities...are likely to enjoy similar success...
Competed, single-minded, driven, ferociously focused, energy, sacrifice - these words could be used to describe sports people. Not gifted amateurs, but the tough competitors who win ugly.
Among my peers, the sportsmen/ games captains have certainly gone on to be as successful as the university toppers. There is something in that old Thomas Arnold belief about sport building character...
Sunday 3 February 2008
Fixing match fixing
This is absurd. The organizers of the French Open are sueing online betting sites (including Betfair - the site I use) to prevent betting on the French Open.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3225440
Yes, match-fixing in tennis is a serious problem. Tennis matches are easy to fix. But surely, major branded sites like Betfair and Ladbrokes are part of the solution. These sites are dependent on the trust of millions of small time punters. They have the data needed to spot odd betting patterns and extra-big bets.
This could actually be counter-productive. Betting on sport is great fun. It will always be a part of sport. Driving good, clean, fun betting underground will only bring in sleaze and increase the likelihood of match fixing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3225440
Yes, match-fixing in tennis is a serious problem. Tennis matches are easy to fix. But surely, major branded sites like Betfair and Ladbrokes are part of the solution. These sites are dependent on the trust of millions of small time punters. They have the data needed to spot odd betting patterns and extra-big bets.
This could actually be counter-productive. Betting on sport is great fun. It will always be a part of sport. Driving good, clean, fun betting underground will only bring in sleaze and increase the likelihood of match fixing.
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