Steve Oliver "3-D" Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

The exceptionally talented Smooth Jazz artist Steve Oliver has released his CD entitled 3-D. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Steve Oliver fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of 3-D Steve Oliver's artistic excellence is on full display as he has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be his best work to date.

This one grabs your attention right from the very beginning with Magic World and doesn't let go until the very last note of the very last song See You Soon, which is another great track by the way.

One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you've got one of Steve Oliver's most impressive releases ever.

This is a first rate CD, delivering a little something for everyone. I give it two thumbs up. It's quite simply great listening. A must buy for the Smooth Jazz fan.

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 4, Chips And Salsa. What a nice track!

3-D Release Notes:

Steve Oliver originally released 3-D on Aug 24, 2004 on the Koch Jazz label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Magic World


2. Wings Of Spring


3. You Rescued Me


4. Chips And Salsa


5. She's Got The Way-O


6. Oh Yeah


7. Let It Go


8. 3-D Third Dimension


9. Funhouse


10. In The Shade Of Cool


11. Imagine


12. See You Soon

Personnel: Steve Oliver (guitar); Eric Marienthal (saxophone); Tom Schuman (keyboards); Rochon Westmoreland (bass guitar); Harvey Mason (drums, percussion). Recording information: SchuBox Studios, Las Vegas, Nevada; Firehouse Recording Studios, Pasadena, California; Westie World Studios, Banning, California.

The True Value of the iPod

"If music be the food of love, play on." Ah, that William Shakespeare – he really nailed it with that line when it comes to the world's love affair with music. We need it, as it is the essence of our very survival, and we, as humans, can never get enough of it. Our appetite and desire for music will never be satisfied, so why bother fighting the urge? Give us more, and we will ingest and enjoy it gleefully.

Now, when Shakespeare coined that phrase, he was probably referring to someone playing a lute, and not listening to ye old iPod. However, if there is a common thread between Shakespeare's declaration that we all require music and the world's favorite portable MP3 player, it is that the iPod, because of its incredibly convenient design, can constantly feed the world of its hunger for tunes.

Anyone who is on a quest for new and excellent music knows how valuable the iPod is for reaching that goal. Download something you've always wanted to hear onto your iPod, and an instant discovery has been made. A new band that you've always wanted to check out is now in your iPod and waiting for you. To link it back to the opening line of this article, if you find it pleasing, you ask for, and seek out more. And if you find the taste of that particular band unpalatable, you simply reject it and move on to the next item on the music buffet line. Either way, the hunger is always there, and the iPod is always ready, willing and more than able to attempt to satisfy it.

More than just feeding from the computer, the iPod also shares its music goodies through community. If you are an iPod owner, and you locate another iPod owner, chances are, if you ask that iPod owner for a listen of what's on his or her iPod, that iPod owner would be more than happy to share his audio bounty with you. There is a common bond between iPod users that directs them to share their music with other iPod users. Now, while contained in a local neighborhood, the selection of songs my be stale, the international and universal appeal of the iPod presents an unlimited feast for the ears and the soul. If you ever find yourself in another country with your iPod and locate a local with their iPod, ask to exchange songs. They may be more than willing to do so, and you will enjoy an instant sampling of the local music cuisine!

Shakespeare was dead-on (as usual), about his definition of our need for music. Eating the same food over and over again, while providing the necessities of life, does not deliver the joys of it. Listening to the same music over and over again will eventually tire out the soul and the ears. We need to try, and listen to new things, and the iPod is the perfect international restaurant located on our computers to go for a sampling!

188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth): Screenwriting Tips 2

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES

(simply go to www.clickok.co.uk for full details):

*****First Trial Inner Cave - Polarization*****

A number of things happen in the Inner Cave of the First Trial. One element is Polarization. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie and Blanche argue.

*****Multiple Mentors*****

It is not unusual for the Hero to meet more than one Mentor. Each has experience in a particular domain. In Hooper (1978), we meet both Jocko and Max.

The Supernatural Aid appears in some mysterious way and magical way. In The Big Lebowski (1998), The Stranger seems to magically appear and disappear.

*****Foreshadow of the Sword*****

The Sword is a tangible representation of the Expansion of Consciousness (an intangible). The Hero must attain the tangible to attain the intangible. There is often a Foreshadow of this Journey. In Straw Dogs (1971), Norman shows Charlie Amy's knickers.

*****Letting go of the Old Self*****

Post the Crossing of the Return Threshold and before the Master of Two Worlds and Selves, a hell of a lot happens that is rarely given mention. The Final Conflict (a metaphor for this stage) follows a distinct process. At the mid point of the Final Conflict, the hero lets go of his old self. This is demonstrated in a number of (metaphoric) ways. In Straw Dogs (1971), Amy wants to go, "let me go." In The Godfather (1972), Michael lies to Kay.

Pretty Woman (1990) - DVD Review

While trying to find his Beverly Hills hotel, a tycoon corporate raider, Edward Lewis, played by Richard Gere, accidently meets Vivian Ward, a Hollywood prostitute. Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, is hired by Edward Lewis as a date for a whole week.

Julia Roberts portrays Vivian Ward brilliantly as a prostitute suddenly taken into the world of the ultra rich where anything you could desire is just a call away. Normally, she has been able to get just enough clients to survive with her drug-using roommate. Since Vivian does not even have a high school diploma, she chose prostitution as the only higher paying alternative to working in fast food restaurants.

Now, Vivian is staying in a hotel suite that has a bathroom about as big as her whole apartment and an unlimited number of people to wait on her. As a date for Edward Lewis, she is swept up in the snobbish, Hollywood culture on Rodeo Drive. After being asked to leave an exclusive boutique, Vivian is desperate to learn how to dress and eat at a high class restaurant. She finds a sympathetic hotel manager at the Beverly Hills Hotel who has his own boutique manager work with Vivian personally from hair to shoes, giving her a stunning and elegant appearance.

