Indian Camp
 

Welcome to Indian Camp week here at OPOD. We start with the wonderful photograph of a camp at the side of the lake. The Indians are not identified, but we know the picture was taken in 1904. The picture is a photochrom print, which was an early technique for making color prints of photographs.
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Curls Kids Products
 

Want a gentle line of hair care products to beautify your little one's curls? Then check out the entire CURLS' line, from shampoos to conditioners to gentle styling products.

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The Week That Was: HOF Inductees, FTP Signings & Thomas Trains
 

Viktor Blom and Tom Dwan join Gus Hansen as Full Tilt Poker Pros The past week was a slow one as far as action on the felt was concerned, but there was a varied set of stories that took place off the felt. The biggest news is that Sailor Roberts and Eric Drache will become [...]

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Curiosity Tracks
 

This is another HiRISE image acquired to provide more coverage of the landing region in the narrow color swath.

The new color coverage reveals new dark and relatively blue spots that are arrayed radially downrange from the impact site of the descent stage or sky crane system (see this image for previously identified spots. The largest spot in this new subimage (right edge) was identified previously.

After gently placing the rover on the surface, the descent stage was programmed to fly away and crash at a safe distance, to ensure the landing site was not contaminated by fuel. Debris from this crash then made secondary impacts, which are dark and relatively blue because they disturb the bright dust covering the surface.

Written by: Alfred McEwen

Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

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Wilson hails Kitson display
 

Manager Danny Wilson hailed Sheffield United match-winner Dave Kitson after he helped the Blades beat Preston 1-0 at Deepdale on Saturday.

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Appeals for calm after Lebanon assassination
 

Amid anger and grief, ex-PM Saad Hariri urges large turnout at funeral for slain intelligence official Wissam al-Hassan.

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Galaxies Merge
 

NGC 2623 is really two galaxies that are becoming one. Seen to be in the final stages of a titanic galaxy merger, the pair lies some 300 million light-years distant toward the constellation Cancer. The violent encounter between two galaxies that may have been similar to the Milky Way has produced widespread star formation near a luminous core and along eye-catching tidal tails. Filled with dust, gas, and young blue star clusters, the opposing tidal tails extend well over 50,000 light-years from the merged nucleus. Likely triggered by the merger, accretion by a supermassive black hole drives activity within the nuclear region. The star formation and its active galactic nucleus make NGC 2623 bright across the spectrum. This sharp cosmic snapshot of NGC 2623 (aka Arp 243) is based on Hubble Legacy Archive image data that also reveals even more distant background galaxies scattered through the field of view.

Credits: Hubble Legacy Archive, ESA, NASA; Processing - Martin Pugh

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2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Horseshoe Hammond: Mike Leah Leads After Day 1a
 

Mike Leah is the chip leader after Day 1a of the World Series of Poker Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Main Event.

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International Federation of Poker Introduces New Book, “The Rules Of Poker”
 

In its short existence, the International Federation of Poker has arguably done more for the game of poker than any other organization in the same time frame. Founded in 2009, the IFP has been able to unite over 40 different national poker organizations under one umbrella, bringing a level of respectability to making poker more of a “sport” than just as a game. The IFP has promoted poker as a skill sport, getting the game officially recognized by the Mind Sports Organization and included in its Mind Sports Olympiad, and has promoted the game through its own tournaments, including last year’s “The Table” and its intriguing Match Poker variation.

Recently, the IFP has entered into the world of poker literature, publishing a tome that many in the poker world have long called for.

“The Rules of Poker” is the first-ever venture by the IFP into the world of books and it is a necessary manuscript for all poker players to have at hand. Compiled by David Flusfeder, the chairman of the Rules Committee for the IFP, it admits that it has had a great deal of help when it comes to creating a singular international rule book. In the acknowledgements, the book mentions the Tournament Directors Association, the World Series of Poker, the European Poker Tour, the World Poker Tour and other organizations as a genesis for the IFP efforts, stating “we stand on the shoulders of giants” for their contributions to the game and the book.

In publishing “The Rules of Poker,” the IFP is looking to bring about an international guideline to the world of poker, something that has long been needed in the game. Players frequently complain about different rules in different locales – even between poker rooms that are literally across the street from each other – and, with the IFP’s “Rules of Poker” and its implementation, it would introduce a streamlined system for organizing and arbitrating the game of poker worldwide.

The book isn’t long by any stretch of the measure – only 139 pages – but it captures what could be fairly stated as any circumstance that might arise at the poker table. It hits every game that is currently being spread and offers a simple format for the implementation of those rules. In issuing the rule book for poker, it also offers the directions for rectifying certain circumstances that come up in poker, such as exposed cards or a misdeal, that often bedevil home game players.

Along with offering a comprehensive rule book, “The Rules of Poker” includes other information that is useful. For example, “The Rules of Poker” includes a section on how to score Chinese Poker – to be honest, I had never considered the complexity of the game before reading the rules and now find it to be intriguing – and this is something that others might like. The IFP’s “Rules of Poker” also offers the guidelines for running a Match Poker event, which sounds like fun, but a bit difficult to do in a home game setting; not many people can put together that many decks (75 for each table) as well as their setup for their home game action!

There were a few things I found interesting in the rules. One is the usage of “English only” at the tables. While this is nice for those who speak the language, there are tournaments worldwide now; the IFP’s “Rules of Poker” amend that to include the native language of the country where a particular contest is being held. Additionally, there is a “dress code” that the IFP has introduced for its sponsored events that bans hoodies, sunglasses and hats at the table. While some might not like this fact (can you see Antonio Esfandiari having to wear shoes at the table?), it does address something that Poker Hall of Fame member Mike Sexton addressed earlier this year regarding the appearance of poker players.

The segment that I found most enjoyable, however, was the inclusion of the Hendon Mob’s popular series of articles, “You Are The Tournament Director” and endorsed by Hendon Mob member Barny Boatman. Utilizing several of the situations presented in that series on the Hendon Mob website, “The Rules of Poker” offer the appropriate decisions on several instances that have actually occurred on the felt. This segment allows the reader to exercise what they have read through the book as if they were actually in the position of rendering a decision.

While the book isn’t going to teach you how to play a middle pocket pair from under the gun, “The Rules of Poker” should be something that all poker players (and perhaps tournament directors) have in their libraries. If it helps to settle that row in your home game when a disagreement arises, then it is worth the price of purchase ($19.95 U. S., £12.95 U. K.). By attempting to unify the guidelines of this game we all love, “The Rules of Poker” and the IFP should be commended for their efforts.



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Daily Pic # 1686, ?Home Soil?
 

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A hidef pic from this first season TNG episode.



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