Playing 5 card games

There are many types of poker games available for online and offline play. This article will focus on the most common 5 card poker games which are 5 card draw and 5 card stud poker. For the beginning poker player, a basic knowledge of poker rules and terms is required to develop into a seasoned gamer. Poker, in general, is a card game of skill and luck in which players obtain the best hand of cards to win. Most poker games require a hand to be made up of either seven or five cards. A good hand can be made up of either all cards of the same suit, all cards in order sequentially, or multiple sets of cards with the same rank. A "hand" in poker is the cards that each player is dealt. A suit is one of these four: spade, club, diamond, or heart. "Rank" is the number of the card and can be: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace. 5 Card draw poker can be played by as few as three and as many as seven players. It is widely popular because of the speed and competitive nature of the game. Five cards are dealt to players, face down. Players can select 1-3 cards to exchange per bet or players can keep the cards they are initially dealt. This continues in a second round and so on until a player "folds," or gives up. Players may show their cards and the player with the best hand wins. 5 Card stud poker is different in that, initially, players are dealt one card face up and one card face down. The player with the lowest ranking face card must begin the betting. Subsequent cards are dealt face up until the player with the player with the highest ranking face card beginning the bet. The player with the best hand wins. 5 Card Low/5 Card High. Most poker games can be played "low" or "high." This refers to the ranking of the cards in each player's hand. In 5 card low, aces usually count as the number "1." The best hand a player can get is the lowest in rank: 5, 4, 3, 2, ace. Playing 5 card high requires a player to obtain subsequent high cards to win with the highest ranking set being: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10. Because 5 card games of poker make it more difficult to get a good hand (since fewer cards make up each hand), a good tip is to attempt to collect suits or sets rather than straight hands unless specifically playing low or high.

Blogging 101 238

Blogging 101 Blogging 101 is mostly about the blogging vocabulary. To understand blogs, you need to know the terms blog, platform, domain, and web host. Once you have mastered these key elements of blogging, you can enter any conversation about blogging with confidence. After you know what exactly a blog is, you will be on your way to passing the final exam of blogging 101. Blog is short for weblog, which simply means a series of online posts presented in reverse chronological order. That's all! Most blogs are text, but there are also photo blogs and video blogs. The rest of blogging 101 has to do with the technical side of things. If you are setting up a blog, you will need a platform, a web host, and a domain. A blogging platform is a computer software program that allows you to write posts and to update your blog. Your platform is also what you use to design the look of your blog, from color scheme to font size. The web host is sort of like the virtual file cabinet where your blog is stored. Your computer communicates with the host when you upload or edit a post. The domain is the online address of your blog, and usually ends in ‘dot com'. Now that you know what a blog is, what a platform is, and what domains and hosts are, congratulate yourself! You have passed blogging 101. (Word count 238) PPPPP