Both Edward Lewis and Vivian Ward come from extreme ends of society and could not be more different. However, they do share one thing in common; they both use their clients in a cold, unemotional manner. But later on, what begins as a business contract quickly evolves into to much, much more.

Richard Gere is very convincing as Edward Lewis, showing a cool, calculating manner, totally involved in winning his business deals. He spends almost all day and night on the phone, planning his next move and meeting with his lawyer, never taking a day off. But that changes when Vivian enters the picture.

Over the week, the poor prostitute escorts the rich industrialist to a client dinner, a polo game, and is flown on his private jet to San Francisco to hear an opera for the first time. As can be expected, there are a few twists and turns when things do not go smoothly at each of these events, causing both Vivian and Edward to reconsider who they are and what they should be doing in their lives.

This movie is a delightful romance that will have you guessing what will happen next with this bizarre mix of these two fascinating people.

Pretty Woman is rated R. Parents need to know that this film contains adult themes, strong sexual references, and sexual imagery.

Paul Taylor "Hypnotic" Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Hypnotic gets. Hypnotic simply stated is one of Paul Taylor's best CDs to date.

Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Hypnotic has a pleasantly varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly outstanding artist. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen.

Paul Taylor is one of those musicians that has the ability to just bowl you over with his talent. The kind of artist it's really a treat to be able to listen to.

Listen to this CD and I believe you'll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Paul Taylor's sax work is in top form. Of particular note on this offering is Hypnotic. If you're even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you'll enjoy this CD.

While the entire CD is really very good some of my favorites are track 2, Flight 808, track 3, PT Cruiser, track 7, Pendulum

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1, Hypnotic. It's a great track!

Hypnotic Release Notes:

Paul Taylor originally released Hypnotic on Sep 25, 2001 on the Peak Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Hypnotic


2. Flight 808


3. PT Cruiser


4. Tuesday Afternoon


5. Dream State


6. Sunshine


7. Pendulum


8. Come Over


9. Summer Park


10. Free Fall


11. Palisades

Personnel: Paul Taylor (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Dino Esposito, Oji Pierce (various instruments); Kurt Jackson (guitar, keyboards, programming); Paul Pesco, Tony Maiden, Brian Monroney (guitar); Mathew Edralin (keyboards, Moog synthesizer, programming); Alex Al (bass guitar); Lenny Castro (percussion).

Create A Buzz - If You Build It They Will Come!

Building a music career is hard work. Every day, month and year you repeat the same grind: build the band, write the songs, record the songs, rehearse the songs, perform the songs, promote the band, advertise the band, solicit industry, publicize to the press, build the website, create the message boards, forums, and chat rooms, assemble the street team…it goes on and on until you think your head will surely explode from the mountains of menial tasks that face you, the unsigned artist, each day.

Still, after putting in all of that work a band will hit dry spells, slow times and glass ceilings. Some days, your already slow move forward, seems to retard even further. Sometimes it feels as though you've peaked and will never advance. There are even days you want to blow off all of this tedious monotony, get a job in the electronics department at Target, and call it a day!

But even as your face is smushed up against the glass ceiling of a never-changing cycle of music business grunt work, hope is just over the horizon. See, there is something that you never stopped to think about all the while you were chasing the elusive brass ring of music stardom…all of this time, you were in control. If opportunities have stopped coming your way, then make your own. If you want to be a rockstar, develop a situation you can star in and rock. You have the power and the ability to be anything and everything you have ever wanted to be if you learn to simply create your own buzz.

The following are a few tips that may help you to get started creating your own buzz in order to push past the obstacles and keeping moving down the Yellow Brick Road of musical superstardom:

1.) Create Your Own Gigs---Tired of whining that you never get the gigs you want? You know: good clubs, weekend shows, prime slots, longer sets, decent pay, good bands on the bill, press attending, industry confirming and most importantly, your band headlining. It's ridiculous to waste time complaining, when you could be booking, planning, promoting and playing your dreams gigs right now. Sure it will be a lot of time invested and it may mean putting smaller gigs on hold for awhile in order to promote one giant show, but the payoffs will inevitably outweigh the work…and the best part is, it's all about you. You are the promoter. You are the stars of the night. You pick the date, the times, the bands. You invite the press and the industry. Within a month or two, you could be playing the types of gigs you have always wanted, and all the while getting press, making money, collecting names for your mailing list and building hype for your band that even the stodgiest industry can take notice of.

2.) Join The Ranks Of The Press And/Or The Industry---You know what they say…if you can't beat them, join them. If you want to get industry or press to notice you and your band, what better way than to become a member of the industry or press. Pick up a gig writing for a local magazine and review your friends' bands and the shows you promote. Intern at a record label and meet friends in the industry to invite to your gigs. Start a management/promotion company and book your band and your friends' bands to become better acquainted with clubs and their booking agents. You'll find it will be much easier to deal with industry people when they consider you more of a peer and not just another band asking for help.

3.) Numbers, Numbers, Numbers---It may sound ridiculous but in the entertainment industry (as in any business), your perceived worth is tracked by your numbers. Web posters, gig patrons and listeners of your music all translate to numbers and the big ones impress fans and industry alike. If you want club bookers, managers, magazine editors and A&R to notice you then make sure your numbers are up. Web hits, fan group members, online community friends and people on your personal mailing list all add up to your bankability as a band so keep driving those numbers up and watch the doors swing open wide for you.

4.) Teach, Volunteer, Take Classes, Join Groups---If you want to meet new people, gain different opportunities, and find fresh ways to obtain your goals, then get out where people are doing what you seek and mingle. If you play and instrument, start teaching and get to know the bands of your students. If you see big events happening in your town, volunteer to work them and get to know the management, talent and audience alike. Take classes and join music organizations not only to learn but to network. There is a whole world of entertainment people out there. Get to know some of them and make those folks a part of your band's promotional circle.

