Counter Assertion

March 10th, 2010

Slow Poker

One of the worst feelings that you can have when playing poker is when you’re sitting there getting absolutely no cards. Generally when you sit down to play a cash game you don’t usually like to play very loose at first. You typically want to play strong poker hands, pick up some blinds when you can, and build up a decent stack of chips for yourself and then a more aggressive. However, when you’ve been playing and the game gets to about the hour mark, and best hand you’ve gotten so far has been Q-J offsuit, then you have to try to make some things happen. So you end up making a hasty decision, such as making a big raise with only A-10 suited because it’s the best hand you’ve seen all day and then you run into someone with AA and just like that it’s all over. And you think back about how maybe you could have played some poker hands differently, but when you’re not getting any hands there’s nothing you can do. Sometimes, truly in poker, the luck is not with you. However, when you’ve been playing and the game gets to about the hour mark, and best hand you’ve gotten so far has been Q-J offsuit, then you have to try to make some things happen. Best of Luck whent he cards are not coming!

January 7th, 2010

Making A Wedding Unique With Wedding Musicians

Weddings are a time for celebration and nothing sets the mood better than the right music. Although the ceremony itself often reflects the romance of the classical era, when it comes to the party afterward your guests want to have fun, making it a memorable event that brings out the laughter, love, and delight everyone is feeling. Therefore, the selection of wedding music or, better yet, wedding musicians can become an important choice.

There is now stereo equipment with speakers that can sound almost real, but by the time someone agrees to run it and the music is collected the result is less than preferred. DJs are more standard and they provide the equipment and music selection preferred, but can be costly with less than super outcomes in some cases. For brides who really want something special, nothing beats the sound of a live band that can react and respond at once to the needs of party-goers and cost is often equivalent to that of a good DJ. The question then becomes what kind of band or musicians to hire that will leave guests in awe and remembering the event for some time to come.

Many wedding instrumentalists, like Reel Ting, are not limited to when it comes to music. Classical music played on steel drums provides a twist on the original composition that is not only unique, but produces splendid, melodious music that is particularly unique. When the party kicks into high gear, however, they are more than ready to enliven the party with a beat that will ensure party-goers never want to cease. With the choices provided by steel drum bands, feeling like one is on a tropical island can be experienced no matter where the event is held.

When hiring any band it’s important that sufficient experience and references are provided and that they are verified thoroughly. After all, a wedding couple has only one opportunity in their life-time to do it properly so assuring that the best band is on the job for the event will save much concern. For instance, a steel drum band like Real Ting with ten years of experience and many letters of testimonial can assure engaged couples that their event will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The right wedding musicians should bring style, flamboyance, talent, and professionalism to any event. Florida is fortunate in that it has many alternatives for live music, but possibly it is luckiest for the gifted steel drum bands, like Reel Ting, that are based there. For any couple planning to marry, whether residents Florida or those driving in for a destination wedding, it should be a first choice to make the occasion unforgettable and unique.

Reel Ting is South Florida’s favorite steel drum wedding band. Call today to book your date, and get ready for your guests to have the time of their lives at your wedding.

November 9th, 2009

How to Make Chocolate Truffles the Easy Way

Posted by admin in Eatery, The Arts, World Of Fun
The chocolate truffle, a French invention, with its texture, varied flavors, hard shell and a core that is velvety, is sought after by one and all. Instances of persons asking for more and more of truffles are aplenty.
The great news is you yourself can make tasty truffles. For producing truffles, the basic ingredient you require is the ganache, which is a mixture of chocolate and cream. To make the truffles more attractive, you can dust them with cocoa powder or coat them with tempered chocolate. Unique truffles can be made by adding different flavors, spices, fillings and liqueurs. With your creativity, you can make many types of truffles.
If you use the best quality chocolate that contains at least 50% cocoa in it for making your truffles, you can have truffles with luxurious looks and velvety core. The skill with which you blend the chocolate with the cream determines the quality of ganache you make. The ratio of chocolate to cream in the ganache for making truffles is an ideal 2:1. (Of course, tempering your chocolate is still the most important step in making those luscious, glossy chocolate candies)
For making 35 truffles, you need the following:
455 grams dark chocolate
1 cup heavy whipping cream
A bread knife
A saucepan
A mixing bowl
A rubber spatula
A teaspoon
Cookie sheets
Liqueur, spices, flavors (optional)
Choose the best quality chocolate and cut into small strips with a bread knife. The cream is separately scalded on the pan; take care that it doesn’t reach the boiling point. Pour the scalded cream onto the chocolate strips to melt them. Once melting is complete, use a rubber spatula to thoroughly integrate the cream and the chocolate until the ganache is fine and smooth.
Cool the ganache in the refrigerator to harden. Once it hardens, shape into rough balls and keep them on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. By keeping these balls in a refrigerator for about 20 minutes, you make them ready for dusting and coating. Dusting of truffles is done by rolling the balls with a couple of teaspoons on cocoa powder.
If you want a specific flavor for your truffles, you can add flavor to the cream after the scalding process. Allow the flavor to unite with the cream for an hour, then re-scald the cream before mixing it with the chocolate.
To coat the truffles, temper a small quantity of dark chocolate in a tempering machine. You can coat the warmed balls with this tempered chocolate. The coated chocolate contracts into the truffles once it cools, setting the shell around the shaped balls. After cooling them, you can wrap them with paper liners and store them in air-tight containers. The containers should be free from moisture.
October 30th, 2009

