Actually, I work for a company that asks for United Way donation pledges once a year for our employees as well, and everyone is required to fill out just such a slip. It's not your company at fault; it's literally how United Way requires pledges to be passed around at a presentation. I always put 0 without even thinking about it, since the marketing is poor and doesn't really convince me I need to donate, but I noticed almost no one else does... many, many people pledge $1 a week. So, I think this just might be the shady way that United Way gets pledges... with a yearly group-shame type of encounter that tests your guilt level. Rather underhanded, but I suppose ultimately the world, like the entire Poker / Gambling zeitgeist, is full of many fish, few hustlers, and few scientists. The funding strategies for many operations that are donation-powered have some of the most aggressive sales/manipulation tactics the average individual will ever encounter... it's what keeps a good charity around. Your company might actually provide you with a very negative response if you were to send such a letter as you say you would... when it's not a company fighting to be the most charitable out of several, then usually someone very high up in a business is of the philanthropist persuasion, perhaps because of his manipulability and not simply a desire to help the world, and that's how United Way might have initially bit your company's neck. Either way, you'll be told to STFU, or perhaps ignored.

Thanks for your post. I no longer work for that company, in fact, as of 1/1/2009 I am a full-time poker player. What I wrote about happened quite a few years ago, and I'm sorry to hear that the tactics, whoever is behind them, are still allowed.

I can say that at this point, were I in the same position, I would not care what my employer thinks. I have been very involved in politics and community affairs: running for local office and vice-chair of a committee that wrote a new city charter, to give two example.

As least partly because of those experiences, I am used to to taking stands, and dealing with the pressure to change those stands. In fact, at the same company I mentioned, during an election cycle I was wearing the button of a presidential candidate.

My boss told me that while he respected my opinion (and in fact agreed with my support of that candidate), that it was too disruptive to the workplace. I pointed out that several others at the company, including some in management, were publicly supporting a candidate in the same way.

Two days later, my boss came back and said that he had looked into the issue, that he was wrong, and that I had every right to wear that button at the workplace.

I guess it takes people like you and me to speak for the sheep who cave to the pressure and give their $1 a month.

I bet <10% of the people who replied in this thread are lifetime winning players. "But how much you lose" applies to rest of them.

tell them, "but dude, you got paid last week".

i was going to the theatre with my buddy and a couple girls just recently actually (ended up at he's just not that into you... sigh) the girl that was next to my buddy on the far side SOOOOOOOOO ANNOYING kept reaching over him to ask me what to do with random hands ( leaving out position, blinds, images etc.) just **** like do you slowplay qq? after the flick we went to her house, and she is like ill brb went to her room and comes back after like 5 min. were all drinkin having a good one, i end up in her room after a bit and in the backround i see on her comp party being installed!! I was like C'mon now no way!!! i played it off like i didnt see it and when we were done we went to the main room and shes like oh you guys should come to my room for a sec.... opens up party and is like haha i play too but i have no moeny on there anymore(riiiiiight) she gives me 20$ cash, trys to get me to dep on my card and says lets all just play for a bit and will stop when you get to 100$. THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. i said no obv but like holy sh%t tilted me, super akward

Poker isn't gambling?
Wait,what?

That's what i do,but I haven't quite got it down yet

I'm 28 and recently had this exchange with my mom:

Mom: How was your trip to Atlantic City? Did you win money?
Me: Yeah, won a few hundred bucks.
Mom: But how much did you lose?
Me: *uncontrollable laughter*

Apparently my parents knew a couple guys in college who got in deep with a bookie who was mob-connected and they got roughed up and thrown out of a car or something. Therefore, anybody who gambles, ever, has a "gambling problem" and is destined for ruin.

Lol, I love when people say this. It's so good.

I used to give $100 and then put an extra $100 into my expense account to cover it. My boss was a friend and he liked the idea so much that he did it also. Everyone was happy.

someone asked me to double their money and gave me 20$. next day i told them i tried and i lost it, to give me 20$ more. i didn't actually play, i just kept their money. they don't ask me to double their money up anymore.

Hehe.

One i've been getting lately after i say i play poker for a living is, ''so do you make money?''

It's like WTF how would i make a living if i didn't make money... I just say well i've not worked for 2 years and always had money so i guess i must do, but people are stupid.

Also all the other random stuff in thread is so true. All the stuff about people not understanding variance, winrates +ev to -ev and the diff between casino games and poker etc. So many times i've tryed to explain stuff like this to people. Sometimes it works with the more intelligent people but sometimes your wasting your time on dumb ppl and it's all very tilting.

i only play micros obv. my parents stopped bothering me after I said "instead of buying in for $10 in this NL10 game, want me to go buy cigarettes and start smoking?"

Ya, people who don't play really don't understand. Roomates gf came over and saw I was playing. 6 tables on NL50, and I get the response "whoa, that's more than I make in a week". The whole you should cash out thing, blah, blah, blah. Roomate joins in the fun harrasing me. I simply calle him a "life nit" (which I had to explain, fml" and proceeded to list things I purchased in college w/ poker money (tv, xbox, etc). Whenever you have something physical to show for it, it shuts them up pretty quick.

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA yea we know who wins that battle

The whole "but how much did you loose" is coming from the guys that put $800 into slot machines over some time and 'win' $500 at the end when they in fact lost $300 total.

Yes, I recently told my parents that I play poker as a means of generating income and they flipped. I was wondering if you people had advice on how to explain something like this in to parents/friends in a mature way, so that they could understand and be supportive, or is it just a lost cause and a huge waste of time?

Thank you in advance for your advice?

JohnJoker

If they are smart: easy, just answer their questions show them a graph and calcul the risk of ruin with them.

If they are not you can :
-try some simple analogy (find one in this thread)
-show them a maximum of tools/complicated stuff (EV simulation) to fool them into thinking that you are doing something smart that they cant really understand.
-buy something ******ed people will take as a proof of success (a car for example).

Haha, that makes a lot of sense actually, especially the car thing

Thanks for the reply pokouz

The car could backfire, it may show that you're not responsible with money (unless you really need one).

Putting money into investments will show them that you've got your head on straight.

Maybe also try the simplest which is not telling them about it

John

I like buying a house in cash worth more then their own. I think they'll get the message

Hahaha nice one.

Expertly handled by you, btw. This should basically be a sticky on how to politely deal with randoms.