why wy?

What happens when you try to mug a magician? You don't get very much, as 2 teenagers found out. From AP

Copperfield, 50, and two female assistants were walking from the Kravis Center to their tour bus when they were approached by the teens April 23. The assistants handed over money and a cellphone, but the illusionist turned his pockets inside out to reveal nothing, although he was carrying his passport, wallet and cell phone.

"He said in depositions that he had things on him, but it wasn't difficult to make it seem like there was nothing there," prosecutor Sherri Collins said.

Ah, the folly of youth.

Besides exams, I've also turned my interest to Spring Racing. I'm not so much interested in the fancy hats and flirty dresses, but in the gambling side of things (and the champagne of course). I picked two winners (but fell asleep before I could place my bet for the first one), so here is my very short list of what works and doesn't, gleamed from my very short betting history.

1) Don't bet on the favourite (the horse with the lowest odds). It doesn't pay well and rarely comes in.

2) Some races are known for being wide open, so there is always a surprise element to it. In which case, your guess is as good as mine. You can always pick the horse that has won the most money so far, if all fails. (delta blues, winner of melbourne cup) For the other races apparently, it's easier to pick a winner.

3) Like the name? The two winners I picked from gut feel and the buzz they were generating (divine madonna, miss finland), but then again two others I picked using the same criteria didn't make it (geordieland, superkid).

So I don't think I made any money in the end, but I think I may have just broken even. Which leads into

4) If you have one in mind, don't be greedy and bet on a few horses. So even if you do win on one horse, you end up losing money on the rest.

Looking forward to doing the same thing next year and hopefully making enough to buy dinner!