By following these tips and others soon you will find that your band is enjoying the opportunities and buzz you were only dreaming of before. Best of all, you're now in charge of your own career and musical destiny; creating profitable situations for yourself. You are playing good shows and coming home with money in your pocket. You are selling your own product to pay for band expenses. You are filling your press kit with reviews, interviews and mentions of your band. You are meeting people and building your mailing list. You are establishing your reputation as an important member of the artistic community. No longer waiting to be thrown a chance by some industry member, you have taken command of your musical destiny and cast yourself as the star of your own show. Now, don't you feel better?

What Other Accessories are Available for the iPod Nano?

Not only does Apple provide such accessories for a person to clip their iPod Nano to their clothes or keep it safe in their purse, they also provide such accessories as FM transmitters, headphones, docks or AV connection kits. In this article we will look at a number of different accessories that are available for the iPod Nano.

1. Dock

The iPod Nano now has its own dock and can be purchased online through Apple's online store. It allows the user to synchronize their iPod Nano with iTunes without having to plug directly into their computer each time. Also whilst music is downloading on to the Nano it is also being charged at the same time. If you want you can also plug stereo speakers into the dock so that you are able to play songs directly from your iPod Nano whilst it is connected to the dock. However you will need a USB 2.0 port on your PC in order for this to work.

2. AV Connection Kit

This is an all in one package which allows you to take your iPod Nano from personal listening to a complete multimedia experience. This particular kit contains cables and hook ups which you plug into your iPod and then into your stereo, TV or home theater system and so allows you to listen to music, look at photographs or watch videos. Plus with this particular accessory you also get some additional accessories for your iPod Nano and these are as follows:-

a. Universal dock with adapters, This ensures that the iPod Nano fits nice and securely into the dock.

b. A USB power adapter. This not only allows you to charge your Nano whilst away from your computer or the dock but it also comes with a dock connector cable as well.

c. Remote Control. This lets you control your iPod Nano from the comfort of your chair on the other side of the room from where your iPod Nano is situated.

d. TV Cable. This connects your iPod Nano to the TV or stereo.

3. Nike+ & iPod Sport Kit

This transforms your iPod Nano into a personal workout coach. This particular product has a wireless sensor and receiver which works in combination with your Nike+ Shoes and your iPod Nano in order to provide you with real time feedback during any workouts. It also allows you to track your performance through either a Mac or PC.

However, when looking for other accessories for your iPod Nano it should be remembered that not everything will be compatible with it as some may need a remote port which the iPod Nano does not have. So be careful when deciding which accessories you wish to buy before your spend your money.

Online Poker Played by Bots?

I've just read one of the most interesting narratives I've read for a while. Concern is growing inch online confabulate suite and intelligence groupings devoted to poker that sophisticated card-playing automatons – known as “bots” in the terminology of the Web – are being used on commercial gambling sites to fleece newcomers, the strategy-impaired and maybe even above-average players.

A bot capable of playing against the best world definitely already exists. The University of Alberta’s Computer Poker Research Group have developed an artificially intelligent zombi known as “Vex Bot,” capable of playing poker at the maestro level, though as yet it can only use its gambling mastermind to two-player games. Vex Bot have been used by research workers to prove the frontiers of unreal intelligence – and as the footing for a commercial poker tutorial program, Poki’s Poker Academy -- but some fearfulness it may go a design for computer programmers with more than than baleful motives.

Given that games like Hold'em are quite simple adequate (and the players bad enough), it do sense to me that a quite simple bot could take a human player who can't work out the likelihood of winning each manus correctly, to the cleaners.

As online gambling additions will we see more of this? Volition people start downloading programmes to run on their desktops to state them what to make with each hand? I believe it will kind of return the merriment out of playing online if it goes a diagnostic test of 'my bot against your bot' rather than 'skill'.

Skeptics – and there are many – argue the complexnesses of the game and the changing schemes guarantee that creative activity of a programme that tin “read” opponents’ cards using silver screen scanning techniques and react in existent time is old age away at best.

Draw Poker: Card Game Rules

Draw Poker is poker in its rawest form. It’s usually the first type of poker game a new player learns, and it is from the original Draw Poker that all other poker games owe their existence. Although the original game of Draw Poker has lost its popularity and is seldom seen in today’s casinos, it has all the fundamentals anyone would need to learn before playing the many hybrids of poker which exist today.

The object in Draw Poker is for players to build the best five card hand from two dealings of the deck. After the first deal and a first round of betting, the players may discard (throw away) some even or all of their first round of cards and receive replacement cards. In Draw Poker, no cards are ever dealt face up, and cards are only shown to the other players at the showdown.

An Overview of Draw Poker Play

A dealer is designated and the deck shuffled.

Each player must pay the ante, which qualifies them for play.

The dealer now deals out the cards one at a time and face down to each player. The deal begins to the dealer’s left and continues until all players have five cards.

Players may now pick up their cards. The player on the dealer's must now open the betting round by placing a bet, passing, or folding.

Play goes to the next player to the left who now has the opportunity to bet or fold. If the previous players chose to pass, then the next player can pass or place a bet. If previous players have bet and they want to stay in the round, then they must call by matching any outstanding bets. The player may then raise by placing a bet of their own if they wish to do so.

The betting continues to the left.

Players may now discard (throw away) any or all of their cards from the first deal. All discarded cards are placed face down and the dealer collects them.
Once the discarded cards are taken, the dealer now goes to the left dealing out replacement cards face down to the players.

Betting now takes place again as before.

The dealer gets the final raise, and then players must either call or fold. After the final betting round, any players still in the game have now reached the showdown. All players now reveal their hands. The best hand of five cards wins the pot.

Casino, Sports Betting, and Lottery - A Comparison of the House Edge

The house edge, which is the committee that a gambling agent such as as a
casino, a sportsbook (bookmaker), or a lottery decision maker charges, is a
yardstick that measurements how a specific gambling game is just and reasonable.

