What to Look For in an Online Casino Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Sometimes you want to take some time and enjoy gaming online, but what should you be looking for? Here are some factors you should consider: integrity, entertainment value, quality of playing experience and openness in handling financial transactions.

Years in Operation

The first thing you should consider is how long a casino has been in operation. The longer the better, of course. While it is true that a URL can be registered for a couple of bucks and sit there for a long time, being more established suggests a better class of service that retains satisfied patrons more than most. The exact opposite is a fly-by-night operation that puts your deposit at risk.

Presentation

In terms of the face it presents to the world, an online casino in the virtual world is no different from a regular establishment in point of glitzy appeal. Of course the online variety should attract first-time visitors to stay and explore the patronage options. An online casino should exude glamour, a solid reputation, fun, excitement and the promise of rich winnings.

Integrity

An honest online casino highlights the fact that it has independent auditors.

Otherwise, it becomes pretty hard to judge the integrity of the operation. After all the barriers to entry are low. A complete gaming software suite can reportedly be had for at most $20,000. Beyond that, operating cost is little more than web hosting and payment processing services. Clearly, the profit potential is so huge that it iks bound to attract scam artists.

Bonuses

Healthy bonuses are obviously a powerful incentive. With that many online casinos to choose from, we almost take signup and reload bonus for granted. Take care not to.

Most casinos have deposit bonuses and loyalty programs. But before you dive headlong into the casino that offers the highest bonus, read the terms and conditions governing your being able to withdraw all your money when you’ve a mind to.

There are casinos that offer up to $1,000 deposit bonus. Guess what? You are required to play no less than 5,000 hands before you can withdraw that, assuming the amount credited remains intact in the face of house odds.

Another factor to consider is percentage payout. Independently-audited casinos prominently display their payout for the prior month. Naturally, the higher the payout rate the better. But since the online casino industry has become so competitive that almost all payout rates are at 97% or 98% nowadays, this is no longer a good discriminatory variable.

Deposit/Withdrawal

There are many ways, almost too many, to deposit money to your casino account. The more deposit options a casino offers the better. The predominant method is via credit card, naturally. This allows you to remit online and get the instant gratification of playing right away.

Opening an account with a payment processing company like Click2Pay or Moneybookers, on the other hand, requires a wait of 1-5 business days before an account is credited and validated. And it can be a pain to have to memorize another username and password.

The point is you have a choice of payment methods. Withdrawing money should be as easy as making a deposit. It never is so read the fine print carefully. It is a good, thing, at least, that most casinos now require two pieces of ID faxed/mailed in to confirm the withdrawal. Who knows, you might get lucky and we could be talking about real money in your account so the extra security precaution is worth it.

User Experience

The most frustrating thing a surfer experience is not able to navigate a site. Navigation and contacting customer service should always be a click away. In addition, customer service should be free and respond fast.

Graphical interface is another important feature. It definitely adds to the fun factor and it is so much nicer to look at easy-on-the-eye visuals than flashy animations.

Most casual players just want to get a thrill of the game without any financial involvement. A respectable casino will provide "Play For Free" before you play for real money.

More often than not, a popular casino will exhibit more features. Chat, for instance, adds to the fun when you can communicate with others while you are playing.

Location/Currency

This has to be one of the most overlooked features. If possible, choose an online casino that operates in your location. The internet world may have no boundaries but you do want the customer service rep’s to speak the same language/accent as you do, right?

Another reason for giving priority to domestic locations is currency exchange. Casinos and payment processing companies offer the worst exchange rates around. To avoid this, simply choose a casino that accepts the same currency you use from day to day.

posted by Brandon Schenz @ 7:08 AM, ,

The No Weights? No Problem Workout Tuesday, September 04, 2007

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The No Weights? No Problem Workout

Sometimes, life doesn't allow you to have access to a gym or even a good set of weights -- when you're on vacation, perhaps, or serving 20 in solitary. But you can use nature's best barbell -- your own body. In fact, many athletes use their own body weight for hard-core workouts because it provides more than enough resistance when you're doing body-weight exercises. This circuit works all of your muscles, and you never have to lift a weight -- except your own.

EXERCISE	REPETITIONS	REST	SETS
Broad Jump	10-12	30 seconds	2
Diamond Pushup	10-12	30 seconds	2
Reaching Lunge	6-8 each leg	30 seconds	2
Bench Dip	10-12	30 seconds	2
Skiing Wall Squat	5	30 seconds	2
Donkey Kick	15 each leg	30 seconds	2
Boot Slappers	8	30 seconds	2
Shadow Boxing	50 punches	1 minute	2

Skiing Wall Squat - Lean against a wall, with your feet 18 to 24 inches away from it and shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and hold that position for 5 to 10 seconds. Bend deeper and hold. Repeat until you've hit five different positions; go as low as you can.
Donkey Kick - Get down on your hands and knees and kick your right leg back and up as high as you can. Finish by arching your back and pulling your knee to your chest. Repeat on the other side.
Boot Slappers - Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width, squat down, slap the sides of your ankles, then stand back up. Repeat 10 to 20 times. As a variation, after you slap your ankles, explode and jump straight up instead of standing up.
Shadow Boxing - Throw punches while bobbing on your feet like a boxer: 10 right jabs, 10 left hooks, 10 right hooks, 10 left uppercuts, 10 right uppercuts.
Diamond Pushup - Get into traditional pushup position, but place your hands directly under your chest with your index fingers and thumbs spread and touching; that's the diamond. Keep your back flat throughout the movement. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches your hands. Pause, then push your body back up to the starting position.

Variation 1: If the move is too difficult, put your knees on the ground.

Variation 2: Elevate your feet on a bench, chair, or bed.
Reaching Lunge - Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. In one motion, take a lunging step forward as far as you can with your left foot and reach forward with both hands to touch the floor in front of you. Quickly reverse the motion to return to the starting position, then switch legs.
Bench/Chair Dip - Place your hands behind you on the edge of a bench or chair and your feet on another bench or chair (or the floor) a few feet in front of you. Lower your body until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Pause, then press back to the starting position.

Variation: Ask someone to add a weight plate, phone book, or your carry-on for extra resistance.
Broad Jump - Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Dip your knees and jump forward as far as you can. Land on both feet with flexed knees. Pause, turn around, then jump back. Complete a set of 10.

Variation 1: As soon as your toes touch the floor after the jump, jump again immediately.

Variation 2: After each broad jump, squat slightly and quickly explode straight up, reaching both arms overhead. Land with flexed knees, then jump forward again.

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