JoAnneM

I judge the economy and gas prices by how many cars are using the "park and ride" lot down at the corner and their owners taking the commuter bus into Sacramento (45 miles). Right now gas is down to $2.19 and the cars are only parked about one block outside of the lot. When it was $4.50 they were parked at least three blocks around the lot. I think that many riders decided they like taking the bus, especially since the capitol area and downtown is in such a concentrated space, who needs a car there.

jdonn, don't worry about picking on me, I have really tough skin, and thanks for the clarification. Besides you didn't tell me I was stupid, you just told me I was wrong. :(

I think your figures are a bit out of date, Joanne. Last report I did, the fee was $1.25 per session and $0.74 per table. Plus, of course, the $36 (I think) annual ACBL membership fee charged to individuals. You are so right, I looked up the fees in the Handbook and chose the fee for the short game of 12-17 boards. And I am so glad you caught that because I just prepared a spreadsheet to present to our Unit BOD tomorrow. We are going to have to assume control of one of our clubs due to illness, and no one has a handle on the finances. Non-Life Masters are $35 Life-Masters are $32 Both are cheaper if you extend for three years. Thanks!

Pass. Don't pre-empt over a pre-empt. Who told me that?

Is that per person per table? How does that compare with ACBL's club game fee $1.25 plus $.40 per table? I'm not good at currency exchanges

"wonder who complained..." the Bay Area Evidently there is some minor power struggle going on at ACBL and this issue is just a small part of that. So, I am not going to worry about it anymore, but thanks for all the very interesting responses. I did check our Reno flyer and the notice is right there, thanks to the person who pointed that out to me.

Advanced Someone who has been consistently successful in clubs or minor tournaments Expert Someone who as enjoyed success in major national tournaments The difference between those two statements is probably about 7,500 masterpoints. Having no rating available between those two is silly.

What do you mean by the "West Coast"? I am president of District 20 (northern California, Oregon, Southern Washington, Hawaii) and just received an email from ACBL saying we are in violation for allowing all defenses to 1NT that would be considered mid-chart, at our Regionals. I have come across pairs playing Suction during stratified Open Pairs events, because that is what I usually play in. This must be a matter for the directors, have no idea why I am involved except that I suppose our BOD might have to take some sort of a vote if it comes to that.

Hi, I need an example, or two, of a defense to 1NT that would be considered ACBL mid-chart. Thanks very much.

Maybe you could explain what it is?

I worry about people who would pick just one issue and vote based on that. It is wrong and short-sighted. That is why your poll is flawed.

I think California is very enlightened, we just need to chop off the bottom one-third of it or so - say from the grapevine down. It really should be two states. I haven't looked at the results county by county because, actually they haven't called it yet although "yes" is running ahead. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more advertising from the "no" side. The "yes" side was heavily financed and all we heard for weeks is how our first graders would be taken to gay weddings on field trips. Even though "yes" is winning it is still a constitutional question so the fight might not be over. My gay friends here in California, some of whom are in the bridge world, are not going to give up. At least California is "enlightened" to the point that I had a "vote no on measure 8" sign in my yard and it was never bothered, and I live on a busy road.

All I know is I cancelled my bridge date for tomorrow evening.

Regular KO's (not Compact or Zip) are 24 board matches according to ACBL, but sponsors may make them longer - I don't think many do. Sponsors have a great deal of "say" in how their Regionals are run and good Tournament Managers and DIC's can make a huge difference. I was just using Bracket 1 as an example, and of course only one pair of that team would have to win both days of the Open Pairs to get those points. I was really just trying to point out that the two days of play almost equalled the same number of points available.

Okay, just taking a recent Regional in my District - a two-day KO Bracket 1 paid 49 points for 1st place. The Open Pairs for those two days paid 20 and 22 points respectively for 1st place Flight A. So, there was a 7 point difference between the two events for essentially the same number of boards. ACBL in the last year has adjusted the masterpoint awards between KO and Open Pairs, but they still have a ways to go. One of the things they are doing is changing Open Pair events to 24 board rounds to match KO events. I think that will allow people more choices in choosing events when there is a little more time between sessions.

Yes, I know that the Board of Governors does that kind of thing but the timing seems off. Don't they meet immediately after the BOD, and isn't their agenda set? I start attending those meetings soon so it should be interesting. I just can't imagine enough people actually wanting this to even get a motion seconded.

Maybe Jan hasn't driven from South Lake Tahoe to Carson City recently. It is 31 miles, and not over a 7,000 pass. But the drives to Sacramento or Grass Valley are very pretty. Both Carson City and Reno have very active clubs. BTW, go to www.acbl.org and click on Find A Club It lists all the active ACBL clubs by state and city. It just helps to know what the suburbs are called. lol

I think it is silly. If they want people to play pairs they should make the masterpoints in the pairs events more equitable with the KO events, then more people would play them. It seems very simple. Where does this come from anyway? I thought it was all done at Las Vegas. On the agenda for Boston it says it was "moved and seconded" that it be reconsidered. Who "moved and seconded"? The Life Master committee? I need to learn all this stuff, quick.

South Shore DBC Senior Center 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd Mr Edward F McDonough 530-543-0730 Email Address efm23@sbcglobal.net Schedule Day Time Type Notes Tue 1:00 PM Open Non-Smoking; Stratified

I will probably get fired as a mother-in-law for this..... My iPhone3g is great, except if you have all the features turned on, and if you have downloaded lots of their really great apps, the battery will last you about half a day. If you turn everything off and don't use "fetch" at all the battery will last for a couple of days with normal use. But sometimes even with all turned off the battery just goes down. I also am having trouble getting started with their Mobile program. hmmm, my daughter-in-law works for Apple, is Product Manager for iTunes, hope she doesn't read this.

Hopefully Colin Powell will help swing the military vote, which for some strange reason usually polls Republican. My husband is a retired Colonel and a very strong Democrat, but no one ever asks him.

That's nice. Tell that to all the people who are playing online because that is their only choice. Maybe they would love nothing more than to go to a bridge club or tournament, but can't, and I won't even start to list the reasons why not. The internet has brought the world to lots of people. I am not talking about me, I am currently playing at the Nevada City Sectional. See you at the bridge table.

My pleasure :P

It is sad, but true, that for some the internet is one of the only ways to get some intellectual stimulation, interesting conversation, or even to get a chance to get a word in edgewise. Maybe our co-workers are too dull, fellow bridge players are too old and uninterested, family members too "whatever" (for me far away). Just how cynical are you that you participate, and then put it down? Does it then make your participation okay because you have declared yourself above it? Don't take this seriously, I know you are young, and that usually explains everything.

This is the battle going on in California right now - when the judges said that gay marriages were legal counties went to great expense to change the marriage license forms from "bride" and "groom" to "party A" and "party B" The heterosexual couples raised such a stink about tha,t that with only three weeks until the election the governor has instructed the counties to change the forms back - at great expense. So now, while the gay marriages are legal, one of the pair has to be the bride and the other has to be the groom. What happens if Measure 8 fails (hopefully), will we have another election about what to put on the marriage licenses? Living in California is beautiful, but sometimes I think people have too much time on their hands.....