Bluefin tuna in danger

The sushi craze is bigger than ever in America right now, with new sushi joints popping up all over the place. Yes, sushi is quite “in.” Of course I realize this isn’t news to anyone, as at this point it might even be on the verge of “out.” But, irregardless of your opinion of sushi, it may not be around for too much longer. Or, at least, sushi as we know it. You see, America’s growing interest (along with China’s and Russia’s) in the artful Japanese creation has led to a shortage of the most common ingredient used in sushi: bluefin tuna. Not only are bluefin tuna fisheries already being depleted by their original and most frequent consumer (Japan, of course) but global demand for the raw fish is adding quite the insult to injury. What’s ironic about the situation is that the spreading of culinary traditions across the globe is usually seen as a form of flattery and an extension of cultural influence, but for Japan and its economy, the global sushi “trend” has been nothing short of a detriment. The NYTimes article that reports on Japan’s crisis analogizes that tuna in Japan is as important as steak in America. Imagine America without steak! Even if you don’t like red meat, there is no doubt that steak is a sun around which the American economy’s planets revolve (but of course, we have multiple “suns.”) I mean really, what would America do? Well, actually, chef Gordon Ramsay has recommended horse meat as a healthier and better tasting steak substitute. America is fortunate enough to not have to resort to any backups (yet), but even if that weren’t the case, Japan may beat us in the horse races (pun entirely intended). Yes, you guessed it! Horse meat is Japan’s backup plan! To keep the sushi economy alive, some Japanese chefs have decided to use raw horse meat or deer to make their sushi. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but the thought of this in America would likely turn stomachs away from sushi for good (and maybe that is their intention!) But in Japan, both raw horse meat and deer are considered delicacies for natives. They just haven’t been placed inside a jacket of seaweed and rice before (not that maki is the only way to enjoy sushi.) So, a thought on globalization, if you’re still reading: Do we want to continue spreading our culinary traditions? Often food, no matter where you come from, is based on local resources, which means that sharing the traditions with the rest of the world seems to mean sharing the resources too. At some point, you’d think, a country would have to be selfish, because people in other parts of the world may not appreciate or need a food the way that country does. In fact, one person’s food adventure is another person’s staple, so where does the boundary lie? I’m not naive as I realize that my comments and thoughts are entirely based on my being American. I know I come from the melting pot world where I’m fortunate enough to have food influences from all around the world readily available to me. And further, I know that this isn’t the case in the rest of the world. Run for the hills horses! You’re next!

New joint replacement options for women

No matter how much progress is made in promoting gender equality, there are certain fundamental differences between women and men that affect how both sexes live-and how healthy those lives are. For example, women are disproportionately affected and disabled by joint diseases such as arthritis, lupus and fibromyalgia, according to a report in Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research. In fact, women suffer from severe arthritis at three times the rate of men, and according to a study from the New England Journal of Medicine, are twice as likely to need total joint replacements. Cindy Goodfellow from Temple, Texas, experienced this inequality firsthand. An active senior with six grandchildren, Goodfellow's arthritis affected her so severely in her knees that she had trouble performing routine activities. "Every time I climbed, stood or even sat in one place for a while, the pain was excruciating," said Goodfellow. "I felt like I was living a part-time life." She knew that she needed to take action before her pain forced her to miss the things she enjoyed most. But hundreds of thousands of women are not seeking the treatment they require. While the need for total joint replacement may be greater for women, studies show they are less likely to receive treatment. There are a number of theories why, from relentless schedules to uncertainty about joint replacements themselves. After consulting with her physician on possible treatments, Goodfellow decided to undergo surgery and receive a Stryker Triathlon® knee replacement, the first knee system designed with women in mind. Based on years of research, the Triathlon Knee System has a more narrow design than traditional knee implants, helping to provide improved fit and function for the female anatomy. Dr. Kirby Hitt, a leading orthopaedist from Temple, Texas, performed the surgery on Goodfellow and is one of the first surgeons in the world to use the Triathlon Knee System at his practice. "With the demand for joint replacement treatment increasing, I want to be sure my patients receive a knee system that has the potential to meet their specific needs, regardless of their gender," said Dr. Hitt. "With the Triathlon, my patients are consistently surprised with the shorter length of the recovery period and how quickly they recover their range of motion and perform activities that were difficult prior to surgery." One of the key components of a knee system is its bearing technology. Not only does the Triathlon system provide an improved fit for women, but its Stryker bearing-surface technology will give ease of mind to patients like Goodfellow for many years to come. "At first, knee replacement surgery seemed like a scary procedure," said Goodfellow. "But after receiving the Triathlon and having the ability to do things like kneeling in the garden and playing with my grandkids, I can't envision my life any other way."