Mercy Is for the Weak

I was in the tail end to an online poker tournament-there were only five of us left at the table, and I was playing head’s up against the small stack. I had King-10 of Spades and the flop showed two more Spades. My opponent checked, so I raised, and he called it. After the turn showed a Spade and gave me my flush, I pushed in a stack haphazardly, meaning to call him all in. He called with pocket Aces, and I won the hand. I had miscounted, though, and left him with two or three blinds in his poker stack. I didn’t think much of it, until he doubled up with an all-in. Several times. Once his stack was big enough to intimidate, he bought a few pots. Before I knew it, I was settling for second place while that small stack had made the best comeback win I’d ever seen, all because I didn’t call him all in with my flush.

There’s a phrase that float around games when you play poker online -”One chip is all you need to win.” Leaving a player with just one chip when you can knock him out of the game can be a crucial mistake. No matter how friendly you are outside of poker, mercy will just get you into trouble.

October 21st, 2009

Food, Anyone?

One of the hallmarks of a great party is fantastic food. So when you begin planning a party, one of the first steps is to decide on a menu of party foods. Do you want a buffet, or a selection of hot and cold appetizers, or even a full sit-down dinner? After you figure that out, it leads to another equally important question. Should I prepare the food myself, or hire a caterer? There are pros and cons for both options.

If you decide to take on the job yourself then you get to make all of the decisions. You can decide what to make, how and when to serve it and how much it will cost, because you are in charge. On the other hand, that also means you’ll be shopping for… how many guests?!? Even if you keep your party small, say ten people, that’s still at least $100 in food, probably more. And don’t forget you also have to prepare and serve the food, which can keep you away from your guests and be stressful.

The good thing about hiring a caterer is they take care of all of that for you. Once you’ve discussed your budget and agreed (by contract) on what to spend, you get to sit back and enjoy your party, because your caterer will prepare the food, serve it and take care of the clean-up afterward. Sometimes they even provide things like tables and dishware. The downside? Yes, they can be expensive. But if you’re throwing a party for dozens of people, most will tell you the expense is worth it.

The important thing to remember here is, if you do choose to hire a caterer, make sure you do your homework. Ask friends and family for recommendations for catering companies they have used. The internet is a great resource, as well. Looking online also gives you a chance to compare different companies services, menus and prices. Always remember to get a contract that you can refer back to if the need arises. Then relax, and have fun at your event!

Good luck, and have a great party!
Discount Party Supplies


September 25th, 2009

Are Euros the Best Poker Currency?

There is no denying that Euros reach a large audience. After all, many of the European countries have joined the plan to have a unified currency. As far as poker goes, this unified currency plan means that players from Europe are often able to access more online casinos. Because European casinos do not have to worry in a large degree about the currencies of their players, they are able to focus on creating a universal game that can be accessed across all of Europe. Online casinos that choose to only accept Euros also avoid the issues that come with accepting poker players from the United States. American legislation puts very strong controls on online gambling, which casinos must accept if they are going to accept US Dollars. By accepting only Euros, European based casinos are able to sidestep this issue. One the same token, Euros only casinos are able to avoid any complications that can arise from attempting to convert currency from a player’s account to the currency in play. In conclusion, Euros are the ideal currency for poker players if they want to access a variety of online poker games. By using Euros, players have the option of using Euros only casinos, as well as casinos that accept a variety of currency. Euros are the way to go if you want to be able to access the widest variety of poker games.

August 19th, 2009

Bet to Protect

Poker players typically bet when they have made a hand. Sometimes though it is not always clear when or what to bet when you have made a poker online hand, such as two pairs, but are also looking at board that offers draw possibilities to a flush or straight. Two pair or trips are good online poker hands post-flop, but it still vulnerable. In limit poker, where the betting and raising is restricted to only one bet at a time, it is hard to chase away those on a draw. In no-limit poker, a player holding a vulnerable hand can chose to make a protection bet. The protection bet says you have a hand, and basically dares any challengers to call it. The protection bet has to be big enough to make the pot odds insufficient to call on a draw. For instance, betting the amount of the pot offers a 2-1 pay out, poor odds for just about anyonline poker hand. The made hand still has a good probability of winning, and if called, could win a bigger pot. A protection bet is different than a bluff because the bettor has a made hand that can win at showdown, but which is not strong enough to slow play. Protection bets are essential for multi-player pots because the made hand wants to narrow the field to heads-up if possible. The fewer players, the more likely the made hand will win.