It is one of the most of import factors that every player should see whenever he/she is engaged in any type of gambling, inasmuch as it bespeaks how much of the money wagered travels to the gambling agent's pocket and how much is redistributed to the winners. Indeed, a house border cannot be zero since casinos, sportsbooks, and lottery decision makers have got to do some money in order to cover their expenses, and to do some net income as well. Yet, a high house border simply intends that the players are unecessarily being ripped-off, and as a result, any gambling game with a high house border should certainly be avoided by a
enlightened gambler.

In this article, we shall compare, in the simplest manner
possible, the house borders of a roulette, an evens-odd betting, and a Cash 3
lottery game as representatives of the three major gambling categories.

The Equation

The easiest manner to calculate a house border is to compare the existent winnings that are
paid by the several agents to the winnings that would be paid in a
just game or bet. A just game or a just stake is one in which no committee
is involved; an obvious theoretical account is a game between friends. Therefore, in
per centum form, the house border is obtained by subtracting an existent game winning
from a just game winning and dividing the result by the just game winning,
finally multiplying by 100. Thus,

House Edge = [ (fair game winning - existent game winning) / just game winning ] *
100

Roulette

Because of its simpleness and popularity, we shall see the roulette as a
representative casino game. A European roulette wheel have channels marked by the
Numbers 0 to 36; the American wheel (also called Las Vegas wheel) have an
further channel marked as '00'. So, the European wheel have a sum of 37
numbers, while the American wheel have 38. Internet casinos usually do available
the option to choose the type of wheel the client prefers, but the brick and
howitzer casinos normally offer only one type. The winning figure in a roulette
game is the figure corresponding to the channel where a whirling ball lands.

Now, see a just game in which 38 friends are playing the roulette at home,
and each 1 chooses a figure and places a $1 stake on the figure (no two or more than
players wagering on the same number). When the ball is spun and lands in a
groove, the figure marking that channel will be the winning number. The individual who have selected this winning figure accumulates all the money on the
table thus making him win $37. On the other hand, if the game were conducted in
a casino, the winner would be paid only $35. The difference between the two
winnings applied in the above equation gives us the house border of a roulette game
as

( 37 - 35 ) / 37 * 100 = 2 / 37 * 100 = 5.4%

This agency that every time you pass a $100 on an offline or online casino roulette, $5.40 travels to the casino and the remainder is redistributed to the winners. Evidently, there are quite a figure of casino games and the house border changes
from game to game, many of them having a house border less than that of the
roulette. For obvious reasons, a good gambler always prefers games that have got low house
edges, while the casino itself loves those games with high house edges. For example,
the house border of snake eyes is 1.4% which do it one of the most preferable casino
games by the players.

Even-odds Sports Betting

Again, because of its simplicity, we shall see an even-odds betting as a
representative of this class of gambling. By even-odds we intend that the event
(usually a athletics game) have equal opportunities of going either way. An illustration is a
lawn lawn tennis lucifer between two competitory players each of which have an equal opportunity
of winning the match.

A just bet, in this case, is just a simple stake between two friends who just
pick one of the tennis player as winner. If these two friends bet $1 each, the
winner will accumulate $2, thus winning $1. If instead the stakes are placed
through a sportsbook, the winner will accumulate only $1.91, since the likelihood of an
levels game at most bookies and online sportsbooks is 1.91. If you are not familiar with the
decimal fraction mental representation of odds, 1.91 is the same as 10/11 in United Kingdom notational system and
-110 in United States likelihood notation. Likelihood of 10/11 mean value value that you'll win $10 when you bet $11; and likelihood of -110 mean that you have got to bet $110 in order
to win $100. Anyway, since the winnings paid by a sportsbook is only $0.91, the house
border of an even-odds betting will therefore be

( 1 - 0.91 ) / 1 * 100 = 0.09 * 100 = 9%

So, this is how sportsbooks do a living. Since respective cyberspace sportsbooks offering likelihood higher than 1.91 in order to entice
bettors, the house border could be littler than 9%, which is one of the things that the better should be looking for when searching for a sportsbook. On the other hand, if the better is
wagering on parlays the house border would be significantly higher than 9%; for
large parlays, it could travel as high as 40%.

It should be evident by now that the gambler is better off with casino games
than athletics betting. It should also be noted that while the house border could
be a major factor to see while selecting a gambling game, it is by no agency
the lone one. For instance, one should see the fact that casino games are
mostly games of chance, while athletics betting also affects a learned determination in
selecting a pick, consequently leading to a higher chance of winning a bet.

Cash 3

Depending on the state you are in, this lottery game may be known by a
different name such as as Pick 3, Play 3, Daily 3, etc. Inch this game, the player
chooses a three-digit figure from 000 to 999, and plays the number as a consecutive
or as a box. A consecutive play is a anticipation that the figure will come up up exactly
as selected while a box is a anticipation for the figure to come in any order. For
instance, if a player chooses the figure 672 and plays it straight, he/she volition
win if the figure drawn is exactly 672. Instead, if the player plays 672 as a
box, he/she volition win as long as the drawn figure incorporates a 6, a 7 and a 2, in
any order (276, for example). Obviously, a consecutive game pays much more than
than a box game for the same amount wagered.

