Reference Guide

You may be wondering, why discuss the Poker Hand Rankings? It's a good question. The reason is quite simple.

Beginners often don't know what will beat what in Texas Hold 'em and a lot of people who have played for some time, think they know, but possibly don't really know either.

Here is a quick reference guide for you to print out and use as a reference, just in case you ever need to check back to verify what you already know!

We'll start with the lowest possible winning hands and go up from there.

HIGH CARD ACE For example, A-9-5-3-2 In case of a tie, then the next highest card would be determined as the winning card.

ONE PAIR Highest pair wins, in the event of a tie then the highest card wins. Example 9-7-3-3-2

TWO PAIR Two Pair. Example Q-Q-4-4-2

THREE OF A KIND Three cards of the same numerical or face card rank Example: K-K-K-9-4

STRAIGHT Five cards in sequence. Example: 7-8-9-10-J

FLUSH Five Cards of the same suit. Example: 5-6-7-8-9 all of Hearts FULL HOUSE Two Cards of one rank and three cards of another. Example: Q-Q-J-J-J

FOUR OF A KIND Four of the same exact cards. Example 5-5-5-5-2

STRAIGHT FLUSH Five cards in the same suit in numerical order. Example: 2-3-4-5-6 of Clubs

ROYAL FLUSH The most beautiful poker hand you will find! Same suit A-K-Q-J-10

Hopefully these few tips will help you the next time you sit down at a poker table and find that some of the hand rankings aren't fresh on your mind like you had hoped!

This is handy to keep somewhere close to your computer as a "cheat sheet" if you are new to the game and still want to have a little more confidence in your play.

Try using it for a while, and then you can put it away when you don't need it as a crutch anymore!

Do keep in mind; because each poker game is different, sometimes it helps to keep a cheat sheet around for hand rankings when you are playing numerous online games, especially if you have the tendency to jump in and out of different games.

The most common mistake you find new players making in Texas Hold'em is the three of a kind and straight , if you don't know that a straight beats a three of a kind , you'll remember it after it beats you a few times!

The internet is filled with hundreds of World of Warcraft guides for you to choose from. In order to become one of the top players, you are going to want to buy a World of Warcraft guide. But it can be difficult to decide which one is best, there are some important features you will want to look for however to help you choose the best guide available.

The first thing you need to look for with any guide is to make sure the Auction House gold mine is covered. WoW Gamers are always looking to increase the amount of gold they have. If you are smart with your gaming, a lot of gold can come from the Auction House. Because of this, you want to make sure the guide tells you exactly what to sell, how to sell it and when the best time to sell is.

You will find that there are a number of Auction House techniques that you can use to gain the most from this method. Even the most experienced WOW player's can struggle identifying all of the options available. This is precisely why you want to find a guide that will be there to assist you.

The next thing your World of Warcraft guide should cover is the best spots that can be found in the game. You want to know how to locate the best spots available and when you arrive there what you need to kill. This is perhaps the most desirable feature for players when purchasing a guide.

The next feature you want to look for is a reference guide of how to gather the skills that are provided by the game. Obviously you want your character to be as powerful and skilled as possible. If you can enhance the skills of your character, you can become extremely wealthy at the same time. You want your guide to highlight good gathering paths and spots for you to increase your skill level.

And finaly the last tip for what to look for in a World of Warcraft guide is daily quests you can take advantage of. Depending on the player, some prefer to do daily quests in order to attain in game currency over Auction House gambling or farming. Whether this is your strategy or not, you want to find a guide that covers this as well just in case somewhere down the line you alter your strategy in some form or another.

There are hundreds of guides to choose from both online and in book stores for WOW. If you really want to tone your skills and become a successful player, it's vital you take the tips in this article to help you find a legitimate World of Warcraft guide.

Copyright (c) 2008 SharpBrains

Dana Press kindly sent us a couple of books. One of them, The Dana Guide to Brain Health: A Practical Family Reference From Medical Experts, is our topic today.

We are impressed by what Dana is doing to insert neuroscience findings and implications into the public discourse.

No big surprise then, to find out so much quality content inside a 700-page one-of-a-kind guide.

The guide is really 4 books inside a common binding. Priced at a reasonable level, and with superb in-depth text and images in all relevant areas, the book can be used as a 1) Brain 101 tutorial, 2) brief summary of the basics of Brain Care and Wellness, 3) description of the stages of brain development, 4) reference guide for around 70 brain-related conditions.

