The Origins of Poker

The owner and CEO of cell phone retailer 24 Hours Wireless, Elias Daher is dedicated to offering the latest mobile devices to his customers. When he isn’t working, Elias Daher enjoys playing poker.

While historians do not agree on a single origin for the card game poker, many believe that it evolved in the United States from the French card game Poque. This game rose to popularity in France during the 17th century. Players rank a variety of hands according to value in a way that is similar to modern poker. Poque also includes features of poker, such as betting and bluffing.

Other historians trace the origins of poker back to 16th century Persia or 10th century China. Resembling both Poque and poker, the Persian card game As Nas consists of rounds of betting on a series of ranked hands. While the ancient Chinese game Mahjong employed domino-like tiles, this betting game blends strategy and luck, much like poker.

An Overview of Different Kinds of Wireless Technology

 The planet is surrounded by nearly 5,000 satellites at any given moment. These satellites help provide more than 90 percent of the American population with access to the Internet and wireless communication. That said, only three out of 10 Americans have reliable access to high-speed Internet that adheres to speed guidelines proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Furthermore, nearly one-quarter of rural-based Americans, or about 14.5 million individuals, have no wireless access whatsoever.

As the FCC and other organizations push for increased wireless access throughout the nation, it can be helpful for individuals to familiarize themselves with the different types of wireless communications. Individuals who have struggled with one type of wireless technology may find their needs better met by an alternative approach.

As mentioned, satellites play a critical part when it comes to wireless communications. Satellite communications are virtually instantaneous, though the curvature of the planet and the exact arrangement of satellites at any given time can make certain lines of communication more challenging than others. Satellite technology is also highly expensive. That said, satellites are relatively reliable, resulting in NASA and other international space organizations using satellite technology for global communications.

Infrared communication, meanwhile, is a common example of wireless communication that is already present in most American homes in the form a television remote. Infrared transmissions take place between microwaves and visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum. While infrared works well in the home, any disruption of light between the photoreceiver and light beam will end the transmission, meaning infrared technology is only suitable for scenarios where there is a consistent line of sight visibility.

One of the earliest forms of wireless communication persists to this day: broadcast radio. Radio transmitters emit data via radio waves, which are collected by receiving antennae. Radio is unique in that the electromagnetic signals involved are very narrow, allowing for signals to be adjusted and broadcast along very specific frequencies. This is why an individual can easily switch between multiple radio stations.

Most Americans do not associate microwaves with communication, but microwave technology is actually used for two distinct types of communication. Satellite microwave communications are more effective than terrestrial microwave communication technology, though the former is comparable to infrared communication in that a clear line of sight is needed. Satellites can help send these signals over long distances, but inclement weather can still disrupt these transmissions. Terrestrial microwave technology also requires a clear line of sight and is usually limited to short distances, but the use of multiple receivers can negate the need for an outside network.

A low-power, widely used example of wireless communications in the United States is Wi-Fi Internet. Wi-Fi is such a low-power connection that it is freely available at many stores and restaurants throughout the nation. Wi-Fi is powered by a physical wired network accessed via router, resulting in a network that is very local but also very easy to power. The mobile phone industry has developed a number of mobile communication systems that are comparable to Wi-Fi but larger and more secure in scale.

Bluetooth is similar to Wi-Fi as a relatively new form of wireless communication. Bluetooth is also highly localized. However, Bluetooth is a versatile communication tool that can aid in the transmission of both written messages and various data files. While Bluetooth was initially conceived as a replacement for physical cables, the technology is usually limited to a 30-foot range, which can be further hindered by walls and other obstacles.

While these forms of wireless communication represent the majority of the industry, there are countless alternative technologies and aerial designs available. Home and business owners should carefully research every technology to determine which product offers the fastest, most reliable wireless connections.

 There are a number of materials used to make tennis courts. That said, these materials fall under three broad categories of courts used in the modern game: hard court, clay, and grass. The different surfaces play quite differently, and players should consider adjusting their strategies in order to excel.

Hard courts can be viewed as the “standard” court surface, supporting a baseline strategy for players. There are more hard court tournaments on the professional tour than any other surface, and two of the sport’s four major tournaments, the Australian Open and United States Open, are played on hard courts. Court surfaces mainly impact the game in terms of how high balls bounce, how fast they travel after bouncing on the surface, and how the surface interacts with the spin of the ball. The exact nature of a specific hard court can vary considerably, considering the differences between asphalt, concrete, acrylic, and other hard court surfaces.

One of the most basic tactics tennis players can use on a hard court is the wide serve and cross court winner, a classic one-two punch. This strategy is ideal for right handed players serving to the deuce court and left handed players serving to the ad court, though players can serve wide on any point. In the former scenario, a right-hander can hit a slice serve that pulls the returner from the deuce court to the doubles alley and, if the serve is effective, off the court completely. The result is a wide open court for the server to hit a conservative winner into.

Clay courts are the second most prominent type of tennis court for tennis players. The main clay season begins after the Miami Open in April and continues into June, culminating at Frances’ Roland Garros, though there are other clay tournaments running throughout the duration of the tennis calendar. Compared to the average hard court, most clay courts produce a slower but much higher bouncing ball. Clay courts accentuate the spin players use, particularly top spin.

Because of the slow, high bouncing nature of clay courts, patience is a key component of any effective strategy. Players should increase their use of top spin shots over the course of long rallies in order to minimize their chances of hitting an error, but do this without sacrificing power, which is at a premium on clay. Drop shots are another effective tactic when it comes to clay court tennis, as the court offers much less bounce.

Sliding is one of the most unique aspects of clay court tennis, and one that must be integrated into any strategy. While it is possible to slide on grass and even hard courts, it is not as effective or safe. While viewers may notice players making long slides as they move forward to catch a short ball, it is not uncommon for players to make smaller, lateral slides as they move behind the baseline. Players should practice maintaining their balance and center of gravity as they slide on clay, with a goal of sliding into shots and recovering, as opposed to starting or continuing to slide after hitting the ball.

Finally, grass is the fastest playing surface in the sport of tennis. Grass also produces the lowest bounce of the three main surfaces. With these traits in mind, slice shots are a good tactic to implement, as they are already a lower bouncing shot. Furthermore, the side spin of the slice shot slides quickly through the grass, making for a shot that is extremely difficult to attack. The speed and bounce on grass also places an emphasis on the importance of big, consistent serving. Big servers can shorten points on grass by following their serves into the net, a strategy known as serve and volley.