Now see 1000 friends (maybe in a club) selecting a figure as a straight,
each for $1, so that all the 1000 possible Numbers are covered. When the winning
figure is drawn, the individual who have selected that lucky figure will be deemed a
winner and will cash in all the $1000 collected, so making him win $999. This is
a just game. In the lawsuit of state lotteries, however, the winner will be paid
only $500 in most states. Some states may pay a small spot less, others may pay
a small spot more, but $500 is more than or less the standard. The winner therefore
wins $499. The house border for a Cash 3 game will therefore be

( 999 - 499 ) / 999 * 100 = 500 / 999 * 100 = 50%

This house border uses not only to the Cash 3 game but also to all state
lottery games such as as Play 4, Cash 5, Mega, Fantasy 5, Lotto, Power Ball, etc.
So, whenever you are playing the state lottery, retrieve that you are wagering
only one-half of your money on the existent lottery; the other half, you are
just giving it away. Where this other one-half travels is not the gambler's concern,
since his/her chief aim is to win some money in order to pay the ever
present bills, or to acquire out of a suffering life, or to change his/her
20-year-old car. As sees contributing to instruction and other solid causes,
there are other agency of collecting money called taxes and charities.

Unfortunately, many states make not let casino games, and furthermore,
athletics betting is illegal in the United States. The player is therefore left
with no pick but to traverse state boundary lines in hunt of a casino, or more than
recently, to prosecute in online athletics betting through the respective offshore
cyberspace sportsbooks. Nowadays, there is a nimiety of trustworthy online
casinos and sportsbooks operating from Canada, the UK, Antigua, Costa Rica, and
so on.

The Conclusion

As far as the house border is concerned, it have been shown that casino games
are the best pick for the gambler. On the other end, any state lottery is a
pretty suffering game to play. Nevertheless, besides the house edge, there is
also the possibility of winning to consider.

Casino games, like lotteries are mostly games of chance; the player just
chooses a figure or Numbers and waits to see what fortune conveys him/her. There is
absolutely no footing to prefer one figure to others. Some people seek to analyse
previously drawn Numbers in order to see the tendency and foretell the adjacent numbers. This strategy may work a few times, but not always. Keep in head that it is the
players, and not the machines, who retrieve the former numbers. In short, the
possibility of winning a roulette or the lottery entirely depends on luck.

While there is small or nil that a roulette or a bingo player can make to
initially choose a possible winning number, the state of affairs could be quite
different in the lawsuit of betting. With a batch of information and some aid from
athletics handicappers, it is possible to foretell the result of a athletics event
with more than certainty than predicting a Cash 3 number.

Poker Table Position

Poker seating and the position one has at the table is one of the most important and least talked about aspects of poker. It's especially relative to the Texas Hold'Em poker game because it is positional in nature. Where a player sits each hand determines the amount of information he or she can gain on other players. This can have a big effect on your poker strategy and how a hand is played. This article will reference how to play poker from a table of 10 players and discuss playing from the dealer, early, middle and late positions.

Dealer Position -- This position, also referred to as "on the button", is the most coveted because once the flop takes place, the dealer is the last to act. This means you can watch and gather information on all the other players before making your decision. Aggressive play is expected from this position, especially when all others have checked. Almost any hand except trash hands like 9 2, 10 4 offsuit can be considered for play here.

For example, your opponent has Jc, Jh. You have Qd, Kd and are the dealer. Your opponent raised $20 before the flop and you called. The flop shows 2d, 3d, 5d. You both check the flop and the turn shows 8c. Your opponent checks, you raise $20 and they call. On the river the Js comes up and your opponent raises $50. From watching you figure they may have trips. You raise to $100, they call and you win with a King high flush. Had you been in your opponents position of having to bet first, you would have been hard pressed to figure what the dealer had.

Early Position -- This is made up of positions 1, 2 and 3 to the left of the dealer and are the least advantageous as you are the first to act after the flop and have no information on the other players. Here one should play only the strongest hands like paired A's, K's, Q's, J's, Tens, or suited AK, AQ, AJ and KQ. Anything outside of these one should consider folding and waiting for a better opportunity, especially with an aggressive table. One thing that can be done from an early position is bluffing. Betting from an early position can imply that you do have a strong hand, but bluffing too often will result in others picking up on it and can be disastrous, particularly when aggressive bettors are at the table.

Middle Position -- Positions for the middle are 4th, 5th and 6th to the left of the dealer. Because the disadvantage is not as great as with the early position, you have greater flexibility to play more hands. Hands like paired 5's thru 9's, suited connectors from 5 6 on up, unsuited connectors 5 6, 6 7, on up. There are more hands that can be played but this covers the majority that can be easily remembered. Being in the middle, it is better to raise than call if no one is in the pot, if you have a playable hand and you feel some players will fold.

Late Position -- The 7th, 8th and 9th seats at the table to the left of the dealer make up the late position. Here you are in an excellent seating area of the table. You can gather a great amount of information about the players and their hands. In these positions, one should be aggressive if not many have entered the pot. If there are a lot of players, scale back the aggressive play unless you have the type of superior hand as discussed in the early position. Another advantage of the late position is that you can easily play cards like 5 8, J 7, Q 8. For example, supposing you have 5 8 in the late position and the flop is 2 6 7 unsuited and everyone else checks. Raising at a non-aggressive table would be the correct thing to do as it gives you a chance to gain control of the pot as well as keeping other raises in check from those who would try to steal the pot. But remember, it is not a license to play trash hands.

Poker seating is an advanced player concept, but the basics are simple enough for anyone to remember and take advantage of when the opportunity does present itself. Good luck!

Live Online Poker Games: Guide to Having Responsible Fun

Live Online poker have truly exploded lately. There is an increasing figure of websites everywhere where you can take a honkytonk into the world of online poker. However, with playing come ups the common and unavoidable world of addiction.

That is when the world of unrecorded online poker can be a danger for many people. There are more than people every twelvemonth that acquire addicted to gambling. They can go addicted to offline gambling or it can be online gambling that they go addicted to. Whichever one it is they can be looking at a tough time.

It’s not too difficult to see why people can go addicted to gambling either. This is owed to the fact that most people happen an epinephrine haste when they play. The tentacles of unrecorded online poker make not discriminate. You could be a professional at the game or just a newbie; however since we are human we are prostrate to weaknesses. And once you have got got tasted the forbidden fruit of online poker you might happen that you are hooked.

