Monday Morning Link Dump: Happy (Belated) Birthday to Wicked Chops Poker, Whataburger Fights, Private Equity, and Reclusive Math Geeks

By Pauly
Los Angeles, CA


Sorry folks. I'm recovering (once again) from a March Madness hangover. We're down to four teams, my bracket is shot, and I'm barely above water. Anyway, here are a couple of tid bits (even a few poker-related stories) to masticate on during this fantastic Monday Morning...

Wicked Chops Poker turned five years old. Seems like just yesterday I met those hipsters for the first time at the 2005 WSOP Main Event... due to limited space on the floor of the Amazon Ballroom, the WCP gang set up shop behind a plasma monitor where the ESPN crew displayed the overhead flop cam for the featured TV table. That's always one of my favorite WSOP and WCP memories -- along with the hooker ODing in room 1417 at the Palms. We'll save that story for next year's birthday greetings. Let's hope we both can stick around for another five. (Wicked Chops Poker)

Amy Calistri sounds off on private equity and a few other financial matters in... The Wall Street Shell Game, and is Frugality So Wrong? (Aimlessly Chasing Amy)

I love it when two old ladies sue each other over winning the lottery. This is not a Shirley Jackson short story but the real life adventures of two sisters feuding over winning powerball numbers. (The Die Is Cast)

Speaking of wacky Ruskies, here's an intriguing story about Grigori Perelman, one of the world's brightest mathematicians who solved Poincaré's conjecture, the most difficult math problem of the 20th century. It took almost 8 years to prove his work before he was awarded a prize of $1 million by the Clay Institute. The reclusive genius declined the money and the prestigious Fields Medal. When a reporter attempted to interview Perelman he screamed, "You are disturbing me. I am picking mushrooms." I almost expected him to scream, "Fuck you taking eight years to pay $1 million. I'm playing online poker now and can make that in a weekend." (Huffington Post)

Only in Texas. I should say... only at a Whataburger in Texas. Thanks to my British colleague, Chris Hall, who pointed out this hysterical video of a drunk dude getting his ass handed to him at Whataburger. (dlisted)

Speaking of fights, visit Tao of Pauly (aka Tao of Hockey Fights) for a couple of fisticuffs involving Patrick Roy. (Tao of Pauly)

That's it for now. And if you're still suffering from a case of the Mondays, I suggest booze, weed, and/or pills.