July 29th, 2009

A Ten-Pin Advice: Critical Tips for Aspiring Bowlers

I always run into a part-time bowler willing to play real bowling competitively for the first time. If you accept bowling is your calling, you’ve stumbled upon a critical turning point in learning the game as a serious bowling competitor. This introduction to bowling may take your game to new levels. Pros from your city’s bowling pro shop can help their customers develop bowling skills. Just like a lot of sports, aim the balls at the pins and let them roll. That’s a joke. Fine, bowling is a simple game with not-so simple details. It’s all good, with a little guidance we’ll have you throwing the best way we know how.

No use putting it off, buy your own tailored bowling shoes, balls and bowling ball bags. You’ll notice a difference with your own stuff. It’s no joke, get your own ball drilled for custom finger holes, and you’ll bowl more consistently. A carefully drilled bowling ball can make a substantial improvement in your game. The same goes for sliding out your final step in comfortable bowling shoes that haven’t been worn out by a million people!

Since you already acquired your supplies, now it’s time for the number two piece of bowling advice: taking aim. While you stand, try not to focus on the actual pins. Use the markings like a sling shot. Some greenhorn bowlers don’t even know they’re there. It is easier to hit a target a good deal nearer. To take full advantage, it should be your habit to line-up at the same position on the floor every approach. With that consistency you can make small adjustements on your aim using the arrows in the lane.

What do you make of hooks, to achieve proper speed and ball control? Indeed, this is our bowling tip #3. It’s all in the pricy reactive ball. Most serious bowlers travel with at least two bowling balls to roll heavy pin action, according to the lane. However begginers might want to not try to be fancy, and don’t get a ball that weighs a ton. A lot of serious bowlers opt for bowling balls featuring reactive expert grip. Avoid the temptation, because these balls often make even decent bowlers look foolish. And that does it for our first three bowling tips. There will be more next week.

–Michael Chase

My friends and I bowl with Team “Gipper” comprised of morning shift for our company’s department of communications down in Cincinnati. I chime in with tips to aspiring bowlers online and at the lanes. Finally, I gotta give a shout out to my bowling buddies in the shop. Sorry I can’t be there.

June 16th, 2009

Playing within Your Means

It can be difficult, after some time playing poker online at a certain level of stakes, to realize and accept the fact that you might be playing out of your means. One of the big keys to bankroll management, though, lies in the fact if you are risking too much of your online poker money per session, you are in the long run almost guaranteed to fail. With the swings and variations in results that come with any short and long term playing, putting up more than you have in scope of things is like asking to get your money taken away from you for good. Thus, when deciding what levels you should currently be playing at, one must be ever vigilant to both the current size of your bank roll and to where you are at overall. Though you may feel comfortable playing $1/$2 no limit, it might be more valuable to drop down to a lower limit, such as $.50/$1 when you see that you bankroll is suffering, or is danger of doing so. Playing within your means is just as vital to the poker online player’s long term success as is catching cards. It also allows you the leeway, in playing lower limits, to breathe and play your best game, as you are not so worried about what your bankroll will look like at the end of the day if things don’t pan out.

October 27th, 2008

Christmas Cupcake Tips

Posted by admin in Eatery, Living In Leisure, World Of Fun

Santa would probably love some cupcakes this year instead of cookies! These Christmas cupcakes decoration ideas are so easy and fun to do. They’re great to get the kids involved. These cupcakes ideas will have your cupcakes looking like beautiful Christmas ornaments, reindeer and Christmas trees. Simply bake your favorite cupcake recipe and decorate accordingly:

Steps:

  1. Ice cupcakes with red or white frosting. For a stylish look, ice half in red and the other half in white.
  2. Place a peanut butter cup candy, upside down, on top of the iced cupcake. Press it into the frosting a bit so that it stays put.
  3. For the ornament hook, use pretzels. Break off the rounded part that resembles a “J” shape and insert the pointed side into the candy. You can also use a mini candy cane.

Christmas Tree Cake

Steps:

  • Color bowls of white icing different colors you like using food dye.
  • Frost most of the cupcakes green for the tree and the other cupcakes different colors to make it look like there are gifts under the tree.
  • Ice two cupcakes with brown chocolate frosting to make the Christmas tree trunk.
  • Arrange green cupcakes into the shape of a Christmas tree and use the chocolate-iced cupcakes as the tree trunk. Fill in at the bottom of the tree with different colored cupcakes in square shapes to look like gifts.
  • Decorate the top of the cupcakes with festive sprinkles, candy and red icing to make gift bows and ribbons

Gingerbread Man Cupcakes

Steps:

  • Ice cupcakes with brown chocolate frosting.
  • Use white icing to pipe on the face.
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