The dependence creeps up on you once you have won a game or two. Regardless of the amount, you might happen that you desire more than than and more. That is when people should be aware that the unrecorded online poker haste have gone from being a simple game into a serious addiction. The reality, however, is that when you are addicted, you are often in serious denial. Then it only takes something serious like ending up in fiscal hurt to actually do you recognize that you have got the dependence Satan on your shoulder.

The chief job for people who play unrecorded online poker is that they will see the flashing marks on the websites and acquire drawn in that way. Like moths to a flame. The human oculus is prostrate to the enticement of something new and interesting. The worse portion for most people is that they see the promise of immense cash payouts, mottoes that say “We volition pay out $10,000 to the winner of our tournament.” These sorts of streamers and ads can draw an nut additional in to the world of online poker. Then the large cash payout promises go merely you forking out more than money from your pocket and ending up with a mountain of debt.

However, it isn’t all doomsday and somberness for unrecorded online poker players, many people that have got got signed up for the online poker websites have had a very good time. They haven’t go addicted and they are only online playing occasionally just to kill some time. The chief ground that these sorts of people don’t acquire addicted to dwell online poker, is because they don’t play for existent money. There are websites that volition allow you play for existent money whereas others are just for bogus poker chips.

But if you believe that you could be addicted then the best thing is to seek help. The best revealing marks of online poker dependence are debt and deficiency of societal interaction. If you look at your depository financial institution statements and the measures piling up in the corner, then there is something wrong. Get the dependence job solved before it further gnaws your life.

Overall online poker is a great game to play, but you have got to do the determination if you would wish to play some serious poker and stake existent money. Or if you would wish to just play for fun. Many online poker websites will offer you money when you subscribe up that you can utilize for gambling. The pick is entirely yours, but the chief thing to retrieve is to have got fun.

Playing Online Poker vs. Offline Poker Games

Internet poker panic a batch of people. Real Number casino poker suite really panicked when the cyberspace gave birth to the first online poker suite a few old age ago. And they were right to be scared because playing online is much easier and people might prefer feeling more comfortable.

The online suppliers felt at that time the good side of practical poker. They didn't necessitate existent unrecorded dealers, they could execute 24 hours a twenty-four hours and could take clients from anywhere they liked. This is a ground why some of the existent life card suite were really closed, not being able to vie with the great casinos and now with the cyberspace as well. Some kept on, not wanting to quit, hoping and even spreading rumours that online card suite are closing very soon, as people don’t trust them. But what was not to trust? Many people would rather set their trust in an unemotional programme than in a slippery dealer.

The sceptics were very wrong. Virtual poker suite are the ground why the poker concern have flourished again, before them the poker had became an obsolete game with a lowering popularity. So, cyberspace poker assists the existent life poker too. It saved the industry. Nowadays casinos and poker suite are more than popular than ever before and all this is the work of cyberspace poker.

Online poker can offer services which existent poker suite never did .Lack of working capital and fancy made them not able to make this.

Internet poker might be looked at as a school for beginners. They could drill with easy games before risking at tables with high bids. Of course the hazard can be just a small one, because the players can take their opportunities and diagnostic test their capablenesses even for $10.

The cyberspace is also a good beginning of information when it come ups to poker. You can happen tips on all poker sites, the professionals uncover schemes and secrets of their game, and everyone come ups out and assists the novice that have no thought what to make first.

Virtual poker players can not be stopped to travel and seek out their accomplishments in a existent poker room. This is unavoidable and they all did it at least once. The cyberspace lets the winners to have got a much larger income than in existent life poker rooms, because the figure of the players is greater. The online concern proprietors have got establish this manner a manner to boom their concern and throw a helping manus at their oppositions as well.

Another country the cyberspace improved is communication. Information everything that is going on is available from anywhere at any time. So all the activity in the suite and everything related to poker or your poker can be followed from the computer.

A Primer on Getting Started With Online Poker

With the dawning of the 21st century, the Internet and World Wide Web have go a cardinal hub for a broad assortment of activities. The World Wide Web have proven to be a booming place for commerce of all types. Retailers and service suppliers of every sort have got got taken to calling the Internet home.

Entertainment websites of all types have also made a important splash in cyberspace. Included within the view of recreational Internet locales are online poker websites. Indeed, as time moves forward, online gambling and online poker playing are thriving ventures.

Perhaps you are one of literally 100s of thousands of work force and women the world over who have got an involvement in online poker. In that regard, you may be seeking and searching for a perfect website at which you can prosecute in your favorite pastime of playing cards.

As you set about your Hunt for the perfect site at which to play poker online, there are a figure of pointers, recommendations and suggestions that you should maintain well in mind.

Finding a Reputable and Established Online Poker Venue:

Naturally, when it come ups to online gaming generally, and online poker specifically, you desire to link up with a site that is reputable and well-established. Unfortunately, as with so many different types of "things" on the Internet, there are very reputable sites that provide to online poker players and there are sites that aren't necessarily on the up-and-up. Therefore, as you seek out an ideal site to pull your cards, you will desire to be 100% certain that you are dealing with an above board, completely reputable purveyor of Internet based poker gaming.

As a fledgling to the world of Internet based poker playing, you will desire to avoid linking up with some of the more than obscure, out of the manner websites. While these locales may indeed do some pretty grandiose promises to you, in the end you will be far better served by sign language on to a well constituted online poker website that have a demonstrably established path record.

In seeking a poker website that have a recognized path record, take the time to read and see independent reviews of different sites. Through these reviews, you can find whether a peculiar site actually will ran into your gaming needs. More importantly, you will be able to recognize a site's repute in the poker playing cyber world.

Getting Referrals, References and Recommendations:

If you are heading into online poker playing for the first time, you likely cognize other work force and women who bask this activity. As you seek out the perfect website to bask poker playing, acquire referrals, mentions and recommendations from these chap poker acquaintances.