In my personal opinion, every neuroscience, medical and psychology student, clinician and researcher should have this book in their hands to keep abreast of many recent developments, and also be exposed to professional development courses based on it. Many families and individuals interested in the brain should consider buying it too.

Given the focus of our blog-brain fitness for healthy individuals-, we particularly enjoyed the sections

- on intelligence, with sentences such as "It is extremely unlikely that an "intelligence pill" will be discovered in the near future" (P. 215)

- on "The Brain-Body Loop" which explains, among other things, the effects of stress,

- "Taking Advantage of New Findings and New Finding About the Adult Brain", with gems such as "Recent research on the brain has established two great principles. First, far from remaining static in adulthood, as we had long assumed, the human brain continues to grow and develop throughout our entire life span. This development takes place in two ways: by ongoing adjustments in signaling pathways and by the addition of new brain cells. Knowing this means that you should try, as you would with any fine, high-powered machine, to practice good maintenance to give it the best chance to provide peak performance...in many respects we can make a material difference in how it ages, and even induce it to perform better over time...Just as we may choose to strengthen our muscles with challenging workouts, we can encourage brain growth by keeping engaged in many different mental activities".

- and, above all, the one on "Basic Brain Care: Protecting Your Mental Capital" (Pages 31-41), where we are all recommended to

---- Sleep: at least 6 hours a day, making sure we don't make a habit of "cutting sleep short"

---- Eat well: the general rule here is that what is good for the body is also good for the brain, and to be wary of "diets advertised as "brain food"

---- "Protect the fortress" (our skull), by making sure we use security belts and helmets whenever there may be a risk

---- Exercise regularly

---- Keep Stress in Check (stress can inhibit or reduce the creation of new neurons, among other things)

---- Stimulate our minds through life, by ensuring a flow of novelty and variety that enhances the creation of a "cognitive reserve". If is fascinating for us to see how Brain Fitness helps integrate "Brain Health" and "Lifelong Learning", Health & Wellness and Education. Of course, these categories are human conventions that the brain itself probably doesn't care too much about...

In short, a great reference book for professionals and for people interested in the brain. And a great starting point (the only one we are aware of) for a really useful and practical guide to Brain Health that every family should have. In a bit more creative terms: great quality marble looking for a consumer-oriented Michelangelo.

Following an intense exercise plan and trying to stay fit has been a goal you have entered into your New Year's necessary goals list for as long as you can probably remember. But, for one reason or another your plan has not yet been successful and you can count multiple instances when you began exercising with the willingness to keep it a long-term practice this time, but failed to do so, although you thought you would manage to stay motivated and be totally committed to your exercising plan as you have promised yourself. Getting back on the workout track by creating your own simple reference guide of why you want to succeed is not only easy, but it can actually be extremely rewarding for your figure and mindset.

Begin by grabbing an empty notebook and a pen. Sit uninterrupted in your favorite spot, close your eyes and visualize your perfect self. What is missing from your current state to become that dream representation of what you think you should look like? If you are able to answer this question, this process will be even simpler. Open your eyes and start writing what you want in general. If you wish to look thinner, for example, write "I want to loose weight." On this page of this personal guide you may write as many goals as you wish. Turn the page and begin writing the details of your goals; their objectives. Start by identifying the three most important goals and begin noting down exactly what you want to do with each one of them. Keep your objectives specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and most importantly, timed! If your goal is to loose fifteen pounds, then you will probably need 10 to 15 weeks; given the fact that most bodies can loose 1 to 2 pounds per week if a healthy diet and exercise is followed consistently. If you are afraid of putting down exact weight measurement for each week, then using activity goals, like "exercise three times a week" can be less frustrating.

Next you should do some soul searching and discover the why that is hiding behind your objectives. Being true to yourself and identifying how come and you believe that loosing weight will bring a change in your life that will make you feel happier is as important as following any step that can lead you to your end goal. True motivation comes from within in such instances and you have to be sincere with the reasoning of your goals. You can even write down the changes you and others will be able to witness by following your kind of fitness plan to attain your goal and succeed in realizing your objectives. Turn the page and by using your five senses, write down exactly what you hope to gain at the end of this effort and what you will be able to see, hear, feel, taste and smell. Upon completing this step you can begin your next notebook's page by listing the sources that will help you attain your goals and find the most recommended methods for your case to complete each one of your goals. Then you have to identify what you have to do today or tomorrow to get started and remember that once you have set your goal you have to pay attention to each smaller step in the way so as to lead you towards its realization.

