The Texas Hold 'Em Pokerization of America

If you have read any of my blogs, you probably gathered that I am a pretty big sports fan.  One of my pet peeves is shows broadcast on ESPN that I believe have NOTHING to do with sports.  I realize that beauty, as well as sports, are probably in the eye of the beholder, but you would be hard pressed to convince me that POKER is a sport.  I also don't believe that NASCAR is a sport, but at least the drivers have great reflexes, and are probably sweating a great deal as they drive around the oval.

When I cannot sleep late at night, I think about topics that might be interesting to write about.  One night I wrote down a few words on the back of an envelope several months ago.  I have misplaced that piece of paper between now and then, but it went something like:

"rise of interest in poker in the US = willingness to gamble our futures away"

I was born in the mid 1960s, and as a kid growing up in an upper middle class family, my parents invited the neighbors over to play bridge.  At least, that's what they told us.  There were card tables, and bridge mix, and note pads for recording scores, so I assume it was bridge they were laughing about down in the living room......

Poker was something the gamblers and desperados played on the Western movies and  television shows of the mid to late seventies.  I am not much of a card player, though I enjoy a good game of Spades, Rook or Bohnanza (this has nothing to do with the Western radio or TV show, but is a great game involving bean farming!!!!  no, really, it is!!!).

The spouse could explain more about derivatives and the mortgage bust that we are still suffering through in most parts of the US, but I wonder if the increased popularity of poker and it would appear, gambling in general, has something to do with the reduced savings rate in the US.

Rather than relying on government bonds or more conservative investments to prepare for retirement, lots of people lost most of the value of their 401Ks with this recent economic bust because they had them in more risky investments.  Greater risk can mean greater gain, but it can also mean greater loss.

Just sayin'.........