Even in this age of high-tech communication, nil -- nil -- beats word of oral cavity and past experience when it come ups to referrals, mentions and recommendations. You can larn a great trade about a peculiar online poker website through the experiences of other people who have got played at a specific venue. You volition be able to larn which site to avoid and which web locations are deserving your time.

The Importance of a Strong, Reliable and Experienced Player Base:

Obviously, you can't play poker alone.

In looking for an online poker website that will ran into your demands as a player, you will desire to see three factors when it come ups to the substance of other participants at a given venue:

- Strong player alkali with sufficient participants enrolled

- Reliable player alkali with participants who play regularly

- Experienced player alkali with participants that are enlightened about poker

Finding Games You Enjoy:

As you narrow down the listing of possible online poker websites, don't simply settle. Don't enroll, enlist and prosecute a website that doesn't have got exactly the types of games you bask playing. In this twenty-four hours and age (although the expression is trite and overused), when it come ups to poker on the Internet, there truly is something for everyone.

In improver to determination a site that hosts games you enjoy, do certain that the site have got games that you have experience in playing. If you are interested in trying out some different games of poker, do certain that the site you are considering have a novitiate or instructional scene that volition let you the opportunity to larn more than about a peculiar game through hands-on playing with similarly situated individuals.

Remember Your Limits!

As in the brick and howitzer world, when it come ups to online gaming and poker playing, it is critical that you retrieve your limits. Before you ever log onto an Internet poker site, set up a definite set of loss guidelines that you will follow while playing. Set your bounds in advance of enrolling with an Internet poker website and in advance of beginning to play.

By setting your loss bounds in advance of being dealt a hand, you volition be a responsible player and will be able to bask your Internet poker experience all the more.

By following these pointers, recommendations and suggestions, you will be well on your manner to determination an absolutely ideal Internet poker website, a locale that will ran into all of your demands and fulfill your poker playing desires. In other words, you will be well on your manner to hours of amusement and exhilaration at an Internet poker site that is perfect for you.

Play Poker Online To Hone Your Skills

Play Poker Online: could there be fortune at your doorstep:

Poker is no longer a game that is just played on the table at place or in a casino but with new advancements in technology, this game have go a multi million dollar industry on the
internet. One can play online poker and win immense cash jackpots. Online poker offerings options to play one on one or come in tournaments and play against other players, live.

Poker is a game strategy and techniques and the online casino industry acknowledges the recent popularity of the online game and as a result, many casinos do information aid available to players as they play. This pulls players giving them assurance they are playing at a gambling casino that tin be trusted.

Online tournaments:

Poker tournaments have got recently go all the fury and are held online at many of the casinos. An initial payment is generally required to come in a tournament in which a big cash
award is the offering. Players play against one another to find a winner and whether or not they travel on in the tournament, to play the adjacent player. In the end, only two players are left and one walkings away a winner. Each twelvemonth 'The World Poker Championships' are held and the winning player can walk away with as much as a million dollars or more.

Transactions are done online via cyberspace banking with picks like Neteller, StormPay, Paypal and many others. These options offering security to the players and player finances are guaranteed
regarding their account.

Types of Poker Games:

Most online casinos offering the game of poker in many different forms. Some of the more than popular games of Poker are Texas Holdem, Seven-card he-man poker, Five Card Stud, Heads Up Poker, Poker with a bounds and without a limit, Low-Ball Poker and others.

Poker is Meant to be Fun

With the recent explosion of interest in poker, it is easy to forget that poker is a social game. We see the high stakes World Series of Poker episodes replayed over and over on ESPN. The Travel Channel features regular showings of The World Poker Tour. The shows are filled with sunglasses and stone cold stare downs. Watching pros such as Doyle Brunson and Howard Lederer make studied moves on the felt is great fun. We secretly dream of bluffing Johnny Chan out of a huge pot.

The good news is, there's a place that we can try such feats of derring do. That place is right here-the internet. There are online game rooms of every shape and size. It's no problem finding a game.

The bad news for many of us is, this quest is taking much of the fun out of playing poker. Sure, it's easy to find a game online. Trouble is there's just not much interaction with the other players at a typical online table. The other players are anonymous. This can lead to a silent table at best and a downright obnoxious table at worst.

For most of us playing poker is meant to be a relaxing pastime. You know, a Friday night with friends after the work week. A number of websites are trying to put this social aspect back into online poker. For instance, Home Run Poker, is a site where fans of baseball that like to play poker can meet and arrange private games at set times. This way you get to meet and become friends with people from all over the world that share a common interest with you.

If making poker fun again sounds good to you there are a number of actions you can take. Find a community, such as Home Run Poker, where others that share your interest gather. A great place to find such sites is in the blogging community. If you can not find such a group, you might want to start participating with a group whose interests are somewhat similiar to yours. For example, any sports site would be a good match if you are a sports fan. You would probably soon find folks that enjoy your favorite sport, too.

If all else fails, start up your own community. It's easy to do with a little time and research. You'll be rewarded with many new friends and you'll always have a fun game of poker to look forward too. Let's make online poker fun again.

Protect Yourself While Gaming - Tips to Avoid Eye Strain and Proper Sitting Tips While Playing Games

Gaming means long hours at the computer. Self absorbent and an obsessive hobby, incorrect habits and posture are detrimental to health. Problems like musculoskeletal injuries, eyestrain, and disabilities of the hands and wrist like, RSI or Repetitive Strain Injury are common.
Bad posture causes: pain, stiffness of joints, weakness, bad circulation, as well as swelling.
Ensure that:

• The desk is designed especially for computers.

• While seated, the feet are flat on the floor; arms and thighs are parallel to the ground; back is straight; and the arms don’t have to stretch out to reach the keyboard or mouse.

• The keyboard height is such that the elbows are parallel to the ground and level with the keyboard. An ergonomic keyboard is recommended.