By planning your next steps beforehand you will feel more motivated to reach each step and ultimately your final goal. But be very careful during the research phase after the completion of this notebook guide and exactly before selecting the method you wish to choose to accomplish each objective. You will need credible sources of information and fitness experts should provide the necessary advice which then you have to follow diligently if you wish to see your original dream come true.

It is said that there is very less difference in the level of effort, wisdom, understanding, and analysis between a highly successful marketer and a moderately successful one. Successful ones just take that small extra step and rise phenomenally above others. Would you like to know how they do it? Great, let's get started!

1. Know and understand your product / service thoroughly, just like the back of your hand. Unless you do this, you will never give justice to your sales pitch and other marketing efforts.

2. Identify your product's USP. If you don't have one, create one (there are specific steps in doing this which you will find in some of my other articles). Further, let your USP be the key message communicated in everything you do.

3. Understand who your potential clients are, and where they can be found. Then target them. Trying to get your message to too many people will waste your resources in lead generation. Don't think the whole world is your market, even if your mother said so. Narrow your immediate target to the "most potential" clients. Measure your conversions and then take it from there.

4. Be enthusiastic. This is crucial. If you're not excited about your product or service, your potential clients won't be interested. Enthusiasm is contagious and the energy generated has the power to lift the spirits of your prospect in a positive manner. The most important thing is to smile always; it increases your face value. Keep smiling, but don't smile like an idiot, smile appropriately.

5. Don't be discouraged when a sale is lost. Logically analyze why you lost it and keep that in mind before your next marketing presentation. Use a failure to learn something constructive, don't give up!

6. Remove the word "customer" from your marketing dictionary and use the word "client". Customers are people or businesses who buy products or services from you. Clients are people "under your protection". Take care of your clients and make them feel special by helping them buy.

7. The capability to put oneself in the client's shoes and try to understand their needs, possible objections, etc is also a major skill you should learn, that will go a long way in your marketing career.

8. Understand your competition. Be knowledgeable of a comparison with your product / service. When the issue comes up, don't try to attack the competition. Show them how your offer is better. Most people will either attack the competition or shrug their shoulders and act as if they don't know who this company is.

9. Learn the skills of methodical probing (customized to the product / service you're selling) to uncover needs. Know when to use open ended probes and when to use close ended ones.

10. Learn how to support the client needs with product benefits. Concentrate on the benefits - what pain does your product / service relieve? What pleasure does it give?

Benefits appeal to Emotions.

Features appeal to Logic.

Logic justifies Emotions, which drive Sales.

11. Learn and implement the psychological tactics that trigger sales. Some of them are: curiosity, story telling, social proof, fear, authority, etc. I cover this subject in more detail in some of my other articles which can be found at http://www.bharatbhasha.com/author.php/Nirjara%20Rustom

12. Don't be afraid of / feel shy about closing the sale. Be confident in asking for the order / commitment once your potential client has shown an inclination by giving out necessary signals (yes, this means that you need to learn how to analyze these "signals", also covered in one of my other articles).

13. Remember - Honest is the best policy. It is and will always remain true for long term success. Be it sales, or anything else in life.

14. Ask for referrals! Satisfied clients can be your best lead generators. Don't depend upon their memory to remember you when someone they know needs your service. Keep yourself in their vision so they don't forget you.

15. Sell something more to your existing clients! They already know you and trust you, so if they're satisfied, they'll buy more! Don't try to sell a car to a client who has just bought one from you (obviously). Sell them accessories, car insurance, etc... something that they want immediately. Understand and identify upsells and downsells related to your product / service and see how you can provide these, too.

16. Try to figure out the right opportunity (time, situation, etc) when your client's buying mode is switched on. Stock exchange doing very well? Follow up your clients (who are brokers) if they need (want? wish?) to buy more of your products /upgrade them. Selling products to pregnant women? Know the "right time" to follow up to sell your baby care products. You get the point...

17. Use integration marketing and seek out Joint Venture partners to work out mutually beneficial deals. This is the only way you can make money off other people's lists and efforts without any investment. Check out my other articles if you wish to learn more on this subject.

Finally, remember the 4 prong formula - AIDA. It stands for:

Attention - Interest - Desire - Action.

Grab the attention, stimulate and maintain the interest, invoke sufficient desire for your product / service and finally make a call to action - how to order now!

I wish you good luck in your marketing.