Category: Fourre-tout

A little bit of everything

LPM Triples, March 8, 2025

Yesterday was a bright and sunny day, though a bit nippy in the early morning. But as everyone knows, I’m almost always cold—it’s just normal for me. I feel chilly even when others are warm. My doctor explained that it’s due to anemia, a condition caused by a deficiency of red blood cells. He advised me to eat more red meat to help remedy the issue.

Fair enough, but beware—when I get really cold, I might just be tempted to bite someone to satisfy my craving for blood cells. So, approach me with caution, as you would a feral dog.
Being cold is a bit like being in love—you never feel hot enough.

The turnout was great, with participants from all the local clubs. It was also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and strengthen bonds. After all, gathering is the best therapy for keeping the blues at bay.

Some unexpected attendees included Alain Marchand, Evelyne, Noel Marcovecchio, and Mike Rago—each of whom had recently faced unexpected health challenges. Their presence was a ray of sunshine, a reassuring sign that they’re on the mend in these otherwise worrisome times.

There were many strong teams, especially the Hmong players from Sacramento. I wouldn’t be surprised if they emerged among the top winners.

An unexpected issue with Sneaky Pete forced me to leave early. The more sophisticated your gizmo (or should I say, “mate”), the harder it is to manage and control. Some pictures might look a little bit unsteady. Sorry about that.

Alain

Watch the pictures at the usual place and enter some comments if you like.

Final results and photos of the winners, courtesy of Christine Cragg.

 Concours:
1st place: Bill Miller, Wolfie Kurz, PJ Malette
2nd place: Derrek Dihn, Antoine Lofaro, Sebastien Lofaro
3rd pace: Phomenik, Pao LY, Susie Lee

Consolante
1st place: Kue Lee, Mone Lee, Tom Lee (cousins?)
2nd place: Tamara Efron, Richard Bell, Lynn Bell

The bots’ invasion

Have you noticed yet? The bots are taking over, spreading across our borders—and no wall is going to stop them. Like relentless termites, these Star Wars dummies are infiltrating every organization in the land, multiplying like unneutered rabbits.

Thanks to the new breed of decision-makers now occupying the White House, the trend is clear: eliminate human workers and replace them with cheaper, obedient stooges. Longtime employees are being forced out, replaced by artificial drones that never complain, take a day off… and never ask for a raise. And all of this, we’re told, is for the sake of efficiency and economy. But how many people believe this sanctimonious rhetoric?

Let’s get one thing straight—there are good bots, and there are bad bots. Not all are created equal. Some have an Ivy League pedigree; others never made it past high school. The bad ones? Limited vocabulary, zero manners, and constant miscommunication. More often than not, you don’t understand them—and they don’t understand you.

If you’d like me to repeat that, please press 3.

Reaching a knowledgeable official is already an uphill battle. But now, with bots blocking rather than assisting, every simple task has become an endurance test.

But think of the savings! That’s the refrain from the King’s courtiers. Sure—except who’s benefiting? Everyone? Don’t be silly. The money will first flow into the pockets of the King’s minions—his Praetorian Guard. The rich will grow obscenely richer, while Joe Six-Pack will wait in line, hoping to scrape up a few leftover crumbs.

Many people don’t see beyond their nose, making them easy to mislead. But when they realize, they’ve been lied to, they are more furious (and more dangerous) than the skeptics. This is why wise leaders usually keep their cool on stage. If they disagree, they do so civilly and seldom berate or offend their adversaries in public.

What happened yesterday in the White House between President Zelensky and King Trump was a disgraceful display of arrogance and intimidation by an American president. The entire world saw it—and will not forget. That wasn’t toughness from the American side; it was sheer arrogance and stupidity. A day that will live in infamy!

Who is now going to trust their American “friends”?

The Kremlin is smiling.

—Alain

Yesterday in Sonoma

Shannon Bowman

Yesterday in Sonoma, 56 players and a handful of former players gathered for a one-on-one tournament. The weather was perfect, with clear skies and a bit of sunshine that added to the pleasant ambiance of the day.

The occasion was filled with laughter, stories, and the joyful renewal of old friendships. It was a time for players to reconnect, share their experiences, and reminisce about the good old days. The camaraderie was palpable as everyone mingled, enjoying the harmonious blend of past and present.

Since neither Tamara nor I didn’t play in the tournament, we were afforded the luxury of coming late, 11:00 am, to be precise. There were a lot of good players on the field, too numerous to name them all, but I took a special interest in my close friends… and people exposed to the sunny side of the court. My camera demanded it.

When you are the armchair umpire, it seems that you see things more clearly than the players on the field, but regardless of my feelings, I always keep my mouth shut during a game.

Tamara and I left around 3:00 PM without knowing the final results.

On another note, my website has been down for more than 3 weeks due to a technical problem. But what I have discovered so far, is that you can access my blog with a different browser than Safari. On my Mac, for instance, I cannot access my blog with Safari, but I can with Google. You can also access the site with an iPhone.

This does not mean that I won’t try to fix the existing problem, but it proved to be a little more complex than I anticipated. In the meantime (if you are curious and want to see some pictures) use Google instead of Safari.

It was nice to see you all, and I promise to attend future tournaments even though I don’t have the stamina anymore to spend an entire day chasing an elusive piglet.

In the meantime, if anybody has the final results (and the pictures of the winners), please send them to me so I can include them in this little report.

Alain

Flash: Final results from Kevin:

1st place: PJ Malette
2nd place: Dave Lanter
3rd place: Kevin Evoy

Patrick Vaslet won Concours B