The origin of cultured pearls

For more than 4000 years pearls have been collected, sought, bought and prized as the world's only organically produced gemstone. Long before man learned how to facet diamonds or cut emeralds, pearls were regarded as the epitome of luxury jewelry, and were only afforded to the most wealthy and influential. For thousands of years people of all cultures sought the elusive secret of pearls – why did they grow, and how did they grow. Theories ranged from dewdrops and tears of the God's, to the most commonly accepted urban legend of a trapped grain of sand. But until the end of the 19th century scientists and shell farmers were only able to produce blister pearls, or pearls attached to the inside of mollusk shells. This all changed when British-expatriate marine biologist William Sawville-Kent developed a way to stimulate a mollusk to produce whole pearls in Australia. His technique involved planting a rounded bead inside a mollusk. This had been attempted before, but he discovered the real secret. Along with the bead he implanted a small piece of donor mollusk mantle tissue. The perfect combination was born. This small piece of tissue acted like a catalyst of pearl production. It grew into a pearl sac which enveloped the bead, coated it with nacre and produced a pearl. William Sawville-Kent died shortly after discovering this secret technique, but not before sharing his secret with two Japanese nationals; a Mr. Tatsuhei Mise and Mr. Tokishi Nishikawa. Mise and Nishikawa returned to Japan with this technique and immediately filed for patents. At this same time pearl farmer Kokichi Mikimoto was culturing blister pearls but desperately seeking the secret to whole pearl culturing. The secret had finally come to Japan! After multiple court battles Kokichi Mikimoto finally succeeded in securing a patent for whole pearl cultivation in 1916. The cultured pearl industry – it was called the Mikimoto Pearl Company. For more than 50 years the Japanese closely guarded their national secret and maintained a virtual monopoly of pearl cultivation and marketing. Even ventures outside of Japan in Australia, French Polynesia, Thailand, and Burma were under the direction of Japanese grafting technicians and operational specialists. Technicians swore an oath to never reveal the secret of pearl culture. This well-kept secret remained with the Japanese until the late 1950s and early 1960s when other countries finally developed the same methods for pearl culturing. China began culturing akoya pearls in the 1960s as did Tahiti with black South Sea pearls. Australia soon followed suit producing the largest and most valuable of all cultured pearls – South Sea pearls from the Pinctada maxima pearl oyster. Today pearl farms are found all over the world and the Japanese dominance over the industry is all but gone. There are now thousands of pearl farms in China, hundreds in French Polynesia, many in Australia Vietnam and Korea, and even some small operations in India, Venezuela and Mexico. Until recently there was even a freshwater pearling operation in Tennessee. This wide-spread pearl culturing technique has finally put owning fine pearl jewelry within the reach of nearly everyone. Freshwater pearls can be purchased for as little as a few dollars a strand for low-grade but genuine pearls. High quality freshwater and akoya pearls can now be secured for just a few hundred dollars. Even Tahitian pearls no longer cost tens of thousands of dollars per strand. Pearls are now a beauty afforded to everyone.

Exercise and hypertension

It seems as though many Americans are living a life that leads to high blood pressure or hypertension. As people age, the situation gets worse. Nearly half of all older Americans have hypertension. This disease makes people five times more prone to strokes, three times more likely to have a heart attack, and two to three times more likely to experience a heart failure. The problem with this disease is that nearly one third of the folks who have hypertension do not know it because they never feel any direct pain. But overtime the force of that pressure damages the inside surface of your blood vessels. However, according to experts, hypertension is not predestined. Reducing salt intake, adopting a desirable dietary pattern losing weight and exercising can all help prevent hypertension. Obviously, quitting bad habits and eating a low fat diet will help, but the most significant part that you can do is to exercise. And just as exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it also enhances the health of the heart muscles. Heart and Exercise The exercise stimulates the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so people who exercise had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart. The human heart basically, supply blood to an area of the heart damaged in a "myocardial infarction." A heart attack is a condition, in which, the myocardium or the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen and other nutrients and so it begins to die. For this reason and after a series of careful considerations, some researchers have observed that exercise can stimulate the development of these life saving detours in the heart. One study further showed that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice as often. Such information has led some people to think of exercise as a panacea for heart disorders, a fail-safe protection against hypertension or death. That is not so. Even marathon runners that have suffered hypertension, and exercise cannot overcome combination of other risk factor. What Causes Hypertension? Sometimes abnormalities of the kidney are responsible. There is also a study wherein the researchers identified more common contributing factors such as heredity, obesity, and lack of physical activity. And so, what can be done to lower blood pressure and avoid the risk of developing hypertension? Again, exercise seems to be just what the doctor might order. If you think that is what he will do, then, try to contemplate on this list and find some ways how you can incorporate these things into your lifestyle and start to live a life free from the possibilities of developing hypertension. But before you start following the systematic instructions, it would be better to review them first before getting into action. 1. See your doctor Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. If you make any significant changes in your level of physical activity - particularly if those changes could make large and sudden demands on your circulatory system - check with your doctors again. 2. Take it slow Start at a low, comfortable level of exertion and progress gradually. The program is designed in two stages to allow for a progressive increase in activity. 3. Know your limit Determine your safety limit for exertion. Use some clues such as sleep problems or fatigue the day after a workout to check on whether you are overdoing it. Once identified, stay within it. Over-exercising is both dangerous and unnecessary. 4. Exercise regularly You need to work out a minimum of three times a week and a maximum of five times a week to get the most benefit. Once you are in peak condition, a single workout a week can maintain the muscular benefits. However, cardiovascular fitness requires more frequent activity. 5. Exercise at a rate within your capacity The optimum benefits for older exercisers are produced by exercise at 40% to 60% of capacity. Indeed, weight loss through exercise is an excellent starting point if you wan tot prevent hypertension. Experts say that being overweight is linked to an increased risk of developing hypertension, and losing weight decreases the risk.