• The spine maintains its ‘S’ curve when seated, so use an ergonomic chair and if required, a footstool.

• The mouse is placed at the same height as the keyboard. Use your whole arm not just the wrist when operating the mouse.

• Typing is done with light fingers. The wrists should be flat and not angled to the left or right. To avoid nerve compression the elbow must not be angled more than 90 degrees.

• The arms are raised off the keyboard as often as possible.

• Tasks are alternated so that you are not typing or clicking the mouse continuously.

Another factor is eye strain. Extended computer use can cause: blurred vision, focusing difficulties, as well as headaches.
Reduce risk by ensuring that:

• The light source is angled from the side. The primary light source must not shine on the face or directly on the screen. Lighting should have a 10:3 ratio screen characters should be 10X brighter than background and room lights should be 3X the screen brightness. Use a shaded copy lamp to avoid screen reflections.

• Reflections and glare are eliminated by using an antiglare screen and by tilting the monitor slightly.

• The monitor must be centered so that neither the body nor neck is twisted when viewing the screen.

• The screen is of good quality. The text should be sharp and nor distorted. Change the resolution to a comfortable font size.

• The monitor is a suitable distance away.

• The screen is at eye level or lower.

• Brightness and contrast are reduced to suitable levels.

It is important to:

• Break concentration by looking away from the monitor at far away objects at least once every 15-20 minutes.

• Pause in between to blink your eyes rapidly. This will lubricate the eyes and prevent dryness.

• Schedule regular eye checks.

• Monitor blurred vision, headaches, red eyes, or watering eyes.

• Splash water and wash your eyes at least 3-4 times a day.

Tips:

• It is advisable to take frequent breaks, either do stretches or take a short walk once every hour for 10-15 minutes.

• Use a well ventilated room.

• Reduce emission in laser printers, photocopiers, and scanners.
Problems can be eliminated and the risk reduced by inculcating good posture and working habits.

Online Golf Games Hit the Mark

Since the origin of the World Wide Web, online games have got been popular. Enthusiasts have got got embraced everything from online gambling to the Sims and have spent hours playing games either alone or in practical communities. Sports partisans have got carved out their ain niche on the Web, with phantasy football and baseball conferences and all types of sports-related online games.
More recently, online golf game games have got risen in popularity. This could be owed to the fact that general involvement in the game have risen recently. Although phenom Tiger Forest may not do newspaper headline intelligence as he did a few old age back, Michelle Wie have taken his place while re-energizing professional person golf. The six-foot tall 16-year-old, somes indigen of Hawaii, made intelligence when she turned pro in 2005, then again when she narrowly missed the cut against the work force in the Casio World Open.
The beauty of golf game is that you don't have got to be a professional to bask the game. Walking the course, hitting pails of balls on the drive range, and practicing on the putting greenish is just as appreciated as playing a round.
When the weather condition turns inclement, it doesn't intend that you can't wander the course and play 18 holes from the comfortableness of your ain home. Free online golf game games are available at a figure of websites, and have got a figure of characteristics in common. Most free golf game games let you to play at the recreational or professional degree (the difference often being how you utilize the mouse to command your swing), and offering you the pick to play alone or play with a group. Many online games let you to make a private grouping so that you can play with friends, family, or duffers you've met online. You can also fall in a grouping of online players and do new friends in the process.
Online golf game game games generally offer you the chance to confabulate in existent time with other players and to play in unrecorded online golf tournaments. Some even give away cash and awards to players who make well.

Slots And The Basics Of The Game

Whether your new to the slots or a seasoned player you'll happen this information to be valuable. We'll even throw in a speedy peep at slots in action at one of the best and most popular casinos on the net.

Slot machines are easy to play and what pulls most players is they're fast and the payback is generally pretty high. They'll take anywhere from 1 to 5 coins and all you necessitate to make is stopper in the coins and draw the manage or in some lawsuits fourth estate the button. The principal for both types is the same. There's lots of sound life and for many this is their game of choice. Many people have got got won immense jackpots playing their favourite slot game.

Different machines have different ways of determining whether you are a winner by the paylines and the figure of coins the player have inserted. One coin may pay on the center line, a 2nd coin on the top line and a 3rd on the underside line. With this, any of the three horizontal lines will pay if a combination is hit. A 4th coin will pay on a diagonal line and a 5th on the other diagonal line.

Hit one of these combinations and you'll hear a beautiful sound. The sound of winning as cash hits your pocket. If you hit a really large jackpot, even more than noise will be accompanied by a flashing visible light in many cases. Here of course we are referring to an existent casino environment. The machine may halt paying out at some point and the visible light halt flashing. After a flimsy delay you'll be visited by an attender or casino employee who will give you your winnings.

How loose or tight the machine is set, is determined by the casino.

Lets take a expression at a sample slots payoff, per coin:

Winning Combination -------------------- Payoff
7-7-7 ----------------------------------100 coins
Bar-Bar-Bar ---------------------------- Fifty coins
Bell-Bell-Bell ------------------------- Twenty coins
Bell-Bell-Bar -------------------------- Eighteen coins
Bar-Bell-Bell -------------------------- Eighteen coins
Plum-Plum-Plum ------------------------- Twenty coins
Plum-Plum-Bar -------------------------- Fourteen coins
Bar-Plum-Plum -------------------------- Fourteen coins
Orange-Orange-Orange ------------------- Twenty coins
Orange-Orange-Bar ---------------------- Ten coins
Bar-Orange-Orange ---------------------- Ten coins
Cherry-Cherry-Cherry ------------------- Twenty coins
Any-Cherry-Cherry ---------------------- Five coins
Cherry-Cherry-Any ---------------------- Five coins
Cherry-Any-Cherry ---------------------- Five coins
Any-Any-Cherry ------------------------- Two coins
Cherry-Any-Any ------------------------- Two coins