Mixed martial arts learn the terms

With the rules and sanctioning of certain mma events there has been an explosion of new followers of mma (mixed martial arts) The purpose of this article is to help familiarize the new fans of this sport with some of the terms that are used. If you have a basic understanding with some of the terminology you will find viewing the sport more enjoyable. Keep in mind that this description is not inclusive of every aspect, but more of a guide for the beginner. Submissions: submissions are techniques that cause the receiver to give up due to pain being applied to a joint or strangulation from a choke. Here are some of the basics. Kimura: A shoulder lock that applies pressure to the shoulder joint. Rear Naked Choke: A choke that apples strangulation to both sides of the neck (both arteries) it also impedes breathing. Guillotine Choke: This is where the defender reaches underneath the attacer's neck and applies upward pressure, with the attackers head under the defender’s armpit. It is usually applied when an attacker attempts a takedown and the defender is able to capture the neck. Triangle Choke: The attacker is between the defender’s legs on the ground. The defender gets an attackers arm between his own neck and the defender’s leg. The defender then places his ankle behind his knee of his other leg and secures the choke. Arm Triangle: Similar to the Triangle Choke except arms are used instead of legs. Usually executed from a top or back position. Arm Bar: When an opponent is able to secure an arm and straighten it out with pressure underneath the elbow. Knee Bar: Same as an arm bar but causes pain to the joint of the knee. Ankle Lock: A submission that causes pain to the joint of the ankle or Achilles tendon. There are way too many techniques to list in this article but these are a lot of the main ones you will hear mentioned. There are also several “control” positions. Here are a few; Full Mount: This is when an attacker is on top of his opponent with both of his legs on either side of the defender. A bad spot to be in because the attacker can rise up and deliver strikes. Half Mount: The attacker has only one leg on the outside and the defender is holding the attacker’s other leg between his legs to stop the attacker from achieving a full mount. Side Mount: The attacker is perpendicular to the defender across the defender’s chest. A transfer to full mount or submission can be accomplished. North/South: An opponent is on top of the other facing opposite directions. The sport of mma is an elite sport with various strategies and techniques. Here are a few more terms you might hear. Ground And Pound: A fighter takes down an opponent, mounts him, and delivers strikes until knock out, referee stoppage, or the defending fighter gives up (taps) Take Down: A fighter attempts to bring his opponent down to the mat for a submission or to deliver strikes from the mount. Tap Out: When a fighter taps on the other fighter or the mat to concede the fight. Mostly done when a submission is applied. (kind of like saying uncle.) This article is not a “catch all” for every term you might here during an mma fight. It will give you a better understanding of the sport and make it a lot more fun to watch.